"What… is going on?" Damian frowned, looking at Lilith's name, which was now almost dripping blood.
"Liam, have you seen this before?"
Damian turned to the man beside him, a seemingly ordinary young man in his mid-twenties with a remarkably well-proportioned physique.
His gaze was complex. More than anyone else, Damian understood Liam's frightening nature.
He recalled that upon entering this strange place, he had been the forty-seventh person, while Liam was already in the first position…
No one knew when Liam had arrived; he never seemed to show negative emotions.
Those grouped with him had a much higher survival rate; he always managed to help everyone.
If one day, all forty-nine people needed to complete the same task, undoubtedly he would receive everyone's support.
In this strange place, even the extraordinarily capable Maximus couldn't command that level of trust.
Yet, in Damian's eyes, Liam seemed increasingly subdued and mysterious.
Logically, Liam's features were unremarkable, but together, his youthful face appeared bland.
Even his eyes, which often betray inner emotions, remained calm and peaceful, without a hint of ripple.
"Liam?"
Damian called out again softly.
"Yes? Sorry, I was lost in thought." Liam said, slowly shifting his gaze from the blood-red name to Lilith.
"I've never seen this before. Logically, a newcomer shouldn't be designated a 'Cursed One'… but this isn't good news for her."
Seeing Liam fall silent after his brief comment, Damian also looked at Lilith thoughtfully.
Indeed… a Cursed One. This was a good thing, but also terrifying…
At this point, most people's expressions weren't as calm as Liam and Damian's, especially… the four in Lilith's group.
Following Lilith's name turning completely blood-red, four more names began to change.
Harrison Blake, Phineas Hunter, Jiang Le, and… Seraphina Graves!
Lilith looked at the crowd as four individuals with grim expressions stepped forward.
Seraphina, the woman who had taunted her earlier, was among them.
However, her face now lacked any trace of mockery; instead, it was pale with a mixture of fear and resentment.
What did the first name turning red represent?
Could I influence them?
Lilith pondered this for a moment, about to ask, when Maximus spoke, his voice rapid, as if something was pursuing him.
"Listen, newcomers. Avoid acting alone! Also, three rows of text will soon appear, indicating the order of your three groups. Remember your group's text! Carefully analyze it; it's the key to escaping the 'Past'!"
Maximus's words caused Samuel and Cassandra some confusion and a noticeable fear; one was openly distressed, the other suppressed.
Only Lilith seemed unaffected.
As Maximus finished speaking, a gentle voice came from the far end of the crowd: "Don't trust anyone."
Everyone turned to see Liam, his expression calm, his eyes sweeping over the three newcomers before falling silent.
Damian's expression was one of astonishment, as was Maximus's.
Then, the final change occurred.
The forty-nine names densely arranged in the air, aside from the nineteen that had turned blood-red, suddenly dispersed, dissolving back into gray fog.
"Look closely!" Maximus's voice rang out again.
Samuel and Cassandra were confused and anxious, but seeing everyone staring intently at the shifting gray fog, they quickly followed suit.
Lilith was no exception, though her gaze held a thoughtful expression.
As everyone watched, the thirty names that had transformed into gray fog rapidly coalesced again, forming rows of text.
“One: Hide in the mountain, retrieve the coffin from the water. Three-day limit.”
“Two: Do not open your eyes when you see a mirror. Do not look back when you hear a call. Survive one-day.”
“Three: Sleep with the sticker on your back. Wake from the dream, lose your soul. Seven-day limit.”
Lilith possessed an exceptional memory. If she consciously chose to remember something, she would never forget it. Except… for the tragedy ten years ago.
Therefore, she carefully read the three sets of phrases, etching the texts of the other two groups into her memory as well.
The faces of those in the second group turned deathly pale as the texts appeared.
"Adrian… it's a survival task…"
Damian looked at the refined young man with a complex expression.
Adrian Stone, the youngest dual-doctorate recipient in literature and history from Du City University, was known for his courteous and humble demeanor, with a promising future.
