Chapter 49: Stop 22: Digging a Hole

Chapter 49: Pitfall at Stop 22

Ming Yiyang casually closed the cabinet door and examined the keyring in his hand.

"There's one for the cold storage and another for the boiler room. What's the meaning of hanging these on the corpse? Are they digging a hole for us to fall into?"

Yan Qiling dismissed the meaningless clutter of documents, his fingertips grazing over the intricate letters.

"The placement of the manager's body here wasn't Qi Yongxin's idea, nor was it the Wujian Lord's... It was Song Yuan. He had the hotel staff do it."

Ming Yiyang raised an eyebrow.

"Are you absolutely sure he's not the one who died?"

The man glanced at him with a smile.

"If Song Yuan were the one who died, there would be no need for the staff of Room 13 to hide. But if the staff member was the one who died, Song Yuan would indeed have to go into hiding."

"He placed the manager's body here to explain why Room 13 is empty. These two keys are purely a trap, but he's very confident that whoever possesses them will investigate."

It was a shame that the sequence of his actions was flawed. He chose to arrange the manager's body first instead of searching for items in Room 306 beforehand... Oh, there's a possibility that Qi Yongxin didn't tell him the truth.

Leaning against the spacious walnut desk, his slender figure stood out slightly darker in the dimly lit room, yet it was strikingly noticeable to Ming Yiyang.

With a glint of amusement in his heterochromatic eyes, Yan Qiling resembled a child solving a puzzle, eagerly sharing his insights with others:

"Song Yuan cannot have direct contact with us; he can only learn about our thoughts through Qi Yongxin. Do you recall when you rejected Qi Yongxin tonight? At that time, he expressed his desire to join us in the manager's office to search for the access card."

"Yes, I do."

The young man carefully separated the key and put it in his pocket:

"He reported to Song Yuan?"

"I don't think so. If he had, we wouldn't have found the manager's work diary in Room 306, nor would we have realized it was the manager's room. Song Yuan wouldn't have needed to redundantly hang the key on the manager's body."

"He could have easily had Room 306 cleaned up to resemble a guest room. Just leaving the corpse in the manager's office would have sufficed to explain why there are only twelve employees for thirteen rooms."

Ming Yiyang listened to the analysis, patting his pocket to ensure the keys wouldn't clink together during their operation.

"He didn't clean Room 306 and set two traps on the manager... Ha, I can see it now, he's trying to trap Qi Yongxin, right?"

"Indeed."

The man's eyes curved, revealing crescents of contrasting red and blue. A sprinkle of amusement twinkled within, animating his usually feigned compassion with an unusual vitality.

Despite his soft voice, Ming Yiyang sensed a subtle excitement beneath the speculation:

"Qi Yongxin concealed the true identity of the one who would visit the manager's office. In fact, he told Song Yuan that he was going to check for access cards in the manager's office tomorrow."

"That's quite intriguing. Are they still probing each other as allies?"

Ming Yiyang chuckled:

"Qi Yongxin hid his real itinerary, while Song Yuan concealed having the keys. Song Yuan is waiting for Qi Yongxin to fall into the trap with those keys, and Qi Yongxin is using us both as pawns to test Song Yuan's sincerity. Well played, indeed."

Unconsciously, the two had drawn close, almost shoulder-to-shoulder.

They were oblivious to this proximity, each absorbed in the joy of deductive reasoning.

Yan Qiling resumed his gentle tone, speaking calmly and unhurriedly:

"Thanks to Zihe's calculations, we didn't miss quite the spectacle."

"He wasn't... very accurate this time," Ming Yiyang paused, swallowing the last word.

He recalled Chi Zihe's words, "I calculated that you would leave alone" and "Tonight's divination seems rather ominous."

He hadn't been alone; Yan Qiling had been following him all along.

The supposed dangers were defused by this person's casual approach, turning accidents into opportunities.

If he had heard the knock on the door and Yan Qiling hadn't followed, it would indeed have been... very risky for him alone.

Seeing the inquiring look on Yan Qiling's face, Ming Yiyang averted his gaze:

"...Yes, his prediction was decent this time. I think Song Yuan wouldn't have guessed that we'd stumble into Room 306 by accident. After all, to others, the guest rooms seem similar, so there's no need to investigate them. As long as he keeps the key tightly in hand, this secret can remain hidden."

Considering that Yan Qiling might have been influenced by Chi Zihe's predictive results and thus followed him in the moment of anomaly, Ming Yiyang felt a sudden flush on his back, immediately realizing how close he was to Yan Qiling.

Close enough to catch a faint trace of lemon scent on the man's body.

Unconsciously, he stepped back, accidentally brushing against documents on the table.

The fluttering papers scattered, causing Yan Qiling to look at him quizzically.

"What's wrong?"

"Uh... I was just thinking... Why did Song Yuan set a trap for Qi Yongxin? With all of us alive and Qi Yongxin being his only ally, how does he plan to escape if Qi Yongxin were to die?"

Ming Yiyang deflected with a question, inwardly praising his wit as he finished speaking.

He was a genius, capable of fabricating such a crucial issue on the spot!

Yan Qiling didn't pick up on his odd behavior and chuckled lightly.

"It's quite simple."

"Because he knows where the access card is hidden."

The man's gaze shifted to the cabinet holding the corpse.

"Qi Yongxin, alive, poses a constant risk of exposing him. In that case, it's simpler if he's dead."

Ming Yiyang observed the distance between the two individuals.

