One person: Go talk to my Rumble-Rumble Fruit!

Page 102

Chapter 109 I just hung up the phone, and you're already here?

The word "love" escaped her trembling lips, as soft as a sigh, yet as heavy as a thunderclap in the air between them.

There were no earth-shattering vows, no unforgettable sacrifices, and not even a straightforward "I love you."

But in this long yet fleeting day, those trivial, almost insignificant moments—

He remembered her compromise on the mild broth after she gave up spicy food during her pregnancy; the perfectly warm soy milk he handed her; his clumsy yet persistent way of cooking each slice of lamb for her; his hand that never let go amidst the noisy crowd; the warmth and care in his fingertips as he wiped away her tears...

These subtle, warm moments, like the silent penetration of autumn sunlight, converged into a torrent she had never experienced before, washing away the cold, high wall deep within her heart known as the "bone-scraping knife."

She had been caught in countless pretense and covetous attempts to possess, and had become accustomed to using charm and aloofness as armor. She had long forgotten what it felt like to be purely cherished, cared for, and placed in the everyday life of ordinary people.

Love isn't always dramatic; it's more like the constant warmth of his palm, the hand he holds when you're lost, the focused gaze after the steam rises from a hot pot, and the silent yet powerful watchfulness in the tranquil seclusion at the top of a Ferris wheel.

Lin Shen's fingers, which were wiping away her tears, paused. He looked at the torrent of tears in her red eyes, at her trying to smile at him but only making her cry even more pathetically, and at the mixture of immense grievance and the light of finally finding a treasure in her eyes.

An indescribable, scalding warm current suddenly surged into his chest, carrying a power that even thunder could not match.

He remained silent, offering no response to that word.

He simply stretched out his arms and pulled her tightly into his embrace, letting her cheek press against his warm neck, his chin gently resting on the top of her soft hair.

His embrace was tight, with an undeniable firmness, as if he wanted to knead all her grievances, anxieties, and belated joy into his very bones.

The small cabin hovered quietly at the highest point of the city, with a flowing river of light outside the window and a silent embrace inside.

Her tears quickly soaked the fabric of his clothes on his shoulder, the warm dampness seeping into his skin.

Lin Shen tightened his arms around her, as if embracing a rare treasure that had been lost and found again. His hands clumsily and gently patted her thin back, like comforting a frightened fledgling returning to its nest.

Xia He gradually stopped crying in his arms, leaving only soft sobs.

She closed her eyes, listening to the steady, powerful heartbeat beneath his chest, and feeling the reassuring warmth and strength in his embrace.

Outside the window, the Ferris wheel began its slow descent, embracing the lights and hustle and bustle of the world once more.

She felt a slight sense of weightlessness as the cabin descended, but she felt incredibly secure.

She quietly clenched his shirt collar, buried her face deeper into his neck, and greedily inhaled the scent that mingled with sunlight, soap, and his unique aroma.

Lin Shen lowered his head, his dry, warm lips gently landing on her slightly cool, sweaty forehead, like a feather brushing past, leaving a silent yet weightless mark.

The cabin landed smoothly, the door opened, and the sounds of the outside world rushed in again.

Xia He lifted her head from his arms, her eyes and nose still red, like a wronged little rabbit. But the broken tears in her eyes, which were looking at Lin Shen, had settled and were replaced by an unprecedented, clear and soft light, which shone brightly against the dazzling lights of the amusement park.

She pursed her lips shyly and extended her hand to him.

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Shen immediately enveloped her hand with his broad palm and held it firmly.

He led her out of the cabin and back into the joyful crowd.

The noise enveloped them again: the carousel's songs, children's laughter, the sweet aroma of popcorn... everything was vivid and concrete.

He led her to a cotton candy stall. Under the warm yellow light, the pink and blue sugar threads were skillfully twisted by the master craftsman into a large, fluffy cloud.

Lin Shen took the cloud and handed it to Xia He.

She took a careful bite, the rich sweetness melting on her tongue, leaving a trace of sugar on the corner of her mouth.

She looked up at him, her eyes curving into crescents. Her smile was pure and unadulterated, the most genuine joy after all defenses had been laid bare.

