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Schools, like hospitals, were considered special places. The current situation was unclear, and Li Nian couldn’t mobilize the same manpower that surrounded the hospital like before. He could only do his best to deploy several teams to evacuate crowded areas near the school and cut off all access routes to the school.
Xiang Jiang, on the other hand, commanded various special task forces to set up sealing arrays around the school. Although Xiang Jiang had never directly fought against a Primordial Elemental, he had made significant progress in “sealing gaps and corruption”.
Before the protective measures could be fully prepared, a Shian police car honked, attempting to enter the school area.
At a glance, Li Nian recognized the license plate of that car.
He waved off the staff and approached personally. “…Fu Xingchuan, have you gone mad?”
“Good morning, Lao Li. Want some fried dough sticks? I have one left.” Fu Xingchuan rolled down the car window.
He wasn’t wearing a red uniform and was dressed casually, with a breakfast bag in his arms. “I was actually going to ask what madness you’re up to, wandering around outside for no reason… Or did Unit 9 cause trouble again? There’s no need to mobilize the Emergency Management Department for that, right?”
Li Nian neither took the fried dough stick nor responded to his remarks.
Fu Xingchuan glanced at the surrounding sealing measures and made clicking sounds with his tongue, expressing sentiments like, “Only witness the laughter of newcomers, but never see the tears of the old1” and “It’s heartbreaking to be this cautious2”.
1Proverb conveying the idea that people often focus on the positive and happy aspects of new or unfamiliar situations, while ignoring or being unaware of the challenges, hardships, or difficulties faced by those who have been through similar experiences before.
2Saying that conveys the sentiment that investing a great amount of effort, time, or resources into preparing for something can lead to emotional distress or anxiety.
“There’s a suspicious situation, and there may be a gap risk. Xiang Jiang and I happen to have some free time, so we came to take a look around.”
Li Nian pressed the veins on his forehead while his gaze swept toward the back seat of the sedan—Sun Qi’an and Zhang Hejun were sitting there, wearing identical expressions of confusion.
“Ah, gap risk?” Fu Xingchuan patted the steering wheel and raised his voice. “Hey, Dr. Sun, it’s not appropriate to go back to school now. Why don’t you persuade Xiao Zhang to wait another day if she has any questions? She still needs to take care of her health. It’s not urgent.”
Without hesitation, Sun Qi’an turned around. “Hejun, the authorities are still investigating. Shall we go back for now?”
Zhang Hejun stared at the school gate, not answering.
“It was against the rules for you to come out this time. But you kept insisting, so the hospital made a concession by having me accompany you.” Sun Qi’an sighed. “Considering your physical condition, in case… if your parents start causing trouble later, it won’t be easy for me either.”
“I want to see Luo Chunlei. I must see her.”
Zhang Hejun finally responded.
“I have hallucinations every time I close my eyes. In those hallucinations, she keeps throwing dirt at me, sprinkling it all over my brain… I have to talk to her face-to-face. I must see her…”
Zhang Hejun’s eyes were wide open, unblinking like a cold-blooded animal. Her gaze was directed into emptiness, and her tone carried a peculiar excitement typical of a patient, sending chills down one’s spine.
Seeing this, Sun Qi’an shook her head helplessly.
“See?” Fu Xingchuan shrugged at Li Nian. “I went to the hospital to check on my leg, and I saw this little girl rushing out like she had gone mad. To be honest, her case doesn’t have much direct relation to the corruption source. I thought since I had nothing else to do, I would bring her here.”
“Her physical recovery is going well, but there are some issues with her mental state. If it continues like this, something might happen, and the hospital can’t do much about it. Minister Li, can you make a compromise?” Sun Qi’an tidied her slightly messy hair and turned to Li Nian.
“And what about Luo Chunlei’s safety? She’s still a minor, and this behavior is simply reckless.” Li Nian pointed out directly.
“We’ll let her into the school, and she’ll come out later. Mr. Fu and I will keep an eye on her.” Sun Qi’an stepped out of the car, lowering her voice. “We won’t let them meet for sure. Bringing her here is just an attempt to calm her down… Look, this is the certificate from the hospital.”
Li Nian observed it for a while.
“Li Nian.”
Not far away, Xiang Jiang impatiently interjected.
“Fine, go ahead.” Li Nian stepped back from the car. “You can move around within the campus, but you’re not allowed to enter classrooms, the playground, or the back mountain. Fu Xingchuan, keep an eye on them.”
“Got it.” Fu Xingchuan stepped on the accelerator.
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Li Nian watched the black sedan slowly move forward and head towards the school gate. After a while, he faintly saw Fu Xingchuan rolling down the car window and talking to the security guard.
Fu Xingchuan’s maroon jacket was slightly wrinkled, indicating that he hadn’t had time to change clothes yesterday.
Yesterday afternoon.
As usual, Fu Xingchuan was investigating the corruption source near the school, diligently fulfilling his duties as a consultant. However, he couldn’t dress too conspicuously while patrolling the streets, so he wore this maroon outfit.
