On the surface, Jiang Huai appeared calm, but inside, he was panicking.
Are all women this sensitive?
He had been so careful just now, so how did she still notice?
Click —
Jiang Huai felt something press against his waist.
Looking down, it was the handle of a dagger.
"The Night Demon Patrol's Jiang Huai," the woman said, her voice sharp, "I thought something was off about you last time. This man clearly began to accelerate his transformation after you got close, but now his condition seems stable. Can you explain that?"
Jiang Huai smiled and said, "I can't, because I already explained it. It's just a coincidence."
Mo Yu slowly closed the distance between them, close enough that Jiang Huai could feel her breath.
The faint fragrance of her scent and the shampoo smell in her hair made Jiang Huai want to step back.
But the wall was behind him; if he took another step, he'd probably leave a mark on it, making it even harder to explain.
"You say your ability is rapid regeneration, but what you've shown me looks more like a mental or perceptual awakening ability."
The dagger handle pressed a little harder.
"Do you remember what you said to me in the movie theater last time?"
Mo Yu looked Jiang Huai directly in the eyes. "You told me to watch out for things behind monsters' heads. So, what exactly did you see that I didn't?"
Sigh.
Jiang Huai didn't even know that he was the only one who could see those threads. Otherwise, he would've never mentioned it.
He didn't expect her to have such a sharp memory.
"Sorry, Mo Yu, but I don't think you have the right to interrogate me. First of all, we're not from the same organization. Besides, we're both awakened beings."
"Even if, hypothetically, I've hidden my abilities, it's because I didn't want to draw too much attention."
"There are people I owe in the Night Demon Patrol, and I don't want other organizations to interfere with me. Do you understand what I mean?"
Jiang Huai's mind raced.
He was clear that even if Mo Yu suspected something, it was still just a suspicion.
As long as she still saw him as an awakened being, as human, their positions wouldn't be opposed.
Mo Yu raised an eyebrow, surprised at how calm a new awakened being could be in this situation.
She had planned to say something else, but suddenly, the dagger handle brushed against something hard.
"Damn." At the same time, Jiang Huai let out a muffled groan.
Mo Yu tilted her head, confused.
Wasn't she holding the dagger handle? What was that hard thing just now?
She looked down instinctively.
"...Pervert. How could you think of that in this situation?"
Mo Yu took a step back, spinning the dagger in her hand, the blade now pointing at Jiang Huai's neck.
Her gaze turned colder, yet there was a hint of bashfulness in her eyes. Jiang Huai quickly raised his hands, signaling helplessness.
"It's a normal reaction. You were standing too close."
"..."
The girl wore a mask, but Jiang Huai could sense she was probably blushing.
"Anyway, like you said, as long as you stand on the human side, I won't make things difficult for you..."
After saying that, Mo Yu withdrew the dagger and grabbed the trembling man from the ground.
The man shot Jiang Huai a pleading look.
"What will you do with him?"
Jiang Huai asked in confusion.
"His transformation has stabilized. If we take him to the Awakening Society now, he might still be saved."
"I've heard the name 'Awakening Society' more than once. What exactly do they do?"
Mo Yu looked at Jiang Huai and realized he really didn't know, so she lowered her voice.
"They're a gathering place for mental-type awakened beings, a group of clergy. Though I don't particularly like them, they do have some skills."
"For early-stage infected, they can eliminate the core within the infected's body."
Which meant...
The transformation could indeed be reversed.
Jiang Huai became more determined in his previous thought—if he could master control over infected beings, maybe he could do the same.
Mo Yu didn't seem inclined to continue the conversation.
She grabbed the man by the collar and turned to leave.
But when she reached the alleyway, Mo Yu stopped and glanced at Jiang Huai.
"Do you know about Yue Qinshan and Du Qinghong?"
"Old Du and Teacher Yue? What happened to them?"
Seeing that Jiang Huai seemed unaware, Mo Yu shook her head. "Nothing. Just focus on learning from the priest while you can."
The priest was Yue Qinshan's codename, but Jiang Huai could clearly tell what Mo Yu was hinting at.
But the girl's movements were too fast; by the time Jiang Huai processed it, she had already disappeared at the alley's entrance.
...
When Jiang Huai finished buying groceries and returned home, it was already getting dark.
At the bottom of the apartment building, he saw a man squatting by the hallway, smoking.
"Teacher Yue?"
As he walked closer, he saw Yue Qinshan's signature cowboy hat.
"Here to take a dump?"
"Get lost. I've been waiting for you for ages. You skipped out of school and didn't come home. Where the hell did you sneak off to?!"
Jiang Huai then told Yue Qinshan about the infected person he encountered in the pedestrian street and Mo Yu.
