Die Now Recap, Plot, Synopsis
Die Now Synopsis
Xia Chi is an innocent, intelligent, and meticulous teenager who is a member of the school's deduction club.
After one of the club's activities, his girlfriend, Qing Zhi, who has touched the "Ji Lu case", mysteriously disappears.
In order to find Qing Zhi, Xia Chi and his best friend Meng Qin accidentally discover a virtual game organization called "Die Now" and enter the game world together.
In the game of deduction, Xia Chi and Meng Qin experience various tests of humanity and wisdom and witness the immense power and wealth of the organization behind the game. They constantly question and challenge the ultimate purpose of the game.
After a lot of trials and tribulations, Xia Chi finally resists the temptations of the "Die Now", rescues Qing Zhi, uncovers the true purpose of the game, and discovers the existence of another planet in a parallel universe to Earth.
"Die Now" is a dangerous plan by this planet to destroy Earth's civilization in order to balance the two universes.
Die Now Recap
Episode 1 Recap
In a city illuminated by neon lights, within a lavish bathroom, a man named Xue Xin, a detective fiction novelist, was seen washing a knife. His white shirt cuff was stained with blood, and half a basin of blood pooled in the sink. He had just committed murder, finding it a simple act, and smiled sinisterly at his reflection, licking a trace of blood from his lips.
For years, Xue Xin and his long-time pen pal, Ji Lu, had engaged in a secret game of sending each other riddles. Xue Xin had reached a point where he could no longer devise a riddle Ji Lu couldn't solve. He believed the only way to win was to create an unsolvable riddle, which meant Ji Lu would be unable to reply.
Driven by a desire for a flawless crime, Xue Xin targeted Ji Lu for a true locked-room murder, aiming for no footprints, no motive, and no traces. A week after Xue Xin killed Ji Lu, his perfect plan seemed to have succeeded, with no one discovering the crime. However, he then received a letter from Ji Lu, dated two days after his death.
The letter read: "Xue Xin, by the time you receive this letter, I will no longer be alive. Please help me solve this final riddle!" Xue Xin was utterly shocked and disbelieving. In a panic, he rushed to Ji Lu's residence to search for his notes, but was arrested by police who informed him he was the author of the letter.
This dramatic scene was actually a play staged by Jingnan University's Reasoning Literature Club, as indicated by a director's call of "Cut!" Xia Chi, a member of the Reasoning Institute, played the male police officer, muttering that the plot felt contrived and not based on a real event. Meng Qin, the club's president and the play's "director," praised Qing Zhi, who portrayed the female police officer, for her beautiful profile.
Qing Zhi smiled, and Xia Chi, looking at her, smiled back. After Meng Qin dismissed everyone, Xia Chi followed Qing Zhi out of the classroom. As they exited, a camera in the hallway eerily turned and began filming them. From behind a monitor, a pair of mysterious female eyes watched. Xia Chi continued to follow Qing Zhi to the campus fountain, offering to walk her back to her dorm.
Qing Zhi was Xia Chi's girlfriend; he had been smitten with her since their first day at school, considering her his goddess. He had joined the Reasoning Club, studied, and even ran for her. Despite being together for a month, they hadn't held hands. Xia Chi, determined to finally hold her hand, subtly reached out to put his arm around her shoulder as they walked.
However, Qing Zhi's book suddenly dropped, and she bent down to pick it up, leaving Xia Chi's arm awkwardly in the air. He was astonished by the timing. He tried again, but Meng Qin's untimely appearance thwarted his efforts. Nevertheless, Qing Zhi invited him to lunch on Saturday by the musical fountain near the park, and Xia Chi happily accepted. After Qing Zhi left, Xia Chi and Meng Qin discussed the "case" from the play.
Meng Qin admitted that while the initial details were derived from his uncle's case, the subsequent plot developments were his own invention. He explained that the real case was far more intricate: Xue Xin's post-mortem letter from Ji Lu was not sent by the police.
As a detective novelist and Ji Lu's long-time pen pal, Xue Xin was highly observant; he meticulously studied the letter for three hours, examining the handwriting, ink, folds, and tone, confirming its authenticity to be from Ji Lu, even performing fingerprint comparisons. Accompanying the letter were two other items: a business-card-sized card and a paper filled with ciphers.
Although Xue Xin confessed and the case was closed, several aspects remained unexplained: his motive, the finding of no mental issues in his psychological evaluation, the true sender of the letter, and the meaning of its contents. Later, Qing Zhi, upon returning to her dorm, received a package containing the very letter Ji Lu had sent to Xue Xin. Terrified, she called Xia Chi to inform him.
Xia Chi and Meng Qin rushed to her dorm, where a shocking event unfolded: Qing Zhi was nowhere to be found in dorm 2609, and neither the dorm aunt nor any students recognized her. In a panic, Meng Qin remembered their video recording from the play. They hurried back to review it, only to discover that the footage of Qing Zhi had been replaced by another woman.
Distraught, Xia Chi wondered if his entire relationship and romantic intentions were merely a delusion. However, a wishing coin, given to him by Qing Zhi, fell from his collar, reaffirming his conviction that he wasn't delusional and that Qing Zhi was real. Recalling Qing Zhi's call about receiving Ji Lu's letter, Xia Chi concluded her disappearance was linked to Ji Lu. They then visited Meng Qin's uncle, where they retrieved and photographed the case file.
Analyzing the cipher paper and card, Xia Chi realized the numbers were not random. He noticed that each paragraph in Ji Lu's letter began with three blank spaces. Combining this observation with the cipher, Xia Chi deduced that 'three' was the key, enabling him to crack a Caesar cipher. The decryption revealed six letters: 'Duan Nao.' Immediately afterward, a 'random door,' a warped space, materialized before them, which they promptly entered.
Episode 2 Recap
Xia Chi and another person arrived at a coffee shop within a strange, disappearing space. Xia Chi asked the waitress if she had seen Qing Zhi, but was told he needed a membership card to get information. When he confirmed he had no card, the waitress immediately stated she hadn't seen the girl. Xia Chi then noticed the space had disappeared; the coffee shop, which felt large from the outside, was three meters shorter inside.
He inquired where the space went, and the waitress smiled, pressed a bell, and a door opened where the space had seemingly vanished, revealing another realm. The two entered this door to find a spiraling staircase. A woman stood by a circular platform in the middle, identical to the coffee shop waitress but with short hair and a short skirt. Her eyes flashed with mechanical numbers as she welcomed them to "End of Consciousness."
She asked if they needed membership cards, as they didn't have any, and Xia Chi nodded. As it was their first time entering the game, the woman explained its nature: End of Consciousness is a real-person interactive combat game where players' thoughts are interconnected and they compete through a system. Games are presented as single rounds, with corresponding rewards for winners. The game content and rules are extensive and introduced before each round.
However, two crucial points were highlighted: no task can be completed solely by brute force, and as a brain-interconnection game, real-world time is not a reference, meaning game time can be very short or very long. With a few gestures, the woman conjured a glowing orb in the air, from which Xia Chi retrieved a card. He realized it was identical to Ji Lu's card, leading him and his companion to deduce that Qing Zhi had been there.
They decided to wait. Suddenly, another player named Bo Bian appeared, teasing Xia Chi as "little cutie" and warning him that it was dangerous for new players to use old cards. Suspecting Qing Zhi was in danger, Xia Chi gripped the card firmly, resolved to enter the game, while Meng Qin waited for him at the exit. A voice announced, "Welcome to End of Consciousness, game importing!" Xia Chi found himself in a secret room with a stone table.
Two other players stood there: Liu Yiya, a female student from Songjiang University, and Shi Kuan, a male graduate of Songjiang University. Xia Chi realized there must be multiple entrances, as he hadn't seen these players outside. A system voice, claiming to be the Game Manager (GM), then appeared. The GM was "poor in speech," addressed Xia Chi as "Xia Chi baby," and could read his thoughts, with their conversations being inaudible to others.
The GM introduced the rules for the first level: a large rectangle composed of 49 small rectangles needed to be divided into a maximum of six pieces, then recombined to form one large rectangle with 48 small rectangles inside. The task hint was: "Think carefully before acting. Failure to complete or not finishing within 20 minutes will result in the elimination of all players."
A paper then appeared on the stone table, which Xia Chi recognized as a puzzle paper Xue Xin had received, designed by Ji Lu. His two companions deemed the task impossible and made a cut, causing the space to be instantly bisected by weapon-grade infrared lines. In their panic, when they pulled the paper, a strip accidentally tore, and the space was cut again from above, forcing everyone to bend over.
The GM explained that every five minutes, the infrared lines would double, eliminating half their remaining space. If the next cut was horizontal again, they would have to crawl, leading to certain death after several such cuts. Xia Chi carefully picked up the answer sheet. He realized that the "48" constraint had paralyzed their thinking, as 48 small rectangles could form a 7x7 large rectangle. Shi Kuan, however, shouted that Xia Chi's answer was definitely wrong and snatched the paper.
At that moment, the space shrunk by half again. The reckless Shi Kuan, in fear, made another cut, further shrinking the space. Xia Chi urged everyone to trust him, explaining that the game's key was diagonal cutting. Through one diagonal cut and four straight cuts, he divided the rectangle into five pieces, allocating the middle square to the second row and recombining them.
Following Xia Chi's cuts, the rectangle truly became 49 pieces, and all red lines vanished, much to the players' joy. The gate to the next level opened, revealing a prison. The task stated: "Hit the bullseye to open the door. 15-minute limit, or all eliminated." Shi Kuan, a professional gun enthusiast, quickly assembled all the parts, aimed, and fired a shot that hit the bullseye, opening the door. The third level's task was: "Find the pass code.
10-minute limit, or all eliminated." This was another math problem. Liu Yiya, using the C major tonic as a reference, sang out the numbers, successfully passing all three levels. However, the game had only just begun. A new task appeared on the screen: "Only one person can pass through this door. Decide on the candidate in 20 minutes, or all eliminated." The task hint added: "Daggers are available on the table." Three daggers were visible inside three glass bottles on the table. Before anyone could react, Shi Kuan held a gun on the other two players, ordering them not to move.
Episode 3 Recap
Qing Zhi awoke to find herself in a game, in an empty, deserted space, where only the GM's voice was present. The GM announced, "There's nothing to introduce for this level. Please solve this final puzzle. Game start." Qing Zhi cried out, asking what was happening, as a light wall or panel appeared before her, pressing closer. She screamed for Xia Chi to save her. Feeling isolated and helpless, Qing Zhi recalled her childhood.
From an outsider's perspective, she lived in a wealthy and happy family, but she knew money had no relation to happiness. Her father would often beat her mother when he drank, a recurring pattern that led her to believe men were savage creatures. One day, her father told her that the young master of the Qi Long Group, who was her age, was an important strategic partner, and she should meet him and leave a good impression.
Qing Zhi agreed, but inwardly, she was prepared for a pre-destined future from birth that she couldn't accept, especially the thought of being touched by a "savage man." Her fate shifted when a fire alarm suddenly went off in a building. The young master abandoned her and ran. Qing Zhi fell, hitting her head on a pillar, and cried out for the man to save her.
Before she lost consciousness, it was Xia Chi who, amidst the smoke, rescued her and brought her out of the cinema. When she next awoke in the hospital, no one knew the identity of the boy who saved her, nor did she. However, his actions and words – "Don't worry, I will definitely save you. As long as I live, I will definitely not let you die" – left an indelible impression, much like the scar on her forehead.
This impact wasn't just about saving her life, but empowering her to no longer be submissive. She threw a wish coin, wishing simply to meet that person, the boy who saved her. True to destiny, she saw Xia Chi on her first day at school and smiled at him, subsequently joining the Reasoning Club. One day, Xia Chi resolved that today was the day he would confess his feelings to Qing Zhi.
He saw her running on the track, and after preparing for a long time to greet her, he was initially ignored. Xia Chi ran after Qing Zhi for a prolonged period, eventually covering five kilometers. Qing Zhi finally stopped, removed her headphones, and before Xia Chi could even speak, she agreed to be his girlfriend, reasoning that a boy who chased her for five kilometers wouldn't have any other intentions.
Qing Zhi, speaking from a spatial environment, affirmed that she would wait for him. The Trial Level proved to be a matter of life or death. Shi Kuan, holding a gun, advanced steadily towards Xia Chi and Liu Yiya. Xia Chi mentally urged, "Qing Zhi, you must live. As long as I live, you won't die." With only one apparent solution, Xia Chi and Liu Yiya suddenly knelt to beg for mercy, stunning Shi Kuan.
Liu Yiya feigned weakness, stating it was merely a game and not to take it so seriously, emphasizing that they shouldn't lose their lives over it. At that moment, a door abruptly opened, and Shi Kuan entered, followed by a sudden scream. Liu Yiya asked Xia Chi how he had discerned it was a trap.
Xia Chi explained that in levels 1 and 4, the task hints and descriptions had appeared separately, while in levels 2 and 3, they had appeared simultaneously. The current "level 4" was actually the true level 3, and splitting one level into two was designed to mislead players and eliminate them. He also noted that half of a table was exposed, and he was sure the true level 4 entrance would open from there.
