Death Game: Starting as a Trickster, Pretending to Be a God

”Free Alliance?”

Hearing Crow-Man’s words, Lin Yu froze momentarily before recalling.

This was another one of the three organizations banned from the forum, alongside the Psychological Society.

Lin Yu couldn’t help but laugh wryly.

”Well, seems like I’ve only cleared one dungeon and already caught the attention of two troublesome organizations!”

He genuinely marveled at this.

Was his ”potential” really that impressive?

To think two organizations would want to recruit him!

Wait—considering that Heavenly Artisan had also extended an invitation earlier...

”So all three organizations on the forum’s blacklist have invited me, huh?”

Lin Yu sighed.

Things were getting increasingly complicated.

As a newcomer who’d only cleared two dungeons, he barely understood the faction dynamics among Death Game players, yet three notoriously ”non-virtuous” organizations had already set their sights on him.

This definitely wasn’t good news.

”After getting out, I’ll need to disguise myself properly and gather more intel,” he thought.

”I should also investigate what this ’Promotion’ business is about soon.”

Turning back to the gray Crow-Man, Lin Yu asked,

”Alright, shouldn’t we move to the next question?”

Crow-Man nodded with a smile.

”Indeed. Now for the second question...”

”Among all the information I’ve told you in this room, exactly one statement is false. Which one is it?”

Lin Yu narrowed his eyes.

This second question was rather interesting.

Unlike the first one which had immediately triggered revelations, this required careful analysis.

If taken as premise, any false statement among Crow-Man’s words—about itself, about ”deities,” about the Death Game—could lead to vastly different conclusions.

But as for this question...

Lin Yu exhaled.

”Guess I’ll have to rely on intuition—I’ll say it’s when you gave me 85 points.”

Crow-Man squinted.

”Oh? Your reasoning?”

”My reasoning is that I think my answer was perfect,” Lin Yu said calmly.

”You definitely wanted to give me 100 points internally... at least 98!”

Crow-Man blinked, then burst into laughter.

”Hahahaha! Wrong answer...”

”But your response amuses me, so I’ll still grant you a reward—you may ask me one question during any game session. For any puzzle I know the answer to, I shall provide a clear and truthful response.”

”—This privilege isn’t limited to the current game!”

With that, Crow-Man raised its right hand and snapped its slender fingers.

*Snap!*

A sharp pain erupted on Lin Yu’s right wrist as a simple gray crow design appeared, as if etched into his skin.

”When you have a question, simply press your left index finger here and ask,” Crow-Man explained.

Lin Yu rubbed the mark gingerly.

”Alright, now I’m starting to believe this is really a ’reward stage’...”

He then looked up.

”So, is it time for the final ’decision question’?”

Crow-Man nodded.

”Indeed... though this time, it’s not about choosing an exit method, but selecting your equipment reward.”

It spread both hands, where gray mist coalesced into two capsules—one red, one blue.

”In my open palms lie two items that will greatly benefit you.”

”Choosing either left or right will grant you one reward and let you leave this dungeon.”

”Now make your choice... which hand will you pick?”

”Point to it and tell me!” Crow-Man whispered.

Lin Yu stared at the red and blue pills, momentarily stunned.

”You deities watch The Matrix too?”

”I dabble in human entertainment,” Crow-Man inclined its head slightly.

”Indeed, it’s precisely humanity’s boundless creativity that makes this game increasingly rich and fascinating.”

”So the items are capsules,” Lin Yu stroked his chin.

”Given you’ve seen The Matrix, from an auspicious perspective, red seems the obvious choice...”

”Blue feels like it might trap me forever in the Death Game.”

Crow-Man chuckled.

”No such implication—neither capsule affects your ability to leave this dungeon.”

Lin Yu also laughed.

”Right, because neither choice lets me leave... you bastard deity! Calling this a reward stage while hiding your biggest trick in the final room’s ’last question’? Those two pleasant earlier questions were just to lower my guard!”

His laughter sharpened into a piercing gaze.

”You even stopped saying ’caw’—afraid I’d realize your single falsehood was actually hidden in the third question?”

”No wonder the second question felt impossible—every word you said seemed fake... though credit where due, you kept your promise of only one lie.”

”’Choosing either left or right will grant you one reward’—this entire statement needs to be taken inversely, doesn’t it?”

Lin Yu’s eyes locked onto Crow-Man’s outstretched hands.

”Choosing either hand means receiving no items and being unable to leave, correct?”

The gray Crow-Man gave a low chuckle.

”Heh... so what’s your choice?”

”Using the same trick four times makes it pretty obvious,” Lin Yu sighed.

”You even emphasized pointing instead of saying ’left’ or ’right’...”

He suddenly pointed upwards.

High above in the vaulted sky, the towering Crow-Man statue leaned on a cane with one hand while the other...

lay completely flat and open.

”I choose the statue’s open hand.”

Lin Yu raised both arms overhead and declared calmly.

Crow-Man’s laughter boomed like thunder.

”Even at the end, I couldn’t deceive you... no wonder you obtained the ’Fraudster’ profession!”

The giant Crow-Man ”statue” bent down, placing its enormous left palm before Lin Yu.

Upon it rested two massive ”items”—a row of gleaming white teeth and a crimson tongue.

The gray Crow-Man behind him dissolved into smoke as the statue spoke again.

”Lin Yu, congratulations on solving the final ’decision question.’ Here are your rewards—choose one.”

”One is named [Teeth of Prophecy]!”

”The other is named [Tongue of Deceit]!”

”After making your choice, I shall send you forth from this dungeon!”