Chapter 723: Premonition

Chapter 723: Premonition

Vermilion Bird’s car drove smoothly at a moderate speed along the road at night. The radio was playing a song. Vermilion Bird’s fair, pretty index finger tapped a quick beat on the driving wheel.

When she tapped the 298th time, she grabbed her phone with a hand and picked two everyday photos from her photo album to make a post on her social media.

Half an hour later, Vermilion Bird arrived at Room 5001 of the White Lake Hotel.

The door wasn’t locked. Vermilion Bird opened it and entered to see Qilin sitting on the sofa, watching a late-night show for New Year’s Day.

“What a coincidence. I was watching it too,” Vermilion Bird said.

“It’s not as good as it was in the past. When I was little, I always watched the show with my parents.” Qilin picked up the remote control and turned off the television.

Vermilion Bird smiled. “Perhaps it’s not the show that has changed, but us.”

“True.” Qilin stood up with the support of his cane.

“Raven Shark found Gao Xinxin?” Without his glasses on, Qilin’s deep green eyes were so fierce that Vermilion Bird turned away reflexively.

“Yeah, in North Harvest,” Vermilion Bird said honestly.

“Is it certain?”

“Should be. He found Gao Yang with his friends back at the Old Fisherman’s Wharf, too.”

It took Qilin three seconds to make a decision. “We’ll set out now.”

“Now?” Vermilion Bird was a little surprised. She joked with a lightness she didn’t feel, “We should at least enjoy the holiday.”

“I’ll give you a vacation once we’re back,” Qilin responded with a joke, too.

“How many of us are going?”

“Just you and me.”

“Not Azure Dragon and Yan Liang?” Vermilion Bird didn’t expect that.

“They have other matters to attend to.” Qilin grabbed his coat and turned to leave.

Vermilion Bird followed him without another question.

...

...

Meanwhile, basement of the Starcatching Pavilion.

Gao Yang felt a pang in his chest. Without giving the post another look, he quickly closed the page.

Then he habitually checked the social media pages of his former colleagues. Few had made any updates, but some still maintained their mundane identities and made everyday posts once in a while. He could glean a few things from their posts.

“Bygone Summerday” made a post twenty minutes ago, one of the starry night sky, and the other of a cup of milk tea.

The caption said, “The weather will be good tomorrow. I’d like to go to an escape room, but I have to work overtime.”

The post received many likes, and a user named “Mu Mu Large Sword[1]” liked and commented, “I always have time. Let’s go!”

Gao Yang was going to quickly swipe past it, but something made him stop, and he read the post three times, his heart pounding.

He shot to his feet, looking for something.

Qing Ling immediately noticed from amid the group. She rose and came up to Gao Yang. “Looking for me?”

Gao Yang nodded with a pale face and said quietly, “Gao Xinxin’s likely found.”

Qing Ling frowned. “You sure?”

Gao Yang handed her his phone. Qing Ling knew that “Bygone Summerday” was Vermilion Bird’s account. She checked the latest post and didn’t find anything unusual about it.

Gao Yang explained, “The stars, xingxing, refers to Xinxin. The weather will be good tomorrow, so it’ll be sunny tomorrow. That’s me since my Yang means sun. The escape room may be referring to hiding, and working overtime means going on a mission. I talked to Vermilion Bird about cigarettes and milk tea before. Milk tea is my choice, and the picture means that she’s changing her stance to help me.”

“Vermilion Bird’s warning me that they found Gao Xinxin and are going to capture her.”

“Aren’t you overthinking this?” Qing Ling thought he was reading too much into the post.

“I’m not sure.” Gao Yang was anxious. “Gao Xinxin’s hiding by the sea, and Raven Shark, a subordinate of Vermilion Bird, can control the fish. Perhaps his friends have found their way to Island Nation...”

Qing Ling fell silent. She wavered a little.

“No, I have to go to her.” Gao Yang had lost his calm. He couldn’t stay here for a second longer.

“You can’t go.” Qing Ling turned to glance at the group. “They need you here.”

Gao Yang was going to say something when Qing Ling interrupted him. “I’ll go.”

“No, it’s too dangerous.”

Qilin, Yan Liang, and Azure Dragon were too strong for Qing Ling, and she would have trouble escaping from them. What happened on the Huangsong Street must not be repeated.

“Either none of us go, or I go.” Qing Ling held his gaze. “Pick one.”

1. Two mu, 木, make the surname 林, Lin. And large is 大 da, sword is 劍 jian, pronounced the same as 建. This is Lin Dajian, Gao Yang’s roommate. ☜