Lin Shen raised his hand and gently wiped away the sweet residue from the corner of her mouth with his fingertips, the action as natural as if he had done it a thousand times.

He didn't smile, but the deep, cold pool in his eyes had quietly thawed, rippling with gentle waves that clearly reflected her smiling eyes and brows.

He held her hand with his other hand, never letting go, his knuckles slightly tightened, conveying a silent warmth.

The night breeze swept through the bustling crowd, carrying the refreshing coolness of early autumn.

Xia He held a fluffy, sweet cotton candy in one hand, while her other hand was tightly enveloped by Lin Shen's warm, dry hand.

She no longer looked at the dazzling lights, nor cared about the noisy crowd around her. She would only occasionally turn her head and quietly look at the man beside her with his strong profile.

Every time she looked up, she met his gaze, calm and focused, like a deep and peaceful sea, steadily supporting her small boat that had been adrift for too long.

Their footsteps traversed the neon-lit streets, and fleeting moments flowed silently between their clasped fingers.

Lin Shen's palms remained warm, gently caressing her slightly cool fingertips, as if it were some kind of unchanging vow.

Xia He lowered her head and looked at the huge, light blue cotton candy cloud in her other hand, gently caressed by the evening breeze. The wisps of sugar fluff shimmered under the light, like a sweet dream within reach.

She quietly tightened her grip on Lin Shen's fingers, pressing them even closer to the lines of his palm, as if trying to etch this reassuring warmth into her very bones.

........

Two hours later,

The lights in the west wing of the courtyard house were already off. Xia He curled up in the soft, thin quilt, her breathing even and long, a few strands of black hair scattered on the pillow, her sleeping face peaceful, a trace of cotton candy sweetness still lingering at the corner of her mouth.

Lin Shen stood by the window, moonlight filtering through the old-fashioned window frame, casting cold, hard lines on his profile.

He had just taken off his coat, the touch of Xia He's hair still lingering on his fingertips, when his phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated, the screen flashing a blinding light in the darkness—Wang Ye.

"Hello." Lin Shen's voice was very low as he glanced at the sleeping figure on the bed.

"Lin Shen! Where are you now?" Wang Ye's voice came through the receiver, unusually tense and urgent, with the sound of howling wind in the background. "Something seems to be happening!"

Without asking any further questions, Lin Shen abruptly ended the call. He took one last look at Xia He's sleeping silhouette, his gaze instantly becoming as cold and deep as an ancient well.

It wasn't a loud bang, but rather a muffled, heart-stopping burst of air that was suddenly released after extreme compression!

The light in the entire room was completely stripped away in a fraction of a second, and then violently torn apart by a blue and white lightning bolt that suddenly exploded out of nowhere!

Blinding electric snakes danced wildly, instantly engulfing Lin Shen's figure!

The dust on the window frame was suddenly lifted by the turbulent airflow, and the bed curtains moved without any wind. Xia He seemed to sense something in her sleep, and frowned uneasily, but was not awakened.

The lightning flashed for only a moment, as if extinguished by an invisible hand, and the room returned to darkness and silence, with only the faint scent of ozone in the air and a few tiny, fleeting arcs of electricity on the floor by the window.

On the edge of a cluster of dilapidated tenement buildings awaiting demolition in the western suburbs.

Wang Ye leaned against a crumbling wall with peeling cement revealing dark red bricks underneath. The cigarette in his mouth had long since gone out, leaving only a half-burnt, grayish-white ash hanging precariously.

His brows were furrowed, and his eyes, which always carried a hint of languor and drowsiness, were now sharp as a hawk's, warily scanning the depths of the ruins that had sunk into the inky darkness ahead.

The wind howled through the holes in the broken walls, making a strange, mournful sound, like the whispers of countless wronged souls.

His knuckles, gripping the phone tightly, turned slightly white. The feeling of being watched, like a thorn in his back, did not ease after he made the call. Instead, it felt like a cold spider web, wrapping around him layer by layer, tightening more and more!

"Damn it... what is this..." Wang Ye cursed under his breath, just about to call Lin Shen again—

A blinding blue-white streak of light tore through the deep night less than five steps in front of him without warning!

