The night was as thick as unshakeable ink, and the silence inside the sealed pod was absolute, save for the faint “whoosh” from the ventilation duct that slowly eroded Player 2’s frayed nerves.
He stayed alone in the cramped pod, surrounded by cold, hard walls that shimmered with a dull metallic luster, looking for all the world like a tomb prepared for him in advance.
It was yet another long and agonizing night.
Every second felt like a century, causing Player 2’s heart to race uncontrollably as cold sweat pooled in his palms.
He leaned against the frigid wall, his eyes alertly scanning every corner of the pod, even his breathing becoming cautious.
He didn’t know if the Anomaly would come for him tonight, or if he would live to see tomorrow.
Just moments ago, unable to suppress the anxiety and flickering hope in his heart, Player 2 had plucked up his courage and slowly shuffled toward the pod door to test it.
Unfortunately, things did not go as he hoped. A crisp, eerie “click” rang out in the dead silent pod, exceptionally piercing.
The door opened.
Player 2’s body stiffened instantly, and a complex swirl of emotions flashed through his eyes—disappointment, realization, but not a shred of resentment.
He slowly released the handle, letting the door swing back and shut. The “click” sounded again, as if mocking his wishful thinking.
That single click proved everything: between the two of them, the Locksmith had chosen to protect himself.
This was only natural. After all, in this life-and-death game, death was final; there were no do-overs. Prioritizing one’s own safety was a basic instinct.
Player 2 didn’t harbor any resentment toward the Locksmith. He slowly walked back to his original spot, leaned against the wall, and let out a soft sigh.
Since this was already a gamble of life and death, everyone had their own considerations. It was beyond reproach for the Locksmith to prioritize himself. Had he been in that position, he might have made the same choice.
However, this clarity did nothing to alleviate the fear in his heart.
Without the Locksmith’s protection, he was like meat on a chopping block, forced to passively await the Anomaly’s arrival.
At that moment, he suddenly spoke, his voice raspy and low as if addressing someone. The sound echoed lonely within the sealed pod: “You’re here.”
He paused for a second before adding with a hint of entreaty in his tone, “Can you let me die knowing the truth?”
The only response was the sound of the wind from the ventilation duct and his own heavy breathing.
The pod remained dead silent. His words were like a stone sinking into the sea, failing to stir even the slightest ripple.
Player 2 felt no embarrassment, as if he had already expected this outcome.
He kept his eyes downcast, his fingers unconsciously tracing the cold wall as he waited patiently.
After about thirty seconds, he looked up again and repeated those two sentences: “You’re here. Can you let me die knowing the truth?”
There was still no response.
Indeed, he was just bluffing.
He had started doing this shortly after entering the room. If no one came, all the better; but if he actually managed to bait the Anomaly, it would be a gain.
Moreover, he truly did want to “chat” with the Anomaly.
There would most likely be no post-game review for this match, but his curiosity made him feel that dying without understanding the keys would be a true regret.
He suppressed his anxiety and other strange emotions, turning his gaze toward the small screen floating beside him.
Though he always felt something was off, the clues provided by the game rules wouldn’t be wrong. the pointer provided by “She is Within Her” was incredibly explicit.
His top priority was still to find the person possessed by the Anomaly among the three female Participants: Player 5, Player 6, and Player 11.
He had already observed Player 11 closely yesterday. Tonight, he planned to pick one between Player 5 and Player 6 to observe and further narrow the scope.
After a moment of hesitation, he finally chose Player 5.
His reasoning was actually somewhat peculiar, involving a counter-intuitive consideration.
He believed that Player 5 was currently the least suspicious of the three women.
While Player 11 had performed normally yesterday, there were always some inexplicable points of doubt that prevented him from being completely at ease.
Player 6, on the other hand, was far too aggressive and acted quite boldly, which also carried a certain suspicion of framing others.
But he knew in his heart that at tomorrow’s voting meeting, Player 6 and Player 11 would inevitably argue and accuse each other.
Only then could he spot more cracks in their behavior to judge who the true Anomaly was.
Conversely, if Player 5 really was the Anomaly, her honest and dutiful performance over the past few days meant she likely wouldn't be a primary suspect. Instead, she would be overlooked by everyone, becoming the most deeply hidden threat.
Therefore, Player 2 felt that by observing Player 5 tonight, if he could confirm she was a good person, he could eliminate her suspicion entirely.
Tomorrow, he could then focus his energy on deciding which of Player 6 or Player 11 was the hidden Anomaly. This was the most stable and efficient choice.
Of course, all of this was predicated on him surviving until tomorrow.
He stared anxiously at the pod door, heart pounding as he remained alert for the Anomaly’s arrival, while simultaneously keeping his eyes glued to the small screen, not daring to look away for even a second for fear of missing a detail.
On the screen was Player 5’s room. Under the dim lighting, Player 5 was kneeling on the bed, maintaining a posture of eyes-closed prayer, motionless.
Time ticked by, and Player 5 on the screen still showed no movement.
A sense of relaxation gradually rose in Player 2’s heart.
If Player 5 really were the Anomaly, given the Anomaly’s killing speed, she should have made a move by now. She couldn't possibly be this peaceful.
From the looks of it, Player 5’s suspicion could basically be ruled out.
He breathed a sigh of relief and subconsciously repeated those two sentences he used to bluff the Anomaly, his voice softer than before.
“You’re here. Can you let me die knowing the truth?”
There was still no response.
Just as he was about to withdraw his gaze and slightly relax his guard, his peripheral vision caught something on the screen. His pupils constricted instantly, his hair stood on end, and a chill surged from the soles of his feet to the top of his head.
On the screen, Player 5 remained lying on the bed, motionless. Her closed eyes twitched slightly, showing she was still alive.
However, at that moment, the entire screen suddenly seemed to be covered by a thick frosted filter within a few short seconds, becoming extremely blurry.
The image distorted and shook. The originally clear figure became hazy and was soon replaced by a stark white blur that completely obscured Player 5, making it impossible to see anything.
“What’s happening?” Player 2 lunged away from the wall, his body trembling as his eyes fixed on the blank white screen, his breathing turning rapid.
He rubbed his eyes hard, thinking he was hallucinating, but the screen remained blank without any change.
The silence inside the pod became even more oppressive. He stared at the screen, not daring to even breathe loudly.
He couldn't see anything; he could only pray fervently in his heart.
After a few breaths, the white mist on the screen began to slowly dissipate. The blurry image gradually cleared, and the distorted light and shadows returned to normal.
On the screen, Player 5’s posture had changed; she was now lying relaxed on the bed.
A faint smile touched her lips, and her features were serene. She looked as though she were sleeping peacefully, as if nothing had just happened.
But Player 2 knew that it hadn't been an illusion.
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