Record of All Things

Outside the Military Patriotic Education and Demonstration Base in the western part of Shaanxi Province, on Qinling Mountains.

“I’ll leave you here. I won’t be able to visit you for the next six days,” said Lu Xiu as he rode his Kawasaki H2. He took off his helmet and didn’t get off his bike. He turned to Jiang Hong, who was still a bit sleepy. Jiang Hong had slept on Lu Xiu’s back during the entire trip after a poor night’s sleep after getting off the plane last night.

“Okay,” Jiang Hong replied, thinking about the next six days of military training without Lu Xiu.

“Take care of yourself. Call me if you have any trouble,” Lu Xiu said.

Jiang Hong stood outside the military camp and watched him for a while before saying, “You can go back now. I’m sorry for causing you so much trouble these past few days.”

Lu Xiu looked at him quietly. Jiang Hong gestured for him to leave. Lu Xiu didn’t leave, as if he had something to say to him.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Hong asked.

Lu Xiu said, “You haven’t returned my helmet. Do you want to wear it for military training?”

Jiang Hong hesitated for a moment before taking off his helmet and giving it to him. Lu Xiu suddenly accelerated and drove away with a “vroom”.

After a recent rainfall, the ground in the camp was damp, and the air was very fresh. Before returning, Jiang Hong did some mental preparation to remain calm when he saw the demons… but he still felt a bit scared when he entered his dorm room.

He slowly pushed open the door and saw…

One human and two demons were lying on the bed. Jin was reading a book, Zhang Xiting was chatting on WeChat, and He Jian was lying on the bed with his eyes closed.

In the next room, Chang Jun and another boy named Xiao Pi were discussing something. Chang Jun was showing Xiao Pi a shiny bug he had caught from somewhere.

“Oh, you’re back!” Jin noticed Jiang Hong first with the corner of his eye and was a bit surprised. He didn’t expect him to come back.

Zhang Xiting quickly responded, “Welcome back!”

Everyone was taking a nap and applauded when they saw Jiang Hong. When Chang Jun saw Jiang Hong, he clapped along and crushed the bug in his hand instantly.

“Ah!” Xiao Pi and Jiang Hong shouted at the same time.

“You killed it!” Xiao Pi exclaimed in despair.

Everyone gathered around and bombarded him with questions. He Jian also woke up and asked, “Have you finished dealing with the things at home?”

“It’s done,” Jiang Hong replied and exchanged a knowing glance with Zhang Xiting, as if they had reached some kind of agreement. Then everyone began to study the bug that Chang Jun had killed, as if Jiang Hong’s arrival and departure were just a small episode.

It rained this morning, so everyone had nothing to do. In the afternoon, the instructor started a 30-kilometer run, and everyone complained bitterly. However, they were not complaining about “why do we have to run so far,” but because it rained in the mountains and they got covered in mud after the run, making it difficult to wash their clothes when they got back.

Jiang Hong didn’t complain, and after leaving the camp, he started running with everyone else.

The instructor rode a three-wheeled motorcycle, with counselor Hu Qingquan sitting beside him, supervising their movements.

“If you can’t run anymore, don’t force yourself!” Hu Qingquan shouted at them through a megaphone. “You can take a leave of absence at any time!”

Everyone turned back, each with their own thoughts.

“Why are you back again?” Zhang Xiting and Jiang Hong caught up with the team and ran slowly. Zhang Xiting whispered, “Didn’t they make you smell the pollen of the Lihun Flower?”

“Well, it’s a long story…” Jiang Hong thought that they had plenty of time to run 30 kilometers, so he started telling Zhang Xiting the whole story, since Cao Bin didn’t ask him to keep it a secret. He only skimmed over the fact that Lu Xiu was a dragon, and didn’t mention anything about his past life with Jiang Hong. He knew what that “big and black thing” was now, after his memory was restored.

After listening to the whole story, Zhang Xiting was shocked and pondered for a moment before saying, “Is that so? Lu Xiu didn’t say anything to you.”

“Yeah,” Jiang Hong wanted to say that Lu Xiu was indeed a very good and gentle person, even though he always looked serious most of the time. But upon closer thought, Lu Xiu wasn’t always polite to everyone, only to him.

“And he’s too powerful,” Jiang Hong continued. “Stronger than those exorcists.”

“Because he’s a dragon,” Zhang Xiting said, “Don’t you know?”

Jiang Hong pretended to be surprised and said, “Isn’t that very rare?”

Zhang Xiting said, “Nowadays, there are only two dragons known in the world, and the other one is our principal Xiang. But I heard that he disappeared through some strange means, using time-traveling technology.”

Jiang Hong was deeply shocked and didn’t know whether to ask about the dragons or time travel.

“So that’s why everyone is afraid of him!” Jiang Hong understood.

“It’s not just because of that.” Zhang Xiting clearly didn’t know much about the school’s affairs as he was not a gossiping person. He could only piece together what he had heard from others and his own speculations to come to a conclusion. “You should know more than anyone else since you are close to him…”

“You two! Stop chatting there!” The instructor rode over on a tricycle, and Hu Qingquan had disappeared somewhere. The instructor used the counselor’s megaphone and shouted, “There are still two and a half hours left! The sun is going down, and you’ve only run a little over a kilometer! Hurry up!”

The two of them turned back and shouted, “Got it.”

Zhang Xiting clearly didn’t take running seriously and said, “They are looking for the Sword of Wisdom.”

“What is the Sword of Wisdom?”

“It’s a sacred artifact of the school,” Zhang Xiting said. “Left behind by its original owner. Only it can seal demons. They say the Sword of Wisdom is in the school, but it hasn’t been seen for several years…”

Suddenly, Jiang Hong remembered something and asked, “Do all the students in this school have extraordinary skills?”

“Um…” Zhang Xiting said, “Most human students have skills that are passed down in their families, and even the demons can do a few tricks. But don’t worry, using spells is strictly prohibited outside of class, and no one will bully you. If anyone gives you trouble, Jin and I will take care of them…”

“But I don’t have any skills,” Jiang Hong said.

Zhang Xiting ran alongside Jiang Hong. He had originally intended to say that Jiang Hong would learn after attending classes, but he suddenly changed his mind and exclaimed, “Who said you don’t have any skills?”

“I really don’t…” Jiang Hong said.

“You can summon a dragon!” Zhang Xiting said. “Summon a dragon, bro! Who dares to bully you? It’s already good enough if you don’t bully others!”

Jiang Hong thought about it and realized it was true, but he still argued, “But even if I summon Lu Xiu, he won’t help me beat people up.”

Zhang Xiting looked at Jiang Hong as if he were an idiot, and Jiang Hong gave up on arguing.

“Actually, not everyone is as powerful as you think,” Zhang Xiting comforted him. “Later, you’ll see a lot of trash. That being said, during the annual martial arts competition, you might even rank in the top ten of your grade… no, top three! After all, you can summon a dragon to beat them up at any time.”

“There’s a martial arts competition?!” Jiang Hong was suddenly frightened. What kind of strange school was this?!

Zhang Xiting thought for a moment and corrected himself, “No, I think you can definitely get first place. Who can beat a graduate student? And a graduate student who’s also a dragon!”

Running through the dense jungle and entering Linjiang Mountain road, there were almost no vehicles here. Occasionally, a few pickups carrying agricultural products passed by, and the air was refreshing with a pleasant breeze. Jiang Hong and Zhang Xiting were running when they stumbled upon the first rest stop.

“Ah, so tired.” A teenager wearing the same camouflage outfit as them was panting and hunched over on the roadside. “I’m so hungry.”

“Xiao Pi?” Jiang Hong recognized the person as a neighbor from the next dormitory.

“You guys go ahead…” Xiao Pi was exhausted. Jiang Hong couldn’t help but wonder, weren’t you supposed to be a demon? How could your stamina be this poor?!

Zhang Xiting reminded them, “We are the last three.”

“You guys go first,” Xiao Pi said. “Let me be the last one. It’s okay. There always has to be someone who is the last.”

Zhang Xiting was friendly towards demons, but could only maintain his composure on the surface. He gestured to Jiang Hong if he wanted to go first. Jiang Hong thought for a moment and said, “Let’s go together. We’re both going to be last anyway. It doesn’t matter.”

Although Jiang Hong didn’t know what kind of demon Xiao Pi was, as long as he didn’t see any strange-shaped heads on people’s necks, he could pretend he didn’t know. So, he dragged Xiao Pi along and started to jog slowly.

“Usually when you meet,” Zhang Xiting seemed to see Jiang Hong’s confusion and said, “unless necessary, don’t ask the other person what kind of demon they are.”

Jiang Hong nodded, guessing that this was an unspoken etiquette. Zhang Xiting further explained, “Haven’t you noticed? Even the most powerful demon still desires to be a human deep down.”

