Zhou Ziheng turned on the light in the room and saw Xia Xiqing leaning against the wall. His forehead was covered with beads of sweat, his lips were pale, his head was half bowed, and his chest was rising and falling slightly.
For some reason, Zhou Ziheng couldn’t help but associate him with the rose on the paper.
Suddenly, the words Xia Xiqing had once spoken to him flashed through his mind.
[I’m afraid of the dark.]
[If there’s a dark room later, don’t hesitate to leave me behind if you don’t want to be held back.]
He was telling the truth…
It turned out he really was afraid of the dark.
Since they had met, Xia Xiqing had always been a negative and powerful figure in Zhou Ziheng’s mind—too cunning, too confident, too clever. Such a person seemed to have no weaknesses, yet now, his weakness was exposed right before his eyes.
Zhou Ziheng couldn’t describe what kind of emotion this was. It was as if he had gained some kind of special right, yet also felt an unusual sense of protectiveness.
The moment this thought entered his mind, Zhou Ziheng immediately dismissed it. He couldn’t imagine how he could associate Xia Xiqing with protectiveness.
Perhaps he was being driven mad by this twisted reality show.
Xia Xiqing stood motionless against the wall, as if waiting to recover.
The clever and cunning villain was the first to be eliminated. For some reason, his mood was complicated.
It wasn’t entirely unexpected, as Xia Xiqing was simply too clever—those who flaunt their talents are always the first to be eliminated. Yet Zhou Ziheng couldn’t fathom why he didn’t hide his abilities.
How could he know that Xia Xiqing wasn’t just not hiding his abilities? After the half-hour countdown began, Xia Xiqing almost gave it his all to draw all of Shang Siru’s attention to himself, with the goal of disrupting his original plan and allowing Zhou Ziheng to escape safely.
In his mind, as long as the killer didn’t win, he, as the sacrificial lamb, wouldn’t be considered a loser.
Xia Xiqing leaned one hand against the wall, slowly straightening his body, and turned to walk toward the door.
“Hey…”
Xia Xiqing turned his head, his eyes avoiding his, tiredly lowered, his slender index finger placed on his lips, saying nothing. His bangs were slightly disheveled, hanging down to his nose, covering that beautiful mole on his nose tip.
He had already lost his right to speak.
Zhou Ziheng didn’t speak either, following him out of the study, through the bedroom, and into the living room.
Chen Chen, Ruan Xiao, and Shang Sui were all standing in the living room. Ruan Xiao’s expression was serious, as if she had already anticipated this outcome. Chen Chen’s expression was even more unpleasant. His gaze drifted between the two of them, first looking at Xia Xiqing in front and then at Zhou Ziheng behind him.
Xia Xiqing felt slightly relieved. He didn’t want anyone to see his vulnerable side, and to be honest, even if the other person was Zhou Ziheng, he wouldn’t want that. He definitely wouldn’t want that.
He curled the corners of his mouth into a smile that should not belong to a loser, his gaze fixed on Shang Sui, who had “killed” him. The other party’s performance was beyond the acting skills of an idol. Although he was a little stunned, he quickly regained his composure and made a somewhat surprised expression, “Xiqing, you…”
Impressive. Xia Xiqing considered himself unlucky. He had always had a “smart person’s disease,” only taking an interest in or being wary of smart people. In his eyes, the dumb and stupid were no different from pets.
Bad habits are the breeding ground for failure.
But Xia Xiqing didn’t think he had failed. As long as Zhou Ziheng could escape successfully, he hadn’t lost.
Facing Shang Sui’s question, Xia Xiqing didn’t respond. He slowly raised his hand, pinched his lips with his index finger and thumb, and gently pulled them to the other side to indicate that he wouldn’t speak. Then he walked casually and calmly to the gathering in the living room, stood obediently with his hands behind his back in that small circle.
Zhou Ziheng didn’t want to look at him.
His eyes first glanced at the farthest dining table, then looked at the sofa, then at the carpet, and finally settled on him.
