Translator: Cinder Translations
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That night, the doctor had reminded himself not to leave the room, no matter what happened. He could still remember the look in the doctor's eyes when this was emphasized.
But not long after, the doctor went to sleep as if nothing had happened.
Not only did he sleep, but he slept very comfortably, changing into various bizarre positions that left the Fatty wide-eyed.
It seemed that the doctor had already realized the clue was on that newspaper, and through it, he had learned some things. That was probably why he was so confident.
"Doctor," the Fatty leaned in, asking curiously, "I've seen that newspaper. It only recorded the details of the villa murder case, but..." He looked up, "What does this have to do with the school mission?"
Jiang Cheng tilted his head to look outside. It wasn't late yet, and the sound of car horns echoed in the distance. Half of Jiang Cheng's body was shrouded in darkness, and he didn't immediately answer.
The Fatty began to feel uncomfortable.
He wasn't afraid of Jiang Cheng speaking cryptically, but he was afraid when the latter suddenly became silent.
As time passed, the gap between them became more and more apparent, even if Jiang Cheng didn't show it intentionally.
But the Fatty knew—ultimately, they were from two different worlds.
If Jiang Cheng were willing, he could integrate into his life, but if he wasn't willing, there was no place for the Fatty in his other side.
Just as the Fatty felt this connection might snap, Jiang Cheng finally spoke.
"The content of the newspaper changed," he said. "The previous information disappeared, and the previously blank space now contained forbidden details about this mission."
A flicker of doubt appeared in the Fatty's eyes.
He keenly caught the word Jiang Cheng mentioned.
Forbidden.
Not clue.
"The ghosts in this mission cannot kill again in the same place," Jiang Cheng turned his head and said.
The Fatty widened his eyes slightly, his thoughts immediately returning to the mission.
The woman in the qipao died in the dormitory, Long Tao died in the remote male restroom, Luo Yi died in the archive room, Zhen Jianren died in the equipment center, and Yu Wen died in the Mirror World representing the past.
Indeed, by listing the players whose death locations could be confirmed, it was clear that no two people died in the same place.
This was probably why the doctor had the confidence to sleep so carefree at night.
After all, the woman in the qipao had already died there first.
The Fatty licked his cracked lips and quietly asked, "Are there any... other forbidden things?"
"There are," Jiang Cheng nodded, not hiding anything. He looked into the Fatty's eyes. "But you don't need to know."
The Fatty hesitated for only a second before understanding and nodded. "I understand, doctor."
He knew that with Jiang Cheng's abilities, there was no need to trick him—it would be effortless.
Since Jiang Cheng said so, there must be a reason.
Aside from the part related to the KTV, which wasn't very reliable, the rest of Jiang Cheng's reasoning was quite trustworthy.
This conversation should have ended there, but as the Fatty stood up to refill the doctor's cup with warm water, his body suddenly trembled violently as his fingers brushed the cup.
"Doctor," the Fatty looked at Jiang Cheng with a slightly impatient expression. "Was that newspaper the reward for clearing the last mission?"
Jiang Cheng looked back at him, their eyes meeting.
"Yes."
"Then what's the reward for this mission?"
There was no answer, and the Fatty was surprised to notice that Jiang Cheng's gaze was fixed on him—this gaze was different from usual.
The air suddenly grew heavy.
The Fatty suddenly realized something.
He didn't dare move, and after a few seconds, he slowly reached out and started feeling his body.
He first unzipped his outer jacket, then checked a few pockets, and finally, in a hidden inner pocket close to his body, he found a slightly yellowed piece of paper.
It looked like a newspaper.
The corners showed jagged tears, indicating it was a torn-up newspaper.
The Fatty didn't even open it but obediently handed the paper over, placing it on the table in front of Jiang Cheng.
Unexpectedly—
Jiang Cheng didn't even glance at the newspaper, his eyes still fixed on the Fatty's face, calm as the sea.
Under such a gaze, the Fatty felt as though his soul was about to fly out of his body. His legs trembled uncontrollably, and it felt like he might kneel at any moment.
"Doctor," the Fatty said with a bitter expression, "Let me explain. I really didn't know this was with me. If I had known, I would have taken it out for you right away."
"I didn't mean to keep it to myself."
The Fatty spoke earnestly, almost swearing an oath.
Thankfully, Jiang Cheng finally moved his gaze away.
Once out of Jiang Cheng's sight, the Fatty immediately started panting heavily. The pressure was so great that it almost stopped his breathing. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his back drenched as well.
He nervously glanced at Jiang Cheng, looking like a student who had made a mistake.
After picking up the newspaper, Jiang Cheng didn't open it in front of the Fatty. Instead, he directly stuffed it into his pocket.
Seeing this, the Fatty's heart sank.
But there was nothing he could argue about.
The doctor had saved him countless times in nightmares—he couldn't even remember how many. Without the doctor, he might have been long gone. But now this had happened.
Although he truly hadn't meant to.
"Doctor..." he almost said hopelessly, but just as he raised his head—
"Creek—"
The chair legs screeched against the floor, and Jiang Cheng stood up, first stretching his wrinkled clothes, then walked away without a glance back.
The footsteps on the stairs made a dull "thud" sound, causing the Fatty to feel even more uncomfortable.
With no plan, he waited for a while until he heard nothing from upstairs, and then slowly began to move upstairs, knowing that if anyone was to blame, it was himself.
After all, he and Jiang Cheng were just passing strangers, especially in a nightmare like this.
For the doctor to take him in was already a great kindness.
If the situation were reversed, and this happened to him, he would naturally suspect that the other person was trying to keep it for themselves.
Trust, after all, has its limits.
Especially when it comes to something that could save a life.
The Fatty reached the second floor and looked at the spot where he had set up his temporary sleeping area. He sighed, silently packing his things, preparing to leave.
The doctor hadn't forced him to leave, which had saved his face.
Luckily, there wasn't much to pack, and it was just a small bag.
The Fatty grabbed the bag, took one last look at the not-so-familiar place, feeling a sense of loss.
He left a note on the bedroom door handle, reminding Jiang Cheng not to forget the ribs and fish in the fridge.
Especially the ribs, as they wouldn't last long in the normal mode.
Just as the Fatty turned to leave, the bedroom door suddenly opened.
A shadow stretched long on the floor.
"If you didn't hand it over tonight, guess what would have happened?" Jiang Cheng's voice was as cold as ice: "I would have had a dead Fatty on my hands."
(End of the Chapter)
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