“Maybe so~” Bai Youwei was wholly unruffled, and smiled. “Maybe it’s precisely because none of you ever tried praying that it hasn’t been triggered — any trigger condition is possible, after all.”

Yu Yaqing gave a dismissive sound and said nothing.

She found Bai Youwei incomprehensible and had no interest in wasting breath on a war of words.

But Shen Fei beside her picked up the thread and said, “There shouldn’t be any trouble. Most of the people invited to today’s banquet have been into Game 24’s zone before without triggering the game! There’s no reason things would suddenly go wrong just because they sat down for a meal!”

Bai Youwei thought for a moment and asked, “Those people share a very clear characteristic — they’re all young and physically able-bodied. If they can’t trigger the game, then among the remaining people, is there something particularly distinctive?”

Shen Fei froze. “…You’re saying the remaining people might be able to trigger the game?”

At that moment, a whistle sounded in the distance.

This time it was three short blasts followed by one long.

“Our turn.” Yu Yaqing stepped forward. “Let’s move.”

Everyone followed.

Shen Fei was still preoccupied with what Bai Youwei had said, and pressed on as he fumbled forward in the dark:

“The remaining people… the remaining people would be all of you — oh! And Yan Qingwen, that big guy named Lu, the girl in the pink clothes… but what do you all have in common? You’re all newcomers who just arrived here recently? …No, that doesn’t hold either…”

Cheng Weicai sighed heavily. “Unless the game actually triggers, there’s no way of determining what the trigger conditions are. It seems sacrifice is inevitable…”

“Hey! You’re all making this sound more and more ominous!” Tan Xiao said loudly. “It’s like you’re saying we’re about to enter a game any second now! You know what would really be eerie? If we’re walking along and one of us just… vanishes. *That* would be terrifying. Don’t you think, Brother Mo?”

Shen Mo stopped.

When he stopped, Tan Xiao immediately walked into his back — ow — and halted. Behind him, Cheng Weicai and Pan Xiaoxin ran into each other in a chain reaction.

“What’s wrong?” Tan Xiao rubbed his nose. “Why’d you stop?”

Shen Mo stood frozen…

His two hands were raised, bent at the elbows, hovering in the air — but the palms were empty.

The handles of the wheelchair had vanished.

“Bai Youwei?”

He called out tentatively, his voice not loud, but in the hollow underground garage it echoed over and over, heard clearly by everyone.

Tan Xiao’s face fell. “Weiwei is gone?!”

He dug out a lighter from his pocket and flicked it on, sweeping the faint flame around — nothing.

“Damn it! What kind of route was that woman leading?!” Tan Xiao erupted. “How did she manage to lose someone?!!”

Shen Fei was standing at the front, alone. His voice wavered: “Don’t shout… Team Leader Yu… is also gone…”

Pan Xiaoxin’s face went pale. She gripped Cheng Weicai’s hand tightly. “Sister Weiwei has entered the game…”

“Women.” Shen Mo said suddenly.

The others looked at him.

In the faint flickering light of the flame, his features were sharp and shadowed, every line of his face drawn tight.

“There were many women at today’s banquet.” Shen Mo’s voice grew slower, heavier with each word. “Game 24 — only women can trigger it.”

They were stunned.

Shen Fei, his face bloodless, said, “Today, the logistics unit head’s wife was also here. She never usually appears in public…”

“Contact him right now.” Shen Mo said without hesitation. “Tan Xiao — go find Yan Qingwen. His side must have been affected too. Food, water, medical supplies, and tents — bring everything down. Teacher Cheng, take Xiao Xin back now!”

“And you?” Cheng Weicai asked urgently.

Shen Mo pressed his lips together. “I’ll wait for her here.”

—