# Chapter 98: Natural Progression
Qi Xia looked up blankly. The person telling the story had now become Officer Li.
"My name is Li Shangwu, from Inner Mongolia. I'm a criminal police officer," Officer Li said calmly. "Before I came here, I was staking out a fraud suspect."
"But I failed. I waited for that person, but ended up wrestling with him during the earthquake."
"He knocked me out, and I came here."
The originally lengthy story had now been condensed into just three sentences.
None of the stories everyone told were much different, but Officer Li's behavior at this moment was very unusual.
Fortunately, only Qi Xia remembered what had happened before.
"Criminal police?" Xiao Ran exclaimed at this moment. "You're a cop—why didn't you think of a way to save us?"
"Because I…" Officer Li hesitated for a moment. "To be honest, I don't know how to get everyone out. If there were such an opportunity, I would definitely do my best."
"What kind of bullshit logic is that?" Xiao Ran asked in confusion. "You're a cop—you should investigate on your own and think of solutions! Does every murder case end with you saying 'I don't know who the killer is' and calling it closed?"
"It's different…" Officer Li shook his head. "What I can do here is too limited. I can only try my best to keep everyone alive…"
Xiao Ran grew more agitated as she spoke, directly pointing at the Human Sheep beside her. "Isn't this the 'killer'? Just arrest him!!"
"Enough." Qi Xia couldn't stand it anymore and interrupted. "Always shouting and screaming—aren't you annoying?"
Qiao Jiajin also nodded. "Isn't a cop just a person too? None of us can move right now. The goat-head has complete control over life and death. What do you expect the cop to use to arrest him?"
"You…!" Xiao Ran wanted to argue a few more words, but suddenly saw Qi Xia's icy gaze, then glanced at Qiao Jiajin's muscular tattooed arm, and instantly knew these two were not good people.
She understood that someone with eyes like that was different from a cop. She could keep shouting at a cop, and the cop wouldn't dare say anything rude, but these two men in front of her couldn't be provoked.
"I… I'm just too scared." Xiao Ran put on a pitiful expression, shaking her head. "Sigh, maybe I trusted the police too much."
"Sarcastic and bullying the weak while fearing the strong." Qi Xia snorted coldly. "You wouldn't happen to be the 'Liar' trying to sow discord, would you?"
"How is that possible?!" Xiao Ran yelled. "How could I be the 'Liar'? Don't slander me!"
"Oh?" Qi Xia nodded. "Since you're not the 'Liar,' then what word is written on your card?"
"It's written…"
Xiao Ran was about to blurt it out, but suddenly froze.
The goat-head had never mentioned what the identity card was besides the "Liar."
He had only said, "If you draw the Liar, you must lie."
If she wanted to clear her suspicion, she had to publicly reveal her identity.
But what word was the other identity?
"Truth Teller"?
"Ordinary Person"?
"Participant"?
Or a blank card?
Xiao Ran felt as if the blood in her body had turned cold. She was so scared she couldn't control herself.
The young man in front of her was simply too clever. With just one sentence, he had forced her into an irreversible situation.
Several people were now staring blankly at Xiao Ran, their expressions quite puzzled.
Yes, if they started suspecting Xiao Ran was the "Liar," the situation became complicated.
According to the known rules, there was "one and only one Liar" on site, and everyone thought that person was themselves, so theoretically, no other Liar could exist.
So they were now in a dilemma, all thinking about whether there could be "multiple Liars."
"I-I why should I tell you?" Seeing the situation was bad, Xiao Ran could only give up and made excuses. "What if you're the 'Liar' and just trying to get the answer out of me?"
Qi Xia nodded. "What you said makes sense. In that case, I'll make a bet with you."
"A bet…?"
"That's right. I'll count 'three, two, one,' and you and I will shout the word on our cards at the same time, letting everyone here judge whose identity is made up." Qi Xia prepared to teach Xiao Ran a good lesson. A black sheep wasn't worth keeping.
"This…" Xiao Ran was clearly hesitating.
Qi Xia sneered inwardly. If this really was a game of "one and only one Liar," she was doomed.
Because no one present knew what the other identity was. As long as Qi Xia confidently said an identity, he would already win.
"Three."
"Two."
Qi Xia began the countdown with a stern face.
Just as he was about to say "one," Dr. Zhao suddenly stepped in to mediate. "Hey, forget it, forget it…"
Qi Xia turned to look at him.
"Brother, we can't bully a woman. I don't think either of you looks like the 'Liar.' If we really want to vote, let's wait until everyone has finished telling their stories." Dr. Zhao said with a flattering smile.
Of course, Qi Xia couldn't convict Xiao Ran as the "Liar" here, since the real answer was yet to be revealed.
The upcoming "Spring Shoots" game also required the joint efforts of nine people. Xiao Ran couldn't die yet, so he agreed to Dr. Zhao's request.
"Fine." Qi Xia nodded. "As long as that woman stops pointing fingers at others, I have no problem."
"When did I point fingers…" Xiao Ran pouted, putting on an endearing expression. "I'm just too scared."
"Don't be afraid. I believe you." Dr. Zhao smiled from the side.
After Officer Li finished his story, it was Lin Qin's turn.
She recounted her experience of the earthquake in a high-rise on the 26th floor.
Finally came Qi Xia.
Qi Xia also told his story in full.
When he finished, he couldn't help but marvel that "time" was truly a wonderful thing.
Although he knew everything that had happened before, when he told the story for the second time, it was still quite different from the first.
Including various grammar, wording, and narrative order.
But looking at the others, except for Officer Li, they clearly didn't know what had happened before, yet their stories matched the previous telling word for word.
In that case, who was correct? Who was wrong?
After Qi Xia also finished his story, the Human Sheep announced that everyone would enter a twenty-minute free discussion period.
Qi Xia also asked the Human Sheep for another blank piece of paper and wrote down the formula he had written before, exactly the same.
The following events happened almost naturally.
Qi Xia led everyone to point their fingers at the "Human Sheep," and under everyone's astonished expressions, the "Human Sheep" once again shot himself in the head.