Chapter 358 - 157: The Watcher’s Solitude (Part 1)

Chapter 358: Chapter 157: The Watcher’s Solitude (Part 1)

But before he could speak, Lu Qinglian said again, her face devoid of expression:

"I apologize for my attitude earlier. But I hope you understand that hiding this won’t lead to anything. Or have you not had enough of the bitter consequences from before?"

"I was going to tell him, but his mom needs surgery. It’s urgent. Otherwise, Song wouldn’t have rushed back at noon."

Hearing this, Lu Qinglian’s lips moved, but in the end, she said nothing.

As the two of them walked side-by-side through campus, Zhang Shutong’s voice also grew calm.

"The original plan was to go to the basement together after school, but there’s no time now. We have to check it again before he leaves. I might have missed some details last night. If we can find something new today—something with a strong personal connection to him..."

"That will decide whether or not we tell him?"

"Yes."

Zhang Shutong paused, then continued:

"I understand your concern. I can only say that I won’t hide it forever. I wouldn’t do that, if only for the sake of everything he’s put in over the years. That’s a matter of basic respect. But for one, he truly knows nothing. And for another, the timing is just too delicate."

"So, if we still don’t find any other clues this time..."

By the time he finished, Zhang Shutong’s face was nearly as expressionless as hers. He gazed at the bare branches of the trees by the school gate as he walked.

"Then just let me make the call. I hope you’ll cooperate."

"Let’s go," was all Lu Qinglian said.

They went to the bike shed first to get their bicycles. Students were passing by the school gate, so it wasn’t a good time to start riding. Zhang Shutong pushed his bike out past the gate, and once the crowd thinned out, the two of them, just like yesterday, rode through the city.

This time, their destination was the hospital.

They were actually on a very tight schedule.

Because after Song said goodbye to his students, his next stop was also the dormitory.

The four of them had left in a hurry last night. Even though they had done their best to clean up, there was one thing they couldn’t have managed—

They could stuff the hidden door back into place at most, but they were powerless to do anything about the area outside it—like the poster that had been torn to shreds.

No matter how many people there were, they couldn’t have fixed what was "outside the door."

Not unless they had left someone behind to help from the outside. But in a situation like that, how could they have possibly spared anyone?

So, even if Zhang Shutong said nothing, as soon as Song returned to the dorm to pack his things, he would discover something was wrong.

That was why he had suddenly asked for time off.

Zhang Shutong led Lu Qinglian to the small hut behind the hospital. It was winter, so the ground was still covered in muddy water. It was a little shallower than yesterday, but still deep enough to swamp their shoes.

"What about the medicine on your foot?"

"We’re already here."

As she spoke, Lu Qinglian was already shrugging off her blue-green robe. Zhang Shutong caught the garment as she tossed it through the air. For some reason, he felt like he was on a movie set, watching a famous actress rush to change costumes between takes.

"Wait for me. Don’t come over."

She was like that all day, her voice even more detached than usual. Lu Qinglian stepped into the hut first, the muddy water instantly swallowing her ankles.

Zhang Shutong told her the precise location. Last night, it had taken all four of them to pull the hidden door open. Lu Qinglian simply bent down, using her waist as a fulcrum, and with a surge of strength from both hands, she lifted the iron door.

Of course, her strength wasn’t that far beyond a normal person’s. Zhang Shutong realized that it was more about the skilled way she applied her power. For instance, now, with the iron door barely open a crack, muddy water gushed toward her feet. But instead of continuing to rip it open with brute force like they had, she paused for a moment, seemingly searching for the optimal point of leverage.

Then she focused, took a deep breath, and sank at the waist. The sudden explosive force she unleashed was countless times more efficient than sheer brute strength. It was hard to imagine such power had been hidden within her slender, flexible frame just a moment before.

It was a bit like Tai Chi, embodying the principle of using four ounces to move a thousand pounds.

She yanked the iron door open, letting it slam to the ground with its own momentum.

"I told you I don’t need help," Lu Qinglian said, steadying her breath. Her chest rose and fell slightly, but it didn’t affect the sharpness of her gaze. "This is pointless."

Her gaze fell on his legs. Zhang Shutong glanced down at his own feet, which were also clear of the muddy water.

Zhang Shutong was in no mood for pointless banter today. He didn’t explain, and Lu Qinglian didn’t press the issue. Once her breathing returned to normal, they descended the stairs one after the other, and darkness swallowed them whole.

They were about to traverse a long, narrow, and gloomy tunnel.

Zhang Shutong turned on his phone’s flashlight and soon reached a dry area. He first checked the floor for footprints. It was still covered in a layer of dust, meaning the chances of anyone having been here tonight were close to zero.

He checked the wall, too. There was still only the "03" marking.

Only their two sets of footprints marked the quiet tunnel. Their shoes were soaked, making squishing sounds with every step.

Zhang Shutong pushed open the door to the basement.

"This is it."

He aimed the flashlight for Lu Qinglian, its weak beam landing on the wall, and said from her side,

"Twenty minutes have passed. Song will be arriving soon."

"I know."

Lu Qinglian replied without looking back.

She stared at the photos on the wall. Just as Zhang Shutong had done yesterday, her eyes traced the spiderweb of pictures from one end to the other, finally resting on the photo of the figure in the blue-green robe.

Zhang Shutong came to her side. They had come in a hurry, and their only light source was his phone. Yesterday, they at least had four phones, and though the light was weak, they could split up to investigate. Today, he had no choice but to stay by Lu Qinglian’s side.

’Time isn’t the clue.’

’I’ve decided, too.’

The dates the photos were taken followed no pattern. Both of them shifted their focus to other things. It was just that, in Zhang Shutong’s opinion, he was more concerned with the photographer’s perspective, while Lu Qinglian was more concerned with the identity of the person in the picture.