Chapter 74: Lawyer Zhang's Choice
"Earth Dog, what about the remaining rules?" Qi Xia asked. "What exactly is this game about?"
"Please follow me, everyone. I'll explain as we walk."
As he spoke, Earth Dog led the group to a corridor in the hotel and said, "This hotel has two parallel corridors, both identically arranged. Each team occupies one corridor to play the game. Whichever team completes the task first wins."
He then pushed open the first door in the corridor, on which was written "Sender."
"This is the sender's room," Earth Dog said. "After the game starts, the two 'Senders' can only stay in their respective rooms and cannot go out. Your task is to deliver a letter containing a password."
The empty room contained only a table, and the items on it were clear at a glance.
One letter, one iron box, one gold key, and one gold lock.
Lin Qin thought for a moment and asked, "Since we can't leave this room, how are we supposed to deliver the 'letter'?"
"Very simple. Give the letter to the 'Spy,'" Earth Dog said. "Please follow me."
He led the group out of the room and into the corridor.
"The corridor is the activity area for all 'Spies.' You will shuttle through your respective corridors and be responsible for delivering the letter."
"Have the 'Spy' deliver the letter?!" Everyone was stunned upon hearing this.
"Have any of you seen spy dramas?" Earth Dog said with a smile. "Sometimes, even when you know the messenger is a spy, you still have no choice but to send the letter."
Everyone was at a loss for words. Most of them were young people—how many had actually studied spy dramas?
"What's this?" Lin Qin noticed a small machine in the corridor.
The machine looked like an electric heater, with a palm-sized hole on top.
"This is a shredder," Earth Dog said. "The 'Spy' can throw anything into the shredder at their discretion, including letters, keys, and locks. But it's worth mentioning that due to size limitations, the 'iron box' cannot be thrown in."
"So we can have the 'Spy' deliver anything?!" Lin Qin asked. "Even just a key by itself?"
"That's right. As long as you're willing, you can have the spy make multiple trips back and forth in the corridor."
Everyone vaguely felt that this game was not simple, and the situation that would unfold was completely unpredictable.
"That's all for the first half of the rules," Earth Dog said with a smile. "Please, 'Senders,' return to your rooms. The remaining rules don't require your participation."
Lin Qin glanced at Qi Xia, then slowly walked toward the room.
The blonde from the opposing team also went to the other corridor and entered his room.
Qi Xia looked at the shredder in the corridor and suddenly felt some regret.
It seemed the 'Spy' was the most unpredictable role in this game.
"Dear 'Spies,' no matter what you receive, you must deliver it within three minutes, unless you have already destroyed it," Earth Dog said, pointing to the electronic clock in the corridor, which had a three-minute countdown. "If the time reaches zero and the item has not been processed, you will be penalized."
Old Lyu and the female participant were taken aback. "Didn't you say our role was the safest?"
"Of course, you'll be safe as long as you deliver or destroy the item," Earth Dog said with a smile. "This rule is to prevent anyone from stalling."
Seeing that no one spoke further, Earth Dog added, "Please, 'Spies,' stay here. The rest of you, follow me."
Old Lyu and the female participant remained.
Earth Dog led the others forward.
At this point, both sides only had the 'Receiver' and the 'Hostage' left.
At the end of the corridor was another room, with the door marked 'Receiver.'
Earth Dog pushed open the door, revealing another table with only a silver key and a silver lock on it.
In the corner of the room was a large device that looked like a refrigerator.
"This is the activity space for the 'Receiver,'" Earth Dog said. "Except for the 'Spy,' you are not allowed to contact anyone."
He then walked over to the large device and said, "This cabinet is where the 'Hostage' will stay. After the game starts, you will be trapped inside."
Qi Xia stepped forward to inspect the cabinet. On the cabinet door was an electronic display that currently read 'Unlocked.'
The interior structure of the cabinet was rather strange. The walls were made of metal with numerous holes, making it look like...
"This is a custom-made large microwave oven," Earth Dog said. "After half an hour, if no one opens the door, the person inside will turn into meat."
The bald man beside him gasped in shock. He was the hostage from the opposing team.
"A microwave?! What the hell?!" he shouted, stepping back. "I'm not getting in there!"
"Hey!" The blonde grabbed him. "Don't cause trouble. If you back out now, Amu will kill you when he gets out."
At these words, the bald man was clearly frightened.
"Then... I still can't crawl into a microwave..."
"Don't worry, these people are no match for Amu," the blonde said, gripping the bald man's shoulder. "Trust his methods."
The bald man thought for a moment and then nodded hesitantly.
"As for the 'Receiver,' your rules are no different from the 'Sender's,'" Earth Dog continued. "The only thing to note is that if you successfully receive the letter, open it immediately, decipher the unlocking password, and rescue your teammate. The first team to rescue their teammate wins."
Qi Xia noticed that Lawyer Zhang Chenze had been silent all along, so he spoke softly, "Do you trust me?"
Zhang Chenze pondered for a moment and said, "Qi Xia, I trust you, but there are too many variables in this game. In this room, you can't communicate with anyone else, let alone discuss strategy. Even if I trust you, that doesn't guarantee you'll be able to save me."
"Um..." Qi Xia was momentarily at a loss for words.
Seeing the two talking, Earth Dog approached at a very inopportune moment and said with a smile, "Even now, if you want to exchange roles, I wouldn't object."
Hearing this, Qi Xia was startled. He took out his own card labeled 'Receiver' and looked at it.
Lawyer Zhang had just escaped from a fish tank, and now she was about to enter a microwave. Wasn't this too cruel for her?
"Lawyer Zhang, in principle, I should indeed switch with you..." Qi Xia said awkwardly. "Having you be the hostage twice in a row is too much..."
"It's okay," Zhang Chenze said. "Qi Xia, from the perspective of maximizing benefits, you should keep the 'Receiver' card. Standing in the middle ground of the entire game, you'll be better able to control the situation. Compared to others, I feel more at ease letting you unlock the door."
"Don't you think it's too cruel for you?" Qi Xia asked.
"Cruel?" Zhang Chenze forced a smile. "As long as it's the right thing to do, I should carry it out unconditionally. Besides, my clothes are still wet, so consider it me going in to dry off."