Author: 木尺素 / Mu Chisu
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 91
Two more people died in Room 1112.
An old grandmother and her granddaughter died here. Both of them died in a similar manner: their heads covered with nylon bags, their faces beaten beyond recognition, and their limbs tied into bizarre shapes. As for the floor and walls inside the room, they were all painted with inverted pentagrams.
Xiong Fei and Li Yuan seemed to have become Satan’s minions, constantly killing in the human world and sending them to hell to serve the devil.
After the murders, they left Room 1112 and headed for the elevator.
While waiting for the elevator this time, a wound suddenly appeared on Xiong Fei’s neck, and blood spurted out instantly.
Xiong Fei quickly held his head, seemingly trying to prevent it from falling off.
Afterward, the two of them took the elevator and left.
After the two left, the door to Room 1104 opened, and a woman in a red dress came out.
Before leaving, she yelled into the room, “That’s right, what you’ve given me has never been what I wanted!”
Perhaps because she was too angry, the woman stumbled as she walked out. Her high heels slipped off, and she twisted her foot.
The opposite door of room 1103 opened, and a handsome man walked out.
When he saw the woman, he looked at her with a hint of pity.
Meeting his gaze, the woman lowered her head, as if feeling ashamed to be seen by him in her current state.
The man, however, seemed unconcerned. He walked over to help her up, and seeing that she couldn’t walk, he simply carried her to the elevator entrance.
In a seductive tone, he said to her, “Being with the wrong person isn’t your fault. You deserve better.”
The woman blushed and buried her face in his chest.
The elevator doors opened, and the man carried the woman inside. A moment later, both of them had disappeared.
“My god, what the hell is going on here?” He Xiaowei couldn’t help but say.
“I have some guesses. Let’s get on the elevator first.”
Having said this, Zhou Qian took Bai Zhou’s hand and walked forward, pressing the elevator’s up button.
Inside the elevator, the digital display still showed they were on the 9th floor.
Zhou Qian glanced at the number and pressed the button for the 11th floor.
The elevator soon arrived.
Exiting the elevator, Zhou Qian immediately turned left and walked to the end of the corridor.
This time, at the end of the 11th floor corridor, there was only Room 1107.
As for the old room 1108 where a family of three had died, it had once again appeared to be sealed off with cement.
Seeing this, Zhou Qian went to the opposite room 1107 and swiped his key card.
The room was still empty.
However, this room didn’t have the lampshade decorated with swastikas and human skin tattoos, nor the cold towel with ice cubes left by Bai Zhou. Clearly, this wasn’t the room they had originally stayed in.
After a quick look around the room and making some kind of confirmation, Zhou Qian left room 1107.
Unsurprisingly, they encountered the third murder.
This murder took place in Room 1110.
The victims were still a couple. However, this time there were no children at the scene.
The details of this case were somewhat similar to the previous one, where a family of three were the victims, only this time the roles were reversed.
Initially, the husband was alone in room 1110 and was beaten to death by the fat man Li Yuan.
Later, the wife appeared, accompanied by the bald-headed man Xiong Fei.
The wife didn’t immediately enter the room but clung to Xiong Fei’s hand, seemingly reluctant to let go.
“Once I go back… I’ll have so many troubles.”
She sighed. “This vacation with my husband was supposed to mend our relationship. We used to argue about our child all the time, so we thought we’d try traveling alone… but it seems it didn’t work.”
“He’s not like you. You’re so considerate. You’re the best.
“Ah… The thought of seeing his face later makes me uncomfortable.”
Xiong Fei’s expression changed slightly, but only for a moment.
He quickly returned to his usual demeanor and said, “Don’t you want to go back? But if he finds out… maybe you should go back first. We have plenty of time in the future.”
“Yes, yes, I’ll go back now.”
She sighed and approached the door of Room 1113.
Perhaps because she no longer had any feelings for her husband, unlike the victims in the previous cases, when she saw the blood flowing from under the door, her first reaction was not to check on him but to turn and run.
However, this didn’t change her fate.
The moment she turned around, a small hammer raised by Xiong Fei from the side knocked her out.
The door to Room 1113 then opened, and Li Yuan came out. He grabbed her by the ankles and dragged her into the room.
