Chapter 75#
Wandering Photographs 21#
Chu Chenli thought carefully for a moment, then shook his head and said no.
When Meng Feng Huai communicated with them, he was very polite, speaking concisely with almost no unnecessary words.
But that wasn’t particularly strange. Whenever he met him at Shen Xuanyi’s place before, he was basically the same way—toward them and everyone else alike.
He Ziyue speculated behind his back that he was trying to craft a tough, cool-guy image.
Too bad with a face like that, changing one’s demeanor through words and actions was no easy task.
Luo Yunshu seemed to breathe a sigh of relief at that, but also as if wanting to give Chu Chenli a heads-up: “This guy… sometimes has a sharp tongue. If he says anything unpleasant, don’t take it to heart. Maybe he’s been holding things in too long, so he has to let off steam with a jab here and there.”
Chu Chenli didn’t think Meng Feng Huai looked like someone who easily lost control of his emotions, but since Luo Yunshu had kindly warned him, he made a mental note: “Got it.”
When they arrived at Shen Xuanyi’s place, he was indeed still in the office.
He had just finished a routine meeting, and someone had just delivered the report on the urban child experiment case. The case was under Shen Xuanyi’s personal supervision, so all related materials came to him first. He was currently organizing the recently delivered evidence.
Seeing Chu Chenli come in, Shen Xuanyi picked through the evidence, found a copy of a photograph, and pushed it across the table.
“Any acquaintances of yours here?” Shen Xuanyi asked.
Chu Chenli stepped closer and realized some of the photos were from the tavern owner, including the one featuring Yao Nian.
“They originally planned to hold a memorial exhibition in the square. The mutant variation has been severe lately, and news keeps trickling into the city. Plus, with the Awakening Stone incident, the residents are a bit unsettled,” Shen Xuanyi explained. “The government hopes to organize some events to calm public sentiment. This is one of them.”
“Is it related to the child kidnapping case?” Chu Chenli pulled up a stool and sat down at the table.
“No.” Shen Xuanyi immediately noticed which photos Chu Chenli was focusing on. He gathered the rest to one side and then pointed at a specific person in the photo. “This one?”
It happened to be Yao Nian.
Chu Chenli nodded: “He’d been studying outside before, only coming back during breaks.”
So Shen Xuanyi hadn’t actually seen him in the mountains.
Maybe they’d crossed paths elsewhere, but Shen Xuanyi clearly didn’t remember.
Shen Xuanyi: “And now?”
Chu Chenli replied that he had returned to the village before the disaster and naturally left with his clan afterward.
He said it casually, but Shen Xuanyi could always pick up on the faint traces of emotion—or lack thereof—in his tone.
“Looks like you two got along well,” Shen Xuanyi judged.
“I suppose,” Chu Chenli said, his gaze wandering over the table as he asked offhandedly, “Ah Jin told you?”
He’d already figured out that Shen Xuanyi’s questions about the photos were just out of curiosity.
Shen Xuanyi didn’t deny it: “I happened to see these photos when I came by yesterday.”
Chu Chenli asked: “Did he say anything else?”
Shen Xuanyi shook his head, then suddenly recalled something: “How about letting him come along with you this time?”
Chu Chenli found it strange: “Why?”
Not that he thought missions didn’t need medical ability users, but right now, every healer in the base was a scarce resource. Since coming to Central Base, Hua Jin had been so busy his feet barely touched the ground—that alone said enough.
He simply couldn’t get away.
Moreover, Chu Chenli and Mu Yanshen’s strength far surpassed other squads at the base, and the missions they took were short-term reconnaissance jobs that didn’t rely heavily on healers.
With the addition of logistics staff who apparently knew some medicine too, it seemed even less necessary to drag Hua Jin along.
Unless this mission was so dangerous that even Shen Xuanyi had no confidence.
Knowing he’d been misunderstood, Shen Xuanyi quickly explained: “I thought Xiao Jin could go with you to clear his mind a bit.”
“Ever since he found out about Hua Yu…” Shen Xuanyi’s expression grew complicated. “And lately, he’s barely rested, cooped up in the medical department all day. I’m worried that if he stays so tense, something might eventually go wrong.”
Hua Jin wasn’t really the type to sit still like a doctor.
His family had a long tradition in Chinese medicine; his aunt and uncle both studied Western medicine, so it was in his blood.
But he’d never wanted to be a doctor. Because of his sister’s illness, he’d even developed an aversion to it, eventually choosing veterinary science as a silent rebellion against his family’s high expectations.
He didn’t despise healing and saving lives—he was almost afraid of it, feeling he couldn’t bear that responsibility.
Then fate played its trick: at a critical moment, he awakened a medical-type ability.
And it was arguably the purest healing ability in the team, with every evolution and specialization aimed at treating and saving people.
Later, maybe he got used to it, maybe he didn’t.
No one ever asked if he’d overcome those psychological shadows, because to the whole team, his existence was indispensable.
After arriving at Central Base, he continued his main role from the game and often volunteered for overtime, just to forget the troubling things.
