A Good-for-Nothing

310. I Want Li Zong

Translator: Dragon Rider

He Zheng had a long dream. In it, there had been a very good-looking, very handsome man who seemed like an abstinent, seasoned government official. The man had held him in his arms and said to him a lot of uncharacteristic words. For example, the man, lifting He Zheng’s chin with his forefinger, had said, “You little devil will be mine forever.”

He Zheng abruptly sat up from the bed with a great shiver. The smell of disinfectant instantly filled his nostrils. Zhu Qi, whose face was rested on the edge of the bed, instantly perked up and exclaimed in wonderment, “Zheng! You’re awake!”

“Qi? What are you doing here?” He Zheng subconsciously stroked his forehead, which felt very smooth. He Zheng paused in the act of feeling his brow and yelled, “Qi! Give me a mirror!”

Zhu Qi was taken aback by his reaction. Mistakenly believing that there was something wrong, he hastily found He Zheng a mirror.

No sooner had He Zheng taken the mirror than he looked into it at his face. He moved his neck and turned his head, and his reflection in the mirror did the same thing simultaneously.

Well, still very handsome.

He Zheng, fingering his chin, inclined his head in all apparent seriousness.

“What do you think you’re doing, Zheng?” Zhu Qi was bewildered by his behavior.

It was only then that He Zheng recalled something sensible. “Oh, by the way, look at this thing on my forehead. This … Wait! Where’s that thing on my forehead?”

He Zheng’s instincts told him that there should be something on his forehead. Why was he feeling this way?

Zhu Qi, mussing up He Zheng’s hair, said, “What nonsense is this, Zheng? What do you mean by ‘the thing on your forehead’? There’s nothing there. Doctor, doctor! Come here and examine my cousin. I think he suffered some brain damage in the fall!”

He Zheng was just about to curse him and say “You’re the one that suffered brain damage!” when he felt that there was something queer going on. Having perceived the weird part in Zhu Qi’s remarks, he asked, “Wait a minute. What did you just say? In the fall? What do you mean by that? L–Li … ”

“Li what?” Zhu Qi looked apprehensively at him.

He Zheng was baffled by the question. Yeah, Li what? What was he trying to say?

He scratched his head. Why did he feel that he had lost some memories?

He Zheng shook his head in frustration. “Nothing. I don’t remember. By the way, just now you said I suffered brain damage in the fall. What do you mean by that?”

Zhu Qi let out a sigh of sorrow. “Don’t get me started. I can’t believe you were so unlucky that day. You took a plane to come to Shen City to see Grandfather, but it turned out there was a psychopathic spree killer on the plane. He took you hostage and nearly killed you. Fortunately there was a policeman on the flight, who saved you and all the other passengers, but you hurt your head in a fall and was brought here.”

“A policeman? Are you serious? This is not some kind of joke?” He Zheng was astonished. Why did he have no recollections of that incident whatsoever? On the contrary, he got a sense that that was by no means what had happened, that he had forgotten something important.

The look in Zhu Qi’s eyes flickered and he forced a smile. “Of course I’m serious. Why would I lie to you? If I lie to you about this, Grandfather will beat me to death.”

He Zheng stroked his forehead in depression. Still secretly bemused, he subconsciously glanced out of the window and muttered, “Is this even real?”

Outside the window.

Chen Qianlin’s eyes were a little red. He averted his face and asked Qiu Luo quietly, “Are we really doing the right thing?”

Qiu Luo, also feeling terrible about handling it this way, lowered his voice and replied, “This is what Supt. Li wants us to do. Our superiors in the bureau and Old Master Zhu have all agreed. They wiped those memories from He Zheng’s mind with an Erasure Spell. It’s for the best.”

Chen Qianlin let out a cough to conceal the unnatural tremulousness in his voice. “How’s Supt. Li?” he inquired.

Qiu Luo heaved a sigh and shook his head.

In SMB.

All the felons in the Ministry of Supervision had been transferred elsewhere. The Luohun Bell had been taken out from No. 004 magic treasure cabinet. All this had been done for the sake of a particular person.

At this time, in a spacious cell of the Ministry of Supervision, a man was sitting cross-legged on the floor, a golden, ancient-looking bell hanging right above his head.

