There's definitely something wrong with this murder mystery game

Xu Shuo stood at the street corner motionless.

And about ten meters away from him, the four white paper men carrying a white paper palanquin of roughly ten centimeters in size remained still as well.

Only a faint singing voice rose, seemingly both distant and near.

Suddenly, a red figure appeared at the end of the street, and at the same time, the white paper men which had been standing motionlessly in the middle of the alley took a step forward.

Xu Shuo's gaze shifted slightly as he calmly watched the blurred red figure opposite him.

The singing continued.

"On the thirteenth of July, an auspicious day on the solar calendar..."

"Don in red attire, lift the groom aloft..."

"Red sandalwood clapper, shaking bell and drum..."

"What a lively scene..."

The melancholic and mournful singing echoed in the empty alley, changing in unison with the approach of the paper men and the intermittently visible red figure.

But Xu Shuo remained where he was, unmoved.

His face was expressionless, showing no particular emotion, just quietly watching the bride approach.

The white blossoms swirling in the air were like funeral paper, passing through the buildings, resembling a heavy snowfall, adorning the pitch-dark alley.

The darkness set off the red, and the myriad snowflakes also complemented that blood-tinged red.

Eventually, the paper men carrying the palanquin came to a halt about ten feet away.

The bride in her gown stood behind the palanquin.

She wore a red veil that fell to her shoulders, her hands resting at her sides, her wide sleeves concealing her fingers, completely wrapped up without a hint of skin exposed.

The two faced each other.

Though the bride's face was covered by the red veil, Xu Shuo felt a gaze, one that seemed to come from all directions.

It was as if something had scrutinized him from top to bottom, front and back.

"Groom..."

Suddenly, the already intermittent voice began again, not in the tone of ordinary speech, but in a strange, mellifluous singing voice.

The bride sang in a delicate voice, "Would you like to get on the palanquin~"

This voice was so plaintive and touching, stretching and twisting one note to eighteen turns, making one's whole body feel uncomfortable!

While she sang these words, the once statue-like bride finally moved.

Her right hand, hidden by her wide sleeve, slowly lifted towards Xu Shuo, and as the sleeve of her wedding dress slid downward, her fingers painted with bright red nail polish were revealed.

Xu Shuo raised an eyebrow; he too made a move.

He was quicker than the bride, instantly producing a plate of neatly arranged Osmanthus Cake.

"I've just made these, want to try?" Xu Shuo said earnestly, looking at her.

"..." The bride's hand motion halted.

"..."

The atmosphere in the alley fell silent.

Only the faint scent of osmanthus wafted through the air as if it came from the osmanthus tree in the courtyard next door, refreshing the heart and bearing a hint of sweetness.

The eerie atmosphere that was partly menacing just moments ago, vanished in an instant.

The bride, with her arm stiff in mid-air, moved once more.

Those pale fingers with distinct joints appeared to be dancing delicately, their red nails more vivid against them, exuding an indescribable and mournful allure.

Then, as the bride's lifted fingers began to descend, her figure, three meters away, suddenly appeared right in front of Xu Shuo!

The two were instantly close at hand, and Xu Shuo was momentarily stunned as well.

But the bride simply placed her fingers on the plate, picking up the top piece of Osmanthus Cake.

The square, beige Osmanthus Cake twirled between her fingers. The bride didn't eat it; she merely rubbed it with her hands, then brought the cake close to her nose to sniff.

It was right in front of her nose still covered by the red veil.

Although it was unknown whether she could smell it at all.

But compared to the rigid and eerie figure from before, the bride now seemed somewhat more lively, her action of lightly sniffing the Osmanthus Cake even holding a trace of playfulness.

Suddenly, the bride looked up at Xu Shuo again.

"Where do you come from?"

This time, the voice didn't come in a mournful, melodious sing-song, nor from the ethereal space around, but right from the bride in front of him.

The voice was soulful and pleasing, like the song of a nightingale.

Xu Shuo thought for a moment and replied, "North Mountain."

The bride tilted her head, the tassels of her red veil swinging gently with the movement. She asked again, "What are you doing here?"

Xu Shuo mimicked her, tilting his head, "Watching a play?"

Upon hearing this, the bride covered her mouth with her finger, laughing softly and elegantly.

"Do you like what you see?" she inquired.

"I haven't seen anything yet," answered Xu Shuo honestly.

"What would you like to see?" asked the bride once more.

"Something worth seeing."

"Shall I take you to see it?"

With her head covered by the red veil facing Xu Shuo, the bride's voice was clear and delightful, devoid of any fiendish strangeness. If not for the overly bizarre circumstances, one might think they were speaking to a charming young lady.

Xu Shuo's gaze shifted slightly, his eyes sparkled as he looked at the bride before him, and his face lit up with a slight, pleased smile in the moonlight.

"Okay."

Was she going to give me a prop?

Ready to drop a prop?!

Osmanthus Cake for you, a prop for me, please!

The reason Xu Shuo was so eager ultimately boiled down to his recollection—offering the bride Osmanthus Cake to win favor and thereby receive a reward from her!

...

However, the bride didn't drop a prop from her body next; she was holding the piece of Osmanthus Cake in her left hand, but her right hand was outstretched toward Xu Shuo.

"Come."

This hand was extremely pale, like a wax figure in an art museum.