But running away alone wouldn’t solve the problem.
Shen Xuanyi thought it would be better for him to temporarily step away from that high-pressure environment.
“Don’t worry about the base. Xiao Jin and the doctor’s batch of newcomers have all passed their assessments, and two more healers awakened in the past couple of days. If anything comes up, we can handle it.”
As for the rest, Shen Xuanyi would arrange it properly.
“I have no objection here. Why don’t you tell me what you came to see me about?” Shen Xuanyi looked at Chu Chenli and smiled.
“I originally came about Xiao Tang’s matter.” Chu Chenli’s eyes lingered on the stack of photos on the table. “But now… do you have time this afternoon?”
Shen Xuanyi checked the time and calculated: “About two and a half hours.”
By car, a round trip to the city center was still doable.
Chu Chenli said, “Let’s go take photos. I remember there’s a photo studio near that tavern in the city.”
Shen Xuanyi was taken aback: “What made you think of that all of a sudden?”
Chu Chenli smiled: “Afraid there won’t be another chance later…”
His smile was soft, softening his brows and voice, almost like he was coaxing, so the underlying heaviness was intentionally or unintentionally overlooked.
Shen Xuanyi could never refuse him like that, so he had no choice but to nod helplessly: “I’m afraid I can’t stay with you all for too long.”
With Shen Xuanyi taking the lead, even the doctor—who hadn’t set foot outside the lab in ages—deigned to go out.
They didn’t disturb their subordinates. The former teammates, seven in total, headed straight to the city.
The photo studio was right next to the tavern, neither too big nor too small. They waited in line for over ten minutes, and the actual shoot took only five or six minutes. But He Ziyue, thinking the opportunity rare, dragged everyone to take solo shots and group shots in various combinations.
Hua Jin was easygoing; Fang Xiyu and Mu Yanshen liked the excitement anyway; Siyue always did whatever He Ziyue said.
The doctor tried to slip away but was caught by He Ziyue’s quick hand.
Just then, Chu Chenli was called away by someone at the door, and Shen Xuanyi happened to follow behind him.
“Let’s leave it for next time,” Hua Jin pressed down He Ziyue’s restless hands. “It’s not like we’re not coming back. Captain’s already busy enough…”
“You’re right,” He Ziyue reluctantly gave up.
They all assumed Shen Xuanyi was in a hurry to get back to work, so they didn’t bother calling him back.
In reality, Shen Xuanyi followed Chu Chenli for a stroll around the neighborhood.
Tang Beihe had just finished his part-time job for the day and was delivering something for the tavern owner. Passing by the photo studio, he spotted Chu Chenli getting some fresh air at the door.
Seeing his master, he naturally had to greet him.
Hearing they were there to take photos, Tang Beihe grew curious: “People from the base come here to take photos too?”
He thought the base must have cameras.
“Places like this have more atmosphere,” Chu Chenli said. “Besides, they’re professionals—handling everything start to finish, no disruptions.”
“Oh—” Tang Beihe nodded half-understandingly. “Then, Master, I’ll go deliver this to Boss Three and come back to find you later!”
Chu Chenli grabbed him, directly brushing aside his inexplicably sideways fringe to reveal a freshly scabbed wound underneath.
“How did this happen?”
“Took a fall.” Seeing Chu Chenli raise an eyebrow, Tang Beihe quickly changed his story and told the truth. “Yesterday, some guy insisted on fighting me. I’d already won and let him off easy, but that bastard ambushed me with a brick!”
The outcome was still his victory—he knocked the other guy out cold in a few moves.
But the wound from the sneak attack on his forehead wouldn’t heal overnight.
“Don’t worry, Master, it’s just, just a scratch,” Tang Beihe assured. “If anything happens, I’ll go to the hospital right away. I’ve already told my neighbor—”
Chu Chenli stared at the wound on his forehead with an unreadable expression, ultimately letting it go. He waved him off, saying he didn’t need to come back later—they were about to head out on a mission.
Tang Beihe shouted as he ran, telling him to be safe and come back soon.
Chu Chenli waved twice at him, too lazy to respond.
Beside him, Shen Xuanyi couldn’t help but smile: “You really do have a bit of a master’s demeanor now.”
Chu Chenli pulled at the corner of his mouth: “Except when he’s a little reckless, he’s a pretty cute kid.”
It was Shen Xuanyi’s first time seeing Tang Beihe, but he’d heard bits and pieces from others before—the common point being that Chu Chenli really cared about him.
Cared to a puzzling degree.
Shen Xuanyi didn’t press further. When Chu Chenli said he’d take him somewhere, he followed without much hesitation.
Chu Chenli led him past the tavern’s entrance, around a corner, through an alley, winding through several turns, until they reached a dead end with a sealed wall.
Beneath the high wall, a faint stench lingered. The trash cans were covered in a thick layer of dust, clearly untouched for a long time.
Chu Chenli stopped and said, “This is what I asked for your help with before.”
Shen Xuanyi asked, “What?”
Chu Chenli looked down at the trash can and said in a low voice, “Xiao Tang… this is where he died.”