Chapter 26: Rhythm Game of Death |
Of course Ming Po had played both of these games—they were famous Japanese rhythm games.
However, if he were the real Gu Tao, he probably wouldn't have played them.
Sure enough, the voice began to explain, "Next, a song will play for you. Following the rhythm of the music, balloons will drop down on both sides.
"Most of the time, the balloons will fall alternately. But occasionally, they might drop simultaneously. And the colors of the balloons are completely random.
"The window right in front of you perfectly aligns with the top of their heads. You have a maximum of two chances to strike: once when the balloon falls, and once when it bounces up.
"But by the same token, if you shoot the wrong arrow and let the fire touch the oil... or, to be a little more unfortunate—
"Say, your hand slips and you accidentally pierce the skull of your beloved with an arrow! That would be a massive disaster!"
The voice trembled uncontrollably upon reaching this point.
It seemed that just picturing the scene filled him with excitement.
Ming Po did not waver in the slightest, merely nodding. "So this is where your jealousy lies."
If Ming Po had followed the normal course of events, how would he have arrived here?
His stamina would have been drained to its absolute limit, his life hanging by a thread like a candle in the wind.
Or perhaps his hands would be crippled, his right hand missing a thumb.
And under those circumstances, he would have downed seven to fifteen glasses of strong liquor on an empty stomach—if each glass was fifty grams, that would be roughly three hundred and fifty to seven hundred and fifty grams of alcohol.
Right after that, he would have taken a sudden, unexpected fall. It was highly likely he'd suffer fractures or severe abrasions.
—In that state, he would be forced to participate in this death game requiring precise marksmanship, intense physical exertion, keen eyesight, and sharp judgment.
If he failed to intercept the balloons in advance as they fell... balloons of different colors would mix together.
While it wasn't guaranteed that mixed colors meant certain death, it could generally be assumed that the more mixed colors there were, the higher the fatality rate. And the other party had explicitly stated the possibility of balloons on both sides falling simultaneously.
Therefore, there were actually only two choices—
The first was to completely abandon one side.
He could focus exclusively on just one side.
The twelve arrows in his hand were more than enough to handle the balloons on one side. Out of eighteen balloons, he only needed to eliminate six of the same color to clear the stage.
But if he wanted to shoot ambidextrously, the difficulty would skyrocket—
If he accidentally missed on one side, he might miss on the other as well. Moreover, when two balloons dropped at the same time, if he couldn't instantly determine which side to prioritize, mixed-color balloons would start piling up on the ground.
Furthermore, drawing a bow is an incredibly physically demanding task. The accuracy of a bow and arrow heavily relies on the support of the thumb. Whether the shot went wide or his strength gave out, it could cause the arrow to plummet prematurely, striking the person below!
Whether Ming Po had chosen to swim in freezing water in the first stage or cut off his thumb to escape, it would have resulted in a massive loss of his endurance or accuracy. Intoxication would significantly exacerbate the effects of both.
—Looking at it from this angle, Gu Tao's glasses being smashed also seemed completely intentional!
It was designed to obstruct his vision, preventing him from seeing clearly!
"Friendly reminder, Gu Tao. Don't think about any stupid ideas like... 'it has nothing to do with you even if they both die'."
The voice warned, "Left red, left yellow, right red, right yellow—within these four groups of balloons, an elevator card capable of escaping this place has been hidden. This elevator card is extremely fragile and will lose its function if struck by an arrow. The card only becomes valid when the game ends and the balloon bursts while resting on the ground.
"Therefore, if you fail to save either of them, you will have to stay here forever.
"When the game concludes, the platform in front of you will be removed. At that time, you will be able to leave here with your lover.
"—To be, or not to be? That is the question."
"That's not the question, kid."
Ming Po sighed. "That's just chuunibyou."
As his words fell, the other party fell silent for a moment, clearly getting riled up.
Before the voice could speak, Ming Po twisted the knife further—
"Seriously, bro?"
He asked, feigning intense curiosity. "Are you really that afraid of your brother Tao?
