He smiled easily.

“…” Moxiaoi seemed to sense something too. She glanced at him but said nothing.

“Xiaobai, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” he smiled.

“Do you want to rest?”

“Rest? You don’t have much time left yourself,” he smiled, tapping my hat.

“Hmm~” I sighed a little. “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I’d have forgotten.”

“Don’t worry. I won’t let you die.” He stepped past me and walked to Moxiaoi at the three-way junction.

“Can you sense where he is?” Moxiaoi asked coldly, shooting him a glare.

“At the stairwell on the third floor. He hasn’t moved,” Li Xiaobai sneered back.

“What now? Split up to block his escape routes?”

“Split up? Aren’t you scared? I can save you once or twice, but not a third time,” Li Xiaobai grinned smugly.

“Can you be serious?” Moxiaoi snapped.

“Alright. You and Donghui take the left path; I’ll take the right. Don’t go too far ahead. Just hold that corridor with your Crossbow.”

“Huh?” She looked confused.

“I’ll flush him out from the right. If he escapes to your side, greet him with arrows.”

“…Do you look down on me?” Moxiaoi said coldly.

Li Xiaobai didn’t answer right away. He glanced at me and whispered to Moxiaoi, “No. I trust your skills. But I’m not sure about Donghui. I need someone to protect him.”

Moxiaoi fell silent. After a moment, she replied, “Fine.” She turned to me. “Hey, girly-face, follow me!”

“Huh? What about Xiaobai?”

“He’s taking that way.” She pointed opposite us.

“Huh? Why?”

“Stop asking questions!” She barked, grabbing my arm and pulling me left. We didn’t go far—just stayed against the left corridor wall.

Li Xiaobai waved at us from afar.

“Be careful, Xiaobai.”

“Got it.” He turned into the right corridor and vanished.

Li Xiaobai didn’t move forward immediately. He stopped right where he’d left our sight—not checking for traps, just standing oddly still. His eyes were distant, unreadable.

“Now it’s my turn to play, William,” he suddenly said, flashing a sickly, terrifying smile—a strange mix of excitement and coldness. His left eye instantly transformed into a bloody yellow snake pupil! Spider Spikes shot from his back, wriggling excitedly in the air. He stroked them, calming them down.

“Haha. I guess I’m really hypocritical~ If it were a beautiful woman, I couldn’t bring myself to do it,” he chuckled mockingly. “But with you, killing you brings no guilt at all~ William!” He pushed his hair aside, revealing that snake pupil. “Let’s see what tricks you’ve got.”

True to his title, Trap Master William didn’t disappoint. Li Xiaobai hadn’t taken three steps before triggering a trap—the same annoying floor collapse. He’d stepped right in the pit’s center.

“Rumble… rumble…” The floor shattered. Li Xiaobai dropped into the pit, where countless bear traps awaited. “Ugh~ So unoriginal,” he sighed. He fell indifferently, twisted mid-air, and flung his Spider Spikes upward. They dug into the floor like living anchors, hanging him above the traps. He flipped up, grabbed the edge, and heaved himself out. Crouching, he slowly stood and walked on.

At the second infirmary room, he triggered a Crossbow mechanism. Black arrows shot out! This time, he didn’t panic. He sneered, raising his machete as Spider Spikes wriggled eagerly.

“Clang… clang… clang…” Just before impact, Spider Spikes moved like phantoms—snapping every arrow mid-flight. He hadn’t even swung his knife. “Guess the knife isn’t much use~”

He sauntered to the last room, tossed his chipped machete aside—it triggered another trap. A blade-studded wooden door swung from the corner—

“Crash!” Before Li Xiaobai could react, his foot lashed out. He spun, kicking hard into the door’s narrow gap. It split in two, slamming against the end wall!

“William! Ready to die?” He strode to the corner and turned.

Killer and monster locked eyes. William stood at the stairwell, expression shifting—his confidence gone, replaced by surprise.

“Not running?” Li Xiaobai smiled, not rushing. “The rules I set—I must uphold them even in death. That’s gentlemanly,” William replied, though cornered.

“Heh~ Sounds noble. But you and I are just selfish killers.”

“True… But what is that thing on your back?” William asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity. He’d noticed Li Xiaobai’s abnormalities.

“This?” Li Xiaobai stroked a Spider Spike’s tip. “Strictly speaking, I’m not human. This is proof…” His snake pupil glinted. “Humans who see my pet… rarely live.”

“Magnificent,” William breathed, fascinated.

“…You really are a madman.” Li Xiaobai’s voice turned icy. “Chit-chat’s over. My partner’s time is short. I’ll have to trouble you.”

“Heh~ Bring it on.” William raised his claw knife and charged.

Li Xiaobai grinned. Spider Spikes aimed. He lunged.

The fight ended swiftly. William stabbed at Li Xiaobai’s neck—but Li Xiaobai caught his wrist like steel. William’s eyes widened. What monstrous strength? Then pain tore through his chest. He looked down: Spider Spikes pierced his heart.

“Cough…” Blood spilled. No regret—just relief. “You win…” He gasped, going limp against Li Xiaobai.

“…You lost.”

Li Xiaobai’s eyes were hollow. The snake pupil faded. Spider Spikes withdrew, retracting into his body. William’s corpse dropped. Li Xiaobai picked up the black claw knife, staring at the body. “Sorry about this.” He sheathed it and shouted down the corridor, “It’s done. Come over. No traps there.”

“Thank goodness.”

I’d been hiding with Moxiaoi, hearing constant crashes next door. I’d tried to check, but she held me back. “You’d just get in the way. He’d waste energy protecting you.” I had nothing to say. I accepted it.

Then Li Xiaobai’s voice came. “Thank goodness he’s okay,” I whispered, relief flooding me.

“Let’s go. Your time’s running out,” Moxiaoi said, her tension easing. She gestured urgently.

“Ah~ Alright.” I stood quickly, following close.

The wristband showed 15 minutes left. Game time remaining: 18 hours and 45 minutes.