Chapter 185: Things are not what they used to be; before I can speak, tears fall

September 30th was by no means an ordinary day.

A fine, drizzling rain hung in the sky, leaving the world in a state of perpetual, gloomy dimness despite the afternoon hour.

Yet for some, it marked a brand-new beginning, a radiant future.

Xiling Detention Center.

Song Luping was undergoing his final briefing.

"You may leave now. I do not wish to see any of you here again. Conduct yourselves well..." The speeches in such places were always tedious and long-winded, and the warden's was no exception.

But finally, it was over.

Song Luping stepped forward to receive his certificate of release, along with the personal belongings and clothes that had been confiscated.

He shed the uniform that represented his establishment status and "iron rice bowl," changed back into his own clothes, and arrived at the gate.

No one was there to meet him.

This was normal.

Song Luping's family did not live in Xiling. Although the Demon Suppression Division had certainly called them, this wasn't his first time being detained; they were used to it by now and certainly wouldn't travel such a long distance just to pick him up.

Under the watchful eyes of the Demon Suppression Officers, he walked straight out into the drizzling rain.

This was... the scent of freedom.

By the Yellow Heavens, he was finally out.

Song Luping spread his arms wide and looked up at the sky, completely indifferent to the rain soaking his face.

At this moment, he felt a sudden, hot sting of tears in his eyes.

He felt just like Andy from *The Shawshank Redemption*.

"Some birds aren't meant to be caged!" he shouted the classic line.

"What a weirdo," the officer at the gate muttered, his brow furrowing into a deep frown.

Song Luping: "..."

The atmosphere he had worked so hard to build vanished in an instant.

Although he had been arrested several times, this time really felt different.

For some reason, he had been targeted.

Song Luping was certain he had misjudged one thing: the relationship between his most respected junior, Bai Bufan, and the Demon Suppression Division was definitely not through that man, Yang Liang.

Not only that, but Yang Liang and Bai Bufan were likely on bad terms inside.

When he was arrested, he had mentioned knowing Bai Bufan, and seeing Yang Liang's reaction, he had thought he was safe—but it turned out he was doomed.

Not only was he the first to be interrogated and sentenced, landing him in detention in a flash, but the "special attention" he received inside was several times greater than his previous stints.

Every time there was a spot check on the legal codes and behavioral guidelines he had to memorize, he was always the one picked!

During cleaning duties or recreational activities, the most grueling tasks always fell to him.

Was this right?

This wasn't right at all!

Yang Liang was even the only one to visit him in prison, and every time he asked where it was hardest or most tiring, he would answer honestly, only to find the workload doubled the next day.

—If he had known, he wouldn't have answered. This Yang Liang was a pure villain abusing his power!!

If it weren't for the upcoming National Day holiday, he might even have had his sentence extended. Getting out now was a miracle.

That was why Song Luping really wanted to cry upon his release.

Once his emotions were spent, Song Luping found a place to shelter from the rain and turned on his phone.

Low battery.

"Damn it." Muttering curses, he had no choice but to return to the small apartment where he had paid half a month's rent in advance and plug his phone in.

Finally, it powered on.

First, he had to tell his boss he was willing to work overtime during the National Day holiday. If he didn't earn money, paying rent would be the least of his worries—if he couldn't afford a prostitute, his life would be over.

Then, Song Luping opened the small box in his nightstand, took out his "reserve energy source," and began to rub his hands in excitement.

"Fifteen days! Fifteen days! I've finally survived these fifteen days!"

He had been celibate for fifteen days.

Such a terrifying number; he absolutely had to release the tension.

As a former "quasi-king of prostitution" in Xiling, Song Luping couldn't possibly handle this himself.

It was a matter of dignity.

To celebrate the end of his detention, he was going to hire one!

Song Luping was quite glad he knew Bai Bufan, because thanks to him, he had compiled a map of Xiling's "chicken farms."

He didn't need to struggle through cards or phone numbers; he just pulled up the document, and everything was laid out before him.

"Who shall I favor today?" Song Luping felt like an emperor deciding which concubine to visit.

"You'll do! Aihe!"

Song Luping picked up the phone and dialed.

"..."

"I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off. Please try again later."

Not doing business today? Understandable, everyone needs a day off.

Try another.

"You'll do too!"

"..."

"I'm sorry, the number you have dialed is powered off. Please try again later."

Song Luping frowned slightly, then realized why.

With National Day approaching, those with legitimate storefronts were probably on holiday. He could look for freelancers without physical shops; they were usually willing to make house calls for him anyway.

