A Good-for-Nothing 13: Zhu family

After He Zheng left, Old Master Zhu moved his eyes onto Li Zong. Somewhat embarrassedly, he wiped the corners of his eyes with his hands. "My little grandson came back. I haven't seen him for a very long time. I'm sorry to have inflicted this on you, Superintendent Li. You must have found it ridiculous." Li Zong smiled. It was a real smile, not the one he had had on the corners of his mouth on his way here. "Emotion makes a man. It's a natural thing that old master has deep affection for your grandson. It never struck me as ridiculous."

"Dad, perhaps you should invite our guest in and talk later," a middle-aged man reminded Old Master Zhu from behind.

"I'm going senile. Come, Li Zong. Come in." Old Master Zhu amiably patted Li Zong's shoulder.

As soon as they entered the room, Old Master Zhu invited them to sit down. Li Zong's seat was beside the host seat.

Old Master Zhu said, "It must be because of the turmoil on August 25th – the Obon, that you came here today, I suppose?"

Obon, otherwise known as the Ghost Festival, was celebrated on August 25th. Every year, on the Ghost Festival when the portal of the netherworld was open, large numbers of ghosts and demons would show up in the world of the living, and the Supernaturalism Management Bureau (SMB) would draft a lot of staff members from other affiliated offices to this city to prevent ghosts from hurting people.

"This year, all personnel drafted here from Sui City, Hang City and Yu City have been injured. According to the report given by people of the Fengdu Office, it's very likely that some demons have been making trouble by possessing bodies of ghosts. Back then, subordinates of the seven chairmen of the Counter-Demon Committee joined hands, dismembered that powerful demon, which was showing signs of resurrection, into three parts and sealed them in three different places. Such watertight precaution should have excluded the possibility of the resurgence of demons," observed Old Master Zhu, a faintly severe look on his face.

Li Zong calmly watched Old Master Zhu. "How did the divination go, Old Master Zhu?"

"It suggested moderately good fortune. There should be no havoc coming."

"People of the Fengdu Special Missions also reported no suspicious traces. With Old Master's divination, I think it's safe to say that there would be no big trouble. Later, I'll go and check the scene myself. Then I'll report to the headquarter." 

Old Master Zhu nodded. "The matter of the Ghost Festival should be no problem, but... " Old Master Zhu looked at Li Zong and continued, "There's an issue concerning both Supt. Li and my grandson."

Li Zong seemed to have understood what Old Master Zhu was referring to, a deep look in his eyes.

"Did Old Master Zhu divine the prospects of it?"

"The result suggested uncommonly good fortune." Old Master Zhu could barely hide his delighted smile, watching Li Zong with a look of deepening closeness. "I foresaw that my grandson would encounter life-threatening danger today, but someone of high status would come to his assistance. Never have I expected that that person would be you."

When they were talking about the Ghost Festival, Zu Zhichong was able to offer an opinion or two, but after the conversation was steered to this topic, Zu Zhichong was totally confused. Even Zhu Qi was somewhat curious. "Grandfather, what does that mean exactly?"

Old Master Zhu burst into laugh. "This is all I can disclose. No more."

All others moved their eyes onto Li Zong, who was holding a Thermos bottle, unscrewed the lid of it and silently took two sips of water.

Smells of jujube and Chinese wolfberries wafted out.

Seeing the surprised faces of others, Zu Zhichong hurriedly explained, "My Chief has been following a regimen." After saying this, he gave two hollow laughs.

"Let's drop this topic. Exactly what was it that you encountered on the plane today? The result of my divination told me that the situation would be rather dangerous," asked Old Master Zhu. 

"There was a Dream Eater contaminated by demonic Qi on the plane. I think it was targeting He Zheng."

"What?! Who resorted to such venomous means to kill my grandson?!" Old Master Zhu flied into a temper.

Chapter end