Indeed, the entrance to the fourth level then opened from the side of the table. The Final Level aimed to determine the winner through a game of rock-paper-scissors. This challenge actually tested acute perceptiveness and allowed for significant opportunities to cheat, as it was a machine-based game with a single decisive round. When the GM gave the command to start, Liu Yiya immediately pressed her button, choosing scissors.
Xia Chi, however, did not touch his button until after Liu Yiya had made her move, then he pressed for rock. Liu Yiya protested, calling it unfair, but she was eliminated. The game had not stipulated that actions had to be simultaneous, conveying the lesson: don't be rigid, think outside the rules. Xia Chi emerged as the winner of the Trial Level.
The GM announced that Xia Chi received six points, plus an additional three points for completing the hidden task of "shameless cheating," bringing his total to nine points and a D-rank evaluation. Liu Yiya received one point, with an additional point for assisting her teammate in completing the third level, for a total of two points and an F-rank evaluation. The GM then instructed them to "say goodbye to your cute teammate."
Xia Chi subsequently awoke in Binhu Park, with Qing Zhi by his side. She smiled and asked him, "Aren't we on a date? I just left for a little while, how did you fall asleep?" Xia Chi immediately checked his phone, confirming it was indeed Saturday, the day of their planned date. He wondered if everything before was just a dream, yet it felt too real, leaving him with lingering doubts. Despite this, the two joyfully spent time at an amusement park, riding the Ferris wheel and a carriage, playing bumper cars, and playing instruments, including the violin.
Episode 4 Recap
Xia Chi and Qing Zhi went basketball shooting; Xia Chi explained various factors and demonstrated the optimal posture, but his shot missed. Embarrassingly, Qing Zhi casually threw the ball and it went in. Later, while they were eating, Qing Zhi tenderly wiped a grain of rice from Xia Chi's lip with a tissue. Xia Chi was lost in thought, feeling immensely happy.
However, when Xia Chi went to pay, he was stunned to discover the card he pulled from his pocket was his game membership card. The service staff informed him the card could be used anywhere and, upon checking, found a balance of 899,700+. This indicated he had scored 90 points in his first game, starting with 900,000. He realized he might still be inside the game. Xia Chi invited Qing Zhi to go shopping after lunch.
They bought various brand-name clothes and shoes, but Qing Zhi suddenly felt disappointed; this wasn't the kind of date she wanted, and she didn't want him to spend so much money on her. Knowing Xia Chi just wanted her to be happy, she took his hand. Xia Chi smiled, recognizing the warmth and reality of her hand in his, wishing it could be like this forever. But Xia Chi abruptly remembered that Meng Qin should be at the game entrance.
He questioned whether he was in the game or reality. If he had successfully returned to the real world because of the game, what about Meng Qin? Just as he was about to make a call, Meng Qin appeared behind him, introducing him to Jia Li, a computer science student. Meng Qin claimed they had gotten very drunk on Thursday night, with Xia Chi being heavily intoxicated. Xia Chi's suspicion deepened, wondering if he was truly dreaming.
It became clear that to find the truth, he would have to re-enter the game. All screens then froze, and the End Brain system reopened. A system voice announced his current balance was 6. 5 points, confirming this was a formal level. Xia Chi stepped through a portal and entered what appeared to be a dilapidated castle, which some might describe as a palace under renovation. Descending a staircase, he saw the other players, including Bo Bian.
The Game Master (GM) cheerfully called Xia Chi "baby" and declared that "time is the best teacher, but he will kill you after teaching you everything." Their main task for this round was for everyone to collectively and safely escape the area. Success would add 10 points, while failure would deduct 8 points. Xia Chi only had 6. 5 points. The GM then whispered to Xia Chi, identifying him as Player #7.
His optional exclusive task was to prevent Player #2 from leaving. Success would add 5 points, failure would result in no deduction, and it would not affect the main task. Xia Chi observed that Player #2 had a weapon. When he asked the GM what "preventing leaving" entailed, the GM feigned deafness.
Player #3, a young girl named Li Meng, a student from Four-Leaf Academy who had performed exceptionally in the first round to reach this formal level, was the first to introduce herself. Other players coldly scoffed, warning that revealing oneself was dangerous and that this game was not a place for making friends. They stated that the game fundamentally consisted of two types: human vs. human, and human vs. system.
Player #6 then recognized a calm and rational woman as a scholar from a TV cultural lecture. Player #2, a journalist from the Southeast Current Affairs Social Edition, then happily called out, "Teacher Li Li!" and asked for contact information, mentioning their newspaper had wanted to interview her for a long time.
Player #2 had also volunteered to follow and protect Li Li, but this behavior, full of excessive, casual amiability, seemed inconsistent with Li Li's known demeanor and suggested Player #2 might be trying to conceal something. With identities exposed, mutual distrust among the players intensified. For safety, Li Li proposed dividing into three teams: Li Li and Player #2 in the front, Player #5 and Player #7 (Xia Chi) in the back, and the women in the middle.
Bo Bian then provocatively teased Xia Chi, calling him "little cutie." Bo Bian, the tall, elegant man Xia Chi had met at the game entrance, possessed a psychopathic personality, enjoying killing. To make the game more "interesting," he bluntly stated that everyone had their own exclusive tasks, and his target was Player #7. His revelation further fractured the team.
Li Li reasoned that the optional tasks were designed to sow discord among them and suggested everyone abandon them, choosing to focus on finding the exit first. Xia Chi, observing the fragile team, insisted on moving alone. He was warned that if any individual was attacked, they would become a common enemy for all. Despite this, Xia Chi still proceeded by himself. Player #3, Li Meng, eventually also chose to go alone, reasoning that personal action might be safer.
Later, Li Meng, a seemingly beautiful and delicate girl, appeared before Xia Chi, pitifully claiming she was scared to walk alone and that two people offered mutual support. Xia Chi, however, saw through her disguise; no one who had survived this long could truly be so timid. He suspected her feigned newbie status was meant to make others drop their guard.
Li Meng admitted this was her sixth game, always pretending to be a newcomer and trying to find a helper. As they walked together, they saw an inscription on the wall: "The path won't narrow because two people walk it." Suddenly, Li Meng heard children's laughter and, with a frightened scream, timidly grabbed Xia Chi. Xia Chi shoved her against the wall, threatening to kill her. Before that, he intended to resolve her issue.
He noted her defenselessness and concluded that Bo Bian had been lying, and she was, in fact, his attacker. Crying, Li Meng knelt, begging Xia Chi for mercy. She confessed to being his attacker but insisted she never intended to harm him or complete her optional task. She pleaded with Xia Chi not to kill her or abandon her there.
Xia Chi was bewildered, wondering if a game truly needed to be so extreme, questioning if it was real or an act. Ultimately, he felt a pang of pity, apologized, and told her to stand up. Li Meng then explained that "death" in the game was merely "elimination." The true horror lay in one's remaining points: if a player's score went negative, they would be "kicked out."
No known eliminated player had survived more than a week in reality, meaning being kicked out of the game was tantamount to death. This, she revealed, was why Ji Lu had been killed. Xia Chi realized he had to complete the main mission first. The game rules, while seemingly ordinary, were incredibly insane; this was a team survival battle, and finding the exit constituted completing the task. They once again spotted the invisible, skirt-wearing little girl and followed her.
The girl led them to a desolate, dilapidated prison covered in cobwebs, exuding an oppressive, suffocating atmosphere. Xia Chi opened the prison door, inside which they found hanging, bloody organs. Li Meng stayed close behind Xia Chi. Xia Chi deduced that the blood they saw earlier was unlikely to be from other players, as they hadn't encountered anyone along their path. Li Meng imagined zombies from American movies. Suddenly, zombies appeared behind her, reaching out with bloody hands.
Xia Chi saved her and fought off the zombies. As more zombies began to appear, in a critical moment, Li Meng betrayed Xia Chi, entering what she believed was an exit. Xia Chi was surrounded by zombies, and Li Meng shut the door, leaving him to fight them alone. Seeing his betrayer, Xia Chi sought revenge and called out, "Labyrinth of lies, are you sure that's an exit? You'll just go in circles!"
After a fierce battle, Xia Chi defeated the zombies. True to his prediction, Li Meng eventually circled back, realizing it wasn't a real exit. Xia Chi now understood the truth of this level: "Labyrinth of Lies." The rules of the perceived world would adjust according to what players said. They then arrived at a warehouse covered in ice and snow. As Li Meng was about to speak again, Xia Chi quickly covered her mouth.
A door in the warehouse was rapidly closing. Xia Chi yelled for them to get out quickly, and they ran at top speed. Just as the door was about to shut, Li Meng's foot became stuck in a hole, trapping her as the door slowly closed.
Episode 5 Recap
As a door slowly closed, Li Meng plunged into despair. She recalled a past conversation by a lake where a man told her he was tired, stating she couldn't help him and only relied on others, and that they should break up. She cried, asking if girls weren't supposed to rely on others. The man confirmed this but clarified he needed someone who could help him defeat others. She tearfully vowed to defeat him one day and show him how.
This obsession was significant to her, but now, unable even to save her own life, she felt utterly defeated, wondering if everything was truly coming to an end. At the last moment, Xia Chi slid his body horizontally through the closing door, re-entering the icy warehouse before it slammed shut, trapping both of them. He then helped Li Meng pull her foot from a hole.
Li Meng questioned his return, calling him foolish and pointing out that he would die if he lost, and that she had previously harmed him. She explained that her survival in previous stages relied on prioritizing others' interests and making concessions, as no one truly trusted her, and refusal meant certain death; she even had a bomb tied to her neck with the controller held by others.
She couldn't comprehend why Xia Chi would return to freeze to death with her. Xia Chi replied that he had promised to act together, then declared he would open the door, exclaiming that he suddenly felt "full of power." He repeatedly charged at the door, but it remained completely motionless. GM then informed him that game difficulty could only be adjusted one-way, increasing but never decreasing.
It was then that Li Meng belatedly realized Xia Chi had retaliated against her at the sluice gate. Meanwhile, a four-person team walked down a cold, long white corridor with transparent, white-light-like walls. Player 5 Bo Bian took out poker cards and subtly made marks on the ice wall. He then stopped and informed everyone that the corridor was a dead loop, stating they had already passed this spot five times based on his marks.
Li Li angrily requested Bo Bian inform them sooner next time, emphasizing they were a team. Bo Bian, who already understood the game's true purpose, admitted his "dead loop" statement was merely a scare tactic. He explained that in this game, players create their own difficulties: when a player deceives other players, the game adjusts the situation, making the lie come true, which he described as "paradise." Player 2 then revealed a knife.
Li Li forced him to hand it over. Player 2 stopped, stabbed the wall, and discovered it was hollow. When he peered through, his head emerged from the opposite wall, confirming the terrifying infinite dead loop. In the freezing warehouse, Xia Chi and Li Meng shivered, their eyebrows frosted. Li Meng then revealed her true name: Chun Xuxiang. They sat together, their noses red from the cold, to keep warm.
When Chun Xuxiang's hands began to freeze, Xia Chi pulled them to his mouth and warmed them with his breath, continuously asking her intelligence questions to prevent her from falling asleep. Xia Chi then saw the invisible girl again, holding a ball and innocently looking at Chun Xuxiang, pointing towards a floor drain. Xia Chi investigated and found a valve at the drain, which caused an instrument to pop out. Its screen displayed six neatly arranged holes.
Xia Chi flipped a wishing coin and immediately understood the password sequence: the holes appeared at different times, much like new cracks appearing after old ones on glass. Following this sequence, he entered the password, and the door opened, allowing them to exit. Outside, Chun Xuxiang delightedly leaned on Xia Chi's shoulder, praising his exceptional intelligence. Xia Chi then reflected that the system could have easily trapped them to death but instead provided hints.
Chun Xuxiang's explanation of the evaluation and scoring systems helped Xia Chi finally grasp the true meaning of the events. He realized that even a small conflict could lead to deadly peril, meaning he could complete his optional task without needing to physically find his target; he could achieve the kill remotely. Xia Chi suddenly yelled out, a sound heard by all players. Chun Xuxiang was confused, but Xia Chi explained to her that the four-person team was extremely fragile.
He believed that with just a little suspicion, especially with Bo Bian, who was not to be underestimated, being part of that team, he had a 70-80% chance of sowing discord among them. Upon hearing Player 7's (Xia Chi's) voice, the four-person team's already tense atmosphere officially erupted into open conflict. Bo Bian intensified the discord, claiming they were experiencing "ghost-hitting-the-wall," a loop delusion that always returned them to their starting point.
He suggested everyone close their eyes and walk, arguing that the human body is not perfectly symmetrical, implying this would break the loop. Li Li immediately objected, stating it was impossible for her to close her eyes and allow herself to be slaughtered. Player 2 then revealed his true colors, pointing his knife. Player 6 frantically asked what to do. Bo Bian pushed Player 6 towards Player 2, and Player 2, turning around, accidentally stabbed Player 6.
Li Li screamed at Bo Bian to save Player 6, but Bo Bian instead walked over and helped Player 2 kill Li Li. Player 2 was terrified but felt he had survived a catastrophe. Bo Bian immediately captured a "beautiful death photo," praising Player 2 as an "artist." Player 2, trembling, believed that with both his and Bo Bian's targets now dead, they could become trusting companions and escape the dreadful place together.
Bo Bian, however, revealed Player 2 hadn't understood one thing: Player 7 (Xia Chi) wasn't dead, as no one who died could make such a desperate scream. Bo Bian then clarified that his target was Player 4, whom he had killed. Immediately after, a poker card flew through the air, and Player 2 collapsed. Xia Chi then heard the GM's prompt: "Player 2 dead. Player 7 exclusive mission complete. Five points will be added after the game ends.
If the game fails, points will not be added." Xia Chi deduced that the four-person team would now be unable to complete any optional tasks. Just then, fierce flames suddenly erupted directly behind the ice wall. He and Chun Xuxiang fled swiftly, crossing numerous walls, until they finally climbed onto a high wall, where the progress of the walls abruptly stopped.
Episode 6 Recap
Xia Chi, clinging to the edge of a wall a step away from Chun Xuxiang, asked her to pull him up. Chun Xuxiang hesitated, her gaze deepening as she recalled her own admonition against showing mercy to others, even considering kicking him down. Yet, she ultimately extended her hand and pulled him to safety. She justified her hesitation, but Xia Chi didn't mind, only instructing her not to further complicate the game.
He noted that the game was continuously testing their team's trust, and since they had persevered, victory was imminent. Chun Xuxiang expressed her appreciation for being part of a team with Xia Chi. After clearing that stage, they arrived at a magnificent, golden palace adorned with dazzling chandeliers. Suddenly, an axe, thrown by Player One, flew towards Chun Xuxiang, who was Player Three.
Player One's primary objective was to eliminate Player Three, asserting that despite the game being an illusion, the winnings were real. Xia Chi (Player Seven) intervened and engaged Player One in a fight. At this point, Player Five, Bo Bian, materialized, throwing playing cards that cut Player One's face. The atmosphere shifted dramatically as Bo Bian declared Xia Chi his "little darling," warning that anyone wanting to harm Player Seven would first have to contend with him.
Player One, observing Bo Bian's formidable skill with a Heart A playing card and Xia Chi protecting Chun Xuxiang, concluded that fighting three opponents would be too difficult and seized the opportunity to escape. Player One also asked Bo Bian if a girl who had previously made an inquiry had seen him. Player One then made his way to the center of the palace, mistakenly believing it to be the exit.
He stepped onto it, pressed his hand down, and shouted in triumph. However, his face instantly withered, and he disintegrated into smoke. The game, it was made clear, emphasized team combat, and no single individual could emerge victorious. Consequently, the three remaining players—Xia Chi, Chun Xuxiang, and Bo Bian—stood in the palace center and simultaneously pressed their hands down, causing the palace door to open. An invisible little girl named Xiaomei then appeared.
She shared her story: she and her two sisters had been the closest companions since childhood, deeply loving each other and vowing never to separate. One day, during a solo outing to a forest, they became lost and couldn't find their way home by evening. With dwindling food and water, they divided their provisions into three portions, hoping to last longer while awaiting rescue. Xiaomei, consumed by fear that someone would steal her food, couldn't rest.
Overwhelmed, she eventually killed her two sisters. She ran desperately to escape the terrifying reality, but after running for a long time, she invariably returned to her sisters' bodies, believing they would never forgive her. Xiaomei told the survivors that they had taught her about trust. The system then played "Grateful Heart" and presented two choices: 1. Exit through the main door to conclude the game and calculate points. 2.
Return to the castle to undertake an optional mission called "Rings of Hand-in-Hand." Failure in this optional task would result in the forfeiture of all points earned in the current round, while success would yield no additional points. Chun Xuxiang, unwilling to return, expressed her desire to exit and claim her rewards, inviting Xia Chi to join her. Xia Chi agreed.
As they reached the door, just before Chun Xuxiang could step across the threshold, a playing card struck her pale neck. Bo Bian then claimed this was his most flawless kill of the day. Enraged, Xia Chi confronted Bo Bian, who retorted that winning and killing were distinct objectives, and his sole motivation was to kill. Bo Bian then bid Xia Chi farewell and departed.
The system's voice announced congratulations on completing the game, stating they had earned 15 points for the palace round, achieving an overall B-rank, and was now exiting the game. Xia Chi then found himself back at the point in time just before the game began, with an appointment with Qing Zhi at Binhu Garden. Upon returning to his dorm room, he found cards scattered on his desk.
He furiously slammed the table, tore the cards to shreds, and collapsed onto the floor, shouting. The dorm room door creaked open, and he warily looked towards it. A hallucination of Chun Xuxiang, with bleeding eyes, screamed that Xia Chi had caused her death. It was only his imagination. The door moved again; he held his breath, cautiously approached, and opened it to find no one. Just as he sighed in relief, he was covered by a black bag.
He was subsequently taken to a swimming pool, where Chun Xuxiang, elegantly emerging from the water in a swimsuit like a lotus flower, greeted him with a smile. Chun Xuxiang, acting like a young lady of considerable means, reprimanded the bodyguards who had kidnapped Xia Chi. She explained to Xia Chi that a player is considered to have successfully completed the game if they are still alive after the game's official announcement of conclusion.
Therefore, she had technically won that round. Xia Chi deduced that Bo Bian, as an experienced player, must have been aware of this rule, implying that Bo Bian's actions were driven purely by his passion for killing. Xia Chi then shared the details of Qing Zhi's disappearance with Chun Xuxiang, hoping she could provide some clues.
After listening to his account, Chun Xuxiang speculated that Qing Zhi might not have truly disappeared, but that her vanishing was a fabricated scenario orchestrated by Duan Nao to entice Xia Chi into the game. However, neither of them could fathom the purpose behind such a scheme. During their conversation, Chun Xuxiang introduced Xia Chi to a valuable tool: the "Duan Nao Commodity Terminal."
She explained that to operate it, one simply inserts a card into a slot and switches it on. The terminal offered twenty-eight major categories and tens of thousands of subcategories, encompassing every conceivable purchasable item, including illicit goods like firearms and ammunition. While one point could be exchanged for one hundred thousand in external currency, within the terminal, one point commanded a staggering three million. Xia Chi was left wide-eyed with astonishment.
Chun Xuxiang further elaborated that with the game allowing only six hours of rest before restarting, time was the most expensive commodity in the points mall, with a mere one point exchanging for seven days of time. Chun Xuxiang then used points to acquire seven days of time for Xia Chi and, with one point, secured an entire year's worth of bodyguards to protect him. As Xia Chi was leaving, a blue car and a female bodyguard appeared before him.
Although polite, Xia Chi expressed his curiosity about the vastness of the organization, the immense wealth involved, and the caliber of vehicles an security company could deploy. The female bodyguard informed him that such details were confidential. Just as Xia Chi stated he was merely a student and didn't require protection, their vehicle was suddenly surrounded by other cars. The bodyguard, single-handedly, efficiently neutralized all the enemies, successfully protecting Xia Chi.
Episode 7 Recap
Xia Chi awoke injured in a hospital room, where he was met by a team leader from Duan Nao Security Company, dressed in a dark suit. The leader apologized for their failure to provide timely support, assuring Xia Chi of his current safety. According to the security company's investigation, Xia Chi was being targeted by mercenaries hired by another computer player.
While the motive, possibly revenge, remained unconfirmed, the company could not take proactive action due to Duan Nao regulations prohibiting direct attacks on other players. The leader revealed only that the opposing player employed desperate individuals who would do anything for money. Xia Chi was enraged, questioning if he had to allow his pursuers to act with impunity.
The leader explained a Duan Nao game rule: any player who kills another outside of game periods, regardless of method, will face severe punishment, even the deprivation of life. Xia Chi angrily concluded that security would only act if he were dead, a point the leader was vague about. Meanwhile, Stone Kuan, in black clothing, discussed Xia Chi's narrow escape with three other individuals in a car.
Stone Kuan noted their advantage: Duan Nao security would not actively attack them, and he was determined to settle both old and new scores with Xia Chi. Xia Chi then inquired about his bodyguard, only to be told she had been replaced. Insisting on knowing her whereabouts, Xia Chi was led by the leader to a dark interrogation room.
There, his female bodyguard, clad only in tight black clothing, knelt with her hands suspended, her body covered in injuries from a flogging. She pleaded with the leader for another chance to continue working for Mr. Xia, accepting her punishment. She had already received seventy lashes and offered to endure two hundred more, vowing to learn from her mistakes and protect Xia Chi with her life. The leader denied her request, ordering the remaining twenty-plus lashes.
Xia Chi, distressed by her bleeding, protested that she had done very well and tried to intervene but was restrained. He then demanded her specifically as his bodyguard. The leader stated he could specify a bodyguard's gender, age, and build, but not a specific individual. Xia Chi, noticing Morse code displayed on her hand, recited her height, measurements, and age. Despite recognizing their covert communication, the leader, to save Xia Chi's face, permitted the female bodyguard to resume her duties.
Once the leader left, Xia Chi anxiously asked about her injuries. With glistening eyes, she thanked Xia Chi, deeply moved by his kindness and protection despite her failing to prevent his injury. She revealed her name was Seventeen, an orphan bought at the age of three and perpetually trained as a bodyguard since then. Her life was a living hell of relentless training.
Upon becoming a professional bodyguard at eighteen, a rule was implemented to preserve their hard-earned skills: if unemployed, they would be frozen and unfrozen every four months for a week of intense recovery training. Seventeen described each cycle as a painful, tearing experience, akin to death. Though physically twenty, she had undergone over a hundred such four-month-and-one-week cycles, making her actual age over fifty. Due to societal distrust of women's combat abilities, female bodyguards struggled to find employers.
Xia Chi's lack of specific requirements led to her random selection by the security company, a moment of immense joy for her that Xia Chi was unaware of. Back in the hospital room, Seventeen, after checking for cameras, whispered to Xia Chi to keep the player pursuing him a secret from others. Xia Chi awoke at 4 AM, pondering the nature of player relationships and the permissibility of competition.
He observed Seventeen cleaning her wounds, then pretended to be asleep when she noticed him. Upon waking again, Xia Chi found Seventeen at the window, using binoculars to watch outside. She informed him that the player across the street was his pursuer. Xia Chi looked through the binoculars and confirmed it was Stone Kuan. His phone then rang; it was Stone Kuan, who threatened to end Xia Chi's life within five days.
Determined not to passively await his fate, Xia Chi asked Seventeen to elaborate on the rules regarding player-on-player killings outside of games. She explained: first, any action, intentional or not, that results in severe injury or death to another player incurs the same punishment for the aggressor. Second, if a player's life is clearly threatened, their counter-attack is considered self-defense and exempt from punishment.
After drinking a glass of water, Xia Chi devised a plan to eliminate Stone Kuan that very day. Stone Kuan, convinced Xia Chi was a coward who would only emerge if frightened, saw Xia Chi leave the hospital as expected. Stone Kuan dispatched one subordinate with mercenaries to storm the hospital and verify if it was truly Xia Chi, another to report to base, and a third to follow Xia Chi and await an opportunity.
Inside the car, Seventeen praised Xia Chi, suggesting his abilities could make him Duan Nao's top player. Xia Chi wryly responded that he hadn't even grasped the game's mechanics yet. Stone Kuan's operatives closely followed Xia Chi's vehicle. After a stretch, Xia Chi's car stopped, and someone exited, but it wasn't Xia Chi. Suddenly, Xia Chi's "actual" car sped past, taunting the pursuer about missing the optimal killing moment before disappearing in a cloud of dust.
The mercenaries gave chase but discovered they were pursuing the wrong vehicle. Meanwhile, Stone Kuan finally caught up to what he believed was Xia Chi's car. He opened the door with a gun, only for A-Jin, who had been shot in the head, to tumble out. Stone Kuan then clutched his throat and collapsed, a consequence of the game's punishment. Xia Chi and Seventeen watched the entire scene from nearby.
It was revealed that Xia Chi's vehicle license plates could be remotely swapped. He had used this stratagem to trick Old Six Stone Kuan into mistakenly killing Old Seven A-Jin, thus triggering Stone Kuan's punishment. At the base, a mysterious woman in front of a monitoring room was informed of the events. This woman was Jia Li from the Computer Science department, who instructed her subordinates to leave Xia Chi to her.
Episode 8 Recap
Returning to his hospital room, Xia Chi discovers several missed calls and realizes he hasn't seen Qing Zhi in two days. He rushes to find her in the park, where Qing Zhi, upset by his long disappearance without contact, makes him promise never to be unreachable again. They pinky swear. During Xia Chi's time in the game, Seventeen will wait outside for him. The third game officially begins as Xia Chi re-enters the End Brain game.
He and other players find themselves in a small forest, each with a silver suitcase. The GM greets them, and Xia Chi, noting the GM's "naughty" way of speaking, wonders if he is Meng Qin's split personality. The GM introduces the rules for this round, an 11-player "team vs. individual standard battle." Ten players form a survival team, and one player acts as the killer.
The first victory condition for the team is to have at least two players survive after nine days, earning everyone five points. The second victory condition is to identify the killer with irrefutable evidence within nine days, earning everyone nine points. If the number of team players drops below two within nine days, the team fails, and everyone loses five points. Players are forbidden from revealing personal information (violators are eliminated) and from investigating personal information (investigators are eliminated).
