Tricked 104: Searching for Clues

The song lyrics repeated three times.

At the end, Shen Xiaoxiao mulled over the words and muttered, “Sounds like some kid got chopped up.”

“The earlier lines are about their body parts being hidden under the carpet and in the sewer. That last line—‘looking up at the flaming clouds at the horizon’—does it mean they were dismembered at sunrise or sunset?”

Shen Huanhuan reflected for a moment and shook her head.

“I don’t think so. The flaming clouds might refer to blood blocking the child’s vision, not a specific time of day.”

“And I don’t think these lyrics are describing a dismemberment,” Shen Huanhuan analyzed. “The three games we played just now clearly weren’t about the experience of the background spirit. We reviewed the file earlier—so far, the police have only received two child disappearance reports around the abandoned amusement park. One girl’s parents searched for her door to door after she went missing. She was said to have good grades, obedient and never defied her parents. That girl should be the owner of the Duck Cinema, Sui Sui.”

“So it’s a safe bet that each attraction represents a child who died within the energy field. For those kids whose families never reported them missing, maybe their families just didn’t care what happened to them, or maybe they were afraid reporting it would expose their own crimes—like with An’an; if his father had called the police, he’d have revealed his gambling, selling his wife and children, and all that.”

“There’s another possibility…”

Her voice trailed off as Shen Huanhuan turned to Jiang Yan, serious. “The range of this energy field might be larger than we think.”

“It’s probably not just those who were physically inside the park at three o’clock—the field might also capture children from the surrounding area with tragic childhoods.”

“Since the Supernatural Administration Bureau made the wrong call, cases in a wider area weren’t collected. We’ll have to feel our way through entirely on our own.”

At Shen Huanhuan’s analysis, Jiang Yan nodded.

The Supernatural Administration Bureau could never anticipate every outcome, nor could they collect all information from outside the field. The situation inside Tongyuan Amusement Park was unique; being able to get even a fraction of the information was already an achievement.

In the end, it came down to clues found inside the field. The outside world could only assist, never drive things forward.

Seeing Jiang Yan’s nod of approval, Shen Huanhuan involuntarily smiled with her eyes and continued:

“Since each attraction is linked to the death of a child in the energy field, there must be something transmitting the background spirit’s story to us. After all, the final answer always relates to the background spirit.”

“The hotel is where we’ll spend half our time; it’s our main activity location at night, making it one of the best places for background messages to appear. So that welcome song we just heard probably alluded to the background spirit’s experience.”

“But from what we learned outside, the background spirit died after being thrown from the high-altitude roller coaster. That was clearly reported in the news, so his cause of death was falling, not dismemberment. That much is certain.”

“So there are two possible explanations for the welcome message.”

Shen Huanhuan said slowly, “One, the message isn’t literal but symbolic—the head, ribs, carpet, and sewer have other meanings, or just represent self-destructive feelings, not actual body parts or crime scenes. Two, the background spirit isn’t that boy who died in the fall.”

“Even though officially only one boy died here, no one knows if this used to be a place people dumped bodies. Maybe someone killed and buried here was deeply obsessed with their own childhood.”

Both options seemed possible for now.

They’d only been here an hour; there was no need to stress about the background spirit’s identity. Just search for clues. If something turned up, great; if not, there was plenty of time.

After discussing, the group headed toward the hotel.

The rides in the game zone were all shut down; every piece of equipment large and small was draped in white cloth. As they passed the Cleaver Challenge, a breeze stirred, lifting the cloth and revealing the face of a child.

On every seat sat the girl named Ruru. Sensing the group’s gaze, her eyes snapped to the right; the black pupils rolled up until only foggy whites were left in each socket.

Zhao Kepu swallowed hard, quickly diverting his attention, which happened to land on Shen Xiaoxiao’s feet.

“Hey, your shoelace came undone,” he called.

Shen Xiaoxiao glanced at her shoes—her right lace was dragging across the ground. To avoid tripping, she quickly bent over. “Thanks.”

She tied a perfect butterfly bow, but as she started to straighten up, something heavy suddenly pressed down on her back.

It felt like a weight had settled on her.

Now Shen Xiaoxiao couldn’t straighten at all. She was stuck, bent over with her hands on her shoes, looking rather blank.

After a moment, she blinked. “Is that you, Sis?”

“Why won’t you let me up? Did something happen?”