“It seems so.” Jiang Hong understood that humans seemed to have an inherent, vague feeling of superiority towards other races. After demons transformed, they also took pride in being human-like. Combined with the night when he accidentally saw Chang Jun’s true form – perhaps demons, like humans losing their clothes, felt embarrassed when their true form was exposed?

Xiao Pi then said, “Jiang Hong, your stamina is so good! I told my dad I didn’t want to attend military training. Why don’t we just escape and come back after it’s over?”

“Since we’re here,” Zhang Xiting said, “you might as well train!”

Jiang Hong laughed. “I’m here for you guys!”

Xiao Pi was also straightforward and said, “But we’ve only known each other for a few days, right? We haven’t talked much.”

Jiang Hong: “…”

Just then, a bird nearly the height of a person descended from the sky, flapping its wings and saving Jiang Hong from his awkwardness.

Jiang Hong looked up and was shocked!

That’s a crane! It’s impossible for a crane to appear here! It’s too elegant! Its slender neck, silver claws, large and perfect feathers, bright eyes, and colorful eye shadow! Its slender golden beak and a small tuft of light blue fluff on its forehead… it’s simply a mythical beast!

The next moment, the crane folded its wings and fell directly to the ground, lying in the middle of the road. It opened its beak and made a familiar sound –

“I’m so tired… can’t fly anymore,” said He Jian.

Zhang Xiting: “…”

Jiang Hong: “……………”

The crane raised its head and looked at the three of them.

“Can you carry me for a while?” The crane spoke in He Jian’s voice.

“You’ve only flown less than three kilometers!” Zhang Xiting said.

“Flying is more tiring than running,” the crane replied.

“The ground is dirty! Get up quickly!” Jiang Hong said.

The crane glowed and turned back into human form. It was He Jian wearing camouflage clothing.

Uh… where did your clothes come from? Jiang Hong wondered, if a demon turns into a human and then back into a demon, wouldn’t they be naked? Why did the clothes change with them?

He Jian was hopeless, lying horizontally in the middle of the mountain road, looking at Jiang Hong and Zhang Xiting with empty eyes.

“Can you carry me?” He Jian said. “I’ll repay you.”

The three of them silently bypassed He Jian and continued running forward. After a while, He Jian caught up with them, panting.

“You guys are so heartless! We’re roommates!” He Jian said.

“Where’s Jin?” Jiang Hong said. “Let him carry you.”

“He’s in front. Just keep running slowly,” He Jian said.

“Our dormitory is probably going to be the last one,” Zhang Xiting said helplessly.

Now Jiang Hong believed Zhang Xiting’s words, it seemed that there were still a lot of useless people among their classmates.

While they were running, they bumped into some other people from their dormitory. Jiang Hong couldn’t tell if they were human or demons, so he had to infer from Zhang Xiting’s attitude that they were all humans. Zhang Xiting took the initiative to say hello and chat while running, showing that they were all humans.

“If he nods and doesn’t speak anymore, it’s usually a demon.”

Soon, there were more than 20 people in Jiang Hong’s team, with Jiang Hong leading the pack and chatting along the way. Jiang Hong had run several half and full marathons during high school, taking just over two hours for the half-marathon and four hours for the full marathon, including an extra ten kilometers.

“Thirty kilometers!” Xiao Pi wailed. “I’ve never run this far since I was born.”

Another boy patted him. “Since everyone else can do it, you can too!”

Jiang Hong said, “The second half is downhill. It will be much easier! Let’s keep the pace and adjust our breathing! We’ve already run ten kilometers!”

When they reached the 17th kilometer, they climbed to the top of Qinling Mountains, with a beautiful view in the distance, and more than 40 students waiting for them to rest and chat. The instructor had put out sports drinks in a pavilion for them to help themselves.

“Alright, let’s go!” Jiang Hong said. “We’ll definitely make it to the campsite before it gets dark! Keep it up!”

Then, under Jiang Hong’s leadership, a large group of people ran down the mountain. Most of the way down was downhill, and Jiang Hong spread his arms and enjoyed the mountain breeze rushing towards him.

“Wow!” he shouted, running fast, and the young boys followed, feeling like they were riding a roller coaster, rushing down from the mountaintop.

Without realizing it, it was already 5:50 pm, and the last trace of sunset appeared on the horizon. The world was gently covered by the shadows of the mountains, as if a night blanket had been laid over it.

“We’re finally back!” Jiang Hong shouted.

Everyone arrived at the camp without anyone falling behind, and they couldn’t even speak, each resting in their place.

Hu Qingquan was counting the number of people and smiled at Jiang Hong, saying nothing.

Jiang Hong stood on the side, breathing heavily. Someone came over, panting, and said to him, “Thank you, Jiang Hong.”

Jiang Hong looked up and saw two boys from the neighboring dormitory. The one with glasses was named Wang Lang, and the other was Zuo Weichen. They slapped him on the back. Jiang Hong smiled, knowing that they were thanking him for leading the way, or else they would have fallen behind.

“Thank you.” Someone else came over and slapped him on the back. Most of the ones left behind were actually demons. The humans seemed to have a strong sense of honor and didn’t want to lose to the demons, so they were all pushing themselves to run ahead.

“Thanks.”

“Thanks.” People who knew him or didn’t know him passed by, each raising their hand to slap him on the back.

At this moment, Jiang Hong felt very happy.

But when they returned to the dormitory, they weren’t as happy anymore. Everyone was lying in bed, groaning.

“What number are you?” Zhang Xiting asked Jin, who had already taken a shower and was lying in bed.

Jin held up one finger, shocking Jiang Hong.

No one wanted to eat dinner, and they all lay there like corpses.

“I really want to go to the hot springs in Xi’an,” Xiao Pi said. “Let’s go to Lishan.”

“Please spare me…” Chang Jun groaned.

“Don’t say it!” Everyone unanimously condemned Xiao Pi.

That night, Jiang Hong didn’t even know how he fell asleep. The next morning, until 9 o’clock, everyone was still lying in bed and no one wanted to get up. Fortunately, the instructor was tactful enough not to arrange physical training for them anymore, and only had them do some simple exercises. After teaching them military boxing, he let everyone have a free day.

Over the next five days, Jiang Hong experienced what it was like to undergo military training in a cramming style… military boxing, firearms shooting, singing… The instructor would quickly inspect their results after teaching them.

“I feel like I can’t do anything well, sigh.” Xiao Pi was peeling cabbage in the kitchen, and Jiang Hong was peeling potatoes on the side. Today it was their turn to help with the cooking, while the rest of the students were marching outside.

Jiang Hong said, “I feel the same way.”

Xiao Pi said, “Even the dishes we cook as helpers taste worse than everyone else’s.”

Jiang Hong replied, “I’ll eat more of it…”

Xiao Pi was very clean and handsome, with a baby face and exceptionally beautiful features. He had a naturally adorable and likable younger brother vibe, with thick eyebrows and bright eyes. Any male student in this school could be considered a campus idol if placed in Jiang Hong’s high school. Why did everyone look so handsome? Because they were demons and could easily change their appearance anytime?

However, most of the humans were also good-looking. Was ot because they were all absorbing the spiritual energy of the heavens and the earth?

Of course, if it’s about looks, Lu Xiu was still the most handsome.

Jiang Hong felt a little lost. He realized that he had gone to college, but he seemed to be last in everything he did. Yesterday, when they practiced boxing, Jin and He Jian learned it after only one round, while everyone else could easily pick it up, even Zhang Xiting. Only Jiang Hong had to practice it three times from beginning to end, and the instructor had to demonstrate it to him separately.

“I’m always the last one,” Jiang Hong said gloomily. “Last in everything. Oh, but you’re right. There must always be someone who comes in last.”

Last in boxing, the lowest score in shooting. Jiang Hong was better at music and running. But when it came to singing, He Jian sang the best, with a wide range and a beautiful voice. Even in the marathon, which Jiang Hong was good at, he still came in last in the group.

“My dad has high expectations for me, and he’ll nag at me when I go back,” Xiao Pi lamented.

“Don’t tell him then,” Jiang Hong comforted.

“The counselor will tell him,” Xiao Pi said hopelessly. “I’m so miserable.”

Jiang Hong thought, “The counselor won’t call and notify everyone’s parents about their child coming in last place in military training, will they?”

Xiao Pi said, “My dad is a teacher in the school. The dean of education, Xuan Hezhi.”

“Ah!” Jiang Hong said, “I’ve met him! Wait…”

Wasn’t his dad human? How come he was a demon?! Was there no reproductive isolation? He immediately began to imagine a poignant and touching story.

“Now I’m in last place,” Jiang Hong said. “You’re in second to last place, but it’s not too bad.”