It was as if by circling around like this, he wasn’t looking at Xia Xiqing.
Xia Xiqing also looked at Zhou Ziheng, even tilting his head and smiling at him, his teeth white and dazzling.
Zhou Ziheng felt as if he had been pricked by a needle, immediately averting his gaze. Strangely, the smile kept replaying in his mind.
When he tilted his head, his long bangs fell from his cheek to his nose, sweeping across his nose tip strand by strand.
What is he smiling about? He’s about to be eliminated. I just don’t get it.
“Player Xia Xiqing, eliminated. Three, two, one.”
The floor of the circular elimination area suddenly opened downward, and Xia Xiqing, who had lost his support, fell down. The floor closed again, and Xia Xiqing, who had been “killed” by the killer, disappeared from everyone’s sight.
Zhou Ziheng stared at the circular area, feeling inexplicably uncomfortable. At that moment, Chen Chen suddenly spoke up, “Could it be that Xia Xiqing was telling the truth? Ziheng, you really are the killer.”
Zhou Ziheng turned around, his hands in his pockets, and spoke calmly, “If I were the killer, I would indeed kill him first.” He tugged at the corner of his mouth, “He was too smart, so I actually feel a bit sorry for him.”
“Sorry?” Chen Chen furrowed his brows slightly, “Sorry that he was ‘killed’?”
“It’s a pity I’m not the killer, so I can’t kill him myself.” Zhou Ziheng spoke calmly, his words sounding rather terrifying, then walked over to the dining table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. “There’s less than a minute left. Everyone, come over and vote.”
Chen Chen followed suit and sat down. “How do you prove you’re not?”
Zhou Ziheng propped his chin on his hand and looked up at her. “If I were, I wouldn’t have helped Xia Xiqing unlock his handcuffs from the start.”
Chen Chen wanted to ask more questions, but the program crew’s announcement sounded again.
“The countdown is over. The first round of voting has officially begun. Please take your seats, everyone.”
Despite Zhou Ziheng’s explanation, Chen Chen had seen Xia Xiqing, who had been “killed,” and Zhou Ziheng emerge from the same room. In his mind, he had already concluded that Zhou Ziheng was the killer. “Whether you admit it or not, the truth will be revealed after this round of voting ends.”
“That won’t happen,” Zhou Ziheng smiled rarely, “Even if you vote me out, you won’t know who the killer is. Only when the game ends and you lose completely will you understand the truth.”
Cen was left speechless by his retort. Shang Sui and Ruan Xiao also sat down. Cen gave Ruan Xiao a subtle glance, and Ruan Xiao nodded slightly but remained silent.
Zhou Ziheng appeared calm and composed on the surface, but his heart was still filled with anxiety. Chen Chen was definitely going to vote him out this time. If it was true, as Xia Xiqing had said, that Shang Sirui was the killer, then the vote in his hand was undoubtedly aimed at himself. Ruan Xiao…
He had almost no communication with Ruan Xiao, but from what he saw earlier, Ruan Xiao had already allied with Cen Cheng.
It would be a lie to say he wasn’t nervous. Zhou Ziheng’s palms were starting to sweat uncontrollably.
“Please send your choice for the killer via your mobile phones. You only have one chance, so please confirm your choice carefully before sending. The countdown is ten seconds. Starting now.”
“Ten—nine—”
Strange.
At this critical moment, Zhou Ziheng’s mind was filled with Xia Xiqing’s smile before he was eliminated, and the words he had sworn in the darkness.
“Eight—seven—”
[Shang Sui is the killer. Trust me.]
He seemed to have already anticipated the outcome.
“Six—five—four—”
Although Zhou Ziheng was reluctant to admit it, in this game, the only person he could call an ally was Xia Xiqing. So at this moment, even if he were executed for trusting him, Zhou Ziheng would accept it.
Besides, he had already begun to suspect Shang Siru; all he lacked was evidence.
“Three—two—”
Zhou Ziheng entered his answer into his phone and clicked send without hesitation.
