Chapter 23: Abduction p1
A buzzing sound filled Tang Yu’an’s ears, his breath catching in his throat, his body stiffening.
The mirror, after delivering its cryptic message, had become unresponsive, returning to normal, ignoring his attempts to infuse it with mental energy.
A click echoed as the door unlocked remotely, and Therapist Zheng entered.
“What’s wrong…?”
Seeing his expression, she gave an understanding smile: “Are you nervous? It’s alright, you’ll see once we start…”
She took his arm, leading him towards the treatment room.
“Hypnosis is a very common treatment, you… Xiao Tang! Where are you going?!”
Tang Yu’an’s mind was filled with terrifying scenarios: being turned into a mindless drone, strapped to a chair and electrocuted…
He had only one thought: escape.
Therapist Zheng chased after him, followed by several security personnel.
Hearing their footsteps, his heart pounded faster.
He ran through the corridors, finally spotting his savior.
Wei Langxing, who had been sitting in a chair, suddenly saw Tang Yu’an rushing out, panic etched on his face.
His heart lurched, and he stood up abruptly: “What happened?”
The next second, Tang Yu’an crashed into his arms.
He had the inappropriate thought, He smells so good, is that perfume…?
The thought was quickly replaced by worry. Tang Yu’an rarely showed such strong emotions. The usually composed young man was now clutching his clothes tightly, his face buried in his shoulder.
He gently patted Tang Yu’an’s back to soothe him.
Therapist Zheng and the security personnel arrived. Seeing the crowd, Tang Yu’an immediately hid behind Wei Langxing.
Sorry, protagonist, you’ll have to be my shield this time.
Wei Langxing looked at Therapist Zheng questioningly. She briefly explained what had happened. He understood, dismissing her and the security personnel.
They had scared him with their relentless pursuit.
When Wei Langxing turned to him, Tang Yu’an braced himself for a reprimand. He had agreed to the treatment, and now he had run away, causing such a commotion.
Now the protagonist must think he was a coward.
“You don’t want to do the hypnosis anymore? It’s okay, we don’t have to if you don’t want to.”
He really was timid… Wait, what did he just say?
Tang Yu’an looked up at him in surprise. Wei Langxing couldn’t resist pinching his cheek.
“Alright, haven’t had dinner yet, right? Are you hungry? I get anxious when I’m hungry too. Come on, let’s get you a good meal!”
Tang Yu’an hadn’t expected him to come up with an excuse for him. His fluctuating emotions gradually calmed, and he let Wei Langxing lead him away.
Wei Langxing, walking ahead, tried to keep his eyes forward.
Tang Yu’an’s slightly cool hand felt soft and smooth against his palm.
He resisted the urge to caress it, simply holding it gently, careful not to touch his wounds.
They ordered takeout from their usual restaurant. Tang Yu’an, chewing on a rice cake, started to reflect on his impulsive actions.
Perhaps the person in the mirror was deceiving him. He hadn’t received a crisis alert from the system, meaning there was no immediate danger to his life.
But that was all. The crisis alert couldn’t detect other threats. What if Therapist Zheng had intended to erase his consciousness? He would have been defenseless.
It was frustrating that the damn mirror wouldn’t explain clearly.
The person calling himself “K” had warned him not to trust anyone. He had subconsciously excluded the protagonists, which was why he had unhesitatingly sought help from Wei Langxing.
Protagonists wouldn’t do anything harmful; following them was always the right choice.
Lost in thought, he forgot to swallow the food in his mouth. Wei Langxing watched him chewing, the rice cake seemingly indestructible, a small bulge forming on his cheek.
Was it that hard to chew?
He took a bite himself; it seemed fine.
Wei Langxing found him endearing. He really was like a kitten.
He handed him a tissue: “Spit it out if you can’t chew it.”
Tang Yu’an snapped back to reality, embarrassed by his absentmindedness. He swallowed the food and brushed his hand away: “Don’t underestimate me.”
Looking at the mostly eaten dishes, he suddenly remembered something important: “Oh no, we forgot to order for Xie Cun!”
“Don’t worry about him,” Wei Langxing replied. “He’s not eating here.”
