Siheyuan: Why is my crossing so ugly?

Staying in Beijing was Yang Caiyu's wish and her best choice.

After all, she was born and raised here, and she has family, relatives, and friends here. When she goes to Yenching University to teach, she will still have teachers and classmates, so she won't be lonely.

There were no security issues either. Although Du Weiguo didn't arrange bodyguards for her this time, she was still being protected by someone in secret.

As early as 65, China established two research institutes: the renowned Bureau 749 and Institute 507.

Bureau 749 is mainly responsible for researching and solving paranormal events, while Institute 507 is more inclined to recruit and manage those with management skills.

For example, Madam Yuan was originally from Institute 507. If Du Weiguo hadn't left the country, he would most likely have been incorporated into this unit as well.

China is a vast country with abundant resources, and its people are full of hidden talents.

Although the situation in China has been somewhat turbulent over the past decade or so, these two research institutes have not been idle and have recruited a group of skilled individuals.

A few days after Du Weiguo left, a new family moved into the west wing of the front courtyard of the courtyard house.

The family consists of three people: the father is a street-level cadre, the mother is a logistics staff member at Tongji Hospital, and their only daughter is a teaching assistant specially recruited by Yenching University.

From now on, she will inevitably be assigned to be Yang Caiyu's assistant, inseparable from her day and night, heh.

Late at night, in Shenzhen, a special economic zone.

The newly built Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Futian this year features a top-floor executive suite.

"Dad, you've already retired from the front line, what are you still hesitating for? Come with me across the sea."

Zhao Yingnan's eyes were red and swollen, and her tone was urgent.

“I promise, no one will stop me, Dad. The medical conditions in the inland areas are really not good now. Your illness can’t be delayed any longer.”

On the sofa opposite her sat a tall, robust old man.

His face was resolute, exuding an imposing presence. He must have been a handsome man in his youth, but now his face was covered with wrinkles and the marks of time, his hair was gray, and even his back was hunched.

"Hehehe~"

The old man chuckled, raised his hand to wipe away the tears from Zhao Yingnan's eyes, and said affectionately:
"Yingnan, you're a grown woman now, and you're even a big boss. Why do you keep shedding tears all the time?"

"Oh dear~" Zhao Yingnan's face turned red with anxiety:

"Dad, don't interrupt! There's no time to lose, you're coming with me across the sea tomorrow, I'll get in touch with them right away!"

"Hmph~" The old man waved his hand, interrupting her:
"I'm not going anywhere, Yingnan. I'll be able to see you again in this lifetime, and you've already achieved so much. I have no regrets."

As he spoke, he subconsciously reached for the cigarette pack on the coffee table, but Zhao Yingnan snatched it away first.

"Still smoking? Look at your health!"

"Heh~" The old man shook his head with a wry smile:

"Life and death have always been predestined. To be honest, I'm lucky to have survived to this day unscathed. I've already made my money!"

"Yingnan, I know my body. Let's not do anything reckless. Also, even though I'm now a second-tier official, I can't leave the country; that's the rule."

Just as Zhao Yingnan was about to speak, the old man continued to mock her:

"Besides, why can't hospitals on the mainland be good? Are the hospitals on Hong Kong Island run by the King of Hell? Can they rewrite the Book of Life and Death?"

"Dad! What King Yama, what Book of Life and Death? What nonsense are you talking about?"

Zhao Yingnan was both anxious and angry, and she stood up abruptly.

"You have no idea what it's like outside! The hospital I found for you isn't on Hong Kong Island. The medical technology there is very advanced. As long as you're still breathing, any illness can be cured!"

"As for discipline and such, you don't need to worry about it. Just come with me. I guarantee that you'll have a smooth journey with no obstacles, and I won't cause any trouble for my brother and the others!"

She fired off a barrage of words like a machine gun, her tone confident and resolute, as if making a firm decision, which finally moved the old man.

