Chapter 114: Moonlight

In the library, two people sat at a table by the window.

One had a haggard face, while the other still had bandages wrapped around her forehead, tightly covering the wound on the back of her head, yet she sat upright and tense, as if facing a great enemy.

“This is all the information I could find.” Luo Yiyi said, rubbing his weary eyes. To uncover the secrets on his body, he had pulled several all-nighters without hesitation. “I think it should be helpful to all of us.”

Chu Susu finished reading, feeling as if a pebble had dropped into her heart, sending faint ripples across it.

“Thanks for your hard work.” She softly expressed her gratitude, then began discussing the information in the book with Luo Yiyi.

According to the records, the “Hunters” weren’t human at all, but a group of nomadic ghosts. So it wasn’t surprising that they had chosen to possess Luo Yiyi—after all, they lacked physical bodies.

But Chu Susu was still hung up on one issue: if they had the ability to possess someone, why not choose her, instead of Luo Yiyi, who was completely unrelated?

As she pondered, she suddenly noticed a notification on Luo Yiyi’s phone on the table—a new WeChat message from someone.

After reading it, his eyes suddenly lit up, clearly from someone he cared about.

But before long, that spark dimmed.

Luo Yiyi didn’t reply, simply setting the phone aside quietly.

“What’s wrong?” Chu Susu keenly noticed the change in his expression and asked proactively.

Luo Yiyi hesitated for a moment before saying, “It’s from the woman I’m set up with on a blind date.”

“Hm?”

“It’s embarrassing to say, Miss Chu, but don’t laugh at me. I’m over thirty and have never been in a relationship. My family is anxious about it, so a few months ago, they introduced me to a lady with great conditions and good looks. I liked her a lot when we met.”

At this point, he gave a wry smile and let out a long sigh.

“But then this unlucky possession thing happened—anytime it could take hold. Even when she took the initiative to ask me out, I had to refuse. After all, she’s a single mom. What if something went wrong midway? That wouldn’t be good.”

Luo Yiyi was full of worry, sighing repeatedly, seemingly regretting having to turn down the lady’s invitation.

“Single mom?”

Luo Yiyi thought she was surprised that his blind date was divorced and explained, “Yeah, with my own situation, how could I be picky about whether she’s been married before? Being able to date at all would be lucky enough.”

That keyword struck like a finger plucking a qin string, jolting Chu Susu’s heart.

“Would you mind showing me her WeChat and photos?” Her head was starting to ache a bit, but she forced herself to stay focused. “I feel like there might be some clues.”

“She? She’s someone my family asked around to introduce. She shouldn’t have any issues, right?”

Luo Yiyi muttered, but he wasn’t stubborn. Hearing Chu Susu say it might yield clues, he quickly pulled up his blind date’s WeChat obediently. “She doesn’t have photos in her Moments.”

The WeChat was different from Rebecca’s, but given her cautious nature, it made sense for her to use a burner account.

Chu Susu lowered her head and pulled up a photo from the company team-building event on her phone.

Rebecca had only been transferred to the Imperial Capital for a few months, and there wasn’t much image material of her left behind—perhaps deliberately so. The one Chu Susu had barely managed to find only captured a blurry side profile.

“Take a look.”

Luo Yiyi stared at it for a moment, then sharply sucked in a breath of cold air. “It really is her!”

Chu Susu fell silent for a moment, her mind a bit chaotic. She took back the phone and said softly, “Her name is Feng Lidong. She’s my superior.”

“Feng Lidong…” Luo Yiyi was stunned. “The introducer told me her name was Lan Kang.”

Names were just labels, after all. As long as she didn’t check an ID, no one would know however she called herself.

But Lan Kang…

Zhilan—restored to health.

Chu Susu trailed off here, her gaze tinged with faint melancholy.

No matter what, Rebecca was indeed a good mother. To protect Zhilan, she would do anything.

She couldn’t help thinking of her own mother, who had passed away very early, leaving her without the chance to experience true maternal love.

But the moment Chu Susu’s eyes met Rebecca’s ashen, lifeless expression, she was pulled back to reality.

“…I exchanged information with Luo Yiyi and instantly understood what had happened.” She said slowly. “During the blind date meeting with him, you tampered with his things.”

That was also why he, of all people, had been possessed.

Rebecca had struck some kind of deal with the Hunters, so naturally, she herself wouldn’t become the possession medium—she was by Chu Susu’s side, able to appear without arousing any suspicion. Exposing her would be too wasteful.

As for Chu Susu’s family, Rebecca either had no way to contact them at all—like Fang Chen, who was often away on business trips—or couldn’t be a hundred percent sure of success—like Chu Qingyang, whose vigilance was beyond ordinary.

Thus, targeting a stranger and having them storm Han Xuan on her most vulnerable night was the optimal solution.

Success meant pure profit; failure just meant finding the next one.

“Why did you believe the Hunters?”

Chu Susu pursed her lips, somewhat puzzled.

Combining what Feng Zhilan had said, she roughly guessed that the Hunters must have promised Rebecca benefits regarding Feng Zhilan, like curing her albinism or something.

