Chapter 31

Feng Yang suddenly felt that everything he had experienced in his previous life, including his rebirth in this one, seemed to be seamlessly controlled within a vast net. To uncover the truth, the most crucial point seemed to be Su Nan, who claimed to have lived another life. Perhaps Yin Zhengyi should be included as well—the man who had nearly killed Yin Li through something akin to a sacrifice, indirectly bringing about the Ghost King's birth.

Not only had he failed to meet the ghostly acquaintances from his previous life, he had also been left with a bellyful of doubts. When Feng Yang left Willow Tree Village with his family, he was in low spirits. Even Yin Li, sitting in the car beside theirs, noticed the increasingly gloomy pressure surrounding him.

When their group reached a highway rest stop, Yin Li got out of the car, knocked on Feng Yang's window, and asked worriedly, "Feng Yang, are you okay?"

Feng Yang came back to himself and realized that, over the past few days, this question had been appearing with remarkable frequency from the mouths of family and friends. He suddenly understood that he really ought to adjust his mindset. At the very least, he should not make his family worry so much.

After all, the things Feng Yang was preoccupied with were not matters that could be figured out simply by being anxious. If he lost his composure, perhaps "someone" would seize the opening.

Having sorted this out, Feng Yang silently took a breath and smiled. "I'm fine."

Then he asked Yin Li, "When are you going back to Beijing?"

At first, Yin Li thought Feng Yang was asking because he found him annoying and wanted to drive him away. He hesitated. "I-I'll go back in the next few days."

Feng Yang nodded. "I'll go with you."

Feng Yang vaguely remembered that around this time in his previous life, Su Nan had finished handling his parents' funerals and had already set off for Beijing. He seemed to have joined a talent show as well, debuted as the center position, then turned to acting and flourished in the entertainment industry. By the time Feng Yang was reborn, he had already become a global superstar.

In this life, although Su Zhenbang and his wife were safe and sound, Su Nan's actions had stirred up rumors all around them. With so many old neighbors and friends gossiping behind his back, Su Nan could no longer stay in Songjiang. Rumor had it that he planned to go to Beijing early to familiarize himself with the place, find a job to support himself while studying, and experience university life.

Before Feng Yang and the Feng Family had set out for Willow Tree Village, he had seen someone mention in the class WeChat group that Su Nan had already booked a flight to Yanjing.

At the time, Feng Yang had felt relieved. So long as Su Nan kept far away from the Feng Family, Feng Yang had no desire to provoke this favored child of the Heavenly Dao.

Unfortunately, after his trip to Willow Tree Village, Feng Yang had to change his mind.

He could not determine whether everything he was encountering now was a butterfly effect caused by breaking free of the Heavenly Dao's restraints, or whether he was still trapped within the game. And everything from his previous life, including the destruction of his family and his meeting with Yin Li—were those accidental changes caused by Su Nan's rebirth, or carefully arranged by the Heavenly Dao?

If it was the latter, then was the slim chance of survival that he and Yin Li had fought for by opening the Six Paths of Reincarnation and reversing time also under the Heavenly Dao's control?

"This is so damn annoying!" Feng Yang muttered, propping his chin on his hand.

The most terrifying enemy was never the kind that leaped in front of you, raised its fists, and flaunted its power. It was the kind that hid in dark corners at every moment, watching every move you made, omnipresent and inescapable. You could not even tell whether your family, friends, or even classmates you had just met might become the other side's pawns the next moment. Nor could you know whether the thoughts you had at this very instant and the choices you made were influenced by the other side's subtle manipulation.

But no matter what, since the Heavenly Dao uniquely favored Su Nan, Su Nan was very likely to become a weakness in the Heavenly Dao's manifestation. Everything Su Nan had experienced, everyone he had met, and every thought he had ever had might, at some moment, become an opportunity for Feng Yang to glimpse the will of the Heavenly Dao.

If he could use Su Nan's existence to continuously weaken or even reverse every trajectory the Heavenly Dao sought to control, would there eventually be a spectacle as magnificent as the Yellow River changing course? Or would it be like a system program riddled with BUGs, ultimately collapsing?

And now, Feng Yang was especially curious: if Su Nan learned that the tragic circumstances of his first life might bear traces of the Heavenly Dao's design, what would he do?

Chapter 31

Yanjing X University began its term in September, requiring new students to register after August 26. Yet Feng Yang bought a ticket to Yanjing in early August. Traveling with him were Feng Fei, Yin Li, and Yin Li's group of friends.

Worried about Feng Yang's safety, Feng Fei had made up his mind to transfer to Beijing. Over the past few days, he had been calling his teacher. Feng Fei's teacher had never forgotten his prized student, and upon learning that Feng Fei had finally come around, he immediately promised to take care of everything. As it happened, the criminal investigation brigade under one of his old classmates had an opening for a temporary transfer. Feng Fei's teacher promptly sent over Feng Fei's file. That old leader was also one of the people who had once tried to recruit Feng Fei. Knowing Feng Fei's capabilities, he approved it without hesitation.

Thus, Feng Fei headed to Beijing this time together with his transfer notice.

In comparison, Feng Yang looked more like a student using his summer break to take a graduation trip.

In Yin Li's eyes, Feng Yang, who had just finished the college entrance examination, should have been visiting Beijing for the first time. Since Feng Yang was Yin Qing's lifesaver, and since Yin Li was captivated by his looks—cough, cough, he should say it was love at first sight—he had confidently insisted before departure that the Feng brothers stay at the Yin family residence.

Feng Fei did not want to trouble the Yin family, and Feng Yang did not want to feel constrained, so they agreed completely on staying at a hotel. They had even booked rooms online in advance. This made Yin Li rather unhappy. Even after boarding the plane, he kept pestering Feng Yang, trying to persuade the two brothers to change their minds. Fortunately, Feng Yang had always wanted to meet Yin Li's second uncle, so he agreed to visit the Yin family for dinner after landing.

On the Yanjing side, Chairman Yin had received a heads-up from his son as early as the previous day. That night, he told his secretary to clear all of the following afternoon's appointments. Half an hour before the plane landed, he arrived at the airport with his wife and daughter, perfectly timed to pick them up. The entertainment reporters waiting in the terminal had no idea what was going on. They assumed whoever could make the three members of the Yin family come personally to receive them must be some extraordinary big shot. When the person emerged and they rushed over to take a look—he was actually that rescue hero who had repeatedly gone viral, trended again and again, and drawn more real-time searches than even the entertainment industry's popular young idols.