Star Gate

Chapter 11: Knowing How To Act Is Real Strength (I)

Night had fallen. Zhang Yuan’s house was on an old street outside Openlight neighborhood. Li Hao loved playing on the old streets of town as a young boy. But as Silver City developed, parts of the historic section were dismantled and merchants departed. It’d fallen to disuse and few were the people who visited these days.

Most of the residents had moved away—it was quieter than Openlight.

House lights were still glimpsed in a few structures lining the street, but the general air of stillness only served to cast the surroundings in an eerie light. If time had permitted, Li Hao would’ve proceeded methodically—drinking some sword water everyday and slowly growing stronger before attempting anything else.

Unfortunately, time was not on his side.

A delay of just one day might mean an uptick in danger. While he would be stronger if things went according to plan, the sword water only enhanced physical strength. It wouldn’t give him mystical abilities to handle the paranormal shadow.

There was only one goal with this visit, and that was to see if the stone blade was still there.

If it was, that would be very good news for Li Hao. If not, then perhaps the faction behind the scarlet shadow had retrieved it. It would also mean that his sword may be exposed and that someone already had their sights set on it.

Panther followed soundlessly by Li Hao’s side. The little black dog was an inconspicuous sight in the darkness. Their footsteps echoed softly through the street and Li Hao looked at one house in particular without a change in expression. An official paper seal was stuck over the front door.

This was Zhang Yuan’s home.

He could already tell that there was no one here; neither did Panther issue a warning. All the same, he wasn’t going to pin his hopes on the dog. Li Hao took out a communicator when he was less than one hundred meters from the front door and dialed a number.

The faint glow from the communicator illuminated the young man’s face in the gloom.

Beep beep beep. A resonant voice quickly squawked, “Just look at the hour! Have you thought things through and want to come back because you can’t hack it at the Inspectorate?”

The speaker’s very loud voice echoed on the dark street since Li Hao had hit the speaker function. He’d been slightly apprehensive about things to come. but suddenly felt much more reassured. The young man responded respectfully, “I’m not considering that idea for now, Teacher.”

“Then the hell you calling me for!” The voice shifted with irritation.

“Teacher, I’ve investigated Zhang Yuan’s self-immolation case for the past year and discovered something off about it. Zhang Yuan might not have died in an accident!”

“Oh?”

Li Hao’s face was calm in the dark, yet his expression twisted slightly. “There’s been more than one self-immolation victim over the years. Although they seem unrelated, there’s actually a subtle connection between them. I haven’t identified any concrete clues yet though.”

The other side of the communicator fell silent. Li Hao was in front of Zhang Yuan’s family home and continued softly as he looked at the ragged paper seals. “I’m in front of Zhang Yuan’s house right now. I want to see if there’s anything that points to him being murdered, that his death wasn’t an accident.”

“Li Hao!” came an old man’s shout from the other side. “I know about Zhang Yuan’s matter. Based on what you’re saying, you shouldn’t be there so recklessly if this is a murder. Be wary of accidents!”

He continued in a loud roar, “Stay there for a second, I’ll send word to the Inspectorate and Institute. Help will be there shortly if you need it!”

Information about Li Hao flashed through the black figure’s mind. The young man came under surveillance when he withdrew from school last year and seemed to be a key character himself. However, that matter wasn’t part of the black shadow’s jurisdiction, so it didn’t know anything more.

It had standing orders to leave Li Hao alone if possible; the boy would be useful later on.

Careful thought is required before I do anything to him. Had Li Hao been talking to his teacher Yuan Shuo earlier?

Yuan Shuo was a premier elder of the Veteris Institute. Department head of the Ancient Civilizations major, he worked with the Night Watchers and was one of the few in Silver City who could directly speak to the mysterious organization.

“I wouldn't touch him even if no one told me so.” The black shadow drifted close to the Zhang family home. Why had Li Hao gone inside?

To search for clues?

Zhang Yuan had burned to death at the Institute—what clues would there be in his home? Or was the young man looking for something?

As for what, the black figure didn’t know. His mission was simply to keep an eye on everyone that approached the house.

……

“Aooorrrr!” Panther kept up a low whine as it frantically shook Li Hao’s pant leg, trying to tell the young man something.

Li Hao remained composed, but inwardly highly vigilant. Was someone approaching him? Had his phone call with his teacher not been enough to dissuade them? He didn’t say anything, just caressed the dog’s head.

After some moments comforting Panther, he looked at the old house that’d fallen into disrepair.

He currently stood in a moderately sized yard that stretched before the main house. Zhang Yuan’s room was off to one side and the kitchen on the other. Li Hao was very familiar with the premises as he’d often come when he was a child. Even though its modest size was too limiting for older children, he’d still visited often before his parents passed away.

His primary goal this time was the stone blade of the Zhangs.

Taking a look around, he could tell that someone had been by, despite pristine appearances. Some items were shifted from their positions. Nothing looked out of place, but Li Hao could clearly tell that they’d been moved.

He was likely the most familiar with this house apart from Zhang Yuan. Even the old tree in the yard had been tampered with. It looked to have been dug up by the roots and replanted into the ground.

“If the stone blade is still here, it won’t be in the primary suite or second bedroom, that’s for sure!” With all the times that Li Hao visited the house, he would’ve seen the blade if it was hidden in these two spots. He’d rummaged through plenty of closets and drawers as he’d treated the Zhangs’ like it was his own place.

“The last time I saw the blade was when Uncle Zhang beat Little Yuan. I remember he threw it to the ground, but I don’t know if he picked it up again later.” It seemed to Li Hao that Zhang Yuan had fished the blade out of a random corner. Possibly even Uncle Zhang hadn’t remembered and used it as an excuse to deliver a hefty beating when his kid touched it. He probably didn’t think much of the family heirloom.

What inheritance from the ancestors??

Even if it was, it wasn’t worth anything. Who wanted that piece of junk? If it wasn’t for Zhang Yuan finding it again, Uncle Zhang might not have ever recalled that there was such a stone.

Li Hao traced the indistinct path of his hazy memories and walked toward a corner of the yard. There were a bunch of stones there meant to repair walls with.

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