Chapter Title: The Chessboard Moves
Amid the shock, one of the attendees pointed angrily at Li Wei and Reynald.
"These two are the killers! I'm sure of it!"
Others quickly agreed, and the accusation spread like wildfire.
Xu Jian smirked coldly, his voice calm and chilling.
"Do you have any proof?"
Silence fell for a moment, then someone stammered:
"Yes! I saw him talking to the deceased!"
Li Wei raised an eyebrow and responded confidently:
"That's true, he talked to me because he saw me with Xu Jian and wanted to know who he was. I told him I knew nothing about Xu Jian."
Xu Jian gave Li Wei a subtle nod of approval. He understood that Li Wei had not implicated him, but instead played it smartly — a sign that he might be partially trustworthy.
Before the atmosphere could settle, a strange figure moved behind one of the attendees and suddenly decapitated him with a swift blow. Blood splattered, and chaos erupted.
The killer, visibly shaken, muttered in a trembling voice:
"He forced me... He threatened my family... The only salvation is death..."
And without another word, he killed himself in front of everyone.
Terror and silence fell upon the room. Some stood frozen in place, others barely held back from breaking down. But Xu Jian, amid all this madness, remained calm as always.
Inside his mind, chaos churned beneath his composed exterior.
"Just one more step… one last piece of evidence… and I will expose the mastermind. But will they survive what I'll uncover?"
---
Scene Three: The Sudden Murder
In the midst of a heated discussion, a mysterious figure stepped forward and beheaded one of the players with a single, brutal strike. Blood stained the floor. Everyone froze in shock.
The killer cried:
"He forced me! He threatened my family! Death... death is the only way out..."
Then, he killed himself without hesitation, increasing the panic and dread in the air.
Xu Jian, as always, remained calm. He turned to Arthur, who looked pale and shaken.
Arthur: "Xu Jian... do you know who's doing this?"
Xu Jian: "Not exactly... but I'm very close. Just one more clue and I'll unmask him."
He looked around at the others, a cold smile on his lips.
"Are you ready to play with me?"
---
A massive wall now displayed a gruesome message written in blood:
"Oh, the one who bothered you is dead. Who else do you want?"
Everyone stood frozen in terror — everyone except Xu Jian, who broke into a chilling hysterical laugh:
"Hahaha! Mastermind, you want to pin it all on me? Fine, I accept your challenge. Let's play together, and let's see how many more will fall because of you!"
Amid the panic, one of the players suddenly shouted:
"Li Wei and his partner Reynald — they're the killers! I'm sure!"
Xu Jian (mocking): "Do you have proof?"
Another person spoke nervously:
"Yes, I saw him talking to Li Wei!"
Li Wei: "Yes, he spoke to me because he saw me with Xu Jian. But I told him I didn't know anything about him."
Xu Jian watched Li Wei with amusement, giving himself a slight nod, then returned to silence.
---
Li Wei paced the hallways, his eyes blazing with rage and his hands trembling, as if searching for a weapon to stab the one who accused him. He looked like a caged beast, ready to explode.
His voice was barely audible as he muttered:
"I'll kill him… I'll make him pay..."
Suddenly, the public bathroom door opened, and out stepped Xu Jian. His wet hair dripped over his shoulders, droplets falling from his body. He wore only a towel wrapped around his waist, making him look like someone who had just fought a battle with water itself.
With a relaxed smile, as if unaware of the tense atmosphere, he confidently walked toward Li Wei.
Xu Jian: "Calm down, Li Wei. The intent to kill is thick in the air. If you lose control now, all suspicion will fall on you."
Li Wei, breathing heavily: "But I'm furious… I want to kill him, Xu Jian! I want to rip him apart!"
Xu Jian stepped closer, then pointed to the towel as if scolding him mockingly.
"Just hold yourself together. Walking around like that will ruin my plan. And don't forget… don't trust me."
---
Arthur sat in his chair, eyes fixed on Xu Jian, who had his feet up on the table, clearly enjoying every moment.
Li Wei: "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Xu Jian raised an eyebrow with a smile, pointing to the towel:
"Of course. Even when I step out of the bathroom, I find the show already underway. It's quite the entertaining game."
Li Wei: "What's the next entertaining thing, then? Tell me now!"
Xu Jian took a deep breath, then placed his finger over his lips.
---
Later...
Xu Jian left his room with mysterious calm. Arthur called after him:
Arthur: "Where are you going?"
Xu Jian: "I'm just going..."
Arthur: "Going where exactly?"
Xu Jian: "Hey, I'm not a child for you to follow or keep questioning. Just wait where you are. My game is about to begin… hahaha."
He walked down the long corridor leading to the communal bathroom. The place reeked of dampness and cheap soap. The walls were pale and cracked in some corners, stained with old water marks. The floor was constantly wet, making it uncomfortable underfoot. The sound of dripping water echoed through every corner, mingling with uneasy laughter and the occasional sound of showers.