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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.
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[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.
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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—”
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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.
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“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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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.
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[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.
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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—”
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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.
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“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.”
