“Now, perhaps you can tell me more about the Witch’s Game?”
“Well, while the Witch’s Game has been held numerous times, its rules often vary. However, a few constants remain: first, participants must be underage virgins; second, there are typically only seven players; and third, the game lasts precisely seven days.”
“Failure to complete the game within that week results in the death of all participants.”
‘So, there’s a time limit and a fixed number of players,’ Luo Tianchen mused. “I’ve been meaning to ask: why must all participants be underage girls? Are the witches all lesbians?” he quipped.
“Who knows?” Xia Luohua replied with a shrug. “After all, how could mortals comprehend the minds of gods? However, the most plausible theory suggests that female bodies possess a greater capacity than male ones, especially a virgin’s. This might prevent them from exploding under the immense power of the witches.”
“In that case, when does the game begin, and what are the conditions for victory?”
“If I’m not mistaken, the game already commenced yesterday.”
“Huh?” Luo Tianchen froze, then instantly grasped her implication. “Are you saying… Yao Xinchang?”
Xia Luohua nodded. “She was murdered, and what’s more, she was killed by another participant.”
“But how did you figure that out?” Luo Tianchen pressed.
“I leveraged the police force to search her home and discovered this letter,” she explained, producing an envelope from seemingly nowhere and presenting it to him.
“But… isn’t this just a blank envelope?” Luo Tianchen frowned. “There’s no sender, no postmark, not even a letter inside.”
“Well, ordinary people certainly can’t see it,” Xia Luohua said. “But I can sense the lingering aura of a witch on it. This is an invitation from a witch.”
‘So, it’s… the key to participation?’
“Precisely!” she confirmed. “If my guess is right, besides being a token, it also contained the game’s rules. It’s a pity they were all destroyed.”
“Wait a moment, so that means…” Luo Tianchen felt a creeping sense of dread.
“You probably won’t be able to get the rules,” Xia Luohua stated. “It’s only natural. Not even a witch could have anticipated you joining the game midway in such a manner. They wouldn’t bother to provide you with a replacement.”
“If that’s the case, where did the Witch’s Seed in that man’s hand come from?” Luo Tianchen pondered. “If he had the seed, then what happened to the corresponding envelope?”
“Regarding that,” Xia Luohua explained, “our analysis suggests he likely acquired a Witch’s Seed left over from a previous Witch’s Game.”
“…Huh?”
“Why ‘huh’?” Xia Luohua scoffed softly. “I’ve already told you, the Witch’s Game has been held more than once in this city. It’s not impossible for seeds to have been lost due to various circumstances.”
“That man then happened to acquire one, and after hearing some rumors, he began widely recruiting so-called ‘lucky guests’—individuals qualified to participate. But in doing so, he forfeited his own life. How foolish.” Xia Luohua’s voice held a note of pity.
“By the way, besides you all, why would others try to snatch that Witch’s Seed?” Luo Tianchen asked. “Is it truly for the sake of fulfilling some ethereal wish? And you mentioned Yao Xinchang is dead, but why did she…”
“The world is vast, and we’re not the only ones with special abilities,” Xia Luohua said, spreading her hands. “The power behind that girl you mentioned likely belongs to the Black Witches.”
“Black Witches?”
“They’re just a bunch of fanatics whose beliefs are completely opposite to ours,” Xia Luohua explained. “They worship witches, convinced that witches should be the true rulers of the world, constantly plotting how to release the sealed witches to destroy it.”
“Due to certain pacts with witches, they can wield an ability called ‘Black Magic.’ That girl, Yao Xinchang, is indeed dead, but her body vanished. It was likely taken by a hidden Black Witch in this city to be used as a corpse puppet or something similar.”
‘Not only was she killed, but they wouldn’t even spare her corpse?’
‘These individuals… they are absolutely unforgivable!’
In his heart, Luo Tianchen added the so-called Black Witches to his kill list.
“There was also another female assassin,” Xia Luohua added. “She escaped, so we couldn’t continue the pursuit.”
‘So that person isn’t dead yet? They certainly have nine lives.’
“Why would other participants kill Yao Xinchang?” Luo Tianchen questioned. “If it’s a game, shouldn’t they be focused on cooperating to clear it?”
Though he had resolved to live as an ordinary person, it would be a lie to say he felt nothing for her. After all, as a normal man, what was wrong with liking a beautiful girl? More importantly, she had confessed her feelings to him.
For a brief moment, he had truly considered what might have happened had he accepted her confession. Perhaps they would have led a very happy life together. With her personality, though a little timid, she surely would have made a wonderful wife, and he would have striven to be a devoted husband, forgetting his past to love only her for all eternity.
