Translator: CinderTL
"It's him." After just three seconds of eye contact, Fatty confirmed the Doctor's identity and pulled Banana Wolf over with him.
Before entering, Banana Wolf took a cautious glance at the Gate, ensuring there was nothing amiss before following Fatty inside.
Before Jiang Cheng could even speak, Fatty spilled everything about his situation like pouring beans.
Then it was Banana Wolf's turn.
As the clues came together, the entire sequence of events became clear.
Wu was created by Lin Chen.
He represented Lin Chen's helplessness and despair.
"But deep in the heart of this introverted and timid woman, there still lingered an expectation for a beautiful love. So, while creating the black-clad Wu, she also left behind the kind and shy Wu on the back of the painting," Banana Wolf analyzed.
Hearing this, Jiang Cheng shook his head, looking at the painting and said, "No, the kind and shy Wu was Lin Chen's original creation, her initial intent. The black-clad Wu was a monster that emerged when something went wrong during her creative process."
"It was Li Maoshen and the others!" Fatty immediately realized. "They tore apart the last shred of hope Lin Chen held onto."
"They were the ones who pushed Lin Chen into the abyss," Banana Wolf's eyes flashed with intensity. "The black-clad Wu was never the creation of just one person!"
Closing the painting, Jiang Cheng seemed to think of something and sighed, "When an avalanche occurs, no single snowflake is innocent."
"Let's go."
"Wait!" Fatty grabbed Jiang Cheng's arm, speaking quickly, "Have you thought about it? If Lin Chen still had a shred of sanity left, why didn't she appear from start to finish?"
This was crucial, as it determined whether they would face just the black-clad Wu as an enemy in Room 808, or both Wu and perhaps an even more terrifying Lin Chen.
After all, she was the one who created Wu.
But even Fatty himself knew this question was meaningless, because no matter what, they had to enter Room 808.
"Give me the painting," Fatty reached out to snatch the painting from Jiang Cheng's hands. "I'll go in first, you two wait outside for a bit."
Jiang Cheng raised his arm, easily avoiding Fatty's hand. "With your brain, going in would be no different from delivering yourself to them. Don't cause trouble."
"Doctor!" Fatty said, "It's precisely because I'm dumb that I should go in first. If our initial guess is wrong, the two of you together might still find another way out. Leaving me behind is useless—if you die, there's no way I could survive with this brain of mine."
"Didn't you say it before, Doctor?" Fatty continued passionately, "When doing things, weigh the pros and cons. My cost of trial and error is the lowest. Even if I'm wrong, we still have a chance!"
"But if you go in and something happens, we're all finished!" As if recalling the vivid faces of those who had died, Fatty's eyes turned red, and he roughly pulled Jiang Cheng's arm. "Doctor, Chu Jiu and the others didn't die in vain!"
"He's right," Banana Wolf looked at Jiang Cheng. "You can't go in first. You're stronger than me, and you two must have known each other before entering, so your coordination is more seamless."
"Give me the painting," Banana Wolf extended his hand, his tone leaving no room for argument. "Chu Jiu passed the final baton to me. Please let me finish it for her."
"Cut the crap," Jiang Cheng said with a disdainful glance at the two of them. "Don't think I don't know what you're up to. You're just trying to win favor and steal my spotlight!"
Jiang Cheng continued, "Whether you live or die is one thing, but there's only one painting here. If it's wasted, aren't you afraid Chu Jiu might crawl out from under your bed at night to settle the score?"
He snorted twice, tucking the painting into his pocket as he went on, "I'm not like you. I know Lin Chen, and she'll probably give me some face."
Banana Wolf frowned. The man in front of him seemed unreliable, but his words made sense. There was only one painting.
In other words, there was only one chance.
And if there was only one chance, then this mysterious Hao Shuai was indeed the best candidate. But the fact that he claimed to know Lin Chen... Noticing Banana Wolf's suspicious gaze, Jiang Cheng said nonchalantly, "Lin Chen came to harass me at night, probably because I'm good-looking. I sent her away, but I believe," Jiang Cheng suddenly became animated, "she has feelings for me!"
"Only I am the man who can repel the darkness!" Jiang Cheng declared with his chin held high, his voice filled with passion. "Ganbatte!"
This sudden burst of Japanese-style hot-blooded enthusiasm startled Banana Wolf. He had no idea why this man had suddenly become so fired up.
What was even stranger was that he himself was somehow swept up in the atmosphere. The sense of tragic sacrifice he had felt moments ago vanished, replaced by a reverence for life and a desire to survive.
They couldn't die here.
Everyone had to live.
It wasn't the worst-case scenario yet. The painting was still in their hands, and they still had a chance.
But what Banana Wolf didn't know was that Jiang Cheng had his own assessment of the situation. Lin Chen was likely on their side.
Earlier, during a phone call, Lin Chen had pleaded for his help, begging him to save her.
And in Li Zumei's story, the footsteps that had lingered outside the door late at night were also Lin Chen's. She had come for the painting now in his hands.
She knew that only this painting could deal with the black-clad man, Wu.
Wu's benevolent side was likely hidden in Room 808.
The abilities of the black-clad man, Wu, were far beyond what they could handle. Their only chance was to awaken Wu's benevolent side.
He should have realized this earlier.
The key to survival in this scenario lay in the kindness within people's hearts.
If it hadn't been for Fatty's stubbornness, they might have been wiped out in Li Zumei's Urban Legend.
And Banana Wolf—originally, it was a situation where death was certain, but Weng Qing had let him go.
Though Banana Wolf wouldn't admit it, when he saw the photos covering the walls in Weng Qing's bedroom and listened to her recount her past, for a moment, the kindness in his heart overcame his fear. He genuinely felt sorry for this woman.
Jiang Cheng wasn't sure what he would have done in that situation, whether he would have become Weng Qing's new collection.
But the next second, his thoughts abruptly shifted to that tunnel.
Dark and seemingly endless, he reached for the car door, intending to let go of Chen Yi's hand, but his hand inexplicably froze.
She was already beyond saving. She had asked for it herself. No one had forced her. Yet, in that moment, he hesitated—a rare occurrence for him.
The darkness outside the car door was vividly clear, and it felt even more terrifying than Room 808.
He dared not imagine what would have happened if he had opened that car door at that time.
It seemed that something even more terrifying than Wu, the man in black, was hidden in that darkness, and its target was him.
It was waiting for him to open the door.
(End of the Chapter)
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