Doomsday Wonderland C.1408: Ms. Chen

Even though Ms. Chen lived just one floor below, Lin Sanjiu had yet to plant the listening device in her apartment. The thick floor would likely weaken the signal, and since Ms. Chen lived alone, it wasn't as if Lin Sanjiu could expect the old woman to fill the silence with her own chatter all day.

After much deliberation, Lin Sanjiu realized she needed a partner in crime. Besides her own, Ms. Chen's most frequent haunt was Grandma Pink's home. The pair of elderly women always indulged in long conversations during their visits, guaranteeing a wealth of information. And who better to help Lin Sanjiu sneak in the device than Silvan?

Resolved, Lin Sanjiu made her way to apartment No. 6. She was about to knock a second time when the door swung open—as if someone had anticipated her arrival. Lin Sanjiu had imagined Grandma Pink behind the door, probably having peered through the window. However, when Lin Sanjiu looked up, her prepared greeting froze on her lips.

It wasn't Grandma Pink who greeted her but Ms. Chen. Her pronounced nose led the way, her eyes hidden in the shadows as they bore into Lin Sanjiu. "What do you want?" she asked, as though she owned the place.

Lin Sanjiu swallowed her initial question, managing a smile. "Is Pink home?"

"His parents came for him; they've taken him out," Ms. Chen replied, catching Lin Sanjiu off guard. "Didn't you hear? They even stopped to chat with some of the neighbors."

But weren't residents barred from leaving the building? Who were these parents? Characters from the game? Lin Sanjiu had probably missed their arrival while she was at Goldie's, too preoccupied to notice. She furrowed her brow but kept her thoughts to herself—this wasn't something Elizabeth would question, neither logically nor emotionally.

"And Grandma Pink?"

"She's under the weather, and I'm looking after her," Ms. Chen replied, her impatience evident as she blocked the doorway. "What do you really want? There's no cooking to be done here."

Lin Sanjiu was determined to place the listening device that day, whether Pink was present or not. She used her height to glance over Ms. Chen's shoulder and said, "Grandma Pink asked me to pick something up for her today, and I wanted to check on her."

Ms. Chen was unmoved. "Come back another time. She's resting."

In the living room, a half-finished sweater lay on the couch and a cup of tea steamed quietly—everything appeared normal, except for the absence of Grandma Pink. Lin Sanjiu restrained her gaze and pressed on, "I really must see her today. She owes me money for a fortune reading, and I was counting on that to pay some bills."

Ms. Chen sneered, "You've stooped so low as to scam money from a confused old lady?" Wishing to extricate herself from further dealings, she asked, "How much? I'll cover for her this time. Just don't wake her."

The two elderly ladies seemed to share a close bond. Seizing the moment, Lin Sanjiu quickly replied, "Three hundred."

"What kind of service warrants three hundred dollars?" Ms. Chen questioned as she turned to retrieve her wallet. Lin Sanjiu seized the brief distraction to slip into the living room. As Ms. Chen vanished into the bedroom, Lin Sanjiu deftly removed the listening device from her back pocket.

The device needed a covert yet effective placement. Surveying the living room, her eyes landed on a dusty pot of artificial flowers in the corner, seemingly untouched for ages. She strode over and discreetly nestled the device behind the faux foliage. Just as she positioned it, footsteps echoed nearby. She stepped back and looked up, startled.

Ms. Chen stood motionless at the kitchen doorway, her gaze piercing.

Had she emerged silently? Lin Sanjiu's pulse quickened, uncertain of what Ms. Chen might have seen. She was about to muster a smile when she realized the footsteps she had heard were still approaching.

Ms. Chen stood there, her eyes dark abysses, but the footsteps grew louder.

Lin Sanjiu turned towards the sound, only to see another Ms. Chen emerging from the bedroom hallway, clutching a wallet. Shocked, she glanced back to find the kitchen doorway now eerily vacant.

What had she seen? Was it merely a hallucination?

The real Ms. Chen was about to step into the living room. For reasons Lin Sanjiu couldn't explain even to herself, she dove behind the couch, curling up tightly. She heard Ms. Chen's footsteps pause in the living room, followed by a puzzled murmur, "Hmm?" as if she noticed Lin Sanjiu's disappearance.

In the silence, breathing rapidly, Lin Sanjiu pieced together the unsettling puzzle.

Even if Ms. Chen was a guest, why would her wallet be in another person's bedroom at Grandma Pink's house?

Time was not on her side for lengthy contemplations. Since she had chosen to hide, she needed to remain unseen. After a tense pause, Ms. Chen's footsteps moved towards the door. Reflected in the TV screen, Lin Sanjiu could see her scanning the room, evidently searching for her.

"Where did she go?" Ms. Chen muttered to herself.

Lin Sanjiu hastily got on all fours, creeping silently to the space behind the sofa. Luckily, the sofa was not pushed against the wall, leaving a narrow gap. As Ms. Chen passed by the front of the sofa, she remained oblivious to Lin Sanjiu quietly maneuvering behind it. By the time Lin Sanjiu peered out, Ms. Chen was opening the door, presumably to search the hallway for Elizabeth.

With Ms. Chen's back to the living room, Lin Sanjiu seized the moment to rise and tiptoe into the hallway. Her youth and agility gave her an advantage over the slower Ms. Chen. As the door clicked shut behind Ms. Chen, Lin Sanjiu sprinted into the bedroom.

Inside, Grandma Pink lay on the bed, her eyes closed, seemingly asleep or unconscious. Beside her, Pink lay still.

Both appeared like dolls placed side by side, oblivious to the intruder. If not for the subtle movement of Pink's chest, Lin Sanjiu might have gasped aloud. Just then, the sound of Ms. Chen's footsteps nearing sent her diving under the bed, into a dusty realm cluttered with miscellaneous items.

Ms. Chen entered the bedroom, murmuring to herself, "How could she disappear into thin air?"

Lin Sanjiu held her breath, her ears attuned to the sounds of Ms. Chen rifling through drawers. Uncertain of what Ms. Chen was looking for in Grandma Pink's bedroom, she watched shadows and light shift as items were tossed carelessly, their thuds echoing, yet the figures on the bed remained undisturbed.

What was Ms. Chen doing? What had happened to the grandma and grandson?

Lin Sanjiu's anxiety mounted as the bedsheet above her was suddenly lifted, letting a sliver of light pierce the dusty gloom.

Her heart raced as an expressionless Ms. Chen peered under the bed, her eyes locking onto Lin Sanjiu's. Then, Ms. Chen crawled under the bed, seemingly unaware of Lin Sanjiu's presence.

Lin Sanjiu was paralyzed.

Outside, the commotion continued unabated—drawers being opened and closed, footsteps, and intermittent coughing.

But if Ms. Chen was rummaging through the room, then who—or what—was this thing beside her, fumbling around under the bed?