Three Towers Game

Chapter 322 The Mastermind Behind the Ghostly Knocking
In Zhang Qiang's eyes, Wen Xishu was no longer an ordinary human being, and he immediately began to feel afraid.

Because Wen Xishu had already grasped all his secrets, and because he was completely powerless against Wen Xishu.

There are no more ghosts knocking at the door; now is the real moment of judgment.

"On the eve of the apocalypse, chaos and disorder descended upon the world. As a result, you overheard a secret about the harbor. Your gang was about to leave, believing that the sea could avert the end of the world."

"After all, by then, the Free Nation's Ark Project could no longer be hidden. You thought staying here would only lead to certain death."

"So, as an informant, you give your boss a false tip and arrange to meet him at the dock. You actually just want to use it as a bargaining chip to curry favor with the captain, thinking that this will win him the captain's favor."

"Little did he know, in his eyes, you were also a traitor. On the eve of the apocalypse, his enemy was no longer the police station, but this bizarre world. He didn't kill you, he just abandoned you in this city."

"Of course, you should be thankful that your captain and the others also couldn't survive at sea."

"Finally, the apocalypse came, the world lost its order, and you used the equipment you took off after killing the police officer to impersonate him and swindle people. The law enforcement uniform allowed you to freeload and swagger around the city. Especially since you also had a gun."

"But now, your death is imminent."

Wen Xishu's guess has been confirmed.

When the truth is known, the ghost will not harm others, but will instead seek revenge for past grievances.

The water on Xiaoya's body began to recede gradually.

The "police officer's" facial features reappeared, with water seeping from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth.

Then, he grabbed Zhang Qiang tightly.

Zhang Qiang tried to break free, but he couldn't. He felt as if he had fallen into the deep sea.

He couldn't breathe; whenever he tried to breathe, he was surrounded by water.

Gradually, he realized that the space around him had changed.

What I saw was no longer a bar, but a murky...sea.

Zhang Qiang had indeed disappeared from the bar.

The moment the water ghost embraced him, they both turned into a pool of seawater.

Zhang Qiang died just like that.

Li Wei's crime was greed, and Zhang Qiang's crime was betrayal.

Xiaoya's sin was recklessness, and Afei's sin was voyeurism.

The remaining one is Lao Zhou.

Wen Xishu looked at Lao Zhou:

"The next person to knock on the door will be your child."

Old Zhou's knees buckled, and he was already kneeling on the ground:
"I was wrong...I was wrong!"

Although he wore priest's clothes, he was actually a Buddhist.

Wen Xishu learned about Lao Zhou's past through Afei's computer, so he really didn't expect this...

Old Zhou's sin has nothing to do with faith, but with trust.

Simply put, Lao Zhou is the most typical example, a true "Long Xia-style parent".

They are greedy for small gains and like to impose on their children things they cannot do or expectations they cannot fulfill.

He lacked ability but was greedy, and believed that as the father, he should hold the core power in the family.

Therefore, he believed everything, whether it was online experts or the nonsense from his next-door neighbor, except for his own children.

Strictly speaking, Lao Zhou did not commit a crime.
Before the end of the world arrives, if his children tell him that a certain health product is fake, he will immediately berate them, "Do you think you know more than the experts? So-and-so next door bought it too, and that person is a teacher. Do you think you know more than them?"

His children told him not to take the free eggs, because free things are the most expensive, and he would laugh at them for not understanding life. In the end... he brought a bunch of things he didn't need, spent a lot of money, but was delighted to have received two cartons of eggs.

He was innocent, just foolish and arrogant, believing in a dog on the street rather than a child.

But when the apocalypse came, his folly only exacerbated the children's tragic fate.

As the apocalypse arrives, there are unscrupulous businessmen like Li Wei and traitors like Zhang Qiang who yearn to escape.

Naturally, there are also people who exploit faith.

When the supernatural occurs, people accept the existence of ghosts, and naturally, they also accept the existence of gods.

The ignorant Old Zhou began to join various churches. Under the brainwashing of these churches, he firmly believed that God would come to save him.

As long as he regularly donates his household supplies to the church, God will shine His grace upon him.

His children frantically tried to persuade him, saying that there is no God in this world, and if God existed, there would be no end of the world.

But Lao Zhou retorted:
"Doctors from big hospitals and Principal Wu from the Experimental Primary School are both in the church. Do you think you know more than them?"

This classic answer chilled the hearts of their children.

