In Academy City, the Paradise Project begins.

Page 67

Xiao Meng had already excitedly shuffled the cards: "Let's play one more round! This time I want to be the werewolf!"

"Yes, yes, one more round! I'll definitely win this time!" Index's eyes burned with an indomitable spirit.

She felt that her previous loss was simply due to a lack of understanding of the rules, and with Himegami's reckless actions that resulted in the judge's death, she was certain to win this time.

Higashino, who had originally planned to switch to another game, heard the two men's declaration, looked at the other two, and saw that they also seemed interested in continuing to play, so he nodded.

I wonder if you guys usually play Werewolf? I think it's quite fun, but it takes a bit of time, and it's more fun with more people.

Please don't worry about the number of users, configuration, or rules; the only difference is the version.

Chapter 86: Was it too much to bully Xiaomeng first?

"Then let's try a different approach." Higashino Yu planned to experiment with a new method, wanting to see how far his current cognitive network built around anchor points could go.

While the number of anchor points is still far from covering the entire Academy City, let alone the whole world, it should be achievable in this apartment and its surrounding area.

After all, the people around them have already been given cognitive anchors.

"The world is being restructured!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the scenery around the five of them changed instantly. When they came to their senses, they were already standing in the center of a medieval-style village.

"Whoa!" Xiaomeng exclaimed in surprise, her eyes wide as she looked around. "Where am I...?"

"Amazing!" Index excitedly spun around in a circle. "Yu! Did you teleport us to another place?"

Takitsubo Riko opened her mouth slightly in surprise: "Higashino... you can even do something like this?"

Her tone was full of disbelief. She clearly sensed that this was not a spatial transfer, because she could no longer perceive any other person's Aim position.

The surrounding space underwent unknown changes, as if she had been transported to another world, completely beyond her comprehension.

Himegami Akisa looked around, took a deep breath, and then looked at Higashino: "The air here is so fresh, it doesn't feel like we're in Academy City at all."

“Well, this place is indeed no longer in Academy City. It’s more like an advanced application of ‘cognitive reconstruction’,” Higashino explained casually, as if he had only done something insignificant. “Just think of this place as a kind of illusion.”

Of course, this has nothing to do with illusions or anything like that. It's more like Aureos's barrier, like two sides of a coin. Apart from the five of them, everyone else looks at this side as if everything is normal, and even sees them playing the game normally.

In reality, they were already on the other side of the coin.

However, using the analogy of heads or tails with a coin isn't entirely accurate.

This space is a temporary phase that overlaps with the real phase. It is an independent domain that Higashino forcibly constructed on the surface of the real dimension based on his own will through his network of cognitive anchors that are spread throughout the apartment and its surroundings.

As for turning a temporary phase into a permanent one, he cannot do that for now.

Maintaining such a small phase space already made him feel like he was being hollowed out, and that was without even fighting.

In actual combat, this ability is probably not very effective against powerful beings like demons. To a demon, this phase is practically paper-thin; there's no chance of luring such a powerful being inside.

However, if the demon doesn't resist and he lets himself be pulled into the phase, Higashino feels he should be able to fight for a while, after all, his ability is absolutely...

But surely such a strong person wouldn't be that stupid?

"Alright, let's start the game." Dongye took out his phone and gently tossed it into the air. The phone hovered about two meters above the ground, and the screen rapidly expanded into a huge transparent screen, clearly displaying the game's initial interface and a summary of the rules.

“This is our ‘judge’ for this round. Everyone’s identity has been randomly assigned by it.” As soon as he finished speaking, five miniature floating phones appeared in the hands of Index, Himegami Akisa, Takitsubo Riko, and Tsukuyomi Komoe.

"Huh? This phone feels so advanced!" Xiaomeng curiously fiddled with the phone in her hand. This design was the latest model before Dongye's time travel.

"Your identities will be displayed on your personal screens." Dongye smiled slightly. "The werewolves' goal is to eliminate everyone before being caught by the seer. The victory condition is that when only one werewolf and one other person remain on the field, or when all the villagers are dead and the seer is powerless to save the day, the werewolves win."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd. "Then, it's getting dark. The five of us will be teleported to random locations within the village. Remember, don't reveal your identities at night; the judge will guide you. Violators will be eliminated immediately."

