Light in the Darkness Chapter Thirty-Eight Chen and the Wind

There were three veteran members assigned to this mission, including Jiang Li. The others were Mo Han, who had participated in five previous missions, and Su Zheyuan, with four under his belt. (Song Zhi had participated twice, Mo Yan four times, and Fei Ling three.)

This time, the number of newcomers reached a record high. Aside from the three veterans, seven new participants joined the mission—six men and one woman. Jiang Li and the others had already asked for their names: the oldest was Wei Gaoqing, thirty years old; Tang Scar, around twenty-eight; Liu Qi, twenty-seven; Zheng Wu, twenty-five; Yang Si, twenty-four; and Zhong Er, twenty-two.

The woman's name was Pan Hua, making a total of ten people involved in this incident.

This mission was quite different from those before. There were no evil spirits involved. The task was much simpler: to uncover the final murderer.

Right from the start, Mo Han patiently explained the specifics of the mission to the seven newcomers in detail, as well as information about the apartment and the Ghost Record. Mo Han told them everything she could, leaving nothing out, though whether the newcomers believed her was another matter.

After going through so many incidents, people gradually became more cold-blooded.

Jiang Li was conferring with his comrade Chen Yufeng about the progress, while the seven newcomers gathered together, whispering among themselves. As they discussed, they cast furtive glances at Mo Han, Jiang Li, and Su Zheyuan.

“I don’t know what you’re plotting, but if you wish, you’re free to act on your own,” Mo Han said. “The scope of this mission is limited to Jin Hai City. If you don’t believe in fate, you can try to leave.”

After so many ordeals, Mo Han noticed changes in herself—once warm and helpful, she now showed indifference toward most newcomers, caring little about their survival. Seeing the seven of them whispering among themselves stirred a nameless anger within her.

“Let’s go then,” someone said.

“Yes, yes,” echoed another.

“Who knows, if we follow them, maybe they’ll use us as cannon fodder.”

“Should we just leave?”

“If you want to go, go. I won’t join you,” Wei Gaoqing, the oldest, said coldly.

“Have you decided? If you want to leave, hurry up,” Mo Han said impatiently. If the newcomers were obedient, she could try to keep them safe during the mission. But for those who insisted on doing things their own way, she couldn’t be bothered.

“Jiang Li, why is it so noisy on your end? Where are you? I’ll come pick you up,” Chen Yufeng said over the phone.

“Ah, well, there are a lot of people here. All right, I’m at the Hokkaido Hotel,” replied Jiang Li, feeling slightly resigned. The newcomers this time were rather lacking.

Fortunately, there were no ghosts in this mission; otherwise, these people would have stuck closely to the experienced veterans. While the veterans couldn’t guarantee everyone’s survival, they could at least help avoid many risks.

“Let’s hurry up and leave. They’re annoyed with us already.”

“Yeah, those three don’t look like good people at all.”

“Right, especially the one on the phone.”

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“The other one doesn’t seem much better. You never know what people are thinking,” someone remarked.

The group chattered away, oblivious to the veterans. Even someone as patient as Jiang Li began to feel irritation rising within.

Wei Gaoqing stood expressionless and silent, walking straight to the veterans and quietly standing behind them, making his position clear.

“Are you really treating us as air? If you want to leave, just go. We won’t see you off,” Mo Han snapped, losing all patience.

“Seriously, acting so high and mighty. We can get through this mission without you,” one newcomer retorted.

“All right, let’s just say less. There are no evil spirits this time, but what about next time? Won’t we still need the veterans’ experience?” said another, recognizing the reality. Today’s mission might be safe, but future missions may not be. As newcomers, they would need the protection and guidance of the veterans to survive.

Even if they didn’t need the veterans now, during supernatural missions, their ignorance would make following the veterans reassuring. The veterans’ accumulated experience could help avoid many dangers.

It was fine to complain a little, but they needed to know when to stop. If they really offended Jiang Li and the others, the veterans might find a way out and never share it, which would be a grave mistake.

Su Zheyuan, the youngest, heard their discussion. He said nothing, but his expression said it all—the group was really something.

