Celestial Human Diagram-Chapter 115 - 103: Old Photograph

Chen Chuan calmly glanced at his Second Self. As expected, the ethereal effect had appeared, and it was even more pronounced than yesterday.

He remembered the warning from the documents: he absolutely must not look at the front of the figure. So his gaze did not shift in that direction, instead remaining fixed on the movie screen.

However, he couldn’t ignore the stimulation of his Mutated Organization. To prevent it from growing uncontrollably, he had to continue guiding it with his Breathing Technique.

Ignoring the unpredictable side effects, the impact this time was actually far greater than the effect of the drug infiltration.

He completely ignored the external disturbances and focused single-mindedly on his task, just as he did during training. He had his Second Self as a line of defense. As long as the Second Self existed, he didn’t have to worry about anything else.

Time slowly passed. At a certain moment, he suddenly noticed that the ethereal signs on his Second Self had vanished completely. He took a breath, waited a moment longer, and slowly turned his head to the side. The seat was empty. There was nothing there.

He regulated his breathing slightly, stood up, and walked out of the theater. Once in the hallway, he had the waiting assistant tell Manager Huang that he would be back tomorrow, then left immediately.

Outside, it was still early morning, and the sky was a dim gray. After he got into the car the cinema sent to take him home, he suddenly felt that something wasn’t right.

He felt his clothes and noticed some threads had come loose. He wasn’t sure if it was his imagination, but under the light, they also seemed to have faded a bit. This gave him pause.

The documents Cheng Zitong had given him made no mention of the figure changing its position, so naturally, they offered no explanation or solution for this situation.

’What could have caused this? Is it because I guided my Mutated Organization?’ 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

’It’s not impossible. The only different thing I did was guide it. I doubt anyone has ever tried that before. But I had to do it. I can’t just let the Mutated Organization grow unchecked; I have to restrain it.’

He thought about it again. ’It takes three days to eliminate this paranormal phenomenon. On only the second day, it moved right next to me. I have to wonder what will happen on the third day. Will it merge with me? Or move somewhere else?’

’If that happens, how should I deal with it?’

He decided he would ask Cheng Zitong about it when he got back. After all, his teacher had studied these matters in great depth.

After returning to the school, he took a short nap. He rose a little after eight in the morning, washed up, and prepared to go out. He had intended to wear the same coat as yesterday, but when he picked it up, he confirmed that it had indeed aged. It was just the coat, though. His inner clothes and his watch seemed unaffected.

After a moment’s thought, he changed his clothes, went to a public telephone, and dialed a number.

Once the call connected, Cheng Zitong’s voice came through. "Xiaochuan, calling me at this time? Have you run into a problem?"

Chen Chuan said, "Teacher, I do have a question. It’s like this." He then briefly recounted what had happened a few hours before.

After listening, Cheng Zitong thought for a moment and said, "This isn’t something we should discuss over the phone. Don’t worry. I’ll come find you at noon. I’ll think of a solution for you."

Chen Chuan agreed and hung up the phone.

He was not particularly affected and continued his daily training. When noon arrived, Cheng Zitong found him and said, "Let’s go. We’ll eat first and talk as we eat."

Chen Chuan knew his teacher was busy and short on time lately, which was why he needed to make use of their mealtime, so he followed Cheng Zitong. The two of them went to a private room in the faculty dining hall. After they sat down and ordered their food, Cheng Zitong asked for a few more details, thought for a moment, and then spoke.

"I’ve never heard of the position changing before. Your situation is rather unique, but it could very well be related to you guiding your Mutated Organization.

"Judging from past records, both in ancient texts from the old era and in modern accounts, we Fighters are the ones who most frequently encounter these paranormal phenomena. It seems there’s a natural attraction between us and them.

"Of course, when ordinary people encounter such things, they either don’t survive, or if they’re lucky enough to live, their stories are never recorded. So we can’t make any definitive judgments based on that. Now, regarding your problem, you think the figure might move again, possibly even to the very spot where you are sitting?"

Chen Chuan said, "I have indeed considered that possibility."

Cheng Zitong said, "There’s one very simple solution: just abandon the commission. A paranormal phenomenon like the ’Cinema Phantom’ is fixed to a specific area. As long as you leave, there’s basically no danger. At worst, some people might fall ill or suffer from poor mental health for a period of time."

"Teacher, if I choose to withdraw, will the phenomenon just remain there?"

"Yes. And it might become even more dangerous."

Chen Chuan looked up. "Then I won’t give up. Teacher, are there any other methods?"

Cheng Zitong smiled. "I knew you wouldn’t. Actually, the simplest method is just to close your eyes. The greatest taboo is seeing the phenomenon’s face. Avoid that, and you’ll avoid most of the danger. However, given the unusual circumstances, that’s not quite safe enough. I have an item that can help you."

He reached for his briefcase and took out a rusty, tarnished Ancient Mirror, its surface almost impossible to see. "This is a Lost Object, left behind after another paranormal phenomenon was dealt with. Take it with you tonight and place it in the row behind you. Remember, it must be the row directly behind you."

