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墨書 Inktalez
I was stunned for a moment, then forced a bitter smile and said, "Your theory is really frightening. How did we suddenly start talking about gods?"
The doctor laughed heartily and said, "Don't you know that all scientists, after gaining a deeper understanding of the universe, turn to studying theology? Because this world is inherently filled with divine signs. Don't you find it exciting? Perhaps one day, the emerald will be pushed aside, and a deity will step out from within."
I was truly taken aback by him and didn't dare to ask further, fearing I might end up in a mental institution. Yet, the doctor's words were so convincing. I couldn't say he was definitely right, but I also couldn't say he was definitely wrong. By 2005, I finally understood that while some of what the doctor said might be exaggerated, some of it had indeed come true!
All the strange powers in this world are not as simple as we imagine. For instance, someone once asked who created magic. If we trace back to its origins, people would find that all magic originates from mythology. Just like how there are myths about great floods in ancient times all over the world; this is not a mere coincidence!
The argument with Hu Xiaoyi was diffused by Liang Xi, who suggested that since we were here to pay our respects, we should save academic debates for the classroom.
So we left the hotel and went to our leader Zhang Qichao's house. After a year apart, his parents looked much older; it was evident that their son's death had taken a significant toll on them. They were both in their early forties and wanted to have children, which was not as easy as it is for younger people. While physical issues could be addressed through medicine, what about the psychological aspect?
As the saying goes, "A heart ailment has no medicine."
When we asked where Zhang Qichao was buried, their answer surprised all three of us. He wasn't sent to a cemetery or placed in a funeral home; instead, his urn was kept at home.
In Zhang Qichao's bedroom, I saw the urn sitting squarely on the bed. His mother glanced at it and ran into the room in tears, while his father wiped his reddened eyes and said that both of them were heartbroken after their son's death. He was their only child, and they couldn't bear to part with him. So they brought the urn home, cleaned it every day in the bedroom, and covered it with a blanket as if he were still there.
This deep affection made all three of us misty-eyed. Hu Xiaoyi was particularly emotional and burst into tears.
I sighed and once again expressed my apologies to the couple. Throughout this ordeal, I had always felt it was my fault; if I hadn't taken them to that bar, such an accident wouldn't have happened.
After respectfully paying our respects to the urn, we left. Hu Xiaoyi and Liang Xi both looked gloomy; I knew they were hurting inside, just as I was. To alleviate our sorrow, I suggested staying in Changsha for a few days to take our minds off things.
Hu Xiaoyi and Liang Xi had no objections; they had discussed it with their families beforehand and decided to celebrate the New Year outside. So, we stayed in Changsha for a while.
There were some local features, but nothing particularly appealing to me. I wasn't interested in visiting various tombs. After wandering around, we returned to the hotel and found the room in disarray, clearly having been robbed! Hu Xiaoyi's laptop was nowhere to be found. We immediately called the waiter and reported the theft.
The waiter came to take a look and then brought the manager. We thought the manager would call the police and help us find the thief. However, he quietly suggested that we let the matter go. Hu Xiaoyi was definitely not going to accept that; he had just bought the laptop, which cost several thousand yuan—how could we just let it go?
The manager's expression was not pleasant as he said, "You young guys really don't understand! We are a hotel; if we report a theft, who would want to stay here if word gets out? Don't worry, we'll offer some compensation; it's just money!"
His so-called compensation was one thousand Renminbi. Hu Xiaoyi was furious, saying, "I just bought that computer for seven thousand five hundred yuan, and you only want to compensate me one thousand?"
The manager scoffed, sizing us up and said, "From your accents, you're not locals, right? Young people shouldn't be so hot-headed; be careful not to trip when you go out. Offering you some money is already generous; don’t be so unreasonable. Besides, who knows if it was because you didn’t close the door properly that allowed the thief in? I haven’t even checked if anything else in the hotel was stolen; I’m already being nice to you! Otherwise, if something else went missing from this room, you'd have to pay one or two thousand!"
This was pure nonsense, and we immediately argued with the hotel staff. The manager called security, who forcibly kicked us out while threatening us not to cause any more trouble. I was so angry that I wanted to hit him but was held back by Liang Xi. He was an honest person and timid. Our leader Zhang Qichao had gotten into serious trouble because of a fight. Having just paid respects earlier, he still had psychological scars and dared not let me act out; he advised me, "Don't be impulsive; he's a local and we're outsiders. If it comes to blows, we'll definitely be at a disadvantage."
Hu Xiaoyi said, "Then let's call the police; what are we afraid of?"
Liang Xi replied, "The problem is they might not recognize him."
"We have our check-in registration upstairs; why wouldn't they recognize it?" I shouted loudly.
Liang Xi muttered, "It's all handwritten; if they tear it up and throw it away, what can we do?"
I truly felt helpless; Liang Xi made valid points. If we encountered unreasonable people while traveling, there wasn’t much we could do about it. After all, we were staying in a small inn rather than a five-star or four-star hotel.
But I couldn't swallow my anger; I had intended to relax but ended up facing such frustrating circumstances. Liang Xi suggested that we downplay the situation—after all, it was just a laptop; we could earn money again later. Hu Xiaoyi pouted angrily, saying that it was a couple's laptop he bought together with Qin Zhenzhen—one white and one black—and they hadn’t even used them for two weeks before losing it. How would he explain this to her?
At that moment, I suddenly remembered pulling the manager's clothes during our argument and seeing an amulet around his neck. Although I couldn't see it clearly, it didn't seem like a good thing. After thinking for a while, I sneered and said, "This matter can't just be left as it is; we must teach them a lesson. Do they really think they can bully outsiders?"
Liang Xi was afraid I would start a fight and tried to persuade me again, while Hu Xiaoyi asked if I had any good ideas.
I didn't share my thoughts with them but kept repeating them in my mind. The Ghost Fragment inside me was something I usually wouldn't use because Azan Kunsha had warned me several times that if it could be avoided, I shouldn't use it to prevent my power from growing uncontrollable. But at that moment, I couldn't suppress the impulse within me.
As I walked into the lobby, the manager was still sitting at the front desk talking to someone. When he saw me enter, his expression darkened, and he summoned two security guards over. When I approached him, he said, "What are you back for? We don't welcome you here!"
I replied, "I just wanted to ask, what is your name?"
"What? Are you looking to complain or sue me?" the manager said nonchalantly. "My surname is Gao, first name Donglin. Just say what you want!"
I glanced at the chain that was faintly visible under his clothes and asked, "Is that an amulet you're wearing?"
Gao Donglin was taken aback; he didn't expect me to ask such a strange question. He remained silent, and I didn't bother to talk to him any further. I said, "People are watching; you wear an amulet and still do such shameless things. Be careful of retribution."
Gao Donglin's face darkened even more as he slammed his hand on the table and said, "You little brat, are you tired of living? You're getting too bold!"
While he spoke, I was continuously communicating with the Ghost Fragment inside me, asking it to help me take revenge on this bastard of a manager. I wasn't sure if the Ghost Fragment heard my request; I only felt a slight tingling in my chest as if my heart had twitched. At that moment, a wave of Yin Qi appeared around Gao Donglin's neck where the amulet was. Through some mysterious connection, I knew it was the Spirit Child.
Since it had already attached itself to my enemy, I naturally lost interest in staying any longer and immediately turned to leave. Gao Donglin arrogantly shouted a few insults behind me. I secretly sneered and thought to myself that he could be arrogant now, but there would come a time when he would face misfortune!
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