Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 246: Two Years Later

Two years later, at the peak of summer, in Haigu.

[Recently, the police launched a comprehensive investigation into the Coral Reef Group. Numerous unauthorized modifications were discovered in the underground spaces of the company building. After confirmation, it was revealed that the Coral Reef Group is linked to several criminal cases…]

[The Coral Reef Group is one of the longest-standing companies in Haigu, with business operations spanning across media, daily necessities, and various other sectors. Through the investigation, it has been determined that the actual controller behind the group is a person surnamed Wei. The police have already arrested him…]

[Next news. In early July, the police successfully dismantled a criminal hideout, and currently, three individuals are on the run…]

“Okay, brother, turn off the TV!” Lu Nana put on her red fedora.

Lu Hui hurriedly complied and turned off the TV with a snap.

After two years of dedicated training, the Lu siblings were about to undergo their employment physical examination at Shian. This time, they felt fully prepared and even walked with a lighter step. Upon reaching Shian’s campus, there was still some time left before the physical examination.

The scenery at Shian’s campus remained the same, except there was now a statue in the center of the fountain.

At first glance, Lu Hui didn’t recognize what it was.

From the silhouette, the statue seemed to depict a person sitting sideways. The figure was carved with light gauze, adorned with chains and simplified talismans. Since the statue was meticulously carved from a single piece of stone, it was entirely black with a somewhat casual design. At a glance, the two couldn’t tell if it was a deity or a modern-style artwork.

The “head” of the stone statue faced the newly expanded juice bar.

Under the scorching sun, the ice cream posters at the juice bar were truly tempting. The Lu siblings exchanged a glance and decided to relax before the physical examination. However, within the shade of the juice bar’s umbrella, there was already a figure.

It was a modestly dressed girl. She tied her hair up in a high ponytail, and her appearance was ordinary, but her appropriate light makeup gave her a certain elegance. When she saw the Lu siblings, who were somewhat sunburned, she politely nodded.

The Lu siblings placed their orders and joined the girl at her table.

“Lu Hui. This is my cousin, Lu Nana,” Lu Hui introduced. “Are you here for the physical examination as well?”

The girl smiled shyly. “Yes.”

Lu Nana’s spirits lifted. “Perfect! Are you a cultivator or…?”

“I’m a physics graduate student from A University, Gao Mengyu.” The girl raised her head. “I’m still studying and preparing for a summer internship.”

Lu Nana exclaimed, “Ah, a science post. The last time we came here, there was also a graduate student from A University. It’s been two years; I wonder what level Mr. Zhong has reached.”

“When we pass the physical examination, we’ll meet familiar faces sooner or later,” Lu Hui said confidently, patting his sister on the back.

“Two years… Mr. Zhong? Zhong Chengshuo?” Gao Mengyu clasped her hands together.

“You know him?”

“Um, he’s pursuing a Ph.D. at A University. I’ve met him before,” Gao Mengyu said.

“What? Zhong Chengshuo went back to school?” Lu Nana was surprised. “A University is in Yandu. Could he have transferred to the Yandu branch?”

Lu Hui adjusted his vest solemnly. “We’ll ask familiar faces when we pass the physical examination.”

“…That’s enough, brother!”

……

“The Lu siblings have made significant progress.” Li Nian put down his thermos. “Gao Mengyu has a special relationship with the Lonely. After she graduates, she can immediately become a regular employee. Besides these three, there are seven new recruits… The situation looks good this year.”

Fu Xingchuan lay face down on the sofa, silent.

Li Nian: “Are you finally dead?”

“Unfortunately, not yet.” Fu Xingchuan replied with a weak voice. “It’s been two years, Lao Li. We finally caught a glimpse of Sunken Society, but now there are so many problems… The Coral Reef lawyers are so annoying, and Wei Huaqian, that bastard…”

Li Nian sneered. “They have legitimate industries, so this was always going to be a prolonged battle. I remember someone being confident and saying, leave everything to the Emergency Management Department.”

“At that time, it seemed like the Other Side was more important…” Minister Fu’s voice sounded increasingly guilty.

“Sunken Society is bad enough, and the Xiang Jiang and Xiang Hai case from back then haven’t made any progress at all. Now someone has taken this case upon themselves.”

“We lack clues. There’s nothing we can do…” Minister Fu’s voice was feeble. “That’s why I need my old partner’s help.”

“Tsk.”

After delivering a fatal blow with a tongue click, Li Nian didn’t continue to mentally attack Fu Xingchuan.

Indeed, after the battle on the Other Side, most of Shian’s manpower was devoted to research and support for the Other Side. For this reason, Shian established the “Special Management Department”, with two troublesome experts appointed as ministers.

As one of the troublesome experts, Zhong Chengshuo’s work was considered responsible.

Every time there was an operation on the Other Side, that guy would always bring back a pile of research materials. Within a year after the war ended, Zhong Chengshuo had published several papers, such as “An Analysis of the Formation Principle and Food Chain of the Other Side” and “Research on Ancient Microscopic Elemental Fusion Organisms Based on the Other Side’s Ecology”. His science rank skyrocketed, far surpassing that of ordinary science posts. As an “employee of Fear” still in service, he had the right time, place, and people on his side, exploring depths beyond the reach of ordinary science posts.

In order to gain more knowledge, he returned to A University to pursue a doctorate.

Working remotely brought many inconveniences. Considering that Zhong Chengshuo, as a “God”, could travel to the Other Side and take a shortcut home, Shian turned a blind eye.

As for the more dangerous one of the troublesome experts, Yin Ren’s situation was unusually peaceful.

Yin Ren’s strength was truly exceptional, and he had almost detached himself from ordinary missions, solely responsible for the ecological management of the Other Side. To be honest, the top level of Shian still maintained some vigilance towards this “God” with immeasurable power. To appease Yin Ren, Shian would allocate a special sum of money each year to give him a bonus.

And after two years, it turned out that the people of Shian were just overthinking. Aside from using the Other Side as a springboard to visit Yandu and play with Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren never used his “god-level” power.

The ecological balance on the Other Side didn’t need daily intervention. This guy basically came to Shian to punch in, have meals, and besides that, he secretly played games and watched dramas in the office or found a sofa to sleep on, truly embodying the essence of “slacking off”.

For this reason, Lu Xiaohe didn’t spare him any reprimands—Miss Lu might be the least polite person towards Yin Ren in all of Shian.

Like now.

“If you won’t write the report, at least show up for work?!” Lu Xiaohe’s shout came from the corridor—the office of the Special Management Department was next to the Emergency Management Department, so they were close.

“I’ll work later! I’m accumulating energy right now,” Yin Ren retorted on the spot. “Besides, I made an appointment with my teammates. I can’t go back on my word. It’s important.”

“Teammates? Those student teammates of yours who are still on summer vacation?” Lu Xiaohe gritted her teeth. “What are we, Minister Yin Ren?”

“You can’t say that. We’re all good teammates,” Yin Ren murmured.

“Zhong Chengshuo, you should manage him… You’re playing too?!”

“He’s missing a healer,” Zhong Chengshuo calmly replied.

“Don’t spoil him, alright?!” Lu Xiaohe’s voice carried a touch of sorrow.

“Ge Tingting and Huang Jin are both working hard. You can distribute their efforts more evenly for us mentally,” Yin Ren said solemnly. “Look, I’m different from you all. I’m clearly past the age of retirement…”

“……”

“How about you join us, Xiaohe Jie? We can also invite Xiao Ge and Da Huang on the weekend. They’re always on field assignments, so it’s just the three of us in the office, which is quite empty…”

“I’m not playing. I’m going to read a book,” Lu Xiaohe said softly. Was it really empty? She suddenly felt a bit redundant. The golden light on the two fingers almost blinded her eyes.

“Ah…” Yin Ren sighed disappointedly.

Li Nian approached and closed the office door. Instantly, the noise from the next room turned into silence.

“She’ll get used to it,” Fu Xingchuan said.

