Chapter 19 Omnipotent Being

• “I...” Man Snake was slightly taken aback. He wanted to choose an answer but realized that any response would be futile.
• “Hahahaha!” Suddenly, Man Snake burst into a fit of laughter.
• However, it didn't take long for him to regain his composure. He said, “You're really quite interesting.”
• “Interesting?” Skyler looked at Man Snake with a cold gaze. “What's so interesting? Haven't I already won?”
• Man Snake slowly approached the wall, reaching out to pull down the lever.
• Everyone felt their body drop, followed by the slow descent of the entire ceiling.
• With a face full of confusion, Jeremiah turned to Skyler and asked, “What's the meaning of this, con man? How is this considered a win?”
• Skyler found that everyone was indeed descending. He let out a sigh of relief and said, “Think about it. As long as this question is asked, we're saved no matter what.
• Suppose my next question is, 'Will you pull the lever?' Would your answer be the same as this one?” Jeremiah quietly repeated the question, utterly baffled.
• “So, that's how it is...” Harvey murmured thoughtfully while nodding his head. “If his answer is 'yes', then the response to the next question could also only be 'yes', and that would be our salvation. After all, the next question is, 'Will you pull the lever?'.”
• “But what if he says 'no'?” Jeremiah felt like he had found a loophole. “Wouldn't it be fine if he just said 'no'?”
• “If he were to say 'no', then he could only say 'yes' to the next question,” Michael explained listlessly. “The beauty of this question lies in the fact that if he were to answer 'no', he would be admitting that he would give different answers to two questions. Remember, this Snake Head claimed he would never lie.”
• Jeremiah paused, turning once again to look at Skyler. He asked, “Did you come up with all of this just now... What kind of a monster are you?”
• “I wouldn't dare call myself a monster.” Skyler shook his head. “I'm just a worldly con man.”
• As they spoke, the group had already descended to the ground.
• Due to being suspended for a prolonged period, everyone's palms were aching with a burning sensation. The condition of the two injured individuals was far from promising.
• “Ladies and gentlemen, congratulations on surviving the 'interview'. Beyond this door, a new world awaits you.” Snake Head, with his hands clasped behind his back, stood next to the wooden door.
• “F*cker!” Jeremiah stormed forward, seemingly intent on venting all his frustrations about Man Goat and Man Dog on Man Snake before them.
• Man Snake turned around, fixing his cold gaze on the furious Jeremiah yet remaining rooted to his spot.
• “Are all of you freaks?” Jeremiah bellowed, swiftly moving forward to grab Man Snake's collar. “You wear these bizarre masks and repeatedly try to cause our deaths. I've finally caught you now!”
• Man Snake sneered and spoke in a low voice. “I advise you to let go while you're still alive.”
• “What did you say?”
• Jeremiah clenched his fist, ready to punch Snake Head's face. However, just as his fist was about to connect, Spencer grabbed his arm.
• “Hey, have you forgotten about the man whose skull was smashed?” Spencer asked in a low voice. “If they are all the same kind of people, how do you plan to defeat them?”
• “I...” A hint of frustration appeared on Jeremiah's face. He gritted his molars slightly, slowly uttering a few words, “But these d*mned freaks...”
• “Don't worry. We can get out now, can't we?” Spencer interrupted him, speaking softly. “As long as we can get out, I'll make sure they regret this.”
• Upon hearing that, everyone fell silent and approached Man Snake.
• Upon closer inspection, everyone realized just how peculiar Man Snake was.
• The air around Snake Head was colder than anywhere else. His old suit, along with the mask he wore on his head, gave off a peculiarly foul stench.
• Through the mask, his eyes gleamed, clearly belonging to a human. Yet the smell about him was reminiscent of a long-deceased snake.
• “Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the new world.” Snake Head's muffled voice echoed from beneath his disguise as he turned around to open the door.
• With a soft creak, the light from outside seeped into the room.
• Skyler furrowed his brows, realizing that what lay beyond the door was not the outdoors but rather a corridor.
