1 A New Beginning

-Yunlan-

A sudden gust of cold air woke Zhao Yunlan from his blissful sleep and even under the warmth of his thick comforter he could not help but shudder. Before he even opened his eyes, he knew why the previous warmth that he was enjoying had been replaced so suddenly by a piercing cold. He has been suffering such a fate for countless nights, but especially more since he became the Chief Guardian of Dragon City and has since had a few friendly ghosts working for him.

Ghosts usually bring with them a gust of cold air, that he felt every time they approached him. But he is accustomed to such a fate and ignores the drop in temperature and the uncanny feeling of being approached in such a way. He covered his head with the comforter in a futile attempt to make the ghost go away as he had no interest in dealing with the affairs of the underworld that early in the morning.

This week has been tough on him, every night he worked overtime, and never came home before the stroke of midnight and on top of that, he only got a few hours' sleep before been awake again and his day would begin with another heinous case to solve. He was exhausted, as he came back home at one in the morning and threw himself onto his messy bed, not bothering to hit the shower or change his clothes, only a feeble effort applied in removing his shoes. He was really that exhausted.

"If it's not urgent, then just ask someone else to go, Zhu Hong will do... I'm a human, damn it! I need to sleep..." His voice was muffled by the covers and the female ghost standing at the foot of his bed smiled sympathetically. She knew he needed the rest, but once he hears what she needed to report to him, she was sure that he will not mind her to wake him that early in the morning.

"Chief Zhao... An incident has occurred in Dragon City University. The male teachers' dorms had been attacked less than an hour ago, but the demon causing it has already been slain. Only its ashes remain." Slain? Who could slay a demon if not a properly trained Guardian or a very talented Monk?

As far as he know, there are no temples nearby the University, and no Guardians around that area at this hour. Zhao inwardly thought. Wait... Could it be...? Such a thought gave him an adrenaline rush. He quickly threw away his covers and with a clear mind he looked at the ghost with an attentive gaze.

"Level of the demon?" He asked Wang Zhang, the ghost who had dared to wake him up that early.

"From the dark energy left behind in the ashes, it seems to be a high level demon. No guardian was present at that time, and the nearest temple was simply too far away to help in time" She answered.

"Casualties?" He asked, as he got out of his bed. Since he didn't bother to change earlier, he only needed to put on his boots to be on his way.

"None." She said, earning a surprise from him.

"None? Are you kidding me?" Zhao looked at her with a raised eyebrow. No casualties are something uncommon when a high level demon is involved. This only make his previous guess more provable.

"The demon managed to destroy the strong barrier set to guard the building and has caused some damage inside the dorm. It injured a guard in the process, but before it could kill him, it was slayed. A few professors, who heard the commotion, came outside and found the guard lying unconscious beside the ashes. Da Qing says he suspects that such a quick and efficient act could only be the handy work of the long lost..."

"Ghost Slayer!" Zhao cuts in between. "Damn it to hell! We just missed him again!" Zhao shouts in frustration. He was now sure that the only one who could handle such a situation and successfully slay a demon without any casualties or mayor damage to the building could be none other than the legendary guardian of underworld, the Ghost Slayer. The one who had mysteriously went missing a few hundred years ago, but has been suspected to have returned recently.

No one is sure whether this elusive Ghost Slayer is the same who fought among humans in the First War between the human tribe and the ghost tribe, or maybe is someone else entirely, perhaps a descendant. But Zhao is determined to find out the missing pieces of the puzzle that was the First War and the sudden disappearance of the underworld guardian, despite being the victor.

"Tell the others that I'm on my way. I want every professor who came out of their rooms to be lined up for questioning. We need as much information and details we can get of this incident. This could be our lead to find the Ghost Slayer. Go now." Chief Zhao commanded and with the blink of an eye, the ghost was gone.

Fifteen minutes later, Yunlan walks past the police tape, and is guided to his team of Guardians, already waiting for him. The first one to receive him at the entrance is a black cat with deep green eyes, who was two sizes too big than an average cat. However, this cat was not an ordinary one, mostly for two reasons. One, it is the oldest member of the Order of the Guardians, making him more than a thousand years old and two, because the damn cat can talk a lot, making him a pain in the ass most of the time.

"Yunlan! You stupid human, it was about time. I was wondering if something attacked you on your way here..." The cat scolded the chief.

"What took you so long? You usually drive like a maniac." Ah, stupid fat cat, Zhao thought. Given the distance from his home and the University, he really had rush to be there as soon as possible. Sometimes, he wished he could fire the black furball, but unfortunately, the cat is bond to the Guardian Order by the will of the gods.

"Shut up, you stupid cat or I will cut down your year worth of dried fish rations to half..." The Chief threatened, making the cat docile again.

