Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 197: Sincerity

Shian’s underground laboratory.

The black gray “opening” hung in the center of the immaculate room, with the edges gradually fading to pure black, constantly moving like a living creature. Although the central black gray texture appeared consistent and devoid of light and shadow, as long as you gazed at it, there was always a sense of being sucked into a vortex. Moreover, this thing gave the impression of being flat, but no matter what angle you turned, it still faced the observer directly.

Outside the room, a group of people were busy in front of computers. Numbers and images flashed rapidly on the screens, accompanied by faint warning sounds.

Those data traveled through wires, riding on radio waves, and eventually shrank into a small window on Li Nian’s computer.

“The rate of homicide cases hasn’t significantly increased, and the growth rate is still acceptable. The external sources of corruption are still being recovered, and although new sources of corruption are still entering the market, overall, it’s within manageable limits.”

Professor Li listened to Xiang Jiang, who was reporting dryly across from him—he seemed more like he was reading a written report than actually reporting.

“…Overall, everything is fine. This week’s work is more or less like that.”

That was how he summarized it.

“Is that so?” Li Nian calmly moved the mouse, checking the data coming from the laboratory. “Do you really think Sunken Society would use so many years of research just to entertain us?”

Xiang Jiang looked up with a numb face. “The source of the corruption is still under investigation and verifying it will take a long time. Everything is being handled according to regulations.”

Clearly, he had no interest in reasoning or speculation.

“If Professor Li has a hypothesis that could be verified, I will assist you in making an application. Without evidence, it’s best to prioritize retaining manpower—we currently have a high workload in the police force, and the Emergency Management Department needs to keep sufficient personnel for emergencies.”

“You had a good grasp of the regulations.” Li Nian nodded. “Since we’ve come this far, let’s continue to handle our official duties.”

Only then did Xiang Jiang withdraw his gaze.

His eyes, like those of an old man, looked at the screen, reflecting a dim light.

Previously, when Fu Xingchuan was still in the office, he would always propose various outrageous hypotheses and sometimes send people to investigate without prior notice. At that time, Professor Li played the role of reining him in, driven to annoyance by his partner’s incessant arguments. But with Xiang Jiang, who couldn’t produce any meaningful output no matter how much pressure was applied, the office became unnervingly quiet, and the emptiness was enough to freeze one’s thoughts.

“The public opinion surrounding Haigu isn’t optimistic.”

Professor Li took the initiative to speak.

“Incidents of indiscriminate cases have been occurring, and residents are under high pressure. Excluding the homicides, there has been a 165.2% increase in extreme remarks and behaviors on the internet and a 347.7% increase in verbal and physical conflicts in reality compared to before…”

In fact, these past few days, the feeling outside became even more noticeable. Li Nian would simply walk on the street, and women and children around him would actively avoid this “fierce looking” adult man. The number of pedestrians on the commercial streets visibly decreased at night, and there was a pervasive sense of tension and fear in the air.

Despite the consumption of tobacco and alcohol had increased significantly, some people seemed to enjoy this atmosphere, and one could occasionally encounter intoxicated ruffians on the streets. The smell of alcohol and vomit became stronger in the night.

The unique sense of relaxation that was prevalent in Haigu silently disappeared, but—

“It’s not a big deal as long as no one dies,” Xiang Jiang casually remarked. “We’re not responsible for public opinion or the mental health of the residents. If you ask for my opinion… those are just additional effects of corruption that are not worth mentioning.”

“Not worth mentioning.” Li Nian pondered these words. “Considering your situation, I thought you would care.”

Xiang Jiang’s movements with the mouse came to a halt.

He slowly stood up and fixed his gaze on Li Nian like a dead person. Behind him, Xiang Hai’s neck twisted ninety degrees to the side, and his pale lips formed an exaggerated curve.

“Considering your situation, I thought you would know. That touch of Evil Force won’t change a person’s character, nor will it induce innocent people to commit acts of violence. It’s all human-caused calamity, and it’s naturally not our responsibility. As for conflicts on the internet, aren’t those people always so fond of ‘making a scene’? With things like this now, they are even more unreserved.”

Xiang Jiang spoke each word carefully, then picked up the barely touched cup as a symbolic gesture and poured himself a glass of water.

“You still care about what happened back then.”

“Of course, I care about what happened back then, but that’s not a reason for you to make a big deal out of it.”

Behind Xiang Jiang, Xiang Hai turned his head. His decaying mouth opened wide, emitting a foul stench. Unfortunately, Li Nian remained as calm as a mountain, and not even a single strand of his hair was ruffled by the fierce ghost.

Xiang Jiang patted the shoulder of his deceased twin brother, and Xiang Hai turned his neck, using his deformed hand to cover his mouth, whispering softly in his ear—

[They’re all lunatics.] The fierce ghost murmured with a voice tinged with amusement. [They’re all lunatics.]

On the other side, seeing Xiang Jiang insisting on downplaying the situation, Li Nian fell silent. He flipped through the research results provided by the laboratory—

The research connecting with the Other Side by cracking the corruption patterns on the wooden talisman and reproducing the conditions of disappearance based on emotional data was progressing smoothly.

In the past twenty years, except for enduring the highly corrupted “Charon”, no one could touch the Other Side. While Shian had conducted research on the artificial gaps, they could only reach the interstitial spaces like the Archive.

However, shortly after this experiment began, Jiao Lian could already sense the changes on the Other Side. In just one day, Shian successfully created an extremely unstable connection.

Li Nian dragged the window containing the experimental data and placed it next to the recent conflict reports in Haigu. Then, he pulled up the cases related to the spread of the corruption source.

Next, he accessed the case records of the investigation in Gengsheng Town.

He contemplated for a while, then recalled the hypothesis recently mentioned by Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo.

[The Other Side is a “network world” interconnected by the brains of numerous organisms serving as “devices”. The Primordial Elementals can be regarded as a unique form of life on the Other Side, seemingly deriving energy from biological emotions and capable of invading and manipulating beings with mental disorders or brain damage…]

Professor Li stared at the windows of various sizes on the screen, and his brow furrowed.

In the haze, he seemed to grasp something. But upon careful thought, that feeling sank amidst the complex threads of clues, making it difficult to reproduce.

……

Underground of the abandoned hospital, Sunken Society Haigu Branch.

Wei Huaqian, a half-step Charon, dismissed all his subordinates and remained alone in the spacious room.

This place was already an interstitial space, closer to the Other Side. With a hint of unease, he closed his eyes tightly, extended his left hand with its five fingers spread, and concentrated his power in his hand.

The next moment, the fingertips of that hand gradually became translucent, and then dissipated into the air. Soon after, the palm and the wrist followed suit… with a “crack” sound, his expensive watch fell to the floor.

This sudden occurrence seemed to awaken him. Wei Huaqian abruptly opened his eyes, and his left hand reappeared from thin air in an instant.

His fingertips still retained an indescribable and marvelous sensation.

It was light and relaxing, like an extraordinary experience of detaching from the physical body.

“The Other Side…” Wei Huaqian murmured softly, his lips slightly parted.

Knock, knock, knock!

The door was knocked on without any hesitation, and then the sound of the door lock clicking followed. The door creaked open, revealing a familiar face in front of Wei Huaqian.

Shen Mo, as always, didn’t wait for the host’s response and walked in on his own.

Most of the time, this person was involved in investigations on the Other Side, but now Shen Mo had been staying on “this side” for a long time, which made Wei Huaqian uncomfortable—from head to toe. If it weren’t for Shen Mo being the only remaining “Charon” for the research related to the Other Side, Wei Huaqian would have wished for a curse to put an end to him.

“Are you supplying special corruption sources to the schools in Haigu? Why am I not privy to any plans?” Shen Mo got straight to the point.

“I’m not deliberately corrupting the schools,” Wei Huaqian patiently replied. “Schools are indeed good places for corruption, but students have limited activity trajectories, making it easy to be discovered.”

“I also thought the same. You wouldn’t be foolish to that extent. But there seems to be some activity on the Other Side, and the corruption in the schools there seems… concentrated.”

Shen Mo intriguingly rubbed his fingers, while Wei Huaqian snorted dismissively.

“Since it’s not part of Sunken Society of Haigu, we both know who it is. At this critical moment, it’s better not to offend those—what do they call them in Shian?—better not to offend those Primordial Elementals.”

“…You don’t care about the corruption source?”

“I don’t care,” Wei Huaqian replied indifferently. “Who knows what they’re thinking? I’m only responsible for preparing for the Divine Descent. You should focus on assisting with the Divine Descent as well.”

Shen Mo let out a sneer and plopped himself down on the genuine leather sofa in Wei Huaqian’s room. His gaze wandered around the luxuriously styled chandelier for a few laps before finally looking at Wei Huaqian.

“Fine, I get it. Since you don’t care, I’ll have someone look into it on my end.”

“…Wait.”

When Shen Mo was about to leave, Wei Huaqian called out to him.

“Are you thinking that someone with the surname Wei is short-sighted and might be doomed by the Primordial Elementals?” Wei Huaqian slowly clenched his left hand into a fist. “I only know one thing—their intention is not to kill everyone, and for me, that’s enough.”

“Neither you nor I stand a chance against them. And for them, someone who ‘doesn’t care about humans’ is more useful than someone who ‘cares about their own kind’… That way, you and I will always be safe. But I must remind you, knowing too much can be dangerous. Be careful not to lose your life.”

“I see. Xiao Wei, even after all these years, you’re still so cautious.”

Shen Mo didn’t look back.

“Don’t worry, it won’t involve Sunken Society of Haigu. Shian has already sent people to intervene. I don’t need to personally get involved.”