At least that was how Mr. Fu was dressed when Li Nian arrived. At that time, the two of them met in a noisy private room of an internet café, looking as if they were about to engage in some illicit activities. Li Nian subconsciously searched for the color red and glanced at Fu Xingchuan three times without stopping.
“Yin Ren contacted me suddenly, using a strand of hair.”
Fu Xingchuan dragged his old partner into the conversation without beating around the bush.
“There’s a large Elemental inside the school, and there seem to be other Elementals cooperating outside the school. Sun Qi’an and Zhang Hejun from Haigu Municipal Hospital… well, they have some ‘unfavorable background’.”
Li Nian: “…”
It was known that the Evil Spirits were monsters formed from the remains of a Primordial Elemental, and Shian had to exert all its strength to control them. It was also known that two powerful Elementals were lurking near the school, and Qi Xin, who was wandering outside, had not been found yet. Including the deceased Mr. Qiu, there were enough Elementals who had descended to form a table of Mahjong.
At this point, what else could their Haigu branch do?
Li Nian suddenly felt an eerie calmness. “Go on.”
“According to Yin Ren, the Elemental he killed before represented ‘Disgust’, and Qi Xin represents ‘Sorrow’. If his information is correct, the Elemental in the school represents ‘Joy’, and the external cooperation is most likely…”
“’Love’,” Li Nian completed the sentence. It was the missing piece of the four classifications separated by Shian from emotional data. Fantastic! The four leaders from the Other Side came to inspect.
“So, why did Yin Ren contact you?” Professor Li politely swallowed back the words, “What use do you have?”
“It’s similar to Mr. Qiu. These bastards just poked their fingers over here. Their true bodies are still on the Other Side, and the avatars here are not invincible.”
Fu Xingchuan lowered his duckbill cap, wearing a mischievous smile on his face.
“If they could truly be invincible, why would they specifically target this school and set up a trap for Yin Ren and the others?”
In a split second, Li Nian realized.
Humans didn’t have the means to kill these Elementals, yet Mr. Qiu died unexpectedly, spreading fear to the Other Side. Before dealing with external threats, those Primordial Elementals wouldn’t let go of the “unknown kind” lurking in the shadows.
And Unit 9, this unfortunate group—especially the two cunning individuals who weren’t entirely human—always represented Shian’s frontline in dealing with imminent crises. They were also present when Mr. Qiu died. Even if the unknown Elemental wasn’t part of Unit 9, it was closely related to Shian.
If he was an Elemental from the Other Side, he would probably come up with the same plan.
Boldly showcase the school as a special area, openly declaring one’s existence. Shian’s investigative team would undoubtedly relay the message, and sooner or later, that hidden Elemental in Shian would notice the information.
They wanted to lure that highly aggressive “unknown kind” out into the open.
Seeing Li Nian’s changing facial expression, Fu Xingchuan slyly winked and cleared his throat, “Our esteemed Professor Li is indeed quick to react. Impressive, impressive.”
“…” Li Nian rubbed his face. “Speak up. What other ideas do those two have?”
“It’s simple. Go along with the Other Side’s intentions.” Fu Xingchuan’s smile gradually faded. “But I called you here for another matter—”
“Xiao Ge and Xiao Huang volunteered… Ah, no, Xiao Ge volunteered to be the bait. She said if the Elemental doesn’t find any flaws, they’ll be more cautious. To ensure that everything goes smoothly, it’s best for them to sell a flaw.”
The expressions of “approval” and “disapproval” mixed together in Fu Xingchuan’s eyes, engaging in a passionate dispute.
“And to confirm Yin Ren’s speculation, probing is necessary.”
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“If the Other Side doesn’t have ill intentions towards Yin Ren and the others, they wouldn’t disturb Shian’s ‘patrol sentinels’. If they do have ill intentions, it could potentially cause an incident and escalate the impact. There is a risk of death for the bait.” Li Nian muttered to himself. He naturally knew what these young people were thinking, and Professor Li felt his headache worsening.
Fu Xingchuan chuckled bitterly. “So, that’s why I came to find you—reporting is secondary. The Great Celestial Master needs to prepare protective spells, and the small shop doesn’t have the ingredients.”
“You’re using me as a delivery person?”
“And also, ah… Xiao Zhong and Xiao Yin have worked so hard. We can take advantage of being associated with a big tree and enjoy the shade while bringing a net along the way.”
……
Yes, since yesterday, Li Nian’s headache hadn’t stopped.
At this moment, he watched the car disappear into the campus while his face grew longer.
“Our protection isn’t enough! Surrounding security comes first. Sort that out before discussing anything else!” He turned around, raising his voice. An A-level special task force hurriedly ran in the direction Li Nian pointed, earnestly performing their spell.
“It’s almost done.” Xiang Jiang’s hazy pupils turned towards Li Nian.
“It’s far from enough. You yourself said to be careful with the accident rate. I see that the southwest corner is still lacking.” Li Nian glanced at him sideways. “It’s surrounded by residential areas, and the type of disappearances those two had is very dangerous. This was your own judgment.”
“I also said that those two lives are also up to fate.”
