There's definitely something wrong with this murder mystery game

Xu Shuo not only revealed his own identity, but he also didn't mind disclosing the content of the script he had received.

"I'm not a formal employee of the amusement park. I just took a part-time job there during Valentine's Day because she said her position didn't have a holiday. So, I figured I might as well spend the holiday working at the amusement park in a different way," Xu Shuo said with a look of helplessness.

"..." The female tourist was still digesting the information.

The victim was also an employee of the amusement park, and one of the ticket sellers for the Haunted House.

Valentine's Day was a peak period for the amusement park. It made sense that the victim could not take a holiday; however, on the day she died, she seemed to have taken a leave.

But she didn't take time off to meet her boyfriend; instead, she went to the Haunted House alone.

This made the victim's behavior quite intriguing.

"What about you?"

Suddenly, the young man who had just finished sharing his circumstances looked at her and asked, "The photo timestamp shows that you entered the Haunted House at five o'clock and stayed inside for more than ten minutes before coming out."

This Haunted House was not a big facility. Normally, each group of visitors could complete a tour in less than five minutes.

The female tourist paused, then brushed the hair from her forehead behind her ear and blinked with a smile: "I was looking for a thrill with my boyfriend in there."

Xu Shuo: "..."

"However, there was actually another situation," the female tourist said, her finger on her chin as if in deep thought. "While we were kissing, I always felt that the bloody smell in the Haunted House was a bit strong. The zombie prop in the corner looked incredibly real."

"Where did you find it?" Xu Shuo asked.

"This place," the female tourist pointed to the photo on the promotional column.

The spot where her fingertip rested was the corner where the victim had collapsed.

The interior of the Haunted House formed an M-shaped touring passage, where visitors would enter from the entrance, walk through the designated pathway for a tour, and then exit through an exit near the entrance.

The place where the victim died was in the middle of the M-shaped passage, found among a fence of lifelike zombie models.

By saying this, the female tourist had as good as indicated that when they entered at five o'clock, the victim had already been murdered.

The zombie model they saw was actually the victim.

...

[But besides the taste of mint chewing gum in her mouth, she also smelled a strong scent of blood. When she opened her eyes and looked to the side, she was immediately startled by the pile of lifelike zombie models.]

["That model is made so realistically, it's scary," she said, but her boyfriend didn't mind.]

[After fooling around for a while longer, they continued on, but the image of the zombie model lingered in her mind as she clung tightly to her boyfriend.]

[After they exited the Haunted House, she pulled out her phone to check the time. It was exactly five fifteen.]

...

"I see, if what you are saying is true, then your suspicion could indeed be excluded. Moreover, the time of the murder could be narrowed down somewhat," Xu Shuo nodded as if it were a matter of great significance.

"And what were you doing at that time?" the female tourist asked with a half-smile.

"There weren't many visitors around four o'clock, so I just leaned against that big tree over there and dozed off until the Park Director came to find me," Xu Shuo said, pointing to a distant tree. "We talked about wage settlement on the spot, then the security guard from the Haunted House came over."

To the north of Central Square were the restaurant and leisure area, to the east led to the amusement park's entrance, and both south and west were paths leading to deeper amusement facilities, with a large piece of wooded greenery in the center.

Employees dressed as mascots were usually active in Central Square or roaming between various attractions.

The amusement park wasn't very big or busy. After 5:20 pm, the number of visitors suddenly dropped, and the park reverted to its usual closing time to save electricity; by four o'clock, there were very few visitors left.

Therefore, the behavior of the promoter could be seen as slacking off.

And as for his movements, the photos on the promotional column could testify that he had been leaning there without moving.

"Oh~"

The female tourist thought for a moment: "Then the reason you were suspected of being the murderer is likely because of your identity as the victim's boyfriend."

"Perhaps, after all, as someone close, I can hardly be free of suspicion," Xu Shuo said, spreading his hands with a slightly helpless expression.

"But in comparison, the ticket seller's act of entering the Haunted House at that time is even more suspicious."

"The security guard was also absent for a period."

Standing beside the promotional column, the two were trying to deflect suspicion from themselves and onto others. However, after discussing for a while, they still hadn't seen the other four people return from the security room.

The Haunted House was in the western passage. If they had gone to investigate the Haunted House, they should have passed through Central Square, but they still hadn't come over.

It can't be that they were trying to climb over the wall...

After thinking it over, the two decided to go have a look.

"What was there when you went over?" Xu Shuo asked as they walked.

"What else could there be? Just a gate and walls blocked by an electric fence, and a security room with only a computer inside," the female tourist said with a pout.

"A computer, huh..." Xu Shuo mused.

He originally followed the others intending to join in on the excitement, but upon casually glancing over and noticing the photo posted on the promotional column, he came over to look at the photos first.

According to the mysterious person who had kidnapped them, they had to go to the security room to inform him after finding the evidence of the murderer, and then he would let them leave.

