Chapter 24 Elevator (1) [Family members, don't you think Ah Tan...]
The comic has finally been updated, with two chapters in total, one of which is an extra chapter.
First came the art appreciation class at the museum, the game of finding the original object, and then it continued until his breakfast with Lu Jinzhao the next day.
Xie Tan's expression changed, and he seemed to be losing his composure.
The part where Lu Jinzhao carried him away wasn't particularly detailed, but his reaction seemed more like the pain of a high fever, making him appear somewhat confused. Hopefully, it didn't ruin his character.
But why draw scenes outside of the main story? What's there to draw in everyday life?
[The scene of them all rushing out was so shocking! Ah Tan didn't even need to lift a finger; just sitting there, he captivated them completely. The game and its rules didn't matter. The ghosts were totally mesmerized. The game crumbled on its own.]
The succubus has struck again; it's only human nature to succumb.
[The iron chair has become a throne. This composition, this indifferent gaze that disregards all demons—Tan, you really are a devil, aren't you? I'm scared.]
[Lu Lu also said that Atan smells good, but what smells good? Let me smell it!]
[Ahhh, I'm totally shipping them! Princess carry, taking them home, keeping watch, smelling their fragrance—a promise, please support our Tangent Theorem!]
[LuLu and ATan? Why is their couple name "Tangent Theorem"?]
[Because tan-tangent-潭今特-正切]
What accent is this?
[The accent of a 40-year-old balding math teacher in a plaid shirt]
I thought Ah-Tan was asleep, which is really like something he would do, but it turns out he has a fever. How could he suddenly have a fever?
[Look at the enlarged screenshot; there's a syringe in the sleeve. Does Atan have any illness?]
[That matches up. Being demoted is simply due to failing too many courses, changing majors, or taking a leave of absence. He has this face, but everyone is unfamiliar with him, so he's probably on leave, possibly due to illness.]
[Ah Tan is delirious with fever, clinging to Lu Lu like a sick cat. Is this really you, the cold, ruthless, and unpredictable man in black?]
[This indicates that once it takes effect, it will have a significant impact on Atan. Atan's condition is unlikely to be a common illness; it's even questionable whether it's an illness at all. Could it be something like a Gu poison?]
[Oh God, it's possible. It's like a curse or spell. Ah Tan said he hates sheep, could it be the Black Goat who did it?]
Xie Tan breathed a sigh of relief, once again impressed by the forum's ability to fill in the blanks, and felt grateful.
When he switched to the forum, he found that his character's thread had been pushed to the top again, and the discussion was in full swing.
The familiar poster has changed their name.
[Ah Tan, don't push my cabinet: Family, shocking discovery! Did anyone notice the tiny human figure in the blood and foam where Lu Lu touched the painting? I actually used a magnifying glass to see it this time!]
[Oh my god, it really exists! I knew the swordsman wouldn't draw useless close-ups.]
[That looks familiar, that hair length...it's Ah Tan!]
[The people next door have been discussing why Ah Tan doesn't have a clone, concluding that Ah Tan truly has no worldly desires anymore. This is very much like the Man in Black; apparently, he did have one, but died before he was born?]
[No wonder, the other bubbles weren't red, so the clones all chose to commit suicide just before they were born... Then isn't Ah Tan's desire death?]
[This is even scarier than having no desires, sob sob, is it self-destructive tendency? Help, help, help!]
Could it be because of Ah Tan's illness, which has caused him constant suffering? If it really was the work of the Black Goat, no wonder he's so hated and despised.
The clone is a derivative of the original body, but the original A-Tan is still alive, using drugs to stay afloat. Is it for revenge?
What did the old sheep do to smell the scent of a deep-seated hatred...?
Xie Tan was also stunned. So he had a clone?
But he chose death.
He lowered his eyes, looked inward at himself, and imagined his death-hungry and life-hungry alter egos.
If they could decide whether or not to come into this world before they were born... he knew they were intelligent.
A touch of envy rose in his heart.
