Chapter 5 The Doctor

• “I...” The man in the white coat seemed more composed than the others, and even the corpse on the table didn't seem to faze him. “My name is Harvey Johnson, and I'm a doctor. You could probably tell from my attire.”
• He tugged at his own dirt-stained white coat, continuing, “Before I came here, I was performing surgery on a lady. She had a brain tumor that had been growing rapidly, continuously enlarging for the past six months. It had already caused a mild case of hydrocephalus. If we didn't perform a craniotomy soon, her life would be in danger. I opted for a surgical approach through the frontal lobe, initially puncturing into the ventricles under CT guidance. Truth be told, this kind of surgery carries significant risk every time it's performed. But that lady, driven by her desire to be there for her young son in the long run, chose to take the gamble. Typically, in order to maintain a stable environment, even the slightest breeze is not allowed in the operating room. But no one anticipated that something more disruptive than wind would come. When the earthquake hit, I had just removed the lady's skull and was in the process of cutting the dura mater. Any misstep at this stage could easily result in a brain contusion, leaving devastating lingering effects. I made a snap decision to halt the surgery and temporarily put the lady's skull back in place. Otherwise, in such a dusty environment, her life would have been in grave danger. But I hadn't anticipated that this task would be more challenging than I had imagined. I could hardly keep my balance, let alone precisely put back a small piece of skull. None of us could keep our balance, and the nurse beside me knocked me sideways. In the ensuing chaos, I had no choice but to cover the lady's head with a sterile bed sheet first before attempting to organize an evacuation. But just then, I was struck by a medical cart, causing me to tumble to the ground. Before I could even get back on my feet, the ceiling of the operating room cracked open. Following that, I lost consciousness.”
• After everyone heard the doctor's account, their expressions became rather unnatural.
• He had used a lot of medical jargon in his story, so even if any of them were made up, no one would be able to tell.
• “Dr. Johnson, where are you from?” the muscular man asked casually.
• “I don't feel obligated to answer your question,” Harvey responded. “I've already finished telling my story.”
• The muscular man opened his mouth but said nothing.
• “Is it... is it my turn?” A bespectacled young man's eyes flickered for a moment before he began, “My name is Michael Hopkins, I am a—”
• “Wait a moment.” Goat Head suddenly interrupted Michael's speech.
• This caused Michael to start. He turned around to look at Goat Head, a confused expression on his face.
• “W-What is it?”
• “It's half-time,” Goat Head said with a grin. “We'll be taking a twenty-minute break now.”
• Everyone seemed a bit at a loss.
• There was actually a half-time at a time like this?
• Skyler glanced at the clock in the center of the table. Thirty minutes had already passed since they woke up, so it was half past twelve now.
• In other words, this break is mandatory. At half past twelve, regardless of who the narrator is, everyone is required to take a twenty-minute break...
• However, the game had only been going on for thirty minutes, and now they were being forced to take a twenty-minute break?
• Skyler furrowed his brows, though he knew this wasn't something he should be concerned about.
• The organizer of this game was a madman to begin with, so there was no need to apply logical thinking to understand his actions.
• Thus, he could only repeatedly brainwash himself.
• My name is Matthew Lewis, and I'm from Sonora.
• Only after repeatedly instilling these words into his own mind could he effortlessly recite them when it was his turn to speak.
• Everyone quietly waited, their faces showing signs of discomfort.
• It was supposed to be a break, but the atmosphere among the group only grew more oppressive.
• “Excuse me... may we speak?” the muscular man asked Goat Head.
• “Oh, of course. It's your free time now, and I have no right to interfere.”
• The muscular man gave a nod, then turned his gaze to Harvey. “Dr. Johnson, where exactly are you from?” he asked.
• Harvey's expression darkened. “I must say, you seem to have been displeased with me from the get-go. Why must I tell you where I'm from?”
• “Don't get me wrong; I mean no harm.” The muscular man spoke in a steady voice. “The more you share, the more credibility you add. Since everyone has mentioned their hometown, there's no need for you to hide yours, right?”
• “The more I share, the more credibility I add?” The doctor noncommittally shook his head. “All I know is that the more one speaks, the more mistakes one makes. If the rules are absolute, then there are no issues with what I said. Besides, I don't trust any of you.”
• “That's a bit biased,” the muscular man said. “There are nine of us here, and only one is the enemy. If you're willing to cooperate with everyone, we can work together to expose the liar. The more you hide now, the more suspicious it becomes. This is the second time I'm asking you this question. Are you still going to refuse to answer?”
• The muscular man seemed highly skilled in interrogation, cornering Harvey into a logical dead-end with just a few sentences.
• The meaning of his words was very clear.
• Only the liar didn't need to trust others. After all, they already knew their own identity.
• If Harvey continued to withhold information now, he would only become a target of public criticism.
• However, anyone capable of becoming a neurosurgeon wouldn't be just an ordinary person. He scoffed, then posed a question, “Then why don't you tell me who you are first? What do you do?”
• “Me?” The muscular man was taken aback by the doctor's sudden counterattack, his expression becoming somewhat uneasy.
• “Yes, you. Since you relentlessly questioned me after my story, I suppose I can question you before you tell yours.” Harvey chuckled. “Sounds fair, doesn't it?”
• The muscular man pondered for a moment, then gave a nod of agreement. “You're right. I have nothing to hide. My name is Spencer Lloyd, and I'm a criminal investigation police.”
• As soon as he spoke, all eyes turned to him.
• At that moment, the words “criminal investigation police” provided an unexpected sense of security to everyone present.
• “You're a cop?” Harvey was surprised.
• No wonder there was a sense that this man was probing for something from the very beginning. He was also the first to suggest that everyone survive this game. Perhaps he truly intended to save everyone.
• Harvey's demeanor had evidently softened quite a bit as he said, “If that's the case, I apologize for my earlier attitude. I'm from Juniperville.”
• At that moment, Jeremiah looked rather upset. “Oh, come on, Dr. Johnson, are you seriously going to believe this guy?”
• “Hmm?” Harvey shot Jeremiah a confused look. “What are you trying to say?”
• Tapping his fingers on the table, Jeremiah replied in a calm tone, “Now is not the storytelling time. In other words... at this moment, anyone can tell a lie.”