In the hall, everyone silently observed the people around them, and no one showed any intention of making the first move.

The layout of the manor exuded luxury, and several cups were placed next to the coffee table in the center of the sofa where they were sitting. Opening the coffee table drawer revealed several packets of instant coffee, which, judging by the packaging, were not cheap.

“It’s a long night, and I’ll probably get sleepy if we wait another two hours. Let’s make a cup of coffee and chat.” Wu Yue got up and filled the electric kettle with filtered water.

"W, you really have a lot of free time..."

"Otherwise, are we just going to stare blankly now?" She really didn't want to say that she was getting tired of seeing all those facial expressions, okay?

C choked.

Boil the water, brew one packet for each person, and Wu Yue thoughtfully placed it in front of them, one cup for each person, so that no one would be short of a cup.

Seeing that no one moved, Wu Yue guessed that they were afraid she would poison it, so she didn't care. She took a sip and then sighed, "Although it's instant coffee, it's quite delicious. This brand must be quite expensive."

The others glanced at her, and A and E also picked up their cups and took a sip.

"Indeed...not bad."

"You should try some too." A smiled. "I trust W."

...

What does it feel like to wait for death? It's like falling into the deep sea and constantly trying to climb up, but no matter how you swim, you can't get up and can only watch helplessly as you are dragged into the abyss.

Gradually, some people began to lose patience. B, a girl, gripped her skirt tightly and stood up abruptly: "I can't take it anymore, I'm going back to my room to sleep."

“I don’t think there’s any point in us waiting like this. People will still die.” C chimed in, “I’m too tired. I haven’t slept well these past few days because I’m on edge. How about we go back and wait for a while, and then come down to meet up again when there are still twenty minutes left?”

"Hmm... I agree." D smiled faintly, then got up and walked towards the stairwell.

Wu Yue glanced at the remaining two people. "In that case, I'd like to go back and rest. Oh—right, I also want to go to the garden to pick a couple of flowers."

As she spoke, she turned around and caught a glimpse of D's coffee cup out of the corner of her eye; there were no lipstick marks on it. The blanket where she had just been standing was damp. The girl walked towards the garden, lost in thought.

Wu Yue picked a few more lilies and took them upstairs. She found the room marked with the letter W, and surprisingly, she had a key card in her pocket. She opened the door and went inside. The room was very clean, with only a bed and a table. On the table was a celadon tea set and a coffee cup. On the tray were two boxes of instant coffee, the same ones they had just drunk.

Wu Yue quickly checked the room and found nothing unusual. Just as she finished arranging the flowers, there was a knock at the door. "Come in," Wu Yue said, opening the door. She wasn't surprised to see A-Zi standing there. Downstairs, A-Zi was the one she interacted with the most, and also… well?, the one she trusted the most.

She welcomed A in, stepped aside, and politely asked, "I wonder what brings you here?"

Wu Yue and A Zi sat facing each other. The latter stared intently at the girl resting her chin on her hand. He didn't seem nervous or afraid. Like a believer seeking answers from a priest, his tone was so sincere: "W Zi, I want to form an alliance with you."

Wu Yue remained in her original position, only speaking: "Why?"

"Your calm and composure put me at ease, and your intelligence makes me feel that...our alliance can succeed."

Wu Yue smiled and simply asked, "Maybe I'm just a dead pig that's not afraid of boiling water?"