Haigu Municipal Hospital.
Sun Qi’an woke up in the duty room, and her head was a bit sore, possibly due to being too tense these past few days. She sighed as she looked out the window at the rising sun and swallowed a tablet of ibuprofen.
Her phone screen lit up, filled with WeChat messages. Sun Qi’an casually tapped on them, and without exception, they were all from her family.
[Father: An’an, you didn’t come home yesterday. Isn’t it too early for the night shift?]
[Father: Did you switch shifts with someone again?]
Several voice messages followed from her father.
Sun Qi’an opened them and absentmindedly made herself a cup of coffee with hot water. Her father’s voice in the messages rambled on for a long time, mostly about how “staying up late is harmful to your health”. Towards the end, her mother chimed in, her style much more straightforward than Police Officer Sun—
“Daughter, you’re a doctor, so you know better. It’s okay to be busy, but remember to get that tumor in your head checked out in time, even if it’s benign. Be careful not to exhaust yourself to death for nothing.”
“It’s alright, Mom. I just had it checked recently. Once I find a top-notch specialist, I’ll schedule the surgery.”
Sun Qi’an responded with a smile and casually placed her phone by the sink.
After a simple wash-up, Dr. Sun looked into the mirror. The person in the mirror had bloodshot eyes and a slightly pale complexion, with a strand of hair falling down by her ear. Sun Qi’an reached out to adjust it when suddenly her head spun. She held onto the sink with both hands, taking several deep breaths to calm herself.
She knew that something small was quietly nestled in her brain.
In theory, the sooner one dealt with a brain tumor, the better. However, the location of the tumor was tricky, and being benign, the risk of surgery was too great. Aside from occasional absent-mindedness and fatigue, it hadn’t brought any life-threatening consequences. Sun Qi’an had no intention of tiptoeing through life while carrying it.
With cookies placed on the table and coffee set aside, breakfast was considered done. Dr. Sun tied her slightly greasy hair into a ponytail and rubbed her face vigorously. By noon, her night shift would be completely over.
Oh, she needed to confirm with Qianqian’s side. The child’s condition had been improving, and she would be discharged soon.
Perhaps she could also buy a storybook for the little girl while she’s at it. Qianqian loved listening to stories and had asked her to tell one a few days ago. Thinking about the girl gradually regaining her vitality in the hospital bed, Sun Qi’an let out a slightly helpless smile.
A few nights ago…
Wait, that night, what story did she read to that child?
Sun Qi’an stopped in the hallway, her mind blank.
She remembered opening the storybook, but beyond that, she had no recollection. It was as if she had gotten drunk, leaving her mind filled with untraceable blanks.
Perhaps it was because it was late at the time, or maybe she was too tired. Sun Qi’an instinctively rubbed her temples. When you reach your thirties, you tend to forget things subconsciously—like yesterday’s lunch, whether you locked the door before leaving, or even thoughts that were crystal clear just a few minutes ago.
…Well, her mother was right. She should find an opportunity to thoroughly check that small tumor.
Sun Qi’an sighed again and hurriedly walked towards the end of the corridor, just passing by a nurse with a black ID card.
The nurse was carrying a small and delicate biosafety transport box, heading towards the elevator to go downstairs.
Inside that small transport box were only two blood samples—
One belonged to Yin Ren a few months ago, and the other belonged to Zhong Chengshuo a few months ago.
……
The red liquid in the pot kept bubbling, and Zhong Chengshuo held the cooking utensils, carefully timing by the side of the pot.
“Tomato oxtail soup—he insisted on making it himself.” Zhong Youde wiped his sweat off on the sofa, looking at Yin Ren with a complicated expression. “My son rarely insists on doing anything like this over trivial matters. It seems that you two have a good relationship—speaking of this dish alone, he firmly believes that he understands your taste better.”
“It’s great to have a good relationship.” Cheng Xuehua smiled and joined the conversation. “Xiao Yin is handsome and knows how to handle things. Having more sons like him is a blessing for us.”
After saying that, she deliberately stuffed a round and cute persimmon into Yin Ren’s hands.
Yin Ren smiled and set up the fruit platter. Next to the fruit platter, there was already a small and delicate eight-inch cake prepared. The cake was chocolate-flavored and shaped like a log. It was adorned with many fresh fruits that Zhong Chengshuo liked, sprinkled with sugar powder resembling falling snow. The candles with the number “29” were already inserted, waiting to be lit.
