Chapter 5: Three Ways to Clear the Game
Zhou Bai reached for a candy on the coffee table, slowly unwrapped it, and glanced at his father's expression before popping the candy into his mouth. His father's smile faded, and he turned back to watch TV.
At lunchtime, Zhou Bai went to the dining area and opened the fridge. Inside were several dishes. Ignoring the braised pork, he took out two random dishes. The food was cold and needed heating, which meant going into the kitchen. However, Rule B, the third rule, stated: [The kitchen belongs to your mother. You cannot enter.]
Should Zhou Bai eat the cold food or risk entering the kitchen to heat it? Two hours earlier, Henry from Kangaroo Country had died simply by handing a bowl into the kitchen. He had only extended his hand inside.
Viewers who had watched the Kangaroo Country stream were still shocked by the sudden death.
—"Eating cold food is better than dying. Zhou Bai won't be that foolish."
—"Such a simple choice. Any sane person wouldn't choose wrong."
—"Zhou Bai, you have to do well. The fate of our Great Xia is in your hands."
In the live stream, after closing the fridge door, Zhou Bai picked up another dish and headed towards the kitchen.
—"No way! What is he doing?"
—"Can't he handle a bit of cold food? He actually wants to heat it up."
—"Did Zhou Bai forget the rules?"
Zhou Bai slid open the kitchen door and stepped inside. He actually entered the kitchen. The experts watching were startled. No one expected Zhou Bai to make such a mistake, so they weren't prepared to remind him. But now that he was inside, it was too late. Everyone felt dejected. Was Great Xia really going to face the horrors?
In the stream, Zhou Bai placed the dish in the microwave to heat it. He didn't die. He took the heated dish to the dining table and returned to the kitchen with another dish. Still, he didn't die. Everyone was stunned. Was this rule wrong? If so, why did Henry from Kangaroo Country die?
While heating the dishes, Zhou Bai seemed to be looking for something. On his second trip out of the kitchen, he finally noticed some golden words in the corner. Delighted, he moved the clutter blocking the words, revealing the message:
[Clearance Conditions]
[1. SSS Level: Investigate the truth behind the events at home, gain the trust of a key figure in the scenario, and have them lead you to a safe zone.]
[2. S Level: Obtain information about the safe zone and escape there on your own.]
[3. A Level: Survive at home for 30 days.]
The viewers were astonished.
—"Such crucial information hidden in the kitchen."
—"Zhou Bai is either incredibly lucky or just stumbled upon it."
—"I can't believe Zhou Bai figured out it was safe to enter the kitchen."
The experts were silent, realizing that Zhou Bai had deduced something they couldn't.
"Henry's death proved entering the kitchen was dangerous."
"The difference... it's the mother!"
"Henry's mother was present when he entered. Zhou Bai's mother wasn't."
"That must be the reason!"
Spies from other countries in Great Xia's stream rushed back to report, prompting many countries to use their second hint opportunity.
Zhou Bai served himself a bowl of rice and sat at the dining table to eat. Why did he dare to enter the kitchen? He deduced that Rule B, the third rule, had a loophole. The key was something his wife had said the previous night. When she brought him the sweet soup, she mentioned she had made it. Everyone focused on the soup, missing this detail. If the kitchen belonged to his mother, his wife wouldn't have had access to it, indicating the rule was either incorrect or partially incorrect.
Most erroneous rules were designed to lead to death, but this one seemed different. It likely meant there was something in the kitchen "it" didn't want him to see. So, he had to enter the kitchen.
Zhou Bai took a bite of rice and glanced towards the living room. His father had moved to the dining table and was now sitting opposite Zhou Bai, resting his head on his hand with a smile. His wrinkled, cracked face looked eerie. He said nothing, just watched Zhou Bai.
Though it was broad daylight, many viewers felt a chill. Zhou Bai forced himself to eat calmly. The black dog in the corner was still lying there, not interested in its full bowl of dog food, looking more like an old man than a dog. Despite being so thin, it refused to eat.
Zhou Bai thought for a moment, then brought a plate from the kitchen, filled it with rice, and added some of his dishes. He placed the plate in front of the black dog, which slowly sniffed the food before eating ravenously. Zhou Bai returned to the table, ignoring his father and continuing his meal. Eventually, his father, finding it boring, returned to the sofa.
The dining room was now just Zhou Bai and the dog, both quietly eating. In this eerie world, the scene had an odd warmth. After eating, the black dog seemed to regain some energy, wagging its tail and pulling at Zhou Bai's pant leg, trying to lead him somewhere. Zhou Bai, curious, followed it to his parents' room.
He hesitated at the door. Entering random places in this world could mean instant death. The dog, seeing Zhou Bai's hesitation, ran inside and soon returned with a piece of paper. Zhou Bai took it and opened it. It was Rule C!
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