Chapter Sixteen: The Strategy of Open Conspiracy

The open window let in a biting cold wind.

Ji Li’s hair was slightly tousled, his gaze deep and inscrutable. The five short words he spoke echoed through the room, carrying an irresistible power.

The moment those words were spoken, Cao Yuan’s once-weak body trembled.

His throat choked up, tears threatening to spill as he reached out, clutching Ji Li’s pant leg.

“Brother Ji… please save me. You have more experience than any of us. If you say so, I’m willing to do anything!”

Ji Li nodded expressionlessly, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his mouth as he bent down to help Cao Yuan up.

“You’ve heard everything we just discussed.

The truth is close. I have a rough idea of the way out, but it’s only a rough guess.”

Ji Li’s voice was soft, and Cao Yuan struggled to hear clearly, but he asked in confusion, “What do you mean by the way out?”

“I’m more than half certain that the man in the raincoat is the key person we’ve been searching for—the missing sixth member!”

Those words sent a shock through everyone present.

Fang Shenyen frowned, deep in thought, his expression shifting several times.

Yu Guo stroked his chin, pondering silently, then nodded. Given the current situation, this possibility seemed the most likely.

After all, aside from them, the only living person in this place was the man in the raincoat.

Moreover, the circumstances of being forced to confront ghosts were similar to those faced by the staff.

Although Cao Yuan wasn’t very clever, he wasn’t foolish either. Ji Li’s words were clear.

During moments of pause, he also observed the reactions of Fang and Yu, and seeing their changing expressions, he was almost convinced of Ji Li’s truthfulness.

Thinking this through, he cautiously asked, “Brother Ji, about that way out you mentioned?”

Ji Li took a deep breath and spoke deliberately, word by word:

“The man in the raincoat has two roles in this mission: one, as one of the staff members; two, he holds a special significance to the female ghost!

Why is it that he can approach the female ghost so closely without being harmed in the slightest?”

Cao Yuan lowered his head, his eyes darting rapidly before he blurted out, “Could it be...”

Ji Li quickly took up the thread: “Exactly! He is immune to the ghost’s attacks!

So if we can meet up with him, and everyone is in the same position, could we avoid the ghost’s attacks and hold out until dawn to complete the mission successfully?”

Upon hearing this, Yu Guo suddenly grabbed a handful of his hair, tugging fiercely.

He exchanged a glance with Fang Shenyen before both nodded in agreement.

But then, looking at Ji Li’s back, there was a trace of confusion.

“But the man in the raincoat is outside the 701 mission site, and Fang Shenyen just severely wounded him. It’s impossible for him to come inside and find us…”

This question was also what Fang and Yu found perplexing.

But Ji Li smiled faintly: “We’ve all been deceived by the emails sent out by the hotel.”

Then, to everyone’s astonishment, he took out the phone issued by the hotel and opened the email.

“Look, the task information given by the hotel contains a textual trap.

‘Please arrive at Room 701, Unit 4, Building 2, Sanhe Community, East Suburb, by 8 p.m. on October 22, 2015.

Survive until 8 a.m. the next morning to complete the mission and receive a new resident.’

This mission information is divided into two parts.

The first part states we must arrive at Room 701 before 8 p.m.

But the condition for completion, found in the second sentence, requires survival until 8 a.m. the following morning.

There is a connection between the two parts, but also an ambiguity.

One possibility is that there is only one requirement:

We must stay inside Room 701 until 8 a.m. the next day.

However, there is another possibility: the mission information actually sets two separate requirements:

Arrive at Room 701 before 8 p.m. and survive until 8 a.m. the next day.

And within this possibility, it does not say we must stay in 701 all night!”

“Hmm…”

Hearing Ji Li’s speculation, everyone drew a sharp breath.

Though it sounded somewhat obscure, it was not hard to understand.

The mission information contained ambiguity, allowing for two interpretations.

Either the task location is strictly limited to 701;

Or, as long as we reach 701 before 8 p.m., we can go anywhere afterward, as long as we survive until 8 a.m.!

If considered this way, the situation could take a dramatic turn.

And the second possibility fits the current circumstances.

If the man in the raincoat is truly the missing sixth member, then his roaming outside 701 makes sense.

As for why he never entered 701, perhaps the mission information he received differed from Ji Li’s group.

Ji Li cleared his throat softly, looking at Cao Yuan as he said:

“I believe there’s an 80% chance the man in the raincoat is the sixth staff member. His mission likely differs from ours, but one rule must be the same:

He must return to Room 702 within the specified time!”

“So I’m certain he’s still inside this building at this very moment!

The way out I’m giving you is to leave 701, find the man in the raincoat, and follow him closely!

If his special identity grants immunity to ghost attacks, you will surely survive this mission!”

Ji Li paused slightly, then continued:

“But regarding the two possible interpretations of the mission location, I’m not entirely sure I’m right.

If I’m wrong, the moment you leave 701, you will violate the rules and turn to ash.

I’m not hiding any drawbacks of this plan—I’m telling you everything.

The decision is yours.

But your time to think is short; the next attack will come in an instant, and you will likely be targeted first.”

Ji Li finished speaking. On the surface, he had revealed everything without concealment.

His speculation about the way out was reasonable, and he openly shared both possibilities about the mission location rules, seemingly handing all control to Cao Yuan.

Yet…

Cao Yuan’s expression shifted unpredictably. After a long silence, a cold smile suddenly spread across his bloodshot eyes as he looked at Fang Shenyen and Yu Guo, before finally fixing his gaze on Ji Li.

“Choice… do I even have a choice…”

Ji Li said nothing, merely watching him with an expressionless face.

Cao Yuan had become Ji Li’s test subject, the guinea pig to probe the way out.

This was not a conspiracy but an open ploy.

By revealing this plan, Ji Li had already predicted Cao Yuan would be unable to refuse.

To die immediately, or to fight on with hope—

There was no doubt that Cao Yuan could only choose the latter.

Taking several deep breaths, Cao Yuan clutched his chest, his steps unsteady but resolute, and headed toward the door of Room 701.

Ji Li watched his retreating figure, silent, his eyes cold enough to chill to the bone.

At that moment, Fang Shenyen and Yu Guo stepped forward, standing shoulder to shoulder with Ji Li, watching Cao Yuan leave.

“I hope he can survive. That would mean your way out is correct.”

But Ji Li shook his head slightly, a trace of extreme cold flashing across his pale face:

“No. He is doomed to die.”