Translator: CinderTL
Finally reaching the fourth floor, the group paused before a low wooden door. A white paper was pasted to its surface, bearing the words: "Lunch Break - Do Not Disturb."
This must be the place.
A black padlock hung from the door.
After confirming that the surroundings were clear, Gao Yan pulled a thin, rusty wire from his pocket, its origin unknown. He exchanged glances with Shen Mengyun and Jiang Cheng before setting to work on the lock.
Jiang Cheng glanced at the wire, a hint of disdain flickering across his face. The technique was clumsy, barely above beginner level.
About a minute later, a crisp click echoed as the tumbler disengaged. The lock sprang open.
Gao Yan removed the padlock, stepped back to clear the doorway, and turned his gaze to Shen Mengyun, who had remained silent throughout.
His meaning was clear: Jiang Cheng would scout the bathroom first, since Gao Yan had just picked the lock. Now it was Shen Mengyun's turn. She couldn't expect to freeload on clues.
In this mission, every member had to prove their worth. That was the basis of their cooperation.
In other words, whether the three who had ventured inside chose to share the information they obtained with those outside, how much they shared, or even whether it was true or false, was entirely up to them.
After all, they had risked their lives to acquire this intelligence, which effectively gave them control over the group's decision-making power.
Shen Mengyun wasted no time. She stepped forward, placed her hand on the Lifeline Note attached to the door, and applied slight pressure. Just as the door trembled and was about to give way, her body suddenly stiffened.
As if she had discovered something, she began feeling around on the Lifeline Note.
"What's wrong?" Gao Yan asked, frowning.
"There's something behind it," Shen Mengyun whispered to Jiang Cheng and Gao Yan, tilting her head. "Back up a bit. I'm going to tear this paper off and see what it is."
Jiang Cheng's eyes twinkled with amusement, but he obediently retreated until half his body was hidden behind Gao Yan.
Tear—
After a faint ripping sound, the Lifeline Note was in Shen Mengyun's hand. About half a minute passed without incident before she waved them back over.
"Look at this," Shen Mengyun said, pointing to a spot on the gate where the Lifeline Note had been moments before.
Several unnatural cracks marred the wood in that area. Jiang Cheng reached out and touched them. "Looks like someone slashed it with a knife."
The Lifeline Note had likely been placed there to conceal the knife marks.
Shen Mengyun pushed open the wooden gate and stepped inside first, Jiang Cheng quickly followed, securing the second position, while Gao Yan lagged behind.
Yuan Xiaoyi had mentioned that the warehouse had no windows, so they weren't worried about their flashlights attracting attention from outside. They switched on their phone flashlights.
The warehouse was larger than they had anticipated. Near the entrance stood several cots, unlike the beds in their dorms. These were raised on frames, resembling military cots—suitable only for occasional naps.
Scattered around the cots were miscellaneous items: sneakers, magazines, and a half-empty case of mineral water, further evidence that someone had recently been staying here.
"Let's check the back," Shen Mengyun suggested.
Jiang Cheng pulled another Lifeline Note from his pocket, this one outlining the Urban Legends Club's layout of the warehouse. Yuan Xiaoyi had recalled that to maintain secrecy, they chose the innermost part of the warehouse to share their Supernatural Tales.
Of course, that was just Yuan Xiaoyi's version of events, and no one else at school believed her.
Yuan Xiaoyi herself admitted that after her friend disappeared, she returned to the warehouse hoping to find evidence of their shared past, only to discover that nothing matched her memories.
Every trace of their time together had vanished, leaving only an ordinary, dilapidated warehouse.
Apart from the open area near the entrance, the interior was filled with metal shelving units of varying heights and styles, creating a cluttered appearance.
The shelves were piled with discarded equipment and unopened bundles of textbooks. Jiang Cheng ran his hand across one, leaving a streak through the thick layer of dust.
The entire warehouse felt as if it had been sealed away for years, only recently reopened.
The deeper they ventured inside, the stronger this impression became. A suffocating sensation, like plunging into the depths of the ocean, settled over them. Shen Mengyun couldn't help but wonder if anyone had ever truly been here.
Finally, they reached the last shelving unit. Gao Yan glanced at Jiang Cheng, who, holding the map, said with a knowing tone, "According to the markings on this map, this should be their secret base. They always shared their urban legends behind this very shelf."
The iron rack acted as a barrier, forming a corner with the wall behind it and creating a surprisingly concealed space.
Jiang Cheng found it hard to believe that a group of girls would gather in such a place at night to tell supernatural tales.
Especially after seeing what lay behind the rack.
The area was cluttered with junk: discarded tables and chairs, flattened cardboard boxes, and piles of iron chains and frames whose original purpose was unidentifiable.
In short, there was absolutely no sign of recent human activity.
Yet, strangely, upon observing this, Jiang Cheng, Shen Mengyun, and Gao Yan's eyes lit up with intrigue.
Gao Yan squinted, glanced around, and muttered in a low voice, "This is definitely suspicious."
Shen Mengyun nodded in agreement. "The items here are packed too tightly."
"And have you noticed," she added, "everything stored here is heavy: iron chains, metal frames, tables, chairs—all difficult to move or transport."
"With so much empty space in the warehouse, why would they pile all this stuff way back here instead of using the closer spots?" Shen Mengyun paused, then added, "It's almost as if they were deliberately trying to hide something."
Jiang Cheng compared Yuan Xiaoyi's hand-drawn sketch, based on her memory, with the layout of the warehouse. He quickly identified the positions where the girls had sat while sharing urban legends.
They had formed a circle, each with a chair. After all, the warehouse was overflowing with old desks and chairs.
According to Yuan Xiaoyi, she had specifically chosen a spot against the wall because she was easily frightened. At least with her back to the wall, she could feel somewhat safer and more at ease.
Jiang Cheng walked into the corner, compared the sketch, and pointed at the large crates leaning against the wall. "Move these."
Shen Mengyun and Gao Yan immediately got to work. The crates were heavy, and they didn't dare make too much noise, so the task was arduous. It took them nearly ten minutes to completely clear the clutter, revealing the dark, bare concrete wall behind.
"How's it going?" Gao Yan asked, panting heavily.
Jiang Cheng crouched down by the wall, pressed his phone against the concrete surface, and slowly moved it along, occasionally checking against a diagram in his hand. After about two minutes, he suddenly announced, "Found it!"
Shen Mengyun and Gao Yan immediately crowded around. Jiang Cheng pointed to the dark, unpainted concrete wall. "Look here," he said, "there are a lot of friction marks."
The marks were faint in the dim light, but once pointed out, they became much clearer. Shallow cracks ran through them.
Jiang Cheng grabbed a chair, laid it flat against the wall with the back flush against the surface. Shen Mengyun noticed the screws securing the chair back protruding noticeably. Their position perfectly aligned with the height of the friction marks.
(End of the Chapter)
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