Chapter 5: The Peculiarities of the Underworld Dwellers

"Mr. Liu, can I trust you?" he suddenly retorted

Peng Liang said: "My mother said that no matter how deeply others sleep, they can still sense warmth and hear breathing, in other words, the presence of life. However, when my father sleeps, his eyes are tightly closed, and his breathing is hardly noticeable, giving the impression of a cold, lifeless corpse. The most terrifying part is that after my father falls asleep, he seems to emit a chilling aura, a coldness that spreads out and sends shivers down one's spine, creating a feeling as if one is in a morgue."

Peng Gang had more to say, but I waved my hand and said, "Wait a moment, why haven't you contacted Li Damin?"

I have done everything that can be done, yet I feel somewhat lost. Where on earth has that scoundrel Li Damin run off to

I almost burst out laughing; this little brat even knows how to speak deeply with shallow connections. However, I cannot laugh, fearing that his fragile heart might not withstand it and he would leave in a huff. To be honest, at this moment, I feel as if a hundred claws are scratching at my heart.

Peng Gang sighed deeply at this point, scratched his head, and continued, "My mother said that not only does my father not have a marital life, but he is also very indifferent to her in daily life, hardly ever touching her."

I am feeling anxious, repeatedly calling Li Damin, but his phone is always off. I opened WeChat and left him a message, asking him to contact me as soon as he receives it

During the meal, we did not speak. Peng Gang appeared to be deep in thought, and I surmised that he was torn between two choices, hesitating whether to speak to me or not. However, I felt that he had already made up his mind; otherwise, he would not have invited me.

"Well, go ahead," I said. I took out paper and pen from my bag. Although it was already night, the streetlights and the lights in the shops were very bright, illuminating everything clearly. I needed to write down everything that Peng Gang said, so I could organize it later and analyze the clues.

Brother Peng's demeanor at that time was said to be particularly frightening, resembling that of a middle-aged man in a book, panting and with disheveled hair. Moreover, his gaze was filled with malice. Their family had strict discipline; Brother Peng often educated his son not to point at others when speaking, as it was very impolite. Yet now, he was pointing his index finger sharply at his wife's brow, his tone exceedingly venomous

Peng Gang's parents have a very good relationship; his mother is a teacher and his father runs a company, both of whom are considered well-educated and reasonable individuals. The couple treats each other with great respect, having not quarreled for many years, and they share a kind of tacit understanding that belongs to married couples. However, according to his mother, ever since your father was resurrected, that understanding has disappeared

Peng Gang sighed in relief and slowly said, "Do you think it's strange that my mother talks to me about these matters?"

Looking into his eyes, I suddenly felt a chill. Do you know why? I could actually sense a hint of murderous intent in his gaze! I know he cannot do anything, but the feeling that emanated from the depths of his heart made me feel extremely eerie

I gazed at him in a daze, and he seemed a bit embarrassed under my scrutiny. Suddenly, I had a realization: after Li Damin conversed with Peng Gang, he went missing. Did he perhaps uncover some clues regarding the investigation into the underworld

The last word "roll," Peng Liang told me, when my dad said it, it felt like a steel needle piercing into my mom's heart, piercing fiercely, it hurt terribly

I replied slowly: "Son"

I also know that speaking deeply with shallow connections is a major taboo in the world of Jianghu He looked at me

Peng Gang lowered his head and said while drinking water: "This matter involves many private aspects of my family, and I do not wish for others to use our privacy as fodder for casual conversation. Many people in our society are quite malicious; their greatest happiness comes from seeing others suffer."

I just went home. At that time, my father was not at home, and my mother pulled me into my room, locking the door behind us. Mysteriously, she asked me, "Do you feel that your father has changed in any way?" I was particularly puzzled and didn't know how to respond. After thinking for a long time, I finally said, "When a person dies and comes back to life, their spirit must be different. Mom, if there's something wrong with Dad, please try to understand him better." My mother shook her head and said... I was particularly puzzled and didn't know how to respond. After thinking for a long time, I finally said, "When a person dies and comes back to life, their spirit must be different. Mom, if there's something wrong with Dad, please try to understand him better." My mother shook her head and said...

Although I had an inkling, I was still shocked to hear him say that. The shock came from two aspects: first, as a mother, how could I discuss matters of intimacy and married life with my son? This made me feel quite uncomfortable; second, the fact that Peng Gang was able to sit here today and talk to me about these private family matters must mean that Li Damin had laid considerable groundwork beforehand. I truly admire this young man; how could he manage to open the heart of someone with such a strong sense of vigilance?

These things are simply impossible to remember. I simply threw down my pen, lit a cigarette, and listened.

This statement made Peng Gang smile, and the atmosphere became much more relaxed: "Old Liu, let me first talk about the changes in my father after he was resurrected."

If one day in the future you need to go out to make a declaration, I also hope you will use a pseudonym

I can roughly guess what is going on; you could say that I am inherently quite vulgar. I cough and say, "Haven't your parents... that?"

At this point, Peng Gang looked at me, seemingly finding it difficult to speak.

