Chapter 0004, Room 4

Hello, I am the tenant of room 3 next door. I mean no harm, I just want to ask you for a favor

Close the door and lock it from the inside

However, she and I went up the stairs one after the other, without encountering each other along the way. From my observation, there is only that old staircase for going down, which indicates that she did not go down.

The white floor tiles emitted a cold light, devoid of any bloodstains

Not a glimmer of light seeped through the crack of the door, and there was not a sound to be heard in the room

Compared to today's prices, the cost of renting for forty-one days is indeed very low, which explains why there are still people willing to rent despite the occurrence of a murder.

I stood at the door in confusion, glanced at the countdown of the live broadcast, and mustered the courage to knock on the door

The dull knocking sound echoed softly in the corridor, but no one responded from within the room

At the end of the corridor, in front of room 4

I stretched my neck in surprise to look over, and the woman had already gone upstairs. My gaze only reached a corner of the old staircase when I was halted by a hoarse, aged voice.

I let out a slight sigh of relief and took out 40 yuan, placing it on the counter

Where has the person gone

No longer hesitating, I pressed yes

The room was shrouded in darkness, with the dim light from the corridor failing to penetrate, leaving only a small area at the doorway visible

Is anyone there

I feel somewhat anxious, unsure if the old man will recognize me

I turned on the flashlight on my phone and shone it inside

Indeed, it is the old man standing behind the door with a kitchen knife in the morning

I followed along; the short-term rental apartments should all be on the second floor

"How many days do you want to rent?" The old man stared at me with murky eyes, his wrinkled face revealing no discernible expression

After some contemplation, I have chosen Room 3, which is closest to Room 4

I will just stay in this room then I said casually

The woman in the red dress flashed past the corner of the staircase, and I only caught a glimpse of a blurred silhouette

The first floor still retains the appearance of a bun shop, with old dining tables arranged in order, on which are placed items such as chopstick holders and napkins, as if there have always been people coming to dine.

The thought of spending an entire night in this room, where multiple women have met their tragic ends, sends shivers down my spine

I politely expressed my intention and knocked on the door several times, but room 4 remained silent, with no lights turned on.

The air is permeated with a musty odor, the walls are painted a stark white, and the floor is covered with white tiles that emit a cold glow under the dim lighting. The room is overwhelmingly white, yet the window frames are red.

Have you already gone to sleep

However, I am not actually here to rent a room. After the old man goes downstairs, I will leave the room.

The old man opened the door, left the key with me, and then slowly made his way downstairs

I was stunned

I personally saw the woman in red going upstairs, and that old man also said that someone is living in room 4, so why is there no one in the room

Compared to Room 3, the walls here have been freshly painted, and the bed linens have also been newly replaced, yet traces of blood can still be seen seeping through the gaps in the floor tiles

I entered the room, turned on the light, and surveyed this small space

The white tiles distort and reflect my silhouette, and the tiny bathroom is also devoid of anyone.

A terrifying suspicion surfaced in my mind

There is less than 1 hour left until the live broadcast starts, and I need to quickly persuade the woman in red in Room 4 to switch rooms with me

Hello, sir, I am here to rent a house I forced a smile and walked over, seeing a face so old that it was impossible to determine its age

I put away the Swiss Army knife and looked around the entire room

"Forty a day, pay first"

Where is the person

Line

I cautiously followed the old man to the second floor

In the dead of night, the door was knocked on by a stranger, and I can understand the woman's vigilance

Can I choose the room myself

"Room 4 is occupied, choose another one." Upon hearing that I chose Room 4, the old man showed no sign of surprise, merely shaking his head.

Although somewhat peculiar, it is relatively clean, featuring a mini bathroom, and all the necessary furniture is present.

Apart from the cautious and faint sound of my footsteps, there was not a single other sound in the room as I directed my phone's light towards the bathroom

Perhaps for some people, being poor is more terrifying than death

Gripping the Swiss Army knife tightly, I steeled my courage and walked over, cautiously pushing the door open

To everyone's surprise, with a click, the door unexpectedly opened

Thinking of this, I could no longer remain calm. I grasped the doorknob and knocked forcefully on the door. If it still would not open, I would have to go find the old man

But to my surprise, there was no one in the room at all; the blankets were neatly folded, and there was not a single wrinkle on the sheets, as if no one had ever stayed there

What are you doing? The voice sounds as if it has been ground by sand, and it is quite unpleasant to hear

I furrowed my brows; even if he were in a deep sleep, he should have been awakened by me. Even if he was unwilling to pay me any attention, he should have at least responded to me.

Are there still women brave enough to rent a house here

Room 4 had someone die in it less than a week ago, and yet someone dares to move in?

Forget it, I can't worry about so much. There is only half an hour left until the live broadcast starts. Despite the strange atmosphere everywhere, I still intend to stay.

There are 10 minutes remaining until the live broadcast begins. Would you like to start the live broadcast?

Are you unwilling to pay attention to me, or have you fallen asleep?

Knock knock knock

The old man slowly stood up, took the money, retrieved a set of keys from the mottled wall, and then walked to the edge of the stairs, his withered hand waved at me

The frosted glass door is slightly ajar, and the interior is hazy, making it impossible to discern whether anyone is inside

Before me lay a dimly lit and narrow corridor, flanked on both sides by several rooms

Chirping and squeaking

The staircase leading to the second floor is an old wooden structure that has not been maintained for an unknown period. The wooden planks have decayed, and some steps are even broken.

As soon as one steps on it, it creaks loudly

She can't have already... died, can she...

Is anyone there

Is it possible that they have gone out

My heart tightened in an instant

I cannot care less about how she thinks of me

In the dimly lit corner behind the old cash register, a hunched figure sat, seemingly observing me

With a bitter sigh, I sat on the bed and opened my black large-screen phone

Glancing briefly at the door numbers, I found that Room 4 is at the end of the corridor

I did not rush over, but instead found the switch and turned on the light first

I took out the Swiss Army knife that I had prepared in advance, concealed it behind my back, while holding my phone in the other hand. Under the illumination of the flashlight, I cautiously walked into Room 4

In the event of danger, the only escape route is the door.

If that woman comes back, I will give her the key to Room 3

My heart was pounding, and I gathered my courage to push open the half-closed door

A faint scent of blood seemed to waft out through the crack of the door

Is someone there? My heart skipped a beat

Can I stay for one day first, and if it suits me, can I extend the lease? I cautiously asked, with less than two hundred yuan in my pocket

Is it the woman in red that I saw when I entered the door

Hello, are you still there

The window cannot be opened; it is unclear whether it is broken or nailed shut

The dim light dispelled some of the darkness, but the situation in the bathroom remained unclear

Under the cold white light, there is a stark white room, laid out the same as Room 3

The black cement floor, the walls are mottled and peeling, and there is a sour and foul smell in the air. The entire shop is illuminated by only one dim light bulb, and everything is shrouded in darkness.