Main Story Chapter 13-15: Witness of the Past (过去的证人） | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Before reading this chapter, please consider reading Chapter 13-13 here!

I very quickly got in touch with Yangyang's mother and borrowed her reporter's ID, then sent a message to show my intents on interviewing him to that person's number.

In the message, I expressed that I am a person who has experienced the fire in the gallery, hearing his request from Yangyang's mother, and I really wanted to help him.

Very quickly, that person replied me with an address, and we agreed to meet there at 6PM.

It's over an hour until 6PM. I have to head home to change into a set of lightweight casual clothes, and bring my recording pen with me.

Upon walking out of the coffee shop, the dark clouds have already disappeared before I noticed them, and it's now completely sunny. Perhaps this is what spring is, where the joys of the resurface of life and the precipitous despair always arrive at the same time.

However, regardless what happens, I will, and I have to believe, that everything will get better.

Osborn and I stood by the roadside to wait for the red light, suddenly seeing a boy placing a little brown puppy on the floor, muttering something with hands clasped, then ran off very quickly.

The puppy seemed like it wanted to chase after him, but it limped in every step it ran. I tiptoed, and noticed that one of its legs is limped.

It can only slowly retreat to the roadside and nervously looked around the surrounding people. Its black eyes are filled with helplessness, that even if we're separated by the road, I could see them well and clear.

You: Osborn, did you see that puppy?

Osborn: Wanna go over and help it?

You: Yeah!

The waiting time for the red light was long. I became impatient, that I can't help but to wander to and forth, gazing right to the opposite side, worrying that the puppy will disappear.

At last, the red light began to flash, and I can't wait to rush over.

Suddenly, I saw that puppy moved. A strange man approached it from behind, searching for something from his bag.

He can't possibly be attempting to capture the puppy right?!

You: Osborn, look at that person!

Osborn: This is bad--

The moment the green light brightens up, Osborn held my hand and dashed over quickly. The man hides himself behind a tree, pulled out a syringe, and just when he was about to inject it towards the puppy's back--

With a clang, Osborn raised his leg and kicked the syringe a meter away. He then raised his knee, and toppled the person to the ground.

Osborn: Y/N, watch the syringe.

I nodded, quickly wrapped the syringe with a tissue, and picked it up.

Man: What are you two doing? This is my dog!

Osborn: Your dog? Then tell me, what's in your hand?

Man: T- that's a nutrition cream, the dog didn't want to eat, so I bought for it on purpose.

Osborn: Nutrition cream?

Osborn smiled, signaled me to pass the syringe to him, then forcefully pinched the man's face, and he's about to inject it into his mouth. The man widened his eyes in fear, and struggled endlessly.

Osborn: Isn't it just a nutrition cream? Eat it. If you eat it, then I'll return the dog to you. Why, are you afraid?

The man kept shaking his head, and continued to beg for mercy.

Osborn: Scram.

You: What's in the syringe?

Osborn: Poison. As long as it's injected into the body, it'll die in 5 seconds, then he can sell the dead dog away. Then its skin will be peeled, and its meat will be eaten.

Osborn skillfully gotten rid of the sryinge.

I turned around, but found out that the puppy has disappeared too. I can't find it even after I've searched around.

You: It's my fault for not watching it...

Osborn ruffled my hair heavily.

Osborn: It's fine as long as it's alive.

Some time has been stalled because of this episode. Upon returning home, we quickly get changed, brought our devices, and departed straight to the agreed location.

On our way there, Osborn has been exhorting me the precautions.

Osborn: Press this button as long as you feel something odd, I'll appear immediately.

I nodded. He stuck a metal little dot in my sleeve before our departure, and said that it's a communication device.

Osborn: Don't eat anything he gives. If you smell anything, cover your nose right away. After entering, choose to stand somewhere near the door or the windows, don't sit down, it'll be inconvenient for you to escape. If you aren't out in an hour-- no, half an hour, I'll go in to look for you.

Different from his usual times, he spoke so, so much. I wanted to smile and tell him that I understand and will take care of my safety, but I can't help but wanting to hear him telling me more.