……

“Need to be annoying.”

During physics class, Zhong Chengshuo fell into deep thought. Young Yin Ren half-floated, half-laid on top of him, with eyes filled with unabashed anticipation… or rather, an eagerness to watch a spectacle.

“Need to be annoying,” Zhong Chengshuo murmured to himself, repeating the words.

Indeed, he was quite obedient in school. Strictly speaking, Zhong Chengshuo rarely interacted with anyone. On normal days, he would either read books or study, immersing himself in the ocean of human knowledge in a literal sense.

Perhaps human offspring couldn’t concentrate, but for the great Primordial Elemental that had been idle like an inanimate object for countless years, that new knowledge held a fatal allure.

He diligently studied, achieving perfect scores and letting them float away. During holidays, he investigated his sister’s disappearance, making Zhong Chengshuo’s middle school life unusually fulfilling. As for classmates, in his memory, they were mostly faceless radishes and cabbages—he never paid deliberate attention to them.

Whether those classmates liked him or disliked him, he never cared.

In theory, beating everyone up one by one or damaging their beloved belongings would quickly earn the disgust of his classmates. However, even if Shian had his back, the school wouldn’t want a violent student like him.

Zhong Chengshuo quietly took out the school rules from the desk drawer, carefully confirming each one.

Yin Ren’s smile gradually froze as he watched, and a faint worry appeared in his gaze. At this point, Lord Ghost King seriously suspected that Zhong Chengshuo’s “moral values” were merely inherited from his police parents. Not to mention anything else, this person might not truly care about whether the targets were minors or adults. After all, the age difference between them had been hanging there for who knew how long, and to him, nine or ninety years old were just stages of “short-lived creatures”.

Yin Ren’s thoughts spun wildly, and he tightened his hand that was gripping Zhong Chengshuo’s neck, afraid that this person might come up with some questionable ideas.

“…We still have to rely on verbal communication,” Zhong Chengshuo concluded after thoroughly studying all the school rules.

“Other methods can easily lead to unnecessary disputes.”

“Mhm, mhm, mhm.” Yin Ren nodded encouragingly.

“But I can’t curse at people. Can you help me check something?”

“…It’s useless. You lack the kind of emotional state required for cursing.” Yin Ren sighed with melancholy, shaking his head.

No need to check; it was definitely futile. With Zhong Chengshuo’s temperament, he would only recite swear words in a conventional manner, but it wouldn’t be a match for a middle schooler’s curses, not even by one percent. Just imagining that scene made Yin Ren feel a bit suffocated.

“Hmm…” Zhong Chengshuo continued to ponder.

Whether it was Yin Ren’s imagination or not, this person had never appeared so troubled, no matter how difficult the previous battles were. Concealed by the illusory enchantment, Zhong Chengshuo furrowed his brow, and his slightly long hair hung down his neck. The distress on his face was magnified tenfold by his somewhat childish features.

Yin Ren swallowed the words he had intended to discuss.

He didn’t have any suitable ideas at the moment, and this version of Zhong Chengshuo was quite rare. Yin Ren wanted to take a closer look.

From this angle, that person seemed like his deskmate. They were like two genuine students, sitting in the classroom, worrying about the future… Yin Ren inexplicably enjoyed this feeling. He calmly changed his position, leaning over to the edge of Zhong Chengshuo’s desk and stretched his body lazily.

As Zhong Chengshuo continued his contemplation, his thoughts transitioned from thinking during class to thinking during the break.

The long break arrived, and the classroom became particularly lively. Yin Ren wiped the sleep marks off his face, while Zhong Chengshuo stood with his book. His gaze was deep and focused on one of the pages, clearly still contemplating a “stimulation plan”.

“Bang!”

The teenager, who had previously squatted down before class, rushed over and kicked Zhong Chengshuo’s desk.

“You idiot, kneel down and apologize to me!”

This person came to save face after feeling embarrassed earlier. It happened to be a good opportunity, and Yin Ren shifted his position and glanced at Zhong Chengshuo, ready to intervene if necessary.

It was just a kid kicking a desk. This kind of impact was much lighter compared to battling with evil creatures. Zhong Chengshuo easily filtered out this minor disturbance, continuing to contemplate with unwavering concentration, his fingers holding the book motionless.

“Are you brain-dead, Zhang San? Are you deaf?” The teenager shouted loudly and kicked the desk several more times.

Finally, Zhong Chengshuo lifted his head. He glanced at the person with a calm gaze, then stood up and tidied the desk.

“This is the school’s property. If you break it, you’ll have to compensate,” Zhong Chengshuo stated matter-of-factly.

He finally put away the physics textbook, carefully took out the biology textbook for the next class, and neatly organized the stationery on the desk. After tidying up, Zhong Chengshuo adjusted his pen and paper and continued to contemplate.

The provocative boy: “……”

The troublemaker hesitated, his face gradually turning red. “Are your parents dead? Didn’t they teach you to listen to others?”

Zhong Chengshuo calmly replied, “Yes, they are both dead. They didn’t teach me to listen to others.”

The immediate priority now was to come up with a plan to provoke the kids and be fully prepared to execute it rigorously. As for the person who came to provoke him, he just needed to coax him away. Zhong Chengshuo meticulously planned in his mind.

His biological parents—Wei Huaxian and Kong Miao—had indeed passed away. Strictly speaking, the person who taught him to “listen to others” was Yin Ren. His response was very friendly, so there shouldn’t be any problem.

When Zhong Chengshuo said, “They are both dead,” the teenager fell silent for more than ten seconds. Amidst the mocking laughter around him, his face grew redder.

“Indeed, you’re a worthless thing without parents. Today, I’m going to teach you a lesson, you meddlesome idiot.”

“I didn’t hit you just now, and I didn’t make you fall,” Zhong Chengshuo earnestly and patiently explained. “I understand that you feel upset about losing face, but this has nothing to do with me. You don’t have sufficient reason to teach me a lesson. It will only make you appear unreasonable.”

“Furthermore, if you care about your image in the class, it’s better to attend to your nose early. If you continue to ignore it, it will quickly swell and turn purple, making you look even more disgraceful.”

Worried that the teenager would continue to pester him, Zhong Chengshuo pragmatically presented facts and reasoned with him.

The surrounding students cheered, enjoying the spectacle without considering it a big deal.

“Disgraceful, Wu Ge, disgraceful.”

“Our Lord Wu is a respectable person.”

“You better make yourself decent—”

The students sitting nearby formed a circle, laughing and jeering.

The teenager became infuriated; his face turning red and his neck swelling. He shouted loudly and grabbed Zhong Chengshuo’s collar. Zhong Chengshuo cooperatively let him grab hold, maintaining a perfect balance, and made sure to press down on his brand-new biology textbook with his hand, afraid it might accidentally fall off.

With the objects on the desk neatly arranged, Zhong Chengshuo turned his eyes to the teenager; his pitch-black pupils filled with tranquility.

Yin Ren, who was floating to the side, was stunned.

Thank goodness Zhong Chengshuo was well-behaved during his middle school years. Otherwise, with his innate eloquence, his combat abilities would have been exposed too early.

“Fuck your mother!” the teenager roared in anger, throwing a punch towards Zhong Chengshuo’s face. As expected, Zhong Chengshuo easily dodged it while retaining his calm gaze.

The cheering of the surrounding students grew even louder.

Yin Ren barely held back his laughter, trying hard to experience it.

Indeed, that distant sense of peeping appeared again. At this moment, the teenager’s state seemed more like shame than anger. Yet, that gaze emerged as usual, ethereal and elusive, as if veiled by a layer of mist.

It seemed that triggering the gaze required more than just anger; further experimentation was needed.

Just a few steps away, the tall and robust teenager continued to harass Zhong Chengshuo. No matter how he attacked, Zhong Chengshuo evaded effortlessly, like a slippery eel. Meanwhile, this person stubbornly refused to retaliate, causing the humiliation to reach a new level.

In the end, Zhong Chengshuo gently pried open the fingers gripping his own collar and pushed that hand back to the teenager’s chest.

“It wouldn’t be fair for me to retaliate against you. Let’s stop here. Remember to take a look at your nose.”

“Just you fucking wait! You wait for me!” The teenager pointed at Zhong Chengshuo’s nose and cursed, spitting in anger. With a mournful face, he touched his nose and quickly walked out of the classroom.

In the front row, Luo Chunlei turned her head and watched the minor conflict expressionlessly. Seeing Zhong Chengshuo sitting back in his seat unscathed, she turned her face and casually chatted and laughed with other girls as if nothing had happened.

“Awesome, Zhang Ge! Where did you learn that? Can you teach us?” “Master, please accept us as your disciples!” Several male students approached, laughing.

Zhong Chengshuo, with his mind filled with plans on how to be annoying, continued on his sincere path of straightforwardness—

“If you truly want to learn these skills, you can join a class to practice. But, even if you train to the limit, adults can easily overpower you with their body weight. It won’t be of much use.”

The group of students looked at each other, unsure of how to respond.

“If you don’t want to teach, then don’t teach. Why pretend?” One of them muttered, and the crowd dispersed like birds and beasts.

Although Zhong Chengshuo didn’t understand why this group of people was unhappy, at least it was quiet now. He breathed a sigh of relief, sat back in his chair, and squeezed the pen, deep in thought.

Yin Ren sneakily stretched out his hands and covered Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes. “Zhong Ge, do you want me to teach you some ‘annoying’ tricks?”

“But I don’t find you annoying at all. Do you really have any tricks?” Zhong Chengshuo let Yin Ren cover his eyes and changed his communication form. This person’s communication level suddenly improved.

