Chapter 12: People in the Corridor
"Youfu?" The frail old man had no idea what Han Fei was talking about. "You're a friend of Youfu? But I've never heard him mention you."
"If you think carefully, my name is Han Fei." Han Fei looked sincerely at the old man, making him doubt if he had forgotten, considering it was all from ten years ago.
"Now that you mention it, Youfu did have some friends before, but you look quite young." The old man wasn't sure.
"I'm an actor, and I rely on my appearance for a living. Due to the roles I play, I pay great attention to maintenance. I've been working on acting projects out of town." Han Fei skipped over this topic. "Grandpa, I really want to do something for Youfu."
"Youfu had many unfulfilled wishes. He worked tirelessly to provide a home for Amei. Just before they were killed, the child came to me and said they had secretly saved some money to hold a wedding for Amei." The old man shook his head. "It's useless to talk about these now. I think his greatest wish must have been to catch the killer. After all, the killer took away the person he loved the most."
"Home, wedding, catch the killer." Han Fei remembered these words, looking at the weary old man. "Grandpa, I think Youfu must be worried about your health. You must stay healthy. I will do everything I can to catch that deranged murderer!"
Saying that, Han Fei took out his cell phone. "This is my contact information. If you encounter any problems, please give me a call. I will help wherever I can."
After leaving his phone number, Han Fei gave a few more instructions before leaving with Li Xue.
"Hey, why did you impersonate Youfu's friend? You seem genuinely prepared to take care of that old man." After leaving the community, Li Xue asked the question in her mind.
"I..." Han Fei didn't know how to answer. He just glanced back at the run-down apartment building behind him. "I didn't impersonate Youfu's friend. We will become friends."
"You're a strange person." Li Xue hopped on her motorcycle and, as she passed by Han Fei, tossed a helmet to him. "Get on."
"What are you up to?"
"I'm taking you home."
Back in his rented place, Han Fei sat in the farthest corner from the desk, staring at the game helmet on it.
The bloodstains inside the helmet had dried, as if mysterious red patterns were etched on the inner surface.
Previously, Han Fei held a glimmer of hope, thinking it might be a prank, but today's experiences completely shattered that notion.
"The game's task system said that completing the beginner's task would help me understand that world. It looks like I have to complete the beginner's task."
As night fell, Han Fei walked to the window and glanced at the towering skyscrapers in the city centre.
In fact, not only in the game world but also with the rapid development of technology, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity even in the real world.
With the ever-advancing times, living in the corners of the old city, he felt overwhelmed by the countless new things that emerged every day.
"Stop thinking so much. Let's focus on surviving today." Han Fei sat in front of the computer and began searching for the case from ten years ago.
Since it concerned his life and death, Han Fei took it very seriously. He printed out all the information released by the police and posted them on the wall in front of his desk.
The once empty wall quickly filled up with various case clues and photos. If someone who didn't know the situation saw this scene, they would probably think he was some kind of private detective.
"The Human Puzzle Case had a total of eight victims. When the first seven victims were discovered, their bodies were missing certain parts. The body of the eighth victim was mostly pieced together. After comparing all the data, the police couldn't find any information about the eighth victim in the citizen database. So, when the case was announced, they referred to the eighth victim as Number Eight."
Busy until late at night, Han Fei finally gained a general understanding of the case from ten years ago. He looked at the time on the computer screen and, as midnight approached, he picked up the game helmet.
"The deceased appeared in the game, and there are many mysteries, but my immediate priority is to ensure my own survival."
As the clock struck midnight, Han Fei connected all the cables and entered the game.
The world before him was covered in blood-red, and a sense of weightlessness and dizziness struck him at the same time. Just as Han Fei was about to lose consciousness, a cold voice echoed deep in his mind.
"Welcome to Perfect Life! Now you can choose your own perfect life!"
Opening his eyes, Han Fei found himself lying on the stairs of the first floor. It was eerily quiet around him, as if there wasn't a single living person in the entire building.
"First, find Meng Shi!"
Having experienced the game once before, Han Fei had a clear goal this time. He had to find a way to extract a task from the old man and stay in his house for a full three hours after completing it.
