Drawing the Organization's Attention

Bright sunlight baked his cheeks, its warmth almost unbearable.

Rubbing his sore eyes, Ren Ye slowly woke up. Then a pungent smell of smoke made him cough twice.

He looked up to see a familiar old face, complete with familiar eye crust...

Huang Wei stood beside the bed, craning his neck and grinning in admiration. "Now that's the convict I picked! You really do have some skills...!"

Ren Ye frowned at the room. Smoke hung everywhere, and from the smell, it seemed to be Liqun. "Huang, smoking like this, aren't you afraid of lung cancer?"

"I'm a Strength System warrior. My heart and lungs are powerful." Huang Wei lowered his head and took out his phone. "I could smoke three cartons straight in here and be fine."

"Well, I won't be fine, man! Don't you know making other people breathe secondhand smoke is immoral?" His eyes bloodshot, Ren Ye held out a hand. "Come on, give me one."

"Everything else can wait." Huang Wei plopped down on the bed and handed Ren Ye his phone. "Call your sister first. Hurry, or I might get suspended today."

?

Ren Ye froze for a moment, looking rather blank. "Suspended? Why do I have to call my sister?"

"Because your sister isn't just suing Qingfu Prison. She's suing us too." Huang Wei looked utterly helpless. "I swear, your whole family is something else. Not one of you is easy to deal with."

"Suing you? What happened?" Ren Ye was even more confused.

"Right after you entered the gate, she went to the prison with your dad to visit you. You weren't there, so we had to find a plausible excuse. The prison told them that a major cold case you'd worked on had seen a new breakthrough, so the relevant authorities had brought you out to help, mainly to provide leads and assist with arrests... If you made a significant contribution, you could even apply for a reduced sentence.

"Now, wouldn't you call that fantastic news? Anyone else's sister would've been thrilled...!" Huang Wei stared at Ren Ye, despair in his eyes. "But that sister of yours acted like she wasn't even related to you. Once she heard you'd been taken away, she insisted on speaking to you. She said prisoners were people too, and the prison had no right to make you do something so dangerous, so she had to talk to you personally. If we refused, she'd livestream it... and sue the prosecutors and courts! Yesterday, she even sent herself some gifts to build hype for the stream... My superiors hauled me in and chewed me out."

"...Heh."

Ren Ye gave a helpless, wry smile. "That sounds like her."

"So this is your scholarly family? And you wanted me to get her a job with us? Forget it. I'd like to live a little longer." Huang Wei pushed the phone closer. "Come on, call her and calm her down. Then I'll let you go home in a bit to see them."

Ren Ye didn't take the phone. He merely replied with a smile, "If you won't secure her postgraduate admission or get her into your department, I think... this might be hard to settle."

?

Huang Wei looked dumbfounded. "So you're both shameless extortionists?"

"Do you want me to call or not?" Ren Ye asked. "If not, get out. I'm going back to sleep."

"...Fine. You win." Huang Wei gritted his teeth. "I'll do my best to pull some strings, all right?"

"That's more like it."

Ren Ye sat cross-legged on the bed and dialed a familiar number.

"Ring... ring-ring!"

The call connected quickly, and a clear female voice rattled out of the receiver like machine-gun fire. "Hello? You don't need to call me anymore. Come to my livestream tonight so everyone can find out why a Model Criminal! Why the Model Prisoner of the Entire Ward! Suddenly disappeared and isn't even allowed to contact his family... Let me tell you, don't think I'm joking just because I only have a thousand-odd followers...!"

"Enough. Stop rambling. It's me," Ren Ye interrupted, pressing a hand to his forehead.

After a brief silence, a roar burst from the receiver. "Ren Ye! Where the hell have you been?! Ren Daguo and I went to put money in your account, and we couldn't even see you or get in touch... Do you know how worried we were?"

"My old department wanted to ask me about a case, so I came over to help," Ren Ye replied calmly. "Stop shouting. I'm fine, aren't I? It even gave me a chance to get out for a bit."

