Are You Crazy? You’re Telling Me This Is a Fugitive TV Show?

“Clear the game? Are we really pinning our last hopes on a game, especially one created by Wang Yun?” Jiang Youshan said, massaging his forehead in frustration.

“We can’t afford to dismiss any hope,” Wu Mingyu declared, his face marked by a hint of reluctance. The odds of finding a solution in a game seemed extremely slim.

“Yes, we can’t overlook any chance of hope, not after over thirty of our officers have sacrificed themselves,” Wang Yue agreed, her voice firm. “No matter what, we must avenge them and capture Wang Yun and his accomplices, eliminating them all.”

“A game, then? Ames, hack into this game,” Kolyev commanded, his tired eyes still flickering with a trace of determination and intent. “We must seize every opportunity.”

“Understood,” Ames quickly nodded, beginning to download the game.

***

“Look, the captains haven’t given up. They’re trying to solve this difficult situation through the game!”

“That’s indeed a strategy. If the factory’s traps align with those in the game, solving the game could mean deciphering the traps in the factory!”

“Exactly, this could be the only shot for them. Let’s join in on the game and figure out how to solve it!”

“Alright, I’ve got the game downloaded. Let’s see how we can clear it.”

“Is this really reliable? Remember, Big Brother himself designed this game. What if the game itself is a trap?”

“They have run out of options. This game represents their final chance, otherwise, they’ll have to watch helplessly as the culprits escape with two million. It’s just not acceptable!”

Viewers in the inspection team’s live broadcast were actively discussing as they witnessed the captains attempting to resolve their predicament through the game. It seemed to be the only viable solution remaining.

At this point, whether the game had additional traps was not their primary concern. Their first goal was to complete the game.

“The traps and setups in the game exactly mirror the actual situation.”

“This won’t do, we’re dying too quickly. We need more people to play the game and figure out all the traps.”

As Wu Mingyu and others played the game, they continually expressed their difficulties, furrowing their brows.

“Captain Wu Mingyu, I will hack into your phone and ask more inspection team members in the game to identify and mark all the in-game traps,” Ames offered.

“Good idea,” Wu Mingyu responded, nodding his approval.

“I’ll have half of the officers outside join the game to try and complete it,” Wu Yaoming proposed.

“Perfect, the more participants, the better. Let’s identify all the traps and find a way to complete the game,” Ames replied, nodding in agreement.

Wu Yaoming approved, “Teams four, five, and six, I want half of you to download the ‘Death Factory’ game, uncover all the traps within it, and strive to complete it.”

“Yes, Captain,” the members of the respective teams responded. Half of them immediately took out their phones and began downloading the game.

“You continue playing your game. After each death, restart to explore more traps. I’ll be gathering the data,” Ames continued instructing.

Wu Mingyu and his team nodded, diving back into the game. Thus, around the factory, nearly a hundred people were engrossed in their phones, attempting to clear the game. In addition, millions of internet users worldwide also downloaded the game, eagerly trying to find a way to beat it.

Meanwhile, not far from them, a figure observed this scene with a slight smirk, his face etched with mockery. This was the same person who had loudly discussed the death game and spoke with Captain Wang Yue. He scanned the area and strolled toward a restaurant.

After settling down with his laptop and ordering some food, he got to work. Monitoring the game’s backend data, he effortlessly targeted hundreds of mobile devices, a smile creeping across his face.

Was this merely a game?

“Today, I’ll become nearly invincible,” he murmured to himself.

His game was, in reality, a specialized virus. Once downloaded onto a phone, it effectively meant an invasion. Moreover, this invasion was irreversible, combated only by replacing the phone. This was the mark of a god-level hacker.

Yes, downloading this game was a trap. A trap so stealthy, that went unnoticed even by Ames. He knew they would download it. He understood the captains well enough to know they wouldn’t forgo any chance, however slight.

This was a battle of wits. A psychological trap.

“We’ve discovered a mechanism on the first floor, second room of the factory, where part of the ceiling can be opened, leading directly upstairs.”

“Similarly, in the third room on the first floor, there’s a ceiling section that opens, allowing access to the upper floor.”

“It appears that all rooms on the first and second floors are interconnected, enabling direct jumping between them.”

