Chapter 291: Zero-Sum Game?

Despite Gulzan’s angry resistance, the “death game” was forcibly initiated.

Ansu and Freya simultaneously felt the space around them being pulled, and in an instant, they were separated by a great distance.

Finally, the three of them were fixed in a triangular formation.

In the dark void before Ansu’s eyes, an ancient writing desk slowly emerged. On the desk lay three pottery shards engraved with their names, along with a coarse pottery urn used for casting the shards.

“Please make your choice,” Zak-Eos’s cold voice echoed through the space. “Choose one person to accept death.”

Gulzan stared fixedly at the three pottery shards before him, his face pale and defeated as he slumped onto the ground in despair.

It’s over...

Ansu looked up at Freya in the distance, and she was also gazing at him.

No words were needed between them. Voting for Gulzan was the only choice at the moment.

Of course, Ansu knew in his heart that he wouldn't easily escape this death game led by a demon.

Gulzan was right about at least one thing—in this game, the demon was always right.

The power to interpret all the rules and details was held entirely by Zak-Eos; not a single person among the three present knew the full picture.

In such a situation of complete information asymmetry, there was no such thing as “fairness.” Zak-Eos had plenty of ways to ensure the situation always tilted in his favor.

Ansu composed himself.

What he needed to do was gradually erase this information gap in the upcoming game...

Ansu picked up the pottery shard engraved with the name “Gustav” and dropped it into the urn. In the distance, Freya made the same choice.

A moment later.

Zak-Eos slowly announced the results of the vote:

“Gustav, two votes. Ansu, one vote.”

The outcome was without suspense.

Gulzan finally met his end in despair and resentment.

The cold power of the rules controlled his hands, forcing him to grip the pottery shard tightly and slash it ruthlessly across his own throat.

Blood gushed out, his face contorted in a mask of pain and agony.

Within a dozen seconds, he collapsed heavily to the ground, his breath completely gone.

Ansu watched the scene with cold eyes.

The divine spark fragment, emitting a soft emerald light, slowly floated up and hung quietly in the black void.

Zak-Eos’s lava-like eyes were locked onto the fragment, his greed almost overflowing.

It looked as if he could take it for himself at any moment.

But he still didn't do it.

Suspicion rose in Ansu’s heart, and he decided to test the demon. “Zak-Eos, the thing you want is right before your eyes. Why don't you take it?”

The demon did not respond directly. He only let out a low laugh and said slowly, “No rush...”

“It is already something within our grasp, so why the hurry?”

Ansu sneered inwardly.

Generally, the more someone emphasized that they were “not in a rush,” the more anxious they actually were.

He wanted to offer a few sarcastic remarks, but Zak-Eos spoke first, his tone shifting from cold to mocking.

“Next, it is your turn.”

Ansu frowned slightly. “Another vote?”

With only two people left, how could they vote each other to death?

Zak-Eos’s tone carried a hint of playfulness. “Since only the two of you are left on the field, the rules and the way the game is played must naturally be modified slightly.”

“Demon, aren't you afraid of a repeat of last time?” Ansu suddenly asked.

He was, of course, referring to the time Zak-Eos was ruthlessly suppressed by the Goddess of Holy Light.

Zak-Eos fell silent for a moment.

Ansu could feel that the demon was somewhat rattled by that incident, merely putting on a calm front.

The demon still didn't answer Ansu, simply continuing to announce the rules on his own:

“The game only truly ends when only one person remains on the field.”

“The final winner will not only receive our assistance but also gain power strong enough to shake the world... This rule comes from Article 66, Chapter 120 of the 《Demon Contract》.”

“Can we leave you out of it?” Ansu’s frown deepened.

What assistance? This guy was simply a persistent shadow that couldn't be shaken off; once you were stuck with him, you could forget about escaping.

Zak-Eos was choked by Ansu’s words, and his lava-like dark red eyes swept over him irritably, though he didn't lash out on the spot.

Suppressing the malice in his heart, he continued the introduction:

“Of course, if you both die here, that would be even better... It would save us a lot of trouble.”

Ansu frowned and pondered for a moment.

So there would only be two outcomes to this death game: either only one person survived to become the demon’s new host, or everyone died.

At the same time, he also saw the core issue: it wasn't that Zak-Eos didn't want to seize that divine spark fragment, but that he was also restricted by the contract. He had to wait until the game was completely “settled” before he could take the fragment legitimately.