"If I believe you, you can call me Ren Daguo!" His sister used their father's full name without hesitation, her temper fierce. "I called your old coworkers. They changed their story later, but at first they said there wasn't any case they needed you for. That Huang Wei guy must've lied. He said he was a leader at the municipal bureau. Bullshit! Look at how scruffy he is. What leader dresses like that? He doesn't even have an LV belt...!"

Listening to the shouting over the phone, Huang Wei looked down at his worn old belt and suddenly felt deeply ashamed.

"All right, stop shouting." Ren Ye could do nothing about his sister either, so he could only soothe her. "I can come home today. We'll talk when you get back tonight."

"Hmph! I already prepared my livestream. I even sent myself two rockets to build hype..."

"Have him reimburse you later." Ren Ye gave Huang Wei a thoroughly obnoxious look.

"Beep-beep!"

His sister said nothing more and hung up without hesitation.

Huang Wei looked at Ren Ye in anguish. "How much do two rockets cost?"

"A thousand, I think."

"I'll give her two thousand. Can you tell her to block me?"

"Ha ha."

Ren Ye grinned. "Sure. Buy me a meal. I'm hungry."

At a breakfast shop on Lotus Lake Road.

Two baskets of steamed buns, three plates of side dishes, and two bottles of warm peanut milk. Now this was living.

Outside, the sun shone brightly and traffic streamed past. A group of older men and women who had finished their morning walks stood in line at the entrance, buying breakfast and chattering away.

The scene was noisy, but it felt reassuring.

Ah, being Prince Huai was exhausting. This was the warmth of everyday life.

After they returned last night, Huang Wei had seen how soundly Ren Ye was sleeping and couldn't bring himself to wake him. He had sent Long Legs home and stayed in the room all night himself.

After staying up all night, Huang Wei was starving too. He bit into a bun, grease coating his mouth, and asked indistinctly, "Come on, stop keeping me in suspense. Tell me what class you got. Ordered or unordered? What are its traits? I'm telling you, all of headquarters is waiting for my report..."

Ren Ye sipped his peanut milk. "I don't have a class."

"No class? Bullshit. Impossible!"

"Why would I lie to you?" Ren Ye picked up a bun with his chopsticks and replied quietly, "I only cleared the first act. It's not over yet."

"Huh?" Huang Wei froze. "You mean this Star Gate is a story-driven one? You have to go back in?"

"Yes. I have to enter again in seven days. I don't know how many acts there are in total."

"...!" Huang Wei swallowed, deeply shocked.

As far as he knew, ordinary Star Gates were usually cleared in a single run. Even the longer ones mostly lasted only a day or two. Ren Ye had spent three days clearing just one act, and before entering, there had even been two dedicated Star Gates laying the groundwork for the "story." Huang Wei had never seen anything like it.

"Quick, tell me what exactly happened in there!" Huang Wei snapped out of his daze and urged him on, his expression serious.

Burp.

Ren Ye belched and waved a hand. "Get me another bottle of peanut milk. I'll tell you all about it."

Twenty minutes later, after listening to Ren Ye recount the past three days, Huang Wei looked completely dazed.

He felt... his career might be about to take off.

So far, the only "official members" Ren Ye had met were Huang Wei and Long Legs. In reality, however, all the New Year's Watchers in Shanghai, and even many big shots at headquarters, were closely watching this young man who had been brought out of prison...

After all, a Star Gate calling out to an ordinary person was something that had never happened before.

And the news Ren Ye had just brought back exceeded everyone's expectations.

After hearing it all, Huang Wei had just one impression: this Star Gate's world was exceptionally vast and meticulously constructed. The later acts might even involve other Star Gates.

Most ordinary Star Gates-a train station, for example, or a haunted nursing home-were small in scope, with incomplete, fragmented worlds. Once a player completed a full mission inside, the adventure was over.

