Kaleidoscope of Death

Chapter 73: Appearing Once More

If there was something different about this high rise than everywhere else, it was the ever-present mirrors.

In the halls, on the floors, and even on the ceilings—a simple turn of the head yielded one's own silhouette reflected in countless mirrors. Even in the restaurant where they ate, where the outside vista should have been visible through french windows, there were shiny mirrors installed. These were even two-way mirrors.

The thought that they were visible to people from the outside was hard to separate from the sensation of being watched, which made it a distinctly discomforting business.

There were a total of thirty-four floors in the high rise. They roughly scoped out the other floors and discovered there were residents on nearly every story, though not many; the high rise was not an empty building. Ruan Nanzhu also tried asking them what happened in this high rise two years ago, but discovered that all the residents had only recently moved in, and didn't know much about the fire two years prior.

After a day of running about outside, they didn't get much intel, only that it was a mother and child who'd died in the fire.

"Why a mother and child?" After careful thought, Lin Qiushi figured this was strange. "Wasn't it a family of three that vacationed here? What about the father?"

"His body wasn't found either way," Ruan Nanzhu said. "Maybe the breakthrough we're looking for is him."

The day was dimming, and sunset cast its golden beams over the high rise's mirror-laden exterior.

"But where do we find him?" Lin Qiushi frowned. "Nobody in the building seems to know him."

Ruan Nanzhu shook his head, indicating he hadn't figured it out yet either.

The city at night went gradually quiet.

The noisy streets were now empty of people, dark enough that you couldn't see your own hand in front of you.

Lin Qiushi stood watching from the window. Truth be told it was only now that he could feel they were really inside the door, because in the world outside the door, nights couldn't possibly be this silent. No matter how deep the night got, you would at least hear cars passing through city center. The sidewalks also wouldn't be totally devoid of pedestrians. Right now, the abnormal stillness outside left him deeply uncomfortable,

Ruan Nanzhu and Cheng Yixie had both washed up, and were getting into bed.

Lin Qiushi entered the bathroom, planning to quickly wash up as well.

He turned on the tap for hot water, rinsing his towel. There were numerous mirrors inside the bathroom too, hung around Lin Qiushi on all four sides. These mirrors grew blurred in the swirling steam. Head bowed, Lin Qiushi lowered his face into the towel wetted with hot water.

Only the rushing sound of the tap could be heard in the bathroom. With his head still down, Lin Qiushi suddenly felt that there was something off. The feeling itself was enigmatic; he hadn't actually seen anything strange, but his instincts rang the alarm. Motions stilling, Lin Qiushi observed his surroundings through his peripherals.

A few seconds later, Lin Qiushi discovered what was wrong—he'd lowered his head, but the figure in the mirror in front of him had remained standing, and was watching him silently with a face completely identical to his.

Lin Qiushi understood then. Towel in hand, he wrung it dry as he started walking out. When he got to the bathroom door, he glanced once more at that mirror, but saw that it had returned to normal, and was following his motions.