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墨書 Inktalez
The action was set for the night two days later. Shui Su and Xiao Mei saw Song Bunan off as he left the Jiang Residence, watching as his car disappeared into the distance before they slowly walked hand in hand towards the bedroom. Xiao Mei rubbed his nose, which was itching from the cold wind, and grumbled about why they didn't tell Bunan the truth.
Shui Su tilted his head to look at him, the boy's slightly youthful face illuminated by the soft glow of moonlight, drawing his gaze. The night was clear, with a deep blue sky devoid of clouds, and a few stars twinkled under the moonlight, creating a tranquil atmosphere. The yard was peaceful, with flowers blooming vibrantly on either side of the path, tended to carefully by the gardener, making it feel quite comfortable.
In response to Xiao Mei's question, Shui Su merely smiled and said that it was better for fewer people to know about this matter.
"Bunan has a good relationship with the Ghost Messengers. If he knew their plans, he would be very upset," Shui Su explained.
But Xiao Mei disagreed. He pulled out some candy from his pocket and popped it into his mouth, saying, "Aren't the Ghost Messengers just planning to use us to eliminate those traitors? If anyone asks later, they can just say those few died while fighting against evil human forces. Who wouldn't understand that? Besides, he's not even a Ghost Messenger. Even if he found out, he'd probably just be upset for a few days. If we wait until everything is over to tell him, it would drive him crazy."
The Ghost Messengers had asked Song Bunan to investigate this case not out of goodwill but because their own interests were at stake. The higher-ups were not focused on what was happening in laboratories; they were simply eager for a major inventory check that was due. The higher-ups would personally verify the souls and causes of death in the human realm and conduct a census of all Wandering Soul, akin to an end-of-year inventory in a storage industry.
While the actions of these Ghost Messengers—occupying others' bodies using selected souls—might go unnoticed in terms of numbers, if discovered by the higher-ups, it wouldn't just be the traitorous Ghost Messengers who faced punishment; even those diligently working would be implicated. No ghost wanted to face punishment directly issued by the higher-ups; it would be worse than death.
Only those who were not yet Ghost Messengers had the ability and reason to investigate and take responsibility for this matter. They wanted to use humans who had been harmed by this experiment to successfully avoid punishment from the higher-ups while having a solid excuse for any chaos that ensued.
As for Song Bunan, as a unique presence between Ghost Messengers and Underworld Messengers, he became an integral part of this arrangement. As long as he got involved and clashed with the traitorous Ghost Messengers—regardless of whether anyone got hurt—they could rely on him to extricate themselves from trouble. As for the safety of those drawn into this mess afterward, the Ghost Messengers had their own explanations ready.
"Song Bunan will never face great hardships again in his life; he will live happily with his destined partner. Even if he no longer meets us, he can still live well on his own abilities. Choosing him as our pawn is actually thinking of him in a way; after all, it's rare for us Ghost Messengers to be so considerate," they said.
Shui Su recounted these words from the Ghost Messengers to Xiao Mei, who was so furious that he nearly flipped over the table, cursing those despicable Ghost Messengers below. The active Ghost Messenger Shui Su knew he was in the wrong and remained silent while letting his little friend vent his frustrations against their colleagues.
"We probably won't encounter many obstacles when we go to New Life Hospital this time; it's when we head to the Gu Family residence afterward that things will get really tricky," Shui Su said, but his words did little to comfort Xiao Mei, leading both of them to sigh in unison.
Meanwhile, sitting in the passenger seat and struggling to keep his eyes open was Song Bunan. A sudden gust of cool wind made him sneeze twice vigorously; the stinging sensation in his nostrils chased away his drowsiness and brought tears to his eyes.
However, he did not receive any concern from Xin Yi. As he opened his eyes in the increasingly cold car, he saw Xin Yi driving with an appearance reminiscent of a black-and-white photograph; all color seemed to drain from inside the car while outside only darkness remained like thick ink. A sudden intuition prompted him to glance back at the rear seat where two Ghost Messengers were sitting steadily amidst the fog.
"Well, this is quite rare," Song Bunan remarked. "It's your first time looking for me in a car—urgent business?"
The Ghost Messengers spoke coldly, taking a long pause before continuing to express their purpose for seeking him out: to urge him to act more swiftly. This statement amused Song Bunan, who lay comfortably in his chair and smiled, playfully asking how they expected him to be quicker.
"The Ghost Messenger you encountered in the hospital is dead. We will not hold you accountable for the murder of the Ghost Messenger, but in return, you need to deliver the results of the other Ghost Messengers to us more promptly," one of the Ghost Messengers said, causing Song Bunan to furrow his brow. He insisted that he had only interrupted the other’s jaw and could not possibly have killed them.
His confusion went unanswered as the Ghost Messengers suddenly vanished, and he awoke from his dream. Upon opening his eyes, he saw Xin Yi's concerned gaze. The man's warm, rough hand rested on his face, making Song Bunan want to lean into it.
"Are you tired?" Xin Yi's voice was slightly hoarse. Song Bunan blinked and smiled at him without answering the question. Unable to decipher his meaning, Xin Yi instinctively checked himself for any injuries. Just as he lifted his head after confirming he was fine, a hand pressed down on the back of his head, forcing him to keep it lowered.
Song Bunan often did things that were hard to comprehend, like at this moment. When Xin Yi asked what was wrong, the man remained silent, merely pressing his face closer, warmth radiating through his hair and into his scalp, creating a tingling sensation.
"Don't join the Jiang Family; I can take care of you," he said. The pressure on Xin Yi's neck was intense as Song Bunan leaned heavily against him, relying solely on his own neck for support. Despite the discomfort, a strange joy surged within Xin Yi upon hearing those words. He sighed softly and lifted Song Bunan's head, relieving his strained spine.
"I know," he replied. "I know you can take care of me. But why do you have to say it this way?"
The man smiled, the corners of his eyes crinkling with lines as his white teeth gleamed in the darkness. He responded, "This way, when you think about whether or not to join the Jiang Family again, you'll remember your neck hurting and won't consider joining."
Song Bunan was a walking machine of absurd logic. Xin Yi couldn't help but chuckle; while rubbing his neck, he playfully swiped at Song Bunan's nose and told him to speak properly next time.
The two chatted and laughed as they walked toward the elevator. Xin Yi's attention was entirely on Song Bunan's bright smile and he failed to notice their former captain standing silently in the shadows at the exit, obscured by darkness.
Perhaps due to exhaustion from a long day of mental and physical exertion, Xin Yi felt drowsy shortly after drinking some milk. The sound of Song Bunan yawning beside him lulled him into sleep quickly. As he closed his eyes, Song Bunan had already drifted off, drool glistening at the corner of his mouth.
However, the one who had fallen asleep first opened his eyes after Xin Yi shut his own and quietly left the bedroom, dressing himself before stepping out into the night.
The autumn night brought a chill that seeped into bones; the underground parking garage was even colder due to its perpetual darkness. A regular coat offered little protection against the biting cold; just standing there made one’s hands and feet numb.
Song Bunan huddled at the safety exit, watching a woman in front of him exhale smoke that carried a faint minty scent.
The woman stood in a corner where Xin Yi couldn't see her. She deliberately pressed down on Xin Yi's head to signal that she had noticed him; she then gestured that she would wait for him before retreating back into the safety passage until he returned.
"You are indeed more formidable than described in the files," she said as she blew smoke into his face. Her emotionless eyes appeared somewhat eerie under the green light of the safety exit. Song Bunan tightened his coat around himself and accepted her compliment with apparent generosity.
"Yes," he said, "I am indeed more formidable than the information compiled by others, even more so than the scope of investigation detailed within it."
"Oh? For example?" The woman raised her gaze.
"For instance, who exactly are you?"
The two locked eyes, and Song Bunan caught a fleeting glimmer of murderous intent in hers. He merely smiled as he watched her emotions retreat, and she returned his gaze with a cheerful question about why he would say such a thing.
"Back in the day, the external branches of the Gu Family were no fewer than the current Jiang Family. After being persecuted, many branches scattered and fled, most changing their surnames to develop elsewhere and never returning. When the laboratories were cleared out across various regions, you were transferred from Renbu of Mighty Falcon to the ground division, overseeing all field personnel and affairs. In the hidden chamber between the seventh and eighth floors of Mighty Falcon Building, your original documents are stored, where your former name—Gu Qingyan—is written."
The woman's smile deepened as she extinguished her cigarette underfoot and pulled out a storage device, handing it to him. The silver box bore a sticky note with a somewhat unfamiliar name.
Xiao Ke Ai.
This name had only appeared on one piece of paper, tucked away among a pile of old adoption agreements in the corner of that hidden chamber. When he had flipped through them, Song Bunan couldn't connect this name to anyone he knew from Mighty Falcon. Although he had speculated whether it might be Xin Yi's real name, he instinctively dismissed that thought. Now it appeared before him unexpectedly.
"Xin Yi can be considered saved by you. You must have received his information already; it's time to return this to him, so please pass it along." The storage device was light and felt as cold as ice, almost freezing Song Bunan's hand to its surface. The woman lit another cigarette and continued, "Once you enter Mighty Falcon and receive a code name, your real name and everything associated with it will be sealed away. Those who do not exit will eventually forget who they originally were. Xin Yi is like that; I am too. I am leaving now; I will not get involved in your matters with the laboratory."
Why? Song Bunan asked.
The woman withdrew her smile and looked at him with a sorrowful expression but did not answer.
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