"As long as there's still breath, it can be cured? That's incredible, is it true?"

"of course it's true!"

Seeing the old man's tone soften, Zhao Yingnan was overjoyed and quickly pressed her advantage, saying:

“Dad, you should know that he recently went on a trip to South America and had two unplanned days off. After he came back, his health suddenly improved miraculously.”

Upon hearing this, the old man sat up straight, his cloudy old eyes flashing with a sharp, knife-like light.

"what do you mean?"

Zhao Yingnan secretly breathed a sigh of relief, a mysterious smile appearing on her face.

“That’s right, Dad, it’s just what you think. It was an unplanned trip. The place that person went to is the hospital I’m going to arrange for you.”

The old man was completely swayed. Damn it, who the hell would want to die if they could just live?
However, he still had concerns: "Yingnan, you just mentioned disciplinary issues, and you don't need me to worry about them? You can handle everything?"

"Hey~" Zhao Yingnan laughed, her dashing eyebrows suddenly twitching upwards.

"Are you underestimating me? Dad, your daughter's business is actually quite large now, and she has a lot of influence in all aspects."

"Meow!"

Just then, Ye Li, the little black cat who had been lying obediently on the armrest of the sofa, suddenly jumped up and meowed, her agate-like eyes looking at the ceiling in confusion.

"Ye Li, what's wrong?" Zhao Yingnan's expression suddenly turned tense.

She knew very well that Ye Li was extremely intelligent, even more so than humans, and would never shout randomly for no reason.

She came across the sea to secretly meet her father this time, not wanting anyone to know, so she didn't bring any bodyguards, and didn't even tell Lu Yan or Lancelot, only bringing Ye Li.

Although the possibility of encountering danger was extremely small, she still instinctively became vigilant.

"Meow~"

Ye Li called out again, shook her head at Zhao Yingnan, and then lay down again, but the doubt in her cat eyes did not disappear.

Meanwhile, a few kilometers away from the hotel, a figure suddenly appeared on the top of a building under construction that had not yet been topped out.

"Damn, that little thing Ye Li's senses are incredibly sharp!"

Du Weiguo squatted like an owl on a bare concrete beam, grumbling sullenly.

Just now, he had been spying from a distance, intending to get closer and eavesdrop on the father and daughter's conversation, but the moment he got close, Ye Li sensed him.

"Alright, with this little thing here, Zhao Yingnan's safety should be guaranteed. Let's leave."

Du Weiguo clicked his tongue and muttered to himself, but before he finished speaking, he had vanished without a trace.

This scene was witnessed by two workers who got up in the middle of the night.

Then, as fate would have it, two days later, another accident happened at the construction site: a beam broke and killed several workers.

Thus, a new urban legend was born. The sales of this building were dismal after its completion, and it eventually became a ghost building with no residents.

Du Weiguo could not possibly have known these things beforehand, but this was the last evil he committed.

The next moment, on Hong Kong Island, in the villa area surrounding the University of Hong Kong.

It was past midnight, and all was quiet, but one villa still faintly emitted light, like a lighthouse in the dark night.

Bathed in the warm orange light, Ah Zhi curled up like a kitten on the long sofa in the living room, her body rising and falling rhythmically.

She and Du Weiguo had made a promise that she would always leave a light on for him at night, waiting for him to come back.

"Ah~"

Du Weiguo stood outside the door for a long time, but in the end he did not knock. Instead, he let out a long sigh, turned around and strode away.

West Asian desert, golden crescent, Zaheidan city.

This is the largest city in the no-man's-land, and also the stronghold of the Brotherhood.

On the south bank of the Zhahedan River, which runs through the entire city, stands a simple and solemn stone building, the Continental Hotel.

The hotel is shaped like the Chinese character "回" (hui), with only three floors above ground, but also three floors below ground, and a secret passage leading directly to the Zhahedan River. On the third basement level, a secret room is filled with smoke, and several figures are sitting around a table.