They brought some supplies and tried to persuade Lao Zhou to leave, but Lao Zhou only scolded them for being unfilial.

In the end, the two children could only leave with a few supplies, their fate unknown.

But Old Zhou... did not live to see the arrival of God. Soon, the church Old Zhou belonged to, the Church of All Gods, which could accept all faiths, was taken over by Li Wei's armed forces.

Those who cannot regularly hand over supplies are not worthy of the protection of "God" and are not worthy of worshipping God.

Old Zhou became a homeless man.

On the day he was expelled from the church, Old Zhou was still cursing his children for taking away that small portion of the supplies.

If I give more, perhaps God will bless me.

This is Lao Zhou's story.

A person who isn't bad, but is so stupid it's bordering on bad.

When Wen Xishu publicly revealed Lao Zhou's crimes, Xiao Ya and A Fei, being young people, both showed expressions of disgust.

Xiaoya has completely regained herself and no longer has any trace of the water ghost.

She was glad she had chosen the right side; Teacher Wen was amazing.

At the same time, she felt grateful that her parents respected her and were willing to listen to her, rather than blindly trusting outsiders.

Parents like that are really annoying.

The knocking came again.

Boom, boom.

Two knocks sounded at the same time, and there were two people outside the door.

"Dad, we've come to see you. Open the door, we've brought you some eggs," a man and a woman outside the door said at the same time.

Those were Old Zhou's son and daughter-in-law.

Although there's an old saying that couples are like birds in the same forest, they fly away separately when disaster strikes.

But this couple was very loving, and they relied on and trusted each other until their deaths.

The post-apocalyptic environment was too cruel, and they died during an exploration of a supermarket.

Wen Xishu was certain that the two were ghosts, because they spoke very slowly and their tone of voice was completely flat.

Wen Xishu sighed:
“You could have held out for a long time… This city may soon usher in a new order.”

"But because you handed over most of the supplies to your so-called church..."

Although Old Zhou was very scared, he still retorted:

"That's because they didn't listen to me! If they had listened to me and hadn't taken those supplies!! Surely... a god would have come to our aid!"

“I have a classmate whose teacher is a university professor. They all volunteer there. How could it be fake?”

The knocking sounded again, and after hearing Lao Zhou's words, Wen Xishu really felt hopeless.

"I really want to drink blue wine," Afei said angrily.

Old Zhou immediately said:

"You! You don't understand at all! There are ghosts in this world now! Why can't there be gods!"

"I am a human being! My child is dead! But I must live!"

Doctor Chen Ming found this scene amusing. He remained calm, but his eyes held a knowing smile, as if he were watching a show.

If Wen Xishu chooses Blue Wine, it's basically tantamount to intentional murder.

After all, Wen Xishu was now certain that there were ghosts outside. He had drunk the blue wine before, but that was because there were people outside.

It's just that the rules turned it into a ghost.

Old Zhou was just disgusting, but he didn't deserve to die.

Old Zhou's children are indeed dead, but not killed by Old Zhou; they were killed by the apocalypse. But if they were drinking red wine…

He must be feeling uncomfortable inside. Such a foolish parent should be made to repent in the fear of ghosts.

How should Wenxi Tree be chosen?
Wen Xishu was already prepared to drink the red wine, but before that...

He decided to give it a try.

He arrived at the door:

"Old Zhou's crimes have been exposed. Even if he lives, he will only live in pain and deception."

"I think you're probably aware of the bar's rules. Stop knocking and leave."

“I know you hate him, but letting him live with this incorrigible nature in this terrible world is a far greater punishment than death for him.”

“I don’t want to hurt you, please leave. If you continue to knock on the door, I will take it as… you are prepared to die because of him again.”

Xiaoya and Afei were stunned, and even Chen Ming was slightly surprised, not expecting Wen Xishu to do this.

Is this feasible?

silence.

The bar suddenly fell silent.

For a long while, there was no knocking.

The phonograph was the one that finally broke the silence.

"Next is the supplementary rules."

This is hindsight; Wen Xishu could guess it—this is a supplement to the advice on persuading the ghost to leave.

really.

"If the ghost leaves and gives up the visit, then you can skip drinking this round and be considered to have survived successfully."

Old Zhou was thankful that he had survived.

Xiaoya and Afei also felt that the ghost outside the door was innocent and shouldn't have been voted to death.

This is a win-win solution.

People like Lao Zhou are short-sighted and blindly trust outsiders; in the end times, they will only be used by others.

