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Kaleidoscope of Death #3
Kaleidoscope of Death Vol. 3
Open the wrong door… and you may never return.
One ordinary day, Lin Qiushi discovers a black door in the corridor outside his flat—a door that shouldn’t exist. When he steps through, he finds himself in a world governed by a deadly set of rules, where cryptic villagers speak in riddles, and the only way out is to take their obscure “tests”. The reward for passing: a key. The penalty for failure: death.
From haunted villages to blood-soaked puzzles, Lin Qiushi must solve increasingly strange and grotesque mysteries just to live another day. But he’s not alone. Enter Ruan Nanzhu—gorgeous, enigmatic, and unexpectedly lethal—who shows up in his room one night and whisks him into a secretive organisation of seasoned door-crossers.
With each door they pass through, the truth behind the world grows darker, and the line between ally and monster begins to blur.
Grim, gripping, and laced with razor-sharp banter, Kaleidoscope of Death is a danmei survival thriller where logic is your only weapon, trust is your greatest gamble—and laughter might be your last defense.
One ordinary day, Lin Qiushi discovers a black door in the corridor outside his flat—a door that shouldn’t exist. When he steps through, he finds himself in a world governed by a deadly set of rules, where cryptic villagers speak in riddles, and the only way out is to take their obscure “tests”. The reward for passing: a key. The penalty for failure: death.
From haunted villages to blood-soaked puzzles, Lin Qiushi must solve increasingly strange and grotesque mysteries just to live another day. But he’s not alone. Enter Ruan Nanzhu—gorgeous, enigmatic, and unexpectedly lethal—who shows up in his room one night and whisks him into a secretive organisation of seasoned door-crossers.
With each door they pass through, the truth behind the world grows darker, and the line between ally and monster begins to blur.
Grim, gripping, and laced with razor-sharp banter, Kaleidoscope of Death is a danmei survival thriller where logic is your only weapon, trust is your greatest gamble—and laughter might be your last defense.
Paperback
Published January 5, 2026
20 people are currently reading
184 people want to read
About the author
Xi Zi Xu
66 books55 followersAssociated Names:
* Xi Zi Xu (English)
* 西子绪 (Simplified Chinese)
* 西子緒 (Traditional Chinese)
* ซีจื่อซวี่ (Thai)
* Xi Zi Xu (English)
* 西子绪 (Simplified Chinese)
* 西子緒 (Traditional Chinese)
* ซีจื่อซวี่ (Thai)
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
January 26, 2026
4.9/5 🌟
"Is he that important to you?"
"I don't know if he is or not. I only know that if I were in his place, he would have also come for me." Lin Qiushi was just that kind of person.
For a while there, I thought Ruan Nanzhu was simply being a flirt-- a leader. And at times I do think that as well because when the two are in the tel world, they don't interact the same... Or at least Ruan Nanzhu doesn't. But after this volume, I started seeing how he is very biased to our little Qiushi. Even in the real world, he started getting more flirty.
However, Qiushi is just so damn clueless and oblivious! Hahahaha. He is simply thinking that Ruan Nanzhu is pretty and can't help he attracted to him lol. He doesn't realize that Ruan Nanzhu has become more special than he thinks, but I wish it talked more about it. (੭ ˊ^ˋ)੭ ♡(˶˃⤙˂˶)
Also, this has to be the funniest volume yet! I need more of them and Cheng Qianli in the real world! (≧ヮ≦)
I look forward to seeing how their relationship will flourish after this volume. This last arc was the ultimate sacrifices and determination to keep the other alive. If that ain't love, to go back for the one you love in the midst of death, than I don't know what is love; the self sacrifice so the other can live. Oh! My heart! ( ˊo̴̶̷̤ ̫ o̴̶̷̤ˋ)
Like look how precious and cute they are! Ruan Nanzhu wants him and Lin Qiushi don't even know it. He just thinks Ruan Nanzhu is simply flirting with him in his girl form, only lol.
He cuddled over and kissed the shell of Lin Qiushi's ear. "Time to get up, baby." He kissed Lin Qiushi into shivers. Lin Qiushi's ears were very sensitive-a single touch made his whole body tense up. But Ruan Nanzhu seemed to have discovered this, and just got worse in his teasing. (∩˃ω˂∩)
Qiushi... How could you not see how mad you are for this man?
Can you not see how much he adores you?
Can you not see how special he has become to you?
You feel so safe having him around and even in the final moments to death, do you think of Ruan Nanzhu. T^T
Lin Qiushi was just about to back up, when Ruan Nanzhu caught him by the waist and said, "don't be scared."
And it was like Lin Qiushi really wasn't scared anymore. To be honest, whenever Ruan Nanzhu was beside him, Lin Qiushi felt a sense of security and safety, like everything they did was within control, and nothing would go wrong.