After killing the two individuals and leaving behind a room with a pentagram ritual circle, Xiong Fei and Li Yuan took the elevator and left.
After the two killers departed, the story of the handsome man living in 1103 and the woman in a red dress from 1104 played out again unexpectedly. This time, as if on cue, they both emerged from their respective rooms at almost the same moment. The instant they opened their doors, they exchanged smiles, showing a deep connection. Afterward, they walked hand in hand down the corridor.
“Why do you always wear a red dress when you see me?”
“Because the first time I met you, I was wearing a red dress. I bought many identical ones… I want to commemorate that day.”
“I get it. Every time we meet, it’s as if it’s our first.”
“Yes. Every time I see you… it feels like the first time.”
After a brief conversation, the two entered the elevator and left.
Subsequent to this, Zhou Qian and his two companions didn’t make any moves for the time being.
They went to the public resting area opposite the elevator; Zhou Qian and Bai Zhou sat side by side on a couch, while He Xiaowei sat on a single soft-back chair beside them.
Looking at Zhou Qian, He Xiaowei was the first to ask, “What… What does all this mean?”
Zhou Qian replied, “It was a bit confusing at first. But after watching it a few times, it’s actually not that hard to understand. Even though it seems the man and the woman can see us, and so can Xiong Fei and Li Yuan, and they even talk to us, there’s no substantial interaction between them and us.”
He Xiaowei scratched his head. “So, does this mean… we can treat everything they do as just an animation or cutscene?”
“Yes. As to the real situation, it’s hard to tell. But for now, we can treat it as an animation.” Zhou Qian explained, “The hotel has 12 floors, but now every floor has become the 11th floor. So, my theory is—”
“We’re always on the 11th floor, and the elevator acts as a medium connecting different time spaces. The numbers on the elevator’s panel no longer determine which floor we’re going to, but which time on the 11th floor.”
“That makes sense! But I can’t find a pattern.” He Xiaowei continued, “I met you guys on the 9th floor. But before that, I took the elevator in and out of the 9th floor several times. Every time I got out, the situation on the 11th floor was different!”
What He Xiaowei said makes sense.
The reason Zhou Qian went back to the 11th floor was to check the situation there again.
From his perspective, he entered a strange space when he went down to the lobby to buy something and then returned to the 11th floor.
At that time, he encountered Xiong Fei and Li Yuan, who had “resurrected” and “changed their personalities”.
When he returned to room 1107, the ice cubes and towels were still there.
But now, after he went to the 9th floor and met He Xiaowei and then returned to the 11th floor with him, the items in room 1107 had changed. Although he was back on the 11th floor, the situation was completely different from before.
“Yes. The elevator panel leads to different time spaces, but it’s not fixed. We need to find out the specific pattern. However, we can ascertain one thing— “
Zhou Qian added, “As we previously discussed, for now, we can treat Xiong Fei and Li Yuan’s murder story and the love story between the man and the woman as animations. They’re playing out two entirely different storylines. So, whenever we exit the elevator, we see different parts of these two animations.”
The woman in the red dress had a troubled relationship with her original husband, with marital discord likely being one of the main reasons.
Additionally, for some unknown reason, they didn’t stay at home but lived in the Saiya Hotel. At least the woman in the red dress did. Hence, she had ample opportunities to cheat. And indeed, she fell in love with the man in room 1103 across from her.
Now, as players traverse different floors, they witness fragments of their story—their meeting, getting to know each other, and falling in love.
After hearing Zhou Qian’s explanation, He Xiaowei nodded. “I get it. When we go to different floors, we’re actually watching different parts of their story. But, we only see what’s related to the 11th floor. We don’t know what they did in other parts of Blue Harbor City.”
“Well, about the story of Xiong Fei and Li Yuan, it’s actually quite easy to understand,” Zhou Qian said. “The ‘animations’ we see are actually the system’s way of vividly showing us their methods of killing. So far, from the three cases we’ve seen, their method of killing has always been the same, involving a well-coordinated collaboration. They don’t target individuals who are alone; their targets are always pairs.”
“To kill two people, it would be much easier to use methods like drugging. However, before Xiong Fei and Li Yuan kill, they clearly need to conduct a specific ritual. Not only do they have to physically beat their victims to death, but they also require their victims to recite words swearing loyalty to Satan.”