The man was handsome and of imposing presence. He could well be taken for a charming deity were it not for the occasional wicked air emanating from his features.

“Employee number 003. ID confirmed. Entry authorized.” A synthesized voice was heard in the commodious Ministry as someone walked inside.

“Is it done, Mr. Zhen?”

Zhen Daoyuan walked into lamplight from the dark, looking at Li Zong, mixed feelings in his eyes.

On that day, Tun Shanhai had given chase. Li Zong had originally planned to find somewhere to burn himself, but the undulation of the demonic Qi had been too potent, and his plan had failed. In addition, Tun Shanhai had risked life and limb to stop Li Zong. Zu Zhichong had also got wind of it and gone to the scene. Zhao Yidi, Zhen Daoyuan and even Abbot Huiming had gone there.

With the help of Abbot Huiming, Li Zong had managed to retain a small part of his sentience and returned to SMB with the others, where he was Sealed by the Luohun Bell. When they found a suitable location, they would transfer Li Zong there to let him put an end to his own life.

“Mr. Zhen?” Li Zong asked again.

Li Zong did not address Zhen Daoyuan as Director Zhen anymore. He had denied himself the privilege. A man who had been corrupted by evil powers was undeserving of the position as vice director general of SMB.

“Chen Qianlin and the others have handled it. Barring accidents, He Zheng will live a peaceful life with the memories we’ve modified in his mind. He can still learn exorcism if he wants. Sect Leader Zu of the Qingwei Sect is willing to teach He Zheng in Xuanqing’s stead.”

“I’m glad to hear that.” Li Zong smiled a watery smile. He Zheng was really into exorcism. It would be the best if things went that way.

“You should get out of here, Mr. Zhen. The demonic Qi here is too strong. Even you will be affected if you stay here for too long,” Li Zong said, collecting his thoughts and looking at Zhen Daoyuan.

Zhen Daoyuan nodded and started for the door, but he had walked only two paces when he paused and let out a long sigh.

He did not say anything about whether it was worth it or not. Now that Li Zong had made his choice, it was unnecessary to say anything like that.

“He Zheng will be living a good life.”

“I know. With you guys keeping an eye on him, I have nothing to worry about,” Li Zong smiled.

Zhen Daoyuan walked out.

Li Zong was the only one left in the cell. He quietly meditated, still sitting cross-legged.

An inharmonious voice suddenly came from nowhere in the silent cell. It was heavy with magnetism and lure.

“Are you really okay with this? Waiting for death with me in this place? Your sweetheart He Zheng will fall in love with someone else and sleep with them. A stranger will do in your stead everything you could do yourself. Li Zong, I feel so sorry for you. All that ‘for the greater good’ talk is rubbish. If truth be told, He Zheng is the only one you care about, right?”

Li Zong did not even move his eyelids.

The faint glow that the Luohun Bell was giving off brightened the whole cell. Were the light a little brighter, you would be able to see more clearly that Li Zong’s shadow had turned into an insubstantial figure, one that was far removed from Li Zong’s. Though it was just a shadow, its every movement seemed to have the power to bewitch people.

However, though the shadow was an independent entity, its lower half was tightly connected with Li Zong. They were inseparable and part of each other.

“Let’s make a deal, Li Zong. Give me your body, and I’ll let He Zheng live after I get out. You’ll be able to come out to see He Zheng whenever you want. You can be together forever. Isn’t that what you want?”

Li Zong’s eyes were closed all along.

Xiangshan finally became impatient. He had lost all his patience during the days when Li Zong had been suppressing him. This damn human being. Though there was demonic Qi in Li Zong, Xiangshan had not gained control over Li Zong’s body as he had expected. But Li Zong was unable to control Xiangshan either. Neither of them could overpower the other.

Li Zong’s heartbeat was rather slow. Only when he thought of He Zheng would there be a slight change of his countenance.

All he wanted was for He Zheng to stay alive.

He wanted nothing more. There was only one obsession in his mind, so Xiangshan was unable to delude him.

Now all he needed to do was wait for the suitable location to be found. Then everything would return to normal, and he would disappear from He Zheng’s life for good.

