Ren Yi had already retreated several steps when the curtains were pulled open, distancing himself from the group. He happened to turn back just in time to witness this scene.
However, because of the distance and the fact that his senses were still sealed, combined with how softly the two were speaking, he couldn't hear a single word of their conversation.
He only gave them a faint glance before looking away, a nonchalant smile still hanging on his face as if he didn't have a care in the world.
Immediately after, Player 2 took out all six keys he had been clutching, laid them out on the table, and slowly pushed them toward the group.
His voice was steady as he struggled to suppress the panic in his heart and maintain his composure. "Everyone, come and take your keys. These are all keys to single rooms. One for each person; everyone return to their own rooms."
After saying that, he turned to Ren Yi. His gaze was complex—filled with scrutiny, suspicion, and a hint of helplessness—as he asked, "Player 3, are you willing to stay with me?"
Despite his words, he showed no intention of giving Ren Yi a key.
It was clear he wanted the two of them to share a double room and a single sealed pod, effectively binding them together in the same space.
Ren Yi raised an eyebrow, a playful smirk curling on his lips once more. His tone was teasing as he deliberately elongated his words.
"My dear 'Chosen Peeper' lord, are you treating me as a backup?"
"You went to Player 1 first, and only after being rejected did it become my turn. Isn't that a bit unfair?"
When he spoke the words "Chosen Peeper," he enunciated them with extreme clarity, the end of the phrase curling upward with a hint of subtle sarcasm.
To the ears of the onlookers, his words carried a deep, suggestive meaning.
Player 2 remained silent for a few seconds. He didn't defend himself or get angry; he simply said in a heavy voice, "I'll explain everything to you in a moment. Once we're in the room, I'll tell you everything."
Ren Yi gave a light chuckle and spread his hands, his tone casual as if he didn't mind at all. "Fine. Since we're tied to the same rope, I can't run and you can't hide. I'll trust you this once."
Their conversation wasn't hidden from the others at all. It reached everyone's ears clearly, causing a variety of expressions to ripple through the crowd as they looked at the two with increased scrutiny.
Ren Yi knew that even from a blind perspective without any information, these people could instantly sense the fatal contradiction on the field.
Player 2 had previously insisted that Player 7, the leader, was a Confirmed Innocent who had been killed by an Anomaly.
But now that Player 9, who had counter-claimed the Lost Soul role against Player 7, was proven by the rules to be the true Lost Soul, everything had been completely overturned. All previous deductions had become paradoxes.
Countless questions immediately slammed into everyone's minds.
Was Player 7 a good person pretending to be the Lost Soul, or was she an Anomaly all along? Was she truly killed by an Anomaly?
Had Player 2 lied? Was he actually the real Peeper?
No one else had counter-claimed the Peeper role against Player 2 yet. Could it be that the real Peeper was already dead? Was it Player 4, who died tragically on the first night, or Player 12, who was identified and sealed by Player 11?
Had the Peeper been taken out silently by the Anomalies right at the start? Was their luck really that abysmal?
Or was Player 12 a slandered good person? If so, what was Player 11's true identity?
In a short span of time, countless contradictory thoughts flooded everyone's minds. Their brains felt like they were about to explode. Their faces grew increasingly pale, their expressions filled with shock and uncertainty. The looks they exchanged were now laced with even more wariness and suspicion.
The fragile trust they had built was completely shattered the moment Player 9's identity was revealed.
Furthermore, Ren Yi's phrase "tied to the same rope" held another layer of meaning.
In the eyes of the other participants, if Player 2 was truly an Anomaly, then Ren Yi—who had been verified by Player 2 and had followed him closely—could not escape suspicion either.
The two were already bound together; they would rise or fall as one.
Though Ren Yi could claim he was a good person "brainwashed" by Player 2, if Player 2's identity was overturned, his "follower" would immediately become the target of everyone's suspicion.
"It doesn't matter," Ren Yi said, resting his hands behind his head and leaning back slightly. He suddenly raised his voice to address the entire room, a wild clownish grin on his face and a tone of reckless abandon. "Everyone, if I die tomorrow, please don't hesitate to send my roommate to join me. Don't be polite, and don't hold back."
Without waiting for a response, he turned and walked toward the room deep in the hallway.
His pace was leisurely and his posture relaxed, showing none of the panic or fear one would expect when heading into danger. It was as if he were simply going for a routine rest.
Behind him, the others wore varied expressions—guilt, suspicion, relief—but not one person spoke up to stop him, and no one was willing to step forward to replace either of them in the double room.
They all had keys to single rooms. They could enjoy their own safe rooms and stay in a sealed space to hide from the Anomalies.
Naturally, no one wanted to get involved in this mess, let alone volunteer to stay in a peril-filled double room and put themselves at risk.
Stepping through the last dismal rays of the sunset, Ren Yi walked into the dim corridor. The room at the end carried a chilly aura, but he didn't pause for a second as he pushed the door open and entered.
Player 2 followed silently not far behind, his expression solemn and his hand clutching the key. The air pressure around him was extremely low, and he remained speechless the entire way.
The sealed pod looked the same as before—simple and bright, without any unnecessary decoration.
Ren Yi sat directly on the edge of the bed and patted the mattress, his expression casual. He looked up to see Player 2 take the key to the door and activate the room's sealed pod.
The low hum of gas compression slowly began. The heavy metal sealed pod door slid shut, completely isolating them from the dark night and the lurking Anomalies outside. It also trapped the two of them in this small, airtight space with no way out.
Player 2 stood before the sealed pod door for a long time, holding the key. His fingertips unconsciously twirled the key ring as he stared down at the closed door, his silence oppressive.
The atmosphere in the room was so heavy it felt nearly solid. Only the sound of their steady breathing was audible, an invisible tension spreading between them.
Ren Yi was the one to break the silence with an unbothered tone.
"My dear Chosen Peeper lord, didn't you say you were going to explain things to me?"
"So, what was that about just now? What did you say to Player 1?"
Ren Yi made no effort to hide the suspicion in his voice.
Player 2 slowly turned around and looked up at Ren Yi sitting on the bed.
His gaze was sharp and devoid of warmth.
"Player 3," he began. His voice was calm, but he enunciated every word clearly, shattering the surface-level harmony between them without any hesitation.
"You're an Anomaly, aren't you?"
Rate on N.U.
