Pristine Darkness Chapter 54

Prepare to be on the edge of your seats! Will Bo Jinyan crack the code and get past the door? What will he find there? Nothing good, I'm afraid . . .

Warning! From Ch 52 to Ch 56 (end of Volume 1), the story will feature descriptions of violence and injuries, some of them graphic. There is also use of vulgarities in this chapter, but these have not been censored as they are part of the clues Bo Jinyan has been given. 

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Chapter 54

"Sheisegg，（她是个鸡蛋）

Fu～ckmyegg.（操～我的蛋）

Sheishero，（她是个英雄）

killmyhero.（杀了我的英雄）

Shelikehe，（她喜欢他）

whoiswatching.（谁又在窥探）

Whenshesendmeschool，（当她把我送到学校）

Imadeamonster.（我制造了一头怪物）"

*T/N These lines in English appear as they were in the online novel; I've only italicised them so that they can be distinguished from the rest of the text. I've also left the corresponding original Chinese text beside the lines for comparison. In the rest of the chapter, the lines in italics appear as they were in the online novel. 

The sentences were awkward and words were wrongly used, but the meaning of each word was clear.

Bo Jinyan looked quietly at the words.

Suddenly, the screen flashed, and all the words disappeared.

Then, a huge '10' flashed on the screen.

'9'

The countdown had begun.

Bo Jinyan's expression turned grave.

However, he had already committed the entire poem to memory.

  Sheisegg，fu～ckmyegg.

   Sheishero，killmyhero.

   E?G?6?2?1?14？……

No, it should be —

  H。

   I。

   Shelikehe，whoiswatching.

   S。

‘I' am watching.

A fierce radiance flashed across Bo Jinyan's face and the final two lines of the poem surfaced again in his mind.

  M、O、N。

It was that phrase —

 "Hi，Simon。"

At this point, '5' had just flashed on the screen.

As Bo Jinyan walked hurriedly to the digital lock, his mind had already detailed the computations at high speed:

   "HISIMON。

   89199131514"

It was the simplest pa.s.sword that the flower cannibal had ever used.

However, now, the pa.s.sword only had one digit.

Added together, the numbers totalled 87*.

*T/N the numbers correspond to the 'position' of the letters of the alphabet e.g. 'H' = 8; 'I' = 9 and so on.

Subtracting from the adjacent number, the result was 4, 1, 0, 8*.

*T/N Subtracting from left to right: -1 8 -8 0 8 -2 2 -4 4 -3 = 4; subtracting from right to left: 3 -4 4 -2 2 -8 0 8 -8 1 = -4?????. Ok, this is where the translation team throws up its hands in defeat. We don't know how Bo Jinyan arrived this conclusion; if any of our readers knows, please tell us in the comments!

9 appeared the most.

No. No, it could not be such simple imitation and repet.i.tion.

Their arrival was intended to provoke and avenge. They would be more frivolous than the flower cannibal.

'3' had already flashed on the screen.

Bo Jinyan closed his eyes momentarily, then opened them.

 Whenshesendmeschool，Imadeamonster.

It was not according to the sequence of the alphabet.

They have another set of rules.

Amonster. The 'monster' in the school.

The bomb which was about to be detonated when the countdown ended, a chemical 'monster'.

 "HISIMON。

   112732127241614"

Added together, the total is 341.

Adding the first and final number, the total is 4.

The h.o.m.onym for 'death'*.

*T/N '4' in Chinese is si (四), which has the same sound as death (死). Generally, it is considered an inauspicious number.

'0' flashed on the screen.

Bo Jinyan entered '4' on the digital lock.

Although he maintained his usual composure, his back was covered with a layer of perspiration.

In the few seconds after he had entered the pa.s.sword, there was silence around him. The '0' also remained on the screen.

Then, the door in the wall gradually opened.

Bo Jinyan raised his head and saw a black-haired, tanned man leaning against the window in the next room with an expression of shocked astonishment on his face.

The two of them fired at the same time, but Bo Jinyan was prepared and reacted more quickly. "Bang! Bang!" Two bullets struck the man's abdomen, while his shots. .h.i.t the wall next to Bo Jinyan's head.

