《Super Thrilling Live Broadcast》 CH 1 In Jiangcheng, on Tingtang Road, there stood an adult toy store called ¡°Peak of Happiness¡±. And inside this store, a pale and nervous high school girl stood awkwardly. ¡°Full service costs 9,900 yuan, and as a preliminary investigation, you must pay a deposit of 1,000 yuan first.¡± I held a cigarette in my mouth and scrutinized the girl in front of me. Her small face looked immature against the school uniform, and she was thin and flat-chested. Under my gaze, the girl became uncomfortable and said, ¡°One thousand¡­I only have 70 yuan on me. Can I pay you the rest when I have more money?¡± ¡°70 is fine. Leave the money on the table, and you can go. I¡¯ll get back to you in three days.¡± ¡°You¡­ You¡¯re not a scammer, are you?¡± The girl was hesitant, and the seventy dollars in her palm was already drenched in her sweat. ¡°Under the trust of others, we do honest work with efficiency, integrity, and confidentiality as our guiding principles. Your previous statement is questioning my professional ethics.¡± I snatched the money from the girl¡¯s hand and waved her off. At this point, I believe many people would misunderstand me and think that I¡¯m a scoundrel who bullies minors and lures young girls. But that¡¯s not the case. Everything I¡¯m doing is to help this young girl. My name is Gao Jian, and I¡¯m the owner of this adult toy store. Of course, the term ¡°owner¡± was just a disguise. My real identity is a private detective. We handle missing persons and corpse searches, corporate espionage, anti-counterfeiting and litigation support, extramarital affairs investigations, and various non-litigation cases. Our firm accepts all types of cases. Returning to the main topic, the girl who came seeking help earlier was called Xia Qingzhi, a high school student boarding the best high school in this city. The reason she appeared here was also because of an incredible matter. ¡°My brother Xia Chi disappeared a week ago, and I suspect he has been murdered.¡± As soon as she entered, the girl looked anxious and frightened. ¡°You should report this as a criminal case to the police.¡± I glanced at her, thinking that a high school student wouldn¡¯t have much money, and I immediately lost interest. ¡°I tried everything, but calling the police was useless. No one remembers my brother¡¯s existence, not even in the household registration investigation. He disappeared like he never existed. All traces of him have been wiped out.¡± ¡°So, you mean to say that the memories of your brother only exist in your mind?¡± The girl didn¡¯t seem to be lying, and that was the scariest part. ¡°Yes, everyone has forgotten about my brother, except for me¡­¡± After lighting a cigarette, I took a deep drag of the smoke. If what the girl said is true, then there are only two possibilities: either there were supernatural paranormal events at work, or the girl had a severe case of schizophrenia and had a twisted personality of her own ¡°brother¡± hidden within her. ¡°Did your brother show any unusual or strange behavior before he went missing?¡± At this point, only following the other person¡¯s words could lead to additional clues, and I was in no hurry. ¡°One week ago, my brother was invited to an interview for a live streaming platform and never came back.¡± The girl took out a very ordinary card from her pocket, which was crumpled and looked similar to the small advertisements for drain repairs and fake medicine on the roadside railing. ¡°Do you aspire to become a highly acclaimed celebrity? Do you want to have millions of fans idolizing you?¡± ¡°Become a contracted anchor for the Underworld show and open your own live streaming room.¡± ¡°As long as you have the courage, talent, and time.¡± ¡°You can turn all your dreams into reality from the comfort of your own home!¡± ¡°The Underworld Show, what a unique name,¡± I studied the card repeatedly and became even more skeptical that this was some mischievous prank by a troublemaker. I won¡¯t even comment on the company name; after all, just take a look at the back of the card. The interview time for this live streaming platform was from midnight to 3 a.m., and the interview location was in Room 444 on the 4th underground floor of No. 44 No-Light Road. This series of numbers for time and location didn¡¯t seem like it was meant for normal people. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m making this up too?¡± The girl¡¯s reaction at the time was on the brink of despair, and I could see both disappointment and terror in her eyes. ¡°No, nobody has the right to come to a conclusion without first conducting a thorough investigation.¡± Even if it was just for the few tens of Yuan on her, I had to say this because my firm hasn¡¯t had any clients for two months straight, and with the rise of self-service sex toy machines, the income of adult toy stores has been declining. If things continue like this, I¡¯ll soon be unable to afford rent. ¡°Underworld Show¡­¡± In recent years, live streaming platforms have become increasingly popular. Some streamers broadcast food, some stream games, and some show off their seductive skills, tempting pure-hearted losers. All of this could be comprehended, but from the name ¡°Underworld Show¡±, it was impossible to tell what their main content was. ¡°Could it be a daily live stream of dead people?¡± Shaking my head with a smile, I urged Xia Qingzhi to leave. The high school girl had been staying at my adult store for too long, and it might cause unnecessary misunderstandings, especially since she was not yet eighteen years old. As I lifted the thick military coat used as a door curtain, Xia Qingzhi was about to leave but collided with a woman exuding a strong female charm all over her body. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Xia Qing covered her face with her backpack, realizing that the adult store was not where she should be, and fled like a bird in flight. ¡°Do even high school students buy your products?¡± The woman¡¯s voice was pleasant, and it sounded vaguely familiar to me. ¡°Whether to buy or not is someone else¡¯s freedom, and I have no right to interfere.¡± The woman in front of me was indeed a beauty, with delicate and fair ankles on high-heeled sandals, tightly toned calves, and the lace hem of her long, loose skirt floating in mid-air. Although it was a loose skirt, it couldn¡¯t hide her proud curves, and her figure and temperament were excellent. She wore a mask and sunglasses, making it difficult to see her face clearly. However, I was already used to it. People who came here might have their own secrets. If the other party does not want to reveal their identity, I will not force them. Being kind and friendly would bring prosperity, and as long as they paid, they could do almost anything. The woman was stylishly dressed and elegant, wearing a full set of branded clothing. The handbag she carried was probably a Louis Vuitton from Paris; just that bag alone was worth my entire year¡¯s rent. ¡°I wonder what this beautiful lady needs? The store is about to be sold due to poor management, and all products are on a steep discount of 20% off,¡± I said. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t need anything. I¡¯m just here to find someone,¡± the woman said as she removed her mask and sunglasses. ¡°Gao Jian, it¡¯s been five years, and you haven¡¯t changed one bit.¡± As soon as I saw that face, the cigarette in my hand fell to the ground. ¡°Ye Bing?¡± She was my first love, and back when we were in the police academy, our overall scores always ranked first and second respectively. But later, I was expelled from the academy due to my involvement in a serial murder case, while she completed her studies smoothly and was sent abroad for further education with the help of her new boyfriend. ¡°It¡¯s been five years since we¡¯ve seen each other, and you¡¯ve turned from a sparrow into a phoenix, a complete goddess.¡± I lit up another cigarette and observed the swirling smoke as I spoke: ¡°You changed your phone number and cut off all contact with me. I thought you were in a plane crash and had sunk in the Pacific Ocean.¡± ¡°It seems like five years wasn¡¯t enough to break your habit of being snarky. I admit that what I did was wrong, but I don¡¯t regret it.¡± The beautiful woman smiled, exuding maturity and confidence with every gesture, making men feel impulsive. ¡°Is that so? Then why did you come back? Don¡¯t tell me you want to reignite our old flame and relive the passionate years.¡± I stared unabashedly at Ye Bing¡¯s curvaceous figure. ¡°I came here today with the intention of having a proper conversation with you, but given your current circumstances, it seems unnecessary.¡± She didn¡¯t respond and instead took out a bank card from her purse, placing it on the table. ¡°There¡¯s 100,000 yuan in this card as an apology for leaving without saying goodbye all those years ago. Gao Jian, we¡¯re not young anymore. It¡¯s time to move on from our memories and face reality.¡± ¡°In three days, Jiang Shao and I will be having our wedding at the Century New Garden. If you have the time, you¡¯re welcome to come. After all, I¡¯ve just returned to the country and don¡¯t have many friends in this city.¡± Ye Bing¡¯s tone was casual, as if she was describing something mundane. However, I could sense a profound disdain and disappointment hidden in her eyes. In that moment, I found myself speechless. There was no anger, no pain, and no hysterics shown from my side. I simply took a drag of my cigarette and said, ¡°You can take the card. I¡¯ll be there on time in three days.¡± I didn¡¯t know when Ye Bing had left the store. All I knew was that after finishing a box of cigarettes, my lungs felt hot and raw. There¡¯s nothing to complain about. Someone can easily surpass my entire net worth with just one card. Instead of feeling angry and helpless in the face of people¡¯s disdainful looks, I might as well focus on what I could do at the moment. I placed the small advertisement that Xia Qingzhi left next to my computer. It was the only business I¡¯ve had in the past two months. Although the client was a minor and might have some mental issues, I could not afford to mess this up. Simply because I needed the money. CH 2 During the late hours of the night, when the traffic thins out, the broad road can unveil its own truths¡ªthe scars that remain hidden under the tumultuous commotion of the day. Despite being a third-rate detective, I hold my profession in high regard and would do my best for every commission. The easiest way to tell if the girl was lying is to personally take a trip to the ¡°No-Lights Road¡± at the mentioned time and look for the underworld show advertised in the card. Upon searching on the computer, it turned out that there was indeed a no-Lights road in Jiangcheng. According to the locals of Old Jiangcheng, this particular road held a very unique and ominous moniker¡ª¡±Screw Knot Peak.¡± ¡°Screw Knot Peak¡± actually meant ¡°piling up corpses to the peak¡±. During the Anti-Japanese War, this location served as the largest slaughterhouse in Jiangcheng, where the bodies were piled up layer upon layer until they reached the roofs. The nearby residents claimed that streetlights were unable to be installed here. Even if they were installed, they either inexplicably get turned off the following day or were deliberately extinguished by someone. The bulbs themselves may be intact, but the tungsten wire inside has already snapped, and no one has dared to replace them anymore. Flashlights would also suddenly and inexplicably turn off while navigating the alleyways, and no electronic devices would function in the area at night. Even motorcycles and electric bikes had to be manually pushed along the road. Typically, people in the neighborhood do not venture out after dark. Therefore, if you happen to encounter someone at ¡°Screw Knot Peak¡± during the night, it may not actually be a person. ¡°The fact that the company is located in such a place really lives up to its name as an underworld show.¡± To be honest, I am a logical and atheistic person. After collecting information all afternoon, I was even more certain that this was not a clever prank. ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, we¡¯ll find out tonight.¡± I changed into casual clothing, stowed the advertisement and an anti-wolf electric shock device into my pants pocket, and pedaled my bike towards my destination. The route leading to the old city area was devoid of any lighting. By the time I arrived, the sky had darkened and a fine drizzle had begun to fall. ¡°What bad luck.¡± On a rainy day, an electric shock anti-wolf device can easily injure the wielder, and if I actually encountered a criminal, that would be awkward. I wandered through the complicated alleys, surrounded by old buildings. The locals were unfriendly towards me as an outsider. Whenever I asked about the ¡°No-Lights¡± road, they would wave their hands and hurriedly leave. Without any clues, I wandered aimlessly like a headless chicken, and by late night, I still hadn¡¯t found the rumored road. As the rain intensified, a hazy fog appeared in the air. I wanted to find a place to take shelter from the rain, but there wasn¡¯t even a decent store in the surrounding alleys. There were only a few storefronts, and inside the stores were paper houses for the afterlife, funeral wreaths, and burial clothes. It was clear that they were in the business of burying. As the rain grew heavier, with no other options, I had to reluctantly take shelter in a funeral home. But what surprised me even more was that once it passed 11 o¡¯clock, the store owner turned off all the lights, lit two white candles, and gave me a black umbrella¡ªpeople used to visit graves with¡ªurging me to leave. ¡°These people are too strange.¡± Standing in the rain, holding the black umbrella, I looked around and found that the entire alley was dark. ¡°No-Lights Road?¡± I shivered inexplicably. After wandering for more than 20 minutes, I had lost my way and was about to call the police for help when I saw an old lady waving at me from across the street. As darkness fell and the rain poured down heavily, I couldn¡¯t help but wonder why she was alone outside. Where was her family? The rain had soaked the old woman¡¯s clothes, and she looked far more pitiful than me. She waved her arms anxiously, and I quickly approached her with the umbrella. ¡°Grandma, are you okay?¡± As lightning flashed, I lowered my head and saw her face. It was pale, with wrinkles like folded bean curd spreading out in all directions, covering her entire aged face. ¡°I¡¯ve lost something. Can you help me find it quickly?¡± The old woman¡¯s voice trembled as if she were on the verge of death, and this was her last request. I forced myself to calm down and asked, ¡°Don¡¯t worry. What did you lose?¡± The old woman¡¯s cloudy eyes rolled to the sides, and she said, ¡°I lost my grandson. He was just here in this alley.¡± She pointed to the dark road and, as if possessed, limped inside. ¡°Grandson? A living person?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but think of all the rumors I had heard about the dark, no-lights road I hear on the internet. As I watched the old woman¡¯s figure disappear into the darkness, my hair stood on end. ¡°It¡¯s impossible. All these stories about ghosts and monsters are just legends for scaring ourselves. My current reaction is a natural instinctive response that humans have to uncertain events when facing danger, which is fear and avoidance,¡± I reassured myself. The behavior of the locals, combined with the rumors online and the strange behavior of this old lady, all seem to be deliberately creating a terrifying atmosphere. As someone who doesn¡¯t believe in superstitions, I still think this is a prank. Nowadays, many variety shows and programs are willing to go to any lengths to pursue high ratings. Various extreme programs are constantly emerging. Perhaps in a hidden place nearby, there are more than ten cameras installed to film everything. As I thought this through, my sense of fear decreased. I held up the umbrella and followed the old lady deeper into the alleyway. After a long while, I had lost my sense of direction, but the old lady suddenly stopped walking. ¡°My precious grandson, don¡¯t run off like that again¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Did you find him?¡± I was slightly surprised and followed the direction of her gaze, slowly widening my eyes in shock. The rain-soaked stairs were cold as we reached the end of the alley, and there on the steps lay a rag doll, soaked and tattered by the rain. The old woman picked up the doll with tenderness, disregarding the mud and water stains, and held it carefully as if it were a newborn baby. ¡°She, she¡¯s insane?¡± I couldn¡¯t believe I had just spent over an hour running through the rain with a crazy old woman. ¡°Oh, my dear doll, don¡¯t be angry, let me apologize. I shouldn¡¯t have lost my temper and thrown you to the ground. You¡¯ve ruined your new flower dress, and your face is covered in mud. It must hurt a lot, I¡¯m so sorry! I¡¯ll pat your clothes clean, wash your face, and rub where it hurts. From now on, we¡¯ll never be separated again.¡± The old woman picked up the doll and sang a nursery rhyme as she went away. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a twinge of sympathy for her, who, in her old age, only had a tattered doll as a companion. With that thought in mind, I ran after the old woman and handed her my black umbrella, saying, ¡°It¡¯s raining heavily. Please take the umbrella and go home quickly.¡± The old woman took the umbrella and stood there stunned for a moment. ¡°Please be careful on your way home. Goodbye,¡± I said, as the rain soaked my clothes. I found refuge from the rain under the eaves of a small, three-story building with a long-standing rain shelter at the entrance¡ªexactly where she found the doll. ¡°I¡¯m working really hard for a mere seventy yuan,¡± I muttered to myself, feeling lost and confused. I crouched down on the ground, instinctively reaching for a cigarette. But as I flicked the lighter, my eyes caught sight of the doorplate on the exterior wall of the small building: ¡°No. 44, No-Lights Road.¡± In the flicker of the flame, I pulled out a small card and leaned in to confirm, ¡°Could it really be this coincidental?¡± This was the place I had been searching for, where the advertisement claimed to be. As the saying goes, ¡°When you are at the end of your rope, tie a knot and hang on,¡± this is exactly the place I was looking for. ¡°The address on the advertisement card really exists; this is getting more interesting,¡± I thought to myself, my hand pressing the switch of the electric shock anti-wolf device. Just as I was about to enter the building, my clothes were suddenly pulled from behind. ¡°Who¡¯s there?!¡± I spun around and pulled out my anti-wolf device, the crackling electric arc sounding particularly crisp in the dark night. ¡°Grandma?¡± The old woman holding the ragdoll was standing behind me, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Despite having achieved an A+ in practical combat training at the police academy, I had failed to detect her presence. ¡°Young man, it¡¯s dark outside. Don¡¯t run around recklessly,¡± the old woman said as she blocked the ragdoll¡¯s line of sight. And almost unintentionally, she slipped a handkerchief out of her sleeve. ¡°Scurry up the lamp post, little mouse, and steal some oil to eat. Unable to climb down, meow meow meow, the cat is coming, so roll down with a clatter¡­¡± Singing this nursery rhyme and cradling the ragdoll in her arms, the old woman disappeared into the rainy night. I picked up the handkerchief she left behind. It was pure white, like the white silk used for hanging oneself. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it also had a short and ancient poem inscribed on it. The humble abode is so impoverished that it¡¯s difficult to paint, The origin of the emperor¡¯s inner affairs lies in the imperial capital. If one has received grace, one must have a place to call home, In the realm of ghosts, the heart wanders aimlessly without a path to roam. After reading it twice, I broke out in a cold sweat. This was a hidden poem, where the first character of each line connected to form the phrase, ¡°There¡¯s a ghost in the house!¡± ¡°Is she really insane?¡± Combining the old woman¡¯s previous words, her intended meaning was already quite clear. Though veiled, it was at least logically sound. ¡°Do ghosts exist in this world?¡± I hesitated for a moment, then ultimately stepped into the pitch-black hallway. For a detective, what always entices him is not the outcome but the process of solving the mystery. As my eyes gradually adapted to the darkness, I felt my way along the mottled wall and descended the stairs towards the basement. ¡°44 No-Lights Road, 4th floor underground, Room 444¡­¡± ********** TN : Jiancheng can also be translated as Jiang city but I¡¯ll continue with Jiangcheng CH 3 In Mandarin, Cantonese, Korean, and Japanese, the pronunciation of the number 4 was similar to the word for ¡°death¡±, so it was often considered an unlucky number. For example, some buildings do not have a fourth or fourteenth floor, there was no ferry named ¡°number 4¡± in Hong Kong, and in Taiwan, there were no license plates with the number 4. When selecting a phone number, we also tend to avoid those with the number 4 at the end. I used to not believe in these superstitious beliefs, but on that night, I found myself deeply pondering as I looked at the door number above my head. ¡°Room 444.¡± The address on the small advertisement was completely accurate, and even I couldn¡¯t believe that there was a place like this in Jiangcheng. ¡°Do I even want to go in?¡± It felt like reaching the final stage of a game, and my emotions were in a jumble right now. The pitch-black hallway seemed endless, and I occasionally stepped on dry and cracked wood and dead bugs. What concerned me even more was that this was the underground fourth floor, my phone had inexplicably gone black, and my only weapon, a German-imported 8,000 volt anti-wolf device, had stopped working. I¡¯ve lost all means of protection and now have to face everything that¡¯s about to happen with just my bare hands. The creepy and terrifying environment, along with the cryptic riddle from the old lady earlier, had me on edge, and the more I thought about it, the more fearful I became. ¡°If everything is just a prank or an alternative reality show, then the other party¡¯s methods are a bit too much. Besides, I¡¯ve been keeping an eye out and haven¡¯t found any cameras or obvious signs of human intervention. This doesn¡¯t seem like a prank.¡± With my palm resting on the doorknob, I imagined that when I opened the door, there would be a dozen cameras recording me and a well-dressed host giving me a warm embrace while holding a microphone and shouting, ¡°Congratulations, Mr. Gao, you have passed the test. Here¡¯s your one million prize money¡­¡± Daydreaming felt pleasant, but reality was often melancholic. ¡°Creak,¡± accompanied by the unpleasant sound of the door opening and swirling dust, I stepped into the room. ¡°I can¡¯t let my guard down. If the address provided by Xia Qingzhi is accurate, then this place is likely the first crime scene where her brother was killed. In other words, I am now in a room where a murder has taken place.¡± I gently closed the door, and the flickering light bulb above my head emitted a long-lost brightness, which brought me a little peace of mind. ¡°Is anyone here?¡± The light was on, but the furnishings in the room gave the impression that it had been abandoned for a long time. As I stepped on the damp and tattered carpet, I felt an eerie sensation, as if I were walking on hair that had solidified with blood. Beneath my feet, the floor creaked and groaned, occasionally revealing a hole with the remains of one or two unidentified insects. The table and chairs in the center of the room were engraved with terrifying words, some of which had long scratches from nails. It seemed that the people who had once sat there had endured extreme torture and pain. As I walked towards the innermost part of the room, the words ¡°Underworld Show¡± were painted on the wall in blood-red paint. At first, it didn¡¯t seem like much, but the longer I looked at it, the more I felt a sense of grimness and creepiness seeping from the letters. ¡°Ordinary paint or coating would become lumpy and fall off after being left for a long time, while this color has darkened with hints of a brownish tinge. Which is a characteristic unique to blood¡­¡± After I searched outside and found nothing, I noticed a small door on the inner wall. Out of curiosity, I pushed it open. ¡°Hiss¡­¡± The temperature inside the room suddenly dropped, and I took a deep breath, frozen in the doorway. Inside the not-so-large room was a black lacquer table that measured two meters long. Three people were seated on the other side of the table, dressed in formal attire, just as I had imagined radio hosts to be. The only thing that made me feel uncomfortable was that all three of them wore paper masks on their faces. At first glance, I thought they were three paper mache dolls. ¡°Are you here for the interview?¡± The person sitting in the middle raised his head in a mechanical manner, his voice hoarse and low, like the sound of opening a rusty can. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I¡¯m here for the interview.¡± I couldn¡¯t quite make out the three people in front of me. They could be the cold-blooded killers who murdered Xia Qing¡¯s brother. So in the face of such ruthless murderers, I had to remain calm. ¡°I accidentally saw your company¡¯s advertisement and became very interested in your unique platform. In the age of the Internet, I firmly believe that only innovation and differentiation can lead to success. That¡¯s why I want to join you.¡± To strengthen my persuasion, I improvised and placed the crumpled business card on the black lacquer table. ¡°Interested?¡± The three masked people looked at each other, and I couldn¡¯t tell if it was just my imagination, but their paper masks seemed to reveal a chilling smile. ¡°It¡¯s quite a coincidence that you were able to find your way here, but being a host for the underworld show is not something that a living person can handle.¡± The masked man crossed his hands under his chin. ¡°May I ask you a few questions?¡± ¡°Of course, you can.¡± I remained calm. A few years ago, I was expelled from the police academy, and I had almost gone to every HR department of major companies in Jiangcheng with a fake resume. I had gained enough experience to handle the interviewers and their commonly asked questions, and I had already found template answers online. With enigmatic confidence, I nodded with a smile, ¡°Please go ahead and ask.¡± ¡°Name?¡± ¡°Gao Jian.¡± ¡°Do you have any relevant work experience? For example, have you ever live streamed on other platforms before?¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I don¡¯t have any similar experience, but I have strong communication and adaptability skills. Based on my personality, I am very suitable to be a live streamer and can work as a host.¡± Being honest about my weaknesses and emphasizing my strengths was one of the interview skills I had honed. ¡°You¡¯re right, but the hosts of the Underworld Show are different from those on other platforms. We not only need to communicate with our audience but also to protect ourselves and survive¡­¡± ¡°Survive?¡± When the interviewer said this, I realized that things were starting to get out of my control. ¡°That¡¯s right, it¡¯s simple, just stay alive.¡± The person in the middle stroked the mask on his face, making the paper mask show a creepy expression. ¡°There are countless legends hidden in our city¡ªthe 13-level staircase in the abandoned village school, the last bus ride taken by the dead, the ghostly faces on the surveillance footage in the early hours of the morning, the little girl in red who lingers at the door¡­ There are too many of these legends, are they all fictional?¡± ¡°Probably¡­?¡± If I had been asked this question before coming here, I would have confidently said, ¡°Yes, they¡¯re all made up.¡± ¡°Wait, are you saying that the hosts of the underworld show have to go to those places every day to discover spirits and find materias?!¡± ¡°You¡¯re quick on the uptake. I quite like you,¡± the cackling laughter sounded almost inhuman. ¡°Active in the shadows of midnight, hitting the most terrifying horror in this city. Don¡¯t you find it exciting?¡± ¡°Live streaming scenes of ghost stories¡ªthat¡¯s quite sensational. Maybe it can satisfy the psychological needs of a wide variety people.¡± I was just responding to the three people in front of me without really meaning it. In fact, I was already having second thoughts. To be honest, I don¡¯t dislike watching horror and supernatural movies, but it would be a completely different story if you asked me to be the protagonist of a horror movie myself. Just the mere thought of having to dig up coffins in the dead of the night, to pry open the doors of haunted houses while possibly being chased by a bunch of ghosts and spirits, made me feel very uncomfortable. ¡°Ghost stories? No, no, it seems you still haven¡¯t figured it out,¡± the masked man said, propping his chin on his hands. His eyes, hidden behind the paper mask, pierced through me like a sword. ¡°The truth is always more terrifying than stories. I assure you, the deepest despair you will ever experience begins the moment you discover the truth.