Satan’s Game

Cillian is surprised to find someone else here. He quickly glances at them and notices the pot Carlos is holding.

He knows Carlos didn't choose a pot, so it must belong to this other person.

He's only been gone for half an hour, and Carlos has already attracted another person?

What kind of magnetic charm is this?

He sits cross-legged by the fire and tosses the rabbit onto it. 

"Let's get this straight—I'm not sharing any of this rabbit meat with you."

William looks a little awkward. 

"I wouldn't ask for that. Besides, wild animals like this are often covered in bacteria. If not handled properly, you might end up eating those bacteria too. With the jungle's humid weather and parasite-filled water, a single misstep could lead to an upset stomach. Diarrhea in the wild can be incredibly dangerous."

Cillian: "…" Who did he offend to attract yet another walking encyclopedia?

Carlos recalls that he already mentioned Cillian's name in front of the Medic, so he introduces to Cillian, "He's William"

Cillian doesn't even think before saying, "Oh, the medic?"

The Medic pauses slightly. 

"How could you tell?"

[Live Comments] Emmmm, who couldn't tell?!

[Live Comments] I'm loving this team already!

[Live Comments] Can we get a solid trio? Let's go!!

Cillian doesn't want to talk to a Carlos 2.0, nor does he want to talk to the actual Carlos who seems to keep inviting people in.

But Carlos doesn't let his ears off the hook. 

"He doesn't have the clue."

"And then?"

"He saved me once—— oh, twice actually "

"So, you want to repay him?" Cillian looks up with a light laugh, his tone sharp. 

"But I don't."

The atmosphere instantly turns awkward.

"Sorry." Then an idea strikes Carlos and he advises to William. "Maybe you could trade something instead?"

Cillian raises an eyebrow. 

Not bad, Carlos. I thought you didn't catch on when I haggled with that brute earlier.

"That's fair." William nods. 

Carlos appreciates how reasonable the Medic is. He's not like Ali, who acts like everything is owed to him.

Seeing Cillian focus on roasting the rabbit, Carlos realizes Cillian's leaving the negotiation to him. 

"What did you choose when you came in?"

"You've seen the medicine and the pot. I also chose fire."

"Oh…" 

Carlos sounds disappointed since these items aren't particularly valuable compared to the drone or flashlight.

William, aware that his choices might seem insignificant, chuckles awkwardly again. 

"Maybe my expertise can help? If you guys are open to it, we could team up to clear the game."

By now, the rabbit's fur has nearly finished burning, releasing an unpleasant smell of scorched hair.

Cillian casually rolls the rabbit with a stick, and the charred fur starts to flake off in bits.

Without warning, he says, "I'm not interested."

[Live Comments] LOL, conversation killer strikes again!

[Live Comments] Medic awkwardness 3.0, Carlos discomfort 3.0

William, at a loss for words, exchanges a glance with Carlos.

He says, "Maybe… after the first round, when we're back in the city for that one-week break, we could meet up offline. I've got houses and money, whatever you need."

Cillian remains silent, now focused on the rabbit. The fur is nearly gone, and he pulls it off the fire to scrape away the remaining burnt bits with his knife.

Once the charred layer is gone, the rabbit's swollen body is revealed—round and puffed up like an overinflated balloon.

Cillian gets up to fetch some water, intending to clean out the rabbit's innards before roasting it further.

As soon as he leaves, William says, "Sorry to make things difficult for you."

"Cillian isn't a bad person."Carlos shakes his head. 

"I know. But this is a competitive game. It's normal for him not to want to share the clue." William chuckles. 

"No problem. I'll try asking someone else for their clue."

Carlos doubts anyone would willingly give William a clue. 

However, without Cillian's consent, he can't share their clue either.

A little while later, Cillian returns with the cleaned rabbit and some sticks he's broken off nearby.

He sits back down, sharpens one of the sticks to a fine point, and skewers the rabbit onto it, setting it over the fire to roast.

The forest is already sweltering in the daytime heat, and sitting near the fire only makes things worse. 

Carlos and William instinctively sit farther away from the flames.

After a while, Carlos says, "Let me roast it. Your face is turning red from the heat."

"You want to faint again?" Cillian retorts. 

Then she turns to William. "You saved my partner, so I won't make this hard for you. I'll tell you the clue. Leave your pot and medicine, but you can keep your fire."

William looks surprised. "Are you serious?"

"Yes."

William immediately retrieves his medicine from the system and hands it to Cillian. 

"Thank you."

Cillian eyes the pile of medicine and raises an eyebrow. Then he glances at Carlos and says, "I saw a small green pineapple growing nearby. It looked sour, so I didn't pick it, but I just realized it could make a nice dip for the rabbit. Go grab it."

