Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 193: Motive for Murder

“Is everything okay with Uncle?”

On the way to the Municipal Hospital, Ge Tingting asked anxiously.

At this moment, the members of Unit 9 were sitting in a van. Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo occupied the last row, while Lu Xiaohe and Ge Tingting sat in the middle row. Huang Jin, a loner, huddled in the front passenger seat, emitting a sense of hatred towards the whole world.

Since narrowly escaping the Other Side, Huang Jin immediately took a leave of absence and rested for a day. Ever since his “persistent affection for Ding Lizi” was made public to all colleagues, he wished to use all his vacation time to escape reality.

However, the progress of the case was too fast, and Huang Jin’s ostrich plan failed in just one day.

“My dad is fine. I’ve talked to him. Minister Li isn’t someone who would lie about these things. He said that Mom won’t have any problems in the short term, so she’ll be fine.”

After receiving the explanation from Shian, Lu Xiaohe managed to get some sleep and finally no longer wore a haggard expression.

“Our investigation of these unusual cases is equivalent to investigating the source of corruption indirectly.”

Ge Tingting nodded, seemingly half understanding.

“According to Shian’s current intelligence, there has been a surge in homicides recently, more or less influenced by those sources of corruption. Those small pendants are like sieves—whoever comes into contact with them, those who meet the conditions disappear, and those who don’t become ‘carriers of corruption’ and unconsciously spread the contamination.”

Yin Ren in the back row patiently added.

“Thanks, Yin Ge. I understand now.” As the van stopped at a red light, Ge Tingting couldn’t help but look out of the window.

The weather was nice today, and the streets were bustling with people. Vehicles on the road flickered with reflections, and the subway rumbled past. On children’s necks, students’ backpacks, adults’ keychains or handbags, and various small charms for blessings swayed and shook.

It should have been a lively scene, but it sent shivers down her spine.

How did Sunken Society manage to do it?

The strength of those small things’ aura was difficult for Shian to detect. Judging from the sudden increase in the crime rate in Haigu, their ability to corrupt shouldn’t be underestimated. Sunken Society had been repeatedly thwarted by Shian recently that Ge Tingting couldn’t understand how they enacted such a tightly knit plan.

Ge Tingting earnestly edited her questions in the input box. When it came time to send, her fingertip hesitated over the “send” button, but she didn’t press it.

…No, perhaps she knew the reason.

How to infect living people and trigger abilities—there was no doubt that Sunken Society had conducted many experiments in this regard. Her “little accomplice”, Feng Qi, was still in Shian and had to undergo a physical examination every week, fearing the dire consequences left by contact with an original source of corruption.

And how to spread corruption uniformly and cause a large number of personnel to lose control; this similar research was conducted by Sunken Society in Gengsheng Town. At that time, the residents of Gengsheng Town collectively went mad, showing that Sunken Society’s research was quite successful.

She quickly deleted her previous question and typed a completely new one in the input box voiced by the AI.

“Sunken Society has been preparing for so long just to increase the crime rate in Haigu? But even if they make Haigu panic, what benefits does Sunken Society get from it?”

After all the hard work and research, the final product was being used in such a way. Ge Tingting had a feeling that Sunken Society had spent three years sharpening a sword only to use it to cut grass.

“That’s what we need to find out.”

Yin Ren also watched the bustling crowd on the street, his tone relaxed.

Undoubtedly, Sunken Society was collaborating with the Primordial Elementals from the Other Side. He would remember to ask these questions before he started eating Mr. Le.

“Well, I have another question.”

Ge Tingting contemplated for a moment and honestly added another question.

“It’s not that cold today. Why did you put a scarf on the flesh puppet? Is there any significance to it?”

Yin Ren’s relaxed expression froze on his face.

The autumn chill had been growing stronger recently. Yin Ren was fine; he just added a black hoodie over his T-shirt, still maintaining that casual and carefree look reminiscent of a classic modern young person’s attire.

On the other hand, Zhong Chengshuo was dressed neatly in a high-necked white shirt and a light beige windbreaker. He even wore a long, light brown scarf, looking quite formal. His glasses covered his dim eyes, giving him a harmless and gentle appearance.

“…My flesh puppet is precious, and it’s necessary to keep it warm.” Lord Ghost King glanced at his lover along the way and casually blurted out.

“Is there such a thing?” Huang Jin, whose knowledge as a spirit smith was challenged, finally couldn’t hold back.

“My flesh puppet is special. Is that not allowed?” Yin Ren crossed his arms. “What are you looking at? The flesh puppet spells you use were improved by me.”

“And I really like this scarf,” Zhong Chengshuo added as he naturally placed his hand on the back of Yin Ren’s hand. “We picked this scarf together.”

Huang Jin scrutinized Zhong Chengshuo for a while with a complex gaze, then loudly clicked his tongue.

Seeing that the atmosphere in the van was about to shift from colleagues bickering to a sorrowful story, the van creaked to a stop near the hospital. Huang Jin was the first to jump out, almost colliding with a group of passing students.

The young boys and girls were wearing school uniforms and had childish faces but were not short in stature. They seemed to be returning from some activity, walking around in a scattered manner, running, and jumping around. Huang Jin was bumped by a few male students who passed by and almost stumbled on the roadside.

Yin Ren followed and got out of the van. He grimaced at Huang Jin and said, “Alright, let’s go. Hurry up and go meet your Ding Lizi. Maybe you can catch lunch together. You two can be alone…”

Before he could finish his sentence, a surge of hostility suddenly surged around them, and a spell came crashing down towards them.

The spell itself wasn’t powerful, and Yin Ren easily blocked it with a casual gesture, but then he furrowed his brows—the source of that spell turned out to be the wooden spirit weapon in Huang Jin’s hand.

“Huang Jin, what’s going on?” Lu Xiaohe was surprised.

With a thud, the wooden spirit weapon fell to the ground. It rolled back and forth on the stone bricks a few times, dropped onto the road, and in the next moment, it was crushed into pieces by a passing vehicle.

Huang Jin broke out in a cold sweat, his chest heaving uncontrollably. He seemed to have just woken up from a dream, instinctively looking at Yin Ren with a bewildered gaze. “I… “

“What happened to you?” Ge Tingting’s expression wasn’t pleasant either.

“I don’t know.” Huang Jin tremblingly put away the spirit weapon. “I just felt annoyed by Yin Ren and wanted to give him a beating to feel satisfied.”

“Oh, really? Tell us about it,” Yin Ren took a step closer, his expression blank.

“No, no, no, I didn’t actually want to hurt you! I wouldn’t be able to kill you even if you stood there and let me hit you!” Seeing Yin Ren’s serious expression, Huang Jin remembered his identity, and his scalp went numb.

“No, what you did just now isn’t like you. What were you thinking at that moment? Tell us in detail.”

Huang Jin was taken aback. He seemed to realize something, and his expression turned serious.

“Since it’s related to the case, then I’ll tell the truth.”

Huang Jin looked up at the sky, and his tone became determined.

“I was thinking just now, even if Zhong Chengshuo is gone, and even if you’ve created some kind of evil substitute, there’s no need to show affection in front of everyone. I’m being cautious with Ding Lizi on my side, but you’re acting so casual… Forget it, I can’t put it into words. It’s just that when you were talking, I suddenly found you displeasing and wanted to vent.”

“Hmm.” Yin Ren didn’t get angry; he responded earnestly, then turned his head to look at the group of middle school students running in the distance. The sunlight was just right, and the loose school uniforms were wrapped around the figures of the youths. It should have been a scene full of youthful vitality.

But he faintly felt a chilling trace.

……

“Zhang Hejun, thirteen years old, Grade 7, Class 3 of Haigu Junior High School. This girl has congenital heart disease and was my patient. She stayed in the hospital for a year.”

Outside the ward, Sun Qi’an drank a can of Red Bull and let out a heavy sigh.

“She was recovering quite well before. Her parents were discussing sending her back to school… But just a few months after returning, something like this happened. Her parents must be devastated.”

Inside the ward, Zhang Hejun was still sleeping. According to the police’s explanation, she was conscious for a while and managed to provide a description of the case. However, afterwards, she became extremely drowsy. At the moment, she was in a deep sleep, and the nurses didn’t allow anyone to visit her.

“How is Zhang Hejun’s condition?” Yin Ren looked at the tightly closed ward door.

“Not good. She was buried for quite a long time, and it was a close call to save her. Her physical condition wasn’t good to begin with, and the duration of cerebral hypoxia was too long. It’s a miracle that she woke up… As for any potential sequelae, it’s hard to say. But given her current condition, there must be some problem with her brain.”

Saying this, Sun Qi’an’s delicate face twisted slightly.

“Those kids are really crazy, doing something like this. There were no signs beforehand, and what happened far exceeded the level of campus violence. It doesn’t make sense at all.”

“…Yeah, and we can’t do anything about them. Among the kids who acted, the oldest is just twelve years old.”

Officer Sun, in plainclothes, brought a bag of drinks and approached the group.

“Dad!” Sun Qi’an’s furrowed brow relaxed, finally showing a hint of a smile. Officer Sun took out a can of hot juice and gently pressed it against Sun Qi’an’s cheek.

But when he turned to the members of Unit 9, his expression became serious again.

“I’ve given you all the basic information, and I’m sure you’ve read it. This case is sensational, but the motive is quite simple. This morning, I talked to the ‘perpetrators’ again, and their accounts match Zhang Hejun’s statement.”

Yin Ren nodded.

Before coming, Lu Xiaohe also organized the case materials. They were no longer rookies in Shian; each of them could recite the information by heart.

Zhang Hejun returned to school after a year of hospitalization, and her classmates were essentially one year younger than her. Coupled with Zhang Hejun’s introverted personality, she had trouble making close friends and seemed somewhat isolated.

