Chapter 17: Echoes of Stillness
The Blue Room's lights flickered dimly, casting jittering shadows across the metallic walls. The faint hum that pulsed through the floor felt like a heartbeat trying not to be heard. Mei sat in the center of the room, hands folded neatly in her lap, her posture still as stone. Across from her, Tatsuya stood motionless, arms crossed, gaze unreadable in the low light.
"Any problems?" His voice was flat, devoid of curiosity.
Mei didn't look up. Her tone was steady, practiced.
"No. Just as you instructed. No fear. No mistakes."
Daichi, lounging sideways on the edge of the table, let his legs swing lightly. But his grin, sharp as a blade, never reached his eyes.
"You're not just saying that? We're terrifying, you know. If they figured you out..."
He dragged two fingers across his throat in a mock slice. It was a gesture that might have drawn laughter once, in another world. Here, it only darkened the air.
Mei slowly lifted her eyes.
"They couldn't even tell if I was a boy or a girl."
Daichi's grin faltered.
Tatsuya didn't react.
"Training works," he said. He began pacing. Each step calculated, measured. "Control the voice, and the body follows. The rest is irrelevant."
A silence bloomed in the room. Mei inhaled once, deeply.
The intercom crackled.
"All players: It is time. Proceed to the central chamber. Meeting protocol is now active."
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Central Chamber
The doors hissed open in unison. Cold fluorescent lights bathed the circular chamber in sterile white. One by one, the players emerged from their respective rooms. The Blue Team. The Red Team. Three and three.
For a moment, they simply stared.
Tatsuya stepped forward, spine straight as a blade.
"You figured out who entered your room last night?" he asked Aoi directly.
She crossed her arms, defiant. Her eyes moved between Mei and Tatsuya with measured rage.
"I figured it out," she said slowly. "I definitely figured it out."
Her voice quivered. Not from fear. From something more volatile. She turned to Mei, a silent accusation burning in her gaze.
"It wasn't you... was it?"
Mei said nothing. Her stillness spoke louder than words.
Then Tatsuya turned.
"Shun. It's your turn to lose."
Shun blinked.
"What are you talking about?"
Tatsuya took another step forward. His voice remained clinical.
"Permission to reveal the Bomber," he said, directing his words to the ceiling.
The Accountant's voice responded through hidden speakers.
"Granted. But be warned—if you are wrong, your team will lose another heart. Can you carry that burden?"
"I can."
Tatsuya exhaled.
"It's Ren. Ren Sakamoto is the Bomber."
The silence that followed hit like a gunshot.
A red light blinked above Ren's head.
"Correct. Blue Team has identified the Bomber. Red Team loses one heart."
A sharp beep. Then the red light above Ren's head faded to black.
Aoi turned on him, disbelief flooding her expression.
"What the hell is going on?! Ren—you? No. No way. This is a mistake."
Ren said nothing. He stared ahead. Shoulders lowered. He didn't defend himself. He didn't deny it.
Tatsuya didn't even blink.
The Accountant spoke once more.
"Meeting concluded. Role cards will be redistributed. The Bomber has been revealed. Phase transition in progress."
The lights flickered. Then died. A hiss filled the chamber.
From unseen vents, gas streamed silently into the room. The players reacted quickly—but not quickly enough.
Aoi coughed. Daichi staggered. Shun reached for the wall.
Mei remained still.
Tatsuya's eyes stayed open as his body slowly gave in to the gas.
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End of Chapter 17: Echoes of Stillness
Trust is a mask. Silence is a weapon. And in the stillness... truth begins to bleed.
Next In Chapter 18:Veil of Shadows