Chapter 097: The Hunt

So the killer really wasn’t Zheng Fang?

With the presumed suspect ruled out, everyone grew a little panicked.

Song Wan swallowed and looked at the others. “Did you find any other clues?”

The others exchanged glances, seeming unsure whether they should take them out.

Guo Feng was the first to produce the note he had found, though his expression was a bit awkward: Idol, your singing is really amazing!

Everyone instinctively looked toward—

No, Qin Hui had already been eliminated!

Qing He frowned and took out his own note: Idol, the drama you act in is really wonderful!

Before the others could look at him, Li Fan hurriedly produced his note: Idol, you’re really hilarious!

Wu Jin: Idol, how can you be so good-looking!

Song Wan glanced over them and simply drew out three slips of paper. “I got lucky and found three clue notes.”

At first everyone smiled in sudden understanding, and only then did they look at the contents of the notes Song Wan had taken out.

—Idol, the drama you act in is really wonderful!

—Idol, your singing is really amazing!

—Idol, the variety shows you’ve appeared on are all super hilarious!

Everyone looked at one another, and in the end Qing He was the first to speak. “If we remove the two duplicates, that gives us four... no, five clues altogether.”

But everyone knew perfectly well that they were of little use.

“No!” Song Wan’s eyes widened. “On my last note, it says the variety shows you’ve appeared on are all hilarious! That means this killer may have been on more than one variety show!”

“I can’t even count how many variety shows I’ve been on,” Qing He said first.

He was the host of variety programs, and because his hosting skills had reached perfection, many shows invited him.

Zheng Fang followed immediately after. “I can’t really remember how many variety shows I’ve participated in either.”

Unlike Qing He, Zheng Fang had become a regular guest on every variety show because of his extraordinary comedic talent. He had appeared on even more variety programs than Qing He.

Guo Feng thought about it and raised a hand. “Then the killer definitely isn’t me. Upward, Stars was the first comedic variety show I ever did.”

It wasn’t that he had never done other variety programs, but those had all been competitive shows, tense and serious, with nothing remotely funny about them.

The atmosphere turned a little quiet.

Ding—

Everyone looked up at the ceiling, their expressions serious.

“You still have one minute to vote for the killer, or the director will be taken out immediately.”

Everyone exchanged glances, and in the end Song Wan said, “How about we go in first?”

...

After one round of voting, before the remaining people had even come out, the broadcast sounded again.

“After the first round of voting, the killer has been confirmed as Wu Jin. Wu Jin out, game continues!”

Everyone rushed out of the little room, only to find Wu Jin staring at them in terror, eyes wide, shaking his head frantically when he saw them emerge.

That was terrifying.

Qing He swallowed. “Who voted for Wu Jin?”

Zheng Fang stepped out a little awkwardly. “I still think the killer has to be one of the younger ones. Besides, Wu Jin can sing and act, and as an idol, he’s been on a lot of variety shows...”

Qing He frowned. “Then why not Song Wan?”

Zheng Fang answered without hesitation, “I trust Song Wan!”

Song Wan blinked and explained, “I’ve only been on two variety shows, and one of them I only did one episode of.” After a pause, she added, “So I voted for Wu Jin too.”

“Somehow this feels creepy,” Guo Feng said, rubbing his arm. “I’ve got goosebumps all over.”

The others exchanged uneasy looks, their expressions far from pleasant.

“Next comes the second round of clue searching. Vote again in thirty minutes.”

No one dared waste any time. They hurried off in all directions to look for clues.

Song Wan walked at the very back. Once everyone else had gone far enough, she turned around and returned to the voting room, stopping at the little chamber where Wu Jin had been.

Knock, knock, knock—

“Come in.”

A commanding voice came from inside. Song Wan’s scalp tingled, and she glanced back at the camera with utter disbelief.

“Shi Feng jie?”

Shi Feng was the actress who had played Wu Zetian in the highly acclaimed historical power-struggle drama Empress, the most iconic series of recent years. After the show aired, Shi Feng’s portrayal of Wu Zetian—especially in her later awakening, when her ruthlessness and merciless cunning became utterly unhidden—had frightened a whole generation of children to tears.

The classic scene in particular, where Wu Zetian smothered her own daughter with her own hands in order to frame the empress, was unforgettable.

