Jian Ran spoke neither too loudly nor too softly, just loud enough for those close around him to hear.
And so, a sense of horror quickly spread.
Su Yuan in particular trembled to his core at those words and asked tearfully, "Can I sit this game out?"
"I'm sorry, sir." The server had not gone far and helpfully answered at once, "All Guests must participate."
"No exceptions, whatever the reason, unless..."
Su Yuan blinked at him. "Unless what?"
The server smiled without answering. Xu Xuda bumped Su Yuan with his shoulder. "Unless you're dead."
Su Yuan said, "..." Well, fucking thank you, my dear top-bunk buddy!
Before long, all the Guests had put on masks. The dining tables had been cleared away, the surroundings dimmed, and multicolored lights swirled, making the scene look every bit like a Masquerade Ball.
Most importantly, the masks covered their entire faces quite securely. The wealthy families had plenty of handsome men and beautiful women, all tall and slim, making them genuinely difficult to tell apart at a glance.
Jian Ran was considering where to hide to win the grand prize when a familiar, hot breath brushed his ear again.
"Keep an eye on me."
"Don't let me get lost."
Lu Yanting's low, husky, gentle voice seemed to tickle his heart. Jian Ran could not help shivering inwardly, instantly recalling his bold declaration that he would protect him, and slowly nodded.
"Don't worry. Stick with me."
"Okay."
Just then, the broadcast sounded again.
"To ensure a fair game, staff will shuffle the Guests' order and have them enter the Ship Cabin through different passageways."
"Please note that two game rules must be followed."
"First, Guests must not engage in conflict with one another, or they will be disqualified."
"Second, please keep every room in the