Chapter 114 Bright Sanatorium "Do you remember what you said when you woke up..."
As Jiang Yang and Ji Yang emerged from the ward at the corner of the third-floor staircase, a series of hurried footsteps echoed up from downstairs.
Jiang Yang quickly descended two steps, leaned over the railing, and looked down. He saw that Xingye was being chased by Chang Chuang, Ma Liang, and a few others who were running very fast. They kept looking back, as if someone was chasing them.
Hoshino spotted Jiang Yang on the stairs and urged, "Run! Run!"
There was no sense of urgency in his tone, but rather a hint of cunning from a successful scheme. In contrast, Chang Chuang and Ma Liang had lingering panic on their faces and were staggering.
"What happened?"
Just then, Huang Er and Huang Si appeared at the top of the stairs on the second floor, their faces grim.
Hoshino kept running and covered twenty or thirty meters on the third floor. Chang Chuang and Ma Liang hesitated for a moment beside Jiang Yang before running off as well.
They split up and each hid in a hospital room. But when they sensed the menacing approach of Huang Er and Huang Si on the stairs, Ji Yang decisively drew his sword.
"You want to fight, huh?"
If Ji Yang was a bottomless pool of water, his calm demeanor concealed a hidden sharpness.
Now he is like a sharp sword suddenly drawn from its sheath, its edge brimming with fierce power.
"Ji Yang?"
The longsword stopped Huang Er on the stairs. Huang Er stopped, opened his cigarette case, took out a cigarette, and said, "What do you mean? Even if I'm a middleman and I'm not doing well, I can't let you jump around on my back."
Fifteen minutes ago.
The demonic desires possessing Ma Liang and Chang Chuang caused Hoshino to invisibly envelop the entire second floor of the ward.
Using this power, the demon glimpsed a Jack of Clubs.
It was the card that Huang Er displayed during last night's evening event.
Amidst the swirling smoke, Huang Er raised his arm and aimed the Jack of Clubs at the light source above his head.
Light penetrated the thin playing card, and in the shadows on the card, the outline of a door could be vaguely seen.
Huang Er said, "Okay, let's go to the archives."
It was at this moment that Ma Liang and Chang Chuang knocked on their hospital room door.
With a hint of wariness, Huang Er opened the door.
The swirling smoke rings dispersed among the group, and Ma Liang couldn't help but cough softly twice.
Chang Chuang spoke up at the opportune moment, his manner polite yet slightly reserved: "Hello, Jiang Yang asked us to inquire whether you and your companion can choose the water room?"
After Jiang Yang left, Ma Liang first went into the ward to give Chang Chuang his medicine. Then, seeing that Yang Yi was still lying on the ground, he forced him to choose the water room with him.
In this way, the water room was only two votes short of Huang Er and Huang Si.
"Okay," Huang Er agreed readily.
After the trial in Blackrock City concluded, Xiong Bingxin returned the puppet, which he then delivered to Jiang Yang on schedule.
From Jiang Yang, he learned that Xiong Bingxin had used puppets to confront Jiang Yang and Nan Ke in Blackstone City. Out of professional ethics, he did not mind agreeing to Jiang Yang's request. Moreover, his current plan was to go to the archives, and he did not mind doing Jiang Yang a favor.
[Garden: 5 votes]
[Water Room: 7 votes]
Ma Liang and Chang Chuang breathed a sigh of relief. Having found Huang Er and Huang Si, their mission was complete. Chang Chuang thanked them and prepared to leave.
Suddenly, without warning, a cloud of black mist surged out from in front of Chang Chuang and merged into the ashes that Huang Er had dropped.
The black mist climbed up Huang Er's trouser leg. Huang Er's eyes narrowed and he took a half step back.
Then, he flicked the cigarette between his fingers, and the remaining ash shot towards the black mist with the force of the flicker. The hot smoke scorched the black mist, but just a moment later, the black mist reformed and locked onto Huang Er's shirt pocket with precision.
The plum blossom J is right there.
The playing cards are a product of the sanatorium and cannot be stored in the panel.
Huang Er held the playing card in his hand, and sure enough, the black mist crawled up his sleeve and onto his forearm.
Soon, several black, corroded marks appeared on his forearm. Huang Si rushed forward anxiously, while Ma Liang and Chang Chuang exchanged a glance, their faces full of astonishment.
