Chapter 6

The bell rang, the door automatically popped open, and I walked out of the room, completely covered in blood.

How many wounds did I have on my body? Thirteen or fourteen? I couldn’t remember clearly.

The bald guy was slumped against the wall, a fruit knife driven straight through his neck. Even in death, he glared at me with an indignant stare, unable to understand how he could die at my hands.

Honestly, I didn’t quite understand it myself.

I only remember that at the very end, he thrust his knife toward my stomach and clamped his iron-like hand around my throat. My consciousness began to blur, and my primal will to live finally exploded. In a hoarse voice, I spat out three words: “Little meatball.” Hearing those words, the bald guy shuddered, fear flashing across his face. In the split second he was distracted, I scrambled for the knife on the floor and forcefully drove it into his neck. Soon, his body began to convulse, and his blood sprayed out like an uncontrolled faucet, splattering against the wall in a horrifying pattern.

Every pore on my body was trembling, my hands and feet shaking uncontrollably. I couldn’t suppress the howl of despair rising from deep within me. I had killed someone. I had actually killed someone.

The moment before I stepped out the door, I caught sight of my face in the mirror. Tears had washed two clean streaks down my grimy face, yet a strange smile hung at the corners of my mouth.

Was that really my face?

People gradually stumbled out into the corridor. They were a pack of savage animals, baring their fangs in sinister grins. I actually saw Xiaodie. It seemed she had shared a room with the white-haired old lady. She had blood on her hands too. If my guess was right, she had done the exact same thing I did.

And there was that mysterious man I hadn’t seen in a while. His clothes were conspicuously clean. He rubbed his fingers, saw me staring at him, and returned a look of pity.

It was as if he was saying: Understandable, don’t worry about it.

“Congratulations everyone, you’ve completed the second round. Please collect your payment. We have medical professionals here; if you need wounds treated, you can go to them. The next round begins tonight at 9:00 PM, and the reward is five million dollars.”

The bespectacled man’s face flushed with a sickly red hue. His smile was smug, like a child playing with a long-coveted toy. He made a gesture, and the men in black began handing out the money.

Needles and thread wove through my skin, yet I didn’t feel a sliver of pain. I stared blankly at a spider on the wall, slowly spinning its web, waiting for prey to throw itself in.

“I’ll be waiting for you in Room 8.”

The mysterious man whispered this into my ear, then rubbed his hands and walked back down the corridor.

We had over ten hours until the third experiment. We had our own individual rooms to stash the money we’d received, and to catch our breath from the massacre we’d just endured.

Once all my wounds were treated, I found Room 8. Before I could even knock, the man pulled the door open. He made a shushing gesture and pulled me over to the corner by the bed. As soon as I sat down, a piece of paper slipped from his sleeve into my hand. He stood in front of me with a grin, signaling me to read it.

“My name is Zhang Zilong. I’m a police officer assigned to investigate this secret organization. There are cameras in the room; I’ve blocked the view for you. Don’t speak recklessly, be careful not to blow our cover. The water you drank earlier contained hallucinogens that paralyze the brain’s nerves, affecting judgment and emotional perception. You didn’t drink much, so you still have basic rationality. There’s a pill under the pillow; take it and you’ll return to normal. The next round will be very dangerous. I need your assistance. When this is over, I’ll get you out safely.”

I looked up at his expression, unsure if I should trust him.

He smiled at me, revealing a wound on his chest. It was a gunshot wound. Anyone sporting a scar like that was either a hardcore criminal or a cop.

I reached out, found the pill, and forced it down my throat.

A few minutes later, my head started spinning. A long-absent wave of exhaustion washed over me. I had to use all my strength just to keep my eyes open. The pain across my body returned like a tidal wave, and I couldn’t help but let out a few groans.

“You killed someone?” he spoke aloud, his eyes signaling me to play along.

“Didn’t you? Then how did you get out?” I asked, clutching my wound.

“So that makes us the same kind of people. How about this, we team up for the next round. I have a feeling the experiments will only get more dangerous. If you could take out that bald guy, you must be pretty capable.”

“We’ll see when the time comes. How do I know you won’t stab me in the back? Piss off!”

I shoved him away. Zhang Zilong’s face showed a look of satisfaction and encouragement. I limped my way back to my own room.