Beom Seok regretted letting Anna handle this matter.
The two individuals who had attempted to cheat had stirred dissatisfaction among everyone, a feeling that curdled into disgust upon learning the medicine's effect. While protective or offensive props might be acceptable, something that redirected harm to others was beyond the pale.
Now, no one trusted anyone else to hold the pills, yet direct destruction felt wasteful, leading to a tense stalemate. After a prolonged period of suspicion and maneuvering, Beom Seok took responsibility for safekeeping, under the condition that he would present them daily for a headcount.
Anna observed the unfolding drama from the periphery. In truth, the Clearwell Pills' efficacy had likely waned amidst the chaos, but a stubborn hope kept the argument alive.
Meanwhile, Ron and Amir, stripped of their pills, wore expressions of utter despair, unnoticed by the others.
"You'll die sooner or later," Amir suddenly spat out venomously. "Rob it, but you'd better die with that useless thing! What defense do we have now? When we all die, your turn will come! The same!"
"Quite reasonable, are you?" Rami scoffed.
"Reasonable? Of course, I'm reasonable. The agreement was whoever finds something owns it. Why steal now?" Amir gestured angrily at Rami. "You're so capable, why not rob those with more? After that woman died, didn't the little girl take her belongings? Why not rob her?"
Seeing the attention shift to her, Anna merely smiled.
"Didn't you pray to the golden statue for a brand?"
"I did brand it! What good did it do? Didn't those two die instantly yesterday?" Amir glared at Anna with a hint of desperation. "Maybe what you gave us was fake! How do you know the detailed effects of the elixir? Do you already know the uses of all the collections?"
"Oh, I know most of them," Anna countered casually.
A wave of shock rippled through the group.
"You know? How?"
"What's the use? Tell us!"
Anna glanced around before pointing upstairs. "Ravencourt Victor's diary is in the study on the third floor. It contains many records. If you're truly curious, go take a look. I won't tell you."
"Why?" Ling Yan interjected. "At least everyone will know what you know."
"Firstly, everything is my deduction. I can't guarantee complete accuracy," Anna said, raising her hand and counting off on her fingers. "Secondly, even if I told you, you'd suspect concealment and lies. Thirdly, this is still a survival competition. Why should I publicize my advantages?"
Rami clenched his fist, a clear threat, but those around him immediately restrained him.
"Besides my supposed selfishness, you should be more concerned about those who genuinely want to kill you," Anna added abruptly, then ducked under the table.
Amidst the general astonishment, Beom Seok noticed Amir furtively raising his mobile phone and immediately shouted, "What are you doing!"
The shout startled everyone, but Amir responded with a somewhat crazed smile. "You want us to die? Then come on! We'll all die together!"
Rami, being closest, lunged forward in a few steps. Just then, the sickening sound of tearing flesh echoed behind him.
"OMG!"
Rami whirled around to see the couple dragging the dyed-haired man to his knees. The man's eyes were wide with terror, a gaping wound across his neck gushing blood. A blade clattered onto the blood-soaked floor, marking another life extinguished.
"F*ck you!"
Rami roared in fury, spinning back to deliver a punch that sent Amir sprawling. He reached for the fallen phone – its screen displayed the camera app, clearly capturing everything.
"The mirror ghost can kill as long as there's a clear image..." Anna slowly crawled out from under the table, explaining with a detached air, "In theory, carrying something like a mirror can induce the mirror ghost to kill. You don't have to worry about the safe period afterward. It's a clever plan."
"Clever? I'm going to kill him now and see how proud he is then!" Rami pinned Amir down, raising his fist for another blow. Amir, his mouth already bleeding, grinned. "Kill me, and maybe my ghost will take one more with it! Maybe you! If you won't let me live, I won't let you live!"
"I'm going to beat you senseless and feed you to the ghosts!" Rami's eyes widened with rage as he landed another punch. After two or three more blows, Amir was barely conscious, his breathing shallow gasps. Others pulled Rami back.
"Brother Rami, it's almost time... We can't let him get away with this so easily," the couple said, their eyes fixed on Amir with hatred. "Let's lock him up and let the ghost finish him!"
"Okay... okay! I'll find a rope, you help me hold this bastard down!" Still seething, Rami turned and headed towards the warehouse, Noah and a few others quickly following.
Anna sighed. Though inevitable, witnessing the initial unity of the group disintegrate to this point gave her a stark glimpse of the future.
There was little time to waste.