Sighhhh just kiss already!! ლ(ಥ益ಥლ)
I need the back story of these bracelets btw! (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )づ♡
Taking a deep breath, Ruan Nanzhu slowly drew a blood red jade bracelet from his pocket, and handed it to Lin Qiushi.
“Put that on.”
Lin Qiushi glanced at him. “What is it?”
Ruan Nanzhu said, “something that can save your life once.” A rare anxiety had appeared in his eyes, and Lin Qiushi could clearly sense that their situation wasn’t good at all.
Lin Qiushi asked, “and what about you?”
"I probably won't die."
He said probably, not definitely. Lin Qiushi stared, and said firmly: "No, I'm not going alone."
At this, Ruan Nanzhu jerked.
"I'm not going alone," Lin Qiushi said. "If we're going we'll go together."
Now... The Sanitorium Arc scared the living daylights out of me! Well... Not really, but still, I really enjoyed how creepy it was. One after another, it just gets more and more creative. I heard Door 12 is the best! Can't wait to get there!
The moment that frame had been taken down, the other funeral portraits had begun to slowly move. First it was only the gazes. And then it was the expressions. And finally—they reached out their hands, raring to crawl out from their frames.
As for the joint portrait in Ruan Nanzhu’s hands, the dean’s smile became eerie, and the nurse’s expression grew to match his...
"We're trapped!"
Before Lin Qiushi could speak, he saw a faint figure appear ahead of them on the stairs. At first he thought there was only the one, but very quickly, he discovered it was a whole mass—all the figures from the portraits had come out from their frames. Stood at the end of the hallway, they smiled at Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu, mouths ripping into grins. With black gaping eyes and black gaping mouths, they didn’t look human at all, but like faces made of papier-mâché.
BTW I feel like the Mirror arc was missing something. I don't know what it is, but maybe it's more clues, perhaps it needed more descriptions. It seemed more coincidence filled or random. Like the clues were meant with only 1 scenario or 1 in a million chance for someone to be at a specific place during a specific time. Like the whole, "one can gain from loss."
I feel like this was just an arc to propel how much Ruan Nanzhu means to Qiushi.
Ended at the end of the Mirrors Arc.
Read: 01/25/26
"Is he that important to you?"
"I don't know if he is or not. I only know that if I were in his place, he would have also come for me." Lin Qiushi was just that kind of person.
For a while there, I thought Ruan Nanzhu was simply being a flirt-- a leader. And at times I do think that as well because when the two are in the tel world, they don't interact the same... Or at least Ruan Nanzhu doesn't. But after this volume, I started seeing how he is very biased to our little Qiushi. Even in the real world, he started getting more flirty.
However, Qiushi is just so damn clueless and oblivious! Hahahaha. He is simply thinking that Ruan Nanzhu is pretty and can't help he attracted to him lol. He doesn't realize that Ruan Nanzhu has become more special than he thinks, but I wish it talked more about it. (੭ ˊ^ˋ)੭ ♡(˶˃⤙˂˶)
Also, this has to be the funniest volume yet! I need more of them and Cheng Qianli in the real world! (≧ヮ≦)
I look forward to seeing how their relationship will flourish after this volume. This last arc was the ultimate sacrifices and determination to keep the other alive. If that ain't love, to go back for the one you love in the midst of death, than I don't know what is love; the self sacrifice so the other can live. Oh! My heart! ( ˊo̴̶̷̤ ̫ o̴̶̷̤ˋ)
Like look how precious and cute they are! Ruan Nanzhu wants him and Lin Qiushi don't even know it. He just thinks Ruan Nanzhu is simply flirting with him in his girl form, only lol.
He cuddled over and kissed the shell of Lin Qiushi's ear. "Time to get up, baby." He kissed Lin Qiushi into shivers. Lin Qiushi's ears were very sensitive-a single touch made his whole body tense up. But Ruan Nanzhu seemed to have discovered this, and just got worse in his teasing. (∩˃ω˂∩)
Qiushi... How could you not see how mad you are for this man?
Can you not see how much he adores you?
Can you not see how special he has become to you?
You feel so safe having him around and even in the final moments to death, do you think of Ruan Nanzhu. T^T
Lin Qiushi was just about to back up, when Ruan Nanzhu caught him by the waist and said, "don't be scared."
And it was like Lin Qiushi really wasn't scared anymore. To be honest, whenever Ruan Nanzhu was beside him, Lin Qiushi felt a sense of security and safety, like everything they did was within control, and nothing would go wrong.
Sighhhh just kiss already!! ლ(ಥ益ಥლ)
I need the back story of these bracelets btw! (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )づ♡
Taking a deep breath, Ruan Nanzhu slowly drew a blood red jade bracelet from his pocket, and handed it to Lin Qiushi.
“Put that on.”
Lin Qiushi glanced at him. “What is it?”
