IWBL: Chapter 245

The next day, Xiao Li was packing his luggage. He said he was packing but he didn’t have anything to bring. He just placed a few changes of clothing for him and Shen Chenzhi in the suitcase and it was over.

The news was being broadcasted on TV. The host’s polite smile looked a bit solemn. “Recently, the country and even the world has continued to experience heavy rains. The temperature is obviously abnormal. It is expected to last for at least a week. Major universities across the country have suspended classes. Citizens and friends, please be sure to reduce the time you go out…”

Xiao Li turned on his phone and sent a message to Wang Huai. [The train at 3 p.m.]

Scrolling up in their chat record, the conversation went like this:

At 4 o’clock in the morning: [Sherlock, have you seen the new task? We have all been attacked to varying degrees. the reincarnators are okay but ordinary people are…]

[Night hinted to me that she won’t intervene.]

Xiao Li hadn’t woken up at the time. Around 7 in the morning, Wang Huai sent another message: [If you have time, come to the Yun Province. Something has happened here.]

[A mansion here is out of control and spread to the entire city. It is more serious and has spread faster than any other place known so far. I think it is very likely there are some secrets hidden here.]

A little while later, Xiao Li replied to Wang Huai: [The address. I’ll book a ticket.]

[Does this count as an official business trip? Are the tickets reimbursed?]

Wang Huai: [……]

It was only at this time that he remembered Sherlock was a young man without a job.

On the other hand, Wang Huai had to admit that he sighed with relief after Xiao Li had promised to come over. He gave an address and contact information before giving a reminder: [Don’t take the plane. The planes are out of service in this weather. Take the train.]

Shen Chenzhi opened the door at this time.

“Let’s go.” Xiao Li set up the automatic feeder for the only white cat staying at home. He teased it twice before standing up. Shen Chenzhi took the suitcase in Xiao Li’s hand. Then he saw that Xiao Li was wearing a thin shirt and held his shoulder.

Xiao Li looked back blankly. “What’s the matter?”

“Add a coat,” Shen Chenzhi told him.

Xiao Li argued. “It isn’t cold.”

Shen Chenzhi’s words were simple. “It’s raining.”

Once Xiao Li’s shirt got wet, it would stick to his body and look like he wasn’t wearing it. He insisted so even though Xiao Li didn’t feel cold, he didn’t intend to argue. He grabbed a black coat from the hanger in the living room and walked out of the room.

Xiao Li was walking downstairs when his phone rang. He glanced at the caller and paused for a moment. Shen Chenzhi was walking beside him and noticed his movements. “What is it?”

Xiao Li said nothing and pressed to hang up. However, the other side called constantly. Finally, he answered and Xiao Yuzheng’s voice was heard. “Xiao Li.”

Xiao Li stared out of the corridor casually. The rain fell on layers of fog. He didn’t like this type of weather. “Hmm?”

“Be careful these days.” Xiao Yuzheng didn’t speak immediately. It was as if he didn’t know what to say to his son whom he hadn’t seen for a long time. In the end, he said with concern, “Dad has heard a lot of news. It isn’t peaceful and many people have run into ghosts.”

He might be afraid that Xiao Li wouldn’t believe in gods and ghosts. He added, “Besides, it is raining heavily outside. Don’t go out and stay at home.”

Xiao Li held his phone in one hand and the Eternal Soul Umbrella in the other. “It is very heavy but I’m about to walk into the rain.”

He ignored Xiao Yuzheng’s words, hung up the phone, put his phone into his pocket and walked out of the corridor. He stood in the rain, turned his head toward Shen Chenzhi and motioned for him to stand under the umbrella.

Just then, the rain from the sky became his foil and he was the only colour in the gloomy wall.

Shen Chenzhi couldn’t hold back. He stepped forward and held the other person’s hand that was holding the umbrella. Half his shoulder was exposed to the rain as he leaned over to kiss Xiao Li.

***

The train moved through the rain.

Almost no one was going to such a remote place in this type of weather. Xiao Li and Shen Chenzhi occupied the entire carriage but Shen Chenzhi had to sit next to Xiao Li.

The signal on the train wasn’t good. Xiao Li had nothing to do so he simply spread out the little yellow book on the table in front of him, playing with the light black crystal he received from Zui Tian.

Shen Chenzhi was ignored by him and finally couldn’t help saying, “Baby, what are you thinking about?”

This was the first time Shen Chenzhi let out the words in his heart. Xiao Li was stunned. It was the first time someone had called him in such a tone except for his mother.

“…Don’t call me that.” Xiao Li recovered. He took a pen to draw a well on the yellow notebook and added a layer of planks to the top of the well. “I was thinking about how to block the well.

It was worth mentioning that although Xiao Li wanted to draw a well, it ended up looking like a strangely shaped wooden barrel due to his own drawing skills. However, Shen Chenzhi still felt that it was cute. Shen Chenzhi gave appropriate advice. “Since it is a leak, it is most appropriate to plug it with the original fragments.”

“You mean this thing?” Xiao Li spread open his hands.

Before Shen Chenzhi could answer, Xiao Li spoke again, “I had already guessed it. Since it could increase Zui Tian’s power and it fell from the sky, it should be some type of incarnation of chaos power. I have spoken to Atlantis. If we can gather enough of it, we can consider using it to repair the well.”

