The Nebula's Civilization

Chapter 328

Wisdom got blurred. At first he looked like a shadow, sitting quietly as if it were nothing out of the ordinary, but even that silhouette became faint, leaving only a sense of his existence.

"Shall we talk about the expected sequence of events?" asked HumanTracker.

Their shapeless, pitch-black smoke was wrapped in black bandages, forming a human silhouette. Wearing a black trench coat of the same color, they looked as if they had stepped out of an old black-and-white Gothic horror film. However, the red cross light shining from within the bandages breathed life into their existence.

"First off, it’s not Nebula and Hegemonia. Why? If it were them, they would have obviously killed each other. You might think that's not necessarily true? But inference is ultimately about what is more plausible. The probability of both being mafias again? They are independent events? Forget about the previous games.

Don't think too complicatedly. Those two have good win rates in all games and think the same about each other. Unless they are on the same side, they would choose a rational way to increase their win rates."

As HumanTracker addressed all the anticipated counter arguments, the other players seemed to take a moment to choose their words.

Then Nebula said, "First, I should probably thank you for the defense. Defending rather than attacking. A strategy of avoiding attacks and creating allies. Good thinking. But defending me and Hegemonia wouldn’t mean you're suggesting picking anyone from the remaining nine, including yourself, is it?"

"Of course not. I wasn’t finished." HumanTracker continued, "Killing Wisdom at this point wasn’t a very wise choice. Wisdom is, of course, a great player but not as much as Nebula or Hegemonia. Wisdom has a significant advantage in some games but not in this type of game, and most people here would generally know that.

So, killing Wisdom was more of an emotional choice than a strategy for victory. In that case, did a player who hates Wisdom kill him? No. It was done by someone who neither likes nor dislikes him.

The three mafias didn't agree with each other, and they only had thirty seconds to compromise. And without someone to lead an opinion, they chose a suitable person with whom they could all agree on."

At this point, Ovenwave raised her hand, but HumanTracker ignored it.

"From here, three more people who have an emotional connection to Wisdom are excluded. Lunda, Krampus, and AR, who played together in Avartin. Wisdom is not someone who is said to have deep personal relationships, but the feelings others have toward Wisdom are different. I will also exclude Yummy.

If what I know is correct, Yummy would have no reason to refrain from pointing out Hegemonia, as Yummy probably doesn't have good feelings toward Hegemonia. Sha-Cha also gets excluded. If it were Sha-Cha, they would have pointed out Aldin.

So, that leaves me, Lakrak, Ovenwave, and Aldin. Of course, I would claim that I am not a mafia, but there is no reason for me to exempt myself from my logic. This inference doesn’t mean I am one hundred percent sure they are the mafias. But even if I were to provide a more meticulous basis, I would consider it to be about a thirty percent probability. That is all."

After one person died on the first night and all three mafias were identified, all players had another moment of silence.

Hegemonia, resting her chin on her hand, listened and then said, "Let's hear any counter arguments. I'm not sure if it can sway me more than what the Constellation of Answers said though."

Nonetheless, unconvincing counterarguments followed, and with Sha-Cha's active support, Aldin was the first to be hanged that day, followed by Ovenwave's death the next night, which seemed to discredit HumanTracker's assumptions.

However, HumanTracker mentioned that team killing among mafias was entirely within their expectations, and the next day, Lakrak was hanged, making all three suspects dead.

With that, the first game ended with a victory for the citizens.

Lunda was bewildered on the inside.

‘...Did the game just end on the second day?’

In the second game, Ovenwave was the first to die. Based on the fact that the fool was killed first, Sung-Woon, Hegemonia, Wisdom, and HumanTracker quickly narrowed down the number of possible mafias and killed all of them by the third day.

In the third game, Sung-Woon died, but under Hegemonia's lead, inferences were made, and when Hegemonia died the next day, HumanTracker suspected Wisdom. Then, as logic faded, AR1026 was hanged, and after several nights, the game ended after the fifth night with a victory for the mafias. The mafias were HumanTracker, Wisdom, and Yummy.

In the fourth game, Hegemonia, Krampus, and Ovenwave were the mafias, and after killing Sung-Woon first, they went on to hang HumanTracker, then kill Wisdom, and subsequently won the game.

Before the fifth game started, Lunda raised her hand. "Just a moment, please."

All the players, waiting for their roles, looked at Lunda.

Sung-Woon asked, "What is it?"

"Well, it might just be me, but...."

"Go on."

"Aren’t the games ending...too quickly?"

Wisdom replied, "It's my first time actually playing, so I'm not sure. Is that true?"

Sung-Woon appeared to ponder for a moment, resting his chin on his hand. "It might be."

Hegemonia said, "Is the game too easy?"

HumanTracker, who had been doing well since the official game started, said, "I never thought it was a difficult game to begin with."

The other players looked at those who had just spoken. Their expressions weren’t too pleased.

