UCS Chapter 49

This dream was different from the previous ones.

 

Gao Shi thought this as he heard himself call out, “Let’s go! What’s the point of staying cooped up here all day? Let’s have a match!”

 

The scene before him became clear, and Gao Shi realized he was flying above the clouds. He moved extremely fast, and looking down, he saw the clouds parting like waves on both sides-truly magnificent.

 

Above was the vast sky, below was an ocean of clouds stretching for thousands of miles.

 

He turned over, flying backward, able to see the rapidly receding scenery on both sides and the person following behind him.

 

That person seemed both helpless and indulgent, but had ultimately followed him from that dark place. “Where to?”

 

He smiled and said, “I’ve found a new realm, one that won’t affect others.”

 

…

 

Gao Shi slowly opened his eyes.

 

Dawn had already broken outside, and Gao Shi realized he had fallen asleep.

 

Ying Bujie also opened his eyes somewhat bewilderedly, meeting Gao Shi’s gaze.

 

He was still lying on Gao Shi’s lap, his fingertips clutching the corner of Gao Shi’s clothes. They had slept like this all night.

 

Ying Bujie hurriedly sat up, white points of light flowing from his fingertips. Gao Shi somehow felt he was self-reproachful. Seeing Ying Bujie about to direct that white light toward him, Gao Shi quickly blocked his wrist. “There’s no need, I…”

 

Gao Shi spoke as he moved his body, somewhat surprised, “I don’t feel sore at all.”

 

Gao Shi wasn’t lying to Ying Bujie; he truly felt not only free from soreness or pain, but also inexplicably refreshed and invigorated.

 

Last night’s sleep had been particularly sweet, and upon waking, his mind felt clearer.

 

Gao Shi suspected that Ying Bujie might have secretly transferred spiritual energy to him while he slept, but seeing that Ying Bujie’s complexion was also quite good-not just better than before he slept, but even better than his usual state-Gao Shi felt those eyes had become much brighter, as if a puppet doll had been infused with a soul.

 

Ying Bujie looked at him carefully for a moment, like a doctor checking whether a patient was lying, and only after confirming that Gao Shi was telling the truth did he withdraw his hand.

 

After breakfast, they headed to the company. Gao Shi wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but he felt that today Daoist Ying was eating more than usual, though seemingly with less enjoyment.

 

“Is today’s food not to your taste?”

 

Ying Bujie looked at Gao Shi’s profile, always particularly serious when answering his questions. “No.”

 

He lowered his head and took a bite of peach. “It’s very good.”

 

While driving, Gao Shi casually said, “Daoist Ying, I’ve been busy lately, but I have more free time these days. Shall we go eat at Liushui Pavilion? Can you handle spicy food?”

 

Ying Bujie paused. “Probably not.”

 

Gao Shi smiled, “Daoist isn’t sure? I thought that old… the old Daoist’s disciple would also like spicy food.”

 

Every time Kong Miao came to Liushui Pavilion, he had to book appointments with several proctologists in advance.

 

Liushui Pavilion’s spicy pot was so authentic that they had established a long-term partnership with the proctology hospital, with half of the proctology department’s income coming from Liushui Pavilion.

 

Ying Bujie asked, “You… like it?”

 

Gao Shi replied casually, “It’s alright, I’m not particularly good with spicy food, but I can handle spicy dishes…”

 

Gao Shi suddenly realized that Ying Bujie had just actively asked him a question.

 

If he hadn’t been driving, Gao Shi would definitely have turned his head.

 

But after asking that one question, Ying Bujie seemed like a little robot that had run out of battery, silently sitting and eating fruit, returning to their question-and-answer format.

 

***

 

The room was completely silent. Though it was clearly daytime outside, thick velvet curtains covered the windows, making the room pitch black.

 

A man’s voice broke the darkness, “Are there any other financial opportunities?”

 

As if being reprimanded, the man’s voice grew agitated, “No! I had prepared liquid funds three times the market price, yet I was outbid!”

 

The table was slammed hard, creating a loud noise in the darkness.

 

“Didn’t you say this was a financial opportunity that others didn’t know about? Why did this person seem so determined to get it!”

 

“I checked, that land is just a wasteland in the wilderness. What financial opportunity could it possibly have? Is there some treasure buried underneath?”

 

“Not saying, not saying, not saying!! I don’t think it’s that heavenly secrets can’t be revealed-I think you don’t know yourself!”

 

Something in the darkness seemed to grow angry, an invisible pressure enveloping the man.

 

Yet the man’s voice remained calm. He gazed into the void, speaking as if casting a spell, “If it’s hidden treasure, I could take you there at night, and you could dig up the treasure yourself, couldn’t you?”

 

“…Hmph! If that’s the case, stop saying such things! All you do is talk-I’m the one putting up the money and effort!”

 

“Enough, stop rambling. Are there any other financial opportunities?”

 

***

 

During the day, Gao Shi went to the company to handle matters related to the land, then headed to the Anomaly Management Bureau.

 

In between, Cheng Zeqi called him once, asking which plot of land he had purchased.

 

Judging from his voice, Cheng Zeqi had recovered quite well and would likely regain his energy in a few days. Gao Shi didn’t hide anything and straightforwardly told him he had purchased plot number three.

 

Cheng Zeqi gasped, “That spendthrift was your company?!”

 

Gao Shi could only sigh, realizing his guess was correct-that title had indeed come back to him.

 

Cheng Zeqi was so upset he didn’t know what to say, “You, you! If you want to buy land to build a laboratory, buy it anywhere! Why buy it there? The land in City B is so expensive!”

