Getting Acquainted

Inside the restroom.

After taking care of certain physical needs, Yang Chu walked to the sink and turned on the tap.

After sitting in the library for most of the day, although he had not consumed much water or food, maintaining the normal operation of his body's circulation, digestion, and other systems still required him to expel waste like an ordinary person.

The difference was that this metabolism, which ordinary people remained completely unaware of, had gradually become controllable for him.

After washing his hands, Yang Chu raised his head and once again looked at that familiar yet unfamiliar face.

His gaunt face showed faint red veins of fatigue in his eyes, and the bags beneath them had become more pronounced.

Perhaps because his brain had remained alert without rest since he awoke after crossing over last night, or perhaps because reading all kinds of books in the library today had consumed too much energy, Yang Chu could vaguely feel a touch of dizziness.

Though the dizziness was mild, it made him feel somewhat detached from control over his breathing, circulation, walking, and bodily movements.

Yang Chu scooped up another handful of water and splashed it over his face.

The cold water ran over his cheeks. This method of waking oneself up when sleepy, so effective for ordinary people, barely stimulated Yang Chu.

He could control his own nervous system. Whether it was pain or any other stimulation, he could block it with his brain.

"Hmm?"

As his fingers passed through the stream of water, Yang Chu suddenly recalled something from the books he had read today. His eyes lit up slightly. "Perhaps I can try this method."

When he left the restroom, Yang Chu saw that the lights in many areas of the library had already been switched off. Only a few lamps near the entrance remained lit.

Passing through rows upon rows of bookshelves, Yang Chu reached the entrance and saw Xu Xi, who worked at the library, sitting at an empty table. He was eating takeout with a spoon in one hand while reading a book with the other.

The title was the very book Yang Chu had seen earlier, Why We Are Born Here.

"Studying so hard? You're even reading while eating."

Yang Chu walked over and sat in a seat beside Xu Xi.

"I'm alone anyway. If I eat here, I can read a little longer."

Xu Xi smiled and put down Why We Are Born Here, then pointed at a lunch box on the table beside him. "I ordered an extra one for a late-night snack. If you don't mind..."

"Of course."

Yang Chu reached out and picked up the meal box from the table. He could see the other man's goodwill, even the tactful way he had accounted for the possibility that Yang Chu might refuse.

Inside was an ordinary fast-food meal: a serving of rice, half a goose leg, and several vegetables.

Yang Chu did not immediately pick up his chopsticks. Instead, he extended a hand toward Xu Xi and said seriously, "Yang Chu."

A bright smile appeared on Xu Xi's face, and he gave his name once more. "Xu Xi."

Now that they had formally gotten acquainted, Xu Xi watched Yang Chu pick up some greens with his chopsticks and said, "Actually, I've been at this library for a long time, but I rarely see anyone read as intently as you do, especially the kinds of books you were reading."

"You've read them all? That's a broad range of reading. Any insights?"

Yang Chu slowly took a mouthful of rice, looking slightly surprised.

The books he had leafed through that afternoon were all about sleep and the subconscious. To be honest, it was not as though nobody read such books, but certainly not many did.

"Not really. I'm just trying to find a feeling."

Xu Xi's spoon seemed to pause. Then he suddenly displayed his usual shy smile. "Eat first. Just eat."

"I'm about to close up. If you like reading, you can borrow a few books."

After they finished their fast food, Xu Xi got up to dispose of the meal boxes, then spoke to Yang Chu, who was standing nearby.

"No need. I'll come again tomorrow." Yang Chu shook his head.

By the time they left the Municipal Building, night had completely fallen. Lights from all kinds of signs flickered along the streets, traffic flowed back and forth, and crowds packed the sidewalks.

"Then I'll be heading home first." Xu Xi said goodbye to Yang Chu.

"Thanks for the meal." Yang Chu nodded, but just before the other man left, he suddenly asked, "By the way, do you know where there's a swimming pool nearby?"

"The Sham Shui Po Public Swimming Pool isn't far from here."

Xu Xi did not ask why Yang Chu was looking for a swimming pool. He merely pointed down the road ahead. "Walk about 170 meters along this road, turn left onto Un Chau Street, walk another 250 meters, turn right onto Tonkin Street, then walk another five or six hundred meters and you'll be there."

"Alright. If I don't die, I'll come again tomorrow."

Yang Chu waved and headed in the direction Xu Xi had indicated.

"Other than that time when his foot went numb and his heartbeat suddenly sped up, it's been exactly one heartbeat every second, one breath every four heartbeats. Not even the slightest change. Precise as a machine. Interesting!"

Outside the Municipal Building, Xu Xi watched Yang Chu's departing back and murmured with a smile. Then he shook his head, turned, and merged into the crowd behind him.

"He seems like someone with a story."

Walking through the bustling streets, Yang Chu also felt that Xu Xi, whom he had met at the library, was not so simple.

Whether it was because his subconscious had vanished or for some other reason, Yang Chu had become more perceptive whenever he actively observed or approached someone.

He could tell that beneath Xu Xi's shy, gentle face seemed to lie an indescribably unusual temperament.

If he had to compare it to something, it was a little like the natural grace that came from a mind full of poetry and books. Yet although Xu Xi looked scholarly on the outside, that was not quite it either.

It seemed more like a peace and composure hidden in his bones. Nothing and no one around him could easily move him. He was like a deep pool—no matter what happened outside, he remained unruffled.

