Chapter 36: Returning Home

"Your condition isn't serious; it's mostly bruising. I'll prescribe some medicine, and you can go home and rest."

After paying, Shi Rang left the hospital carrying a plastic bag of pill boxes.

He walked quickly, not stopping until he reached a secluded spot to read the receipt. Because of the lingering odor on his clothes, everyone cast strange, disgusted looks his way, giving him the illusion that he had returned to his college days.

Let them be disgusted. Shi Rang didn't care.

At least, not for the moment.

They say contrast brings clarity; compared to the "spiritually rich and talented" Pingyuan City, Yunling City was practically the safest place on earth.

Shi Rang opened his new phone and recorded the medical expenses in his "Reimbursement" memo, trailing behind the costs for his new clothes and new phone.

Adding personal expenses that shouldn't have been there made him feel a twinge of guilt, but then he reasoned: he had nearly lost his life, so reporting a few extra items was perfectly reasonable, right?

The data on his old phone couldn't be saved. Faced with the pile of muddy fragments, the repair shop staff had all shaken their heads.

Shi Rang wasn't sure if they were just eager to get rid of him because of the inescapable stench of death clinging to him, or if they truly couldn't fix it. After asking a few shops, he could only recall what data he had lost with a sense of disappointment and write down a rough summary from memory.

Whether the recording of the "bird attack" actually existed was now impossible to verify.

Next time he went into danger, he would have to leave his phone behind...

The new phone suddenly vibrated. Another message from the editor-in-chief—ever since he learned Shi Rang was back in the city, the messages had been non-stop.

[Haha, I knew you had the talent for journalism the moment I saw your investigation proposal. You are a rising star in the news world!]

[This is a huge scoop. Sort through the photos and send them over as soon as possible. We can run the first-hand report, and you might even get a medal!]

[Don't worry about returning the camera yet, and don't be jealous—I'll get you a better one after this is all over!]

At first, Shi Rang, who was used to being ordered around and criticized, was surprised by these almost flattering words. But after reading so many, they just became annoying. He set his phone to "Do Not Disturb," hailed a taxi, and headed home in a rare moment of luxury.

He just wanted to sleep soundly in his own familiar bed.

Oh, and he needed to thank the netizen who had left the guide.

As soon as he stepped through the door, Shi Rang slipped into his slippers and headed straight for the balcony to water the plants Ying Shang kept by the window.

He wasn't good at keeping things alive. Despite desperately searching online for tips and cramming information, only a few palm-sized succulents and a spider plant had survived over the past two years.

After a few days of neglect, the spider plant's long, thin leaves were yellowing and wilted; the makeshift hydration system of a towel and a water basin hadn't worked.

"Hang in there..." he whispered, gently patting the drooping leaves.

He really shouldn't go away for so long again.

He dashed off to take a shower, intentionally turning the water to a scalding temperature, scrubbing frantically in an attempt to wash away the smell. It was a failure; the scent of decay seemed destined to linger on him for weeks.

Would this be a reasonable excuse to call out of work...?

With a towel draped over his neck, he walked toward the bedroom and sent text messages to Junzi and Anji to let them know he was safe. He then went online to catch up on what had happened in the world over the past few days:

A certain celebrity had eaten at a certain restaurant, followed by a string of exclamation points;

Major cases that were enough to sow anxiety and incite conflict;

The "Harmful Goods from Outer Districts" theory, accompanied by expert advice;

Large-scale relocation efforts in Green Island City were still underway;

The border between the Third and Tenth Districts was under martial law due to an epidemic;

News of the old industrial zone in Pingyuan City had leaked, and the Director of the Police Department had been vague and sweating profusely during an interview—it seemed the Alliance hadn't agreed to make the information public yet, or perhaps they were just waiting for Shi Rang to finish the paperwork;

Tragedies of war and chaos in the second-to-last districts of the East were reported in waves.

Before he knew it, Shi Rang had been scrolling for half an hour.

There was still plenty of news he hadn't read, and perhaps he never would, but he felt at ease.

It seemed that even after a few days away from the internet, the world remained exactly as it was, unchanged by anything he had done.

What snapped him back to reality was a call from Junzi.

The good brother had heard he was investigating a major case and had called immediately.

