Chapter 20 Three Chapters in One

Duan Anluo was arrested by the police as expected.

Jiang Yuan, who was so frightened that he didn't know how to run away, was also caught.

Cui Yang, who had cried so hard that he couldn't move and was about to die in the next second, was also caught.

In the back seat of the police car, Jiang Yuan sat upright, holding his small, broken peach wood sword in his arms, with a serious expression as if he was attending an important meeting.

The union has regulations that if you encounter a police investigation, you must actively cooperate, don't panic, and report your ID number. The police will contact the union and they will let you go if you can prove your innocence.

But the master had no certificate, not even an ID card. Jiang Yuan was about to cry. He would lose his soul when he was nervous and was already in a trance.

Cui Yang curled up in the corner. Because the blow was too great, his mind was unstable and he felt like he was about to break.

Duan Anluo patted them on the head a few times tiredly to calm them down. He was really too tired. Not only did he have to do the fighting himself, but he also had to bring two burdens with him that could break at any time.

He looked at Cui Yang, his eyes lifeless. "Even if you want to die, wait until you've avenged them. Then you can decide whether to die or not. Tell the police all the clues you know. When did your wife start to change? Remember the details carefully."

Cui Yang's eyes gradually focused, and he didn't know if he had heard it.

The young policeman glanced at him suspiciously and put away his umbrella and Jiang Yuan's small wooden sword. These three people were typically sick, dull, and stupid. Putting them together didn't look like they were capable of killing someone.

Furthermore, evidence at the scene indicated that the person had been dead for several days. However, his professionalism meant that he would not let go of any suspicious individuals and took them all aboard.

In the police station's interrogation room, the young police officer began to fret over Jiang Yuan's confession: "Ghosts kill people? You catch ghosts? Kid, have you read too much 'Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio'?"

Jiang Yuan blushed and explained, "Everything I said is true. I have an officially certified Heavenly Master qualification certificate, which can be checked on the official website. The number is CNMD7199."

Xiao Wang was so angry that he threw the notebook, "You scolded me!"

Jiang Yuan was wronged, he didn’t do it, he really didn’t!

The numbers of their metaphysical guild are like this. According to the different divisions of labor, the numbers in front are different. It seems to be imitating China's defense system. There are CNMD, CTMD, and CNMLGB.

They think that this way they are protected by the national destiny. When fighting, they can just go up and chop at anyone who comes to swear. They will protect China and kill anyone who causes trouble. They will never retreat until they die.

It seems that there is only one team whose number does not have a letter in front of it. It is the legendary God-killing Team. They only do S-level missions, targeting the revival of the ancient demon god and attacks from abroad.

Jiang Yuan didn't know whether it was true or not. After all, he was just an investigator, and he was just following his seniors. He heard what their branch president said, and it might be that he was just bragging because he was drunk.

At this time, a middle-aged man pushed the door open and called Xiao Wang to a corner. "What this kid said is true. The case has been transferred and there is no need to try it."

"What about that one?" Xiao Wang pointed at Duan Anluo, who was already asleep on the table in the next room. "He couldn't even remember his own ID number."

Captain Li's mouth twitched. This guy is too bold.

"There's no need to interrogate this one. We've given you instructions to take good care of him. Someone will come pick him up tomorrow." Seeing Xiao Wang's indignant expression, Captain Li patted him on the shoulder. "They are indeed innocent. Letting them go will help us get to the bottom of the matter faster, provide justice to the deceased, and save more people. Once you're officially hired, you'll receive special training."

The reason why the case was transferred so quickly was that after Duan Anluo was taken away, Mu Qingzhuo did something big.

In the middle of the night, Mu Qingzhuo received a message from Duan Anluo and thought he was dreaming. His godfather wanted to torture him even in his dream?

After confirming that it was not a dream, Mu Qingzhuo called Duan Anluo four times. When no one answered, he knew something was wrong and his godfather might be in danger.

He didn't expect that Duan Anluo would be taken away by the police after being misunderstood. He thought Duan Anluo was taken away by a ghost.

Mu Shao instantly imagined a whole series of "One Hundred Ways to Die of My Godfather" in his mind. In the middle of the night, he arranged two people, one to go to Xuanmen to see if there was anyone there, and the other to go to the guild he had been to to look for the man named Si Cang.

In order to save his godfather, he directly spent money to contact newspapers and online media. In the middle of the night, he let everyone who was still awake know that Ms. Si Cang's husband had been captured and asked her to go and rescue him quickly.

Mu Shao was very glad that he reacted quickly, because there was no one named Si Cang in that guild, and they didn't find him (they didn't have the authority).

After doing all this, Mu Shao was still thinking, does he have another godmother?

