Chapter 00053: Where Does Zhong Shengguang Actually Live
# Where Does Zhong Shengguang Actually Live?
Chapter 53
Novel: After the Immortals Disappeared
Chapter 53: Where Does Zhong Shengguang Actually Live?
Damn it, what was he thinking? He Lingchuan rubbed his face.
Perhaps driven by anxiety, a sudden flash of insight struck him.
Perhaps they needed to return to the initial question that Nian and Sun had been stuck on: Where exactly is the Zhong residence?
Why was the illusion containing the Great Square Pot specifically tied to this particular period of history? Panlong City clearly had countless glorious moments.
The only lead they could follow—or rather, the only lead the Balin exploration team could follow—was Zhong Shengguang.
The bones of the Balin people were abandoned in the cellar of the Chen residence, which meant the exploration team’s original intention was the same as theirs: to find clues at the Zhong residence.
But they found nothing there… or did they?
In other words, if they could locate the Zhong residence, they might find the remaining members of the Balin exploration team.
He Lingchuan racked his brain, trying to recall every legend, story, and anecdote he had ever heard about Panlong City, the Great Wind Army, and the Zhong family.
Almost every historical fragment was connected to Zhong Shengguang.
Could there be a clue hidden within?
In this version of Panlong City, the grand gray-brick mansion still belonged to the Chen family, not Zhong Shengguang.
Assuming Zhong Shengguang later purchased the mansion from the Chen family, where would he be living during this period?
At this time, he was still the deputy commander, having been summoned by royal decree from the central region of Xiluo Country to take up his post in Panlong City.
As an outsider, he had no residence in Panlong City and would need to find a place to stay.
Would he be staying at a post station?
He Lingchuan shook his head, dismissing the idea.
Only bachelors stayed at post stations.
He had seen in several plays that Deputy Commander Zhong had just gotten married and took up his post the following month.
Zhong spent the latter half of his life here, and later had children.
He couldn’t have done that alone.
So, he must have brought his family with him.
There was no way he would stay at a post station.
Those places were dirty, noisy, and smelly, with walls as thin as paper.
If a couple so much as clapped their hands at night, the guests next door would hear everything clearly.
Where would Zhong Shengguang have settled his family?
He Lingchuan jumped down from the roof ridge. “Grand Tutor, didn’t we pass by the government office earlier?”
“Yes, why?” Sun Fuping replied. “I already checked the government office before you entered the city.” But there had been no useful clues there.
“The Chen residence—I mean, the future Zhong residence—is some distance from the government office. But during this period, Zhong Shengguang would have had to commute to the government office daily. He might have settled nearby. He had a family.”
Sun Fuping was sharp and caught on immediately. “You’re right! I only searched the government office but didn’t look closely at the surrounding area!”
The two immediately turned around and headed back the way they came.
In any city, the government office would always occupy a prime location, and Panlong City was no exception.
Before long, they came across a cluster of plain gray buildings by the river.
In terms of grandeur and appearance, they were far inferior to the酒楼 (wine house) thirty zhang away.
“This is it.”
Officials didn’t bother to maintain their offices unless they were falling apart, so government offices were rarely lavish.
At best, they were neat and solemn.
But the location was excellent.
He Lingchuan quickly climbed to the top of the nearby tallest酒楼 (wine house) and looked around.
Sun Fuping heard him shout from above, “To the north is a wetland. No one lives there.”
“To the west is the market, with shops.” Shops usually had a front for business and a back for living.
Small business owners weren’t too particular. “I don’t think Zhong Shengguang would live there either.”
The western market wasn’t a great environment.
Zhong Shengguang was newly married and an official.
He would likely want a better place for his wife.
Looking further south, He Lingchuan spotted several rows of houses across the water from the government office.
Each was similar in size, mostly small one- or two-courtyard homes, likely built uniformly.
Though not grand mansions, they were by the water, making them quiet and comfortable.
“To the south!” He pointed. “Those are the official residences!”
Official residences were where government officials lived, usually clustered around the government office.
When He Lingchuan saw the official residences in Blackwater City, he realized they were essentially government compounds or collective dormitories.
But Panlong City’s location was unique.
The government office was surrounded by water, leaving little space, so the official residences were built on the opposite bank.
Officials posted to other regions needed housing.
Different countries had varying regulations.
For example, the Great Falcon Country required officials posted elsewhere to live in official residences and forbade them from purchasing private homes.
However, Qiansong County was so remote, and the Falcon Country was in such turmoil at the time, that no one bothered to enforce the rules.
Countless officials, like He Chunhua, had bought fine homes and land.
As for Zhong Shengguang, it went without saying.
After the Panlong Wilderness became an enclave, he became the highest authority there.
The Xiluo Country didn’t even know the Panlong Wilderness was still part of its territory, and no one dared question Zhong Shengguang’s actions.
But during this peaceful period in the Panlong Wilderness, he wasn’t yet the powerful commander.
He should have been living in the official residences!
Sun Fuping also realized this and his eyes lit up. “Let’s go!”
There were over forty official residences, but the two had a clear target and didn’t take long to find what they were looking for.
Soon, Sun Fuping released a signal arrow from the second-to-last row of official residences, summoning the others to hurry over!
￥￥￥￥￥
When the others arrived, they found Sun Fuping and He Lingchuan standing in the courtyard of one of the official residences.
In the courtyard stood a grave, with a wooden plank serving as a tombstone.
The writing on it was even incomprehensible to Nian Songyu.
Sun Fuping read it aloud for everyone: “Tomb of Loyal Friend Yu Qingyuan. This is Balin script.”
Mao Tao was thrilled. “We found it, we found it! Uh… we found… another Balin person?”
“But he’s not the last Balin person to die, or else who would have buried him?” He Lingchuan pinched some soil. “What’s so special about this guy that he deserved a proper burial?”
This exploration team was ruthless enough to eat their own.
The other team members who were eaten were simply thrown into the cellar, so why did this one deserve a burial?
Keep in mind, this was an illusion.
Nothing here was real.
The courtyard, the soil—none of it was real.
By the end, the Balin exploration team was so desperate they resorted to cannibalism.
They must have been utterly exhausted.
Why would they bother to dig a grave and perform such a futile act?
Nian Songyu, however, was examining the tombstone.
He even wiped it and sniffed it.
“The ink was mixed with blood. They ran out of water.” Without water, they couldn’t dissolve the ink, so they had to use blood.
“Dig it up!” They had to investigate further.
With a word from Sun Fuping, He Lingchuan and Mao Tao started digging.
Fortunately, there were some farming tools in the courtyard, though it was unclear if they had been used by the Balin team.
As the two worked up a sweat, Nian Songyu supervised, while Sun Fuping stared at the sky, lost in thought.
Soon, the grave’s occupant was unearthed.
Mao Tao wiped the mud from his face. “We’ve dug him up. Huh, it’s just bones.”
“It’s been decades. If it weren’t bones, that would be strange.” He Lingchuan used the shovel to clear away more soil, revealing most of the skeleton.
(End of Chapter)