What It's Like Being a Vampire

Feng Xiuye, who is taking the wood carving to see Old Man Du, turned out to be Tang Baona’s uncle. The connection was real.

“Should we go see Mr. Feng or go directly to Tongshi Town to find Miss Tang and Mr. Xiang?” Zhao Feng turned to Fang Pingfang and asked.

Zhou Rui rubbed his hands together and said in a low voice, “It seems like we’re about to find the real manipulator behind the ‘Eight-armed, Eight-eyed monster’ and the ‘Little Girl in the White Skirt’. I feel a bit nervous.”

“Zhao, do you have a bias against Xiang Kun, and also Miss Tang and Miss Yang? It seems like you’ve made a decision in your mind that they are manipulating everything from behind the scenes. Mr. Feng is indeed Miss Tang’s uncle, but he could also be the one who’s creating the illusions and affecting emotions. Maybe he intentionally gave the wood carving to Old Man Du?” Mijoe queried.

“It’s more than that.” Zhao Feng explained, “There are many other clues that point to Xiang Kun and those around him. Have you seen the investigation materials that De’an and I gathered? The case that initially got my attention about the Eight-armed, Eight-eyed monster illusion was one that occurred in an abandoned warehouse in Citong City, Yun Gang District. You can find the specific details in the materials. The key point is that this incident happened on the second day of the Lunar New Year, while the case I was dealing with involving Mr. Xiang and Dr. Xia happened on the twenty-ninth night before the Lunar New Year. There weren’t many days between the two incidents, and there’s a high chance that Mr. Xiang and Dr. Xia were still in Citong City at the time.”

Wang De’an immediately added, “When I was working in Pancity, three guys who wanted to molest women also saw the similar illusion of the Eight-armed, Eight-eyed monster and were scared half to death. Before they were paralyzed by the illusion, a blind little girl appeared and stopped them from committing the crime, attracting their attention. This blind girl even had a special ‘Guide Bird Canary’ with her. The dashcam of the three suspects recorded some strange behavior of this bird. So, I’ve suspected all along that their encounter with the illusion and the abnormal fear they experienced might be related to that bird. Zhao Feng and I have conducted relevant investigations, the details of which are included in our materials. But there’s also some information that we recently discovered during our visit to Tongshi and haven’t had time to record in the materials. We found that the blind girl with the ‘Guide Bird Canary’ has a very close relationship with Xiang Kun, Tang Baona, and others. They even all lived together in Chongyun Village for a period of time. Adding in the incident with Old Man Du this time… Although there’s no direct evidence linking these events to them, I don’t believe that these ‘coincidences’ are just that.”

Zhou Rui exclaimed, “Old King, are you talking about Li Jun, the daughter of Professor Li Yang? I indeed saw her in Chongyun village before when I went to see Mr. Xia. She’s very close to Xiang Kun and the others. I would never have thought that she was previously associated with the Eight-armed, Eight-eyed illusion… This is… I suddenly feel like everything has been arranged.”

Mijoe also chimed in, “Brothers Zhao and Wang, don’t you find it strange? In different cities and a not-so-long period of time, you two separately discovered the ‘Eight-armed, Eight-eyed monster’ illusion. Yet you knew each other and happened to discuss this matter, then joined ‘Divine Technology’ due to investigating this matter and continued to look into the ‘Eight-armed, Eight-eyed Illusion’.”

“Indeed, it’s too much of a coincidence…” murmured Zhou Rui.

Mijoe knitted his brows and put forth his opinion,” I believe that either you two, Brother Zhao and Brother Wang, were specifically ‘selected’ as the witnesses to these matters, or the influence of this ‘Eight-armed, Eight-eyed monster illusion’ has extended far beyond these incidents we know. Maybe there are many more incidences happening every day in various places and all kinds of people are being affected by it at every moment. Otherwise, it’s impossible to explain why you two encountered these so conveniently.”

Ye Chong added quietly, “Is it like that saying… when you find a cockroach in your house, it means there are already hundreds of thousands of them growing rapidly?”

Zhou Rui retorted, “Why can’t it be that these two were ‘chosen’ by someone? If so many people were affected by the Eight-armed, Eight-eyed monster, it would already be all over the news and legends by now. You didn’t see how big the incident in Montamilla was? If anyone sees it, they will definitely post about it online immediately.”

“The question is, what were we chosen for?” Zhao Feng said with a frown. But as he said this, he unintentionally thought of the dreamland that led him to find the bodies on Zi Huan Mountain. In that dream, he saw the Eight-armed, Eight-eyed monster, and the creature even carried him a great distance, showing him the location of the bodies. He had only told Wang De’an about this incident and not disclosed it to anyone else, including Old He, after joining “Divine Technology”.

Could it be that he really was a chosen one?

As everyone was discussing, they were close to their car to when Fang Pingfang finally spoke, “Next we’re going back to West Sea Province to meet the ‘godson’ of Mr. Du and Mr. Qi. Ye Chong, submit a request to the information collection department to see if they can figure out who created the Eight-armed, Eight-eyed Wood Carving that Feng Xiuye originally took to Mr. Du and where it is now. Also, book us some plane tickets, preferably getting to us our destination as soon as possible, so that we can meet with Mr. Du’s ‘godson’ tonight.”

Before getting into the car, Mijoe instinctively turned around to look back at the hospital building they were leaving, and his gaze swept over Old Man Du’s room. To his surprise, he saw Old Man Du’s frail silhouette standing at the window, silently watching them walk away.

Thinking of old man Du’s description of the dream, she couldn’t help but feel a chill and quickly got in the car.

Seeing his appearance, Zhao Feng laughed and said, “From my and De’an’s investigation, if you haven’t done anything guilty or particularly evil, the ‘eight-armed, eight-eyed monster’ does not have a too negative impact. It can even help clarify personal pursuits, eliminate distractions and restlessness. Even for those who have done bad things, as long as they follow their inner changes and strive for transformation, they can also be redeemed. Just like what you can see from old man Du. Honestly, if given the chance, I would even want to see the ‘eight-armed, eight-eyed monster’ for myself. I want to feel the impact of that fear and see what I am genuinely afraid of inside.”

His words were indeed earnest. Although he had dreamt of the “eight-armed, eight-eyed monster”, his dream did not invoke the same depth of fear that old man Du experienced. Moreover, the “eight-armed, eight-eyed monster” in his dream was basically the same as the hypothetical image, which was constructed from the descriptions of the suspects in the case and De’an’s speculations. There are substantial differences from the reconstructed image of the Montamilla illusion and the eight-armed, eight-eyed drawing by old man Du.

Around eight in the evening, Fang Pingfang and the others arrived at the Jianzhou Airport. Unexpectedly, even the “godson” of old Du named Xiao Liu, who they had contacted beforehand, had come to pick them up.

Because he already knew that there would be eight of them, Xiao Liu had specially arranged for two MPVs.

Fang Pingfang and the others also had a vehicle arranged by “Divine Technology”, but they came here specifically to meet Xiao Liu and his cousin, Mr. Qi. Naturally, they wouldn’t refuse.

“You all haven’t had dinner yet, right? I have arranged a private room for us in a restaurant in the city. I suggest we eat and chat.” Xiao Liu enthusiastically proposed to Fang Pingfang in the car.

“There’s no need to trouble yourself. We had some snacks on the plane…” Fang Pingfang said.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Xiao Liu waved his hands generously with a “listen to me” attitude. “Oh! Plane food doesn’t cut it. Since you’re here, you must try our regional specialities in Jianzhou. Let me serve you well. Hey, if you arrived in the afternoon, I would have taken you directly to Tongshi Town. The food in Tongshi Town is much better than that in Jianzhou.”

Xiao Liu’s enthusiasm made Fang Pingfang somewhat puzzled. She couldn’t help but ask, “Mr. Gao, did our staff mention to you about the interview we are…”

“Yes, they mentioned it. Don’t worry about the interview. When the time comes, ask whatever you want, and I’ll tell you everything I know. Rest assured!” Xiao Liu said with a laugh.

“Mr. Du has already contacted you?”

“Yes.”

