The next morning, before my alarm even went off, I was already awake. It was 6:30 a.m. when I got up, and both Leah King and her agent were already up and busy preparing. The event would start at 9 o'clock, so we had to get there at least an hour early.
After getting ready, we left before 7 o'clock, grabbed a quick breakfast, and hurried over. The mall we were going to was only half an hour away—by car, it took just over ten minutes.
Leah King went out wearing a mask and a wig, so no one could really recognize her. We hailed a cab and headed straight there.
The newly opened mall was right next to Dragon Plaza in the city center—a plaza that had existed for ages and was considered a sightseeing landmark. At each of the nine directions around the plaza stood statues of the dragon’s nine sons, supposedly there for centuries.
When we arrived at the plaza, there were already quite a few people. The mall’s grand opening meant a lot of promotional activities, and the opening ceremony was set right in the center of the plaza.
We went straight backstage, where preparations were still underway. A staff member in charge greeted Leah King and her agent, and started laying out what needed to be done next. Meanwhile, my eyes kept searching the crowd for any sign of Luo Yang.
There were so many people now, I could only search slowly. Blending in with the staff, I looked all over backstage but found no trace of Luo Yang. Then I started asking around, with Leah King helping me out. I learned that the person who contacted Leah King that day was a sales manager at the mall named Gregory Wu, whose office was on the eighth floor. He should be busy directing the staff right now.
I walked directly out from behind the stage, but the mall’s main entrance was tightly closed. Inside, staff bustled everywhere. Without my police ID, I hesitated for a long time before heading to the back door, where people were hauling goods and security guards stood watch.
I went straight up and said I was a police officer and needed to see Manager Wu about something. The guard eyed me suspiciously, then pulled out his phone, made a call, and told me to wait a few minutes.
"What's your name?"
"My name is Ethan Zhang."
I replied. After the guard finished his call, he signaled for me to go in, saying Gregory Wu was waiting for me in his office on the eighth floor. I hurried into the mall and headed straight for the elevator.
On the eighth floor, a long, spacious corridor stretched out before me. I walked for a while until I saw a large office with double doors half open. I knocked.
"Come in."
A hearty voice rang out. I stepped inside. Behind a broad desk sat a man in his thirties, burly, wearing glasses and a small braid. He seemed deeply focused on his paperwork.
"Hello, Officer Zhang."
Gregory Wu, the manager, stood up and walked over. I quickly went to shake his hand. At that moment, he paused and looked at me, his eyes full of amusement, then closed the door.
I explained my purpose right away—someone had seen him with Luo Yang. I took out a photo of Luo Yang and handed it to Gregory Wu. He studied it for a moment, then shook his head.
"Maybe they made a mistake, Officer Zhang. Why would I be with some high school kid I don’t even know?"
I was puzzled, but remembered what Leah King and her manager had said—they were certain and had double-checked many times. Suddenly, something occurred to me, and I stared blankly at Gregory Wu.
"You just said he's a high school student. If you've never seen him, how do you know he's a high school student?"
Luo Yang looks cheerful and mature—he could pass for a guy in his twenties, but he's actually just a second-year high schooler. Gregory Wu laughed, then sat back in his chair, took off his glasses, and suddenly revealed a pair of eyes that looked vicious and cold, staring at me.
"You're not a cop either, Ethan Zhang."
Gregory Wu spoke. I didn't hide it—I nodded.
"I may not be a cop, but now that I'm here, I need to know where Luo Yang is."
As I spoke, I clenched my fists and glared at Gregory Wu. Suddenly, he tilted his head back and burst into laughter, his laughter growing louder and louder. I stared at him in surprise.
"So, if I don't hand him over, are you going to start a massacre here, Ethan Zhang?"
My heart skipped a beat as I looked at Gregory Wu. He seemed to know me. I replied, word by word.
"You're... with the Immortality Society."
