The weapon by the pillow

Chapter 4 Everyone's here, so...

The first to arrive was a tall, thin young man wearing a windbreaker and carrying a bulging hiking backpack that seemed to be stuffed full of various tools. He called himself "Lynx" and looked very excited, his eyes gleaming with eager anticipation. As soon as he arrived, he lowered his voice and said to Cheng Tan:

"Hey OP? I brought a powerful flashlight, a laser pointer, and a basic detector. Don't worry, it's all professional!"

Before he could finish speaking, a slightly overweight man came running up, panting. He wore thick glasses, and Cheng Tan knew his online name was "Research Obsessive." He kept wiping his sweat and muttering, "Is this the place? Anping Lane... I've checked the records. This area dates back to the Republican era..." He seemed more interested in verifying history, as if he was there because of the number thirteen.

The third person to arrive was a taciturn man named "Shadow." He wore an ordinary gray jacket, was muscular, spoke little, and had little expression on his face. He simply stood quietly to the side, his sharp gaze scanning the surrounding environment as if assessing the risks.

Then came two young people who came together, looking like college students. One was called "A Zhe" and the other "Xiao Fei." They had an eagerness to seek excitement on their faces, constantly taking pictures with their phones and talking in hushed tones, as if they were about to embark on another interesting night tour.

The sixth person to arrive was a woman, which Cheng Tan hadn't expected.

She was dressed in neat sportswear, with her hair tied in a ponytail. Her emotions were unreadable. She introduced herself as "Lin Qian".

Her arrival quieted the other men down a bit, and although they exchanged pleasantries, the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward.

The last person, however, was nowhere to be found.

Just as Cheng Tan thought the other party would stand him up, a figure slowly strolled out from the darkness. Looking over, he saw a somewhat disheveled middle-aged man with a stubble beard, cloudy eyes, and a faint smell of alcohol on him.

He nodded and mumbled, "Old K," as a greeting, then leaned against the wall, lit a cigarette, and started smoking.

Seven people, each with different appearances and unclear motives, gathered in this place filled with decay and death because of an online lottery.

Looking at the indistinct faces in the dim light, Cheng Tan felt a sudden unease. Who were they? Why were they here? Were they really just here for thrills and curiosity? The man called "Shadow" was excessively professional in his silence; "Old K" exuded a sense of decadence and disconnection from society; and "Lin Qian," a woman, came to this place alone—what lay hidden beneath her calm demeanor?

"Is everyone here?" Lynx asked impatiently, adjusting his headlamp.

Cheng Tan took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart.

He nodded, saying nothing more, but simply pointed to the tallest, most shadowy building in the darkness…

Building No. 7, Anpingli.

"That's it!" he raised his voice. "Our destination!"

Everyone's attention was drawn to this spot, and they looked over. The main entrance to the building had vanished, leaving only a dark, gaping opening, like a giant mouth. A strong smell of mildew and dust emanated from it, making it all the more mysterious.

Nighttime is the best cover for exploration.

Lynx led the way, the beam of his powerful flashlight piercing the darkness like a sword, illuminating the graffiti-covered walls and cobwebs, as well as the scattered pebbles and trash on the ground. The meticulous researcher followed closely behind, muttering random terms related to "architectural structure." A-Zhe and Xiao-Fei jostled each other, both frightened and excited. Lin Qian walked quietly in the middle, her steps steady. Shadow brought up the rear, like a hunter, his eyes constantly scanning the rear and flanks warily. Old K lagged behind, following slowly, the red glow of his cigarette butt particularly glaring in the darkness.

Cheng Tan walked behind Lynx, but he didn't feel relaxed. With each step he climbed, he felt as if countless footsteps were following him, but upon closer inspection, he saw nothing unusual or strange. The flashlight beam shone through, illuminating the dark red bricks exposed behind the peeling paint, like congealed scabs.

However, the dreamlike fog and halo seemed to be getting closer and closer.

Third floor, fourth floor...

The closer Cheng Tan got to that floor, the more difficult it became for him to breathe.

As he drew closer, fragments of his dream and printed words from the newspaper washed over his consciousness like a tidal wave.

The woman's pale face and empty, desperate eyes seemed to be staring at him from behind every broken door.

Finally, they stopped on the fourth floor.

Room 403.

A dark green iron gate, its paint peeling and fading, stood silently at the end of the corridor, like a huge taboo.

There was no lock on the door, only an empty keyhole and several glaring marks from a sharp object.

Everyone held their breath.

Even the usually talkative research enthusiast fell silent.

Standing in the actual scene, everyone felt an invisible pressure.

The lynx reached out and tried to push the door open.

The door creaked open, breaking the silence, and slowly opened a crack inward.

A strong smell of mildew and dust hit them, and they could almost smell... a musty, bloody odor? Perhaps it was just psychological, but everyone was on edge.

Several powerful flashlights suddenly shone into the room, dispelling the darkness behind the door and slowly sweeping across the interior.

Time seemed to have stood still here for thirteen years.

This is a typical old-style one-bedroom rental apartment, with a cramped layout. The living room/bedroom has been almost entirely emptied of furniture, leaving only a few dilapidated items: a table with a missing leg leaning precariously against the wall; several broken chairs; and the floor littered with waste paper, rags, and dusty trash. The walls are stained and covered in cobwebs, with various shades of dirt and splatter marks faintly visible beneath the dust.

The ground was covered with dark red old-fashioned floor tiles, which were covered with a thick layer of dust.

But in the center of the room, in an area with relatively thin dust, one could vaguely make out the outline of a human figure?

Around that outline, some strange things were scattered on the ground.

The beam of the flashlight remained fixed on that area.

All eyes froze at that moment.

There, several objects lay quietly, covered in dust, yet their shapes and materials were still discernible:

A section of stripped, rough, black electrical wire was coiled up in a circle.

A rusty, grime-covered wrench.

A paper cutter with half its blade broken off; the handle is dark red.

A granite paperweight with sharp edges and dark brown spots.

And... a huge pair of pliers with dark brown stains on the jaws.

They lay scattered on the ground, accompanying a human-shaped shadow, pointing in a suffocating direction, perfectly overlapping with Cheng Tan's dreams of those thirteen nights and that old newspaper report from thirteen years ago.

There were no icicles... perhaps they had already melted.

But the rest... are already here.