However… after inadvertently entering this hellish place, his normal life had vanished.
In reality, he remained the refined and courteous scholar.
But no one knew that Adrian had been struggling in this bizarre, terrifying world for a whole year…
And this time, he had finally drawn a survival task.
On the surface, Adrian's group's task—"Do not open your eyes when you see a mirror. Do not look back when you hear a call."—seemed the simplest; the text clearly outlined the taboos, and the deadline was only one day.
But most people knew that survival tasks were the most terrifying, the most difficult, the most mind-shattering…
"Adrian."
A worried female voice called from behind Adrian. Hearing the familiar voice, Adrian didn't turn.
Instead, another member of his group, aware of the relationship between the two, glanced back at the woman.
Elena Frost.
A student at Du City University.
Such was the irony of fate. Out of forty-nine people, two happened to be from the same city, even from the same university.
Perhaps due to shared experiences, or perhaps a spiritual connection, Elena had been overjoyed to see Adrian upon entering, more joyful than frightened.
But Adrian hadn't responded to Elena, maintaining a polite distance.
Adrian knew that those who entered this place had lost the right to happiness.
Despite his vast knowledge and erudition, he understood the futility of hoping for love here.
They were all trapped in this curse.
Under the dim light, the forty-nine remained silent.
The thirty who weren't chosen didn't show relief; instead, when looking towards the second group, their eyes held a mixture of pity and fear.
Lilith looked up as the three rows of text dispersed, transforming into a dense fog that enveloped the nineteen selected individuals.
Terror, fear, bewilderment, despair… various emotions were visible on their faces.
Finally, Lilith was enveloped by the thick fog; a chilling coldness spread from her feet, gradually obscuring her vision.
Before the thirty onlookers, Lilith's group, shrouded in gray fog, vanished. Only the nineteen vibrant blood-red names remained suspended in the air, like an eternal curse.
Everyone knew that if one of these names disappeared, it meant that person would never return…
...
"Ding-ling-ling-ling—"
Lilith opened her eyes to a stark white ceiling.
This was…
She climbed out of bed, looked around, and finally fixed her gaze on the calendar on her nightstand.
"Is this thirteen years ago? Or another world?"
Lilith got out of bed and carefully examined the ordinary room.
Her group members—Harrison, Phineas, Jiang, and Seraphina—had vanished.
Except for Seraphina, Lilith knew nothing about the others.
As for Seraphina, Lilith could only conclude she was a sensitive, lonely, and pitiable woman desperate for validation.
Where were the four of them?
Wait… Lilith examined the room again.
This wasn't a residential space; it was… a motel.
So, 'I' was here for a vacation?
Or was 'I' a motel employee?
Regardless, the most important thing now was to determine her identity.
"Knock knock knock—"
A polite knock interrupted Lilith's thoughts. Through the peephole, she saw a familiar face.
Harrison.
He looked to be in his thirties, dressed in office attire, his hair neatly combed, but his posture was slightly stooped, as if from years of hunching over.
But Lilith didn't open the door.
Instead, she retreated to the window, opened it, and glanced downstairs. It was the fourth floor…
However, the balcony of the adjacent room was within reach.
"Ms. Hollow? Are you there?"
Harrison's voice came from outside the door.
Lilith leaned against the window, silent.
"Ms. Hollow, it's me! It's Harrison!" Harrison's voice was slightly urgent, as if he was reluctant to remain outside the door for long.
Lilith still ignored him.
It wasn't polite, but Lilith was eighty percent certain that the "Harrison" outside wasn't Harrison.
She had no memory of checking into this motel, and she assumed the others were in a similar situation, even waking up around the same time.
So… how did the "Harrison" outside know her room number…?
Furthermore, she was alone.
Logically, even if Harrison knew everyone's location, he should have first sought out his acquaintances.
Lilith didn't feel she knew him well.
"Bang bang bang!"
The knocking grew louder.
The sky outside was gradually brightening; it was 5:30 AM.
