Deceitful Game

Chapter 296's instructions are for those who understand.

"Ascension to Godhood..."

Mingpo frowned deeply: "Why now of all times?"

At the most intense and chaotic moment of the war...

Is it to prevent others from interrupting?

Or is it... that it has to be at this time?

"Then we wouldn't know," Ai Shiping shook his head. "Although I reached the Gold rank, that's the lowest level." "...There's also a Civilian General?"

"After all, he didn't receive the appropriate title; he was indeed a civilian general."

Ai Shiping glanced at Mingpo with a hint of helplessness: "Not everyone is like you, whose title will definitely match their privileges. The title I used before was [The Hanged Man], which was given to me by the host. It's a unique title for Moon Silver."

"The Hanged Man?"

Mingpo was somewhat surprised: "Isn't that Odin? He's a god!"

"It's just that the prototype is Odin, but it's essentially a tarot card."

Ai Shiping shook his head: "As for the new Gold-tier title... I haven't obtained it yet, not even after the world reset. Although I retain my past memories, my resources, titles, and treasures have all been reset. I need to advance as quickly as possible these next couple of days to catch up with you all..."

After all, to get the title, you need to get 90% of the highest reward in this game.

"When the game's difficulty is low, it's not too hard. But as the intensity of the matches increases, achieving this goal becomes increasingly difficult... The difficulty of winning a platinum trophy in a single-player game is different!"

Ai Shiping tried his best to explain.

However, although he lost the title of "The Hanged Man," Ai Shiping's experience was still there.

After playing a lot of high-ranking games (Master and Challenger), it'll be a breeze to climb the ranks in lower-ranking games (Bronze and Silver).

"I see."

Mingpo chuckled: "High win rate in low-ranked games, but you start sweating buckets in high-ranked games, right?"

"That's called ELO!"

Ai Shiping slapped his thigh in dissatisfaction: "I'm not kidding, it really is EL0! I've left the original host position, and I haven't had a host since then. The games are all randomized."

"Aren't you going to find a new host?"

"It's meaningless."

Ai Shiping shook his head: "You don't understand... In a war between charlatans, having a moderator isn't necessarily a good thing. If the moderator wants to betray you, it's incredibly easy... The moderator can pinpoint your location in time and space, see through the effects of your title, and even see your remaining chips."

Upon hearing this, Mingpo's brows furrowed involuntarily.

But he quickly relaxed again.

...At least, Old Man Mo is relatively reliable.

"The initial hosts were generally quite reliable... but the ones found later are not so certain."

Gao Fan said softly, "It's only human nature, I suppose."

indeed.

Mingbo nodded.

Assuming the interests are limited and it's a zero-sum game... then, if he holds the power of the host, he would certainly want to protect those who have a good relationship with him and have high potential.

If someone has to be sacrificed, then those who are not very familiar with him should be sacrificed first.

He might even deliberately lure people in, specifically to gather a batch of offerings for the sacrifice.

Mimper isn't the kind of hero who would readily declare "I'll save them all" or the madman who would say "I'll fucking kill the person who set the problem first" when faced with a trolley problem. He's the type who thinks very seriously and then gives an accurate answer based on what he values ​​in his heart. Because for him, different people truly carry completely different weights.

If you put all the people he knows and is close to on one side, and put the rest of the world on the other side, Mingpa would not hesitate to steer the train to the other side.

Rather, it's more accurate to say that... up to this point, what Mingpo has been doing is actually quite similar to this.

[Because I have no justice, no hope, and no courage in my heart.]

Thinking of this, Mingpo suddenly recalled these words.

He smiled slightly, but he didn't feel ashamed about it.

"………Um?"

At that moment, Mingpo suddenly paused.

Because at that moment, he received a message.

He has now reappeared in the material world, so the collar has become effective again, and his vision has been reconnected to the internet.

Mingpo initially thought it was some kind of pop-up message that had bypassed his personal firewall, but upon closer inspection, it turned out to be a mission notification from the Special Security Department!

To,

"Head of the Third Section of the Special Protection Division for Takaten Life, G8-Mingpa: "

"You have been detected to have been in contact with M6-Gao Fan. Please collect your required chips immediately."

"After receiving the chips, please use one Time Red Copper immediately."

