Reborn In a Murderer’s Embrace

These vicious dogs... must have been planned to be unleashed on us by someone behind the scenes.

But why did they die in their 'cages' before they could be set loose?

"Ugh!" Someone couldn't stand the stench of blood filling the room and crawled out of the hole, retching.

"There's a timer here. When it goes off, the doors would automatically open, and these starving beasts would rush out, attacking anyone in sight, treating humans as prey." Finn frowned at the automatic mechanism by the door, realizing the wall could indeed open when timed.

"How did they end up dead in here before that?" Robin asked, puzzled.

"Someone took them out ahead of time." Finn analyzed the corpses on the ground, noting the knife wounds. "It's hard to imagine... this was the work of a single person."

Over twenty ferocious dogs, all in one room, taken down by one man.

That person is even more terrifying than these beasts.

"It was Colin..." My voice trembled as I crouched on the ground, pulling a piece of cloth from the mouth of one of the dead dogs.

It was the same kind of hospital gown we were wearing.

Who else but Colin?

He's not the murderer...

He left early to eliminate a potential danger and threat for us.

"That madman..... did he go down to the ground floor by himself?" Bran cursed.

"Is he trying to find that person before all of us get killed?" Finn furrowed his brows. "He must be injured. We can't let him go alone; we need to find him fast!"

"Look, there's a mark here!" Annora pointed out an arrow drawn in blood in a corner.

"Phoebe... you won't die. I won't let you. You'll make it out alive..."

I stood still, surrounded by the bloodshed, feeling my body stiffen.

I suddenly remembered asking Colin if we were going to die here when I first arrived.

Colin looked at me firmly and said no.

He said, Phoebe... I won't let you die.

So, even if the path ahead is fraught with danger, he has to wade through it alone?

"Countdown 10, 9, 8..." Suddenly, that eerie voice echoed through the speakers on the sixteenth floor.

"3, 2, 1..."

As the countdown ended, the drywall opened as expected.

What was supposed to be a moment for the starving vicious dogs to rush out and attack was now just an empty threat since all the dogs were already dead.

"Huh..." Melody walked over to Dexter and wrapped her arm around his. "Looks like the person behind this isn't so clever after all."

"Let's follow Colin's trail." Finn urged us to keep up.

Dexter glanced at me, hesitated as if

he wanted to say something, but Melody pulled him away. "Don't

worry about her; she's with Caleb.

Caleb won't leave her behind."ConTEent bel0ngs to Nôv(e)lD/rama(.)Org .

I still hadn't moved from my spot when Annora and Zoe tried to pull me, but gave up seeing my reluctance.

"Phoebe?" Stella called my name.

"That's not right..." I shook my head.

Colin is also navigating his way through; he wouldn't easily leave clues on the wall.

Moreover, many walls on the sixteenth floor are movable, like a shifting maze...

Even if he left clues, they wouldn't be accurate. Colin wouldn't make such a mistake.

I walked briskly past, crouching at the arrow's location for a closer look. The arrow, drawn with blood, was sticky and not yet dry, obviously drawn by someone while we were distracted.

Colin solved a problem for us, but someone among us is trying to create a new one.

"Click!" As expected, as soon as everyone followed Finn into that compartment, the wall closed behind them.

"Stella!"

"Phoebe Caldwell!" The door shut in

an instant, Dexter and Robin tried to

rush over, but it was too late. A

they could offer were their shocked and worried looks.

Stella and I were left on this side, and the rest were locked inside.

"Hah..." I let out a cold laugh. "The danger is with them, worrying about us is unnecessary."

Stella paused in her knocking, turning to look at me nervously. "Phoebe... what's gotten into you? Why so cold all of a sudden?"

The way she looked at me felt unfamiliar.