Corpse Retriever.

Chapter 403

The phone hangs up.

From the conversation just now, it was clear that Lu Yi's emotions were still not very stable.

Some details were certainly not mentioned, or could not be described simply and accurately.

Luo Gong has been missing for some time now; he disappeared on the train bound for Ji'an.

Because of this incident, the wave at the Goguryeo tomb was forcibly stopped, and the giant turtle came ashore.

Li Zhuiyuan originally thought that after the big tortoise wave ended, things might take a turn for the better with Engineer Luo, since the next wave still needed to be arranged.

His approach to problems differs from others. While others treat problem-solving as a secondary objective, focusing more on selection and refinement, he is almost always aiming to solve the problem himself, without even offering any practical solutions.

Therefore, his own journey is relatively stable, and he had already obtained the secrets about the "Nine Secret Realms" before he was "lit up" and sent to travel the river.

This is destiny, and it is ordained by heaven.

In this context, the corresponding qualities should be "loyalty" like the Chen family, or at the very least, "ruthlessness" like Zhao Yi. But Heaven clearly prefers to use itself, driving young wolves to devour tigers.

Now, Engineer Luo has returned, but it's not like he's back.

Moreover, Engineer Luo also managed to abduct Brother Liangliang.

Things took an unexpected turn and became clearly out of control.

The Ji'an 572 Civil Defense Project did not simply sit there waiting for the next group of people to explore it; instead, it took the initiative to "come out."

Based on the timeline, after returning from the Yu family and then suddenly experiencing the giant turtle coming ashore, theoretically, I should have a longer interval to rest and recuperate before the next wave.

What's happening now is just the tip of the iceberg, but it may not be the whole story.

Li Zhuiyuan's gaze fell on the tattered straw mat on the ground.

The meaning of "river water" is simple; it depends on your choice.

While it may seem like a deliberate targeting, it actually leaves room for maneuver and maintains a basic respect for the rules.

Because Engineer Luo reappeared in Jinling, and Brother Liangliang also disappeared in Jinling, not Ji'an.

Li Zhuiyuan's proposed response was quite simple.

After dealing with the giant turtle landing, the team was severely damaged, and the boy did not choose to go directly north to rescue his teacher.

Even though Liangliang and he are closer now, he still doesn't plan to take everyone up to catch the waves right away.

You still need to solve your own problems first. Rushing to save someone will not only fail, but you will also lose yourself.

But someone also needs to go to Jinling to gather information in advance and make preparations.

Before Li Zhuiyuan could speak, Tan Wenbin said first:
"Brother Xiaoyuan, I'll go to Jinling first. I'll investigate by myself and contact my dad while I'm at it, so we can try to spread the clues as soon as possible."

"Brother Binbin, saving people is our goal, but don't be too hasty, and be careful to control the pace."

"Yes, I understand. Let's check the hydrology first, and not rush to catch the waves."

"Then you should set off immediately. We will meet you in Jinling in three days at the latest."

"it is good."

The yellow pickup truck that broke down before the typhoon was repaired a few days ago by Xu Ming, sent by Zhao Yi to a repair shop in Shigang Town.

Without delay, Tan Wenbin picked up his hiking backpack, threw it into the car, and drove towards Nanjing overnight.

Lin Shuyou wanted to go with Brother Bin, but since Brother Xiaoyuan hadn't spoken up, he wouldn't bring it up himself.

In fact, it is appropriate to have an assistant by Tan Wenbin's side, but it is like a balance scale. If you put too much on one side, it may very well tilt the whole team to the other side.

After Ah Li finished applying the medicine and bandaging Xiao Hei, Xiao Hei turned into a small bandage.

Runsheng went to the kitchen, found some ingredients, pounded some meat paste himself, fed Xiaohei some, and gave it some water.

Because Xiao Hei's appearance could easily frighten Grandpa Li, Runsheng put Xiao Hei in his coffin and took care of it while sleeping.

Runsheng has taken care of this dog the most since it was a puppy, and Xiaohei is also the one closest to Runsheng.

Of course, whether it's the dog or the child in the house, they are usually the most obedient when facing Li Zhuiyuan, because they are afraid.

On the second-floor terrace, Li Zhuiyuan took a soap and personally helped A Li wash the blood and medicine residue off her hands.

She gave her hands to the boy, but her eyes would occasionally glance at his face.

"Ah Li, you've had a tough time these past few days."