“Yes, but they only apply to you.” The thousand-year-old Ghost King withdrew his hands and rubbed his face.

Zhong Chengshuo instantly grabbed a pen and paper, assuming a posture of attentively listening.

“Your parents must have taught you many principles, right? Just remember those words. Don’t think too much and treat your classmates positively.”

Zhong Chengshuo: “……”

The young Zhong Chengshuo turned his round eyes to Yin Ren, with a hint of confusion in his eyes. “When I treat others positively, it’s considered annoying?”

“How could I find you annoying? I don’t think the members of Unit 9 would think that way either.”

Yin Ren patted his chest.

“But as for those eleven- or twelve-year-old kids… well, that’s hard to say.”

Zhong Chengshuo remained silent and his face tense. The pen in his fingers spun around, almost creating afterimages of a flower blooming.

“Okay, I understand.” When he spoke again, Zhong Chengshuo’s tone was full of trust. “If it’s this kind of plan, there’s something I want to ask you for help with.”

“Hmm?

“I need a list of misbehavior from my classmates.”

……

“That busty girl from Class 4 always goes out to have affairs with older men. Everyone in her class knows about it. I’ve seen her get into a man’s car with my own eyes.”

“Oh, yeah, I’ve heard about it too. People from Class 4 say she’s quite something. You know what I mean…”

“I should go and ask. With my looks, maybe I can handle her—”

During break time, a group of boys huddled together, secretly pulling out an adult magazine, laughing and gossiping. However, before they could turn a page, another face appeared in the cramped space.

“Before confirming the facts, it’s best not to spread such insulting remarks. It can cause distress to the people involved.”

Zhong Chengshuo calmly expressed, “For middle school students who commute, there’s a higher possibility that their father or other relatives pick them up. Engaging in relationships with females under the age of fourteen is a crime, not a casual joke.”

“Fuck! What’s your problem?!” Several students turned pale, hastily stuffing away the adult magazine.

Zhong Chengshuo’s gaze remained calm, and his tone was still sincere. “During puberty, physical development and an interest in the opposite sex are normal phenomena. It’s not shameful. You all can consider more formal sex education programs.”

Strictly speaking, Zhong Chengshuo’s tone didn’t carry a condescending or stern criticism. It was simply a matter-of-fact statement, accompanied by his still immature face, which indeed sent shivers down people’s spines.

“You’re sick!!!” He was met with a string of screams.

Zhong Chengshuo calmly walked away, took out his notebook, and crossed out a line. “The experiment continues.”

Yin Ren kissed the top of his lover’s head. “Well done, onto the next one.”

……

“You’re going too far!”

A sharp-looking girl slapped Zhong Chengshuo’s desk; her eyes fixed on the pen in his hand.

“This is a limited-edition merchandise. Do you know how precious it is? You’re clearly not a fan of xxx, I can tell at a glance! And you’re not using it properly. You’re too rough. You didn’t even buy a pen case or pen stickers, and the refill you’re using is cheap! …If you use it like this again, I’ll break it and throw it away!”

Zhong Chengshuo calmly twirled the neutral pen with a character from a certain work printed on it.

“We’re not familiar, and the rules you’ve set are your own. I haven’t looked into them, nor am I interested.”

Zhong Chengshuo objectively narrated.

“I bought it with my own money. It’s my personal property. As long as I use it for legitimate purposes, how I use it is my freedom. Classmate, it’s just a pen.”

“…I can’t reason with you! You don’t understand anything!” The girl’s face turned red with anger. “Do you even still need it?”

“I do, and I’ll continue to carry it.”

As the girl angrily ran off, Zhong Chengshuo used that pen to cross out another name in his notebook.

“The kids these days are impressive. It’s definitely more complicated than when I was their age.” Yin Ren propped his arms on Zhong Chengshuo’s head, muttering to himself. “Back then, they would be so happy with just a meal I gave them…”

“A sense of peeping?” Zhong Chengshuo touched the long hair hanging down his cheek.

“Yes.” As a diligent behind-the-scenes spirit, Yin Ren hugged Zhong Chengshuo’s neck tightly.

……

“These shoes were bought for me by my cousin. He dropped out after middle school and is doing business now, earning millions every year!”

“I agree. Everyone says it’s hard for university graduates to find jobs. What’s the point of studying? It’s better to start making money early.”

“Exactly, exactly…”

“The probability of attaining a comfortable life after graduating from middle school is 5%, while the probability increases to 50% after obtaining a good diploma. Even if it’s just such an improvement, I personally think it’s valuable.”

Zhong Chengshuo abruptly stopped at the table and calmly joined the discussion.

……

During evening self-study, a certain “top student” raised his hand and threw notes between desks. Zhong Chengshuo swiftly intercepted and flicked all the paper balls to various corners.

“Cheating is not acceptable.” He mouthed the words, shaking his head seriously.

……

A day passed, and Zhong Chengshuo had crossed out over twenty names in his notebook. More than half of the class had been annoyed by him, and even Lord Ghost King began to respect his terrifying efficiency.

“Not everyone triggers the sense of peeping… For now, I can only say that the more intense the reaction from those people you provoke, the more apparent the sense of peeping becomes.” Yin Ren played with his hair ends. “Moreover, there hasn’t been a significant increase in indoor corruption sources. It doesn’t seem like there’s any spell replicating autonomously.”

“We can take another look tomorrow. The more samples we have, the more accurate the results will be.”

Zhong Chengshuo confidently packed his school bag in an organized manner. He seemed very satisfied with today’s “stimulation plan”.

“Zhang San.”

Yin Ren was about to say something when a crisp female voice came from the front row.

Luo Chunlei had her school bag on her back, smiling sweetly with a dimple at the corner of her mouth. She was standing next to Zhang Hejun’s desk, naturally resting her hand on the table, looking innocent and cute.

“Do you have some time? There are a few things I want to talk to you about.”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 196: Overcast and Rainy

The sky was gloomy, and the classroom lights were on, but they couldn’t dispel the surrounding sense of darkness. The damp air carried a hint of an earthy smell as the monitor cleaned the blackboard, and chalk dust fell softly to the ground.

During the break, students gathered in small groups, eagerly chatting and secretly fiddling with their phones. Some even took out handheld game consoles in full view of everyone, and laughter and screams occasionally erupted from the young boys and girls. Among them, a few students glanced at Zhong Chengshuo for a while, then deliberately covered their mouths and spoke softly, obviously discussing the new classmate.

Whether they were discussing his funny name or his peculiar statement of “finding the culprit”, it was hard to say.

Zhang Hejun’s desk remained unchanged, filled with exercise books and textbooks. Stationery was casually scattered, as if she had temporarily left the classroom and would soon return.

She had bought a small magnetic doll—a rabbit with magnets on its arms—which she hugged against the metal desk leg. Its round plastic eyes were directed towards Zhong Chengshuo’s direction.

Zhong Chengshuo sat at the back of the classroom, withdrawing his gaze from Zhang Hejun’s seat.

His textbooks and stationery were provided by Shian, quite different from what he used before. However, this feeling of being detached from the situation was exactly the same as when he attended school in the past.

Zhong Chengshuo remembered everything from the very beginning.

The wish made by that ripple, the thousand-year slumber and awakening, the mysterious encounter with the baby, and his first meeting with his foster parents.

Zhong Chengshuo still didn’t know what he really was, but he was certain that he wasn’t human. Back then, when he watched his classmates running and jumping, they seemed like a school of fish crowded together in a fish tank.

Separated by a transparent, icy barrier.

Loneliness wasn’t the right word, and neither was envy. Regarding the fact that he was alone, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t feel anything special. It was similar to those distant, faint ripples around him from a thousand years ago. He simply observed them quietly.

No need for any emotions, like a plant growing in a corner.

Zhong Chengshuo pulled himself out of his memories. He had just opened the long-unopened textbook when he suddenly felt a weight on his shoulder. Young Yin Ren rested his chin on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder, looking curiously at the textbook.

Taking advantage of the fact that no one could see him, Lord Ghost King casually leaned on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder and said, “Wow, I can’t understand any of this.”

Given that this large Primordial Elemental still had a physical form, Zhong Chengshuo could feel Yin Ren’s breath and body temperature. Yin Ren frowned as he read the middle school physics textbook, emitting a long “hmm” from his throat. His long hair hung down along Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder, sliding back and forth on the loose fabric.

…He seemed to be reading it quite seriously.

Yin Ren’s warm breath and presence were comforting, causing Zhong Chengshuo to unintentionally pause his flipping of the pages. The instinctive rejection and the genuine closeness stemmed from the strong sense of the person beside him, making it impossible to ignore.

The familiar hustle and bustle of traversing time still surrounded them, and the music during the break hadn’t changed for over a decade. He suddenly couldn’t recall that detached “plant-like” mentality from his memories.

Zhong Chengshuo gently turned his head, resting his forehead against Yin Ren’s cheek. Yin Ren adjusted his posture accordingly, continuing to study the profound scientific principles on that page.

Pitter-patter. Raindrops started hitting the glass window. Zhong Chengshuo listened to the rhythm of his lover’s heartbeat and his eyes slightly narrowed.

Meaningless memories of his student life suddenly felt much warmer.

Truly…

Before his thought of “good” could fully process in his mind, there was a loud bang on Zhong Chengshuo’s desk. Two boys who had been discussing comics nearby suddenly started fighting, and the one being pushed almost knocked over Zhong Chengshuo’s desk.

The two of them cursed with foul language that didn’t belong to their age, grabbing and pushing each other’s bulky school uniforms, trying to knock each other to the ground. Zhong Chengshuo listened with both ears as the two boys argued over the power level of two characters in the comic.