"What are you standing there for! Grab the cards!"
Hoshino's voice, tinged with excitement and eagerness, rang out from within the black mist.
Ma Liang and Chang Chuang were almost pushed into the ward by an inexplicable force.
The two, positioned between Huang Er and Huang Si, couldn't help but exchange a glance, their eyes clearly asking in shock:
What's going on here? Have we crossed the river and then burned the bridge?
Huang Er's eye twitched, and he sneered, "What? Was this also arranged by Jiang Yang?"
Ma Liang and Chang Chuang, like cats whose tails had been stepped on, shook their heads and waved their hands simultaneously: "No!"
Outside the ward, not far from the door, Hoshino pursed his lips and clicked his tongue, his face full of disappointment.
A cloud of black mist appeared in front of him. He controlled the black mist to take shape, and his forearm reached towards the center of the black mist. His arm passed through the black mist and broke through the limitations of space.
At the other end, in front of Huang Er.
A slender, pale arm waved to him, as if to say, "Hi~"
With agile arms and swift movements.
He went up and grabbed a corner of the card.
After some maneuvering, the scene that Jiang Yang initially witnessed came to be.
Huang Er patiently explained it again.
“Hoshino stole our card, which can be used to enter the archives. Since you’re blocking our way, I can only assume you’re all in cahoots.”
"If you're not convinced, come and fight."
Ji Yang pointed the tip of his sword at Huang Er's face. The cold light of the sword reflected in Huang Er's restrained eyes. Huang Er lit another cigarette, held the cigarette holder between his fingers, and took a deep drag. "Ji Yang, are you ready to turn on me?"
"No."
Ji Yang bent his neck and tilted his head to ask Jiang Yang, "Do you want it?"
In the past, Ji Yang always had a scale in his heart that represented fairness, justice, and impartiality. But from the moment he rediscovered himself, as long as Jiang Yang was sitting on the other side, this scale would always be tilted towards Jiang Yang.
"How about we go together?" Jiang Yang tentatively suggested.
"No, only one person can enter with one card."
"Since that's the case, there's nothing we can do about it."
Jiang Yang took a deep breath, while Ji Yang placed his other hand on the hilt of his sword, ready to strike.
Name your terms.
The sword tip stopped just in front of Huang Er's left brow. Ji Yang asked, "Aren't you going to fight anymore?"
The moment Ji Yang made his move, Jiang Yang's pupils constricted in shock. He had never intended to fight Huang Er, and he quickly said, "No, no, I won't fight."
Huang Er raised the hand holding the cigarette without changing his expression, and casually pushed the cold sword aside with his little finger.
“Ji Yang, it was not my intention for Xie Lu and Nan Ke to stay in Blackstone City. My procedures for renting out puppets to Xiong Bingxin were also legal and compliant. You don’t need to be so confrontational with me.”
Ji Yang sheathed his sword. "I wasn't targeting you."
Huang Er stubbed out his cigarette on the railing and chuckled self-deprecatingly: "So what do you mean? I thought we were at least friends."
“I also hope we can still be friends in the future,” Ji Yang glanced at Huang Si indifferently, his flat voice carrying a hidden meaning.
Ji Yang raised his chin, exuding a youthful arrogance and pride. "If you still want us to be friends in the future, you'd better ask your teammates what they've done and what they plan to do next."
Huang Er stared at Huang Si, his eyes revealing unfathomable wisdom.
Huang Si hurriedly retorted, "I didn't."
"Here are the cards, consider it a thank you to Jiang Yang for taking us outside yesterday."
The cigarette butt fell to the ground, and Huang Er continued, "Ji Yang, I don't know exactly what happened, but I will find out the truth and give you an explanation."
"Um."
Huang Er and Huang Si went downstairs. Jiang Yang leaned against the railing, his finger hovering in mid-air. He first turned off the observation room, then bent his knees slightly, lightly touched the ground with his toes, and asked casually, "Why are you so emotionally unstable today?"
"Is there?" The clattering of shoes seemed to pound on Ji Yang's turbulent heart.
Ji Yang lowered his head, like a child who had done something wrong, "If you don't like me like this, I will change, I'm sorry."
Ji Yang's observation room has not been opened since he regained consciousness.
