PTYS Chapter 27

In the wake of the recent ordeals, their physical strength was utterly depleted. They needed to seize every moment to recuperate, so the seven of them remained silent, each leaning against the wall with their eyes closed, trying to gather strength.

Xiao Muyu found her thoughts more tumultuous when she closed her eyes, her mind unwilling to settle. She frowned and eventually opened her eyes again.

Everyone around her was covered in bloodstains. Surprisingly, the cleanest ones were herself and Shen Qingqiu. Xiao Muyu had genuinely not been injured, while Shen Qingqiu’s black attire concealed most of the bloodstains. Only the blood on her left hand remained visible, indicating she was significantly hurt.

The scent of blood was strong, and Xiao Muyu could smell it clearly.

She noticed Shen Qingqiu discreetly distancing herself, just as she did during previous rest periods.

It suddenly dawned on Xiao Muyu that Shen Qingqiu might be trying to keep the scent of blood away from her.

Her sense of smell was more acute than most, which allowed her to detect even the faintest human skin scent. She despised, even feared, the smell of blood. While Shen Qingqiu was aware of her heightened sense of smell, Xiao Muyu believed she hadn’t explicitly expressed her aversion to the smell of blood.

This realization left Xiao Muyu conflicted. Shen Qingqiu’s consideration touched her, but it also made her feel a strange mixture of embarrassment and gratitude. Shen Qingqiu, despite her injuries, still made efforts to spare Xiao Muyu from discomfort.

As Xiao Muyu pondered this, she couldn’t help but feel a complex blend of emotions. She was usually so self-reliant and independent, yet here she was, moved by the small, considerate actions of someone who seemed to care about her well-being.

This thought made her glance sideways at Shen Qingqiu, who had her eyes closed, appearing serene despite the obvious pain she must be in. Xiao Muyu’s heart softened, and she felt a surge of determination to ensure they all got through this ordeal together. She wouldn’t let Shen Qingqiu’s efforts be in vain.

In the silence of their temporary respite, Xiao Muyu resolved to keep a closer eye on Shen Qingqiu and the others. They needed to support each other more than ever if they were to survive the next round.

As soon as this thought emerged, she felt that she was being overly sentimental. Shen Qingqiu only approached her for fun, not to go to such lengths for her.

Everyone here was stained with blood, especially Zhang Qiang, who had lost an arm, and the smell was indeed unpleasant. Her nose twitched involuntarily.

“Hang in there, it should be over soon.” Shen Qingqiu, who had at some point opened his eyes, said softly.

Xiao Muyu couldn’t help but look at her. There was still sweat on Shen Qingqiu’s forehead, and she couldn’t hide her fatigue; it seemed her wounds were still painful.

“I’m not that delicate.” Xiao Muyu was uncomfortable with the smell of blood both physically and psychologically, but it would be truly hypocritical not to endure it now that she was in this place.

“Hmm.” Shen Qingqiu’s response carried a hint of a gentle smile, making Xiao Muyu feel inexplicably stifled.

They only exchanged a few words before they both stood up when the sixth door opened.

This time they had rested for more than forty minutes, which meant Zuo Tiantian’s red string had refreshed.

“Your item is our trump card; you must use it cautiously,” Xiao Muyu reminded her.

Zuo Tiantian nodded, understanding the importance.

Zhang Qiang had difficulty standing, and Lin Hai, without needing a reminder, supported him, while Chen Kaijie stood by him as well.

During these dangerous intermissions, people tended to care for and pity their companions deeply, probably because they were in this together.

Shen Qingqiu was ready to go in first as usual, but Xiao Muyu grabbed her hand. She was expressionless but very determined: “I’ll go in first.”

Shen Qingqiu was a bit surprised. They stood there in a stalemate for a while before Shen Qingqiu, with a smile, relented.

Shen Qingqiu’s gray eyes were smiling at that moment, charming and captivating, making Xiao Muyu feel uneasy despite her intentions to consider the bigger picture. She quickly stepped inside.

Once inside, she cautiously surveyed the environment and was momentarily stunned.