"Oh, come on Zhao, don't get all moody now, it was clearly a joke. Can I ask for premium fish next month?" Da Qing asked with shining green eyes.

"Yeah sure... not, Fatty!" Zhao snickered. Then he look at the second person that came to meet him, Lin Jing, a weird fake monk he had come across by mere chance in one his earlier cases. Although his method of ghost hunting was... unusual for a monk, he was still good at doing his job, especially against demons.

"Did you do as I asked?" Zhao asked him.

"Of course, I have gathered them in a room. Would you like to meet them all at once, or maybe question them one at a time?" Lin asks.

"How many are they?" Zhao asks back, as he is guided through a poorly lit corridor.

"Four. Three of them are middle aged men, and one is young, even to be a professor. He seems to be popular among the faculty and students." Lin then continues.

"But there is no doubt he is a full-fledged scholar with spectacles and all. He is quite the eye candy too, but what a shame, he is a man." Yeah, the idiot monk is a sucker for pretty faces, yet unlike him, he is only interested in the fairer sex.

"His name?" Zhao asked, with genuine curiosity.

"Professor Shen Wei; majored in traditional literature, but I also found out from the other professors that he is quite knowledgeable in ancient history as well. Apparently he is a like a walking library." The young monk said.

"Did you question him?" Yunlan asks just before opening the door to the room.

"Nah. Zhu has been all over him, and hasn't given me the chance. She has kept him separate from the others, and is probably aiming to charm him or something, and well... who am I to interfere with her next victim. You know how she is..." Yeah, Zhao sighed. Once Zhu is interested in a man, she will cling to him like a serpent, literally speaking when she is in her true form. She had tried to get him multiple times in the past, but in the end gave up when none of her approaches or tricks worked on him. They were simply not meant to be.

Zhao enters the room, expecting a panicked man trying to avoid an obsessive woman, attempting to charm him into doing her bidding. However Yunlan was in for a big surprise as Zhu Hong, the second eldest in the Order of the Guardians, was sitting quietly in a chair avoiding eye contact with the man sitting across her. Knowing her, Zhao would think that if she were in her gigantic snake form, she would've recoiled away from the man instead of devouring him, which was unheard of from her.

Out of pure curiosity, Zhao focuses on the young professor straight back. The first thing he notices is Shen Wei's slightly long black hair, half tied into a thin and small ponytail, gently falling a bit over his shoulder. This sight makes something stir inside Zhao's chest. His heart skips a beat when he sees the man turn around and look at him.

The professor had chiseled skin but a delicate handsome face that any women would envy. He looked calm and collected, with a gentle smile on his face; but Zhao could see beyond his façade and he had a hint of panic in his lovely dark eyes.

"Xiao Wei..." A whisper escapes from Zhao's lips. He doesn't realize what he has said until he sees the other man's eyes turn wide from surprise by the sudden familiarity with which he had been addressed. There was also deep pain and restraint in those mysterious eyes.

"I'm sorry, but do I know you?" Shen Wei asks innocently while averting his gaze from Zhao, who recovers from his idiotic slips, and smiles back, as if he hadn't said a word.

"Oh, no. Sorry about that. I guess I'm still half asleep. Anyways, I'm Zhao Yunlan, the Chief Guardian of Dragon City." He further adds.

"You are Shen Wei, right? A literature professor at this University if I'm not mistaken." Zhao keep up and extends his hand for a formal handshake with the handsome beauty.

"Yes. It's an honor to meet such a distinguished figure, a Guardian as yourself. You must have worked quite hard with so many cases lately..." Shen Wei says with a weak smile, as he reluctantly offers his own hand to Yunlan.

The moment their hands meet, a strong static electricity makes them drop their handshake instantly and Shen resists the urge to touch the old wound on his left shoulder, which now stings with fresh pain.

"Professor Shen? Chief Zhao? Are you okay?" Lin asked, worried as both the men had gone pale in seconds.

"Ah... static electricity? Are you okay Guardian Zhao?" Wei asked, worriedly looking at Yunlan, but he seems to have ignored the odd event and instead smiles again.

"Of course. Just let me ask you, were you one of the professors who came out during the attack?" Zhao asks, steering the conversation back to the main topic.

"Yes. I heard a loud crash from outside somewhere close by. So I got out of my room to check what was wrong. There, I met three other professors who had come out to check the lobby area with the same intention as myself. Later we discovered the unconscious injured guard who was lying on the ground. The protection wards had been destroyed and there was a bit of damage done to the walls, as well as some ashes scattered. I called an ambulance and the police, but they said it was the Guardian's jurisdiction, because obviously it's the work of a strong ghost or demon. I'm afraid that's all that I know." Shen explained.

