Right after Zhou Ziheng and Jiang Yin became the nation’s favorite couple, all sorts of shows started sending collaboration offers. Zhou spent half the day at the company reviewing the proposals, but none piqued his interest. He wasn’t one for variety shows to begin with, let alone these blatant cash-ins riding on their popularity.
“Pointless,” Zhou Ziheng said, setting down the documents and leaning back in the chair opposite Jiang Yin’s desk. “The games on these shows are all boring.”
Jiang Yin understood perfectly. As one of the producers of Escape from Heaven, she naturally hoped Zhou Ziheng and Xia Xiqing would appear on her show first after their exposure—after all, they had emerged from that very program. “I know you dislike these variety shows, but the script for Escape from Heaven Season 2 isn’t finished yet. Plus, this show has high production costs. Building the sets and crafting props takes a lot of time.”
After spending so much time with Xia Xiqing, Zhou Ziheng had started to resemble him more and more, even picking up his habit of propping his chin up with his hand. He slumped lazily. “I’d rather just play Werewolf at home.”
“Werewolf?” Jiang Yin suddenly latched onto a new idea. “Werewolf is perfect! It saves on set costs and doesn’t need props.”
Zhou Ziheng knew she was planning a crossover with Escape Room. “But Escape Room’s theme is escape rooms. I don’t think it fits well.”
“No problem. We can make it a special episode. The core concept is the same—it’s mentally taxing and fits the taste of Escape Room’s audience. If all else fails, we can just rename it as a spin-off.” Jiang Yin slapped the table. “Let’s call it Escape from Werewolf Town.”
Zhou Ziheng: “…Alright.”
And so, the collaboration between Escape from Heaven and Werewolf was put on the agenda. Since it was a special episode proposed rather suddenly, it couldn’t be scheduled for broadcast TV. It had to be made into an online variety show. To ensure authenticity and save on post-production editing, they ultimately decided to do it as a live stream.
Promotion was spot-on. Two or three days of trending topics and hype built immense anticipation for Escape from Werewolf Town among netizens and the show’s loyal audience. Even before filming began, online buzz was already intense. Celebrity Werewolf-style shows weren’t unheard of before, but many merely borrowed the game format while prioritizing entertainment value.
[@GoodForNothingButTrouble: Yeah… can’t wait! After all, the players here are proven escape room geniuses.]
[@InvestInSelfStudyForSureProfit: Escape from Werewolf Town!!! Live stream is awesome!!]
[@ImTheLittleFairyGuy: Xiqing brother, I’m in. Will definitely be glued to the live stream.]
[@AdorableLittleChrysanthemum: Top-tier players! This lineup promises great chemistry—they’re all logic geniuses.]…
And so, the special Escape from Werewolf live stream commenced at 8 PM on February 16th.
Half an hour before the broadcast, all the guests arrived at the studio fully made up. The venue was actually a medium-sized recording studio within the TV station’s building, which the production team had transformed with decorations: wolf heads on the walls, blood-stained claw marks, potion bottles, and witchcraft graffiti all contributed to the suspenseful atmosphere fitting for Werewolf. A massive round table stood at the room’s center, surrounded by nine chairs. Each seat bore a numbered tag, from 1 to 9.
Xia Xiqing finished his makeup first. Following Xiaoxiao, he approached the room and circled the central table. Spotting a camera positioned ahead, he flicked his freshly styled hair toward the lens.
“Xiqing, we’re live now,” Xiaoxiao reminded him from behind the camera, waving her phone.
“It started already?” Xia Xiqing took a couple steps back in surprise. “Can they see me?”
“The comments are going wild.”
Xia Xiqing reached out. “Let me see the phone.” Taking it from Xiaoxiao, he watched his own reflection on the screen. With a two- or three-second delay, comments scrolled rapidly upward, too fast to read. He glanced back at the director. “Can I speak?”
“Of course.” The director chuckled. “It is live, after all.”
Only then did Xia Xiqing smile at the camera. “Hello, everyone.” He lowered his head again to read the comments, pausing at one that read aloud: “Brother Xiqing, is your mole natural… or not?” Xia Xiqing leaned closer to the camera, his nose nearly touching it. “Though I’ve always wanted to get rid of it.”
The chat exploded suddenly, filling the screen with [No way!!] scrolling rapidly upward. Startled, Xia Xiqing quickly backed down. “Okay, okay, no way, I won’t.” He glanced at the camera again. “I’ll keep it then. I’ll listen to you guys.”