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°The answer lies in this city. You will become a witness to another world, to witness the true thrill,¡± the masked man¡¯s words were devoid of any humor. His tone was flat, dull, and very restrained. ¡°This doesn¡¯t seem like an act¡­¡± I now have about 90% confidence that this underworld stage is not a prank or variety show, and I seem to have gotten myself into big trouble. My body leaned back as I began to consider retreating. But the masked man seemed to know what I was thinking, yet I didn¡¯t see him make any move, as the door behind me creaked and slowly closed on its own, ¡°Don¡¯t be nervous, your interview has only just begun.¡± CH 4 The door was tightly shut, and I stood next to the tribute table, my forehead soaking with cold sweat without me realizing it. ¡°Mr. Gao, are you okay? May I continue with my questions?¡± The voice, devoid of warmth, came from beneath the paper mask, sounding both inquisitive and urgent at the same time. ¡°I¡¯m fine, please continue with your questions.¡± Something was definitely amiss, so I diverted more of my attention towards planning my escape route. As for being the host of this underworld show, the devil himself could have that job. ¡°Mr. Gao, I hope you¡¯ll answer the following questions seriously. If your answers do not satisfy us, you may never be able to leave here.¡± He paused for a moment, picking up the crumpled little advertisement from the table as he added, ¡°Just like the true owner of this card¡ªXia Chi.¡± ¡°Xia Chi! Xia Qingzhi¡¯s brother! So he was really killed in this place!¡± My heart started racing. ¡°Are the police officers in Jiangcheng all useless? How could they not find a missing person?!¡± Xia Qingzhi hadn¡¯t lied, but why was there no information about her brother in the household registration records, and why did her family have no memories of Xia Chi? There were too many doubts and no leads. ¡°Mr. Gao, please listen carefully to my question.¡± This time it was the person on the left speaking. The three of them looked similar in physique, but their paper masks varied in age and condition. ¡°When I was thirteen years old, I killed my sister because I found her crying too loudly, and then I threw her body into the well outside. But the next day, when I went to check, the body was gone.¡± ¡°Five years later, due to a minor dispute, i killed my friend, and the body was thrown into the well outside. But the next day, when I went to check, the body was gone. ¡° ¡°Ten years later, due to drunkenness, I killed a woman who I had accidentally gotten pregnant and threw her body into the well outside. But the next day, when I went to check, the body was gone. ¡° ¡°Fifteen years later, due to my boss¡¯s scolding, I killed him and threw his body into the well outside. But the next day, when I went to check, the body was gone. ¡° ¡°Twenty years later, tired of taking care of my mother, who now had limited mobility, I killed her and threw her body into the well outside.¡± ¡°When I went to see the well again the next day, the body had not disappeared. On the third day, the fourth day, and every day after that, I went to see¡­ but the body still hadn¡¯t disappeared.¡± ¡°Mr. Gao, your first question is to explain me the reason why my mother¡¯s body hasn¡¯t disappeared.¡± ¡°What kind of question is this?¡± I concentrated and didn¡¯t miss a single word in his question, but after listening to it fully, I didn¡¯t know how to answer. Their questions didn¡¯t seem to be for selecting talent, but more like a criminal psychology test. The other person spoke in a plain and simple tone, but unexpectedly, it made me feel nervous. It was as if a large hand was gripping my throat in the darkness, slowly suffocating me. ¡°The thirty-second thinking time is over. Please state your answer.¡± At this point, I had no choice but to analyze the limited clues in the story and reason it out. ¡°Every time you kill and dispose of a body, the body mysteriously disappears the next day. At first glance, it seems like there¡¯s something wrong with the well. But when you killed your own mother, her body remained. The only reasonable explanation is that every time you kill and dispose of a body, it¡¯s your mother who is helping you to dispose of the corpses.¡± After speaking, I stole a glance at the person, but there was no emotional fluctuation beneath the paper mask. ¡°Now please listen to the second question.¡± He didn¡¯t tell me whether my answer was correct or not and continued to ask. ¡°I don¡¯t know if you¡¯ve ever heard of murder tapes. They¡¯re underground movies that include a lot of scenes of brutal killing that only insiders know about. Some say that these videos are real footage of murders filmed by the killers themselves.¡± ¡°One day, I was drinking with a friend who claimed to have these strange tapes. Being someone who considers himself brave and curious, much like a gourmet who will risk their life to eat delicacies like pufferfish and poisonous scorpions, I expressed my desire to watch them.¡± ¡°So he invited me to a secluded cabin on the mountain, and I arrived on time as planned, but he was thirty minutes late.¡± Sorry, sorry, my thrid child suddenly got a fever and refused to take his medicine no matter what. Ah, kids. I understand. Haha, let¡¯s get started then. ¡°My friend played the eagerly anticipated video, filled with poignant cries and trembling laughter in the background. After about twenty minutes of torture by the masked killer, a child of about ten years old died. Because the plot was too brutal, I regretted watching halfway through and turned off the TV, questioning my friend in a very loud voice, How could you watch these kinds of movies? Don¡¯t you have kids yourself?¡± ¡°In the face of my outrage, my friend casually replied, Yeah, I have two. But so what? ¡°Mr. Gao, your second question is to guess whether the ¡®me¡¯ in the story can survive and leave the cabin alive.¡± Compared to the first question, this question was equally hysterical and sinister. ¡°How could watching a video together lead to losing your life? Although this video¡­¡± As I was thinking, I suddenly noticed a small detail. In the story, my friend¡¯s excuse for being late was that his third child had a fever, but he had previously mentioned having two children. So where was the third child? My friend was thirty minutes late, and the child was tortured for twenty minutes before dying. Could it be¡­ that the masked killer was my friend? My own deduction scared me to the bone. ¡°Mr. Gao, please pay attention to the time.¡± ¡°I personally think that the ¡®me¡¯ in the story would not be able to walk out of the cabin alive. He might become the second victim in my friend¡¯s murder video¡­¡± The atmosphere in the room became increasingly oppressive. I unbuttoned the first two buttons of my shirt, put one hand in my pocket, and clenched the self-defense tool tightly. ¡°Very well, please listen to the third question.¡± ¡°They were childhood sweethearts, and thought they could watch the sunset together everyday and forever. But at the age of 35, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Holding the diagnosis report, she cried and laughed, laughed and cried. She didn¡¯t smoke, had no bad habits, how could she get lung cancer? She went to his office and saw a bag of her favorite dried fruits in his drawer, with a medicine bottle next to it. The scene was heart-wrenching, and she burst into tears. Three days later, she cried and lit birthday candles for him, but he was not there. She lit 34 long candles and one short candle and said with a low laugh, ¡®You¡¯ve really slimmed down.¡¯¡± ¡°Can you tell us why did the woman say he slimmed down?¡± I seemed to have seen this question somewhere before, but couldn¡¯t remember. After thinking and pondering, I came up with a wild answer. ¡°The man in the story betrayed the woman by putting cancer-causing drugs on the dried fruits she loved to eat. He wanted her to die. When the woman found out everything, she killed the man and turned his body into oil and wax. The result was not enough for 35 candles, which is why she said he really had slimmed down. ¡° ¡°Your answer is very creative. Please listen to the fourth question.¡± ¡°Because of my affair, I pushed my girlfriend off the sixth floor and disguised it as her suicide to deceive the police. However, perhaps due to my guilty conscience, I always thought that my girlfriend would come back to me.¡± ¡°I was anxious all day long until the seventh day of her death, when I met a half immortal. He said that if I wanted to live, I had to hide under the bed tonight and not be found by her. ¡°I followed his instructions, and as soon as it passed midnight, I heard the sound of a basketball hitting the ground in the living room, ¡°thump, thump, thump.¡± When the bedroom door opened, I realized that I was done for.¡± ¡°Mr. Gao, do you know what ¡®I¡¯ saw that made me so desperate?¡± ¡°But didn¡¯t his girlfriend already die? This question seems contradictory.¡± The premise of the question is that the girlfriend did not die, but it could also be another situation where the girlfriend turned into a ghost. ¡°You just need to answer the question.¡± My mind was racing, but what I was thinking about was a deeper question: why did they give me these four questions? What is their purpose? ¡°Assuming this narrative is valid, the girl in the story fell from the sixth floor. She may have landed on her head and broken it, so when she climbed back on, she had her head down on the floor, which matches the sound of the ¡®thump, thump¡¯ sound in the living room. When the bedroom door opened, the person hiding under the bed was immidately discovered by the girlfriend, who was hanging upside down, so he knew he was done for.¡± ¡°That¡¯s brilliant. Now there¡¯s only one question left.¡± The three of them spoke in unison, their coordination reaching a frightening level. Cold sweat slid down my jaw and onto my neck, and my Adam¡¯s apple involuntarily rolled. ¡°Mr. Gao, the final question is¡­¡± ¡°Do you believe ghosts exists in this world?¡± CH 5 The question of whether ghosts existed in our world was much trickier than questions like which came first, the chicken or the egg. After all, most people knew what chickens and eggs looked like, but very few had seen the appearance of ghosts. Even professional researchers in the field of paranormal phenomena may not have been able to provide a definitive answer at this time, let alone someone like me, a third-rate detective who was born under the red flag and raised in the spring breeze. But not fully understanding did not preclude one from providing an answer. Many times in life, it was not necessary to give the correct answer, but to say what others wanted to hear. As the masked man had said at the beginning, to become a host of the underworld show, one not only needed to be good at communicating with the audience, but also needed to learn how to protect oneself. This question was actually full of implications, and the test started as soon as I walked in the door. I was not fixated on whether ghosts really existed in this world but rather reorganizing my experiences from this night: the legend of the no-lights road, the old lady holding a doll on a rainy night, the interviewers with a paper face, and the five strange questions. Everything seems to be designed to challenge common sense and prepare me for this final question. They have laid so much groundwork, and the answer they want was actually quite obvious. ¡°I believe that ghosts exist in the world, and that is my answer.¡± As soon as these words fell, applause unexpectedly broke out in the small room. On the other side of the tribute table, the three interviewers stiffly clapped their hands. ¡°You answered four out of five questions correctly. Congratulations, Mr. Gao, you will be officially employed by the underworld show as a contracted host under our company.¡± For various reasons, I had been rejected by countless companies in Jiangcheng, big and small. The repeated failures had left me with psychological scars. I never expected that this time around this specific interview would go so smoothly. However, the awkward truth was that I didn¡¯t feel any joy in being hired at this moment. ¡°Is it not too hasty to hire me just like that?¡± ¡°No, you are the most suitable candidate we have came across. If you have no further questions, let¡¯s sign the contract right here,¡± the person sitting in the middle slowly stood up. He was about the same height as me, with a creepy paper-mache face, and we looked at each other across the table. ¡°Well, I do have a question, actually. You have said that I answered four out of the five questions correctly. Can you tell me which one I got wrong?¡± There should have been no mistakes in my deductive reasoning, especially for a detective. ¡°You don¡¯t need to know right now¡­¡± The paper-mache mask emitted a chuckle. ¡°Because you will soon experience that kind of despair yourself, and then you will understand which question you got wrong.¡± ¡°Experience it myself? That¡¯s a terrifying answer.¡± Anyone with a normal psyche would not want to experience the scenarios presented in those questions. ¡°Mr. Gao, do you have any further questions?¡± ¡°No¡­ ¡± Though I said that, how could I not have any? My mind was currently besieged by countless doubts. However, these queries could not be voiced, and even if they were, the other party would not answer. This could even lead to fatal consequences. To make it through tonight unscathed, the most prudent course of action is to act subserviently on the surface, and once I leave here, immediately alert the authorities and cooperate with them to apprehend these ¡°mentally ill¡± individuals. ¡°Alright then, let¡¯s proceed with signing the contract.¡± He retrieved an old, yellowed, and weathered parchment from beneath the tribute table, and clasped my right hand, pressing it down onto the contract. ¡°It¡¯s so cold¡­¡± This was my first physical contact with the masked man, and I was surprised to find that his body was unexpectedly icy, as if he were a corpse frozen in a morgue waiting to be claimed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Before I could even recover, I saw a strange bug crawling out from under the floor, resembling a centipede, but with a horn on its forehead that was one or two centimeters long like that of a dragon. It crawled along the table leg, onto the table, and moved quickly. I wanted to dodge, but the masked man¡¯s arm was like a pair of iron tongs pressing me down, unable to struggle, only able to watch the strange bug bite down on my wrist. ¡°Ah!¡± The intense pain made me scream, but it only lasted for a few seconds. When I regained consciousness and looked down, there was a black, plum-shaped wound on my right wrist, staining the contract with blood. The strange insect had lost its vitality and curled up, falling into a gap in the floorboards. ¡°Contract complete. From today on, you are a member of the Underworld Show.¡± The masked man released his grip, his tone still emotionless as he brought out a leather suitcase from beside his chair. ¡°We will provide all your broadcasting equipment, and all you need to do is put on a good show and attract more viewers.¡± He opened the suitcase, revealing all the tools required for the live broadcast: cameras, mobile encoders, selfie sticks, tripods, and even a large-screen phone. If it weren¡¯t for the bloodstains still present on some of the items, I would almost believe that this was a normal company. ¡°We will directly publish your live streaming task to your phone, and you can choose your preferred way of broadcasting. However, please remember to use the tools we provide once you start the live streaming, as only our devices can capture things that ordinary people cannot see.¡± ¡°After each live streaming session, we will rate your performance based on popularity and gifts received. You can accumulate points, which can be redeemed for many unexpected rewards from us.¡± ¡°However, rewards come with penalties. If your points are negative, you will disappear without a trace, just like Xia Chi, who brought you here!¡± After hearing this, I could no longer maintain a calm facade. The fact that someone could disappear without a trace so easily implies the existence of a large, organized criminal group. What¡¯s worse is that I seem to have unwittingly boarded the thief¡¯s ship. ¡°All the details are written in the contract. Do you have any questions?¡± I picked up the parchment paper, which was soaked with my own blood. There were numerous sections listed, outlining various terms and conditions, such as not disclosing the existence of the underworld show to outsiders and not refusing tasks assigned. Of particular note was the points redemption table printed on the back of the contract. The first line stated that one point could be exchanged for 100 grams of pure gold. ¡°You must be kidding me. Gold is now selling for 250 yuan per gram. One hundred grams is worth 25,000 yuan.¡± ¡°Continuing to read down, five points can be exchanged for a Thai Guan Tong (little ghost), seven points for Xiangxi Corpse Gu, ten points for the Huidi Taishui, twelve points for a hand-copied version of the Jade Maiden Xishen technique, fifteen points for the ability to open the eyes of the mundane and supernatural, twenty points for washing the tendons and mending the bones, thirty points¡­¡± ¡°What is all this even about?¡± The densely packed list of bizarre and twisted methods made me speechless. It was like I was not even in the same world anymore. As my gaze continued to shift downward, I saw the final line of the redemption table: ¡­ Prolonging life, one thousand points can extend your life for twelve hours. Ten thousand points can be used to choose to exit, and everything returns to square one. ¡°There, you¡¯ve finished reading it. Keep the contract safe, and please familiarize yourself with the live streaming tools as soon as possible. Your first live stream is expected to take place tomorrow night.¡± ¡°Can I refuse?¡± ¡°We do not interfere with your choice to participate, but your current point balance is zero. If you choose to stop broadcasting once, ten points will be deducted.¡± ¡°Okay, I understand. Can I leave now?¡± To be honest, I didn¡¯t want to stay here for a moment longer. ¡°If you have any further questions, you can call me. The phone in the suitcase can reach me.¡± The person supported the paper mask with one hand and waved the other, and the tightly closed door slowly opened. ¡°Mr. Gao, I can tell that you¡¯re a cautious and intelligent person. I hope you take every live broadcast seriously and don¡¯t joke around with your own life.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I haven¡¯t had enough of life yet.¡± I picked up the suitcase and walked quickly towards the door, ignorant of how long I had been in the room, but my legs were numb and stiff, like they were encased in plaster. ¡°Mr. Gao, I sincerely wish that you can stay alive¡­¡± The words of the man behind the mask were lost on me, but I knew better than to expect anything positive from a deranged lunatic. Without another thought, I left room 444 and sprinted up the stairs, not bothering to pay attention to my surroundings as I ran out onto the street. After what felt like an eternity of aimless running, I finally caught sight of some headlights in the distance. ¡°A car!¡± I thought to myself, relieved. ¡°Where to?¡± asked the taxi driver, an elderly man with thinning hair. ¡°Take me back to the new district, Jiangcheng, east of the Ting Tong Road,¡± I said impatiently, pounding on the door of the taxi. ¡°The starting fare is 20 yuan, and according to the latest regulations, there¡¯s an extra one yuan fuel surcharge,¡± replied the taxi driver. ¡°Stop talking and just open the door!¡± I exclaimed, still in a state of shock. I didn¡¯t care about the money at this point, and instead I was breathing heavily and holding onto my suitcase tightly. ¡°Young man, it¡¯s not that I don¡¯t want to take you, but it¡¯s late at night and you¡¯re all jittery, clutching onto a suitcase like that. Who knows what¡¯s inside? What if¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re overthinking it,¡± I said, opening the suitcase to reveal the camera inside. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it and just open the door. I¡¯m just a daring live streamer who likes the thrill.¡± ************ ¡°Born under the red flag and raised in the spring breeze¡± is a Chinese idiom that means he has had a fortunate and good upbringing. CH 6 Fortunately, it was dark outside, so the bloodstains on my equipment weren¡¯t too noticeable. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to explain to the taxi driver, no matter how hard I tried. After having Mr. Xie, with the thinning hair, dropped me off at the adult store, I tossed and turned in bed all night long, unable to fall asleep. Finally, I managed to doze off for a little while as the sun began to rise, but not before having a nightmare about being trapped in an abandoned hotel with a female ghost. Despite sporting two dark circles under my eyes, I opened up the shop and got down to business, knowing that I had to keep it up regardless of how I was feeling. I brewed myself a strong cup of tea and sat down at my computer desk, organizing my thoughts and writing down what had happened the night before. This was a habit I had developed many years ago, as meticulously recalling details helps with problem-solving and prevents me from missing any important clues. The fresh morning breeze blew into the room, lifting the curtain of the military coat, and a young girl full of vitality and cuteness snuck in. ¡°Xia Qingzhi, aren¡¯t you supposed to be in class today?¡± I asked, my thoughts interrupted by the girl¡¯s sudden appearance. ¡°It¡¯s still early, I just came by on the way. So, how¡¯s it going? Any progress with my brother¡¯s case?¡± Xia Qingzhi¡¯s hopeful gaze made it hard for me to tell her the truth. I glanced at her deflated chest and blushing cheeks and turned my computer screen to one side. ¡°I went to the underworld show in the no lights road last night, following the address on the card. I found some clues about your brother, so at least now I can confirm that you were telling the truth. Your brother did exist at some point.¡± ¡°So¡­do you know where he is now?¡± she asked. ¡°I still need to investigate further. It¡¯ll take some time,¡± I replied, taking the egg pancake the girl had brought and sniffing its delicious aroma. It had been a thrilling night, and the smell of food finally made my stomach growl. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s my breakfast!¡± she protested. ¡°Next time, put less lettuce and more chili¡­¡± I replied absent-mindedly. After Xia Qingzhi left, I opened the suitcase I had brought back from the underworld show and wiped the bloodstains off the broadcasting equipment with a cloth, tinkering with it. There was nothing special about the selfie stick or the camera, but the large-screen phone caught my attention. I plugged in the charger and waited for five minutes before turning it on. To my surprise, the nearly eight-inch screen displayed only three icons: a phonebook, an email inbox, and a symbol that was unmistakably my black-and-white picture! I clicked on this strange app, and a line of text appeared on the screen: ¡°12 hours and 30 minutes until the mission is released.¡± ¡°Well, these knockoff devices seem to have some pretty advanced technology,¡± I muttered to myself, turning to look at the digital clock on the wall. It was now 7:30 in the morning, which meant that the mission for the underworld show would be released at 8:00 tonight. ¡°At night again?¡± I caught a whiff of conspiracy in the air, and this time, I couldn¡¯t afford to charge in recklessly. I needed to prepare myself thoroughly. I retrieved my phone and located a familiar number from my contact list. ¡°Hey, Er Gouzi, I have a job for you.¡± I heard a bottle shatter and a woman scream from the other end of the line. After a prolonged pause, someone finally picked up and said, ¡°Jian Ge, I¡¯m tied up at the moment, so keep it short.¡± ¡°Wow, Er Gou, using idioms now? You¡¯ve really come a long way.¡± The person on the other end of the line was a young man named Chen Er Gou, also known as ¡°Er Gouzi¡±. He dropped out of school at the age of fourteen and became a thug. Three years ago, he came to my shop to collect protection money, but I ended up tying him up, beating him, and giving him an electric shock for half an hour. Afterwards, he had a change of heart and became an informant of mine. In our line of work, we encounter people from all walks of life. Informants provide us with valuable information and we compensate them accordingly. It¡¯s an alternative type of transaction where both parties get what they need. ¡°I¡¯m currently investigating a supernatural disappearance case and I need your help in obtaining something that can ward off spirits,¡± I said. ¡°Jian Ge, the police are getting closer. Can¡¯t you wait until later to tell your story? Damn it! You¡¯re really testing my patience! Hey, Jian Ge, I wasn¡¯t talking about you!¡± the person on the other end of the line replied. ¡°I know it may be hard for ordinary people to understand, but this is not a joke. Before nightfall, I need you to get me some blessed talismans or Buddha statues that have been properly consecrated. The price is negotiable, but the items must be effective,¡± I explained. ¡°Brother Gou, the police are here!¡± ¡°Retreat, retreat, retreat! Go out the back door! Hey, Jian Ge, I guarantee the goods will be delivered! Get lost, remember this! From now on, this bathhouse is my turf! Let¡¯s go!¡± As I listened to the gradually clear sound of police sirens on the other end of the phone, I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how good it was to be young. Around two or three in the afternoon, a young man with a bandage wrapped around his forehead arrived at the adult store. His right hand was wrapped in a cast, and his left hand was holding a wooden box that looked quite old. ¡°Jian Ge, come and check out the goods.¡± Er Gou placed the box on the table and opened it with one hand, revealing a variety of colorful paper talismans and miscellaneous exorcism tools inside. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you wanted, so I tied up Blind Liu, the fortune teller from Tianqiao, and all these things were retrieved from his house.¡± ¡°Blind Liu?¡± I had a brief encounter with him at the police station before, when I was warned for installing a camera in a hotel without permission. He was just a fraud who pretended to be blind¡­ After I rummaged through the box and found a silver-plated cross and two long strips of garlic, I became even more certain of my suspicions. ¡°What is this? A fusion of Eastern and Western methods? He certainly has a wide range of knowledge.¡± At this point, I had little hope and could only nervously sort and organize the paper talismans in the box, quickly stuffing them into my pockets. It was a last-ditch effort when all else had failed. If there was even a slight chance that Blind Liu was some kind of reclusive master, then it would be like hitting the jackpot. ¡°Jian Ge, if you don¡¯t need anything else, I¡¯ll be going. Blind Liu is still being held, and I¡¯m afraid my brothers might go too far and hurt the old man,¡± Er Gou said as he picked up the now-empty box and prepared to leave. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Just as Er Gou was about to pick up the box, I noticed a piece of talisman paper that was different from the others. This talisman was stuck to the bottom of the box and had been there for so long that its color had turned yellowish, making it almost blend in with the box. ¡°Jian Ge, this peach wood box was passed down by Blind Liu¡¯s ancestors. Don¡¯t even think about taking it, or else Blind Liu will have to fight me to the death,¡± Er Gou said as he rubbed the cast on his arm. ¡°That old man still has some tricks up his sleeve.¡± Hearing Er Gou¡¯s warning, I became even more convinced that this box was no ordinary item. Indeed, despite its ancient appearance, the wooden box emitted no hint of decay or mustiness. Instead, it exuded an indescribable charm. ¡°You can take the box, but I must keep this talisman paper,¡± I said, as I changed into a pair of disposable gloves for examining corpses. Carefully, I peeled off the talis¨´an that had been pressed against the bottom of the box. The paper was surprisingly thin, and it was impossible to tell what material it was made of, but it was more resilient than regular paper. ¡°Jian Ge, what¡¯s written on it?¡± ¡°If I could read it, do you think I¡¯d be selling adult toys to people?¡± The two of us stared wide-eyed at the jumbled characters on the talisman. We knew they were Chinese characters, but we couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of their meaning. It¡¯s strange to say, but as soon as I peeled off the talisman, a foul smell emanated from the wooden box. I knew something was wrong and gave Er Gou fifty bucks to return the box immediately. As night fell, I sat quietly at the table, fully armed, staring silently at the clock on the wall. ¡°Eight o¡¯clock!