“Yeah, it reminds me of when I was young.” Li Nian’s voice turned cold. “Someone was too lazy to write battle reports, and got used to someone ghostwriting it for them.”

“Yin Ren said he wants to work today?” Fu Xingchuan changed the subject.

“Yeah, the time has come.” Li Nian looked out the window.

Today was a good day; clear skies without a cloud, and the blazing sun of summer covered everything in a layer of white. As time passed, dusk approached, and the glaring white gradually took on an orange hue.

In the adjacent room, Yin Ren stretched with a big yawn. He bid farewell to his companions in the game one by one and stood up. Zhong Chengshuo took off his glasses and carefully placed them in a glasses case. He opened his bag and took out the flickering Karma Lantern.

Lu Xiaohe’s expression turned serious. “Be careful on the way.”

Yin Ren narrowed his eyes. “Yeah, we’ll be back before the end of our shift.”

Zhong Chengshuo stood by his side, and the two of them interlocked their fingers. In the next moment, they completely disappeared into thin air.

Lu Xiaohe surveyed the empty office for a while and suddenly felt that it was a bit deserted.

…Should she download that game and give it a try?

The Other Side.

Qi Xin leaned against a Lonely, gazing at the colorful world of the Other Side. She knew that in a little while, dusk would come to the human world.

The appointed time was approaching.

Swish, swish.

In the distance, a low, tide-like hum sounded, and the Lonely cats instantly came running from all directions. They wrapped their kittens in tablecloths and sheltered them beneath their bodies, forming a huddled group.

Qi Xin leaped up and sat at the top of the ball formed by the Lonely cats.

Swish, swish. The sound grew closer. In the eternal daylight of the Other Side, a gentle red light appeared. It spread like an evening glow, gradually engulfing everything within sight.

Following closely was a thin veil of red clouds.

They obscured the ever-changing barriers of the Other Side, making everything ambiguous and hazy. Beneath the drifting red veil was a warm night composed of pitch-black wings. The vision seemed to dissolve, and the Other Side in Qi Xin’s eyes was gradually swallowed by darkness.

It had arrived.

A night of destruction that was even more powerful and gentle than the previous “Fear”.

Amidst the swirling red veil, in the darkness ahead, stood a gigantic figure cloaked in red. Countless intricate decorations adorned its body, and a huge silver bell hung from its chest. The beautiful monster moved forward slowly, with the bell on its chest tinkling softly, while boundless darkness followed closely behind.

Its two arms hung motionless, while the other two were crossed in front of its chest. In the palm of the giant hands lay a small, setting sun.

…It was a human figure with pitch-black eyes, carrying a lantern.

The lantern continuously emitted a warm radiance reminiscent of the setting sun, like a nighttime prelude, yet also like a lighthouse pointing the way. Every creature illuminated by that radiance froze in place as if petrified before being completely engulfed by darkness.

As if sensing Qi Xin’s presence, the giant monster paused for a moment, and the head under the red veil nodded slightly towards Qi Xin.

Qi Xin stood up, placed her hand on her chest, and performed a formal salute.

“Thank you for your hard work, both of you,” she said.

And so, night fell.

Darkness completely swallowed the Other Side just before dusk. Qi Xin saw “Fear” turn around and say something to the gigantic monster.

What was it saying? Qi Xin sat back on the soft Lonely and pondered.

Probably something serious about the rules of the Other Side, she thought.

In reality, not long ago…

“Today, Gao Mengyu, Lu Hui, and Lu Nana passed their employment physicals,” Zhong Chengshuo whispered.

“After work tonight, let’s treat them to hot pot. It’s been a while since we had hot pot,” Yin Ren replied in a low voice. “It’s quite commemorative. As a senior, I’ll treat them.”

“Okay, I’ll make the reservation later.”

“Remember to include Xiao Ge, Da Huang, Xiaohe Jie, and Liang Shan.”

“No problem.”

……

In the human world, at night.

“We’ve finally made it ashore, wuwuwu! Starting tomorrow, we’ll be part of Shian!” Lu Hui sobbed uncontrollably.

“You’re embarrassing, crying in front of so many seniors.” Lu Nana took off her red fedora and fanned herself.

“These are tears brought out by the spiciness.” Lu Hui blew his nose loudly. “Speaking of which, what level are Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo? They never say; could it be A-level?”

During the hot pot meal, Lu Hui had asked Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo about their levels, but the responses from the members of Unit 9 were varied. The summary of their answers was, “You’ll know once you get in, eating is more important.” Lu Hui couldn’t pursue the matter further and had to give up.

“They seem to be in good spirits, and it doesn’t seem like they are working hard… But those two, they seem to be wearing matching rings like a couple,” Lu Nana recalled the situation at the table.

Lu Hui finally regained some presence of mind from the overwhelming emotion of passing the exam, and he was about to be shocked—

“Help!!!”

A cry for help came from nearby. The Lu siblings glanced at each other and quickly rushed towards the direction of the scream.

It was the old part of the city, with complex streets and alleys. It took them five minutes to find the source of the scream—a young girl was hiding in a corner of an alley, disheveled and trembling.

Next to her was a small van. In the bright moonlight, darkness filled the interior of the vehicle, emanating a stench of garbage and filth.

“Ah… Ah…” The girl stuttered, pointing towards the depths of the alley.

Lu Nana supported the girl, while Lu Hui stood guard in front of them, looking towards the darkness. In the shadows, a crimson pool of blood slowly crawled out, with scattered limbs strewn about and a rolling head with an expression of extreme terror on its face.

“What’s going on?” Lu Hui instantly pulled out a talisman and tightly gripped it in his hand.

He recognized that face—it had been shown on the news in the morning, seemingly one of the recently wanted fugitives.

“Just now… Just now, I was going home… and those three people suddenly got out of the car and pulled me into the vehicle… and then…” The girl stammered in fear.

Lu Hui took out a spherical spiritual object and threw it directly into the alley. Instantly, bright light illuminated everything within the alley.

Two young men stood in the center of the blood pool and scattered body parts.

They had handsome and pale faces, wearing old-fashioned robes—one in red and the other in white. Sinister facial patterns could be seen through their robes. The young man in red played with a severed head, while the one in white held a piece of severed limb and was carefully nibbling on it.

Under the bright moonlight, the two of them had no shadows, but there was no doubt that they were causing ripples in the blood pool. They were evil beings, devoid of any aura… extremely dangerous individuals.

Lu Hui froze in place, desperately thinking of a strategy.

“Shian’s people?” the young man in red spoke.

“So what if we are?”

“Give my regards to Senior Fu.” The man smiled slightly. “Unfortunately, we can’t kill everyone now, so we’ll have to go after the ones we dislike the most.”

“Let’s play hide-and-seek, Shian.”

The young man in red tossed the severed head into the air, and before the head landed on the ground, the two youths in the pool of blood disappeared without a trace.

Lu Hui sat down on the ground.

“What should we do?” Lu Nana shivered.

“…Let’s report to the police first.”

They were now official employees of Shian. Someday… Someday, they would catch such formidable evil.

The sky was filled with surging dark clouds, and rain started to fall once again.

The author has something to say:

Main text complete (/ω＼)

I didn’t expect to be struck by COVID just before reaching the final chapter, nor did I expect to be sick for so long… I apologize for keeping everyone waiting!

Please take care of your health.

The extras that follow may not be updated daily, but I might randomly make some corrections to typos or minor issues~

This piece turned out longer than I imagined, but this is probably my limit for length _(:з」∠)

————

The Western fantasy-themed “Stray“, the apocalyptic-themed “Happy Doomsday“, the wasteland-themed “Access Denied“, and the historical xuanhuan “Sendoff” have all been completed. You can check them out in the author’s column~

Please click on “Favorite this author” in the column if you enjoy them (〃ω〃)

The next book, “Full Server First Kill“, is tentatively scheduled to be released in the first half of this year!

————

Preview of the next work as usual:

When Xu Yue woke up, he found that he had become a monster.

To the left, there were two slimes—the old couple next door. To the right, there was a young dragon—the junior high school student downstairs. They all met and were equally bewildered by their different races.

