Chapter 420: Chapter 249: Fan Dongqing’s Bet, the Dying Ghost Bell
August 5th, the time is still 5 a.m., and if it were a normal day in Li Jing, at this hour there should be complete silence, with only occasional lights flickering.
Especially since it’s the summer holiday season, students don’t need to get up early for morning classes, and adults don’t need to wake up to drop off children. Both parties would agree they’d rather sleep a little longer.
However, the huge commotion inside the Starlight Amusement Park has undoubtedly drawn attention from all directions.
When nearby residents opened their windows or looked out from their rooftops, all they saw was an ice-blue meteor descending from the sky, slowly falling onto the amusement park ground. The Ferris wheel, which was usually within sight, had now turned into ruins, with its shattered carriages scattered chaotically across the wide meteor crater.
A surging cold current swept through the morning breeze, whipping against everyone’s cheeks. It no longer felt like summer, but as if in the midst of winter.
This scene resembled the end of the world. They were in awe, finally snapping out of their shock, but just as they intended to pick up their phones or cameras to shoot, they realized no electronic devices were functioning, as if they had all malfunctioned.
At this moment, a black Maybach was parked at the entrance of Li Jing Starlight Amusement Park. The car’s headlights cut through the night, illuminating the park’s inflatable figures.
In the driver’s seat, Fan Dongqing was leaning against the seatback, taking a nap. This time was originally perfect for sleeping, yet Mr. Ghost Bell suddenly appeared, provocatively disrupting them with a clamor akin to banging drums and gongs, as if afraid they wouldn’t find him.
Thus, Fan Dongqing and You Ruirui considered for a moment and eventually decided to let the latter step in.
Seeing the car door suddenly open, Fan Dongqing opened his eyes and looked through the rearview mirror at the ice-sculpted-like white-haired girl.
"Finished?" asked Fan Dongqing.
"Yes, now it’s just letting the association people clean up," You Ruirui said expressionlessly.
"It would’ve been faster if I did it," Fan Dongqing said, glancing at the time on the display screen.
"Your superpower is too noisy, too large in scale. It would wake up everyone in Li Jing. If you don’t want to be scolded for disturbing the public, you’d better be quiet. Only your identity in Rainbow Wings is public, so you’re the only one who would be directly blamed," You Ruirui said blandly.
"You’re right, but cooling down the city like this doesn’t count as disturbing the public?"
"It’s summer, so I’m benefiting the people by saving them air conditioning costs. If it were winter, then I would’ve said nothing." You Ruirui said, turning her head to look at the amusement park outside the window. "As for the amusement park, the Mutants Association will fund the reconstruction, and with the collaboration of related professional superpower users, it can be completed within a week."
"Yes, yes... White-haired girl, your mouth is the hardest," Fan Dongqing yawned. "So, who is beneath the Ghost Bell mask?"
You Ruirui was stunned.
"What do you mean?" Fan Dongqing raised an eyebrow, "Didn’t you see it?"
"Accidentally crushed his corpse with the meteor," You Ruirui said, holding her chin in thought.
Fan Dongqing was silent for a moment, unable to suppress a laugh: "White-haired girl... you always say I don’t follow the rules, but aren’t you the same?"
"Just forgot."
"Clearly too eager to play games."
"Oh, you saw through that too," You Ruirui simply stopped pretending, taking out a phone to play a mobile game.
"Actually, it doesn’t matter who Ghost Bell was. For the higher-ups, knowing that he’s dead is enough," Fan Dongqing shrugged. "After we return, I’ll cover for you in the report, saying that you were locked in a tough battle and thus couldn’t leave a corpse."
"That cover isn’t needed," You Ruirui said coolly, "Being said to have struggled against a Quasi-Calamity will be laughed at by other members."
She lowered her head, playing the mobile game, tapping the screen with clicks. The car interior was dim, with ice-blue pupils reflecting the glow.
"At least it’s Time Series superpower, give him some face. So what if it’s a tough fight?" Fan Dongqing said nonchalantly, resting his chin on his hand while looking down at his phone.
"If he upgraded to Catastrophe Level, that indeed might be problematic," You Ruirui said. "From what I know, there’s never been a Time Series Catastrophe Level in history, so I don’t know exactly what it would be like."
"But that’s just hypothetical. He’s already a dead man," Fan Dongqing was unconcerned. "Besides, if everyone could upgrade to Catastrophe Level, why would Rainbow Wings need us?"
"Don’t be too arrogant... you are indeed one of the best at Catastrophe Level, but that doesn’t mean you’re invincible."
"Otherwise? Are you suggesting the Lake Hunting crowd can overpower me? Although I would love to spar with them."
"There are still restricted level superpower users in the world."
"The official website clearly states that restricted level died last century."
"Well, don’t be too narcissistic," You Ruirui said blandly, "It’s my first time seeing someone who browses their own Weibo super topics for no reason."
Her voice was seemingly devoid of emotion, yet one could still discern a hint of disdain.
"That’s because I’m the only one in Rainbow Wings with a public identity."
"Well, congratulations, big star. Without Blue Arc, you’re even more popular."
"With Blue Arc, I’m still popular."
"Really? His hype is at least several times yours."
"What else do we have left to do?" Fan Dongqing closed his phone, yawned, and asked casually.
"Blue Arc," You Ruirui said softly, "We’re still waiting for his response."
"Him again. Has he contacted you yet?"
"No."
You Ruirui shook her head, opened her contacts, and glanced at the name above.
"You seem pretty concerned about him."
