One person: Starting with the Snow Drinking Blade

"Well... there's this girl," Zhang Chulan licked his dry lips, his voice lowering, "who somehow got my WeChat, added me, and we chatted for a few days... just now, she asked me to go out with her this weekend... to have some fun." When he said the word "have fun," his tone unconsciously carried a hint of lewd anticipation.

Nie Lingfeng's heart skipped a beat.

It's here. It was bound to happen. Liu Yanyan's "honey trap."

He rolled over, facing the wall, his voice still languid: "This... it's up to you. Go if you want to, and if you think it's unreliable or you don't want to go, just find an excuse to decline. Isn't that how it is in college, whether it's making friends or dating?"

"Well... what do you think, Brother Feng?" Zhang Chulan's tone was full of hesitation, clearly both tempted and undecided, and he desperately needed someone to give him a "push".

Nie Lingfeng was silent for a few seconds. He knew that according to the "plot," Zhang Chulan was bound to fall into this trap, but as his roommate, he still decided to give him another reminder, as if fulfilling his duty to remind him: "Zhang Chulan, remember this—in this world, many times, what is free is often the most expensive. A free lunch might taste like a sore throat."

"Hehehe..." Zhang Chulan let out his signature laugh, a laugh tinged with a hint of lewdness and a dash of anticipation. He clearly hadn't taken the words to heart. "Brother Feng, I understand! I understand the logic! But... this is a rare opportunity! You have no idea, I've been in Nanbukai for three years and haven't even properly held a girl's hand! This girl, I've seen her photos on her WeChat Moments, she's incredibly pure and lovely, and her voice is so soft! If I let this opportunity slip by, I'll be struck by lightning!"

Nie Lingfeng: "..."

He could almost see through the bed frame the scene where Zhang Chulan would soon be tied to a chair, Lü Liang would press his hand on his forehead to read his memories, and Xia He would be giving her charming comments.

"Alright then." Nie Lingfeng knew further discussion was pointless. "Go if you want. But..."

"But what?" Zhang Chulan immediately pressed.

"Be careful." Nie Lingfeng's voice carried a subtle, meaningful undertone. "The safety I'm referring to includes all aspects... especially personal safety."

At this moment, Zhang Chulan was completely immersed in the joy and fantasy of "a stroke of good luck in love," and he couldn't hear the hidden meaning behind the words. He just replied perfunctorily, "Don't worry, Brother Feng! I understand! I won't hesitate to seize the opportunity when it's time! Hehehe..."

Listening to the increasingly lewd laughter coming from the upper bunk, Nie Lingfeng silently scoffed in his mind: "Laughing like a 200-pound child now, let's see if you'll still be laughing when you're tied up like a dumpling and your memories are being watched like a movie." Oh wait, given Zhang Chulan's shameless personality and how things develop, maybe he'll even flirt with Xia He in that kind of situation?

Oh well, everyone has their own destiny, let it be.

Time slipped by quietly amidst the mundane (for Nie Lingfeng) and the anticipation (for Zhang Chulan), and before they knew it, the weekend had arrived.

On Saturday morning, just as dawn was breaking, Zhang Chulan, unusually, got up very early. For the next hour, dormitory 307 was filled with rustling noises and subtle complaints.

Nie Lingfeng had his eyes closed, but he could clearly "hear" that Zhang Chulan was rummaging through the wardrobe, picking out clothes from one outfit to another. He changed into at least three outfits: a T-shirt with an anime character printed on it and jeans (rejected, too nerdy), a wrinkled shirt (rejected, too old-fashioned), and finally a dark blue hooded sweatshirt and khaki casual pants that looked relatively new.

Next came a 15-minute hair-styling session in front of the bathroom mirror, accompanied by the hissing sound of hairspray and Zhang Chulan's mutterings of dissatisfaction with his hairstyle. Finally, the pungent smell of cheap cologne mixed with hairspray filled the entire dormitory, almost making Nie Lingfeng sneeze.

"Brother Feng! I'm leaving!" Zhang Chulan finally finished his work, stood at the door, took one last look at himself in the small mirror in the bathroom, and called out to Nie Lingfeng, who was still "sleeping," with a triumphant air.

Nie Lingfeng closed his eyes and mumbled an "Mmm" in response.

The dormitory door clicked shut, and the footsteps faded into the distance.

Almost the instant the door closed, Nie Lingfeng opened his eyes, his gaze clear and unwavering. He quickly sat up, took the antique cell phone from the storage bag beside his pillow, and dialed Xu San's number.

"Third Brother, the target has left." He spoke in a low voice, but quickly. "According to the planned direction, he should be heading to an appointment. I'll follow him now."

On the other end of the phone, Xu San's voice was as calm as ever: "Received. Xiao Feng, keep your distance, stay hidden, safety first. We've already arranged for a mobile team to be on standby in your vicinity, ready to provide support at any time. Keep communication open."

"clear."

After hanging up the phone, Nie Lingfeng quickly changed into a dark gray hooded tracksuit and black sneakers, and tied his long hair back into a neater ponytail. Instead of going through the door, he deftly pushed open the window and slipped out silently like a feather.

The height of the third floor was no different from stepping down a single step for him. The lightness of his "Wind God Leg" technique flowed naturally, and when he landed, it only made a slight, almost negligible "shh" sound, not even disturbing the sparrows foraging in the nearby green belt.