However, Zhong Chengshuo unmistakably sensed a murderous aura.

The two boys, aged around eleven or twelve, emanated intense hostility towards each other. Surrounding students gathered around, with a few even cheering them on. One of the boys had a scratched face with a bloody mark, and his face was turning red. He reached out his hand, about to grab the compass from Zhong Chengshuo’s desk.

Zhong Chengshuo caught his wrist and said, “Don’t be impulsive.”

“What the fuck does it have to do with you, you stupid idiot?” The boy gnashed his teeth.

“What kind of dog matches its owner’s power. Weak owners have weak dogs!” The other, taller boy, seeing that his opponent was held back by the “weak and thin” Zhong Chengshuo, immediately laughed and made a mocking face.

Zhong Chengshuo saw the person he was holding onto bulge with swollen veins; his face and neck turning red. The person even abandoned the compass and kicked towards the other boy. The kick swept across the other boy’s nose, and a bright red nosebleed instantly gushed out, dripping onto the ground.

The red light of the surveillance camera in the back of the classroom blinked, and the dark lens scanned the class. But after a few minutes, no one intervened.

Zhong Chengshuo helplessly surveyed the surroundings—either the students were indifferent and stayed out of it, or they crowded around to watch the commotion, without anyone going to find a teacher to mediate.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” An instigator shouted with excitement, urging others to come and watch, saying, “Let’s see who backs down. Who’s a wimp!”

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” Students who had hidden their phones crowded closer, skillfully taking photos and videos.

“Fight! Fight! Fight!” A few people even intentionally placed sharp objects like utility knives and compasses nearby, and then quickly stepped back.

The crowd formed a circle, and within the circle were the two individuals tangled in a fight, as well as Zhong Chengshuo standing still.

Zhong Chengshuo’s gaze scanned the classroom and stopped on Luo Chunlei. The young girl was surrounded by a few friends, staring intently in their direction. The drops of nosebleed on the ground were being trampled by the two fighting boys, staining the floor with blood.

Zhong Chengshuo blinked and raised his hand, intending to stop the two children from misbehaving. However, as he raised his hand, someone grabbed his sleeve. Zhong Chengshuo’s fist drew a perfect arc in the air and landed squarely on one of the individuals’ face.

The crowd immediately erupted in boos.

The boy who was punched happened to be the one who started the commotion. His face was still covered in the fresh nosebleed. He was tall and stout, and his face turned purple with anger. He was about to get up and teach this transfer student a lesson but slipped on the ground, landing in a standard squatting position.

This time, his face turned completely black, emanating an aura of anger and madness that didn’t belong to his age. For a moment, the boy’s presence was almost comparable to that of an evil being.

Behind him, the invisible mastermind clapped his hands; his red eyes were filled with unclear emotions.

“Wu Ge embarrassed himself. Wu Ge embarrassed himself!” The boys who were recording videos cheered.

“Isn’t it pathetic to fight two against one? Bring it on!” Wu Ge wiped his nosebleed and roared loudly.

“Why do you care about it? Who’s counting this win?” The bloodied-faced boy didn’t back down either. He raised his chin, splattering saliva, narrowly avoiding Zhong Chengshuo’s face.

Just at that moment, the familiar sound of the class bell rang, and the crowd rushed back to their seats.

A middle-aged male teacher stepped into the classroom, and his gaze swept over the two bruised and swollen individuals before settling on Zhong Chengshuo, whose desk and chair were overturned. Then, as if nothing had happened, the teacher put down his books and said, “Let’s start the class. Hello, everyone!”

“Hello, Tea-cher!” The students responded cheerfully.

In the back row of the classroom, Zhong Chengshuo tidied up his desk alone. The bloodstains remained on the floor, shining brightly with their vibrant color.

“What were you thinking just now?” After finally putting everything back in place, Zhong Chengshuo covered half of his face with a textbook and spoke in a muffled voice.

Even if he couldn’t sense the aura of magic, he knew that the boy’s fall just now was undoubtedly caused by Yin Ren’s mischief.

Yin Ren didn’t answer immediately. His gaze slowly swept over every student in the classroom, and his expression gradually became solemn.

……

Their close-range investigation this time was correct; Yin Ren was certain of that now.

When the boy wanted to grab the compass, Yin Ren suddenly felt a chill at the back of his neck, followed by a prickling sensation. Yin Ren was familiar with this feeling—

It was the unique sensation of being spied on.

To be precise, it was the unique sensation of being watched by a large Elemental. However, compared to Mr. Qiu, this sense of being watched was fainter and more distant.

The person spying on them was not targeting himself but the student who tried to harm others with the compass. To confirm his speculation, Yin Ren deliberately provoked the troublemaker by having Zhong Chengshuo throw a punch, exposing the troublemaker’s embarrassment on the spot.

Sure enough, under the other person’s madness, that indescribable feeling of being spied on resurfaced.

Was there another large Elemental hidden here? Could it be the rumored “Mr. Le”? But compared to Mr. Qiu’s gaze, there was something off about this feeling… There weren’t enough clues.

“There are twenty-four contaminants in this classroom,” Yin Ren leaned over to whisper in Zhong Chengshuo’s ear. “Even though Liang Shan and the others checked yesterday, there are even more now. Zhong Ge, I need your cooperation for the next step.”

“Okay,” Zhong Chengshuo replied softly.

“But given your situation, it might be a bit difficult…” Yin Ren poked his cheek.

Zhong Chengshuo’s chest felt slightly suffocated, and a subtle sense of grievance emerged on its own. “Just say it straight. I can cooperate with anything.”

Why, aren’t they the best accomplices?

“…Well then, Zhong Ge, I need you to go crazy and provoke as many kids as possible in this class.”

Yin Ren leaned in, poking his head and peeking around.

“But your parents always told me that you were unbelievably well-behaved in school. Are you really okay with this?” Yin Ren asked.

Zhong Chengshuo: “…”

Alright, it seemed there was still some distance to go to become the “best accomplices”.

Dr. Zhong could write research papers, and King Yama could slay evil creatures. He could even grow another head. But when it came to causing trouble as a student, he really lacked experience.

“I’ll do my best,” Zhong Chengshuo said, holding his textbook and mustering a reluctant tone.

……

Drizzling rain fell, drumming onto the stone bricks.

“Are they going to be okay?” Huang Jin sat on a stone bench in the school with a vacant gaze. Large maple leaves fell from the trees and lazily landed on his face.

Ge Tingting: “Pfft!” She purposely made a laughing sound with the AI.

“They should be fine. After all, it’s Yin Ge.” She bought a bag full of snacks from the school store and was currently munching on spicy sticks at the other end of the bench.

“Even the Great Celestial Master has never gone through compulsory education.” Huang Jin despondently removed the leaf from his face. “Well, it’s not like they’re in any life-threatening danger… Even if we were to wipe their ass, it’s not our turn. Hey, if you want to stay here for a bit, I’ll go out first—”

“Skipping work is wrong,” Ge Tingting sternly remarked.

Huang Jin silently placed the leaf back on his face. “It’s raining, and we’re just wasting time sitting here. Liang Shan and Lu Xiaohe at least have the office to stay in. We’re just wandering outside with nothing to do.

“It’s wrong to be lazy.”

“…Hey, did Shian secretly give you a raise?”

“No!” Ge Tingting snorted, kicked away a leaf that flew towards her, and took out the case files to read.

Lu Chunlei’s information appeared on the tablet, looking somewhat dim in the rainy weather.

“You’re still looking? Don’t you know how many times you’ve looked already?” Huang Jin finally gave up using the leaf to cover his face to avoid reality. “Her file isn’t anything special, right?”

“Hmm.”

Ge Tingting tapped the screen and increased the brightness. She enlarged the photo of Luo Chunlei, whose face looked upright, lovely, and had a smile that was quite endearing.

Luo Chunlei came from a wealthy family. Her mother was a high-ranking executive who was shrewd and capable. Her father used to be involved in the high-interest loan business and earned quite a sum of illicit money in his early years. Since the regulations became stricter, her father changed his occupation a few years ago, resulting in a sharp decrease in income. However, overall, the assets of her family were sufficient to ensure a comfortable life for her for two lifetimes.

Of course, every family had its own difficulties. Since Luo Chunlei’s father changed his occupation, his income was lower than his wife’s, and he started drinking heavily at home, often verbally abusing his wife and daughter. Physical abuse only became a recent occurrence—

Just a week ago, when he was heavily drunk, he directly smashed a liquor bottle on his wife and child’s heads. The neighbors were frightened and immediately reported it, but the matter was ultimately dropped.

“It’s just that their family relationship isn’t good. There’s no reason for that girl to go crazy like that.” Huang Jin played with a dry leaf in his hand. “To put it bluntly, if I could have their family conditions, I’d be overjoyed.”

“You shouldn’t compare like that.”

Ge Tingting, who was also an orphan, scrolled through the information.

“But you’re right. That’s not a reason for her to harm her classmates. There’s a cause and effect for every grievance. If I were her, I would deal with my father first—”

Huang Jin: “…”

Huang Jin: “…You don’t need to go into that kind of hypothetical situation.”

“—When there’s a problem, you have to solve it. If you can’t solve the problem, then transfer the malice onto others just to feel better yourself,” Ge Tingting stubbornly concluded. “Miss Ding’s way of handling things is much better.”

Huang Jin originally moved his seat a bit, seemingly trying to distance himself from his colleague. But upon hearing the latter half of her sentence, he silently moved back.

