# Chapter 16: Another Wave Rises
Although the crowd didn't understand much about medical knowledge, they more or less grasped what Dr. Zhao meant.
Right now, pulling out the fish spear was simple for them, but stitching a wound was very difficult.
"The writer's life is already saved. The only thing we need to do now is get out of here quickly, then find a place with proper conditions to re-treat his wound."
Dr. Zhao's words brought everyone's thoughts back to reality.
If they couldn't leave this strange room, their fate would sooner or later be the same as Han Yimo's.
"But how do we leave? Is the 'game' over?" Lin Qin asked, covering her mouth and nose.
Qi Xia thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head.
The mask had made it very clear: this person called "Man-dog" hoped they would survive, and said "see you after the rain."
Logically speaking, after this rainstorm-like barrage of fish spears, the so-called "Man-dog" should have appeared, possibly bringing the next game.
But why wasn't he showing up?
"Hey, swindler." Qiao Jiajin slowly walked over to Qi Xia and asked seriously, "You have a way to survive, don't you?"
"So what?" Qi Xia replied coldly. "Whether I live or die—what does that have to do with you?"
"I'm not as smart as you, so I can only find someone to cooperate with." Qiao Jiajin seemed to be recommending himself. "You've got brains, I've got strength. Let's work together."
Upon hearing this, Qi Xia frowned slightly.
"Sorry, I'm a swindler. I don't intend to trust anyone except myself."
Before Qiao Jiajin could speak again, Officer Li suddenly uttered a question.
"What's this?"
Everyone turned to look, and saw Officer Li carefully examining the fish spear in his hand.
"What's wrong?"
Dr. Zhao approached Officer Li and asked cautiously.
"There's writing." Officer Li handed the fish spear to Dr. Zhao.
Dr. Zhao took it and looked at it. His expression changed. On the tail of this finger-thick fish spear were indeed tiny characters:
"I am 'Man-sheep.' If you can see this text, it means you survived."
"But how many of you actually survived?"
"Is anyone injured?"
"I'm really worried about you."
"I can't just watch you die."
"In a quarter of an hour, death will rain down again."
"Dodge them. Find a way to live."
Dr. Zhao gritted his teeth, then violently threw the fish spear to the ground.
"Do you think I'm a pushover?! This is never-ending!" he roared loudly, as if trying to release all the pent-up emotions he had been holding back.
"Calm down!" Officer Li said in a deep voice. "If you can't control your emotions, how are you going to survive?"
"Survive...? But we're already dead!!" Dr. Zhao finally couldn't take it anymore. "We're already dead, yet we still have to be tormented by the fear of death. What does the 'host' want?! Can't he just kill us outright or let us go?"
Everyone's expressions were rather grim. Yes, what was the purpose of these waves of death threats?
Was it really as that sheep-head had said—to select a "god"?
Could it be that aside from the one who becomes a "god," the rest must go to hell?
"Everyone, we've survived two 'games.' Do you think it's because we're smart? No!" Dr. Zhao clenched his fists tightly. "We've just been incredibly lucky! But what about next time? And the time after that? In this ever-changing room, how long can we actually survive?!"
Officer Li pursed his lips, stepped forward, and grabbed Dr. Zhao by the collar. "Hey... buddy! At a life-or-death moment like this, the thing we can't afford to lose is 'morale'! If you don't want to live, go die by yourself! Don't shake everyone's resolve here!"
"I...!" Dr. Zhao's lips trembled slightly. "But how do we get out? Do you have a way to lead us out?"
Officer Li thought for a moment, then said, "I don't have a 'way.' I only know we have to survive! As long as we survive, there's always hope."
He released his grip on Dr. Zhao, walked over, picked up a fish spear to examine it, then went to Han Yimo's side to look at the fish spear in his shoulder. He found that both spears had the same text.
It seemed their luck really was too good.
In this round, not only did they have to dodge the lethal attacks, they also had to keep at least one fish spear to learn the clues for the next round.
"Regardless, at least this time we have clear clues." Officer Li read the text on the fish spear carefully and spoke. "Unlike before, this attack will only come from above."
He pointed at the small characters on the spear: "death will rain down again."
As soon as he finished speaking, the room began to change again.
All the holes in the walls were slowly disappearing, while countless holes in the ceiling also started shifting positions.
In the end, only nine remained.
Three holes per row, for a total of three rows.
"It looks like the game is getting simpler." Officer Li looked at the nine holes in the ceiling and sighed. "That's a small mercy in misfortune, I suppose."
"But why has it turned into 'Man-sheep' this time?" Attorney Zhang pointed at the body on the ground that had been torn apart by fish spears and asked. "Wasn't Man-sheep already killed by us?"
Qi Xia thought about it for a moment and also found it strange.
The sheep-head who had just died did call himself "Man-sheep," but the words inside his mask said "I am Man-dog."
One moment sheep, the next moment dog.
Could this also be a clue?
"Not much time left." Officer Li spoke to the group. "It's already 1:23. It won't be long before those nine holes in the ceiling start shooting fish spears. Everyone, pick up a tabletop and stand against the wall."
Most of the tabletops on the ground were already shattered, with only a few smaller ones still usable.
Fortunately, all nine holes in the ceiling were concentrated in the center, making the walls seem safe.
Everyone silently walked over, picked up broken tabletops, and scattered along the wall, staying far away from the holes in the center.
But Qi Xia didn't move. He slowly closed his eyes again.
No matter how he looked at it, the third game was too suspicious.
Because the "host" had given a very direct solution.
In Qi Xia's view, this hint was entirely redundant.
Did they want them to die, or did they want them to live?
Why specifically mention "Man-sheep" and "Man-dog"?
If "Man-sheep" and "Man-dog" weren't names, then what did they represent?
"Hey, swindler, come over here!" Qiao Jiajin shouted. "You'll die standing under those holes!"
"Die...?" Qi Xia looked coldly at the holes in the ceiling. "I can't die here. I have a reason I must get out."
"What's going on... Even the smartest guy's gone rogue?" Qiao Jiajin was puzzled.
Qi Xia extended his index finger and tapped his temple lightly.
"Hold on... hold on... give me a little more time."
Everyone slowed their breathing and quietly watched Qi Xia in the center of the room. None of them understood what there was to ponder so deeply about such an obvious game.