“Three, two, one. Please vote.”
Everyone raised their hands at the same time.
Wu Dahai, Ronnie, White Rabbit, Can, and Gao Yang voted for Green Tea.
And Scarlet Fox, Joker, Qing Ling, and Green Tea voted for Can.
Gao Yang was surprised. He didn’t expect Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and X to abstain from voting a second time.
The three of them were planning on only observing the voting patterns of the others. It seemed that they each held a special role, ones that would determine the way the game went.
Given that the others had voted the same way, Gao Yang ended up the decisive vote that eliminated Green Tea.
Green Tea turned to Gao Yang in disbelief. He couldn’t understand why Gao Yang would vote for him.
Gao Yang met his eyes, seeing a flash of resentment.
It wasn’t an easy decision, and it weighed on Gao Yang like a physical weight, but he didn’t regret it.
I’m sorry, Green Tea. I don’t know if you’re a wolf, but my instinct tells me that Can isn’t one.
Moreover, Green Tea was an experienced player. If he was a wolf, he would pose a bigger threat than Can. Can, even if she turned out to be a wolf, would blindly follow Gao Yang in the beginning stage of the game, and Gao Yang was on the good team. They would essentially have her support, which would do them more good than harm. There was no need to vote her out just yet.
Of course, there was a third reason: he didn’t want Can to die. She was a member of the fifth team, which made her one of his.
“Green Tea, number 7, you...” Chen Ying did her best to announce the result calmly, but she couldn’t. Her eyes were brimming with tears. It was all she could do to continue, “...are ostracized.”
“No! I don’t want to die!” Green Tea slammed the table and stood up. “Everyone! Let’s fight back! Let’s not keep playing! We’ll fight...”
Suddenly, he grasped his chest and dropped to his knees.
“Green Tea...” Chen Ying was just about to go help him up, but she halted after taking a single step, her face pale.
Likewise, the others found themselves bound by a great intangible power as soon as they tried to make a move. They couldn’t do anything but breathe. They couldn’t even blink.
Gao Yang tapped into his energy, but it was no use. It was as if he had been hit in an acupuncture point and paralyzed.
“The one ostracized, return to your cell and await your destiny.” Sir Zuo spoke up again, his cold, authoritative voice left no room for argument or resistance.
Curling up on the ground, Green Tea suddenly was able to breathe. He gasped for breath with cold sweat drenching his clothes before he stood up shakily.
During the ten seconds or so when his heart was in a tight grasp, he realized that resistance was futile.
He only had two options: face death with dignity like a man, or get killed like a coward.
After reconciling with the fact that he was doomed, he calmed down enough to slowly rise to his feet, sorting out the collars of his uniform and his hair.
He looked up with a wry smile at everyone. “I’m going first. Whoever survives this, please take revenge for me.”
No one said anything. Even if there were some who would like to talk, they couldn’t.
At the last moment, Green Tea turned to Chen Ying. “Sister Ying, my brother is still young. Please take care of him.”
Chen Ying, the moderator, couldn’t say anything in response, either. All she had to show was a drop of tear falling from her reddened eyes.
“Fuck.”
Green Tea swore before turning away to walk into his single cell.
Clang!
The metal door slammed shut as soon as he entered. This chapter's initial release occurred on the N0v3l-B1n site.
Standing at the door, Green Tea stared at everyone with a tragic look on his face. In two seconds, his expression froze, and he pressed his hands to his chest, dropping to his knees.
At that moment, everyone felt their hearts stop.
Be it fortune or mercy, they were spared the sight of his death.
A swarm of gray fog emerged to fill Green Tea’s cell. Then, the figure amid the fog started shifting, wavering like fire.
The fog thickened. Then in an instant, Green Tea’s figure vanished like a weak candlelight extinguished by a cold gust of wind.
Green Tea was gone.
Silence stretched and lingered.
“The game continues,” said Sir Zuo. Everyone heard a hint of satisfaction in his composed tone.
Chen Ying cried silently. She suddenly realized that she could move.
