Chapter 143 - Did You See A Ghost?

Later that night, the four of them met in Qing Chen's bedroom. "You. Are. Not. Going. To. Do. It. Alone," said Wuming with emphasis on each word. "What are your brothers for?"

"It's not that," Qing Chen said. "It's because the more of us are outside, the risk of being caught triples. And the three of you are still under Master's radar. If I get caught, he'll only punish me."

Qing Lok backed him up. "He has a point, Wuming. We can't just really be out and about."

Wuming only glared at his brothers. Feng Xuan was at the bed and was staring at the floor like it was the most interesting thing in the world. "I don't really think Shao Fang is the kind of person who would hide something like that," she wondered at loud.

"It's a cover, sister-in-law," replied Wuming who was leaning against the window. The cold wind was against his back. "He might be so cheery and friendly on the outside but deep inside he wants to murder us all."

"We all need to calm down," Qing Chen muttered. "We don't know anything yet. That's why it's our priority to get information about these people. We have to know who we are up against." He sighed. "At around midnight I will go out and find my phone in Master's office. That's final."

Qing Chen eyed both of his brothers. They both turned away from him.

"Whatever you say, boss," said Wuming and made his way out of the room. Qing Lok closely followed.

Qing Chen dropped to the bed with an arm slung over his eyes. "Ten million yuan, they're going to follow me down there."

Feng Xuan lightly chuckled and dropped next to Qing Chen, her head on his shoulder. "What was the point of telling them not to come when you know they would go anyways?"

A smile appeared on his lips. "Because the more you'd tell them they couldn't come, the more they'd want to go with you. That way, it would be their choice if they really want to come. That means they are fully aware of the risks and consequences." Qing Chen turned to his side and held Feng Xuan close to him. "You should get back to your room. I'll slip in there if I get back early."

"Should I even ask if I can go with you?"

He stroked her hair. "As much as I want to take you in this mission, I can't really risk it right now. Let's have a better first mission together, okay?" He kissed her forehead.

Feng Xuan got up. It was getting late. "Well, I'll see you later."

"Yeah," Qing Chen answered her with a small smile. "Later."

Feng Xuan left the room feeling a little disappointed, but she was wondering…

What would Qing Chen do if she really went out and join them?

**

It had been an hour since the lights off. Qing Chen was sure that whoever was patrolling tonight, had also gone to bed. And students were expected to be tired from a long day of trainings.

Qing Chen removed his shirt and made his way out of his room. The stark white color of their day clothes would make him more noticeable in the dark.

Huh, no Qing Lok and Wuming, then, he thought.

He was barefoot and he walked close to the wall where loose floorboards were pretty much non-existent.

The stairs were also wooden and he kept close to the railing as much as possible, holding his breath with every step he took. There was a sigh of relief when he got down to the first floor. Master's office was on the same side as the library and he crept from pillar to pillar, not taking any chances of anyone seeing him, until he reached the hallway of his target.

When he peeked his head out, two pairs of eyes stared back at him.

"What the f.u.c.k," he drew back in surprise. "I thought you two weren't coming." They were also shirtless and barefoot.

"What took you so long?!" Wuming was glaring at him. "We had been waiting for you."

Qing Chen shook his head. This was not the place for chitchat. "Let's go."

"The area's clear," said Qing Lok. He was on the lookout to whoever was going to come out of their rooms at the dormitory side. His fingers motioned for them to move.

Wuming and Qing Chen went for the door. It only had a simple lock. Probably because Master didn't think a student would dream of breaking and entering his office.

"Hold this," Wuming said and tossed Qing Chen a small flashlight, no bigger than his pointer finger.

"Where on earth did you get this?!" he asked and handed Wuming a hairpin he had gotten from Feng Xuan. 

"I'm an assassin!" said Wuming as he was working on the lock. "Of course I didn't give all my belongings."

"What else you didn't surrender?"

"Uh… I have a long sword in my bedroom."

"You've got to be kidding me."

"See for yourself…" the lock clicked home. "Later." Wuming grinned. "After you, my crown prince."

Qing Chen only rolled his eyes at Wuming. He turned the knob and waited for some kind of trap, or an alarm. But there was none. Still, he didn't want to be so sure. He only opened it enough for them to slip inside. Qing Lok had now moved to the door, still watching.

"I'll take this side," Qing Chen said.

"Here." Wuming tossed him a pair of surgical gloves from his pocket. 

"Should I even ask where you pulled these out of?"

Wuming only grinned at him, his teeth like a white beam of light. "Don't ask, Chen."

Just as they were about to get started, Qing Lok suddenly went inside the door, his eyes wide as he slowly shut the door.

"Did you see a ghost?" Wuming asked.

"It's Shao Fang," he whispered. "He's going out again."