Tang Yu’an then realized he hadn’t seen him. Usually, Xie Cun would immediately appear upon his return, his colorful attire hard to miss.
“Where is he?”
Wei Langxing had been waiting for this question, replying casually: “At a nightclub.”
“What?!”
With Yu Liao’s matter unresolved and no leads on Yi Xin Pharmaceuticals, he went out to have fun?
It wasn’t that he wanted to control him, but this seemed inconsistent with his earlier behavior.
But protagonists worked hard; it was normal for them to relax occasionally.
“Alright, I hope he has fun.”
Wei Langxing smiled subtly.
After dinner, Tang Yu’an said he wanted to go back to his room to rest. Wei Langxing first reported the day’s progress to Pang Jin, then dialed a number.
The loud electronic music on the other end gave him a headache. Xie Cun’s voice came through: “Hey, Wei, is your information accurate? I’ve been here for hours, haven’t seen anyone!”
Xie Cun was annoyed, not even bothering with the title “Captain.”
Wei Langxing had claimed to have found a new lead, a businessman named Xu who had dealings with Yi Xin Pharmaceuticals, but had recently disappeared. Someone had reportedly seen him at a bar, so Wei Langxing sent him to investigate, hoping to apprehend him.
Xie Cun didn’t like being ordered around, but Wei Langxing’s simple retort, “Do you want me to go?” silenced him.
Someone as stiff as Wei Langxing would be immediately identified as an officer the moment he entered.
Fine, to catch the bastard who attacked Tang Yu’an, he would make this sacrifice, using his “Nightclub Prince” disguise to lure the suspect out.
However, upon arrival, he found this place far beneath his usual haunts. The bartender looked gloomy, and the tables were sticky.
Xie Cun felt like he had gone from a wealthy businessman to a pauper overnight. He ordered a drink and sat in a corner, observing.
He waited for a long time, seeing nothing.
He should have stayed; Tang Yu’an was having his hypnosis session tonight. If he hadn’t been stuck here, wouldn’t he be the one accompanying him?
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got. He vented his frustration over the phone, questioning Wei Langxing’s information.
Wei Langxing simply told him to be patient. Xie Cun rolled his eyes, kicking away a drunkard causing a scene: “Easy for you to say, you’re not the one stuck in this dump.”
In stark contrast to his irritation was the clear amusement in Wei Langxing’s voice.
“By the way, Yu’an asked me to tell you to have fun.”
“Fun?” Xie Cun almost choked on his drink. “What did you tell him? When did I say I was here for fun? Hello? Hello?!”
The call was disconnected. Xie Cun stared at his phone, swallowing his curses with alcohol.
He wasn’t one to take things lying down. He was about to call Tang Yu’an to complain.
He had it all planned out, he would say Wei Langxing was dumping all the dirty work on him, then pretend to casually discover that he had also been slandered, his visit to the nightclub portrayed as pleasure-seeking, playing the victim card.
But he didn’t make the call, because he spotted a thin man sitting at the bar, resembling the suspect.
Wei Langxing had shown him a photo, and he had memorized the businessman’s features and basic information.
34 years old, spent all his earnings on lottery tickets, never winning, unmarried, no siblings.
He casually sat down beside the man, ordering another drink.
The businessman, Xu, wore a black coat, his hair messy, as if it hadn’t been cut in a while. He looked ten years older than in the photo, even though only a few months had passed.
What had happened to him during this time?
Xie Cun tried to start a conversation: “This drink is strong. Don’t drink too fast, you’ll hurt yourself.”
The businessman downed it in one gulp, his voice rough and hoarse: “None of your business.”
Oh, a tough one.
But Xie Cun wasn’t easily deterred. He moved closer: “What’s wrong, buddy? Why so gloomy? Drowning your sorrows after a demotion?”
Only then did the businessman truly notice him, turning slowly, his face showing impatience, as if he was about to lash out at this annoying stranger.
But when his eyes met Xie Cun’s, his facial muscles froze, his pupils dilated, his eyes filled with terror.
Xie Cun was puzzled. Was he that scary?
