How To Survive at the Border of Hell

Chapter 12: The profiler, the scammer and DHB (6)

I moved my hand on the ground and touched something next to me. When I glanced at it, I saw that it was another corpse and hastily retracted my arm.

In this scenario, we have to get other people's cards.

The question is: how do people get these cards?

There are a few ways. For example, you can talk it out and convince someone to give you their cards.

But how could people think of such a peaceful solution? Would it even work?

So, usually, the first methods that come to mind are either stealing, or violence.

You can also threaten or blackmail others if you have the means.

And for people who have gone through the first scenario and already became murderers, there's also 'killing'.

Between 'stealing' and 'violence', stealing isn't easy to pull off for those who aren't accustomed to it (I'm not saying I am). In other words, when people saw this scenario's conditions, they first thought of using violence to get the others' cards.

Murder is simply an extension of that violence.

'It's the end of the world anyway.'

'In the end, killing is easier than I thought.'

'Everyone is doing it.'

'They'll never know it was me.'

'I've already killed someone once, one more death wouldn't make a difference.'

'This is now a world where only the strong can survive.'

In people's minds, the 'value' of life has decreased.

There are those who enjoyed killing, the outcasts who didn't like following the rules, the bullies, the gangsters... With the first scenario, a mental barrier has been lifted for the players.

「Murder became a possibility.」

That's why there are so many dead corpses on the ground here.

There weren't any consequences after openly killing someone once, so people can now consider it as an option.

And even if only one fifth, or merely one tenth of the players here have that mindset, that makes all the difference.

Some people decide to kill, others decide to follow them and do the same and the rest are either forced to commit murder as well in self-defense, or die.

As for why that self-defense automatically degenerated into murder instead of simply knocking out the assaillant, isn't that obvious?

It's because 'murder' became an option.

In the victim's mind, due to that 'option' appearing, while trying to survive, the other possibilities are closed. It's either to kill or be killed. In a life and death situation, people become very narrow-minded.

And as much as that analysis into human's psychology to check if I can coerce a non-player into assassinating someone for me later is interesting, let's go back to the current situation before I get punched.

I tried to tilt my body to the side while lifting my right arm to protect my face. Unfortunately, since I was held by the collar, I received the man's fist on my arm. He also chose that moment to release his grip on me and I hurriedly put my left hand behind the back of my head before it collided with the floor.

Bang!

The man's goal wasn't even related to the scenario or cards anymore. He only wanted to take revenge because I hit him before.