Carlos obediently heads in the direction he points, fearing he might change his mind if he doesn't comply.

Cillian flips the rabbit over, perfectly timing the roast. He's quite proud of her cooking skills.

William waits quietly, not rushing him . 

After some time, Cillian finally speaks. 

"The clue is just one sentence: The endless river devours all light."

William silently commits the words to memory. 

"Thank you."

Cillian, his expression indifferent, says, "The rabbit's almost ready."

—In other words, it's time for you to leave.

William picks up on the subtle dismissal. Without lingering, he thanks Cillian again and leaves.

Shortly after, Carlos comes running back. He's out of breath. 

"There wasn't a pineapple there, right?"

"What are you, a psychic?"

"You sent me away on purpose." Carlos glances at the pot and medicine left on the ground. "You told him the second clue, didn't you? But you lied."

Cillian shrugs. "Not entirely. I told him the clue was, the endless river devours all light. I only changed a word."

"…Just a word ? The meaning is completely different now! He's probably going to dive into another river looking for it!"

"Oh…" Cillian feigns realization. 

"So what? Do you think a useless pot and some medicine are worth the same as a clue? Ali traded a whole drone and a flashlight for his clue."

Carlos knows William's items aren't particularly valuable, but he still looks a little disappointed. 

"You shouldn't have lied to him."

Cillian had been about to dismiss him as a naïve fool, but seeing his genuine disappointment, he sighs and relents. 

"I didn't plan to lie to him at first."

"Then why did you?"

Cillian glances at the three types of medicine. "Because he lied to me first."

Carlos suddenly realizes something. 

"The medic didn't hand over all the medicine, did he?"

"Not even close. This is only a third of what the butler prepared for us. The complete pack includes everything—treatment for diarrhea, fevers, pain relief, cuts, and more."

"But how do you know…" Carlos stops mid-sentence, then understands. "One of your items is also a medicine pack."

Cillian had selected three items—medicine, fire, and a knife.

Cillian hums in affirmation, then casually says, "He wasn't honest with me, so I had no reason to be honest with him."

To Carlos, it sounds like Cillian's almost glad the medic lied, giving him an excuse to do the same. But since William started it, Carlos finds it hard to take his side.

He stays silent for a while before asking, "Why did you send me away?"

"Figure it out yourself."

"Because you were afraid I'd blow your cover."Carlos nods slowly.

"At least you're self-aware. I like that."

The rabbit meat is almost done, and the smell of roasted meat fills the air, making Cillian's stomach growl. When it's ready, he waves the skewer in the air to cool it down, then splits it in two.

"Half for each of us. Don't even think about stealing my half. If you can't finish yours, you can give it to me."

Carlos doesn't argue. 

A hungry stomach doesn't refuse meat, even if it's bland.

The rabbit is lean and tough, with no salt to enhance its flavor. The only seasoning is the faint smokiness from the firewood. 

Wild rabbits, unlike their farmed counterparts, spend their lives running and evading predators, leaving no extra fat on their bodies. The result is a texture that's more chewy than tender.

Carlos eyes the small pot. "Next time, we could stew the meat."

He feels a strange sense of satisfaction—an appreciation for having resources in the wild. It's easy to see why people are drawn to the thrill of taking and owning things.

But when he senses the beginnings of a dangerous thought creeping into his mind, he quickly suppresses it.

As he eats the meat slowly, savoring the sensation of fullness, he looks at Cillian and asks, "Would you ever lie to me?"

Cillian doesn't hesitate. "Of course. What do you think I am, a philanthropist?"

"Well," Carlos isn't surprised by her answer. He looks at her and quietly says, "But I won't."

"I don't believe you."Cillian doesn't buy it.

"Okay." Carlos doesn't argue. He says what he means, and that's enough for him. 

They're partners, after all. They've agreed to reach the end of the game together, and he intends to honor that promise.

Once they've finished the rabbit, Cillian drinks a sip of water from the pot. Boiled water, he decides, tastes far better than raw water—no strange aftertaste, no risk, and it goes down easy.

After a brief rest, he packs the pot into the system and tosses the medicine to Carlos, splitting the items evenly as before.

By now, the forest has fallen into darkness. After extinguishing the fire, the woods are pitch black. 

Cillian turns on the flashlight, its bright beam cutting through the shadows and startling hidden creatures in the underbrush.

Suddenly, all players' system notifications pop up, followed by the cold, mechanical voice of the system.

[System Notice] Peace Mode has been disabled. Peace Mode has been disabled. Please be advised. Please be advised.

The atmosphere in the rainforest changes immediately.

With Peace Mode deactivated, players can now attack and rob one another.

Courtesy and avoidance will no longer be the rule.