Xiang Jiang’s expression was extremely grim.
“You can continue hesitating here; I’ll take my team in to investigate first.”
“…Fine, you can go.”
Li Nian closed his eyes, and his expression was tinged with bitterness.
“But as partners, I suggest you stay. You said you want to follow the rules, so carry it through to the end.” Professor Li emphasized each word. “Of course, it’s not mandatory.”
Xiang Jiang didn’t answer.
He tugged at his asymmetrical windbreaker and walked towards the school without looking back.
The sun rose, and the sky turned pale. A faint mist emanated near the school, gliding along the ground, hazy like a dream. When Li Nian opened his eyes, Xiang Jiang had already disappeared from his sight.
Li Nian raised his head and saw a group of drones flying towards the back mountain.
“…Forget it.” He sighed at them.
These unmanned drones were slightly smaller than birds, gliding through the morning sky and quickly reaching the back mountain.
The back mountain was supposed to have a water pavilion, but the pond was dry. A bit of muddy soup accumulated at the bottom, and it looked more like an ordinary construction site. The pavilion was partially built, with sparse vegetation and piles of soil between construction materials, resembling countless mounds.
Haigu Secondary School once planned to develop and build on the back mountains, but funding issues arose when half of it was already constructed, leaving the construction awkwardly halted. The students loved this unfinished style. Even though the school strictly prohibited it, students still frequented the area from time to time.
The place where Zhang Hejun was buried alive wasn’t far from here.
Zhong Chengshuo painfully swallowed two energy bars for breakfast and slowly walked towards the pavilion. The seating area of the pavilion was covered in floating dust, so Zhong Chengshuo looked around for a while and decided to stand upright beneath the pavilion.
Yin Ren, as usual, completely sealed off his aura and stuck to Zhong Chengshuo’s back like a spirit.
Before long, Luo Chunlei appeared.
She wasn’t wearing a school uniform but a pricey-looking dress. With her left hand holding a thermos cup and her right hand gripping the phone hidden in her bedroom, her fingers swiftly danced across the screen. Her shoes were polished to a shine, but after taking a few steps in this place, they quickly became covered in dust.
[Good morning, I’m livestreaming now.]
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Yin Ren lowered his head, and Dog Thing quickly displayed the messages from that anonymous group.
[After Brother Cockroach dies, those who doubted me should livestream themselves eating cockroaches .]
After typing that, Luo Chunlei stopped in front of a patch of withered grass, adjacent to a dead decorative tree. She locked her phone, and a sweet smile bloomed on her face.
“Alright, I’ve informed my parents.”
Luo Chunlei’s killing intent wasn’t particularly strong. At this moment, it seemed that she still thought everything in front of her was just a game.
“Come here. I buried the evidence under the tree… What? Do you expect a girl to dig it up herself?”
As she puffed up her cheeks, a dissatisfied expression filled her face.
A childish and clumsy trap. Zhong Chengshuo scanned the patch of grass with a calm expression. He only made a sound of acknowledgment and obediently walked over.
As soon as his right foot touched the patch of grass, the ground beneath him suddenly gave way. In the next moment, everything spun around.
Beneath the grass was a deep pit left from construction.
Zhong Chengshuo almost instantly reached out with his hands and clung tightly to the uneven walls of the pit. The collapsing grass fell to the ground, revealing the tangled steel bars at the bottom of the pit. The steel bars were thin and sharp, even more dangerous than the previous elevator shaft.
Luo Chunlei didn’t waste any words. She immediately unscrewed the thermos cup and poured the scalding hot water onto Zhong Chengshuo’s hands. Zhong Chengshuo clenched his lips, executed a beautiful somersault, and voluntarily jumped into the thicket of steel bars. The thorny steel bars surrounded him, but miraculously, Zhong Chengshuo emerged unharmed. He lifted his head and looked straight at Luo Chunlei.
She casually kicked the loose soil at the edge of the pit, causing it to fall down with a rustling sound.
“Wow, this angle is really nice—actually, I really wanted to take some photos, but if I post them in the group, it would be troublesome as evidence.”
Luo Chunlei kicked the soil a few more times and squatted down at the edge of the pit. Judging by her expression, she was genuinely troubled by this.
“Your expression isn’t as entertaining as Zhang Hejun’s back then. She was so scared that her face turned pale—people’s faces can actually turn that pale. It’s especially thrilling.”
With another kick, a large pile of soil fell down.
“Do you know you’re killing people?” Zhong Chengshuo disregarded the piles of soil embedded with steel bars.
“Of course I know, and I also know that I won’t be caught. Even if I were caught, I’m not even fourteen yet.”
Luo Chunlei seemed to be wary of Zhong Chengshuo’s words as she panted and pushed out a wheelbarrow from the debris, starting to pile up soil at the edge of the pit.
“Besides, my family is wealthy. My parents run around doing errands, and they can’t imprison me anyway.”
Her smiling face could be described as innocent.
“…My parents once told me that life is precious.” Zhong Chengshuo reached out and touched the nearest steel bar. The sharp end lightly grazed his skin. “You—”
“No way, you want to lecture me now?”
Luo Chunlei laughed even more.
[Hilarious, Brother Cockroach is going to die, and he still wants to preach to me.] She held up her phone with hands covered in dirt.
“I know what you want to say—you want to say that when I grow up, I’ll regret these things and lose sleep at night. You want to say that when I become vulnerable and get bullied, I’ll understand the feelings of Zhang Hejun and you.”
[Moral bitches will always be moral bitches.]
“Haha, you crack me up. Look at those adults. Do the kind-hearted ones become rich or take advantage of others? They’re constantly feeling down and upset over this and that, unable to live well themselves but constantly worry about others. Let me tell you, people like you are the ones who get eliminated through natural selection.”
Zhong Chengshuo remained silent, tilting his head slightly. His eyes were fixed on Luo Chunlei, who was in a good mood.
[It’s not interesting to sacrifice heroically. I will definitely make him cry w.]
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Luo Chunlei squatted down. “Let me tell you what I’ll be like in the future. I’ll eat whatever I want and buy whatever I want. Even if I don’t work, I’ll live better than my stupid classmates. Why should I make myself feel miserable? Am I doing it just because I’m full?”
“If I’m unlucky and get bullied in the future, I’ll only hate the people who bully me, right? What does that have to do with me bullying you? I don’t care about your feelings. Whoever makes me feel bad, I won’t let them off easily. It’s that simple.”
She made a grimace at Zhong Chengshuo in the pit.
“Only the pitiful ones who get bullied would dream of waiting for others to realize their mistakes. When I’m old and think of you, my impression will definitely be like, ‘Wow, I’m more amazing than most people. I could deceive a group of adults when I was a child’.”
“The teacher always said to live happily, and this is how I live the happiest.”
[It feels so refreshing to speak my mind. When I was with Sister Cockroach, I couldn’t speak so openly, missing out on so many dramatic effects]
Next, Luo Chunlei paused for a long time. She looked at Zhong Chengshuo at the bottom of the pit expectantly. Her eyes were fixed on his lips, unblinking.
“My parents once told me that life is precious.”
“Not again.”
“…But I don’t consider your life within the realm of ‘precious’. Well, I’ve made up my mind, I won’t save you either. From now on, take care of yourself.”
[Oh, a little twist~]
Luo Chunlei clicked her tongue. “Fine, so you have superpowers, what do you think? I know about it anyway. Well, I… I…”
Under her gaze, Zhong Chengshuo reached into his pocket and pinched Yellow Millet. With a pop, the illusion dissipated.
The adult Zhong Chengshuo adjusted his glasses and looked at Luo Chunlei with eyes devoid of warmth. And behind him floated the most beautiful “ghost” Luo Chunlei had ever seen in her life.
With his long hair flowing and a smile in his crimson eyes, Yin Ren wrapped his arms around Zhong Chengshuo’s neck; his chin resting on his lover’s shoulder. The red robes around Yin Ren fluttered, exuding a strong ghostly aura.
The temperature dropped suddenly, and white vapor formed around Luo Chunlei’s mouth and nose. Two hands emerged from under Yin Ren’s ribs, hugging Zhong Chengshuo’s waist tightly, effortlessly lifting him out of the deep pit.
The two of them gently stopped in front of Luo Chunlei, only two or three steps away from her.
Her opponent suddenly transformed into two adult men. After a moment of confusion, Luo Chunlei shuddered and instinctively took a step back. She took a deep breath and, without hesitation, pulled out the compact mirror, fiercely smashing it onto the ground.
“Save me!” Luo Chunlei screamed. “Kill them to silence them!”
The mirror instantly shattered into countless pieces, each reflecting the pale red dawn. In the next moment, numerous cracks appeared in space, accompanied by a burst of vacuum suction, and the school janitor with heavy eye bags stepped out of the rift, coughing miserably.
He was no longer wearing the gray school uniform but instead a long gown resembling a comedian’s outfit, and his feet were clad in a pair of worn-out cloth shoes.
“Joy,” Zhong Chengshuo said with a confident tone.
The man took a few breaths and revealed a faint smile, ultimately acquiescing.
Zhong Chengshuo didn’t act recklessly. He stood upright on the barren land, assuming a vigilant posture. Behind him, Yin Ren’s ghostly aura grew so dense that it was suffocating. The ground around them frosted, and the once yellowed grass withered and turned black, crumbling into dust.
The might of the thousand-year-old Ghost King quietly revealed a glimpse of his power.
“Kill them quickly!” Luo Chunlei rushed over and grabbed the janitor’s sleeve. “We agreed that you would send them back, and I will personally bury them!”
The janitor, Mr. Le, lowered his head and glanced at her. He reached out his withered and cracked hand, gently patting the head of the young girl.
“Yes, I will kill them,” he said. “You are the one I have chosen, and I will protect you well.”
With that, he turned to Zhong Chengshuo. His gaze became particularly complex. Despite being born of “Joy”, the sadness in his eyes resembled that of a human.
“Sorry about this, cub.”
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Schools, like hospitals, were considered special places. The current situation was unclear, and Li Nian couldn’t mobilize the same manpower that surrounded the hospital like before. He could only do his best to deploy several teams to evacuate crowded areas near the school and cut off all access routes to the school.
Xiang Jiang, on the other hand, commanded various special task forces to set up sealing arrays around the school. Although Xiang Jiang had never directly fought against a Primordial Elemental, he had made significant progress in “sealing gaps and corruption”.
Before the protective measures could be fully prepared, a Shian police car honked, attempting to enter the school area.
At a glance, Li Nian recognized the license plate of that car.
He waved off the staff and approached personally. “…Fu Xingchuan, have you gone mad?”
“Good morning, Lao Li. Want some fried dough sticks? I have one left.” Fu Xingchuan rolled down the car window.
He wasn’t wearing a red uniform and was dressed casually, with a breakfast bag in his arms. “I was actually going to ask what madness you’re up to, wandering around outside for no reason… Or did Unit 9 cause trouble again? There’s no need to mobilize the Emergency Management Department for that, right?”
Li Nian neither took the fried dough stick nor responded to his remarks.
Fu Xingchuan glanced at the surrounding sealing measures and made clicking sounds with his tongue, expressing sentiments like, “Only witness the laughter of newcomers, but never see the tears of the old1” and “It’s heartbreaking to be this cautious2”.
1Proverb conveying the idea that people often focus on the positive and happy aspects of new or unfamiliar situations, while ignoring or being unaware of the challenges, hardships, or difficulties faced by those who have been through similar experiences before.
2Saying that conveys the sentiment that investing a great amount of effort, time, or resources into preparing for something can lead to emotional distress or anxiety.
“There’s a suspicious situation, and there may be a gap risk. Xiang Jiang and I happen to have some free time, so we came to take a look around.”
Li Nian pressed the veins on his forehead while his gaze swept toward the back seat of the sedan—Sun Qi’an and Zhang Hejun were sitting there, wearing identical expressions of confusion.
“Ah, gap risk?” Fu Xingchuan patted the steering wheel and raised his voice. “Hey, Dr. Sun, it’s not appropriate to go back to school now. Why don’t you persuade Xiao Zhang to wait another day if she has any questions? She still needs to take care of her health. It’s not urgent.”
Without hesitation, Sun Qi’an turned around. “Hejun, the authorities are still investigating. Shall we go back for now?”
Zhang Hejun stared at the school gate, not answering.
“It was against the rules for you to come out this time. But you kept insisting, so the hospital made a concession by having me accompany you.” Sun Qi’an sighed. “Considering your physical condition, in case… if your parents start causing trouble later, it won’t be easy for me either.”
“I want to see Luo Chunlei. I must see her.”
Zhang Hejun finally responded.
“I have hallucinations every time I close my eyes. In those hallucinations, she keeps throwing dirt at me, sprinkling it all over my brain… I have to talk to her face-to-face. I must see her…”
Zhang Hejun’s eyes were wide open, unblinking like a cold-blooded animal. Her gaze was directed into emptiness, and her tone carried a peculiar excitement typical of a patient, sending chills down one’s spine.
Seeing this, Sun Qi’an shook her head helplessly.
“See?” Fu Xingchuan shrugged at Li Nian. “I went to the hospital to check on my leg, and I saw this little girl rushing out like she had gone mad. To be honest, her case doesn’t have much direct relation to the corruption source. I thought since I had nothing else to do, I would bring her here.”
“Her physical recovery is going well, but there are some issues with her mental state. If it continues like this, something might happen, and the hospital can’t do much about it. Minister Li, can you make a compromise?” Sun Qi’an tidied her slightly messy hair and turned to Li Nian.
“And what about Luo Chunlei’s safety? She’s still a minor, and this behavior is simply reckless.” Li Nian pointed out directly.
“We’ll let her into the school, and she’ll come out later. Mr. Fu and I will keep an eye on her.” Sun Qi’an stepped out of the car, lowering her voice. “We won’t let them meet for sure. Bringing her here is just an attempt to calm her down… Look, this is the certificate from the hospital.”
Li Nian observed it for a while.
“Li Nian.”
Not far away, Xiang Jiang impatiently interjected.
“Fine, go ahead.” Li Nian stepped back from the car. “You can move around within the campus, but you’re not allowed to enter classrooms, the playground, or the back mountain. Fu Xingchuan, keep an eye on them.”
“Got it.” Fu Xingchuan stepped on the accelerator.
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Li Nian watched the black sedan slowly move forward and head towards the school gate. After a while, he faintly saw Fu Xingchuan rolling down the car window and talking to the security guard.
Fu Xingchuan’s maroon jacket was slightly wrinkled, indicating that he hadn’t had time to change clothes yesterday.
Yesterday afternoon.
As usual, Fu Xingchuan was investigating the corruption source near the school, diligently fulfilling his duties as a consultant. However, he couldn’t dress too conspicuously while patrolling the streets, so he wore this maroon outfit.
At least that was how Mr. Fu was dressed when Li Nian arrived. At that time, the two of them met in a noisy private room of an internet café, looking as if they were about to engage in some illicit activities. Li Nian subconsciously searched for the color red and glanced at Fu Xingchuan three times without stopping.
“Yin Ren contacted me suddenly, using a strand of hair.”
Fu Xingchuan dragged his old partner into the conversation without beating around the bush.
“There’s a large Elemental inside the school, and there seem to be other Elementals cooperating outside the school. Sun Qi’an and Zhang Hejun from Haigu Municipal Hospital… well, they have some ‘unfavorable background’.”
Li Nian: “…”
It was known that the Evil Spirits were monsters formed from the remains of a Primordial Elemental, and Shian had to exert all its strength to control them. It was also known that two powerful Elementals were lurking near the school, and Qi Xin, who was wandering outside, had not been found yet. Including the deceased Mr. Qiu, there were enough Elementals who had descended to form a table of Mahjong.
At this point, what else could their Haigu branch do?
Li Nian suddenly felt an eerie calmness. “Go on.”
“According to Yin Ren, the Elemental he killed before represented ‘Disgust’, and Qi Xin represents ‘Sorrow’. If his information is correct, the Elemental in the school represents ‘Joy’, and the external cooperation is most likely…”
“’Love’,” Li Nian completed the sentence. It was the missing piece of the four classifications separated by Shian from emotional data. Fantastic! The four leaders from the Other Side came to inspect.
“So, why did Yin Ren contact you?” Professor Li politely swallowed back the words, “What use do you have?”
“It’s similar to Mr. Qiu. These bastards just poked their fingers over here. Their true bodies are still on the Other Side, and the avatars here are not invincible.”
Fu Xingchuan lowered his duckbill cap, wearing a mischievous smile on his face.
“If they could truly be invincible, why would they specifically target this school and set up a trap for Yin Ren and the others?”
In a split second, Li Nian realized.
Humans didn’t have the means to kill these Elementals, yet Mr. Qiu died unexpectedly, spreading fear to the Other Side. Before dealing with external threats, those Primordial Elementals wouldn’t let go of the “unknown kind” lurking in the shadows.
And Unit 9, this unfortunate group—especially the two cunning individuals who weren’t entirely human—always represented Shian’s frontline in dealing with imminent crises. They were also present when Mr. Qiu died. Even if the unknown Elemental wasn’t part of Unit 9, it was closely related to Shian.
If he was an Elemental from the Other Side, he would probably come up with the same plan.
Boldly showcase the school as a special area, openly declaring one’s existence. Shian’s investigative team would undoubtedly relay the message, and sooner or later, that hidden Elemental in Shian would notice the information.
They wanted to lure that highly aggressive “unknown kind” out into the open.
Seeing Li Nian’s changing facial expression, Fu Xingchuan slyly winked and cleared his throat, “Our esteemed Professor Li is indeed quick to react. Impressive, impressive.”
“…” Li Nian rubbed his face. “Speak up. What other ideas do those two have?”
“It’s simple. Go along with the Other Side’s intentions.” Fu Xingchuan’s smile gradually faded. “But I called you here for another matter—”
“Xiao Ge and Xiao Huang volunteered… Ah, no, Xiao Ge volunteered to be the bait. She said if the Elemental doesn’t find any flaws, they’ll be more cautious. To ensure that everything goes smoothly, it’s best for them to sell a flaw.”
The expressions of “approval” and “disapproval” mixed together in Fu Xingchuan’s eyes, engaging in a passionate dispute.
“And to confirm Yin Ren’s speculation, probing is necessary.”
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“If the Other Side doesn’t have ill intentions towards Yin Ren and the others, they wouldn’t disturb Shian’s ‘patrol sentinels’. If they do have ill intentions, it could potentially cause an incident and escalate the impact. There is a risk of death for the bait.” Li Nian muttered to himself. He naturally knew what these young people were thinking, and Professor Li felt his headache worsening.
Fu Xingchuan chuckled bitterly. “So, that’s why I came to find you—reporting is secondary. The Great Celestial Master needs to prepare protective spells, and the small shop doesn’t have the ingredients.”
“You’re using me as a delivery person?”
“And also, ah… Xiao Zhong and Xiao Yin have worked so hard. We can take advantage of being associated with a big tree and enjoy the shade while bringing a net along the way.”
……
Yes, since yesterday, Li Nian’s headache hadn’t stopped.
At this moment, he watched the car disappear into the campus while his face grew longer.
“Our protection isn’t enough! Surrounding security comes first. Sort that out before discussing anything else!” He turned around, raising his voice. An A-level special task force hurriedly ran in the direction Li Nian pointed, earnestly performing their spell.
“It’s almost done.” Xiang Jiang’s hazy pupils turned towards Li Nian.
“It’s far from enough. You yourself said to be careful with the accident rate. I see that the southwest corner is still lacking.” Li Nian glanced at him sideways. “It’s surrounded by residential areas, and the type of disappearances those two had is very dangerous. This was your own judgment.”
“I also said that those two lives are also up to fate.”