Just then, the cat number 7 jumped into his palm and nuzzled him affectionately, interrupting his thoughts.
He skillfully stroked the kitten's head, the soft, warm touch bringing him back to the present.
His initial statement that he "hates sheep" was a quick wit, but expressing such a clear love or hate attitude without understanding the Black Goat family was actually unwise.
But he needed an unusual reason, a way to get involved in this storyline, and the catalyst was the black goat envelope from the original owner of the house.
The original owner most likely didn't like black goats.
He didn't dress up as anyone, but by moving into this house, he had already incurred the original owner's kindness, and he could continue down the path left behind by the original owner.
Xie Tan then went to read other plot analysis posts.
[Hot] The water is overflowing.
[OP-1L: Family, don't you think Atan has played a very big game?]
[Yes, it's true. When A-Tan first met Sun Enze at the orphanage, he knew Sun Enze had been used by Senior Black Goat as material for the ritual summoning. A-Tan is really familiar with Black Goat.]
When I saw Sun Enze say those words, my expression was the same as his. "The water is overflowing" was actually a death prophecy for Sun Enze, a reminder to him.
So, Ah Tan's real purpose in investigating the clown case was to catch a glimpse of Sun Enze, who was being targeted by the Black Goat?
[Then there's the umbrella next to the director's body. Does it look familiar? It's the umbrella that Ah Tan lent to Sun Enze! Why is it in the director's hands?]
The director and student Sun, one on the left and one on the right, with the eyes of a goat—it's terrifying to think about.
Huh? Xie Tan hadn't expected that.
Why is it in the director's hands? Because it's the director's protector.
But without the prior context of Director Jiang having someone deliver the umbrella, it certainly seems like a conspiracy.
[What about Jing and Black Goat? I thought they were going to team up instead of fighting, but judging from Zhu Fengliang's expression and inner monologue, has a monster been stolen by a distant relative?]
[Hilarious! They keep calling me trash, but the monster ran away.]
[And they tried to kill him but failed; Ah Tan used someone else to do the dirty work first.]
[The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind. From responding to Xiao Sun's wish to finally taking away the young master's knotted rope, wasn't it all guided by Atan?]
[The members of Mirror, for the sake of "recycling," and the collateral branches of Black Goat, for the sake of "ritual," schemed and plotted, but it all turned into a trap set by Ah Tan.]
The young master from the collateral branch chose Xiao Sun. Ah Tan took a look and thought he was indeed good. I'll use him.
The mirror reflected a ghostly image. The young master took the drawing. Ah Tan said it was a good idea, and he would give him the last spot.
That's hilarious!
[Haha, Ah Tan probably chose Bubble's clone, or rather, he took a liking to Xiao Sun's desires. So even though the ritual failed, the passing "demon" responded.]
Desire? Xie Tan switched back to the comic and saw the cleaner returning to the art gallery, with Bubble's explanation.
Sun Enze's bubble clone did not burst because it had completely transformed into the embodiment of desire.
[Look at Xiao Sun's tears, the reflected colored light looks like bubbles. He and his clone can share a field of vision now, right?]
[The reason I cried wasn't because my friend died, but because I discovered my friend was the mastermind behind his death, and that I'd been played all along. It was tragic.]
Xie Tan recalled that Sun Enze's desire was probably just that phrase, "Save me."
This is like having an extra clone as a guardian deity.
That's why Bubble said, "I was born for him."
And they did indeed achieve that.
In the comic, the cleaner is on the phone with the vice-leader, and a flashback occurs where he reveals that he hid a shard of mirror in a painting.
The purpose of the religious order is "recycling," but what is being recycled?
Xie Tan slid to the very end and unexpectedly saw Lu Jinzhao.
He glanced in the direction of the opposite door, so he must have gone to the police station first before coming back so late last night.
Xue Hong's investigation revealed the possible origin of the ghostly figures in the rain, and all the seemingly true and false rumors had a common thread.
