Ten Day Ultimatum

Mortal Pig remained silent for a moment, his gaze fixed on Qi Xia. "Even if you’ve seen through everything, you still only have a 49% chance of drawing the black piece."

"True," Qi Xia mused, sifting through the stones. "But when logic and calculation fall short, I place my trust in philosophy."
"And what, pray tell, is your philosophy?"
"That I will escape," Qi Xia responded calmly. "I believe—without a shred of doubt—that I can leave this wretched place. And to do that, I must draw the black piece."

With those words, he confidently grasped two stones from the bowl, held them tight in his palm, and slowly presented them to Mortal Pig, revealing his choice.
Mortal Pig's expression shifted dramatically, his eyes beneath the mask trembling with disbelief. He could hardly process what lay before him—both stones in Qi Xia's hand were black!
The two glossy black pieces, gleaming like hollow eyes, rested in Qi Xia's palm, staring back at Mortal Pig with unsettling intensity.

As the silence stretched on, Qi Xia, sensing no response from Mortal Pig, smirked. With a casual motion, he tossed one of the black stones back into the bowl, keeping the other firmly in his hand.
"I’ve made my choice," he said calmly, the confidence in his voice unmistakable.
Mortal Pig blinked, stunned by the turn of events. It took him several moments to grasp the situation. "You—You dare to trick me?!"

He slammed his hand on the table, rising abruptly in anger. Yet, as the rage bubbled up, a realization struck him—Qi Xia hadn’t broken any rules. He had done nothing wrong.
Qi Xia had merely lifted the black stones before him.
Mortal Pig realized his grave miscalculation.

The moment those two black stones appeared, he should have spoken—anything at all. A taunt, a jest, even an impatient demand for Qi Xia to make his choice swiftly.
But instead, he had remained silent. And in that silence lay his error.
In a game like this, silence wasn’t neutrality—it was betrayal. It signified exactly what Mortal Pig feared to acknowledge: that both stones were black.

Mortal Pig had assumed Qi Xia left everything to sheer {luck}, but he hadn’t anticipated that even in the final moment, Qi Xia was still toying with psychology.
Why had he pulled not one, but two black stones?
Could his {luck} truly be that extraordinary?

But then realization crept in—Qi Xia hadn’t known what color the stones were when he held them out—he couldn’t have. What Qi Xia had been waiting for was not the color itself, but Mortal Pig’s reaction.
It was a psychological gambit, an invitation to reveal himself. Qi Xia had set the trap, knowing Mortal Pig’s words—or his silence—would betray the truth. Every move from that point onward hinged on Mortal Pig’s response.
In the end, it wasn’t luck that determined this game. It was strategy—and the subtle art of reading one's opponent.
Mortal Pig, utterly defeated, sank into his seat, the fight drained from his voice. "I must admit," he muttered, "not only are your thoughts meticulous, but your {luck}... is formidable."

Qi Xia placed the black stone gently on the table, then calmly removed his blindfold. "My thanks," he replied.
Ole Lu, unable to contain his elation any longer, leapt to his feet, joy spilling over. "You absolute fucking genius!" he exclaimed, throwing his arms around Qi Xia in a tight embrace. "Punk, whatever grudge was between us—consider it gone! Hahaha!"
Qi Xia, exasperated, shook his head lightly. "Should I be thanking you as well then?"

Lin Qin, watching the exchange, felt quiet satisfaction for them both. Though they hadn’t secured any {Dào} this round, the {triumph} of outsmarting the odds was victory enough to savor.
Mortal Pig reluctantly shuffled over to a nearby box. He withdrew ten {Dào} and handed them to Ole Lu, who accepted them with a wide grin, clearly delighted with his winnings. Pocketing the {Dào}, Ole Lu turned to Qi Xia and said, "Punk, don’t take it the wrong way. I paid for the {admission} this time, so you’ll have to forgive me for keeping these."
Qi Xia merely nodded, unbothered by the remark, and rose to his feet. "Forget the {Dào}. What I need now are the whereabouts of those two individuals."

