Translator: CinderTL
"Why is it taking so long?" Weiwei couldn't help but feel worried as she watched the elevator, which had been stuck on the first basement level for quite some time.
Outside, the sky was gradually darkening, and it wouldn't be long before the last ray of sunlight disappeared below the horizon.
If they hadn't returned by then... "Could something have happened?" Wang Changguo asked in a low voice.
He harbored both hatred and fear toward Jiang Cheng. If Jiang Cheng were to die down there, it wouldn't be such a bad thing.
From the right side came the sound of running footsteps. Lin Wan'er turned her head toward the direction of the staircase.
It sounded like someone was running up.
A figure emerged from the stairwell.
The moment Weiwei saw the figure, her expression brightened. "It's Huai Yi!"
Huai Yi also noticed the group, but he didn't immediately approach them. Instead, after a brief observation, he walked over. "Why are you all here?"
He looked around. "Why are there only a few of you left? Where are the others?"
"They went to the morgue," Weiwei quickly replied.
This had been part of the initial plan, but what puzzled everyone was that Huai Yi's expression immediately changed upon hearing this. "They haven't come out yet?"
The sky outside was almost completely dark.
Huai Yi seemed to have found some clue, and his expression was tense. "We can't wait any longer. I need to go upstairs. You all—"
Huai Yi looked at the three of them. From his demeanor, it seemed that the journey hadn't gone smoothly, and he must have discovered something crucial.
Moreover, this clue was likely related to what the others who had gone down were facing.
After such a long time without their return, everyone had a sense that something had gone wrong, though no one was willing to say it out loud.
"What clue did you find?" Lin Wan'er asked, looking at Huai Yi.
"There's no time to explain now! I need to go upstairs to verify something. Things might not be as simple as we thought!" Huai Yi said urgently.
Lin Wan'er glanced at the elevator, which was still stuck on the first floor. After a moment, she reached out and pressed the elevator button.
"What are you doing?"
Wang Changguo was startled by Lin Wan'er's action. He instinctively felt that this elevator might bring something terrible up from below.
He wanted to turn and run, but he didn't dare.
Being alone would make him an easier target.
In his hesitation, Wang Changguo's face turned a deep shade of purple, making him look extremely uncomfortable.
But something unexpected happened—the elevator seemed to be stuck below and didn't move at all.
Something was definitely wrong!
Seeing this, Lin Wan'er didn't hesitate any longer. She turned to Huai Yi and said, "I'll go with you."
"You two stay here and keep watch," Lin Wan'er instructed calmly, her tone leaving no room for argument. "They're just trapped down there. It's impossible that they've all been wiped out."
"Exactly," Huai Yi added emphatically. "The chances of all three of them being taken out are too low."
With that, Lin Wan'er followed Huai Yi, not taking the elevator but instead leaving through the corridor and disappearing into the stairwell.
Now that only Weiwei and Wang Changguo were left, Wang Changguo's anxiety spiked again.
After all, Jiang Cheng wasn't here, Huai Yi had left, and now Lin Wan'er was gone too. The few people in the group who could take charge were all gone, and he was left without any constraints.
But what if they encountered a ghost? Could he rely on Weiwei?
He felt that she might not even be as capable as he was.
However, he narrowed his eyes slightly. If what Huai Yi said was true, that the Ghost only kills one person at a time, then all he needed to do was run faster than Weiwei.
Just as Wang Changguo was lost in his thoughts, another set of footsteps echoed from the stairwell. Unlike Huai Yi's earlier footsteps, these sounded much heavier.
Moreover, the rhythm and frequency were erratic.
If one had to describe it, it was like a person drunkenly staggering up the stairs.
Before Weiwei and Wang Changguo could ponder further, another figure rushed out from the stairwell.
It truly was a rush, but the figure stumbled and only managed to steady itself by leaning against the wall, preventing a fall.
When the figure looked up, the color drained from Weiwei's face, and Wang Changguo's eyes widened in shock.
"Huai Yi?!" Weiwei exclaimed in disbelief.
The person who had emerged was actually Huai Yi.
But then... a chill ran through Weiwei, making her feel as if her veins were filled with ice, her teeth chattering uncontrollably.
"I was attacked by the Ghost. I barely managed to escape," Huai Yi said weakly, clearly severely injured.
One hand clutched his abdomen, blood continuously seeping through his fingers and dripping onto the floor.
"The Director Qi... he's the problem. He... he's Zhao Ru's biological father," Huai Yi said with great pain, but he forced himself to finish the sentence.
"Don't talk about that now," Weiwei hurried over and managed to catch Huai Yi just before he collapsed. "How are you?"
When she moved Huai Yi's hand, Weiwei couldn't help but gasp. Three gruesome wounds nearly tore open his abdomen.
The wounds were neatly aligned, as if clawed by a beast like a lion or tiger.
But this wasn't a zoo. Where would a lion or tiger come from?
It was the Ghost.
The Ghost did this!
After Weiwei told Huai Yi that the Ghost had disguised itself as him and lured Lin Wan'er away, Huai Yi, who had been relatively calm, suddenly began coughing violently, and blood started gushing from his wounds again.
"Quick... cough..." Huai Yi grabbed Weiwei's arm in agitation, "Find a way... find a way to save her!"
Wang Changguo, standing to the side, thought Huai Yi must be out of his mind. Barely able to save himself, yet still thinking of saving someone else. Could it be that he had a thing for that woman? "Don't get too worked up. I'll take you to stop the bleeding," Weiwei said, struggling to move Huai Yi on her own. She then turned to Wang Changguo, "What are you standing there for? Come help!"
Only then did Wang Changguo step forward. He looked at the bloody wound on Huai Yi's abdomen and felt a wave of terror.
A flurry of chaotic thoughts crossed his mind. He worried that if he got blood on himself, he might become the Ghost's next target.
After the Ghost killed Lin Wan'er, would it come back for them?
No.
It would come for Huai Yi.
He absolutely couldn't stay by his side.
While supporting Huai Yi with one hand, Wang Changguo voiced his concern, "This won't do. Lin Wan'er still doesn't know that the person beside her is the Ghost in disguise. I need to warn her."
"You're going alone?" Weiwei looked at him suspiciously, feeling as if he had changed somehow.
"It has to be this way. Weiwei, you take Huai Yi to stop the bleeding. I'll find a way to warn Lin Wan'er," Wang Changguo said with a righteous tone.
"Be careful then."
"Mm."
After speaking, Wang Changguo ran away. He was cautious and ran from the other side of the corridor, so Weiwei and Huai Yi couldn't see him.
"I can't die. It's you fools who should die," Wang Changguo gritted his teeth and quickened his pace.
The nurse stood on the fourth floor, struggling to support Huai Yi. Weiwei instinctively wanted to call for another elevator.
"Don't... don't take the elevator," Huai Yi said through the pain. "Take the stairs. It's fine to go slowly. I can hold on."
(End of the Chapter)
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