“However, I’m wondering something. Is it only the god of the underworld who wants the core of reality? What about the other gods? Death, lies, night…”

“They are waiting for an opportunity,” Shen Chenzhi spoke coldly. “However, if the other gods make a move before reality is completely destroyed then I will cut off their hands.”

***

There was heavy rain in the Yun Province. It was much heavier than the city where Xiao Li was located. It was as if there was a hole in the sky. Violent raindrops hit the city like hail. The ground was covered with puddles and there were few pedestrians near the train station.

Xiao Li and Shen Chenzhi walked out of the station and found Wang Huai was already waiting. Seeing Xiao Li, he stopped talking to the people around him and waved. It was very lively around Wang Huai. Most of them were faces that were familiar to Xiao Li. In addition to Ye Zeqing and Ye Lingshi, there was a young girl looking at Xiao Li with excitement. She greeted him, “Moriarty, do you remember me?”

Xiao Li took a look at her and found her identity in his memories. She was a plot character from the ghost ship instance. “Luo Shan.”

He hadn’t expected Luo Shan to come here. She was fundamentally different from other people. She was a character in the ghost ship’s plot but at the end of the task, she was absorbed into reality and became a reincarnator.

Luo Shan seemed to see Xiao Li’s question and didn’t shy away from it. She told him honestly, “I wanted to come.”

“From the moment I became a reincarnator and realized I was just a character in an instance, I struggled and felt lost. Finally, I decided to live for myself.” Luo Shan continued. “However, now I understand that reality isn’t the ‘reality’ I imagined. It will become an instance world and every instance was once a reality. After becoming a plot character, there will be a rare opportunity to become the next ‘reincarnator’ in reality.”

Luo Shan declared, “I want to change everything. I want to join you.”

Next to Luo Shan was a tall, black-haired woman. She had wavy hair and attractive features. She had obviously partnered with Luo Shan many times. At this time, she faced Luo Shan and said, “She is worthy of trust.”

Xiao Li didn’t know her so Wang Huai pointed and introduced her. “Gong Mingming, you can call her Mystery.”

Gong Mingming smiled. “Sherlock, Moriarty or Hercule, what should I call you?”

“Anything is fine.”

This goddess on the forum was obviously very interested in Xiao Li. She had been obviously studying Xiao Li and now she smiled. “Then I’ll call you Sherlock. This is your original name.”

Xiao Li nodded nonchalantly.

“This is?” Her gaze shifted to Shen Chenzhi’s body. Sherlock’s boyfriend had been a hot topic in the forum recently but Gong Mingming hadn’t had time to look at the forum. She didn’t know about Shen Chenzhi yet. Shen Chenzhi himself wasn’t very famous in the reincarnators forum. He was low-key and didn’t complete the tasks.

In order to avoid trouble, Xiao Li replied, “Family.”

This word immersed Shen Chenzhi’s heart in a warm current. He had been cold due to seeing too many people surrounding Xiao Li. Now he was warmed up by the word and his lips curved in a smile. “Yes, I’m a family member accompanying him.”

Gong Mingming was taken aback. She immediately understood Xiao Li’s meaning but didn’t say anything. She just replied generously, “It is a good match.”

Ye Zeqing hurriedly grabbed Xiao Li’s elbow and whispered in Xiao Li’s ear. “Didn’t you say previously that you weren’t together? When did it happen?”

Xiao Li stared at him in an expressionless manner.

After the short greeting time, Wang Huai clapped his hands. “Okay, back to the topic. Time is running out so we’ll talk as we go.”

The scene fell silent. His words were clearly addressed to Xiao Li. The others had come one step ahead and already knew more or less. Xiao Li followed them to the car parked outside the train station and they were divided into two cars. Xiao Li, Shen Chenzhi, Wang Huai and Ye Zeqing sat in the same car while Wang Huai drove. The windshield wipers kept working but the continuous rain still blocked Wang Huai’s sight. Therefore, the speed of the car was very slow.

This was Xiao Li’s first visit to this city. It was close to the edge of the country and was a famous tourist destination. It was just that the weather meant tourists were quite scarce.

Xiao Li stared out the window and saw foreign style houses, tall buildings, majestic mountains and beautiful scenery. Almost all the residents were indoors and there were no pedestrians on the road.

Wang Huai spoke as he drove. “The house we are going to belongs to the Sun family. Their family comes from a spiritual place and they are a famous ghost catcher family, even older than the Ye family. However, contact has been lost with the Sun family since last night.”

“There was constant crying from the Sun family’s ancient house. At first, it was only heard by the passersby. Later, this crying spread through the entire city.”

“I heard the news and immediately rushed over. I knocked on the Sun family’s door and someone responded, but their reaction was very strange.”

Xiao Li heard up to here and finally opened his mouth. “How strange?”

“They didn’t want to let me in.” Wang Huai replied. “The first time I came there, they used the excuse of ‘nothing happened’ to close the door. Later, the crying lasted a long time and I took many people with me. They could only let me stay temporarily but they refused to say the reason for the crying.”

Xiao Li closed his eyes. “I don’t hear crying.”

“It’s stopped now,” Wang Huai explained. “Five hours ago.”

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