CH 40.1

Chapter 40.1

Fourth Floor (18)

Translated by boilpoil

Edited by boilpoil

“Because I Am the One Inviting”

The weather on the fourth floor is always terrible. The sun is rarely visible.

Jiang Yiyi is walking under gloomy skies, passing prison officers completely ignoring his presence like they are but parallel lines. It could almost convince someone they are free.

Almost, but not quite.

The scent of blood is always faintly visible in the damp air. Creatures rotting in unseen corners always emitting a unique mixture of death. It creates a heavy veil over Stargaol, keeping everyone who wants to escape, down.

Jiang Yiyi strolls along the path he came from, with Jian Si following quietly behind.

They are uninterrupted their entire way back to Jiang Yiyi’s cell.

Lin Yi, thoroughly monitored by Lunatic, is looking at Jian Si with surprise——Given what Jiang Yiyi was saying when he left, he thought he would be bringing along something profound. Just… this?

Jiang Yiyi sits on the sofa, then gestures to the opposite side.

Jian Si takes a seat.

“Was that your answer?”

Jian Si is sitting up straight and answering with a straight face, “I finished your mission. I killed Black Glove, and came back to you on my own two feet.”

Jian Si clasps his hands together and leans forward. The atmosphere turns thick, squeezing out all the other emotions flowing through the air.

“Did you kill Black Glove?”

Jian Si is gulping. Looking at Jiang Yiyi, he finds the sudden, momentous feeling with himself once again——It was not just Jiang Yiyi that has threatened him with death, but the only one who has truly made him fearful that he will forfeit his life, is Jiang Yiyi.

So, it makes sense this is all terrifying and running away feels like a good idea, but he has nowhere to run.

His only choice is Jiang Yiyi.

Jian Si stops looking and answers, “no.”

Jiang Yiyi, surprised at the honesty, observes him anew.

The undying protagonist of this game appears to have undergone a dramatic transformation these few days——A substantial one. Just think, if the protagonist was already like this when the game began, perhaps the players wouldn’t be hapless subjects to a five-star all-deaths course.

Really, what happened to him?

Jiang Yiyi, completely blind to how the guy was changed, fails to find any possible explanation, so he just asks. Of course, only in his usual, commanding behaviour, “you’ve changed a lot.”

The topic was changed quite suddenly, but Jian Si follows without the slightest delay.

“In order to complete my promise with the Doctor.”

Jian Si is truly facing Jiang Yiyi face to face for the first time——Jiang Yiyi is truly handsome, but what is more attractive to the eyes is the aura he exudes. An imposing mountain, an endless abyss. Accompanied by death and despair, only a glimpse of his whole can be seen. More fluctuating beings exist underneath, beyond prying gazes.

The more one has rubbed shoulders with death, however, the more one can spot the black silhouette.

And at that point, no one will care what Jiang Yiyi’s appearance is. Compared to the being of Jiang Yiyi, his beauty or ugliness pales in importance.

Jian Si takes a deep breath, keeping unnecessary emotions at bay, and continues to firmly explain, “I have to stand in front of Doctor with my own strength, so I can only…” Persist through obstacles, transforming in the process, becoming another person.

His hands can still feel the ickiness of fresh blood. Black Glove’s corpse still linger in his eyes. However, all the madness that has circled above him like vultures have disappeared down the abyss when he saw Jiang Yiyi once again, never to be seen.

“Ensure I don’t just simply end up dead somewhere.”

That’s quite the understatement, isn’t it? For someone who wouldn’t ever die.

Jiang Yiyi admits he is slightly irked by this——When he is ready to accept the fact that he is actually an amazing person, he realises someone more amazing already exists. The protagonist’s standard plot armour of undying. Clearly a class above his own abilities.

Before Jiang Yiyi can even boast having great abilities, a reality check shattered his ego with a hammer.

Jiang Yiyi suddenly finds himself sapped of further interest in continuing this line of the conversation. Instead, he suddenly asks, “what was your mission?”

Jian Si is confused for a second before seeing Jiang Yiyi move his eyes over to Lin Yi. This is not his question.

Lin Yi takes a couple of seconds to ponder the question, failing to grasp what he means.

Considering Lin Yi’s questionable intelligence, Jiang Yiyi gives him a friendly translation, “what is it that you are willing to pay to see its completion?”

Lin Yi grows more visibly confused.

Still not getting it? Has Lin Yi always been this dumb?

Jiang Yiyi, slightly bemused, modifies his question once more, turning it into a command, “your mission, in exchange for your life.”

Oddly enough, this command gets through to Lin Yi, who has a lengthened ‘oh’ in response…

“Why?” Lin Yi then asks.

Jiang Yiyi can’t help but think ‘he really needs to get his head checked out,’ while replying, “I’ve answered that question twice in the past already.”

Lin Yi then modifies his question, “I mean, only because you feel like it would be such a shame?”

He tries to apply common logic to Jiang Yiyi, “there is no equivalence in your offer. The insignificant regret should not compel you to spend all that effort.”

He even looks a little embarrassed, “I’m truly flattered you think that highly of me, actually.”

It is quite memorable how Jiang Yiyi is looking at him——It is a look doubting his intellect, again.

“All that effort, huh…” Jiang Yiyi repeats the phrase, and decides not to comment on account of him having expended practically no effort on this goal so far.

He turns back to Jian Si instead, who has not said a word since, “you reached a deal with Black Glove?”

Jian Si nods.