062 Death’s Gambit

As the countdown on the mirror reached zero, the first round of Truth or Dare entered its final verification.

“Someone lied.”

“The system will now match participants for the dare.”

“Who lied?” He Fei was the first to jump up. “Who’s the one lying here?!”

“I thought telling the truth meant you could survive…” Xu Tingting muttered to herself, worry lacing her words.

Zheng Wei said nothing, shrinking into a corner to avoid everyone’s gaze.

But this small gesture didn’t escape Su Mu’s notice. Embracing the chaos, Su Mu taunted, “Hey, you over there, your name is Zheng Wei, right?”

“I recall you said you don’t like eating meat.”

“A guy who doesn’t like meat—is that normal?”

Su Mu’s question was quickly met with agreement from the others. Hu Xing’er immediately turned her gaze on Zheng Wei, kicking him while he was down. “Zheng, seems you don’t want us to live, huh?”

Hu Xing’er’s words instantly split the temporary alliance of three. Xu Tingting instinctively moved closer to Hu Xing’er, the only other girl; He Fei also walked toward me. He must have thought I wouldn’t turn him away, and in fact, I said nothing—letting him drape his arm over my shoulder as he grumbled, “That kid’s up to no good. I’m sticking with you guys.”

He then glanced at Qian Duoduo behind me, patting his own chest as if to say he was now an indispensable part of our team, clearly under the impression that the two of us were easy to push around.

And, honestly, without the power of a Contract Holder, Qian Fatty and I really were weaklings.

“Dare participants: Zhou Zhenyu, He Fei, Hu Xing’er, Su Mu, and Xu Tingting.”

“Death Janken.”

“Each person has two lives. You can steal another’s life by winning at Janken. Whoever gains three lives becomes immortal. The game ends when someone dies. If the timer ends without a result, all are sentenced to death.”

So at least one person would die this round—but luckily, I wasn’t in the game.

As for Carbon Head, I was absolutely confident he would win.

Sure enough, as soon as the game started, Carbon Head unceremoniously dragged Su Mu off for the first round of Death Janken.

Su Mu wanted to refuse, but the murderous aura pouring off Carbon Head made him too afraid to say no.

Under pressure, Su Mu played his hand—rock. Carbon Head also played rock: a tie.

Second round, Su Mu played scissors, Carbon Head went with rock again.

With ease, Carbon Head won a life, the three lives above his head marking him as “immortal.”

Su Mu, after losing to Carbon Head, was left with a single life, his face as bitter as if he’d swallowed a bitter gourd.

Hu Xing’er merely smiled on the sidelines. Xu Tingting clung tightly to her, terrified for her safety.

He Fei, in contrast, was nonchalant. “It’s just a game of chance, right?”

“Xu Tingting, let’s go.”

Xu Tingting frantically shook her head, inching even closer to Hu Xing’er.

“It’s fine, go ahead.” Hu Xing’er pulled Xu Tingting forward, whispering a few words in her ear. Xu Tingting looked a bit puzzled but nodded her agreement.

Xu Tingting stepped up to He Fei, hand outstretched, ready for the second round.

Unexpectedly, Xu Tingting extended her hand right away, forming a rock.

He Fei blinked, mocking her, “Are you scared stupid? Think I’ll fall for that?”

He assumed Xu Tingting was trying to trick him—if she showed rock first, he’d play paper to win, but if she switched to scissors, she’d beat him.

He Fei saw through her “scheme.” As they chanted “rock, paper, scissors,” he confidently threw paper.

But Xu Tingting’s hand didn’t change, remaining a fist—rock.

“Haha!” He Fei exulted, “I won, you silly girl.”

Xu Tingting’s expression didn’t change. She looked at him and said, “You lost.”

Then she dashed back to Hu Xing’er’s side. He Fei stared, then looked up to find he had only one life left—not more.

“What is going on!” Furious, He Fei stormed toward Xu Tingting, but Hu Xing’er blocked him.

“What do you think you’re doing, He Fei?” Hu Xing’er snapped, but He Fei hardly cared about the petite, ponytailed girl.

To him, she was no threat. But how did that slip of a girl Xu Tingting steal one of his lives? He was livid.

I’d caught Xu Tingting’s trick. Though she showed a rock, her index and middle fingers were subtly raised where He Fei couldn’t see—making it a scissors, which beat He Fei’s paper.

He Fei simply hadn’t noticed.

Watching He Fei close in on Hu Xing’er, I sensed a good show was about to begin.

Bang. As expected, just as He Fei was about to shove Hu Xing’er, a powerful force sent him flying.

He was knocked flat without warning—something only the five of us Contract Holders were used to.

Xu Tingting and Zhang Wei’s eyes brimmed with astonishment. He Fei scrambled up, a new fear in his gaze for Hu Xing’er.

We four knew Hu Xing’er could manipulate air, but these three ordinary people were clueless.

Naturally, He Fei now steered clear of someone as strange as Hu Xing’er.

Xu Tingting was stunned for a few seconds, then effusively thanked Hu Xing’er. For a frail girl like her, picking the right backer meant survival.

“Sis, I can survive now.”

“What about you?” Xu Tingting’s form of address changed. With the game’s outcome, Carbon Head and Xu Tingting were confirmed survivors; Su Mu and He Fei each had one life left, and Hu Xing’er had two.

Hu Xing’er wasn’t worried—Su Mu would be more anxious than she was.

She only needed to win against either He Fei or Su Mu to survive. Su Mu could only survive by beating He Fei, or by beating Hu Xing’er twice in a row.

Because, no matter who defeated He Fei, his lives would drop to zero and the Death Janken would end with his death.

So Hu Xing’er was in no rush—it was nearly impossible for someone to beat her twice.

As long as Su Mu and He Fei faced off in the decisive round, Hu Xing’er would have victory in hand no matter the outcome.

“Hu Xing’er, will you help me?” Su Mu didn’t challenge He Fei immediately, but instead asked Hu Xing’er.

He Fei frowned. After the earlier match and test, he was wary of Hu Xing’er—she had power, and a way to win at Janken.

If she sided with Su Mu, he’d be the sacrifice. In that case, he might as well refuse to play—the game would end with everyone’s death. At least he could take Hu Xing’er and Su Mu down with him.

Now both He Fei and Su Mu waited for Hu Xing’er’s answer—their fates in her hands.

Noticing He Fei’s expression, Hu Xing’er replied without hesitation, “Su Mu, you’re on your own.”

“I only help girls.”

“But playing rock is sure to win.”

The first two sentences were clearly for He Fei—dissuading him from sabotaging the game. The third was more cryptic—perhaps hinting that cheating would work.

But Su Mu, clueless as ever, simply smiled slyly, apparently having thought of his own solution.

He Fei glanced at Hu Xing’er, hoping for another hint, but she said no more.

The final, life-or-death round began.

The two gathered their courage and threw their hands—both rock.

He Fei relaxed momentarily.

But unexpectedly, Su Mu, having thrown rock, suddenly opened his hand and softly called out, “Paper!”

He Fei’s face darkened instantly—he hadn’t expected Su Mu to switch from rock to paper at the last second.

“You cheated,” He Fei accused.

But Su Mu grinned coldly, his tone chilling. “It seems the rules never said you couldn’t cheat.”

“You can die now…”