Chapter 193: Secrets and Revelations
by xennovel“So… they believe in a place called the True Hometown, not a specific evil god?”
Lu Xin opened his small notebook, meticulously recording the details the guest spilled under the family’s enthusiastic hospitality. He’d use this for the report later. “According to him, he received a divine revelation when his ability awakened?”
“Felt like he was the chosen one, started proselytizing in Satellite City No. 4, gathering believers…”
“I suspect he’s watched too many movies…”
“Their recruitment method involves letting the chosen ones also hear the divine revelation, unlocking their wisdom, and seeking the True Hometown…”
“If the person accepts their ideology, they voluntarily offer up everything they own.”
“And if they don’t accept… they’re forced to give up everything?”
“…
Lu Xin paused, glancing at the guest trembling amidst his family, undergoing a ‘heart-to-heart’. He shook his head slightly.
He hadn’t expected such a mysterious organization to be run by such a blubbering mess. Looking at him now, it was impossible to connect him to the cruel and insidious things they’d done.
“The people they eliminate are either those needed for their expansion, those they recruit, or those they clash with.”
“The CEO of Yin Huan Business they killed earlier? It was because they coveted his wealth.”
“The Red Vest Brotherhood, on the other hand, clashed with them.”
“Also, the Yin Huan Business CEO had a daughter… found dead from a fall about half a month before that. Pushed by one of their members too?”
“…
The more he asked, the more uncomfortable Lu Xin felt, his brow furrowing.
The way this mysterious organization operated was truly unsettling, especially hearing their specific selection criteria.
“They choose new members based on two things: who benefits them, and through some specific selection method.”
“Simply put, it’s about profit and fate…”
“Like ordering a specific coffee in a certain setting…”
“…
Lu Xin almost couldn’t keep writing. “What the hell?”
So, he and Drunkard, two professional special agents from the Special Cleaning Department, weren’t targeted because they uncovered some critical secret, but simply because they annoyed the organization?
Their pursuit wasn’t even meant to kill, but was some kind of… baptism?
An image of their complete proselytizing process formed in his mind. They find someone who meets their criteria but is stubbornly resistant to their guidance. They target this person and send a mental monster.
That person usually reveals their “true” side that very night.
And very likely, in that ‘true’ state, they do something they’ll regret for the rest of their lives.
…
Meaning, the people who went after Drunkard initially weren’t trying to kill her.
At first, they probably wanted the mental monster to influence her, make her commit the darkest acts hidden in her heart. Then, overwhelmed by regret, she would accept their teachings, ultimately “turn over a new leaf,” and become one of them.
Except… those two mental monsters couldn’t find Drunkard for two days.
Drunkard used her ability to distort their perception, making them miss for two consecutive days. They vanished before they could do anything.
At the time, Drunkard thought the mental monsters were hunting her to silence her.
But in reality, the two mental monsters were there to “preach.”
The people in that mysterious organization didn’t even know why the two mental monsters failed to preach for two days straight. They just felt it was taking too long, so on the third day, they changed tactics and had the monster directly influence Drunkard’s neighbors.
The message being: Since we can’t make you reveal your true side, we’ll show you the true world…
…The reason Drunkard and I failed before is clear now.
Drunkard assumed they were highly sophisticated, so she meticulously searched for the controller behind the mental monsters.
But it turns out, they weren’t sophisticated at all; they were incredibly clumsy.
Of course I couldn’t find the controller behind the scenes back then. He wasn’t even there…
Drunkard kept analyzing how they discovered the investigation, wondering if sending the mental monsters had some deeper meaning…
But in reality, they had no plan at all…
…
…
“Who could possibly figure out such convoluted thinking…?”
Lu Xin shook his head, feeling a bit helpless.
If he had to investigate this properly, it might take ten days or half a month just to understand their real objective.
Luckily, he had another investigation method: directly invite the guest home and, through a friendly and cordial meeting, have the guest completely share all their inner secrets. His only job was to take notes.
Of course, the guest sharing *so* thoroughly made writing the subsequent report difficult.
Because the person spilled everything so completely, it was hard to explain *how* he got them to be so forthcoming…
Perhaps all investigations were like this. Completing the mission was easy, writing the report was hard…
After careful consideration, Lu Xin decided to report truthfully.
