Chapter 104: Yecheng District

As they moved further away from the frontier, the landscape shed its oppressive sands, and the breeze grew noticeably gentler. Inside the vehicle, Gu Zhiheng sat with a look of utter disdain, eyeing the driver whose pace was no faster than a crawling snail. At this rate, he had no idea when they would ever reach Yecheng District.

"I say, big brother, are you kidding me? You’re driving like a snail! What exactly is your game here?" Gu Zhiheng could no longer contain his frustration. At this speed, he would have been better off hopping out and using a speed-enhancing talisman.

"It’s not like that. I’ve never driven this car before, and I’m afraid to go too fast. Just give me a moment to get used to it, alright?" Liu E offered an awkward smile. The truth was, he really didn't know how to drive. He was only familiar with Gu Zhiheng’s own car, and this vehicle of Mo Han’s was far too sophisticated; he could only ask for forgiveness for his lack of exposure to such high-end machinery.

"Fine, fine, no rush. Take your sweet time, old man!" Gu Zhiheng muttered under his breath, thinking, *Right, it’s only natural for an old geezer to be clumsy.* He rolled his eyes at Chu Zhaoting, blaming him for all this trouble. Of all the people he could have suggested as a driver, he had to pick this fossil, Liu E. It was clearly malicious intent.

"Why are you glaring at me? How was I supposed to know he couldn't drive? Is this my fault?" Chu Zhaoting, that loudmouth, lacked any self-awareness. Gu Zhiheng, refusing to put up with it, slapped a silencing talisman onto him, effectively shutting him up.

"I honestly think you weren't raised in the Chu family. Look at your sister and then look at you; the difference is glaring," Gu Zhiheng said, abandoning subtlety for open mockery.

"Mmmph! Mmmph!" Chu Zhaoting sputtered, furious at Gu Zhiheng for resorting to such underhanded tactics.

"What are you 'mph-ing' about? Keep it bottled up if you’re not satisfied. Just look at your sour expression—it makes me want to slap you!" Being of the same surname, his sister was far more lovable. No wonder he was still a bachelor at his age, without a single woman in sight. Even the others at the Bureau were all bachelors—it was no surprise given the situation.

"A-Heng, he’s still my brother, you know. Could you show a little respect?" Chu Xingran teased, though in truth, she was merely watching the spectacle with the detached interest of a bystander. Still, she had to maintain appearances; they were siblings, after all, and she couldn't let outsiders look down on the Chu family. Putting on a show wasn't tiring, and she was happy to play along.

"Sister, he doesn't even treat you like a sister; he doesn't understand you at all," Gu Zhiheng said, casting a disdainful glance at Chu Zhaoting before beginning to spout nonsense to Chu Xingran. Chu Zhaoting could only watch helplessly.

"Look, Sister. Your elder sister is named Chu Zhao'an, your brother is Chu Zhaoting, yet you are called Chu Xingran." Gu Zhiheng presented his case with such conviction that the others in the car actually started to believe him. It did seem logical—families usually followed a naming convention. If the first two were similar, why was the third different? It implied either she wasn't favored or she wasn't a biological sibling.

"Uh... you’ve guessed mostly right. We are half-siblings," Chu Xingran finally interjected to clear the air. They were indeed siblings, but from different mothers. Her elder sister and brother were born to the Chu family head’s first wife, who had passed away when they were young. Her own mother had been introduced later as the second wife, which explained the difference in naming conventions, as it was customary for the mother to name the children.

"I see. My apologies, I overthought the matter," Gu Zhiheng said, suddenly turning serious and offering an apology to Chu Zhaoting. His eyes flickered, darting between Chu Xingran and Chu Zhaoting. No one knew what he was thinking or what kind of trouble he was planning to stir up next. His recent mood swings had been so erratic that no one could get a read on him.

"There is a restricted zone in Yecheng District. I want to go there first. Once you drop me off, you should leave immediately," Gu Zhiheng said. He felt as if he had forgotten something vital, but he couldn't grasp what it was. Between what Liu E had said about the Gu ancestor Gu Mojian and the tales from the elders at the ancestral hall, he sensed something suspicious. Comparing it to his recent experiences, it was clear that everyone was hiding something from him—something at the very heart of the matter.

The restricted zone in Yecheng was notorious for a tragic incident years ago. Following a lack of proper compensation, the perpetrator had been kidnapped and dumped at the scene, only to be found as nothing but a skeleton the next morning. Gu Zhiheng had once tried to research the event, but the information had been heavily suppressed. He suspected the incident was tied to Gu Mojian—perhaps he was even buried beneath that very ground.

"I cannot agree to this. Your state of mind has been unstable lately. I won't allow you to go alone," Liu E said, pulling the car to a stop and looking back at Gu Zhiheng with grave seriousness. The zone had been sealed for a decade; no one knew what it was like now.

"My mind is made up. If you want to continue following me, you will follow my arrangements. Once I arrive, you are to go to Bishui Pool," Gu Zhiheng declared, his tone cold and brooking no argument. He was merely informing them, not asking for permission.

"A-Heng, it’s too dangerous. I don't want you going alone either," Chu Xingran added, her worry evident. The others nodded in agreement, united in their refusal to let Gu Zhiheng risk his life alone. Even if his cultivation level was high, they were determined to find a way to stop him.