There were a few minutes left before class started, and most of the students had returned to the school building. The playground and gardens were empty, and the drizzling rain fell lightly. Maple leaves swayed with the autumn breeze, and the air seemed different from the outside world.

Ge Tingting closed her tablet, looked longingly at the children running towards the classroom in the rain, and then stuffed another spicy strip into her mouth.

However, before she could even swallow the food, she choked on the chili oil and felt dizzy.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

From the direction of the middle school building, there came distant and grating sounds of impact. The noise was accompanied by countless shouts and murmurs, as well as a creepy and sticky sound that reminded her of a group of corpses pushing open the doors of a tomb.

It wasn’t a sound of this world.

…It couldn’t even be called a “sound”. What she heard was the insane ravings of corpses, with no musical quality to it.

Thump! Thump! Thump!

The sounds of impact reverberated deep in her mind, as if the whole world was trembling and her brain was being pounded in a mortar. Ge Tingting instinctively covered her ears, letting out a groan of pain.

The package of spicy sticks fell on the ground, and the bright red snacks were covered in dusty soil.

“Hey, hey, what’s wrong with you?” Huang Jin instantly dropped his casual attitude and half squatted in front of Ge Tingting. “Xiao Ge, Xiao Ge! Can you still speak?”

Ge Tingting’s face turned red, and she remained silent.

“I’ll contact Liang Shan right away.” Huang Jin quickly took out his phone.

“I’m fine.” Ge Tingting stared intently in the direction where the sound came from, gritting her teeth as she typed. “It should be over now. I heard some uncomfortable strange sounds… Yin Ren was right. Something is off here.”

Huang Jin finally breathed a sigh of relief. He touched Ge Tingting’s sweaty forehead, and his brows were still furrowed. “Are you sure I don’t need to find someone?”

“I’m really fine.” Ge Tingting wiped her face. “I…”

Thump! Thump! Thump!

For some reason, after a few minutes of silence, the sound suddenly pierced her mind again. Ge Tingting couldn’t hold back and vomited all over the floor.

“Cough… cough… cough…”

She wiped away the vomit from the corner of her mouth in agony, trying to suppress the urge to vomit deep in her throat. Fortunately, another wave of sound followed, and the previous noise disappeared, replaced by the melodious sound of the school bell.

Huang Jin hurriedly rummaged through his bag for wet wipes and then hastily composed a text message. Before he could send the message, a figure stopped in front of the two of them.

A bony hand reached out to them, holding out a thermos cup.

“Have some warm water to soothe your stomach, little girl,” the man said with a smile.

Ge Tingting struggled to lift her head.

Facing her was a thin man dressed as a school worker. His clothes were slightly wet from the rain, and he didn’t carry an umbrella. He had a bamboo-handled broom in his arms. His hair was gray, and he had two large eye bags hanging down, with the sound of wheezing phlegm in his voice, typical of someone who was sick.

Judging from his physique, he was probably in his forties, but his face appeared much older than Fu Xingchuan, who was the same age.

“Don’t be afraid that it’s dirty. I brought some sugar water, and I haven’t drunk it yet.” Seeing that neither of them accepted, the man smiled and added. He unscrewed the lid, and the brown sugar water inside was indeed full.

Huang Jin skeptically took the thermos cup—this man seemed to have no ill intentions. He casually used his personal spirit weapon to test it, and there was nothing inappropriate added to the sugar water.

After contemplating the man’s surface thoughts for a while, he found only some memories of the school students’ actions and a little concern—it seemed like he genuinely cared about Ge Tingting.

“Thank you, uncle.” Since everyone else had done their part, he couldn’t refuse either.

Ge Tingting drank the bottle of warm red sugar water, and her breathing gradually steadied. “I’m sorry for throwing up here. I’ll clean it up myself later.”

“Hey, it’s high-tech.” The school worker glanced at the AI device that made the sound and smiled with some surprise. He sat down on a nearby stone bench. “It’s not a problem. I just finished sweeping that area. Once the rain stops, I’ll clean up here.”

The cool autumn rain dripped steadily on the rain cover, and the water droplets slowly fell along the edges. The three of them weren’t far apart, but only the sound of rain filled the air.

“…Miss, I haven’t seen you before. Are you a middle school student?” The school worker naturally spoke up.

“No, I just brought my sister to take a look.” Huang Jin quickly picked up the conversation. “She wants to transfer schools, and we’re looking for a school she likes. Uncle, if you noticed, she has special circumstances.”

Ge Tingting nodded in agreement.

“No need to look further. This school is quite good.” The school worker chuckled. “I’ve been working here for seven or eight years, and I can guarantee I’m telling the truth.”

The school worker’s surface thoughts quickly recalled memories related to this school, and he didn’t seem like he was lying.

However, halfway through the recollection, the man started coughing heavily, pounding his chest.

The not-so-roomy school uniform he wore seemed loose on him, revealing protruding bone joints, and the cheap pants were creased. Huang Jin’s gaze swept over the school worker’s retro cloth shoes, then returned to the man’s haggard face.

“We’re also quite satisfied with this school, and we just want to experience the atmosphere for a few more days.” Huang Jin laughed it off.

Whether intentionally or not, Ge Tingting quickly changed the subject. “Is your health okay? You seem to be coughing quite severely. My grandmother used to cough like that… She had lingering effects from the previous famine. Everyone says that with proper care, she’ll definitely get better.”

The school worker’s expression stiffened for a moment. He grasped the broom like a chicken claw while his gaze shifted to the withering leaves swaying in the wind and rain.

“Don’t judge me based on my appearance. When I was young, I was healthy. I could eat as much as I wanted, and I could finish whatever was served.”

He chuckled bitterly, and a touch of sadness appeared on his face.

“Everyone is living well. Living a long life, eating well. Back then, I didn’t look like this… cough, cough.”

“And then?” Ge Tingting timely interjected.

“And then, there was the famine. These health problems of mine were caused by hunger. You could say they are the remnants of that. Haa, there wasn’t enough food, and I was particularly unlucky… I could only eat less and less…”

The school worker turned his clouded eyes away, and his tone became almost gentle.

Ge Tingting looked at him with a bewildered expression. There hadn’t been any reports of famine in the country recently.

“Of course, it’s my own constitution. I have a colleague who not only is younger and healthier than me, but recently, they still have as much food as they want.”

Even Huang Jin furrowed his brow this time. He couldn’t understand what the school worker was talking about at all. His narrative and specific events didn’t seem to align.

“Uncle, I have some money here. Can you bring it to your colleague and have your colleague share some food with you?” Ge Tingting didn’t think too much about it and took out her phone. “Consider it a thank you gift for the sugar water.”

“No need, little miss.”

The school worker shook his head with a smile.

“That colleague of mine passed away not long ago—life is just so unpredictable. I thought he would definitely be the one among us to live the longest.”

“I’m sorry…”

“It’s okay.” The school worker waved his hand. “There’s a saying, ‘Ignorance is bliss’.”

…As he uttered the last sentence, his tone was slightly strange. The school worker’s demeanor remained gentle, but Ge Tingting’s neck hairs remained on end. Now it seemed that it was more than just the cold rain.

Ge Tingting forced herself to adjust her breathing. She picked up the cup and walked quickly in front of the school worker.

“Uncle, here’s your cup. The rain is too heavy, so my brother and I will go back first.”

The school worker silently looked at her for a while, and his murky eyes revealed no emotion.

“Oh, come again.”

After a moment, he responded slowly.

“This is the best school.”

---

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

---

Chapter 195: Countdown

“Don’t worry, we have been keeping an eye on Luo Chunlei’s family. Nothing major will happen. But to be honest, our ability to handle these incidents is limited. At most, we can rescue people faster. You also know that everywhere in Haigu has been chaotic recently.”

Regarding Unit 9’s strange experience, Liang Shan commented nonchalantly.

At this moment, they were walking on the campus of Haigu Secondary School. It was time for school to be dismissed, and students were frolicking on the playground, creating a peaceful scene.

Yin Ren looked up. The evening sky was clear and transparent, with a few feather-like clouds drifting by. The high school students were about to attend evening self-study, and the windows of the school building were lit with the cold light of fluorescent lamps. Various mobile food stalls were set up outside the school, emanating the enticing aroma of steaming, frying, grilling, and roasting snacks.

The air was filled with the flavors of the human world. However, for some reason, Yin Ren felt more uncomfortable here than in the enclosed memory campus.

“If it weren’t for Yin Ren today, their whole family would have been burned alive.” Ge Tingting’s face stiffened, clearly still shaken. “Are they really okay? We saw that man start the fire; we can testify to it.”

“It’s not the first time something like this has happened, and it’s useless.” Liang Shan sighed. “Their family situation has always been problematic. That man even brought gasoline into their home before. The neighbors reported it, but their whole family adamantly denied it… And when Yin Ren swapped the liquid in the lighter, they said it was just a ‘joke’, so we couldn’t do anything about it.”

Ge Tingting stood frozen on the spot. “The whole family denied it? But if this continues, people will die!”

“These kinds of things have been happening all the time.” Liang Shan scratched his head. “The police have their own responsibilities. If you can help us find the source of the corruption sooner, the entire city’s police force will be grateful to you. But for now, let’s focus on solving the issues in the school.”

Ge Tingting looked again at the brightly lit school building and her expression became complicated.

A few hours passed.

Yin Ren collapsed on the sofa in the school conference room, his eyes devoid of any luster.

This place had been converted into a temporary base for the Shian team. Except for Lu Xiaohe, who was diligently debugging computer equipment, everyone else exuded an air of despair.

“There are too many, too many corruption sources. We can’t catch them all,” Yin Ren muttered on the sofa. “And they are all youth versions… The corruption level of those little gadgets is even weaker than what circulates outside.”