Lilith had one leg over the windowsill, preparing to climb to the adjacent room. She wasn't interested in verifying the authenticity of the "Harrison" outside; suspicion was enough.
"Bang! Bang!"
"Harrison" seemed enraged.
The white wooden door shook violently under the relentless pounding; he had remained silent since the knocking began.
Lilith straddled the railing, her eyes fixed on the door. The moment she saw any sign of it opening, she would climb over and jump onto the adjacent balcony without hesitation.
Oddly, the noise seemed to lessen?
Approximately a minute had passed since the furious pounding.
Leaving?
Lilith pondered, inadvertently glancing downwards… at the ground below the fourth floor.
At that moment, she quickly retracted her leg from the railing and scrambled back inside.
Just now, on the ground outside the first floor, Lilith had seen "Harrison" looking up at her!
His eyes were filled with malice; his face was ashen, as if coated in paint. A normal person would be paralyzed with terror, likely falling from the railing.
"Whoa… my heart rate accelerated…" Lilith muttered.
Just now, she had distinctly felt her heart skip a beat, then resume its rhythm faster than usual.
Her breathing became slightly erratic with the increased heart rate, but Lilith didn't dislike the sensation.
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
In fact, she almost enjoyed it. This clear awareness allowed her to perceive that she… was still alive.
Minor emotional fluctuations weren't a good sign. From childhood, Lilith had often wondered if she was already dead.
Otherwise, why would a living person find it so difficult to feel emotions?
Dismissing the thought, Lilith abandoned the idea of looking downstairs again. Moreover, the incident just now had confirmed something.
"He" couldn't appear anywhere at will.
It took "him" about a minute to travel from the fourth floor to the first.
And… if he could move instantaneously, "he" should have already appeared in her room.
With this in mind, while "Harrison" was still downstairs, Lilith opened her door.
At that moment, a rooster crowed.
Dawn had broken.
Lilith glanced out the window; the lingering fog had mostly dissipated.
Though the sun was obscured by thick clouds, at least… it was daylight.
"Creak—"
The moment Lilith opened her door, she heard the door opposite open as well.
A frightened, hesitant head poked out.
Upon meeting Lilith's gaze, she recoiled, then seemingly remembering something, pushed the door open fully.
"Lilith?"
"Yes."
Seraphina's voice didn't stir much emotion in Lilith; her expression remained impassive.
Seraphina, sensing Lilith's impassiveness, was about to speak when her gaze fell upon the room behind Lilith.
It was almost identical to her own: a bed, a nightstand, an alarm clock, a desk calendar, and… a switched-off television in the corner.
In short, a typical motel room; nothing unusual.
But… Seraphina's body froze!
Under Lilith's bed, a ghastly, wide-eyed female face suddenly appeared!
The terrifying face materialized so abruptly that Seraphina couldn't react!
Terrified, Seraphina's heart seemed to stop; she stumbled to the ground, her mouth covered, fearfully pointing at the area under Lilith's bed.
Lilith had noticed Seraphina's strange reaction.
But she didn't respond; not because she didn't want to, but because she couldn't!
A malicious gaze, completely undisguised, pierced her back.
Lilith was certain that turning around would lead to something terrifying.
Therefore, pretending to be oblivious, she approached Seraphina, helping her up. "Ms. Graves, are you alright?"
Touching Seraphina's shoulder, Lilith felt the intensity of her fear.
She trembled violently, her face ashen, her pupils dilated.
However, after a moment, Seraphina looked again under Lilith's bed… it was pitch black; nothing was there.
But Seraphina, having experienced two cursed journeys, knew she hadn't hallucinated.
"No… I'm fine." Seraphina forced herself to suppress her terror, but her left hand gripped Lilith's arm tightly; the strength of a frightened person is immense.
Lilith's right arm was bleeding from her sharp nails, but her expression remained unchanged.
She simply said, "That's good. Let's go find them."
Without hesitation, she closed the door.
Seraphina finally exhaled; by the time she regained her composure, Lilith had already led her to the elevator.
