TDU Chapter 363
Chapter 363 Earthquake
Su Shan shifted a step closer to the edge of her glass room and gently tapped on the wall.
Though she made no sound, Zhang Chenze noticed the gesture and turned to look at her just before drawing her stick.
Su Shan paused, then pointed first at her own glass room, then at Zhang Chenze’s, before holding up four fingers and repeating the words “four seasons” twice.
In this silent environment, this was all she could think to convey.
Fortunately, she knew Zhang Chenze’s sharp legal mind would likely grasp the meaning.
Zhang Chenze lightly scratched her hair, pondering Su Shan’s lip movements.
“Four…?” she murmured with a furrowed brow, “Four what?”
Currently, Zhang Chenze experienced a sense of apprehension. As a {newcomer}, she remained uncertain about the nature of {Dog}-category games, and from her perspective, Su Shan might even be deceiving her.
“‘Four’… what does it mean?” She glanced at her green glass room and muttered some possibilities about “four,” then soon arrived at an answer.
‘Four seasons…?’
She then looked at the other players’ room colors, and though the idea was bold, it actually made some sense.
Each individual assumed the role of a season, and all their actions must correspond solely to the season they embodied.
Zhang Chenze pondered for a moment, then glanced down at the two sticks in her hand: one labeled {Torrential Rain Pelts Down Fiercely}, the other {Radiant Sun Embraces the Earth}, which indeed seemed fitting for {Summer}.
“So I’m {Summer}…” Although Zhang Chenze had grasped the rules, she still felt quite confused.
Since she was {Summer}, that meant she wouldn’t directly encounter the {Nian Beast}, nor could she deal any damage to it. So what was she supposed to do next?
Just wait for the others to act? Or…
Was she supposed to summon the {Torrential Rain} and {Radiant Sun}?
Before she could fully figure it out, a new {fortune stick} surfaced on the table.
A {Default} stick.
This {fortune stick} bore no arrows, no hints—only a single word: {Default}.
Zhang Chenze knew this {fortune stick} was useless, much like a {try again} in a lottery. Especially since she had already played a {default stick} during her previous turn.
‘Should every {fortune stick} wished upon by the {Four Seasons} and the {Nian Beast} manifest its effect, it stands to reason that each holds significance… so I must not act recklessly.’
Zhang Chenze resolved to follow her usual approach—when lacking information, refrain from making any judgments.
After all, she had witnessed the scenes in Lin Qin and Qin Dingdong’s rooms. Careful deduction revealed that Lin Qin’s fierce wind came from Qin Dingdong, Qin Dingdong’s {Sandstorm} came from Terrestrial Dog, and the {fortune stick} that could counter Terrestrial Dog’s {Sandstorm} could only come from Su Shan.
In other words, each {fortune stick} had its own use, and could only affect another’s room.
If she were to play {Torrential Rain} or {Radiant Sun} now, she might lose the ability to block future disasters.
So she decisively played a {Default} stick, inserting it into the slot on the table.
Then, mimicking Su Shan, she passed on the {Four Seasons} concept to Lin Qin, who represented Autumn.
Lin Qin quickly understood Zhang Chenze’s meaning but was equally helpless.
She looked at the three {fortune sticks} in her hand, all of them were {Default}.
“What exactly is this game...”
Since Lin Qin’s previous {fortune stick} was also a {Default}, it had no effect on any room.
While using a {Default} might be a safe choice, from her perspective, she was completely unable to grasp the rules of this game.
Having drawn {Default} for two consecutive rounds, she began to suspect that everyone could only draw {Default} sticks.
If that were true, then how were they supposed to win this game, and how could they possibly harm the{Nian Beast}?
Could there be differences between {Default} sticks themselves?
“What exactly are you all playing...?” Lin Qin looked at the three {fortune sticks} in her hand, her expression growing increasingly confused. “If all we get are these kinds of {fortune sticks}, then what’s the difference between us as {Four Seasons}...?”
Su Shan keenly noticed Lin Qin’s expression. She hadn’t expected that, even in the second round, Lin Qin’s face still showed bewilderment. Could it be she hadn’t understood the meaning of the {Four Seasons} yet?
Lin Qin remained silent for a long moment before placing a {Default} stick into the slot, which again produced no effect.
Just as it was about to be Qin Dingdong’s turn, Terrestrial Dog’s broadcast suddenly rang out.
“Everyone be cautious, this round’s {Calamity} is {Earthquake}.” Terrestrial Dog aimed the {Calamity Stick} at Lin Qin.
“Earthquake...?”
Su Shan was bewildered, but her curiosity wasn’t about the word {Earthquake} itself—it was how an {earthquake} could be simulated inside this cramped glass room.
All eyes turned to Lin Qin, concern etched across their faces. After all, the odds of dying in an {Earthquake} were significantly higher than in a {Sandstorm}.
Moreover, Lin Qin represented {Autumn}.
If {Autumn} died, all plans for the year would be severely disrupted.
Under the tense gazes, Lin Qin noticed the iron grate beneath her feet slowly rising like an elevator. It moved around the desk inside the room, carrying her steadily toward the ceiling.
Sweat broke out on her palms. Looking up, she saw the ceiling drawing nearer and nearer. If the iron grate didn’t stop, she risked being crushed into a pulp.
Out of all the deaths she’d endured, this was perhaps the one that hurt the most.
Desperate to save herself, Lin Qin quickly crouched down, silently praying the iron grate would stop ascending.
Just as Lin Qin’s head barely touched the ceiling, the iron grate beneath her finally stopped ascending. Before she could even breathe a sigh of relief, the grate began to fall at a speed too fast for the naked eye to catch, swiftly returning to its original position.
Because Lin Qin had been crouching on the grate, the moment the floor beneath her gave way, she lost her balance and fell hard back onto the iron grate from a height of three meters, scraping her knees badly.
“Ugh!” She groaned, feeling numbness creeping into both legs; she couldn’t stand at all.
‘So… this is {Earthquake}?’
Lin Qin quickly racked her brain for a solution, knowing she couldn’t afford to let her guard down. From what she’d seen, the {disaster} wouldn’t stop until it was resolved.
Right now, the only person who could save her was Qin Dingdong.
Just as Lin Qin lifted her eyes to look at Qin Dingdong, their gazes hadn’t yet met before the iron grate began to rise again. She desperately grabbed the grate, hoping to hold on during its descent.
But she had underestimated the speed at which the grate would fall.
When the grate reached the highest point and suddenly plummeted again, Lin Qin’s grip slipped instantly, breaking the nail on her index finger. Within a second, she slammed hard onto the iron surface once more.
The pain was overwhelming, so pervasive that Lin Qin couldn’t even tell where she was injured. She lay sprawled on the floor, her body curled in torment, howling as if the agony might tear her apart, utterly incapable of rising.
TL Note: Rant goes here ( •̯́ ₃ •̯̀)
