Chapter 185: Do Not Play After Closing
Clap… clap-clap-clap…
After the first person began, the others immediately followed suit. In an instant, the entire tent was filled with the sound of thunderous applause.
Haruto was no exception, clapping along with everyone else.
Tourist Rule Number Two—Applaud. Applaud, and remember to keep applauding.
There was no doubt that this was a moment that demanded applause. Since it was only the first day of this rule-based instance, it was always better to play it safe.
Haruto pulled out his Ghost Phone again to glance at the time—10:06 PM.
He scanned his surroundings with his peripheral vision, noticing that many others were also looking down at their own devices. Clearly, everyone had realized the same problem.
"He's a dead man," Kaguya whispered to Youmu, her tone matter-of-fact.
"A dead man? If you keep spouting nonsense, don't blame me for being rude!"
Her words happened to drift into the ears of a man standing nearby, immediately drawing his sharp rebuke. He had been walking closest to the man in black earlier; he was clearly a teammate.
"I'm not spouting nonsense," Kaguya replied with a delicate shrug.
The man's face flushed with rage. Kaguya was certainly a stunning beauty, but this was the Death Game. If their captain met with an accident, their entire team's chances of survival would plummet. Had his other teammates not grabbed his arms to hold him back, he might have already lunged.
Haruto sighed and stepped forward, clamping both hands over Kaguya's mouth from behind.
Although he privately agreed with her assessment—and knew she was almost certainly right—saying such things directly in front of the man's teammates was just plain rude, no matter how you sliced it.
He offered the fuming man an apologetic look and forcibly straightened Kaguya's head, making her face the stage.
Seeing this, the other party didn't pursue the matter further, just grumbled under his breath.
Only, as he looked away, he thought he caught something strange in the apologetic gaze he was given. Beneath the apology, there seemed to be a hint of… pity?
He hadn't paid much mind to what the girl had said, dismissing it as arrogant nonsense. But that fleeting look of pity made his heart suddenly hammer against his ribs. He couldn't help but start doubting himself.
"Captain, why don't you come down?" one of the teammates whispered urgently.
"Yeah, I've got a bad feeling about this. It's better to be safe…" another added, his voice tight with anxiety.
"That won't do," the Ringmaster chimed in, his smile never wavering as he wagged a gloved index finger. "Once the game has begun, it cannot be stopped."
"It's fine. I won't lose," the man in black, called Tao Shou, declared with unshakable confidence. The throwing knife flipped nimbly between his fingers. He gave it a final, beautiful flourish before gripping the hilt tight. "I am a professional."
Hearing their captain's firm words, the two teammates' racing hearts settled slightly.
The Ringmaster's smile remained as bright as ever. He placed his hand on the edge of the large wooden wheel and gave it a fierce downward shove.
With a groan of old wood and metal, the wheel immediately began to spin at high speed.
"Please throw all six of your knives within thirty seconds," the Ringmaster announced, his voice booming over the creaking. "They must all be embedded in the wheel without harming our little animal friend."
After speaking, he pressed a button on a large display screen set up behind him. Bright red numbers blinked to life.
30… 29… 28…
The man in black, Tao Shou, was in no hurry. He stood calmly behind the throwing line, his eyes tracking the spinning wheel and the small pig strapped to it, lightly weighing the first knife in his hand.
Whoosh!
The first knife flew, a silver blur that was both fast and accurate. It stabbed firmly into the wooden wheel, missing the pig by a comfortable margin.
Tao Shou raised an eyebrow, his confidence swelling. He had thought the wheel might be a trap, perhaps made of iron that would be difficult to pierce, so he had used a bit more strength than usual. He hadn't expected it to be so easy.
A man in overalls standing in the front row began to applaud excitedly.
The Ringmaster glanced at him with a hint of surprise before his smile returned, and he too began to clap, leading the rest of the audience.
Others chimed in, especially Tao Shou's two teammates, who clapped with exceptional vigor, their faces beaming with pride. If they had bothered to carefully observe the eyes of those around them, they might have noticed a faint trace of pity hidden in the gazes of several other audience members.