This level of corruption was the most troublesome. It wouldn’t trigger the kind of crazy public incidents of people attacking and acid-throwing each other on the streets, but it ensured that this school would be constantly in chaos, with bloodshed every day. Moreover, both the junior and senior departments operated on a day-school system, so these students would bring the corruption source back home and share the same contamination with their families.

Even though Liang Shan’s team confiscated half of the sources, when Yin Ren was wandering around the school building, he discovered hundreds of faint traces once again. He almost suspected that there was a gap in the school, leading to a cross-border black market for counterfeit goods. Although the corruption sources with weak traces were easier to produce, this was still too exaggerated.

What was even more exaggerated was that Yin Ren attempted to divine the origins of these pollutants. The divination results led in all directions, enough for them to investigate for a year without repeating.

The people who knew the results remained silent.

Who could have imagined that after solving extraordinary cases, battling fierce ghosts, and even traveling through corpses, they would still feel at a loss when faced with countless trivial cases.

“I suggest we deal with it casually for a few days and continue to look for Lu Xiaohe’s mother.”

Huang Jin lay on the sofa on the other side, tilting his head back. His tone carried a hint of weariness.

The investigation team was there for the sake of appearances, while their Unit 9 was the real deal. They had come here to reduce external suspicion, waiting for Shian to crack the wooden talisman and rescue people from the Other Side.

Did they really have to rely on the legendary Great Celestial Master to resolve teenage conflicts? If they invested too much energy here, the gains would clearly not outweigh the losses.

“It seems King Yama enjoys watching his little devils cause trouble. Even if we find out the truth about that little girl, the case will remain unsolvable, and the police won’t be able to do anything to her… The situation in this school is so complicated that it’s really not worth it.”

After struggling for a while, Huang Jin finally managed to express his idea that “this mission is better suited for slacking off”.

Liang Shan brought up two bags of boxed meals and arrived just in time to catch the end of the conversation, showing a helpless expression of “I knew it all along”.

Zhong Chengshuo sat properly next to Yin Ren, secretly hooking his finger around Yin Ren’s while his eyes were fixed on the empty space. After a few seconds, he leaned in close to Yin Ren’s ear and whispered a couple of sentences.

Yin Ren, who had been limp earlier, suddenly sat up straight with a pensive face.

“Why are you whispering?” Liang Shan distributed the boxed meals while sitting in a row. “It’s work time, you two. Be mindful of your influence.”

“No, I just suddenly realized a loophole.”

Yin Ren picked up a grain of rice with the tip of his chopsticks.

“According to Huang Jin, Luo Chunlei is obsessed with animated characters to an extreme and paranoid degree. She came into contact with the source of corruption, so why didn’t she disappear?”

“Wasn’t it said that the corruption sources here are relatively weak? Perhaps the intensity is not enough.” Huang Jin snapped open a pair of disposable chopsticks.

“It could also be that the emotional types are different.”

Lu Xiaohe’s fingertips crackled incessantly.

“At this age, kids might say ‘love’ with their mouths, but most of the time, it’s just self-entertainment. Whether it’s their favorite sports team, celebrity, or character, it’s more like a form of solace or pastime. Of course, if the attachment is deep, there might be genuine love, but they are too young now, and it’s difficult for them to change their nature through their own willpower.”

“Although it seems similar… Personally, I think they are chasing happiness rather than chasing love.”

“Yeah, I don’t quite understand, but it sounds reasonable.” Yin Ren quickly finished his boxed meal and leaned in next to Lu Xiaohe.

“Any developments on Luo Chunlei’s side?”

“Are you really fixated on that kid?” Huang Jin said with anguish.

“She has the most severe case, being the most heavily corrupted person in this school.” Ge Tingting pondered. “If we want to trace the source of corruption, I would start with her too.”

“…” Huang Jin glanced at Ge Tingting with a nearly despairing look. “Fine, we’ll work overtime tonight then.”

“Here it is!” Huang Jin elongated “overtime”, but before he could finish, Lu Xiaohe raised her voice.

At 7:45 in the evening, after finishing dinner, Luo Chunlei opened the spare phone hidden in her closet.

“The phone number is registered under an adult’s ID, so judging from the owner’s identity, it’s a black market SIM card.” Lu Xiaohe quickly displayed the contents on the phone screen.

Luo Chunlei exhibited an unusual level of caution for her age. All the social and communication apps on her phone were registered under this black number. After unlocking the phone, she headed straight to the topic—the anonymous group in the social app.

[Latest update on burying the bitch. She’s still in the hospital, and the police can’t catch me, hehe. If she’s not dead, I will definitely kill her next time.]

She quickly typed a long paragraph.

Then, the group was flooded with messages of “Righteous Girls Eliminating Evil”.

[But I heard it was Pure who did it all, and those people who were with Pure in the past all left the group.] Another anonymous message appeared.

[Pure is not even in this group; it definitely isn’t Pure. It’s just that group of useless people causing trouble when things get big 😘.] Everyone used randomly assigned names and no one used their real names.

[I hope something happens to that person. I already bought champagne [champagne photo].] Below this message was a photoshopped image of Zhang Hejun, clearly taken secretly.

[That bitch with a loose mouth will get what’s coming to her. Mindless slander, be careful, righteous girls will dig up her whole family www*]

*Internet slang for LOL.

[Righteous girls, increase the intensity ☆ let’s have a feast next time.]

[Wouldn’t it be better if it’s Pure? Who can blame a twelve-year-old? ~ It’s just that bitch doesn’t have an account; otherwise, I would be the first to curse her until she buries herself ~~~~]

……

The group was flooded with messages at an extremely fast pace, with everyone expressing regret that Zhang Hejun didn’t die. Although a few people silently left the group, no one openly spoke in her defense.

Lu Xiaohe’s expression became increasingly grim as she accessed the information in the anonymous group.

“Over 70% are kids below fifteen years old, with about eight or nine adults over twenty.” She furrowed her brows. “Luo Chunlei’s main account is not in this group. She only has a secondary account here to anonymously send messages, and she even shared Zhang Hejun’s photo.”

“What about before?” Liang Shan also approached.

“Before, she often took screenshots and posted insulting messages in the group, or she would boast about her main account using someone else’s identity. However, her previous actions were limited to the online realm. This is the first time it has extended into reality.” Lu Xiaohe swiftly organized the statements belonging to Luo Chunlei. “She is a minor celebrity in this group. This little girl… haa.”

After reviewing the testimonies of other participants, it became clear that Zhang Hejun had simply misspoke in an incomprehensible manner, using the slang term “black name” within their small circle.

At this moment, with all members of Unit 9 watching, the anonymous area was still flooded with messages.

Luo Chunlei: [Hope you idiots can follow the rules and use your brains. Don’t give her another chance to be a righteous woman.]

A few seconds later, she added another line—

[Let’s see if our Miss Cockroach dares to come back to school. If she doesn’t transfer, we’ll make her reincarnate 😘.]

“Alright, you can leave it to me. I’ll go back and talk to Officer Sun about the situation, and the police will take it from there. As for the source of the corruption, I will apply for an opportunity to interrogate.”

Liang Shan’s face turned serious as he took several deep breaths. No matter how you looked at it, that “well-behaved” little girl was clearly enjoying herself.

“I’m not sure if that’s a good idea.” Yin Ren observed the rapidly scrolling text lines and nodded thoughtfully.

“This girl is quite scheming. She might not tell the truth to adults. If possible, I’d prefer to observe her up close.”

With that, Yin Ren removed Yellow Millet in its pendant form from his phone, which was accompanied by the excited cry of “puff”. Yellow Millet then appeared in Zhong Chengshuo’s palm.

In the next moment, Yellow Millet’s illusion activated. The originally tall and sturdy Zhong Chengshuo was covered by the illusion, and a youth with pitch-black pupils and wearing the Haigu Secondary School uniform appeared in his place.

Wearing the loose school uniform, Zhong Chengshuo silently stood there, looking exceptionally slim. His appearance was identical to his archived profile, with soft black hair that reached slightly beyond his ears and a face with gentle features, portraying an obedient “good student”.

The kind that was particularly easy to bully.

Meanwhile, Yin Ren himself emitted a faint black aura, which dissipated to reveal his own youthful appearance. The former Great Celestial Master floated in the air, and his arms wrapped around Zhong Chengshuo’s neck. With his bent crimson eyes and long, flowing black hair, he had slightly shortened in stature.

This hair length was somewhat similar… to Zhang Hejun’s.

“Let Zhang Hejun rest more in the hospital.” Yin Ren ruffled his forehead, symbolically hiding his face with his bangs. “Next, I will disguise her ghost. As for you, Zhong Ge. You’ll just play the role of her distant relative—it’s all planned out. Let’s call you Zhang San.”

Liang Shan: “…”

Liang Shan quickly changed the subject. “… Xiao Yin, your mastery of spells has improved a lot! If it weren’t for me, others wouldn’t see through it.”

He stared intently at Zhong Chengshuo’s face. Upon hearing these words, Huang Jin curiously glanced at Liang Shan.

It seemed that this person was unaware.

Yellow Millet’s obscuring illusion was flawlessly executed by Yin Ren. The current Zhong Chengshuo was merely a substitute for an evil, easily transformed.

“Next, let’s ask the police to relax temporarily and allow Luo Chunlei to return to school.” Yin Ren floated behind the young Zhong Chengshuo, resembling a solid and fierce ghost. “In this chaotic school, we can fully experience it for a couple of days.”

Zhong Chengshuo looked at his own hand.