The elevator descended from the sixth floor, stopping before them, empty.
Lilith entered calmly; Seraphina quickly followed.
Only then did she realize she had torn Lilith's right arm.
"You… why didn't you tell me?" Seraphina looked at Lilith with displeasure, her tone sharp.
Lilith shook her head, not even glancing at her injured arm; she casually wiped the blood with her sleeve. "It doesn't hurt."
Seraphina was startled, staring at her in disbelief.
She knew what kind of person she was. Three months in this fog had nearly driven her mad; her emotions had become increasingly volatile, and her conflicts with others more frequent.
Although she wasn't unattractive, those trapped in the curse were, in essence, merely a collection of dying people.
No one would be interested in a physically attractive but emotionally unstable person, nor would they readily forgive her.
Lilith's assessment was accurate: she was profoundly lonely. This loneliness, coupled with fear, had made her increasingly erratic and strange, creating a vicious cycle.
Silence reigned in the elevator.
Lilith glanced at the buttons; the motel had six floors.
She couldn't be sure if "Harrison" was still on the first floor, but the situation was different from before; it was now daylight.
Although she couldn't pinpoint the specific change, or be certain if the light affected "him," the motel's atmosphere had at least shifted from suffocating to slightly more relaxed.
If she didn't investigate during the day, Lilith didn't think night would be a good opportunity.
"Ding—"
The arrival on the first floor startled Seraphina; she looked at Lilith with a strange expression, seeming to want to say something.
But seeing Lilith already stepping out of the elevator, she quickly followed, ultimately remaining silent.
The first floor was a rather nice lobby, tastefully decorated.
A woman in her thirties, possibly a waitress, approached them. "Excuse me, ladies. Would you like to order breakfast?"
Her demeanor was professional, her smile just right, yet her voice lacked any warmth; instead, there was a faint undercurrent of malice.
Lilith was acutely sensitive to emotional nuances. Although her own emotional responses were muted, this didn't hinder her ability to observe others.
Furthermore, based on the waitress's address, it seemed they were considered new arrivals.
"Yes, please prepare two breakfasts for us."
Following the maxim of "A fool and his money are soon parted," Lilith replied with a smile.
The waitress nodded, but Lilith suddenly seemed to remember something and casually asked, "Right, do you have…"
Before she could finish, the waitress's expression changed completely.
"Miss, if you're a reporter, please leave immediately. Otherwise, I'll call security." Her face was grim; her sharp eyes fixed on Lilith, as if trying to see right through her.
Lilith's heart stirred; this evasive attitude was too contrived.
The waitress seemed intent on hinting at something that had happened here.
But outwardly, Lilith shook her head. "No, I'm not a reporter. I'm just here for a vacation. Oh, what I wanted to ask is, could you change my pillow? I didn't sleep very well last night."
The waitress's expression was peculiar; her gaze shifted strangely between Lilith and Seraphina, who remained impassive and preoccupied, respectively.
After a moment, she said, "Yes, of course. I'll change your pillow. I hope you sleep better tonight."
The waitress's words seemed to carry a hidden meaning, but Lilith pretended not to notice. Glancing around, she saw three people:
Harrison, Phineas, and Jiang.
Harrison looked exactly as she had seen him before: dressed as an office worker, his hair neatly combed, not very old but with a slightly stooped posture.
Phineas appeared to be someone who did manual labor; he wasn't tall but was powerfully built, around Daniel's age but in better physical condition than the detective.
Jiang, however, was peculiar; Lilith couldn't determine their gender.
They had short hair, wore a white shirt and loose jeans, and looked to be under twenty, their eyes openly scanning Lilith.
Lilith and Seraphina joined the three by the window.
"Have a seat," Harrison said wearily.
Lilith sat calmly opposite them.
This situation was certainly strange; not long ago, a person identical to this Harrison had knocked on her door.
Thinking back, if she had opened the door then, this life-or-death game might have ended immediately.
"I didn't expect a newcomer to be the Cursed One this time," Harrison said, his voice hoarse from lack of sleep.