It wasn’t until Xu Yue accidentally opened his personal status bar.

(Former) Game Developer Xu Yue: ……

His game successfully launched, but something seemed off.

A holographic game in which a whole community is trapped in, striving to find a way out (?).

Kinky Thoughts:

This marks the end of the main story. I really did enjoy it. If you like Nian Zhong, you can check out her other works she mentioned (all of which I have translated/is in the progress of). I highly recommend Stray, as that is the novel that made me fall in love with her work.

If you enjoyed it, please consider supporting the author by buying the raws. You can use Google Chrome with their auto translate and this guide on how to buy novels on jjwxc. Remember, only with your (financial) support can artists continue to produce more great works.

Finally, I would like to thank everyone for your comments, encouragement, help with my translations, and ko-fi donations. It in part fuels my motivation to release so frequently and try to finish this novel as soon as possible.

I forgot to mention the reason why Nian Zhong chose to name Zhong Chengshuo, Chengshuo. As explained in chapter 10, his name derives from a line in a poem that means ‘to take an oath’. Given all the oath taking happening here (from when Zhong Chengshuo accepted Yin Ren’s offering when he was the rabbit, to Yin Ren revising that oath, to the newly final oath in ch217), it’s no wonder why she chose Chengshuo.

Below is the arc summary:

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo finally figured out what Love’s plans were. It plans to invade the human world and essentially become a “God” (a true “Divine Descent”). However, not just any body would do for it to possessed. It wanted to build a powerhouse body to store its essence in, which required time and planning (which it had been doing for the past decade).

In the meanwhile, it worked with Sunken Society to provide corruption sources in order to harness emotional energy from humans to feed the Other Side. Its current plan to spread mass amount of corruption sources was to plummet Haigu into chaos. It then planned to possess Sun Qi’an to basically become a savior in order to influence the human world.

With this plan in mind, Xiang Jiang sacrificed himself and turned into a fierce ghost, and together with his twin brother, he wanted to wreak havoc in Haigu. Fortunately, they were stopped by Fu Xingchuan, and with the help of Huang Jin (possessed by Qi Xin) was able to fend off the twin ghosts as well as Love.

Meanwhile, on the Other Side, Yin Ren finally managed to control his powers and, with Zhong Chengshuo, was able to subdue Love and essentially destroy its essence (main body).

No longer able to fulfill its plan, Love escaped, using its last remaining bit of itself in Sun Qi’an into an interstitial space while capturing Fu Xingchuan, Ge Tingting, and Huang Jin. It wanted to bide its time to recover and then return again, thinking Yin Ren wouldn’t be able to find the interstitial space it was hiding in.

Unfortunately, Ge Tingting, who still hadn’t made her wish that Yin Ren promised to grant when she helped him find Zhong Chengshuo’s body, now made her wish. It essentially acted as a beacon, calling to Yin Ren, who then found Love’s hideout.

With the help of Zhong Chengshuo, they sealed Love’s essence into Sun Qi’an’s brain tumor, which it would eventually die once Sun Qi’an died (provided she doesn’t remove the brain tumor first).

Meanwhile, Meng Huai’s team battled it out with Shen Mo. As a Charon, he had the ability to teleport, traversing between the Other Side and the human realm. Unable to gain an advantage, Meng Huai forcibly merged herself into Shen Mo. Using Elemental flesh as bombs, she indiscriminately started blowing them up, forcing Shen Mo to use up all his teleportation. With his final teleportation, he forced Meng Huai to sever herself from him, under the threat of taking out all her team, then teleported away once she cut herself off from him.

Unfortunately, she severed quite a bit of her body mass that was still attached to him. As he was going through the teleportation process, he miscalculated the mass he had, which messed with Shen Mo’s teleportation travel, causing him to be forever buried in the Other Side space.

With things resolved and the Other Side taken care of, we reached a happy ending for everyone. Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo would manage the Other Side, restoring natural order as Qi Xin wanted, Huang Jin got together with Ding Lizi, Li Nian was reunited with Meng Huai, Ge Tingting became Fu Xingchuan’s disciple, the Zhong elders were reunited with Zhong Chengfeng, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo essentially got married…

And finally, Yin Ren got what he wanted… to live as a salted fish mooching off of Shian.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 245: Happy New Year

Finally, for the first time on Lunar New Year’s Eve, Fu Xingchuan didn’t have to work overtime.

Yin Ren had successfully contained the spreading corruption, and with strict vigilance, the chances of another catastrophe were significantly reduced. The workload of the police force decreased, and their efficiency improved. As for the “angel’s arm”, it quietly vanished, just like many other online rumors that once went viral.

The impact of past tragic incidents was difficult to fully overcome. Haigu was like a patient recovering from a severe illness—weak and full of scars, but everything was gradually moving in a positive direction.

With suddenly having a lot of free manpower, Fu Xingchuan naturally found himself with nothing to do.

He didn’t really want to go back to the Fu family. A few days ago, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo said they had just found Fu Wuya, and the entire Fu family was busy with rescuing their ancestor and preparing for the grand worship ceremony of the Great Celestial Master.

At this point, Fu Xingchuan’s admiration for the Great Celestial Master had dwindled considerably. He decided to exercise the privilege of being a workaholic and opted for video communication instead of going home. It was a way to escape the suffocating awkwardness.

As for the New Year’s Eve dinner, Fu Xingchuan had already found his target.

[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: I want to come to your place for the New Year’s Eve dinner.]

[Li Nian: Why?]

[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: Even if Meng Huai is back, there are only two people in your family. Don’t you think it would be livelier with more people?]

[Li Nian: I don’t think so. We have enough lighting at home.]

Fu Xingchuan pretended not to see it.

[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: Xiao Ge doesn’t have family, and she is my disciple. As a man, it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to invite a young girl out alone. That girl works hard and deserves to have a good holiday.]

[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: Huang Jin’s family doesn’t have any relatives left. We should establish a good relationship with him. He’s such a talented person.]

[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: You and Meng Huai, Huang Jin and Ding Lizi, and I’ll invite Xiao Ge. The six of us will have a great time!]

[Li Nian: I don’t think Mr. Huang will be grateful to you.]

[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: In just a month, it will be Valentine’s Day. Can’t you wait for a few days? I’ll cover all the expenses for this gathering, and we’ll have a chef from the Fu family come as well. Meng Huai has been on the Other Side for so many years; she deserves to have something delicious.]

Li Nian’s reply took a long time, and Fu Xingchuan watched as the typing indicator appeared multiple times. Finally, Li Nian threw out three words.

[Li Nian: Fine, I guess.]

[Li Nian: Let me discuss it with Meng Huai first.]

[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: 👌]

As the western sky turned red, Ge Tingting arrived at Li Nian’s residential complex carrying a large box of candy. Huang Jin had a face longer than a guitar but obediently brought New Year’s gifts. Ding Lizi changed into a festive red down jacket, and her previously skinny body had gained some flesh, making her look vibrant.

Fu Xingchuan was the last to arrive, dressed in a black-gray coat, appearing exceptionally low-key. “Everyone’s here; let’s go!”

“I thought Professor Li would live in a high-end apartment like the ones in the magazines.” Ge Tingting curiously looked around.

Ge Tingting had seen the Fu family’s assets before. Even with the recent bonus she received, it would be enough for her to own a decent house in Haigu. Li Nian had been working for so many years so he wouldn’t be short on money.

At the moment, they stood in front of the Green Bamboo Garden Community, an old and rundown residential complex. The entire neighborhood appeared abandoned, not even comparable to the village where Ge Tingting grew up. It didn’t match Li Nian’s own image and temperament.

“That old coot has been waiting at the same place for a while. I estimate he’ll move out after the New Year,” Fu Xingchuan sneered.

The group energetically entered Li Nian’s home.

Seeing the upscale interior decoration, Ge Tingting couldn’t help but show an expression that said, “I knew it.”

However, Meng Huai had filled the place with cute decorations, completely erasing any sense of coldness. At the moment, she leaned against the kitchen door, watching the Fu family chef cook.