“Uh-huh.” Xiao Pi replied somewhat listlessly. “If you weren’t waiting for me, you wouldn’t have run so slowly.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Jiang Hong said helplessly. “Without waiting for you, I wouldn’t be able to reach first place either.”

“If you could reach first place, would you wait for me?” Xiao Pi asked.

Jiang Hong thought for a moment and said, “I would still wait, because there’s no money to be won in first place.”

“You’re too kind,” Xiao Pi said with starry eyes. “What if there was money to be won?”

“It would depend on how much money…” Jiang Hong said.

“How much money would be enough for you to wait for me?” Xiao Pi asked.

“Can you stop being so particular?” Jiang Hong said.

The military training ended in a pouring rainstorm. On the last day, Jiang Hong talked with Hu Qingquan for half an hour about why he decided to come back and continue studying to become an exorcist. Hu Qingquan was clearly aware of most of what had happened from Cao Bin, but he reminded Jiang Hong of some things to watch out for at school, such as not using spells recklessly, otherwise he would be punished, and fighting would result in expulsion.

But if necessary, it could be used, and it could be appealed afterwards.

“You’re thinking too much,” Jiang Hong said helplessly. “I don’t even know how to use spells.”

“You will be taught later,” Hu Qingquan said calmly. “As long as you have spiritual veins, you can learn them. Just be careful.”

Jiang Hong was looking forward to it, but he felt a little embarrassed when he saw the military training form in Hu Qingquan’s hand. He was last in every category…

“The score doesn’t matter,” Hu Qingquan said. “It’s just for reference after school starts. You’re studying mechanical and electronic engineering, which is also known as modern exorcism…”

Jiang Hong was still a little uncomfortable and didn’t understand how “mechanical and electronic engineering” and “modern” could be so strangely combined with “exorcism.”

“I actually prefer studying exorcism,” Jiang Hong said. “I think I chose the wrong major.”

“It doesn’t matter!” Hu Qingquan said. “If you’re qualified, you have a chance to change majors later. But I suggest you study modern exorcism and lay a good foundation for the future…”

“…and you will also learn some spells,” Hu Qingquan concluded. “Study hard and protect human peace. Since you performed well in military training, the school has decided to give you an award.”

“Are you mocking me?” Jiang Hong finally exploded when he heard this. “Instructor, I would feel ashamed!”

“No, no, no!” Hu Qingquan quickly explained. “You misunderstood!”

That afternoon, the awards ceremony was held, and dorm 903 won four awards. One was the “long-legged runner” award, won by Jin for coming in first place in the cross-country race.

Jiang Hong received the “loving and caring” trophy because he didn’t give up on the falling behind students and led more than sixty people to complete the thirty-kilometer race together, becoming a collective last place.

Zhang Xiting received the title of “military god” because he remained calm and composed during simulated battle, leading 903 and 904 dormitories to counterattack in adversity and capture the high ground.

He Jian received a “nostalgic singer” trophy because he sang well.

However, Jiang Hong suddenly realized that it seemed like everyone had received an award. Four classmates in the same dormitory as him, including himself, had each received a trophy. Chang Jun was awarded “kitchen god” because the dishes he made during cooking day were delicious. Xiao Pi was awarded “doing good deeds daily” because he often helped others. The other two boys, one named Wang Lang, was awarded the title “chess god,” and the other named Zuo Weichen received the “star of agility” award because he not only dodged the instructor’s sudden attack during military boxing class, but also knocked down the instructor.

Xiao Pi’s father, who was also the dean, came to the dormitory to present the awards, ensuring that everyone received an award and that no one was left out.

“When you look at the edge of your trophy’s base, there is a gold-plated edge that is different from everyone else’s. Don’t tell anyone,” Xuan Hezhi reminded Jiang Hong in a low voice as he shook his hand and presented the award.

Jiang Hong thought to himself, “Does this matter? Why are you guys so boring…”

And so, Jiang Hong’s military training came to a successful end. On the bus leaving Qinling Mountains, everyone sang songs. The counselor, Hu Qingquan, even took them to the city for a meal, where they enjoyed buffet hotpot.

The new semester’s life began again, full of challenges, as they left the isolated Qinling Mountains, with blurry scenery on the mountain roads.

Three seconds later, Lu Xiu coldly uttered two words, “No thanks.”

The white-haired gorilla seemed to be provoked for no reason, showing its ferocious teeth and roaring towards Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong. The sound resounded loudly, echoing throughout the air-raid shelter, and tens of thousands of bats were frightened and flew away.

The shock wave hit their faces, and Lu Xiu stood tall, making a few indistinct syllables:

“Hatalatu!”

Suddenly, a huge phantom appeared behind Lu Xiu, with a dragon head emerging. The phantom dragon roared towards the white-haired gorilla. Two shock waves collided inside the air-raid shelter walls.

“You ignorant youngsters dare to challenge me!” the white-haired gorilla roared.

Lu Xiu spoke in a deep voice, “You should have died long ago. Go back to the underworld!”

Jiang Hong felt like he was about to be blown away by the gust of wind from both Lu Xiu and the demon. But Lu Xiu held him tightly, leaped into the air, and ran towards the wall of the air-raid shelter. With the momentum of their charge, he pushed Jiang Hong out.

“Go! Now!” Lu Xiu shouted.

The white-haired gorilla roared and raised its arms.

As soon as Jiang Hong landed, he knew he couldn’t slow Lu Xiu down and shouted, “Take care of yourself!” Without waiting for Lu Xiu’s response, he ran towards the other end of the air-raid shelter.

The ground shook, and Jiang Hong didn’t dare to look back. He kept running, knowing that as long as he could escape, Lu Xiu would make it out as well.

But the tremors didn’t fade away. They only grew stronger and stronger… Jiang Hong stopped in confusion and looked ahead. A rumbling sound was coming from the exit of the air-raid shelter towards him.

Jiang Hong: “…”

A massive amount of water surged towards Jiang Hong like a dragon.

Jiang Hong took a deep breath and didn’t shout. Instead, he closed his eyes, bent down, and didn’t fight against the current. He was swept back into the depths of the air-raid shelter!

The flood came roaring towards Lu Xiu. Lu Xiu quickly drew a reverse symbol with his right hand and pushed it in the direction of the water flow. In an instant, a bright light filled the entire air-raid shelter, and the flood that had filled the shelter retreated!

Jiang Hong: “Cough… cough…”

Jiang Hong struggled to stand up, soaking wet. He looked back at the passage, and the flood rushed towards him again.

“Damn it!” Jiang Hong shouted.

Fortunately, he was given a little space to catch his breath.

Lu Xiu’s magic symbol rotated quickly, resisting the white-haired gorilla. Wave after wave of air swept past, and the flood continued to rise. Jiang Hong had just escaped, but he was swept back by the flood again. This time, he clung to the corner, not daring to make a sound, afraid of distracting Lu Xiu.

This demon must be very difficult to deal with! Lu Xiu must win, aaahhh-!

Jiang Hong raised his head above the water and took another deep breath.

The white-haired gorilla said: “You shouldn’t have only this ability. The humans have sealed you? If so, why are you still helping them…”

While the demon was speaking, Lu Xiu suddenly pulled his spell back, and the flood immediately filled the entire air-raid shelter.

The white-haired gorilla floated up in the water. Lu Xiu drew another symbol and blew out a string of bubbles.

With a “buzz,” Jiang Hong’s eardrums shook. He saw the white-haired gorilla shooting back in the water and hitting the wall of the air-raid shelter with a loud bang!

Lu Xiu swam over, raised his hand, clenched his fist, and lit up a glowing rune, then fiercely punched the ferocious beast!

The white-haired gorilla resisted Lu Xiu with both hands, and two other arms suddenly stretched out from behind it, forming a seal.

Jiang Hong：“!!!”

Lu Xiu punched with his right hand, while his left hand formed a seal to counter the white-haired gorilla’s attack. However, a third pair of arms appeared behind the gorilla, and it raised a short knife that emitted a blood-red light, stabbing towards Lu Xiu’s chest and abdomen!

Jiang Hong let out a string of bubbles: I’m going to suffocate…

Lu Xiu dodged to the side, punching the big demon in the face. The white-haired gorilla’s short knife fell, but its six arms firmly grabbed Lu Xiu, with two hands squeezing his throat, two hands grabbing his arms, and the last two arms tightly gripping his ankles.

“Speak your dragon language.” The white-haired gorilla sneered in the water. “Where’s your true form? Transform into your true form. Above here is full of tall buildings. Break through the ground and go kill people…”

The six arms of the white-haired gorilla simultaneously exerted force, seemingly intending to dismember Lu Xiu!

Jiang Hong spun in the water like an agile fish, quietly rolling on the bottom of the water, grabbing the short knife.

