Chapter 123
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When Fu Xuezhou pushed open the door to return home, he saw Cui Ansheng wiping the dusty dining table with an apron and a cloth.
“Back already?” Cui Ansheng was bustling around, smiling as he turned his head to look, then exclaimed in surprise, “Were you robbed?”
Fu Xuezhou walked in with a damp body, threw the half-wet yellow paper bag he was holding onto the coffee table, and said, “No.”
Cui Ansheng couldn’t read Fu Xuezhou’s current mood, but he understood Fu Xuezhou from before to some extent. He could tell that Fu Xuezhou was in a good mood. Cui Ansheng looked at Fu Xuezhou’s bathrobe and the faint teeth marks revealed on Fu Xuezhou’s neck, meaningfully rubbing his chin, “Hmm… you should go take a shower first and change your clothes. Look at you, all soaked. Be careful not to catch a cold.”
Fu Xuezhou nodded casually, picked up his clothes, and went into the bathroom. As he squeezed out shampoo to wash his hair, Fu Xuezhou suddenly remembered the image of Lou Yan showering in the bathroom. He smirked and applied shampoo to his hair.
After a ten-minute shower, Fu Xuezhou changed into a comfortable white T-shirt and loose shorts and walked out. Cui Ansheng threw a bottle of water to him, and Fu Xuezhou caught it, unscrewing the cap to drink.
A faint heat steamed around Fu Xuezhou, making him look like a real college student. Cui Ansheng smiled, “Sometimes I feel like you’re living like a hundred-year-old man, but when I look at you, you’re just a young man in his twenties. Ah Zhou, you should wear more clothes like this, fitting for a college student. It makes you look young and fresh, appealing to people.”
Fu Xuezhou drank water while casting a dark glance at him.
Cui Ansheng immediately made a gesture of surrender, clasping his hands together and bowing to Fu Xuezhou, saying with a wry smile, “Don’t look at me like that. If you look at me like that, I’ll collapse.”
Only then did Fu Xuezhou retract his gaze.
Cui Ansheng sat comfortably on the sofa, smiling, “Ah Zhou, this is your home, where you live. You should at least tidy up this place like a human being. When I came today, I was startled. Your home doesn’t look like a place where people live at all. It’s cold and lacks any human touch. If Xiao Bao comes here, he’ll definitely cry… Oh, by the way, Ah Zhou, did Boss Song send you the money?”
Fu Xuezhou just remembered this matter. He checked his phone from the paper bag, but there was no notification of payment. “No.”
“After such a busy day, you didn’t even pay attention to whether the money arrived or not. Ah Zhou, you’re acting strange today,” Cui Ansheng teased, then took out his phone, “Boss Song couldn’t reach you, so he came to find me. He just sent me many thanks for you. He said his daughter has woken up, and he’ll get a banner made for you tomorrow, saying ‘miraculous healer with profound skills,’ haha, I declined on your behalf. Boss Song wanted to send you the money immediately, but he said he didn’t remember your card number, so he came to ask if I knew. Ah Zhou, this really isn’t your style. Rushing to tell the client your card number and then leaving. If it weren’t for Mr. Song’s righteousness, he might have forgotten about this transaction.”
“He wouldn’t dare,” Fu Xuezhou said, but didn’t elaborate on his actions.
Cui Ansheng chuckled and winked, “Ah Zhou, what’s with the bathrobe on you? Are you and Lou Yan a thing now?”
Fu Xuezhou, not sure what came to his mind, relaxed his eyebrows, and his lips curled slightly. Looking at his expression, Cui Ansheng let out a surprised “hiss,” genuinely taken aback. “Ah Zhou, it seems like you really like him. You smile every time he’s mentioned…”
Cui Ansheng had never seen this expression on Fu Xuezhou’s face before.
Fu Xuezhou raised a hand to touch the corner of his lips and realized there was indeed a slight curve. He furrowed his brows, suppressing his smile, and said lightly, “Just remembered something funny, that’s all.”
Cui Ansheng didn’t believe him but also didn’t press the matter further. He came here today mainly for two things: first, to inquire about Fu Xuezhou’s help in dealing with the anomaly situation regarding Boss Song, and if it went smoothly, he could also receive a gratitude fee from Boss Song. The second matter made Cui Ansheng feel a bit uneasy.
