twisted smile as he watched from the shadows. Grim faces, eyes heavy with suspicion and fear. He knew the situation wasn't as simple as it looked—but he stifled his laughter, whispering to himself:
"Sorry for using you."
In the communal bathroom, Li Wei stood under the stream of hot water, steam swirling around him like a thick smoke curtain. His back muscles tightened as he scrubbed himself, the fog obscuring faces—some revealing themselves slowly, like phantoms emerging from a dream.
Suddenly, the one who had accused him entered, eyes burning with rage and confusion. A moment of electric silence passed between them before tension ignited like dry tinder.
Others began to appear, drawn by the weight in the air. The intent to kill hung like a stormcloud—thick, oppressive, inescapable.
---
Xu Jian exited his room with steady steps. His face was calm, but his eyes... his eyes gleamed with madness and calculation.
Arthur turned to him with thinly veiled curiosity.
"Where are you going?"
Xu Jian offered a sly smile.
"Just going…"
Arthur insisted, his voice edging into suspicion:
"Where exactly?"
Xu Jian scoffed, waving him off.
"Oi, I'm not a child to report every move. Stay here. My game is about to begin... hahaha."
---
Back in the bathroom, Li Wei continued his shower, face like stone, suppressing the fire boiling within him. The cheap soap's sharp scent filled the foggy space. The walls dripped, the floor slick beneath their feet.
Then the accuser stepped in—shoulders squared, chin raised. He stood behind Li Wei, resting a heavy hand on his shoulder.
"Oi," he sneered. "What now, brave little knight?"
Li Wei raised his head, droplets cascading down his face. He turned slowly—his gaze sharp, deadly. The man involuntarily stepped back.
With a soft, mocking smile, Li Wei replied:
"You son of a bitch… Seems like you've had enough of living, haven't you?"
The accuser chuckled nervously, trying to keep control.
"Think you scare me? Show me what you've got, if you're man enough!"
Li Wei narrowed his eyes. A deep breath. Then calmly said:
"I won't have to. You'll see it soon enough."
That's when others stepped in, sensing the danger.
And at the entrance, stood Xu Jian. Watching. Smiling.
He whispered to himself:
"Yes... burn it down. Show me your madness. I want to see it all crumble."
Li Wei tried to keep it together—but when another onlooker pushed his buttons, it all snapped. A brutal fight erupted. The sound of fists. Bone. Screams.
Xu Jian raised a hand, like a maestro conducting chaos. His eyes burned with joy.
Suddenly, the emergency alarm rang—loud, jarring. Xu Jian grinned:
"The game begins... are you ready?"
---
Scene: The Discovery
The sirens blared. People rushed. But it was too late.
A body—twisted, mutilated—lay in the middle of the dark room. The only one present when it was found? Xu Jian. Standing still. A strange smile on his face.
The supervisor stepped forward, eyes sharp with doubt:
"So… you found the body. What were you doing here?"
Xu Jian laughed—maniacally, disturbingly:
"What does it matter? Accuse whoever you like... isn't this game fun?"
His laughter sucked the warmth from the air. Everyone froze, exchanging fearful glances.
---
A few minutes earlier – inside the foggy bathroom
Li Wei emerged from the steam, his anger barely chained. No one saw his face clearly through the fog—but Xu Jian, hidden in the shadows, had seen enough. The fire was rising. The pieces were moving.
And the body?
Face disfigured. Unrecognizable.
Xu Jian crouched near it, voice childlike, mocking:
"Oh... there were still some features left. So I played a little... Heh. What do you think now? Who will you accuse?"
---
Back to the present
Everyone stood frozen, their eyes on the corpse. Suspicion crackled between them like lightning.
The supervisor knelt beside the body. Then rose, expression unreadable.
In a low, sinister voice, he declared:
"The killer is among us... and soon, they'll be revealed."
Xu Jian leaned against the wall, eyes gleaming with madness. He whispered:
"Yes... this is the real thrill. Let's see where this game leads."
Xu Jian smirked maliciously as he looked at the Supervisor:
"Oh? Then tell us what's on your mind, dear Supervisor. Won't you delight me with your truth? Come now, be brave and reveal your secret. In the end... you're just another pawn in my game."
