Chapter 73: Deceit |
Qi Si trailed behind Yuna, entering the inn with the rest of the players.
The inn appeared small from the outside, yet the interior was surprisingly spacious. Over a dozen tables of varying sizes were scattered about, arranged like a restaurant.
The walls, saturated with the sea air, perpetually exuded a salty, fishy odor. Tooth-like borer marks riddled the wooden furniture.
Damp fish heads lay scattered across the slick floor. Patches of fish blood and mangled entrails congealed into filth that resembled excrement.
Qi Si kept his eyes down, cautiously navigating the cleaner patches of floor. He finally found a firm spot to stand beside a wooden desk that served as a counter.
Yuna offered him a faint smile, then brushed past his shoulder and moved behind the counter. From the shadows, she dragged out a wooden board.
She placed the board on the countertop, where all the players could see the bizarre pictographs scrawled upon it:
[Rooms on the second floor, $300 a night]
He hadn't expected to have to spend money so soon. Qi Si ran his thumb over the bills in his pocket, silently doing the math.
"Three hundred a night? You think this is a five-star hotel?" The speaker was a rugged-looking man with a large backpack, his voice booming. "One fifty a night, and not a cent more!"
The man's expression and demeanor were flawless; he had to be an expert haggler in the real world. To dare bargain in the Weird Game, he either had some serious skills or was just incredibly bold.
Yuna smiled, gazing straight ahead, her clear eyes reflecting no one. She raised the wooden board and gave a slight shake of her head.
The backpacker refused to give up. He backed away toward the entrance, muttering, "I don't believe this is the only inn here. I'd rather sleep on the beach than stay in this place..."
No one stopped him. Qi Si, for his part, was secretly hoping the man would die outside; it would be a good way to test the dungeon's death triggers.
But Yuna reacted as if a switch had been flipped. Her pale hands began to move rapidly, gesturing: "There is only one inn on the island."
It was probably true. Even if it wasn't, no player dared to step outside to verify it at this hour.
The clock had already struck eight on their way here. That left only four hours until the mandatory bedtime stipulated by the rules. Who knew if you would even make it back if you went out now?
In the end, the backpacker didn't dare to actually spend the night on the beach. He sheepishly returned to the counter, pretending nothing had happened.
His little outburst hadn't been entirely fruitless, though. At the very least, it eliminated two possibilities.
Lu Li adjusted his glasses, offering a polite smile. "Yuna, as you know, we've been shipwrecked. We're penniless. I'm afraid that in three days, we'll be exposed to the elements..."
Qi Si noticed that as he said the words "three days," the expressions of several players changed, a flicker of confusion in their eyes.
It seemed the players' starting funds weren't all the same. The "Merchant" identity's effect was "spend less money for the same service," so it wouldn't be surprising if another faction's effect was "receive more starting funds."
According to Yuna, the amount of money the players received corresponded to their own value. So, which identity would be considered more valuable?
Yuna turned her face toward Lu Li, her eyes still a clear, empty void. To be fixed by such a gaze was to feel the creeping panic of confronting a ghost.
Lu Li chose his words carefully. "Excuse me, are there any ways to earn money on this island? If so, could you tell us?"
"I don't know." Yuna tilted her head, her smile becoming even more pure. "In my memory, all money is a gift from my Lord. The amount is measured by the price each person is able to pay."
Lu Li pressed, "What price?"
"Health, integrity, conscience, life... Anything you perceive as exchangeable for money can be the price."
Hearing the word "conscience," Qi Si's expression grew odd.
What was that saying again? If you lose your money, you can always earn more. If you lose your conscience, you can earn a whole lot more.
Lu Li gave a wry smile. "It seems we'll have to be frugal with the money we have... Yuna, can multiple people share a room?"
"Yes, but each room can accommodate a maximum of three people."
"The denominations of our bills are quite large. It might be inconvenient to split the cost if we share. Could you help us make change?"
"I have no money of any kind here. I'm afraid I can't give you any change."
Having a veteran player step up to ask questions and take the risk of drawing attention from the NPC and other players was undoubtedly for the best. Qi Si was more than happy to lie low and watch.
Through this exchange of questions and answers, the mechanics of the inn gradually became clear.
[Rules have been updated]
[6. Sharing rooms is permitted. Each room can hold a maximum of three people.]
[7. The island's inhabitants possess no money of any kind and cannot provide change to players.]
Lu Li surveyed the crowd behind him, his voice as calm as still water. "While we don't know what this money truly signifies, according to the first rule, it's best we spend it sparingly to avoid finding ourselves in a tight spot later and losing the initiative. I suggest we form groups of three to share rooms. That way, it will only cost each person one hundred dollars a day."
The dungeon's hints were already clear enough. He was merely restating the most obvious strategy for success, yet it immediately drew a challenge: "Are you kidding me? This is a faction dungeon!"
The speaker was a white man with a face full of stubble, his tone hostile. "Three players in one room? Who knows if someone will take the chance to stab you in the back? Staying on high alert every second of the day is fine for a day or two, but who can keep that up forever?"