Xiang Jiang’s expression was extremely grim.
“You can continue hesitating here; I’ll take my team in to investigate first.”
“…Fine, you can go.”
Li Nian closed his eyes, and his expression was tinged with bitterness.
“But as partners, I suggest you stay. You said you want to follow the rules, so carry it through to the end.” Professor Li emphasized each word. “Of course, it’s not mandatory.”
Xiang Jiang didn’t answer.
He tugged at his asymmetrical windbreaker and walked towards the school without looking back.
The sun rose, and the sky turned pale. A faint mist emanated near the school, gliding along the ground, hazy like a dream. When Li Nian opened his eyes, Xiang Jiang had already disappeared from his sight.
Li Nian raised his head and saw a group of drones flying towards the back mountain.
“…Forget it.” He sighed at them.
These unmanned drones were slightly smaller than birds, gliding through the morning sky and quickly reaching the back mountain.
The back mountain was supposed to have a water pavilion, but the pond was dry. A bit of muddy soup accumulated at the bottom, and it looked more like an ordinary construction site. The pavilion was partially built, with sparse vegetation and piles of soil between construction materials, resembling countless mounds.
Haigu Secondary School once planned to develop and build on the back mountains, but funding issues arose when half of it was already constructed, leaving the construction awkwardly halted. The students loved this unfinished style. Even though the school strictly prohibited it, students still frequented the area from time to time.
The place where Zhang Hejun was buried alive wasn’t far from here.
Zhong Chengshuo painfully swallowed two energy bars for breakfast and slowly walked towards the pavilion. The seating area of the pavilion was covered in floating dust, so Zhong Chengshuo looked around for a while and decided to stand upright beneath the pavilion.
Yin Ren, as usual, completely sealed off his aura and stuck to Zhong Chengshuo’s back like a spirit.
Before long, Luo Chunlei appeared.
She wasn’t wearing a school uniform but a pricey-looking dress. With her left hand holding a thermos cup and her right hand gripping the phone hidden in her bedroom, her fingers swiftly danced across the screen. Her shoes were polished to a shine, but after taking a few steps in this place, they quickly became covered in dust.
[Good morning, I’m livestreaming now.]
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Yin Ren lowered his head, and Dog Thing quickly displayed the messages from that anonymous group.
[After Brother Cockroach dies, those who doubted me should livestream themselves eating cockroaches .]
After typing that, Luo Chunlei stopped in front of a patch of withered grass, adjacent to a dead decorative tree. She locked her phone, and a sweet smile bloomed on her face.
“Alright, I’ve informed my parents.”
Luo Chunlei’s killing intent wasn’t particularly strong. At this moment, it seemed that she still thought everything in front of her was just a game.
“Come here. I buried the evidence under the tree… What? Do you expect a girl to dig it up herself?”
As she puffed up her cheeks, a dissatisfied expression filled her face.
A childish and clumsy trap. Zhong Chengshuo scanned the patch of grass with a calm expression. He only made a sound of acknowledgment and obediently walked over.
As soon as his right foot touched the patch of grass, the ground beneath him suddenly gave way. In the next moment, everything spun around.
Beneath the grass was a deep pit left from construction.
Zhong Chengshuo almost instantly reached out with his hands and clung tightly to the uneven walls of the pit. The collapsing grass fell to the ground, revealing the tangled steel bars at the bottom of the pit. The steel bars were thin and sharp, even more dangerous than the previous elevator shaft.
Luo Chunlei didn’t waste any words. She immediately unscrewed the thermos cup and poured the scalding hot water onto Zhong Chengshuo’s hands. Zhong Chengshuo clenched his lips, executed a beautiful somersault, and voluntarily jumped into the thicket of steel bars. The thorny steel bars surrounded him, but miraculously, Zhong Chengshuo emerged unharmed. He lifted his head and looked straight at Luo Chunlei.
She casually kicked the loose soil at the edge of the pit, causing it to fall down with a rustling sound.
“Wow, this angle is really nice—actually, I really wanted to take some photos, but if I post them in the group, it would be troublesome as evidence.”
Luo Chunlei kicked the soil a few more times and squatted down at the edge of the pit. Judging by her expression, she was genuinely troubled by this.
“Your expression isn’t as entertaining as Zhang Hejun’s back then. She was so scared that her face turned pale—people’s faces can actually turn that pale. It’s especially thrilling.”
With another kick, a large pile of soil fell down.
“Do you know you’re killing people?” Zhong Chengshuo disregarded the piles of soil embedded with steel bars.
“Of course I know, and I also know that I won’t be caught. Even if I were caught, I’m not even fourteen yet.”
Luo Chunlei seemed to be wary of Zhong Chengshuo’s words as she panted and pushed out a wheelbarrow from the debris, starting to pile up soil at the edge of the pit.
“Besides, my family is wealthy. My parents run around doing errands, and they can’t imprison me anyway.”
Her smiling face could be described as innocent.
“…My parents once told me that life is precious.” Zhong Chengshuo reached out and touched the nearest steel bar. The sharp end lightly grazed his skin. “You—”
“No way, you want to lecture me now?”