Yin Ran seriously doubted if there should be many “0s” after the “29”. At this point, he had given up on the chaotic family hierarchy in this house—the Zhong couple didn’t need to know that the person in the kitchen was older than the city itself.
Next to the birthday cake, several home-cooked dishes were already arranged. The beer from the refrigerator stood at the edge of the table, with a faint mist forming on the bottles. A glass of fresh apple juice for Zhong Chengshuo was placed, emanating a gentle sweetness.
Just before sunset, Zhong Chengshuo carefully carried the tomato oxtail soup, taking small steps to the table.
Considering that Comrade Xiao Zhong was no longer a child, nobody sang a birthday song. Zhong Youde turned on the TV, filling the living room with joyful advertising music and news broadcasts. Cheng Xuehua picked up a lighter and steadily lit the two number candles.
In the dimly lit living room, two small flames flickered gently.
“Make a wish, son,” Cheng Xuehua said with a smile.
Zhong Chengshuo stared at the log-shaped cake for a while, then picked up a plastic knife and skillfully cut it into four pieces—two slightly smaller ones for his elderly parents and two larger ones, each with a candle that swayed gently with his movements.
“I wish for the health and longevity of all our family members,” Zhong Chengshuo solemnly whispered, extinguishing the candle in front of him. The two Zhong elders smiled at each other, their wrinkles easing slightly.
Then, Zhong Chengshuo held the other cake with the candle in both hands and offered it to Yin Ren, with the “9” still burning on the cake.
This time, he hesitated.
Amidst the noisy TV music and the ordinary light of the hanging lamp, Yin Ren looked at Zhong Chengshuo, who was holding the cake—this was the first time he saw a hesitant expression on the man’s face.
He opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something but swallowed it back.
After struggling for about half a minute, Zhong Chengshuo still handed over the cake. He leaned slightly forward, lowering his voice to a level only audible to each other.
“I wish that no matter what happens in the future, we will always be the best accomplices.”
With that, Zhong Chengshuo quickly blew out the candle, as if afraid that Yin Ren would change his mind. The cake plate was placed into Yin Ren’s hands, and he blinked, looking at the unexpectedly nervous Zhong Chengshuo.
“I really like you, and I want to make a wish for us to always be in love,” Zhong Chengshuo said somewhat uneasily, turning his head. “But if I make such a wish to you, I won’t know if you like me or if you just want to fulfill my wish.”
However, regardless of anything, they would always be eternal accomplices, Zhong Chengshuo thought seriously. As long as this relationship existed, they would still be able to see each other.
“Ohhh—” Yin Ren elongated his voice softly. “Just that?”
“…”
Zhong Chengshuo’s ears turned slightly red.
“Finding my sister’s whereabouts is my parents’ wish; protecting the safety of those children and their descendants is now our shared responsibility… Your wish, ‘to understand why I fell into the Valley of Remains’, is the only wish that belongs to you.”
“Now I have made a wish to you, and we have exchanged wishes. I like this feeling—Yin Ren, you are the most special one.”
His voice was soft, but the level of seriousness surpassed any previous occasion.
Yin Ren took a sharp breath, his old face slightly flushed. He quickly took the cake plate and took a bite. The cake was made with excellent cream, combining the delicate fragrance of milk with a hint of cocoa’s bitterness. It melted in his mouth, without any hint of greasiness.
“I’ve accepted your offering.”
Yin Ren licked the cream off the corner of his mouth and casually picked up a cherry soaked in alcohol from the cake, stuffing it into Zhong Chengshuo’s mouth. Zhong Chengshuo turned his face, obediently preparing to open his mouth to receive it, but Yin Ren quickly withdrew the cherry and replaced it with a gentle kiss infused with the taste of cream.
Zhong Chengshuo remained motionless, not even subconsciously retreating.
After the gentle kiss, he still received that sweet and vibrant red cherry.
“Tsk tsk.” Cheng Xuehua watched the two of them and shook her head, her tone filled with emotion. “I used to see my son worrying every day, but I didn’t expect him to catch on so quickly.”
