An Open Conspiracy

The open window let in a biting cold wind.

Ji Li's hair was slightly disheveled, his gaze deep. Those five short words echoed through the room, carrying an irresistible kind of magic.

The moment those words were spoken, Cao Yuan's frail body trembled!

His throat choked up, tears nearly spilling out as he reached out and grabbed Ji Li's pant leg.

"Brother Ji... save me. You have more experience than any of us. As long as you tell me what to do, I'll do anything!"

Ji Li nodded expressionlessly, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips as he bent down and helped Cao Yuan up.

"You heard everything we just said.

"The truth is close. I also have a rough idea of the way out, but only a rough idea."

Ji Li spoke softly. Cao Yuan could not hear him clearly, but he still asked blankly, "What is the way out?"

"I'm more than half certain that Raincoat Man is the key person we have been searching for—the missing sixth person!"

The moment those words came out, everyone present was shocked.

Fang Shenyan frowned and remained silent in thought, though his expression changed several times.

Yu Guo stroked his chin and pondered it in secret. Then he nodded. Given the current situation, this was indeed the most likely possibility.

After all, other than them, Raincoat Man was the only living person here.

Moreover, his situation of being forced to face a ghost was similar to that of the staff members.

Though Cao Yuan was not particularly clever, he was not stupid either. Ji Li had made himself very clear.

And whenever he had the chance, he had been watching Fang Shenyan and Yu Guo's reactions. Seeing the changes in their expressions, he had basically become convinced that Ji Li was telling the truth.

Thinking of this, he asked tentatively, "Brother Ji, then the way out you mentioned?"

Ji Li took a deep breath and said, word by word:

"Raincoat Man has two identities in this mission: first, an Executive Staff member; second, someone of special significance to the Female Ghost!

"Why can he approach the Female Ghost at close range without suffering the slightest injury?"

Cao Yuan lowered his head, his eyes darting around before he blurted out, "Could it be..."

Ji Li immediately picked up his words. "That's right! The Female Ghost will not attack him!

"Then if we join him and everyone stays in the same place, can we also avoid the Female Ghost's attacks? Can we stall until dawn and complete the mission successfully?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Guo's hand, which had been combing through his hair, suddenly jerked. He tore out a clump of hair.

Then he exchanged a glance with Fang Shenyan, and the two nodded in agreement.

But when they looked at Ji Li's back again, their gazes were filled with confusion.

"But Raincoat Man is outside the Room 701 mission site. Fang Shenyan just severely injured him. He can't possibly come in to find us..."

Cao Yuan's question was also what Fang Shenyan and Yu Guo could not understand.

Yet Ji Li merely smiled faintly. "We were all deceived by the information in the hotel's email."

Then, amid their shocked gazes, he took out the phone issued by the hotel and opened the email.

"Look. The mission information given by the hotel actually contains a Text Trap.

"'Please arrive at Room 701, Unit 4, Building 2, Sanhe Residential Complex, eastern outskirts of this city, before 8:00 p.m. on October 22, 2015.

"'Survive until 8:00 a.m. the next day to complete the mission and receive a new resident.'

"This mission information can be divided into two sections.

"The first section states that we must arrive at Room 701 before 8:00 p.m.

"But the completion condition is on the second line, requiring us to survive until 8:00 a.m. tomorrow.

"The two sections are related, but there is ambiguity.

"The first possibility is that there is only one requirement:

"We must remain in Room 701 until 8:00 a.m. tomorrow.

"But there is another possibility. The mission information may actually be divided into two requirements:

"Arrive at Room 701 before 8:00 p.m., then survive until 8:00 a.m. tomorrow!

"And under this possibility, it never states that we must stay in Room 701 all night!"

"Hiss..."

Hearing Ji Li's speculation, everyone sucked in a cold breath.

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

The mission information this time was ambiguous and could be divided into two possibilities.

One was that the mission location was restricted to Room 701.

The other was that as long as they reached Room 701 before 8:00 p.m., it did not matter where they went afterward, so long as they survived until 8:00 a.m. the next morning!

Seen that way, the situation might undergo an enormous reversal and turn!

And the second possibility matched their current circumstances.

If Raincoat Man truly was the missing sixth person, then it made sense that he remained outside Room 701.

As for why he had never entered Room 701, perhaps the mission information he received differed from Ji Li and the others'.

Ji Li coughed softly and looked at Cao Yuan.

"I believe there is an eighty percent chance that Raincoat Man is the sixth staff member. The mission he received likely differs from ours, but it must include one condition.

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

"So I am certain that, at this very moment, he is still inside this building!

"The way out I'm giving you is to leave Room 701, find Raincoat Man, and then follow him without leaving his side!

"If his special identity makes him immune to ghost attacks, then you will definitely survive this mission!"

Ji Li paused slightly after saying this, then continued:

"But I cannot be certain that my interpretation of the two possibilities regarding the mission location is correct.

"If I guessed wrong, then the instant you leave Room 701, you will turn to ashes for violating the rules.

"I have concealed nothing from you regarding the pros and cons of this plan. The choice is yours.

"But you do not have much time to think. The next attack will come in an instant, and you will most likely be the priority target."

Ji Li had finished speaking. On the surface, he truly had concealed nothing.

His speculation regarding the way out was reasonable, and he had candidly laid out both possibilities concerning the mission location rules, seemingly placing everything in Cao Yuan's hands.

But...

Cao Yuan's expression shifted constantly. After remaining silent for quite some time, he suddenly let out a cold laugh.

His bloodshot eyes looked at Fang Shenyan, then Yu Guo, before finally settling on Ji Li's face.

"Choose...

"Do I even have a choice..."

Ji Li said nothing. He merely watched him expressionlessly.

Cao Yuan had become his test subject, a lab rat used to probe the way out. But this was not a conspiracy—it was an Open Conspiracy.

The moment he proposed this plan, he had already known Cao Yuan could not refuse.

Die immediately, or take a gamble based on a sliver of hope...

Without question, Cao Yuan could only choose the latter.

Cao Yuan took several deep breaths where he stood. Then, clutching his chest, he walked toward Room 701's door with unsteady yet determined steps.

Ji Li watched his departing back without another word, his gaze chillingly cold.

At that moment, Fang Shenyan and Yu Guo walked over and stood beside Ji Li, watching Cao Yuan leave.

"I hope he survives. That would mean your way out is correct."

But Ji Li shook his head slightly, an extreme chill flashing across his pale face.

"No. He will definitely die!"