X
Join our Discord server and get release updates for every novel you follow.
Join the ServerRegarding Chen Wan’s tragic fate and how her lingering obsession might be resolved…
‘I… I believe I might have a solution.’
Qin Xuan’s calm voice resonated through the silent cavern, instantly drawing everyone’s attention.
Xiao Moyuan’s deep eyes fixed upon him, carrying a hint of scrutiny and an almost imperceptible spark of interest.
Su Mian and Miyuki-maru also cast astonished and hopeful glances in his direction.
Lu Yang, momentarily forgetting his fear, craned his neck forward with curiosity.
Qin Xuan adjusted his slightly slipping glasses. Behind the lenses, his gaze remained cool and rational, as if he were simply stating a scientific conclusion derived from a long-completed experiment.
“Over the past week or so, I have meticulously recorded, cross-referenced, and logically reconstructed the entire incident surrounding Chen Wan’s murder.”
“This includes the backgrounds of the involved parties, their motivations, and the social conditions in and around N University thirty-four years ago.”
“My research combined club investigations, archival searches, online information mining, and… some unconventional channels.”
He glanced at the leather-bound notebook clutched tightly in his hand, which held not just observations, but a story gradually piecing itself together.
“The detailed information and analysis process involves a significant amount of text, images, and logical chains, which are not convenient to elaborate on here.”
“I suggest we return to the Supernatural Phenomena Research Club’s activity room. There, I can more systematically present the information I’ve gathered and discuss potential strategies based on it.”
Just then, the light at the cavern entrance dimmed slightly, and a voice, tinged with a lazy chuckle, drifted in.
“Oh, everyone’s here? Quite a gathering.”
***
Hua Liang had appeared silently at the doorway. He was back in his usual student attire, with flaxen-gray hair falling casually, and that familiar, devil-may-care smile gracing his lips.
Leaning against the doorframe, he scanned the people inside the cavern with interest, his gaze finally settling on the seven-star formation in the center, which was temporarily stabilized by a blue glow. His eyebrows subtly arched.
“That annoying ‘tainted blood’ stuff in the chemical prep room upstairs suddenly dissipated. I thought one of you had displayed immense power and completely resolved the problem.”
His tone was light, yet his sharp eyes instantly caught the ominous dark red still faintly seeping through the array’s light, as well as the wooden box clutched in the skeleton’s hand.
“Now, looking at the state of this seal… tsk, it’s even worse than I expected.”
As the Lord of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, his insight was beyond question.
With Hua Liang’s arrival, Xiao Moyuan’s gaze swept over Qin Xuan and Lu Yang once more.
A flicker of almost imperceptible consideration crossed his brows. Then, he spoke in a calm, unwavering tone that carried the undeniable weight of authority.
“According to the current rules of the Demon Extermination Bureau, in non-emergency combat situations, when an incident involves higher-level demons, special-grade spirits, or significant sealing secrets, and untrained ordinary individuals are present and deeply involved…”
“As the highest-ranking official Demon Exterminator present,” he glanced at Hua Liang, adding, “and a representative of order, I am responsible for selectively blurring or erasing the memories of unrelated ordinary individuals afterward.”
“This is to ensure social cognitive stability and controllable potential risks.”
These words, like icy water, instantly sobered Lu Yang, who had been momentarily buoyed by the prospect of a “possible solution.”
“W-wait a minute!”
Lu Yang reacted abruptly, his face paling. He looked at Xiao Moyuan, who on normal days was merely the “unreachable campus heartthrob” or “his good brother’s rival in love (former?).”
Now, however, Xiao Moyuan was enveloped in a cold aura befitting an enforcer of rules.
“Xiao… Xiao Campus Heartthrob… what was that ‘Demon Extermination Bureau’ you just mentioned?”
Seeing that matters had reached this point, Su Mian knew she could no longer conceal Xiao Moyuan’s true identity from Lu Yang. She sighed and quietly explained.
“Lu Ge, Xiao Moyuan… he’s actually an official Demon Exterminator from the Bureau.”
“Yeah, the kind of professional who specializes in dealing with supernatural incidents like demons and evil spirits.”
“Demon Exterminator?”
