Chapter 22: Red Shoes (7)

Chapter 22: Red Shoes (7)

◎“Shi Youqing, eliminated.” (includes VIP notification)◎

“Just confess!” Ren Tianyu, recently terrified by Xing Ruyue’s sudden death, shouted, “Did you kill her because she found out you’re the murderer?”

Silence.

“Speak up! Are you feeling guilty?”

At this, Gao Fei moved, stepping towards Xing Ruyue’s body.

Those closest to the body instinctively stepped back.

“Don’t be scared! How can we all not handle her?” Ren Tianyu blustered.

Gao Fei stopped in front of the body, crouched down, and checked Xing Ruyue’s breath with her hand.

Ren Tianyu: “Stop acting, she wouldn’t have opened the door for anyone but you!”

Chen Jian agreed, “What Chang said makes sense. Xing Ruyue didn’t know anyone else, she would only open the door for you! Next round, we should directly vote for Gao Fei, can’t go wrong…”

Duan Dong interjected, “Let’s hear what she has to say first…”

Gao Fei remained silent, covering Xing Ruyue’s face with her jacket, then headed to the washbasin outside, turned on the tap, and began washing her hands.

The others followed, utterly perplexed.

Seeing this, Ren Tianyu’s tone grew more accusatory, “Do you think washing your hands makes them clean? You’ve already killed so many, you’re utterly heartless!”

Shi Youqing remained silent, quietly observing the few people around him.

Ren Tianyu and Chen Jian were quite agitated. Just as they seemed ready to become physical, Qiao Mingcheng timidly interjected, “I... I don’t think it’s her... look at the bruise on the back of her neck... when she came out, she looked like she had just woken up. She might have been knocked unconscious for a while…”

“If she’s not the killer, why doesn’t she explain? Sounds like she’s guilty to me!”

“But…”

“You’re suspicious too. You should know better than anyone how to poison and strangle someone! Now suddenly defending her, are you in cahoots?”

“...Why say such things? You’re being unreasonable!”

As the argument escalated, Gao Fei, who had just finished washing her face, slowly turned around and said deliberately, “I am not the killer, and I didn’t kill Xing Ruyue.”

Chen Jian challenged, “Then how can you prove it? Are we supposed to just take your word for it?”

“I was supposed to switch compartments with Xing Ruyue,” Gao Fei interrupted Chen Jian, her tone indifferent, “Her door latch was loose, and I feared the killer might break in from outside, something she wouldn’t be able to handle... but I could.”

“...Oh, so you deliberately kept the danger for yourself? Who would believe that? You’re a bodyguard, not her parent!”

Ignoring the skepticism, Gao Fei continued, “Our compartments were next to each other; switching would take just a few seconds. I never thought something would go wrong.”

“But my compartment was dark. When I opened the door, someone struck me on the back of the neck. I didn’t see who it was...”

“What happened after I woke up is already known to you all.”

Ren Tianyu: “Even with your story, you can’t prove it…”

“Vote if you want,” Gao Fei leaned against the wall, “Before I die, I will find the killer myself.”

“……”

Ren Tianyu scoffed, “I don’t accept that explanation. To me, it looks like the murderer is staging a play, making it easy to self-inflict a wound on the neck after killing someone. Unless the real murderer confesses now, I won’t believe a word you say!”

“No one cares if you believe it.”

“You…”

Caught between embarrassment and anger, Ren Tianyu was about to retort when suddenly someone else spoke up:

“If Gao Fei isn’t the killer, then the real murderer must be male,” Feng Bin stated, having approached Gao Fei. He gestured, “Currently, the living Liu Yu and Xia Shitong are much shorter than Gao Fei. Disregarding strength, based on height alone, it would be difficult to strike the back of someone’s neck in an instant and knock them out.”

“Moreover, Gao Fei lacks a motive to kill Xing Ruyue—if Xing Ruyue suddenly discovered Gao Fei was the killer, she definitely wouldn’t have opened the door. Instead of letting her in, she would have screamed for help and informed everyone about the murderer.”

“I believe the person who killed Xing Ruyue had two objectives: one, to reduce the number of voters; two, to frame Gao Fei, wasting one of our votes and causing further chaos.”

After saying this in one breath, Feng Bin turned to Shi Youqing, who was drinking a nutrient solution, “Right?”

The young man, caught off guard, nodded hastily, “...Ah, that's right.”

Only then did Feng Bin sit down on a nearby stone bench, visibly relaxing.

The crowd: “…”

Was this a courtroom debate?

Though Feng Bin’s words significantly reduced the suspicion on Gao Fei, the tense atmosphere remained unresolved.

If Gao Fei wasn’t the killer, then the murderer was still among them.

Under the strain of high tension and two rounds of voting, everyone was exhausted, each taking a nutrient solution and finding a place to sit and recover.

Shi Youqing sat in a corner against the wall. After crawling in the ducts for so long, his elbows and knees were sore, and he rubbed them unconsciously.

Feng Bin, who had been standing, crouched down and began massaging Shi Youqing's arms directly.

His technique was quite... professional.

Shi Youqing: "This..."

Feng Bin: “This is my job.”

“……”

Trying to ignore the curious glances from around, Shi Youqing awkwardly adjusted his position to extend his leg, “...How much salary did my mom give you?”

“A lot.”

“……”

Shi Youqing turned his head away and sighed quietly.

The power was out for a long time, and after resting for almost half an hour, a new round of discussions about the murderer, led by Chang Fangxing, began.

Most were actively participating, except Liu Yu, who looked listless and kept rubbing her eyes in the corner.

During this time, Duan Dong offered her a nutrient solution, but she shook her head, saying she wasn't hungry.

Shi Youqing watched from a distance.

Duan Dong sat down next to her, speaking softly as if comforting her. The girl eventually nodded and began to slowly drink the nutrient solution.

Duan Dong gently patted her head, almost imperceptibly.

Just then, Hao Tianshuo came over to wash his face and, noticing the scene, quipped, “Hey, this episode has a matchmaking twist, huh!”

Duan Dong shot him a glance, but Liu Yu seemed unresponsive, lost in her thoughts.

Stirred by Hao Tianshuo’s comment, Duan Dong left with a stern face to join Chang Fangxing and others in their speculations.

Mutual suspicions and defenses ensued.

In the end, it seemed like no one could be the murderer.

After the discussion stalled, Feng Bin joined them, and the three stayed together.

Taking advantage of the momentary privacy, Shi Youqing gestured for Feng Bin to come closer and quietly shared the details of his duct exploration.

Feng Bin was surprised to learn about the ducts' existence, his face showing astonishment.

Shi Youqing continued in a hushed tone, “We can’t tell the others about this.”

Feng Bin understood immediately. With people dying during the blackouts, revealing the existence of the ducts – a means to observe or even enter other compartments – would not only cause panic among the players and alert the NPCs, but Shi Youqing could also be mistakenly identified as the murderer.

Shi Youqing added, “If the MVP is decided based on actions during the blackout, then Feng Bin will be the one using the ducts next round. If it’s about the overall game, it might still be me.”

Feng Bin frowned, “Can’t we switch halfway?”

Shi Youqing smiled, “It’s not specified, but it’s best not to test the rules.”

Feng Bin: "...then be careful."

As their conversation concluded, the topic on the other side changed, now speculating about the cause of death of the victim, Yu Jiatian.

But it was all just conjecture.

After a massage from Bo Huai, Shi Youqing's limbs felt much more relaxed. As he stood up, Bo Huai, who was assisting him, paused momentarily and then leaned in, "I'll go up in the next round."

...It seems to be based on the blackout period.

Shi Youqing: "If the situation allows, keep an eye on Liu Yu. I think she's acting a bit strange now."

Bo Huai: "Okay."

Each time the power went out, the water supply to the cubicles also stopped, so everyone used the time when the power was on to take care of urgent needs. Fortunately, the cubicles in this game were enclosed, avoiding any awkwardness.

People went to the cubicles intermittently, coming out after a short while.

Eventually, everyone gathered near the washbasins outside, waiting for the next round.

In the midst of boredom, some began to chat idly, others observed their surroundings, and a few closed their eyes in contemplation.

Gao Fei always stayed alone, silent and uncommunicative.

Hao Tianshuo was the most active, seemingly forgetting where he was, cheerfully talking about the countries he had visited, peculiar games he had played, and antique treasures he had seen...

Ren Tianyu chuckled, "Even at a time like this, you have the mood to show off..."

Hao Tian Shuo: "How can someone of your esteemed generation speak like that? And why shouldn't I show off?"

"Are you freaking out of your mind..."

"Oh, speaking of brains, I love pig brains, a must-have for hotpot! I also like rabbit heads, how about you guys? Oh yeah, Brother Qingqing, I’ll treat you to it sometime!"

“……”

Shi Youqing actually found the conversation intriguing, quietly asking Bo Huai, "Have you ever eaten pig brain?"

Caught off guard, Bo Huai shook his head, "Shall we try it after getting out?"

Shi Youqing: "Sure."

Bo Huai seemed surprised by his straightforward agreement, pausing for a moment.

Shi You Qing had been watching the crowd and naturally didn't notice.

When he looked back at Bo Huai, his vision suddenly went pitch black.

