Swallowing People

Turning to the young man, he tugged his mask down with a finger to reveal his face, his lips tugging into a breathtaking smile that highlighted the dimple on his left cheek, "Chen Ru, isn't it? You have a beautiful name. I hope you only heard good things about me?"

Caught off guard by the sudden visual impact, Chen Ru abruptly ceased breathing and his face turned beet red. "Y–Y–Yes, of course!" he stammered. "Father Song, you're my role model! You have no idea… so many people were vying for this spot to go with you! The whole company was on fire!"

Oh? Song Zhuyu arched an intrigued brow. He had expected his reputation to hit rock bottom after the incident at the bar. It seemed like the clean-up crews had done an impeccable job erasing all traces, considering how even people in the company were not aware of it. 

"Ha, really?" Song Zhuyu stifled a chuckle, his captivating silver eyes overflowing with amusement. "Then you must have worked the hardest, seeing that you're the one standing here in front of me."

"I–It's…" Chen Ru ducked his head bashfully. "It's not hard… not hard at all…"

Song Juwei, watching the interaction from the sidelines, silently rolled his eyes in disdain and gave his son a firm slap on the back. "Stop making the poor guy flustered. Remember, take good care of him."

"Yes, yes," Song Zhuyu grimaced, rubbing his throbbing back. "Does Your Majesty have any other decrees to be carried out? The train should be arriving soon."

Song Juwei harrumphed. For a while, his gaze became extremely complicated as he studied Song Zhuyu. "You…" he began, only to hesitate in the next second. "Take good care of yourself too, and stay out of trouble."

Song Zhuyu keenly sensed that there was more the older man wanted to say, but he simply nodded and commented nothing. 

When the train finally pulled into the platform, he slung his duffel bag over his shoulder, nodded at Song Juwei and stepped aboard, with Chen Ru following closely behind. 

The journey to the port nearest to Shenci Island took nearly six hours, leaving them with only an hour before the boat departed. 

Settling into the private booth, Song Zhuyu released a sigh and unwrapped a strawberry lollipop, placing it into his mouth before removing his hat to let his head breathe. His long crimson hair immediately cascaded down his body akin to a wave, looking so soft and silky to the touch. Song Zhuyu couldn't help but feel a little relieved now that the back of his neck was covered. He had gotten too used with the weight of his hair that having his neck exposed kept giving him chills. 

Sucking on his lollipop, he glanced up to find Chen Ru still frozen in the doorway with one foot in, seemingly unable to bring himself to enter. 

"What is it?" Song Zhuyu's voice was muffled by the lollipop in his mouth. "Take a seat and close the door. The train will be leaving soon."

"O–Oh!" Chen Ru hurriedly closed the door behind him and settled across from Song Zhuyu, careful not to bump into the latter's mile-long legs. 

Sensing the young man's nervousness, Song Zhuyu reached into his pocket and retrieved another lollipop, offering it to him, "Here."

"Huh?" Chen Ru's expression was blank for one full second before he accepted with both hands. "T–Thank you, Father Song!" Instead of eating it, however, he carefully tucked the lollipop into his pocket with a reverence and solemnity that made Song Zhuyu feel somewhat bemused. 

Alright, he supposed it wouldn't hurt to entertain a newbie during this boring six-hour journey. 

"How old are you again?" Song Zhuyu inquired.

Chen Ru immediately straightened up to answer, "I'm turning twenty this year!"

"Twenty, huh?" Song Zhuyu was slightly surprised; he had expected him to be older. "Did you go to college? How does it feel to be Father Ning's apprentice?"

***

When the train arrived at its final destination, Song Zhuyu had already known Chen Ru's life story— his social circle, working experience, lackluster love life, the members of his family, the number of dogs he had ever owned and so on. 

Stepping off the train, he squinted his eyes against the piercing glow of the horizon. The number of people who got off at this station was pitifully few, mostly middle-aged individuals who left in a rush, seemingly intent on getting somewhere as soon as possible. 

Chen Ru hurried over after inquiring the station officers about the boat's departure time. "Father Song, the boat is scheduled to leave in forty minutes. Do you have any plans in the meantime?"

