Main Story Chapter 14-01: The Angel who Crossed Boundaries (越界天使） | Light and Night 光与夜之恋

Before reading this chapter, please check out the LIGHT END and NIGHT END of Chapter 13!

The Angel who Crossed Boundaries  (越界天使）

"The brighter the light is, the deeper the abyss would seem, and my loneliness is that horrifying under the bright sun too." 

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After that day, besides a message asking me to not worry, I've never received any other texts from Osborn. I tried calling him, but they were all unreachable.

Although I understand that he must have something important to attend, but the feeling of losing touch is always making me feeling unsettled, so I would occasionally send him a few messages about my recent situation as well as interesting things about Milky.

Sariel has been resting at home, and he hasn't returned to the office. Work isn't as busy as the past too, so I had more time to search information related to Yu Da Academy and Project Eclipse.

Perhaps it was just my instincts, but I kept having the feeling that there's a greater scheme behind all of these matters.

Humans are insignificant when faced with disasters, so if I can find out something, who knows, I might be able to stop the happening of some tragedies.

The window seat in the library at 4PM is showered with sunset. Because I wanted to search for information on newspapers in the past, I've requested the auntie* librarian from the library to find them for me in advance.

*I don't know how many times I've repeated things like this but... not biological aunt, it's just us Asians addressing others this way

I can't see any files of the case, and the official information I can find are also limited, hence searching from magazines and newspapers is the only method I could think of.

The librarian is a close friend of my late mother, and she agreed to my request without further ado.

Librarian: Y/N, you're really lucky, we're going to move these old newspapers away tomorrow.

You: Move them away? Why is that?

Librarian: I'm not sure about this, the manager suddenly said they wanted to have a centralized management, and gave us about three to four days to sort them all out. It's a coincidence that you wanted to see too, so auntie decided to let you read it.

You: Thank you auntie.

It'll be moved out for centralized management tomorrow, I suppose it'll be very difficult to read them in the future. I've got to seize time and browse them all at once.

But why is there a feeling where something doesn't feel quite right...? I looked upwards, and stared at the eye-shaped artistic light on the ceiling.

It's as though there's someone who's also paying close attention, where he's always ahead of us, even watching every single move of ours, and his goal might be the complete opposite as ours. Just thinking about this makes me shiver.

You: It's the best for me to stop scaring myself, let's first read all of these.

All related articles to Yu Da Academy are arranged on the table chronologically.

They are basically the same as Osborn's investigations, and I couldn't retrieve much useful information. Suddenly, an advertisement placed in the middle attracted my attention.

It's a community called "Happy Tomorrows", formed by volunteers, psychiatrists, and social enthusiasts.

They specialize to take in patients with mental illnesses, aiding their recovery, and to move into society again.

Because of how Yu Da Academy was exposed, Happy Tomorrows have taken in large batches of homeless psychiatric patients, hence they had no choice but to recruit large amounts of staff from public.

I originally thought of contacting surviving victims from Yu Da Academy, but on one hand, I don't have their contact method, and on the other hand, Osborn said they are mostly suffering mental illness, so thinking about it, they are probably now in the city's mental health center, and entering the city mental health center requires a referral letter, and it's currently very difficult for me to attain one.

You: If I can manage to contact this organization, I might be able to attain information back then...

Although the hiring advertisement has been 8 years ago, but I've still dialed the number with a sliver of hope.

I lied about myself being a reporter currently writing a column regarding Yu Da Academy, and expressed my wishes to understand the situation when they took in the victims back then.

However, the person who picked up the call told me that although he's indeed an employee of Happy Tomorrows, but the organization didn't last long due to the lack of funds and manpower, and it was very quickly taken over by official organizations.

The clue got cut off. Although it's something I've expected, but I can't help but to feel a little disappointed.

I thanked him, and just when I was about to hang up, the other end of the call requested me to wait for a moment, as though he has recalled something.

Staff: Speaking of it, I actually know somebody. Her son is a victim of the academy, and she's one of our earliest volunteers. Happy Tomorrows was founded under her initiative.

