Missing information (2)

If I don't let at least one person die in this scenario, I will die.

Yet, unexpectedly, DHB who had previously not intervened in the first scenario had stepped forward and explained the rules for unknown reasons.

If I attempt to get someone killed now, it means that I oppose him and I will be in a difficult situation.

Moreover, that guy is smart so it's hard to manipulate things from behind the scenes. I could seem suspicious to him very easily and he would try to kill me again.

I have also tried so hard until now to not kill anyone, do I really have to do this and ruin all my efforts?

I thought about giving up for a moment.

However, as I closed my eyes, Norwood's face came to mind and I sighed.

If I perished here, it would be all for naught.

「But why do you think you'd be able to save anyone if you can't even save yourself?」

I looked toward the man with a ponytail, hoping that crazy man would act up, but he didn't.

Everyone seemed to accept Wiliam's words.

Tsk, must be because of his handsome face.

I'm joking, only I would do this. I mean, no, of course I have more integrity than this…

「Don't lie to yourself, this distraction doesn't work.」

Discreetly glancing at everyone one by one, I summed up what I knew about them.

I have already seen their overall personalities before. What is important is that one person dies, regardless of who it is.

My gaze lingered on Wiliam's back as I finally found an idea that wouldn't make me oppose him.

In this case, I guess it would be easier if it's the other way around: what is important is that someone kills, regardless of who their victim is—but preferably not me.

I will have to believe in humanity's flaws for now.

The outline of a plan formed in my mind, and I spoke up.

"Ah, really?"

I don't know why he suddenly revealed the meaning of the rules of the first scenario.

"Um, it's not that I don't trust your words or anything…"

However, it didn't matter.

"But aren't your words a bit too ambiguous?"

Wiliam didn't turn toward me, but I got the others' attention, and that was enough.

"The scenario could also be considered as a game in itself, and for 20 minutes to pass and the scenario to end, it needs to have started, so I'm confused…"

No matter how logical your words are, I have always been the best in a battle of words.

"Yet you seem so confident about the rules when we could all die if you're wrong."

A light flashed in my eyes, the final piece falling into order.

"Do you know something about this situation…?"

That should be enough for now.

Humans are irrational creatures.

Even if my words were only sophistry and my conclusion could be easily countered, only a seed of doubt is needed to germinate in humans' heart.

What was needed was to show them the possibility that he wasn't necessarily right.

To make them doubt since they lives could be in danger if they made the wrong decision here instead of simply waiting.

I stared at him with my brows slightly furrowed, feigning suspicion.

If I hadn't moved next to him, it would have been easier to instigate the ones around me without being noticed, but now I had to take that risk.

Seeing Wiliam's gaze fall on me, I felt like he was definitely going to kill me later.

R.I.P. myself.

Though, as long as he's willing to wait until at least after the 3rd scenario, I have no problem with it.

Yes, I resigned myself quickly, but he's handsome.

Wow, I'm really getting too dizzy to come up with proper excuses…

As I put my hand in front of my eyes, the voice of the one I had been waiting for resounded.

"She's right."

Advocate of equality for animals and dog killer, I was waiting for you.

By the way, the dog in question was sniffing the bag filled to the brim next to Wiliam before the latter pushed him away.

The young woman realized the heaviness of the matter and also doubted his words.

"We can't be completely sure that you're right. Our lives are on the line here, and if you are mistaken, we will die."

That was why it would be difficult for everyone to survive even if we knew the meaning of the first rule since the beginning. People wouldn't necessarily believe it.

As I met his gaze, the man with a ponytail seemed amused.

Sigh. I'd better keep my eyes closed.

DHB frowned but kept his calm as he argued with her.

"It is clearly written in the rules. If you read them, you can see that every one of them has a meaning."

Wiliam seemed like the academic type, a smart guy who could find the gap in logic in people's words.

However, that wouldn't work in this situation, since people only believe what they want to believe.

You can't convince with logic the ones who don't listen to logic.

That's why, he would be unable to make them change their mind.

There would be a different result if he goes along with their words and convinces them to listen with sophistry or bullshit as illogical as theirs, but even if he did so, I was prepared.

After all, bullshitting is my specialty.

I watched the sparks I had created ignite as the paranoid rich man joined the argument.

"You can't trick us. We are still able to think by ourselves."

What is this guy saying?

"Wha…?"

Wiliam seemed to wonder the same thing as me.

In response, the rich man raised his chin haughtily, as if he had made the discovery of the century.

