Chapter 52: Trap 22

Chapter 52: Trap 22

"I won't die."

As Yan Qiling spoke, he allowed the young man to tousle his carefully styled hair as he turned his head away.

Ming Yiyang didn't notice this small indulgence and suddenly became curious about this person's past:

"You asked me, but what about you?"

The man in his arms remained calm, his voice as light as a breeze:

"Both my parents have passed away, leaving only my sister and I. Later, my sister also departed."

Ming Yiyang had never been one to console others.

He usually kept his own family troubles to himself and had no interest in hearing about others' issues. Hearing such a brief yet seemingly heart-wrenching account caught him off guard.

He knew that Yan Qiling's upbringing was undoubtedly different from his own.

This person was a meticulously crafted piece of jade, a fact that became apparent after just a few minutes of interaction with him.

His every gesture, whether in walking or running, was as precise as if measured by a ruler, each movement exuding natural elegance and perfection.

To be graceful and refined is not difficult.

However, to attain an impeccable level of sophistication requires not only the individual's relentless dedication but also the family's abundant investment of time and attention.

It was a demeanor ingrained in one's very being, a system of poise that both shaped and constrained them.

If Ming Yiyang were to comment, this was Yan Qiling's impeccable disguise.

Until now, his perception of Yan Qiling remained unchanged.

But previously, he had been puzzled by the stark contrast between Yan Qiling's exterior and interior.

Now, he might have found some answers.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the door, and Chi Zihe's loud voice rose above the cacophony of chatter:

"Ming Yiyang, we're here! Are you both still alive?!"

Ming Yiyang shouted, "Hurry up, I feel like Yan Qiling is about to freeze to death."

Untouched Yan Qiling: "..."

Chi Zihe seemed equally speechless by his comment, but he quickened his pace in moving the items nonetheless. Before Ming Yiyang could retrieve the key from his sleeve, the alloy door was pushed open from the inside.

Ming Yiyang scooped Yan Qiling up by the shoulder and dashed out of the cold storage room.

He turned around and closed the door, surveying the various metal stands and heavy walnut trolley tables that had been moved to block it - everything that could possibly be used to barricade the entrance was pressed against it. These items usually stood in the corner of the kitchen area.

Two chef assistants and three cleaners, standing apart from the crowd, were watching the scene unfold.

Upon seeing them, one of the chef assistants apologized first,

"Sorry, we thought there was a thief in the cold storage, so we hastily blocked the door. We didn't expect it to be a guest. We're truly sorry."

The other chef assistant then asked,

"I wonder what business these two guests have in the cold storage. The chef will be furious if the ingredients lose their freshness because of this."

Ming Yiyang's expression remained stoic.

"We're going in to see if the deceased guest can still be revived."

The chef's assistant: "…"

Stuffing his numb hands into his pockets, the young man nonchalantly continued,

"At this point, we've confirmed that he's beyond saving. However, I suspect that your hotel staff might be involved in this murder. He died within an hour of arriving at the hotel after getting off the bus. I think it's necessary to inspect your rooms for any suspicious murder weapons."

The two chef assistants exchanged glances and replied,

"Sir, you don't have the authority to do that. Let's wait for the police to arrive for the specifics."

To their surprise, Qi Yongxin came to the defense, his expression grim,

"The police can't make it through the snowstorm. What if the killer hiding in this hotel is a serial murderer? We also have two other travelers who have gone missing. I believe it's imperative to investigate the rooms in your esteemed hotel."

The chef assistants remained noncommittal and chose a more tactful approach:

"We find it difficult to make a decision on this matter. It's best to wait for the manager's return. If the guests insist on searching, I'll inform the other staff. If someone consents to the search, they may proceed."

"As for the specific outcome of our notification, the guests can obtain it at the front desk after the banquet."

With that, the third chef assistant descended from the stairs, gesturing for them to follow upstairs to tidy up.

The two chef assistants left logically, followed silently by the cleaner.

Qi Yongxin hurriedly turned his attention to the two survivors, eager for more details:

"How did you end up locked in there? Where did you find the key?"

"We discovered the manager's corpse in his office. He was stuffed in a closet with two keys on him, one for the cold storage and another for the boiler room."

Ming Yiyang held out his hand, and Chi Zihe promptly retrieved a key from his sleeve, passing it to him.

When they initially parted ways, Ming Yiyang had discreetly given the cold storage key to Chi Zihe as a safeguard; in case the freezer was locked, Chi Zihe would still have the key to rescue them.

The young man continued to divulge the truth:

"We wanted to investigate Song Yuan's corpse, but the freezer door shut, trapping me and Teacher Yan inside. Fortunately, it wasn't a -70°C quick-freeze chamber; the temperature was similar to outside, so we could endure for a few minutes... otherwise, we wouldn't have made it."

He glanced at Chi Zihe, who, upon receiving the cue, pretended to deduce with theatrical flair,

"I was wondering why the number of staff rooms didn't match the number of employees. Now it makes sense. The last room must have been where the manager stayed."

"These lunatics killed the manager and placed the freezer key on his body, planning to lure you here to kill you... You have no idea how much effort it took us to get down here, almost getting into a fight with them."

Qi Yongxin's face was equally grave. He took a deep breath, as if making a decision,

"In fact, I have a different perspective from Mr. Chi. Think about it, was the person they killed really Song Yuan?"

