Chapter 32 (Second Update) What are you expecting? ...

"Enoshima... Junko."

The strange murderous intent that had been lingering over the name vanished. Having obtained the answer it sought, its figure gradually disappeared.

It seems we are safe for now.

Hyuga Hajime's breathing returned to normal; he seemed to have simply fallen asleep. Now it was uncertain how long he would be awake… but it shouldn't be too long. A deep sleep was a normal phenomenon, and in a sense, it was a form of self-protection and repair for the body.

"It's alright now," Tsukino and Chiya said. "Now we just need to wait for Hinata to wake up."

After he finished speaking, the surroundings fell silent again. Tsukino and Chiya exchanged glances with Ohma Kokichi for a few seconds, then Chiya saw the purple-haired boy suddenly breathe a sigh of relief and dramatically pat his chest: "That scared me to death! I thought I was going to die! It's all thanks to Tsukino and Chiya. Those monsters are really brutal!"

"Yeah."

Tsukino and Chiya put the dagger away.

"Were you scared? I thought you already knew you wouldn't be in any trouble."

If anyone else had said such a thing, it would easily have sounded sarcastic or ironic. But when it came from Qianye's mouth, it simply sounded like he was calmly stating a fact.

Of course, that might indeed be the case.

"That's right, that's right. Actually, I know very well that I won't be in any trouble."

Wang Ma Xiaoji didn't deny it with a guilty conscience; instead, he readily admitted it.

In short, I expect the responses will be something like, "After all, I'm the evil mastermind," "I'm used to crises like this," or "I've played this kind of exciting game before."

Tsukino and Chiya had no objection to Ohma Kichi's usual rhetoric; he was simply used to hearing such words, just as he was used to the sun rising from the east every day and the class monitor shouting "Stand up!" followed by the entire class standing up.

Sure enough, he heard Wang Ma Xiaoji say next—

"Because Kozuki said before, 'None of us will die.'"

He said in a matter-of-fact tone, "Since you can say such things with such certainty, it means that Kozuki has a reason to be confident, right? In that case, even if we encounter danger, with Kozuki by our side, there's nothing to worry about."

"…………"

Tsukino and Chiya had already crouched down to pick up the piece of cloth they had cut earlier, but they paused slightly after hearing Ohma Kokichi's first words.

With his back to Ohma Kokichi standing behind him, he reached out and picked up the pieces of cloth from the ground only after hearing the purple-haired boy continue speaking slowly and deliberately.

This strip of cloth is really a strip of cloth.

Tsukino and Chiya stood up again, but Ohma Kokichi, who had keenly noticed Chiya's momentary pause, clearly had no intention of letting him off the hook.

"Huh? Why isn't Kozuki Kazumi saying anything? Is she feeling guilty? Were those words she said earlier just empty platitudes? Were they the kind of empty platitudes that Kozuki Kazumi actually has no ability but say in dangerous situations to encourage people to bravely face risks? So Kozuki Kazumi was actually lying?"

Like a walking encyclopedia of questions, Wang Ma Xiaoji rattled off several questions that he himself should have known the answers to.

Tsukino and Chiya stroked the texture of the fabric in their hands. He turned his head slightly and saw Ouma Kokichi's figure close by.

Wang Ma Xiaoji tilted his head back, and in the dim light, his purple eyes appeared even more profound.

A sly smile played on his lips: "Or... are you and Kozuki disappointed? Disappointment is predicated on having expectations, you know? So, what were you and Kozuki expecting before?"

What are you expecting me to say?

Wang Ma Xiaoji deliberately lowered his voice, making it as soft as a bubble floating in the air after being blown up, which would burst in the air with the slightest touch of a finger.

Tsukino and Chiya's lips moved slightly, but they couldn't speak for a moment, as if they didn't want the bubble to burst and disappear because of their interference.

The purple-haired boy in front of her hadn't urged her, but he clearly wasn't going to give up until he got an answer, showing no intention of changing the subject or offering a way out. Of course, he was the one who had said things like "I want to see your expression change."

Why did I fall silent for a moment? Was it because I didn't know how to answer? No, actually, I had a vague answer in my heart, but the words I wanted to say...