The girl shook her head; she felt she could do more, and should do more.

After washing their hands, Li Zhuiyuan and the girl lay on the rattan chairs on the terrace and played a few games of chess under the starry sky.

As night deepened, the boy escorted the girl back to the east room.

Haste makes waste. Even though I still have plenty of energy, my body is already very tired today.

The attempt to revive the original body can only be postponed until tomorrow; even then, we'll have to see how the body is doing tomorrow.

Li Zhuiyuan's current predicament is that if he doesn't revive his original body and regain his identity as the inner demon, he won't be in his best state.

The boy stood in front of the wardrobe mirror.

The man in the mirror no longer possessed that cold and indifferent demeanor; he was devoid of any emotion.

This is definitely not his current expression, because his palm still retains the warmth left from holding Ah Li's hand earlier.

After admiring the "illness" that was about to unfold for a while, Li Zhuiyuan lay down on the bed.

Even when he is wide awake and full of energy, he has a way of making himself fall asleep quickly.

His body needs sleep to recover.

Li Zhuiyuan is now increasingly aware of the serious constraints his body is in incurring due to his inability to practice martial arts.

Previously, this feeling wasn't very obvious; it was just a disadvantage. But as he grew stronger on a mental level, this sense of being torn apart became increasingly severe.

Like a race car, it has top-of-the-line features in every aspect, but the body is made of wood.

He had considered practicing martial arts. While it was true that practicing martial arts before one's bones had fully developed would cause irreparable damage to one's future height, it was still an incredibly worthwhile investment to deal with the current predicament.

The more the boy realized the benefits of martial arts, the less he dared to practice.

Just like in the underworld of Fengdu, the shadow of the Great Emperor once praised him for his intelligence, so he deliberately did not practice martial arts in order not to overstimulate him.

Heaven has already extinguished its own light twice.

It always guards its knife closely, and sometimes, in order to appease it, it has to play along and "get itself into a trap."

Fall asleep.

wake up.

I got up early, but it was still dark outside, and Ah Li hadn't arrived yet.

Li Zhuiyuan sat up in bed and shifted his gaze to the desk.

On the desk, a book lay open, and next to it was a pen with the cap still on.

The book had a faint scent of parchment paper.

It is a volume in Wei Zhengdao's "Tales of the Strange and Unusual in the Jianghu".

This scene felt like a cycle repeating itself.

The last time Lei targeted Xiao Hei, it was when Grandma Liu and the others were connected to him by a red thread and Qing An was too busy to care about anything else.

Under normal circumstances, it is impossible for someone to sneak into your room silently.

Li Zhuiyuan knew that he was "sleepwalking" again.

The boy got out of bed and walked to the desk.

He wanted to see what he had left behind this time.

It still comes down to the phrase "destroyed by the righteous path".

The character “为” is still circled.

But on the circle, only a few dots were left, as if something was intended to be written but was ultimately left unwritten.

Li Zhuiyuan put the book away, put the pen back, took the basin, and went out to wash up.

After washing up, I went downstairs.

Just then, the door to the east room was pushed open, and Ah Li, dressed in white today, came out.

It's not a dress, but a set of martial arts-style clothing, personally designed and modified by Grandma Liu. It fits very well, exuding a gentle yet spirited charm.

When you look in the mirror, it's sometimes hard to see any changes, but when you look at others, you can clearly perceive the passage of time.

Compared to when they first met, when she was a little girl sitting inside with her feet on the threshold, Ah Li has clearly grown taller.

Girls generally develop earlier than boys of the same age.

The first thing Li Zhuiyuan was worried about this morning was that after a while, when he took Ah Li out, Ah Li might be at least half a head taller than him.

The only consolation was that both Grandpa Nanbei and Li Lan were very tall, and Li Lan's carefully chosen "father" was impeccable in both height and appearance.

This means that I won't have to worry about my height anymore.

When Li Zhuiyuan was in school, most of his classmates were twice his age, so he didn't have many points of reference in his daily life.

But in reality, his developmental advantages are still quite obvious compared to boys of the same age.

It's Ah Li...

The physical constitution of the Qin family lineage is beyond doubt; as for the Liu family, not to mention that Grandma Liu is still as upright as a pine tree despite her advanced age, Li Zhuiyuan had seen many portraits or sculptures of the Liu family's Dragon King before. The female Liu family Dragon Kings perfectly fit the stereotypical image of traditional female knights or even fairies in the martial arts world.

