Chapter 383: The Final Alarm

"You suspect there's something wrong with the river water? What kind of logic is that?" Wang Shi's expression darkened. Out of everyone here, only his murder had nothing to do with the river beside Jiangcheng.

"We aren't saying the river itself is the problem. We're just searching for a common thread." Jin Zhouzhe's gaze toward Wang Shi grew less friendly. "You're one of the country's top suspense novelists. You make a living weaving stories with rigorous logic. If you were the one who faked a murder confession, the rest of us wouldn't be able to spot a single flaw. Am I right, great writer?"

"Cut the sarcasm. I have no reason to lie to you." The situation had instantly shifted against Wang Shi. "It can't be a coincidence. I must have overlooked something, or someone among you is making things up!"

"Making things up? Before I brought this up, no one had even noticed it. They wouldn't have had the chance to fabricate anything, so it isn't a coincidence. I don't know why murderers connected to the river were all gathered here, but I do know that you are our sole exception." Jin Zhouzhe spoke with supreme confidence, looking as if he had finally unmasked the traitor.

'Murderers, corpses sunk in the river, a traitor...' I couldn't deduce the connection yet, but I had a nagging feeling I had overlooked something.

The argument between Number Seven, Jin Zhouzhe, and Number One, Wang Shi, escalated again, ultimately ending with Wang Shi storming away from the table.

"There's definitely something wrong with Number One. We vote for him as the killer during the third accusation!"

"But what if he isn't the killer? We'd have six people left, and we'd still need to eliminate one more person."

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it. First, someone needs to keep an eye on Number One, in case he realizes he's exposed and tries to pull a stunt."

The group discussed the matter for a moment and assigned Du Yu to stand guard outside Wang Shi's door.

"The next killer accusation is at six o'clock, which gives us one hour. Everyone, carefully recall the details of each person's story. The river shouldn't be the only common link." Jin Zhouzhe pondered for a moment. "Number Twelve, I have a few private questions for you. Would you be willing to clear something up for me?"

"Private questions?" I glanced up at Jin Zhouzhe. "Ask away."

"Too many eyes and ears out here. Let's talk somewhere else." He stood up, waved for me to follow, and led me into Cell Seven.

This was my first time stepping into someone else's cell. The interior layout was roughly the same as mine.

"Singling me out like this might make the others think we've formed an alliance. It won't be good for us if they decide to target us." I could roughly guess Number Seven's intentions as I stood by the desk, looking at the game rules taped to it.

"An alliance is the best guarantee for survival. A weak person clinging to a strong one will only be used as a bargaining chip, but an alliance between the strong is a win-win." Jin Zhouzhe seemed to know I wouldn't refuse. "Number One is the main suspect, Number Five has severe psychological issues, Number Six is sinister and ruthless, Number Ten previously opposed my views, and Number Eleven is unfathomable. After thinking it over, you are the most suitable candidate."

"Aren't you afraid I might be the killer?" I patted my pockets, craving a cigarette to clear my head.

"I am, but I'm even more afraid of dying. So what if you're the killer? We're in the same game, and I don't care who I ally with as long as it lets me live." Jin Zhouzhe shoved his hands into his pockets. "Everyone in this room is a bastard. Relatively speaking, you're a slightly more tolerable bastard."

"Tolerable?" I shook my head. "During the Electric Chair confessions, I hid a lot of things. The real me is probably different from what you imagine."

"The feeling is mutual. I hid part of my murder story too," Jin Zhouzhe said dismissively. "When I first started killing, it was truly to punish evil and promote good. But later on, the thrill of the slaughter became an addiction, like opium. I can't quit it anymore, so I have to get out of here."

"You want to continue committing crimes once you're out?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want to kill, but the devil inside me has already been awakened. I ceased to be myself a long time ago."

"How do you want me to help you?"

"It's simple..."

While Jin Zhouzhe and I were hashing out the details, a miserable shriek suddenly echoed from the hall. It sounded like the roar of a hippo hit by a shotgun blast.

"What happened?" I was the first to rush into the living room, where the metallic stench of blood slammed into my face. Tian Teng lay collapsed beside the cabinet like a mountain of flesh, his arms still wrapped around Wang Yuchun's corpse.

"What happened?" I crouched beside Tian Teng. His hands were locked so tightly around Wang Yuchun's corpse that his agony had contorted her body out of shape.

