Chapter 18: Mission
The autumn air was crisp, and the scent of osmanthus was growing stronger. After dinner, Chu Yang and Chu Yuanzhou went out to walk the dog. The Border Collie was being led by Chu Yang, looking back at him every couple of steps.
Chu Yuanzhou: “He’s judging you for walking too slowly.”
“He’s clearly happy I’m out to accompany him,” Chu Yang argued, tugging the leash.
Chu Yuanzhou pressed down on his head. “You know that? Who was the one who insisted on getting this dog? And who is the one taking care of him now?”
Chu Yang slapped his hand away and took a step back. “You clearly bought him to make up for the guilt of not being able to accompany me. Itâs only right that you take care of him. Besides, I don’t like coming out in the summer anyway.”
There had been a breeze lately, which was the only reason he was willing to come out for a walk.
Chu Yuanzhou let out a laugh. “So lazy. And you still want a girlfriend like this?”
He then continued, ignoring Chu Yangâs slightly annoyed gaze, “I heard you decided to have an online romance during the summer and winter. How are the preparations going?”
Chu Yangâs face turned slightly red, and his tone was a bit frantic. “You’re spying on our school forum again. I have zero privacy.”
How could they post everything he said on there…
Chu Yuanzhou knew he was just embarrassed and faking his anger. “I just want to understand you.”
Chu Yang pouted. “I’m being monitored.”
Chu Yuanzhou: “Others can look, but I can’t? What kind of logic is that?”
He sounded a bit like he was playing the victim, but Chu Yang wasn’t fooled. “Who told you to keep teasing me with that foul mouth?”
“Those were your own words. Gege is just repeating them.”
As expected of a businessman, Chu Yuanzhou was incredibly thick-skinned.
Chu Yang narrowed his eyes and stopped walking. “Then walk the dog yourself. I’m going back.”
Having said that, he turned around immediately. The next second, his arm was grabbedâ “Gege was wrong. I shouldn’t have been a jerk.”
“You do this every time.” Chu Yang ran off quite a distance with the dog leash.
The breeze lifted his hair and made his clothes billow. Chu Yuanzhou stood in place, watching as he bent over to say something to the dog before walking off again, truly not waiting for him.
Chu Yuanzhou quickened his pace to catch up, the scent of osmanthus drifting into his heart.
Only when he was with Chu Yang could he truly relax. His dry work was over there, and Chu Yang was right here. Even when Chu Yang was at his most troublesome, he never felt tired.
He was very happy.
Chu Yang was the child he had raised. He had long since reached the age where he could marry, and people had asked him about it before, including Chu Yang.
But Chu Yuanzhou only had to think about it briefly to find it unbearable. He felt he didn’t have enough energy or heart to raise another child.
So, he had answered Chu Yang at the time: “What? You don’t want to provide for me in my old age?”
Chu Yang: “How is that possible? You raised me when I was little; Iâll definitely provide for you when you’re old.”
“It’s fine if you don’t marry. Maybe I won’t either. It’s still early.”
After walking the dog, Chu Yang went home and grabbed an ice drink. Although the weather was much cooler, playing with the dog outside had still made him a bit hot.
The day after tomorrow was the Mid-Autumn Festival. The two of them watched TV while thinking about what to buy and eat. There was no need to buy mooncakes; Chu Yuanzhou had brought home a trunkful of them today.
Life seemed the same as before, yet it was differentâfor example, those two extra users in his livestream room.
When it was time, they each went to their rooms. Chu Yang was about to shower when the system suddenly floated in front of him: [Xiao… Pei Xilin is in danger!]
Chu Yang: “Now? Is he being beaten up again?”
System: [He went to inspect a project and was set up. He’s trapped in a landslide and his life is in danger. Those people are still searching for him right now, preparing to finish him off.]
It sounded like something out of a cultivation world where people were killed to steal resourcesâvery “outlaw” and very novel-like.
Chu Yang frowned. “Didn’t he hire a few bodyguards to protect him? I’m not his bodyguard.”
Even so, he prepared to head downstairs and out the door.
The system quickly reminded him: [It’s cold in the mountains. Better put on an extra layer.]
[He brought bodyguards this time, but ‘those who go barefoot don’t fear those with shoes.’ They couldn’t win. Iâll map out a route for you so you won’t run into them.]
Chu Yang: “Alright.”
Chu Yang changed into a windbreaker, grabbed a backpack, and stuffed a small medical kit and two bottles of water inside. He thought about telling Chu Yuanzhou first but decided against it after reaching his brother’s door.
It was late, and Chu Yuanzhou might not agree to let him out. But he didn’t take off his watch with the GPS. He glanced down, took a deep breath, grabbed his car keys, and headed outâdriving Chu Yuanzhouâs off-road SUV.
As soon as the car started, Chu Yuanzhou, who was showering, paused.
Regardless of everything, Chu Yang stepped on the gas and drove out. After driving for about ten minutes, he happened to hit a red light.
He picked up his phone and sent a message to Chu Yuanzhou: [Ge, something happened to a friend and he wants me to pick him up. I took your car. Iâll be back late. Don’t wait up, sleep early.]
He typed fast and immediately muted his phone. It wasn’t because he was afraid Chu Yuanzhou would call, but because he was afraid his brother would call while he was looking for Pei Xilin. If he didn’t save Pei Xilin but alerted others instead, it would be bad.