“So, they can’t use indirect means like drugs; they have to do it bluntly.”
“In such a situation, if both victims are in the room, it might be hard for them to act.”
“Hence, in each case, one killer lures one victim out while the other enters the room to kill the remaining victim.”
In the first case, a family of three was victimized.
It appeared Li Yuan seduced the husband and lured him out.
Thus, it became much easier for Xiong Fei to deal with the wife and daughter alone.
After Xiong Fei finished the act, Li Yuan, timing it perfectly, brought the husband back. Upon his return, he walked into an ambush and was also murdered.
In the second case, the victims were an elderly grandmother and her granddaughter.
The granddaughter was a female athlete. With both present, and a direct approach, the killers might not have had an easy opportunity.
So, Xiong Fei seduced the granddaughter, taking her out on a date, while Li Yuan killed the grandmother left alone in the room.
In the end, the granddaughter was killed upon returning with Xiong Fei.
The third case followed the same logic.
Xiong Fei seduced the wife.
The husband left alone in the room was then killed by Li Yuan.
Finally, Xiong Fei brought the wife back and killed her at the same crime scene.
After a pause, Zhou Qian said, “What I’m wondering now is—if there’s a pattern among the victims of these three cases.”
Bai Zhou took over. “In the first case, the husband had an affair, in the third, the wife did, and in the second…”
He Xiaowei interrupted, “In the second case, I suspect it’s also related to having an affair!”
Zhou Qian asked, “How so?”
He Xiaowei explained, “Didn’t I mention earlier that the system asked me to help an elderly woman downstairs to the lobby? She must be the recent victim. Although she was unrecognizable due to the beating, I recognized her clothes.”
“When I was helping her downstairs, she chatted with me. She mentioned she came to Blue Harbor City to accompany her granddaughter, who was participating in a competition. She mentioned I seemed nice and would have introduced me to her granddaughter if she wasn’t already married.
“So, her granddaughter was married. And if she was out dating Xiong Fei, isn’t that cheating?”
“Hmm… So maybe when the killers choose their targets, it’s related to infidelity.”
Zhou Qian reflected, then self-corrected, “No, if we phrase it that way, the causality is wrong. The decision to target the victims precedes the seduction. It should be said that the victims are primarily those prone to infidelity, possessing a trait of ‘prone to cheating’.”
Take the first case as an example.
Perhaps the husband was already known to be unfaithful and was easily seduced.
The killers targeted this kind of person.
Given the victim’s personality, he was easily lured.
Therefore, one of the killer duo was sent to seduce him, and once successful, they seized the opportunity to kill his wife and even their child. Then, finally, the husband was also killed.
The subsequent cases follow a similar pattern; only the “easy-to-cheat” target switches from male to female.
After hearing Zhou Qian’s explanation, He Xiaowei speculated, “Shh… I might have found a connection between the two storylines! The woman in the red dress also cheated! She’s likely one of the victims!”
Zhou Qian neither agreed nor disagreed; he just listened while shaking his head.
He Xiaowei continued, “But wait. I still don’t get one thing… If the killer hates cheaters, why not just kill the one who cheated? Why kill their family too?”
“This goes into the killer’s specific motive,” Zhou Qian answered. “That’s something we still aren’t clear about.”
“The killer’s motive… Why are the killers Li Yuan and Xiong Fei?”
He Xiaowei pondered, seeming perplexed. “What’s their motive? Oh right—”
“One of the killers seduces and lures the victim out, while the other takes advantage of the isolated victim. I get that. But why Li Yuan… I mean, no offense to heavy people—I’m overweight too. But how can he easily seduce someone’s husband? It doesn’t make sense.”
“And Xiong Fei, to be honest, looks average. Why could he easily lure and seduce a woman?”
After a long silence, Zhou Qian said, “Xiong Fei does indeed look average. But… the man from room 1103 is handsome and charming.”
“Li Yuan is overweight, and being gay is still a minority. So theoretically, he shouldn’t be able to easily seduce men. However, the girl in the red dress is undeniably stunning.”
