226 – Returners Are Mentally Weak (5)
As a result of pressing down with force, I was recognized as a citizen.
“How about this?”
“Uhm… “
“Let’s try this?”
“I don’t think that would be meaningful either.”
“When I think about it, I guess so.”
Of course, being recognized does not mean that the situation has changed significantly. It is to the extent that we can participate when discussing and presenting opinions to each other.
“Oh, this is going to break my head.”
“Whoa… “
Assuming that we know that there are two monsters, and that they are causing internal strife… This is because there was a need to remember what person said what. Later, in order to find the person who suggested a choice that was different from the facts or that led to destruction, each person had to organize their remarks, which was usually not a headache.
In the meantime, there was a relay where if someone presented an opinion, someone opposed it.
“I have an idea.”
A woman politely raised her hand and told her story.
“This is the top, but I’ve played a lot of similar games, right? And from what I’ve experienced… In a 1v1 situation, monsters have the upper hand over regular humans… If all humans and all monsters fight, the citizens win. There are no exceptions.”
“Isn’t that because it’s the right balance? It’s about a game.”
“Yes. However, as is typical in these types of games, the moment one, or perhaps more than two, people on the human side dies… It becomes rapidly disadvantageous.”
“… “What’s the point?”
“It’s limited to the game, but… I wanted to say that the human side is most advantageous when everyone is alive. So I dare to suggest this. How about we all get together?”
“Let’s all go together?”
“Yes. In games, the basic strategy for monsters is to destroy them individually. If you fight against all humans, you will be defeated, so let the humans disperse… We create a one-on-one situation and eat each person. .One by one.”
“So, are you saying we should just stick together so that we don’t get ripped off individually?”
“Yes.”
“Is that the game Among Us?”
“… Yes.”
When I even mentioned the exact name of the game, the woman blushed slightly. It seems embarrassing to talk about games in a serious atmosphere.
Anyway, what she said makes sense. It is also the most intuitive and close to a sure-win strategy in the game.
“Who doesn’t know that?”
Since it is such an obvious way to win, it is also a strategy that the game company has prepared a way to destroy.
“If we stick together, no one will get murdered. But did you read it properly?”
〈23rd floor〉
-Find and kill the two false beings. They will seek the lives of climbers.
-For each day that passes, climbers are given one disadvantage.
-Every day before the sun sets, there is a mission you must complete. If there are uncompleted missions, you will be at a significant disadvantage.
“… Mission.”
“Yes, mission.”
As a result of our conversation earlier, the people’s duties were all spread out across the village. In other words, if you group together, there will inevitably be insufficient time to complete all missions.
“It says ‘very big disadvantage,’ and I have no intention of taking that. I’ve never seen anything on the tower that says it’s very big. The mission must proceed unconditionally. “Maybe other people have similar thoughts.”
“… If it’s not possible to go all together, at least go in pairs… “
“That looks worse than all of them moving around together.”
I also expressed an opposing opinion here.
“Walking around in pairs is also risky. There are too many elements that can lead to psychological warfare.”
What if two people go together, but only one comes back? Naturally, we become suspicious of the person who returned.
If I were a monster, I would prey on that suspicion and just disappear without saying a word. A player whose companion disappears is 100% suspected of being a monster.
Or conversely, what if the monster shamelessly kills a person and then comes back and starts acting unfairly? What if you escape suspicion by aiming for the reverse role? Likewise, it is a fatal situation.
“… Umm.”
“Hmm.”
So the discussion is over again. While waiting for a useful idea, I was just watching.
“Wait a minute.”
“Yes?”
“Look at the sky. It got darker than before.”
“… “I don’t have time.”
Now is the moment to choose. I can’t stay here forever.
“… “We should disperse.”
“Okay, let’s pretend that the one who dies is weak.”
No, actually there was no choice. Here, no one was irrational enough to endure ‘a very large disadvantage,’ and finding the monster through conversation failed… It’s the worst option, but you have no choice but to choose the last remaining option.
“… Let’s live to see it.”
“Just worry about you guys.”
Finally, the players who exchanged glances dispersed in their respective directions.
“… “
Since he showed his strength earlier, there is no chance of him attacking me …
Please, I hope others are safe too.
**
“Whoa.”
The mission wasn’t that difficult. To be precise, it would be correct to say that it was not difficult but cumbersome.
The items needed to carry out the mission were spread out here and there, and the work itself was unfamiliar, so it took a long time. Still, I did my best to carry out the mission, even using my magical power. In fact, I finished the mission faster than others.