You: Then would it be possible for you to provide me with her contact?

Staff: She's Madam Qin, I have her home address, but I don't know if she still lives there, you can take a memo about it for now.

You: That's wonderful, thank you very much!

Just like that, I retrieved the address, it's #15, 7th Alley, SanXiang Rd.

You: Madam Qin...

I immediately made up my mind to try my luck out on Saturday. Subconsciously, I have a vague feeling that the answer I've been searching for is right here.

Before leaving the library, I took pictures of those newspapers all over, and stored them into a encrypted album.

It's already midnight by the time I'm home. Along my way, I noticed that my neighborhood has installed many new fire hoses, I suppose it's to handle the recent fires of unknown cause.

You: I wonder when these disasters will end...

The world is quietly changing, and the peaceful days of the past are gradually drifting away. At that moment, I suddenly have strong doubts, how would normal humans prevent and protect themselves in order to cope with sudden accidents that came out of nowhere?

I have no answer, so I can only collapse into the sofa tiredly, and allow my brain to space out temporarily.

Ding dong-- After the doorbell rang, the deliveryman's voice sounded from the corridor. I immediately climbed up from the sofa and wondered, are there deliveries at such late hours?

Opening the door, there's a giant paper box tied with black ribbons. With golden-brimmed card tied with lace on the outside, and with "For Y/N" written in cursives on it.

It's such a familiar style. A figure with the same color scheme immediately popped out from my mind, and I can't help but to laugh a little.

Opening the cover, what welcomes my sight is a brand new white suit, with a hard envelope laying on the crisp fabric. There's a dotted seal over the edge of the envelope, and there aren't any other images or decorations other than this.

You: What does it mean?

I teared the envelope open, and I can't help but to notice that the dotted lines aren't formed by normal round dots, but instead a bunch of tiny, almost indistinguishable "N"s.

Taking out the paper from the envelope, the words on the letter are printed.

"Respected Ms. Y/N, we sincerely invite you to participate the market entry ceremony of tNOVATEN Pharmaceutical Group's Guang Qi branch at 1PM, on this upcoming Saturday. The address is as attached, please spare your time for attendance by all means."

NOVATEN Pharmaceutical Group, the family business of a certain heir of one of the four richest tycoons of the world about to open a branch in Guang Qi city?

I'm a little shocked, that even my internal monologue has been tinted with a different tone of speech by accident.

Upon reading further, there's a sentence written under the signature.

You: We'd also like to sincerely invite designer Ms. Y/N to alter a suit for the dearest Charlie, and you may charge as you like...

Buzz-- Just then, my phone vibrated, and Charlie's name appeared on the screen.

You: He called as soon as I received his parcel, well isn't that too much of a coincidence.

Charlie: What coincidence? Oh~ I understand now, you're missing me.

You: ......

Charlie: What a coincidence, fiancee, I'm missing you too. We are really the most synced unmarried couple in the entire world.

His voice sounded light and upbeat, and there are other voices sounding from the other end of the call.

Doctor: Dr. Zha, you've been operating for the whole day, why is your mood still so great?

Charlie: Jealous aren't you? Someone without a fiancee like you would never understand it.

You: Operation? Are you still in the hospital at such late hours?

Charlie: I'll not talk to you for now, my fiancee is expressing her concerns for me. Honey, I'm about to go home soon, the one earlier is the last one. It's just that after standing for the whole day, my neck hurts, my waist is sore, my legs are sore too, I need my fiancee to agree to my request to recover.

I can't help but to laugh, and I can even imagine how the pair of eyes winked complacently.

You: Tell me then, I'll agree to it if I can do that.

Charlie: I have a suit that gained weight recently, its waist has widened by 2cm, it's a complete insult towards my perfect figure. I originally planned to wear it for an event this weekend*.

*The text here is Sunday but the letter says Saturday, not sure if it's a typo so I thought of making it consistent for now, might edit when I can confirm it ;; 

Looks like it's the suit I received just now.

You: So are you thinking of asking me to alter it for you?

