LAMM CH 1

There were six cards on the quaint square table.

Six people sat correspondingly around it.

A bizarre and bleak voice rang out from the broadcast: “Welcome to a scenario-based deduction game. In front of you are six cards, including [Murderer Card], [Detective Card], [Deceased Card], and [Normal Identity Card]. Please choose a card now.”

Gu Liang furrowed his eyebrows and took the one in front of him.

The card had two written parts. The first part read: “Today’s deceased is Boss Bai. You are Lawyer Zhang, a 32-year-old male. You have an ex named Girlfriend Huang. Girlfriend Huang was once sexually assaulted by Boss Bai and has been forced to live with him until now. To save Girlfriend Huang, you pretended to be a lawyer to get close to Boss Bai and kill him when you get the chance.”

A dominant and overbearing boss forcing his love? What kind of cliché script is this?

Gu Liang raised his eyebrows and continued to read.

While the first part of the card was the character description, the second part contained the character’s timeline and instructions for their actions.

Gu Liang’s timeline was simple.

“At 11:30 in the morning, you passed by the kitchen and noticed that no one was there. You took the chance and laced the chicken broth with a new type of orally ingested insulin to make Boss Bai – who is not diabetic – die from low blood sugar. Basing off your observation that Boss Bai had chicken broth every day, you believed in your plan.

Can insulin really be taken orally?

Does that even make sense?

With his doubts, Gu Liang read the important reminders that were written at the bottom of the card.

“1. You might be the real murderer in this case, so please ensure that you hide your identity.”

“2. The current scenario is the easiest introductory version for new players. If you manage to live, you will get the chance to experience the quality scripts of hellish difficulty levels. Have fun!”

The f*ck you mean fun.

Gu Liang clutched at his card, his pupils shrinking slightly.

Five minutes later, the bizarre broadcast spoke again. As if it assumed that everyone had read through the script, it said, “Now announcing the specific game rules.”

“Nubmer one, Boss Bai is the [Deseased]. He will now follow the script and die.”

The first announcement had barely ended when the bald, middle-aged man sitting diagonally across from Gu Liang fell to the ground.

His complexion was ghostly pale, as if he had been gravely frightened and passed out on the spot.

Broadcast: “Interruption due to an unexpected incident. The player acting as Boss Bai has fainted, and an NPC will now administer first aid. Everyone, please remain calm. It is not the time for him to die yet.”

So basically it meant: “Sorry man, you need to hang in there a bit longer before dying.”

But… you have to just die if you draw the [Deceased Card]? Isn’t that unlucky as hell?

There has to be another way.

As to figuring out what that way is, he was afraid that they would have to wait until they fully understand the game.

Gu Liang squinted his eyes. Almost immediately, he saw two people in black seemingly materialize out of thin air and give “Boss Bai” emergency treatment.

The bald man soon woke up, and was hauled out of the room by the two.

So these people in black must be the NPCs the system was referring to.

They were clad in black, with plaited bamboo hats and a cluster of black mist obscuring their faces. When they appeared so noiselessly, the temperature around them seemed to drop. You can’t help but associate them with the ruthless messengers of death.

The broadcast continued: “Resuming to announce the game rules. Number two, during the enacting segment of the scenario, please strictly follow the script. Offenders will be punished.”

“Number three, the card is of paramount importance to the players – please take care of them diligently. Furthermore, it is absolutely forbidden to check other players’ cards through methods including but not limited to gifting, trading, robbing, and stealing. Offenders will be escorted out of the game premises by the NPCs.”

“Number four, there is a voting segment at the end of the round for everyone to vote out the murderer. Each person has only one chance to vote, so do so wisely.”

“Number five, the person who is voted out during the aforementioned segment, whether they are actually the real murderer or not, will be punished by death. Sinner! Pay the deceased with your own life! You are too evil! How could you kill! Die with the deceased!”

“Number six, [Detective] – please try your best to lead everyone to solve the case.”

“If an innocent is condemned to death, the detective will also receive punishment by death. I lament this rule too… But who gave you the audacity to let the real murderer escape? And now that they escaped, who will be responsible for the deceased? Who will be responsible for the poor innocent? Detective, you must pay for your incompetence!”

“Rule announcement over. Now begins the ten-minute Q&A session. I welcome everyone’s questions!”

When the broadcast voice stopped, the large hall plunged into a strange and deep silence.

After a while, a girl of roughly 18 years of age raised her hand. She was ashen pale, and her arm shook uncontrollably.

This must be the type of kid who is diligent and obedient in class. Scared as she was, she was still following the rules and raising her hand.

“I…I have a question.”

Broadcast: “Any child who knows how to ask questions is a good child. Please, go ahead!”

“If I am the murderer, do I have to follow the script and kill people? Like, really kill? Not acting?”

Broadcast: “Of course! Please strictly follow the script!”

Her entire body started shaking violently. “I…I don’t want to! Let me out! I didn’t ask to be here! I don’t even know why I’m here! I don’t want to be a murderer!”

She immediately ran for the door after her cry.

The door did open, but there seemed to be a strange wind outside. The girl had just stepped out when the violent gale snatched her into the air.