Ruan Nanzhu said, “something that can save your life once.” A rare anxiety had appeared in his eyes, and Lin Qiushi could clearly sense that their situation wasn’t good at all.
Lin Qiushi asked, “and what about you?”
"I probably won't die."
He said probably, not definitely. Lin Qiushi stared, and said firmly: "No, I'm not going alone."
At this, Ruan Nanzhu jerked.
"I'm not going alone," Lin Qiushi said. "If we're going we'll go together."
Now... The Sanitorium Arc scared the living daylights out of me! Well... Not really, but still, I really enjoyed how creepy it was. One after another, it just gets more and more creative. I heard Door 12 is the best! Can't wait to get there!
The moment that frame had been taken down, the other funeral portraits had begun to slowly move. First it was only the gazes. And then it was the expressions. And finally—they reached out their hands, raring to crawl out from their frames.
As for the joint portrait in Ruan Nanzhu’s hands, the dean’s smile became eerie, and the nurse’s expression grew to match his...
"We're trapped!"
Before Lin Qiushi could speak, he saw a faint figure appear ahead of them on the stairs. At first he thought there was only the one, but very quickly, he discovered it was a whole mass—all the figures from the portraits had come out from their frames. Stood at the end of the hallway, they smiled at Lin Qiushi and Ruan Nanzhu, mouths ripping into grins. With black gaping eyes and black gaping mouths, they didn’t look human at all, but like faces made of papier-mâché.
BTW I feel like the Mirror arc was missing something. I don't know what it is, but maybe it's more clues, perhaps it needed more descriptions. It seemed more coincidence filled or random. Like the clues were meant with only 1 scenario or 1 in a million chance for someone to be at a specific place during a specific time. Like the whole, "one can gain from loss."
I feel like this was just an arc to propel how much Ruan Nanzhu means to Qiushi.
Ended at the end of the Mirrors Arc.
Read: 01/25/26
February 2, 2026
4.7/5
I can't seem to put these volumes down once I start reading them—they're that good! Even as someone who doesn't usually enjoy horror, I’m loving this. If you're hesitant to pick up this novel, just read it!
Sorry for the lame review, I have a hard time reviewing these volumes after vol 1
SPOILERS FOR FUTURE VOLUMES IN MY COMMENTS = AUTOMATIC BLOCK
I can't seem to put these volumes down once I start reading them—they're that good! Even as someone who doesn't usually enjoy horror, I’m loving this. If you're hesitant to pick up this novel, just read it!
Sorry for the lame review, I have a hard time reviewing these volumes after vol 1
SPOILERS FOR FUTURE VOLUMES IN MY COMMENTS = AUTOMATIC BLOCK
August 18, 2025
door 7: room 502
door 8: mirrors
door 9: oil lamps and river god
door 8: mirrors
door 9: oil lamps and river god
October 22, 2025
The lamps were so terrifying and when I thought it was all done and dandy the exiting scene????????
December 5, 2025
mommy im scared 🫂
October 26, 2025
”Cheng Yixie said evenly, "Ruan-ge, you can't protect Qiushi forever."
At this, Lin Qiushi started, and peered over at Cheng Yixie. There seemed to be a second meaning to his words.
Ruan Nanzhu's face was stony: "how do you know I can't?"
Cheng Yixie didn't reply.”
Things are getting a bit monotone by now. The stories within the doors are still really great, but the rest of the world and character building are still too lacking for my taste. There are a lot of characters that I feel like are important which we still know nothing or too little about. The villa is full of people, who we have barely scratched the surface of. The same goes for our two main characters, I don’t really mind the lack of explicit romance, but I want that space to be filled with something else that is far more substantial than what we’re getting. The doors are nearing their end and I’m hoping we’re not going to get an intense crash course in everyone’s past the last two to three hundred pages. I want to get to know them during the journey for a real emotional impact and not be surprised by merely a trauma dump - let’s wait and see what happens next.
At this, Lin Qiushi started, and peered over at Cheng Yixie. There seemed to be a second meaning to his words.
Ruan Nanzhu's face was stony: "how do you know I can't?"
Cheng Yixie didn't reply.”
Things are getting a bit monotone by now. The stories within the doors are still really great, but the rest of the world and character building are still too lacking for my taste. There are a lot of characters that I feel like are important which we still know nothing or too little about. The villa is full of people, who we have barely scratched the surface of. The same goes for our two main characters, I don’t really mind the lack of explicit romance, but I want that space to be filled with something else that is far more substantial than what we’re getting. The doors are nearing their end and I’m hoping we’re not going to get an intense crash course in everyone’s past the last two to three hundred pages. I want to get to know them during the journey for a real emotional impact and not be surprised by merely a trauma dump - let’s wait and see what happens next.
January 23, 2026
Actual Rating: 4.25
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews