Chapter 55: The Relationship Between the Two

Lin Tian felt a jolt in his heart. He did not understand why the man would say such things, but he could sense the profound meaning hidden behind his words.

"Who on earth are you?" Lin Tian could not help but ask.

The man smiled slightly without answering. Instead, he said, "Come with me. I have something to tell you."

Lin Tian nodded. Although he was filled with curiosity about the man's identity, he felt an instinctive trust toward him. He followed the man out of the residential complex and into a secluded street.

The man stopped, turned to look at Lin Tian, and his gaze carried a trace of solemnity.

"Lin Tian, do you have any idea how much danger you are in right now?" The man's voice carried a hint of warning.

Lin Tian frowned slightly and said, "I know Xiao Chusheng won't let me off, but I won't submit."

The man shook his head and said, "The danger you are facing is not just Xiao Chusheng; there is something much deeper at play."

A flicker of confusion crossed Lin Tian's mind. He had no idea what the "deeper thing" the man referred to could be.

"Have you ever heard of the 'Dark Night Organization'?" the man asked abruptly.

Lin Tian shook his head. He had never heard that name before.

The man sighed softly and said, "The 'Dark Night Organization' is a mysterious underground force that controls the dark side of the city. Xiao Chusheng is nothing more than a pawn in their hands."

Lin Tian's heart trembled. He had never imagined that he would become entangled in such affairs.

"What... what should I do?" A trace of bewilderment tinged Lin Tian's voice.

The man smiled faintly and said, "Your only choice is to join us and fight against them."

Shock washed over Lin Tian. He had no clue who the "us" the man spoke of actually referred to.

"Who are you? Who are all of you?" Lin Tian could not help asking.

The man smiled slightly. "Who I am is not important. What matters is that we share the same goal—to eradicate the 'Dark Night Organization' and protect the peace of this city."

Lin Tian's heart was a whirlpool of conflict. He did not know whether he should trust this man, nor did he know if he possessed the capability to contend with the mysterious "Dark Night Organization."

"You have time to consider, but time is running out." A note of firmness ran through the man's voice.

Lin Tian nodded. Even though he was filled with doubts regarding the man's identity and motives, he knew deep down that he had no way out anymore.

The man looked at Lin Tian, smiled faintly, and then turned and vanished into the night.

Lin Tian stood rooted to the spot, his heart filled with bewilderment and unease.

He did not know where he should go from here, but he knew he had already been dragged into an inescapable storm.

Lin Tian returned home, lay down on his bed, and replayed everything that had happened today in his mind.

The appearance of that mysterious man felt as though it had unlocked a door leading to an unknown world.

He had no idea who the man was, nor what the "Dark Night Organization" he spoke of truly was, but he could tangibly feel that intangible threat hanging over him.

"Dark Night Organization..." Lin Tian muttered to himself, his mind heavy with doubt and anxiety.

He sat up, picked up his iPhone 13, and began searching for information regarding the "Dark Night Organization."

However, the search results left him deeply disappointed.

There were no reports or mentions of this organization anywhere, as if it had never existed at all.

"Could this organization really be this mysterious?" Lin Tian thought to himself.

He switched off his phone, lay back down on the bed, and closed his eyes, trying to calm his racing mind.

Yet, images of the mysterious man and the vicious gaze of the man in black kept flashing before his eyes.

"What should I do?" Lin Tian felt utterly lost.

At that very moment, his phone suddenly rang.

Picking up the phone and seeing the number displayed on the screen, Lin Tian felt his heart leap.

It was a call from the police.

"Hello," Lin Tian answered the call, his voice betraying a hint of tension.

"Lin Tian, I am Officer Li from the police station. Where are you right now?" Officer Li's voice came through the other end of the line.

"I'm at home. What's wrong?" Lin Tian's voice carried a trace of apprehension and doubt.

"We have already investigated the incident at the hospital tonight. Those people have confessed to attacking you, but they claim they were forced into it by circumstances beyond their control." Officer Li's voice sounded solemn.

Lin Tian felt a jolt in his chest. He knew he could not let the scheme of the man in black succeed.

