Evil As Humans, page 149
The first diary of Zhong Chengshuo started on September 1st, more than 20 years ago. It was well-preserved, with the first page neatly written with “Grade 1, Class 1 – Zhong Chengshuo’s Diary” in neat and mature handwriting that didn’t look like that of a child.
Throughout the diary, he wrote about his height and weight and always included the phrase “I’m fine”. On some dates, the young Zhong Chengshuo would add additional notes, such as “Physical examination today” or “School sports day today,” mostly related to his physical health.
His middle and high school diaries were similar, without any teenage fantasies or plans related to exams. His diaries always contained the same phrase: “I’m fine.”
Except for three days.
The first detailed record appeared on a certain day during Zhong Chengshuo’s third year of middle school. During the summer vacation, Zhong Chengshuo went to another city to attend a training course because his parents were too busy. He didn’t know whether the food at the training course was good or bad, but the person who was in charge always preferred to serve fast food, like fried chicken and hamburgers, so the participating students’ weights all increased.
Except for Zhong Chengshuo.
Among a group of overweight boys and girls, he stood out. He lived, attended classes, rested with other children, and ate with a moderate appetite, but his weight didn’t change at all. The children were sensitive and couldn’t help but discuss this anomaly.
[I’m fine.]
[Also, this seems a bit unnatural. I need to eat a balanced diet.]
[A balanced diet is good for all living things.]
After briefly recounting the event, Zhong Chengshuo wrote this.
…..
The second detailed record appeared on a certain day when Zhong Chengshuo was in his sophomore year in high school.
Based on the record on the cover, Zhong Chengshuo was admitted to the best high school in Haigu.
Yin Ren had heard of this key high school. In order to get into a good university, students in their sophomore year started to work hard. Excluding early morning exercises, the students studied from 7 in the morning to 10 in the evening every day, with most of them staying up late to study in their dormitories. Even after midnight, at least 80% of the dormitory windows still had lights on.
Despite their young age and resilience, this kind of high intensity studying still took a toll on their spirits. Among the students in the key class, having varying degrees of dark circles under their eyes was the norm.
Only Zhong Chengshuo, who ranked first in his grade, was an exception.
Like most top students, he got up at 5:30 a.m. to memorize vocabulary and went to bed at 12:30 a.m.. As a result, not only did he not have dark circles under his eyes, but his skin was also shockingly good.
With excellent academic performance and a remarkable physical state, his classmates would occasionally inquire about what health supplements or skincare products he used.
[I’m fine.]
[Also, this is a bit unnatural. I need to maintain a regular schedule.]
[A regular schedule is good for all living things.]
As he was about to enter his junior year, Zhong Chengshuo wrote this down.
……
The third detailed record appeared on a certain day when Zhong Chengshuo was in his freshman year.
He entered A University with nearly perfect grades and was about to become an adult.
At that time, he lived in a four-person dormitory on campus and would inevitably change clothes in front of his roommates. His three roommates included one who was skin and bones, one who weighed nearly 300 pounds, and only one who had a normal body type, which was still considered “average”—a well-proportioned figure but not exactly “fit”.
With his good looks and impressive physique, Zhong Chengshuo quickly caught the attention of others. Some people would intentionally or unintentionally inquire about whether he achieved his physique through sports.
One of his overweight roommates would frequently ask him for advice on “how to lose fat and gain muscle.”
[I’m fine.]
[Also, this is a bit unnatural. I need a pair of glasses and moderate exercise.]
[Moderate exercise is good for all living things.]
……
Yin Ren held those pages of paper, and for a moment, he wasn’t quite sure if he understood the hidden meaning behind the words.
Ordinary people could obtain a healthy and attractive body through healthy eating, regular rest, and moderate exercise. However, in the case of Zhong Chengshuo, this process was subtly reversed—
To explain that healthy and attractive physique, Zhong Chengshuo needed to rely on these measures to “provide a reason.”
If it were someone else doing these things, Yin Ren might consider the possibility of “trying to fit in”. But this was Zhong Chengshuo. Let alone pursuing conformity, whether he could even think of “using these methods to fit in” was a question in and of itself.
Moreover, he was very committed to maintaining his physical health.
What was even more frightening was that, except for a recent period of time, these diaries were recorded without fail, every day, spanning Zhong Chengshuo’s entire life since the first grade of primary school.
His cleanliness was formed from primary school’s “health and hygiene” to graduate school’s “animal pathology”.
Although Zhong Chengshuo didn’t record it in detail, he would write a few sentences summarizing the necessity of maintaining a hygienic state after every major flu or epidemic. As for bleeding and injury, if not for knowing Zhong Chengshuo, Yin Ren would have thought that the owner of the diary was the world’s most afraid-of-death person.
No illness, no accidents. Zhong Chengshuo grew up in a textbook-like, healthy human template.
His height and weight were increasing, and important health-related activities were recorded, complemented by the phrase “I’m fine” to the point of boredom.
As time drew closer to the present, Yin Ren’s presence became stronger.
[I’m fine.]
[When Yin Ren made a gun gesture towards me, my heartbeat inexplicably accelerated, and my body temperature rose.]
