DNSTU 13. Misty Inn

Jingzhou was more than twelve hundred kilometers from Jiangzhou. The three of them set off early in the morning and did not arrive until nightfall.

Xiang Ye had never been to Jingzhou before. In fact, this was the first time in his life he had ever left the province. But high-rises looked the same everywhere, and he found them dull. He fell asleep somewhere along the way and only woke when they were close to their destination.

Outside the window, neon lights flashed and cars crowded the road. Xiang Ye saw a tall building ahead with a sign that read Jingzhou Public Security Bureau and assumed that was where they were headed. But the car drove right past it, turned down another street, rounded a corner, and pulled into a small guesthouse.

All along the way, Xiang Ye had seen plenty of inns and lodgings. Jingzhou was also a popular tourist destination, and a scenic site was nearby.

“We’re here,” said Xing Zhou as he parked and turned off the engine. Chen Junyang hopped out at once and strode ahead, unlocking the back entrance with a fingerprint and walking in like he owned the place.

Aside from a change of clothes and some necessary documents, the only thing Xiang Ye had brought from the unfinished building was a ukulele with a snapped string. He was about to reach down to grab it when a hand reached over and naturally lifted his backpack.

Xing Zhou had gotten out of the car, circled to Xiang Ye’s side, and opened the door for him, extending a hand.

Xiang Ye took his arm as support and stepped out. Because of his fractured bone, he still needed a crutch to walk. The fracture, however, was just a hairline crack, small enough that the cast would not be needed for long.

Before entering, Xiang Ye glanced at the address plate.

No. 47 Beili Street, Misty Inn. The shop name was written in black seal script, wrapped in curling white mist. A small wind chime hung at the door. When the wind passed, it rang out a soft and pleasant jingle.

The car had been parked in the back courtyard. Entering through the rear entrance, the hallway was flanked by a storage room and a public restroom. There was also a small greenhouse. Further ahead was a central courtyard.

The courtyard had a path paved with blue-gray bricks. Lotus flowers bloomed in ceramic water jars, and vibrant pennywort spread out from a stone trough. Beside the goldfish pond, someone had left a paper oil umbrella leaning at an angle on the ground.

The stone floor was damp. Creeping vines of some unknown kind climbed the brick walls, casting a welcome shade. In the middle of the bustling city, this quiet little haven felt sealed off from the noise, so peaceful it almost muted the sounds of the outside world.

In such a quiet space, footsteps were especially audible.

Xiang Ye looked up and saw a long-haired girl approaching through the glass door that led to the front hall. A peachwood hairpin held up her hair.

“You’re back,” she said. Her eyes were lively and bright, the kind of face often described in novels and dramas, genuinely charming. Right now, those eyes were fixed on Xiang Ye, lit up with joy. “You must be Xiang Ye, right? Welcome.”

Xiang Ye nodded slightly. “Hello.”

Xing Zhou said, “This is Wen Yue, the owner of the guesthouse. She’s an unofficial member of the Enforcement.”

Wen Yue was much more enthusiastic, though her warmth was never overbearing. Everything about her, from her gestures to her tone, was composed and natural, never awkward.

“Come in, make yourself at home. There’s no need to be formal here,” she said with a smile, leading them toward the front hall.

The first thing they saw was a round moon-shaped display shelf. On either side were staircases leading to the second floor, and nearby there was also an elevator. The front hall had a more modern interior, with soft couches and a wall of bookshelves filled with various titles.

Through the front entrance, Xiang Ye could see the street outside. Just across the road stood the main gate of the Jingzhou Public Security Bureau. They had looped around earlier and entered through the guesthouse’s rear door, but in fact, the guesthouse was located directly opposite the bureau.

Clearly, that had been arranged intentionally.

“You all live here?” Xiang Ye asked.

“When there aren’t any missions. The Enforcement doesn’t really have a permanent headquarters. This place is more of a resting point, or you could call it bait,” Xing Zhou replied.

“Bait?”

“A visible trap.”

Xiang Ye understood.

The Enforcement pursued Lu Ye. Naturally, Lu Ye’s people wanted revenge. But the Enforcement’s agents roamed year-round, had no fixed home, no family to target, no clear vulnerabilities.

So they gave the enemy one.

