Forgotten Photo Studio

Chapter 134 Fast Track
At this moment, the affection she exuded, built up over many years, seemed incredibly real and warm.

She abruptly changed the subject, her cloudy yet shrewd eyes fixed on Xu Yan. Lowering her voice, she spoke with a mysterious air, as if she were thinking of him for something good: "Speaking of which, a few families have come to me saying their homes are troubled, as if they've been possessed by something unclean. I'm thinking that this job needs to be done by your 'Forgotten Photo Studio.' Tomorrow, I'll have them go directly to the studio to find you."

In the past, Xu Yan would have thought that Granny Xue was being kind and always remembered to support the photo studio's business, and she might have felt a little grateful.

But at this moment, Xu Yan, who carried the memories of reincarnation, felt a sudden chill in his heart.

What a coincidence.

Each time he uses the camera to seal away a ghost, his memory is damaged.

Grandma Xue, the seemingly ordinary incense and candle shop owner, seems to have a stable "customer base," constantly bringing neighbors who need "cleaning" to her shop... Is she really taking care of her business?
This is practically like... precise feeding.

Is the constant use of the camera, which accelerates his memory loss, intended to allow the "Abyss" that occupies his body to complete a certain process sooner and more smoothly?
For example, completely devour his returning consciousness and complete the possession?

He couldn't determine Granny Xue's true purpose, nor could he be sure if she was aware of it, or if she herself was part of a larger scheme.

But a chill crept silently up his spine.

Grandma Xue's concern for Chen Zhiwei seemed genuine, which contradicted the suspicion in his mind that she might be constantly introducing him to business and accelerating his memory loss.

Can a person simultaneously harbor genuine feelings for some people while subtly exploiting or scheming against others?
This complexity makes Granny Xue's image instantly vague and elusive.

Is she just an ordinary, kind-hearted old woman who cherishes old memories, or a cunning schemer hiding in the streets with unknown motives? Or perhaps both?
Xu Yan's smile remained unchanged, and she even continued, "Grandma, you have always taken such good care of us. If Master is watching from heaven, he will remember your kindness."

Grandma Xue chuckled twice, waved her hand, and then lowered her head again, focusing intently on the newly added paper money in the bucket. The flickering firelight once again shrouded her expression in an uncertain light.

"Go back quickly, the night breeze is chilly, don't catch a cold." She lowered her head, her voice returning to its usual tone.

Xu Yan said no more, took Chen Zhiwei, who was still somewhat moved, and turned to leave.

After walking more than ten meters, Chen Zhiwei muttered to herself, "Grandma Xue is such a kind person, she always introduces business to us."

Xu Yan didn't answer, but simply tightened his grip on her hand slightly.

Night falls over the city, temporarily burying many secrets and suspicions.

What is hidden behind Granny Xue's seemingly kind smile?
For Xu Yan, this has become yet another shadow that requires careful exploration and vigilance, following his search for his father, his preparation for the assessment, and the unraveling of his own mystery.

The following afternoon, Xu Yan and Chen Zhiwei once again stepped into the silent, gray building of the City Service Rapid Response Center. The cool lighting and constant temperature inside instantly shut out the noise and heat from the outside world.

The impeccably made-up receptionist seemed to have received instructions beforehand, and greeted them with a standard smile: "Mr. Xu, Ms. Chen, Supervisor Lin is waiting for you in the observation room on the 4th floor. Please follow me."

This time, they were taken directly to the 4th floor.

The guide stopped in front of a heavy, soundproof door and gestured for them to proceed.

Inside the door is a spacious panoramic observation room, with a huge curved glass wall overlooking several different testing areas below.

Lin Lan stood in front of the glass wall, her back to them, gazing down. Today, she wore a perfectly tailored dark blue fitted suit, which accentuated her sharp features. The moment she turned to look at them behind her gold-rimmed glasses, her gaze held her usual scrutiny and a hint of barely perceptible anticipation, as if she were observing an interesting experiment.

“Very punctual.” Lin Lan spoke, her voice steady, revealing neither joy nor anger. “It seems the two of you have made your final choice.” Her gaze lingered for a moment on Xu Yan’s calm and expressionless face, then swept over Chen Zhiwei, who looked slightly nervous but with a determined look in her eyes.

“Risks and opportunities coexist. We choose to seize the opportunity.” Xu Yan met her gaze, his tone calm and composed, showing no sign of tension or urgency, as if he were just there to discuss an ordinary business matter.

Lin Lan nodded slightly, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on her lips: "Very good. I like young people with guts, especially... like Mr. Xu, who always brings 'surprises'." She emphasized the word "surprise," clearly referring to the assessment report of the previous "harmless treatment."

She walked to the control panel, operating it as she spoke: “The rapid assessment channel is different from regular tasks. It directly maps the subconscious, taps into potential, and amplifies fear. Inside, you face not only external ‘anomalies,’ but also projections of your inner self. Historically, there have been numerous cases of mental breakdown.” She paused here, then turned to look directly at Xu Yan, “It’s not too late to quit now. Once you enter, there’s no turning back.”

Chen Zhiwei subconsciously clenched her fist and looked at Xu Yan.

Xu Yan's expression remained unchanged; he simply asked in return, "Is Supervisor Lin worried about our safety, or about the center losing two potential 'high-quality contractors'?"

Lin Lan's eyes flickered behind her glasses, then she chuckled softly, a hint of approval in her voice: "Mr. Xu is indeed astute. He is both the former and the latter. The center cherishes every valuable talent, and... also needs sufficient data to refine our model." She made no attempt to conceal her utilitarian motives.

“We understand.” Xu Yan nodded. “We can begin.”

Lin Lan said no more, made a "please" gesture, and led them to a silver elevator inside the observation room that required both fingerprint and iris verification.

"One last reminder," Lin Lan's voice came through the crack in the elevator doors as they slowly closed, "During the assessment, trust your intuition, but even more importantly... go beyond it."

As the elevator descended, a slight feeling of weightlessness came over me, and it finally came to a smooth stop on a floor marked [Assessment Zone - Λ].

The elevator doors opened, revealing a pure white circular corridor. The walls were so smooth they reflected human images. There were no signs, only a low-frequency, almost imperceptible hum that continued, as if the entire space itself were a living thing.

(End of this chapter)