Gregory Wu neither confirmed nor denied it. He opened a drawer, took out a red mask, and placed it beside him, grinning viciously.
My clenched fists were wrapped in crimson flames, my body leaning forward, ready to charge. At that moment, Gregory Wu set down the mask.
"Want to kill me, Ethan Zhang? Go ahead."
Gregory Wu sat down, looking relaxed. Just then, someone knocked on the door behind me.
I immediately withdrew my flames. The door opened, and a beautiful woman dressed as a secretary walked in. She went straight to Gregory Wu, spoke to him, and he nodded, leaving the red mask out.
The female secretary gathered some documents and prepared to leave. Her eyes never left me. As she passed by, I felt something strange—a red, spiraling ribbon pierced through my right palm with a sharp crack.
Blood splattered through the air. I stared in shock at the secretary, papers still fluttering around us. She raised her hand, and several spinning red ribbons emerged from her palm. Her other hand seemed poised to act.
With a snap, Gregory Wu grabbed the secretary's left hand.
"Yvonne, stop. This is my guest. Go back to your work."
Instantly, flames erupted inside me, raging around my body. Both the secretary and Gregory Wu jumped aside. I clenched my fists, ready to unleash my full power in an explosion—after all, it was two against one, and the woman's abilities were unknown.
"Ethan Zhang, if you use that kind of power, people will die. The mall is packed with busy people all around. I already asked—are you really going to start a massacre here?"
Flames surged across my body, lashing out in all directions. Hearing Gregory Wu’s words, I suppressed my anger and slowly drew the fire back.
"Are you deaf, Miss Xi?"
A crash echoed as papers flew and furniture splintered. Gregory Wu stood with his fist raised in front of Yvonne Xi, who was ready to attack me.
"I told you to get back to work. This is my guest."
Yvonne Xi lowered her hand. Suddenly, with two sharp slaps, Gregory Wu struck her, blood trickling from her lips as she collapsed to the floor. He pressed his foot on her head.
"Trash should behave. If a machine stops working, I can always replace it."
He twisted his foot cruelly. Yvonne Xi didn't resist, pinned to the floor. She looked at me coldly. Gregory Wu then kicked her in the stomach—a dull thud—and she flew back. In a blur, Gregory Wu rushed over and grabbed her by the neck.
Yvonne Xi’s expression twisted in pain. Her slender hands gripped Gregory Wu’s, struggling to break free.
"Don’t make me say it a third time. Next time, it won’t be like this."
Gregory Wu raised his fist, about to strike Yvonne Xi’s face. In an instant, I rushed forward and grabbed his fist.
"Enough."
I couldn’t stand it anymore. Gregory Wu smiled and let go of Yvonne Xi. She lay on the ground, catching her breath, gathered up some papers, and shot me a cold look. That’s when I noticed a red birthmark on her neck, swirling like a spiral.
After Yvonne Xi left, Gregory Wu tidied up, then sat down and poured me a cup of tea. I took it, still watching him warily.
"Relax. No tricks, Ethan Zhang."
Gregory Wu said. I drank the tea without ceremony and sat down.
"Hand over Luo Yang. What are you people really after?"
I practically shouted. My anger at the Immortality Society made my whole body tremble.
"Luo Yang will be handed over to you, Ethan Zhang. But there's a problem—he's already been reborn. Are you sure you still want him?"
"What did you do to him?"
I roared, hurling my teacup at Gregory Wu. He caught it with a single finger, spinning it before smiling.
"Such good tea, Ethan Zhang. What a waste."
I stood up, fists clenched, unable to hold back any longer. Gregory Wu picked up the phone and dialed a number.
"Yang, someone’s here for you. Ethan Zhang is here."
Gregory Wu hung up and sat down, watching me. I ignored him and looked toward the door, fear rising in me. Thinking about the Immortality Society’s methods, I couldn’t help but shudder.
At that moment, there was a knock on the door. I rushed over.