Chapter 38: What if...we bury him?
Chen Nuo stood on the balcony.
Through the floor-to-ceiling windows, he could see Anderson sitting in front of the computer in the luxurious suite of the hotel.
There was a mirror in the room, on which were pasted more than a dozen notes, forming a tree diagram.
At the top was the name Yao Weishan.
And hanging from several lines below were notes with names from Yao Weishan's social network before his death.
Among them, the names of the couple Old Sun and Yang Xiaoyi were included.
After working on the computer for a while, Anderson stood up, walked over to the tree diagram with a marker in hand, hesitated for a moment, and then marked a cross over the notes for Old Sun and Yang Xiaoyi.
Four or five notes were already crossed out.
Could it really have been an accident...
Anderson muttered to himself.
He sighed, and as he turned around, his gaze swept over the balcony and windows.
On the balcony, it was empty, not a soul in sight.
「Some ten minutes later, at the mouth of an alley south of the hotel, Chen Nuo sat down in a noodle shop with a hint of a strange smile on his face.」
"A bowl of braised beef noodles, extra meat, and a fried egg."
After ordering, he casually picked a few garlic cloves from a small bowl on the table and peeled them.
His motions were gentle and meticulous.
Yet the corners of the youth's mouth were ever so slightly curled, revealing a trace of that strange smile.
Yes, it was indeed a bit strange.
Chen Nuo sighed inwardly.
The Abyss.
This was a noun, as well as the name of an organization from the Underground World. Its scale was not large, but it had a history and fame of its own—of course, this so-called fame was nonexistent for ordinary people.
According to his previous life, the Abyss Organization was akin to a semi-colleague. It gathered various demons and monsters to carry out tasks that shunned the light. Hmm, and it had quite a few individuals with impressive abilities.
Overall… not exactly a hard nut to crack.
But it looked like he had unwittingly provoked some karma.
Now that he thought about it, that Yao Weishan… his identity was not so simple. He was not just someone who went abroad to make a name and then returned to his hometown to show off.
But rather…
Ah, that's right. Within the Abyss Organization, there was a role dubbed: The Gold Digger. They specialized in walking among the mundane world, profiting for the organization. They handled a network of social connections and managed some resources. Similar to being a white glove.
There's no helping it, even Psychics need to make a living.
As for how Chen Nuo recognized it as the Abyss Organization. It was simple; he recognized it by seeing Anderson.
As for how he knew Anderson. Even simpler.
Because looking at the timeline, in three years, around the year 2004. The entire core membership of the Abyss Organization, including Anderson, would be annihilated in a confrontation. The base of the Abyss Organization would be burnt to the ground.
This organization, which had existed for over fifty years and had some fame in the Underground World, would thus be relegated to history.
And the person responsible for this action would rise to fame in the Underground World.
Yama.
The noodles were served.
The noodles were fine and delicate. A few pieces of the braised beef were a bit tough, but the flavor was spot on.
After tossing two peeled garlic cloves into the bowl, Chen Nuo picked up his chopsticks and took a few bites.
Hmm... What if... we bury him?
...
...
...Ah, that's not right!
Chen Nuo shook his head.
Burying this guy who came to investigate Yao Weishan's cause of death wouldn't be difficult.
Chen Nuo remembered this man; barely a master, just average. In the Abyss Organization, there weren't many imposing figures; their leader was, of course, the most formidable. Right, the one nicknamed "Captain."
Yeah, quite a character. When I killed him, he had several loops of electrical wire around his neck, hanging from the rooftop, and didn't even grunt before he died.
A real man.
But that didn't make Chen Nuo feel any admiration.
In his past life, when he was just a greenhorn starting out in the Underground World, he took on a commissioned task that had some collaborative aspects with this group called "The Abyss."
Then, after completing the task, The Abyss Organization decided to withhold the results and not give them to him. They were a renowned organization, probably thinking he was just a nameless newbie... and stepped on him just because they could.
So, the newly-arrived and still greenhorn Chen "Yama" Nuo went to their doorstep, directly pushed their tower, and blew up their crystal.
Trying to play dirty with me—dog eat dog, is that how decent folk behave?! Pah, despicable!
「Brother Lei in the Tangzi Street shop sneezed.
Boss Xiao, drinking coconut water on Pattaya Beach, sneezed too.
He... well, he couldn't sneeze anymore, resting at the bottom of the sea.」
Burying was feasible, but there was no need.
Chen Nuo didn't take the Abyss Organization seriously. But the problem was, Old Sun's family couldn't withstand them. Burying this investigator would be like blatantly telling The Abyss: Come on! There's something fishy about Yao Weishan's death!
And that would bring even more trouble for Old Sun's family. Unless he could once again slap The Abyss Organization out of existence.
But Chen Nuo didn't want to do that. There was no need.
