Translator: CinderTL
"Xiaoyi, I'm truly touched that you would say that," Jiang Cheng said, gazing at the girl before him, a special emotion flickering in his eyes.
Of course, this didn't escape her notice.
Having asked all his questions, Jiang Cheng slowly stood up. "Xiaoyi, it's getting late. I need to go back and prepare. You should be careful too."
Yuan Xiaoyi rose with him. Then, as if suddenly remembering something, she quickly picked up the jacket he had spread on the steps, smoothed it out, and handed it back to him. She lowered her head in embarrassment. "Senior, your jacket is wrinkled."
"It's fine," Jiang Cheng said with a smile, accepting the jacket.
"Senior, will I see you tomorrow?" Yuan Xiaoyi blurted out. But before she could finish, as if realizing the awkwardness of her words, she quickly backtracked. "No, Senior, that's not what I meant! I'm sure you'll be safe. What I wanted to say was..."
"Xiaoyi, you don't need to explain. I understand," Jiang Cheng said. "I'll come back tomorrow. By the way, if you don't see me, you can tell Fatty over there—" he pointed to the fat man standing outside the grove—"or the person next to him." He gestured to Huai Yi and said with unwavering conviction, "They're both my friends."
Yuan Xiaoyi nodded. "I'll remember that, Senior."
Before leaving the grove, Jiang Cheng paused behind a tree to compose himself.
First, he unbuttoned a few buttons on his inner shirt, then fastened the second button into the third buttonhole.
Next, he tousled his hair to make it look messier. Then he quickly did fifty squats until a slight warmth spread across his forehead. Only then did he put on his outer jacket and emerge from behind the tree.
The moment Jiang Cheng stepped out of the grove, everyone swarmed around him.
Wen Liangshan's sharp eyes noticed the subtle differences in Jiang Cheng's appearance and his slightly labored breathing. After a moment of contemplation, Wen's gaze toward Jiang Cheng shifted perceptibly.
"Brother Jiang," Gao Yan asked politely, "did you find any clues?"
Jiang Cheng found a quiet spot and quickly summarized the information he had obtained from Yuan Xiaoyi.
As he had anticipated, Gao Yan and Shen Mengyun immediately deduced Yuan Xiaoyi's role in the mission: she would be providing them with clues piecemeal, making it paramount to ensure her safety.
"Since Yuan Xiaoyi has confirmed that Xiaoting is trapped in the Medical Building, and that it's protected by an Urban Legend barrier, we'll likely need to investigate tonight," Gao Yan announced, looking at the group.
If not for the events of the previous night, Jiang Cheng would have considered him quite reliable.
"I agree with Mr. Gao's assessment," Shen Mengyun concurred.
They had originally planned to scout the area around the Medical Building that afternoon, but their schedule had been disrupted. A female teacher had summoned them to the administrative office to complete registration procedures and issue them campus cards. By the time they finished these errands, dusk was approaching.
After confirming the Medical Building's location, the group headed to the cafeteria for dinner. Shi Xiaoya, looking pale and disinterested, declared she had no appetite.
No one paid her much attention, except for Wang Qi, who stared at her with peculiar fascination, his thoughts unreadable.
Everyone had a poor impression of Wang Qi and avoided talking to him during dinner.
He sat alone at the next table, ordering a bowl of meatball soup and a bowl of rice. He mixed them together with his spoon and ate it one spoonful at a time.
Back in the dorm, Huai Yi sidled up to Jiang Cheng with a grin. "Brother Jiang, you're amazing! You managed to win over Yuan Xiaoyi so quickly!"
Hearing the praise for the Doctor, Fatty puffed up with pride. Squinting his eyes, he chimed in, "The Doctor's a professional. For others, it might be a hobby, but for him, it's his livelihood."
To their surprise, Jiang Cheng turned uncharacteristically serious. He offered no further explanation, his gaze drifting to the window, his eyes filled with something they couldn't quite decipher.
"Doctor," Fatty said, rolling himself up from his bed to face Jiang Cheng's profile. He lowered his voice. "Are you worried about tonight's operation?"
After a moment, Jiang Cheng shook his head.
"Brother Jiang, we all know you're sharp. If you've figured something out, just tell us," Huai Yi pleaded softly, his voice hesitant. "Seeing you like this... it's unnerving."
"I've been wondering where that thing that followed us last night went," Jiang Cheng said, turning to Fatty and Huai Yi. "And why hasn't anything happened to any of us since yesterday? What exactly is it trying to accomplish?"
Fatty and Huai Yi's faces darkened at the mention of the thing that left wet footprints. "Maybe it just hasn't found an opportunity to strike yet?" Huai Yi speculated.
"Doesn't seem likely," Jiang Cheng replied. "It's been long enough, and Shen Mengyun mentioned feeling like it was just constantly building up pressure on us, without revealing any murderous intent. I felt the same way."
Perhaps sensing that further discussion would only heighten their panic, Jiang Cheng ended the topic, simply reminding them to stay vigilant that night.
Around 11 p.m., they quietly slipped out of the dormitory again and gathered in an open area outside the building.
Tonight's destination was the Medical Building, a confirmed haunted location far more dangerous than yesterday's venture.
The journey was silent, the atmosphere thick with tension.
After walking for about twenty minutes, they finally stopped near a large, nondescript building. Strangely, not a single light was on inside.
The building stood there, its pitch-black silhouette merging seamlessly with the night, resembling an upright coffin.
A night breeze swept through, carrying a chill.
Wen Liangshan hugged his arms, as if about to grumble, but noticing the grim expressions on everyone's faces, he swallowed his complaint.
They waited until 11:55 PM before approaching the building.
The entrance was a standard glass door, with the words "Jiangtan University School of Medicine" emblazoned on the wall above.
At 11:59 PM, Shi Xiaoya, pale as a ghost, stood before the glass door, her hand gripping the dark-gold handle.
Her terror was palpable, not just in her face, but in the trembling of her fingers.
But there was no escaping it. They had drawn straws to decide who would open the door, and Shi Xiaoya had drawn the shortest.
"Let's begin," Gao Yan whispered, his voice barely audible, as if afraid of awakening something hidden within the building.
Shi Xiaoya took a deep breath. "Creak—" She braced her arm, gripped the handrail tightly, and pulled with all her might. A crisp metallic clang echoed from within.
The gate didn't budge, as if jammed.
"Creak—"
A second attempt.
Still no luck.
Jiang Cheng stared intently at the time on his phone. Just as the second hand ticked from 59 to 00, another "Creak—" rang out. Shi Xiaoya's shoulders jerked violently.
The gate swung open.
(End of the Chapter)
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