Translator: Cinder Translations
--------
Just as Xia Meng was about to continue speaking, she saw the Fatty tremble and pull a cloth out from his chest. Xia Meng stared at him in confusion.
She looked at the cloth, which had rough stitching, and suddenly realized it was the same one that had been placed next to the pillow on the bed.
Each bed had one.
It was likely because the wooden pillows were too hard, and those who weren't used to them could use the cloth as a cushion.
But now, the Fatty was unfolding the cloth layer by layer, revealing something inside.
Chen Qiang, An Xuan, and Xia Meng all fixed their eyes on it, especially the latter, who looked like she wanted to rush up and help him open it.
Gradually, a round pearl appeared in his hands.
He cradled the pearl with both hands, as if protecting an artwork. The pearl emitted a smooth luster, though it was slightly cracked on one side. It seemed like it had once been set into a piece of jewelry, only to be broken off.
"This is..."
"It's from her," the Fatty said slowly as he looked at the maid in the painting. "It fell when I moved her body."
It was a clumsy sentence, but coming from the Fatty at that moment, it somehow felt convincing. After all, the images in the painting were not lying.
There was definitely some unknown connection between the Fatty and that maid.
A very close connection.
Xia Meng stared at the pearl in the Fatty's hand but didn't have any intention to touch it. With the mission nearing its end, she had to be cautious.
She worried that if she touched the pearl, the Fatty in the painting might turn into her.
"It looks like it fell off some jewelry," An Xuan looked up at the Fatty and said. "It should be a clue left by that maid."
An Xuan deliberately didn't use the term "little beggar" to describe the girl, worried it might upset the Fatty.
But what he didn't know was that the Fatty didn't mind.
To him, the girl who had helped him, trusted him, and even asked for buns from him—she was just that little beggar.
After thinking for a moment, An Xuan suddenly said, "Let's go." He turned and walked toward the door, leaving the others visibly stunned.
"Where are you going?" Chen Qiang instinctively asked.
"The attic."
It was Jiang Cheng who acted second. As he passed by Chen Qiang, he said, "Master Huang's attic holds many pieces of women's jewelry, and the owner of those jewels is obviously Xuan Ji."
The little beggar had only been caught and beaten to death after she went up to Master Huang's attic. Her body was later moved to the yard.
It seemed that Butler Zhou and the others had orchestrated this, not only to provoke them into action but also to distract them from the attic.
After all, the attic hid many secrets.
It was also in the attic where An Xuan had found the true ancient book.
And the one time the ghost appeared in the daytime was also in the attic bed, where Shi Liaozhi paid with his life for his foolish actions.
Thinking of this, no one hesitated anymore. They set off under the cover of night, heading toward Master Huang's attic.
The place was eerily quiet, but this silence only made the hearts of the group uneasy.
"Don't go through the door," Xia Meng crouched near the wall and whispered, "Follow me, I know a broken wall we can climb through."
Everyone moved in unison behind her. Xia Meng led the way, with An Xuan at the back.
Jiang Cheng followed the Fatty silently.
Under the moonlight, the group climbed over the broken wall, their landing almost inaudible. An Xuan crouched low, his gaze warily scanning the surroundings.
Tonight was crucial for them—it was either life or death.
But it was equally crucial for Butler Zhou and his people. Since they knew the importance of the attic, why was there no one guarding it?
An Xuan didn't believe it was an oversight.
Someone who could spend years, even longer, plotting wouldn't make such a rookie mistake.
The only explanation was that there was a conspiracy.
Had the things in the attic already been taken?
Suddenly, he felt a tap on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw a pair of sharp eyes in the moonlight. "Don't space out," Xia Meng lowered her voice.
Guided by Jiang Cheng, the group reached the window that he and An Xuan had previously entered.
They had all agreed to stay outside to keep watch, while those going in would search for clues.
The Fatty had to go in. He instinctively looked at the doctor, who nodded.
"Be careful," Chen Qiang whispered.
The Fatty carefully cracked open the window, peeking inside. The light was dim, but he could still make out some shapes.
Jiang Cheng quietly approached another nearby window, opened a small gap, and after peering inside for a while, he climbed in.
The room was still full of stage costumes, with only a little light filtering through the gaps. Shadows loomed around, and the costumes fluttered occasionally, as if someone were standing there.
Jiang Cheng suddenly froze. The Fatty was near the doctor, so he crouched down, not daring to speak, only asking with his eyes.
After a while, Jiang Cheng looked away, subtly shaking his head, signaling that everything was fine. He then pointed toward the staircase.
Swallowing, the Fatty cautiously made his way toward the stairs.
Once the Fatty stopped paying attention to him, Jiang Cheng's face darkened. He turned and focused on a clothing rack in the middle of the room, something was moving in his eyes.
The bright red stage costume that had been hanging there was gone.
He didn't dare tell the Fatty.
This was definitely not good for him.
The wooden stairs were old and worn, with several parts of the handrail already decayed. Stepping on them caused loud creaking sounds, which in the silence of the night sounded like a death march.
Second floor—arrived.
This floor was unfamiliar to the Fatty; he had never been here before. However, what Jiang Cheng didn't expect was that the Fatty didn't seem unfamiliar at all. In fact, he seemed to have a strange sense of familiarity with the place.
The Fatty pointed at a large screen on the opposite side, giving the doctor a look. Jiang Cheng took a deep breath. Behind that screen... was the human skin drum.
Shi Liaozhi had died there.
Jiang Cheng surveyed the area carefully, an odd feeling starting to brew in his chest. It seemed that suddenly, there were strange new things around them.
But strangely, when he scanned the area, he couldn't find the source of that feeling.
Just then, Jiang Cheng froze, his sweat dripping down his back, his pupils contracting to the narrowest slits.
"Seeing her build a high tower, what was good turned out badly, how many beauties have wronged their fated partners?"
"How many phoenixes reward each other? How many swallows mistake the waves? When we meet, life and fortune will always come hand in hand. Asking the heavens, a fleeting moment of infamy, afraid there's no division and hard to bear."
"But to have a companion for life, to die in the same grave, to be together forever—that is my joy."
A strange voice, full of dramatic tones, echoed, resonating with a sorrowful and haunting wail.
It was right next to his ear.
(End of the Chapter)
---
Read (NS) on Pa.treon@CinderTL - c430. [+2]
Early Access at $1.
Translated (5) Series, (2.2K+) Chapters, (2.9M+) Words.