After three hours, Han Fei would be able to exit the game at any time. He planned to explore the unknown areas after that.
In this way, even if he encountered danger, he wouldn't have to worry. He could simply quit the game.
In other words, the most dangerous period in the game was the first three hours after Han Fei logged in.
The rusty iron handrail was smeared with black dirt, and the dusty walls were covered in unsettling graffiti. Most of the figures depicted in the graffiti had only partially drawn bodies, making them look eerie.
Han Fei dared not make a sound. He picked up a kitchen knife from the floor and tiptoed to the old man's door.
Next to the dilapidated door, the black plastic bags had been cleaned up, leaving behind only two dark stains on the floor, as if something dirty had seeped out of the bags.
"Grandma?"
He lightly tapped on the door, not daring to use force. However, in the silent hallway, the sound of the knocking travelled far.
"No one here?"
Han Fei pressed his ear against the security door. There was no sound coming from the old man's house, as if it had been uninhabited for a long time.
"Where could they have gone so late at night?" Han Fei knocked on the door again and as the sound echoed, he faintly sensed that something was wrong.
He listened attentively, and it seemed like there was something moving in the otherwise quiet hallway!
The other party deliberately slowed down their footsteps, trying not to make any noise, but Han Fei still heard a faint rustling sound.
"The sound is coming from upstairs. Someone is moving towards my direction! Did the knocking attract them?"
Han Fei walked to the side of the staircase and looked up through the gap in the middle of the stairs.
His neck slowly turned, and Han Fei's body suddenly tensed up. Right on the sixth floor, there was a face looking at him!
Their eyes met, and both sides quickened their pace!
Han Fei started running upstairs, while the owner of that face rushed downstairs.
"Fourth floor! I must go to the fourth floor!"
Han Fei knew that the main entrance of the corridor was locked, and he couldn't leave the building from there. Running downstairs would be certain death, so he could only return to his own apartment on the fourth floor!
"I'm on the third floor, and that person is on the sixth floor. I'm closer to the fourth floor! The key is that I need time to open the door!"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bunch of keys. He had stuffed them into his pocket when he first went to Grandma's house to eat dumplings and hadn't taken them out since.
"If you think carefully, my name is Han Fei." Han Fei looked sincerely at the old man, making him doubt if he had forgotten, considering it was all from ten years ago.
"Now that you mention it, Youfu did have some friends before, but you look quite young." The old man wasn't sure.
"I'm an actor, and I rely on my appearance for a living. Due to the roles I play, I pay great attention to maintenance. I've been working on acting projects out of town." Han Fei skipped over this topic. "Grandpa, I really want to do something for Youfu."
"Youfu had many unfulfilled wishes. He worked tirelessly to provide a home for Amei. Just before they were killed, the child came to me and said they had secretly saved some money to hold a wedding for Amei." The old man shook his head. "It's useless to talk about these now. I think his greatest wish must have been to catch the killer. After all, the killer took away the person he loved the most."
"Home, wedding, catch the killer." Han Fei remembered these words, looking at the weary old man. "Grandpa, I think Youfu must be worried about your health. You must stay healthy. I will do everything I can to catch that deranged murderer!"
Saying that, Han Fei took out his cell phone. "This is my contact information. If you encounter any problems, please give me a call. I will help wherever I can."
After leaving his phone number, Han Fei gave a few more instructions before leaving with Li Xue.
"Hey, why did you impersonate Youfu's friend? You seem genuinely prepared to take care of that old man." After leaving the community, Li Xue asked the question in her mind.
"I..." Han Fei didn't know how to answer. He just glanced back at the run-down apartment building behind him. "I didn't impersonate Youfu's friend. We will become friends."
"You're a strange person." Li Xue hopped on her motorcycle and, as she passed by Han Fei, tossed a helmet to him. "Get on."
"What are you up to?"
"I'm taking you home."
Back in his rented place, Han Fei sat in the farthest corner from the desk, staring at the game helmet on it.
The bloodstains inside the helmet had dried, as if mysterious red patterns were etched on the inner surface.
Previously, Han Fei held a glimmer of hope, thinking it might be a prank, but today's experiences completely shattered that notion.