The door creaked open. Xia Xiqing turned to see Xu Qichen walk in. He raised an eyebrow at Xu Qichen and flashed a cheeky grin. “Yo~”
Just that small gesture sent the bullet chat into another frenzy.
[So dominant!!!]
[Is Zi Heng here?? Brother Xiqing is so badass!!]
[So dominant!!! I’m all for a beautiful dominant guy!!]
Xu Qichen approached, his voice soft and gentle. “You’re so fast.”
“I’m not fast.” Xia Xiqing grinned mischievously. “A man can’t say he’s fast.”
[Hahahahaha so badass!]
[The topic suddenly turned late-night!!]
[Fast??????]
[This PLGG’s voice is so nice, so gentle!]
Xu Qichen was pulled in front of the camera by Xia Xiqing, who wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “I don’t know if everyone remembers, but this is the screenwriter for Season 1 of Escape from Heaven, and also the screenwriter for Stalker.”
Though it wasn’t his first time facing a camera, Xu Qichen still felt a bit uneasy, flashing an unnatural smile. “Hello everyone, I’m Xu Qichen.”
[Holy crap! The screenwriter dude!!!]
[Ah!!! How adorable is the screenwriter dude!!]
[I’ve seen this guy before, this guy is totally my type!]
[Totally totally, who among you isn’t?]
The door swung open again. Zhou Ziheng, clad in a tracksuit, strode straight toward Xia Xiqing. His arm casually draped over Xia Xiqing’s shoulder, he reached out to touch his face—only to be dodged.
“Hey, we’re live…” Xia Xiqing glanced up at him with a warning look. Zhou Ziheng was too tall for the camera to fully capture his face—only his neck and chin were visible—but fans instantly recognized him, flooding the chat with comments.
[Ahhhhhhhhh Zhou Ziheng!!!! The Oscar-winning actor is live!!!]
[Holy crap, did you think the stream wasn’t live?! He almost touched his face!!]
[Unexpectedly sweet moment!! So satisfying!!!]
[Why did Xiqing stop him!! I wanted to see you two show off your love!!]
Zhou Ziheng stuck his tongue out at Xia Xiqing and whispered, “I didn’t know.” Then he stepped back a couple paces and greeted the camera, “Good evening.” As soon as he finished, the rest of the group entered the room together. Xia Xiqing, Xu Qichen, and Zhou Ziheng also moved away from the camera. Following the director’s instructions, they drew lots first, then took their seats in the order determined by the draw. The camera operator panned to each person in turn for their self-introductions.
Xia Zhixu drew number 1. He flashed a smile at the camera. “Hello everyone, I’m Xia Zhixu.”
Xu Qichen nudged his arm. “You didn’t mention your number.”
Xia Zhixu held up the numbered ball in his hand. “I’m number 1.”
The moment he finished speaking, Xia Xiqing, sitting across from him, suddenly burst out laughing. His laughter triggered several others at the table to join in, instantly making the atmosphere awkward. Xia Zhixu shot Xia Xiqing a sideways glance. “What’s so funny? I am number 1.”
Xia Xiqing stifled a laugh. “Yes, yes, you are number 1.”
Xia Zhixu pressed on, “Are you number 1?”
“Why do you care if I’m number 1~” Xia Xiqing grinned shamelessly, playing with the ball in his hand. “Anyway, I’m not the number you’re thinking of.”
This time, it was Zhou Ziheng, seated to Xia Zhixu’s left, who laughed.
The comments exploded once more.
[Isn’t this guy the one caught with Brother Xiqing last time!? Damn he’s hot!]
[Xia Zhixu’s gaze is so dominant! Holy crap what a dream lineup! I believe you’re 1!]
[Hahahahahahaha I am 1.]
[Zhou Ziheng’s smile is so meaningful! Zhou Ziheng is definitely the top!!]
After Xia Zhixu spoke, it was Xu Qichen’s turn on the right. He took a moment to find the camera, still a bit nervous, then raised the small ball with the number 2 written on it to his face. “Hello everyone, I’m number 2, Xu Qichen.” After saying that, he glanced at Ruan Xiao beside him and softly said, “Pass.”
Ruan Xiao smiled and waved familiarly at the camera. “Long time no see! I’m number 3, Ruan Xiao.” As soon as she finished, Yang Bo beside her spoke up in his standard Northeastern accent, “Hello everyone, I’m Yang Bo. I drew… this… number 4, right.”
