HP - Chapter 18

Typhoon Night Murder Files 13

“How have they been up there for so long…”

Cui Shuying closed her eyes, feeling uncomfortable.

Mu Xingchao asked worriedly, “Are you okay? Your eyes are so bloodshot.”

“Is it that obvious already?” Cui Shuying rubbed her temples and sighed. “I’ve been wearing my colored contacts for too long; my eyes are really uncomfortable. I want to go up and change them… Can you come with me?”

When the four people from the living room arrived on the second floor, they saw Zhou Zhi and Ji Zhou sitting on the sofa by the stairs. Zhong Xu was nowhere to be seen.

Liang Qing’s expression immediately changed. “Where is she?”

“She has diarrhea,” Zhou Zhi responded quickly. “We’re waiting for her outside.”

“What if she’s setting up a murder scene?” Hearing about someone acting alone, Liang Qing grew anxious and scolded, “You should have asked Xu Shuangyuan or Cui Shuying to accompany her to the bathroom.”

“We’re right here keeping an eye out; she can’t go anywhere else. If the next death scene is in the bathroom, wouldn’t that just prove her identity?”

“I can’t take it anymore, I’m going back to my room to change my contacts…” Cui Shuying opened the door and went in.

Mu Xingchao and Xu Shuangyuan followed with flashlights in hand.

After finishing her scolding, Liang Qing glanced at Cui Shuying’s room. Her eyes suddenly shifted, and she hurriedly followed them in—perfect chance to not waste a search opportunity; maybe there would be new discoveries.

Cui Shuying’s room was messy, with things scattered all over the floor. As she searched for her contact lens solution, she said apologetically, “There’s just too much stuff; opening it is like stepping into a disaster zone. There’s nothing I can do about it.”

Xu Shuangyuan helped search and said concernedly, “Are you still going to wear contacts? Your eyes are so red, it would be better to wear glasses.”

“I’d like to, but there are no glasses in the suitcase. It’s all because Cui Shuying is too vain; she only wears contacts when going out.”

“I’ll help too,” Mu Xingchao said, squatting down as well.

“Huh?” Xu Shuangyuan picked up a pair of glasses. “Aren’t these here?”

Cui Shuying suddenly became flustered. “That’s not…”

“It really doesn’t look like it; it seems more like a man’s style.”

Just then, a brighter beam of light suddenly shone, making Xu Shuangyuan and Cui Shuying instinctively close their eyes. The light stayed steadily on the glasses.

“Mu Xingchao, aren’t these your glasses?”

The voice came from the doorway. The people in the room turned in surprise. Zhong Xu, Ji Zhou, and Zhou Zhi had appeared there at some point. The speaker was none other than Zhong Xu.

Mu Xingchao paused, looked at the glasses, and said slowly, "Seems like it... How did you know?"

"Cui Shuying told me."

Huh?

Cui Shuying blinked in confusion—there was actually this piece of information? How did she not know? Is the game information really this uneven?

Although somewhat dissatisfied, Cui Shuying honestly admitted, "I took it..."

Cui Shuying and Mu Xingchao hadn’t gotten along originally. Well, wealthy families—it's always those kinds of issues. They weren’t from the same mother, so of course their relationship wasn’t good.

So one time, she secretly took this expensive pair of glasses and hid them—Mu Xingchao is also nearsighted, but unlike her, he never wears contacts. Unexpectedly, she hid them for several years and almost forgot about it.

"But later..." Cui Shuying narrated, "Jiang Zhi lectured me... told me to get along with Mu Xingchao. After all, if I want to continue living the rich and beautiful life after graduation, I need the Mu family's influence. The successor of Mu Group is either Mu Xingchao or Li Yang, so over the past few years, I've improved my relationship with Mu Xingchao a lot."

Xu Shuangyuan frowned, catching the name immediately. "Wait, who is Li Yang?"

"He's my brother, not important," Mu Xingchao calmly took over. "Shouldn't we first think about whose room to search next?"

At the same time, the pleasant sound of the evidence search time limit rang out.

Everyone’s expression was grave. Although this is a game with no time limit, if they don’t catch the murderer, the next to die could very well be themselves.

Xu Shuangyuan said decisively, "I want to search Mu Xingchao's room." There wasn’t really any reason; she was just going by intuition.

Mu Xingchao wasn’t angry. He smiled and said, "I thought my story was pretty clear. I choose to search Sang Long’s room. Actually, if we’re talking about who most wants to avenge Jiang Zhi, it would have to be her boyfriend Sang Long, right?"

"I also vote for Sang Long," Liang Qing said immediately.

