Fool's Game

The five people at the round table all looked up at him. Unhurried, the host took an elegant deck of cards from beneath the table and began explaining the rules.

"In Fool's Game, this deck has cards numbered one through five. Whoever has the highest total is the fool, and everyone else has to find the fool."

The host took out two more cards. "Also, this joker in my hand doubles your original total. For example, if the two cards in front of you add up to eight and the other card is a joker, the three cards add up to sixteen."

"There's also a weakening card. It works the same way, except it cuts the original total in half."

The host began dealing. He first dealt one card in front of each person, then went around again, placing cards in the spaces between them.

"You may only look at the three cards in front of you. Your neighbors can also see the cards on your left and right, so only you know the value of the middle card."

Jimo raised a hand. "Then how do we find the fool?"

The host continued, "Each person gets one chance to look at cards and swap cards. Then you take turns speaking, followed by a vote. Whoever gets the most votes is eliminated first."

Once they understood the rules, they settled on two teams: Jimo and Jiang Wangshu in one, Ke Yueyi and He Zhenglin in the other, while Song Wenxi remained neutral.

The fool would face the civilians, and whoever remained at the end would win. If Song Wenxi won as the fool, they would shuffle the cards and start over.

Jimo thought that, on the surface, the teams put them at a disadvantage in the vote. At three to two, they could easily be targeted. But there was only one fool, and voting at random before identifying him would do no good either.

The host said, "For now, don't touch your cards. Roll the dice to decide who goes first."

Starting with Jiang Wangshu and going clockwise, he rolled a one.

Song Wenxi rolled a four.

He Zhenglin rolled a five.

Ke Yueyi rolled a three.

When it was Jimo's turn, he picked up the dice cup, shook it beside his ear, and lifted the lid.

It was a six.

Jimo had started off with a lucky roll. He had just put the lid back on when he heard the host say, "All right, we'll start with the highest roll."

?

Jimo frowned. He had rolled a six, and he still had to swap cards first? Wasn't he obviously at a disadvantage?

He would be the first to look at the cards, and after he swapped someone else's card, there would still be four people to go. If someone touched his cards, wouldn't his swap have been for nothing?

The host smiled. "Then the lowest can go first instead. Either way is fine."

The lowest... Jimo realized that Jiang Wangshu had rolled the lowest. Either way, it was their team.

"Forget it. Let's leave it as it is."

The host looked around again. "If no one objects, let's begin. First, look at the cards in front of you and remember their initial values."

Jimo looked at his middle card first. It was a one. Then he turned over Jiang Wangshu's card on the right: a joker. He put it down and calmly exchanged a glance with Jiang Wangshu.

Jimo then turned and saw that Ke Yueyi had already looked at all three of his cards. He was staring in Jimo's direction, tapping the table out of boredom.

Jimo lowered his eyes, betraying no emotion. He turned over the card on his left: a five.

That was high.

His three cards added up to twelve, but he didn't know what Ke Yueyi's other two cards were.

Could he be the fool?

The host said, "Have the players finished looking at their cards? If you have, close your eyes. The gentleman who rolled the highest just now, please begin swapping cards."

The rule was to look at one player's cards at random, then swap out one of his own three cards, or swap other players' cards with each other. Of course, he could also choose not to swap anything.

Jimo quickly made his move, then patted Ke Yueyi on the shoulder and closed his eyes.

One after another, like a train, they took their turns in order, until Jiang Wangshu, the last one, finished swapping cards too.

The host's voice echoed in the players' ears. "Players, you may open your eyes. Next, let's invite the first gentleman to turn over a card to tell us what exactly happened last night."