Lu Xiu looked up and saw Jiang Hong raise the short knife and stab it into the gorilla’s neck from behind.

The white-haired gorilla suddenly lifted its head and let out a painful roar in the water! But Lu Xiu was faster than it and quickly turned around to kick it out.

The white-haired gorilla raised its hand and fiercely pulled the short knife from its neck. Lu Xiu’s right hand changed in the water, revealing a shimmering black-golden hook claw. His entire right arm was covered in hard scales.

In an instant, Lu Xiu violently rose and grabbed the white-haired gorilla’s throat with one hand.

“Tulesu!”

This time, Lu Xiu went all out, his dragon roar vibrating. Under the attack, the white-haired gorilla’s body crashed into the cave wall, smashing through bricks and stones, and spurting blood from its body, forcibly sinking into the granite, splattering countless broken rocks. The granite layer in the ground shattered like tofu blocks under Lu Xiu’s full-power strike, causing the entire air raid shelter to collapse in succession.

This exchange of blows was extremely powerful. Jiang Hong was dealt the most severe blow he had ever experienced, almost out of breath in an instant.

It felt like playing bungee jumping and the rope broke halfway.

I’m going to die… Jiang Hong thought.

But Lu Xiu immediately swam over and hugged Jiang Hong, lowering his head to seal his lips.

A breath surged into Jiang Hong’s lungs, forcibly propping up his chest.

Ah… I’m alive again… Jiang Hong thought. But I lost my first kiss…

Then Lu Xiu raised his hand and spun his index and middle fingers in the water.

A turbulent vortex rushed towards them, sweeping them up and carrying them out of the air raid shelter with a howling wind. Jiang Hong felt dizzy and nauseous, feeling like he had entered a washing machine.

“I’m going to die again…” Jiang Hong thought to himself.

Three seconds later, Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong rushed out of the air raid shelter with a loud crash, following the water flow.

“Ah, I’m alive again.” Jiang Hong saw the pitch-black sky.

In front of the air raid shelter, there was a loud bang as floodwaters gushed out and poured into Jialing River, pushing all the parked cars on the roadside into the river.

Lu Xiu held Jiang Hong in one hand and spun in the air, then landed with a very handsome posture – a backflip in mid-air, two consecutive foot landings, followed by a slight lean, a bow, and an empty hand pressing the ground to dissipate the force.

Jiang Hong was half-held in Lu Xiu’s arms, staring around in a daze.

“How are you?” Lu Xiu asked.

“I feel like throwing up…” Jiang Hong straightened up with difficulty, leaning on Lu Xiu and panting for a while.

Several SF Express electric trucks drove over, and many people gathered outside the air raid shelter. Xu Xuyang came running hastily with one arm wrapped in bandages. Two Mercedes-Benz cars blocked the street.

“We’ve already evacuated!” Xu Xuyang shouted. “You guys go!”

“It’s Wuzhiqi (1)!” Lu Xiu shouted. “You can’t deal with it! Notify Beijing and have them send someone over from headquarters!”

“What? What’s Wuzhiqi?” Jiang Hong, busy throwing up, turned his head.

“That’s impossible!” Wu Suyuan, with several demon hunters, got out of the Mercedes-Benz. “Wuzhiqi is a demon from the Classic of Mountains and Seas (2). It died a long time ago. You must have seen it wrong…”

Before he finished speaking, there was a muffled sound, and with a roar, a white figure rushed out, broke through the isolation belt outside the air raid shelter, opened six arms, and all the demon hunters were suddenly on high alert.

But the white gorilla didn’t fight with them. It just glanced at Lu Xiu, stepped on the ground and leapt into the heart of Jialing River.

“There it is,” Lu Xiu said.

Another loud noise, and a cargo ship on the river was hit by Wuzhiqi. The side immediately collapsed. The exorcists jumped onto the railing and looked towards the river.

Wu Suyuan took out a walkie-talkie and began to arrange for speedboats to surround the cargo ship on the river.

Wu Suyuan’s eyes were full of shock as he looked at Lu Xiu again.

“It’s an ancient water god,” Lu Xiu reminded him. “Its power to control the rivers and seas is not below mine.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Wuzhiqi roared, and the river suddenly surged up to ten meters high, sweeping everything away!

Lu Xiu immediately pushed his hands forward, and a burst of light erupted, resisting the huge waves that surged towards the river bank. With a loud “splash”, the waves collapsed once again, and the speedboat was pushed towards the shore.

Wu Suyuan couldn’t stop gasping for breath. This ancient ferocious beast was indeed as Lu Xiu had said – something they couldn’t handle. But what could they do? Protecting the city was their responsibility, and they could only grit their teeth and go for it.

Lu Xiu grabbed Jiang Hong’s collar and pulled him back from the railing so he wouldn’t get too close. “Come back! What are you doing trying to catch demons? Are you an exorcist?”

“Wu Suyuan!” Lu Xiu said again.

Wu Suyuan was just about to climb over the railing when he turned around and looked at Lu Xiu.

“We need to weaken it first before we can have a chance,” Lu Xiu said.

Wu Suyuan nodded gravely.

Jiang Hong watched as the exorcists displayed their various abilities and flew out.

“Wow, so cool!”

Lu Xiu kept one hand raised while using the other to grab Jiang Hong’s collar, ready to pull him back at any time.

“Can I record this?” Jiang Hong was shocked. He saw hundreds of exorcists rushing towards the center of the river.

“It’s useless,” Lu Xiu said, “it’ll be deleted.”

Jiang Hong asked, “Can they delete the video on my phone?”

Lu Xiu replied, “Obviously. How many people do you think have seen this now? Deleting the video is just the first step. The Exorcist Committee will make people forget about this scene.”

On the riverbank and on the bridge, almost all the cars stopped, and many people got out of their cars to watch, using their phones to take pictures and videos.

Xu Xuyang ran over quickly, shouting, “Quick, set up the barrier! Where are the barrier masters? There are too many people watching! Prepare the Lihun Pollen!”

Several exorcists jumped onto the railing, threw out talismans, and the air suddenly distorted. Everything in front of them disappeared.

“Is it gone?” Jiang Hong asked again, confused. He saw several drones flying past, heading towards the bridge, and spraying a strange powder. Lu Xiu said, “Don’t come here! They’re our people!”

“I know! I know!” Xu Xuyang shouted from afar.

“What is that…” Jiang Hong started to say.

“It’s a powder,” Lu Xiu said. “Depending on the dosage, it can make people forget.”

The barrier suddenly shook again, as if something was trying to break through by force.

Lu Xiu frowned, and Jiang Hong asked, “Are they going to die?”

“Exorcists are also human,” Lu Xiu said, “and humans die.”

Jiang Hong was filled with worry, and after hesitating for a moment, Lu Xiu asked, “Do you want to see what’s happening?”

“Can I?” Jiang Hong asked. “I promise I won’t cause trouble.”

Lu Xiu then picked up Jiang Hong and stepped onto the railing, leaping into the barrier. Inside the barrier, it was pitch black, and it had become a battlefield. When Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong landed, they were on a small boat.

The gorilla, Wuzhiqi, occupied a cargo ship in the middle of the river. Its six arms maintained a strong light, and it unleashed a powerful spell that radiated like a halo. The river turned blood-red, and millions of water arrows shot out from the surface, attacking the exorcists crazily.

Jiang Hong was shocked. The moment he witnessed the battle scene, he was extremely shocked. He watched the exorcists fly towards the beast like moths to a flame, only to be repeatedly struck down and thrown into the river.

Wu Suyuan stood on another boat with his hands apart, revealing a lightning bolt that he pushed forward with his arm, illuminating the dark river surface like a dragon, and exploding towards Wuzhiqi!

“This old man is so strong!” Jiang Hong exclaimed.

“Each city leader has some skills,” said Lu Xiu, standing with his hands in a posture of charging up.

“Aren’t you also an exorcist? You should go up and help!” Jiang Hong said.

“No rush. It’s like fishing. First we consume its strength,” Lu Xiu said.

“Why is your left hand glowing?” Jiang Hong asked.

“I’m preparing a spell,” Lu Xiu replied.

Wuzhiqi turned around and created a whirlpool, devouring the speedboats on the river.

Wu Suyuan was obviously exhausted. When he released the lightning bolt again, the light and energy were much dimmer.

“What do you eat to accumulate so much electrical energy?” Jiang Hong said. “One bowl of rice is only 200 calories. How many bowls of rice does it take to sustain the human body’s self-electricity? It’s a violation of the law of energy conservation!”

“He is guiding the energy of nature,” Lu Xiu said helplessly. “What are you thinking about?!”

“Guide it over here!” Lu Xiu shouted towards Wu Suyuan in the distance.

Wu Suyuan glanced at Lu Xiu, and in that moment of distraction, a huge wave overturned the boat he was standing on.