Ah Li walked up to Li Zhuiyuan.

Just as Li Zhuiyuan could see through her inability to speak at a glance, she could too.

Ah Li placed her hands on her knees and gently squatted down.

She wasn't that much taller than the boy, but she deliberately bent down to look at him.

Li Zhuiyuan smiled.

Ah Li straightened up, revealing two dimples on her face.

By the window in the east room.

Liu Yumei watched this scene with a smile on her face.

The two children, a boy and a girl, have been together since they were teenagers.

I had worried that their overly tranquil relationship, which went far beyond the ideal of a harmonious marriage, might eventually cause problems.

It seems I was worrying too much.

Both children are too mature, so mature that they are consciously enjoying and cherishing this shared youth.

Westinghouse.

Uncle Qin was awakened by the noise of Aunt Liu cracking sunflower seeds.

I sat up and saw Aunt Liu standing behind the door, peeking through the crack.

Uncle Qin: "Why don't you go out and see?"

Aunt Liu: "They got up too early today. It's not even my usual time to go to the kitchen to make breakfast. If I go out now, it will be too conspicuous and inappropriate."

Uncle Qin started putting on his shoes; he was about to get out of bed.

Aunt Liu: "Sigh, I never had these thoughts when I was a child, but now I sometimes can't help but think, if I were to have a child like this, how happy I would be?"

Uncle Qin: "What kind?"

Aunt Liu: "I can accept people like Xiao Yuan or A Li, I'm not picky."

Uncle Qin: "You can't do that in a dream. It's already a blessing from our ancestors that you were able to give birth to someone like Benben."

Aunt Liu: "It's easy to get a sore throat in autumn. I'll make you a bowl of 'poison' later. Drink it while it's hot before you go to the fields. If you can make it in time, dig a hole in the field and bury yourself."

Li Zhuiyuan led A Li by the hand to the peach grove in front of the bearded man's house.

Everyone has a basket and they start picking peach blossoms here, choosing the tender ones.

As they picked the peach blossoms, clusters of petals drifted out from the depths of the peach grove, scattering across the ground.

This one was of better quality and purer, so the two of them simply emptied the basket and picked it up from the ground.

After filling two large baskets, Li Zhuiyuan shouted to the girl:
"Ah Li, wait here for me for a moment, I'll go in and thank you."

After saying that, the boy turned around and was about to go inside.

As a result, vines blocked the way in, meaning that they had already taken everything and were too lazy to go through this process.

Having anticipated this outcome, the boy took the girl's hand and went home for breakfast.

Just after breakfast, Pear Blossom came over carrying Benben on her back.

The couple would never give up any opportunity for their son to interact with young masters and ladies.

Once this door is opened, unless explicitly prohibited on the other side, they will come to deliver the child regardless of the weather.

It feels so good not to have to go to school.

Benben held his milk bottle, drinking and laughing, occasionally patting his chest and letting out a burp.

Upon arriving at the dam, he looked around but did not see Tan Wenbin.

Benben's expression changed: Oh no!

Pear Blossom put the child in the room and then left.

Before Benben could crawl toward the screen door, the screen door closed automatically, the painting flew out again, and Benben was dragged under the bed with a look of despair on his face.

Li Zhuiyuan and A Li were both inside the house, each sitting on a small stool, processing the flower stamens they had just picked that morning.

It could be said that Benben was dragged along between the two of them.

The room tiles were slippery, and the child's skin was even slippery, so there was no chance of any scratches.

The two of them simply ignored it.

Ah Li is naturally good at blocking out irrelevant people.

Li Zhuiyuan never felt that there was anything wrong with children studying more.

Moreover, with Benben around, it can prevent Binbin and his godson from harboring resentment again if they stay in the painting for too long.

The truth is, because of Benben, these two children have become more ethereal recently, meaning their souls have become purer.

Under the bed, Benben placed his hands in front of him, tapping his chubby fingers and pouting his lips. He was having a music lesson without any props.

Fresh flower stamens were crushed into juice, mixed with wood chips from memorial tablets, and used to make candles.

There are still some materials left over in my own dojo.

Next, Liu Yumei, who was sitting downstairs drinking tea, watched as Xiao Yuan and A Li went up and down the stairs again and again, carrying all sorts of substandard goods from the back of the house.

