Translator: Cinder Translations
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The cafeteria was a two-story building, occupying a sizable area, but its location was somewhat secluded, situated near a small grove next to the academy's western square.
Nearby, there were also a few unfinished buildings that resembled residential houses.
Jiang Cheng had initially thought that the first floor of the building was for students and the second for staff.
However, upon entering, he found that the first floor was divided by large folding screens, splitting the space into an eastern and a western section.
The larger eastern section was filled with youthful girls, either carrying trays or gathering in groups of three or five. It appeared to be the student dining area.
The smaller and less crowded western side was reserved for staff.
It was currently breakfast time, and the cafeteria bustled with people. The lively faces of the girls made Fatty feel captivated.
"Doctor," Fatty inhaled deeply, his face glowing, and said, "The feeling of youth is really something. Being here makes me feel like I've returned to my school days."
Unexpectedly, Jiang Cheng sharply retorted, "You just like ogling girls. What does that have to do with your long-dead youth?"
Fatty thought for a moment, trying to come up with a rebuttal but couldn't find one, so he sulkily fell silent.
Jiang Cheng led Fatty through the student dining area, then crossed the folding screen into the staff section.
To Fatty's surprise, they didn't encounter any of their other teammates.
"Don't they eat? They didn't have dinner last night either," Fatty asked, puzzled.
Jiang Cheng casually replied, "There was a supermarket on the way the guide took us yesterday. They probably bought instant food there. Fewer people go to the supermarket, so the risk is lower."
After a few seconds of thought, Fatty suddenly realized, complaining that their teammates were sly for avoiding the risk of exploring unknown dangers, leaving him and Jiang Cheng to test the waters.
Just then, Jiang Cheng seemed to find a suitable spot and sat down. Fatty, still fuming, sat across from him, resting his chin on his hand.
"Two points," Jiang Cheng raised two fingers and waved them, "First, I wasn't tricked into coming here, and I'm not going to share any information I find with them for free."
"Second," Jiang Cheng looked at Fatty and added, "Stop accusing others of being sly. Before saying that, ask yourself why you're so dumb."
Hearing this, Fatty visibly deflated, putting his hands on his knees.
However, his spirit was resilient, and a few minutes later, he perked up again. Looking at Jiang Cheng, he asked, "Doctor, what should we eat? I'm starving."
The two went to the serving window.
One had to admit, the school did well in some areas. The dishes in the staff cafeteria were identical to those in the student cafeteria.
Of course, that might have been related to the high tuition fees.
Art, after all, is expensive.
"Sweet and sour pork ribs, seafood porridge, pan-fried swordfish." Jiang Cheng directed the cafeteria worker through the glass, ordering five or six hearty dishes. He then pulled out his temporary staff card to pay.
With a "beep," the food now belonged to Jiang Cheng—and Fatty.
Since there was a lot of food, Fatty had to make two trips to bring it all back to their table.
"Isn't this too much?" Fatty stared at the dishes taking up most of the table, confused. "Isn't it hard to digest so much for breakfast?"
Jiang Cheng stuffed an entire piece of swordfish into his mouth, neatly spitting out the bones, and then slowly sipped some seafood porridge before replying, "I'm still growing, so I need to eat more."
"You stopped growing ten years ago!" Fatty couldn't help but blurt out.
Unexpectedly...
Jiang Cheng put down his chopsticks and seriously explained, "This is my secondary growth—focusing on strengthening certain bodily functions!"
Fatty: "Just shut up already!"
After finishing their meal, the conversation between Jiang Cheng and Fatty finally returned to normal. Thanks to Jiang Cheng's antics, Fatty realized he was no longer feeling nervous.
"What do you think killed that woman in the cheongsam?" Fatty's expression became strange at the mention of her.
Her jaw had been torn off by the ghost in their mission. Just thinking about it gave him the chills.
Jiang Cheng had eaten too quickly earlier and got a fishbone stuck in his throat. It took him a while to swallow it down, but it left his throat sore, making his voice sound different. "You think it's odd too?"
"Yeah," Fatty nodded. "She wasn't a rookie; she should've known it's not safe to be outside at night," he paused and added in a low voice, "especially alone."
"Exactly," Jiang Cheng replied, "Go on."
"That's all I've figured out so far," Fatty looked at Jiang Cheng humbly. "Doctor, you've definitely thought more about it. Tell me what you think."
Jiang Cheng glanced in the direction of the screen, then back at Fatty before speaking, "First of all, it's strange for her to be out alone at night. She must have encountered something, something serious enough to threaten her life."
Fatty's expression grew tense. He leaned in and lowered his voice, "You mean… she ran into a ghost?"
"It's possible, but not likely," Jiang Cheng said, now fully serious. "If we assume she did encounter a ghost, why didn't it kill her in her dorm? Why force her into the hallway?"
"Because the hallway is dark and secluded, perfect for a ghost to strike," Fatty immediately answered.
He then grew confused. This was obvious. Jiang Cheng usually wouldn't ask such a simple question.
Jiang Cheng nodded and gave him a look that Fatty couldn't quite interpret. "Exactly. The hallway is dark and secluded, the perfect spot for a ghost to kill. And sure enough, she died there."
Fatty was even more puzzled. "What are you trying to say?"
Jiang Cheng sighed, "Fatty, think about it. If you can see this so easily, wouldn't the woman in the cheongsam have seen it too?"
Fatty thought for a moment. "So, what do you think happened?"
Jiang Cheng's gaze grew distant, as if he were putting himself in her shoes. "If I were her, and something forced me out of what seemed like a safe dorm room and into the obviously dangerous hallway, there's only one possibility: I was certain the ghost had already locked onto me. Staying would've meant certain death, and leaving might've been my only chance."
(End of the Chapter)
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