With his godfather's face, what would his godmother look like to avoid stress? Judging from the name, his godmother should be quite tough, able to tear apart evil spirits with her bare hands. Mu Shao imagined another drama of a fragile father and a tough mother. It seemed that his godmother had a hard time too, having to rescue the troublesome Crispy Shark in the middle of the night.

The president almost had a heart attack when he heard the news. How could a person cause such a big disaster?

He swore that he really sent someone to check on Duan Anluo and only left after confirming that he was fine. It had only been a short time, and how could he be so rude to someone who was so sick?

At seven o'clock in the morning, Duan Anluo was awakened by the sunlight. He sat up slowly and straightened his slightly wrinkled collar.

Xiao Wang pushed the door open and looked at the man who was sleeping peacefully in the police station with a complicated expression. "You can leave now. This is your stuff."

Duan Anluo nodded slightly. "Thank you. Where are the two people who came with me? Especially the short one with the baby face."

"He was taken away by the special unit." Xiao Wang thought it was unreliable. What kind of unit would even dare to recruit a junior high school student? "Another person related to the case was also taken away for investigation. The kid said Cui Yang owed you money and asked him to write an IOU before he left. I put it in your umbrella."

Duan Anluo opened the Soul-Devouring Banner and saw that there was indeed a piece of paper attached to it.

It has to be his family's source. He will go up to the debtor without considering the occasion.

Xiao Wang opened the door to see him off, "The person who's waiting for you is at the door."

Duan Anluo blinked. Someone was coming to pick him up? His eldest son?

Without thinking too much, he looked at Xiao Wang's forehead and reminded him: "Brother, when you go out at night these two days, don't take a taxi with the license plate number ending in 9. It will kill you."

Xiao Wang was stunned. This was the second person who said such strange things today. The man in black who had taken away the child with the certificate had also reminded him mysteriously not to go out at night because it was dangerous.

Xiao Wang couldn't help but ask, "Which department are you from?"

"It's from the Patriotic Alliance, a non-governmental organization. If you need a consultant in the future, you can come to me. My fees are not high, but I like banners." Duan Anluo said, and left with a smile.

Xiao Wang was speechless, what you want is quite comprehensive.

After walking out of the police station, Duan Anluo stood on the steps, his eyes sweeping across the street, finally landing on a black SUV.

The off-road vehicle was like a dormant beast, completely black, with tough and sharp lines. The wide tires had deep treads and were covered with undried mud, obviously having just experienced a long journey.

The car window rolled down, revealing Si Cang's highly recognizable face. His brow bone and nose bridge formed a steep arc, and his sharp phoenix eyes were slightly upturned. When his eyes swept over, Duan Anluo inexplicably thought of the finest cold jade. It was beautiful, but if he reached out to touch it, he would be pricked by the coldness and feel pain.

When Duan Anluo encounters this kind of jade, he likes to soak it in warm water. Can it be heated? What will it become after heating? Will it change color? Or will it crack? Will it cool down after being fished out? Nothing fancy, just pure curiosity.

Si Cang opened his mouth with just two words: "Get in the car."

Duan Anluo raised his eyebrows, chuckled and got into the car. Great job, eldest son!

After sitting next to Si Cang, Duan Anluo praised him in a good-natured manner: "Your face is so evil-suppressing."

Si Cang: “…”

The carriage suddenly fell into an eerie silence. "Puff!" The white-haired young man sitting in the driver's seat was shocked for a moment before bursting into laughter. "Boss, I told you to have such a cold face every day that even ghosts would be scared of you."

After seeing Si Cang's eyes in the rearview mirror, Baimao quickly shut his mouth and his shoulders were shaking from trying to hold back his laughter.

Duan Anluo noticed that the white-haired young man was surrounded by a white aura like cotton candy. Looking at Si Cang again, the black aura on his body was already very obvious. He had cleaned it up last time, and it had only been a few days? It had grown back again.

However, the aura of this young man could actually compete with the black energy on Si Cang. Duan Anluo was impressed. This department was indeed full of talented people, and such people could be found.

In other words, how lucky is this white-haired guy? Does he always get a refill on his drink? Or a refill on his popsicle? Doesn't that mean he never has to spend money?

Duan Anluo was extremely envious.

He leaned over and expressed his sincere gratitude, "Thank you for rescuing me. My name is Duan Anluo, what's your name?"

Baimao looked like a sunny and cheerful boy. He extended his hand and shook hands with Duan Anluo. "My name is Bai Ziyue. You don't have to be so polite. You are innocent. The police will release you after they investigate the matter. It won't be long."

Duan Anluo sighed, "The current system is really good. In the past, if you encountered a bad-tempered official, they would just pin you down and beat you up, regardless of whether you were the one or not." Sometimes, to boost sales, they wouldn't even conduct a trial, simply forcing you to confess under torture. He'd seen too many people die unjustly.

