Suddenly, the ground trembled violently. Dense cracks quickly spread across the cement surface. In just a few seconds, stones collapsed and fell, and the candidates all fell into a dim and lightless chamber.

    In the gloomy space, twelve ancient stone slabs were arranged in a well - ordered circle. The intricate and simple patterns on them were ancient and mysterious. A faint glow flickered on the altar, heralding the good show about to unfold.

    "What's going on? Where on earth is this?!" San Yin shouted, covering the swollen bump on his head.

    Su Luan fell heavily to the ground and remained motionless. Her golden long hair splayed messily on the ground.

    Yu Yi's wound was scratched by the broken stones, and dots of blood seeped onto a moss - covered stone. It was perfectly embedded in the ground, as if quietly watching everyone's arrival. A line of words appeared prominently on the stone.

    "The door will only open when everyone stands in the corresponding altar position."

    A mechanical electronic panel popped up: "Side - mission 1: Escape from the altar. Now activating character attribute points."

    The waiter appeared behind him at some unknown time. Its eyes narrowed into a thin slit, and its ears stood up high, with the tips seemingly trembling slightly with excitement.

    "The rules for escaping the altar are as shown on the stone. This is the first level to test your ability values."

    "The mission is limited to 10 minutes. Come on, candidates."

    The large red countdown stood in front of the altar, flickering and jumping in the darkness, conspicuous and blinding.

    "Everyone, don't panic. There are 12 altar positions, and there are exactly 12 of us. We just need to stand on them as instructed." Shi Yi, holding the Bible, commanded calmly.

    According to the original candidate ranking, everyone stood on their respective altar positions.

    When Yu Yi noticed Su Luan again, she had already tidied up her black robe and was quietly standing on the 6th altar. Her pair of deep blue eyes seemed to be thinking and brewing something.

    Rhein walked towards the 1st altar, and Shi Yi had already come to the 2nd altar, silently observing the whole situation. He Yuan looked around cautiously and then stood on the 3rd altar. He Zhi glared at San Yin, who swaggered towards the 5th altar, from the 4th altar.

    When Yu Yi stood on the 12th altar, the countdown decreased to 7 minutes. Colorful lights diverged from the altars and converged in the middle. Everyone looked towards the tightly - closed door.

    But things didn't go as expected. The countdown was still ticking away, with 6 minutes remaining.

    "Why? There are exactly 12 of us here. Why isn't the door opening?"

    In the dark chamber, 12 people stood sparsely. The situation started to get out of control. Voices of doubt and panic echoed and expanded in the enclosed space.

    "The number of people in the room does not meet the conditions," a deep voice sounded. The waiter appeared quietly, and its ruby - like eyes exuded an excited and cruel killing intent in the dark.

    "There are 12 of us. How does it not meet the conditions?"

    The waiter's rabbit - like lips split open, and the corners of its mouth widened rapidly in an almost distorted way, revealing a row of sharp and yellowed teeth. It was extremely strange and disgusting.

    "Wrong. There are 13 people in the room."

    As the words fell, the air seemed to freeze. The candidates' gazes all turned towards the waiter. As if realizing something, their eyes were intertwined with horror, disbelief, fear, and hostility.

    "This damned monster actually counted itself in!" He Zhi cursed.

    He Yuan held his forehead and sighed softly, "Does this mean we have to kill one person?"

    "Ah!" A scream suddenly pierced the air, the voice becoming sharp and broken due to fear, ricocheting around in the enclosed space. Fear spread rapidly with the countdown.

    "This is unreasonable! I can't do it!" A thin girl's body seemed to lose control like a puppet. Her knees hit the ground heavily, her body curled up into a ball, her arms tightly covering her head. Her well - defined fingers sank deeply into her hair, and a few strands of broken hair scattered messily on her pale face. Desperate sobs and cries still squeezed out from the depths of her throat from time to time.