He was more miserable living than dead.

Wen Xishu's idea was also impromptu.

Those who are outside the door rarely survive, because the area outside is full of ghosts, and most of the people outside have grudges.

Therefore, it is almost impossible to persuade someone to leave.

But it's possible to persuade a ghost to leave, as long as it's not a vengeful ghost that refuses to die.

Old Zhou's children may resent him, but it's not to the point of being a life-or-death feud.

This is also the logic behind Wen Xishu's actions.

Just after Wen Xishu successfully persuaded the ghost to leave, he unexpectedly gained something.

Invitation card.

At that moment, he received a prompt to obtain an invitation.

However, Wen Xishu did not use the invitation immediately; he still had to continue the game.

Try your best to achieve a perfect clear of the Tower of Horrors.

Before we knew it, the game was coming to an end.

Chen Ming said:

"Looks like it's my turn? I wonder if you, Professor Wen, have seen my past?"

Chen Ming smiled confidently.

He knew that the being who visited him was very powerful, and that his past would not be easily discovered.

But then, Wen Xishu stopped hiding it and told everyone what he knew:

Have you ever met an Aquarius?

Chen Ming's smile suddenly froze. He never expected that Wen Xishu's words would be like a sharp blade being drawn, immediately surprising him.

Wen Xishu sighed:
“Dr. Chen, I really don’t know your past, but you’re not as smart as I thought. You revealed a lot of information from the very beginning.”

"You're the mastermind, right? You're the one who gathered us here."

"The visitor who will knock on the door next must be a very powerful ghost, and one that you long to see."

"Let me guess, it's your deceased wife, isn't it?"

Appreciation appeared in Chen Ming's eyes, and he exclaimed in amazement:

"Are you really a teacher?"

Wen Xishu nodded:

"Yes. I do teach, although most of the time my students are in self-study class."

Chen Ming said:

"How did you know?"

Wen Xishu said:
"The fact that your past is the only one that cannot be viewed means that there is an even more powerful ghost helping you."

“Throughout the process, you were the calmest and most rational one, which means this isn’t your first time participating in this door-opening game.”

"And you're the only one who's not unfamiliar with bars."

“You said from the beginning that you used to drink with your wife in bars.”

“Your wife is dead, so this place naturally becomes your place to remember her.”

"So I suspect you are very likely the mastermind behind this."

"The vengeful spirit behind the bar is convinced that we will all die..."

"It's very likely because after he was killed and became a ghost, he already knew the rules here."

"When I was looking at Afei's computer, trying to find your past, I found that the computer screen was red. I've seen blue screens before, but this is the first time I've seen a red screen."

"And I happen to be particularly drawn to the color red, which reminded me of the red-clad female ghost from the beginning. Does anyone else remember her?"

Afei and Xiaoya naturally remembered that the person from the beginning said that a red female ghost had approached him.

But the female ghost...did not kill him.

That person didn't actually die at the hands of the woman in red; he was voted to death by the crowd.

"That female ghost, could it be your deceased wife, Dr. Chen?"

Xiaoya and Afei never expected this to happen; it sounds... absurd yet reasonable.

Dr. Chen clapped and said:

"You're amazing. You guessed so much."

"But even if you guess it, you'll still die. Everyone who comes here is an evil person."

"Evil people deserve to die."

Wen Xishu knew that this was the final boss battle, and he would likely be facing the red-clad female ghost.

Dr. Chen picked up the blue wine glass:
“Teacher Wen, you are very smart. It would be a pity if someone like you died, but the fact that you came here means that you are guilty.”

Wen Xishu said:
"Then you are not guilty?"

Dr. Chen smiled and said:
“Me? I am guilty too, but I have a mission. I am also atoning for my sins.”

"The knocking will start soon; my wife is different from other ghosts."

"It's a pity that you will all die. Even if you have some tricks up your sleeve, Teacher Wen, they are meaningless compared to my wife."

Wen Xishu didn't object. Without the power of the Three Phases, he couldn't use the methods of the Tower of Slaughter. How could he fight the Red House?

However... even as he approached a perfect clear, Wen Xishu remained calm.

On his finger, he already wore a strange ring inlaid with a dice bearing the archer's symbol.

Wen Xishu said:
"I'm dying, aren't I? I didn't expect it would all be in vain, but at least, could you let me know your story with your wife?"

"And what role did Aquarius play in all of this?"

(End of this chapter)