Defenseless, her body turned and churned like a dead leaf, eventually dropping straight to the ground.

Her neck twisted when she crashed, and she went completely still. A pool of blood, warm still, silently coloured the ground below her head.

Gu Liang understood now – in the designated game time, leaving the mansion means death.

So earlier, when the broadcast mentioned that the offender will be brought outside of game premises, that premise meant this mansion. Basically, anyone who checks another player’s card has a death wish.

That made sense, at least; there would be no point to the game if they could read each other’s cards.

“The game has not yet started, but somebody already died. What a shame,” the broadcast sighed, “and now we are missing a player. The only solution is a temporary substitution by the NPC. This is misconduct, wasting system resources like that! Your rewards will have to be deducted!”

A NPC appeared when the broadcast finished speaking.

She walked down the stairs, somewhat resembling the disposition of the dead girl.

The NPC stopped in front of everyone and greeted, “Hello. I’m Boss Bai’s maid, Maid Liu!”

The broadcast then asked again: “The ten-minute Q&A has not ended. Are there any more questions?”

Gu Liang raised his hand.

Broadcast: “What is it?”

Gu Liang, “The scenario settings are the only absolute truths, and there is no need to consider rationality and realism, yes?”

Not only does the game have orally ingested insulin, which makes no sense already, it can also be used to kill?

Broadcast: “Of course, all deduction should be made according to the script.”

Gu Liang paused before asking again, “Can we kill the detective?”

Broadcast: “…”

Others: ???

The broadcasting voice became even more bizarre. “Naturally, you are free to develop your own narrative outside of the script. However, your actions must not be out of character.”

“Since this is an introductory scenario with a  low-difficulty script, immersive acting is not required. Any problems with dialogue and acting skills are temporarily not triggers for the verdict of being OOC. However, as soon as a player severely interferes with the script in any way, the system will carry out an independent judgement. If the player is given the verdict of being OOC, they will receive a severe punishment.”

Gu Liang thought about what the broadcast just said.

It seemed he could only go along and see now.

“Alright, Q&A session ends now. Everyone, please begin acting out the scenario. When the enacting segment is over, the game will enter the discussion and voting segments. When that time comes, please wait for a broadcast announcement.”

“Now reading a general narration of the script. It’s 9 o’clock in the morning, and everyone is resting on the second floor. Please strictly follow the script and return to your rooms immediately. Offenders will be punished!”

The hall went quiet again after the broadcast ended.

For a while, nobody made a sound. Some were still deep in shock by the death of a young girl right in front of their eyes, and some had not even processed anything and just stared blankly at their cards.

“Clang clang clang”

Seeing that nobody moved, the broadcast urgently announced: “Please follow the general narration and act accordingly, or else everyone will trigger the punishment!”

Gu Liang moved first.

After the girl died, there were four other players alive aside from himself. Gu Liang’s gaze swept past them, studying each person briefly before he walked out of the hall.

As if he was the first domino piece, the others also moved one by one, following him out the door.

Outside of the card room was a hallway. The sign on the first door to one side read Discussion Room, and ahead was the bathroom, then finally the kitchen.

The corridor eventually lead to a rather spacious living room, and at the end of that was a balcony facing a flower garden.

Pulling back his gaze, Gu Liang noted that the other side of the living room lied the dining hall and bar. In between those was the spiral staircase leading up to the second floor.

Gu Liang followed the stairs up, counting seven rooms on the second floor.

The game had six characters, corresponding to six rooms with each character’s name clearly written on a sign. As for the extra room – it was labelled Miscellaneous.

At this point in the game, Gu Liang already knew about four characters: Boss Bai, Lawyer Zhang, Girlfriend Huang, and Maid Liu.

And now, through the names on the signs, Gu Liang learned the rest: Son Bai and Brother Bai. 

With how simple the naming system seemed to be, it wasn’t hard to guess that Son Bai is the [Deceased] Boss Bai’s son, and Brother Bai is his brother.

Basically, every character in this scenario is somehow related to Boss Bai.

Now that Gu Liang figured out the circumstances, he went straight to Lawyer Zhang’s room, entered, and immediately shut the door behind him.

The room decor was consistent with the entire house – a retro 19-century European style, delicate and intricate from the bed, sofa, and carpet all the way to the small dessert plates and tea set. 

If this was really a game, and these objects were the props, this would be truly luxurious.

However, Gu Liang did not give himself much time for appreciation and instead promptly searched through his room.

According to the script, he – Lawyer Zhang – will go downstairs to the kitchen at 11:30 in the morning to lace some chicken broth with insulin.

But there weren’t any NPCS who gave him the necessary props.

He would probably need to find it himself, then.

As he expected, a small, white medicine box was lying inside the bedside drawer when he opened it. The word “insulin” was clearly written on the top.

Someone knocked.

“Who is it?” Gu Liang asked.

A deep and rather pleasant male voice answered from the other side. “Your girlfriend.”

“I don’t have a girlfriend.”

The person outside paused and said, “I’m Girlfriend Huang. It’s not like I asked to draw a female role.”

