Chapter 562 34: I Am from the Continuous Prayer Meeting

August 14, 2016, 3:19 PM.

Yin Heaven.

A rare spell of good weather.

It was neither rainy nor sunny. Humid, but not cold and damp. There was some light, but it wasn't glaring. The sky might clear up, or it might rain.

'I like this sort of ambiguous weather, this complex potential.'

'This part of my personality probably stems from the weather back home. Sunny days in Hongcheng were always unbearably hot and muggy, but the rain was even more miserable—to say nothing of the winter rain. That was a nightmare for both my mother and me.'

'In that cold, damp weather, I always struggled to breathe, while the pain in my mother's legs would confine her to her bed. Our home back then was so quiet, it felt like a tomb.'

'Looking back, I realize it was the wicked consequence of the yin energy hidden within the Curse. Even though the yin energy has since dissipated, those painful memories are impossible to shake.'

Sitting in the private booth of a teahouse, I found myself reminiscing about the past, zoning out for a moment—a rare occurrence for me.

I rarely let my mind wander; it always felt like a waste of what little time I had. Back then, not knowing when I might die, I seized every second. But now that I know my life could span more than two hundred years—perhaps even longer—I've started to indulge in this common human flaw again. It isn't a bad thing. This newfound freedom and comfort only serves to highlight the powerlessness I felt before, making it a stark reminder of how crucial strength truly is.

'It's 3:20 PM. There are still ten minutes until our agreed-upon time, yet they still haven't arrived. It seems the person I'm meeting today isn't the type to be early. Or perhaps... they don't consider this meeting very important?'

I glanced at my watch, a thought forming in my mind. 'This behavior doesn't quite match the enthusiasm my 'friend' showed online... Don't tell me they ran into some kind of accident?'

This was my first time meeting an online acquaintance. I wouldn't say I was nervous, but I was extremely curious about the person I was about to meet.

Ever since my friend Su Zhou was promoted by the Zhengguo Government as the poster boy for the Era of Spiritual Qi Revival, his very name has generated a massive amount of online traffic and heated discussion. Guiding public opinion among his fans became a task of utmost importance, and as his friend, it was only natural for me to take on this duty and become an administrator for his core fan group.

I don't think Su Zhou himself gives any thought to public opinion, online traffic, or trending topics—he couldn't care less—but the experience of managing such a large organization is invaluable. A fan club may be loosely structured, but it is still an organization. Working within it is like an internship, an experience not everyone gets the chance to have.

And the person I was meeting this time happened to be a senior administrator who had joined the "Su Zhou Core Support Group" very early on.

Their ID was "Su Zhou Support Group 014." That number alone told you how early they had joined.

This 014 was erudite and warm. They often graciously helped the other administrators in the group solve problems. It was clear they were not only highly capable but also had real-world management experience. People like that are rare, and finding one among Su Zhou's fans was frankly a little surprising. My own interactions with them had always been very pleasant; in other words, not only were they competent, but their people skills were also excellent.

On several occasions, I was tempted to hire them as a full-time manager for the fan club. Their skills were truly formidable—whether guiding public opinion or handling crisis PR, they did everything to Perfection. But that was just a passing thought. After all, someone with such talent surely held a significant position in the real world.

Recently, this friend, who claimed to be a fellow native of Hongzhou, said they would be coming to Hongcheng soon. They invited both me and Su Zhou to meet them in person, adding mysteriously that they had a big surprise for us.

'I doubt there's anything on Earth that could be a surprise to both me and Su Zhou.' Moreover, from the moment they invited me to meet in the real world, I had a faint suspicion that they had an ulterior motive.

'Meeting online friends in real life is something one should avoid; I have no intention of putting myself in a dangerous situation. Though this "friend" had always been very amicable, who knew what their real thoughts were? Perhaps they had deliberately infiltrated the fan club, built up good relationships, and projected an image of goodwill, all for the purpose of deceiving me right at this moment.'

'Of course, they also invited Su Zhou, as a tactic to dispel suspicion. But I believe that as someone who has clearly observed Su Zhou's patterns, they were quite certain that if they actually sent the invitation, Su Zhou would politely decline. Even I wouldn't permit Su Zhou to meet a fan in private at an inappropriate time.'

After all, if something unexpected were to happen during the meeting, or if it were leaked by someone with ulterior motives, it would become a scandal.

However, after becoming more certain that they did indeed have an ulterior motive, I found myself even more interested in 014. Although they hid it well, their tone and speech patterns suggested that this friend might not even be one of the Zhengguo People, and that they lived a pampered life.

'Why would someone like that be so enthusiastic about working in a fan club? And why did they want to meet me, specifically, in private? What was their true goal?'

I was quite curious.

At 3:25 PM, I heard steady footsteps approaching from outside the private booth. The person they belonged to had to be around 180 centimeters tall and weigh about 70 kilograms—on the leaner side. Their movements were exceptionally regular, each step falling into a precise rhythm. But what was surprising was that I couldn't sense any fluctuations of Spiritual Qi from this person.