 

“Fine, expensive is one thing, but you also had to compete fiercely with the Li family, pushing a 40-million-yuan piece of land to three times its value before securing it. Is there any profit left? What are you thinking!”

 

Gao Shi could hear Cheng Zeqi pacing back and forth angrily. Suddenly, he stopped, “Wait, though you have a firecracker temper that flares up easily, you’re not this impulsive. Tell me, did the Li family bully Lele?”

 

“Did they see that Lele is good-looking and want him to enter the entertainment industry?”

 

Surprisingly, Cheng Zeqi had accidentally guessed correctly. Gao Shi said, “Li Mochen did approach Lele.”

 

Cheng Zeqi gasped, “Li Mochen? Isn’t he the CEO of the Li family? Getting into the entertainment industry is an agent’s job-why would he approach Lele!”

 

Cheng Zeqi’s footsteps quickened, “No, no! Li Mochen is a black-hearted devil! Lele can’t outmaneuver him-he’ll be swallowed alive.”

 

Gao Shi said, “It’s fine, Lele refused. He’s not interested in the entertainment industry.”

 

To prevent Cheng Zeqi from overthinking, he made up an excuse, “I felt that plot of land suited my eye, so I decided I wanted it. I had originally planned to stop bidding at my limit, but it just happened to be slightly higher than the Li family’s bid.”

 

“I do plan to build a laboratory on that land, but I don’t intend to use it purely as a laboratory.”

 

Gao Shi looked at the star-shaped watch on his wrist and smiled, “I plan to build a purely technological shopping center.”

 

…

 

On the way home, Gao Shi had already reserved a table at Liushui Pavilion. With this advance preparation, even if the portions at Liushui Pavilion were small, Ying Bujie would still be able to eat to his heart’s content.

 

Halfway there, they got stuck in traffic. At first, they moved forward at a snail’s pace, but now they weren’t moving at all.

 

Many drivers opened their windows and poked their heads out, asking each other about the situation.

 

However, they didn’t have to wait long to find out, because not far away, thick billowing smoke was rising, clearly visible even though the sun had disappeared below the horizon, leaving only its afterglow.

 

Ambulances raced toward the scene with their sirens wailing “woo-woo,” and firefighters in orange protective suits jumped out of their vehicles and rushed in with water hoses.

 

Drivers got out of their cars, many rolling up their sleeves to spontaneously help fight the fire, carrying water and helping firefighters cool down. Gao Shi also jumped out of his car, taking victims from the firefighters who had just run out of the burning building and carrying them to safety.

 

The scene was chaotic yet orderly. Gao Shi ran back and forth, while Ying Bujie silently carried victims behind him. After several trips, when there were almost no more cries for help from the fire scene, Gao Shi turned around and realized that Ying Bujie’s face had turned pale again, and his lips, which had been rosy just this morning, were now a ghastly white.

 

Gao Shi was alarmed and asked in a low voice, “What’s wrong? Where are you feeling unwell?”

 

Ying Bujie just shook his head.

 

Gao Shi grabbed a lollipop from his pocket and gave it to him. “Is your magical power depleted? Eat quickly!” He unwrapped the candy and held it directly to Ying Bujie’s lips.

 

Ying Bujie bit the candy but shook his head. “I cannot use magic.”

 

Gao Shi then realized that Ying Bujie had been rescuing people solely with his physical strength all along.

 

He firmly pressed Ying Bujie down onto a chair. “Alright, eat something first and rest for a while.”

 

After eating a little, Ying Bujie’s complexion didn’t improve at all but became even more pallid, looking weaker than the victims just rescued from the fire-so weak that medical personnel came over several times to ask if he needed help.

 

The building on fire was a residential complex, and it was the time when most people had returned home from work. Not only was almost every household occupied, but this residential area was also close to a commercial street, making the impact of the fire particularly severe.

 

At the scene, firefighters were cooling down the area, medical personnel were rushing back and forth, traffic police were struggling to maintain order, and people were either crying in pain or sighing in relief.

 

The scene was chaotic, the fire was fierce, and firefighters were rotating in and out more and more quickly. Their bodies were extremely hot, their skin turning red, yet they continued to search for survivors.

 

Someone shouted loudly, “Check if all your family members are accounted for!”

 

After a buzz of voices, someone cried out, “Oh no! Has anyone seen Old Granny Jia?!”

 

“I haven’t seen her!”

 

“Me neither!”

 

“Granny Jia always cooks at this time. Her hearing is poor, she can’t hear! Is she trapped inside?!”

 

“Which floor is she on?!”

 

“Sixth floor! She’s on the sixth floor!”

 

Everyone looked up involuntarily. The fire had started on the fifth floor, and everything from the fifth floor up had become a sea of flames.

 

The scene suddenly fell into dead silence.

 

Someone’s voice trembled, “She-she must have gotten out, right?”

 

“The old woman is tough-tongued and tough-lived. Maybe we just didn’t see her?”

 

“Was she taken to the hospital?”

 

No one answered.

 

Everyone knew that an elderly person living alone with poor hearing was likely in grave danger.

 

But at that moment, a person walked out of the fire.

 

He staggered, carrying someone on his back. The firefighters, ignoring their own burning skin, ran to help him.

 

Just as he walked out of the fire scene, the main door collapsed with a crash.

 

To everyone’s astonishment, a huge shadowy figure rose above the fire scene.

 

It looked like a nine-tailed spirit cat.

 

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