That actually clarified one of Gu Liang’s initial doubts.

According to the script, there were two female characters – Maid Liu and Girlfriend Huang.

But when they were drawing cards in the other room, Gu Liang counted only one female player. He got it now – reversing roles is possible.

Although, now that “Girlfriend Huang” had come to find him… was she acting according to the script? Or was it his own, deliberate choice?

If it was, what could be his motive?

Despite his suspicions, Gu Liang still closed the drawer and opened the door.

The man outside was tall, and quite commendable in his features. He was clad in a fit and pressed suit, the silver-rimmed glasses on him adding to his seemingly refined look.

Not if you looked closely, though.

His blazer wasn’t clasped together, nor was the top of his white shirt buttoned. The revealing sliver of his clavicle brought an air of unruliness to him.

Yeah, not so refined now.

Gu Liang stood firm at the doorway with no intention of letting him in.

However, the man simply slipped around him and walked in like he owned the place. After taking a good look around, he finally turned back and asked, “When, and how are you planning to do it?”

His interrogative tone did not compensate for his rudeness. Gu Liang was already a bit irritated, but for the sake of finding out what the man wanted, he didn’t ask him to leave. Instead, he closed the door without a word and strolled towards the sofa to sit down.

Gu Liang sat silently with a deadpanned expression, juxtaposing the kind and warm smile on “Girlfriend Huang”’s face.

He stepped in front of Gu Liang, bowed, and politely held out his hand. “My name is Yang Ye. Sir, you are?”

Quite the surface-level gentleman.

Gu Liang’s brow twitched on one side, and he said plainly, “My last name is Gu. Gu Liang – Liang as in law-abiding citizen.”

“Law-abiding citizen? Ah, right. In your opinion, would everyone be sent here had they been law-abiding citizens?”

His glasses happened to perfectly balance out the incisiveness of his gaze, and the smile at the corner of his mouth could only be considered gentle.

Yet, Gu Liang still felt attacked by his words.

Maybe it’s because his eyes were too sharp.

“What do you mean?”

Gu Liang’s gaze became sterner, but he did not let it show. He just sank completely into the soft sofa, seemingly indolent.

Yang Ye’s eyes crinkled. “Nothing, really. I’m simply a bit influenced by Buddhism and believe that everything is met with karma. I remember being in a meeting and somehow ending up here after losing consciousness.”

“So you did something that weighs on your conscience, and you think you’re receiving your punishment here?” Gu Liang asked him.

Yang Ye shook his head and didn’t reply.

Still expressionless, Gu Liang told him, “Unfortunately, this humble man before you has always followed the rules, and really is a law-abiding citizen.”

“I left for work at 7 in the morning, even lending a hand to a grandma on the way. After helping her cross the street, I suddenly blacked out. If I hadn’t ended up here, I would’ve thought that she scammed me.”

“……”

A few moments later, Yang Ye looked at Gu Liang and said, “Alright. Talking about this now is quite meaningless. Let’s go back to the script. From the storyline I got, the only thing I know is that you want to kill Boss Bai to save me.”

Gu Liang spared him a few words after hearing that. “This type of game is called murder mystery. If you’ve never played, I can explain the strategies to you.”

“There could be multiple people who receive the [Murderer Card] as they all have some motivation to kill the [Deceased]. They would’ve also all attempted to do so. For example, Player A with poison, and Player B with a knife. However, who the true culprit really was is what we have to deduce from evidence and character timelines.”

Gu Liang tilted his head to look at Yang Ye, “I can confess to you now that I indeed have motivation to kill Boss Bai. I want to lace his food. As to what poison, when I did it, how long the poison lasts, and whether his death has anything to do with me… you’ll have to figure it out yourself.

“Hm. Got it, thanks.” Yang Ye nodded at him.

No longer looking at Yang Ye, Gu Liang leaned back against the sofa, gaze floating aimlessly to the ceiling – or maybe just to the dust in the air.

It was a long time before Gu Liang murmured, “Downstairs, just now… The little girl who asked the question probably received instructions to stab Boss Bai or something. She didn’t want to do it, so…”

A living person died in front of him just like that… and there will be more of them.

Gu Liang clenched the sofa arm harder with his fingers, veins popping out the back of his hand.

Noticing Gu Liang’s movement, Yang Ye’s smile faded. He continued to stand there silently, and started studying him earnestly.

In his beige trenchcoat, Gu Liang sat in the sofa with his arm elegantly lying on the armrest. 

There’s a red rope on his wrist that was quite conspicuous.

His iris was light-coloured – its tawny hue glistering and shining under the light. This colour was peculiar – just like a carefully-chosen maple leaf of the late autumn bathing in the sunlight. The rays of sunshine that penetrate the leaf give it a semi-translucent golden colour, as mesmerizing as a fantastical dream.

Although, Gu Liang’s skin was so pale that he seemed a little like a vampire, sitting in such a 19-century British-style building.

“You seem eager to play this game. So–”

After a pause, Gu Liang turned his gaze back to Yang Ye and looked at him quizzically. “Are you the detective?”