Whether it's a man or a woman, whether it's a fight leading to running away, debt leading to suicide, or being abandoned by family, the story is that there was once a desperate person who walked into the rain, got lost in the rain, and never came out again.
How can wandering in the eternal rain not be considered drowning?
This veteran detective is no ordinary person either. For example, the peach wood sword he uses when responding to a call, the insistence on burning the painting even though the case is closed, and his close relationship with Lu Jinzhao. He should have appeared in previous series.
Xie Tan reads quickly, but after watching the whole series, he can't remember everyone. Xue Hong should be a character representing the perspective of the police in Diqiu.
You can browse the forum later to find older comics.
In the end of the comic, the kind neighbor showed his kindness, but Sun Enze seemed to finally wake up and resumed his pattern of making all sorts of excuses. Lu Jinzhao did not force him and helped him call a taxi.
He waited for the next bus and happened to run into Xue Hong, who was returning from a police call.
"You've retrieved it? The painting you mentioned has been brought back and burned, so don't worry about it anymore." Xue Hong waved away the choking black smoke.
Lu Jinzhao exclaimed, "That painting must be so expensive to be exhibited in an art museum."
"No matter how expensive it is, we have to cooperate with the police investigation." Xue Hong raised his eyebrows.
Lu Jinzhao remembered something and his expression changed: "But I'm not a policeman. I don't have to pay for that watch, do I? I think I knocked it over when I went downstairs."
Xue Hong waved as he went up the steps: "What compensation? That watch was broken to begin with, it doesn't even have hands. Go home."
This concludes this segment of the story.
No pointer? But Xie Tan remembers that the clock could keep running.
The clock stopped at 8:59, a trick played by the cleaner Zhu Fengliang. Lu Jinzhao eventually corrected it, and the game at the art museum ended after 9 o'clock.
That watch was unusual, but now it seems, it was the hands that were unusual.
The pointer was taken away; did the cult take it?
As expected, there were questions and other suspicious posts on the forum, such as who Sun Enze encountered when his bubble clone turned around, what Zhu Fengliang's plan was, and Xie Tan now had his own character thread, summarizing the suspicious points and clues about him.
However, this episode has ended, and to uncover the secret, you'll have to wait for the next episode.
Another week later, the comic released another new story.
Xie Tan went to and from school normally. Sometimes he would run into his neighbor, and their routes couldn't be smoother. Lu Jinzhao didn't even realize that they were going to the same university.
Xie Tan guessed that Lu Jinzhao probably mistook his trip to Di Da for the evil deeds of a dark wizard and didn't dare to offend him, keeping his mouth shut.
However, they did not encounter each other very often.
Besides attending school, Lu Jinchao also has clubs and extracurricular activities, as well as part-time jobs. He remains energetic and always comes and goes in a whirlwind, like a perpetual motion machine that never stops.
Isn't he tired? He can actually only sleep four hours a day.
No, we should marvel at how they managed to run into each other, walk together for a while, and have a chat.
Mr. Xie Tan, a representative of the low-energy population, said that this is a fantasy film.
Moreover, Lu Jinzhao almost never asked him about his affairs, and mostly talked about current events: the flowers were blooming, the fried noodles he ate were too salty, the game was on sale and he would buy it now, and the movie looked really interesting and he would go see it after get off work.
Then naturally ask about his preferences, or extend an invitation.
Looking back, Xie Tan wasn't annoyed at all; the distance was just right.
However, he still declined the movie offer.
.at: [Something urgent]
Embracing the sun: [Poor dog.jpg]
Where did this guy get so many memes? And they look so much like him.
He won't be affected.
Embracing the Sun: [Well, you're busy then, how about we go together next time? [innocent]]
.at: [Hmm]
Embrace the sun: [Yay!]
Embracing the Sun: [[Puppy spinning in circles.gif]]
Xie Tan wasn't making excuses; he really had something to do, and he was waiting downstairs at Building B of Zhongbin Apartments.
.at: [Arrived]
Alice Takes Over Wonderland: [I'm rushing downstairs!]
