Chapter 113: He wanted to destroy the altar.
Shen Ti’s words were clearly putting pressure on the people who would speak after him. After finishing, he smiled lightly and said, “That’s all. I’ll leave the stage to the players after me.”
The right to speak then passed to Wu You. Perhaps due to Shen Ti’s unserious comparison, Wu You’s expression appeared particularly cold.
“I am not the gravekeeper. So, it’s only possible that the gravekeeper is either number 9 (Noah), number 10 (Yang Ce), or number 1 (An Wujiu).”
He glanced at Zhou Yijue, “Actually, I don’t really want to believe what Zhou Yijue says. He’s a scheming person; you never know which part of what he says is true and which is false.”
Wu You thought for a moment; his brows were slightly furrowed. “However, do you think it’s possible that the wolves are actually trying to frame Matsubara? Because if they killed the seer last night, the witch would definitely poison the fake witch. When we wake up, the real witch would be alive, and since there would be two deaths, we could clearly identify the real witch. It would be hard to sacrifice another god during the day. But if they killed the witch and left the seer, the wolves could stir up trouble during the day, and get the real seer sacrificed. That way, they could eliminate two gods.”
An Wujiu observed Wu You’s expression, feeling that he did not seem like a wolf.
In fact, if it weren’t for having the perspective of the gravekeeper and knowing that the deceased Andrew was indeed a good person, it would be easy to analyze Wu You’s reasoning. This strategy is not beyond the capabilities of the werewolf team.
After all, they had already used the tactic of self-stabbing to pose as the seer with silver water.
“If it’s such a tactic…” Wu You pondered, “Then Zhou Yijue could be the wolf inciting us, aiming to get us to sacrifice Matsubara.”
“Conversely, if Andrew is truly the Seer, then we could vote out either the wolf Megan, whom Andrew identified, or Matsubara. It’s an open and straightforward situation.” Wu You looked around and said, “We just need to find the gargoyle.”
“I think the seer is quite important. If the seer is still around, they can identify the gargoyle. If not, we’ll have to rely on our own judgment based on speeches and logic, which carry some error.” The more Wu You thought about it, the more conflicted he felt. “I’ll listen to Matsubara’s speech first and see what he has to say. This round, I’ll definitely vote with Wu… no, with the mid-priest. I’ll pass for now.”
After speaking, Wu You looked at Noah, who was about to speak.
Today, Noah’s face looked better than yesterday. Her cheeks were flushed, and her cold blue eyes turned, locking onto Zhou Yijue. “I’m not the gravekeeper either. Could it be that the gravekeeper is speaking last?”
As she spoke, she looked at Yang Ce and An Wujiu. “I can’t tell if Brother Zhou Yijue is really the gravekeeper, but I agree with him that Brother Andrew is a good person. Because I find Sister Toudou a bit strange. Yesterday, she claimed to be the witch and saved Sister Megan, whom Brother Andrew identified as a bad person, so she wanted to push Andrew out. She didn’t discuss the possibility of Megan committing suicide and directly defended her. That uncle also claimed to be the witch and saved Brother Matsubara without analyzing the possibility of Matsubara committing suicide, directly pushing out Brother Andrew.”
Noah closed her eyes and said, “I find it suspicious. Usually, when two witches reveal themselves, it’s because they support different seers. But this time…”
Noah smiled, “They both support the same seer.”
An Wujiu watched Noah. Despite her appearing cute and obedient, he felt that her intelligence did not match her age, as if an adult’s mind was forced into this young appearance. The image of Noah being restrained during the dusk sacrifice yesterday still lingered in An Wujiu’s mind. It was so eerie that he felt somewhat uneasy looking at her now.
But Noah was indeed smart, possibly a so-called child prodigy, with early maturity in intelligence and logical thinking.
“I once heard an adult say,” Noah said sagely, “When something unusual happens, there must be a reason. So, I feel that Brother Matsubara is not the real seer. As for whether Brother Zhou Yijue is the gravekeeper, I’ll leave that to the others to analyze. If no one challenges him in the end, I’ll have to assume he is the gravekeeper.”
She finished and turned innocently to Yang Ce, raising her eyebrows and saying, “Uncle, it’s your turn.”
Calling Yang Ce “uncle” was appropriate given his age, though he didn’t look that old and was quite handsome. Even among younger people, he stood out with his charm.
However, Yang Ce’s expression was exceedingly cold, exuding an inherent aloofness, though he spoke with considerable poise.
An Wujiu stared at him, suddenly reminding him of someone. Their facial features were strikingly similar. Because of their different demeanors and actions, he hadn’t made the connection before.
Yang Ce.
Yang Erci.
Could this be the father Yang Erci had been desperately searching for?
