Chapter 18: The Gunshot's Echo

Jiang Yu used his left hand to shield the dice while placing them with his right, carefully arranging them to show a single dot. He then covered the dice with both hands, ensuring that no one else could see them.

The others followed suit. Each player concealed their dice, hesitated for a moment, and then placed them down. The smallest number was one.

This meant they all had to be prepared to fire a shot at their own heads. Who could guarantee that their luck would be on their side? What if the first shot hit their skull?

If anyone dared place a number like three, four, or five, the others would likely question them.

Placing a five meant risking one's life in the game—if there was a bullet in the chamber.

The bull-headed referee, seeing that everyone had placed their dice, raised a card labeled Challenge Phase and announced, "Now, players, please remove your hands and reveal your dice. Each player may choose to challenge others or refrain from doing so."

Everyone lifted their hands.

Jiang Yu glanced at the dice points of the others.

Player No. 8, the bald man with a Mediterranean hairstyle, chose a two.

Player No. 20, the middle-aged man with dark skin, also chose two.

Player No. 2, the stunning leggy influencer, chose one.

Player No. 34, the young boy, chose two.

Player No. 26, the yellow-haired youth, also chose two.

This outcome was what Jiang Yu expected, but why did the others dare choose a two? Were they not afraid of death?

If there was a bullet in the gun, the chance of a fatal shot after two rounds was one in three. Had these people lost their minds?

Or perhaps they hadn't loaded the gun at all.

However, there was also the possibility that they were skilled and bold enough to bet their lives in this game.

If someone had chosen three or four, Jiang Yu might have considered challenging them. But with a two, challenging felt like a risk that outweighed the reward.

He decided to remain cautious and refrained from challenging.

The other five players exchanged glances but didn't speak up either.

After confirming no one had chosen to challenge, the bull-headed referee raised a card marked Firing Phase. He turned to Player No. 8 and coldly said, "Please, Player No. 8, pick up your handgun, aim at your head, and fire twice."

The Mediterranean bald man, trembling, raised the handgun to his head. He hesitated for a long time, unable to pull the trigger. He simply lacked the courage to do so.

Jiang Yu and the other four kept their eyes fixed on him, curious if he would be shot in the head...

The other players watching from the sidelines dared not breathe, their eyes fixed on Player No. 8. In that moment, he became the center of attention.

Suddenly, the pig-faced masked man on the elevated platform raised a microphone and spoke, "Player No. 8, fire now, or your collar will explode in three seconds."

Hearing this, the bald man could no longer afford to hesitate. He shut his eyes tightly, his face contorted in fear, and, as if resigned to death, he rapidly pulled the trigger twice. It was as though he had prepared himself to die.

He could no longer endure the torture—either let him die quickly or spare him altogether.

Two sharp sounds followed as he pulled the trigger. Yet, Player No. 8 was still unharmed, sitting on his chair, motionless.

He put the gun back on the table, his body slumping, barely staying seated. Sweat soaked his clothes, as if they were drenched in water.

His face showed a mixture of relief and lingering terror.

He would never play this game again, but the thought of four more rounds left him feeling hopeless.

The onlookers were somewhat disappointed. Unknowingly, they had changed, though they hadn't realized it. They had become more bloodthirsty, cold-blooded, and violent.

Everyone hoped that others would be eliminated quickly so that they could claim the prize of ten million and leave.

Jiang Yu and the others breathed a collective sigh of relief. Player No. 8 had broken the ice.

It seemed that as long as there were fewer shots fired, it wasn't so easy to get shot.

The pig-faced masked man wasn't pleased. He raised the microphone again and announced, "Players, I have little patience. I'm adding a new rule. You now have ten seconds to fire your gun. If you do not fire within ten seconds, your collar will explode."

This new rule sank like a heavy stone in the hearts of Jiang Yu and the others. Regardless of who they were, pointing a gun at their own head was excruciating, and no one could simply pull the trigger without hesitation.

It was only when they had steeled themselves that they could bring themselves to shoot.

And now, that crucial time had been stripped away.

A suffocating tension filled the air.

Fire, and you might die.

Don't fire, and your collar will explode, just as deadly.

It was as though the scythe of death hovered above their heads, ready to strike at any moment.

Next, it was Player No. 20's turn.

The bull-headed referee glanced at Player No. 20, but before he could speak, the middle-aged man had already picked up his handgun.

Without hesitation, he aimed at his head and fired twice, as if determined to face death head-on.

Jiang Yu and the others were taken aback and couldn't help but regard him with new respect.

The other players in the crowd applauded, their hands echoing in the silence.

His expression remained calm as he placed the gun back on the table, as though he had just done something as trivial as eating a meal.

The bull-headed referee then looked toward Player No. 2, the leggy beauty.

At that moment, someone in the crowd recognized her.

"Hey, isn't that Yang Lili? The popular influencer from a few years ago!"

"Oh, right! Now that you mention it, I remember! She was that viral star on short video platforms, singing and dancing, and then she just disappeared. How is she here?"

"She was banned a long time ago."

"I can't believe I'm playing a game with a top influencer…"

The crowd murmured among themselves.

The bull-headed referee spoke, "Please, Player No. 2, pick up the handgun, aim at your head, and fire once."

The beautiful woman panicked, grabbing the gun with trembling hands. She aimed it at her head but hesitated for several seconds, unable to pull the trigger.

As the seconds ticked away, she suddenly remembered the pig-faced man's words. If she didn't fire soon, her collar would explode.

Without thinking, she quickly pulled the trigger.

A sharp gunshot rang out, and her head was instantly pierced by the bullet. She collapsed forward onto the table.

Her face turned pale, her eyes wide open, blood pouring from the wound, covering nearly half the table in a pool of crimson—like a bloodied flower in bloom.

At that moment, Jiang Yu and the others felt a chill spread through their bodies.

The spectators shuddered, each of them paralyzed by the gruesome scene.

The entire space fell into a chilling silence.

This bloody spectacle shocked their nerves.

Everyone realized again that this was no ordinary game—it was a brutal death game.

Jiang Yu and the others fell silent. They hadn't imagined that a single shot could result in death. It was an improbable outcome, yet it had claimed Player No. 2's life.

Her exclusive item card hadn't even been used before she was eliminated.

Before anyone could recover from the shock, the bull-headed referee turned his attention to Player No. 34, the young boy, as though nothing extraordinary had happened.

But for Player No. 2, tomorrow would still come, the sun would rise—but she would never see it.

"Player No. 34, pick up the handgun, aim at your head, and fire twice," the bull-headed referee said coldly.

Jiang Yu and the other four watched Player No. 34 closely, holding their breath, hoping for him to be shot dead.

In that moment, their hearts were possessed by demons. It didn't matter that the boy was barely in his teens. What did it matter?

Because if two more players died, the game would end, and the remaining players would be victorious, no longer needing to point guns at their own heads.

Who wouldn't want to end this nightmare sooner?