If they were seen by insiders in the underworld, they would surely be terrified, because each of them was capable of causing a huge uproar outside.

Miss Hu, Lin Jiaojiao, Shopkeeper Yu, Merlin, Shota, and oh right, there's a black dog lying on the side of the table, Nightmare, of course.

The most powerful members of the Fiend Clan have all gathered together.

By the way, since 75, the Brotherhood has officially merged into the Shamans, becoming its Middle Eastern branch.

"Cough cough cough~"

Lin Jiaojiao stubbed out her cigarette and had just picked up another when Shopkeeper Yu coughed a few times and said in a helpless tone:
"Hey Boss Lin, can we stop smoking? Leave this old man some room to breathe."

The shopkeeper looked old and frail, as if he were on his last legs and about to breathe his last. However, he had been like this for ten years.

Before Lin Jiaojiao could speak, Miss Hu curled her lip and sneered:

"Hey kid, are you getting addicted to pretending to be a bear? This room is full of smoke, have you even taken a puff?"

The shopkeeper's ability is telekinesis, which he has long mastered. At this moment, there is a round, invisible mask around his head, blocking out the smoke filling the room.

"Hehe~" Shopkeeper Yu chuckled. He wasn't angry at all, and even reached out to pat the invisible telekinetic mask.

"Oh dear, Boss Hu, I'm not pretending, I'm just getting old and my strength is failing me. I really can't keep up anymore."

"Tch! Kid, who are you trying to act all high and mighty with?"

Lin Jiaojiao also spoke up. She lit a cigarette slowly and deliberately, and two puffs of white smoke came out of her nostrils.

“Apart from this little crow, who among you isn’t your ancestor? According to old customs, you should all kneel down and offer us tea.”

Although her words were harsh, Manager Yu really couldn't refute them.

Everyone knew each other well. Miss Hu, Lin Jiaojiao, and Meilin were all ancient monsters who had lived for hundreds of years. They were indeed his ancestors.

Perhaps it was because the words were so pleasing to the eye that Miss Hu didn't utter a word of complaint, which was quite unusual.

The situation was quite clear: Shota didn't dare to utter a sound, Nightmare pretended to be asleep and ignored the matter, and Merlin, though silent, glanced at Manager Yu with a mocking look in his eyes.

It's clearly a case of enjoying watching a show and making things worse.

In recent years, Merlin has had a loving partner and has been living a happy and fulfilling life. His personality is no longer as cold and austere as before, nor as bitter and resentful.

Quickly assessing the situation, Manager Yu decisively backed down, standing up and raising his hands in surrender.

"Alright, I was wrong, and I admit it. I'll go make tea for all the ancestors right now."

“Uncle Fish, how can I let you do these things? I’ll do it.” Shota immediately stood up.

To be honest, he wished he could leave. Being in the same room with these people put him under immense pressure, especially with Miss Hu; he was genuinely apprehensive about it.

Having found a way out, the fishmonger immediately put on a beaming smile: "Hey, Crow is the most sensible one."

But at that moment, everyone suddenly sensed something and almost simultaneously turned their heads to look at the main seat on the table.

"Sorry everyone, I'm late."

The next instant, Du Weiguo appeared and sat steadily in the main seat.

Hu Da-guniang, Yu Zhang-gui, and Merlin already knew about his teleportation secret. Xiang Tai and Lin Jiao-jiao were his confidants and staunch supporters, so there was no need to hide it anymore.

Upon seeing Du Weiguo, Miss Hu and Lin Jiaojiao immediately sniffed in unison. Fortunately, they didn't smell that unique fishy odor, and their eyes softened considerably.

"Hey, Manager Yu, you still look so energetic! Merlin, you look great!"

Du Weiguo was about to exchange a few pleasantries when Miss Hu interrupted him.

"Hey boss, let's stop with the small talk and get straight to the point. Why did you gather us all together in such a hurry? If you don't tell us, none of us will know what's going on."

