Chapter 8

PS: The contract has been received and the status has been updated. I'm adding an extra chapter to celebrate. Please favorite and recommend!

...

Though it was called a living room, there was no actual space for guests; it was filled with medicine cabinets, and the path was barely wide enough for one person to pass. An old man with a repulsive face was moving through them silently, his steps making no sound, and the entire courtyard felt inexplicably oppressive.

Though Li Mang had been here many times, each visit left him with a chill down his spine.

The Ghost Doctor, without lifting his head, asked emotionlessly, "Li Mang, what do you want?"

"Uh..." Li Mang was taken aback by the Ghost Doctor's directness, scratching his head as he tried to gather his words. After a moment, he said, "Senior Ghost Doctor, I've come to apologize."

"..." The Ghost Doctor looked up at him, his grotesque face half-smiling, but he said nothing, continuing with his work.

"Ahem... Yesterday, while playing with Da Wang, I fed him some stimulating drugs, which made him bark all night. I truly apologize, Senior Ghost Doctor!" Li Mang said earnestly, bowing deeply.

"Where did you get the stimulating drugs?" The Ghost Doctor asked without looking up.

"..." Li Mang opened his mouth but couldn't answer. Every plant and tree in the Yanhuang Compound was strictly controlled, and it was impossible to bring in any drugs. This was a loophole!

For a moment, Li Mang stood there awkwardly, unsure how to explain.

"Ying Shi, when ground into powder and consumed, has a calming effect. Animals can tolerate only a small amount; once they ingest a little, they feel excited, but it's not lethal." The Ghost Doctor explained, opening a medicine cabinet and taking out a black stone, which he handed to Li Mang. "I gave this to you when you were conscious yesterday."

"Thank you, Senior Ghost Doctor!" Li Mang took it, feeling deeply grateful. With this Ying Shi and the Ghost Doctor's cooperation, he could cover up his lie completely!

"Don't thank me. In the past, Da Wang was only with me, and I couldn't leave the compound. Now that you're here, I can leave with peace of mind." The Ghost Doctor's voice remained cold and eerie.

"Senior Ghost Doctor, please rest assured. I will take good care of Da Wang." Li Mang said sincerely.

The Ghost Doctor nodded and then ignored Li Mang, continuing with his own work. His personality was always so peculiar, fitting his name as the Ghost Doctor.

"Senior Ghost Doctor, I'll take my leave!" Li Mang, already used to the Ghost Doctor's ways, bowed and left. Da Wang saw him off, following him with eager eyes.

"Hey, you black dog, are you addicted to it?" Li Mang was amused and laughed, scolding him. But today, he couldn't afford to be too high-profile. After much persuasion and threats, he finally managed to stop Da Wang from following him.

In reality, the Yanhuang Compound seemed relaxed on the surface, but it was extremely strict behind the scenes, given its special nature.

In a building far from the Yanhuang Compound, a room was filled with computer monitors. At first glance, one might think it was a stock trading hall.

But the monitors didn't show stock charts; instead, they displayed surveillance footage of the Yanhuang Compound, with high-definition cameras capturing every detail clearly.

In front of monitor number 108, a group of people gathered around a large screen.

"Yesterday at 18:08, Da Wang appeared in front of Li Mang's courtyard and stopped, occasionally looking inside."

"At 18:30, Li Mang came out of the courtyard, holding a... chicken butt with chopsticks, and threw it in front of Da Wang."

"At 18:34, after some 'testing,' Da Wang ate the chicken butt and even nibbled on a few blades of grass... Oh, Da Wang is such a glutton!"

"At 19:05, Li Mang gave Da Wang all the leftover bones. After eating, Da Wang reluctantly left, and Li Mang didn't leave the house again, looking as if he was drunk."

"After leaving Li Mang's courtyard, Da Wang went straight to the Ghost Doctor's courtyard, resting on the lawn for over an hour, also looking... drunk."

"Starting at 21:00, Da Wang showed unusual behavior, running and barking wildly, looking excited. The Ghost Doctor, who came out to check, was at a loss."

After watching the surveillance footage, the group exchanged puzzled looks, feeling uneasy.

A man with sharp eyes analyzed, "There are three main points of suspicion: one, when did Da Wang and Li Mang become close? Two, what did Li Mang feed Da Wang? Three, why didn't the Ghost Doctor get angry, which is not like him!"

He paused and added, "We have investigated, and before this, Li Mang and Da Wang were not close. Da Wang even bullied Li Mang multiple times. Now, their relationship has suddenly changed, becoming surprisingly intimate. This needs careful consideration!"

Yang Fan was also there. He adjusted his glasses and said slowly, "Cai Cai, you don't need to be suspicious. Li Mang is often injured and frequently visits the Ghost Doctor. The Ghost Doctor has also taken Da Wang to Li Mang's courtyard. It's possible that they developed a bond over time!"