“He’s almost there.” Zhong Youde coughed awkwardly. “Hurry up and eat, and after we finish, we’ll take a photo—I specifically got a self-timer camera for this special occasion. We should take a family portrait.”
After dinner, the four of them made space in the living room. The two elders sat on chairs, holding hands tightly. Zhong Chengshuo and Yin Ren stood behind the chairs, with a strand of Yin Ren’s black hair habitually entwined around Zhong Chengshuo’s wrist, tightly bound.
On the side of the camera, only Yin Ren could see Hu Tao. Miss Fierce Ghost smiled with deep meaning, quietly signaling the moment to take the photo.
“One, two, three—cheese*!”
*Eggplant [qiezi] (茄子). In China, it’s a popular way of saying cheese because, pronunciation-wise, it’s similar to saying cheese in English.
At nightfall, Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo spent the night at the home of the elders. In the darkness, the two of them lay quietly. Despite the lingering sense of repulsion, they still pressed their foreheads together, stubbornly clinging to each other.
“Now that we’ve done what we needed to do, I want to be honest with Fu Xingchuan,” Zhong Chengshuo muttered.
“A thousand years ago, between you and me, it’s necessary for Fu Xingchuan and Li Nian to know. To have a more comprehensive investigation and support, the resources of Shian and its technology and channels are necessary. When I wanted to join Shian, I was counting on those resources.”
Yin Ren glanced at Zhong Chengshuo and narrowed eyes for a while, then raised himself slightly and kissed Zhong Chengshuo’s forehead.
“I understand,” he said. “Don’t worry. As long as we stand together, you will be safe.”
“Mm.” Zhong Chengshuo closed his eyes. “And I also want to get back my phone…”
As he continued speaking, his pronunciation became increasingly unclear, and he fell asleep like that.
With the warmth of their bodies and the gentle warmth of their breaths, Zhong Chengshuo surprisingly slept peacefully. Yin Ren felt it for a while, then withdrew back into the covers, returning to the position with their foreheads pressed together, and closed his eyes as well.
“Good night,” Yin Ren whispered softly.
“Good night,” Zhong Chengshuo, not knowing which nerve was still awake, responded firmly with slurred speech.
The sleeping cap’s pom-pom slipped down the pillow and landed on the edge of Yin Ren’s phone, nestled next to the slumbering Yellow Millet. At some point, in the tranquil darkness, the phone suddenly emitted a dim light.
Yellow Millet emitted a weak snort, glanced towards the screen, and seeing that the thing wasn’t sounding an alarm, quickly collapsed back into sleep.
The dim light remained, and beneath the newly changed lock screen displaying the family portrait, Yin Ren’s phone received a string of message notifications from Fu Xingchuan.
……
Time rewound a bit.
Deep within the basement of Shian Campus, near the facilities controlling the Evil Spirit, lay Shian’s most advanced research lab.
In a corner of the lab, a certain researcher was working overnight. Five blood samples were placed beside her.
To be honest, Miss Researcher had some doubts in her mind—this time, the testing was personally assigned by Minister Li of the Emergency Management Department. The confidentiality level was at its maximum, to the point that she had to take on the testing alone.
She had expected it to be a tough battle, but after all the fuss, they only sent her five samples that appeared to be human blood. However, these two groups of samples, Y-1, 2, 3 and Z-1, 2, originated from two different individuals with a significant time difference—
Y-1 and Z-1 appeared to be internal medical examination samples from Shian, collected nearly a year ago.
Y-2 and Z-2—these two tubes of blood were most likely collected from Haigu Municipal Hospital, a few months ago. Only registered Shian employees would have their samples specifically preserved at the Municipal Hospital.
The most recent one was Y-3, taken just a few days ago, extremely fresh.
Looking at this information, it was evident that these two sets of samples came from two Shian employees. The researcher shivered at the sight of those few tubes of blood. Conducting blood tests with such high levels of confidentiality made her unable to ponder too deeply.
The two sets of blood quietly lay on the shelf, emitting a dim red glow. Under the pale lights, countless machines hummed and diligently analyzed every aspect of the blood.
That night, Fu Xingchuan was lying in bed, sprawled out, when he was abruptly awakened by a phone call from Li Nian. Minister Fu groggily got up and, in a daze, answered his phone—
“Are you available to talk now?” Li Nian’s voice sounded hoarse on the other end.
