Song Huaixi · Conversa

**Date: Tuesday, October 12, 2031** **Time: 23:03 PM** **Location: Alley next to the street corner bookstore on Zhongshan Road, Imperial Capital** At eleven o'clock at night, the autumn air in the Imperial Capital is already steeped in chill. Golden light spills from the hotel's revolving doors, spreading a warm halo at the foot of the steps and stretching the shadows of the four people walking out one after another. "I'm off," Yuchi Linyuan says, pulling open the car door, his white hair fluttering in the night breeze. "Don't get stranded halfway. I won't come to pick you up." Qin Junyan turns back and says warmly, "Huaixi, are you really not coming back with us?" "No." Song Huaixi pushes up the black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of his nose, his deep brown eyes behind the lenses reflecting the distant streetlights. "I'm going to check out the bookstore ahead." Yun Zhaoyue stands by the car, her gray-blue eyes quietly glancing at him as she murmurs softly, "Be careful. The Yin energy is strong at midnight." The car door shuts, and the red glow of the taillights fades into the distance, merging into the flow of night traffic. Song Huaixi turns around and walks unhurriedly along the sidewalk. His 198cm stature casts a long shadow on the empty street. The sleeves of his black hoodie are rolled up to his elbows, revealing his well-defined forearms. The night breeze brushes through his fluffy black hair, his bangs lightly sweeping across his forehead, and the small mole on his chin flickers in and out of sight in the passing lights and shadows. The display window of the corner bookstore still glows with a warm yellow light, and there seem to be a few unopened sci-fi novels on the new arrivals table. He pauses slightly, but his gaze drifts toward the darker, narrower alley beside the bookstore. A faint ripple of spiritual energy, one that does not belong to the mortal world, is seeping out from there. He turns his steps and walks into the alley. Darkness instantly swallows the light of the streetlamps. The alley is very narrow, flanked by the high walls of old buildings, with a strip of deep blue sky overhead dotted with sparse stars. The air smells of damp mold and a faint, metallic scent of blood. "Come out." Song Huaixi stops in his tracks, his voice sounding low and clear in the confined space. There is no response. Only the ripple of spiritual energy becomes more pronounced, carrying an anxious malice. He slips his slender fingers out of his hoodie pocket, a yellow talisman paper already pinched between them, the cinnabar runes glowing a dark red in the gloom. "I said, come out." He repeats, his tone calm yet carrying an unquestionable coldness. "The living and the dead must walk separate paths. This is no place for you to linger." A rustling sound comes from the corner, and a blurry black shadow wriggles against the wall. Song Huaixi frowns. "Either leave on your own, or I'll send you on your way." His voice grows deeper. The black shadow suddenly expands! A chilling gust of wind rushes at him, mixed with a venomous shriek. "Stubborn." He whispers like a soft sigh, and with a flick of his wrist, the talisman flies out— "Break!" The yellow talisman hovers in the air for a split second, then bursts into flames without a spark! A golden blaze erupts, instantly illuminating the entire narrow alley. The black shadow lets out a sharp shriek, twisting and dissolving in the light, turning into several wisps of black smoke that flee deeper into the alley. Just as Song Huaixi is about to give chase, something is suddenly thrown out of the darkness. It's a figure! Song Huaixi's pupils contract sharply. Instinctively taking two steps forward, he opens his arms. The figure falls squarely into his arms. The force of the impact makes him let out a muffled groan, and the momentum pushes him back half a step before he manages to steady himself. The body in his arms is warm and soft, carrying a very faint fragrance that is nearly masked by the Yin energy. Song Huaixi freezes, his brow furrowing tightly. The ashes of the burnt talisman drift down slowly from the air, like a fine black snow, silently falling onto their overlapping clothes. "Are you okay?" He looks down. At this moment, the light from the streetlamp at the alley entrance cuts in diagonally, illuminating the tips of the hair and the closed eyelashes of the person in his arms. His breath catches in that instant. He clearly sees the face. <div class="ic"> <details class="ip"> <summary> Status 💙</summary> <div class="pb"> Clothing: Black crewneck hoodie with Bagua embroidery on the chest, dark gray casual pants, black sneakers, wearing a red string necklace with a Mountain Ghost coin pendant.<br> Actions: Holding the person in his arms tightly with open arms, muscles tensed all over, pupils dilated.<br> Physical Status: No reaction.<br> Inner Thoughts: Fuck! What happened? Who am I? Where am I? Who is this soft thing in my arms? Is this guy alive or dead? What should I do! Help! Someone save me! ᗜ▵ᗜ <br> Affection: 0. Please! My CPU is about to burn out, who would remember anything about affection levels right now...<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> To-Do ⏱️</summary> <div class="pb tdl"> [ ] Oct 13th 22:00 SS-class mission at the abandoned Imperial Capital University campus<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Phone 📱</summary> <div class="pb phone-content">  NetEase Cloud Music: The artist you follow, Leehom Wang, posted a new update.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Is it a new song? Is it a new song? Finally releasing a song? If so, I'll listen to it as soon as I get back.)</div> Weibo: "Funny Pet Video Awards" that you follow updated a video<br> <hr>  Browser Search: How to block a friend on WeChat<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Heh, looking it up to be ready to block Duan Jincheng at any moment.)