“Come in!” She noticed the guests and quickly ran over. “Let’s make dumplings together! I told the chef to leave some wrappers and filling.”

Li Nian rolled up his sleeves and silently stood by the table. Ge Tingting was used to being self-reliant, so she washed her hands and rushed forward. Huang Jin had originally planned to play dead, but when he turned his head and saw Ding Lizi’s expectant gaze, he had no choice but to grumble and join in.

“Lao Meng, do you still remember Shian?” Fu Xingchuan casually asked.

Fu Xingchuan skillfully wrapped the dumplings, one after another, with a consistent shape that was outrageously ugly. Li Nian, in a rare display of clumsiness, made misshapen dumplings. Fortunately, Meng Huai’s skills weren’t lacking, and the three of them ended up with equally unattractive dumplings.

“I’m thinking of becoming a combat consultant. After all, Shian still needs to research the ‘Other Side’.” Meng Huai happily produced a few more ugly dumplings. “In a few more years, when I reach retirement age, a global trip wouldn’t be bad.”

Ding Lizi looked at the “twenty-something” Meng Huai in surprise.

“It’s good that you’re back.” Fu Xingchuan grinned.

Shian had paid Meng Huai twenty-nine years of salary and bonuses, along with additional rewards for her exceptional performance on the Other Side. After all of that, Meng Huai was slightly wealthier than Li Nian. With Li Nian’s strong desire to resign, Fu Xingchuan believed that this old couple intended to retire after achieving their goals.

As long as Meng Huai remained as their consultant, Li Nian wouldn’t be able to run far.

It was hard to find a compatible partner! It wasn’t easy for a missing person to reintegrate into society, and there was a mountain of work waiting for them after New Year’s.

As if reading his mind, Li Nian shot him a sharp glare. He had indeed read his mind, and Huang Jin also gave him a menacing look.

Fortunately, Minister Fu had a thick skin.

On the entire table, only Ge Tingting and Huang Jin were able to quickly make presentable dumplings. Meng Huai halted the unseen war. “Hurry up! If we don’t finish wrapping, the dishes will get cold—”

Thus, the chef worked fervently in the kitchen while the other six continued to create havoc with the dumpling wrappers.

“What about Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo?” Ding Lizi curiously asked.

“They…uh, they should be accompanying their elder family members,” Fu Xingchuan casually replied.

The use of the term “elder family members” sounded odd.

“Yes, I asked. It will be a few more days before I can make plans with Chengfeng.” Meng Huai adapted well. “She’s more enthusiastic than me and wants to return to the police station. Maybe we’ll have a chance to cooperate after that.”

Zhong Chengfeng also received numerous rewards. However, at Zhong Chengfeng’s request, Shian applied to government agencies to update her date of birth, identification documents, and related educational qualifications. Using the same name and the age she was when she disappeared, Zhong Chengfeng once again entered the Haigu Public Security Bureau.

Twenty-nine years had passed, but a simple “resemblance” could resolve many things. Considering that too much time had passed, this soldier with nearly thirty years of combat experience would start as a probationary police officer.

For the criminal population of Haigu, this was undoubtedly bad news.

“She messaged me yesterday, saying that the Zhong family will continue celebrating until the fifth day of the Lunar New Year,” Meng Huai added, pulling Li Nian’s sleeve. “That’s enough; let’s start making dumplings—”

……

At the same time, Ping’an Manor, Building 4, Unit 601.

Zhong Chengshuo was spinning in circles around the table as if performing some kind of peculiar ritual.

It all started in the morning…

The marriage proposal was successful, and naturally, they didn’t sleep that night. Zhong Chengshuo stayed up unusually late, spending the first half of the night making a scabbard and the second half making a knife. He was busy until sunrise.

Just as Yin Ren closed his eyes, his phone rang.

Zhong Chengshuo said that the house was relatively large and was awarded the honor of hosting the Zhong family reunion night. Of course, it might also be because the Zhong family had welcomed back their beloved daughter and feared that this adopted son, Zhong Chengshuo, would develop some resentment. However, in Yin Ren’s eyes, this worry was unnecessary.

Comrade Xiao Zhong had not yet evolved the appropriate nerves.

Upon hearing that his parents and older sister were coming, Zhong Chengshuo immediately took off the nightcap he had just put on. He opened the app to check the schedule, planning every detail from preparing home-cooked dishes to buying desserts and fruits outside.

Yin Ren glanced at the schedule and almost fell asleep on the spot.

After completing all these tasks and setting the alarm clock, Zhong Chengshuo finally curled up in a ball and went to sleep.

The next half of the day was busy as the two of them went shopping and cooked seamlessly together. Finally, when the final alarm clock rang, most of the dishes were on the table, and the pork ribs with potatoes were still simmering, emitting a tempting aroma on the stove.

“Now it’s time to cool down,” Zhong Chengshuo said as he opened the timer. “My sister said they will arrive at half past five, and the dishes will be at the perfect temperature by then.”

Yin Ren: “…” Is this how New Year’s Eve dinner goes? He had never been involved in it before.

“Wouldn’t it be livelier to cook together…?” The Great Celestial Master suggested.

“Previously during New Year’s, my parents always prepared the dishes first,” Zhong Chengshuo confidently said. “I bought the best frozen dumplings, so the process should be smooth.”

After half past five, Zhong Chengshuo picked up the Karma Lantern and began to circle the table to heat it up. Yin Ren sighed in amazement. He could only throw out a small bunch of wings and closely monitor the situation in the neighborhood.

“Are they here?”

“Not yet.”

“Are they here?”

“Haven’t seen them yet.”

“Are they here?”

“…You can ask me every five minutes.”

After five minutes, forty-two seconds, and seventeen milliseconds, Zhong Chengshuo’s parents and Zhong Chengfeng arrived at the door. Zhong Chengfeng carried bags and exhaled a breath of cold air as soon as she entered.

“What’s wrong, sweetie?” Zhong Youde asked.

“Nothing.” Zhong Chengfeng looked around the warmly decorated place in shock, then looked at the table full of home-cooked dishes. “It’s quite different from what I imagined.”

An ancient Primordial Elemental and a former ancient legendary figure—she never thought the residence of these two people would be so… homey.

The game console and movies of Zhong Chengshuo were displayed on the bookshelf, and the New Year goods and snacks bought by Yin Ren filled the cabinets, creating a lively atmosphere. The two of them specifically hung some red decorations in the room, filling it with a Lunar New Year atmosphere.

The air was filled with steam, and various dishes shimmered with an enticing glow under the warm light. The aroma of stewed dishes wafted in the air. Zhong Chengshuo put on heat-resistant gloves and carefully carried the enamel pot to the table.

On his ring finger, a ring sparkled.

Yin Ren also wore a similar ring and neatly arranged the bowls, chopsticks, and chairs. The two of them looked like an ordinary couple.

“Look at your son, Lao Zhong.” Cheng Xuehua had sharp eyes and immediately noticed the ring, unable to hide the joy on her face. “Look, look.”

Zhong Youde nervously said, “We should have prepared more gifts. We need to give more red envelopes. Oh… I don’t know the customs of Xiao Yin’s hometown.”

“Everything is all ready. I wanted to show off a bit.” Zhong Chengfeng took the initiative.

“Well, in a while, you can cook the frozen dumplings. I’ve prepared ten flavors of frozen dumplings,” Zhong Chengshuo said generously.

Zhong Chengfeng: “…” Well, it seems that he still lacks a bit of human touch.

She touched her face and decisively sent a message in the family group chat, transferring a total of four payments of 50,000 yuan each, spelling out “new”, “marriage”, “happy”, and “joy”.

After a silence of twenty-nine years, “Fear The Maple*” spoke again in the group.

*Clarity: The feng in Chengfeng comes from maple (tree).

[Fear The Maple: Congratulations on your ‘new’ marriage. Wishing you both a long and happy life. 🌹]

[Fruit Knife: Thank you, sister. 🥰]

[Final Fruit: Thank you, sister. 🥰]

Zhong Chengfeng instantly felt like she had aged billions of years.