Before he could ask, the businessman bolted, his sleeve knocking over a glass, which shattered on the floor.
Xie Cun reacted quickly, chasing after him.
The revolving door at the entrance was too slow. The businessman panicked and ran up the stairs, pushing past several patrons, causing a commotion.
Xie Cun apologized as he pushed through the crowd, following him up to the rooftop.
The cold wind howled. There was no railing on the roof. The businessman stood at the edge, his clothes flapping in the wind.
This was the scene that greeted Xie Cun when he arrived. His heart lurched. He didn’t dare approach, afraid the man would jump.
He raised his hands, trying to calm him down: “Let’s talk this through. It’s too dangerous there. Come down!”
The businessman, agitated, pointed at him, shouting desperately: “You found me! I knew it was you! I know what you’re here for! I’m telling you, don’t even think about it!”
Xie Cun suspected he was mistaken for someone else. He just wanted to ask him some questions, there was no need for this drama.
“Calm down, you’ve got the wrong person. We’ve never met before…”
“I’d recognize you no matter what you look like!” the businessman interrupted him. “You’re here to steal my skin! You want to wear my skin and sleep with my wife! I won’t let you, you monster!”
Xie Cun: “…”
Was this guy insane? Did he think he was an alien?
Xie Cun shouted: “Snap out of it! You don’t have a wife!”
Now it was the businessman’s turn to fall silent.
But after a couple of seconds, he erupted again: “It’s you! You used witchcraft to turn my wife into your wife! Give her back!”
Xie Cun was certain now that this man was seriously ill, suffering from severe delusions.
To deal with such a person, he had to follow his logic, finding a loophole in his story.
“You’re mistaken. Look, this is my wife. She doesn’t look like your wife at all. See for yourself!”
He showed him his phone’s lock screen, a picture he had taken of Tang Yu’an napping in a chair.
Sunlight streamed over him, a picture of peace.
The businessman stared at the photo for a few seconds, then shouted: “That’s my wife! Tell me, how did you bewitch her?!”
“You…”
Xie Cun wanted to punch him.
He tried to speak, but the businessman wasn’t listening, muttering to himself: “You ate my wife, you ate my child, and now you want to eat me! I won’t let you! I won’t…”
He fell backwards. Xie Cun cried out, rushing forward, but he couldn’t catch him in time.
The sound of impact echoed from below. Xie Cun looked down. The businessman lay sprawled on the hard ground, blood pooling around him, a crowd gathering.
Someone called for an ambulance, but Xie Cun knew it was too late.
His face darkened. The lead was dead.
————
Tang Yu’an locked the door, taking out the small mirror. This time, it activated successfully.
He asked: “What did that message mean?”
K finally answered: “There’s a traitor in the Bureau.”
Tang Yu’an was annoyed. Why didn’t he say that earlier, causing him so much panic?
“I won’t respond when someone is too close to you.”
The mirror could even detect the presence of others nearby?
Tang Yu’an pressed: “Who is the traitor?”
K: “I don’t know.”
Tang Yu’an: “Don’t know, or don’t want to say?”
This time, K paused before replying: “I wouldn’t lie to you.”
Tang Yu’an: “Why should I trust you?”
What if this person was trying to sow discord? He couldn’t be easily fooled.
K: “If you’re in danger, call me. I’ll help you.”
Such a cryptic tone, either incredibly powerful, or just pretentious.
Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but ask a slightly silly question: “Are you human?”
Although he knew it couldn’t be a sentient mirror, he just wanted to be sure.
K: “Flesh and blood.”
If it was a complete stranger, there was no reason for them to help him. Tang Yu’an suspected he might have known his past self.
Tang Yu’an: “Have we met? Why are you helping me?”
K: “I can’t answer that question.”
Quite honest, not lying, because he simply refused to answer.
Tang Yu’an persisted: “Who are you?”
K fell silent again. Tang Yu’an put the mirror away, ignoring this elusive person.
He didn’t see the words that appeared on the mirror’s surface, pressed against his clothes in his pocket: “You can think of me as your guardian angel.”
But the words vanished almost as soon as they appeared, as if quickly retracted.
