The Creatures That We Are

Chapter 314: Second Round

She had said that she was a special role with information when running for sheriff.

Since she was neither the seer nor the guard, and the hunter was given no information, she had to be the witch. She saved Gao Yang and thus gained some information. However, she didn’t want to expose herself.

The werewolves must have guessed that Vermilion Bird was the witch, and that she had used up her healing potion.

The logic was simple. During the first night, the wolves went after Gao Yang, but White Tiger just said that he had protected himself. Thus, the witch must have used her healing potion on Gao Yang. Only then would he have survived the night.

Gao Yang thought for a moment and decided to get by with an empty statement. “I’m a villager. I have too little information to speak much, so I’ll keep following Sheriff Vermilion Bird. I agree that if no other claims the seer role, X is most likely the seer. The good team stands a chance of winning. I’m done.”

Then it was Can’s turn. She looked up and said, “I’ll continue to follow Sheriff Vermilion Bird and Elder Seven Shadow. Although the sheriff suspects me, I still believe that both of them are on the good team.”

She turned to Qing Ling. “You’ve been trying to vote me out with the same reason as Elder Vermilion Bird, Green Snake, and I can’t say otherwise. Still, I am a villager. I hope that X will check me tonight and prove my innocence.”

She stopped running away and continued with a serious look in her eyes. “All of you may see me as a useless player who doesn’t propose any theories, but I have the right to live. And as a member of the good team, my survival is the best help I can offer. I won’t give up easily and let the werewolves get their way.”

“That’s it for me.”

Qing Ling seemed unfazed, not swayed by Can at all.

Then it was Ronnie’s turn. He didn’t immediately speak up. After a few seconds, he looked up at Gao Yang slowly and said with certainty, “Everyone, Captain Seven Shadow is definitely one of the good team members and can be trusted.”

Wait, he’s not stuttering?!

Gao Yang started. Ronnie must be a special role that gave him information.

“As for X, don’t believe a word out of his mouth! He’s a wolf! I’m the seer. I checked...”

“I’ll expose myself!” X shouted, interrupting Ronnie.

Instantly, the intangible power returned to restrict everyone at the table. They could arrange their facial muscles into different expressions and look around, as well as breathe and blink. However, they couldn’t move or say anything.

Gao Yang felt his head overheating.

What?!

X is a wolf running a long con! And he’s the alpha!

He’s effectively killing himself by exposing himself!

Isn’t he afraid of dying?

Still, even when no one was competing with X for the claim on the seer role, X had trouble earning everyone’s trust. Now that Ronnie, the true seer, had made himself known, the others would surely follow Ronnie, and X would die of getting ostracized!

X knew that he was doomed the moment Ronnie came out of hiding. That was why he dragged someone with him before his death!

The lunatic!

“The game continues,” Sir Zuo said with increasingly noticeable satisfaction.

It seemed that he was getting the show he was looking for.

The bastard!

We should’ve killed Sir Zuo together before the game even started!

Chen Ying was taken by surprise. It took a long while for her to calm down, yet her voice still trembled as she said, “Alpha, who...are you going to take with you?”

Even though X was facing his death, he remained fearless, his gaze cold. With a smirk, he said, “I’m taking...Ronnie.”

No!

The yell was right at his tongue, but Gao Yang couldn’t make a sound.

He could only stare at Ronnie with wide eyes, and Ronnie held his gaze.

Ronnie’s eyes were red. It seemed that he would like to say something, but couldn’t. All he managed to do was blink.

A puff of gray fog emerged above the center of the stone table. Then it morphed into a wolf’s claw and shot into Ronnie’s chest with a swoosh, vanishing into thin air.

“I’ve done my best, my fellow wolves. Play til the end on your own. Don’t give up easily.” X rose to his feet with a smile and took big strides into his single cell, his head held high.

Once inside, he turned around. “What a shame I can’t see such a fun game to its end. Haha, hahahaha...”

X covered his face and burst into laughter like a mad man.

The gray fog descended, devouring the cell he occupied. Then there was an insidious burst of energy. X fell amid the fog before vanishing instantly.

At the same time, Ronnie realized that he could move now, but he couldn’t speak.

He knew that there was no fighting the rules. In fact, he had prepared to die when he exposed himself as the seer.

He stood up and gave Gao Yang and Can a yearning look, his lips curved into a smile. What a shame. He would never know what lay beyond the Gates of Closure.

Fuck!

Gao Yang tried his best to fight the power that restrained him, but it wouldn’t budge.

Pinned to his seat, he could only watch as Ronnie walked into the cell and collapsed while holding his chest. Then the gray fog claimed him and erased his body in the blink of an eye.

“Ah...”

Chen Ying realized with a start that she could speak and move now. She propped herself up with both hands on the stone table, gasping for breath while her chest heaved violently.

It was a long time coming, but finally, she broke down. She glared at the air and yelled, “I’m not playing the moderator any longer! Kill me now...”

Before she could finish, she felt her heart seized by the mysterious power, and she held her hands to her chest.

“There is no game without a moderator, and everyone will be out.” Sir Zuo issued a cold warning. “This is your last chance. Think before answering.”

Lying prone with her face pressed to the ground and her hair a mess, Chen Ying clenched her fists.