All around was silent. She realized the old noise had vanished.

She was about to ask again when she spotted, in her peripheral vision, a pink children’s shoe—small, old, the heel swinging softly in midair.

A shiver ran down Shen Xiaoxiao’s back.

She slowly lowered her head. Setting her hand back on the laces, she casually stole a look between her legs.

Just then, she saw two little legs in children’s shoes dangling in her field of vision, swinging so much that, bent like this, the toes nearly touched her nose.

It was clear now.

A ghost had sat on her back while she bent down to tie her shoes.

There was a roaring in Shen Xiaoxiao’s ears. She instinctively held her breath while reaching toward her pocket.

The little girl must’ve realized she’d been discovered. She gave a crisp, girlish laugh.

She pressed her tiny hand on Xiaoxiao’s back, absentminded fingers tapping as if playing piano keys.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Shen Xiaoxiao darted a hand into her pocket and slapped a yellow talisman behind her.

Within seconds, the pressure vanished. Shen Xiaoxiao immediately stood up straight.

As she stood, the noise returned—the messy music and the chatter of people ringing in her ears.

Shen Xiaoxiao shook her head.

In front of her was Shen Huanhuan’s worried face.

“Xiaoxiao, what just happened? Are you all right?” Shen Huanhuan asked anxiously.

Just now, as Xiaoxiao was tying her shoes, she’d suddenly closed her eyes and fainted. They’d tried all sorts of ways to wake her, but nothing worked.

“I’m fine. Little ghost played a trick.”

Shen Xiaoxiao quickly described what happened, nodding toward the Ruru figure under the white cloth. Just now, Ruru’s pink shoes hung still in midair.

“She was just trying to scare me. But I didn’t feel anything bad from her—so I don’t think she meant any harm.”

She rubbed her goosebumps. “But it’s still annoying! Why are they always scaring me?”

It was just a little episode. After half a minute, Shen Xiaoxiao was back to normal and called everyone onward to the hotel.

Little Jiang Yan and little Yu Renwan shared a look.

They slunk to the back of the group.

When there was enough distance between them and the others, they bent low all at once, perfectly synchronized in movement and hope mirrored on their faces.

Noticing what they were up to, Jiang Yan: “…”

The two friends walked, both bent over, but didn’t manage to trigger the “Ruru sits on your back” random achievement. Frustrated, they trailed after the group.

Little Jiang Yan: “Hmph.”

Jiang Yan beckoned her over. She “hmph”ed twice more, but came forward anyway. “What is it?”

“Quit huffing so much. Your cheeks’ll puff.”

Jiang Yan explained, “Makes you easier for me to squeeze.”

With that, she pinched the girl’s round face.

Little Jiang Yan replied primly, “You’re so childish.”

【I want to be this childish too (staring)】

【Childish +1, +1, +1, +1】

【I wonder what color of sack Little Yan likes QAQ】

【That chubby face is too cute. Who’d have thought Sister Yan was ever a chubby-faced kid (shocked) (roaring) (creeping in shadows)】

Seeing her friend get pinched, little Yu Renwan ran over.

She pushed her own cheek up close to little Jiang Yan. “Don’t be mad. You can squeeze mine too when you’re bored!”

Little Jiang Yan inspected her for a moment, thought it over, and raised her hand.

Yu Renwan’s eyes sparkled.

Little Jiang Yan, completely unsparing, gave it a good squeeze—then another for good measure.

Yu Renwan winced and grimaced.

After a moment, little Jiang Yan released her. Yu Renwan cradled her face and ran to Renwan, then to Pink Tao Tao and Black Tao Tao, showing off: “See?”

“Evidence of being cherished.”

Yu Renwan: “………”

Pink Tao Tao: “……..”

Black Tao Tao’s mouth drooped again; he turned and started looking for Mu Wang.

【Some things are better left unsaid—】

【But she really loves it.】

*

Time flowed differently inside the theme park. It should’ve been half past four in the afternoon, but after entering the hotel lobby, the clock on the wall showed it was already eight in the evening.

A staff member explained on their own, “Our amusement park uses an advanced clock system. Once everyone who entered on the same day clears a zone, night falls immediately. Afterward, all park facilities will be closed until morning.”

This was easy to understand.

—Everyone can complete only one game zone per day; even if they clear the “Haunted House” in the morning tomorrow, night will arrive at once.

But if no one clears a zone, night will never come.