Tsukino and Chiya: "Um..."

"……Well,"

A faint groan suddenly came from the surroundings.

The two instinctively looked toward the source of the sound—and saw that Hyuga Hajime suddenly frowned, as if he were trapped in a terrible dream, and his expression gradually became painful.

"Hinata-chan?"

Wangma Xiaoji squatted down next to Hinata Hajime and reached out to poke the cheek of the brown-haired boy whose expression had returned to calm and peaceful.

"He's still not awake... He seemed a little strange earlier?"

Logically, he should be fine, right? After all, the strange creature seemed satisfied and left... Hinata couldn't have been having a nightmare, could he? But in any case, Tsukino and Chiya couldn't just leave Hinata Hajime alone after he made that noise. Anyway, just in case...

Tsukino and Chiya suggested, "Let's take him to the infirmary downstairs first."

He thought for a moment and said, "I'll carry it."

After all, it doesn't seem very realistic to have Ouma Kokichi carry Hinata Hajime away.

*******

Of course, there was no one in the medical room on the first floor.

However, there is a bed here where Hyuga Hajime can be settled, so he no longer has to lie on the cold and hard floor.

Perhaps because this wasn't on the most unusual top floor, the lights in the infirmary turned on when the switch was pressed. The long-lost brightness that appeared in the room gave one a feeling of being in another world.

There's also a mannequin here, its front facing directly towards the bed. But after what happened not long ago, even the mannequin in the infirmary seems somewhat approachable.

Ultimately, when it comes to lethality, those weirdos who enjoy hating the living and driving them into the fear of death are far more dangerous.

Wangma Xiaoji sat on a chair in the infirmary, looking at Hyuga Hajime lying on the bed with his eyes closed and a pale face: "When will Hinata wake up? Or will he never wake up?"

Tsukino and Chiya: "I'm not sure."

Wang Ma Xiaoji sighed in disappointment: "Sigh, if I had known things would turn out like this, I should have had Xiaoyina write a will before tonight stating that she wanted to transfer all her property to me."

Tsukino and Chiya: "Is that so? I thought if it were an evil mastermind, they would directly forge a will."

Wangma Xiaoji: "Wow... that's how you think of me, Kozuki Kazuha's heart is so dark!"

Tsukino and Qianye: "..."

Wangma Xiaoji: "Hehe, but I wasn't wrong~ By the way, as a paranormal expert, has Kozuki Kazuha thought of the next steps? Kohinata hasn't woken up yet... what should we do?"

“I’ve said it before, I’m not an expert,” Tsukino and Chiya retorted. “Compared to those who actually make a living solving paranormal events, I don’t know much about the supernatural.”

"But Kozuki knows a lot of people who have had a lot of dealings with the supernatural, right?"

Wang Ma Xiaoji seemed to have been waiting for the topic to turn to this point, and immediately responded upon hearing it.

"And he always keeps saying things like 'The old Indians said it,' or 'I've heard it before'... Sigh, I also want to be able to say those classic 'I'd stake my grandfather' lines anytime, so—after this matter is resolved, how about we go to Kujo-kan to visit Uncle Hachishiki?"

“Regarding that doll that keeps appearing lately, like a stalker, who seems to be following us around,” Oma Kokichi emphasized the word “doll,” “Uncle Hachishiki, who’s been investigating things, might know something.”

I see, so that's your purpose.

Tsukino and Chiya nodded: "Then I'll contact Mr. Hachishiki beforehand... But before that, let's focus on the present. I'll go upstairs to check the situation again. There are still a few rooms that haven't been investigated yet, and I'm worried that I might have missed something."

Wang Ma Xiaoji blinked: "Eh, are you just going to leave me here to guard the wounded? I didn't expect Kozuki to trust my abilities so much. I'm a little touched."

Tsukino and Chiya, who had already turned to leave, stopped and turned back. His usually calm voice seemed to carry a hint of surprise at this moment: "The infirmary... isn't it a well-known safe zone?"

Wang Ma Xiao Ji: ? ? ?

What kind of common knowledge is this?!

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Author's Note: As everyone knows, the infirmary is Dead Gnat's safe zone [covering face and peeking]