Chapter 62: Return to School
"Wake up, we're here," An Jie's emotionless voice woke Jiang Hong.
Rubbing his bleary eyes, Jiang Hong glanced out the window. The plane had landed. Exhausted, he followed An Jie out, slept in the car, and was dropped off at his hotel late at night. Returning to his room, he immediately fell into a deep sleep.
He dreamt bizarre dreams – in one, Lu Xiu stood before him covered in blood; in another, An Jie was stabbing him in the back with a dagger.
"From beyond this world..."
A strange young voice intruded his chaotic dreams.
"Maybe..." another man's voice suggested, "they need to be warned..."
"It's too vague, still uncertain... Is it from the cosmos or another parallel universe? Are there parallel universes?"
The voices were fleeting, and in his last dream, the 'other' Jiang Hong in the mirror stepped out and choked him.
"Aah! Lu—" Jiang Hong woke up suddenly, instinctively clutching the dragon scale on his chest.
Sunlight streamed into the room, everything peaceful. Jumping up, Jiang Hong saw a note by his bed, written by Lu Xiu.
[Rest well. I'll be waiting for you at the Exorcism Committee. Come over when you've slept enough.]
A new phone was placed atop the note.
Jiang Hong, tidying his messy hair and freshening up, glanced at the hotel clock – it was already past 10. Habitually wanting to message Lu Xiu, he realized he had lost his SIM card with his old phone.
Needing to report his SIM card lost, he took his ID and stepped out. By 11:30, he returned to the Exorcism Committee and entered the office to find An Jie, who had finished a meeting, lost in thought.
Jiang Hong eyed An Jie, feeling back in his element, and thought: I actually argued with him yesterday! Nervously, he wondered if An Jie would hold a grudge.
"Is the phone working?" An Jie suddenly spoke.
"Yes," Jiang Hong replied while downloading his apps, confusedly adding, "Should I turn it off if it slows down the internet? I'll shut it if it does."
"That was a gift from Chen Zhen," An Jie revealed, "the first thing he gave me when I joined the Exorcism Committee."
Jiang Hong then realized the phone was a gift from An Jie, but why would Chen Zhen give An Jie a phone? Their relationship seemed complex; sometimes they seemed annoyed with each other, yet they cooperated seamlessly.
He even forgot to thank An Jie, unsure of what conclusion the Exorcism Committee's higher-ups reached after yesterday's meeting. Surprisingly, today was calm with no upheaval at the Exorcism Committee, no traitor from Yingxu captured, and the atmosphere remained peaceful as if nothing had happened.
The first app Jiang Hong downloaded was a news app, where official Guangzhou news reported that the Pearl River flooding was due to geological shifts.
"Aren't you going for lunch?" An Jie asked again.
"Uh," Jiang Hong replied, "I'll go in a moment. By the way..."
An Jie: "?"
Jiang Hong nervously asked, "Do I have to do anything today?"
Leaning back in his chair, An Jie appraised Jiang Hong and queried, "What do you want to do?"
As Jiang Hong pondered, An Jie put away a stack of personnel files into his drawer, saying, "Do you think Chen Zhen is going to start a purge?"
Jiang Hong nodded, and An Jie replied, "That's impossible. Don't forget, Yingxu is holding hostages."
Jiang Hong immediately understood: The Exorcism Committee was completely constrained. No matter who Chen Zhen identified as a clone, the dark Chen Zhen held the original as a hostage, ready to execute one for every clone captured.
"So, what should we do?" Jiang Hong asked.
An Jie countered, "What do you think?"
Jiang Hong: "Well... we should at least find out where the enemy is hiding the hostages."
An Jie didn't respond immediately but finally said, "Let's go have lunch first."
As Jiang Hong was about to leave, An Jie added, "There's one more thing."
Jiang Hong: "?"
Standing at the door, Jiang Hong heard An Jie say, “From now on, you can go back to Chen Zhen.”
“I'm sorry,” Jiang Hong began, recalling the incident from the other day, about to apologize to An Jie for his previous impoliteness.
“No,” An Jie gestured dismissively, “You did well and were a great help. It's just that I have too many things to deal with lately, and it’s not fair to keep you here. I should be the one apologizing to you.”
After speaking, An Jie stood up and added, “Thank you for your hard work in Guangzhou.”
Jiang Hong was taken aback by the gratitude, humbly accepting it before leaving An Jie’s office. He immediately sent a message to Lu Xiu on WeChat, who responded quickly, asking to meet in the cafeteria. But as soon as Jiang Hong entered the elevator, he ran into Lu Xiu, both of them silent and the atmosphere a bit odd.
“What are you doing?” Lu Xiu asked.
“Just checking if you’re fully healed,” Jiang Hong said, worriedly examining Lu Xiu, pulling his hand to check for injuries, then lifting his sweatshirt to see his abs, which were unscathed.
Lu Xiu: “……”
There were many exorcists in the elevator, all wanting to glance at them but restraining themselves.
Lu Xiu gestured that there were too many people, and Jiang Hong stopped looking.
“Does the phone work?” Lu Xiu asked again.
“Yes, An Jie gave it to me,” Jiang Hong replied, “Why didn’t you mention it in the note?”
Everyone: “………………”
Lu Xiu signaled Jiang Hong again not to talk recklessly. A guy standing at the elevator door commented, “Wow, did the leader give you a phone?”
Jiang Hong fell silent.
In the cafeteria, Lu Xiu ordered lunch, sitting with his legs stretched out, looking bored. Jiang Hong glanced around; they were in a corner with nice sunlight.
Lu Xiu still seemed tired, as if he wouldn’t say a word unless Jiang Hong spoke. But after seeing Jiang Hong’s hesitant expression several times, he finally said, “Ask whatever you want.”
Jiang Hong replied, “Actually, I don’t have much to ask. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Lu Xiu silently watched Jiang Hong, his eyes always clear, like those of a child untouched by worldly affairs.
Jiang Hong's brows were constantly furrowed, worried about Lu Xiu.
"Is losing to 'oneself' a kind of shame?"
"You must be tired too," Lu Xiu said, "The internship is almost over, and the rest will be handled by them."
Experiencing so much in just a week was overwhelming for Jiang Hong, almost making him forget that he was still a student.
Jiang Hong understood Lu Xiu was referring to the undercover agents Hui Hui had planted in the Exorcist Committee. He looked around the cafeteria, wondering, how many here are enemies, and how many are allies?
“Oh... what are they up to?” Jiang Hong changed the subject, hoping Lu Xiu would stop dwelling on that battle.
"Chen Zhen can't make any big moves for now," Lu Xiu explained, "After yesterday's exposure, the Exorcist Committee immediately received a threat from Hui Hui."
Jiang Hong asked, "Who delivered it?"
Lu Xiu: "Unknown, but it was definitely placed on Chen Zhen's desk. It threatened that for every undercover agent removed, Hui Hui would kill their real counterpart."
Just as Jiang Hong had suspected.
Lu Xiu said, "So, the most important thing now is..."
Jiang Hong: "To rescue the hostages."
Lu Xiu nodded, affirming his guess.
As the stir-fried dishes arrived, they began to eat. Jiang Hong asked, "Will you stay here to assist?"
Lu Xiu answered, "No, I need to go back to help Principal Cao."
While eating, Jiang Hong suddenly reached out and gently tugged Lu Xiu's shirt down a bit, checking the mark left by the removal of his dragon scale on his chest.
Lu Xiu: "You can't even recognize me now?"
"Just being cautious," Jiang Hong said. "Any leads on finding the hostages?"
Lu Xiu: "None."
After a moment of silence, Lu Xiu added, "Anyway, the situation is much clearer now than it was before."
With no clue in mind, Jiang Hong pondered over the whole situation while quietly having lunch with Lu Xiu. Suddenly, an odd thought struck him, seemingly born from his brief conversation with An Jie earlier.
"Are you alright?" Jiang Hong asked again.
Lu Xiu raised his eyebrows, responding, "I'm okay."
But Jiang Hong knew all too well that Lu Xiu's condition couldn't simply be described as "okay."
The defeat in that battle might not be the most crucial thing. Lu Xiu had faced strong opponents before and had known defeat - like his battle against the ancient decaying beast "Gui" in the Qilian Mountains, where he had met his match.
Tracing further back, he had also lost in a combined attack by S-class Exorcists. There are always higher skies and stronger people; defeat is not a disgrace.
But the crucial point is, anyone would be greatly impacted upon discovering there's another identical self in the world.
Jiang Hong thought to himself: If I discovered there was another me in the world, ready to replace the real me at any moment, I would feel extremely uncomfortable. Initially, the situation was urgent, and Lu Xiu had to be ruthless to protect himself. But what if it were Jiang Hong himself? If he found a replica, he might not be able to kill it.
After all, the idea of killing oneself is too hard to contemplate.
"That guy is fake," Jiang Hong suddenly said, "He's not you, and I never thought he was you."
Lu Xiu was taken aback, his inner thoughts laid bare by Jiang Hong.
Jiang Hong further explained, "He almost killed me, you know. If it were you, you'd never do that."
Jiang Hong was sure that his physical injuries were completely healed. His restlessness and worries stemmed more from the existence of another dark replica. Having experienced such a shock himself with another imperfect 'self', Yuan Shiyu, Jiang Hong understood how complex Lu Xiu's emotions must be at the moment—on the abandoned building's rooftop, he hesitated, even as he prepared to unleash all his power against the dark Lu Xiu.
That was the clearest indication.
"I need to find the replicated Lu Xiu," Jiang Hong thought to himself.
And then?
The real Lu Xiu, still silent, poked a straw into the yogurt and handed it to Jiang Hong. These small gestures, unchanged, signified the unique him, irreplaceable to Jiang Hong.
Then... Jiang Hong gradually understood what he had to do: send that imposter back to where he came from, dust to dust, earth to earth.
The plan was bold and fraught with danger, more a long-term goal than an immediate one.
Jiang Hong asked, "This matter bothers you a lot, doesn't it?"
Lu Xiu still did not reply.
Jiang Hong decided to start working on this as soon as he returned to school, no, starting now. The most profound impression Lu Xiu left on him that day was when, clutching the dragon scale, he summoned him with all his might, the stream of water cutting through the darkness and breaking through time and space towards him. Even battered and exhausted, he flew towards Jiang Hong without hesitation.
Their connection transcended everything, a moment Jiang Hong would never forget in his lifetime.
"It's strange to say this," Jiang Hong said with a smile, "but my feelings are only for you, senior. Even if someone else steals your appearance, your... well, don’t worry about it, okay?"
Lu Xiu instantly felt uncomfortable as Jiang Hong had already begun his plan.
After lunch, Jiang Hong wanted to meet Chen Zhen, but Lu Xiu, seeming a bit better, said, "He's busy and can't meet anyone right now."
"Oh?" Jiang Hong was surprised, "Is he busy with that matter? I have something very important."
It was the first time Lu Xiu had heard Jiang Hong mention something "very important," but he didn’t probe further. After a thought, he said, "You can see him, but he won't have much time to talk in detail."
Jiang Hong: "???"
Lu Xiu swiped his card and led Jiang Hong into Chen Zhen’s office, which left Jiang Hong in shock.
Chen Zhen was sitting behind his desk. The entire office space was filled with virtual projection screens floating in mid-air, each displaying a different surveillance scene. From the corridors outside the leaders' offices to the janitor's room, cafeteria, and entrance hall—every detail, wherever there was a camera, Chen Zhen could see it, and all screens were fast-forwarding.
Chen Zhen, wearing his Google glasses, sat quietly in the swivel chair, his hand adorned with a magical ring that shimmered with light. His gaze swiftly shifted, as if he had entered a trance, observing all the surveillance.
Jiang Hong glanced at the surveillance timestamp: eleven months and seventeen days ago.
"What's up, Jiang Hong?" Chen Zhen, surprisingly still able to spare some attention, spoke to Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu.
"Nothing, nothing," Jiang Hong quickly realized it wasn't the time for details and replied, "Just checking on you."
Chen Zhen raised his hand, gesturing to Jiang Hong, and said, "This ring, invented by Dou Kuan, can block out distractions, focusing attention into a mental beam for handling official duties. Do I look like an AI now?"
Jiang Hong laughed, understanding that Chen Zhen was using the most primitive and effective method to identify undercover agents within the committee—any spy would inevitably leave some traces.
So, he temporarily bid farewell to Chen Zhen. Lu Xiu needed to start writing internship reviews in the afternoon, and Jiang Hong helped him with some, sorting documents in Lu Xiu's office. Jiang Hong noticed Lu Xiu still slightly frowning, clearly still troubled.
He was about to speak when someone knocked on the door, and a young man entered.
"They said I could temporarily use Keda's office," the young man said.
"Eh? Are you... Qi Wei?" Jiang Hong recognized him; they had just met the day before at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport.
Lu Xiu nodded, making room for him, but Qi Wei said, "Don't bother, I'll just use another desk. Hello, Lu Xiu."
Qi Wei, dressed in casual sportswear, tall and slim, placed his trumpet-sized backpack in the corner of the room.
Although Lu Xiu had never met Qi Wei, he was well aware of his reputation as an S-class exorcist summoned by the committee for assistance. Qi Wei must have also heard of Lu Xiu's fame.
"Have you met Chen Zhen?" Lu Xiu asked.
"Yes," Qi Wei replied, "I'll be temporarily handling some of his duties while he's busy. What are you guys working on?"
Jiang Hong showed Qi Wei the internship documents, and Qi Wei casually asked, "Oh? Will you join the committee after graduation?"
"No," Lu Xiu flatly refused.
Qi Wei laughed, saying, "I wouldn't want to come either. If he's not coming, I suppose you won't either, Jiang Hong."
Jiang Hong: "Um..."
Qi Wei: "Or are you considering giving it another thought?"
Another voice sounded from outside, saying, "I just arrived, and already I hear you're poaching my people. Is Chen Zhen really that short-staffed?"
"Ah!" Jiang Hong was startled to hear Cao Bin's voice!
But Lu Xiu seemed prepared, glancing at the doorway.
Cao Bin, still in his formal suit, politely knocked on the open door. Qi Wei had already hopped over from the desk, slinging an arm around Cao Bin, who rarely showed his fangs in a shy smile.
"Cough!" Cao Bin asked Lu Xiu, "Have you finished your work?"
"Almost," Lu Xiu said expressionlessly, "I still need to get their internship supervisors to sign off."
Cao Bin said, "The internship will end early; you can leave in the next couple of days."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong was surprised. "That soon?"
Jiang Hong had thought it would last at least another week, but Cao Bin said, "It's a busy time; don’t cause more trouble for the committee."
Qi Wei seriously said, "Isn't it more like not wanting the committee to cause us trouble? Come on, let's go bother An Jie."
Initially, Jiang Hong found An Jie quite arrogant, but after traveling with him, he realized An Jie was actually a decent person. Yet, it seemed the S-class exorcists were somewhat hostile towards An Jie—because of his relationship with Chen Zhen, or some kind of xenophobia?
Lu Xiu organized all the documents and said to Jiang Hong, "I'll go get the signatures. You don’t need to come; leave early and pack up. We can return to school tomorrow."
"Okay," Jiang Hong replied, looking at Lu Xiu with a bit of concern, but after Cao Bin’s visit, Lu Xiu seemed to return to normal.
He began to organize the documents to take with him, listlessly waiting for the end of the day, wondering if he should drop by and greet An Jie. Surprisingly, An Jie had become his favorite leader at the headquarters during his time at the committee.
As Jiang Hong was hesitating, Cao Bin came over again, holding a form in his left hand and two cups of coffee in his right.
"How's it going?" Cao Bin handed a cup to Jiang Hong. "I haven't had the chance to ask you. It must have been tough recently."
Seeing Cao Bin, Jiang Hong also felt like going over to him like Qi Wei did, slinging an arm around him. Besides being the principal, Cao Bin was also his mentor, and seeing him always felt especially warm, like seeing a parent.
Jiang Hong replied, "It's been okay. Actually, it's quite embarrassing. I hardly did anything the whole time, causing a lot of trouble for Lu Xiu."
Cao Bin casually said, "You're too modest," and then chuckled to himself.
Jiang Hong remembered his plan and, needing Cao Bin's help after returning to Cangqiong University, mustered the courage to ask, "Principal, are you busy right now?"
"No," said Cao Bin, "I'm waiting for Qi Wei's meeting. What's up? Tell me."
Cao Bin's gaze shifted from the floor-to-ceiling window outside to Jiang Hong, his familiarity and understanding of Jiang Hong indicating he knew Jiang Hong had something important to say.
"I need to find the clone of Lu Xiu," Jiang Hong said seriously, "and eliminate him."
Jiang Hong briefly explained his plan, and upon hearing it, Cao Bin’s expression grew solemn.
"That was my original intention too," Cao Bin said. "But indeed… it's a tumultuous time, and many issues take precedence over the impostor Lu Xiu… However, now I think, maybe you're right."
"How many undercover agents from Yinghuo are there?" Jiang Hong asked further.
"It's still unclear," answered Cao Bin, "we have to wait for the results of Chen Zhen's investigation. But I believe the committee is not the most serious issue."
"Oh?" Jiang Hong said, "What could be worse? It’s not our school, is it…?"
Cao Bin pondered for a while before responding, "No, the school is actually very safe. We've only identified two, and they've been dealt with… But, Jiang Hong."
Cao Bin looked at Jiang Hong intently, then suddenly burst into laughter.
Jiang Hong: "?"
Cao Bin said, "In this matter, you and Chen Zhen have something in common."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong was puzzled but, thinking of another person who had been cloned, asked, "Does Chen Zhen also care deeply about being cloned?"
Cao Bin said, "He's taking it seriously, but he's not afraid."
Jiang Hong thought that was good to hear. Cao Bin then asked, "So, what have you decided to do?"
Jiang Hong hesitated, "Well... investigate the whereabouts of the Yinghuo headquarters, or perhaps... study the fake Chen Zhen's use of the Qingyu Golden Cup, or... there must be a way, maybe act as bait? Lure them out? They must be hiding somewhere. Besides searching for that guy's location, I also need to prepare... to hunt him, or rather, to eliminate him."
Cao Bin asked, "Can you really go through with it?"
Jiang Hong nodded, because to him, that person was not Lu Xiu at all, just a dark figure wearing Lu Xiu's appearance.
"Finding out someone has cloned you," Jiang Hong said, "must be very unsettling, so I wanted to hear your thoughts."
Cao Bin became pensive again, nodded, and replied, "I see. Since this is your decision, after you return to school, I will offer some advice in class. I still need to think about it for now."
With Cao Bin's support, Jiang Hong felt a bit more at ease and curiously looked at the form in Cao Bin's hand.
"What's that?" Jiang Hong saw his own name.
"Your internship evaluation," Cao Bin replied. "An Jie gave you an 'S', with comments: 'Composed and cool-headed, decisive and kind, brave and fearless.'"
"Ah—" Jiang Hong thought: I should thank him.
But An Jie was in a meeting. As closing time approached and the committee members were still busy, Jiang Hong went back to pack his bags. Before nightfall, Lu Xiu returned, and the interns also gathered back at the hotel. The school paid for everyone to have a buffet dinner at the hotel as the last day of the internship, with Qi Wei and Dou Kuan from the committee coming over to casually chat with the students.
Jiang Hong saw Lu Xiu on the balcony at the edge of the restaurant, standing at the railing, gazing at the Beijing night scene.
Jiang Hong went over and playfully nudged him from behind, only to be pulled in by Lu Xiu, standing shoulder to shoulder on the balcony.
"What are you thinking about?" Jiang Hong asked.
"I was just thinking of calling you over to see the night view," Lu Xiu said, turning his head, "and then you appeared."
The spring night breeze was comforting, and Jiang Hong heard voices of conversation nearby.
"...The issue with the Demon Association is the most serious."
One of the voices was An Jie's.
"You can't say that in public," another person spoke, it was Cao Bin. Cao Bin was here too?
"Demons and monsters," An Jie said, "ever since the demons appeared, the monster race has always been the demons' subordinates. With the current Monster King absent, there isn't a single monster among the S-class exorcists. Chen Zhen needs to reflect on his selection mechanism."
Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong stood at the railing, looking at another balcony not far across from them.
Cao Bin and An Jie had apparently noticed them, yet both felt there was no need to avoid their conversation. The dialogue ended quickly, like a minor interlude in the banquet. Before leaving, An Jie turned and thoughtfully glanced at Jiang Hong.
Whether it was exorcists or monsters, all the troubles were left behind as Jiang Hong boarded the plane back to Xi'an, finally able to return to school!
Though it was only a week, Jiang Hong felt as if several months had passed. Looking out the plane window at the Qinling Mountains, he felt an immense sense of familiarity.
The students, mostly tormented by their work at the committee, once again believed that studying was the most relaxing and comfortable job in the world. Upon arriving at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, they scattered like birds and beasts.
"How will you spend the May Day holiday?" Jiang Hong asked. "Shall we spend it together?"
Lu Xiu hummed in agreement, saying, "I need to go back and submit a form first."
Jiang Hong asked, "Where do you want to go for fun?"
Lu Xiu casually said, "Anywhere is fine."
Jiang Hong had no plans of his own, so he followed Lu Xiu, hopping onto his Kawasaki H2 parked at the airport, and they zoomed back to Cangqiong University.
After the trip to Guangzhou, Jiang Hong noticed some subtle changes in Lu Xiu; he spoke less, yet seemed gentler.
As the motorcycle sped along the mountain road, Jiang Hong leaned against Lu Xiu's back, the patchy light filtering through the trees casting mottled shadows over them. Amidst the roaring wind, Jiang Hong thought he could faintly hear Lu Xiu's heartbeat.
Chapter 62: Return to School
"Wake up, we're here," An Jie's emotionless voice woke Jiang Hong.
Rubbing his bleary eyes, Jiang Hong glanced out the window. The plane had landed. Exhausted, he followed An Jie out, slept in the car, and was dropped off at his hotel late at night. Returning to his room, he immediately fell into a deep sleep.
He dreamt bizarre dreams – in one, Lu Xiu stood before him covered in blood; in another, An Jie was stabbing him in the back with a dagger.
"From beyond this world..."
A strange young voice intruded his chaotic dreams.
"Maybe..." another man's voice suggested, "they need to be warned..."
"It's too vague, still uncertain... Is it from the cosmos or another parallel universe? Are there parallel universes?"
The voices were fleeting, and in his last dream, the 'other' Jiang Hong in the mirror stepped out and choked him.
"Aah! Lu—" Jiang Hong woke up suddenly, instinctively clutching the dragon scale on his chest.
Sunlight streamed into the room, everything peaceful. Jumping up, Jiang Hong saw a note by his bed, written by Lu Xiu.
[Rest well. I'll be waiting for you at the Exorcism Committee. Come over when you've slept enough.]
A new phone was placed atop the note.
Jiang Hong, tidying his messy hair and freshening up, glanced at the hotel clock – it was already past 10. Habitually wanting to message Lu Xiu, he realized he had lost his SIM card with his old phone.
Needing to report his SIM card lost, he took his ID and stepped out. By 11:30, he returned to the Exorcism Committee and entered the office to find An Jie, who had finished a meeting, lost in thought.
Jiang Hong eyed An Jie, feeling back in his element, and thought: I actually argued with him yesterday! Nervously, he wondered if An Jie would hold a grudge.
"Is the phone working?" An Jie suddenly spoke.
"Yes," Jiang Hong replied while downloading his apps, confusedly adding, "Should I turn it off if it slows down the internet? I'll shut it if it does."
"That was a gift from Chen Zhen," An Jie revealed, "the first thing he gave me when I joined the Exorcism Committee."
Jiang Hong then realized the phone was a gift from An Jie, but why would Chen Zhen give An Jie a phone? Their relationship seemed complex; sometimes they seemed annoyed with each other, yet they cooperated seamlessly.
He even forgot to thank An Jie, unsure of what conclusion the Exorcism Committee's higher-ups reached after yesterday's meeting. Surprisingly, today was calm with no upheaval at the Exorcism Committee, no traitor from Yingxu captured, and the atmosphere remained peaceful as if nothing had happened.
The first app Jiang Hong downloaded was a news app, where official Guangzhou news reported that the Pearl River flooding was due to geological shifts.
"Aren't you going for lunch?" An Jie asked again.
"Uh," Jiang Hong replied, "I'll go in a moment. By the way..."
An Jie: "?"
Jiang Hong nervously asked, "Do I have to do anything today?"
Leaning back in his chair, An Jie appraised Jiang Hong and queried, "What do you want to do?"
As Jiang Hong pondered, An Jie put away a stack of personnel files into his drawer, saying, "Do you think Chen Zhen is going to start a purge?"
Jiang Hong nodded, and An Jie replied, "That's impossible. Don't forget, Yingxu is holding hostages."
Jiang Hong immediately understood: The Exorcism Committee was completely constrained. No matter who Chen Zhen identified as a clone, the dark Chen Zhen held the original as a hostage, ready to execute one for every clone captured.
"So, what should we do?" Jiang Hong asked.
An Jie countered, "What do you think?"
Jiang Hong: "Well... we should at least find out where the enemy is hiding the hostages."
An Jie didn't respond immediately but finally said, "Let's go have lunch first."
As Jiang Hong was about to leave, An Jie added, "There's one more thing."
Jiang Hong: "?"
Standing at the door, Jiang Hong heard An Jie say, “From now on, you can go back to Chen Zhen.”
“I'm sorry,” Jiang Hong began, recalling the incident from the other day, about to apologize to An Jie for his previous impoliteness.
“No,” An Jie gestured dismissively, “You did well and were a great help. It's just that I have too many things to deal with lately, and it’s not fair to keep you here. I should be the one apologizing to you.”
After speaking, An Jie stood up and added, “Thank you for your hard work in Guangzhou.”
Jiang Hong was taken aback by the gratitude, humbly accepting it before leaving An Jie’s office. He immediately sent a message to Lu Xiu on WeChat, who responded quickly, asking to meet in the cafeteria. But as soon as Jiang Hong entered the elevator, he ran into Lu Xiu, both of them silent and the atmosphere a bit odd.
“What are you doing?” Lu Xiu asked.
“Just checking if you’re fully healed,” Jiang Hong said, worriedly examining Lu Xiu, pulling his hand to check for injuries, then lifting his sweatshirt to see his abs, which were unscathed.
Lu Xiu: “……”
There were many exorcists in the elevator, all wanting to glance at them but restraining themselves.
Lu Xiu gestured that there were too many people, and Jiang Hong stopped looking.
“Does the phone work?” Lu Xiu asked again.
“Yes, An Jie gave it to me,” Jiang Hong replied, “Why didn’t you mention it in the note?”
Everyone: “………………”
Lu Xiu signaled Jiang Hong again not to talk recklessly. A guy standing at the elevator door commented, “Wow, did the leader give you a phone?”
Jiang Hong fell silent.
In the cafeteria, Lu Xiu ordered lunch, sitting with his legs stretched out, looking bored. Jiang Hong glanced around; they were in a corner with nice sunlight.
Lu Xiu still seemed tired, as if he wouldn’t say a word unless Jiang Hong spoke. But after seeing Jiang Hong’s hesitant expression several times, he finally said, “Ask whatever you want.”
Jiang Hong replied, “Actually, I don’t have much to ask. I’m just glad you’re okay.”
Lu Xiu silently watched Jiang Hong, his eyes always clear, like those of a child untouched by worldly affairs.
Jiang Hong's brows were constantly furrowed, worried about Lu Xiu.
"Is losing to 'oneself' a kind of shame?"
"You must be tired too," Lu Xiu said, "The internship is almost over, and the rest will be handled by them."
Experiencing so much in just a week was overwhelming for Jiang Hong, almost making him forget that he was still a student.
Jiang Hong understood Lu Xiu was referring to the undercover agents Hui Hui had planted in the Exorcist Committee. He looked around the cafeteria, wondering, how many here are enemies, and how many are allies?
“Oh... what are they up to?” Jiang Hong changed the subject, hoping Lu Xiu would stop dwelling on that battle.
"Chen Zhen can't make any big moves for now," Lu Xiu explained, "After yesterday's exposure, the Exorcist Committee immediately received a threat from Hui Hui."
Jiang Hong asked, "Who delivered it?"
Lu Xiu: "Unknown, but it was definitely placed on Chen Zhen's desk. It threatened that for every undercover agent removed, Hui Hui would kill their real counterpart."
Just as Jiang Hong had suspected.
Lu Xiu said, "So, the most important thing now is..."
Jiang Hong: "To rescue the hostages."
Lu Xiu nodded, affirming his guess.
As the stir-fried dishes arrived, they began to eat. Jiang Hong asked, "Will you stay here to assist?"
Lu Xiu answered, "No, I need to go back to help Principal Cao."
While eating, Jiang Hong suddenly reached out and gently tugged Lu Xiu's shirt down a bit, checking the mark left by the removal of his dragon scale on his chest.
Lu Xiu: "You can't even recognize me now?"
"Just being cautious," Jiang Hong said. "Any leads on finding the hostages?"
Lu Xiu: "None."
After a moment of silence, Lu Xiu added, "Anyway, the situation is much clearer now than it was before."
With no clue in mind, Jiang Hong pondered over the whole situation while quietly having lunch with Lu Xiu. Suddenly, an odd thought struck him, seemingly born from his brief conversation with An Jie earlier.
"Are you alright?" Jiang Hong asked again.
Lu Xiu raised his eyebrows, responding, "I'm okay."
But Jiang Hong knew all too well that Lu Xiu's condition couldn't simply be described as "okay."
The defeat in that battle might not be the most crucial thing. Lu Xiu had faced strong opponents before and had known defeat - like his battle against the ancient decaying beast "Gui" in the Qilian Mountains, where he had met his match.
Tracing further back, he had also lost in a combined attack by S-class Exorcists. There are always higher skies and stronger people; defeat is not a disgrace.
But the crucial point is, anyone would be greatly impacted upon discovering there's another identical self in the world.
Jiang Hong thought to himself: If I discovered there was another me in the world, ready to replace the real me at any moment, I would feel extremely uncomfortable. Initially, the situation was urgent, and Lu Xiu had to be ruthless to protect himself. But what if it were Jiang Hong himself? If he found a replica, he might not be able to kill it.
After all, the idea of killing oneself is too hard to contemplate.
"That guy is fake," Jiang Hong suddenly said, "He's not you, and I never thought he was you."
Lu Xiu was taken aback, his inner thoughts laid bare by Jiang Hong.
Jiang Hong further explained, "He almost killed me, you know. If it were you, you'd never do that."
Jiang Hong was sure that his physical injuries were completely healed. His restlessness and worries stemmed more from the existence of another dark replica. Having experienced such a shock himself with another imperfect 'self', Yuan Shiyu, Jiang Hong understood how complex Lu Xiu's emotions must be at the moment—on the abandoned building's rooftop, he hesitated, even as he prepared to unleash all his power against the dark Lu Xiu.
That was the clearest indication.
"I need to find the replicated Lu Xiu," Jiang Hong thought to himself.
And then?
The real Lu Xiu, still silent, poked a straw into the yogurt and handed it to Jiang Hong. These small gestures, unchanged, signified the unique him, irreplaceable to Jiang Hong.
Then... Jiang Hong gradually understood what he had to do: send that imposter back to where he came from, dust to dust, earth to earth.
The plan was bold and fraught with danger, more a long-term goal than an immediate one.
Jiang Hong asked, "This matter bothers you a lot, doesn't it?"
Lu Xiu still did not reply.
Jiang Hong decided to start working on this as soon as he returned to school, no, starting now. The most profound impression Lu Xiu left on him that day was when, clutching the dragon scale, he summoned him with all his might, the stream of water cutting through the darkness and breaking through time and space towards him. Even battered and exhausted, he flew towards Jiang Hong without hesitation.
Their connection transcended everything, a moment Jiang Hong would never forget in his lifetime.
"It's strange to say this," Jiang Hong said with a smile, "but my feelings are only for you, senior. Even if someone else steals your appearance, your... well, don’t worry about it, okay?"
Lu Xiu instantly felt uncomfortable as Jiang Hong had already begun his plan.
After lunch, Jiang Hong wanted to meet Chen Zhen, but Lu Xiu, seeming a bit better, said, "He's busy and can't meet anyone right now."
"Oh?" Jiang Hong was surprised, "Is he busy with that matter? I have something very important."
It was the first time Lu Xiu had heard Jiang Hong mention something "very important," but he didn’t probe further. After a thought, he said, "You can see him, but he won't have much time to talk in detail."
Jiang Hong: "???"
Lu Xiu swiped his card and led Jiang Hong into Chen Zhen’s office, which left Jiang Hong in shock.
Chen Zhen was sitting behind his desk. The entire office space was filled with virtual projection screens floating in mid-air, each displaying a different surveillance scene. From the corridors outside the leaders' offices to the janitor's room, cafeteria, and entrance hall—every detail, wherever there was a camera, Chen Zhen could see it, and all screens were fast-forwarding.
Chen Zhen, wearing his Google glasses, sat quietly in the swivel chair, his hand adorned with a magical ring that shimmered with light. His gaze swiftly shifted, as if he had entered a trance, observing all the surveillance.
Jiang Hong glanced at the surveillance timestamp: eleven months and seventeen days ago.
"What's up, Jiang Hong?" Chen Zhen, surprisingly still able to spare some attention, spoke to Jiang Hong and Lu Xiu.
"Nothing, nothing," Jiang Hong quickly realized it wasn't the time for details and replied, "Just checking on you."
Chen Zhen raised his hand, gesturing to Jiang Hong, and said, "This ring, invented by Dou Kuan, can block out distractions, focusing attention into a mental beam for handling official duties. Do I look like an AI now?"
Jiang Hong laughed, understanding that Chen Zhen was using the most primitive and effective method to identify undercover agents within the committee—any spy would inevitably leave some traces.
So, he temporarily bid farewell to Chen Zhen. Lu Xiu needed to start writing internship reviews in the afternoon, and Jiang Hong helped him with some, sorting documents in Lu Xiu's office. Jiang Hong noticed Lu Xiu still slightly frowning, clearly still troubled.
He was about to speak when someone knocked on the door, and a young man entered.
"They said I could temporarily use Keda's office," the young man said.
"Eh? Are you... Qi Wei?" Jiang Hong recognized him; they had just met the day before at Guangzhou Baiyun Airport.
Lu Xiu nodded, making room for him, but Qi Wei said, "Don't bother, I'll just use another desk. Hello, Lu Xiu."
Qi Wei, dressed in casual sportswear, tall and slim, placed his trumpet-sized backpack in the corner of the room.
Although Lu Xiu had never met Qi Wei, he was well aware of his reputation as an S-class exorcist summoned by the committee for assistance. Qi Wei must have also heard of Lu Xiu's fame.
"Have you met Chen Zhen?" Lu Xiu asked.
"Yes," Qi Wei replied, "I'll be temporarily handling some of his duties while he's busy. What are you guys working on?"
Jiang Hong showed Qi Wei the internship documents, and Qi Wei casually asked, "Oh? Will you join the committee after graduation?"
"No," Lu Xiu flatly refused.
Qi Wei laughed, saying, "I wouldn't want to come either. If he's not coming, I suppose you won't either, Jiang Hong."
Jiang Hong: "Um..."
Qi Wei: "Or are you considering giving it another thought?"
Another voice sounded from outside, saying, "I just arrived, and already I hear you're poaching my people. Is Chen Zhen really that short-staffed?"
"Ah!" Jiang Hong was startled to hear Cao Bin's voice!
But Lu Xiu seemed prepared, glancing at the doorway.
Cao Bin, still in his formal suit, politely knocked on the open door. Qi Wei had already hopped over from the desk, slinging an arm around Cao Bin, who rarely showed his fangs in a shy smile.
"Cough!" Cao Bin asked Lu Xiu, "Have you finished your work?"
"Almost," Lu Xiu said expressionlessly, "I still need to get their internship supervisors to sign off."
Cao Bin said, "The internship will end early; you can leave in the next couple of days."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong was surprised. "That soon?"
Jiang Hong had thought it would last at least another week, but Cao Bin said, "It's a busy time; don’t cause more trouble for the committee."
Qi Wei seriously said, "Isn't it more like not wanting the committee to cause us trouble? Come on, let's go bother An Jie."
Initially, Jiang Hong found An Jie quite arrogant, but after traveling with him, he realized An Jie was actually a decent person. Yet, it seemed the S-class exorcists were somewhat hostile towards An Jie—because of his relationship with Chen Zhen, or some kind of xenophobia?
Lu Xiu organized all the documents and said to Jiang Hong, "I'll go get the signatures. You don’t need to come; leave early and pack up. We can return to school tomorrow."
"Okay," Jiang Hong replied, looking at Lu Xiu with a bit of concern, but after Cao Bin’s visit, Lu Xiu seemed to return to normal.
He began to organize the documents to take with him, listlessly waiting for the end of the day, wondering if he should drop by and greet An Jie. Surprisingly, An Jie had become his favorite leader at the headquarters during his time at the committee.
As Jiang Hong was hesitating, Cao Bin came over again, holding a form in his left hand and two cups of coffee in his right.
"How's it going?" Cao Bin handed a cup to Jiang Hong. "I haven't had the chance to ask you. It must have been tough recently."
Seeing Cao Bin, Jiang Hong also felt like going over to him like Qi Wei did, slinging an arm around him. Besides being the principal, Cao Bin was also his mentor, and seeing him always felt especially warm, like seeing a parent.
Jiang Hong replied, "It's been okay. Actually, it's quite embarrassing. I hardly did anything the whole time, causing a lot of trouble for Lu Xiu."
Cao Bin casually said, "You're too modest," and then chuckled to himself.
Jiang Hong remembered his plan and, needing Cao Bin's help after returning to Cangqiong University, mustered the courage to ask, "Principal, are you busy right now?"
"No," said Cao Bin, "I'm waiting for Qi Wei's meeting. What's up? Tell me."
Cao Bin's gaze shifted from the floor-to-ceiling window outside to Jiang Hong, his familiarity and understanding of Jiang Hong indicating he knew Jiang Hong had something important to say.
"I need to find the clone of Lu Xiu," Jiang Hong said seriously, "and eliminate him."
Jiang Hong briefly explained his plan, and upon hearing it, Cao Bin’s expression grew solemn.
"That was my original intention too," Cao Bin said. "But indeed… it's a tumultuous time, and many issues take precedence over the impostor Lu Xiu… However, now I think, maybe you're right."
"How many undercover agents from Yinghuo are there?" Jiang Hong asked further.
"It's still unclear," answered Cao Bin, "we have to wait for the results of Chen Zhen's investigation. But I believe the committee is not the most serious issue."
"Oh?" Jiang Hong said, "What could be worse? It’s not our school, is it…?"
Cao Bin pondered for a while before responding, "No, the school is actually very safe. We've only identified two, and they've been dealt with… But, Jiang Hong."
Cao Bin looked at Jiang Hong intently, then suddenly burst into laughter.
Jiang Hong: "?"
Cao Bin said, "In this matter, you and Chen Zhen have something in common."
"Ah?" Jiang Hong was puzzled but, thinking of another person who had been cloned, asked, "Does Chen Zhen also care deeply about being cloned?"
Cao Bin said, "He's taking it seriously, but he's not afraid."
Jiang Hong thought that was good to hear. Cao Bin then asked, "So, what have you decided to do?"
Jiang Hong hesitated, "Well... investigate the whereabouts of the Yinghuo headquarters, or perhaps... study the fake Chen Zhen's use of the Qingyu Golden Cup, or... there must be a way, maybe act as bait? Lure them out? They must be hiding somewhere. Besides searching for that guy's location, I also need to prepare... to hunt him, or rather, to eliminate him."
Cao Bin asked, "Can you really go through with it?"
Jiang Hong nodded, because to him, that person was not Lu Xiu at all, just a dark figure wearing Lu Xiu's appearance.
"Finding out someone has cloned you," Jiang Hong said, "must be very unsettling, so I wanted to hear your thoughts."
Cao Bin became pensive again, nodded, and replied, "I see. Since this is your decision, after you return to school, I will offer some advice in class. I still need to think about it for now."
With Cao Bin's support, Jiang Hong felt a bit more at ease and curiously looked at the form in Cao Bin's hand.
"What's that?" Jiang Hong saw his own name.
"Your internship evaluation," Cao Bin replied. "An Jie gave you an 'S', with comments: 'Composed and cool-headed, decisive and kind, brave and fearless.'"
"Ah—" Jiang Hong thought: I should thank him.
But An Jie was in a meeting. As closing time approached and the committee members were still busy, Jiang Hong went back to pack his bags. Before nightfall, Lu Xiu returned, and the interns also gathered back at the hotel. The school paid for everyone to have a buffet dinner at the hotel as the last day of the internship, with Qi Wei and Dou Kuan from the committee coming over to casually chat with the students.
Jiang Hong saw Lu Xiu on the balcony at the edge of the restaurant, standing at the railing, gazing at the Beijing night scene.
Jiang Hong went over and playfully nudged him from behind, only to be pulled in by Lu Xiu, standing shoulder to shoulder on the balcony.
"What are you thinking about?" Jiang Hong asked.
"I was just thinking of calling you over to see the night view," Lu Xiu said, turning his head, "and then you appeared."
The spring night breeze was comforting, and Jiang Hong heard voices of conversation nearby.
"...The issue with the Demon Association is the most serious."
One of the voices was An Jie's.
"You can't say that in public," another person spoke, it was Cao Bin. Cao Bin was here too?
"Demons and monsters," An Jie said, "ever since the demons appeared, the monster race has always been the demons' subordinates. With the current Monster King absent, there isn't a single monster among the S-class exorcists. Chen Zhen needs to reflect on his selection mechanism."
Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong stood at the railing, looking at another balcony not far across from them.
Cao Bin and An Jie had apparently noticed them, yet both felt there was no need to avoid their conversation. The dialogue ended quickly, like a minor interlude in the banquet. Before leaving, An Jie turned and thoughtfully glanced at Jiang Hong.
Whether it was exorcists or monsters, all the troubles were left behind as Jiang Hong boarded the plane back to Xi'an, finally able to return to school!
Though it was only a week, Jiang Hong felt as if several months had passed. Looking out the plane window at the Qinling Mountains, he felt an immense sense of familiarity.
The students, mostly tormented by their work at the committee, once again believed that studying was the most relaxing and comfortable job in the world. Upon arriving at Xi'an Xianyang International Airport, they scattered like birds and beasts.
"How will you spend the May Day holiday?" Jiang Hong asked. "Shall we spend it together?"
Lu Xiu hummed in agreement, saying, "I need to go back and submit a form first."
Jiang Hong asked, "Where do you want to go for fun?"
Lu Xiu casually said, "Anywhere is fine."
Jiang Hong had no plans of his own, so he followed Lu Xiu, hopping onto his Kawasaki H2 parked at the airport, and they zoomed back to Cangqiong University.
After the trip to Guangzhou, Jiang Hong noticed some subtle changes in Lu Xiu; he spoke less, yet seemed gentler.
As the motorcycle sped along the mountain road, Jiang Hong leaned against Lu Xiu's back, the patchy light filtering through the trees casting mottled shadows over them. Amidst the roaring wind, Jiang Hong thought he could faintly hear Lu Xiu's heartbeat.