He couldn't stand being whipped, and he was afraid that he would confess his guilt if the other party whipped him, which would be too unfair.

However, the fact that they arrived so quickly also made Duan Anluo curious, "How did Mu Qingzhuo find you?"

Si Cang closed his eyes and clenched his fists. He could hear his joints cracking. What an idiot!

Bai Ziyue rushed to say, "That friend of yours is incredible. He bought a trending search at three in the morning with the headline: A million-dollar reward is offered for the urgent search of Ms. Si Cang! Your husband Duan Anluo was captured by G! I've researched this G, and it might mean ghost."

Duan Anluo thought about the scene and could only say: Well done!

He said apologetically, "I'm sorry, he might have misunderstood."

Si Cang said with a cold face, "I didn't want to care about it."

It’s that idiot who still wants to buy trending searches. He can’t afford to lose face.

Duan Anluo was as good-tempered as ever, even a little doting: "Look at you, you're saying angry words again. If I die, you'll become a widower."

Si Cang's face darkened, "If you keep talking nonsense, I'll throw you down."

Duan Anluo looked into his eyes with a hurt expression, "Are you so heartless? Are you afraid that others will know about our relationship? You..."

Si Cang subconsciously pinched his mouth and shut it manually.

The smile in Duan Anluo's eyes was about to overflow. This guy can't stand being teased.

After a brief contact, Si Cang let go of his hand. The soft touch of his fingertips made him rub his fingers subconsciously. He couldn't understand why this mouth was so soft, but the words it said were so rude.

The white snake's spirit was making a fuss again, like a mad husky. He irritably held it down. After a pause, Si Cang asked awkwardly, "Are you afraid of snakes?"

Duan Anluo blinked in confusion, "Snakes are so cute, why should you be afraid of them?"

Si Cang was relieved. "When you're done, I'll show you something."

Duan Anluo nodded, stopped teasing him, and took out his phone to see over 99 unread messages. He first sent a message to Mu Qingzhuo: "I'm safe, don't worry." Then Mu Qingzhuo called.

After Duan Anluo comforted Mu Qingzhuo, he called Jiang Yuan again. Jiang Yuan said aggrievedly, "Master, are you out yet?"

"You came out, and you got scolded?" Duan Anluo asked gently. The person on the other end of the phone was even more aggrieved, "The captain scolded me for not bringing my ID when I went out to do business."

Duan Anluo chuckled and comforted him: "Then remember this, you must bring it next time. Now give the phone to your captain."

After the other party took it, Duan Anluo said politely, "Hello, I am an elder from Jiang Yuan's sect. My family has been taken care of by you over the past few years. I will remember your kindness and will definitely repay you in the future."

After the call ended, Duan Anluo turned his attention to Si Cang.

After taking away the black energy from his body and seeing his tattered fate again, Duan Anluo still felt that he was not a human being. He had ruined such a good fate.

Si Cang's gaze fell on Duan Anluo's hand. His five fingers were long, with distinct joints, so thin that they would break with just a little force, but they were able to draw out the black energy that even he was helpless against.

His deep voice was particularly firm, "What have you sealed with your body?"

Duan Anluo's heart skipped a beat, and his fingertips trembled unconsciously. Si Cang could actually see that?

He had wondered before, where did all the black energy on his body come from?

Until he met that old scumbag while fortune-telling, he cursed him and the curse came true on the spot.

At that time, he was worried that the black air should be left by the demon god Hou Qing.

At the beginning, Duan Anluo didn't know that the guy who killed people wherever he went was the demon god Hou Qing. He only knew that the other party killed innocent people and therefore deserved death.

It was later discovered that the man's body had become rigid, and wherever he appeared, there would be a severe drought.

For three whole years, the people had no harvest, and all they had to eat were tree bark and grass roots. Even the imperial court could not distribute relief grain.

Duan Anluo chased the opponent for a long time but couldn't defeat him. The opponent could not only curse, but also fly. Seeing the people suffering and eating their own children, Duan Anluo had no choice but to use himself as a sealed container to seal the opponent's soul and die with him.

As a result, my body disappeared, but my soul was stained with this black energy. However, I can still control it for now, and as for what will happen in the future... I'll just wait and see.

Heaven had granted him a second life, surely it wasn't just to let him die again? Duan Anluo was incredibly generous, his main theme being that being alive was fine, and dying was fine too, so it didn't matter where he died or where he was buried.

But these cannot be told to Si Cang, otherwise he won’t be able to explain it clearly, which will cause more trouble.

Just as he was thinking about how to make it up, Si Cang spoke again: "I checked, the black energy you have is not an ordinary evil energy. Your file is clean, there is no way you could have come into contact with such a thing."