Even adults like Song Wan had been left with lingering psychological scars from that scene.

If she had not remembered that Shi Feng was supposed to be on her side, Song Wan would have turned and walked away at once.

What was the point of opening this door? What if she got killed inside? She was not Wu Zetian’s daughter!

Song Wan smiled bitterly. Every time she thought about how, in order to frame Zheng Fang, she had claimed the person who kidnapped the director was her own fan, she felt herself going weak all over. She was absolutely going to die, wasn’t she?

Still, she could not not go in.

With a conflicted expression, Song Wan pushed the door open—and was unsurprised to see Shi Feng inside.

“Well, if it isn’t little Song Wan!”

Whenever Wu Zetian was about to kill someone, that was exactly the sort of tone she used.

Song Wan shivered and almost turned to run.

Then Shi Feng suddenly burst out laughing. “Song Wan, you’re just too cute, hahaha...”

Only after seeing Shi Feng laugh did Song Wan finally relax, at least a little. She moved closer. “Shi Feng jie, I really didn’t expect today’s guest to be you.”

That had nearly scared her to death.

Still, thinking of the expressions on the others’ faces when they saw Shi Feng made Song Wan want to laugh.

Because she loved Empress so much, Song Wan had recommended it to everyone she knew. As it turned out, every regular cast member on the show was a fan of the drama, and most of them were especially fans of Shi Feng.

“What are you smiling about?” Shi Feng asked curiously.

Song Wan couldn’t exactly say, because I’m happy thinking about how everyone else was scared stiff when they saw you, could she? She quickly changed the subject. “Shi Feng jie, how did you eliminate Brother Qin and Wu Jin?”

“After they went into the little room, I went in after them and tore off their name tags.”

To make it easier for Shi Feng to launch a surprise attack, the little room didn’t even have a door, only a curtain blocking the view inside.

“Then you...”

Song Wan paused, then quickly figured out the key to it.

After everyone entered the little room to vote, Shi Feng had slipped in after them and torn off their name tags. After that, she had simply stayed inside. And because the others did not know there was a guest on the show today, once they saw everyone standing outside, none of them thought to check the little room.

By then, Song Wan understood: Shi Feng was the ally the production team had arranged for her.

Song Wan: Could I maybe not have her? I do like Shi Feng jie, but I really do not want to be on a team with her. She’s too scary!

Shi Feng turned to look at her. “I’ve wanted to ask from the beginning—seeing that it’s me, are you unhappy?”

Faced with the exact same threatening expression Wu Zetian had worn on screen, Song Wan was almost moved to tears. “Shi Feng jie, you’ve misunderstood. How could I possibly be unhappy?”

I’m just afraid of you!

Shi Feng nodded. “That’s more like it. I’m this beautiful—how could anyone not like me?”

Song Wan: Shi Feng jie, is this level of narcissism really okay?

Because the line was so unlike Shi Feng’s usual image, Song Wan nearly lost control and blurted out a retort.

Thank goodness! Song Wan patted her chest in secret.

“What, you have a different opinion?” Shi Feng’s gaze drifted lightly over to her, the threat in it unmistakable.

Song Wan hurriedly shook her head. “Shi Feng jie, you’re the most beautiful woman in the world. No one could possibly not like you! You’re the kind of woman who can even conquer an emperor!”

Shi Feng was satisfied at last. “You know them better than I do, so tell me—who would be most advantageous to eliminate next?”

Who would be most advantageous to eliminate? Of course it was Qin Hui. He was too clever; if he lived too long, he would definitely figure out that she was the killer.

But clearly Shi Feng thought the same, which was why she had eliminated him first.

Song Wan considered it, then looked at Shi Feng seriously. “Brother Zheng. He may seem all smiles and jokes, but in truth he’s sharper than most people.”

It was just that he trusted Song Wan too much, and had never once suspected her.

But he absolutely could not be left in the game any longer. The longer the game went on, the more chances Song Wan would have to slip up.

Shi Feng nodded. “I’ve worked with Zheng Fang before. He really is smart.”

“I’ll find a way to lure him in front of you, Shi Feng jie. You have to make sure you tear off his name tag.”

Worried that Shi Feng might not have ever torn off a name tag before, Song Wan even taught her how to do it quickly and efficiently, and only then did the two of them leave the little voting room.

The hunt had officially begun.