Costumes

Translator: Cinder Translations

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"Why do I feel like one day all these things of yours will be used on me?" Jiang Cheng stared at the fatty, smacking his lips.

"Not likely, doctor," the fatty explained awkwardly. "We're not the same kind of people. For example, without the interference of nightmares, if faced with the current situation, I would think about how to save people, while you would think about how to take advantage."

Jiang Cheng looked the fatty up and down, smacking his lips. "Fatty, I really look forward to seeing if you can still talk to me so calmly when a ghost pins you to the ground and twists your neck."

The fatty shrugged. "Doctor," he sighed, "if I were you, I wouldn't speak in such a tone right now. After all, you're currently isolated and surrounded by strong enemies, not to mention the ticking time bomb, Xia Meng, by your side. To put it bluntly, I'm your only reliable ally."

"Personally, I suggest," the fatty said, "that you speak to me more politely, doctor." He paused, seemingly realizing the impracticality of this idea, and then compromised, "Or at least say something nice."

"Later," Jiang Cheng said after a moment, looking up at the sky. "I have a lot to say to you. When I get out, I'll pick a good day and burn it all down for you."

A few seconds later, realizing that the doctor didn't seem to be joking, the fatty suddenly shivered.

Then, as if suddenly sobering up, he looked around in confusion and, with a flattering smile, said to Jiang Cheng, "Doctor, I think something just came over me. I didn't say anything too outrageous to upset you, did I?"

Jiang Cheng glanced at him and walked away.

After the fatty eagerly followed, he realized that he and the doctor weren't the only ones who hadn't rushed to grab the costumes. Chen Qiang and Qin Jian hadn't either, but they were standing on the other side.

Seeing the doctor and the fatty approach, they also followed.

Qin Jian was an experienced player, so it wasn't surprising that he had some tricks up his sleeve. But this Chen Qiang... Wasn't he acting a bit too much? The fatty couldn't help but notice him. Facing this unsmiling, student-dressed young man, the fatty suddenly felt the same way he did when he first met the doctor.

Either he was an experienced player in disguise, or... he was a newbie like the doctor, someone extremely calm.

Either way, for those with clues in hand, it wasn't necessarily a good thing.

And there was still no news about the elusive "Deep Crimson."

The fatty's eyes discreetly scanned everyone in the room. In this small space, he could already feel the undercurrents swirling around.

No one suggested waking Tang Shirou, as no one wanted to offend the four who hadn't yet put on their costumes.

Jiang Cheng, the fatty, Chen Qiang, and Qin Jian.

Four people, four costumes left.

One green, one black, and two white ones with different styles.

No one made a move. The middle-aged woman just watched coldly, not urging anyone. The others who had already put on their costumes were silently pondering something.

Xia Meng's gaze drifted uncertainly toward Jiang Cheng.

An Xuan, the first to put on a costume, frowned slightly. He didn't care much about how others viewed him; as long as he could get through the nightmare, he wouldn't actively make enemies with troublesome people.

But now he suddenly had a strange thought: Could it be that, aside from the obviously unsettling red costume, the other colored costumes also had issues?

When he looked up again, his eyes held a hint of suspicion toward those who hadn't yet chosen.

After what seemed like a long deliberation, Jiang Cheng reached out. His target was the black costume.

But... before he could touch it, a hand snatched it away. Jiang Cheng turned to see Qin Jian's well-maintained face.

"Sir..." Qin Jian looked embarrassed, but his grip on the costume didn't loosen. He was clearly prepared to take it, waiting for Jiang Cheng to back down.

"If you like it, take it," Jiang Cheng said, glancing at him before reaching for one of the white costumes.

Qin Jian pretended to want to return the costume but didn't know how to bring it up. Seeing that Jiang Cheng ignored him, he sighed and reluctantly put on the black costume.

Jiang Cheng quickly changed into the white costume, even faster than Qin Jian.

The fatty looked at Chen Qiang and said, "Brother, you..."

"You go ahead and choose," Chen Qiang said. His tone was straightforward but not offensive. "I can wear either, but you might not be able to."

The fatty was momentarily stunned but quickly realized Chen Qiang was referring to the sizes.

Among the ten people, only You Qi's build was similar to his, and the costume he wore was noticeably larger than the others. Of the remaining green and white costumes, the sizes were indeed different.

The green one was larger, while the white one was much smaller.

Thinking this, the fatty gave Chen Qiang a grateful look. If the latter hadn't reminded him and had instead silently taken the larger green costume, he might have been left without a suitable one.

The fatty nodded to Chen Qiang, then without hesitation, took the green costume. Chen Qiang took the last white one, and both changed into them.

By the time everyone else had changed, Qin Jian, moving slowly due to his age, finally finished. But as he put on the costume and looked up, he suddenly noticed everyone staring at him.

And the looks in their eyes made him frown.

What... was going on?

The next second, he realized it must be something wrong with the costume. His eyes slowly scanned down his body until... he noticed a row of golden stitches on the inner side of the garment, resembling yellow paper.

A cold chill exploded in his mind, instantly spreading through his entire body.

He finally realized that what he was wearing wasn't just a costume—it was a funeral shroud.

When he looked up again, he met Jiang Cheng's bright, mocking eyes.

"Tsk," Jiang Cheng smacked his lips, stroking his chin and nudging Zuo Jing beside him. "See? I told you it looked like a funeral shroud. But before I could get a closer look, Mr. Qin here snatched it up. I guess it's true what they say—old foxes are always prepared. Well, Mr. Qin, you've got your outfit ready for when the time comes."

Not only had he been tricked, but he was also being mocked by Jiang Cheng. Qin Jian's previously dignified demeanor vanished, and he felt a surge of anger rising in his throat, almost making him vomit.

"Now that everyone has changed into their costumes, please, doctors, proceed upstairs to examine the young master," the middle-aged woman's ghostly voice suddenly rang out from behind.

(End of the Chapter)

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