Transcending Boundaries: Journey to the Infinite

Untitled Part 17

On Set

Yang Chu paused, putting down the chess piece in his hand, and turned his head slightly to glance in the direction of the voice.

Only then did he notice that, at some point, two people had come up behind him.

One was a tall, dark-skinned man with thick eyebrows and large eyes, exuding a sense of righteousness mixed with a bit of roguishness. He was staring intently at the chessboard, clearly intrigued.

Standing behind this tall, dark-skinned man was a young man with a straight posture.

Noticing Yang Chu's gaze on him, the young man flashed a slightly awkward smile and nudged the tall man with his elbow, whispering, "Chen Sir, a true gentleman remains silent while watching a game."

"Quiet!"

The tall, dark-skinned man ignored the young man's nudge, his eyes fixed on the board with a thoughtful expression. He pointed at the pieces and explained, "If I don't move the knight, he'll take my rook. But if I do, I can set a fork here. If he tries to capture it, the next move is a check."

Yang Chu glanced at the tall, dark-skinned man, then at Xu Xi, who was sitting opposite him, stifling a laugh. "A friend of yours?"

"Yes," Xu Xi chuckled softly and nodded.

"Why don't you take over the game, then?"

Seeing that this tall, dark-skinned man was a friend of Xu Xi's and more focused on the chessboard than he was, Yang Chu simply stood up and offered his seat.

"Perfect, I've got a great move in mind."

The tall, dark-skinned man eagerly took the seat without any hesitation, grabbed a piece, and made a move. "Knight to jump! Let's see how you handle this."

"Be careful," Xu Xi warned with a smile, quickly making his move in response.

As the two of them got absorbed back into the game, the young man with the upright posture seemed a bit concerned about Yang Chu's reaction. He turned to him and said, "Chen Sir is like that—when he gets into something, he becomes... hmm..."

The young man paused, apparently struggling to find the right word.

"Direct?"

Yang Chu offered with a smile.

Although the two had not explicitly introduced themselves, from their demeanor and the young man's use of "Chen Sir," Yang Chu had already guessed their identities.

Police officers.

In Hong Kong, the terms "sir" and "madam" have evolved to almost exclusively refer to police officers.

"Exactly."

The young man nodded heavily, finding Yang Chu's word choice quite fitting.

"Checkmate! It's over!"

Meanwhile, it seemed the situation on the board had shifted. Xu Xi placed a piece down, straightened up, and looked at the tall, dark-skinned man with a sly smile.

"Oh, that doesn't count! I was at a disadvantage from the start. If I had played from the beginning, I wouldn't have ended up like this. Let's go again!"

The tall, dark-skinned man scratched his head, looking frustrated but also a bit unwilling to concede.

Seeing his refusal to accept the loss, Xu Xi and the young man standing nearby couldn't help but laugh.

Yang Chu, standing to the side, smiled faintly as well.

"Is this a new friend of yours?"

While setting up the pieces for a new game, the tall, dark-skinned man glanced sideways at Yang Chu, his gaze carrying a hint of scrutiny. Then he turned to Xu Xi and asked.

Xu Xi looked up at Yang Chu, smiled, and nodded. "Yes."

"Chen Guibin, CID, West Kowloon. Everyone calls me Stone. This is Ho Ka-on, An Jai. And you are?"

The tall, dark-skinned man introduced himself as he finished setting up the board, then extended his right hand to Yang Chu.

"Yang Chu. Just here to read some books."

Yang Chu shook his hand and then turned to the young man with the straight posture. "Pleasure to meet you."

"Just call me An Jai," the young man replied casually, giving Yang Chu a light handshake.

"Xu Xi, it seems like all your friends come here to read."

Starting a new game, Chen Guibin moved a piece and spoke to Xu Xi.

"Reading is good. You can find answers to many questions," Xu Xi replied, moving his piece while maintaining his shy smile.

"Yeah, last time, the psychologist at the precinct said I had signs of schizophrenia and told me to get some rest. I've been reading here for months, trying to figure out if it's me or the psychologist who's got the problem."

Chen Guibin quipped casually, then turned to the others. "Look at me—do I look like I have schizophrenia? I don't know what kind of psychologists they're hiring at the precinct."

"Chu Jai—"

While they were chatting and playing, a voice called out from outside the library.

"Sorry, I've got to go."

Yang Chu saw that it was Yutou Xu coming in. He nodded at Xu Xi, then at Chen Guibin and Ho Ka-on, and walked out of the library.

Chen Guibin, who was focused on the game, glanced at Yang Chu's back as he left, then turned to Xu Xi and raised an eyebrow. "That new friend of yours seems a bit odd."

"What's wrong? Do you think everyone looks like a suspect?" Xu Xi joked.

Ho Ka-on, standing to the side, immediately looked tense at this, his eyes quickly following Yang Chu's departing figure.

"Relax, An Jai. Not every person you meet is a criminal."

Chen Guibin gave Ho Ka-on a sideways glance, a strange expression on his dark face. "I just feel like he's a bit... off."

"Oh, you noticed? I think you really need to get checked out," Xu Xi laughed, tapping his temple with his finger. "Schizophrenia, you know—"

"Get lost! See this? I'm about to take your cannon!"

Outside the Library

As Yang Chu stepped out, Yutou Xu waved eagerly. "Chu Jai, come with me. You've got a job this afternoon."

"So soon?"

Yang Chu walked over to Yutou Xu, surprised at his efficiency.

"Of course! I spoke to the boss at the set, and he asked me to bring you over this afternoon."

Yutou Xu looked quite pleased with himself as he grabbed Yang Chu and hurried him along. "Let's go! Big shots are on set today—we've got a lot to do."

They left the library and got into Yutou Xu's beat-up Toyota, speeding off for about ten minutes until they reached a hill on Axe Mountain Road.

The hillside in front was a sloping area filled with various buildings, while the opposite side was the slightly run-down Diamond Hill. Just across Axe Mountain Road was another road leading to Clear Water Bay.

Getting out of the car, Yang Chu followed Yutou Xu up the slope.

The place was bustling with people—some in various costumes, others carrying all kinds of equipment, moving busily along the steps and paths.

The two of them finally arrived at a makeshift film set. Before they could catch their breath, a man carrying a portable light rushed by and shouted, "Yutou Xu, where have you been? The boss is up there, hurrying us. Get moving!"

"I'm here, aren't I? The boss is always in such a rush," Yutou Xu muttered under his breath. Seeing the hectic scene around them, he quickly pulled Yang Chu into the set.