End of Ten Days

The woman's screaming stopped, and everyone's thoughts came to an abrupt halt.

The men who had been hurling insults moments before also fell silent.

This was no longer a matter of "breaking the law." The terrifying truth now stood before them: this monstrous figure was absolutely willing to kill.

After a full minute of oppressive silence, the goat-headed figure nodded slightly. "Very good, nine of you. It seems you've all quieted down."

The group's expressions darkened, but no one dared to speak. Just as he said—there were now truly only "nine" of them.

Qi Xia reached out with a trembling hand and pulled a pale yellow fragment off his face.

It was a piece of shattered brain tissue, still warm and faintly pulsing. But within seconds, it lost its vitality, collapsing like a punctured balloon.

"Now, allow me to introduce myself," the goat-headed figure said, lifting his blood-stained hand to point at his mask. "I am 'Man-Goat,' and you are 'Participants.'"

The group froze, confused by the terms. "Man-Goat"? "Participants"?

"You've been gathered here to participate in a game—a game that will ultimately create a 'God,'" Man-Goat said in a calm tone.

These words caused the group to frown collectively.

During the short time they had spent with this man, they had already recognized that he was a madman. But now this madman was claiming to be creating a "God"?

"Create… what kind of God?" the muscular young man asked nervously.

"A God like Nuwa!" Man-Goat exclaimed, gesturing excitedly. His rancid odor seemed to intensify, and his voice carried a hint of malevolence. "Isn't it wonderful? You will all be witnesses to history! Nuwa once created humanity, but sacrificed herself while mending the heavens, transforming into a rainbow... We cannot lose Nuwa, so we must create her anew! A great mission awaits this 'God'!"

As he spoke, his voice grew louder and more manic, his entire demeanor brimming with fervor.

"Nuwa..." The muscular man furrowed his brow, finding the concept increasingly difficult to accept. After a pause, he asked, "Are you some kind of religious cult?"

"Religious cult?" Man-Goat tilted his head and looked at the man. "We are far grander than a 'religion.' We possess an entire 'world'!"

After hearing this, the group fell silent again.

The muscular man's question was pointed—Man-Goat's actions had clearly resembled those of a cult. However, most cults tended to invent new deities rather than invoke heroic figures like Nuwa.

"If that's the case..." the muscular man pressed on, "what exactly are we here to 'participate' in?"

"I've already told you—a game," Man-Goat replied without hesitation. "If you win, one of you will become a 'God.'"

"Damn it..." The tattooed man, who seemed to have calmed down, cursed under his breath. "So it's like the 'Investiture of the Gods'? And if we lose?"

"If you lose..." Man-Goat glanced at the blood still on his hands, a trace of disappointment flashing across his face. "It would be a real pity..."

Though he didn't say it outright, everyone understood his meaning.

If they lost, they would die.

There was no "walk away alive" option. It was either ascend to Man-Goat's so-called "Godhood" or die like the young man whose head had been smashed.

"If everyone understands... then let the game officially begin. This game is called 'The Liar,'" Man-Goat said as he slowly pulled a stack of papers from his coat. Casually, he walked around the table, placing one sheet in front of each participant.

Then, he handed out pens to everyone.

The table was still stained with blood, and as each white sheet touched the surface, it absorbed the red streaks. When they flipped the paper over to examine it, the blood smeared further, making the sheets appear almost entirely red.

"Next, I want each of you to tell a story—about what happened to you right before you arrived here," Man-Goat continued. "However, there is one rule: among the storytellers, one of you will be lying. Once all nine of you have shared your stories, you will begin voting.

"If all nine of you select the 'Liar,' the liar will be eliminated, and the rest of you will survive. But if even one person votes incorrectly, the liar survives, and the rest of you will be eliminated."

"The Liar...?"

The group was perplexed. Would anyone really dare to lie in a life-or-death situation?

"Wait, can we discuss 'strategies'?" the muscular man suddenly asked.

"Feel free," Man-Goat responded, nodding. "You have one minute to strategize before the game begins. Would you like to use that time now, or later?"

"I'll use it now," the muscular man decided without hesitation.

"Go ahead," Man-Goat said, stepping back from the table to give them space.

The muscular man pressed his lips together, scanning the group while deliberately avoiding looking at the headless corpse on the table. He finally spoke: "I don't know who among us might lie later, but this 'rule' feels far too rigid. As long as one of us votes incorrectly, we all die. And even if we vote correctly, the liar still dies. No matter what, someone will die. However, I've thought of a way for everyone to survive..."

The group turned their attention to him.

Could there really be a way for everyone to survive?

"The answer is simple," the muscular man declared. "None of us lie. We nine tell the truth, and at the end, we all write on our papers, 'No one lied.' This doesn't violate the rules, and we can all survive."

The man in the white coat tapped his fingers lightly on the table. After a moment, he calmly said: "Your plan is good—assuming you aren't the liar. But how can we trust you? If you were the liar, and we all wrote 'No one lied,' you'd be the only one who survives."

"What kind of nonsense is that?" The muscular man looked slightly annoyed. "If I were the liar, why would I propose such a plan? I could just focus on saving myself."

Man-Goat raised his hand slightly and said, "Your one minute is up. Please stop discussing."

The two men glared at each other but held their tongues.

"Now, draw your cards," Man-Goat instructed, pulling a small stack of cards from his pocket. The cards were about the size of playing cards, with the words "Nuwa's Game" written on the back.

The muscular man frowned. "What are these?"

"Identity cards," Man-Goat chuckled. "If you draw the card marked 'Liar,' you must lie."

The muscular man gritted his teeth. "You're messing with us! Why didn't you explain this rule earlier?!"

"This is your punishment," Man-Goat sneered. "I wasn't finished explaining the rules when you asked to discuss strategy. You wasted a valuable minute—it's not my fault."

Though seething, the muscular man swallowed his anger, knowing Man-Goat's strength made resistance futile.

Within a minute, all nine participants had drawn a card, but no one dared to look at theirs.

For the four women, their hands trembled slightly, while the men's faces were grim.

This wasn't just about "identity"—it was about "life and death."

Qi Xia took a deep breath, casually sliding his card toward himself. He flipped it over for a quick glance.

The words staring back at him were clear:

"Liar."

[--------------------------------------------]

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