Fang Chen felt a shock run through him and was about to intervene. Just then, a folding fan smacked down on Bai Li’s head.

“Don’t waste your energy.” Liu Mang flicked Bai Li’s hands aside, forcefully pulling him back. “What you’re doing could endanger all of us. From now on, the only chance we have to survive is to follow the rules.”

“Are you two in this together?” Bai Li covered his head, frustrated but too fearful to argue.

Li Duo, the coach, joined in, “Brother, you’re a bit suspicious.”

Liu Mang smirked slightly. “It’s my first time here too, but I have a friend who’s a ‘Deep Diver.’ I was lucky enough to hear about his experiences.”

“Could you explain it more clearly?”

“Rather than telling, how about experiencing it firsthand?” A flicker of excitement crossed Liu Mang’s face. Faced with such strange phenomena, he felt no fear—in fact, he seemed eager. Although not completely insane, he definitely seemed to have a wild streak.

“What happens if we don’t follow the rules?” Fang Chen asked.

“Most likely, we’ll die.” His response was resolute. The playboy’s casual tone made even such a weighty statement seem light, and no one could tell if he was bluffing or serious. No one dared to be the first to test the waters.

Hearing his words, any discontent was momentarily silenced. Zhang Bin, holding back his fear, quietly comforted Rong Rong. Her panicked sobs seemed piercingly loud, drilling into everyone’s nerves.

The carpenter continued smiling, casting an oddly unsettling look at Liu Mang. But where was the unease coming from? His whole posture remained the same, but his eyes turned unnaturally toward Liu Mang, rigid and mechanical.

“Honored guests, it’s late. Please return to your rooms and rest.” The carpenter took a few steps back, adjusting his collar.

Fang Chen frowned, his mind magnifying the small details until he finally understood what felt wrong. Since the moment the carpenter had entered, his expression had not changed. That perfect smile seemed almost waxy, plastered over his face, and it was deeply unsettling.

The carpenter walked to the doorway with his lantern, then stopped and slowly turned around. “Remember to lock your doors tonight. And if you hear a knock…” He paused, his smile growing even more eerie, “make sure to double-check before you open it.”

Once the carpenter left, the flickering lights struggled a moment before coming back on, illuminating the entire room, including the upstairs lights. Everyone’s pale faces were thrown into stark relief.

They exchanged glances, still processing the reality of their situation.

Fang Chen felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He switched it on and discovered that, at some point, he had been added to a group chat showing nine members. He sent a test message, and soon everyone’s phones chimed.

“We’re able to message each other? Does that mean…” Meng Qiyan’s voice rose with excitement before falling quickly. “Still no signal?”

Yan Xuan scrolled through his screen, tapping on each of the avatars in turn. “It looks like we’ll only be able to contact each other.”

“A false alarm,” Meng Qiyan muttered, just as she put her phone down. But her body suddenly tensed again, her slender finger pointing toward the center of the hall.

“What’s that?!”

Everyone followed her gaze to the end of the round table, where a red notebook and a set of keys now lay. The sight was chilling.

“Was that there before? Is anyone brave enough to go check…”

Before the words were even finished, Fang Chen had already stepped forward and opened the notebook. Meng Qiyan's gaze followed him to the table, her mouth agape, thinking that this man’s fear response seemed completely broken.

The thick notebook had only the first page filled with writing, bold and free-flowing, suggesting an unrestrained, carefree personality.

[June 1, Sunny]It all feels like a dream.I never imagined someone like me could live such a happy life.To live up to her expectations,I’ve decided to work twice as hard, improve my skills, and be an outstanding carpenter.No matter what obstacles come our way,as long as we are together, we can make it through, right?

These few words painted a picture of hope and happiness in life.

A carpenter… could this be a coincidence?

Fang Chen’s gaze shifted from the notebook to the table, where a total of ten keys were laid out. Yan Xuan had just mentioned that the third floor of the house was a locked attic, so that extra key…

He quickly noticed a peculiar key among the others. Unlike the rest, which were tarnished with copper rust, this key bore specks of red, like dried bloodstains.

Just as he reached out, his fingers brushed against another hand, cool and soft to the touch. He exchanged a look with Yan Xuan and raised an eyebrow. “Together?”

“With pleasure.”

The two made a silent agreement, turning toward the corner as if they were merely planning a casual outing.

Upon hearing their decision to investigate the attic, Meng Qiyan clenched her teeth and volunteered to join. Liu Mang, as expected, snapped his fan shut and rose to follow.

This left the remaining five somewhat conflicted.

The rusty banister shook with each step, and several of the stair treads were warped at the edges, giving the unsettling sensation of imminent collapse with every step. Climbing just two floors took them nearly three minutes.

Of course, most of the delay was due to the group behind them.

Standing at the attic door, Fang Chen glanced back at them. “If you’re too scared, you can return to your rooms. Don’t feel compelled to follow. I’ll share any updates in the group chat.”

The stairway was narrow, barely enough for one person at a time. The remaining five were huddled together, inching forward like a single unit, each wary of being left at the back.

The most timid, Rong Rong, shook her head frantically. Li Duo awkwardly rubbed his hands together, while Lu Wanting boldly spoke up, “You’re the ‘bridge crosser.’ We’re not sure what it means yet, but staying close to you feels safer.”

People are like that; once a few take the lead, others join in, drawn by a sense of unity. After recognizing the carpenter as a shared threat, they banded together for comfort, and past tensions gradually eased.

Fang Chen said no more, pulling out the blood-stained key. He inserted it into the lock, placed his hand on the door, and pushed gently.

Perhaps from years of neglect, the door’s hinges emitted a prolonged creak, like a wailing cry, the sound bouncing off the walls and echoing down the silent hallway.

The view through the door slowly widened.

They could hear tense swallows in the air, and pairs of eyes focused intensely on the opening before them. Everyone held their breath, mentally bracing themselves.

Yet, at that moment, they realized—no amount of preparation would ever be enough...