“We claimed to know about the strange events happening in the warehouse and even revealed a bit about the mysterious item. They panicked and didn’t know what to do. That’s when we showed up again, offering to help with the aftermath.”
“The Boss of Bai Bai Foreign Trade thought by ‘aftermath’ we meant handling the mysterious item, but in reality, we dealt with the employees involved… using our most skilled methods.”
Zhang Cheng knelt on the ground, confessing everything that happened back then in detail.
Bai Xiaoya, as someone from society, instantly understood—it was about shifting the blame onto themselves, then using violent threats to force those warehouse employees to keep silent.
No wonder so few people knew about this.
It wasn’t in the school records, and even the Senior who had worked part-time there had no clue.
“By the time the Boss of Bai Bai Foreign Trade found out, it was already too late. We even turned around and used this to threaten him.”
“You’re truly beasts,” Bai Xiaoya couldn’t help but curse.
The former part-timer felt deeply sympathetic.
Zhang Cheng didn’t dare retort at all when scolded.
He just continued: “The Association noticed what we were doing but didn’t stop us. Instead, they joined in to take a share. With their mysterious items as intimidation, things went even more smoothly. In the end, when they realized there was no more profit to squeeze, they had me and a few others transfer the pocket watch outside. But that night, the pocket watch revolted again…”
Bai Xia gently closed her eyes.
Before her, the rainy night reappeared—the night her father was forced along with several others to deal with the pocket watch, sending that cursed item out of Baiyuan City.
They promised that once the task was done, her family would be safe and free.
But that night, in the pouring rain, the unclaimed pocket watch revolted.
Everyone on the mission was affected, their emotions twisted, their minds controlled by self-induced madness.
In the chaos, her father recognized the power of the pocket watch and suddenly realized a harsh truth—they had been given empty promises.
Only power could decide fate.
During that mad fight, he grabbed the pocket watch and brought it home, handing it to his daughter.
Bai Xia opened her eyes, revealing crimson eyes.
“Xing Luo, Long Shenyuan, and the people from the Association—where are they?”
“The Association never contacted me. Maybe only my eldest brother can communicate with them,” Zhang Cheng said bitterly.
“The elder brothers are at ‘Heaven.’ That’s the first nightclub we opened… now called Baiyuan Heaven.”
The truth revealed, the answer in hand, their purpose here was fulfilled.
Su Qingyu took off her backpack and carefully pulled out a black feather.
Zhang Cheng offered no resistance.
Once the item arrived, he opened his mouth— the feather melted immediately upon contact.
Su Qingyu clapped her small hands, brushing away the nonexistent feather residue.
“The effect will kick in soon. Let’s go. It’s best to reach that so-called Heaven before the news spreads.”
Both elevators malfunctioned and were unusable, but the floor wasn’t very high, so they took the stairs.
Before leaving, Bai Xiaoya glanced at Zhang Cheng kneeling on the ground, his eyes vacant, gaze dull—like someone who drools even after being cured.
Better if he’d gone mad.
When enemies come looking, dying in some accidental way would be his deserved fate.
“Aya, let’s go.”
“Coming!”
In the office, Zhang Cheng’s consciousness grew hazy, slipping in and out of clarity.
Many memories turned into dreams—nonexistent dreams—like his years as an executive in a large company or working for some mysterious organization…
But why was his heart filled with fear? What exactly was he afraid of?
He didn’t know and couldn’t figure it out.
The fear lingered, growing stronger as his memories faded more and more…
***
The floor wasn’t too high or low—seventh floor.
They had to walk down step by step.
“You’re quite impressive. I mean, you,” Su Qingyu said as they descended the stairs, “being able to control the pocket watch isn’t something just anyone can do.”
Bai Xia slightly raised her eyes but didn’t reply.
That was a hard statement to respond to, and the girl’s mood was complicated right now.
“It means she’s rare… I mean, very rare?”
Bai Xiaoya said.
“More than rare. Let me put it this way—my flute has many names: Magic Flute, Wind Whisper Flute, and theoretically, it should be called Sophia’s Flute. But in reality, the last name has the lowest recognition.”
Su Qingyu held the stair rail as she rounded a corner and continued: “Because the previous owner, that woman named Sophia, only possessed it for two and a half years. She barely did anything remarkable, but Edwins was different.”
Bai Xiaoya followed behind, also holding the stair rail.
Because of General Big White Rabbit’s presence, she descended more slowly.
“I’ve heard of Edwins. That guy ruled over a small town using the pocket watch,” she said.
That sounded just about normal.
“Right. But the important thing is, Edwins held the pocket watch for seventy-five years.”
Bai Xiaoya froze instantly, and Bai Xia cast a suspicious glance.
“Yes. With such power, throughout those seventy-five years, he never sought expansion nor did anything too extreme. He controlled the townspeople and himself,” Su Qingyu said solemnly.
“He was the king of the town until his natural death.”
Hiss…
Bai Xiaoya sucked in a cold breath, her gaze toward Bai Xia changing.
The girl pulled at the corners of her mouth: “I didn’t feel it was that special. It was useful for gathering intel, but…”
Suddenly, Bai Xiaoya felt an itch on her cheek, cool and damp.
She raised her hand and touched something wet.
Could it be… tears?
But why was she crying?
She wasn’t sad or upset.
Just as the busty girl wondered, a phrase popped into her mind:
Why do birds cry?
A few seconds later, a shadow flashed outside the window—a fall from above.
The three girls on the stairs stopped in their tracks.
Su Qingyu was the first to react, running quickly to the window and standing on tiptoes…
“Aya, I can’t see!”
The blonde girl’s face flushed red with panic.
“Help me!”
Bai Xiaoya also came to the window, straining to look down and lifting her slightly.
It was Zhang Cheng.
Although he was in a terrible state from the fall, his shape and clothing made him recognizable—they had just seen him.
“Why would he do something so reckless?”
Su Qingyu touched her small head.
“Lost his memories, thinking he’s still a street thug, couldn’t accept reality and jumped?”
A voice came from behind—Bai Xia’s.
“It’s fear.”
At this moment, the girl understood the meaning behind Trait 2: Mind Vacuum.
Having seen enough, Su Qingyu signaled Bai Xiaoya to release him, and the pair’s feet returned to the floor.
“He got what he deserved, but…”
A scream came from downstairs, followed by shouts and chaos.
The noisy clamor was a mess.
“Now the news definitely can’t be kept hidden.”
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.