When Moxiaoi stepped into the ward, she sensed something was off.

This ward differed from the sixth-floor one. Beds here had curtains! Already pitch-dark, those filthy drapes blocked her view… Tricky.

Crouching low, she advanced cautiously, crossbow in hand. Focused intently, she missed not a trace of movement.

Even a hint of relaxation could kill her.

Silence reigned. Pale curtains hung motionless in the sealed room. She felt eyes watching from the dark.

A room that should take seconds stretched endlessly. How long would it take?

“No one?”

Moxiaoi reached the end. No one there. She sighed quietly in relief.

“Huh!?” Just as her nerves eased slightly, she sensed someone behind.

She whipped around. Empty. Same dark ward. Only difference: the door was visible now.

Paranoid. Imagining things.

Her crossbow hand trembled. Her earlier calm vanished, replaced by unease.

Alone in this oppressive place…

Truly terrifying! She almost missed Pretty Face and that bastard.

No! She wouldn’t let those two bastards underestimate her.

Get out first. Then find and kill that woman.

I, Moxiaoi, will walk out alive! At seventeen, I have so much left to do.

I saw Moxiaoi exit the first room. Her face was grim, brows deeply furrowed, clearly furious. She shot me a fierce glare, then vanished into the second room.

“…”

I stayed hidden at the corner, speechless. Had I messed up again?

Next instant, Moxiaoi disappeared down the corridor.

This ward mirrored the last. Eerily silent. White curtains draped every bed—perfect ambush spots.

If the black-clad woman used a bow, those curtains would block her aim. A sneak attack seemed unlikely. But with both wielding crossbows, counterattacks would be tough.

In reaction speed and accuracy? I’d shoot her down the moment she raised her bow.

As long as she lacked a melee weapon… Moxiaoi thought.

Moxiaoi crouched to check under each bed. Then carefully pushed aside the first curtain.

Empty.

She moved to the second bed. Pushed its curtain open. Then the third.

Still empty.

At the fourth bed…

“Crack~” A noise echoed from the ward’s far end.

Moxiaoi jumped, spinning to aim her crossbow at the corner bed. No one. Nothing odd. Silence again. That bed looked ordinary…

But that sound wasn’t her imagination!

Crossbow raised, she crept toward the last bed. Stood before it. Didn’t pull the curtain yet. Aimed steadily.

For some reason, her gut said no one hid there.

She yanked the curtain aside. Empty… Then what caused that noise? She frowned.

“Huh?”

She spotted something strange: a half-open door beside the last bed.

Common design—connecting rooms for easy access. This linked the second room to the third next door.

Connected to the third room… That noise must’ve been the door opening.

The woman fled next door. What would I do?

Flank and kill!

That feeling returned—a presence behind her!

Moxiaoi whipped around! Shocked! This time, she was right!

A grotesque face loomed—ugly, twisted. The black-clad woman stood silently behind her, machete raised high. Seeing Moxiaoi turn, she swung down fiercely!

“Damn it!” Moxiaoi cursed.

“Clang!”

She barely blocked the strike with her crossbow.

Off-balance and overwhelmed by the force, Moxiaoi crashed to the floor. The machete pressed toward her neck.

“Little sister, so pretty~” the ugly woman crooned weirdly.

“Shit!” Moxiaoi ignored her, straining with all her might to hold the crossbow up.

Bad—this woman was stronger!

“This delicate face! I hate it! I’ll slash it! Chop your pretty body!” the black-clad woman screamed, pressing down harder.

“Gah!” Moxiaoi grimaced.

Ugly and psycho! Moxiaoi drove her knee hard into the woman’s waist.

“Daring to resist, you bitch!” the woman shrieked. She stopped pressing, instead hacking down wildly with the machete!

“Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang…” Moxiaoi blocked desperately with her crossbow.

“Bitch! Whore! Vicious thing! For being pretty! I’ll chop you dead!” the woman screamed, hacking nonstop.

Bad—the crossbow was cracking! Moxiaoi recalled the black arrow tucked behind her.

A fissure split the crossbow’s center! The machete struck the crack.

“Crack!” The crossbow shattered in two.

“Damn it!” Moxiaoi cursed.

“Heh heh~ Bitch, how will you block now?” The black-clad woman straddled her, sneering. She delayed the kill, savoring the taunt.

“Heh heh~ Who knows?” Moxiaoi flashed a sunny smile.

“Bitch! Who told you to smile!” The woman’s face twisted further, grotesque with rage. She raised the machete to kill.

But Moxiaoi’s hand darted back. She yanked out the black arrow and plunged it deep into the woman’s gut!

“Ah! You bitch!” the woman screamed.

Seizing the pain, Moxiaoi shoved her off and scrambled up to flee.

Halfway up—thud! The machete hilt slammed her skull.

“Thud!”

Dazed, Moxiaoi collapsed. Her mind fogged, head spinning.

“This time, you die!” Despite the arrow in her abdomen, the black-clad woman raged! She raised the machete for Moxiaoi’s back.

Her swing froze mid-air. Her body stiffened.

“Huh?” Moxiaoi raised a hand to struggle—then everything changed.

“What—cough—” the woman gasped, trying to turn.

“Pretty Face!” Moxiaoi saw someone behind her!

Time rewound minutes earlier.

“She’s been in too long~ Is Xiaoai okay?” I hid by the wall, watching the corridor.

Huh! Trouble!

A black-clad woman slipped from the far room into Moxiaoi’s. Shouts and screams erupted inside!

“No good!” I sprinted toward the room.

At the door, I saw the black-clad woman pinning Moxiaoi, machete raised for the final blow, shouting nonsense.

My head burned. Gripping scissors tight, I lunged and stabbed her back!

“Thud~” The flesh-piercing sensation made me shudder.

“Pretty Face! Watch out!” Moxiaoi yelled suddenly.

The woman spun around, face ugly and twisted. “All prettier women must die!” she screamed, swinging the machete at me.

I could only watch the blade slash toward my chest.

Moxiaoi sprang up, clamped the woman’s head, and twisted hard!

“Crack!”

I heard the neck snap crisp. Her body went limp in Moxiaoi’s arms.

Her dying swing only tore my tracksuit.

“Cough~” Cold sweat drenched me. I slumped to the floor, gasping, touching the torn fabric.

Moxiaoi tossed the corpse aside. Sat down too. Her expression unreadable.

The wristband showed 2 hours 30 minutes left. Game time remaining: 22 hours.