Days as a Spiritual Mentor in American Comics Chapter 5688 - 4712: Death-Defying Escape (45)

After careful consideration of several pitfalls, the trap involving steel needles shot from a door is dismissed; it lacks any technical sophistication and seems designed purely to shock. Similarly, opening and closing doors, along with filling and draining water, cannot be classified as traps as they are manually operable. The first true large-scale trap encountered is the balance mechanism system.

This balance mechanism system encompasses not only the equilibrium within a single room but also the interconnected balances across three rooms, further supported by six suspended ceilings. The entirety of these components collectively forms the balance mechanism system.

The ingenuity of this mechanism system is undeniable. It is evident that operating such intricate machinery purely through physical means requires considerable skill. While it eventually succumbed to destruction, its failure resulted solely from violent force; its operations, when adhering to its intended rules, were flawless.

However, the entire mechanism functioned merely as an accessory, entirely detached from the core gameplay. Its use in indicating the lowering and raising balance to players, perhaps utilizing the blood-stained side to suggest who arrived first, was its primary function. Yet, the actual game progression had absolutely no bearing on the balance itself.

The game’s objective depended on players discerning the morality—good or evil—of earlier or later arrivals. Crucially, the mechanism provided no data whatsoever to facilitate such judgment. This included missing vital information such as the number of participants who donated blood, the duration of their stay in the room, or whether one or two individuals from a team contributed blood. These details were significant.

Should cooperative challenges appear in subsequent stages, analogous information ought to be provided in advance. Even in this stage, the mechanism could have offered some indication. Instead, there was a complete absence of information. The balance primarily served as an introductory guide for novices, at best suggesting that blood donation might serve some purpose.

Anatoli voiced this observation, but Stark visibly bristled. He retorted, "Then enlighten me, what more critical function could the mechanism possibly serve?"

"Your most significant error was concealing the blood," Anatoli declared. "Naturally, you might argue this was necessary because the mechanism required the blood to be mixed with water, thus preventing its exposure. However, designs predicated on such reasoning are inherently flawed."

"Were I the designer, I would have structured the mechanism around the blood's condition. The volume and coagulation state of the blood could effectively convey information regarding the number of donors and their time spent. Furthermore, the stages of coagulation could be utilized to initiate the mechanism's functions. For instance, liquid blood could traverse pipes; semi-solid blood could function as a counterweight on a sieve; and fully dried blood could serve to secure objects."

"At this juncture, blood donors would transition from pondering 'should I donate blood' to contemplating 'how should I donate blood to achieve the maximum effect.' This is the appropriate method to motivate blood donation, rather than employing a superficial mechanism that relies entirely on player conjecture to complete this phase."

"There exists a multitude of fascinating applications for blood. Consider a blood lottery machine, where each participant waters a designated square with their blood, and only by hitting the jackpot can they advance. Alternatively, a blood bank where varying benefits are awarded based on the vault's temperature and the volume of stored blood. Temperature dictates the coagulation rate, which in turn sets the time limit for achieving objectives. Success within the timeframe allows for the retrieval of one's blood and replenishment of bodily fluids. Exceeding this limit results in the forfeiture of the donated blood."

Pamela listened, her jaw clenched. She whispered to Harley, "Frankly, if it had been designed this way, we would have stood no chance."

"His design is coercive, whereas what he proposes is purely incentivize-driven. Where oppression exists, resistance inevitably arises, but where wealth is present, fortune seekers will flock. If donating blood offers a potential reward, even if recovery isn't guaranteed, I would feel compelled to try."

"However, this so-called reward might simply be a reduction in difficulty for the subsequent level," Pamela countered. "You cannot reclaim anything, even if you succeed."

"Engaging in a game isn't solely about profit," Harley stated. "Utilizing one's intellect and strategic planning to mitigate the challenges of future rounds—doesn't that provide a sense of accomplishment?"

"It sounds as though you simply possess a gambler's disposition," Pamela sighed. "Fortunately, the designer of this particular level is rather inadequate. If it were truly crafted as he suggests, you would likely end up forfeiting all your blood there."

"I would still be willing," Harley declared, hands on his hips. "Even losing would be preferable to the alternative of us standing there guessing endlessly, only for you to then knock me out and drag me away by force."

One must admit, if Anatoli hadn't pointed it out, a majority of players would likely have remained oblivious to the issue. However, once voiced, a wave of realization rippled through the crowd; the dungeon's supposed 'interest' was hardly attributable to the mechanism, which served no discernible purpose.

Actually, to be precise, its function was detrimental. By causing players to get stuck, it initially offered a brief respite, only to then forcefully eject them with a resounding 'slap in the face' – quite literally sending itself flying.

In terms of entertainment, it did provide a modicum of amusement. While contributing little to the overarching narrative, the mechanism undeniably injected moments of genuine comedy.

Certainly, even a room heavily reliant on mechanisms doesn't necessitate them to be the central focus. Were a different designer, perhaps someone akin to Superman, in charge, they might readily concede, "Assisting the game's progression is already a significant achievement." And indeed, this perspective holds merit; with player competition as the primary driver and mechanisms serving as supplementary elements, such a design approach is not unfeasible.

