Akiyama-san had concocted a two-part plan to ensure our victory.
*Estimation* Assuming in the next six rounds, Country of Night inspectors call "doubt 100 million" four times and "pass" twice
First, we were to give the Country of Night the lead
Country of Night Third-Country Account
Country of Day Third-Country Account
Country of Day ATM
Country of Night ATM
1.119485 billion
4.22884 billion
1.851675 billion
0 billion
+700 million
+200 million
-300 million
-600 million
in terms of our third-country balances.
1.819485 billion
3.62884 billion
1.751675 billion
Second, we had to get three Country of Night players to defect
and put money directly into our ATM.
We set about the first part of the plan
and gradually began closing the distance between our third-country accounts.
Country of Night
1.369485 billion yen
Third-Country Accounts
1.801675 billion yen
Country of Day
1.419485 billion yen
1.751675 billion yen
Akiyama-san also successfully recruited the second of the turncoats.
Tip-off
We're almost there!
Hey, careful about standing in front of the window.
Yokoya's watching.
R-Right. Sorry.
The Country of Night's been keeping an eye on us.
The bandana guy told me
about the Country of Night's sophisticated system of control.
System of control?
Yeah, the way Yokoya keeps them under his thumb.
In short, it's a finely tuned application of the carrot and the stick.
In the third round, just before the game began,
Yokoya told them this:
I'll be handling our strategy.
Give me all of your cards.
You'll only carry one when acting as the smuggler.
You're handling everything, Yokoya?
S-So you're keeping all the money for yourself?
I'm not as petty as all that.
I can win this game with ease...
But only if you do exactly as I tell you.
With that said,
I'll be giving out loyalty points over the course of the game.
Loyalty points?
A numerical reflection of your subservience to me.
Each time you follow an order, I give you one point.
If you succeed in smuggling, I give you five points.
If you fail, I take away five points.
Acts of insubordination will cost you ten points.
But sniff out someone else's, and that will earn you ten.
That just about covers it.
At the end of the game, I'll pay you from the prize money based on the point totals.
First place gets 300 million,
second gets 250 million, and so on.
By the way...
Seventh and eighth place get nothing.
You're universally 200 million in debt,
so the only way to save yourselves is to rank highly in my esteem.
If you see anyone acting improperly,
catch them on tape and inform me immediately.
These are voice recorders.
I have one for each of you.
Earnest reporting is your shortcut to victory.
I can't believe he really took all of our cards.
Plus this loyalty point crap?
We have to do what he says.
He's the only one who can wipe our 200-million debt clean.
Hey, you think Yokoya's for real? That he can win with ease?
Nah, he's talking out his ass.
I know what this is.
He's gonna take us out on a limb with him.
If we win, lucky us.
If we lose, it's no skin off his nose.
Nah, he's talking out his ass.
I know what this is.
He's gonna take us out on a limb with him.
If we win, lucky us.
If we lose, it's no skin off his nose.
You stabbed me in the back!
I don't know what you mean.
I've always been a devoted servant of Yokoya-sama.
Yokoya-sama?
Well done. I award you ten points.
You're currently first in the standings.
Thank you, sir.
And it's minus ten points for you.
Dead last in the standings.
You're finished for sure at this rate.
Doubt 100 million.
Brilliant! The Country of Day takes back 100 million!
I'm sorry.
We lost the whole 100 million.
You lose five points, as the system demands.
And as an additional punishment...
Someone hit this idiot five times.
Whoever does it gets ten points.
I'm on it.
People do such interesting things when they're being controlled.
The Country of Night became a total surveillance state.
Nobody could trust anyone else,
which made Yokoya's control over them more and more absolute.
That's awful.
That doesn't make any sense!
Can't the people close to the bottom just band together
and stage a coup d'état or something?
What are you, stupid? Nobody's at the bottom.
He's got them all so freaked out, nobody knows how many points anyone has.
Yokoya can just tell them they're in whatever position he wants.
I'm betting he tells them all "You're in fourth place" or something.
In fourth, one screw-up could land you at the bottom,
but one achievement could put you on top.
Which just further tightens his grip on them, you mean?
Part of the tragedy of the Country of Night
is that they're trapped under Yokoya's heinous control.
But what's even worse...
is that no one on their team can trust each other.
That's why I told Bandana and Long Hair,
"We'll accept all three of you in the Country of Day."
Wait a minute! You can't go and do that.
The reason they're willing to move cash for us is because they each think
that they're the only defector for us, right?
After they move one load of cash, I can come clean with them.
I'll tell them I lied about hiding the 1.9 billion.
By that point, the balances will be competitive again.
So, to save themselves, they'll have no choice but to join us
and move the full 1.9 billion.