The sound of clubs striking flesh rang out.

Inside an enclosed warehouse, seven or eight burly, fierce-looking young men surrounded two battered figures on the floor, punching and kicking them without pause.

Not far from the two men, a lifeless corpse lay in an open patch of floor.

"Stop hitting me, Sha! Please, stop!"

One of the figures on the ground seemed unable to endure the beating any longer. He suddenly rolled over, shoved away two of the men beating him, and staggered several steps toward a man in a suit seated on a folding chair behind them.

The suited man wore an exquisite silver earring in his left ear. Beneath his full beard, he wore black sunglasses. Looking at the figure kneeling before him, he lowered his sunglasses slightly and said indifferently, "Fei Zai Dong, where were you and your idiot friend trying to run off to?"

"To the big... No, Sha, this really has nothing to do with us!"

Fei Zai Dong, whose swollen face resembled a pig's head, knelt and crawled forward with snot streaming from his nose, seemingly trying to grab the suited man's trouser leg and beg.

The suited man kicked Fei Zai Dong away, his expression indifferent. "Everyone knows A-Wei followed Tai. He was my brother, Ah Sha's brother. Tell me, did you two kill A-Wei?"

"No, no..."

Fei Zai Dong shook his head frantically, terror filling his face, so swollen his eyes were nearly invisible. "Brother Wei wasn't killed by us."

"Really not?"

The suited man ripped off his sunglasses, a fierce glint flashing from his eyes. "A-Wei went to find you two that day. If it wasn't you, who was it? That idiot is a big guy. Was it him?"

"No, Sha. How could Long Zai and I dare kill Brother Wei? We were hoping to follow Brother Wei in the future." Fei Zai Dong waved his hands as he pleaded.

"Cut the crap. Then who was it?" The suited man known as Sha grew impatient. He pulled a short knife from his pocket and began idly playing with it.

"It was Black Fish Zai, Sha!" Fei Zai Dong practically cried out.

"Black Fish Zai..." Sha seemed not to recall the name at once.

One of the lackeys beside him tactfully stepped forward and whispered into Sha's ear, "Sha, Black Fish Zai was Dao You Cheng's man. Dao You Cheng brought in a large shipment last week and hadn't had time to move it yet. Then, three days ago, Dao You Cheng and a bunch of his men were suddenly killed. Only this Black Fish Zai escaped the disaster. After Tai got wind of it, he sent A-Wei to shake down Black Fish Zai and find out where Dao You Cheng had hidden that shipment."

"Yes, yes, it was Black Fish Zai."

Hearing the conversation, Fei Zai Dong hurriedly added, "Black Fish Zai killed Brother Wei. He was dead, but then he came back to life..."

"What do you mean, dead and then alive again?"

Sha frowned and pointed the short knife at Fei Zai Dong. "Explain yourself properly."

"That day, Brother Wei called me and told me to help him find someone. Long Zai and I got lucky and ran into him at Star Embankment. Then we tied him up and took him to a warehouse at Green Dragon Head. After we tied him up, we called Brother Wei and drove to the warehouse..."

At this point, Fei Zai Dong unconsciously swallowed. Terror appeared on his swollen face. "W-we got there and found that Black Fish Zai was already dead. Brother Wei checked him himself. He even told Long Zai and me to dig a hole and dispose of the body, but... but... Black Fish Zai came back to life... A zombie..."

"Zombie my ass..."

After hearing the rest, Sha kicked Fei Zai Dong flying again. Clearly, he did not believe a word Fei Zai Dong said. "I think watching movies has fried your brain. You're pretending to be a zombie to scare me."

"It's true, Sha, believe me."

Seeing that Sha did not believe him, Fei Zai Dong looked both agitated and terrified. "That Black Fish Zai really turned into a zombie. Brother Wei hit him with a club, but Black Fish Zai kicked him to death..."

As he spoke, he shouted toward the figure curled up in the corner behind him, "Long Zai, tell him! Black Fish Zai really turned into a zombie!"

"Zombie, zombie... It hurts. I'm bleeding—"

Long Zai, whose face was also battered and swollen, had no idea what Fei Zai Dong was talking about. He merely echoed a few words after hearing the conversation, then covered his bleeding nose and began muttering to himself.

"Crazy bastard!"

Sha rose from his folding chair, about to speak—

Beep, beep, beep—

A somewhat shrill ringtone sounded.

A lackey in a suit standing by the warehouse wall took a Big Brother from his waist. After grunting a few acknowledgements, he walked over to Sha and said, "Sha, Tai wants you back. He said Fatty Tong has run into trouble in Sai Kung too."

"Got it."

Sha waved his hand and said to the lackey before him, "Get the brothers to look for that Black Fish Zai, then notify A-Wei's family."

"Yes, Sha."

The suited lackey answered, then pointed at Fei Zai Dong and Long Zai. "What about these two...?"

"Sink them in the sea. We wear suits and ties now, so don't make things so bloody. With these two keeping him company, A-Wei won't be lonely on the road."

Sha straightened his suit and was the first to walk out of the warehouse.

"Sha! Sha, no! Please spare me!"

Hearing that, Fei Zai Dong, who had been kneeling on the ground, struggled to his feet.

But two suited lackeys beside him immediately seized him. His hands and feet were bound, his mouth sealed with tape, and only muffled sounds remained.