After lunch.

Everyone spontaneously finished the cleanup work, putting the leftover food in the fridge, throwing away the trash, and washing the dishes clean.

Everything was tidied up, and some people were still in high spirits, chatting in small groups on the sofas in the hall.

Others chose to return to their rooms to rest.

Although the red wine wasn't very strong and no one got drunk, there had just been a game earlier today, and the intense focus followed by relaxation made everyone inevitably feel tired.

Yang Yuting yawned, feeling a bit tired herself, so after greeting Li Renshu and Xu Tong, she left the hall to head back to her room for a nap.

"The entire second floor is like a maze."

Yang Yuting couldn't help but complain again.

She had made a similar remark the first time she came here.

From the outside, the small building in the community didn't look large, but it was actually quite expansive on the inside. Especially the second floor, which had twelve different rooms, each entrance cleverly separated, making the entire second floor's structure extremely complex and confusing.

Even now, Yang Yuting still had some difficulty finding her room.

However, as she neared her door, she suddenly paused.

Because Wang Yongxin was standing not far away, seemingly waiting for her.

"Sorry to disturb you, but there are a few questions I'd like to talk to you about privately."

Wang Yongxin was quite polite, and this politeness suggested to Yang Yuting that even if she refused, Wang Yongxin wouldn't insist.

After a brief consideration, Yang Yuting nodded: "Alright, where shall we talk?"

Wang Yongxin pointed to the stairway going up: "To the third floor, there are many separate small rooms."

The two of them went up the stairs to the third floor and casually found a secluded small room to enter.

Wang Yongxin looked around to ensure no one was nearby, then locked the door behind them.

This action made Yang Yuting a little nervous, but not overly alarmed.

After all, the community rules absolutely prohibited any harmful or violent acts between players.

Yang Yuting thought Wang Yongxin was a smart person and shouldn't be foolish enough to cross that line.

Of course, the rules didn't seem to prohibit deceit or soft control methods like psychological manipulation, but the scenarios for such strategies were limited, and their success rate was not high, so it wasn't a major concern.

Sure enough, Wang Yongxin made no excessive moves, instead sitting down on a single sofa nearby, casually explaining: "With ears everywhere, it's safer to be a bit cautious."

Yang Yuting was curious: "What do you want to talk about that requires such caution?"

Wang Yongxin had drunk a fair amount of red wine during the gathering, yet he showed no signs of intoxication, rather he was quite sober.

"I want to talk about the future of our community."

This statement surprised Yang Yuting.

She truly didn't understand why Wang Yongxin would bring up such a topic.

This community... does it even have a future worth planning for?

So far, most people had reluctantly accepted their presence in this "New World."

Their primary concern was how to survive the next game, how to earn as much visa time as possible, how to prolong their stay here.

The community, compared to the dangerous Walkway, was more like a simple safe zone.

Here, people chatted, helped each other, reviewed previous games together, and prepared for the next ones.

Occasionally, they could also enjoy a feast like now, relieving stress, supporting each other to move forward.

Though everyone got through this game safely, what about next time? And the time after that?

Perhaps the community might soon face a reduction in numbers, or other unexpected events might occur. In such cases, discussing or planning the community's future seemed meaningless.

After a moment's thought, Yang Yuting responded: "I think even if we need to consider such things, it's not really up to us to worry about them, is it?"

Wang Yongxin chuckled: "Given the current situation, indeed, it's not up to us. But that's precisely the issue, isn't it?

"Haven't you noticed?

"Today's resolution added a new rule to the community, directly altering our future way of living here.

"And such a significant resolution was discussed by five people in a small room.

"The remaining seven of us were effectively excluded."

His expression turned serious: "This time, the resolution was unanimously welcomed.

"But what about next time? And the time after that?

"Imagine a resolution suggesting all your remaining visa time be equally distributed, or requiring you to surrender 70% of the visa time earned from each game. And what if the resolution gets seven votes and passes?

"What would happen?

"Don't assume it's impossible; this is entirely feasible within the rules."

Yang Yuting paused: "You mean... the tyranny of the majority?

"But... whether it's Fu Chen or Li Renshu, they seem friendly and responsible, unlikely to propose such extreme measures.

"Moreover, even if proposed, it's hard to get seven votes; surely people aren't short-sighted enough.

"If today they can vote to divide my visa time, tomorrow they can vote to divide someone else's. Continuing like this, everyone would be in constant fear, and the mutual trust in the community would cease to exist.

"We are a community of shared interests; as long as we grasp this basic logical relationship, the first step won't falter."

Wang Yongxin asked meaningfully: "In this 'we' you mentioned, am I included?"

Yang Yuting nodded: "Of course."

Wang Yongxin pursued further: "Then are you sure the 'we' in others' minds includes you?"

Yang Yuting hesitated: "I suppose so?"

Wang Yongxin chuckled again, then asked: "Then why weren't you in that small room this morning?"

Yang Yuting was momentarily at a loss for words.

Wang Yongxin calmly stared at her: "All you've said boils down to one thing: relying on others' conscience.

"But how can you be sure of Fu Chen or Li Renshu's true nature?

"A simple question: do you think the five people who discussed the resolution were chosen at random?"

Yang Yuting was lost in thought.

"Those five people..."

Fu Chen, Li Renshu, Cai Zhiyuan, Cao Haichuan, Lin Sizhi.

"You mean to say that Fu Chen, Li Renshu, Cai Zhiyuan, and Cao Haichuan were in the same team in previous games, thus forming a closer trust, creating a small group ahead of time?" Yang Yuting speculated.

Wang Yongxin shook his head slightly: "That's part of it, but there are other factors.

"Li Renshu is a public servant, Cao Haichuan is a policeman, Lin Sizhi is a lawyer.

"Understand? Their professions are naturally 'managers.'

"And remember when we first discussed the 'Wheel of Redemption' and other games, these people spoke notably more frequently than others.

"This means they have not only better mutual trust but also professional and ideological alignment, the key is they are relatively influential in this community.

"So, any resolution unanimously agreed upon by these five is likely to be implemented.

"The opinions of the remaining seven people are essentially irrelevant. They're either followers of one of these five or become marginalized voters rendering any opposition meaningless.

"Today's events have demonstrated this perfectly.

"These five are essentially the 'power core' of our entire community.

"This power core formed within just two or three days; do you think that's a coincidence?"

Yang Yuting furrowed her brows, lowering her head in deep thought.

"But your perspective... isn't it a bit... too political?"

Wang Yongxin smiled: "Is politics a bad word?

"Where there are people, there is politics.

"Moreover, we are in a particularly special environment now, twelve people, each able to propose resolutions, each able to vote on them.

"And the resolutions are intimately tied to each of our vital interests.

"In such an environment, if you don't concern yourself with politics, politics will surely concern itself with you."

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