Chapter 2227: Love Trapped in the Fate Loop 26

The rainstorm grew heavier, the sticky dampness in the air also increased, the windows that hadn't been repaired in years aged and began to leak.

Jin Chen pushed open the side bedroom door and met Shao Huai's bewildered gaze.

"Li Xiulan was killed?"

Shao Huai asked.

He had no idea how Jin Chen could move so fast, disappearing from sight in a moment.

Only the anxiously concerned Xie Guan could barely keep up with that speed.

Jin Chen nodded.

"Is it... Monday today?" Shao Huai dared not look at the time, feeling like he was about to vomit.

"Thursday."

Jin Chen looked toward the distant window, "The time has refreshed; two victims have already appeared, and we can't stop it from the start."

That really is bad news.

Shao Huai collapsed onto the bed, spacing out.

Xu Yi and Xie Guan arrived almost at the same time.

Upon entering, Xie Guan quickly strode toward Jin Chen, his gaze fierce as he scanned him up and down.

Jin Chen smiled and raised his hand for Xie Guan to see, "It's fine; how could he possibly cut me?"

Xie Guan's eyes held an emotion hard to read, and he steadied his irregular heartbeat.

A tension he had never felt even when attempting suicide appeared when he saw Jin Chen nearly get hurt—a panic and helplessness he had never known.

Xie Guan said nothing, just pressed his lips together and buried his head, bumping into Jin Chen's embrace.

Jin Chen was pushed back a few steps, soothingly patting his back, his palm rubbing slowly.

"Scared you?"

Xie Guan stayed silent for a few seconds, then grabbed Jin Chen's collar, eyes red, "Why didn't you dodge? The knife's about to slash your neck! Do you think the time refresh means no pain?"

Xu Yi and Shao Huai beside them sucked in a cold breath, both staring at Jin Chen.

Xu Yi tugged at Shao Huai's cuff, pulling him into the side bedroom to talk, so as not to disturb Xie Guan's rare outward display of emotion.

"Because I know what I'm doing... fine, I'm just a bit impatient."

Jin Chen shifted his tone, lightly patting Xie Guan's hand that clung to his collar, "Don't be angry, don't be angry—I haven't caught up to you yet, right? I won't let myself die."

Xie Guan's motion stalled; he squeezed his eyes shut and released his grip.

In the empty living room, Xie Guan heard his own hoarse voice.

"Don't get hurt." Xie Guan's throat choked, his long lashes damp, tears swirling in his eyes, "Don't get hurt—I have no one left I care about but... you."

The last sentence was too soft, too soft to be caught.

Yet saying it had already exhausted nearly all of Xie Guan's strength.

Jin Chen's heart clenched; he hurried to hug and comfort him, but before he could speak, Xie Guan actively wrapped his arms around his neck, pressing a fervent, somewhat flustered kiss down like raindrops, just as fierce as Xie Guan's current aura.

Actually, it's a candy heart filling that bursts at a single poke.

Jin Chen pressed his forehead against Xie Guan's, following his beautiful, cool brows and eyes as he kissed downward, "I won't face danger head-on anymore; you also have to promise me you won't look for a chance to kill yourself, okay?"

Xie Guan lay against his shoulder, breathing lightly, still damp at the corners of his eyes; hearing this, he turned his head and buried it, murmuring an affirmative.

"So obedient," Jin Chen teased to ease the mood, kissing Xie Guan's earlobe, "Then we've agreed—it takes effect now."

Xie Guan buried himself in his embrace, gently nodding.

{Villain Heartthrob Value +10, total 60! }

——

By the time Xu Yi came down, he had already found out that this time refresh had moved to Thursday, and Song Gong and Zhou Jin were both dead.

After a brief discussion, they decided to first retrieve the hard drive from Wu Meiling's room.

With the experience from previous attempts, Shao Huai directly carried the laptop capable of reading the hard drive's data on his person, so he wouldn't miss it outside and have to refresh again.

Regarding the matter of Si Xi, and hearing that the residents here were dying one after another, perhaps one day they would act against her, Wu Meiling remained as quick-witted and easy to talk to as ever.

Upon first gaining access to read the hard drive, Jin Chen again recalled seeing Xiao Jing in the hallway.

That little girl surely knows quite a few secrets.

"Let's go to room 104."

Xie Guan looked at him and hummed in agreement.

Shao Huai stuffed the laptop back in, then approached Xu Yi and asked, "By the way, that little girl's tastes are so strange, and she loves to run around—aren't you curious?"

"I daren't be curious," Xu Yi sighed calmly. "When I first moved in, I went to the convenience store at midnight for snacks and saw Xiao Jing loitering in the hallway."

"I was almost scared enough to move out overnight."

For these materialists specializing in funeral services, this was practically a critical hit.

... Of course, the time loop is an even greater blow.

Xu Yi adjusted his expression and followed behind them.

He would call it the transformation of an honest person.

After several knocks, someone finally came to open the door.

Xiao Jing stood in the doorway wearing a white dress, gazing out quietly; she first glanced at Xie Guan, then her hollow, deep pupils gradually swept over each person.

"Brother Xie Guan, do you need something from me...?"

Xiao Jing's expression was somewhat blank, staring blankly at the door that had suddenly slammed shut, and at the four people who had just walked in uninvited.

Xiao Jing: "……"

She tilted her head, her wooden gaze revealing doubt and inquiry.

"I have something to ask you." Xie Guan said.

... Heh.

Xiao Qin let out a cold laugh.

I never would have guessed that something would require such a big fuss.

You four grown men just barged in like that— not good...

You don't live alone, do you?

Jin Chen got straight to the point upon opening the door, skipping the polite self-introduction.

You and the girl in the red dress are twins, not just some odd habit of swapping colored clothing.

Xiao Qin froze in place, her pupils slowly shifting, sending an inexplicable chill through anyone who saw her.

You— what did you say?

Not only Xiao Qin, but Xie Guan also looked at Jin Chen in astonishment, 'Twins?'

Shao Huai and Xu Yi behind him: '... Twins!'

Xiao Qin: '...'

Can't you even coordinate among yourselves?

Hiss... It seems that every time we miss a crucial clue or let the killer get away, and we're too late several times, Xiao Qin just happens to appear.

Shao Huai finally made his way around, then suddenly lunged forward, yanking the phone line, and gazed at the little girl slowly backing onto the balcony edge.

Creak—

The bedroom door was pushed open.

"Sister…" "It's okay."

The girl in the red dress stepped out, giving Jin Chen a sinister smile, 'How did you figure that out?'

She walked to her sister's side, holding hands; their nearly identical twin appearance brought a chilling, deathly sensation that was doubled.

Xu Yi closed his eyes, turned his head, and took a deep breath.

How is this any different from watching a horror movie up close?