Paintings of Terror

Chapter 142: Trusting Intuition to Live

New members who had already been informed of the death rules couldn’t help but gather together in a panic, looking at Mu Yiran witlessly, as if waiting to be told what to do.

Mu Yiran pondered for a moment, and raised his eyes to look at the crowd. “At present, we don’t know the conditions of the death selection in this painting. We can only take preventive measures as much as possible.”

“Those who have already determined the world they correspond to, stand in front of that world and act according to the situation. If the situation isn’t good, you can choose to make a narrow escape through the door.”

“Haowen corresponds to a hidden world. Since it was triggered by the world corresponding to Ke Xun, you can stand in front of the Tiger Learns a Skill door with Ke Xun.”

“Luo Wei’s corresponding Fire Boy world hasn’t been triggered yet, so you should first stand in front of Dr. Qin’s door, whose world is also a paper-cut world.”

“For those who aren’t sure about the world they correspond to—Qi Qiang,? Huang Pi, stand in front of Wei Dong’s world, which is also a puppet style animation.”

“Li Yaqing and Wei Miao, your props are more ancient. Maybe one of you will correspond to the world with the sea and the ancient city. You can choose to stand behind this world or choose to be with your companions.”

“Zhang Lifeng, your prop style is the most difficult to define. Longan cores may be ancient or modern. I can’t make a decision for you. You can choose to stand in front of the world where Zhao Haicui died, or you can choose to be with your companions.”

Perhaps it was because Mu Yiran had always given everyone the feeling that he was always very reliable and credible, that no one had any objections to his arrangements. Li Yaqing and Wei Miao stood in front of the ancient world with the sea and the city, and Zhang Lifeng stood in front of the door where Zhao Haicui had died.

“Meow! What about you?” Ke Xun asked hurriedly.

Mu Yiran corresponded to Hailibu, which was an unopened hidden world. Therefore, he could only choose to stand in front of the door that might lead to his world.

With almost no clues, all choices were simply based on luck.

Mu Yiran quietly glanced at Ke Xun. Suddenly the corners of his mouth hooked up slightly, and he said in a gentle voice, “Since you said your instincts have always been accurate, then this time, you will choose a door for me.”

In this way, his life was handed over to him.

Ke Xun stared at him with a gleam in his eyes, and he suddenly smiled with his lips curled up.? “Meow, I intuitively feel that you can walk out of the painting alive no matter which door you stand in front of. In that case, it’s better to stand together with me.”

Mu Yiran quietly strode toward him with long legs, raised his hand, and gently covered his soft, fluffy, and fur-like head. “Good.”

Everyone had chosen their door. But without knowing what the rule of death selection was, there was still a chance everyone might die tonight.

The veteran members who had lived on the edge of life and death were already calm, sitting by their respective doors.

Wei Dong even took out his mobile phone and started taking selfies, saying that he wanted to take a handsome photo of himself prior to death. Ke Xun said that you’re turning into a fat puppet, so what handsome? Wei Dong said that at least he’s not going around trying to imitate cat sounds, so now say meow like a cat for brother…

As these two people went back and forth with each other, the few newcomers who were on the verge of collapse gradually relaxed. Ge Lei asked about their experience in the first few paintings.

The veteran members were silent for a moment. Ke Xun finally smiled and said, “There’s not much to say about our experiences. From your perspective, we look like five old cats, but to be the longest living cats, those who are cowardly, selfish, unlucky, timid, who aren’t good at thinking under pressure, none of them will survive. I hope this will give you some inspiration, meow.”

Ge Lei looked at those five veteran members. Indeed, Qin Ci was mature, Zhu Haowen was calm, Wei Dong had a professional arts background, Mu Yiran had a high IQ and profound knowledge, and this Ke Xun, although his face alternative between cool and naughty and silly, he seemed to carry a kind of warmth and strength in his body that made others couldn’t help but become infected by him, making them willing to follow him with courage and hope.

Ge Lei also smiled and clenched his fists to cheer himself up. “From the movies, only people who are bold live to the end. The more timid someone is, the faster they’ll die, and the more selfish people are, the more terrible their death will be. Even if you don’t have the protagonist’s halo, at least strive to be an important secondary lead to survive by your own efforts.”

Ke Xun waved his paw. “Believe in yourself, you can do it! Who isn’t the protagonist of his own life, meow!”

Right after he said this, the lid of the prop box in the middle of the room suddenly opened with a snap. Everyone instantly quieted, and they all cast nervous gazes at the box.

Ke Xun and Mu Yiran got up almost at the same time and walked to the box. Qin Ci, Zhu Haowen, and Wei Dong followed close behind. Luo Wei took a step slower, and Ge Lei thought for a while and soon followed.

Inside the box was a paper and a pen, and on the paper was a sentence: Please write down the name of the cartoon that corresponds to your prop.

They all looked at one another, each filled with a mix of emotions. Qin Ci said in a deep voice, “Could this be the rule of death selection?”

“No, I’m more inclined to believe that the death rule is triggered according to our circumstances,” Mu Yiran said. “Last night, we weren’t asked to write down the title of the cartoon that corresponds to us. Instead, Zhao Haicui was killed. Perhaps, the first death condition is for people who don’t return to this room before 11 o’clock. If everyone has returned to this room as required, then this second death condition will be triggered.”