Aldin then cleared her throat and said, "What if we add some roles?"

Lunda was the first to react to that suggestion. "Oh, let's do that. I've always played versions with additional roles."

"If we're talking about the Earth version, what was it? Police and doctor, right?"

"Then let's add a warrior!"

Everyone ignored Lakrak's suggestion. Hegemonia kindled interest, saying it would be fun, but Sung-Woon appropriately calmed the two down.

Lunda thought, ‘This way, the game just ends under the control of those who play well. I can't stand to see that happen.’

By consensus, the two extra roles were added.

A police officer, who could identify someone as either a mafia or a civilian at night by pointing at them, and a doctor, who could also point at someone at night to revive a person designated for assassination by the mafias, were the added roles.

Both belonged to the civilians, which did give the civilians a bit more advantage. However, including the practice game, the mafias had won three times more, and the Sanctuary did not necessarily view the addition of roles as automatically advantageous for the civilians.

With that, the game resumed.

"Everything is going according to plan."

Someone laughed behind their curtain.

***

AR1026 thought that she didn't particularly enjoy games that much.

The reason she started playing in the first place was because of another friend. They had always planned to meet at an internet cafe, or that friend wouldn’t answer their phone but would answer right away when messaged through chat in a game. She did enjoy smartphone puzzle games, though.

The Lost World was also started at the friend's suggestion, and in that sense, it could be said that she enjoyed The Lost World quite a bit because she had developed a deeper relationship with that friend and continued to enjoy the game even after they parted ways. Perhaps that made her like the game even more.

Apart from that, AR1026 enjoyed gaming to a reasonable extent and wasn't the type of gamer whose mood was greatly affected by winning or losing. Winning was certainly better, but there was always a lesson in losing as well. Hence, AR1026 sometimes thought that people like Sung-Woon or Hegemonia were of a slightly different breed.

To AR1026, a burning competitive spirit felt like a condition for being an outstanding gamer. For this reason, AR1026 found it difficult to guess what Sung-Woon was feeling at the moment.

‘Would he be angry?’

Before long, the game had moved beyond its early stages into the middle phase. It was a game where the first to reach 10 points in a 12-player game would end it. Thus, if it ended quickly, the outcome could be decided in just ten games.

Currently, the game count was at eleven, and while it hadn't ended, the end was in sight.

‘Or would he be anxious?’

Sung-Woon’s score was currently 5 points, which was the same as the lowest scoring players. On the other hand, the highest score was 8 points, with Hegemonia alone in the lead.

‘It wouldn't be strange even if Nebula lost.’

It could be displeasing for Sung-Woon, but to AR1026, it didn't seem like such a significant event.

‘Both probabilistically and in terms of skill.’

It was Hegemonia, after all. Just as the Constellation of Games could treat everything as a game, the Constellation of War could treat everything as war. If someone threw their all into every aspect of life as if it were a total war, it wouldn't be a loss Sung-Woon couldn't accept.

Being the Constellation of Games didn't mean he won every game or had to win every game. Moreover, it was the Mafia game, of all games.

To AR1026, the essence of the Mafia game was insistence. When suggesting hanging someone first in a Mafia game, the basis was always weak. Despite its weakness, one had to persuade others as if it were logical and rational, not because there was a real reason.

Those who were good at the Mafia game weren’t necessarily logical and rational people but rather those who were skilled in rhetoric and sociable.

‘It’s like conducting a political maneuver. ...Of course, I don't think Hegemonia is particularly good at that.’

There could be areas where Hegemonia excelled, but to AR1026, it seemed more that Sung-Woon position was at a disadvantage.

Sung-Woon was killed on the first night more often than others, and when he was a mafia, the police would first check his role. Naturally, Sung-Woon was a well-known competent player and thus was targeted more frequently.

‘So automatically, Hegemonia, known to be the next most competent after Nebula, could end up being the top player in the Mafia game....’

AR1026 glanced at Sung-Woon before the start of the eleventh game. Sung-Woon was wearing his buffalo skull mask that he always wore when he played games after Avartin, as if it were a lucky charm, so it was difficult to discern his expression.

‘Well...I didn’t participate this time for Nebula nor for the victory of Hegemonia.’

AR1026 was one of many gamers who used gaming for schemes, rather than for brief stress relief and communication with friends.

AR1026 looked at a new friend she made long ago, Lunda.

‘Neither side can be left to win, but there’s only 2 points remaining. Is that okay?’

Lunda immediately felt AR1026's gaze and looked back, but seemed to be waiting for something more, passing over AR1026's look.

***

Hegemonia, after seeing the exchange of glances between Lunda and AR1026, was still confident.

‘I also know there's some unpleasant plan in the works.’

Even though it might not have seemed like it, Hegemonia had let Lunda say ridiculous things and intervene between herself and Sung-Woon. That was why she readily jumped into the trap when the Mafia game was suggested as well.

‘I'll show you that whatever your plan is, it won’t matter.’