Author: 梦溪石 / Meng Xi Shi
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 167
The world was neither small nor large. Dong Zhi never thought he would meet Zhang Xing here.
The girl he once encountered on the way to Changbai Mountain and experienced a terrifying night with had, after recovering from her injuries, returned to her peaceful life, becoming a regular urban white-collar worker, hustling for a living like many others.
On the other hand, Dong Zhi chose a path drastically different from hers.
Zhang Xing naturally had no idea what Dong Zhi had been up to these past two years. Though they exchanged contact information, it really was just as novels describe: a fleeting encounter. After leaving Changchun, they never met again. Zhang Xing, who had confessed her feelings and was rejected, held back from reaching out due to the intricate feelings women sometimes have. She still harbored feelings for Dong Zhi, yet she held back until this chance encounter.
Seeing her delighted reaction, Dong Zhi suddenly realized that it had only been two years. Yet it felt like he had lived half a lifetime of ups and downs.
“How have you been?” he asked, shaking hands with Zhang Xing.
She had expected a warmer reception from him. Seeing his subdued response, her enthusiasm waned a bit. “I’m good. I’m on vacation, visiting with friends. What about you?”
Dong Zhi simply replied with a smile, “Same here.”
The conversation seemed to be drawing to a close, as Zhang Xing sensed that Dong Zhi wasn’t inclined to continue. Nonetheless, she couldn’t help but say, “Where are you working now? I’m in Beijing. If you’re free, we can meet for tea. After all, we’ve faced life and death together, haven’t we?”
Her playful tone masked the awkwardness.
Just then, Long Shen walked over. “If you don’t mind me joining.”
Dong Zhi introduced, “This is my friend.”
Long Shen interjected, “Mm, boyfriend.”
Dong Zhi: ……
Zhang Xing showed an indescribable expression while giving an awkward smile. “Nice to meet you.”
Using the excuse that her friend was waiting, she quickly excused herself, with no further interest in catching up. Her exit was hasty, almost like a retreat.
Dong Zhi found the situation amusing, “Master, you scared her.”
Long Shen asked, “Did you want to have tea or dinner with her?”
Dong Zhi shook his head. “Not at all.”
Meeting friends for tea or a meal was enjoyable, but an encounter with someone like Zhang Xing, whom he wasn’t close to, would just be awkward.
Long Shen: “Then you should thank me.”
Dong Zhi replied, “I’ll pretend I didn’t know you did that on purpose.”
Long Shen: “It’s the demonic qi’s fault.”
Dong Zhi almost laughed out loud. Lately, every time Long Shen did or said something that might tarnish his image, he’d blame it on the demonic qi. But no one knew for sure if the demonic qi inside him had been fully dispelled. Long Shen claimed it hadn’t, and Dong Zhi chose to believe him.
It was the apprentice’s duty to maintain the noble image of their master.
Long Shen gently wiped a smear off Dong Zhi’s temple.
“What’s this?”
Dong Zhi noticed the faint gray mark and its faint fishy smell.
“It must be from the Shadow Ghost.”
He then shared his recent findings on Su Huan’s body.
“It seems like a targeted act, but the victims might be randomly chosen,” Long Shen mused, echoing Dong Zhi’s thoughts.
Dong Zhi said, “That’s why I left the book with Kan Chaosheng for the time being.”
Understanding immediately, Long Shen asked, “As bait?”
Dong Zhi admitted, “It’s a bit risky, but without this, it’d be hard to lure out the real culprit.”
The book was the key to the entire case. Chang Qing had said he’d seen vague shadows in the book and was curious about the illustration book, suggesting a connection between him and the book or its owner. Dong Zhi knew that without him around, Chang Qing’s curiosity would get the best of him, and he’d investigate the book.
“I’ve secretly told Kan Chaosheng to keep an eye on Chang Qing’s movements,” Dong Zhi said with some uncertainty. “But I don’t know if Kan Chaosheng can handle the task.”
“He must learn to grow up. The world won’t wait for him.”
Long Shen said, “If I were you, I’d do the same.”
It was the best affirmation and praise. Long Shen looked at the young man in front of him, whom he had personally mentored. The young man had already become exceptionally outstanding, just as he had once hoped.
Or perhaps, Dong Zhi had always been immensely talented. It’s just that his potential had been buried amongst the masses for over two decades. Once given the opportunity and put through refinement, he immediately transformed into a dazzling and remarkable being.