But this designer is Stark. And crucially, this is not the familiar Iron Man, but the 'White Can' – an evil iteration of Iron Man, amplifying Tony Stark's inherent arrogance tenfold. How could such a personality possibly accept a subordinate role?

Anatoli, though unfamiliar with 'White Can,' had gleaned insights into his character from the preceding levels. As he observed, the deliberate placement of a single mechanism within a room, devoid of any other interactive elements, clearly signaled a desire for exclusive focus on his creation.

Such an individual is profoundly self-absorbed, viewing their own designs as masterpieces while dismissing the contributions of others as mere embellishments. Within the entirety of the escape room, they perceive themselves as the paramount architect, deserving of all accolades and believing the entire Battleworld would cease to function without their genius.

It was precisely this deduction that guided Anatoli's strategy. Stark, predictably, took the bait, his form trembling with indignation as he vociferated, "You have no concept of the intricate interlocking structures and the stable integrity inherent in mechanical engineering..."

"Allow me to interject," Charles interjected smoothly. "Mr. Scorpion, I must regrettably inform you that the mechanisms you designed possess neither intricate structures nor stable integrity."

Bruce chimed in from below, his voice laced with sarcasm, "You don't genuinely believe the polygonal framework of the balance mechanism you devised is intricate, do you? If not for its flawed design, I wouldn't have been able to so readily pinpoint the location of the central energy core."

"Hahaha, so it appears you're now being pursued due to your own blunders," Harley retorted with hearty laughter. "Your own circular construction demolished your sanctuary, your own balance undermined the most critical framework of your escape room, and now your meticulously designed mechanism chamber has ensnared you. Without your ineptitude, who else would provide us with such prolonged amusement?"

"Pray do not speak of it that way, miss. He has, in fact, greatly aided our progress," Loki added diplomatically. "Had he not engineered these mechanisms, we would not have navigated the levels with such ease. To be frank, this escape room strikes me as somewhat rudimentary, a complete waste of our high-difficulty pass. Upon our departure, we must certainly leave him a scathing review..."

"Indeed," Shiller echoed from below, his agreement palpable. "I concur with the gentleman above. 'The mechanism is akin to a colossal championship trophy planted squarely in the center of a soccer field. If it serves any purpose whatsoever, it's likely only to ensnare his own teammates.'"

A collective roar of laughter erupted, and a joyous atmosphere permeated the entire level. There was no time for lamenting Stark's predicament; mirth soon cascaded from the monitoring room.

The Joker, overcome with amusement, nearly toppled from his seat. Wiping tears from his eyes, he managed to gasp, "Did you hear that? 'Soviet is his nemesis!' Not the sharpest tool in the shed, perhaps, but at least he possesses a degree of self-awareness! Hahahahahahahaha!"

"Ha, this fellow maintains a perpetual scowl, disparaging others as mere mechanical engineering simpletons. And now he finds himself utterly stumped, doesn't he?" Scarecrow, harboring a long-simmering resentment, interjected. Their collaborative effort in designing this escape room had been far from amicable. White Can's pervasive arrogance invariably precluded harmonious relationships with the majority.

"It now becomes clear why this escape room felt so hollow to me," Mephisto remarked. "The narrative was flimsy, entirely devoid of cutscenes or any connective tissue, relying solely on the room's contents to sustain engagement. Yet, the room itself lacked substance, offering nothing but mechanisms. Even a few strategically placed corpses or skeletal remains would have appreciably enhanced the ambiance."

While certain other Madmen disdained the ostentatious display of corpses, deeming it a cheap tactic, they found themselves in agreement with Mephisto's assessment of the room's paucity of content. This deficiency inevitably compelled all attention toward the mechanisms, which, consequently, bore the brunt of their destructive impulses.

It was Stark, against all odds, who maintained that simpler level designs were superior, arguing that excessive distractions constituted mindless filler. Greed, desiring budget cuts and too lazy to script narrative text, inadvertently contributed to this predicament.

While the core mechanics could have been engaging, the interactivity proved abysmal, offering minimal information and insufficient avenues for discovery. This resulted in a progression that was excessively linear, stripping away any sense of exploratory delight.

One could surmise that if the participants were not literally alive, spontaneously devising their own pathways where none existed; their limited clues, coupled with their prodigious intellect and Mind Reading Technique, might have been insufficient to generate numerous speculative theories and strategies. In such a scenario, the game would undoubtedly have been panned for its dullness and monotony.

"Your insatiable hunger for accolades has been your undoing," Anatoli declared, summing up the situation. "You deemed players unworthy of interacting with your meticulously crafted mechanisms, opting instead to electrify them, stifling any genuine engagement and resulting in zero interactivity. Furthermore, you doubted their capacity to comprehend mechanical engineering, thus forfeiting any attempt to guide them toward exploring the principles of structural composition. Consequently, every element you designed ended up profoundly shallow and uninspired."

Anatoli escalated his condemnation: "If your meager and barren Psychic_Battlefield fails to yield philosophical and artistic gratification, at the very least, employ your functional limbs to *slightly* alleviate the level's difficulty. Allow us, purely out of the benevolence and pity we hold for you, to refrain from publicly broadcasting the sheer idiocy we've witnessed—I've stated it plainly, this is your sole opportunity."