TDU Chapter 319
Chapter 319 The Mastermind
The next verdicts to the following rounds unfolded just as Chen Junnan had predicted.
The iron ball above their heads surged uncontrollably like a runaway train, settling above Yun Yao.
Taking advantage of this call, Chen Junnan shared his deduction with Yun Yao: Terrestrial Snake was hiding among the {even numbers}, most likely at position {-2}. Yet both Yun Yao and Chen Junnan understood they probably had no power to change the outcome.
Chen Junnan also warned Yun Yao about the {Tacturn Male}, the unassuming man who likely had impersonated Terrestrial Snake earlier.
After all, during the round when Terrestrial Snake was impersonated, only he could alter the question. This showed he had guessed the situation’s development without knowing the full picture, he was definitely no minor character.
In later rounds, {Tacturn Male} successfully eliminated {1}.
It seemed {3} had remained a dead room. {Tacturn Male} pretended to answer a call from {3} to manipulate the question, but he hadn’t expected the {stake initiator} to be so close ahead of him, which led to his scheme being uncovered.
And right before {Tacturn Male} was {Triangle}.
This {Triangle} had also struck before, he was the one who killed the occupant of {3}.
The two men ahead of Yun Yao were clearly no ordinary people, placing her in a highly perilous position.
At the fourteenth round, Chen Junnan’s screen lit up with a strange line of text. It looked like a question but was utterly meaningless.
{A flower collapsed amidst snowflakes.}
After seeing the question, Chen Junnan picked up the phone and called Xu Qian. This round played out just like the last, despite cycling through to question fourteen, their predicament remained exactly the same.
The iron ball ultimately hovered above Chen Junnan’s head. The next verdict would decide his fate.
Sure enough, the iron ball that had claimed a life was no longer the same as it had been in the beginning, just as Yun Yao said. It carried a thick stench of blood as it hovered there, faintly revealing a massive, icy silhouette that seemed to fill the entire room.
“Absolutely unstoppable,” Chen Junnan smiled. “Terrestrial Snake... why are you in such a hurry?”
At the start of the fifteenth round, Xu Qian, as the {recipient}, went first, and Chen Junnan only received Yun Yao’s call last.
But Yun Yao’s tone was strange, as if she was giving her final words.
“Chen–Chen Junnan...” Yun Yao said, “I’ve already chosen {False}. You should choose {False} too, maybe you’ll survive the next round...”
“All right, understood,” Chen Junnan replied calmly. “I’ll choose {False}.”
“Are–Are you really not afraid of dying?” Yun Yao asked nervously. “The iron ball is already above your head...”
“To be honest...” Chen Junnan sighed, “I’ve grown numb to {death}. Even knowing I might really die, my heart remains calm. Over all these years, I only feared for my friends’ deaths, never my own.”
“But you—”
“Besides, I don’t share your perspective.” Chen Junnan raised the phone, tilting his head up toward the ceiling. “I’ve got this odd hunch... that I’m not going to die this round.”
“Why...?”
"Because I came to a realization," Chen Junnan narrowed his eyes and remarked, "I was calling the shots in the beginning, but somewhere along the way… control slipped into someone else’s hands."
“You mean... someone else took control?”
“Yes, superstar. There’s a genius at play here. If I’m not mistaken, this person is on par with Ole Qi.” Chen Junnan reached out and touched the layout on the wall. “This person probably dominates the section from {2} to {6}, and was the first to deduce both {the participation} and {exact position} of Terrestrial Snake. They’ve been pushing to lead ever since.”
Yun Yao felt a shock ripple through her at Chen Junnan’s words.
Could there really be someone that formidable?
“Why are you mentioning this person now?” Yun Yao asked.
"They’re deliberately moving the iron ball toward {-2}. If I’m right on all counts, this round will see everyone select {False}, alternating the death target from {odd} to {even}. In other words, I probably won’t be dying this round."
“This is a bold assumption,” Yun Yao said, frowning deeply. “One wrong guess and you disappear forever.”
“Precisely because I’ve worked with Ole Qi, I tend to set a high bar for people... When dealing with clever minds, you have to fully trust their methods,” Chen Junnan smiled. "Superstar, do you reckon that person had any clue I’m the {Stake Initiator}?"
"What does it matter if he realized this?”
“Then he’d know that once I die, the {life-staking gamble} ends, and Terrestrial Snake might be released from his room and become the {umpire} again. At that point, who knows if he’ll seek revenge or favor. So the best strategy is to keep him locked in.”
Swallowing nervously, Yun Yao doubted Chen Junnan’s high regard for the clever. Was it possible for a single individual to be isolated yet have full insight into the game?
“Superstar, that man Zhong Zhen, how’s his brain?” Chen Junnan asked.
“He’s no fool, but he’s certainly not as clever as the mastermind you claimed,” Yun Yao replied cautiously. "What stands out most about him is his ruthlessness. I’ve participated in several games with him; he’s slain numerous teammates, myself included once. Chu Tianqiu mentioned that this coldness is exactly why he recruited Zhong Zhen into {Passage to Heaven}."
Chen Junnan nodded in acknowledgement. “That means... the one controlling the whole game isn’t him, but someone else.”
Yun Yao pondered as well. They had briefly encountered every participant. Who could possess such capabilities?
"Superstar, let’s hold the discussion," Chen Junnan said. "I’m looking forward to confirming my suspicions."
He hung up, pressed {False} with a solemn expression, then murmured to himself, ‘Let me see what you’re truly capable of.’
In those few short seconds, time seemed to stretch into an eternity. Chen Junnan stared as the words on the screen dimmed, then gradually brightened again.
The judgment that would decide his fate was pronounced.
"The verdict for this round—{False}."
“Called it...” Chen Junnan’s eyebrows shot up, just as the loud clang of chains {clatter, clatter} echoed, pulling the massive iron ball away from above his head.
In that instant, death turned with the heavy precision of a tank’s barrel—slow, certain, and squarely fixed on Terrestrial Snake.
Chen Junnan sensed an unseen link binding him to a certain individual on the other side.
TL Note: Ahhhh who is this formidable individual?? While they did use the male pronoun, we aren’t completely sure it’s a guy…. Huehuehue, any guesses?