The journey was long, and during it, Chu Yuanzhouâs call indeed came. Chu Yang took a look and, after about thirty seconds of silence, finally answered.
“…Ge.” He sounded very guilty.
Chu Yuanzhouâs voice was heavy: “Go home. Now.”
Chu Yang: “…It really is a friend of mine. Something happened to him. Iâll come home as soon as I confirm he’s safe.”
Chu Yuanzhou didn’t believe him for a second. What friend of Chu Yangâs did he not know about? Seeing the GPS moving further and further away from the city, his face grew darker. “Which friend? Going somewhere so remoteâmaybe they’re trying to sell you.”
“Be good. Turn around and come home.”
Hearing Chu Yuanzhouâs tone, Chu Yang knew he was already angry, but he still had to go. If Pei Xilin really died in some godforsaken corner, Chu Yuanzhou would be gone too.
He had to go.
“I have to go. If he dies there today, Iâll regret it for the rest of my life.” Chu Yang hung up after saying that, his face cold and his thin lips pressed tight.
The streetlights wound into thin yellow lines that were left far behind. The surroundings grew darker and darker. It was a long while before another car passed, the headlights flickering in and revealing his cold, exquisite face.
His brows were lowered, his face snowy white, and his lips pale. Yet his eyes were exceptionally bright, lighting up the entire night like stars and making his whole face come alive.
His expression was by no means soft, yet it made one want to… even more.
Even the system couldn’t help but stare. It completely forgot the words of comfort it had prepared for him…
After Chu Yang hung up, Chu Yuanzhou nearly smashed his phone. Recovering, he immediately dialed a second number while quickly pulling clothes from the wardrobe to change. In the end, he called four times, and Chu Yang didn’t answer once.
Chu Yuanzhou let out a cold laugh, got into his car, and plugged his phone in to charge. He then stepped on the gas to chase after Chu Yangâs direction.
When he caught him, heâd have to give him a thorough lesson!
To Chu Yuanzhou, only Chu Yangâs safety was the top priority; everyone else came second. No matter who it was or what happened, it wasn’t worth his brother taking such a huge risk in the dead of night to go to a desolate place.
It was indeed desolate. As a place about to be developed, it was very bleak.
Chu Yang didn’t park the car directly in an open area. He found a hidden spot at the foot of the mountain and got out with his backpack.
He walked quickly and lightly, following the route and location the system had marked for him. The initial path was easy, but it became more difficult as he went deeper.
The forest was very quiet, with only the sound of crushed dry leaves accompanying him. A sliver of moonlight fell on him. Looking back, one could see his backpack was slightly open, with a baseball bat sticking out. He just had to reach back to pull it out for defense.
The path became steeper. Chu Yang carefully took a few steps and then jumped down, breathing slightly as he said to the system: [Iâve sacrificed too much for Pei Xilin.]
The system didn’t correct him by saying he was doing it for Chu Yuanzhou, instead affirming: [Iâll report it back to headquarters.]
Chu Yang walked for another stretch: [How much longer?]
The surroundings were now completely silent. Fortunately, it wasn’t pitch black; he had the bright moon for company, along with a few croaks from frogs.
System: [Keep going down. Another five hundred meters.]
Chu Yang looked down, then up at the steep rocks beside him. Pei Xilin couldn’t have rolled down from up there, could he…
After walking about two hundred meters, Chu Yang suddenly discovered a bit of blood on the rocks where the moonlight hit. His expression grew grim. He grabbed a handful of leaves from the ground, covered the blood, and rubbed it a few times until the blood was hidden by the green sap.
He looked around carefully. Five meters ahead, there was another drop of blood on the ground. He moved his foot and covered it with dirt.
Chu Yang: [I feel like I’m doing some kind of cleanup work…]
System: [Environmental ambassador, hiding his contribution. A ‘Like’ for you.]
Chu Yang: [It’s the middle of the night… stop joking. Weâll attract others.]
Getting closer to the location the system mentioned, Chu Yang held his breath and pulled out the baseball bat. As he expected, Pei Xilin was hiding in a small cave.
If not for the systemâs guidance, Chu Yang wouldn’t have been able to find this cave anytime soon. The entrance was hidden by branches and leaves. At first glance, the middle looked pitch black and deep.
It reminded Chu Yang of a zombie movie heâd seen where there was a similar cave inhabited by a black bear on one side and a zombie on the other.
He couldn’t help but shudder at the thought.
Then he couldn’t help but think: if Pei Xilin were awake inside and someone suddenly entered, he would surely counterattack. Would this bat of his send Pei Xilin straight to heaven if he accidentally hit him on the head?
Chu Yang: [What if I accidentally hit him and make it worse?]
System: [As long as he doesn’t die, it’s fine.]
Chu Yang: [Then I’m relieved. Whewâ]
The bat pushed aside the branches. Chu Yang cautiously stepped forward and lightly tapped the wall with the bat. The sound was very small; he didn’t dare knock too hard.
There was zero movement inside, and he couldn’t tell how deep it was. Chu Yang stepped inside sideways and turned on his mini-flashlight. The beam was limited but enough. As the light swept to the left, Chu Yangâs gaze followedâ
The next second, his heart nearly stopped from fright. A pair of dark eyes was staring at him. Under the flashlight, the figure looked massive, almost like a bear. Chu Yang nearly screamedâ
Fortunately, the system spoke immediately: [It’s Pei Xilin.]
Crap!
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