"Then players from the same faction can just room together, can't they?" a long-haired young man with an artistic flair retorted, coming to Lu Li's defense. "What's with your attitude? You got a better idea?"
The white man sneered. "A fifteen-person faction dungeon. For it to be balanced, each faction has to have five members. How do you split that into groups of three? Besides, who knows what faction anyone else is in? Is anyone brave enough to be the first to reveal theirs?"
He was, unfortunately, speaking the truth, and it was irrefutable. The players who had been warming to the idea of sharing rooms now hesitated, their faces filled with contemplation.
Lu Li shook his head helplessly, his voice still calm. "I apologize. I was being shortsighted and can't offer a better solution. Everything I've said is merely a suggestion. Please take it as a reference; you don't have to follow it."
"But in my view, there's no need for us to be hostile and wary of each other. This isn't strictly a competitive dungeon. The main quest is what we must complete; the side quests are optional. And completing the main quest won't be easy. Every step will require us to work together."
Lu Li had a gentle, scholarly appearance—the kind of face that was naturally approachable.
His eyes swept over each person, his voice clear and resonant. "I know many of you are already locked into a zero-sum mindset and are unwilling to place more trust in your companions. But I must say this: we are all human, dragged into this game filled with malice and fear. The anomalies and the ghosts are our greatest enemies."
"We should unite, not let the Weird Game divide and conquer us. Don't get lost in internal conflicts where there are no winners. We can't wait until the day someone finally clears the final dungeon and destroys this game, only to look back and see that we've become monsters, neither human nor ghost..."
It was the first time Qi Si had heard the Kyushu Guild's famous "shared destiny for humanity" speech outside the forums, and his eyelid twitched.
Sure enough, the next second, Lu Li pulled a badge-like object from his pocket and flashed it before the other players. "As you can see, I'm from the Kyushu Guild. I hope that, at least for this dungeon, we can set aside our preconceptions and work together for a mutually beneficial outcome."
The moment they saw the badge, the mocking expressions vanished from the players' faces, replaced by looks of scrutiny directed at Lu Li. No matter how the tides of player opinion shifted, the Kyushu Guild remained an undisputed "beacon" in their minds.
Even during the years when conflict among players was at its worst, the Kyushu Guild always upheld the righteous path, called for unity, and required all its members to practice what they preached by helping other players.
If any member was found to have left someone to die or, worse, harmed another player, they would be punished internally according to the severity of the offense—some were even expelled from the guild.
Under such strict guild rules, the name "Kyushu" itself had come to mean integrity, kindness, and trustworthiness.
Of course, more importantly, given the current balance of power among the guilds, no one dared claim they could offend Kyushu and get away unscathed.
Lu Li put the badge away, his words firm and resolute. "I can tell you all that my identity is Merchant. My side quest is to kill all the Scholars, and one of my identity's effects is that 'all murderous intent toward Nobles cannot be translated into action.' Of course, I have no intention of killing any Scholars, and I hope the Nobles will refrain from coming after me."
If the players had been skeptical when Lu Li first proposed cooperation, his direct self-disclosure now sent his credibility skyrocketing.
The girl with green hair was the first to chime in. "The expert is right! The only reason to do side quests is to get more points, and we save points to stay alive. Cooperating is the best way to survive. We almost got our priorities mixed up."
She then gave a regretful little laugh. "Ah, it's a shame I'm a girl, so I probably can't room with an expert like Lu Li. By the way, my name's Angela. Any other ladies want to room with me?"
Having said her piece, Angela glanced pointedly at Liu Yuhan, who was clutching a notebook, and a long-haired girl currently touching up her makeup, her expression a mixture of inquiry and hope.
Unfortunately, no one responded.
In the end, your life was your own. In a faction-based game, while players might admire someone like Lu Li, they would never dare to let their guard down so easily.
Qi Si looked at Lu Li and said coolly, "To achieve a game-theory equilibrium, the three factions must form a closed loop: Merchants kill Scholars, Scholars kill Nobles, and Nobles kill Merchants... Anyone who knows that could use the same speech you just gave to impersonate any identity."
He paused, a perfectly measured trace of suspicion in his eyes. "I'm curious. Are you really a Merchant? Because I'm a Merchant too. Why don't you tell us your other identity effect, and we'll see if it matches mine."
"I'm afraid I can't do that," Lu Li said with a wry smile. "Although I advocate for unity, I can't guarantee that everyone is willing to cooperate. If I reveal my identity effect, I'll put my faction at a disadvantage. You know that in game theory, the accumulation of even the smallest information gap can be fatal."
At this point, he adjusted his gold-rimmed glasses. "What's more, even if I did reveal my effect, I couldn't prove it. A real Merchant wouldn't step forward to confirm or deny it, as that would expose their identity and put them in danger. Likewise, they wouldn't dare tell anyone the truth privately, because they can't be sure if they're talking to an ally or an enemy."
Even Lu Li himself didn't realize that his words had just described the chain of suspicion that existed among the players.
The seeds of doubt had been sown. The other players weren't fools; their gazes toward one another now held a hint of cynical amusement.
Qi Si added with a smile, "Even if someone did dare to publicly vouch for you, it wouldn't prove anything. That person could just be a player from your own faction, working with you."
