A sound this obvious couldn’t escape the Duke’s hearing.

He burst through the door in moments, his hoarse voice brimming with absolute delight:

“Oh… I hear you. My bride—hide no more. I know you’re right here.”

This time he was no longer frantic. He was methodical, meticulous—opening the wardrobe doors one by one, slowly and carefully—

If a wardrobe was too stuffed with clothes, he would “patiently” plunge his claws inside and drag them viciously through the contents.

Zhu Shu was hidden beneath the skirts and couldn’t see a thing outside. She could only hear the relentless sound of doors opening—*bang, bang, bang, bang, bang!*

Her brain throbbed in time with the sound, as if it were about to burst.

What to do?! What should she do?!

Even though she couldn’t see anything, she knew the Duke was fast approaching the wardrobe where Bai Youwei was hiding.

She had no time now to dwell on what Hu Ya had done. She only wanted to save Bai Youwei.

Tears slipped down her cheeks. Zhu Shu felt the wetness and realized with a start that she had broken into tears from sheer panic. Aside from performance, it had been a long, long time since she had truly cried.

Thinking of that, her mind, unexpectedly, grew calm.

…Yes—think calmly.

If Bai Youwei were taken by the Duke, what would happen?

Su Man was impulsive and prone to acting on emotion—she couldn’t think rationally.

Yu Yaqing had strength, but she’d never played a game like this before. Her experience was nil.

Hu Ya was lurking in the shadows, ready to sabotage them at any moment, hoping they all died.

And then there was her—

Just her. What could she do? She wasn’t confident she could clear the game. She wasn’t capable of it.

But if it were Bai Youwei—she might just be able to save a few lives.

The tears fell faster, for reasons she couldn’t fully name.

In life she had never been her own master—bound by the company, chased by fans, watched by paparazzi… She could never be truly herself, until in the end she sometimes couldn’t tell what kind of person she actually was.

Now, facing death, at least she could choose a way to die that she was at peace with.

Zhu Shu closed her eyes and spoke silently to herself: “Haven’t you already made up your mind? To die like a human being. The torture devices are terrifying—but as long as you seize the right moment, you can escape the suffering.”

The sound of opening doors was getting closer and closer.

She drew a deep breath and finally made her decision.

Not only to save Bai Youwei—but to save herself. Better to charge forward with hope now than to be left behind, facing despair.

Zhu Shu shot to her feet and hurled the plastic mannequin directly at the beast with all her strength—then bolted out of the room without looking back!

It couldn’t really hurt him, but the sheer unexpectedness of it worked. After a brief, stunned pause, the Duke let out a roar and immediately gave chase out the door!

In the wardrobe, Bai Youwei’s heart seized.

She shoved the wardrobe door open and her body tumbled out onto the floor. Ignoring the pain, she looked up toward the doorway—but all she could see was the Duke’s retreating back as he left.

Shock and fury crashed through her in the same breath, followed by grief and anguish rising together, until she cried out with a voice she couldn’t hold back: “ZHU SHU!!!”

—

*Damn it all!*

*To hell with this!*

*She didn’t want to be saved!*

*She didn’t want anyone to save her!!!*

Bai Youwei clenched her jaw, picked up her cane, and hauled herself to her feet, walking out of the room one step at a time.

The room door was right beside the spiral staircase.

She saw Zhu Shu vault over the railing, trying to end her own life to escape the torture—but at the last moment, she was caught and dragged back by the Duke.

The Duke grabbed Zhu Shu by the hair and dragged her, just like he had dragged Zhao Lanfen, just like he had dragged Cheng Qian—ignoring her struggles and cries, hauling her toward the torture chamber on the third floor.

When he spotted Bai Youwei, a flash of sharp menace crossed his eyes. He seemed to hesitate, as if considering releasing Zhu Shu and taking Bai Youwei instead.

But he appeared to be wary of Bai Youwei’s lightning, and merely cast her a cold, sinister glance before continuing to drag his “prize” past her—

Bai Youwei raised her hand and flung four beads at him!

—