Round Two: Knock 7, Mirror Illusions

As Yi Bai pondered the abilities of the "big sister" that the ghost children had mentioned, a familiar figure suddenly appeared before him once again. It was as if light and shadow had refracted, or perhaps it was a true spatial teleportation—an incredibly strange and magical sensation.

"Big brother, the second round of the game is about to start. Big sister decided to play the 'Knock 7' game you mentioned!"

Tong Tong's voice echoed with a bright cheer as she spoke, appearing to call Yi Bai back to join the other players. However, in reality, she was sneakily giving away the rules of the next game in advance.

"Such a good kid, thank you," Yi Bai replied with a smile, reaching out to ruffle Tong Tong's soft black hair. It felt cool and smooth, a texture completely different from that of a human.

"Mm..." Tong Tong obediently stood still, allowing Yi Bai to pat her head. After a long moment, she reluctantly spoke up. "Big brother, you should go back and start the game now. I have to go back first."

"Alright, go ahead." Yi Bai nodded, though inwardly, he sighed. It seemed that most of the ghost children in this park lacked any real experience of normal affection. This was both their weakness and a potential point of leverage.

For Yi Bai, who was following the "攻略流" (strategy guide) path, he wondered: if he were to raise the affection of these ghost children, would it influence the feelings of their ghostly parents as well? A smile gradually crept across his lips. It seemed he had discovered the real objective of the game.

The point wasn't just to play the games; it was to build rapport with the ghost children and, indirectly, with their parents. Perhaps in the next round, he'd encounter one of the ghostly parents—after all, if he could make a connection with them, it might provide some assistance down the road.

Lost in thought, Yi Bai returned to where the human players had gathered. Huan Weng, too, had returned, his face displaying a slight disappointment as he clearly hadn't received any information about his child.

Ye Qun and the other four new players cast wary, almost malicious glances at Yi Bai. Despite their efforts to mask their animosity, Yi Bai's sharp observational skills quickly picked up on it. His Insight Eyes activated, and a coldness flashed in his eyes.

Enemies, they were. The kind of enemies who would leave no stone unturned in their attempts to bring him down.

Yi Bai had grown accustomed to this kind of hostility, especially since the third hospital incident. He was no stranger to the darkness that lurked in human hearts, especially when it was mixed with the fear of death in a game like this.

But for the coming game, Yi Bai had no qualms about leaving these players—who were full of hatred—behind, far removed from the terror they sought to avoid.

"The second round of the game, called 'Knock 7,' is a new game offered to us by a very gentle big brother," said a sudden voice from one of the ghost children.

Yi Bai's eyes narrowed as he looked at the young ghost child in a white princess dress, her face obscured by a mist. His pupils contracted as he processed what his Insight Eyes had revealed:

[Mirror Illusion]

Race: None (She is merely the illusion that the mirror wants you to see.)

Affection: Friendly

Power: None

Likes: Unknown (Try increasing your own abilities, and maybe you'll learn more about her true form from the puppets, illusions, and hints she leaves behind.)

Weakness: Mirrors (Breaking the ubiquitous mirrors will naturally make the Mirror Illusion disappear.)

Current State: Announcing the game rules while observing you closely (Yes, she is watching you. Her true form seems particularly interested in you!)

The information provided by his Insight Eyes was fragmented, but it was enough to offer clarity. The most reassuring part was the "Friendly" rating for affection. The seemingly elusive "Big Sister"—who possessed such mysterious abilities—had at least shown friendliness toward him.

Even more intriguing was the hint in the "Likes" section. It confirmed something Yi Bai had suspected: his divine talent was tied to his own abilities, and as he grew stronger, he might uncover more about these enigmatic beings.

"Knock 7? What kind of game is that?" One of the new players, still a rookie, was clearly confused, having never heard of it before. The others, though, seemed to have some familiarity with the game, their faces lighting up with relief.

But despite the familiarity, no one explained the rules to the newcomer. Each player kept silent, pretending not to know the rules themselves, even though they had played the game before.

It was a survival instinct. In every round, someone was bound to die, and with only ten players remaining, the stakes were high. Since one player had already been eliminated, it was reasonable to assume that the ghost children wouldn't simply wipe everyone out right away. There was no fun in that. They'd likely keep some players around to continue the game, letting them "survive" long enough to feed their hunger for terror.

Yi Bai had already made it clear that he wouldn't help any of them, and Huan Weng, being a man of experience, didn't bother with any of them either. So the others, unable to rely on anyone else, likely decided to manipulate the one newcomer who didn't know the rules, hoping to get them killed.

The nine ghost children took their seats, forming a circle with the human players once again. The little ghost child in the white princess dress stood silently to the side, her face still hidden by the mist. Despite being unable to see her face, Yi Bai could feel her gaze lingering on him.

"Let the game begin!"

The sweet voice of the ghost child rang out, and the human players tensed. The rookie, especially, was starting to crack under the pressure. His eyes were bloodshot, and veins bulged from his forehead as he struggled to maintain his composure.

"1."

"2."

"3."

"..."

The counting began with the ghost child in the corner, who started from the left and moved to the right. The pace was slow, almost agonizingly so. But for the rookie, each number was like a countdown to his inevitable demise.