• “Where are we?” Skyler asked.
• “I've said it before. It's a brave new world.” Snake Head slowly raised his hands. “The future 'God' will emerge among you and be born in this new world. How thrilling!”
• Jeremiah asked fiercely, “Again, with the God. What on earth are you all planning?”
• Snake Head's interest was piqued after he heard the question. “An omnipotent deity! He can turn all thoughts into reality.”
• “Omnipotent?” Jeremiah furrowed his brows.
• Maintaining a calm demeanor, Harvey subtly waved his hand at Jeremiah before saying to Snake Head, “All right. We got it. Hurry up, and let us leave now.”
• Snake Head paused, then nodded, stepping aside.
• Skyler took the lead and walked forward. The party behind him also seemed eager to move on, each quickening their pace to follow.
• As soon as everyone stepped into the corridor, their nostrils were instantly filled with a unique scent.
• How should one describe that particular taste?
• Complex. The scent was incredibly complex.
• It was as if billions of people from around the globe had perished, their decomposing bodies left exposed in the open air. This stench of decay drew in countless insects, all vying to feast upon it.
• The insects then multiplied in great numbers, died in equally large numbers, and also decayed.
• After letting the overpowering stench of decay settle for a while, when it no longer assaulted the nostrils, it transformed into the complex scent that lingered now.
• It took Skyler a while to regain his composure. When he finally opened his eyes, he was met with an utterly disheartening scene.
• They were in a seemingly endless corridor, where the ceiling was oppressively low, stretching out before them as they moved forward.
• On either side of the corridor, countless wooden doors, just like the wooden door behind them, slowly swung open.
• Before long, figures gradually started to appear around the wooden door.
• Most of them were masked individuals, covered head to toe in blood. From a distance, only a handful of normal people could be seen emerging from the doors.
• Those so-called “normal people” appeared equally exhausted, shaky, and unsteady on their feet.
• Just like Skyler, they, too, had survived.
• “What's going on?” Michael asked weakly. “Were there more than just the nine of us captured?”
• Skyler's expression was exceptionally grave. The situation before him far surpassed his imagination. This organization has captured countless individuals only to force us into a deadly game?
• “But there are just too few survivors.” Christine sighed.
• Only a handful of people emerged from the countless doors stretching out before them.
• There wasn't a room like Skyler's where every member survived.
• “Ladies and Gentlemen, please.”
• Snake Head gestured off to the side, indicating the direction for everyone to proceed. He then stood by the door, hands clasped behind his back, appearing to have no intention of leaving.
• “Let's go.”
• Everyone knew that it wasn't wise to linger in this place, so they formed a long line and slowly departed.
• As they passed by each worn-out wooden door, they got a close view of those individuals wearing animal masks.
• Among them, there were cow, horse, and dog.
• There were also the sheep and the snake Skyler and the others had met before.
• Without exception, they all emitted an eerie aura and a stench of decay. The scene inside the door was mostly filled with bodies scattered everywhere. It was unclear what kind of “game” they had been involved in.
• After they had taken another dozen or so steps, everyone was taken aback by the sight of two animal masks before them.
• The individual on the left was donning a massive rat mask and leaning against the wall. Meanwhile, the person on the right was wearing an equally large rooster mask, with their arms folded across their chest.
• These two masks were clearly not man-made creations but were actually made from the real skulls of animals.
• Yet, where in the world would there be such an enormous rat and rooster?
• Like the others wearing animal masks, these two merely glanced at Skyler and his companions without making any other move.
• “What are these animals?” Pomeline was somewhat frightened, instinctively distancing herself from the two individuals.
• Skyler slightly furrowed his brow as if he had thought of something. Sheep, dog, snake, rat, rooster...
• “They're the Zodiacs,” Skyler murmured.
• Taken aback, the others shifted their gazes onto him.
• As expected, those people in shabby suits were indeed wearing animal masks representing the Twelve Zodiacs.