"Ah . . ." the man moaned in pain and fell to the ground. Bo Jinyan fired once more, hitting his wrist, and he finally let go of his gun.

Bo Jinyan approached him calmly. He kicked the gun away, then aimed his own gun at the man's forehead.

"Hi, Simon King." The tanned man looked at him with wide-open eyes and seemed extremely curious. "How on earth did you . . . how could you possibly do it! In such a short time, how did you break the code and figure out the pa.s.sword?"

Bo Jinyan barely glanced at him. Without answering the question, he asked, "What is behind the door?"

The tanned man looked up at him with grief in his eyes. "Simon, don't go in. Just turn around. I can't bear to see you die. You understand us so well, as well as you understand yourself. You are the best, the greatest, the most intelligent person I have ever met."

Bo Jinyan remained unmoved. He gestured in front of him with the muzzle of his gun. "What's behind the door?"

"Behind the door is the person you love the most."

Bo Jinyan was silent for a few seconds, gun in hand.

Then, he abruptly stowed his gun and viciously struck the back of the man's neck with the edge of his hand. The man lost consciousness.

Bo Jinyan reholstered his gun at his waist and picked up the man's gun. In that short period of time, he had rendered the man unable to escape. He got up and continued to walk towards the door.

The door was unlocked and there were no devices attached.

He brought out his cell phone and dialled Jian Yao's number.

Thereafter, he heard a familiar ringtone issuing faintly from beyond the door.

He put down his cell phone and quickly a.s.sessed the situation. He was their goal, not anyone else. It would definitely be too late if he waited for backup. Moreover, that would most probably incite their anger, leading to fatalities on both sides*.

*T/N 玉石俱焚 (yu s.h.i.+ ju fen) – lit. to burn both jade and common stone; fig. – indiscriminate destruction; the bad and the good are lost together.

He slowly pushed the door open.

He sensed very clearly a slight, pungent smell wafting around him. Bo Jinyan retrieved his face mask from his pocket and put it on.

The room was extremely dark and empty, totally devoid of light. Bo Jinyan activated his cell phone and discovered that the setup was the same as that of the sniper maze. Both comprised two storeys; the second storey was ringed by corridors and the centre s.p.a.ce was lofty and empty.

However, after he had walked a few steps, he felt slight stinging sensation in his eyes. It felt like something extremely fine was subtly and slowly drilling its way into his eyeb.a.l.l.s.

Gas.

The gas would not appear without reason.

It was invading his eyes.

Bo Jinyan closed his eyes.

In the darkness, only by touching, hearing, and using his previous hasty glimpse to orientate himself, he moved forward slowly holding the railings.

After a few more steps, he sensed that he had already reached the middle of the corridor. His fingers found his cellphone and pressed the redial b.u.t.ton.

The familiar and lively melody rang out not far from him.

He also clearly sensed that the smell in this area was even stronger. His eyes already felt as if they were burning. Through the face mask, his throat was gradually becoming dry.

He called out, "Jian Yao? Jian Yao?"

There was a sudden sound and movement in front of him, not far away, where he gauged the atrium to be. Something creaked, and there was slight movement in the air.

Bo Jinyan closed his eyes and called out once more. "Jian Yao."

"Jinyan."

It was as if her voice had whispered in Bo Jinyan's ears.

Then, he heard Jian Yao speak again. She spoke very quietly, and very slowly. It was the calm and gentle tone he was familiar with. There was not the slightest trembling or hesitation.

"Jinyan, listen to me," she said. "Turn around now, go back, and leave. Wait for backup before you come and rescue me. I am not in any danger right now, my eyes have been blindfolded. But this toxic gas will damage your eyes. Listen to me this time and go back. If their goal is not achieved, they will not kill me. Don't open your eyes, Jinyan. This time, listen to me, turn around and leave."

Bo Jinyan made no movement.

"You stay where you are, don't move," he said.

Jian Yao's heart sank abruptly.

She had been tied up and suspended in the air. Through the layers of white cloth covering her eyes, she sensed a faint glimmer of light. Then, his clearly heard, resolute footsteps headed directly for her.

Something undefinable burst forth in Jian Yao's mind, and her tears started flowing.

He had opened his eyes.

He had opened his eyes.

Translator: shl

Editor/ Proofreader: Anks