True.
Think about it.
The minute I entered the inspection room with Long Hair,
Bandana would be thinking, "Is he telling Long Hair the same thing he told me?"
So it was safer to tell them you'd welcome all three of them from the start.
Correct.
But most of all, telling them that gives them all some common ground.
For the first time, amid the paranoia and terror of the Country of Night,
a bond will have formed.
Bonds are what empower people to break free from control.
That's what I think, at least.
I found myself dearly wanting
to crush the Country of Night's system.
The difference between our accounts is less than 200 million now.
Third-Country Account +100 million
Doubt 100 million
100 million
-100 million
Third-Country Account +50 million
Empty
Doubt 100 million
Third-Country Account -50 million
Current Status
Third-Country Accounts
Night
Day
1.569485 billion
1.701675 billion
3.928840 billion
Which means...
If they call doubt of 100 million next time,
we can turn things around on our next inspector turn!
Yes!
Yeah!
That's the first hurdle cleared!
We can just focus on the Country of Night defectors.
Except then...
Doubt 99.99 million.
What did he just say?
And what's in the case?!
It's 100 million!
The doubt fails!
That's 149.995 million into the Country of Day's third-country account!
That's not good.
Yokoya's out to ruin our plan.
Third-Country Accounts
Night
Day
1.519490 billion
1.851670 billion
3.828840 billion
Wow. The gap's widened quite a bit again.
Have they realized what we're doing?
Akiyama's bluff was pretty outlandish.
It seems unlikely he's read that far ahead.
But on the previous turn,
I think he realized we were trying to lose in terms of third-country accounts.
Upon that realization, his thought process would be...
"Why is the Country of Day trying to lose?"
"There can only be one reason."
"They think they have a way of dominating the total asset race."
His calculations would suggest
CASE 1 The trio told their team about the money. The Country of Day thinks... Night: 5.348330 billion (Third Country 1.519490 billion, ATM 3.828840 billion) vs. Day: 1.851670 billion (Third Country 1.851670 billion, ATM 0) Country of Night Dominating They wouldn't try to lose
CASE 2 The trio hasn't told their team about the money. The Country of Day thinks... Night 3.438330 billion (Third Country 1.519490 billion, ATM 1.918840 billion) vs. Day 3.761670 billion (Third Country 1.851670 billion, ATM 1.910000 billion) Close Race They wouldn't try to lose
CASE 3 The trio never moved the money. The Country of Day thinks... Night 3.438330 billion (Third Country 1.519490 billion, ATM 1.918840 billion) vs. Day 3.761670 billion (Third Country 1.851670 billion, ATM 1.910000 billion) Close Race They wouldn't try to lose
there's no way the Country of Day could be dominating.
And so he's hit upon a theory.
"Perhaps someone in the Country of Night has betrayed us
and increased the Country of Day's funds."
But that's almost exactly on the nose!
And that's bad for us.
If Yokoya's realized that much, his next question will be who the traitor is.
Will he think it's Bandana-san and Long Hair-san?
They'll be the first under suspicion.
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Yokoya's aware that Akiyama is our linchpin in the Country of Day,
and they're the only two who have been in the inspection room with him.
What do we do?
He's going to figure out our plan!
No, I don't think he will.
They're convinced that they tried
to get our team to move their money, but that they failed.
That's the reason they agreed to work with us.
Confessing to our plan would mean having to admit
that they screwed up in the first place.
As afraid of Yokoya as they are, I doubt they'll readily fess up.
I see...
Still, we can't assume anything as things stand.
Someone has betrayed us.
It's the only way to explain this situation.
The most likely suspects are...
A moment, if you will.
Hey, did Akiyama explain things?
Y-Yeah.
You went for it, right?
Hell yeah, I did.
I can't stay on a ship I know is sinking.
Let's work together on this, okay?
Yeah. Let's work together and save ourselves.
Sure.
Call the two of them here.
Y-Yes? What can we do for you?
Restrain them.
Yes, sir!
Hey!
Stop it! Let me go!
What are you doing?!
Now, let me explain why I called you here.
Allegations have arisen that you're in league with the Country of Day.
Are the allegations true?
Of course, I didn't expect you to simply admit to it.
But think about it this way...
If you come clean, take on the role of a double agent,
and in doing so, bring about the Country of Day's downfall,
I'll be inclined to reward you handsomely.
With all that said, I'd like to play a game.
I call it the Confession Game.
I'll give you ten minutes.
If you muster up the courage to tell me
about your connection to the Country of Day,
I'll award you 50 loyalty points
and 200 million of the prize money as a bonus.
You can leave the game a wealthy man.
However...
Only the first to confess will receive these honors.