This is probably the feeling of being protected.

I suddenly realized, that it seems like this feeling of reassurance has been always here and has never left me ever since I knew him.

Just like air, you won't notice it at usual times, but it's what humans rely on the most.

Suddenly, Osborn stopped. I looked up and met his gaze. Just like that, we gazed at each other quietly for a while.

You: Boss Xiao, don't worry, I promise to complete the mission.

Osborn: The greatest mission is to protect yourself well. The rest are all unimportant.

You: Okay. Are you going to wait in the car?

Osborn: I'll look around the surroundings and look for other clues. So I won't be overtaken by our Xiao the Fifth.

You: I'll be back very soon.

I put on a cap, made a gesture that tells him I'll definitely complete the mission, then got off his car.

What enters my sight is a depressed-looking alley. Looking over, it's all abandoned, old-school shops, with only a single shop being tidy and clean.

That's probably the place.

I took a deep breath, and put on a professional smile.

You: Hello, I'm the influencer that has made an appointment with you, I'm Y/N.

The door is very quickly moved, and I am shocked by the pair of shady eyes.

???: Come in.

You: Thank you...

I walked in carefully. The room has no lights being switched on, and the windows are all glued with newspapers, it's as though I've fallen into endless darkness as soon as the door is closed.

With a snap, the ceiling lights are brightened. At the same time when my vision is brightened, a faint burning smell has also welcomed me.

???: Have a seat.

I recalled what Osborn said earlier, shook my head, and stood against the wall.

You: Hello, allow me to introduce myself again. I'm a media influencer, I'm here because I've heard that you--

???: Stop the act, just be direct. What exactly is the reason that brings you here?

My heart sank. I got busted. Did I not camouflage well enough? How did I get found out?!

I looked at him in alert. Although he isn't a bad person, or even at least considered as someone who would uphold righteousness, but he has once portrayed extreme behavior.

For the righteousness in his mind, it's hard to say that he wouldn't sacrifice strangers.

Especially for a stranger that steps deep into his field, like me.

I searched for the button Osborn installed for me in my sleeve, hesitated, but I still didn't press it.

Why am I already wanting to call for help at a timing like this? I've just promised Osborn about it. I took a deep breath, and calmed myself down.

You: I'm here to look for you because I knew what happened to Tian Zhen.

???: Xiao Zhen? Are you someone from the First People's Hospital?!

In an instant, the man's expression is filled with rage. I subconsciously took a step backwards, and I didn't understand why he would react so greatly.

You: I'm not, but I was there when Xiao Zhen was rescued. The doctor who rescued her is my friend. His medical skills are excellent. He once told me that he has rescued Xiao Zhen, and the final stitching was what's left. In the end, it didn't even take half an hour since he left the operation table, and Xiao Zhen has passed away.

Clang-- The cup in his hand fell onto the floor. I saw his body trembling slightly.

???: So it's true, so Xiao Zhen could've been alive...

After being stunned for a short moment, the man returned to his senses, and looked straight into me.

???: Since he's a doctor, why did he leave the operation table midway?

You: Because there's another doctor that took over the stitching. Please calm down for now.

???: Who was it?

You: Chief Sun TaiZhong, and his intern student, Dr. Xiao Chen.

???: Sun TaiZhong, Dr. Chen...

The man muttered, and the resents in his eyes are scorching like fires.

You: But I'm not sure if Xiao Zhen's death is related to them, this is just a clue.

???: I know.

The room returned to silence once again. After a moment, the man raised his arm, and wiped his face.

Was he crying for Xiao Zhen? I'm suddenly feeling a little touched. Perhaps this person is not quite the same as what I've imagined earlier.

???: So are you coming here to look for me for Xiao Zhen? What do you want to know?

Compared to how he was earlier, his tone has clearly calmed down.

You: I wanted to know about Project Eclipse. Is Xiao Zhen's death... and the fires that happened b efore, are they all because they were all transformed into vessels?

The man stares at me, as though he wishes to confirm my stance and aim. Unsure how long has passed, he has finally nodded slowly.

???: Self combustion is the destiny for failed vessels.

