Chapter 109
Lou Mi and Chi Lin had just arrived home. Chi Lin took Tiger for a walk in the park, petting the increasingly chubby dog, when Lou Mi received a video call from Zhuo Jinglan.
“What happened? An attack? Crazy fans?”
“I don’t know, I just got the news, I’m heading to the hospital now.”
Zhuo Jinglan, in her car, looked utterly distraught.
The new season was approaching. Zhuo Jinglan hadn’t approved of Lou Mi’s vacation.
Shouldn’t they stay put before the competition? What if something happened? She couldn’t be everywhere at once.
Zhuo Jinglan had been in constant contact with them throughout their vacation, worried sick.
Everything had been fine in N City, but something terrible happened on their way back.
“Where are they injured? Are Xie Buyu and Fu Tu okay?” Lou Mi, her suitcase still unpacked, rushed out the door.
“Fu Tu is fine, Xie Buyu shielded her, got a deep cut on her arm.”
“Huh? Xie Buyu shielded Fu Tu? The healer tanking for the tank?” Lou Mi attempted a joke to lighten the mood and prevent Zhuo Jinglan from panicking further. She was always worried, and this news, before such an important competition, would probably make her lose even more hair.
Zhuo Jinglan’s lips twitched: “Stop joking, are you coming to the hospital?”
“Yes, I’ll tell Chi Lin first.”
“Okay, be careful.”
“I will.”
Chi Lin had taken Tiger for a walk and left her phone on the coffee table. Lou Mi had to inform her in person.
Chi Lin was worried: “I’m coming with you.”
“No, you just got back from a long trip, you need to rest.”
“No,” Chi Lin insisted. “We don’t know the attacker’s motive. The summer tournament is coming, they might be targeting Nine Heavens. I need to be there.”
Lou Mi reluctantly agreed.
They met Zhuo Jinglan in the hospital parking lot and went upstairs together.
Xie Buyu’s arm had already been stitched up. They were sitting in a private lounge area, Fu Tu feeding her.
“I don’t want spinach,” Xie Buyu said, eyeing the beef.
Fu Tu coaxed her: “Eat some spinach first, then beef, okay?”
“I really hate spinach.”
“Fine, beef first, then spinach.”
Xie Buyu happily ate.
Fu Tu gently wiped the sauce from her mouth with a napkin.
Lou Mi and the others, drenched in sweat, stood five meters away, hesitant to approach.
What a heartwarming scene!
Zhuo Jinglan looked at them, puzzled: “What’s going on? Did they fall in love after Xie shielded Fu Tu?”
Xie Buyu retorted: “We were already together before the attack.”
“What?!”
Lou Mi smacked Zhuo Jinglan: “Is this the time for gossip?! What happened? The wound? Who attacked you?”
Xie Buyu showed her four stitches: “A minor injury, I’ll be fine before the summer tournament.”
Xie Buyu, although not a fashionista, was beautiful, with long limbs and fair skin. Her fans were obsessed with her legs and arms.
Now, her beautiful arm bore a gruesome scar. Even with modern technology, the discoloration would remain.
Fu Tu was heartbroken, silently crying.
“Oh dear, crying again,” Xie Buyu said, gently wiping away her tears. “I told you it’s fine.”
“It’s all my fault…”
“How is it your fault? You don’t even know them, some deranged psychopath, that’s all.”
Xie Buyu recounted their encounter at the mall. Zhuo Jinglan shuddered:
“So terrifying, completely random violence!”
Lou Mi: “Was it caught on camera?”
Fu Tu: “Yes, the police are investigating, it’s also on the news.”
“Let me see.”
Fu Tu played the video for Lou Mi. It was terrifying.
Lou Mi and Chi Lin watched together. The blade was over five inches long, aimed directly at Fu Tu’s heart. If Xie hadn’t intervened, Fu Tu could have been killed.
The attackers were tall and muscular, their faces unsettling, the enhanced images creating a bizarre feel.
[Don’t scare me!]