“Veterans, we’ll go first. They always speak without thinking. Please don’t take it to heart,” Yang Si stepped forward, bowed deeply, and apologized to the three veterans.

“Um… it’s nothing… nothing,” Su Zheyuan replied, seeing Jiang Li and Mo Han unwilling to respond. He had to break the silence, lest Yang Si feel embarrassed.

The incident had only just begun—no need to make enemies yet.

Mo Han and Jiang Li were the leaders, both seasoned after surviving three and five incidents. It was normal for them not to respond, especially after hearing the newcomers’ endless chatter.

Someone had to mediate, especially before Jiang Li and Fei Ling arrived at the apartment.

Before, very few newcomers survived to their second mission. Just as they settled in, they would die in the next incident. Before Jiang Li and Fei Ling, there hadn’t been a survivor among the newcomers for at least three months.

The previous incidents weren’t particularly difficult; the challenge was overcoming inner fear.

One must always remain calm—the more dangerous the situation, the more crucial it is to keep one’s composure. Fear, panic, and confusion only lead to death. Only by staying calm can one sense a path to survival hidden within the danger.

Those who rely solely on others without thinking for themselves rarely last long.

As for the six, they simply felt the veterans acted superior, and so disliked them—even though Jiang Li and Su Zheyuan hadn’t done or said anything wrong. Yet, they were lumped together and condemned.

The six—five men and one woman—turned and walked in the opposite direction from Jiang Li’s group.

“All right, I’ve called my comrade. To get first-hand information, I think we should stay at his house,” Jiang Li said.

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“He’s the main person in charge of this case, so he’ll get any news immediately. That way, we’ll be the first to know about any developments.”

“Though there are no evil spirits in this mission, I still think we shouldn’t let our guard down.”

“Every incident recorded in the Ghost Record so far has never been easy to get through.”

“My comrade lives alone, so we can all stay at his place. Or if you prefer, we can find a hotel nearby. What do you think?”

Jiang Li waited for everyone’s opinion, though he was really just seeking Wei Gaoqing’s input. The three veterans were already close and didn’t need such formality.

As long as the incident was handled smoothly, it didn’t matter who took charge or made arrangements.

“I don’t mind,” Wei Gaoqing replied, understanding that Jiang Li’s question was mainly directed at him, as the other two veterans would surely agree.

Mo Han and Su Zheyuan nodded their approval.

Ten minutes later, a police car with a Jin A license plate stopped in front of the group.

A man stepped out, dressed in a white short-sleeved shirt and gray trousers, sporting a standard crew cut and a straight posture.

He strode directly to Jiang Li, and, catching him off guard, swung a punch at Jiang Li’s chest.

Having spent so much time together, Jiang Li and Chen Yufeng knew each other well. When there were still fifty centimeters between them, Jiang Li stopped and stepped back, causing the punch to narrowly miss him.

“You’re still as quick as ever. Haha…” Chen Yufeng laughed, rubbing his head to dispel the awkwardness.

“You’re too old for these tricks,” Jiang Li retorted, unreservedly mocking his old comrade’s childish antics.

“And these three?” Chen Yufeng glanced at the trio behind Jiang Li, prompting an introduction.

“This is Mo Han, Su Zheyuan, and Wei Gaoqing.”

“They’re my neighbors. Recently, we found ourselves with nothing to do, so we decided to go on a trip. I brought them along to visit you,” Jiang Li explained, thinking that Su Zheyuan was too young and Wei Gaoqing a bit too old. If he introduced them as friends, Chen Yufeng might become suspicious, so he called them neighbors and said they were traveling together.

“Nice to meet you. I’m Chen Yufeng, Jiang Li’s comrade, now a police officer in Jin Hai City. If you’re Jiang Li’s friends, you’re my friends too.”

“Tonight, I’ll host a feast. Let’s drink until dawn! Honestly, it’s been ages since I had a good drink. Jiang Li, tonight I’m going to drink you under the table,” Chen Yufeng declared, his eyes shining with anticipation. He had been longing for a drinking companion, and now that Jiang Li was here, Chen Yufeng finally had someone to join him.

I couldn’t sleep all night. Not sure if there will be another update this afternoon—if I fall asleep, there won’t be; if not, perhaps another chapter.

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