People who were chatting just a second ago now ran off as fast as they could.

In the chaos, Shi You Qing wasn't bumped into. Within a few seconds, Bo Huai had scooped him up and brought him back to the compartment, quickly returning to the next one over.

After the outside quieted down, Bo Huai gestured to him through the gap below to come up, then went silent.

He climbed into the duct.

Shi You Qing pressed his ear to the door, listening intently to the sounds outside.

After a brief silence, a series of unexpected footsteps echoed clearly in the empty restroom.

The next second, there was the sound of clanging metal, like knives chopping!

Someone was outside!

Someone in the opposite compartment cried out in fear, then forcibly held back, but their rapid breathing betrayed their terror.

The footsteps outside were fast, almost running past each door, frantically slashing and chopping... It was as if a murderous fiend was lurking just outside.

Even though going out could greatly increase the chances of identifying the perpetrator, they had to wait for the call to vote, and nobody dared to leave at that moment.

"Count off!" Feng Bin immediately shouted. "We can eliminate suspects by counting off!"

The others responded in turn.

However, after the counting ended, everyone had reported in correctly, and their positions were accurate!

Bo Huai had managed to return to his own compartment and climb into the duct just before Shi You Qing's turn to count off.

"It's no use," Chang Fang Xing said. "Didn't you hear? Whoever counts off, they slash at their door. When it's their turn, they just run to their compartment, slashing and shouting their name!"

Now, nobody spoke.

Low sobs and curses were faintly audible.

Everyone knew stepping outside would reveal the perpetrator's identity, yet no one dared.

All were mere mortals; nobody could be sure they'd survive a frenzied knife attack unarmed.

Staying put might offer a chance at life, but stepping out would surely mean death under the assailant's blade...

"The murderer has gone mad," Duan Dong gritted his teeth. "They want to kill us all this round, so no one can vote against them..."

Others joined in, but their voices were soon drowned out by the terrifying sounds of slashing and crashing...

Shi You Qing sat back on the cushion, staring at his watch, timing.

They could only wait.

Roughly forty minutes later, Bo Huai, who had gone out, returned.

The footsteps in front of the door receded, the lunatic seemingly retreated back into their compartment.

Seconds later, sensing a slight movement above, Shi You Qing immediately stood up.

Bo Huai opened the secret latch above him.

Looking up, Shi You Qing saw the other leaning down, their lips close to his ear: "Liu Yu's reaction is abnormal. She doesn't seem afraid of the noise outside."

Shi You Qing pondered, "But she seemed so timid before..." Her stature and physical strength were evident, it couldn't have been her who knocked out Gao Fei.

Bo Huai continued, "Gao Fei's compartment was unoccupied until I returned."

Shi You Qing froze.

Bo Huai glanced at him.

After a while, Shi You Qing tiptoed to ask, "Do you think Gao Fei is the murderer?"

His voice was very soft, his breath gentle.

Bo Huai felt an odd tickle in his ear, turned his head away, enduring it, his face tense: "It doesn't seem like it."

"Why?"

"It's foolish to expose oneself like that, and it contradicts the silent killing of Xing Ru Yue in the last round."

"Yes, I think she's deliberately luring the murderer out... Maybe she's avenging Xing Ru Yue."

If Xing Ru Yue and Gao Fei are both players, their relationship would likely be more than just employer-employee; they could be teammates working together through the challenges.

But revealing their teammate relationship would be against the rules, which might explain her earlier reluctance to clarify.

However, this all assumes she really is a player.

There were only ten minutes left until the next call.

Shi You Qing was about to discuss other suspicions with Bo Huai, when the footsteps that had left earlier returned, step by step, stopping right outside his door!

"Ssshhh—"

The sound of the knife blade scraping against the wood was piercingly sharp.

Shi You Qing's ears were just covered by Bo Huai when the door began to violently shake.

Someone outside was ramming the door!!!

He was stunned, then felt light as a feather as Bo Huai, leaning over, slipped his arm under Shi You Qing's elbows and suddenly lifted him.

“！！！”

His mouth was covered.

The banging outside didn't last long before quickly moving away.

In the dimly lit compartment, Shi You Qing, like a large doll, was held aloft by Bo Huai. His ears filled with the other's hot breath, he turned in surprise to look first at those arms, ensuring they were human and not some mechanical clamp. He opened his mouth slightly, then looked up at the flushed side of Bo Huai's face.

...Indeed, even the most impressive strength would falter after holding up for so long.

"..." He naturally assumed it was the effort of holding him that caused the strain, promptly grabbing onto the pipe's edge, "We can go down now."

A frozen silhouette in the dark said, "...you're so light."

"Huh?"

Less than five minutes left until the phone call.