Of course, he didn't mention Zhou Qin.
When Yue Qinshan heard that Mo Yu had sensed something odd about Jiang Huai's powers, he furrowed his brow.
He squatted in the hallway, took a deep drag from his cigarette, then stood up.
"That young lady's background is complicated. Do you know her codename?"
Jiang Huai shook his head. "Blood Falcon."
"Her personal abilities are quite impressive. It's said that not many people have ever seen her actually use her awakened powers."
Jiang Huai was surprised.
"So, the fight at the movie theater, she didn't use her awakening powers at all?"
Yue Qinshan nodded. "Mo Yu's training with the Mo family was hellish. She wandered outside for some unknown reason when she was young, and was only brought back at seven."
"The family didn't take her back out of kindness, but because they saw her potential and turned her into a weapon."
"Mo Yu didn't disappoint them. She became a five-star awakened at a young age and even became the captain of the Fearless elite squad."
Jiang Huai nodded, his curiosity about Mo Yu growing. When Yue Qinshan mentioned she had wandered alone when she was younger, something from his own past flashed in his mind.
Didn't his family once take in a homeless boy?
But that boy was a little boy, wasn't he? It was so long ago, Jiang Huai couldn't quite remember.
All he remembered was that the boy liked to follow him around wherever he went, like a little tail.
Jiang Huai found it annoying, but once, when the boy was chased by two wild dogs, Jiang Huai had beaten them off with a stick and saved him.
Oh right.
Jiang Huai suddenly remembered. He had even teased the boy, calling him a crybaby, like a girl.
A few months later, the boy's family came and took him away.
Now that he thought about it, he wondered what happened to that boy. Maybe he should ask his parents when he had time.
When Jiang Huai zoned out, Yue Qinshan flicked his lighter against his bangs.
Startled, Jiang Huai quickly took a step back.
"Teacher Yue, my hair doesn't regenerate that fast. Please don't scare me."
"Hahaha, you brat, were you thinking about Mo Yu and lost in thought? Don't worry, I'm open-minded. You and Little Lu aren't a real couple. Fair competition!"
Jiang Huai scratched his head. "Stop joking, Teacher Yue. Let's go upstairs and sit."
"No thanks." Yue Qinshan waved his hand.
"Actually, next Friday is Little Lu's birthday. I don't really know when her actual birthday is, but next Friday marks the day I saved her from the ruins, so we've been celebrating it on that day every year."
"You're really stingy. A hairpin for her birthday, and you don't even know how many years it's been."
Hearing Jiang Huai's teasing, Yue Qinshan turned red for once.
He awkwardly chuckled. "That was the first birthday gift I gave her. I didn't expect her to hold onto it all this time."
"Stop looking at me like that," Yue Qinshan quickly explained when he noticed Jiang Huai's mischievous look.
"I came to ask if you're free tomorrow morning to go shopping for her birthday gift."
"Next Friday is her 18th birthday. I don't want to be so careless this time."
Jiang Huai was a bit surprised to hear that Lu Wan Yin wasn't even 18 yet and had already started college.
"Why do you want me to come with you?" Jiang Huai asked with a smile.
"Well... you young people know what's in fashion. I don't know what the kids like these days."
After thinking for a moment, Jiang Huai said, "Sure, I'm buying fish tomorrow. Oh, Teacher Yue, I'm hosting lunch for my parents tomorrow at my place. You should come."
"Hahaha, that's a bit inappropriate. You're eating with your parents. Why drag me into it?"
"Lu Wan Yin will be there, and she's my girlfriend. If you're there too, it'll be perfect!"
Actually, Jiang Huai just said it casually.
He didn't think Yue Qinshan would accept the invitation, since he didn't seem like the type who'd enjoy such occasions.
But to his surprise, Yue Qinshan nodded after taking a drag from his cigarette.
"Hehe, in that case, I'll wear my best suit tomorrow. I can't embarrass my girl!"
Jiang Huai smiled and patted Yue Qinshan on the shoulder. "Teacher Yue, you've already got style. You're the coolest old guy I've ever seen."
"You little brat, call me 'Big Brother'!"
"Alright, alright, Big Brother."
Yue Qinshan looked up at the night sky outside the hallway, then sighed.
"Alright, Jiang Huai, I'm leaving. Don't worry about Lu. She usually works as a cashier at the supermarket when she's not home late. That girl may not say it, but she's actually very sensible... Alright, I'm off. Keep the gift shopping a secret. Don't let Lu know."
As Jiang Huai watched Yue Qinshan's figure leave, he suddenly felt that the ever-optimistic man seemed a bit lonely at that moment.
How much did he carry on his shoulders?
And was he close to reaching his breaking point...?