All this would be over soon.

In a hospital.

He Zheng, leaning against the balustrade of the balcony, was in a daze. He looked down and saw two lovebirds walking around. The boy, who seemed to be the elder, handed an ice cream to the girl and said, “Don’t be mad. Eat something sweet and your lips will become very sweet.”

Strangely enough, He Zheng felt that his five senses were uncommonly sharp. He could hear the boy’s words distinctly from such a long distance away, but this insignificant detail did not distract He Zheng from enjoying the show.

The girl, after sulking for a few moments, forgave the boy and the two of them started walking forward. The girl said, “I’m not quite used to you wearing spectacles.”

The man said, “You mean I’m not handsome when wearing spectacles?”

The girl replied, “You’re handsome when wearing anything!”

He Zheng felt as though someone had just hit his head hard.

It sounded so familiar, as though someone had said the same thing to him. He seemed to remember someone quipping, “My eyes are not pretty? I’m not hot anymore?”

And he himself had replied, “Of course you’re hot. How can the man I like not be hot?”

He Zheng clapped his hand to his heart. It was true that he was into men, but who was the man he had been in love with? The man should be tall, and very handsome too. Oh, by the way, he should appear to be abstinent but actually was not abstinent at all when in bed.

The man liked to keep a sleep schedule typical of an old man, to make him drink tea made with red dates, Chinese wolfberries and ginseng, to force him into soaking his feet in hot water in summer and doing morning exercises with him every day.

The corners of He Zheng’s mouth turned up despite himself as he thought about this. He remembered that the man liked to call him by his nickname when in bed. What was his nickname? It seemed to have something to do with a kind of food.

“What are you doing out there, Zheng?” Zhu Qi walked over from behind.

He Zheng smiled over his shoulder at his cousin.

At the sight of his eyes, Zhu Qi was startled and hastened over. “What happened to you, Zheng?!”

“Um?” He Zheng looked confusedly at Zhu Qi. “What’s wrong?”

He raised his hand and stroked his face where Zhu Qi was staring. His cheek felt icy. He did not know when, but tears had covered his whole face.

“Wh–Why did I cry?” He Zheng held up his hand in astonishment, looking incredulously at the liquid on his fingers.

“What happened to you, Zheng? You’re scaring me!”

“Nothing. I just thought of someone.” He Zheng was perplexed as well. Why did he cry? It was not like his eyes were faucets — you turned them on and water came out.

“Who were you thinking of?” Zhu Qi abruptly stiffened, carefully avoiding He Zheng’s eyes.

He Zheng shook his head. “I don’t remember who he is, but I remember him calling me by my nickname.”

He Zheng felt a great sense of loss. Then he noticed that Zhu Qi was carrying something in his hand and asked curiously, “What’s that, Qi?”

Zhu Qi was casting about desperately for another topic of conversation. On hearing He Zheng’s question, he hastily raised the bag in his hand and replied, “Oh, I bought you breakfast. I’ve got steamed buns, stuffed and unstuffed ones. Which would you prefer? Tell me and I’ll get them out for you. I’ve also got you a cup of soy-bean milk.”

He Zheng felt as though something finally slid back into place in his brain.

Steamed buns … Steamed buns … That man had called him Steamed Bun!

He Zheng abruptly paused. “He called me … Steamed Bun.”

Tears trickled down from the corners of He Zheng’s eyes. After that thing slid back into place in his brain, it was as though some kind of restriction had been lifted, and memories came flooding back into his mind. He recalled telling Li Zong to kill him that day, but he had not died. He survived, though suffering from memory loss.

Who modified his memories? Who gave the order? Who was behind all this?

“Li Zong.”

He Zheng instantly buckled at the knees as a pang of panic swept over him. He leaned against the wall and managed to keep his footing. He took a deep breath to keep his voice steady, but when he spoke, his voice was still terribly tearful. “Where’s Li Zong, Qi?! I want Li Zong! Where is he!”

The bag dropped from Zhu Qi’s hands, steamed buns, stuffed and unstuffed ones, rolling all around. He looked in dismay at the panic-stricken He Zheng before him, too astounded to pick up the steamed buns.