But she was gone, and all those possibilities had vanished into thin air.
“Regarding that, it’s difficult to draw conclusions just yet,” Xia Luohua mused. “It could be an emotional dispute, a rule restriction, or perhaps even a bid to acquire the witch’s power.”
“The witch’s power? How is it obtained?”
“You must already be aware of it, the fact that you’ve grown stronger.”
Luo Tianchen fell silent. He, who would normally be gasping for breath after just a few minutes of running, had now sprinted for over ten minutes with plenty of energy left. This alone spoke volumes.
“Besides serving as a qualification for entry, the Witch’s Seed also enhances the host’s body and bestows special abilities,” Xia Luohua explained, a faint smile playing on her lips. “Furthermore, by killing other participants and seizing their seeds, one can grow even stronger.”
“Typically, once a Witch’s Seed enters the human body, it resides in a girl’s uterus, acting as a source of power. So, when others killed Yao Xinchang and disemboweled her, it was to obtain that Witch’s Seed.”
“I understood this, which is how I knew she was a participant. What truly surprised me, however, was that you immediately discerned the other knife marks were merely a cover, and that the assailant was searching for something specific.”
“Had my subsequent investigation not cleared your name, you might not be seeing me right now, you know.”
‘Hey, hey, does she really have to be so terrifying?’
‘But residing in the uterus?’ Luo Tianchen’s expression grew complex as he touched his lower abdomen. ‘Ah, right, I’m a girl now. Having female characteristics is perfectly normal, even giving birth… No, absolutely not that!’
Upon closer reflection, he realized there wasn’t much to fear, as long as he avoided boyfriends. The only real concern was Yang Mingzhi, known as the “Human Seed Spreader.” Luo Tianchen, having been his close friend for three years, firmly believed Yang Mingzhi possessed the audacity to make a move on him one day.
‘Perhaps it’s best to strike first and eliminate him?’ he pondered seriously.
‘To deliberately empower fragile girls and force them to slaughter each other… Witches truly possess a twisted sense of humor.’
“So, what are my abilities?” Luo Tianchen asked. “Honestly, besides my physical attributes improving, I don’t feel anything else.”
‘No, that’s not entirely true.’ Luo Tianchen touched his right eye. The wound from the blade last night had completely vanished. Was this also the witch’s power?
For a mere instant, his right eye had glimpsed a peculiar world. At that time, he hadn’t yet swallowed the seed; he had only held it in his mouth. It might have been a hallucination caused by pain.
Yet, undeniably, the world he saw through it had kept him alive, allowing him to survive until Xia Luohua’s arrival.
‘Did that truly count as an ability? If so, what kind of ability was it?’
“You’re only in the adaptation phase right now,” Xia Luohua said. “You’ll gradually find out.”
“So, in other words, I have to participate in a death game where I don’t know the rules or the other players,” Luo Tianchen sighed. “Others might possess all sorts of flashy, powerful skills, while I have nothing but enhanced physical attributes.”
“The other participants might not be allies, and in the worst-case scenario, everyone will have to kill each other. Is that about right?”
‘What a truly tragic situation.’
“Don’t think like that!” Xia Luohua said, patting his shoulder vigorously in an attempt to comfort him. “As the unexpected eighth participant, no one knows your identity. That’s your biggest advantage!”
“Any other questions?”
“One last question,” Luo Tianchen asked, meeting her eyes directly. “How strong are you, really?”
Xia Luohua rested a hand on her chin, contemplating. “Hmm… if I were fully prepared, give me ten days, and I could clear out this entire city.”
‘This city has at least ten million people,’ Luo Tianchen thought, a bead of sweat forming in his mind. ‘And she says something so terrifying with such a relaxed expression.’
“So, do you have any inherent restrictions?” Luo Tianchen inquired cautiously. “Like, you can’t attack ordinary people?”
“There aren’t really any restrictions,” she replied, her voice light. “While we don’t usually act against ordinary people, if we discover any connection to a witch… we kill them all.”
Her words were soft, yet Luo Tianchen felt the profound killing intent emanating from them.
‘Sure enough, his guess was right. She was the true monster.’
‘But with such a monster as an ally, he had nothing left to fear.’
“Then, let’s begin.” Unconsciously, Luo Tianchen found himself growing excited.
To stake his life, to contend for that sole chance at survival. It had been a long time since he had felt such exhilarating thrill.
Since they were called “witches,” beings on par with gods and demons, they must be entities far beyond the reach of mortals. If it was a game created by them, it too must be something mortals could never rival.
‘A game rumored to have never been cleared?’
‘Then, I shall be the one to claim your first!’