“This house is nice. I heard the housing prices are cheap, and there are large flats here.” She looked around as she spoke. “Sun Ge said that many police officers live here. Maybe I should buy a place here too—if Mom and Dad live with me, it would be convenient for them to come and go.”

“Sure, the neighboring one is vacant.” Yin Ren smiled and agreed.

“It’s time to eat.” Zhong Chengshuo nervously stared at his labor of love. He didn’t feel it was suitable to use the Karma Lantern in front of so many humans.

“Okay, okay. Xiao Yin, today we will both have a drink no matter what!” Zhong Youde brought out his liquor.

“Alright, Dad.” Yin Ren complied readily.

Zhong Chengfeng, who had sharpened her nerves for nearly thirty years, stuffed a large piece of ribs into her mouth, trying to hide her overwhelmed expression.

Zhong Youde laughed heartily.

“Hey, Xiao Yin, who’s that?” Cheng Xuehua noticed a small table among the potted plants.

On the table, there was a photo of a young girl that was slightly worn out, but the girl in the photo had a brilliant smile. In front of the photo, there was a small plate with a red apple resting quietly on it.

“She’s a friend of mine and Chengshuo,” Yin Ren said. “Her name is Xiao Hu, and she’s a very good girl.”

“Oh, I see. I’ll make sure to serve her some good dishes later.”

“Definitely.”

Meanwhile, Zhong Youde had a bit of alcohol, and his face had a rosy hue.

“Come on, you three. I wish the young ones here a prosperous new year. May all your wishes come true! As a father, I know what my own son and daughter want… Xiao Yin, tell me, what do you want? We, as parents, might be able to support you.”

Upon hearing this, Zhong Chengfeng instinctively stopped using her chopsticks.

She was also curious—what did this ancient evil, who had awakened from a thousand-year slumber and was also a divine figure who had witnessed the birth of countless powerhouses, want in this small city?

She could ignore Zhong Chengshuo, who was unfamiliar with the human world, but Yin Ren, as a genuine human, shouldn’t be too naive.

“There is indeed something I have been longing for, for a long time.”

Yin Ren answered smoothly.

Outside the huge floor-to-ceiling windows, the city was brightly lit, and fireworks bloomed in the night sky. The room was filled with the aroma of food, and a noisy New Year’s program played on the television. Yin Ren’s gentle gaze swept from Zhong Chengshuo, passing over the pairs of eyes around the round table, brushing against every corner of the warm living room, and finally returning to Zhong Chengshuo.

It was really lively.

“What I wanted, I have already obtained,” Yin Ren said with a smile. He raised his glass and toasted it with Zhong Youde.

The next moment, the clock’s hands pointed to midnight.

“Happy New Year—”

The author has something to say:

Suddenly, I realized that next year is the Year of the Rabbit.

It’s quite fitting for Xiao Zhong (…

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 244: Two Rings

“Why didn’t you keep the Evil Dog Spirit of Yin Village? You saved it in the first place, so why not keep it by your side?”

A few days after the Evil Spirit black dog was sent away, Zhong Chengshuo asked Yin Ren this question.

While Zhong Chengshuo asked, he was making egg pancakes in the kitchen. With the weather turning cold, Yin Ren himself remained nestled in the bed; not even the freshly cooked youtiao could make him leave.

But Zhong Chengshuo could coax him out of bed.

At this moment, the Great Celestial Master was hugging Zhong Chengshuo from behind, occasionally smelling the aroma of the egg pancakes and sometimes the scent of his beloved.

“It’s a dog. It likes to protect its family members and needs a lot of time for companionship.” Yin Ren buried his face in Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder. “We don’t need its protection, and we don’t have that much time to spend with it… It’s happiest living in a human family.”

Yin Ren had actually considered Zhong Chengshuo’s parents, but the elderly couple was already in their old age, and it wouldn’t be suitable.

From the current situation, the former divine dog seemed to be doing well. In the photo sent by Lu Xiaohe, there was a soft dog bed beside her parents’ bed. The black dog was happily lying inside, wagging its tail and leaving blurry shadows.

Yin Ren took out Dog Thing and couldn’t help but open the photo album to look at the dog. He had just admired it for a few seconds when a phone call came in.

“Hello?”

“It’s me, Fu Xingchuan.” Fu Xingchuan’s voice carried a hint of resentment. “The identities of all the missing people have been determined and settled. Among them, the one you were looking for, ‘A’Shen’, isn’t among them. I also looked at the police records of Hu Tao’s family murder case. He has been missing all along—this kid either died on the Other Side or is living in hiding.”

Yin Ren’s smile faded slightly. “Well, thank you for your hard work.”

After saying that, he hung up the call directly.

“Should we go and find him?” Zhong Chengshuo said as he picked up a small piece of egg pancake with his chopsticks and held it near Yin Ren’s mouth.

“Let’s go find him.” Yin Ren took a bite of the egg pancake.

Afterwards, he took a bite of Zhong Chengshuo’s ear. “I want to find him together with you; just the two of us. If he’s still alive, we should definitely hand him over to the police.”

Yin Ren looked at the empty living room, and his tone became heavy.

“But before that, I want to know the truth of what happened back then. If that guy wasn’t simply driven mad by corruption…” He needed to make him suffer a bit more.

Yin Ren stopped speaking meaningfully.

Zhong Chengshuo turned his head slightly, and his pitch-black eyes widened. He smiled gently. “I understand.”

Comrade Xiao Zhong cautiously scooped the egg pancake onto a plate and took out a spare mobile phone from his pocket, opening the Nightwalkers forum.

[yamaglad: Hello, everyone.]

[No Head: ?]

[My Name is Little Red Riding Hood: Wow.]

[BOOS Supreme Evil Emperor: It’s King Yama! Hahaha, I told you King Yama is fine!!!]

[BOOS Supreme Evil Emperor: I confirmed the ID. It really is King Yama, not that idiotic fake.]

[Sister Xu Spicy Hot Pot—Grand Opening, 20% off: Oh, it’s true. It’s been a while since I’ve seen you.]

[Favorite Sky: But King Yama never greets.]

[yamaglad: @yamagald is my beloved, and from now on, we will undertake missions together.]

[yamaglad: Accepting tricky tasks, limited to evil spirits. Two-way choice, please don’t bother with trivial matters. Mission locations that have beautiful scenery, and those with a deep culinary culture will be given priority.]

[yamaglad: Interested parties, please private message. The deadline is one minute from now.]

[BOOS Supreme Evil Emperor: ??????????]

[Xinxin Dog Kennel: ……]

[Old Zhang Jianbing Guozi 028: Ah? King Yama has a wife.]

[Xingwang Repair Station (come here for all household and spiritual appliance repair): He might be getting married.]

……

Instantly, the Nightwalkers chat group went crazy with messages. Zhong Chengshuo put away his phone, satisfied. “With this, we’re officially recognized as partners.”

“You don’t need to explicitly mention our personal relationship.” Yin Ren rested his chin on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder while his eyes were fixed on the screen.

“It’s different. A beloved is the best partner, but the best partner isn’t necessarily your beloved.” Zhong Chengshuo corrected seriously.

“That makes sense.” Yin Ren sighed deeply.

His gaze went beyond the screen filled with frenzied messages and landed on the hamster phone pendant that Zhong Chengshuo had. It was battered, with much of the gold paint faded, looking rather forlorn.

The one that belonged to Yin Ren was destroyed, but Zhong Chengshuo insisted on keeping this one. Perhaps because it was the first gift he had ever given him, Yin Ren always felt that this item was lonely and carried a bad omen.

Since King Yama was about to make a comeback, as King Yama’s beloved and partner, it would be better to give him a better gift—something convenient to carry as a new token of their love.

He had the timing all figured out.

Less than a month remained until New Year’s Eve. The day before New Year’s Eve was the birthday Zhong Chengshuo had given him, so he would definitely prepare a birthday gift for him. When the time came, he would take out his gift and exchange it. It seemed like an interesting idea.

