"Penelope, you're shaking. What's wrong?" Kristin asked after using the toilet.
Penelope didn't want to frighten Kristin, so she just told her not to eat anything the man offered her.
"But I'm so hungry."
"You'll have to endure it!"
The man called for them from outside. Penelope took a deep breath and led Kristin out.
With the rain still falling and no sun, the room was dim. A single, sallow-yellow light hung over the dining area, casting an oppressive, gloomy atmosphere.
The man was sitting there and turned to smile at them.
In the dim light, his smile looked utterly sinister.
"Weren't you hungry? Come and eat."
Afraid of arousing his suspicion, Penelope had no choice but to lead Kristin to the table.
On the table were two plates, each holding a pan-fried steak that smelled fragrant and looked tempting.
After they sat down, the man stood up and pushed the plates closer to them.
"My cooking is not too bad. You should try it."
Penelope thought of the severed limbs on the bed. This meat couldn't be…
The thought sent another shiver down her spine.
"Aren't... aren't you eating?" she asked him.
The man shook his head. "I've already eaten. I'm not hungry."
"Actually... I'm not hungry either." Penelope pushed her plate away.
The man frowned at her refusal but didn't say anything. He just looked at Kristin and encouraged her to eat.
Kristin was already swallowing her saliva, but remembering what Penelope had told her, she held back.
"She's not hungry either!"
Penelope pushed Kristin's plate away as well.
Now the man looked genuinely annoyed. "She just said she was starving, so I went to cook. Now that it's ready, you're suddenly not hungry? Are you messing with me?"
"No, that's not it! She's allergic to meat!"
"Allergic to meat?" The man was skeptical. "It's not some mystery meat. It's beef."
"Ahem, actually, I have a black belt in kickboxing."
The man looked confused. "Why are you telling me this all of a sudden?"
Penelope stood up. "I was just thinking... it's a bit boring. How about I show you some of my moves?"
The man pressed his lips together, his expression one of someone dealing with a crazy person.
"Watch this. I'm really good."
Penelope moved to an open space in the living room and began a series of complex moves. She hoped to intimidate the man, make him hesitate before trying anything.
Right now, all she could do was stall for time.
She finished one routine, started another, and was about to begin a third when the door burst open.
A dozen police officers stormed in. With lightning speed, Penelope pulled Kristin to her side and hid behind them.
"It's him! He's a murderer!"
The man was completely bewildered. "I'm a murderer?"
"Don't even try to deny it!" Penelope pointed to the small room on the east side. "I saw everything! All that blood... you've probably killed more than one person!"

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