Not a detective

Page 148

Mo Yue's words were still very harsh.

Kasahara stroked his chin, thinking for a moment: "If that's the case... then it's fine."

To put it bluntly, this game is just a game of strategy between the organizers and the challengers. As for what Dongfeng said about jumping a certain number of floors and whether he would step on a landmine, it's all fabricated.

So, it doesn't really matter who goes up there, as long as the decision-maker is still Dongfeng...

However, Asakawa Riku himself was not happy about it, and he stared at this guy:

"If you want to use a metaphor, I can accept using 'chess piece' as a metaphor, but to use 'puppet' and 'slave' is really something you should study the art of speaking."

Suezuki, however, affectedly covered the hem of her uniform skirt with her hand: "Oh dear, I'm wearing a skirt. If I go up the stairs in front of you, I'll definitely expose myself. That won't do..."

Although it sounded fake coming from her, it was indeed a plausible reason.

"Ok."

Asakawa Riku had no choice but to take on the role of jumping down the stairs.

Fortunately, he hadn't read the note about the "landmine," so he was still unaware of it and could participate in the game fairly.

Stand at the starting position and wait for Kasahara's announcement:

"Alright, let's begin the first round. Challenger, please state the number of steps you need to ascend on the first step."

...

【first round】

...

Asakawa Riku looked at the empty staircase ahead. Since it was past school dismissal time, there were no students passing by.

It's also possible that the student council temporarily requisitioned this section of the stairs because of the game, and the other students went downstairs from the other side.

He closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and entered a state of deep thought.

...This is not a game of probability, but a game of psychology.

As the challenger, you need to see which three floors of this seemingly safe staircase are actually riddled with landmines.

Although there is room for error, it is best to succeed on the first try. Otherwise, it will severely damage morale, and once in dire straits, people will easily become hesitant and afraid to move forward.

Therefore, the first "switch of legs" is crucial and must be won quickly.

Riku Asakawa used the "perspective-taking" approach, thinking that if he were Kasahara, on which three layers would he place the landmines?

The penalty for stepping on a landmine is to "descend three spaces," but returning to the starting point and then descending again is pointless, since there can't be a "negative layer." Therefore, theoretically, it should be set at—

Floors 3-12.

This way, the punishment can be made as efficient as possible, and even if you fall from the third level, you will return to the starting point.

Therefore, the best place for us to switch positions is on the "1-2" level. The opponent will definitely not place mines on these two levels, because there is no point in descending here.

...If you think that way, you are making a big mistake.

This is definitely a trap!

Ultimately, this "demotion penalty" is strange in itself. Demotion by 3 levels? What's the point?

Challengers can freely choose which floor to ascend at once, and even if they descend a lot, they cannot consume a turn. Therefore, this is a "psychological trap" set by the organizers!

The first and second floors likely contain one or two landmines, which are actually the most likely places to step on one!

Asakawa Riku felt a cold sweat break out on his back. If Shinonome Sueki hadn't warned him, he might have foolishly chosen level 1 or 2, wasting a precious chance to make a mistake, or even being hit by two consecutive explosions and eliminated...

...A psychological game, perhaps this game has already begun, when the rules were explained, or even before that, when they first met, the game had already started.

It's terrible.

Asakawa Riku has made up his mind: to avoid the most dangerous lower floors, the safest option is—the upper floors!

He looked at the position at the top... Unfortunately, although he had decided on the location, he was not a "challenger" but only an "executor." He could not make the decision himself and could only follow the arrangements of Shinonome Suetsuki. He declared that he would "not cheat." He could not give her a secret signal to tell her where he was going, so he could only "hint" through this gaze.

Even if we get spotted, we can't go wrong by looking towards the highest point of the finish line.

"Ah, then I'll tell you."

Mo Yue, from behind, lazily made a sound.

Whether it was this loose hint that had an effect, or some kind of telepathic connection that suddenly developed between the two, good fortune finally came.

She expressed the high-rise building that Asakawa Riku desired:

"Let's start by going to the [9th] floor, shall we?"

------

Happy New Year everyone! Here's a belated New Year's gift: an extra 8 words tonight.

Yes, you read that right. 8,000 words, 4 chapters, all released around midnight.

Those who want to watch can stay up late, or watch it tomorrow. No need for tips or gifts, just give me a free monthly pass if you have one~

Zashiki-warashi no Aki: Chapter Nine - The Real Landmine

"Okay, the 9th floor has been confirmed."

Kasahara's voice remained calm, revealing neither joy nor disappointment. He simply continued, like a referee, "Please, Asakawa-san, go upstairs."

"it is good."

Asakawa Riku didn't dawdle. He started walking upstairs and counted the steps. In no time, he reached the ninth floor.

Upon reaching the ninth floor, he stopped without looking back, and the voices below rang out precisely on time:

"Okay, please stop now, and then switch to one foot."

"Oh."

Asakawa Riku slightly raised his right leg. In fact, he could stand steadily on either side, so there was little difference.

However, Kasahara seemed to pause for a moment: "Uh... maybe it needs to be raised a bit, I can't see clearly from here whether it's been raised or not?"

"...Oh, I'm sorry."

Asakawa Riku noticed that his right leg was actually still straight.

In fact, he sometimes stands on one leg like this in his daily life, which can be regarded as a kind of "training". Just like a skilled gunman will release the safety before drawing his gun, or a skilled swordsman will use his thumb to pry open a corner of the scabbard before drawing his sword, for him, this is the prelude to "drawing his leg", and the speed of kicking is faster than when he lands.

