Ten Day Ultimatum

"But this place—" Qi Xia began, ready to delve deeper into his inquiry when, without warning, Mortal Goat placed a hand on his shoulder. A sudden jolt coursed through him, and the words lingering on his lips fell silent. In their prior encounter, Mortal Goat had never made physical contact.
What did this unexpected gesture imply?
He felt the weight of the hand press down ever so slightly, as if conveying a hidden message. Glancing up at Mortal Goat, Qi Xia noticed he wasn’t meeting his gaze.

"The instructions are as follows," Mortal Goat said, stepping away from Qi Xia. "I want each of you to recount the events leading up to your arrival here. However, be aware—among all the storytellers, one person will not be telling the truth. After everyone has finished their story, we will proceed with a vote..."
The rules mirrored those of their previous encounter—there would be one sole {liar} among them, to be identified by collective judgment.
This first game still harbored the same peril, poised to threaten the lives of everyone present.

Mortal Goat handed a sheet of white paper to each of the nine participants.
As Qi Xia clutched the paper, a fleeting glimmer of insight flickered within him, followed by a sudden surge of dissonance.
Wait... At this moment, shouldn’t someone be asking Mortal Goat, {are we allowed to strategize tactics}? Why hasn’t anyone voiced that concern yet?

Suddenly, Qi Xia’s pupils dilated with realization—it was him! That individual had inexplicably fallen silent! Every instance of dissonance Qi Xia felt was linked to this silence—his failure to articulate the questions hanging in the air. All the inquiries he’d meant to raise were left unspoken, amplifying the tension that enveloped them.
Why had he lost his curiosity?
Qi Xia quickly grasped the unsettling truth: that person no longer needed to ask those questions—he retained his {previous} memories!

Turning his head, Qi Xia cast a skeptical glance at Officer Li, whose serious demeanor and rhythmic tapping on the table suggested he remained oblivious to the growing tension.
"Since no one has any questions, we will commence the distribution of the {identity cards}," Mortal Goat announced, retrieving a small stack of cards from his pants pocket—each the size of a standard playing card—as he approached each individual. "Let me clarify: whoever draws the {Liar} card must lie."
As everyone drew their cards from Mortal Goat, the atmosphere grew heavier. Amid the exchange, Qi Xia discreetly observed Officer Li and noted /N_o_v_e_l_i_g_h_t/ a striking change in him—this robust man seemed utterly unfazed, not even anxious to check his own identity.

Qi Xia pressed his palm against his {identity card}, lost in thought.
The situation was precarious. If he foolishly revealed that this was the {second time} they were enduring this ordeal, no one would believe him; he’d become a target of suspicion. Ultimately, not all nine participants possessed exceptional intellect. If one individual disrupted the group’s balance, Qi Xia's risk of elimination would rise dramatically. This was not the right moment to disclose his identity.
To avoid drawing attention, he had to guide the group through the challenge—just as he had before.

He lifted his gaze to survey the walls and floor, observing how the crisscrossing lines divided the surfaces into neat squares, just as before.
The game setting remained unchanged, as did the rules.
"Um... may I say a few words?" Doctor Zhao interjected, speaking boldly without waiting for Mortal Goat’s permission.
The others turned to him, expressions laced with skepticism.

"We're all meeting for the first time, and I don’t know any of you," Doctor Zhao said earnestly. "But I propose the {Liar} step forward voluntarily. It's undeniably cruel to force the other eight to resort to underhanded tactics for your sake."
"Exactly!" Xiao Ran chimed in. "Whoever drew the {liar} card, just admit it. Why put everyone else at risk?"
Qi Xia couldn’t help but chuckle, shaking his head in resignation. These two operated with a fundamentally different mindset from Officer Li. Though they held the {liar} cards, they’d now positioned themselves on moral high ground, eager to speak out. Their intent wasn’t to draw out the {liar}, but to deliver a misleading message—that they weren’t the {liar}. After all, with a rational mind, the {liar} would never assist in exposing the {liar}.

In contrast, Officer Li had consistently advocated for unity, urging everyone to avoid deceit.
Initially, Qi Xia believed the others would dismiss the two, but to his surprise, he noticed Qiao Jiajin looking conflicted, glancing hesitantly at his card as if grappling with a decision.
Qi Xia felt a surge of alarm—things were beginning to spiral.

Indeed, Qiao Jiajin was that kind of person—too naive for his own good. He was far too likely to be swayed by the two, unaware that someone held the {liar} identity card. In his earnest pursuit of righteousness and justice, he likely believed it unnecessary to impose deceit on others, which could easily lead him to inadvertently reveal his own identity.
As Qiao Jiajin let out a long sigh and prepared to speak, Qi Xia swiftly interjected, turning his attention to Mortal Goat. "Hey, so when do we begin? Who’s narrating first?"
Qiao Jiajin was taken aback, his words caught on the tip of his tongue, and he hesitated once more. Humans were peculiar creatures; when a long-held decision is suddenly interrupted, they often have to re-evaluate everything all over again.
"Since there are no objections, let’s commence. You go first," Mortal Goat said, pointing at Tian Tian.

"Huh? Me?" Tian Tian pouted before slowly sharing her story. "Fi—Fine. I’m Tian Tian, and I’m a... uh... {skilled worker}..." Her tale was identical to before; if Qi Xia's memory served him right, not a word was amiss.
As expected, the moment she finished, Qiao Jiajin voiced his suspicions, accusing {Tian Tian} of using a false name and calling it a deception. The accusation immediately ignited a heated argument between them.
One by one, the others shared their stories. Qi Xia, feeling increasingly cornered, pretended to listen closely—even though he’d heard it all before—while furtively glancing at his own {identity card}, which bore the words {Nǚwa Game} on the back.

Only then did it strike him—he hadn’t properly examined his card. And if someone noticed that oversight, suspicion could swiftly shift toward him. With that unsettling thought, Qi Xia expressionlessly flipped the card and took a quick glance.
Upon seeing the words, Qi Xia froze for a moment, bringing it closer for a better look. In the next heartbeat, a chill coursed through him.
Instead of {Liar}, the card bore a cryptic message:
{Do not tell anyone that you remember.}

‘What?’ Qi Xia reread the phrase multiple times, his mind racing. Then he glanced up at Mortal Goat, who remained oblivious to his turmoil.
{Do not tell anyone I remember…} He lowered his head, rubbing his eyes in disbelief. As he did, the words on the card began to quietly morph, shifting into:
{Liar.}