The camera shifted to Xia Xiqing, who raised his ball with a half-smile. “Number 5, Xia Xiqing.” No sooner had he spoken than a hand holding a ball marked with a 6 appeared beside him, tossing several air kisses with a grin. “It’s me, Shang Sansan, back again! Love you all~~”
The camera panned over to Zhao Ke’s side. He had sworn he’d never appear on TV, but when he heard they were playing Werewolf, his curiosity got the better of him and he couldn’t resist joining in. “Hello everyone, I’m Zhao Ke, Zhou Ziheng’s classmate. Oh, right, I’m number 7. Number 7.”
[Number 7 looks so nervous, hahaha.]
[Zhou Ziheng’s classmate? Holy crap, isn’t that the guy from Peking University?]
“Hi~” The camera zoomed in on Xia Xiuze’s face. He smiled and waved both hands in front of the lens. “I’m Xia Xiuze, a sophomore at XX High School. Hello, everyone!”
[PLDD!!! So adorable, my goodness~]
[He looks just like Xi Qing! Could he be another relative? Hahahaha]
[Seriously, isn’t this the sweet version of Brother Xi Qing??]
Finally, the camera shifted to Position 9. Zhou Ziheng smiled briefly. “I’m Number 9.”
The familiar program announcement echoed from the ceiling speakers: “Hello everyone, welcome to Escape from Werewolf Town. There are nine cards on the round table. Please shuffle them and draw your roles. The rules are as follows: The nine cards are broadly divided into two types—Good Citizen cards and Werewolf cards. Good Citizen cards are further divided into Villagers and Special Roles. Special Roles include the Witch, Seer, and Cupid.”
“After nightfall, all players close their eyes. Werewolves may randomly kill one player. The Seer may investigate one player. The Witch may save or poison someone—note that the Witch cannot save herself. Cupid may select two players to become lovers on the first night. If either lover dies, the other commits suicide. At dawn, public voting begins. All players may vote to eliminate one player. Note: The elected Sheriff holds two votes.”
As the rules were explained, the cards on the table were shuffled. Nine players each drew a card to reveal their role.
“This is a ‘Werewolf vs. Villagers’ game. Werewolves win by eliminating all villagers or all roles with special abilities. Conversely, villagers win if all werewolves are eliminated. With Cupid’s inclusion, a third faction may emerge. If both lovers are good, Cupid joins the good faction. If both lovers are werewolves, Cupid must aid the werewolf faction. If one lover is good and one is a werewolf, Cupid forms a third faction with the lovers. Cupid’s faction wins by eliminating all remaining players. Naturally, if everyone including the lovers dies but Cupid survives alone, Cupid’s faction also wins.”
“Roles assigned. Game begins. Close your eyes when night falls.”
A chilling, eerie background music began to play. All the lights in the room shifted to a deep crimson, making the entire space feel as if it were submerged in a pool of blood. The nine players closed their eyes, heads bowed in silence.
“Werewolves, open your eyes.”
Xia Xiqing opened his eyes. Truthfully, he didn’t want the Werewolf card at all. His previous Werewolf games had been too elaborate, making others wary of him and doubling the difficulty of getting the Werewolf role.
“Werewolves, confirm your allies.”
Xia Zhixu across from him also opened his eyes, along with Xu Qichen beside him. The three exchanged glances.
High-tier werewolves. Xia Xiqing gave an OK sign.
“Werewolf, please kill someone.”
His gaze swept over the other players still keeping their eyes closed. Xu Qichen held up a 9. Xia Zhixu hesitated, but Xia Xiqing shook his head and made a throat-slitting gesture toward his own neck.
Xu Qichen’s eyes widened, clearly asking, “Are you sure?”
Xia Xiqing nodded, flashed a five at the camera, then closed his eyes. Xia Zhixu and Xu Qichen also flashed fives.
“Werewolf, please close your eyes.” The narrator paused. “Witch, please open your eyes. He died last night. You have one vial of antidote. Do you wish to use it?”
The camera cut to Xia Xiqing. The director held up five fingers.
“You have one vial of poison. Do you wish to use it?”
Though his eyes remained closed, Xia Xiqing sensed the Witch hadn’t hesitated long this time. This was intriguing—using the antidote to save someone on the very first night, without a moment’s thought.
“Witch, please close your eyes.”
