INHA Chapter 103

He hid any information related to Hou Mingjun, fearing that his mother might take it out on Hou Mingjun. Instead, he told her that he had encountered a resentful spirit. Fortunately, two handlers had come to help him deal with it. They noticed that he seemed to have some spiritual energy and invited him to be tested. As a result, he naturally joined the agency.

“How could you join the agency without telling us? It’s so dangerous! In the future, you’ll have to face those… those things called evil ghosts and monsters. What if something happens to you? How are your father and I supposed to live?” Mother Xu’s heart clenched upon hearing this. Like most parents, she would rather her child live a peaceful life than risk their safety to stand out.

Even if it meant being ordinary.

Father Xu, who had remained silent, couldn’t help but speak: “Honey… do you think we should at least listen to Dongyou’s thoughts? He’s grown up now. As parents, we shouldn’t decide his future for him. Isn’t this what you once told me?”

Back when Xu Dongyou wanted to apply to a music academy, Father Xu’s first reaction was to oppose it. But it was Mother Xu’s words that had changed his mind.

“How is this the same? One is about his dreams and the other is about his safety!” Mother Xu’s voice silenced Father Xu, who could only sigh repeatedly.

Xu Dongyou raised his head, his gaze soft but firm, and said, “Mom, I understand your worries. That’s exactly why I wanted to talk to you about this today.”

Mother Xu fell silent, then spoke with difficulty, “You still want to continue being a handler, don’t you?”

As his mother, she knew Xu Dongyou better than anyone.

Despite how easygoing and obedient he seemed, once he made up his mind, it was almost impossible to change it.

Xu Dongyou nodded and seriously said to his parents, “As a handler, I can protect you and I can protect those who need me. The world might become full of dangers in the future and I need to have the ability to protect myself. Besides, the bureau needs me.”

With great difficulty, Mother Xu said, “I understand. It’s like being a soldier—if there were no soldiers protecting us, we wouldn’t have the peace we enjoy today. But why does it have to be you?”

“Aren’t there other handlers?”

Father Xu chimed in, “You need to understand our child’s desire to protect us. It’s the same feeling we have when we want to protect him. Besides, not just anyone can become a handler. It requires spiritual abilities. Our child becoming a handler is something to be proud of.”

“I don’t care. I can’t accept him facing such dangers.” Mother Xu, usually strong and proud, showed vulnerability for the first time and cried deeply.

Xu Dongyou moved closer, hugging his mother and gently patting her back. Once she had calmed down, he softly said, “There’s a lot about the bureau I can’t tell you, but they really need me. If I step down, the world might face an enormous crisis. Everyone could die because of it.”

Mother Xu was stunned.

She couldn’t comprehend what could be so dire that even the handler couldn’t handle it, leaving her child to bear such a burden.

Xu Dongyou added, “It’s really not that dangerous. You’ll understand in the future. I can’t leave the bureau, even aside from this situation. I want to stay and learn more useful things. Mom, I’m begging you.”

Her always obedient child looked at her with such determination, yet mixed with a pleading gaze. It took a long, long time before Mother Xu finally nodded. “Just make sure to protect yourself. Don’t make your father and me worry.”

She couldn’t even bring herself to say the word “die”, as if it were a taboo.

Xu Dongyou, understanding, nodded and acted a bit spoiled to cheer her up, not forgetting to include Father Xu in the moment.

The family soon returned to their usual joyful banter. But before long, Xu Dongyou’s phone rang—it was Xu Yangchen calling.

When Mother Xu saw the caller ID, she immediately told Xu Dongyou to answer, then shouted toward the phone, “It’s so late, why are you calling your brother? If it’s not important, talk tomorrow!”

Xu Yangchen, startled by the outburst, quickly said he understood and hung up the phone in a hurry.

Mother Xu was still upset.

Father Xu didn’t say anything, but he quietly transferred 500 yuan to Xu Yangchen, along with a message: 【Don’t be upset with your mom. She’s having a hard time right now.】

Xu Yangchen, who had been sulking, was momentarily taken aback by the message, and then quickly understood.

Mother Xu had always doted on Xu Dongyou, constantly worrying that he might get hurt. Now that she knew he had joined the bureau and would have to face resentful spirits, ghosts, and even monsters, she must be feeling even more distressed.

However, Xu Yangchen thought his brother was incredibly cool at that moment—controlling a ball of water with a flick of his hand, and the way those towering vines wrapped around the terrifying monster. His agility and speed during the fight shattered Xu Yangchen’s old image of his brother, making him seem tall and powerful.

His brother—a hero!

