Stranger

Translator: Cinder Translations

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Stepping outside the building, bathing in the sunlight, Jiang Cheng's complexion finally improved a bit. The Fatty turned back to glance at the slightly eerie building, his heart pounding heavily.

The feeling was strange; he had seen nothing, heard nothing, and didn't even sense the slightest abnormality. Yet, just being influenced by the doctor had made him feel this way.

He withdrew his gaze and looked at the doctor, his lips trembling a few times. Before he could utter a word, he heard the doctor ask, "Has Chen Ran or Su Xiaoxiao mentioned where they're going?"

The Fatty thought for a moment and shook his head with certainty, "No."

"Doctor," the Fatty suddenly asked, "They... they wouldn't have gone to that forest, would they?" He looked toward the forest, which seemed lush but gave off a sense of death. The Fatty felt a deep, instinctive rejection rise up from within him.

He had personally experienced the weirdness in the forest—the eerie mist deep within, like a quagmire that once you fall into, you can't escape from.

He definitely didn't want to go through that again.

But now, the situation was clear—they hadn't found Chen Ran and the others inside the building. The beach was empty, and so was the cliff. A few scattered large stones nearby didn't look like they could hide someone.

So...

The outcome was quite obvious. Taking advantage of the doctor's sleep, Chen Ran and Su Xiaoxiao had sneaked into the small woods.

"Let's go," Jiang Cheng said, stepping towards the forest. "Let's take a look."

Although the Fatty wanted to persuade the doctor not to approach the forest, it was clear that the forest held crucial secrets regarding the task, or perhaps even its origin.

After all, everything started happening after that strange white stone disk was found.

Whether it was the "assimilated" ghostly beings or the curse itself...

The Fatty couldn't help but keep thinking about the curse—what exactly did it refer to? And what about the things assimilated in Black Stone Town? They—no, it—what was their purpose?

The closer they got to the forest, the stronger the ominous feeling in the Fatty's heart became. That place was the origin of all the mysteries and, similarly, carried the greatest danger of the entire mission.

His steps slowed as a thought flashed in his mind. He couldn't care less about the doctor's reaction and immediately said, "Doctor, if it's really that dangerous near the stone disk, how did Su Xiaoxiao and Su An escape?"

"Don't forget, so many people in Black Stone Town have already…"

Before the Fatty could finish his sentence, Jiang Cheng entered the forest, the "rustling" of his footsteps sounded in his ears like countless wild cats scratching.

The Fatty was stunned.

Why was the doctor so strange today?

However, this thought passed fleetingly. Soon, he steeled himself against the rising resistance in his heart and followed the doctor.

They slowly moved deeper into the forest.

As they proceeded, the resistance in the Fatty's heart grew stronger, nearly unbearable. He stared at the doctor's back, and an unfamiliar feeling suddenly surged within him.

Though the doctor had always been a free spirit, today, he seemed unusually odd.

Gradually, the Fatty's face changed slightly, and he suddenly had a bold guess.

It wasn't just bold—it was downright chilling. Just the thought of it made his legs tremble uncontrollably.

And more importantly, if this guess were confirmed, then today would be his last day. This forest... would be his burial ground!

If Su Xiaoxiao and Su An might have been "assimilated," then what about the doctor?

Had he also been "assimilated"?

Based on the Fatty's understanding of the curse, it might not just be the act of witnessing the stone disk that causes the curse's effects. There could be other ways.

The missing Liang Long, the biker girl, might not be dead. They could very well have been "assimilated," now entangled with the ghostly beings in Black Stone Town.

And that old woman, she was also suspicious...

The Fatty's thoughts drifted further and further. Various complicated and tangled clues piled up in his mind, intertwining and leading to new speculations.

Reasoning was never his strong suit, and now his mind was nothing but a tangled mess.

Though he thought of many things, in reality, only a moment passed, and he had only followed the doctor for a few dozen meters, maybe even less.

But that was as far as he got.

Because the doctor in front of him had already turned around, standing still, looking at him with an expression the Fatty couldn't understand. Then, the doctor slowly tilted his neck to one side.

"Whew—" A person squinted, the salty sea breeze blowing on their face, their bangs a mess in the wind. But due to their striking appearance, they gave off a rare, hermit-like aura, standing apart from the world.

"They've gone in," Su Xiaoxiao's voice echoed in his ear, emotionless, without warmth.

She turned her head to look at Chen Ran, still staring into the direction of the forest, and said faintly, "Mr. Chen, your method worked."

Chen Ran seemed to have received confirmation, slowly withdrawing his gaze, then focusing on Su Xiaoxiao's delicate face. After a moment, he grinned and said, "Miss Su, you're being modest. This isn't just my doing," he paused, then added, "You're also involved."

To this, Su Xiaoxiao didn't respond. Protecting herself in the nightmare was her only choice, especially since her brother, Su An, couldn't hold on much longer.

She understood exactly what kind of person Chen Ran was. The risks of working with him were enormous. To be honest, she had less affection for him than for a guy named Hao Shuai.

At least that guy seemed a bit more sincere.

But... opinions always change as one's understanding deepens, especially after Chen Ran showed her the things he had found. More precisely, the clues.

Extremely important clues.

It was... a carving, engraved on a broken stone pillar they often passed by. Across from it was the stone door they had first opened.

There was almost nothing around the stone pillar, making it stand out, but this very contrast made everyone overlook it. After all, who would expect clues to be hidden in such an obvious place?

"Mr. Chen, I'd like to know how you noticed that carving?" Her gaze was sharp, not aggressive, just unusually curious.

After all, though the stone pillar was obvious, the carving was done using the same technique as the carved creatures on the stone door—hidden patterns. You couldn't see them directly; only when water or dust was applied would they appear.

"Heh," Chen Ran turned his head toward her, and after a moment, exaggeratedly raised the corners of his mouth. He then pulled out a folded piece of paper from his chest and waved it in front of Su Xiaoxiao.

"Miss Su," Chen Ran smiled, "Any more questions?"

(End of the Chapter)

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Translated 4 Series, 1.65K+ Chapters and 2.01M+ Words.