The group exchanged glances, their expressions solemn. Such deep-seated hatred—how could it ever be resolved?
Xiao Muyu didn’t want to look at the words anymore. She flipped forward, and the style changed once again. A pair of eyes, cleanly sketched, met her gaze.
The eyes sparkled with light, and even without a mouth or facial contours, one could sense they were smiling, seemingly looking at someone.
“It’s Lin Xue,” Xiao Muyu recognized immediately.
Zuo Tiantian and the others remained silent. The drawing showed that the artist put in great effort, meticulously outlining the whites and pupils of the eyes with patient detail.
“She’s very good at drawing,” Chen Kaijie commented softly, his tone complex.
Moving forward, scattered images of Lin Xue appeared—her sleeping, solving problems, each lifelike and full of emotion.
It was evident the artist observed closely, each picture imbued with feeling.
Zuo Tiantian felt a pang of discomfort and whispered, “She must have liked her very much to draw her so carefully.”
She then thought of how the students in the class didn’t like Liu Ya, except for Lin Xue who stayed with her. In the end, Liu Ya’s light was extinguished by others, making Zuo Tiantian feel even more bitter.
Xiao Muyu, having finished, carefully examined the rest of the drawings before putting them back.
Shen Qingqiu, silent for a while, continued searching Lin Xue’s drawer but found nothing else.
“It seems Liu Ya is our only lead,” Xiao Muyu noted. Finding no more clues, she motioned for the others to leave and wait for Su Jin on the path behind the teaching building.
Su Jin, upon receiving the message, allowed the students to tidy up briefly before letting them go.
“How did it go? Did you find anything?” Su Jin hurried over, asking anxiously.
Zuo Tiantian, still emotional, took a deep breath and detailed what they had seen.
Su Jin sighed, “They deserved it. Who could tolerate such things? If it were me, I’d want blood for blood.”
But now wasn’t the time for sentimentality. Recalling the drawings, Su Jin frowned, “This could be evidence that Liu Ya is the culprit. The mummified corpse trying to kill those six people—it’s Liu Ya’s curse, helping Lin Xue seek revenge?”
Xiao Muyu pondered, “It’s possible. Since she drew it, Liu Ya must know about the tall mummy.”
Unfortunately, finding these clues didn’t stop the night from approaching. Xiao Muyu was at a loss.
Knowing who the culprit was, they could confront Liu Ya and Lin Xue, but it was unpredictable what might happen. If they angered them, things could get worse.
Shen Qingqiu, seeing her hesitation, asked, “What’s wrong? Another problem?”
Xiao Muyu nodded. Looking at Shen Qingqiu and then the other three, she said seriously, “We have most of the evidence. The only thing missing is what the police did, leading to Chen Kaijie’s involvement, and what happened that day preventing Lin Xue from being rescued. What happened to Liu Ya, causing her burns but failing to save Lin Xue? Only Lin Xue and Liu Ya can tell us the full story, but with the main parties dead or forgetful, we’re at a stalemate.
Tonight, Zhang Zhu is likely involved in the hunt. Even if we escape, it’s pointless if we can’t complete the plot. So, I’m thinking we shouldn’t wait passively but take action.”
She started unsure but gradually formed a plan.
Shen Qingqiu leaned against the camphor tree, smiling at Xiao Muyu. “Your reasoning is sound. If we do nothing, we know the outcome, good or bad. So, you mean to confront Lin Xue and Liu Ya?”
Xiao Muyu nodded but hesitated, wondering if it was too rash to act on the third day, thinking another round might yield new clues.
“You’re worried confronting them might make things worse. Let me ask you, if this were a solo mission, what would you do?” Shen Qingqiu coaxed.
Xiao Muyu’s silence was answer enough. Chen Kaijie stood tall, looking earnestly at Xiao Muyu. “Team Leader Xiao, we may not be on your and Miss Shen’s level, but we’ve passed three stages. We’re not cowardly. We’re here to work together and survive.
I don’t know how much I can contribute, but I know we want to be your support. If you have the courage to act alone, with us, you should feel even more confident. Risks and rewards go hand in hand—we understand that! We trust you.”
Zuo Tiantian and Su Jin, invigorated by his words, nodded fervently. “Brother Chen is right. If you, Team Leader Xiao, dare to decide, we’ll follow you.”
Xiao Muyu felt a strange mix of joy and sadness, a feeling unfamiliar yet not new. The last time she made a hypothesis, they trusted her just as much. She had never felt this growing up, thinking she had bad luck, no parents to care for her, no siblings.
Even growing up, she rarely received kindness, wondering why her rational mind said the world was beautiful but it seemed to exclude her.
Entering this game, Xiao Muyu’s goal was less about survival and more about defiance.
She never thought she’d find what she had desperately longed for here.
Protection without regard for life or death, unquestioning trust.
She looked at them, a gentle smile forming, sincere and warm, melting the thin ice like spring water flowing.
“Thank you.”
Su Jin and the others had rarely seen Xiao Muyu smile, whether in or out of the game. She was always the quietest when her opinion wasn’t needed.
