Chapter 17: Knocking on the Door at the Hotel (Part Two)

“The doorbell ghost is actually a murder tool—so it’s basically a half Werewolf game.”

Each tenant lived alone, while the traitor was responsible for guiding the doorbell ghost to kill. By day, they continued to disguise themselves as innocent good people, cycling repeatedly until only one tenant or traitor remained—or perhaps none were left at all.

Zhou Ke gradually understood the newly revealed rules, as well as Chen Minqun’s intentions.

Taking advantage of the hint in Room 4 before anyone else discovered it, he decided to strike first. By doing so, he not only secured a chance to survive but also reduced external risks.

“So it turns out Miss Chen isn’t as foolish as the valiant Linghu woman accused her of being. On the contrary, she’s cunning and skilled at deception—truly worthy of being a drama academy student; acting is her profession.”

At this point, how could Mr. Zhou not realize that Chen Minqun’s earlier displays of emotional breakdown and incompetence were all an act?

This façade of weakness was designed to lower others’ guard.

“Fortunately, I treat everyone equally,” Mr. Zhou said, meaning he was equally wary of everyone.

After a brief pause, Zhou Ke asked, “Why are you telling me all this? Aren’t you afraid I’ll spill the beans tomorrow morning and make you the target of everyone’s suspicion?”

“Of course I’m afraid,” Chen Minqun said as she sat on the edge of the bed, her youthful legs clad in cotton socks swinging back and forth. “But I believe that even if I don’t tell you now, you’ll figure it out soon enough. After all, you’re so clever.”

“So,” Zhou Ke’s mind was sharp as ever, and he let out a long “Oh, I get it—you want to drag me down with you.”

“That’s too harsh. Why does someone your age seem so dark?” Chen Minqun frowned lightly but corrected him warmly: “I just want to be on the same ship as a smart person.”

“Heh, what stage of life is darker than high school?” Zhou Ke rolled his eyes and counted on his fingers, “Endless homework, lifeless morning exercises, tasteless cafeteria food without any meat, air conditioners that don’t turn on in summer, and hot water that doesn’t get warm in winter.

With these five inexplicable campus horrors, a student never truly sees the light.”

“Hmph, do you think university life is any better?” Chen Minqun, adopting the tone of a senior, retorted bleakly.

But she quickly realized the topic had veered off course and pulled it back: “Stop with the gloomy nonsense. What’s your answer? Will you do me the honor of being on the same boat with your senior?”

After a brief pause, as if adjusting to Zhou Ke’s scattered train of thought, she added a warning:

“Let me be clear—my patience is limited. I advise you not to waste time with nonsense like ‘there’s no ship that can carry me in the new era.’”

“Otherwise,” Chen Minqun’s tone suddenly turned cold, a scroll etched with the Water chapter of the Five Elements Theory appearing behind her, weathered and profound.

She snapped her fingers, and a vortex-shaped water arrow, charged with ether, shot from her fingertip.

It zipped past Zhou Ke’s cheek at bullet speed and pierced a tiny but deep hole in the wall behind him.

“Don’t blame your senior for being cold and merciless.”

With the threatening whisper, pure water seeped from the hole like blood.

---

“Pfft, where’s the ‘no attack power’ now? After a few more years of practice, you’ll rival a Magic Bullet Beam Cannon, huh?” Zhou Ke wiped the blood off his cheek with his hand but felt no fear.

He knew Chen Minqun wouldn’t act unless absolutely necessary.

After all, everyone knew the two of them were staying together at night.

If something happened to him, Chen Minqun wouldn’t be able to explain it tomorrow, and she’d naturally be branded the traitor.

That was why Zhou Ke dared to let someone with ill intent into his room.

He considered many factors but remained outwardly calm, complaining, “The options given by the Divine Space are just yes or no, and you give yes or die?”

“I have no choice. I trust you so much—you better not betray that trust,” Chen Minqun said plainly. “So, what’s your choice?”

“Do I need to say it? Miss Chen, I will serve you loyally until death!”

Zhou Ke’s change of expression and abandonment of integrity happened faster than light—his face was full of defiance one moment, then fawning flattery the next.

The whole act flowed smoothly, surpassing even the grace of a Sichuan opera lead actress.

Chen Minqun was startled by his shamelessness and said blankly, “Not bad, but words alone aren’t enough.”

“You have to kill a tenant tonight to prove yourself. It’s not a bad thing—you’ll have to kill eventually to survive.”

“Fine.”

“?”

Chen Minqun had prepared a whole spiel to brainwash Zhou Ke, but he agreed without hesitation, leaving her momentarily at a loss.

“No big deal, nothing serious. Besides, you don’t even have to kill personally—much easier.”

“Are you really a high school student? Or are you some escaped fugitive?”

Chen Minqun genuinely suspected this. She considered herself cold-blooded, but even before killing, she had to struggle mentally.

Zhou Ke’s calm ease sent chills down her spine.

“No way.”

“That’s true,” Chen Minqun tried to convince herself as she looked at Zhou Ke’s overly youthful face.

“Someone with my skills wouldn’t be wanted by the law.”

Chen Minqun felt uneasy—now it seemed she was the one being coerced.

---

“We’ll just have to take it step by step,” she bit her lip and said, “Let me explain the doorbell ghost’s killing rules first.”

“I know.”

Before she finished, Zhou Ke raised his hand to interrupt.

By now, he had reached the door, and the resentful chime of the doorbell echoed in his ears.

“Before I go out, I have two questions.”

“Ask away.” Seeing Zhou Ke so confident, Chen Minqun refrained from saying more.

“First, does Li Hua know this information? You stayed with him last night but didn’t tell him?”

“I intended to have a good talk and discuss cooperation with that junior. He’s so gentle with girls, surely better at handling things than you,” Chen Minqun said with a helpless expression. “Unfortunately, I hadn’t set the mood, and that guy just fell asleep inconsiderately.”

“Luckily, I quickly deciphered the doorbell ghost’s killing rule and killed the uncle in Room 2. That junior can serve as my alibi.”

“Hmm, a charming companion can lull one to sleep, and then become a scapegoat—Li Hua is truly Li Hua,” Zhou Ke nodded reasonably. If Li Hua really knew something, he wouldn’t hide it from him.

“In your mind, has your friend’s name become a derogatory term?” Chen Minqun couldn’t help but jab.

Zhou Ke’s silence was acknowledgment. He then asked, “Second question: Are you sure the rules in the Check-in Notice are all false? That aside from killing, there’s no other way to escape?”

This question plunged Chen Minqun into deep silence. After a brief hesitation, she answered firmly, “So what if there is?”

“What does it matter to us? We’ve already found one hundred percent correct answer. As long as we fill in that answer, we’re done!”

Her voice grew suddenly passionate near the end.

It sounded as if she was persuading Zhou Ke, or perhaps herself.

“Even if that answer means killing a stranger without cause or grudge?” Zhou Ke remained calm, like an indifferent observer.

This attitude, weighed down by guilt inside, disgusted Chen Minqun. She snapped sarcastically, “Hmph, aren’t you the one about to do exactly that?”

Ding dong!

The doorbell rang in the distance, like a temptation, like the selfish knocking on one’s heart, like a red demon wielding a sharp fork, craving and urging the fall of humanity.

“You’re right.”

With those final words, Zhou Ke opened the door and stepped out.