Yellow Millet’s illusion had no effect on him personally, and he couldn’t perceive what Yin Ren had done. However, he noticed that the gazes from all directions had shifted, and his “visual height” had become significantly shorter.

Yin Ren’s own transformation was genuine, with the young Ghost King fluttering around him, appearing to be in a good mood.

“My job is to cooperate with all of you.” Liang Shan laughed heartily. “What about the others?”

“Yin Ren’s idea is feasible. I’ll be in command here, and Ge Tingting and Huang Jin will continue their covert surveillance. It would be great if we could obtain concrete evidence, and if we could get clues from Luo Chunlei, that’d be a pleasant surprise.”

Lu Xiaohe paused her typing. Her newly created account had already joined the anonymous area.

“But our time is limited… Yin Ren, we only have four days until the connection to the other side is established. Is that enough time?”

“It’s enough.”

……

The next day, two major events occurred in Class 1-3 at Haigu Secondary School:

First, Luo Chunlei, who had been absent due to illness, returned to class.

Second, a new transfer student joined the class, rumored to be a relative of Zhang Hejun.

“Let’s welcome Zhang San, our new classmate.”

As soon as the teacher finished the introduction, the classroom erupted in laughter.

The teacher cleared his throat warningly several times before being able to continue.

“He is a relative of Zhang Hejun, and he will help take notes for Hejun during her absence. Please take care of your new classmate. I want to emphasize once again that Zhang Hejun has experienced a very unfortunate accident. Students should be careful when walking and avoid dangerous areas. The new student should also be cautious and not wander into the back mountain casually…”

In the front row of the classroom, Luo Chunlei glanced at Zhong Chengshuo for a moment, then shifted her gaze away, looking out of the window as if nothing had happened.

“Fortunes change, huh?” Yin Ren floated behind Zhong Chengshuo and playfully bit his ear. “Zhong Ge, do you need me to remind you of your lines?”

Zhong Chengshuo rubbed the strands of hair in his palm.

In the eyes of the students, the handsome new transfer student spoke up.

“Hello, everyone,” he said softly. “I’m here to find the culprit.”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

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Chapter 194: Family of Three

“It’s been a few months, and you guys have both been promoted to B-level. Not bad, not bad. When I first saw you two, I thought you would at least spend three to five years in C-level.”

As for Zhong Chengshuo, who was “sacrificed”, it was kept confidential according to regulations, and poor Liang Shan was left in the dark. He patted the shoulders of the two vigorously.

Seeing the arrival of the investigation team, Mr. Liang Shan quickly dropped the line, “It’s great. I know them well. I’ll be responsible for communication,” and then abandoned his laptop with a face filled with relief. At noon, he generously booked a private room in the hospital cafeteria, claiming it was a reunion banquet.

It was just that most of the dishes served were from the hospital cafeteria, and Liang Shan only went out to buy some beverages.

On the makeshift “banquet” made of a stack of metal trays, Liang Shan distributed the beverages to everyone. Yin Ren’s hands instinctively reached for the cola, but midway through, he changed his mind and grabbed two bottles of sugar-free sparkling water.

“Things have been restless in Haigu lately. It’s been a long time since we got together… Oh, Lu Jie, you’re a rear commander. Why did you come to the front line?” Liang Shan took a seat and twisted open a bottle of lemon tea for himself.

“The case is quite special.” Lu Xiaohe tried to force a smile.

Mentioning the matter, a hint of bitterness instantly mixed into Liang Shan’s previously cheerful expression. “Don’t talk about it. We’re having troubles on our end too… Those kids are under fourteen, there are multiple participants, and the victim isn’t dead. Thinking about how to handle the aftermath gives me a headache. Now, it seems like Haigu’s secondary schools is a revolving stage where I’ll end up dying in this position sooner or later.”

He took a bite of an egg, chewing in frustration.

“Now I don’t understand what Shian’s intentions are. The Emergency Management Department is suppressing us with rules and regulations and not giving us additional manpower. Yet, they sent a B-level team. I really don’t know whether they value us or not.”

“There have been many incidents like this recently.” Zhong Chengshuo accurately summarized the key points.

“No kidding, this one is particularly heinous. Just talking about fights and brawls, we have more than a dozen cases every day.” Liang Shan glanced at him. “Just a few days ago, there was a bloody incident. Let me count… Four male high school students got into a conflict because they supported different basketball teams. The craziest one stabbed someone with a pen. Fortunately, there were no serious injuries.”

“Then there’s the incident at the affiliated elementary school, where a girl was collectively insulted on an anonymous wall and attempted suicide. Just after her suspension, it turned out to be related to idol fandom. A male student in her class pushed a girl from the neighboring class down the stairs, resulting in a fracture. The parents claimed that he had a crush on the girl and wanted to get her attention.”

Liang Shan counted on his fingers.

“The most troublesome case regarding the middle school is the one involving being buried alive, and the reason is trivial. But now that you guys are here, we can all share the headache together.”

Liang Shan laughed heartily, but the reaction from the Shian team was lukewarm. Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo maintained polite expressions and pleasantries, while Ge Tingting didn’t know how to respond. Lu Xiaohe still had half of her mind concerned about her missing mother, and Huang Jin’s reaction was the most direct—his face glanced at Liang Shan with a complex expression, clearly conveying the message “That’s it”.

Liang Shan’s smile twitched slightly, and he cleared his throat. “Perfect. This afternoon, I was planning to meet the most stubborn person related to the case. How about one of you go in my place? You’re all good-looking guys and girls, which will be more appealing to middle school girls.”

……

Huang Jin originally dismissed this “home visit”.

When he was sneaking around as a Nightwalker, he witnessed more miserable and bizarre things than this. Students in civilized society using such means against each other seemed like child’s play to him.

In previous cases, he could only make use of his spirit smith identity, and most of the time, he didn’t need it, which made him feel frustrated. This time, he finally caught a case with a high bonus and no risk to life. He was so happy about it. Comrade Liang Shan must have soaked in a peaceful atmosphere for too long, which made him think that such trivial matters were troublesome.

Joking aside, he could see people’s thoughts. When facing ordinary people who were unwilling to reveal their true feelings, this ability was truly advantageous. Even if Yin Ren was the respected Great Celestial Master, he might not be better than him in this aspect.

The “most stubborn” person related to the case lived in a medium-high-end residential area. The elevator in the corridor was clean, and there was even aromatherapy in the corners. Perhaps because the community was relatively new, there were no ghosts or strong negative energies around.

After sensing such an environment in the mortal realm, Huang Jin’s mood improved slightly. He didn’t lag behind the team as usual, but instead, he slightly overtook Ge Tingting and stood behind Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo.

A middle-aged woman opened the door.

Her thoughts on the surface were organized and faint, to the extent that Huang Jin could make out her clothing and figure. Most of the information surrounding her was about numbers and schedules, with hardly any emotional fluctuations.

[Not sure if two hours will be enough. If I’m not there, will the meeting materials be messed up?]

[What a hassle. They keep asking about the kids’ nonsense over and over again. They seem impressive. Maybe that family wants to extort money.]

“You’re looking for Chunlei, right? I’m her mother… There are quite a few people. Excuse me, can I check your identification?”

After checking everyone’s identification, the mother took a step back. She concealed her impatience well in her tone. But Huang Jin could see the restless thoughts swirling around her body.

“Chunlei, someone is here to talk to you. Come out.” The woman turned towards the nearby room door and spoke with a tone of indifference and detachment from the matter at hand.

The door was tightly shut, with <Song of a Thousand Seas> wallpaper pasted on it. There were faint traces of adhesive and torn pieces of paper stuck around the wallpaper. Inside the room, there was complete silence, as if no one was present.

“Chunlei, I still have a meeting. Don’t waste my time,” the woman raised her voice and called out again.

After a few seconds, the door slowly opened.

Huang Jin instinctively leaned back on the sofa.

The girl was surrounded by swirling characters of “like, like, like, like”, “masterpiece, masterpiece, masterpiece, masterpiece”, “Jiao Jiao is cute, cute”, which were incredibly large and spun crazily around her. Among the gaps in her thoughts, there was more impatience and annoyance than her mother, and even a sense of satisfaction for not having to go to school these days, as if she had accomplished something significant.

Thoughts about Zhang Hejun only appeared once amidst her swirling thoughts.

[Why didn’t that bitch die?] Chunlei thought lightly.

Huang Jin felt a bit uncomfortable and shifted his body.

The emotions of young people were delicate and light, like white foam shimmering with colorful fragments. The thoughts of the people on the street seemed impressive to some extent. However, the thoughts of this twelve-year-old girl made him feel an indescribable discomfort.

“Hello, brothers and sisters, my name is Luo Chunlei. You can ask me anything, and I will cooperate.”

Despite her chaotic and frenzied thoughts, her tone was very obedient and cute, sounding like a normal child.

“You all look so good—much better looking than the police officers yesterday.”

Huang Jin sighed and tapped the screen of his phone.

[Ten Thousand Taels: She’s not thinking much about the case, and I’m not sure about the details. But she has no remorse and harbors strong hostility towards Zhang Hejun.]

[Ten Thousand Taels: Don’t be fooled by this girl’s attitude.]

Yin Ren lowered his head and sent an [OK] in the group.

“When it comes to burying Zhang Hejun alive, they all say that you were the one in charge. When did you come up with this idea?” Yin Ren smiled and asked.

“Mr. Yin, if you continue to use such inappropriate words, I might have to request a lawyer be present.” Chunlei’s mother maintained her businesslike tone.

“I already told the police yesterday that it was just kids fooling around, and it was Zhang something who was not careful. ‘Being in charge of the burying’ sounds too harsh. In a society based on the rule of law, people should pay attention to evidence when speaking.”

