"Oh, right, Lord Bai Zhi — the last time you fought that black anomalous creature, I saved the recording. Do you think there's a need to upload it to the human network?" Lin Binbin suddenly asked.
"You what?!"
Hearing that Lin Binbin had preserved the recording of its battle with the Dark Young, Bai Jie was genuinely taken aback.
How did Lin Binbin have the qualities of a paparazzo, too?
Bai Jie was about to flatly refuse, but strangely paused. It began carefully considering the pros and cons of uploading the recording to the internet.
Even if the video were uploaded, it would surely be taken down very quickly and would not spread widely. The ones who would see this recording the most, then, would certainly be the federal government. And the federal government would definitely pay it high attention, raising its threat level.
However, this recording also had a deterrent effect.
Bai Jie thought for a moment and telepathically said: "Hold onto it for now."
...
After the two left, Bai Jie returned to its web nest, flipped open its phone, and began scrolling through social media.
This action also drew the little spiders to gather round and watch, occasionally tapping at the phone screen with their forelegs and pedipalps.
"Children should not play with phones. You can watch, but no tapping."
A thought was transmitted. Who knew whether the three little ones understood or not; in any case, they settled down, sparing Bai Jie the need to use Advanced Intimidation.
"At least they're obedient. Right now it's 'talk therapy' — next it'll be domestic discipline plus 'electroshock therapy.'"
Bai Jie was fairly satisfied with the three little ones' reactions. It hated brats the most. Well-behaved children were okay, though.
Bai Jie searched for keywords like "Yongan City South District" and "desiccated corpses" and found related information.
Although the images in the reports were censored with mosaics, Bai Jie could still make out the general situation: these were far beyond mere "desiccated corpses"!
These were clearly skeletons wrapped in a thin yellow-brown layer of skin!
And this was called a "homicide case"?
Sure enough, regarding the topic, many netizens expressed their shock and doubts:
[Why are all the victims male? To the male residents of the South District, please be careful. I'm definitely not letting my husband go out to work.]
[Is the killer a vampire or a fox spirit? So creepy!]
[Is it still too late for me to move away?]
[Don't say that, upstairs! I've already put down a down payment — in the South District! I hope the Criminal Investigation Department solves this soon!]
[...]
Behind these words lurked an indelible, haze-like fear.
Regarding certain speculations, the authorities did not suppress them and instead promised to strike with full force, capture the culprit as soon as possible, and eliminate any potentially existing out-of-control mutated creatures.
Bai Jie realized — this was a major signal!
The authorities were no longer hiding the existence of those anomalous creatures. Moreover, the authorities' methods might also soon be displayed before the public. The world had ultimately changed.
...
Xingchuan University, outside the male dormitory building.
Chen Zhang walked out of the dormitory entrance and spotted two familiar figures.
It was Xia Qimeng and Liu Wei.
"Class Monitor..."
Xia Qimeng's appearance was beyond Chen Zhang's expectations. A trace of awkwardness appeared on his face as he rubbed his nose and smiled sheepishly: "You knew I was leaving?"
Xia Qimeng looked Chen Zhang up and down as if trying to discern something new about him. She nodded: "Of course."
"Ever since that time in the library, when I saw you subduing a student who had undergone mutation and stealing all the spotlight, I knew a day like this would come."
"I just didn't expect it to be so soon."
The tall, coldly handsome Liu Wei walked over to Chen Zhang's side and patted the latter's shoulder, saying in a muffled voice: "Setting everything else aside, the number of people I think highly of is few — I can count them on two hands, and you're one of them."
"I saw the recording of you alone suppressing the mutated rat-man in the library. You had one-thousandth of my style."
The corners of Chen Zhang's mouth twitched slightly. He forced a smile: "Thanks, Brother Wei..."
Smack!
Liu Wei heavily slapped Chen Zhang's shoulder, his sword-like brows arching in displeasure: "That form of address isn't quite appropriate. It should be changed. Although I'll be your superior in the future, there's no need to be so formal. Just call me A-Wei."
