God's imitator

Chapter 88 The Female Player Pays the Bill
As for the message that Qian Li broadcasted, it was even more fatal.

At the current point in time, the percentage of male players among the murderers is 100%.

So far, two female players have died out of the 40 players, and there is no doubt that the murderers are two male players.

Because male players tend to step on more buttons, murder only requires 5 steps to take effect immediately.

Female players did attempt to kill, but it takes three reports for a female player to commit a murder. There are likely many male players in the game, like Zheng Jie, who have been reported once.

As the game progresses, the number of male players dying at the hands of female players will inevitably increase.

But that will ultimately take time and require more meetings.

According to in-game data, it is true that 100% of the murderers are male.

Under immense pressure from a life-or-death crisis, this data will further cause many female gamers to lose their minds.

Because they subconsciously believe that 100% of male players are potential murderers.

This is the allure of numbers: although these two 100%s have nothing to do with each other, it is precisely because they are both 100% that they can create a connection in the subconscious of irrational people.

[Players must enter the meeting room immediately; failure to do so will result in instant death.]

Zheng Jie took a deep breath and walked back into the meeting room.

……

Before entering the meeting room from the corridor, Zheng Jie secretly prayed that he would encounter a male player.

Given the current situation, same-sex pairings are indeed safer, as even if the other party has enough "downvotes," they are unlikely to waste them on you.

However, when Zheng Jie pushed open the door, his heart skipped a beat.

She's a female player, and he's seen her before!
【Community 12 - Zhao Duo】

This is the same person who, during the talent show, went on a rampage, telling all female players to immediately and indiscriminately report male players to protect themselves.

So unlucky.

Judging from Zhao Duo's previous remarks during the talent show, it's perfectly normal for her to take the initiative to report male players.

Is Zheng Jie just unlucky and always encountering such high-risk matchmaking partners?

Not entirely; it's also due to the matching mechanism.

By now, a small number of lucky players must have formed fixed teams. To ensure safety, they no longer match with people they don't trust, but instead continuously invite each other to meet.

This means that the players who are left out and forced to participate in the matchmaking system all have some problems.

For example, someone like Zhao Duo.

After she made those remarks on the big screen, it's highly unlikely that any male player would be foolish enough to send or accept her meeting invitation, so she would have no choice but to choose random matchmaking.

But for Zheng Jie, this was truly terrible news.

But just when Zheng Jie felt desperate, Zhao Duo seemed more panicked.

She immediately raised her hands: "Don't misunderstand! I don't want to 'report' you!"

"Whatever you're thinking, I hope you can stay calm. We can complete this meeting safely!"

"Now please raise both hands, but don't put them on the buttons, okay?"

Zheng Jie was surprised, but his current situation with Zhao Duo seemed like a stick trying to catch a wolf – afraid of both sides.

This was a situation he was happy to see, so he raised his hand just like Zhao Duo.

"Okay, we won't touch the buttons."

Zhao Duo slowly moved to the table and sat down, keeping her hands upright the whole time, with both hands placed next to her face so that Zheng Jie could see them clearly.

"I'll pay."

As she spoke, Zhao Duo pressed the "I Pay" button very slowly, then returned to the position with her hands upright.

Zheng Jie slowly pressed the "You Pay" button.

Then, he raised his hands, feeling that the scene was both funny and sad.

He never expected that the first time a female player would pay for him after entering the game would be in such a scenario.

The two of them stared at each other in silence.

Zheng Jie recalled a similar awkward silence during a previous meeting, but the mindset was completely different these two times.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Finally, the 10-minute countdown ended.

Zhao Duo's hands remained raised, trembling constantly, with several significant shaking incidents, but she still did not lower them to rest.

"Can I go now?" she asked softly. Zheng Jie finally breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: "Yes, you go first."

Zhao Duo stood up slowly and stiffly, then turned and left the meeting room.

Seeing the door across the street close, Zheng Jie finally relaxed and took a few deep breaths.

Then he stood up and walked outside.

"Thankfully, it was a close call..."

Every meeting now feels like a brush with death for Zheng Jie, posing a severe challenge to his heart.

However, when Zheng Jie walked through the corridor and arrived at the lounge, he was stunned again.

[Current number of accusations: 2]

[Please note! If you are accused three times, you will be subject to immediate death.]

……

Zheng Jie felt his legs were a little weak, so he leaned against the wall and sat down on a seat next to him.

Unlike his first outburst of anger, this time he felt more despair and bewilderment.

what happened?

How did you do it?
"Could it be... the elbow..."

Zheng Jie considered the possible reasons and was once again filled with regret.

After Zhao Duo sat down, she did not raise her hands, but simply kept them vertical, with her palms roughly on either side of her face.

Although Zheng Jie could clearly see her hands, he overlooked the fact that in this position, Zhao Duo could actually touch the button in her blind spot with her elbow.

During the long ten minutes in the meeting room, Zhao Duo could complete the "reporting" operation simply by moving her elbow.

Zheng Jie couldn't even notice these subtle movements.

He slumped into the chair, his mind blank.

"The next time I'm reported, I'll be dead..."

"According to the game rules, I have 10 seconds before I die. Can I rush back to the lounge and exchange all my visa time for vouchers? I can't leave even a minute for that damn copycat!"
"But... after the meeting started, the door to the room seemed to be locked."

"How about we exchange half of the vouchers now?"

"No, no, why should I think about these things? I can't give up. I need to figure out how to survive!"

On the big screen, the talent show and broadcast continued.

[Yang Yuting from Community 17 broadcasts a data message to all players.]

[In the first four hours, Zhang Shichao from Community 9 received 85% of the total number of likes and dislikes from meetings.]

[Xu Tong from Community 17 broadcasts a data message to all players.]

[In the first four hours, Zhou Rong from Community 12 received 71% of the total number of 'likes' and 'dislikes' from meetings.]

"I have to find a way to ask Attorney Lin for help..."

Zheng Jie does not believe he can solve the current problem on his own.

He had already been reported twice, and there were still more than two hours of despairing game time ahead.

If he is reported again, he will be completely finished.

He had wanted to ask Lin Sizhi for help before, but couldn't find any way to do so.

Now, even if I can't think of anything, I have to force myself to.

Zheng Jie paced anxiously around the room a few times, when suddenly a brilliant idea struck him.

He hurried to the data query machine, used one "like" to query and broadcast a piece of data.

[Zheng Jie from Community 17 broadcasts a data message to all players.]

As of now, the percentage of players reported in Community 17 is 25%.

Zheng Jie knew that this way of expressing himself might be too simplistic and blunt, not subtle enough, and might expose some information to other communities, but he had no better choice.

Because he doesn't have many likes or dislikes, he can't afford to squander them. If he expresses himself in a more subtle way, and Lin Sizhi misunderstands, then it will be a big problem.

After sending the message, Zheng Jie waited anxiously.

[Lin Sizhi from Community 17 broadcasts a data message to all players.]

[As of now, the percentage of players with fewer than 5 dislikes who have shown a clear intention to kill during meetings is 0%.]

(End of this chapter)