It was a living room, unexpectedly bright and clean, with a hexagonal lamp-shaped wind chime hanging, and a full-length mirror on the far left, making the room feel more spacious.

She felt confused, sensing something was off. Just then, a gust of wind made the wind chime spin rapidly, producing a pleasant, tinkling sound, relaxing her mind.

“Why are you just standing there instead of helping with dinner?”

A tired, slightly impatient voice sounded behind her. She turned to see a disheveled woman in a nightgown. The relaxation in Xiao Muyu’s eyes vanished, replaced by tension.

“Did you hear me? Are you deaf? You’re just as cold-faced as your dead father. Do I owe the Xiao family or something?”

The woman looked nearly forty, with noticeable wrinkles and puffy eyes from too much sleep. Her nightgown was wrinkled.

As she cursed, she went to pour water but found the kettle empty, which enraged her. She shouted fiercely at Xiao Muyu, “Can’t you even boil some water?”

Then she threw the cup at Xiao Muyu.

Xiao Muyu stared blankly and didn’t dodge. The cup hit her forehead hard, and blood began to flow down her face.

She touched it, feeling the sticky blood, very real, making her clench her right hand and tremble slightly.

“Mom,” she called out, feeling dazed and lost.

Seeing Xiao Muyu bleeding, the woman panicked for a moment, then glared with disgust: “You’re really his child. Are you even human? Don’t you feel pain? Clean this up!”

The woman turned and left, cursing, while Xiao Muyu squatted down to pick up the broken pieces, gripping them tightly, blood dripping from her fingers, her eyes darkening.

A key turned, but the door didn’t open. Instead, there was loud banging. A drunken man outside slurred, “Huang Xiao’e, open the door! Hurry!”

The domineering woman’s expression changed to one of fear. She glanced at Xiao Muyu and quickly ran to open the door.

As soon as the door opened, it was violently pushed against the wall. The man slapped the woman hard, knocking her to the floor.

“Are you dead? How long did I call before you opened the door, you bitch? Were you sneaking around with another man? I’ll kill you!”

He kicked her relentlessly as she curled up on the floor, protecting her head.

Xiao Muyu watched the scene, feeling disgusted and shaking.

She watched without stopping the man, her gaze cold.

After venting, the man walked toward Xiao Muyu, reeking of alcohol and smoke.

He looked at Xiao Muyu with clouded eyes and smiled lecherously.

“Xiao Yu, you’re getting prettier, even more alluring than your slut of a mother. I’ll introduce you to a friend soon; you’ll like him. Don’t be ungrateful like your mother. Be a good girl and repay your father.”

He looked excited.

“But it’s a waste to give you away like this. I should have a taste first,” he said, making Xiao Muyu feel nauseous.

The woman, still on the floor, suddenly revived, yelling at Xiao Muyu, “You slut! You’re already seducing men at your age? Seducing my man? Do you have any shame?”

Originally, the man had loosened his tie and was walking towards Xiao Muyu, but hearing the woman’s shrew-like scolding, he turned back and began to punch and kick her again, even taking off his belt.

The woman wailed and rolled on the ground until she finally curled up and stopped moving. Xiao Muyu just watched, her dark eyes filled with storm clouds and devoid of light.

Eventually, the man grew tired of hitting her, forgot what he intended to do, staggered into the room, and collapsed on the bed, soon snoring loudly.

Xiao Muyu looked at the familiar setup from her memory and felt like she was falling into an icy pit. She couldn’t escape, couldn’t break free; she always ended up back in this place. How could it be like this?

As she stood there, lost in despair, the battered woman on the floor somehow found the strength to get up and fiercely grabbed Xiao Muyu’s neck.

Her face was unrecognizable, twisted with rage, as she viciously spat, “All my suffering is because of you. If it weren’t for you, I wouldn’t be living like this. You’re just like your father—cold-blooded, heartless. Your mother was beaten nearly to death, and you stood there indifferent! You’re a monster just like that pervert. You should die, die!”

Xiao Muyu couldn’t breathe; the hands around her throat were like eagle claws, squeezing tight. Her face turned from red to purple to blue, but she didn’t want to struggle.