Wiping her tears off her face, she turned to the others. “Green Tea was eliminated during the day, which means his role remains a secret. Now, the night has fallen.”
Everyone had recovered their ability to move, but they still couldn’t speak.
After looking around for a few seconds, they each turned around and returned to their respective cell.
Gao Yang sat down on the single bed, his fists clenching so hard that his knuckles went white.
They killed Green Tea, and he was among those who had cast a stone. In fact, he was the final straw.
Guilt, pain, anger, and a helpless sort of frustration and humiliation haunted him.
The moment they stepped into this place, there was no turning back.
I’m sorry, Green Tea. You are free to resent me.
Soon, Chen Ying continued to lead the game amid the gray fog just like she had done during the first night.
“Please close your eyes. Guard, show yourself... Choose the target of your protection.”
...
“Werewolves, please come out... Choose your target.”
...
“Seer, please come out... Are you sure you want to check this person?”
...
“Witch, please come out... Do you wish to save this person... Do you wish to poison someone...?”
...
That night, no one showed up outside Gao Yang’s cell. It seemed that the wolves weren’t going to come after him anytime soon, which was to be expected.
“The day has arrived.”
At that, the gray fog dispersed from the prison hall, and the metal doors opened at the same time.
Finding the tension in the air unbearable, they rushed out of their cells and took a seat like they were being chased.
Gao Yang looked around, feeling a weight on his chest. Wu Dahai’s seat...was now empty.
Noticing the same thing, the others turned to the cell Wu Dahai had been in.
A layer of mysterious gray fog permeated the cell, and Wu Dahai was nowhere to be seen. Just like Green Tea, he had been ruthlessly killed and erased, like he had never lived in the first place.
“Last night, Electric Mouse, number 10, got killed. According to the rules, he left no last words, but his identity will be revealed.”
Chen Ying’s expression was one of pain, but also fury. She was furious with Sir Zuo, also with herself for not being able to do anything but watch.
They turned to Chen Ying.
“He’s a villager,” Chen Ying announced.
Gao Yang heard a ring in his head.
Electric Mouse was dead. Wu Dahai, the horny coward, the man who had escaped death in Mad Red’s ambush, the one who had warned him to treat Qing Ling right if they ever got together...
Dead, just like that.
He didn’t get to say a final word. He didn’t get to even say goodbye.
Gao Yang clenched his fists, doing his best to hold himself together.
This isn’t the time to dwell on it! The cruel game is just getting started!
Calm down, calm down! Find the werewolves, or more will die!
Gao Yang quickly observed everyone.
White Rabbit’s face was pale, and her shoulders were trembling, her lips pursed. The hand she placed on the table clenched into fist, her nails digging into her palm.
Qing Ling had an impassive look on her face, but her eyes were blazing with fury.
X clasped his hands behind his head with his legs crossed, acting like a mere spectator enjoying the show.
The others looked equally depressed. None acted suspiciously.
“Please decide the order in which the players speak, Sheriff.”
Vermilion Bird said with her head lowered, “Start from my right.”
Again, White Tiger was the first to speak. After a few seconds of silence, he said in a lost and melancholy tone, “To tell the truth, this is my first time playing the game, and I’m still clueless. However, two have been eliminated. I can’t keep doing nothing like this.”
Mind made up, he slammed on the table, “To hell with it! Everyone, I’m the guard. I protected myself the first night because I didn’t know who’s friend and who’s foe.”
“On the second night, I protected X because I felt like he could be the seer and should be protected. The wolves must have guessed it and went for someone else instead.”
“I’m telling the truth. I’m not going to make a deduction since I don’t know anything else.” He turned to the others at the table. “That’s it for me.”
For some reason, Gao Yang had a feeling that Elder White Tiger didn’t lie.
Green Tea, who had sat right next to him, was ostracized the first day. It was thus Joker’s turn.
Again, he only said one word, “Pass.”
The others frowned.
Gao Yang didn’t get it either. It would be fine for him to do nothing the first day, but why would he keep going now that it was the second day, and two had been eliminated?
What was he thinking? Wasn’t he afraid of death?