“I’m going to Shian.” Yin Ren finally let go of Zhong Chengshuo’s back, and he swallowed the youtiao in one bite.

“Okay,” Zhong Chengshuo said without suspicion, continuing to make pancakes.

……

Peaceful days always seemed to pass by quickly.

Day after day went by, and information about the Other Side and the Primordial Elementals was gradually made public. At Yin Ren’s strong request, Shian didn’t publicly disclose his identity as a “God” or the “Great Celestial Master”.

After all, Yin Ren hoped that Unit 9 would function normally and not be disbanded. Although some people had voiced their doubts about Unit 9’s rapid rise from C-level to A-level within six months, they fell silent in the face of the terrifying achievements of Unit 9.

Half a month passed, and it was soon the day before New Year’s Eve.

Preparing for his birthday!

Yin Ren wrapped a wooden box in bright red paper and tied it with a black ribbon, hiding it in the staff locker. Today, it would finally be put to use, and he carefully placed it in his backpack.

However, Zhong Chengshuo seemed abnormally normal today, as if he had forgotten the birthday he had personally announced.

Yin Ren felt a pang of sadness. If Zhong Chengshuo had truly forgotten, he would give him this knife next year.

Yin Ren despondently found an ice cream shop and ordered a deluxe set. He decided to subtly hint to Zhong Chengshuo by taking an hour-long stroll. If that guy still couldn’t remember, he would… he would invite Zhong Chengshuo out for a birthday feast and confiscate the wing pillow for the night.

The bored Great Celestial Master absentmindedly opened his Moments.

[Ten Thousand Taels: Sometimes I feel that being alive is really great.] The photo was a toast with Ding Lizi at a bar.

[Ear Person: Still training hard today! 💪]

[Milky Way: Half of the beef dumplings I made at home were eaten by the dog. Who is really the biological child?] The photo showed a black dog lying on the couch, watching TV.

[Self-Seeking Many Talismans: Can’t stand it anymore. Some people really prioritize romance over friendship. They don’t even invite me for hot pot!] Below, Li Nian and Meng Huai both liked the post.

[Let Me See Your Heart: The net of justice is wide, but it won’t let any leak through. Such terrifying people… [news link]]

The link contained news about the capture of the culprit in the Hu family massacre case.

The article briefly introduced the Hu family massacre in the Ping’an Community and the fact that the culprit had come forward thousands of miles from Haigu to confess more than 20 years later. The article stated that, in front of a crowd, the culprit cried and begged the police to arrest and sentence him. The specifics of what happened were still unknown.

Yin Ren absentmindedly liked the post.

Scrolling further down, Unit 7 wished for promotion to the A-level Investigation Team in the new year, while Unit 8 prayed for more year-end bonuses. Liang Shan shared safety tips for the end of the year, and Gao Mengyu showcased the cats she raised at home… For some reason, there was a pitch-black image mixed among the pictures.

Everyone seemed happy, but he felt anxious.

Yin Ren finished his ice cream with one last spoonful. Just as the sky transitioned from dark blue to blackish blue, a message arrived from Zhong Chengshuo.

[Final Fruit: Let’s eat at home tonight. It’s inconvenient to eat outside.]

[Fruit Knife: Huh? Why?]

[Final Fruit: Taking the cake out will make it easy to spoil.]

[Fruit Knife: Oh]

[Fruit Knife: You actually remembered! ☀️]

[Final Fruit: I marked it on the calendar as soon as we agreed.]

[Final Fruit: Remember to buy some spring onions when you come back.]

[Fruit Knife: …👌]

Yin Ren wrapped his scarf tightly and carried a handful of spring onions back home. This was his first time celebrating his birthday in the human world. Yin Ren didn’t even take the elevator to deliberately create a sense of ceremony with every step he took.

This feeling of anticipation was truly wonderful.

Finally, with a creak, the door opened. Warm air rushed in.

The room was still bathed in comfortable, warm light. The floor had just been cleaned and was slightly damp. Among the lush green plants, there were freshly trimmed roses. The sofa had recently been replaced with a deeper and more comfortable model, and a cozy blanket was placed on top.

Yellow Millet was buried in the blanket, almost flattened like a pancake.

Before seeing the dining table, Yin Ren smelled the dishes he usually loved and the aroma of his favorite chocolate.

“I’m back!” Yin Ren greeted happily.

Zhong Chengshuo, wearing an apron, came forward to receive the spring onions in Yin Ren’s hand.

“Wait!” Yin Ren hid the spring onion behind his back. “I also prepared a little gift for you.”

Zhong Chengshuo blinked, stopped in his tracks, and a hint of anticipation appeared on his face.

“Here, open it.” Yin Ren took out a gift box from his bag. “You always take that hamster out with you every day, aren’t you afraid it will get damaged? From now on, take this instead.”

Zhong Chengshuo sat down on the shoe-changing stool and carefully unwrapped the packaging.

The red paper blossomed, and the wooden box slid open. Inside the exquisite wooden box was a deep red velvet lining, and lying quietly on it was a dagger.

The dagger was entirely black, warm to the touch, and the same color as Yin Ren’s wings. However, its blade was adorned with intricate and exquisite crimson patterns that seemed to come alive, constantly changing. The red was incredibly beautiful, even more captivating than the original “Evil Fruit”.

Zhong Chengshuo held the dagger in his hands and felt that it looked somewhat familiar.

“This is the one I brought to the human world initially, and I got it back from Shian,” Yin Ren said with a cheerful smile. “Inside, there’s a living wing, and the blade is infused with my blood. It’s stronger than the Evil Fruit. The Karma Lantern is too ostentatious. If you want to continue your actions as King Yama, you need a handy weapon.”

“It can destroy everything, but not indiscriminately harm. You just need to hold it and greet it. When it’s not activated, it’s no different from an ordinary knife.”

Zhong Chengshuo stared at the dagger in a daze and then turned it a few times in his hand.

A very warm weapon.

“I’ll make a scabbard for it tonight,” Zhong Chengshuo said, holding the dagger tightly and refusing to let go.

“I knew it. Let’s eat,” Yin Ren proudly put down his backpack.

Zhong Chengshuo obediently stepped aside, revealing the full view of the dining table. The warm light illuminated the table, and the sumptuous dishes emitted steaming hot air. The most eye-catching thing on the table was a six-layer chocolate cake.

It stood tall like a tower, adorned with vibrant red berries and snowy white sugar frosting. At the very top of the cake sat a dark chocolate rabbit with disheveled features, just like the one in Yin Ren’s memory.

“This is also considered letting you have a taste of me,” Zhong Chengshuo explained seriously. “Back then, I didn’t really deny it.”

Yin Ren burst into laughter. “Alright, alright, I forgot. I’ll forget everything from our fight with Love from today onwards!”

He laughed for about two or three minutes before coming back to his senses. “Wait, this cake is too big, where did you buy it?”

It didn’t seem like a birthday cake style. It looked more like…

“Because it’s your first birthday, I wanted to make it special. But I didn’t know how to make it special, so I added some other meanings to it,” Zhong Chengshuo admitted candidly.

“Other meanings?”

“For you.” Zhong Chengshuo reached into his pocket and took out a small box.

The box was also rectangular but much smaller than the box used to store a dagger. Yin Ren sensed it but didn’t feel any special power. He shook it, but there was no sound inside.

He couldn’t guess.

Yin Ren decisively opened the box, and then all his jokes got stuck in his throat.

Inside were two rings.

The color combination was gold and red, just like the cheerful little hamster from before. On the pure gold ring bands, there was half an apple made of white diamonds and red enamel.

The right half apple ring was engraved with “Carefree”, and the left half apple ring was engraved with “From Beginning to End”*.

*Clarity: Carefree implies free from worries and troubles, while From Beginning to End implies commitment and perseverance. Combined, the meaning is like a life-long relationship without any worries.

Zhong Chengshuo eagerly pointed to the rings. “Look.”

Yin Ren: “Ah?”

He understood giving one ring. But two rings? He couldn’t quite grasp this person’s thought process.