For some inexplicable reason, seeing Yan Qiling's calm demeanor, he felt a strange sense of loss and... an irresistible urge to read this man's expression.

Even he himself was perplexed by this contradictory state.

Not wanting the other person to suspect anything, he tried his best to focus on what they should do in this situation:

"Given that, we can directly approach Song Yuan. The hotel isn't that big, he won't be able to hide."

"He might not be able to hide, but the access card could."

The man lifted his head with interest, turning his gaze sidelong to look at him, a cryptic and perilous smile playing at the corners of his lips.

"I, on the other hand, am more interested in seeing them fight like dogs."

-

Meng Liangchen appeared in the portrait on the third floor.

His smile was impeccable, gentle, and calmly etched onto the canvas, cruelly revealing the truth of his demise.

Last night, Ruman and Simon took turns keeping watch in the house, while Meng Liangchen stayed up late playing cards in Qi Yongxin's room, accompanied by Ada.

Unexpectedly, Meng Liangchen vanished after merely getting up to use the restroom.

What was even more terrifying was that Ruman and his wife couldn't get a moment's peace as the hotel staff suddenly showed up to "inspect their room."

Ruman initially refused to open the door, but Simon did anyway.

The disappointment on the attendants' faces was plain to see, but they declared, "We'll be back tomorrow."

Those words were like a curse, hanging over everyone like the sword of Damocles.

As Si Shuhao passed by Di Chen's portrait, she noticed his eyes, which had been gazing straight ahead, suddenly follow her with each step she took. Terrified, she grabbed Chi Zihe and bolted down the stairs in a frenzy.

Even after entering the Golden Joy Amusement Park, she remained deeply shaken.

If the people who died inside the portraits were replaced by the portraits themselves, she could understand why there were so many individuals of different skin tones dressed in "Edwardian" attire.

Because those portraits were not mere decorations showcasing local customs; they were massive memorial portraits made up of human lives!

In stark contrast to their panic, the chefs preparing the buffet breakfast seemed entirely at ease.

The head chef moved gracefully between the food stations, while the assistants carried out their tasks diligently. The servers smiled warmly as they served the guests, as if nothing unusual had happened the previous night.

"Something's off with them, they're really not normal..."

Ruman bit her thumb and whispered at the dining table, too preoccupied to even notice the breakfast her husband had placed before her:

"Di Chen died after going back for his clothes, Meng Liangchen perished after using the restroom. Their common link is 'doors.' Honey, shouldn't we avoid leaving our room? After this meal, let's just go back, okay?"

Rao Haocang was accustomed to his wife's anxiety, gently stroking her hair and soothing her in a low voice:

"Don't be scared, darling. We still need to clear the snow today. Just focus on eating, don't overthink it. Even if something were to happen, I'll be right here with you. Now, eat."

Ming Yiyang, watching from the side, suddenly commented,

"They seem to have quite a good relationship."

Chi Zihe found it rather normal and whispered,

"They've been through three stations of adversity together."

"It's rare for a couple to survive such harsh selection. If they've made it this far, their relationship is undoubtedly solid, and they must possess remarkable skills. Just look at Ruman yesterday; she seemed on the verge of collapse. If she truly went mad, these attendants might not even be her match."

As they ate and chatted, Qi Yongxin suddenly approached with a plate, pulling up a seat beside them with Ji Congrong.

Today, Qi Yongxin didn't seem to harbor any intention of provocation. He spoke earnestly,

"If you head to the manager's office and need assistance, feel free to call us. We've already lost three people, so we can't afford to sit idly by. If we don't act, we won't make it until tomorrow's ascent, let alone tonight."

Ming Yiyang sipped his hot soup and casually asked,

"What do you think will happen tonight?"

"Haven't you heard what Ruman just said? These hotel staff will still be providing 'room service' tonight!"

Qi Yongxin's expression was grave:

"Last night, they didn't do anything when we opened the door, but what about tonight, and tomorrow night? They might seem relatively normal during the day now, but they could become more and more unpredictable at night."

As he finished speaking, only Ji Congrong's face fell. Chi Zihe, on the other hand, leisurely offered a suggestion:

"I think Ruman's idea from last night was good. Why don't we strike first while we still have the strength to fight, so we won't have to worry about any 'room service'?"

Qi Yongxin shook his head:

"We can certainly take the initiative, but my point remains. If we don't have the certainty to eliminate them completely, once we start attacking, who knows what hidden potential might be unleashed within them?"

"To play it safe, I suggest that we all cancel our presidential suites and exchange for multiple room cards. We should switch rooms continuously while sleeping to keep them from pinpointing our locations. This way, we can better protect ourselves."

Yan Qiling gave him a glance, his eyes holding an enigmatic vortex:

"A good idea. Speaking of which, we also have a discovery."

His gentle voice rose, transforming into a clear pronouncement:

"All glass, mirrors, anything that can reflect one's entire body, poses a danger of trapping you within. Please be cautious as you move about."

Upon hearing him speak, Simon set down the can in his hand and rose first.

The elderly man raised his right hand, tracing a cross from his forehead to his chest, then from his left shoulder to his right:

"In the name of the Holy Spirit, may the Lord bless you, amen."

Though aged, his gaze was unwavering, his two sky-blue eyes shining like a tranquil lake:

"Mr. Yan mentioned the portrait. Last night, I also thought of a way to thoroughly resolve this issue."

All eyes were fixed upon him, yearning for his insight as if they were travelers in a desert seeking an oasis.