Translator: CinderTL
Eastern Song
Luo He took out his phone and casually tapped the screen a few times. A mournful melody then drifted through the air, carrying a sense of etherealness.
He no longer needed to ask Boss Sang for help; his reaction spoke volumes.
The instant the melody began, Boss Sang trembled like a startled rabbit, his eyes wide with terror as he stared at Luo He as if he had seen a ghost.
Cherry Blossom Fall
The song Luo He had played was Cherry Blossom Fall. Though the recording wasn't clear, the melody was unforgettable once heard.
It was a folk song sung in Yangzi's hometown.
But now, in everyone's minds, this song was inextricably linked to the Ghost. Wherever the song was heard, something terrifying was sure to happen.
"You... how could you...?" Boss Sang's face was etched with fear. Clearly, he had connected the man before him to the events of the previous night.
The situation was gradually becoming clear. If the man hadn't lied, the Ghost's identity could be confirmed.
It was exactly as they had suspected: an Easterner.
An Easterner from the same place as Yangzi.
But to be precise, this was merely the form he had chosen to manifest. Delving deeper, this Easterner had once been a Disciple of the Door.
But now, it was clear he had been completely consumed by the Gate within him, reduced to a walking corpse.
Just like Xiang Nan in the hospital, Huai Yi thought.
Lin Wan'er turned her head to look at the photographs plastered on the wall. "So you gathered all these photos and stuck them up here to find this Japanese man?"
"That's right!" Boss Sang panted, summoning courage from somewhere. He leaned against the wall, shakily pulling himself to his feet. "It's strange, really. I never saw his face, only his shadow through the curtain, but..."
Boss Sang gritted his teeth. "But I just have this feeling he looks familiar. Like I've seen him before."
"To be honest, I hate these Japanese people too. I avoid dealing with them whenever possible, but I can't refuse when they come to me. The only Japanese people I've ever interacted with were here to have their photos taken."
Boss Sang's logic was clear. His opportunities to meet Japanese people were limited. If he felt the man looked familiar, it was highly likely he had taken his photo before.
That's why he had dug up every photograph of Japanese people he had ever taken and was painstakingly examining them one by one.
"Did you find him?" Pi Ruan asked.
Boss Sang shook his head. "No."
After speaking, Boss Sang turned back to the wall, his expression strange. His lips moved as if he wanted to say something, but he didn't know how to begin.
To everyone else, it was understandable that they hadn't found the photo. After all, it was unrealistic for Boss Sang to keep every photo he'd taken of Japanese people.
Moreover, human memory is highly deceptive. In extreme panic, it was entirely possible Boss Sang had misidentified the person.
He was just an ordinary man.
Just as Huai Yi was about to speak, Boss Sang suddenly turned around, staring at them. "I know what you're thinking," he said, his voice trembling. "You think I'm just remembering things wrong, don't you?"
"But I'm telling you, I'm not! Absolutely not!" His breathing quickened, and his tone grew forceful. "I can feel it! He's right here!"
"He's right here!"
"Right here... watching me!"
Seeing Boss Sang's emotions spiraling out of control, Luo He quickly reached out, covering his face with one hand. His thumb and middle finger pressed firmly against Boss Sang's temples, and he applied gentle pressure.
A searing pain, like lightning, shot through Boss Sang's head. Gradually, he calmed down, his breathing slowing from its initial frantic pace.
"Boss Sang," Luo He said, his deep blue eyes as calm as the ocean depths. He slowly withdrew his hand, his voice soothing. "Please calm down."
Boss Sang let out a long breath. "I... I'm sorry."
The instant Luo He's hand covered Boss Sang's face, Huai Yi's expression suddenly changed. For no apparent reason, he felt a sharp pang in his heart.
It was as if an invisible hand had suddenly seized his throat.
As a fellow Disciple of the Door, his senses were far more acute than those of ordinary people, especially when it came to such things.
His mind swam.
Through the haze, a tall, majestic figure seemed to materialize behind Luo He.
The figure held a massive book in its hands, its black cover ancient and solemn, radiating an aura of profound religious significance.
Holy light blazed so brightly that Huai Yi couldn't open his eyes.
The oppressive force emanating from the figure rivaled even the Shadow behind Jiang Cheng. A sense of foreboding surged through Huai Yi.
Based on his recent observations, Lin Wan'er, Jiang Cheng, and Wang Fugui were all full Crimson members, their methods undoubtedly formidable.
And judging by Luo He's aura, he was clearly a formidable opponent among the Night Watchers. Then there was that foul-mouthed loli...
Huai Yi subtly glanced at Fu Fu, and a chill ran down his spine. Fu Fu was staring back at him, a faint smile playing on her lips.
Just as I suspected...
Luo He and Fu Fu had come prepared.
Someone like that would never take on a Class B mission just for the sake of it. The only explanation was that their true target wasn't the mission itself, but Crimson!
This mission might be a trap, designed to lure Crimson in and wipe out their elite forces.
As Huai Yi pondered this, he suddenly sensed another gaze. Following the line of sight, he saw Lin Wan'er.
She was simply staring at him silently. Though her eyes were devoid of emotion, Huai Yi understood what she meant.
Then, an unprecedented, unsettling sensation exploded in his heart.
It wasn't fear, but a deep unease.
This woman seemed to see through him, to have pierced through his inner turmoil, his helplessness, his hesitation, his fear, and his wavering resolve.
Her gaze was like a scalpel, dissecting him piece by piece, analyzing and consuming him bit by bit. Before her, he had no secrets.
Whether in the present, the past, or the future, Huai Yi's life seemed to her like a straight line with a clear end in sight.
What was this?
Was it her ability?
No, that couldn't be. Such an ability couldn't possibly exist, not even the Gate of the Bizarre could produce something like this.
It must be his imagination playing tricks on him!
Huai Yi was gripped by a terrible premonition. He felt as if he had been caught in a massive whirlpool, where even a single splash of water could drag him down to eternal damnation.
And it all began with meeting that man.
Crimson, Jiang Cheng.
It was too late to turn back now. Besides, he wasn't one to dwell on such things. Under Fu Fu's piercing gaze, he took a firm step forward and approached Lin Wan'er.
(End of the Chapter)
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