"The game's task system said that completing the beginner's task would help me understand that world. It looks like I have to complete the beginner's task."
As night fell, Han Fei walked to the window and glanced at the towering skyscrapers in the city centre.
In fact, not only in the game world but also with the rapid development of technology, he felt a sense of unfamiliarity even in the real world.
With the ever-advancing times, living in the corners of the old city, he felt overwhelmed by the countless new things that emerged every day.
"Stop thinking so much. Let's focus on surviving today." Han Fei sat in front of the computer and began searching for the case from ten years ago.
Since it concerned his life and death, Han Fei took it very seriously. He printed out all the information released by the police and posted them on the wall in front of his desk.
The once empty wall quickly filled up with various case clues and photos. If someone who didn't know the situation saw this scene, they would probably think he was some kind of private detective.
"The Human Puzzle Case had a total of eight victims. When the first seven victims were discovered, their bodies were missing certain parts. The body of the eighth victim was mostly pieced together. After comparing all the data, the police couldn't find any information about the eighth victim in the citizen database. So, when the case was announced, they referred to the eighth victim as Number Eight."
Busy until late at night, Han Fei finally gained a general understanding of the case from ten years ago. He looked at the time on the computer screen and, as midnight approached, he picked up the game helmet.
"The deceased appeared in the game, and there are many mysteries, but my immediate priority is to ensure my own survival."
As the clock struck midnight, Han Fei connected all the cables and entered the game.
The world before him was covered in blood-red, and a sense of weightlessness and dizziness struck him at the same time. Just as Han Fei was about to lose consciousness, a cold voice echoed deep in his mind.
"Welcome to Perfect Life! Now you can choose your own perfect life!"
Opening his eyes, Han Fei found himself lying on the stairs of the first floor. It was eerily quiet around him, as if there wasn't a single living person in the entire building.
"First, find Meng Shi!"
Having experienced the game once before, Han Fei had a clear goal this time. He had to find a way to extract a task from the old man and stay in his house for a full three hours after completing it.
After three hours, Han Fei would be able to exit the game at any time. He planned to explore the unknown areas after that.
In this way, even if he encountered danger, he wouldn't have to worry. He could simply quit the game.
In other words, the most dangerous period in the game was the first three hours after Han Fei logged in.
The rusty iron handrail was smeared with black dirt, and the dusty walls were covered in unsettling graffiti. Most of the figures depicted in the graffiti had only partially drawn bodies, making them look eerie.
Han Fei dared not make a sound. He picked up a kitchen knife from the floor and tiptoed to the old man's door.
Next to the dilapidated door, the black plastic bags had been cleaned up, leaving behind only two dark stains on the floor, as if something dirty had seeped out of the bags.
"Grandma?"
He lightly tapped on the door, not daring to use force. However, in the silent hallway, the sound of the knocking travelled far.
"No one here?"
Han Fei pressed his ear against the security door. There was no sound coming from the old man's house, as if it had been uninhabited for a long time.
"Where could they have gone so late at night?" Han Fei knocked on the door again and as the sound echoed, he faintly sensed that something was wrong.
He listened attentively, and it seemed like there was something moving in the otherwise quiet hallway!
The other party deliberately slowed down their footsteps, trying not to make any noise, but Han Fei still heard a faint rustling sound.
"The sound is coming from upstairs. Someone is moving towards my direction! Did the knocking attract them?"
Han Fei walked to the side of the staircase and looked up through the gap in the middle of the stairs.
His neck slowly turned, and Han Fei's body suddenly tensed up. Right on the sixth floor, there was a face looking at him!
Their eyes met, and both sides quickened their pace!
Han Fei started running upstairs, while the owner of that face rushed downstairs.
"Fourth floor! I must go to the fourth floor!"
Han Fei knew that the main entrance of the corridor was locked, and he couldn't leave the building from there. Running downstairs would be certain death, so he could only return to his own apartment on the fourth floor!
"I'm on the third floor, and that person is on the sixth floor. I'm closer to the fourth floor! The key is that I need time to open the door!"
He reached into his pocket and pulled out the bunch of keys. He had stuffed them into his pocket when he first went to Grandma's house to eat dumplings and hadn't taken them out since.
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