Hidden Dead Ends

Chapter 4

The series of news seemed to come along with the world map link that Li Chengyi had opened.

As these chaotic pieces of news and information popped up, a large amount of macroscopic information about the world as a whole surged into his mind.

Ah... He put down his phone and gently covered his forehead. There was a burst of throbbing pain coming from the inside of his forehead.@@@@

A massive deluge of information and memories poured out like a tide and fused into his mind.

With the influx of information, he finally had a comprehensive understanding of the situation of his predecessor.

This was a special era where two poles were competing for supremacy and were on the verge of war.

The two great countries, Yi Country and White Star, were the two poles in the struggle for hegemony.

Earthmoon was the influence area of the massive empire known as Yi Country. On the whole Earthmoon, no country could contend against Yi Country.

And the place he was currently living was Suiyang City in Yi Country.

Yi Country was similar to China. The similarities were in culture, philosophy, and life, but there were also many differences in details.

As for White Star, his predecessor didn’t know much about it. After all, it was an empire on another planet.

He only knew that White Star’s technology was more advanced than Earthmoon’s, and it now had the advantage in the power struggle between the two poles.

His predecessor had merely been an ordinary member of the millions of university students in Yi Country.

If he hadn’t come here, if nothing unexpected happened, if his predecessor couldn’t eventually find a job, he would have had to lower his standards and take jobs with lower income and social status.

Then he would have gradually improved himself, found opportunities, increased his income, gotten married, had children, raised and educated them, worried about his children’s future, etc.

This would last until he lived out his ordinary and mediocre life.

And now, although he had the memories of his previous life, many things were simply not applicable in this new world. Li Chengyi was at a loss about what the future would bring, whether he could return, and what plans he had for the future.

He was still in a strange state, as though he had been forcefully thrust into a harmonious environment.

Apart from these things, in Li Chengyi’s impression...

He kept feeling that there were many strange aspects about this world.

He couldn’t pinpoint what they were, but it was a strange feeling that came from comparing this place to his previous life.

After sitting for a while and checking all kinds of information, he looked at the time. It was almost time to go to the school.

His appointment with Professor Chen Shan was half an hour later, which was just the right time for taking a bus ride now.

Ding-dong.

Suddenly, there was a text message.

Li Chengyi was about to put away his phone when he heard the sound and looked at the screen.

Text messages would automatically appear on the lit screen.

[My friend has a small garden with insect pests. Don’t you major in this? Come to this address to help take a look.] —Lin Sang.

Li Chengyi thought for a moment and quickly replied. [What kind of insect pests? Take a photo.]

[You’ll know when you get here. Just treat it as helping me. It’s those people you met this morning. It’s good for you to build a good relationship with them. Trust me!] —Lin Sang.

[How much is the pay?] Li Chengyi asked.

[Are you really going to charge to help a friend? Do you have to be so petty? Come quickly. You have to arrive before two in the afternoon. Otherwise, don’t blame me for falling out with you later.] Lin Sang’s tone sounded like she had a bit of a temper.

In the past, whenever the three of them had an argument, when she got angry, the other two would give in and start thinking of ways to coax her.

This move was very effective every time she used it.

Li Chengyi looked at the address she sent. It was about 32 kilometers away. He would definitely be late if he took public transportation at this distance, so he would have to take a taxi. The cost of taking a taxi, in addition to the required medicine and pest detection cards needed, was several hundred dollars.

This was under the premise that the insect pests would be easy to treat. If it were troublesome, the cost of the medicine alone would be at least a thousand.

Although he wanted to live according to the habits of his predecessor and slowly transition into his own habits...

“Remember, don’t waste your talent...” Chen Shan sighed, patted Li Chengyi’s shoulder, and stuffed the letter into his hand.

Compared to the glorious development of his other students, Li Chengyi’s situation was much more difficult.

“Thank you.” Li Chengyi stepped back and bowed solemnly. “I’ll remember.”

“Go.” Chen Shan waved his hand, looking a little lonely.

He lowered his head and picked up a pack of cigarettes from the corner of the desk. He took one out and bit it. He wanted to find a lighter, but after touching it for a while, he put it down.

He took out the cigarette and stopped talking. He waved at Li Chengyi again and then turned his back to look at the pink flower branches outside the window.

Li Chengyi bowed again, turned around, and left with the letter.

After walking out of the office, he turned the corner and was about to go downstairs when he almost bumped into a red-haired girl in a short yellow leather jacket and tight gray pants.

“Hey, you are...?” The girl paused, seeming to recognize Li Chengyi.

“Hey, Sister Chen Pi. Long time no see.” Li Chengyi recognized her. The girl in front of him was Professor Chen Shan’s biological daughter, Chen Pi. She had been studying abroad and had only returned recently.

Back then, his predecessor had been quite familiar with Chen Pi, and he had often joked that when he opened a company and became successful in the future, he would get Chen Pi to be his secretary.

From the looks of it now...

“Chen Pi, hurry up. Over here.” Just as Chen Pi was about to reply, someone called her from the office.

“See you at the alumni meeting tonight.” She smiled and walked away quickly.

Before Li Chengyi could reply, he saw her walking away quickly.

The alumni association was for people who had achieved some measure of success. He was a graduate who didn’t even have a job...

He turned around and glanced at the three people walking together. The two senior brothers, who looked like successful people, were chatting intimately with Chen Pi.

In this circle, his predecessor should have been one of them, but...

Without another word, he turned around and walked downstairs.

There were two cars parked downstairs, one black and the other white. It was quite crowded.

Li Chengyi looked around and chose to pass through the gap between the cars.

He quickly lowered his head and walked forward. Just as he was about to pass through the gap, he suddenly stopped in front of the rearview mirrors of the two cars.

What is this? He stared intently at the rearview mirror in front of him.

In the mirror, there seemed to be a black pattern on the back of his right hand that looked like vines or tree roots.

The pattern extended from the back of his hand to his wrist, as though something were parasitizing the back of his hand and had grown roots.

Swish!

Li Chengyi raised his right hand and lowered his head to take a closer look. The back of his hand was fair and clean. There was nothing.

There were no patterns, not even a scar.

He moved his gaze back to the mirror.

The car’s rearview mirror reflected back a black pattern the size of an egg on his right hand.

But in reality, when he waved his hand, there was nothing on the back of his hand.

Li Chengyi was confused. Just now, he had been thinking about his future work and plans.

At this moment, the scene in front of him instantly pulled him out of reality and made him think of the strange experience from last night.

He recalled the dream that was as real as reality.

And now, this happened...

What is this? He carefully touched the black pattern in front of the rearview mirror, but he couldn’t feel anything. He could only see that the shape of the pattern seemed to be very similar to the flower bush he had last seen before he transmigrated.

That pitch-black, strange, and mysterious flower bush!