Ji Zhou looked at Zhong Xu, waiting for her choice.

No matter who she chose, he would follow... He glanced at Zhou Zhi and noticed that Zhou Zhi seemed to have the same intention.

In any case, Zhong Xu had already been to Mu Xingchao’s room, so she would definitely choose a room other than his.

Zhong Xu said, "I've already deduced how the Xu siblings were killed."

Everyone was stunned, caught off guard by her sudden statement.

This is so sudden. How did she know?

Ji Zhou and Zhou Zhi exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes. Did she make a major discovery in Mu Xingchao's room? Surely there couldn’t be evidence like a murder diary in the room, right?

"I want to simulate the murder scene. Everyone, come downstairs with me."

Although everyone's expressions were filled with doubt and surprise, curiosity still made them all follow.

Mu Xingchao suddenly noticed that Zhong Xu ahead had stopped, turned back to look at him with a mysterious expression, as if specifically waiting for him.

He hid the thoughts in his eyes, quickened his pace to reach her side, and indeed heard her whisper, "Right now, I only trust you. I need your help."

After she finished explaining and Mu Xingchao nodded and left, Ji Zhou suddenly appeared right beside her.

"Boss, is there something you couldn’t ask me to do? Have you stopped loving me?"

"I have more important tasks for you."

Huh?

"Did she really figure it out?"

Dawn was approaching; the darkness at the horizon showed a faint light, like a prelude of victory.

But the rain was still falling, with no sign of stopping. After Xu Shuangyuan voiced this question, she watched from a distance as Zhong Xu walked over to Xu Hangjia, unsure what she was observing.

Liang Qing, seeing that dawn was near, rushed directly to the courtyard gate but suddenly let out a panicked scream, startling everyone.

"It's blocked! Are we trapped...?"

In front of the courtyard gate, two trees that had fallen during the typhoon night blocked the only exit. They were like sparrows trapped in a cage, and it felt like a curse.

For some reason, Cui Shuying felt very anxious. Her heart was racing with an inexplicable sense of unease.

Even though dawn was approaching...

"Boss Song, I'm ready," Mu Xingchao said, standing by the storage room window, addressing Zhong Xu in the courtyard.

Hearing this, the others stepped forward.

"In the recording, we all saw the Xu siblings enter the audio-visual room before the door closed behind them, and they couldn’t open it no matter what. But when we went upstairs, we pushed it open easily." Zhong Xu stood by the storage room window, locking eyes with Mu Xingchao inside. "This was actually a small mechanism. Now let's recreate the scene."

Zhong Xu stepped forward and grasped the rope hanging from inside the window.

"On the door handle outside the audio-visual room, the killer tied a knot with a rope. The rope went along the ceiling, through the corridor curtain rod, then down the window to the first floor. The rope had two extensions: one could be tied tightly, and the other could be easily loosened with a pull."

Everyone stood outside the courtyard, watching Mu Xingchao in the storage room demonstrate how the rope was tied.

Why does it feel... weird?

A few people felt strange sensations rising in their hearts.

Zhong Xu pulled the rope—the storage room door slammed shut. "After the siblings entered the audio-visual room, the killer pulled the rope, and the door closed. Then, as long as the killer tightly held this rope like I am, the people inside couldn’t open the door no matter what."

Mu Xingchao pushed a few times, but the door didn’t budge.

"The audio-visual room had already been trapped by the killer. The fear of the power outage and darkness, combined with the deliberately created terrifying atmosphere, led to the Xu siblings’ deaths as we saw in the recording. They didn’t expect to see the already deceased Luo Fang on the third floor, which blanked their minds. The more scared they became, the more panicked they were, even mistaking reflections for ghosts. Xu Hangquan instinctively threw something at the 'ghost.' They never imagined that the killer had placed the glass from the coffee table upright there. Xu Hangquan's throw triggered the mechanism; the glass fell, and he pushed his sister away, dying from massive bleeding."

"And after killing them..." Zhong Xu pulled the other rope, which loosened along the ceiling and fell completely into her hands.

"That's how the killer retrieved the rope."

Mu Xingchao sighed. "So that’s how it was. It’s actually a very simple mechanism, but everyone was too scared to notice. That’s why when we went to the third floor, we pushed the door open easily..."

Mu Xingchao grabbed the door handle and pulled—the door didn’t move at all.

"This..."

He felt a sudden realization, mixed with amusement and anger. All these emotions were like colorful paints covering his heart.

In just two seconds, he composed himself and turned back in astonishment. "What’s going on?"

Another voice came from outside the storage room door. "Just stay put for now."

