<h4>Chapter 22: Murder by Midnight</h4>


    <strong>Trantor: </strong>Lonelytree <strong>Editor: </strong>Millman97


    Chen Ge mped his mouth to prevent himself from making a noise. When he saw the body, he immediately messaged He San. “Call the police now!”


    There was no light in the staircase, and a door stood between them and Chen Ge, so the viewers had no idea what was happening. Then again, Chen Ge had no time for them at a moment like that. He leaned closer to the crack, with nary the courage to even blink.


    <i>The body is hidden inside the wall, and that’s what they’re trying to dig up, </i>Chen Ge thought to himself. He did not dare make any sudden movement. He was in a very vulnerable position; the few tenants were only several steps away from him. They would have spotted him if they turned around to walk into the room he was hiding in.


    “Are you ying with sand at the beach? Put some muscle into it!” Thendlord cursed as he walked over to the body. Heid the gunny sack open on the ground and squatted down to clear away the cement around the body. Probably afraid that they might wake up the other tenants, their movements were light and didn’t make any sound.


    The wall was pried open, and the cement dust fell all over the ce. Everyone was sweating profusely, but it was unclear whether it was a nervous sweat or sweat from the manualbor. They shared the work, but since this was the first time they had done something like this, everyone was still feeling a bit weirded out, which slowed down their progress considerably.


    Ten minutester, they finally managed to extricate the body from the wall and ced it inside the gunny sack.


    “Fatty, you stay back to clean up the mess; the rest of us will take her up the hill to bury her.” Thendlord passed the hammer over as he gave the orders.


    “I’ming with you!” the rotund man said immediately. This whole exercise had drained him both physically and mentally; he didn’t have the guts to be left all alone in the dark.


    “Would you man up a little?” Thendlord turned to say to the only woman of the group, “Then, Juan Er, you stay back to apany him; we’ll meet up at the same ceter up on the hill.”


    Then he went down the stairs carrying the gunny sack with the tattooed man.


    His footsteps were alternatively heavy and light on ount of his limp. When he passed the room Chen Ge was hiding in, he suddenly stopped.


    “Why is there so much cotton on the floor?”


    Chen Ge’s heart was at his throat when he heard that question from thendlord. When he tore the dolls open, some shredded cotton and paper pieces had inadvertently fallen on the floor. At the time, it had been too dark for him to notice them, and now, it was toote for him to retrieve it.


    “It’s probably just rubbish. We’ll deal with itter, this thing is heavy; let’s deal with the more important matter first,” The tattooed guy who was behind him, urged. Thendlord nodded, and the two continued on down the corridor and the stairs.


    “Fatty, don’t just stand there, start working.” The woman and the fat man worked together to pick up all the trash and wiped away the blood stains that were left on the tools. Several minutester, they also went down the stairs hauling a hug sack.


    Their footsteps gradually disappeared. It was not until the third floor became totally quiet that Chen Ge dared to breathe. He was cautious as he leaned to look through the crack. The corridor was dark and empty. Everyone had left.


    <i>F*ck! That scared the crap out of me.</i>


    He waited for another three minutes. When he was sure they were noting back, Chen Ge inched out from behind the door and walked out on tip-toes. To prevent discovery, he did not use his the phone. He ced his hand on the wall and slowly found his way forward.


    <i>Based on their conversation, yes, those people aren’t totally innocent, but the female body in the wall doesn’t seem like it has anything to do with them.</i>


    If anything, they were a certain kind of unlucky. After seizing the old man’s property, they were left with a body in the wall to be dealt with. The first reaction for any normal individual under such circumstances would have been to call the police, but since they each had a crime they were hiding from, they could not do that. In the end, they had no choice but to help the real murderer keep this a secret, and now they even had to help the murderer bury the evidence.


    <i>No wonder thendlord reminded me multiple times to not wander around the building after dark.</i>


    After Chen Ge’s eyes got used to the darkness, his speed increased. He could not wait to get out of the building. Chen Ge decided to give up on his backpack and directly went down to the first floor.


    <i>F*ck!</i>


    The front door was locked, meaning he was trapped inside the building.


    <i>These people still remembered to lock the door even when they were going out to bury a body? </i>A twinge of fear curled up within Chen Ge’s heart. <i>The windows on the first floor are all fixed with anti-theftting, and the ones on the third floor are all barred with wooden nks, so my only route of escape is through the windows on the second floor.</i>


    The longer he stayed inside the apartment, the more anxious he felt. Chen Ge clutched the mallet in his hand as he returned to the second floor. The corridor looked ominous in the dark like the gaping maw of a monster.


    <i>This is too quiet. </i>Chen Ge’s room was next to thendlord’s, which was at the deepest end of the corridor. He was tense, afraid that any of the room door would suddenly open. Holding his breath, Chen Ge slid silently down the corridor to his room.


    <i>Thankfully, there were no surprises. If I tie the bedspread together, it should be long enough for me to jump out the window and reach the first floor. </i>Chen Ge found his key and used his phone’s torch to locate the keyhole. As he was about to stick the key in, his hand froze.


    <i>Where is the hair that I stuck in the keyhole?</i>


    His hair stood on end and fear swamped Chen Ge on all side. His limbs were frozen solid.


    <i>Someone has gone inside my room! They know I’m not in my room!</i>


    Chen Ge’s breathing turned rapid; he felt like there was a piece of ice stuck in his lung.


    <i>When did they get in? After digging up the body? Or when they saw the cotton on the floor? </i>In reality, the answer was not that important. Chen Ge took several steps back, and he gradually calmed down, staring at the closed door of his room. <i>I can’t go into the room; they’re probably waiting inside to ambush me!</i>


    Chen Ge got used to the situation fast enough thanks to his powerful heart. He had to get out of that ce as fast as he could or else he would be in mortal danger. Chen Ge did not make any noise as he took further steps back. He knew clearly, other than the windows on the second floor, there was no other exit out of the apartment.


    Making as little noise as he could, Chen Ge retreated to the right most corner of the corridor, this was the ce was the farthest from his room.


    <i>These tenants are far more dangerous than I expected. Whether I’ll be able to survive tonight or not all depends on this gamble! </i>Chen Ge gritted his teeth and raised his mallet to knock heavily on the door lock of the most right-hand side room.


    The curious silence of Ping An Apartments was shattered. Chen Ge mmed on the lock like he was crazy. Following the loud bangs, the individuals that he had no interest of seeing at all appeared.


    The door to room 208, the room that Chen Ge had rented, was shoved open. The tattooed guy and thendlord rushed out of it brandishing an iron hammer and a cleaver. They dashed at Chen Ge with scary expressions!


    <i>Please open!</i>


    The lock finally snapped under pressure, and without hesitation, Chen Ge kicked the room door open!