The man’s blood flowed without stopping, until finally he dissolved into a puddle of viscous, human-shaped liquid—mixed with reeking fur and blood-soaked cloth—and lay in silence on the floor, unmoving.

Zhu Shu and Yu Yaqing held the long saw and stared at him quietly for a moment. When they realized he wasn’t going to come back, both women finally released the saw.

*Clang—*

The heavy steel saw hit the floor.

It was over.

“Congratulations on clearing this game.”

The golden-haired, blue-eyed Inspector stood courteously in the doorway, its smile perfectly calibrated.

“This game was a women’s exclusive game. The primary assessment criteria were—

One: women’s suspicion and distrust;

Two: women’s weakness;

Three: women’s psychological dependence on others.

Players who win this game will receive the ‘Duke’s Secret Key’ as a reward.”

As the Inspector finished speaking, a key materialized in midair before the three women.

It was entirely red—as though soaked in blood.

Bai Youwei reached out and grasped it. The item’s information surfaced immediately in her mind—

【Duke’s Secret Key: Can randomly summon one torture device during a game, to forcibly eliminate one player.】

The Inspector continued: “At the same time, to reward the players for the precious bond of friendship they demonstrated within the game, the system will now link you together. From this moment on, any one of you may be summoned as backup support by another. This hairclip is your proof.”

A hairclip materialized before each of the three women—pink, decorated with a plastic flower, the kind sold for five cents at the school gate.

Bai Youwei took the hairclip in her hand and couldn’t help a slight frown.

【Plastic Flower Hairclip: The holder of this item may be summoned into a game by a player holding the same item, to serve as backup support. If the game is lost, there will be no penalty. If the game is won, there will be no reward either.】

“If someone else clears the game and also gets this item, can strangers summon me?” Bai Youwei asked, her tone displeased.

“No.” The Inspector explained gently. “If other players clear the game, the hairclips they receive won’t look like this. This particular design belongs only to the three of you.”

It paused, then looked toward Zhu Shu and Yu Yaqing with a mild smile:

“Of course, the summoning isn’t compulsory. You’re free to refuse—just break the hairclip. After all… it’s plastic. Quite fragile.”

Zhu Shu and Yu Yaqing shot the Inspector a cold look, then silently accepted their hairclips.

Bai Youwei accepted hers as well.

Then she tossed the blood-red key at the Inspector’s feet, her expression blank. “This reward—I don’t want it.”

The Inspector startled.

Zhu Shu and Yu Yaqing then threw their keys down as well.

Three bright red keys clattered onto the floor with a hard, sharp sound.

“You’re voluntarily forfeiting the rewards?” The Inspector looked baffled, its beautiful blue eyes widening slightly. “Why?”

After everything they’d endured to clear the game—why would they give up their reward items?!

Bai Youwei cast it a look of frank disdain. “Because it’s trash.”

Inspector: “…”

“Genuinely trash,” Yu Yaqing frowned in agreement.

“Disgusting too,” said Zhu Shu.

Bai Youwei added: “Trash game. Trash reward. Trash.”

Inspector: “…………”

“Since we’ve already cleared it, send us out immediately,” Yu Yaqing said coolly.

“Are you certain you’ve thought this through?” The Inspector managed to stretch its mouth into something approximating a smile. “You truly want to give up the rewards? After everything you’ve been through, all the sacrifices you’ve made, the rewards you finally earned…”

“We don’t want them!” Yu Yaqing said with sharp contempt. “Even if in the future there’s a player we absolutely have to eliminate—I’d rather run a blade through them myself than use this kind of inhuman torture device!”

Bai Youwei said coolly, “I don’t need trash.”

Inspector: “………………”

—