Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics Chapter 5679 - 4703: Deadly Escape (36)

Inside the lantern, a palpable tension hung heavy, with everyone glistening from perspiration. While Greed remained engrossed in the script, Stark was already dabbing his brow, Mephisto meticulously examining the paneling's intricate designs, Scarecrow diligently adjusting the machinery, and the Joker audibly whistling at the ceiling.

Amidst this, the agent stood out, seemingly unfazed. His sole longing was for a swift intervention, someone to arrive and decisively end all.

It was undeniable that the groups situated below were on the cusp of deciphering the entire narrative. When Bruce astutely pinpointed the cultists' sacrificial intentions, Greed maintained an air of confident mystery, as if harboring an unrevealed plot twist. However, upon Charles's accurate deduction of the underlying conflict between the corporation and the affluent magnates, Greed's demeanor shifted to one of resigned helplessness.

Indeed, their deductions largely aligned with the truth. Despite its classification as an escape room scenario with a lessened emphasis on intricate plot progression, it possessed a foundational story complete with a dual-layered twist. In essence, it functioned as a battle royale game, interwoven with specific threads of religious undertones and corporate power struggles. This setup initially led participants to suspect the wealthy figures, then the cultists, but ultimately revealed the corporation as the primary beneficiary.

The precise intricacies of these interwoven plotlines had ceased to hold significance, for the very act of preemptively uncovering a twist rendered it devoid of its intended surprise. Consequently, any subsequent developments within the script held no capacity to shock. The methods of the cultists' sacrifices and the corporation's strategic maneuvering to capitalize on ensuing chaos and eliminate rivals were now readily foreseeable.

If this scenario were merely a board game, narrative adjustments could be implemented. Regrettably, the mechanisms were already in place, mandating adherence to the predetermined sequence to progress to the subsequent stage. Despite the script's exposure, no alternative remained but to proceed with the charade.

In reality, when performing before an audience of the unobservant, anyone could appear as a master performer. Conversely, in the presence of exceptionally astute minds, even a virtuoso might seem as clumsy as the Joker. Knowing that the players had largely anticipated the plot naturally induced a certain degree of unease.

"Very well, I shall now unveil the rules," Greed declared, conceding the futility of further pretense. Though he attempted to inject a tone of dramatic flair and excitement, an undercurrent of defeat was unmistakable.

Fortuitously, within their midst were individuals possessing the Mind Reading Technique – one, two, three, four, five in total, nearly half of all participants. The remaining individuals directed their attention toward the rules being presented.

"The hunters, armed with firearms, are tasked with pursuing the tigers. Tigers possess the ability to prey on wolves, wolves on weasels, weasels on chickens, chickens on scorpions, and scorpions, in turn, can eliminate humans. This establishes a complete cycle. You now have the discretion, based on the notes provided by the mechanisms, to determine whether to remain within your designated area or venture out for a hunt."

"Should you opt for a hunt, you must additionally decide the direction of the mechanism's rotation: either clockwise or counterclockwise. The mechanism will proceed in the direction favored by the majority vote among the hunters, with the number of rotational spaces determined by us. If your hunting note is deposited into the enclosure of your designated predator and they are present, you will be consumed. Conversely, if it is placed in the enclosure of your intended prey and you are present, you gain the opportunity to prey upon them."

"Those targeted must contribute a specific quantity of 'sustenance' to the feeder mechanism integrated into the wall. This sustenance must be a bodily component; personal effects like clothing, footwear, or adornments are unacceptable. Only upon the provision of this required sustenance can the subsequent round of the game commence. You retain the option to abstain from providing any sustenance, but in doing so, the mechanism will cease to dispense notes to you, although other participants may still direct notes toward your enclosure. The game is structured to span six rounds, and the group experiencing the highest number of successful hunts will face execution, forfeiting their chance to depart the room."