But it wasn't surprise or congratulations—as soon as the call connected, Junzi unleashed a string of profanities.

"Where is your brain? Are you trying to scare me to death? There was absolutely no need for that! What if something happened to you? Don't I know exactly what you're capable of? If you try to be a hero in something like this again, I’ll fly over there and kill you myself! I was terrified—the fact that you were the one investigating that human smuggling case, it's making headlines in the Fourth District! You better buy me dinner when we meet; my heart can't take this stress... How did you turn into a spy in the short time since I last saw you?"

Beneath Junzi’s blunt words was pure concern.

The two bickered and chatted about this and that before finally hanging up, reluctant to end the call.

Even after all these years since college, they remained close brothers.

Shi Rang put his phone down with a smile and turned back to the long-neglected computer screen.

He opened the browser, navigated to his bookmarks, and selected the Administration Headquarters site...

[404 - Not Found]

Having seen this before, Shi Rang remained unfazed.

He suspected the domain was frequently blocked because of sensitive content.

He refreshed a few times with no result, so, growing impatient, he entered the URL into his phone. After two more 404s, it actually responded—it popped up a security warning.

Shi Rang ignored the risk and continued to access it; the page began to load.

Even though it only made his phone lag without showing the site content, it was a good sign.

As he waited, a call from the editor-in-chief came in. Shi Rang tapped the answer button with a frown.

"Shi Rang, get to the newspaper office immediately. I've already got people waiting to do the post-production; we're just waiting for your photos!"

The editor’s voice sounded as raspy as ever.

The old Shi Rang would have groaned and suffered through the overtime, but now, he leaned back in his chair, feeling nothing.

For one, he had already decided to quit. For another, he had just arrived home after a night on the train and really needed some personal time to rest.

He had nearly lost his life, yet he didn't even have the right to rest.

"Shi Rang? Hello? Shi Rang, are you there?"

The editor’s constant prodding began to grate on him. Shi Rang gave a hollow response, which only made the editor push harder.

"A young person needs to have the right attitude! In journalism, every second counts! The Pingyuan City police station is surrounded by reporters; we have to get this report out as soon as possible. I've already had them prepare the copy, we're just waiting on you!"

A ball of murky frustration gathered in Shi Rang's chest. His finger hovered over the hang-up button—something he had imagined doing many times but never dared.

But then, he remembered the special bonus the editor had promised for investigative journalists.

That's right. Quitting and traveling the world was his choice, and he needed that money. It was what he deserved for risking his life.

Just do it for Ying Shang, and for himself. This was his own choice, and he had to bear the consequences.

He exhaled the frustration and leaned into the phone.

But the editor, as if catching something in that faint sigh, suddenly exploded.

"Let me be clear, Shi Rang. A big story is time-sensitive. Once the window closes, the hype drops significantly. If you drag this out on purpose and cause interest to wane, don't come crying to me about me not keeping my word!"

"I have no such intention!" Shi Rang couldn't help but raise his voice. "If you're so eager, why don't you put your own name on the article? Go publish it yourself!"

The person on the other end was stunned by his sudden outburst. This was the first time in all these years that Shi Rang had lost his temper at anyone.

"...I'm sending the photos now." Shi Rang leaned over in his seat, digging through his drawer for the card reader. "When will the bonus be paid?"

Whether it was his imagination or not, the editor's voice sounded a bit weaker. "Get the news published first, then we'll talk."

Shi Rang sat up straight and began to work overtime.

He hated socializing; he was both resistant to it and bad at it. His biggest dream had always been to find a job where he could just put his head down and work without having to deal with people, and do it for the rest of his life. Unfortunately, fate had other plans. Ever since he graduated from the History Department with his degree, he had never been able to get his wish.

After exporting and sending the photos, he slumped back into his chair. Overtime was over.

He glanced over. The phone had finally managed to log into the Administration Headquarters site. Shi Rang studied how to "like" the mountaineering guide that had helped him, only to discover that the site didn't even have basic feedback functions, and the messaging page didn't allow him to add strangers as friends.

Why would they set it up like that? It wasn't conducive to community development at all.

A new message popped up at the top of his phone.

[Dog Editor: Is this all the photos?]

Shi Rang suddenly had a bad feeling.

"I sent them all."

The next moment, his premonition came true.