Finally, from lack of oxygen, her legs gave way, and she sank to her knees. Her mind was getting foggy, and it felt like she was about to be freed.

In her daze, she heard the sound of wind chimes. A burning sensation at her waist suddenly cleared her mind. No, her mother was already dead, and that man was dead too!

She snapped back to reality, opened her eyes, and found herself kneeling before a mirror, her own hands choking her neck.

As soon as she regained consciousness, her grip loosened. Cold air flooded her lungs, and she gasped desperately, collapsing to the ground, coughing violently, her eyes bloodshot and streaming tears.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out the talisman she had brought. It was still warm. She coughed uncontrollably, grateful for her narrow escape.

Before she could fully recover, a hand reached out and steadied her.

Xiao Muyu tensed and quickly looked up through tear-blurred eyes to see Shen Qingqiu’s face.

Shen Qingqiu helped her up and patted her back gently, looking concerned. “Are you alright? What happened?”

Xiao Muyu breathed a sigh of relief. “I’m fine. I was careless. This round of the game was unexpected. This mirror is strange. What about you? Did you see anyone else?”

She subtly touched her forehead, checking her hand. There was no blood, but the pain lingered.

Shen Qingqiu shook her head. “No, I just broke free from my illusion. I heard noise from here, so I came to check.”

“It seems we’ve been separated.” Xiao Muyu sniffed and glanced at Shen Qingqiu, noticing the bandage on her left shoulder.

“Yes, we need to be careful; it won’t be that simple.” She pulled out a dagger. Xiao Muyu watched closely, lowering her gaze.

“Qingqiu, can I borrow your dagger for a moment? My clothes are coming apart,” Xiao Muyu asked.

Shen Qingqiu hesitated, then handed the dagger to her.

Xiao Muyu lowered her head and cut at the loose threads of her clothing. When she looked up, she swiftly stabbed the dagger into Shen Qingqiu’s chest. At the same time, a slender hand slashed Shen Qingqiu’s throat.

As Shen Qingqiu’s body fell, Xiao Muyu saw another Shen Qingqiu.

Wiping her dagger, Xiao Muyu watched as the other Shen Qingqiu screamed and turned to ashes. Then, looking at Xiao Muyu with a touch of resentment, she said, “Did you have to be so ruthless? That stab was really decisive.”

Xiao Muyu swallowed to ease the pain in her throat, her voice hoarse. “You slitting your own throat was even more ruthless than me.”

Shen Qingqiu, noticing something off in her voice, looked at the marks on Xiao Muyu’s neck—fingerprints, red and purple, showing how tightly she had been strangled.

Feeling a sudden pang in her chest, Shen Qingqiu’s expression changed. She stepped forward, lifted Xiao Muyu’s chin, and carefully touched the marks. “How did this happen?”

She looked serious, without a trace of a smile. Xiao Muyu’s heart skipped a beat. She stepped back, avoiding her gaze. “I got caught as soon as I came in. Strangled myself.”

Shen Qingqiu pressed her lips together, still looking displeased. “Looks like it got off easy.”

“You’re hurt again?” Xiao Muyu smelled the heavy scent of blood on her and saw that the wound on Shen Qingqiu’s left shoulder had reopened, and there were new cuts on her left waist and arm.

Shen Qingqiu took a breath. “We must have each been placed in a separate room. The mirror can project the scenes and people one least wants to see. I was caught and got hurt.”

“Killing without a trace, indeed harsher than the previous rounds. I’ll treat your wounds, and then we need to find the others.” They hadn’t yet received the conditions for clearing this level, making Xiao Muyu uneasy.

Shen Qingqiu watched Xiao Muyu bandage her wounds, asking curiously, “How did you know that Shen Qingqiu was fake?”

Xiao Muyu lifted her eyes briefly before lowering them to tie the bandage. “I didn’t know. I was in a bad mood and felt like stabbing.”

Author’s note:

Little Shen: Were you really that ruthless?

Little Xiao: Bad mood, felt like stabbing.

Little Shen: Murdering your wife isn’t good.

—Much later—

Little Shen: So eager?

Little Xiao: Good mood, felt like getting on.

Little Shen: Randomly getting on your wife isn’t good either.