This was an extraordinary experience for Yu Sheng, unlike anything he had ever encountered—walking with a Wolf Pack, weaving through the chaotic reflections of the city.
The distorted outlines of buildings sped past his vision, as the entire Boundary City seed to break into countless fragnted and drifting “pieces” in this shadowy realm. Buildings and streets jumbled together chaotically; distant neighborhoods might connect at the next corner, while once-adjacent houses were separated into different “fragnts.” The light-footed wolves darted through these inverted and disordered urban structures, gliding along invisible “roads” and leaping across intersections with ease.
A streak of red appeared from the corner of his vision. Little Red Riding Hood turned her head toward him, her face glowing with delight. “Isn’t it amazing?”
“It’s incredible,” Yu Sheng admitted sincerely. “Is this what you usually see when you ‘go out’?”
“We only use it for long trips,” Little Red Riding Hood replied happily. “Sotis, I even take other mbers of the Fairy Tale Organization along on tasks with the Wolf Pack. You’re the first ‘outsider’ I’ve invited.”
“Well, I’m honored… So, do you usually handle transportation for others too?”
Little Red Riding Hood waved a hand dismissively. “No choice! Nobody at the orphanage can drive, and taxis are way too expensive.”
Yu Sheng glanced at the girl riding alongside him on a wolf and pressed his lips together before blurting out loudly, “You can get your driver’s license next month.”
Little Red Riding Hood froze for a mont.
Then she suddenly burst into laughter, shouting back, “Yes, I can get my driver’s license next month!”
…
The shadows receded, and their forms materialized in the fading twilight. Yu Sheng and Little Red Riding Hood erged from the shadows of a building.
“It’s not as fast as your ‘door’ or the Special Affairs Bureau’s shortcuts, but at least it’s quicker than a cab, right?” Little Red Riding Hood looked back at Yu Sheng with a smile.
Yu Sheng checked his phone and found it had only been a little over ten minutes since they’d left Wutong Road No. 66—impressively fast.
“Which way now?” he asked, gazing at the towering buildings before him. This bustling part of the city was filled with high-rises, vastly different from the old district he was familiar with.
“Over there,” Little Red Riding Hood pointed to a tall building ahead. “Old Zheng lived alone on an upper floor here. It’s close to the Association of Strange Objects office. The building has tight security, so we’ll need to register with the guards at the entrance. I’ve already notified Old Zheng’s nephew. Just say you were a friend of Old Zheng, and you’re accompanying .”
Old Zheng was the liaison Little Red Riding Hood had ntioned.
Yu Sheng committed her instructions to mory and followed her along the narrow paths of the apartnt complex. They entered a high-rise that scread luxury. At the entryway to the elevator lobby, Yu Sheng spotted the security guard Little Red Riding Hood had ntioned—a young man with a stoic expression who handed out two visitor registration forms through a small window.
Yu Sheng filled out his form cooperatively, glancing curiously at Little Red Riding Hood’s form. He froze for a mont.
After submitting the forms and being cleared by the guard, Yu Sheng waited until they were alone to quietly ask her, “Who’s Wang Jia Jia?”
Little Red Riding Hood stopped in her tracks and looked up at him with wide, innocent eyes. After a long pause, she said, “That’s .”
Yu Sheng: “…?”
Little Red Riding Hood: “…?”
The two stared at each other in mutual confusion for several seconds before Little Red Riding Hood was the first to snap out of it. “You didn’t think my last na was ‘Little,’ did you?!”
Yu Sheng tried hard to keep a straight face, his expression twisting between composure and disbelief. “For a mont there, I thought Wang Jia Jia was so alias you used for fieldwork…”
“Little Red Riding Hood is the alias!” she nearly shouted, her eyes wide. “Who in their right mind is actually nad Little Red Riding Hood?! Of course, I have a real na!”
Yu Sheng opened his mouth, then let out an awkward laugh, waving it off as though nothing had happened.
In truth, he hadn’t expected this at all. From the day they’d t, he’d only known her as Little Red Riding Hood. They’d gone on several missions together—exploring museums, battling in the Black Forest—and there had never been a reason to share real nas. Over ti, the na “Little Red Riding Hood” had beco so natural that he never even questioned it.