“I’m not the gravekeeper either.” Yang Ce’s voice was rich and magnetic, with a deep tone. “Three people died yesterday. I believe at least one of them was a werewolf. So, when number four Zhou Yijue claimed to be the gravekeeper, I expected at least one of the five people before me—number five, six, seven, eight, or nine—to say they were the gravekeeper, because there has to be a wolf among them.”
“So I was very surprised that all five of them claimed not to be wolves. Number seven, Shen Ti, is even stranger. He was keen on assigning roles to other players in the last round, but this round he claims to be a civilian, saying others are civilians too. How can a civilian be so sure of others’ roles unless he’s the special god or a wolf?”
This pointed out the oddity in Shen Ti’s behavior, but An Wujiu remained unresponsive. From the first round, he knew Shen Ti’s speeches were off, but Shen Ti was inherently unconventional.
An Wujiu had somewhat given up on Shen Ti. He excluded Shen Ti from his considerations, not analyzing or scrutinizing him, focusing on others instead. If it turned out that Shen Ti was indeed the last wolf, An Wujiu would just have to accept it.
This indulgence was unfair only to his teammates, but An Wujiu was not a saint and had his own selfish motives.
“The previous players have already said a lot, so I won’t elaborate,” Yang Ce continued, “I think Shen Ti is problematic. At least from my perspective, he’s trying to identify the gods, or he might be the Gargoyle attempting to communicate with his werewolf teammates. He’s just a bit hasty and might have found only civilians.”
Yang Ce finished speaking and smiled, “Let’s hear what the surviving seer and the mid-priest have to say. I pass.”
After going through the circle, the opinion on the Seer had been wavering. Initially, there was overwhelming support for Andrew, then for Matsubara to sacrifice Andrew. Now, Matsubara was on the verge of being sacrificed.
His gaze lingered on Toudou Sakura’s face, showing pity and sadness. He rubbed away his emotions, swallowing them down, and calmly began to speak.
“I am indeed the seer. Originally, I planned to verify number five last night, but I reconsidered. Since Andrew gave the staff to number one, if I die, I can’t relay information to the good guys, so I sought security for myself and verified number one.”
Matsubara said, “He is my wolf check.”
Although his credibility was already low, giving An Wujiu a werewolf identity still sent chills down people’s spines.
If he is the real seer, does that mean An Wujiu is a wolf?
If Matsubara is a wolf, then by giving An Wujiu a werewolf check, is he trying to drag him down or use reverse psychology to protect him?
These were the points of confusion and conflict for everyone.
“I don’t understand why the gravekeeper hasn’t revealed themselves. It’s obvious that Zhou Yijue is not the real gravekeeper,” Matsubara said to everyone, “You say you can’t find Andrew’s werewolf teammate; isn’t it clear now? Andrew, Zhou Yijue, one of the two witches, and An Wujiu—these four are the real wolves. I just want to tell the gravekeeper that your role cannot self-verify, which means any werewolf can use this identity to turn the tide, as long as they say the dead wolf teammate was a good person.”
“Maybe you’re afraid of being killed by the wolves tonight. I understand; no one is unafraid of death,” Matsubara pointed to the two cold bodies lying on the ground, “We have already lost one Witch. If the real gravekeeper does not stand up today, I might become the target and be sacrificed on the mountaintop. At least after I die, tomorrow, you must stand up and prove my identity. Do not let the good guys be completely fooled by the wolves because this game is about the lives of all of us!”
His words were righteous and resounding. An Wujiu instantly understood the significance of this game, even though it was very clear that Matsubara was not the real Seer and that the situation was dire and hard to reverse. Another person might have given up at this point.
But Matsubara still tried his best to turn the tide. Perhaps he wasn’t doing it for a remaining teammate but for Toudou Sakura, who had already died.
This was his last chance. If he failed, he wouldn’t be able to revive as a normal player from an NPC.
An Wujiu no longer harbored any hostility towards the so-called opposing camp. If it had been him before, he might have played some mind games, but that would be futile.
Their real enemy was clearly only one, the Altar.
“I am truly the Seer, and An Wujiu is my werewolf check. I hope you will vote with me this round to vote An Wujiu out.” Matsubara lowered his eyes and said, “I pass.”
An Wujiu withdrew his thoughts.
He was a difficult person to read. Even when Matsubara called him a werewolf, his face showed no emotional fluctuation, resembling a human less and an intricately designed AI more.
“Since going around the circle, only Zhou Yijue has claimed to be the gravekeeper, I don’t believe there is any other gravekeeper.” An Wujiu said calmly, “In this game, if there really was a gravekeeper seeing wolves trying to impersonate them, they would definitely stand up to point the way for the good guys. I believe that’s the duty of this role, which is why I trust Zhou Yijue.”
With a few words, An Wujiu distanced himself from the gravekeeper role. First, because the situation was already clear on the field, even if Zhou Yijue was truly a wolf, since he was selling out a teammate at this point, An Wujiu could still temporarily use him.
