“…….”
The next procedure that awaited the players was “vote to select or not.” <Hothead> glanced at the clock and came up with an idea, “What if we hold the trial as it is, and still carry on with the winning method….?”
“It’s no longer a winning method if someone gets killed in the trial!”
“… Whatever. But this winning method is already screwed as the doctor won’t come forward.”
Unfortunately, the winning method was not even a subject for negotiation. It would not work unless the doctor came forward. <Engineering> said, “Let’s vote.”
“What? We haven’t decided anything!”
“That’s why we should vote. This could literally be real democracy. Just let individuals decide whether or not to hold the trial in this situation.”
“Wait a second. Someone please tell me the expected value for holding or not holding the trial!” <Christian’s> desperate cry was met by a stern look from <Intellectual>.
“Will it make a difference? The citizens should hold a trial, especially when there is a player who confessed that she’s the mafia.”
“Oh, what a saint! You’re going to kill <Social Worker>, who suggested this winning method to save us all?”
“And what an asshole you are, <Hothead>. Are you against this because you’re the mafia yourself? You want to get through the day unscathed and kill the citizens at night?”
“Argh, you little…!!”
<Engineering> had a point. It was impossible to reach an agreement on this matter, so the decision could have well been left to each individual player to make. <Humanities> Junsung missed how <Hothead> used to force others to vote in a certain way.
[Hmmm. So are we doing the vote to select or not?]
“I’m against all votes until the doctor cooperates.”
[<Social Worker> is clearly against it. Oh, well. As the host, this is a tough call…]
When <A.I> Reina showed reluctance, the players who had been silent began to protest.
“Oh come on, just use some discretion as the host. Ugh, you Artificial Intelligence,” said <Intellectual>.
“Are you going to make us vote for this too?” asked <Old Man>.
“Hey, <Social Worker>. Let’s just get on with this. No one dies if we vote the target down in the elimination vote, anyway,” <Muscle Man> said.
“…….”
Although the other players kept their mouths shut, they shot frustrated glances at <Social Worker>. The silent pressure made both <Social Worker> and <A.I> give in. Eventually, the “vote to select or not” window popped up in the tablet. <Humanities> Junsung put off his vote, feeling somewhat intimidated, and tapped on the chat inbox instead.
Humanities: Do we really have to vote so quickly?
Schoolgirl: Are you playing dumb, or do you really not get it?
Humanities: Get what?
Schoolgirl: There’s not as much time as you think.
Schoolgirl: If we catch a mafia member in this trial, we get one more trial for the day.
Procedures of Mafia Game (Day - Selection and Trial)
<ol start="6">
<li>If a player eliminated after a trial turns out to be a mafia member, the players get a chance to hold another trial.</li>
</ol>
“……!!”
The players were already thinking about their next move after having killed <Social Worker>. They were far more calculating and unfeeling than anyone could have imagined.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
[Okayyy, so the results are…!]
<The Third Vote to Select or Not: Result>
<Yes: 7 No: 3>
Yes: Intellectual, Old Man, Schoolgirl, Muscle Man, Engineering, Janitor, Christian
No: Social Worker, Hothead, Humanities
Result: With at least a majority (6 votes) of “yes” votes, you will have selection and trial on Day 3.
As soon as the results were out, <Intellectual> said, “No need to put off the selection vote now, right?”
“What? That’s still too soon! Especially as Reina’s not limiting the time!”
“We have to finish it before 10 p.m. And you voted ‘no’, <Humanities>. Only two players voted ‘no’ along with <Social Worker>, which means…”
“……!!”
As if he had control over the tides, <Intellectual> shot a heartless look at those who voted ‘no’, and the players all followed. <Hothead> chimed in and shot back instead of <Humanities> Junsung. “Hey! We just assumed that <Social Worker’s> winning method is the only way for all of us to live, so we cast the dissenting votes, choosing to believe her, okay? And you accuse us of being the mafia? We can all take 400 million won each, without dying!”
“Without the doctor’s cooperation, someone would be killed overnight a hundred percent. What do you mean we can all live?”
“I mean, we should wait a while for the doctor to come around…!”
“Oh, keep your mouth shut.”
<Intellectual> ignored <Hothead> and began to tap furiously on his tablet. He sent <Humanities> Junsung a call for help.
