Chapter 167: Ace

"I see..." Qi Xia nodded, thinking that the person who designed this game was extremely clever.

The "rope" appeared to be a weapon suited only for cowards, yet it could inflict pain far beyond what one might imagine.

When two cowards fought with "rope," it was highly likely that one would be provoked to anger.

Once humans were angered, they might even kill each other.

So, in this deck of cards, the seemingly most harmless "rope" could act just like its name suggests—as the spark that ignites everything.

The two endured the intense pain as they struck each other several times, and the ten seconds quickly ran out.

They stopped, angrily throwing their props aside before returning to their original positions.

But this time, things were different; both of them looked like they were in agony all over.

Zhao Yisheng kept clutching his lower abdomen, while Zi Chen held his arm.

Their expressions had changed, as if they were gradually accepting the rules of this "ten-second brawl." They were now building up their energy, waiting for the next round's props to arrive.

"Sixth round, please draw a card."

Qi Xia glanced at Su Shan, who showed no intention of drawing, so he unhesitatingly reached out and drew a new card.

His hand remained stable: "shield," "knife," "stick," "stone," "stone."

No matter what this new card was, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage; he would adjust his strategy based on the card.

But when Qi Xia actually saw the card, his pupils involuntarily contracted.

It depicted a handgun, with the English word "JOKER" written above it.

"This is... a wild card?"

He snapped back to reality and slowly added the card to his hand, his mind racing through possible countermeasures.

Di Ji had mentioned that this deck included two "sheng pai" and one "si pai," but was this "JOKER" card a "sheng pai" or a "si pai"?

"Hold on, wait a minute..."

Qi Xia lightly touched his forehead with his hand, then examined the card carefully once more.

This situation was completely unexpected.

A handgun could kill in an instant.

Whether the person holding the handgun was a coward or a real murderer, just one second of intent to kill was enough.

Any regret would come only after pulling the trigger.

Thinking of this, he turned to look at the glass room.

The room wasn't large; Zhao Yisheng and Zi Chen were at most a dozen steps apart.

At such a distance, a handgun held a significant advantage.

So... should he play this "gun" in the next round?

What if the opponent had a "shield"?

Qi Xia had to admit that this "handgun" was beyond his expectations, and for a moment, he couldn't control his micro-expressions.

If Su Shan caught this slip and played a "shield," the situation could get tricky.

"No..."

Suddenly, Qi Xia thought of something: in this game, the shield was made of wood!

It couldn't stop a "gun"!

This card was a guaranteed win!

While Qi Xia was lost in thought, Su Shan placed a card face down on the table.

"I've made my choice," she said.

Qi Xia looked up, knowing he had shown a weakness in this round, so it wasn't the right time to play the "gun."

Although the bullet could penetrate wood, its lethality would be reduced.

To ensure he killed the opponent's "fighter" without fail, now wasn't the moment.

Qi Xia could only place a "stick" face down on the table.

"Please reveal your cards."

Su Shan had played "rope" again.

Just as Qi Xia had anticipated, it was now the opponent's "rope" phase.

Qi Xia regretted not playing the "gun" directly, but on second thought, every play involved his life, so being cautious wasn't wrong.

Zhao Yisheng had learned his lesson; he directly grabbed the stick before it hit the ground and charged forward without a word.

Before Zi Chen could pick up the rope on the floor, Zhao Yisheng struck him down with the stick.

He then swung it fiercely several more times.

It was all karma; if Zi Chen hadn't pinned Zhao Yisheng down and beaten him with a brick earlier, Zhao Yisheng wouldn't have been so furious.

"Zi Chen..." Su Shan stood up, looking worried as she peered into the glass room.

She was starting to panic.

"Stop him... Make him stop..." Su Shan turned to Qi Xia and said, "Tell him to stop!"

"The time will end, and he'll stop on his own," Qi Xia said.

Su Shan looked displeased at his response, then slowly sat down and said, "Qi Xia, you should give up. I drew a 'sheng pai.'"

"Hmm?" Qi Xia was taken aback and looked at her. "Do you think I'll believe you?"

"Whether you believe it or not, I drew a 'sheng pai' in the second round," Su Shan said. "I've been looking for a way for everyone to survive, so I haven't played it yet. I really thought we could all make it out alive."

Qi Xia studied Su Shan's eyes but couldn't tell if she was telling the truth from her expression.

This girl's thoughts were deeply hidden.

The ten seconds had passed, and Di Ji told them to stop.

But Qi Xia and Su Shan still didn't move.

"You say you drew a 'sheng pai,' so what does it look like?" Qi Xia asked.

Su Shan slowly extended her thumb and index finger, forming the shape of a gun.

"It's something that kills in one shot," she said. "Nothing can block it."

Qi Xia paused slightly, his mind calculating again.

This could still be a lie.

If it was a lie, the situation was even more dire.

Because the girl in front of him was too smart; she had actually guessed the content of the "sheng pai" through her own deductions.

"So, give up now, and we won't have to fight to the death," Su Shan said. "Maybe you won't have to die."

Qi Xia knew that no matter how clever this girl was, her experience was still shallow; she didn't even know that this place had its own "rules."

Participants who entered a "Di"-level game with their lives on the line had to be prepared for death.

Failing the game meant death, and trying to escape midway still meant death.

"I won't give up," Qi Xia said. "I entered Di Ji's game to kill my opponent and win."

"Are you all crazy...?" Su Shan was getting emotional. "If we're just killing each other in the game, how can anyone ever get out? If participants keep killing until the end, will anyone really collect three thousand six hundred 'dao'?"

Qi Xia didn't answer her. He had come to this place twice before—no, actually, this was his third time.

He no longer had any illusions.

Now, he just wanted to follow the rules here and hope that one day he could get out alive and find Yu Nian'an.

"Enough, Su Shan, let's continue."

Qi Xia silently drew a new card.

After a long silence, Su Shan also drew a card.

The two looked at their cards and frowned at the same time.

Su Shan had indeed drawn the "gun."

And Qi Xia had drawn the "si pai."