However, according to the teachers, in the few months since school started, she had been keeping to herself and showed no signs of being bullied.

“According to the current reports, the problem is related to the popular show <Songs of a Thousand Seas>,” Lu Xiaohe continued the conversation with Officer Sun. “Are there no other motives?”

Officer Sun shook his head and let out a bitter smile. “Although it’s strange, there really isn’t. You guys are young. Has anyone watched that thing?”

All five members of Unit 9 shook their heads together. Zhong Chengshuo was about to nod, but then he remembered his identity and quickly stopped himself. Then, he looked at Yin Ren with a puzzled expression—this person seemed to have watched even <Tom and Jerry> with great interest, so he thought Lord Ghost King had already seen all the popular audiovisual works.

“I have some impression. It’s a 3D animation, right? It’s almost a thousand episodes, and the story is a bit childish, so I didn’t watch it. But I often see its promotional activities, and it seems to be quite popular recently.”

Yin Ren struggled to recall various major video streaming sites.

Officer Sun sighed and said, “Never mind, the work itself isn’t important. The situation is the same as stated in the report. Because Zhang Hejun hadn’t watched it and made a mistake in her words, those kids who took action believed that she insulted one of the characters in the show—that’s the only motive.”

Even though they were mentally prepared, the faces of the members of Unit 9 twisted in their own ways, except for Zhong Chengshuo.

Such a childish reason, yet it almost claimed a young girl’s life.

“Uncle Sun, this case should be closed. Why did you ask for Shian’s help?” Yin Ren scrolled through the report document on his phone. “Even if there’s some metaphysical object involved, once Shian confirms it, the process should be over.”

Officer Sun’s mouth twitched a few times. “That’s the problem. Follow me… Honey, do whatever you need to do. Dad has work to do.”

“Okay, I’ll stay here. If Zhang Hejun wakes up, I’ll contact you right away.”

Sun Qian finished the hot juice in one gulp and waved to the group.

Within five minutes, the group arrived in front of a certain ward in the specialized section of Shian.

Officer Sun sighed and knocked on the door twice. “I’m bringing people in—”

“Come in, come in!” A familiar and desperate voice came from inside the room.

Yin Ren raised an eyebrow and followed Officer Sun into the ward.

His steps were a bit heavy, and as soon as he entered the room, there were a series of rustling sounds. If it weren’t for Zhong Chengshuo’s quick reflexes, the door would have been buried by the nearly collapsing cardboard wall.

Countless moving boxes occupied most of the space, almost reaching the ceiling. They were tightly sealed, with long numbers written on them. On one side, a stack of half-open boxes was haphazardly piled against the wall, forming a jungle of cardboard boxes.

Within the gaps of this cardboard jungle, Liang Shan sat with a locked laptop, wearing a pained expression as he typed. Two Shian appraisers stood nearby with numb expressions, arranging various small trinkets into the boxes—

Acrylic keychains, ballpoint pens, erasers, pencil cases, notebooks… all the school supplies and toys one could think of were present. Yin Ren randomly grabbed a notepad and barely recognized the characters from <Songs of a Thousand Seas>. He rummaged through it for a moment, then grabbed a planner with acrylic accessories from another work.

Feeling the familiar aura from these objects, Yin Ren’s expression also turned numb. Yellow Millet hanging as a pendant on his phone shook in confusion but managed to hold back its puffing.

“What are these boxes?” Finally, the unlucky Huang Jin asked the fatal question.

“Corruption sources.”

Liang Shan, typing frantically on the keyboard, raised his head with an exhausted gaze.

“All of these boxes contain corruption found in the secondary schools of Haigu… They’re like damn cockroaches; no matter how many we confiscate, we can’t clean it up, and we can’t find the source.”

Seeing the spectacular scene resembling a wholesale market of corruption sources, Huang Jin instinctively took two steps back. If it weren’t for Ge Tingting intentionally blocking the doorway, he would probably have exited in a hurry.

The seemingly ordinary cardboard boxes now carried a horrifying shadow, and the air was filled with an indescribable smell. There were at least a thousand items in these boxes. Even though Shian had dealt with them before, Huang Jin’s neck hair still stood up in the subtle, oppressive atmosphere.

“All of them are corruption sources.” He looked at the half of the ward filled with boxes and muttered.

“I don’t know what’s corrupted or not, but there’s something wrong with those girls, so Xiao Liang suggested conducting a thorough carpet search… Here, these are just the results from this morning’s search.”

Officer Sun rubbed his face in anguish.

“There have been quite a few incidents in Haigu’s secondary schools recently, but only the cases involving loss of life came to my department. The school has been suppressing a lot, and the remaining cases are enough to drive my colleagues in the neighboring department crazy. Anyway, the reason I called you here is this situation.”

Yin Ren: “…”

He wanted to use a levitation spell as an opportunity to have more contact with the corruption and find any clues about Mr. Le.

The problem was that they were given too many!

……

At the same time, inside Zhang Hejun’s hospital room.

The little girl lifted her heavy eyelids and looked at the ceiling. Sun Qi’an was sitting on a chair by her side. “Hejun, how are you feeling?”

“…Sun Jie.” Zhang Hejun’s gaze shifted. It followed the IV tube down from the IV bag, stopping at the back of her hand where the needle was inserted. When she raised her eyes again, her eye sockets were a little red. “Sun Jie…”

“I’m here.” Sun Qi’an smiled and spoke softly.

Just as she finished speaking, Sun Qi’an’s pocket vibrated. Zhang Hejun was a bit surprised as she widened her eyes—she had heard that mobile phones were generally not allowed to be used in the ward.

However, Sun Qi’an nonchalantly took out her phone. She stood up, turned away from Zhang Hejun, and her voice became even softer and gentler. “Didn’t I tell you not to contact me using this phone casually?”

“The hospital has people from Shian, and I thought… Ahem, I thought it would be safer to choose another method. ‘Disgust’ died without clear reasons, and you know ‘Sorrow’s’ attitude… No matter how careful I am now, it’s not excessive.”

“…” Sun Qi’an remained silent for a long time. After a while, she sighed. “Alright, what do you want to say?”

“How is the preparation on your end? Who did Shian send over?”

The male voice on the other end of the phone asked earnestly and humbly.

“Everything is normal. Shian sent the newly promoted B-level Special Investigation Unit 9.”

“B-level…”

“Don’t underestimate Unit 9. They are somewhat involved in all the current plans. Like you said earlier, being cautious is not excessive… You have to cast a long line to catch a big fish.” Her voice became softer, even emitting a motherly warmth.

“I, ahem, I understand, I understand…”

“Don’t call again. This method is not as safe as you imagine. Be careful with everything.”

After saying that, Sun Qi’an hung up the phone. She then snapped her fingers at the indoor camera before turning back.

The two of them quietly locked eyes.

Zhang Hejun sat upright on the hospital bed, with a murky white color appearing deep in her pupils.

“It’s really worrying.” Sun Qi’an returned to her chair, assuming her previous posture.

“We’ll have to remind him again face-to-face next time.”

Zhang Hejun opened her mouth, responding in the exact same tone.

“…Hejun, how do you feel?” The next second, Sun Qi’an’s tone became cheerful. “Your classmates came to visit you earlier and left many flowers. We can put them in a vase.”

“Sister, there’s no need to comfort me.”

Zhang Hejun smiled weakly.

“We’re all unfamiliar with each other. It’s definitely just the teacher’s request.”

As her gaze swept over the phone in Sun Qi’an’s pocket, a flicker of vacancy passed through her eyes.

Kinky Thoughts:

Just a note: Secondary school in China usually comprises grades 7th–12th. Going by my experience in the US, our school system is generally divided into middle school/junior high school (6th–8th, or sometimes 9^th) and high school (9th–12th).

So some things may get confusing based on your understanding of your country’s school system.

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 192: Answer

“Do you want to use that wooden talisman to send me to the Other Side?”

Yin Ren smiled, causing his brows and eyes to curve.

But beneath that smile, Zhong Chengshuo faintly sensed a warning. Although he wasn’t adept at social affairs, as King Yama of the Nightwalkers, Zhong Chengshuo was always sensitive to changes in “enemies”.

“I don’t think so.” Yin Ren’s smile grew even brighter. “You must have been too careless, right?”

The subtle warning became even more apparent.

Zhong Chengshuo slowly lowered his arms. “No, I really wanted you to touch the wooden talisman.”

“Oh, I remember. Before I took the medicine, I did let you create a control plan on your own… Zhong Ge, your plan can’t be that simple, right? Just a hug?”

Yin Ren took a half-step back, allowing his hair to slide casually on the wooden floor, leaving deep marks.

“This plan is really adorable. How could I not sense the Evil Force carried by the wooden talisman?”

“I still need to test it anyway. It seems that ‘Innocent Thoughts’ doesn’t have much impact on intelligence,” Zhong Chengshuo muttered. “It only affects thought patterns…”

“Well, I like this state. My mind is much clearer. It’s strange, though. Why did I resist that pill before?”

Seeing that Zhong Chengshuo stubbornly refused to wear his nightcap, Yin Ren concluded that he wouldn’t be going to sleep anytime soon. He simply sat on the sofa without blinking as he looked at Zhong Chengshuo.

“Since you’re so insistent on experimenting with that stuff, I’ll be straightforward. Until the situation is clear, I don’t want to take risks by testing the wooden talisman myself.”

“There’s still some stewed lamb soup left. Do you want to eat lamb noodles?” Zhong Chengshuo didn’t answer directly, keeping the wooden talisman hidden in his sleeve and pretending nothing happened.

Yin Ren’s expression stiffened for a few seconds, and his eyebrows furrowed. His blood-red eyes stared intensely at Zhong Chengshuo, but after a few seconds, he smiled as if nothing had happened.