"The enclosures you occupy are entirely soundproof, ensuring that none of your deliberations can be perceived by other participants. Throughout the game's duration, we will refrain from direct communication with you, though your voices will be audible to us. Our sole influence extends to dictating the rotational increments of the mechanism. Should you have any inquiries, present them now; otherwise, we shall commence."

"You can always hear us conversing, correct?" Harley inquired first, her tone laced with suspicion. "Which implies you are privy to our every utterance."

"Affirmative," a voice responded via the broadcast system.

Pamela directed her gaze towards Harley, who responded with a resigned sigh and a wry grimace. In some unspoken manner, Pamela grasped Harley's unspoken sentiment: "I am aware of the most advantageous strategy, yet I cannot articulate it, lest they deliberately contrive to disrupt it."

Pamela then commenced a thorough analysis of the potential optimal strategies. From the perspective of safeguarding their collective interests, the timing of their departure was paramount. Predicting the precise location where a note might be directed after their exit presented a considerable challenge. The established cycle dictated a clockwise progression from larger entities to smaller ones; their superior counterpart would naturally favor an upward rotation, thereby enabling them to remain within their confines and await 'takeout.' Conversely, from their own standpoint, a downward rotation would be more desirable, as it would involve smaller entities, potentially guaranteeing the success of their hunting endeavors.

A more idealistic scenario exists: no one departs. If, across six rounds, no one leaves and the mechanism remains entirely inactive, everyone would neither hunt nor be hunted, resulting in zero points. According to the established rules, they cannot penalize everyone for being hunted the most.

However, this is undeniably another psychological stratagem. It's improbable that all six teams would opt out of leaving, as not everyone desires to eliminate others. The majority would prioritize their own safety, leading them to act. Despite understanding the ideal outcome, maintaining a static position proves difficult.

After all, having navigated previous stages, they are aware of the designers' ruthlessness, and the subsequent execution is certain to be exceptionally brutal. Under such existential pressure, anyone lasting six rounds without making a move would earn the respect of even the most formidable figures.

The moment even a single individual acts, the game is irrevocably altered; someone will be eliminated, and a draw becomes impossible. What if that individual is you? To avert such a fate, you are compelled to act as well, thereby ensuring the game continues.

"After we jump, will the subsequent round reset, allowing us to return home?" Charles inquired.

"Whether an animal successfully preys or is preyed upon, both parties return home. Those who do not trigger these actions remain in their current location and must determine their next move from within the room. Nevertheless, the recorded count of preyed upon or successful predations still belongs to the original participant."

"Hiss..." A murmur of discussion arose from each room. This clearly represented a more intricate level of strategy than initially perceived.

Should you transition into an unoccupied room, neither becoming prey nor initiating a hunt, you are obligated to remain there, subject to the room's occupant's decision regarding your departure.

If the occupant is larger, they can detain you, awaiting a returning member of their own group to consume you; if they are smaller, they can expel you, potentially directing you towards a larger predator to be devoured.

Consequently, meticulously calculating the optimal jump and its trajectory necessitates extensive foresight, likely involving strategizing several rounds in advance to guarantee that the number of times you are preyed upon does not escalate to the highest count.

Firstly, consider the likelihood of encountering anyone in your intended destination. Secondly, if predation attempts fail, where are you most likely to be redirected? Lastly, will there be anyone present in the slot to which you are sent...

Furthermore, this situation demands an assessment of the dispositions of the other five groups. Some individuals adopt conservative approaches, others aggressive ones, some yearn for harmonious coexistence, while a few might wish for utter annihilation, all of which will influence their subsequent actions.

"Professor." Bruce gazed at Shiller with profound hope, never before yearning so intensely for Shiller's telepathic abilities to be genuine. In this predicament, knowing an opponent's personality would unlock their behavioral patterns, significantly enhancing the probabilities of success.

"Do you truly desire victory?" Shiller posed the question.

"It's not precisely a desire for victory," Bruce responded, "but rather, if one group must be eliminated, I wish for it not to be ours. I’ve contemplated the potential for peaceful coexistence, yet the likelihood appears exceedingly slim."

