Daisy_Flower_4657

"I Want to Play a Game" blends elements such as time loops, infinite streams, rule-based games, and post-apocalyptic survival, all set against a unique Chinese aesthetic with mind-bending plot twists. The story unfolds in an alternate realm known as "The Land of Endings," where all participants are "the Guilty"—people burdened with sins in the real world—who are forcibly drawn into a death game controlled by the Twelve Zodiac. The game is divided into three levels: "Heaven," "Earth," and "Human." Within ten days, participants must win "the Dao" through strategic play, deduction, or cooperation; once they accumulate enough, they can escape. Those who fail will lose their memory and be resurrected on the eleventh day, while only those who awaken the "Echo" ability can retain their memories and move on to the next cycle of reincarnation. Originally a "place for divine creation," The Land of Endings has become a brutal battleground for survival following the betrayal of the Zodiac leader, "Tianlong" (Heavenly Dragon).

I Want To Play A Game

Jack Li's eyes fluttered open. He was still in the taxi, speeding down a highway. Disoriented, he glanced at the cerulean sky, then frantically patted his shoulder—no wound. He rolled down the window.

Sweet, untainted air flooded his lungs. Wind whipped his face.

He turned to the driver—not Billy, but a burly man with sun-leathered skin and mirrored sunglasses. "You… me… Where are we going?"

"You're freakin' me out, kid." The driver eyed him warily. "You hired me to drive you to Jinan. We've clocked 300 kilometers. Don't play amnesia now."

Jack Li stared at the meter—¥900. Memories cascaded: *This driver. The day before the earthquake. The gamble.*

"September 27th…" He checked his phone, then the crumpled slip in his breast pocket. Still there.

"Keep driving. I'll pay the full ¥2,000 round trip."

At the Shandong Provincial Lottery Center, a clerk greeted him. "Mr. Qi? This way."

The validation room hummed with fluorescent sterility. Jack Li handed over the lottery ticket—wrinkled, yet intact.

"¥1.9 million prize. Verification may take—"

The clerk's smile tightened. "Sir, we've had fraud cases lately. Due diligence is…"

Moments later, the validator beeped approval. "Authentic. We'll issue the check shortly."

"No donations," Jack Li interjected as the clerk opened his mouth.

The clerk blinked. "Most winners…"

Outside, the taxi idled. The driver gaped at the check in Jack Li's hand. "Holy shi—"

"Drive." Jack Li leaned back, the paper crisp against his fingers. *Thirty-eight percent tax. One hundred seventeen million clean.*

His phone buzzed—Aurora's contact photo flashed. He let it ring.

*Tomorrow, the ground tears open. Today, the con completes.*

Wind roared through open windows, carrying the metallic tang of impending ruin.

The Lottery