[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-eighteen-levels-of-hell-lying-is-forbidden-h":3,"chapter-the-eighteen-levels-of-hell-lying-is-forbidden-h-the-eighteen-levels-of-hell-lying-is-forbidden-h-chapter-14":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","The Eighteen Levels of Hell: Lying is Forbidden Here",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},748892,993,"Chapter 14: Taking the Stage","the-eighteen-levels-of-hell-lying-is-forbidden-h-chapter-14",14,"\u003Cp>\"Residents witnessed a fire breaking out inside the school and called the police. Through on-site investigations and autopsies, the police gained a general understanding of the situation in the Classroom, but they do not know the exact details. For example, did the fifteen grieving parents kidnap the Human Trafficker and bring him to the Classroom for execution, or did the Human Trafficker kidnap the fifteen parents who had been tirelessly searching for their Child, bringing them to the Classroom to execute them?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Regardless of the scenario, the police do not know the exact process or the chronological order. Therefore, when writing their report, multiple pieces of conflicting information flooded their minds, mutually inhibiting and interfering with each other. This is what we call Time Superposition.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In other words, this Secret Room exists entirely within the mind of the police officer as he mentally reconstructs the entire case.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why is the police officer reconstructing the case? Because he needs to write a report, and the content of that report is the exact question on the Examination Paper for this Secret Room!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Therefore, the objective is to deduce the cause, the process, and the outcome of the entire case.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Feng's words sparked a sudden realization. Everyone quietly pondered the validity of his deduction.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For a long time, no one spoke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>None of them could find a flaw in his logic, indicating that Lin Feng's train of thought was correct.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Consequently, someone retrieved a gel pen from a desk, preparing to write the cause on the Examination Paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had already deduced the cause back in the first Secret Room, concluding that the Human Trafficker had abducted the children of eight couples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hold on,\" Baili Qiangsheng said, interrupting Ma Wenjie just as his pen was about to touch the paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The flames in the Classroom burned ever more intensely. Everyone present sensed that in half an hour at most, they would be swallowed by the inferno and reduced to ashes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hurry up, will you? Stop dawdling!\" Chen Ran urged anxiously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one paid attention to him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pressing question they faced was: what exactly happened in this Classroom?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Si mused thoughtfully, \"First, we need to deduce whether the fifteen parents kidnapped the Human Trafficker, or if the Human Trafficker kidnapped the fifteen parents.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's simple. The fire in the Classroom was set by the Masked Man, which implies that the Masked Man kidnapped the fifteen parents and intends to burn them to death right here,\" Zhang Yuan offered his own perspective.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He quickly added, \"This is a Classroom, which indicates that during the search for their missing children, the fifteen parents locked onto a suspect—their children's Teacher!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The Teacher noticed this and kidnapped the fifteen people, bringing them to the Classroom to murder them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"How did he manage to kidnap all of them?\" Lin Feng countered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"By using the children's belongings to lure them here, naturally.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Si was not satisfied with this answer. She felt something was inherently wrong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Fifteen people searching for their children, only to end up lured to a Classroom and murdered by the Human Trafficker... That is...'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Way too stupid, isn't it?'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Besides, if the Human Trafficker had even an ounce of intelligence, he wouldn't commit the murders in his own Classroom.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, she kept her doubts to herself.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, someone voiced a doubt. \"But there aren't any children's belongings in the Classroom.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speaker was the Pockmarked Woman Player, which instantly put Chen Ran, Lin Feng, and Cheng Si on high alert.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zhang Yuan thought for a moment, looked at the pile of items on the podium, and replied, \"Do you see those Scissors and that Hammer? They symbolize the children's belongings.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Suddenly, the Pockmarked Woman broke into a bizarre smile, drawing her Liar-Slayer and aiming it squarely at Zhang Yuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She enunciated every word,\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You. Lied!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Chen Ran, Lin Feng, and Cheng Si immediately realized that the Pockmarked Woman was the surviving one of the two women. The three drew their weapons without hesitation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Secret Room plunged into pitch darkness once more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You lied.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You lied.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You lied.