Based on the type of materials, Liu Yumei could tell that Xiao Yuan was about to perform a "hellish" ritual involving the soul.

She neither stopped him nor worried about him; on the contrary, Elder Liu watched with great interest.

He even couldn't help but start reconstructing and deducing this evil magic on the blueprints he was designing clothes for Ah Li.

"Haha, that's interesting."

Liu Yumei put down her pen.

She now greatly admires the "patriarch's" unorthodox style, and the more so, the more secure she feels.

Aunt Liu walked over, holding several black letters in her hand.

Liu Yumei took the letter, glanced at it, and her expression remained unchanged.

Aunt Liu couldn't help but laugh and said, "You're becoming more and more composed these days."

Liu Yumei: "Even if the sky falls, the head of the family will hold it up. We will listen to the head of the family."

Aunt Liu: "The people in Qiongya haven't given us an explanation yet. They're not even going to do anything to save face. They must have some unspeakable difficulties."

Liu Yumei: "This matter is not simple. That big turtle landed and just walked over. I don't know how many eyes are watching Nantong from afar. It can't be just the Chen family from Qiongya."

As for the unspeakable secret...

Xiao Yuan is right. We shouldn't be chasing after him for an explanation; we don't even need to listen to his explanation.

The reason I can remain calm now is because I know that Xiao Yuan will settle this score with interest at the most appropriate time in the future.

I've managed to keep this family afloat, but now it's time to change our way of living, isn't it?

Aunt Liu took out another letter, wrapped with a silk handkerchief adorned with willow buds.

"This is a letter from your great-grandmother from the Chen family, your dear sister from back then."

"destroyed."

Aunt Liu tucked the letter into her sleeve, and soon a rustling sound came from inside. With a casual flick of her wrist, a wisp of paper drifted out of her sleeve and was scattered by the wind.

"Judging from this, she probably doesn't know exactly what happened, but she should be able to vaguely sense some unease."

"So, if you want to live a good life, you need one shrewd person and one simple-minded person; ideally, the shrewd person should be the most simple-minded, and the simple-minded person should be the most shrewd."

"You have a very clear understanding."

"I simply don't look at them. The reason I dismissed both families and led you into seclusion for so long is because I know very well that it's better to sever all old friendships and relationships after a family has declined."

Even if it's broken, at least there's something to remember and reminisce about; otherwise, it would truly spoil.

"Chen girl is not bad."

"The entire Chen family is very good."

"You still think that way even now?"

"The Chen family's traditions have always been second to none in the martial arts world. But as the saying goes, once you're in the martial arts world, you're not in control of your own destiny. And there's another thing to add:"

Each serves their own master.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Liu looked up at the room on the second floor.

"That head of the Chen family..."

"Don't ask." Liu Yumei smiled. "Asking will only make you look foolish. Learn from last time and play dumb."

Aunt Liu: "When...did you realize it?"

Liu Yumei: "It started when Xiao Yuan's lamp spontaneously combusted."

Aunt Liu took a deep breath and then slowly exhaled.

Liu Yumei:
"Everyone says that there is always a way out, but I have seen many people whose way out has been cut off by it, and sometimes I feel that it is quite common."

But it's the only thing it wants to cut off our family's path, and I refuse to accept that.

By the way, have you treated Ali's injury?

"It's all fixed, and all the stitches have been done."

"Isn't the stitching too gruesome and ugly?"

"Why would a grown man like him care about this?"

Don't you get tired of watching it yourself?

"I……"

"Oh, I forgot. Ever since you were little and I saw you liked raising insects, I knew you had different tastes than most people. Maybe you really like them."

"Even if it's mating, you shouldn't be so forceful and unwilling to act it out."

"Alright, it all looks the same with the lights off."

Liu Yumei went back inside to chat with the memorial tablets.

Aunt Liu stayed where she was and stood there for a long time.

Turning around, he looked at Uncle Qin working with Runsheng in the distant fields, stuck out his tongue, and licked the corner of his mouth.

To be honest, when she was doing the final stitches for him last night, she actually quite liked the strong, rugged scars on his back that resembled a mountain range.

Especially when she wiped the bloodstains off his back, the sensation of her fingertips on his skin was something she couldn't help but savor.

Aunt Liu suddenly realized that although she was old, she was also very young.

She loved leaning against the kitchen doorway, cracking sunflower seeds, and watching Xiao Yuan and A Li.

