Chapter 24: The Only Way Out for a Werewolf

Everyone present here is a professional player from the nation's top competitive teams. Their remarks are never just for the present moment; they are calculated with an eye toward future developments. It is the classic strategy of thinking three steps ahead for every one step taken.

Even though Player 4 did not explicitly claim to be the Bodyguard, they launched into a flurry of praise for the Bodyguard as soon as they began speaking. This could be dismissed as a slip of the tongue, or it could be a calculated move. By speaking this way, they inevitably force the werewolves to consider whether they might actually be the Bodyguard. After all, despite the peaceful night, the players who spoke earlier hadn't mentioned the Bodyguard at all, implying their own roles were likely not that of the protector. Otherwise, they would have reacted, and their lines would have reflected a perspective other than simple self-defense.

If the werewolves were to believe that Player 4 was the Bodyguard and decide to night-kill them, they would risk striking the Hunter instead. It is not entirely impossible that the game could end on the spot.

In the eyes of Player 5, however, while they were fairly certain that Player 4 was indeed the Bodyguard, they had no intention of killing them that night. After a moment of thought, they began to speak: "Judging by their tone, Player 4 sounds like a good guy. From my perspective, players 2 and 8 are the most suspicious."

"Player 8 is perhaps slightly better than Player 2. I am inclined to vote out Player 2 this round. First, for a few reasons."

"Regarding the recently eliminated Player 9: since you verified Player 7 as a 'Gold Water' (an innocent), Player 9 could have been a good guy, though it's not impossible that Player 7 misjudged. I attacked players 9 and 7 in the previous round because Player 7 targeted me; I could hardly let that slide without retaliating. Moreover, Player 9 definitely acted like a wolf—that’s an undeniable fact. So, Player 9’s elimination is the price they paid for their suspicious behavior."

"I am definitely a good guy. If I were a wolf, how could I possibly suggest that Player 9 might be a good guy and Player 7 a wolf just because Player 7 attacked me? Should I not have attacked a player who provided cover for the werewolves?"

"Flat-top" sat up straight, his face a mask of sincerity and earnestness. His tone was highly persuasive, with every word delivered as if he were baring his heart for the good guys to see. He was clearly putting in a great deal of effort.

"Yesterday, Player 7 vouched for Player 9 and targeted me, so when the Seer called for a vote on Player 9, I naturally had to raise my hand. I knew Player 9 could be a wolf, and I knew I was a good guy. Hearing the players in the back positions wanting to vote me out, I had no choice but to cast my vote."

"But now that the Seer has verified Player 7 as a 'Gold Water'..."

Flat-top sighed inwardly. To be honest, in this disadvantageous situation for the werewolves, verifying a 'Gold Water' was worse than finding a 'Check-Kill' (a wolf). If it had been a wolf, they could have just self-destructed and forced the game into a direct showdown. Now, there was another confirmed good guy, and one who was specifically targeting him. Yet, he couldn't just give up and self-destruct simply because he was being targeted. He had to manage to push someone else out, or there would be no way to play.

"If the eliminated Player 9 was a good guy, there are still three wolves on the field. Players 2 and 8 must be the culprits, especially Player 2. He claimed he wanted to vote me, Player 5, out, but what happened? He turned around and voted for Player 9. A player whose words and actions contradict each other like that—what is that if not a wolf?"

"Furthermore, his justification for his vote doesn't hold up at all. I only voted for Player 9 because Player 7 attacked me. I knew my own role was a good guy, but I didn't know Player 9's, so even if voting him out meant eliminating a good guy, he could have been a wolf. But if you vote me out, you are definitely eliminating a good guy."

"As a good guy, I can't definitively tell who else is a good guy. Since Player 2 thinks I'm a wolf, why would he vote for Player 9? Therefore, I believe Player 2 is definitely a wolf. Even if you think I am one, Player 2 must be my wolf teammate, because he said he would vote for me but voted for Player 9 instead. So, before you vote me out, you must vote out Player 2."

Flat-top’s plan was to turn this into a massacre of the villagers. He realized Player 4 was the Bodyguard, but he wouldn't target them at night. The eliminated Player 9 was definitely a villager. The night-kill he had directed at Player 11 had resulted in a peaceful night, meaning Player 11 might not actually be the Witch. It was unlikely the Bodyguard had protected Player 11 instead of Player 10; he wouldn't take such a risk. Besides, from the Bodyguard's perspective, the Witch was already dead, and Player 11 claiming the role could only mean they were a villager, making it even less likely the Bodyguard would protect them.

Therefore, yesterday’s peaceful night must have been the result of the Witch using their healing potion. That was ironclad logic. Since Player 11 was neither the Bodyguard nor the Witch, they must have been a villager trying to fake a Bodyguard claim to draw fire. Flat-top guessed that Player 2 was also likely a villager. If he could manage to get them voted out today, there would only be two villagers left on the field. Kill one at night, and only one would remain.

Even if it came down to a desperate final stand, gambling on a knife-fight with the Bodyguard, slaughtering all the villagers was the only hope for the werewolf pack to win.

"Who exactly is the last villager..."

Player 5 continued to incite the good guys against Player 2 while glancing around at the remaining players. Could it be Player 7? Or perhaps 8 or 12?

"My role is a villager. If Player 9 was eliminated as a villager, there are only three villagers left on the field. We absolutely must not cast the wrong vote today. Player 2's vote-switching proves he is a wolf. If we banish a wolf this round, the others can reveal their roles. If you are the Bodyguard or the Hunter but get manipulated by the wolves because of a poor speech, the good guys' original advantage will vanish into thin air..."

Three minutes passed quickly. Player 5’s time was up. Even though he had much more to say, he could no longer speak.

[Player 6, please begin your statement.]

It was the second wolf's turn. She was still carefully processing the content of Player 5's speech. Originally, the werewolf pack's plan had been for her to be revealed as a target and self-destruct to force a showdown. But since the Seer hadn't checked her, they had to change tactics.

"Player 5’s final remarks were a signal to me, weren't they?"

Player 6, a cute girl with fair, delicate skin that looked as though it would break at a touch, had listened to Flat-top’s speech with great care. When he mentioned that players in the back positions should reveal their roles, she understood immediately: he was hinting that she must claim a role. And it couldn't be a villager; otherwise, if the villager pool was exhausted, it would likely result in Player 5 being voted out.