When Xia Zeqin's voice fell, Jian Fan opened his eyes.

  "Is that just an empty accusation?" Qin Nan's expression remained unchanged.

  Xia Zeqin chuckled. "No, I'm asking you. This is a murder mystery game, and just in case there are players here who have never played before, let me explain the basic principle of the game. In a scenario, multiple players may have grudges against the deceased; they might even be lined up to kill him. You stab once, I punch once—many people contribute to the harm done to the victim. Qin Nan, you have a motive for murder. Even if you’re not the killer, you probably won’t come out clean. On this basis, we only found a letter in your room that you already disclosed, which indicates a grudge against the deceased. I have reasonable grounds to suspect that you are hiding other clues."

  Qin Nan felt somewhat helpless. "If I were to hide clues, why wouldn't I hide the letter too? Without the letter, I could maintain silence, which would be safer. Perhaps I missed seeing the letter and hid other clues I found, but if I didn't know about the letter, how could I coincidentally mention its contents?"

  "I acknowledge everything written in the letter. As for the other matters," Qin Nan sighed, "I can't answer."

  Xia Zeqin was in no rush; instead, he smiled. "So, is your answer yes or no?"

  Qin Nan nodded.

  "Okay, I have no further questions." Xia Zeqin then turned his gaze to the boy in their team. "What’s your name?"

  He was the youngest among the twelve players, probably still in his teens. Being an experienced player at such a young age was impressive.

  The boy looked up, meeting Xia Zeqin's gaze with a calm tone. "Qin Weiyi."

  "Qin Weiyi, we found some pawn tickets in your room," Xia Zeqin continued, placing several pieces of paper on the table for everyone to peruse. "You pawned some valuable items, ranging from five hundred to a thousand taels. Additionally, there are several letters from your parents to you. Judging by the content of these letters, your family isn't wealthy, which is why you came here seeking help. So, where did the items you pawned come from? And what did you do with the money? Did you have a conflict with your father over money, leading you to kill him?"

  Qin Nan also glanced at the documents Xia Zeqin presented.

  He had to admit that Xia Zeqin's ability to gather clues and connect them quickly was impressive. In the previous round, it hadn’t been as apparent, but now he was showcasing his skills. Qin Nan had to recognize that Xia Zeqin was rational and composed.

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  Qin Weiyi tilted his head slightly. "I think you're strange."

  Qin Nan paused, turning his attention to Qin Weiyi, curious about his response.

  Xia Zeqin raised an eyebrow, surprised. "Oh?"

  "I came to rely on my uncle because of money, so of course, I had to find ways to extract some funds from him. I wouldn’t genuinely discuss family ties with you all, would I? I’m greedy, but precisely because of that greed, I need to maintain a good relationship with my uncle. If he dies, and someone else takes over, I won’t be able to get any more money. Why would I do something so thankless? The items you brought up actually prove that I’m the least likely person to kill my uncle. As for the pawned items, they were things I obtained by flattering my uncle. And as for the money I got from pawning, part of it was sent home, and the rest? Naturally, it was spent. When your quality of life changes drastically, going from luxury to frugality is tough. If I run out of money, I’ll have to pawn things to make ends meet." Qin Weiyi’s reasoning was clear and logical.

  Xia Zeqin nodded. "What you say makes sense."

  "Surviving in this world, there’s no need to play dumb. You took control right from the start, subtly trying to lead the conversation. I have to admit, you’re impressive, but the more capable you are, the stranger you seem. You can guess the suspicious aspects, so you must also see the reasonable possibilities, yet you deliberately overlook the aspects that favor us. Or are you intentionally trying to make everyone think negatively of each other? Qin Nan is like this, and so am I. Let me make a bold guess: you want everyone to harbor doubts about each person, which would allow your opinions to sway the majority during the vote, achieving the outcome you desire. Perhaps you just want to protect yourself from being voted out, but there’s another possibility: only the murderer would be so eager to create a relatively safe environment for themselves." Qin Weiyi’s expression was calm, but his words were sharp.

  Qin Nan felt like giving Qin Weiyi a round of applause. This kid was indeed a force to be reckoned with.

  Xia Zeqin chuckled. "It's not just you and Qin Nan; I’ll be asking every next person the same. I need to gather as many clues as possible, not just for my safety but for everyone’s lives. If we misidentify the murderer, everyone is done for. I need to emphasize, this is a game tied to our lives. Since I have this ability, striving for the authority to speak is a responsibility to myself and everyone else. I ask, you answer. Each person's response, not just the content but also their tone and expression, reveals a lot. Qin Weiyi, don’t you think you’re being too impatient?"

  Qin Weiyi remained unflustered. "If we’re talking about impatience, I can’t compare to you. After all, I haven’t even settled into my seat yet, and you’ve already started probing." He then tilted his head again, revealing a somewhat innocent smile. "I’ve answered your questions; you can move on to the next."

  While he said that, Qin Nan sensed that his implication was that when it was his turn to speak, he would truly confront Xia Zeqin.

  For some reason, at that moment, Qin Nan didn’t feel a sense of urgency about life and death; instead, he was looking forward to seeing the two of them clash.

  Xia Zeqin studied Qin Weiyi for a moment.

  After Qin Weiyi finished speaking, he lowered his head as if nothing had happened, seemingly uninterested in continuing the debate with Xia Zeqin.

  Xia Zeqin smirked, unsure whether he was annoyed or amused.

  "Next," Xia Zeqin said with a half-smile, but his expression quickly shifted as he turned to the next person to question.

  Xia Zeqin and his team were responsible for searching the rooms of six players: Qin Nan, Qin Weiyi, Jian Fan, Zheng Jueming, Mu Xin, and the middle-aged man accompanying Qin Weiyi, Lu Jing.