“No, I won’t eat. Didn’t you say late-night eating is unhealthy? Then I won’t eat either.”

Yin Ren stretched lazily on the sofa, keeping the tablet and phone he used to watch shows far away from him, showing no intention of touching them.

In the dim light, through that familiar face, Zhong Chengshuo saw the past Yin Ren.

While he used to go to sleep early, Yin Ren liked to watch movies or TV dramas in the living room by himself. He wasn’t particular about his posture, often lying on the sofa in various positions, sometimes even upside down. When he had seen enough, Yin Ren would quietly climb into bed. Sometimes, even after getting into bed, he would still play with his phone quietly.

During his half-dream state, Zhong Chengshuo had once felt Yin Ren lean forward and gently kiss the top of his head, whispering a goodnight.

When they woke up the next day, they would always be close together, absorbing each other’s warmth.

Zhong Chengshuo used to think that it was the most ordinary state when they were together. But now, it felt so sweet and warm, yet so out of reach.

“…Then I’ll cook my own portion since you don’t want to test it yourself. I’ll have to come up with a new experimental plan.”

As Zhong Chengshuo said this, he didn’t look at Yin Ren.

He stood up, tied on an apron, and casually flicked off the broken line on the “Big Shot” as if jokingly, then plucked it off.

Yin Ren remained motionless, right where he was, but a clear hum escaped him, and his expression became even darker than before. Zhong Chengshuo, on the other hand, walked into the kitchen as usual and began simmering the leftover lamb soup from the previous night.

He simmered the soup on the lowest heat and heated a cup of milk for himself. Efficiently completing these tasks, Zhong Chengshuo returned to the table with a mug in hand. He held a book and a pen, lowered his head, and started reading an academic book on neuroscience.

Throughout, his gaze never turned towards Yin Ren, as if there was no one else in the room.

“Since there are arrangements, you can focus on your tasks first, and when you’re done, we’ll sleep together.”

Seeing that Zhong Chengshuo no longer responded, Yin Ren stopped smiling, and his tone carried a hint of suppressed anger.

Expressionless, he sat in his original spot, and his black hair climbed along the table. It carefully avoided the position of the wooden talisman and reached Zhong Chengshuo’s arm, then moved closer to his cheek. Zhong Chengshuo glanced sideways—the grape-sized crimson eyeballs at the tips of the hair were looking at him from multiple directions.

Still, Zhong Chengshuo remained silent. He clenched his fist cautiously, his palm sweating.

The delicious aroma of the lamb soup wafted from the pot. In the past, Yin Ren would have already rushed to the kitchen to steal a taste. But now, Yin Ren remained firmly seated on the sofa, showing no intention of standing up.

The crimson eyeballs at the tips of his hair seemed alive. They dragged their nerve-like dark hair, floating near Zhong Chengshuo’s hand. Whenever Zhong Chengshuo lifted his pen, several eyeballs would roll over and brush against the back of his hand.

Cold and wet; the sensation was akin to touching an ice cube dipped in water.

For a moment, the atmosphere indoors felt less like a “home” and more like a battlefield filled with ominous energy.

The usual scene of one person drinking milk and reading a book at the table while the other snacked on the sofa and watched shows had lost its casual atmosphere. The occasional small talk seemed to have vanished without a trace.

Zhong Chengshuo had never experienced such an uncomfortable silence before.

“I don’t want to be bothered by those trivial matters of the Other Side anymore. If those Elementals continue to cause trouble, we might as well move away from Haigu.”

Yin Ren seemed to dislike the silence as well, and he was the first to break it.

As soon as he spoke, dozens of eyeballs suddenly approached Zhong Chengshuo, almost reaching his face, and the connecting hairs at the tips of the eyeballs stood stiff. Zhong Chengshuo wondered if these eyeballs would try to enter his mouth if he didn’t respond.

“I still have the wish to ‘protect the descendants of those children’, and that wish has no limits. As I understand it, the descendants of those descendants children are included,” he said, clearing his throat, his tone devoid of emotion.

“You’re so stubborn. If I revoke the wish, then it’s fine.” Yin Ren played with his long hair.

Zhong Chengshuo’s response wasn’t unexpected. He silently turned a page and continued to plan his next move in his mind.

“What about the answer?”

For a moment, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t react. “What?”

When he looked up again, Yin Ren had already flashed to the opposite side. His black hair cascaded to the floor, like flowing shadows. A pair of crimson eyes brimmed with amusement sent shivers down one’s spine.

The tips of the hair scratched against the floor, emitting an uncomfortable and sharp sound.

“I said I can revoke the wish, but you haven’t answered me.” Yin Ren rested his cheek on his hand. “Zhong Ge, what’s your answer?”

“…I don’t want to discuss this matter for now.”

After saying that, Zhong Chengshuo took a sip of milk and made a few more notes in his book with the pen.

“That won’t do. Weren’t we always so in sync?”

A few strands of hair wrapped around the pen, forcibly stopping Zhong Chengshuo’s movements. The crimson eyeballs slid along Zhong Chengshuo’s skin, lightly brushing against his Adam’s apple.

“Since just now, you’ve been ignoring me. Well, let’s do this: you must answer immediately to everything I say.”

The air in the room became increasingly heavy, and the feeling of oppression was suffocating. There was no hint of killing intent in the pressure, but it still rendered one immobile. Even during the days when they had just met, there was never such a tense atmosphere.

Zhong Chengshuo stared at Yin Ren intently.

Back then, he had split half of his power with Yin Ren. As he fused into a human body, his aura “disappeared”. The power took root and merged within Yin Ren’s body, giving birth to a brand new and formidable Primordial Elemental.

He had lost half of his power, and even if he could recover it, Yin Ren, who had received that half of his power, would also grow.

…Grow into a stronger, more exceptional new generation; growing into the very enemy that should swallow him—the most dangerous one.

For the first time, Zhong Chengshuo vividly realized how bloody their relationship should have been.

Crackle!

Before his thoughts had finished processing, the book in Zhong Chengshuo’s hand burst into flames without any external source. Dark flames surged three meters high, instantly turning the pages into ashes. The black flames licked Zhong Chengshuo’s fingertips, colder than ice and snow.

“You still haven’t answered my question.” Yin Ren leisurely formed hand seals with his fingers.

Zhong Chengshuo exhaled slowly. “That was my book.”

“I can see that. It’s not like it’s some rare edition. Anyway, I’ll buy you a couple more tomorrow—who told you to ignore me just now?” Yin Ren’s tone was as gentle as before, but it carried a hint of grievance. “Zhong Ge, are you angry?”

Zhong Chengshuo touched the ashes on the table, leaving distinct marks with his fingertips. He sighed, finished the now cold milk in his cup, and briskly stood up.

The cup was placed back on the table, producing a faint but distinct sound of impact.

In the next moment, Zhong Chengshuo felt a slight constriction on his limbs, neither light nor heavy. “Zhong Ge, you still haven’t answered me… Are you angry?”

“Are you angry?”

The strands of hair transformed into the familiar texture of wings in Zhong Chengshuo’s perception. They were warm and soft as usual, but quickly bound his limbs, rendering him immobile.

Those soft strands of hair slipped into Zhong Chengshuo’s pajamas, gliding against his skin. Yin Ren’s tone was gentle, like usual, and Zhong Chengshuo momentarily struggled to determine whether Yin Ren was angry or acting spoiled.

Yin Ren took a step closer, and the oppressive atmosphere in the room felt like an unfrozen swamp in winter. The lush green plants in the living room quickly withered and turned black; their shriveled leaves covered in a layer of frost. With a snap, the warm glow of the ceiling lamp suddenly burst, plunging the room into darkness.

Moonlight spilled through the window, casting everything in the room into shadows. Zhong Chengshuo stared directly into those familiar crimson eyes, and in the darkness, those eyes resembled two drops of blood.

Zhong Chengshuo moved his lips, but ultimately didn’t utter a single word.

Once or twice could be attributed to carelessness or unintentional actions, but Zhong Chengshuo was sure that the current behavior was undoubtedly deliberate. This was the first time they experienced a cold war, and Yin Ren’s expression became extremely unpleasant to look at.

He took two steps forward, placing his palm on Zhong Chengshuo’s chest, which was scorching hot. The strands of hair crawled on Zhong Chengshuo’s body like serpents, entwining more tightly.

Zhong Chengshuo slowly lowered his gaze. His right hand, hiding the wooden talisman, subtly accumulated power. In the next instant, he struggled to break free from the entangling hair, swinging his hand towards Yin Ren. This time, Zhong Chengshuo’s speed was extremely fast, using all his strength. Yin Ren didn’t have time to react, and the strands of hair left bloody marks on Zhong Chengshuo’s arm.

Under the moonlight, blood splattered.

However, his speed was ultimately no match for Yin Ren, who was the “Ghost King”. Yin Ren’s hair turned into whips, lashing fiercely at Zhong Chengshuo’s right wrist. Stimulated by the attack, Zhong Chengshuo’s grip loosened. A blurry and faint shadow flew out of his palm, making a light tapping sound as it landed in the gap behind the sofa.

The black hair directly restrained Zhong Chengshuo’s wrist, forcing him to open his five fingers, revealing the blood-stained palm.

“So that’s how it is.”

Yin Ren’s fingertips brushed over the fine wounds in Zhong Chengshuo’s palm while their chests pressed together. They were of similar height, and now their breaths intertwined, carrying a sweet and bloody scent.

“When you went to the kitchen just now, you cut your palm to stain the wooden talisman with blood. After weakening its aura, you planned to take advantage of the situation and attack me… Zhong Ge, I’m so disappointed.”

Yin Ren’s tone was soft, as he lifted his bloodstained fingertips and brushed them over Zhong Chengshuo’s lips. Yin Ren’s fingertips were scorching hot like embers, and the blood on them became stickier as they moved away from the wound. Zhong Chengshuo instinctively closed his lips, and the strong scent of blood instantly filled his mouth.