But this Star Gate had mentioned the Capital, the Former Dynasty Princess's Tomb, and even the war-torn Southern Border, along with a fully developed bureaucratic system in Qingliang Prefecture.

Most importantly... the majority of this Star Gate's native inhabitants were actually Awakened, rather than NPC-like remnant souls.

The setting was far too expansive. Huang Wei suspected that this was a Star Gate that had been "downgraded" after shattering.

It might be a fragment of space created when an enormous gate, perhaps even a "Divine Gate," exploded.

The supernatural inheritances produced by a Star Gate like that would inevitably be exceedingly rare. It might even offer one particular inherited class the big shots at headquarters had always desperately wanted...

At present, only five people in the entire country had that class.

And Ren Ye, who possessed that kind of potential, had been discovered by Huang Wei. Huang Wei had also been the one to persuade him to enter the gate.

If his guess was right, how much credit would that earn him? Even a blessing from his ancestors might not bring him an opportunity like this.

A promotion and pay raise were guaranteed. He might even be transferred to headquarters...

Over the years, Huang Wei's marriage, family, and career had all gone badly. But at this moment, he felt as though the clouds had finally parted and he had at last found his chance in life. The gloom on his face and his sense of being unappreciated vanished instantly.

"Huang, what are you thinking about? Why do you look like some pervert on a train?" Ren Ye asked curiously.

Huang Wei snapped back to reality, unable to hide the excitement in his eyes. "You said you successfully killed a player and obtained her entry token, right?"

"Right." Ren Ye rocked his empty glass bottle and offered sincerely, "According to the Star Gate's prompt, I should be able to bring someone with me next time. How about coming along?"

"No, no, no." Huang Wei waved his hands repeatedly. "I'm not going. It's too dangerous."

What the fuck? Was that any way to talk?

Ren Ye gave him a sideways look. "Buddy, that's not what you said when you first came to me."

"Fine, I'll come clean. I'm weak as hell... My combat ability isn't much. I'd just be going in to die." Huang Wei spread his hands shamelessly. "Besides, judging from what you described, this Qingliang Prefecture Star Gate should only admit people without an inheritance. I already have a class. Even with your token, I probably couldn't get in."

That piqued Ren Ye's curiosity. "You mean the other players in this Star Gate are all beginners like me?"

"No, not necessarily." Huang Wei explained seriously, "Players without an inherited class aren't necessarily beginners. They may have entered other Star Gates without obtaining a class inheritance. Think of it as... they haven't left the starter village yet, but they've already gained some levels."

"Oh, that makes sense." Ren Ye nodded.

"The fact that you can bring someone in is crucial. We have to choose carefully." Huang Wei lowered his head and thought for a while. "I'll apply to headquarters and try to find the strongest person in the starter village to support you."

"I hope you can deliver. Otherwise, my sister will extort you to death," Ren Ye replied with a smile.

"Understood, understood. That, I believe." Huang Wei wiped the grease from his mouth with a tissue and turned to call out, "The bill, please."

A little later, by the roadside.

While he and Huang Wei were waiting for a car, Ren Ye suddenly said, "Oh, right. There's one more thing. The person I killed in Qingliang Prefecture was Liu Ling'er's Player. Her Identity Card was Songstress. Before she died, she threatened me, saying she belonged to an organization called the Bell Society and would come after my family in the real world."

At the mention of the Bell Society, Huang Wei's pupils contracted. He sneered. "Heh. The real world? Tell them to send everyone they've got. Let's see what she thinks she can do out here!"

Ren Ye looked at him seriously. "I agreed to enter the gate myself, so whether I live or die is up to fate. If something happens, I won't blame anyone. But my family is off-limits."

Huang Wei turned and gripped Ren Ye's shoulder with his large hand, answering just as seriously, "They're off-limits for our department too."

There was nothing more to say.

Before long, Ren Ye got into Huang Wei's departmental car and headed home.

Around ten that morning.

Changning Road, Shanghai.

A light breeze brushed through the willows. Nearby, the Wusong River wound along, its green waters rippling and giving off a fresh, damp scent.