¡± As the hour hand passed, my phone¡¯s screen lit up. No ringtone, no vibration, no indication of any kind¡ªjust a cold light as an unknown number dialed in. ¡°Hello¡­¡± The icy phone pressed against my ear, and all I could hear was a woman sobbing on the other end. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± The crying gradually stopped, but the feeling of terror gradually approached, as if the woman on the other end of the phone was crawling out of my phone and leaning on my shoulder. ¡°I want to find someone.¡± Her voice was devoid of any emotion, as cold as a lonely gravestone on a pauper¡¯s grave. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this small store only sells adult products. If you really need it, you can add me on WeChat¡­¡± I trembled as I struggled to put my thoughts into words, not even knowing what I was saying. ¡°Help me find someone. He hid me under the floor, inside the walls, and behind the bathtub in the bathroom a few years ago. Find him, find him!¡± The voice abruptly stopped, and the call was disconnected, leaving me with endless speculation. ¡°Was she dismembered?¡± I shuddered as a new text message appeared in my inbox. ¡°It¡¯s late at night, and my dormant desires are about to erupt. Pick up the phone in your hotel room, engage in flirtatious banter, and she¡¯ll be waiting for you outside your door, with crimson eyes, ready to come in¡­¡± ¡°Live streaming mission: Check into Room 203 at the peace of mind Inn at midnight and survive until the sunrise.¡± Instantly, I knew the location of the mission, and it sent chills down my spine. Just three months ago, a bizarre and gruesome murder had taken place in that very Inn on the outskirts of the city. The victim was a male, and the details of the crime were beyond disturbing. With this knowledge, any doubts I had previously held about the mission quickly dissipated. CH 7 Fortunately, it was dark outside, so the bloodstains on my equipment weren¡¯t too noticeable. Otherwise, I wouldn¡¯t have been able to explain to the taxi driver, no matter how hard I tried. After having Mr. Xie, with the thinning hair, dropped me off at the adult store, I tossed and turned in bed all night long, unable to fall asleep. Finally, I managed to doze off for a little while as the sun began to rise, but not before having a nightmare about being trapped in an abandoned hotel with a female ghost. Despite sporting two dark circles under my eyes, I opened up the shop and got down to business, knowing that I had to keep it up regardless of how I was feeling. I brewed myself a strong cup of tea and sat down at my computer desk, organizing my thoughts and writing down what had happened the night before. This was a habit I had developed many years ago, as meticulously recalling details helps with problem-solving and prevents me from missing any important clues. The fresh morning breeze blew into the room, lifting the curtain of the military coat, and a young girl full of vitality and cuteness snuck in. ¡°Xia Qingzhi, aren¡¯t you supposed to be in class today?¡± I asked, my thoughts interrupted by the girl¡¯s sudden appearance. ¡°It¡¯s still early, I just came by on the way. So, how¡¯s it going? Any progress with my brother¡¯s case?¡± Xia Qingzhi¡¯s hopeful gaze made it hard for me to tell her the truth. I glanced at her deflated chest and blushing cheeks and turned my computer screen to one side. ¡°I went to the underworld show in the no lights road last night, following the address on the card. I found some clues about your brother, so at least now I can confirm that you were telling the truth. Your brother did exist at some point.¡± ¡°So¡­do you know where he is now?¡± she asked. ¡°I still need to investigate further. It¡¯ll take some time,¡± I replied, taking the egg pancake the girl had brought and sniffing its delicious aroma. It had been a thrilling night, and the smell of food finally made my stomach growl. ¡°Hey! That¡¯s my breakfast!¡± she protested. ¡°Next time, put less lettuce and more chili¡­¡± I replied absent-mindedly. After Xia Qingzhi left, I opened the suitcase I had brought back from the underworld show and wiped the bloodstains off the broadcasting equipment with a cloth, tinkering with it. There was nothing special about the selfie stick or the camera, but the large-screen phone caught my attention. I plugged in the charger and waited for five minutes before turning it on. To my surprise, the nearly eight-inch screen displayed only three icons: a phonebook, an email inbox, and a symbol that was unmistakably my black-and-white picture! I clicked on this strange app, and a line of text appeared on the screen: ¡°12 hours and 30 minutes until the mission is released.¡± ¡°Well, these knockoff devices seem to have some pretty advanced technology,¡± I muttered to myself, turning to look at the digital clock on the wall. It was now 7:30 in the morning, which meant that the mission for the underworld show would be released at 8:00 tonight. ¡°At night again?¡± I caught a whiff of conspiracy in the air, and this time, I couldn¡¯t afford to charge in recklessly. I needed to prepare myself thoroughly. I retrieved my phone and located a familiar number from my contact list. ¡°Hey, Er Gouzi, I have a job for you.¡± I heard a bottle shatter and a woman scream from the other end of the line. After a prolonged pause, someone finally picked up and said, ¡°Jian Ge, I¡¯m tied up at the moment, so keep it short.¡± ¡°Wow, Er Gou, using idioms now? You¡¯ve really come a long way.¡± The person on the other end of the line was a young man named Chen Er Gou, also known as ¡°Er Gouzi¡±. He dropped out of school at the age of fourteen and became a thug. Three years ago, he came to my shop to collect protection money, but I ended up tying him up, beating him, and giving him an electric shock for half an hour. Afterwards, he had a change of heart and became an informant of mine. In our line of work, we encounter people from all walks of life. Informants provide us with valuable information and we compensate them accordingly. It¡¯s an alternative type of transaction where both parties get what they need. ¡°I¡¯m currently investigating a supernatural disappearance case and I need your help in obtaining something that can ward off spirits,¡± I said. ¡°Jian Ge, the police are getting closer. Can¡¯t you wait until later to tell your story? Damn it! You¡¯re really testing my patience! Hey, Jian Ge, I wasn¡¯t talking about you!¡± the person on the other end of the line replied. ¡°I know it may be hard for ordinary people to understand, but this is not a joke. Before nightfall, I need you to get me some blessed talismans or Buddha statues that have been properly consecrated. The price is negotiable, but the items must be effective,¡± I explained. ¡°Brother Gou, the police are here!¡± ¡°Retreat, retreat, retreat! Go out the back door! Hey, Jian Ge, I guarantee the goods will be delivered! Get lost, remember this! From now on, this bathhouse is my turf! Let¡¯s go!¡± As I listened to the gradually clear sound of police sirens on the other end of the phone, I couldn¡¯t help but marvel at how good it was to be young. Around two or three in the afternoon, a young man with a bandage wrapped around his forehead arrived at the adult store. His right hand was wrapped in a cast, and his left hand was holding a wooden box that looked quite old. ¡°Jian Ge, come and check out the goods.¡± Er Gou placed the box on the table and opened it with one hand, revealing a variety of colorful paper talismans and miscellaneous exorcism tools inside. ¡°I didn¡¯t know what you wanted, so I tied up Blind Liu, the fortune teller from Tianqiao, and all these things were retrieved from his house.¡± ¡°Blind Liu?¡± I had a brief encounter with him at the police station before, when I was warned for installing a camera in a hotel without permission. He was just a fraud who pretended to be blind¡­ After I rummaged through the box and found a silver-plated cross and two long strips of garlic, I became even more certain of my suspicions. ¡°What is this? A fusion of Eastern and Western methods? He certainly has a wide range of knowledge.¡± At this point, I had little hope and could only nervously sort and organize the paper talismans in the box, quickly stuffing them into my pockets. It was a last-ditch effort when all else had failed. If there was even a slight chance that Blind Liu was some kind of reclusive master, then it would be like hitting the jackpot. ¡°Jian Ge, if you don¡¯t need anything else, I¡¯ll be going. Blind Liu is still being held, and I¡¯m afraid my brothers might go too far and hurt the old man,¡± Er Gou said as he picked up the now-empty box and prepared to leave. ¡°Wait a minute.¡± Just as Er Gou was about to pick up the box, I noticed a piece of talisman paper that was different from the others. This talisman was stuck to the bottom of the box and had been there for so long that its color had turned yellowish, making it almost blend in with the box. ¡°Jian Ge, this peach wood box was passed down by Blind Liu¡¯s ancestors. Don¡¯t even think about taking it, or else Blind Liu will have to fight me to the death,¡± Er Gou said as he rubbed the cast on his arm. ¡°That old man still has some tricks up his sleeve.¡± Hearing Er Gou¡¯s warning, I became even more convinced that this box was no ordinary item. Indeed, despite its ancient appearance, the wooden box emitted no hint of decay or mustiness. Instead, it exuded an indescribable charm. ¡°You can take the box, but I must keep this talisman paper,¡± I said, as I changed into a pair of disposable gloves for examining corpses. Carefully, I peeled off the talis¨´an that had been pressed against the bottom of the box. The paper was surprisingly thin, and it was impossible to tell what material it was made of, but it was more resilient than regular paper. ¡°Jian Ge, what¡¯s written on it?¡± ¡°If I could read it, do you think I¡¯d be selling adult toys to people?¡± The two of us stared wide-eyed at the jumbled characters on the talisman. We knew they were Chinese characters, but we couldn¡¯t make heads or tails of their meaning. It¡¯s strange to say, but as soon as I peeled off the talisman, a foul smell emanated from the wooden box. I knew something was wrong and gave Er Gou fifty bucks to return the box immediately. As night fell, I sat quietly at the table, fully armed, staring silently at the clock on the wall. ¡°Eight o¡¯clock!¡± As the hour hand passed, my phone¡¯s screen lit up. No ringtone, no vibration, no indication of any kind¡ªjust a cold light as an unknown number dialed in. ¡°Hello¡­¡± The icy phone pressed against my ear, and all I could hear was a woman sobbing on the other end. ¡°Who are you looking for?¡± The crying gradually stopped, but the feeling of terror gradually approached, as if the woman on the other end of the phone was crawling out of my phone and leaning on my shoulder. ¡°I want to find someone.¡± Her voice was devoid of any emotion, as cold as a lonely gravestone on a pauper¡¯s grave. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but this small store only sells adult products. If you really need it, you can add me on WeChat¡­¡± I trembled as I struggled to put my thoughts into words, not even knowing what I was saying. ¡°Help me find someone. He hid me under the floor, inside the walls, and behind the bathtub in the bathroom a few years ago. Find him, find him!¡± The voice abruptly stopped, and the call was disconnected, leaving me with endless speculation. ¡°Was she dismembered?¡± I shuddered as a new text message appeared in my inbox. ¡°It¡¯s late at night, and my dormant desires are about to erupt. Pick up the phone in your hotel room, engage in flirtatious banter, and she¡¯ll be waiting for you outside your door, with crimson eyes, ready to come in¡­¡± ¡°Live streaming mission: Check into Room 203 at the peace of mind Inn at midnight and survive until the sunrise.¡± Instantly, I knew the location of the mission, and it sent chills down my spine. Just three months ago, a bizarre and gruesome murder had taken place in that very Inn on the outskirts of the city. The victim was a male, and the details of the crime were beyond disturbing. With this knowledge, any doubts I had previously held about the mission quickly dissipated. CH 8 ¡°Please don¡¯t scare me, grandma. I¡¯m naturally a cowardly person. I can have nightmares for four or five days just from watching someone kill a chicken.¡± The bitterness on my face wasn¡¯t entirely fake, considering that the room where someone had died three months ago was right across from me. ¡°If you don¡¯t come out, then everything should¡­. be okay¡­.¡± The short and chubby old woman turned and left me standing alone in the hallway. A cold breeze blew by, giving me chills from head to toe. Under the flickering lights, I looked again at room 206 across from me. The paint on the wooden door was peeling, and the surface was rough. Besides the room number, it didn¡¯t look any different from the other doors. ¡°I¡¯ve come this far; what do I have to be afraid of?¡± I pulled out the cigarette that the taxi driver had given me, lit it, and put it in my mouth. I pushed the door open and entered room 203. The room was much more spacious than I had imagined, with a private bathroom, a double bed, and an old-fashioned wardrobe against the wall. Although the furnishings were simple, everything that was needed was there. Overall, 35 yuan per night for this room was considered very cheap. I glanced at my phone and realized that it was already 11 p.m. I extinguished my cigarette and turned on the camera, placing it on the windowsill. ¡°I never thought my first live stream would be in a inn room that costs only 35 yuan per night.¡± The equipment was working properly, so I plugged in my mobile encoding device and clicked on the icon for the ¡°Underworld Show¡± on my large-screen phone. ¡°Acquiring image¡­ ¡° ¡°Connecting to the bullet screen¡­ ¡° ¡°Data is stable. Do you want to start the live broadcast?¡± Having prepared myself mentally, I didn¡¯t hesitate and clicked on the ¡°Yes¡± button on the screen. The phone screen went black for a moment, and when it lit up again, it had switched to the live broadcast screen. A young man, about 1.8 meters tall with a well-proportioned figure, was standing next to the bed, holding a phone in his hand. ¡°So this is what it feels like to see yourself on TV.¡± I looked despondent as the live broadcast had already started, but my broadcast room was empty. ¡°I may be good at solving murders or tracking extramarital affairs, but when it comes to live broadcasting, I¡¯m just a layman.¡± How can I attract more viewers? I recalled those popular female hosts and couldn¡¯t help but look down at my collar. ¡°Unfortunately, I don¡¯t have much to show. I can¡¯t even sell myself¡­¡± ¡°¡®Teletubies died of murder¡¯ had joined the live broadcast room.¡± ¡°Someone¡¯s here! Welcome, Teletubies, to the super-thrilling live broadcast room! We have the most realistic challenges and the most terrifying stories!¡± As I said this, I suddenly got stuck because I had no idea what to do next. Should I just sit here and wait for ghosts to knock on the door at midnight? ¡°Hey! I clicked on ¡®Extreme Temptation of Beautiful Women¡¯, but why did I end up with this guy?¡± Teletubies, on the other end of the screen, was also in a state of confusion. ¡°What are you even streaming, Mr. Host? And where¡¯s the announcement for your live broadcast?¡± ¡°I¡¯m what you could call a paranormal exploration streamer, but that¡¯s not important. The fundamental purpose of my stream is to find an answer.¡± ¡°Answer for what?¡± ¡°Whether or not ghosts really exist in this world,¡± Master Tieling Biao, ¡°Hehe, I love how you can spout nonsense with a straight face.¡± My senior sister fell for me, ¡°I¡¯ve also been searching for the ¡®greasy corpse sister¡¯ and got moved over here. In just a few sentences, the popularity of my live broadcast room skyrocketed to eleven. It appears that the Underworld Show had many channels to attract viewers. However, without exception, all of my viewers were lured into my live broadcast room through deceitful means. Someone was even researching for an adult film, only to have an advertisement suddenly pop up, leading them to the Super Thrilling Live broadcast room with nothing but a roll of toilet paper. I hope I didn¡¯t leave any psychological trauma for that poor child. Others also entered unintentionally, but they all shared one commonality, they were all watching this alone. ¡°Mr. Host, how come the room you¡¯re staying in looks a little familiar to me? Have I seen it on the news before?¡± A viewer named ¡°Officer Huang of the third year class 2¡± suddenly sent a colorful barrage of pop up comments. ¡°Mr Host, I¡¯m from Jiangcheng. Is your place of residence the Peace of Mind Inn?¡± ¡°Finally, someone normal.¡± I pulled out the newspaper I¡¯ve been preparing for a while. ¡°That¡¯s right, this is the Peace of Mind (Anxin) Inn.¡± ¡°Perhaps some of you may not know what this place is. Please take a look at the newspaper in my hand. Three months ago, a bizarre death case occurred in this building, and the police have yet to find out the cause. They could only attribute the demise of the victim to accidental death.¡± ¡°However, recently, there has been a picture of the deceased circulating online. In the photo, the male victim¡¯s pupils were dilated, and his jaws were open at a ninety-degree angle. Anyone with common sense knows that he must have seen something extremely terrifying before he died!¡± ¡°What did he see? Don¡¯t you want to know?¡± Suddenly, the live stream room fell silent, perhaps because everyone was trying to determine the authenticity of what I was saying. ¡°The room we are in right now is 203, and the room where the homicide occurred three months ago is directly opposite to us,¡± I announced. As I spoke, the ash from my cigarette fell to the ground. I then lit another cigarette, all while watching myself on the screen. ¡°Tonight, I will unveil the truth behind the incident. I am prepared to witness the horrors firsthand, and this is what the Super Thrilling Live Broadcast Room stands for.¡± After making this bold statement, I felt a sense of satisfaction, but the audience appeared skeptical. One of the viewers, Master Tieling Biao, spoke up, ¡°Get rid of this guy. He¡¯s a joke. The police couldn¡¯t even solve the case. Who does he think he is?¡± Don¡¯t attack me I¡¯m fragile. ¡°Screenshot taken. Let¡¯s watch the host get scared to death.¡± A Ping An insurance sales manager interjected, ¡°Host, what you need now is insurance. Our company¡¯s latest family insurance package covers your entire family with just one policy.¡± Officer Huang of the third year class 2 chimed in, ¡°The Peace of Mind (Anxin) Inn is definitely creepy. You might actually come across something. Be careful, host!¡± The barrage of comments from the audience was diverse, which helped alleviate my fear and anxiety. In fact, according to the mission of the Underworld show, I didn¡¯t need to interact with anyone else. All I had to do was survive the night. But there are experts among the masses, and if I were to face death, seeking help from the audience might be my only way out. ¡°Alright, everyone calm down. Let¡¯s take a look at the surroundings first. Although I don¡¯t understand feng shui or superstition, I did attend police school for two years, so I have some experience investigating death scenes.¡± Room 203 was not where the deceased died three months ago, but the fact that the underworld show app decided to broadcast here indicates that there must be some hidden problem with this room. ¡°The doors and windows are intact, the floor is clean, and although the furniture is outdated and old, it¡¯s very clean, almost spotless.¡± I leaned on the ground, holding a cigarette. ¡°There are no bloodstains or any suspicious items under the bed, and the wardrobe is a bit damp. The TV in front of the bed is just for decoration, huh?¡± I pushed the old box TV in front of me and discovered a mirror behind it on the wall. It was not too big, the 30-inch television screen was just big enough to cover it. ¡°Host, it¡¯s a big taboo to have a mirror facing the bed. I don¡¯t think this room is meant for the living,¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain¡¯s comment lit up the chatroom, which had just quieted down. Master Tieling Biao retorted, ¡°You talk nonsense every day. I have a whole wall of mirrors in my bedroom, and I¡¯m living just fine.¡± Teletubies died of murder, chimed in, ¡°Isn¡¯t Qingcheng Mountain where Bai Suzhen lives? Half immortal Liu , Fahai is calling you back home for dinner.¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain said, ¡°Believe it or not, in Feng Shui, mirrors are used to ward off evil spirits and should face the direction of the malevolent energy. If they face people, they become evil mirror spirits, and those are like a mouth that sucks the life force out of people every day. It can make one feel restless or even cause their families to fall apart.¡± girl who loves handsome and talented men: ¡°Looks like there¡¯s a scammer upstairs. Who can cultivate to such a high level and still type so fast?¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain, ¡°As a Taoist master, I have practiced the Two-Finger Zen since I was young. Don¡¯t believe me? Come and challenge me!¡± I rubbed my temples, feeling a slight headache as I looked at the barrage of comments on the screen. If I hadn¡¯t experienced that night without electricity, I would probably have been a thorough atheist. But that heart-pounding interview was like a sledgehammer that shattered everything I had ever believed in. ¡°Are there really strange and mystical powers in this world?¡± I took the camera and said, ¡°Half immortal Liu, calm down. It¡¯s true that this place is not very auspicious. Can you help me take a look and see if it¡¯s safe to stay here for a night?¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain replied, ¡°Knowing that it¡¯s an ominous dwelling, why stay? Let me advise you, young man, to pack up and leave as soon as possible, or your fortune will be affected in the future.¡± Master Tieling Biao donated 99 ghost coins to the super thrilling live broadcast room. Master Tieling Biao said, ¡°Host, don¡¯t listen to that old bull. If you stay here for a night, I¡¯ll give you 99 every hour.¡± ¡°Gifts already?¡± The low-level gifts on the underworld show were divided into ghost coins, ingots, and gold bricks, and the details were in the contract. Unfortunately, I didn¡¯t read it carefully at the time. ************ TN: Feng shui is a Chinese philosophical system that aims to harmonize individuals with their surrounding environment. It is based on the idea that energy, or ¡°qi¡± flows through everything. TN: Bai Suzhen and Fahai are fictional characters from the ¡°legend of the whithe snake¡± which is a chinese legend CH 9 ¡°Thank you for the generous donation, Master Tieling Biao. However, speaking of which, I still really want to hear Half-Immortal Liu¡¯s opinion. After all, he is a professional.¡± I took out my phone and checked the time. It was not yet midnight, so there was still some time before the early morning that the short and chubby old lady had warned me about. ¡°If worse comes to worst, I¡¯ll just escape and call the police¡­¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain, ¡°Young people nowadays are willing to risk even their lives for mere money. Well, since we have met, I¡¯ll give you some advice.¡± ¡°Thank you, Half-Immortal.¡± The live stream audience had increased to 37, and the number was still growing. ¡°When the earth¡¯s energy is strong, it illuminates the house and bestows blessings upon those who reside there. Conversely, if the earth¡¯s energy is weak, the house will wither, and those who live there will lack vitality and nourishment, ultimately leading to decay.¡± ¡°Host, please open the window so I can assess the earth¡¯s energy,¡± Half-Immortal Liu requested. I followed his instructions and opened the window, illuminating the area with my phone¡¯s flashlight. ¡°The grass won¡¯t grow, the flowers won¡¯t bloom, and the trees are twisted and distorted. The energy is stagnant, impurities are accumulating, and there seems to be no way out!¡± Half-Immortal Liu posted his second comment after a minute or two. ¡°Host, quickly close the window, and check if there are any grains of rice or traces of red, white, and yellow paper on the four corners of the bed.¡± I lifted the camera and zoomed in, finding the corners of the room spotless without any cobwebs in sight. However, when I focused on the double bed, I felt a sense of unease. ¡°Rice grains!¡± Several small, wet grains of rice were scattered in an inconspicuous location on the inner side of the bed legs. Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain said, ¡°Apart from being offered to our ancestors, white rice can also be used to appease spirits. The layout of this house is very ominous, and I suspect that more than one or two people have died here. Host, go ahead and search; there should be some talisman paper under the bed to ward off evil spirits. But don¡¯t get too close. If there are more than four talisman papers, leave the room immediately to save your life.¡± ¡°Under the bed?¡± I leaned down again, one hand grabbing the edge of the bed and the other holding the camera, as I stuck my entire head under the bed. ¡°This¡­¡± The cold ground seemed to freeze my body, making me feel numb all over. It was as if worms were crawling through my veins. This was my first time seeing such a scene, and I couldn¡¯t find any other words to describe the hair-raising feeling other than terrifying. Beneath the bed board that measured two meters in length and one and a half meters in width, there were numerous ghost talismans pasted with red characters on a yellow background! Teletubies died of murder, ¡°Oh my god, this is giving me a heart attack!¡± Officer Huang of the third year class 2, said, ¡°Brother, call the police. I knew from the beginning that this case was fishy.¡± Don¡¯t attack me, I¡¯m fragile. ¡°Damn, you scared the crap out of me¡­¡± Feeling lightheaded, I sat on the ground and propped myself up with my elbow. ¡°Half-Immortal, I didn¡¯t count them, but I think there are more than four¡­¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain said, ¡°Young man, you¡¯re on your own now. These paper talismans are often used to ward off evil, attract wealth, and secure a house. But if I¡¯m not mistaken, the talisman in your room should be for suppressing evil spirits. Now that the negative energy has been exposed, it¡¯s obvious that the talisman has lost its effectiveness. When you entered this room, you were already in trouble.¡± ¡°So, what you¡¯re saying is that I¡¯m doomed, Mr. Half-imortal?¡± ¡°I¡¯m willing to help you, but I¡¯m in Qingcheng and can¡¯t do much.¡± The girl- who loves handsome and talented men, said, ¡°You two seem to be having fun with your back-and-forth banter. I get it now, this Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain is just an actor hired by the host. The lines are good, the script is decent, and I give the set design a 90 out of 100. It¡¯s better than some of the cheap special effects in domestic productions.¡± Teemo Stew with Mushrooms: ¡°Are you guys just acting? I¡¯m only 12 years old; don¡¯t fool me.¡± So I Married a Hater: ¡°This deceitful streamer is just showing off their acting skills and scamming ignorant viewers for gifts!¡± Master Tieling Biao: ¡°Who are you calling ignorant? Want me to teach you a lesson?¡± The fear in my heart was dispelled by the barrage of comments. I sat on the bed to light a cigarette, then suddenly remembered the talismans covering the bed board and quickly stood up and moved to the side. ¡°Could it be true that this Peace of Mind (Anxin) Inn is really haunted?¡± Despite having an answer in my mind, I was still unwilling to believe it. ¡°Without seeing it with my own eyes, mere speculation cannot prove anything.¡± The courses at the police academy had instilled in me a good habit of critical thinking. Before reaching a conclusion, a complete chain of evidence must be established. I lit the cigarette, and the live broadcast room had grown quiet. Despite the earlier incident, the number of viewers had increased to over sixty, who were now watching simultaneously. ¡°Whether you think I¡¯m a fraud or an actor, I will stay here for one night. I don¡¯t believe in ghosts and will not be afraid of them,¡± I said, gritting my teeth and lying down on the bed. I had made my decision, and I felt much more relaxed. Master Tieling Biao gifted 99 ghost coins to the super thrilling live broadcast room, saying ¡°Well said, I like what I¡¯m hearing, here¡¯s a gift!¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain gifted 99 gohst coins to the super thrilling live broadcast room, saying ¡°Money is just an external possession, we can¡¯t take it with us when we¡¯re born or when we die. Why bother, host?