C24 Covering up

A new round of the game kicked off with Zhang Bufan taking the lead. He grabbed the wine bottle and gave it a spin, the bottle scraping against the floor as it twirled.

It was Zhang Bufan's first time spinning a beer bottle, and he hadn't quite mastered the strength needed.

The bottle kept spinning on the ground, showing no signs of stopping.

"Good lord, when is that thing going to stop? Dude, how hard did you spin it?" Wang Hee couldn't resist commenting.

Zhang Bufan felt a bit helpless; he hadn't anticipated this outcome and regretting it now was pointless.

"It's stopping, the bottle's finally stopping!" Faang Yun exclaimed, clapping Tang Yu on the back in his excitement.

Tang Yu winced from the contact, a fresh reminder of the wound inflicted by the assailant.

"Ouch! That really hurts!" he gasped.

But the pain was soon forgotten as all eyes were glued to the beer bottle, which was gradually losing momentum until it pointed directly at Xia Ming.

Lee Jie and the rest, including Faang Yun, cast suspicious glances at Zhang Bufan. The coincidence seemed a little too convenient.

"Did Zhang Bufan do that on purpose?" they wondered silently.

Sensing their scrutiny, Zhang Bufan gestured helplessly, insisting on his innocence. He truly had just given the bottle a casual spin with no ulterior motive.

"Is my luck really this bad? I just got here and it's already my turn? Fine, I'll take 'Truth,'" Xia Ming declared, a bit taken aback by the turn of events, as he fixed his gaze on Zhang Bufan and Faang Yun.

For Xia Ming, playing the game was secondary; his real interest lay in confronting Zhang Bufan and the others.

So, he opted for the relative safety of 'Truth,' but the group found themselves at a loss for what to ask him.

In the silence that followed, Zhao Xue'er spoke up.

"Xia Ming, have you ever been in love with Su Ru?"

At the mention of Su Ru's name, Xia Ming's face contorted into an expression of both ugliness and panic.

It was clear to all that the mood had shifted, and even Lee Jie's face registered a mix of surprise and concern, though he was far from fearful.

Lee Jie was at a loss as to how Zhao Xue'er had come to know about Su Ru.

He couldn't bear to let his imagination run wild, and he refrained from questioning Zhao Xue'er, forcefully suppressing the urge to speak up.

"Su Ru is a lovely name; it sounds like she must be a beauty. But I don't know her, much less have any feelings for her," Xia Ming said with an awkward smile, trying to conceal his true thoughts. A glint of murderous intent flickered in his eyes – those aware of this matter had to be silenced!

Xia Ming glanced at Lee Jie, standing protectively by Zhao Xue'er, and his expression twisted with indecision. He knew that if he made a move against Zhao Xue'er, Lee Jie would never forgive him.

Lee Jie, sensing Xia Ming's intentions, glared back at him with a menacing intensity.

For the sake of their friendship, Xia Ming reluctantly shelved his plans.

"Oh, is that so? I just heard it through the grapevine that you were acquainted with Su Ru, a stunning beauty. Sadly, it seems she met with some misfortune later on," Zhao Xue'er said, her face a mask of regret. Her true thoughts were hidden, and she inwardly scoffed at Xia Ming's words, finding them grating and absurd.

Her gaze shifted to Lee Jie by her side, and her disappointment deepened. She was consumed by a pain that was hard to shake off.

If Zhao Xue'er had been cautious and torn over her feelings for Lee Jie before, now she saw things with painful clarity.

Zhang Bufan observed Zhao Xue'er's demeanor thoughtfully. He had a hunch about her motives, and it appeared his earlier suspicions weren't entirely off the mark.

The tension between Zhao Xue'er, Lee Jie, and Xia Ming was palpable, with Su Ru at the heart of their conflict.

Zhang Bufan kept a watchful eye on Zhao Xue'er's every move. He had expected her to target Lee Jie during the game, but with Xia Ming's unexpected involvement, even he was puzzled by her intentions.

He smirked slightly, pondering his next move.

As the conversation between Zhao Xue'er and Xia Ming unfolded, Faang Yun and Kang Yu seemed to pick up on something. Yet, they wisely chose to remain silent.

Faang Yun had shifted from his previous lazy and relaxed demeanor while gaming to a more disciplined one.

Tang Yu sensed the awkwardness hanging in the air and decided to try to lighten the mood. "Xia Ming's question is done. Let's get back to the game! I'll spin the bottle this time—I'm worried he might not be able to stop himself."

Zhang Bufan gave a nod, offering no objection. It suited his purpose to watch and learn.

Tang Yu took the beer bottle from Zhang Bufan and gave it another whirl. He had hoped switching players would break the tension, but, as luck would have it, the bottle pointed at Xia Ming again.

"Looks like I can't dodge the bullet today. I'll go for the dare!"

Having learned from the previous round, and fearing Zhao Xue'er might probe further into sensitive topics, he boldly opted for the dare.

Wang Hee grinned mischievously. "A dare, is it? You've got nerve. How about mixing drinks? We've got red wine, beer, and white spirit. Dare to mix them and drink up?"

"What's there to fear? Bring it on!"

Xia Ming, feeling no sense of challenge, boasted confidently.

In the spirit of fairness, Wang Hee proposed that everyone should contribute to the mix, adding whatever they liked.

Once everyone had their say, the concoction was complete. Despite the haphazard contributions, the resulting mixture was surprisingly appealing—a delicate pink hue under the soft glow of the firelight.

Throughout the process, Zhang Bufan had kept a watchful eye on Zhao Xue'er, but she hadn't done anything suspicious or added any unwelcome ingredients.

Zhao Xue'er had let the chance slip by without action, hinting she might have another strategy in mind.

Zhou Hee, with a note of concern in his voice, handed the mixed drink to Xia Ming. "If you can down this, you'll have my respect! But take care—the kick might be stronger than you think. You're in for a rough morning tomorrow."

"What's the big deal?"

Without a second thought, Xia Ming grabbed the glass and downed it in one swift motion. After finishing, he turned the empty glass upside down and placed it on the ground.

"Look, it's all gone. No big deal, right?"

Before Xia Ming could finish his sentence, he collapsed, white foam spilling from his mouth as his body convulsed uncontrollably.

"Xia Ming's in trouble! There's something wrong with this wine!"

Wang Hee was horrified at the sight, his voice filled with panic.

Zhang Bufan sprang into action, rushing to Xia Ming's side. As he administered emergency aid, he demanded answers from everyone present.

"Who's responsible for this? Bring out the antidote now!"

Faang Yun felt disoriented by the abrupt turn of events, yet he was certain the perpetrator was among those seated, playing the game.

Xia Ming's convulsions grew more intense. Despite Zhang Bufan's efforts, without an antidote, there was little hope.

Xia Ming's neck twisted to the left, and then he lay still, motionless.