Intellectual: Hey, say yes to starting the selection right away. And select Social Worker.
Intellectual: I’m sending this message to everyone but Social Worker.
Humanities: Huh? So you want us to all work together and kill Social Worker?
Humanities: The person who’s capable of the winning method?
Intellectual: No, not that.
Intellectual: I’m going to end this game with just one trial, once and for all.
Humanities: With one trial?
Humanities: How’re you going to do that?
<Intellectual> did not answer <Humanities> Junsung’s last question. Instead, <Janitor> who had been glancing at his own tablet put up his hand. “Hey, <Intellectual> is encouragin’ me to do the selection vote out in the open. But he ain’t tellin’ me the plan. What’s goin’ on?”
“I can’t tell you the plan. But I guarantee that this winning method will definitely work.”
“So killing <Social Worker> is the winning method?”
“N-no. If it works, we can even save <Social Worker>.”
“……??”
<Intellectual> was obviously saying these things and playing dirty to put <Social Worker> on trial. He could not be trusted or even understood. The conference room turned into a scene of chaos with all 10 players shouting and yelling all at once.
“So you want us to hold the trial that would kill someone without sharing your plan? We can just wait for the doctor to come forward!”
“I was going to vote for Social Worker anyway, as she confessed that she was mafia. But we can’t give up on the winning method…”
“We can just select her and vote against her in the elimination vote. You understand that, right, <Social Worker>?”
“That’s what I want, too, but it seems like you’re all just going to vote for me just because I’m the mafia. It’s just best to convince the doctor. We should wait.”
“But the doctor won’t come forward!”
Even the usually quiet players were speaking up. The time when everyone remained silent in the conference room was gone. As the room became noisy, much like a busy marketplace, <A.I> Reina said, [Okay, everyone, attention. <Intellectual> wants to hold the selection vote, and <Social Worker> is against it. Everyone else, well, you just have no backbone. Any other opinions?]
<Humanities> Junsung immediately objected. “Why the rush? You said there was no time limit until 10 p.m. for discussion. Don’t butt in!”
[I just want to explain the flow as the host. If you hold the trial at 10 p.m. and a mafia member gets eliminated as a result… According to the rules, the citizens should get a chance to hold one more trial on the same day, but that chance will automatically be lost.]
“Huh? What the hell do you mean? It’s in the rules, and you’re ignoring them?”
[Well, this is because it would be past 10 p.m., which means the daytime will be over. It’s kind of like when your time is up at a karaoke bar, and you get to sing your last song till the end but can’t request any more songs. Get it?]
Huh. Pretty good comparison, actually.
As cunning and sneaky as <A.I> Reina was, she was pointing out the “chance of the next trial” that the players were all thinking about. She may have done them a favor by pointing this out, but <Humanities> Junsung was strangely offended. It seemed like an artificial interference disguised in the form of a natural explanation. This interference was a display of power. <Christian> and <Hothead> began to express similar views.
“Then shouldn’t we hurry this selection?” asked <Christian>.
“If we’re going to do it anyway, we might as well get it over with… I guess,” said <Hothead>.
Seriously? Without even hearing what <Intellectual> has to say about ending the game today?
Not that he would spill anyway. The selection vote began without any clarity on the outcome. The result that came out a few minutes later was exactly as expected.
<Selection Vote for Day 3: Result>
<Social Worker> 8 votes, <Intellectual> 1 vote, <Janitor> 1 vote
<Social Worker>: Intellectual, Engineering, Christian, Schoolgirl, Janitor, Old Man, Muscle Man, Humanities
<Intellectual>: Hothead
<Janitor>: Social Worker
Result: <Social Worker> put on trial.
[Go ahead and sit in the head seat, <Social Worker>. And now you have 10 minutes…]
<00:10:00>
The 10 minute-window was going to lead the selection target to either life or death. <Social Worker> was shackled to the head seat. She looked at everyone, biting her bottom lip. All eyes fell on <Intellectual>, who smiled contentedly. “Finally, the moment I’ve been waiting for.”
“You’re not going to just convince us to kill this one mafia member, are you? With all that expected value crap?”
“No way. This is much better.”
“……?”
<Intellectual> gently placed his tablet on the table, stood up, and walked over to <Social Worker> in the head seat, slowly and with poise. Then he said, “Tell us who the other two mafia members are.”