[On the evening of the 5th, a major safety accident occurred at Jade Water Bay Manor in Gubei Town, Taoyuan City, Qin Prefecture. According to preliminary police investigation, suspected improper operations by maintenance personnel caused underground high-voltage cable leakage at the hotel, resulting in the electrocution deaths of 36 people including hotel staff and guests. Now for an on-site interview...]
At the screen's center flowed the surging Peach River. A young man in a security uniform leaned against a flower bed railing, his eyes somewhat vacant. Scrolling subtitles below briefly described the incident. White text on a blue background in the lower left identified the interviewee:
Jade Water Bay Manor Security Guard, Tian Chengyun.
He and Xie Yaoan were among the few survivors of the Jade Water Bay Manor accident.
A hunched man wearing a sleeveless vest with an orange-red work jacket sat on a small stool outside a breakfast shop, slurping rice noodles while watching the news report on TV. Just an ordinary janitor eating breakfast, a drop of soup clinging to his light stubble.
But across from this janitor sat a middle-aged man in casual clothes. His clean and tidy appearance and gentle temperament all indicated he should have a respectable identity.
Such as the absolute controlling shareholder of New Home Real Estate Group.
Bai Fugui didn't mind the roadside shop's noisy environment or less-than-ideal sanitary conditions. Most customers coming and going were students rushing to school. He liked being around energetic young people, absorbing some of the vitality he himself lacked.
The news continued playing on TV. The janitor sitting across from Bai Fugui chewed his rice noodles while listening intently.
Tian Chengyun being interviewed on screen appeared somewhat nervous, speaking with a slight stutter, but generally consistent with the news report: maintenance personnel's erroneous operation caused exposed cables, high-voltage electrical leakage, resulting in this tragedy of 36 deaths. Tian Chengyun himself had coincidentally left the manor to buy cigarettes in town, luckily escaping disaster.
[When I returned to the manor, the tragedy had already occurred...]
Tian Chengyun ended his interview with this sentence.
The remaining news content wasn't worth watching. The usual clichéd popularization of electrical safety precautions and promises of thorough investigation into the manor's management system without tolerance. From beginning to end, words like "ghost" or "bizarre" never appeared. It was completely an accident.
"Happy now? Didn't kill the person, didn't find Zhaoyu, and lost Terang in the process. In the end, I still have to clean up your mess." Bai Fugui lit a cigarette for himself but didn't smoke it, instead quietly watching milky white smoke rise from his hand toward the sky. "Lost both the lady and the soldiers."
The janitor finished his bowl of rice noodles and snatched the cigarette from Bai Fugui's hand, stuffing it in his own mouth for a deep drag. "We underestimated him. Although we still don't know that person's identity, his ability to take Zhaoyu was clearly no coincidence."
"It's you, not we." Bai Fugui corrected. "Do you know how much money I spent cleaning up after you? Not even counting the price I paid myself."
"Isn't that what you do?" the janitor countered.
Bai Fugui spread his hands. "Fine. You're right."
The janitor laughed.
Bai Fugui crossed his legs and continued, "So what now? If I remember correctly, you already sold Terang. You've already received payment. Now that Terang is gone, how will you explain this to the buyer?"
"Tell the truth. I screwed up. The ghost he wanted is gone. What else can I say?" The janitor seemed completely unconcerned.
"You know that's not what I'm asking." Bai Fugui shook his head. "Do you think why that buyer could accept your price gouging? Because he's dying. He needs Terang to extend his life, just like you need Zhaoyu."
"You took the payment, then lost his hope of survival. Believe me, he will definitely fight you to the death." Bai Fugui added, "Just like you'll fight to the death with whoever took Zhaoyu."
Few things were more terrifying than an Ascender with a death wish.
"I know." The janitor pressed the finished cigarette butt into a cola can, stood up from the small stool. "So you have to help me. If the buyer really plans one last desperate strike before dying, he should go after the person who subdued Terang, not me."
Bai Fugui immediately understood what he meant. "Even so, you'd better be cautious. That buyer's abilities are no simple matter. After all, he can accommodate Terang's methods... You understand the scarcity of instant-death rules better than I do."
"Of course. I understand better than you. Much better." After speaking, the janitor picked up the broom leaning against the wall and left the breakfast shop.
Leaving Bai Fugui to pay the bill.
"Hello, five yuan." The breakfast shop's proprietress walked over while wiping her hands.
Bai Fugui paid and left the breakfast shop, strolling along the sparsely populated street. Gubei Town had few young people. Most men and women in their twenties had left for work elsewhere. The peaceful little town held only elderly nearing twilight and innocent children. Quiet as always.
As always.
"..."
The bizarre scenes receded like a tide, as if waking from a very long dream. Ning Zhe's consciousness awakened from a hazy chaos. Opening his eyes, he saw soft sunlight streaming through venetian blinds, gently falling on the desk.
A thin summer quilt covered his body. He had apparently been lying in bed for quite a while.
Ning Zhe turned his head. A quiet girl sat at the desk beside the bed. Ink-black long hair draped over snow-white shoulders. She propped her chin with one hand, both legs properly pressed together, sitting upright and restrained. Pale fingers gently turned yellowed pages, producing soft rustling sounds.
She read very intently, not even noticing the person in bed had awakened.
Ning Zhe reached out and knocked on the desktop twice with crisp thumps.
"Peeking at others' private belongings is wrong," Ning Zhe said.
Bai Zhi jumped in fright. Light red clouds immediately flew across her cheeks. She hastily arranged the scattered letters on the desk in order, pressed both hands on her knees, and sat tensely and stiffly. A barely audible voice floated from between her lips. "I'm... I'm sorry. I shouldn't have looked through your things."
"Hmm?" Watching Bai Zhi's nervous appearance, Ning Zhe felt puzzled.
The Bai Zhi he had encountered at Jade Water Bay Manor didn't seem like this. Back then she had been more frank and calm, unlike now when she startled at everything.
"It's fine. I also read your diary without permission, so now we're even." Ning Zhe lifted the thin quilt covering him and sat up from the bed. "By the way, what time is it now? Why are you at my house?"
Ning Zhe had awakened in none other than his room in his family's old house, so the letters in the drawer were his private belongings.
Bai Zhi pulled up her sleeve to check her watch. "It's 5:12 PM now... June 6th. You slept almost an entire day. Mom asked me to watch over you and call her when you woke up."
"So it seems Auntie brought me home. She really managed to find where I live."
Ning Zhe looked around the bedside but didn't see his shoes. Just as he was about to ask, he saw Bai Zhi hurriedly stand from the desk and fetch his shoes from the sunlit windowsill.
"Your shoes had blood on them. Your pants and shirt too. Mom washed them for you." Bai Zhi said softly.
Ning Zhe thought about it. Probably blood from beating security captain Old Li last night. He himself hadn't paid much attention, but unexpectedly Feng Yushu had handled it for him.
"What happened with the Jade Water Bay Manor incident? What about that ghost? Did your mother tell you?" Ning Zhe asked while putting on his shoes.
"What ghost?" Bai Zhi blinked, not quite understanding what he was talking about.
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild