“Young man, well done,” Chief Zhou said in a slow and measured tone. “Your health is your capital; make sure to take good care of it.”
“Thank you.”
Although Chief Zhou only glanced at him briefly before looking away, and despite the fact that the superficial wounds on his body should have healed completely under the Zhong Gu’s care, Wu Rong remained vigilant. Chief Zhou was an old special police officer, with sharp eyes that could easily detect any abnormalities. Faced with Chief Zhou’s piercing gaze, Wu Rong showed no sign of unease.
“Mr. Wu, hello.”
Fluent Chinese with a foreign accent interrupted the somewhat silent atmosphere between the two. The tall and silent foreign liaison inspector standing beside Chief Zhou took a step forward and handed a delicate bouquet to Wu Rong. “Congratulations on your recovery.”
“Thank you.”
Wu Rong accepted the bouquet, a mixture of lilies and baby’s breath, and looked at the unfamiliar liaison director. He didn’t recall ever meeting this person before.
“This is Inspector Angus from the European Federation,” Chief Zhou introduced with a slight muscle twitching in his cheek. He recalled the bloody eyed Ghost King who had escaped from his custody not long ago and still hadn’t been located, and his mood instantly soured. He had noticed something on Wu Rong’s left cheek earlier. Although that area of skin was intact and showed no signs of injury, Chief Zhou’s many years of investigative experience told him that something was amiss.
The special bullets used by the military contained processed silver powder, which could leave a distinctive tattoo-like mark on a ghost’s soul. Even though these bullets were unable to harm a Ghost King, their marking effect remained unchanged, and the stronger the ghost, the more brilliant and conspicuous the silver powder marks would be on its body, making them impossible to ignore.
But Wu Rong was a living person.
Chief Zhou wouldn’t mistake a living person for a dead one, and he had discreetly examined Wu Rong when he had a subtle premonition. He confirmed that Wu Rong was neither a ghost wearing a human shell in disguise nor an actual ghost.
However, the current situation was complicated. Bai Mei and Zhou Jin’s traces had just been discovered at the scene in the Ghost Territory where Wu Rong had been unconscious. These subtle coincidences had touched Chief Zhou’s sensitive nerves. Information about Wu Rong’s experiences flashed through his mind. Although this young man’s life story was filled with legends, Chief Zhou had seen even more legendary and tumultuous stories. It was just that Wu Rong was Fu Qing’s only close friend and was recognized as Zhou Xun’s friend, so he had received some attention from Chief Zhou.
Where did that subtle sense of unease come from?
Chief Zhou was about to take another serious look at Wu Rong when he realized that Wu Rong’s face was completely blocked by Inspector Angus. Chief Zhou’s eye twitched. Even though he was an expert at controlling his emotions, he couldn’t help feeling annoyed by this European liaison officer. They just didn’t get along!
Look at the way he and Wu Rong were chatting happily, where was the hint of reticence from before!
“My grandfather had been to China before,” Inspector Angus said in slightly broken Chinese, with an unusual pause in his sentences. “The Miao village is very beautiful.”
Wu Rong hadn’t heard the term “China” much after his rebirth. The world’s supernatural revival was an unprecedented disaster for humanity, and the post-war society couldn’t return to the peaceful times it once knew. The word “country” had lost its significance when humanity faced the threat of extinction. Although the entire Chinese Safe Zone was still the leader of the Asian Federation, and the current president of the Asian Federation was from the Chinese Safe Zone, the feeling was different now.
Hearing the term “China” again, Wu Rong’s expression softened slightly. “Thank you.”
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
“I’ve come this time because of my grandfather’s last wish.”
Pcrqfmabg Ccuer qeiifv j rlinfg mtjlc ogbw tlr mbiijg. Ljculcu bc atf rlinfg mtjlc, jqjga ogbw j qegf rlinfg mgbrr, kjr jc jcaldef rlinfg qfcvjca lc atf rtjqf bo j yeaafgois.
“Zs ugjcvojatfg rjlv atja atf yeaafgoilfr lc atf Zljb nliijuf jgf nfgs yfjealoei jcv mtjgwlcu.”
Pcrqfmabg Ccuer abbx boo atf rlinfg mtjlc jcv tjcvfv la ab Qe Ebcu. “Lf ifoa j vljgs rjslcu atja atlr lr atf wbra yfjealoei yeaafgois tf fnfg rjk.”