Chen Chuan took it. "Teacher, is that all?"

Cheng Zitong said, "That should be enough. I may have never encountered your specific situation, but after studying these phenomena for so many years, I’ve got a few countermeasures up my sleeve. I wouldn’t have let you take this commission otherwise.

"But you need to know, it’s hard to say these things are completely foolproof, and it’s not like there are no other solutions. You should remain vigilant. These phenomena are extremely dangerous to ordinary people—often fatally so. We Fighters are more resilient. The one you’re facing isn’t the most dangerous kind, so I believe you can handle it."

Chen Chuan nodded. "Thank you, Teacher."

Cheng Zitong smiled. "Let’s eat first."

After the meal, Chen Chuan returned to his dormitory and immersed himself in training once more.

At six o’clock that evening, he made his preparations, slung his satchel over his shoulder, and left with his blade.

The cinema’s car arrived on time and drove him to Lanxiang Cinema. He was familiar with the route by now. After a quick word with Manager Huang’s assistant, he went directly into the auditorium.

Once inside, he took off his satchel and hung it outside the door. Then he took out the mirror, walked to the middle of the auditorium, unfolded the wooden stand on the mirror’s back, and placed it squarely upon the seat in the row behind his own.

After doing this, he went to his own seat and sat down to watch the movie.

As expected of the largest cinema in South City, its film library was extensive. Today, they were again showing several movies he hadn’t seen. This time it was a foreign film, giving him a glimpse into other parts of the world.

As the movie played, the time gradually approached midnight.

He hadn’t worn his watch this time, so he couldn’t tell the exact time. He simply waited in silence.

After what felt like a long time, the large screen flickered abruptly. He thought he felt a chill, and at almost the same instant, the ethereal signs on his Second Self manifested once more.

’However, I don’t see the figure. It doesn’t seem to be in the seat next to me, either. If the Ancient Mirror is working, the phenomenon should be sitting behind me right now.’

Chen Chuan watched his Second Self. The ethereal effect had already surpassed the limits of the drug’s efficacy. Even without using the Breathing Method of Qi Breathing, he could feel his Mutated Organization becoming abnormally active. This intense stimulation was causing the Mutated Organization to grow and spread, more forcefully than before.

He was mentally prepared for this. Closing his eyes, he used the Breathing Technique taught by He Xiaoxing to guide the energy, preventing it from expanding without restraint.

During this process, he discovered that the ethereal signs, far from weakening, were actually intensifying. ’This means the phenomenon is getting closer,’ he thought, ’and might even end up merging with me.’ Yet he remained unmoved, completely immersed in guiding his energy.

This continued for a very long time. Then, at the precise moment it turned four in the morning, everything abnormal—the ethereal signs, the chilling cold—vanished abruptly. Whether by coincidence or due to a malfunction, the movie on the big screen also stopped dead.

Chen Chuan waited a moment before slowly opening his eyes. He stood, reached over to the adjacent seat, and fumbled for the flashlight he’d left there. He switched it on, waved the beam around, then walked to the row behind him and retrieved the Ancient Mirror.

But just as he was about to leave, he sensed something. He shone the flashlight beam around again, reached out to feel around, and pulled a dusty old photograph from the gap between the seat back and cushion.

He shone the flashlight on it. The photo was about two inches wide and appeared to be of a woman. It was old and yellowed, making her face hard to see clearly. He could only vaguely make out her slender figure, a thin braid of hair falling to her ankles, and what looked like an old-fashioned opera costume.

He thought for a moment, put the item away, and walked out of the auditorium. After a word with Manager Huang’s assistant, the man hurried away. A few moments later, Manager Huang came running over, panting. He wiped sweat from his brow with a handkerchief and asked hopefully, "Mr. Chen?"

Chen Chuan told him, "Manager Huang, the matter is resolved."

Manager Huang was overjoyed. He rushed forward, grabbed Chen Chuan’s hand, and shook it vigorously. "Thank you, Mr. Chen! Thank you so much! You’ve been a tremendous help."

Chen Chuan said, "You’re too kind, Manager Huang. I came here to deal with this matter, after all."

"Still, I must thank you. We tried to hire so many others, but they either refused to come or were completely helpless. It really had to be you, Mr. Chen! You’re truly an expert. You came in and solved this massive problem right away."

Manager Huang’s face was filled with gratitude. "From now on, Mr. Chen, you are a VIP at our Lanxiang Cinema. Whenever you visit, we will be sure to offer you our finest hospitality."

Chen Chuan thought for a moment, then took out the old photograph and showed it to him. "Manager Huang, I have a question. Do you recognize the person in this picture?"

Manager Huang leaned in to look, then shook his head. However, he seemed to remember something. "Mr. Chen, please wait. Someone else might recognize her. May I borrow the photograph?"

"Of course."

Chen Chuan handed him the photograph.

Manager Huang told his assistant to look after Chen Chuan while he ran off with the photo. After about ten minutes, he came running back, panting heavily. Once he caught his breath, he said, "Mr. Chen, I found out. The person in the photo is wearing an old opera costume from the theater’s early days. She must have been an actress from a past troupe."

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