How Are They Still Dying

In the original work "The Trickster's Tavern" from his previous life, one naturally couldn't actively flip cards, either keeping them face down on the table or shuffling them.

But in the illusory realm, there was no need to be bound by such rules.

The interactivity between players would also increase.

Lu Ze's move of proactively flipping one of the [Heaven] cards thoroughly shocked the other three.

"Brother Lu, what a move! I never thought it could be played like this..."

Xu Hao was stunned, and he couldn't help but start pondering as well.

"It seems the 'Demon Lu' still went easy on me!"

The moment the words "Demon Lu" slipped out, Chen Yiyun hurriedly covered her mouth.

If Lu Ze had been flipping cards while deceiving her back then, she didn’t even dare imagine how badly she would have been tricked.

Wang Tianjing stared at the revealed [Heaven] card, his expression growing even more solemn.

Flipping a [Heaven] card?

What did this mean?

Was it intimidation? Or was he just stirring the pot?

Wang Tianjing felt his head was about to split open.

Whether it was because he was already on the brink of life and death or because there were too many elements of truth and deception at play, his analysis of every possible outcome had become uncertain.

'Calm down, stay calm...'

Wang Tianjing silently repeated to himself, steadying his breathing first.

'Why did he suddenly flip a [Heaven] card?'

'Even if he didn’t flip it, I already knew he had four [Heaven] cards in his hand!'

'Why, why...'

'Wait a minute!'

The moment a possibility flashed through his mind, his eyes snapped open in realization.

His earlier analysis had been based on Lu Ze holding four [Heaven] cards.

But if he only had three, there was a low-probability strategy—using one real and two fakes to deceive everyone, then playing two real cards to win outright!

That must be why he suddenly flipped a [Heaven] card!

Lu Ze didn’t have four [Heaven] cards—he only had three!

Having deduced this, Wang Tianjing’s expression brightened.

In his eyes now, the odds of calling a bluff were far higher than letting it slide.

Just then, the corners of Lu Ze’s lips curled up once more.

Without a word, he flipped a second card.

Another [Heaven]!

Wang Tianjing was dumbfounded.

All the conclusions he had just drawn were instantly overturned!

How many real cards did Lu Ze actually have—three or four?

If it was three, this was a trap meant to bait him into calling a bluff and walking to his doom.

If it was four, the last one had to be fake!

'Which one is it?'

Wang Tianjing’s frown deepened.

He retraced the entire sequence of events from the beginning...

Why had Lu Ze flipped a second [Heaven] card after the first one?

After the first flip, the number of real cards in his hand—three or four—was already uncertain.

Flipping a second one only seemed excessive, drastically reducing the likelihood of him holding three real cards...

Wait!

Could it be...

He was doing it on purpose?

Wang Tianjing thought carefully.

When had Lu Ze flipped the second [Heaven] card?

Right after he had deduced that Lu Ze might have three real cards and was about to call his bluff.

At that moment, he had "accidentally" let slip a pleased expression.

But in reality, it was something he had deliberately shown Lu Ze.

In other words—

Lu Ze had guessed his thoughts and immediately flipped a second card to counter him?

So...

Lu Ze didn’t want to be challenged?

Just as Wang Tianjing was hesitating, Lu Ze suddenly chuckled.

"Brother Wang seems to be struggling."

Wang Tianjing looked up just in time to see Lu Ze rubbing his nose.

His eyes lit up.

As an astute card player, he knew everyone had certain tells.

Lu Ze was no exception.

Every time he lied, he would subconsciously touch his nose.

He recalled another detail—

When Lu Ze had played three [Heaven] cards earlier, his hand had started to move toward his nose but then stopped, as if deliberately hiding the habit!

But now, Lu Ze must have felt so confident that he carelessly revealed his tell!

Combining this with his earlier analysis, Wang Tianjing quickly reached a conclusion—

Lu Ze was lying!

He had played two real cards and one fake, planning to escape in the second round!

It was a high-risk, high-reward tactic...

But he had slipped up at the last moment!

"Brother Lu, Brother Lu... you must not have noticed that you can’t help but rub your nose when you lie, right?"