After returning to the campfire, we waited for the others to return. As each person returned, I felt a little relieved, and when everyone eventually returned in perfect condition, I breathed a sigh of relief. The first day seems to have passed without incident.
“Is anyone hurt?”
“Everyone looks fine.”
“Hasn’t one of us been turned into a monster? That person is already dead…”
“If it is possible to deceive at that level, there is no answer anyway, so let’s just take it easy.”
The sky has become much darker than before, but the sun has not set since there is no message window rising. With this, ‘a very large disadvantage’ was successfully avoided.
“What should I do now?”
“First, check the disadvantages given… “I’ll have to wait until the next mission is given.”
“I think it would be better to sleep while you can. What should I do about the night watch?”
The village infrastructure was all in good condition, so it was okay for each person to have their own room.
“We just bring a bed and sleep together. Don’t take risks for nothing.”
“That looks good.”
Rather than just seeing a corpse in the morning, it seemed reasonable to sacrifice some privacy and sleep together.
They brought out beds from a nearby building and laid them out in a circle around the bonfire (since they were superhumans, it was possible to sleep even when it was cold), and decided on an order to keep watch.
“Then… Let’s get some rest.”
“Yes.”
I surrendered myself to the soft bed. The ominous-colored sky was now completely black, a deep black that looked much cleaner and cooler than during the day. So, it doesn’t feel much different from the normal night sky.
“… “
“… “
After lying down, I realized. I guess I was pretty tired. Physically I was fine, but mentally I was under a lot of stress. That’s probably because it feels like everyone but me is an enemy.
“Still, I’m glad.”
A voice from the bed next to me. A female player is looking at the sky and chanting as if she is talking to herself.
“What do you mean by luck?”
“As I climbed the tower… I’ve seen a lot of really shitty bastards. It’s normal to stab someone in the back, and there was also a bastard who tried to attack me at night… There was also a person who shamelessly came forward and asked what was the problem when he made an obvious mistake. “There are people who don’t understand the same language.”
“… Well, aren’t there people like that everywhere?”
“But I’m glad that people here seem to be able to communicate. It seems that there are no completely stupid people, and there are no extreme character breakers… The fact that monsters can’t take action is proof, right? “Because we don’t give them a chance, they can’t do anything.”
“… What. That’s right.”
Basically, if there are five people together, one of them is trash. However, eight people gathered, but there were no trolls.
“Since there are two monsters, isn’t it balanced? “Monsters are enough, but having a psychopath is too much.”
“I guess I’m lucky.”
“Haha.”
Players bursting into laughter.
Yes, these people can communicate. If we continue the discussion like this without losing our reason… You will be able to clear the 23rd floor in no time without any damage.
“Let’s stay awake.”
“Okay.”
If rational people gather together and make rational decisions, this is a layer that can definitely be broken.
Maybe I should have guessed here.
[It is night.]
That is a development that TOP does not want.
[Disadvantages are imposed.]
**
“?”
When I regained consciousness, the area below my neck was motionless. No, the expression is a bit strange. Rather than saying that the lower part of the neck is not moving, it is a feeling that the lower part of the neck has completely disappeared. The feeling that there is no body to move even if you try.
“… “
When I reflexively activated my magic power, I realized that this wasn’t reality. Likewise, it was because there was no magical power to cause it. I wanted to burst out laughing at the absurdity, but my tongue didn’t even exist. Is it a situation where only the eyes and brain are floating in the air?
-Chijijik.
There was a small TV in front. Even if I tried to blink, there were no eyelids, and even if I tried to look away, there were no muscles. I have to force myself to watch that TV.
‘Under.’ I can feel it.’
Here I saw the true nature of the disadvantage. From now on, that TV will start playing some shocking images. Maybe they’re trying to shake my mind. It might show me in a future where I am destroyed or eaten by a monster disguised as a player. Was the keyword ‘courage’ interpreted as the ability to face fear?
However, as someone who had already encountered a similar gimmick on the third floor, I could only snort. The mentality of the returner looks like shit.
‘Come.’
Tear me to death. Boil it. Whatever you do… I’ll try to hold on. I have overcome too many hardships to be swayed by such small tricks.
Make up your mind and keep your spirits up. I wasn’t nervous at all until the moment the TV picture started.
However, there was one fact that I overlooked here.
‘… Huh?’
The situation I fear the most and the situation I least want to see is.
‘… Ah.’
It’s not like I’m suffering…
It’s a situation where we helplessly watch Jiwon suffer.