When Yue Nu mentioned the random distribution, the atmosphere became tense.

Guo Jimei spoke first, "How can this be? If this item were to fall into the hands of a ghost, wouldn't they be able to use it to identify one of their own?"

Li Yibai looked at Guo Jimei. "You can shut up now. Lin Qi didn't find the voting slip in your dormitory. The seventh vote for Li Wentao was most likely cast by you. You probably followed us last night, voted, then threw the slip away and pretended nothing happened. As it stands, you're the prime suspect for being the ghost. So, quit blabbering."

Hearing this, Guo Jimei's face reddened. "I already said I didn't vote last night, and I have no idea why the slip is missing! The voting slip disappearing is actually disadvantageous for me, because its presence would prove I didn't vote!"

"Maybe, maybe she…" Guo Jimei shifted her gaze towards Yuan Qinghua as she spoke.

At this time, Yuan Qinghua also turned her head. Their eyes met.

Seeing what was happening, Gu Mian slightly furrowed his brows.

Realizing Yuan Qinghua was looking at her, Guo Jimei seemed scared. She twisted her neck and continued, "And my opposition to Yue Nu randomly distributing this 'prop' is also for everyone's good. Compared to giving it to someone whose identity—whether they're a civilian or a ghost—is unknown, I think it's better if it stays in Yue Nu's hands."

At that moment, Gu Mian abruptly spoke up, "Yue Nu did the right thing. We all know that this 'prop' is in her possession. If she continues to hold it, she might get killed tonight before she can even use it. But if she randomly gives it to someone now, the ghost won't know who holds the item that can reveal identities and will hesitate when selecting a victim tonight…"

Gu Mian didn't voice the rest of his thoughts.

The ghost wants to kill the person holding this 'prop,' yet it doesn't know who actually has it. Therefore, it will definitely try to test others, and in doing so, the ghost is very likely to expose itself. Making the prop's distribution public could lead to a double gain tonight: a ghost might expose itself through its actions, and another's identity might be revealed by the prop. The benefits of this far outweigh those of keeping the prop hidden.

However, the risk would also increase.

Of course, there was another possibility... After all, Yue Nu was alone for a while just now. Who knows if she really has this so-called 'prop'?

Gu Mian stroked his chin. That 'prop' might just be something Yue Nu fabricated. She could be using this to observe if anyone acts suspiciously, or perhaps to execute some plan.

As for what plan...

Guo Jimei stopped talking, perhaps conceding that what Gu Mian said made sense.

Yue Nu stacked the seven small paper squares she held and pinched them between her thumb and forefinger. She looked at the other seven people in the room. Among them, who could the ghost be...?

The most conspicuous was the green-clad doctor with a guitar on his back, named Gu Mian—a rather expensive-sounding name.

She didn't understand why he was so particularly fond of his guitar; he didn't even put it into his inventory, just carried it on his back like that, apparently not finding it tiring at all.

At that moment, he was stroking his chin, seemingly lost in thought.

Just then, Yue Nu saw Gu Mian raise his head and look towards her. She hurriedly averted her gaze to look at the others.

Meiren Chu was sitting in the seat behind Gu Mian. She didn't quite understand why a grown man would have such a strange name.

His face was expressionless. Due to the angle of the light, Meiren Chu's glasses reflected it, making it hard for her to see his eyes clearly.

Sitting opposite them was Yuan Qinghua, the class monitor of Second Year, Class 9—the same class as Zhang Pingfan, who was still missing but confirmed to be alive.

Due to the equipment room incident, the relationship between Yuan Qinghua and Guo Jimei had become very distant. This distance was largely one-sided, coming from Guo Jimei; Yuan Qinghua, on the other hand, seemed to still want to reconcile with Guo Jimei, who had been scared out of her wits.

Currently, Guo Jimei stood in the corner farthest from Yuan Qinghua. 007 was beside her, apparently deep in thought, and Li Yibai had been by 007's side the entire time. It was clear he and Lin Qi were very close, though the Lin Qi of now was not the same person she once was.

Keke, who seemed clean and harmless, leaned against a window not far from Yue Nu.

When Yue Nu saw where Keke was standing, she frowned. Keke was blocking the spot where she had put her phone.

Seeming to notice Yue Nu looking at her, Keke turned. "What's the matter?" she asked.

Yue Nu quickly said, "It's nothing. Let's distribute this random 'prop' now."

She raised her hand as she spoke. "Since my original intention is to prevent the ghost from knowing who has the 'prop,' please don't open it right away or tell anyone else what you received."

Seeing that everyone agreed, Yue Nu slowly rose to her feet.

First, she approached Keke, who was closest to her.

After receiving the item, Keke immediately clenched it tightly in her hand.

Next was Yuan Qinghua, then Gu Mian, and then Meiren Chu.

Finally, it was the three in the corner: 007, Li Yibai, and Guo Jimei.

Yue Nu nervously observed everyone.

She saw that no one opened theirs, except for the green-clothed doctor, whose expression was somewhat audacious. He casually held the small paper square between two fingers, looking completely indifferent.

It was as if he didn't care at all what he was holding.

Yue Nu even suspected that if it weren't for saving face, this doctor might casually toss the light little square into a nearby trash can.

"Alright," Yue Nu said, taking a step back. "The items have all been distributed. Everyone must wait until you are alone or absolutely sure no one else can see before you look."

Time flew quickly.

The light outside the window had turned a pale yellow. The sun could set at any moment, classes were about to end, and the daily marathon scramble for dinner was about to begin again.

After Yue Nu finished distributing the items, the classroom lapsed into silence for a moment.

Everyone seemed to be contemplating how to discreetly check the item in their hand.

But this rare silence was soon broken—a cheerful bell rang out.

This was probably the most refreshing sound of the day.

At the signal of the bell, hundreds of students rushed out, the sound of their shoes scraping against the cement floors echoing throughout the entire school, clearly audible even in Gu Mian's classroom.

They didn't have to participate in this scramble for dinner, but an even more terrifying contest awaited them after eight o'clock tonight.

Amidst the background cacophony of hundreds of students' shoes scraping the ground, Yuan Qinghua hesitantly asked, "So, what should we do next?"

At this moment, Li Yibai, who was beside 007, suddenly spoke up, "I say… aren't you all hungry? I've been holding it in for a long time now, but it seems like… none of you look very hungry?"