After his turn was Qing Ling’s.
She eyed Can coldly. “If there’s no other suspect, I vote Can. Vermilion Bird has explained the reason.”
Wu Dahai was out too, so the next one up was White Rabbit.
It seemed that she was quite shaken by Wu Dahai’s elimination.
She took a deep breath to calm herself. “During the past round, Electric Mouse and I have voted for Green Tea throughout. Last night, Electric Mouse got killed. Green Tea is likely a wolf.”
“If that is the case, there may be a wolf among those who voted for Can the previous round because they wanted to save their ally. In case some of you have forgotten, I’ll repeat the list.”
“Those who voted for Can in the previous round were Scarlet Fox, Joker, Green Snake, and the eliminated Green Tea.”
“I don’t think Green Snake is a wolf, though. I didn’t say that because she’s a companion of mine, but because she sounds assured. I have a feeling that she’s a good special role.”
“That’s all I can say. Next.”
Gao Yang paused. White Rabbit had made a solid point, and it aligned with what Gao Yang thought.
It fit Qing Ling’s personality to vote for Can just because she found Can useless, rather than because she was a wolf trying to save her ally.
Therefore, Joker and Scarlet Fox were more suspicious.
Gao Yang’s thoughts were interrupted when X started pontificating, “Everyone, I checked Vermilion Bird last night, and she’s a good role. You may follow the sheriff. Although she told me not to waste a chance on her, it is important for the sheriff to be on the good team. I couldn’t have made any other choice.”
“And I’d like to thank White Tiger for protecting me last night. That’s how you play the game. It’s very likely for the good team to win now. Let’s end this game in three rounds, or many will die.”
“I’ll go over the good team. Other than me, Seven Shadow is my first gold water, and Vermilion Bird the second. White Tiger is likely telling the truth when he claimed the guard role.”
“My suggestion is for us to eliminate Joker for doing nothing since the start of the game. Tonight, I’ll check Can, or whoever the sheriff wants me to check.”
“That’s it for me. Next.”
“Three, two, one. Please vote.”
Everyone raised their hands at the same time.
Wu Dahai, Ronnie, White Rabbit, Can, and Gao Yang voted for Green Tea.
And Scarlet Fox, Joker, Qing Ling, and Green Tea voted for Can.
Gao Yang was surprised. He didn’t expect Vermilion Bird, White Tiger, and X to abstain from voting a second time.
The three of them were planning on only observing the voting patterns of the others. It seemed that they each held a special role, ones that would determine the way the game went.
Given that the others had voted the same way, Gao Yang ended up the decisive vote that eliminated Green Tea.
Green Tea turned to Gao Yang in disbelief. He couldn’t understand why Gao Yang would vote for him.
Gao Yang met his eyes, seeing a flash of resentment.
It wasn’t an easy decision, and it weighed on Gao Yang like a physical weight, but he didn’t regret it.
I’m sorry, Green Tea. I don’t know if you’re a wolf, but my instinct tells me that Can isn’t one.
Moreover, Green Tea was an experienced player. If he was a wolf, he would pose a bigger threat than Can. Can, even if she turned out to be a wolf, would blindly follow Gao Yang in the beginning stage of the game, and Gao Yang was on the good team. They would essentially have her support, which would do them more good than harm. There was no need to vote her out just yet.
Of course, there was a third reason: he didn’t want Can to die. She was a member of the fifth team, which made her one of his.
“Green Tea, number 7, you...” Chen Ying did her best to announce the result calmly, but she couldn’t. Her eyes were brimming with tears. It was all she could do to continue, “...are ostracized.”
“No! I don’t want to die!” Green Tea slammed the table and stood up. “Everyone! Let’s fight back! Let’s not keep playing! We’ll fight...”
Suddenly, he grasped his chest and dropped to his knees.
“Green Tea...” Chen Ying was just about to go help him up, but she halted after taking a single step, her face pale.
Likewise, the others found themselves bound by a great intangible power as soon as they tried to make a move. They couldn’t do anything but breathe. They couldn’t even blink.
Gao Yang tapped into his energy, but it was no use. It was as if he had been hit in an acupuncture point and paralyzed.
“The one ostracized, return to your cell and await your destiny.” Sir Zuo spoke up again, his cold, authoritative voice left no room for argument or resistance.
Curling up on the ground, Green Tea suddenly was able to breathe. He gasped for breath with cold sweat drenching his clothes before he stood up shakily.
During the ten seconds or so when his heart was in a tight grasp, he realized that resistance was futile.
He only had two options: face death with dignity like a man, or get killed like a coward.
After reconciling with the fact that he was doomed, he calmed down enough to slowly rise to his feet, sorting out the collars of his uniform and his hair.
He looked up with a wry smile at everyone. “I’m going first. Whoever survives this, please take revenge for me.”
No one said anything. Even if there were some who would like to talk, they couldn’t.
At the last moment, Green Tea turned to Chen Ying. “Sister Ying, my brother is still young. Please take care of him.”
Chen Ying, the moderator, couldn’t say anything in response, either. All she had to show was a drop of tear falling from her reddened eyes.
“Fuck.”
Green Tea swore before turning away to walk into his single cell.
Clang!
The metal door slammed shut as soon as he entered. This chapter's initial release occurred on the N0v3l-B1n site.
Standing at the door, Green Tea stared at everyone with a tragic look on his face. In two seconds, his expression froze, and he pressed his hands to his chest, dropping to his knees.
At that moment, everyone felt their hearts stop.
Be it fortune or mercy, they were spared the sight of his death.
A swarm of gray fog emerged to fill Green Tea’s cell. Then, the figure amid the fog started shifting, wavering like fire.
The fog thickened. Then in an instant, Green Tea’s figure vanished like a weak candlelight extinguished by a cold gust of wind.
Green Tea was gone.
Silence stretched and lingered.
“The game continues,” said Sir Zuo. Everyone heard a hint of satisfaction in his composed tone.
Chen Ying cried silently. She suddenly realized that she could move.
Wiping her tears off her face, she turned to the others. “Green Tea was eliminated during the day, which means his role remains a secret. Now, the night has fallen.”
Everyone had recovered their ability to move, but they still couldn’t speak.
After looking around for a few seconds, they each turned around and returned to their respective cell.
Gao Yang sat down on the single bed, his fists clenching so hard that his knuckles went white.
They killed Green Tea, and he was among those who had cast a stone. In fact, he was the final straw.
Guilt, pain, anger, and a helpless sort of frustration and humiliation haunted him.
The moment they stepped into this place, there was no turning back.
I’m sorry, Green Tea. You are free to resent me.
Soon, Chen Ying continued to lead the game amid the gray fog just like she had done during the first night.
“Please close your eyes. Guard, show yourself... Choose the target of your protection.”
...
“Werewolves, please come out... Choose your target.”
...
“Seer, please come out... Are you sure you want to check this person?”
...
“Witch, please come out... Do you wish to save this person... Do you wish to poison someone...?”
...
That night, no one showed up outside Gao Yang’s cell. It seemed that the wolves weren’t going to come after him anytime soon, which was to be expected.
“The day has arrived.”
At that, the gray fog dispersed from the prison hall, and the metal doors opened at the same time.
Finding the tension in the air unbearable, they rushed out of their cells and took a seat like they were being chased.
Gao Yang looked around, feeling a weight on his chest. Wu Dahai’s seat...was now empty.
Noticing the same thing, the others turned to the cell Wu Dahai had been in.
A layer of mysterious gray fog permeated the cell, and Wu Dahai was nowhere to be seen. Just like Green Tea, he had been ruthlessly killed and erased, like he had never lived in the first place.
“Last night, Electric Mouse, number 10, got killed. According to the rules, he left no last words, but his identity will be revealed.”
Chen Ying’s expression was one of pain, but also fury. She was furious with Sir Zuo, also with herself for not being able to do anything but watch.
They turned to Chen Ying.
“He’s a villager,” Chen Ying announced.
Gao Yang heard a ring in his head.
Electric Mouse was dead. Wu Dahai, the horny coward, the man who had escaped death in Mad Red’s ambush, the one who had warned him to treat Qing Ling right if they ever got together...
Dead, just like that.
He didn’t get to say a final word. He didn’t get to even say goodbye.
Gao Yang clenched his fists, doing his best to hold himself together.
This isn’t the time to dwell on it! The cruel game is just getting started!
Calm down, calm down! Find the werewolves, or more will die!
Gao Yang quickly observed everyone.
White Rabbit’s face was pale, and her shoulders were trembling, her lips pursed. The hand she placed on the table clenched into fist, her nails digging into her palm.
Qing Ling had an impassive look on her face, but her eyes were blazing with fury.
X clasped his hands behind his head with his legs crossed, acting like a mere spectator enjoying the show.
The others looked equally depressed. None acted suspiciously.
“Please decide the order in which the players speak, Sheriff.”
Vermilion Bird said with her head lowered, “Start from my right.”
Again, White Tiger was the first to speak. After a few seconds of silence, he said in a lost and melancholy tone, “To tell the truth, this is my first time playing the game, and I’m still clueless. However, two have been eliminated. I can’t keep doing nothing like this.”
Mind made up, he slammed on the table, “To hell with it! Everyone, I’m the guard. I protected myself the first night because I didn’t know who’s friend and who’s foe.”
“On the second night, I protected X because I felt like he could be the seer and should be protected. The wolves must have guessed it and went for someone else instead.”
“I’m telling the truth. I’m not going to make a deduction since I don’t know anything else.” He turned to the others at the table. “That’s it for me.”
For some reason, Gao Yang had a feeling that Elder White Tiger didn’t lie.
Green Tea, who had sat right next to him, was ostracized the first day. It was thus Joker’s turn.
Again, he only said one word, “Pass.”
The others frowned.
Gao Yang didn’t get it either. It would be fine for him to do nothing the first day, but why would he keep going now that it was the second day, and two had been eliminated?
What was he thinking? Wasn’t he afraid of death?
After his turn was Qing Ling’s.
She eyed Can coldly. “If there’s no other suspect, I vote Can. Vermilion Bird has explained the reason.”
Wu Dahai was out too, so the next one up was White Rabbit.
It seemed that she was quite shaken by Wu Dahai’s elimination.
She took a deep breath to calm herself. “During the past round, Electric Mouse and I have voted for Green Tea throughout. Last night, Electric Mouse got killed. Green Tea is likely a wolf.”
“If that is the case, there may be a wolf among those who voted for Can the previous round because they wanted to save their ally. In case some of you have forgotten, I’ll repeat the list.”
“Those who voted for Can in the previous round were Scarlet Fox, Joker, Green Snake, and the eliminated Green Tea.”
“I don’t think Green Snake is a wolf, though. I didn’t say that because she’s a companion of mine, but because she sounds assured. I have a feeling that she’s a good special role.”
“That’s all I can say. Next.”
Gao Yang paused. White Rabbit had made a solid point, and it aligned with what Gao Yang thought.
It fit Qing Ling’s personality to vote for Can just because she found Can useless, rather than because she was a wolf trying to save her ally.
Therefore, Joker and Scarlet Fox were more suspicious.
Gao Yang’s thoughts were interrupted when X started pontificating, “Everyone, I checked Vermilion Bird last night, and she’s a good role. You may follow the sheriff. Although she told me not to waste a chance on her, it is important for the sheriff to be on the good team. I couldn’t have made any other choice.”
“And I’d like to thank White Tiger for protecting me last night. That’s how you play the game. It’s very likely for the good team to win now. Let’s end this game in three rounds, or many will die.”
“I’ll go over the good team. Other than me, Seven Shadow is my first gold water, and Vermilion Bird the second. White Tiger is likely telling the truth when he claimed the guard role.”
“My suggestion is for us to eliminate Joker for doing nothing since the start of the game. Tonight, I’ll check Can, or whoever the sheriff wants me to check.”
“That’s it for me. Next.”