After finishing his meal, Peng Gang elegantly wiped his mouth and said: "I trust Mr. Li. Mr. Li says you are worthy of trust, so I choose to believe in you, Mr. Liu"

I exhaled smoke slowly; he appeared to have a baby face, but from the way he spoke, he was indeed more mature than his peers

"You see, I told you, he has gone missing, and I can't reach him by phone," said Peng Gang

Thinking of Li Damin, I suddenly had a thought: where has he gone? If Peng Gang could still get in touch with him, he wouldn't have come to find me as a backup.

A little bit, perhaps

The social atmosphere is like this, yet there are still good people. I patiently said

This fellow is overly cautious, so I patiently explained: "If I sincerely want to promote this to you, remembering it mentally would suffice. The reason I use paper and pen is that I want to analyze it thoroughly; this is not only related to your family's matters, but I also need to find my friends."

"Don't call me 'bro.'" I quickly waved my hand, "I have this bad habit; being addressed with a title feels too awkward for me. It's much more comfortable to refer to each other as equals. That's just how I am."

I hurriedly made a solemn promise: "Rest assured, I will not disclose your family matters"

I know there must be many hidden truths here, so I leaned in to listen. To my surprise, Peng Gang fell silent again, pouring himself a cup of hot water and sipping it slowly.

Mr. Bie, I am older than you, so you can just call me Old Liu. That's what my friends call me

I smacked my lips and changed to a sincere expression: "Although we are strangers and this is our first meeting, I can assure you that my character is absolutely trustworthy. I will not spread your matters indiscriminately (Please forgive me, it has been a long time since the incident, and I simply cannot hold back from writing it down.)"

The phone you are calling is turned off

Indeed, I am somewhat afraid

At this moment, the rice noodles and side dishes we ordered arrived, a steaming pot of rice noodles that diluted the entire atmosphere of our conversation, so I had no choice but to suppress my curiosity and eat with him first

I was startled to hear this; how is it possible to not breathe?

I took out the cigarette box and handed it to him, but he shook his hand to indicate that he would not. I took one out for myself, lit it, changed to a comfortable position, and listened quietly

I was somewhat impatient and urged him, "What did Li Damin say to you?"

A woman has a husband and a son; naturally, the man she trusts the most is her husband. If her husband is no longer present, then who is the man she trusts the most?

Although the two have been on the same bed until now, they remain as cold as strangers to each other. Moreover, according to his mother, Brother Peng seems to not breathe while sleeping.

His mother wanted to show some affection, but as soon as she touched her husband, he pushed her away as if he were on fire, even finding excuses to leave. Fine, during the day you say you are busy with work and hide in the office, but at night you have to come home to sleep, right? In the bedroom, Brother Peng usually waits until his wife is sound asleep before going to bed. He sits with a book under the lamp, often sitting in silence while smoking, his face gloomy and appearing burdened with worries. Previously, the couple shared one blanket, but now they have two blankets and two beds. One time, the woman, feeling desperate, pretended to be asleep and took the opportunity to strike when the man got into bed, displaying a forceful demeanor. Unexpectedly, Brother Peng became furious, threw his wife heavily, jumped out of bed, and pointed at her saying: "If you touch me again, we will sleep in separate beds at night! I will sleep in the living room."

Peng Gang noticed that my complexion was poor and asked with concern, "Are you alright"

I inexplicably shivered, a chill running up my spine. I took out my phone, found Li Damin's number, and dialed it.

Peng Gang nodded slightly and gave a self-deprecating smile: "My mother said that ever since my father woke up, they have not had a marital life."

The first person to notice something was off with my father was my mother. As you know, I often stay at school, and although my home is in the same city, I rarely go back. Moreover, at my age, there are many differences in ideology and worldview between me and my parents, which is what they call a generation gap, and we usually do not communicate much. That weekend, my mother called and asked me to come home, her voice quite anxious, and I thought something must have happened again. Ever since my father was brought back to life, I have felt uneasy about everything I do, as if I were walking on a tightrope. I used to think that death was far away, but now I realize that disaster and misfortune are always lurking, ready to descend upon life.

Well. Normal. I no longer know what to say

When my mother spoke about the absence of marital intimacy, to be honest, my first reaction was much like yours, extremely uncomfortable. I awkwardly told her that for a man of my father's age, in his fifties, it is quite normal to have diminished vitality. Moreover, he has just gone through a life-and-death ordeal, so she shouldn't be too demanding. My mother replied, "You are a child, you don't understand; the feelings between a husband and wife are very subtle. I feel that your father has changed."

My mother no longer sees me merely as her child or son; I have now become her pillar of support. To be honest, I am not particularly responsible, and this feeling is quite unpleasant. However, there is no choice; no matter how difficult it is, I must bear the burden. She is a middle school teacher, and her teaching workload is quite heavy. Moreover, the cultural environment at her school is not good, and there is significant rivalry among the teachers, so she has few friends. When she encounters major difficulties, I am the first person she thinks of, which is quite normal.

Peng Gang blinked and said, "He has gone missing"

Then I will call you Brother Liu

The wife sat cross-legged on the bed, tears streaming down her face. Brother Peng's expression was one of extreme disgust as he snapped, "Who are you crying for? It's so annoying. I have a pile of work at the office during the day, and when I come home at night, I still have to deal with your mood. Can you even sleep? If you can't sleep, just get out!"

Peng Gang saw me seriously preparing to take notes and became somewhat flustered: "Old Liu, you must not spread my family's matters everywhere"

"Shall I continue speaking?" Peng Gang asked