“Seer, open your eyes. Who will you test tonight?” Less than three seconds later, the voice continued, “His identity is this. Seer, please close your eyes.”
The Seer was equally decisive, likely having already chosen their target. With eyes closed, Xia Xiqing felt a flicker of unease. Typically, those skilled at the game were easier to test first. If the Seer targeted him on their first try, it would essentially mean an immediate kill.
Preparation was essential.
“Cupid, open your eyes.” After the director confirmed Cupid’s identity, he continued, “Cupid, please select a couple.”
With his eyes still closed, Xia Xiqing vaguely sensed someone approaching to inform the two couples they were linked.
“Daybreak.”
The room’s lights flooded the space once more as the nine players opened their eyes.
“The Sheriff election begins. Players wishing to run for Sheriff, please press the button on your table.”
Without hesitation, Xia Xiqing pressed his button. The segment of the table in front of him turned red, displaying the number 5. Glancing at the table, he saw most of it now red. Xia Zhixu, Xu Qichen, Xia Xiuze, and Zhou Ziheng had also entered the election.
Three wolves running for Sheriff? Unbelievable.
“Now, starting with Player 1, Xia Zhixu, proceed clockwise.”
The narration ended. Xia Zhixu clasped his hands together, opening calmly, “I am the Seer.”
Beaten to the punch, Xia Xiqing’s mind raced, searching for a counterplay. But the next second, Xia Zhixu threw him off guard: “Last night I investigated Player 5, Xia Xiqing. He was my target for elimination—a confirmed wolf.”
Xia Xiqing’s eyes widened.
Damn it. Xia Zhixu, are you out of your mind… going straight for another wolf…
“Everyone, send me the police badge later. I’m not sure if anyone died last night, but I’ve already reported my target. If I die, I won’t be able to speak tomorrow, so I’ll tear up the badge. If I survive, this round I’ll verify Player 9, Zhou Ziheng, and tomorrow I’ll verify Player 3, Ruan Xiao. I’m the Prophet. Later, if you’re a Villager, you don’t need to jump in as the Prophet to shield me from the knife—it’s unnecessary. Give me the badge. Over.”
Xu Qichen gripped his earpiece and smiled gently. “I’m a god—I won’t specify which one. Later, if anyone challenges Xia Zhixu for Seer, consider passing the badge to me. I’m a rock-solid identity. If not, let the Seer take the badge and I’ll step back.” He smiled again. “Just playing it safe against challenges. Pass.”
When it came to Xia Xiqing, all eyes focused on him. Without hesitation, he declared, “I’m the Seer. Last night I verified Number 9—a golden water, a good identity. Number 9 should know this himself.” After speaking, he glanced at Zhou Ziheng, who sat three seats away. Zhou Ziheng lowered his head, smiling slightly with pursed lips. This made Xia Xiqing want to laugh too, so he quickly covered his mouth with his fist. He then turned his powerful gaze toward Xia Zhixu.
“I don’t quite get why Number 1 jumped up to defend the Seer right after speaking. What’s the point of that? If you’re a good role, you’d better back off now. I’ll still recognize you as good. If you don’t back off, I won’t need to test you. In my mind, you’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing. Everyone, push Number 1, Xia Zhixu, out.”
After speaking, Xia Xiqing began announcing the badge flow: “If I survive tonight, I’ll verify Ruan Xiao tomorrow. I noticed her hesitating while drawing cards earlier—she must have an identity. Tomorrow I’ll verify Xia Xiuze. The badge must be handed over to me. Number 1, I advise you to back out now, or I’ll fight you to the bitter end. Of course, if I die, the badge goes straight to No. 9 Zhou Ziheng—he’s the golden water I verified.“ Xia Xiqing flashed Xia Zhixu a smirk. ”No. 1, I don’t know what you’re playing at. I’m an iron-clad seer—no one can shake my identity. You’ve just kicked a steel plate.”
Xia Xiuze spoke up, “Number 8, Xia Xiuze. Commoner or above. Not backing down. There are two Seers on the field now. Give me the badge. I’m a good identity. Pass.”
Zhou Ziheng, the last candidate for the police badge, finally spoke up. “I accept the gold water Xiqing gave me. I am indeed a good identity, and moreover, I am a powerful god. With two seers facing off this round, you might consider giving the badge to me.”