“One. Time’s up. We are now tallying the voting results of all players.”
The four people at the table exchanged glances, the atmosphere tense. Zhou Ziheng leaned back in his chair, his eyes fixed on Shang Sirui across from him, like a leopard waiting to pounce. The other man subtly lowered his head, avoiding his gaze.
To be honest, this didn’t seem like the kind of reaction one would expect from someone so skilled at hiding their emotions, but he chose to believe what Xia Xiqing had said.
“Now, the voting results will be announced. After the anonymous voting by all players, the person to be executed in this round is—”
The announcement paused for a few seconds, and Zhou Ziheng felt his heartbeat begin to accelerate uncontrollably.
If he was executed, what would happen to the clues he had obtained?
He would have to hand them all over, and then the killer would definitely win, no matter which of the three he was.
Thinking of this, Zhou Ziheng couldn’t help but feel discouraged.
“No one. This round is a draw, and we will not execute anyone. Please continue playing, everyone.”
This outcome was somewhat unexpected, especially for Chen Chen. He looked at Shang Sirui beside him in surprise, then turned to look at Ruan Xiao. “Which one of you didn’t vote for him?”
Ruan Xiao frowned innocently. “I voted for him.”
Zhou Ziheng, who was not involved, observed the expressions of everyone across from him. When Ruan Xiao spoke, her fingers tapped the table nonstop, clearly indicating something was amiss. He shifted his gaze to Shang Siru, whose expression was off, but he didn’t seem surprised by the outcome either.
Zhou Ziheng analyzed the distribution of the execution votes in everyone’s hands. He had voted for Shang Siru, and Chen Chen must have voted for himself.
In the end, there was a tie, indicating that Shang Siru and Ruan Xiao had each voted for themselves and Shang Siru. Shang Siru would never vote for himself.
Therefore, Ruan Xiao had voted for Shang Siru.
Zhou Ziheng had figured out the preferences of the four people in the room and was even more certain that Shang Siru was the killer. Xia Xiqing had died so quickly because he must have discovered evidence that proved Shang Siru was the killer.
He now held the clue to escape the entire house. Frankly, there was no need to prove Shang Sui’s identity to everyone. As long as he escaped the house before him, the game would be over.
Thinking of this, Zhou Ziheng stood up from his seat.
Chen Chen looked up at him, “Ziheng, where are you going?”
“Of course, to find clues to escape.” Zhou Ziheng pushed his chair back. “Anyway, no one was eliminated this round. It’s better to go find clues to escape than just sit here.”
After saying that, Zhou Ziheng turned around and went back to the study. As expected, Shang Siru called out to him, “Ziheng, I’ll go with you.”
Zhou Ziheng didn’t stop him. “Sure.”
The two entered the study one after the other.
Everything in the study was almost unchanged. Shang Sirui gently closed the door and tentatively asked, “Ziheng, who did you vote for just now?”
Zhou Ziheng pretended to be searching for clues while calmly asking in return, “Who did you vote for?”
Shang Sirui laughed, “Oh, I abstained.” He sat down casually in the chair at the long desk, “I couldn’t make up my mind, so I decided not to vote to avoid making a mistake.”
A blank vote? That was a clever explanation.
Zhou Ziheng glanced at him and slowly nodded. “You’re right.” He walked over to Shang Siru’s side. This chair was the one he had sat in when he was tied up earlier, a finely crafted office chair with armrests on both sides.
Probably due to nervousness, Shang Siru’s hands trembled slightly on the armrests. To hide it, he gripped the armrests tightly, trying to appear more composed.
Zhou Ziheng noticed this and shifted his gaze, saying, “Now that Xia Xiqing is out of the picture, I think I need to find someone to ally with.” As he spoke, he reached into his left pocket, pulled out a piece of paper, and placed it on the desk in front of Shang Sirui. “This is an important clue I found. Take a look.” At the same time, his right hand reached into the other pocket.
“Clue?” Shang Siru leaned forward slightly.