[Hope Fu Tu and Xie Buyu are okay!]
[Please don’t affect the summer tournament!]
***
After the video, Lou Mi and Chi Lin exchanged glances and left the lounge area to talk privately in the hallway.
“Your Majesty, any thoughts?” Chi Lin, noticing Lou Mi’s contemplation, asked, “Do you know those two?”
“No, but I have a guess.”
“What?”
“When we went to Dayuan, we encountered those rebels, the Imperial Guards, the Right Commander.” Lou Mi, having forgotten those events, said, “Tell me everything that happened, every detail.”
Chi Lin had an excellent memory. Recounting the events, even those months ago, was easy for her.
Lou Mi’s face darkened: “You were injured, and your blood sprayed on their faces.”
Chi Lin felt uneasy: “Yes…”
“And when we fell off the cliff, they tried to grab us, right?”
“I remember, but I didn’t have time to think.”
“So, if they swallowed your blood and fell into the sea, they could have traveled through the abyss to our time.”
“Yes… possible.”
Silence.
“I don’t remember much, but I do remember a strange sensation in the abyss,” Lou Mi said. “When I went back to get your package, I sensed something unusual. Like someone was there.”
“Your Majesty thinks it was them?”
Lou Mi nodded: “They came to this era and took over other bodies.”
“But if it’s Cheng Xuan and Liang Zheng, why attack Xie Buyu and Fu Tu?”
“Their target is us, without a doubt. Losing Fu Tu would jeopardize the summer tournament.” Lou Mi’s face was dark. “And I don’t think Fu Tu is their last target. We’re high-profile and unprepared, thinking this era is safe. Maybe they discovered our identities, and they’re just trying to make things difficult for us.”
“I understand, but if they’re rebels, they’re after money and power, why bother with us in another dimension? If I hadn’t been searching for Your Majesty and had accidentally landed in this peaceful world, I might have just enjoyed myself, forgotten my worries. Cheng Xuan and Liang Zheng betrayed their country, risking their lives for a better future. They must have taken over other bodies, with established social status. Why risk it all for more trouble?”
“You’re right,” Lou Mi said. “But have you considered that even if they want to enjoy this world, they might not have the chance?”
Chi Lin pondered this for a moment: “You mean they can’t adapt to this era?”
“They’re supposed to be prodigies in both martial arts and academics.”
“They’re soldiers, not scholars, they probably can’t even read.”
“Even you took time to adapt, and you were a minor with family support. If they ended up in ordinary families, they might not survive. And if they don’t survive, what do you think might happen?”
“What do you mean?”
Lou Mi’s eyes narrowed: “Remember A Bao and Xiao V, the ones who separated your soul from your body?”
“Your Majesty thinks it’s them?”
“It feels so familiar, this sudden danger, exactly like last time. And Xiao V is particularly suspicious.” Lou Mi said. “I heard that her grandmother was into mysticism, and that she did things for money. I visited her house, a secluded villa on a mountaintop, surrounded by a vast cemetery.”
“A cemetery…”
“Yes, her family keeps to themselves, except for A Bao. They’ve known each other since childhood. If A Bao hadn’t become a professional gamer, Xiao V wouldn’t have either, given her personality.”
“So, Xiao V is incredibly intelligent, she became a professional gamer just to accompany her friend, and joined Nine Heavens.”
“Yes, she’s very dangerous, with access to many dark arts. I thought her family was just eccentric, but thinking about it now, it’s terrifying. The connections between them and A Bao are highly suspicious.”
“What was the police’s conclusion about the highway incident?”
“I’ve been following it. The police suspected them, they were even interrogated, but there wasn’t enough evidence.”
Chi Lin nodded: “They were well-prepared. Your Majesty thinks A Bao and Xiao V found Cheng Xuan and Liang Zheng, bribed them, and used them?”
“It sounds plausible. But they’ve been identified on camera, making future attacks more difficult.”
Chi Lin suddenly grabbed Lou Mi’s sleeve, her face even paler.