Isn't this also a form of learning?
All the preparations were completed before dinner.

After dinner, Ah Li sat on a rattan chair by the door, while Li Zhuiyuan was inside.

The rest of the family would pretend not to hear.

The only variable was the great-grandfather, who was introduced to a list by Liu Jinxia and went with her to a family in Si'an Town to discuss preparations for his death anniversary. Night deepened.

After hearing a "plop" sound from inside the house, Ah Li got up and went inside.

The boy lay on the bed, which was enveloped by an array, with his eyes closed, seemingly asleep.

Ah Li first put a pillow under the boy's head, then covered his stomach.

Finally, after tidying up all the furnishings and decorations in the room, I closed the screen door and went downstairs back to my room.

Deep within the mind and consciousness.

We're still at my great-grandfather's house.

Li Zhuiyuan went to the basement, took out a key, and opened the iron door.

It was empty inside.

Most of the villagers that the original creator created were destroyed in that battle, while the remaining ones continue to "live".

Li Zhuiyuan had to remind the original body to quickly change Grandma Liu's appearance.

As soon as he entered, he saw Liu Yumei, who looked young, sitting there drinking tea with an air of old age, which felt quite incongruous.

Upon reaching the deepest part of the basement, the tortoise shell on the coffin lid had cracked open.

The giant tortoise's curse was powerful, but it didn't imprison the real Li Zhuiyuan.

It's like a small cage. If you're curled up inside, it's really hard to break free, but if you're standing outside and want to open it, there are many ways.

Try them one by one, and you'll eventually find a way to pry open the tortoise shell. No matter how difficult it is, it's not as hard as the gates of Fengdu.

"Hey, wake up."

Li Zhuiyuan reached out and patted the coffin wall.

An identical boy sat up from the deep, dark coffin.

At this moment, Li Zhuiyuan felt as if his illness had been removed, and the sense of unease that had been weighing on his mind these past few days also disappeared.

He should have eliminated the true form of his inner demons, but he was willing to die for them.
The inner demon that was supposed to usurp the nest instead took the initiative to help the original body revive.

The fate of the giant tortoise in the second picture of the prophecy was truly deserved.

Li Zhuiyuan: "You knew all along that I couldn't live without you for the time being."

The main body looked at Li Zhuiyuan: "Do you really think I would believe your promises or your feelings?"

Li Zhuiyuan: "Those things left in the room on the second floor."

The original: "This is a treat I'm giving you to show you my value."

Li Zhuiyuan: "This is very sweet, even sweeter than Jianlibao."

The original author said, "I thought you would use that disgusting brown sugar poached egg as a metaphor."

Li Zhuiyuan: "So, you can never pretend to be me in front of A Li. You'll act too convincingly and think it tastes good, but A Li has always known that she's not a good cook. I don't feel comfortable eating it."

The main body crawled out of the coffin and glanced at the fragments of tortoise shell beside it.

"It's broken, but it's still there."

Li Zhuiyuan: "It's already quite an achievement to break it. You still expect me to be able to completely remove this seal? Why don't I just move the Fengdu Ghost Gate back to Nantong?"

The original body: "Your mother can seal me back into this tortoise shell at any time."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Does she acknowledge you as her son, or does she acknowledge me?"

The original body: "You know the answer. She wanted me as her 'son,' but she has always treated you as her real son."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Let's change to a more pleasant topic."

The original body: "I won, I got what I wanted, this death was worthwhile."

Li Zhuiyuan: "Thank you."

The original body: "Li Zhuiyuan, you disgust me."

……

"Director Tan, please take this matter to heart."

"Whether for public or private reasons, this is my duty."

Yu Shu nodded, reached out and picked up the cigarettes Tan Yunlong had placed on the desk. He took one out and put it in his mouth, then pulled out another and handed it to Tan Yunlong. He put the rest of the pack into his pocket.

Tan Yunlong: "Leave me a few more."

Yu Shu: "Is it really necessary?"

Tan Yunlong: "It's quite serious, my family stopped feeding me."

Yu Shu: "Why?"

Tan Yunlong sighed: "Once the child graduates, we'll have to arrange the wedding, which will cost a lot of money."

Yu Shu: "I understand."

These days, government agencies are generally not doing well, otherwise it wouldn't be such a trend for public officials to go into business.