[I’m fine.]
[When in contact with Yin Ren, my heartbeat and body temperature still become irregular for no reason.]
[I’m fine.]
[I have an urge to get close to Yin Ren, but also a slight sense of rejection. But I think I really like him.]
……
Yin Ren couldn’t read on.
Zhong Chengshuo’s records were calm and straightforward. He didn’t hesitate to use the word “like,” which always accompanied “heart palpitations” or “unconsciously attracted”. But now, they all turned into sharp nails, hammering into Yin Ren’s heart.
In over 20 years and nearly 10,000 diary entries, there was only one sentence that didn’t relate to “health”.
[I hope we can walk to the end smoothly. It’s the first time I want to tell the truth to someone.]
Zhong Chengshuo wrote this on the day they confirmed their relationship.
A huge monster curled up its body in the underground space, and the rustling sound of flapping wings resonated as Yin Ren buried his face deeply into the pages.
The pain in his heart was unbearable.
A millennium ago, he could control countless evil creatures, but at this moment, he couldn’t even control his own sore eyes.
Ever since Zhong Chengshuo disappeared in front of him, Yin Ren almost immediately put on the mask of “Grand Master Zhong Yi”. In order to find ways to get Zhong Chengshuo back, he must show absolute power and a tough stance.
…Perhaps the only person who truly knew his true nature was the person who “wants to walk with him to the end”.
He wasn’t commanding at all, nor was he that tough.
“Zhong Chengshuo…”
Yin Ren gritted his teeth and forced himself to stop thinking about those neat and pure “likes”, and forced himself back to reality.
Zhong Chengshuo left records and hoped that he would get them. This was probably more than just “delivering relics”. These diaries couldn’t be directly handed over to Shian.
Compared to simply recording his life, it seemed that he was more like carefully “raising” and observing himself, like a diary of observing a rare animal.
Is Zhong Chengshuo really just an ordinary human?
Yin Ren held onto those papers tightly, and pain mixed with a faint hope squeezed his chest. This person was difficult to fathom when he was alive and even more mysterious after he died.
Will all these puzzles be solved when he finds Zhong Chengshuo?
In the dark space, a small screen lit up.
The background picture was still “Zhong Chengshuo wearing a nightcap and yawning”, which Yin Ren secretly took on a certain morning, and it hadn’t been changed yet. The Ghost King quietly held the notebooks left by that person in the world and typed quietly with both hands.
[Fruit Knife: I received your gift.]
[Fruit Knife: I have new clues and will find you soon.]
[Fruit Knife: I should have told you more times, I really like you. I’ve never felt this miserable in my entire life! 👊]
[Fruit Knife: : Why don’t you believe these things? If you believe, you can definitely come back.]
[Fruit Knife: Say something to me.]
Yin Ren waited for half an hour, facing that bright screen.
After half an hour, he packed his things and left the darkness.
……
Haigu Municipal Hospital.
Huang Jin lit a cigarette and sat near the hospital flower bed.
He still couldn’t get used to smoking, so he could only hold it in his hand. The blue-gray smoke rose in spirals, and Huang Jin’s thoughts drifted around with it—
At this point, the situation of the members of Unit 9 had been determined.
Lu Xiaohe was already lame, and when she was attacked, she was closest to Fu Xingchuan and sustained the lightest injuries among all the science posts. Her internal organs and bones were intact, and she only suffered a slight concussion. After her skin wounds were sutured, Lu Xiaohe woke up quickly.
After waking up, she kept staring at the ceiling with a blank expression.
The personnel from the other branches fared worse and were still in a coma.
Ge Tingting was even more severely affected. When she joined Shian, she had already been undergoing psychological treatment for a long time. Now that she had seen Zhong Chengshuo being brutally shot in front of her, she was still trembling all over and couldn’t calm down.
With such a major security incident at Shian, Fu Xingchuan hit rock bottom. If he were to request a transfer from Unit Nine now, Shian would probably not refuse…
Huang Jin lowered his eyes. For some reason, this time he couldn’t feel any relief when he thought about this.
He took a deep breath and extinguished the cigarette after only a few puffs. Just as he was about to turn and head back to the hospital, he saw a huge mosaic carrying a suitcase rushing towards the hospital gate.
As it passed by Huang Jin, the mosaic named “Yin Ren” moved as if saluting.
“Starting today, I will be staying here.”
Evil As Humans Ch134
Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
* * *
Chapter 134: The Missing Person Case
The Fu Residence, Ancestral Hall.
Fu Wuya swayed the willow branches listlessly. He didn’t even feel like watching TV. According to the usual practice, he had sheltered a bunch of people before and needed to rest to recover his strength. But now, even the Fu family’s ancestor dared not rest and completely ignored the rule of “ignoring outside affairs”.
At Fu Wuya’s strong request, The Fu family equipped him with a complete set of instant communication devices.
Professional personnel came and went, covering Fu Wuya with all kinds of obstructions for a week to ensure both his psychological and physical health. The strong human presence made him uncomfortable, and even the willow branches were withered.
