Translator: Cinder Translations
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"Since the ghost has already left, let's hurry up," Zhou Rong scanned the surroundings, his heart filled with unease in the dim environment. "Let's split up and search. I'll go to the kitchen."
"I'll stay nearby, in case the ghost suddenly returns," Pei Qian immediately said.
After speaking, the two looked at Jiang Cheng. Now, only the second floor was left unsearched.
It was clear that they were leaving the unfamiliar area for him.
"Exciting!" Jiang Cheng suddenly became enthusiastic.
Zhou Rong, whose nerves were already taut, was so startled by Jiang Cheng's sudden outburst that he nearly screamed. Pei Qian fared worse; due to his age, he suddenly felt wetness down below.
"Th-thank you, Mr. Yin."
Zhou Rong, who looked pale, said this without hesitation and went straight toward the kitchen door, from which the ghost had emerged earlier, and where the strange chopping sound had come from.
Pei Qian was now genuinely frightened of Jiang Cheng. The man seemed to have something wrong with his mind. To avoid being dragged into trouble, Pei Qian decided to keep his distance and chose to search in the other direction.
Jiang Cheng leisurely walked toward the stairs. Instead of going up right away, he paused to think for a moment. Then, he crouched down and pressed his ear against the wall near the stairs.
Because of his line of sight, Pei Qian couldn't see him for a while, and thought he had gone upstairs.
The floor inside the building was covered in a thin layer of dust.
Jiang Cheng's gaze slowly swept across the stair treads, where some dust seemed to have been rubbed off.
His eyes narrowed, and he took a few steps up. Though his movements were wide, they made almost no sound.
Choosing a spot with a better view, he crouched down. Here, he found several shoeprints.
The shoeprints were messy and unclear, as if someone had run in a panic, leaving them behind.
From what Pei Qian had said, these should have been left by Jiang Zhongyi just before his death.
Jiang Cheng carefully studied the shoeprints and quickly determined that they weren't from one person but two. Moreover, judging by their size, they were most likely from two adult men.
He immediately thought of the missing Ben Fu from the first night.
It seemed that he had likely been here as well and had also been attacked by the ghost.
Just as Jiang Cheng stood up, preparing to change positions to examine the shoeprints more closely, his peripheral vision caught something. His leg, about to step down, froze.
Right where he was about to step, he saw another shoeprint.
This shoeprint was clearly different from the previous two. It was smaller, narrower, as if a woman had left it behind.
At that thought, he looked down at his own feet.
Right next to where he stood, there were also signs of dust being rubbed away.
It seemed that a woman had stood in the same position as Jiang Cheng, observing the shoeprints on the stairs.
For the first time, a different emotion appeared in Jiang Cheng's eyes.
He raised his head to look at the dark corner of the stairs, then slowly began to retreat.
As he turned, he suddenly saw a face behind the kitchen door.
It was Zhou Rong.
However, he looked even paler than before.
Pei Qian, after finishing his own search, turned back.
Jiang Cheng pretended to have searched upstairs and came down the stairs empty-handed.
"How is it?" Pei Qian asked in a low voice, looking at Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng pretended to be deep and shook his head.
Pei Qian licked his lips, quickly glanced at the stairs, and asked in a strange tone, "Why didn't I hear any footsteps upstairs? Mr. Yin, are you scared and didn't search?"
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng immediately stepped aside, giving Pei Qian a somewhat aggrieved look and said, "If you don't believe me, go up and check yourself."
Pei Qian looked at the dark corner of the stairs, and his throat involuntarily moved.
"I think… I think you can come in and check."
Zhou Rong's voice sounded odd, as though he was trying to suppress something, as if if he didn't, he might vomit.
At the same time, a faint scent of blood wafted out from the kitchen.
Pei Qian's face immediately turned grim as he seemed to make some connection.
But he still moved his feet and walked toward the kitchen with Jiang Cheng.
Zhou Rong stepped back to make room for them by the door.
Pei Qian entered first, with Jiang Cheng following him.
Once inside, the pungent smell of blood assaulted them, mixed with the stench of decaying flesh.
There was a dark, large stove on the floor, made of stone bricks, with thick yellow mud smeared on the part that touched the stone floor.
There were a few scattered blue-and-white porcelain bowls, many of them missing edges.
There was also a large basin covered with a wooden board.
The stove was stained with blood, looking as if it had been the scene of a dismemberment.
Not looking like it—this was it!
Zhou Rong had obviously seen the contents of the basin before, so when he lifted the wooden board off the basin this time, he just took a deep breath. But Pei Qian's face turned as white as a sheet.
Inside the basin, there were pieces of chopped-up meat, some with a strange color, likely internal organs.
What was even more terrifying was that they saw a finger—partly chopped off, its bones shattered, but still partially connected to some skin and flesh.
Pei Qian's stomach churned, and the weakest of them, he finally vomited.
Jiang Cheng quickly jumped aside to avoid it.
Zhou Rong reacted a moment too late. By the time he tried to avoid it, it was already too late. Some of the vomit splashed onto his shoe, and he hurriedly stepped back.
The lime-covered floor was stained with blood.
The blood, though not dry, had already become sticky and thick, making a squeaking sound as they stepped on it. It made their hearts tighten, and shallow shoeprints were left behind.
"Hmm?" Jiang Cheng suddenly spoke.
Zhou Rong immediately looked at him, but before he could speak, Jiang Cheng lowered his voice cautiously and asked, "Did you hear any sound just now?"
"What… what sound?" Pei Qian asked in fear.
"It sounded like upstairs," Jiang Cheng said quickly while turning toward the door, "Stay here. I'll go check."
"I'll go with you," Zhou Rong followed him.
Suddenly, Pei Qian grabbed his arm, stopping him.
"Mr. Zhou," Pei Qian looked worried but still firmly held Zhou Rong's arm and whispered, "Let him go alone. We should look for clues. The ghost will be back soon."
In the few seconds of delay, Jiang Cheng had already left the kitchen, and his shadow was no longer visible.
Zhou Rong slowly turned his head, looking at Pei Qian's troubled face. After a few seconds, he suddenly smiled, "Alright."
"I've already found a clue," Zhou Rong said, backing up as he walked.
His walking posture was strange, and his strength seemed much greater. Weak Pei Qian almost had to be dragged along.
(End of the Chapter)
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