    "If we don't kill one person within 5 minutes, we'll all be trapped here!"

    "Think it through. Is it one person's death or all of us dying!" San Yin said viciously.

    The candidates scattered, keeping a distance from each other. Their vigilant eyes wandered back and forth. Everyone seemed to be examining and choosing potential prey. An undercurrent of suspicion surged in this silent eye - contact.

    Su Luan's right hand quickly reached for her waist, grasped the knife handle, slowly lowered her body, and leaned forward, ready to strike in the dark.

    Yu Yi alertly assumed a defensive posture. "What is this madman up to again……"

    A creepy tearing sound rang out, and bright red blood spurted out, splashing onto the surrounding ground, a shocking sight. Su Luan was so fast that Yu Yi could only see an arc of the blade in the air, and then the waiter's head fell to the ground.

    The mechanical electronic voice sounded: Detection of the disappearance of one living being.

    But the countdown still didn't pause.

    Su Luan took a deep breath, and her blue eyes seemed to be thinking about something.

    "So it doesn't work……"

    She slowly raised her left hand, took out a handkerchief from her bosom, and carefully wiped the blood along the blade.

    A pungent smell filled the chamber. The waiter's body melted into a pool of disgusting mucus. In just a few seconds, a vague figure gradually emerged from the wriggling mucus. The rabbit - faced and human - bodied monster slowly climbed out of the liquid.

    "You can't be smart,"

    "The living being that is killed can't be me."

    The deep, hoarse laughter echoed in the silent space, and the candidates began to feel restless.

    It bent its index finger slightly and put it on the lips of its rabbit - like face, making a shushing gesture. Its body, which seemed pieced together, was so discordant that it made people feel uncomfortable.

    "From this moment on, the abilities of all candidates are disabled."

    "Please enjoy the game."

    The 12 candidates seemed to be scattered randomly, but in fact, they were secretly divided into several small groups.

    In the east corner, four people huddled closely together. The leader had a firm look in his eyes, constantly looking at the faces of those present and mumbling something in a low voice. The person next to him kept nodding, but his eyes glanced elsewhere, having his own ulterior motives. Another person folded his arms across his chest, remaining silent, his hands trembling slightly. In the west corner, He Yi's group was also secretly planning something.

    Excluding He Yi and other groups, there were only five people left: Yu Yi, Rhein, Su Luan, and the siblings He Yuan and He Zhi.

    The high - hanging and flickering red countdown changed mercilessly: "4:30…4:28…4:20…" Heavy breathing intertwined with the rhythm of the countdown, playing a tune of tension and despair.

    "Just eliminate the weakest one. Anyway, such a person won't be selected!" As Yu Yi turned his head, he met San Yin's malicious gaze.

    "San Yin, no…… We can't bully the weak." Shi Yi closed his eyes and piously clasped his hands together.

    His pitying gaze swept over everyone's heads one by one, and finally arrogantly lingered on Yu Yi and Rhein. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly, faintly showing contempt and disdain.

    "Again with this superior attitude……" At this moment, Yu Yi finally understood where his sense of discomfort came from. Shi Yi's mannerisms and disdain were exactly like those of his former boss.

    "For the sake of fairness, we'll all draw paper slips. The person who draws the slip with the word 'death' will be the sacrifice for this level."

    Twelve paper balls, prepared at some unknown time, were scattered and presented in Shi Yi's hand.

    In the dark, a conspiracy was slowly taking shape. Suspicion, trickery, scheming, and blood served as nourishment, helping it grow wildly. Its hidden and sharp fangs were quietly and greedily reaching out towards the unsuspecting prey.

    The waiter stood quietly in the dark, its body trembling slightly with excitement. Its blood - red eyes sparkled with an unusual excitement.

    "Tick…… tick……" The glaring red countdown mercilessly passed by, splashing soundless bloody ripples in the deathly - still air.

    The countdown officially entered 3:00.