"I don't understand…"

After watching for roughly ten minutes, Su Xuan ruefully shifted his gaze away from the iron rod. While examining the patterns on it, an epiphany seemed to blossom within him, as if he were on the cusp of mastering a skill in a video game. But then he would become muddled again, unable to make heads or tails of it. It was like when you're wooing a girl and think you're on the verge of success, but there's an invisible barrier you just can't break through, no matter what you try.

He rubbed his face and sat on the bed, glancing at the Daoist robe soaking in the basin. Then he took out his cellphone and dialed a number.

"Mr. Chu, do you know about the incident at Chongming Park?"

He was calling Chu Hongfang, the head of Yike Real Estate. Since it was a matter related to the real estate industry, it was likely that Chu Hongfang knew the situation at Chongming Park.

And Chongming Park was where the bodies had been excavated.

Long Xiwén had inadvertently told him about it tonight. She mentioned that Zhang Shan was a suspect in the Chongming Park cultural relics vandalism case, and those bodies were considered relics.

"Ah, Boss, you're still up?"

Chu Hongfang's voice was laden with drunkenness; he had probably just finished entertaining some guests. He then began to feel inexplicably guilty and said, "Boss, we could have gotten the Chongming Park project, but somehow, Jinlu Real Estate Company took it from us, even though we were better qualified. I really did my best!"

"Uhh…"

Su Xuan opened his mouth, surprised to learn that Chu Hongfang had almost been involved in the matter. "What kind of place is it?" he asked.

"It used to be a large hardware materials factory beyond the Sixth Ring Road, but it went bankrupt and closed down long ago," Chu Hongfang explained with some regret. "The authorities planned to turn it into a park and build a residential area around it. Once the scenery improved, the houses would attract buyers. It's unfortunate we missed out on the project. Now I'm afraid we won't have a chance to get involved in building the surrounding residential area either, since we've lost the first-mover advantage. Building the park is free, but building the houses is where the real money is."

"I understand," said Su Xuan. "But was that place just a closed-down factory? What was it before that?"

"Before that, it was probably just undeveloped wasteland," Chu Hongfang said.

"Mr. Chu, here's what I want you to do." Seeing that he couldn't get any more information, Su Xuan said, "That real estate company ran into some trouble, and the police have gotten involved. I want you to work your connections tomorrow and see if you can take over the park project."

"What?" Chu Hongfang exclaimed in surprise. "Boss, what happened to them? Where did you get this information?"

"You just handle it," Su Xuan replied, not in the mood to give a detailed explanation. He knew Chu Hongfang would find out for himself the next day.

"Alright, alright! If we can secure that project, the subsequent tens of billions will be ours!" Chu Hongfang's voice was filled with excitement.

"Remember to get it done."

Su Xuan then hung up the phone.

He reached for some throwing knives from the bedside table and threw them at the clothes rack in the corner. WHOOSH, WHOOSH. His aim was becoming increasingly accurate.

After practicing for about half an hour, he lay back on the bed, closed his eyes, and fell asleep. Since his spirit and will had been enhanced by the System, he rarely had dreams, and when he did, they were always pleasant.

But he never expected that tonight, he would have a nightmare.

He dreamt he was standing on a desolate mountain on a dark, windy night, surrounded by two soldiers in armor who gazed at him with reverence. Their armor was red, different from what he had seen at the Xithe Funeral Home.

He looked down at himself and saw that he was wearing the very Daoist robe he had acquired from the Xithe Funeral Home!

"My lord, is the gate about to open?" the two soldiers asked respectfully, their hands resting on the hilts of their swords.

My lord? Su Xuan was puzzled. Am I a lord in this dream? If so, what am I the lord of? And why do I only have two... soldiers?

Before he could speak, a bright moon slowly revealed itself in the night sky. He looked up; although the moonlight was clear, it gave off a strangely dark illusion.

"My lord, your prediction was correct! The black moon has appeared, and the gate is opening!"

"We finally have a chance to go home!"

SHING! With a flash of steel, the two soldiers drew their swords, their faces ablaze with fighting spirit.

At the same time, a few dozen meters ahead of them, the moonlight suddenly twisted and converged, coalescing into an ancient-looking gate, identical to the one he had seen at the Xithe Funeral Home!

Accompanying the gate's appearance were two figures clad in silver armor, almost exactly like the ones he had seen at the Xithe Funeral Home.

"Gatekeepers! Kill them!" Su Xuan unconsciously shouted.

"Kill!"

"Kill!"

The two soldiers brandished their swords and charged at the two gatekeepers.

Just as he was about to rush in to help, a group of people in plain clothes burst out from all around, charging thunderously toward the gatekeepers and shouting,

"We want to go home too!"

"We've suffered too much out here!"

"Kill them!"

Su Xuan didn't understand, but he charged forward anyway. The only thought in his mind was to kill those two gatekeepers and enter the gate!

Just as they joined forces and killed the two gatekeepers, a rumbling sound suddenly erupted from behind the gate. The great door began to tremble, as if something was about to burst out!

The gate then flung wide open!

Su Xuan fixed his gaze inside and saw a gigantic figure with two horns on its head. It was clad in heavy armor, holding a massive longsword, and was striding toward the entrance with heavy, thumping steps.

"We can't go back…" Su Xuan uttered involuntarily.

But his two soldiers, along with the people in plain clothes, charged into the gate like madmen, rushing straight for the giant figure.

Su Xuan was about to follow them in, when a hand suddenly grasped his arm.

He turned to look and saw it was the woman in red.

"You mustn't go."

The woman in red shook her head at him, yanked his arm fiercely, and pulled him... out of the dream!

WHOOSH!

As soon as Su Xuan awoke, he sat up, gasping for breath. The dream had been too real, as if he had actually experienced it!

HISS!

He suddenly sucked in a sharp breath of cold air.

He was shocked to discover that he was wearing the Daoist robe! The very same one he had clearly left soaking in the basin!

And the Daoist robe was completely dry!

Su Xuan quickly ripped the robe off, threw it under the bed, and broke out in a cold sweat.

That was freakin' weird!

He hurriedly looked around the room but saw no sign of the woman in red.

"Red armor…" Su Xuan then muttered to himself. "If the dream was real, there should be two suits of red armor at that place, the ones worn by my soldiers!"

He immediately picked up his phone and sent a message to Chu Hongfang.

It was sent with a commanding tone:

"We must secure the Chongming Park project!"

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.