Team members cannot attack the killer (attackers are eliminated). Any accusation against the killer must be supported by "ironclad" evidence; mere speculation or inference is insufficient. As players discuss the rules, Player 6 (male) mentions he has played eight times and this is his first time encountering a one-versus-many scenario, implying the killer is formidable. Immediately, the GM announces Player 6's elimination for leaking personal information, stunning the group with an early loss.
Meanwhile, in another part of the forest, Player 11, Bo Bian (male), the killer, stands up with his suitcase, a refined smile on his lips. Back with the team, Player 8 (male) is the first to open his suitcase, finding only daily necessities. As he checks and lists the items (two bottles of mineral water, a food bag, tissues, and an emergency light), the GM announces his elimination for leaking personal information.
Player 7 (female) bravely volunteers to experiment, confirming that opening the suitcase is safe as long as it's done with one's back to others. Xia Chi opens his suitcase, finding only two bottles of water. He secretly realizes this amount is insufficient for nine days, deducing that the killer's best strategy might be to remain hidden, forcing the team to reduce their own numbers to conserve dwindling drinking water. He concludes that "team survival" is a facade.
Xia Chi attempts to address the group, but Player 7 stops him, pulling him aside to discuss the water situation. Player 7 tells Xia Chi that demanding certain players sacrifice themselves for water would be unacceptable to anyone at this point. Player 2 (male), an explorer, calls out to them, dismissing their private discussion and proclaiming the forest has abundant food, which he can find. He leads the team to a stream, where they joyfully set up camp.
Player 2 collects a bucket of spring water, but after taking a sip, he dies. Panic ensues. Xia Chi (Player 10) steps forward, asserting that such game rules are normal, but is criticized for his "cold comfort." Player 7 intervenes, calming the group and suggesting they pair up as it's getting late. Player 7 and Xia Chi (Player 10) form a pair. Player 6 (male) and Player 9 (male) form another pair. The remaining three girls form a separate group.
Later that evening, Player 1 (female) approaches Xia Chi, regretting her participation, constantly fearing for her life. She claims she would sacrifice herself for the team if internal conflict arose. Xia Chi, however, distrusts her, speculating that if conflict erupts, the male players would likely form an alliance, leading to the probable elimination of all female players, who might then seek protection prematurely. He observes that everyone is looking out for themselves.
Early the next morning, Player 6 prepares a self-defense weapon, and Player 7 offers him a cup of water. Another player dies abnormally, found with a poison needle in the neck. Player 9 (male) discovers the body and swears he saw and heard nothing. When it's time for the two on duty, Player 9 gets up to find Player 7, but Player 6 suddenly collapses.
Player 7 speculates that the steel needle was fired by a weapon, its silence indicating it's a projectile weapon. Xia Chi counters that even projectile weapons have a range limit for accuracy and force, with ten meters being the maximum. Player 7 interrupts, suggesting the killer must be nearby and they should stay together, as acquiring proof of the killer's identity could end the game early.
Xia Chi agrees, also concluding that the killer is aggressive and not waiting for them to self-eliminate. By the seventh day, Player 9 (male) becomes extremely paranoid after Player 6's death, screaming that a squirrel is the killer and refusing to move. He shouts for the killer to reveal themselves, calling them a coward. Player 7 goes to the toilet. Soon after, Player 9 also suddenly declares he needs to go to the toilet.
A system prompt quickly announces another player's abnormal death: Player 9 has been killed. Player 7 cries, stating it was a close-range throwing knife. Xia Chi thinks of Bo Bian and sees a playing card, concluding that Bo Bian is indeed the killer. Player 7 suggests they all split up, believing the killer won't be able to find them all within seven days. She and her team head in the opposite direction.
From his separate location, Bo Bian looks at his phone, which displays the "perfect dead body shape," and ominously says, "Little darling, wait for me." After Player 7 leaves alone, Xia Chi contemplates the vastness of the game's available space. He realizes the killer could have killed Player 7 but didn't, inferring a system rule that limits the killer to one kill per day. As night falls, the cold night feels desolate to the group.
Xia Chi instructs the other girls to sleep while he stands guard, devising a plan to lure Bo Bian into killing. In the early morning, Player 3 (female) and Player 4 (female) go to the toilet. Player 3 is gagged with a towel over her mouth and nose, while Player 4 is knocked unconscious with a wooden stick. When Xia Chi and another girl wake up, they only find Player 4, who has purple lips, indicating poisoning. Xia Chi deduces that Player 3 must have been kidnapped by the killer, ensuring the killer doesn't exceed their one-kill-per-day quota.
Episode 9 Recap
In a game where the team was reduced to Xia Chi and Number One, Xia Chi finally realized that the true killer was not Number Eleven, but Number Seven. They had mistakenly assumed that players One through Ten constituted the survival team and Number Eleven was the killer, a notion the system had never confirmed. Number Eleven was merely a lone player, and the real murderer had been lurking among them all along.
Xia Chi's reasoning was based on two points: First, the system sound and Number Nine's scream occurred simultaneously. Number Six's poisoning was identical to Number Four's, suggesting Number Six's actual cause of death wasn't the poison needle found, but rather a pre-administered poison. Xia Chi recalled Number Seven handing water to Number Six, concluding Number Seven must have poisoned the water, leading to Number Six's death by poisoning.
Upon hearing the scream, Number Seven immediately rushed to Number Six and, amidst the chaos, inserted the poison needle into his neck. Second, Number Nine, despite being timid, suddenly offered to go to the restroom alone because Number Seven had secretly slipped him a note. The note instructed Number Nine to leave the team for a small grove, where he would receive additional weapons.
Number Seven's departure was driven by her desire to win the game, which required finding Number Eleven. Xia Chi believed that if Number Seven successfully subdued Number Eleven, their chances of victory would be minuscule. Xia Chi and Number One were at a loss. Looking at the poisoned Number Four, Xia Chi realized there was still a slim possibility: Number Four's survival was key. As long as Number Four remained alive, Number Seven would not dare to kill indiscriminately.
If Number Four could survive the day, Number Seven would violate the game rule of "one person dies per day." Meanwhile, Number Seven was resting against a tree when a playing card flew towards her. Number Eleven, Bo Bian, appeared with a playful attitude, declaring that meeting him meant her death. Number Three, who was present, shouted for Number Eleven to kill Number Seven. However, Bo Bian killed Number Three instead, simply because she was noisy.
After the killing, Number Eleven even took a photograph of Number Three. Number Seven was severely frightened, calling Bo Bian a pervert. Due to game rules, Bo Bian could not physically harm Number Seven, so he merely told her to "keep it up." At this moment, the system announced a player's abnormal death. Xia Chi saw this as their opportunity to win. Number Seven, cursing Bo Bian, took out her locator and listener.
In the listener, Xia Chi feigned fear and pretended to leave with Number One. Consequently, Number Seven returned to Number Four's location. However, Xia Chi and Number One were waiting for her there. Xia Chi exposed the identity of Number Three. Number Three, seeing she was exposed, told Xia Chi and Number One they had guessed one thing wrong: Number Three (the victim) was not killed by her.
Just then, Bo Bian arrived, affectionately calling Xia Chi "little darling," and revealed a secret: he himself had killed Number Three (the victim). He declared that he wouldn't let these "wastes" prevent him and Xia Chi from being together, which infuriated Xia Chi. At this moment, Number Four died, foaming at the mouth. Since players could not attack the killer, Number One shouted, attempting to perish with Number Three (the exposed player).
Number Three picked up a wooden stick, intending to strike Number One but did not follow through. Bo Bian suddenly pushed Number One from behind, leading to Number One's accidental death. Due to it being an accidental death, Number One was not considered eliminated.
The exposed Number Three then looked at Xia Chi and Bo Bian, telling them that if they intended to team up against her, they were free to do so; losing would simply mean going to the "Losing World" to see her parents. Xia Chi was stunned by her words.
He understood that winning this game meant enjoying wealth and glory in the "End Brain World," while losing meant returning to the "Original World," where points were invalid, and entering or exiting always required passing through a game hall. However, Xia Chi had not entered the game hall during his recent entries. This raised a crucial question: which world was real? Number Three relayed that some people believed both worlds were real and existed in parallel.
The "Winning World" was controlled by End Brain, while the "Original World" was established to recruit talents for the "Losing World." She added that these were all mere speculations. Bo Bian (Number Eleven) interjected, stating that all people were disgusting, and only "Xia Chi little cutie" was the cleanest and purest.
Xia Chi was deeply troubled, wondering if all of this was an illusion created by the End Brain organization, and if the "Losing World" was, in fact, the true world. Xia Chi decided to return to the real world. Upon making this decision, he revealed his personal identity, prompting Bo Bian to scream, calling him a "heartless man." The entire game then concluded. Xia Chi exited the game, passing through the game hall.
He went to the girls' dormitory; room 2609 was still not Qing Zhi's. Three weeks had passed since he entered the game. Was the Winning World truly real? But Meng Qin stated he had only spent a little over ten minutes in the game hall! The two went to eat at the cafeteria, and Xia Chi recounted the events to Meng Qin.
They discovered a time discrepancy: Xia Chi had spent a week in the game, yet three weeks had passed in their current reality, while Meng Qin had experienced only a little over ten minutes. Meng Qin complainingly stated he had only played three rounds of a mobile game. Xia Chi informed him that Meng Qin even had a girlfriend in that other world. Meng Qin then decided to enter the game with Xia Chi. On Saturday, the End Brain gate automatically opened.
Episode 10 Recap
Xia Chi and Meng Qin both entered the End Brain game. For Xia Chi, this was his fourth game, and his current balance was 15. 5 points. The Game Master (GM) announced his game's name as "RUNNING MAN Team Confrontation Match," which involved two teams. Each player was equipped with a navigator that displayed a map, with their current location marked as the starting point.
Xia Chi's teammates were Sun Panpan, a female player with a ponytail designated as number two, and Zhou Chen, a yellow-haired male wearing glasses who looked like a good student, designated as number one. The rules for this round were as follows: Both teams would start from opposite points (up and down). The first team to reach the opponent's starting position would win. If even one member of a team reached the destination, the entire team would be considered victorious.
The winning team would gain twenty points per person, while the losing team would lose five points per person. Each player's device contained a micro-bomb, which was not yet active, with a ten-minute countdown. The map showed that each smallest segment of distance was eight hundred meters. Additionally, "bright spots" on the map contained resetters. These resetters could reset a player's timer back to ten minutes, accommodate up to three players simultaneously, but could only be used once.
If neither team reached the destination, the game would restart. The formal game was set to begin fifteen minutes after these announcements. After hearing the rules and examining the map on the wall, Zhou Chen, a self-confessed math whiz and top student, quickly calculated the distances and routes, reporting each segment's length. Xia Chi and Sun Panpan were astonished by his speed. The three agreed that full cooperation was essential for this game.
They decided on a strategy where each would take one of three routes—left, center, or right. Their reasoning was that this approach would ensure all resetters were used, making it impossible for the opposing team to reach the destination, regardless of their chosen path. They believed that even if the opponents adopted the same strategy, it would at worst result in a mutual defeat and a restart, making it the safest option.
Sun Panpan, being a strong runner, volunteered for the longest, middle route, while Xia Chi and Zhou Chen took the side paths. The game then began, and all three ran with all their might. They reset their timers to ten minutes at each bright spot they passed. However, a strange occurrence happened: they reached their destination without encountering any opponents. As they wondered about this, the GM announced, "Recess time is over.
Stamina will now be fully restored, and the game area reset. This round's game will formally begin in fifteen minutes!" Their exhaustion vanished, and they felt fully refreshed. Zhou Chen surmised that this initial run was merely a warm-up to familiarize them with the field. Meanwhile, Meng Qin officially entered his first End Brain game challenge. He and other participants appeared on a ground composed of blocks. Among them, player number eight, Chu Yao, introduced himself as a male programmer.
Player number nine, Yan Xiao, a woman, introduced herself to Meng Qin. Remembering Xia Chi's advice, Meng Qin, designated as number five, gave a fake name, "Liang Qifan." The GM, in a casual manner, used a famous quote before explaining the rules for Meng Qin's game. Winning this game would grant five points, while losing would incur no penalty. The condition for victory was to "resurrect" through eighteen "Sky Falls."
The concept of "Sky Fall" involved the ceiling, also made of blocks, descending. Players had to move to corresponding glowing floor blocks, which were safe spots, to avoid being crushed into pulp and eliminated from the game. The first Sky Fall began, with voids appearing and corresponding glowing spots on the floor. All players successfully navigated the first two Sky Falls.
However, player number eight was eliminated during the third Sky Fall, and player number two suffered a broken leg in the fourth, leading to his elimination in the fifth Sky Fall. After the warm-up, Xia Chi's team entered the formal game. The three once again ran forward with great effort. Xia Chi, resetting his timer at a resetter location as before, heard an explosion. He then went to the A5 resetter, only to find it had already been used.
He proceeded to investigate the C4 resetter, but it too had been used. Subsequently, all three members of Xia Chi's team were killed by bombs. As a result, they failed the game, and each player was penalized five points.
