Chapter 84
Chapter 84
Creak-
Something inside the room pulled the Red Door open a crack.
Then, a pale, ashen face peeked out from the pitch-black gap.
Its texture was remarkably similar to a real human, but the surface looked as if it had been sprayed with a layer of white paint.
The entire face was white to the point of being grey, save for the center of the lips, which were a vivid, brilliant red.
The mannequin curled its lips at Jiang Li, offering a smile.
It then reached out and gestured inward, beckoning Jiang Li and the others to enter.
Jiang Li and the Black Kid exchanged a look.
“Lili… I really don’t want to go in there.” The Black Kid genuinely felt this place was sinister.
Jiang Li didn’t force him.
She wrote a note for him, telling him to go clean the other rooms on the Third Floor.
The Black Kid nodded in agreement.
“Then be careful. Come out immediately if there’s a problem.”
After his warning, the Black Kid picked up his bucket and headed next door with plenty of motivation.
Jiang Li withdrew her gaze and looked back at the Red Door, intending to enter.
At that moment, the Red Door of the Funeral Hall was pulled wide open from the inside.
The door stood open, and the room was brightly lit.
Directly opposite was a large balcony.
The layout of this Funeral Hall was actually identical to a regular dormitory.
A communal bunk bed stood on the left, and storage lockers lined the right.
While Jiang Li was dazed, a figure darted out from behind the door.
It was the Black Kid!
He was diligently wiping the door frame. When he looked up, he saw Jiang Li standing outside.
His eyes lit up with surprise.
“Eh? Lili, are you not going to the Funeral Hall either? Then let’s clean the dormitory together!”
The Black Kid bent down, scrubbed his rag twice in the water, and enthusiastically invited Jiang Li inside.
Jiang Li felt a momentary sense of disorientation.
If she remembered correctly, she hadn’t left the entrance of the Funeral Hall, had she?
Jiang Li glanced down the corridor.
There was actually another Red Door next door. The spot where she stood was exactly the second-to-last dormitory.
The moment the thought ‘this is a dormitory’ sprouted in her mind, Jiang Li snapped awake-
No!
She quickly chanted to herself: This is the Funeral Hall, not a dormitory.
This is the Funeral Hall, not a dormitory.
Rule 5 of the Cabin Rules:
[The last room on the Third Floor is the Funeral Hall. Please ensure you do not mistake it for a dormitory.]
Under the influence of her mental suggestion, the illusion gradually faded.
The room reverted to its original state as a Funeral Hall.
The Red Door was wide open, and the light from outside spilled in, illuminating a triangular section of the interior.
Now, the room was the Funeral Hall.
Because standing by the door was a tall, thin White Mannequin.
The viewers watching the livestream breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, Jiang Li hadn’t been deceived by the illusion.
Just as everyone thought it was safe to enter the Funeral Hall-
Jiang Li, on the screen, suddenly grabbed the door handle and slammed the Red Door shut with a loud bang, sealing herself outside.
Jiang Li’s gaze turned cold.
The ‘thing’ inside was quite cunning!
It had deliberately used a crude illusion to make Jiang Li believe this was a dormitory.
If Jiang Li hadn’t seen through the illusion, she would most likely be dead.
But even if she did see through it, the entity was preying on human psychology; most people would think they had escaped a disaster, relax their guard, and feel smug.
At that point, the Red Door would be wide open.
However, the moment they stepped inside, they would trigger another rule-
[Before entering the Funeral Hall, you must knock three times and wait in place for 10 seconds. Remember, entering the room directly will lead to terrible consequences!]
If one truly entered directly, the result would be corruption at best, and death at worst.
To design such a series of underhanded traps proved that the Aberration here was truly black-hearted!
After double-checking that she hadn’t made a mistake, Jiang Li finally raised her hand and knocked on the door three times.
Knock, knock, knock-
After the knocks, a flurry of panicked footsteps echoed from inside the room.
It sounded like someone was scurrying around, desperately trying to find a place to hide.
Ten seconds later.
The chaotic footsteps vanished.
