The Killer, of course, had no idea what I was thinking.
They remained calmly seated on the sofa, lost in their own thoughts.
After a careful observation, I decided to bide my time.
Any rash approach would surely arouse suspicion.
Everyone’s gaze shifted, each person now regarding those around them with a newfound wariness.
After all, anyone nearby could suddenly erupt and attack.
Considering these new game rules, my mind began to conjure a scenario.
I imagined the ‘correct’ way to play would unfold something like this:
“Prosecutors, quickly! This is the prosecutors’ stronghold.”
“Rivals, come quickly! This is the rivals’ stronghold.”
“Gatekeepers, hurry! This is the gatekeepers’ stronghold.”
Such a setup would inevitably transform a perfectly good game into a massive 4v4v3 team battle.
Why 4v4v3, you ask? The reason is quite simple.
In such a scenario, I would undoubtedly gravitate towards the Rivals.
Upon seeing an irregular number of Rivals, the Infected would deduce the Reporter’s presence.
Naturally unwilling to engage too closely with the Reporter, the Infected would simply blend into any other faction.
As for that three-person team… do you really think the Killer would join them?
However, this was all purely my own conjecture.
In reality, things were far less thrilling, as everyone simply guarded against their surroundings, no one daring to make a move.
Truly, what a terrible game from a terrible company!
Not only had they blindly altered the rules, but a perfectly good deduction game had been twisted into a chaotic survival free-for-all.
Without any proper planning, how could they possibly expect players to have an enjoyable experience?
The Killer seemed to have already known the game rules, displaying not a hint of panic.
They merely sat in their spot, chin propped on their hand, absorbed in thought, just as before.
‘Quite the show-off, aren’t they?’ I fumed inwardly.
My body began to subtly shift, inching closer to the Killer.
My path was fraught with peril, as several people had already broken out into fights.
It seemed they had held grudges long before this, and now, seeing an opportunity to act where death was not permanent, they were eager to beat each other senseless to vent their frustrations.
As I continued to move, a shout suddenly pierced the air behind me.
“You little bastard, stop right there!”
I spun around.
Charles, the blue-haired youth, was sprinting towards me.
Naturally, as a deity, I wasn’t afraid of a fight with him.
But then, a brilliant idea struck me—a way to fully leverage this unexpected ‘resource’.
I immediately turned and ran.
My direction, of course, was straight behind that pretentious Killer.
Yet, the Killer seemed utterly oblivious to the gravity of the situation.
They remained sprawled on the sofa, still radiating an aura of supreme arrogance, as if they were the most formidable being in all the heavens and earth.
Let me tell you, I despise nothing more than those who, believing victory is assured, grow complacent and put on airs.
A cruel smile curled at my lips—yes, truly cruel.
From my independent space, I retrieved that brick… no, that book.
Gripping it tightly, I raised it high as I positioned myself behind the Killer.
As if sensing something, the Killer swiftly turned their head.
They looked up just as my book descended.
“Thwack!”
With a muffled thud, the Killer was sent flying several meters.
They twitched a few times on the ground before falling completely still.
The few people who had been brawling in the room immediately ceased their fighting.
Charles, who had been chasing me, froze in his tracks.
I walked over and delivered a few more kicks to the Killer, just to be sure.
‘What if they weren’t completely ‘dead’ and posed a threat?’ I mused.
‘Besides, even if I ‘killed’ them, they wouldn’t truly die here.’
I flipped the Killer over.
Around me, gasps of chilled air could be heard, and I quickly covered them back up.
All I could say was, ‘How utterly pathetic…’
Fearing I wouldn’t incapacitate them instantly, I had applied a bit too much force.
My original aim was the back of their head, but they had spun around unexpectedly, taking the full impact to their face and immediately falling unconscious.
The sheer power behind that blow was terrifying to imagine.
Nonetheless, with the Killer now dealt with, I chuckled.
I turned to the people around me and asked, “Are you all still planning to fight?”
More sharp intakes of breath echoed through the room.
Who would dare challenge such raw power?
Even the two mages from the Heidi Empire, masters of magic, dared not make a move.
They glanced at Wilson, who had been so arrogant moments before but now lay twitching on the ground like a dead fish, and audibly swallowed.
“If there are no objections…” I rubbed my hands together.
‘The money is mine!’
Of course, I didn’t voice that latter half; it would have been too undignified.
Though I had never worried about money on Earth, I had been utterly penniless in the Divine Realm.
Now, it seemed, I was rich once more!
The ‘television’ screen flickered to life once more.
The woman displayed within glanced at Wilson, sprawled on the ground, and couldn’t help but let out a burst of laughter.
A look of confusion crossed my face.
The uniformed woman, still chuckling, explained, “That idiot designed this game, and he’s also funding the rewards. What’s more, he knew your identity from the very beginning, and now… *pfft*—”
She burst into laughter again.
My confusion only deepened.
“Then why did you…?”
She shook her head with a sigh.
“While our relationship with the Divine Realm isn’t the best, we still have to respect the current top dog, the Second Divine Lord. Truth be told, we do owe you an apology, but this fellow insisted on ‘playing to death’ a naive little girl like you. Now… oh dear, my back hurts.”
The uniformed woman was laughing so hard she could barely stand upright.
I cast a disdainful glance at Wilson, who still lay there like a dead fish.
‘This just goes to show that showing off requires caution. If you don’t have the fate for it, don’t try to imitate a protagonist’s arrogance. You’ll only play yourself to death…’