The Voting Segment

Yaxiu opened his eyes and found that he had already left Shattered Lake Prison. He truly had left. Even his light screen had popped up a notification: [Notice: You have now left the Shattered Lake Prison Special Service Area. Welcome to the Kaimeng Service Area. Reply "KM" to this message to receive the latest Kaimeng City travel guides.] Yet he hadn't completely left either. After all, Shattered Lake Prison was barely ten paces behind him. That might not sound like much, but as mentioned before, the primary reason Shattered Lake Prison served as an exclusive luxury grand hotel for condemned death row inmates was its absolute isolation. And that absolute isolation was founded on the fact that Shattered Lake Prison was an aquatic fortress standing alone in the middle of an inland sea. So when Yaxiu looked down, he could see the blood moon in the sky reflected on the pitch-black water dozens of meters below—so beautiful it felt like a dream, so magnificent it made one lament their own insignificance. This should have been a romantic moment where one couldn't help but pour out their deepest poetic feelings, yet the only thing Yaxiu couldn't help right now was his legs trembling. After all, when a person is standing suspended dozens of meters above the sea with barely a single square meter of footing, anyone's legs would shake. "Ah! Aaaaargh!" Not far away, a death row convict let out a shrill scream. "Why am I here?! Let me back in, let me back in!" "Didn't I just walk out of the dining hall?!" "This isn't where the Blood Moon Trial is supposed to happen!" "A complaint! I'm filing a complaint with the council! You are trampling on death row inmates' human rights!" Just as the condemned convicts were shouting and screaming, a familiar and terrifying voice echoed from behind them: "Gentlemen, ladies, death row convicts—it is now eight o'clock in the evening, Kaimeng time. Good evening, everyone. I am your supervisor for tonight, Nagu Macmillan." The death row inmates turned their heads one after another, only to discover that right behind them was the Sea-Watching Rooftop. At this moment, the rooftop was brightly illuminated. Nagu stood on its edge, yet he wasn't looking at the prisoners; instead, he was looking at six hovering eyes in midair that seemed to be burning with flame. Though it was Yaxiu's first time seeing them, he could guess by instinct that those six eyes were this world's camera equipment. "As everyone can see, the Blood Moon Trial has begun. Viewers wishing to browse the detailed profiles of the condemned inmates may focus on the prisoners' faces; if you wish to switch viewing angles, focus on the various camera eyes on the left. Anyone can silently recite 'Kaimeng Channel 1' to directly tune in to this trial. On the right side of the screen, you will find the rules and information for tonight's proceedings." *Anyone...* With a thought, Yaxiu silently recited "Kaimeng Channel 1." Sure enough, a livestream broadcast appeared on his light screen. He could even see someone tilting their head to sneak a peek backward, looking rather comical—it was none other than himself. "Tonight's mode is a brand-new format: 'Repentance on the Wire.' The specific rules and information are as follows." Nagu said calmly, "First, this is the season when finger sharks swim upstream into Shattered Lake to breed. According to past records, there are currently thirty-five thousand finger sharks gathered in Shattered Lake. Any animal that falls into Shattered Lake will be reduced to bloody froth and vanish. The Anglers' Association would like to remind everyone that due to the proliferation and availability of finger sharks this month, the monthly fishing competition has temporarily suspended point tallies for finger sharks. Members, please take note." As he spoke, Nagu kicked a dead pig by his feet into the lake. The moment the dead pig hit the water and kicked up a splash, hundreds of finger-sized little sharks swarmed in frenzy, and the surface of the water seemed to boil. Two seconds later, the carcass of the dead pig was gone. Not to mention flesh and blood—not even a single bone remained! Seeing this scene, Yaxiu's legs didn't just tremble; they went completely weak. "Second, meteorological sorcerers have declared tonight a night of unrest for storm sorcery spirits, and the northeastern region of Kaimeng is a temporary no-fly zone. The Sorcerer Association reminds all storm-faction sorcerers to take proper safety precautions tonight and remove all metal items before entering the Void Realm." Nagu took out a sheet of iron and flicked it toward the sky. *Crack!* A bolt of clear-sky thunder ripped through the night sky, blasting the iron sheet to dust! "Third, when the trial's voting begins, an 'Executioner' will spawn on the platform where each condemned inmate currently stands. For this trial, the Executioners have received the enhancement 'Purging Flame.' The Purging Flame burns around the Executioner; it inflicts no physical harm, but it violently sears the souls of the wicked, incinerating sinful transgressions. "However, rest assured, convicts: as long as you are pure and innocent or truly penitent, you can completely ignore the effects of the Purging Flame." *Got it. That means either jump down to become fish food, or stay where you are and be burned to death in agony... Wait, hold on!* Yaxiu suddenly realized a loophole. He wasn't the real Yaxiu Heath. What sins could he possibly have?! He had almost gotten too immersed in his role—he was a completely innocent wandering soul from another world! "Fourth, in front of each condemned inmate lies a steel wire extending to a safe platform in the distance. Various weapons have been placed on that large platform." When the lights swept over, Yaxiu saw that there indeed was a thin steel wire extending from beneath his feet, looking sharp enough to slice a person in two with ease. And at the end of this hundred-meter steel wire was a large platform strewn with all kinds of weapons: sabers, swords, spears, halberds, and even firearms and cannons. "Fifth is the Blood Moon rule familiar to all. When the voting round concludes, the condemned inmate with the most votes will have the honor of obtaining tonight's quota for redemption. If anyone secures fifty percent of the total votes ahead of time, the voting round will immediately end, and we will proceed straight to the execution phase. "Every single vote will become power for the Executioner. Channeling the collective sense of justice of countless citizens, the Executioner will execute the condemned inmate and deliver their soul with its own hands to the Blood Moon Heaven, where the most benevolent and merciful Blood Moon Sovereign shall forgive their sins and transgressions. "These are the rules for tonight's Blood Moon Trial." Nagu turned to face the condemned convicts and snapped his fingers. "Now, central control, please release the restrictions on our eight recipients of redemption." As soon as Nagu's words fell, multiple notifications popped up on Yaxiu's light screen: [Void Realm Access: Granted] [Sorcery Power Output: Permitted] [Attack Restrictions: Lifted] Dozens of notices like this flashed in rapid succession. Combined with the utter relief spreading through his body—as refreshing as finally clearing a stubborn bout of constipation—there was no doubt this was what Healer 222 had spoken of: the only time condemned inmates regained their freedom. During the Blood Moon Trial, the prison lifted most of the prisoners' restrictions! "Sinners, strive to repent. Beneath the shine of the blood moon, penitence is the sole path to redemption." Nagu smiled faintly, spread his arms wide, and announced loudly: "Let the voting segment begin! Viewers, cast your solemn vote to become the strength upholding justice, to become the benevolence redeeming sinners! "This very moment is the hour of judgment!" Yaxiu suddenly felt a chill wash over his body, as if the surrounding temperature had plunged ten degrees. He looked down and saw the glow of the blood moon cast upon the platform twisting, shifting, and taking shape like tentacles, gradually coalescing behind him into a crimson, hideous, spiky monstrosity! Its body was shrouded in eerie blue flames, illuminating Yaxiu's horrified face! Instinctively, Yaxiu took a step back. But the moment he stepped back, his heel caught the edge! If he hadn't shifted his center of gravity in the nick of time, he would have tumbled right off to become a midnight snack for the finger sharks! *Why me...* Just as Yaxiu uttered the soulful cry that every unlucky bastard was bound to make, the notification flashing in the top-left corner of the livestream screen answered his question: [Current Leading Vote-Getter: Yaxiu Heath, 49 votes.]