Anna stood up, switched on her phone's flashlight, and walked into the corridor.
"Wait," Ling Yan said, standing up. "I'll go with you."
"Thank you... but please stay here, Sister Ling Yan."
Ling Yan was taken aback for a moment, then immediately protested, "It's too dangerous to go alone. The invisible ghost can kill at will in that corridor."
"It can't kill me," Anna said, turning her head with a small smile. "I'll be fine... But I can't guarantee the safety of another person."
With that, Anna took out a white paper mask and put it on.
"You... be careful." Ling Yan looked at Anna with a mixture of emotions, but the worry was genuine. Anna nodded reassuringly and stepped into the corridor.
The Mask of Nothingness. This mask had been used by Ravencourt Victor in his youth to infiltrate a ghost banquet. As long as the wearer maintained a certain distance, demons and ghosts would perceive them as one of their own and ignore them. However, close proximity would break the illusion – the human scent couldn't be entirely concealed.
An inexplicable power enveloped Anna, bringing a sense of calm. The mask was likely taking effect.
The rooms on the first floor served as a makeshift morgue. Soren, Elizabeth, Grace, Lily... Except for the first deceased, still in the gardener's hut outside, everyone had deposited the bodies here for convenience. Despite it being autumn, the temperature hadn't dropped too drastically, and there was no putrid smell.
This reminded Anna of the corpse in the gardener's hut, now likely transformed into adipocere.
The entire villa exuded an unsettling aura.
Anna had no particular method for finding a secret passage. She could only tap on the walls and meticulously check every corner of each room, a slow process. But perhaps due to the mask, she heard no strange noises after examining three rooms. Emerging briefly, she learned that Rami had tied up Amir and thrown him into a room on the opposite side of the corridor, leaving the door open – a clear invitation for the ghosts.
"What are you looking for?" Beom Seok, noticing Anna's unusual behavior, approached her.
"The secret passage leading to Ravencourt Victor's laboratory... The collections we haven't found must be there, and possibly other useful things," Anna answered truthfully.
"Can you tell me what this summoning catalog is for?" Beom Seok produced the wooden cylinder. "I haven't dared to use it yet, but I fear I might die if I don't soon."
"It contains a summoning array to different dimensions. Reciting the corresponding spell summons a ghost as a bodyguard. However, its ability to restrain ghosts is limited. After a while, the summoning restraint will vanish. At that point, the summoned ghost will likely kill you first, and a new ghost will be added to our troubles."
Beom Seok broke out in a cold sweat. "Is it that dangerous?"
"Truly useful items wouldn't be left out in the open," Anna said, spreading her hands. "Ravencourt Victor didn't specify the duration of the restraint, so it's best not to use it carelessly."
"I... understand. If it's safe, I'll come to help."
With that, Beom Seok hurried back to the hall.
Anna resumed her search of the rooms.
Finally, in the sixth room, Anna noticed a difference in the wall's sound compared to the others. Tapping carefully, she located an edge. It was roughly the size of a door, but she saw no obvious mechanism nearby.
Not one to dwell on intricate locks, she immediately went to find others to help break through the wall. However, as soon as she stepped out, she was met with a cacophony of wild laughter, curses, accusations, and sobs.
"Can't they have a moment of peace?"
Anna felt an unprecedented weariness and immediately considered finding tools to handle it herself.
Another death... It seemed almost commonplace now. The crucial detail was the identity of the deceased.
It wasn't the tied-up Amir, but the boy in the school uniform.
Amidst the uproar, Anna pieced together the events. Apparently, someone worried about Amir escaping, so the boy volunteered to take a Clearwell Pill and guard the room, only to be killed by the invisible ghost outside the door.
"What is he thinking?" Anna couldn't fathom the group's logic.
Amir's wild laughter continued from inside the room. At this point, he had seemingly given up, his laughter tinged with hysteria. "Didn't expect I still had one pill hidden, did you? You idiots wanted to feed me to the ghosts? No way! I won't die until I see all of you die! Hahaha!"
"Shut his mouth," Rami growled, tearing a strip of cloth from his clothes and tossing it to the couple beside him. Soon, Amir's laughter was replaced by muffled "woo woo woo" sounds, though the manic glee remained in his eyes.
"Damn guy..."
Noah looked at Beom Seok with a grim expression. "This won't work. He'll kill us all sooner or later."
"Yes, but we can't kill him now... One more person alive is better. I hope everyone can survive," Beom Seok replied.