Bo Huai fell silent, placed Shi You Qing on the ground, closed the secret door, and quickly returned to the adjacent compartment.

After the quiet, Chang Fang Xing broke the silence to ask about how to vote.

Ren Tian Yu still wanted to vote for Gao Fei, while Chen Jian was now somewhat hesitant, and the others had yet to express their opinions.

Only one minute remained until the call.

Shi You Qing spoke up, "Don't vote this round."

"What?" Ren Tian Yu objected, "Why waste a round? Gao Fei is so suspicious! Even if some are speaking up for her, she's still the most likely to have attacked Xing Ru Yue!"

"We have three voting opportunities each day, for a total of three days," Shi You Qing explained. "Apart from the two we've already voted for, and the couple confirmed to be involved, that leaves us having identified four out of the six involved. Now, only the murderer and two others connected to the victim remain, and we still have six voting opportunities. We only need to vote correctly once. With no solid evidence now, voting rashly brings us no benefit."

From the next compartment, Bo Huai said, "Abstain."

Feng Bin quickly followed, "Abstain!"

Hao Tian Shuo added, "Let's all abstain! Don't vote rashly!"

A few seconds later, Chang Fang Xing also said, "Fine, abstain."

"Abstain..."

"Abstain!"

……

Soon, everyone had called out to abstain.

As time ran out, the restroom lights brightened.

Simultaneously, the voting screen appeared, but Shi You Qing didn't touch it.

The screen showed an automatic abstention.

The one-minute voting period had ended.

An announcement sounds:

"Twelve votes to abstain, one vote for Shi You Qing!"

"Shi You Qing is eliminated."

The young man lowered his eyelashes. After a strangely silent second, he slightly curled his lips. Just before a sudden loud bang from the next compartment, he reached out and unlatched the door.

[Author's Note]

The next chapter will be VIP-exclusive. Thank you all for your support! Please favorite and follow my column for more updates!!! [Starry-eyed]

Coming up: "Voyage with a Mask [Infinite]" Synopsis:

Chu Huan Ran was always surrounded by friends who were handsome, powerful, and intelligent... seemingly invincible.

As an orphan, Chu Huan Ran treasured each friend, until a heartbreaking online romance ended unexpectedly.

"Hey, actually, I'm a guy, sorry for deceiving you."

"Please, please ask your friends to leave me alone!"

Only after that day did Chu Huan Ran realize his friends had excessively intruded into every aspect of his life.

Unable to bear it and amidst an argument, he met with a car accident.

That same day, a multitude of strange voices began echoing in his head.

[Congratulations, player, for returning here. You have awakened the "Mask" skill!]

[Each time you use the skill, you can alter your appearance or identity once within a time limit!]

[Once the skill is deciphered, it can only be reused in the next instance!]

Watching his life flash before his eyes after death, Chu Huan Ran finally remembered that he had long died in an infinite game.

...Everything was an illusion.

He had no friends, no family, always alone.

The monster needed to feed on human souls for parasitism, so it collected half of his soul and brought it back to reality, playing a game of friendship with him.

Re-entering the instance, Chu Huan Ran focused on completing levels to reconstruct his body, but he was particularly ruthless when dealing with monsters.

Later, he encountered his former "friends" again.

Unlike the restrained, reserved, and calm characters in his memory, they had all become frenzied...

—You're not a friend,

but a fragile treasure.

Pre-release for "The Unconventional Saint [Quick Transmigration]" Synopsis:

Lu Man is a brash second-generation transmigrator. His parents are high-level returnees with numerous rewards from missions, his younger brother is a system across various realms, and his godfather is a benevolent main god... He has lived a life smooth sailing and adored by all.

Lu Man grew tired of a dull and uneventful life, seeking excitement. To experience life, he grabbed a system and slipped into an unknown dimension.

But the face-slapping missions he expected aren't there, the trash-beating plots crumble, and even the redemption stories are unworkable!

The system trembles, "You've entered another main god's realm. If you don't complete the outsider's task, you will be annihilated!"

Lu Man asks, "What’s the outsider's task?"

The system replies, "Become a saint who loves to forgive others."

Lu Man: "..."

This main god is so xenophobic!

The recipient is probably a self-righteous, adorable little charmer; the giver probably a slicer.

Thanks to the little angel who threw grenades: Yuan - 3 pieces;

Thanks to the little angels for watering with nutrient solution: Late Night Snacks Gone, 50 bottles; Cabbage, 11 bottles; My Home’s DK is Toxic, 3 bottles; A Man Who Doesn’t Love Himself is Like Rotten Cabbage, 1 bottle;

I’m deeply grateful for everyone's support and will continue to work hard!