Someone snapped their fingers, saying, "Hunting dogs! I often play hunting games on private estates; hunting dogs are great helpers in the chase... Once a certain time limit is reached, hunting dogs will be released to kill the cult members, and ’ghosts’ can also earn points by killing the hunting dogs!"
A Qi looked at them as if they were an idiot: "How is that possible, how do hunting dogs deal with rifles?"
Another participant gave an opinion, suggesting that the designer might send out soldiers for indiscriminate killing, but this was also rejected by A Qi: If soldiers needed to be deployed, then why not simply assign an equal number of ’ghosts’?
For a moment, everyone was in a heated discussion, no one could accurately guess the true mechanism of the "Hide and Seek" trial.
This was exactly the effect A Qi wanted, and he looked around with satisfaction before speaking unhurriedly under the crowd’s gaze:
"If I were the designer of this trial, I would choose to use ’poison gas’."
"The ’ghosts’ can earn certain points by finding detoxification agents or gas masks; similarly, the ’humans’ need to find ways to explore around, stop the release of poison gas, and turn off the poison gas switch in order to survive."
"If a ghost doesn’t obtain a detoxification agent or gas mask, it naturally can’t gather points and will be poisoned to death within the designated time; if humans always stick together in one place, they will similarly die from the poison."
The crowd was suddenly enlightened and agreed, thinking this was the most reasonable guess, and they indirectly probed A Qi’s identity while trying to become more familiar with him.
A Qi appeared somewhat flattered, but still politely refused all invitations, indicating that he had a bet with this lady and couldn’t leave casually.
Moriyama Yasurou beckoned with a finger, signaling him to come closer. A Qi leaned down, only to hear her whisper in his ear, "As a designer, which area are you responsible for designing?"
A Qi awkwardly turned his head away: "Isn’t that irrelevant... Well, I’m responsible for designing the circuit mechanisms and electronic screens. I’m in charge of the soft furnishing on the island."
Moriyama Yasurou thought no wonder, this guy acts so relaxed as if nothing is going on. She had previously wondered why A Qi had the leisure to stay here to gamble... Now it seemed, he indeed was quite idle.
"Then who designed these trials?" she asked casually.
"You’ll soon find out that after this trial ends, the designers will step to the front to maintain the operation of this island... Honestly speaking, ’Hide and Seek’ is nothing but a public execution. We want everyone to know that the corrupt cult is gone for good."
A Qi spoke confidently.
Yet, if the cult passes the trial, wouldn’t they have failed?
With these thoughts in mind, Moriyama Yasurou continued to look at the black-and-white screen, only to see Fushimi Roku had already cleaned his sword, sheathed it, and drew another katana.
Was he going to continue?
But the door was closed, there were guards at the vents and exits, and the living room had floor-to-ceiling windows, so cutting the electricity wouldn’t work again.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone, Fushimi Roku cut down the curtains, gathered usable fabric from around, and took out a lighter from his pocket. Before coming, he had smoked a cigarette and bought a lighter, which had remained in his pocket and hadn’t been confiscated.
Indeed, he planned to start a fire.
Starting a fire is an art; if the fire gets out of control, one could end up burned themselves; but if the fire is too small, no one needs to put it out, it extinguishes itself.
Fushimi Roku chose a very tricky spot; he stuffed the fabric into a vent, held the katana like a fire poker, poking here and there, seemingly flaring the fire like a stove.
In a fire, the most common scenario is death by suffocation, inhaling too much smoke, fainting, and then being consumed by the flames.
Thick smoke rolled into the level, initially everyone could endure, but three or five minutes later, Asahara Shoko couldn’t take it anymore, his face flushed, breath quickened.
"Since there’s only one of them, we should take the initiative!"
Shirakawa Miki shouted, leading half the believers out.
The other half escorted the Sect Hierarch and main members, leaving the level, preparing to head to the top-floor open-air balcony, which had an expansive view and four-sided airflow, as long as they kept it secure, they’d be safe.
Asahara Shoko felt that as a Sect Hierarch, fleeing was a disgrace; he must lead the faithful, to slay the demon’s messenger, only thus could he maintain his authority:
"She’s right, there’s only one of him, there’s nothing to fear, we were just too careless earlier."
Upon hearing this, the crowd stood at the hallway corner.
The cult leaders nodded repeatedly, flattering him: "Exactly! With the Sect Hierarch taking action himself, they’ll definitely kill the sneak attacker! No matter how formidable the opponent is, they’re just a mere mortal, we have the protection of the True God, what is there to fear..."
Before he finished speaking, there was a flash of a blade around the corner, the cult leader’s head hadn’t even fallen off before the body was dragged away by a hand.
Asahara Shoko was so scared he fell sitting to the ground, just moments ago the blade had grazed his nose; if he was standing there, he would have been separated from his head!
The believers opened fire quickly, turning the headless corpse into a sieve, yet no trace of the killer was found.
Asahara Shoko had overestimated his courage, he could kill without hesitation, and enjoy the thrill of the hunt, however, once roles were reversed, when he became the prey, the shadow of death almost crushed his sanity.
All that was left in his mind was fear.
Death was too close to him.
He still had the prime of life to enjoy, so many followers waiting to hear his teachings, so many ignorant people in this world yet to be enlightened... How could he die here?!
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