……
After Dong Zhi left, Chang Qing picked up the illustration book, flipping through it and studying it intently. Kan Chaosheng started to complain about being hungry. Out of courtesy as a host, Xiao Zhao went out to buy them some afternoon tea. Before the food arrived, Kan Chaosheng had no choice but to lounge on the sofa, eating sunflower seeds and casually chatting with Chang Qing.
“Hey, why do you hate demons so much?”
Chang Qing looked up at him. “How can you lie down, eat, and talk without choking?”
Kan Chaosheng hummed. “That’s skill. I could swallow an entire cow in one bite. What’s a sunflower seed compared to that?”
“Demons shouldn’t exist. If they want to cultivate, they should do it discreetly and avoid crossing paths with me. If they do meet me, I will capture them,” Chang Qing replied coldly.
Irritated, Kan Chaosheng sat up and stared at him. “On what grounds? With your skills, you can’t even beat Dong Zhi, and you talk about capturing demons? Don’t make me laugh!”
Chang Qing ignored him, focusing on the book. Provoked, Kan Chaosheng suddenly lunged, trying to snatch the book away. But Chang Qing was faster, and in the blink of an eye, they began to scuffle inside the conference room.
Using the book as a weapon, Chang Qing threw it at Kan Chaosheng, who dodged. The book struck Xiao Zhao, who was just entering the room with the snacks.
Chang Qing and Kan Chaosheng: ……
Xiao Zhao was left dazed by the impact, almost dropping the takeout.
Chang Qing pursed his lips, extending a hand to Xiao Zhao to help him up.
Xiao Zhao, having a good temperament, surprisingly didn’t get angry. He smiled wryly and said, “That’s evidence. Can you not use it to fight? Do you want me to get scolded by the boss?”
Chang Qing reached out to help him up, saying, “I’m sorry.”
“Forget it, forget it!” Xiao Zhao felt helpless, thinking to himself that he shouldn’t have left the two of them alone together. He bent down to pick up the book, and seeing that it wasn’t damaged, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At that moment, someone opened the conference room door; it was Captain Yin. Behind him was a woman in her thirties or forties. Despite her plain attire and traces of hardship, it was clear she had been quite beautiful in her youth.
“Everyone’s here!” Captain Yin said with a smile. “This lady is a witness from another case we’re currently working on. Since we’re all occupied right now, could you chat with Ms. Chang until we’re ready to take her statement?”
Xiao Zhao agreed, and after Captain Yin left, he felt a bit puzzled, wondering about the supposed big case their team was handling.
However, Chang Qing seemed struck by lightning, staring blankly at Ms. Chang. He only snapped out of it when Kan Chaosheng gave him a hard slap on the arm.
Kan Chaosheng sneered, “Lost your mind?”
Xiao Zhao made small talk with Ms. Chang and offered her the snacks he bought. Kan Chaosheng’s eyes lit up, and he started eating without hesitation, making himself at home. Ms. Chang, however, seemed a bit uneasy, smiling politely and refusing, saying she’d just have some water.
“May I ask, where are you from?” Chang Qing softly inquired, his voice shaky.
“My hometown is deep in the mountains, a place you’ve never heard of. I used to work in the south,” Ms. Chang replied with a noticeable accent. Xiao Zhao couldn’t place it.
However, Chang Qing asked, “Is that place called Zhuiyang?”
Ms. Chang was visibly taken aback; her expression a mix of astonishment and delight. “You know it? Are you from there as well?”
Chang Qing closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly stood up, and snatched the cake from Kan Chaosheng’s hand, hurling it against the wall!
“Have you gone mad?!” Kan Chaosheng exclaimed angrily, raising his hand to strike.
Chang Qing firmly held onto his hands and said deliberately to both him and Xiao Zhao, “We’ve been ensnared.”
Having been in the Special Administration Bureau for so long, Kan Chaosheng had a keen sense of crisis and quick reflexes. He immediately ceased his actions upon hearing this.
“What do you mean?”
Chang Qing: “We’ve been pulled into an illusion.”
Kan Chaosheng looked around suspiciously. “What illusion? I don’t feel anything.”
“It’s because you were completely distracted by the food,” Chang Qing responded irritably. “It might have started when I threw the book or when Xiao Zhao picked it up.”
Xiao Zhao, looking perplexed, asked, “What are you talking about?”
