“Will it work this time?” Su Man stared at the flooding waters outside the window, anxiety etched on her face. “This is our last chance… If we’re wrong again, this place will be submerged too.”
No one spoke.
A heavy silence filled the room.
After a while, Li Li said, “If we still can’t clear the stage… Lu Ang, give my puzzle piece to Su Man. You and Brother Yan take Su Man out of here. All the research data is in the bag anyway. You can take it directly to Professor Song. It doesn’t matter if I’m there or not…”
“What do you mean?” Su Man’s face darkened. “You want to stay here with Zhu Shu? Why? You’ve only known each other for a few days, and you’re already ready to live and die together?”
Li Li said irritably, “Are you ever going to stop?! Do you want me to give the puzzle piece to Zhu Shu and stay here to die with you? Then you’ll probably yell at me again! Saying that I only care about the white lotus and not about your life, right?!”
Su Man was furious. “Who asked you to give it up?! Can’t you keep the puzzle piece for yourself?!”
“Keep it for myself? Zhu Shu just saved me. If I run away and leave her here alone, am I still a man?!”
“In the end, it’s still about her! You just want to be with her!”
“You’re completely unreasonable! Crazy! Insane!”
The two of them started arguing as usual.
The others remained silent.
Usually, they would try to mediate, but now, preoccupied with their own worries, they had no energy to intervene, letting the two bicker endlessly.
Until the water rippled, splashing with a whoosh—
Shen Mo and Yan Qingwen returned.
Everyone looked at them.
Yan Qingwen, catching his breath, nodded heavily at them and said, “That’s right, it’s the light bulb.”
A simple sentence, yet it felt like a royal pardon.
Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Shen Mo took the light bulb from the storage room and showed it to everyone.
It was a small, oval-shaped bulb.
Unlike ordinary light bulbs, this one had several whisker-like black objects extending from its end, resembling hair but thicker, like nerve tubes.
Not only that.
Shen Mo also found a full box of light bulbs in the storage room.
This box of light bulbs was the actual set used in the storage room. Everyone had come across this box while searching the house, but they hadn’t thought much of it, assuming it was just a box of ordinary replacement bulbs.
The answer was right in front of them.
They looked at each other, seeing surprise, confusion, and hesitation in each other’s eyes…
“If we’re wrong this time…” Li Li’s expression was tense.
“We won’t be.” Shen Mo interrupted him. He held the light bulb for two seconds, then suddenly said, “Guest, please come in.”
Li Li’s face changed drastically. “Hey! We’re not ready!!!”
“What is there to prepare?” Shen Mo asked.
“I!…” Li Li choked.
He… indeed had nothing to prepare.
Regarding injuries, those that should have healed were mostly healed, and those that shouldn’t heal wouldn’t heal in a short time.
Regarding defense, the attic only had half a floor left. Once the water flooded in, there was no defense at all!
Speaking of water, the water came—every time they invited the guest in, the water level would rise by a small amount, as if to make it easier for the monster fish to approach them.
Water gushed into the attic.
It submerged the floor, covered their ankles, then their calves… Everyone stood up.
Cheng Laoshi and Tan Xiao supported Bai Youwei on either side.
Shen Mo glanced at her.
Bai Youwei gave him an almost imperceptible nod.
Shen Mo looked away, his gaze returning to the surging water.
The waves surged violently, and the wall lamps in the attic finally went out, leaving only a small lamp on the ceiling and a few flashlight beams illuminating the surroundings.
After a series of bumps and crashes, the enormous fish monster, following the light source, arrived at the edge of the attic—