A perfectly good world suddenly produced man-eating games, then man-eating mazes.

—Games, like invisible monsters, searching everywhere for suitable prey.

—Mazes, like evil lords, constantly expanding their territory.

Wolves ahead and tigers behind, making people feel there was no way to survive.

Everyone was discussing in the hotel room when boiling human voices came from Zhao Jiantao’s residence direction—wave after wave of sound, unclear whether shouting or cursing.

Hearing the sound, Teacher Cheng couldn’t help shaking his head. “Since they discovered the game, they could just move away. Why harm people…”

“Let’s go take a look.” Shen Mo stood up. “To prevent too big a disturbance.”

“Okay, let’s go see~” Bai Youwei was very interested. “Let me tell you, that old man is not simple. Those people may not be able to suppress him.”

Tan Xiao widened his eyes: “Really? Isn’t he just a little old man? What other abilities could he have?”

“Go see and you’ll know.” Bai Youwei smiled as she wheeled toward the exit.

They all went to Zhao Jiantao’s residence.

Still under that tree where notices were posted, over fifty people had gathered. Unexpectedly, though noisy, the scene wasn’t too chaotic.

Zhao Jiantao stood in the middle of the crowd, his face showing no panic whatsoever. In a calm tone, he said to everyone word by word:

“I know! Many of you find this news hard to accept, but please think about it! Am I not also pained?! Am I not also sad?!

If possible, I too wish for world peace, for everyone to live in peace and prosperity! But with just my strength alone, I can’t do it!!!

Do you think I haven’t thought of escaping? But escape to where? Tell me! Escape to where?! Where else is there without games! Speak! Tell me!

The game on West Mountain Island is the largest game in this area!

As long as it exists! Other games won’t come!

For everyone’s safety, I had no choice but to be the villain! I found ways to bring back refugees from outside, week after week, continuously sending people to the island to feed that thing’s appetite! That’s why our place has remained safe until now!

Only when it’s satiated are we safe!

Only when it’s satiated can we continue living here!

Wanting peaceful days without paying any price—how is that possible?! Whoever thinks they can do better than me, step forward now! I, Zhao Jiantao, have absolutely nothing to say! I’ll immediately hand over the island master position!!!”

People’s faces showed various expressions. The discussion gradually quieted.

Someone said: “Actually Uncle Zhao isn’t having it easy either…”

“Uncle Zhao is also doing this for all our safety…”

“The people Uncle Zhao selected to go to the island weren’t good people anyway. That Auntie He always took small advantages everywhere and loved gossiping about others. Things are cleaner without her.”

“Right, Uncle Zhao doing this has his reasons…”

Tan Xiao listened dumbfounded. This reversal, for him, was simply like opening the door to a new world—

Clearly someone who killed so many people, the murderer standing here, yet nothing happened. More terrifying was… listening and listening, he actually felt what Uncle Zhao and these people said made quite a bit of sense!

Tan Xiao turned to look at Bai Youwei.

Bai Youwei was watching this scene with her cheek propped up, the corners of her mouth slightly lifted, carrying some schadenfreude at watching the excitement.

He bent down and leaned over. “…How did it become like this?”

Bai Youwei said: “The people here were all carefully selected by Zhao Jiantao. They all have one common characteristic—no brains. To put it more tactfully, they lack independent thinking ability and are easily influenced and brainwashed.”

After speaking, she smiled at Tan Xiao: “Actually you quite fit this characteristic too. Come on, tell me—just now did you feel what they said made a lot of sense?”

Tan Xiao immediately straightened his chest: “No, no!”