After saying that, Dongye waved his hand, and the others disappeared without even having a chance to ask questions.

The giant screen emitted a synthesized electronic voice: "It's dark, please close your eyes. All players, please remain silent and act according to the on-screen instructions. Werewolves, please open your eyes."

Higashino nodded at the "judge" screen floating in the air. Immediately, the avatars and location dots of four other players appeared on the screen, and Higashino teleported them to the four corners of the village.

"Werewolf, please choose your target," the judge prompted.

Higashino was the werewolf this time, and he cheated a little.

His gaze swept over the four names before finally settling on Tsukuyomi Komoe.

Since she came all this way today, Dongye decided to take care of her first. If Xiaomeng knew, she would definitely be moved to tears.

Unaware of Higashino's intentions, Xiaomeng hid in the corner of a small hut filled with hay and farm tools, leaning against the rough wooden wall, clutching her phone tightly in her hand.

Although Higashino said it was an illusion, she still felt a little nervous in this realistic and unfamiliar environment, listening to the occasional chirping of insects and the sound of wind outside the window.

She was genuinely worried that a real werewolf would suddenly appear and carry her away; in the fairy tales they had read together, werewolves were known to target little girls like her.

"Hmm... I'm a civilian..." she muttered to herself, looking at her identity displayed on the screen, trying to reassure herself, "It's okay, even if there are real werewolves, as long as I don't get found..."

Just then, light footsteps sounded outside the door. Xiaomeng's heart jumped into her throat. She held her breath and tried to shrink herself into the haystack.

The door was gently pushed open, and Higashino's figure appeared before them.

"Xiao Meng?"

Xiao Meng's tense nerves relaxed slightly, but she immediately became alert again: "Dong... Dongye-kun? How did you find me? Isn't it 'dark' now? Werewolf... are you the werewolf?"

"Shh..." Dongye walked in and gently closed the door behind him. "Don't be nervous, I'm not a werewolf. Do I look like a bad guy? I just happened to be teleported to this area and came to check when I heard some noise."

"Really...really?" Xiaomeng was still skeptical, but seeing that Dongye didn't seem to have any intention of making a move, she relaxed a little. "Then...who exactly is that werewolf? Dongye-kun, do you have anyone you suspect?"

"I think... it might be Takitsubo." Higashino lowered his voice, his expression "serious." "Don't let her listless appearance fool you, she's actually very good at data analysis and tracking. In games that require strategy, she might have a big advantage. And when she drew her identity just now, her expression seemed a little off?"

"Ah! Takitsubo-san?" Xiaomeng recalled that Takitsubo seemed a little nervous at the time. "That makes sense! Index is so naive, she would definitely be very excited if it were her. Himekami-san, on the other hand, remained expressionless and didn't reveal anything. Takitsubo-san is indeed a bit suspicious!"

“That’s right,” Higashino nodded. “So after ‘dawn’, we need to join forces with the others and focus our firepower on testing Takitsubo.”

"Mmm! Great idea!" Xiao Meng nodded vigorously, her train of thought completely swept away by Dongye's analysis, feeling that she had found a reliable ally.

Just then, the giant screen floating above the village emitted a notification sound: "Werewolf, please make your choice."

Before Xiaomeng could react, Dongye took out his phone, pointed it at the screen, and without hesitation tapped the name "Tsukuyomi Xiaomeng." Then, he said to the huge judge's screen, "I choose to attack Tsukuyomi Xiaomeng."

"Huh? Wh...what?" Xiaomeng was completely stunned and hadn't realized what had happened.

The judge's icy voice immediately echoed across the village: "The werewolf has attacked the target. Tsukuyomi Komoe, you are 'dead.' Please remain silent and observe the rest of the game as a 'ghost,' and you may no longer participate in speaking or voting."

On the huge screen, Xiaomeng's avatar instantly turned gray.

"..." Xiaomeng stared blankly at her grayed-out self on the screen, then looked at Dongye in front of her with his still gentle smile, and a huge sense of loss instantly welled up in her heart.

She had just trusted him so much, and even analyzed the suspects with him... but in the end, he "killed" her without hesitation?