Wang Tianjing, now certain of victory, smirked confidently and slammed the table.

"I call your bluff!"

"Oh?"

Lu Ze raised an eyebrow, his amusement deepening.

"What if I told you... I did that on purpose?"

The cards were flipped—all three were [Heaven]!

"What!?"

Wang Tianjing’s eyes widened in disbelief.

He remembered the first round, when Lu Ze had rubbed his nose while playing three fake cards.

He never would have guessed that Lu Ze had been deceiving him from the very beginning.

"I concede defeat!"

Wang Tianjing picked up the hand crossbow beside him without hesitation.

The moment he pulled the trigger, his head exploded.

The game ended.

Lu Ze secured ownership of the secret treasure and completed the "Eliminate a Righteous Cultivator" mission requirement.

[Mission Complete!]

[Host, leading the demonic faction, successfully eliminated a righteous disciple and seized the secret treasure of the secret realm.]

[Reward obtained: Soul-Refining Jade Nectar (enhances the strength of refined souls)]

Lu Ze glanced at the reward.

Well, he had no use for it himself, but it would be perfect for Zhong Yi’s cybernetic soul.

Another upgrade for his top-tier workhorse.

"Now that the treasure is mine, shall we head out?"

Lu Ze yawned.

"Wait! Let’s play a few more rounds!"

Wang Tianjing grabbed Lu Ze’s arm, refusing to let him leave.

"Yeah, yeah! This illusory realm is way too fun—let’s keep playing!"

Xu Hao and Chen Yiyun chimed in as well.

"Senior Brother outside is probably getting impatient."

Lu Ze shrugged.

He really didn’t feel like bullying amateurs.

Especially since these guys were only at the Golden Core stage—the demonic faction rewards were too meager.

"Brother Lu, if it’s about the stakes, no problem! I can offer a magic treasure from my own collection!"

"I can contribute a rare spiritual herb!"

"I don’t have much on me, but I can put up some spirit stones!"

......

At the entrance of the secret realm—

"BOOM—!!"

A deafening explosion echoed.

The cultivation restriction of the secret realm was shattered by the combined efforts of countless elders.

A rift, just large enough for a person, appeared.

"Zhong Yi, hurry! Go find them!!"

Zhao Wendao clutched his chest, shouting weakly.

"Yes!!"

Before Zhao Wendao could finish, Zhong Yi and the other two had already rushed into the secret realm.

The illusion crystal they carried transmitted Elder Chi’s voice intermittently.

"Another... another one’s dead!!"

Hearing this, everyone’s hearts clenched.

Out of four, three had already perished—only one remained.

"Junior Brother Lu... you have to stay alive..."

Zhong Yi muttered anxiously.

The next moment, Chi Shengtian’s update plunged everyone into despair.

"It’s over, it’s over!! Another headshot—they’re all dead!!!"

In that instant, an overwhelming surge of spiritual energy erupted from the three.

Li Moran’s aura was the most terrifying—

The entire secret realm was instantly blanketed in ice and snow.

"Kill... kill every last one of these demonic bastards!"

Zhong Yi’s eyes burned with bloodlust.

However, in the next moment, Elder Chi muttered in confusion:

"What's going on? Another... another one died?"

Instantly, the three of them froze.

Elder Chi's divination was only meant for the four disciples who had entered.

Now, five deaths in a row—what did that mean?

Before they could process it, Elder Chi continued with a strange expression:

"And another one... What in the world is happening?"

Though bewildered, the trio quickened their pace.

Soon, the entrance to the treasure site came into view.

"Senior Brother, I see them!!" Mu Yawen exclaimed excitedly.

Zhong Yi looked up and saw the four of them sitting in a circle, perfectly unharmed, each holding an Illusion Tower.

Around them, bound demonic cultivators lay scattered in disarray.

At the center, a projection of the illusion played out.

Xu Hao's head was pierced by a crossbow bolt, and he slowly collapsed to the ground.

The four of them were playing with unbridled enthusiasm.

In that instant, the three of them realized—

So the divination had been predicting events inside the illusion all along!!

Zhong Yi was dumbstruck, turning to the other two with a dazed expression:

"Hey..."

"Should we join in for a round?"