I stood frozen, locked in the pitch-black stare of the little girl. A primal chill seeped into my marrow, as if at any microsecond, that tiny entity would lunge forward and tear us all to shreds.
A woman standing beside me, unable to withstand the suffocating pressure, let out a piercing shriek and slammed the door shut. Bang! The dry collision echoed. My hand narrowly escaped being crushed in the doorframe, retreating just in time.
In that instant, a tall figure stepped forward, roughly shoving everyone aside. It was Chen Feng-the unpleasant youth I had encountered earlier at the building's entrance. Between his fingers, he gripped an ancient yellow talisman that emitted a faint but authoritative glow. Perhaps that was the "Gem"-the item possessing special powers I had heard whispers about. The girl with heterochromia rushed in behind him, helping him secure the door handle.
-"Dammit, this door is jammed!" Chen Feng hissed, his eyes streaked with fury. "The demon barely glared at you and you're already this pathetic? 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, trembling:
-"It's not... I was just scared... what if it lunged..."
The heterochromatic girl sighed softly, offering a gentle reassurance: "It's alright, it's just a natural reflex. If I were the one standing by the door, I probably would have done the same."
Amidst the thick atmosphere of dread, whispers began to ripple through the crowd. Someone voiced their skepticism:
-"What if it attacks the moment we step in? How long can that talisman hold? Five seconds?"
Chen Feng curled his lip into a cold smirk:
-"At least I have a ward. What do you have besides a mouth that only knows how to whine?"
Sensing the situation was spiraling out of control, I cleared my throat and stepped closer:
-"I think everyone needs to calm down. The mission requires us to 'solve a riddle.' Logically speaking, that girl is an NPC-a guide meant to issue a challenge. Death likely only comes if we answer incorrectly, not the moment the door opens. If the demon wanted us dead from the start, it would have finished us in the hallway."
A few people remained unconvinced, eyeing me with deep suspicion:
-"But what guarantee do we have that the demon won't attack?" Chen Feng seemed to lose the last of his patience.
He roared:
-"Anyone who's scared can stay the hell outside! Don't come in, and don't expect to complete the mission to save your miserable lives!"
His shout echoed through the dark corridor, silencing the argument. After a moment of struggling with the stubborn lock, a "click" finally rang out-a sound of pure relief.
The door slowly creaked open. A gust of gloom, carrying the scent of ancient paper and something pungently like rotting flesh, hit our nostrils. A buzzing sensation jolted through my brain, leaving me lightheaded. Before us, Room 23 revealed itself like a gaping 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 suffocating silence, her pupils gradually shifted into a clear emerald green. Vitality seemed to return to her small frame. An Yue flashed a radiant smile, her voice ringing out like crystal:
-"Wow, so many people! Did you all come here to play with me?"
The crowd stood dazed. The boldest man in the group spoke up awkwardly: "Uh... that's right, little one. We're here to play with you."
-"That's wonderful! Please, come in!" The girl bowed politely, looking as obedient as a model student.
We stepped inside. The room was spacious but hollow-no tables, no chairs. There were only four walls covered in patterned wallpaper and strangely adorable cartoon drawings. The girl clutched a giant stuffed horse, larger than her own body, nuzzling her face into the soft plush with genuine affection.
As everyone filed in, the tension eased slightly, though a wary distance remained. However, An Yue didn't keep us waiting. 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. An arch-demon's "punishment" certainly wouldn't be a mere flick on the ear.
The heterochromatic girl cleared her throat, trying to fish for 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, forming a bleak, macabre grin:
-"Individually. I ask a question; as long as one person answers correctly, everyone wins. But if someone volunteers to answer and gets it wrong... only that person receives the punishment."
-"I... I see. Thank you," the heterochromatic girl replied, her face paling as she forced out a strained thank-you. The air instantly grew thick again.
This rule was clearly good news for the collective, 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 flawed, I wouldn't drag everyone down to the grave with me.
An Yue tilted her head, her emerald eyes flashing with a spark of mischief: "Let's begin! My riddle is: In this room, there is something masquerading as one of you, with four limbs exactly like yours. Point out the imposter."
The moment the riddle ended, the room seemed to explode. Suspicious glares began darting back and forth; the fragile trust shattered instantly. People began pointing fingers, hurling accusations:
-"I think Pa Bao is the most suspicious! Usually, he talks a mile a minute, but he's been dead silent this whole time!"
-"What? I'm too scared to speak and now I'm a demon? I was just focusing!"
-"Cut the crap! Don't make excuses! He's definitely the imposter!"