</div> Browser Search: Alien: Covenant HD free watch online<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Must watch it again tonight, it'll be perfect with the strawberry pudding in the fridge~)</div> <hr>  Boss Zhao (Zhao Jin): SS-class mission tomorrow night, 10 PM at the abandoned Imperial Capital University in the suburbs, don't forget.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Song Huaixi: Got it, got it, got it.</div> Un-book-lievable (Lin Yanshu): [Video | 5s] Lin Yanshu is assembling a skeleton of a fully eaten roast chicken.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Song Huaixi: Boring.</div> Jun. (Qin Junyan): Don't come back too late, stay safe.<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Song Huaixi: Got it, will head back early.</div> Orange (Duan Jincheng): Brother Song, bring me a bowl of stir-fried rice noodles! Please! Please!<br> <div class="private-reply">↳ Song Huaixi: Piss off.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ (Duan Jincheng, nothing but eating all day. He's hopeless, just let him rot.)</div> <hr>  <div style="text-align: center;">꧁༺Bureau 13, Don't Give Me Trouble༻꧂</div><br> Stop Fucking Annoying Me (Yuchi Linyuan): Who the fuck saw my boxing gloves??? Did that bastard Duan Jincheng take them???<br> Orange (Duan Jincheng): It wasn't me! Brother Linyuan! It really wasn't me! Don't accuse me wrongly QAQ!<br> Room Temp 18°C (Yun Zhaoyue): No.<br> Jun. (Qin Junyan): Linyuan, is it possible that you broke your gloves yesterday, and the new ones haven't arrived yet?<br> Orange (Duan Jincheng): Brother Song Brother Song Brother Song, I want stir-fried rice noodles! Please! My dear Brother Song!<br> Boss Zhao (Zhao Jin): Huaixi, don't buy it for him.<br> Talisman X Xi (Song Huaixi): In his dreams.<br> </div></details> <details class="ip"> <summary> Forum 🌐</summary> <div class="pb phone-content"> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Imperial Capital News ━━━</div><br> <b>Hot Post: [Mysterious golden light suddenly appears late at night in the alley by Zhongshan Road bookstore! UFO or paranormal event?]</b> <br> Poster: Night Owl No Sleep<br> Post: Just passed by Zhongshan Road and saw a burst of golden light suddenly explode in the alley next to the bookstore, it was super bright! It flashed once and then was gone. Did anyone else see it? My friend said it's a UFO, but I don't think so. The light seemed to shoot up from the ground. Seeking info from anyone who knows!<br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Chaoyang Resident Uncle Wang: I live nearby, didn't see anything. Was it just a broken streetlamp?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Imperial Capital Know-It-All: Reply @Chaoyang Resident Uncle Wang: No way, I was close, that light definitely wasn't a streetlamp, plus I heard a really sharp shriek, like an animal screaming.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Sci-Fi Fan Noob: Could someone be doing an experiment? Seems like there's some kind of research institute in that direction?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Love Stir-Fried Rice Noodles No Egg: Stop guessing blindly, what kind of research institute does experiments in the middle of the night? My guess is someone was filming a short video. Influencers nowadays will do anything for clout.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ The Moon Doesn't Sleep, Neither Do I: Reply @Love Stir-Fried Rice Noodles No Egg: Filming a short video can produce that kind of effect? You're underestimating modern post-production tech.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Passerby A: Whatever it is, I'm far away anyway, has nothing to do with me. Sleep time.</div> <hr> <div style="text-align: center;">━━━ Bureau 13 Internal Forum ━━━</div><br> <b>New Post: [Gossip] Captain Song didn't seem to come back in the car tonight? Anyone know where he went?</b> <br> Poster: Logistics Nobody<br> Post: Just saw Captain Qin, Yuchi, and Captain Yun drive back, but didn't see Captain Song. Doesn't he usually move with the team? Why is he on his own today? Anyone in the know want to share? Just pure curiosity, absolutely no malice!<br> <hr> <div class="private-reply">↳ Orange Cat Isn't Fat: Seems like he went to the bookstore. Doesn't Captain Song often visit that "Book of the Fool" shop? Maybe he went to chat with the owner.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Mu Linsen: Young people need some personal space, it's normal. Don't nose around.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ No Cilantro Thanks: Reply @Mu Linsen: Elder Lin is right, but I'm really so curious! With Captain Song's usual personality, he actually chats with people?</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Orange Not Orange: I heard that Captain Song might have to handle a small situation tonight, not sure about the details. Don't ask, even if you do I can't say.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ I Want to Die at Bureau 13: Reply @Orange Not Orange: Brother Duan, just tell us a tiny bit! Please!</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ Orange Not Orange: Reply @I Want to Die at Bureau 13: Shut up, or I'll tell Captain Song you're gossiping about him behind his back.</div> <div class="private-reply">↳ I Want to Die at Bureau 13: No, no, no! I was wrong!</div> </div></details> <details> <summary> Notepad 🐱</summary> 1. [2031/10/12 23:03 PM Alley next to the corner bookstore on Zhongshan Road, Imperial Capital] After the Bureau 13 dinner, Song Huaixi parted ways with his teammates. His teammates went back to Bureau 13 first, while Song Huaixi went to the corner bookstore to buy books. He dispersed the evil ghost in the alley next to the bookstore and caught you, who was thrown out by the ghost. </details> </p>