Despair Descends

Where had he gone wrong?

Ever since Ji Li entered the game, he had believed every choice he made was right.

That much was certain.

If he had made even one wrong choice, he would not be alive now.

But if he had chosen correctly, why had the person who emerged from Room 1307 been a faceless version of himself?

Opening Room 1301 had been a dead end. The one who emerged from it had been himself in a Patient Gown.

Of the fifteen doors, all but Room 1307 had square keyholes. That suggested every other door led to a dead end.

Ji Li had been certain Room 1307 offered a way out precisely because it was the only door that was different.

Could Fang Shenyan have meant something other than that he had heard a response from inside Room 1307?

Impossible.

Even if Ji Li had misunderstood him because of his damaged hearing, Fang Shenyan should have warned him repeatedly afterward, not let him carry on.

Opening Room 1307 had made sense. It was the inevitable choice based on the clues they had.

Then...

Ji Li's pupils contracted. He thought of the likeliest explanation, and the worst.

He should never have come to the Thirteenth Floor.

Fifteen apartments on the Thirteenth Floor, and Teacher Liu was in none of them.

He had come to the wrong floor, walked into a trap, and entered a dead end.

His heart heavy, Ji Li backed away step by step until he reached the wall. He stared coldly at the door to Room 1307.

At last, the Faceless Person emerged fully from the doorway.

The answer was plain.

He had a build identical to Ji Li's, but none of his pallid features.

The pure white Patient Gown marked him as something entirely different