The second will be docked 100 points.
You'll be plunged to the bottom of the standings.
If neither of you confesses within ten minutes,
I'll acknowledge your innocence and let you both go free.
This concludes the rules.
Do you understand?
The famous "prisoner's dilemma."
Can both men hold out for ten minutes?
To signal that you're ready to confess, raise your right leg.
We will now begin the game.
Ready?
Start.
It's no use. I can't communicate my intentions to Shibayama.
I can't talk or move!
What was that sound?
Did Shibayama raise his leg already?
No, of course not.
What am I so scared of? The game only just started.
Huh? Now I don't hear anything at all.
What happened? What's going on?
Where's Shibayama? Where's Yokoya?!
What's going on around me?
Yokoya is a cruel man indeed.
He bound their eyes and mouths, leaving only their ears wide open.
Humans rely on their five senses to gather information,
and we feel fear when those senses are denied us.
Plus, with so little information, their imaginations run wild.
Calm down! What are you so afraid of?
You think Shibayama will betray you?
But he won't!
Yokoya said he'd give us 50 loyalty points and a 200 million yen bonus,
but that only matters if the Country of Night wins!
If we help the Country of Day, their team will win for sure.
Final Balances
Country of Night
Third-Country Account
Country of Night ATM
3.388325 billion
Country of Day
Third-Country Account
Country of Day ATM
3.811675 billion
Then we can get out of this game unscathed!
Shibayama must realize that, too.
So there's nothing to be scared of. I'll be fine.
Wait a minute. Yokoya's a smart guy.
If I tell him their plan, maybe he can come up with a counterstrategy.
Then I can finish the game not just unscathed, but with a ton of money!
What am I thinking?!
I have no clue whether Yokoya can think up a counterstrategy!
Above all else, if I confess, I'll be selling out Shibayama!
There's nothing left to question.
I'll trust him.
Because I know now...
In the middle of this cutthroat game,
something pure does exist!
Three... two... one... zero.
Time is up. Remove his blindfold.
I made it. I made it!
We did it, Shibayama!
We both made—
What the...
How carefree of you.
Shibayama-san confessed very quickly.
Before even a full minute was up.
He was telling me everything in another room.
You bastard!
Why did you confess?!
I-I didn't have a choice.
You kept making weird noises.
I was sure you'd betrayed me and confessed.
That's humankind for you.
Trust, mutual aid...
Such things are illusions.
Betrayal is in your nature.
That's...
That's not...
Yokoya-san.
I'm getting those 50 points you promised, right?
No, I still don't know if your confession is accurate or not.
What?!
You said Akiyama planned to get you, Akagi, and Hasegawa on his side.
If that's true, Akiyama will make the same proposal to Hasegawa.
Next turn, I'll send him to the inspection room.
If what he tells Hasegawa aligns with your confession,
I'll give you your points.
Is that a problem?
No.
Yokoya...
He really doesn't trust people at all, huh?
Back in the game,
the Country of Day's third-country lead had grown wide again, but...
Country of Night
1.56949 billion yen
Third-Country Accounts
1.80167 billion yen
Country of Day
I figured they'd think I was betting on them
calling 99.99 million, so I'd carry 99.98 million...
And that based on that, they'd doubt between 80 million to 90 million...
So I've taken them on with 50 million!
Doubt 80 million.
Hell yeah!
We managed to outsmart them and tighten the gap once more.
Country of Night
1.56949 billion yen
Third-Country Accounts
1.80167 billion yen
Country of Day
1.61949 billion yen
We're really doing it!
The next round might just turn things around!
That was awfully easy.
I'd assumed Yokoya would try something, but...
At the same time, the Country of Night had held its "Confession Game,"
leaving our entire strategy on the verge of being completely exposed.
And we had no idea it was happening.
Baldy's the next smuggler!
You're worried about what Yokoya's up to, right?
Shall we ease off?
No, I'll go.
Akiyama came after all.
Please notice, Akiyama...
Notice something's off on this side!
If you pick up on it and don't mention your plan to Hasegawa,
Yokoya won't trust Shibayama's confession and he'll be stumped again.
But if you do reveal the plan...
we're all doomed!
You, me, and Nao Kanzaki!
A long talk took place in the inspection room.
And then...
Doubt 100 million.
It's over, then.
How did it go, Hasegawa-san?
It went just as Shibayama described.
He proposed the exact same plan to me.
Then we know exactly what the Country of Day is after.
So do I get my points?!
Oh, but of course.
Yes!
No need to be distraught, Akagi-san.
I'm giving you a chance to come back from the brink.
I've thought up a plan to sink the Country of Day for good.
And as for the key role in that plan...
I'd like you to play it.
Next Time
Caution