At this moment, the sole of the right shoe was less than one centimeter away from the ground, a tiny gap that was almost invisible to the naked eye, but the resulting speed boost was extraordinary.

At this moment, his kick will strike a vital point, and no one will be able to react in time.

"I raised it."

Asakawa Riku knew this wasn't the time to joke around, so he obediently raised his leg, positioning it almost at a right angle.

"It doesn't have to be so standard, but okay... because we'll be able to rest soon."

Kasahara suddenly laughed, and then announced something that sent chills down everyone's spine: "Because of Asakawa-kun, the 9th floor is a [landmine], and now it has exploded."

He clapped his hands, making a "boom" sound effect.

"What……!"

Asakawa Riku was taken aback.

The other party's words didn't sound like a joke, and there was no need to joke once the game started. In other words, they really hit the 25% bad chance!

"Dongfeng, you should have guessed it by now. The reason I kept mentioning the punishment of 'descending 3 floors' was to implant the psychological suggestion of '3' into the challenger's mind. So when making choices, they would subconsciously choose multiples of 3 such as '3, 6, 9, 12.' In this way, my choice of which floors to plant mines changed from twelve floors to four floors. It's easy to choose."

Kasahara explained triumphantly, "And you would probably avoid the dangerous lower floors. The 9th floor has the highest probability, so, it exploded."

...So this is what psychological warfare is all about!

Asakawa Riku felt the blood in half of his body turn cold. In fact, he had just subconsciously thought of the 9th floor, just like the detective, and his thoughts had been completely guessed.

The so-called psychological game, to put it bluntly, is actually a "repeated nesting of ideas that are one layer deeper than yours," and he lost the first round with Moyue.

"Anyway, there's one chance to make a mistake, so it's okay."

He wasn't discouraged; instead, he encouraged Moyue by saying these words.

"Then, please descend 3 floors."

Asakawa Riku, following Kasahara's instructions, was preparing to retreat downstairs when Shinonome Suetsuki suddenly spoke:

"Wait. Don't put your legs down, just like this—hop down on one foot."

"……what?"

Although he didn't know why, at that moment, Asakawa Riku's right leg stopped firmly in place and remained motionless.

However, in the next second, he had already figured out the reason for this instruction.

"...So, this is the real trap."

"Haha, I knew I couldn't hide it from you guys after all."

Kasahara smiled bitterly.

Yes, Riku Asakawa finally figured it out. The real trap in this game is that landmines are irrelevant; the real killing blow lies hidden beneath the rules.

The very first sentence of the rules emphasizes that this game "has two forms: standing on one leg and standing on two legs, and of course, this form must be maintained in reality." Furthermore, you can only switch forms once per pause; conversely, you cannot switch forms until you reach the next level. In other words, you must remain standing on one leg and cannot put your foot down!

"If I just put my foot down... will you declare me guilty of breaking the rules?"

"Of course, that's actually why this game can eliminate so many people."

Kasahara explained from behind: "The one-legged standing posture is not as easy as you might imagine. You can try lifting it up yourself. You'll probably start swaying and fall within thirty seconds. And as you spend more time thinking on the stairs, along with the pressure and urgency of stepping on a landmine, it will make you more likely to waver and teeter on the edge."

At this point, Riku Asakawa interjected:

"Even if someone has excellent balance and can stand still, in this situation, if they step on a [landmine], they're done for."

"Yes."

Kasahara continued, "If I step on a [landmine], I can basically declare victory. Because almost no one can do it—jump down the stairs on one foot with their back to it. Just think about it, the fear is beyond human limits. The unknown behind you, the unpredictable risk of falling, and once your foot slips, you'll be plunged into the despair of falling..."

Moreover, with the landmine on the [9th] floor, the fear would be amplified to an even greater degree, and no one would dare to jump down with their back to the ground and on one foot.

"Usually, when they get here, they either fail by accidentally putting their feet down, or, as you clever people can see, they will give up."

"Therefore, the conjecture of 'one-time tolerance' is completely wrong. In fact, there is no tolerance at all. Once you let your guard down and step on a landmine, you will be blown to pieces..."

Asakawa Riku exclaimed, "These are truly formidable rules."

What appears to be a completely unfair odds situation for the organizers is actually the challenger who has plunged into a hellish staircase of despair!

He complained, "Wasn't it supposed to be a 'psychological game'? You lied, Kasahara."

Kasahara laughed heartily:

"Don't get me wrong, I just said it's not a physical game. It doesn't test physical strength, it tests balance and courage."

Asakawa Riku had nothing to say. After all, this was within the scope of the rules. He hadn't questioned the rules when they were first proposed, so there was no point in saying anything now.

What surprised him even more was Shinonome Sueki's decision; instead of going herself, she chose to let him help her jump...

Did she even think of this when she came up with those clumsy excuses?

Moreover, Mo Yue's crucial reminder saved the game... so I can't let him down.

"Then I'll jump."

Asakawa Riku smiled and said something, then turned his back and hopped down the stairs on one foot.

Kasahara's face turned pale instantly, and his eyes widened.

Zashiki-warashi no Aki: Chapter Ten Explosion

Da da da.

With three thuds, Asakawa Riku landed steadily on the [6]th floor.

"Is this okay?"

He didn't turn his head back even slightly throughout the entire process, and his raised left leg didn't tremble at all. It landed steadily, executing the movement with mechanical precision and perfect rhythm.

This kind of thing was child's play for him.

"……real or fake?"