I stood frozen in place, staring directly into the girl's pitch-black gaze. A chilling sensation seeped into my very marrow, as if at any second, that small entity would lunge forward and tear us all apart.
A woman standing next to me, unable to withstand the pressure, grabbed her young child and recoiled backward, slamming the door shut with finality.
Slam! The dry collision echoed; my hand narrowly escaped being crushed in the doorframe by a split second.
Right then, a tall figure stepped forward, roughly shoving people aside. It was Chen Feng - the unpleasant young man I had encountered earlier at the building's entrance. In his hand, he held an old yellow talisman that emitted a faint but powerful aura. Perhaps this was a "Gemstone" - the special power item I had overheard people mentioning.
The girl with heterochromia eyes rushed in behind him, helping him grip the door handle tightly.
-"Dammit, this door is jammed!" Chen Feng cursed under his breath, his eyes flashing with rage. - "One glare from a demon and you lot are already this terrified? What a bunch of cowards."
His words weren't loud, but they were sharp enough to pierce the pride of everyone present. The woman from before stammered a trembling explanation:
-"It's not... I was just scared... what if it lunged..."
The heterochromatic girl sighed softly, offering a gentle reassurance:
-"It's okay, it's a natural reflex. If I were the one standing near the door then, I probably would have done the same."
In the thick atmosphere of fear, whispers began to rise again. Someone spoke up skeptically:
-"What if it attacks the moment we step in? How long can that talisman hold? Five seconds?"
Chen Feng sneered, his voice cold as ice:
-"At least I have a ward. What do you have besides a mouth that only knows how to complain?"
Sensing the situation was about to spiral out of control, I cleared my throat and stepped closer:
-"I think everyone needs to calm down. The mission requires us to 'solve the riddle.' Logically speaking, that girl is an NPC (guide character) meant to deliver the challenge. Death likely only comes if we answer incorrectly, not the moment we open the door. If the demon wanted to kill us from the start, it would have done so in the hallway."
A few people remained unconvinced, eyeing me with deep suspicion:
-"But what guarantee is there that the demon won't attack us?"
Chen Feng seemed to lose all patience; he roared:
-"Anyone who's scared can stay the hell outside! Don't go in, and don't expect to finish the mission to keep your pathetic lives!"
His shout echoed through the dark hallway, silencing the argument. After a moment of struggling with the stiff lock, a "click" finally rang out, bringing a wave of relief.
The door slowly creaked open. A gust of gloomy air, carrying the scent of old paper and something pungent like rotting flesh, hit my nose directly. A buzzing sensation shot through my brain, making me dizzy. Before us, Room 23 revealed itself like a wide-open trap.
The girl's pitch-black eyes were still fixed on us, but aside from that soul-freezing gaze, she made no move to attack.
After a breath-taking silence, the girl's pupils gradually turned a clear emerald green; life seemed to return to her small body. An Yue flashed a radiant smile, her voice ringing out crystal clear:
-"Whoa, so many people! Did you guys come here to play with me?"
The crowd stood stunned. The girl didn't seem to care at all about the door being jammed earlier. The boldest man in the group spoke up awkwardly:
-"Yeah... that's right, little one. We came to play with you."
-"That's wonderful! Please, come in!" The girl bowed politely, looking as well-behaved as a model student.
We entered. The room was spacious but hollow—no tables, no chairs, only four walls covered in patterned wallpaper and strangely cute cartoon drawings. The girl clutched a giant stuffed horse, larger than her own body, burying her face into the soft plush affectionately.
Everyone filed in; though they kept a wary distance, the tension had eased slightly.
However, An Yue didn't keep us waiting long; she went straight to the point:
-"Will you play a riddle game with me? Whoever loses... will be punished. Hehe!"
That giggle should have been innocent, but in this context, it made my skin crawl. A demon's "punishment" certainly wouldn't be a mere flick on the ear.
The girl with heterochromia cleared her throat, trying to gather more information:
-"May I ask something? When you give the riddle, do we answer as a group or as individuals?"
An Yue smiled, but this time the corners of her mouth stretched unnaturally wide, creating a bleak, ghostly grin:
-"It's individual. I'll ask a question; if just one person gets it right, everyone wins. But if someone volunteers an answer and gets it wrong... only that person will be punished."
-"I... I see. Thank you," the heterochromatic girl turned pale, forcing out a strained thank you.
The atmosphere immediately turned heavy. This rule was clearly good news for the group, but a death sentence for anyone brave enough to step up first.
However, I felt a slight sense of relief. At least if my judgment was wrong, I wouldn't drag everyone else down to their graves with me.
An Yue tilted her head, her green eyes flashing with a spark of mischief:
-"Let's begin! My riddle is: In this room, there is something masquerading as someone with four limbs exactly like yours. Point out the impostor."
The moment the riddle ended, the room seemed to explode. Suspicious glares began to dart back and forth; the fragile trust shattered instantly. People began pointing fingers and accusing one another:
-"I think Pa Bao is the most suspicious! Usually, he talks like a magpie, but he's been dead silent this whole time!"
-"What? I'm too scared to speak and suddenly I'm a demon? I was concentrating!"
-"Cut it out, don't make excuses! He's definitely the impostor!"