Strange New World

By Lin Musen

When the problem of kidnapping one of their friends has not been resolved, an additional problem arises, namely the mysterious disappearance of their leader. Yihshyong, who suddenly has to replace Shannchyuan to lead his friends, often can not hide his panic when he has to make a quick decision at a crucial moment.
Meanwhile, Chioujen has to rack his brains in such a way as to guess the actual intentions of the kidnappers who always change their plans. How quickly the kidnappers catch wind of all the changes, making him feel he has enough reason to suspect that the main perpetrators of the events are someone around them.

This is the fourth book of The Six Dragons series.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lin Musen
• Release date: Dec 29, 2022
• ISBN: 9781005295981

Lin Musen

Not much can be said about the author. Besides being an introvert, the author also doesn’t leave the house too often other than to work. Lin Musen lives in a small town that isn’t very crowded. Lately, apart from writing, he usually fills his days by reading books and watching [e-mail]

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Strange New World

Copyright © 2022 Lin Musen

All Rights Reserved

Book 04 of The Six Dragons Series

No part of this book may be reproduced or used in any manner without the

prior written permission of the copyright owner, except for the use of brief

quotations in a book review.

POV : Third Person Limited Shifting (Multiple Characters)

Names and places are written using Gwoyeu Romatzyh instead of Hanyu Pinyin

Disclaimer

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, and

incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a

fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual

events is purely coincidental.

License Notes

This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not

be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book

with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person you

share it with. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. No part of

this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or

by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or

mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the publisher,

except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical reviews and certain

other non-commercial uses permitted by copyright law

ISBN 978-1-005-29598-1 (ePub Version)

Published by Utopia Wryness

Smashword Edition

Table of Contents

Prologue

Chapter 01 : Dongfang Jenqyih

Chapter 02 : Dongfang Jenqyih

Chapter 03 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 04 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 05 : Nangong Iren

Chapter 06 : Nangong Iren

Chapter 07 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 08 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 09 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 10 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 11 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 12 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 13 : Nangong Iren

Chapter 14 : Nangong Iren

Chapter 15 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 16 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 17 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 18 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 19 : Shimen Yihshyong

Chapter 20 : Duanmuh Shannchyuan

Epilogue

Prologue

A chubby young man looked at his friend with eyes that looked so annoyed. His eyes widened so wide. He pointed at a wet package. Water was still dripping from the package onto the floor.

Do not ask me. One of his friends, who was standing not far from him, immediately shook his head with such a strong movement. He was a young man wearing a dark green shirt. He wears glasses with very thick lenses.

Then, who should I ask? The young man who was annoyed earlier said that sentence in a curt tone.

Ask him. The young man in the dark green shirt immediately pointed at another person, who was also there.

Eh? I know nothing about this either. The person he pointed at immediately showed a displeased face. He was a young man of nearly thirty years of age. He was wearing a very odd-shaped hat. A strange hat like that only added to his oddity. He wore a bright yellow shirt.

Of course you do. The young man with thick glasses let out a voice with a tone that was no less curt. You've been going out to sea with those people since yesterday.

I just went on the boat with them. But I didn't go fishing. When they were busy working, I was also busy with my own business. Most of the time, I was just in the cabin. I had no idea what was going on out there.

But the fact is that you went out to sea with them. So, out of the three of us, you are the one who knows the most about this.

I told you I don't know anything. The young man wearing the hat persisted. There's nothing I can explain to you!

What are you all fussing about? Another young man suddenly entered the room. He was very neatly dressed. Much tidier than the three people who had been in the room.

I was just wondering why this thing had to be put here. The chubby young man, once again, pointed his finger at the wet package that was sitting there.

Ah! The young man who had just arrived tilted his head. He studied it. Things like this shouldn't be here. Wouldn't this just make this place dirty?

It means you agree with me. The plump young man's face still did not change.

So why was this thing put here? The well-dressed young man looked at the three people who were there.

That's exactly what I've been asking. The chubby young man snorted loudly. But he doesn't want to explain at all. He pointed at the young man wearing the hat.

This thing is from that ship, right? The well-dressed young man looked straight at the young man with the strange hat.

The young man in the hat nodded. But I know nothing about this.

Because since yesterday you were the one with those people, it is your obligation to tell us. I know you know little about their activities. But at least, there are things you must have observed before.

Okay. The young man took off his hat. He put the hat on the table to his right.

The other three people waited for the young man to continue his words.

They didn't manage to catch many fish. I don't know why, but it seems the fish that should be there have migrated elsewhere.

Then? The young man in the dark green shirt looked impatient.

They only caught a few fish. They said it was only a tenth of what they usually get.

Then, this package? The chubby young man's eyes were still piercingly sharp.

They got some other stuff. Somehow, some stuff got caught in their net. This parcel is one of those things.

Then why did they put this thing here? The neatly dressed young man inched closer to one chair that was there.

I don't know. The young man in the yellow shirt shrugged. They took all that stuff with them except this package. I don't know why they put it here. Maybe they thought I was also asking for a ration of the stuff they got.

What's in this package? The young man with thick glasses crouched down to take a closer look at the package.

How about we just open it up? The well-dressed young man spoke while sitting on a chair that looked so comfortable to sit on.

The bespectacled young man then opened the package. His friend, a chubby young man, came to help. There were layers of plastic covering it. When they finally opened the last layer, they found a box that was completely dry.

How do we open this box? The bespectacled youth frowned. This is a locked box. And I don't see any keys in here.

Witnessing that, two other people, namely the young man in the yellow shirt and the young man who was neatly dressed, came over. The four of them sat on the floor, surrounding the object.

Perhaps this is the key. A voice sounded.

The four people looked up. They saw a young girl coming into the room. She held up a key.