Duan Anluo blinked and thought quickly in his mind: How can I explain this?

Si Cang saw that his eyes were wandering, and he knew that he didn't want to tell the truth. His mouth, full of nonsense, made people even more angry. "If you don't want to say it, forget it."

Bai Ziyue was shocked. Oh my god! You are such an easy-going person?!

Duan Anluo immediately took the opportunity to ask, "I have a job here and I'm short of manpower. Do you want to help?"

The change of topic was so abrupt, so abrupt that it could break a person's heart.

Bai Ziyue asked enthusiastically, "Is it the masked puppet from last night? I heard there's no clue at all now, and even the corpse couldn't detect any ghost energy."

"What a coincidence!" Duan Anluo spread his hands, "I just dealt with a black shadow last night. Even though it was a clone, I still got a lot of things from him."

Bai Ziyue suggested: "No one has taken up this task yet. I heard the reward is 50,000 yuan. You can continue to check."

Duan Anluo perked up when he heard the word "money." 50,000! When would he ever earn that much? Were the people in this guild as rich as salted duck egg yolks, oozing with oil at the slightest poke?

Bai Ziyue handed over the phone and said, "Add me as a friend~"

Duan Anluo happily scanned the code, added it, and turned to look at Si Cang: "What about yours? Add me as a friend, so I don't have to spend money on advertising next time I look for you."

Si Cang kept a straight face and didn't move. Duan Anluo was not in a hurry either. He tilted his head and stared at him with a smile. His eyes were gentle and calm, neither hurried nor slow. He practiced Buddhism, Taoism and Taoism at the same time, and the aura on his body was so powerful that it could accommodate everything.

Si Cang couldn't hold it in any longer and took out his cell phone as if possessed by a ghost.

He just wanted to prevent that idiot Mu Qingzhuo from using such stupid methods to find him again!

Duan Anluo added Si Cang as a friend and saw that his WeChat account was as clean as if it was newly registered. There were no videos or friends circles. His profile picture was even more cold, with red letters on a black background and two S's, which looked like some mysterious code name.

Duan Anluo asked curiously, "If you put a zero in the middle of your profile picture, does that become a distress signal?"

Si Cang frowned slightly: "Zero?"

"That's what they say on the Internet, Si, Ling, Si!"

"...Well, Ling." Si Cang's tone was flat, and there was something strange in his eyes when he looked at Duan Anluo.

Duan Anluo still dislikes him. The old antique definitely doesn't go online, so they can't communicate.

It wasn't until the car entered an unfamiliar road that Duan Anluo realized, "Wait, where are we going?"

Bai Ziyue smirked: "I'll take you away and sell you~"

"Sure!" Duan Anluo leaned back in his chair. "Can I fill my stomach before selling it? I'm hungry."

Infected by Duan Anluo's aura, Si Cang, who had been sitting upright, gradually slowed down and leaned back. "Let's go eat first, and then I'll take you to see the president."

Duan Anluo also wanted to find them. According to what the black shadow said, there should be many puppets and he couldn't catch them all by himself.

His goal was to kidnap Si Cang to be his thug, but now he had another goal: the fifty thousand yuan. He wanted to buy an air conditioner, replace the windows with glass ones, and buy a thick mattress.

Seeing Si Cang's stern face, Duan Anluo wanted to tease him, "Okay, I thought you were going to take me to meet your parents."

Bai Ziyue jokingly said, "Are you going to the Civil Affairs Bureau? It's right in front."

Duan Anluo didn't care, "It's okay to stop for a while."

Si Cang raised an eyebrow, seeing his fearless look, and suddenly said, "Park at the Civil Affairs Bureau."

Bai Ziyue was shocked, "No, Boss, are you serious?"

Si Cang's face was expressionless, and his tone was frighteningly firm. "Yeah."

Duan Anluo's smile froze. "Maybe another time. I don't have my ID with me."

A hint of smile flashed in Si Cang's eyes, but he was only good at talking.

Bai Ziyue understood that the eldest brother wanted to get the marriage certificate, but his sister-in-law didn't want to. If this news was spread in their small group, it could be exchanged for six red envelopes.

The guild headquarters looks like an ordinary office building from the outside, and is extremely low-key.

Bai Ziyue had been chattering away on the way here, telling Duan Anluo all about the guild leader. He loved drinking tea, fishing, and taking a leisurely stroll. He loved nagging, and everyone in the guild called him "Old Man."

Bai Ziyue's words were full of warmth, and even Si Cang's face didn't show any disgust; his eyes could be described as gentle. Duan Anluo knew in his heart that this old man was a good person.

As soon as I entered the door, the president came to greet me with a smile. Although he was called an old man, he was not that old. He was only in his sixties. He had some white hair on both sides of his temples, but not much. The hair on the top of his head was even very thick.