Song Luping opened WeChat and randomly selected a madam's contact.

"Song Luping: Sister, who can help me deliver a package today?"

After speaking the code, Song Luping waited in eager anticipation.

No reply came.

Song Luping scratched his head, feeling a surge of irritation.

"Song Luping: Any goods today?"

He tried another, but still, no reply.

Song Luping gritted his teeth and sent a mass message, planning to pick one and apologize to the others later—this violated his own "whore-chaser code," but he simply couldn't hold back any longer.

Yet, countless messages sank like stones in the ocean.

What on earth was happening to the world?

Song Luping fell into a state of panic.

"Flower: Ping-ge? You're out?"

Seeing a reply at last, Song Luping's hand trembled with excitement.

"Song Luping: Little Flower, yes, it's me! Are you free today? If not, why don't you come over to my place and play?"

"Song Luping: Flower, let me tell you, I've seen a ghost."

"Song Luping: 【Screenshot】"

"Song Luping: Look, none of these people are replying. I don't know why they've stopped doing business."

"Flower:..."

Please... collect... (!)

"Flower: Ping-ge, I am free today, but I'm no longer in Xiling. I'll host you when you come to Yangshun someday."

"Flower: As for why your screenshot looks like that... Ping-ge, you might not know, but Xiling has changed."

"Flower: It's not that they aren't replying to you; they've all been arrested. They won't be out until after National Day at the earliest."

Song Luping: "?"

"Song Luping: Are you joking? All arrested? I've only been in for fifteen days! How could so many be arrested?"

Song Luping couldn't believe it.

"Flower: It's true, Ge. Ten days ago, Xiling organized an unprecedented, large-scale cleanup. Without any warning, they swept away basically every chicken farm in Xiling."

"Flower: I'm one of the few sisters who luckily survived the purge. The rest of us are either planning to wash our hands of it and marry honest men, or like me, we've moved our operations elsewhere. I'm not staying in Xiling to work, that's for sure."

"Flower: You won't find a single chicken farm in Xiling that dares to do business now. They're either closed, hiding, or have run away."

"Clang."

Song Luping's phone fell to the ground, but he didn't reach for it for a long time.

He didn't dare open his eyes, hoping it was just a hallucination.

How could this be?

He had only been detained for fifteen days, not fifteen years!

No, this couldn't be true!

Unplugging his phone, which hadn't finished charging, Song Luping pushed open the door and sprinted into the rain.

How to describe heavy rain without using the word "rain"?

Viaducts, Maybachs, Nibelungen.

Midnight, Song Luping, shared bikes.

With his e-bike out of power, Song Luping had to settle for a shared bike. Fearless of the downpour, he finally arrived at the nearest chicken farm.

He sprinted up the stairs.

Sealed.

"Haha," Song Luping laughed miserably, hopped on the shared bike, and headed to the next location.

Sealed.

Shop for transfer.

Temporarily closed.

Empty and abandoned.

The backlash from pedaling at full speed for so long hit him; lactic acid flooded his legs, and he could no longer move forward.

The rain was still falling.

There was an eave nearby that could shelter him, but Song Luping just sat dejectedly on the shared bike, letting the rain blur his vision.

Perhaps it wasn't rain.

Things are not what they used to be; before I can speak, tears fall.

"Haha."

"Haha."

"Hahahahaha—"

Song Luping looked up and laughed hysterically.

"Gone! Gone! It's all gone!"

"My life's work! It's all gone!!!"

"My connections, my entire life, it's all ruined!!!"

Song Luping's shouts were loud, and it was already deep into the night.

Lights flickered on in the surrounding residential buildings as people poked their heads out to look at him.

Some sighed in sympathy—

Something that could make a young man break down like this must be truly tragic. I hope he can hold on.

Others were more "refined"—

"What the hell are you screaming for in the middle of the night! Let people sleep! F*** your mother! You idiot!"

Scolded, Song Luping tucked his tail between his legs and pushed his bike away.

He looked at his phone, soaked in rain.

The face of his only soulmate, Bai Bufan, flooded his mind.

He must have been the one suffering the most over the past half-month.

"Bufan, Brother is back," Song Luping whispered in a hoarse voice.

Recalling Bai Bufan's WeChat ID, he sent a friend request.

Lin Li, fast asleep, opened his eyes in a daze.

He turned over, pulled his underwear out from where it had wedged into his butt crack, and went back to sleep.

(End of chapter)