There was no choice. Zhong Yi had run outside. If he did not clarify the whole story of the event, Fu Wuya would not be able to sleep.
For the Fu Family, which was full of loyal believers of the “Great Celestial Master”, Fu Wuya kept this secret that no one knew how to describe. Fortunately, there was still Fu Xingchuan outside, so the old ancestor didn’t have to bear the outrageous reality alone.
At this moment, the broadcast screen stopped at the Haigu Municipal Hospital.
The screen showed the emergency ward of Unit Nine, with exactly five hospital beds. Two of the beds were empty, and the sheets were tucked into the mattress, flat and smooth without any wrinkles.
Ge Tingting and Lu Xiaohe were arranged on the side close to the window, with nameplates on the head of the bed. The two girls had lost their usual vitality and looked like two stiff mannequins. Huang Jin’s bed was on the other side of the ward—he sat cross-legged at the head of the bed with a gloomy face, playing with a carving knife non-stop.
On the screen, Yin Ren was wearing a high-necked white line shirt with a suitcase by his side.
He sat quietly next to one of the empty beds, looking like he was about to move in.
“I received the post-mortem email from Zhong Chengshuo, and I saw the addresses he copied. You all received it too,” Yin Ren said.
His tone was so calm that it was a bit scary. However, his face was almost integrated with the white shirt, and there was a hint of redness in the corners of his eyes, indicating that he was not as indifferent as he sounded.
Yin Ren rarely wore such bright colors as white. At the moment, he was wearing the same shirt as Zhong Chengshuo. His hair was loosely tied, and there was a strange sense of oppression.
Fu Xingchuan, the carrier of Fu Wuya’s vision, nodded and looked straight into the camera. “We have all received it, and I have asked Li Nian. The situation is special now, and we will cooperate with Zhong Chengshuo’s wishes and not notify his parents for the time being. However…”
“There is no ‘however’,” Yin Ren said. “If you are worried about not being able to hide the problem…”
He waved his left hand, and the air distorted for a moment.
“Zhong Chengshuo” appeared in the ward out of nowhere. He was wearing the same high-necked white shirt as Yin Ren, with dark eyes like two deep wells. His slightly long bangs hung over his glasses, and every detail, from the brand carved on the frame to the sneakers he was wearing, was extremely vivid.
These days, the memories of the past few months have chewed repeatedly on Yin Ren. And they were like a carving knife, sharpening those subtle details.
A lifelike illusion.
“’We’ will always be together, going back to accompany the elders until the end. As for all those messy procedures of yours, do as you please. Zhong Chengshuo has written everything in the email. He understands this better than me.”
Yin Ren didn’t look at the phantom of Zhong Chengshuo. He slowly withdrew his hand, allowing that familiar shadow to instantly dissipate.
“You’re still staying in Shian?” Huang Jin muttered.
“Mhm. He’s not here, and I have no concept of dealing with electronic data and such. I need assistance. Whether it’s a targeted attack or a random one, I will bring him back.”
Yin Ren raised his gaze, which appeared slightly dimmer than it had been in the past.
“As for the person who made the move, they must disappear completely.”
Faced with these outrageous statements, Fu Xingchuan coughed twice and didn’t say anything. He was now just an innocent and injured lower-level combat advisor, and it made no sense to pay attention to the “outrageous remarks” of a senior employee.
Moreover, the real reason why Yin Ren stayed in Shian was tacitly understood between the former Great Celestial Master and the Fu family.
[Fu Xingchuan, do you know about “The Other Side”?]
Yin Ren asked this after his “processing meeting”.
Phenomenon A-A1, “The Other Side”. Shian’s high-level executives tended to call it “The Other Side.” Currently, it had been confirmed that Phenomenon C-B4 “Gap”, Phenomenon A-D512 “Archive”, Phenomenon A-A2 “Divine Descent”, as well as hundreds of anomalies large and small, were all related to “The Other Side”.
Both in the metaphysical and scientific world, the understanding of “The Other Side” was even less than that of black holes. Only those with the ability of a Charon could truly come into contact with “The Other Side”, so the research they could do was extremely limited.
Why did “The Other Side” exist, whether there was real life within it, and what kind of impact it had on this world were all unknown mysteries. For some reason, research in this direction always seemed to be difficult to make progress.
These should have been Shian’s top secrets.
…But Zhong Chengshuo was able to learn about the existence of “The Other Side” through his own efforts.
And now, the culprit was precisely using methods related to the “Gap” to move and attack, which was inseparable to “The Other Side”. Regardless of whether Shian cared about Zhong Chengshuo personally, they must investigate his “missing person case” thoroughly.
After understanding all of this, Yin Ren only left behind a few words.
[Shian has always given us interesting tasks, but this time I want to propose a task myself. His case is mine… Whether the attacker is on this side or the other, I will kill him.]
“Since everyone is here, I’ll be straightforward.”
Yin Ren stood still, with a surging and majestic evil qi constantly flowing around him. It was like a semi-transparent giant snake that kept circling around his body. This was Shian’s territory, and countless aura monitors surrounded Yin Ren, but none of them sounded any alarms.