Lu Yang’s eyes widened even further. He looked at Su Mian’s head, where the fox ears, though retracted, could still be subtly sensed, then back at Xiao Moyuan. An obvious contradiction surged in his mind.
“B-but, Mianzi, aren’t you a demon? Then he…”
His gaze darted between the two, filled with confusion and a hint of instinctive wariness. Weren’t Demon Exterminators and demons natural enemies?
Su Mian immediately understood Lu Yang’s apprehension. She quickly waved her hands, her voice laced with urgency and a complex sense of protectiveness.
“It’s not what you think! I… I’m currently Xiao Moyuan’s shikigami; we have a formal contract!”
“And Xiao Moyuan… he’s a really good person!”
“He’s not the kind of Demon Exterminator who indiscriminately kills any demon he sees! He’s very reasonable and has his own principles!”
She spoke rather quickly, her cheeks faintly flushed, whether from urgency or from praising him so directly in front of Xiao Moyuan.
Lu Yang’s mind became even more muddled.
The sheer volume of information was overwhelming, wave after wave of shock.
Good heavens… his good brother had not only turned from a boy into a girl, but was also a stunningly beautiful fox demon.
And this fox demon had actually become the shikigami of his former rival in love—that aloof campus heartthrob?
What even was a shikigami?
It sounded like a master-servant relationship?
Yet, the way Mianzi spoke of Xiao Moyuan, and her eyes lighting up instantly with her tail wagging when Xiao Moyuan appeared earlier… this relationship didn’t look like a simple “master-servant” dynamic at all!
So, what exactly was their situation now?
And did the campus belle know about all this? Where was she, anyway?
What a tangled mess!
Xiao Moyuan looked at Lu Yang and Qin Xuan, his tone still calm.
“Regarding my relationship with Su Mian and the specific nature of this incident, it falls outside the scope of what needs to be explained to you.”
“According to procedure, once this stage concludes, I will implement memory processing on both of you.”
“Key memories concerning this place tonight, and those involving supernatural entities like demons and evil spirits, will be blurred or replaced with reasonable, non-supernatural explanations.”
“Wait! Xiao Campus Heartthrob! Brother Xiao!!”
Upon hearing that he would genuinely “lose his memory,” Lu Yang immediately grew anxious. He no longer cared about untangling complex relationships and practically leaped to his feet.
“Don’t! I don’t want to forget!”
“I promise! I swear! Everything I saw tonight, everything I heard, I will absolutely keep it a secret, bury it deep inside, and tell no one! Not even my parents!”
He wore a pleading, almost pitiful expression on his face.
“This experience is so incredibly rare!”
“I’ve learned about the other side of the world! Though it was a bit scary, it’s also very… very cool!”
He tried to find reasons that might sway them. For a hot-blooded youth, the allure of an adventure that revealed the “hidden side of the real world” far outweighed any fear.
In contrast to Lu Yang’s excitement, Qin Xuan’s reaction was remarkably placid. He merely adjusted his glasses, his calm gaze meeting Xiao Moyuan’s without much fluctuation in his voice.
“I respect the rules.”
“However, regarding the logical chain of events here, the relationships, environmental data, energy readings, and my personal observations and deductions, I have already completed over eighty percent of the recording and preliminary integration.”
He raised the notebook and several portable recorders in his hand.
“Memory can perhaps be interfered with or modified, but conclusions derived from objective facts and data possess inherent logical inertia.
Even if relevant memories are blurred, as long as these records are retained in some form, even if I temporarily ‘forget’ their source, when I encounter similar phenomena or data anomalies again, there’s a high probability I can re-trigger associations and reverse-engineer conclusions close to the truth.”
“In other words, simply erasing or modifying memories from a specific period might not achieve the desired effect of complete ‘secrecy’ for me. Instead, it could lead to deeper exploration due to memory gaps, increasing the number of uncontrolled variables.”
His words were clear, logically rigorous, and even carried a unique coolness, yet they precisely highlighted the paradox and risk that memory manipulation spells might face when dealing with highly intelligent, logical individuals.
Xiao Moyuan looked at Qin Xuan, a flicker of surprise in his eyes. This seemingly taciturn young man possessed not only astonishing observational skills, but also an astute mind and an insight into rule loopholes far beyond his peers.
What he proposed was indeed a practical problem.
