Free Web NovelChapter 895: Chapter 646: Director Nalan_2
With a solemn nod, Nalan Shuo sighed softly, "Yes, we both burned a portion of our lifespan; that is the price of surviving."
"How many incense sticks did you burn?" Yang Xiao suddenly thought of something. Nalan Shuo was the first to go to the courtyard of the Sleeping Gold Pavilion to look for the missing Ancestor and was also the first to light the Life Burning Incense, so he used the Life Incense for the longest time.
"Three sticks." Nalan Shuo paused, signaling Yang Xiao not to panic, "I burned two in a row while searching for the Ancestor, and one more when Xiang Fengchen died."
Yang Xiao silently calculated in his heart: one stick for three years, burning consecutively doubles it, so the second stick amounts to six years, plus the last stick burned separately, 3 plus 6 plus 3, a total of 12 years. Of course, this is just an estimate; the actual number is somewhat higher. Although he felt distressed for the Director, this was already the best outcome, as both of them survived.
Yang Xiao had also burned three sticks, but separately, totaling nine years of his lifespan. He was still young, and it was somewhat acceptable to him.
Noticing Yang Xiao discreetly glancing at his own hand and looking around, Nalan Shuo shook his head slightly and smiled, "Stop looking; the Resentful Eye isn’t with me."
"It seems not to be with me either." Yang Xiao turned around, forcefully lifted the blanket and pillow, but found nothing. His expression turned desolate as he said, "It seems Jiang Qingluan took it away, she really got lucky."
"To be able to come out alive is already very fortunate. Moreover, what we obtained this time is rather unusual, whether it is a blessing or a curse... remains to be seen." Nalan Shuo was very open-minded about it and showed great magnanimity.
"Little Yang." Nalan Shuo looked up, speaking earnestly, "I need to report the situation here to the Provincial Office. Keep an eye on things outside for me."
"Alright." Yang Xiao put on an overcoat, grabbed his backpack, and went out, not forgetting to close the door behind him.
The hallway outside was eerily quiet. It was still early, and the small inn didn’t have much business. Taking advantage of the empty corridor and confirming there were no surveillance cameras, Yang Xiao quietly moved to a secluded spot to discreetly check the Drama Robe he was carrying.
He didn’t know if he successfully secured the Resentful Eye this time. He was now certain that the Drama Robe he had on was a very special treasure. Otherwise, the Dean of the Ru Lin Academy wouldn’t have condescended to test him repeatedly and even wanted him to stay at the Academy to study.
He didn’t inspect it in front of Nalan Shuo, not because he didn’t trust the Director, but because the situation was complicated, and he didn’t want to involve the Director.
However, after checking the Drama Robe over and over again, he didn’t find any new embroidery. It seemed that this treasure really did wind up with Jiang Qingluan.
At this juncture, Yang Xiao had nothing more to say. He wasn’t about to barge in and kill Jiang Qingluan to retrieve the Resentful Eye. Besides, he was thankful to Jiang Qingluan. They had shared hardships.
In the final moments, Jiang Qingluan had willingly offered to cover his retreat, and that was something Yang Xiao acknowledged.
This person wasn’t bad; she could be a friend worth deepening ties with if there were a chance in the future. Yang Xiao’s mind gradually conjured the image of Jiang Qingluan’s face.
Unbeknownst to Yang Xiao in the dim room separated by a mere wall, as soon as he left, Nalan Shuo’s complexion changed. He didn’t make any calls or contact anyone. Instead, he quickly made his way to the bathroom with a tense expression, closed the door behind him, rushed to the washbasin, promptly turned on the faucet, and the loud rush of water drowned everything else out. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Holding the edges of the washbasin, Nalan Shuo’s face looked extremely pained, as if enduring immense suffering, and suddenly, he vomited a mouthful of blood.
Blood slowly flowed in the washbasin, not the bright red of fresh blood, but a sinister dark red. Moreover, the flow rate was off, slower and thicker, like molted candle wax.
Barely lifting his head, staring at himself in the mirror, Nalan Shuo felt waves of dizziness. If he hadn’t been resilient, he might have passed out.
Apart from being paler, his face looked no different than before, yet Nalan Shuo coldly stared at his reflection—it felt like he was looking at a stranger.
Before long, after Yang Xiao received a message from Nalan Shuo, the door opened; everything seemed normal. Since the mission was over, both packed up their belongings and left the unsettling Peace Inn to catch the earliest flight back to Rongcheng.
On the way, with Nalan Shuo’s approval, Yang Xiao sent a message to Beibei, informing her that the Director’s mission had ended smoothly and he had returned; she relayed this to everyone at the Patrol Defense Office not to worry.
The response came almost instantly, touching Yang Xiao’s heart. It seemed everyone was just as concerned about the Director’s safety as he. Nalan Shuo was well-liked at the Patrol Defense Office, making it hard to find fault in him.
By evening, Yang Xiao and Nalan Shuo had returned to Rongcheng. Xi Menxiu insisted on throwing a welcome back party for the Director. However, once Nalan Shuo entered his office, he didn’t come out again. Later, it was Ms. Wen who conveyed a message that the Director was busy sorting out the mission files to submit.
Eventually, the welcome party intended for the Director turned the spotlight onto Yang Xiao, Xi Menxiu, Beibei, Da Xiong, Yu Shu, and the rest of the investigation team present. Everyone was noisy and drank some wine. This relaxed the unease Yang Xiao had felt during the mission, and although his teammates appeared careless, they were very precise in their conduct, not broaching any issues related to the Director’s mission as per protocol.
That night, he slept well deep into the morning. Around 10 AM, Yang Xiao went to the Patrol Defense Office. He intended to greet the Director first in his office and ask if he needed help organizing the mission files, as he was a participant too. However, after knocking for a while and receiving no response, Huang Qiang arrived.
Holding a stack of kraft paper bags filled with documents, Huang Qiang informed him that the Director hadn’t come in today and had gone to the Provincial Office.
"When will the Director be back?" Yang Xiao inquired.
Huang Qiang shook his head, "Didn’t say. This might take a few days. Before he left, he told us to consult you if there’s any issue at the office."
"Me?" Yang Xiao was surprised. He was just the head of the investigation team; dealing with supernatural matters was his duty, not running the daily operations at the Patrol Defense Office. Ideally, it would be more appropriate for Ms. Wen to handle these matters.
After expressing his concerns, Huang Qiang said he was just following orders. As for Ms. Wen, he could ask her later. He then handed the stack of documents to Yang Xiao, relieved, saying, "Captain Yang, you must review these documents and provide instructions. The people need them urgently. Also... you can use the Director’s office. It’s convenient, as several dedicated lines are routed here."
"This..." Yang Xiao was in a dilemma. The Director’s office likely held many confidential files, many beyond his authority. He couldn’t fathom the Director’s intent. Although eager to advance and get promoted, he wasn’t overly impatient.
"By the way, Captain Yang, Mr. Lu recently reached out to let you know that if you’re free tonight at 9, go see him. It’s the usual place," Huang Qiang said, while fishing out an antique bronze key from his pocket and handing it to Yang Xiao.
"Alright, I’ll go," Yang Xiao, arms full of files, couldn’t take the key and needed Huang Qiang to help open the office door.
"Captain Yang, you get busy. If you need anything, press the blue button under the desk; it connects directly to my office. The red button is for emergencies; it alerts our Patrol Defense team and nearby offices for assistance. The Provincial Office will also receive the message. Be cautious and do not accidentally press it."