“Be careful…” Jiang Hong reminded.

Suddenly, all the exorcists stopped attacking and retreated to the periphery. Slightly surprised, Lu Xiu looked at the top of the barrier.

“Reinforcements have arrived,” Lu Xiu said.

“Who? The demon’s or ours?” Jiang Hong asked.

“Theirs.” Lu Xiu’s “theirs” referred to the exorcists, but he quickly changed his words. “No, it’s ours.”

In an instant, a crack opened above the barrier, and countless lightning bolts poured out of it. Wuzhiqi immediately abandoned its pursuit of the exorcists and lifted all six of its hands upwards, forming a circular red light barrier, constantly roaring and resisting the thunderous blades falling from the sky!

Jiang Hong’s eyes reflected this magnificent scene, only to see Wuzhiqi’s entire body burst with black blood.

As the first wave of thunder subsided, a voice was heard. “This is not where you should appear!”

A figure dressed in a black suit appeared, surrounded by lightning. Falling from the sky, he landed a punch that could collapse the heavens.

Wuzhiqi roared as he was struck by the punch and the barrier shattered. Unable to resist the tremendous force, he crushed the cargo ship beneath his feet, splitting it in half and causing his legs to spread apart.

Jiang Hong exclaimed, “Ah, he got hit in the crotch! It hurts!”

Lu Xiu remained silent.

The figure spun in midair and shouted, “Suyuan! Seal its power! Lu Xiu, lend me a hand!”

Lu Xiu reluctantly stepped in front of Jiang Hong.

The man in the suit flipped over and kicked Wuzhiqi in the back with a whirlwind kick, sending the three-meter-tall beast flying towards Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong.

Wu Suyuan shouted, “Let’s do it!”

The exorcists each formed hand seals, and rune after rune flew into the air like meteors from every corner of Jialing River within a few miles, dragging with them a blaze of light towards Wuzhiqi in the darkness. Finally, Wu Suyuan’s full-powered lightning struck him.

Lu Xiu revealed a dragon claw on his left hand and grabbed Wuzhiqi’s throat the moment it rushed towards him.

“Return to dust and re-enter the underworld,” Lu Xiu said sternly. “This is not where you belong. Tulesu!”

Wuzhiqi grinned and revealed a terrifying smile.

Lu Xiu used all his might to speak the dragon language, then slammed his right hand on Wuzhiqi’s forehead!

Wuzhiqi’s head instantly exploded, black blood mixed with rotten brain matter splattering everywhere, and his six arms dropped simultaneously.

His massive body turned into black smoke, dissipating in the wind.

A speedboat raced towards them in the distance. The man in the suit stood at the bow, watching them from afar. He had short hair and a rugged appearance. The time spell broke like fading ink, and the sun emerged. Golden sunlight shone on the river and on the man’s head.

“I just arrived at Jiangbei Airport,” the man said. “I heard you guys had some trouble and was worried, so I came to check on you.”

Jiang Hong looked at him suspiciously, feeling like he had seen him somewhere before. The man also nodded at him and greeted him.

“Hello, Jiang Hong,” the man said. “How’s your new life going?”

Jiang Hong: “??? “

“This is Cao Bin,” Lu Xiu said. “He’s the vice president of Sky University. Let’s find a place to sit down and chat.”

Jiang Hong regained his composure, and the cargo ship sank. The exorcists were still cleaning up the aftermath on the river.

That afternoon, Jiang Hong saw on TV that an unmanned cargo ship on the river suddenly had an accident and the hull cracked. Strong wind stirred up waves in the river and rolled parked cars on the roadside onto the riverbank. So, it was better to park in an underground garage and avoid parking illegally on the roadside.

At the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, the floor had been in disrepair for many years, and part of it collapsed, fortunately with no casualties.

Jiang Hong took Lu Xiu, Wu Suyuan, and Cao Bin home, and the first thing they did was to take a shower and change clothes, as they were covered in mud. After half an hour of washing, Jiang Hong finally felt refreshed.

Cao Bin and Wu Suyuan were sitting at the dining table.

Cao Bin casually flipped through the papers that Jiang Hong had spread out on the table.

“So, you’re already in the third year of high school?” Cao Bin asked.

“Yes,” Jiang Hong said. “Why do I feel like I’ve seen you somewhere before?”

Cao Bin said, “All encounters are a reunion after a long separation.”

Jiang Hong laughed and went to make coffee for Cao Bin, while Wu Suyuan was looking listless and could not lift his spirits for a while.

“Wuzhiqi has been dead for a long time,” Cao Bin said. “You can’t blame yourself. No one would have thought it would suddenly appear.”

“I don’t understand either,” Wu Suyuan said. “How could this ferocious beast hide underground in the city, and what was its purpose?”

“You should tell headquarters about that,” Cao Bin said. “Most likely they will blame your intelligence work.”

The two of them talked without trying to hide the conversation from Jiang Hong, who was making coffee on the side. He was full of curiosity and turned to look at Cao Bin, only to find that Cao Bin was also looking at him with a meaningful look in his eyes.

After a brief silence, Cao Bin said, “I actually have some doubts. I doubt it is Wuzhiqi.”

“What is it then?” Wu Suyuan asked.

“It’s it, but it’s not it.” Cao Bin thought for a moment, then took the coffee from Jiang Hong. “Thank you. According to logic, an S-class ancient beast cannot be resurrected. After all, the exorcists who sealed it a thousand years ago went through a lot of trouble… Secondly, don’t you think it’s too weak for an S-class demon’s strength?”

“Under normal circumstances,” Cao Bin said, “unless you unlock Lu Xiu’s seal… unless… hmm… if Lu Xiu goes all out, he should be able to defeat it… Anyway, its displayed strength is not consistent with its reputation.”

“Maybe it needs time to recover after being resurrected?” Wu Suyuan said.

“That’s possible.” Cao Bin frowned. “Then the question is, who revived it?”

Wu Suyuan and Cao Bin fell silent again.

“At the last moment, you saw it too. It dissipated into black smoke,” Cao Bin said.

“Yes,” Wu Suyuan said.

“There’s only one special being that produces black smoke. We haven’t seen it in ten years,” Cao Bin said.

“This is a very serious situation. It must be reported and given enough attention,” Wu Suyuan said.

Cao Bin nodded. “I hope we’re not right about this. If Xiang Cheng is not here, it will be a big problem.”

Wu Suyuan said, “I’m heading to Beijing now. Thank you, my friend. The coffee was good. I have to go.”

“Is that all? Stay a little longer. Do you want to take a shower upstairs?” Jiang Hong thought, “I didn’t understand anything. Don’t you want to chat a bit more to satisfy my curiosity?”

Wu Suyuan finished his coffee and left Jiang Hong’s house in a hurry.

Lu Xiu also finished his shower. His hair was still semi-wet, and he was wearing slippers and loose shorts. He sat at the dining table bare-chested.

Cao Bin remained seated, seemingly lost in thought.

“You’re the principal?” Jiang Hong observed Cao Bin.

Cao Bin smiled politely at him.

“He’s the vice principal.” Lu Xiu cleaned his ears with a cotton swab.

Cao Bin said, “Are you adjusting well to your new life?”

“What new life?” Jiang Hong vaguely guessed something based on his reasoning and said, “I met you in Xi’an too, didn’t I? Just like I met Lu Xiu, but I forgot everything.”

“Forgetting might be a good thing.” Cao Bin stood up and walked to the hand-brewed coffee pot. “Don’t you want a cup? Let me brew you one.”

Lu Xiu finished cleaning one ear and started cleaning the other. His movements were rough, as if struggling with his own ear. The cotton swabs came out with a lot of blood.

“It’s the demon’s blood,” Lu Xiu explained when he saw Jiang Hong looking at him worriedly.

“Thank you,” Jiang Hong said to Cao Bin.

Cao Bin was a little surprised. He looked at the pot in his hand and asked, “Thank you for what?”

“It was you who asked Lu Xiu to protect me, right?” Jiang Hong thanked him earnestly.

Cao Bin laughed and replied, “I thought you summoned him yourself.”

“He summoned me,” Lu Xiu replied.

“Oh…huh?” Jiang Hong was a little confused.

“Anyway,” Lu Xiu threw the cotton swab into the trash, “we caught what we needed to. You’re safe now. I’ll leave soon. Study hard.”

“Where are you going?” Jiang Hong asked in confusion.

“Back to school,” Lu Xiu said. “What else?”

Cao Bin suddenly found it funny and laughed to himself.

“Oh…” Jiang Hong felt very disappointed and said, “If the demon comes again, I can summon…”

“There aren’t that many demons,” Lu Xiu impatiently said. “Give me the protective charm. You won’t need it anymore.”

