The two of them scrambled over the pile of corpses, the most horrific ordeal they had ever faced. Even the workers at the morgue, who dealt with bodies all day, had likely never done such a thing. But what choice did they have? Without scaling this mountain of flesh, they couldn't reach the basement, and if they didn't reach the basement, Xiaoyu’s heart would never find peace. The saying went: bring the living back alive, and the dead back as a corpse. Xiaoyu had already made up his mind: if he couldn't find Wenshu in the basement, he would come back and turn every single body over, digging three feet deep if necessary, just to find her.

As they climbed, the two analyzed who might have killed these people and why they had been moved here to be hidden. Usually, those who killed for the sake of killing only sought the final result; they didn't bother with concealment. Only those with ulterior motives would try to cover up their atrocities after a massacre. They analyzed for a long time but reached no solid conclusion, only to finally pass the mound of bodies and stand before the basement door.

Looking back now across the corpse pile toward where Zhang Yuqiu had been standing, the spot was empty. Xiaoshu let out a deep sigh of relief, thinking that cunning, seductive woman had finally departed.

“How do we open this?” Xiaoyu nudged the door, finding it firmly shut, and elbowed the dazed Xiaoshu. Xiaoshu held up his two hands, glistening with gore, and said, “You need to figure something out.”

Seeing his companion so grievously wounded, a sudden wave of guilt washed over Xiaoyu. If he hadn't been so insistent on finding Wenshu, Xiaoshu wouldn't be injured like this. He patted Xiaoshu’s shoulder and offered an apology.

“It’s nothing, men aren't supposed to be so delicate!” Hearing this, Xiaoshu grew slightly embarrassed and quickly shifted the subject, nodding toward the door. “Check if the lock is broken. If it is, just kick it open.”

This lock was completely different from the previous one; it had no handle, being an old-fashioned pin tumbler lock, likely with a copper key. If they were to use force, kicking was the only option; the previous high-pressure water gun trick was absolutely useless here. Xiaoyu kicked the door hard twice, but it remained immovable, as if anchored by Mount Tai. When he tried to kick again, his foot went numb, and he couldn't exert any strength.

“If Huagu were here, she could probably open this lock,” Xiaoyu said, glancing at Xiaoshu with a hint of frustration.

“Huagu isn't here, but we can still try. My hands can’t touch the bodies anymore. Search through that pile for a thin plastic bag or a safety pin—a paperclip would work too,” Xiaoshu said with a slight smile. Xiaoyu knew he had an idea brewing and didn’t ask further, complying and starting his search through the corpses.

He began by moving the bodies on top, one by one, then rummaging through the pockets of the deceased. In no time, he pulled out an assortment of odds and ends. Keys, wallets, and mobile phones were common enough, but unusual finds included half-eaten biscuits, a half-finished Rubik's Cube, and a lightweight folding umbrella.

“Wait…” Seeing Xiaoyu toss a three-fold transparent umbrella aside, Xiaoshu called out, “That’s it, that’s the one.”

So Xiaoyu retrieved the umbrella and, following Xiaoshu’s instructions, carefully stripped the canopy fabric from the ribs, then bent off the thinnest steel wire from one of the ribs. Using this wire, he painstakingly threaded the thin, light umbrella fabric into the keyhole. When it wouldn't go further, Xiaoshu told him to bend the wire in half, one section above and one section below, then gently twist it clockwise. With a soft click, the door swung open.

As the air from the outside rushed in, a swarm of flies, carrying a foul stench, buzzed out of the doorway, nearly causing both of them to faint from the odor.