Kaleidoscope of Death

Chapter 90: Tenth Door

There was no way he was practicing his falsetto, he was never going to practice his falsetto—he couldn't be a girl after all, so he had to staunchly insist he was a boy to continue to survive.

Because Ruan Nanzhu had to ask a question like this, Lin Qiushi was on edge for days, afraid that he'd be asked out to the mall one day and come back with two dresses or something.

But luckily, Lin Qiushi's deepest concerns did not come true. One afternoon, Ruan Nanzhu returned from being out and told Lin Qiushi, "I met with them and set a time to enter the doors."

At the time he said this, Ruan Nanzhu wore a long skirt and a faceful of simple makeup. But this makeup didn't bring out any of his features—in fact, it intentionally dampened his beauty, making him look rather plain. Honestly, Lin Qiushi had to applaud Ruan Nanzhu's makeup skills—place the current Ruan Nanzhu in a crowd, and other than his height, he didn't look noteworthy at all.

And, to disguise that height, Ruan Nanzhu intentionally adopted a slouched-over posture. All in all he looked quite nervy, enshrouded with the mugginess of mushrooms growing in some building corner.

Of course, this aura was shed the moment it entered the mansion. Lin Qiushi saw him walking in, impatiently plucking the wig from his head and tossing it aside. He said, "when the time comes, you're coming with."

Lin Qiushi, "I'm coming with?"

Ruan Nanzhu, "mh. The door they're entering likely won't have a hint, so it'll be a bit annoying." He said, "you'll be with me."

Though Lin Qiushi really wanted to personally take revenge for Wu Qi, he still had concerns: "won't they be suspicious..."

Ruan Nanzhu smiled without smiling. "Once we're in, they can be suspicious all they like." So what if they suspected? It's not like they could come out immediately.

Lin Qiushi, "that's true." He hesitated a bit longer, before asking quietly, "then I... I don't have to wear drag, do I?"

Ruan Nanzhu quirked an eyebrow. "What's your problem with drag?"

Lin Qiushi, "well I can't do a fake voice, can I? If I'm in drag I have to pretend to be mute again."

Ruan Nanzhu immediately replied, "isn't the mute girl super cute though."

Lin Qiushi, "..." Is there something wrong with your aesthetic sensibility?

But in the end Ruan Nanzhu didn't force it, and agreed to let Lin Qiushi not wear drag. There was a month until they went in. By Ruan Nanzhu's deductions, the door they were entering was likely Cue Xueyi's. This was because by the way she seemed, Wu Qi's girlfriend was definitely no pro, and there was no way she'd passed very many doors. Earlier doors came at shorter intervals; a month later fit perfectly with when the third door opened. And that also meant the entry times weren't so concrete, which matched up completely with Ruan Nanzhu's supposition as well.

Right before going to meet those people, Lin Qiushi also deliberately altered his appearance. It was again by Ruan Nanzhu's hands, with the usage of some more professional special effects makeup. He gave Lin Qiushi a total makeover.

Lin Qiushi stared at himself in the mirror, dazed, as he said, "Nanzhu you're too amazing."

Ruan Nanzhu's tone was even-keeled: "you have to work hard if you want to survive."

That afternoon, the two went to their appointment.

Just as Ruan Nanzhu guessed, he saw Cue Xueyi among the group.

Cue Xueyi saw him and startled, immediately looking toward Ruan Nanzhu. He said, "Xiao Xiaoyu, what is this, why have you brought somebody?"—Ruan Nanzhu told them his pseudonym was Xiao Xiaoyu.