An old SUV approached from the south and stopped outside a shop called Duoduo Pet Paradise.

Huang Wei switched off the engine and pushed open the door. As he hurried toward the Pet Paradise, he spoke into his phone. "Yes, take some people over and rotate shifts... Don't complain to me. You may well be speaking to a future special representative from headquarters... I'm not showing off. I'm just stating facts. That's all."

After hanging up, Huang Wei straightened his clothes outside the Pet Paradise before pushing the door open.

The department Huang Wei worked for was called the New Year's Watchers, a long-established "special department" whose members were all Star Gate players.

The name New Year's Watchers came from the traditional Chinese custom of staying awake on Lunar New Year's Eve. It symbolized bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, the continuation of Chinese heritage, and prayers for the future and generations to come.

Huang Wei was the acting head of Shanghai's Qingfu District, and the person he had come to see was his immediate superior, Yan Duoduo.

The moment the Pet Paradise's door opened, an overpowering smell rushed into his nose. Huang Wei walked briskly to the front desk and asked a young woman, "Where's the boss?"

"Second floor, in the 'Tropical Rainforest.'" The young woman watched a web drama while eating snacks, displaying a thoroughly halfhearted attitude toward work.

"Okay."

Huang Wei answered, went around the cat and dog section, passed through the reptile section, and finally reached the tropical rainforest-themed area on the second floor.

A handsome young man in his twenties, wearing a white lab coat, sat cross-legged in the middle of the "Tropical Rainforest," looking down as he handled a little lizard shorter than a finger.

Completely focused, he held tweezers in his left hand and tugged at the skin the lizard was shedding...

"Hiss, hiss...!"

The tiny lizard thrashed wildly in the young man's hands and let out faint cries. It was impossible to tell whether the creature enjoyed it or was in too much pain.

The sight made Huang Wei shudder. He had always thought people who kept pets like eels and lizards ought to be late-night female streamers-after all, their work called for it. Ordinary people would probably struggle to accept such pets.

But this particular boss clearly wasn't ordinary. Many of the pets here were his most precious treasures...

Watching the lizard, Yan Duoduo suddenly asked, "Ren Ye's back?"

"Yes, yes, he's back." Huang Wei wore a flattering smile as he nodded and bowed.

"Wait a bit. Let me finish peeling Stinky Treasure's skin, then we'll talk." Yan Duoduo spoke softly and gently, sounding like a warm, considerate man.

About ten minutes later, after finishing the shedding and giving Stinky Treasure a bath, Yan Duoduo finally took Huang Wei to the lounge.

The two talked over coffee.

Warm sunlight streamed through the floor-to-ceiling windows, making Yan Duoduo's skin look even fairer. His eyelashes were long too, giving his face a somewhat feminine beauty. He had none of a leader's imposing air.

Although Yan Duoduo had only transferred to Shanghai about three months earlier, Huang Wei still treated him with great respect. He sat ramrod straight and didn't even smoke, simply giving a clear, organized account of Ren Ye's situation.

Holding his coffee cup, Yan Duoduo listened to the detailed account of Ren Ye's experiences, and his eyes immediately brightened. "Ren Ye's experiences and performance exceeded our expectations by a considerable margin."

"Yes." Huang Wei nodded at once. "The value of this Star Gate's inheritance is immeasurable."

Yan Duoduo nodded in agreement. "What do you need me to do?"

"Two things. First, I need to select a player without an inherited class whose potential and combat ability are both exceptional, to enter the Star Gate with Ren Ye in a week."

"No problem. Pick anyone you like, from headquarters or from our people here." Yan Duoduo agreed without a moment's hesitation.

"I don't have clearance to access personnel files."

"I'll grant it," Yan Duoduo replied generously.

"Thank you, sir. Second, Ren Ye made a few requests... I... can't really handle them myself. Heh." Huang Wei scratched his head.

Yan Duoduo took a sip of coffee and asked with a smile, "What did he ask for?"