People like Tan Yunlong have to share cigarettes with the younger guys around him, and he has to treat them to meals when they're on missions. Many projects are difficult to get reimbursed, so most of his salary has to be spent on work.

He had done the same thing before, but back then he and his wife Zheng Fang lived in Nantong. To put it bluntly, even if they were short of money, they could still rely on their parents. But Nanjing is a big city, and the cost of many things is indeed different.

In order to save money for her son's wedding after graduation, Zheng Fang restricted Tan Yunlong's salary spending.

Tan Yunlong didn't try to save face or pretend to be something he wasn't, and he wasn't afraid of being laughed at by his subordinates. He told the truth: for the first half of the month, he took his men out to small restaurants, and for the second half of the month, he led everyone to eat boxed lunches by the car.

Yu Shu felt his pockets and pulled out a small plastic bag and a stack of papers, which he placed on his desk.

Tan Yunlong shook his head: "It's not suitable."

Yu Shu: "I've never heard of giving cigarette leaves being considered bribery."

Tan Yunlong pulled it over, opened the bag, and smelled it: "It really smells quite good."

Yu Shu: "It's so hard to smoke, it can only satisfy a craving."

Tan Yunlong: "Thanks."

Yu Shu: "We still have to rely on you for this. He's really different; we can't let anything happen to him."

Tan Yunlong picked up Xue Liangliang's photo.

"A lot of people are paying attention to him?"

"Many people have high hopes for him, just like they have high hopes for you, Director Tan. Excellent and capable people will always shine, but he shines at a younger age than you."

Oh, right, I remember he's your son's friend, a fellow student under the same teacher at the same school, right?

Tan Yunlong: "Hmm."

"Then you can ask your son about his situation. Alright, I'm leaving now, Director Tan, you're busy."

Yu Shu left.

Tan Yunlong rolled a cigarette and lit it.

He knew that Yu Shu's purpose in coming here was for that last sentence.

When he was first transferred to Nanjing, Yu Shu told him: You have a good son.

At that time, he didn't understand the sentence. Later, he not only understood it, but he understood it so well that he was numb to it.

I took a puff.

"Cough cough cough."

I coughed so hard that tears streamed down my face.

Yu Shu was right, this cigarette is really awful to smoke.

After assigning the task, Tan Yunlong planned to go home first, take a shower, change into casual clothes, and tell his wife that he wouldn't be able to come home for the next few days. He also planned to see if he could steal two packs of cigarettes that his wife had left in the closet to give to the elderly and future in-laws when she returned home for the holidays.

As I walked out of the police station and into the parking lot, I saw my son leaning against the car door.

The father and son opened the car door and got in.

Tan Wenbin handed over a red plastic bag, which was bulging with cigarettes.

Tan Yunlong quickly took it and checked it over.

Tan Wenbin laughed and said, "Alright, it's just cigarettes, no money."

Tan Yunlong: "Next time I'll buy something cheaper, so I can get several more."

Tan Wenbin: "Dad, it can't be that bad, can it?"

Tan Yunlong: "Your mom gave me half of my salary card."

Tan Wenbin: "Your affair has been discovered?"

Tan Yunlong reached for the belt buckle.

Tan Wenbin took the money out of his pocket, put it in his father's pocket, and patted it.

Tan Yunlong loosened his belt a bit, sat up more comfortably, and started the car.

"I've gained weight recently, and my belt is getting tighter."

Tan Wenbin: "If you're short on money, just tell me. It's only right for a son to support his elderly father."

Tan Yunlong: "Oh, that's so embarrassing. Couldn't you have called more often to ask?"

Tan Wenbin: "Okay, okay, it's my fault. I'm quite well-off. Tell my mom not to worry about my future marriage."

Tan Yunlong: "Why don't you go and say it yourself?"

Tan Wenbin: "Because I know it's useless to say it."

The father and son stopped on the street, bought two boxed meals, and sat in the car eating and chatting.

Xue Liangliang's case is very strange.

Unlike typical missing persons cases, this case at least has a specific approximate time of disappearance.

However, because of the special nature of Xue Liangliang's position, he has a lot of work to handle and a lot of people to hand over to. If he loses contact, many of the operations will be disrupted.

However, there was a full two days between the first person to report that someone was missing and the last person to report that someone was missing. In other words, while Xue Liangliang was missing and being searched for, he remained active for two days, appearing in the areas where he usually worked and lived.

Tan Wenbin: "Didn't anyone tell him that someone else was looking for him?"