A guesthouse directly across from the Public Security Bureau, a home that was not quite a home. It served as a temporary base for Enforcement members and also as a trap. Most likely, the inn did not accept other guests, and the security measures were tight. If Lu Ye’s people tried anything here, they had better be prepared not to walk away.

The question was whether they dared.

Seeing that the two were deep in conversation, Wen Yue strolled over with a grin and jingled the keys in her hand. “What are you two talking about? The rooms are ready, just next door to Captain Xing’s, facing the street on the third floor. Go up and take a look. Let me know if anything’s missing.”

Xing Zhou took Xiang Ye up by elevator. By then, Chen Junyang, who had come in ahead of them, had already disappeared somewhere.

Xing Zhou’s room was at the end of the hallway, and Xiang Ye’s was right beside it. Since this was a guesthouse, the decor had more warmth than a hotel, but it was also far more refined than an ordinary home. The furnishings followed a modern Chinese aesthetic, with bathrooms divided into wet and dry sections. Each room also came with a small balcony furnished with a rocking chair.

If this was considered Enforcement housing, the standards were impressive.

“Get some rest. We’ll talk tomorrow,” said Xing Zhou. True to his usual style, he kept things brief and left without another word.

But instead of returning to his own room, he headed back to the front hall and found Wen Yue. “Send up a bowl of noodles. Add an egg. No scallions.”

“No scallions? The little guy doesn’t eat scallions?” Wen Yue teased.

“Don’t call him little guy in front of him.” Xing Zhou still remembered how Chu Lian had used that term. And Chu Lian had been right. Xiang Ye really was untamable.

Kids never liked being called kids.

Wen Yue stifled a laugh, then said, “Are you really going to let him join the Enforcement? He’s still young. Maybe he should stay with me and help out here instead.”

Before Xing Zhou could respond, the Tmall Genie at the front desk suddenly chimed in. “Gorgeous lady, gorgeous lady, let’s keep it civil. Don’t try to poach our captain’s people.”

Wen Yue said, “Jueming, your captain has a new recruit now. He doesn’t love you anymore.”

Jueming replied, “Sob. But I still love him. It’s okay. I’ll manage my emotions. I won’t get jealous. I’m a mature little sprite now. I’ve learned to grow on my own…”

A loud pfft of mocking laughter cut him off.

Wen Yue leaned over and glanced at Chen Junyang, who was curled up on the sofa playing on his phone. Teasingly, she asked, “Yangyang, are you and Jueming fighting again?”

Before he could answer, Jueming’s flat electronic voice came through first. “He stole someone’s electric scooter in the countryside and made our captain clean up the mess.”

Chen Junyang jumped up from the sofa. “I didn’t steal it. Xiang Ye did!”

Jueming replied, “That just means you’re a bad influence on the kid!”

Chen Junyang shouted, “Bullshit!”

The two of them started bickering. If one ignored the visuals and only listened to their voices, with Chen Junyang’s unusual tone and their completely ridiculous conversation, they sounded exactly like two squabbling grade-schoolers.

Xing Zhou had long grown used to it, and Wen Yue simply watched with amusement, her eyes squinting as she laughed.

After giving a few more instructions, Xing Zhou left. He was heading across the street to the Public Security Bureau to handle some business. On the third floor, Xiang Ye noticed him leaving. At the time, he was sitting in the rocking chair on the balcony, letting the breeze brush past his face. He propped his chin on one hand, watching Xing Zhou’s silhouette fade under the streetlamps into the darkness.

He watched for a long time, until Xing Zhou completely disappeared from sight. Then Wen Yue brought up a steaming bowl of late-night noodles. She made it clear she was just the messenger. It had been Xing Zhou who asked her to bring it.

Xiang Ye thanked her. Wen Yue added with a grin, “The people in the Enforcement each have their own quirks, but they’re easy to get along with once you get used to it. If anyone gives you trouble, just tattle to Captain Xing. Works every time.”

Tattle?

Xiang Ye recalled Xing Zhou’s former job as a teacher. It actually fit.

The next day, the weather was clear.

Surprisingly, Xiang Ye had a good night’s sleep in this unfamiliar place. He did not wake up until after nine in the morning. When he came downstairs, the guesthouse was noticeably livelier than the day before. In addition to Wen Yue, there was now a new staff member named Little Bear. Her real name was Xiong Jiajia, and she was also a girl. She wore her hair in a bun and had on a hoodie with a Rilakkuma print. She looked quite young.