Cursed One?
Lilith looked at the four with a questioning gaze. This was a new term for her.
"Remember the three whose names turned red first in the fog gathering?" Phineas suddenly spoke.
Fog gathering?
So, that's what they called the strange place behind the door.
Lilith nodded, looking at the strong middle-aged man.
"The so-called 'Cursed One' is, as the name suggests, the person most likely to be targeted by the spirits. For example, right now, if the probability for us is fifty percent, yours is ninety percent. And when we're both targeted, your probability becomes one hundred percent."
Phineas didn't seem gleeful; regardless of whether the probability was fifty or ninety percent, the outcome was still life or death; nothing to celebrate.
"However, it's not entirely without benefits. If a Cursed One successfully completes their assigned task, they won't be selected for the next fog gathering."
Lilith nodded in understanding. At this moment, two waitresses arrived with breakfast.
"Gentlemen and ladies, here is your breakfast."
Lilith accepted the breakfast from one of the waitresses, casually asking, "Right, where's the other waitress? She promised to change my pillow."
The two waitresses exchanged strange glances but replied, "Yes, ma'am."
"Oh, and… ma'am, please don't mind her words. She's… under a lot of pressure lately and might be having some mental health issues," one waitress said, preventing Lilith from asking further questions before turning to leave with her colleague.
"Something's wrong."
Harrison spoke, watching the two waitresses leave with a thoughtful expression.
"Look at this."
Phineas produced a newspaper and handed it to Lilith and Seraphina.
Lilith quickly scanned it, her gaze stopping at a news report.
"As You Wish Motel owner, Magnus Crowe, reports wife missing for six days. Police investigations have yielded no leads. Rumors suggest Magnus Crowe's wife was murdered, and he is the prime suspect…"
Lilith folded the newspaper and gave it to Seraphina, her gaze drifting to the motel reception desk.
As You Wish Motel.
This was the As You Wish Motel.
"Is Magnus Crowe's wife a ghost?" Lilith asked Phineas and the others.
Harrison shook his head first. "Uncertain. Even if she is, it's not that simple. There's definitely more to it. The waitress under pressure might know something."
Lilith nodded. "Right, I have a question. What does 'Sleep with the sticker on your back. Wake from the dream, lose your soul. Seven-day limit' mean?"
Lilith's question drew everyone's attention.
Jiang, who had been observing Lilith, answered.
"I almost forgot you're a newcomer to the fog gathering, Ms. Hollow. You're quite unusual; you seem to lack… negative emotions."
Lilith smiled faintly, remaining silent.
She not only lacked negative emotions; her facial expressions were almost nonexistent…
"Each riddle indicates or hints at a path to survival. If you can decipher it, surviving won't be too difficult. However, the riddles contain deceptions and traps. The interpretation depends entirely on the individual." Jiang's voice was youthful, a clear tenor that finally revealed his gender to Lilith.
"What about the seven-day limit?" Lilith asked, her habit of asking what she didn't understand persisting.
Seraphina answered this time; it was her first comment since reaching the first floor.
"The time limit is the end point. You may have noticed that this world isn't another dimension, but a real-world timeline from the past. The events here have already happened. Seven days is the limit of this past's existence. If we can endure seven days, we can safely return to reality."
So… how is this different from Adrian's task?
Lilith recalled Adrian's group's task: "Do not open your eyes when you see a mirror. Do not look back when you hear a call. Survive one-day." One was survival, the other a time limit, but ultimately, both involved staying alive to leave.
"Kid," Phineas, the oldest of the group, said, "Don't underestimate this place. The only difference between survival and time-limited tasks is that in survival tasks, the spirits have no real weaknesses. In time-limited tasks, as long as you find the spirit's weakness within the time limit, you can end the task early and return to reality."
So, it's like having an extra escape route?
Lilith nodded thoughtfully.
"However," Harrison continued, his voice still hoarse. "The closer the time limit approaches its end, the stronger 'it' becomes, until… the weakness disappears completely, turning into an insurmountable spirit."