The Supervisor replied with a calm tone that carried a hidden threat:
"Smart, as I suspected... but even the clever often fall prey to their arrogance."
Then he turned to everyone, looking at them one by one:
"Since no one wants to confess, we'll drop the matter. But don't think I won't uncover the truth. The killer is among us."
Xu Jian's eyes gleamed with a wicked flash:
"You know something, Supervisor? In chess, the king sometimes sacrifices his soldiers to remain on top. Perhaps I'll sacrifice a piece now... or maybe you'll be the one losing yours soon."
---
Later that night,
Xu Jian sat in the room with Arthur, who seemed tense.
Arthur: "Xu Jian, it seems like you're getting closer to the truth."
Xu Jian replied indifferently:
"Maybe. But be careful. In this game of death, no one knows who's next. Could be me, could be you... let's see who survives to the end."
He decided to take a late-night bath to clear his mind. While in the bathroom, one of the female contestants entered. Xu Jian stared at his reflection in the mirror for a moment and thought:
"Should I kill her?... Maybe something interesting will happen. Let's find out!"
With a swift motion, he unleashed a black energy blast from his hand. It pierced through her head, killing her instantly. He washed his hands casually and left the bathroom with a grin:
"Let's see what happens now..."
---
The next morning:
One of the foolish contestants left his room by chance and saw the Supervisor exiting the bathroom, his eyes full of mystery. His fingers were stained with dried blood. The contestant hesitated but didn't dare intervene. Still, as if fate pushed him, he rang the bell, gathering everyone around for another mysterious incident.
From a distance, Xu Jian's smile widened as he watched:
"Oh, now the real show begins. Let's see which pieces will be sacrificed this time."
---
"Shhh... Calm down. You'll ruin the fun. Put on your coat—the show hasn't started yet."
Arthur: "So… what happens now? You're behind all this, aren't you?"
Xu Jian, chuckling softly:
"A part of my plan. I've moved the board enough."
Arthur, eyeing him with suspicion:
"And what if they accuse you?"
Xu Jian:
"If they do, then the Supervisor isn't the mastermind.
But if the suspicion falls on the two accused yesterday... then we've found our true puppet master."
Arthur: "But… who will be the next victim?"
Xu Jian threw him a fleeting glance, then gave a sinister smile without answering, leaving the room heavy with silence.
---
Chapter: Cry of the Darkness
Silence wrapped the place, except for the sound of hurried footsteps echoing in a dark alley. The man was panting, his heart pounding like it was trying to escape his chest. Darkness consumed him bit by bit, and his eyes searched for a way out—but deep down, he knew there was none.
Suddenly, as if the shadows themselves split apart, Xu Jian appeared with a terrifying grin. His face reflected inhuman coldness, and his eyes gleamed with pure madness.
"Where do you think you're going?" Xu Jian said mockingly, before lunging at him with demonic speed. His grip tightened around the man's head, smashing it against the wall with full force. The sound of bones shattering was horrifying. His nose broke like glass, and blood exploded, painting red lines across the wall.
The man screamed in agonizing pain, but his screams were cut short when Xu Jian shoved his fingers into his mouth and brutally tore out his tongue. He tossed it away like it was a disgusting object and let the man collapse into a pool of his own blood.
In the shadows, another man was hiding, watching in terror. His limbs trembled and his eyes filled with tears. Xu Jian slowly turned to him with a killer's calm, enjoying the fear.
"Your turn now," he said with a smile. He lunged forward like a dark arrow, grabbed the man's shoulder, and violently ripped off his arm. The sound of bones breaking filled the space, and blood splattered across Xu Jian's face.
"Ohhh, how beautiful this is!" Xu Jian said with a wide grin as the man screamed in hysterical agony. He ended his suffering by slowly driving a dagger into his heart, savoring every moment.
Standing above the two corpses, Xu Jian's eyes glowed in the dark like those of a feral beast.
---
In the shared room, Arthur confronted Xu Jian, fury in his eyes, while Xu Jian sat on a chair, wiping bloodstains from his hands.
Arthur, angrily:
"Hey! Why did you kill the girl? So coldly?"
To be continued...