The light was not continuous, but rather a fleeting flash that even the fastest camera could not capture, accompanied by a violent burst of ionized energy and a scorching heat wave!

Wang Ye only felt a blur before his eyes, and then saw hideous lightning patterns on his retina. The powerful electromagnetic pulse even caused the screen of the phone he was holding to flicker and go black instantly!

A blast of air, carrying dust and gravel, rushed towards us!

Wang Ye subconsciously raised his arms to protect his head and face, his feet rooted to the spot, his Taoist robe fluttering in the wind.

Lin Shen's figure seemed to emerge from nothingness, standing firmly in front of Wang Ye.

He stood ramrod straight, his ordinary dark coat without a single extra wrinkle, as if the violent lightning that had just torn through space had nothing to do with him.

Only the charred, cracked ground beneath his feet, radiating outwards, and the faint, almost invisible blue arcs of electricity in the air around him, still barely extinguished, silently testified to the terrifying speed that had just surpassed the limits of physics.

Wang Ye's arm was still frozen in mid-air, his mouth slightly open, and the half-smoked cigarette he was holding finally gave way to the vibration and fell with a "plop" onto his dusty shoes.

He blinked, then shook his head violently, as if trying to confirm whether he was hallucinating. A full two seconds passed before he managed to squeeze out a strange, distorted cry from deep within his throat:

"I...go?!"

He abruptly lowered his arm, staring at Lin Shen as if he were seeing him for the first time.

"You...you fucking human or a ghost?! Even the Flash reincarnated couldn't be faster than you! I just hung up the phone!"

You've come already?

........

........

Chapter 110 Dark Shadow

Lin Shen ignored his reaction.

He slightly turned his body, his gaze like two drawn blades, instantly piercing the depths of the ruins where Wang Ye had been warily watching. His voice was low and steady, devoid of any emotional fluctuation, yet carrying an invisible pressure:

"What's the matter?"

Sweeping across him with Lin Shen's gaze, Wang Ye snapped out of his shock at the "Lightning Express" delivery, and that lingering chill gripped him once more.

His expression turned serious, and he quickly flicked away the extinguished cigarette butt. His fingers unconsciously formed a hand seal, and the invisible Qi around him became heavy and alert.

"I can't explain it!"

Wang Ye's voice was extremely low, carrying an indescribable irritation and gravity. He raised his hand and pointed to the deep darkness, "But it's definitely not an illusion! Starting ten minutes ago, I felt... something was staring at me! Not with my eyes! It was like... like a venomous snake lurking in the shadows had its eyes locked on the back of my neck! Cold, sticky, and carrying a... deathly malice!"

He took a deep breath, trying to dispel the lingering chill, and continued, "I scanned with 'Listening to the Wind' several times, but I didn't find a thing! The Feng Hou Qi Men formation has also been activated, but this feeling... it's not within the 'normal' range of this space! It... it's like it's directly nailed to my 'god'! I can't shake it off!"

For the first time, Wang Ye's face showed a mixture of confusion and a barely perceptible sense of unease.

The Feng Hou Qi Men method, which observes changes in heaven, earth, humans, and gods, is now shrouded in gloom, making it impossible to accurately pinpoint the source of that gaze. This in itself is the greatest anomaly!

Lin Shen did not respond immediately.

He closed his eyes slightly, as if listening to the sound of the wind, or as if sensing the most subtle electrical disturbances in this space.

His tall figure stood out starkly against the backdrop of the ruins.

A few seconds later, he opened his eyes again. In the depths of his deep pupils, a barely perceptible blue-white spark flashed, like a cold spark igniting in the dark night.

“It’s not an illusion,” Lin Shen’s voice remained calm. “It’s moving.”

The moment the words fell—

"call out--!"

A sharp, ear-piercing whistle, almost tearing through eardrums, shot out without warning from the dark window of a half-collapsed three-story building to Wang Ye's left!

The speed is so fast that it exceeds the limits of retinal capture!

It was not a physical object, but a pitch-black "arrow" formed purely from cold, resentful, and viscous malice!