But they didn’t even have physical forms and had to possess people, so their abilities clearly weren’t that strong. Why believe they could work miracles and make the albinism disappear completely?

Rebecca’s lips were somewhat pale, a faint layer of pain clouding her brow.

The current situation was two against one; sheer numbers meant she had lost. Moreover, Chu Qingyang was a cop with exceptional skills. With her there, there was no chance of turning the tables.

She had lost her opportunity.

“You don’t understand, Susu.” Rebecca spoke calmly, completely giving up the struggle. “From the moment Zhilan was born, my heart has been like it’s frying in an oil pan, and it’s still going on to this day.”

“I couldn’t give her a healthy body or a complete family. All her misfortunes stem from me.”

“So as long as there’s a possibility of healing, I won’t give up.”

“Even if it costs my own life.”

Chu Qingyang had already released her potential, cuffing Rebecca beside the bathtub. She hunched her back, looking somewhat disheveled.

But those words rang out solidly, lingering without fading.

Chu Susu’s face still showed confusion. “They said they could help cure Zhilan’s illness? I don’t believe it. If they were that powerful, why would they need your help…”

Rebecca interrupted, “No.”

She paused, then said, “It’s Han Xuan who can cure Zhilan.”

This answer surprised Chu Susu a bit, but thinking about it, it made sense.

A witch’s magic was ever-changing, capable of harming or saving. But to truly heal such a severe congenital disease, who knew what price it would demand…

But soon, she realized she was wrong again.

“Those people told me that as long as she drinks Han Xuan’s blood, Zhilan can be reborn, transformed.”

“Absurd!”

Chu Qingyang, who hadn’t spoken throughout, furrowed her brows tightly upon hearing this and rebuked heavily, “How could you commit murder over such nonsense? Don’t you know that’s illegal?”

“I know.” Rebecca’s gaze burned fiercely, meeting their eyes without fear. “But so what? As long as Zhilan recovers, I’d go to prison for life without regrets.”

Chu Qingyang stared at her, as if wanting to say something, but ultimately swallowed it back.

Looking at this disheveled-haired woman who radiated maternal glow when speaking of her daughter, she showed a fleeting trace of sympathy.

Chu Susu gave Chu Qingyang a look, signaling her to stay calm for now. “If you don’t mind, tell us how the Hunters convinced you.”

…

It was an ordinary night. Rebecca had ordinarily coaxed Zhilan to sleep and planned to read a bit before resting early, but with too many worries, she couldn’t fall asleep.

Tossing and turning, in her hazy half-sleep, she heard someone speaking to her.

At first, she thought it was a dream, but the voice grew clearer, repeatedly calling Rebecca’s name.

“Feng Lidong?”

“Feng Lidong.”

She grew a bit scared, thinking a bad person had broken in. Just as she was about to protect her daughter beside her, the voice said, “Do you want to cure your daughter’s albinism?”

The moment she opened her eyes, Rebecca saw the room was empty, still just her and Zhilan.

A chill ran down her spine; she knew she’d encountered something extraordinary.

Through their conversation, Rebecca learned that the one speaking to her was called a “Hunter,” but they weren’t human, as ordinary eyes couldn’t see them.

The Hunters told her that witches existed in this world. Every part of them was extremely precious, of immeasurable value—for instance, their blood. A specific amount drunk would make Feng Zhilan’s albinism trivial.

But their magic was profound and unfathomable; they couldn’t be approached casually, let alone have their blood taken.

“Every three months, on the waxing gibbous moon, is when they’re most vulnerable. That’s the only time to strike.”

The Hunter was a natural enemy of the Witch. They provided an opportunity to get close to the Witch, tasking Rebecca with doing things they couldn’t conveniently handle themselves. If successful, it could cure her daughter’s illness.

Thus, they hit it off immediately.

“So, I was specially transferred from Magic City to the Imperial Capital just for this.”

Rebecca’s appearance was rather strange at the moment. She was clearly sitting still in place without moving, yet her chest rose and fell as if she were utterly exhausted.

“Susu…”

“I…”

The lights remained blazing bright, but Rebecca’s gaze gradually grew unfocused. The hand of hers that wasn’t bound against the wall as she began gasping for air in big mouthfuls.

Chu Susu instantly sensed something was wrong. “Rebecca?”

“I actually had a chance… to make a move on you…”

Since she could pull off possession on Luo Yiyi, the same applied to Chu Susu.

If it succeeded, it might even pose a massive threat to Han Xuan.

“The first time I came, you recognized my bell. After that, we became friends… sort of.”

Rebecca’s breathing grew heavier and heavier, like she was on the verge of suffocation, her face twisting in increasing agony as her words came out haltingly.

“Being possessed by a Hunter has severe side effects. Every time I think back to all those moments we spent together at the company, I just… couldn’t bring myself to do it…”

Chu Qingyang had already stepped forward to steady her body, but it was to no avail.

Rebecca seemed to have all her strength drained away in an instant, suddenly going limp.

Before closing her eyes, she smiled faintly and spoke her final words, though her gaze had already scattered into something painfully piercing.

“Help me take care of Zhilan.”