"Smashing my glasses, draining my stamina, crippling my hands, making me fall, getting me drunk. Only after all that did you dare to let me participate in this final game."
At this point, Ming Po sighed with a hint of regret. "Actually, I really thought a transparent glass walkway or a single-plank bridge would have been nice. Soaked in freezing water and full of alcohol, it would have been perfect to catch a cold evening breeze. That's the only way to truly feel the impending terror of death.
"Or are you just obsessed with my hands? Crippling my legs would definitely be more oppressive than crippling my hands."
"Gu Tao!"
The voice turned vicious. "I admit, I underestimated you... You managed to bypass the games I tailor-made for you using unconventional methods. But don't get too smug!
"Even if you enter this stage in a better state, so what? Even if we fought a fair duel—do you really think you could win?"
"Then let's make a bet, how about it?"
Ming Po suggested. "I feel your rules aren't quite interesting enough... How about we raise the stakes?"
"Why should I bet with you?"
The other party retorted. "Gu Tao, don't forget—if you fail to complete my game, you will only die here! Your life isn't even in your hands; it's a mortgaged property, and you want to put it back on my gambling table?"
"It's naturally not that simple."
Ming Po smiled. "Didn't you want me to participate in your game in a crippled state?
"But clearly, the traps you prepared weren't quite enough. If I just enter the game like this, you probably won't accept it."
Saying this, Ming Po stretched out his right hand and traced a line across his left index finger. "Let's bet my finger, how about it? Right during the game.
"Once the game starts, I will ask you a question and provide a guess as an answer.
"If I am correct, you let me ask another question; if I guess wrong, I will cut off one of my fingers. Then it will be your turn to ask a question and provide a guessed answer."
As he spoke, Ming Po lifted the heavy bow and arrow, weighing it in his hand. Then, he revealed a satisfied smile.
He immediately continued, "If you guess wrong—I won't ask for your finger, I want you to kneel and kowtow to me three times. How about it?
"Do you dare to bet? Are you willing to accept defeat? Can you swear that you will guarantee your own fairness?"
This was an incredibly absurd wager.
Because Ming Po had absolutely no way to verify the other party's answers.
If the voice said it was right, it was right; if it said it was wrong, it was wrong.
Yet under these circumstances, Ming Po was still willing to gamble with him.
The reason was simple... because Ming Po judged that the reason the other party had created such a complex, redundant design was entirely because he wanted to 'defeat Gu Tao'.
But he didn't want to force Gu Tao into an unfair combat environment, which was why he designed these dilemma choices time and time again. It was to push the responsibility onto Gu Tao's shoulders—to make him responsible for his own 'choices'.
Behind such intense pride lay the shadow cast by deep-seated inferiority.
Seemingly awed by Ming Po's boldness, the other party remained silent for a long time.
"...Fine."
This time, the person replied with utmost prudence. "I swear, I will absolutely not tell a lie."
"Then give me a knife first, at least one capable of chopping off my finger."
Ming Po said with a beaming smile. "Or do you not dare to give it to me?"
"What's there to be afraid of?"
The other party scoffed, clearly taking it seriously now.
Right at that moment, a sharp little knife suddenly dropped down in front of Ming Po.
Ming Po looked up and realized there wasn't a chute or a delivery tube up there. It had simply materialized from the void and fallen.
"Then, let the game begin."
Ming Po raised his bow and arrow, carefully aiming at the dead center between the two people, his peripheral vision sweeping both sides. The skills flowing through 'Gu Tao's' body surged into his limbs and bones; he instinctively grasped how to shoot an arrow.
Just then, the music started playing—
It was the Wedding March!
As the solemn music echoed, a red balloon fell from above Cai Jingyi on the left.
Five seconds later, a yellow balloon dropped.
"—I'll ask you the first question."
Ming Po spoke softly. "You are not my child, are you."
The arrow flew.
Amidst Cai Jingyi's scream, the arrow popped the yellow balloon, and thick, pungent oil splashed all over her clothes.
"—Correct."
The other party responded earnestly.
Since when did it start.
This place seemed to have transformed into... a game designed by Ming Po.