Chapter 225: Contract in Effect

An old tungsten lamp hung in the center of the room by black wires, flickering with dim light.

Yet the atmosphere in the room was no longer quiet.

As the clock on the table ticked away, the nine people around the round table slowly opened their eyes.

Except for Zhang Lvshi and Tian Tian, everyone's expressions were different from before.

Qiao Jia Jin looked around with some worry, only relaxing when he saw the familiar faces.

Qi Xia also lifted his head and glanced at his "comrades."

Everyone was there except Xiao Ran.

It seemed Qiao Jia Jin hadn't broken any rules; he hadn't provoked "Xuan Wu," which was for the best.

Qi Xia scanned the room one by one, first nodding to Qiao Jia Jin, then exchanging glances with Li Jingguan and Lin Geng.

Finally, he looked at Zhao Yisheng and Han Yi Mo.

Everyone was present, which brought an inexplicable sense of relief.

But now, there were three problematic figures in the room: first, Zhang Lvshi and Tian Tian, who hadn't "Hui Xiang" and were still in a state of newcomers.

Then there was the former tenth person, now the ninth.

That young man whose skull had been smashed twice.

The many "Hui Xiang" participants slowly turned their gazes toward him. Except for Qi Xia and Zhao Yisheng, no one knew where Xiao Ran had gone; they only knew that there were truly "nine people" in the room now. Would that young man die again?

The young man, just like the previous two times, still wore a strange and desperate smile, staring blankly at Qi Xia.

Standing nearby, Ren Yang's eyes were different from before.

Those yellowish eyes, amid the rot and despair, now mixed with a hint of joy.

According to the contract, he had to make everyone in the room disappear and persist through three cycles.

Now that people had started disappearing, it was a good sign.

"Clang!"

Another bell rang out.

Qi Xia furrowed his brow. Was this "Ti Zui" being activated?

But... was there a need to activate it in this situation?

"Good morning, nine of you, I think I still need to explain the situation to you."

Ren Yang slowly began to speak, "I am Ren Yang..."

Before he could finish the first sentence, Ren Yang froze.

He started trembling, overcome with fear.

A figure in white had appeared in the room without anyone noticing. She wasn't sitting at the round table and wasn't restricted in her movements; she was standing in the dark corner, curiously looking around.

"Hmm?" she murmured in confusion, "Where... is this?"

Everyone turned their heads in bewilderment at the sound.

The figure stepped out from the dark corner: "Why are there so many people here?"

The moment he saw her, Qi Xia felt a string in his mind snap.

The last straw had come in such an unreasonable way.

But the straw that breaks the camel's back is never just the last one.

It's every single one.

"Xia, you're here too?" Yu Nian An asked with a smile, "I was just walking on the street a moment ago. How did I end up here..."

"An..."

Lin Geng slowly widened his eyes.

This girl was... the Yu Nian An that Qi Xia talked about all the time?

How was that possible?!

Even if she was in the "Zhong Yan Zhi Di," how could she appear in the interview room where no one could move?

Everyone's expressions grew complicated; the situation was too bizarre.

"Xia, who are these people?" Yu Nian An came to Qi Xia's side, resting her hand on his shoulder. "What are you all doing sitting here?"

Lin Geng turned to look at Qi Xia, thinking something was wrong.

Qi Xia's eyes weren't right.

He was doubting himself; he was on the verge of breaking down.

"An... you're really here?"

Qi Xia felt his mind in complete chaos.

He hadn't "Hui Xiang," yet Yu Nian An had appeared.

So...

Did that mean the Yu Nian An in front of him was real?

Qi Xia had a vague feeling that something was off, but a flood of information and clues in his mind collided, leaving his thoughts in disarray.

"Ah!" Qi Xia exclaimed with a distorted expression.

He realized what was wrong!

There were ten people in the room now!

Following Ren Yang's previous methods, he would kill the extra person...

That absolutely couldn't happen!

He hurriedly looked at Ren Yang, only to see that Ren Yang had no intention of harming Yu Nian An. Instead, Ren Yang backed away several steps and slowly pulled out a gun.

"Contract 3.3: At the start of the interview, all participants must remain immobile. If Party B sees anyone moving, please immediately distance yourself from the moving person, ensure your own safety, and then commit suicide as soon as possible..."

Ren Yang shakily picked up the gun and pointed it at his own heart.

"Oh no!" Lin Geng shouted, "Things are getting out of control!"

Everyone naturally understood what Lin Geng meant.

The game hadn't started yet; if Ren Yang killed himself, what would happen next?

How would they get out of the room?

"Qiao Jia Jin!" Lin Geng called out.

Qiao Jia Jin immediately understood. Ren Yang was retreating right in front of him; if he could seize the gun, there might still be a chance.

Unfortunately, Qiao Jia Jin couldn't move his legs, so he had to lean forward quickly, thrusting his thumb under the trigger and then gripping the gun, twisting it away from Ren Yang.

Qiao Jia Jin knew he was lucky Ren Yang hadn't reacted in time; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to overpower him directly.

Seeing the gun taken, Ren Yang panicked completely: "Give it back to me!!"

"No, no, no..." Qiao Jia Jin waved his hands frantically, "Ren Yang, don't die yet, okay? Read the questions first!"

"Give it back to me!!!!" Ren Yang roared, on the brink of mental collapse. He had been in the interview room for so long and never imagined this contract clause would be triggered.

But Qiao Jia Jin dodged left and right with the gun, refusing to let him have it.

Ren Yang was desperate to shoot this tattooed man dead.

Contract 2.4: Party B promises to establish a correct worldview for participants and ensure they are guided to actively, voluntarily, and calmly approach death, without arbitrarily killing innocents or seeking personal revenge.

Ren Yang knew he couldn't kill anyone, so he reached out again to grab the gun.

"Hey! Officer!"

Qiao Jia Jin was quick; he tossed the gun to Li Jingguan across the table.

Li Jingguan had read the contract and knew Ren Yang couldn't kill carelessly, so as soon as he caught the gun, he removed the magazine. With his left hand, he threw the magazine to Zhao Yisheng, and with his right, he tossed the gun body to Han Yi Mo.

"Ren Yang! Give us the questions!" Li Jingguan urged anxiously, "Since you're going to die anyway, let us escape from here first!"

Seeing everyone teaming up against him, Ren Yang completely broke down.

He gave up on the gun and slowly backed away, retreating to a distant corner.

Under everyone's puzzled gazes, Ren Yang extended two fingers and viciously jabbed them into his own eyes.

A scream echoed as his eyes became a bloody mess.

He didn't stop; he used the index fingers of his left and right hands to pierce his eardrums.

The sight made everyone shudder.

After doing all this, Ren Yang, with his blood-stained mask, hugged his knees and muttered quietly, "Contract 3.5: If suicide fails, destroy your eyes and hearing as much as possible, and wait quietly in the interview room for rescue. Party A will send someone to kill Party B."