Inside the Manor.
After everyone followed the owner of the house to the parlor only Li Xing and Yi Zheng separated from them and headed to the guest room for a short shower. Yi Zheng's current appearance is no longer presentable. Within the parlor is a minimalistic designed setting with colors of black, white and grey, a monochromatic hue. On the glass table an antique tea set was served for the guests. There are only five cups placed on the surface of the table.
"You can serve yourself some tea." said the owner of the house.
The owner of the house took the single couch and served his own cup of tea. He just gave them a glance and gestured to them to take their seat. Once they took their seat Professor Sen served himself and the rest with tea as he knew that this little friend of his would never make his move to serve someone else. One could even see that he is the type to suffer an Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). He even prepared his own tea set, different from what he prepared for his guests.
The room suddenly expresses the stillness of death. No one spoke nor started a conversation. Everyone in the parlor enjoyed their tea at their own pace. Professor Sen secretly watches the two people who used to have a very close relationship. Observing Xie Ye and Gui Lan who is acting as if he doesn't recognize his former team members. What left him in shock is when the people, who came over with him, didn't seem to recognize Gui Lan despite him standing before them.
"System!! What is happening here? Why did he call himself Hei Lan? This is so weird~ Why is the villain acting like he couldn't recognize the lord?" asked Sen to his system.
[They really couldn't recognize him. After all they were all under his ability. The Venerable Lord used his special skill: Authority to bend the reality they knew. They still think that Gui Lan is missing. Which is why even if the Venerable Lord stood before them none of them could recognize him. The host is spared because I blocked it for you.]
"W-When did he do that?"
[When he defeated the clone of that destroyer, the Venerable Lord used his ability to this whole star before he entered his slumber. Of course you had no idea about it. Because he used his authority not on the people but towards the heavenly laws of this star. The command is 'Let no one see me unless someone strongly thinks that I am Gui Lan.']
"Holy shit! He could even take over the control of the heavenly laws of an A ranked world?!"
[It only worked because at that time his real strength wasn't restricted. But if he is able to use his original cultivation then this little star is nothing more than a pebble to his eyes.]
Gulps! Professor Sen chose to ignore what he shouldn't be knowing. Like they say ignorance is a bliss.
"T-Then… what could they see him as?"
[An enchantress with obsidian hair and sapphire irises. It is what he portrays. A scheming, seductive person with problems in the brain.]
Puff! Professor Sen almost chokes with his tea but no one cares and ignores him.
"S-Sorry. The tea was too hot." excused Professor Sen.
[A/n: Gui Lan would be called Hei Lan as he introduced himself with that name. Plus his current appearance is different from the eyes of others no one except Sen knew that he is Gui Lan.]
On the other hand, seated on the opposite of him, Xie Ye is frowning while peeking at Hei Lan's figure. He was using his mind reading ability on the person but for some reason he couldn't see anything. There is only a sullen silence and nothing more.
Noticing Xie Ye stealthy looking at him, Hei Lan couldn't help but smile. He knew what is currently going inside the mind of this man. He must be thinking:
'Why couldn't I hear his thoughts?'
'Who the hell is this man?'
'An unknown entity. Should I eliminate it?'
Xie Ye is more bewildered than what Hei Lan thought. But he definitely hit the jackpot with the last sentence. Xie Ye already put him in his suspicious list. As long he reached a certain threshold the former would definitely move it to his death list. This person had no kindness towards the others except for Gui Lan. He could even abandon Yi Zheng and the rest given the situation. He is a cold blooded person right from the very beginning.
In that momentary silence the couple who separate from the group before had finally rejoined them in the parlor. Li Xing had sat together with his foster father while Yi Zheng sat beside Xie Ye. The SID Chief's clothes were different from when he entered the house. The shirt and pants didn't fit Yi Zheng not because it was smaller in size but because it was a bit bigger than his body structure. Only Xie Ye's size would be well fitted in the clothes Yi Zheng is currently wearing. These were the clothes left in the guest room wardrobe which the two decided to borrow.
The size of the clothes obviously doesn't fit Hei Lan's slender structure plus his height had reached only 1.7 something meters. The clothes Yi Zheng is currently wearing is obviously not for Hei Lan to wear.
Li Xing spoke, "Sir Hei we had borrowed clothes from the wardrobe in the guest room. I wonder if the owner will…"
"No worries. He wouldn't mind. Those are just his spare clothes. There is no need for you to return it. He wouldn't mind losing a few shirts and pants." said Hei Lan nonchalantly.
"Is that so? Then please give the owner of these clothes my thanks." said Yi Zheng with a polite smile on his face.
Hei Lan replied, "Sure. I'll pass your message."
Not far from him Xie Ye is observing intently with an ambivalent gaze. For some reason the words Hei Lan spoke just now left him some mixed emotion he couldn't understand where it came from. He decisively ignores it for now.
Hei Lan, "You wouldn't visit me for no reason. But before that you introduce yourself except for this father and son. I don't know the other two." He then gestured to them to begin.
"I'm the Chief Agent of the Supernatural Investigation Department. You can call me Yi Zheng. Beside me is my brother. He's name is Xie Ye."
Based on the words this Chief Agent had said Hei Lan looked at Yi Zheng and Xie Ye with ascertain eyes but there's a mocking smile on the corner of his cerise lips.