The awkwardness lingered as they entered the elevator and reached the door of Old Zheng’s forr residence.
Little Red Riding Hood rang the doorbell, and monts later, a tired-looking young man opened the door. He had ssy black hair, wore a T-shirt and pants, and looked unremarkable, though his face bore a faint resemblance to the man in the black-and-white portrait on the living room table.
The man said little, exchanging a few words with Little Red Riding Hood before stepping aside to let them in.
Yu Sheng imdiately noticed the portrait—a middle-aged man in his forties or fifties with neatly combed hair, a slightly round face, and a faint smile. He bore a subtle resemblance to the young man who had greeted them.
This was Old Zheng, a mber of the Association of Strange Objects and a familiar contact for two generations of Little Red Riding Hoods. In the portrait, he looked like any ordinary middle-aged man.
Turning away from the portrait, Yu Sheng surveyed the room.
The apartnt was modestly furnished, with a straightforward layout. Beyond the entryway lay the living room, one side connected to a semi-open kitchen and the other leading to the bedroom and bathroom. A small balcony with well-kept plants hinted at the care its late owner had given to his ho.
Aside from the portrait, there were no signs of death or mourning in the apartnt.
Yu Sheng voiced his doubt.
“My uncle didn’t like grand ceremonies,” the young man explained, handing them glasses of water. “He specifically requested no funeral, just a quick burial.”
Little Red Riding Hood frowned slightly, sensing sothing amiss. Before she could speak, Yu Sheng asked, “He made these arrangents himself? Did he…”
Yu Sheng glanced at the portrait.
It made sense for an elderly person to leave behind such instructions, but based on what Little Red Riding Hood had said, Old Zheng was under fifty and in good health. Why would soone like that make end-of-life arrangents?
“I know why you’re here,” the young man interrupted with a sigh. He sat down on the sofa opposite them. “I won’t hide it—my uncle seed to sense sothing before his accident. About half a month ago, he called and gave a lot of instructions. But he refused to elaborate, saying no one had hard him and that everything was as it should be…”
Yu Sheng exchanged a glance with Little Red Riding Hood.
This “contact” definitely had secrets.
But was the “false commission” that nearly caused Little Red Riding Hood to lose control really a trap set by him? Their previously straightforward suspicion now felt shaken. The nephew’s account of Old Zheng’s cryptic words only raised more questions.
“Where… is Old Zheng now?” Little Red Riding Hood hesitated before breaking the silence. “Can we… see him?”
The young man pointed to a small cabinet nearby, where an urn sat.
Yu Sheng and Little Red Riding Hood were stunned.
“What?! He’s already been cremated?!” Little Red Riding Hood exclaid, her eyes wide. “That’s so…”
“He requested it,” the young man explained, lifting his head to look at them. “I’m not from ‘your world,’ so I don’t understand the rules or taboos involved. But I know what my uncle did for a living. He dealt with strange and dangerous things, so I didn’t dare ignore his wishes.”
Little Red Riding Hood opened her mouth but couldn’t find the right words. Instead, she glanced at Yu Sheng.
“Your ‘Conversation with the Dead’…” she whispered, leaning toward him. “Can it work here?”
Yu Sheng was equally taken aback. “That requires blood contact… I wasn’t expecting this!”
“So what now?” Little Red Riding Hood asked, her tone incredulous. “The man’s been cremated… Do you still want to try?”
Yu Sheng’s eye twitched as he glanced at the deceased’s nephew and muttered, “Should I grab a handful of soone’s relative’s ashes right in front of them?”
Little Red Riding Hood fell silent: “…”
The young man, seemingly oblivious to their hushed exchange, stood up suddenly after a long mont of thought. “I’m going out to buy sothing. Feel free to look around.”
Yu Sheng hesitated, then nodded when the young man added, “I sorted through my uncle’s belongings. The books he read and the notes he wrote are on the desk in the bedroom. If you’re interested, take a look, but please don’t make a ss—I plan to keep so of those.”
“Understood. Thank you,” Yu Sheng replied earnestly.
“You’re welco. I hope you find sothing useful. I’ll be leaving in a few days, so make the most of your ti here.”
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