Chapter 138: Out of the Depth of Misfortune Comes Bliss (2)

"Did you want to ask why our destination is the 11th station?"

"It is a bit complicated. First, although there are 25 stations, there is a high probability that this subway cannot reach the 25th station. At the 24th station, the subway will turn back."

Cao Xiu looked at the 24th station, which was named Path of Reincarnation, and asked uncertainly, "Does Path of Reincarnation mean turning back?"

"Yeah, close enough. The 24th hexagram is the Fu Hexagram, which signifies returning and starting anew."

"This means that after the subway reaches the 24th station, it will return."

"That is strange. Since the subway can only reach the 24th station, why does the route map display 25 stations?"

"The first hexagram: an exceedingly auspicious hexagram."

"The 25th hexagram: an extremely ominous hexagram."

"That is to say, the starting point, the first station, is a highly auspicious hexagram, which is Tai, and the final 25th station is a deeply inauspicious hexagram, which is Pi."

"When the subway returns, it travels from Pi to Tai. Since Tai is the 11th station and signifies health and peace, we will be safe if we get off at the 11th station on the return trip."

Lin Xiuyuan frowned.

'I understand what he means.'

'When traveling forward, we cannot get off at the 11th station. We can only disembark at the 11th station when the subway is on its return trip.'

'Moreover, the burly Tibetan man mentioned earlier, "My destination should be the second 11th station." This perfectly aligns with Chen Ran's deduction, confirming each other.'

'Only when the subway returns does a situation arise where it reaches the 12th station first, and then the 11th station, which means...'

'First Pi, then Tai.'

'Out of the depth of misfortune comes bliss!'

'However, there is a problem. The 12th hexagram is merely the Pi hexagram. To achieve "out of the depth of misfortune comes bliss," one must break the layout. That means using fire to overcome metal and burning the train car, just as Chen Ran mentioned before.'

'Burning the train car requires gasoline, but the Gasoline Drum is outside the car. I am almost one hundred percent certain that getting off at any station other than our destination will trigger a trap.'

'Simply put, whoever steps off to grab the Gasoline Drum risks triggering a trap.'

Chen Ran looked at everyone's expressions and knew exactly what they were thinking. "Alright, since we have deduced the destination, everyone sit down. The subway can depart now..."

Everyone was taken aback.

They looked thoughtfully at the three Three-Star Players who had already taken their seats, a flash of realization appearing in their eyes.

The moment all eighteen players sat down, the previously stationary subway began to move.

Soon after.

It arrived at the second station: Earthly Virtue Road.

When the subway stopped, the doors slowly slid open. Seeing this, the fifteen of them immediately stood up from their seats.

Sure enough, the subway remained stationary once more.

'It seems this is the time the Instance gives us to think. If everyone sits, the subway starts; if someone stands, the subway stays still.'

Realizing this.

They all looked outside the train car and saw an Iron Bucket a short distance away.

Now that the doors were open.

After a brief moment of shock, the fifteen people scrambled toward the doors, all seeming desperate to be the first to grab the Gasoline Drum.

But...

Right as they neared the doors, all fifteen of them slammed on the brakes. No one dared to actually step outside.

The two Newbies in Li Zhitong's team froze in place.

'Go to hell, you bastards!'

'Trying to trick me with this move again?'

'In the last Instance, a Newbie fell for this exact trick. He thought everyone was fighting for it, but in reality, he was the only one rushing out while everyone else hit the brakes halfway. As a result, that Newbie triggered a trap and died.'

'This is the most common and simplest method Veteran Players use to screw over Newbies.'

The fifteen people stood frozen in an awkward silence.

"This is simple. Whoever proposed the plan should go out and get it," Diwu Zeyi suggested, seeing them paralyzed with hesitation.

"What do you mean by that? Do not forget that you are my temporary teammate," Chen Ran said, his face darkening as he shot Diwu Zeyi a cold glare.

"We are already in the Instance, who cares if you are a temporary teammate or not? From the looks of it, this Secret Room requires cooperation between players. Since you proposed the plan, if you do not prove your own deduction, you will not be able to convince anyone. I do not want to be dragged down by you."

