"You..."
"Weren't you just asleep?!"
Beside him, Perfect Life was shocked, staring blankly at "Sin" as he questioned. His yin-yang hands had clearly sensed that this guy's aura was identical to someone in deep sleep without the slightest difference! He should have completely lost consciousness by all accounts!
So how did he know? Had he been listening all along?
"Huh? What? Who?"
Under Perfect Life's questioning, Lu Ce raised his head in confusion, looking around dazedly as if unaware of what he'd just said.
"Ah... don't remember. I was indeed sleeping."
The second characteristic of the Laziness mask - subconscious processing! All information received during deep sleep goes straight into the subconscious! Though appearing completely unaware, in essence, he hears everything more clearly than anyone.
Xie Antong hadn't spoken a single word since he woke up, as if completely unwilling to acknowledge this enemy.
[But let me be clear upfront - you only get one chance. If you suggest something clearly impossible for the game, you lose your opportunity immediately!]
"Oh..."
"Hey, are you even lucid?" Perfect Life interjected, now genuinely doubting "Sin's" mental state. Helpfully, he recounted everything that had just happened.
After all, he didn't want his theoretical strongest opponent to handicap himself so severely by losing his chance to make demands right from the start. Moreover, if he were truly delirious and made some player-unfriendly request, that wouldn't be good for anyone.
"Oh?" The dark green mask slowly turned, looking somewhat surprised. "Got it. You're quite the nag."
Perfect Life: ?
Nag?!
You %……#￥@*!
[Please quickly state your condition.]
"Quit yelling!"
Laziness leisurely scanned each face in the room, utterly unhurried.
"Honestly, these people aren't particularly interesting. I don't consider them real opponents."
Everyone: ?
What's with the sudden aggression?
"My condition is - find me someone actually worth fighting. Doesn't this make sense since we're one player short anyway? Originally ten, now nine - how dull."
[...]
[What exactly do you mean? The game has already begun. Recruiting new players now is impossible, so your condition would be...]
"Ah, no need to go through that trouble."
"Isn't... there still you?"
"Why don't you join in?"
[?]
"Save the excuses. I know your type isn't technically part of the game itself. This isn't my first rodeo with things like you."
"Whose... lapdog are you?"
"Come down here. I doubt this violates any game requirements."
Xie Antong: "......"
She knew it.
Her earlier setup was precisely for Lu Ce's benefit - these words sounded far more satisfying coming from him!
Hah, let this game's rule-voice experience true disrespect firsthand.
Because Laziness had been playing the nice guy since the game began, this sudden shift left the game momentarily stunned.
You wake up and immediately go for the nuclear option?
Many experts began cracking their knuckles in anticipation. Perfect Life found this development unexpectedly fascinating - directly dragging the game itself into play wasn't something he'd previously considered.
But was this actually possible?
The Creator lightly applauded from the sidelines, murmuring:
"Heh, seems my earlier demand has already been fulfilled."
As long as it made the game uncomfortable...
However, while these bold experts were intrigued, players like Number Seven instantly panicked!
Holy shit!
Dude. Not cool.
This is a game we're all participating in - what do you mean by dragging the referee onto the field?!
Whether "Sin" could actually challenge the game's referee remained unknown, but they understood perfectly the meaning of "When the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer."
Don't let your grudge match get the rest of us killed!
Immediately, they clung to desperate hope, praying the game would refuse, thinking this absolutely couldn't be allowed!
Surely this wasn't acceptable?
[Heh, why would I ever agree? I could simply declare this invalid.]
"Because this prevents another stalemate outcome," Lu Ce explained leisurely.
"You presumably don't want a repeat of that embarrassing situation where you got cornered by questioning, do you?"
"If you participate personally, that risk disappears. You take first place, while the rest of us tie - which could count as collective defeat.~"
"You could even adjust rules in your favor..."
[...]
Laziness' voice carried an unusually hypnotic quality as he laid out his reasoning.
Despite appearing either incoherent or asleep earlier, his current speech demonstrated startling awareness of everything!
This left everyone intensely curious about his true state.
Normally, it was the game manipulating players - now the tables had turned, with Lu Ce attempting to manipulate the game itself!
The absolute audacity!
Moreover, the game seemed to lack any solid grounds for refusal.
"Realistically, you have no reason to refuse unless you're utterly incompetent - an unworthy dog too frightened even for this."
[Heh, I indeed lack reasons to refuse...]
[I merely wonder what delusions fill that overreaching head of yours, thinking to make the rule-making referee play your game?]
"Any problems?" Laziness smiled up at the void.
"Isn't this entire CHOSEN'S PARADISE just one big game with its referees?"
[...]
[Fine! I accept!]
The moment acceptance sounded, players like Number Seven - even Jiu Tian - felt their blood run cold.
We're doomed...
[Other players, heh, be sure to properly "thank" your so-called strongest player.]
[It's his arrogance that's raised your failure probability from fifty percent to one hundred!]
As these words faded, the Creator suddenly spoke up, smiling:
"Oh?"
"Yet I'd argue this also reduces your own probability of emerging unscathed from one hundred percent to... ninety-nine?"
Perfect Life similarly shrugged, battle intent instantly surging as he stretched, joints popping.
"Perhaps... ninety-eight?"
Xie Antong's lips curled slightly, her gaze unconsciously flickering toward the silent Lu Ce.
Ninety-eight percent?......