Clearly, the key was right there.


    After taking a sip of water and munching on a piece of candy, Carol began to rx.


    Quinn let out a sigh of relief and copsed on the ground. Tears streamed down her face as she hugged Carol tightly, crying, "Carol."


    Once Carol regained herposure, she burst into tears.


    Terrified, she sought refuge in Quinn''s embrace, trembling all over.


    "It''s okay," Quinn whispered, trying tofort her.


    Steven nced outside indifferently. "Gotta hurry."


    They had to leave this ce immediately.


    Everyone had been released. Snd soon enough, the lunatic orchestrating everything behind the scenes would make his next move.


    "Do you fancy yourself a savior? Or perhaps a god..." That voice echoed again, filled with fury.


    "They''ve harmed you. Yet, you''re bent on saving them. You''ll regret your choices sooner than you think."


    The warning was clear. Saving those people would only result in them seeking revenge on Steven.


    Steven stared coldly at the room''s speakers and cameras, a smirk ying on his lips. But, he remained silent. For some reason, I felt a chill down my spine.


    Was Steven genuinely trying to save these people, or did he want to watch them turn on each other? Just letting them starve to death? That was too simple.


    Their sins deserved something more brutal. They should suffer in fear before being slowly tortured to death.


    I startled myself with that thought and quickly looked down, sping my hands tightly. "Let''s get out of here."


    As we reached the dining area, those folks had devoured everyst bit of food.


    Yasmin had set aside some extra food, and she had hidden away most of the weapons, only letting a few people have them.


    After dinner, everyone remained rtively calm, and someone spoke up on their own, "What''s going on? Can anyone exin?"


    I knew the guy speaking from the group photo at the orphanage.


    Standing beside Howard, he looked like the oldest among us orphanage kids, named Mark Cruz. He was thest one adopted by a working-ss couple from a smallpany.


    He seemed decent now. But, I couldn''t shake the feeling. They were all wolves in sheep''s clothing.


    "It looks like everyone''s done eating." The eerie voice echoed in the hallway.


    "If you want out of here, you gotta head downstairs. This is the 18th floor


    make i


    the building. Only those who


    it down to the first floor alive get to leave ya.


    "Now, the countdown begins, 30 seconds... The whole floor will be filled with carbon monoxide..."


    The voice from the speaker sounded like the Grim Reaper himself, sending shivers down our spines. "30, 29..." The countdown started.


    Panic spread as everyone scrambled to find an exit on this floor.


    "Hey, lunatic! Who the hell are you to trap us here?" someone yelled in fear.


    Some started to lose it, going mad.


    I nervously nced at Steven.


    He and Joel remainedpletelyposed.


    As for Yasmin and Michael, they were nowhere to be seen when I turned around.Content is ? by N?velDrama.Org.


    Had they already found the exit? And didn''t bother telling anyone? Damn it.


    "Steve... are we gonna make it out alive?" I nervously gripped Steven''s hand.


    Steven nced at me, his voice carrying a weighty undertone. "Stephie, you''ll get out... you''ll make it out alive."


    My heart sank in that instant. If only one person could make it out alive. Did Steven want me to survive?


    "Oh... I forgot to mention." Suddenly,


    the countdown stopped, and the


    ice came again. "I''m right b


    you all. I could be anyone.


    "20, 19, 18..."


    I gripped Steven''s fingers in fear. The murderer was among us, maybe me, maybe Steven, maybe Joel, maybe anyone.