As time progressed, with nearly a hundred inspection team members delving into the game, they steadily uncovered various points of interest. Ames collated the information they found, concluding that the rooms on the first and second floors of the factory were indeed interconnected.

“Though interconnected, several issues arise. The factory is monitored by surveillance cameras. To move from the first to the second floor undetected, we must disable these cameras, otherwise, we risk being spotted in advance. Moreover, our actions to disable the surveillance will likely alert Wang Yun and his group. Also, although the rooms are connected, Wang Yun’s team has disguised them. We need to remove these disguises to access the second floor. However, even if we do that, we risk running into Wang Yun and his men. If we’re unlucky, entering a room where they are present would be a death sentence. Remember, this game is just that, a game. In the game, you can restart after death, but in reality, it’s the final end.”

After nearly twenty minutes, Wu Mingyu, reviewing all the gathered information, spoke despondently, “We’ve discovered many things through the game, but to what avail? They are fundamentally useless.”

Jiang Youshan, Kolyev, and the others hearing these conclusions, felt a sense of helplessness. The situation was both unexpected and, in some ways, foreseen.

“Wang Yun may have created this game and released it to the public, but certainly won’t reveal us the solutions,” Wu Yaoming said, his voice laced with despair.

“Indeed, we’re essentially trapped in a dead end,” added Jiang Youshan, offering a bitter smile as he glanced at the computer screen showing the six ensnared inspection officers. His face betrayed his sense of hopelessness.

A dead end. That’s precisely what it was. There was no known method of escape. They had uncovered some things in the game, but what good were they in the real world?

“We could use signal jammers on the first floor, but moving from downstairs to upstairs is like playing a game of chance, where a wrong move means death,” Ying Yuezi said, shaking her head in defeat.

Her famed intelligence seemed utterly useless in this scenario.

“I’ve just cleared the game. In the game, there’s a chance to take out the enemies upstairs by entering from a room downstairs,” Wu Mingyu said calmly, looking at his phone. “But in the game, we can restart endlessly, life is expendable. In reality, it’s a different story.”

Now, he had abandoned all hope. What was the point of clearing the game?

“What is it?” Wu Yaoming asked, noticing Wu Mingyu’s puzzled expression.

“After completing the game, Wang Yun left a message, ‘New version in development’,” Wu Mingyu reported with a somber tone.

“A new version?”

The faces of the other Captains darkened at this revelation. Another taunt.

Wu Mingyu stared at the game screen, now silent. The screen transformed, displaying a new message and image.

The text read, ‘Let’s end this in joy!’

Beneath the text was an option, ‘Yes!’ and Wu Mingyu did just that, and suddenly, music started playing from his phone.

“Avi Barti, shall we get excited? Boom boom boom!”

Wu Mingyu paused, dumbstruck, as the unexpected tune filled the air. The sudden music also caught the nearby captains off guard.

***

“Captain, captain, I’ve cleared the game, I’ve done it!”

“Wait, that’s odd. Captain, at the end of clearing the game, there’s actually a song playing. This… this…”

“Avi Barti, shall we get excited? Boom boom boom!”

At that moment, an excited report from one of the program officers reached the captains through their earpieces. But soon, they all heard the music. A rhythm so invigorating it was almost infectious, identical to the one coming from Wu Mingyu’s phone.

“Captain, I’ve cleared it over here too, and it’s the same music,” another officer reported.

They could faintly hear the same tune playing from the phones of several inspectors around the factory. The atmosphere abruptly shifted to something more peculiar.

***

“Whoa, is this the reward for completing the game? This song? Really, this song?”

“I’ve cleared it too, and it’s that same enchanting song. Isn’t this too brutally heart-wrenching?”

“Heart-wrenching and cruel. Wang Yun is outrageously arrogant and disrespectful.”

“What’s Wang Yun trying to say with this game? Is he suggesting he’s toying with them with ease?”

“A major public embarrassment for the inspection team. Wang Yun has really gone too far this time!”

“Absolutely too far, it’s excessive!”

“Way over the line. Just look at the faces of the chief inspectors. This is just…”

The abrupt, mesmerizing music and the eerie atmosphere sent the live audience into a frenzy. It was a relentless psychological attack, a series of insults directed non-stop at the inspection team.

