Surprise and Horror

After finishing dinner, Zhang Yuanqing attentively helped his grandmother clear the table and wash the dishes, then carried the kitchen trash downstairs and tossed it into the residential complex's refuse bins. Remembering that he had not visited his aunt yet, he ran to the fruit shop across the street to buy a few jin of seasonal fruits, then sent a text message to his uncle telling him to prepare a boxed set of imported skincare products—he was going to visit his aunt in five minutes. When he carried the fruit back up to his bedroom, an unopened skincare gift set was already sitting on his desk. A complete regimen: cleanser, moisturizer, anti-wrinkle cream, whitening lotion, and blemish corrector. Taking the skincare set, Zhang Yuanqing went over and knocked on his aunt and uncle's door. "Yuanzi, you're back?" His aunt, wearing an evening sheet mask, opened the door. Seeing her tall, handsome nephew standing on the threshold, her face instantly broke into a radiant smile. "Back to see Grandpa and Grandma," Zhang Yuanqing said, presenting the skincare set and the fruit. "And of course, my young and beautiful aunt." The moment she saw the skincare set, her smile broadened even further. "How did you know I use this brand? Mine was just about to run out! With that virus running rampant across the globe lately, personal shoppers have halted their deliveries, and I've been fretting over it. Yuanzi, how thoughtful of you!" *It's Uncle who was thoughtful!* Zhang Yuanqing spread his arms. "Is Uncle home?" Cradling the skincare set in one arm and hooking her other arm through her nephew's, she said in exasperation, "Where else could he go? With the virus causing such chaos outside, he's so terrified he stays home all day. Except he's spending more and more time in the bathroom—he just went in again." *Uncle went to the bathroom to buy skincare products for you!* Hearing that, Zhang Yuanqing shifted his gaze toward the bathroom door. *Click!* The bathroom door happened to open at that exact moment. Dressed in a wine-red suit jacket and tight-cuffed skinny trousers, his uncle stepped out. Nephew and uncle locked eyes; invisible electric sparks crackled between them, filling the air with the smell of gunpowder. Tactfully, his aunt let go of her nephew's arm and stepped aside. His uncle took a deep breath, twisted his hips, and pointed his middle fingers downward. "Useless Yuanzi, bringing gifts to your Uncle J, but spending your Uncle J's pay, yo, yo!" Zhang Yuanqing raised both middle fingers downward as well, mimicking the exaggerated swagger of a dance-off as he took two steps back. "Loaded Uncle J, my trap is already in play. Cough up some more pay, and we'll flush out those dogs today!" Hearing that, his uncle shook his head repeatedly. "Look at your greedy display, leaning on Uncle J all day, completely hopeless in every way!" Zhang Yuanqing began tap-dancing around his uncle, singing at the top of his lungs, "Oh, accomplished Uncle J, do you still remember that blonde girl from back in the day, right there in—" Before he could finish, his uncle gave two loud shouts of "Yo, yo!", cutting off the rest. "Useless Yuanzi, looking dependable for once in your life, I say. Deal...-ay!" Zhang Yuanqing waved cheerfully. "Auntie, I'm heading out!" Returning to the apartment across the hall, he took the clean clothes his grandmother had prepared and entered the bathroom. After washing up, Zhang Yuanqing channeled the divine power of the Sun to steam-dry his hair, slipped into a set of plush pajamas, and sat quietly by the desk to wait. His grandparents, who went to bed early, had already retired to their bedroom, leaving the house completely silent. Less than half an hour later, the door to Zhang Yuanqing's room clicked open. Jiang Yu'er, wearing a camisole and tiny hot pants, slipped inside like a thief. "What kind of mischief are you pulling in the dead of winter? Aren't you cold?" Zhang Yuanqing asked, eyeing her askance. Jiang Yu'er wrinkled her nose. "Doesn't your little aunt look better like this to stir your heart?" *What kind of deduction-worthy remark is that?! Are you not even bothering to act anymore?* Zhang Yuanqing grumbled internally. Yet, seeing Jiang Yu'er walking straight toward him, he cooperatively rolled back his swivel chair to make room on his lap. Jiang Yu'er slid sideways onto his thighs, resting her rounded bottom on him while hooking her arms around his neck. Zhang Yuanqing looked up, meeting those dark, lustrous eyes that seemed to contain a scattering of stars. After staring at him for ten full seconds, she gave a coquettish huff. "Why didn't you bring Guan Ya home? Your grandmother's been dreaming about her future granddaughter-in-law." Her tone made no effort to hide her jealousy. "She doesn't have a teleportation jade talisman, and the airports in New York County were wrecked. It'll take a few days before she can return to the country," Zhang Yuanqing laughed. "When she's back in Songhai, I'll bring her home for a meal. As her little aunt, you'd better treat her with proper hospitality..." Before he could finish, a crisp slap landed squarely against his forehead. Jiang Yu'er's gaze turned frigid, a cold sneer on her lips. "I'll kill her sooner or later." *Switching to her main account without a moment's notice...