Wu Rong, holding the bouquet of flowers, moved slightly slower, bumping into the silver butterfly pendant. In that moment, his heart, containing the Zhong Gu, reacted with a faint pang. Wu Rong was momentarily stunned, and his gaze froze as he received the silver butterfly pendant and examined it closely.
The silver pendant, shaped like a butterfly, had many details. It had been well-preserved and was simple in design, depicting a silver butterfly with its wings spread.
However, the emotion emanating from the Zhong Gu hinted at something more.
“Sir Leo was an extraordinary man,” Tong Fuyuan said, also noticing the silver butterfly pendant. He sighed, “When the Santorini Great Tiankeng first appeared, it was Sir Leo who discovered it in time. Later, when the Ghost Territory became chaotic, with severed connections between countries, he was the first to leave the safe zone and go to the front lines. Upon learning of Grandmaster Fu’s decision in China, he was the first to respond and crossed the Ghost Territory to contact various strong individuals.”
“This silver butterfly pendant could be a memento left by Sir Leo when he visited Miss Wu.”
“Leo.”
Inspector Angus replied coolly, “My grandfather didn’t like being called ‘sir’ or ‘lord’; he preferred ‘Leo.'”
“I apologize.”
Tong Fuyuan expressed his regret. Finally, Wu Rong looked at the silver butterfly pendant one last time and returned it to Inspector Angus. From the reaction of the Zhong Gu, it seemed that this item might belong to grand-aunt Wu Rao, and since the Zhong Gu’s final form was that of a butterfly, it held great significance for the Wu family. If this silver butterfly pendant was indeed a gift from Grand-aunt Wu Rao to Inspector Angus’s grandfather, it suggested a close relationship between them.
The Nine Great Heroes could be said to have saved the world, but strangely, there wasn’t much information available about their lives. Apart from those who had descendants and relatives still alive, the details about the others were scarce. The period immediately after the sealing of the Seven Great Tiankengs was marked by fierce and relentless waves of ghost attacks, during which most records were destroyed. Wu Rong was particularly interested in Inspector Angus’s mention of Leo’s diary.
At the same time, Wu Rong also sensed that Inspector Angus had a unique attitude towards him.
What was his purpose? Was it just to meet the descendant of his grandfather’s friend, or did he want something from him?
“I came here for the Daytime Empress’ case and for you,” Angus Inspector repeated, straightforwardly. “I’ve wanted to meet you for a long time. I’m here for you.”
“Can I have your contact information?”
When he said this, it elicited some subtle reactions from the people present. Especially Chief Zhou, who had spent several days with Inspector Angus and knew how reserved and quiet he usually was. His directness now was so clear that if Wu Rong were a woman, it might have been interpreted as a very upfront approach or a subtle confession.
Maybe foreigners are like this?
“Um… Wu Rong?”
Just at that moment, a somewhat hesitant and melodious male voice came from the side, drawing the attention of everyone present. However, this person only had eyes for Wu Rong. When he saw that it was indeed him, he walked over with excitement and removed his black mask. “It’s really you! Is your body okay now? How did you come out so soon?”
“Zhou Jin.”
Wu Rong’s attention shifted from Inspector Angus and fell on Zhou Jin for the first time since they had met. Zhou Jin still looked very thin, tall and skinny. But in truth, he was in better health than when they first met. However, the emotional scars were still evident, unconcealed by his physical health. From yearning for maternal love to his attitude of hatred and resentment towards the Daytime Empress, who had hurt his heart deeply, to the execution of Zhou Xinhong and that final moment of eye contact with his mother at the execution ground.
Zhou Jin’s eyes seemed to be burning with two flames having a sickly yet vigorous intensity. In this state, he completely ignored Chief Zhou, Inspector Angus, and the others, going directly to Wu Rong’s wheelchair. When standing, he was taller than Wu Rong who was in a wheelchair, but when he crouched down, he was half a head shorter. He looked up at Wu Rong, carefully and tentatively placing his hand on Wu Rong’s knee.
This position seemed to give him a lot of security, just like in the private box at the concert that night.
Thank you.