Jiang Yan recalled the middle-aged woman she’d seen at the Cleaver Challenge. The woman’s eyes were bloodshot and she looked exhausted. Jiang Yan had assumed it was because the newly widowed woman was so preoccupied, unable to sleep despite her fatigue.

But now it was clear—the woman hadn’t cleared any game zone, and so night never arrived.

Without night, the hotel wouldn’t appear and she couldn’t check in. Though the park didn’t state it, it was obvious that the benches inside likely didn’t allow sleeping guests. So the woman spent two days under the blazing sun, never catching a wink of sleep.

Thinking of this, Jiang Yan asked, “Are we the first batch of guests at this hotel?”

The staff smiled. “Yes, the very first.”

“As our inaugural guests, your stay is complimentary. All rooms are on the third floor; you’ll find personalized signs for each at the doorway. Please check in accordingly.”

“Now, if you’ll follow me to the front desk to register, please.”

The group trailed after. Shen Huanhuan dropped behind a few steps to speak quietly with Jiang Yan.

She said, “If we’re the first batch…”

Jiang Yan finished the thought: “All the normal visitors here before us have perished.”

Shen Huanhuan nodded. “You keep saying all this is easy, but the Cleaver Challenge really wasn’t. No way kids could get it. Those college students, unless they’ve handled this stuff before, are basically just like kids. With the middle-aged couple dying in succession, all eight official arrivals here have now died. All that’s left for us is to solve the challenge.”

【Exactly. Only Sister Yan keeps insisting it’s all so easy! Like, if the spirit wants everyone to clear three zones in an hour, the zones *must* be easy—yeah right】

【I may be a psychic, but I could never dream up “let the cleaver cut your lifeline” as a win condition (painful squint)】

【And this field demands forced progression, unlike the previous “cattle-raising” field, which gradually polluted you. With the last one, as long as everyone obeyed the rules, you could survive two or three days.】

【Yes, here, if you guess the puzzle wrong for even a moment, you die immediately.】

Checking in was simple—they received breakfast vouchers for the next day, then took the elevator upstairs.

Mu Wang silently produced a fistful of fingers, offering them to Jiang Yan.

“I thought we’d have to pay for a room, so I gathered a bunch for—well, for Sister, just in case.”

Since Mu Wang had only entered on a temporary basis, he didn’t have a livestream camera and was especially free to transform into Peach at will, flying around the game zone collecting fingers just for fun.

Yu Renwan quickly looked down and counted the pile in Jiang Yan’s palms.

“Sixteen, seventeen…”

The further she counted, the heavier her face became. Finally, she withdrew her gaze and all her anxiety crystallized into one line:

“Aiyo, and you still call her Sister?”

The elevator atmosphere froze. After a moment, Shen Huanhuan snorted a laugh.

Yu Renwan, only then realizing how it sounded, turned bright red. Jiang Yan laughed and stowed the fingers.

Shen Xiaoxiao peered past someone. “Wanwan, that sarcastic bite doesn’t suit your character.”

Renwan’s blush deepened another shade.

She stammered, “I—I wasn’t, I didn’t mean—”

Shen Xiaoxiao snapped her fingers with a laugh. “Now that’s the spirit.”

“Ding—”

The elevator doors opened on the third floor. Yu Renwan dashed out first. Everyone followed, each to their own room; most of the rooms were adjacent.

They were all double rooms, each with two big beds—plenty for both adults and kids. Jiang Yan glanced at the nameplate outside and saw she’d be rooming with Shen Xiaoxiao.

They arranged a meeting that evening to discuss clues, then split up to search their respective rooms.

Inside, Jiang Yan first dug snacks out of her bag for little Jiang Yan before heading to the bathroom. Just then, Shen Xiaoxiao wheeled little Xiaoxiao into the room.

Little Jiang Yan sat obediently on the bed, munching crackers. The sight made Shen Xiaoxiao inhale sharply—in the end, she couldn’t resist pinching that soft face.

Chubby-faced Girl: ?

Shen Xiaoxiao quickly opened her suitcase and enthusiastically dragged little Jiang Yan over.

“All for you, all for you!”

At that moment, little Xiaoxiao struggled to her feet, folded up her wheelchair by herself, and, out of breath, sat heavily on the bed. Shen Xiaoxiao cast her a look but, merciless, turned away and stuffed more snacks into little Jiang Yan’s arms.