It was his own blood.

“Since you want to deal with me, I thought you would come up with more interesting moves.”

As Zhong Chengshuo turned his head in response to Yin Ren’s words, Yin Ren’s fingertips made another shallow cut on the corner of his lips, leaving a trace of blood.

“For Advanced Primordial Elementals like us, they seem to assume that the new ones should consume the old ones, right? It’s rare that our relationship is stable, so please don’t ruin this hard-won peace, okay?”

Yin Ren’s last sentence was almost a whisper, like murmuring in a dream.

Zhong Chengshuo was like a butterfly caught in a spider’s web, being entangled by thread after thread. Yin Ren leaned closer, lightly biting Zhong Chengshuo’s earlobe with his teeth.

Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes moved like dry ink. His breathing was steady, and he remained silent as usual.

Yin Ren sighed softly, using a bit more force with his teeth. Crimson droplets of blood seeped from the soft earlobe, coiling into Yin Ren’s mouth. The taste of fresh blood made Yin Ren’s heartbeat suddenly accelerate. Through the thin fabric, Zhong Chengshuo could even feel the pounding of his heart.

Maintaining their close proximity, with sticky strands of hair, Yin Ren pressed his fingers gently against Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes, then moved along his nose bridge, lightly gliding over his lips.

Pausing at the bloodstained lips for a moment, his fingertips slowly continued to move towards Zhong Chengshuo’s throat.

“I don’t like my previous self. There were too many distractions, and I overlooked the most precious thing to me.”

At some point, two additional arms appeared on Yin Ren’s body, emerging from under his ribs and encircling Zhong Chengshuo’s waist ethereally.

“I’ve never been this clear-minded before. Maybe I was too indulgent and lazy in the past, but it’s okay if you don’t like my current state. Given time, you’ll get used to it.”

Yin Ren slowed his breathing, pressing a kiss with a mix of blood and sweetness onto Zhong Chengshuo’s lips. Then, another strand of hair wrapped around Zhong Chengshuo’s throat, directly enclosing it.

“How does the pressure feel? Isn’t it uncomfortable?” Yin Ren touched the point where flesh and hair met, as if caressing the most fragile silk. “I just don’t like it when you’re silent like this… This won’t do, Zhong Ge. If there’s any problem, you have to speak up for it to be resolved.”

With each word Yin Ren spoke, the strand of hair around Zhong Chengshuo’s throat tightened a bit more.

But Zhong Chengshuo remained silent.

Yin Ren’s pupils contracted. Zhong Chengshuo instinctively tensed his muscles, but the restraint around his neck didn’t tighten. In the next moment, the earth shook, and all the hair on Zhong Chengshuo’s body straightened, propelling him instantly a half step away from Yin Ren.

The closeness between the two disappeared, replaced by a half-step distance, allowing a clearer view of each other.

Zhong Chengshuo’s Adam’s apple slid as he voluntarily raised his head, meeting Yin Ren’s gaze. His heart thumped against his ribcage, and there was no sign of retreat in his eyes.

Zhong Chengshuo seemed to have turned into a true flesh puppet, completely sealed off, determined to defy Yin Ren’s demand for an answer.

The crimson light gradually intensified in Yin Ren’s eyes as the strands of hair wound tighter and deeper into Zhong Chengshuo’s flesh.

His limbs were imprisoned, making it difficult to maintain balance. Zhong Chengshuo simply straightened his back and unexpectedly bumped into the table. The table legs moved slightly, emitting a faint scraping sound.

Countless strands of hair crawled on his body like creeping vines, disheveling his once neat pajamas. The cold breeze passed over his exposed skin, and the delicate and warm entanglement made his head spin. Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t stay still, but as soon as he moved, his shirt almost slipped off.

Zhong Chengshuo had a tight and firm physique, with fair skin. In the moonlight, contrasted by the pitch-black hair and those lifeless eyes, his presence was as sharp as a blade, making people hold their breath.

Sensations continuously traveled through the strands of hair. This strange and powerful person was firmly held in his grasp, yet his skin felt so warm.

Yin Ren couldn’t help but move closer. This time, he didn’t act recklessly; instead, he cradled Zhong Chengshuo’s face with both hands. Zhong Chengshuo remained silent, but his eyes followed Yin Ren’s every movement, exuding the only hint of vitality.

“Do you know, I really like you.”

Yin Ren sighed softly. He gazed at those familiar eyes and affectionately brushed his fingertip over the corner of Zhong Chengshuo’s eyes.

“Having lived in the mortal world for hundreds of years, I thought I understood the ways of the world. But watching from the sidelines is completely different from experiencing it firsthand, being consumed by the flames. Before, I used to think it would be better if you weren’t a mortal… Then we could stay together for a long time, whether in peace or conflict, it would still be better than being rootless and adrift.”

“But now, I no longer think that way.”

Yin Ren lowered his hand and, through the strands of hair, caressed the spot where Zhong Chengshuo’s heart was. His extra pair of hands still rested on Zhong Chengshuo’s waist, and his beautiful face was now filled with a sinister air, almost devoid of Yin Ren’s original “human” aura.

“Now, I want you to be a mortal. I want to witness your life, your death. Your entire life held in my hands—wouldn’t that be wonderful?”

Yin Ren rested his head on Zhong Chengshuo’s shoulder. His action resembled that of an affectionate beast intertwining with its mate.

“Now, I am following my instincts by consuming you. It can be seen as fate, merging our blood and bones… But if I consume you, you won’t be able to speak to me anymore. Thinking about that, I hesitate.”

His lips pressed tightly against Zhong Chengshuo’s neck; his scorching breath touched the skin with each exhale, while his idle hand slowly brushed over Zhong Chengshuo’s chest and abdomen.

“But then again, I thought, if you never speak to me, it wouldn’t be any different from being consumed by me.” Yin Ren’s voice carried a cold, chilling smile. “Wouldn’t you agree, Zhong Ge?”

Once again, a horrifying silence fell over the living room.

“…Forget it, forget it.”

Yin Ren muttered. For a brief moment, Zhong Chengshuo even thought that this person had returned to normal.

“After all, I just ate the ‘Innocent Thoughts’ not long ago, so it’s only natural that you’re not accustomed and want to show some defiance. As long as you’re willing to make a sound today, I won’t eat you—”

Yin Ren released his grip on Zhong Chengshuo’s waist and abdomen, returning to his usual human form. He made a casual gesture, causing Zhong Chengshuo to stumble and fall onto the sofa, pulled by the strands of hair.

This time, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t hide his anger on his face. His mouth was tightly pursed, and his breathing became rapid.

Yin Ren remained calm and unaffected, while the strands of hair gently moved around Zhong Chengshuo. The eyeballs at the end of the hair transformed into familiar wings and flowed down to the ground.

Yin Ren approached as usual, embracing his stiff lover tightly. His fingers slipped into the gaps between the hair and skin, feeling the tension in the other’s muscles. He then commanded the hair to relax, capturing Zhong Chengshuo’s injured right hand and biting down on his fingertips.

His tongue was scorching hot as it lightly swept over the bloodstained fingers.

“I remember very clearly. Your finger bones are quite beautiful,” Yin Ren said softly. “If it doesn’t work out, I can keep a small part as a memento. Do you think it would be better as a ring or a necklace…?”

Before he finished speaking, Yin Ren suddenly chuckled.

“Ah, I thought you were really angry with me tonight. At least it would require some effort from me.”

Above their skin, Yin Ren’s hair and ten fingers moved together. His tone became much more relaxed, with a hint of cunning satisfaction.

“Zhong Ge, you seem quite interested after all.”

Yin Ren’s face was covered in shadows, leaving only his joyful, blood-red eyes. The aura of the Ghost King was entwined with desire, smelling like bone-chilling syrup. Zhong Chengshuo’s breathing became slightly more rapid.

Yin Ren leaned down, lazily resting on Zhong Chengshuo’s chest, and once again bit down on his lover’s knuckles. “How about we make a bet? Let’s bet on when you will make a sound for me—as for me, it will be before dawn.”

After saying that, he bit Zhong Chengshuo’s neck. Zhong Chengshuo groaned softly, feeling a burning pain on his neck.

Previously, Yin Ren liked to lightly bite, but this time his strength was terrifying. The skin was pierced instantly, and fresh blood gushed out. If this person hadn’t held back his strength, Zhong Chengshuo had no doubt that Yin Ren would have torn off that piece of skin without hesitation.

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t have time to react before the strands of hair on his limbs suddenly tightened, firmly securing him to the sofa.

“Oh, by the way, the wooden talisman is still nearby. Can’t have you picking it up,” Yin Ren said nonchalantly.

A few strands of hair wrapped around Zhong Chengshuo’s wrist, functioning like handcuffs, and also entangled Yin Ren’s wrist. Even if Zhong Chengshuo gained his freedom, he couldn’t move freely.

“As an extra precaution, I’m sure you can understand.” Yin Ren licked the blood off his teeth. “This way, there won’t be any problems.”

After saying that, he touched Zhong Chengshuo’s lips and sat down.

Zhong Chengshuo had experienced the stimulation of human desires before, but he had never mixed it with fear and oppression. Poison gas mixed with fragrant flowers, poisoned wine with excessive sugar. Various stimulations brewed into a strong acid, surging through his veins, corroding his heart with a hissing sound.

Every muscle in Zhong Chengshuo’s body tightened, and his entire nervous system trembled. He couldn’t help but lower his gaze, staring at his madly possessive lover.

Amidst the intense entanglement, Lord Ghost King’s eyes were half-closed, and his scorching gaze remained glued to the edge of Zhong Chengshuo’s lips. His hands lightly caressed Zhong Chengshuo’s chest, and a strand of hair consistently and steadily tightened around Zhong Chengshuo’s throat.