Cao Bin said, “I have asked Chongqing’s Exorcist Committee to take care of you for a while. There won’t be any danger anymore. This time, it was our mistake that we involved you.”

“Will you still come to see me?” Jiang Hong asked.

Lu Xiu held a small snuff bottle in his hand, poured out some blue powder, and rubbed it between his slender fingers. Jiang Hong looked at him curiously and suddenly remembered that this was the powder that the drones had spread by the river. Lu Xiu said it could make people forget what they were thinking about… What was he going to do?

Lu Xiu looked up and met Jiang Hong’s gaze, then turned his eyes away.

“Depends on my mood,” Lu Xiu said lightly.

“Is your school still accepting students?” Jiang Hong suddenly asked, watching Cao Bin make coffee.

Silence fell again at the dining table.

Jiang Hong: “???”

“We are,” Cao Bin finally said. “Do you want to come? But you have to wait until next year.”

“Can I?” Jiang Hong asked. “But I don’t know any spells at all.”

“Not knowing is not a problem. You can learn. I didn’t know anything before either,” Cao Bin said.

“Can I learn it?” Jiang Hong asked.

“Maybe? How do you know if you don’t try?” Cao Bin said.

Lu Xiu lazily asked, “Aren’t you afraid of ghosts and demons?”

“I… can overcome it. I will try my best to overcome it. Some demons are not that scary either. Actually, I think the scary atmosphere is more important, just like in horror movies. Many scenes are not that scary, but when the sound effect suddenly goes ‘clang’…” Jiang Hong demonstrated his fear with a shout.

“Don’t shout suddenly!” Lu Xiu said angrily.

After making the coffee, Cao Bin said, “Why do you want to be an exorcist? Is it because it’s fun?”

Lu Xiu said, “I see that you are very brave. Otherwise you wouldn’t dare to stab an S-class ancient beast with a thorn soul underwater?”

“Ah? What is a thorn soul?” Jiang Hong asked.

Cao Bin was a little surprised and said, “Did the sneak attack succeed?”

Lu Xiu nodded.

“Ah…” Jiang Hong avoided Cao Bin and Lu Xiu’s gaze and looked out the window where the sun was shining.

Why? Was it because it was fun? Jiang Hong saw the process of exorcists subduing demons, which was very dangerous, but they were also very brave. Compared with them, he really needed courage. Xu Xuyang also said that he wanted to communicate with his deceased grandmother and wanted to uncover the mystery of life and death.

However, the most important reason might not be any of the above.

“Because… because…” Jiang Hong actually had the answer in his heart a long time ago, but he felt a little embarrassed.

“Because Lu Xiu is also studying there?” Jiang Hong tried hard not to appear too infatuated and said, “If you guys had come earlier, I wouldn’t have to repeat a year.”

Cao Bin said, “Our school is a good one. You really have to work hard. Come, try the coffee I made.”

Jiang Hong looked at Lu Xiu and then at Cao Bin. “Then let him stay and tutor me. I will definitely pass the exam.”

Lu Xiu said sarcastically, “Right. So I don’t need to write my thesis anymore. My life will just revolve around you from now on.”

Cao Bin laughed. “You should ask him that. Don’t you want to try the coffee?”

“Fine…okay.” Jiang Hong picked up the coffee, put it to his mouth, and asked, “What’s the admission score for your school?”

“If he tells you to drink it, then drink it! Where did you get all this nonsense?” Lu Xiu finally got angry.

Jiang Hong: “…”

It was the first time Jiang Hong had seen Lu Xiu so angry. He quickly took a sip.

“Hot!!!” Jiang Hong screamed in despair. “Vice principal, do you really know how to make pour-over coffee? Do you just drink foreign liquor? Oh?”

Suddenly, Jiang Hong vaguely remembered something. He looked at Lu Xiu and then at Cao Bin. After a brief moment of “who am I,” “what do I want to do,” and “why am I here,” the three questions echoed in his mind.

Many memories were jumbled up and came to mind again, like shells that were originally covered by the sea but were left on the beach after the tide receded, shining brightly.

It was like the fog had cleared, the dark clouds were gently blown away by the wind, and the stars in the night sky were faintly visible.

“Why…?” Jiang Hong suddenly remembered everything. “I… I’m not dropping out! Is it still possible for me to go back to school?!”

“Go back to continue military training. Your records haven’t been sent back yet,” Cao Bin said. “The person who’s responsible for clearing your memory is going to be so angry. They have to modify your family and friends’ memories again.”

Lu Xiu threw the pollen into the trash can.

“Pack your bags,” Lu Xiu instructed Jiang Hong. “We’re leaving this afternoon and going back to Xi’an.”

“Oh my god!” Jiang Hong felt incredibly lucky, as if he was the chosen one! “I actually got accepted into Sky University!”

Jiang Hong sat on Lu Xiu’s lap and danced around.

“Get off me!” Lu Xiu said. “You can’t do that at home either!”

Cao Bin said, “Sorry, I’ll be more careful with the coffee temperature next time. I’m leaving now. You can take him back to school.”

Jiang Hong took out the papers from his bag and tore them all up, like a goddess scattering flowers.

Let the prep courses go to hell! From today on, I will go to Hogwarts and become a flying and shining exorcist!

Footnotes

1. Wuzhiqi – a talking gorilla or monkey with aquatic supernatural abilities. According to legend, it had five fingers on each hand, unlike other monkeys, which had only four.

2. Classic of Mountains and Seas – a classic text of Chinese mythology and geography. It is a collection of ancient Chinese stories and legends about various mythical creatures, gods, and heroes, as well as descriptions of different regions and natural phenomena in China.

“Do you work out?”

“Why do you always have so many questions?”

“Do exorcists need physical training? Do you have any sports that you’re good at?”

“Swimming, fencing.”

“Oh, you really seem like someone who exercises regularly.”

The two people were lying side by side on Jiang Hong’s bed. Lu Xiu was wearing Jiang Hong’s bathrobe, revealing his lean chest and abdomen muscles and his white ankles under the robe. He played with his phone boredly while waiting for Xu Xuyang’s message.

Jiang Hong also loved swimming, and in his second year of middle school, his coach even taught him diving. However, he grew too fast in his third year and wasn’t suitable for diving, so he had to give up.

“How many demons are there in China?” Jiang Hong asked.

“Many,” Lu Xiu replied casually.

“How do they become demons through cultivation? Do they have to start with living things? Can cockroaches become demons?” Jiang Hong asked.

“No,” Lu Xiu answered.

“Is it because they’re insects? But why can spiders become demons?” Jiang Hong continued to ask.

“Can trees become demons?” Lu Xiu asked.

“Flowers can, right? Then why can’t vegetables like bok choy become demons? I’ve never heard of broccoli and edamame becoming sentient, have you? They’re all plants. Why can’t they become demons?”

“If a beautiful painting can become a demon, can Mona Lisa and The Guiding Light of the People come to life?”

“Since swords and musical instruments can become sentient beings, why can’t washing machines and dryers?”

“Enough.” Lu Xiu put down his phone and looked at Jiang Hong.

“I really have a lot of questions,” Jiang Hong said.

“The preface of Record of All Things has the answers. It’s in the first book of the People’s Education Press,” Lu Xiu said.

“Is that a textbook for exorcists?” Jiang Hong asked.

“If you major in exorcism, you will learn it,” Lu Xiu said.

“How do dragons fly without wings? They clearly don’t have wings. Do they use jet propulsion? Where do they exhale the gas? Won’t they just fly straight and hit something when they take off? How do they ascend?” Jiang Hong asked.

“…” Lu Xiu didn’t answer.

“The second book of Geomagnetic Aerodynamics,” Lu Xiu said. “Go to sleep.”

It was ten o’clock, and Jiang Hong spoke in the darkness again: “One last question, big brother. Hold her and sleep. She’s my goddess.” He handed Lu Xiu a Fate / Stay Night Saber body pillow.

Lu Xiu’s hand paused on the light switch, looking at Jiang Hong, gesturing for him to ask quickly.

“What do you eat to grow up so handsome? Do you have a girlfriend?” Jiang Hong asked.

Lu Xiu didn’t bother to answer and turned off the light to go to sleep.

In the dark night, Lu Xiu lay quietly. Twenty seconds later, Jiang Hong kicked the blanket off.

Lu Xiu’s long legs stretched out and pulled the blanket back, but Jiang Hong kicked it off again. Lu Xiu pulled it back, and Jiang Hong kicked it off again. This repeated several times.

“What are you doing?” Lu Xiu asked impatiently.

“I’m too hot,” Jiang Hong said. “Let’s talk. I can’t sleep.”

Jiang Hong turned over and sat up, leaning closer to Lu Xiu’s face, full of expectation and ready to ask questions. But Lu Xiu acted decisively and pressed his hand on Jiang Hong’s face.