"He wants the department to allocate his family a home and put his father under our medical coverage. Also, the kid wants us to secure postgraduate admission for his sister, and after she graduates... hire her as a clerk." Huang Wei repeated all the conditions Ren Ye had raised that day.

After a little thought, Yan Duoduo replied softly, "We can agree to those for now. Anything else?"

"He also wants you to promote me." Huang Wei delivered the abrupt statement with utter bluntness.

?

Yan Duoduo looked baffled. "He asked for that?"

"Yes." Huang Wei deliberately put on an innocent, foolish expression. "He thinks my position is too low. I have to consult my superiors on too many things and can't make decisions myself... He's a convict, so you can understand a little selfishness, right? But I did mention having a higher-level department speak with him. Who knew he wouldn't want that? He only wants to talk to me because he knows me. Ah, there's not much I can do about him...!"

In the workplace, never assume your boss was stupid, or that something you could think of wouldn't occur to them. Sometimes, being frank and direct worked better.

Of course, that approach also required some understanding of your boss's personality... As it happened, Huang Wei had spent several months with Yan Duoduo during a training session at headquarters.

After spending half his life in the system, Huang Wei knew very well that opportunities were few and far between. When one came, he had to seize it.

Yan Duoduo studied him with a smile. "How many years have you been acting head of Qingfu District?"

"Four. I've been acting head since Old Xu retired."

"Starting today, your appointment is permanent. I'll handle the paperwork. As for the basic and support work involving Ren Ye, as long as you don't cross any lines and stay within the rules, you have full authority to handle it without reporting to me." Despite looking so "delicate," Yan Duoduo spoke decisively.

"Yes, yes. I'll make sure he's well taken care of." Huang Wei nearly laughed aloud. "There's one more thing."

"What?"

"Ren Ye also wants another two million. You know how it is. This convict is insatiable and shameless. Now he thinks he's terribly important, you know...!" Shamelessly pinning the blame on Ren Ye, Huang Wei was about to launch into an endless stream of chatter.

After staring at him for a long moment, Yan Duoduo slowly took out his phone. "Hold on."

"What's wrong, boss?"

"Give Ren Ye a call. I'll confirm this two-million business with him." Yan Duoduo politely handed over his phone.

Huang was dumbfounded on the spot.

"Go on, call him!"

"...!" Huang blinked, then immediately slapped his thigh. "Forget it. No need to trouble you, boss. I'll go back and talk him around. We can't agree to every demand he makes. A million today, two million tomorrow-we'd just spoil him rotten!"

Yan Duoduo gave him a sidelong look. "You came here to scam me? What do you need two million for?"

Their eyes met. Huang rubbed his palms together sheepishly. "Before Ren Ye went in, we lost four people to bring back the Imperial Brush needed for entry, remember? The higher-ups paid out death benefits... but I feel our unit, as their direct employer, ought to give something too. But the state of my accounts... you know how it is."

Yan Duoduo thought for two seconds. "Next time, just say it. Don't get clever, or you'll make me look stupid."

"...So you're agreeing?"

"Just this once. Anything else?"

"No, nothing. Everyone in Qingfu District salutes you!" Huang Wei immediately stood and bowed. "Then I won't interrupt you skinning Stinky Treasure. Carry on. I'll be going."

"Choose someone to enter with Ren Ye as soon as possible. I need to apply for approval too."

"Understood!"

Once they finished talking, Huang left Pet Paradise in high spirits.

Yan Duoduo slowly set down his coffee cup, then immediately called the finance department under him. "Transfer two million to Qingfu. Apply to headquarters for three million tomorrow..."

Far from sounding surprised, the finance staffer asked with practiced ease, "Boss, should we have Qingfu issue a receipt for three million?"

"No. The extra million will cover our midyear bonuses nicely. Also, tell Liu to make a trip to the judicial authorities in the next couple of days and pull all of Ren Ye's files... including his police personnel file, graduation records, and conviction records... My requirement is simple: make him vanish off the face of the earth. And book me a ticket right away. I need to go to headquarters." As he spoke, Yan Duoduo had already risen to his feet.