Shen Qingqiu was like a reckless storm, fierce as winter, passionate as a blazing rose.
Xiao Muyu felt like the chill of early spring—seemingly mild but colder than warm, keeping strangers at bay.
Yet beneath that spring chill, hidden beneath the ice, was springtime. Finally, it was emerging.
Shen Qingqiu loved watching her at these times, realizing her previous antics were to glimpse the emotions beneath Xiao Muyu’s calm exterior.
She believed the real Xiao Muyu shouldn’t carry such desolation but should be soft and bright.
Xiao Muyu couldn’t ignore the gaze from beside her, always so unreserved, making her uncomfortable.
But Shen Qingqiu’s current gaze was too gentle, unlike her usual unruly self, making Xiao Muyu glance at her a few times.
Seeing Xiao Muyu look at her, Shen Qingqiu’s eyes smiled even sweeter.
Xiao Muyu felt her face heat up and quickly looked away.
Su Jin and Zuo Tiantian nudged each other, signaling to leave Xiao Muyu and Shen Qingqiu to walk at the back.
Xiao Muyu said nothing, not quickening her pace, just walking alongside Shen Qingqiu. After a while, she muttered, “Watch your step.”
Shen Qingqiu smiled, obediently looking at the road, stepping closer to Xiao Muyu, her voice soft, “You look nice when you smile, like just now.”
Xiao Muyu, brushing her hair aside, her expression softened slightly but still spoke quietly, “Why does it matter?”
Shen Qingqiu paused, then explained, “You look nice even when you don’t smile. But when you do, it makes me happy.”
Xiao Muyu didn’t know how to respond, looking at Shen Qingqiu, then shifting her gaze to the completely dark sky.
Shen Qingqiu hadn’t expected her to say anything. They followed Su Jin and the others, walking leisurely. After a long silence, Shen Qingqiu broke it again, “Are you nervous?”
Xiao Muyu paused, nodded, then shook her head.
“Don’t worry, we’ll get through this. It’s only the fourth game. If we can’t make it, then others have no chance.”
Shen Qingqiu was always so confident, seemingly unshakeable, fearless.
But Xiao Muyu feared Shen Qingqiu might push herself too hard.
Soon, they reached the girls’ dormitory. They exchanged glances, ready to go up.
But Xiao Muyu stopped Su Jin and the others, “I’ll go up first.”
Shen Qingqiu’s face changed, bluntly refusing, “No.”
Xiao Muyu looked at her deeply, “You said I should act, but now you don’t keep your word.”
Shen Qingqiu hesitated, but still firmly said, “No way. If they attack you, what then? In previous games, we could use item cards. Here, there are restrictions. How will you protect yourself?”
She glanced at Su Jin and the others, “If anyone goes, it’s me.”
Xiao Muyu, helpless, glanced at her, “You? You’d draw your sword within three sentences.”
Shen Qingqiu disagreed, “Am I a brute?”
“I’ll go with you, or I’ll go alone. You decide.” Shen Qingqiu’s stubbornness left Xiao Muyu no choice.
Su Jin offered, “I’ll go with Team Leader Xiao…”
“I don’t trust it. I need to see for myself.” Shen Qingqiu bluntly interrupted. Su Jin fell silent, feeling redundant.
Xiao Muyu, frustrated but amused, eventually relented. As they climbed the stairs, she muttered, “If something happens, we’ll both be doomed.”
Shen Qingqiu snorted, “If we separate, and you’re taken down, it’ll be worse.”
Xiao Muyu almost laughed, “So childish.”
This rare warmth calmed Shen Qingqiu’s temper.
They had scouted Liu Ya and Lin Xue’s dormitory. Xiao Muyu took a deep breath, knocked on the door, and Shen Qingqiu stood by, watching.
After a while, the door opened. Lin Xue stood there, surprised to see Xiao Muyu, but quickly smiled.
Behind her, Liu Ya approached, eyes wary, clearly unwelcoming.
“Xiao Muyu, Shen Qingqiu? What do you want?” Lin Xue’s voice was calm, showing no sign of anything unusual.
Xiao Muyu’s gaze lingered on Lin Xue before settling on Liu Ya. She nodded slightly, “Sorry to bother you. Can we talk?”
Liu Ya pulled Lin Xue behind her, “I don’t see what there is to discuss with strangers.”
Xiao Muyu remained composed, meeting Liu Ya’s cold stare, “Sometimes strangers understand you better than those you talk to daily, don’t you think?”
Liu Ya’s expression cracked, revealing a hint of ferocity, “What do you want?”
“Just to talk. Whether about your hatred or your love, I think it’s necessary. Continuing like this punishes not just others but yourself. Why risk everything, especially for someone you care about, like Lin Xue?” This almost open statement made Liu Ya’s face change.
But she couldn’t show her fury, instead, she looked anxiously at Lin Xue.
Lin Xue seemed puzzled but soon held Liu Ya’s hand gently, “Xiao Ya, let’s talk.”