"Officer Li, I know they deliberately framed me. There is a mysterious organization supporting him from behind the scenes," Lin Tian said, determination lacing his voice.

Officer Li fell silent for a moment before replying, "Lin Tian, I know you are brave, but you must also mind your safety. We will do our best to investigate this matter. Get some rest for now, and we will notify you the moment we have any new information."

Lin Tian nodded. "I understand. Thank you, Officer Li."

After hanging up, a wave of gratitude washed over Lin Tian.

He knew that Officer Li was an upright person and would undoubtedly do everything in his power to help him.

At the same time, Lin Tian realized he could not completely rely on external forces; he had to figure out a way to handle this crisis himself.

Lin Tian got up, walked over to the window, and gazed out into the night. Resolve filled his heart, and he knew he had no retreat left.

Since this matter had crossed his path, he had no choice but to face the crisis head-on.

"I will not surrender," Lin Tian whispered softly, a resolute light flashing in his eyes.

Right at that moment, his phone rang once again.

He picked it up and saw the incoming call displayed on the screen. His heart skipped a beat—it was the number of that mysterious man.

"Hello," Lin Tian answered, tension tightening his voice.

"Lin Tian, it's me. Where are you right now?" the man's voice came from the other end.

"I'm at home. What is it?" Lin Tian asked, his voice tinged with suspicion.

"You are in grave danger. They have sent people to capture you again. You must be extremely careful!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Tian felt as though he had been struck by lightning, and his phone nearly slipped from his hand.

He gave a stiff, mechanical reply before slumping powerlessly against the wall.

"What on earth should I do..."

Suddenly, his gaze drifted toward the Xiao family genealogy record he had carefully stored away. He reached into the cabinet and held it tightly in his hands.

"Could this whole series of events be connected? And why would the Dark Night Organization want my life?"

Before he could ponder further, Lin Tian jumped to his feet and barred every exit in the room that led outside, securing them firmly with nails until he finally felt a semblance of safety.

Little did he know, threats do not always come from the outside; they can also breed from within...

Lin Tian had originally intended to stay awake, but after keeping watch for over an hour, exhaustion overtook him, and he drifted hazily into a dream.

This time, Lin Tian's dream descended with abnormal speed, as if his consciousness had been forcibly dragged into another world by an invisible force.

Pitch darkness enveloped his vision, save for the eerie whispers echoing in his ears—sounding like countless people murmuring secretly in the dark, yet unintelligible.

That sound filled him with extreme unease, as though a pair of invisible eyes were spying on him from the shadows.

He tried to open his eyes, only to find his body completely paralyzed, bound as if by some invisible shackle.

He could only feel the chilling air around him and a suffocating sense of oppression.

He struggled desperately, trying to break free from the bondage, but the harder he struggled, the heavier the oppression grew, as if the darkness itself were exerting pressure upon him.

Just then, a faint beam of light flickered before his eyes. It was a half-open door, with a sliver of weak radiance seeping from behind it.

A spark of hope ignited in Lin Tian's heart. He concentrated his consciousness on that door, mustering all his strength to approach it.

Finally, just as he was about to give up, his body suddenly moved, slowly shuffling toward the door.

With great difficulty, he reached out and touched the cold wooden panel. The door swung open slowly at his touch, revealing a narrow passage.

Lin Tian stepped inside without hesitation. At the end of the passage lay a dim room permeated with a decayed odor, as if no one had set foot there for ages.

In the center of the room stood an ancient table cluttered with bizarre objects: antique books, shattered mirrors, and strange symbols Lin Tian had never laid eyes on before.

Sat opposite the table was a figure with its back turned to Lin Tian. Its features were obscured, but Lin Tian could feel a chilling aura radiating from it.

"Who are you?" Lin Tian's voice echoed in the room, trembling slightly.

The figure slowly turned around, revealing a pale, bloodless face.

Its eyes were deep and cold, as though they could pierce straight through Lin Tian's soul.

A shock ran through Lin Tian as he recognized the person—it was precisely the mysterious man who had warned him in reality.

"You've finally come." The man's voice was low and hoarse, sounding like an echo rising from the depths of hell.

