The Silent Scream of Huai Nan University

The sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the ancient Huai Nan University campus. The labyrinthine buildings, dating back centuries, were now a shadowy maze under the moonlight. Inside the Main Library, a hush hung in the air as students flipped through pages of old tomes and whispered among themselves about the mysterious events that had begun to unravel on their campus.

Li Wei, a third-year student of computer science, was hunched over a computer terminal in the back of the library, his eyes glazed over by the screen. He was deep into a programming challenge, but his mind kept drifting back to the unsettling rumors that had spread across campus like wildfire.

"The Labyrinth Killer," some called him. They said he'd started leaving behind riddles in the places of the murders. Each one was more chilling than the last. The most recent was found at the site of the latest incident, a cryptic message etched into the cold, marble floor.

Li's best friend, Xiao Yang, had been missing since last night, and his disappearance had sparked panic among the students. Xiao was a philosophy major with a knack for unraveling complex puzzles. He'd been obsessed with the Labyrinth Killer's riddles, but Li knew he was no match for this killer's intellect.

The library door creaked open, and in walked the new professor, Dr. Wang. He had an air of mystery about him, his deep-set eyes scanning the room before settling on Li. "Li Wei," he said, his voice low and urgent, "I need your help."

Li's heart raced. "Help with what?"

Dr. Wang approached and whispered urgently, "The killer is leaving new riddles. The next one is about to appear. If Xiao Yang is going to make it, we need to find it first."

Li nodded, his mind racing with the implications. "Where?"

"Outside," Dr. Wang replied. "The labyrinth. And you have to do it alone."

Li hesitated, his stomach twisting in knots. He knew he was stepping into the lion's den, but Xiao's life was at stake. "I'll go," he said.

The labyrinth was dark, the air thick with humidity and fear. The ancient stone pathways wound through towering trees and towering stone walls, casting long shadows that danced like sinister specters. Li's breath came in quick pants as he pushed deeper into the maze, each step echoing through the emptiness.

The air grew colder as he ventured further into the heart of the labyrinth. The darkness seemed to close in around him, a suffocating embrace. Suddenly, he heard a whisper, faint but insistent, calling his name.

Li's heart pounded. "Xiao?"

The voice grew louder, and he turned to see a shadowy figure standing at the end of the path. It was Xiao, but something was wrong. His eyes were wild, and his clothes were torn and bloody.

"Xiao, what happened?" Li called out, moving towards him.

Xiao's face twisted in a scream, but no sound came out. Li reached for him, but the boy was suddenly gone. In his place stood the figure of a killer, cloaked in darkness and silence, a twisted smile etched across his face.

"Who's there?" Li demanded, raising his voice to be heard above the cacophony of his own panic.

The figure raised a hand, and a message appeared before Li's eyes: "You must answer my riddles, or Xiao dies."

Li's mind raced. He had to solve this riddle, whatever it cost. He turned to the walls, searching for the next clue. The words were there, faint but legible: "The silence speaks the truth. The silence is a scream. Find the truth in the silence."

Li's gaze flicked to Xiao's torn clothes, and then to the ground at his feet. There, in the dirt, was a footprint, a clear outline of a human foot.

"Footprint," he whispered to himself, a glimmer of hope igniting within him.

The figure appeared again, this time standing in the shadows of the labyrinth, his silhouette a looming presence. "Your first answer is correct, but you have one more to give," the voice said, dripping with malice.

Li knew he had to move quickly, before the killer returned to silence Xiao. He retraced his steps, retracing Xiao's route through the labyrinth, searching for any overlooked detail. He came upon a patch of bloodied earth, and beneath it, a piece of paper.

He picked it up, and on it were the words: "The killer's silence speaks the truth. He hides in plain sight."

Li's heart raced as he realized what he had to do. He had to confront the killer, to bring him to justice. He turned and looked at the shadowy figure standing before him, a creature of the dark, of silence.

"Stop," he said, his voice steady and resolute. "Stop this now."

The figure's laughter echoed through the labyrinth, a sound that chilled Li to his bones. "You're too late, Li Wei," the voice said, "and so is Xiao."

Li knew he had to act fast. He sprinted through the labyrinth, calling Xiao's name over and over. Suddenly, the path ahead of him cleared, and he saw Xiao standing at the edge of the maze, the killer nowhere in sight.

"Xiao!" Li cried, rushing to him.

Xiao's eyes fluttered open, and he gasped in relief. "I was afraid you wouldn't make it."

Li wrapped Xiao in his arms, feeling the warmth of his body against his own. "I almost didn't."

The next morning, the entire campus was in an uproar. The Labyrinth Killer had been apprehended, and it turned out to be a professor who had been studying the psychological effects of serial killers. His obsession had led him to commit these atrocities, using the riddles to taunt his victims and the university alike.

Dr. Wang had been instrumental in the capture, providing the crucial piece of evidence that led to the killer's downfall. As for Xiao, he had made a full recovery and was hailed as a hero.

Li, however, had come to understand that not all dangers were physical. The psychological impact of the events had left him scarred, and he decided to leave Huai Nan University behind, seeking a new beginning.

The silence of the labyrinth had spoken, and Li had heard its scream.