"Ah, no problem," Ole Lu replied, his tone suddenly accommodating. "Although I, Ole Lu, am known for being stingy, I know how to settle debts of gratitude. Follow me—I saw those two outside a game room earlier this morning."
"Great." Qi Xia and Lin Qin nodded in unison, rising to leave, when a low voice interrupted them.
"Hey..." Mortal Pig's voice echoed in the room, causing the trio to pause and turn back, puzzled.

"What is it?" Qi Xia asked.
Mortal Pig’s gaze lingered on him, his eyes complex. "What’s your name?" he finally asked.
"Qi Xia."

Mortal Pig repeated the name under his breath, as if committing it to memory. Slowly, he sank back into his chair, his mind clearly preoccupied, eyes drifting as though pondering something deeper.
After an extended pause, Mortal Pig remained unusually quiet, leaving everyone in a state of perplexity.
"Did we win so much we drove this damned pig mad?" Ole Lu muttered, voice tinged with concern. "I doubt he earns ten {Dào} a day."

"Mad?" Lin Qin’s lips curled in a wry smile. "They were mad to begin with…"
As the group prepared to leave, Mortal Pig's voice cut through the murmur of their departure.
"Qi Xia."

Hearing his name, Qi Xia turned once more, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "What is it now?"
Mortal Pig’s demeanor had shifted to grim determination. "I want to challenge you to another game. This time, I’ll stake my life."
The trio stood motionless, momentarily stunned by the gravity of Mortal Pig's words. None of them could fully grasp the implications of his challenge.

"Wh—What?!" Ole Lu recoiled, stepping back. "Are you out of your mind, you damned pig?!"
Lin Qin quickly grabbed Qi Xia's arm, her voice laced with urgency. "Let’s just ignore him. We should go."
Qi Xia’s brow furrowed as he processed Mortal Pig’s request. "I refuse."

"Refuse?" Mortal Pig’s tone grew insistent, arms folding across his chest. "You dare refuse?"
"Indeed." Qi Xia nodded firmly. "It’s illogical to stake my life on a game where # Nоvеlight # the odds of winning are only 50%. That makes no sense."
Ole Lu’s eyes darted to Qi Xia, suspicion clear. "Punk… What are you talking about?"

"What’s the issue?" Qi Xia turned, puzzled. "Do you think I should risk my life?"
"This isn’t about whether you {should or shouldn’t}!" Ole Lu’s frustration was palpable as he stamped his foot. "In this place, when someone proposes {staking their life}, the other party must accept!"
Qi Xia’s expression shifted to one of realization, a flicker of understanding crossing his face.

He recalled his earlier encounter with the {Mortal Mouse}, when he had proposed to stake his life. Despite her visible reluctance, she ultimately acquiesced.
Now, reflecting on it, the decision seemed peculiar. Her game had been straightforward, and logically, if a participant was willing to stake their life, they likely deciphered her challenge.
In such a disadvantageous position, she should have refused… yet she hadn’t.

It became clear to Qi Xia: as long as one party proposes to {stake their life}, the other is compelled to accept the life-or-death gamble.
Breaking such a rule would summon a punitive force like the {Vermilion Bird}, infamous for delivering severe consequences to rule-breakers.
Qi Xia’s expression hardened as he considered the ramifications. The Vermilion Bird's enmity was a dire threat—attempting to evade now could yield catastrophic consequences.

Moreover, the strategies he had employed earlier would likely prove ineffective a second time, drastically increasing the odds of failure.
"Don’t be afraid," Mortal Pig said, sensing Qi Xia’s hesitation. "I’m not such an unreasonable pig. This time, let’s try a more interesting game."
He produced two pairs of glasses from a nearby box and placed them on the table.

"These are a special item I borrowed from Yang gē…"
The glasses, at first glance, appeared ordinary. However, a small, enigmatic device was affixed to the bridge of each pair, their true purpose shrouded in mystery.
"You two, I need your assistance," Mortal Pig added with a sly grin.

"Assistance?" Ole Lu’s face contorted into a frown. "For you? No way."
"If you refuse," Mortal Pig's tone darkened, "I'll announce that I’m staking my life against all of you."