The investigation method probably wasn’t important, right? The leaders only cared about results, anyway.
He just needed to submit everything honestly. Whether they understood it or not depended on how professional the people at headquarters were.
…
…
*The true purpose and reason for the mental monsters hunting Drunkard should be written down truthfully, and the entire paragraph underlined.*
*Additionally add: This organization’s development methods are extremely unprofessional.*
*(This organization is full of contrarians, hates contrarians, yet especially likes recruiting contrarians).*
After writing this, he thought for a moment and crossed out the line “especially likes recruiting contrarians”.
After all, he and Drunkard weren’t contrarians. Definitely not.
Continued recording: “Ability of this mysterious organization’s ability user: Leaves a mark on the opponent!”
“And the mark attracts mental monsters to influence the target, or directly devour the target’s head…”
“What kind of ability should this even be considered?”
“…
Lu Xin couldn’t help frowning again.
This “guest” had explained his ability quite clearly.
The feeling of being secretly watched that he and Drunkard experienced after being targeted came from this.
That raised the question: mental monsters can’t just appear out of thin air. Where did they come from?
And why did they obey this ability user?
…
…
Actually, there were still many things he didn’t understand.
For instance, did this “Brotherhood” have other “brothers”?
For instance, the “divine revelation” they heard – was it just the delusion of a madman, or was something truly hinting at them?
For instance, using those two controllable mental monsters, exactly how many people had they killed over time?
Among their followers, how many were genuinely cruel inside, attracting their attention?
And how many acted out of regret only *after* being influenced by the mental monsters?
Especially the most crucial point:
Does the True Hometown they believe in actually exist?
…
…
With so many questions, Lu Xin wanted to ask more.
But after waiting a while and hearing no sound, Lu Xin turned his head only to find the guest could no longer answer questions.
After a series of heart-to-hearts, conversations, pretending to leave, being forcibly kept, helping with chores, and so on…
Now, he, along with the two mental monsters, was participating in the family dinner.
“Forget it, let’s leave it at this…”
Slowly recording the last piece of useful information, Lu Xin took a few photos of his notebook and sent them to Drunkard.
Then he put away the notebook and silently returned to his room.
The living room was too noisy; he didn’t like crowds.
…
…
“You did very well this time.”
Father and Sister were so happy they forgot about him. It was gentle Mom who was more considerate. No matter how lively the living room got, she still cared about Lu Xin. Holding a plate of sliced apples, she walked into Lu Xin’s bedroom, smiling approvingly.
“Is it because I started inviting guests home?”
Lu Xin looked up at his Mom.
“No…”
Mom shook her head gently, her voice soft. “It’s because you started trusting your family, especially your Father…”
As she spoke, she glanced through the crack in the door at Father cooking with the guest in the kitchen, her smile widening.
“Although… it’s in this form…”
“…
Lu Xin could sense that Mom was genuinely happy right now, so he nodded lightly.
“So, can we have a proper chat now?”
Looking up at Mom, he asked directly, “You told Sister not to help me earlier, didn’t you?”
“Why?”
“…
Hearing Lu Xin’s question, Mom’s expression didn’t change at all.
She showed no awkwardness about him asking, nor any surprise that he would ask.
“Because you can’t rely on Sister forever, you know…”
She just smiled and replied, “You have to grow up eventually. What will you do when your family isn’t around to accompany you?”
Lu Xin listened to her words, falling silent for a moment.
Mom smiled reassuringly. “Of course, your family will always be with you, don’t overthink it. It’s just that, as you get older, you also need your own friends, your own life. If your friends never understand you, never trust you, how can you truly gain their trust, let alone have them genuinely help you?”
“…
“So…”
Lu Xin slowly looked up, gazing earnestly at Mom. “You did it to help me smoothly enter the Second Stage…”
“…by intentionally deceiving them?”
“…
“It’s not deception…”
Mom’s smile turned somewhat mysterious. “What they think is their business…”
“We just provided a little… guidance.”
“…
“I understand.”
After a long moment, Lu Xin looked up and replied with a smile, “That’s why I also told them I could directly lock onto the monsters.”
A happy smile spread across Mom’s face.
Lu Xin looked back at Mom, smiling too. This time, he and his Mom were in agreement.
See? Communication is essential within a family!
It’s just that, sometimes, communication might need a little gift as a lubricant.”