Chapter 10: Negotiating with a Tiger for Its Skin

More and more people were finding places to hide, or entering rooms.

Without further ado, Gao Xin shouted, "Let's go, we head to the third floor."

Gao Xin quickly picked up the pace and headed straight for the third floor.

But just then, someone caught up with them, and when he looked back, it was Jin Meimei.

"Working hard, big brother, aren't you? I remember you, you have the dog collar on you, right?" Meimei stared at him and said.

Gao Xin said with a strange expression, "Why are you still so concerned about the collar? Shouldn't you be hurrying to find a place to hide?"

Saying this, he hastily went up to the third floor.

Meimei followed closely and said, "Stop pretending, since no one else has found it, it must definitely be on you."

"You intentionally mentioned the hiding area just so that others would temporarily forget about the collar to avoid trouble from them."

Seeing that Gao Xin remained silent, Meimei smirked.

Meimei whispered, "This game is called 'Dog Catching Mice,' not 'Cat and Mouse.'

"We, the glass figures, don't even have the power of choice and are hunted like mice by cats to be exchanged for points."

"Hiding is not really the way to play this game. The privileged ones surely wouldn't want to just see hide and seek; otherwise, why would they set loose three dogs without giving them any beneficial tasks? They are clearly meant to stir things up."

Gao Xin ignored her and searched the third floor with Su Lei.

Meimei kept following them, "Three dogs are the wildcards of this game. There's no benefit for dogs in killing mice, so we can seek protection from the dogs."

"Now two dogs are outside, facing a do-or-die situation, only mice can save them, and that's our chance."

You must surely have gotten the collar, why keep hiding it? Why not seek protection from the dogs?"

Gao Xin sighed and finally said to Meimei, "Yes, anyone could think of that."

"Theoretically, there's a possibility for everyone to survive—three dogs restraining a cat to protect the mice until everyone makes it out alive."

"But the result would be that the cats and mice each get a hundred redemption tickets, while dogs work their tails off and end up with nothing in the end. Do you think the dogs would agree to that?"

Meimei said, "Didn't you see how cruel that old cat is? At least now, the two without collars surely hate him to the bone!"

"And we can save two dogs. There's no benefit for them in harming us, so why..."

Gao Xin interrupted her sharply, "There's no benefit for the dogs in harming us, but there's no disadvantage either."

"Moreover, just because dogs have a grudge against cats doesn't necessarily mean they have to protect us. Their chasing the cat and protecting mice are two separate matters."

"Killing is simpler than protecting. While the old cat might kill a mouse in passing to earn redemption tickets, an old dog doesn't necessarily protect a mouse in the middle of a fight, risking injury from the cat."

"Don't talk to me about the grace of saving a life. Those are three criminals who have been mingling on this island for who knows how long."

"They might appear submissive now, but once they're in, it's not us who call the shots."

Meimei was stunned, not expecting Gao Xin to have thought all this through, knowing full well the risks of seeking protection from the dogs.

However, she didn't give up easily and said, "Yes, even if the dogs don't actively harm us, they also won't protect us wholeheartedly."

"But is hiding like you are doing any good?"

"If you bring in two dogs, then three dogs will attack the cat while we mice cautiously hide away from the battlefield until the clock runs out. That's the most beneficial scenario for us mice."

"Otherwise, with just one dog like now, the cat will soon start hunting mice with much less pressure, killing us off!"

Gao Xin said pensively, "What you say is correct, but negotiating with the dogs is not for now... those two people won't be eliminated until two thirty, so there's no rush."

Meimei, hearing that he would let the dogs in, breathed a sigh of relief and then asked confusedly, "Why not negotiate now? Is it because the cat is also outside?"

"What's there to be afraid of? Our cooperation with the dogs can be legitimate. What does it matter if the cat knows? He can't get in now anyway."

"On the contrary, when twenty minutes passes and the cat comes in, we probably won't even make it close to the main door, let alone speak a few words before the cat discovers and hunts us down."

"In the open yard, we have almost no chance of survival."

Meimei was puzzled, unable to understand the rationale behind Gao Xin keeping the dog collar.

Although the Silver Hand Youth had mentioned, whoever dares to throw it in, he would surely throw it back, but he is just one person, and the opponents are three. If those two collars were thrown in, the other three dogs wouldn't need to fight each other.

The more they drag on, the less favorable it is for them. What if those two people die?

Gao Xin looked at her, thinking that this woman was very smart, articulate, and no wonder she had worked in law before.

But she considered issues too simplistically and wasn't broad-minded enough, only focusing on procedures without adequately considering human nature.

Gao Xin shook his head and said, "What you said is all right, of course it's better to talk to the dogs now for protection."

"Otherwise, once the cat comes in, we will have to risk being hunted by the cat, and even if we reached the door, it is unlikely we'd manage to talk much."

"But you're too naive. They aren't three well-behaved babies, but three ferocious dogs, three criminals!"

Saying this, Gao Xin tried to pull Su Lei away.

Confused, Meimei grabbed Gao Xin and said, "Why so many worries! Are you just afraid that after saving the dogs, they won't keep their word and protect us?"

"We are in such a treacherous place; gratitude isn't reliable. Do you really think I'm a fool? I've actually pondered this problem earlier!"