Can following the rules be called rebirth?

Chapter 219, Section 217: Ten-Second Countdown

"How about we try Avalon instead of your request?"

The shop assistant thought for a few seconds and then made a recommendation.

"A classic identity deduction game, with good guys and bad guys fighting against each other. It doesn't require complicated map exploration. The core gameplay is speaking, deduction, and voting."

"It tests logic, but also observation skills and acting ability."

"Ok, Ok!"

Zhong Yujun turned to look at the others, and they all nodded in agreement.

The shop assistant quickly brought over an exquisite wooden box containing character quest cards and small round tokens, and gave the newbies a general explanation of the rules.

Players are divided into blue and red teams. The blue team wins if they successfully complete three missions or find the assassin, and the red team wins if they fail to do so.

The key lies in concealing one's identity, speaking succinctly, and submitting votes.

It sounded pretty much the same as Werewolf, and Zhong Yujun enthusiastically shuffled and dealt the cards, ready to show off her skills.

Last time in the werewolf game, I was completely fooled by Zhou Mingyuan, so I have to get my revenge this time!
"How about we play something else?"

After several rounds, not only did Zhong Yujun feel a little regretful, but even Lu Shiya, the talkative one, felt a bit overwhelmed.

In fact, as a board game, Avalon is not fun enough in terms of social interaction.

Leaving aside those messy Western names, if someone doesn't say a word the whole time and the whole process can still barely go on, it naturally lacks the fun of verbal sparring.

Besides, everyone is a riddle-maker from beginning to end, unlike the straightforward and brutal hunter who strikes with immediate results.

What disappointed Zhong Yujun the most was that there was no Cupid in Avalon!
"Change it, change it!"

"I feel this is too complicated."

"Are there any games that don't require intelligence? My brain can't keep up with you guys."

Inside the small private room of the board game cafe, a cacophony of voices could be heard.

The brief Avalon experience received overwhelmingly positive feedback from everyone.

—Not as good as Werewolf.

"How about we play this?"

"Simple, straightforward, and fun."

Zhou Mingyuan smiled and pointed to a sign not far away, which had the three English letters UNO written on it.

Social skills are practically an essential talent for lawyers to navigate the legal world.

From the first year of his career, Zhou Lu had already become familiar with all kinds of board games.

At the same time, he summarized a set of effective rules.

If someone around him likes playing board games, he'll follow suit and play whatever they suggest.

If there are no hardcore board game players in the group, then board games are just a tool for large gatherings.

Therefore, his top three games—UNO, Undercover, and Wanted—are all simple games suitable for beginners and breaking the ice.

How do you play this card game?

"UNO?"

Compared to Gu Wanwan, who was focused on the rules of the game, Zhong Yujun stared at the names on the cards for a while, feeling that something about them looked familiar.

I remembered!

Isn't that my senior's Douyu nickname?
"I will, I will!"

Lu Shiya volunteered, clapped her hands, and like a party host, picked up a brand new box of UNO brand soap and started washing it with a rhythmic clatter.

"The rules are as follows. Each person receives seven cards and plays them clockwise. The cards played must be of the same color or have the same content. The last card played must be called UNO. If you don't call UNO and are found out, you will draw two cards."

She blinked and explained the rules to everyone, then seemed to remember something at the end, and said with a mischievous excitement.

"As for punishment, the first-place winner will be punished as the last-place winner, okay?"

"no problem!"

Gu Wanwan was the first to respond.

"A penalty drink or truth or dare?"

"Let's play Truth or Dare. Judging from Liu Zhe's expression, he probably can't drink anymore."

Qin Weifeng rolled up his sleeves, not forgetting to tease Liu Zhe sitting opposite him.

"Don't fucking talk nonsense! I can still drink!"

Liu Zhe raised his voice again.

"Alright, alright, let's play Truth or Dare."

After reaching a consensus, the game officially began.

Shuffle the cards and deal them.

The cards instantly became colorful and unpredictable.

The atmosphere was fairly friendly in the first round.

While playing cards, everyone still had the energy to chat.

"+2."

Zhou Mingyuan sat next to Zhong Yujun, smiling as he played cards.

After all, apart from Lu Shiya and himself, the other students weren't even familiar with the rules.

Therefore, it's only natural that you get scammed several times.

"+4."

"you you you"

Immediately afterwards, Zhong Yujun had four more cards in her hand.

The girl pouted, took a deep breath, and looked unwilling to give up.

They originally had a good chance of finishing their cards, but now Zhou Mingyuan is using props like crazy.

This person is absolutely wicked!

"Targeted! Utterly targeted!"

Lu Shiya sat to the side, happily eating melon seeds, covering her mouth and giggling non-stop.