And here on the promotional column, the action tracks of everyone were posted, along with photos of the victim, equivalent to providing them with clues.

But actually, there was an even more convenient way to provide clues.

Surveillance footage from the amusement park!

There are many photos on the bulletin board that are surveillance images. The mysterious person wanted them to find the murderer themselves, so it made no sense that they wouldn't release the surveillance videos as well.

...

When Xu Shuo and his companion approached, sure enough, they saw those four people crowded in front of the computer, staring intently at the screen.

There were three fixed night-vision cameras installed inside the Haunted House; one at the entrance passage, one at the exit passage, and one in the middle.

Although there were blind spots, they could at least clearly see the passages.

But after watching for a long time, they didn't see how the victim had entered the Haunted House, or how they had died there.

The Haunted House surveillance had not captured the victim or the murderer!

It made sense, if it had, this case would have already been cracked.

From four to five-thirty, the surveillance footage remained unchanged, with no one entering the Haunted House. The only thing captured was the Central Square cameras, which showed people entering and leaving through the main entrance.

"The surveillance was tampered with in advance. It was a premeditated act, and the fruit knife that stabbed the victim was actually taken by the victim himself," the male security guard said in a deep voice.

Beyond the Haunted House's surveillance, they also looked at the cameras from around the amusement park.

Unexpectedly, the murder weapon, the fruit knife, was taken by the victim herself around four o'clock from the Park Director's office!

After hiding the fruit knife, the victim left the office, passed through Central Square, and finally, her figure disappeared in the corner of the "Rapids Advance" ride, right next to the Haunted House.

But there was no footage of her entering the Haunted House.

"There's a side door to the Haunted House. It's very likely that the murderer entered through there since the corner is blind to surveillance," a male tourist commented.

"Considering that, we've all appeared on the surveillance now. I only went into the Haunted House to check on the props, as you saw, and I came out in less than five minutes—barely enough time for a crime!" the female ticket seller declared confidently.

"My girlfriend and I were just playing inside, we can vouch for each other, and we don't even know the victim, let alone have a motive to commit the crime!" the male tourist continued.

"Oh, I can definitely vouch for that."

Just then, the female tourist walked into the security room, her smile teasing as she said, "All this guy did was cling to me and make out in the Haunted House for ten minutes; aside from that, he did nothing."

Upon hearing this, everyone felt a bit awkward.

The male security guard continued, "I had little opportunity to commit the crime. At four-thirty, I went over to 'Rapids Advance' to chat with someone, and didn't come back until five-thirty to turn off the Haunted House's power with the ticket seller. My route can be verified by surveillance."

Leaning lazily against the doorframe, Xu Shuo said, "I've been asleep the whole time, which can also be seen on the surveillance."

After he spoke, the room fell silent for a while.

Finally, their gazes unanimously turned to the Park Director, who was standing beside them.

"Hey, hey, hey, check the surveillance!"

The Park Director hurriedly interjected, "I only came in from outside the amusement park around five, and then I went straight to talk with the mascots. Clearly, I had the least time to commit the crime."

The security guard pondered, "But the victim entered your office and took the fruit knife from your coffee table."

The Park Director's fruit knife was the murder weapon!

And there was another question—why would the victim, just a regular amusement park employee, so naturally walk into the park's administration, take a small knife used for peeling fruit from the Park Director's office?

And altering the Haunted House surveillance content, something the Park Director, as an amusement park administrator, could certainly do!

In the end, the only time he was seen on surveillance from outside the park was the short duration from the entrance to Central Square!

So what was he doing at other times?
Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire

It was completely unknown!

The doubts were just too numerous!

"Actually, it's not necessarily true that the Park Director is the murderer."

As the suspicions grew, Xu Shuo suddenly spoke up on his behalf, "The victim's act of taking the fruit knife from his office is too conspicuous, and it's possible the victim was threatened by someone and deliberately created this illusion. Or the victim may have sensed danger and came here to take the fruit knife for self-defense—both are possible."

The Park Director looked at him gratefully when he heard someone speaking up for him.

But then, as if suddenly thinking of something, a subtle and slightly odd look flashed through the Park Director's eyes. However, he quickly looked down and covered it up.

The others also became thoughtful upon hearing this.

But with such speculation, almost everyone had an alibi, and everyone could find a way to rid themselves of suspicion.

Yet among these few people, someone must be found as the murderer!

"Speaking of which, is there something we're all forgetting?"

At that moment, Xu Shuo continued, "Apart from the six of us, there might be another person in the amusement park!"

"Hmm?" the female tourist suddenly became alert.

"What about the mysterious person who kidnapped us? Is he really completely innocent?" Xu Shuo said seriously, "Is there a possibility that he is actually the real murderer? He just needs one of us to take the fall and close the case, which is why we have this kidnapping scenario today, with the purpose of making us nominate a false murderer!"

"?!!"

With that, the five people were instantly energized!

Could there really be such a maneuver?!

...