"Where is this? Why did you bring me to a place like this?" Lin Tian tried to maintain his composure, though a tremor remained in his voice.

The man smiled faintly, a flash of complex emotion crossing his eyes. "This is the deepest recess of your mind, and also the birthplace of the 'Dark Night Organization'."

Lin Tian's heart pounded. He did not understand what the man meant, but he could sense the bizarre and dangerous nature of this place. He looked around and noticed strange symbols carved all over the walls of the room. These symbols seemed to glow faintly, emitting an unsettling aura.

"What is the 'Dark Night Organization'? Why are they hunting me down?" Lin Tian stared intently at the man, seeking answers in his eyes.

The man stood up and walked slowly toward Lin Tian, a trace of pity in his gaze. "The 'Dark Night Organization' is an ancient and evil entity. They control the dark side of the city, utilizing people's fears and desires to achieve their ends. And you, Lin Tian, have become their prey because of what you possess."

"What do I possess?" Lin Tian felt bewildered, having no idea what he carried that could possibly draw such intense attention from the "Dark Night Organization."

Could it be the Heavenly Eye?

Before he could dwell on it, the man reached out and gently touched Lin Tian's forehead. A surge of icy power poured instantly into his mind.

A sharp pain shot through Lin Tian. Blurred visions flashed before his eyes: ancient rituals, dark altars, countless figures struggling in the abyss... These scenes made his hair stand on end, as if his very soul had been dragged into the vortex.

"The thing you possess is the power they crave," the man's voice reverberated in his ears. "The Xiao family genealogy record is not merely an ordinary family tree; it conceals an ancient secret, a power formidable enough to overthrow the entire 'Dark Night Organization'."

Lin Tian's heart trembled violently as understanding finally dawned upon him.

So, the root of all these events lay within the Xiao family genealogy record.

He recalled his study of the genealogy record in reality—could those strange symbols and texts truly conceal some mysterious power?

"Then what should I do?" Despair crept into Lin Tian's voice. "I am just an ordinary person. How could I ever be a match for them?"

The man smiled faintly, a gleam of determination flashing in his eyes. "You are not fighting alone. We—those of us who stand against the 'Dark Night Organization'—will help you. But you must believe in yourself and in the power you hold."

Lin Tian's mind was torn with conflict and anxiety. He doubted whether he truly possessed the capability to fight against that evil organization.

Yet, he knew he had no retreat left.

If he refused to step forward, not only would he plunge himself into danger, but countless others might also fall victim and be swallowed up by the "Dark Night Organization."

"I will do my best," Lin Tian said in a low voice, a resolute gleam flashing in his eyes.

The man nodded, his figure beginning to blur. "Remember, you are not alone. We will always be by your side."

As the man's voice faded away, Lin Tian's consciousness began to blur.

He felt himself being pulled by an invisible force, as though being dragged away from this bizarre realm.

Pitch darkness enveloped his vision, and the only sound left in his ears was the distant echo of those eerie whispers, drifting further and further away...

Lin Tian opened his eyes abruptly and found himself still lying on his own bed. The room was pitch black, with only the moonlight streaming through the curtains onto the floor.

His body was soaked in sweat, and his heart hammered wildly against his ribs, as though he had just survived a genuine battle.

He sat up and forced himself to calm down. The bizarre dream and the words of the mysterious man still echoed hauntingly in his mind.

He could not tell whether all of this was real or merely a product of his imagination, but he could tangibly feel that the intangible threat still lingered.

"Dark Night Organization... Xiao family genealogy record..." Lin Tian muttered to himself, his heart heavy with doubt and unease.

He got up, walked to the window, pulled back the curtains, and stared out into the night.

The moonlight, like clear water, washed over his face, bringing a trace of coolness. He took a deep breath, trying to steady his nerves.

"I cannot simply sit here and await my doom," Lin Tian said softly, a resolute glow shining in his eyes.

He walked back to the bed, picked up his phone, and dialed Officer Li's number.

The other end was answered almost immediately, and Officer Li's voice came through: "Lin Tian, what's wrong?"