Chapter 31: We All Come from the Abyss

A-Wei was slurping down a bowl of snail rice noodles at the shop downstairs when, suddenly, someone occupied the seat across from him.

He assumed it was just another customer and paid it no mind. Halfway through his meal, he felt a gaze fixed upon him that was impossible to ignore. He looked up, met the face of Yan Ye, and was so startled he nearly swallowed his chopsticks whole.

Why was this formidable woman here again? She had always been known for her utter disdain for anyone in the Bureau of Paranormal Affairs.

After wolfing down a few more bites, he grabbed a napkin, wiped his mouth, and let out a resounding burp. "Another mission?"

Yan Ye was still busy trying to convince herself. She was only here to check on A-Wei, whom she had sent to the Bureau as an undercover agent. It was absolutely not because she wanted to know why Xu Zhiting had been injured, how serious it was, or why he had been angry the other day—when, in reality, she was the one who had every right to be mad.

"You’ve been undercover at the Bureau for so many years now. It’s my negligence; I haven't taken good care of you. Are you eating well out here? Are you keeping warm? Is anyone bullying you?"

A-Wei swallowed hard in silence. "Did the Time Grocery Store go out of business?"

Yan Ye shot him a withering look.

"No? Then you're being so gentle all of a sudden, Boss, I’m not used to it. You aren't going to fire me, are you? Tell me! Which little hussy out there has bewitched you? Is he here to take my place?" A-Wei’s aggrieved little face immediately puckered up. "Who’s the new guy? Don't worry, I won't do anything—I just want to meet him and have a nice, long chat about life."

*Snap.* The chopsticks in his hand broke in two.

The landlady happened to pass by and saw it. "You little brat, you’re paying for those chopsticks later!"

Yan Ye thought he was mentally deficient—the kind who could be sent into orbit alongside Jin Yuanbao. Did she really look like someone so irresponsible?

"I came to see you, and to take care of some business."

A-Wei mercilessly exposed her. "You came to take care of business and decided to see me while you were at it, right?"

Yan Ye tilted her head and asked the landlady to cook her a bowl of beef noodles as well. "Add a portion of soybean paste, an egg, and a serving of pig intestine. No greens."

Was she here to eat noodles or just the toppings?

"You’re going to kill yourself eating all that."

"Oh, I forgot the peas! Sister, add a portion of peas and seasoning, too."

The landlady at the noodle station heard the word "sister" and felt her bones go soft. "You got it, honey! Wait just a second, I’ll have it ready for you in a flash."

The bowl served to her was massive, brimming with all sorts of toppings. It made A-Wei’s eyes turn red with envy. Why the double standard? Yan Ye’s bowl looked explosively delicious—chewy noodles paired with the unique seasonings of the Mountain City, spicy and numbing, drizzled with various meat sauces. Every strand was coated in rich, savory gravy.

The aroma was detectable from a distance. One bite was enough to soothe not just the taste buds, but every single nerve in her body.

As the lunch break neared its end, A-Wei had to go back to write his mission report. "This mission was bizarre. The monster could create hallucinations; it nearly caused our entire team to get lost in the forest. Luckily, we had Captain Xu, otherwise, we wouldn't have found a breakthrough so easily. We would have lost several men at the very least. Even the Captain, as strong as he is, ended up injured."

Yan Ye listened, ears pricked, while she ate, speaking with feigned nonchalance. "Is that so? Was he hurt badly?"

A-Wei was a simple soul; he answered whatever he was asked, even spilling things she hadn't inquired about. It saved Yan Ye quite a bit of effort.

"It seemed pretty bad. He lost a lot of blood." In A-Wei’s mind, losing a lot of blood meant death was close at hand. After all, that was how he had died. It was only because of his unique constitution that he could live among humans in his current form without being easily discovered.

Once she finished, Yan Ye walked him to the entrance of the building.

"Alright, this is as far as you go." A-Wei turned and held out his hand. Yan Ye didn't understand his meaning for a moment.

"What?"

"You didn't come here just to see me, and you came empty-handed?" A-Wei’s eyes widened. It felt like if she said no, he would immediately start berating her.

She reached into her pocket and pulled out a lollipop she always carried. "I owe you one; come find me whenever you want it!"

With that, Yan Ye walked into the building before him.

Long after, Yan Ye would think that if she had the power of foresight, she would have wished to turn back time to this very moment. If her heart hadn't softened, she never would have made that promise to A-Wei.

A-Wei looked at the lollipop in his hand, then back at Yan Ye. "Wait, how do you know your way around this building better than I do?"

Yan Ye entered the Bureau of Paranormal Affairs with total confidence. Relying on her memory, she made her way to the floor where Xu Zhiting’s office was located. The floor was completely deserted.

She looked up at the security camera on the ceiling. "If you don't come out, I'm leaving."

Silence reigned for less than ten seconds before a low, raspy voice came through the camera. "Come to the top floor. The code is 815732."

Only Xu Zhiting knew the elevator code for the top floor. Yan Ye took a different elevator that led exclusively to the roof. It was different from the rooftop of any other building; it was fully enclosed. After all, any place with a risk of enemy infiltration had no business being exposed.

The top floor was vast and high. Stepping out of the elevator felt like entering another world. Floating above the dome was a massive, glowing stone. To this day, the Bureau had been unable to determine the purpose of the stone. Yet, there was a lingering sense that it held a world-shattering secret—one inextricably linked to the survival of all humanity.

The energy contained within the stone was measured as infinite. "Infinite" meant boundless; at the very least, current technology could not detect its limits.

A genius, mad scientist had once published a world-shaking statement before he died, claiming he had glimpsed a thread of fate: humanity would face an epic catastrophe in the years to come. This email was released to major social media platforms eighteen hours after his death. It caused a stir for a moment, then seemed to have no impact at all. People continued to live their lives, for one must live before they die. The old guard was still running around the world conducting research.

This wasn't Yan Ye’s first time here. She had gazed at this object countless times. It was so familiar, and they were linked. After all, they both came from the same place.

The vastness was not limited to the cosmos and the galaxy; it also included the unfathomable depths of the abyss and the darkness.

Xu Zhiting emerged from a hidden door behind her. Yan Ye instinctively looked at his hands. They were wrapped messily in gauze, the knots tied loosely, and blood had seeped through, staining the white fabric red. His complexion was poor, his lips pale. Standing there, he possessed a fragile beauty.

"Your injury..."

"A small wound. It’s nothing. Come in." Xu Zhiting turned, stumbled, and nearly fell. Yan Ye reached out instinctively to steady him.

Yan Ye frowned. "Are you sure it’s really a small wound?"

Xu Zhiting nodded, pressed his lips together, and stubbornly pushed her away without a word.

Yan Ye’s temper flared instantly. Her tone turned cold. "You’d better think about this. If you push me away this time, I won't help you anymore!"

The hand that should have pulled away slowly tightened, firmly gripping her arm.

"Then you’d better think about this, too: if I don't let go this time, then from now on..."

From now on... he could never let go again.