Translator: Cinder Translations
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Everyone was startled by the sudden change. The fatty jumped back in an instant, not forgetting to pull Jiang Cheng along with him. The girl in the dinosaur pajamas stumbled and almost collapsed as her legs gave way.
Only the man in the suit, brushing past the stunned young man in the baseball cap, walked up to the woman, wearing a smile as warm as a spring breeze. "We're just asking because the equipment is quite delicate. Any mishandling during storage or transport could cause unnecessary trouble for our upcoming shoot."
One had to admit, the man looked good and had a silver tongue. The woman, whose face had been ashen, seemed to be affected by his charm. Her complexion gradually returned to normal, and she even appeared slightly embarrassed. "You misunderstand. I just meant it's too late today; the teacher in charge of the equipment room is probably off work."
The man in the suit nodded understandingly and said, "I see. Then we'll wait for a more convenient time."
From a distance, Jiang Cheng watched the man's performance with a blank expression. The man's face remained ever-smiling, as if completely unaware of the dangers around him.
The fatty leaned in and whispered, "Do you also think this guy seems like bad news?"
Jiang Cheng glanced at him. "I don't know if he's bad news, but he's definitely not simple."
"So, should we be cautious around him?"
Since their last mission, the fatty had learned that the dangers in their tasks didn't just come from vicious ghosts. Sometimes, even teammates couldn't be trusted.
But to his surprise, Jiang Cheng seemed indifferent, waving his hand dismissively. "Just treat him normally. Someone who stands out from the beginning is at most not simple, but far from truly dangerous. Real danger is often hidden in the places you least expect, like a venomous snake waiting for the perfect moment to strike."
The fatty blinked his small eyes and scanned the crowd, suddenly feeling that no one could be trusted. He took a step closer to the doctor, almost standing side by side.
The campus was larger than they expected and quite scenic. The trees lining the roads were sparse but orderly, and as they passed a small garden, they noticed some flowers were still in bloom.
If they weren't in the middle of a mission, it might have been a pleasant stroll.
The woman leading them was rather quiet, but at least she answered their questions, giving them a general understanding of the school.
The school was called Yuying Music Academy, and as the name suggested, it followed an elite path.
TL: "Yuying" can be translated as "Nurturing Elites" or "Educating the Talented,"
Although the campus was large, the student population was small, with less than 20 students per class.
When they passed the main teaching building, the woman lingered for a while, but upon realizing that Jiang Cheng and the others had no intention of taking photos, she led them away again.
It wasn't yet time for school to be dismissed, but the entire campus was deserted, with not a single student in sight.
This time, the woman led them to an old dormitory building.
It was an old tube-shaped building, a structure from decades ago, completely out of place in the modernized campus.
The creaking of the old door hinges sent a chill down everyone's spine.
"You'll be staying here," the middle-aged woman said expressionlessly, pointing toward the dark hallway. "If you want to eat, go to the cafeteria. You have staff cards, so you can eat at either the student or staff cafeteria, but it's best to avoid peak hours."
The woman in the qipao crossed her arms and spoke coldly, "This place isn't livable. It's too rundown." She glanced disdainfully at the walls, which were covered in unknown mold, and waved the air in front of her nose. "And so dirty."
"You should be grateful you have a place to stay. Stop being so picky," the man in the baseball cap, who had been shut down earlier by the woman, scoffed.
Surprisingly, this time, the guide woman came to the qipao lady's defense. "Don't worry. While the exterior looks old, we've cleaned the rooms you'll be staying in. There's no problem with living there."
Since she said so, there was no other option. It was clear that most of them were dissatisfied with the accommodations, but their concerns weren't just about cleanliness. It was the oppressive feeling the building itself exuded.
Standing before the building, everyone could sense something eerie.
It was hard to describe, but it felt alive, silently watching the living approach.
The woman handed four keys to the man in the suit. Jiang Cheng noticed they were old-fashioned brass keys, the kind that had long since been phased out.
Each key had a piece of white tape on the end, with numbers written in blue pen.
404, 405, 406, 407.
Four rooms.
The man put the keys in his pocket and casually continued talking to distract everyone's attention.
Jiang Cheng, still in the lobby, approached the nearest room and pushed open the door. A rush of stale air greeted him, causing him to step back quickly. Once the air cleared, the room's details became visible.
Inside were two beds, one on either side, both pressed against the walls. Posters of celebrities were still on the walls, though they were no longer legible.
There were also two small desks, which seemed unused for a long time. They were stacked together, piled in a corner.
The room was filled with garbage, and empty water bottles covered in dust lay scattered around.
The only window was half intact; the other half had been shattered by something, leaving a gaping hole.
It seemed all the rooms on each floor were similarly arranged, meaning the rooms they were to stay in—404, 405, and so on—were all double-occupancy dorms.
Jiang Cheng didn't enter the room right away. Instead, he stepped back and asked the woman, "There are only eight beds in four rooms, but we have nine people."
"Yeah," the fatty chimed in, "Not enough beds. Where are we supposed to sleep?"
His intention was to get them moved to a different place, maybe even crash in a classroom. This place gave him the creeps, and staying here made him uncomfortable.
To his surprise, the woman smiled mysteriously. "For tonight, just make do. Who knows? Maybe by tomorrow, there'll be enough."
The fatty's face froze.
"Alright," Jiang Cheng said. "We'll stay here tonight. By the way, when does the celebration start? We need time to prepare."
"In seven days."
Jiang Cheng nodded, indicating he understood.
"We'll have time to explore the campus, right?" The man in the suit chimed in, "It's truly beautiful here, and we'd love to walk around and take it all in. Opportunities like this don't come often."
The woman thought for a few seconds before reluctantly agreeing, "You can, but be mindful of the time. Once it gets dark, you must return to your rooms immediately."
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