Chapter 18

Nine people were now swinging back and forth like chandeliers on the ceiling, suspended by a single rope.

Lin Qi looked down and felt a chill run through her.

Below was a hollow space about ten meters deep.

If they hadn't grabbed the rope, they would have certainly fallen to their deaths.

"Hey, writer, hold on tight!" Qiao Jiajin noticed that Han Yimo was slipping down the rope and became anxious. "Why are you so weak at a critical moment?"

"I..." Han Yimo's face was strained, but his left hand was still loosening.

Qiao Jiajin was very close to Han Yimo and immediately let go of one hand to grab his rope, wrapping it around his waist. However, with only one hand, he couldn't secure it tightly.

Officer Li saw the situation and reached out to help. The two of them, each using one hand, tied the end of Han Yimo's rope around his waist.

Just as everyone was about to breathe a sigh of relief, they heard a muffled groan.

Turning their heads, Tian Tian couldn't help but cry out. Only then did they remember that her hand was injured.

But this girl was very tough, and she only groaned when her blood had soaked the rope.

She let go with her right hand and clung to the rope with her left. However, a girl's strength is naturally weaker, and it was extremely difficult to support her entire body with one hand, so she suddenly slipped down.

Qi Xia's expression changed, and he immediately reached out to grab her injured wrist.

With a brief touch, he felt that Tian Tian's thin body was trembling slightly, and her wrist was very cold.

"Hey, liar, you're not so bad," Qiao Jiajin said.

Qi Xia sighed helplessly. "I just don't want to see any more bodies. Don't read too much into it."

Time ticked by, and everyone's arms began to ache.

Hanging for a long time is not easy for anyone, and even Officer Li's forehead started to sweat.

"How long do we have to hang here?" Lin Qi asked Qi Xia.

"I don't know," Qi Xia replied solemnly.

He knew there were no more "next game" prompts, but everyone still saw no hope.

If the organizers were even more ruthless and just left them hanging, they

would only be a matter of time before they died.

But...

Was there really no more game prompt?

Qi Xia was a bit uncertain.

Could there be some hidden prompt somewhere?

He looked down at the ground; if there was a prompt, it would be somewhere below.

"Hmm?"

He scanned the area and noticed that due to the collapse of the ground, a new wall had appeared at the bottom. In the farthest corner of the wall, there seemed to be a door.

But the door was far out of reach for everyone.

They were still about ten meters from the floor, and jumping from this height would not end well.

Lin Qi followed Qi Xia's gaze and also noticed the problem.

"Is that a door?"

Everyone looked down and indeed saw an old wooden door at the bottom.

Just as everyone was in despair, the door slowly opened.

A black figure emerged from the darkness. Qi Xia saw that this person was also wearing a black suit, but his mask was completely different from the sheep-headed man.

He was wearing a large, dark green snake head.

"Long time no see, everyone. I am 'Man-Snake,'" he said slowly.

"Your mother!" Qiao Jiajin shouted. "After sheep and dogs, it's snakes? Do you think I won't kill you right now?"

"Please don't be agitated," Man-Snake's voice was calm. He looked up at everyone and said, "You are undergoing the final test. I have a lever here, and if I pull it, you will descend slowly, and no one will be hurt."

Everyone looked in the direction of his voice and saw a lever next to the wooden door, which no one had noticed due to the dim lighting.

"Then... can you pull it now?" Xiao Ran asked timidly.

"I..."

Man-Snake smiled slightly and said, "I will play a game with you. Whether you survive depends on your performance."

"Another game..." Doctor Zhao's hair was disheveled, and he clenched his teeth, as if he wanted to eat someone.

"Listen carefully, everyone. This game is called 'Yes or No.'" Man-Snake stepped forward slightly and said to the people hanging in the air, "You can ask me three questions in total, and my answers will only be 'yes' or 'no.' Note that I will not lie. After the three questions, if I agree to save you, I will pull the lever. If I do not agree, I will lock the door and leave you to your fate."

Qi Xia frowned.

Three questions?

Only 'yes' or 'no' answers?

This game was too tricky.

No matter what, their goal was to get the snake-headed man to let them down, but would he agree?

Taking advantage of everyone's contemplation, Xiao Ran, the kindergarten teacher, spoke up decisively: "Hey, can you let us down?!"

"No!" Qi Xia was startled and quickly tried to cover Xiao Ran's mouth, but the question had already clearly reached Man-Snake's ears.

Man-Snake sneered and said, "No."

"Hey! Girl?!" Qiao Jiajin shouted. "We only have three questions, don't mess around!"

"I..."

Xiao Ran lowered her head, looking very distressed.

"Two questions left," Man-Snake stepped back calmly, moving closer to the wooden door.

It seemed he had already given up on everyone.

Xiao Ran's impulsive question had made the game extremely difficult.

Man-Snake would not let them down so easily.

If he wanted to save them, why set up this game?

But then again, if he didn't want to save them, how could they make him pull the lever?

Even if the question was changed to "Will you not let us down?" his answer would still be "Yes."

"Liars, do you have a plan?" Qiao Jiajin turned to Qi Xia.

Qi Xia closed his eyes slightly, his thoughts in turmoil.

A plan, a plan.

As a person, how many plans can one have?

Every step since entering this room required Qi Xia's plans. How could he bear the responsibility of so many lives?

But then he felt a sense of despair.

If he gave up, would anyone have a chance to survive?

"I can't die here..." Qi Xia's eyes lit up with a faint glimmer. "She is still waiting for me..."

A gentle female voice echoed in Qi Xia's mind: "Xia, do you know? There are many paths in this world, and each person has their own."

He opened his eyes slightly, and his thoughts became much clearer.

That's right, he had been following the other person's path all along.

"Snake-headed man," Qi Xia called out softly.

Officer Li was taken aback and turned to ask, "Hey, what are you going to ask? Let's communicate beforehand to avoid another situation like before."

"It's fine, I've thought of a way to survive," Qi Xia said confidently, looking down at Man-Snake. "Don't speak, this will be over soon."

"Do you really have a plan?" Zhang Chenze asked.

"I think so," Qi Xia took a deep breath and carefully considered the next two questions.

No, to be precise, one question.

Just one question would end this game.

This game should not focus on how to make the other person pull the lever but on the logic of "yes" and "no."

Man-Snake seemed interested in Qi Xia, his eyes peering out from the holes in the snake mask.

Qi Xia paused and then asked, "Man-Snake, if my next question is 'Will you pull the lever?' would your answer be the same as this question?"