"The same logic applies in reverse. Just as we can't determine the truth of your words, we can't determine the truth of anyone's words in public. And private judgments are of little to no use."
He wove the premise that he himself was not a "real Merchant" into the logic of his argument. What the other players would make of that was up to their own interpretation.
Since Lu Li wanted to play the hero, Qi Si could use the opportunity to distance himself from the situation. As for his three "Merchant" teammates, he couldn't care less if they lived or died.
Qi Si's thoughts drifted. Perhaps in the future, he could cultivate a completely obedient pawn. In dungeons like this, he could have them use Lu Li's line of reasoning to draw everyone's attention and provide a convenient cover for him.
Lu Li's face showed a hint of self-reproach. "I apologize, I was being thoughtless. I don't intend to force anyone to make a decision. My suggestion about abandoning the side quests was just my own proposal."
Angela quickly interjected, "Expert Lu Li, don't say that! Weren't you right? Cooperating on the main quest is what matters. Anyone who wants to do the side quests can go right ahead!"
Hearing this, the white man scoffed disdainfully, clearly unimpressed by Angela's sucking up.
Angela glared at him and fanned her hand in front of her nose.
Yuna, ignoring the friction between the players, picked up a wrinkled register book and gestured to them: "You should book your rooms quickly, so I can go prepare dinner. You won't be able to book after dinnertime."
Qi Si asked, "When is dinnertime, usually?"
Yuna replied, "When the clock strikes nine."
Time was running out. The players reluctantly pulled out three bills each and handed them to Yuna, taking a key from her in return.
The moment the bills touched Yuna's hands, they vanished into thin air, without even a shimmer, as if they had never existed. It seemed the rule about "the island's inhabitants possess no money of any kind" was meant to be taken literally.
Qi Si stepped aside and waited until he saw Chang Xu pay before casually approaching him. "Brother Chang, how about we room together?"
Chang Xu was slightly taken aback. "I didn't think you'd want to room with me, so I didn't ask."
Qi Si smiled. "Well, it's not too late for me to ask you now. Since we can't get change anyway, how about you pay for one night, and I'll pay for the next?"
"Why ask me? You can't be sure of my identity, and I don't know yours."
"Didn't you hear Lu Li? Identity doesn't matter. As long as we give up on the side quests, this is a team dungeon." Qi Si's smile was brilliant, betraying no hint of calculation. "I figure, since you and I have worked together before, Brother Chang, we know each other's character. You don't seem like the type to kill someone over a side quest. And I'm willing to trust you. After all, if I can't even trust you, there's no one left for me to trust."
He paused, then lowered his voice conspiratorially. "The things I said to Lu Li... I was afraid he might mislead the other players, letting some people take advantage of the confusion. I know you still have your doubts about me, and I can't expect you to trust me completely. But in this dungeon, cooperation really is the best strategy, isn't it?"
In truth, Chang Xu had already dismissed most of his suspicions. Being killed once in the Rose Manor wasn't that big of a deal.
He looked impassively into Qi Si's eyes, which seemed exceptionally sincere. "My identity is 'Noble.' The first effect is 'receive more starting funds.' What about you, Brother Chang?"
Chang Xu froze. "I'm a 'Noble' too."
Qi Si's smile didn't waver. "What a coincidence."
Stating the identity effect he'd guessed was a gamble.
There was a one-in-two chance of guessing correctly, and a two-in-three chance that his bluff wouldn't be called in the short term. The risk of failure was acceptable, while the potential payoff was too good to pass up. For Qi Si, it was a gamble worth taking.
Now, it seemed to have paid off.
Yuna finished collecting the money, waited a moment, and when no one else produced any bills, she gracefully retreated behind the counter.
The inhumanly beautiful woman, her shimmering skirt trailing behind her, turned and disappeared through a partially hidden small door.
Chang Xu seemed to recall something and said, in a voice only the two of them could hear, "We each have fifteen hundred dollars. If we share, we can pay for ten days' rent."
Was this a test? Or perhaps... an attempt to build trust?
Qi Si mulled over the meaning behind his words, his eyes curving into a smile as he replied, "That's right, Brother Chang. The two of us have ten days."
My sincere apologies for the lack of updates over the past few days; I've been swamped with preparations for the new semester. I'm bowing and groveling for your forgiveness! Thank you to all the readers who supported me with monthly passes during my absence. I can't list everyone in the author's notes here, but I'll name you all in the next chapter... This book will not be dropped. I know its performance has been poor enough that many of my peers would have abandoned it, and some senior authors have advised me to start something new, but I'm stubbornly determined to give Si Qi a complete life (just kidding!). This book isn't a moneymaker, but I love writing it, and since I'm not under much financial pressure right now, I plan to see the story I want to tell through to the end. In short, please don't worry about me abandoning this project. If I disappear, it's either because something came up, or I'm dead. (By the way, I was only gone for three days! Just wait until I have to pull an all-nighter during finals week, the comment section will probably explode... Please, no verbal attacks! I took a look at the comments and was genuinely terrified—so scared I just want to take the heat and run for the hills / I'm outta here!)
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