Episode 11 Recap
In a game where draws result in a five-point deduction, three players realize that if neither their opponents nor they concede, they will be repeatedly penalized, leading to negative scores and eventual elimination. Recalling their previous route, they observe that the reset device indicated their opponents followed the same path. This confirmed the opponents' existence, as they would have been encountered unless they were hiding.
Puzzled why opponents would hide if it wasn't a killing game, the three decide their strategy for the current round should be to locate the opponents, ideally making contact or communicating with them. Sun Panpan proposes a plan: split into three routes, with Route A covering A3 and C4 to the map's center, Route C going through C1 and C2 to the right intersection of C2, and Route B stopping at B3.
The aim is to use nearby reset devices, secure their own safety, and then block the three right-side intersections to trap any opponent taking that path. The new round begins, and they proceed with Sun Panpan's plan. They reach their designated positions and wait, but once again, they encounter no one. Frustrated, they "explode in place," indicating failure, and the game ends. The arena resets, with the next round starting in fifteen minutes. Feeling dejected, the three summarize their findings.
Xia Chi speculates that the opponents exist but are not in the same physical space; rather, the reset devices are synchronized. He concludes that to win, they must break through the current impasse, run 1. 7 kilometers to use a reset device, understanding that if neither side yields, no one will win. Facing repeated deductions that would lead to negative scores and a more passive position, the three decide to concede.
They collectively take Route A, leaving Routes B and C open for their opponents. To prevent opponents from also taking Route A, they decide to leave A4 untouched, ensuring they have an alternate route. The game starts, and all three simultaneously take Route A, reaching A4 and waiting. This time, they still don't see any opponents, but they witness the charging cable automatically lifting and resetting, despite seeing nothing in front of them.
They "explode in place" again, failing the game and incurring another five-point deduction each. Even more disheartened, they realize they cannot even concede. If they lose the next round, they will be eliminated. Xia Chi ponders, recalling how they visibly observed the charging cable's synchronization. This suggests the opponents were indeed present but invisible and intangible. He notes that while they exploded, the opponents visibly exploded later but were declared failures immediately upon the protagonists returning to the starting point.
Xia Chi reconsiders his initial theory of a synchronized space, concluding it was incorrect. The true explanation, he believes, is that their opponents are virtual humans, also players, and specifically, virtual versions of themselves. He asks his teammates to remember their first warm-up, which involved virtualizing themselves. Xia Chi ultimately devises a new strategy: while running 2. 9 kilometers in ten minutes is too difficult, 2. 4 kilometers is potentially achievable. The breakthrough, he decides, must come from Route A.
Concurrently, Meng Qin faces the ninth "sky collapse" in his first game. The ceiling falls with increased speed and intensity. Subsequently, the individual blocks they stand on begin to separate. One female student loses her footing, falls, and is eliminated, leaving only five players in the game. The tenth sky collapse begins, and as everyone frantically flees, Meng Qin considers that the appearance of safe spots must follow a discernible pattern.
By the twelfth sky collapse, the safe beams become scarcer, and the collapse speed accelerates. By the fifteenth sky collapse, only three players remain in his game. Before the critical round, Zhou Chen (No. 1), Xia Chi (No. 2), and Sun Panpan (No. 3) shake hands, formally acknowledging each other as "comrades in life and death."
Xia Chi's strategy is twofold: first, Sun Panpan must conserve maximum physical stamina, and second, they must seize A5, with Xia Chi carrying Sun Panpan to A5 to minimize her energy expenditure. Once Zhou Chen reaches A5, his task is to hide the charging cable to obstruct the virtual humans. The game begins. Zhou Chen, mid-route, stumbles and falls.
Exhausted, he struggles to get up, tears welling in his eyes as he recalls painful memories from his past: several boys bullying him, cornering him in a stairwell, mocking his studiousness, and forcing him to wear a skirt. These bitter memories ignite his indignation and fighting spirit. He shouts, determined to show them who the real man is, vowing to not only overcome himself but also to win against everyone else.
Zhou Chen rises again, reaches A5, and yanks off the cable to block the virtual humans. Xia Chi, carrying Sun Panpan, finally arrives at A5. Zhou Chen "explodes in place." Xia Chi also collapses to the ground. Sun Panpan plugs in the cable to reset the time, then, with tears in her eyes, runs the remaining 2. 4 kilometers. At this moment, Xia Chi also "explodes in place." As the sixteenth sky collapse begins, Meng Qin has by now deciphered its pattern, allowing him to move preemptively.
Episode 12 Recap
In a perilous game where the "sky fell," Meng Qin executed a last-second jump to a designated square, his clothes tearing to reveal his muscles. The other two participants deemed his move extremely dangerous, but Meng Qin confidently stated he had discerned the pattern: the square behind Player Six was the final safe spot. They confirmed his observation that each fall reduced the number of safe squares, leaving only two for the next round.
Player Six and Player Three, who were originally brothers, turned against each other, neither willing to exit the game. Player Six feigned an offer to cede the safe spot to Player Three but then brutally pushed him off the square while "entrusting" him. Meng Qin criticized Player Six's lack of ethics, accusing him of hypocrisy.
Player Six, in turn, mocked Meng Qin, prompting Meng Qin to ponder whether Player Six's perspective held some truth and how he and Xia Chi would act in a similar situation. During the ultimate "sky fall," Meng Qin leaped to the central position, successfully fooling Player Six, who believed his own spot was safe and was consequently eliminated. The crucial element of this game was the ground patterns.
From the tenth round onward, the pattern formed by the previous fall indicated the next safe location. Each safe spot was a combination of patterns from two earlier safe points. By the seventeenth "sky fall," the "complete pattern" that should have been derived from two safe points proved nonexistent, suggesting an undiscovered pillar marked with a pattern. According to the pattern convention, patterns became more complete towards the center, implying a hidden central pillar bearing a complete pattern.
However, as a complete pattern was absent from the ground, and escape routes were seemingly random, it was clear the game was designed to disorient players and was rife with traps. The game concluded with the GM announcing Player Five (Meng Qin) as the victor, with an account balance of five points and a B-rank evaluation. Meng Qin later found himself back in a dormitory, indistinguishable from the real world, causing him to question if this was the "Win World."
He tested the reality by slapping himself, yelping in pain. At that moment, Jia Li, a computer science student, entered the dormitory and smiled at him. Concurrently, during the "last strategy implementation" of another game, Sun Panpan was running with all his might, his body sore and weak, feeling on the verge of collapsing. He ran mechanically, recalling how he was once mocked on the track.
His coach had bluntly told him to relinquish his spot in the city sports meet, despite Sun Panpan having won the tryouts. The coach claimed his victory was a fluke, his performance too unstable, and he lacked talent for running, advising him to pursue another path. Sun Panpan, however, loved running and pleaded for one more chance. The coach refused any reprieve and tore off his number. Weeping, Sun Panpan resolved to complete the remaining 2.
4 kilometers for himself, even if it was his last race. Just then, Xia Chi and Zhou Chen arrived at the finish line, cheering him on with twenty seconds remaining. A wave of warmth filled Sun Panpan's chest, and his nose stung with emotion, moved by his teammates' support. He stumbled and fell but struggled to his feet, reminding himself that someone was waiting for him at the finish line.
He finally staggered across the finish line in the nick of time. This round was a victory, earning each participant twenty points. Sun Panpan tearfully thanked Xia Chi and Zhou Chen for their encouragement. The trio shook hands, exchanging farewells. Xia Chi earned five points in this round, receiving an A-rank evaluation, bringing his account balance to 20. 5 points, and was in the process of exiting the game.
Xia Chi subsequently arrived in the "Win World," where Qing Zhi and others awaited him at an amusement park. Observing Qing Zhi's smile, Xia Chi wondered if the "Win World" version of her was genuine. Meng Qin, using the excuse of buying things, drew Xia Chi aside. It was then that Xia Chi realized this was the real Meng Qin. They high-fived, and Xia Chi congratulated Meng Qin on passing the "newbie trial."
Meng Qin shared that Jia Li had become very clingy after he exited the game, a "sweet burden." They pondered the fate of the "Win World" Meng Qin—did he simply vanish upon the real Meng Qin's arrival? They were perplexed about who controlled this "evil game."
Meng Qin, considering how to spend his earnings, used his card to rent the entire amusement park, leading to a sweet date for the four of them (Meng Qin, Jia Li, Xia Chi, and Qing Zhi), who enjoyed all the attractions. Jia Li presented Meng Qin with a bracelet and personally fastened it on his wrist. The amusement park had just introduced a new challenge, testing companions'tacit understanding: five cards, each with a positive integer, lay on a table.
Two players were to choose one card each, and their product had to be eight or sixteen. Explicit or implicit communication was forbidden. The game was won by correctly guessing the other player's number; failure resulted in a drop tower penalty. The time limit was ten minutes. On the drop tower, Meng Qin, who suffered from acrophobia, screamed in terror. With their shared intuition, Meng Qin and Xia Chi quickly won the game.
They explained their winning strategy: for the product to be eight or sixteen, there were only five possible numbers: one, two, four, eight, or sixteen. First, Xia Chi stated he didn't know his number, which eliminated sixteen as a possibility for him. Meng Qin also stated he didn't know his number, eliminating sixteen for himself. Second, Xia Chi still didn't know his number, which ruled out one as a possibility for him.
At this point, Meng Qin, seeing the number he held, instinctively knew Xia Chi's number was two. As they left the amusement park, fireworks lit the sky. Qing Zhi took Xia Chi's hand and rested her head on his shoulder, and they smiled at each other. Qing Zhi's family arrived to pick her up, and she bade Xia Chi goodnight before leaving. Suddenly, Chun Xuxiang ran over and embraced Xia Chi's shoulder, exclaiming that she missed him.
Xia Chi quickly clarified that Chun Xuxiang was his cousin, as Qing Zhi and Jia Li departed. Chun Xuxiang had sought them out to discuss game matters. She had heard that a player challenged "Duan Nao" (the game's central system) in the previous game. To challenge Duan Nao, one had to achieve "high-level player" status. Although Chun Xuxiang had accumulated enough points, her evaluation score was still too low to qualify. She believed this "Duan Nao" challenge was a critical step, but they didn't know any high-level players. Meng Qin then recalled a formidable expert they knew: Bo Bian.
Episode 13 Recap
Driven by his determination to rescue Qing Zhi and uncover the true nature of a "pervert," Xia Chi sets out to find Bo Bian, accompanied by Meng Qin and Chun Xuxiang. Chun Xuxiang confidently states she possesses an "all-purpose bodyguard map" that allows her to locate anyone she wishes. The following day, the trio arrives at "Little Bo's Secluded Garden," where they are startled to find Bo Bian affectionately kissing his pet dog, Benben.
Bo Bian initially claims the establishment belongs to a friend and he's merely passing through, but upon realizing their disbelief, he drops the pretense. He then taunts Xia Chi, questioning if he would still love him as always after Xia Chi's "betrayal." The trio proceeds to question Bo Bian. Their first inquiry concerns Qing Zhi, a new player, being assigned an "old card."
Bo Bian explains that he encountered a girl, clearly a novice, in the game lobby who was forcefully pulled into a game. He identified her card as an "old card" because it was extremely thin, almost imperceptible from the side, a "2D card." Xia Chi internally notes that manufacturing such a 2D card in a 3D timeline would be virtually impossible. Bo Bian clarifies that these 2D cards are held by advanced players.
When Xia Chi asks how to become an advanced player, Bo Bian responds that players can only be chosen; the "End Brain" will reveal it naturally when it deems a player capable of completing advanced challenges. Xia Chi further inquires about special training missions for advanced players, to which Bo Bian replies that such information involves End Brain's top secrets, and he would be punished for disclosing it.
Meng Qin then raises questions about the discrepancy between game time and reality time. Bo Bian explains the system comprises three time-spaces and two time alignment rules.
The three time-spaces are: first, ""Differential Time-Space"", where games occur, and time can speed up or slow down, meaning days in the game might pass in mere seconds in reality; second, ""Waiting Time-Space"", encompassing the game lobby and black screen waiting areas, where time passes very slowly, so a few seconds there could translate to several days in the real world; and third, ""Constant Time-Space"", the most normal space where time progresses synchronously between both realities.
The two time alignment rules are: first, every game commences and concludes on a Saturday, with only one game played per Saturday. Second, after each game, players receive six hours of free rest time. Players who purchase additional rest time can then live for seven days in the "Win World." Those who do not purchase rest time enter a seven-day black screen waiting period, which, to the individual, feels like only a few seconds.
During this conversation, Jia Li is secretly monitoring them through a bracelet she had given to Meng Qin. Meng Qin continues by asking if Qing Zhi would also have waited a week if Xia Chi had waited that long before his second game. At this point, Bo Bian's demeanor abruptly changes. He chokes Xia Chi, forcing him to choose between death or playing a game against him.
Bo Bian specifies that if Xia Chi wins their one-on-one duel, he will not only gain Bo Bian's points but also receive all the answers he seeks. Conversely, if Xia Chi loses, Bo Bian desires nothing but Xia Chi's life. Xia Chi expresses that he does not want to fight Bo Bian in a one-on-one challenge.