Under Harrison's gaze, Lilith felt uneasy. After all, someone identical to him had just knocked on her door.
Furthermore, Lilith couldn't be certain that this Harrison was the real Harrison…
Perhaps Harrison was already dead?
With a calm expression, she addressed the four. "Let's split up while it's daytime."
Lilith's attitude was unexpected; Jiang looked at her with enthusiasm. "We thought we'd have to persuade you. I didn't expect you to suggest splitting up. You really are different, Ms. Hollow."
Lilith seemed to ignore the comment, smiling as she took a sip of soy milk, watching the four depart.
Good…
Although risky, splitting up was the most effective strategy, and the best course of action for everyone, especially given her status as the "Cursed One," a highly attractive target for the spirits.
After finishing breakfast, Lilith wiped her mouth and prepared to leave.
Her objective, however, differed slightly from the others…
...
Cassandra was close to losing her mind.
She could clearly see something unusual on the wall behind Adrian.
Footprints!
Wet and smeared, as if someone had just emerged from a shower.
But… could a human walk on a wall?
She trembled violently. Moreover, she'd felt someone breathing heavily in her ear since a few moments ago.
The cold breath made her body rigid, as if her blood had frozen.
"Everyone, remember: absolutely do not turn around. Even if cornered, back away. And… pay attention to mirrors. We haven't found any yet in this mansion, but the riddle mentioned them, so it's not a fabrication," Adrian said seriously, looking at the circle of people.
This time, not only was he the Cursed One, but his group had eight members.
Worse yet, they’d drawn a survival task.
This meant the spirit in the mansion was formidable!
There was no way to harm it; humans could only flee, finding a path to survival within the concise riddle.
Fortunately, this riddle offered Adrian some relief; it was straightforward, almost simple.
"Do not open your eyes when you see a mirror. Do not look back when you hear a call."
These were the spirit's taboos. As long as they avoided them, they might encounter terrifying scenes, but… at least their lives would be safe.
With that, Adrian emphasized again, "No matter what happens behind you, no matter what you see behind others, don't speak! Don't turn around! Just one day; endure it."
Although the group's expressions varied, Adrian was well-liked, and no one voiced any objection.
Victoria cracked her neck; her body felt tense. She had been in the fog gathering for only a month; this was her second task. Victoria trusted Adrian; she believed that as long as they followed the riddle's instructions, they would be fine.
However, the gazes of those around her became increasingly terrified.
What… was happening?
Wait?
I didn't look up, why… can I see the ceiling?
Victoria's question went unanswered; a second later, she lost consciousness, her head tilted at an unnatural angle, staring at the ceiling.
She was dead.
Dead before everyone's eyes!
Adrian's pupils constricted; he witnessed a pale hand emerging from the shadows behind Victoria, gripping her neck, slowly tightening its hold.
Victoria didn't react!
Even as her neck was completely crushed, she hadn't uttered a word, let alone screamed!
This silent death before everyone sent a chill down everyone's spines; goosebumps covered their arms.
Outside the window was pitch-black night; a howling wind howled, seemingly gnawing at the dusty windowpanes, creaking ominously.
No one knew what had happened in this mansion; Adrian wasn't interested in the background.
This was a survival task, not a time-limited one!
The spirit in this mansion had no weaknesses; it was completely consumed by hopeless malice, devoid of consciousness, driven only by the desire to drag the living into its hellish realm!
Adrian glanced at the wall clock in the mansion's living room; it was 11:30 PM…
The bright red minute and hour hands were strikingly vivid; he had never felt time pass so slowly.
They had arrived at 7:00 PM, meaning they had to endure almost twenty hours in this terrifying, deserted mansion…
And the worst part was, the spirit had already begun its assault!
As Adrian pondered, the group descended into chaos.
"No, it's impossible! How did Victoria die? She was sitting opposite me; she didn't look at a mirror or turn around. Why was she killed?" Victor's eyes widened; his expression was distraught.