“It’s actually very simple. The gravekeeper has already explained yesterday’s sacrifice, Andrew is a good guy, so Matsubara Mori, who claimed to be the seer against Andrew, must be a wolf.”
An Wujiu looked at Matsubara and said, “Your reason for changing to check me is very weak; you probably realized it yourself, which is why you explained so much. Not verifying Megan, perhaps because you felt your werewolf identity could no longer be hidden, so you wanted to avoid your teammate.”
Matsubara remained calm, not reacting much even under An Wujiu’s pressure.
“With Megan and Matsubara being two obvious wolves, compared to Megan, Matsubara is a greater threat to the good guys, so I will vote for Matsubara Mori this round.”
Saying this, An Wujiu glanced at Zhou Yijue, then looked at the others. The cold wind lifted his hair through the stone door’s gap, “The good guys are at a great disadvantage now, with two gods already gone, and the gravekeeper also revealed, leaving only one Hunter. If they kill the gravekeeper tonight, and the gargoyle checks the hunter, the game might be over by tomorrow.”
An Wujiu’s face was pale, his expression solemn, like a jade statue untouched by mortal affairs, making even indifference look exceptionally moving.
He turned his head and looked at Matsubara Mori, silent for a few seconds.
“Even though we’re in opposing camps, I don’t want to sacrifice anyone. Yesterday’s sacrifice was a nightmare.”
An Wujiu closed his eyes briefly, his voice light, “But we’re all players trapped here, with no other choice.”
Matsubara’s eyebrows were slightly furrowed, then quickly relaxed.
He also had no choice.
“My speech ends here, this round I will vote for number twelve, Matsubara Mori.”
The divine voice appeared, “All players have finished speaking, please start voting.”
In front of each person appeared options for voting, the blue light floating in the cold, almost frozen air, making it particularly glaring.
An Wujiu extended his finger and chose Matsubara Mori.
The moment his fingertip touched Matsubara Mori’s name, a dangerous and crazy thought sprouted in An Wujiu’s mind.
He wanted to survive, not for those painful memories of the past, but for the Altar.
He wanted to destroy the Altar.
To completely obliterate this place that devours people.
Even though An Wujiu knew this would be extremely difficult, almost a fool’s dream, he was determined to live for this one almost impossible goal.
“Voting is over.”
The divine voice announced the result to the crowd.
“After the priests’ vote and discussion, today’s sacrifice is player number twelve, Matsubara Mori. Please leave your last words.”
There was no surprise on Matsubara Mori’s face, and he calmly accepted the result. He did not speak directly but stepped down from his stone platform, walking step by step to Toudou Sakura’s side.
He took off his cloak and covered her already stiff body, squatted down, and placed his palm on her face, closing Toudou Sakura’s eyes.
“I have said everything I need to say.” Matsubara Mori also lay down, keeping a distance from Toudou Sakura, and closed his eyes, “If you still believe me, sacrifice the wolf I identified.”
After speaking, he lay quietly beside Toudou Sakura until the countdown for his last words ended and he fell into a complete coma.
“Players who die at night also need to be buried in the graves on the mountaintop.”
“The morning sacrifice is over; please prepare for the evening sacrifice.”
After the divine voice disappeared, An Wujiu stood still.
The evening sacrifice and the nighttime verification were the times closest to his nightmares.
Just standing there, many fragmented memories from last night’s dreams flashed through An Wujiu’s mind. Seeing Toudou Sakura and Matsubara Mori lying there, he couldn’t help but think of his parents.
As if the ones lying head to head on the ground were them.
His memories were so strange. Up until now, there hadn’t been a single beautiful scene. An Wujiu could only imagine a picture of his parents lying next to each other on the thick fallen leaves in the backyard, with his sister chasing after him.
Although it was fabricated, An Wujiu thought, there must have been such times.
Before those events happened, there must have been beautiful moments, he just forgot them.
As his memory flowed back, the feelings from the past returned to his body, including the childhood fear and confusion.
As a child, he didn’t understand his mother.
He didn’t understand why she always moved houses, why she was always hysterical, why she was so afraid of him touching the things his father left behind, those strange spells and words.
How much courage does it take for a person to confront the unknown and powerful originator after the death of a loved one, to protect two still young children?
Gazing, An Wujiu squatted down, held Matsubara Mori’s wrist, and placed his hand over Toudou Sakura’s hand.
He stood up, intending to find Yang Ce and get some answers. Perhaps he really was the father Yang Erci had been searching for.
An Wujiu thought, at least he should let him know that Yang Erci had entered this dark place for him, and perhaps this time, in this match they did not meet, she would be deeply in danger, struggling to survive.
Everything in this world, when looked at closely, is very cruel.
“What’s wrong?”
An Wujiu looked up and met Shen Ti’s clear and beautiful eyes.
Shen Ti smiled gently, cupping his face with both hands, his fingertips lightly stroking a few times.
“Why does it look like you’re about to cry?”
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