"Shut up!" Chen Ran ignored Diwu Zeyi and turned his head to look at the crowd.

Only to find that everyone was quietly staring back at him.

"What is the meaning of this?"

Lin Xiuyuan shrugged. "Just as the Three-Star Player in your team said, I think only if you go out first can you prove whether your deduction is screwing us over."

"Heh, you want me to be the first one out at this station. If the Iron Bucket is empty, are you going to make me go out at the next station too?" Chen Ran argued, his neck flushed with anger.

"Then let us do it in order. At each station, our four teams will take turns sending someone out to check the Iron Bucket. However, it has to start with your team," Li Zhitong said.

Chen Ran sneered in anger.

He looked at Zhou Chen. "In your team, the Three-Star Player shouldn't be participating in the puzzle solving. If we follow her logic, your team basically only has two people. Wouldn't you be at a huge disadvantage?"

To his credit, Zhou Chen was actually swayed by Chen Ran's words and immediately vetoed the plan.

But unexpectedly, Zhou Chen completely changed his tune.

"Then let the fifteen of us take turns, but the first one must be you, Chen Ran!"

Seeing the three of them cornering Chen Ran like this.

Xue Ling, one of the two One-Star Players in Li Zhitong's team, frowned deeply.

'It is obvious that Chen Ran and the Three-Star Player in his team are putting on an act together.'

'Their goal is to force everyone into telling a Future Lie to confirm that Chen Ran will be the first to go out.'

'That means this station is highly likely to be safe and will not trigger a trap.'

'However, Lin Xiuyuan, Li Zhitong, and the Two-Star Player in the burly Tibetan man's team do not seem to realize this layer of deception. They just keep pushing Chen Ran to be the first one out.'

'However, Lin Xiuyuan, Li Zhitong, and the Two-Star Player in the burly Tibetan man's team do not seem to realize this layer of deception. They just keep pushing Chen Ran to be the first one out.'

'How could they fall for such an obvious trick?'

'Unless... these three all know the meanings of the sixty-four hexagrams, but they are unsure how to decipher the corresponding meanings for certain stations.'

'So, even knowing that Chen Ran is acting, they are actively playing along.'

'All four of them are putting on a show right in front of us!'

'They want to make the Future Lie emerge more naturally. For instance, successfully establishing the Future Lie that the fifteen of us will take turns going out.'

'As long as they know... how Chen Ran deciphers the hexagrams, they can simply choose the safe stations and leave the dangerous ones for the remaining players.'

At this thought.

Xue Ling was about to rush out, but Lin Xiuyuan, Li Zhitong, Zhou Chen, and Chen Ran suddenly blocked the doors like four guardian deities.

Xue Ling was completely speechless.

'How Shameless!!'

However, at that very moment, he noticed that the four people blocking the doorway suddenly, intentionally or otherwise, parted to leave a gap wide enough for a single person to pass through.

Now, Xue Ling didn't dare to move an inch.

'Something is wrong.'

'Perhaps, seeing that they cannot reach an agreement, the four of them plan to let a Cannon Fodder go out and test the waters.'

'If I rush out now, then I will become that Cannon Fodder!'

Seeing that no one was rushing out impulsively, Li Zhitong chuckled lightly. "How about it? The fifteen of us will take turns, and Chen Ran goes first. Who is in favor of this proposal, and who is against it?"

'So that is how it is!'

'When they blocked the door, we could not force our way out; when they cleared a path, we were too scared to rush out.'

'These four want us to realize this fundamental point so that we have no choice but to agree to Li Zhitong's proposal.'

'If we just charge out blindly, there is a fifty percent chance of living and a fifty percent chance of dying.'

'But if we figure out the pattern, or understand their line of thinking, our chances of survival will greatly increase when it is finally our turn.'

'Of course, that is assuming we are not too unlucky and do not draw an early number.'

'However, there are three Three-Star Players in this Instance. Using Lie-Judgment to kill people for Points is no longer necessary. We can only hope to make it out alive.'

'In that case...'

'What if I keep my mouth shut the entire time and ignore their suggestions?'