Puzzles

Officer Li did not look at Qiao Jiajian, but instead asked Qi Xia, "I do have something to ask, regarding Han Yimo... did you have something more to say just now? What does Han Yimo's death represent? What does that sword mean?"

Qi Xia squinted his eyes and carefully examined Officer Li: "Officer, you are good at criminal investigation, and I am good at fraud. Isn't it strange that you are now asking me for advice on a case?"

Officer Li helplessly lowered his head and said, "We've already come to this kind of hellish place, how could 'criminal investigation' still be of any use?"

After hearing this, Qi Xia remained silent for a moment, then decided to tell him the clues he had thought of: "Officer, I can only say... Han Yimo might recognize that sword."

"Recognize?" Officer Li frowned, then nodded thoughtfully, "You mean he has seen that sword before?"

"These are not the issues you need to consider now," Qi Xia said, "You should be more concerned about your own situation."

"What do you mean?"

Qi Xia sighed, turned to leave, but was grabbed by Officer Li.

"Don't go, what kind of 'situation' am I in?"

Lin covered his mouth and nose, leaned in to Officer Li's ear, and whispered: "Officer, Qi Xia doesn't want to say it, but I can say it for him. There are two things you should be careful about."

"Two?"

"That's right. First, the only one here who can easily lift that giant sword is the crazy female clerk. She is very strong. In other words, if Han Yimo was really killed by someone, then the female clerk is the biggest suspect. You should leave this place as soon as possible."

Officer Li nodded gravely, then asked, "And the second?"

"The second is your 'teammates.' They don't seem trustworthy."

Officer Li's lips moved slightly, as if he had thought of something.

Now standing on his side is a kindergarten teacher, Xiao Ran, who is swayed by emotions and doesn't seem very smart; a lawyer, Zhang Chenze, who is indifferent to everything and only looks at gains and losses; and a doctor, Zhao, who has confronted himself before and is somewhat self-centered.

Can these four people trust each other when faced with a life-threatening test?

After a long internal struggle, Officer Li finally said, "Qi Xia, no matter what, I will take the convenience store as the base and explore the nearby areas. If you have any information, you can also come to me for exchange."

Qi Xia neither agreed nor refused, glanced at him indifferently, and turned to leave.

The remaining people didn't know what to say and followed.

Officer Li stared at the backs of the four people for a while, then returned to the convenience store with Dr. Zhao and the others.

He also knew that the four people outside were more trustworthy in critical moments, but they were going to collect 'Dao,' in other words, they were looking for death.

Following them was not safe either.

Now, to survive smoothly, one can only find a base first and then make long-term plans.

Qi Xia led several people forward, and soon they arrived at the square where they had descended yesterday.

He wanted to confirm something here.

That was the loud bell sound he heard in the morning.

It was the same as yesterday, with a giant electronic display screen in the center, and a bronze bell hanging above the screen.

When Han Yimo was stabbed, the great bell rang.

Lin looked up and said, "I seem to have heard the bell several times..."

"Several times?" Qiao Jiajian paused and asked, "When?"

Lin's pupils turned slightly as he recalled, "Do you remember the man whose head was smashed by the 'Sheep Man' when we just woke up in the room? It seemed that the bell rang when he died."

Tiantian seemed to understand something: "Could it be that the bell rings every time someone dies?"

Several people nodded, thinking that this guess was probably correct. The bronze bell in front of them seemed to be a death knell, announcing the number of deaths to everyone.

"No, that's not right." Qi Xia shook his head, "We have been through that corridor, and there are at least thousands of rooms. While we were going through the 'game,' people were dying in each room. If this thing is a death knell, we would not have heard the bell ring only twice."

"This..." Tiantian felt that what Qi Xia said also made sense, but since that was the case, what exactly were the conditions for the great bell to ring?

"Hey?" Lin looked up at the display screen and found it empty, "I remember there was a line of text on this yesterday."

The others looked up and saw that the text above had indeed disappeared.

"It seemed like... 'Resounding' something..." Qiao Jiajian touched his chin and said, "I resounded disaster?"

"I heard the 'resounding' of 'disaster.'" Qi Xia said.

"Ah, right..." Qiao Jiajian nodded, "What does that mean?"

Qi Xia shook his head.

This is not something that can be understood by 'guessing.' They know too little about this city.

What is disaster? What is resounding? And who is 'I'?

"Forget it, let's go check out another place."

Qi Xia turned around and was just about to leave when he suddenly stopped.

In front of him was a withered, smiling face.

This face had appeared behind him at some point, now staring straight at him.

Qi Xia's pupils moved, and he quickly stepped back two steps.

The remaining three people were also startled, and in front of them was a withered old man, standing on tiptoes, his body bent like a dead tree.

"I've thought of it..." The old man smiled slightly, revealing his last remaining tooth, "The question you asked me, I've thought of the answer!"

Qi Xia felt a chill down his back as the old man stared at him: "Are you talking to me?"

The old man pursed his dry, cracked lips: "Young man, I know the answer! It's 'gambling with your life'! As long as you gamble with your life, everything will be fine!"

He reached out his hand with dirty nails and was about to grab Qi Xia.

"We are so close to getting out! As long as you are willing to gamble with your life..."

Qi Xia frowned and stepped back a few more steps. Although he didn't understand what the old man was talking about, the fact that he kept asking for his life was too eerie.

"Hey! Old man, who are you?" Qiao Jiajian asked suspiciously, "Have you met Qi Xia before?"

The old man's expression changed, and he turned his head to look at Qiao Jiajian.

His face was complex as he opened his mouth and then asked:

"Do you not recognize me?"

"Why should I Know you?"

The atmosphere became silent for a moment, the old man's turbid eyes kept flickering, and it took a long time before he finally seemed to realize something: "So that's it... you... have already seen the 'Heavenly Dragon'..."

"Heavenly Dragon?" The four of them looked at each other in confusion.

"There's no hope..." The old man shook his head and slowly turned his back, "We can't fight against him... We will be forever lost here... No wonder the 'Zodiac' has returned again..."

He muttered to himself as he walked away, his figure looking very desolate.