Just then, Hua Liang, who had been standing to the side, let out a soft chuckle. Arms crossed, his voice carried a hint of detached amusement as he offered a suggestion.
“I say, Great Demon Exterminator Xiao, rules are dead; people are alive.”
“In my opinion, erasing memories for these two… might truly be unnecessary, even a bit of a waste.”
His eyes swept over Lu Yang and Qin Xuan. As a great demon, his keen senses picked up subtle details.
“After being subjected to such intense resentment and direct supernatural stimulation tonight, especially since they both ‘endured’ it… these two guys’ ‘spiritual perception,’ or ‘spiritual sense,’ has been passively and significantly activated.”
“Simply put, they have already crossed that ‘unseen threshold.'”
“Even if they go back now, they’ll still be able to more or less perceive abnormal ‘qi’ in their surroundings, and might even unconsciously attract or notice some low-level ‘things.'”
“If you wipe their memories of tonight, it’s like blindfolding a young beast that has just opened its eyes to the world and throwing it back into the forest.
It will only be more prone to injury from ‘unseen’ dangers, or… fall into greater confusion and paranoia due to persistent anomalous sensations.”
Hua Liang paused, then looked at Xiao Moyuan, a different kind of meaning in his smile.
“Rather than bother with memory cleansing that might leave hidden dangers, why not consider another path?”
“Doesn’t the Demon Extermination Bureau always lack promising ‘fresh blood’?”
“I see these two; one is bold and curious, the other meticulous and highly logical. Both are trainable talents.”
“Since their ‘spiritual perception’ has already awakened, why not guide them along, give them a chance to receive formal training and understand the rules?”
“Integrating them into the system would be far less troublesome than letting them stumble around outside due to ignorance or curiosity, ultimately causing bigger problems, wouldn’t it?”
“Of course, this is just a small suggestion from a ‘bystander demon.'”
Hua Liang’s words plunged Xiao Moyuan into a brief silence. He carefully sensed Lu Yang and Qin Xuan’s states again.
Indeed, both carried clear traces of spiritual energy washing over them, and their mental energy fields had undergone subtle changes. Qin Xuan, in particular, displayed a stability and intensity of mental energy rarely seen in ordinary people.
Erasing memories was easy, but an awakened “spiritual talent” was like a lit spark, difficult to truly extinguish. Forcibly suppressing or ignoring it, as Hua Liang suggested, could lead to greater repercussions.
Upon hearing Hua Liang’s words, especially “trainable talents” and “integrated into the system,” Lu Yang’s eyes instantly lit up. He looked at Xiao Moyuan with eager anticipation, almost ready to pledge his resolve on the spot.
Xiao Moyuan deliberated for a moment, his gaze finally settling on Qin Xuan. The analytical ability this young man had demonstrated and the “solution” he had just proposed were what concerned him more at this moment.
Rules could be slightly bent for individuals and circumstances, but resolving the crisis of Chen Wan’s obsession was pressing.
He slowly spoke, making his decision: “Memory processing will be postponed. First, return to your club activity room.”
He looked at Qin Xuan. “I’m interested to hear how much you’ve uncovered about the old case from thirty-four years ago, and what specific solutions you have.”
Everyone returned to the Supernatural Phenomena Research Club’s activity room. The bright lights allowed everyone to breathe a sigh of relief, feeling a dizzying sense of returning to the human world.
Qin Xuan wasted no time. He walked directly to his desk, opened his old but clearly modified laptop, and then retrieved thick folders, photocopies, and hand-drawn charts and maps from several locked drawers and filing cabinets.
His movements were swift and orderly, clearly demonstrating his thorough knowledge of where everything was stored.
“Please wait. I need about fifteen minutes to finalize the information integration and prepare the presentation.”
He said, without looking up, immersing himself in rapid document review, typing, and chart sketching.
Fifteen minutes later, Qin Xuan precisely raised his head, turning the laptop screen towards everyone. Simultaneously, he distributed several photocopies of key documents.
On the screen was a clearly structured mind map. Its core was “Chen Wan (1989-1990) Murder Incident,” extending into several main branches: Victim’s Background, Direct Perpetrators (Zhou Li, etc.), Core Physical Evidence (Corrupt Manuscript), Crime Scene and Environment, Subsequent Impact (Formation of Evil Spirit), Current State (Seal Crisis).