¡± The truth is, I knew the mess i was getting myself in. However, this was a mission from the underworld show, and if I broke the agreement recklessly, I might offend that mysterious organization and end up disappearing from the human world. Since I couldn¡¯t avoid it, I must face it head-on. ¡°I¡¯ve seen so many ruthless, cunning, and inhumane criminals, would I still be afraid of a vague and illusory ghost?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not just here to spend the night; I¡¯m actively seeking out ghosts! If everything turns out to be fake, it¡¯ll prove that the Underworld Show is nothing more than a group of people dressed up as ghosts with sinister intentions.¡± ¡°Although this is the task they¡¯ve given me, it¡¯s also an opportunity for me to reveal their true nature!¡± At this point, my rationality overcame my fear, and I picked up the camera and aimed it at myself. ¡°Dear viewers, I¡¯m just as curious as you are. Do ghosts really exist in this world? Are supernatural phenomena real? Which of the countless urban legends are true, and which ones conceal dark conspiracies? There are too many unknowns waiting for us to explore, and today is just the beginning!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll do my best to recreate the tenant¡¯s death process and guide everyone through the suffocating death scene! From now on, I am the tenant who died under mysterious circumstances. I¡¯ll act according to his thoughts and try to trigger the same deadly outcome¡ªwitnessing that scary, thrilling scene that led to him being scared to death!¡± Recreating the victim¡¯s death simulation, a technique similar to a dramatic reenactment, was extremely helpful in solving cases, but it was also a very complex process that often required meticulous planning and the assistance of psychological experts. In this deserted village inn, however, everything had to be kept simple. Although I was not a psychology expert, I did have some knowledge of environmental psychology and criminal psychology. Teemo Stew with Mushrooms remarked, ¡°The style has changed, and suddenly the host seems quite appealing.¡± My senior sister fell for me wondered, ¡°What¡¯s with this feeling of anticipation and suspense¡­?¡± Officer Huang of the third year class 2, ¡°I¡¯ve known from the beginning that the host was a professional in the industry. It¡¯s time to show off some real skills!¡± ¡°Death simulation is not some fancy, high-level concept. It¡¯s simply a matter of accurately reenacting the scene based on the victim¡¯s personality, the initial location, the motive, and the criminal psychology,¡± I said as I turned the camera towards myself. ¡°I¡¯ve done some research on this murder case. The victim was a local man in Jiangcheng, unemployed and deep in debt due to his gambling addiction. He couldn¡¯t go back home because he owed too much money, so he chose to hide in the rural and tranquil Peace of Mind (Anxin) Inn.¡± ¡°What¡¯s interesting is that he had been staying there for half a month with no incident until this one fateful day. What happened on that day? Or was it something he did that triggered his own death?¡± I picked up the camera and started to walk around the room, saying, ¡°He spent half a month hiding in this place with no entertainment other than a broken TV and faced two scary and elderly faces every day¡­¡± ¡°Moreover, the death occurred in the middle of the night. What would a bored and restless man do? Could it be that¡­¡± I rummaged through the drawers and finally found something under the pillow¡ªa brightly colored card. Teemo Stew with Mushrooms, ¡°What did you find, Mr. Host? Does that card contain valuable information left by the victim?!¡± The girl who loves handsome and talented men, ¡°Hehe, little Teemo, it¡¯s not that we won¡¯t tell you; it¡¯s just that sometimes silence speaks louder than words and everything is better left unsaid.¡¯¡± Officer Huang of the third year class 2, ¡°Upstairs, please be mindful of your words and actions. This topic is too heavy for a minor.¡± The girl who loves handsome and talented men; ¡°Too heavy, your sister! I bet you¡¯re just a paid actor hired by the host. Your tone is so rigid, be careful you don¡¯t get left with no lunch after the show!¡± Teletubies died of murder: ¡°Wow, this livestream is really intense¡­¡± CH 10 ¡°Hello, we are a legitimate live streaming room; please don¡¯t just start competing without warning!¡± I quickly stopped the people who were preparing to fight it out in my chat. What I was planning on doing was just simulating the behavior of the deceased, and I didn¡¯t plan on doing anything real. ¡°Host, you¡¯re playing with fire right now!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I won¡¯t do anything that violates moral or legal constraints, I¡¯m well aware of that.¡± ¡°You¡¯re right, but why do I feel disappointed?¡± In the live streaming room, a group of troublemakers who enjoyed watching the excitement and weren¡¯t afraid of causing trouble were becoming restless. I made a wise decision to end the topic. ¡°Let¡¯s not forget, even though the victim¡¯s personality may be difficult to duplicate, his financial situation at the time did not allow him to do anything out of line.¡± As someone who was in debt, living in constant fear, and hiding in a cheap inn in the suburbs while struggling to make ends meet, his financial situation must have been extremely poor. With that being said, we are back to square one. What exactly did the victim do that night? Suppose I was him, cowering in a creepy room with nothing on me on a late night like this. Under such circumstances, would I make a choice like leaving the room to smoke a cigarette outside? ¡°When I checked into Room 203, the old lady specifically instructed me not to go out no matter what noise I hear. Presumably, the victim was also reminded of this before he passed away. But what if he didn¡¯t follow the agreement and went out on his own in the middle of the night?¡± Logically speaking, there must be a connection between the victim¡¯s death and going out late at night. I checked the time and realized it wasn¡¯t dawn yet. I opened the door and placed the camera outside, watching the live stream on my phone. The third floor was completely empty, with only a deathly silence. ¡°Let¡¯s go for a walk. Since we¡¯ve decided to encounter ghosts, there¡¯s no need to be so timid.¡± I placed the camera at the door and looked at the opposite room 206, recalling the eerie victim. Anyone who claims to be unafraid right now would be lying. ¡°If I could enter room 206, perhaps I could find some clues that the police overlooked.¡± Unfortunately, this idea could only stay in my mind. Requesting such a thing from the old couple could easily startle them, and in my eyes, they were also suspects of the murder. I went down to the second floor with my phone. The scar-faced old man and the short, chubby old lady were not there. There was only a young woman in her twenties at the front desk. She was kneeling in the corner with her back to me, seemingly worshipping a picture of a little girl who was only two or three years old. ¡°Excuse me, do you know where the landlord is? The TV in my room is broken,¡± I asked. ¡°The TV is inherently broken, and a broken one can¡¯t be repaired.¡± ¡°Oh, what you said is a bit interesting; after all, only the broken ones need to be repaired.¡± The woman stood up and wiped the black and white photo of a two to three-year-old girl in front of the incense burner. ¡°Just like people, once something is broken, it will never repent.¡± The woman remained with her back turned to me and spoke softly, ¡°It¡¯s better for you to go back to your room, it¡¯s not safe here at night.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve piqued my curiosity, though. By the way, is the little girl in the photo your daughter? I noticed that you¡­¡± ¡°She¡¯s my sister. She disappeared when she was very young.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay, I¡¯m used to it. I just hope the next missing person won¡¯t be me,¡± the woman said in a pessimistic tone. ¡°Is it just you three holding it together at the Peace of Mind (Anxin) Inn? Where is your husband?¡± ¡°I have an older brother who works in another city,¡± ¡°Oh, life is tough. If you need any help, just let me know,¡± I said generously, patting my chest. My eyes never left the woman, who trembled slightly, as if afraid of something. ¡°I mean in any aspect, including seeking help and everything you can think of,¡± I added tentatively. I didn¡¯t think the other person would trust a stranger like me unless she was desperate. After a fruitless search, I returned to room 203, closed the door, and set the camera aside. This low budget inn, charging only 35 yuan per night, could hardly be relied upon to have high-level security measures. Apart from being careful of ghosts, I also had to watch out for human mischief. The paint-chipped wooden door looked old, and the lock was loose. Its style should have been most popular in the 80s or 90s. I pressed against the door handle and shook it back and forth. Honestly, this wooden door probably couldn¡¯t withstand the force of an eight or nine-year-old child kicking it. With the key in my pocket, I opened a small gap in the door. Room 203 and 206 were in the middle of the hallway, and what was eerie was that the corridor was dimly lit, with the staircase¡¯s barely functioning light bulb adding to the scary atmosphere. Without any exaggeration, it was enough to discourage anyone from venturing outside. ¡°I really don¡¯t know how this inn manages to stay in business,¡± I placed the thermos flask that the short, chubby old lady had given me in the door gap and put a teacup on top of the lid. I did this not to block the door but to warn me in case someone tried to sneak in during the night. If someone were to open the door, the tea cup would fall and make a noise, alerting me to take action promptly. Being cautious wasn¡¯t a sign of paranoia, but my experiences in the last few days had been truly terrifying. I still didn¡¯t know if I would be facing a human or a ghost. Beside the room door was a separate compartment, the bathroom. Because of Half-Immortal Liu¡¯s barrage of comments earlier, I didn¡¯t have the chance to inspect it during my survey of the environment. ¡°I hope nothing strange will happen again.¡± I muttered to myself, trying to self-hypnotize. I pushed open the bathroom door. The floor was covered with new tiles, and the walls were adorned with clean porcelain tiles. Needless to say, the toilet and sink were also in top condition. As I looked further in, I saw a semi-fixed bathtub under a solar water heater that had only been used a few times and was still wrapped in packaging. ¡°For a low budget Inn that charges 35 dollars a night, this bathroom is a bit too luxurious,¡± I said to myself. Although there were no talismans or Buddha statues, the dim lighting reflected on the pale tiles created an indescribable sense of eeriness. The decoration outside was still stuck in the 90s, but this bathroom had obviously undergone some renovation. The contrast between the two created a sense of dissonance. ¡°This is too unusual. There must be something wrong.¡± I muttered to myself, believing that when things deviate from normalcy, there must be something supernatural involved. In this case, all the illogical situations in the case were actually loopholes inadvertently left by the culprit. ¡°Why was only the bathroom renovated?¡± After pondering for a moment, I had a thought. ¡°The inn owner did this to cover up something. Could this bathroom also be a crime scene?¡± I fetched a camera, briefly explained the situation in the bathroom, and began searching for any clues. Time flew by, and half an hour had passed before I was interrupted by a very soft knock on the door, while I was still engrossed in my search for evidence. I quietly approached the door and listened intently. When the knocking sound rang out again, I leaned against the door crack and peered outside. In the dim light, all I could see was a blurry white figure standing silently at the door of room 206. ¡°She¡¯s knocking on the door of the room where someone died three months ago!¡± The light was too dim, and I couldn¡¯t see clearly, so I leaned my body against the door and strained to open my eyes wider. The blurry figure appeared tall and thin, with long black hair hanging down her shoulders. ¡°Is this a person or a ghost?¡± The figure stood motionless, and I felt like time was frozen. I tightened my grip on the talisman paper in one hand and held up the camera in the other. ¡°What¡¯s there to be afraid of? I came here today to look for ghosts. If I want to uncover the true face of this underworld show, I can¡¯t back down now!¡± With that thought in mind, I let go of the talisman paper and slowly turned the lock, pulling the door open bit by bit. ¡°Come on, let me see your true face. Show me what ghosts really look like!¡± As I reached for the door handle, the hallway plunged into darkness as the cursed light bulb flickered and died. The icy wind from all directions seemed to grow stronger, piercing through my clothes and sending shivers down my spine. My back was instantly drenched in cold sweat, and it felt like something was moving in the silent darkness! The light bulb flickered, and a brief moment of brightness returned. It was in that split second that I saw a face with black hair and pale, lifeless features rapidly approaching me! ¡°Holy crap!¡± As the door was pushed open, the warning flask at the entrance toppled over, clanging against the tea cups and spilling scalding hot water all over my legs. With the slippery floor and intense pain, I lost my balance and fell backward, instinctively holding onto my camera with one hand while grabbing onto the blurry white figure with the other! With a loud crash, my body hit the ground hard. When I regained my senses, I saw that I was clutching onto a half-torn, pure white dress. As I lifted my head, I found myself face-to-face with a pair of seductive, snow-white legs, pressed up against my nose. CH 11 I have participated in many clubs during my time in the police academy, including grappling, sanda, martial arts, taekwondo, investigation and counter-investigation, and police baton and shield techniques. Although I was not particularly skilled in any of them, I inadvertently developed a strong physique and exceptional reaction speed. Thanks to this, when I held the white skirt and looked up along the ¡°female ghost¡¯s¡± thigh to her pale face, I was able to react in just a fraction of a second. Before she could even scream, I swiftly stood up and covered her mouth with my hand. Of course, if the landlord or landlady had seen this scene, they might as well have let the ghost kill me instead! Just kidding. ¡°Stop moving; I mean no harm,¡± After the ¡°female ghost¡¯s¡± pupils stopped trembling, I pushed her into the room and gently closed the door. I breathed a sigh of relief, enduring the pain from the burn on my calf as I picked up the thermos flask and cup. ¡°Hey, are you okay?¡± I asked, my hands full and my posture awkwardly bent, looking really wretched. ¡°More than anything, I¡¯m actually more curious about your appearance.¡± The woman in front of me was the same one I had seen on the second floor. She seemed remarkably calm, completely unconcerned about her exposed body. ¡°I haven¡¯t talked to a normal person in a long time. If this continues, I will be driven insane,¡± ¡°What do you mean? Can¡¯t those two old people chat with you?¡± I was a little surprised. ¡°They¡¯re both lunatics,¡± the woman replied with a bitter smile. Suddenly, she noticed the camera in my hand and quickly covered her chest, crouching down on the ground. ¡°Turn it off quickly!¡± The scene in front of me was indeed not suitable for children. I moved the camera away and limped over to the bed. I lifted the sheets and draped them over the girl. ¡°It was just an accident. Don¡¯t think too much about it. I¡¯m neither an undercover police officer nor a secret journalist. I won¡¯t harm you,¡± ¡°What are you doing with the camera then?¡± she asked, looking puzzled. ¡°I¡¯m an outdoor live-streamer who is passionate about exploring paranormal phenomena and seeking supernatural experiences. I checked into this inn late at night to make a show, which is why I was interested in your situation,¡± I explained. ¡°A spirit seeking show?¡± The girl¡¯s expression could be summarized in just two words¡ªvery curious. ¡°You can see for yourself!¡± I laughed and handed her my phone, which had the recordings of my previous ¡°ghost hunting¡± actions. The super thrilling live broadcast room was being flooded with a barrage of comments: ¡°I want to see the girl!¡± ¡°This is a pornographic broadcast; I¡¯m reporting the host!¡± ¡°Sister, you¡¯re so beautiful.¡± ¡°Can you tell me how to quickly increase breast size?¡± ¡°Selling nutrition drinks and high-quality free-range eggs in the front row!¡± As the comments were rapidly refreshing, the girl showed a rare smile and then looked at me with an even more envious expression: ¡°You¡¯re so lucky to have so many people accompanying you.¡± Sitting at the end of the bed, I intentionally kept a certain distance from her: ¡°Is that what you call happiness? Your definition of happiness is too simple.¡± The girl was taken aback by what I said and stared at me for a long time: ¡°You won¡¯t understand my feelings, and I won¡¯t explain either. We¡¯re just strangers who met briefly tonight. I just want to talk about some light topics.¡± ¡°Suit yourself. The long night is enough time to talk about many things.¡± I smiled slightly. Even the most basic conversation could lead to a lot of information, which was the basic skill of a detective. ¡­¡­ ¡°The host¡¯s smile is laden with hidden meaning, suggesting something to that young woman!¡± ¡°You better run, girl! The host is trying to pull a fast one on you!¡± ¡°The countless sorrowful stories of internet users. The most arduous journey of my life was getting ensnared in the host¡¯s scheme!¡± During our conversation, I learned that the woman in front of me was named Xiao Feng, and she had been adopted by the elderly couple. She revealed that the reasons for her adoption were not entirely pure. When the inn was newly constructed, a half-monk, half-taoist geomancer advised the landlord that this was an ominous place. To ensure safety and prosperity, the yin and yang energies had to be balanced. At that time, the elderly couple only had one biological son, and they decided to adopt a daughter in order to balance the yin and yang energies in their home. Here was the strange thing, though: whenever I asked about the missing two or three-year-old girl, Xiao Feng would clam up and avoid mentioning her name, as if it were taboo within this inn. As our conversation grew deeper, I became increasingly puzzled. I tried to read between the lines, and it seemed like Xiao Feng was struggling to tell me something but was afraid of being overheard. I carefully examined every inch of her person, but found no listening devices or other such items. I had already searched the entire room, and the most advanced piece of technology was the light bulb hanging above us. ¡°What is she afraid of? She always seems to hold back herself from saying anything, as if there¡¯s a third person in the room with us.¡± I thought about the talismans under the bed ¨C they say that there are spirits that dwell three feet above our heads. Could she be afraid of these unseen entities? Strange place, strange people. It was already late into the night, and the darkness outside was impenetrable. The moon was hidden behind thick clouds, and I could tell that it was getting late. I gently tapped Xiao Feng on the shoulder and said, ¡°It¡¯s getting late. You should head back home, or your foster parents might worry.¡± I pulled out my phone, ¡°What¡¯s your WeChat? Let me send you a red envelope* to apologize for tearing your skirt. My ID is ¡®Peak of Happiness¡¯.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t naming yourself ¡®Peak of Happiness¡¯ as a grown man quite revealing of your personality?¡± ¡°Peak of Happiness is the name of my store. You can check it out, and I will give you a 20% discount if you need it in the future.¡± I didn¡¯t gain much, and I rubbed my temples with a headache. The clues I was hoping for didn¡¯t appear, and it seemed like I could only sit and wait in this room. Xiao Feng sat up, the bedsheet covering her body slipping off slowly. ¡°I don¡¯t have a cell phone. My foster parents don¡¯t like me contacting the outside world.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± This girl was like a domesticated animal¡ªyoung and beautiful, but with many dark secrets buried deep inside. ¡°Can I stay here tonight?¡± ¡°Of course¡­ Wait, what?!¡± Her sudden request caught me off guard. ¡°If I could stay here, my foster parents would be very happy.¡± ¡°What do you mean? What¡¯s your relationship with them?¡± I couldn¡¯t make sense of it, so I glanced at the dark night outside the window. ¡°Forget it, if you want to stay, stay. At least two people can keep each other company.¡± I cleared up half of the bed for her and rolled up my pants to examine the burn on my leg. ¡°Don¡¯t move, it could get infected.¡± Xiao Feng sat next to me in her simple clothes and placed my leg on her lap. ¡°The burn is stuck to your pants. If you just roll it up, it¡¯ll burst the blister.¡± She was familiar with Room 203 and turned to grab a pair of small scissors from the bedside table. She cut open the pant leg for me and then went to the bathroom to get a towel. She rinsed the wound with cold water and gently wiped it clean. Xiao Feng¡¯s movements were skilled and gentle, making her seem like the kind of woman who regularly did household chores. ¡°What a shame¡­¡± ¡°What did you say?¡± ¡°I said you should rest. I can take care of it myself.¡± It was already 1:30 AM by the time we finished treating the burn. Xiao Feng lay on the bed with her back to me, and I could tell from the slight movement of her body that she wasn¡¯t asleep. ¡°Let¡¯s not tell her about the talisman under the bed,¡± I spotted one comment after taking out my phone. Maybe because the expected ghosts and monsters hadn¡¯t appeared, the increase in viewers had slowed down significantly. ¡°Let¡¯s promote civilized live streaming. Starting with ourselves. Don¡¯t let the host take advantage of the girl,¡± one comment said. ¡°Hey, Mr. Demon Spirit? Is there a person broadcasting a naughty livestream?¡± someone else commented. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, you dialed the wrong number. This is KFC!¡± ¡°Hehe, Uncle McDonald¡¯s is laughing silently,¡± ¡­ The barrage of comments in the chat room was all over the place. I lit a cigarette and watched with great interest. It wasn¡¯t until after 2 a.m. that drowsiness hit me, and the chat room gradually quieted down. I covered Xiao Feng with a thin blanket and lay on the other side, my eyelids slowly becoming heavy. girl who loves handsome and talented men: ¡°The host wants to wait for us all to sleep before enjoying the girls alone. How is that possible? I must expose his true face.¡¯¡± Teemo Stew with Mushrooms: ¡°I have a moral and ethical exam tomorrow. I¡¯m going to sleep. Goodnight everyone.¡± Officer Huang of the third year class 2: ¡°Nothing happened; it seems that I was overthinking things.¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain: ¡°Overthinking? Water injures the body and breaks the balance of yin and yang. Smoke penetrates the face and covers the spiritual altar. This is the manifestation of a lingering ghost, not to mention the deceased themselves.¡± In the end, I missed Half Immortal Liu¡¯s comment in the barrage as an irresistible sleepiness pulled me into a dream. The hazy scene was somewhat familiar¡ªan abandoned rural inn where I was imprisoned by a female ghost whose face remained obscure. I had this dream in the morning, with the same building, the same ground, and the same walls¡­The ¡®Female Heart (Nuxin) Inn¡¯, woven from small light bulbs outside the window, was emitting a faint red light. ¡°So, the place in my dream was actually the Female Heart Inn.¡± My consciousness was sometimes clear and sometimes blurry. I only knew that I was running frantically, but I was not sure what was chasing me. I wanted to turn back, but I couldn¡¯t control my body. I wanted to shout out loud, but I couldn¡¯t make any sound.¡± ¡°Who¡¯s behind me? Who¡¯s behind me?¡± I struggled to wake up from the dream, biting my tongue and veins bulging on my face, but even so, all I could do was twist my head. My narrow field of vision was slowly overtaken by blood, seeping in crimson from various corners of the inn. In the corner of my eye, I caught sight of a woman¡¯s figure at the last moment. ¡°She is¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s so hot!¡± My chest suddenly felt like it was on fire, and I woke up from my dream in a startle. Sweat had already soaked through my clothes, making me feel like I had just been pulled out of the water. ¡°How did I fall asleep? That was a terrifying nightmare,¡± I muttered to myself, looking down at my chest where the source of the heat had come from. I noticed the talisman I had stashed away was lying there. ¡°Geez, this thing is definitely not ordinary.¡± I carefully put it away and glanced at the girl lying motionless in front of me. ¡°Luckily, that thing in the dream didn¡¯t catch me. This girl is really a heavy sleeper though.¡± ¡°But then again, it¡¯s not appropriate to keep staring at her sleeping position like this.¡± I wiped the sweat off my forehead, propped my head up with my own arm, and turned to the other side. In front of me was a girl sleeping soundly under a thin blanket, breathing evenly and deeply. ¡°Oh, this girl really sleeps like a log¡­wait a minute! Wait! Wait!¡± ¡°If the girl lying under the thin blanket in front of me is Xiao Feng, then who is the woman that¡­is now sleeping behind me?!¡± ************ TN: translating ¡°Feng Shui¡± to ¡°geomancy¡±, this is a very appropriate translation since the two terms mean the same thing. Both terms refer to the practice of arranging physical spaces in a way that is believed to promote harmony, balance, and positive energy flow. TN: Sending a red envelope is a traditional way of giving money as a gift. Nowadays, in China, it¡¯s also common to send red envelopes digitally through mobile payment apps such as WeChat or Alipay. CH 12 There are generally two types of terrifying horror movies. One relies on building up tension and suspense through the atmosphere, creating a constant feeling of unease and dread. The other type is more sudden and jarring, like being abruptly awakened from a dream that felt like it lasted a thousand years. It¡¯s a terror that shoots through you like an electric current and can leave you screaming until your voice gives out. Clearly, my situation at this time belonged to the latter category. My heart was racing, my hands and feet were ice-cold, and my body felt like it had been thrown into a freezing cellar, completely paralyzed. I didn¡¯t dare turn around. My two eyes stared straight ahead; cold sweat was dripping down my forehead, and all cries for help were stuck in my throat. ¡°Who¡¯s behind me? Who¡¯s behind me?¡± The scene from my dream felt like it was playing out again, but I was powerless to struggle. ¡°Is this what they call sleep paralysis?¡± A blast of cold air blew by, and I could feel the chill through my clothes. It was as if a knife was being held to my waist, or as if a pair of invisible hands were pressing against my back, slowly sliding up to my neck. ¡°What is it? What in the he** is this?¡± I was completely lucid, certain that I wasn¡¯t dreaming. Everything that was happening was in the real world, in the same world that I had been living in for twenty-five years! My eyes widened, pupils darting around as I struggled to see. In my limited field of vision, strands of black hair slowly came into view. The strands were a mess of filth and disorder, mixed with gravel and bloodstains. Those weren¡¯t the kind of hairs that a normal person would have. A strange force clamped down on my neck as the sinister black hair climbed up my body, twisting my head backward bit by bit. My vision was forced to shift, and my eyes were bloodshot, like a puppet about to burst apart. The pressure on my neck grew stronger by the second, and I knew that I was going to die if this continued. ¡°The talisman! That¡¯s right, the talisman paper!¡± Holding my breath, I bit down hard on my tongue. The pain shot through my body, causing my fingers to move quickly and snatch the talisman from my chest. A warm current flowed through my limbs, and I jumped up from the bed like a ball of fire, slamming down behind me. In an instant, I only saw half of a blurry face reflected in my bloodshot eyes. When I swung the talisman behind me, there was nothing there. ¡°Impossible¡­¡± The pain in my neck reminded me that everything that just happened was not an illusion. Standing by the bed, I was still in shock. ¡°Are ghosts actually real?¡± I picked up my camera and phone. If the equipment of the underworld show could capture ghosts, then everything that just happened should have been recorded. In other words, the audience members who were just in the live broadcast room should have seen a real ghost! ¡°Is anyone there? Can someone tell me what happened after I fell asleep?¡± The live broadcast room was very quiet. It was almost 3 a.m., and most people had already gone to bed. ¡°Heavenly Thunder Talisman!