He then began his analysis: “The situation is actually quite clear. There are nine people on the field, and five have declared police status. Logically, at least two of these five are wolves. No one else has declared as a Seer. From my perspective, I definitely lean toward believing that Xi Qing, who gave me the gold water, is the real Seer. But does he have a wolf face? We’ll see from his statements. But if he is a wolf, giving me the gold water makes perfect sense—he knows I’m not his wolf ally. Since he dared to give me the gold water and didn’t challenge Number 1 to a duel, I actually believe his seer identity.”
Player 1 jumped in immediately to investigate and kill, and the person they targeted later claimed to be the Seer. That’s confusing, so I need to hear more statements. But no matter how you look at it, I’m definitely a solid Good. This badge is fine for me. My statement is complete.
The narrator’s voice sounded again: “The police have finished speaking. Players wishing to withdraw, please press the button on the table. The four players not participating in the election, please cast your votes.”
The fan-shaped area on the table shifted again. The narrator announced: “Player 1, Xia Zhixu, and Player 2, Xu Qichen, have withdrawn and will not participate in the election.”
After all non-candidate players finished voting, the voice continued, “Player 3 Ruan Xiao, Player 4 Yang Bo, and Player 7 Zhao Ke voted for Xia Xiqing. Player 6 Shang Sirui voted for Player 9 Zhou Ziheng. Player 5 Xia Xiqing is elected Police Chief and gains the right to cast the tiebreaker vote.”
A golden sheriff’s badge appeared in the sector in front of Xia Xiqing. He couldn’t help but think to himself: Thank goodness I sent gold water to Zhou Ziheng. He spoke last, subtly pulling me along. Plus, Xia Zhixu, who was paired with me as the Seer, withdrew. That effectively confirmed my identity as the Seer.
However, Xia Xiqing still harbored a lingering unease. The true Seer had yet to reveal themselves. Zhou Ziheng and Xia Xiuze on the Police side were unlikely candidates—neither spoke like a Seer, and neither had targeted him when he jumped. Clearly, they weren’t the Seer.
The real Seer must be hiding among the villagers. After all, this was a slaughter scenario—if the Seer revealed themselves rashly, it would be like forcing the werewolves to target them.
The narrator began announcing last night’s casualties.
“Last night was a peaceful night.”
Xia Xiqing wore a blank expression, but inwardly he breathed a sigh of relief. At least he’d tricked the Witch into giving him a bottle of antidote. Even if the real Seer had tested him last night, it wouldn’t matter—he’d just deny it. After all, he was the Sheriff, and everyone followed the Sheriff’s lead.
“Now, starting from the Sheriff’s left, Player #6 Shang Sirui, please speak.”
Shang Sirui hesitated, as if gathering his thoughts. After a few seconds, he spoke: “Last night, on Peace Night, there are only two possibilities. Either the werewolves failed to kill anyone last night—but this is a slaughter-edge game; werewolves couldn’t possibly fail to kill. That scenario can be ruled out… The only other possibility is that the Witch saved someone last night. While I don’t quite understand why the Witch would save someone on the first night, since the antidote is gone, anyone claiming to be a God is untrustworthy. It’s possible a Villager took the hit, meaning those claiming to be Villagers could actually be Gods. Witch, could you please reveal who you gave the silver water to? That would help everyone understand the situation better.”
He paused to think, then added, “The badge has now been passed to Xi Qing, but can we fully trust this Sheriff? Not necessarily. Plus, Player 1 Xia Zhixu, who claimed to be the Seer last night, hasn’t been acting cleanly in my book. Jumping in with a kill demand, then backing out—that logic just doesn’t add up. I’ll pay close attention to Number 1’s statement later. I think we should push Number 1 out first—we have to push someone anyway. Since he jumped as the Seer, pushing him makes sense. I’ll provisionally trust Number 9’s good identity for now, but others remain undecided. Pass.”
Xia Xiqing couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly. Si Rui must be panicking—his speech completely fell apart.
It was now Player 7 Zhao Ke’s turn to speak. With a pained expression, he scanned the room. “First off, I’m a good guy. As a blindfolded player, five people declared themselves cops. Ziheng claimed to be the strong god, two claimed to be seers, and one of them backed out. So I think the remaining Sheriff and Seer must be the real ones. Plus, Xiqing’s speech earlier sounded pretty seer-like. Qichen and Xiuze are hard to read. We can’t just push anyone out in a borderline elimination round—good players can’t afford that kind of loss.”
