Translator: CinderTL
Shen Mengyun trailed off, her voice wavering and dazed. Trembling, she pulled out her phone and handed it to Jiang Cheng. On the screen was a blurry photograph, likely taken in a state of extreme panic.
The image was dark and cluttered. After studying it, Jiang Cheng realized that Shen Mengyun, too terrified to peek under the bed after hearing the dripping sound, had instead lowered her phone and snapped a picture blindly.
The space beneath Shen Mengyun's bed was far messier than theirs, littered with discarded cardboard, stacks of books, and an overturned chair. But the focal point was in the lower right corner of the photo. There, a narrow gap revealed a pair of bloodshot eyes glaring intently at the phone.
Jiang Cheng felt a chill run down his spine at the sudden sight of this scene on the screen.
"The dripping wasn't a hallucination," Shen Mengyun's voice trembled. Jiang Cheng could clearly sense her terror. "That thing that chased us earlier... it really did get in. It got into my room and hid under my bed." Her voice shook. "And did you see where those eyes are? That... that ghost is lying sideways under my bed, in the exact same position I was lying on top!"
Nervously, Shen Mengyun finally blurted out the truth.
"I couldn't hold back any longer, so I rushed out of the room. But the ghost didn't chase me. Then I heard footsteps in the hallway."
"They were coming from the stairs."
"Worried it might be a trap, I quickly found an unlocked room to hide in. Peeking through the crack in the door, I saw Wang Qi and Gao Yan coming down the stairs. They were moving quietly and cautiously."
"But just as they reached my original room, the door suddenly swung open. The ghost... it had disguised itself as me!"
"They exchanged a few words and then left together through the dormitory gate."
Shen Mengyun's face twisted with regret. "I was too far away and too afraid to make any noise that might alert the ghost, so I couldn't hear what they said."
"After they left, I waited a bit before venturing out. That's when I saw you coming down the stairs." Shen Mengyun took a deep breath and looked at Jiang Cheng.
By this point, Jiang Cheng was half-convinced. If it were truly a ghost, it wouldn't need to weave such an elaborate tale. But he still needed one more piece of evidence to be certain.
He slowly backed away, his gaze fixed on Shen Mengyun, not uttering a word. He merely gestured with his eyes toward the other end of the corridor.
Following Jiang Cheng's line of sight, Shen Mengyun quickly understood his intention.
It was her former room: Room 107.
Jiang Cheng wanted her to go inside. If she was telling the truth about the ghost impersonating her and leaving, then Room 107 should be empty and safe.
She had no reason to refuse.
Unless she herself was the ghost in disguise.
"Alright," Shen Mengyun said immediately, heading toward Room 107. Without hesitation, she reached out and flung the door open.
Perhaps fueled by defiance, the door crashed open with a loud bang, startling even Jiang Cheng.
The light in Room 107 was still on, but the room was completely empty.
"Mr. Jiang," Shen Mengyun turned, her eyes reddening as she met his gaze. "Can you believe me now?"
"What nonsense, Miss Shen. I've always believed you," Jiang Cheng replied, his expression filled with understanding and a poorly concealed hint of pity.
"Miss Shen, if what you're saying is true, I think Gao Yan and Wang Qi might be in danger," Jiang Cheng said, stroking his chin as he casually changed the subject.
"Mm-hmm," Shen Mengyun nodded. "They must have gone to the Activity Center. Remember? The last time that ghost latched onto us, it was because of those items. I bet they're incredibly important to it."
Jiang Cheng had also come to retrieve those items himself.
"No, Wang Qi and Gao Yan still think that fake version of me is the real one. I have to warn them," Shen Mengyun said, pulling out her phone.
But Jiang Cheng firmly pressed her hand down. "Calm down, Miss Shen. This dormitory feels wrong. Let's get out of here first."
After they had moved a safe distance from the dormitory, Shen Mengyun checked her phone and frowned. "What does this mean?" she asked, pointing to a red exclamation mark beside her message to Wang Qi.
Jiang Cheng leaned over to look. "The message didn't go through. It seems they're definitely in trouble," he said calmly. "Miss Shen, we need to hurry. Saving them is our priority."
"Alright."
They rushed to the Activity Center as quickly as possible. The sky outside was slightly brighter than before, and Jiang Cheng estimated it would be fully light in another hour.
Daylight hadn't vanished entirely, only grown increasingly scarce.
When the last vestiges of daylight disappeared, the terrifying truth hidden within Jiangtan School would be fully exposed, and their chances of survival would dwindle to nothing.
"It's almost dawn, Mr. Jiang. We need to hurry," Shen Mengyun said. She had always thought well of Jiang Cheng, especially after witnessing his urgent desire to save people. Deep down, she was convinced he was a genuinely good person.
The Activity Center's gate stood ajar, the lock hanging loosely to the side. It seemed Wang Qi, Gao Yan, and the Ghost had entered together through this route.
Shen Mengyun moved to approach.
"Wait," Jiang Cheng stopped her. After a moment's thought, he said, "We'll go around back and climb in through the glass window of the women's restroom."
"But they went through the main gate," Shen Mengyun protested, puzzled.
"We'll take another route and catch them off guard," Jiang Cheng declared, throwing a righteous punch into the air.
In reality, he was thinking: This is the perfect opportunity. While they're distracting the Ghost, I can sneak into the storage room to look for clues.
(End of the Chapter)
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