Chapter 15: Where Has Our President Gone?
The shadow cast beneath the dark figure stretched long as he passed through the wall, yet a portion of it remained oddly on this side, refusing to follow him through. That fragment of shadow rose from the ground, forming a small silhouette.
The blackness faded from the top of the outline, as if shedding a shadowy garment, revealing the innocent face of a young boy. It was the boy from the orphanage. His name was Li Muchi.
Five days ago, he had slipped into the dark figure’s shadow, escaping from Sacred Heart Orphanage and entering Zhou Quan’s body, where he had been trapped ever since. Only now, as the shadow left Zhou Quan’s body again, did he regain his freedom.
Li Muchi gazed at Zhou Quan in the rocking chair and murmured, “A cold, unfeeling god, and a warm, gentle god—they are both my gods.”
He tiptoed upstairs and retrieved a blanket from Zhou Quan’s room. Quiet as a whisper, he crept back down and draped the blanket over Zhou Quan’s body. Throughout the entire process, his steps were as light as a breath on thin ice, fearful of disturbing him.
“God, don’t catch a cold,” Li Muchi whispered softly.
Having done this, Li Muchi smiled with happiness and quietly slipped back into Zhou Quan’s shadow.
At the same time, outside Zhou Quan’s villa, two hooded figures emerged from the darkness. They exchanged a glance, each sensing the other’s wariness and caution.
“So quiet. Is that rich kid home?”
“Let’s go in and see.”
The two were a man and a woman. The man was short and frail, with hands hanging outside his sleeves. His skin was withered and dry, covered in gray-brown fuzz and blotched with black spots, resembling monkey paws.
The woman was tall and graceful, exuding a strange, alluring fragrance.
The monkey-pawed man muttered quietly, “We haven’t heard from the boss since he came here. Maybe he got the item and took it for himself?”
“That idiot won’t share. He probably ran off alone,” the fragrant woman snorted coldly. “Next time we meet, he might have already fused with the divine relic and stepped onto the path of ascension!”
The monkey-pawed man forced a couple of laughs and lowered his voice. “If the boss really ascends, that’s good for us. After all these years, we’ll benefit.”
The woman rolled her eyes in disdain. “He’s just a selfish hypocrite. We’re lucky to get scraps from him and still have to be grateful!”
The monkey-pawed man’s expression stiffened. He didn’t defend the boss, clearly agreeing with the woman.
“Forget it. Let’s just go in and take a look.”
He forced a smile and glanced at the high-voltage warning on the railing with a hint of contempt.
“I heard this rich kid even tried to contact us. Let’s see what he’s up to.”
With that, he leapt effortlessly over the two-meter-high fence. The fragrant woman followed silently, mirroring his stealth.
They approached the villa’s door. The monkey-pawed man pulled out a cylindrical metal rod and inserted it into the lock.
The rod bent and twisted, slipping into the keyhole. He turned it a few times, feeling the internal mechanism through his fingertips.
After two seconds, a smile appeared on his face.
Click!
The door swung open.
The monkey-pawed man strode in arrogantly.
The living room was unusually empty—no sofa, no carpet—just a bare space.
He found it odd but dismissed the feeling.
“Hmph, deep sleep,” he muttered, spotting Zhou Quan lying in the rocking chair.
He recognized Zhou Quan from photographs.
Zhou Quan’s eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling steadily in rhythm with even breaths. A blanket covered him completely, even concealing his collarbone, shielding him from any chill.
At that moment, the fragrant woman also entered.
She scanned the sparse living room, her brow furrowing in confusion, her steps slowing unconsciously.
“Why is he sleeping here?” She frowned. The room was so empty. Why wouldn’t the rich kid be sleeping in his bedroom?
“Knock him out, bring him back for questioning,” the monkey-pawed man said, producing a silk scarf with a sinister grin.
He hurried over to Zhou Quan.
Zhou Quan remained motionless.
The man looked at Zhou Quan’s handsome face, a trace of envy flashing in his eyes.
Damn it, this kid’s rich and handsome!
The heavens are so unfair!
Once I take him away, I’ll torture him good—first bleed him dry, then ruin his face!
A cruel smile twisted his lips.
The scarf was soaked in a strong anesthetic; pressing it over someone’s face would knock them unconscious within two seconds.
Anyone who passed out like that wouldn’t wake for hours, feeling nothing even if stabbed.
The monkey-pawed man raised the scarf toward Zhou Quan’s face, a cruel smile spreading.
“This’ll be easier than I thought…”
Suddenly, a force struck him from the side. He felt himself pushed and heard a child’s tender voice.
“God! Wake up!”
“Bad guys are here!”
The man’s heart jolted, every hair on his body standing on end.
“Who’s there?!”
He looked down hastily to see a small boy, no taller than his waist.
He froze for a moment.
“You little brat, where did you come from?” He reached out, grabbed Li Muchi by the neck, and lifted him off the ground.
Li Muchi kicked and flailed, his small face flushed crimson.
He had been watching these two from within the shadow but could only emerge sparingly, so he waited until now to warn.
“God…”
Li Muchi called out with difficulty.
The fragrant woman spoke, “Be careful. He came out of your shadow.”
She stood behind the monkey-pawed man, having witnessed Li Muchi’s entire appearance.
The eerily empty living room, the target sleeping in the rocking chair, the child moving in and out of shadows, and the missing club leader—all these gave her a bad feeling.
“Shadow?” The monkey-pawed man was stunned. “What kind of ability is that?”
Li Muchi struggled, his small face turning purple, voice weakening. “Wake up… bad guys…”
The man chuckled, loosening his grip on Li Muchi’s neck and taunting, “You call him God? He’s just a normal person!”
He bent down, meeting Zhou Quan’s calm gaze.
Zhou Quan was awake.
The man was momentarily stunned, then put on a cheeky smile. “You should know who I am, right?”
“Our boss came looking for you. After that, no news. Tell me, what did he take from you? Where did he go?”
Zhou Quan said nothing.
He lifted his head, surveying the scene with a slight frown.
I actually fell asleep while keeping watch. The Gray Night Syndicate got this close to me, and I never woke up.
This is strange—I’ve never slept so soundly before.
I almost made a huge mistake.
Also, who covered me with this blanket? Has my sister woken up yet?
“I’m talking to you!”
“Can’t you hear me?”
The monkey-pawed man’s eyes flashed fiercely. He tightened his grip on Li Muchi, who turned an ashen blue beneath his hands.