The Outside World

Translator: Cinder Translations

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This meal was exceptionally lavish; perhaps it was because it was free, but Jiang Cheng had taken out every dish he could find.

With a braised duck leg stuffed in his mouth, he was busy peeling shrimp with his hands, the pile of shells on his plate resembling a small mountain. "Fatty, no matter what, you should eat a little," he said.

Fatty sighed; he never knew how to handle Jiang Cheng.

However, he couldn't stomach the big fish and meat, so he picked up a piece of corn cake with his chopsticks and slowly chewed it.

"Doctor," he glanced around and asked quietly, "do you think... this world is real?"

It was as if these words had been bottled up in Fatty's heart for a long time, and he finally voiced them now. He pursed his lips and continued, "If you say it isn't, then everyone here feels incredibly real to me, just like in the world we came from. But..."

"But if it is real, our world wouldn't randomly have such a situation," Jiang Cheng spat out a bone and replied indifferently.

"Exactly."

After pulling out a free tissue to wipe his hands, Jiang Cheng looked at Fatty. "I've thought about this question before. If the essence of nightmares is a reversal of time and space, then every time we push open a door, we should end up in places that people in the past have truly experienced."

Fatty listened, not fully understanding, and asked in confusion, "What are you trying to say, Doctor?"

"If all of this is in the past, then we can't change the outcome. In other words, whether we come or not, it has no effect on this world."

"I don't quite understand what you mean..."

Before Fatty could finish, he was interrupted by Jiang Cheng, who was staring toward the door where the night was thickening.

"But we've changed things here, haven't we? Look around; how could such a scene occur in the real world? This place..." He paused, his voice shifting, "seems to have been prepared for us."

Fatty's pupils slowly tightened. "Are you saying this is a world specially prepared for us?"

"I don't know. The evidence I have isn't enough to support my hypothesis; everything right now is just speculation."

Jiang Cheng took out two clean tissues, folded them neatly, and put them in his coat pocket.

His movements were meticulous and exacting.

The man in front of Fatty gave him a completely different impression; he felt like a finely-tuned machine.

Every gear, every bearing, and every fundamental component was operating perfectly on its designated track.

"Fatty," Jiang Cheng suddenly spoke, causing the lost-in-thought Fatty to snap back to attention.

"You're saying something, Doctor?" Fatty nodded repeatedly. "I'm listening."

"Have you ever thought about the outside world?" Jiang Cheng stared outside the door, taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly.

"The outside world?"

"Exactly," Jiang Cheng shifted his gaze back, his eyes filled with something Fatty couldn't comprehend. "I'm talking about outside this school, not just the street across or that café; I'm talking about places even farther away."

"What... what would it be like there?"

Fatty had never even thought about the things Jiang Cheng was saying. He finally realized what the biggest difference between him and Jiang Cheng was.

Most people were only thinking about how to survive in the current mission, plotting and scheming without hesitation.

To stay alive in this task, they had given it their all.

But Jiang Cheng's plans had long surpassed the mission itself; he was contemplating deeper, submerged things.

Like nightmares and the rules they imposed within the tasks.

The real rules.

He was a very honest person, always straightforward in life and work, earning what he deserved, without extravagant expectations.

But he wasn't foolish; there was no denying that Jiang Cheng's words had opened a new door for him.

"I don't know," Fatty lowered his head a bit embarrassed, answering honestly, then shook his head and whispered, "I've never thought about these things."

The atmosphere became somewhat subtle.

"Beep, beep, beep."

Fatty, with his head down, heard a keypad sound.

He raised his head and looked at Jiang Cheng in confusion.

He realized that Jiang Cheng had straightened up, holding a phone in his right hand, dialing a number.

All the plates and bowls on the table were pushed aside, revealing a piece of paper underneath.

The paper looked like it had been torn from somewhere, with uneven edges still showing jagged cuts.

Upon closer inspection, it was densely written with names, accompanied by corresponding phone numbers.

Fatty's eyes slowly widened. "This is..."

He recognized the paper's texture; it was very similar to the commemorative booklet they found in the archives, that kind of oily, frosted feel.

Putting the phone to his ear, Jiang Cheng remained silent, causing Fatty to hold his breath.

This time, Jiang Cheng didn't speak first either, but Fatty gradually noticed that as the call continued, Jiang Cheng's expression began to change slowly.

Even though he was anxious, he didn't dare interrupt Jiang Cheng.

It turned out that while Jiang Cheng might sometimes be unreliable, there were moments when he was remarkably dependable.

At least the reason why his current body, weighing over 200 pounds, was still lively and kicking was largely thanks to Jiang Cheng.

After a long while, Jiang Cheng hung up the phone and shoved it back into the pocket he had pulled it from.

He then put away the paper in front of him.

"Doctor," Fatty swallowed, "What did they say on the other end?"

Jiang Cheng stood up and casually slung his camera bag over his shoulder. "Didn't get through; they said the person is out of the service area."

Fatty was taken aback.

How could that be?

He hadn't intentionally calculated the time Jiang Cheng had been on the phone, but it had definitely exceeded a minute.

Could it really take that long to not get through?

Though puzzled, Fatty merely muttered an incoherent sound.

He wisely chose not to pry further.

Since Jiang Cheng had said so, he must have his reasons. After this period of contact, he had developed the most basic trust in him.

Even if Jiang Cheng occasionally said something completely nonsensical, like claiming to be the KTV night headliner.

Mr. Lu Xun once said that trust is a comical goodwill.

Fatty wholeheartedly agreed.

"Let's go," Jiang Cheng finished packing his things, ensuring nothing was left behind, and walked out the door first.

Fatty trailed a step behind and hurriedly called out, "Doctor, are we going back to the dorm?"

"No," Jiang Cheng stopped in front of the cafeteria door, quickly assessing the direction, and pointed to the side. "This way, we're going to the equipment center."

Fatty halted, his expression turning grim. "But it's already dark; should we really go now?"

"Fatty," Jiang Cheng turned his head and seriously looked into Fatty's eyes, "Since we left the archive room, have you seen any other students?"

Fatty thought carefully, his throat involuntarily swallowing. "No."

"Do you know why?"

Looking at Jiang Cheng's expression, Fatty felt an ominous premonition rising in his heart and trembled, "Why?"

Jiang Cheng tilted his head, gazing at the night sky above.

The sky was thick like a clump of ink that wouldn't dissolve, with no moon and not even a star in sight.

"It won't brighten up anymore." Jiang Cheng said.

(End of the Chapter)

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