LIAR GAME

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.

Caution

First, I'll explain exactly what the Country of Day was trying to accomplish.

As you all know, I enacted a certain plan.

I convinced three idiots from the Country of Day to move

Idiot #1

Idiot #2

the entirety of our funds, all 1.91 billion yen.

Idiot #3

I was very scrupulous in choosing those three.

I also confirmed that they took the money we left for them.

I assumed the plan had succeeded.

But apparently, they did not deposit the money in our country's ATM,

but rather hid it somewhere else.

What happens to it, then?

Withdrawals and deposits in this game are fully monitored by the computer.

Third-Country Accounts

yen

yen

yen

yen

1.75167 billion

1.66949 billion

3.77884 billion

The balances we've been assuming

Which means that 1.91 billion still effectively belongs

in our accounts in the Country of Day ATM.

The current balances

1.86884 billion

1.91000 billion

And based on this situation, Akiyama offered these three a deal to betray us.

He asked them to carry all the money currently housed

in the Country of Night ATM to theirs.

The same thing we did, you mean?

Yes, and these two fools leaped at the chance.

Norihiko Yokoya

Their strategy was as follows.

Nao Kanzaki

The Country of Day would make a single account

Country of Night ATM

holding all the money remaining in the Country of Night ATM.

They would then hide that account's card in some ingenious location.

When one of the three turncoats was next named the smuggler,

they'd flash their card through the glass.

That would be the signal for Akiyama to reveal the card's location.

Under the carpet outside the Night ATM

Once they found the card per his instructions,

they'd withdraw the money, deposit it into the Country of Day ATM,

and then return the card to Akiyama.

Is that all correct?

Yes, that's what Akiyama told me.

This aligns with Shibayama-san's account, so we can safely say that was the plan.

The Country of Day's got some pretty clever folks.

Although personally, I think it's quite possible that Akiyama is lying.

You think our plan might've actually worked?

Yes.

That said, it's but one possibility.

We must come up with a plan that accounts for both.

To start... let's accept their offer.

What? Carry over the money, you mean?

To the contrary.

We'll pretend to carry it over, but instead, hide it in the Country of Night.

Country of Night ATM

Inspection Room

Country of Day ATM

The first part will go like so.

You'll withdraw the money from the Country of Night ATM and carry it over.

Country of Day ATM

But instead of putting it into the Country of Day ATM, you'll keep moving.

You'll bypass the inspection room,

Country of Night ATM

Inspection Room

Country of Day ATM

carry the money around the corner of the Country of Night side, and hide it there.

Then, once you enter the inspection room,

you'll pretend to have played along and return the card.

Once the inspection is over,

you'll move the hidden money here, and the plan is complete.

Are we allowed to do that?

If it turns out we're not,

it'll reveal that Akiyama's talk of hiding the 1.91 billion was a bluff.

I see...

But there's no way to know if he was telling the truth, right?

In fact, there is.

If Akiyama was lying, he'll be forced to admit it.

"We actually did put the 1.91 million into the Country of Night ATM," he'll tell us.

What? But why?

Because even after we move this load of cash, the result will still be close.

The Country of Day cannot properly dominate the game

without porting over another 1.91 billion.

Which means he will undoubtedly ask you to move money one more time.

Once he does, the game is ours.

That will make it clear we've utterly dominated them in total assets.

Then, as planned, we'll lose intentionally via our third-country balance

and escape the game with a large profit.

To Akiyama, you'll lie and agree to port the second load of cash.

But our three traitors won't be allowed to smuggle again.

You can't move the money if you're never the smuggler.

The Country of Day will be doomed to an inevitable loss.

What if they don't ask us to move a second load of cash?

That will tell us the Country of Day really did hide our money.

But then we'll have roughly equal amounts stashed away,

Yokoya's Estimated Balances

1.868840 billion

1.910000 billion

Country of Night ATM

Country of Day ATM

putting us on even ground.

However, the Country of Day will be under the impression that they're leagues ahead.

Akiyama's Estimated Balances

0 yen

3.778840 billion

That's the crucial point.

Third-Country Accounts

Country of Night

Country of Day

1.66949 billion

1.75167 billion

The Country of Day will try to pad

our third-country coffers so they can lose the game.

We'll humor them and rapidly increase our third-country account balance.

1.86449 billion

1.55667 billion

1.919485 billion

0.651675 billion

The Country of Night will win handily.

You won't be leaving the game scot-free,

but you'll move on to the next stage with your debts greatly reduced.

Yes!

That's a relief.

Now, Akagi-san, you'll be playing the crucial role in this plan.

I want you to serve as our next smuggler.

When Akiyama asks you to move the money, bring it to the Country of Night instead.

If you succeed, I'll wipe your penalty from the Confession Game clean

and grant you 100 loyalty points.

A hundred points?!

I assure you this task is worth the reward.

If he succeeds in bringing the money here, our team's victory is assured.

I'm saved... I'll be saved!

Hey!

Looks like the next smuggler is Bandana.

Well? Are you going in?

If I'm the smuggler, I'm supposed to flash my card.

That's the signal for Akiyama to tell me where the card is.

Huh? Wait, what?

What's wrong, Akagi? Get going already!

I... He's not showing me where he hid the card.

What the hell?

Akiyama's not showing me where their card is.

What do I do?

Don't look at me!

Do not act like you're talking to someone!

R-Right!

Show your card a bit longer.

Right.

If he still refuses to give you marching orders,

it's likely he's trying to feel you out.

Feel him out?

"Perhaps something has led Akagi to side with the Country of Night once more."

That possibility has inspired caution in him.

He's refusing to play his part to see what we do in response.

That's why he won't tell him where the card is?

Yes.

The worst thing we could do would be

to have Akagi turn and start talking to me, or to remove him as smuggler.

That would make it clear his allegiance is back with the Country of Night.

So get to the inspection room already!

R-Right.

And if Akiyama joins you, make sure to ask him...

"Why didn't you tell me where the card was?"

Goodness me, what a mess.

Nearco-san, where have you been?

I received word that a speaker in the Country of Day was malfunctioning.

Thankfully, the others were working, so it wouldn't interfere with the game.

I suppose some hiccups are to be expected in a facility about to be torn down.

What is it?

Well, the game took an interesting turn while you were gone.

Let's have a look, then.

Third-Country Accounts at the Conclusion of Round 29 Country of Night: 1.669490 Country of Day: 1.751670

Hey! What happened?

You didn't give it away, did you?

Let me go!

Yokoya-san.

Akiyama acted the way he did because he had questions about how we were behaving.

Did he now?

But I don't think he's actually seen through our plan.

It was more like he had some vague doubts.

He asked me all these questions...

Could you elaborate?

First, he wanted to know why you weren't afraid of giving cards to smugglers.

Oh?

In this game, no matter how perfect your plan is,