Chapter 167: The Trump Card
"I see..." Qi Xia nodded, thinking that the person who designed this game was very clever.
The "Rope" seemed like a weapon meant for cowards, yet it could make the opponent feel unbearable pain.
When two cowards fought with the "Rope," one of them was very likely to get enraged.
If a person got enraged, they might kill the opponent.
Thus, among these cards, the seemingly harmless "Rope" was, as its name suggested, likely to become the fuse for everything.
The two endured immense pain as they whipped each other several times, and the ten seconds were up.
They stopped, angrily threw away their tools, and then returned to their original positions.
But this time, things were a bit different. Both looked like they were in pain all over.
Dr. Zhao was clutching his lower abdomen, while Zi Chen was holding his arm.
Their expressions had changed, seemingly slowly accepting the rules of this "Ten-Second Brawl." They were now gathering momentum, waiting only for the next round's tools to arrive.
"Round six, please draw cards."
Qi Xia glanced at Su Shan. She didn't seem to want to draw, so he unceremoniously reached out and took a new card.
He still had a stable hand: "Shield," "Knife," "Stick," "Stone," "Stone."
No matter what this new card was, he wouldn't be at a disadvantage. He would devise a new tactic based on the card.
But when Qi Xia actually saw the card, his pupils involuntarily contracted.
On the card was drawn a handgun, and above the handgun, written in English, was "JOKER."
"Is this... the Trump Card?"
He snapped back to reality, slowly pocketing the card, his mind racing with strategies.
Earth Chicken had said that among these cards, there were two "Life Cards" and one "Death Card." But this Trump Card with "JOKER" on it—was it a "Life Card" or a "Death Card"?
"Slow down, wait..."
Qi Xia gently rubbed his forehead, then looked at the card again carefully.
This situation was truly unexpected.
A handgun kills in an instant.
No matter whether the person holding the handgun was a coward or a true murderer, they only needed a second of intent to kill.
Even if they would regret it later, that would be after pulling the trigger.
Thinking this, he turned to look at the glass room.
The room wasn't big; Dr. Zhao and Zi Chen were at most a dozen steps apart.
At this distance, the handgun had a great advantage.
So... in the next round, should he play this "Gun"?
What if the opponent had a "Shield"?
Qi Xia had to admit that this "Handgun" was indeed beyond his imagination. For a moment, he couldn't control his micro-expressions well.
If Su Shan seized this flaw and played the "Shield," the situation would be tricky.
"No..."
Qi Xia suddenly thought of a problem: the shield in this game was made of wood!
It couldn't stop a "Gun"!
This card was a sure win!
Just as 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. He knew that this round he had revealed a flaw, and it wasn't suitable to play the "Gun."
Although the bullet could pierce the wood, the lethality would still decrease.
If he wanted to ensure killing the opponent's "Fighter," now wasn't the time.
Qi Xia could only place a "Stick" face down on the table.
"Please reveal cards."
Su Shan had played "Rope" again.
Just as Qi Xia expected, this was still the opponent's "Rope Phase."
Qi Xia regretted not playing the "Gun" directly, but upon careful thought, every card selection concerned his life. Being cautious wasn't wrong.
Dr. Zhao had learned his lesson. He directly raised his hand, caught the stick before it landed, and without a word, charged forward.
Before Zi Chen could pick up the rope from the ground, Dr. Zhao knocked him down with one swing of the stick.
Then he swung the stick fiercely at him five or six times.
One could only say it was all karma. If Zi Chen hadn't pressed Dr. Zhao to the ground with the brick and beaten him, Dr. Zhao wouldn't have been this furious.
"Zi Chen..." Su Shan stood up worriedly, constantly peering into the glass room.
She was a bit flustered.
"Stop hitting him... Tell him to stop!" Su Shan turned to Qi Xia and said, "Make him stop!"
"He'll stop when time's up," Qi Xia said.
Upon hearing this, Su Shan showed a hint of displeasure, then slowly sat down and said, "Qi Xia, give up. I drew a 'Life Card.'"
"Oh?" Qi Xia was startled, then looked at her. "You think I'll believe you?"
"Believe it or not, I drew the 'Life Card' in the second round. I've just been looking for a win-win solution, so I didn't play it rashly," Su Shan said. "I once thought I could let everyone survive."
Qi Xia looked into Su Shan's eyes but couldn't tell if her words were true from her expression.
This girl's thoughts were well hidden.
The ten seconds were up, and Earth Chicken told the two to stop.
But Qi Xia and Su Shan still hadn't moved.
"You said you drew a 'Life Card.' Then tell me, what is the face of the 'Life Card'?" Qi Xia asked.
Upon hearing this, Su Shan slowly extended her thumb and index finger, forming the shape of a handgun.
"It's something that can kill in one hit," she said. "No tool can stop it."
Qi Xia paused briefly upon hearing this, once again calculating in his mind.
This statement could still be a lie.
If it was a lie, the situation was even more unfavorable.
Because the girl before him was too clever; she had actually guessed the content of the "Life Card" through her own reasoning.
"So if you concede now, we won't have to fight, and maybe you won't have to die," Su Shan said.
Qi Xia knew that no matter how clever this girl was, she lacked experience. She didn't even know this damned place had its own "rules."
Since the "Participants" had come to participate in the "Earth"-rank game with their own heads on the line, they had to be prepared for death.
Failing the game meant death; escaping midway also meant death.
"I won't concede," Qi Xia said. "I came to participate in this chicken's game to kill my opponent and win."
"Are you all insane..." Su Shan's emotions were getting out of control. "If we're going to kill each other in the game, how can anyone possibly get out in the end?! Will any participant actually collect three thousand six hundred 'Paths' by killing all the way to the end?!"
Qi Xia didn't answer. He had come to this damned place twice already—no, to be precise, this was the third time.
He had long lost his inner confusion.
Now he only wanted to follow the rules here, hoping to one day get out alive and find Yu Nian'an.
"Enough, Su Shan. Let's continue."
Qi Xia silently drew a new card.
Su Shan, after a long silence, also drew a card.
The two looked at their cards and frowned simultaneously.
Su Shan had indeed drawn the "Gun."
And Qi Xia had drawn the "Death Card."