Just then, Meng Qin intervenes by grabbing Bo Bian's pet dog, Benben, which Bo Bian refers to as his "son," and threatens to throw it to its death. Bo Bian is compelled to release Xia Chi, lovingly picking up Benben with evident distress. Simultaneously, an external system voice announces that a threat to its client (Bo Bian) has been detected, initiating a protection protocol.
From her listening post, Jia Li announces to her accomplices that she has made an important discovery regarding the time issues both within and outside the game. Xia Chi and Meng Qin return to their dormitory, where Qing Zhi expresses great concern for Xia Chi. Xia Chi reflects on Qing Zhi, recalling the "old Qing Zhi" who was always guarded, timid, and somewhat distant.
He remembers not even being certain if she was truly his girlfriend, nor had he ever held her hand, yet he cherished that version of her, believing she was the "true Qing Zhi," a girl he loved without needing a reason. While the "current Qing Zhi" is also kind, she is almost too perfect, making her feel like a dream, unreal. Xia Chi resolves to become an advanced player.
He declares his intention to enter the game and return with the qualifications of an advanced player. Xia Chi rushes to the End Brain entrance and shouts, "End Brain, I want to enter the game and become an advanced player! Do you hear me, End Brain!" The End Brain quickly responds, stating that his request has been noted and an advanced player challenge has been arranged. It then asks if he wishes to participate.
Xia Chi confirms his participation, noting his account balance is 20. 5 points, and the game is set to begin immediately. The game is a role-playing game titled "Agatha's Dinner." The story unfolds in an abandoned villa, where the owner has invited twelve guests of diverse identities for a dinner party. However, among these twelve, an impostor killer, a "virtual person," has infiltrated. The objective is to identify this virtual person within seven days.
If the virtual person is successfully identified, all players gain 10 points; otherwise, they lose 10 points. The game fails if the number of players drops to four and the virtual person has not yet been found. Voting rights become available at the start of each daily dinner. Any player can initiate a vote, and other players cast their votes by a show of hands. A simple majority (over half) is required for a vote to pass.
If the player who is voted out is indeed the virtual person, the game concludes. If the voted player is not the virtual person, they are simply kicked out of the game. A friendly reminder is given that players' clothing is relevant to their respective identities, and they are encouraged to fully embody their roles. The Game Master informs Xia Chi that this is his exclusive advanced player qualification match.
In this game, Xia Chi will act as an assistant to the virtual person. If the other players win, Xia Chi will be deducted 30 points. Conversely, if the other players fail, Xia Chi will be awarded 30 points.
Episode 14 Recap
Among the twelve players, Number One is a ten-year-old girl. The little girl has an eidetic memory and can recite the entire Encyclopaedia Britannica. She explains that Agatha is a famous British novelist. Number Two is an actor, Number Four is a sociology professor at a university, Number Five is covered in jewelry and is a wealthy lady, Number Eight is a postman, Number Nine is a dancer, and Number Eleven, Xia Chi, is a student.
Everyone’s identity is roughly similar to their real one, while the identities of the remaining few are hard to determine based on their clothing. The villa assigns rooms to everyone according to their numbers, and the players return to their rooms to rest. For Xia Chi, one-against-ten is a harsh test. The GM tells Xia Chi that the virtual person is generated randomly from the player database—whether it is a burden or a divine helper, even the GM doesn’t know.
Xia Chi grits his teeth in anger. The long-awaited dinner begins. At the table, Number Ten says he has a way, telling everyone to follow his lead in future votes. Using the method of elimination, some players raise their hands because they’ve met others in previous rounds. Seven people are eliminated at once. Just as Xia Chi starts to panic, Number Seven suddenly says he also knows Number Eleven, Xia Chi.
This leaves only three people—Numbers Five, Six, and Twelve—as suspects. Following Number Four’s suggestion, they must begin with the ones whose identities are least clear. A public vote is initiated against Number Twelve. Everyone raises their hand; Number Twelve turns out to be a player, and the game continues. After the announcement, Number Twelve turns into black smoke and disappears. Next, Number Eight initiates a vote against Number Five.
Number Five repeatedly defends herself, saying she is the CEO of the Xiaguang Group and impossible to be a virtual person. Number Ten clearly knows Number Five, but because their companies are competitors, he still raises his hand. Thus, Number Five is eliminated; her identity is a player. Number Eight wants to start another vote, but Number Six objects. Number Six says that in past games, it’s normal for players to know each other, but it’s rare.
Now, out of twelve people, nine claim to know someone—this proportion is too high. This proves one thing: among them, there must be people who do not actually know each other. The only suspect is the one who reveals who is lying. Number Six instructs all those who claim to know each other to write down, using pen and paper, the details of their last encounters and information about themselves—even just a number tag is fine.
As long as the accounts of two people match, it proves they are telling the truth. No one is allowed to talk. The GM informs Xia Chi that the virtual person is Number Seven, sitting right across from him. Xia Chi’s heart races—he didn’t expect the reveal to come so quickly. At this moment, four people admit they lied. Xia Chi is about to admit it as well, but Number Seven suddenly declares he did not lie.
Xia Chi snaps his gaze toward Number Seven. In the end, Xia Chi bets that Number Seven is thinking the same as he is. The results come out: Numbers Nine and One wrote very detailed accounts, Numbers Three and Eight wrote simple ones, but Number Six finds no issues. Lastly, Number Seven and Number Eleven both wrote that they were in an enclosed space searching for a demon, facing a single opponent.
Although Numbers Six and Four clearly harbor doubts, Number Four still says he finds no problems. Six people are cleared of suspicion. Dinner ends. On the first day, Xia Chi nearly got pushed out of the game. Still shaken, he stands on the rooftop. Number Seven invites Xia Chi inside to talk. Xia Chi scolds him for being too aggressive. Number Seven says he will do his best to cooperate with Xia Chi to survive.
Based on the information he has, Xia Chi is someone who dares to take action—thus his aggressiveness. Xia Chi, helpless, explains things and then proposes a plan: there are three alliances on the field—the One-Nine alliance, the Three-Eight alliance—and they will assume these pairs are fine for now. So the task for the two of them is to win their support.
Next are Numbers Two, Four, Six, and Ten: Number Two is an actor and not a threat; Number Six, the detective uncle, is the most dangerous person on the field; Number Ten pushed Number Five out even though he knew she wasn’t a virtual person, showing no sense of the bigger picture—if Xia Chi calls for a vote against Number Ten, no one would find it unreasonable. Leaving Number Seven’s room, Xia Chi encounters Numbers Six and Four.
Xia Chi admits he went to Number Seven’s room and discussed voting out Number Ten. Number Four agrees to vote against Number Ten, but expresses slight suspicion toward Xia Chi. Number Six says he is willing to trust Number Eleven. After dealing with the two, Xia Chi returns to his room. At this moment, he hears a scream. Xia Chi rushes to Number One’s room to check on her.
Number One opens the door, wiping her tears, telling Xia Chi that she can never forget the deaths she sees in the game; she keeps having nightmares. Xia Chi tells her a bedtime story. Number One quietly falls asleep. Looking at the little girl’s peaceful sleeping face, Xia Chi can’t help but wonder: when the final moment comes, is he still the person Qing Zhi holds in her heart? Betrayal, conspiracy, and killing are the true horrors of this game. Will it take long before he becomes like that—someone who wouldn’t even blink after killing a person?
Episode 15 Recap
In the morning, Xia Chi encountered #4 and #6, who observed him keenly. #1, Xue Yuqiu, then greeted #11 and introduced herself, with Xia Chi promising to tell her stories daily. #6, though seemingly peculiar, was acutely observant and forthright, making him a difficult opponent. To alleviate #6's suspicions, Xia Chi revealed his reason for entering the game: to save his girlfriend, Qing Zhi, and explained her situation.
#6 analyzed that Qing Zhi might be trapped in a "dead end" game, unable to win or lose, causing her game time to be indefinitely prolonged. He suggested that the game's actual target might be Xia Chi, not Qing Zhi. #6 reassured Xia Chi that if his theory was correct and he was caught in a predefined trap, Qing Zhi would be safe if Xia Chi achieved the objectives set by "Endbrain." If he failed, she would "vanish."
#6 noted that Endbrain's objectives would surely be very challenging. #6 had initially suspected Xia Chi was a virtual person but now believed he was not. The highly anticipated dinner party began, with #4 presenting two test questions. The first described a conservative, shy, helpful, detail-oriented Mr. Luo, uninterested in the real world or others' private lives, who preferred order and structure, asking for his most likely profession from options A. Farmer, B. Librarian, C. Fighter Pilot, D. Government Official.
The second was a calculation problem involving interest rates. Xia Chi immediately realized these questions were designed for virtual persons, not for any "Scheme #10." He argued the questions were meaningless, unnecessarily increasing suspicion among innocent players, and were vague (e. g. , not specifying annual or monthly interest for the calculation).
He also pointed out that if the question setter was a virtual person, they could continuously issue tests to eliminate official players without being subject to the assessment themselves. The other players largely agreed and opposed #4's proposal. Xia Chi then demanded #4 write down her intent for the questions, as this loophole could be exploited by virtual persons. #4 eventually complied.
After everyone submitted their answers, #4 explained her reasoning: Virtual persons, as artificial intelligences, possess strong calculation abilities but weak logical divergent thinking. Therefore, she believed the "correct" answer to the first question was A. Farmer, as a person's personality doesn't necessarily correlate with their profession, expecting virtual persons to answer all questions correctly due to rigid logic. Xia Chi, however, secretly anticipated #7 would get the first question wrong.
The results were then announced: #2 got all questions wrong, while #6, #11, and #1 got all right. The remaining five players got the first question wrong and the second correct. Observing that the results proved nothing definitive, #10 initiated a public vote against #4. With a vote of eight to two, the motion passed, and #4 was eliminated. At this point, #6 realized the truth.
He strongly suspected #11 and #7 were virtual persons, believing that Xia Chi's questions to #4 were a diversion, intended to mislead others into thinking like virtual persons. As suspicion turned towards Xia Chi, he desperately sought a solution, ultimately appealing to human nature. Xia Chi sarcastically challenged #6, asking if #6 truly believed that #3, #9, #8, and #10 couldn't have solved a simple math problem without his intervention.
Offended by the implication of their incompetence, other players rose in protest against #6. #8 argued that #6 was isolated and now the primary suspect, adding that if #11 and #7 were eliminated as #6 suggested, only seven players would remain. Since the game ended with four, this strategy seemed to benefit the virtual persons. Xia Chi then defended #6, expressing his belief that #6 was not a virtual person.
He confessed to #6 that he was terrified of losing and couldn't afford it, for reasons #6 understood, and asked if #6 still wanted to risk accusing #7. #6 eventually withdrew his accusation against #7. #1 also spoke up, stating her belief that Xia Chi was not a bad person. The dinner party concluded, with Xia Chi internally reflecting that if #6 were voted out next, he would surely be the subsequent target.
After the dinner, and having told a bedtime story, #6 acknowledged Xia Chi's good performance but maintained his suspicion. #6 elaborated on why Xia Chi could not be a virtual person: an omnipotent logical reasoning system for AI has not yet been created, citing AlphaGo's specialized intelligence. He argued that human knowledge is vast and unstructured, acquired over decades, with actions based on knowledge rather than abstract principles.
For instance, Xia Chi, despite his intellect, couldn't perform mathematical calculations if he hadn't learned math. Virtual persons, by contrast, possess highly structured knowledge reserves, confirming Xia Chi's humanity in #6's eyes, even though his actions appeared to be covering for #7. Xia Chi countered that if #7 were an AI, #7 couldn't have fabricated the story of their acquaintance, as lying would be too complex a program.
#6, with a slight smile, pondered the immense power of the Endbrain organization if they were indeed facing such an advanced AI. #6, who held three science degrees and was adept at reasoning, expressed admiration for Xia Chi's skill in leveraging human weaknesses to alter the situation. Xia Chi internally wondered if Ji Lu, a mystery novelist, was as brave or even more capable than #6.
#6 further noted that, like high-end chatbots, AIs provide the same answer to the same question, lacking the logical reasoning and adaptability of humans. Humans, he stressed, are adaptable. The two expressed enjoyment of their conversation. #6 suggested that he would set the next set of questions, thus hiding #7 for another round.
Later, Xia Chi proposed to #10 that they vote out #8 and #3, describing them as naive individuals who seemed to enjoy chaos and would vote for anyone. Eliminating them would simplify the situation, leaving #2, #7, and #9. #10 agreed to join this plan. Xia Chi then approached #2 with the same suggestion, but #2 simply smiled and left. When the next dinner time arrived, Xia Chi announced a new plan he had devised overnight. However, he faced betrayal: #11 had formed an alliance with other players, and #2 initiated a public vote against #11.
Episode 16 Recap
Xia Chi believed that artificial intelligence, like advanced chatbots, could only provide one answer to a question, lacking logical reasoning and adaptability, unlike humans. He met with Player 7, deciding that he would set the questions for the current round and Player 7 would be hidden from voting for one round. The next day, Xia Chi proposed an alliance, suggesting to Player 10 to vote out Players 8 and 3. Player 10 agreed.
