# 1503
Chapter 1504: Return to Shangjing
Creak—!
Under the sunlight, Lin Qiye pushed open the door of the temporary residence in Shangjing City, carrying An Qingyu on his back.
It had been a while since anyone stayed here. Drifting dust motes swirled in the breeze stirred up by the door. Lin Qiye waved them away and stepped inside, with Cao Yuan carrying the black coffin behind him.
"We haven't been gone that long. Why does it feel like we haven't been back in years?"
Cao Yuan placed Jiang Er's coffin down, walked around the room, and said with a helpless smile.
"Maybe it's because we've been through too much during this time." Lin Qiye gently set An Qingyu on the bed, then carried several blankets outside to the courtyard to air them out one by one.
Ever since the establishment of Nightfall, they had been running all over the world, barely stopping. The only places they'd stayed for extended periods were three: the warehouse where they trained with Zhou Ping, the Island that carried the nation's fortune, and this temporary residence in Shangjing City.
It had been over three years since their training in that warehouse. It was probably gone by now, and even if it still existed, it wouldn't be suitable for living or recovering. The Island was certainly still there, but also unsuitable for residence. So Lin Qiye ultimately chose this Shangjing residence as the location for recovery.
Lin Qiye and Cao Yuan cleaned the entire residence from top to bottom. Jiang Er wanted to help but had no physical body, so she could only offer silent spiritual support from the sidelines, as well as monitor An Qingyu's condition.
Unfortunately, even after arriving here, An Qingyu remained unconscious with no signs of waking.
Knock knock knock—!
They had just finished cleaning when a knocking sound came at the door.
Lin Qiye opened the gate to find a familiar figure in a military coat standing outside.
"Chen Han?" Lin Qiye said in surprise. "We just arrived. How did you know? Your information network is that efficient?"
Chen Han smiled. "This is Shangjing. Any slightest disturbance can't escape my eyes."
After Shao Pingge left, Chen Han took over his position and became the new King of Shangjing City. Judging by how quickly he learned of Lin Qiye's arrival in Shangjing, this new King had thoroughly taken control of the city.
"Why only you few?" Chen Han's gaze swept across the area, puzzled. "What about Shen Qingzhu? What about Baili Pangpang?"
Chen Han clearly remembered that during the New Year's gathering of the Shangjing City squad, the Nightfall squad had far more members than this.
Lin Qiye and Cao Yuan's bodies stiffened slightly. After a moment, Lin Qiye replied:
"Zhuai-ge is in the Mist. Pangpang... he went to Heavenly Court."
Chen Han nodded thoughtfully. "In any case, you don't have many people. Come have dinner with us tonight?"
Lin Qiye and the others exchanged glances, their peripheral vision falling on the bed where An Qingyu lay.
"Sure."
They were on vacation here anyway with no other plans. Perhaps An Qingyu might wake up thanks to the gathering.
Lin Qiye and the others rested briefly before heading straight to the 006 Squad's station with An Qingyu. An Qingyu probably never imagined that even while unconscious, she would be dragged along to forced social activities.
The Shangjing Squad's station wasn't far from their residence. They soon arrived at the familiar gate of the courtyard house. Compared to before, the entrance was piled high with fallen leaves, as if no one had swept them in a long time.
"The original team members all went to the front lines, so we're short-handed now... Dealing with 'Mysteries' is already giving us headaches. These things really don't have anyone to handle." Chen Han stepped over the leaf-covered steps, smiling helplessly.
He pushed open the courtyard's gate, but his body suddenly froze in place.
"What's wrong?" Noticing Chen Han's expression change, Lin Qiye looked curiously through the gate. His eyes narrowed.
In the center of the courtyard, five heavy coffins were arranged in a row. Amid the swirling fallen leaves, a young figure knelt before the coffins, weeping continuously.
"This is..." Lin Qiye seemed to realize something, his expression growing complicated.
Chen Han walked silently into the courtyard. Gazing at the five heavy coffins, he asked slowly, "Xu Liao, what are these?"
This young Night Watch kneeling before the coffins, Lin Qiye and the others had met before. He was originally a member of the 006 Squad, probably from the previous or the one before that batch of recruits. Because his realm wasn't high enough, he hadn't followed the seniors to the front-line battlefield.
"Captain Chen... after you left, the logistics department delivered these..." Xu Liao wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes, his gaze bloodshot. "Brother Zhengting and the others... they all died in battle."
Chen Han's gaze tightened slightly.
He hadn't been in Shangjing City for long. After joining the 006 Squad, Zhang Zhengting and the others were deployed to the front lines soon after, so he didn't know them that deeply... Even so, seeing those familiar faces reduced to coffins arranged before him still caused his heart to ache.
At that time, seven people from their 006 Squad had gone to the front lines, and five of them had died in battle.
Then... how terrifying must the casualties across the entire Night Watch be?
Chen Han turned to look at Lin Qiye and the others, his expression grave. Lin Qiye and his group had already learned of this at the front lines, so they could only sigh helplessly.
"What about Zhenzhen and Fang Mo?"
"They took a different plane and came back a bit later than me, but they should be here soon." Xu Liao replied.
No sooner had he spoken than the sound of conversation came from the end of the alleyway.
Lin Qiye turned to look. On the carpet of fallen leaves, Fang Mo and Li Zhenzhen, each carrying black cases, were walking toward them.
"Didn't we just help Brother Chen Han clean this place when we left...? Why are there so many leaves again?" Li Zhenzhen murmured.
"We've all gone to support the front lines, leaving Captain Chen alone to hold down Shangjing. When would he have time to sweep?"
"So many leaves. How long would it take to clean all of this..."
"But the battle at the front has ended. The other seniors should be coming back soon, right?"
"Right!" Li Zhenzhen's eyes lit up. "When Brother Zhengting and the others get back, we'll make them sweep! We've already swept a dozen times. It's their turn to... Hm?"
Li Zhenzhen stopped mid-sentence as she saw Lin Qiye and the others standing at the courtyard gate. She froze.
"Lord Qiye?" Fang Mo said in delighted surprise. "Why are you all here?"
Fang Mo hadn't expected that not even 24 hours had passed since they last met, yet they were reuniting in Shangjing City again.
"Where's Brother Zhengting? Did they come back too?!"
Li Zhenzhen rushed up the steps, her heart full of anticipation. She hadn't noticed that something seemed off about the atmosphere. As she burst into the courtyard and saw the five coffins arranged in a row, her entire body froze in place.