Translator: 549690339
Only two beads were left, and most likely, they were taken by Cheng Xi.
But what could she do about it? Robbery, body search?… Either way, it could be the final straw that broke the camel’s back.
Zhu Shu didn’t want to do that.
Because a person forced into a dead end can go crazy.
Su Man, Yu Yaqing, and Hu Ya came down from upstairs, all looking upset.
Zhu Shu asked them, “Have you seen where Blue Beard went? Wherever he went could be the locked room, and the key to passing this level might be there!”
Hu Ya said, “He moved too fast, by the time we got to the third floor, we couldn’t see him anymore, we only heard the door closing!”
Hu Ya spoke hurriedly, as if eager to vent the suppressed and tense emotions from the third floor, emphatically saying, “He was too fast! He crossed six or seven steps in one stride! Like a monster! …No, that’s wrong, he is a monster!”
Zhu Shu couldn’t help but ask, “Were there no signs of dragging on the ground? Or footprints, scratch marks, anything?”
Hu Ya shook her head, pale-faced.
Su Man took over and explained, “The carpet on the third floor is very old, there are traces in front of every door, it’s impossible to distinguish.”
After saying this, she paused and looked at Bai Youwei, “I counted the rooms, it’s the same as the second floor – 128. We checked each one and didn’t find the Duke or Zhao Lanfen.”
Bai Youwei furrowed her brows as she sat in her wheelchair, stroking her plush rabbit, deep in thought.
Her mobility was limited, so she couldn’t dash up and down the stairs like they did. Since Su Man and Hu Ya said as much, checking all over again probably wouldn’t yield any changes.
Unless they could come up with a new approach.
Bai Youwei raised her head, looking towards the large crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of the hall. From this grand light fixture, the spiral staircase leading to the top floor could be seen, connected to the handrail on the third floor.
“The Inspector said that there are a total of four floors in this mansion, including the basement. Since you all saw the Duke head to the third floor, and the third floor is the highest, the locked room must be on the third floor.”
She mumbled thoughtfully, “…Is there a hidden compartment?”
“If there is a hidden compartment, we might have to wait until tomorrow to find it.” Yu Yaqing, who had been silent all along, spoke in a low voice, “The light on the third floor is too dim, it would be very hard to find any clues.”
This mansion was bathed in brilliant sunlight during the day, but became creepy and eerie at night, with the lights fading from level to level.
The first-floor hall was brightly lit, the second floor was much dimmer, and by the time you got to the third floor, it was as dim as a dark alleyway, with the antique bulbs emitting a faint light.
Upon hearing Yu Yaqing’s words, Cheng Xi nearly burst into tears, “We…we have to spend the night in this place? Will we…can we survive this night…”
“There’s no need to worry about that,” Bai Youwei calmly said, “It seems that the Duke can only kill one person each day. Even when you all attacked him just now, he merely defended himself while keeping one hand on Zhao Lanfen the entire time. He didn’t actively attack you all before leaving, he must be bound by the rules of the game, only able to attack one bride at a time.”
Zhu Shu had scorched half his face, and in his furious state, his most ferocious counterattack was merely throwing a broken sword at her.
He didn’t doggedly pursue Zhu Shu, nor did he entangle himself with Su Man and Yu Yaqing. He left quickly.
Was it his inherent speed, or was there another reason?
“He doesn’t want his secret to be discovered…” Bai Youwei muttered thoughtfully, “Could the secret be the same as in the fairy tale?”
A sudden scream interrupted her thoughts.
Everyone was startled.
Scream after scream, filled with utter terror!
They all looked around, but couldn’t discern where the voice was coming from.
“It’s Zhao Lanfen…” Cheng Xi trembled behind Yu Yaqing, “She…she’s not dead…”