If a doll game went too long without any players entering it, it would seek out prey of its own accord, shifting position every seven days. But a situation like this — where Game 24 had shifted just yesterday and was now shifting again today — had never happened before.

“Game 24? What Game 24?” someone said, puzzled. “Is there a new game near the base?”

“It’s the new game from last week — only no one’s triggered it. No matter how many people go in, the game doesn’t respond.”

“…So we should be safe, right?”

“It can’t be triggered no matter what — does it matter where it moves to…”

Chu Huaijin struck the table to get everyone’s attention and said loudly:

“Everyone, please quiet down! Since the research unit discovered the existence of Game 24, we have maintained close monitoring of it. We haven’t been able to identify its trigger number or conditions, but that’s no reason to let our guard down. The banquet is temporarily suspended — please follow the security unit members for evacuation!”

“Do we really need to evacuate?”

“Better safe than sorry — let’s go, looks like we can’t finish the wine…”

“Hey, some of us should stay and keep drinking — even if it moves here, it can’t be triggered. What are we afraid of?”

“You can’t say that — the game has always shifted every seven days, but now it’s suddenly started moving. There must be a reason…”

……

The voices continued in all directions.

Yu Yaqing’s subordinates came in to evacuate the guests.

People were divided into groups — five or six to a group — sent off in different directions through the underground parking garage.

The people gathered at the banquet scattered gradually to various sections of the underground lot.

Bai Youwei and Shen Mo followed behind Yu Yaqing.

The path ahead grew darker and darker… They walked in near-total darkness. The smell of concrete and chemical coatings filled their nostrils; their footsteps echoed steadily in the hollow expanse.

“Why are we going deeper underground?” Tan Xiao complained in irritation. “It’s pitch black down here — not a single light. Can’t see a thing!”

“Guests need to disperse their routes. Once the group ahead has moved far enough, we can leave.” Yu Yaqing explained, her voice as calm as it was cold.

Tan Xiao asked, “How will you know when the group ahead has gone far enough? We can’t see them at all — unless we turn into owls!”

Yu Yaqing found his noise grating. “We use sound as a signal,” she said coolly.

The moment her words landed, a thin, piercing whistle sounded from the left — two short blasts followed by one long.

A signal.

“There it is! The signal! Let’s go, let’s go!” Tan Xiao couldn’t bear to stay a second longer and started urging Yu Yaqing.

“No.” Her voice was flat. “That signal is for Group Two. We’re Group Three — we wait a bit longer.”

“Damn it!” Tan Xiao crouched down, thoroughly exasperated.

Shen Fei was also among them. He said soothingly, “Everything is to ensure everyone’s safety — let’s just follow Team Leader Yu’s instructions.”

No one replied.

No one liked the dark.

Shen Fei didn’t either. The dark always made a person feel danger, tension, unease…

Pan Xiaoxin pressed silently against Tan Xiao’s side; Cheng Weicai took Pan Xiaoxin by the hand. Bai Youwei held the rabbit in her arms and sat in her wheelchair, murmuring to herself:

“Games are like hunters — no prey in this place, so they move to another; no prey there, so they move again… Now one suddenly drifts this way. Could it be because somewhere in this area there’s something that qualifies as its prey?”

Tan Xiao yelped, “Weiwei! It’s scary enough in here as it is — please stop talking!”

Bai Youwei laughed. “What, are you frightened?”

Tan Xiao ruffled his own hair. “I’m not afraid of games, but coming from *your* mouth… it’s genuinely creepy.”

Bai Youwei couldn’t help but smile. She said in a pleasantly curious tone, “Actually, I’m rather intrigued. A game that has never once been triggered must be something very special.”

From the darkness came Yu Yaqing’s cold snort. “Go ahead and pray, then — pray that you’re the one who triggers it when we get out of here.”

—