Ever since he learned about the existence of the anomaly, Cui Ansheng had been investigating various information. He had many underground connections, and recently, he had heard some news. There was an organization called the Anomaly Cultists, which was said to have the ability to grant people anomaly powers. Moreover, joining this organization would protect one from the harms of the anomaly.
Cui Ansheng was very tempted by this, but he didn’t know if this organization truly existed or if it was just a hoax. Besides, this organization primarily worshipped and promoted the anomaly, which sounded dangerous and occult. So, Cui Ansheng was hesitant about whether to try contacting this organization.
“Ah Zhou, have you ever heard of an organization called the Anomaly Cultist?” Cui Ansheng asked.
Fu Xuezhou paused for a moment, squeezing the water bottle in his hand, then turned to look at him with an unnaturally calm expression, as if he had known Cui Ansheng would ask him this question.
Cui Ansheng felt a bit overwhelmed by his gaze, unable to meet Fu Xuezhou’s eyes. He felt as if Fu Xuezhou could see through his soul. Stiffly, Cui Ansheng chuckled, “Why are you looking at me like that? Did I say something wrong?”
Fu Xuezhou crushed the empty plastic water bottle, making a loud, tense noise. “Cui Ansheng, don’t let me find out you’ve joined that organization.”
He stood up, threw the water bottle into the trash can, then went to the window and closed it shut. Turning his head, he said, “Otherwise, I’ll kill you.”
Cui Ansheng’s heart suddenly tightened, and he forced out a couple of awkward laughs. “Don’t worry, don’t worry, I won’t join that cult.”
“Better be,” Fu Xuezhou said coldly, showing no mercy to Cui Ansheng.
Cui Ansheng couldn’t force another smile. He took off the apron he was wearing and placed it on the table. After some contemplation, he sighed and spoke of his thoughts, “Ah Zhou, you don’t understand. For someone like me and Xiaobao, who lack a sense of security and special abilities, who have always been at the bottom of society, the appeal of this organization’s facade is just too tempting. Who doesn’t want to live? Who doesn’t want to become stronger? Who doesn’t want to escape from the anomaly and live a good life? I am indeed tempted, but I know you wouldn’t speak without reason. Your words alone indicate that this organization is very dangerous. Even for Xiaobao’s safety, I won’t join this organization.”
After saying that, he stood up and said, “I bought you some food and put it in the fridge. There’s sweet and sour spare ribs and fried fresh milk, your favorites. If you want to eat, just heat it up. I won’t say more, I’ll go take care of Xiaobao. We’ll talk later.”
Fu Xuezhou didn’t see him off, still looking at the heavy rain outside the window, and said lightly, “Prepare rice and supplies, and get the raft ready. Remember to stay in high places and don’t go out if you don’t have to.”
Cui Ansheng nodded repeatedly, “I’m leaving then.”
The door opened and closed again, leaving only Fu Xuezhou alone in the room.
The dim light from outside cast shadows on Fu Xuezhou’s body, and the rainwater sliding down the window formed a pattern of light and shadow on his face. Fu Xuezhou stood there quietly like a statue, a kind of silent, oppressive atmosphere lingering in the air.
“Today is April 30th,” Fu Xuezhou muttered to himself, looking at the heavy rain, “It’s three months earlier than before.”
“The members of the Cult have also contacted Cui Ansheng earlier.”
“It’s you,” Fu Xuezhou said calmly, “You know this is my last return, so you’re starting to get scared.”
Fu Xuezhou smiled slowly, a smile tinged with coldness. Shadows covered half of his face, and his black eyes momentarily turned scarlet, emitting a faint cold light. A crazy and terrifying aura emerged on his face, “Fear is justified, I will find you, Anomaly Lord.”
***
“This rain is very dangerous, extremely dangerous.”
As soon as they returned to the villa, Lou Yan didn’t even go to shower and change his clothes. He called everyone to the living room and pointed solemnly at the heavy rain outside, saying, “This rain has been falling since yesterday and hasn’t stopped until now. When I came back, the water on the ground had already risen to five centimeters above the tires.”