“By the way, Mr. Qi is your ‘cousin’, isn’t he, Mr. Gao? We have heard a lot about his public welfare activities in Tongshi Town from Mr. Du, and we also want to understand. Can we invite him to dinner together? Or if he is in Tongshi Town now, can we go directly to Tongshi Town for a late-night snack? Of course, we will pay the bill.” Fang Pingfang tentatively said.

“My cousin is not in Tongshi Town right now. It’s not that he doesn’t want to meet you or can’t make it, but he is actually in the provincial capital’s detention center,” Xiao Liu said.

“What happened?” Fang Pingfang asked. After they decided to meet Xiao Liu and Mr. Qi, the “Information Collection Department” had already sent them the information on both of them, which they had briefly reviewed before boarding the plane. However, that information only mentioned that Qi Haoguo had reduced most of his businesses and shifted his investment focus to Tongshi Town. It also mentioned that he had invested heavily in public welfare and charity projects. But it did not mention how he ended up in jail.

No sooner had she thought of it than Mijoe, sat next to her, quietly handed her an electronic tablet. It displayed updated information about Qi Haoguo and Xiao Liu, including the reasons why Qi Haoguo was in detention. It seemed that the “Information Collection Department” had just found this data.

Fang Pingfang frowned slightly. She wasn’t sure whether her standards had been raised from working in the secret department of Divine Technology for a long time, or if the efficiency of the “Information Collection Department” had indeed declined. Recently, there had often been situations where the information she received seemed to be somewhat delayed and not timely.

The “Xiao Liu” sitting in the co-driver’s seat didn’t know that Fang Pingfang had already seen the updated information. He candidly explained the ordeal of his maternal uncle being “extorted” and directly surrendering to the police.

“However, there’s no need to worry. My maternal uncle is a fortunate person. The matters he confessed to have not caused any serious consequences. Considering that he surrendered himself and put on a meritorious performance, he shouldn’t be sentenced too harshly. However, as the verdict has not been released yet, we cannot see him for the time being. Actually, I know pretty much everything about what my maternal uncle did in Tongshi Town, the projects he invested in, and how he got acquainted with my godfather. If you have any questions, you can ask me directly.”

Mijoe asked, “Mr. Gao, didn’t you used to work at the ‘Youlong Restaurant’?”

“Yes, I used to work at the ‘Youlong Restaurant’, working for Brother You and the others. Ah, my maternal uncle asked me to go there to learn. Unfortunately, I only learned the basics. Now, I also run a restaurant on the same pedestrian street, and I’ll take you to try it tomorrow. Of course, our first stop is the ‘Youlong Restaurant’. No one comes to Tongshi Town without eating rabbit meat.” Xiao Liu laughed.

“I know, we used to eat there often,” said Mijoe.

For some reason, she always felt an inexplicable sense of “familiarity” towards this “Xiao Liu”. It was as if they had all had a meal together at the “Youlong Restaurant”, and instantly, he became one of “us”.

“Do you know why Mr. Qi suddenly massively adjusted what seemed to be a regularly operating business and went to Tongshi Town for investment, charity and public welfare?” asked Fang Pingfang.

Since Old Man Du had stated explicitly that Qi Haoguo was someone who shared a similar experience with him, the main focus of Fang Pingfang’s trip naturally fell on Qi Haoguo.

Although they stand a good chance of privately meeting Qi Haoguo if they contact Mr. Liang, it wouldn’t hurt to learn as much as possible from “Xiao Liu” for now. After all, “Xiao Liu” does seem to be quite cooperative.

“My maternal uncle never explicitly told me. However, I had a conversation with Brother Bao from Tongshi Town, and he told me that it seemed like my maternal uncle started changing after experiencing a car accident,” Xiao Liu said. “My maternal aunt also said that my maternal uncle’s temperament improved significantly after returning from Tongshi Town.”

“Oh? What car accident?” Fang Pingfang enquired.

“Last year when my maternal uncle visited Tongshi Town for a project, he took Brother Bao’s car, and they rear-ended someone. It was a minor collision, and neither the people nor the car were seriously hurt. However, my maternal uncle underwent a drastic change in temperament after that incident, and after returning home, he withdrew many of his businesses and came to Tongshi Town,” Xiao Liu explained.

