"My will is like the barren forest, at both shores of the river, bravely battling against the fierce gales." 

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Bzzt-- Bzzt-- Bzzt--

You: So noisy...

I went back to sleep after breakfast. The phone kept vibrating on my bedside cabinet, so I reached an arm out from my blankets difficultly, and find Jesse's name showing on the brightened screen.

You: Tangyuan?

Jesse: It's me.

You: Something's up?

Jesse: I'm at your door now, you can open it after you got changed. I'm not in a hurry.

You: Huh?

Didn't he just left not long ago?

I quickly put on a thick jacket and ran towards the door, worrying that he'd be frozen sick out there from waiting for too long.

You: Didn't you just left? Did you left something at my house?

???: Huh? Big brother, did you sleep with big sister last night?

Jesse: We didn't sleep together!

???: If you didn't, then why is your face so red?

Opening the door, I saw two boys, one taller and the other smaller in size looking at each other, one flustering in panic, and the other blinking his eyes innocently.

You: Yangyang?! When did you come back?!

Yangyang nodded heavily, and his little body crashed right into my embrace immediately.

Yangyang: This morning! Big brother said you've been worrying about me, so I pestered him to bring me here. Big sister, I'm fine, you don't have to worry anymore.

He raised his head, and comforted me instead. I can't help but to feel soreness in my nose.

You: Are you injured anywhere?

I squatted down and parted his messy fringe sideways. Although I am now feeling much relieved knowing that the issue is already resolved, I still can't help but to feel a little unreal.

Yangyang: Not at all, I think I even gained weight! I had three bottles of milk yesterday.

Looks like he is still a kid, still oblivious about the fact that he was kidnapped. It's a good thing too, it's actually better than knowing everything clearly.

Yangyang: Big sister, I met a hero!

You: Hero?

Yangyang: Yeah! That Uncle Hero has a tiny room, there are many people laying inside, with also many machines, just like hospital. When they complain about pain, Uncle will treat them. But Uncle Hero's temper is not very good. I told him I dislike strawberry flavor, and I like banana, but he still bought me strawberry-flavored milk. He also didn't allow me to go around everywhere. But heroes generally have bad temper, so I forgave him!

You: Aren't you afraid at all, Yangyang?

Yangyang: I was a little scared at the beginning, because it's so dark there. After that, a sister told me stories, she even said the uncle that brought me here is a very very good person.

You: Did he not do anything to you?

Yangyang: Nope. After the third bottle of milk, he brought me to another dark place, then big brother appeared!

You: Huh?

I looked at Jesse in confusion. He's quickly typing on his phone. He only looked up after I poked him, then stuttered.

Jesse: Uh... Uh, actually, actually it's Yangyang's mother who've contacted me, she said she received that person's call. So I told her to not go, and I'll pick Yangyang up instead. Oh right, I'm about to bring Yangyang to have a full body checkup later too.

Yangyang: Big brother, can I not go to the hospital?

Jesse and You: No.

Yangyang: Okay... Then Yangyang wants something tasty, otherwise I have no energy to go to the hospital.

He speaks as he looked up, looking a little anticipated, even tapping one of his feet.

Jesse: Kiddo, what do you want to eat?

Yangyang: Fried chicken! Thank you, big brother! But big brother, big sister, can you not tell my mom about it? She usually don't allow me to eat those.

Jesse: Already hiding secrets from your mom at this young age? You are only allowed to order a children's meal, you can't eat anything more.

Yangyang: Hooray!

Yangyang immediately struggle out from my chest, held Jesse's hand, and obediently gestured a goodbye to me.

I can't help but to laugh, and pat on Yangyang's head.

You: You'll have to listen to big brother, okay? But can Yangyang lend big brother to me for five minutes? There's something I'd like to tell him.

Yangyang: Okay!

You: How are you?

Jesse: What's with me?

You: Are you okay?

Jesse stunned for a second, then looked at me baffled.

Jesse: You only think of me at this timing? My ranking in your heart is way too low as your childhood sweetheart!

You: What's with that? Of course I'm more worried about Yangyang at times like this.

Jesse: I know, that's why I brought him to see you right at the first instant.

Yangyang: Then can Yangyang also be big sister's childhood sweetheart too?

Jesse: That won't do, I'm big sister's only childhood sweetheart. Right?

A smile is felt from Jesse's tone. Since the last time we reconciled from our argument, he seemed to have changed a little. But I can't tell which part of him has changed.

You: Yeah!

Jesse: Yangyang, you'll meet your childhood sweetheart someday. Let's go, we'll get some fried chicken.

Jesse (to you): We'll get going then? Why does this look like a father is bringing his son out, bidding farewell to the mother...