Ruman suddenly felt goosebumps rise on her skin and promptly clung to her husband,

"Don't scare everyone. We did see his corpse."

"But without a head, how can anyone be sure it was Song Yuan?"

Qi Yongxin's lips met in a deliberate gesture as he began to persuade them:

"Didn't any of you consider that after we discovered yesterday that the number of rooms didn't match the number of guests, the manager's body suddenly appeared the next day, with two keys hanging nearby? Then, when Mr. Yan and his team went to investigate, they were immediately trapped inside."

"If it hadn't been for Mr. Chi noticing something amiss, imagine what could have happened if we had found out an hour or two later?"

Ruman shook her head.

"I just think this was a trap set by a hotel staff member for whoever obtained the key. Whoever entered with that key would've been locked in there until they froze to death."

Qi Yongxin's expression shifted, and his fingers clenched into a fist at his side.

Unaware that she had unintentionally provided support, Ruman continued:

"The manager's body was probably hidden in the manager's office all along. It's just that we didn't open it... Hey, didn't they say the manager's office was locked? How did you manage to open it?"

Ming Yiyang candidly explained:

"When we went there, the manager's office door wasn't locked. I don't know who had opened it."

"The manager's corpse was stuffed into the filing cabinet, but he looked... like he hadn't been dead for very long? There was a puddle of water at his feet, I don't know if it's dried up now, but when we saw it, water was still dripping."

"In my personal opinion, the manager's body might originally have been frozen in the cold storage, but for some reason, it was moved and placed into the cabinet."

Holding his left arm with his right hand, Qi Yongxin suppressed his lingering fear, trying not to show his trembling as he spoke with unusual determination:

"This incident is proof of Song Yuan's existence. I don't think it's a coincidence, and in fact, I knew Song Yuan before coming to this hotel."

Everyone's attention instantly focused on him. Qi Yongxin began to recount:

"Song Yuan had far more experience than me, including the concept of a slaughterhouse – he was the one who told me about it. That's why we initially banded together, but I never expected him to die so quickly."

"I was very panicked back then. The reason I kept pushing everyone to discuss the rules was to figure out what could have instantaneously killed him. But now, the more I think about it, the more something doesn't add up."

"If Song Yuan was killed by a hotel employee, considering their behavior, I don't believe they would deliberately hide bloodstained clothes or murder weapons. Yet, yesterday, we found nothing. And was that thirteenth room really meant for the manager? I'm skeptical."

"Why would the manager be transported from the cold storage today and stuffed into the cabinet? That's not something the employees would proactively pay attention to; most of the time, they focus on the living."

"So, is it possible..."

Rao Haocang maintained a clear mind.

"There's a traitor among us, isn't there? They've colluded with the hotel staff to set all this up, just to eliminate us? Like in a Werewolf game, where if they kill off all the good players, they win."

Yan Qiling replied calmly, his gentle voice carrying an air of inevitability.

"It's quite possible."

"Mr. Yan!" Qi Yongxin was somewhat anxious. "When you went to examine the body, didn't you notice anything unusual?!"

"I'm sorry, but we're not very familiar with Song Yuan's situation, so we didn't find anything significant," said Yan Qiling, giving him a slightly helpless look.

"I also tend to agree with Mr. Rao's theory; it might indeed be a wolf player's kill-all-the-innocents scenario."

Seeing the tension escalating, Chi Zihe quickly tried to ease the atmosphere with a jovial laugh.

"Even if there is a traitor, we won't find them anytime soon. I think it's more important to focus on the snowmobile for now. Let's get that sorted out first."

Just then, Si Shuhao suddenly asked,

"Speaking of which... Have any of you seen Ji Congrong?"

Qi Yongxin snapped to attention and hurriedly looked around. The woman who had been by his side the entire time was nowhere to be found!

An eerie silence descended upon them, a premonition of ill omen hanging over each person's head.

-

As the chimes of the night banquet sounded again, everyone gathered at the Golden Melody Arena.

On the arena's stage stood an unusually tall rectangular object, now draped with a red velvet curtain and cautiously guarded by three chef assistants.

It seemed to be some sort of container, with a long rope suspending something inside that swayed occasionally, indicating that it held a living creature.

Only ten people had arrived for this event.

Two tables were set with five place settings each, along with five chairs.

Yan Qiling listened to the somewhat melancholic music of the night, the spinning record emitting the tune of Chopin's Nocturne in B-Flat Minor, Op. 9, No. 1. The monotonous tinkling of the piano keys was almost terrifying, like whispers from the devil himself.

The sole silver lining was that before the grand banquet began, Simon had already traced pristine white crosses with holy water across all the portraits in the hotel's corridors and foyer.

Ada believed that the malevolent presence had been subdued, which would at least ensure them a peaceful night.

Uncharacteristically, Yan Qiling chose a seat near the front.

Surprisingly, Ada deliberately sat opposite him, her unease veiled beneath the black veil, replaced by a resolve as if she were determined to verify something.

Yan Qiling didn't mind; instead, he smiled at her politely like a gentleman.

The chef stepped onto the stage to the sound of music, once again taking on the role of the emcee. Amidst the anticipation of the crowd, he began his introductory speech:

"Ladies and gentlemen, good evening. As a token of gratitude for your support of our hotel, we have prepared a special ingredient for tonight's feast - the enchanting Lady Deepwater Mermaid!"