Translator: CinderTL
Without much strategizing, all they wanted was to survive.
People kept leaving along the way. Finally, at a corner, Jiang Cheng stopped.
Only Fatty and Huai Yi remained by his side.
"This is it," Jiang Cheng said, surveying the surroundings with apparent satisfaction.
To their right was a row of rooms. The nearest door bore the words "Deputy Curator's Office" written on a Lifeline Note.
Further down the corridor was a restroom and a double-door that looked like an emergency exit.
To their left, the space was more open and offered a better view. Scattered seating areas were interspersed with large potted plants arranged on iron shelves like bookshelves, staggered in height. It was clear that whoever had arranged the space had intended it to be a place for relaxation.
But now, these iron shelves and other furnishings provided natural cover for Jiang Cheng and his companions.
"Doctor," Fatty called from a partially open door, "come take a look at this—"
Jiang Cheng hurried over. The room appeared to be a storage closet.
Cleaning supplies—mops, brooms, and the like—were stacked against the wall, along with nails hammered into the wood.
Above them hung an old coat and several black plastic bags of unknown contents.
In the corner, a small table lay discarded, topped by a bucket of oil. Beneath it sat several large white bags filled with rice and flour.
This was likely the school's employee welfare package.
Jiang Cheng's gaze slowly focused on the bag of flour. After a moment, he instructed Fatty and Huai Yi to drag it out.
"Spread the flour around here as evenly as possible," Jiang Cheng said, quickly rummaging through the storage room for two enamel cups, one for each of them.
Huai Yi, seeing the white expanse of flour, immediately understood Jiang Cheng's plan. "Brother Jiang, if we spread the flour around, the Ghost will leave footprints when it steps on it, and we can pinpoint its location!" he exclaimed excitedly.
"Less chatter, just get to it!" Jiang Cheng urged.
He left the flour-spreading task to Fatty and Huai Yi. He had more important matters to attend to.
He moved to a more forward position, concealing himself behind the second iron rack laden with potted plants. Through the gaps, he observed the direction they had come from.
If all went according to plan, the Ghost would emerge from there.
Because this was the corner of the intersection, it was the only path leading to the next location.
This was also one of the reasons Jiang Cheng had chosen to hide here.
Fatty Huai Yi was busy scattering flour around, while Jiang Cheng kept watch for them. If he sensed a Ghost approaching, he would immediately signal them to hide.
Time ticked by, minute after minute. Just as Jiang Cheng was beginning to feel impatient, a sudden change occurred.
Footsteps echoed from afar—not walking, but running. The runner seemed anxious, yet they were trying their best to muffle their steps.
It was likely a person, but who?
Hearing the sound, Fatty and Huai Yi hurried over, both covered in flour. Fatty had a white patch on his face, making him look rather comical.
"Who is it?" Fatty stared in the direction of the footsteps, swallowing nervously.
"I don't know," Jiang Cheng replied, his guard still up. "How's your progress?"
"We've only done half," Huai Yi answered quickly. "Not enough time."
Jiang Cheng nodded. "You two go hide in the back. Don't go into the rooms. Try to find low tables, screens, or bookshelves to conceal yourselves. And be careful not to step on the flour."
"Understood."
"Doctor, be careful," Fatty said anxiously. He had no intention of staying to watch the excitement; after all, he wasn't a doctor.
As soon as Fatty Huai Yi left, Jiang Cheng's gaze sharpened. He saw two figures dart out from around a nearby corner, one following the other.
The figure in front was clearly Gao Yan.
Gao Yan's running posture was peculiar, with his toes pointed upward, but the effect was obvious: his footsteps were much lighter than the person behind him.
Gao Yan must have noticed Jiang Cheng, but he only glanced over without acknowledging him. He didn't even pause, just vanished into the deeper recesses of the building.
In contrast, the person behind him was in a much worse state. Her leg seemed injured, and she limped as she ran. It was Shen Mengyun.
As she drew closer, Jiang Cheng could see her face clearly. Her lips were bitten, her eyes were red-rimmed, and her face was etched with despair.
One hand clutched her right leg, which appeared to be injured.
Her footsteps were also much heavier than Gao Yan's.
Even more ominously, Jiang Cheng could now detect a faint, acrid smell of burning—right behind Shen Mengyun, following them.
Just as Shen Mengyun was about to stumble past his hiding spot behind the metal scaffolding, Jiang Cheng stepped out, first signaling her not to be afraid.
At the sight of Jiang Cheng, Shen Mengyun's eyes lit up.
"Don't speak. Follow me."
Jiang Cheng initially supported Shen Mengyun's arm, but her limping gait made it impossible to move quickly. The acrid stench behind them grew stronger.
"Mr. Jiang," Shen Mengyun said in a tiny, embarrassed voice, "I twisted my ankle when I was running earlier."
Despite her words, her grip on Jiang Cheng's arm tightened.
It was clear she didn't want to be left behind. In her current state, surrounded by an unfamiliar environment, her chances of survival were slim.
Yet she hesitated. After all, they were strangers. Bringing along an incapacitated woman would only increase Jiang Cheng's own risk of being found.
This wasn't a game. There were no second chances.
Jiang Cheng reached out, grabbed Shen Mengyun's hand, and forcefully pried it open. At that moment, her eyes dimmed.
So I'm being abandoned after all...
But who could she blame?
She was injured and unable to move freely. In such a dangerous situation, how could she expect a stranger to risk his life to save her?
If it were her, she probably would have hesitated too.
Just as a bitter smile twisted her lips and she prepared to bid farewell to the world in the most tragic way possible, she suddenly lost control and fell backward. Her body twisted sideways as someone scooped her up in a horizontal embrace.
Before she could react, her instincts took over, and she instinctively struggled.
"Don't move," Jiang Cheng's low, warning voice rumbled in her ear. "I'll take you away."
Shen Mengyun froze. From her perspective, she could see Jiang Cheng's jawline and half of his profile.
Jiang Cheng carried her swiftly, finally finding a hiding spot large enough for both of them.
It was a massive, old bookshelf pressed against the wall.
They squeezed into the narrow space between the bookshelf and the wall.
Fatty was crouched beneath a large table nearby, while Huai Yi hid behind a corner in the corridor.
The floor was dusted with white flour, but Jiang Cheng noticed scattered footprints already marring the surface.
No doubt Gao Yan had trampled them in his haste.
Jiang Cheng cursed the old man under his breath for always making things worse.
(End of the Chapter)
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