Death Game: Starting as a Trickster, Pretending to Be a God

Chapter 291: Confronting Obsession, Beholding the Future

Fluoxetineʼs actions undoubtedly garnered far more widespread attention than Lin Yuʼs previous photo—attention that wasnʼt even on the same scale.

Whether it was the earlier fire-propelled glide across the river surface, or writing a cryptic English phrase with flames atop the Jinmao Tower—one of the tallest buildings in Jiangchengʼs city center—both quickly captured attention throughout Jiangcheng.

While cognitive interference could modify details, something like this couldnʼt be ignored by the simple citizens of Jiangcheng.

Although the sharp-nosed ʼOrderʼ and the ʼNight Watchmenʼ—whose members surfed the internet intensely 24/7—immediately recognized this might be some playerʼs doing and quickly moved to control public opinion, steering the narrative toward ”fireworks displays,” ”stunt shows,” and ”marketing,” while those working in public service systems did their best to prevent official media from reporting it...

In this era where everyone has a smartphone, social attention couldnʼt be so easily erased.

At least within various local group chats in Jiangcheng, related videos and photos kept emerging endlessly.

Players who were still living normal lives as part of this society could also see these messages.

And they quickly realized with sharp intuition...

”This has to be some playerʼs work, so cool!” Chen Zhuo exclaimed at home while opening a local anime fan group chat and watching the forwarded videos.

Fu Luo, eating Jiangchengʼs specialty night market snack—bean skin pancakes—at a street stall, frowned. ”Why does Jiangcheng have so much trouble the moment I arrive...”
In a suburban villa, Li Nian opened her phone at the dining table, glanced at the lively group chat, then looked at her parents eating together.

”What unfortunate timing... If they hadnʼt returned tonight, maybe I couldʼve gone to check out the excitement.”

But for most players, like Chen Zhuo and Fu Luo, it was just after-dinner entertainment.

Though they had more thoughts about it than non-player ordinary people, it didnʼt lead to any special considerations.

Even those like Li Nian who considered joining the excitement ultimately didnʼt go because it seemed somewhat meaningless after all.

Jiangcheng didnʼt have few players, but among all these players, none actually intended to go see for themselves.

Except...

Lin Yu at home.

He saw footage shot by enthusiasts using drones, clearly seeing the somewhat blurry English phrase.

”God has given you one face, and you make yourself another.”

Others might not grasp it, but Lin Yu knew perfectly well.

This was a reference originating from theater.

It came from William Shakespeareʼs most famous work, the most renowned among the four great tragedies—Hamlet.

From Act 3, itʼs the classic line spoken by the protagonist Hamlet to his fiancée Ophelia.

Appearing at this special moment, Lin Yu naturally thought...

This was very likely a signal left for him by ʼFluoxetine.ʼ

Knowing that someone had stolen her ”appearance”—something possibly only she in the world knew—adapting this line was practically the perfect coded message.

”Faster than I expected. I thought it would take some time for that photo to reach Fluoxetine.”

Originally, Lin Yu had planned that if nothing happened for a few days, heʼd actively find a way to have certain acquaintances ”accidentally discover” it and leak it to the player community—even if these major organizations had opposing stances, information was practically shared between them.

After all, everyone was striving to learn what others knew.

But regardless...

Lin Yu was already prepared to keep the appointment.

He once again quietly left home under the cover of night.

Although since becoming a ʼPlayer,ʼ Lin Yu had grown almost accustomed to such things.

But today, for the first time in a long while, he felt nervous and excited again.

Because this time...

He would truly face the person who killed him, the one he cared about most among all players.

Until now, as he adapted to the ʼDeath Gameʼ—even gaining many benefits as a ʼPlayer,ʼ with his acting skills growing through repeated desperate situations—Lin Yu often marveled at the bizarre nature of his current life and the constant tension, but he had accepted this reality.

Therefore, his hatred and resentment toward ʼFluoxetineʼ had naturally dissipated—how could that be possible!

Thinking of that strange, neurotic girl and her insane organization ʼPsychological Societyʼ behind her, recalling that perfectly aimed shot to the heart that made him bid farewell to normal life and face potential death at any moment...

After a month and experiencing five dungeons, Lin Yu couldnʼt let go of it at all.

The hatred in his heart indeed wasnʼt as blazingly intense, but it had become more enduring.

Lin Yu admitted he was the type to hold grudges—at least the hatred for being killed, he couldnʼt forget even slightly.

So...

”Come on, Fluoxetine, Iʼm coming to see you!”

He headed toward the Jinmao Tower, wearing the beautiful dress heʼd prepared, his appearance once again identical to that long-thought-about enemy he was about to meet.

Lin Yu set off leisurely, arriving exactly an hour later.

Below the Jinmao Tower, many enthusiasts had already gathered taking photos.

The flames on the rooftop were still burning—not out of control, but not extinguished either.

Lin Yu didnʼt know what method ʼFluoxetineʼ had used, but even the Jinmao Towerʼs security showed no intention of going up to put out the fire.

But anyway...

His intuition told him Fluoxetine should still be up there.

And it wasnʼt difficult for Lin Yu to sneak up.

”Hannah, please.”

”Ribbit! At your command, Director!”

As Hannah spoke, Lin Yu seemed to melt away within the bustling crowd, his figure disappearing.

He easily passed through the Jinmao Towerʼs main entrance, lightly bypassing the access control, feeling the noisy world behind the door gradually fade away.

Then, he opened the stairwell door to the emergency exit, climbing floor by floor toward the rooftop.

After all, everyone was trying their utmost to learn what others knew.

Lin Yu arrived before the door to the rooftop terrace.

In the quiet corridor, he took a deep breath, placed the [Fear Torch] and [One-Shot Revolver] within easy reach, activated all buffs from the [Bliss Immortal Pot] on himself, once again checked all available items, ensuring he could do everything possible...

”The performance begins.”

He whispered to himself, then revealed a brilliant smile on his face—pious yet containing madness, just like Fluoxetineʼs.

Lin Yu pushed open the fire door. Behind it, within the dancing flames, the girl wearing a black plaid skirt and shirt with shiny hair clips turned around, looking at the figure emerging from the stairwell shadows—identical to herself—her eyes sparkling.

”Oh my, oh my.”

She giggled charmingly, her bright eyes reflecting the firelight, filled with undisguised surprise.

”It actually looks almost exactly the same in person—this is amazing!”

Fluoxetine spoke, exclaiming in admiration: ”How did you do it? Disguise, puppet, duplicate, or... or illusion?”

As she spoke, Lin Yu responded in nearly the same tone.

”None of those... itʼs ʼTimeʼ.”

”My past self, my naive self... I am you from the future.”

Lin Yu spoke these nearly unbelievable words.

Simultaneously...

He felt immensely grateful to a certain crow in his heart—the inspiration for this plot point naturally came from that strange crow deityʼs earlier joke with him!