Chapter 190: Searching for Clues
Qin Linlin read a passage of narration, which essentially explained why the six of them had been blindfolded and locked in this place.
Yin Chengjue scanned the room, confirming that the ones not locked up with them were Rong Yu, Hua Yun, and Yang Ji.
Liu Qingling was the first to break the silence: "Then let's find a way to get out of here first."
So everyone instinctively turned their gaze toward Lei Miao.
Lei Miao: "...Why are you looking at me? Hurry up and search for clues to open the door! This is an electronic door, not within my area of expertise, thank you!"
Hearing this, everyone's eyes showed a hint of disappointment.
Wei Shu even added: "Xiao Leizi, times are changing and evolving. If your professional skills don't keep up with the times, you'll be obsolete one day!"
Yin Chengjue happened to be standing by the door. He randomly pressed a few zeros on the electronic keypad. When he pressed the eighth zero, the electronic door emitted a "beep" sound, accompanied by a red light and the prompt: "Incorrect password. Please re-enter."
"It's an eight-digit password. Let's start searching," Yin Chengjue said.
"Eight digits? That rules out trying every combination from the start!" Wei Shu wailed.
The others: "..." Even if it were just a three-digit password, we wouldn't want to try every combination, thank you very much!
It was a small space of about ten square meters, with no windows, only a door that was a head shorter than Yin Chengjue.
Inside the room stood two dilapidated-looking cabinets. The cabinets contained many items, but they all seemed rather useless. To the left of the cabinets was a pile of cardboard boxes. To the right stood a long table and one or two chairs, similar to school desks and chairs from the past. The table's drawers were empty. On the tabletop lay a yellowed diary—obviously the most valuable item in this space.
Liu Qingling picked up the diary, displaying it in front of the camera while reading its contents.
It was a security guard's diary. The entries described daily routines. From the diary's descriptions, this underground laboratory was bustling with people every day and quite lively before it was abandoned.
However, the laboratory's security measures were very tight. The guard had been guarding the entrance for two years without knowing what experiments were being conducted inside.
Of course, he wasn't interested in knowing. He just focused on his daily shifts and doing his job properly, so the diary entries were also very simple.
And precisely because they were simple, the large, dark stain splattered on the last page of the diary appeared especially conspicuous.
Underneath that dark stain was also a large handprint, as if a hand had once grabbed that page.
"Yikes! Could this... be blood? It's been over ten years; blood's color would definitely have changed. Something terrible must have happened here," Liu Qingling said.
Yin Chengjue: "If that's the case, then it definitely didn't happen in this room. The diary was moved here."
"Huh? Why?" Wei Shu was puzzled.
Liu Qingling: "Because this place is too clean. There are bloodstains on the diary, but the walls here are quite clean. There's a handprint on the diary, but there aren't any on the table or walls. It seems obviously inconsistent, so we can guess this diary wasn't originally here."
Yin Chengjue: "Also, this is a security guard's diary, but this place doesn't look like a security room or a break room; it looks more like a storage room."
Wei Shu: "Ah? So this diary isn't helpful for figuring out the door password?"
"It is helpful," Xiao Xiao pointed at the dates in the diary: "The year, month, and day added together just happen to be eight digits, right?"
"Hey! Look what I found!" Qin Ke held up a red piece of paper with the large characters "Recruitment" printed on it. Qin Ke said: "This is a recruitment notice for security guards at the laboratory. The closing date is October 2nd, ten years ago. Check when this guard started working?"
Liu Qingling had already read: "October 1st, 2010."
Lei Miao, standing by the door, heard this and casually entered 20101001 on the electronic lock.
Wei Shu heard the button-pressing sounds and laughed: "It can't be that. What does the guard's start date have to do with the password? There must be other clues..."
"Beep! Password correct!"
The electronic door lit up with a green light, and a voice prompt confirmed the password was correct.
Qin Linlin behind the camera: "..." No way! You haven't even finished finding all the clues!
Lei Miao scratched his head: "Uh, I just tried it casually. So, why is the password that? Why is the guard's start date related to the password?"
The others: "How would we know!"
Even though they had opened the electronic lock, it felt like the mysteries in their hearts had only multiplied!
However, since the lock was open, there was no reason to stay. Lei Miao was the first to open the door and step out, only to find it pitch black outside, with only the light from their current room spilling out.
"Outside seems to be a corridor. I don't see any light switches," Lei Miao felt around.
Their phones had been confiscated before they entered, so they couldn't use them for light now.
"Wait, I think I found flashlights in the cardboard boxes earlier," Xiao Xiao quickly turned back and indeed fished out two flashlights, handing one to Yin Chengjue, who was standing closest.
