Translator: Cinder Translations
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During the night, the usual night watch was organized, and due to the recent series of events, everyone decided on a two-person shift. A man and a woman paired together.
This way, each room would have at least two people.
In nightmares, especially during the night, individuals who are alone are at great risk of becoming targets for ghosts. This has become a shared understanding among all those who have experienced nightmares.
By chance, Jiang Cheng was paired with Chen Xiaomeng. The two sat around the stove, with the fiery heat casting shifting shadows on Jiang Cheng's face.
He relaxed his eyes and lazily shivered, like a contented cat.
Chen Xiaomeng studied him with interest, her sharp gaze hidden in the shadows, dissecting him piece by piece, as if examining every layer of him.
There had been times when she thought she had figured this man out, but it had turned out she hadn't.
Few people in nightmares had ever presented a challenge to her, as they were all exceptional in their respective fields.
Some had excellent skills, some were knowledgeable professionals, and others had impressive analytical abilities with calm minds. Most of them, in fact, possessed all these traits.
But the man in front of her was different. He wasn't perfect—he was bafflingly shameless, despicable, and without any boundaries.
He lacked a sense of public morality. Describing him as a fish who slipped through the cracks of nine years of education was an understatement.
Normally, people would want to present themselves positively in a mission, even if it was a disguise, they would try to appear reliable.
But he was different. He shamelessly took pride in his despicable past.
He would narrate tales of being the top star in nightclubs and the leader of high-end groups, all the while wearing a mysterious smile that made it seem like others would admire him for it.
No one knew what he was thinking, and no one could predict what he would do next.
That was the most terrifying part.
Because of the nightmares, Chen Xiaomeng had learned some psychology. She strongly suspected that Jiang Cheng's strange behavior wasn't something he was faking, but rather something innate in him.
He seemed to be suffering from antisocial personality disorder.
This disorder, also known as callous-unemotional personality disorder, is marked by abnormal emotions, extreme coldness, a propensity for lying, and manipulating others' emotions.
Such people ignore the pain and needs of others, are not bound by common moral standards, act independently, and are prone to actions most people would find unacceptable.
What was most terrifying about them was their aggression and lack of empathy.
Although Jiang Cheng hadn't displayed these traits yet, Chen Xiaomeng was certain she wasn't wrong.
Such individuals were dangerous, whether they were teammates or enemies because you couldn't predict their behavior using your own mindset.
For people who cannot be understood or controlled, the best option is to make them disappear forever.
That's what someone had once told Chen Xiaomeng.
And they had never been wrong.
While Chen Xiaomeng was lost in her thoughts, Jiang Cheng looked up and caught her gaze. As soon as their eyes met, Chen Xiaomeng's gaze scattered.
It wasn't because she was scared, but because Jiang Cheng gave her a knowing look, one that said "you understand me and I understand you."
"They should all be asleep by now," Jiang Cheng muttered, his expression almost shy as he looked at Chen Xiaomeng. "I'm too tired to resist now. Do whatever you want."
Chen Xiaomeng took out a rope from her clothes, tying one end into a loop large enough to fit over Jiang Cheng's head.
Jiang Cheng suddenly sat up straight, his face full of righteous indignation. "Don't always do this. I'm not so easy to strangle."
He leaned closer, lowering his voice. "Just think about it—if you don't strangle me right away and make a noise that wakes everyone up, and they catch you in the act, what do you think I would say?"
Chen Xiaomeng raised an eyebrow.
"You wouldn't get me alive, so you'd have to wait until I'm dead and then do it," he said, pretending to be angry as he pointed at her nose. "You, you, you're immoral!"
"Stop talking nonsense," Chen Xiaomeng muttered, her teeth clenched, but she didn't dare make a sound. "What do you actually want?"
"I want to survive," Jiang Cheng blinked innocently. He then quickly changed the subject. "I'm not like you. No one wants you, but if I don't make it back, a lot of girls will be sad."
"Then you can give them a dream and ask them to burn more paper for you," Chen Xiaomeng said, feeling like she couldn't have a normal conversation with him.
"Hmph, those heartless ones, they'll probably use the excuse of missing me to drink their sorrows away and then charge someone else's card. I know them too well."
"But you don't understand the current situation," Chen Xiaomeng looked at Jiang Cheng.
"You've only been in the nightmare for a short while, do you know how it works? Do you know that nightmares need to be activated?"
Chen Xiaomeng's voice was soft, but persuasive. "I can tell you these things, but you have to cooperate with me."
"Creek—"
A sudden creaking sound interrupted her words, and the door to the room opened. Li Lu walked out, wrapped in her clothes.
Because of their earlier conversation, Jiang Cheng and Chen Xiaomeng were sitting very close, and Chen Xiaomeng had leaned slightly toward him. The warm glow from the stove created an ambiguous scene.
Li Lu seemed to realize something, and her face flushed with awkwardness. She opened her mouth as if to say something to break the tension but didn't.
Fortunately, Jiang Cheng spoke up first, and Li Lu, feeling relieved, gave him a grateful look. She decided to just follow along with whatever he said, as she really hadn't meant to interrupt; she had just needed to relieve herself.
"Ahem, next time, let us know in advance," Jiang Cheng seemed to want to hide something. He lowered his head and didn't dare look at Li Lu, his face reddening. He also adjusted his collar, which wasn't messy but seemed to have been pulled roughly after he adjusted it.
Li Lu was taken aback for a moment, then seemed to realize something. Her face suddenly turned a bright red.
Although she was the oldest woman among them, had a family, and children, her conservative mindset meant she was still quite modest.
She lowered her head slightly and whispered, "Sorry, I—I just really needed to go. I didn't mean to disturb you."
"Need to go outside?" Jiang Cheng also pretended to just recover from the awkwardness and tried to change the subject.
Li Lu nodded cautiously. "Yes."
Although everyone was aware of the dangers outside, some things were unavoidable. There were no tools available in the room for such needs. After all, one couldn't simply resolve this situation right where they were.
Having made that decision, Li Lu must have struggled with it internally.
"It's fine," Jiang Cheng nodded understandingly. Then he turned to Chen Xiaomeng and said, "Let Xiao Longnu accompany you."
(End of the Chapter)
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