“Even if they were identified, they wouldn’t be afraid of surveillance. Xiao V can switch souls, she can definitely control others. There must be limitations, but after committing a crime, they can just switch bodies, making it impossible to trace them. We’re out in the open, they’re in the shadows. And if they use the bodies of people we know, and hide their identities, how can Your Majesty tell?”
Lou Mi’s heart sank. It was a chilling realization.
It was summer, and a sudden downpour began.
Lin Xiaozhi checked the weather forecast; the lower district would be flooded for at least two hours.
Wei Zhuoning’s apartment was in a narrow alleyway; taxis couldn’t enter, so they stopped across the street.
Lin Xiaozhi, determined to walk Wei Zhuoning home, looked for an umbrella in the taxi’s trunk but found it empty. Someone had already taken it.
“I’ll be fine,” Wei Zhuoning said. “I’ll just go in myself.”
Others could just call their families for help. But Wei Zhuoning’s mother had mobility issues, and she didn’t want to trouble her in this heavy rain.
“No,” Lin Xiaozhi took off her jacket. “You’ll get sick. My jacket is waterproof, come here.”
Lin Xiaozhi got out first, holding the jacket over Wei Zhuoning’s head, protecting her from the rain. She also took Wei Zhuoning’s suitcase.
Lin Xiaozhi was tall, and the jacket provided decent protection.
Wei Zhuoning quickly got out of the car and stepped under the jacket, the rain pattering on the fabric, some water droplets splashing on her face. Seeing Lin Xiaozhi’s smiling face, she felt comforted.
“Let’s go.” Lin Xiaozhi shielded Wei Zhuoning from the rain, she pulled the suitcase herself, and they walked close together towards the apartment.
Reaching the entrance, Wei Zhuoning was only slightly damp, her shoes wet, but her clothes and hair mostly dry, thanks to Lin Xiaozhi’s careful protection. Lin Xiaozhi herself was completely drenched.
“Go on up,” Lin Xiaozhi said, her wet hair clinging to her face, yet her smile sweet. “Wash your shoes, take a hot bath, don’t catch a cold. I’ll come back tomorrow to help you study.”
As Lin Xiaozhi was about to leave, Wei Zhuoning stopped her:
“Your clothes are soaked, you’ll catch a cold.”
“I’ll wait in the car, I’ll be home soon.”
“It’ll take an hour to get back.” Wei Zhuoning said. “Come inside and change.”
Lin Xiaozhi looked surprised: “Come inside? Now? I might be intruding.”
Wei Zhuoning took Lin Xiaozhi’s hand, noticing her cold, wet fingers:
“Don’t be silly… If you get sick, I’ll worry.”
There was no elevator. This surprised Lin Xiaozhi. Even twenty years ago, most buildings had elevators.
Wei Zhuoning insisted on carrying her suitcase, but Lin Xiaozhi refused:
“Save your strength, you can’t even push it. Besides, it’s my stuff, I’ll carry it for you. Be good.”
Lin Xiaozhi climbed the stairs, her breath coming in short gasps from carrying the suitcase.
Wei Zhuoning’s apartment was on the sixth floor, and even Lin Xiaozhi, strong as she was, was struggling by the time they reached the top.
“These stairs… are so high,” Lin Xiaozhi said, catching her breath. “Wait, is your mom home?”
“She should be, she rarely goes out.”
“Give me a minute to compose myself… then we’ll go in.” Lin Xiaozhi used her phone as a mirror to check her appearance.
“You’re already perfect.”
“No, it’s my first time meeting your mom, I have to look my best.” Lin Xiaozhi, satisfied with her reflection, put away her phone.
“Let’s meet your future mother-in-law,” she said playfully. Wei Zhuoning, seeing her enthusiasm, didn’t mention that her mother’s impression of Lin Xiaozhi had already shifted from “cute class president” to “precocious girl who sends pornographic videos.”
But she had to introduce Lin Xiaozhi to her mother eventually.
