Returning downstairs, I found that the majority of survivors this time were people who had escorted their neighbors home.

Everyone gathered together, chattering and discussing with each other.

Some said that their neighbors were very kind and made delicious food.

Some said they received gifts from their neighbors.

And some of those who didn't appear were probably considered as gifts from the neighbors...

After resting for two days, the old man sent a notice saying that tonight, all residents should hide the brat's ball upstairs together.

"The brat is playing ball everywhere, which is affecting the neighbors' rest, so you need to hide the ball."

"The brat has many balls, but there's only one he likes to play with the most. You need to find that one and hide it. If you make a mistake, the brat's father will immediately appear. If he appears, then you will most likely be trapped in that room forever."

"When hiding the ball, you must not leave that floor. Remember not to hide it in the neighbors' homes."

"It's safe to hide the ball. You can only pass the test when the brat admits defeat."

"If the ball you hid is found by the brat, all of you will die."

After the old man finished explaining, I turned around and looked at all the residents.

"Has anyone here ever stayed at a house with children as a guest?"

"No, the house I stayed in was an elderly person's."

"I'm a young guy."

Everyone carefully recalled, one by one, and confirmed that they had never stayed in a house with children.

No neighbor that had appeared, I pondered.

In the evening, we gathered upstairs and used the process of elimination to exclude the neighbors' houses we had been to.

What remained were the rooms where no one had been or the rooms where no one had returned alive.

I signaled everyone to be quiet and listen carefully. The old man said the brat likes playing ball, which disturbs the neighbors.

Playing ball creates noise, so we tried to avoid the rooms we hadn't been to. If we encountered a room where the occupant didn't wear shoes, that would be disastrous.

"Thump, thump, thump, thump, thump, thump."

A sound resembling a bouncing ball came, and we followed the sound to Room 4017.

Everyone looked at me, afraid to make any rash moves.

Am I being treated as the leader?

It seemed that no one dared to knock on the door, so I gathered my courage and did it myself.

"Knock, knock, knock!"

After knocking, I stood to the side.

Soon, the door opened.