Chapter 590: Homecoming Under the Red Moon

“Finally back…”

Looking out the car window at the old building beneath the Red Moon, Lu Xin let out a long sigh of relief.

After more than four days of grueling travel, Lu Xin and his convoy had finally returned to Qinggang.

The journey back took an extra day or two compared to the trip out—there was no helping it. While Gecko drove on the way out, on the return trip everyone, including Mizang, took turns behind the wheel. With driving skills varying, they had to slow down to avoid losing anyone. Several days on the road left everyone’s butt sore except for Gecko’s…

Fortunately, Han Bing had already made contact with Qinggang. And since this support mission was extremely important, they were picked up early by locals. They hadn’t received any special treatment when leaving Heichao City, but coming back, they were properly looked after.

A helicopter picked them up and a military escort was provided—but the most important part was having someone else drive for a change.

After a quick inspection, the off-road vehicles ‘acquired’ by chance were delivered right to the doorstep of Chen Jing’s building.

The group then went, as usual, to Headquarters to report in.

Since Han Bing had prepared a mission report in advance, the debrief was simple. They followed the usual procedure and then went on leave. Headquarters had even planned a celebration banquet, but they all unanimously declined.

Their sore butts said it all.

Gecko was the first to leave. Before departing, he earnestly asked Lu Xin several questions:

“Captain, do you know my phone number?”

“Do you know where I live?”

“Do you know which shop I usually hang out at?”

“…”

Only after Lu Xin answered carefully did Gecko dive into a taxi, turn off his phone, and then hand the driver a fifty-yuan bill. In a serious tone he said, “Driver, just keep your eyes closed and take me anywhere—as long as it’s fun…”

“And don’t take me home, or tell me the destination ahead of time. Just go with it…”

“I don’t even know where I’m headed, so who’s going to requisition me at the last minute…”

“…”

His earnest and serious expression was rather intimidating.

Chen Jing sent someone to escort Lu Xin out, advising him to get some rest and that any matters could be addressed after his leave.

Lu Xin could hear her concern and smiled as he replied, “In any case, the mission was an absolute success, and I managed to bring back every team member.”

“…including your secretary.”

“…”

At the mention of ‘secretary’, Chen Jing visibly froze. “What secretary?”

Although he quickly recalled, some unknown little monster ended up shedding a torrent of tears.

Rejecting Chen Jing’s offer to rest at a hotel arranged by Headquarters, Lu Xin flew out that very night after filing his report. The helicopter landed at the Security Hall, but when Lu Xin stepped out and couldn’t spot the female officer, he left with an empty stomach. He quickly hailed a car and dashed back to his old building.

Upon arriving, he immediately noticed the off-road vehicles parked downstairs along with a big truck.

Lu Xin had been driving for several days, yet his love for it never waned.

The feeling a man gets with his very first car is beyond words…

…let alone when you own four!

After circling the vehicles to check for any damage, Lu Xin’s mood instantly improved.

He let out a long sigh and looked up at the old building bathed in the Red Moon’s glow.

After spending more than ten days together, the sudden departure left an eerie, lonely feeling.

Sighing, Lu Xin checked that all the vehicles were locked, grabbed his luggage, and stepped into the old building.

“Clack, clack, clack…”

As Lu Xin entered the desolate, chilly corridor of the building, his sister suddenly appeared on the wall, hurriedly crawling inside. Their father, watching her anxious figure, snorted coldly before obediently following Lu Xin.

But he only trailed behind, making no move to help with the luggage.

“Sis, you were so young. After being away for so long, you finally came home—what’s there not to be happy about…”

Carrying his bag and suitcase, Lu Xin slowly climbed the stairs, smiling and chatting as he glanced back.

Now, his relationship with his father was gradually easing, and his father even started heeding his advice, though he remained harsh toward others.

Lu Xin often wished he could offer him more guidance.

Yet, upon hearing Lu Xin’s words, his father coldly snorted, “Ha, you really think this place is home?”

“Hmm?”

Curious, Lu Xin turned back to look at his father.

His father was momentarily taken aback, his expression awkward as he waved a dismissive hand and continued forward.

“…”

The old building remained as quiet and gloomy as ever, with hardly a functioning motion-activated light in sight.

At every corridor entrance, one could see a long passage adorned with dense, gray spiderwebs.

Buildings are meant for people to live in.