Rather than saying that the environment of the no-man's-land shaped Ji Yang's original personality, it would be more accurate to say that the incompleteness of his consciousness limited his true nature. Therefore, his current state is what he should be like. However, if Jiang Yang doesn't like it, he is willing to revert to his original self for Jiang Yang's sake.
Jiang Yang waved his hand at Ji Yang.
Ji Yang obediently walked up to Jiang Yang and even considerately bent down halfway.
"Do you remember what you said about our relationship when you woke up?"
Jiang Yang cupped Ji Yang's chin in his hands, and Ji Yang turned his head to bury his face in her palms, his face flushed as he replied, "My love."
"You are my love, Jiang Yang."
"And you, Ji Yang, are also my lover, understand?"
Two pairs of deep, affectionate eyes met, and Ji Yang placed his hand on the metal railing beside Jiang Yang. "I want to kiss you. I can't hold back anymore."
Jiang Yang wrapped her arms around Ji Yang's neck, saying, "I can't help myself when I'm with you."
The unfinished murmurs were swallowed up, and the emotions of having lost and found them ignited them. Jiang Yang took the initiative to respond to the puppy's loyal and passionate love.
“It’s not that I dislike you the way you are, I’m just worried that if the tower notices you, you’ll get hurt.”
"I will protect myself, and I will protect you."
"Damn, is Huang Er gone?"
Hoshino's sudden outburst shattered their tender moment, and the displeasure of being interrupted caused Ji Yang's longsword to appear in his palm without the slightest hesitation.
Jiang Yang chuckled, then slipped her index finger between Ji Yang's thumb and forefinger and the hilt of his sword, stroking his fur: "Good boy."
Ji Yang snorted coldly, obediently sheathed his sword, and turned to look at Xingye who was approaching them.
Hoshino cautiously peered around, and after confirming that Huang Er was not there, he patted his chest and breathed a sigh of relief, "That scared me to death, holy crap."
Huang Er's strength is only in the top 20 of the list, but he is the chairman of a middleman's business. He throws out items like they're free. No matter how strong Hoshino is, he will not choose to fight Huang Er head-on.
Of course, surrendering and admitting defeat is not in the style of Litanvi. Hoshino will fight to the death to get what he wants.
"So you're planning to go to the archives next?"
"Okay, let's go take a look."
"I remember Huang Er played a plum blossom card last night?"
As Jiang Yang recalled, Xingye simply emptied his pockets, and the Jack of Clubs happened to be mixed in.
"You got a license even though you didn't participate last night?"
Hoshino's lips moved slightly. The card had appeared in his pocket when he switched back to the player's position. He was thinking about how to explain this to Jiang Yang when Ji Yang added, "All players have it."
“Yes!” Hoshino nodded in agreement, the two of them understanding each other without saying a word.
"Then you go to the archives, and Ji Yang and I will go to the water room. Let's select something from the panel."
[Water Room: 9 votes]
Ji Yang and Xing Ye were the only ones who didn't vote in the water room.
Ji Yang was not awake at the time, and Xing Ye did not vote in order to time the vote. Now the two of them pressed the button for the water room together, and the message "[Water room area has been unlocked]" followed by the location of the water room.
It's located on the southwest corner of the fourth floor, right next to the restaurant.
Without deliberately saying goodbye to Ma Liang and Chang Chuang, Jiang Yang and Ji Yang simply stepped up the stairs from the stairwell. Many people are just passersby in each other's worlds; they will meet again, but there will be no deeper interaction.
What's going on between you and Huang Si?
Ji Yang's biggest change was in his response to Jiang Yang's questions. He was less calculating and more straightforward and honest. Without hesitation, he answered, "Huang Si killed all the other players in the last trial, including two members of the Mou Guang organization who had accepted a mercenary mission."
"Could it be an accident?"
“It doesn’t seem like it,” Ji Yang said. Before the trial ended, he was sent in by De Yue to monitor the judge, 007. “His goal was to kill all the players and make a wish to the tower as a pledge of allegiance.”
This is the Tower's compensation for producing only one "survivor" for each multi-person trial.
Of course, within the rules, players can also use some unknown means to cause the death of other people.
That's why 007 was still assigned to this trial. His task was to monitor Huang Si. However, because of Jiang Yang, he temporarily chose the player identity. Fortunately, his talent as the judge was always locked on Huang Si, so he didn't need to worry too much.
That's right, he always felt that the barrier between 008 and Hoshino seemed to have been broken down.
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