CH 46.3

His answer…

Magician keeps his many emotions tucked away, and continue to dramatically speak, “that was quite the brilliant answer, I must say.” He glances in the direction of the corpse, “more than we could imagine.”

They leave the building, and as Gatekeeper swipes his card, the door of the building shuts, keeping everything inside, inside – all the dead and unfeeling masses.

“I should stress again that I did nothing.” Jiang Yiyi is glancing up at the second floor of the building, “it was all his own choice.”

“What we call a coincidence.” Magician obliges quite well, “we did our homework on Lone Wolf’s death.”

Jiang Yiyi then glances at him.

Magician’s hair almost stands on end again——Not because Jiang Yiyi is glaring or anything, but simple fear manifesting after facing the full brunt of his force.

Jiang Yiyi has sensed something familiar from his facial expression. Everyone who has been in contact with him has shown this eventually——Fear.

Jiang Yiyi smiles and looks back at the second floor.

Magician was on pause for two seconds, but he then continues, “all coincidences, coincidences with Doctor’s looming shadows…” He then shows a big, bright smile, “I want to ask, how did Doctor form such a cautious personality?”

“We are in Stargaol already, Doctor; even if you admit fully to your deeds, there is nothing we can do about it.” Magician seems quite baffled, “so why do you need to go to such lengths, Doctor, to ensure you leave behind zero evidence or opening that can be used against you?”

“Because I really didn’t do anything.” Jiang Yiyi gives him another glance, “I do not remember having gone to ‘such lengths’ that you speak of.”

“A remarkable, impressive level of caution.” Magician makes an exaggerated applause, “I may even be persuaded to think that such a caution will only ever come about as a result of living somewhere that kills you the moment you reveal the slightest weakness.”

“On that thought, I don’t suppose there is anywhere in Stargaol that would fit the description…” Only for Magician to suddenly reveal his intentions here, “anywhere, but the bottom floor of Stargaol, which would somewhat satisfy that condition.”

Jiang Yiyi raises his brow, he then asks, “I wonder if you still remember something,” he shows no reaction to Magician’s blunt speculation, but gives him a new question to think about, “in half a year, my sentence will have been served.”

Magician’s face freezes for a good solid second. Clearly, none of them have thought about it until Jiang Yiyi spoke——All prisoners assigned to the bottom floor will never leave. It is an open secret, an unspoken rule.

“The person who passed away, was casting some immense shade just before his death.” Jiang Yiyi speaks without noting Magician’s odd reaction at all, “so it does beg this question I have.”

“Being part of law enforcement, I think I can expect you not to disregard legal procedures?”

“For example, by denying the release of a prisoner whose sentence is complete?”

Magician is not responding. Gatekeeper picks up the slack, “is this the reason for Doctor’s cautiousness?”

Gatekeeper’s stoic and dull appearance may give the false impression that he isn’t particularly quick, but his reactions and words prove that he is not only an immeasurably good fighter, but a far smarter person than average.

“You are still thinking of leaving unscathed at this point?”

Gatekeeper appears to mumble to himself without looking for an answer, as he changes the topic abruptly, “Doctor, I see you have been looking at the second floor repeatedly. Are you interested?”

“Somewhat, yes.” Jiang Yiyi is looking up at the second floor that is impossible to check from the outside, explaining, “I was wondering why you have built such a place but forbidden murder.”

“An arena without death loses its intended function.” Jiang Yiyi analyses calmly, “unable to produce a ‘best-fit’ specimen, your goals are not to find out who is the strongest. Therefore, the answer is clear as day.”

No, wait? What does he mean ‘clear as day’? Did he not just skip several steps?

Jian Si looks around himself, and sees everyone with a ‘you’re right’ look on their face——Outside of Lunatic, of course——He can’t help but suspect he might have blanked out for several seconds at a key part of the explanation, rather than Jiang Yiyi having omitted something.

Honestly, humans cannot differ that greatly in intelligence, can they?

“Rather than an arena, this location serves a specific group of people, giving them a…” Jiang Yiyi pauses to look for the right term here.

“Doctor, you truly are as intelligent as they say.” Magician has already finished adjusting himself in the short period of time, resuming his performative stance, “their files reported exceptional observation and logical skills. I am honoured to see with my own two eyes.”

Magician glances up at the second floor himself, “as you have guessed, we do house some peculiar individuals up on the second floor.” He tilts his head, smiling, “but their circumstances are a bit unsuitable for a meeting…”

“They’re frenzied?” Jiang Yiyi very naturally follows.

“A little…” Magician, almost speaking what he shouldn’t, shuts up immediately.

The reaction is drastic enough for Jiang Yiyi to decide consoling him, “I did remind you.”

Magician tries to maintain smile at Jiang Yiyi.

“It is generally unwise to converse with me for this long.”

When Jiang Yiyi said that before, Magician didn’t think much of it. Right now, when Jiang Yiyi mentions it again, Magician finds himself shuddering, with many terrible thoughts emerging in his mind——Especially considering the precedent.

The death of the prisoner who should not have had a blade, or kill himself, and most importantly, to fight back against a prison officer.

The prisoner whose death defied all reason and sense proved with his life——That, Doctor, the Extraordinary, is terrifying. Anyone approaching him is dancing with the devils.

They did not meet a sudden and violent end not because they are strong enough, but because the Doctor has not done anything.

Author’s notes:

Although there were implications to that effect, I think a more detailed explanation is in order.

The ‘ding’s were not Jiang Yiyi stopping the prisoners——He didn’t need to do something like that.

He was going after Magician——Which was why he stopped after Gatekeeper has completed his countermeasures.

Jiang Yiyi’s target was never the rushing crowd——Pawns made to dance do not deserve or require his attention.

And finally, why is the title ‘the bottom floor’?——Broadly speaking, as mentioned, both the fifth and sixth floors together are known as the bottom floor.

More specific explanations will follow in the chapters to come.