At that moment, Chen Li finally realized that Lin Jie's All-Member Coexistence Plan was not a request...
It was a notice.
He was notifying everyone that they had to join this plan.
Because if they did not, they might die.
He looked at Lin Jie, who smiled back at him.
He seemed to have known all along which talisman paper Chen Li would ultimately put in.
So that was it.
Chen Li understood completely.
This was Lin Jie's open stratagem.
Openly declaring himself the little ghost and proposing a "Coexistence Plan" to everyone was Lin Jie's greatest scheme.
It trapped everyone in a chain of suspicion.
If Chen Li refused to join the Coexistence Plan and insisted on putting in red or blue talisman paper,
while everyone else chose to join Lin Jie, the result would look like this:
Multicolored, multicolored, multicolored, red, multicolored, multicolored.
This situation still counted as the same color.
The little ghost would still win.
And the final outcome would be a solo victory for the little ghost.
All the other humans would have the highest prize money, become ritual "assistants," and avoid the death penalty.
Only Chen Li, who had put in red talisman paper, would be unable to become an assistant because he had earned one million yuan less.
Chen Li would die alone.
Refusing to join the Coexistence Plan and insisting on Humanity's Complete Victory Plan would lead to this result:
We coexist. You die alone.
Then what would happen if I joined the Coexistence Plan?
If he chose to put in multicolored talisman paper, he could guarantee that he would be one of the humans with the highest prize money,
and whether the little ghost or the humans won in the end, Chen Li would not die.
Which option was better was perfectly clear.
But even after working through all the stakes, Chen Li could not swallow his pride and submit to Lin Jie.
I'm human. I'm on the side with more people. Lin Jie is the little ghost, fighting alone.
Now Lin Jie is demanding that all the humans submit. If I actually do as he says, what kind of man would I be?
Chen Li held the red talisman paper above the fire, sweat seeping from his palm as he hesitated for a long time.
Suddenly, he approached it from another angle.
Why does putting in multicolored talisman paper mean joining the Coexistence Plan?
Putting in multicolored talisman paper doesn't mean I'm betraying Humanity's Complete Victory Plan, does it?
After all, according to the plan, I'm supposed to put in multicolored talisman paper now and collect the prize money.
Why do I have to be the one to put in red or blue talisman paper?
Aren't there still two people after me?
Why not just have those two put in red and blue talisman paper?
What if... after I put in multicolored talisman paper, the remaining two put in talisman papers of different colors?
Couldn't Humanity's Complete Victory Plan still go ahead?
Why should I risk death, give up prize money, and do a thankless job?
Having thought it through, Chen Li reluctantly put down the red talisman paper and picked up the multicolored one instead.
"Let me make this clear first. I'm only following Humanity's Complete Victory Plan. According to the plan, I was supposed to put in multicolored talisman paper anyway."
"I couldn't care less about your Coexistence Plan. I want a human victory!"
With an understanding look, Lin Jie obligingly nodded. "Understandable."
Chen Li turned to the two behind him. "Hey, you two had better work this out! Put in red and blue talisman paper, one each. Don't let this little ghost's scheme succeed!"
Yet he himself tossed in the multicolored talisman paper.
The fire flashed with multicolored flames once again.
Zhao Tian was next to vote.
He was completely unsure which talisman paper to put in.
He had to admit that Lin Jie's Coexistence Plan was indeed tempting.
This agreement could guarantee that everyone survived. Lin Jie had also promised to split the ten million yuan in prize money equally.
Most importantly, joining this peace agreement carried no risk whatsoever.
There would be no chance of him dying. All he had to do was lightly toss the multicolored talisman paper into the fire, and he could safely clear the game and pocket over a million yuan for free.
Zhao Tian had participated in so many death games and witnessed countless gruesome deaths. He himself had only escaped alive through luck each time.
He knew full well that avoiding death was a better deal than chasing rewards.
What good is money if you're dead?
Then what would happen if I insisted on gritting my teeth and fighting Lin Jie to the end?
His only option would be to put in red and blue talisman paper together with Yu Ze.
Both of them would be forced to give up one chance to put in multicolored talisman paper.
That would leave them with one million yuan less in prize money than the other players.
Although they would have a chance of securing a human victory, they would be guaranteed not to become Human Heroes.
And that was not all.
The humans who joined the Coexistence Plan, the humans who compromised with the little ghost, would instead reap the benefits without taking any risks, and would even become Human Heroes.
The humans who insisted on a human victory would risk death for only a tiny reward.
The humans who helped the little ghost would face no danger, yet receive greater rewards instead.
The term "Human Hero" was truly ironic.
Why? Why should I risk dying an untimely death just to do all the work for someone else?
Since none of you dare take the risk, I don't need to sacrifice myself for others either!
His mind made up, Zhao Tian picked up the multicolored talisman paper and was about to toss it into the fire.
But an arm stopped him.
Yu Ze's expression was resolute, his tone decisive.
"Old Zhao, we can't submit. We have to fight him to the end!"
Zhao Tian looked shocked. "What? Yu Ze, are you going to put in red or blue talisman paper?"
Yu Ze nodded firmly. "Of course. We're humans. How can we listen to the little ghost?"
Zhao Tian was a little afraid. "Little ghost is just an identity assigned by the game. Why don't we forget it? If we join the Coexistence Plan, nobody has to die."
"Leave some room for people, and it'll be easier to meet again. Who knows? The next time we play a game, we might even be teammates with Lin Jie."
"Besides, he said he'd split the prize money equally with us!"
But Yu Ze insisted:
"Who can guarantee he won't go back on his word? He says he'll give you prize money, and you just believe him?"
"Besides, ten million yuan split between six people is less than two million each."
"And the prize money we've accumulated has already reached four million yuan!"
"Why not keep going?"
Zhao Tian was still hesitating. "But if we put in red and blue talisman paper, we'll be a million yuan behind them, and we won't be able to become Human Heroes!"
"They'll reap the rewards without doing anything. They'll join the little ghost, yet become Human Heroes and win double lifespan. Can you accept an ending like that?"
But Yu Ze remained unwavering. "Other people's choices have nothing to do with us! If they join Lin Jie, that's their business."
"Even if the rules make them Human Heroes, judging by our actions, we're the true heroes of humanity for seeing a human victory through to the end!"
"So what if our rewards are smaller than theirs? Standing firm and staying true to ourselves is what men should do!"
Zhao Tian finally seemed close to being persuaded, so he spoke:
"Yu Ze, let me ask you one more thing."