Where did you get the key? The young man in the dark green shirt looked at him with a sharp gaze.

Those people gave it to me. The girl walked closer. They said the key was tied to the package. It was accidentally taken with them.

All right! Let's try it. The young man in the green shirt held out his hand.

And it was. The key is indeed the key to the box. With great care, they opened the box made of very hard wood.

Eh? It contains books! exclaimed the bespectacled youth.

What are these books? The young man in yellow reached out to take one book.

Let's just read it first. The young man in green also took one book.

After that, the other three people also did the same thing. The number of books in the box exactly matched their number. An instant later, each of them had started to turn to the first page.

Eh! It seems these books are books that are one unit. We have to read it from the beginning. Who has the first volume? The chubby young man looked left and right.

That's enough. The young man in yellow shook his palms. You just read the book that is now in your hand. Later we exchange books.

How could that be? The chubby young man looked so annoyed.

Would you like to exchange books with me? The girl, who arrived last, held out her hand.

Is that book you're holding volume one?

The girl shook her head.

Ah! All right! The fat young man finally relented.

Chapter 01 : Dongfang Jenqyih

Dongfang Jenqyih and his friends were sitting in a restaurant in a mall not far from their house. They all couldn't understand the behavior that their dahge had just shown. Shannchyuan, the eldest among them, suddenly did something strange and childish. He just left them. Their leader suddenly ran after a girl Jenqyih had never seen before. What was worse than that was that Shannchyuan said nothing at all before leaving.

Iren's confession that he had seen the girl before made everyone there listen carefully. Such a thing was not something they could simply pass up. They were not people who liked to gossip, but there were things they really needed to talk about more deeply.

Iren told the things he witnessed at dusk four days ago and in the morning three days ago. Jenqyih, who had previously heard Iren's story, just smiled. Tsaehorng and Chioujen listened to what Iren had to say with very serious faces.

Who do you think that girl is? Jenqyih looked straight at Chioujen after Iren finished telling the things he had witnessed a few days earlier.

Why did Yihge ask me? Chioujen looked back at Jenqyih with a surprised look.

You've known Dahge since you were very young. You are close to Dahge's cousin's family. So, I think you know more about Dahge than we do, Jenqyih said.

I was a child when I first met Beaushu, so, of course, I paid little attention to his private life. I had absolutely no idea who Beaushu's girlfriends were. Chioujen sighed as he said those words. Perhaps he regretted why he had paid no attention to the private lives of his surrounding people.

I don't think we can blame Chioujen. Iren opened his mouth again. Decades ago, Chioujen would not have been familiar with this kind of thing. Children and adults have different priorities.

Even if Uncle Jongharng had known Uncle Duanmuh's female friends decades ago, I don't think it would be of much help. The woman we saw earlier was very young. There is no way she is an old friend of Uncle Duanmuh. Instantly, Tsaehorng continued Iren's words.

Regarding that, Iren apparently hadn't finished commenting yet. There's no way she's an old friend of Dahge's. But she could be related to an old friend of Dahge's. She could be the daughter or niece of an old friend of Dahge's.

Jenqyih, Chioujen, and Tsaehorng nodded quickly. Iren's words made sense.

Since we left our hometown, Jenqyih said. I've never seen Dahge show such special concern for a woman. How about you guys?"

Iren shook his head. So far, there's been no sign of anyone important to Dahge. He then looked at Chioujen.

Chioujen laughed. I haven't lived in this city for the past six months. It's clear what I know about Dahge's association is not as much as you know."

Did Dahge never say anything about it? Iren asked.

All this time, whenever I called home, you, or at least one of you was always at home. Did you ever hear Beaushu tell me about his girlfriend over the phone?

Jenqyih and Iren simultaneously shook their heads. The atmosphere was silent for a moment.

Has Uncle Duanmuh never called Uncle Jongharng in the past six months? Tsaehorng joined in on the conversation. He could have called Uncle Jongharng not from home, so the other uncles didn't hear what you were talking about.

Chioujen nodded. Beaushu did call me four or five times. But the duration was so short. We only talked about important things. No talk about personal issues related to women.

But didn't Dahge come to your place about three months ago? Jenqyih said. At that time, he accompanied his boss, who owns the bookstore, to live with his relatives there.

We did talk about a lot of things at that moment. But Beaushu didn't mention the women he'd known all his life. Chioujen uttered those words at a slow tempo. That way of speaking, to Jenqyih's ears, sounded like someone who wasn't sure what he was saying.

This is completely Dahge's personal business, said Iren. But do you think it's wrong to be a little curious about this? After all, we live in the same house.

Telling about things like that to friends is normal, said Jenqyih. But we can't force other people to say that. If Dahge wants to talk, of course we'll listen. But if he doesn't, we can't pressure him to say things he doesn't want to say.

I know that, said Iren. But it's impossible to expect that Dahge will come clean with us. He's one of those people who only says what he needs. Maybe only a cataclysmic event would make him consider sharing what he feels with us.

Never mind, said Chioujen. It's not good for us to gossip like this. Let's just wait for Beaushu's explanation. And whatever he has to say later, we should just accept it. Don't let anyone pressure Beaushu to say more than he wants.

Jenqyih and Iren nodded. Meanwhile Tsaehorng was silent. Perhaps the young man felt out of place if he commented on the matter.

But, said Jenqyih. Wouldn't it be better if one of us, right now, get out of here to chase Dahge? He looked at his friends one by one.

What for? Iren raised his eyebrows. After this, Dahge will definitely be back here again. He knows well that he must be home before twelve o'clock.

Soon, the food we ordered will be ready. So, we better just wait here. Chioujen added to Iren's words.

Jenqyih said nothing else. He knew that what his friends were saying made sense. But there was