Thinking back now, it's clear that the purpose of the secret room sending us to the third basement level was to prepare for the upcoming mantis.

The pool that was clear just now... How did it suddenly become so murky? And there's a bend, coming at us like a crocodile.

Anyone with eyes could see something was swimming towards us.

I grabbed Makai and frantically swam towards a higher canister, but the creature in the water relentlessly pursued us, raising its scythe and slashing fiercely at my arm!

Makai exclaimed, "My God!"

In order to drag me in front of the K-star people, Makai really went all out, grabbing my collar and throwing me onto the canister.

But Makai really is strong; I swallowed a few mouthfuls of dirty water, yet she pulled me out of the water in one go.

The mantis wouldn't let me go, just kept targeting me with chops, left and right, and there was another one in the water.

Just as their scythes were about to land on my neck, Uncle Police, out of nowhere, pulled out a forearm-long folding knife. Note here, "Secret Room Rules" didn't say you can't bring knives, so everyone brought them, right?

Uncle Police struck the mantis on the back of its neck with the knife, cleanly chopping off its head.

Or how else do you think I hoped to save No. 9 earlier? As a paleontologist, she would have recognized at a glance that the mantis wasn't real, but made of machinery.

Turns out, after all the fuss, these giant mantises were fake, and what Uncle Police was holding wasn't a bloody monster's head, but a sparking robot.

The K-star people seem to be particularly skilled in mechanics, always able to create very exquisite machines, and the mantises were no exception, made by them as props.

But for Uncle Police, he violated Rule 6 of the "Secret Room Rules," "Do not push, insult, or beat the staff, and do not damage the props." He also brought a cellphone and concealed his police identity, violating three rules, and that annoying badge began to beep again.

"Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep."

Everyone's face showed a look of desperate terror, followed by a crisp "bang," and No. 4 turned into a mist of blood, falling into the pool.

If I had judged earlier that the mantis was real, then according to the "Doomsday Act," these Cretaceous mantises could be caught.

According to the "Doomsday Act":

1. Once "Doomsday" commences, all laws are immediately nullified, and everything is governed by the "Doomsday Act."

2. During Doomsday, going outside is prohibited, as is any form of escapism.

3. Humans living in the fortress are considered residents.

4. Residents must not damage historical artifacts within the fortress.

5. Residents may use Cretaceous mantises for food.

If No. 9 were still here, she could have discerned Rule 5, that real mantises could indeed be caught and killed.

Actually, I feel that No. 4, the policeman, seemed more like an uncle to me; he once incisively saw through my thoughts.

He said, "Andy, is Makai really just the sister living next to you, that simple?"

No, it's not that simple.

Thinking back now, it's clear that the purpose of the secret room sending us to the third basement level was to prepare for the upcoming mantis.

The pool that was clear just now... How did it suddenly become so murky? And there's a bend, coming at us like a crocodile.

Anyone with eyes could see something was swimming towards us.

I grabbed Makai and frantically swam towards a higher canister, but the creature in the water relentlessly pursued us, raising its scythe and slashing fiercely at my arm!

Makai exclaimed, "My God!"

In order to drag me in front of the K-star people, Makai really went all out, grabbing my collar and throwing me onto the canister.

But Makai really is strong; I swallowed a few mouthfuls of dirty water, yet she pulled me out of the water in one go.

The mantis wouldn't let me go, just kept targeting me with chops, left and right, and there was another one in the water.

Just as their scythes were about to land on my neck, Uncle Police, out of nowhere, pulled out a forearm-long folding knife. Note here, "Secret Room Rules" didn't say you can't bring knives, so everyone brought them, right?

Uncle Police struck the mantis on the back of its neck with the knife, cleanly chopping off its head.

Or how else do you think I hoped to save No. 9 earlier? As a paleontologist, she would have recognized at a glance that the mantis wasn't real, but made of machinery.

Turns out, after all the fuss, these giant mantises were fake, and what Uncle Police was holding wasn't a bloody monster's head, but a sparking robot.

The K-star people seem to be particularly skilled in mechanics, always able to create very exquisite machines, and the mantises were no exception, made by them as props.

But for Uncle Police, he violated Rule 6 of the "Secret Room Rules," "Do not push, insult, or beat the staff, and do not damage the props." He also brought a cellphone and concealed his police identity, violating three rules, and that annoying badge began to beep again.

"Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep."

Everyone's face showed a look of desperate terror, followed by a crisp "bang," and No. 4 turned into a mist of blood, falling into the pool.

If I had judged earlier that the mantis was real, then according to the "Doomsday Act," these Cretaceous mantises could be caught.

According to the "Doomsday Act":

1. Once "Doomsday" commences, all laws are immediately nullified, and everything is governed by the "Doomsday Act."

2. During Doomsday, going outside is prohibited, as is any form of escapism.

3. Humans living in the fortress are considered residents.

4. Residents must not damage historical artifacts within the fortress.

5. Residents may use Cretaceous mantises for food.

If No. 9 were still here, she could have discerned Rule 5, that real mantises could indeed be caught and killed.

Actually, I feel that No. 4, the policeman, seemed more like an uncle to me; he once incisively saw through my thoughts.

He said, "Andy, is Makai really just the sister living next to you, that simple?"

No, it's not that simple.