The president exchanged a few pleasantries and asked Duan Anluo, "Do you want to join us?"

Duan Anluo shook his head without even thinking: "No, I'm not interested in saving the common people."

The president was upset and glared at Si Cang with resentment. How come I have the same character as you?

Si Cang instinctively resisted these four words because they had caused him so much suffering. And why did Duan Anluo?

Duan Anluo's reason was actually very simple. He had saved many people in the world in his previous life, but they died so tragically. He just wanted to live for himself in this life.

We still need to save those who need to be saved, but we don’t want to try so hard.

His dream was simple, to rebuild Xuanmen, carry forward the sect, teach his disciples well, and let them do such a great thing as saving the world.

If you can have merit, you can have it. If you can’t, it doesn’t matter. As long as you can eat your fill, that’s enough.

The president worked hard to get it. "Our treatment is still very good. First of all, the salary is definitely better than working outside, but of course it is also more dangerous. We also have ID cards, which makes it convenient to go anywhere and we won't be misunderstood anymore."

Duan Anluo shook his head. He had made up his mind and wasn't interested in any of this. "How about this? I'll follow them on this mission, and you can just give me a bonus after we're done."

The president sighed, "Sure, if you want to come later, come find me anytime."

He glanced at Si Cang who was acting as a sculpture next to him, and thought that one ancestor was enough to deal with, and now there was another one who only obeyed orders and not announcements. He really couldn't coax him.

After leaving the office, Duan Anluo asked Si Cang, "What are the plans for next? Where is my helper? How about," he deliberately dragged out his tone, "since you have nothing to do anyway, why don't you come with me to investigate?"

Si Cang was not interested. The task he accepted was for others to investigate thoroughly. When they were unable to handle the matter, he would go over and kill the target directly. He would not participate in the investigation process.

Duan Anluo held a ball of black energy in his hand, like a fox using meat to lure a lone wolf. "Don't you want to know where this black energy came from? The clone I dispersed last night was also black."

Duan Anluo felt a pang of guilt. How could he lie to someone like that? He had already used up all their luck and merits, yet he still wanted to lie to them. What a jerk!

But, he is already such a jerk, does he care about being even more of a jerk?

He didn't have a car, and it was so hot outside. Si Cang's car had air conditioning, a large space, and was comfortable to sit in.

Moreover, he was in urgent need of a thug. He could sense from the black shadow last night that the opponent must be very strong and might have helpers.

It just so happens that Si Cang has fighting ability, and he is just coveting other people's skills.

He is not greedy for everyone. It's because of the contract between the two of them. They are a couple in spirit. He can only trick Si Cang and trap only Si Cang. God knows, he deserves to die!

Si Cang knew he was lying, and the words of rejection lingered on his lips for several times before finally turning into a sentence: "Just this once."

He wanted to see what Duan Anluo was capable of.

Duan Anluo's face lit up with smiles, "Then let's go now!"

He found a shady spot under a tree, then squeezed a ball of black energy from the Soul-Devouring Banner and sprinkled it on the ground. A faint star pattern emerged beneath the banner, and the black energy transformed into tiny specks of starlight scattered across the map. Duan Anluo squinted his eyes and carefully identified them. "These should be the more obvious ones. Milder symptoms can't be detected for now. You have to get closer to sense them."

He turned and asked, "Do you have a map?"

Si Cang gave him a tablet and pulled up a city map from it. The picture was so detailed that even the unit numbers of the buildings could be seen clearly. After changing the mode, he could even see people walking below.

Duan Anluo looked at Si Cang with a strange look in his eyes. Si Cang asked, "What's wrong with you?"

Duan Anluo asked a particularly concerning question, "Would you use this thing to peek at other people using the toilet?"

Si Cang, "I'm not that boring, and most people don't have this authority."

Duan Anluo patted his chest in relief, "That's good. Our Xuanmen ancestral home has dry toilets. I don't dare to go to the toilet when you are like this."

Si Cang held his forehead with his hand. He regretted it and didn’t want to go with Duan Anluo anymore.

Duan Anluo also took note of it in his mind. Ordinary people did not have the authority, but Si Cang did. Looking at the president's attitude towards Si Cang, he probably knew Si Cang's status.

Duan Anluo circled a few areas on the map. "These are the places we can confirm at the moment. Come on, get in the car! I'll treat you to lunch at noon."

Seeing him swaggering towards the driver's seat, Si Cang asked worriedly, "Can you drive?"

Duan Anluo stood up straight, "If you dare to sit, I dare to drive."

Si Cang took a step forward and took the initiative to drive, feeling that he was unreliable.

Following the map, Duan Anluo arrived at an old residential complex. He counted on his fingers and headed straight for a small street-side restaurant. It was lunchtime, but the restaurant was deserted, with only the owner listlessly wiping the tables.