This intimate relationship and then a bond over time, describing a person and a dog, would drive Li Mang crazy if he heard it!

"Developed a bond over time?" Cai Cai, the sharp-eyed man, looked at Yang Fan mockingly and then said expressionlessly, "According to our investigation, before Li Mang was burned, the last time he met Da Wang, Da Wang almost bit him!"

It seemed that Yang Fan and Cai Cai didn't get along well.

"That's not the point. Unless someone can understand a dog's thoughts," Yang Fan emphasized professionally, implying that Cai Cai was a dog.

"..." Cai Cai's eyes flashed with a strange light. He glanced at Yang Fan indifferently and said, "Fine, let's not talk about the first point. What did Li Mang feed Da Wang? Why didn't the Ghost Doctor get angry?... Yang Fan, this is the Yanhuang Compound. Everything must be under control, or it could lead to a disaster. You can't afford the responsibility, especially since Li Mang is under your charge."

"..." Yang Fan adjusted his glasses, seemingly not noticing Cai Cai's criticism, and analyzed, "What Li Mang fed Da Wang, we need to ask him directly. The Ghost Doctor might know something, and this isn't hard to investigate. As for why the Ghost Doctor didn't get angry, it's not hard to understand. As he said, he hasn't left the Yanhuang Compound for years because of Da Wang. Now that Li Mang is taking care of Da Wang, he's naturally pleased. Besides, Da Wang is fine, just barking all night. What do you think, Cai Cai?"

"These are just your personal speculations, Yang Fan. This concerns the safety of the Yanhuang Compound, and you can't make decisions based on assumptions!" Cai Cai said sternly, elevating a minor issue to a matter of the compound's safety, with ulterior motives.

It turned out that Cai Cai and Yang Fan were both managers of the Yanhuang Compound, with the same position and responsibilities, but they managed different individuals. This inevitably led to competition and conflicts. Li Mang was just a pawn in their game.

"This matter doesn't need your concern, Cai Cai. Since the organization has opened a case, I will investigate it personally." Yang Fan adjusted his glasses and left the surveillance room.

"Ha, I'll wait for your investigation report and the handling of those who violate the Yanhuang rules." Cai Cai smiled faintly behind him.

"..." Yang Fan ignored him and left the surveillance center, heading back to the Yanhuang Compound. His mind was not at ease. If Li Mang had used any toxic or sensitive drugs, it would be a serious violation. Even if it was just a joke, Li Mang could face severe punishment from the organization.

...

After leaving the Ghost Doctor's courtyard, Li Mang originally wanted to return to his own courtyard and enter the Shanhaijing world again. But he thought it was inappropriate, as he might be under secret investigation. So he changed direction and headed toward Old Cao's courtyard.

The Shanhaijing was obtained from Old Cao's courtyard. Li Mang wanted to probe Old Cao to see how much he knew.

It had been only eight days since the fire, but Old Cao's courtyard had been completely restored, with no trace of the fire.

However, the ancient books that once filled the courtyard were now gone. Old Cao sat alone on the ground where the books used to be, looking soulless. He didn't even notice Li Mang entering.

Old Cao regarded the ancient books as his life, his only joy. The loss of his decades-long collection in the fire was a huge blow to him.

"Senior Cao?" Li Mang called out softly.

"..." Old Cao turned his head numbly. Seeing Li Mang, he was slightly surprised but quickly returned to his numb state, saying, "Sorry about that day."

Old Cao's mental state was unstable, but most of the time, he was normal. Otherwise, he would be locked up in a deep courtyard for treatment, not living in the Yanhuang Compound.

"Senior Cao, don't feel guilty. I'm fine!" Li Mang shrugged nonchalantly and then asked, "Senior Cao, didn't any of your ancient books survive?"

"None, nothing at all!" Old Cao's face was full of sorrow.

"Among the burned books, were there any that were particularly important to you or had special significance?" Li Mang continued probing.

"..." Old Cao looked at Li Mang, his eyes showing a strange light, but he quickly returned to his numb state, sighing, "All the books were important to me!"

"..." Li Mang was taken aback. Old Cao's reaction seemed unusual, but he couldn't conclude that he knew the secret of the mystical Shanhaijing. He couldn't push too hard, or Old Cao might notice something was off.

"Senior Cao, the ancient books can be collected again. There's no point in being sad!" Li Mang tried to console Old Cao, but seeing that it didn't help much, he bid farewell and left. He had to be cautious about the Shanhaijing matter and couldn't be too obvious.

Watching Li Mang leave, Old Cao's brows furrowed slightly, not in doubt but in worry...

Li Mang returned to his courtyard with doubts, only to find the gate open. His heart skipped a beat, and he quickly composed himself and walked in.

Page break for AD start

Page break for AD end