Chapter Nineteen: One Wave Subsides, Another Rises

We entered the room and saw a gas canister sitting there. Liu Shan rushed over, shut off the valve, and shouted, "Go open the doors and windows!" I scurried to obey, feeling like a servant. Once I finished and returned to the living room, I saw Liu Shan standing over the table, holding a pair of scissors. Resting on the table was a timed bomb, shaped remarkably like a soccer ball. Had it not been for the timer attached to it, I never would have recognized it for what it was.

Liu Shan looked at me and asked, "What the hell do we do with this?"

I stared at the device and replied, "How should I know? I’ve never dismantled a bomb before. Here, just try cutting the red wire."

I handed him the scissors. As soon as Liu Shan snipped the red wire, the timer instantly hit zero.

"Look at the mess you’ve made!" Liu Shan cried. "What are you staring at? Run!"

We bolted outside, but strangely, the bomb didn't explode. Instead, it let out a "whooshing" sound, like a hair dryer in operation. Just as I was wondering what was happening, An Mingshan came running over from the car, calling out, "There’s... a huge pack... of dogs... coming this way!"

Liu Shan said, "It’s fine, I have an electronic dog repellent in my car. I’ll go get it."

"Is your car Doraemon’s pocket?" I asked. "How do you have everything in there?" I then went back inside with An Mingshan to examine the bomb.

Half an hour later, the barking had ceased, and Liu Shan returned. His pants were torn to shreds, and he was limping.

An Mingshan looked at him with concern. "Are... are you okay?"

"At least someone cares about me," Liu Shan muttered, "unlike some people."

"What happened outside?" I asked.

"Just a few large wolfhounds," he said. "They saw me and ran off. It was nothing."

"Even the wolfhounds are afraid of you?" An Mingshan exclaimed. "That’s amazing!"

I interjected, "I dismantled the bomb. Inside was a mini blower attached to a dog whistle. I pulled it out, and the dogs naturally left."

An Mingshan said, "Oh..."

"Where’s the stuff?" Liu Shan asked.

"I confiscated the whistle, the rest is right there," I said, pointing to the pile of parts on the coffee table that no longer resembled a bomb.

Liu Shan stared at the pile and gasped, "You!..."

"What? What about me?" I retorted.

Liu Shan snapped, "That was vital evidence! And you just..."

An Mingshan interrupted, "Stop arguing! Is this really necessary?"

"Fine, fine, we'll stop," I said. "But I’m keeping the whistle. It might come in handy."

Liu Shan sneered, "You think I don't know you once confiscated a compass, too?"

"How did you know about that?" I asked instinctively.

"I guessed," he replied. "Never mind that. What do we do now?"

"We've been at this for over an hour," I said. "You planning to spend the night here? Pack up, let's go!"

An Mingshan switched back to her naive mode. "What about me?"

"You? You stay here and keep the place tidy," I ordered.

"Fine," she said reluctantly. "And you?"

"Me? I’m heading out..."

"To the Supernatural Bureau?" she asked.

"No."

"To my place?" Liu Shan asked.

"Who wants to go to your place? Just pack your bags and get out!"

An Mingshan stared at me, eyes wide. "Are you seeing someone else? Going to meet a lover?"

I tapped her on the head. "What are you thinking? That’s impossible. And even if I were, what could you do about it? Remember, we are roommates at most, teacher and student, or colleagues. Nothing else! Stop letting your imagination run wild!"

"You!... Then where are you going?"

"To report this. Fatty is coming with me."

"Why do I have to go?" Liu Shan complained.

"You were involved in this too, so you have to come!"

After that, Liu Shan and I drove to the nearest police station. The officers there looked at the gear we brought and nearly arrested us as suspects. Fortunately, Liu Shan had his credentials. We left after giving our statements—I headed back to the shop, and Liu Shan went home.

The first thing I did back at the shop was copy the evidence onto my computer, a task that kept me busy all night. Little did I know, An Mingshan’s jealous remark would soon become reality.

The next morning, An Mingshan made breakfast and complained, "This is so unlucky! A perfectly good trip ruined. It’s already the fourth day of the New Year; don't you even want to go home?"

"If you want to go, go yourself," I said. "Don't use me as a shield."

"Fine, we won't go! Why are you being so mean?"

"Am I being mean?"

"Very," she said. "By the way, Deputy Director Liu wants us to stop by the Supernatural Bureau. He says he has something important to tell you."

"Eat quickly, you..." I started, then coughed.

"I told you to talk while you eat, look, you’re choking," she said, pouring me water and patting my back. Suddenly, she gave me a hard slap, and I spat out the water I had just taken.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"You weren't reacting, so... don't be angry, I was just playing a little joke."