You (flustered): What are you talking about?!

Jesse: Hahaha I'll stop talking. Say goodbye to sister.

You: You should take a good rest after you brought him to the hospital, you must've been very tired for the past few days.

Jesse: Roger!

I see them off. Although Yangyang is already rescued, but something still feels heavy in the heart.

I turned my gaze out of the windows. The ground outside is wet, and winter has arrived unknowingly. The sunrise is coming later and later, it's still looking grey outside.

Human experiments, self-combustion, anyone would find those documents ridiculous, but to have seen Bai Mu and listen to his conversation with Osborn, my instincts are telling me that there is something trustable from there.

A fire after another, Erdas, Strains, I have never been at the center of these incidents, but I'm not sure why they are always happening around me. Are they related to me?

A faint ray of light pours through the thick layers of clouds.

I feel afraid towards these matters, yet within the deepest part of my fear lies yet another incomprehensible emotion, like a feeling of attraction that comes from nowhere.

I think, right now, there is a strong need to--

You: Understand this world.

Even I got surprised at what I've just said, but I immediately felt like it should've been this way.

If I were to only keep pursuing for a stable life and choose to be ignorant towards the vortex happening around me, then the past me would probably never choose to return to the country to pursue a dream that seemed like it had almost no hope by leaving everything aside.

You: But how do I start with this? Do I start from Yangyang's kidnapping incident?

I subconsciously switched the display of my phone on, then switched it off again, repeating this set of movements, but I realized that I've been staying in the same interface every single time.

It's over a series of familiar numbers, it's as if I already have made up my mind subconsciously.

I dialed the number, and a languid voice is heard from the phone. 

Osborn: How rare, the little lazy tortoise stopped sleeping in.

You: Osborn, are you free in the next couple of days? I wanted to discuss something with you.

Osborn: Discuss? Sounds serious. If you're looking for me, then of course I'd be free.

You: This discussion is with you as a bounty hunter, can I? I have something that I wanted to commission the bounty hunter guild to investigate something for me.

Just as expected, he didn't say a thing from the other end of the phone call. I heard sounds of rustling wind passing through the phone, stopping by my ear, but it didn't disperse off the determination I had in my mind.

You: Do you not want to--

Osborn: I can do that.

You: Not asking me why? Nor you're going to ask me what it is?

Osborn: I'll agree to it if I want to. It is already obvious that you've thought it through for you to have called me, besides making you waver, it's pointless for me to ask anything further. Moreover, if it isn't anything serious, you wouldn't look for a bounty hunter anyway. Why, think I won't be accepting it?

 I am at loss of words from Osborn's question.

Although Osborn is the one who told me about the other side of the world, but I've indeed believed that he won't be agreeing to it, or even going strongly against my decision.

Osborn: You aren't talking. Are you angry?

You: No... I thought you will definitely not agree to it.

Osborn: Is my Xiao the Fifth having this little confidence in me?

You: Who's yours?!

Osborn: Who admitting herself being Xiao the Fifth is mine.

I became speechless. Osborn's laugh came from the other end of the call.

Osborn: I'll let you decide the meeting time then?

You: Yeah, I'll send you a message later.

I turned around and rolled up from my bed as soon as the phone call ends, stuffing my bank card with some additional cash to my handbag.

You: This much should be enough, right...?

Whether if it's through fragments of Osborn's words, or the guild's capture towards me, at least I know that it's an organization that has a widespread network of intel that works for money.

I let out a long breath, as if I have already took a step into that mysterious place, that my ankle felt a little sore from nervousness.

The rain just ended, and the skyline in the distant is surging with clouds.

Zhou WeiCheng placed the medicine in his hand, recalling the phone conversation with that youth in the morning.

Should he cooperate with him? The force behind him is LianShan Organization.

But there's no way for him to know when the Strains will come. It's hell laying in front and behind him. The people here will really die if they aren't rescued, so he has already ran out of options at this point of time.

He has never had such a strong urge to become a bomb. Rumble through the heaven and earth, with great smokes, it's better than watching those who are innocent stopping him and dying for him.

But with not a single sound exchanged in return.

Zhou WeiCheng: First People's Hospital...

His instincts are telling him that the place must've been controlled by Lu Ting, or even possibly also with other forces. Otherwise, Xiao Zhen will definitely not die this quietly.

Thinking of this, he dialed the youth's number for once again.

Zhou WeiCheng: I need to retrieve a corpse. This matter is related to the First People's Hospital.

The skies outside the window darkened again. The weather in Guang Qi city is always unpredictably. Nobody knows when the next storm will arrive.