Chapter 1: Voting Game Start

A message appears on the tv screen:

Voting Game officially starts in one minute.

We are all waiting with suspense for the game. Should I guess Zero as the host? He is the most suspicious person in my eyes.

An round table is rising in the middle of the floor. Eleven phones are lying on the table. They look like i-phones.

A voice announcing the start of the game. The time remaining is displayed on the tv screen and phone.

Voting Game officially starts nowTime Remaining: 04.00.00

I checked my phone and see what’s displayed on the screen. First the 3 main objectives, side objective and special objective with explanation are on the screen.

I checked the participants name and no one is lying about their names. Zero is this guy really name, so weird.

I didn’t touch the vote options yet, it’s for later. Looking at my points and it’s of course zero. [In-Game Items] and [Money] is disabled for some reason. Maybe it’s because I don’t have points yet? Or this game you can’t buy [In-Game items] or exchange your points in [money]

I check the vote options and see everyone's name except for my own. So that means this phone is authenticating my fingerprints to prove I’m the owner of this phone?

“Everyone, the doors are unlocked!” Garasa shouted.

I go to every room and inspect it. There are totally 8 rooms in this place. The first room I visits is in the north hallway. The left door is already open and it’s the kitchen.

Various of food on plate are lying on rectangle table with a red cloth. The kitchen closets are filled with snacks,chips,cookies and junk food.

I opened the fridge and it’s filled with drinks. You literally can’t die here from hungry or thirst. Maybe if our food expert is hungry, but I don’t think he can eat this amount of food.

I left the kitchen and entered into the right door of the hallway. It’s a washroom, nothing special here.

I went to the east hallway and encounter Lucia. She is leaning with his back on the wall while staring at her phone.

“Yo, anything special in those two rooms?”

She stops with looking at her phone and turn her face to me. “Two single sized bed sleeping room. There isn’t anything particularly weird inside those two rooms, ” she replied

“You look worried, is it about the voting?”

Lucia turn her face to the wall and said, “O-of course, I’m scared being the one voted. I’m also scared to vote someone!”

“Someone is playing those games before.” I said

“That announcer said, he is someone amongst our 11.” Lucia said

“It can be a she, by the way.”

“You suspect me?!” Lucia angrily asked

“Well, there are two females besides you.” I calmly said to her

“Ah.. I’m sorry for my outburst.” Lucia apologized to me

“I’m going to check the two bedrooms.” I said to Lucia

I walk pass by her and entered the left door. Uh, this looks like a little girl’s bedroom, there are several plush toys. Ranging from a bear to an alligator. Bed sheets are pink and several cute things are in bed.

I left this room and entered the right door, like I thought it’s a boys room. There are miniature cars and other toys in the room. Gazing around the room, I found nothing special noteworthy. Before I left the room, someone is grabbing my shirt

It’s that seductress! What’s her name again? She is still wearing her provoking clothing, I asked “What’s the matter?”

“Do you have a moment?” She asked in a seductive voice

I glanced over shoulders and saw Lucia looking at me with her head shaking. “What do you want said?”

“Let’s vote for Zero.” she suddenly whispered in my ears

I wasn’t shocked by her suggestion at all. Zero is the most suspicious amongst us. This isn’t a movie, anime or novel where an epic plot twist will happen. Voting for him is the most normal and logical option.

But I answered too her “I will think about.”

She smiled and said “There are already 5 voting for him, including me.”

In such short time she already collects four votes? What a scary woman! I guess she collected her votes from those weak willed men in our group. They failed to withstand her seduction.

She needs one more vote and it’s enough to kill Zero. That’s why she uses such seductive voice on me.

Maybe she is the host?!

“Well?!”

That woman is still looking at me, hoping I’m voting for Zero. If Zero isn’t the host than she is the most suspicious person after him. What should I do now?

Accepting her request and voting for Zero means I’m joining her little group. She basically got the majority on her  palms. If Zero isn’t the host and the next voting starts, she can probably use his seduced minions to vote for someone who is not in her group. The host will win if she or he will survive for four hours.

If she is the host, that means she already won if I voted for Zero. Which four are in her group?

I noticed Philippe, James Woods and Boris are staring at her with those perverted eyes.

Probably those three plus one other man other than Zero are her minions.

Glasses guy or Garasa? I didn’t consider the kid as a possible candidate.

“Did they show their votes to you?” I asked seriously

“Of c-course! That's why I’m so confident having 5 votes.”

They already locked their votes! Fucking idiots!

If I refuse her, I will probably by her next target. My hand is a little sweaty now, the pressure is too much for me.

I’m the one who will decide the fate of Zero. A feeling of anxiety is creeping into my heart. Isn’t this basically a mass-murder? We didn’t dirty our hands, but this still feels wrong.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

It’s hypocritical to think that way, you need to kill someone to win anyway. Why not kill the possible host to minimize the casualties?