“But Zhao Haicui isn’t the only one who hasn’t returned to this room last night,” Zhu Haowen said. “Does this mean that the people who meet the conditions for death will be killed at random?”

Suddenly, Qi Qiang pulled out his sword and pointed it at Qin Ci. In a panicked, sullen voice, he demanded, “You–you should think about it for me, which cartoon does my sword belong to?! Hurry up and think about it; otherwise, I’ll kill you!”

Li Yaqing also tugged on Luo Wei’s sleeve and choked out, “What should I do? What should I do? I don’t know which cartoon my prop belongs to. Am I going to die?!”

Zhang Lifeng and Wei Miao were also panicked. They looked at Qin Ci and Ke Xun, and then finally transfixed their desperate gazes on Mu Yiran.

The profound and wise Mu Yiran, the prefix of whom’s name could now only be changed to who-has-never-watched-a-cartoon-Mu Yiran…

Ke Xun felt very sorry for his boyfriend. How could a childhood be complete without having watched cartoons? What kind of childhood did he have?

Taking a step forward to stop the two of them from looking at Mu Yiran so beseeching, he said, “Meow, if you want something done well, then do it yourself. Don’t tell me that you two also haven’t watched cartoons when you were young?”

Mu Yiran: “……” The word “also”….Was this kid really protecting him?

Wei Miao mumbled, “I’ve seen The Blue Mouse and the Big Faced Cat, and I also liked Pleasant Goat and Big Big Wolf. I’ve also seen a little bit of Shuke and Beta, but I’ve watched Tom and Jerry the most…”

“…Dare I ask if you only like cartoons with couples, meow?” Ke Xun asked. “You only choose cartoons with couples in the title…”

After saying this, he looked at Zhang Lifeng, who hesitated. “I watched more Japanese cartoons, like Captain Tsubasa, Baseball Hero, Prince of Tennis, Slam Dunk…”

“….” Ke Xun handed them the paper that listed all the old cartoons Qin Ci could remember. “There’s no way. Choose one from below, meow.”

Zhang Lifeng and Wei Miao knew that they couldn’t be difficult and force others, and so their eyes fell blankly onto the paper.

Ke Xun looked at the two trembling dragon horns on Wei Miao’s head, and then looked at the paper with the list of cartoon names written on it. Suddenly, he said, “There shouldn’t be too many dragons in old cartoons. But because it’s been too long, Brother Qin and I can’t remember the contents of these cartoons clearly, so we can’t be sure whether there’s a dragon in them or not. But I have a way that’s not really a way. Give your life over to me, meow, and I’ll help you choose.”

Wei Miao hesitated for a long time and finally nodded with difficulty. After all, if she had to choose for herself, she would really have no idea.

Ke Xun looked for Luo Wei and asked for a piece of paper. He then divided the paper into several smaller pieces and wrote down a cartoon name on each piece. “These cartoons are all cartoons that might have dragons, but I can’t guarantee this. Nor can I guarantee that any of these titles will be the one that you actually correspond to. Right now, I can only rely on something that has kept me alive–my intuition has always been accurate and my luck has always been good. Now, I’ll mark these, meow, and use intuition to draw one. You use whichever is chosen. Do you dare to use this method, meow?”

Wei Miao said with a bitter face, “You take one first, let me see.”

Ke Xun stared at these signed notes for a while, and finally took one out. He unfolded it and read, “Nezha Roils the Sea.”

“How about this, meow?” Ke Xun looked at Wei Miao.

Wei Miao hesitated and didn’t speak for a long time.

Ke Xun ignored him and took the lead in writing his own corresponding cartoon title on the paper in the box.

Mu Yiran, Wei Dong, and Zhu Haowen followed right after him, but Qi Qiang was still pointing his sword at Qin Ci, forcing him to come up with a title for him.

“There are many cartoons with swords.” Qin Ci looked at him helplessly. “Even there are swords in Nezha Roils the Sea. I vaguely remember that Calabash Baby’s serpent spirit also uses a sword. Ancient period cartoons like The Wondrous Child of Mount Hua and Monkey Wrecks Havoc in Heaven may have such props, but I can’t really remember the details. There’s no way to give you an exact answer. Even if I can, because you’re threatening me to give you a title, how can you trust my answer?”

Qi Qiang knew that Qin Ci was right.? He wasn’t sure whether Qin Ci would deliberately tell him the wrong answer under this kind of threatening circumstances.

Qi Qiang’s face twitched, and sweat gradually broke out on his forehead. He put the sword away and turned to look at Ke Xun. “Use your intuition to give me a title.”

Ke Xun shook his tail sharply. “Meow, do you think I have a supernatural power? My intuition isn’t always accurate.”

“Cut the bullshit! Hurry up and give it to me!” Qi Qiang was on the threshold of death and was in a hurry to find anyone or anything that might help make him feel less helpless.

Ke Xun picked out a title from the pieces of paper he’d marked and Monkey Wrecks Havoc in Heaven was written on it.

In the end, only Li Yaqing and Huang Pi were left. Luo Wei took the paper with the list of titles and looked at it for a while. Pushing up his glasses, he raised his eyes to look at Mu Yiran. “I have an idea. Let me know if it’s right.”

“Speak.” Mu Yiran looked at him quietly.