Tan Yunlong: "The problem lies here. When the parties involved recalled the contact, they all said that they forgot that he was being looked for and were only focused on having normal contact with him."

According to our investigation, the last place Xue Liangliang was seen, and which was witnessed by witnesses, was the campus store opposite your dormitory building.

Tan Wenbin: "Yes, I only found out about this when the store called to tell me."

Tan Yunlong: Did he tell you that on the night he met Xue Liangliang, during the day, our police officers had inquired about Xue Liangliang's situation and clearly told him that Xue Liangliang was missing?

Tan Wenbin: "No."

Tan Yunlong: That's how it is, and it's happened more than once.

Tan Wenbin: "Mm."

Tan Yunlong: "However, the witness named Lu Yi is the only one who reported seeing two people, your mentor, but I can't investigate your mentor's case further."

Tan Wenbin: "Director Tan, thank you for your cooperation. I wish you success in your work and that your children will be successful."

After separating from his father, Tan Wenbin drove to the school clinic behind the school.

After making the phone call last night, Lu Yi developed a high fever in the middle of the night and was brought here by her roommate.

Tan Wenbin had already met Lu Yi, but he was not in a good mental state and could not get any information from him, so he went to find his father. When he returned this time, he saw Fan Shulin making rounds in the ward.

Both of them had things to do, so they nodded to each other and stepped aside.

Tan Wenbin entered the ward. Lu Yi was still unconscious, repeatedly muttering:

"Fellow villager... Red Sausage Ghost... Red Sausage Immortal..."

Tan Wenbin peeled an orange and ate it himself.

Lu Yi was the only one among all the witnesses to show physical symptoms. This might be related to his meeting with Engineer Luo, but more likely it was because he had been in contact with them more often and had always worked as a switchboard operator, which made him more sensitive in certain aspects.

The investigation has reached a dead end. If his father has any new clues, he will tell him. Tan Wenbin also went to the store and even cooked the same oden, but he didn't find anything wrong.

As darkness fell, the small hospital quieted down.

Tan Wenbin reminded the nurse to remove the needle from Lu Yi's back and then put a calming talisman on his back so that he could get a good night's sleep.

Xiao Yuan was worried that he would investigate too deeply, but it turns out that he hasn't even found a real clue yet.

Since he had nothing better to do, Tan Wenbin went to sit in Fan Shulin's clinic.

Surprisingly, Dr. Fan wasn't reading pornographic magazines.

He is writing a letter.

He chuckled to himself as he wrote.

I remember the last time we met, Fan Shulin was complaining about his unsuccessful love life and how he had repeatedly failed in blind dates.

"Oh, looks like you've got a boyfriend now?"

Fan Shulin didn't try to hide anything, nodding openly and saying, "Yes!"

Tan Wenbin sat down: "What's your sister-in-law like?"

Fan Shulin: "We met by chance. One weekend in the park, an elderly woman suddenly fainted. She helped call for help, and I went up to provide basic first aid. That's how we met."

She came back on vacation; she's a local, and now she's serving in the military in the highlands.

Tan Wenbin: "Are you officially dating?"

Fan Shulin: I guess so.

Tan Wenbin: "How do you use a question sentence?"

Fan Shulin: "I haven't told her directly yet. I'm planning to take a vacation to visit her on the plateau. She told me that she has family housing there, and she can help me apply to stay there when I get there."

Tan Wenbin: That's great. I bet most of the wives over there are military wives. You're going to be a military husband.

Fan Shulin: "She is a very clean person. After getting to know her, I realized how dirty I was in the past."

Tan Wenbin: "Brother, it's not that bad, it's not that bad. It's normal for single men to read some pornographic books. They should at least learn some theory beforehand."

Fan Shulin: "If she is willing to accept my confession, I would also like to apply to be transferred to the plateau to engage in medical assistance."

Tan Wenbin: "Damn, bro, you suddenly seem so great to me. Even the light bulb on my head isn't as bright as you."

Fan Shulin: "I just don't know if it will be successful."

Tan Wenbin: "We've already applied for you to live in that building, and you're still worried about this?"

Fan Shulin: "Oh, Binbin, you're here to visit your friend, right?"

Tan Wenbin: "Yes, you saw it all."

Fan Shulin: "Yes, he was seriously injured."

Tan Wenbin: "Hmm?"

