Chapter 60 Her Boyfriend Could Slay a Spoiled Brat with a Single Slap (23)

Jiang Xun searched outside for as long as he could, but there was no sign of Tian Susu. He felt uneasy; danger lurked everywhere in this town, and Tian Susu was so delicate that a single misstep could easily cost her life.

As dusk fell, Jiang Xun thought perhaps Tian Susu had returned to the inn on her own, so he made his way back. To his surprise, she was still nowhere to be found.

By this point, Jiang Xun had a bad feeling.

Yin Huanmian remained in her room, while Cha Lan lounged carelessly on the sofa in the lobby. Noticing Jiang Xun's troubled expression, Cha Lan laughed off his concern. "Tian Susu is so well liked, what could happen to her? It's those two you should worry about—they left hours ago and haven't come back."

He was referring to the man with glasses and the bald man.

Jiang Xun frowned; he had already warned everyone not to wander off, but clearly they hadn't taken his words to heart.

Just then, a figure appeared at the entrance.

Cha Lan glanced over. "The person you were worried about just got back, didn't she?"

Jiang Xun turned and saw that it was indeed Tian Susu. He approached her and asked, "Miss Tian, where have you been?"

Tian Susu looked pale and unsteady on her feet. Jiang Xun caught her, startled by how cold her skin felt, but she quickly withdrew her hand.

She smiled sweetly, as always. "I'm sorry for worrying you," she said. "I was so upset that I found a place to hide for a while. When it started getting late, I hurried back."

"As long as you're all right," Jiang Xun replied.

Suddenly, another man stumbled in from outside, shouting, "Murder! There's been a murder! I saw Tian—"

But the instant he saw Tian Susu standing safely beside Jiang Xun, the man with glasses froze in disbelief.

Tian Susu blinked innocently. "What murder?"

The man with glasses began to back away, eyes wide with terror. For a moment, his horror robbed him of speech.

Jiang Xun asked, "Where's the person who went out with you?"

Cha Lan interjected, "Isn't it obvious? He's dead."

The man with glasses couldn't take his eyes off Tian Susu. He removed his glasses, rubbed his eyes furiously, then put them back on. The person before him hadn't changed; he hadn't been mistaken. "Tian Susu… you… you're still alive?!"

"Of course I'm alive," Tian Susu answered with a bewildered flutter of her lashes.

The man with glasses cried out, "How can you possibly be alive? I saw you die with my own eyes!"

Tian Susu felt deeply wronged. Her voice trembled as she protested, almost in tears, "What nonsense is this? I’m perfectly fine, how could I be dead?"

"Impossible! Impossible!" The man lunged forward. "You're dead! I saw that man kill you! He just slapped you once and crushed your skull!"

Frightened by his deranged outburst, Tian Susu shrank behind Jiang Xun.

Jiang Xun blocked the raving man. "Calm down!"

The man with glasses was nearly hysterical. "You have to believe me! I saw her get murdered! The man just hit her and her head shattered!"

Tian Susu, unwilling to endure the accusation, mustered her courage from behind Jiang Xun. "You're wronging me! I saw you push that uncle to his death!"

Jiang Xun asked, "What's going on?"

Tian Susu explained, "When the monster was chasing us, he pushed the bald uncle on purpose—that’s why the monster got him!"

Jiang Xun turned a stern gaze on the man.

The man with glasses turned ashen, his face contorted with guilt.

Tian Susu continued, "You're afraid I'll tell everyone, so now you're accusing me!"

"N-no…" The man with glasses faltered, retreating a step or two. He tried to defend himself, but under Jiang Xun’s watchful eyes, he felt completely exposed.

Cha Lan watched the scene unfold and let out a scornful laugh. "And here I thought I was the only one with a record. Seems we're all not so different after all."

The man with glasses froze, incapable of uttering another word.

They had always called Cha Lan a murderer and kept their distance, but in the end, few among them truly had clean hands.

At that moment, Manager Shu approached with tickets in hand. He smiled and announced, "Tomorrow is an auspicious day, and the cinema will be showing a very interesting film. On behalf of the neighborhood committee, I’m giving you all tickets."

He was amiable as ever. "This is a film you won't want to miss. I suggest you all arrive at the cinema before the show starts—don’t be late."

In other words, attendance was mandatory.

Cha Lan glanced at the four tickets on the table. "Why is there one missing?"

Manager Shu replied with a smile, "I've already given Miss Yin her ticket."

The screening time printed on the tickets was 8:15 the next morning. No one would willingly go to a movie so early, but in this haunted place, the rules had to be obeyed.

The next morning, the group gathered at the inn’s entrance.

Cha Lan walked over to Yin Huanmian. "You weren't in your room last night? I knocked this morning and got no answer."

Despite the sweltering weather, Yin Huanmian was, uncharacteristically, dressed in a high-collared long dress. Her voice was cool as she replied, "It’s none of your concern."

Among those present, Jiang Xun and Tian Susu seemed just as they always were. The man with glasses, however, looked as though he hadn’t slept all night. He kept casting nervous, erratic glances at Tian Susu.

Manager Shu stood at the back, wishing them a pleasant viewing in his gentle tone.

His smile was warm, but when he lowered his head, a fresh red mark resembling a scratch was visible on his pale neck—a detail impossible to ignore. Yet none of them dared ask what had happened.

Wordless, Yin Huanmian turned and walked out of the inn, with the others following close behind.

Manager Shu, in good spirits, hung his newest painting on the wall—a canvas of twisted lines and vivid colors, suffused with an almost sensual haze, like a dream blurred and indistinct.

The cinema was small, with only two screening rooms. A man was checking tickets at the door. As Yin Huanmian passed, he sniffed the air, then gave her a peculiar look, as if she carried some extraordinary scent.

Inside Screening Room One, the group took their assigned seats.

The lights dimmed; the white screen flickered to life, showing a video introducing the town’s picturesque sights. In the video, the town was depicted as a haven, far from the noise of the city, harmonious and full of life—everyone had a place, the strong were useful, the young well cared for, and the people were simple and kind.

But in the next instant, the screen went black, and a line of text appeared: [There is a dead person among you.]

Everyone in the audience sat up straighter.

A second line appeared on the screen: [Find the dead person and tear up their movie ticket, or you will all die.]