* Zhang Yuanqing had originally intended to gloss over the subject, but upon reflection, he stubbornly pressed on, "You knew everything all along. Why didn't you say something earlier? You can't blame me for this, nor can you blame Guan Ya." Jiang Yu'er had known all of it yet never confided in him. Instead, she had appeared by his side as the Palace Master of Halting Slaughter, and now she blamed Guan Ya for stealing him away. A mist of tears suddenly clouded Jiang Yu'er's eyes as she stared at him. "To stitch your shattered soul back together, I was mad for years. To let Jiang Yu'er live a normal life, and to keep from harming Mom, Dad, and you, I sculpted an avatar. Every night before going to sleep, I had to hypnotize myself in front of the mirror—hypnotizing myself into believing I was a normal person, just so I could suppress the chaotic thoughts and emotions. "Do you know how violently the blood triggered me during C-section surgeries at the hospital? The bloody incisions, the stillborn infants, the deceased patients... every bit of it reminded me of the Chu family's annihilation, driving my madness further. "Yet I had to endure it. I had to keep living in this house, living by your side. In the dead of night, I would also wish someone would come and save me. I was in agony. So much agony..." Warm teardrops fell one after another onto his face. Zhang Yuanqing felt a sharp, piercing ache in his heart. Jiang Yu'er gave a mournful smile. "What difference would telling you have made? I didn't even know how long I could hold on. Confessing all of this to you would only add to your distress. I had already made up my mind: the moment I reached my limit, I would leave this home, have the family scum bring me into the Mystery of the Five Elements dungeon, and seal myself in the abyss." Zhang Yuanqing reached out, wiping the tears from Jiang Yu'er's cheeks, and gently cradled her face. Thousands of words welled up inside him, coalescing into a single phrase: "I'm sorry..." Jiang Yu'er pursed her lips, her fluttering eyelashes closing. No matter how agonizing or helpless her past had been, at this very moment, her heart was filled with joy. Their lips drew closer and closer— Right then, the sound of the front door handle turning echoed from the living room, followed closely by hurried footsteps approaching the bedroom. Jiang Yu'er sprang to her feet in an instant. Zhang Yuanqing straightened his back immediately, sitting in upright formality. The bedroom door was pushed open with force, revealing the haggard face of his cousin, Chen Yuanjun. Zhang Yuanqing took a deep breath to settle his nerves and teased in a deliberately lighthearted tone, "Cousin, haven't seen you in two months, and you're already old enough to trade places with Uncle." He was joking about how aged his cousin looked. Chen Yuanjun, who had opened his mouth to speak, stopped short upon seeing Jiang Yu'er. "Little Aunt, what are you doing in Yuanzi's room?" His eyes swept over her lovely figure in the camisole and hot pants, his brows furrowing. "Aren't you cold?!" It was near the end of the year, and Songhai's nights were damp and freezing. "Oh, I just came to play Switch fitness games with Yuanzi." Jiang Yu'er used "Soothe" without batting an eye. "You two talk. I'm going back to bed." Chen Yuanjun instinctively accepted the explanation without giving it a second thought. Watching his aunt leave the room, he waited until he heard her enter her bedroom and shut the door before closing Zhang Yuanqing's door and walking gravely to the edge of the bed. "What is it?" Zhang Yuanqing's expression grew serious as well. Chen Yuanjun said in a low voice, "Yuanzi, I've been proofreading files at the Public Security Bureau lately..." He gave a brief overview of his work, choosing his words carefully to build up to the point. "While cross-checking the archives, our technicians recovered a deleted digital record. It was a missing person file from 2019. The missing person was Lei Yibing!" Zhang Yuanqing froze. *Brother Bing went missing three years ago?!* *How the hell didn't I know about this?!