The Bizarre Detective Agency

Chapter 188: The Room of Colored Passages

They all stood behind the door. Lu Li closed it, cutting off the view of the ocean and the two gazes fixed upon them.

Owen couldn't help but glance at Lu Li. Aside from being soaked to the bone, he showed not the slightest sign of agitation.

"Not a hint of doubt or confusion... You're a truly remarkable man," Owen remarked.

"...?" Lu Li simply looked at him in silence.

The narrator's voice echoed in their minds: "Every comrade is precious. We are strong when united. But when we are forced to separate, will we be broken one by one, or will we overcome all obstacles?"

This room contained no gloomy swamp, no towering labyrinth, no raging sea. Instead, five colorful passages appeared before them. As the narrator's voice faded, everything became clear.

"Try to pass this trial on your own."

Lu Li could see the passages. This was no illusion; the five colored corridors truly existed.

"I choose red!" Doma declared. Without waiting for Owen's analysis, she slung her weapon over her shoulder and charged into the red passage. The red wooden door slammed shut behind her.

"Then I'll take the blue one, if no one minds?" Frank, who dreamed of the sea, asked the others before stepping into the blue passage. The blue door closed behind him as well.Without a word, Daniel stepped into the pink passage. Owen had thought he would fight Lu Li for the black one.

"Well then, every man for himself," Owen said, deciding not to waste time on analysis, and entered the green passage in the middle.

Once everyone had gone their separate ways, Lu Li looked around and walked into the black passage.

The door creaked shut behind him.

Doma glanced back at the closed door. When she turned around again, a ghostly figure materialized in the passage before her.

"You must pass the test to proceed," a cold, raspy voice echoed.

"I'll pass by defeating you!" Doma swung her weapon, striking the figure with all her might.

The wooden dwarf puppet passed straight through the ghostly figure and fell to the floor.

"It's useless. To pass, you must solve a riddle," the same voice said again. In response, Doma struck once more.

...

Frank stumbled and ducked, dodging a fist flying at his face. He lost his balance, however, and fell with a painful thud. Lifting his head, he saw another fist coming right for him.

"Father, what are you doing?!" Frank cried out.

The fist paused for a moment, then slammed forcefully into Frank's right cheek.

Clutching his swelling cheek, Frank stared in bewilderment at the figure before him. "Why are you here... Father? And why did you hit me?"

Standing before Frank was a middle-aged man who resembled him. He looked like an older Frank with a beard, who hadn't washed in months. Frank's father wore an expression of disappointment, but his voice was Tristan's.

"Son, have you forgotten the dream of our Stan family?"

...

"I haven't forgotten!" Daniel, who was usually quiet and preferred it that way, shouted in a trembling voice. "But this evil spirit... it's too powerful."

"And that's a reason to retreat?" a shrill female voice demanded. A female figure hovered before Daniel.

"Is that a reason to abandon your revenge and allow the murderer to continue its evil deeds?"

"I haven't retreated..." Daniel muttered, his head bowed. "Human potential is limited. In my short life, I've learned one lesson: the more you scheme, the more you realize that a man's abilities are not limitless..."

His body was trembling, but not from fear. A frightening fanaticism was etched on his face.

"Unless you transcend humanity."

...

"Such naive thoughts..." the figure, an exact copy of Owen, said scornfully. "Admit it, you're just a cowardly and worthless weakling. Intellect is useless in the face of power!"

"Then you're a weakling too," Owen retorted with a sneer, dismissing his double's words. "Many people have said things like that to me. Thanks to them, no matter what I do, I'm constantly doubting myself."

"But that's all it is—doubt. I will no longer let the words of others dictate my life! Not even if those words are my own!"

...

Lu Li stood at the entrance to the silent black passage. For a long time, nothing happened.

The silence stretched for several minutes until a voice finally broke it. "Sorry, I was just with Owen. You can just go through. The next stage is the final trial. You can wait for the others and enter with them."

Tristan spoke casually.

Lu Li nodded and walked down the short black corridor to the other end. Opening the black door, he stepped out of the passage and looked at the other four tightly shut, colored doors. "How are they doing?"

A few seconds later, Rachel's voice replied, tinged with concern. "They're trying to overcome their challenges... I think."

...

"Alright, I'm ready to hear your riddle," Doma said, breathing heavily. The neck of the wooden puppet was pressed against the floor.

"Ducks and rabbits together have 100 heads. The ducks have 80 more legs than the rabbits. How many ducks are there in total?"

"What is this?"

"A riddle."

"Who came up with it?"

"I won't let you kill Tristan. Now answer the question."

"One."

"Incorrect."

"Two."

"Wrong."

"Three."

"...Are you going to guess every single number?"

...

"And why not?" Frank wanted to put his hands on his hips, but fearing another blow from his father, he cowered instead. "I'm working as a woodcutter to save up for a ship. Isn't that in line with the ideals of our Stan family? I am following them!"

"How much have you saved?"

"Seventeen hundred shillings."

"And how much does a seaworthy ship cost?"

"Probably a hundred thousand..."

A slap rang out.

"Ow... What was that for?..."

...

"You want to use their power?!" The cold female voice was filled with astonishment.

Daniel smirked, a look of vengeful satisfaction on his face. "Isn't this what you wanted? For me to be consumed by hatred and lose myself..."

"But that's madness!"

"It's not madness, because I've realized it's possible. To use their own power against them..."

...

"Do you really think so?" Owen, knowing this was a test, was trying to show his best side. Though he couldn't understand how they knew about his secret thoughts.

"I'm no longer a child who gets into a fight over a few hurtful words."

"...You've passed the test. You've conquered your inner weakness."

The green door creaked open.

Under Lu Li's watchful gaze, Owen emerged from the passage with a relaxed expression on his face.