"I originally thought he would be a frivolous person beneath that helmet, but he’s not quite what I imagined," You Ruirui said calmly. "My intuition rarely errs, so I’m a bit curious."
Fan Dongqing glanced at her through the rearview mirror, "Do you think he’ll eventually join Rainbow Wings?"
"I don’t know."
"I’m betting he will."
"No one is betting with you."
"Actually, it doesn’t matter. Regardless of whether he joins or not, we have to catch the same flight back to New York tomorrow night with Urushibara Ryuri and Jiushijiu," Fan Dongqing said. "But this kid better not be too naive... Already deemed as Catastrophe Level by the Association, yet still thinks he can return to a normal person’s life?"
You Ruirui remained silent.
"It’s rare to be in China, what do you want for breakfast?" Fan Dongqing asked as he inserted the key and placed a hand on the steering wheel.
"Anything, don’t distract me from my main task." After speaking, You Ruirui put on a pair of pure white Apple headphones and quietly sat in the car playing games.
Fan Dongqing shrugged indifferently and turned the key to start the engine. The Maybach roared ahead in the first ray of morning light.
....
....
At the same time, in Li Jing’s basement.
The exhaust fan hummed as it spun, under a ceiling stained with yellow mold, stood a young boy with white hair and green eyes.
On the hospital bed lay an old man covered in wounds, a gash in his chest, his scruffy mouth stained with blood, cloak disheveled and draped to the ground, a silver-black breathing mask tossed in the corner.
Yaguba had shrunk to the size of a palm, sitting obediently on Cezar’s shoulder.
The Shark stared at the man on the hospital bed, muttering and swearing, "Hurry up and save this Clock Tower bastard, or a college student is going to turn evil; only elementary school students should turn evil, college students turning evil would be laughed at!"
As it spoke, it manipulated the black tide to envelop Ghost Bell’s wounds, stopping the blood gushing fiercely from the hole in Ghost Bell’s chest.
"Mr. Ghost Bell is really something. Acting so recklessly, a moment later and he wouldn’t be salvageable."
Cezar softly muttered to himself, shattering the Generational-level Anecdote Fragment "Phoenix" in his right hand.
An orange light flashed by, a giant bird bathed in flames soared up, spreading its brick-red wings. It gently flapped its wings, dropping a fire feather. The feather formed by the flames floated down onto the black hole in Ghost Bell’s chest.
Phoenix’s flames are classified into two types, one of which is the healing fire. During this period, Cezar made a living practicing medicine in Li Jing by using Phoenix’s healing fire.
Meanwhile, he gradually understood the concept of external currency, thus raising the price from 2000 to 4000 per person, yet the gang still treated him warmly.
"Hold on!" The Shark suddenly shouted, "Shark Shark has something to say!"
"What’s wrong, Yaguba?" Cezar was stunned for a moment, turning his head to look at the Shark on his shoulder.
"Can you save his life but not completely cure his wounds, let this Clock Tower odd uncle lie in bed for at least ten days to half a month?"
"It can be done, but why should we do that, Yaguba?" Cezar said, "Mr. Ghost Bell provided us with a free place to live, he has been kind to us."
"This is to prevent him from seeking death, if he confronts those Rainbow Wings people again, we can’t be there every time," Yaguba said seriously, "It’s precisely because he has been kind to us that we should let him lie until Rainbow Wings leaves the city before getting up, doesn’t that make sense?"
Saying this, the Shark swatted Cezar’s back head with its fin.
"Makes sense, but actually there’s no need for me to do so, even if I let Phoenix heal most of his injuries, he will have to lie down for a while."
"Why?" Yaguba was taken aback.
Cezar raised his eyes to meet the gaze of Phoenix and then lowered his gaze to Ghost Bell’s body.
"Phoenix told me that the ice created by the Superpower User melted but still remains inside Mr. Ghost Bell, affecting Mr. Ghost Bell’s blood flow speed and superpower gene," he said slowly, "To completely resolve this phenomenon, I’d have to burn every inch of Mr. Ghost Bell’s blood clean, but that’s obviously impossible."
"Then what should be done?"
"Quietly leaving Mr. Ghost Bell alone for a period should suffice, this phenomenon is not likely to endanger his life, and it’s actually a good thing for him."
"Why?"
"Didn’t you say before, that Mr. Ghost Bell’s superpower is freezing time?" Cezar said lightly, "Phoenix says that Mr. Ghost Bell’s genes are undergoing a concealed transformation... perhaps inadvertently, he will benefit from it, maybe learning how to freeze his own time, of course, I’m just making assumptions."
"So... all we need is to not worry about him?" The Shark asked suspiciously.
"We still need to check on him every day, should we inform Mr. Mu Long?"
"Probably not, the fact that he’s alive is currently known only to us two!" Yaguba raised its fin, pressing it to its mouth, "Shh... Cezar, you must keep it a secret."
"I promise you, Yaguba."
"Then let’s hurry and have a feast, today is another day of Dr. Zerxi’s benevolence." Yaguba shook its head, showing a row of sharp little teeth.
"Yes, and when Mr. Ghost Bell wakes up, we must ask him for money, have him reimburse our meal expenses during this time." Cezar nodded, quietly retracting Phoenix.
"You’re really becoming more suited to the outside world, Cezar."
"Otherwise how could I afford to keep you?"
With laughter and chatter, the man and the shark moved out of the dim basement, leaving behind the scruffy old man, still lying motionless on the hospital bed.
His head covered in cold sweat, dreaming of a snowy wasteland, endless clock chimes resonating across the sky, the hint of violent crimson in his pupils seemingly transforming into a beast, ready to emerge.