Chapter 798 - 797: Death
Huang Shengjie instinctively looked at Qin Cheng, the words sounded like a kind of loyalty pledge.
He suddenly felt that this might not be a bad solution.
If Yao Yuan can truly assist the new leader (whoever it may be) like he assisted Lu Bingjun, then it would certainly be good news for the entire Community 2.
With one game core already lost, losing another player with core strength and top-level adviser abilities would be too devastating.
But Qin Cheng did not respond to Yao Yuan’s words, just calmly observed the others.
"I’ve said from the start: This accusation is my only chance, staked with everything I have in the New World, but the final decision rests with you.
"There is no need to complicate simple issues. For the community, player game ability and political ability both seem important, but neither is the primary need.
"The primary need is always stability and security.
"It’s absolutely impossible for two S-Class imitators to coexist, no one should harbor fantasies, because there’s a ’hidden rule known only to S-Class imitators’.
"If I survive, I will disclose this rule to everyone.
"Therefore, letting both of us survive is not a wise decision.
"Because the community will be in endless turmoil."
...
Time is running short, players have started to stand up and complete their voting.
Huang Shengjie walked heavily to the Community Management Office, the door behind him automatically locked.
The voting countdown was only one minute, a special provision in the ’Community Judgment Proposal’ to prevent unexpected situations.
Since a lack of voting in the ’Community Judgment Proposal’ is not considered abstention, but rather ’guilty’, stricter limitations were made on voting time to prevent players from entering the Community Management Office to delay time, causing others unable to vote.
Huang Shengjie first unhesitatingly hit ’innocent’ in the proposal where Qin Cheng accused himself, requiring little thought.
But he couldn’t decide on Yao Yuan’s vote.
"If I vote ’guilty’, Brother Yao Yuan may be expelled from the community, maybe even die...
"But if I vote ’innocent’, what if he really is an S-Class Imitator?
"Qin Cheng said himself, two S-Class imitators cannot coexist because of a hidden rule.
"Forcing both to stay in the community through voting, at first it might barely maintain peace, but as imitators, they will surely design ways to kill each other’s game, even at the cost of involving other community players.
"The consequences are completely uncontrollable...
Huang Shengjie felt trapped in a more difficult choice than previous votes, torn and at a dead end.
Watching the countdown continue, he gritted his teeth, trying to make a decision.
"No matter what, the previous vote type for Lu Bingjun was 9:2, with two innocent votes.
"Yao Yuan surely cast one innocent vote, who is the other?
"Can’t guess.
"But anyway, it should be a neutral player in private closer to Lu Bingjun and Yao Yuan?
"Regardless of Yao Yuan’s nature, this player would find Yao Yuan more important than Lu Bingjun.
"So... he’ll surely vote innocent again.
"If I vote ’guilty’, Yao Yuan won’t die.
"But if I vote ’innocent’, and others think the same, with 3 innocent votes, Yao Yuan won’t leave the community.
"So my vote is just a binary choice between ’expulsion from community’ or ’stay in Community 2’...
"Thinking this way, it seems Yao Yuan leaving the community is better, doesn’t matter if he’s an imitator, he and Qin Cheng both must leave one.
"Overall, this vote is still irrelevant to right or wrong, but remains a binary choice of sides."
Time is short, Huang Shengjie painfully closed his eyes, pressing ’guilty’.
The instant he pressed the button, Huang Shengjie felt a tinge of regret.
But he also knew, even if he pressed the other button, he’d regret as well.
The door to the Community Management Office opened, Huang Shengjie left with a heavy heart.
Waiting outside, He Qinyun entered the management room.
...
Faced with the same different accusations, appearing as neutral faction in the community, He Qinyun’s situation was completely different.
She didn’t hesitate long and soon made her choice.
[Yao Yuan: Guilty]
[Qin Cheng: Innocent]
In the binary choice of sides, she also chose Qin Cheng.
But there was another reason.
"Yao Yuan would never admit to being an imitator.
"Therefore, Qin Cheng is the first openly recognized imitator in Community 2, likely to remain the only one for a long time.
"Moreover, he’s an S-Class imitator.
"So under no circumstances can he die, not even face any death risk."
...
After voting, He Qinyun returned to the hall, waiting silently with others for the final result.
[Qin Cheng accuses Yao Yuan as ’imitator’, public trial ends.]
[Guilty: 10 votes]
[Innocent: 0 votes]
[Accusation stands, the accused imitator will face instant death penalty.]
[Qin Cheng accuses Qin Cheng as ’imitator’, public trial ends.]
[Guilty: 2 votes]
[Innocent: 9 votes]
[Accusation does not stand.]
[Since ’Accuser’ and ’Suspect’ are the same player, the ’false accusation punishment’ rule does not trigger.]
In the vote where Qin Cheng accused himself, Yao Yuan did not enter the Community Management Office, thus automatically casting a ’guilty’ vote.
Besides, there’s another guilty vote, unable to determine who cast it, but it doesn’t affect the outcome.
The vote type is clear, obvious at a glance.
Yet the hall was abuzz.
"What?!"
"How could it be 0 votes!"
Obviously everyone voted ’guilty’, but most were surprised, seemed like they expected others to vote ’innocent’.
Many unconsciously stood, somewhat at a loss.
Yao Yuan was stunned too, then realizing the bracelet had pierced his skin, that his life was on a very short countdown.
He raised his wrist, watched the black line quickly crawl to his heart, suddenly he revealed a somewhat relieved expression.
He let out a sigh of relief, murmuring his final thought.
"I hate politics."
Then, he looked up at Qin Cheng, seemed to want to say something, but ultimately didn’t speak.
The screen’s information disappeared, Yao Yuan’s head hung low, motionless.
Yet soon, with the sound of the bracelet falling to the ground, the body disappeared, as if it never existed.
The hall plunged into eerie silence, most players showed expressions of being at a loss.
This was the first time, a death case occurred in the community.
And it was someone well-known to everyone, crucial to the community.
It seemed nothing has changed, yet everything felt different.