bookcurios Chapter 518: Turning Quickly
Chapter 518: Turning Quickly
"Sir?" Su Ming's heartbeat quickened involuntarily as he stared at the letter closely.
"Zheng Yaoxian," the shopkeeper replied simply, his tone so calm it was impossible to guess. "He asked me to pass it on."
Su Ming took the envelope, his brow furrowed. It had no special markings, only simple handwriting, scribbled but legible: "What you need to know is right here before you." This brief sentence, devoid of any emotion, pierced Su Ming's heart like a sharp knife.
"Where is the sir?" Su Ming did not ask any more polite questions, his eyes were anxious.
The shopkeeper didn't answer, but turned around and prepared to leave. Su Ming reached out and grabbed him, his tone filled with suppressed anger: "Where is he now? Tell me."
The shopkeeper glanced back at him, his expression still impassive, his eyes unmoved. "Take a few more steps and you'll know," he said, then walked towards the alley entrance without looking back, as if he had never stopped.
Su Ming stood there, his mind racing. The shopkeeper's words had nearly made him forget all reason. He subconsciously followed, secretly resolving to investigate, even if it meant facing a bottomless trap.
After walking down several streets, the shopkeeper finally stopped in front of an unremarkable, dilapidated warehouse. He turned to Su Ming and said, "That's it."
Before he could finish his words, Su Ming had already pushed the door open and entered. The warehouse was empty and dim, with a few old oil lamps emitting a faint light, illuminating a few scattered items. The air was filled with the smell of mold and dust. Su Ming glanced around, but did not see Zheng Yaoxian.
"What on earth is this place?" he couldn't help but ask, his voice trembling and his heart beating faster and faster.
The shopkeeper didn't answer, but simply pointed to a box in the corner. The box was covered in thick dust, and it looked like no one had touched it in a long time. Su Ming's heart moved, and he hurried over and pulled open the lid with both hands.
There was nothing special in the box, just some piled rags and a few yellowed papers. Su Ming felt a pang of emptiness in his heart. He felt disappointed and wanted to leave, but suddenly his eyes caught a piece of paper. The handwriting on the note was the same sloppy handwriting: "He is hiding where you can't see him."
These words, like news from another world, instantly brought Su Ming's thoughts back to the original mystery. He turned sharply to look at the shopkeeper and asked through gritted teeth, "You know more, right? Why are you helping him?"
The shopkeeper remained expressionless. He slowly walked to the box, picked up the note, glanced at it, and then slowly tore it off. "Zheng Yaoxian won't tell you directly what you want to know," he said, and the note crumbled in his hands, drifting away in the wind. "You can only find the clues yourself, to find him."
Su Ming was seething with rage, yet he had nowhere to vent it. He didn't immediately protest, but instead turned and strode towards the warehouse exit. Each step felt like a heavy burden, weighing him down, making it difficult for him to breathe. He felt lost in darkness, with nothing around him to lean on except that familiar name—Zheng Yaoxian—which loomed like a shadow over his life.
Back at his own residence, Su Ming flung open the door, slumped down at the table, and flipped open the letter. He still couldn't comprehend why Zheng Yaoxian had put him through all this. Those vague clues kept swirling in his mind. Every detail couldn't quite fit together the complete picture, as if there was always just a tiny bit missing.
It was late at night. The wind outside was muffled and cold, as if nature itself were silently observing Su Ming's every move. The candlelight on the table flickered, flickering, casting a shaky shadow on his face. Su Ming clutched the letter, his palms slightly sweaty, even his fingertips trembling slightly. He had never felt so alone and helpless as he did now, perhaps even afraid.
"Why me?" he asked himself over and over. It all seemed like an elaborate game, and he was the only pawn. Zheng Yaoxian's disappearance, the confusing clues, the strange shopkeeper, and the ambiguous note in the warehouse—all of them were like fine threads entwined in his heart, leaving him unable to break free.
He suddenly felt a chill behind him, as if something was approaching. Instinctively, he jerked his head back, only to see shabby walls and a yellowed chair. "No one," he consoled himself, but a deeper unease welled up inside him. He stood up, closed the window, and drew the curtains tightly. After confirming that nothing was out of the ordinary, he slowly sat down. Yet, the feeling of being watched lingered like a thorn.
"What on earth is Zheng Yaoxian thinking?" he muttered to himself, his voice so hoarse it sounded unfamiliar even to him. His mind replayed Zheng Yaoxian's every word and every expression, trying to find any clues. But the more he thought, the deeper his doubts grew. Zheng Yaoxian was an extremely shrewd man, and every decision he made seemed to have been carefully considered and could never have been meaningless. So, what was hidden behind his disappearance?
"Or... is he testing me?" This thought suddenly occurred to Su Ming, and it startled him. He had never considered this possibility before, but now that he thought about it, it seemed possible. Could Zheng Yaoxian have been secretly observing him, trying to see how he would react when faced with danger?
"But if it's a test..." Su Ming gritted his teeth and frowned, "Why use such an extreme method? What does he want me to understand, or is he simply abandoning me?" This question was like an invisible shackle, binding his thoughts and making him breathless.
Just as he was lost in his chaotic thoughts, there was a gentle knock on the door. The sound was so soft that it was almost imperceptible, but in the dead of night it was like a thunderclap, instantly striking Su Ming's nerves. He froze in place, holding his breath, his eyes fixed on the door.
The knocking stopped, but it only made him even more nervous. His mind raced, analyzing the situation. Was it friend or foe? Why had they chosen this hour? Could it be Zheng Yaoxian? Or were they enemies he didn't even know existed?
He quietly pulled out a dagger from under the table, moving slowly and carefully to avoid making any noise. The cold touch of the dagger reassured him slightly, but his hands were still shaking with nervousness. He quietly walked towards the door, pressing his ear to it, trying to listen for any movement outside.