「特殊秘钥为：请让我回到2025年11月12日上午11点23分24秒，

"And execute immediately: Wait in place for thirty seconds, push open the door, and kill the first person you see. After confirming the target's death, immediately return to the current timeline. Upon reaching the target time point, regardless of whether the mission is completed, you must return within 1 minute and 20 seconds, otherwise it will be considered defection. During this time, you must not contact anyone else, and try not to let anyone notice your presence."

"This message is top secret. It will be automatically destroyed when the chips are used. Please memorize the key and mission details."

"Special Protection Department Notice"

After reading the notice, Mingpo couldn't help but pause for a moment, then turned around and read it carefully again.

Why are secret agents' missions like this?

Where did this index finger messenger come from?

The report didn't even tell Mingpo who the other person was, what their name was, or what they looked like, showing no fear that Mingpo might kill the wrong person. ...But then again, that makes sense.

If someone is mistakenly killed, all that's needed is to send another person to correct the mistake.

Thinking about this, Mingbo suddenly realized... why, even though the spire was full of Celestial Dragons, they were not allowed to participate in the Deceitful Games.

Because as long as they are not charlatans, they can be reborn an infinite number of times!

"I've arrived for my mission."

Mingpo looked at Gao Fan and unceremoniously stretched out her hand: "Give me some, young master."

"Give us a gun, give us a gun."

Ai Shiping chimed in from the side.

"I can't give you too many chips directly. The flow and use of the chips of time will be monitored by Tianwen. Although we don't have collars around our necks... ha. I mean, although we don't have 'real collars'... we're not really that free."

"My father was the true ruler. But I don't know if the 'father' I have now is the same father I knew back then, or how much affection he still has left..."

Gao Fan smiled wryly and handed the four chips to Ming Po.

"but·……"

He changed the subject abruptly: "While I can't give you more chips directly, I once 'lost' some treasures. I remember their approximate location; you can go retrieve them later. If you get those things, you might be able to sell them for some chips! Don't worry about selling them; I'll contact you!"

"...Why are there pachinko parlors here?"

Mingpo complained.

He looked at Ai Shiping: "I don't have much time, can you go get it for me?"

"This is so troublesome... I also have to participate in the promotion game..."

Ai Shiping complained, but still agreed.

He stretched his body a couple of times, took a breath, and stood up, saying to Gao Fan, "Tell me the address, I'll go run it for the busy man." Seeing Ai Shiping's reluctant and lazy appearance, Ming Po's lips unconsciously curled up.

I wonder how he'll react if he finds out he's "dying soon"...

It's strange...

Among the three, Mingpo was originally supposed to be the calm and reliable eldest brother.

As a result, I've become the more lively one.

He needs to be more optimistic and cheerful so that those two idiots who seem to have PTSD won't be constantly talking nonsense.

They're really hard to please.

With that thought in mind, Mingpo took out a piece of Time Red Copper.

「请让我回到2025年11月12日上午11点23分24秒！」

Mingbo gave the order, then bit the chip to pieces!

It's like biting into a gold coin chocolate.

The time-honored bargaining chips that have been confirmed by the instruction are not much more solid than that.

Crimson flames spilled from Mingpo's mouth, instantly enveloping the entire world around him.

The next moment, flames burst forth from it.

Mingpo found herself standing at the door of a somewhat unfamiliar office.

He only needs to take two more steps forward to open the door and go out.

The position he stopped at was exactly the limit where the automatic sensor door failed to open!

Mingpo was stunned for a moment, then immediately understood everything.

This is indeed his office, but it's not his current section chief's office.

He vaguely remembered... This was Minister Lin's office. He had come here to stamp a document or something. Because Mingpo was using the stamp secretly, he was very careful, avoiding everyone's attention, and had even broken the security cameras beforehand. Mingpo stood silently at the door, counting, when he heard footsteps approaching.

"No wonder they chose to let me do it..."

Mingbo thought, "There are very few people who come here, and I just happen to be here, and this happens to be a sufficiently hidden blind spot. According to the original history, I secretly slipped away after I finished stamping."

"And just half a minute later, the target appeared."

And the person Mingpo is going to deal with is the one standing outside the door right now!

Since no instructions were given on how Mingpo should count, she simply chose to count to a rhythm she was familiar with for thirty seconds. Coincidentally, the moment she finished counting, the heavy, slow footsteps stopped right at the doorway.

Mingpo suddenly pushed the door open: "Don't move!"

What appeared before them was a man with a chin and buttocks who looked utterly terrified, his head completely tucked into his neck.

And it was also Mingpo's immediate superior, Minister Lin!

"...How could it be you?!"

Mingpo blurted out.