Global Collapse-Chapter 632 - 600: Six Hundred - s!_1

It was actually just about pulling a bunch of different-colored ropes aside and having the contestant choose one to cut.

Out of those ropes, one was connected to a weight above the player's head. If they cut the corresponding rope, the weight would fall and hit them.

It was somewhat like defusing a bomb.

In normal variety shows, the weights would typically be benign objects such as plastic tubs or wooden boards, guaranteed not to harm the participants when they fell.

But the Carnivale was anything but a normal variety show.

The Upper Class People wished they could directly attach explosives to the other end of the ropes, but considering the collateral damage such weapons would cause to the audience, they chose the guillotine, which wouldn't injure bystanders.

This way, the worst that could happen to the surrounding audience was being splattered with a bit of blood, or perhaps being hit by a severed head that was still twitching.

Of course, this caused no serious harm and wouldn't even leave a lasting psychological impact.

The enormous guillotine was right in the middle of the stage. At that moment, a Lower Class performer was positioned under it, and not far from him were seven thick ropes of different colors.

Another Lower Class Person, holding a pair of scissors, stood before these colorful ropes.

The person on the guillotine couldn't choose the rope themselves; they could only watch others cut the rope that held their life in the balance.

At that moment, three out of the seven ropes had already been cut. The person in front of the ropes was shaking as they extended their scissors towards one of the remaining ones.

SNIP. The sound of the thick rope being cut echoed on stage.

Behind the curtain, 007 held her breath, her eyes fixated on the guillotine on stage, unblinking.

Nothing happened.

The guillotine blade didn't fall; it seemed the rope just cut wasn't the crucial one.

The person under the guillotine sighed in relief, but the expression of the one holding the scissors grew even more tense.

007 scanned their faces, then redirected her glance towards a corner of the stage. The pile of bodies there had grown larger, with several more headless corpses. The additions were all Lower Class People who had lost their lives in this "Joyful Guillotine" game.

Some of the heads that fell off had rolled into the corners; others had landed near the feet of the Upper Class People in the audience and were being kicked about.

The host's voice rang out from the stage, its cadence rising and falling as he announced, "To think that four ropes have been cut and nothing has happened! Look, everyone, now there are only three ropes left uncut! If the blade doesn't fall when just one rope is left, then this surviving Lower Class Person will replace the rope cutter, and the current rope cutter will be the next one on the guillotine." 𝐟𝐫𝕖𝗲𝘄𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝕧𝐞𝚕.𝕔𝕠𝐦

The game rules were quite simple.

A Lower Class Person was chosen as the rope cutter at the beginning. This person wasn't in immediate danger and was only responsible for cutting the ropes.

But if six ropes were cut and the blade still hadn't fallen, then this rope cutter would be sent to the guillotine, and the surviving Lower Class Person would become the new rope cutter.

So, the rope cutter desperately wished for the Lower Class Person on the guillotine to die immediately. And the Lower Class Person on the guillotine constantly hoped to swap places with the rope cutter. The Upper Class People reveled in their sadistic carnival, while the Lower Class People schemed against each other. Everyone was an enemy.

Behind the curtain, 007 watched the ecstatic audience and the plotting Lower Class People on stage. She felt a deep sense of helplessness.

After this act finished, it would be her turn on that stage.

She still didn't know what kind of act she would end up with.

Looking at these Lower Class People, I'm afraid I'll be terribly tricked when I get on stage later.

007 started to think about Gu Mian again. She didn't know those children were already out of commission, so she was still a bit worried: I wonder if those kids have any tricks up their sleeves. Gu Mian won't end up in pieces too, will he...?

She still remembered what Snakehead Mask had previously said about Lower Class People being played with until they "cracked."

As 007 was lost in thought, the Lower Class Person on stage cut one more rope.

The person under the guillotine was still unharmed.

The cutter still hadn't hit the critical rope.

Now, only two ropes were left.

007 peeked at the stage. Seeing a long line of people behind the guillotine, she thought, This game should continue for some time.

She began to think about how to survive her own performance.

If Gu Mian were here...

007 started to analyze Gu Mian's way of thinking, believing it might lead her to a way to survive: If Gu Mian were here, what would he do?

Hmm, if he were the one cutting the ropes, he'd most likely cut them all at once before anyone could react, then turn to the audience, put his hands on his hips, and let out a "HAHAHA" laugh...

007's mind was filled with the image of Gu Mian standing with hands on hips, laughing maniacally.

If he weren't cutting the ropes but was placed under the guillotine, he'd most likely fight back, take out the rope cutter, and then, before anyone could react, cut all the ropes himself, put his hands on his hips, and let out a "HAHAHA" laugh...

At this moment, 007's mind was completely occupied by Gu Mian's infectious, almost demonic laughter.

Of course, these were all her fantasies. As far as 007 could recall, Gu Mian didn't seem to have ever laughed so maniacally.

Meanwhile, Gu Mian, unaware that he was laughing triumphantly with hands on hips in 007's mind, was earnestly searching the building floor by floor.

Not long ago, he had searched the entire fourth floor and found nothing.

Now, he had reached the third floor.

From this floor, he could more clearly hear the sounds from the carnival hall on the first floor. He stood by a window in one of the rooms and looked down, his gaze immediately falling upon the massive guillotine in the center of the stage.

At that moment, a Lower Class Person was being held down under the guillotine. Beside them, another Lower Class Person held a pair of scissors, facing a yellow and a blue rope.

The person with the scissors seemed caught in a dilemma, standing motionless for a long time.

With just one glance, Gu Mian understood the game. "So, it's a game that makes heads bounce, huh."

Indeed, a few heads were bouncing around below—being kicked about like balls by the audience.

"Such a lively festival, and I can't participate? What a pity!" Gu Mian said, observing the joyous audience below. He made up his mind, Once I'm done with my business, if there's still time, I absolutely must get on stage!

I have to bring joy to the audience.

Just as Gu Mian was pondering how to create some fun, his peripheral vision caught a familiar face in a corner of the audience.

Teacher Slaughter.

That pink shirt is still quite eye-catching.

Teacher Slaughter was sitting at the very edge of the audience, his head tilted, looking towards the adjacent corner. His mouth was moving, as if he were talking to someone.