Duan Anluo got straight to the point: "Boss, is your child here?"

The boss raised his head, revealing dark circles under his eyes. When asked about his child, he immediately put on a big smile and said, "He went to school and came back for lunch at noon."

He looked at the two young men in front of him with outstanding temperament and asked, "What do you want with my child?"

Duan Anluo showed his ID: "We are teachers from Anyang No. 1 Middle School. We heard that your son's grades have improved dramatically recently, so we wanted to come for a special recruitment interview."

These credentials were already on the bus, a large box containing them. They included the credentials of teachers, students, doctors, cleaners, movers, couriers, security guards, and even zookeepers, veterinarians, and sea turtle caretakers. There was also a flash camera on board, so if you wanted to use any ID, you could just take a picture and put it on the card.

He smiled harmlessly, "Let's chat here, it won't take too long."

When the boss heard the words "Anyang No. 1 Middle School," his cloudy eyes suddenly lit up. "Anyang No. 1 Middle School? That's a key middle school!"

Duan Anluo smiled and said, "Yes, but I looked at his grades, they weren't very good before. How come he has changed so much?"

"My little Jie used to be... well, never mind. He just played games and read comics all day, and his grades were at the bottom. But in the past month or so, he's suddenly become a different person." The boss's voice unconsciously rose a few decibels, and his face was filled with unconcealable pride. He turned and pointed at a row of new certificates posted on the wall. "He now actively studies until midnight every day, and last week he even won first prize in the math competition! Look, teacher, these certificates are still warm."

The boss froze mid-sentence, his brows knitted together. "That's not right. He's only improved for a little over a month. How did you know so quickly?"

Duan Anluo's eyes slowly swept over the brand new certificates on the wall. Each one was mounted meticulously, even the placement of the nails looked as if they had been measured. He lightly brushed the edge of the certificate with his fingertips and smiled meaningfully, "Didn't he take a lot of exams?"

"Yes! Yes, yes, yes!" The boss dispelled his doubts, nodded repeatedly, and the wrinkles on his face smoothed out.

"Boss," Duan Anluo took a half step forward and asked with a smile, "Do you like your current son?"

"What kind of talk is that?" the boss said with a smile, "As a parent, what parent doesn't love their own child? Xiaojie is doing so well now, I can wake up laughing in my dreams."

Duan Anluo asked persistently: "What about the previous ones?"

The boss frowned, not very happy. "What happened in the past is in the past. Why bring up the past? We should focus on the present."

Duan Anluo nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

The midday sun filtered through the glass doors of Lao Chen's Home Cooking, casting a halo of light on the counter. Duan Anluo squinted and noticed a wooden lion figurine in the corner. The surface was stained and polished to a high shine. He didn't know why, but it felt odd.

"This thing is really beautiful." Duan Anluo said softly, reaching out to touch the ornament, but the boss's face suddenly changed, "Don't move."

He walked over quickly and carefully pushed the ornament towards the counter.

Only then did Duan Anluo see clearly that it was an exquisitely crafted lion ornament with a human face carved on it. No wonder it looked so strange. The corners of the human face's mouth were slightly raised, as if it was mocking someone.

The boss felt that his attitude had been bad, and quickly explained: "This is my son's lucky charm." He paused, and gently stroked the mask with his rough fingers. "Since he got this, Xiaojie has become a better person."

Duan Anluo tilted his head and whispered to Si Cang, who had been silent the whole time, "This hybrid of a human and a lion doesn't feel right."

Si Cang tilted his head slightly, "Hybrid?"

"Yeah~ hybrid, mixed, mixed blood, haven't you heard of it? Netizens are talking about it, and there's also grafting."

Si Cang shook his head calmly and said, "I've never heard of it." This thing is called the Sphinx, and all the children in China know it.

Duan Anluo curled his lips. He just couldn't live without the Internet. Si Cang was not as good as him.

At that moment, the door opened, revealing a boy with a schoolbag on his back. The sunlight cast a straight shadow behind him. His school uniform was perfectly ironed, without a single wrinkle. Behind his black-framed glasses, his eyes were as calm as two pools of stagnant water.

The boy's voice was as steady as a machine. "Dad, I'm home."

Seeing his son, the boss smiled so hard that his mouth almost stretched to his ears. "Xiao Jie, where's your monthly exam report card? Show it to daddy."

The boy quietly put down his schoolbag and took out a stack of test papers from his folder. Several bright red 120 marks stung Duan Anluo's eyes.

It would be difficult for his son Yuaner to get 120 points in all subjects combined.

The boss's fingertips rubbed the score repeatedly, and suddenly laughed out loud, "Great! This is my son!"