It was overly excessive, even the viewers found it too much. It felt like outright bullying.

Yet, at this moment, the six captains, listening to the strange music, showed neither excessive anger nor embarrassment. For now, they were utterly powerless. What did a bit of humiliation matter compared to their bitter defeat?

“Captain, the two million in cash has arrived from Nancheng Bank,” a staff member approached and reported.

“Hand it over,” Wu Yaoming nodded, accepting the cash and instructed through the communicator, “Give them a communicator.”

“Understood, Captain,” responded the squad leader on the factory’s second floor. Approaching the young man, he handed over the communicator. “Here’s the communicator. We’ve prepared the money.”

“Oh? The money’s ready? Haha, good, very quick,” the young man laughed heartily, taking the communicator in hand.

“You’ll get the money, and we’ll let you go, but how do you ensure the safety of our six people?” Wu Yaoming’s voice emerged from the communicator. “Also, I want to speak with your boss, Wang Yun.”

“Ha, our boss isn’t at the factory. He holds the control switch. As for your guarantee, don’t worry. Our boss assured us that if we get out alive, your men will too,” the young man said with a hearty laugh, narrowing his eyes. “Order your people to completely withdraw. Remember, retreat to a forward position. Don’t think about ambushing us. The consequences are more than you can handle.”

Upon hearing the young man’s words, Wu Yaoming fell into a moment of silence before finally gritting his teeth in acceptance.

“Alright.”

“Heh, wise choice. Just a heads-up, don’t rush to open the door as soon as we leave. The switch is in the adjacent room, but opening the door will immediately activate the electric current. Our boss will remotely deactivate it half an hour after we leave. Only then can you safely open it,” the young man elaborated. “We guarantee, your six men will be unharmed.”

“Time to go, gentlemen, let’s head downstairs,” he announced, then swaggered down the stairs with a defiant air.

The inspection team, watching his bold demeanor, clenched their teeth in frustration, powerless to do anything but follow him outside.

“All officers, time to evacuate,” Wu Yaoming commanded, his face devoid of emotion.

The program officers filed out of the factory, each wearing a look of heavy discomfort.

Clap! Clap! Clap!

A young man walked out, casually swinging his body with an unlit cigarette hanging from his lips. Walking out of the factory, he was met with angry glares from the surrounding officers, but he continued on nonchalantly.

The officers left the factory while Brother Hu and his team, watching from the second floor, smiled at the unfolding scene. They chose not to leave with the young man to avoid any surprises, instead making a stylish exit through the back door on the first floor.

“Hello, Captains,” the young man called out cheerfully to the six chief inspectors standing ahead, waving at them with a wide grin.

“Wang Yun’s really damn cautious, only sending one subordinate. Is he afraid we might trade the lives of our six officers for those of his six subordinates?” Kolyev commented, his face etched with a dark expression.

“Wang Yun isn’t inside the factory. He must have been lurking around here. How did he manage that? Does he have materials for a disguise mask?” Ying Yuezi pondered, her brows furrowed as she surveyed their surroundings with a look of confusion.

“We’ve been defeated. It’s exhausting,” Jiang Youshan shook his head slightly. “I’m getting too old for this kind of shock. The rest is up to you younger ones.”

His words caused a slight shiver among the other captains.

“Hand over the money,” the young man requested as he approached them, reaching out his hand with a broad smile.

“Take it,” Wu Yaoming said, handing the cash directly to the young man.

“Wow, fifty kilos, it’s quite heavy. Let me check it. Also, asking for a car isn’t too much, right?” The young man took the money, briefly checked it, then slung it over his shoulder, grinning at the six captains. “By the way, our boss wanted me to pass on a message to you. Keep fighting!”

He made a fist and gestured encouragingly toward them. Then, with the two million in tow, he stylishly walked off toward a car.

So audacious and unashamedly bold!

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1. Victorien

   <time datetime="2024-01-07T19:00:57+00:00">January 7, 2024</time>

   I swear I didn’t know!

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   1. tinytree

      <time datetime="2024-01-17T10:38:42+00:00">January 17, 2024</time>

      That was a nice one.

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