Chapter 874: Do You Understand How to Play Now?
...To eliminate posthumans? Why?
"Well, then what's the point of playing?" Before Lin Sanjiu could raise her doubts, Bohemia immediately interrupted without hesitation. "You admitted it yourself, it's unfair, and you just want to eliminate posthumans. Are we stupid to play with you?"
That reasoning made sense, but they probably had no choice.
As expected, the pocket dimension owner shook his head. He struggled with the movement, considering his short and chubby neck.
"Firstly, if you don't participate in the game, you won't be able to leave. Honestly, even if I want to eliminate posthumans, I don't want to trap you here. This space is limited, and I don't want to listen to your wailing before you die..." He sighed and expressed some dissatisfaction. "Secondly, I haven't completely changed the rules of the pocket dimension at the moment."
"What do you mean?" Bohemia was cautious, like a cat that had discovered new territory.
"For you, although there are indeed unfair aspects, it's far from being a game where you die as soon as you start. The only changes I made are: the game can begin even if the number of players is different, and I have priority in Candy Crush. In other words, if you don't play, it will be a slow and painful death process. But if you play, there's a chance to escape." He stopped smiling at this point, and the thick fat on his face slowly melted like magma. "...For me, it's indeed a bit regrettable."
"Your mom is regrettable."
If she wasn't held back even a little, Bohemia might have attacked the pocket dimension owner right then and there. Lin Sanjiu grabbed her wrist in advance and whispered, "I think there's a possibility that what he said is true."
"How do you know?"
Children born within the Twelve Realms have limited knowledge and experience about pocket dimensions compared to posthumans like Lin Sanjiu because the pocket dimensions in the Twelve Realms are marked, recorded, and strategized. Lin Sanjiu sighed and patiently explained, "Generally, pocket dimensions of this game or competitive type require mandatory participation. There are consequences for not participating... unless you have some Special Item that allows you to escape."
This Candy Crush pocket dimension was likely fair at the beginning. If the pocket dimension owner could freely change the rules, he could have easily set the pocket dimension to a "death upon entry" state, but he didn't do that, which means he lacked the ability.
Optimistically speaking, cheating in the game to wipe out the players is not much different from a state of certain death.
"...Tell me, what are the rules of the game?" Bohemia finally accepted, reluctantly asking.
"Did you see the three large balls behind each of us?"
The pocket dimension owner raised his arm and gestured towards the three balls in the air behind him. Just like the balls behind Lin Sanjiu and Bohemia, the three balls on the opposite side also appeared to be made of opaque, thick rubber, with fresh and pleasant colors like pink and white.
"Each ball contains a different object. Only the person can see what is inside their own ball; the opposite person cannot see it," the pocket dimension owner explained. He raised his hand and gestured for the two of them to turn around.
Lin Sanjiu turned her head, and her gaze smoothly pierced through the rubber layer of the large ball as if they suddenly turned transparent. Inside the first grass-green ball was an ordinary bicycle, the second pink-yellow ball contained a set of utensils that seemed to be meant for a giant, and the third sky-blue ball held a lion without a mane.
"Don't worry, I don't even know what's inside your balloons," the pocket dimension owner sighed with a hint of regret. "Otherwise, I wouldn't have to deal with you like this."
"Why do you want to eliminate posthumans? There must be more than one pocket dimension owner who wants to do this," Lin Sanjiu asked abruptly.
"Let's not talk about that for now," the pocket dimension owner smiled at her and continued, "Pay close attention now... In each round, each faction has one opportunity to peek and one opportunity to disguise. Peeking is simple—you can choose any ball from the opposite side and request to see the contents inside. Disguising is a bit more complicated... Do you see the fourth black ball floating towards us now?"
Another black ball floated before them, gradually becoming transparent on the side facing them, revealing a vertical list of options: "Disguise options: 1, a piece of clothing; 2, a knife; 3, a roll of yarn."
"For example, let's say it's the first round now. You have to choose one of these three disguises as a deceptive illusion," the pocket dimension owner gestured again. "Make your selection."
Lin Sanjiu didn't let go of a single word he said, but the information available for her to assess the situation was still too limited. After discussing in a low voice for a while, they finally decided, and she pointed to the first option.
"Now, please choose which ball to put the disguise in. Don't tell me this information."
The text inside the black ball transformed into another line, listing the three balls horizontally.
"Since it's the Testing Bureau, it doesn't matter which one we choose," Bohemia thought for a moment and selected the one containing the bicycle. "Let's go with this one."
"Alright," the pocket dimension owner squinted his eyes. "I have also chosen my disguise. Since I have priority in the Candy Crush game, I'll be the first to perform the peek."
Even though it was the Testing Bureau, both of them couldn't help but feel a slight tension.
"I will randomly select one of your balls next to peek at its contents. If I choose a disguised ball, then I will see the disguised contents," the pocket dimension owner furrowed his brow, focusing on the three balls for a while. "I choose the second one."
The contents of the second ball slowly revealed itself—a set of enormous utensils.
"Although I can say that you possess or have possessed utensils, 'possession' and 'being' belong to two completely different concepts," the pocket dimension owner pondered, his round chin moving up and down a few times. "Of course, it is also possible that this is your disguise... and beneath the disguise, there might be something with similar qualities to what you possess."
"If I choose a ball with your disguise inside, the disguise will disappear after the ball is opened," the pocket dimension owner contemplated for a moment. "I'll open the third ball."
In the blink of an eye, as the two of them were still dazed, the lion gradually appeared inside the third ball. It was a completely real and vivid lion, currently pacing anxiously within the ball. The pocket dimension owner glanced at it and couldn't help but smile. "If only the real game could go as smoothly as this."
"What's there to be proud of? It's a lion," Bohemia raised an eyebrow and tapped the ball twice. "How can we achieve a three-match with it?"
"From the perspective of species distinction, of course, you cannot be eliminated," the pocket dimension owner smiled faintly, and his cheek muscles raised along with it. "But this lion doesn't have a mane... which means both of you are the same gender."
"Wait," Lin Sanjiu was shocked. "If this is the real game, then we've already been eliminated?"
"Yes. It's as simple as that."
"What if you choose a ball that we've disguised?"
"It's straightforward," the pocket dimension owner turned his head and looked at the other two balls. He pulled apart his layers of chubby skin. "When I designate the ball to be opened, the disguise will cease to exist, revealing the original item. If the ball I choose doesn't contain something with the same qualities as you, then it will disappear—we can consider that ball as gone."
He waved his chubby finger, and the ball containing the lion instantly vanished into thin air.
"Next, a new ball will be added to your side. After you have seen the contents of the new ball, it will be your turn. Now, you can choose to peek at one of my balls."
"After peeking at one ball, can we choose another one to open?"
"It's not necessary. The ball you peek at and the one you choose to open can be the same, it's entirely up to your own judgment," the pocket dimension owner's smile on his face grew stronger. "Do you understand how to play now? This turn-based battle will continue in a loop until one side achieves a three-match. So, are you ready to start the game?"