Chapter 382: Identity
Jiang Cheng didn’t think the case was that simple. He had a feeling that while the file was strange, the woman was stranger. Fatty licked his lips. “Since the woman jumped from Ping An Apartments, she must have lived here, right?” He asked carefully, “Which room did you think she occupied?”
Once he said that, Jiang Cheng noticed the faces of the other party shift. Then, Wan Xiaoning’s voice began, “Building Three.” She looked at Jiang Cheng and sighed, “Room 808.”
Fatty was confused, but quickly reacted. “Wu’s room?”
“That’s right.” Hua Luo nodded. The anxiety in their hearts amplified. Based on current exploration, this woman was the source of the haunting. The rest of the ghosts were her victims. In that case, Wu should be the first to encounter the ghost. The woman was the source, so she should be the scariest. However, Wu hadn’t mentioned anything. He was safe and… at ease.
The feeling of ease was more than his actions. It was how he handled the mission. He was not in a hurry to end the mission. People had suspected him before but too many sudden surprises distracted everyone. Wu also didn’t like to expose him or communicate with others. This meant that everyone’s understanding of him was rudimentary.
Jiang Cheng tried to probe him, but it was to no avail. Wu didn’t have any interest in influencing the rest. He was someone who enjoyed his freedom within the mission. It was very strange.
Jiang Cheng scanned the others. Clearly, they had come to the same conclusion, or else they wouldn’t have summoned them there. After all, they were closer to the cafe where the three groups met. They were purposely trying to avoid Wu.
“Time is limited. We should be direct.” Banana Wolf crossed his hands and spoke for his team. “I suspect something is wrong with Wu. He might have been killed.” In other words, he had been replaced by the ghost.
“But he hasn’t done anything.” Chu Jiu tried to remember her interaction with Wu. She analysed. “From his group, only Lu Huaxu died. If he were the ghost, wouldn’t there be more casualties?”
“Could it be possible that more than Wu has been replaced by the ghosts?” Fatty swallowed nervously.Jiang Cheng shook his head. “Unlikely.” He raised his head. “They were the ones who told us about Lee Maoshen, Qiao Yu and Qiao Yu’s brother. We verified that information ourselves. If they were the ghosts, why would they do that?” In the nightmare, ghosts and the travellers were natural enemies. Part of the ghosts’ malice was born because of the travellers. Unless the travellers could figure out the truth, the only ending that awaited them was death.
It was time to make a decision about Wu’s identity.
“I suggest that we keep this from the people of Group Three until we figure out Wu’s real identity,” Banana Wolf said.
“I agree.” Jiang Cheng was the leader of Building One. Fatty and Chu Jiu had no objections.
“But… what are we going to do about Room 808?” Fatty asked. “None of us is from Building Three.”
“I know where to go.” Banana Wolf stood up. Jiang Cheng looked up at him. Based on his expression, he probably had the same idea.
Standing before the landlord’s door, Fatty hesitated. The disabled old man scared him, and he wasn’t friendly. After knocking on the door a few times, Jiang Cheng entered the room directly. The old man sat in the chair. The leather on the back was almost worn out. He held a giant cup. He glanced at them with impatience. “Who told you to come in?” He stood up to demand.
The old man’s face was ruined. Fatty felt like a knife cut across his skin when the old man glared at him with his single eye.
They picked up the smell of food. A box of empty food containers sat in the corner. The old man probably ordered a delivery.
Jiang Cheng walked over openly and pulled the old man’s chair over to sit down.
“The rooms you rented us have people who died in them.” Jiang Cheng regarded the elder.
“Nonsense!” The elder became angered. “Who has been spreading the rumours? Is it…”
“Building 1, Room 707’s Zhao Jiajia; Building 1, Room 710’s Yu Youwei; Building 2, Room 404’s Song Jianyou…” Jiang Cheng listed out the names. “Do you need me to continue?”
“They… didn’t… die inside the room…” The man’s voice dwindled as he stammered.
Jiang Cheng glanced at Banana Wolf. The latter jogged forward and pulled out a laptop from his bag.
Jiang Cheng pulled up the article about the woman’s fall and showed it to the old man. “What about this? The jumping case from Building 3 Room 808, you should know about it, right?”
The old man’s lips twitched, and his throat moved. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a loud voice.
“Stand up straight!” Jiang Cheng demanded. “Is this how you should treat us?”
The elder was so scared that he almost dropped his cup. He was in the wrong for renting out such rooms. Now, his renters discovered the truth. He subconsciously glanced at Jiang Cheng’s friends. He caught sight of Banana Wolf’s bag. His eye almost fell out. The bag carried a long sword. The tip of the sword was exposed, and it was dripping with blood.
“Don’t. Don’t.” The elder cowered. “I won’t collect your rental. I’ll return your deposit, okay?” He pleaded. “We can talk this out.”
Fatty, “...If you know about this, why would you rent us the rooms?”
The old man shuffled to the drawer and pulled out some money. Then, he shoved them into Banana Wolf’s bag. Then, he smiled politely at him. However, the smile only made his face more twisted. Banana Wolf shivered from fright and reached for the sword.
Fatty saw the elder’s knees shake, and he almost collapsed.