A Strategy of Open Schemes

The open window let in a biting cold wind.

Ji Li's hair was slightly disheveled, his eyes deep. The short five words echoed in the room, carrying an irresistible magic.

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

He choked, tears almost spilling, and reached out to grasp Ji Li's trouser leg.

"Brother Ji... save me. You're more experienced than any of us. I'll do anything you say!"

Ji Li nodded expressionlessly, a faint smile touching his lips as he bent down to help Cao Yuan up.

"You've heard everything we just said.

The truth is very close, and I have a general idea of a way out, but it's only a general idea."

Ji Li's voice was very soft, and Cao Yuan couldn't hear it clearly, but he still asked blankly, "What's the way out?"

"I'm more than half sure that the Raincoat Man is the key figure we've been looking for, the sixth person to fill the gap!"

As soon as he said this, everyone present was shocked.

Fang Shenyan frowned and pondered in silence, his expression changing several times.

Yu Guo rubbed his chin, musing to himself, then nodded. Based on the current situation, this was the most likely possibility.

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

Moreover, the situation of being forced to face ghosts was similar to the predicament of the staff.

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

And when he had a moment, he had been observing Fang and Yu's reactions. Seeing the changes in their expressions, he was basically convinced of the truth in Ji Li's words.

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

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

"The Raincoat Man has two identities in this mission: first, as an executing staff member, and second, his special significance to the Female Ghost!

Why can he get close to the Female Ghost without being harmed at all!"

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

Ji Li quickly interjected, "Exactly! He won't be attacked by the Female Ghost!

So if we join forces with him, with everyone in the same position, can we also avoid the Female Ghost's attack and delay until dawn, successfully completing the mission!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Guo's hand, which was stroking his hair, suddenly jerked, pulling out a clump of hair.

He then exchanged a glance with Fang Shenyan and they both nodded in unison.

But then, as they looked at Ji Li's retreating back, they showed a kind of confusion.

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

Cao Yuan's question was exactly what Fang and Yu couldn't figure out.

But Ji Li smiled slightly, "We were all deceived by the hotel's email information."

Then, under their shocked gazes, he took out the mobile phone provided by the hotel and opened the email.

"Look, the mission information provided by the hotel actually contains a text trap.

'Please arrive at Room 701, Unit 4, Building 2, Sanhe Residential Area, East Suburb of this city, before 8 PM on the evening of October 22, 2015.

Survive until 8 AM the next morning, and the mission will be considered complete, receiving new residents.'

This mission information is divided into two parts.

The first part states that we must arrive at Room 701 before 8 PM.

But the completion condition is in the second line, requiring survival until 8 AM tomorrow morning.

Although the two parts are related, there is ambiguity.

The first possibility is that there is only one requirement:

We must stay in Room 701 until 8 AM tomorrow;

But there is another possibility, that this mission information is actually divided into two requirements:

Arrive at Room 701 before 8 PM, and survive until 8 AM tomorrow morning!

And this possibility does not specify that we must stay in Room 701 for the entire night!"

"Hiss..."

Hearing Ji Li's speculation, everyone gasped.

Although it sounded a bit obscure, it wasn't 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 arrived at Room 701 before 8 PM, they could go anywhere afterward, as long as they survived until 8 AM the next morning!

If they thought about it this way, then things might have taken a huge turn and reversal!

But the second possibility aligns with the current situation.

If the Raincoat Man is indeed the sixth person filling the gap, then his being outside of Room 701 makes sense.

As for why he hasn't entered Room 701, it might be because the mission information he received differs from that of Ji Li and the others.

Ji Li coughed lightly and looked at Cao Yuan, saying:

"I believe there's an eighty percent chance the Raincoat Man is the sixth staff member. The mission he received is likely different from ours, but there must be one thing in common:

He must return to Room 702 within the specified time!

So I can be sure he's still in this building right now!

The way out I'm giving you is to leave Room 701, find the Raincoat Man, and then follow him without a moment's pause!

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

Ji Li paused slightly after speaking, then continued:

"However, I'm not entirely sure about the two possibilities for the mission location as I've imagined.

If I'm wrong, the moment you leave Room 701, you will turn to ash for violating the rules.

I've told you all the pros and cons of this plan without any concealment; the decision is yours.

But you don't have much time to think. The next attack is imminent, and you're likely to be the primary target."

Ji Li finished speaking. On the surface, he had indeed been completely transparent.

His speculation about the way out was logical, and he had honestly revealed both possibilities regarding the mission location rules, seemingly placing everything in Cao Yuan's hands.

But...

Cao Yuan's expression shifted between anger and uncertainty. After a long silence, he suddenly let out a cold laugh.

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

"Choose...

Do I have a choice..."

Ji Li remained silent, merely looking at him with a blank expression.

Cao Yuan had become his test subject, a guinea pig to test the way out, but this wasn't a conspiracy; it was an open stratagem.

The moment he proposed this plan, he had already predicted that Cao Yuan wouldn't be able to refuse.

Whether to die immediately or to take a gamble with a sliver of hope...

Undoubtedly, Cao Yuan could only choose the latter.

Cao Yuan took several deep breaths on the spot, then clutched his chest and, with a staggered gait but a determined stride, walked towards the door of Room 701.

Ji Li watched his retreating back, saying nothing more, his gaze chillingly terrifying.

Fang Shenyan and Yu Guo walked up at this moment, 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 coldness flashing across his pale face:

"No, he's as good as dead!"