He Xiaowei gasped. “Wait… are you suggesting…”
Zhou Qian looked at the closed elevator for a moment, then got up and pulled Bai Zhou with him. He pressed the up button on the elevator. “Let’s go. Whether the truth is as I’ve guessed, we might find out after the next ‘animation’.”
One minute later.
Zhou Qian, Bai Zhou, and He Xiaowei arrived on the 12th floor.
Of course, it was only the number “12” displayed on the elevator’s panel.
They left the elevator, but they were still on the 11th floor.
At the end of the left corridor, room 1108 was sealed off with cement.
This time, the incident took place in room 1212.
The deceased were still a couple.
The husband was, as usual, seduced by Li Yuan and wasn’t present as he had a date with her.
Seizing this opportunity, Xiong Fei sneaked into the room and killed the wife.
Later, when the husband returned holding Li Yuan’s hand, he noticed blood under the door. Upon entering to inspect the situation, Xiong Fei suffocated him with a nylon bag.
After the murder and drawing a pentagram, Xiong Fei and Li Yuan took the elevator and left.
Shortly after, a man and a woman appeared.
Unlike their previous passionate encounters or their initial reserved interactions, this time the two ran out from room 1103 where the man was staying.
The tall, handsome man looked furious, striding forward with a stern face.
The woman, still in her red dress, fell to her knees as she ran out, holding onto the man’s leg.
“Please, don’t go! Don’t leave me. What happened today… It was an accident. I don’t know why he came looking for me! We are already divorced!”
“No. On reflection, we were both wrong. You were wrong. I was wrong too.”
“I…I didn’t…”
“No. We are both married. We betrayed our spouses.”
“It’s not like that. He—”
“I heard it, your husband was asking you to come back. What’s wrong with him… Why? Why would he indulge a wrongdoer like you? You’re a sinner. I’m a sinner. He, who led you astray and indulged your mistakes, is also a sinner.”
“We’re all sinners. We should go to hell to atone.”
After saying this, the man shoved the woman aside and tried to leave.
The woman lunged at him again, falling to her knees. The moment her knee hit the ground, it made a loud impact noise, indicating she was probably seriously hurt.
It seemed the man had no pity for her. “We have to atone. We did wrong.”
The woman, breaking down, said, “I… I’ll atone with you. As long as you don’t leave me, anything is fine!”
Hearing this, the man took out a badge from his sleeve and handed it to her.
At this moment, Zhou Qian could clearly see that the design on the badge was an inverted pentagram.
The man said to her, “Then atone with me. We have to repay.”
After saying this, the man took the hand of the woman in the red dress and left with her by elevator.
Watching the elevator doors close again, Zhou Qian said, “Hmm. I’m pretty sure now that my deduction is correct.”
“Not long ago, He Xiaowei said that the woman in the red dress had an affair, so she’s also a victim. This connects two storylines.”
“But as you all saw…”
“The woman in the red dress is likely not a victim. She’s probably one of the killers. That’s the real connection between the two storylines. So—”
“I need to correct something. In Hall C’s serial murder case, there’s more than two killers.”
“The killer related to the swastika and tattoos, without other evidence, is temporarily considered as one person.”
“But in the nylon bag and inverted pentagram serial killings, the real culprits are a man and a woman working together. The male killer lures female victims, and the female killer lures male victims, cooperating in the murders.”
“I think they do this firstly to test if the victims are prone to infidelity or making mistakes; secondly, for the convenience of murder; and thirdly, after killing so many, they turned it into a ritualistic act.”
Zhou Qian concluded, “So… the animation of the man and woman is about how two normal people became killers. Clearly, this girl was brainwashed by the one she had an affair with, joining a Satan-related cult.”
“They stayed in the Saiya Hotel, becoming hunters of the hotel, targeting promiscuous or conflicted individuals.”
“I guess, in the end, they might have died. They killed all they could within their capabilities. Before getting caught by the police, they might have committed suicide. After all, the man just said he was going to hell to atone.”
“These murderers worship Satan, not fearing death. They not only want to go to hell but also send as many servants to Satan as possible before they do.”
“Perhaps they even believe that killing is an achievement. After going to hell, they will be praised by Satan.”
“Anyway… I think the two of them are dead.”
“Their existence, like a process animation, is a hint from the system for us to clear the level.”
