Deceitful Game

Chapter 136 The Game Accelerates Suddenly

Chapter 136 The Game Accelerates Suddenly

"So that's how it is. It was a treasure you once owned—"

Gao Song looked at Ming Po with a half-smile: "Aren't you afraid?"

Why be afraid?

Mingpo countered with a question.

If Gao Song could directly see that the Dionysus Shrine was in Ming Po's hands—then he wouldn't even need to defeat Ming Po in the game to put Ming Po to death. This is also why Ming Po chose this word.

Just as Gao Song set death as the penalty for losing the game, since he was going to die anyway, he might as well use this rule to drag everyone else down with him. It was because Gao Song decided to do this that Ming Po chose this word.

He was more interested in the host than Gao Song.

Mingpo glanced at the Twenty Faces.

If the host could see his answer, she would know at that moment that Mingpo had once possessed a Dionysian shrine.

Seemingly noticing Mingpo's gaze, she smiled and turned around, leaning forward slightly as if to listen attentively.

"Mr. Madman, what can I do for you?"

"I have three questions about the rules that I would like to ask for your explanation—one of which concerns the breakdown of the rules for this game."

Mingpo didn't beat around the bush, but asked directly: "First, does the host know each of our answers?"

"Second, if it's the same thing as a bicycle or a pedal bike, but with different names, how do you determine the classification?"

"Third, what are the criteria for answering the question? Is it objective facts? Self-perception? Or the host's perception?"

"————Hmph."

Upon hearing this, Gao Song couldn't help but laugh: "You've already used up twelve questions before finally remembering to make calibration rules? Too bad—isn't it already a bit too late?"

—Just as Gao Song said.

This is "rule calibration".

What exactly constitutes "correctness," what the specific standards are, and to what extent one must guess correctly to be considered right—these are all things that are not stated in the rules, but which certainly exist under clear rules.

Just like if the sound of a piano is out of tune, it must be adjusted by a piano tuner.

Similarly, if the rules are unclear, they must be calibrated.

"It's not too late."

Mingpo replied leisurely, "In fact, now is just right. Any earlier, and there wouldn't have been enough time. How would I have seen you break down like that?"

"--you!"

Gao Song's expression immediately changed.

The host, "Twenty Faces," simply smiled gently at Mingpo and clearly replied, "None of your three questions deviated from the essence of the game, so you can answer them. However, the game time will not pause when you answer them; it will continue to run normally. Please be aware of the remaining time."

"First, the host doesn't know the answer. Because I'm familiar with Mr. Mistletoe, he might judge whether his guess is correct by observing my subconscious reaction."

"Therefore, the game is only fair when I don't know the answer."

"The second and third answers can be given together—the true standard for judging the answer is based on the object you meditated on when recording the cards. As long as the answer points precisely to that object, regardless of its name—for example, cherry, sweet cherry, or big cherry, or pineapple and pineapple, or tomato and tomato, it's considered a correct answer. Because they all actually point to the same thing."

"Whether the question is correct or not is determined by the subjective impression of the person who wrote down the answer."

"For example, if someone genuinely believes that peaches can only be hard and has never seen a soft peach, then when asked if it is soft and juicy, the answer will be judged as no." Similarly, if I participate in this game and choose "grapes," and you ask if it costs more than 20 yuan per kilogram, it will show as correct. However, for most Chinese people in most regions, this is clearly incorrect.

"Take tomatoes, for example. Some people consider them a vegetable, some consider them a fruit. Others think they aren't a vegetable at all," or they're unsure. All of these are possible.

"Because if even the person who sets the question doesn't know if the answer is correct," then the game can't continue. Keep in mind that you only lose after three consecutive wrong answers, but you lose as soon as the answer is guessed correctly—so the person who sets the question is at a greater disadvantage. The game needs to be more favorable to the person who sets the question."

"Is there anything you don't understand in my explanation?"

The Twenty Faces provides a clear and detailed explanation.

"Thanks."

Mingpo nodded slightly, indicating that she understood.

He breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Clearly, both the host and Gao Song believed they primarily asked the latter two questions—which was a good thing, at least their own information and intentions were successfully concealed.

but----

"If it's a matter of subjective consciousness, then we'll have to rely on you, Xiao Fan."

Mingpo looked at Gao Fan and encouraged him, "After all, I'm not very familiar with your uncle."

