God's Imitator

Huang Shengjie was stunned: "Ah?"

Qin Cheng explained: "Actually, when it comes to these two proposals, our positions differ.

"But I’m still willing to help you analyze them clearly because I hope you make a decision only after fully understanding all the details.

"Even if my analysis and persuasion have the opposite effect, pushing you further away, it doesn’t matter. We can agree to disagree.

"Now, Shengjie, I want you to seriously think, ’Isn’t ’not killing in the community’ really an inviolable rule and bottom line?

"On this issue, I agree with Lu Bingjun.

"I believe that the hidden imitator truly exists and that he indeed harbors extreme malice.

"If we don’t catch him, he can keep committing crimes, and in the face of survival, all principles and bottom lines can be abandoned."

Huang Shengjie hesitated: "But... can the existing evidence really prove that he exists?

"Isn’t it possible that it’s just a coincidence of some malicious imitators’ games, turning us into startled birds?

"Besides, why does he have to kill all of us? What’s the benefit for him? He can’t possibly have a grudge against all of us, right?"

Qin Cheng was a bit helpless: "What do you mean? Isn’t the benefit obvious?

"The visa time.

"The worst-case scenario is that after killing the game core of our community, the whole community turns into a scattered mess, and others become his ’blood packs.’

"He can just kill one or two people to restore time when he needs a visa. Isn’t that easy and carefree?

"Although he could choose to kill players from other communities, these two things don’t conflict.

"Besides, isn’t it easier to kill your own than the enemy?

"As for what you said, what if the hidden imitator doesn’t exist?

"I admit, he might exist or he might not, and any choice can be wrong.

"But in reality, we don’t have to analyze which possibility is more likely.

"We just need to analyze which outcome is worse."

Huang Shengjie was momentarily speechless, as Qin Cheng’s words indeed touched on his confusion to some extent.

After chatting privately with Ye Lin, Huang Shengjie did repeatedly consider this issue.

Lu Bingjun and Ye Lin put forward two extreme hypotheses, and if either of these judgments were wrong, it would lead to severe consequences.

The key is that the current evidence cannot clearly prove which one is more correct, so no matter what choice is made, it feels problematic.

After much thought, Huang Shengjie felt that maintaining his own interests was more important, so he voted against it.

But Qin Cheng’s words opened up a new perspective for him to some degree.

Qin Cheng continued: "If these games are done by several different imitators and there isn’t actually a hidden imitator in the community, then what’s the worst outcome?

"At most, we pass the ’judgment rule’ and may even mistakenly kill one or two players.

"But think about it, will there be large-scale mistaken killings? Impossible.

"At least for now, absolutely impossible.

"Even the probability of a single mistaken killing is not high.

"Because only when all other players unanimously agree can a death sentence be delivered, which is a rather stringent condition. Without this condition, the proposal won’t pass.

"Even if Lu Bingjun really wants to use this proposal to eliminate opponents, it would still require a long process.

"By then, Community 2’s existence could even be in question.

"So I think that even if this path deprives some rights, I can still accept it.

"But what if this hidden imitator really exists and we don’t pass this proposal?

"There could be three scenarios:

"First, we can’t catch him, so there’s nothing to say; we just wait for death.

"Second, we catch him in the game and use game mechanics to kill him.

"But everyone knows that this possibility is minimal.

"Shengjie, you indeed had a successful experience, but you also know exactly how high that success rate is, right?"

Huang Shengjie nodded.

The reason he was able to successfully kill an imitator in the ’Pain Game’ was partly because Xu Yiheng was careless and partly because he was force-fed a lot of information by Lin Sizhi.

This in itself was highly coincidental.

Qin Cheng continued: "The third scenario, and also the most likely one: we can’t kill him in the game, but confirm his identity in the community.

"What should we do now?

"Do nothing and wait for the next game to find an opportunity?

"How is that possible?

"Surely, we’d end up urgently passing a proposal to kill him.

"But rushing to pass a proposal at that time would be more problematic.

"Because we’d all be forced to pass a proposal under the extreme condition of ’just catching a dangerous imitator in the community,’ the time for consideration would be very rushed, and this proposal might have some loopholes or become more extreme.

"Here’s a simple example: Suppose after a vote, 10 players in our community believe he’s an imitator, while another 3 don’t.

"Under the current proposal, we’d expel him from the community. If he’s wrongly accused, he’d still have a lifeline.

"But if we wait to vote at that time, the proposal passed likely won’t be the existing content, but one like ’10 guilty votes directly lead to execution.’

"Because those 10 players will definitely vote in favor, already over half.

"In other words, passing a proposal hastily will make it more extreme.

"So, from my perspective, I think that at this moment, even if this proposal has one issue or another, it should be passed, and must be passed."

Huang Shengjie irritably scratched his head: "Damn... these community issues feel more annoying than in-game..."

He originally thought his stance was firm, but now, with Qin Cheng providing another perspective, he felt his stance shifting 180 degrees.

Qin Cheng said: "The community and the Walkway are different.

"Games often have clear rules, optimal solutions, and definite outcomes.

"But how a community develops often lacks an optimal solution and even a clear right or wrong, needing a step-by-step approach.

"Fortunately, we still have time, so take your time to think about it.

"No matter what, just make the decision you think is right."

The two parted ways.