In Virtual Reality

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As Xu Jin Yi picked up two teeth from the corner, she confirmed with certainty that the victim had been dismembered on the killer's cutting board.
She was at a loss for where to place the extracted teeth, so she left them on the kitchen countertop.
The two lonely teeth lay there, betraying no indication that they once belonged to a living person.

Xu Jin Yi was at a loss for words, and perhaps due to psychological factors, she could detect the scent of blood.

The murderer…

While Xu Jin Yi had earlier conjectured that the house's resident was the rude NPC man, there was no direct evidence to support this theory.

'Let us examine the bedroom for any clues!'

The nearest bedroom to the kitchen was the small one directly across from the dining room.
Xu Jin Yi approached the door and turned the handle, but it remained unyielding.
Her VR glasses promptly alerted her that the door was locked and required a key.

Xu Jin Yi resigned herself to the situation and returned to the living room, where there was a larger bedroom.
This time, the door was unlocked, and she pushed open the wooden door to reveal its interior.

What immediately caught her eye was the wedding photo hanging on the wall, but the man's face on the left had been intentionally painted black, leaving only the bride's face.

And…

Xu Jin Yi switched on the bedroom light, and the bride's appearance became clear to her.
The woman's countenance betrayed no joy, only fear.
She lowered her head slightly, clutching her white veil skirt with her left hand while her right arm encircled the groom.
Her whole being emanated an air of unease and discomfort.

The smile on her face, which ought to have been a natural expression of happiness, was now fixed in a forced, upturned grin, conveying an ambiguous expression between tears and laughter.

Had she applied too much rouge to her cheeks? The rosy hue appeared incongruous with the bride's pallid lips.

Xu Jin Yi leaned in closer to take a better look.

“Bloody hell.” She whispered to herself.

It wasn't rouge.

A handprint adorned her face.
The bride had been slapped hard, causing severe bleeding beneath the skin, and definitely not blush!

Xu Jin Yi narrowed her eyes and furrowed her brow.

Suddenly, the bride in the wedding photo she scrutinised turned her head, locking eyes with Xu Jin Yi.
In a flash, her eyes transformed from black-and-white to bloodshot.
Her eyes overflowed with tears that bore blood and dripped onto the white pillow beneath the wedding photo, painting blood-red flowers.

The bride in the wedding photo remained frozen in that posture and didn't budge an inch.

Xu Jin Yi momentarily strode towards the bed and removed the bloody pillow.

But nothing was there.

She paused, placed the pillow aside, and resumed searching under the sheets.

Still nothing.

She flipped the mattress over.

Nothing.

The palm pad.

Nothing.

Lastly, only the bedboard remained.
Within the gap of the bedboard, Xu Jin Yi spotted a small piece of paper that had been tucked inside.
She retrieved it.

It was a small piece of paper, ripped from a large sheet of white paper and threaded with a thin string to form a “book.”

Xu Jin Yi poised to open the notebook but found that the pages had merged.
On the first page, a paragraph scribbled in pencil caught her attention.

【My Happiness】

Followed by four blank squares.
Xu Jin Yi rummaged around and found a small piece of lead nestled by the wooden post adjacent to her bed.

Could it be a manually entered password?

She sat cross-legged on the ground, ruminating.

Happiness…
Is it the start of happiness? When is that? Could it be the wedding date?

Xu Jin Yi gazed up at the wedding photograph, where the bride, tears streaming down her face, sorrowfully gazed back.

“…”

It just doesn't add up.
When could it be, then…

Abruptly, a cacophonous pounding shattered Xu Jin Yi's train of thought.
She took a deep breath, admonishing herself not to be provoked.
Glancing at her phone, she noted the time from when she had started timing until now.

Less than five minutes.

She rose, retrieved the notebook and lead, and sauntered to the security door.
The pounding continued, growing louder, and through the peephole, Xu Jin Yi discerned the resurrected man's snarling face.

“Hey! You're in there, are you not?” He tightened his right hand into a fist, and the thunderous sound of his blow, akin to a sandbag, striking the security door reverberated.

Despite this, Xu Jin Yi knew he would be unable to force his way in.

“Quick, fetch a knife! Do you wish to witness my death at the hands of that ghost thing again?!”

Xu Jin Yi disregarded the man's impolite manner of speaking, pondered momentarily, and then gazed at the notebook in her hand.
She concocted a plan and resolved to deceive him.

“Apologies,” she spoke softly, feigning weakness, “but the door is currently locked.
I need a password to exit.”

“A password?” The man scoffed and impatiently replied, “Come up with it yourself! What use is your brain for?!”

Xu Jin Yi took a deep breath, remaining silent for a moment before continuing, “But I am uncertain as to what the term 'happiness of the bride' means.
Perhaps it pertains to your wedding anniversary? Can you recall the date?”

“That's irrelevant!” The man slammed the door, the reverberation echoing, and after a brief pause, he impetuously spoke, “June, isn't it? I cannot recall the precise date.
Attempt anything, you have long arms, do you not?!”

Xu Jin Yi responded, “What about when your wife was expecting? That seems more plausible.”

“How would I remember that?!” The man raged, kicking the security door, “Are you not going to unlock it?!! If you do not, I shall kill you!”

After confirming that the man outside was indeed the groom of this household, Xu Jin Yi's voice turned icy.
“Well then, if you're not inclined help open the door, wait for death.”

A murderer, an abusive husband, or a mentally unstable – what sort of person would continue playing with an NPC with these 'buffs'?

Disregarding the man's enraged shouts beyond the door, Xu Jin Yi returned to the bedroom and continued her quiet search for clues.

Once she had finished her investigation, if the female ghost had still failed to kill the guy, Xu Jin Yi would give him a flying kick on her way out.

“Stay calm, stay calm…
first, let's solve the puzzle.” She briefly closed her eyes before recovering her composure.

Let's continue.