Chapter 121: Mutual Radiance

"Mo Shu, what is wrong? You are scaring me." Beauty Lin's voice trembled slightly. Only moments ago, Mo Shu had been perfectly fine, but now he acted as if he were possessed.

The violet radiance emanating from him was particularly unsettling—flickering and fading in and out, like an evil spirit taking hold of his body.

"Beauty Lin, what is wrong with this boy?" Heavenly King Zhang, also noticing Mo Shu’s unusual state, stepped forward to express his concern.

"..." Whether she was too frightened or simply stunned, Beauty Lin offered no response to the Heavenly King’s inquiry.

Heavenly King Zhang shook his head, sighing internally at how these young people were so sheltered and inexperienced. This was the Nanshan City Museum, a modern landmark that saw thousands of visitors daily. The exhibits were merely ancient relics unearthed from deep underground; how could they possibly terrify someone to the point of losing their wits? In the broad daylight, under the vast sky, surely there was no such thing as a supernatural event.

He decided he would set an example for these youngsters, proving that the world was not filled with such bizarre phenomena. However, the moment he approached Mo Shu, his expression suddenly stiffened, and he was struck by a profound sense of shock.

Inside the glass display case before Mo Shu lay a pale gold ring with an ancient design yet a remarkably pristine luster. At its crown was a deep purple gemstone the size of a bean, crystal clear and striking. Furthermore, the ring in the display case bore a striking resemblance to the one on Mo Shu’s finger. Both were emitting a faint violet glow, and the two rings seemed to share some mysterious connection or resonance. They pulsed in sync, brightening and dimming in turn, as if the rings possessed life or were breathing, alternating their ethereal light.

Heavenly King Zhang stood frozen for a few seconds. Suddenly, as if recalling a long-buried memory, he hurriedly beckoned his assistant to come over.

"Give me my phone, quickly!" the Heavenly King urged, his tone frantic, as if terrified of losing a crucial piece of information.

"I cannot be wrong. There is no way I deleted that photo." He muttered to himself, scrolling relentlessly through his photo gallery.

Seeing the Heavenly King acting so strangely, Beauty Lin and the staff gathered around to watch.

"Found it! This is it!" Just as he reached the top of his gallery, Heavenly King Zhang tapped the screen firmly, enlarging a photograph.

It was a group photo of two men standing side-by-side, their arms draped over each other’s shoulders, both wearing brilliant smiles. An observant staff member immediately recognized one of them as a young Heavenly King Zhang; his flowing, retro hairstyle and black leather motorcycle jacket clearly marked the era in which the photo was taken. As for the other man, the staff searched their memories in vain. Even Beauty Lin, an industry insider, could not identify which star that might have been in his youth.

"Heavenly King, your hairstyle back then was quite dashing," a staff member joked.

"Who is this man? And what does this photo have to do with the glowing ring?" another asked, bewildered.

Heavenly King Zhang chuckled and used his fingers to zoom in on the image. As the group stared intensely, the observant staff member gasped, "Look! The ring on this man’s finger looks exactly like the one in the display case!"

"Really? Let me see."

"Good heavens, it is identical!"

"How could the ring in the display case be on the finger of the Heavenly King’s friend? Isn't that an ancient artifact unearthed from a tomb? Isn't it creepy to wear something like that?"

"Perhaps he was just wearing a replica."

"Yes, that must be it. The gentleman in the photo must have liked the design and had a jeweler craft a copy."

The staff discussed the matter fervently, each offering their own theories. Only Heavenly King Zhang remained silent, rubbing his chin and staring contemplatively at the photo.

Just then, the violet radiance of the two rings pulsed sharply, drawing another round of gasps from the crowd. Everyone expected something extraordinary to happen, but the glow gradually dimmed. Within seconds, the light vanished entirely, and the rings returned to their ordinary state.

Mo Shu, who had been standing stiffly, suddenly jolted as if waking from a dream. He gasped for air, his eyes filled with astonishment and confusion.

"Mo Shu, what happened? You scared us to death just now," Beauty Lin asked with concern, noticing the beads of sweat on his forehead.

"I... I don't know. It felt like I was in a dream," Mo Shu replied, feeling as though he had been detached from reality for a long time.

"Did you see the person next to me in your dream?" Heavenly King Zhang asked, holding out his phone to show the photo.

Mo Shu stared at the screen for a long moment before saying weakly, "I am sorry, Heavenly King, but I don't think I have ever met this senior."

"Oh? Is that so? That is strange." Disappointment washed over the Heavenly King's face.

"By the way, who is this senior? It looks like you were quite close," Beauty Lin asked, her curiosity finally getting the better of her.

"This man... he was a dear brother of mine, known to everyone as the 'Car God' Ah Jie," the Heavenly King said, his voice heavy with nostalgia. "It is a pity he left us all so early to join the heavens. Sigh..."

"Oh, forgive my loose tongue for bringing up such a painful memory," Beauty Lin said, looking remorseful.

"It is fine, it is fine. It happened many years ago; I have come to terms with it." The Heavenly King smiled faintly, yet he could not resist asking Mo Shu one more time, "Young man, are you sure you do not know him? Do you know that the ring in that display case once belonged to him?"

At the mention of the ring, Mo Shu’s expression stiffened. He shook his head and avoided giving a direct answer.

Heavenly King Zhang sighed and turned to walk away, the day's events stirring up memories of his old friend, the Car God. While Mo Shu had managed to bypass the Heavenly King’s suspicion, he could not escape Beauty Lin’s sharp eyes.

Once the Heavenly King was out of earshot, Beauty Lin whispered, "Why did you lie to him? I feel like you know exactly who that man is."

"N... no, I don't," Mo Shu stammered, trying to cover up his slip.

"Hmph, fine, don't tell me then. I will find out sooner or later." Beauty Lin shot him a haughty look. Seeing that he wouldn't budge, she added, "Let's go. We need to continue our task; we are still filming the variety show."

Mo Shu nodded and hurried to lead the way. Behind Beauty Lin’s back, he wiped the sweat from his brow, relieved that he had managed to keep his mouth shut.

Throughout the time the two rings were glowing, Mo Shu had remained conscious. He had heard and seen everything the Heavenly King and Beauty Lin had said and done; his body had simply been frozen, unable to move. As for the cause of that paralysis, Mo Shu suspected it was the System girl, who had taken control of his body during those moments.

The glowing ring in the display case must have used that opportunity to transmit something to the System. However, due to the haste, she had not yet had the chance to explain it to him.