As for the message Qian Li broadcasted, it was even more fatal.
[At the current time, the percentage of male players among the murderers is: 100%.]
So far, two female players had died out of the 40 players, and the murderers were undoubtedly two male players.
This was because male players often received more 'dislikes', and murder only required 5 'dislikes' to take effect immediately.
It wasn't that female players hadn't tried to kill, but for a female player to kill, it required 3 'reports'. There were likely many male players in the game like Zheng Jie who had been reported once.
As the game progressed, the number of male players dying at the hands of female players would inevitably increase.
But that would ultimately take time and more meetings.
At this moment, looking at the in-game data, it was a fact that 100% of the murderers were male.
Under the immense pressure of a life-and-death crisis, this statistic would further cause many female players to lose their minds.
Because they would subconsciously believe that 100% of male players would become potential murderers.
This is the charm of numbers: although these two 100%s have no relation whatsoever, precisely because they are both 100%, they will create an association in the subconscious of irrational people.
[Players, please enter the meeting room immediately. Exceeding the time limit will result in an instant death penalty.]
Zheng Jie took a deep breath and walked into the meeting room again.
...
Before entering the meeting room from the corridor, Zheng Jie secretly prayed, hoping to encounter a male player.
Given the current situation, being matched with someone of the same gender was indeed safer. Even if the other person had enough 'dislikes', they probably wouldn't waste them on him.
However, upon pushing the door open, Zheng Jie's heart skipped a beat.
It was a female player, and he had seen her before!
[Community 12 - Zhao Duo].
The very same person who, during the selection phase, had frantically incited all female players to immediately and indiscriminately report male players for self-preservation.
What terrible luck.
Judging from Zhao Duo's statements during the previous selection, it would be all too normal for her to proactively report a male player.
Was Zheng Jie's luck just that bad, always encountering such high-risk matches?
Not entirely. It was still due to the matchmaking mechanism.
By now, a small number of lucky players must have formed fixed pairs. To ensure their safety, they no longer matched with people they didn't trust, but instead continuously invited each other to meetings.
And this meant that the players left out and forced to participate in the matchmaking mechanism were, more or less, problematic.
Like Zhao Duo, for instance.
After she made those statements on the big screen, it was highly unlikely that any male player would be foolish enough to send or accept her meeting invitations. She could only choose random matchmaking.
But for Zheng Jie, this was truly terrible news.
But just as Zheng Jie felt a sense of despair, it was Zhao Duo who appeared more panicked.
She immediately raised her hands: "Don't misunderstand! I don't want to 'report' you!
"Whatever you're thinking, I hope you can calm down. We can complete this meeting peacefully!
"Now, please raise your hands too, and don't put them near the buttons, okay?"
Zheng Jie was very surprised, but his and Zhao Duo's current state seemed to be like a flimsy pole hitting a wolf—both sides were scared.
This situation was also something he was happy to see, so he raised his hands just like Zhao Duo.
"Okay, neither of us will touch the buttons."
Zhao Duo slowly moved to the table and sat down, keeping her hands raised vertically the entire time, with both hands next to her face so Zheng Jie could see them clearly.
"I'll pay."
Saying this, Zhao Duo pressed the [I'll Pay] button with a very slow motion, then returned to the hands-up position.
Zheng Jie also slowly pressed [You Pay].
Afterward, holding his hands up, he found the current scene a bit comical and a bit sad.
He never expected that the first time a female player would pick up the tab for him after entering this game would be under such circumstances.
The two of them just stared at each other in silence.
Zheng Jie remembered a similar awkward silence in a previous meeting, but the mindset this time was completely different.
Time passed, second by second.
Finally, the 10-minute countdown ended.
Zhao Duo's hands had been raised the whole time and were constantly trembling. They had shaken violently a few times, but she still didn't put them down to rest.
"Can I go now?" she asked in a small voice.
Zheng Jie finally let out a long sigh and nodded: "Yes, you go first."
Zhao Duo stood up slowly and somewhat stiffly, then turned and left the meeting room.
Only after seeing the opposite door close did Zheng Jie finally relax, taking several deep breaths.
Then he stood up and walked out.
"Phew, that was a close call..."
With every meeting now, Zheng Jie felt like he had taken a trip to the gates of hell, a severe challenge for his heart.
However, when Zheng Jie walked through the corridor and arrived at the lounge, he froze on the spot again.
[Current number of reports against you: 2]
[Warning! You will suffer an instant death penalty upon receiving 3 reports.]
...
Zheng Jie felt his legs go a bit weak. He leaned against the wall and sat down on a nearby seat.
Unlike the anger from the first time, this time he felt more despair and confusion.
What happened?
How did she do it?
"Could it be... the elbow..."
Zheng Jie thought of a possible reason and was once again filled with regret.
After Zhao Duo sat down, her hands weren't held high, but merely kept vertical, with her palms roughly at the sides of her face.
Although Zheng Jie could clearly see her hands, he had overlooked that in this posture, Zhao Duo could actually use her elbow to touch the buttons in her blind spot.
During the long ten minutes in the meeting room, all Zhao Duo's elbow had to do was move slightly to complete the 'report' action.
And Zheng Jie couldn't possibly see such a subtle movement.
He slumped in his chair, his mind a complete blank.
"The next time I get reported, I'll die...
"According to the game rules, I'll have 10 seconds before death. Can I rush back to the lounge and exchange all my visa time for vouchers? I can't leave a single minute for that damn copycat!
"But... the door to the room seems to be locked after the meeting starts.
"Should I exchange half for vouchers now?
"No, no, why am I even considering this? I can't give up yet. I need to think hard about how to survive!"
On the big screen, the selection and broadcasts were still ongoing.
[Yang Yuting from Community 17 is broadcasting a piece of data to all players.]
[In the first 4 hours, the percentage of 'likes' obtained by Zhang Shichao from Community 9 through meetings, out of the total 'likes' and 'dislikes' obtained from meetings, is: '85%'.]
[Xu Tong from Community 17 is broadcasting a piece of data to all players.]
[In the first 4 hours, the percentage of 'likes' obtained by Zhou Rong from Community 12 through meetings, out of the total 'likes' and 'dislikes' obtained from meetings, is: '71%'.]
"I have to find a way to ask Lawyer Lin for help..."
Zheng Jie didn't think he could solve the current problem on his own.
He had already been reported twice, and there were still over two desperate hours of game time left.
One more report, and he was completely finished.
He had wanted to ask Lin Sizhi for help before but couldn't find any way to do so.
Now, he had to force himself to think of a way, even if he couldn't.
Zheng Jie paced anxiously in the room for a few laps when suddenly, a flash of inspiration gave him an idea.
He hurried to the data query machine, spent 1 'like' to query and broadcast a piece of data.
[Zheng Jie from Community 17 is broadcasting a piece of data to all players.]
[As of the current time, the percentage of players in Community 17 who have been reported is: '25%'.]
Zheng Jie knew this way of expressing it might be a bit too simple and crude, not subtle enough, and might expose some information to other communities, but he had no better choice.
Because he didn't have many 'likes' or 'dislikes' to squander. If he used a more subtle method and Lin Sizhi misunderstood, it would be a huge problem.
After sending this message, Zheng Jie waited anxiously.
[Lin Sizhi from Community 17 is broadcasting a piece of data to all players.]
[As of the current time, the percentage of players with fewer than 5 'dislikes' who have shown clear murderous intent during meetings is: '0%'.]