The group was visibly taken aback by the three words before them.
"I drew Liar," Qi Xia said slowly. "But whether I reveal this card or not doesn't matter, because it's completely irrelevant."
He picked up the card and casually tossed it onto the table.
"If my guess is correct, every single one of you has the same card—Liar."
The room fell silent. After a while, Officer Li was the first to speak. "So… you're saying that everyone lied earlier?"
"Exactly." Qi Xia nodded. "You're all smarter than I expected. Each of you added a tiny lie to your story—just enough to make it work logically without being obviously false."
Officer Li contemplated this for a moment, seemingly piecing things together.
"If what you're saying is true…" He sighed deeply. "Then the problem becomes even more complicated."
The others looked at Officer Li, puzzled.
He continued, "According to the rules, we can only survive if we all vote for the liar. But that would mean the liar loses. Which means…"
Dr. Zhao was the first to catch on. "You mean… we can vote for anyone, and since everyone lied, this becomes a sure-win game, with only the person voted out dying?"
"Exactly," Officer Li nodded. "The best option now is to focus all the votes on one person, minimizing the loss. After all, the rest of us would survive."
His words plunged the atmosphere into even deeper tension. The goat-headed figure, however, remained motionless, as if silently affirming that they were merely choosing who among them would die.
Qi Xia sighed and looked at Officer Li. "Officer, is interrupting others a hobby of yours? Does it give you some sense of achievement?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" Officer Li frowned. "I'm just trying to help!"
"I don't need your help." Qi Xia responded bluntly. "Your plan will kill everyone."
"What?" Officer Li was stunned. "Why would it kill everyone? Am I wrong? If everyone lied, any vote would work!"
"Officer Li," Qi Xia said coldly, "the goat-head clearly stated, The rules are absolute and There is exactly one liar. Remember?"
"I…" Officer Li hesitated, recalling that the goat-head had indeed said those exact words.
"Let me clarify," Qi Xia said, his tone sharp. "At first glance, the liar has a massive advantage because everyone believes they're on the path to victory. But if we vote randomly, we all die in the end."
Sitting beside Qi Xia, Qiao Jiajin muttered as he touched his tattooed arm, "Because we broke the rules…"
"Exactly." Qi Xia nodded. "But here's the catch: in this game, we can't prove anyone's lying. As Attorney Zhang pointed out, we can only rely on inconsistencies in their stories. But we're not from the same region—no matter how contradictory the details, there's no guarantee anyone's lying."
Qi Xia scanned the group, now deep in thought, and continued, "The host specifically chose us nine for a reason—to let us self-destruct, picking apart seemingly connected stories and finding imaginary flaws."
"But is that really fair? How can we be certain someone else is lying? The only liar we can objectively confirm from the clues… is the goat-headed figure."
Qi Xia picked up the pen and scribbled the words "Goat-Man" on a piece of paper.
"I've been wondering—why did the goat-head introduce himself as 'Goat-Man' at the start? It seemed unnecessary. But now, it's clear—it's part of the game."
The group glanced uneasily at the goat-headed figure, who remained silent.
Officer Li hesitated before shaking his head. "You're reaching. The goat-head isn't a player. The rule says, Among the storytellers, there is exactly one liar. But he didn't tell a story."
"Didn't he?" Qi Xia raised an eyebrow. "I distinctly recall him saying he brought us here to 'create a god.' Isn't that an outlandish story in itself?"
Officer Li lowered his head, finding Qi Xia's logic persuasive but still feeling an unexplained discomfort.
"But…" Dr. Zhao spoke up, "Your entire hypothesis hinges on the assumption that we're all liars. Why are you so certain of that? What if we reveal our cards and only you are the liar?"
"You didn't tell the truth," Qi Xia said bitterly, his expression tinged with despair. "I've spent time validating this. Not only do I know you all lied—I know where you lied."
He slid his notes forward and turned to Sweetie sitting next to him. "Sweetie, you were 'working' in the car with your head sticking out when the falling billboard hit the vehicle and knocked you unconscious. Is that true?"
Sweetie pursed her lips, unable to respond.
"Qiao Jiajin," Qi Xia turned to him, "you fell from a high place and hit a billboard. Did you really just 'lose consciousness'?"
Qiao Jiajin remained silent.
"Teacher Xiao Ran," Qi Xia continued, "you said you were protecting a child and dodged a speeding car. Did you really dodge it?"
Xiao Ran's eyes darted nervously.
"Dr. Zhao," Qi Xia turned again, "you said the operating room ceiling collapsed. But surgical rooms are built sturdier than ordinary spaces. Did you really just get knocked unconscious?"
Dr. Zhao averted his gaze.
"Han Yimo, you claim you don't remember anything, but aren't writers most sensitive to interruptions when they're deep in their work? Do you really not know how you got here?"
Han Yimo sighed lightly.
"Attorney Zhang," Qi Xia shifted his focus, "your car plunged into a crevice. How deep was it, exactly?"
Attorney Zhang crossed his arms, his face blank.
"Officer Li," Qi Xia looked at him directly, "you claimed your car seat could fold down instantly to escape your captor. What kind of car has such a feature?"
Officer Li touched the red marks on his neck, hesitant to speak.
"And Lin Qin, your studio is on a high floor. You said the ceiling collapsed. If a high-rise starts collapsing, wouldn't the entire building be gone by now?"
Lin Qin lowered her head deeply, saying nothing.
Seeing their reactions, Qi Xia tapped the table.
"Admit it. All of us, including me, are already dead."