He shifted his gaze to Shang Sirui, who had just spoken. “I think Sirui’s statement earlier was poorly handled—it reeked of murderous intent. If you’re truly innocent, you wouldn’t say something like ‘we have to push someone out anyway.’ Number 1 claimed to be the Seer but backed out. I suspect his call for investigation and execution was likely a bluff to expose Xiqing’s identity.”
“To me, Siyi looks a bit wolfish. Plus, he suggested the Witch report silver water—this situation clearly can’t be played openly. The gods would self-destruct, and the wolves would be gone in two strikes. We still don’t know the couple’s identities. I’m just a villager; I’ll listen to the speeches. Pass.”
After Zhao Ke finished speaking, it was Player 8, Xia Xiuze’s turn: “I didn’t back down during the police phase because I said I had a good role and wouldn’t back down. But it didn’t help—I didn’t get a single vote.”
Everyone laughed at his remark.
“I also agree with Brother Zhao Ke. I think Brother Xi Qing…” He felt odd calling him by his full name, Xia Xi Qing, for the first time. “…Brother Xi Qing’s Seer identity seems confirmed. If he’s the real Seer, then Number 9, Brother Ziheng, who received his gold water, is also a good person. And I myself am a good person.” Then the other two on the police team become questionable. One jumped as the Seer and retreated, leaving their identity unclear. Brother Qichen doesn’t speak much, so I think we need to pay close attention to his statements.”
Xia Xiuze, that kid, always blindly sides with himself during the game. Xia Xiqing couldn’t help but mentally complain.
“Siri’s statement earlier felt off. Let me gently nudge Brother Siri—he just said to push Number 1 out directly since someone had to be pushed anyway. That kind of talk leans more toward werewolf behavior. Since Zhixu just retracted his vote, after retracting we tend to assume someone has a solid identity. But Brother Siri said to push them out outright. I don’t quite agree with that. Originally I wanted to push Brother Chen, but now I’m leaning towards pushing Brother Sui. Pass.”
The tension escalated instantly.
“My turn.” Zhou Ziheng took the floor. “The previous speakers analyzed a lot. The police definitely have wolves among them. From my perspective as a good identity, I’m a good person. Since Xia Xiqing gave me gold water, I’ll provisionally accept him as the seer. Even if he’s a wolf pretending to be a seer, it doesn’t matter. There aren’t that many people left; we’ll sort it out gradually.” He raised an eyebrow at Xia Xiqing and murmured, “Right?”
“As for Xia Zhixu, Xu Qichen, and Xia Xiuze… Xiuze clearly sided with Xiqing earlier. I can’t fully trust your good identity yet, since I’m not certain Xiqing is the real Seer. Qichen speaks too little to judge, but if he’s a good player, his identity should be solid.”
After speaking, Zhou Ziheng turned to look at Xia Zhixu beside him. “Regarding Player 1, I actually suspect he’s a good player. As Zhao Ke said, Zhixu might be bluffing about Xiqing’s identity. That fits his style. And if the bluff is exposed, Xiqing would likely self-destruct—that’s also his style.”
Everyone laughed at this remark. Xia Xiqing, who bore the label of a self-exposing player, merely shrugged.
“So I’m actually leaning toward believing Xia Zhixu has a solid identity. He failed to expose it and ultimately retreated—logically consistent.” Zhou Ziheng’s gaze shifted to Shang Sirui. “As for you, Sirui… You couldn’t have missed his bluffing tactic. And your earlier statement definitely wasn’t solid—even though you voted for me during the police phase.”
Hearing this, Shang Sirui pouted at Zhou Ziheng with a look of grievance.
“But your wolf hooking was so ruthless, I’m still shaken. I even wondered if you might be the Prophet, but I couldn’t risk betting on it.“ Zhou Ziheng chuckled. ”If there’s a PK later, I’d like to hear more. My vote will most likely go to… Shirui, or Qichen. I need to hear Xiqing’s statement first. Pass.”
“Player 1, Xia Zhixu, speak.” Xia Zhixu glanced at Xia Xiqing across from him. They locked eyes and both burst out laughing. “Actually, I’m a Villager. After drawing my card, I came up with a strategy: jump in as the Seer and bluff someone skilled. I originally planned to target #9, but I figured bluffing Xia Xiqing would yield results faster than Zhou Ziheng—because Xia Xiqing would blow his cover.”
Everyone laughed again.