Luo Chunlei laughed even more.
[Hilarious, Brother Cockroach is going to die, and he still wants to preach to me.] She held up her phone with hands covered in dirt.
“I know what you want to say—you want to say that when I grow up, I’ll regret these things and lose sleep at night. You want to say that when I become vulnerable and get bullied, I’ll understand the feelings of Zhang Hejun and you.”
[Moral bitches will always be moral bitches.]
“Haha, you crack me up. Look at those adults. Do the kind-hearted ones become rich or take advantage of others? They’re constantly feeling down and upset over this and that, unable to live well themselves but constantly worry about others. Let me tell you, people like you are the ones who get eliminated through natural selection.”
Zhong Chengshuo remained silent, tilting his head slightly. His eyes were fixed on Luo Chunlei, who was in a good mood.
[It’s not interesting to sacrifice heroically. I will definitely make him cry w.]
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Luo Chunlei squatted down. “Let me tell you what I’ll be like in the future. I’ll eat whatever I want and buy whatever I want. Even if I don’t work, I’ll live better than my stupid classmates. Why should I make myself feel miserable? Am I doing it just because I’m full?”
“If I’m unlucky and get bullied in the future, I’ll only hate the people who bully me, right? What does that have to do with me bullying you? I don’t care about your feelings. Whoever makes me feel bad, I won’t let them off easily. It’s that simple.”
She made a grimace at Zhong Chengshuo in the pit.
“Only the pitiful ones who get bullied would dream of waiting for others to realize their mistakes. When I’m old and think of you, my impression will definitely be like, ‘Wow, I’m more amazing than most people. I could deceive a group of adults when I was a child’.”
“The teacher always said to live happily, and this is how I live the happiest.”
[It feels so refreshing to speak my mind. When I was with Sister Cockroach, I couldn’t speak so openly, missing out on so many dramatic effects]
Next, Luo Chunlei paused for a long time. She looked at Zhong Chengshuo at the bottom of the pit expectantly. Her eyes were fixed on his lips, unblinking.
“My parents once told me that life is precious.”
“Not again.”
“…But I don’t consider your life within the realm of ‘precious’. Well, I’ve made up my mind, I won’t save you either. From now on, take care of yourself.”
[Oh, a little twist~]
Luo Chunlei clicked her tongue. “Fine, so you have superpowers, what do you think? I know about it anyway. Well, I… I…”
Under her gaze, Zhong Chengshuo reached into his pocket and pinched Yellow Millet. With a pop, the illusion dissipated.
The adult Zhong Chengshuo adjusted his glasses and looked at Luo Chunlei with eyes devoid of warmth. And behind him floated the most beautiful “ghost” Luo Chunlei had ever seen in her life.
With his long hair flowing and a smile in his crimson eyes, Yin Ren wrapped his arms around Zhong Chengshuo’s neck; his chin resting on his lover’s shoulder. The red robes around Yin Ren fluttered, exuding a strong ghostly aura.
The temperature dropped suddenly, and white vapor formed around Luo Chunlei’s mouth and nose. Two hands emerged from under Yin Ren’s ribs, hugging Zhong Chengshuo’s waist tightly, effortlessly lifting him out of the deep pit.
The two of them gently stopped in front of Luo Chunlei, only two or three steps away from her.
Her opponent suddenly transformed into two adult men. After a moment of confusion, Luo Chunlei shuddered and instinctively took a step back. She took a deep breath and, without hesitation, pulled out the compact mirror, fiercely smashing it onto the ground.
“Save me!” Luo Chunlei screamed. “Kill them to silence them!”
The mirror instantly shattered into countless pieces, each reflecting the pale red dawn. In the next moment, numerous cracks appeared in space, accompanied by a burst of vacuum suction, and the school janitor with heavy eye bags stepped out of the rift, coughing miserably.
He was no longer wearing the gray school uniform but instead a long gown resembling a comedian’s outfit, and his feet were clad in a pair of worn-out cloth shoes.
“Joy,” Zhong Chengshuo said with a confident tone.
The man took a few breaths and revealed a faint smile, ultimately acquiescing.
Zhong Chengshuo didn’t act recklessly. He stood upright on the barren land, assuming a vigilant posture. Behind him, Yin Ren’s ghostly aura grew so dense that it was suffocating. The ground around them frosted, and the once yellowed grass withered and turned black, crumbling into dust.
The might of the thousand-year-old Ghost King quietly revealed a glimpse of his power.
“Kill them quickly!” Luo Chunlei rushed over and grabbed the janitor’s sleeve. “We agreed that you would send them back, and I will personally bury them!”
The janitor, Mr. Le, lowered his head and glanced at her. He reached out his withered and cracked hand, gently patting the head of the young girl.
“Yes, I will kill them,” he said. “You are the one I have chosen, and I will protect you well.”
With that, he turned to Zhong Chengshuo. His gaze became particularly complex. Despite being born of “Joy”, the sadness in his eyes resembled that of a human.
“Sorry about this, cub.”
