Chapter 1897: Chapter 1078: Don’t Open the Door
Seeing the stalemate dragging on, it was finally Hirano Yuuhi, who was grouped with Yandeta Chiyoda, who stepped out to smooth things over and cool the situation down, suggesting they start drawing lots to pick people.
And Yang Xiao and Takagi Reina really didn’t take part. Even when faced with that murderous look from Yandeta Chiyoda, Yang Xiao didn’t compromise. He simply didn’t want trouble, but he wasn’t afraid of it.
If this weren’t in the Nightmare World, it was the harmonious society that saved her; if they were outside and Yandeta Chiyoda dared to jump at him like this, he would definitely let her see what methods Ming Emperor Ye Xiao was capable of.
Excluding Yang Xiao and Takagi Reina, there were 9 people left, a total of 5 groups, each sending one representative to draw lots. Watanabe Gou formed a group by himself, and when the result came out, Takagi Reina’s mouth curled and she couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
Yandeta Chiyoda drew the grand prize: tonight she and Hirano Yuuhi would be responsible for taking the night bus to search for clues.
Takagi Reina was about to go up and congratulate her, but Yang Xiao stopped her. He didn’t want to waste words arguing with Yandeta Chiyoda; it was meaningless. In his eyes, this old woman was already a dead person.
It was getting late, so everyone went their separate ways. According to their agreement, at 10 p.m. tonight, Yandeta Chiyoda and Hirano Yuuhi would board the bus at Renyuan Shrine Station, retracing the route from the night Sasaki Sakura disappeared. If everything went smoothly, the two of them would get off at Shirahata Station.
"Teacher Yuanda, tonight will be somewhat dangerous. You must stay on high alert. Remember to take more photos, preferably a few at every stop. Many times the lens can capture things we can’t see." Kato Shinjiro reminded them, face calm and tone gentle.
These words sounded full of goodwill, but everyone present understood clearly: there was actually a threat hidden in them.
After all, tonight everyone would be staying in different places, and no one would be going out casually at night. So who would supervise whether Yandeta Chiyoda and Hirano Yuuhi actually went or not?
So as not to leave them any loopholes, Kato Shinjiro "kindly" reminded them to remember to use their phones to take photos.
Tomorrow morning, if they can produce the photos, then they’re still close teammates. But if they can’t, heh, then sorry, the two of them will be public enemies.
Anyone who breaks the rules in the Nightmare World will never have a good ending. The consequences of being targeted by everyone are easy to imagine.
And don’t even think about playing tricks. No one here is stupid. Photos have timestamps—if the times don’t match up, they still won’t escape being held accountable.
After saying what needed to be said, everyone dispersed. Very soon, only Yang Xiao and Takagi Reina, and the two-person teams of Xiao Lin Zhengyan and Yamamoto Chunai were left in the Detective Agency.
"You still have something to say?" Yang Xiao looked at Xiao Lin Zhengyan, whose hesitant expression and nervousness were written all over his face.
"Chu Jun, I... we want to follow you and Miss Takagi. I know you’re a good person. Please take us in!" Xiao Lin Zhengyan bowed deeply to Yang Xiao, his attitude extremely sincere.
"Please take us in!" Yamamoto Chunai also bowed.
"Hey, hey, hey, what’s that supposed to mean? Planning to stick around here and not leave?" Takagi Reina was not the type to spoil people. Setting aside talk of goodwill or not, letting the two of them stay over tonight would be breaking the rules.
"Mr. Xiaolin, I can’t really be called a good person. I can only help you within the scope of what I’m able to do. If you want to stay alive, in the end you still have to rely on yourselves."
"If I let you stay, tonight I’ll be taking on the corresponding risk. And for you, staying here might not necessarily be a good thing. I can tell you clearly: that Water Ghost is in the restroom on this floor. Tonight... it’s very likely it will come again." Facing Xiao Lin Zhengyan, Yang Xiao chose to tell the truth.
Upon hearing that the Water Ghost might come back, both Xiao Lin Zhengyan and Yamamoto Chunai’s faces changed. They had personally experienced the Water Ghost’s attack, so of course they knew how terrifying that thing was.
"But Chu Jun..."
Xiao Lin Zhengyan wanted to say more, but Yang Xiao raised his hand and cut him off. "Go back. While it’s still not dark yet. If you leave any later, the hallway outside the door might not be safe."
Since things had come to this, Xiao Lin Zhengyan no longer insisted. After bowing to Yang Xiao in thanks, he turned and left.
Yamamoto Chunai was a person without much of her own opinion. Seeing Xiao Lin Zhengyan leave, even though she was reluctant, she could only follow.
"Wait a second!" Just as Xiao Lin Zhengyan was about to open the door, Yang Xiao stopped him.
"Mr. Xiaolin, lock your door well tonight. No matter who comes knocking, don’t open it." Yang Xiao instructed him, his tone serious.
"Got it." Xiao Lin Zhengyan nodded.
The two of them ran off after they stepped out. Listening to the sound of their footsteps gradually fade, Takagi Reina let out something like a sigh of relief, plopping down on the sofa, half-leaning to one side, squinting as she watched Yang Xiao checking the lock on the door.
"Hey, you’re actually pretty nice, you know. You’re really good to those two newbies." Takagi Reina didn’t know whether she was sincerely praising him or just mocking.
Yang Xiao, turning back, didn’t mind. He walked alone toward the desk. "Newbies are still people. Out there they also have parents, loved ones, and friends waiting for them to come home. Taking a step back, if one more newbie survives, that gives us one more chance to test things and make mistakes."
"You’re really strange. When you talk about killing, your eyes go cold like some kind of... thing, but toward complete stranger newbies you’re pretty nice."
"You’ve already looked out for them several times today. Just now you specifically reminded him to guard against Watanabe Gou coming to knock on his door at night." Takagi Reina’s gaze locked onto Yang Xiao’s face, as if she wanted to see through the mask beneath it. "Tell me, you’re not faking it, right? Actually white on the outside and black inside? If you really are, then your acting skills are god-level."