Shijiapu, Shanghai.

This was an old neighborhood. Most of the surrounding buildings were low-rise red buildings, their walls covered in traces left by the rain.

Along both sides of the rather narrow main road, plenty of elderly local residents gathered outside snack shops selling local specialties. They were all smartly dressed, chatting in small groups as they enjoyed the cool air, or playing chess and drinking tea.

At current property prices, the apartments here were far from cheap-even something of a luxury. Yet the residents' quality of life was not particularly high, because most homes were tiny. Some even housed three generations under one roof.

But because the area had historical significance, waiting for demolition and compensation was hardly an option. Nor could they sell; once they did, they would never be able to afford to buy back in. That made this neighborhood a rather unusual part of Shanghai.

An SUV slowly stopped outside an alley. Ren Ye climbed out, bleary-eyed, thanked the driver, and headed home.

He had been born and raised here and knew many of the residents nearby, but he was in no mood to greet anyone. Ever since leaving the Star Gate, Ren Ye had felt utterly exhausted and sleepy... Perhaps this was the aftereffect of using the "Princess Consort's ultimate."

A few minutes later.

On the third floor of a small red building, Ren Ye unlocked the keypad lock. The moment he stepped inside, he heard the rapid clatter of someone typing.

In a bedroom on the left, a middle-aged man in his fifties sat at a computer, typing with intense concentration. He wore headphones big enough to cover half his face, a tank top washed to a yellowish hue, and baggy shorts. His hair was a complete mess.

On the computer desk, barely over a meter long, sat three packs of cigarettes, a cup of tea, and an enormous ashtray.

With a cigarette hanging from his lips, he typed and murmured quietly to himself. There was no telling what he was muttering.

This was Ren Ye's biological father, Ren Daguo-a webnovelist whose books flopped, but whose income was reasonably steady.

"I'm back."

After changing into slippers, Ren Ye called out.

A full four or five seconds passed before Ren Daguo removed the cigarette from his mouth and replied with narrowed eyes, "There are some leftovers in the fridge. Eat them if you want. If not, order something. Don't talk to me. I'm revising...!"

"...Okay."

Long accustomed to this, Ren Ye answered and headed straight to the kitchen.

He had not been home for more than three years, yet everything was just as before. The furniture was old, but the place was packed with everyday necessities. The doors to his room and his younger sister's room stood open to let the air circulate.

What was home?

It was a place where one glance at your surroundings put your heart at ease, where familiar smells greeted you the moment you stepped through the door.

Nothing outside could ever give you that...

For some reason, despite having only just eaten, Ren Ye still felt a little hungry. He went into the kitchen, took the plastic-wrapped leftovers out of the fridge, gave them a quick turn in the microwave, and sat down at the dining table in the living room to eat.

Ren Daguo had divorced long ago. Once his wife left and he had two children to raise, he learned every skill he had previously lacked. His cooking, in particular, was first-rate.

Ren Ye stole a glance at his father and deliberately stayed quiet, curious to see when he would notice him.

And so Ren Ye wolfed down his food in the living room while his father hammered away at the keyboard in the bedroom. With fingers that moved that fast, he would have been a top attraction even if he went to work at the White Horse Club.

Father and son maintained this silence for over twenty minutes. During that entire time, his father never once looked toward the living room.

Ring, ring!

An urgent ringtone interrupted Ren Daguo's train of thought. Frowning, he picked up his phone, pushed the keyboard away, and headed straight for the bathroom. "Oh, come on, I'm revising it! But this means changing the outline... I understand. Spice up the plot a little, that's what they like... Mm-hmm, go on...!"

He emerged from the bedroom and walked straight across the living room without so much as glancing toward the dining table. Before he even reached the bathroom, his shorts were already down.