The sofa emitted regular vibrations from the weight, and Zhong Chengshuo’s fingers clenched and released, revealing a noticeable redness due to the restraints. Warm sweat mixed with a little blood flowed over the skin, blending into a shimmering light red. The pale red liquid seeped into Yin Ren’s black hair, eventually staining the soft sofa fabric.

Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t sense evil qi in the room, but he could feel the turbulent airflow stirred up by Evil Force. The withered green plants trembled incessantly, and the dried-up leaves fell lightly, making a soft sound.

He had never stepped into such a frenzy of sensations before, and for a moment, Zhong Chengshuo almost lost his sanity.

Only the clock in the living room dutifully continued to tick.

An hour passed, with bloodstains dotting the sofa and writhing clusters of wings scattered on the floor.

“I like you.” Yin Ren gasped, his scorching breath carrying a strong smell of blood.

He kissed Zhong Chengshuo’s lips, but the other’s mouth remained shut like a clam, showing no signs of cooperation.

“…I like you.” Despite this, Yin Ren repeated with a smile.

Two hours passed, and the moonlight was shrouded by dark clouds, leaving the interior nearly pitch-black. The two of them fell to the floor, knocking the coffee table askew. Yin Ren held Zhong Chengshuo tightly, like a drowning person clinging to the last piece of driftwood within their field of vision.

“I like you.”

Yin Ren’s fingertips brushed against the taut strands of hair, as if a musician were caressing the strings of a violin. At the end of the hair strands, Zhong Chengshuo’s hand intertwined with Yin Ren’s other hand, and his nails dug deeply into the other’s flesh.

“Answer me, please…”

Zhong Chengshuo remained silent, turning his head away.

……

In the late night, the crescent moon finally emerged from behind the dark clouds.

After a while, Yin Ren stopped demanding an answer. He only murmured vague words of love while his body trembled as he left bloody bite marks on Zhong Chengshuo’s body.

Zhong Chengshuo’s hands, bound by the hair, had already loosened slightly, no longer tightly clenched. His wrists were still tied to Yin Ren’s, restricting his freedom of movement.

“I can’t see through you, but I like the enigmatic you… If only you were a mortal, I could protect you as I pleased… But why do you treat me like this…”

There was no oppression, no hostility. In the faint scent of blood, Yin Ren’s whispers carried genuine sadness and confusion.

His fingertips swept over the oozing wounds, and in the pale moonlight, his eyes glistened with a hint of moisture.

“I like you. You must have noticed… Why did things have to escalate like this over a few mortals you don’t care about? I can’t understand…”

As another biting episode ended. Zhong Chengshuo could suddenly move his arm.

One moment, Yin Ren was immersed in his words of love. The next moment, he froze like a vigilant beast, immediately halting his actions.

In the unbearable stillness, Zhong Chengshuo stretched out his arm and lightly touched Yin Ren’s lips, then gently tapped his own.

His eyes remained dull, but there was a hint of helplessness and tenderness in Zhong Chengshuo’s expression. He didn’t even glance at the sofa where the wooden talisman was, instead, he focused his full attention on Yin Ren.

“Well, it seems like I’m going to win.” Yin Ren’s tone suddenly became cheerful, as if he had won a small game.

He leaned down once again, kissing Zhong Chengshuo’s lips.

With the smile of a victorious person, he licked the remaining bloodstained lips. Zhong Chengshuo didn’t tightly seal his lips this time. Instead, he tentatively extended his hand and held the back of Yin Ren’s head.

Yin Ren eagerly deepened the kiss, and Zhong Chengshuo tilted his head in response, cooperating with his lover’s movements. Yin Ren’s tongue ventured forward, but instead of encountering hard teeth or a soft tongue, it touched a warm, moist wooden object.

As soon as Zhong Chengshuo’s lips parted, a chilling and fierce power burst out from between his teeth.

It was the wooden rabbit talisman.

“Ugh!!!”

Yin Ren tried to dodge, but his head was forcefully held down by Zhong Chengshuo. The wooden rabbit talisman was pushed by Zhong Chengshuo’s tongue into Yin Ren’s mouth. Yin Ren’s hair stood on end—upon contact with the wooden talisman, the surroundings instantly became distorted and blurred, as if a liquid was constantly surging.

No, I’m disappearing!

In this crisis, Yin Ren had no time to think about whether he liked this state or not. He immediately released the spell of the “Innocent Thoughts”. As expected, as if the fog had dispersed, the familiar living room returned to normal clarity.

Yin Ren felt a moment of confusion, then met Zhong Chengshuo’s complex gaze.

Yin Ren: “…………”

Zhong Chengshuo: “…………”

Zhong Chengshuo watched as the expression in his lover’s eyes changed from confusion to horror, and then to explosive embarrassment. Yin Ren’s face turned almost the same color as his eyes, and he immediately gathered up his scattered hair, wanting to awkwardly get up—however, given their current intimate position, this movement was quite difficult.

So Zhong Chengshuo kindly reached out his hand and pressed down on Yin Ren, who wanted to slip away.

Yin Ren immediately made a muffled sound, and his mouth opened and closed repeatedly. His body trembled slightly, and his face seemed to change like a kaleidoscope.

“This is… seduction!”

The dignified Lord Ghost King had long lost his previous air of dominance. He tried to take the initiative, but his confidence was clearly hollow.

“Zhong Chengshuo, how could your control plan be so… so—”

He couldn’t continue speaking.

“We are accomplices, and I had to choose a method you absolutely couldn’t anticipate.”

Zhong Chengshuo’s limbs had already regained their freedom, and his palm slid over the strands of hair soaked with sweat. The clusters of wings stiffened for a moment and then shrank into a ball. However, someone with a vengeful mindset held onto one of the clusters, kneading it gently.

“Well, umm…” Yin Ren sniffed and slowly pried Zhong Chengshuo’s hand away. “The experiment went quite smoothly, so let’s stop here… Uh!”

Zhong Chengshuo readily released the cluster of wing balls, but his hand returned to Yin Ren’s body.

“Well, um, the thing that I knocked away just now… um…”

“You can find out for yourself.”

Amidst the jolting, a strand of black hair wiggled and poked into the depths of the sofa. After a few minutes, it trembled as it hooked out a blood-stained pen cap. Looking at the table, there was still a pen lying on the surface—the very pen that Zhong Chengshuo had used for annotations just now.

Yin Ren’s mind had long been free from the distractions of uncontrollable affection, and he instantly understood this person’s intentions—

Zhong Chengshuo deliberately reduced communication and “sealed” the wooden talisman in his mouth. Then he used blood to stain the pen cap, impersonating the wooden talisman, and pretended to entice Yin Ren to knock it away.

Finally, all Zhong Chengshuo needed was to request a kiss in an atmosphere that wouldn’t arouse suspicion.

For the lightning-fast King Yama, even the magic tricks of mortals were no different from spells in his hands.

Truly cunning.

The entanglement was not yet over. In his gradually fading consciousness, Yin Ren made an effort to lower his body, burying his burning face in the nape of Zhong Chengshuo’s neck.

……

As the clock approached five in the morning, the two of them squeezed into Zhong Chengshuo’s bathtub. Yin Ren had half of his face submerged in the water, blowing bubbles with a melancholic expression.

“Are you sure you’re a Primordial Elemental and not a rabbit monster?” Yin Ren suddenly emerged from the water with a stern face. “Stop laughing. You’re just reveling in my misfortune.”

Zhong Chengshuo pointed to the numerous bite marks all over his body.

Yin Ren immediately deflated like a balloon, making a couple of deflated sounds as he gently touched the scabbing wounds. “I’m sorry. I’ll help you apply medicine later.”

“It’s okay. The wounds are shallow.” Zhong Chengshuo pinched a strand of Yin Ren’s hair—at the end of the hair, a small, withered wing hung limply, making it difficult to tell whether it was pretending to be lifeless or not.

“I… Even though I asked you to prepare in advance, to be honest, I didn’t expect it to turn out like that.”

Yin Ren hung his head in dejection; his entire being turned into the color of a thoroughly cooked crab, as if steam would come out from the top of his head.

“I thought that as long as I liked you so much, nothing bad would happen. That state was truly terrifying, like losing my mind and becoming fanatical.”

It was only because Zhong Chengshuo wasn’t affected by memory spells. Otherwise, Yin Ren would have wanted to erase all memories of tonight—regardless of whether they were in Zhong Chengshuo’s mind or his own.

Lord Ghost King was embarrassed to the point of wanting to dig a three-foot hole and sleep for another thousand years.

However, Zhong Chengshuo just calmly looked over, absentmindedly rubbing the little wing between his fingers. That pitiful soft wing trembled and almost dissolved into a squishy liquid.

“At least the experiment was successful, and our hypothesis was correct. The missing people are all of the type who rely on ‘love’ as their life support. Once it’s daylight, we’ll synchronize our findings. Maybe we can find a stable method to enter the Other Side.”

Zhong Chengshuo analyzed seriously while piling a ball of foam on top of Yin Ren’s head.

“For now, I don’t want to discuss this. We’ll talk about it tomorrow, for real this time,” Yin Ren weakly stated. “I won’t touch that thing even if you beat me to death next time. What kind of rotten idea did Hu Tao come up with…”

“It’s already ‘tomorrow’,” Zhong Chengshuo pointed out mercilessly.

This time, Yin Ren submerged his entire head underwater, exhaling bubbles filled with despair.

“Yin Ren.” Zhong Chengshuo continued observing Yin Ren as he continued to blow bubbles underwater and called out to him.

Yin Ren pretended not to hear and remained submerged, shutting himself off from the world.

