"So, you're saying that in the last attempt, we all worked together, but it ended with the whole team being wiped out?"
Inside the living room of Room 206, Kaguya tapped her forehead and then looked up at Gao Hai, who was on one side of the room, to ask.
"It sounds like a plot from some fantasy novel. If it weren't for what we just experienced, it would be really hard to believe."
Holding the note from Xusheng that she'd found in the supply box, Maki sighed. She broke off a piece of a chocolate bar and took a couple of bites before frowning at the rather poor taste. Still, she忍 endured it and finished the whole thing.
Sun Dajun sat in a corner of the room, clutching his head and letting out a low sigh. The man's entire worldview had collapsed, and it would likely be some time before he could recover. Meanwhile, Green dutifully stood guard at the living room entrance, his expression stern as he watched over a timid Miwa Maeda cowering in the corner.
The team from the second phase of the previous round had now reassembled.
However, things were different this time. Sun Dajun was no longer a deadweight who needed to be watched, but a part of the team. Green had still joined their side, but he was less rough when controlling Miwa Maeda, merely bringing her out and using a lie to lure the corpse from her room, 205, into Room 210. They waited for the commotion over there to end and confirmed the hallway was quiet again before locking the doors to Room 206 and its living room to discuss matters.
Gao Hai laid out nearly everything that had happened last time: the door-knocking anomaly, the human head clock, the bizarre entity that communicated through notes, the strange black hands that snatched people away, the twisted and distorted third floor, Lao Guo's team-wiping actions, and so on. He told everyone present everything except for his reset cheat, which had 11 uses left.
"Interaction through information triggers an anomalous effect. Under these circumstances, we probably can't gather intelligence at all."
Knowing this wasn't the time to continue questioning the truth of it all, Kaguya Shinomiya quickly got into the right mindset and began to analyze the situation.
"No. During the last attempt, Miss Shijo and I carefully reviewed her experience. The reason she saw things she shouldn't have was likely because she read all the clues at once. So, if we find any more written clues, what we need to do is split up the reading. For example, if we find a note with writing on it, we'll have one person read the top half and another person read the bottom half, then they can exchange information. If it's something we're unsure about, we can even have a third or fourth person read it. That would be much safer."
Gao Hai shook his head, immediately refuting Kaguya's idea and proposing a new one.
"So, are we investigating the kitchen in 206 next? But according to you, if the occupant isn't present, the corpse in a room is guaranteed to become active at night, and some might even become active during the day. That means Mr. Sun probably can't come down with us, right? If he leaves, the thing in this room won't necessarily stay put."
Maki spoke up slowly, her gaze fixed on the half-burnt wardrobe on one side of the living room.
Through the half-open wardrobe door, an incomplete, charred corpse could be seen lying inside. Because the body was so badly damaged, Sun Dajun hadn't recognized what it was when he first searched the room. However, after Gao Hai and the others investigated further, they quickly figured it out.
The final decision was simple.
Gao Hai, Kaguya, and Maki would be responsible for investigating the kitchen to see if there was an entrance to the first floor.
Green and Sun Dajun would remain on the 2nd floor, keeping an eye on the wall clock and watching over Miwa Maeda, who was still too frightened by the corpse to be of much use. If there was a significant change in the time, they would come to the kitchen and tell Gao Hai's group to return.
"Don't worry, I'll make sure this stupid woman doesn't scream like before."
Before Gao Hai's group set off, Green patted his chest confidently, then shot a fierce glare at Miwa Maeda, who was shivering on the floor. It was worth noting that the woman had been made to wear a soundproof mask, the kind that could reduce snoring to a level barely audible outside a room. It would do a good job of suppressing her screams.
"Is... is all of this real?"
Watching Gao Hai prepare to enter the kitchen, a dejected Sun Dajun lifted his head and mumbled the question.
"Do you think sitting here looking miserable will make any of this less real?"
Gao Hai said just that to Sun Dajun before turning and walking into the kitchen.
Too much time had already been spent just assembling the team.
From now on, he had to focus on the task at hand.
With that thought, Gao Hai looked up at the kitchen before him.
To be honest, the kitchen in Room 206 wasn't much different from those in 204 and 208. It was just as filthy, and the water, electricity, and stove were all still usable. The sink was piled with dusty dishes, light shone through a window that had been boarded up with wooden planks, and the whole room smelled of decay. Of course, it wasn't completely identical. For instance, this kitchen had no refrigerator, and several empty cardboard boxes were spread out on the floor on one side of the room.
"Looks like a packing box from some fruit company."
Gao Hai noted the packaging on the box, muttered to himself when he didn't recognize the brand, and then moved the box aside, quickly revealing a collapsed hole hidden beneath.
