Chapter Five: Holiday Villa 5

"Shh, shut your mouth!" Hu Kan nearly cursed aloud.

The shadow seemed to have heard the commotion, its neck slowly twisting a full one hundred eighty degrees to look in their direction.

At that moment, a flash of lightning split the night sky, illuminating the silhouette.

A ghastly pale face stared fixedly toward them.

"Zhou... Zhou... mmph!" Someone began to point at the shadow, stammering, but Su Man was quick to cover the person's mouth.

"Are you looking for me?" The figure suddenly grinned widely at them. "It's me, Zhou Bin. Are you searching for me?"

Without any visible movement, the next second, a large face suddenly appeared right in front of them. His eyes were pitch black, swallowing all the light that fell upon them. "Why aren't you calling my name? Why won't you let me inside? The rain outside is so heavy."

"Ghost... ghost..." The person Su Man was covering struggled to squeeze out the words through her fingers, then slid limply to the ground.

Seeing things take a turn for the worse, Su Man quickly turned and dashed toward the house.

She had no resurrection card now—she couldn't afford to die in vain.

But those who had already been scared witless moved even faster. They say danger can unlock hidden potential; even Hu Meili, who had been rambling nonsense earlier, somehow leapt three yards into the house, and the others pushed and shoved, crowding desperately at the small doorway.

Su Man was closer to the outside. Though she was quick to react, she couldn't withstand the forceful shoves of the burly men, left stranded outside and unable to get in.

"Don't crowd me! Move! Move! Get out of my way!"

A muscular man beside her also failed to get inside and, terrified, suddenly snapped. He shoved Su Man aside, kicked the person in front of him, and forcibly cleared a path.

Those at the front tumbled into the doorway in a heap, leaving Su Man thrown back and lagging behind—but she still had time.

Ignoring the pain in her shoulder, she scrambled up and rushed to enter.

But to her shock, the people inside slammed the door shut! Just a step away, she was left outside!

It all happened in the blink of an eye—a cold presence pressed against her back, and Su Man's heart sank. This was it.

She spun around, and Zhou Bin, head bowed, was almost face-to-face with her.

In that instant, her mind was razor-sharp, with only one thought remaining: those inside had doomed her, and she would make sure they didn't get away with it, even in death.

Yes, she decided to risk it all and try to drag Zhou Bin inside with her.

As this thought flashed through her mind, a screen of light appeared before her.

[This horror entity targets players who have not completed their task. Player detected as having completed the task; two options are now available.]

[1. Player may allow the horror entity inside, but will also bear the punishment. Duration: one night. Punishment ends at dawn.]

[2. Player may choose to let the horror entity leave. No punishment for player or others.]

She understood instantly: the others didn't have to survive by returning here. If they didn't come back, the entity wouldn't follow. She had completed her task and would be safe tonight, but they had brought this thing back—and, in their panic, locked her, the most innocent, outside.

They truly deserved it.

"Zhou Bin, come inside." Su Man smiled sweetly, her gentleness suddenly chilling. Without hesitation, she chose the first option. No one would take advantage of her—not a chance. She was the type to harm her enemy a thousand times, even at the cost of harming herself eight hundred, and she never forgave.

As her words fell, the door clicked open.

Zhou Bin glided in like a ghost.

"Ah!! Ghost!" The crowd inside, who had been peeking through the peephole, scattered like frightened birds.

A sharp slap rang out, and a shadow flew across the room.

Su Man entered just in time to see Zhou Bin slap a terrified, screaming man clear across the floor. She recognized him as the one she'd tried to silence earlier.

"Ghost... ghost..." He continued to babble.

Zhou Bin, without mercy, slapped him again.

The man felt his bones break, unable to catch his breath, lying on the ground with tears of grievance in his eyes. "Why are you only hitting me?"

Zhou Bin, eyes as black as ink, stared at him and earnestly explained, "Because you cursed me. I am Zhou Bin."

"You’re Zhou Bin, you..." The man, on the verge of tears, swallowed his words when he saw Zhou Bin poised to slap him again.

Though Zhou Bin was a horror entity, he was surprisingly reasonable.

Sitting on the sofa now, he didn't look all that terrifying.

Everyone soon realized that as long as they kept quiet, Zhou Bin wouldn't do anything outrageous. Gradually, they relaxed a little.

Hu Kan hesitated, then sat beside Su Man, his face full of guilt.

"Su Man, I'm sorry."

Everyone knew perfectly well what he was apologizing for.

"We were just too scared. We didn't mean to lock you outside—it was an accident," Hu Kan explained anxiously.

Su Man nodded magnanimously. "It's alright."

After all, Zhou Bin was inside now, thanks to her.

Seeing how reasonable she seemed, Hu Kan shamelessly pressed, "Since you’re not angry, can you tell me how you managed to keep Zhou Bin from attacking you?"

As he spoke, he glanced nervously at Zhou Bin.

He had seen through the peephole that Zhou Bin was about to attack, but somehow changed his mind.

"You want to know?" Su Man’s gaze deepened.

"Of course. This place is so strange—if we have a way out, why not leave as soon as possible?" Hu Kan rubbed his hands. "You saw it yourself: Zhou Bin is clearly dead, yet he’s here with us as if nothing happened. Aren’t you afraid?" He deliberately lowered his voice.

Su Man glanced at Zhou Bin, then at the eager Hu Kan, her eyes veiled. "Alright, I’ll tell you. Come with me."

The two went upstairs.

"Su Man, aren’t you going to tell me the method? Why bring me here?" Hu Kan stood at the second floor bathroom door, uneasy and feeling the urge to urinate—after all, Zhou Bin had died right here.

"The answer’s inside." Su Man reached for the handle and pushed the door open.

"Ah!" Hu Kan gasped, then clamped his hand over his mouth. "Why is there only a head left!"

His shock was understandable; Zhou Bin’s corpse, once whole, was now reduced to nothing but a severed head.