The nine people now hung from the ceiling like chandeliers, swaying back and forth while clinging to the handles.
Lin Qin glanced downward and felt her heart sink.
Below them was a ten-meter-deep pit.
If anyone hadn't grabbed the handle, they'd already be dead.
"Hey, writer, hold on tight!" Qiao Jiajin shouted, noticing Han Yimo was losing his grip. He grew anxious. "Are you really giving up at a time like this?"
"I…" Han Yimo's face was strained, his muscles taut with effort, yet his body kept sliding downward.
Qiao Jiajin, who was closest to him, immediately let go with one hand, grabbed Han Yimo by his pants, and pulled him up. Qiao's strength was remarkable, and Han felt like he was being lifted by a crane. He quickly used the opportunity to grasp the handle again.
Officer Li, seeing this, also reached out to help, and between the two of them, they managed to steady Han Yimo, preventing him from falling.
Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, a muffled groan caught their attention.
Turning to look, Tian Tian's bloodied hand was trembling.
A shocked cry escaped her lips. Only then did everyone remember her hand had also been injured earlier.
But this girl seemed extraordinarily resilient; she didn't utter a sound until her blood soaked the handle.
Her right hand slipped off, leaving her hanging by her weaker left hand. However, given her smaller frame and lesser strength, she struggled even more to hold on. She started sliding downward.
Qi Xia's expression changed. He immediately reached out and grabbed her injured wrist.
As their hands connected, Qi Xia felt her frail arm trembling slightly. It was icy cold to the touch.
"Well, con artist, you're not so bad after all," Qiao Jiajin teased.
Qi Xia let out a faint sigh and replied, "I just don't want to see another corpse. Don't overthink it."
Time ticked by, and everyone's arms grew sore.
Dangling for so long would exhaust anyone. Even Officer Li was beginning to sweat.
"How much longer do we have to hang here?" Lin Qin asked Qi Xia, who was beside her.
"I don't know," Qi Xia replied somberly.
He understood there was no mention of the next game yet, but there was no sign of hope either.
If the organizers were ruthless enough to leave them hanging here, their deaths would only be a matter of time.
But…
Was there truly no hint of the next game?
Qi Xia's heart pounded.
Could there be some hidden clue somewhere?
He looked down at the ground. If there was a hint, it must be below.
"Hmm?"
In the debris, a new wall appeared at the bottom where the ground had collapsed. In the farthest corner, there seemed to be… a door.
But the door was utterly out of reach.
They were still ten meters from the ground, and jumping from this height would be deadly.
Lin Qin followed Qi Xia's gaze and also noticed the door.
"A door?"
Everyone looked down and spotted the decrepit wooden door at the bottom.
Just as despair settled over them, the door creaked open.
A shadowy figure stepped out from the darkness. Qi Xia squinted, noticing the figure wore a black suit, but the mask it wore was not the sheep's head.
It was a massive, dark green snake head.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Snake-Man," the figure said in a calm voice.
"Snake-Man, my ass!" Qiao Jiajin roared. "First sheep, then dog, now snake? Do you believe I won't rip you apart right now?"
"Please, don't get agitated," Snake-Man said calmly, looking up at the group. "You are now participating in the final game. At my side is a lever. If I pull it, the ceiling will slowly lower, allowing you all to descend unharmed."
Everyone turned toward the lever near the wooden door. It had been nearly invisible in the dim light.
"Then… can you pull it now?" Xiao Ran asked timidly.
"I…" Snake-Man chuckled faintly and said, "I'll play a game with you. Whether you live or die depends on your own performance."
"Another game…" Dr. Zhao gritted his teeth, his hair disheveled, looking ready to lash out.
"Listen carefully, everyone. This game is called True or False," Snake-Man said as he took a small step forward. "You may ask me three questions in total. I will only respond with 'yes' or 'no,' and I will not lie. Once all three questions are asked, I will decide whether or not to save you. If I agree, I will pull the lever. If not, I will lock this door and leave you to your fate."
Qi Xia's brow furrowed.
Three questions?
Only "yes" or "no" answers?
This game seemed excessively difficult.
The goal was to make Snake-Man pull the lever, so their questions had to be centered on that. But would he agree to it?
Before anyone could strategize, Xiao Ran blurted out, "Hey, will you let us down?"
"Stop!" Qi Xia exclaimed, rushing to cover her mouth. But it was too late—the question had already been clearly heard by Snake-Man.
Snake-Man sneered and replied, "No."
"Are you serious, lady?!" Qiao Jiajin yelled. "We only get three questions, and you're already screwing it up?!"
"I…" Xiao Ran lowered her head in embarrassment, clearly upset with herself.
"Two questions remain," Snake-Man said emotionlessly, stepping closer to the door. He looked ready to leave at any moment.
Xiao Ran's impulsive question had made the game significantly harder.
Snake-Man clearly had no intention of saving them.
If he wanted to save them, why bother with a game?
But if he didn't want to save them, how could they make him agree?
Even if they phrased their question as, "You won't let us down, will you?" his answer would still be "yes."
"Con artist, do you have a plan?" Qiao Jiajin asked, looking toward Qi Xia.
Qi Xia closed his eyes slightly, his thoughts a mess.
A plan, a plan.
How could one person have so many plans?
Since entering this room, every step had required him to come up with a solution. Why should he be responsible for everyone's lives?
But then despair began to creep into his mind.
If he gave up, would anyone else have a solution?
"I can't die here…" Qi Xia's eyes glimmered faintly. "She's still waiting for me…"
A soft, familiar voice echoed in his mind:
"Xia, you know, there are countless paths in this world. Everyone has their own to follow."
His eyes fluttered open, and his thoughts crystallized.
He had been following Snake-Man's rules too closely.
"Snake-Man," Qi Xia called out softly.
Officer Li, startled, turned to him. "Hey, what are you going to ask? Let's agree on something first to avoid another mishap."
"It's fine. I've figured out how to survive," Qi Xia said with confidence, lowering his gaze toward Snake-Man. "Don't say a word. This will all be over soon."
"Do you really have a plan?" Zhang Chenze asked skeptically.
"I think so," Qi Xia replied, taking a deep breath as he carefully considered the next question.
No—there was only one question needed.
Just one, and the game would be over.
This game wasn't about convincing Snake-Man to pull the lever. It was about understanding the logic behind "yes" and "no."
Snake-Man seemed intrigued by Qi Xia, his eyes peering out from the mask's hollow sockets.
Qi Xia hesitated for a moment before speaking:
"Snake-Man, if my next question is, 'Will you pull the lever?' would your answer to that question match your answer to this one?"