Thinking about this, Xu Yangchen almost wanted to rush out and scream with excitement, but it was already past 11 p.m. Not wanting to disturb others, he held back his urge, rolling around in bed instead. Then, he pulled out his phone and furiously commented on every post under the videos of his brother.

【My brother is the coolest!】

【That’s my brother!】

【Isn’t he awesome?!! But he’s my brother!】

No one took his comments seriously, though. Everyone was laughing, as there were tons of comments claiming the same thing—people saying it was their brother. Xu Yangchen’s comment was lost in the sea of others, unnoticed.

Fortunately, Xu Yangchen didn’t need others to know that he was Xu Dongyou’s brother. He just wanted to express his excitement.

Even now, his heart was still pounding. All his life, he had played the role of the protective big brother, shielding Xu Dongyou because of his obedient and pretty face, which always seemed like it would attract bullies.

He had gotten used to giving in to his brother in all matters, especially since their mom had the same mindset.

So, when Xu Yangchen realized that his brother actually had all these incredible abilities, he couldn’t help but feel overwhelmed with excitement just thinking about it.

Online discussions about Xu Dongyou being a handler continued non-stop, and several trending topics were all related to him.

More people started to wonder if there were other celebrities who were also handlers besides Xu Dongyou.

Soon, attention turned to Tian Haomiao, who quickly posted on Weibo, clarifying that he wasn’t a handler—he just happened to encounter an evil ghost.

The public was a bit disappointed but grew even more curious and envious of Xu Dongyou’s amazing abilities, wishing they could have such powers too.

Unfortunately, the official statement made it clear that only those with spiritual energy could possess these abilities. The way to determine if someone had powers was quite simple—usually, they exhibited some abilities that set them apart from ordinary people.

Xu Yangchen tried to recall if there was anything unusual about his brother in the past, but nothing stood out that could suggest he had special spiritual powers.

When Xu Dongyou lay down to rest, he sent his brother a message, knowing that Xu Yangchen was definitely still awake. Xu Yangchen immediately expressed his curiosity, asking what kind of abilities his brother had.

Xu Dongyou replied that he could sense danger.

Upon hearing this, Xu Yangchen was filled with envy and then asked, “Bro, do you think there’s a chance I could awaken some spiritual power too?”

Naturally, Xu Dongyou didn’t want to discourage him. He explained that while some people might unlock their spiritual power in life-or-death situations or even unexpectedly one day, this was quite rare. Most people discovered their abilities when they were young, usually during childhood or their teenage years.

Though a bit disappointed, Xu Yangchen still fantasized that maybe one day he would gain some amazing powers.

The next day, Xu Dongyou was greeted by curious neighbors who came by to chat. Some subtly inquired about the salary and benefits of being an agent, while others even asked if he could help get their children into the bureau.

Xu Dongyou patiently responded that it wasn’t possible because it was an official organization, and he couldn’t make such decisions by himself.

The neighbor, still a bit unwilling to give up, said, “Even if it’s just for a cleaning job, that would be fine!”

Ever since people found out that ghosts existed, they hoped to secure a place for their children, thinking that even if they just got a cleaning job at the bureau, they could turn to the handlers for help if anything ever happened.

Feeling more helpless, Xu Dongyou couldn’t say much. Seeing this, Mother Xu put on a stern face and sent the neighbors away. Asking some questions was one thing, but expecting Xu Dongyou to break the rules and pull strings was crossing a line. What if it caused trouble for him?

Some neighbors left angrily, while others came by just out of curiosity, asking how Xu Dongyou had gotten into the bureau. After he gave them a simple explanation, they left politely, satisfied with his answers.

The house was quiet once again.

Finally, Xu Dongyou spoke to his parents, “Mom, Dad, the branch director actually suggested that our family move to the neighborhood provided by the agency.”

“No need for that,” Mother Xu quickly refused. “Your dad and I are comfortable living here. You can move there yourself. After all, this is an old community. Your status is different now, so it makes sense for you to live somewhere more private.”

Besides, she thought, they were still capable of working. How could they live in housing provided by the government for free? It just didn’t feel right.

Xu Dongyou explained, “But, Mom and Dad, I’m definitely being targeted by evil forces now. It’s possible they’ll come after you too. The neighborhood I’m talking about has special security and is much safer. I’d feel more at ease working outside, knowing you’re protected. And as for the money, the agency is offering this housing specifically because I completed an important mission.”

He wanted to emphasize that this housing wasn’t available to just anyone. It was reserved for people who had completed critical missions or were considered special talents. The goal was to protect those individuals and their families, allowing them to focus on their work without worrying about their loved ones.

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