novelraw Chapter 980 - 480: Xi He's Dump Truck
Chapter 980 - 480: Xi He's Dump Truck
In Li Yuan's third year in his profession, his career finally encountered an unprecedented upheaval.
That day, the old director of the orphanage gave him a call.
Over the phone, the old director's voice was filled with uncontainable worry.
He said that someone had sent Li Yuan an anonymous letter.
The content of the letter was just one sentence of poetry:
"Being too clever by half, you might endanger your own life instead."
Upon hearing this, Li Yuan's face immediately darkened.
Of course, he knew that his work had offended countless people.
In the past, Li Yuan had received similar threatening letters.
However, those threats were always directed towards him personally.
With the help of Chief Editor Luo and the relevant departments, those hiding in the shadows never dared to be too blatant.
But this time was completely different.
This letter was sent directly to the orphanage.
Upon learning of this, Chief Editor Luo didn't hesitate. He immediately picked up the phone and, in a heavy voice, said, "I'll call my teacher."
His teacher was someone of great influence and respect in the journalism world.
Not long after, a fierce argument could be heard from the office.
Luo Chuan, who was always eloquent and composed in front of Li Yuan, lost his composure for the first time.
He yelled, argued, and even begged at the person on the other end of the phone.
Finally, everything fell silent.
Luo Chuan, looking dejected, turned on the speaker phone.
Letting Li Yuan hear with his own ears a sigh full of helplessness and fatigue from the other end.
"Xiao Chuan, let it go."
"The matter you're investigating has too wide a reach."
"You all... shouldn't continue."
Luo Chuan silently hung up the phone.
He walked to Li Yuan's side and pat him on the shoulder.
"Xiao Yuan, I'm giving you a month off."
"You... return to Linzhou, take a good rest for a while."
"It's also a good time to visit the old director and the children."
Li Yuan said nothing, he only looked at Luo Chuan with a calm gaze that was heart-wrenching.
"Chief Editor, everything we've done is right, isn't it?"
Luo Chuan looked into Li Yuan's clear and determined eyes; there wasn't a trace of retreat, only the pursuit of truth.
His heart jolted, as if being pierced by a needle.
He quickly turned away, unwilling to see those eyes again for fear he might waver.
He slammed his fist heavily onto his desk, producing a dull thud.
"I know you're unwilling to let this go! How could I not feel the same?" His voice was filled with suppressed anger and helplessness.
"But... Xiao Yuan, you're still young, your journey is still long, don't put too much pressure on yourself."
He tried to calm his emotions, speaking in a near-pleading tone:
"Believe me, justice might be delayed, but it will never be absent."
"Then... how long do we have to wait?" Li Yuan asked softly, yet clearly.
Luo Chuan had no answer.
Days later, Li Yuan returned to the familiar Linzhou Orphanage.
He bought some Taoist scriptures and sat under the big banyan tree, engrossed in reading them daily.
"Thus, the Changes have Taiji, which gives birth to Yin and Yang, Yin and Yang give birth to Four Uncles, Four Uncles birth Eight Offsprings, after birthing these offsprings, forgets that milk..."
For several days, he recited these Taoist scriptures that he modified in a mysterious manner.
His abnormal mental state gave the old director a fright.
"Xiao Yuan, if... if the life of a journalist isn't good, then let's not continue."
The old director looked at him with pity, gently stroking his head with his wrinkled hand, advising.
"Why don't you get a teaching qualification and become a teacher? It's quite good to teach the children too."
Li Yuan hearing this, smiled.
He put down the scripture and said to the old director, "Director, don't worry, I'm fine."
"I'm just learning from you about lyric writing from back then."
The old director, hearing that, chuckled.
"Learning from me writing lyrics?"
"Wasn't it because you were unruly since you were young?"
"Teaching you calligraphy, giving you serious lyrics to copy, you scribbled them randomly."
"I had no choice but to make up some phrases; that's when you started writing seriously."
Li Yuan laughed along.
He remained quietly in the orphanage for a full seven days.
During these seven days, he played with the children, helped the director repair the walls, as if returning to that carefree childhood.
Seven days later, he bowed deeply to the old director, announcing his departure.
"Brother Luo Chuan said, justice will be late but never absent."
His eyes became firm and bright again, like tempered steel.
"I've thought about it for seven days; I guess I delayed justice for seven days."
"Now, it's time I went back."
"Some people are destined to end up in hell."
The old director looked at him, his lips moving slightly, sighing.
"Silly child, where in this world is there hell?"
Li Yuan smiled and said, "There will be."
The old director, along with all the children, stood at the orphanage gate, silently seeing Li Yuan's determined back fade away, disappearing at the end of the street.
Later, Li Yuan found the competing party of the accused and made a deal.
He exchanged the materials he had for the opponent's promise to protect the orphanage.
Then, Li Yuan organized a complete report and submitted it.
At the same time, he used his several "aliases" to expose the most critical and shocking evidence.
An unprecedented upheaval followed.
Shortly thereafter, Li Yuan encountered a tragic accident while out.
An out-of-control dump truck smashed his car beyond recognition.
He died on the spot.
Luo Chuan, upon hearing the news, this strong-willed man cried bitterly.