Chang Mingai stepped out of the apartment and immediately saw him: "Sorry to keep you waiting!"
Xie Tan gave her the book.
This is a textbook needed for other courses. Chang Mingai needed it urgently, so he went to the library to look for it in the afternoon, but the book had already been checked out. He mentioned it briefly when he was discussing his thesis with Xie Tan.
Coincidentally, the person who borrowed the book was Xie Tan. He asked Chang Mingai for her location, as she and her friends were meeting at a high-rise apartment near the mall to work on a script, and he brought it over on his way.
Xie Tan glanced at her a few more times. Chang Mingai's dark circles were even more pronounced, clearly indicating she hadn't rested well. She flipped through a few pages of her book, then seemed to have forgotten what she was supposed to do, staring blankly at the book.
Xie Tan: "Not this one?"
Chang Mingai snapped out of her daze: "It's this one. Sorry, I... I might not have recovered yet, or I might not have slept well. Honestly, I never felt this sleepy even when I woke up at six every day in high school. Lately... everything feels like a dream... Huh?"
Xie Tan pulled her aside, dodging a passing electric scooter: "Then wake up quickly."
Chang Mingai smiled awkwardly and agreed repeatedly.
"They're gone."
"Wait!" Chang Ming clapped his hands. "Your documents are still in my bag. I've finished reading them, but I forgot to take them with me. You won't be at school tomorrow because it's the weekend, right? Wait for me a little longer, and I'll go get them."
She then added, "Why don't you come upstairs with me for a while? We bought sunflower seeds, fruit, desserts, and milk tea! But two people just stood us up, and the rest haven't arrived yet. We don't know when they'll be here, and we can't finish eating them all. Oh, by the way, our club president heard about my previous experience and wants to meet you. You're not a class officer, so are you in the student council or a club? That counts in the overall assessment."
"President?"
"Travel agency? Our club has a small number of members but lots of activities, and we can even go on trips! They're generous with the extra points too. And the club president... he's alright, though a bit frivolous, but he's really good to the members. I've known him for many years; we were classmates in high school. We all get along well. Think about it!"
"That sounds good," Xie Tan said politely. He wanted to finish the second chapter of his thesis tonight, so he didn't refuse.
A white rabbit brushed past their feet and ran into the apartment first. Chang Mingai almost stepped on it and was startled.
"Whose rabbit escaped?"
They lagged a few steps behind as they entered the apartment, but the rabbit had already disappeared.
The elevator had just descended to the first floor, so they stepped inside and pressed the button for the 17th floor.
The elevator slowly ascended. Alice found it amusing and was still thinking about the rabbit: "Has it entered the building yet? How many floors can that little short-legged thing run? It'll be caught by security in no time."
She quickly put it out of her mind again.
As the elevator approached the 17th floor, she turned to remind Xie Tan that they had arrived, only to see Xie Tan look up from his phone screen with a slightly cold expression.
She glanced at his phone; it was just a normal webpage news page. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Ding, we've reached the 17th floor.
The elevator doors did not open.
"Huh?" Alice pressed the buttons several times, including other floors, but the elevator was stuck on the 17th floor and wouldn't move.
"No way, it's broken?"
Just as she was about to press the emergency call button, the elevator started again, but skipped the other lit floors and went up to the top floor, the 26th floor.
A buzzing sound indicated the door was about to open.
She had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but still said, "The elevator might be broken. Let's take the stairs down in a bit."
Xie Tan suddenly grabbed Alice's hand and pulled her back to the corner.
The lights in the elevator suddenly went out without warning, and all the buttons flashed back and forth, alternating between red and white.
His phone screen displayed a preview image of the next chapter of a comic that only he could see.
It was in this apartment building that the perspective focused on the entire elevator inside the building.
This episode is called "Elevator".
The next second, the elevator suddenly plummeted.
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Author's Note: I'll be posting this tomorrow, so I'm posting today's update first. I'll continue at 11 PM tomorrow, and the update will return to normal after the next update. [Cat emoji]
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