Even without seeing her face, everyone could sense her ire, humiliation, and heartbreak.

How long had it been? Chen Ying found her fists relaxing. Sir Zuo had spared her.

She slowly rose to her feet and wiped the tears off her face, tucking her hair behind her ear. Her gaze became sharp and steely, like broken shards of ice.

“Everyone.” She took a deep breath and made the announcement. “The night has fallen. Please close your eyes.”

Instantly, the players regained their mobility, but not their voice.

Can looked at Gao Yang, teary-eyed, seeking comfort.

However, Gao Yang didn’t look at her. Face dark, he turned to get into his cell.

The others also silently returned to theirs.

Gao Yang didn’t know what the others were thinking, but he knew that there was no turning back.

There was no point in wallowing in pain and anger. Neither was there a place for dignity and pride.

They were all pawns on this chessboard. All they could do was do whatever it took to win and get out of here. Then they would avenge those who had died in this absurd game!

Sitting on the cold single bed, Gao Yang quietly waited for the third night to come.

“The night has fallen. Please close your eyes. Guard, please come out... Choose the one you want to protect.”

......

“Werewolves, please come out... Choose your target.”

......

“Seer, please come out... Are you certain you are checking the person’s role?”

......

“Witch, please come out... Do you save this person? Do you wish to poison someone...?”

...

Again, no wolves came after Gao Yang tonight.

Chen Ying stuck to the rules to a T. Although everyone knew that the true seer, Ronnie, had died, those who were out during the day wouldn’t have their roles revealed. Thus, there was always a slim chance that Ronnie wasn’t the real seer.

That was why Chen Ying still went through the standard questions during the night.

“The day has arrived.”

Gao Yang’s cell door opened.

It took only a minute for the rest of the players to return to the table.

Gao Yang looked around and found another seat empty. It belonged to Joker.

How laughable that he didn’t feel any sorrow, but instead let out a sigh of relief. It was just because he didn’t share much of a history with the dead.

In an extreme game like this, human nature was so malleable.

Isn’t this what you want to see, Sir Zuo? Are you satisfied now?

If I ever get out of here, I’ll come for you.

“Last night, Joker, number 8, died. He was a villager.” Chen Ying made the announcement without any emotion. All her companions were gone.

At this point, she was nothing but an emotionless machine going through the motions, her heart closed to the outside world.

Gao Yang focused. Two villagers had died.

Were Green Tea a villager, that would make the death toll three, leaving him the only surviving villager.

Then Can couldn’t have been a villager, and she lied.

However, if Green Tea was a werewolf instead of a villager, there would be a higher chance for Can to be a villager than a wolf.

What he knew now was that Ronnie was the real seer, X was the alpha, Vermilion Bird was likely the witch, White Tiger the guard, and Electric Mouse and Joker were villagers.

The surviving special roles were Vermilion Bird the witch, who still had a death potion, White Tiger the guard, and the unknown hunter, who still had a bullet.

The surviving villager was Gao Yang, and there might or might not be another. If there was another villager, it was likely Can.

As for the werewolves, there were at most three, at least two.

Things weren’t looking good. Many could die before the game ended.

“Sheriff, please decide the order.”

“Again, start with the right.” Vermilion Bird’s expression was calm, as if this was a simple game.

Just like Chen Ying, she was also on the verge of breaking down, and she could no longer think rationally. However, she knew that things would only get worse if she let it be.

White Tiger had the same thought. He forced himself to focus on the game. “I believed the wolf wouldn’t come after me, so I didn’t protect myself. I was going to protect Vermilion Bird, but thinking that the wolves would’ve guessed that, I protected Can.”

“I did that because I have a feeling that Can and Green Tea are on opposite sides, and I suspect Green Tea of being a wolf. X’s exposing himself further cemented my suspicion. I believe Can isn’t a wolf, but a member of the good team.”

“That’s all I know.” White Tiger thought for a moment before adding, “I didn’t lie. I am the guard. Please believe me.”

Then it was Qing Ling’s turn. Her face was as impassive as ever. “I’m still voting for Can. Just like before, I believe both Green Tea and Can are suspicious, and both should be taken out.”

She paused and continued, “X said that he was going to vote Joker out and checked Can’s role. It clearly meant that he was going to eliminate Joker before killing another during the night to keep Can alive. Can is his fellow wolf, pretending to be on the good team. She’s kept so that the wolves will have an additional vote to eliminate the good team during the day.”

“However, X didn’t expect Ronnie to risk his life claiming the seer role despite not doing so during the first round. Left with no choice, X exposed himself to take out the seer.”

It wasn’t often that Qing Ling would say so many words in one breath. She must have thought her decision through.

And her reasoning made sense. Even Gao Yang, who had believed Can to be a villager, couldn’t help but waver.

He glanced at Can. Could she really be a wolf? Had the wolves been planning on keeping Can, who seemed like a newbie through and through, as a spy?

Sensing Gao Yang’s gaze, Can met his eyes before quickly lowering her head.

Then it was White Rabbit’s turn. She had also put on a poker face, and like a true player, she said with a cold, practiced expression, “Everyone, let’s continue this game with our hands on the table. Things are clear now. I just want to end the game.”

She quickly looked over everyone. “I’ll review the game for you.”