Night.
The little flame finished refining two new batches of pills and went back to show off to its subordinates in the book.
The Chu couple ate their pills and each cultivated for an hour. Chu Ge went back to his room to work on tomorrow's manuscript, while Qiu Wuji watched TV while hugging his teddy bear.
Qiu Wuji had decided that when Chu Ge was busy, he wouldn't play games!
Isn't watching TV more fun than playing games? At least he doesn't get yelled at, boohoo…
Even Chu Ge doesn't dare tell me to go back to the book, who do you think you are, daring to tell me to go back to the book! Right, tomorrow I'll find Panda to learn how to beat people up across the internet, whoever insults me, I'll beat them up!
Qiu Wuji's mood soured at the thought of games, and Chu Ge's mood wasn't much better at the moment.
Today, Cai Zhijian's question about copyright inevitably reminded Chu Ge of the pile of copyright forms he'd submitted a few days ago. Back at his computer, he asked his editor, "Sorry to bother you during the holiday… I wanted to ask about those copyright forms from last time, is there any progress?"
The editor replied quickly, "No, not so soon, check again after the holiday."
Chu Ge felt this was a bit uncertain: "No progress either?"
"The copyright department isn't our department, I don't know the progress… I'll ask again for you during the holiday?"
Chu Ge: "…" The editor's attitude was very friendly: "Don't worry, write well, gold always shines."
Chu Ge sighed.
This wasn't about wanting to shine.
It was about the sense of belonging in the world… It felt like he had absolutely no power to push things forward.
This feeling of being completely unable to participate in the process, passively waiting for the outcome, was the most unbearable. Unlike royalties, where you get what you pay for, where you have a strong sense of participation and decision-making power.
Cai Zhijian's overtures resurfaced in his mind…
Should he really ask him for a favor? ...On the other side of the city, on the same rooftop where Yan Qianlie had once witnessed Zhong Yi and Du Lianfeng's conversation, Zhong Yi was confronting Du Lianfeng.
"I warned you not to cause trouble in Nanjiang," he said coldly, suppressing his anger. "Did you really think I wouldn't dare touch you?"
Du Lianfeng chuckled easily. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Stop playing dumb!" Zhong Yi angrily grabbed him and slammed him against the rooftop water tank. "The outcome of a chess game is decided by Qi Chengtian's soul-snatching ability—whose is it if not Qi Chengtian's?"
His movements were incredibly agile, his strength astonishing. Du Lianfeng, despite his tall and imposing stature, was utterly powerless against him, held firmly in place.
Du Lianfeng, however, showed no surprise, as if he had long known Zhong Yi's level.
He had lived longer than most people imagined, trained for longer, and learned more than many anticipated. While Du Lianfeng didn't know him perfectly well, he could guess.
"So you know that's Qi Chengtian's ability, not mine?" Du Lianfeng said calmly. "Besides, do you still think abilities don't repeat? What's so strange about others having that ability? You've been in Nanjiang for too long; I suggest you go out and see the world." Zhong Yi laughed angrily, "I'm not here to investigate a case, why would I talk to you about evidence! Do you believe I'll just throw you off this building?"
"You wouldn't dare," Du Lianfeng said calmly. "You're operating under the noses of the authorities; any actions that break the rules are only used in the most crucial moments, not for other people's affairs. Come on, I'm right here; go ahead and throw me off and see?"
Zhong Yi said coldly, "So you admit it?"
Du Lianfeng, of course, wouldn't easily fall into a trap and attract the police. He neither admitted nor denied it, simply saying, "Zhong Yi, use your own methods. With all this dragging on, how long will it take to find out?" "The truth? You can't even find a clue who killed her back then." Zhong Yi's pupils contracted, and he growled, "Shut up!"
"We'll be stationed in Nanjiang from now on. After these past few days of investigation, we've selected a few entry points as the base for our branch office," Du Lianfeng said calmly. "If you can't handle it, let us do it. Don't get in the way. Maybe, considering our old friendship, we might even help you out if we find something."