"Brother? (pointing at Yi Zheng) You look silly and a bit naïve. You seem super dense as well. While this one (pointing at Xie Ye) is more oppressive in nature and presence. Your feature greatly varies as well. If you are a mid quality goods then this one is an exclusive luxurious goods. If your compared to a flower if this man (Xie Ye) is an elegant black rose then (Yi Zheng) you are a raffle—"
Professor Sen and Li Xing were holding back their laughter while covering their mouth with their hands secretly or by coughing intentionally
Hei Lan's words were suddenly cut off by this face-conscious chief, Yi Zheng.
"Okay! Stop. Just don't talk anymore. Xie Ye not my biological brother but my elder brother figure, okay!?" said Yi Zheng who cut off Hei Lan's words. "Tsk! What a bastard." murmured this bullied chief.
"Don't worry. I'm just teasing you Chief~" said Hei Lan with a huge grin.
"Please talk about the serious business instead, A'Zhe." said Li Xing.
Yi Zheng said, "Oh right! Please help me with this." as he passed a small plastic pouch with a single, long, blonde hair strand inside.
This hair strand is from a deceased esper named Shana. It was the latest victim of the reaper. Yi Zheng wanted to check the conjecture of whether the reaper used Telekinesis to kill the victim or some other ability instead. Li Xing opened the plastic and poured the hair in a clean handkerchief before placing it on the table before Hei Lan. He knew that this person has a problem with regards to cleanliness.
Hei Lan's eyes squinted but didn't make a move at all. He first looked at Li Xing.
"What do you want to check?" he asked.
It was Yi Zheng who replied to his question, "Please check what kind of ability the killer used? And clear details if you could see."
Hei Lan took off his right hand gloves.
"Because your evidence isn't fresh the details won't be clear you know." said Hei Lan.
Yi Zheng frowned. "Next time I will invite you directly to the crime scene."
"Sure~ as long as I have my fun~!" replied Hei Lan as he closed his eyes and touched the hair to look through the remnant sentiments and memories left by the owner.
The rest waited for Hei Lan to finish what he was doing. They knew that he is now using his ability to see through the past. Only Professor Sen knew that the so-called Empathic Retrocognition is just nonsense and Gui Lan had come out. After all, Xu Lun and Yun Li knew that Gui Lan had the ability to see through the past completely, not just those sentiments left by the target. What he could see is the full past memory of the deceased.
It only took a few minutes for Gui Lan to finish. There's a hint of cold sweat converging on his slight paling face. Taking a tissue from the small table beside him he slowly wipes his sweat, sterilizes his hand with alcohol then puts back his gloves on.
No one urged him to speak and waited for him to calm down. Hei Lan took a sip on his tea and was quiet for a few seconds.
"The image I saw isn't clear as the time passed had lasted for days. 4 days I supposed. She was running for her life. Feeling pain all over her body. A solid object hit her back based on the feeling and shape it must be a hilt or a handle. Her limbs were cut off one by one. It was floating knives controlled by a force. Mental energy I guess."
"Hehe~ her last moments were the funniest. Her head was cut off from her neck. It seems that she saw the face of his killer but the image I got is very blurred already. But I felt the last emotion she got in her last moments. She was regretful. It seems that your reaper is an extremely handsome man. That's the end of my report."
Once Hei Lan finished telling them what he had seen, a heavy and serious atmosphere surfaced from the area. But among the group only Li Xing and Yi Zheng's expressions were gloomy. Professor Sen acted calmly as if he wasn't willing to involve himself into this. Hei Lan was unconcerned as he sipped his tea. While Xie Ye remained calm and there are still no emotions imprinted on his captivating face.
Saying it has nothing to do with me.
——
Cut Scene: 15 year ago.
A six year old Gui Lan watched as his enemy's flesh, blood and soul faded away into nothingness. His eyes with the same color of the moonlight looked into the horizon blankly. Scrutinizing something from an unknown thing from beyond. The moment the last wisp of the destroyer's soul before him fades and as his fury subsides, only then does he feel that there is something wrong. With the seals in his body unlocked for a moment, his original enhanced intuition felt a certain uneasiness.
[Host is there something wrong?] His system asked.
"Heh~ no wonder it didn't feel right. So it was a clone." murmured Gui Lan.
[What?! A clone? This is not the destroyer's original vessel?]
Gui Lan covered his lip with his hand as he looked down, obviously thinking for a moment. "Based on the strength and durability of the physique and the presence of the soul. This is definitely just a clone. It should only possess half of the original's cultivation. But since he left a fragment of his soul and that fragment was meticulously destroyed by me means that his soul is already half destroyed. He shouldn't be able to take actions for at least a decade or so."
[Should we look for the original, Host?]
"The skill card I've activated is almost up. Since he should have hidden well for me not to notice right away that this is just a clone means he had an artifact with him that isolated his soul. This is not enough time."
[Host. Please be warned that the moment the skill card activation is up, a backlash would follow. You really need to enter deep slumber for healing your current vessel at least.]
Gui Lan replied: "I know. Let me do one last thing instead." He then looked at the sky as if seeing through heaven and used his special ability 'Authority' to bend even the reality itself on this world's Heavenly laws.
"Let no one see me unless someone strongly thinks that I am Gui Lan. I would be in front of them but wouldn't know it was me. A false existence called Hei Lan would appear instead of Gui Lan." Only his silvery orbs glints with sovereignty no one could defy.
Heavenly Laws of the current world: ['We shall course thy command.']
[A/n: 'we shall course thy command': This is an old english meaning 'we shall follow your command']
This is the last command Gui Lan had spoken before he entered his slumber. After this day the existence of Gui Lan becomes a missing entity and an existence called Hei Lan exists instead.
End of reminisce.
