Translator: CinderTL
The driver seemed to sense the tension in the air and tried to lighten the mood with a forced laugh. "This tunnel saves a lot of time. Don't worry, I'll step on the gas and we'll be out in no time."
But soon, the driver's laughter faded.
They had been driving through the tunnel for a full five minutes. At first, there were occasional cars coming from the opposite direction, but now, apart from the overhead lights, there was only endless darkness.
The surrounding blackness was like thick ink, so dense that it seemed to swallow one's vision whole.
"What's going on?" The driver's voice was trembling. "I drive this route all the time. Since when has the tunnel been this long?"
Of course, there was nothing wrong with the tunnel. The problem lay with the people in the car.
"Bang!"
A strange sound came from the roof, as if someone had slapped it hard with their hand.
"Bang!"
"Bang!"
"Holy shit! What is that?" The driver's voice was panicked. He glanced at the roof, his hands on the steering wheel trembling.
"Give up," a faint voice whispered in Jiang Cheng's ear. He turned his head to see Chen Yi's pale face.
Her beautiful brows were furrowed tightly, a clear sign of the pain she was enduring. "Let me out of the car, or it won't let you go."
Jiang Cheng didn't respond, but his gaze shifted to the car door. He knew Chen Yi was right. If they threw her out, they would be safe.
After all, the Ghost was only after her.
Chen Yi's left arm hung limply, and only her right arm could move slightly. Clearly, she couldn't even open the car door herself.
Jiang Cheng slowly reached out toward the door next to Chen Yi, but before he could make a decision, her weak yet urgent voice sounded again.
"Don't hesitate." Her teeth were chattering, and her consciousness was beginning to fade.
She leaned against Jiang Cheng's shoulder, her eyes closed, so she didn't notice the movement of his hand. She continued, "Don't waste time on me. I'm no longer of any value. Keeping me here will only put everyone in danger."
In the next moment, Jiang Cheng felt the person on his shoulder shake her head in pain. A faint but firm voice spoke: "It's not worth it." Chen Yi gasped for breath. "It's... pointless."
Jiang Cheng's hand, which had already gripped the door handle, paused.
No value, not worth it, pointless.
These ordinary words seemed to come alive, striking his mind like lightning. Once, someone had said the same thing to him. At that moment, Jiang Cheng's heart twisted painfully.
In his eyes, abandoning a teammate who was no longer useful wasn't some heinous crime. The teammate had already been marked by the Ghost, and keeping her would only endanger everyone.
Moreover... this was her own suggestion. He wasn't forcing her.
This person was about to die. Nothing they did now would make a difference. At best, they could only buy her a little more time, but the chances of her surviving were slim.
So why... did he feel this way?
He felt an inexplicable fear. His gaze on the car door was as if he were staring at a ferocious beast from ancient times, as though opening that door would plunge him into the darkness outside.
In just a few seconds, his back was soaked with cold sweat. His rapid breathing even drowned out the sound of the wind outside.
Feeling the weak breaths of the person on his shoulder, his hand trembled, then slowly withdrew. He gently pulled Chen Yi's hand away from the door and placed it on his own knee.
"Hang on a little longer," Jiang Cheng whispered, one hand supporting her, his chin resting on her forehead. "We're almost there."
He shifted slightly to make Chen Yi more comfortable, but the chilling aura in the car continued to spread, and an invisible pressure began to weigh on him.
"Drive faster!" Jiang Cheng shouted at the stunned driver.
It seemed his efforts had paid off. Chen Yi's complexion miraculously improved, and her lips gradually regained some color. "Cough, cough..." She began to cough violently, a bit of blood foam at the corner of her mouth. When she opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was a side profile.
Jiang Cheng was shivering from the cold, but he still hadn't let go of Chen Yi's hand. He stared intently into the darkness ahead, a faint light visible in his dark eyes.
"What are you looking at?" Jiang Cheng's expression immediately became casual when he noticed she was awake. He glanced at her and pretended to be fierce, saying, "Listen, I don't save people for free. Either pay up or offer yourself. Since you probably don't have any money, I'll take payment in kind. I figure a life-saving favor is worth at least a hundred or so times. While you were asleep, I've already collected twenty. We'll settle the rest after we get out."
Chen Yi had just woken up and was completely confused, but she quickly realized that the man shivering in front of her had saved her.
"Don't look at me like that," Jiang Cheng said, his eyes wide as if he were terrified, then switched to a pleading tone, "Can you give me a break?"
"Thank you," Chen Yi said softly.
After a pause, Jiang Cheng turned his head and muttered, "No need to thank me. When we get out, if we ever cross paths again during one of your missions, just tell your colleagues to let me off the hook."
"I'm easy to recognize," Jiang Cheng said with a flourish. "I have two stage names. One is 'Silver Spear Young Master' for the ladies, and the other is 'Tahitian Dandelion' for the rich women. Remember that, don't forget."
To Jiang Cheng's surprise, Chen Yi seemed to seriously consider this for a moment, then looked into his eyes and nodded. "Alright."
After a moment of hesitation, Jiang Cheng slowly withdrew his hand. Before the situation could worsen, he pulled his collar up and tightened it as much as he could.
Finally, light appeared at the end of the tunnel, and Chu Jiu was so excited she almost jumped out of her seat. "Sister Chen Yi, we're getting out!"
The driver also stepped on the gas, and the car roared like a wild beast, more like an off-road vehicle that had been suppressed for too long than a taxi.
Staring at the light ahead, Jiang Cheng also breathed a sigh of relief.
The chilling sensation was still there, but it had weakened considerably. It seemed that, with its power, the Ghost could only trap them for so long.
"What's your name?" Chen Yi asked, looking at him with a serious expression.
Jiang Cheng glanced at her. "Hao Shuai."
"Real name?"
"I swear on my parents," Jiang Cheng said, raising three fingers.
"Alright," Chen Yi said with a helpless smile. "Then I'll call you Hao Shuai. Thank you for saving me." She paused, then looked into Jiang Cheng's eyes and said, "You're a good person."
Glancing out the window, Chen Yi turned back and continued, "I hope you can survive. If possible, please help others survive too."
At these words, Jiang Cheng's expression changed immediately. The tunnel exit was right in front of them, and the car was beginning to fill with light. Taking advantage of the light, he quickly looked into the rearview mirror.
In the next moment, his breath caught. He saw that the Ghost that had been riding on Chen Yi had fully manifested, its eye sockets now entirely white.
Even more terrifying, the female Ghost had changed its position. Its feet were now on Chen Yi's shoulders, and it was climbing toward him.
"Mr. Hao," Chen Yi opened the car door, and the howling wind rushed in. The tie holding her ponytail was torn apart, and her black hair flew wildly in the air, like an unrestrained ink painting.
"Please, you must survive!"
In the next moment, the car broke through the darkness, leaving only Jiang Cheng's hand frozen in mid-air in the back seat.
In the sunlight, the car was filled with floating dust.
(End of the Chapter)
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