Charlie: That's right, I only trust a great designer like my fiancee.

You: Sure, but you have to tell me your needs, are you going to make a speech on the stage, or are you just participating the ceremony? Will you be joining a banquet later, would you need to have a spare space to hang your nameplate, or pockets. Also...

The other end of the call only listened, and gradually hummed in agreement.

Charlie: You're so considerate, how about you attend together with me with your identity as a fiancee...

You: I'm going to hang up alright?

As though we have completed a conversation where we've reached an agreement, we both laughed at the same time.

Charlie: Don't. I'm there for the ribbon cutting ceremony. No need for nameplate and pockets, fiancee, you can alter everything however you like. Well of course, it'll be even better if you can embroider a heart shape.

You: Okay okay, anything else?

Charlie: Just simply alter it, don't have to spend too much effort on it, you know that any clothes will feel honored because I'm the one putting them on.

You: No way. I'll be watching throughout the ceremony, I will never allow clothes that I've altered to receive bad comments live.

The other end of the phone call suddenly became very quiet, it's not an ordinary silence, and for a moment, even Charlie's breathing became inaudible.

You: What's wrong?

Charlie: Are you going to participate the market entry ceremony too?

His tone sounded particularly surprised, that I've gotten even more confused.

You: Weren't you the one sending the clothes and invitation letter to my house? I received it just now.

It took quite a while for me to hear a speechless sigh from the other end of my phone.

Charlie: Just as expected, it's his doing.

You: Who?

Charlie: Nothing much. If you aren't free, it's okay to not attend too.

You: Is this Dr. Zha speaking to me now? I thought you'd say, "you must attend, and admire your fiance's handsomeness properly."

Charlie: You're already impatient to meet me, aren't you? Actually men who just finished operating are even more handsome, we can have supper together.

You: It's almost 1AM soon, rest early, you hear me?

Charlie: Understood, I'll text you when I'm home, see you on Saturday.

You: Okay, see you on Saturday.

When the entire city is asleep, staff from LianShan Organization are still in a meeting.

In the spacious square hall with symmetrical design and pillars with well-defined edges... every detail here exudes order and power.

Jesse passed through the hall with everyone, and took a seat by the round table.

The director general of the LianShan Organization is seated in the middle of the hall. The elderly man's mustaches are white, but exudes a majestic demeanor.

Director General: Are everyone here? Let's start then.

After reading their pledges aloud, the person in charge from each department stood up in order and reported their recent work.

Supervision of the movements by the Strains and the Erdas, control of public discussion... and Jesse is just listening quietly.

His expressions only changed slightly when his friend Yu Yang stood up by his side and mentioned "Project Eclipse".

Yu Yang: We've traced the victims of Project Eclipse, but the situation is much more complicated than we've imagined in the past. There's a Strain named Zhou WeiCheng with them...

Jesse lowered his gaze and recalled what happened earlier.

He found Zhou WeiCheng back then, and they had a trade after confirming the other party has nothing to do with his father's murder.

He used the ashes of a girl named "Tian Zhen" to exchange for Yangyang's safety, and some unknown information of "Project Eclipse".

Just when he's lost in thoughts, Yu Yang softly pushed Jesse's shoulder, that he finally pulled himself together and stood up.

Jesse: Zhou WeiCheng declined cooperating with us, but he provided some clues for us. The Strains didn't start Project Eclipse recently, and as of now, this project has continued for 15 years. Related investigations should be hastened, otherwise the number of victims will only increase continuously.

Director General: I know. Since it's the first priority of the LianShan Organization to guarantee the life and survival of humans. I'll arrange more manpower to participate in investigations after this. Look for me directly if you have any updates.

Jesse nodded, and took his seat again.

His gaze brushes across the landscape painting* placed at the center of the hall. The deliberate ink splashes made him to recall that man again.

*山水飞鸟图 is specifically saying a Chinese-style landscape painting of mountains, waters, and flying birds.

His eyes were so black, it's as though he has seen through everyone's hearts in this world. Someone who hasn't experienced life and death will never have a gaze like that.