“Next...” Zak-Eos slowly curled his lips. “Let us make our game a bit more dramatic.”

As his voice fell, the original writing desk expanded, and space instantly twisted and changed, transforming into two magnificent, luxurious rooms.

“Ansu!”

Freya’s anxious cry came to an abrupt halt.

The two were completely separated into two different spaces, unable to see or hear each other.

On the desk before Ansu, a control panel inlaid with ornate brass gears and gemstones emerged—on the panel were two buttons, one red and one blue.

Zak-Eos slowly stated the rules: “You must make a choice between the two buttons.”

“Red represents sacrificing yourself; blue represents sacrificing the other.”

The demon let out a low, malicious laugh of anticipation.

“In the past, mortals playing this game would do everything in their power to choose to sacrifice the other. Watching you turn against each other and kill one another has always been one of my pleasures.”

The demon’s gaze drifted back and forth between the two.

“I wonder if that seemingly indestructible bond between you... will waver in the face of true death for the sake of survival?”

“Finally.” Zak-Eos paused, adding the last rule: “Before each round begins, you have one chance to communicate, and you can only say one sentence to each other.”

“Consider it carefully. Think about who should give up their life so the other can survive until the end...”

Ansu instantly fell into thought. From the sound of it, this was a complete zero-sum game.

No normal person would choose to sacrifice themselves; they would all try their best to let the other die in exchange for their own chance at life.

However, the demon had given them a chance to discuss, so the best outcome would only be one person choosing sacrifice so the other could live.

He knew how Freya would choose.

Faced with such a choice between life and death, the little Holy Maiden wouldn't even hesitate... she would definitely choose to sacrifice herself.

But Ansu didn't want Freya to die. He couldn't bring himself to sacrifice the little Holy Maiden just so he could survive.

Zak-Eos stared intently at the two isolated spaces.

He was looking forward to this “seemingly devoted” pair tearing off their masks in the face of death and revealing the ugliest side of human nature.

“I want to speak with her,” Ansu suddenly spoke, his tone calm.

Zak-Eos smiled. “Of course you can.”

In the next second, Freya’s rapid breathing could be heard in the magnificent room.

Ansu could imagine the little Holy Maiden’s current anxiety and panic.

But in the end, Freya became surprisingly calm—she didn't scramble for this single chance to speak, but simply waited quietly for Ansu to speak first.

She would follow Ansu’s arrangements completely.

This scene made Zak-Eos feel incredibly strange, and a hint of confusion rose in his heart.

These two fellows...

They were surprisingly calm when facing death.

“Freya, press the blue button,” Ansu spoke slowly, his voice steady and clear. “Trust me.”

The blue button represented sacrificing the other party.

In the other magnificent room, Freya’s eyes suddenly widened, and her fingers instantly began to tremble uncontrollably.

Sacrifice Ansu?

No matter what, she couldn't bring herself to press that button representing “sacrificing the other.”

But in the next second, she suddenly snapped out of it, and her mind flashed back to her previous prophetic dream...

Only this reason could explain it.

Ansu must be thinking of a way to break the situation; all she could do was trust him without reservation.

Thus, Freya nodded heavily.

“Okay!”

Zak-Eos was completely baffled.

His heart was full of disbelief and even a bit of frustration.

Zak-Eos had lived for long ages and had always relied on sowing discord and amplifying selfish desires to crush mortals. He had seen countless couples and best friends turn against each other in the face of death, but he had never seen a scene like this...

As soon as Ansu spoke, he told his partner to sacrifice him, and she had actually agreed without a moment’s hesitation?

This situation had completely thrown him off.

“Are you crazy?” Zak-Eos couldn't help but mutter, his tone full of incomprehension. “I thought the result of your discussion would be Freya going to her death while you, Ansu, lived.”

A guy like Ansu was so devious; he didn't look like the type of person who would magnanimously go to his death at all, did he?

Ansu sneered and didn't respond.

He didn't really want to die, of course; after all, he was currently in a simulation. He just wanted to use this to verify one thing.

“Fine...” The demon eventually suppressed the shock in his heart and let out a low, sinister laugh. “Since this is what you chose! It’s even better that you’ve proactively chosen to die!”

“Both of you, press the buttons!”

The cold voice echoed in both rooms simultaneously.

...