The others exchanged glances, and Li Sanxin stood up, handing a dry towel to Lou Yan to wipe his wet hair, asking in confusion, “Where’s the danger in this rain? It’s just the rainy season, and it’s normal for it to rain for two or three days in a row.”
Lou Yan’s lips turned slightly blue, “But this rain probably won’t stop in just two or three days.”
Duan Zege scratched his itchy straw-like hair, “What do you mean?”
“Have you noticed that I’ve stocked up a lot of water equipment in the warehouse?” Lou Yan said, “That’s what I prepared for this rain. You also know that I have the ability to know what will happen in the future. There will be a disaster rain three months later, but this rain is happening earlier.”
Lu Haoxiu raised his hand, “I know, I know. Brother Lou, there are many kayaks, motorboats, jet skis, and many life jackets and lifebuoys in the warehouse… D*mn!”
After realizing, he jumped up in shock, “D*mn! Brother Lou, this rain won’t turn into a flood and drown us, will it?!”
Lou Yan pursed his lips, “If it’s really the same as the rain three months later, it will flood the entire Chengjiang City.”
In the memories of his past lives, this rain was the reason Lou Yan and Li Sanxin escaped from Chengjiang City.
Lou Yan’s eyes darkened, his voice hoarse, carrying the exhaustion and sensuality after making love, but everyone’s attention was focused on what he said, not noticing this detail.
“This heavy rain isn’t a normal natural phenomenon, but rain caused by the ‘Water Ghost.’ In the future I know, this rain should have started three months later. At first, people thought it was normal summer rain and didn’t pay much attention. But the rain grew heavier and heavier, never stopping, rising at a weird speed. It quickly flooded the first floor, then the second floor… until it submerged the entire Chengjiang City.”
Lou Yan’s mood became heavier, “It’s the ‘Water Ghost,’ classified as an A-rank horror disaster anomaly.”
He recalled the terrifying scene in his past life when the rain flooded Chengjiang City, almost like a nightmare of h*ll: “The power of the ‘Water Ghost’ is terrifying, even more terrifying than we imagine. It can easily flood a city, and it can lurk everywhere underwater. Once it touches the surface of the water, there’s a danger of being dragged into the water and drowned by the ‘Water Ghost.'”
In his past life, Lou Yan and Li Sanxin went through great hardships, even losing half of their lives, to crawl out of the water in Chengjiang City.
Lou Yan wouldn’t forget the scene at that time, during the period when the “Water Ghost” appeared, the bodies floating on the water were packed tightly together, so dense that there was no space for boats to move forward. The water turned black-red with blood and body parts, smelling rotten and fishy, and Chengjiang City gradually became a dead city day by day.
Duan Zege tapped his thigh, thoughtful, “No wonder you specifically chose this villa. The villa is built halfway up the mountain, in a high position. Even if the city is flooded, it’s relatively safe here.”
Lou Yan nodded, affirming his statement, “That’s right, I chose here for this reason.”
Li Sanxin frowned, noticing a flaw, “Yanzi, why are you so sure that this rain is the same as the heavy rain three months later?”
Lou Yan choked, giving Li Sanxin a glare and said irritably, “Why do you ask so many questions? Anyway, I’m eighty percent sure that this rain is the same as the rain three months later.”
But his performance didn’t discourage Li Sanxin. Instead, it made him even more curious. Even Duan Zege and Lu Haoxiu, who were gossiping, stared at Lou Yan, feeling that Lou Yan/Brother Lou was trying to cover up something and deliberately diverting the topic.
Under the gaze of three pairs of eyes that said “Tell me quickly,” Lou Yan hesitated, “…”
Lou Yan really didn’t want to mention someone, nor did he want to recall the absurd scene in the office just now. But at this moment, he had no choice but to speak up. Lou Yan exhaled deeply, his brows furrowing with patience, “…Fu Xuezhou reminded me.”
“…”
The room fell silent for a few seconds, then exploded with deafening noise.
“Oh, I see.”
“Fu Xuezhou???!!!”
“When did you see him? Why did he tell you this? Did he say it exactly like that???”
“Fu Xuezhou is the Destroyer of the World, right? Why would he remind Brother Lou?”
“There’s something fishy going on…”
“Lou Yan! You went to see him and didn’t tell me?!”
Lou Yan closed his eyes in pain.
So noisy, all of you.
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