Fu Xingchuan glanced at the ceiling of his room and replied, “Is it convenient for you to check the time now? Regardless of the results, matters have reached this point… yawn… It’s only test results. We can discuss it tomorrow. The world won’t be destroyed. Now it’s your turn, be careful not to die suddenly, Professor Li.”
“…” Li Nian fell silent for a moment, then his tone turned icy. “The comprehensive analysis results of the blood samples are out.”
“I see.”
Fu Xingchuan wasn’t actually nervous.
The recent incident at the abandoned building prompted Shian Research Institute to work overtime to reconstruct the situation. The existence of the Evil Force coming from a “Primordial Elemental” was now almost certain.
Combining the information provided by Yin Ren and the situation in the memory world, Fu Xingchuan had already deduced that the Evil Force and Evil Spirits were inseparable from the Primordial Elemental. The Evil Black Dog Spirit had absorbed an excessive amount of Evil Force, causing a phenomenon similar to the gestation of a fierce ghost.
However, whether the Evil Force was a “powerful evil creature born from a Primordial Elemental’s corpse” or a “failed birth of a Primordial Element that became stillborn” was still unknown. After all, there was too little information about the Primordial Elemental, and further research was needed.
Comrade Fu Xingchuan remained emotionally stable.
Even if the results were exaggerated, at most it would be “the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi is an Evil Spirit with reason”. Taking it a step further, “the Great Celestial Master Zhong Yi is an existence above the Evil Spirits”. Over these past few days, Fu Xingchuan had mentally prepared himself for such possibilities.
On the other hand, Li Nian, who was usually calm, was surprised this time, showing that his previous behavior wasn’t due to his personality, but rather his position.
Thinking of this, Fu Xingchuan felt more at ease. “I’m awake now, so go ahead. I’m listening.”
Upon hearing his attitude, Li Nian fell silent instead. Whether it was Fu Xingchuan’s misconception or not, he felt a subtle sense of pity in his old partner’s silence.
“The comprehensive analysis results of the blood samples are out, and it’s not just Yin Ren’s.”
After about ten seconds of silence, Li Nian spoke up.
“Yin Ren asked us to investigate himself and Zhong Chengshuo, so both their blood samples were taken during his examinations at Shian and the hospital. I thought we could investigate them together. After all, you mentioned before that the flesh puppet also entered the memory world.”
“Ah? Oh, I suspect Yin Ren used some method to create an evil creature using Zhong Chengshuo’s remnants, which is a forbidden technique from ancient times and raises significant ethical concerns.”
Fu Xingchuan scratched his head.
“But considering his identity and the issue of the Zhong elders’ retirement, the situation isn’t that serious…”
So, it wouldn’t make much sense to investigate Zhong Chengshuo’s blood samples while he was still alive. Fu Xingchuan just wanted to mention it to this Great Celestial Master after Yin Ren’s results were out.
Li Nian let out two cold snorts.
“To address your concerns, yes, Yin Ren is something above an Evil Spirit. His flesh can deceive regular examinations, but it can’t deceive the specialized experimental equipment for Evil Spirits.”
Fu Xingchuan’s emotions remained stable. “Hmm.”
Whether it was Evil Spirits or something above them, it didn’t really matter since they couldn’t defeat them anyway. Shian had 100 HP, and whether the opponent’s attack was 999 or 999,999, the difference wasn’t significant.
“Zhong Chengshuo is the same thing,” Li Nian added coldly.
“Hmm… Huh?!” Fu Xingchuan instantly sobered up.
He slowly lay back in bed, burying the back of his head into the soft pillow. Fu Xingchuan stared blankly at his own ceiling, unsure if he was dreaming at this moment.
“According to the report, both Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo’s blood samples exhibit excessively stable ‘Evil Force’ characteristics at the cellular level, with significantly higher cellular activity compared to existing Evil Spirits.”
“The nature of the Evil Force in both sets of cells is extremely similar, but their manifestations differ greatly. If we had to say, it’s like two distinct individuals of the same race.”
“The Evil Force of Zhong Chengshuo is fused with the cells on a physical level, and the internal power cannot dissipate or be separated. The cells also have difficulty regenerating under various stimuli. Apart from the deeply hidden Evil Force system, his physiological characteristics are no different from those of ordinary organisms… According to these results, he shouldn’t be able to actively use any spells and can only retain some special instincts.”