She might as well get it over with… Lin Xiaozhi was clever, she would figure it out.
“Mom,” Wei Zhuoning said, opening the door, “I’m back.”
A woman’s voice replied, and they heard the sound of a wheelchair approaching.
“Zhuoning?”
A pleasant, youthful-sounding voice, not what one would expect from a mother.
But then, Lin Xiaozhi thought, Wei Zhuoning’s mother had her at 18, she was only 36 now.
Wei Zhuoning opened the door and pushed the suitcase inside.
“You’re back,” her mother said, noticing the unfamiliar girl.
As she and Lin Xiaozhi exchanged glances, Lin Xiaozhi flashed a charming smile and greeted her sweetly: “Auntie.”
Lin Xiaozhi knew this smile charmed older people. It had won her over countless relatives at family gatherings.
Her mother paused, then, seemingly realizing something, moved her wheelchair to make more room:
“Oh, it’s Xiao Lin, come in, you’re all wet.”
Wei Zhuoning, rarely seeing her mother so cheerful, knew instantly she liked Lin Xiaozhi.
Her mother’s warmth made Wei Zhuoning even more shy.
Lin Xiaozhi said, “Sorry to intrude, Zhuoning said I could change here.”
“Come in, come in.”
Just as Lin Xiaozhi was about to enter, two men descended from upstairs.
Lin Xiaozhi noticed them out of the corner of her eye.
Upstairs?
Wasn’t this the top floor?
She glanced upwards.
Two muscular, short men in identical black t-shirts, their square faces and intense gazes radiating danger.
Their right hands were hidden behind their backs, and they were watching her and Wei Zhuoning.
“Zhuoning,” Lin Xiaozhi whispered, her hand on Wei Zhuoning’s back, “go inside.”
“Huh?”
One of the men suddenly raised a knife and lunged at Wei Zhuoning’s back. Lin Xiaozhi, acting instantly, pushed Wei Zhuoning into the apartment, causing her to fall.
She tried to follow, but her action had saved Wei Zhuoning, leaving her exposed.
Without thinking, Lin Xiaozhi slammed the door shut. Wei Zhuoning, dazed from the fall, heard the outer door slam shut.
“Don’t come out!”
A loud crash was followed by Lin Xiaozhi’s desperate cry.
“Zhuoning!” Wei Zhuoning’s mother’s face paled. She tried to help Wei Zhuoning, but stumbled.
“What happened? What’s going on?” She hadn’t seen anything clearly. Wei Zhuoning’s mind was a blur.
What had happened outside? Why had Lin Xiaozhi pushed her?
She had heard footsteps from upstairs. Who was it?
She had never heard Lin Xiaozhi yell like that.
The scream sent chills down Wei Zhuoning’s spine.
“Mom, don’t come out! Stay here!”
She was terrified, she didn’t know what awaited them, but she wouldn’t leave Lin Xiaozhi alone.
She wouldn’t let anything happen to her!
Wei Zhuoning grabbed a fruit knife from the table and opened the inner door, then the outer door.
Her mother tried to stop her but couldn’t. She ran out, seeing no one in the hallway, only bloody footprints.
The sight made her dizzy, her skin paling, her heart almost stopping.
A neighbor peeked out: “What’s going on? Did someone get killed?”
Wei Zhuoning, regaining her composure, saw that the bloody footprints led downstairs. She told her mother to call the police and sprinted downstairs, ignoring her mother’s pleas.
The rain washed away the blood.
There was almost no one outside. She couldn’t find any witnesses.
Where was Lin Xiaozhi?
She wanted to cry, her body trembling, but she knew she had to stay calm.
She remembered Lin Xiaozhi’s words about calming down during exams: “Take a deep breath, then let it out. Like this, hu—hu—stay calm, you can do this.”
Taking deep breaths, she calmed down, and her mind started functioning again.
That was a dead end. Lin Xiaozhi had been there before, she knew the area.
So she must have run to the right!
Wei Zhuoning ran into the rain.
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