Translator: CinderTL
"Since we've accepted the commission, we'll definitely get the job done," Huai Yi replied. "But we'll need a bit more time."
"Moreover, one of our companions has fallen ill, running a high fever," Huai Yi turned around, signaling Director Qi to look at Li Kaifeng lying on the hospital bed.
Li Kaifeng lay flat on the bed, wrapped in a blanket, her eyes tightly shut, her face flushed. Her condition was poor, her brows furrowed, and she was still trembling slightly from time to time.
Seemingly not wanting to escalate the tension, Director Qi hesitated before stepping forward. He felt her forehead with his hand and then pried open her eyelids to take a look. "It's not a big issue," he said, turning around. "I'll arrange for someone to give her an IV later."
"Thank you."
Before leaving, Director Qi emphasized not to forget why they were invited here and that if the job wasn't done properly, the final payment wouldn't be settled.
Two days.
They had at most two days left.
After Director Qi left, Cao Yang's voice rang out, tinged with suspicion, "This guy seems too anxious. We're dealing with a Ghost, and he's only giving us two days?"
"Yeah," Yu Yu, standing by the bed, added, looking in the direction where Director Qi had disappeared. "It feels like if we don't solve this quickly, he might be the next to die."
Everyone had similar doubts. With so many people in the hospital, why was Director Qi the only one who seemed so nervous?
This was clearly not normal.
After a brief discussion, they decided to take advantage of the daytime to walk around the hospital. Clues wouldn't come to them on their own.
But leaving Li Kaifeng alone didn't seem appropriate either.
"I'll stay and take care of her," Wang Changguo said.
Everyone could see that this man wasn't genuinely willing to stay and care for his teammate. He was just scared, wanting to hide in the room to save his own skin.
However, no one called him out on it.
Jiang Cheng glanced around at everyone and suggested that Weiwei should also stay, reasoning that she hadn't rested well last night, and he felt sorry for her.
As soon as he finished speaking, several strange gazes wandered over him, but Jiang Cheng was completely unfazed.
This left six people.
Moving around in such a large group would easily attract attention.
So they divided into two groups based on their rooms.
Huai Yi, Cao Yang, and Yu Yu formed one group.
Jiang Cheng, Lin Wan'er, and Du Feng formed another.
The two groups would search separately.
When they parted, Huai Yi specifically reminded Jiang Cheng and the others that no matter what happened, the three of them should try not to separate.
According to his experience, although the daytime was relatively safer, it was only in comparison to the night.
In the Nightmare, there was no absolutely safe time.
Real danger always came unexpectedly.
Jiang Cheng nodded repeatedly, then stared at Huai Yi with an admiring gaze, making the latter unconsciously touch his nose.
Since there was still plenty of time, they didn't set a specific range.
"Mr. Jiang," Du Feng said, looking around, "It's so quiet here."
As they walked and stopped along the way, Jiang Cheng noticed that although there were many wards in the hospital, the occupancy rate wasn't very high, with many rooms empty.
But the nurse who had led them yesterday hadn't said that.
The nurse had said that rooms were tight recently, and even the 604 ward they were staying in had been arranged by Director Qi through connections.
The nurse had no reason to lie to them.
This was all Director Qi's idea.
This man clearly had issues.
Not long ago, Jiang Cheng had a suspicion in his mind. He wondered if this Ghost had been killed by Director Qi while alive, its resentment unresolved, and had returned after death to seek revenge.
This mission inexplicably gave him a familiar feeling.
It reminded him of the time in Xiaoshijian Village.
Perhaps Director Qi had called them here under false pretenses, more to use them as his scapegoats.
Recalling the direction in which the Ghost had disappeared last night, Jiang Cheng suspected that the abandoned rooms on the 6th floor were problematic; otherwise, there would be no need to lock them.
But rashly opening those Gates might lead to terrifying consequences.
He decided to wait and gather more information before taking action.
Since the Ghost had appeared in the hospital last night, its identity while alive was likely that of a patient or medical staff.
And its head was missing.
Clearly, a very serious accident had occurred.
Jiang Cheng planned to subtly inquire with other hospital staff. If such a heinous incident had indeed happened in the hospital, it would be hard to conceal.
"What are you doing?" Just as they reached the corner of the fourth floor, a voice caught their attention.
Looking up, they saw a woman dressed as a nurse standing not far behind them.
The woman wore an old-fashioned gauze mask and held a medical tray containing an IV bottle, medical tape, needles, and a few small white bottles.
She had been observing them for half a minute, noticing that the three of them were acting very strangely.
Especially the young man leading the group, who was walking close to the wall and peeking through the cracks of the doors, looking quite suspicious.
The hospital was a high-risk area for theft, so doctors and nurses were always on alert.
"I'm talking to you," the nurse said, taking off her mask to reveal a very young face.
She was around 20 years old, with good skin and large, blinking eyes. Her face was naturally cute, but now it looked quite stern.
"We're from Room 209," Jiang Cheng accurately reported Huai Yi's room number.
Hearing this room number, the nurse was momentarily stunned, and the sternness on her face visibly faded, replaced by a look of embarrassment. Du Feng was completely baffled.
"Sorry about that," the nurse said. "There are few nurses on duty right now, and I was busy with other things. I'll go now."
Through a brief conversation, Jiang Cheng learned that this nurse was the one Director Qi had assigned to give Li Kaifeng an injection.
Jiang Cheng eagerly offered to carry the tray for the nurse, but she politely declined.
As they walked, the two of them chatted amiably, and Jiang Cheng even offered to read the girl's palm and predict her fortune.
Du Feng and Lin Wan'er followed behind them.
As they headed towards Room 209, Du Feng couldn't help but glance at Lin Wan'er, noticing that she didn't seem to care at all.
Knocking on the door, Jiang Cheng pushed it open and was greeted by the pungent smell of burning tobacco. Wang Changguo leaned against the wall, smoking as if no one else was there.
Weiwei sat by Li Kaifeng's bedside, taking care of her.
But the next second, Jiang Cheng's gaze froze. He saw an IV bottle hanging by Li Kaifeng's side.
Seeing the nurse following Jiang Cheng, Wang Changguo asked in confusion, "What, another injection?"
A moment later, Jiang Cheng immediately turned around and stopped the nurse behind him, smiling as he said, "Sorry about that, I forgot to tell you. Director Qi noticed you hadn't come over, so he found a doctor to administer the injection."
(End of the Chapter)
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