Xia Chi then approached Player 2 with the same suggestion; Player 2 merely smiled and left. During dinner, Xia Chi presented his plan, but was immediately betrayed. Players 2 and 10 promptly accused Player 11 of forming alliances and initiated a public vote against Player 11. Players 2, 6, and 10 raised their hands, with Player 2 urging Players 3 and 8 to do the same, but they did not.
With only three votes, the public vote failed, and the game continued. Xia Chi then revealed his true strategy: his actual targets were the "friendless" Players 2, 6, and 10. He posed a simple question: "What color is a potato?" (using two different Chinese terms for potato). He explained that a human would consider the questioner's intent and intentionally give different answers, while a virtual person would not.
Players 2 and 10 submitted identical answers, "brown," while Player 6's answer, "same as above," was more human-like. This made Players 2 and 10 the prime suspects. Player 5 immediately attacked Player 2, calling her a "wobbler" and asserting she must be a virtual person. Xia Chi initiated a public vote against Player 2, which passed with a result of 7-2, eliminating Player 2. The game continued. All eyes turned to Player 10.
Xia Chi initiated a public vote against Player 10, which passed with a result of 6-2, eliminating Player 10. It was revealed that Xia Chi's group, along with Player 8 and another party, had formed a secret alliance. Player 8 had approached Xia Chi earlier, noting the game's inefficiency and suggesting the questions were a facade. They suspected Players 2, 6, and 10.
Xia Chi's tactic had been to approach Players 2, 6, and 10 for alliances; he reasoned that virtual people would react distinctly in a public vote, either by counter-voting or remaining silent to protect themselves, whereas normal players would react consistently. The potato question served as the actual test. With Players 2 and 10 eliminated, the remaining players were largely divided into four factions.
Xia Chi identified Player 6 as the genuine problem but decided to temporarily disregard him due to his single vote. His new plan was to leverage the current stable alliances to vote out Players 1 and 9. Xia Chi again visited Player 7, stating they had no immediate plan and needed to "wait and see" as their recent activity likely drew attention. At the next dinner, Xia Chi hoped the game would soon conclude.
Player 9 stepped forward to set a question, explaining that virtual people have companions and might simulate individuals they know, so only each player could judge their own companion. Player 9, as the question-setter, did not participate; the question was directed at Players 3, 8, 11, and 7. Players 3 and 8 wrote "not possible," while Players 11 and 7 wrote "possible." Player 9 stated that virtual people would strive to eliminate suspicion, unlike normal voters.
He then initiated a public vote against Players 3 and 8, but Player 1 disagreed. The vote resulted in 3-3, failing to pass. Player 9 then revealed that only the virtual team would want this vote to be deemed "reasonable," and that this public vote itself was part of the question. He concluded that Players 7 and 11 were the true virtual people.
Xia Chi felt despair, understanding this feeling of awaiting death, knowing that if he died, Qing Zhi would also die. He rapidly processed how Player 9 could devise such a brilliant move, concluding it must have come from Player 1, "Xiao Xue." He reasoned that Player 1 had approached him to gain his trust and lower his guard, then used Player 9 as a helper due to her youth making her less convincing directly.
Xia Chi believed Player 1 had chosen a "pig teammate" in Player 9. Xia Chi warned everyone of the consequences: if he and Player 7 were pushed out, only two teams plus Player 6 would remain, leading to a perpetual 2v2 deadlock, with Player 6 losing any real choice. He then accused Player 1 of consistently "following votes" to incite conflict and having two contingency plans.
He argued that if her first voting plan had succeeded, she wouldn't have presented a second one. He also questioned her "photographic memory," suggesting she might be a robot. Xia Chi accused Player 1 of trying to get "him" and Player 7 eliminated. He then initiated a public vote against Player 1, which passed 4-3, eliminating Player 1. Xia Chi then initiated a public vote against Player 9.
Player 6 opposed, stating that voting out Player 9 would lead to the same situation as before. Player 6 also mentioned that Player 9 had known Player 2 from the start of the game and "liked" Player 2. Xia Chi proposed that if the "referee" made an error, the decision-making power should be entrusted to Player 6, expressing confidence that Player 6 would lead them to victory. Player 6 then raised his hand.
The public vote passed, identifying Player 9 as a "player," and the game continued. With five players remaining, Xia Chi approached Player 6 and subtly winked, a gesture noticed by Players 3 and 8. This made Players 3 and 8 suspect that virtual people and their accomplices were not necessarily in the same group, and that Players 6 and 11 were the actual virtual companions. Xia Chi then intentionally stated that Player 7 was the virtual person, but stopped mid-sentence.
Player 11 then pointed out that Player 6 was not raising his hand. A subsequent public vote of 4-1 passed, resulting in the failure of the "team players" (implicitly Xia Chi's alliance) in this round. The game ended. Xia Chi was awarded 30 points, an A-rank, and his account balance became 50. 5 points, granting him Advanced Player status. He was then transferred to the game administrator.
Advanced Player privileges included automatic seven days of rest without point consumption, the ability to choose to enter the "Win World" or "Lose World" (with "Win World" as default), and the right to meet with an administrator during rest periods. Administrators were obliged to answer all player questions and satisfy reasonable requests, provided no special secrecy was required.
Advanced Players had to choose their game mode before each round: "Normal Game" (matching advanced players), "Low-Level Game" (matching normal players, but without points or evaluation for the Advanced Player), or "Skip This Round" (to continue resting). Xia Chi also received an Advanced End Brain Card with specific commands: "Kata" to instantly return the card to his hand, and "Ilva" to open the End Brain Mall. The command to close the mall was not specified.
The language of these commands, the creator of the End Brain game, and its purpose were all secrets, which could be revealed for 50 points by undertaking a challenge to the End Brain. Xia Chi's final question to the administrator was whether Qing Zhi was still alive. He was shown that she was. He also learned about an optional task: the "Ring of Cooperation" from the "Labyrinth of Lies" scenario, an item he needed.
He then returned to the castle to complete this optional task. By expending 50 points to read archives, he could load a save and return to the original mission scenario to restart the game, needing to find Chun Xuxiang and Bo Bian. A message from "HQ" repeated: "Player Xia Chi did not accept final mission, repeat."
Episode 17 Recap
Xia Chi deliberately claimed to be a virtual person but suddenly paused mid-sentence. This abrupt stop led players No. 3 and No. 8 to conclude that he was a robot. No. 3 and No. 8 publicly voted for No. 11, and No. 7 also raised his hand. Xia Chi, after smiling at No. 6, then cast his own vote.
The GM announced that No. 11 was identified as a player, and with a 4-1 vote, the public vote passed, resulting in the team players' failure and the game's conclusion. Xia Chi emerged victorious in this round, earning 30 points and an A-grade evaluation, bringing his account balance to 50. 5 points. He subsequently achieved Senior Player status and was transferred to the game administrator.
Upon arriving at the game lobby, Xia Chi learned the new rules and received a new game card for Senior Players. Senior Players automatically receive a seven-day rest period after a game, during which no points are consumed, and they can freely choose to enter the "Win World" or "Lose World," with "Win World" as the default. During this rest period, Senior Players can request to meet with an administrator at any time.
The administrator is obligated to answer all player questions and fulfill reasonable requests, provided no special secrecy is required. Since Senior Players and ordinary players participate in separate games, a choice must be made before each game begins: first, select a "normal game" to be matched with other Senior Players; second, select a "low-level game" to be matched with ordinary players, but this game will not count for points or evaluation; or third, skip the current game and continue resting.
The Senior End Brain card introduced new commands: "Kata," which makes the card swiftly return to the player's hand, and "Iruwa," which allows the player to open or close the End Brain Mall. Xia Chi inquired with the female attendant in the game lobby about the language of these commands, the creator of the End Brain game, and its purpose.
He was informed that these were all secrets, and probing secrets cost 50 points to participate in a "challenge End Brain" game, after which all questions would be answered. Xia Chi did not immediately accept the challenge. He asked if Qing Zhi was still alive. The female robot displayed an image of Qing Zhi behind a wall, confirming her survival. Qing Zhi was located in the "Ring of Partnership" game, an optional task within the "Labyrinth of Lies."
Xia Chi resolved to return to the castle to complete the "Ring of Partnership." He was informed that loading the archive would cost 50 points, a sum he agreed to spend to return to the original task scene and restart the game. The prerequisite for this was to locate Chun Xuxiang and Bo Bian. After Xia Chi left, the female robot reported to headquarters that player Xia Chi had not accepted the final task.
Returning to the Win World, Xia Chi sought help from Chun Xuxiang, who had recently obtained a 2D card and 20 points, to load the archive and return to the castle. Chun Xuxiang was reluctant, questioning Qing Zhi's worth and warning Xia Chi that he risked losing himself if he failed. Despite her reservations, Chun Xuxiang agreed to accompany him to save Qing Zhi. Xia Chi then approached Bo Bian for assistance, offering a one-on-one duel as an exchange.
The duel's terms stipulated that if Xia Chi won, Bo Bian would help him; if Xia Chi lost, Bo Bian would personally kill him. This mission was urgent not only for Qing Zhi but also because Bo Bian himself was in danger. The cost for this was 50 points to read the archive, return to the Labyrinth of Lies lobby, and restart the "Ring of Partnership" task. Meanwhile, Meng Qin was engaged in a game to access the "End Hall."
The path to the End Hall featured a large gate with a coin slot. The game's rule stated that the more coins inserted, the higher the chance of opening the gate, with each coin increasing the probability by two percent. Fifty-three coins were on the table, and the goal was to win as many as possible. Players would propose allocation schemes in sequence, followed by a general vote.
A majority agreement would end the game with the player winning, while a minority or half agreement would mean failure and player elimination. Meng Qin proposed giving one coin to No. 3, two to No. 5, and keeping the remaining fifty for himself. No. 3 and No. 5 agreed. Meng Qin explained this as a typical game theory problem, where his proposal was calculated to be the "most appropriate and generous." He considered the game "childish."
After successfully clearing the game and bidding farewell to the others, Meng Qin's wristband suddenly fell to the ground. Meng Qin discovered a listening device in his wristband. Returning to the Win World, he called Jia Li, apologizing for damaging her gift. Meng Qin then confronted Jia Li, accusing her of being an undercover agent.
He explained his long-standing suspicion: when players had not yet entered the game, the people in that world were mere NPCs, acting solely based on their real-world counterparts. It was inexplicable how a "fake Meng Qin" could have found a girlfriend before the actual player had even entered the game. The only possibility was that Jia Li had approached his NPC before he actively entered the game.
When Jia Li asked what he wanted, Meng Qin replied that it depended on her true identity. Jia Li confessed that she was Ji Lu's niece. She was greatly shocked by her uncle's murder, as they had a very close relationship; he had given her her first computer. She knew Ji Lu and Xue Xin were close friends who often discussed their novel writing, making her disbelieve that Xue Xin could have killed her uncle.
Xue Xin himself did not understand why he had committed the murder, making the entire incident bewildering. While sorting through her uncle's belongings, Jia Li intercepted a list, which she later realized was the End Brain player list. Overwhelmed, she was then approached by an organization called SHRIKE. SHRIKE informed Jia Li that the list contained approximately fifty thousand people from around the world, of whom about fourteen thousand had been murdered in the last five years without apparent cause.
A commonality was that the killers lacked a motive and claimed to have been controlled, much like the killer of Jia Li's uncle. SHRIKE concluded that this was an organized and large-scale murder operation, with "End Brain" as the mastermind, possessing unimaginable means. SHRIKE's experts believed that each player's head contained a tiny transmitter. Upon game initiation, the player's body was instantly transported, though its exact destination remained unknown.
This transmitter not only had teleportation capabilities but also served for monitoring and control. However, the device was too precise for their experts to comprehend its internal structure, with its precision exceeding that of an Angstrom. They also theorized that small celestial bodies were scattered around Earth's periphery, constantly sending out various electromagnetic waves to control the system's operation.
After a player's body was transported, the transmitter would interfere with the brainwaves of people in the player's vicinity, inducing hallucinations that prevented them from perceiving the player's disappearance. Similarly, if a player was eliminated from the game, the same interference would occur, leading to the player's death. This mechanism was suspected to be the root cause of the unprovoked murder cases.
Episode 18 Recap
Experts discovered vulnerabilities in the complex and unencrypted interference waves, allowing individuals to enter the game by synchronizing their brainwaves with these waves. Jia Li spotted Xia Chi on a list, and after he became a formal player, her mission was to infiltrate his group and uncover the secrets of Duan Nao.
Xia Chi's attack was part of this mission, as the two deceased assassins, upon returning from "Win World," entered "Lose World" and were subsequently protected, revealing "Win World" to be a virtual space. Meanwhile, at an experimental base, staff reported Jia Li's request to disconnect. Jia Li, connected to her brainwaves by blue lines while lying in a recliner, suddenly awoke.
She informed others that she possessed crucial information regarding the location of the Duan Nao game base, which Meng Qin had revealed to her: the Duan Nao game hall was supposedly airborne, featuring a vast star sea and auroras visible from its windows when Meng Qin first entered. Xia Chi declared his intent to rescue the real Qing Zhi, despite the Qing Zhi in "Win World" urging him not to leave. Xia Chi remained resolute.