“While we may not fit within human laws, I want to publicly form a family relationship with you,” Zhong Chengshuo explained affectionately. “If you’re willing, choose the one you like. If you’re not, take both rings, and you can wear them interchangeably.”

Yin Ren: “…”

Yin Ren: “You… Forget it!”

He took the ring with “Carefree” engraved on it and directly wore it on his ring finger. Zhong Chengshuo took back the box, and a hint of radiance appeared in his dark, glossy eyes.

He took two steps forward and kissed the corner of Yin Ren’s mouth.

……

“Yin Ren, can I use this dagger to cut the cake?”

“Well, I guess you can… but keep the rabbit for me. Give it all to me—”

“Okay.”

“By the way, have you ever thought about it? If I agree to your proposal, my gift would be half as meaningful.”

“Ah.”

“And we’ll have one less day to celebrate.”

“Ah…”

“Alright, stop freezing up. I won’t take back your dagger. So, let’s do this: I’ll finish this cake today!”

“I’ll think of another commemorative day.”

The author has something to say:

Starting from today, they are officially a real family——

Kinky Thoughts:

My heart is melting, ah… In the end Yin Ren got a true wedding cake after all.

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

Chapter 243: Cooperation Agreement

Huang Jin arrived at the hospital holding a large bouquet of flowers. Unfortunately, the first people he encountered wasn’t Ding Lizi, but the two members of Unit 7.

Wang Zhou and Bao Linlin were walking around the Shian ward area with bandages on. During the previous street riot, Bao Linlin was trampled by the crowd while being filmed, resulting in a fractured right ankle. Wang Zhou’s eyes needed a considerable period of recuperation due to timely rescue and had the possibility of recovering his vision.

The details of the Other Side still needed to be gradually announced. As a B level investigation team, Unit 7’s impression of the riot was still “Xiang Jiang joining forces with Sunken Society to create a big disturbance”… Although, in a sense, that judgment wasn’t far off.

With one using crutches and the other having one eye bandaged, the two members of Unit 7 seemed more like war casualties.

“Hey, Xiao Huang. Sorry, we went down first. Heard you won a big victory, impressive!” Wang Zhou greeted first, his one eye constantly glancing at the bouquet of flowers.g

Huang Jin: “…”

Not to mention it would have been better. As soon as he thought about the “aftermath” of summoning Qi Xin, his face quickly turned pale.

Bao Linlin hurriedly eased the atmosphere. “Alright, enough of that. All you do is dig out your eyeballs to use as cameras. Both Unit 9 and 7 have suffered from psychological trauma.”

“You’re the one who got injured too—a distinguished Ghost Master with a fractured bone from being stepped on.”

“Hehe, let’s see who gets discharged first. Huang Jin, go do whatever you need to do. Don’t mind Wang Zhou—let’s have a meal together later!”

Seeing the teammates of Unit 7 start arguing, Huang Jin quickly slipped away against the wall.

When he reached Ding Lizi’s ward, he specifically stopped to straighten his collar and fix his slightly long bangs. Making sure that every leaf of the bouquet was in its proper place, he knocked on the door.

“Li…” The door opened, and Huang Jin almost bit his tongue when he saw what was blocking the entrance.

It was a pile of mosaics.

Why was Yin Ren here?!

Huang Jin immediately wanted to hide the bouquet, but their gazes had already shifted toward him.

[Wow, such a beautiful bouquet!] [The colors are so lovely. I’ve decided, this is my favorite color.] [Mr. Nice Guy has come to see me again—]

Huang Jin took two steps forward with his tail between his legs, put on a strained expression, and started arranging the flowers in the vase.

He really wanted to ask Yin Ren why he was here, but he didn’t want to question a deity in his mortal form.

Seeing Huang Jin turning into an emotionless flower arranging machine, Ding Lizi spoke up first. “I registered an account on a networking platform, preparing to make guitar tutorials and release songs. Xiao Yin just went next door to see Dr. Sun. I asked him to teach me how to use a website.”

She had only recently regained her vision, and everything seemed fresh and unfamiliar to her.

Huang Jin: “…” Indeed, she found the right person. The Great Celestial Master had so much experience in the field of “modern technological exploration”.

“Miss Ding’s vision is recovering well. At this rate, she will be able to be discharged in another two weeks.” Yin Ren smoothly changed the topic.

But Ding Lizi continued to stare intently at Huang Jin.

“I asked the nurse, and because my case is somewhat special, Shian waived the medical expenses. But I still must pay for the eye treatment. I’ll earn it back and repay you,” she said with a serious tone.

Huang Jin: “Uh, no need, Lizi. I don’t need the money now.” In fact, he was quite tormented by his wealth.

“Your money is your money, so we can’t count it like that.” Ding Lizi smiled. “Since our Xiao Huang has become a local tyrant, just calculate the interest for me a bit lower—”

“I…” Huang Jin was about to speak, but suddenly Yin Ren let out a loud cough.

[Come out with me.] A thought pierced into his mind.

“…I understand.” Huang Jin could only respond vaguely.

The door of the hospital room gently closed.

“Don’t speak in my mind without permission!” Huang Jin protested.

“You saw her determination. Don’t confess your feelings for now. Do you understand what I mean?” Yin Ren played with the Yellow Millet keychain, which nuzzled against his fingers with a puffing sound.

Huang Jin froze.

Ding Lizi had made up her mind to pay for the medical expenses. If he were to confess at this time, it would have implied some sort of condition.

That was close.

“Thank you.” Huang Jin wiped away his cold sweat.

“You’re welcome. It’s the concern of colleagues,” Yin Ren said. “But compared to that, you should spend more time with Qi Xin. Your abnormal vision is caused by corruption of Evil Force. She can teach you how to control it.”

“Really?”

“Really. I talked to her and asked her to give you and Ge Tingting some lessons.”

In that case, he wouldn’t resign just yet. Huang Jin seriously considered his options. It would be more responsible to confess after he could control his abnormal vision. He silently prayed for the gods’ blessings, hoping that Ding Lizi’s career would go smoothly.

Unfortunately, Huang Jin still didn’t know that his perfect plan would encounter problems a few days later…

Ding Lizi carefully modified <Mr. Nice Guy> song and received rave reviews online. She changed the title from the original <Mr. Nice Guy> to <Mr. Right>. In the song’s introduction, she left an open-ended question without specifying anyone’s name—

[To my most important friend in life. After I’ve repaid the medical expenses, would you like to be with me?]

The cautious Mr. Huang Jin ultimately missed his chance.

……

Afternoon, Shian underground.

“I saw Dr. Sun in the morning, and everything is sealed tight. You can rest assured. It could be a few months or even several decades, but this generation’s ‘Love’ will disappear.”

Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo were sitting across from Qi Xin, who had a subtle expression as if she were asking, “No specific time?”

“It depends on Dr. Sun’s own arrangements.” Zhong Chengshuo shook his head. “Her brain tumor won’t worsen anymore, but it’s located in a troublesome spot. We have to rely on the judgment of neurology experts.”

Qi Xin let out a long sigh. Several decades were relatively short for a Primordial Elemental, so she wasn’t particularly concerned.

“‘Satisfaction’ has recovered quite well. New ‘Disgust’ and ‘Joy’ have emerged. However, their previous generation’s remains are gone, and the two cubs have nothing to eat, resulting in malnutrition.” Qi Xin sat obediently at the table with her fingers interlocked.

“I will find a way to take care of the cubs myself. But for the future handling of the Other Side, I need both of you to provide me with a concrete plan. I know that although ‘Fear’ has fused with a human, its power remains, just like before.”

“Having a daily indiscriminate slaughter like before isn’t a good solution.” Zhong Chengshuo vigorously shook his head. “Currently, I am studying the life characteristics of the Primordial Elementals and can make some calculations.”

“…What do you mean?”

Zhong Chengshuo: “We will prioritize killing weak and aging individuals, heavily injured individuals, and highly destructive abnormal individuals. Humans’ excessive reproductive numbers have already begun to affect the intelligence of the Greater Primordial Elementals. The previous simple mode of death is no longer suitable. Otherwise, given time, another ‘Love’ might appear.”