* Although their contact had dwindled after Brother Bing went off to university due to the distance, they had never severed ties entirely. He had still teamed up with him occasionally for online gaming, trading lewd memes and video codes. Chen Yuanjun continued, "The electronic file was forcibly deleted by someone using administrative privileges, and the case was never officially closed. Even now, the file can't be fully restored to its original state. Yuanzi, I suspect this has something to do with Lei Yibing's recent disappearance. "If we can uncover who deleted that file three years ago, we might be able to uncover the truth and find Lei Yibing." Chen Yuanjun's understanding was still rooted in Lei Yibing's disappearance back in April. Zhang Yuanqing, on the other hand, was piecing together far more. When he investigated Brother Bing before, he had discovered that during university, Brother Bing had become somber and reserved, backing down even during conflicts with classmates, only to retaliate ruthlessly in secret afterward. That was entirely out of character for the old Brother Bing, whose attitude had always been: *Life and death are fleeting, if you cross me, let's fight!* Back then, Zhang Yuanqing had suspected that Brother Bing had met with an accident during the summer vacation right after high school graduation, becoming a Spirit Realm walker during that period and falling under the control of the Deceitful Eye Judge. The discovery of this missing person file had now confirmed his suspicion. *Brother Bing really did become a Spirit Realm walker during that summer break after high school, and was subsequently controlled by the Deceitful Eye Judge. That's why his personality shifted so drastically in college, becoming sinister and ruthless,* Zhang Yuanqing thought. Seeing his silence, Chen Yuanjun comforted him, "Once the cleanup work winds down, I'll pay another visit to Lei Yibing's house to ask what really happened with that missing person case back then." Even if the electronic file couldn't be fully recovered, since the report had been filed at the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau, the person who reported it had to be a member of Lei Yibing's family. "Thanks, Cousin." Zhang Yuanqing's gratitude was heartfelt. Chen Yuanjun nodded and rose to his feet. "That's all. Get some rest early." Reaching the door, he paused abruptly and glanced back. "Yuanzi, what do you think about this disaster?" Zhang Yuanqing replied, "The experts said it's a virus. Once they develop a vaccine, there'll be nothing to worry about." "A virus, huh..." Chen Yuanjun scoffed faintly. "Yeah, once the vaccine comes out, there'll be nothing to worry about. Yuanzi, the Public Security Bureau pulled some data yesterday. The terrorist attacks were concentrated on banks, security bureaus, large shopping malls, and wealthy neighborhoods. The old districts, suburbs, and rural areas were barely hit at all. I'm thinking of buying a house on the outskirts of Songhai and having Grandpa, Grandma, and Mom and Dad move there. What do you think?" *Sigh, sometimes poverty really is the best camouflage...* Zhang Yuanqing said, "Guan Ya was on the phone with me tonight and mentioned wanting to take my family to the Capital City. Cousin, I think going to the capital is better than heading to the countryside, so don't worry yourself." *You're the weakest one in the family, why bother worrying your head off?* After seeing his cousin out, Zhang Yuanqing glanced at his aunt's bedroom door. After wavering and wrestling with his thoughts, he ultimately went back into his own room in silence. *** Late at night, at the Zoo. A cat and a dog sat perched before a laptop. A green potted plant beside the desk sprouted tender green tendrils that clattered rapidly across the keyboard, typing out a message: *Elder Miao, there is a matter I would like to inquire about with you.* Lady JoJo tilted her head, her light-green pupils fixing intently upon the dog beside her. "Who is Elder Miao?" "A member of the first generation of Spirit Realm walkers, my immediate superior, and a Level 9 Spring God. When it comes to ancient history, an old relic like him is the ideal person to ask," Elder Dog replied. They had searched the official database and found nothing regarding the Tongzhou Society. After pondering the matter for a long time, Elder Dog had decided on a direct approach: asking a first-generation Spirit Realm walker outright. Hearing "Level 9 Spring God," Lady JoJo's eyes gleamed. "Is he well-acquainted with Yuanshi Tianzun?" Elder Dog grasped her feline intentions at once and chuckled. "Don't think about switching masters. He despises Yuanshi Tianzun. By association, he won't like you either." "Why?" Lady JoJo pressed, a cat's curiosity always running high. "It's a long story. I won't pry into the private affairs of the higher-ups. If you want to know, go ask Yuanshi Tianzun yourself." Elder Dog remained as prudent as ever. "So Yuanshi Tianzun isn't afraid of offending this Elder Miao any further anyway?" Lady JoJo caught on. Just then, Elder Miao sent a reply: *What is it?* Elder Dog's spirits lifted. He glanced at the houseplant beside the desk, and the plant immediately waved its tender tendrils, typing away: *I would like to ask you about the Tongzhou Society.* The other end remained silent for a dozen seconds before replying: *Why are you asking about the Tongzhou Society?* Elder Dog pondered for a moment before commanding the tendrils to reply: *To look into an old affair from the past.