Translator: CinderTL
At this thought, a look of regret couldn't help but appear on Huai Yi's face.
If he had known it would be like this, he should have been bolder earlier. Perhaps he could have discovered this clue. But now that he had left Room 906, there was no way he could go back.
There was a limit to bravery, and he didn't want to throw his life away.
Seeing Huai Yi's dejected expression, Lin Wan'er suddenly spoke up, "It's 409. She wanted to hint at the numbers 409."
Hearing this, Huai Yi was stunned for a moment, then raised his head and looked at Lin Wan'er with a strange expression. "How did you know?"
He had been there the entire time and hadn't seen or heard Lin Wan'er communicate with the Crazy Woman.
Was it lip-reading?
Huai Yi speculated.
Did this Lin Wan'er know lip-reading? Before he could continue pondering, Lin Wan'er gestured for Huai Yi to look down.
His gaze slowly shifted to Lin Wan'er's lower body. She had an excellent figure, the kind that couldn't be hidden even in loose clothing.
Her legs were especially beautiful—white and straight—causing Huai Yi's eyes to grow intense, until... he suddenly shivered.
On the inner side of Lin Wan'er's exposed calf were the numbers 409.
Written in blood.
The bloodstains were intermittent and already half-dried.
Meeting Huai Yi's gaze, Lin Wan'er nodded with an expression that said, "You guessed it." "The Mad Nurse under the bed left it. I think she left something there."
Without needing to ask, it was clear that this thing must be related to the truth of Room 624.
After the initial excitement of obtaining the clue faded, Huai Yi began to feel a strange sensation toward the woman named Lin Wan'er before him.
Curiosity, and wariness.
When did the Crazy Woman leave the blood-written numbers? Only when Lin Wan'er approached the bed.
She had tucked in the person on the bed, and it was at that moment that the Crazy Woman seized the opportunity to leave the clue in blood.
But this raised another question.
In such an environment, how did Lin Wan'er not scream when a hand suddenly reached out from under the bed and wrote on her leg? She didn't even show any abnormal reaction.
Impossible! Without any preparation, no normal person could have done that! Unless... Huai Yi's eyes slightly changed. She already knew that the person on the bed was suspicious! And the real Crazy Woman was hiding under the bed.
Like Jiang Cheng, Huai Yi's curiosity about Lin Wan'er grew heavier, but he wasn't planning to ask. Because the answers to some questions... were too heavy.
He was severely injured now, and if he were to clash with Jiang Cheng and Lin Wan'er, it wouldn't end well for him.
Even though he possessed... that kind of power.
But it was a forbidden power, one he had paid a great price to obtain.
Huai Yi slightly clenched his fist. Every time he used that power, he felt his soul grow thinner.
So unless absolutely necessary, he wasn't planning to use it.
It was said that everyone who pushed open the Gate had made a contract with the world behind it. While using the power of the Gate, they were also being eroded by the forces behind it.
Not long ago, it was only by relying on the power of the Gate that he had escaped the Ghost's pursuit.
Otherwise, the three claw marks on his abdomen would have been the least of his worries.
The force of that strike was enough to tear him apart.
"You're right," Lin Wan'er suddenly spoke up, interrupting Huai Yi's train of thought. "Shortly after entering the room, I noticed something was off with the person on the bed."
"The Crazy Woman's legs had atrophied from lack of movement over a long period, but the person on the bed wasn't like that. Her leg movements were quite agile."
"After realizing there was something wrong with the person on the bed, I observed the area nearby and quickly discovered someone else hiding under the bed."
"I think she is the real Crazy Woman."
"So you approached her just to create an opportunity to interact with the Crazy Woman under the bed?" Huai Yi found the woman's courage truly terrifying.
He didn't believe that in such a short time, Lin Wan'er could determine whether the person on the bed was human or a Ghost.
"Alright," Lin Wan'er cut him off. "I need to find someone first, and then head to Room 409."
Huai Yi quickly followed, saying, "Let's go together. We can watch out for each other."
He really didn't want to stay here a minute longer.
As they passed through the lobby where two corridors intersected, they noticed the elevator was in a different position than before.
It wasn't stopped at the basement level.
Instead, it was on the 4th floor.
"Did they come out?" Huai Yi couldn't help but feel a bit excited. In such a oppressive environment, knowing that their teammates were still alive was definitely a comfort.
It would ease the loneliness and the helplessness of being trapped in this strange and abnormal world.
After nightfall, the entire hospital fell into complete silence.
It was as if the doctors and patients who appeared during the day were all figments of their imagination.
At this point, they didn't dare to casually open any ward doors to see if there was anyone inside.
Or rather... were they people, or Ghosts?
Without discussion, they silently agreed to head to the 4th floor via the stairs, since their destination was also the 4th floor.
That Room 409 mentioned by the Mad Nurse.
Now it seemed that the remaining people were likely near the 4th floor as well.
The situation was going more smoothly than they had anticipated. As they were descending the stairs, they happened to run into Jiang Cheng's group.
After a series of cautious exchanges, the two groups finally reunited.
Seeing that Lin Wan'er was unharmed, Jiang Cheng's heart, which had been on edge, finally settled.
The two groups briefly exchanged the clues they had found.
"Room 409?" Jiang Cheng pondered for a moment. "Although it might not be safe to go there now, I think it's necessary."
After hearing Huai Yi recount the events in Room 906, Yu Yu couldn't help but express concern, "Could we consider that this might also be a trap?"
"The Mad Nurse has already been controlled by Xiang Nan, and the message she conveyed was also instructed by Xiang Nan. It's very likely that she is now waiting for us in Room 409."
But before she could finish, Jiang Cheng interrupted, "It won't be long before dawn. Discussing this now is pointless."
Everyone meant well, but they only had one life to spare.
And Yu Yu's words weren't entirely without merit.
At this stage of the mission, everyone understood that they were nearing the end, and the deadline set by Director Qi was almost upon them.
Even if it was a trap, they had to give it a try.
Jiang Cheng looked up. They now had five people left. Who would go in first was an unavoidable question.
After all, this wasn't just a simple exploration; there was a significant possibility that it was a trap set by a Ghost.
No one was foolish. Judging by the sudden silence in the atmosphere, no one wanted to take the initiative to step forward.
Yu Yu's face was pale, and her hands were unnaturally clasped together.
Cao Yang, on the other hand, kept his head down, avoiding eye contact with anyone.
Just as Jiang Cheng was about to resort to the old method of drawing lots to decide, a faint but unmistakably delighted voice rang out.
"Finally, I found you all!"
Wang Changguo, who had been missing for a long time, emerged from around the corner. Though his steps were shaky, his spirits were high. The moment he saw everyone, he was nearly moved to tears.
(End of the Chapter)
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