“Shh,” Lu Xiu whispered in a soft, strange language.

Jiang Hong: “…”

“I still have a question…” Jiang Hong didn’t finish his sentence and collapsed as if he had been drugged.

Lu Xiu helped Jiang Hong lie down, lowered the air conditioning by one degree, and lay down to sleep himself.

Jiang Hong’s vision turned black, but soon it became bright again.

He found himself in a vast underground cave, surrounded by dim blue light. The cave walls were full of embedded grottos that looked like many small windows from a distance.

“Is anyone there?” Jiang Hong shouted. “Where am I?”

The blue light shone on the grottos. Jiang Hong walked closer and saw that almost all of thm had naked “people” in them, and only a few were empty.

These people were sleeping, like artificial beings cultivated in nutrient tanks in science fiction movies. The blue light shone on their naked skin, giving off a strange luster.

It was so strange… but Jiang Hong didn’t feel scared. He turned and walked towards the underground lake in the center of the cave.

“Hurry up!” a voice sounded in his ear.

Jiang Hong suddenly turned his head and saw Lu Xiu. Lu Xiu grabbed his hand and didn’t let him get close to the lake. Suddenly, he pulled Jiang Hong towards himself, hugged him, and turned into a giant beast, carrying Jiang Hong and flying up, breaking through the dome.

Jiang Hong saw that “big and black thing” again, but he didn’t have time to see it clearly. He hugged the giant beast tightly and flew out of the underground.

“What is this?!” Jiang Hong suddenly woke up and found himself hugging Lu Xiu, who was sleeping next to him, tightly with both hands and feet.

Lu Xiu seemed to have not slept at all. His left hand was holding his phone, and his right hand was placed lightly on Jiang Hong’s head.

Jiang Hong moved, and Lu Xiu knew he was awake, so he pushed his head away.

“Oh… it was a dream.” Jiang Hong let go of Lu Xiu, but he could still smell his scent – a mixture of shower gel and the aroma of young, warm skin.

“What did you dream about?” Lu Xiu glanced at him.

“I forgot.” Jiang Hong rubbed his sleepy eyes and tried to remember, but he forgot everything and only knew he had a dream. He looked at the time and was shocked.

“Is it already five in the morning?” Jiang Hong couldn’t believe it.

Lu Xiu made a sound of agreement, and Jiang Hong pulled back the curtains to see a torrential rain outside. This summer, rainfall in Chongqing was unusually high, especially in the past few days.

“Ah, it’s raining so heavily,” Jiang Hong said. “Let’s skip the extra classes today. You already went over the exam questions with me yesterday.”

“Whatever you want,” Lu Xiu replied. He then sat up and crossed his legs, seriously replying to messages on his phone.

Jiang Hong then lay down next to Lu Xiu again, and after rolling around for a few moments said, “Let’s order some takeout. I’m really hungry.”

Lu Xiu suddenly looked at Jiang Hong with hesitation in his eyes.

“What’s wrong?” Jiang Hong asked.

Lu Xiu thought for a moment and said, “I need to go out for a bit. Where are my clothes?”

Lu Xiu went to the bathroom to change, returning in a dress shirt and trousers. He fastened his tie at the bedside while Jiang Hong sat up and asked, “Where are you going? Can I come with you?”

After some hesitation, Lu Xiu finally said, “If you want to come, you have to follow my lead.”

“Okay,” Jiang Hong replied, jumping up to change his clothes. He immediately realized Lu Xiu’s purpose – he was going to hunt demons!

Amidst the pouring rain, Jiang Hong stood outside on the street wearing his morning jogging gear and a hood pulled up to cover his head, holding a large umbrella and waiting at Qixinggang.

A delivery guy on an electric bike came up and shouted, “Lu Ge! Follow us! The boss is waiting for you at the location!”

Behind the delivery guy was a Mercedes.

“We’re going to hunt demons, right?” Jiang Hong asked quietly in the car.

Lu Xiu remained calm and made a “shh” gesture, handing his phone to Jiang Hong to take care of.

Outside the back door of the First Affiliated Hospital of Chongqing Medical University, on Yuanjiagang:

The sky was pitch black, and lightning flashed intermittently. It was 5:40 in the morning, and the breakfast shop near the back door was already open. Xu Xuyang ordered breakfast, and the three of them sat at a small table. Two middle-aged men carrying black briefcases arrived and stood behind Xu Xuyang.

“Are you hungry?” Xu Xuyang greeted them. “Let’s eat breakfast first.”

The shop owner brought over the food, and Xu Xuyang said to the two men behind him, “You guys can sit down too. You’re too conspicuous here. Go eat over there.”

“They’re colleagues,” Xu Xuyang explained. “The director asked us to work together to catch that bat demon. Is it the one that kidnapped you?” he then asked Jiang Hong.

“What did you find out?” Lu Xiu asked.

“We’ve been investigating this bat demon for some time. The company you mentioned, ‘Wuyou Housekeeping’, is one of the hospital’s outsourced cleaning contractors. The bat demon has been hiding in Chongqing Medical University and has been looking for opportunities to suck blood.”

Jiang Hong wanted things to be a little scary, but still within an acceptable range.

“We’ll go to the morgue later.”

Jiang Hong: “……”

Lu Xiu: “What about the monkey demon?”

“The whereabouts of the monkey demon haven’t been found yet,” Xu Xuyang said. “Another group of colleagues went to look for it. Maybe this bat demon can reveal its accomplice. You don’t need to do anything later, just watch.”

Jiang Hong breathed a sigh of relief, but Lu Xiu reminded him, “Be careful.”

It was six o’clock in the morning. The outpatient department was not open yet, and the heavy rain was still pouring down. The place was almost completely dark.

Xu Xuyang’s two exorcist colleagues went up from the back door first, and one of them swiped the card to the safety passage. Jiang Hong followed behind Lu Xiu, feeling a little scared, and stretched out his hand several times. Lu Xiu felt it and turned sideways, letting Jiang Hong grab the sleeve of his long-sleeved shirt.

“If you’re scared, let’s go back first,” Lu Xiu said.

Jiang Hong knew that Lu Xiu wanted him to dispel his fear, and he could also help with identifying the bat demon, so he shook his head.

“It’s okay,” Jiang Hong said, “just a little creepy in the hospital…”

“Hospitals belong to the metal element,” Xu Xuyang, who was responsible for the rear, said, “and the yin energy is heavy, but as long as you are righteous, how does that saying go? You won’t be afraid of ghosts knocking at the door in the middle of the night.”

Jiang Hong laughed. This sentence effectively reassured him.

There was a “creak creak” sound that came from the morgue. The corridor was dimly lit with fluorescent lamps, making the surrounding environment bleak and white.

Fortunately, there were many people this time. Otherwise, Jiang Hong would definitely have yelled for help and fled all the way.

“Relax a little. You’re holding on too tight,” Lu Xiu whispered.

Jiang Hong released a little bit of his grip on Lu Xiu’s sleeve.

After all the arrangements were made, the two exorcists guarded outside the morgue, one on the left and one on the right.

Xu Xuyang stood in front of Lu Xiu and Jiang Hong, with his legs slightly apart.

Jiang Hong thought that it was time to witness magic…

“Exorcists on duty!” A roar startled Jiang Hong. Before he could prepare himself mentally, the two exorcists kicked open the door of the morgue.

A cold mist rushed out. Corpses lay everywhere in the morgue. Many drawers were pulled open, and two uniformed cleaners, a man and a woman, were biting on the corpses, sucking blood. They made a terrible scream when they heard the loud noise, and immediately stood up.

“Aaahh…” Jiang Hong saw so many dead people for the first time and was suddenly frightened. He instinctively wanted to call for help. He grabbed his protective charm, and shouted, “Lu Xiu, Lu Xiu…”

“I’m right here!” Lu Xiu said. “What are you shouting for?”

Those two demons instantly transformed into human-sized giant bats, spreading their wings, and rolling up the heavy steel coffin. They rushed towards the exorcists with a whooshing sound.

One of the exorcists shook a scroll, and a gust of wind rose up, making an endless loud noise. The other exorcist rolled on the ground and entered the mortuary, throwing talismans that automatically adhered to the wall!

“You bastards!” a crazy voice roared, and a bat demon once again transformed into human form. Jiang Hong instantly recognized the middle-aged woman.

“It’s her!” Jiang Hong shouted. “It’s her!”

In the chaos, Lu Xiu said, “Don’t grip so hard. You’ll tear my shirt!!!”

Jiang Hong gripped tighter and even pulled Lu Xiu’s sleeve towards him, tearing his shirt collar and revealing half of Lu Xiu’s chest.