“Yin Ren’s Evil Force is quite interesting. His body seems to be constructed with the support of arcane arts. His flesh exhibits strong arcane characteristics and is similar to the flesh of an Evil Spirit. It can function as an independent source of metaphysical-related power.”
Fu Xingchuan remained silent.
After waiting for a while without getting a response, Li Nian continued on his own, “What’s interesting is that Yin Ren’s blood sample has undergone obvious changes. From the time he joined until a few months ago, the Evil Force characteristics in his cells rapidly matured. On the other hand, Zhong Chengshuo’s blood sample shows no changes, and the Evil Force characteristics have always been mature.”
At this point, Li Nian emphasized the pronunciation of “always”.
Fu Xingchuan still didn’t make a sound.
Li Nian said, “I’m calling 120.”
Fu Xingchuan said, “… Wait a moment.”
His voice was almost fearful.
“If I didn’t misunderstand.” Fu Xingchuan swallowed nervously. “Yin Ren and Zhong Chengshuo are from the same race, and both are dangerous species above Evil Spirits.”
“Yes.”
“Yin Ren possesses formidable arcane abilities, I know… The problem is Zhong Chengshuo. Does the ‘special instincts’ you mentioned include growing a head?”
“If there is sufficient external nourishment and stimulation, his cells can regenerate completely.” Li Nian’s tone remained calm. “But, as I mentioned before, he indeed cannot use magic…”
Fu Xingchuan closed his eyes in despair.
There was no need to guess. That so-called flesh puppet was most likely Zhong Chengshuo himself. In the abandoned hospital incident, there were enough Primordial Elemental corpse to play driftwood. With ample external nourishment and stimulation, Zhong Chengshuo’s head could be replaced daily.
No wonder Yin Ren stuck to that flesh puppet every day. Fu Xingchuan felt a mix of joy and sorrow.
He was glad that the Great Celestial Master’s sanity was still intact and he hadn’t turned into a pervert as Fu Xingchuan had feared, manipulating his lover’s remains and creating an evil spirit out of them. But he was saddened by the fact that the Great Celestial Master’s lover was indeed an anomaly, and one who disguised it perfectly.
Those so-called talented young individuals were nothing but two troublemakers. Thinking back to the time when he sacrificed his holidays to guide these two in battle, Fu Xingchuan once again pitied his lost vacation.
“Anyway, that’s the situation. Those two…” On the other end of the phone, Professor Li continued speaking in a hoarse voice.
“Li Nian, have you not been sleeping enough?” Fu Xingchuan interrupted desolately. “They’re still partners. Can’t you see the problem there?”
“Go on,” Li Nian’s calm tone contained a hint of weariness.
“The only weakness of the science posts is physical strength, and it seems that Zhong Chengshuo is not lacking in that department. So now we have combined the strongest shield with the strongest spear—they’ve become intertwined.”
An immortal science post immune to magic and an Evil Spirit warhead proficient in various forms of magic—it was difficult to say which one was more dangerous. When Fu Xingchuan joined the ranks of Shian, the level of natural disasters he dealt with was equivalent to hurricanes and floods, but this pair of partners was akin to an asteroid colliding with Earth, surpassing the scope of normal human handling.
As Fu Xingchuan immersed himself in the grief of being deceived by these two powerful individuals, Li Nian suddenly burst into laughter.
Goosebumps ran down Fu Xingchuan’s body as he instantly stood up. Could it be that his former partner had gone mad due to excessive stress?
“The strongest spear and the strongest shield—isn’t that a good thing?” Li Nian said, enunciating each word.
“Fu Xingchuan, have you been asleep for too long? You handled things perfectly fine in Gengsheng Town before.”
“What?”
“If we can’t control them no matter what, then there is only one thing we can do…”
On the other end of the radio waves, Professor Li absentmindedly toyed with his ring, gazing at the moon outside.
“…Trust them, support them, and continue being their ‘allies’.”
Next, there happened to be a perfect opportunity.
The author has something to say:
Xiao Zhong is 29 years old! Even though it’s a fake 29 years old (laughs).
Xiao Yin: Clearly older than me, pointing and lecturing.gif.
Kinky Thoughts:
This cake tastes like dog food.
