My House of Horrors

“I have an older brother who looks very similar to me, but our personalities are very different. I’m reserved and obedient, but my older brother likes to create trouble no matter where he goes.

“One time, my brother and father got into a serious argument, and it got physical. In the panic, my brother accidentally slashed my father. At the time, I was there as well but did not expect this to happen. I tried to stop him, but he turned on me and tried to kill me. In that process, I accidentally stabbed him.

“When mother returned, both big brother and father were dead. A perfect family was shattered. Mother knows me well and understands that I would never lie and kill, so she helped me lie during the police’s interrogation and pushed all the blame onto my brother.

“Everyone at this city is mentally deranged, but I’m the only exception because I never intended to kill anyone; it was just an accident.”

Guest 3 told his story. When he was done, the chat box asked—’What will you do next?’

1. Enter the room and tell him about the danger lurking at the hotel.

2. Do not enter the room and ask him to scout the other rooms for you.

3. Ignore him and go to sleep.

Entering the room meant leaving his life in the student’s hands while asking the student to scout for him meant asking the student to go to die on his behalf. Choices one and two represented good and evil.

“Shall we take a risk? I don’t think this student sounds like a bad person.” Without knowing it, Fan Chang had already finished drinking the coke as his eyes wandered between Chen Ge and the computer screen.

“We’re not taking any risk; this student is definitely lying to us,” Chen Ge said confidently and chose the third choice.

“But it was due to self-defense that he killed someone. Plus, look at his mannerisms and reaction—he’s completely different from those murderers that we’ve met. He looks shy and reserved; a child like this probably wouldn’t kill someone.” This time, it was Fan Dade who spoke. He shared his brother’s view.

“The lack of confidence means a defect in his personality; most murderers spent their childhood in shame and fear. They are incredibly lacking in confidence, but at the same time, they desperately wish for respect, and that is why their personality gets twisted later in life.” Chen Ge got tired of explaining. “This student is very dangerous, but he is not strong enough, so he goes after targets weaker than him.”

“You mean, he’s lying?” Fan Chong opened another can of coke. It was already midnight, but he was not feeling sleepy.

“I can be sure that this student is lying. Think about it, if his mother really pushed all the blame onto the big brother, why would he appear in this town full of murderers at midnight?” Chen Ge’s voice was low. “Now, I have two speculations. One, he killed his big brother and father and then pinned everything on his brother. He made use of his mother’s trust to escape the persecution. Two, this student is the big brother. He killed his father and his little brother, and to escape the law, he assumed the character of his little brother.”

When Chen Ge was done, both Fan Chong and Fan Dade were silent, unable to find an argument to counter. They were covered in cold sweat.

“The possibility of it being the second speculation is higher.” Chen Ge looked at the screen, chose the third option, and controlled Xiao Bu to leave in a hurry. “Him appearing in this town means that he probably has killed his mother as well, and the reason for that is simple. Even if they’re twins, no matter how hard he tried, his mother would have been able to tell the difference.”

After getting to know the hotel’s layout, Chen Ge controlled Xiao Bu to head to the entrance. He was prepared to let the Red Specter into the hotel. “There are no innocent people in this hotel, but they should be able to buy me some time.”

Chen Ge came to the door and saw a fatty standing in the lobby. He had a chef’s hat on and was arranging many pieces of cake on the dining table.

“That is the hotel’s chef. He’s crazy, but I’ve never seen him kill anyone,” Fan Chong whispered. Chen Ge nodded as he controlled Xiao Bu to stay away from the chef. However, whenever she neared the entrance, the chef would walk her way.

After wasting a few minutes at the lobby, Chen Ge tried to click on the chef with the cursor, and the chat box appeared—’The tapping continues. It’s midnight, time for supper at the hotel.’

After the chat box disappeared. The old man, the woman, the student, and the hotel owner came out from the guest rooms. The police officer was nowhere to be seen. The owner stood next to the chef, and adjacent to them were four chairs. There were nine pieces of cake on the table.

After everyone came, four options appeared—’Please pick a seat.’

1. Sit between the chef and the old man.

2. Sit between the old man and the woman.

3. Sit between the woman and the student.

4. Sit at the end of the table.

There was finally no ignore and sleep option, but Chen Ge did not know how to pick. “Why would the game suddenly ask me to pick a seat, and what’s the meaning of different seating arrangement?”

Chen Ge did not get it. For the sake of safety, he chose four and sat at the end of the table alone. After he made the choice, the other characters also took their seats. When Chen Ge controlled Xiao Bu to take her seat, the chat box appeared—’The chef placed the knife on the table. He and the hotel owner looked at the guests with bright smiles and posed a question: How do you split nine pieces of cake evenly among four guests with just one cut of the knife?’

“Four people sharing nine pieces of cake? Cut three pieces down the middle? That won’t work—the request is equal sharing.” Fan Chong and Fan Dade were deep in thought. Neither of them realized that Chen Ge, who saw the sharp knife, was completely excited!

“This should be the owner purposely making things difficult for the guests. No matter how you slice it, there can’t be equal sharing.” Fan Dade was a chef, and he could not come up with a solution.

“That’s right, no matter how you cut it, the icing on the cake will stick to the knife somehow. There can’t be an equal in this situation.” The brothers were discussing it when they saw the old man, woman, student, and Xiao Bu that Chen Ge controlled reach for the knife at the same time!

They were all different distances away from the knife. Xiao Bu was furthest, and the old man was closest.

“This is bad!” Chen Ge saw the old man pick up the knife, and he immediately controlled Xiao Bu to run away!

“Why are you running?” Fan Chong and Fan Dade were confused. “Aren’t we supposed to answer the question? Why are you running?”

Xiao Bu ran without even turning back. On screen, the old man who held the knife slashed at the woman next to him with his full strength!

“How do you share nine pieces of cake among four people with one cut? Simple, cut the four people down to three!”