Wait!

Something is wrong about her voice.

I noticed she stuttered through the sentence when mentioning about the  votes.

Ah! That must be it, she is lying about the votes. That’s why she is desperately clinging to me now. If she has really had 5 votes, she wouldn’t waste her time on me.

“I won’t vote for Zero.” I said clearly so even Lucia can hear it

That woman looking at me with an angry face “Hmph, so you are refusing me? You pay for that.”

“You don’t have 5 votes, stop lying to me.”

Her face is slightly twitching confirming she is lying. “Wait.” she said

I just ignored her and walk to Lucia and said   “You should watch out for this woman.”  Lucia nodded without asking  questions.

Aria was walking pass by and looks angrily at me and her figure disappeared into the main hall.

Her plan just failed. No,I can’t assume she hasn’t any allies.

I went back to the main hall looking at the tv-screen to see how much time is left for voting. That woman isn’t here. What is she planning?

Time Remaining 03:27:42

About 27 minutes left till voting. I looked at the corner and saw Zero and the blond girl talking about something. Perhaps it’s related to voting or the host?

Anyway I explore the rest of the rooms.

I proceed to the south hallway and saw the korean glasses guy deep in thought.  

“Found anything in those rooms?” I asked to him because I’m too lazy to examine the rooms

“See it for yourself.” He said with a condescending tone.

I really want to punch this fucking bastard really hard.Act high and mighty because you got a high iq? It doesn’t mean shit if you can’t use brain to survive in a situation like this.

I opened the door on my right, it’s a storeroom. Toolboxes,wood pieces, some metal pieces and several paintings are stored here.

I want to go the other room but glasses guy is in front of the door. “Can I enter this room?” I asked

“No.” He simple said

“Why?”

“Because I own this room.” he arrogantly said

Calm down, think about your heart! This guy is not worth of it. He is really a manchild! Even that middle school kid is acting more adult than him.

“I know who the host is.” He said with a confident tone

“Oh, why don’t you try to guess him than?” I asked with a mocking tone

“It’s my trump card, I’m only using when the majority vote is on me.”

“Can you at least tell me what for room it is behind you.”

“Hmph, the answer is no.”

Is he doing this on purpose? Wait, is his strategy to piss everyone off to vote for him so he would guess the host and go to the deathmatch with him. Nah,what would he do that? Is not even beneficial for him.

Think! what’s the reason why he is provoking people?

Votes………….Points……..Minority……..Side objective…...

So that’s his plan, he wants to be voted to earn points. So long it’s not the majority he keep earning points.

Since I can’t get any answers from him I just left and went to the west hallway. I don’t think exploring those rooms will actually helping me to clear the game or anything. It’s just for wasting my time , better than staring at my phone for 4 hours.

I walk through the hallway and saw the left door is open. I peeked inside and saw Zero curiously reading some books. It’s an old fashioned office from the 19th century. On the table, there lay a ming-dynasty chinese vase. Two paints of unknown man are hanging above the door and on the other side above the table. An antique grandfather clock is standing the left wall.

There is also large sofa where Zero is sitting and a small round table with coffee cups in front of it.

“So, what are you reading?” I asked to Zero

Zero ignored my question and continued flipped the pages. Then he said “The art of war.”

The art of war huh?

“Why are you calm at this moment? Everyone is thinking how do clear this game and you are just reading in this room.”

“Life is boring if you think about. Work,sleep and eat and beyond that they will do sport,game,watching movies,internet,read etc. You will eventually grew tired about it. Life is nothing short of an unfolding spark of hollow joy.

“Me and you are just  the two people out of the billions people here on earth. No matter how hard we try we won’t change history. Those who are important will forgotten in a million years.” Zero said in with a melancholy voice

“So, what’s your point?” I asked

“The Rulers Game is something that put humans out of their comfort zone, I find this intriguing. I want see how all of you will react when you forced into a corner.”

Now, this is a pretentious guy who is spouting bullshit. In novels and mangas he will probably the smart guy who knows everything and survive until the end. If he got killed in the first round, than I will laugh at him.

Minutes ago, I condemned myself for possible murdering him, hypocritical isn’t it?

Zero closed the book put in on the round table and left the room without saying anything. I’m leaving too. I walked back and entered the right door.

It’s a living room, there is another tv screen here but it’s not on. There are two sofa’s and one old wooden chair in this room.

Two cabinets about 1.5m tall stood nearby the left wall. The floor is covered with a blue carpet. There is large mirror showing me wearing my normal clothes and blue jeans. Nothing special about this room either.

There is one room I have yet to visit, that guy is he gone?