In fact, a deeper meaning was buried in Chen Yanluo's heart.
It was...
In this life, he wanted to live differently.
Re-enter the Underground World, Lord Yama returning in all his glory to reorder the land, and then spend a lifetime amid a hail of bullets and blood-soaked skirmishes...
Chen Nuo was tired of it.
Being a salted fish, that's quite nice.
Just don't let anyone bother me.
Looking long-term at how to live this life, Chen Nuo hadn't figured it out yet. But in the short term, he just wanted to live a quiet life like a salted fish.
Yeah, while at the same time carefully maintaining an ordinary person's lifestyle and fixing a few regrets from his past life. He was quite infatuated with this kind of simple, unadorned, everyday life.
For now, that seemed to be Chen Nuo's plan for himself.
Lost in thought, he ate, finishing off the last mouthful of noodles with a SLURP. He put down his bowl and chopsticks, took a piece of tissue from the box on the table to wipe his mouth, and walked out of the noodle shop.
He glanced at the Holiday Hotel building not far away.
It seems the investigator hasn't found out anything. Old Sun's family name, he has already crossed it off. So... you're lucky, then.
「School belle Sun looked at Chen Nuo, her eyes seemingly shimmering with moisture.」
Chen Nuo's forehead was dotted with sweat, his breath slightly hurried.
BOUNCE. BOUNCE. BOUNCE.
He dribbled the basketball a few times, then tossed it over to Luo Qing who was approaching. Chen Nuo jogged towards the baseline.
Luo Qing passed the ball back. Chen Nuo caught it and immediately launched a pull-up three-pointer.
SWISH!
Nothing but net.
A burst of cheers echoed around, including a few high-pitched screams from some girls.
Chen Nuo, hands on his knees, caught his breath, exchanged a high five with Luo Qing as he walked over, then watched his disgruntled opponents leave the court.
The three-on-three half-court game had ended.
This was the basketball court after school. For over an hour, with Chen Nuo, the Invincible shooter (or "game-breaker" as some might say), all challengers were directly crushed.
Luo Qing and another nameless teammate who might as well have been a prop thought, Damn, did we accidentally peak in life?
Too bad, though, a crappy school like No. 8 Middle School didn't even have a basketball team. In fact, most middle schools in the country, apart from a rare few with strong sports traditions, lacked proper basketball or football teams.
With the almighty Gaokao looming, all basketball dreams could go chill in a corner.
To hell with basketball dreams.
Otherwise, with Chen Nuo's performance today, he would probably have drawn the attention of some team's coach, who'd be shocked by his talent, and swiftly recruited to compete in national competitions... And just like that, the story would have shifted into the sports genre...
Coach, I want to play basketball?
Pfft! Go cram for the Gaokao!
Sun Keke watched Chen Nuo step off the court, her eyes initially full of little stars.
But soon, she saw several girls from the same grade eagerly approaching him, and one bold girl even offered Chen Nuo a bottle of purified water...
Pfft! Little vixen!!
It was the season of spring blossoms... and Chen Nuo was starting to become popular with the opposite sex at school.
It couldn't be helped; in this life, he was blessed with clear eyebrows and handsome features. In a word: handsome.
Before his rebirth, the original Chen Nuo was somewhat introverted, probably due to family reasons. He had an aloof character, was a little quirky, not very likeable, and had very little presence.
But after Chen Nuo's rebirth, from the end of the last semester to the start of this one, in the eyes of others, Chen Nuo seemed to have undergone a complete transformation.
He still seemed to dislike socializing much... but a few incidents had gradually made him a topic of conversation at school.
The bold hero who dared to hit on the guidance director's daughter.
His blatant skipping of classes on regular days.
Daring to call his teacher Old Sun while casually putting an arm around his shoulder.
And walking with hands in pockets, strutting with a swagger that acknowledged no one.
Plus, the basketball game on the playground this afternoon where he dominated spectacularly!
Most importantly, he had an indescribable, unique aura about him. That seemingly lazy vibe, yet with an air of cool, devil-may-care indifference. The key was, it wasn't flashy or frivolous.
—Of course, having a good-looking face was the main thing.
Regardless of fame or charisma, if he had the face of Wu Mengda, even if his shooting was as beautiful as a painting, no young girl would be willing to bring him purified water.
Watching the three girls approach, one of them with a blushing face offering him a bottle of mineral water, Chen Nuo paused for a moment then took it.
The girls giggled, and the one in the middle, though a little embarrassed, still met Chen Nuo's gaze. "I'm Du Xiaoyan from Class Four. We were in the same class last year before we were streamed into arts and sciences."
Chen Nuo responded with an emotionless "Oh."
The three girls ran off giggling, but before leaving, Du Xiaoyan deliberately glanced at Sun Keke without any attempt to hide it...
Alas, the wars between girls.