“Yin Ren, come out. I have something to tell you,” Zhong Chengshuo urged.

Yin Ren finally resurfaced; his entire body was still pink from the water. When he spoke, there was a sense of resignation in his voice. “…Go ahead, tell me.”

“To be honest, I’ve been thinking today that maybe I don’t like you as much as I thought.” Zhong Chengshuo pushed aside the wet hair on Yin Ren’s face; his eyes still resembled two dry wells.

The pink hue on Yin Ren’s skin immediately faded, and he froze in place, gradually turning pale.

“But tonight, I realized that I actually like you more than I imagined,” Zhong Chengshuo continued, enunciating each word distinctly.

Then he opened his arms and, without waiting for Yin Ren’s reaction, embraced him. Their skins pressed against each other, and the water temperature was just right. Yin Ren was stunned for a few seconds before tightening his embrace.

“You did it on purpose,” he said, encircling Zhong Chengshuo’s neck and gently biting his ear.

This time, Yin Ren left only a faint mark.

A warm atmosphere filled the air once again, bringing a comforting tranquility. In this reassuring sense of fulfillment, Zhong Chengshuo closed his eyes.

“You won,” Zhong Chengshuo whispered softly. “You bet that I would make a sound for you before dawn, and you won.”

“…Please, spare me, Zhong Ge. I’m begging you, don’t bring that up again,” Yin Ren pleaded, pressing his forehead against Zhong Chengshuo’s, feeling utterly embarrassed. He even submerged himself completely in the water again.

Zhong Chengshuo leaned against Yin Ren’s forehead, unable to contain his laughter any longer. The latter, filled with both anger and humiliation, lowered himself, allowing the water to completely submerge him.

Watching Yin Ren’s powerless and wriggling hair, Zhong Chengshuo closed his eyes.

He still remembered the scene when he first obtained the pill.

After receiving the clues provided by Hu Tao, he immediately searched for information. “Innocent Thoughts” was a metaphysical prescription that had emerged in recent years. It could make people lose their sanity, lose interest in food and drink, and fill their minds with adoration for the target. This thing wasn’t really popular. According to the seller, most buyers were infatuated men and women who used this medication for revenge. There were also a few “black widows” and “black widowers” who used it to control wealthy elderly people.

Thinking about it, there were no normal couples in love buying these things.

Zhong Chengshuo, in fact, found this somewhat perplexing.

Experiencing a very pure emotion firsthand, wasn’t it a good thing? If it weren’t for him being unaffected by these metaphysical items, Zhong Chengshuo would have loved to experience that feeling of “pure love” himself.

At that moment, the two of them were flying in the air. Zhong Chengshuo looked at Yin Ren’s face. In the next moment, Yin Ren seemed to sense his gaze and playfully narrowed his eyes at him.

However, Zhong Chengshuo’s mood wasn’t as relaxed as it seemed.

He did care about Yin Ren. When they were apart, he would worry, and when they were together, he would long to touch him. Being together made his emotions lighter and brighter than before.

But it was only limited to that.

Compared to the probing and underlying currents before they got together, now that they were truly sharing their lives and meals; seemingly everything was somewhat mundane. Especially since Yin Ren was skilled in navigating social interactions and had a sense of propriety, they rarely had sharp conflicts.

Zhong Chengshuo was certain that he liked Yin Ren a lot.

He was the first person Zhong Chengshuo reached out to in the vast emptiness; the first of his kind that he encountered during these lonely years in the mortal realm.

But was his liking a genuine expression of love, or had he mistaken their prolonged intimacy as adoration?

He couldn’t feel the fervent love described in those narratives. Previously, Zhong Chengshuo claimed not to care about these “meaningless” details, but recently, with the unrest in the outside world, he couldn’t stop his thoughts.

“Zhong Chengshuo, why do I feel like you’re somewhat enjoying this situation?” Yin Ren had asked when he was about to take the pill.

At that time, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t answer Yin Ren.

In truth, he wasn’t enjoying it, but rather, he had a slight desire to try it. “Innocent Thoughts” wouldn’t blindly stimulate love but rather remove other emotions and purify the purest feelings. Only then would everything become clear. With a definite result, he wouldn’t have to worry so much.

Yin Ren was different from him. He firmly believed that he would be affected by uncontrollable love, but he had no concerns about the nature of their own relationship.

How did Yin Ren determine what “like” meant?

As for himself? Would he be like he was a thousand years ago, merely assuming an innocent facade and using that person to achieve his own goals? …If Yin Ren were to be replaced by another strong and compatible person, would he also “fall in love” with them?

Now he had an answer.

Uncontrolled Yin Ren was just as strong and acted in harmony with him. If Zhong Chengshuo wanted, he could also calmly cooperate with Yin Ren. However, as he looked at Yin Ren in that state, his heart was filled with a hollow emptiness and an indescribable sadness.

Zhong Chengshuo gently tousled Yin Ren’s hair.

“How about having lamb rice noodles?”

“Yes!” Yin Ren immediately resurfaced from the water and instinctively exclaimed, only to realize afterward. “Wait, didn’t you only cook one serving?”

“I just overcooked the soup. The rice noodles don’t need to be cooked for too long.”

Zhong Chengshuo rested his chin on Yin Ren’s shoulder, carefully feeling his body temperature.

“I’ll add some more meat and eggs. It’ll be perfect for breakfast.”

“Sure, go ahead.” Yin Ren took a deep breath, deciding to put this unbearable night behind him.

Anyway, they had found the cause of the disappearances, and it was worth exchanging his embarrassment for such valuable information. Besides… Although he lost control, tonight’s experience was still quite thrilling and exciting. He did feel sorry for Zhong Chengshuo, who ended up with marks all over his body from his biting.

Thinking about this, Yin Ren shook his head vigorously, hoping to shake off the overwhelming shame in his mind.

Zhong Chengshuo’s special lamb soup must have been stewed for a long time, and it must be delicious. A bowl of warm and tasty lamb rice noodles would help put the past behind!

Unable to dodge in time, Zhong Chengshuo, whose face was splashed with water: “……”

Zhong Chengshuo: “Oh, by the way, there’s one more thing. I thought it was necessary to let you know.”

“What is it?”

“To ensure a complete record, I used an anti-evil qi recording pen to capture the audio from last night.” Zhong Chengshuo maintained a solemn expression. “Do you want to listen to it?”

“Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!”

In the morning, amidst the sound of the audio alarm clock saying, “Is work more important than me?” Yin Ren, who usually liked to sleep in, jolted up as if he was blasted. A few sob-like sounds escaped his throat.

When he went to Shian today, he should also ask about “how to make a science post forget”.

……

“Well, your information is very useful.”

Li Nian pretended not to notice the bite marks on Zhong Chengshuo’s collar that couldn’t be concealed.

“If your conjecture is correct, the victims won’t be in immediate danger. I will start a project on my end to find a way to “stably disappear” and quickly establish a pathway.”

“How long will it take?” Yin Ren coughed dryly twice.

“According to Minister Jiao, if we only consider constructing the pathway, it will take five days. Finding a safe method for round trips is the more time-consuming part.”

“…I see.”

Yin Ren contemplated for a moment.

“Great, you guys keep up with the research. As for us… well, since we have nothing better to do, let’s go check on those who haven’t disappeared.”

After all, Qi Xin had promised them that if Yin Ren could kill Mr. Le, they could officially establish cooperation with her.

Yin Ren wasn’t sure about the intentions of the Primordial Elementals, and although he wanted to rescue Lu Xiaohe’s missing mother, he didn’t want to involve Zhong Chengshuo in any danger. Qi Xin’s original form should still be on the Other Side and having a “local” to assist would be better than stumbling around blindly.

“Besides, the police station has been overwhelmed recently, and they happen to be short-staffed.”

At some point, Fu Xingchuan appeared leaning against the doorway. He held some documents, and his tone wasn’t as relaxed as usual.

“You’ve been in contact with Officer Sun before. He’s currently dealing with a live burial case, and the atmosphere in Haigu has been off lately. It would be better for you to go and take a look.”

“No problem.”

Yin Ren responded quickly. It was like being offered a pillow when feeling sleepy; he was actually looking for an excuse to investigate a “non-disappearance case”.

“We’ll go today.”

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

Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

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

Chapter 191: Shelf Life

Zhong Chengshuo stood in the kitchen, holding a slotted spoon, and for the first time in his life, he had serious doubts.

Since Yin Ren brought up the issue in the taxi, he hadn’t uttered a word. The moment he returned home, he opened the refrigerator door. Lord Ghost King leaned against the refrigerator partition with a deep gaze and focused on the inside of the refrigerator.

Zhong Chengshuo tied on his apron as usual, which had “Dangerous Person” written on it. Only now did he realize that someone had added an extra stroke to the apron, changing “Dangerous Person” to “Big Shot”*.

*Yin Ren added a line across (人) in person (人物) changing it to (大) Beast (大物) (transliteral would be “big thing”).

“……”

He glanced at Yin Ren, who was intimately close to the refrigerator, and silently adjusted the modified apron. He decided to make a lamb stew. Thirty minutes later, Zhong Chengshuo’s foam had been skimmed off ninety-nine times, but Yin Ren still had his head in the refrigerator. The aroma of the lamb drifted into the living room, but it didn’t seem to affect him.

Finally unable to bear it any longer, Zhong Chengshuo covered the stew pot and walked over to Yin Ren. Mimicking Yin Ren’s movements, he leaned forward and rested his chin on the refrigerator partition.

It was cool, but nothing special. Lately, they hadn’t been at home much, and the eggs were no longer fresh. Zhong Chengshuo’s gaze swept over rows of ingredients as he quickly calculated in his mind.

Two grown men squeezed in front of the refrigerator, creating a scene that defied description.