¡± After a long time, a lone pop-up comment appeared in the middle of the live stream, and the person who sent it was none other than Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain. When I saw this ID, I felt like I had grabbed a life-saving straw: ¡°Half Immortal, help me!¡± ¡°Young man, I don¡¯t know what good deeds you did in your past life to get your hands on this Thunder Talisman embryo. If it weren¡¯t for the help of a noble person, then this must be fate, and you are not meant to die yet! ¡°Half Immortal, it¡¯s already this late; can you please speak in a way that I can understand? I¡¯m online waiting, and it¡¯s urgent!¡± I twisted the talisman paper and stood by the bed, feeling unsafe no matter which direction I looked in. ¡°As a mere mortal with impure thoughts, if you were to enter a haunted house during the hour of the rat, you would inevitably face a calamity. However, where there is a deficiency in the divine will, there is always a glimmer of hope, and that hope should be placed in that Thunder Talisman embryo.¡± ¡°Is this talisman paper really that powerful?¡± After using it a few times, I noticed that its charm had greatly decreased, its radiance subdued, and it had become extremely dim. ¡°Before I entered Qingcheng Mountain, I spent several years searching for a 500-year-old Thunderstruck Ancient Peach and devoted half of my life¡¯s learning to crafting a talisman coffin, all for the sake of nurturing a Thunder Talisman,¡± Half Immortal Liu said, every word dripping with pride that I couldn¡¯t quite understand. ¡°Unfortunately, after entering Qingcheng, I left the coffin for future generations to suppress the clan¡¯s fate. If we were to open the coffin now, the talisman inside might be a close match to the Thunder Talisman in your hand.¡± ¡°Half-Immortal, after you boast enough, could you please focus on my survival first? I saw my shadow moving just now; what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t panic. It¡¯s dark under the light, and there are ghosts in the shadows. The movement you saw wasn¡¯t your shadow, but a resentful spirit lurking in the same room as you. With the protection of the Thunder Talisman, it won¡¯t be able to harm you, but it may go after that girl,¡± ¡°What should I do then? Should I jump out of the window and call the police¡­.¡± ¡°An old tree cannot be carved; well, saving a life is more important than building a seven-level pagoda. I¡¯ll make an exception and teach you the incantation for the Thunder Talisman!¡± I had already reached the window and had one foot on the windowsill. ¡°Listen carefully; this house is a place of great danger, with lingering spirits. If you want to survive tonight, you must maintain a clear mind, move forward bravely, and not be swayed by selfish desires or fear of death. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be possessed by evil spirits and little ghosts.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you.¡± His words made sense; I couldn¡¯t just leave Xiao Feng alone here. Even though she remained asleep despite the loud noise earlier, which was quite weird. ¡°She¡¯s possessed by the evil spirit! Young man, quickly do as I say! Cast away your distractions, visualize the Purple Palace deity at the center, take a deep breath, swallow the qi from the Middle Palace, circulate the Mixed Origin energy, and exhale the Pre-Heaven qi in one breath.¡± ¡°Old man, can you please speak in a language that humans can understand?! Is the Purple Palace the one from the TV drama? And how do I visualize it?¡± The girl on the bed started shaking abnormally, her eyelids twitching, and she slowly sat up. ¡°Sincerity will move the gods, and the gods will definitely come. Do not make jokes or be careless, or a great disaster will befall you!¡± ¡°What the f***! She¡¯s sitting up! Are you telling me that there¡¯s something even more terrifying than this disaster looming over us?!¡± On the double bed, Xiao Feng was like a puppet being controlled. She suddenly stood up, her eyes wide open, with almost all white in her eyes. ¡°Feng, we have no grievances or grudges against each other.¡± ¡°Young man, cease your chatter and follow my directions to activate the thunder talisman!¡± ¡°Bring your index, middle, ring, and little fingers together, bending them towards your palm without making contact. Press the fingernails of the four fingers tightly with the inner side of the thumb. Make sure they are firmly pressed and not exposed!¡± Half Immortal Liu¡¯s comments were flashing at lightning speed, indicating the urgency of the situation. Xiao Feng, who had been possessed, had stopped shaking and was staring coldly at me like a hanged ghost on the bed. ¡°Clear your mind and recite the spell with me!¡± I didn¡¯t have time to read Half-Immortal Liu¡¯s next comment because Xiao Feng, who had been possessed, had already rushed towards me with a pair of scissors hidden in her hand. Dodging the sharp scissors, I grabbed her arm and prepared to use grappling techniques to restrain her body, but I didn¡¯t expect the girl to have such immense strength at this moment. The two of us were at a stalemate. Suddenly, she reached out for the thunder talisman in my palm. ¡°That¡¯s my life-saving item!¡± I pushed her away with force and jumped onto the double bed, trying to run towards the door. But just as I took a step, I was tackled to the ground. ¡°Quick, recite the spell with me!¡± In the live stream room, Half-Immortal Liu had already chanted the spell, which was a long string of words. I desperately blocked the scissors aimed at my chest and recited the incantation at the top of my lungs. ¡°Thunder command, swift as a spark, omnipotent in all directions, make me one with nature. Spirit treasure, heavenly mandate, spread throughout the nine heavens. Cut off the evil and trap the demons; slay a thousand ghosts! Disperse the wickedness and let the Dao essence last forever!¡± The resounding voice was as clear as a brass bell, and the possessed Xiao Feng¡¯s movements became sluggish. ¡°Right now!¡± ¡°Heavenly Thunder Talisman!¡± With a wave of my hand, the talisman paper was thrown out. It was as if a magical transformation had occurred¡ªthe thin sheet of paper transformed into a blade that could slay evil, shimmering with electric light as it pierced through Xiao Feng¡¯s chest. The thunder talisman guards, and the fierce ghost is subdued. Xiao Feng, who had just been ferocious, fell softly to the ground. Her shadow suddenly got torn apart and peeled off a piece that slid across the wall, rushing into the bathroom in a puff of smoke. ¡°Today, I¡¯ll spare your life, but if there¡¯s a next time, the thunder talisman will be waiting to make sure your soul departs from your body!¡± Sitting on the ground, my heart was still racing with fear. Though I spoke harsh words, my legs were shaking so strongly that I could barely stand up. ¡°Hey young man, this is not the time to rest. While it¡¯s weakened, chase it down!¡± ¡°Uh, I don¡¯t think¡­ that¡¯s appropriate. Right, there¡¯s a saying that goes, ¡®Don¡¯t pursue a cornered enemy¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for not warning you. Although you were lucky enough to injure it with the thunder talisman this time, you¡¯ve also formed a karmic relationship with that filthy creature. It¡¯s likely to come back to haunt you in the future.¡± ¡°Wait, you mean it¡¯s going to haunt me until I¡¯m dead? Are vengeful spirits really that persistent?!¡± I struggled to stand up, removed the thunder talisman, and put the scantily clad Xiao Feng on the bed. ¡°Well, today I learned something new.¡± A whole new world had forcefully intruded into my life, whether I was willing to believe in it or not. With a camera in one hand and a talisman and phone in the other, I pushed open the door to the bathroom. ¡°It seemed like that thing had escaped to this place.¡± ********** TN: Rat hour (Zi hour) It corresponds to the time between 11 p.m. to 1 a.m. and is believed to be a time when the yang energy is at its weakest and the yin energy is at its strongest. CH 13 Earlier in the day, I had made an inference that the bathroom was deliberately renovated and that the landlord was intentionally concealing something. The hidden, unspeakable thing, which has been covered by time, was likely related to other criminal cases. I organized the clues in my mind and came to the conclusion that the Peace of Mind Inn was not a place where anyone could live with a peace of mind in. The balding taxi driver had mentioned that someone had disappeared in the area a few years ago. I was not sure of the exact reasons, but all evidence pointed to this dilapidated inn. As I scrolled through my phone¡¯s inbox, I recalled the call I received from an unfamiliar woman at the start of the mission. She had mentioned being hidden inside the walls, under the floor, and behind the bathtub¡­. A chill ran down my spine. Could that call have been from a vengeful ghost? Looking at the bathtub half-fixed to the wall, I mustered up enough courage to go back to the room to find scissors and pry it apart piece by piece, along with the cracks in the tiles. ¡°This is the darkest and most humid area of the whole house, a breeding ground for filthy creatures. It¡¯s not surprising that spirits would take refuge here,¡± advised Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain, on the other end of the screen, reminding me not to let my guard down. All of the tiles were pried open, revealing a dark space beneath the bathtub. Only the four corners were supported by tiles, while the center was empty. ¡°Half-Immortal, do you think that fierce ghost will call for backup? Can an amateur like me handle it?¡± I held the bottom of the tub with both hands, feeling hesitant. ¡°The color of the thunder talisman has faded, and I¡¯m afraid I won¡¯t be able to use it more than a few times. If I¡¯m surrounded by the ghosts of the wronged deceased, the consequences would be unimaginable.¡± ¡°No worries, the thunder talisman is made from the thunder calamity of heaven and earth, a pure and extreme yang object. As long as you keep it with you, self-protection won¡¯t be a problem.¡± Since half-immortal said so, I couldn¡¯t refuse any further. I slowly increased my strength and lifted the bathtub. ¡°What is this?¡± Underneath the bathtub was not the corpse I had originally suspected, but rather a dark and unknown hole. It was one and a half feet wide and one foot long, just big enough for an adult to fit through. ¡°Where does it lead?¡± I wondered, as the architectural style inside the Peace of Mind Inn was very peculiar, with no logical numbering system for the rooms. The first floor was unoccupied, while the second and third floors were guest rooms. Even though I was currently staying in Room 203, I couldn¡¯t be sure if I was standing on top of Room 103 at this moment. I shone my phone¡¯s light into the hole and found it to be deep. The walls of the hole were lined with long-dried fabric scraps that were nearly the same color as the soil. ¡°It¡¯s synthetic fiber,¡± I thought, ¡°probably from someone¡¯s clothing that was accidentally cut.¡± This was a deliberately concealed hole that had been abandoned for some time. So, the question remained: who had dug this hole, and what was their purpose for doing so? The buried truth might lie within the hole. Standing at the edge of the hole, I decided to investigate further. The camera was too cumbersome, and I knew I couldn¡¯t bring it along with me into the hole. So, I set it aside and addressed the audience: ¡°To all my viewers, I want to reiterate that this is not a prank or a prearranged program. If I don¡¯t return within one hour, please remember this address and call the police immediately.¡± I had no idea if there would be a spirit inside the hole or if I would encounter any danger. There were too many unknowns, and I was reliant on the help of my viewers in the live stream. ¡°Go ahead, host. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll call 119 for you,¡± one of my viewers reassured me. ¡°Did a ghost appear? Speak up, dude! I just woke up,¡± another viewer chimed in, a little less sympathetic. ¡°The host is so dedicated to acting. Have you considered joining our King of Horrible Movies production crew?¡± ¡°You may be acting, but soliciting prostitution on a live stream is definitely not right. You can wait to be arrested because I already reported you to the police half an hour ago!¡± replied the girl who loves handsome and talented men. ¡°Hey, upstairs, stop it. This room is really haunted. We saw it just now! Although we didn¡¯t see the face clearly, I am sure it was a female ghost,¡± another viewer chimed in. The girl who loves handsome and talented men, ¡°It¡¯s either special effects or extras¡ªjust some cheap tricks. Let¡¯s wait for the host to pack up and leave with the police.¡± After hearing that someone had already reported me to the police, I couldn¡¯t help but laugh and feel helpless at the same time. ¡°Since someone has already reported this to the autorities, I have nothing to worry about now.¡± I held onto the things I needed and slowly slid into the hole, bracing myself against the walls with both hands¡­ ¡°The host is gone.¡± ¡°Yes, he¡¯s down there in the hole¡­¡± After a few seconds, I finally touched solid ground with my feet. The hole was almost 90 degrees vertical and about three meters deep. There were small pits carved into the walls for climbing. ¡°I should be on the first floor now.¡± The space at the bottom of the hole was cramped, but I could hear the wind, so I wasn¡¯t worried about suffocating. I bent down and crawled forward cautiously, keeping the talisman close to my clothes. Without the camera, Half-Immortal Liu couldn¡¯t know what was happening to me in real-time, so I was on my own. I raised my arm and used the shallow light of my phone screen as my only guide. The visible distance was only a few centimeters, and I was really afraid that I would suddenly see a face appear out of nowhere or something of the sort. After crawling for a while, the wall beside me caved inward. I turned my head to look and saw a two-faced Buddha statue carved into the wall. One face had a benevolent expression, while the other was fierce and malevolent. I had no idea which deity it represented. I took a photo of it with my phone and continued on. I crawled for about ten meters before I finally saw some light. I turned off my phone and quietly approached the source of the light while I kept hiding in the darkness. ¡°Old man, things are stirring up at room 203. That young man is probably in big trouble.¡± ¡°Serves him right. Who told him to hook up with that worthless woman who only brings trouble?¡± ¡°Ah, what a tragic fate¡­¡± Their conversation was barely audible, and as I approached a few meters closer, I saw that the path ahead forked into two directions: one leading into deeper darkness and the other connecting to the first floor of the inn. Meanwhile, the elderly couple stood on the first floor, mixing cement to completely seal off the passage connecting that floor to the tunnel. ¡°We¡¯ve sealed the path. We shouldn¡¯t do this kind of thing again in the future.¡± ¡°But, dear, I still want to catch a glimpse of our son.¡± ¡°That little scoundrel won¡¯t be coming back, sigh¡­¡± I crouched in the underground tunnel, barely daring to breathe out loud. ¡°It¡¯s obvious that this elderly couple dug out the tunnel, but why would they do something like that?¡± After the old couple left, I stood up and opened my phone¡¯s flashlight, walking towards the other side of the fork in the path. The ground was muddy and damp, and at the end of the path was a shallow well covered with a wooden board. I lifted the heavy board, and an overpowering stench filled my nostrils. ¡°Oh my god!¡± The inside of the well was pitch black, and an ordinary person would have immediately closed the lid and left, but not me. I recognized the foul odor from crime scenes I have seen before; it was the smell of a decomposing body. I adjusted my phone¡¯s brightness to the maximum, and the dark mass became clear. It wasn¡¯t seaweed or moss, but rather tangled and grotesque hair and skeletal remains that were highly corroded. My face turned pale, and based on the skulls vaguely visible in the pile of hair, I could roughly estimate the number of victims. ¡°There must be no fewer than four people!¡± My scalp went numb, and I suppressed the urge to vomit as I covered the wooden board and retraced my steps. ¡°I must call the police! This is a serious case!¡± Stumbling and running back, I climbed desperately upward along the vertical hole, stepping on the grooves. However, before I even made it halfway up, I heard the sound of a door opening above me. ¡°Xiao Feng?¡± I looked up in confusion, only to be met with a face at the opening of the hole. A striking scar was embedded in the face. ¡°It¡¯s that old man!¡± ¡°Holy crap!¡± With no way out, I let go and jumped back into the tunnel. Turning around, I ran towards the fork in the road. ¡°The passage to the first floor is not completely blocked yet. Let¡¯s run out from there!¡± Sprinting as fast as I could, I kicked open the wooden board that the old man had used to block the gap and entered the room connected to the tunnel. The room was cluttered with miscellaneous items, and two sealed metal barrels were placed in the corners of the walls. Without taking a closer look, I rushed straight to the door and exclaimed, ¡°I must escape!¡± I grabbed the doorknob and pulled with all my might, but to my surprise, the only passage out was blocked by a short, chubby old woman. ¡°I wondered why I smelled something foul earlier. It turns out you lifted the manhole cover,¡± she said, holding a cleaver behind her back. The tip of the blade was already visible. ¡°I¡¯m waiting for my son here, so I¡¯m afraid I¡¯ll have to ask you to keep quiet.¡± The old woman brandished the cleaver, and with a loud bang, I shut the door as fast as I could. ¡°It¡¯s over. I¡¯m stuck between a rock and a hard place. I¡¯m not dying at the hands of a ghost, but instead, I¡¯m going to fall into the hands of a human being.¡± With a loud thud, the old woman outside went berserk and hacked away at the lock with her cleaver. Footsteps of another person could be heard from the tunnel, and I was completely at a loss as to what to do in the face of an attack from both sides, having already been exhausted. As time passed, desperation fermented within me. Just as the scar-faced old man walked out of the tunnel, the sound of a police siren suddenly blared outside the Peace of Mind Inn, which was only a wall away! ¡°Listen up, everyone inside! We have received a reliable report that illegal activities are taking place in here!¡± ***************** TN: In live streaming in China, viewers may use the term ¡°upstairs¡± to refer to the previous comment or commenter and direct their response or message to them. I didn¡¯t find a translation for this, so I left it be and it makes sense¡­ TN: Sometimes I add text that isn¡¯t in the original work but only to make the meaning more apparent¡­like when someone talks and it isn¡¯t clear who is talking or who is commenting. CH 14 I was crouching beside the rundown Peace of Mind Inn with my hands clasped around my head. Despite my disheveled appearance, a sense of relief was evident on my face. Even the police officer who was guarding me could barely contain his surprise at my relaxed expression. ¡°Hey, be serious! We¡¯re investigating a murder case here!¡± he warned. ¡°Okay, okay,¡± To be honest, I owe my rescue to that fellow online friend who alerted the authorities. When I was cornered and in a desperate situation, two police officers investigating illegal sex trafficking swooped in like divine intervention. Upon hearing the commotion, I yelled for help and, with the assistance of two police officers, managed to subdue the old man and the short, chubby woman. I immediately reported the situation to the police, and due to the gravity of the situation, which involved four casualties, the local police department mobilized overnight and cordoned off the inn for a thorough investigation. Forensic experts and criminal investigators were constantly in and out of the underground tunnel, collecting evidence and conducting their analysis until dawn. It wasn¡¯t until the isolation measures were lifted and the two elderly individuals were taken away in a police car that I finally basked in the morning sunlight, exclaiming: ¡°That was one tough night!¡± Ding! As the sun rays beamed down on me, a new message appeared in the underworld show cell phone¡¯s mailbox: ¡°Live broadcast mission to check into Room 203 of the Peace of Mind Inn and survive until dawn has been completed. Evaluation is now underway¡­¡± ¡°Score breakdown: 1 point for completing the live broadcast mission; 1 point for reaching a peak viewership of over 100; 1 point for receiving gifts totaling over 100 ghost coins; and 1 bonus point for completing the underworld¡¯s commission.¡± ¡°Final score: 4 redemption points earned for this live broadcast.¡± ¡°Underworld¡¯s commission? Could it be to resolve the unjust case and dispel the ghost¡¯s grudge?¡± I thought back to the phone call from the woman at the start of the mission. ¡°Was this live broadcast her request?¡° Until now, I was still not sure whether ghosts really existed in this world. I¡¯ve been trying to use other ways of thinking to make sense of everything that happened to me last night, but unfortunately, with my limited knowledge, I couldn¡¯t explain anything clearly. ¡°The total number of points earned by the host is four. Would you like to exchange them for goods? The goods available for exchange now are: 100 grams of pure gold (authentic and pure, exchange requires one point), five drops of top-grade ox tears (when dropped into the corner of the eye, one can spot spirits and ghosts, exchange requires one point), votive amulet (although authentic, remember to wear it around your neck and not around your waist or in your pocket, exchange requires two points), luck talisman, and good fate talisman (small talisman papers, exchange requires one point), the General Outline of inner eye practice manual (inner eye Cultivation, which can be divided into several levels, such as eye chasing, eye judging, eye foresight, X-ray vision and remote vision, etc. exchange requires three points), incomplete book of plum blossom divination (three points), materials for making ancient voodoo dolls (four points)¡­¡± There were many items available for exchange, but one thing immediately caught my interest¡ª¡±The General Outline of Inner Eye practice manual¡± Don¡¯t ask me why; I will never tell you that it was because of the word ¡®X-ray vision¡¯. ¡°If this thing is really as effective as the Thunder Talisman, then I can¡­hehehe¡± ¡°I choose to redeem ¡°The General Outline of Inner Eye practice manual¡± and 100 grams of pure gold, which is a total of four points.¡± This was my first time sending a message to the Underworld Show, and they replied quickly: ¡°622843¡­ Remember the card number; we have opened a personal account for you at the Central Bank of Jiangcheng, and all the redeemed items have been placed in your personal safe deposit box, and the password is your birthday.¡± ¡°The next live broadcast task will be announced in three days; please check your inbox.¡± Thus, the first live broadcast of the Underworld Show came to an end. Although there were still questions and bitterness in my mind and heart, staying alive was more important than anything else. I gave my testimony last night, and logically speaking, I should be able to leave now that this matter is settled. However, the police officer guarding me showed no sign of letting me go. ¡°Officer, I¡¯m just an ordinary civilian. If there¡¯s nothing wrong, can I leave?¡± ¡°Team leader Tie instructed us not to release you without her permission. You¡¯ll have to stay put for now.¡± ¡°Team leader Tie? Isn¡¯t the head of the Criminal Investigation Division Team Leader Zhang? We even drank together before. We¡¯re colleague;, there¡¯s no need to make this so formal.¡± Due to my unique profession, I was quite familiar with the people from the district¡¯s Criminal Investigation Division, and drinking together was not an uncommon occurrence. ¡°Zhang, the team leader, has been reassigned, and the one who took over the criminal investigation team is Team Leader Tie. You better behave yourself. Team Leader Tie isn¡¯t as easy to talk to as Team Leader Zhang, and you might end up back at the station if you¡¯re not careful.¡± The special policeman guarding me was only in his twenties, but his face was filled with respect when he mentioned this team leader Tie. Unfortunately, I was no stranger to rough seas and had seen my fair share of adversity. How could I be frightened so easily? I stretched my legs, which had been squatting for a while, and teased him with a sidelong glance. ¡°Every time you mention Team Leader Tie, your eyelids blink faster, and your eyes roll up. It seems like you¡¯re picturing what she looks like in your head. Let me guess, you have a crush on her, don¡¯t you? Is your Team Leader Tie a woman?¡± ¡°You¡¯re very observant. It¡¯s a waste that you¡¯re not a police officer,¡± a woman¡¯s voice rang out from behind me, crisp and professional like a clear mountain stream. ¡°Good day, Team Leader Tie!¡± I turned my head and first saw a pair of bright women¡¯s police boots. As I was squatting on the ground, my gaze could only sweep up from the bottom and pass over the devilishly exaggerated figure before finally fixing on a stunning face with a smile that seemed not quite a smile. ¡°Who are you?¡± ¡°Gao Jian. Do you remember that love letter from five years ago?¡± I racked my brains, and a name surfaced from the depths of my mind. ¡°Tie¡­ Tie Ningxiang?¡± This woman was my senior back at the police academy and was widely recognized as the school belle. Her beauty could easily surpass that of Ye Bing. As for the love letter she mentioned, it was actually a misunderstanding. When I was a freshman, I made a bet with some friends to write a love letter to Tie Ningxiang, who was the most popular girl in school at the time. However, just as I finished writing the letter, it was confiscated by our military training instructor. To make matters worse, I had to publicly read the letter to the whole class. To be honest, I never thought she would remember this incident. After all, in my eyes, it was just a joke. ¡°Hello, senior sister!¡± The way I addressed her as senior sister was not unwarranted. Back in the police academy, countless people stood in line just to talk to her but couldn¡¯t even get a word out. ¡°Are you the one who discovered the body?¡± ¡°Yes, it was me.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Tie Ningxiang asked nonchalantly, ¡°But why did you come to this place in the middle of the night?¡± ¡°Live streaming has been very popular lately, and I wanted to follow the trend by making a paranormal horror show. This deserted area had the right atmosphere.¡± Tie Ningxiang scrutinized me with her beautiful eyes and suddenly flashed a charming smile, ¡°However, the report I received stated that someone reported about illegal sex trafficking, and that¡¯s why we came here. Do you have an explanation for this?¡± ¡°I¡­¡±¡ªwas speechless for a moment. I hadn¡¯t organized my thoughts yet when two policemen helped Xiao Feng, who was pale and weak all over, out of Room 203. ¡°Uncle Policeman, he was the one with me last night.¡± Xiao Feng, draped in a bed sheet, looked at me pitifully. ¡°You¡¯re so bad; you¡¯ve made her so weak that she can¡¯t even walk without someone¡¯s help.¡± ¡°Holy sh*t, it¡¯s a misunderstanding!¡± Surrounded by several sharp eyes, I was truly at a loss for words. ¡°Do you have anything else to say?¡± Jingling the handcuffs, Tie Ningxiang lifted my chin and very gently uttered two words, ¡°Junior brother?¡± ¡°Well¡­¡± Tie Ningxiang had a strong aura, and under that unprecedented sense of oppression, I stuttered, ¡°If I were to say that she was possessed by a ghost last night and we fought all night, would you believe me?¡± ¡°Cuff him! Handcuff them! And take them all back to the station!¡± ¡­¡­ After recording two statements and undergoing assessment by relevant technical departments, it was confirmed that I did not engage in any inappropriate behavior last night before Tie Ningxiang released me. As for the case of the hidden bodies at the Peace of Mind Hotel, the investigation was still ongoing. Due to the large time span, many clues have disappeared, making the investigation and evidence collection very difficult. However, after preliminary investigation, it was found that the elderly couple seemed to only be responsible for disposing of the bodies, and the actual killer was someone else. The prime suspect was their son, Lu, who went out to work a year ago. This deduction was initially proposed by me for a very simple reason. I had answered a similar question during the interview at the Underworld Show, where the killer was a psychopathic son. In front of Tie Ningxiang and the detectives from the Criminal Investigation Department, I naturally wouldn¡¯t reveal the existence of the Underworld Show. I talked about various irrelevant things, but it made sense and was very convincing. As for when the son would face justice, it was not something I should be concerned about. After all, I was just a detective, not a police officer. ************ TN: It should be noted that in the original text, X ray vision could also be translated as ¡°clairvoyance¡± which to my knowledge is a completely different ability¡­.. I merely inferred from the story that he was talking about X ray vision or see through abilities¡­¡­for any mistake you notice, feel free to point it out. CH 15 As soon as I left the police station, I headed straight to the bank. According to what was said on the Underworld show cell phone¡¯s inbox, everything I had exchanged using my redemption points should have been locked in my personal safe deposit box. Although I didn¡¯t know what a personal safe deposit box was, I trusted that the underworld show wouldn¡¯t deceive me in this regard. Covered in mud and with torn pants, I felt like a refugee fleeing for safety as I arrived at one of the largest banks in Jiangcheng. ¡°Sir, what kind of business can I help you with?