School belle Sun wore a face of clear displeasure. Though she had intended to approach Chen Nuo, her steps halted as she watched him take the initiative to walk over to her. Her eyes, however, were still fixed on the bottle of Robust purified water in Chen Nuo's hand.
Chen Nuo smiled and casually tossed the bottle to Luo Qing, who was nearby.
School belle Sun's facial expression didn't change, but a hint of a smile appeared in her eyes as she took a thermos from her bag.
"My dad always said, even when the weather gets warm, you shouldn't drink cold water after exercising. You're young and don't realize it, but you'll regret it when you get older and end up with a stomach ailment."
As she spoke, she unscrewed the cap and offered it to Chen Nuo.
Chen Nuo looked at the bright red goji berries floating on the water inside the cup...
...Chen Yanluo felt his composure wavering: I'm only seventeen in this life, have I prematurely entered the middle-aged routine of goji berries in a thermos?
"The thermos belongs to your dad?"
"...Yeah."
"The goji berries too?"
"Yeah."
"...You took these from home, your dad doesn't know, right?"
School belle Sun's face turned red.
"Don't drink it if you don't want to!"
Just as she was about to take back the cup, Chen Nuo tilted his head back and gulped it down in a few mouthfuls, even chewing and swallowing the soaked goji berries.
School belle Sun beamed with joy, about to say something...
"Chen Nuo!!!"
WHOA! A brash shout full of provocation bellowed through the air!
Chen Nuo and School belle Sun turned around.
A few young men were strolling over slowly.
One of them was none other than Zhang Linsheng, the student who had recently lost two bicycles.
Well, there were about five or six in the group. Some had taken off their school uniforms and were swinging them. Some had their uniform zippers halfway down with the collars deliberately popped. Others had taken off their uniforms, draping them over their shoulders. One held a bicycle chain lock. Another carried a stick, deliberately slung across the back of his neck with both hands resting on it.
One thing they had in common: all the youths walked with a swagger that said, 'I don't acknowledge any relatives.'
If there were only some BGM right now, it would be even more fitting: *I swagger through the storm of life, admired by the masses...*
Pfft!
So chuunibyou!!
「In the research room on the second floor of the school office building.」
Mr. Fang, the principal's assistant who was there to gain credentials, was present.
The school representative from the education company, Worker Liu, was there.
Teacher Wu, head of the senior second-year students and homeroom teacher of Class 2-6, was there.
Also, an employee from the education bureau wearing a jacket.
Furthermore, a middle-aged man in a black suit who looked like a high-level employee, with a stern expression on his face.
And even more so... standing there was a graceful figure: medium-length black hair adorned with a blue hairband, and a tall stature. Her features were delicate and pretty, but her eyes darted around, clearly showing impatience and distraction.
Even though it was spring, the weather wasn't quite warm yet. But the girl wore a light blue pleated skirt, revealing a pair of pale, perfectly straight long legs, with black leather shoes under her knee-high socks.
The only thing that seemed out of place was on her upper body: a brand-new, but obviously ill-fitting and somewhat baggy blue and white sports jacket—the uniform of No. 8 Middle School.
Principal Fang was talking courteously to the education bureau official.
The girl's gaze had already drifted outside the window.
Suddenly, as if seeing something on the playground downstairs, she let out a sharp shriek.
"AH!!!"
Vice Principal Fang, who was discussing handover matters with the official from the education bureau, was startled.
The several middle-aged and elderly men in the room were also taken aback.
And this long-legged girl, her face full of excitement, turned and dashed out without a care.
The middle-aged man in the black suit who had been in the room bowed hastily and hurriedly followed her out.
The room's occupants were stunned for a second, and Principal Fang was the first to react, "Hurry out and see what happened!"
「"Chen Nuo! You can't avoid this beating today! Not even Jesus could help you! I'm telling you!"」
Zhang Linsheng cocked his chin and held his head high, looking at Chen "Yama" Nuo.
His few companions behind him also purposely made menacing faces and rubbed their hands together eagerly.
Just then, a voice came from behind.
"AHH~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~"
A long series of "AHH"s carried a trembling vibrato at the end.
A tall figure came bounding and running like mad!
She charged straight into the crowd and slammed right into Chen Nuo's arms, hugging his waist tightly!!
"Oppa~~~~~" The girl lifted her pretty face, her eyes filled with little stars, and excitedly exclaimed in Korean, "I finally found you!! Bless Brother Guan!!"
CLATTER!
The thermos in Chen Nuo's hand fell to the ground.
CLATTER!
The chain lock in Zhang Linsheng's hand fell to the ground.
CLATTER!
The basketball in Luo Qing's hand fell to the ground.
CLATTER!
The thermos lid in School belle Sun's hand fell to the ground.
School belle Sun's inner monologue: Am I... being cuckolded??
[There! An Asura Field! Send tips!]