A Game World! Rise of the Quadruple Server Lord

The screen disappeared, leaving the ten individuals currently in the room to their thoughts. 

Some even began to stare at the others, contemplation and confusion etched on their faces. Yet it was difficult to read anything other than those that proved to be see-through. 

A loud click suddenly ensued and a door formed on the wall and opened with a creaking sound that pulled their attention. 

[YOU HAVE ONE HOUR TO EXPLORE THE HOUSE AND FIND YOUR KILLER! TEST OF WITS SHALL NOW BEGIN]

With the announcement of the Server, the ten people, led by Kenhi, headed towards the door. 

"I think we should stay in groups of two". 

He said, suddenly turning around on getting to the front of the door. 

The others glanced at each other, and then at him before Jonn asked. 

"Why?" 

"If one of our partners goes missing, then we know who the killer is, and we can protect ourselves in the possibility that they want to come after the two of us". 

His answer was simple yet understandable. 

"We'll come back here in fifty five minutes to determine who the killer is after exploring". 

The others nodded and the two sisters, who were already partners beforehand, walked through the door first. 

"you have a point". Goliath interjected as he turned towards Paxton, but it seemed like someone else had their eyes on him first. 

"Zachary, was it?" Dollina asked as she walked up to him. 

Paxton glanced at her, his brows arched. 

"Yes?" 

"Partner with me". She said with a smile. "I saw you at the first test. You were the first to kill one of those creatures, weren't you?" 

Her sudden question seemed to have grabbed more attention as the people present in the room turned towards him. 

"Wait?! Really? That's awesome, Zachary. We didn't even know those things could be killed like that" Kenhi screamed out in excitement, though Paxton didn't seem pleased. 

He glanced at Dollina and then at Bryan. 

"I already have a partner". He replied as he walked up to Bryan and grabbed him by his arm. "Bryan and I are classmates in school so there shouldn't be any complaints here". 

He ignored their stares and stood next to the door, folding his hands and turning around to face them. 

"Well? Won't you go in?" Kenhi asked with an intrigued gaze but Paxton shook his head in reply. 

"I'd rather go last". 

The group seemed to have tensed up from his statement until Ferralo and Zan walked in together. 

Dollina sighed as she walked up to Goliath, a smile on her face. 

He nodded without needing to hear her question and both walked in next, leaving Jonn and Kenhi. 

"Oh, would you look at that…" Kenhi said teasingly as he walked out with Jonn through the door. 

"You better behave yourself, young boy". 

"Oh, come on….we can't even stay together for long". 

Their voices faded, leaving Bryan and Paxton together in the room. 

Bryan seemed to have been staring at Paxton until a while ago, questions bubbling in his head until Paxton stood up from the wall. 

"Let's go". 

On passing through the door, Paxton felt an overall warmth envelop his body, and a false sense of space warping around him. 

His gaze suddenly landed at a chimney, in a dim-lighted room. 

The room seemed empty, with a wooden floorboard and portraits hung up on the wall. 

Above the chimney were the trophy heads of a deer and a bear. 

Paxton's gaze lingered on it before turning towards the long and wide staircase that led to other parts of the mansion. 

The rest of the group were also in the room, looking around as well. 

"Should we split up?" Kenhi asked, his tone laced with hesitation. 

It's natural for a killer to strike when the group has been separated and thus asking was a good choice….or perhaps a terrible one since he would become a suspect. 

"Split up? Won't we make things easier for the killer?" Risa asked, tension etched in her voice. 

"It would….but, in the case of the…" 

Goliath stopped as he glanced around. 

'What a pain. If I reveal information on the blue task then everyone might be aware of who the killer might be. If we decide to choose just anyone, then the one who dealt the final blow becomes the Killer with the red task…' 

It was indeed, a delicate matter. 

"Why don't we reveal information that should be acceptable to all of us with the blue task?" Dollina asked, grabbing their attention. "We know the killer is amongst us and the rules do state that we have to explore the building and cover it up. Splitting up would be the best bet so let's have our suspects remain here and have a trusted aide watch over him or her". 

It was natural that an individual given a blue task would be different from one given the Red one and so would the rules. 

"Oh? That way we can feel at ease….but who would do the watching?" 

"I will," Goliath replied. "Though, I won't be with you, Dollina". 

"No worries, we still have to figure out the killer". 

A tense silence ensued after her statement, their gazes scanning the room and the people around them. Paxton turned around, his thoughts reeling in. 

'No furniture, no chandeliers or expensive decorations….there's a gun and some weapons displayed on the wall but it'll be too obvious….' 

He thought to himself. 'Wonder what the killer would decide to do in a situation like this'. 

"What's the first instruction given to us as blue tasks?" 

Kenhi asked and walked towards the chimney. 

"One at a time, come forward and reply". 

With his instructions, Risa went up first, then her sister and soon every other person in the room. 

Bryan was about to walk up next when Paxton held his arm, his brow arched at him. 

Bryan stared in confusion before pulling away and walking towards Kenhi. 

Dollina and Goliath watched this incident in silence, glancing at each other in curiosity. 

Finally, it was Paxton's turn, and he stood next to Kenhi at this point, their gazes locked on each other. 

"Whisper the answer to me". He said. 

Paxton leaned in and replied. 

"Never stay in the same room with a teammate for too long". 

He backed off and walked away after Kenhi gave him the go-ahead. 

For a moment, he stood perplexed, his brows furrowed in deep contemplation. 

"What's wrong, Kenhi?" Dollina asked. 

"No….it's just that….we all got it right". 

He replied. "Though….one of us did seem suspicious in the end". 

Dollina raised a brow. "What do you mean we all got it right?" 

"It is as I said….I think we can assume that one of us is working with the killer?". 

They all turned towards Paxton and Bryan, but Bryan confusingly stared back at them. 

"I didn't! There's no way I would". Bryan said while Paxton remained silent. 

"Well, who was the most suspicious?" Dollina asked and Kenhi turned towards Zon. 

"I'm sorry, Zon….but your reply was too vague. You'll have to remain here while the rest of us explore as we were instructed". 

Zon sighed but complied and soon the group of ten had split up. 

Two remained in the room with the chimney while the others went to explore the mansion. 

Paxton and Bryan started with the ground floor, silence suffused between them on their way through the hallway. 

They got to a door which Paxton opened and entered, a small smirk exuding from the corner of his lips. 

"This is what a kitchen used to look like?" Bryan asked in surprise as he walked in and inspected the Victorian-style old school kitchen. 

There was a heated stove at the far corner of the room and a tray of cutleries aligned on a wooden counter. 

What caught Paxton's attention, however, was something else. With a nod, he walked in and headed towards the object of importance. 

"It's funny, you and I were just in class the other day". Bryan spoke up in silence; their backs turned behind each other while they focused on their self-interests. 

"Yeah, to think we would be given this chance". 

"That's what I thought as well. I can finally pay my family for all the good they've done for me…" Bryan smiled wildly at the thought. 

"I can't wait to get back". 

Paxton's gaze flicked to the sides where Bryan stood now. 

"Hmm…neither can I, though, for different reasons". 

He looked away, his gaze lingering on the stove. 

"Let's go take a look at the other places, shall we?" 

"Yeah. The ground floor seemed like the easiest to explore at first but I want to see the rooms as well". 

Without a hint of hesitation, Bryan walked up to the door first, leaving Paxton to his own devices. 

He lingered behind for a moment, his gaze shifting to the shiny, clean object in his clothes before heading to the door. 

'The killer would have to try really hard to get me'. He thought as a smirk formed on his lips. 

'Oh, he would have to try really hard'.