CH 50.1

Chapter 50.1

Bottom Floor (6)

Translated by boilpoil

Edited by boilpoil

He Really Ought to Thank His Lucky Stars

Lin Yi leaves the room with Jiang Yiyi’s answer in mind. When opening the door, Jiang Yiyi can hear the familiar laugh once again——From the opposite room.

His eyes settle on the shut door, when he realises that, beside 1-007, he hasn’t heard any noise so far from the other rooms——He would not be surprised if they are not even occupied.

Lin Yi has also heard the laughter, and has stopped closing the door while staring at 1-007 himself. Noticing Jiang Yiyi staring as well, he asks.

“Doctor, are you interested?”

Jiang Yiyi claps his hands together, and puts his chin on it. With eyes fixated on the door of the room, he says, “very interested.”

The laughter comes again. There is a vaguely unhinged quality to it.

Lin Yi’s gaze darts between the door and Jiang Yiyi a few times again, when he ‘gets’ what Jiang Yiyi wants, “I’ll talk to them.”

Jiang Yiyi’s eyes now look towards Lin Yi.

His brain has already done a conclusion before he can express his surprise – Lin Yi’s ‘Mentor’ truly is someone to behold.

Lin Yi almost always acts with subtlety and restraint——That is expected of an undercover agent. Generally, a spy does not want too much attention on themself.

Therefore, when he is unexpectedly forward, it can only be because he is certain of his safety, allowing him to push forward when he would normally fold——Case in point, directly voicing his plans.

Since Stargaol is still Stargaol, and there have been no changes to this environment, the only variable that can evoke this change must be the ‘Mentor.’

Clearly, he is someone who was deeply involved with Lin Yi, and even now, still implicitly trusted by Lin Yi.

Jiang Yiyi has made a cursory label to mark this person of note for now, before moving on to his actual surprise.

Despite the person’s immense sway over Lin Yi, Lin Yi has still chosen him over the Mentor?

That is an interesting development indeed.

Interesting enough for him to once again put Lin Yi’s loyalty into question.

“Doctor?” Lin Yi appears hesitant under Jiang Yiyi’s gaze, “is there anything else I can do for you?”

Jiang Yiyi comes back to, and reassures himself, that he does not question his own judgement——Even if it is leading to rather outlandish conclusions.

Therefore, surprising as Lin Yi’s final choice between him and the ‘Mentor’ may be, Jiang Yiyi will trust his own analysis of Lin Yi.

“Go check on Jian Si.” Jiang Yiyi picks an excuse at random, which does end up being something he needed, “tell him, not to forget our promise.”

Because, if possible, Jiang Yiyi really would be inclined to try this ‘Save/load’ function out.

Tonight will be long, Jian Si thinks.

He realises the mental preparation he did previously is far too inadequate for this reality. Insanity of all forms permeate the air. Even if they did nothing else, just the jarring movement and atmosphere will push a normal person to the edge. Never mind when they’re always on the move here.

Yes. They are intrigued by the newcomer.

This is reflected in the increasingly rowdy commotion around.

Well, unsettling as everything is, Jian Si is still quite sure of his safety——These lunatics probably can’t kill through a solid wall, can they?

The night drags on. The odd and creepy noises continue like the world’s most nightmarish BGM. It is even ramping up.

Jian Si is lying in bed, pretending he is hearing nothing. He has tried countless methods of falling asleep——Most are only marginally effective. In fact, he finds himself remaining awake due to an odd feeling.

The prison officers have made their rounds very recently. The next patrol should be…

Jian Si is working through information through his mind, when he hears some noises that are quite noticeable——For they are near, and more precisely, just by his bed.

In an environment filled to the brim with cacophonous laughs and incessant mumblings, suddenly hearing noises by the bed…

Is quite the mental challenge indeed.

Jian Si gulps, and holds the soft plastic toothbrush in his hand tightly——Already the most advanced piece of ‘weapon’ he can find in this cell.

He slowly turns his head to check the side of his bed.

There is nobody——nothing illuminated by the scant rays of dim light from the corridor.

Jian Si is still holding the toothbrush tightly, not letting his guard down, because he can still hear the noise. It is a barely audible, continuous sound, like something small rolling across somewhere.

Jian Si sits up.

When he does, the laughter suddenly increase in volume, and the murmurs intensify, into some kind of heavy discussion.

Even if what is happening in the cell should only be visible through the tiny window, but the voices that grow more intense at his action would suggest they are paying close attention to his every move.

Jian Si does not leave the bed carelessly, but continues to comb through his surroundings under near darkness. He senses nothing wrong. Almost everything is the same as it was before lights out.

Jian Si then looks to the opposite side, and does not see Lunatic in bed.

Looking around once again, he is finally able to spot him, barely distinct from the shadowy surroundings——He is quietly standing in front of the tightly shut cell door, staring.

Or rather, the way his gaze is fixated, kind of feels like he is not staring at the door itself, but someone behind the door.

Is there someone beyond the door?

Jian Si quickly dismisses this idea.

He has observed the rate at which prison officers patrol, and has watched them confirm the number of inmates and check the locks of the cell doors just before lights out——With this strict level of security, unless a prisoner is able to lockpick the door through some byzantine means, under the immense risk of being discovered by a prison officer, just to scare them by standing in front of their door, he cannot imagine another scenario in which someone would be beyond that cell door right now.

Lunatic might just be acting irrationally——Being an insane person. Trying to put a sane framework of action on him sounds incredibly stupid.

Jian Si decides to put his attention back on telling the nearby, quiet rolling noise from the cacophony of noises. He achieves it with great difficulty, and his eyes slowly move across the bed, until it stops——It is coming from below.

The sound is coming from below the bed.

A mouse?

Jian Si stares at the wooden boards of the bed for a few seconds and holds the toothbrush tightly. He then subconsciously glances at Lunatic.

Lunatic stands behind the door, unmoving, not seemingly to offer any advice or hint.

Instead, what Magician told him suddenly returns to him, to “remember not to talk to any of them. Just hide in the blankets the whole time and he will be able to live longer.”

He looks at the blankets, then back towards the bed under which there are moving sounds, and makes a decision almost without hesitation.

He would always choose the least risky options when danger strikes, but this time, he has no choice.

If he is unable to put up a significantly impactful performance for Doctor, and backs off, he is certain Doctor will kill him without hesitation.

Objectively speaking, being killed by Doctor or anyone else is the same end for him, but Jian Si does not find it remotely the same.

He has an extremely strong conviction chiselled into his mind, based on which and only which he first decides a course of action for anything.

Absolutely! Absolutely! Never allow Doctor to kill him again.

He can sacrifice everything else to realise this conviction.