Each main branch further divided into detailed sub-branches: timeline, character relationship diagrams, location photos, and key doubts and deductions marked by Qin Xuan in red pen.
“Based on the integrated analysis of existing information,” Qin Xuan’s voice was steady and clear,
“Chen Wan came from a remote mountainous area in the southwest. Her parents died young, and she was raised by her elderly grandmother. She also had a younger brother, and her family was extremely poor.”
“She herself was introverted and sensitive, but studied incredibly hard, achieving excellent grades.
In 1989, she entered N University’s History Department as the top scholar in her county, maintaining her studies through a full scholarship and the highest level of poverty student aid.
She was a typical ‘noble talent from a humble family,’ with a future that should have been bright.”
He switched pages, displaying several blurry archival photos and photocopies of manuscripts.
“The beginning of her tragedy stemmed from a handwritten record she accidentally obtained—the one we found underground.”
“Through handwriting comparison and content correlation analysis, it can be essentially confirmed that this was a ledger of bribes, corruption, and illicit gains personally recorded by Zhou Rende, the then-principal of N University.
It spanned a decade, involving an astronomical sum for that time.”
He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone, finally settling on the core branches of the mind map.
“Therefore, the core of Chen Wan’s resentment is comprised of the following parts:
“First, an overwhelming hatred and obsession with revenge against Zhou Li and other direct perpetrators.”
“Second, unwillingness and questioning regarding her undeserved misfortune, and the trampling of her ideals and life.”
“Third, a complex obsession with that manuscript, which was both the root of her misfortune and a form of ‘evidence.'”
“Fourth, and finally… a deep worry and inability to let go of her only remaining connection in the world—her elderly grandmother and young brother.”
Qin Xuan displayed the limited information he had managed to uncover about Chen Wan’s grandmother and brother’s subsequent circumstances. Though not exhaustive, it outlined a general picture.
Her grandmother passed away in sorrow several years after Chen Wan’s “disappearance.”
Her brother was taken in and raised by distant relatives, leaving his hometown after adulthood. His whereabouts were difficult to trace, but he seemed to be living an ordinary life.
“Based on the above analysis,” Qin Xuan concluded, his tone rationally calm, “to attempt to resolve or appease Chen Wan’s resentment, theoretically, we can proceed from the following directions, either simultaneously or selectively:
“First, Truth and Justice: In some way, publicly reveal the truth of the murder from twenty-four years ago, Zhou Rende’s crimes, and the evil deeds of Zhou Li and others. Or at least ensure that the relevant responsible parties receive due condemnation and punishment, fulfilling her potential demand for ‘justice to be served.'”
“Second, Family and Concern: Find definite news of her brother, confirm his well-being, and if possible, convey some form of ‘consolation’ to resolve her last lingering concern for the mortal world.”
“Third, Physical Evidence and Root of Misfortune: Properly handle the corrupt manuscript, allowing it to serve its proper role as ‘evidence,’ while simultaneously attempting to lift or purify that malicious cursed wooden box.”
Xiao Moyuan watched the clearly structured analysis on the screen and Qin Xuan’s calm face as he presented, a flicker of appreciation in his eyes.
Qin Xuan had displayed not only excellent information gathering and logical deduction abilities, but also a keen mind capable of grasping key threads within vast, chaotic information and proposing practical solutions.
Such qualities were rare, even within the Demon Extermination Bureau.
“Three days.”
Qin Xuan glanced at his planned timeline of actions.
“I am confident I can complete everything within three days, except for purifying that cursed wooden box.”
Xiao Moyuan pondered for a moment, then nodded.
“The seal, reinforced by me and given the unique nature of the extreme location of the array eye, can barely hold for another three or four days. Time-wise, it’s worth a try.”
He made his decision. “Proceed with your plan. If you need any assistance, or if it involves supernatural operations, you can ask.”
“That’s great!”
Lu Yang couldn’t help but quietly cheer, then remembered something and looked eagerly at Xiao Moyuan.
“Um… Xiao Campus Heartthrob, look, Xuan and I are deeply involved in this core incident, and Xuan even came up with such a brilliant idea. So, about that memory erasure thing… could it be…?”