It was Ji Zhou. Only then did everyone realize that Ji Zhou wasn’t in the courtyard; everyone’s attention had been focused on Zhong Xu’s deduction, overlooking him.

Ji Zhou had locked the storage room door.

And this meant...

Zhong Xu said calmly, "The killer is you, Mu Xingchao."

Everyone showed shocked expressions, but Mu Xingchao looked even more astonished. "What nonsense are you talking about?"

At that moment, Zhong Xu suddenly fell silent.

After she pointed out the killer, a virtual screen popped up before her eyes.

[Player, do you confirm entering the deduction phase?]

Notes:

1. Each player has only one deduction chance. Failure results in game over and immediate elimination. The first player to deduce the truth will receive richer rewards.

2. Players cannot speculate without basis; they must rely on clues or evidence.

3. What are the truths of the story? Players who uncover more truths can accumulate points and earn achievements.

"Confirm, I will enter the deduction phase," Zhong Xu said without any hesitation.

Everyone watched her, waiting for her answer.

1. 美瞳 (měi tóng) – Colored contact lenses used to enhance or change eye color.

2. 太陽穴 (tài yáng xué) – Temples; rubbing them relieves stress, headaches, or eye strain.

3. 紅血絲 (hóng xuě sī) – Bloodshot eyes; visible red veins from tired or irritated eyes.

4. 繼承人 (jì chéng rén) – Successor; heir..

5. 牧氏集團 (Mù shì jí tuán) – Mu Group; a family-controlled business empire.

6. 搜證 (sōu zhèng) – Searching for evidence in mystery games or crime dramas.

7. 推理 (tuī lǐ) – Deduction; logical reasoning to solve a crime.

8. 推理環節 (tuī lǐ huán jié) – Deduction phase; segment where a player presents their theory.

9. 淘汰 (táo tài) – Elimination; being removed from a game.

10. 成就 (chéng jiù) – Achievement; rewards for completing tasks or challenges.

11. 機關 (jī guān) – Mechanism or trap; a device used to commit a crime.

Characters (Players)

• 终栩 (Zhōng Xǔ)

  • Role: Protagonist 

  • Game Role: Later assumes the identity of 宋慕思 (Sòng Mùsī), the idealistic guesthouse owner with a hidden agenda tied to her friend’s death.

• 季舟 (Jì Zhōu)

  • Role: Self-proclaimed "萌新" (newbie)

• 老玩家 (Lǎo Wánjiā, Veteran Player)

  • Role: Experienced survivor

• 瘦弱男人 (Shòuruò Nánrén, Thin Man)

  • Role: Terrified newbie

• 眼镜男 (Yǎnjìng Nán, Glasses Man)

  • Role: Silent observer

~~~~~~

• 宋慕思 (Sòng Mùsī) – The protagonist; a quiet, introspective young woman who organized the friends' gathering and owns the 民宿 (guesthouse). Hides complicated past relationships.

• 江栀 (Jiāng Zhī) – Outgoing and sociable; Song Musi’s close friend (闺蜜) but also entangled in a love triangle involving Sang Long. [Been Dead Prior]

• 崔书颖 (Cuī Shūyǐng) – Another extroverted friend in the trio; makes Song Musi feel like a third wheel at times.

• 桑隆 (Sāng Lóng) – Jiang Zhi’s current boyfriend and Song Musi’s ex; their past relationship is a hidden source of tension.

• 骆方 (Luò Fāng) – A timid, cowardly classmate whom Song Musi dislikes. Later revealed to have a peanut allergy. [Dead]

• 徐杭泉 (Xú Hángquán) & 徐杭佳 (Xú Hángjiā) – Self-centered siblings; both are classmates disliked by Song Musi. [Dead]

• 周至 (Zhōu Zhì) – A smooth-talking, socially adept classmate (possibly a surgeon); Song Musi finds him insincere.

• 梁青 (Liáng Qīng) – An insecure and overly sensitive classmate; another person Song Musi dislikes.

• 牧星朝 (Mù Xīngcháo) – A hypocritical rich kid (富二代) with a photography hobby; Xu Shuangyuan’s boyfriend.

• 许双园 (Xǔ Shuāngyuán) – Proud and arrogant; Mu Xingchao’s girlfriend, whom Song Musi resents.

• 林怀平 (Lín Huáipíng) – Jiang Zhi’s cousin who joins the group through her; displays incompetent arrogance, disliked by Song Musi. [Dead]

• 陈警官 (Captain Chen) – A recently acquainted police detective; annoys Song Musi by replying slowly to messages.

Sevyn here ~~~

Enjoy!