"I know you must be doing this because you're already 1st place, so you want to keep the best rewards for yourself. Moreover, if there are such tricks hidden in the rules, then who knows if there is also information that wasn't written in the rules."

How unexpectedly logical coming from you.

The first statement would put more suspicion on Wiliam and also made sense, and at the same time it had nothing to do with the fact that their lives would be in danger if they didn't believe him.

Now, if Wiliam tried to defend himself by arguing that doing as he said would make sure we all survive, which was what I originally questioned, it would be associated with the fact that he had hidden motives and wanted the rewards all for himself while saying this, and everyone would refuse to listen to him and distrust his words no matter how logical they sound.

The second sentence was also extremely likely so he wouldn't be able to refute it. After all, there is no evidence that it is the case, but there's no proof that it isn't either.

I nearly wanted to laugh.

Who knew that rich man's paranoid nonsense would come in handy one day.

"It's not what I meant. I'm only proposing a solution so that we all survive."

You're defending your words instead of denying the other alternatives, you're already losing.

"But we're not even sure that your solution will work," the young woman countered.

She crossed her arms and nodded.

"Although I hate to admit it, that guy is right. We need to find another solution."

The rich man protested.

"'That guy'? Hey! I am the-"

Everyone ignored his words.

The young woman addressed the ones who had not spoken up until now, as if she wasn't unilaterally deciding for everyone.

"Do you agree with me?"

Not really having any opinion of their own nor wanting to attract attention to them, the rest awkwardly agreed.

After all, who knew if she would cause a ruckus when we refused. I nodded with them.

She pondered and addressed the old man and the nurses not far from her, completely ignoring the handsome Wiliam.

"What should we do?"

Looking at them chatting but reaching only absurd conclusions—mainly thanks to the rich man—I intervened to lead them back to the right path.

"But, looking at the rules, when a person has won three games, can't they make everyone win?"

I saw the gears turning in the woman's head as she took a while to understand.

"Ah! That's right! Then why don't we do that?"

Wiliam interrupted us.

"If you do so, the ones who lost the games will still die. In the end, we still need to sacrifice people."

"No, it's fine since we can make them win afterwards."

Nope, they'll be counted as dead.

The young woman had another misunderstanding once again, and I could see in Mr. Ackerman's expression that he would like to be anywhere but here.

"That's not the case, somebody will still die-"

The young woman was thoughtful.

"So, let's just choose the people who will bear the risk to lose the first games."

The rich man, who probably did not even understand what they were talking about, agreed with her.

"That's a good idea."

The others also nodded.

In a last effort, Wiliam tried to save them.

"There is a solution so that everyone doesn't die, are you saying you'd rather sacrifice someone?"

Dear system, to my question on whether humanity would rather kill each other than take risks, I think the person next to me has found the same answer as me.

Staring into his eyes, the young woman answered him in a confident tone.

"Yes, I would rather sacrifice someone than risk dying."

Humanity doesn't seem worthy of living.

"However, if you want to save everyone so much, then why don't you sacrifice yourself for us?"

Wiliam's eyes widened in consternation.

The rich man nodded.

"Right, you just need to lose a game for us. I'll even pay you a huge amount of money."

With the number of people he should have killed before I turned back time, I'd say Wiliam was extremely patient to stay calm until now.

He looked around him, seeing no sign of disapproval with this decision in the eyes of the others. My gaze met his too.

Although feelings of guilt were visible, it was clear that these people didn't intend to stop it.

The man with a ponytail's laughter was heard in the background.

The young woman frowned.

"After all, aren't you the one who said that we don't need to kill each other to survive? Moreover, you feel too confident about these rules, as if you had seen them before. Are you sure you aren't the one who set up this 'scenario'?"

Everyone looked at him with distrust, justifying their actions with this lone reason, and the guilt disappeared. Meanwhile, I was half-pretending I couldn't care because I felt bad—the other half wasn't an act because I was indeed dizzy.

The rich man insisted once more.

"Sacrifice yourself!"

Finally, coldness permeating his actions, Wiliam picked up one of the revolvers on the ground.

Raising it toward the others, he stared at them icily.

"You are the ones who are going to die."

The man with a ponytail now laughed even louder.

DHB had given them a chance. If they didn't want it, he couldn't care less.

Now, the one most likely to kill someone in this scenario was about to fulfill the condition I needed to survive.

I glanced at the timer.

[12:46]