“It’s alright, Mom. I don’t feel anything about it anyway. If I didn’t do it, then I didn’t do it,” the girl added with a cheerful smile, then turned to Yin Ren, showing no signs of nervousness in her expression.

“I had an argument with Zhang Hejun, and we didn’t get along. That day…”

“That day, she invited you to the mountain behind school, and she fell into a pit herself. You just threw a couple of handfuls of soil at her to tease her and then left early,” Zhong Chengshuo recited from the files word by word. “That’s the statement you gave to the police.”

This girl’s mental resilience was indeed impressive. The other girls who were involved in the burial were terrified when the police came knocking, and they confessed everything after a few rounds of questioning.

They were all fans of <Song of a Thousand Seas> and had previously attended the same primary school. Among them, Luo Chunlei came from a wealthy family and was generous with her spending. She could be considered the leader of their small group. Ever since Zhang Hejun made “insulting” remarks about their beloved “Jiao Jiao”, Luo Chunlei had been demanding that they harass Zhang Hejun for revenge.

[Initially, we wanted to criticize Zhang Hejun online, but she wasn’t in any group, didn’t have any social media accounts, and didn’t play on any platforms.]

Zhong Chengshuo had watched the video recordings of the girls’ interviews. The girls, aged around eleven or twelve, were on the verge of tears during their confessions, and it took them a while to calm down.

[Susu suggested using the anonymous wall on campus to insult Zhang Hejun, but Da Chun was worried that she wouldn’t see it, so she said she wanted to teach her a lesson in real life. At that time… when we found the pit, Da Chun suggested pushing the bitch… Zhang Hejun down and letting her stay there overnight…]

[But then, when we pushed her down, Da Chun found a shovel and asked us to fill the pit! At that moment, we… our minds went blank, and we took turns filling the pit… She was crying down there, and Da Chun said she deserved it. We just felt extremely excited and didn’t… didn’t think much about it…]

Unfortunately, there were no surveillance cameras in the mountain behind the school, and these young girls didn’t know what evidence to leave behind. The shovel they used to dig the soil was found at the scene, with only the fingerprints of the other girls on it. According to their statements, Luo Chunlei found the shovel dirty and used a handkerchief to cover the handle.

With only the testimonies of a few children, there was no concrete “evidence”.

Zhong Chengshuo pushed up his glasses while Luo Chunlei observed Yin Ren’s face and long hair with great interest, showing no signs of guilt.

“Yes, I already told the police officer. Do you have any other questions?” she said, looking at the others.

If Huang Jin hadn’t mentioned it, based on her performance alone, this little girl could easily pass for an innocent bystander.

“Brother is only doing a routine inquiry. Of course, we believe you,” Yin Ren said with a smile, then turned to Zhong Chengshuo.

“Zhong Ge, isn’t this like I said? It’s impossible for such a young child to commit a crime. It must be a misunderstanding.”

Luo Chunlei’s mother’s complexion improved slightly.

Yin Ren smiled faintly. “Our main task is to conduct an assessment. Someone buried prohibited pollutants in the mountain behind the school. The previous incident was just a joke involving your daughter. Now, we’ll test for contamination in her room, and our part will be done.”

The WeChat group of Unit 9 exploded.

[Ten Thousand Tales: This girl must be suspicious. Why didn’t you question her?]

[Milky Way: This is different from the agreed plan.]

[Fruit Knife: Mm.]

[Fruit Knife: Xiaohe Jie, later you, Zhong Ge and I will search the room. Huang Jin and Ge Tingting, keep an eye on Luo Chunlei.]

[Fruit Knife: I have my own plan.]

Yin Ren put his phone back in his pocket. His fingers tapped on the screen to finish typing, then he voluntarily locked it.

“Zhong Ge, Xiaohe Jie, let’s do a quick inspection together. It will only take three to five minutes, no problem… We have to enter your room and search. The detection equipment emits radiation, so please accompany your mother outside, little sister.”

Luo Chunlei’s expression stiffened for a moment. “Uh, okay!”

Huang Jin narrowed his eyes at her.

“Don’t worry, we’ll keep the door open during the inspection, and we won’t damage your things,” Yin Ren reassured cheerfully.

However, the moment he stepped into Luo Chunlei’s room, he immediately pinched Yellow Millet hanging from his phone. Yellow Millet emitted an excited “puff” sound, and in an instant, an illusion blocked the door.

This room was completely different from their impression of a “middle school student’s room”. All the walls, including the ceiling, were covered in posters of <Song of a Thousand Seas>. Even the bed covers and pillowcases were themed with related colors. Various merchandise occupied an entire wall. This girl must have bought numerous sets.

Every object was meticulously arranged in an organized and systematic manner, but they were packed so densely that it made it hard to breathe.

Even the experienced Lord Ghost King and King Yama were stunned for a moment by this sight.

Lu Xiaohe was the first to react. “Yin Ren, what did you just…”

“It’s fine even if you speak a little louder. They can only see illusions when they look into the room” Yin Ren exhaled, while he opened the workgroup chat and continued typing: [Is Luo Chunlei worried about anything? @Ten Thousand Taels]

[Ten Thousand Taels: …You are so ruthless.]

[Ten Thousand Taels: She’s worried if you will find the hidden phone in the closet under the clothes.]

[Fruit Knife: Just as expected.]

He went straight to the closet that occupied the opposite wall. Numerous strands of hair extended from his hand and slipped into the gaps of the closet. Within five seconds, a small phone was flipped out.

“Liang Shan and the others checked her phone, and it was clean,” Lu Xiaohe said, slightly surprised. “How did you know…”

“That kid has strong psychological resilience, and theoretically, she has been exposed to electronic devices longer than me. I will never underestimate any senior,” Yin Ren stated seriously. “Xiaohe Jie, can you install surveillance software on this in five minutes?”

……

Five minutes later, Yin Ren walked out of the room with a smile on his face. “We’re done searching, there’s nothing here. Sorry for the disturbance, we’ll go back now—”

“Go back? Just like that? What a letdown.”

A male voice sounded.

A drunken man leaned against the door frame. His face and neck were flushed from alcohol. It seemed like he had just entered, still holding an empty white wine bottle in his hand.

Huang Jin protected Ge Tingting and stood at a safe distance. Luo Chunlei’s mother was fully engrossed in a phone call, and her words were interspersed with excited laughter. Luo Chunlei smiled obediently and introduced with ease, “Brothers, sisters, this is my dad.”

“My wife is quite spirited, huh? Called so many people, spent quite a lot, huh?”

The man exhaled the smell of alcohol. His bloodshot eyes scanned the members of Unit 9, without any regard for his words.

The members of Unit 9 exchanged surprised glances—Luo Chunlei was right there in the living room, and even with his young daughter present, this gentleman clearly had no reservations.

“Sir, we are working in collaboration with the police.” Lu Xiaohe frowned and took the lead in stepping forward. “Please watch your words…”

Bang!!!

The man knocked the white wine bottle against the door frame, causing shards to splinter and leaving a small cut on his face.

“What… what… what kind of workers are you? My wife brought you here…” The man gestured with the sharp bottle while slurring his words. “A bunch of filthy scum…”

“Hahaha, Mr. Zhao, look at what you’re saying.”

Luo Chunlei’s mother seemed as if she hadn’t heard anything, laughing even more heartily. She stood in the middle of the living room, facing her husband’s outburst, but her gaze seemed to pass through thin air.

“I’m going to work soon. I promise it won’t delay—”

Despite being in the same room, the atmosphere among the family was even less harmonious than that with a stranger, creating an indescribable sense of discordance.

With cheerful and lively game music playing in the background, the man’s gaze swept across the living room, chuckling inexplicably. He tossed the bottle aside and staggered into the kitchen. Passing by Luo Chunlei’s mother as if they were two strangers.

Lu Xiaohe had just breathed a sigh of relief when the man emerged again.

This time, he had a bucket of disinfectant alcohol in his hand, along with a lighter.

“Boring.” He walked past his own wife and started splashing alcohol onto the wooden furniture.

The floor quickly became covered in puddles, but Luo Chunlei’s mother, who was still on the phone, simply glanced at it and walked to a clean spot without ever interrupting her laughter.

“Boring.” The strong-smelling alcohol was poured onto the sofa. Luo Chunlei wrinkled her nose and moved a bit farther away.

Huang Jin couldn’t bear it any longer. “You fucking—”

“Hmm?” The man played with the lighter as his bloodshot eyes turned towards Huang Jin. “What do you want to do? This is my house!”

“It wouldn’t be bad if we all died in my house, hehe…” In a daze, he seemed to remember something. “Right, the door. The door needs to be closed…”

In the next instant, he casually pressed the lighter.

Amidst the game sounds and laughter, the sound of the lighter “clicking” was barely audible. However, despite pressing the lighter, no flame emerged. The man shook the lighter in confusion and then began frantically pressing it.

Yin Ren relaxed his hand, having manipulated the lighter. The moment the man pressed the lighter, he had swapped out the gasoline with water.

“There’s a meeting at 7 o’clock tonight? I got it, mmhmm, no problem at all…” Luo Chunlei’s mother witnessed the entire scene but maintained steady breathing.

“It’s been a really unlucky day…” Luo Chunlei’s father continued pressing the lighter, click by click.

“Goodbye, big brothers and sisters!”

Luo Chunlei pointed to the slightly open anti-theft door with an extremely sweet smile. Half of her clothes were soaked in alcohol, emitting a strong alcoholic scent.

“You’re welcome to come and play again!”

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