The boy's mouth curled up into a standard smile. Duan Anluo looked at the lion again and felt that this smile was exactly the same as the expression on the lion's face, and it looked very fake.

"These two are teachers from Anyang No. 1 Middle School," the boss finally remembered to introduce them, a smile still on his face. "Anyang No. 1 Middle School is a key high school. You should have a good chat with the teachers."

The boy's pupils under the lenses suddenly shrank. It was not a natural reaction of human pupils, but rather like some mechanical device adjusting the focus.

"Hello, teacher." The boy bowed ninety degrees, each syllable being uncomfortably precise.

At this moment, Duan Anluo keenly noticed a scar on the inside of his wrist, crisscrossed with scars, which were the result of repeated cutting.

Did he commit suicide?

The boy said politely, "Please sit down first. I'll make you some tea."

Before the boy even left, the boss couldn't wait to show off: "How about it? My son is now in the top three in his grade. He won first prize in the calligraphy competition, gold medal in the Mathematical Olympiad, and first place in the English speech competition..."

Duan Anluo saw the photo hanging on the wall. The boy in the photo was standing on the podium with a smile so perfect that it looked like it was painted on.

In the old photo pressed under the glass of the counter, the same boy is playing with a puppy in a mud puddle. His body is covered with mud, and he is smiling so hard that his teeth are showing. He looks very energetic.

The boss followed his gaze and suddenly frowned, his face wrinkled into a ball. "It wasn't like this before. He just played around all day and always came in last on the exams. Ever since his mother died, he's never given me peace of mind."

He pointed at a hole in the wall. "See? I was so mad I threw a stool over it two months ago. He only got 38 points on the math test that time! 38 points! I wanted to find a hole to crawl into during the parents' meeting!"

Duan Anluo wanted to say, "What's wrong with 38 points? His son Yuan'er got 29 points, and he even encouraged him to get one more point after signing the form. He's just not a good student, not a bad person. He's not stupid enough to eat shit, so why are his parents so anxious?"

There was a sound of porcelain colliding in the kitchen, and Si Cang's ears twitched. There was also a creaking sound of wood turning, and he winked at Duan Anluo.

Duan Anluo wanted to tease him again, "What's wrong with your eyes?"

Si Cang said with a cold face, "I'm going to enter you."

Duan Anluo wanted to speak again, but Si Cang pulled him behind him and said, "Shut up."

The boy came out with a tea tray. The cups on the tray were placed meticulously, and the height of the tea and water was exactly the same.

Duan Anluo had seen Jiang Yuan's textbook. Although he had only flipped through two pages, he still remembered the general content. He asked, "Can you recite 'The Memorial to the Emperor on Leaving the Capital'?"

"Of course." The boy immediately put down the tea tray, folded his hands on his abdomen, and began to recite fluently, "The late emperor died before he could complete his career..." Every pause was as precise as a recording playback, and even the breathing intervals were exactly the same.

The boss's face was full of pride and his chest unconsciously puffed out.

Duan Anluo deliberately used his spiritual energy to interfere, causing the boy's recitation to stop abruptly, his facial muscles twisted unnaturally: "I..."

The boss's expression suddenly changed, like a lunatic. "How come you even forgot this? Didn't you recite it until two in the morning last night?"

The little boy's expression was distorted and he shrank back in fear.

Duan Anluo sneered sarcastically. As expected, this father often beat his children.

He grabbed the child's hand, the hideous scar glaring. "Boss, your child used to have such poor grades, but suddenly he gets first place in everything he tests. Don't you find it strange?"

The boss subconsciously retorted, "What's so strange about that? My child is smart. As long as he studies hard, he can learn well."

Seeing that he was being stubborn, Duan Anluo continued to ask, "Putting everything else aside, your son didn't like writing before, and his hands didn't even show any traces of practice. How did he win first prize in a calligraphy competition?"

The boss's expression froze. He thought of his son's recently eerily neat homework books, each word looking as if it had been printed. Then he thought of his old handwriting, crooked and scribbled, a stark contrast to his current style.

Duan Anluo stared into his boss's eyes and said word by word, "You really don't notice anything at all?"

The boss looked grim, "Anyway, my son is smart."

Seeing how stubborn he was, Duan Anluo really wanted to pull the broken plow from home and put it on him. "Do you believe what you said?"

The boy's expression had changed. He stared at Duan Anluo, the corners of his mouth slightly raised, looking frighteningly gloomy.

Duan Anluo looked directly into the child's eyes and asked the boss word by word, "Did you really not notice anything unusual?"

The boss's face turned pale and he kept repeating stubbornly: "My son is smart, what's the problem?"

"Heh," Duan Anluo sneered, his voice like a blunt knife slowly piercing the boss's heart, "This good boy standing in front of you now is not your son at all."

