Translator: Cinder Translations
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"Fatty," Jiang Cheng patted the latter's shoulder, "Let's go."
Fatty's eyes widened, "Where to?"
"Stone slab."
"Stone slab?"
It seemed that Fatty realized he had raised his voice too loudly and immediately lowered it, trembling as he said, "Doctor, those guys want to drive us to the stone slab."
In Fatty's understanding, if they obeyed those creatures' wishes, it would be a death sentence.
"This is no longer something we can decide," Jiang Cheng said.
Fatty didn't even need to think; he knew Jiang Cheng was right. Those creatures had scattered, forming a net to trap them. If they didn't want to be caught on the spot, they had no choice but to flee deeper into the forest.
But... it was essentially a slow suicide.
As the sounds around them grew louder, the two of them started heading deeper into the forest along a narrow path.
A few minutes later, a massive amphibious-looking creature's webbed foot slammed onto the rock where Jiang Cheng and Fatty had briefly taken shelter. The sharp claws reflected a dim light.
A group of creatures, about 2-3 meters tall, emerged from various directions, closing in, following the rugged path.
On the tree trunks and rocks they passed, pools of disgusting mucus were left behind.
When they reached the stone slab again, there were no obstacles. At this moment, the stone slab was as clean as if it were brand new, with no signs of bones, bodies, or blood.
If one didn't know what the stone slab signified, it could almost be mistaken for a large piece of art.
Pure white in color, faint halos flickering across its surface, Fatty focused on the slab, and for a moment, he had the illusion that the stone slab was alive, rising and falling with his breathing.
He forced himself to look away and turned to glance at the doctor.
The doctor's gaze swept across the stone slab slowly, seemingly searching for something. Fatty didn't want to interrupt him, but at this point, it was impossible to ignore—the bizarre creatures had already appeared around them.
With dark green skin, some had sharp nails on their webbed feet, while others had wings growing from their backs. Judging by their size, they definitely couldn't fly.
These were creatures that seemed like evolutionary rejects from a biological lab, slowly surrounding them.
At this point, Fatty had calmed down. He took a deep breath, as if trying to vent all the pent-up frustration from the journey.
"Doctor," he chuckled bitterly, "There's no way out."
"Mm."
The doctor seemed to still be thinking, indifferent to the approaching creatures. Fatty couldn't help but feel sorry for him. Even at a time like this, he wasn't willing to give up? Even if there was still a chance for survival, it didn't matter much now.
Time was running out.
It was strange—Fatty was actually someone who was very afraid of death. Not only afraid of dying, but also afraid of pain. Once, while chopping vegetables and talking to the doctor, he accidentally cut his hand.
It wasn't a large wound—if it had been on Jiang Cheng, he probably wouldn't even have furrowed his brow. But Fatty had complained for a long time, blaming the doctor for distracting him while they talked.
Because of that, the three dishes they had planned to cook that day turned into only two.
But now, he felt almost numb, as if he was about to embark on an inevitable journey. He felt strangely calm, feeling estranged even to himself.
He just felt regretful.
Not regretful for himself, but for the doctor.
The doctor was a pretty decent person. Though he had a few quirks, he was truly a good person. Fatty had only made it this far because of him.
He even wondered if the doctor had not been distracted by taking care of him, maybe... he would've left already.
After all, someone as troublesome as Chen Ran had already fallen into the doctor's hands.
Someone like him shouldn't die. If he were given enough time, maybe he could have figured out the secrets hidden under this nightmare... maybe even solved it.
He had an inexplicable trust in the doctor.
He shouldn't die—he was the one dragging the doctor down, shamelessly relying on him.
After holding back for a long time, he finally spoke, "Doctor," his voice hoarse, the creatures were already very close, "Can you tell me your name?"
Jiang Cheng shifted his gaze to look at him.
"No other meaning, Doctor," Fatty chuckled bitterly, "We've known each other for so long, and I still don't know your name. I feel it's a pity."
"I don't have a name," Jiang Cheng said, "I'm an orphan."
"Then what about your last name?"
"A picked a random one."
Fatty: "..."
In addition to being smart, Fatty most admired the doctor for his ability to ruin the moment. He had originally planned to bid farewell properly and express his gratitude.
In Fatty's imagined scenario, they would even hug each other at the end, making for a very emotional scene.
But now, after just two sentences from the doctor, it was all gone.
No wonder he's an orphan.
Some trivial thoughts flashed through Fatty's mind, and he suddenly realized the doctor had a bigger influence on him than he had thought. If the old Fatty had been in this dire situation, he probably wouldn't have been able to stand up.
Let alone think about making a heartfelt farewell.
"Mm?" Fatty seemed to suddenly realize something. He looked up and gazed at the doctor, who was still carefully examining the stone slab, feeling like things weren't quite as he had imagined.
It seemed like the doctor...
He immediately spoke, "Doctor, did you figure something out?"
"Sort of," Jiang Cheng extended his hand, pulling Fatty closer to him because the creatures were closing in, "I found a way, Fatty," he said.
Upon hearing this, Fatty instantly perked up. He stopped being sentimental, feeling his spirits return, completely energized, "Doctor, then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"
Jiang Cheng still looked at him, his eyes now holding something Fatty didn't want to see.
It only took a moment for Fatty to understand. "D-Doctor," he stammered, "Is it... is it...?"
"My method can only ensure one person gets out," Jiang Cheng said, "Maybe it could work for two, but it's risky. In the end, neither of us might make it."
Hope was reignited, only to be shattered again, and the transition from lost hope to despair was swift. The color drained from Fatty's face, and his lips trembled uncontrollably.
"If you want me to take you out," Jiang Cheng paused, "I'll try, but I want you to understand, it's a huge risk, and it may not be worth it."
The creatures were slowly closing in, and their foul stench was already in the air, but at this point, no one cared about that. Jiang Cheng stared at Fatty, then said in an unusually formal tone, "So..."
Fatty lowered his head, and after a few seconds:
"You go, Doctor," he raised his head, but his expression was different from what Jiang Cheng had expected. Though his eyes were still dim, he smiled and said, "It was a pleasure meeting you, Doctor."
(End of the Chapter)
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