“Assuming this place is some alternate dimension, they might have turned into ghosts after death. After becoming ghosts and using someone else’s identity, they reenact the story of their past crimes. This might also be a direct hint from the system.”
“The most crucial hint hidden here is…”
“Ghosts can take on the appearance of our teammates, like the Xiong Fei and Li Yuan we see now.”
“After the male and female killers died and turned into ghosts, these two ghosts appeared as Xiong Fei and Li Yuan, repeatedly enacting the crimes on different floors to different victims.”
“Of course, I still don’t understand what this space is. The actual situation might be much more complicated. After all, after killing, Xiong Fei and Li Yuan greeted us. They have the memories of players.”
“But for now, I can’t find another term to describe this unknown entity, so I’ll just call it a ‘ghost’.”
“How ghosts become players and why they have their memories, I still haven’t figured out. However—”
At this point, Zhou Qian gave He Xiaowei, who stood in the dim corridor light, a meaningful look.
“One thing is certain. There might be many ‘ghosts’ in this space. They can take on the appearance of players, appear beside us, and then potentially look for an opportunity to kill us.”
He continued, “So, the reason I’ve been talking to you for so long, explaining in such detail… is to test whether or not you’re a ‘ghost’.”
He Xiaowei was stunned, then burst out laughing. “Qian’er, are you joking? How could I possibly…”
“Yes, how could Xiaowei be a ghost? We’ve been talking for so long, and I feel that you’re still you. A ‘ghost’ couldn’t possibly imitate so perfectly. So, it’s not possible.”
Zhou Qian smiled, raised Bai Zhou’s arm that he was holding, and then looked at him. “Zhou Ge is also one of us. From now on, it’s better for the three of us to act together so as not to give the ‘ghost’ an opportunity. I guess—”
After a pause, Zhou Qian said, “The exhibition hall designs virtual game instances with a function to explain the killer’s motive. Since this male-female killer duo worship Satan… the exhibition hall might really construct a hell in the game.”
“So, this alternate space is probably something like hell.”
“Now that so many people have died, if they all become ghosts, and subsequently take on the identity of players, then that’s troublesome.”
After Zhou Qian finished speaking, he noticed that Bai Zhou seemed lost in thought, as if unresponsive to his words.
He Xiaowei didn’t say anything for a while either, seemingly deep in thought.
Zhou Qian narrowed his eyes, scratched Bai Zhou’s palm, and then noticed a hint of red fleeting across Bai Zhou’s pupils. It was so brief that it seemed like Zhou Qian’s imagination.
Finally, He Xiaowei spoke up. “Wait, that’s not right—”
“How do they obtain these identities?” He Xiaowei asked with confusion, “The two Hall D players, Li Yuan and Xiong Fei, were killed by the swastika killer and died in reality. Were their souls taken over and possessed by ‘ghosts’? Can I understand it that way?”
“That’s indeed a possibility,” Zhou Qian replied. “Hmm… your thought is quite reliable. If ghosts only change their appearance, that doesn’t explain the memory issue.
“The ghosts imitating Li Yuan and Xiong Fei recognize us and can call out our names… The theory of possession is indeed more plausible. They take over the player’s body and subsequently acquire the related memories of the player.”
Upon hearing this, He Xiaowei patted his chest. “From what you’re saying, there won’t actually be a second me or a second you. If I die in reality, only a ghost could possibly possess me. Right?”
“True. That makes sense.” Zhou Qian pondered. “If there isn’t anything like parallel universes, but just spirits possessing bodies to revive them, then yes, that’s the case.”
“So, what we need to guard against next isn’t one of us! What we should really be wary of are those killed by Xiong Fei and Li Yuan. Who knows when they might start a killing spree against us. But…”
“We don’t have anyone here with the ‘prone to cheating’ characteristic, do we?!”
He Xiaowei scratched his head. “There aren’t even couples here. How does this death condition get triggered?”
Hearing this, Zhou Qian smiled and glanced at Bai Zhou, releasing the hand he was holding.
At this moment, Bai Zhou’s pupils looking at Zhou Qian suddenly deepened, his demeanor drastically different from usual.
Yet Zhou Qian seemed oblivious to any change.
