C12 The Atmosphere of the Era!

An old saying goes that where the light does not reach, malevolent spirits prowl.

The darkest shadows are those cast in broad daylight, like invisible knives, the most dangerous of all. True fear does not stem from the sword wielded openly, but from the hidden gun fired in secret.

Beneath a guise of friendliness, someone might secretly deliver a stab in the back, leaving the victim confused until their final moments.

...

Chen Mo left the house early, not for a leisurely outing, but out of sheer necessity; he would have avoided that place if possible.

He had thought about calling the police for help, but if that were an effective solution, Chen Mo would have already done so, seeking their protection rather than acting alone.

Unfortunately, with no evidence and only his own account, his visit would be in vain, not even meriting an official inquiry.

After much thought, Chen Mo decided to venture into the lion's den. If he found Black Jason, his troubles would be over. He'd hand him over to the police and then live peacefully as a protected citizen.

However, if Black Jason proved to be unfindable, it wouldn't be unexpected for Chen Mo.

His real goal wasn't just to locate Black Jason, but to find out exactly when he had left.

The person out for his life was incredibly secretive, and to date, Chen Mo had only managed to gather two leads: the self-proclaimed senior who had approached him the previous day, and snippets of information about Black Jason from the cafeteria workers.

In fact, Chen Mo was more concerned about this supposed senior than Black Jason.

Unfortunately, he didn't have the resources to investigate further, nor was he sure that his own efforts would yield correct results. The person could have significant power, even to the point of altering records and keeping the school's administration silent, manipulating students from the shadows.

One must always consider the worst-case scenario. Even if the opponent wasn't as formidable as imagined, Chen Mo had no idea where to start looking.

With no name and no clear recollection of the person's appearance, how could he begin his search? His vague impressions were not as accurate as the identifications on TV shows. He couldn't possibly spend his days doing nothing but sitting at the school entrance, counting heads.

Or should he rely on his terrible drawing skills to sketch a portrait of the individual?

Chen Mo smirked at the thought and refocused his energy.

The only way to confirm the person's identity was to find Black Jason. The timing of his departure would shed light on the issue at hand.

If Black Jason had moved just yesterday or today, it was likely that the person in question wasn't a fellow student but someone from outside the school.

However, if Black Jason had moved out earlier, then it was almost certain that the individual was a student from the school, though it was unclear if they were a senior.

Since they belonged to the same group, information was certainly shared. The rumors that had spread across the campus in an afternoon were known to all within the school.

Therefore, upon hearing the news, they would have immediately sought to confirm it, and the cafeteria staff would have ruthlessly sold him out, exaggerating his behavior. The first course of action for someone proactive would be to move Black Jason without delay, not daring to risk whether Chen Mo would leave school that day to find Black Jason.

This urgent initial reaction would allow Chen Mo to deduce when Black Jason left and when the other party received the news, thus determining whether the individual was a student or an outsider.

Knowing whether the person was an outsider was vital to Chen Mo, so he had to take the risk himself.

...

Resolve and courage are two entirely different traits.

Chen Mo had resolve, but when the moment came, he felt a hint of trepidation. Without a word and with a stern face, he boarded the bus and got off at the terminal stop. After walking for half an hour, he arrived at a vast field of ruins.

A crooked path snaked through the debris, and swallowing hard, Chen Mo took his first step forward.

It was hard to imagine such an old, historically rich area in the midst of a bustling, energetic city.

The neighborhood, with its long history and buildings that exuded the essence of the Republic of China era, looked like a beautiful painting unfolding before him. The faint smell of bygone days and the heavy sense of returning history could make this place a key area for cultural preservation.

But the reality was not as idyllic as one might imagine. This area had once been home to a notorious figure decades ago.

In the early days of the nation's founding, the political climate was unstable.

Gangs were rampant, and the government, lacking the power and focus, struggled to suppress these local tyrants. Conflicts arose time and again, and the person in question, perhaps deceived by immediate benefits or harboring dreams of dominance, became a pivotal character in the turmoil.

In the city, the largest gang found itself in a significant clash with a newly established martial force. The confrontation escalated rapidly, leading to an uncontrollable situation where both factions dug in, as if laying siege to one another, resulting in a three-year deadlock.

Eventually, the new regime stabilized the turmoil. The military's decisive intervention swept through the gang's ranks with the efficiency of a brisk autumn wind clearing fallen leaves. The gangs were decimated, expected to disappear from the historical stage. However, these gangs were not the disorderly mobs of today but rather disciplined and structured organizations, akin to centuries-old noble families with their own traditions and codes that were deeply ingrained in the community.

Their ethos centered on loyalty, and they had woven a network of families into a disciplined and complex consortium of shared interests, a level of sophistication modern gangs could not match. The cohesion and allure of the gang were unimaginable, which is why the military, despite their overwhelming force, could not fully claim control over the city.

It's one thing to pull the trigger on an armed opponent, but quite another to do the same to unarmed, vulnerable civilians.

For reasons unknown, the gang's core members began to retreat, ultimately settling into a quiet corner of the city. This is where Chen Mo was headed.

The remnants, though few, stayed on this land, holding onto the past and resisting the influence of the outside world. However, the relentless passage of time erodes even the deepest pain and resentment. Decades later, the younger generation, enticed by the allure of the city's bright lights, felt none of the old bitterness.

Sadly, as the older generation passed away, those who remained were increasingly drawn to the city's open policies. If not for the strict, almost taboo-like rules governing the area, it would have been fully integrated into the city by now.

Rules are rules, and sometimes they cannot be crossed. Over the years, both sides have given ground, and the fringes have gradually been infiltrated by modern architectural elements.

...

Chen Mo's journey through the ruins opened his eyes to a new world. Narrow alleys with green bricks and red tiles, stone-paved streets laid with precision, and rows of orderly buildings extended into the distance. It was a pity, though, that there were no stone bridges, flowing waters, talented scholars, or beautiful maidens, nor were there red plum blossoms or green willows to complete the scene.

These were merely minor letdowns; they didn't break Chen Mo's immersion. However, what he found somewhat unbearable were the sporadic utility poles, streetlights, and the overhead electrical grids that swiftly eroded the nostalgic aura of the scholarly gentleman within him.

"Well, I've got business to attend to, so no point in dawdling," he reasoned.

Concocting a fairly sound rationale, Chen Mo briskly navigated through the time-warped zone, pressing on towards the destination he had researched online.