"Could the riddle be a lie? Not looking at a mirror, not turning around… was it all a deception? Could… turning around be the path to survival?!" Dominic began to waver; he voiced his theory, finding it increasingly plausible.
At this moment, a previously silent person suddenly turned pale; he seemed to have realized something and was about to speak, but stopped himself.
However, Adrian noticed his expression.
"Lucas, did you discover something?"
Lucas shook his head, his face grim; he desperately hoped his theory was wrong.
Because… if his theory was true, he… would die too!
And almost everyone in the group of eight!
Except…
Lucas's unusual behavior made Adrian wary. He glanced at the arguing crowd; at this moment, only he, Lucas, Julian, and the newcomer, Cassandra, remained calm.
Frankly, Adrian himself was a mess. He had witnessed Victoria's bizarre death; what taboo had she broken?
He couldn't understand!
Mirrors, turning around… she hadn't turned around or looked at a mirror. Strictly speaking, there weren't any mirrors in the living room…
Mirrors…
A sudden insight flashed through Adrian's mind; he felt he was on the verge of understanding something. He frowned, slapping his forehead.
Damn it! He was clearly on the verge of a breakthrough, but couldn't form a coherent thought.
Just then, Cassandra spoke, her voice trembling. "You… do you smell that?"
Her words weren't important; newcomers in the fog gathering rarely had any say.
Especially an unlucky newcomer like Cassandra, who had drawn a survival task on her first try.
Many non-believers, after entering the strange fog gathering, had to acknowledge certain beliefs. Some people were inherently unlucky; associating with them brought no good fortune.
Clearly, Cassandra was one such person.
Incidentally, Lilith was also considered such a person by the veterans in the fog gathering.
After all, a newcomer becoming the Cursed One was unprecedentedly unlucky.
Nevertheless, everyone instinctively paid attention to Cassandra's words.
In a life-or-death situation, no one would be indifferent, especially since women's intuition was vital and highly reliable.
This time, the group finally smelled what Cassandra described…
A faint jasmine scent, and… the stench of decaying flesh.
A truly bizarre smell.
The sweet scent mingled with the nauseating stench, growing stronger as the night deepened, the time approaching midnight…
"Tick-tock-tick-tock—"
The wall clock suddenly chimed, causing everyone to tremble.
Then, a faint sound came from outside the living room.
"Click, click, click."
Everyone's eyes widened; it was… footsteps!
Adrian stood up abruptly, took a deep breath, stared at the group, and urgently said, "Pairs! Split up! Go!"
The group was startled, looking at him with complex expressions.
Victoria's strange death, combined with this pairing method, meant someone would have to hide alone in the mansion. Judging by Adrian's attitude, he intended to be that person…
Some might appreciate his selflessness, others consider it foolish.
But in Adrian's eyes, he was simply making the most rational choice.
Seven people quickly paired up, not daring to turn around, stiffly dispersing throughout the mansion.
Adrian was the last to leave. He glanced at the slightly ajar living room door; a twisted, pale arm was reaching in.
Without hesitation, he turned and went upstairs to the second floor.
...
As You Wish Motel.
After suggesting they split up, Lilith went to a place no one expected.
Room 405.
Her room.
Opening the unlocked door, Lilith glanced around.
The bed, nightstand, desk calendar, TV in the corner, a window…
Everything was exactly as she had left it.
But… this time, Lilith knew there was something else in her room…
Her memory was excellent; she clearly recalled the direction of Seraphina's terrified gaze when she fell to the floor.
It must have been… under the bed.
Lilith closed the door. Although she felt certain, her heart rate still quickened slightly.
But she didn't dislike this feeling.
Taking a deep breath, Lilith knelt, leaning down, and cautiously peered under the bed.
A pale female face materialized suddenly!
It was extremely close, mere centimeters from Lilith's face!
A strong stench of decay filled Lilith's nostrils, along with a malevolent gaze from soulless eyes.
But at that moment, Lilith smiled. "Hello. I have some questions for you."