"Alright, Wei... Brother A-Wei."
Behind Xia Qimeng's elegant glasses, her gaze turned cold as she stared at Liu Wei. Unhappily, she said: "I told you long ago — don't try to poach students from my class. I didn't expect..."
Liu Wei shrugged: "I didn't expect either that Gaia Tech's higher-ups would value him so much that they insisted on recruiting him."
"The terms he's getting are far better than what I got when I first joined."
Xia Qimeng's brows lowered as she sighed inwardly.
She knew that Gaia Tech had offered entirely new, extremely favorable terms that made it almost impossible for Chen Zhang to refuse. For example — if he withdrew from school now and participated in their experiments, he could directly join Gaia Tech's Security Division.
But she also knew that generous salary and benefits were not the only criteria Chen Zhang valued. There must be other factors influencing his decision.
"Oh, by the way, He Jun has been found." Xia Qimeng raised her eyes to look at Chen Zhang.
"He Jun... there's news of him?" Chen Zhang's eyes focused sharply. From Xia Qimeng's eyes, he had a bad premonition.
"I got word from the Criminal Investigation Department. His body was discovered in the South District... After identification, one of the desiccated corpses matched He Jun's height, build, and clothing." Xia Qimeng said regretfully.
Chen Zhang's heart sank. Although he had been somewhat prepared, actually receiving this news still felt sudden.
As expected...
"He Jun... that fatty... ah, he's gone after all, hasn't he?"
"He's really become a dead fatty now."
A bitter taste spread from Chen Zhang's heart. He Jun's face — sometimes cynical, sometimes indignant at the world — surfaced in his mind.
He remembered that before summer break, He Jun had said he would treat their dormmates and A-Xiao to a pedicure together.
Then he recalled the deceased A-Xiao, remembered A-Xiao coming to their dorm to visit, bringing them specialties from his hometown.
And Bai Jie...
He hadn't been in contact with him for a very long time. Not a single text message.
Ever since Chen Zhang had told Bai Jie about He Jun's disappearance and the suspicion surrounding Wang Miaoyin, no matter what messages Chen Zhang sent afterward, Bai Jie never responded. He couldn't help worrying about Bai Jie's condition again, yet dared not voice this worry to anyone else.
Of their old male friend circle, only Chen Zhang and Wang Xiaofan remained.
And now, Chen Zhang himself would be leaving campus.
In barely two months, everything had changed.
The past, hazy as a dream, has all come rushing back to the heart with the wind and rain.
"I hope you'll all be okay," Chen Zhang prayed silently.
"Take good care of yourself, and come back to visit the school when you have time." Xia Qimeng's crisp voice rang out beside Chen Zhang.
Liu Wei suddenly spoke up: "For a Class Monitor, you're surprisingly dedicated. With your background, you shouldn't be so immersed in the role of 'Class Monitor,' should you?"
Xia Qimeng lifted her eyelids slightly, her gaze sweeping lightly over Liu Wei's face.
That look clearly said: Mind your own business?
"..."
In that instant, Liu Wei felt his orderly heartbeat skip two beats.
The last time he had felt something like this was when he was piloting "Axe-Bearer: Xingtian" and facing that ghost-like spider.
Xia Qimeng extended her fair, jade-like hand and said with complicated emotion: "Fate will bring us together again."
Chen Zhang froze for a moment, then silently extended his right hand to grasp that slightly cool, soft hand.
"Class Monitor, goodbye."
"Thank you for all the help you've given me in the past."
Then Chen Zhang turned and walked away shoulder to shoulder with Liu Wei, heading in the direction of the school gate.
The autumn wind carried off the last traces of summer heat. Slightly yellowed fallen leaves rustled as they drifted onto Xia Qimeng. Composed and serene, she stood there for a long time, gazing after those two receding figures...