His head rolled to the side, bloody froth bubbling at the corners of his mouth. Unable to speak, his beady eyes locked onto something behind me. Blood poured from his neck in an ever-growing pool, his strength slowly ebbing away with it.

I cradled Tian Teng's head and found that the artery in his neck had been sliced open. Fearing that layers of fat might protect the blood vessel, the killer had used full force, leaving a devastatingly deep wound.

"Who did this?" Expressionless, I looked toward the other side of the hall. Number Six, Zhang Bei, was sprawled on the floor, groaning and struggling to climb to his feet.

Number Eleven sat in his seat with a smile, as if he had just watched something incredibly entertaining. "After you left, Number Five and Number Six got into a fight. Later, Number Five tried to carry Number Four's corpse back to his room, and Number Six struck him directly from behind. Decisive and ruthless—truly worthy of a dissection maniac."

"You all ought to be thanking me! I made the choice for you. Number Five is dead, leaving only six of us. We'll vote against Wang Shi next, and that leaves exactly five survivors." Zhang Bei cursed as he sat on the floor, one of his arms bent inward at an unnatural angle. "That dead fatty actually had a lot of strength. Just one punch from him fractured my arm."

A hint of smugness colored his tone. "Did you see that? Number Five had been hiding it all along. His strength definitely exceeded all of ours, but he never showed it. He had ulterior motives. He might have even been the killer."

Spitting at Number Five, Tian Teng, Zhang Bei continued his tirade. "Taking a corpse back to your room... fucking disgusting. He lived like a coward; it was better for him to die early anyway."

I carefully examined the wound on Tian Teng's neck. Number Six had struck with precision, dealing a fatal blow in a single slash. This man was even more dangerous than I had imagined.

It wasn't long before Wang Shi and Du Yu also emerged from the cell. They didn't say a word, seeming to have reached some sort of agreement themselves.

As for Tian Teng lying dead on the floor, the group merely cast a few glances his way without saying much. Once you were dead, you lost all your value.

At six in the morning, the alarm rang out for the final time, dispersing the chill in the room.

Number Six, Zhang Bei, cradled his broken elbow and gave Number One, Wang Shi, a creepy smile. "This damn game is finally ending. Number One, after you."

Wang Shi didn't even budge from his seat. He cast a glance at Du Yu, then opened his mouth and said, "I accuse Number Six, Zhang Bei, of being the killer!"

"Is it any use accusing me now? You only have one vote; we have five." Zhang Bei scoffed dismissively, but his smile soon vanished.

"I also accuse Number Six, Zhang Bei, of being the killer!" Du Yu raised his hand and announced his answer.

"Number Ten, I never fucking messed with you! What the hell are you doing?" Zhang Bei's face changed as he looked at Number Seven, who was closest to him. "Doctor, you wouldn't vote for me too, right? Think it through! You were the one who made the deduction; the most suspicious person here is Number One, Wang Shi!"

Jin Zhouzhe also didn't quite understand the current situation. "It seems Number One and Number Ten have formed an alliance. But don't worry, they only have two votes. We have four..."

Before he could finish his sentence, a blast of fierce wind swept up from behind. It was too fast. He instinctively clutched his head, only to realize that he wasn't the target of the attack.

"Crack!"

The sound of snapping bone was particularly ear-piercing in the hall. I retracted my right fist and followed up with a whip kick that slammed Zhang Bei into the ground. "Sorry, but I also think Number Six, Zhang Bei, is the killer."

Zhang Bei already had one fractured arm, and caught entirely off guard just now, his other arm was shattered by my Crushing Fist.

He collapsed on the floor, propping himself up on his elbows with a ferocious scowl. "Number Twelve! Fuck..."

A side kick sent Zhang Bei flying into the corner. Cultivating both martial arts and the Ghost Dao, my physical constitution far surpassed that of an ordinary person. "You only have yourself to blame. I honestly don't care who lives to the end; I just need to be among the final five survivors. You were already injured and physically weak. Compared to Wang Shi, you're naturally the easier target."

"Despicable! I was fucking helping you guys!" Zhang Bei sprawled on the floor, his rage boiling over as blood seeped from the corners of his mouth.

"I agree with accusing Number Six." Number Eleven looked at Zhang Bei with pity. "You overestimated your own sinister nature, and you underestimated the malice of your own kind."

"I also agree." Jin Zhouzhe stared at my back, lost in thoughts of his own.

"Alright then, six to one. Let me send you on your way."