"I see." Zhao said. "I have been told that you are known for your extensive knowledge in history, do you know what the ashes mean?" Zhao asked, testing the waters first and despite himself, Shen Wei smiled.

"Of course. Breaking strong wards, like the one we had here, can only be accomplished by something much stronger than the common ghost. It must've been something who broke free from underworld. Most probably a demon, judging by the level of the wards protecting the whole campus. This can be confirmed thanks to the ashes, because in the human realm, high level ghosts, demons of all kinds and monsters end up in ashes when they are killed as their bodies are fake copies made of soil." Shen calmly answered, gaining a soft whistle from the man he had tried to avoid for so long.

"Professor Shen... you are such a rare gem, truly deserving of your reputation." Shen blushes and Zhao continues while laying a penetrating gaze on him.

"So tell me, who else do you think could slay a high level demon inside a teacher's dorm, besides a trained Guardian or a strong Priest?" His expression was now dead serious, as they gaze at each other for a few seconds before Shen tries to find a proper answer. The questions only making him believe he was being tested.

"Guardian Zhao, despite what you have been told, I can't pretend to know everything about the workings of the underworld or the mysteries of who can subdue them. The underworld has their secrets, many of which I know nothing of. I believe that your Order is much more capable of finding an answer to that question than I am, which should be the reason you are here. Is it not?" Shen Wei asked, having the upper hand this time. So, the fake monk, the previously half-scared snake, and even the fat cat sneered at their Chief, who had been charmingly defeated by a handsome professor. Damn traitors, still he was not done yet.

"Does the name Ghost Slayer sound familiar to you, Professor?" Zhao asked, ignoring the amused stares of the members of his team. Shen Wei smiled again, but with a hint of sadness.

"Certainly. The Ghost Slayer was named a hero by the humans two thousand years ago, when the First War took place. He was called the eldest Prince of the underworld, rumored to be a demigod, who was against the idea of taking over the human's realm and slaughtering innocent people to fulfil selfish desires. His participation in the war along with other strong allies turned the losing war into salvation for the human race." Professor Shen continued to narrate as if he were retelling an old story.

"Unfortunately, he disappeared after the war, leaving the barrier separating the two realms unguarded for long periods of times, which gave birth to The Order of Guardians that you are now leading." As Wei finished, he hoped that his little history lesson did not stir something inside Yunlan.

To his relief, Zhao simply gave him a devastatingly charming smile as he clap his hands in amusement, which made his heart skip a beat. He missed Kunlun's smile the most, but the one that Zhao Yunlan was giving him now was even more tempting than ever before.

"Professor Shen, tell me, how much does the University pay you? Your talent should be put to better use. Would you like to join the Order as a consultant? I assure you, I can pay you much more than what they are giving you here right now." Zhao offered with a proud smile. Shen was speechless for a second. He had been keeping an eye on him since his rebirth as a human, but he never knew in person how shameless and lively he could be.

"It's a good offer, but I will have to decline." Shen said firmly.

"Why? You won't be a field agent, just a consultant." Yunlan comes closer, making Shen slightly blush at their decreasing proximity. Maybe he had make a mistake in telling him about the Ghost Slayer, because he looked even more determine now to have him close.

"The matters of the underworld should be dealt with by those chosen by the Order. We all know the Order is quite selective of their members. Whatever assistance you need, I can give it to you from here only. There is no need for you to randomly select me. I'm sure I will not qualify." Zhao openly laughs, coming even closer and bringing his arm on the Professor's shoulder.

"You really are a rare gem indeed. I have to go take a look at the scene. I would offer you to join me, but I guess I will be wasting my time, as you will probably politely decline the offer again. However, we will be in contact again soon enough, that won't be a problem for you, right?" Their contact made Shen Wei's wound pain more, so he nodded in agreement just so he could shove away the Chief's arm off of his paining shoulder.

"Not at all. It will be my pleasure to help the Chief Guardian when in need. Excuse me, but I will take my leave now, it's early in the morning and I have to give classes in just a few hours..." Shen Wei says while staring eagerly at the exit.

"Of course, Professor. Please go ahead and be careful on your way back." Zhao says kindly. "Lin, escort him back to his room properly..."

"That won't be necessary, I can..."

"Oh, but I insist. I wouldn't want anything bad to happen to the Professor. Lin, if you would please..." Zhao's penetrating gaze leaves Shen helpless and the odd monk frightened, because he could not refuse his order.

Obviously the Chief has taken a liking of the Professor and once he sets his mind on something, there is nothing that could stop him now. He pity anyone who even tries it.

AN: Thanks for reading. Althougt this chapter had been edited, the rest may be full of grammatically errors, but if you can pass that, you will enjoy a different kind of story that will keep you interested for a while. 😁😄