A slight smirk touched Tao Shou's lips. Without pausing, he flicked his wrist, sending two more knives flying in quick succession.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The second knife, then the third… each one landed precisely where he intended, pinning themselves into the wooden frame. The pig was so terrified it didn't even dare to grunt, lying limp against the spinning surface.
Whoosh—
Another knife sailed through the air. But just as it was about to strike wood, the pig that had been tied to the wheel suddenly began to struggle violently. The knife sank deep into its flank.
"Oink, OINK—!!"
The pig on the wheel thrashed even more intensely, its piercing squeals almost lifting the roof off the tent.
'Is there electricity?' Haruto thought, catching the distinct, acrid scent of burnt meat wafting from the stage.
Beside him, Kaguya just lightly raised an eyebrow, a knowing look in her eyes. Youmu remained perfectly still, a silent guardian at Haruto's side. Her only goal was to ensure her young master's absolute safety.
"Unfair! You're cheating!" Tao Shou's teammates roared, their eyes turning red with anxiety as they realized the wheel was now electrified.
The Ringmaster acted as if he hadn't heard a thing. He maintained that same fixed smile, his gaze fixed appreciatively on the screaming, convulsing pig.
"It's fine," Tao Shou said, raising a hand to silence his agitated teammates. He looked down at the last two throwing knives in his hand, took a deep breath, and pinched them between his fingers.
"A friendly reminder," the Ringmaster's voice purred, his smile deepening until it seemed to nearly split his face in two. "There are only five seconds left~"
Whoosh! Whoosh—!
This time, both knives left his hand simultaneously.
With the pig still struggling frantically, Tao Shou wasn't a hundred percent sure of his aim. He couldn't help but hold his breath, his eyes locked on the chaotic scene.
Squelch—!
One knife plunged deep into the pig's skull. It went rigid and instantly stopped struggling.
The other was pinned precisely into the outer edge of the wheel.
Tao Shou let out a long sigh of relief. His two teammates were so overjoyed they nearly cheered out loud.
With a confident stride, Tao Shou walked up to the stage, pulled out his tourist rules, and handed them to the Ringmaster. The latter indeed kept his promise, taking the paper and stamping it with two bright red seals. Thump, thump.
Although it was only two stamps, Tao Shou was clearly quite satisfied with the result.
At that moment, the player who had argued with Kaguya earlier turned his head and shot her a disdainful sneer.
"See that? And who was it that said our captain would die? I think you'd be better off ditching that kid; he looks like he won't last long. I'll give you a chance: apologize properly, follow us, and we'll make sure you get out of here alive."
Haruto's expression turned a bit strange. It was obvious this guy had taken a liking to Kaguya. But why was he being dragged into it for no reason? Kaguya was the one who had started the trouble, and he was the one who had apologized for her.
He shot Kaguya a faint glare.
Kaguya simply spread her hands, her eyes seeming to say, 'Why are you looking at me? Is it my fault I'm beautiful?'
Despite that look, she still walked to Haruto's side and looped her arm through his, making her stance perfectly clear.
"I still prefer good-looking young boys—hiss!" Kaguya suddenly gasped, as if her waist had just been pinched hard by an invisible hand. She bared her teeth and bit down playfully on Haruto's arm, her glaring eyes clearly saying, 'I know that was you!'
The player just snorted coldly. "You'll find out soon enough whether following him was the right choice, or if following us was."
Youmu was radiating fury. If Haruto hadn't subtly stopped her, she would have certainly drawn her sword and cut the man down where he stood.
On the stage, Tao Shou heard his teammate's arrogant words and couldn't help but frown. Just as he was about to turn and scold him, a pair of hands clamped onto the sides of his head. Before he could react, the world blurred…
CRACK!
A crisp, tooth-aching sound of snapping bone echoed through the silent tent.
Everyone looked over in unison, their eyes widening in horror. The Ringmaster stood behind Tao Shou, whose neck was now twisted a full 180 degrees. The back of his head was facing them.
Dead silence.
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