Steel coffins were everywhere, with bodies scattered inside. Jiang Hong hid behind Lu Xiu. Then, the bat demon noticed Jiang Hong and rushed towards him with a terrifying smile. But when it got close, Lu Xiu simply lifted his hand and made a small gesture, uttering a word.

“Shoo.”

The space seemed to be compressed, producing a strange ripple. Silently, it hit the bat demon head-on, and she immediately spurted blood. She vomited all the blood she had been sucking and was thrown back!

“Collect!”

Xu Xuyang held a plastic lunchbox, opened it with a powerful clack, and pointed the uncovered lid towards the first bat demon. A powerful wind sucked the bat demon in, and she rapidly shrank in mid-air, then she was “whooshed” and collected inside the lunchbox.

“Wow–” Jiang Hong saw for the first time that demons could also be collected in lunchboxes. It was so amazing!

Xu Xuyang humbly nodded and pasted a talisman on the lunchbox. The middle-aged female bat demon was still struggling inside the lunchbox, while the other bat demon in the mortuary went crazy and flew around.

The two exorcists rushed in but heard a loud noise.

“Watch out!” Lu Xiu pulled Jiang Hong back, and there were flying talismans everywhere. They did not know what the other bat demon had done, but they saw it suddenly open its mouth, revealing its sharp teeth.

Lu Xiu immediately reached out and decisively blocked Jiang Hong’s ears with his long fingers.

The world was silent for a moment. Jiang Hong turned around in surprise and saw Xu Xuyang and the two exorcists turning around at the same time, covering their ears.

Bats could emit supersonic waves… Jiang Hong suddenly remembered.

The next moment, the floor collapsed under the shock of the supersonic waves. The entire corridor shattered and collapsed!

Lu Xiu’s hands were blocking Jiang Hong’s ears, and for a moment, he was caught off guard. In this closed room, both of them fell together with the exorcists, dropping five floors at once. Dust was flying everywhere as they fell to the fourth floor.

A doctor and patient screamed. At the last moment, Xu Xuyang used a spell to create a barrier, protecting the doors of the hospital rooms on both sides of the corridor.

The fourth floor collapsed again, and Lu Xiu couldn’t free his hand. He kept falling with Jiang Hong, passing the third, second, and first floors. The accident happened in an instant. Jiang Hong saw a car tilted and overturned. He knew he had fallen into the underground parking lot.

The bat demon’s supersonic bombing had not stopped, and the cement floor of the underground parking lot burst open with a bang, plunging them into a hole in the ground!

At the last moment, when the supersonic attack stopped, Lu Xiu hugged Jiang Hong with his left hand and asked him to bury his head in his shoulder. He used the index and middle fingers of his right hand to draw a rune in the air, then slapped it with his palm.

An enormous black flame burst forth and rolled over them. Amidst the chaos, Jiang Hong was dizzy and disoriented, surrounded by darkness and debris. He felt Lu Xiu slowly lowering them to the ground, reducing the impact, and then something heavy exploded above their heads.

When everything finally quieted down, only the sound of their breathing remained. Lu Xiu finally released Jiang Hong, and they slowly stood up.

From the ruins came Xu Xuyang’s groans.

“F**k,” Xu Xuyang said. “It’s a bat king… I underestimated him…”

“Are you okay?” Jiang Hong got up, made sure he and Lu Xiu were okay, and quickly checked on the delivery guy.

No one protected Xu Xuyang when he fell, and he landed heavily, with blood all over his head. He stood up, supporting his left hand and staggering.

“My skills are inadequate, and I’ve made you two laugh,” Xu Xuyang said self-deprecatingly.

“Be careful.” Jiang Hong helped him up.

Lu Xiu took a few steps forward and looked up.

“Where are we?” Lu Xiu said. “The sewer?”

In front of them was a huge and spacious tunnel, but there was no water.

“It should be an air raid shelter,” Xu Xuyang said. “It was built during the war.”

“Right!” Jiang Hong said, “Chongqing has many tunnels like this.”

“I’m much better now, thank you,” Xu Xuyang said.

Jiang Hong turned on his phone’s flashlight and aimed it at the deep darkness. The walls of the tunnel were made of brick and stone.

Lu Xiu looked up at where they had fallen. It was blocked by rocks. He hesitated for a moment and asked, “Are there many people up there?”

“Yes.” Xu Xuyang knew what he wanted to do and quickly stopped him. “The area above is all in the downtown area. We can’t blast a hole out.”

“Then let’s go.” Lu Xiu signaled Jiang Hong to come to his side.

“My two colleagues should be up there, ” Xu Xuyang said. “Let’s find a way out first. Be careful not to run into a bat cave. I suspect their stronghold is here.”

The phone had no signal and couldn’t find its location, so the three of them walked in the direction where the wind was blowing.

The passage was silent.

“I should have studied exorcism instead of paranormal phenomenon analysis.” Xu Xuyang helplessly laughed.

Lu Xiu didn’t answer, walking in the front.

“Are you from Sky University?” Jiang Hong asked.

“You too?” Xu Xuyang said. “My junior.”

Jiang Hong quickly said, “No.”

Lu Xiu seemed to want to interrupt their conversation, but thought about it and didn’t say anything. When he lowered his head, he saw a trail of blood leading deeper into the air raid shelter.

“Walk slowly.” Jiang Hong saw that Xu Xuyang had a broken wrist and was sweating in pain, so he tried to divert his attention and chatted with him. “Why did you choose this major?”

“My grandmother passed away,” Xu Xuyang said. “I wanted to learn a way to communicate with ghosts so I could see her again.”

“Oh…” Jiang Hong became interested and asked, “Have you seen her?”

Xu Xuyang smiled and said, “Life and death is the biggest mystery in the world. I haven’t even learned the basics yet.”

Well, Jiang Hong now understood that ghosts did exist, but why hadn’t he ever encountered one?

“Jiang Hong.” Lu Xiu signaled for him to come to his side, no more idle talk.

It seemed like being an exorcist was indeed a very useful profession, Jiang Hong thought. Maybe he could help his parents live longer and even refine pills or something. Very interesting.

Lu Xiu led the two of them to a fork in the road, and the wind on one side became more pronounced.

On the other side, there were strange, grating sounds, as if countless mice were gnawing on wood.

Lu Xiu looked at Xu Xuyang and judged whether he could still participate in battle.

“You go this way,” Lu Xiu said. “Notify your colleagues to come and capture the demon.”

Xu Xuyang was silent for a moment, then nodded. Lu Xiu turned off his phone light and handed it to Jiang Hong for safekeeping.

“You…” Lu Xiu wanted Jiang Hong to follow Xu Xuyang, but he was a little uneasy and finally said, “You follow me.”

Jiang Hong nodded. Xu Xuyang didn’t insist, and reminded them to stay safe before limping towards the exit.

“He’s seriously injured,” Jiang Hong said softly.

Lu Xiu didn’t reply.

Two minutes later.

Lu Xiu: “Don’t pull my sleeve so hard. Are you scared again? Didn’t you say you’re not afraid when you’re with me?”

Jiang Hong pulled Lu Xiu’s sleeve and his shirt slipped down, revealing his beautiful shoulders and collarbone. They were now tugging back and forth.

“You’re not talking… It’s a bit scary.” Jiang Hong said, “Let’s hurry and get out.”

“What do you want to say? Say it now,” asked Lu Xiu. “Otherwise it will alarm the demons.”

Jiang Hong said, “But bats use supersonic waves. Even if we don’t make a sound, they can still sense us.”

Lu Xiu became impatient, but as they walked, a faint light suddenly appeared ahead.

Turning around the corner, the blue light grew brighter and brighter, and Lu Xiu stopped in his tracks.

There was a cold wind blowing inside the air-raid shelter, echoing throughout the cave. The cave walls were covered with thousands of bats, and there were blood vessel-like cracks on the ground and walls, flickering with a blue light. The blue light surged and pulsed like a heartbeat.

The cracks extended towards the center of the cave, where a huge white-haired gorilla sat, standing three meters tall. Its fur was extremely tough and dripping with water.

Several monkey-like demons were scattered around the gorilla, and in front of it lay a bat with half its wings torn off. The bat’s abdomen heaved, obviously in great pain. It was the bat king that had just been besieged.

Lu Xiu raised his hand to signal Jiang Hong not to move forward, and slowly retreated.

“Leave this place,” Lu Xiu whispered in a low voice.

“Since we’re already here, why do we have to leave?” The huge white-haired gorilla spoke with human words and said calmly, “It seems you know who I am. There aren’t many who know me in this world. Young man, no matter who you are, stay and play with me.”

At that moment, Jiang Hong felt an extremely dangerous atmosphere, as if two killing intents were fighting in the air that he couldn’t see. At the same time, Lu Xiu turned his hand and began to write with his index finger in Jiang Hong’s palm:

[Find a chance to run away. This guy is not easy to deal with.]