Chapter 361: The Calamity Begins
"What's going on...?" Su Shan really wanted to ask what kind of "lot" Zhang Chenze had played, but she could neither see the text on the lot nor hear Zhang Chenze's words.
The second phase of the first round had also ended.
Both Zhang Chenze and Su Shan, who had already gone through their turns, were completely baffled. Although Su Shan didn't know Zhang Chenze well, she could roughly infer her personality.
Because of rationality, Zhang Chenze should have played a lot that seemed optimal for the current situation, but unfortunately, that lot was also swallowed up.
"What exactly are the detailed rules...?"
Su Shan realized that this game was different from the "Weapon Cards" game she had played with Qi Xia earlier. In that match, the rules were fully explained from the start, leaving only player-versus-player psychological battles.
But why didn't the "Earth Dog" explain the rules fully either?
Considering the most straightforward reason—because the "Earth Dog" was participating in this game, and he wanted to win.
Not clarifying the "rules" helped him secure victory in the game.
"So every Earth-level game in the 'Land of the End' is this difficult..." Su Shan nodded slightly. "Qi Xia, you're really a formidable figure. After going through these games, maybe next time I face you, I'll be able to put up a fight too."
The third phase of the first round came, and it was Lin Qin's turn in the orange room to "make a wish."
Her expression was the same as everyone else's—she had no idea which "lot" she should use to "make a wish."
Everyone's "wish" was for the "Nian Beast" to die, but no one knew how to extinguish the "lamps" on his head.
Soon, Lin Qin's turn passed as well. She cast a lot, and still nothing happened.
Su Shan wore a frustrated expression. She had confidently entered the first room, hoping to figure out the rules for everyone in advance, but the first round was about to end. She had come up with no solutions, and she couldn't think of any way to convey her thoughts to the others.
Meanwhile, Qin Dingdong on her right was currently "drawing lots." She also held three lots in her hand, stared at them for a long time, then moved her lips—clearly uttering a one-word curse.
She noticed Su Shan staring at her, so she took a step closer to Su Shan and pressed her lot against the glass, as if seeking help.
Su Shan squinted to look. Since the spotlights were all focused on the center of the glass room, when Qin Dingdong approached the glass wall, she left the light and fell into darkness, making it impossible for Su Shan to see the text on the lot.
She could only look up at Qin Dingdong's lip movements, which seemed to say something like "Xiao Shan, help me look."
Su Shan could only point at the lights above, then shook her head.
Qin Dingdong understood. She had to rely on herself to think about the contents of the three lots, then casually cast one.
This time, the situation was slightly different from before. After Qin Dingdong used that lot, Su Shan saw that directly across from her, Lin Qin's room suddenly began to blow thick smoke.
The smoke was pitch-black, seemingly spewing from above, knocking Lin Qin off balance. The lots on her table flew everywhere in the wind of the smoke, and it took Lin Qin great effort to grab them again.
A full half-minute passed before the smoke in Lin Qin's room dissipated. She stood up dazedly, covering her mouth and nose, coughing nonstop. Her expression was both pained and confused.
Hadn't they said that only the Earth Dog's "calamities" could harm "participants"? What was that suffocating smoke just now?
The person who had used the lot was Qin Dingdong. Was she the one behind this?
A thought suddenly flashed through Lin Qin's mind—did she want to kill someone?
But Lin Qin knew clearly that Qin Dingdong wasn't a member of the "Jidao," and there was no motive for her to suddenly commit murder.
Lin Qin frowned and looked in Qin Dingdong's direction, only to find Qin Dingdong staring back at her with the same blank expression.
The two had known each other for a long time, but they had never truly trusted each other.
The first round ended with the four "participants" all looking bewildered. Now, everyone's attention was focused on the Earth Dog at the center.
After all, he had said he would use a "calamity lot" at any point during the round. Now that all four participants had finished their phases, only he hadn't acted yet. It seemed that the "calamity lot" would be used at the very end of the round.
Su Shan leaned against the glass and carefully observed the Earth Dog. She saw that in front of him were many lots. Although it was far away, she counted roughly—about seven or eight.
If she wasn't mistaken, his method of play differed from the "participants." He didn't need to "draw lots" every round; instead, he had all eight rounds' worth of lots from the very beginning.
"Everyone, for this calamity, it is called 'Sandstorm.'"
The Earth Dog's broadcast voice echoed in each room. He pulled one lot from the many on his table, showed the text on it to everyone, and then inserted it into a hole on the left side of his table.
Only then did everyone notice that the Earth Dog's table had four holes, one in each direction: front, back, left, and right.
And the hole where the Earth Dog inserted the lot corresponded exactly to Qin Dingdong's direction.
As soon as that lot was played, a huge mechanical noise sounded from within the room. Everyone cautiously looked around, since the Earth Dog had said his "calamities" could kill participants, and no one wanted to die inexplicably at that moment.
Sure enough, within seconds, something strange happened in Qin Dingdong's room.
The grid above her shifted, and fine sand began to fall like white silk drifting down. The entire room was instantly filled with yellow dust, making it impossible to keep eyes open.
Su Shan saw Qin Dingdong frantically waving her arms in the glass room, trying to drive away the sand, but the sand fell faster and faster. Within a dozen seconds, it began to pile up at Qin Dingdong's feet.
"So that's it..." Su Shan muttered to herself with a frown. "This is the 'Sandstorm'?"
Qin Dingdong's hair quickly became caked with dirt, and sand poured into her mouth. She could barely breathe.
Su Shan furrowed her brow slightly, feeling that Qin Dingdong was probably beyond saving. After all, she was trapped in her own room and completely unable to help her.
The cruelest part of this game was likely the "glass room" setup. Everyone could only watch helplessly as other participants died, which would severely disrupt the minds of the remaining players. One wrong step could lead to a chain of errors, resulting in total defeat.
But Su Shan also knew that if she wanted to become a strong player like Qi Xia, she couldn't care about the lives of others. Qi Xia had once implied to her that even if they were teammates, that still wouldn't be acceptable.
"The second round begins." The Earth Dog's broadcast sounded again. "Player number one, please 'draw lots.'"
Su Shan turned her head to look at Qin Dingdong. Inside her room, the fine sand continued to fall. It was falling so fast that it had already buried her calves. She kept shifting her body, trying to pull her legs out of the sand.
But whenever she lifted one leg, the other sank even faster. After trying many times without success, she retreated to a corner of the glass room, trying to dodge the falling loess and keep breathing as best she could.
The next moment, her eyes met Su Shan's, filled with panic.
Her mouth opened and closed, clearly speaking words of begging, but Su Shan acted as if she saw nothing. She expressionlessly turned her head back and looked at the new lot she had drawn.
Qi Xia had said—in order to win the game, these people were expendable.