These two are the killers! I'm sure of it!"
Others quickly supported the claim, and the accusation spread like wildfire from one tongue to another.
Xu Jian smirked coldly, his voice low and unsettling:
"Do you have any proof?"
Silence hung in the air for a moment before someone blurted:
"Yes! I saw him talking to the victim!"
Li Wei raised an eyebrow and answered confidently:
"That's true. He spoke to me because he saw me with Xu Jian and wanted to know who he was. I told him I didn't know anything about Xu Jian."
Xu Jian glanced at Li Wei with a subtle expression of approval. He understood that Li Wei hadn't implicated him — in fact, he had played it smart. It gave Xu Jian the impression that Li Wei could be partially trusted.
But before the tension could subside, a strange figure moved swiftly behind one of the guests and suddenly decapitated him with a clean strike. Blood sprayed, and chaos erupted.
The killer, clearly shaken, muttered in a trembling voice:
"He forced me... He threatened my family... Death... death is the only salvation..."
And without another word, he killed himself in front of everyone.
Terror and heavy silence fell upon the room. Some stood frozen in place, while others could barely hold themselves together. But Xu Jian, amidst all the madness, remained calm as always.
Inside his mind, however, chaos swirled in contrast to his outer calm.
"Just one more step, one last clue… and I'll unmask the mastermind. But will they be able to endure what I'm about to reveal?"
---
Scene Three: The Sudden Murder
In the midst of heated discussion, a mysterious figure emerged from behind and beheaded one of the attendees with a sudden blow. Blood stained the ground, and everyone froze in shock.
Killer: "He forced me! He threatened my family! Death… death is the only way out…"
Without hesitation, the killer ended his own life in front of everyone, escalating the horror and chaos.
Surprisingly, Xu Jian remained composed amid the turmoil. He turned toward Arthur, who looked visibly shaken.
Arthur: "Xu Jian… do you know who's behind this?"
Xu Jian: "Not exactly… but I'm very close. One last clue, and I'll expose him."
He turned to the others with a cold smile, asking:
"Are you ready to play with me?"
---
A massive wall now bore a horrific message written in blood:
"Oh, the one who bothered you is dead. Who else do you want?"
Everyone froze in horror — all except Xu Jian, who burst into maniacal laughter.
"Hahaha! Mastermind, trying to pin everything on me? Fine. I accept your challenge. Let's play together, and see how many more will fall because of you!"
Amid the panic, one of the players shouted again:
"Li Wei and his partner Reynald — they're the killers! I'm sure!"
Xu Jian (mocking): "Do you have any proof?"
Another 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 nothing. I only said I didn't know him."
Xu Jian watched Li Wei with quiet amusement, giving a small nod to himself before falling silent once more.
---
Li Wei wandered the corridors, eyes ablaze with fury, hands trembling violently as if searching for a weapon to stab the one who accused him. He looked like a caged beast, every step radiating the tension of imminent explosion.
His voice was barely audible as he muttered:
"I'll kill him... I'll make him pay..."
Suddenly, the door to the communal bathroom opened, and out stepped Xu Jian. His wet hair fell across his shoulders, water droplets sliding down his body. His muscular frame was only wrapped in a towel around his waist, making him look as if he had just emerged from battle with the water itself.
He smiled calmly, as if unaware of the tension, walking confidently toward Li Wei.
Xu Jian: "Calm down, Li Wei. Your murderous intent is filling the room. If you lose control now, all suspicion will fall on you."
Li Wei, breathing heavily: "But I'm so angry… I want to kill him, Xu Jian! I want to tear him apart!"
Xu Jian stepped closer, then pointed at the towel mockingly.
"Get a grip. Walking around like this will ruin my plan. And don't forget… don't trust me."
---
Arthur sat in his chair, staring at Xu Jian, who had his feet propped up on the table, clearly enjoying every second.
Li Wei: "You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
Xu Jian raised an eyebrow with a grin and pointed at the towel.
*"Of course. Even when I come out of the shower, I find the show already begun. It's quite an entertaining game."
Li Wei: "What's the next fun thing, then? Tell me now!"
Xu Jian took a deep breath, then placed his finger on his lips.
"Shhh."
---
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. My game is about to begin… hahaha."
He walked down the long hallway leading to the communal bathroom. The air was thick with the smell of dampness and cheap soap. The walls were dull and cracked at the corners, stained with old water marks. The floor was always wet, uncomfortable underfoot. The sound of dripping water echoed through every corner, mingling with nervous laughter and occasional splashes from the showers.