* He offered no elaborate explanation, wanting to gauge how sensitive Elder Miao was to the topic. If Elder Miao continued to probe, it would mean he knew the Tongzhou Society intimately and was wary of anyone digging into it. A high-ranking figure was not a curious cat; repeated questioning always signaled something amiss. *The Tongzhou Society was a Spirit Realm walker organization established during World War II,* Elder Miao replied. *It was reportedly founded by the Covenant of Freedom under the slogan, 'When the country is in peril, all must pull together in the same boat.' Under the guise of patriotism, they recruited a group of domestic Spirit Realm walkers alongside elites from political and business circles. On the surface, they fought in the war of resistance, but their true objective was to seize control of the country from behind the scenes while China was weak, making themselves the rulers behind the curtain.* The cat and the dog exchanged a look, gravity evident in both pairs of eyes. *Why did the Tongzhou Society fade without a trace later on?* Elder Dog pressed. *Unclear.* Elder Miao's answer was concise. *Do you know who the members of the Tongzhou Society were? I mean the members who are still alive.* After typing this line, Elder Dog half-dreaded Elder Miao replying: *Surprise! I'm a member of the Tongzhou Society!* Elder Miao: *Gang Master Jiang, the Lord of the Central Court, and the President.* "The President" referred to the President of Baihui—the Green Emperor of the current era. Staring at the computer screen, Elder Dog's paws began to tremble. Three of the alliance leaders had belonged to the Tongzhou Society! *** "What on earth? Out of five alliance leaders, three were in the Tongzhou Society?" Early the next morning, sitting by his bedside, Zhang Yuanqing stared blankly at the message sent by Elder Dog. *Given the Covenant of Freedom's methods of cultivating spies, all three of these alliance leaders would have to be traitors... Well, first rule out Gang Master Jiang; he isn't built for meticulous espionage work... I remember Uncle mentioning that the former Grand Marshal of the White Tiger Guards teamed up with the Xiaoyao Organization to seize the Compass of Light precisely because he couldn't trust the other alliance leaders. Now I understand why. Hiss, this is terrifying...* Zhang Yuanqing drew a sharp breath of cold air. On second thought, however, he felt he might be worrying unnecessarily. If there were truly spies from the Covenant of Freedom among the five alliance leaders, the crisis of the Wind and Thunder Gods would never have been properly resolved. With an out-of-control Level 12 demigod wreaking havoc across the world, the orderly demigods would have been overwhelmed. If Ling Tuo had then used his authority as the Lord of Taiyin to devour the Morality Points... The orthodox faction would have been blown to pieces on the spot. Zhang Yuanqing tucked away his phone, planning to discuss this with his leader or his uncle when he had time. Slipping on his shoes, he washed up briefly and left the house, stepping into the surveillance-free stairwell before dissolving into starlight. *** In a weathered old residential compound, Zhang Yuanqing knocked on the door of Lei Yibing's home. It was still Lei Yibing's mother who answered. Compared to April, she no longer looked quite so haggard, and the dark circles under her eyes had faded, though she had aged visibly and her eyes lacked luster. "Yuanzi?" Only upon seeing Zhang Yuanqing did a faint glimmer spark in Aunt Zhou's eyes. "Aunt Zhou, I came by to see you." Zhang Yuanqing raised the fruit in his hand and smiled as he stepped inside. Taking a seat in the living room, Aunt Zhou took the fruit and headed toward the kitchen to wash it. Zhang Yuanqing quickly said, "There's no need, Aunt Zhou, I'll be leaving in a bit. I came today because of Brother Bing—there's something I wanted to ask you." Aunt Zhou's eyes flared with sudden brightness, yet her face instantly tightened into an agonizing mix of excitement and anxiety. "Did... did you find Ah Bing?" she asked gingerly. "No," Zhang Yuanqing said, shaking his head. Aunt Zhou let out a heavy breath, her expression complicated—it was impossible to tell whether it was relief or despair. Sensing her emotions, Zhang Yuanqing sighed inward. Missing for eight months, even a parent's heart would become a tangled knot, wishing to find him yet terrified of what they might find. Zhang Yuanqing asked, "Aunt Zhou, my cousin Yuanjun said the Kangyang District Public Security Bureau received a report about Brother Bing going missing three years ago. Do you remember the exact date? And how did Brother Bing come back afterward? Maybe this time, he'll return on his own as well." Hearing this, Aunt Zhou looked at him in total bewilderment. "Yuanzi, what are you talking about? Ah Bing was never missing before." In that single instant, Zhang Yuanqing's pupils contracted to the size of pinpricks.