"Bang!" The boss slammed the teacup onto the table and approached Duan Anluo with his eyes wide open. At such close range, one could clearly see bloodshot streaks in his dark, dark eyes. "What do you mean?!"

Si Cang stood in front of Duan Anluo, looking down at the furious boss.

The boss' pupils suddenly shrank. Under the pressure of Si Cang's powerful aura, his anger suddenly subsided a little, replaced by a panic that was difficult to conceal. "You, don't talk nonsense!"

Duan Anluo pressed on: "Do you still remember what his favorite food was?"

"I... I don't know what you're implying." The boss forced himself to retort, "Does the school even have to survey students' dietary preferences now?"

Duan Anluo exerted force with his fingertips and began to draw out the evil spirit from the boy's body: "Show yourself, let me see what evil creature dares to cause trouble in broad daylight."

The boy twisted his body in pain, trying to break free from Duan Anluo's grip, but his seemingly slender hand was as motionless as an iron clamp. What was even more terrifying was that he felt the strength in his body was rapidly draining away.

“Dad…save me!”

"Let go of my son!"

The boss rushed towards Duan Anluo like a madman, but Si Cang easily stopped his fist and pinned him to the ground with a backhand twist.

Duan Anluo asked coldly, "Is this really your son?"

Even though his arm was twisted and nearly dislocated, the boss was still struggling frantically, his bloodshot eyes revealing an abnormal obsession: "He is my son!"

Duan Anluo pointed a finger at his forehead and said, "Just like Cui Yang, he's possessed by a demon."

This thing not only absorbs nutrients from the body of the possessed person, but also affects the people around them. The longer they are together, the greater the impact.

The boss shuddered all over, his eyes gradually became clear, but his body was still struggling subconsciously.

Duan Anluo opened the umbrella-shaped Soul Devouring Banner, and the boy's body suddenly twitched violently. The boss became anxious again, "What did you do to my son?!"

Si Cang grabbed his neck and made him look up. The boy's body began to turn into wood, and tears flowed down his stiff face: "Dad...save me...I don't want to turn into wood..."

The boss suddenly shouted, "Change back! I want the son who studies well!"

The boy's voice suddenly stopped, and the last ray of light in his eyes went out, leaving only incredible despair.

The mask fell to the ground with a clang, emitting a rotten stench.

The boss slumped to the ground, his face filled with horror. "How could this happen?"

Si Cang let him go and shook his hand in disgust.

He is not suitable for this kind of mission and cannot be killed, it is too troublesome.

Duan Anluo picked up the child's mask and looked at the boss with a cold face, "Isn't this the son you wanted? He has good grades, is obedient, and will never let you down. You don't want to put in the effort, you just want the child to become what you want. If he doesn't obey, you just beat him and never care about what the child thinks. How can he become the person you want?"

The boss stumbled back, knocking over the chair behind him. He stared at the mask, "Change him back! Give him back to me!"

The string of reason completely broke at this moment. His son was gone, his pride was gone, and his capital for showing off among the neighbors was gone!

It was all because of this nosy guy that he ruined his son's chances of getting into a key middle school and bringing honor to the family!

The boss rushed over like an out-of-control beast, his speed astonishing. Duan Anluo knew he couldn't escape, so he simply stood still, a provocative sneer on his face.

This smile became the last straw that broke the camel's back, "I'm going to kill you!" The boss roared with tears in his eyes, and he just wanted to kill him even if he died.

Immediately afterwards, he was pinned down by Si Cang again, this time with greater force, and the sound of broken bones could be heard. As the boss screamed, Si Cang broke the joints of his hands and feet and threw him to the ground like a rag doll.

Duan Anluo's mouth twitched. Father Tiandao, when they first met, he was so provocative to Si Cang, but Si Cang didn't break his arms and legs. He must be Tiandao's biological son!

"Change him... back..." The boss kept repeating this sentence like a broken tape recorder, "Change him back! I want you to change him back!"

Duan Anluo couldn't believe it, "You don't want your own son, but you want this monster?"

"I don't care!" the boss screamed hysterically, his eyes bloodshot. "He can get first place! He can shut up those parents who look down on me! He can make me proud at the parent-teacher conference!"

He struggled to crawl to Duan Anluo's feet, his voice suddenly lowered, with a morbid obsession: "Please, change my son back. That loser who always scores last in the exams is not my son at all."

Duan Anluo pointed at the body that had become like wood and had already rotted away: "Your son was eaten by it a long time ago. This is your son!"

He was so angry that he was about to die. No, he was going to pull the plow over and put it on his mouth!

The author has something to say:

Who wanted to be Concubine Wan when I started writing? Is this Concubine Wan beautiful? I will draw 60 red envelopes in this chapter, remember to leave a message~