Middle-aged Uncle: ["A split personality disorder patient? So he has multiple personalities inside him? No wonder he looks different now. Could one of his personalities have taken over?"]

The live stream chat was buzzing with discussions.

Just then, someone commented:

["Hey everyone, look at the stream! Jiang Ran is making contact with the old man from Room 301 again!!!!"]

...

At this moment, Jiang Ran was preparing to leave the apartment to enjoy some freedom.

As he passed by Room 301, the door opened.

The hunched figure of the old man from Room 301 appeared again.

"Jiang Ran, do you have time? Could you help this old man with something?"

Jiang Ran stopped in his tracks, tilting his head with a strange smile. "What is it, uncle?"

"Oh, just that my light bulb exploded. Could you replace it for me again?"

The old man from Room 301 came prepared this time. Last time he only had five tasks ready.

After Jiang Ran escaped last time, the old man had carefully planned thirty tasks this time.

He refused to believe Jiang Ran could complete them all this time.

Last time you escaped, but not this time. He would erase that humiliation.

"Sure, uncle, no problem."

Jiang Ran strode into Room 301.

Seeing his prey take the bait, the old man from Room 301 smirked coldly.

But as he followed Jiang Ran inside, something occurred to him.

The Jiang Ran he saw today felt different from before, though he couldn't quite pinpoint how.

"Never mind, he took the bait. He's dead today!"

Inside Room 301:

"Jiang Ran, the new bulb is on the sofa. The broken one is in the living room."

"Got it, uncle."

Jiang Ran worked with his usual efficiency, quickly replacing the living room bulb.

Before he could even step down from the table he was standing on, the old man spoke again:

"Jiang Ran, I'm really hungry now. Could you cook me a meal?"

After climbing down, Jiang Ran checked his phone.

2:30 AM.

The incident with those two foreigners had only just settled.

Putting away his phone, he smiled. "Of course, uncle."

And so Jiang Ran began cooking.

The old man from Room 301 obediently sat on the sofa, waiting to eat while watching Jiang Ran work.

Jiang Ran started preparing the meal.

The old man's fridge was surprisingly well-stocked.

Jiang Ran set up the pan, turned on the heat, poured oil - before it even got hot -

He dumped in a chaotic mix of unwashed, uncut vegetables, fruits and meats all at once.

Tomatoes, potatoes, spinach, pork, beef...

Creating one big mess.

Jiang Ran stirred the concoction with an evil grin.

Soon the "dish" was ready.

Jiang Ran brought the entire pan to the table.

The old man stared at the food in shock, wrinkling his nose - he'd smelled something odd while Jiang Ran was cooking.

When he stood up from the sofa and saw what Jiang Ran had made, his eyes nearly popped out.

"This... this..."

What was this disgusting, multicolored, blackened monstrosity?

Last time Jiang Ran's cooking was mediocre but at least edible.

But this? Was this even food?

Just a jumbled mess of ingredients...

"Uncle, time to eat!"

Jiang Ran served him a bowl of rice that had only been cooked for ten minutes - still hard and undercooked.

Chopsticks were provided.

Everything set before him.

Jiang Ran stared intently at the old man.

The old man from Room 301 forced a smile. "Alright, I'll eat. But there's something else I need your help with!"

Jiang Ran: "What is it?"

Old man: "Could you clean my apartment?"

Jiang Ran: "No problem. But I need to see you eat my cooking first. After you finish, I'll feel better about cleaning."

The old man looked down at the half-raw rice and the pan of culinary horror.

He swore internally never to touch it.

Eating this would land him in the hospital.

He smiled. "No need, you can clean while I eat. We'll do both at once."

Jiang Ran shook his head. "No, you eat first. I worked hard on this meal for you, uncle! Wouldn't refusing it be disrespectful?"

The old man was speechless.

Was he really stuck here?

Did he actually have to eat this?

Jiang Ran hadn't refused to help - he just set eating this abomination as a condition.

Jiang Ran was exploiting a loophole.

Not technically violating the murder rules.

A stalemate ensued.

The old man sat motionless at the table, head bowed, while Jiang Ran stood arms crossed, looking down at him.

Time ticked by.

Suddenly, the old man had an idea. "Jiang Ran, why don't we eat together?"

The old man's murder rule required getting people to do tasks in his apartment.

Refusal meant death.

Though inviting someone to eat together wasn't exactly a "task."

But cornered, the old man had no choice.

Jiang Ran beamed. "Great!"

He served himself a bowl of rice and sat down. "Let's eat, uncle!"

Old man: "Mm."

Jiang Ran: "You go first!"

Old man: "No, you first!"

Jiang Ran: "No no no, you take the first bite, then I'll eat."

Trapped, the old man reluctantly took a bite of the rock-hard rice.

So tough he could barely chew it.

"Uncle, have some dishes!"

Jiang Ran encouraged.

The old man had no choice but to take a bite of the grotesque mixture.

The taste was revolting, but he forced it down.

"Your turn, Jiang Ran."

The old man grabbed a glass of water to rinse his mouth.

But Jiang Ran said, "Oh, I'm not hungry. I won't eat."

Fury surged through the old man - he'd been tricked!

You made this disgusting mess and won't eat it yourself, but tricked me?!

Then he realized - Jiang Ran had violated his murder rules! He could attack now!!!

Though even the old man felt this trigger was stretching his usual rules.

But Jiang Ran was too troublesome - he'd make an exception!

The old man already planned:

After subduing Jiang Ran, he'd force him to eat every bite of his own disgusting creation!

That'll teach you to torment an old man!!!

"Take your time, uncle, no rush."

Jiang Ran said cheerfully.

And as Jiang Ran smiled,

The previously hunched old man sitting at the table

Slowly straightened his posture before Jiang Ran's eyes.

Then, gradually, the old man stood up.

Standing straight as a pine tree.

Back perfectly erect.

His full height reaching 175cm.