"Leave it to me."

Gao Fan's gaze hardened: "It is not a living thing, not a building or natural landscape, not fictional, not related to deceptive games, it is man-made, cannot be bought from others, was encountered after the age of eighteen, and is a toy that was once owned—and it must be something I know about."

"There aren't many items that meet all the above conditions; there are only a handful. There's no need to ask any more questions."

"Oh? Is that so!"

Gao Song's voice trembled slightly with a hint of pleasure, not fear, but mockery: "Then why don't you take a guess!"

"Guess, Xiao Fan."

Mingbo nodded: "We do need to save the number of questions we ask."

There are currently eight question opportunities left. A quick calculation of the rounds will show that if Gao Song uses up one question every round, and Ming Po and the others use up one question after guessing two answers to reset the number of questions, then they will have at least five more rounds before running out of question opportunities.

However, if they continue to ask questions, they will run out of question attempts in a maximum of three rounds and enter a "fatigue game".

The former group can make a total of eight or more guesses before running out of questions; while the latter group can only make a total of four guesses, a difference of exactly two.

Is it a motorcycle?

Gao Fan looked at Gao Song and made the first "guess" in this game.

That was Gao Song's most treasured possession.

Gao Song's coming-of-age ceremony, which was ten years late, was a Harley-Davidson motorcycle gifted to him by his father, who was also Gao Fan's grandfather.

That was in the early 1990s, and this thing was incredibly fashionable.

Although it's much cheaper than a truly expensive sports car—and it's perfectly available to everyone.

But it was the first, and very likely the last, gift Gao Song received from his father. Until Gao Fan's death, the car was meticulously maintained. He believed it was reasonable that money couldn't buy such a thing.

If Gao Song instinctively considered something to be most precious, it would most likely be this car.

However, the answer is no.

Nothing happened after Gao Fan asked the question.

When it was Mingpo's turn to speak, Gao Fan reminded her, "The straight switchblade I gave you was also a gift from Gao Song to my father."

That was once proof of their friendship—Gao Fan remembered clearly that Gao Song's relationship with his father wasn't too bad when they were children. Back then, Gao Song treated him very well. It was during that time that the knife was handed to his father, Gao Feng.

The knife, after taking a long detour, has now returned to Gao Song's body in a different direction. It was this very knife that Ming Po used to pierce Gao Song's heart, forcing him to start this game.

This could indeed be the answer Gao Song came up with.

Is it a [straight Blink Dagger]?

Mingpo nodded, fully trusting Gao Fan's words, and made her own guess.

Nothing happened on the field.

Gao Fan's expression turned slightly serious.

As Ping had anticipated, Gao Song did not continue asking questions, but instead made a guess directly.

Is it a ghost call?

Gao Song asked the question.

The answer remains no.

Clearly, the pace suddenly became tighter as the game entered the second half.

After everyone's answers had been narrowed down to a specific range, no one wanted to say anything that might reveal unnecessary information.

"Is it a company?"

When it was Gao Fan's turn, he chose to continue guessing.

The word "company" does, in a sense, meet Gao Song's requirements.

Although the "toy" criterion doesn't seem quite right, if the standard for judgment is subjective will—maybe he does see the Gao Group as his own toy.

But it's a pity.

The answer is still wrong.

"————How could that be?"

Gao Fan murmured softly, "Isn't this one too—"

His fingers trembled uncontrollably.

Knock knock. Knock knock.

Fear and anxiety made him so nervous that he could clearly hear his own heartbeat.

His companion—his captain, Mingpo—had come here to help him.

Now, Mingpo has been driven to a dead end.

Mingpo's answer could be guessed at any time.

However, the three answers that he thought were most likely were all proven to be false.

He should have been the one targeted, but it was he who exposed Mingpo.

Regret made Gao Fan's fingers tremble uncontrollably, and he began to gasp for breath. A strange dizziness lingered in his mind, and even the roots of his teeth began to feel numb.

—Huh?

Just then, Gao Fan vaguely realized that something seemed a little off.

But his mind was shrouded in a layer of gray fog, and he just couldn't think of that crucial detail!

Damn it, what is it—what did I overlook—?

The more Gao Fan thought about it, the angrier he became.

"—Smack!"

Finally, Gao Fan's actions instantly attracted the attention of the other three.

Gao Fan didn't hold back at all and slapped himself hard across the face!

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