Chang Qing pointed to the woman beside him and said, “She’s my mother. She died when I was seven years old.”
Xiao Zhao quickly turned his head to look at the woman, the sudden movement causing an unsettling cracking sound in his neck.
The woman looked at them, bewildered. “Sir, you must be mistaken. I have a son, but he’s only six now…”
“When I was six, she left me to work in the south and later died. If she were still alive, she wouldn’t look like this or be this age,” Chang Qing said with clenched fists, gritting his teeth, and breathing heavily. “Now I understand what’s wrong with that book. It can peer into the deepest desires of one’s heart and make them a reality.”
Kan Chaosheng sneered. “Then why didn’t it fulfill my wish?”
Chang Qing: “What were you thinking about when Xiao Zhao went to buy snacks?”
Kan Chaosheng: “… Blueberry cake.”
The snack that Chang Qing had taken and thrown away was a blueberry cake.
Chang Qing: “You never told him, so how did he just happen to buy what you wanted?”
Kan Chaosheng was left speechless.
Xiao Zhao was utterly confused by their conversation. He felt like he understood parts of it, but also as if he understood nothing. “What are you guys talking about? The cake is fake? I personally went out to buy it!”
Chang Qing: “Where did you buy it from?”
Xiao Zhao: “At the corner store downstairs. No, wait, they sell milk tea, not blueberry cakes…”
He suddenly paused, struggling to recall where he had purchased the blueberry cake from. And he remembered that he actually intended to buy spicy hot pot, a dish he loved and often shared with his colleagues during their night shifts.
“Something’s wrong!” Xiao Zhao suddenly exclaimed, turning to open the door.
His colleagues outside were eating the blueberry cake he had bought. They looked at his horrified face in confusion.
“Are you alright?”
Xiao Zhao weakly shook his head, puzzled about why he had bought the blueberry cake.
A colleague, Tan Jie, said with a grin, “I gave some of the cake to Xiao Song. She heard you bought it and wanted me to give you her WeChat. She said she wanted to thank you. You know what that means, right? Do I need to say more?”
Xiao Song was the renowned beauty in the office, whom Xiao Zhao had long admired. He stared at Tan Jie, feeling surreal. Was this real?
“What do you think you’re doing?!”
Behind him, Kan Chaosheng’s angry shout pulled Xiao Zhao’s attention back. He turned around and was almost scared out of his wits to see Chang Qing drawing a sword to strike the woman!
She was so frightened that she couldn’t speak. Kan Chaosheng lunged at Chang Qing, trying to stop him. The office immediately erupted into chaos.
Others rushed in to intervene. Some called for their supervisor, while others tried to separate the two. Everyone present was a detective with good physical skills, but none were a match for Chang Qing. Xiao Zhao thought Chang Qing had gone mad.
Even with suspicions, resorting to violence was extreme. Xiao Zhao tried to pull the woman to safety. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw a colleague who seemed to be smiling.
A cold shiver ran down his spine, and he quickly turned his head. The person beside him wasn’t smiling anymore and anxiously said, “Aren’t you going to help get her out of here? Do you really want them to kill someone in the station?”
It was a typical reaction. Xiao Zhao responded and began pulling Ms. Chang out.
However, Chang Qing yelled out, “Don’t go out!”
Xiao Zhao’s foot was already outside. Hearing this, he hesitated. A colleague reached out to push him, urging, “Why are you standing there? Are you really listening to his nonsense?”
His body involuntarily tilted outward. Suddenly, a force from behind pushed him forward. Xiao Zhao stumbled and fell back into the meeting room. At the same time, a blinding light flashed by his ear. Before Xiao Zhao could react, the light had already entered Ms. Chang’s body!
Ms. Chang screamed in agony. Everyone felt a darkness before their eyes and a strong vibration beneath them, causing all to fall to the ground.
Catching his breath, Xiao Zhao saw Dong Zhi coming from behind him, holding a sword.
“How come you guys can’t handle things just because I stepped out for a moment?” Dong Zhi sighed.
Xiao Zhao rubbed his eyes. They were still in the meeting room. Ms. Chang and the colleagues who were pulling them apart were gone. Outside the window, it was dark. The quiet was occasionally broken by the sound of a car passing by, like any ordinary night.
Seeing Chang Qing’s guarded expression, Dong Zhi laughed. “Are you guys okay? You don’t think I’m fake too, do you?”
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