To the point that when Hu Tao happily crawled back to the living room, she let out a high-pitched scream. Only then did Yin Ren snap out of his daze and tilt his head slightly. “What are you doing?”

“Just see if you’ve noticed anything.”

Amidst the bubbling sound of the stew, Zhong Chengshuo focused on the inside of the refrigerator.

“…” Yin Ren pulled his head back and reached for two bottles of soda. “Let’s go to the sofa.”

Hu Tao looked at the two seemingly insane people, while floating silently on the ceiling. Yin Ren glanced at her, unusually not shooing her away. He squeezed onto one end of the sofa and made room for Zhong Chengshuo. “Come.”

Zhong Chengshuo didn’t even bother taking off his apron. He obediently sat cross-legged on the other end.

“Based on your current conjecture, the Other Side is like the ‘internet’ composed of the brains of countless organisms. The Elementals are like ‘programmatic’ creatures living within it. They have their own food chain and their own feeding criteria.”

Yin Ren struggled to make an analogy.

Zhong Chengshuo held the soda bottle tightly in his hands and nodded silently. On the other hand, Hu Tao’s expression became even more bewildered, and her neck was about to twist ninety degrees.

“One thing you mentioned earlier caught my attention. You said that human emotions can’t be used as a benchmark.” Yin Ren shook the soda bottle.

Zhong Chengshuo nodded more vigorously.

Yin Ren no longer leaned against the sofa. He leaned forward and placed the soda in front of Zhong Chengshuo.

It was apple juice soda that he specifically bought. Zhong Chengshuo didn’t like these overly industrialized products, whereas Yin Ren was the opposite. After negotiations between the two Primordial Elementals, they finally reached a certain consensus, compromising between taste and health.

The transparent bottle was adorned with vibrant packaging paper, and the ingredients were relatively simple and healthy. However, the shelf life was longer than that of freshly squeezed juice.

Yin Ren turned the side with the shelf life information towards Zhong Chengshuo. “Since human conditions cannot be used as a benchmark, why don’t we just forget about those subtle standards of love and affection… What if we look at it from the perspective of a Primordial Elemental?”

Zhong Chengshuo’s gaze was blank for a moment, then gradually became sharper. The next second, he turned his head to look at the refrigerator.

The refrigerator stood silently in its place, emitting an almost inaudible hum.

“Human bodies can be preserved for a longer time on the Other Side. When Gao Mengyu disappeared for a few weeks initially, she was just a little weak when she was rescued,” Zhong Chengshuo muttered to himself, holding the chilled beverage. “This is physical preservation.”

“But according to Jiao Lian, the human mind can’t last for long on the Other Side. Even strong-willed individuals will go insane after spending too much time there. Those people turned into furniture by Bai Yongji didn’t remain clear-minded for long.”

Yin Ren shook the soda in his hand, causing countless bubbles to escape from the juice.

“Even madmen have emotions, but it’s hard to determine the category of those emotions, right? Even if the body can be preserved, the quality of food will deteriorate. If it were me, I would want chilled soda—with a long shelf life and a consistent taste.”

But that was all he could think of. Yin Ren knew he had grasped the right clue, but he always felt like he missed something.

Zhong Chengshuo suddenly got up from the sofa. He quickly dashed into the bedroom and soon came back, holding his tablet in his hand.

“These are the people who didn’t meet the ‘good personality’ criteria.”

He directly grabbed Yin Ren and swiftly scrolled through the screen.

Several small gangsters had poor reputations, but they all had a peculiar commonality—

They only had one family member left.

Young siblings, parents with only one person remaining, or lone grandparents.

That street vendor, who was infamous for being stingy, worked from dawn until night, earning money for her deaf daughter’s surgery.

They also met the criteria of “love”.

“According to what you said, it’s indeed possible that it has nothing to do with the intensity of love,” Zhong Chengshuo said softly, sliding his fingertip across the screen. It stopped at the profile of Lu Xiaohe’s mother, “He Huan”.

“If it’s for the sake of ‘shelf life’, then all of this makes sense. Yin Ren, you thought I was dead. During that time, would you have gone crazy or wanted to die?”

“Huh?” Yin Ren was taken aback. “I just wanted to find your body, maybe go into seclusion for a few hundred years while holding you. But if you’re talking about really going crazy or wanting to die, I…”

“I would still live my life well, but I would always remember you.” Yin Ren pondered for a moment and gave a firm reply.

He really was past the age of <Romeo and Juliet>, so he wouldn’t go crazy or die for love on the spot. What was going on? Could it be that he wasn’t chosen by the wooden talisman because his mind wasn’t consumed by love?

“You like me, but I’m not your ‘main reason to keep living’. You have much more experience than me, so you’re not that naive. Someone like you, if trapped on the Other Side, it wouldn’t necessarily be ‘love’ that supports you.”

Yin Ren pondered and couldn’t deny it.

Once thrown into the Other Side, he couldn’t say for sure if he would be one-third curious, one-third sorrowful, and one-third longing for Zhong Chengshuo, with the remaining reminiscing about various modern delicacies.

Zhong Chengshuo nodded.

“But these people are different.”

“The lives of these gangsters are a mess, and their loved ones are their only concern. That street vendor sacrificed her own life in exchange for her child’s health… Lu Xiaohe’s mother is seriously ill, and her concern for her child is her greatest support. Zhong Chengfeng truly loves her work and life; her faith comes from her love for ‘others’.”

“Huang Jin is even easier to explain. He had genuinely sought death. When Ding Lizi pulled him back, she, in a certain sense, became his obsession.”

Yin Ren’s eyes lit up as he tightly gripped the bottle. “That’s it! If these people were trapped on the Other Side, what would keep them clear-minded is undoubtedly intense ‘love’—long shelf life, high purity, perfect food.”

Zhong Chengshuo placed his tablet aside and picked up his bottle of apple soda, tapping it against Yin Ren’s bottle.

“Yes,” Zhong Chengshuo said as he adjusted his glasses. “But so far, it’s just speculation.”

“Indeed, but it can only be tested with different people, which is also difficult to verify.” Yin Ren deflated quickly.

“…Boring, I thought you were going to say something else.” Hu Tao’s voice echoed faintly from the ceiling.

“In the end, it’s still about the case; not exciting at all. Xiao Yin, come on, find something interesting for Sister to watch. It’s time for a break.”

“This case is quite important.” Yin Ren opened the juice and took a sip. The aroma of apples instantly filled his mouth, bringing a sense of refreshment.

“Huh? Is that how you put it?” Hu Tao floated closer, wearing a gossipy expression. “What case? What case? Can I go on a business trip? You haven’t called us recently.”

“Missing people case, which is likely related to the disappearance cases from twenty-eight… twenty-nine years ago.” Faced with Hu Tao, who had a contract with him, Yin Ren didn’t bother hiding it.

A peculiar expression of curiosity froze on Hu Tao’s face and her complexion turned somewhat grim.

“Oh, the cases from twenty-nine years ago.” Her tone was cheerful but slightly peculiar. “Those should be thoroughly investigated.”

After saying that, she brushed aside her overgrown bangs, and her dim eyes locked onto Yin Ren.

“Uh, I don’t really understand the Other Side and all, but if you want to obtain ‘intense love’, I might have a way.”

……

Dawn at the Haigu Public Security Bureau.

“Hey sweetie, Dad won’t be coming home tonight.” Officer Sun sent a voice message to his daughter, then vigorously scratched his head at his desk.

Since Shian mentioned “a little trouble,” there had been many challenging cases in Haigu. The cases themselves weren’t particularly sensational and solving them wasn’t difficult. The trouble lay in the fact that these cases always sparked a significant amount of online public opinion.

Several unemployed young individuals anonymously posted criminal threats online, then proceeded to splash sulfuric acid on fashionable girls in the city center. Another aimless hoodlum lurked in the commercial district alley and slit the throat of a young boss.

Nighttime assaults, random arson, homemade bomb injuries… one crime after another, all indiscriminate.

Although the cases were solved, the impact they brought couldn’t dissipate quickly. The negative influence didn’t diminish; instead, it grew larger. Just as they apprehended the inept acid-splashing imitator, another person emerged on the streets, slashing people. Seeing the situation gradually worsen, the pressure from higher-ups also increased significantly.

Officer Sun forcefully rubbed his face, feeling as if he had aged ten years.

“Everyone’s gone mad.”

He wearily patted the case files, unsure of what to do.

Compared to these inexplicable cases, previous incidents of bloody street brawls and domestic violence seemed “ordinary.” Judging by recent public opinion, many people no longer regarded the previous cases of harm to acquaintances as a big deal.

Not to mention that some cases were “contagious”. Allowing them to spread freely, causing panic and imitation. However, if the information was tightly controlled, suspicions of “covering up” would arise. Given the current state of public opinion, no matter what they did, people would find fault with it.

Unfortunately, the police force had been stretched thin recently, with each officer essentially doing the work of two. Officer Sun felt a throbbing pain in his head, and the cursor on his computer had been blinking after the word “proposal” for half an hour, yet not a single word had been written.

“This can’t go on. If we don’t handle it properly, who knows what Haigu will become…”

Officer Sun took a sip of strong tea, a tinge of blue appearing in his eyes.

“Lao Sun, something’s happened!”

Officer Sun almost choked on his tea, still halfway through drinking.

“What happened? Tell me!”

“There’s an incident at Haigu Junior High. A young girl was buried alive!” Another officer gasped for breath. “When she was found, she was still breathing and was rushed to the municipal hospital for treatment… Regardless of whether it’s murder or attempted murder, it’s our case.”

Officer Sun grabbed a handful of his hair and pounded it against the thick stack of case files.

“Damn it!”

At the same time, a red dot appeared in the upper right corner of his WeChat.

[Let Me See Your Heart: Dad, it’s alright. I can’t come back either. There are patients to save.]

