"...No need."
Chen Ling put away the dagger and took a deep breath. "I'll think about it first."
Chu Muyun leaned back in his chair, seemingly unsurprised by this response. He didn't try to persuade Chen Ling further, only speaking calmly,
"No problem. Whenever you make up your mind, come find me at Xiao Fang's Grocery Store... I'll be waiting here for you all day today."
As Chen Ling stood up to leave, Chu Muyun took out a small silver cube from his pocket and handed it to him.
"What's this?"
"A gift from my superior." Chu Muyun said lightly. "Through this, you might understand us a little better..."
Chen Ling took the cube, examined it for a moment, and nodded slightly.
"Alright, thanks."
Chen Ling didn't respond. He had also noticed that since stepping onto that path, his emotions had become somewhat strange...
He needed to calm down and think things through.
Leaving the room, Chen Ling walked up the stairs and eventually arrived at a small grocery store. A woman sleeping behind the counter glanced up at him, then went back to sleep.
Chen Ling had some impression of this Xiao Fang's Grocery Store. Although it was far from Frost Street, the items sold here were very cheap. He used to bring Chen Yan here occasionally during the New Year to buy things... He never expected it to be a base for Chu Muyun's organization.
Chen Ling had no intention of striking up a conversation with the woman. He pushed the door open and left.
The heavy snow hadn't stopped with the end of the first performance. It continued to fall, and the accumulated snow was now over ankle-deep, making walking increasingly difficult.
Chen Ling identified the direction and headed straight for Frost Street... He didn't know why he wanted to go back. There was nothing left there.
But where else could he go besides Frost Street?
Chen Ling didn't know. The small house on Frost Street was his only sanctuary in this world, even though this sanctuary hadn't left him with many good memories...
"Chen Ling!!"
As Chen Ling approached his home, a voice called out from nearby.
Wu Youdong strode quickly, effortlessly navigating through the snow to reach him. "Chen Ling, where have you been? Are you feeling better?"
"Why are you here?" Chen Ling looked at Wu Youdong in surprise. Just a few hours ago, he had been hobbling on crutches, half-dead. Now, he was moving freely and full of energy.
"I came to thank the miracle doctor!" Wu Youdong said excitedly. "That man who stayed at your house, he's amazing! I remember talking to him, then suddenly everything went black. When I woke up, my leg was healed!
The clinic doctor said I'd need to rest for over half a year, and there was a good chance I'd have lasting problems... But he fixed me in an instant!
I used to have knee and joint pain from old injuries, especially on rainy days, but now I don't feel a thing. And the most important thing is...
I think I've grown taller!"
Chen Ling examined Wu Youdong and noticed that he had indeed grown taller... Before, the top of his head only reached Chen Ling's chin, but now it was close to his nose.
Chu Muyun, that powerful?
"He's already left." Chen Ling paused, then added, "And he probably won't be coming back."
Wu Youdong was stunned, disappointment evident on his face...
"Alright, I'll head back then."
Watching Wu Youdong walk away, Chen Ling arrived at his doorstep. Just as he was about to push the door open, his hand stopped mid-air.
He looked at the old door frame, his eyes narrowing as a faint glimmer flashed in his pupils.
The extreme detail observation ability granted by [Secret Eyes] instantly locked onto the fine snow stains on the door frame.
Something's wrong...
Someone had entered the house while he was away.
And they likely hadn't left.
Chen Ling cautiously withdrew his arm and silently took two steps back in the snow. At that moment, a voice slowly sounded from inside the house.
"Good observation. Come in." It was Han Meng's voice, as deep and steady as ever. "You didn't think you could avoid coming home forever, did you?"
Seeing that his presence had been detected, Chen Ling frowned. After a moment of hesitation, he pushed the door open with force.
"What are you doing in my house?" he asked sternly, looking at Han Meng sitting at the dining table.
"Investigating."
"How is this any different from a burglar breaking in?"
"Law enforcers have the authority to investigate. Do I need to explain that to you?" Han Meng tapped the table lightly with his knuckles. "Even if I burned this house down, what could you do about it?"
"..." Chen Ling's gaze grew colder.
"Though I must admit, I didn't expect you to know Chu Muyun... How did you two meet?"
"Is that any of your business?"
"I'm questioning you as the Chief Law Enforcer of District Three, Chen Ling. Watch your tone." Han Meng's gaze sharpened, and an inexplicable pressure filled the room.
Chen Ling stared at him for a long time before finally speaking,
"Dr. Lin from the corner clinic introduced us."
"Why did you go to a doctor?"
"I wasn't feeling well at the time."
"Not feeling well, so you sought out Chu Muyun? Were you physically unwell, or... were you mentally contaminated by the Gray World?" Han Meng's eyes grew piercing, like a hawk seeing through its prey.
"I..." Chen Ling's heart skipped a beat. Under Han Meng's gaze, he suddenly felt as if he had nowhere to hide.
"On the night the calamity appeared, you spoke to Jiang Qin, saying your brother was squatting at the corner. But today, while investigating Ice Spring Street in District Two, I discovered that your brother, Chen Yan, had all his organs removed and died a few days ago. So who was the brother you mentioned that night?"
"..."
"I searched the entire house. There are only traces of two people living here—you and Chu Muyun. But why are there three bowls in the sink? Who was the third bowl for?"
"..."
"Before coming here, I spoke to Wu Youdong. He said you were lighting candles alone in the house, and then..."
"Enough!!"
Chen Ling suddenly stood up, his eyes bloodshot.
"Yes! I'm crazy, alright?!"
"My mind is messed up! I can see A-Yan! I feel like he's right beside me!!"
"Just a while ago! He was building a snowman at the door! Blowing out candles with me in the house! He said he wanted to go back to school, to sing in the New Year's Eve performance! To me, he's a living, breathing person!"
"He's just an ordinary kid! He got sick! He wanted to get better! To one day stand on stage and perform openly! What did he do wrong?!"
"Han Meng! You're here interrogating me so aggressively now, but where were you when those people from Ice Spring Street killed my brother?!"
"Where were you when they colluded with law enforcers to drive ordinary people to their deaths?!"
"Where was your authority to investigate then?! Where was your authority to enforce the law?!!"
Han Meng's body shuddered violently.
Chen Ling's chest heaved as he glared into Han Meng's eyes... Han Meng's previously calm eyes contracted slightly, and he involuntarily avoided Chen Ling's gaze.
He sat there quietly, head bowed, like a statue.