In the end, he forced himself to bear the grief and personally presided over Li Yuan's funeral.
At the funeral, the old, white-haired director was inconsolable, fainting several times.
Many "Mystic Sect disciples" came from all over the country upon hearing the news, spontaneously holding a memorial and bidding farewell to their "Teacher Ah Xuan."
On a day after Li Yuan's death, Chief Editor Luo and the old director both received a letter with the same content.
The letter was prepared in advance by Li Yuan.
It contained only a few lines of verse.
"The Holy matters of the Five Emperors and Three Sovereigns deceive the endless travelers."
"How many gallant figures? After the fame of Dao Zhi and Zhuang Qiao, Chen Wang raised the yellow battle axe."
"The song hasn't finished, and the Orient brightens."
After reading, Luo Chuan was moved to tears.
Later, he resigned.
Luo Chuan took his family and left that bustling yet cold city.
He went to Li Yuan's hometown, Linzhou City.
There, he lived as a regular teacher.
Every day, he taught classes and told stories to the children.
~~~~
A rainy day.
Fine rain threads, like ox hairs, continuously fell from the gray skies.
The entire Linzhou City was enveloped in a misty, wet curtain of rain.
The cemetery on the outskirts grew more tranquil and solemn.
Rainwater washed over the cold tombstones, as though softly singing a mournful requiem for the souls resting here.
Xuanqing's figure quietly appeared in this place of rest.
He wore a black long gown, holding an old-fashioned oil paper umbrella, and walked slowly on the wet stone path.
Raindrops fell on the umbrella, making light tapping sounds, like the rhythm of time.
Finally, he stopped in front of Li Yuan's tombstone.
In the black-and-white photo on the tombstone, the young reporter still wore a brilliant smile full of sunshine and ideals.
The photo had long been blurred at the edges by rain.
Xuanqing quietly gazed at that familiar face of "himself."
His eyes, profound and complex, seemed to traverse endless time and reincarnation, engaging in a silent conversation with that brave, departed soul.
He reached out and gently placed a bloom of the Other Shore Flower, as crimson as blood, in front of the tombstone.
Then, Xuanqing subtly invoked the Dark Dao Fruit, symbolizing "End" and "Home," from the boundless Dao Sea.
With the Dao Fruit's integration, Li Yuan's soul imprint, long dissipated between heaven and earth, was unexpectedly gathered back by this supreme power.
Finally, he transformed into a pure light.
The light flickered within the grave, traversing the boundary of reality and illusion, flowing upstream straight to the Primordial True Realm where heaven and earth first began.
"Hmm? Is there still someone here?"
Just then, a voice filled with caution and surprise sounded from not far behind.
Xuanqing turned around.
Several men dressed in plain clothes, with decisive demeanors, were escorting a woman with handcuffs from a distant path.
When they saw Xuanqing, standing quietly with an umbrella before Li Yuan's tomb, the faces of the plainclothes were clearly taken aback.
There was an elusive flash of tension in their eyes.
Soon after, one who seemed to be the leader quickly came to his senses.
He exchanged a glance with his companions, then stepped forward briskly, with an attempt at a friendly smile, and began speaking:
"Hello, friend."
"May I ask... are you also a 'Mystic Sect Disciple'?"
"We are here to pay respects to Teacher Ah Xuan."
Xuanqing's gaze calmly swept over them.
Five people, and only one bouquet of flowers.
The few plainclothes seemed to spot this awkward issue, so they nervously explained:
"We... we are on an impromptu business trip, passing through Linzhou, and the schedule is quite rushed."
"We went to several flower shops just now, and only got this one bouquet."
"So..."
Seeing the embarrassed expressions on their faces, Xuanqing's lips curled into a smile.
"It's alright."
His voice, like the breeze after rain, easily dispelled the awkward atmosphere on site.
"The thought is what counts."
"I think Teacher Ah Xuan, with a spirit in heaven, surely wouldn't mind these formalities."
Having finished, Xuanqing nodded lightly towards them.
He then held the oil paper umbrella and gradually walked away from the cemetery.
His silhouette soon merged into the misty rain curtain, as if he'd never appeared.
The plainclothes, who had been in a state of tension all along, simultaneously sighed in relief.
They pushed the silent woman in the middle forward.
The lady approached Li Yuan's tombstone.
First, she looked curiously at the Other Shore Flower beside it.
Then, she placed the bouquet of white daisies down and bowed deeply to the tombstone.
[Captain, thank you for helping me complete the 'Great Dao Void' stage before.]
[This time, upon returning, I unexpectedly came here.]
[When I received the mission from our organization's leader, I recognized instantly, this must be you.]
[However, you seem not to have awakened your memory.]
[Actually, it's for the best. If you had awakened your memory, even with the causality of the Witch-Demon War, I'd dare not encounter you.]
[Rest assured, I've handled everything for you.]
[Those who needed capturing have been captured, those who needed judging have been judged, and those who needed killing have been killed.]
[Now I've surrendered, waiting for the case to settle, it's time I embark on my next journey and find my husband.]
[If you ever recall the car accident, please don't blame me!]
[We can have a pact!]
After Xi He had mourned, the plainclothes remained silent in front of Li Yuan's tomb for a few minutes.
Then they took Xi He away.
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