Ning Qiu Shui was in the middle of speaking when he noticed something. He rummaged through the fridge and pulled out several vacuum-sealed packets of meat.
The packets had no labels.
Inside each one... were unmistakable dark, fuzzy patches.
But the thick layer of frost clinging to the plastic made it impossible to tell exactly what they were.
Ning Qiu Shui handed one of the frozen packets to Liu Cheng Feng beside him. "Cut it open."
Liu Cheng Feng took out his knife and sliced through the vacuum-sealed bag. He froze abruptly.
"What the fuck..." he cursed under his breath, staring at the contents.
Inside the plastic wasn't just meat. It was a thick, frozen hunk of flesh covered in dense, dark hair.
Based on the hair pattern, it looked like it came from a leg... a human leg.
"Is this fucking... human meat?!" Liu Cheng Feng blurted out, horrified. He dropped the frozen chunk as if burned. It hit the floor with a hard, brittle clatter, frozen solid.
Suddenly, the memory of the meat they'd eaten earlier surged back. A wave of nausea hit him, and he dry heaved violently. He knew what he'd eaten was beef, but the association was overpowering, twisting his stomach.
Ning Qiu Shui picked the discarded meat off the floor, examined it closely, then calmly placed it back into the bag. "I think I know why the old lady upstairs refuses to eat meat..."
Liu Cheng Feng, pale and still fighting the urge to vomit, managed to gasp, "Why?"
"Because someone before us," Ning Qiu Shui said slowly, deliberately, "probably fed her this kind of meat. It left her with severe psychological trauma... a deep aversion." He paused, sealing the bag. "And doesn't something else strike you as strange?"
Liu Cheng Feng frowned. "What?"
"Putting aside the meat for a moment," Ning Qiu Shui said, tucking the bag back into the freezer. "That old lady upstairs is paralyzed, right? Yet the window in her room is barred with heavy steel rods. Like they're afraid she might try to escape..."
Liu Cheng Feng thought about it. It was strange. Then, a chilling realization washed over him, turning his blood cold. "You mean... her paralysis...?"
Ning Qiu Shui met his gaze, his own sharp and penetrating. He nodded. "Probably. But that's not the truly frightening part." He reached back into the fridge, selected a lean cut of lamb, and tossed it to Liu Cheng Feng. "The real horror... was yet to come."
"Something more frightening?" Liu Cheng Feng caught the lamb, his face grim.
Ning Qiu Shui's brow furrowed. "Haven't you noticed... there isn't a single photograph in this entire house?"
Liu Cheng Feng, who had just started slicing the lamb, paused mid-motion. It was true. The little girl the mistress had led away earlier looked at least eight or nine years old. Even if the man and woman had divorced years ago, surely there should be some photos left behind – of the woman, the girl, even the old lady upstairs?
But there was nothing. Not on the first floor, not on the second. Why?
"And," Ning Qiu Shui continued, his voice low, "if I'm not mistaken, those women's shoes in the entryway closet..." He trailed off, then shook his head. "Never mind. Let's just finish cooking. I suspect... many of these questions will have answers tonight."
Seeing Ning Qiu Shui didn't want to elaborate, Liu Cheng Feng wisely held his tongue. But he found himself studying the other man covertly.
This guy... was unnerving. Whether it was seeing the skinned remains of the fat man, or the string of supernatural horrors they'd faced beyond the Blood Gate, Ning Qiu Shui never seemed to panic. His calmness was... unnatural. Almost eerie.
Liu Cheng Feng had never encountered such terrifyingly unflappable composure in his thirty-odd years of life. Was he really just a veterinarian out there? A deep, probing curiosity about Ning Qiu Shui began to take root in Liu Cheng Feng's mind.
...
Dinner.
Everyone sat around the dining table in heavy silence.
"Liu Cheng Feng, aren't you touching the food?" Xue Guize asked pointedly, noticing the cook had served himself only a small portion of plain rice porridge and was avoiding the dishes entirely.
The lamb stew that evening smelled delicious.
Yet Liu Cheng Feng hadn't taken a single bite. He'd even placed the steaming dish of lamb as far from his place as possible.
"Huh? Food?" Liu stammered, his face ashen. "Oh, right… I, uh… my stomach's not feeling great…"
He mumbled the excuse, his expression strained. Neither he nor Ning Qiu Shui had shared the discovery of the human meat in the fridge with the others.
Two people were already dead. The remaining group was like frightened birds, jumping at shadows. Revealing this grisly find would only fuel more terror. Besides, knowing wouldn't help their survival. The task mandated they care for the old woman in this villa for five days. They were trapped here, regardless.
After dinner, a new problem emerged: where would Yan Youping sleep?
With the other two girls dead, Yan was the only woman left.
Could she… possibly sleep alone in a room?
"I… I won't sleep alone!" Yan Youping protested, tears welling in her eyes as the awkward silence stretched. Her voice was frantic.
Seriously? Sleep alone in this nightmare house? That was practically a death sentence!
Compared to survival, concerns about propriety meant nothing to her.
"Alright then," Bei Dao offered. "You stay with us tonight. Xue Guize and I will take the sofas. You take the bed."
Xue Guize nodded his agreement. What else could they do? The group was shrinking. Fewer people meant greater danger for those left alive.
Yan Youping nodded gratefully, shooting them a look of profound relief.
Ning Qiu Shui watched this exchange, a slight, almost imperceptible shake of his head.
He knew the truth. If the entity lurking in the shadows of this villa decided to kill, it wouldn't matter if a hundred people huddled together.
Seeing the others seemed slightly calmer, he finally spoke. "It's late. Everyone should rest. And… check the doors and windows. Make sure they're locked tight." He paused. "One day down. Just three more, and we can leave."
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the group.
They switched off the lights in the main hall downstairs. Ning Qiu Shui followed them up to the second floor, waiting until everyone had retreated into their rooms before reaching for the hallway light switch near the stairwell.
Typically, lights in places like this had two-way, or even multi-way switching – common in most homes for convenience. But for some inexplicable reason, the hallway lights in this villa were controlled by a single switch only.
He flicked it off.
Darkness descended instantly, absolute and suffocating. A thick, tangible blackness that swallowed everything, leaving them blind.
A prickle of unease crawled up Ning Qiu Shui's spine. He turned towards his room, but froze mid-step.
A sound cut through the dead silence of the black hallway.
It wasn't loud, but in the utter stillness, it rang out with chilling clarity.
It was the sound of a heavy lock… disengaging.
The lock on the iron gate… leading to the third floor.
Ning Qiu Shui's body locked rigid.
Upstairs…
Something was coming down.
And it… was right behind him.