“In plain language, Zhong Ge plans to reference the death patterns of human populations and create a more reasonable version for the Elementals,” Yin Ren summarized succinctly.

Although it was a casual remark, as a Primordial Elemental, Qi Xin still felt a sense of oppression.

The two individuals in front of her were formulating “laws”.

“I know this is not an easy task. I’m counting on both of you.” Qi Xin lowered her head slightly.

“Huh?” Zhong Chengshuo looked confused and pushed up his glasses.

Qi Xin forced a smile. “Mr. Yin is a human, and to him, the Elementals are just monsters. But since Fear has already acquired human emotions, he is inevitably under pressure.”

Zhong Chengshuo: “I don’t feel any pressure.”

Qi Xin: “I heard that humans can feel guilt…”

Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo in silence. After a moment of contemplation, Zhong Chengshuo spoke frankly. “No, I don’t. When I was conducting experiments in the laboratory, I killed billions of bacteria.”

Qi Xin: “…” Alright, she underestimated the horror of Old Fear.

“This is our plan.” Yin Ren cleared his throat and presented a document.

[Cooperation Agreement]

[1. Task division: Zhong Chengshuo is responsible for calculating targets and instilling fear; Yin Ren is responsible for hunting targets and crushing corpses.]

[2. Attendance agreement: Zhong Chengshuo is responsible for observing changes in the Primordial Elementals population and determining attendance dates; the duration and routes of attendance are under Yin Ren’s control.]

[3. Important notes: We promise that the cleanup of deaths on the Other Side will not be less than once per month. Shian or the Other Side will pay compensation per cleanup, which will be evenly split between Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo. If there are dangerous and powerful Primordial Elementals or Gods, individual annihilation services can be provided depending on the situation. In principle, please do not contact us after 23:00. Please do not enter private residences without permission. Please do not contact us during vacation periods (including but not limited to annual leave, sick leave, statutory holidays, etc.)]

Qi Xin remained speechless.

It seemed like there was nothing wrong, but she couldn’t shake off the feeling that something was amiss.

…Let it be. She signed the agreement with a stern face.

After that, the eternal day on the Other Side disappeared.

After a period of time, the Other Side would be illuminated by a fiery red sunset. After the glow and red clouds, darkness would follow closely—then, when the darkness subsided, some of the Elementals would disappear. Only the decomposed flesh and blood of the Elementals would remain in the tunnels, quietly waiting to be washed away by ‘Satisfaction’.

Soon after, new cubs would be born, crying as they hit the ground.

Nowadays, Death seemed to be different from before. The proportion of Elementals that survived for a long time and were covered in scars decreased. On the other hand, the Elementals with intact bodies and remained active often managed to survive.

With each recurring night, the famine gradually diminished.

The Elementals no longer need to tear each other apart for consumption. Within the once empty tunnels of the Other Side, countless Primordial Elementals swam together in groups, resembling schools of fish.

But that’s a story for another time.

……

After ensuring her mother’s safety, Lu Xiaohe returned to Shian once again.

With her parents in good health and receiving a large sum of prize money, she decided to buy a more spacious house for the whole family. The three of them could then start living a relaxed and enjoyable life.

She had quietly set her sights on a large house in Ping’an Manor. She planned to buy it at the beginning of the year so that the family could celebrate the Lunar New Year in their new home. Although the reputation of Ping’an Manor in Haigu wasn’t good, with Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo settling there, there was probably no safer place in the world than Ping’an Manor.

Without the heavy burden on her chest, Lu Xiaohe’s complexion had improved significantly.

With the sudden appearance of two “Gods”, the specific arrangements for Unit 9 hadn’t yet been finalized. Lu Xiaohe’s role mostly involved summarizing and reporting on daily tasks while also occasionally checking the work group of Unit 9.

[Fruit Knife: Who wants a dog? @everyone]

[Ten Thousand Taels: ?]

[Ear Person: ?]

[The River Flows Eastward: Hey, why are we talking about dogs again?]

[The River Flows Eastward: I heard you guys received an award from the city. When should we gather?]

[Final Fruit: Let’s first handle the dog matter.]

[Ear Person: Can’t Yin Ge and Zhong Ge keep a dog?]

[Final Fruit: We already have two at home, so it’s not convenient.]

[Ten Thousand Taels: … 👋]

Lu Xiaohe pondered for a moment. Zhong Chengshuo was probably referring to Dog Thing and Yellow Millet. Both were different entities—one a Primordial Elemental and the other an evil—and indeed, it wouldn’t be suitable to add another being into the mix.

Speaking of which, her parents were now worry-free in terms of their livelihood and had plenty of free time. Her family had always liked dogs, so it would be a good idea to have an elderly person take care of a dog and take it for walks.

[Milky Way: What kind of dog is it?]

[Fruit Knife: It’s a large breed, very cute. Shian can help with the registration. By the way, it can understand human language and is the perfect choice for guarding the house.]

[Fruit Knife: Limited adoption within this group (except for Liang Shan). If you want to adopt, act quickly, as missing this opportunity means missing it altogether.]

[The River Flows Eastward: ???]

[Fruit Knife: Sorry, Liang Ge, this is an internal activity of Unit 9.]

Lu Xiaohe scratched her head and privately messaged Yin Ren.

[Milky Way: I’m planning to move to Ping’an Manor recently and coincidentally thinking of getting a dog.]

[Fruit Knife: Xiaohe Jie —— [Image]]

The image showed a big black dog with its tongue hanging out, its round eyes wide open, and it was panting happily. It appeared to be a small breed and was indeed very cute.

[Milky Way: It’s so adorable, but it’s a bit big. Where did this dog come from, and why is Shian taking care of it?]

[Fruit Knife: Zhong Ge and I have been conducting related research recently. Biological evils can incorporate a large amount of Evil Force. Although it can’t compare to the “Gods” formed by fusion of Elementals, it can be considered a special ability user.]

[Milky Way: Just tell me directly.]

[Fruit Knife: Well, I was thinking, if I can correct the imbalance in the Evil Force, maybe certain things can become more stable…]

[Milk Way: …………………………………………]

[Milky Way: Is this dog Shian’s Evil Spirit?]

[Fruit Knife: Ahahaha]

[Fruit Knife: I’ve taken care of it, so it’s completely safe. After it regained its sanity, it became very affectionate. Considering its physical and mental well-being as well as its harmlessness, Shian wants someone who knows about it to adopt it.]

[Fruit Knife: Other Evil Spirits will be dealt with on another day. Most likely, they will be kept for further research. It’s the only one of its kind in the world 🥺.]

[Milky Way: Let me think about it.]

[Milky Way: Can it really understand human language?]

[Fruit Knife: It can flush the toilet by itself, never gets sick, and can even call 120 for the elderly. It is highly sensitive to evil qi and killing intent. With it, not even a group of robbers can break into your home.]

Lu Xiaohe fell into deep thought.

Living next to Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo was indeed safe, but evil beings were hard for the living to guard against, so having a formerly Evil Spirit as a pet seemed like a good idea.

[Milky Way: Deal.]

Considering its original form, “Dark Cloud” would be a suitable name.

Immediately, she opened the family group chat and forwarded the photo of the black dog.

[Milky Way: Mom’s recovery gift 🙌]

After spending time with her colleagues for so long, she unconsciously noticed that her judgment criteria seemed to be off…

Oh well, it didn’t matter.

The author has something to say:

Miss Lu’s judgment criteria is equally in jeopardy. Unit 9 gradually becoming more outrageous.jpg

Lu Xiaohe: Whatever, he’s a good boy!

Kinky Thoughts:

Ah, my heart melted for Huang Jin and Ding Lizi. Don’t be so old-fashioned Huang Jin. Even girls can confess too!

I’m so happy for the Evil Dog Spirit. He’s the best boy!

At this rate, only Huang Jin’s judgment remains somewhat stable…

<<< || Table of Contents || >>>