Running in Circles

Gao Zhankui, his face covered in flesh, glared at Ding Wenqiang with a hint of mockery in his eyes, seeming somewhat unconvinced.

"I don't want to say it a second time!"

Clearly a little irritable, Ding Wenqiang raised his scepter and pointed it at Gao Zhankui.

Gao Zhankui reluctantly headed toward the first prison cell.

Zhang Peng followed close behind, while Cai Zhiyuan, supported by Wang Yongxin, trailed at the very end.

After walking a short distance, they arrived at the first prison cell in the main area.

There were six prison cells in total, arranged roughly in a circle, with only a gap left where the passage they had entered through connected. The large screen and the glass cabinet holding the videotapes were surrounded in the center.

From the outside, it was unquestionably a prison cell. It covered around a dozen square meters and had iron bars and a cell door.

There was also a screen at the entrance to the cell, displaying an introduction to its game.

[Prison Cell No. 1: Running in Circles]

[The prisoner is forced to push a horizontal bar. Each full circuit earns 10 minutes of Visa Time. If they stop, they will be punished with an electric shock.]

[During repeated games, the intensity of the electric shocks will increase level by level.]

Everyone then looked toward the neighboring cell.

[Prison Cell No. 2: Hanging Street Lamp]

[The prisoner is suspended by a noose. While standing on tiptoe, both feet will not be completely off the ground. Each minute earns 1,000 minutes of Visa Time. After 10 minutes, the mechanism will automatically release.]

[During repeated games, the game duration increases by 5 minutes.]

Farther away were Prison Cells No. 3, No. 4, No. 5, and No. 6. However, they were all still locked, and their screens displayed no information about their games.

According to the rules, Prison Cell No. 3 would unlock only after one prisoner entered either Prison Cell No. 1 or Prison Cell No. 2.

The cell doors stood open like monsters with their jaws wide, waiting for willing prey to take the bait.

There was also a line of prompt text in a conspicuous spot.

[Completed trials: 0/10]

Ding Wenqiang's gaze swept across the other four faces. Clearly, one unlucky bastard had to enter one of the cells before the third prison cell could be unlocked.

In the end, his gaze settled on Gao Zhankui.

Ding Wenqiang had no real leads at the moment, but Wang Yongxin and Cai Zhiyuan were both players from Community 17. They saw each other all the time, so compared with the other two, he naturally felt closer to them.

More importantly, during the previous Farmer's Walk game, Ding Wenqiang had come to feel somewhat guilty toward Wang Yongxin and Cai Zhiyuan.

Zhang Peng barely had any presence, so the first unlucky bastard could naturally only be Gao Zhankui.

Ding Wenqiang had had an extremely poor impression of him from the very beginning.

Not to mention that Gao Zhankui had just tried to seize the identity.

"You. Go in," Ding Wenqiang said coldly.

Gao Zhankui glared, his face full of defiance, but when he saw the scepter in Ding Wenqiang's hand, he ultimately swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.

The game rules had made it perfectly clear. Within the rules, Ding Wenqiang could make any demand of the four of them, and they could not disobey.

Otherwise, Ding Wenqiang could use the scepter to keep electrocuting him until he died.

Yet just as Gao Zhankui stood there with a dark expression, considering which prison cell he should enter, a weak voice rang out.

"Uncle Ding, wait a moment.

"I think I should enter the first prison cell."

Ding Wenqiang froze for a moment and turned to look. It was Cai Zhiyuan, who was being supported by Wang Yongxin.

Cai Zhiyuan still looked utterly miserable, but fortunately, the wounds on his body were no longer bleeding much and were gradually scabbing over. He also looked far more alert.

"You should rest first." Ding Wenqiang shook his head slightly.

Clearly, the games in these two prison cells—or rather, the punishments—both placed certain demands on one's physical condition.

Cai Zhiyuan's current physical state was worrying, and Ding Wenqiang was afraid that he would die inside before even completing the game.

Cai Zhiyuan shook his head. "Uncle Ding, haven't you noticed?

"The games in these prison cells aren't arranged at random. They carry a certain meaning.

"The game rules also said that you must make us undergo a 'fair trial.' In other words, the content of the games has to be connected to our crimes."

He pointed at the first prison cell. "Running in Circles—isn't that the fate of workhorses and cattle?"

Wang Yongxin fell silent for a moment. "But... that doesn't seem connected to any supposed crime, does it? What do you think your own crime is?"

Cai Zhiyuan sighed. "How would I know? I'm just a law-abiding programmer. Whenever I receive food delivery, I thank the delivery rider. Every day, I work 996 overtime until I get home and collapse straight into bed. What crime could I possibly have committed?

"If I had to name one, I work on big data algorithms. I used virtual algorithms to pen up countless low-level workers, workhorses and cattle just like me. I dangled a carrot in front of them and made them tirelessly turn the millstone.

"Now that I'm locked in a cage like this, endlessly turning the millstone for a pitiful reward, I suppose I'm getting what I deserve."

Ding Wenqiang looked at him in silence for a moment. "Whether you deserve it or not, we'll know after watching the videotape."

As he spoke, Ding Wenqiang returned to the center of the area.

Although Cai Zhiyuan claimed to be nothing more than a law-abiding programmer, clearly no one fully believed that explanation.

After all, these five people had been chosen by the Gallery as sinners. No one was completely innocent.

Ding Wenqiang pressed the button in front of Cai Zhiyuan's videotape. With a snap, the glass cover opened and the videotape popped out.

He picked up Cai Zhiyuan's videotape and inserted it into the VCR.

[As an outstanding programmer, you are highly proficient in all kinds of algorithms and skilled at using programs to optimize human behavior and calculate human value.]

[The layoff program you developed caused countless people to be dismissed at the age of 35, losing the jobs that supported their families.]

[The route algorithm program you developed continuously squeezed delivery riders to their limits, forcing them to run themselves ragged for meager rewards.]

[From the very beginning, you knew perfectly well what results the algorithms would bring about, yet you still spent countless days and nights iterating and improving them until they reached what you considered "perfection."]

[You worked hard to avoid feeling too guilty, telling yourself again and again that what you developed were merely tools—sharp kitchen knives—and that those who used them to kill were the wicked bosses.]

[You said this was only an ordinary job, and that you were merely doing what was expected of you.]

[But deep down, you knew perfectly well that you were only deceiving yourself. You were an accomplice to evil.]

[If one day you, too, fell into a deadly net, would you be able to accept the gamble and its loss with composure?]

In the footage, Cai Zhiyuan worked day and night in front of his computer. Yet from the excitement and joy on his face whenever a program iteration was completed, it was clear that his heart was filled with pride and satisfaction.

Then the videotape ended, and Cai Zhiyuan's file appeared on the large screen.

[Cai Zhiyuan, male, 28.]

[Occupation: Algorithm programmer.]

[Mainly responsible for artificial intelligence, big data, and algorithm development. The Hundred Cities Pass food delivery system he led the development of has been adopted by multiple food delivery companies.]

[Judgment result: Not yet tried.]

Ding Wenqiang fell silent for a moment, then pressed the buttons for Wang Yongxin and Gao Zhankui.

But unfortunately, neither button could be pressed.

[After completing 1 more trial, you may unlock any two videotapes.]

Ding Wenqiang hesitated for a moment before finally looking at Cai Zhiyuan.

"Go on."