"Dong... Dongye..." Xiaomeng's voice choked with sobs, her eyes quickly welling up with tears, filled with disbelief, grievance, and hurt. "You... you lied to me? You... you're the werewolf? All those things you just said... were lies?"

Seeing Xiaomeng on the verge of tears, Dongye wondered if he had gone too far. But the tearful Xiaomeng was indeed adorable; no wonder the kids in his class liked to tease her. Who wouldn't like such a cute, innocent teacher?

He took a step closer and gently ruffled Xiaomeng's pink hair: "I'm sorry, Xiaomeng. That's how the game is. Werewolves have to deceive and hide. You're cute and you trust me... but I'm sorry, I'm a werewolf, and it was destined from the beginning that we could never be together."

"Waaah... Higashino-kun is a big liar!" Xiaomeng finally couldn't hold back her tears, which fell like pearls from a broken string. She angrily accused him, but her voice was filled with the sadness of being "betrayed" by the person she trusted most.

"Don't cry, don't cry." Dongye squatted down, making his line of sight with Xiaomeng's, and gently wiped away the tears on her cheeks with his fingers.

Seeing Xiaomeng looking so wronged and crying until her nose was red, his pride in his successful prank turned into tender pity.

"It's just a game, don't take it too seriously," he said gently, then leaned forward slightly and placed a soft, brief kiss on Xiaomeng's smooth forehead.

"Consider this kiss an apology. Be a good ghost and watch me win in the end." He smiled, stood up, turned and left the cabin, leaving Xiaomeng standing there blankly, one hand covering her forehead where she had been kissed, her face still streaked with tears, but she had even forgotten to cry.

Chapter 87: The feel of the 'Continued Takitsubo Ritsu' is really nice, hehe.

The giant judge's screen spoke again: "It's dawn. All players, please assemble in the central square of the village."

In the small square in the center of the village, Higashino Yu, Index, Himegami Akisa, and Takitsubo Riko had gathered. They looked at the grayed-out avatar of Xiaomeng on the screen, and their expressions varied.

Index spoke first, staring at everyone present and asking, "Teacher Xiaomeng... is dead? Who's the werewolf?"

Himegami Akisa's gaze swept over the three of them. She didn't believe any of them now. Even though Index seemed harmless, there was still a possibility that she was a werewolf.

Takitsubo frowned slightly, her gaze lingering on Higashino Yu for a moment. She noticed that Higashino and Komoe had been sitting very close together on the big screen earlier.

"It's dawn." The judge's cold, electronic voice rang out. "Last night, Tsukuyomi Komoe 'died.' Now, let's begin a free discussion. The exile vote will take place in fifteen minutes. Players, please speak."

Index immediately raised her hand and excitedly said, "I'm a prophet! I checked on Teacher Xiaomeng last night! She's a good person!" She proudly announced, feeling that she had at least confirmed Xiaomeng's identity.

She completely failed to consider that her role as a prophet should not have been exposed so early, and that investigating the dead was utterly meaningless.

However, considering that this was her second time playing the game, it's not hard to understand; newcomers always make mistakes.

Himegami Akisa nodded: "The little moe teacher who was confirmed to be a good person... it's such a coincidence that she was the first person to be killed?" Her gaze was thoughtful, as if she was eliminating information.

However, the fact that Xiaomeng was the first to be killed and that Index's prediction coincided was just a coincidence. Higashino didn't expect that Index would test Xiaomeng first.

Takitsubo took a deep breath and turned her gaze to Higashino. "Where were you last night? The judge's screen shows that the location where Ms. Komoe 'died' was very close to where you were last seen."

Higashino was somewhat surprised; he hadn't expected that Takitsubo would be the first to notice and suspect him.

However, he had a plan. He immediately showed just the right amount of confusion and a hint of being suspected: "Me? Everyone's teleportation location is completely random. I didn't expect Xiaomeng to be nearby, otherwise I would definitely have gone to help."

He paused, then met Takitsubo's gaze honestly. "Besides, Takitsubo, you doubt me? I think... Himekami is very calm. In this kind of game, calm people are often better at hiding their true feelings." He tried to direct his suspicious gaze towards Himekami.

