We live in an old neighborhood that was built over 20 years ago. Most of the residents are tenants, and there are very few property owners.

The building has a total of six floors, and there is no elevator installed.

On the first floor, Apartment 102 is occupied by one person. They also bought a storefront and renovated it to connect with their apartment.

Apartment 202 on the second floor is occupied by one person as well.

On the third floor, there are two households. Apartment 301 and 302 belong to the same family. The elderly couple used their life savings to buy the neighboring apartment for their son, so that it would be convenient for him when he gets married.

In Apartment 302, the couple's son lives. He is 30 years old and still unemployed. In reality, he always hides behind his parents and rarely speaks. His gaze is unpredictable, but he is quite active in online groups, always making incomprehensible remarks.

The fourth floor also has two households. I have never met the residents of Apartment 403, not even when they order food delivery. They always ask the delivery person to leave the food at the door and wait until they leave before going out to pick it up. I only found out from chatting with neighbors that a middle-aged man lives there.

Apartment 404 is where the person with dyed blonde hair lives. We suspect that he is a murderer.

On the fifth floor, there are also two households. One is Apartment 501, where a couple used to live but have passed away.

The other household is Apartment 503, occupied by a beautiful woman. However, we haven't seen her for a week, so she is probably on a business trip.

On the sixth floor, there is only me living alone.

202 and I, equipped and cautious, quietly open the door, trying to suppress our breath.

As long as we can reach the entrance of the first-floor unit, we can be saved.

The corridor is eerily quiet.

With each step, I prepare myself to fight desperately if I encounter the murderer.

After all, I am 175 centimeters tall and used to be in the sports team during high school, so I am stronger than many petite girls.

But unexpectedly, the journey goes smoothly.

"Click."

The lock cylinder of the unit door makes a piercing sound. 202 and I exchange a smile and push hard.

However...

The iron door doesn't budge.

It has been locked from the outside.

We immediately think of climbing out through the stairwell windows!

But when we go to the stairwell, we realize that all the windows have been nailed shut at some point.

No matter how hard we try, they won't open.

Jumping from my sixth-floor apartment window would either result in death or severe injuries.

Although Apartment 202 is on a lower floor, all her windows are securely fitted with anti-theft bars to prevent burglaries.

We feel desperate.

At this moment, the entire building feels like a large slaughterhouse, with the murderer hidden behind that locked door, staring at his prey.