CH 18.1

Second Floor (11)

Translated by boilpoil

Edited by boilpoil

When the Name Jiang Yiyi Is Involved, Any Impossibility Becomes Reasonably Plausible

Three days later.

Jiang Yiyi’s confinement is over. The shut confinement doors finally reopen, letting a dim light in from the corridor.

“Doctor, let’s go.” Lin Yi pulls the door open, while observing Jiang Yiyi with what little brightness there is.

He really does not look like he spent three days in total silence and darkness. His demeanour, behaviour and reaction all suggest a highly relaxed state.

Even though Lin Yi wasn’t expecting to see things like weakness or fright from the Doctor, it still feels odd to see the Doctor like he just had a short vacation.

Lin Yi looks around the small, cramped confinement cell. It is still the cell he knows. He looks back at Jiang Yiyi.

Jiang Yiyi, meanwhile, watches the light on the corridor for a few seconds before leaving his cell.

The dim light brings him back to the mortal world. It smells faintly of blood; he’s back in Stargaol.

Lin Yi closes the cell. He escorts him outside with another unfamiliar prison officer.

Footsteps mix and mingle, reverberating through the corridor.

It’s too quiet here. Lin Yi turns his head a little, and notes that Jiang Yiyi is as calm as ever.

The lack of sound becomes quite oppressive——Especially with Jiang Yiyi around.

“Right…” Lin Yi breaks the silence, “the evaluation for your transfer is complete. Butcher told me.”

Jiang Yiyi casts his gaze at him.

“He means for you to pack up as soon as you’re back, and head to the third floor.”

Jiang Yiyi asks, “as soon as possible?”

Lin Yi looks straight ahead, “Lone Wolf is a bit terrible. His physical wounds are fine, but they say… his mind is unstable.”

He is observing Jiang Yiyi out the corner of his eye, but does not find any expression of surprise——Jiang Yiyi has his calm poker face on, keeping all his emotions to himself. Lin Yi can’t help but feel like his face is carved into stone once more.

“I have something to do.” Jiang Yiyi stops in front of the metal door at the end of the corridor.

Outside, Butcher is there to watch Jiang Yiyi undergo assessment. The flaps on his face move in turn, “where do you think you are to try and negotiate…”

“About Lunatic…” Jiang Yiyi’s stare moves from the air to Butcher, “I do need to bring it to a conclusion.”

Butcher is glaring. He is about to say something when the assessment is complete and the metal door opens. The border is gone.

Butcher watches Jiang Yiyi approach. The man is the same as when he first saw him.

Jiang Yiyi is still Jiang Yiyi, but the people watching Jiang Yiyi can never see him the same way they did when they first saw him.

Lone Wolf, someone as capable as Lunatic, is still cowering, unable to stop his shaking.

Butcher does not say what he was going to.

“I have already arranged the time and location of the transfer with the Coordinator of the third floor…”

Jiang Yiyi passes his hand by Lin Yi, retrieving the blade he just put on him.

“I won’t put you on the spot.” Jiang Yiyi says, his eyes looking up at the sunlight shining bright, “I simply need enough time for a conversation.”

Just a conversation?

Just a conversation is enough to put an end to the whole incident?

Or rather, just enough time? What is he planning to do?

Butcher is not in the business of getting into the minds of the perverse. After observing Jiang Yiyi for a few seconds while working out the benefits and risks in his mind, he agrees to.

The courtyard is empty.

Around the perimetre are more prison officers than usual. They are fully equipped, and are warily keeping their eyes on the people conversing in the courtyard.

The courtyard is big, and free of any obstruction.

The prison officers keep enough distance away from Jiang Yiyi to ensure they cannot hear the words at all, but can still observe their every movement. It’s quite the arrangement, really.

Lunatic, standing in front of Jiang Yiyi, moves his eyes a little.

Lin Yi has been waiting here for a few minutes now. Seeing the ‘conversation’ still yet to start, he peeks hesitantly in the direction of the perimetre, “should I wait outside, too?”

Jiang Yiyi stops looking up and down Lunatic to turn to him, “are you sure you want to recuse yourself right now?”

Trying to establish himself as separate from Jiang Yiyi would be the biggest misstep Lin Yi can pull right now.

Before his mission is complete, being Jiang Yiyi’s ‘friend’——Even if only insofar as others are concerned, will save him from countless trouble.

“I just saw you weren’t speaking at all…” Lin Yi pauses, then realises something, “but, no, Lunatic is always quiet, but why were you not speaking either?”

“I was planning to, I suppose.” Jiang Yiyi looks back at Lunatic, whose eyes glance to the side once, before returning exactly where they were.

“Now, though, I see that it has become unnecessary.”

Lin Yi looks at Lunatic——He’s still quiet and unresponsive as usual; now back at Jiang Yiyi——Still calm and poker-faced as usual.

Jiang Yiyi extends his hand, which attracts the attention of Lunatic.

Jiang Yiyi’s hand lands on Lunatic’s shoulder, patting gently.

“The second floor is nice. You should stay.”

Lunatic is staring at his hand.

After a few seconds, a stuttering voice speaks, “you… leave?”

Jiang Yiyi retracts his hand, turns to look at Lin Yi, then walks away to the edge of the courtyard.

Lin Yi glances at Lunatic for a moment, before hurrying to follow Jiang Yiyi.

Lunatic blinks slowly, “Doctor…”

Jiang Yiyi stops, and turns to look at him.

“Thank you.”

Jiang Yiyi observes for a few seconds, “no problem. You were quite interesting when you were insane.”

Lunatic’s Adam’s apple bobs.

“This is goodbye, but see you never.” Jiang Yiyi waves, and then continues to leave.