While Shang Siru was focusing all his attention on the so-called important clue, Zhou Ziheng seized the opportunity and took the handcuffs he had taken from beside the gramophone out of his right pocket and handcuffed Shang Siru’s hands firmly to the office chair.
Shang Sirui immediately realized that the so-called important clue on the table was just a blank piece of paper!
Zhou Ziheng picked up the rope from the ground and tied Shang Sirui to the chair.
“Ziheng! You! Hey, why are you tying me up?” Shang Siru struggled constantly, but Zhou Ziheng showed no signs of stopping.
“Did you make a mistake, or are you the killer?”
“Shh.” Zhou Ziheng looked at his face and spoke softly, “Stop acting. The game is about to end.”
Everything was done. Zhou Ziheng extended one leg and gently kicked the bottom of the office chair, causing Shang Siru to slide away along with the chair.
“Sorry, you can rest for a moment.”
Shang Sirui struggled desperately on the chair, unable to get up, and could only watch as Zhou Ziheng left the room and closed the door.
He had no idea that before this, Zhou Ziheng had already gathered all the clues needed to leave the house, luring him here with the intention of trapping him inside. This was to prevent him from escaping the house and gaining the upper hand as the “killer” during the final breakthrough.
Earlier, while Xia Xiqing and the others were occupied in another room, Zhou Ziheng opened the painting he had given himself. Following the clue “[sofa flashlight study turn off the lights],” he found the flashlight parts hidden by the production team in the living room sofa, assembled them into a complete flashlight, and tested it by shining it around the living room, circling the entire room. and finally discovered text that only appeared when illuminated by the flashlight in the second password input field at the front door.
On the left side of the password field requiring only three letters, there was a sentence written.
[Who is the killer?]
However, this was only one of the passwords. The other password still required him to find numbers. Zhou Ziheng recalled the last two clues from “[sofa flashlight study turn off the lights],” so he entered the study and turned off the lights. In the darkness, Zhou Ziheng shone the flashlight around the room and discovered red glowing letters in the four corners of the room: 2, 3, 7, and prime.
As a science major, Zhou Ziheng quickly realized that “prime” referred to prime numbers, and 2, 3, and 7 were all prime numbers, all single-digit numbers. The only number that met both requirements was 5.
Zhou Ziheng left the study and walked briskly to the living room, where Shang Siru’s calls could be heard.
“What’s wrong with Sui Rui?” Chen Chen was about to go to the study when he was stopped by Ruan Xiao, “Chen Chen, wait a moment.”
“Wait? Wait for what?”
Zhou Ziheng had already reached the front door. He quickly entered the four numbers [2, 3, 5, 7] in the first column and the answer to the question in the next column.
[SON]
The son is the murderer.
The touchscreen turned blue, flashed three times, and then displayed a green prompt.
[Password correct, congratulations on passing!]
With a loud bang, the front door opened.
Zhou Ziheng looked up and imagined many possibilities. Behind this door, there might be a bunch of cameras, or perhaps the program’s planners. He even thought of what he would say when he came out.
But he never imagined that after escaping from this door covered in cold sweat, the first person he would see would be Xia Xiqing.
Xia Xiqing stood at the doorway in a white shirt. The lighting set up by the production team shone from behind him, casting a soft glow over his shoulders and gently covering his left chest. His face was blurred in the backlight, leaving only the beautiful curve of his lips when he smiled. “That’s great.”
As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Xiqing, who was less than half a meter away, suddenly stepped forward and embraced him tightly, in the way men celebrate victory.
Zhou Ziheng was momentarily stunned, allowing this person to take advantage of the situation to embrace him, forgetting to resist.
It was strange. The previously overpowering scent of perfume seemed to have changed gradually. The tobacco scent faded, and the musk scent vanished. Zhou Ziheng felt his tired body being gently enveloped by a warm, woody fragrance. The scent, the body heat, the soothing sensation of the palm pressed against his spine, and the insincere tone in this person’s voice when they spoke.
“I knew we’d win.”
Leave a Reply