Translator: CinderTL
But compared to that, Jiang Cheng was more puzzled by something else: How had Fatty climbed onto the bookshelf?
And while being chased by a Ghost, no less.
The bookshelf was sturdy enough, but its smooth surface made it no easy feat to climb quickly, especially for someone of Fatty's build.
"How did you get up there?" Jiang Cheng tilted his head and asked Fatty.
"Just climbed up, that's all," Fatty replied, gesturing with his hands. As he spoke, whether out of guilt or something else, his voice grew softer as he avoided Jiang Cheng's gaze.
Jiang Cheng stepped aside and said, "Climb up again."
"Again?" Fatty asked, surprised.
"Hurry up!"
Fatty took a deep breath, centered his qi, and with a running leap, scrambled up the bookshelf using both hands and feet. In a few swift "swoosh-swoosh-swoosh" movements, he was at the top.
He quickly flattened himself, leaving only his large face visible. He blinked innocently at Jiang Cheng as if to say, "See? It's really quite simple."
This simple action left Huai Yi and Shen Mengyun dumbfounded. After all, they had never seen such a nimble Fatty before.
Most importantly, he hadn't made much noise at all.
Huai Yi mused inwardly. If the Nightmare displayed player attributes, Brother Fugui's Agility stat would surely be maxed out.
"Amazing!" Shen Mengyun couldn't help but exclaim.
The calmest of the three was Jiang Cheng. He glanced at Fatty and then called him down.
He knew about Fatty's agility, but he'd also noticed that the man seemed to be getting more flexible.
For some reason, Jiang Cheng found himself understanding Fatty less and less. Strangely, the vague sense of familiarity he felt deep down, that lingering impression of having known Fatty for a long time, grew stronger.
"You're all here." A voice behind them interrupted Jiang Cheng's thoughts.
Turning around, he saw Wang Qi approaching, still wearing that unpleasant expression.
Wang Qi scanned their faces before saying, "Let's go."
"Where to?" Fatty asked.
Wang Qi turned and stared at Fatty's face for a few seconds before replying, "The Circulation Desk has appeared."
Following Wang Qi, the group didn't walk far before they saw a dim, flickering, yellowish light emanating from a corner across the way.
Turning a corner and emerging from behind the bookshelves, they found themselves facing a circulation desk about ten meters away.
The circulation desk looked ancient, enclosed by a circle of grimy glass. Behind the only window sat a large table, on which rested a kerosene lamp.
The lamp's flickering flame cast a dim glow, illuminating the silhouette of a figure seated behind the table.
The figure was shrouded in a gray-black cloak, dressed like the Burnt Ghost who had been pursuing them—the former foreign Exorcism Master. But judging by the figure's height...
"Which book are you looking to borrow?" Before Jiang Cheng and the others could fully process this, the figure behind the desk spoke, his voice dry and raspy, like two pieces of coal grinding together.
Jiang Cheng stepped forward and slid a slip of paper with a numbered code through the window. "Could you please help us find this book?"
At this distance, Jiang Cheng couldn't make out the figure's face.
Creak—
After receiving the slip, the figure hesitated for a few seconds before leaning back, the chair scraping loudly against the floor.
The figure rose and disappeared into the darkness behind the desk.
Due to the limited illumination of the kerosene lamp, they could only make out a vague outline. Behind the strange man stood bookshelves crammed with books, packed tightly together.
But they couldn't tell how many bookshelves there were in total.
Click—
Creak—
Thump!
Thump! Thump!
They heard a series of strange noises coming from the depths of the Circulation Desk's darkness. It sounded like... Jiang Cheng frowned. It sounded like someone was struggling.
But after two muffled groans, the struggling gradually faded away.
A few seconds later, heavy footsteps emerged from the darkness. The strange man returned, this time holding a book with a black cover.
Thump!
The man slammed the book onto the table—or rather, it seemed more like he had thrown it.
"Thank you," Jiang Cheng said, reaching out and snatching the book with lightning speed. He seemed worried that if he hesitated, the man might change his mind or even grab his hand and drag him into this unsettling Circulation Desk.
The moment he touched the book, Jiang Cheng knew something was wrong. It felt sticky, as if coated in some viscous substance, and there was a faint metallic smell.
It was blood.
Jiang Cheng opened his hand and saw a bloodstain. The blood was still warm.
Recalling the struggle they had heard earlier, Shen Mengyun stepped forward, tugged at his arm, and said anxiously, "Mr. Jiang, we have the book. Let's leave quickly."
No one dared turn their backs on the Circulation Desk or the monster as they slowly retreated.
The monster remained seated in its chair, its form obscured by its gray robe. It was impossible to tell whether it was watching them.
Just as they had retreated about six or seven meters from the Circulation Desk, a sudden change occurred.
The kerosene lamp violently shook once, then toppled onto the table. Flames erupted instantly, spreading with the ferocity of gasoline.
In a matter of seconds, the entire Circulation Desk was engulfed in flames.
The monster remained seated in its chair, its arms resting flat on the armrests, motionless until the flames consumed it. A large hole burned through its gray robe, revealing the face beneath.
"Gao Yan!" Shen Mengyun cried out in shock.
Now that the gray robe had burned away, Gao Yan's original clothes were visible. He sat upright in his chair, surrounded by a sea of fire.
He didn't scream or cry out, only stared at them with unwavering eyes, especially at Fatty, his gaze filled with resentment.
"He's still conscious," Wang Qi sighed. "He just can't control his body."
The stench of burning flesh assaulted everyone's senses. Gao Yan's face began to twist and melt in the flames, with oily substances dripping down.
Though they hadn't liked Gao Yan much, witnessing a teammate burned alive was still too brutal.
They chose to leave.
Stepping out of the library and into the night air, the acrid smell of burning flesh in their nostrils finally began to dissipate.
The campus was deserted at night, lit only by a few lonely streetlights that, from a distance, resembled wandering ghosts.
As they reached a streetlight, they all stopped simultaneously and turned to Jiang Cheng.
Jiang Cheng, understanding their unspoken request, opened the book in his hands.
Fatty, curious, reached out to touch the cover. It felt smooth and supple, unlike ordinary materials. "This is so fine," he marveled. "What's it made of?"
"Human skin," Wang Qi replied calmly.
Fatty's face twitched, and he visibly paled.
Through the book, Jiang Cheng gradually pieced together the truth and understood the Heart-Corroding Demon's objective.
It was much as he had suspected: to fully possess Yuan Xiaoyi's body, the demon had to eliminate all her other personalities.
(End of the Chapter)
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