Zhu Shi 2

Let's continue talking about Zhuang Cheng, though this topic still needs to start with my brother's story.

Although our family originally intended to pass down the family magic tools to my brother, he was actually not well-received at home.

Or rather, it was precisely because he wasn't well-received that he was initially chosen as the successor.

The skill level of the Zhu family's Demon Hunters has been declining generation by generation. By my grandfather's time, they had already planned to withdraw from the Demon Hunter world.

However, withdrawing isn't something that can be done overnight. The Zhu family still had some unresolved conflicts and debts of gratitude in the Demon Hunter world, requiring either me or my brother to carry the banner as a transition. My grandfather was weary and apprehensive of the Demon Hunter world, so he instead prepared to place this dangerous responsibility on my brother.

My brother's position in the family was awkward. Our father was a man who married into the family, and my brother was my father's illegitimate son from an affair. My mother was greatly favored by my grandfather, so naturally, my grandfather detested my father's infidelity and couldn't look upon my brother favorably either.

Logically speaking, since my brother was to become the family's Demon Hunter, the family should have been indebted to him. Putting on a sour face was inappropriate. Moreover, the blame should lie with my father. But just because one understands something rationally doesn't mean one can handle it emotionally. My grandfather was the type of person who wasn't good at hiding his affections and dislikes. And my father had been missing for many years, making it impossible to settle accounts with him, leaving my grandfather's accumulated anger with nowhere to vent.

Under these circumstances, my brother was naturally incredibly depressed. From high school, he developed a bad habit of acting recklessly with his disreputable friends, which caused me to drift further away from him. After he entered university, his behavior only worsened.

As his reckless behavior escalated, the trouble he caused outside naturally piled up. I only heard about what happened later: he was apparently hired by someone, had his head covered, and was kidnapped to the wilderness, where he was beaten severely.

The beating didn't break his bones, not because he was tough or because his attackers showed mercy, but because halfway through the beating, someone intervened and saved him.

That person who drew his sword to help was Zhuang Cheng, who was investigating clues for a strange event in the wilderness at the time.

It was only then that the two truly got to know each other. Before that, my brother had only known of Zhuang Cheng. Being rescued by the person he had been so eagerly following, my brother was naturally grateful and took the initiative to befriend him. Their relationship was probably quite good during this period.

Good times don't last. Not long after, Zhuang Cheng learned about all the bad things my brother had done in the past and even witnessed him doing them. This time, Zhuang Cheng intervened to help the victim, beat him up, and severed ties with him on the spot.

This incident dealt a heavy blow to my brother. Later, he reflected deeply, changed himself bit by bit, and finally re-established a friendship with Zhuang Cheng.

The two are now very close friends, at least that's what my brother boasts to me. I don't know if it's true.

I was very happy about my brother's transformation and also immensely grateful to Zhuang Cheng.

At the same time, I also felt a sense of unease.

Zhuang Cheng might very well encounter true supernatural beings in the future. While ordinary people living honest lives wouldn't easily encounter them, "dishonest people" like Zhuang Cheng might have already had related experiences... It's not just these past two or three years when strange events have become frequent; perhaps he had already encountered supernatural incidents in his childhood. Otherwise, how could he be so unwavering in his pursuit of clues related to these strange events?

His junior high school classmates mentioned that he used to stare intently at candles obsessively, as if possessed by something unclean... Could this eccentric behavior also be a manifestation of influence from some external supernatural force?

More importantly, would he bring danger to those around him in the future?

To confirm this, I personally went to meet him through my brother's connection.

It was the Winter Solstice in '22. I was in my third year of high school then and planned to enroll in Xianshui University, where my brother and Zhuang Cheng were. The meeting place was set at a commercial center near Xianshui University. The excuse used was "going to a newly opened hot pot restaurant nearby." I met him and my brother by the steaming hot pot table.

Seeing is believing. Just by looking at his appearance, no one would imagine him to be a madman with a mind full of fantastical ideas.

He wore a black turtleneck wool sweater, with his down jacket hung on the back of the chair. He wasn't on his phone but was intently watching the heating white broth of the hot pot, seemingly lost in thought. At first glance, from his looks to his attire, he was no different from an ordinary college student on the street.

If I had to find something special, it would be that he seemed very self-absorbed and didn't pay much attention to the surrounding reality. He was likely the type of person who would easily get lost in his inner world.

But was this really a special trait? Most young people are like this, aren't they?

When I walked over, he just glanced at me before his attention returned to the hot pot. I understood; I also really wanted to eat hot pot. When eating hot pot with friends, I'm more focused on eating than chatting.

"My sister's here," my brother said, introducing me from across the table. "Little sis, this is Zhuang Cheng. Acheng, this is my sister, Zhu Shi."

Seeing Zhuang Cheng's gaze shift back to me, I recalled his many "unromantic" actions from the past and a sense of reverence and a desire to keep my distance naturally arose. I couldn't help but say, "Senior Brother Zhuang, hello. I'm Zhu Shi."

He was first taken aback, then said, "Junior Sister Zhu... No, Zhu Shi, you can just call me Zhuang Cheng."

"Okay..."

Unless the other person is an elder, I generally prefer to call them by their name.

However, in daily life, I try to act like an ordinary person. The problem is, I don't know what it's like to have grown up as an ordinary person. I forget who said it before, but when someone imitates a role they're unfamiliar with, they often exhibit stereotypes of that role. My portrayal of my everyday self is based on the weak, helpless women I've read about in online novels, and sometimes I overdo it.

In other words, uh, how to explain it, but people in my class would say I'm a bit "girly" or "flirty." Unlike when I'm working as a Demon Hunter, my speaking voice in daily life is rather high-pitched and affected. By the time I realized this was a problem, it was deeply ingrained. Those who are genuine might not understand that it takes a significant psychological effort for a person to go against the "persona" they've already established.

"Senior Brother Zhuang, have you ever seen ghosts or monsters before?"

During the meal, I found an opportunity and asked the question that was the purpose of my visit.

Zhuang Cheng didn't correct me again but shook his head regretfully. "No, not once."

"Really?" I was skeptical.

"I wish it were false," he said with a helpless twitch of his lips. His expression of returning empty-handed didn't seem faked.

I still found it hard to believe.

Although I wasn't as enthusiastic as my brother, I had continued to investigate Zhuang Cheng, and the results were puzzling. In this era where the supernatural was becoming increasingly active, Zhuang Cheng seemed to have made no progress on the path of investigating ghost stories.

I had also visited places where he had conducted investigations. Those places weren't entirely free of anomalies; some even harbored demons that were openly causing trouble. Yet, he managed to narrowly miss them every time, as if... as if the supernatural events themselves feared him.

Was that even possible?

Or was it purely because he was incredibly lucky that he had remained unharmed until today?

I was more inclined to believe that he was hiding his experiences.

However, after repeated attempts to probe, my heart increasingly leaned towards the conclusion that "everything he said was the truth."

Afterward, I tried to persuade him to give up investigating ghost stories. Clearly, my persuasion couldn't shake his resolve, which he had held for many years. Similarly, I couldn't persuade my brother to cut ties with him; my brother was practically his die-hard fan in private.

I had no choice but to exchange contact information with him. I used the excuse of checking on my brother's recent situation to chat with him online, gather information about his activities, and closely monitor his movements. Although we met in person infrequently, we communicated a lot online.

Before I knew it, I had also developed a considerable sense of closeness towards him.

Contrary to rumors, he wasn't a reckless madman who feared no taboos. Instead, he was a young man with ample reason and conscience, who simply loved ghost stories more than anyone else and occasionally performed acts of chivalry.

At least, that's what I believe.

That's why I believe even more that he shouldn't be dragged into the supernatural... into the dangers of our world.

He is also someone I, as a Demon Hunter, must protect.

Then, last night, my brother told me about the "cave."

I didn't know until then that he had recently moved into a house where a Fallen Demon Hunter had committed crimes. But since I couldn't reveal my identity as a Demon Hunter in front of him, I had no choice but to ask Agent Kong to investigate the truth first.

Unexpectedly, Agent Kong not only confirmed the existence of the cave and the ritual array but also brought me another shocking piece of news—my brother had taken Zhuang Cheng to see the cave and the ritual array with his own eyes.

The unexpected turn of events almost made me black out.

It wasn't Zhuang Cheng who brought the supernatural incident to my brother, but my brother who brought the supernatural incident to Zhuang Cheng?

Brother, what are you doing, brother?

Given my brother's timid and fearful nature, he likely wouldn't approach that cave on his own. But what about Zhuang Cheng? He must have already become interested in investigating the cave. With such a clear supernatural event, someone like him would absolutely not turn a blind eye.

Although I heard the cave disappeared temporarily, since it has appeared a second time, it will definitely appear a third, fourth time... not long from now. What if, in order to investigate the cave, he chooses to risk entering it himself...

No, no, no, that's still impossible.

Even for someone as persistent as him, he wouldn't enter such an unknown realm, knowing that the entrance and exit could disappear at any moment, risking not being able to return.

Just in case, after daybreak when other Demon Hunters come to relieve me, I will immediately go and deal with the cave supernatural incident.

I am a Demon Hunter of Luoshan, and Zhuang Cheng is also my friend now. Even for personal reasons, I must protect his life and save him from potential supernatural risks.