Himegami Akisa glanced calmly at Higashino Yuu, her tone indifferent: "I am calm because I am a civilian. The werewolves' goal is to create chaos among us."

She didn't want to be mistaken for a werewolf.

Index's attention was diverted. She looked at Himekami, then at Higashino: "Since Himekami and Higashino are both civilians... then... then is the werewolf Takitsubo?"

She looked at Takitsubo with suspicion in her eyes, clearly believing both Higashino and Himekami.

Takitsubo pursed her lips. Faced with Higashino's question and Index's suspicion, she didn't panic. She just looked into Higashino Yu's eyes and said, "I... I'm not a werewolf either. I just think... Higashino, you usually like to lie and play tricks on people, and your position is too suspicious."

Higashino was somewhat helpless, regretting that he hadn't set up the feature that allowed everyone to see each other's exact locations.

But it was too late to regret it now. He made a helpless and somewhat hurt expression: "Takitsubo, you're wronging me. There are only four of us left now. The prophet checked and found out that Moe is a good person, and Himegami said she's a commoner. Index, do you have any doubts about the candidates?"

He subtly guided Index, saying, "Your identity is very important now. You should check the person you suspect tonight to confirm it." His implication was to give her the choice, hoping she would choose Takitsubo.

Index nodded vigorously: "Yes! I will investigate the people I suspect tonight!" Index actually suspected all three of them, but she only had one chance a day, so she had to choose carefully.

"Speaking time is over. Please vote to banish one player," the judge announced.

Index hesitated for a moment, looked at Takitsubo, then at Himegami, and finally pointed at Higashino Yu: "I have some doubts about you, Yu."

Takitsubo's earlier suspicions still affected her current judgment, since the location showing Higashino was too close to the place where Komoe was "murdered".

Himegami Akisa paused for a moment, looked at Higashino Yu, and then at Takitsubo Risa. She felt that both of them were highly suspicious, but in the end she pointed to Higashino.

"I also choose Higashino."

Higashino pointed at Takitsubo Riko with a "sad" look on his face: "Takitsubo, even you don't trust me anymore? But I trust you very much, and I think Himekami is also suspicious, so I choose Himekami."

Takitsubo felt a pang of guilt upon hearing Higashino's words, realizing she shouldn't have doubted him. But that's how Werewolf is; anyone could be a werewolf.

Faced with Higashino, who trusted her so much, she bit her lip and finally shook her head: "I...I won't vote."

"Voting results: Higashino Yuu gets two votes, Himegami Akisa gets one vote. The majority threshold for exile (three votes) has not been met, so no one will be exiled," the judge announced.

Index was stunned: "Huh? Takitsubo, why didn't you vote?"

Himegami Akisa tilted her head slightly, seemingly not too surprised by the result.

Because the Seer's abilities were largely ineffective this time, it will be more difficult to identify the werewolves.

With Higashino choosing her, Takitsubo's image as a werewolf became more prominent in her mind.

Higashino was very satisfied with the result, which was quite favorable to him. Tonight would be the real hunt!

He immediately tried to smooth things over: "It seems everyone has different opinions. We'll just have to wait for the Seer to check tonight. Everyone must be careful, the werewolves will definitely make another move tonight. Especially you, the Seer!" He looked meaningfully at Index, his tone full of worry.

Index immediately puffed out her chest: "I'm not afraid! I'll definitely find the werewolf!"

"Next, another random teleportation will take place." As the judge finished speaking, the three women vanished instantly, leaving only Dongye standing in place.

"It's dark, please close your eyes. All players, please remain silent and follow the on-screen instructions. Werewolves, please open your eyes."

Higashino Yu looked at the locations of the three people on the screen. Index seemed to have teleported to the vicinity of the village entrance, Himegami Akisa was by the well at the other end of the village, and Takitsubo Riko was in a house not far from the square.

"Werewolf, please choose your target," the judge prompted.

Without hesitation, Higashino Yu pointed to Takitsubo Riko's name. Takitsubo had already suspected him, and if he hadn't cleverly played the victim, he might have already been voted out by Takitsubo.

Takitsubo Riko gently closed the dilapidated wooden door, leaned against it, and sighed softly. She felt she had been too hasty and shouldn't have given up so easily.