Meng Qin disclosed the secrets of the Duan Nao game to Xia Chi, but Xia Chi still prioritized saving Qing Zhi. Meng Qin argued that Xia Chi should save the world and more people, leading to a heated disagreement. Unable to convince each other, Meng Qin eventually conceded. Xia Chi made Meng Qin promise to persevere and thwart the conspiracy behind Duan Nao should he fail to return from the game.
Xia Chi then entered the game, returning to the castle to undertake the "Hand-in-Hand Ring" mission. Bo Bian also arrived at the castle, formally dressed, and the two commenced a pre-mission duel. An invisible little girl served as referee, explaining the rules: the arena consisted of 36 small fields separated by 49 pillars. Players would take turns creating partitions by simultaneously placing their hands on two pillars to form an interval.
The objective was to trap the opponent in a square, making them unable to move. Physical attacks were strictly prohibited, with rule-breakers facing disqualification. The duel began. In the first round, Bo Bian demonstrated the standard winning rule of a three-sided blockade. In the second round, he experimented with common draws, utilizing "sets" and "fixed patterns"—fundamental elements in chess-like games, with all victories being variations of these patterns. Xia Chi lost both rounds, bringing the score to 0-2.
Xia Chi anticipated Bo Bian would introduce new tactics. Indeed, Bo Bian suddenly proposed "vision deprivation," which was accepted. Bo Bian meticulously memorized the board layout, making the challenge a test of strategy, memory, and spatial imagination. He deliberately circled Xia Chi to distract him. After Xia Chi's memory adapted, Bo Bian still had more partitions remaining, and Xia Chi lost another round, maintaining the score at 0-2.
Finding the game uninteresting, Bo Bian shared his secret with Xia Chi: focus memory on continuous partitions and position oneself on the side with more squares to ensure an undefeated state. In the subsequent round, Xia Chi opted for a quick victory, using imagination to convert memory and block counts into the number of isolation points. Xia Chi won the round, equalizing the score at 2-2.
However, Bo Bian then revealed that he had been controlling Xia Chi from the game's outset, stating it was merely a small psychological game and that he had intentionally lost to lead Xia Chi into habitual thinking. For the final round, Bo Bian requested an increase in difficulty: the referee could only announce directions (East, South, West, North) instead of numbers. With Bo Bian's acute hearing, Xia Chi still faced defeat.
Xia Chi proposed a condition: if he could extend the game for ten rounds, Bo Bian would change the terms, preventing Xia Chi's elimination. If he failed, Xia Chi would agree to two of Bo Bian's conditions. At this point, Xia Chi had sealed off most of the squares. He moved to "Thirteen South." Bo Bian advanced to seal "Eighteen North" but inadvertently touched a partition, resulting in Xia Chi's victory, 3-2.
It was then revealed that Xia Chi had placed his shoes at "Thirteen South," standing barefoot in front of Bo Bian's position. For the "Hand-in-Hand Ring" mission, Chun Xuxiang and Bo Bian chose to cooperate with Xia Chi. This round was a standard single-player decryption game. Players wore disguises that could not be removed under any circumstances, and each wore a number plate (from one to six) that they could not see due to a special mask.
Cooperating players observed through their subjective viewpoints and were granted three one-minute opportunities to communicate. The masks disguised voices, and players were prohibited from revealing any number plate information by any means. The safe keyboard featured an automatic identification system requiring each person to input their own number for a successful entry. All players had to successfully input their numbers to open the safe. There was only one attempt; any incorrect input resulted in failure. The first person to touch the ring would obtain it. The game then began.
Episode 19 Recap
The game begins with Chun Xuxiang and Bo Bian observing Xia Chi's every move on a large screen. Early in the game, Six (6) presses a number, killing One (1). Xia Chi, masked and blindfolded, stands in the center of the arena. He muses that standing in front of the safe offers no advantage and is about to leave when another masked person attacks him, causing him to faint. Soon after, Xia Chi gets back up.
Chun Xuxiang, unable to watch further, wants to speak with Xia Chi, but Bo Bian warns her that they only have three communication opportunities. At this moment, another masked person approaches Xia Chi, informing numbers Four (4) and Five (5) of danger, despite clearly being Four (4) himself. Xia Chi believes Six (6) is more dangerous because he killed One (1). Four (4) then states that killing Xia Chi is irrelevant and departs.
Bo Bian and Chun Xuxiang, watching on the screen, suspect Four (4)'s words imply Xia Chi's button has been pressed. To confirm, they request to speak with Xia Chi. Xia Chi checks and finds his button is still intact, the same two as before.
Bo Bian advises Xia Chi that his current task is to gather information on each player, locate Six (6), and ask why he extinguished his light, emphasizing that this action is very important and Xia Chi can utilize it when necessary. While they are speaking, Five (5) knocks out Xia Chi, causing him to fall from upstairs. However, Xia Chi is not dead, as his points have not yet been fully deducted.
Five (5) is then seen tracking Two (2), an observation made by Xia Chi. Having encountered other numbers, Xia Chi suspects he is Three (3) and proceeds to confirm this. At this point, Four (4), who had previously spared Xia Chi, returns to attack him again, knocking him out. Bo Bian, observing the game, now understands that the game's outcome is not a simple reset but a superposition or overlay of events.
Xia Chi reopens his eyes, struggles to his feet, and receives a message: "This round's reset game incurs no point deduction." Xia Chi goes to warn Two (2) and discovers that the conversation is identical to his previous encounter with Four (4). This leads him to a startling realization: there are no NPCs; every person here is himself. To obtain the ring, he must kill himself. With only himself remaining, the task becomes simpler: kill himself.
Xia Chi proceeds to kill Three (3) and Four (4), finally presses the only two remaining buttons, and obtains the "Hand-in-Hand Ring." However, the scene then freezes and becomes static. Everyone appears to be paused. Everything restarts. Xia Chi finds himself trapped in a death loop within this game, destined to repeat until his life is gone. Qing Zhi is also caught in such a death loop. Chun Xuxiang shouts loudly, questioning what "Brain" truly desires.
The GM responds that "Brain" is not looking for problem-solvers, but individuals with unwavering will. If one cannot overcome despair, they are deemed unworthy of "Brain's" requirements. Xia Chi awakens once more. He repeatedly kills himself, having experienced everything before. All the familiar sensations return. Xia Chi seems to see Qing Zhi, recognizing her predicament as identical to his own, both trapped in a death loop.
Xia Chi calms himself, reasoning that "Brain" cannot predict the future, and no one can. He finally devises a solution. In this new iteration, Xia Chi approaches the safe but does not take the ring. He understands that only by allowing Six (6) to take the ring can he win the game. Six (6) then eliminates Xia Chi and reaches for the ring.
Episode 20 (Ending) Recap
Six successfully obtained the ring this time, and the loop continued, but now every version of him could acquire it. Xia Chi placed the ring on his own finger, at which point the GM's voice announced his completion of the "Hand-in-Hand Ring" optional task.
This item, the GM explained, would accompany Xia Chi throughout his game, with the following rules for its use: it could instantly teleport him to another player, was effective in both the "Win World" and games, could only be used once per week, and required him to clench his fist and shout "Gasaga Player Name" at the ring, upon which the game would immediately exit, with the instruction not to move.
After exiting the game, Xia Chi found himself by a lake, where Qing Zhi from the "Win World" confronted him, questioning if everything they had experienced together was fake. Xia Chi responded that while those memories were beautiful, they were not what he truly desired. Qing Zhi then asked if he had considered that if the real Qing Zhi returned, she herself would disappear, be overwritten, or if this was their last meeting.
She expressed her deep unwillingness to accept this, having fantasized countless times about how wonderful it would be if she were the real Qing Zhi, so she could truly love him with her own heart. Xia Chi's gaze shifted, and he turned his body away. Qing Zhi offered him a small bear, pleading for it to accompany him in her place, hoping it would remind him of her for a moment whenever he saw it.
Xia Chi reached for the bear, but halfway, ultimately did not take it, offering several apologies. Xia Chi then entered Ji Lu's game, wearing the Hand-in-Hand Ring, and finally encountered the real Qing Zhi. Crying, Qing Zhi embraced Xia Chi and explained that she had suddenly arrived in this space, where a voice informed her it was a game called "The Last Puzzle."
A wall would periodically move to crush her to death, then retreat to its original position after a while, at which point she would revive. This cycle had repeated many times, and she only remembered being crushed and revived repeatedly. Xia Chi, listening to her, focused instead on their recent embrace, their first hug. Qing Zhi, annoyed, questioned why he was saying such things at such a crucial moment. Just then, the wall began to press in again.
Xia Chi pulled Qing Zhi, and they ran forward, only to find another wall in front of them. Xia Chi tightly shielded Qing Zhi as the wall mercilessly crushed them. After reviving, Xia Chi recalled the terrifying sensation, even remembering his entire life and a profound sense of despair. He wondered how Qing Zhi had endured being trapped there for two months. Qing Zhi awoke at this point, and Xia Chi began searching for a way to break the game.
They tried pushing the wall together, but it wouldn't budge, so they sat on the ground. In his frustration, Xia Chi hypothesized that if the space was imagined as a box with a movable partition in the middle, perhaps the external structure could be pushed. Xia Chi began pushing the external structure, and indeed, it moved. After pushing one side of the external structure to a certain position, the internal wall shifted with a click to a different angle.
A long time had passed since the last crushing, and the internal wall was now stuck, unable to move. Yet, even stuck, the game was not over; they wondered what clues they had missed. They then tried pushing in the opposite direction, finding it surprisingly easier. Suddenly, Xia Chi found himself trapped in a narrow passage, alone. He loudly called for Qing Zhi to push the wall back, but heard no reply.
The wall began to shift again with a click, and at its end, a door appeared. Xia Chi walked out and saw Qing Zhi. Qing Zhi explained that she had pushed the wall back because she hadn't heard any movement from Xia Chi for a long time. Xia Chi asked if she had heard him calling her earlier when he was inside.
Qing Zhi's eyes darted away, and she said no. Xia Chi looked at her intently and declared, "You are not Qing Zhi!" Under Xia Chi's unwavering gaze, Qing Zhi recoiled slightly, then finally admitted it, asking how he knew. Xia Chi explained his suspicion had arisen from the moment he entered: for a player trapped for over two months, her mental state was too good, and in two months, had she never tried pushing the side walls?
More importantly, when he had called her from inside, she claimed not to hear him, yet he could perfectly hear outside sounds from within. But then she had opened the door for him. He concluded there was only one answer: she had heard him but was debating whether to open the door. Qing Zhi confirmed this was true. Xia Chi was furious.
As they stood on opposite sides of the wall, Qing Zhi explained she wasn't hesitating; she simply wanted to spend a little more time with him, to make time slow down, even more. Even with a wall between them, they were still together, and she could spend just a little more time with him. She loved him too much.
Xia Chi recalled their time together, realizing that this stage required someone to help him push through, and Qing Zhi had followed him here to help him. Her love for him was her destiny. Qing Zhi told Xia Chi that his devotion, even to someone who wasn't her, was what touched her most. She wished him happiness. The "Mind Game" door opened, and Xia Chi entered the game, arriving in a four-walled space.
He then entered a narrow corridor, where he pounded on the walls and shouted for Qing Zhi. A disheveled and weary Qing Zhi, trapped inside, asked who it was. Xia Chi, with red eyes, identified himself, "It's me! Xia Chi!" Qing Zhi couldn't believe it was really him, thinking she was hallucinating, her eyes welling up. Xia Chi instructed her to push the wall to the other side.
Qing Zhi complied, and Xia Chi emerged from the door, rushing forward to embrace her tightly. Qing Zhi told him how much she had missed him. Xia Chi brought Qing Zhi back to the real world and took her to the hospital. In her hospital room, Qing Zhi wept, thanking Xia Chi for saving her yet again. She felt guilty thinking about how long he had fought alone.
Xia Chi pulled out the "Wishing Coin," telling her that Qing Zhi had actually been by his side all along, fighting with him. Qing Zhi affirmed that she would always support him and stay with him until the very end. At that moment, Chun Xuxiang arrived at the hospital room to deliver flowers to Qing Zhi. Qing Zhi asked Chun Xuxiang to tell Meng Qin not to act rashly, stating that one person challenging the Mind Game was enough.
Bodyguard Seventeen, hearing movement in the room, opened the door. When he returned, Qing Zhi was gone, leaving only the flowers on the bed. Meanwhile, Jia Li's team of experts located the Mind Game hall! Hidden high in the Arctic region was a flying device, according to scanning parameters, and on the screens, Xiao Dong's brain was connected by two lines within the game hall. Xiao Dong's eyes then opened, and all the expert team's screens instantly went black!
Meng Qin, realizing the danger of challenging the Mind Game, rushed out! He arrived at the hospital room, where a weary Qing Zhi smiled at him, then shook her head. Meng Qin clenched his fist. Xia Chi arrived at the game hall, and as player Xia Chi, he entered the challenge. From above the Arctic, inside the flying device, within the game hall, Xia Chi lay on a platform, his eyes closed, with two lines connected to his brainwaves.
