The local time in China was seven in the morning on August 9th. The sky in Li Jing was already dimly lit, but the light had not penetrated the basement, and the room remained pitch black.
When Lin Yilong pushed the door open and entered, Gu Zhuo Case had been awake for some time.
Saying this, Gu Zhuo Case raised his arm and forcefully pulled out the IV tube from his body. He got up from the hospital bed, put on slippers, and staggered over.
The operating lamp flickered, casting a shadow of uncertainty over his face. The man’s muscles rippled across his body, like a beast that had been soaked in Hell’s sulfur pool and returned from the brink of death.
"Where did my son... go?" Gu Zhuo Case panted, hoarsely asking.
His face left the operating light, veiled in gloomy shadows. Every word he uttered turned the second hand on his right eye half a circle.
A sound akin to a tolling bronze bell resonated, rippling through the air like tangible waves.
Lin Yilong furrowed his brow, suddenly feeling that the flow of time had slowed. He looked at the IV tubes slowly falling to the ground, then at the slowly crawling swarm of insects, finally raising his eyes to meet Gu Zhuo Case’s.
He was certain that Gu Zhuo Case’s abilities had evolved to a certain degree; even without summoning the Clock Tower, he had already affected the flow rate of time around them.
"Where did Qiye go... how is he? Answer me." Gu Zhuo Case’s body was still somewhat frail, and he clutched his chest, gasping as he nearly growled the question.
"He joined Rainbow Wings," Lin Yilong said calmly, "just a few days ago."
His tone was unremarkable, as if he were stating an insignificant fact. But when those words fell into Gu Zhuo Case’s ears, they exploded like thunder in his mind.
Gu Zhuo Case’s already chaotic thoughts were completely scrambled. He widened his eyes, staring motionlessly at the swarm of insects crawling across the ground.
After a while, he suddenly lifted his head, staring directly into Lin Yilong’s eyes.
"Impossible," he said incredulously, "Impossible! I told Qiye, I told him not to join Rainbow Wings!"
Lin Yilong remained silent for a moment before slowly saying,
"When you lost your senses, went alone to seek revenge on Rainbow Wings, and were beaten severely, Black Cocoon saved you and brought you back. Dr. Zersey healed your injuries; otherwise, you would already be dead... And while you were unconscious, Blue Arc..."
As he said this, Lin Yilong paused suddenly, a flash of disgust crossing his eyes.
A searing, tearing sensation came from Gu Zhuo Case’s throat. He swallowed, his Adam’s apple moving up and down.
After hesitating for a long time, he dared to ask, "What... happened to my son?"
Lin Yilong avoided his gaze, saying expressionlessly, "He thought you were dead. To avenge you, he joined Rainbow Wings."
"No, no... no!" Gu Zhuo Case roared hoarsely, completely losing his sense of reason.
At that moment, various expressions flashed across his face: fury, gloom, disbelief...
Finally, he let out a hysterical roar and slammed his fist into the wall.
A loud toll of a bell resonated, and thousands of cracks spread across the wall. A pit connecting to the neighboring washroom caved in, the sink shattered, water spraying freely.
After a long silence, he took a deep breath, lowered his head, and closed his heavy eyelids amidst the sound of rushing water.
A moment later, Gu Zhuo Case slowly lifted his head, the clock in his right eye gradually fading. But a trace of scarlet remained lodged in his pupil, stubbornly refusing to disappear.
"Black Cocoon?" Gu Zhuo Case asked, "Is it all Black Cocoon’s doing? Did he make my son join Rainbow Wings?"
Lin Yilong’s response was noncommittal, avoiding the subject. "This is your phone. You can ask that black worm directly about the details, instead of me."
Having said that, Lin Yilong retrieved a mobile phone from the pocket of his black coat and handed it to Gu Zhuo Case.
Frowning deeply, Gu Zhuo Case slowly reached out and took the phone, only to find it was currently in a call. The call had lasted for a whole three minutes, meaning the previous conversation with Mu Long had been entirely overheard by the person on the line.
And, without a doubt, the name of the conversation partner displayed on the screen was:
At this moment, Black Cocoon’s voice already emanated from the phone:
"Oh... I heard you’ve woken up, Mr. Ghost Bell. You must have also learned a piece of good news about Gu Qiye from our Mr. Mu Long."
"Good news?" Gu Zhuo Case laughed bitterly in anger, clutching the phone, his entire body faintly trembling.
"That’s right," Black Cocoon said nonchalantly, "a piece of good news comparable to a high school student getting into Peking University, which is your son joining Rainbow Wings... Alright, I know your feelings must be complex at this moment, but don’t worry; everything is still salvageable."
Gu Zhuo Case placed the phone by his ear, "Did you entice him into joining Rainbow Wings, hiding from him that I’m still alive?"
"I never expected you to be that sharp-minded; I’m really quite shocked," Black Cocoon said. "Well, actually, this was a consensus between Mr. Mu Long and myself."
"Why?" Gu Zhuo Case raised his head, staring into Lin Yilong’s eyes.
Lin Yilong remained silent, leaving the explanation to Black Cocoon.
Black Cocoon said leisurely, "Why else? If Blue Arc doesn’t join Rainbow Wings, we won’t have room to proactively attack the Salvation Society, and you will lose the chance to avenge your wife." For more chapters visıt 𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭·𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢·𝗇𝗲𝘵