Moving closer, he could feel a dampness wash over his face.
Below the collapsed floor, he could faintly make out the structure of another kitchen. It was dark, and there seemed to be something on the ground.
Maki and Kaguya had arrived behind him.
Without hesitation, Gao Hai, who was at the front, took a deep breath and jumped.
Whoosh—
A cold wind blew past his ears.
The drop seemed a little farther than he had expected. The surrounding light dimmed rapidly, and a chill began to spread.
Splash!
The sound of the splash was exceptionally clear in that moment.
Gao Hai's feet touched solid ground.
But before he hit the ground, he felt an icy sensation seeping into the tips of his toes and spreading up to his calves.
It was water that had collected here.
Enough water to completely submerge the floor of this level, reaching more than halfway up Gao Hai's calves.
"What's it like down there? Are you okay?"
Maki's slightly nervous voice came from above. Beside her, Kaguya held the wall clock, ready to turn the hands at a moment's notice.
Unsure of the exact situation below the hole, the two girls peering down were on high alert. Kaguya had even put in her earplugs specifically to handle any unexpected events, preparing for the worst-case scenario.
Fortunately, nothing unexpected happened this time.
"I'm fine. It doesn't seem too bad down here, just a flooded area. One of you come down and guard the kitchen door. I'm going to check the living room and the hallway outside. The water's very cold, so be careful when you come down."
Gao Hai looked up and replied to the two girls above, then slowly walked toward the kitchen door.
Splash—slosh—
The cold water sloshing past his calves created ripples with every step.
His surroundings had become extremely dim. There were no lights here; he could only rely on the faint glimmer coming through the hole in the ceiling to make out the dark and gloomy living room beyond the half-open kitchen door, and something that looked like an altar on one side of it.
Gao Hai saw no windows.
Although the layout of this apartment was similar to 206, there were no windows.
The living room floor was also submerged. The sofa and bed were covered in moss, and a cabinet on one side of the room had rotted beyond recognition.
Splash—
Gao Hai slowly stepped into the living room area.
"Ugh..."
After a splash behind him, Maki Shijo had jumped down. She shivered from the cold water, then carefully followed him.
"It's like this place was abandoned after a flood."
Maki whispered as she came to Gao Hai's side.
"Looks like it. I'm going to check ahead. You stand guard here. If I'm not back in five minutes, you can get ready to have Miss Shinomiya turn the clock."
Gao Hai nodded and then moved forward.
Maki opened her mouth slightly as if to say something, but in the end, she remained silent.
She really wanted to know if anything else had happened before the rewind, the one she had no memory of.
Because when she had walked out of Room 208 and saw Gao Hai for the first time with no prior memories, she could clearly feel the complex emotions in his gaze.
And later, when she and her grandaunt suspected him, it was obvious that he had hoped to gain her trust.
He believed in her, trusted her deeply.
But she knew nothing about him and had no idea where such trust came from.
It was truly bothersome... but, yes, now was not the time to dwell on such things.
Creeak—
As Maki tried to calm her mind, Gao Hai had already opened the door leading from the living room to the hallway.
The layout of the hallway outside was no different from the second floor's, but Gao Hai didn't see a wall clock on this level. Instead, a small table stood by the door, and on it was a yellowed, old newspaper that looked like it had been completely ruined by the damp air.
"I found a newspaper. I can't read what it says from here."
Gao Hai said in a low voice to Maki, who was not far away. He then carefully peered down the length of the hallway.
It was too dark.
He couldn't see anything at all in front of him.
This entire place was practically enveloped in darkness. Following this trend, the entire floor was likely the same: in absolute darkness with no light, and every room flooded.
"I understand. I don't see anything unusual from here. Please be careful."
Maki whispered back from her post at the kitchen doorway.
Gao Hai turned his head and looked into the living room.
Someone was sitting on the damp sofa, their head bowed as if they were asleep.
Gao Hai's gaze quickly snapped over, only to see the empty, ruined sofa.
Splash—slosh—
He started walking back toward Maki in silence.
Splash—slosh—
In the water behind him, something seemed to be slowly emerging from below the surface, resembling the silhouette of a person.
Gao Hai turned around again, but saw nothing.
"What happened?"
Maki noticed Gao Hai's strange movements and immediately asked.
"Nothing... I didn't see anything, but it just feels very unsettling. Maybe we have some rather shy friends here?"
Making a joke that wasn't funny at all, Gao Hai quickly returned to the kitchen doorway.
Using the relatively bright light from above, he picked up the tattered old newspaper and looked at its contents.
The headline on the newspaper read:
[Public Notice for the Evacuation of Residents from an Old, Damaged Suburban Apartment Building During the XX Superflood Period]
________________________________________
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