“Oh? Do you know who they rear-ended? What happened after the rear-end?” Zhao Feng, who was sitting in the same car, immediately asked.

Following Xiao Liu’s description, Zhao Feng quickly realized that Qi Haoguo’s actions were typical of ones influenced by the “eight-armed, eight-eyed monster illusion”. If the rear-end was indeed the turning point in his transformation, he must have been affected by the illusion at that time. Therefore, what happened during or after the rear-end becomes crucial.

“I’m not sure. Brother Bao didn’t tell me,” Xiao Liu shook his head.

“Mr. Gao, do you know Xiang Kun?” Zhao Feng suddenly asked.

“Of course I do. Brother Xiang is one of the partners of the ‘Youlong Restaurant’ and a close friend of Brother You. I see him often. Wait, big brother, do you also know our Brother Xiang?” Xiao Liu asked through the rear-view mirror.

Zhao Feng laughed, “I do know him. In fact, we recently met at the ‘Youlong Restaurant’ just a few days ago, along with Mr. Xia, Miss Tang, Miss Yang, and Miss Xia.”

“That’s interesting. When we return to Tongshi Town, let’s see if Brother Xiang is available to have dinner together,” Xiao Liu suggested naturally. “Honestly, I’m not very close to Brother Xiang, so I don’t get many chances to invite him to dinner.”

Zhao Feng glanced at Fang Pingfang for her reaction. After receiving her approval, he said to Xiao Liu, “Let’s talk about this later. We should focus on our interview first.”

After dinner at the restaurant, Xiao Liu, under the questioning of Fang Pingfang and others, gave a detailed account of how he met Old Man Du in jail, how he went to visit Old Man Du after being released from prison, and how he became his adopted son. He didn’t seem to hide or sidestep anything and remained truthful throughout.

“So, you didn’t decide to take Old Man Du as your godfather until after he fell seriously ill? And the decision to see Old Man Du and pay for his medical treatment was made by Mr. Qi?” mused Fang Pingfang.

Initially, they thought that they wouldn’t be able to see Qi Haoguo tonight and that their gains would be limited. Unexpectedly, they obtained quite a lot of key information from “Xiao Liu”.

“Yes, all the decisions were made by my maternal uncle. He’s quite interested in my godfather’s…err…in my godfather’s mystical theories,” Xiao Liu confirmed.

“Did Mr. Qi ever mention to you an entity with eight eyes and eight arms?” Zhao Feng hesitated for a moment and ultimately didn’t use the term “monster.”

“No,” Xiao Liu paused for a moment before adding, “But my maternal uncle has a wood carving.”

At these words, the expressions of everyone in the car perked up simultaneously.

Xiao Liu laughed, “So, you guys are also interested in that wood carving with eight arms and eight eyes? Hey, when your people contacted me, they said that the theme of your interview was the interpersonal relationships of released prisoners. I feel that what you are focusing on is not quite on-topic.”

“Did Old Man Du not tell you? The reason we first contacted him was because we were investigating the Eight-armed, Eight-eyed Giant illusion incident in Myanmar’s Montamilla. The other theme is something that Fang is currently working on. However, since our initial investigation remains inconclusive and the program has not been produced yet, we are naturally interested when we hear about any leads.” Zhao Feng explained.

“I see… To be honest, when I saw the news about Montamilla and the hypothetical picture of the eight-armed, eight-eyed giant on the television, I thought of my godfather’s paintings and my maternal uncle’s wood carving. If you guys are interested, I can take you to my maternal uncle’s house to take a look.”

Consequently, after dinner, Xiao Liu led Fang Pingfang and her team in two cars, heading straight to Tongshi Town. They arrived at Qi Haoguo’s villa in the early morning.

When Fang Pingfang and her team entered the bedroom on the second floor, guided by Xiao Liu, and saw the eight-armed, eight-eyed wood carving displayed in the glass cabinet, they all intuitively widened their eyes and held their breath.

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