Surveying his surroundings, Song Zhuyu decided, "Let's take a stroll and grab some food." 

Nodding, Chen Ru trailed behind him obediently as they made their way out of the station. 

At first glance, the city appeared so vastly different from Yacheng. 

Instead of towering skyscrapers that pierced the clouds, modest two or three-story houses lined the streets. Private cars were few and far in between, replaced by loading trucks, bicycles and tricycles, with pedestrians dominating the area. Huge trees adorned the pathways, their leaves rustling in harmony with the salty ocean breeze that swept through the air. 

Somehow, it felt like they had returned to the early 2000s. 

As they ambled along the streets, the sea gradually came into view, stretching as far as the eye could see. The port bustled with activity as boats of varying sizes bobbed in the water, while people hurried about their tasks with purpose. 

Song Zhuyu gazed at the glittering surface of the sea that reflected the dazzling sun, momentarily entranced. The atmosphere around here was so serene and tranquil that it was hard to believe that a little further out would be the island where the demon resided. Even stranger than that was the level of dark energy in the air, which was so thin that it could barely be detected. He couldn't help but take a deep, deep breath to fill his lungs with refreshing air. 

In the next moment, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee teased Song Zhuyu's senses, awakening his dull and sluggish senses. Glancing around, his gaze locked onto a small restaurant that emitted the tantalizing scent. 

"Should we wait there?" He asked the young man beside him, who readily nodded in agreement.

A gentle chime of bell greeted Song Zhuyu as he pushed the door open, followed by a female voice echoing from within the kitchen. "Welcome, please take a seat first! I will be there with you shortly!"

Except for a lone middle-aged man occupying a table in the corner, the restaurant was wholly empty. They chose a window seat and settled down, looking through the menu. 

"Feel free to order whatever," Song Zhuyu smiled at the young man before him. "My treat."

"O–Okay!" Chen Ru stammered, still not used to that deadly smile yet. He studied the menu earnestly, and they both placed their orders when the waitress came to take them— Chen Ru with his jumbo-sized seafood fried rice and two side dishes, and Song Zhuyu with strawberry pancakes and a cup of hot coffee. 

After placing the order, Chen Ru excused himself to the bathroom, leaving Song Zhuyu to gaze out the window at the tranquil scenery outside. He propped his chin up with a hand, almost dozing off, until a plate was placed in front of him. 

"Your strawberry pancakes and hot coffee, Sir," the waitress announced. 

"Thank you," Song Zhuyu offered a polite smile, but instead of leaving, she dawdled on the spot, seemingly wanting to say something more. Song Zhuyu raised a brow, "Is there something else you need, Miss?"

"Ah, no," the young woman with freckles blushed as she cradled the tray to her chest. "Um, sorry… may I ask if you're a celebrity?"

Upon hearing that familiar question, Song Zhuyu did not even have to think before responding, "I'm not. I'm just here to travel…" Halfway through the sentence, it suddenly dawned on him that he should gather more information first before entering the enemy's lair. And who would be better to ask than the locals? Coming to a decision, Song Zhuyu fixed his posture and focused his gaze on the young woman, his smile softening, "What about you, Miss? Are you a native?"

The woman nodded, her blush deepening, "I–I'm sorry, I haven't seen you around before, so I thought you might be here to shoot a movie…"

"Don't worry about it," Song Zhuyu chuckled softly. "This is my first time here, to be honest. Have you been to Shenci Island before, Miss? I heard it's a beautiful place…"

Song Zhuyu hadn't even finished his sentence when the woman's complexion abruptly changed. "D–Did you just say Shenci?" she whispered, tension palpable in her features. "Are you heading there, Sir?" 

Song Zhuyu's radar perked up, sensing there was more to the woman's words than what met the eye. "Yes…?" He put on an uncertain look. "I have some personal matters to attend to there. Is there something wrong with the island?"

"Oh no, I wouldn't exactly call it wrong, but…" she furrowed her brows, her expression troubled. "I don't know much about the island either, but I think you should tread carefully, Sir. It's not known to many people, but my grandfather once shared a story with me. He said it's an island capable of swallowing people…"