“But he didn’t blow his cover, so I’m temporarily buying his Prophet act.” Xia Zhixu continued, “Number 9 is also a good guy. Qi Chen, I’ll listen to your speech later. Xiu Ze was basically siding with someone earlier—could be a wolf following the Prophet and Sheriff. As for Sui Rui stepping on me just now, and Sui Rui not voting for the Sheriff either, Sui Rui also has wolf potential. I’m giving this vote to Xiu Ze because his strong siding was too obvious. Pass.”
Xu Qichen spoke with calm composure, “I’m a good role. During the police election earlier, I stated I’d guard against double-crosses. If anyone double-crossed, they could hand me the badge; if no one did, I’d step back. Later, Zhixu, who jumped as the seer, stepped back. With only one seer left on the police team, I stepped back too.” He frowned slightly, scanning the others in the field. “Is there something wrong with what I did?”
He then turned to Shang Sirui. “Sirui’s earlier statement was problematic. Why? His logic contradicts itself. First, he claimed that without an antidote, those claiming to be Seer couldn’t be trusted—they might be villagers blocking the knife. Yet he also suggested that Zhi Xu claiming to be Seer might be a wolf, and that Xi Qing as Seer couldn’t be trusted either. Isn’t that contradictory?”
“If you genuinely believe the shaman is mostly a villager shield, why do you think both seers are wolves? Then who do you think the real seer is? There has to be one seer. Plus, Sirui was just looking for the witch. If you’re a good person, why would you look for the witch? Shouldn’t you be trying to hide her?”
“For now, my vote goes to Sirui. Personally, I think his statements have been the weakest so far. Pass.”
Ruan Xiao took over, “My turn, right? I’m a Villager or higher. Could be a strong God, could be a Villager—either way, I’m good. I voted for Xi Qing during the police phase because I knew Xu had backed out. With only one Seer left, I definitely voted for the Seer.”
“Given the current situation, I think we need to consider two possibilities. One: if Player 5, Xi Qing, is the real Seer, then Zi Heng is a good guy. Zhixu’s earlier speech makes sense—logically consistent, though it doesn’t prove he isn’t a wolf. However, Qichen’s speech was essentially from the good guys’ perspective. I can’t find any issues with his speech, and the questions he raised are the same ones I’m suspicious about. Siri’s speech was indeed problematic. With one wolf remaining, I’m leaning towards the possibility that it’s behind me. Let’s see what Yang Bo says next.”
“Now, the other scenario: if Xi Qing isn’t the Seer. It’s possible the real Seer is hiding to protect themselves, meaning Xi Qing could be a wolf. Xia Zhixu or Shang Sirui might be playing the ‘wolf stepping on wolf’ tactic. As for which of them stepped on Xia Xiqing, we can’t confirm that yet. I still believe the third wolf is among the numbers behind me.“ Ruan Xiao paused before concluding, ”Based on my two possibilities this round, I lean toward pushing Shrui. Your speech was too weak this round—if we push the wrong person, you’ll have to take the blame alone. Xiu Ze’s speech was too brief and clearly sided with someone. I suggest the Sheriff verify Xiu Ze tonight.”
Xia Xiqing’s heart sank. Ruan Xiao’s second scenario was essentially correct—only Si Rui’s weak performance this round prevented suspicion from falling on Xia Zhixu.
When it was Yang Bo’s turn to speak, he ran a hand through his freshly trimmed crew cut. “I think the good guys have a pretty easy win this round. With the Seer as Sheriff, just follow the Seer’s lead. There’s no other Seer anyway. But Xiqing didn’t identify any targets for elimination this round…” Yang Bo pondered for a moment. “I’ll just follow the Sheriff’s vote. I’m a good guy anyway, and I already voted for the Sheriff earlier.”
He suddenly remembered something. “Oh right, we still have Cupid. Don’t forget he paired up a couple. I think by the end of this round, the couple should figure out each other’s roles—whether it’s human-human, human-werewolf, or werewolf-werewolf. Anyway, for us good guys, just getting rid of the werewolves is all that matters.” He smiled after speaking. “Nothing else to say.”
“Then the Sheriff speaks.” Xia Xiqing propped his chin with one hand, tapping the table lightly with his right index finger. His expression was calm, carrying a hint of confident smile. “I am the real Seer. After listening to this round, I originally planned to vote for Xia Zhixu, who was pretending to be the Seer with me. But he chickened out and backed down. I think he might have been trying to trick me, but he failed. That makes me the dead-on-arrival Seer. With things this obvious, Si Rui came out swinging at me. If I’m not the Seer, then there’d be no Seer this round, right?”