"No, this is a strategy."

Zhou Mingyuan was beaming with pride.

"Strategy my ass! You're doing this on purpose!"

Of course he did it on purpose.

As a party warm-up game, it doesn't require much hardcore strategy; just remember to shout "UNO" and you'll be fine.

The core of the game is to socialize and interact with the girl you like.

Clearly, Zhou Mingyuan is a perfect score in this regard.

He would throw his +2 and +4 cards at Zhong Yujun every time, always with an innocent expression, which only fueled her hatred.

After a few rounds, Zhong Yujun quickly figured out the rules of the game. Not only did she use the turn cards very quickly, but she also retaliated by giving him a taste of her own medicine.

After the first round, the two stared at each other, and their off-stage interactions, in addition to their targeted card play, were equally rich and varied.

With no one targeting her and being familiar with the rules, Lu Shiya was the first to clear her hand.

"Hahaha! I won!"

"Junjun, truth or dare?"

Zhong Yujun pouted, but she was still caught red-handed.

"Tell me the truth."

She looked out of the noisy private room, thought for a moment, and decided that a safer punishment would be better.

"Let me think about what I want to ask you."

Lu Shiya tidied her hair behind her ear, bit her lip, and rested her slightly tipsy cheek with one hand, smiling brightly.

Do you have someone you like right now?

"Wow~~~"

Gu Wanwan immediately perked up, sat up straight, pricked up her ears, and her gossip spirit was burning brightly.

"."

Zhong Yujun blushed instantly, stammered for a long time, and under everyone's intense gaze, she finally mumbled a single word.

"Ah."

"Who is it?"

Lu Shiya's watery eyes were full of curiosity as she relentlessly pressed for answers, drawing out her words with a pointed tone.

"Truth or dare is over!"

Zhong Yujun gritted her teeth, took the initiative to pile the cards on the table together, and vigorously shuffled the cards in her hand.

Okay, okay, you've had a few drinks and you still have to ask this kind of question, huh?
Just wait!

In the second round, the atmosphere became noticeably more lively, and the mutual sabotage became even more unrestrained.

Reversals, skips, +2s, +4s appear one after another, and the rhythm changes rapidly.

Lu Shiya wanted to win, and so did Zhong Yujun. Seeing the excellent questions asked earlier, everyone seemed to have their competitive spirit ignited.

Gu Wanwan was lucky; when she had a good hand, she played quickly, and when she had a bad hand, she gently accepted the punishment.

She was caught by Liu Zhe once, and he immediately made a heartfelt confession in a clipped voice, which sweetened the whole audience.

Qin Weifeng, on the other hand, was a reckless man who often made reckless moves without considering the situation, harming himself and his teammates. As punishment, Lu Shiya made him do forty push-ups, showcasing his physical prowess.

The one who seems most like an outsider is actually Zhou Mingyuan.

He never came in first place, and he was never caught.

He plays very cautiously, and despite being targeted many times, he always manages to escape danger.

"Nice!"

After several rounds, Gu Wanwan finally got her chance to win.

She smiled so broadly that her eyes crinkled into crescents, and she couldn't suppress the curve of her lips as she clenched her little fists in a show of strength.

"Let's see which little idiot came in last place!"

Lu Shiya, standing nearby, cheered and mocked while watching the final stage of the battle with her legs crossed.

"Wow"

She could have easily avoided punishment, but instead, she was betrayed by someone close to her, which made Zhong Yujun furious.

The series ended last.

"Wanwan! Quick! Truth or dare!"

Lu Shiya shouted excitedly.

"Choose one, truth or dare?"

Gu Wanwan crossed her arms and quickly exchanged glances with her best friend, a sly smile on her face.

All eyes were on Zhong Yujun.

After all, they had spent three whole years together, and the classmates all knew that Zhong Yuyun's high school life had been extremely well protected.

Not to mention she's never been in a relationship, her family drives her to and from school every day, and there were even rumors about it once.

Having finally made it to university, she suddenly revealed a corner of her heart under the influence of truth and alcohol, so how could everyone not be curious?
"big Adventure."

Zhong Yujun adjusted her mood, took a deep breath, looked at Gu Wanwan's harmless smile, and then glanced at Zhou Mingyuan next to her.

She bit her lower lip and said helplessly, "Hurry up, I choose Truth or Dare!"

Even a fool knows what Gu Wanwan is going to ask her!
To avoid confronting the issue directly, she could only choose dare.

Gu Wanwan was taken aback, her expression showing some surprise.

Punishments for girls are different from those for boys. She was gentle by nature and couldn't think of any fun yet reasonable adventures for the time being.