You: Failed vessels? Then what about successful vessels?

???: Successful vessels will lose their soul and become a shell to carry souls of the Strains. Whenever this vessel is broken, they'll switch to a new one. In contrast, failed vessels will retain their original soul. But because they have experimented transformation, their bodies will gradually weaken, until they are destroyed or die from self combustion.

You: Destroyed?!

???: If they were left to combust on their own, it's very easy to cause social chaos. The Starins wouldn't want this to affect their experiment, so of course they will choose to destroy it. Xiao Zhen and the rest... are those I've spent great efforts to rescue from those experiment base.

You: Experiment base? Something like Yu Da Academy? Do the Strains still have bases like this now?

???: You know about Yu Da Aademy?!

Outside the room, the winds are already chilling to the bones, and there are faint sounds of thunders sounding from the edge of the skies. The somewhat abnormal weather made Osborn to stare into the distant for a very long time.

He climbed over the wall and entered the tattered shop to search around.

In a corner of the room, dust has already stashed into a tiny mountain.

Osborn opens the drawer to find many photos and collaged anonymous letters, basically similar to what the girl told him earlier. He fold all of those letters and placed them into his pocket.

He then searched for a few other drawers, but they are all about the same.

His watch shoes that over 20 minutes has passed. The girl has yet to come out. He walked to the front entrance, and is standing by to barge in at any time.

Just then, he noticed one of the reports.

The signature at the bottom right corner made him stare at it for a whole minute. Subconsciously gritting his teeth, Osborn took out a black pistol from his waist, and loaded it.

Upon hearing the words "Yu Da Academy", the man startled all of a sudden.

His gaze towards me is filled with sadness and hate, even his voice is trembling.

???: Since you knew about Yu Da Academy, then you should understand. Project Eclipse has started long ago, and it's impossible for it to be stopped easily! Did you know just how much methods I've tried throughout these 15 years?

The man is gradually getting agitated. His eyes reddened, and half of his face began twitching.

???: But it's fine, I've now found someone who can help me. I'll succeed very soon, and the society will be able to see it very soon!

His voice sounded increasingly louder, but it sounded like a cry from a certain beast because of how hoarse it is. I'm very afraid that he'll do something even more extreme.

You: What do you plan to do? Are you going to sacrifice another Xiao Zhen just like before?!

Hearing Xiao Zhen's name, the man seemed to have calmed down a little, and looked at me coldly.

???: This has nothing to do with you. I was only telling you those things because you told me about Sun TaiZhong. You can go now.

You: I'm just an ordinary human. I'm afraid of dangers, but even so, I wanted to try my best to share my voice out. So what we have to do now is to find the power behind it, rescue more people who are transformed by the experiment, and not to create disaster. Do you know just how many innocent people got injured from the fire in the gallery?! Do they know that their destinies were decided?! Nobody has the rights to sacrifice anyone else! Have you not notice that the hate in your heart has far surpassed your righteousness? What's the difference of this compared to the perpetrator?

???: Then you tell me, what should I do?!

Perhaps because I've irritated him by my words, that the man rushed towards me and grabbed my shoulders in anger. But his eyes are filled with regret and self blame.

???: I don't care if others are injured, since I've been a perpetrator a long time ago! Ever since 15 years ago, all of my research in Yu Da Academy were all used to kill people!

What is he saying? He participated in what happened in Yu Da Academy?!

I widened my eyes in a blur, until my shoulders hurt from his grip, that I wanted to pull his hand away in pain.

Just then, "bang"-- A bullet broke the windows and flew in!

The glass window shattered immediately, sparks splattered and scattered all over the floor. Osborn has already shielded me before I could even respond to what happened.

Osborn: You alright?

I shook my head, and just when I was about to speak, the man fell to the ground looks at Osborn's face nervously, and disbelief has filled his face.

???: ... Osborn?!

The pistol's trigger is pulled once again. But what's hit this time is the lightbulb. The room darkened, only the moonlight from the outside pouring in.

Osborn: I don't want to hear my name coming out from your mouth.

The two of them knew each other?!

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