The cry wasn’t mine but Deng Chao’s. When I opened my eyes, I saw my left hand still intact but Deng Chao's right hand was severed. The incision was extremely neat and the floor was covered in fresh blood.

"What have you done?" I glared at Song Xingchen.

He didn’t answer, but he quickly pulled out a small porcelain jar from his pocket, gnawed off the sealed red cloth with his teeth, and poured the powder inside onto Deng Chao's wound.

Was this the legendary Bone Erosion Drug?!

Apparently, back in ancient times, the Song family had two branches–the literary Songs and the martial Songs. Soon after each child was born, he would undergo a test to judge whether he belonged to the literary or martial branch.

When the literary children grew up, they either became magistrates or ministers of the Judicial Court, while the martial branch became constables or personal guards of the Song family. The skills the two branches learned differed from childhood. For example, I could perform the Triple Divination and the Reenactment Techniques, but Song Xingchen didn't learn these at all. On the other hand, he could concoct drugs and medicine that I had never even heard of.

The Bone Erosion Drug was used by constables when dealing with violent criminals. The drug entered the body through the bloodstream, causing both chills and fever, stimulating the pain nerve fibres throughout the entire body. It purportedly simulated the pain of breaking bones, tearing muscles and rotting organs all at once–a hundred times more painful than death by a thousand cuts.

A few seconds after Deng Chao’s wound was stained with the drug powder, he suddenly rolled on the ground screaming with pain. He tore at his hair desperately, almost pulling his scalp altogether, gouging out pieces of bloody flesh and scratching deep wounds on his face.

"Kill me! Kill me!" he frantically screamed.

It was so gruesome even I couldn’t bear to watch him. Song Xingchen took out a small bottle and demanded, "Tell me how to reset the bomb and I'll give you the antidote!"

Deng Chao pulled out his cell phone and threw it on the ground. "Dial the last number, say the code word 'prayer.’ Now give me the antidote!"

"Where are the children?" I asked.

Deng Chao rolled over, howling, "Give me the antidote first! I can't stand it! I can't stand it anymore!"

"Where are the children?" I repeated.

"Basement 44, Daxing Road!" he growled.

I winked at Song Xingchen, "Give it to him!"

"There’s no antidote for the Bone Erosion Drug,” Song Xingchen sneered, placing the bottle back in his pocket. “Apart from pain, it has no negative effects on the body."

Deng Chao's eyes rolled back into his head as he fell unconscious. "Look, he’s fainted from the pain,” added Song Xingchen. “The effects of the drug will dissipate in one hour."

I was so impressed with Song Xingchen's methods that I did as he said, picking up Deng Chao’s cell phone from the ground. After a while, several paramedics came with hemostatic bandages and asked where the patient was. I pointed to the man on the floor, "Give him some strong painkillers!"

"I'll treat you to dinner today,” I smiled, patting Song Xingchen on the shoulder.

"You're welcome. Just a cup of bubble tea, please. The most expensive one."

When the team arrived, Lao Yao screamed at the sight of the blood on the floor. "Xiao Song-Song, are you alright?"

"You scared me half to death!” Xiaotao rebuked. “I thought something happened to you!"

"By the way, we’ve obtained the whereabouts of the children,” I said. “Send a team to rescue them now!”

"How did you pry that from his lips?" Xiaotao asked in surprise.

I glanced at Song Xingchen, "Song Xingchen may have used a method that’s not entirely legal. Are you going to arrest him?”

"No,” laughed Xiaotao. “But I’ll take you both to the best restaurant later and torture you with sumptious meal of meat and fish!"

The matter was finally concluded. I was so exhausted I felt weak all over, yearning for a hot bath and a soft bed. Xiaotao kindly handed me a bottle of water which I thristily gulped down on the spot.

We left the lecture building together. "This incident is too serious and involves too many parties to be hidden from the public,” Xiaotao explained. “But it doesn't matter. Don't think about anything else today. Just relax."

I looked at the familiar campus and said, "I can’t believe something like this happened on my last day. Perhaps I really am a disaster magnet."

Right then, I heard someone call for me. I turned around and saw the school leaders crowding next to the lecture building. “Song Yang, I’d like to have a word with you," beckoned the dean.

When I saw what he was holding, I immediately deduced the situation. I walked over and asked, "What can I do for you?"

The dean handed me my certificate which read: "After completing a four-year course at our university, Song Yang has fully satisfied all the requirements for graduation." And below was the dean’s signature.

After receiving this hard-earned certificate, I was very excited and eager to share the news with Grandpa who was in the afterlife. Here I was, about to enter society!

Although the ceremony was ruined, I bowed to the dean, "Thank you very much!”

"Song Yang, thank you for your courageous protection of our campus,” he said, patting my hand. “Your alma mater owes you a big favor. In fact, I personally feel that an outstanding graduate like you..."

His gaze turned malevolent and his voice cold. "...Should die."

I felt a chill in my chest as a sharp object pierced my flesh. As I was holding my certificate in both hands, I didn't notice the dean’s movements.

I instinctively stepped backwards and looked down, only to see a dagger embedded in the left side of my chest. The sound of blood vessels bursting and blood gushing into my thoracic cavity thundered in my ears. The people around me were thrown into a panic. Xiaotao and the others shouted at me, but their voices seemed to grow more and more distant.

The dean threw his head back in vicious laughter and slowly stripped off his face, revealing a familiar one–he turned out to be the plastic surgeon, Kong Hui!

"If the organization wants you dead, then you must die!” he snarled. “Deng Chao has failed, so I will complete the mission!"

My legs were weak as rotten wood as I collapsed to the ground, my consciousness sinking into darkness.

I wasn’t sure how long I slept but I felt as if I was wandering around in the darkness. The thought that I was dead had even crossed my mind. But suddenly, a light appeared in the darkness, stinging my eyes. A strange face appeared in a blur, looking at me wide-eyed.

The man suddenly turned and ran away, shouting, "Doctor, doctor! The patient is awake!"

Before I could comprehend what was happening, a crowd of people rushed in and gathered around me. A man stood up and waved his finger in front of me. "Can you see my finger?"

I couldn’t move any part of my body besides my eyes so I blinked a few times.

"His vital signs are normal,” stated the man. “Continue with the treatment and closely monitor his heartbeat. Xiao Zhang, you should inform his family."

With that, the crowd walked out of the room, leaving me all alone in the empty ward, though not for long. A familiar voice sounded from outside the ward. Xiaotao, Dali, Lao Yao and Bingxin were all anxiously waiting outside, hounding the doctor about my condition. The doctor reported that everything was normal but I still needed rest.

Xiaotao started to cry, her uncontrollable sobs causing me great worry. Only then did I understand the current situation–I had come back from the gates of death.

But there was one thing that confounded me. What was the human face I saw on the ceiling?!