Qin Xuan also adjusted his glasses. Though he didn’t speak, his calm gaze conveyed the same question.
Xiao Moyuan glanced at them, his tone still placid, but the previous official coldness had softened slightly.
“Given that your spiritual perception has awakened, and you’ve demonstrated a certain value and… controllability in this incident, memory processing will not be performed for now.”
He paused, then added,
“Once the Chen Wan incident is properly resolved, and another important task of mine concludes, if you are still interested and pass a basic assessment, I can act as your referrer to the Demon Extermination Bureau for formal qualification assessment and introductory training.”
“Whether or not to embark on this path, the decision is yours.”
“Really?”
Lu Yang was so excited he almost jumped, his face flushed crimson. “Interested! Extremely interested! Thank you, Brother Xiao! Oh no, thank you, Senior Xiao!”
He seemed to already envision himself performing “magic” and contracting a beautiful goddess in the future, his lips involuntarily curving into a grin, his eyes a little unfocused.
Qin Xuan nudged him not too lightly with his elbow, whispering, “Mind your image. Also, don’t fill your head with inappropriate fantasies.”
His understanding of Lu Yang was thorough.
Lu Yang was startled. He quickly reined in his expression, waving his hands in explanation. “That Miyuki-maru, and Mianzi! I… I absolutely have no dirty thoughts about you!”
“Especially Mianzi, I’ve always treated you like a brother! Heaven knows my heart!”
He was so flustered his words became incoherent.
Xiao Moyuan frowned slightly. “Brother?”
Lu Yang felt a headache coming on. Given Su Mian’s current appearance, treating her as a brother was indeed inappropriate.
Su Mian quickly stepped in to smooth things over. “Lu Ge, don’t mind Xiao Moyuan. Just treat me like a brother, and interact with me normally.”
“That way, I can be more natural.”
“Besides, I usually use my demonic energy to change my outward appearance.”
As she spoke, her thoughts stirred, and demonic power flowed. Her fox ears on top of her head and the tail behind her completely vanished.
Her body’s curves subtly adjusted, restoring her to her previous youthful, slender, and flat form. Donning her old black-framed glasses, she was almost identical to her former self, save for her overly fair and delicate skin and her undeniably refined features.
Lu Yang looked at his familiar yet somewhat strange “good brother,” scratched his head, and gave a simple, honest smile, a mix of emotions swirling in his heart.
He knew that some things had fundamentally changed, but Su Mian’s thoughtfulness and effort made him feel that their friendship remained precious.
Xiao Moyuan glanced at Su Mian, who had reverted to her male disguise, saying nothing. Only a faint, almost imperceptible softness flickered deep within his eyes.
He raised his hand and checked the time. “Baby, we should head back.”
His tone was natural.
“Don’t blurt that out…”
Su Mian’s face flushed crimson. She waved to Lu Yang and Qin Xuan. “Lu Ge, Qin Xuan, we’re leaving.”
Watching Xiao Moyuan and Su Mian walk out of the activity room side by side, Lu Yang stood rooted, still somewhat dazed.
He nudged Qin Xuan beside him, lowering his voice, his gossipy soul still burning. “Xuan, tell me… what exactly is Mianzi’s relationship with Xiao Campus Heartthrob now?”
“Shikigami? But it doesn’t quite look like it… And what about Campus Belle Chi Ai? This whole thing is just too complicated…”
Qin Xuan put away his资料 and shot him a side-eye, his tone calm and admonishing. “Curiosity killed the cat.”
“Their relationship is their private matter. Excessive attention and probing are not only impolite but could also bring you unexpected trouble.”
“Remember, from now on, we have one foot in a world with its own rules. Be cautious in your words and actions, and focus on what needs to be done.”
Lu Yang stiffened at his words, awkwardly rubbing his nose. But deep in his eyes, the spark of yearning and anticipation for that unknown, wonderful “other side” of the world burned even brighter.
***
The excitement doesn't stop here! If you enjoyed this, you’ll adore How to Avoid Regression. Start reading now!
Read : How to Avoid Regression
If You Notice any translation issues or inconsistency in names, genders, or POV etc? Let us know here in the comments or on our Discord server, and we’ll fix it in current and future chapters. Thanks for helping us to improve! 🙂