He scanned the room. “This round, my vote goes to Sui Rui. I already explained the badge rotation earlier. I was going to verify Xiao Xiao, but Xiao Ze’s statement just now was essentially meaningless. Even though you’re on my side, you’re standing too obviously. I need to verify you tonight.”
He turned to smile at his younger brother. “Listen, if the werewolves target me tonight and you turn out innocent, I’ll give you the badge. But if you’re a werewolf…” Xia Xiqing lazily glanced at Zhou Ziheng beside Xiao Ze, winking his left eye at him before stretching lazily. He slumped on the table, gazing into Zhou Ziheng’s eyes with a charming smile.
“I’ll give the badge to my golden water.”
With that, Xia Xiqing raised his hand. “End of statement.”
A voice announced: “Begin the first round of public vote.”
“Player 6, Shang Sirui, votes for Player 5, Xia Xiqing. Player 1, Xia Zhixu, votes for Xia Xiuze. All remaining players vote for Player 6, Shang Sirui. Player 6, Shang Sirui, is eliminated. Players eliminated in the first night’s vote may leave a final statement. Please speak.”
Shang Sirui lowered his head slightly, sighed, then looked up and said, “I am the true Seer. On the first night, I verified Player 8, Xia Xiuze. Xiuze was a Gold Water. Player 1 is a werewolf in disguise as a villager. He voted for Xiuze. I am the real Seer. I don’t know if Xi Qing is a werewolf who jumped in or if a villager took the hit for me, but you are the fake Seer. And you pushed the real Seer out. Let’s see how you good guys play this.” With that, he stood up and left the room.
The remaining players at the table looked at each other, unable to guess what was on anyone’s mind.
The narrator’s voice sounded once more.
“Close your eyes when night falls.”
Music began again as the eight players closed their eyes.
“Werewolves, open your eyes.”
Xia Xiqing opened his eyes and pointed at himself. Xu Qichen’s eyes widened—another self-kill?
Xia Zhixu didn’t agree. He held up three fingers, signaling his intent to kill Ruan Xiao. But Xu Qichen raised nine fingers, aiming to kill Zhou Ziheng.
Honestly, Xia Xiqing had no intention of killing Zhou Ziheng. He probably wasn’t a strong God; his election as Police was likely just to shield the God from blame. Xia Zhixu vetoed the 9 first and raised a 3 again.
Ruan Xiao was indeed formidable, but she didn’t seem like a genuine God either.
Shang Sirui was definitely the Prophet, but his poor speaking skills had allowed them to exploit his weaknesses. Only the Witch and Cupid remained on the field. Yang Bo had mentioned Cupid, so he couldn’t be Cupid—Cupid wouldn’t self-identify. Zhao Ke… Zhao Ke’s slacking was too obvious, but what if he was doing it on purpose?
What if he was the muddying-the-waters Cupid?
Xia Xiuze, Zhou Ziheng, Ruan Xiao, Zhao Ke…
No matter which one gets targeted tomorrow, it’ll blow their cover. Zhou Ziheng and Ruan Xiao teaming up would likely push him or Xia Zhixu out.
Self-elimination could confirm their identity, but losing a werewolf is too risky….
“Werewolves, please close your eyes.”
Author’s Note:
For gameplay immersion, I’m not using God’s perspective—just the Seeker’s viewpoint, which is the werewolf’s. But it’s pretty obvious, right? Did you guess everyone else’s roles? Which two are the couple?~
Werewolf-specific terminology:
Identity speculation: Guessing roles.
Kill verification: Seer confirms a werewolf.
Sheriff Candidate: Someone running for Sheriff.
Deputy: Someone who didn’t run for Sheriff but has voting rights.
Badge Succession: Who inherits the Sheriff badge after the Sheriff dies.
Withdrawal: Withdrawing from the election after running.
Confirmed Good: A good person verified by the Seer.
Silver Water: Those saved by the Witch.
If you still have questions, feel free to ask in the comments~ How many rounds do you want to see? I originally planned to write two rounds, but found it took up quite a bit of space.
Let’s start the next round with God’s-eye view. I feel like everyone might be confused, and confusion could make it boring. So let’s play an entertainment round with God’s-eye view.
Leave a Reply