"It’s already this late…"
Chu Muyun sat by the doorway, glancing at his pocket watch before letting out a long sigh.
"Brother, why isn’t he back yet?" Chen Yan propped his chin on his hands, sitting beside Chu Muyun, his eyes fixed on the street outside as if willing someone to appear.
The amber sunset gradually sank below the horizon, and the blue auroras in the sky grew more vivid… The two of them sat side by side, the cold wind seeping through the cracks in the wooden boards, causing the kerosene lamp on the table to flicker uneasily.
Finally, at the end of the aurora-lit street, a figure slowly came into view.
"He’s back!" Chen Yan sprang to his feet, waving at the distant figure. "Brother!!"
Chen Ling dragged his exhausted body toward the house. When he saw the two figures sitting at the doorway, his eyes narrowed slightly, but he waved back at Chen Yan without hesitation.
Chu Muyun was momentarily stunned, then stood up, leaning on his knees, and waved back with a polite smile.
"You are…"
"Oh… Hello." Chen Ling shook his hand. "Have you been waiting long?"
"Not too long."
"It’s been forever," Chen Yan chimed in immediately. "Brother, he arrived right after you left this morning and has been sitting in the living room ever since…"
"He’s been here since this morning? Didn’t you offer him some water?"
"I did… But he didn’t drink it."
Chen Ling’s gaze shifted from Chen Yan to Chu Muyun, his expression apologetic. "Dr. Chu, I’m really sorry for making you come all this way and wait for so long… Actually, my condition has improved. How about I treat you to dinner tonight and see you off tomorrow?"
Initially, Chen Ling had sought out a doctor because the "audience" had terrified him. But now, he no longer considered his situation an illness, nor did he believe anyone could cure him…
An "Apocalypse" Calamity—could some random doctor really handle that?
Not to mention the mysterious theater that could suppress the "Apocalypse."
Having Chu Muyun stay here wouldn’t just be futile; over time, he might even discover the Calamity lurking in Chen Ling’s mind.
Chu Muyun was taken aback.
He studied Chen Ling for a moment before hesitantly saying,
"Well… Mr. Chen, often, the human body isn’t aware of its own illnesses. You might feel fine now, but that doesn’t mean you’re actually cured.
Perhaps you need a thorough examination."
"No, I don’t need one."
This time, Chen Ling’s refusal was firm.
After all, he didn’t even have a heart right now… Letting Chu Muyun examine him? That would be like handing over his secret on a silver platter!
Chu Muyun: "…"
"Dr. Chu, I’m truly grateful that you came all the way from Aurora City… But I really don’t need an examination or treatment right now." Sensing that his tone might have been too harsh, Chen Ling quickly added sincerely.
"…Alright." Chu Muyun sighed. "But I might not be able to go back now."
"Why not?"
"District Three is under complete lockdown. No one is allowed in or out. Didn’t you know?"
"…Then how did you get in?"
"I have a friend among the law enforcement officers. He pulled some strings to get me in." Chu Muyun smiled wryly. "But you know, getting in is one thing… Getting out is a whole different story."
The lockdown was meant to prevent calamities from escaping, as some could be small enough to hide in human backpacks or even bodies, or fuse with humans… In short, getting in and getting out were on entirely different levels of difficulty.
This was something Chen Ling, now a reserve officer in law enforcement, understood all too well.
"This…" Chen Ling was at a loss.
Chu Muyun had come all the way from Aurora City specifically to treat him, and he hadn’t even asked for payment. It was practically charity… Now that he was here and couldn’t go back, Chen Ling couldn’t just turn him out onto the streets to fend for himself, could he?
"Brother, I don’t think he’s a bad person," Chen Yan interjected at the right moment. "When that Officer Han Meng came today and was being really aggressive, he’s the one who sent him away."
Hearing this, Chen Ling’s eyes lit up slightly.
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead." Chu Muyun nodded.
"How did you manage to send Han Meng away today?"
"Oh, I just told him there was no one home and that it’s impolite to enter someone’s residence without permission."
"But he’s a law enforcement officer. They have the right to search civilian homes." Chen Ling didn’t believe someone as stubborn as Han Meng would leave so easily.
"He listens to me," Chu Muyun replied calmly. "A few years ago, I saved his life… Twice."
"…I see."
Chen Ling nodded. "Then you can stay here until the lockdown is lifted. But I have one condition."
"What’s the condition?"
"Without my permission, you’re not allowed to conduct any form of examination on me… Or my brother."
"Alright." Chu Muyun adjusted his silver-rimmed glasses and agreed without hesitation.
When Chen Ling returned home, he noticed that the holes in the walls had been patched up with wooden boards. Although some wind still seeped through, it was a vast improvement over the previous night’s drafty conditions.
He turned to see Chen Yan standing with his hands behind his back, head slightly lowered, as if waiting for praise.
"Thanks to you," Chen Ling said, ruffling his hair. "Otherwise, we’d be sleeping under the stars again tonight."
"There are still some gaps that need filling… I’ll go to the back mountain tomorrow to get some clay to patch them up." Chen Yan smiled sheepishly.
Chu Muyun walked in and, seeing this, remarked with a smile,
"You two have a great brotherly bond."
"Of course," Chen Yan said proudly.
"You even look alike."
"Do we?" Chen Ling glanced at Chen Yan. "Not really. We’re not blood-related… But I guess living together for so long does make people grow alike."
"I think we look pretty similar," Chen Yan insisted seriously.
"By the way, that’s your room over there. It’s a bit simple, so don’t mind the conditions." Chen Ling cleared out the room that had belonged to Chen Tan and his wife, gesturing for Chu Muyun to use it.
"Don’t worry, I’m not picky."
Chen Yan watched this from the living room, a complex look flashing in his eyes.
Next, Chen Ling personally took charge of preparing dinner for the three of them… After a day of exhausting work, he was starving. Fortunately, his cooking skills from his previous life as an office worker came in handy, allowing him to fend for himself even in this strange world.
Half an hour later, the aroma of the hot dishes filled the air, making Chen Yan and Chu Muyun salivate as they sat at the table.
"Mr. Chen, your cooking is excellent," Chu Muyun remarked after tasting a slice of potato. "Better than most restaurants in Aurora City."
"Just call me Chen Ling."
As they ate, Chen Ling discreetly observed Chu Muyun. From his attire and demeanor, he was the epitome of an intellectual. Whether speaking or eating, he carried himself with a refined grace that exuded a sense of calm and comfort.
This kind of demeanor was something Chen Ling had never seen in District Three or Two… Indeed, people from Aurora City were different.
Suddenly, Chen Ling remembered something.
"Dr. Chu."
"Yes?"
"How much do you know about the Path to Godhood?"