He simply said, “He Xiaowei’s idea is quite accurate. That man and woman are the real culprits behind the serial killings. They have now possessed Li Yuan and Xiong Fei. After finishing the animation and the game hint function, they’ll likely make their move on us. So, based on their analysis—”
“Their targets are always couples. We shouldn’t stay together.”
“So, Zhou Ge—”
Staring into Bai Zhou’s eyes, Zhou Qian emphasized word by word. “Zhou Ge, we need to split up.”
At this very moment, the three were right outside room 1107.
Across from them, room 1108 had turned into a wall again.
As for the situation inside 1107, no one knew.
Bai Zhou’s expression changed dramatically, showing an unprecedented level of seriousness and gloom.
He stared at Zhou Qian without blinking, knocking hard on the door of room 1107. When no one answered, he kicked the door open with force.
Seemingly sensing something was amiss, Zhou Qian’s face changed instantly.
His pupils constricted, and he warily looked at the now unfamiliar Bai Zhou.
Taking a few steps back, he shouted to He Xiaowei, “He Xiaowei, something’s off with him. Run! We need to run! Head to the elevator!”
“Okay, okay, I’m on it…” He Xiaowei turned and ran, heading in the direction of the elevator.
Zhou Qian backed up a few steps, quickly turning to follow He Xiaowei.
The next moment, his wrist was suddenly grabbed.
Zhou Qian almost cried out, “What’s going on? Who are you?”
Bai Zhou seemed to ignore him.
He gripped Zhou Qian’s wrist tightly with one hand while swiftly wrapping his other arm around Zhou Qian’s waist, quickly pulling him into the room.
Once inside, Bai Zhou didn’t hesitate, swiftly delivering two powerful kicks. The first one slammed the door shut, causing a loud bang. The second kick sent a sofa, along with a coffee table, crashing against the broken door, effectively barricading it.
In the ensuing struggle, Zhou Qian seized a moment to free his wrist and tried to run.
However, without the ability to use any skills, he was no match for Bai Zhou.
Bai Zhou grabbed him by the waist and shockingly threw him onto the bed!
As the back of his head and spine hit the bed, Zhou Qian, disregarding the pain, sprung up from the bed. The next thing he heard was the sound of fabric tearing.
The next moment, his right wrist was gripped, and he was uncontrollably thrown back onto the bed, his wrist then being tied tightly to the bedpost with a strip of torn cloth.
It turned out that Bai Zhou had torn the cloth with one hand while subduing Zhou Qian.
His speed and strength were almost unbelievable!
Struggling to lift his head and glance in the direction of the room door, Zhou Qian’s expression had changed significantly from when he looked at He Xiaowei in the corridor earlier.
Taking a deep breath, Zhou Qian looked at Bai Zhou, his voice somewhat heavy. “Zhou Ge, can you hear me? You—”
Bai Zhou didn’t respond but simply lay sideways on the bed, with one arm pulling Zhou Qian into his embrace while staring intently into his eyes.
Bai Zhou looked at Zhou Qian.
Zhou Qian was also gazing at him.
Zhou Qian could clearly see that deep within Bai Zhou’s pitch-black eyes, a faint redness was emerging, as if they were about to bleed.
“Zhou Ge?” Zhou Qian tried calling his name again.
He then felt Bai Zhou tightly grip his hand, the strength almost causing him pain.
Zhou Qian immediately furrowed his brows and then felt Bai Zhou lean in even closer.
Staring at Zhou Qian, Bai Zhou remained silent. His heavy breathing and the rise and fall of his chest conveyed a deep, powerful heartbeat clearly to Zhou Qian, who was very close.
Holding Zhou Qian tighter, Bai Zhou then lifted a hand and gripped the back of Zhou Qian’s head, pulling him even closer. Accompanied by this movement, Bai Zhou leaned forward, gently kissing Zhou Qian’s earring.
After a moment, a loud banging sound came from the door.
Zhou Qian heard another Bai Zhou’s voice from outside.
“Zhou Qian? Are you in there?”
Zhou Qian remained still, just gazing deeply at the Bai Zhou in front of him, who seemed completely off.
Soon after, the door of the room, along with the sofa and coffee table blocking it, was flung open.
The next moment, there was a flash of silver, and a Tang sword, which Zhou Qian was very familiar with, slashed through the air with endless killing intent!
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