Yin Chengjue then took the flashlight and led the way at the front of the group.
Darkness easily creates psychological pressure. Liu Qingling proactively took on the task of lightening the mood: "Let's introduce ourselves now. A simple introduction of your name and reason for being here, okay?"
Wei Shu and Lei Miao were already experienced players. Once Liu Qingling spoke, they naturally chimed in with their introductions. However, they were also cautious, only saying they received a letter but not disclosing its contents.
After the six of them introduced themselves in turn, they had all come because they received a letter.
Liu Qingling: "We all came here according to the letter's instructions, only to be knocked out and locked up after entering. What does that mean? It means the person who wrote the letters has a problem! They likely deliberately lured us here. So the question is, without any grudge, why would they do this?"
"There are three possibilities. First, that person chose randomly and happened to pick us. Second, we share something in common that made them choose us. Third, this laboratory is about to be demolished, and someone needs to come here for their purpose to be achieved." Yin Chengjue shone the flashlight around and found a fork in the path ahead. He stopped and said, "There's a fork. Which way?"
Xiao Xiao, also holding a flashlight, walked a few steps to the left, then turned back and walked a few steps to the right, saying, "Can't see the end of either path. Let's just pick one."
Qin Ke said: "Wait! How can we just pick randomly! What if we choose wrong and encounter something bad?"
Wei Shu: "Then what do you think we should do?"
Qin Ke chuckled, bent down, and took off one of his shoes: "I'll spin my shoe now. Whichever direction the toe points, we go that way! Let me tell you! When I was filming in the rainforest before, I relied on this move to avoid countless dangers! The Shoe God truly exists!"
The others: "..." Shoe God? That sounds pretty unreliable!
Qin Ke: "What's with those looks of disdain? My feet don't stink! If you don't believe me, smell it!"
The others: "No! Get lost!"
Qin Ke shrugged and started spinning his shoe.
So everyone watched as the shoe's toe stopped, pointing to the left path.
Qin Ke immediately smiled: "Hey, brothers, let's go left..." Before he could finish, he saw Yin Chengjue lead the way to the right, and the other four follow him into the right path with tacit coordination.
Qin Ke: "Hey! Wait for me! At least let me put my shoe on! Juezi, you heartless guy!"
Since Yin Chengjue and Xiao Xiao were both holding flashlights and walking ahead, and everyone was male with large strides, the path behind was quickly swallowed by darkness. Qin Ke still had to tie his shoelaces, and with this delay, he couldn't see the path under his feet clearly.
Qin Ke hurriedly sped up and grabbed the person at the very back of the group. "Hey, slow down! Don't leave me alone in the dark!"
Yin Chengjue's voice echoed from ahead: "Hold hands in the back, don't get separated."
Qin Ke retorted helplessly: "We're getting separated because you're leading too fast!"
As soon as Qin Ke finished speaking, he saw the light ahead stop. Yin Chengjue's voice came through, tinged with confusion: "Qin Ke? Why does your voice sound so far away?"
Hearing this, Qin Ke was even more annoyed: "You're walking so fast and still complaining that our voices are far away?"
Hearing Qin Ke's voice echoing back to him from a distance, Yin Chengjue found this even more strange: "You all?"
Yin Chengjue raised his flashlight and looked around. There were four people around him, five including himself. Only Qin Ke was missing. Who was Qin Ke referring to as "we"?
However, before Yin Chengjue and the others could turn back to check, they heard Qin Ke let out a yell: "Holy crap crap crap! What the hell are you!"
Yin Chengjue quickly shone the flashlight back, just in time to see Qin Ke sprinting towards them, shouting as he ran: "Not good! I accidentally knocked an NPC down! Light! Flashlight, quick!"
The five of them: "..."
The five people quickly followed Qin Ke back and helped up the crew member who was lying face down.
Qin Ke hurriedly reached out to check for a pulse.
The crew member: "...I'm still alive. Just hit my nose, that's all."
As if to confirm his words, two streams of blood flowed from the crew member's nose, dripping onto Qin Ke's hand.
Qin Ke was startled and immediately reached into his pocket for a tissue, only to remember that all personal items had been confiscated before they entered.
The crew member waved a hand dismissively, wiped his nose casually with his sleeve, and then extended his hand toward Qin Ke.
Qin Ke was somewhat flustered: "Uh, I really don't have any tissues. If your sleeve isn't enough, you can use my sleeve to wipe some more."
The crew member: "..."
The crew member said with a completely blank face, "You're still holding my wig in your hand."
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