"I would prefer to eliminate the most culpable group, but the challenge lies in the possibility that we might be that very group," Shiller sighed. "During the balance test, we did not spill a single drop of blood, thus we might be perceived as the disruptive elements that the other groups will target for elimination."

"So, are you suggesting our companions are all paragons of justice?" Bruce astutely identified the core of Shiller's concern.

Shiller countered with a shake of his head: "I am merely pondering, is this round truly an elimination contest? It seems somewhat..."

"Somewhat what?"

"Somewhat peculiar." Batman interjected, "The intellectual complexity of this game is sufficient, but the primary quandary is, why is a segment of it determined by them?"

"What do you mean by 'them'?" Superman inquired.

"I am referring to those in positions of authority," Batman elaborated, "Why do they possess the prerogative to dictate the number of spaces we traverse?"

"Did you not articulate it earlier? They aspire to embody the grass, the ball, and the goalpost simultaneously."

"I contend that this arrangement is inequitable. The initial trials were acceptable, but this diminishes the overall caliber. The movement spaces constitute the crucial factor, arguably the sole significant one. If they are manipulating events from the shadows, we possess no recourse, which seems contradictory."

"Therefore, what is your hypothesis..."

"My point is, if their intention is to orchestrate events covertly, there would be no need to disclose their involvement. They could simply claim randomness and surreptitiously alter the random outcomes. However, their explicit admission suggests something else entirely."

"Ah, implying they will refrain from clandestine manipulation?"

Batman inclined his head, leaving the rest unsaid. Superman found himself compelled to ponder the implications independently. Batman's pronouncements were somewhat inconsistent; at times, he alluded to manipulation, at others, he did not. His stance wavered between fairness and its absence, leaving Superman in a state of perplexity.

Superman resolved to approach the situation from a different perspective. He recalled a previous conversation with Batman, wherein the latter had suggested that, based on the established narrative, the assembled group was unlikely to achieve unity, as such solidarity would render the scenario excessively unfair. Batman had surmised the potential presence of a mole within their ranks.

Consequently, when considering Batman's assertion that they had disclosed their manipulation of the 'spaces,' it appeared as though a clandestine signal was being sent to the players. The message implied: 'We are orchestrating events, yet one among us will act to thwart the millionaire's schemes.'

However, Superman could not fathom the underlying motive for such a disclosure. He sought further clarification from Batman, hoping for guidance. Perceiving Superman's bewilderment, Batman inscribed a message onto his hand: "No draw."

While Superman remained perplexed, Loki, on the other hand, grasped the full meaning instantly. He deduced that the so-called 'space voting' regulation was likely conceived and disseminated by the mole. This individual intended to inform the players: "I possess the ability to disrupt the proceedings."

The objective behind this action was to embolden the players to act with daring. If the players were to exhibit unwavering trust in one another and remain quiescently within their designated areas, the game would indeed culminate in a draw—an outcome clearly undesirable to the mole.

The mole's aversion to a draw suggested a motive beyond mere cooperation with the affluent antagonists. It was probable that the mole sought to align with the players, or more precisely, to leverage the players' actions against the wealthy. In a stalemate, with no factions initiating movement, the mole would find no opportunity to target the rich. To prevent the players from opting for a draw, this strategic hint was provided.

"What if we simply abstain from taking any action?" Thor proposed. "My fortune is quite favorable; perhaps by remaining inactive, I shall avoid any adverse consequences."

After a brief contemplation, Loki declared, "No, not only must we act, but we must do so in every round."

"And the vote? In which direction shall we cast our ballots?"

"Clockwise," Loki responded. "Let us cast all votes in favor of clockwise movement."

Within the other compartments, discussions were either in full swing or participants remained in contemplative silence. It appeared that a thrilling contest was on the precipice of unfolding. Yet, deep down, everyone harbored the conviction that this game was fated to conclude in a manner far removed from the ordinary.