¡± ¡°I want to retrieve something from my personal safe deposit box. The card number is 622843¡­¡± ¡°Personal safe deposit box? I¡¯m sorry, sir, but we don¡¯t offer that service here. Are you sure you didn¡¯t make a mistake?¡± The bank teller¡¯s tone was polite, but the other people in line waiting to conduct their own business weren¡¯t as patient. ¡°Who does this country bumpkin think he is? Personal safe deposit box? Does he think the bank is his own personal property?¡± ¡°Maybe you¡¯re in the wrong place, buddy. The rural credit cooperative is right next door.¡± ¡°Hurry up, hurry up. I¡¯m running out of time.¡± As the group of people continued chattering behind me, I had already grown accustomed to them. ¡°Could you please check again? My card number is 622843¡­¡± The bank teller looked troubled, and the security guard at the door started walking over. ¡°How about this? I¡¯ll ask the manager for you. If she doesn¡¯t know either, then there¡¯s nothing else I can do.¡± I believed that this bank teller was a recent college graduate who was interning here. Otherwise, If it were someone else, they would probably have lost their patience by now. ¡°Hey, our time is valuable.¡± ¡°Hey you, country bumpkin, step aside.¡± After a short while, the bank teller hurriedly ran back to the window. She didn¡¯t say anything, but just placed a sign indicating that their business had been temporarily suspended on the counter. ¡°What does this mean? You¡¯re neglecting your duties. Watch out, we¡¯ll file a complaint against you!¡± ¡°Yeah, where¡¯s your branch manager? I want to make a complaint!¡± After more than ten seconds, not only the window in front of me but also the next three counters behind me all suspended their business. The staff hurriedly ran to the back room. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is this some kind of anti-terrorism drill?¡± I was wondering what was happening when suddenly a sweet voice came from the VIP channel, ¡°Mr. Gao, please come this way!¡± ¡°The VIP channel? For transactions of over a million? Just for him?¡± A group of people stared at me with their eyes wide open, as if they wanted to poke holes through my body. They whispered to each other, while the beautiful branch manager called out again, ¡°Mr. Gao, please come to the VIP lounge.¡± As I looked around at their surprised looks, I, who usually only had a three-digit balance in my account, was finally able to hold my head up high. ¡°Oh, sure, but I¡¯ve been standing for so long, I¡¯m a little thirsty.¡± ¡°I¡¯m deeply sorry. Do you prefer Longjing or Pu¡¯er tea?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother, just bring me a bottle of chilled Coke first.¡± For my first time entering the VIP lounge, I never thought that there would be such a luxurious reception room inside the bank. ¡°This place is nice, and this sofa is made of real leather, right?¡± ¡°You flatter us.¡± The head manager accompanied me on the side. After more than ten minutes, the young teller came over with a tray in her hands. ¡°Sir, here are the keys to your safe deposit box.¡± In the center of the tray was a pure black bank card, whose material and reflection could not be discerned, appearing very modest and low-key. ¡°Your safe deposit box is located underground. Do you want to go and open it now?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± With four staff members accompanying me, I entered the underground vault, swiped my card, inputted my password, and opened the safe before retrieving the item wrapped in black cloth. The entire process felt like a scene out of a movie, and even when I walked out of the bank holding the package, it felt like I was dreaming. ¡°Wow, this is really something. What kind of organization is the ¡®Underworld Show¡¯?¡± I mused, but while opening the package. ¡°Ding!¡± A golden object fell out and attracted the attention of countless bystanders. ¡°The color¡­ the shape¡­ that dazzling feeling¡­¡± ¡°Oh my god, it¡¯s a gold bar!¡± I picked it up and didn¡¯t even look back, rushing to a taxi. ¡°Driver, step on it!¡± Sitting in the passenger seat, I secretly put the gold bar in my pocket and flipped through the General Outline of Inner Eye practice manual. ¡°One point can be exchanged for a whole gold bar. This General Outline of Inner Eye practice manual cost me three points; it¡¯s definitely not ordinary.¡± My eyes shone as if I were opening Pandora¡¯s box. ¡°X-ray vision, my god, I¡¯m actually a bit excited just thinking about it.¡± The book was bound in thread and looked quite ancient. As I turned to the first page, a few grandiose characters caught my eye: ¡°Sparkling drops of clear and bright insight, with five sharp senses, merge the realms of both light and night. Sight and sound can reach a million miles, and in the universe we are but a small boat amidst its vast exiles.¡± ¡°Great writing; profound and extensive. The author has depicted the essence of humanity in a precise and insightful way!¡± I was so excited that I almost stood up and applauded, but when I turned to the second page, I exclaimed, ¡°Blank page?¡± The second page was completely blank, without a single word. ¡°This might be a printing error. Everyone makes mistakes; well let¡¯s just try to understand the other pages then.¡± However, an ominous feeling began to build up in my heart as I continued flipping through the pages, only to find more and more blank pages. With frustration building up, I slammed my fist onto the seat, startling the bewildered driver. I frantically flipped through the pages, only to realize that the entire book, except for the first page, was completely blank. ¡°Hey man, buying a pirated book shouldn¡¯t lead to this kind of situation, don¡¯t you think?¡± The taxi driver voiced his bewilderment. ¡°Pirated book?¡± Three gold bars worth almost 70,000 yuan¡ªcan your pirated book sell for that price? I forcefully resisted the urge to tear it apart and re-wrapped it with the packaging. ¡°I don¡¯t know if the underworld show gives refunds or not¡­¡± After a day and a night without much sleep, I finally made it back to my small shop, exhausted and worn out. ¡°I can finally get a good night¡¯s sleep now, right?¡± As I got out of the taxi, I soon realized that I was too naive. Three people were already waiting for me outside the small ¡°Peak of Happiness¡± store, one standing, one sitting, and one squatting. ¡°What the hell? Are you waiting for a windfall? Is this just one more stroke of bad luck like when it rains on a leaking roof?¡± One of them leaned against a BMW X1, wearing gold-rimmed glasses and a sharp suit and holding a red letter. The other looked to be in his mid-forties, but still sturdy and strong, with a tall and lean figure. His eyes were covered with a layer of black cloth, and he held a carrying pole with a fierce expression, squatting outside the adult store. As for the third person, she was much cuter, holding a school bag and timidly sitting on the side, occasionally glancing over at the other two. ¡°How did these three come together?¡± I actually knew all of them. The one wearing a suit and driving a BMW was the secretary of the general manager of Jiangjin Real Estate Company. He was quite well-known in Jiangcheng. The one holding a carrying pole with a fierce look on his face was Blind Liu. Judging from his hostile expression, I guess the matter involving the thunder talisman has been exposed. As for the cute and shy high school girl, she was Xia Qingzhi, who was worried about her brother¡¯s safety. ¡°Hehe, the arrival of you three really brightens up my small shop. However, due to my current physical condition, I won¡¯t be open for business today. So, excuse me¡­¡± As I turned around, a gust of wind brushed past my cheek, and I heard a loud ¡°bang¡±. Blind Liu¡¯s seven-foot pole had landed just an inch away from my feet, and the pavement tiles beneath it had even cracked a little. My throat tightened as I realized the gravity of the situation. Never mind the other two, but Blind Liu had definitely come looking for a fight with me today. ¡°Old Liu, what are you doing? This is a society governed by the rule of laws. We can talk things out without resorting to violence,¡± I said with a bitter expression on my face as I pulled out my keys. ¡°Everyone, let¡¯s not stand outside. It doesn¡¯t look good. Let¡¯s go inside and talk.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t bother you any further,¡± said the man in the suit, pushing his glasses up with a professional smile on his face. ¡°This is an invitation to young master Jiang and Miss Ye Bing¡¯s wedding. We hope you can make it despite your busy schedule. Not just Miss Ye Bing, but young master Jiang also wants to meet you.¡± ¡°Meet me?¡± That guy, who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, wanted to meet a poor guy like me at his wedding nonetheless? This maneuver was probably just to step on my face and show Ye Bing who the most suitable candidate was. I could already predict what would happen at the wedding. A group of sycophants would surely mock me, flatter Jiang Chen, and try to make me look bad. But I couldn¡¯t back down now. I had promised Ye Bing that I would attend. ¡°What a petty man,¡± I muttered to myself. ¡°But it doesn¡¯t matter. I promised Ye Bing that I would be there.¡± There were some things I had to say to her face. ¡°Very well, we¡¯ll be waiting for your arrival,¡± said the man in the suit as he handed me the gilded invitation and drove away in his BMW. ¡°One down, two more to go,¡± I said as I opened the door to my shop and hung the ¡°closed¡± sign. I then invited Blind Liu and Xia Qingzhi inside. CH 16 The atmosphere inside the small store was quite stifling, as the three individuals sat there staring at the thin, delicate talisman paper that lay in the center of the office desk with wide-eyed expressions. ¡°Old Liu, don¡¯t be too disheartened. Don¡¯t be too upset. I will take responsibility for this¡­¡± I stared at Blind Liu¡¯s bronze-like face with great admiration, amazed at how a human face could manage to resemble a statue. ¡°I owe my life to this talisman, and if you require any form of compensation, please do not hesitate to ask. I will do everything in my power to assist you,¡± I offered. ¡°Compensation?¡± Blind Liu scoffed, his voice filled with a bitter chill. ¡°Due to karma entanglements, I want you to repay me with your life. Will you agree to it and put an end to everything?¡± ¡°Well¡­ we¡¯re in a society governed by laws presently, and if something were to happen to me, you would also be implicated, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± I said this before wiping the cold sweat off my forehead. Blind Liu, who was usually a harmless herbivore that kept to himself, surprised me by demanding my life as compensation for the incident. ¡°This is a civil dispute; how about I compensate you with some money instead?¡± ¡°Compensate me with money? You¡¯ve got some nerve,¡± Blind Liu then took out a peach wood box from his arms, and with both hands, he started to chant a spell over the talisman paper, with an attitude of reverence as if he were holding a plaque of his ancestors. ¡°This talisman was left by my grandfather to suppress our family¡¯s bad fortune, ensuring that the Liu family would flourish for a hundred years, sprouting branches and leaves and never fading away,¡± Blind Liu said. ¡°But as far as I know, you¡¯re already in your forties and still single. Maybe the talisman has already lost its effect?¡± ¡°Smack!¡± The pole hit the ground, making my and Xia Qing¡¯s eyelids twitch in fear. We were both afraid to speak out of turn. ¡°My Liu family is a family of geomancers. How could the wisdom of our ancestors be understood by commoners like you?¡± Blind Liu spoke with a stern voice. I nodded and bowed repeatedly, admitting my mistake. After all, I was in the wrong. ¡°To be honest, you are very lucky to have come across this talisman. It has survived through wars and disasters, avoiding the foreigners and the Japanese, only to be finally taken out by you,¡± Blind Liu remarked. ¡°I am an ignorant person who is not afraid of danger, like a blind cat that happened to run into a dead mouse,¡± I replied. As the talisman was put back into the peach wood box, I couldn¡¯t help but feel that the thunder talisman had gained a bit more vitality. Maybe it was just my imagination. ¡°You have disturbed the ancestral talisman paper of our Liu family clan and inadvertently incurred the karma of the Liu family. In the future, if the Liu family encounters any difficulties, you must lend a helping hand; otherwise, you will face the consequences of karma and bring great misfortune upon yourself.¡± Upon examining the thunder talisman, he discovered that it was not severely damaged and only had some depleted energy. This made Blind Liu¡¯s grim face slightly more pleasant. ¡°Alright, alright. In the future, just give the word, and I, this mere youngster, will be at your beck and call.¡± ¡°Words are easy to say, but who knows how sincere you truly are?¡± Blind Liu sighed as he retrieved the peach wood box. ¡°You have incurred the karma of the Liu family. If you were to encounter any misfortune, the Liu family will also be implicated. Looking at the darkness on your forehead, it seems that your fate may be nearing its end. You have caused a great deal of trouble for my Liu family.¡± If someone had told me on the street before that my fate was doomed because of the darkness on my forehead, my first reaction would definitely have been to take off my shoes and chase after them to fight. However, after experiencing some recent events that cannot be explained by science, such as being forcibly contracted by a supernatural streaming platform and spending a night in a hotel where at least four people had died, my worldly views largely changed. I might even have actually seen a possession by an evil ghost. All of these events were making me realize that Blind Liu was not speaking nonsense at the moment. Perhaps my fate was truly coming to an end. ¡°Old Liu, do you know of any way to break this curse? As you said, we are like fleas on the same boat right now,¡± I asked. ¡°Who knows what kind of evil spirits you have provoked? Besides, I am just a fortuneteller. I can read faces and characters, but I have no knowledge of exorcism or fighting demons,¡± Blind Liu said as he removed the blindfold from his eyes and took out a bottle of eye dropper from his pocket. He slipped a few drops into his eyes, and Xia Qingzhi, who had been sitting quietly in the corner, finally spoke up. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re not really blind?¡± she asked incredulously. ¡°I never said that I couldn¡¯t see. I blindfold myself to train my senses and to better understand the connection between heaven and man,¡± Blind Liu replied after slipping the eye drops into his eyes. He then covered his eyes again with the black cloth. ¡°Little girl, why are you here if you¡¯re not studying? I can sense that you¡¯re shrouded in negative energy, and it¡¯s not good for you to be hanging around this Gao guy,¡± he continued. ¡°I came here to¡­¡± Xia Qingzhi began to explain. ¡°Ahem!¡± I coughed to interrupt her. I couldn¡¯t have her reveal the truth about the Underworld show incident, as it was stated in the contract I signed. ¡°To be honest, I¡¯ve recently been troubled by something, and for some specific reasons, I have to go to places with scarce population and heavy negative energy every few days,¡± I admitted. ¡°Why do you need to go to those places?¡± Blind Liu frowned. I placed the black package on the table and opened it, revealing its contents. Then, I reached inside and retrieved the gold bar, reciting the old adage, ¡°People die for wealth as birds do for food.¡± Although I couldn¡¯t divulge the deeper reasons for my actions, I hoped that Blind Liu would be able to understand my predicament. ¡°Wait a moment,¡± Blind Liu interrupted, his full attention captured by the general outline of inner eye manual. ¡°Where did you obtain this book? You, brat, are not dumb enough to actually steal from the Miaozhen temple, are you? The secrets contained within the inner eye practice method are not disseminated to outsiders. Even the inner-chamber disciples must accumulate merits and virtues for five years before they¡¯re permitted to study it.¡± ¡°Do I seem like a thief or a bandit to you?¡± I retorted, ¡°This book is¡­nevermind, it¡¯s not stolen or robbed.¡± ¡°Just remember,¡± Blind Liu warned, ¡°if you¡¯ve obtained something through illegitimate means, you¡¯re inviting trouble. These days, practitioners are not like they used to be.¡± ¡°Is the Miaozhen Temple difficult to deal with?¡± Blind Liu¡¯s question left me feeling uneasy. After all, I wasn¡¯t sure where this book given by the underworld show came from. ¡°Well, it seems like the newborn calf is not afraid of the tiger,¡± he continued. ¡°Over the past millennium, Taoism has undergone extensive development, resulting in numerous factions. There are five types of schools based on their theories: the accumulated virtue school, the classical school, the talisman school, the cauldron pellet school, and the divination school.¡± ¡°When we look at different regions, there are also various schools such as the Longmen School, the Laoshan School, the Suishan School, the Huashan School, the Yushan School, the Heshan School, the Huo Mountain School, and the Wudang School, among others.¡± ¡°Furthermore, if we divide them based on lineage, there are even more schools, such as the Shaoyang Wang Xuanfu, the Zhengyang Zhong Lihan, the Chunyang Lu Dongbin, the Ziyang Zhang Bodian, and the Chongyang Wang Zhongfu. etc¡± ¡°The Miaozhen temple I mentioned earlier belongs to the Suishan School and is considered one of the most influential schools of our time.¡± ¡°Wow, there are still so many people practicing Taoism these days?¡± I exclaimed. ¡°The world is constantly changing, and there are many strange and talented individuals. It¡¯s just that immortals and Taoist masters choose to live in seclusion and avoid worldly affairs,¡± ¡°That¡¯s reassuring to hear. If they¡¯re not interested in worldly affairs and are hiding away in the mountains to practice, even if I opened the inner eye and managed to use the X-ray technique, they won¡¯t be aware of it,¡± I said as I casually flipped through the pages of the Inner Eye manual. ¡°Besides, except for its good appearance, this book is completely blank. Old Liu, do you think your Taoist friends also like to play these kinds of tricks? Do I need to soak this paper in realgar wine to reveal some hidden words?¡± ¡°If you truly wish to practice Taoism, let me give you four words of advice: ¡®Sincerity brings success,¡¯¡± Blind Liu closed the book. ¡°This book should not be shown to just anyone. Remember, don¡¯t force anything and trust in fate. Everything will fall into place naturally.¡± I chatted with Blind Liu until the afternoon, and we finally cleared the air between us. I even proposed to hire him as my supernatural consultant and offered him a gold bar as payment, but he refused. This guy was quite interesting. He would rather be chased by urban management officers in the wind and sun every day than help me with my live broadcast. After seeing Blind Liu off, I turned to Xia Qingzhi, who had already started doing her homework in my store. This girl had become so familiar with me that she didn¡¯t even consider herself an outsider anymore. ¡°Hey student, finish your homework and go home quickly. It¡¯s getting late,¡± I urgently needed to catch up on some sleep, as I felt like dozing off even while standing. ¡°I came to provide some clues. I found some markings left by my brother at home. Can we go and take a look together?¡± The shy high school girl spoke up only after Blind Liu and I finished our conversation. Although I didn¡¯t want to refuse, going to her home could lead to misunderstandings from outsiders. Detective work was usually done in secret. ¡°Let¡¯s do it another day. I¡¯m really tired right now.¡± The hope on Xia Qingzhi¡¯s face faded, but she didn¡¯t give up. ¡°I have photos of those markings on my phone. Why don¡¯t you take a look first, and then come to my house tomorrow when you¡¯re feeling better?¡± ¡°Qingzhi, your brother¡¯s situation is very complicated and dangerous. I can¡¯t reveal too much to you. This is not something a high school girl like you can participate in.¡± I knew from my experience at the underworld show that it was dangerous. ¡°Go home quickly. I will investigate your brother¡¯s case thoroughly.¡± ¡°But¡­¡± The girl held her phone and ultimately didn¡¯t force me. She picked up her backpack and left silently alone. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for bothering you.¡± Watching her lonely figure, I couldn¡¯t help but think of myself at that time. Misunderstanding and loneliness were things that everyone would experience. At such times, no one could help her. After she left, I turned on the computer and, as usual, I was going to record everything that happened last night in written form in a document. Just as I was about to brew a cup of tea, I suddenly noticed that Xia Qingzhi¡¯s homework and textbook were still on the table. ¡°How old is this girl? Why is she so forgetful?¡± She had just left not long ago, so I should be able to catch up to her now. CH 17 After I left the small adult store, I searched the surroundings for Xia Qingzhi, but to no avail. The broad road was teeming with cars, yet her figure was nowhere in sight. Wondering where she had gone, I decided to make my way towards her school, since she had spent the entire afternoon toiling over her homework and couldn¡¯t risk getting reprimanded by her teacher for forgetting it. But before I could get very far, I heard the sudden sound of a bottle breaking in an alleyway behind a nearby shop. ¡°Qingzhi, is that you?¡± I cautiously made my way towards the sound, peering into the dimly lit alleyway, where I saw a teenage girl clad in a school uniform with dyed yellow hair, holding a broken bottle, and looking like she was ready to fight. ¡°Who do you think you are, acting all high and mighty? Do you really think you¡¯re some kind of saint?¡± As I observed the situation, I couldn¡¯t help but shake my head at the impulsiveness of today¡¯s youth. Violence seemed to be their go-to solution for any conflict. It was clear that the school needed to intervene and handle this matter. It was not appropriate for outsiders to get involved. Just when I was about to leave, I overheard the girl with the yellow hair shout, ¡°Take off her clothes and get ready to record a video. Let the whole class see what a s*ut she really is!¡± ¡°That¡¯s too vicious,¡± Her words were vicious and malicious. It strengthened my belief that human nature tends towards evil and that education was necessary to instill morality. The girl was clearly lacking in that regard. I felt the urge to slap her and teach her how everyone was equal. ¡°Did you hear that? You filthy pervert who frequents adult stores. Stop pretending to be pure!¡± This time, it was a man speaking. Judging from his accent, he didn¡¯t sound like a student. ¡°I¡¯ve never been able to stand her. At school, she always puts on a cold and superior demeanor, but after school, she goes to those dirty places. Disgusting!¡± ¡°Why aren¡¯t you saying anything? Is it because you feel ashamed that we discovered you¡¯re a dirty thing?¡± The malicious words from the back alley never stopped, and even I felt a little embarrassed listening to them. ¡°Listen up, Brother Chen wants to invite you to drink and sing Karaoke tonight. Don¡¯t act so arrogantly just because you have a good-looking face. Listen to brother Chen¡¯s words, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡± The little girl gestured with a broken wine bottle as she spoke. ¡°Enough, don¡¯t hurt her. This little girl has an excellent figure and face.¡± The one speaking seemed to be that Brother Chen: ¡°If I hadn¡¯t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn¡¯t have believed that this seemingly well-behaved student would run to such a place after school and stay there all afternoon.¡± Chen laughed wickedly: ¡°If you can let the others enjoy, then you can have me enjoy it too. Tonight, we won¡¯t come back until we¡¯re completely drunk.¡± ¡°Chen, what about me?¡± The girl beside them pouted, demanding attention. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll have a double score tonight!¡± Chen, the leader, responded with a lascivious grin as his henchmen started to pull and drag the defenseless girl. Suddenly, a loud slap echoed through the alleyway. ¡°Damn it! You dare to slap me? Brothers, let¡¯s teach her a lesson!¡± The thugs began to brutally beat the girl in the corner, their violent actions showing no mercy. Unable to stand by any longer, I stepped forward and confronted them. ¡°How can you big men bully a young girl and still have the audacity to show your face?¡± ¡°Who do you think you are? I¡¯m warning you¡ªdon¡¯t make trouble for yourself!¡± One of the thugs, with an earring, pointed at me and cursed. ¡°I wasn¡¯t planning on getting involved, but you keep calling my hard-earned little shop a dirty place, and I won¡¯t tolerate that.¡± Rolling up my sleeves, I challenged them. ¡°Come at me; don¡¯t say I didn¡¯t give you a chance.¡± I might not be able to handle ghosts and monsters, but if I couldn¡¯t even take down a few street thugs, then I¡¯d be letting down all the clubs I joined back in the police academy. ¡°Shut up, you son of a b*tch!¡± Two thugs came at me from the left and the right. ¡°Your movements are too slow. You¡¯re not even as flexible as the square dance aunties.¡± When they got close to me, I bent down and dodged one person¡¯s punch, then my right leg, which I had been building up energy in, blasted out like a cannonball, kicking the other thug away. The thug was hit hard in the spleen and kidneys and was lying on the ground, groaning and unable to stand for a long time. ¡°Are your legs weak? How dare you fight like those street fighters with this kind of physical fitness?¡± ¡°Damn it, let¡¯s attack together!¡± The remaining thugs rushed over. The alley was narrow, and I couldn¡¯t use my full strength. In addition, my calf was burned and not very flexible, so I took a few punches during the fight. However, having persisted in physical fitness training in the police academy for years, I could take quite a beating without falling down. If they wanted to knock me down, they had a long way to go. After the melee scuffle, I finally used my ultimate move¡ªthe 8,000 volt Anti-Wolf Electric Shock Device¡ªto subdue them. Seeing the figures in the alley foaming from their mouths and convulsing, I felt a great sense of accomplishment. ¡°The next time you bully anyone, think about the feeling of being electrocuted today.¡± This is what I call punishment¡ªeven the plea for mercy could not be uttered by these villains who have been beaten senseless. After dealing with the hooligans, I walked deeper into the alley and spotted a girl standing there, staring at the ground. Her school uniform zipper was broken, and her hands were clasped tightly in front of her as she leaned against the dirty wall. Her backpack had fallen onto the muddy ground and bore several footprints. It was the first time I had taken such a close look at her. The pain and fear that she couldn¡¯t hide were etched onto her young and tender face. Although her facial features were soft, her expression was all the more heartbreaking. ¡°Xia Qing, it¡¯s okay now.¡± I said as I gently ran my fingers through her black hair. It was the most intimate gesture we had ever shared. The girl, who had kept her head down all this while, slowly lifted her face. It was then that I saw her biting her lip and trying hard to keep the tears at bay, but the marks on her face were clear as day and impossible to hide. ¡°It¡¯s okay, it¡¯s okay.¡± The girl grabbed my clothes, and I didn¡¯t know how to comfort her. At that moment, I suddenly realized that because of the existence of the underworld show and her brother¡¯s disappearance, and because of this unspeakable secret, I might be the only person in the world who could understand Xia Qing. When everyone else had distanced themselves from her, thinking she was an irredeemable lunatic, a monster with a split personality, only I could stand up and accompany her around since only I knew that what she said was the truth. ¡°Here, your textbook and homework. You¡¯re already so grown up, but you¡¯re still losing your things.