Jiang Li picked up her bucket, pushed open the Red Door, and walked inside.
To the left of the Red Door stood a very tall White Mannequin.
Seeing someone enter, the White Mannequin smiled and bowed in a “please” gesture.
At that same moment.
A black head peeked out from behind the Red Door.
Aside from the color, this “Black Dummy” was identical to the White Dummy in every other way.
Seeing Jiang Li enter the room, the Black Dummy gave a sinister smile and slammed the Red Door shut with a loud bang.
The room had no windows, no balcony, and no electric lights.
It was so dark that nothing could be seen.
Jiang Li set down the bucket, took out her flashlight, and illuminated the interior.
It was a dilapidated little sacrificial hut.
Inside were an Altar Table, a Coffin, two chairs, and countless blank memorial photo frames.
There wasn’t much furniture, but the dust was thick.
Jiang Li took a rag, rinsed it twice in the bucket, and began wiping down the Altar Table.
She searched every drawer beneath the table.
The first drawer contained a photograph.
In the photo, two identical three-year-old children stood side by side, but unfortunately, they had no faces.
The second drawer held a hospital admission application.
However, the form only contained information for one child.
The third drawer was locked with an old-fashioned iron lock and could not be opened.
A slip of paper was stuck to it: *Do not destroy.*
Jiang Li was just about to look around the room for a key.
Suddenly, the flashlight’s beam began to weaken.
Perhaps the batteries were low, as the light grew dimmer and dimmer.
Beside the Red Door, the “White Dummy” saw this and began walking toward Jiang Li.
The White Dummy’s robes were exceptionally long, completely covering its feet.
It moved with tiny, shuffling steps, looking very much like it was floating over.
The White Dummy drifted to Jiang Li’s side.
It reached out a hand, pointed at the Red Candle, then pointed at itself, grinning widely.
It looked as if it were reminding Jiang Li that it could help her light the Red Candle.
[There are no electric lights in the room. If you require illumination, please instruct the “White Dummy” to light the Red Candle for you.]
But… was this mannequin really white?
Jiang Li remembered clearly that when she was outside the door, this mannequin’s skin had been “off-white.”
Off-white was a very specific color.
If one were to artificially apply a layer of white paint over dark skin, the final result would be off-white.
Jiang Li glanced at her fading flashlight.
If the Red Candle wasn’t lit soon, she wouldn’t be able to see anything in the room.
If more hallucinations appeared in the darkness, it would be another major problem!
However, this self-recommended “White Dummy” before her felt… off.
Details… she had to pay attention to the details!
Jiang Li closed her eyes.
She quickly mentally reviewed every scene she had witnessed inside and outside the hut.
Suddenly, a thought struck her. Her brows furrowed, and her index finger twitched.
The next second, Jiang Li opened her eyes.
She reached out swiftly, grabbed the “White Dummy’s” long robe, and yanked it upward.
Beneath the white robe, a pair of black, bare feet were exposed.
Jiang Li quickly walked over to the “Black Dummy” and performed the same action.
Hidden beneath that black robe was a pair of white feet!
Just as she suspected.
These two things thought that as long as their feet were hidden under their clothes, they wouldn’t be discovered even if they didn’t apply the fake paint.
But they hadn’t expected that the “White Dummy” would expose itself while walking!
The “White Dummy” had approached Jiang Li to offer its services, but it hadn’t dared to take large strides.
It had been forced to use tiny shuffling steps to keep its feet hidden inside the long robe.
That was why its gait had looked so much like it was “floating” just now!
Jiang Li’s lips curled into a faint smile.
These two had really gone to great lengths to trick her.
No wonder one stood still, not daring to move, while the other only dared to take tiny steps.
So that was the reason behind it.
Furthermore, the lipstick in the center of that off-white creature’s mouth probably wasn’t lipstick at all.
It was likely a bloodstain left behind after some unlucky adventurer had identified the mannequin’s color incorrectly and been eaten.
Jiang Li pulled her thoughts together.
She took the Red Candle and handed it to the real White Dummy, signaling for him to light it.