Ren Ye gnawed on a rib, his eyes following his father's movements. For a moment, he was genuinely concerned about both his father's mental state and his eyesight.

Whoosh!

Five minutes later, the toilet flushed. For a writer, taking half an hour to have a piss was perfectly normal.

Creak!

The door opened. His father tugged up his shorts and cursed with absolute focus. "He's a useless, spoiled rich brat. What else would he do besides screw around with women? Sit at home jerking off? They don't understand a damn thing, but they still insist on giving suggestions...!"

"Heh."

Ren Ye gave him a derisive chuckle, but still said nothing.

His father walked over to the dining table. Only when he was just over a meter from Ren Ye did he slowly raise his head, preparing to pick up the kettle.

A person!

A living person!

A man had appeared in his field of vision without warning!

Ren Daguo's pupils shrank sharply, and he stumbled back two steps in fright. "Holy shit! When did you get back?"

Ren Ye licked a grain of rice from his lips. "Long time no see, great author!"

"Huh?"

Ren Daguo stared blankly at his son, slowly removed his glasses, wiped them carefully, and put them back on. "Holy shit! It really is you."

"...!" Ren Ye was speechless. "I called out to you when I came in. You even answered me."

"Oh, right." Only now did a delighted smile appear on Ren Daguo's face. He pulled out a chair and sat down. "Haha, right. I heard someone call me just now. I thought your sister had come home. I was too absorbed. Once I start typing, I forget everything."

"She should be back soon too." Ren Ye lowered his head and scraped the last of the rice from his bowl.

As Ren Daguo looked at him, his eyes suddenly filled with alarm, and the smile vanished from his face. "Shit, you... you didn't break out of prison, did you?!"

"Can you stop freaking out over every little thing?" Ren Ye gave him a sidelong look. "Didn't you two go to the prison and threaten to sue my old unit? That's why they took me out and gave me special permission to come home once."

Only then did Ren Daguo fully collect himself. Frowning, he replied, "Right. We went to see you a few days ago, but the prison said... you'd been taken out to help solve a cold case. If you did well, you could even get your sentence reduced."

"Yeah, I'm working on it." Ren Ye nodded.

"Wait, they just let you come home like this? Without anyone watching you?" Ren Daguo pushed up his glasses in puzzlement. "Aren't they afraid you'll sneak off?"

"What, am I nuts? I've only got a little over two years left, and if I earn credit this time, I can get that reduced. Why would I run?" Ren Ye set down his bowl. "Besides, someone's waiting for me downstairs."

"Oh." Ren Daguo nodded slowly. "Son, is this dangerous?! If it is, we can't do it. Just serve the two-odd years. Once you get out, I'll ask around and find you a job...!"

"It's fine. Don't worry." Ren Ye waved a hand gently. "My main job is to lure out two suspects."

"Mm, that's all right, then...!"

"Enough about me. How have you been lately? Started another book?" Ren Ye picked up the kettle and poured two cups of water with practiced ease.

Ren Daguo crossed his legs, his expression blank and melancholy. "I wrote one, but I haven't posted it yet. These past few days, I've been revising another manuscript... Hey, since you're home, why don't you help me think it through?"

In the past, to break into the younger readership, Ren Daguo had always dragged his son and daughter into discussions about his plots. It had practically become a family tradition.

"Heh. What do you need my advice for? Watch a couple more porn clips and you'll have everything you need, won't you?" Ren Ye chuckled.

"Filthy! Is that any way to talk to your father?" Ren Daguo scolded him, then grew intensely focused again as he explained, "Lately, I've been revising a time-travel story set in ancient times. Originally, the story was about a prince's residence with a whole bunch of court spies hidden inside...!"

Exhausted, Ren Ye leaned back in his chair, his face a picture of halfhearted interest.

"Now, here's the situation. An important character laying the groundwork for the court got killed off, and that created a plot hole. I need to fix it. But the tricky part is...!"

"Wait, hold on a second."

Suddenly, Ren Ye opened his half-closed eyes.