These words of gratitude had been circling in Zhou Jin’s throat for a long time, but when he saw Wu Rong’s calm and unperturbed face, he found it difficult to say them. Although he knew that Wu Rong had taken him to Zhou Xinhong’s study with some ulterior motives and plans, he felt an inexplicable feeling towards him. Without Wu Rong, he might never have been able to break free from Zhou Xinhong’s control for the rest of his life, nor would he have known the truth.
He also wouldn’t have had the chance to meet his mother.
Even if the truth was bloody, he didn’t want to be immersed in false and beautiful dreams.
“I’m planning to go to the European Union for further studies.”
Zhou Jin’s constitution had evolved due to the black-and-white rain created by Saintess Vivian’s relic event. Now, even if he didn’t die, he could sing both the Seven Virtues and the Seven Emotions’ symphonies. He was going to the European Union to visit the church where his mother had once stayed and to see the outside world. Zhou Xinhong had passed away, and Zhou Jin had donated his properties. With the vastness of the world and no more constraints on him, he could do anything he wanted. However, he also felt disconnected from the world, and that empty feeling inside only turned into stability once he met Wu Rong.
“I will learn new symphonies and come back to sing them for you,” Zhou Jin said, holding Wu Rong’s clothes carefully, feeling anxious and nervous but unable to express it. When he saw that Wu Rong didn’t refuse, his eyebrows and eyes lit up, unable to hide his joyful smile.
“I’ll give you my contact information.”
One would stay and one would leave. Wu Rong exchanged contact information with both of them, not caring much. After receiving the contact information, Zhou Jin was satisfied. Then, he noticed the bouquet of flowers in Wu Rong’s arms and hurriedly said, “I have a gift for you too!”.
Saying this, he fumbled through his pocket and pulled out a small velvet box, eagerly handing it to Wu Rong. It looked very much like a box for holding small jewelry items like rings.
Chief Zhou, using his special police mindset, observed the situation and found his contemplative gaze shifting between Zhou Jin, Inspector Angus, and Wu Rong. Thinking of his own son, who was always talking about Wu Rong at home and practically wanting to become blood brothers with him, the old-fashioned Chief Zhou was unusually lost in thought.
Is this how young men express friendship nowadays?
“No need,” Wu Rong declined. He had already obtained the Jade Beetle, and this trip to Jieyang had ended successfully. He didn’t really want anything else. Wu Rong felt he hadn’t done much to help Zhou Jin. However, when Zhou Jin saw his refusal, he immediately became anxious, holding the velvet box and trying to give it to Wu Rong.
“Just take it, you’ll definitely like it—”
Whoosh.
Wu Rong’s wheelchair suddenly moved backward, and Zhou Jin, who was nearly about to fall onto Wu Rong’s legs, almost tumbled to the ground. Wu Rong hadn’t controlled the wheelchair; the sudden change in position was due to the person behind him. But sensing the familiar and cool breath behind him and feeling the warmth on the back of his neck, Wu Rong sat firmly in the wheelchair, involuntarily curling the corner of his lips.
“You’re here.”
“Mn.”
Fu Qing, at some point, had taken over Tong Fuyuan’s position. He supported the wheelchair and bent down, his black hair falling beside Wu Rong’s ears.
“Let’s go home.”
Author’s Note:
Chief Zhou: Not another one!
Chief Zhou: That’s the third one!
Chief Zhou: I think we’d be more comfortable with someone from our own region.
M1zushi: yet another shura field XDD
Oh how soft it is Fu Qing saying let’s return to our home xd
Cloud Chip Cake: Oh if only Bai Gu could see these shura fields around Wu Rong… his reaction would be priceless XD
Editor: Cloud Chip Cake
Thanks for the chapter!🦋💕
Yay! Zhou Jin is doing better.
as a good ML, it’s a given for Fu Qing to be jealous of any and all existences breathing in Wu Rong’s vicinity.
Thanks for the chapter!!! ❤️❤️❤️
I don’t know whether to laugh or cry that he got all these people wantin a piece of him or simply to be one of his people. Love that Qing is being so possessive 🥰🥰😂😂
dang I miss Bai Gu 😂 imagine waking up meeting up with your boss and seeing not 1 not 2 but 3 handsome men surrounding him xD
Fu Qing: Asserting his so sovereignty as the main wife