Doll Survival Game

Her wrist ached from her recent attempt to break free. Lin Ye had tied her up even more securely, and she worried that the tight bindings might reduce the flexibility of her hands, which could make her tremble when killing in the future.

But more than that, she worried about whether she would survive this instance.

Yet, it was no longer within her control; all she could do was wait and see what decisions the others would make.

…

“So, are we voting for Cheng Chen or Tang Bai?” Lin Xiaohai glanced at the doll, then asked, “Wouldn’t it be better if we unified our votes?”

The doll paused slightly, and the others agreed on unifying their votes. They then discussed who specifically to vote for. Luo Yiran watched them, somewhat surprised.

Li Qi Feng slightly tilted his head. He had been observing Lin Luo, but as his gaze drifted downward, he caught the doll’s surprised look. After a moment, he seemed to understand the doll’s astonishment and said, “Cheng Chen, Tang Bai, and even Lei Jing might vote for you. If we unify our votes, it’s less likely for you to be voted out… even though the chances of you being voted out are already low.”

“I understand,” the doll frowned slightly. “But why?”

Wang Xing and Lin Xiaohai exchanged glances, then she also seemed puzzled, “You’ve helped us.”

Luo Yiran paused, then his expression subtly changed, “Thank you.”

He said so.

The group quickly analyzed whether to vote for Cheng Chen or Tang Bai, while Lin Luo didn’t join the discussion. Despite being a player, his role imposed certain restrictions, such as not being overly involved in the instance… essentially, he was to remain as the so-called non-contributing player.

Lin Luo, who had nothing to do, lay on the table, watching the doll. He had personally crafted this façade to appear protective, hoping it would make Luo Yiran treat him better.

However, his skills were mediocre, and it had turned out quite different from what he intended.

Lin Luo blinked gently, his deep-set eyes and long eyelashes casting a shadow on his face, “Young master.”

He called out softly to the doll.

The doll looked at Lin Luo, his expression unchanged.

Lin Luo spoke softly, his looks lending him a melancholic air, especially when he whispered like this, “You clearly aren’t happy with what they’re doing, so why thank them?”

Luo Yiran’s eyelids drooped, covering most of his pupils. He tilted his chin slightly, using just the edge of his sight to look at Lin Luo. This angle made him seem somewhat cold and aloof, like a cat, “None of your business.”

“…”

Ah… Scolded.

Lin Luo’s eyes lit up, “Young master, say that again.” He liked any lively tone from Luo Yiran.

The doll scoffed but did not indulge Lin Luo, “I’m not unhappy with what they’ve done.”

He was just reminded of some not-so-pleasant memories by this “mutual help.”

“Ranran,” Xia Lang bowed his head, not daring to look at Lin Luo, feeling disliked by him. He quickly told the doll, “Let’s vote for Cheng Chen.”

Cheng Chen, huh.

The doll had no objections; if this round was wrong, they could vote for Tang Bai in the next.

Xia Lang, observing Luo Yiran’s expression, asked, “Ranran, do you not want to vote for Cheng Chen?”

Luo Yiran looked at Tang Bai, smiling slightly, “It’s okay, let’s vote for Cheng Chen this round. It won’t make much difference.” It might even be more interesting.

Xia Lang had no choice but to agree.

Lin Luo smiled, his eyes crinkling, “Young master, aren’t you just as mischievous as he is?”

The doll glanced at him, remaining silent.

So Lin Luo just laughed.

[Free discussion time is over. Please cast your votes against the non-player in three seconds.]

The system, using Lin Na’s voice, counted down accurately. Everyone was ready.

As the countdown ended, fourteen votes were cast, only two of which were for Luo Yiran. The rest were all for Cheng Chen.

Luo Yiran looked up.

Lei Jing had voted for Cheng Chen, trying hard to point in his direction-truth be told, she wanted to vote for Luo Yiran, but voting for him now was pointless. It was better to vote for the task target and end this instance quickly.

The unanimity of the votes was too suspicious. Luo Yiran observed the crowd, feeling that some people must have other reasons, such as Li Qi Feng clearly being dragged into voting for Cheng Chen by Via.

Via, noticing the doll’s gaze, made a “V” sign with his free hand, apparently very confident.

[Voting is over. Cheng Chen received the most votes and is eliminated.]

[Punishment for failure is given to Cheng Chen.]

As the system’s voice fell, Cheng Chen’s previously upright body began to tremble slightly. His expression remained calm, but his skin started to crack, blood seeping from the fissures.

Strangely, a faint sound of something crumbling started, and everyone watched as Cheng Chen’s body broke apart, chunk by chunk.

The smell of blood spread, causing a few to retch. Zhang Mimi, sitting next to Cheng Chen, turned away with a pale face.

[System notification: The non-player has not been voted out this round. Please try harder next time.]

Everyone paused, then turned their gaze to Tang Bai.

“…”

“Is it really Tang Bai?!” Via couldn’t believe it, but the others seemed okay, especially Lin Ye and Li Qi Feng, both of whom were calm.

“If it’s between Tang Bai and Cheng Chen, then Tang Bai is indeed more likely,” Lin Ye said. “Just like the first time we voted out a non-player, Tang Bai was always echoing what we said, then he claimed he wasn’t the non-player because he, Cheng Chen, and Zhang Mimi had been in one room together, which was a weak reason.”

“Moreover, Lei Jing was upset about being targeted, so she kept arguing with Tang Bai at the time. Lei Jing’s arguments made sense, while Tang Bai’s responses were vague and panicky. But this contradicted how Tang Bai initially acted.”

Lin Ye looked at the doll, nodding slightly.

The doll frowned, continuing Lin Ye’s thought, “Because at the beginning, Tang Bai was the first to suspect that Lin Na was not a player. But at that time, Tang Bai’s displayed emotions were somewhat fearful.”

“Yet, despite his fear, he was the first to speak up, which contradicted himself.”

Via frowned, “What about when Cheng Chen pulled Tang Bai downstairs?”

“The first round of voting when Lei Jing was arguing with Tang Bai, Cheng Chen helped him out,” Luo Yiran remembered clearly. “Their relationship might have gotten closer at that time.”

“The very fact that one must die to leave this fictional space is suspicious. If Tang Bai told Cheng Chen-‘What if we just die?’-that could have shaken Cheng Chen.”

Then after thinking it over, Cheng Chen decided to die later. So, it made sense for him to pull Tang Bai, whom he had just gotten closer to, downstairs with him.

Via was convinced, mainly because he suddenly felt that at that time, the chances of Cheng Chen being lured out of the room by Tang Bai were quite high.

But then.

“Why didn’t you guys say this before?” Via voiced the thoughts of the others, looking around at Lin Ye, Li Qi Feng, and the doll, clearly perplexed.

Li Qi Feng was simply persuaded by the confident Via to vote for Cheng Chen.

Lin Ye responded, “My thoughts were similar to the doll’s.” He turned to the doll.

Luo Yiran smiled and then looked in Tang Bai’s direction, “No choice, I’m a bit petty. If I’m played, I play back.”

“Then your pettiness is as small as a pinhead, huh?” Tang Bai suddenly spoke up, his face expressionless, but his demeanor changed dramatically as he took off his glasses.

It was as if suddenly, the unremarkable aura around him disappeared.

Tang Bai stared at Luo Yiran, who had foiled his plan, then glanced at Lin Luo-this time, really everything had gone wrong for him from the beginning of the instance.

None were particularly shocked; they numbly glanced at Tang Bai, then Via slapped the table, “Quick! Next round.”

Tang Bai was stunned; he looked at Luo Yiran, “You’ve spoiled my fun.”

Luo Yiran smiled, “No problem, play with us. After all, you still have the right to vote.”

Not just because he wanted to play back, but also because of the second round of voting about Lin Na, maybe they could learn something from Tang Bai.

“Next! Round!” Via yelled, eager to get past the second round related to Lin Na and then vote Tang Bai out, finally feeling exhilarated!

A joyless Tang Bai, “…”

Approximately three minutes later, Lin Na moved.

Luo Yiran was the first to look towards Lin Na.

“Vote-” Lin Na knelt at the center of the table, her head raised, her short hair disheveled.

After uttering a word, she then raised both hands, grasping the knife embedded in her neck, her eyes vacant and staring straight ahead, right at Duan Miaomiao, who was somewhat frightened and moved slightly closer to Xia Lang.

“Vote out my killer,” Lin Na said, then with force, she pulled the knife from her neck.

Not much blood splattered, but everyone was stunned.

“Weren’t you committing suicide?” Duan Miaomiao blinked in confusion, then uncertainly turned her head to Xia Lang for confirmation, but saw Xia Lang’s shocked expression, leaving her slightly bewildered, “What’s wrong? Did you think of something?”

Duan Miaomiao’s voice was not loud, but since no one else was speaking, it was quite conspicuous.

Many turned their gaze to Xia Lang.

Xia Lang incredulously looked at Lin Na, then turned to Luo Yiran, “Ranran…”

The doll remained silent, knowing what Xia Lang had realized.

Xia Lang pointed at Lin Na, his fingers trembling, “Was she destined to die from the start of the instance?”

As his words fell, the living room fell silent again.

“Yes. At least from what this task indicates,” Luo Yiran answered Xia Lang amidst the silence. “If task five was set from the beginning of the instance, then she never had a chance to survive from the start.”

The game had scripted her suicide, then made her their task.

“Everything was prearranged, of course.” Tang Bai curled his lips, finally finding some comfort in the reactions of the others.

Lin Ye had suspected from the moment he saw Lin Na being manipulated to commit suicide that the game probably never intended to let her go, but it wasn’t until now, with Lin Na’s vote and Tang Bai’s confirmation, that he was absolutely sure-the game had never given Lin Na a chance to live.

Lin Ye looked at Tang Bai’s indifferent face, leaning forward, his expression dark, “If that’s the case, why talk about a punishment instance?” It would have been better for her to just die in the previous instance.

Because giving hope and then despair is the most painful.

Now thinking about it, Lin Na might have been informed of her ending as soon as she entered the game, which is why she, unable to control her own body, had such a look of despair in her eyes.

“Because it’s fun,” Tang Bai raised his legs onto the table, elbow resting on the chair’s armrest, his smile wicked, “Besides, it gave her a few more days of life. Shouldn’t she be grateful?”

“You humans really don’t understand contentment.”