¡± I picked up her schoolbag, brushed off the dirt from it, and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go eat first, and then I¡¯ll accompany you home. Maybe we can make some breakthroughs by looking at the marks your brother left behind.¡± I went back to the store and found one of my shirts for Xia Qing to change into. Then, under the gaze of some passersbys, we had a quick meal. ¡°Xia Qing, there¡¯s something I don¡¯t know whether to tell you or not.¡± ¡°En?.¡± ¡°For our job as private detectives, generally when we go out to eat with clients, the client pays for the meal¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m wearing headphones and can¡¯t hear anything; by the way, can you help me plug in the cord?¡± Twenty minutes later, I and Xia Qingzhi, who was dressed in new clothing, arrived at her residential complex. As we made our way upstairs, a few elderly folks who were enjoying the cool breeze pointed and whispered at us. ¡°When your parents ask about my identity, what should I say?¡± I asked. ¡°Just say you¡¯re a teacher from our school here for a home visit,¡± she replied, quickly coming up with a cover story. However, as we stepped into her house, we discovered that her parents were not yet home. ¡°Perfect! Take me to your brother¡¯s room. Let¡¯s make this quick and efficient,¡± . Xia Qingzhi¡¯s house had three bedrooms and a living room. From the decorations, it didn¡¯t seem particularly wealthy, but it was at least a middle-class household. ¡°This is my brother¡¯s room, but it¡¯s now being used as a storage room, so it¡¯s a bit messy,¡± she explained as she turned on the lights and led me into the room. ¡°Where¡¯s the mark you were talking about? Let me take a look.¡± ¡°Under the bed.¡± Moving some things aside, I crawled under the bed. ¡°Close to the wall, there are some red letters carved with a small knife.¡± I used my phone¡¯s flashlight, and sure enough, I saw several crooked red letters carved in the spot Xia Qingzhi had described. ¡°The colors are very dark, and they are carved with a knife dipped in blood.¡± The handwriting was very messy, as if someone was trembling in extreme fear while carving the words. ¡°When will this nightmare end? I don¡¯t want to conduct the live stream. I¡¯m going to die, I¡¯m going to die!¡± ¡°My points are negative, I can feel them coming! Don¡¯t take me away; I don¡¯t want to die!¡± ¡°Are they crawling outside my window or lurking in the hallway next to my bed?¡± These were the words written on the bed board, left behind by Xia Qingzhi¡¯s older brother. His points were deducted to negative, and he was about to be eliminated by the sinister live streaming platform. However, these words only proved that the underworld show had the power to make people evaporate from the face of this world, and they didn¡¯t offer me any help. ¡°Did your brother leave any other information?¡± After thinking for a while, Xia Qingzhi pulled out a framed photo from her backpack: ¡°This is the only photo my brother left behind. I have been keeping it since he went missing.¡± In her hand was a family portrait, with Xia Qingzhi, her parents, and a tall, handsome boy holding a basketball, whose face could not be seen. CH 18 I carefully examined the photo frame, staring at the tall and fair-skinned boy in the picture. However, his facial features were somewhat blurry and difficult to make out. ¡°Except for this photo, my brother¡¯s figure has disappeared from all the other pictures, and I have no idea why. Every time I look through the album, it terrifies me,¡± she explained. I found it hard to believe that the images could vanish from the photos, but after hearing Xia Chi¡¯s name mentioned by the paper person interviewer, I was willing to entertain Xia Qing¡¯s words. ¡°This family portrait was handed to me by my brother before he vanished. He said a lot of strange things that day, but I don¡¯t remember anything after I fell asleep. The only thing I recall is clutching this photo tightly in my hand,¡± she added. ¡°So, this is your brother¡¯s last remaining relic.¡± If we were to investigate Xia Chi¡¯s disappearance as a criminal case, this photo would be one of the only clues we had. ¡°Have you ever opened this photo frame?¡± I asked. ¡°No, I was afraid of damaging it,¡± she replied. Looking at the image alone, there didn¡¯t seem to be anything noteworthy, but my intuition told me that there was more to it than meets the eye. I asked Xia Qing to fetch a smaller screwdriver, and I carefully dismantled the photo frame while sitting on the floor. ¡°Indeed¡­¡± On the back of the family portrait photo, six characters were written: ¡°Plum Blossom Branding¡± and ¡°Plum Blossom Gu.¡± ¡°What does it mean?¡± Xia Qing asked, looking puzzled as she leaned in closer to me. ¡°Plum Blossom?¡± I instinctively covered my right wrist, which had a plum blossom-shaped scar from a strange insect that had bitten me during the contract signing ritual in the underworld show. ¡°Could it be that the insect with a shape like a centipede¡¯s head and a single horn is the Plum Blossom Gu? Is this how the underworld show controls their hosts?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if Xia Chi¡¯s information was correct, but it gave me a direction to investigate. ¡°Don¡¯t tell anyone about the words, information, or photos. And don¡¯t go around telling people that you have a brother, understand?¡± I cautioned Xia Qing. ¡°Why not?¡± she asked. ¡°They are very dangerous, extremely dangerous,¡± Xia Qing was listening intently, whilst most of her body was leaning heavily against me. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll stay here to take pictures and record everything. You go take a shower and change your clothes. You look all dirty,¡± I urged Xia Qing to leave. After she left, I took pictures of the words and photos left by Xia Chi. Even though we had never met, I could roughly picture Xia Chi¡¯s personality in my mind. ¡°Is it you who led me down this road of no return just so I could take over your job? But why don¡¯t I have any impression of you?¡± I never hesitated to speculate and reason about the worst possible scenarios. It was possible that Xia Chi and I might have known each other a long time ago. After finishing my investigation, I walked out of the room. The sound of water pouring from the bathroom could be heard, and Xia Qing was still taking a shower. ¡°This girl is too lacking in vigilance. Luckily, she met me. If it were someone else with ill intentions.. As I reached the doorway, the outside security door suddenly swung open, and the sound of the key being inserted into the lock made my heart almost jump out of my throat. ¡°Can¡¯t be this unlucky, can I?¡± The door turned, and a charming middle-aged woman in her forties appeared at the entrance. ¡°Hello¡­ there.¡± Opening the door to one¡¯s own home and seeing a stranger with a tired face and ragged clothes in front of them was something anyone would find hard to accept. Her mouth gradually opened wider, and her hand slackened, dropping the shopping bag on the ground, with fresh, bright red apples rolling all over the corridor. ¡°Hubby! Catch the thief!¡± A middle-aged man over 1.8 meters tall jumped out from behind her, followed by neighbors holding rolling pins to help. ¡°Wait! I¡¯m not a thief! I¡¯m Xia Qingzhi¡¯s teacher, here for a home visit today!¡± The crowd slowed down a bit, but before a few seconds passed, the sharp-eyed Xia¡¯s mother saw the torn school uniform that Xia Qingzhi had thrown on the sofa. ¡°What is this¡­¡± She almost cried as she picked up the torn uniform and then picked up Xia Qingzhi¡¯s muddy skirt at the bathroom door, with red eyes. ¡°You! You! Beast!¡± The anger of the crowd was instantly ignited, and I didn¡¯t even have time to utter a single word. ¡°Call the police!¡± ¡°Beat him to death!¡± At this moment, as I crouched on the ground, holding my head in my hands, I couldn¡¯t help but recall a quote from Lu Xun: ¡°Fierce-browed, I coolly defy a thousand pointing figures, head bowed like a willing ox, I serve the children.¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t hit me in the face¡­¡± ¡­¡­ When I finally sat in the interrogation room of the city police station, more than ten minutes had already passed. ¡°Wow, Gao Jian, you¡¯re even more diligent at entering the police station than I am at clocking in for work. Even the security guard, Lao Huang, knows you,¡± said Tie Ningxiang, holding an ice pack to my swollen arms. ¡°They really went hard on you. Your arms look like frozen carrots.¡± ¡°Come on, senior sister, I¡¯m already miserable enough. Don¡¯t make fun of me. Ow, ow, ow, that hurts!¡± I winced as she pressed down on the ice. ¡°You deserved it. You shouldn¡¯t have been alone in a room with someone else¡¯s child. If it were me, I would have beaten you up too,¡± said Tie Ningxiang, glancing over at Xia Qingzhi, who looked worried and guilty. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, this kid can take a beating. If you finish giving your statement, you can go home. We¡¯ve checked the surveillance footage and won¡¯t give this weird uncle a hard time.¡± ¡°Hey, you can¡¯t talk like that. I¡¯m at least a good samaritan. How can you call me a weird uncle?¡± ¡°What else do you want? The people already said they would compensate you, but you don¡¯t want that. Must they give you two big banners to hang?¡± Tie Ningxiang sat down next to me, looking exhausted from a long day of work. ¡°Stay behind after they leave. I have some things to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Hey, don¡¯t suddenly act so close to me. It gives me an uneasy feeling.¡± Once Xia Qingzhi and her parents left, Tie Ningxiang resumed her commanding police officer persona and slammed a stack of files on the table. ¡°The forensic report is consistent with what you said earlier. In total, five sets of remains were found in that shallow well, including those of the landlord¡¯s son¡¯s sister, the landlord¡¯s son¡¯s childhood friend, two of the landlord¡¯s son¡¯s ex-girlfriends, and the former boss of the landlord¡¯s son¡¯s previous workplace. These five people, who had no social connection to one another, all had one thing in common: they were all linked to the landlord¡¯s son¡ªLu Xing.¡± ¡°We have basically ruled out the suspicion of the elderly couple¡¯s involvement in the crime, but we still can¡¯t understand why they repeatedly indulged their son¡¯s crazy behavior, and even actively helped him dispose of the bodies and cover up the truth.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s because of excessive love?¡± I shrugged indifferently. ¡°Gao Jian, look into my eyes.¡± Tie Ningxiang suddenly became serious. She grabbed my shoulder, and our faces were just a few centimeters apart. ¡°I don¡¯t know why you went to the Peace of Mind Hotel alone at night, and I don¡¯t know how you figured out the truth of the case, but I know that this case is not as simple as it seems. Lu Xing is still on the run, and you are also hiding something from me.¡± Being so close, I could smell the perfume on Tie Ningxiang. ¡°What could I be hiding from you? I¡¯m just a citizen running an adult store.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying. We both used to be the top students in our class, so you can¡¯t fool me.¡± Tie team leader released her strong grip on my shoulder. ¡°One day, I will uncover everything, and when I do, you will pay for it.¡± After a moment of staring at each other, I gave a bitter smile. ¡°You want to know the truth that much?¡± ¡°People¡¯s lives are at stake!¡± ¡°Okay, then I¡¯ll tell you.¡± ¡°Speak up!¡± Tie Ningxiang opened her recorder and squatted next to me. ¡°Actually ¡­¡­ actually, you look pretty good when you¡¯re angry.¡± With a loud ¡°bang!¡± the door to the interrogation room slammed shut, leaving me alone sitting on a cold chair. I have to admit, there was a fleeting moment where I wanted to tell Tie Ningxiang about my recent experiences with the underworld show, but it was just a momentary impulse. If my live broadcast were to fail one day, perhaps silently disappearing like Xia Chi would be a decent way to end things. ¡°At least I would disappear quietly and wouldn¡¯t hurt anyone.¡± When I returned to the adult store, I immediately fell asleep and didn¡¯t wake up until the next afternoon. After working out, I went to the bank to exchange my gold bars for cash, and then went to a specialty shop to buy a suitable suit. As I gazed at my reflection in the fitting room mirror, I carefully adjusted my tie, ¡°I never imagined that the first time I¡¯d be wearing such formal attire would be for my ex¡¯s wedding.¡± I had spent the previous night wandering around Ting Tang Road until late at night, ¡°Tomorrow I¡¯ll say goodbye to everything and start from scratch.¡± With the morning sun rising, I woke up feeling well-rested and finally able to shake off the exhaustion from the previous days. I washed my face, put on my suit, and polished my shoes, ¡°I¡¯m actually quite looking forward to my this wedding.¡± ************* TN: Hanging two big banners is often considered a way of showing respect and honor to someone or something. It is a traditional way of expressing congratulations or gratitude in various ceremonies TN: Gu is like a worm that has weird abilities, if you ever read Reverend insanity, then you can think of them like the gu¡¯s used in that novel. CH 19 The busy city seems to have been wound up like a clock, with everyone rushing around even though it¡¯s only just past seven in the morning. The streets were already jam-packed with cars and people. As I walked through the crowd, I felt out of place and uncomfortable, which could be regarded as an occupational disease. I didn¡¯t take a taxi and instead walked the entire length of Ting Tang Road until I arrived at the tallest and most versatile building in the Jiangcheng New District¡ªthe Century New Garden. The main building was 26 stories high, and there were two adjacent 13-story auxiliary buildings, forming a ¡°mountain¡± shape that overlooked the head of the Jiangcheng River. This was the headquarters of Jiangjin Real Estate, as well as one of the few five-star hotels in Jiangcheng. It was also the location where Jiang Chen, the second young master of the Jiang family, and Ye Bing held their wedding ceremony. The wedding was held here, inviting the elites and high-ranking officials of Jiangcheng. It seemed like a gathering of the upper echelons of society, but it was actually a ceremony held by the Jiang family to formally introduce Ye Bing into high society. ¡°I guess our paths won¡¯t cross again after this. From rags to riches, Ye Bing has truly transformed.¡± I chuckled to myself and glanced at the rows of luxury cars parked outside the entrance. Lamborghinis, Ferraris, and even the world-renowned Sejongs, which started at five million, were all there. ¡°Sir, the Century New Garden has been rented out by the Second Young Master for his wedding today. Please show your invitation.¡± The security guard, who was tall and sturdy, spoke politely, but with confidence. They were not afraid to offend anyone, as they had the backing of the Jiangjin Group. ¡°Sure, here it is.¡± I had nothing to say when the security guard stopped me. After all, everyone else had been chauffeured in and out of luxury cars, while only I had leisurely walked here on foot. ¡°Sorry, sir. Please come in.¡± ¡°Huh? You¡¯re¡­ Gao Jian?!¡± Just as I entered the gate and took a few steps forward, a well-dressed man ran over from the parking lot. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re here for Jiang Chen¡¯s wedding. It¡¯s been so long since we¡¯ve seen each other!¡± I remained expressionless and didn¡¯t react much. The man in front of me was Xu Xiuming, my classmate from the police academy. He was a smooth talker who knew how to handle different situations with ease. However, do not be fooled by his friendly demeanor; this guy could even pretend that a beggar on the roadside was a long-lost friend of his. ¡°Hello.¡± This one simple word was already the longest sentence I had ever said to him. ¡°Oh, look who¡¯s here. Isn¡¯t it our ex-brother-in-law Gao Jian?¡± The woman who spoke was named Zhang Yuanyuan, also my classmate from the police academy. Unlike Xu Xiuming, this woman loved to gossip and was very unpleasant to be around. I heard she got married to a man from another school shortly after graduation and has since become a mother. I frowned and quickly walked away, but couldn¡¯t help but think to myself, ¡°Zhang Yuanyuan is hardly a successful person, and she left Jiangcheng with her husband long ago. Why would she come all the way here to attend Ye Bing¡¯s wedding? Her greatest jealousy has always been Ye Bing¡¯s beauty, and I doubt she would have anything to do with wishing her well.¡± ¡°Unless someone specifically invited her and offered her a price that would make her heart skip a beat.¡± It was easy to figure out that the person behind the scenes was the petty groom, Jiang Chen. ¡°It looks like today¡¯s wedding will be very interesting.¡± The banquet hall was filled with guests, including several executives from various companies who exuded a businesslike aura in both their demeanor and speech. It seemed that the wedding had turned into a business event, with many attendees there to expand their network rather than genuinely celebrate the newlyweds. ¡°Hey, Gao Jian, over here! Everyone¡¯s been waiting for you!¡± Following the voice, I saw two tables set up in a corner of the banquet hall, specifically for me, or rather, for my former classmates from the police academy. Delicate cold dishes were arranged on the large round table, and about a dozen former classmates were exchanging pleasantries. ¡°I heard you bought another house?¡± ¡°How old is your son?¡± ¡°Oh, your watch must be very valuable,¡± I ignored their conversation and lit a cigarette, silently puffing away. Compared to them, I had nothing, and to me, they were just passing acquaintances. However, some of my former classmates who were not doing well and had many troubles gradually shifted the conversation towards me. In their eyes, I was the pitiful one, the loser who had achieved nothing and was attending his ex¡¯s wedding. After all, to them, what could be more heartbreaking than seeing your ex-girlfriend marry a man who you can only look up to? ¡°Hey, Gao Jian, we haven¡¯t heard from you in years. How have you been doing?¡± ¡°Yeah, yeah, we lost touch after that incident back then.¡± ¡°Ah, I wonder if they ever caught the real culprit?¡± The incident they were referring to was the rainstorm-related serial killing that shook the city. It was because I got involved in this case and got into big trouble that I was expelled from the police academy. ¡°Forget it; forget it. Let¡¯s talk about something happy. Gao Jian used to be at the top of the class in terms of comprehensive scores; someone as excellent as him can do anything better than us.¡± ¡°No way, I heard he¡¯s been buying those kinds of things and living very frugally.¡± ¡°Really? No wonder Ye Bing left him. If I were her, I wouldn¡¯t stay with a man like that. Look at Jiang Chen; he¡¯s handsome and charming, just like the male lead in a Korean drama.¡± ¡°Yeah, and he¡¯s got money too. Haven¡¯t you heard? The Jiang family practically runs half of the city!¡± ¡°Ye Bing is so lucky.¡± Another group of people whispered and gossiped, some envying Ye Bing, while others gloated and stared at me. I exhaled a puff of smoke. As a private detective, I¡¯ve seen too many dirty things. There¡¯s nothing worth arguing about with these people. Top of Form ¡°It seems like you¡¯re still better at dealing with the dead than the living,¡± a nearby voice lightly chuckled, and a unique and enchanting scent wafted past my nose. ¡°Tie Ningxiang?¡± I didn¡¯t turn around because I had already memorized that perfume, as if it were a body odor instead. ¡°Why are you here? Did the case at Peace of Mind Inn end?¡± I extinguished my cigarette, then turned my head to face her. Although I was mentally prepared, I was still taken aback by the sight of Tie Ningxiang in a dress. ¡°so beautiful¡­¡± Her pleasant shoulders were exposed, and her long skirt swayed gently. Once she had removed her police uniform, she looked truly stunning, with her unchanging and pure brows and the lead makeup washed away, revealing her innocence. The men at the table were all stunned, and the women stopped talking, their eyes unkindly fixed on Tie Ningxiang. ¡°Excuse me, could you step aside for a moment? I have something to say to him,¡± She said. ¡°Sure, no problem.¡± Xu Xiuming, who was sitting next to me, immediately stood up and chivalrously pulled out a chair. Tie Ningxiang nodded and sat next to me, ¡°You guys go ahead and chat, it¡¯s a classmate gathering, don¡¯t let us disturb your fun.¡± ¡°What a joke! With a goddess-level figure like her sitting next to that loser, what else is there to talk about?¡± ¡°I mean, it was the right thing for Ye Bing to leave him. And now, a beautiful fairy like you shows up out of nowhere to steal the show?¡± ¡°What kind of dumb luck did this guy have?¡± Our former classmates¡¯ discussions turned from noisy to whispers. Tie Ningxiang looked at me mischievously and said, ¡°Sorry to take up some of your time.¡± ¡°No worries, I¡¯m pretty bored here anyway. But how come you¡¯re here for Ye Bing¡¯s wedding?¡± I asked. ¡°My family is close with the Jiang family, so I didn¡¯t have a choice. My old, stubborn folks forced me to come,¡± Tie Ningxiang explained. After glancing around, she moved her chair next to me, leaned in close, and whispered in my ear, ¡°Xiao Feng, the goddaughter of the owner of the Peace of Mind Inn, wants to meet you.¡± ¡°Her?¡± I had guessed that Tie Ningxiang had something to talk to me about, but I never expected it would be related to Xiao Feng. ¡°I don¡¯t know what happened between you two, but she specifically asked to meet you and said there are things that she can only tell you,¡± Tie Ningxiang said, squinting her eyes and looking like a sly fox. ¡°You guys aren¡¯t, like, involved or anything, are you?¡± Her expression was subtle, but I didn¡¯t really care. However, the man sitting next to me was clearly feeling jealous, and his mind was in turmoil. That was a jealous look, and that was an envious gaze she was giving him. The goddess is obviously unhappy that he came to his ex¡¯s wedding! Damn, what did this guy do better than me to make a goddess like her fall for him? ¡°You¡¯re thinking too much. Xiao Feng and I have only met once, and I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve spent more time together than you did with her.¡± Bottom of Form ¡°Anyway, can you come back to the bureau with me this afternoon and help me out?¡± Tie Ningxiang rarely looked like she was asking for help, and I joked, ¡°No problem. If I ever get in trouble and end up there, I¡¯ll have to rely on you, senior sister.¡± We whispered to each other, not because we were close but because the topic was related to a murder case and we didn¡¯t want the others to hear. However, this scene was misunderstood by our old classmates present, and endless speculation began. CH 20 For the entire wedding, our table was just a small interlude. Everything was proceeding according to the pre-designed program, and it was evident that Jiang Chen attached great importance to this wedding. Everything was of the highest quality, and he did not allow even the slightest mishap to occur during his special day. After the guests were introduced, the CEO of Jiang Jin Group personally gave his blessing, the MC warmed up the atmosphere with his opening remarks, and then finally moved on to the next segment. ¡°Alright, dear friends, let¡¯s count down from five and welcome the bride and groom to their entrance.¡± ¡°The red apricot blossoms are lively on the branches, and the bride approaches on the jade-columned bridge. She is wearing a pure white wedding dress and a beautiful flower crown. The two lovers walk towards us, hand in hand, with smiles on their faces, to the grand wedding march. Let us sincerely wish them the best, pray for them, cheer for them, and applaud passionately for their perfect union. Let us once again congratulate them and wish them a beautiful future!¡± The applause thundered through the hall as the hundred-meter-long red carpet crossed the room. Ye Bing, in her wedding gown, leaned affectionately on Jiang Chen¡¯s arm, and the beauty at his side made him appear even more proud and confident. Dressed in a pure white suit, Jiang Chen held his head high, gazing around with a commanding and contemptuous air, waving to the crowd from time to time. As they reached the halfway point, he glanced over at the far corner of the room, perhaps searching for a disheveled and distressed man, but he was disappointed. When Jiang Chen noticed our table, our former classmates vigorously applauded and feigned emotional expressions of wishing him happiness. However, two people were an exception. They ignored Jiang Chen entirely and whispered intimately to each other, almost as if they were biting each other¡¯s ears. ¡°That¡¯s¡­¡± his smug expression suddenly faded by eight points. Jiang Chen¡¯s gaze lingered on me for a split second before freezing entirely on Tien Ningxiang. Compared to the elegantly dressed Tien Ningxiang, Ye Bing by his side paled in comparison, not just in appearance, but also in temperament. You should know that Tien Ningxiang was currently the branch leader of the Criminal Investigation Division, and her success was achieved through her own hard work and dedication rather than through family connections. Such a strong, independent, and beautiful woman could easily arouse a man¡¯s desire to conquer. After consulting with Tie Ningxiang, I finally noticed Jiang Chen¡¯s fiery gaze. However, I wasn¡¯t interested in this wealthy second-generation, so I lit another cigarette and leisurely took a puff. ¡°Gao Jian, why is the groom constantly staring at you?¡± Tie Ningxiang nudged me with her elbow. ¡°His current mindset is like that of a child who just got a new toy, showing it off everywhere, and then suddenly realizing that everyone has already grown tired of that toy and moved on to better ones.¡± ¡°Why does that sound weird coming from you?¡± ¡°Really? Here, don¡¯t move; there¡¯s a bug on your shoulder.¡± My hand naturally rested on Tie Ningxiang¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Sorry, I must have been mistaken.¡± The wedding continued¡ªan important day for the two newlyweds. The entire process should have been rehearsed, and the two of them calmly approached the host. I anticipated that there would be a lot of nonsense, so I simply took out my phone and didn¡¯t bother to watch. The oversized screen cell phone in my hand came from the underworld show, and I have been carrying it with me since the day of the interview. When I checked my mailbox, all the information and call records would be automatically deleted every midnight. Sometimes, I wondered if there was a ghost living inside this phone. Two out of three applications were just for show, and out of boredom, I clicked on the Underworld show icon. ¡°Congratulations to the host for completing the first live broadcast. You have now unlocked a brand new feature¡ªthe camera. You can now confidently use your phone to live stream.¡± ¡°New feature unlocked?¡± I never thought that the underworld show could keep up with the new technology. The last time I entered the tight tunnel during my live stream, I disappeared from the broadcast room for a while because the camera was too bulky to carry around. I thought I would be punished for it, but to my surprise, I accidentally unlocked a new feature. After leaving the Underworld Show app, I noticed that there was indeed a new application on the phone¡¯s screen¡ªthe camera. While most regular phone sellers boasted about clear images and good 3D effects, the only feature of the underworld show cell phone was its ability to see things that ordinary people could not. Out of curiosity, I opened the camera app and shot a video of my classmates sitting on the table for about ten seconds, but nothing scary happened. ¡°Tch, I thought maybe if I keep filming, another figure would suddenly appear in the video.¡± I scanned the crowd but didn¡¯t see anything out of the ordinary. It made sense after all. It was the height of the day, with the sun shining bright, and so many people were gathered together for a joyous occasion like a wedding. Any typical ghost or spirit wouldn¡¯t dare to come out under such circumstances. ¡°It looks like I¡¯ll have to wait until it¡¯s quiet at night to test out this feature,¡± I thought to myself. Suddenly, an image flashed in my mind of me lying in bed filming a video, only to discover a female ghost lying next to me. ¡°Nevermind, I think I¡¯ll avoid using this feature too much. Out of sight, out of mind¡­¡± I shook my phone and was about to put it away when something caught my eye, ¡°Huh?¡± As the screen turned towards the newlyweds on stage, I noticed something on the back of the groom, Jiang Chen. Normally, if there was anything unusual about his pure white suit, the people at the wedding should have noticed it already. ¡°What is that?