Fan Shulin: "Huh?"

Tan Wenbin: "No, which one are you talking about?"

Fan Shulin: "Isn't he your friend? He brought someone over yesterday to get treatment for his injury, and he mentioned your name."

Tan Wenbin took out a photo of Xue Liangliang and held it up in front of Fan Shulin: "Is it him?"

Fan Shulin: "Yes!"

Tan Wenbin then took out a photo of Engineer Luo: "Is this the injured person he brought?"

Fan Shulin: "Yes!"

Tan Wenbin: "What injury?"

Fan Shulin: "Crossbows, there were two crossbow bolts stuck in his body. They didn't hit any vital organs, but they were very deep."

Tan Wenbin: "Why didn't you call the police?"

Fan Shulin: "Should I...call the police?"

Tan Wenbin: "Ah, I understand, I understand."

The only one to blame is myself for repeatedly bringing Runsheng and Ayou to have Dr. Fan perform surgery, which gradually raised Dr. Fan's threshold.

After all, compared to the horrific injuries Runsheng and Ayou sustained, two crossbow bolts... were nothing at all.

Tan Wenbin: "Do you know where they are now?"

Fan Shulin: "I dealt with one crossbow bolt last night, and the other one was just cut off. The injured person's condition doesn't allow for immediate removal, so I told him to come back tonight. I saw you come over earlier and thought you were here to meet up with him."

Tan Wenbin looked up at the wall clock: "What time tonight?"

Fan Shulin: "It should be soon. It was around this time when I came yesterday."

Tan Wenbin: "Thanks, Brother Fan. I wish you all the best in your relationship and hope you get pregnant soon."

Fan Shulin: "Thank you, thank you."

Tan Wenbin walked out of his office, stood on the second-floor balcony, lit a cigarette, and looked toward the entrance of the small hospital.

If nothing unexpected happens, Xue Liangliang will bring Engineer Luo over again tonight for treatment.

Tan Wenbin has many questions in his mind, and he has to consider whether he will be able to catch this wave if he waits here.

The conclusion I reached was that I had to wait here, even if it meant taking a deep hit.

Liang Ge and Luo Gong are both here, and Luo Gong is injured. At this point, even if Xiao Yuan Ge were here, he would make the decision to provide support and protection without considering anything else.

When Tan Wenbin had smoked almost half of his cigarette, his earlobe twitched slightly. He heard a "tick-tock" sound, very crisp and rhythmic.

It looks like a horseshoe, and the kind with horseshoes on.

But how could such a thing be in this school clinic/community hospital? It's not a veterinary hospital.

The temperature suddenly dropped the next moment.

Tan Wenbin didn't move, continuing to smoke and exhale smoke.

At this moment, at each of the two stairwells, a warhorse carrying a knight in armor ascended the steps.

Medical staff and patients' families going up and down the stairs cannot see them at all, and they pass right through them.

These two knights were like two ghosts.

In the entire hospital, perhaps only Tan Wenbin could sense their presence.

No, Lu Yi might have noticed something too, so is that why Lu Yi got a fever and fell ill?

After the two knights arrived on this floor, the knight on the left spurred his horse through the door of the operating room and went inside.

Tan Wenbin was very familiar with that operating room; Runsheng and Ayou had undergone many surgeries there.

The knight on the right walked through the office door; Fan Shulin was still inside.

After the two knights went inside, they fell silent.

"Crack...knock..."

A figure dressed in tattered armor and wearing a black skull mask walked up the stairs. Each step he took was heavy, and the sound of him falling down seemed to shake one's heart.

He walked over to Tan Wenbin and stood still.

This location is ideal for observing the hospital entrance.

Tan Wenbin knew that they had laid an ambush here in advance, just waiting for Xue Liangliang and Engineer Luo to arrive.

At that moment, a skull mask appeared in front of Tan Wenbin.

Beneath the mask lay rotting skin.

He raised one hand, reaching for the back of Tan Wenbin's head.

Tan Wenbin seemed not to see anything, and just took a deep drag on his cigarette.

He withdrew his outstretched hand and brought his face, hidden behind the mask, even closer to Tan Wenbin.

Tan Wenbin could even see the maggots wriggling in his nostrils.

Tan Wenbin slowly exhaled the cigarette from his mouth.

He inhaled all the smoke through his nose beneath the mask, letting out a satisfied groan.
"Ah~"

(End of this chapter)