Qi Xia advanced through the pitch-black tunnel for a while and discovered it was a downward staircase, though the construction was quite simple.

The smell in the air here was strange, and the cut surfaces of the stairs were very neat, as if no one had walked in here since it was built.

“What a pity…” Qi Xia touched the wall beside him, his expression slightly regretful. “You cleverly integrated the principles of the Five Elements into your own game, yet no one can see it at all. Even you yourself have to wear a collar to conduct the game.”

After a left-turning curve, the stairs began ascending upward. Qi Xia felt along the wall to confirm the direction, and before long spotted a button glowing with a faint green light on the distant wall.

He decisively reached out and pressed the button. The wall before him trembled slightly, then slowly rose.

Facing him was Qiu Shiliu.

“The Mouse House…?” Qi Xia’s mouth lifted at the corner. “That really greatly reduces the game’s difficulty.”

Qiu Shiliu turned around with a shocked expression, watching Qi Xia emerge from the wall carrying four fruits, not knowing what to say.

“You… this is from…”

Qi Xia didn’t respond. He simply placed all four fruits on the table, then opened the door again and walked out.

Time was very tight now. Although Qi Xia had already found the path to certain victory, each night only lasted ten minutes.

“Need to hurry…”

Earth-Mouse sat quietly in the “Cat House” for a while, then reached into his suit pocket and pulled out a somewhat faded photograph.

The photo showed a man and woman together. The girl was pouting and making a cross-eyed expression, looking especially lively, while the boy stood beside her with a bitter smile watching her, his eyes full of affection.

Earth-Mouse gently stroked the photograph, then carefully placed it on the floor far from himself, as if afraid the collar’s explosion would destroy this photo.

Having his head blown off wasn’t a big deal, but this photo couldn’t be lost.

“I’m sorry. I’ve tried many methods, but not a single one is a way out,” Earth-Mouse said in a low voice. Within seconds, he began choking up. “I’ve thought of every possible method… but I really can’t get out… I don’t even have a shred of hope…”

Earth-Mouse used those monster-like eyes one last time to look at the lively and lovely girl in the photo. He reached out to touch the girl’s face in the photo, then touched his own rat head covered in short fur, couldn’t help but reveal a bitter smile.

Yes, there was no going back long ago.

Why had he naively thought that turning into a large rat covered in brown fur meant he was closer to going back?

His former self was always ten days away from escaping this place, but his current self wasn’t even human anymore.

Humanity’s most laughable thought is never giving up, always holding onto hope.

Click.

The door to the “Cat House” opened. Earth-Mouse slowly stood up, tidied the fur on his rat head, then put on a desperate smile again and walked toward the corridor.

All five room doors before him were locked.

Earth-Mouse opened the room doors one by one from outside. Inside, there wasn’t a single “mouse,” nor any fruit.

Presented before him were only five empty rooms.

That leader man had comprehended this game too quickly. In a game that was supposed to have six total rounds, he used one round to verify his speculation, fully figured out the rules by the second round, and by the third round had already moved all the fruit back to the “Mouse House.” In the days to come, the “Cat” couldn’t find any fruit or catch a single mouse.

The “Cat” would starve to death.

“Why exactly…?” Earth-Mouse slowly revealed a bitter smile. “Everyone doesn’t want me to live… yet I keep desperately trying to live. Am I being too willful?”

He moved his heavy footsteps forward, mechanically opening each door and then closing it again.

“This damned game should have ended long ago…” Earth-Mouse said in a low voice. “A place where you need to kill others to escape… no one should have been able to escape in the first place…”

Earth-Mouse crossed the corridor, only feeling the collar around his neck tighten once more. This time it made him feel like he couldn’t breathe at all.

Finally, he stopped in front of the “Mouse House” door.

Knock knock knock.

Before long, a voice came from inside the door.

“Speak.”

After hearing this, Earth-Mouse slowly raised his head and said: “It’s over. I’m leaving.”

“Oh?” Qi Xia said softly. “Not playing anymore?”

“There’s no need,” Earth-Mouse shook his head. “This is my best ending.”

“Then do you have anything you want to say?” Qi Xia asked again.

“Although it’s not very appropriate to say this, there’s something I’d like to ask of you…” Earth-Mouse said.

Qi Xia looked at the four teammates standing neatly behind him inside the door, then said to Earth-Mouse: “Clearly asking someone for a favor, yet now you won’t even call me ‘Leader’?”

“There’s no need anymore,” Earth-Mouse said. “After this round ends, I’ll be blown up by the collar. There’s a photo in my ‘Cat House.’ I’m afraid of it getting blown to pieces, so I left it there… Could you please help me put that photo back in my pocket after I die…?”

Hearing no response from Qi Xia, Earth-Mouse added: “I just want to die together with it. That way, even if someone sees my corpse… they’ll at least know who I was.”

“I refuse,” Qi Xia said. “That’s your own business. There’s no need to trouble us.”

Earth-Mouse let out a slight sigh after hearing this: “You clearly seem like someone very skilled at deception, yet at a time like this, you can’t even be bothered to lie to me?”

“I don’t need to say nice things here to deceive you,” Qi Xia answered. “I don’t know you, and I don’t know how important that photo is. It’s possible that after you die, I’ll just tear it up. After all, out of sight, out of mind.”

“You…” Earth-Mouse gave another bitter laugh. “Is it necessary? Since we don’t know each other, why must you drive me to complete destruction…?”

Only then did Qi Xia finally make his expression somewhat more serious. Speaking through the door panel, he said: “To tell the truth, if your game continues, you’ll die sooner or later. There’s absolutely no way you can become ‘Heaven.'”

“Is that so…” Earth-Mouse turned around expressionlessly and leaned against the door panel. “Would joining you all provide a way out?”

“Do you know something?” Qi Xia asked. “When you discover that all roads are dead ends, you must immediately choose to break through the wall.”

“I don’t think that’s the principle,” Earth-Mouse replied. “Even if I don’t break through the wall, someone will eventually break through the wall. My best approach is to follow the person breaking through the wall. It saves effort and worry, and also ensures my own safety.”

“But you’re already in extreme danger,” Qi Xia said with a cold laugh. “I’m holding a gun to your head—are you still not prepared to break through the wall?”