Wen Yue introduced her, “Don’t let her looks fool you. She’s actually served in the military. There’s also someone named George in the kitchen. He used to work in the mess unit. He doesn’t like people using his real name, so just call him George. He usually stays in the back, rarely comes out front.”

Xiang Ye did not see George, but Little Bear was very friendly and even asked if he was the now-famous top scorer who had gone viral online.

Not long after, Chen Junyang came downstairs. He had woken up even later than Xiang Ye. Still yawning, he rubbed his eyes. With no blade on him, he looked like any other idle young man.

Xing Zhou walked in from outside, and beside him was a tall girl with a ponytail. Xiang Ye immediately recognized her as the one he had seen on the long-distance bus.

“Chen Juntao. You can call me Taozi,” she said, introducing herself before anyone else could. She had a straightforward, confident air about her. Her gaze flicked toward Chen Junyang. “That’s my brother.”

It was obvious the two were twins. They looked about seventy or eighty percent alike. But Chen Juntao seemed more mature. Without clarification, most people would probably assume she was the older sibling.

Chen Junyang clicked his tongue and kept eating breakfast. It was bread today, the kind that left crumbs everywhere. He got some on his face, but he did not seem to care. Chen Juntao handed him a tissue.

“I can do it myself,” Chen Junyang grumbled under his breath.

Xing Zhou handed Xiang Ye a small black case. “Everything’s been processed. This is your earpiece. Try it on.”

Xiang Ye opened the case. Sure enough, it was the same model Xing Zhou used. He put it on and adjusted it. Instantly, Jueming’s cheerful voice burst through.

“Good morning!”

“He’s not with you guys?” Xiang Ye looked over at Xing Zhou.

“He’s at another secure location,” Xing Zhou replied.

“That’s right, that’s right, I’m all alone most of the time. So pitiful,” Jueming chimed in dramatically. “When are you and the captain coming to visit me? It’s really not that far from Jingzhou, just one quick trip. I’ve been staring at the horizon until my eyes dry out. It’s been six months since the last time he visited me…”

As he kept talking, Jueming’s voice grew more sorrowful, until he started fake-crying with exaggerated sobs.

Xiang Ye was the only one wearing an earpiece, which meant he was the only one suffering through the noise. Silently, he finished the last bite of his bread. He did not take off the earpiece, nor did he respond.

Jueming’s sobs gradually faded, and before long he was back to his usual self, cheerfully introducing the team to Xiang Ye. “Aside from Wen Yue, Little Bear, and George, our three unofficial members, the Enforcement has seven full members. There’s the captain, Yangyang, Peachy, and then Lao Le, Suansuan, and Big Cotton. Lao Le’s one of the veterans. When we go out on assignments, the captain usually leads one team and Lao Le leads the other. He might know more details about Chu Lian’s situation, but he’s still out in the field with Suansuan and Big Cotton. They won’t be back for a few days.”

“And of course, the most important person is me. I handle all communication. There’s a dedicated information team in the Bureau supporting me, so I usually don’t operate on-site. On paper, the Enforcement doesn’t have many visible members. Compared to Lu Ye, our numbers are tiny, but don’t worry. Every regional branch has our contacts. They’re not official agents, but they know what’s going on. When needed, they’ll help us out and also handle some of the aftermath.”

Xiang Ye began to get a clearer picture of how the Enforcement operated. It was a lean and flexible organization. Support roles like Jueming’s stayed hidden, which actually made them safer.

But just then, he heard Xing Zhou say, “Your training starts today.”

Xiang Ye looked up. “Training?”

Xing Zhou replied, “Physical training.”

Xiang Ye glanced silently at his own leg.

Xing Zhou’s expression didn’t change. “We’ll start with firearms. Everything else can wait until your leg heals.”

At first, Xiang Ye hadn’t thought much of it. But once Xing Zhou finished speaking, even Jueming fell quiet, and Chen Junyang suddenly looked unusually well-behaved. Xiang Ye had a vague sense that something was off, but he had no grounds to object.

Could he say no? He could not.

Wen Yue let out a sigh on his behalf. “It’ll be fine. George’s meal plans are really nutritious. And Big Cotton does acupuncture. Once he’s back, no matter how exhausted you are, just have him stick a few needles in you. You’ll feel like a new man by morning.”

Xiang Ye: “…”

All he could think of was how he had never passed the 1500-meter run.