He trailed far behind Zhang Chulan, maintaining a distance of about fifty meters, cleverly using the increasing crowds on a weekend morning, the roadside trees, and the bus stop signs as cover.

Zhang Chulan, clearly in a state of extreme excitement, walked with a light step, as if his feet were springy, and even occasionally tiptoed unconsciously. He first stopped in front of a newly opened flower shop by the roadside, hesitated for a moment, went in and bought a small bouquet of simply packaged but still relatively fresh red roses (Nie Lingfeng watched from a distance and shook his head helplessly). Then, holding the flowers, he stood straight by the subway station entrance like a soldier awaiting inspection, looking around nervously and expectantly.

About ten minutes later, a girl wearing a light yellow floral dress, with long, flowing hair and a pure, untouched beauty, appeared at the subway entrance. She wore a perfectly balanced shy smile, two shallow dimples on her cheeks, and spoke in a soft, gentle voice with a slight Jiangnan accent: "Excuse me... are you Zhang Chulan?"

"It's me! It's me!" Zhang Chulan seemed to be electrocuted, immediately straightening his back and handing over the small bouquet of roses with both hands. His voice stammered slightly from nervousness, "These are for you! I hope you like them!"

Two blushes rose on Liu Yanyan's face (Nie Lingfeng confirmed her identity). She lowered her head shyly, accepted the bouquet, and whispered, "Thank you... Zhang, you're too kind. Well... shall we go?"

"Come on, come on! Where do you want to go? To see a movie? To go to the park? Or..." Zhang Chulan nodded hurriedly and asked solicitously.

"Just follow me." Liu Yanyan smiled and turned to walk ahead.

Zhang Chulan followed along eagerly, and the two walked side by side into the subway station.

Nie Lingfeng mingled with the other people waiting to enter the station and followed them in at a leisurely pace. He noticed that Liu Yanyan's walking posture seemed ordinary, but her steps were unusually light, almost silent when she landed, clearly indicating that she had practiced martial arts. Moreover, although she seemed casual, her eyes would unconsciously scan her surroundings out of the corner of her eye, especially when turning corners or going up and down stairs, showing a high level of vigilance.

The two took the subway for about five stops, getting off at an old-fashioned station in a less crowded, older area. Nie Lingfeng followed the sparse crowd off the train, discreetly continuing to tail them.

Liu Yanyan led Zhang Chulan out of the subway station, but instead of heading towards the remaining commercial streets or residential areas, they turned into a secluded alley. The two walked further and further away, the surrounding buildings changing from low-rise buildings to dilapidated bungalows, finally ending in a wasteland awaiting demolition and overgrown weeds. The air was filled with dust and a faint smell of rust.

Liu Yanyan led Zhang Chulan through a maze of twists and turns, eventually entering a narrow alley filled with construction debris and with mottled walls.

Nie Lingfeng didn't rashly follow into the alley. He glanced around, lightly touched a protruding brick at the corner of the wall with his toes, and leaped up like a hawk, landing silently on the roof of an abandoned two-story building next to him. From this height and angle, he could take in the entire scene deep inside the alley.

At the end of the alley was a small open space enclosed by a high wall, piled with some rusty iron barrels and discarded furniture.

Liu Yanyan stopped here.

"Um... Liu," Zhang Chulan looked around at the desolate scenery, his romantic fantasies finally replaced by a sense of unease, his voice a little hoarse, "Where... are we going? This place doesn't seem... fun."

Liu Yanyan slowly turned around. The pure and shy smile on her face receded like the tide, replaced by a cold expression, full of undisguised mockery and scrutiny. Her once watery eyes were now filled with indifference.

"Zhang Chulan," she tilted her head, her tone as flat as if she were saying the weather was nice, "I dug up your grandfather Zhang Xilin's grave, you know."

The color drained from Zhang Chulan's face in an instant, his smile froze on his face, and his pupils suddenly contracted.

"Wh...what?" He wondered if he had misheard.

The next second, Liu Yanyan's right hand flicked lightly at the cuff of her sleeve at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

A tiny, almost invisible silver glint, like a viper's hiss, shot from her fingertips and pierced Zhang Chulan's nape with perfect precision!

Zhang Chulan felt as if he had been bitten by a mosquito on the back of his neck, and then a strong numbing sensation spread throughout his body like an electric current! He opened his mouth, wanting to shout or question, but no sound came out. His vision went black, his consciousness quickly sank into darkness, and his body slumped backward.

Liu Yanyan reached out and easily caught Zhang Chulan's limp body, tossing him over her shoulder like a sack of flour, her movements so practiced it was chilling. She even had time to pat Zhang Chulan's back to make sure he was steady, then turned and sprinted deeper into the alley, towards the very center of the ruins! Her speed was more than twice as fast as before!

Nie Lingfeng's eyes sharpened on the rooftop, his figure transforming into a faint blue shadow. He leaped swiftly across the rooftops of the dilapidated buildings, like a ghost, relentlessly pursuing the figure below who was carrying someone and running wildly.

Liu Yanyan was indeed very familiar with this area. She deliberately chose the almost impassable gaps in the ruins and the narrow paths. Finally, she carried Zhang Chulan and plunged into a long-abandoned amusement park whose entrance was half-hidden by a huge GG sign.

Nie Lingfeng stopped beside the rusty, peeling paint gate of the amusement park, looked up at the crooked signboard—"Happy World," and below it was a smaller, almost illegible line of text: "Founded in 1998, carrying the childhood memories of a generation."