All of these people present can be considered local tyrants. When they unite, they form an extremely terrifying force, enough to change dynasties and overturn the world.

Without a significant event, people wouldn't gather together for no reason.

Upon hearing her words, Du Weiguo also stopped smiling and slowly sat up straight.

"Yes, something is indeed going on."

“I have some things to do recently and may be out of contact for a while. While I’m away, Hu Da will take charge of things at home, and I’ll assign Xiang Tai and Ye Yan to you.”

Upon hearing this, everyone's expression changed drastically. Even Nightmare stood up abruptly, and Miss Hu frowned deeply, asking directly.

"What are you doing, Du Da? Where are you going?"

With the overwhelming power of the Fiend Clan today, what can't they accomplish? Where in the world can't they go? Why would Du Weiguo need to do everything personally, and there's even the possibility of him going missing?
Du Weiguo snatched the half-smoked cigarette from Miss Hu's fingertips, finished it in one gulp, exhaled a long puff of smoke, flicked the cigarette butt away, and then said in a deep voice:

"Hu Da, don't ask anymore, I won't tell you."

“Then I’ll go with you!” Miss Hu suddenly stood up.

Du Weiguo shook his head helplessly and took her hand:
"Hu Da, we're all leaving, who's going to watch the house?"

His words were somewhat harsh, but the people present remained unusually calm, not even the usually arrogant Lin Jiaojiao refuted him.

In terms of combat strength, she might be evenly matched with Miss Hu, and she might even be more destructive in a group battle.

However, when it comes to the ability to control the overall situation, she is far inferior, and the situation of Manager Yu and the others is roughly the same.

Miss Hu shook off his hand, her tone resolute, and said, word by word:

"Du Da, wherever you go, I'll go! Even if our house is smashed to pieces, as long as we're still alive, we can earn it all back."

Du Weiguo sighed inwardly, stood up, placed his hands on Miss Hu's shoulders, and met her eyes with deep gaze.

"Hu Da, the place you're going to, you can't go."

"Where can't I go?" A dark red light welled up in Miss Hu's eyes, and her emotions were on the verge of spiraling out of control.

In fact, for all these years, Miss Hu has been preparing for this day. For this reason, she took the initiative to break her vow of killing and entered the game herself.

Unexpectedly, when the time came, she still fell behind.

Du Weiguo shook his head helplessly, a bitter smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. He pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly, and whispered in her ear:
"Hu Da, don't ask anymore. Trust me, I will definitely come back."

In Du Weiguo's arms, Miss Hu's body was visibly trembling. It took a long time for her to calm down, but her voice was already hoarse.

"Okay, Du Da, I believe you."

"Phew~" A huge weight was lifted off Du Weiguo's shoulders, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

With the toughest nut to crack, Miss Hu, dealt with, the rest were much easier to handle. After some coercion and enticement, they were easily dealt with.

January 39, 1979, was the first day of the Lunar New Year in the Chinese calendar.

At this time of year, the Arctic is at its coldest, with temperatures dropping to minus 30 degrees Celsius even during the day. It is a land of ice and snow, with thousands of miles of ice and snow.

At noon, when the sun was at its strongest, on the vast, empty snowfield, Du Weiguo's figure suddenly appeared on a snow hill.

He was only wearing a thin trench coat, the hem of which was fluttering in the wind, but he didn't seem to care and his expression remained unchanged.

He scanned his surroundings to confirm he was in the right place, then turned his gaze to his feet, meticulously exploring the deep sea beneath the ice.

Just as he was concentrating, he suddenly felt a cool sensation on his cheek, as if something icy and slippery had suddenly brushed past his eyes.

At the same time, a soft laugh rang in my ears, followed by an extremely languid and seductive voice.

"Hehe~ You've finally arrived."

"Do you know how long I've waited? Human, are you ready? I'll take you to see the outside world!"

The End! (End of Chapter)