She looked across at the other side as if seeking help.

Lu Shiya's starry eyes flickered, she stood up, leaned close to Gu Wanwan's ear, and chattered away for a long time.

The latter covered his mouth, his eyes suddenly lighting up.

"Ahem. Okay, Junjun, dare."

Gu Wanwan cleared her throat and said somewhat shyly.

"—Choose a classmate of the opposite sex present and gaze deeply into their eyes for ten seconds!"

She paused for a moment, then added.

"Have you seen any recent Korean dramas? Here's a classic line from one of them: 'Your eyes are full of stars!'"

"Don't dodge, it'll only take ten seconds."

"Yes, yes!!!"

Qin Weifeng, a bystander, burst into laughter and clapped his hands in approval.

"Hurry up and choose!"

Lu Shiya and Gu Wanwan joined in the commotion, instantly igniting the atmosphere in the private room to its peak.

Although there was no alcohol in the board game store, the alcohol from the restaurant seemed to linger in people's hearts every second.

"."

Zhong Yujun stood up, her cheeks flushed.

A bet is a bet, but is this how you guys play it?
Honestly, this dare game seems to involve choosing a member of the opposite sex, but in reality, there's no choice at all.

Her gaze swept symbolically over the boys present.

Qin Weifeng was alright, clapping and laughing and cheering, while Liu Zhe was a bit clueless, his face full of eager anticipation.

As for the remaining one?

Her heart was pounding, and her gaze lingered on Zhou Mingyuan for a long while.

He remained reclining in his chair, looking completely nonchalant, seemingly neither eager for nor particularly interested in the punishment.

A subtle impulse welled up inside me.

What was his reaction?
Zhong Yujun pushed back her chair and, under the watchful eyes of her classmates, patted Zhou Mingyuan on the shoulder.

The card table fell silent instantly.

"Stand up! Do you need someone to ask you to?"

Zhong Yujun rolled her eyes at him, then tugged at the man's sleeve, trying to remain calm.

"Ten seconds, huh?"

The girl's cheeks were flushed, and her chest heaved.

"You all count down, then we'll begin."

Her gaze first shifted to the distance, then she raised her wrist and tied up her playful long hair with a hair tie.

The next moment, the girl with the ponytail stared straight into Zhou Mingyuan's eyes.

Their eyes met.

Time seems to be stretched infinitely.

Ten seconds?
It's only ten seconds, it shouldn't be long, right?
Starting with the last word, Zhong Yujun realized she had oversimplified things.

The first second was filled with overwhelming shyness.

Her heart was pounding, and she felt her cheeks were so hot they could fry an egg on them; all she wanted to do was run away immediately.

Zhou Mingyuan, however, had a smile on his lips and a calm look in his eyes, which were like a bottomless lake, reflecting her panicked little figure.

The second second, there was an urge to dodge.

His gaze was so direct and focused that she had nowhere to hide.

I really want to lower my eyes.

In the third second, she was drawn by an invisible force.

The other person's eyes seemed to have a magical power.

In the fourth second, she finally mustered her emotions and saw his eyes clearly.

The man's long eyelashes cast a small shadow under his eyelids.

In the fifth second, the sounds of the world seemed to disappear.

Gu Wanwan's soft laughter, Qin Weifeng's cheers, and Lu Shiya's countdown.
Everything seemed blurred and distant, as if viewed through a thick layer of frosted glass.

In her world, only those eyes, so close to her, remained.

The sound of my heartbeat amplified infinitely in my ears, thump-thump-thump, like a drumbeat, or perhaps a resonance.

In the sixth second, a surge of excitement welled up inside her, and her shyness gradually faded away.

In the seventh second, she almost forgot that damn line.

It was as if the whole world consisted only of her and Zhou Mingyuan.

She could even see the reflection of her own flushed cheeks in the other person's pupils.

Zhou Mingyuan's eyes are so bright, it's like... there really are stars in them.

At the eighth second, the countdown from Lu Shiya abruptly pulled her back to reality.

".three!"

Zhong Yujun suddenly remembered something.

Wow, there's another line from a Korean drama!
That sentence hasn't been said yet!
She opened her mouth, and a strange feeling washed over her again.

But this time, a subtle courage arose during their eye contact.

In the ninth second, just as Lu Shiya was about to speak, Zhong Yujun moved.

She tilted her chin slightly and brought her cheek closer.

The instantaneous face-to-face posture has already transcended all polite social distance.

The unique fragrance of the white moonlight, with a touch of uninvitedness, rushed into Zhou Mingyuan's nostrils.

At the same time, a crisp sound rang in the man's ear.

"Your eyes sparkle!"

(End of this chapter)