Yet this old building was occupied by only his family.

So, when the entire family is out, does the building cease to be alive?

A strange thought crept into Lu Xin’s mind.

Indeed, many parts of this old building felt peculiar. In his memory, it wasn’t always his family alone living here—there used to be neighbors, though only a few.

But most of those neighbors had clashed with Mom and gradually disappeared…

They had left for various reasons.

Some returned to their hometowns, some went to live with relatives, and others simply vanished…

In any case, Lu Xin remembered that although there were once many neighbors, upon closer reflection, there were none left.

In the past, as he came and went through the building, nothing ever seemed odd.

But now, while walking down the corridor, he suddenly grew curious about the tightly shut room doors.

What lay behind each door?

Were they, like his home, warm havens from the storm?

“Maybe… we should go in and take a look?”

His tall father, trailing just behind and frequently glancing sideways, suddenly remarked,

“Hmm?”

Surprised, Lu Xin turned to look at his father.

His father’s face was lost in the darkness of the corridor, unreadable, though it seemed to carry a faint smile.

“After all, she’s not home…”

In a low murmur, his father added, “Why not go inside and have a look?”

Lu Xin felt a spark of excitement and a burst of curiosity.

After a moment’s thought, he nodded and slowly approached a room near his own—he vaguely remembered that a stylish, beautiful woman with the surname Zhang used to live there. She was known for peeking through the door crack.

But eventually, she disappeared.

Driven by curiosity, Lu Xin gently moved toward the doorknob and slightly twisted it.

With a soft clack, the door surprisingly swung open—it wasn’t locked.

His heart pounded. Lu Xin had never before broken into someone’s home, even if it had been empty for a long time.

Now, he couldn’t shake off the feeling that he was doing something wrong.

Yet, out of respect for a neighbor he hadn’t seen in ages, he took a deep breath and gently pushed the door open.

Creak!

The door opened just a crack, revealing a jumble of disarray inside.

The room was pitch black, strewn with dense spiderwebs, toppled furniture, a shattered full-length mirror, and uncollected dishes. Several sets of clothes hung on a coat rack, and dark reddish stains marred the floor.

A quick glance inside was enough for a potent, musty odor to hit him square in the face.

A cold, gentle breeze swirled around inside, carrying faint, indistinct murmurs.

“Should we go in?”

His father stood behind him, curiosity evident.

Not far away, his sister—who had returned home earlier—noticed their delay and scampered back along the wall.

“Hey, you guys…”

Seeing Lu Xin and his father peeking into the neighbor’s door, she began to speak, only to be hushed immediately.

“Shh…”

Both Lu Xin and his father turned to quiet her before returning their gaze to the empty room.

Gloomy and dilapidated, it nonetheless exuded a strange allure.

Just as Lu Xin gently mustered the courage to step inside…

“Ding-ling…”

Suddenly, an urgent ringtone shattered the silence.

Its abrupt, anxious tone even carried a hint of excitement.

The sound echoed from within the empty, seemingly uninhabited room.

How could an empty room have a ringing phone?

Lu Xin was momentarily stunned, and then he heard another ringtone.

This one came from his own home.

He froze in place.

“…”

“Ding-ling…”

“Ding-ling…”

The two tones overlapped, growing louder and more insistent—as if urging Lu Xin to hurry.

One rang from the absent neighbor’s room, the other from his own home—each demanding he listen, their urgency nearly filling the silent building.

Lu Xin felt caught in the middle.

He could have gone directly into the neighbor’s room to answer the call,

or returned home to pick up the increasingly desperate ring.

But for a moment, he couldn’t decide which to choose.

Instinctively, he straightened up and cast a glance at his father—only to see him step back casually, leaning against the wall.

Turning to his sister, he saw her hanging upside down in the corridor, covering her eyes with her small hands as she swung back and forth.

It was pretty awkward…

After a long moment of contemplation, Lu Xin decided to back away slowly, closing the neighbor’s door.

As soon as he did, the ringtone from the neighbor’s room fell silent.

Meanwhile, the ringing from his own home continued without pause, showing no signs of stopping.

“If I answer that call, won’t it give away that I was here?”

Lu Xin decided to go back and answer his home’s phone, while shooting an accusing look at his father.

It was his father who had urged him to go in, and he was also the first to back away as soon as the phone rang—truly, utterly useless…