Celestial Human Diagram

Chapter 159 - 140: Replacement (Part 2)

Early the next morning, a breathless Manager Wang came running over. The moment the door was open, he said urgently, "Expert Chen, skeletal remains were found by the river. It looks like the death was caused by a butterfly tattoo."

Chen Chuan’s gaze sharpened. "Where are the remains?"

"They’ve been sent to forensics. We should have the results soon."

Chen Chuan nodded. ’All we can do is wait,’ he thought. He couldn’t decide on his next move until he had confirmation.

By noon, Manager Wang came running back to tell him that the cause of death was indeed the butterfly tattoo. However, the flesh on the mangled corpse indicated it had been dead for at least seven days, meaning it wasn’t a recent case.

After a moment’s thought, Chen Chuan asked, "Have any other similar bodies been discovered?"

Manager Wang shook his head.

Chen Chuan considered this. ’Looks like my method might be working,’ he thought. ’But to be certain, I’ll need to wait and see for another two days.’

That night, he found the signs of fading had deepened considerably. But instead of being alarmed, his spirits lifted. He felt he might be on the right track.

The following day came and went with no news of any new bodies. While there were other reports of missing persons and deaths, none appeared to be related to the butterfly tattoo. It seemed peace had returned to Jia County.

Chen Chuan continued to wait. That night, the signs of fading intensified further, even beginning to stimulate his Mutated Organization. By now, he was certain his method was working.

’It’s hard to eliminate this kind of phenomenon all at once. The most effective method is to find the source of the problem and wear it down in a battle of attrition.’

’He knew this was a war of attrition. Either the phenomenon would wear him down and kill him, or he would drain the power from its source.’

’The former, however, was unlikely. If things started to feel wrong, he would simply leave Jia County. That was the solution for most of these phenomena—just leave the affected area. Unless it was being deliberately manipulated by someone, you could usually escape its influence.’

’But in a densely populated place like this, the people who lived here couldn’t just pack up and leave.’

By the third day, when Manager Wang came to see Chen Chuan again, he was in much better spirits, no longer the terrified man of two days before.

He held a deep admiration for Chen Chuan, who had devised a plan the very day he arrived. And indeed, for the past two days, not a single new incident involving the butterfly tattoo had occurred.

Chen Chuan, however, knew it wasn’t time to relax. "It’s not over yet," he said. "The Qixi Festival is tomorrow. If we can get through the festival without incident, then we might be in the clear. If not, we’re in for more trouble."

’He privately suspected the phenomenon was connected to the Qixi Festival. With the festival’s arrival tomorrow, the assault would likely grow much stronger.’

’Only by making it through tomorrow would they truly be past this crisis.’

Manager Wang grew uneasy again at his words, but his faith in Chen Chuan was strong. "Expert Chen," he said, "is there anything you need? I can arrange for it."

Chen Chuan considered it for a moment. "If there’s one thing... keep people away from the area around this hotel."

"Understood." Manager Wang’s expression was grave. He left the room and immediately went to make the arrangements.

Another day passed, and the Qixi Festival arrived.

Chen Chuan’s suspicions were confirmed. With the festival’s arrival, the assault on his Second Self intensified dramatically. And as time passed, it only continued to strengthen.

’It’s likely,’ he thought, ’that the power from all the scattered Unity Knots is converging here.’

’Now it was just a matter of who could hold out longer.’

’At its current level, it was nothing compared to the Flying Head Monster. He had barely managed to endure that encounter, but that was because he’d had to fight the Flying Head simultaneously. This time, he didn’t have that distraction, which freed up a significant amount of his focus.’

Still, to be safe, he had the driver from his company on standby outside. If it truly felt like he couldn’t hold on any longer, he would leave Jia County, escape this current assault, and figure out another plan later.

Meanwhile, outside, the Qixi Festival celebrations were reaching their climax. The county’s residents had flooded the streets to celebrate. Aside from the New Year, it was one of the small town’s most cherished holidays, and most people came out to unwind.

Chen Chuan sat in his hotel room, watching the fireworks constantly bursting open outside his window. His body was wracked with an intense stimulation, as if he had been injected with multiple doses of a powerful drug.

He regulated his breathing, guiding the growth of his Mutated Organization.

Time ticked by. As midnight struck, the clamor outside began to fade. The encroaching sensation gradually weakened, quickly receding to a much lower level. While it hadn’t vanished completely, it was a far cry from its previous intensity.

He knew the worst was over.

He didn’t sleep. Instead, he remained there, sitting cross-legged, the Snow Monarch Blade within arm’s reach. As the sky gradually brightened, a single ray of sunlight finally streamed in from outside.

Blade in hand, he rose from the bed and walked to the window. He took a deep breath of the crisp morning air, his eyes fixed on the sun as it slowly crested a distant hill.

At that moment, he felt a sudden impulse. He reached into his pocket for the Unity Knot, but his fingers closed around nothing but decayed powder. All that remained was a single silk knot from its tassel.

He glanced at his Second Self and saw only the faintest trace of fading. He knew with certainty that the phenomenon had been resolved.

Just as the room became flooded with sunlight, a knock came at the door. It was Manager Wang’s cautious voice. "Expert Chen, are you in there?"

"The door’s unlocked," Chen Chuan replied. "Come in, Manager Wang."

Hearing that Chen Chuan’s voice was normal and full of vigor, Manager Wang let out a sigh of relief from outside the door.

He pushed the door open and entered. Seeing Chen Chuan standing by the window and admiring the view, he walked over to join him. "This is the tallest hotel in Jia County," he said. "You can see most of the town from here, and that river out there is Gourd Water. I heard the town used to flood constantly, but they fixed it up during the Great Expansion, and it’s been much better ever since."

Chen Chuan nodded. "Manager Wang, you should go check on the people you’ve detained. See if their butterfly tattoos are still there."

Manager Wang froze for a moment, then shot out of the room like a gust of wind.

Less than half an hour later, Manager Wang called, his voice brimming with excitement. "Expert Chen, they’re gone! They’re all gone! The tattoos on their bodies have completely vanished!"

Chen Chuan could sense the man’s excitement even through the phone. He smiled. "That’s good news, Manager Wang. Since that’s the case, my work in Jia County is finished. I’ll be leaving soon to return to Yangzhi."

"Wait, please wait!" Manager Wang said urgently. "Let me see you off, Expert Chen."

Chen Chuan agreed. He gathered his things, checked out of the hotel, and informed his driver. Then he went outside to wait for the car to pull around.

In less than ten minutes, Manager Wang came rushing over, his forehead beaded with sweat. He was clutching a book. Relieved to see Chen Chuan still there, he ran up and pressed the book into his hands, saying with genuine gratitude:

"Expert Chen, thank you for resolving the trouble in our Jia County. I don’t have much to offer as thanks, but I remember you seemed interested in local customs and folklore. This book, *Three Mountains Legend*, chronicles many old legends from the surrounding towns. Please, take it as a gift. I hope you won’t find it too modest."

Chen Chuan took the book with a smile. "Thank you, Manager Wang. I like this gift very much. Well, I’m off. You should head back now." He waved, got into the car, and Manager Wang waved back. The manager stood there, watching until the car was long out of sight.

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