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Four gunshots rang out in the darkness. Amidst the echoes, everyone heard the distinct sound of the Masked Man dragging a corpse... followed by the crackle of a body being thrown into the flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Light and flames returned to the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ran, Cheng Si, and Lin Feng maintained their aiming stances, though large beads of cold sweat now dripped down their foreheads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They silently counted the number of people remaining in the Classroom.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1, 2, 3... 7, 8, 9!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If the Pockmarked Woman and the Seductive Woman were counted as one person, there were still...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Nine people in the Classroom!!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three couldn't suppress a shudder. Just moments ago in the darkness, four gunshots had rung out, yet only three voices had spoken the command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That meant at least one person had been executed through a Judgment in the darkness, corroborated by the horrifying sound of the Masked Man disposing of a body.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That was proof enough that someone had indeed died.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There had been nine people before. If one died, how could there still be nine?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This meant that at least one more person had been created by a Liar Hunter Skill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Who could it be?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The trio looked toward Baili Qiangsheng, only to see the corners of his mouth curling upward. \"Are you rookies having fun?\" he taunted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Si holstered her Liar-Slayer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'In the Secret Room, Baili Qiangsheng previously used his Liar Hunter Skill to create a Phantom Image.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Just now, he created at least one more.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'In that case, at this very moment, there are at least two people in this Secret Room created by the Liar Hunter Skill.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I didn't pull the trigger, but those three commands were shouted simultaneously. I can't be sure if Chen Ran and Lin Feng fired their weapons.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'This is getting tricky. Chen Ran and Lin Feng might both be dead, or perhaps only one of them was killed.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'I can't believe a single word they say from here on out, or I'll easily fall into a trap.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's alright, just a bit of a brain-teaser. Can we put a pause on the Infighting for now? The fire in the Classroom is only growing stronger!\" Chen Ran said helplessly, rubbing his temples.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheng Si and Lin Feng stared coldly at Chen Ran. At least one person had died in the darkness moments ago—and that person might very well be the real Chen Ran!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ran paid no mind to their scrutinizing gazes. \"First of all, I completely reject Zhang Yuan's deduction.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Speaking, he pointed to the two clocks hanging above the blackboard. \"Can someone help me take those down?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A sharp glint flashed across Cheng Si's eyes. \"Why don't you get them yourself?\" she challenged.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Phantom Image created by Baili Qiangsheng's Liar-Slayer was intangible; it could not interact with physical objects.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The fact that Chen Ran wouldn't retrieve them himself...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...was highly suspicious!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing this, Baili Qiangsheng signaled Liu Changsheng with a subtle look. The latter walked up to the podium, climbed onto the desk, and took down the two clocks.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Tell me, what exact times are the two clocks stopped at?\" Chen Ran asked Liu Changsheng.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Liu Changsheng sneered inwardly. 'This guy wants to trick me into lying. Well, I'm not like those two stupid women,' he thought. Thus, he replied confidently, \"One is at exactly 12:00, or 24:00. The other is at 6:30 and 30 seconds, or 18:30 and 30 seconds.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ran's previously calm eyes suddenly erupted with a fierce, penetrating gleam.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You lied.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Drawing his Gun, raising his arm, voicing the command, and pulling the trigger—the execution was performed in one seamless, unhesitating motion. Liu Changsheng's lifeless body hit the floor, Dying With Eyes Wide Open.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Baili Qiangsheng and his teammates widened their eyes in fury. As a four-man veteran squad, they could usually retreat unscathed even if they encountered a two-star Player in a One-Star Instance.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But now...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>One of their own teammates had actually been killed in a Novice Instance!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three glared fiercely at Chen Ran, their eyes overflowing with a murderous intent as if they wanted to devour him alive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Chen Ran calmly blew away the non-existent smoke from the muzzle of his Gun. He was waiting for the trio to lose emotional control and slip up—the moment they opened their mouths to curse, they would likely be caught in a lie.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three watched helplessly as the Masked Man dragged Liu Changsheng's corpse away and tossed it into the roaring flames.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At that moment, Chen Ran turned his head, locking his gaze onto Baili Qiangsheng with a cold smile. \"Having fun yet?\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1463,"2026-06-02T12:08:03.436Z",1,"novelbin.me","d9e85347922e7a8018dc95a6467e4bd45fa6699e6c2f6035a42369cba86723dc","the-eighteen-levels-of-hell-lying-is-forbidden-h-chapter-15","the-eighteen-levels-of-hell-lying-is-forbidden-h-chapter-13",621,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-eighteen-levels-of-hell-lying-is-forbidden-h-cover.jpg"]