Little Jiang Yan accepted everything without embarrassment, hurrying over to Jiang Yan’s backpack midway to stuff it with her haul, then coming back for more. She cycled like this until over half the suitcase was emptied, at which point little Xiaoxiao finally protested:

“Stop giving her everything. I want some too.”

Shen Xiaoxiao’s smile faded by half. “Why are you always so annoying?”

“If you want it, get it yourself. No nanny here.”

Little Xiaoxiao glared at her a few times, then pushed herself off the bed and tottered toward the door. “Then I’ll ask Shen Huanhuan to help me.”

Shen Xiaoxiao promptly grabbed her by the collar and plopped her right back on the bed.

The two stared each other down for a long time. Calm, almost cold defiance from little Xiaoxiao, while Shen Xiaoxiao’s eyes flashed with malice. At last, Shen Xiaoxiao bent down and handed her a bean paste bun: “Don’t try anything. I know you better than you do yourself.”

She headed for the wheelchair, then lifted it and shook it a few times.

After only a second, a filthy stuffed rabbit popped out—the same one little Xiaoxiao had thrown at Shen Xiaoxiao and which Shen Xiaoxiao had tossed in the trash.

Little Xiaoxiao’s face changed. Shen Xiaoxiao shook the rabbit at her. “I knew you’d dig it out of the garbage. Don’t think I didn’t notice you hiding it all the way here.”

“This was a birthday present from your sister for your sixth birthday. If you pretend not to like it again, I’ll throw you out.”

Little Xiaoxiao fell silent.

She reverted to looking utterly drained, propping herself up with an elbow and slowly lying flat on the bed.

She asked Shen Xiaoxiao, “Why are you so healthy now?”

Shen Xiaoxiao answered instantly, “Because of my sister.”

【These twins feel like they have deep backstories…】

【Yeah, it seems like Shen Xiaoxiao really hates her childhood self.】

【Honestly, her childhood personality was pretty annoying (dog-head shield)】

【Shen Xiaoxiao’s personality shift is even more extreme than Yu Renwan’s. The more lively she is now, the more lifeless she once was x】

【To be real, you never see psychic twins from rich families risk their lives like this. The Bureau almost never sees this—they must’ve been through something.】

Jiang Yan returned from the bathroom to find the two girls staring, silent.

Little Jiang Yan was off to the side crunching sunflower seeds, glancing at the pair every so often. Jiang Yan ignored her, lifted the comforter to start searching for clues—only to hesitate when her gaze swept over Little Jiang Yan.

After a moment, she said, “These have shells. You’re supposed to spit them out—doesn’t it taste gross chewing them like that?”

Little Jiang Yan didn’t bat an eyelash. “I like it.”

Jiang Yan demonstrated how to shell a seed, then resumed searching. She pulled the comforter all the way back and checked under the mattress.

It was spotless underneath.

She went to the balcony for a broom, then bent down to check under the bed. The bottom was hollow, about twenty centimeters of space—a perfect hiding spot.

Shen Xiaoxiao came over to help. After a few minutes, the two of them swept a brown mechanical device from under the bed. It looked like a clock with gears and a wind-up key inside.

Shen Xiaoxiao recognized it. “That’s a metronome.”

She flicked a switch, and a rod on the metronome began to swing, emitting a “tick-tock” with every movement.

“This thing helps people understand rhythm! It keeps your playing steady and even when you perform an instrument,” Shen Xiaoxiao explained. “It’s usually for piano but works for other music practice too.”

Jiang Yan nodded thoughtfully. The two of them began searching elsewhere.

A few minutes later, Shen Xiaoxiao found two sheets of piano music tucked between the closet panels.

The sheet music was covered in scribbled notes and colorful markings. In the top right corner, a child had written a name in pencil.

“Meng Jinru”

RuRu the little girl wrote her name in childish but painstaking script.

“Today I went to a piano competition. Mom and Dad were so happy—they came to watch right after selling fish. The other grownups didn’t want to sit with them. Dad lost his temper at the venue and made a big scene, so they kicked him out.”

“I felt a bit embarrassed—not just because of Dad but also because my clothes weren’t pretty. But Teacher Yang says the most precious thing is your heart.”

“Teacher Yang is right. I won third place in the children’s group.”

And then, stroke by stroke, she wrote:

“As long as my heart can dance with the notes, I am the most beautiful person on stage.”