As she pondered, Yan Qingwen suddenly spoke, “The poetry question only eliminated five people because many accumulated one point from the rainbow question. Now that the scores have been deducted, if the next question is very difficult, a large number of people will be eliminated. Conversely, as the number of people decreases, the probability of us being selected by the pointer will greatly increase.”
Shen Mo raised an eyebrow and asked, “So, your strategy for clearing the stage is through attrition?”
Yan Qingwen smiled faintly and looked at Shen Mo. “The game mechanics are inherently survival of the fittest. All I can do is ensure the survival of my team members as much as possible within these mechanics.” He paused for two seconds, then asked Shen Mo, “Could it be that this officer can't bear to see death and injury?”
“It seems you really aren’t from the special operations team,” Shen Mo replied indifferently. “With mission completion as the primary objective, casualties within a certain range are permissible. But pointless casualties? Such actions would only strike me as self-righteous foolishness.”
“Is that so?” Yan Qingwen curled his lip. “Duly noted.”
While they were talking, the pointer had already begun its third rotation. Its speed gradually decreased, and it was about to stop.
Zhu Shu, sitting next to Yan Qingwen, stared at the tip of the pointer, remaining silent.
From the moment Yan Qingwen spoke those words, she knew in her heart that she had been abandoned.
Yan Qingwen and Lü Ang were teammates; their knowledge would overlap in certain areas, such as weaponry. And Li Li's area of expertise was also quite clear; he was a researcher, so he would certainly be able to answer physics-related questions.
This meant that after the number of participants was reduced to a certain point, these three would form a very advantageous cycle:
When a weapon question was chosen, Yan Qingwen and Lü Ang would gain points, while Li Li would lose points.
When a physics question was chosen, Yan Qingwen and Lü Ang would lose points, while Li Li would gain points.
One gaining, one losing, a repeating cycle. As long as they coordinated properly, they could successfully clear the stage.
But she…
Her areas of expertise were music, dance, and drama…
If she chose these types of questions, all three of them would lose points. Conversely, when those three chose their question types, she would also lose points!
Even if she accumulated three points, they would be deducted!
Therefore, she was destined to be incompatible with Yan Qingwen's strategy!
…This time, was she really going to die?
Zhu Shu felt a sense of unreality.
Death wasn't terrifying. What was terrifying was being given hope, only to discover that beneath your feet was still an abyss.
She should have died in the maze. It was because she met Li Li, and then Yan Qingwen brought people in to save Li Li, that she was saved incidentally.
Of course, she obtained a puzzle piece when leaving the maze, but on the way, they encountered a terrifying game! All five puzzle pieces were used up!
Later, in the Serpent's Maze, they obtained three more puzzle pieces, held by Yan Qingwen, Li Li, and Lü Ang. She had none.
So be it…
Just consider this time borrowed from the Grim Reaper��
Li Li sat opposite her, wanting to speak but hesitating. He must have realized this as well, but he didn't know what to say.
What could he say?
Say, "I'm sorry, we have to abandon you"?
Say, "We're also forced into this situation, please forgive us"?
…There was no need, truly no need.
In one's lifetime, one heard far too many justifications. At the moment of death, one's heart was like a clear mirror, wanting only peace and quiet, leaving behind some beautiful thoughts about the world.
Zhu Shu smiled at Li Li and then continued to watch the increasingly slow pointer.
It was about to stop.
It was almost…
Stopped…
…
Luck was an indescribable thing.
It was particularly evident in Tan Xiao.
For example, he happened to guess the rainbow question correctly, and for another example, he was now selected by the pointer.
“Player Number 3, please choose a question category,” the Overseer said.