[Let Me See Your Heart: One of my previous patients, a girl with congenital heart disease, claims she was buried alive.]

[Let Me See Your Heart: This is absolutely insane!]

Well, at least he could see his daughter.

Officer Sun stood up and put on his leather jacket. Just as he was about to leave, he paused and grabbed a handful of chocolate candies from the drawer.

……

Between his fingertips, Yin Ren held something resembling a chocolate candy with a complicated expression that was extremely delicate.

“…Is this progress in society? No, is this even considered progress?”

Sitting upright on the couch, Zhong Chengshuo didn’t answer him.

“I’ve heard from the Nightwalkers that it’s guaranteed to work,” Hu Tao assured, patting her chest. “It doesn’t harm the body, and apparently, it tastes good too.”

“Oh.” Yin Ren continued to observe the chocolate-like substance. “Safety certification from Shian is unquestionable, while certification from Sunken Society is undoubtedly problematic. As for what the Nightwalkers can certify, that’s truly a mystery. No one knows how effective it will be.”

This was the “intense love” that Miss Hu Tao highly recommended.

Following the instructions of this formidable Miss Hu Tao, the two of them went to the Ghost Market at night. They used up half of Yin Ren’s savings to buy a single pill. Considering the need to keep the progress of their investigation as discreet as possible, they probably couldn’t submit a reimbursement for this item.

Gazing at the object, Yin Ren felt a strange mixture of gain and loss in his emotions.

The Nightwalkers gave it an elegant name, “Innocent Thoughts”. But according to Zhong Chengshuo’s summary, it was more like a “rationality-evaporating agent”. Unlike those “aphrodisiacs” that primarily targeted physical attraction, this potion was mainly used for psychological attraction.

In Hu Tao’s words, it could turn anyone into a youth brimming with vitality, consumed by the desire to live and die for love. While the user’s fondness for the object of their affection wouldn’t actually skyrocket, all other emotions, thoughts… even morals and principles would vanish.

Theoretically, the effect of this substance was permanent. For Lord Ghost King, it would take a minute to erase its magical influence. However, erasing aside, the process… there had to be a process.

The hand holding the pill trembled slightly. Zhong Chengshuo innocently blinked his eyes while his face was still expressionless.

“You were previously worried that your level of love wasn’t enough, so this will allow you to experience it,” Zhong Chengshuo said sincerely.

“You also said before that we didn’t need to use human emotions as a benchmark.” Yin Ren frowned and retorted. “Would anyone really give this thing to someone they liked? I think it’s more suitable for poisoning enemies.”

He really wanted to stuff it into Wei Huaqian’s mouth from Sunken Society, which seemed more useful.

The chocolate coating on the pill began to melt, but Yin Ren kept it far away from his mouth.

“You tested it on yourself before, so it will serve as a very useful reference. As long as we can gather data, our hypothesis can be properly verified,” Zhong Chengshuo said with a touch of earnestness in his tone.

Lord Ghost King sneered twice. “Zhong Chengshuo, why do I feel like you’re reveling in someone else’s misfortune?”

Zhong Chengshuo slowly turned his head, not answering.

Whether he advanced or retreated, he would still be in danger. As Yin Ren leisurely brought the pill to his lips, Zhong Chengshuo quickly turned his head back, and his eyes shined with curiosity.

This person rarely showed such vivid emotions. ‘If only this was in a different situation, that would be great,’ Yin Ren thought sorrowfully.

In the cozy living room, the two of them silently locked gazes. A desolate atmosphere lingered around Yin Ren, carrying a chilling sensation reminiscent of a cold river.

“This is a metaphysical item. It won’t work if I consume it,” Zhong Chengshuo heartlessly added.

“I know. I’ll take it. I’ll take it… Damn it, can this count as a work-related injury?”

Yin Ren’s throat choked with two sobs, and with his mouth open, he swallowed the pill the size of a malted milk ball.

Hu Tao floated in the air without moving, while Zhong Chengshuo sat on the couch like a stiff statue. Yin Ren stood in the center of the living room. His head was slightly bowed, and his long hair casually cascaded. After a long while, Yin Ren made a move. He slowly raised his face, but there was no obvious change in his expression.

“Is that it?” Hu Tao was greatly disappointed. “This thing cost nearly a hundred thousand yuan. What a waste of money.”

Unfortunately, Zhong Chengshuo couldn’t hear her complaints. He simply stared at Yin Ren, waiting for his reaction.

“No special reaction, huh?” After observing Zhong Chengshuo for quite some time, Yin Ren finally opened his mouth, sounding as if he had let out a sigh of relief. “It’s getting late. Let’s go to sleep.”

Zhong Chengshuo took out the wooden rabbit talisman. “Let’s test it first…”

“Why test it?” Yin Ren lightly said, “It’s already so late. You should pay attention to your health and not sleep so late.”

Zhong Chengshuo: “But—”

“Let’s sleep.” Yin Ren instantly teleported and appeared in front of Zhong Chengshuo. He held Zhong Chengshuo’s hands and smiled like a gentle spring breeze. “We can talk tomorrow.”

His crimson eyes sparkled in the lamplight, and Yin Ren’s tone carried a hint of the commanding authority typical of an elder. His hair gradually entwined around Zhong Chengshuo’s limbs, gently but irresistibly pulling him down onto the couch.

It was Yin Ren’s face, Yin Ren’s voice, but it didn’t feel like Yin Ren.

Those eyes were tender and fervent, yet apart from an overwhelming sense of love, there was nothing else.

Zhong Chengshuo never expected that even now, he could experience the uncanny valley effect with his lover. Instinctively, Zhong Chengshuo tightened his grip on the couch, feeling goosebumps rising on his back.

“What’s wrong?”

Bending down, Yin Ren raised one leg, knelt on the couch, and opened his arms, enveloping Zhong Chengshuo entirely.

“Aren’t you sleepy?” Yin Ren asked, then lightly kissed the corner of Zhong Chengshuo’s mouth.

Zhong Chengshuo blankly glanced at the empty living room. He had never longed for a little clairvoyance as much as he did now. After all, Miss Hu Tao was at least a teammate. At this moment, he could only struggle to hide himself within the couch. If it weren’t for the resilience of human bones, he would have wished to flatten himself like a pancake on the couch.

“Why are you hiding?”

Yin Ren furrowed his brows slightly, opened his mouth a little, revealing relatively sharp canine teeth. The tip of Yin Ren’s finger touched Zhong Chengshuo’s skin. It was a rough and warm sensation, but it sent shivers down Zhong Chengshuo’s spine.

“Yin Ren, I don’t like this.”

He nestled further into the couch.

“According to the plan, we need to gather data,” Zhong Chengshuo dryly stated.

“It’s just a few mortals. If they die, they die. They wouldn’t have lived long anyway,” Yin Ren casually replied. “Tomorrow, I’ll resume my normal work. I’ve already shown them some face… Now that you and I understand the situation, we don’t need to worry about them.”

He held Zhong Chengshuo tightly, as if hugging a large doll.

Zhong Chengshuo dared not move.

“Well… if you’re worried, we can hide your parents in a safe place. Then we can find a way to cause some trouble on the Other Side and look for Zhong Chengfeng. In this way, you can fulfill the wish, and then we can do whatever we want.”

Yin Ren chatted casually as his fingertip traced back and forth on Zhong Chengshuo’s tender neck.

“Do you like this plan?”

Zhong Chengshuo, always honest, replied, “I don’t like it. I’d rather test the data right now.”

It was simply terrifying. In this moment, he fully agreed with Yin Ren’s viewpoint. Such a cursed object should be used to poison enemies.

Zhong Chengshuo wanted to break free, but he didn’t want to attack Yin Ren. He could only forcefully shrink his head, attempting to squeeze out of Yin Ren’s embrace.

Yin Ren sat still on the couch, gradually revealing a deeply hurt expression.

“You used to be so indifferent to the mortal world.” He looked at Zhong Chengshuo in disbelief, his tone filled with sadness. “Do you consider work more important than me?”

“Hahaha!” Hu Tao couldn’t help but burst into laughter, rolling in the air. “Why didn’t I record this with my phone?”

Before Hu Tao could finish laughing, a beam of light grazed her ear, and the residual aura of magic was bone-chilling, carrying a warning from top to bottom. It felt as if something was gripping her throat, and Hu Tao’s laughter abruptly ceased.

In panic, she swiftly flew to the next room, not even staying for half a second.

“And you, what’s your answer?”

Yin Ren turned his face again, looking at Zhong Chengshuo, who seemed to want to stick himself to the wallpaper.

“Why don’t you want to go to the Other Side together? Is Shian really that important to you?” Yin Ren expressed with sadness. “Ah, I remember now. You even covered Huang Jin with a blanket… Do you really like him?”

After speaking, a faint killing intent actually emanated from Yin Ren’s surroundings.

“What’s wrong? Why aren’t you answering?” Yin Ren continued, “Forget it. It doesn’t matter. I will make him disappear. I know your personality. It definitely wouldn’t be your fault.”

As Yin Ren spoke, he laughed again.

His smile had never appeared so much like an “Evil Spirit”.

“You’re acting so unusual today; you must be too tired. Am I right? Let’s discuss it again tomorrow morning…”

Zhong Chengshuo took a deep breath and opened his arms. “Yin Ren.”

“Hmm?”

“Hug me,” Zhong Chengshuo said while hiding the wooden talisman in his sleeve and trying to maintain a calm expression.

Yin Ren’s eyes curved, and he walked gracefully towards Zhong Chengshuo. But just one step away from Zhong Chengshuo, he stopped.

“What are you hiding in your sleeve?” he asked gently. “Could it be that you want to use that wooden talisman to send me to the Other Side?”

The author has something to say:

The vixen Hu Tao: ?

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