"Then I won't trouble you." A fierce glint finally flashed in Zhong Yi's eyes. With a blur, he dragged Du Lianfeng to the rooftop railing and threw him overboard. "I know you're capable of surviving. You'll probably be bedridden for ten days or so. My friend's bedridden time is your bedridden time too. It's fair."
"Damn!" Du Lianfeng clearly hadn't expected Zhong Yi to actually throw him off the building. Caught off guard, he was flung over the railing.
He scrambled to grab the edge, his ferocity rising as well.
The entire rooftop suddenly transformed into a chessboard. Zhong Yi stood on the edge, a gigantic phantom of a "chariot" chess piece before him.
The rooftop vanished instantly, as did the chess piece, leaving behind an atmosphere reminiscent of an ancient battlefield, a scene of clashing armies and deafening battle cries.
A chariot charged towards him, its rider wielding a long spear, his killing intent soaring to the heavens.
This was a real force; a direct hit would send Zhong Yi tumbling off the rooftop as well.
He closed his eyes and took a light step to the side.
The chariot grazed past him, soaring into the night sky and disappearing.
Thousands of horses and soldiers charged from both sides.
Suddenly, Zhong Yi launched a kick from nowhere.
Du Lianfeng, struggling to climb the railing, was struck squarely by the kick, screaming as he plummeted, one hand clinging precariously to the edge.
Ignoring the oncoming army, Zhong Yi simply vaulted over the railing to finish the job, determined to bring Du Lianfeng down.
But the instant he climbed over the railing, his expression suddenly changed.
He felt his body suddenly slip out of control, as if a thread was pulling his hands and feet a few inches outwards. He lost his balance and almost fell.
A third person had intervened!
Normally, Zhong Yi could easily ignore this strange dragging and break free instantly, but at this moment he was still fighting Du Lianfeng!
Du Lianfeng, unaware of what was happening, was both surprised and delighted to see Zhong Yi "lose his balance." A savage glint flashed in his eyes as he shouted, "Let's go down together!"
He was already almost unable to hold on, so he simply gave up, grabbing Zhong Yi's foot, and the two of them tumbled off the rooftop.
Neither of them possessed the ability to fly or teleport, nor could they use spatial manipulation like Mother Chu. Falling from these dozen or so stories would result in serious injury, if not death!
"Bang!" Zhong Yi kicked Du Lianfeng away, using the momentum to swing forward and grab a balcony. He then swung again, landing directly in front of the floor-to-ceiling glass window below.
"Crash!" The sturdy floor-to-ceiling glass window shattered, and Zhong Yi, covered in blood, rolled inside. A middle-aged couple stared in disbelief at the blood-soaked Zhong Yi, trembling with fear.
Zhong Yi stood up, and under the couple's horrified gaze, his wounds healed instantly, without any pause.
"Pain... just for a second, does that count as pain?" Zhong Yi gave a self-deprecating laugh, then turned to the couple and sighed, "I'm so sorry to have disturbed you... Please don't call the police. I'll pay for the glass."
"No, no, thank you..."
"I still want it..." Zhong Yi patted his pockets, took out a Rolex, and placed it on the coffee table. "It's really bad these days not having cash on you. This will be my temporary compensation. Please write down my phone number, and I'll have someone come and install the glass first thing tomorrow morning... I apologize again." The middle-aged couple exchanged glances, unsure what to say.
Zhong Yi walked to the window and looked down. There was clearly no body of Du Lianfeng below. In the darkness, passersby hadn't even noticed someone had fallen from the building; there wasn't a single onlooker. Because Du Lianfeng also had his own ways to escape and save his life, but he probably wouldn't be as unharmed as Zhong Yi; he'd need to lie in bed for a few days.
Zhong Yi frowned deeply.
What was that inexplicable feeling of being dragged around and losing his balance? Whose superpower was that? Du Lianfeng's accomplice?
But I didn't sense any mental fluctuations around me. Where did this powerful individual come from?