¡± I pointed my screen at Jiang Chen, zoomed in, and my eyes widened! ¡°Friends, at this grand wedding ceremony, the bride and groom will face all the guests present and make a vow to their beloved partner, making a lifelong commitment! Bride and groom, please stand facing each other now!¡± When Jiang Chen turned around, I clearly saw that there was a bone-thin, month-old baby lying on his back! ¡°How is that possible?¡± I thought maybe I was seeing things, so I put down my phone and looked at Jiang Chen on the stage with my own eyes. He was full of vitality, like a fairy tale prince, and his back was straight as an arrow. Where was the baby? ¡°No!¡± I aimed my phone at him again, and on the screen of the underworld show phone screen, that emaciated baby really existed! It was even moving! One hand tightly gripped Jiang Chen¡¯s neck, while the other dried-up arm slowly reached towards Ye Bing. ¡°Friends, let us calm down and feel the sincere confession coming from the bride and groom from the bottom of their hearts.¡± ¡°The groom, please place your right hand on your chest and look into the bride¡¯s eyes¡ªplease answer: do you take the lady beside you as your lawful wedded wife?¡± ¡°I do.¡± In the hall, hundreds of people held their breath, focused on witnessing this grand moment, while I was the only one staring wide-eyed, fixed on my phone screen. The baby on Jiang Chen¡¯s back had climbed onto his shoulder, its deformed little hand getting closer and closer to Ye Bing, with its pinky finger embedded in its own flesh and the other four fingers touching Ye Bing¡¯s hair. ¡°Will you love and cherish each other for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, in sickness and in health, until death do you part?¡± ¡°Yes, we will.¡± The ceremony proceeded as usual, and as soon as these words were spoken, the baby on Jiang Chen¡¯s back had already reached into Ye Bing¡¯s long hair. The scene on the screen was incredibly eerie. The bond between the two newlyweds didn¡¯t seem to be the result of the ongoing pledge, but rather the twisted and ugly baby that surfaced between them. ¡°I remember now, this thing is called¡­ Kuman Thong!¡± I had seen something similar on the redemption table of the underworld show, where a Thai Kuman Thong required five points. However, this type of ghost child that could manifest in public was undoubtedly even more expensive and rare. Ghost childs were usually made by the black clothed Kazan using the corpses of abandoned infants. The entire process was terrifying, but once successful, it could bring good luck in wealth, gambling, and career, and it was considered very effective. However, this didn¡¯t mean that you would definitely get a return on your investment by worshiping it. Raising a ghost child could be detrimental to your lifespan, and sometimes it might even backfire, leading to the destruction of your home and family. At that moment, I noticed the ghost child drawing closer to Ye Bing, as if preparing to attach itself to her. This would allow the ghost child to take possession of the unborn baby¡¯s body once Ye Bing was six months pregnant. ¡°Alright, now the groom, please lower your right hand,¡± said the host, turning to Ye Bing, who was lost in bliss, clad in her wedding dress. ¡°Bride, please place your right hand on your chest and gaze into the groom¡¯s eyes.¡± On the screen, the ghost child had latched onto Ye Bing¡¯s hair and was already beginning to detach itself from Jiang Chen. ¡°Please answer this question: Do you take this man to be your lawful wedded husband?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t agree!¡± The chair toppled over and crashed to the ground, leaving the entire hall in complete silence. Hundreds of eyes were fixated on that somewhat lonesome yet rebellious figure. After taking one last drag of my cigarette, I put away my large-screened phone and silently stubbed out the cigarette¡¯s butt. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t agree.¡± *********** TN: I have no idea who this black clothed Kazan is, I searched thoroughly, so I don¡¯t think it¡¯s real world knowledge but knowledge from the novel, though I might be wrong. Also, this knowledge isn¡¯t mentioned where it came from¡­ Feel free to correct me If I translated wrongly CH 21 Ninety percent of the people in the room appeared to be in a daze, including my fellow police academy classmates seated at my table, who seemed to have lost all ability to think, as if they were collectively petrified. ¡°He doesn¡¯t agree? Who is he to disagree when they¡¯re getting married?¡± Even Tie Ningxiang, who was sitting next to me, was caught off guard by my unexpected outburst. She grabbed the hem of my suit and whispered, ¡°Gao Jian, have you gone crazy?¡± ¡°His name is Gao Jian?¡± ¡°What¡¯s his background? How dare he interfere with the wedding of the Jiang family heir!¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t heard of anyone like him in Jiangcheng. Could he be the son of some wealthy businessman from another province?¡± ¡°Looking at his plain attire, he doesn¡¯t seem like the child of a tycoon.¡± The hall was filled with undercurrents as various elites focused their discussions on me. ¡°Gao Jian, don¡¯t do something foolish!¡± Ye Bing on the stage appeared a bit embarrassed, clutching the wedding ring on her finger, fearing the situation would spiral out of control. As for the groom, Jiang Chen, his face was tense and unpleasant. Born with a golden spoon in his mouth, he has been adored by everyone since childhood. Yet this person had disrupted this important event several times, making him feel embarrassed and uneasy. ¡°What does he want to do? At this point in the wedding, is he planning to steal the bride? Never mind whether Ye Bing is willing or not; how can the eleven security teams in this entire building let him leave unscathed?¡± As the inheritor of Jiangjin Real Estate, Jiang Chen was by no means a fool, and most of his former rash behavior was just an act. Jiang Chen stared straight at me. Before this, he had never regarded me as someone important, after all, one was a top-tier prodigy living at the apex of society, while the other was just a gray-collar worker who relied on running an adult store for a living, seemingly a lowly figure amounting to a rat sewer. The atmosphere was tense as the meticulously designed wedding program was disrupted, and the MC scrambled to find the right words to diffuse the awkwardness. Just as he was about to use his eloquence to save the situation, Jiang Chen snatched the microphone from his hand. ¡°I have some impressions of you. Your name is Gao Jian, right?¡± Jiang Chen¡¯s voice echoed through the speakers placed around the hall, creating a feeling of being ¡°ambushed from all sides¡±. I stood by the table, ignoring him, and lit a cigarette in silence. ¡°This guy is so calm¡­¡± ¡°He¡¯s the first person I¡¯ve seen who dares to denigrate the Jiang family in public.¡± ¡°Secretary Zhang, gather information on this person for me when we get back.¡± The wedding was attended not only by Jiang¡¯s business partners but also by their competitors. The old foxes seemed to have sensed a hint of something unusual. Realizing that I had no intention of responding, Jiang Chen¡¯s face grew even worse. Unlike me, he was the main character today, representing Jiangjin Real Estate, and he couldn¡¯t afford to lose face here. Stepping down from the stage, this handsome and wealthy groom approached me. ¡°I¡¯m not an unreasonable person, Gao Jian. If you disagree, you have to give me a reason, right? Well said. I accept it. But if you¡¯re deliberately causing trouble, don¡¯t blame me for calling security.¡± His words were well-reasoned and unhurried, worthy of a young master from the Jiang family. I exhaled a puff of smoke, looking at his twitching eyes, knowing that the anger in his heart was brewing and that he was enduring it. ¡°Do I really need a reason to disagree? Okay, then. don¡¯t think you have the means to give Ye Bing happiness.¡± ¡°What?¡± Jiang Chen could hardly believe his ears. This bastard actually said that he couldn¡¯t give Ye Bing happiness? ¡°If I can¡¯t give her happiness, do you think you, a person who smokes cheap cigarettes that cost five yuan a pack, can give her happiness?!¡± ¡°Jiang Chen has been treating me well. There is no man in this world who cares for me more than him,¡± said Ye Bing, walking over in her wedding gown before she came to a sudden halt. She seemed surprised to see so many guests at the table, as she had only invited me and didn¡¯t know about the others, who had been brought in from other cities by Jiang Chen. ¡°The man who supposedly wants to take care of you for a lifetime is the same man who, on your most important day, plans to transfer the ghost child that was fostered on him to you. Is this what you call love?¡± I spoke in a soft voice that was only audible to Ye Bing, Jiang Chen, and the Tie Ningxiang next to me. ¡°What are you talking about?¡± The two women were confused, but at this moment, Jiang Chen¡¯s face changed color. He could no longer conceal his anger and panic. ¡°He never liked you; he just saw you as a convenient tool, much like this new suit I just bought. I don¡¯t actually like wearing formal attire, and I¡¯ll throw it away once I leave here.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Jiang Chen¡¯s fists clenched hard, and his heart was filled with turmoil. Keeping ghost childs among wealthy families was a secret that couldn¡¯t be revealed, and once exposed, it would be difficult to handle. ¡°Gao Jian, it¡¯s no use saying anything now. Please stop bothering me. I also wish you can find your own happiness in the future, okay?¡± Ye Bing was confused and thought I had come forward because I wanted to be with her. ¡°Don¡¯t worry; ever since you left to study abroad, I haven¡¯t had any expectations of you. I only came forward today to repay a favor. Back then, when I was involved in the Rainy Night Serial Murder Case and was arrested, you were the only one in the class who believed in my innocence,¡± Gao Jian explained. ¡°Why are you bringing that up now¡­.¡± Ye Bing¡¯s voice became softer, as if she were recalling that time from five years ago. ¡°We¡¯ve grown up since then.¡± ¡°Yes, it¡¯s precisely because we¡¯ve grown up that I¡¯ll only give you a reminder instead of sacrificing myself to save you like I did in the past.¡± The ash from the cigarette fell eerily as I looked at Ye Bing, who was avoiding eye contact. ¡°Remember what I said just now; this should be our final conversation between you and me.¡± There was no need to stay here any longer. I looked past the shocked ¡°old classmates¡± and at the scheming ¡°guests¡± in the hall. Although this wedding banquet was extremely expensive, it didn¡¯t have much of a festive atmosphere. In fact, I really wanted to grab the microphone from Jiang Chen¡¯s hand and speak my mind, ¡°With all due respect, everyone here is trash.¡± Jiang Chen noticed that I was about to leave, and his face changed. If he let me go like this, it would bring shame to the Jiang family. However, if he tried to stop me, who knows what kind of trouble would arise, and the wedding would be disrupted. Neither stopping nor letting me go, when I turned around, a hint of malice suddenly surfaced on Jiang Chen¡¯s face. ¡°Since you¡¯re here, don¡¯t rush to leave. Sit down and have a drink!¡± He placed his left hand on my shoulder, and at that moment I felt like I was being stared at by a venomous snake. A strange chill slowly crept up on my back. If I were watching on my large-screen cell phone right now, I would be able to see the ghost child raised by Jiang Chen crawling towards me along his arm, and those two deformed little hands were clearly preparing to poke into my eye sockets! I shuddered, feeling a sense of familiarity. This feeling was quite similar to the night when the ghost in the Peace of Mind Inn grabbed my neck from behind. As the ghost was about to attack me, I quickly formed a hand seal using the Heavenly Thunder Tunder method that I had used before. I curved my fingers inward, with my index, middle, ring, and little fingers pressed together, and my thumb pressed against the fingernails of the four fingers, which produced a palm thunder Talisman seal in one go. ¡°Gao Jian, there are some people you can never provoke, destined to look up to them for the rest of your life. Today, I¡¯ll give you a taste of despair first, and I¡¯ll slowly play with you to death later!¡± Jiang Chen moved away from the microphone and spoke through gritted teeth in a voice that only the two of us could hear. ¡°Your anger has finally exposed your true nature,¡± I thought quickly, realizing the coldness behind me was the result of Jiang Chen casting some spell under his breath. I silently invoked the thunder talisman technique that Half-Immortal Liu had taught me. ¡°Still acting tough? Today, I¡¯ll collect some interest first! Pluck out his eyes!¡± commanded Jiang Chen. The icy feeling felt like two knives stabbing into my eyes, but I couldn¡¯t just sit and wait for death. ¡°Thunder command, swift as a spark, omnipotent in all directions, make me one with nature. Spirit treasure, heavenly mandate, spread throughout the nine heavens. Cut off the evil and trap the demons; slay a thousand ghosts! Disperse the wickedness and let the Dao essence last forever!¡± I formed the thunder talisman seal with my hand and struck Jiang Chen¡¯s arm. Although I had no talisman in my hand, the residual power of the thunder talisman embyro was infused in my palm. To outsiders, it might have looked like a simple pat on Jiang Chen¡¯s arm, but the residual power of the thunder talisman directly injured the ghost child, causing it to scream and crawl back into Jiang Chen¡¯s body. Under normal circumstances, the power of this palm strike would not have been as great. However, its potency in this instance was due to the fact that the sun was shining brightly today, at a time of peak positive energy and human vitality. It was a well-known fact that evil spirits were particularly weak during such times; hence, these ghost childs weren¡¯t as frightening. Rather than causing any harm to me, this clash had the opposite effect, causing the small ghost to cower back into Jiang Chen¡¯s body instead. This led to Jiang Chen suffering from a backlash that resulted in him being depleted of both blood and energy. ¡°You!¡± Jiang Chen¡¯s arm felt like it had been struck by lightning, causing him to recoil and take a few steps back before stumbling and falling to the ground, knocking over a dining table in the process. To be honest, I never anticipated that the backlash from the ghost child would have such severe consequences. Nonetheless, Jiang Chen only had himself to blame for his actions, and I had no sympathy for him whatsoever. ¡°Do you, as the inheritor of Jiangjin Real Estate, intend to stoop to the level of those petty criminals who engage in deceitful schemes? It¡¯s clear to everyone here that I only lightly tapped you.¡± Looking down from a position of superiority, I observed Jiang Chen, who once appeared so invincible, now sitting on the ground, his pristine white suit soaked in a rainbow of colors from the spilled food, which made him greatly resemble a free-range chicken. CH 22 No one could have predicted this unexpected mishap at the wedding banquet. All sorts of gazes were fixed on Jiang Chen, filled with sympathy, ridicule, and above all, surprise. ¡°What just happened?¡± Jiang Chen struggled to stand up from the ground, but his legs gave out. He looked up at me, who was calmly smoking, with fiery eyes and an open mouth. The words were stuck on his throat, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of foul-smelling blood before collapsing and passing out. ¡°Should I just call the police? This is clearly extortion!¡± I kicked the motionless Jiang Chen and continued, ¡°Never mind, call 120 quickly. He might still be saved.¡± The scene suddenly became chaotic as the secretary of the Jiangjin Group¡¯s CEO and the security guards rushed in with a private doctor to take Jiang Chen away for treatment. ¡°Can this even be considered a wedding without the groom? Mr. Jiang, your choice of this auspicious date doesn¡¯t seem to be very good.¡± Several men in light gray suits stood up in the VIP area on the second floor and said, ¡°We won¡¯t bother you today since you¡¯re busy with family matters.¡± Surprisingly, they left without giving the Jiang family any face. ¡°Who were they? They were even more arrogant than the previous idiot.¡± ¡°Shush, that person is one of the leading figures in our city and the executive director of Qian Ding Pharmaceutical Industry.¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry for the poor greeting. Take care, Mr. Huang.¡± This voice came from the middle of the second floor, but I couldn¡¯t see anyone in that direction. ¡°Gao Jian, how did you do that?¡± Tie Ningxiang grabbed my arm, curious and surprised, as if she was meeting me for the first time. ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything; he just fell down on his own?¡± ¡°Who would believe that? Will you confess or not?¡± ¡°What? Is the team leader of the criminal investigation division going to use her power to extract a confession through torture? I¡¯m scared.¡± I couldn¡¯t reveal the real reason to outsiders, so I didn¡¯t continue the conversation and just gave Ye Bing another look. ¡°Take care of yourself. Goodbye.¡± I didn¡¯t care about the outcome of this chaotic wedding. I came here simply to bid farewell to my past. Amid Ye Bing¡¯s hesitant words and the bewildered gaze of our ¡°old classmates¡± Tie Ningxiang and I left the wedding scene together. ¡­¡­ At around two or three o¡¯clock in the afternoon, I was urged by a phone call from Tie Ningxiang to go to the local police station again. As soon as I entered the interrogation room, I realized that the situation was serious. Four police officers, including Tie Ningxiang, in police uniform, stood at the four corners of the room, looking like they were facing a formidable foe with guns holstered at their waists. ¡°Is all of this necessary?¡± I couldn¡¯t help but ask. The four officers were on high alert, yet their target was just a raggedly dressed woman. She was handcuffed and sitting on the interrogation chair with her hands and feet restrained, her long hair cascading down her back as she faced downward on the table. ¡°You¡¯re here.¡± Tie Ningxiang stopped me as I walked towards them. ¡°The suspect¡¯s emotions are very unstable, so don¡¯t go near her for now.¡± The woman locked to the chair was Xiao Feng, whose figure I had become familiar with on the night she was arrested. ¡°Why are her clothes torn like this?¡± I asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t use force against an innocent woman, did you?¡± ¡°Use force? This lady nearly destroyed my interrogation room! Xiao Wang, come over and let him see your wound.¡± One of the police officers was called over by Tie Ningxiang. ¡°Look, this is where she bit him! She refused to open her mouth, so we had to sedate her before prying it open. Otherwise, this whole chunk of flesh would have fallen off.¡± The wound on Xiao Wang¡¯s arm was shocking, with two rows of bite marks penetrating the flesh to a depth of 1 centimeter. Even after being treated, it was still bleeding. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t have happened. Xiao Feng seemed perfectly normal,¡± I said. ¡°How would I know she¡¯d suddenly go crazy? You didn¡¯t see her with blood all over her mouth, like a ghost crawling out of hell.¡± ¡°ghost?¡± I stroked my chin. Xiao Feng was a gentle and somewhat timid girl. Her sudden change in personality was probably caused by being possessed by some ghost from the Peace of Mind Inn. The crucial issue here was that this place wasn¡¯t the Peace of Mind Inn anymore but the public security bureau. In ancient times, the public security bureau was also a court that settled disputes and injustices. It was a place that even ghosts and spirits dared not disturb. ¡°Unless that vengeful ghost wasn¡¯t actually hiding in the inn, but has been attached to Xiao Feng all along.¡± I was just guessing, as it was difficult to directly prove anything involving ghosts and spirits. ¡°You spent a night with her and should have formed a deep friendship. Once the anesthesia wears off, you can question her.¡± Tie Ningxiang patted my shoulder, looking very confident in me. ¡°That doesn¡¯t seem appropriate.¡± I glanced at officer Xiao Wang¡¯s wound. ¡°Investigating is your job as police officers, and I¡¯m just¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯re just what? Don¡¯t disappoint me, junior brother. Besides, she specifically asked to speak with you.¡± Honestly, I was also curious about what Xiao Feng wanted to tell me. Even though the live broadcast at the inn was over, the questions it left behind remained unresolved. ¡°Wu¡­¡± After a while, Xiao Feng slowly woke up, looking around in confusion. ¡°Why are you all so far away from me? Why is my mouth wet?¡± Her hands and feet were restrained with cuffs, so she couldn¡¯t wipe the blood off the corner of her mouth. ¡°Go ahead and talk to her.¡± Tie Ningxiang gave me an encouraging look, then led everyone out of the room. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we¡¯ll be monitoring your safety.¡± With a loud ¡°thud,¡± the heavy door closed from behind, leaving only Xiao Feng and me in the room. Alone together, Xiao Feng suddenly lowered her head and dared not look at me. ¡°You¡­Does your promise from before still stand?¡± At this moment, Xiao Feng appeared a bit shy and timid, with a voice that was both tender and pitiful. However, all of this was under the premise of ignoring the fresh blood that was still congealing at the corner of her mouth. ¡°Calm down, Gao Jian. This girl almost gnawed off a piece of someone¡¯s flesh earlier!¡± I took a deep breath and pulled out a tissue from my pocket, crouching down next to her. ¡°Don¡¯t move, let me clean you up.¡± Perhaps seeing the blood on the tissue, Xiao Feng remained silent for a long time. ¡°Rinse your mouth.¡± I picked up a teacup from the table, wiped off the bloodstains, and then pulled a chair over to sit beside her. ¡°So, what is it that you want to tell me? Why did you come looking for me?¡± ¡°When we were at the Peace of Mind Hotel, you told me that I could ask for your help with anything. Is that still true?¡± ¡°I did say that.¡± At the time, I was just testing Xiao Feng and didn¡¯t expect her to take it seriously. ¡°Okay.¡± Xiao Feng¡¯s eyes brightened, and she became unusually serious. ¡°I have only one request.¡± ¡°Go ahead, I¡¯ll do my best to help you.¡± ¡°I want to marry you.¡± The interrogation room fell silent as soon as she spoke those words. The only sound was the ticking of the clock. Her gaze was intense, as if she could see right through me. When she said those words, I forgot about all my reasoning and speculation. It was a direction of occurrences completely different from what I had been contemplating. ¡°You want¡­. to marry me?¡± I trembled as I took a cigarette out of my pocket and lit it. ¡°This case has nothing to do with you. Even if you deliberately concealed the crime by not reporting it, you wouldn¡¯t receive a heavy sentence. With your qualities, you could easily find a more suitable person.¡± According to the information provided by Tie Ningxiang, Xiaofeng is not an accomplice but rather a victim. She did not need to sell her body in order to end her detention sooner. ¡°There¡¯s no one more suitable than you. I can only survive if I¡¯m with you,¡± Xiao Feng¡¯s sentence sounded quite familiar to me. Upon closer inspection, the paper masked interviewer at the underworld show had said something similar. ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°Over the past few years, so many people have resided at the Peace of Mind Inn, but only you have been able to clear my sister¡¯s name and punish that devilish family. Only you were able to do it!¡± ¡°It was just luck. Besides, that family has already been detained, and the absconding Lu Xing is now a wanted man. What are you afraid of? You can live a normal life without fear of being bullied.¡± ¡°No, Lu Xing won¡¯t be caught until he has killed seven people,¡± Xiao Feng shook her head desperately. ¡°My sister was the first, and I should be the last. The Two-Faced Buddha said that seven people will die, and the first five deaths have all come true!¡± ¡°The Two-Faced Buddha?¡± I pulled out my phone and found a picture I had taken in the underground tunnel of the Peaceful Inn. It was a statue embedded in the cave wall, with two heads of a Buddha¡ªone face had a benevolent expression, while the other bore a fierce and malevolent expression. ¡°He¡¯s the geomancer who came when the Anxin Inn was first built. He¡¯s neither a monk nor a Taoist, and he calls himself the Two-Faced Buddha.¡± Xiao Feng recalled a painful memory from the past. ¡°I once overheard a conversation between him and Lu Xing. The gist of it was that they needed to kill seven people, with my sister being the first and me being the last.¡± ¡°If you knew all this beforehand, why didn¡¯t you run away?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve tried to run away, but they always manage to catch me and¡­¡± Xiaofeng gestured for me to lift up her shirt, revealing several small black dots on her smooth, white back. ¡°Every time they catch me, they stick a needle into my flesh.¡± CH 23 ¡°How could they be this cruel?¡± I lightly ran my fingers over Xiao Feng¡¯s back. She was still a bit nervous, instinctively wanting to dodge my touch. ¡°The policewoman said the needle had been rusted inside my flesh for too long, making it difficult to remove.¡± I couldn¡¯t imagine the pain Xiao Feng had endured, and while I sympathized with her, it was impossible for me to marry her. She was a woman with a strange past whom I had only met once. How could I feel confident bringing her home, especially when there might be a vengeful ghost residing within her? ¡°You have suffered enough.¡± I helped her straighten her clothes. ¡°As for the matter of marrying me, I hope you will consider it carefully. This is a lifelong decision for a woman, so choose wisely.¡± Xiao Feng belonged to the kind of women who were very pleasing to the eye. Her gentle and graceful demeanor, typical of a southern girl, was evident in every aspect of her. Without knowledge of her past, anyone would find it difficult to resist such temptation. I didn¡¯t give a direct response, but my intentions were clear. ¡°The Peace of Mind (Anxin) Hotel is a nightmare for me. I can never go back there. I never went to school, and I¡¯m not good at communicating with people. Besides you, I don¡¯t even have a friend,¡± her eyes grew dim. In fact, at this moment, I wanted to say something cruel, like, ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I never saw you as a friend. That night, I just used you to get useful information.¡± But after a moment of silence, I couldn¡¯t bring myself to say it. She had suffered enough, and I didn¡¯t want to hurt her anymore. ¡°Think carefully about marrying me. You are still young, and you have a long road ahead of you,¡± I moved a chair and sat down across from her. Xiao Feng¡¯s face suddenly showed a kind of decaying grayness, her eyelids twitched constantly, and her hands clung to the handcuffs. Her bound ankles were lifted backward, and her feet pushed hard against the ground as if she wanted to stand up. Seeing her terrifying appearance, I sighed deeply. If no one cared for her, she would be compelled to enter a mental facility. With her fingers tapping on the table, Xiao Feng¡¯s expression became even more ferocious. Even under the light, she still looked scary. ¡°Beep beep.¡± The intercom in the drawer rang before it was connected. It was Tie Ningxiang ordering me to evacuate immediately. I stood up, snuffed out my cigarette, and looked at Xiao Feng¡¯s painful expression, feeling somewhat guilty. ¡°Gao Jian, leave now! The suspect may be losing control again!¡± I stood still and casually turned off the walkie-talkie. After becoming a host of the underworld show I began to explore a world that normal people could not see. A world of horror and fear that could only be understood through experience. As if on impulse, I walked over to Xiao Feng and gently held her in my arms, protecting her head with one hand. ¡°I know you¡¯re lonely, and I understand what you¡¯re afraid of. How about this? If you have nowhere else to go, my store is currently in need of a waitress. If you don¡¯t mind, you can come work for me. The salary is 1000 yuan per month, with room and board included. What do you think?¡± As she remained in my embrace, there caame no response from her for a long time. It wasn¡¯t until I felt a slight warmth in my hand that I realized Xiao Feng was crying, her tears making her look fragile and delicate. Five minutes later, Tie Ningxiang and Xiao Wang entered the room, and they began the normal interrogation. ¡°You¡¯re quite something, huh? A veteran at handling different kinds of situations; you had her behaving like a docile lamb in no time.¡± After leaving the police station, Tie Ningxiang invited me to their cafeteria for lunch, and she didn¡¯t stop talking the whole way. ¡°By the way, is it true that you¡¯re going to let her work for you as a waitress, or was that just a bluff? Your place is only about 15 square meters; can you even fit two people in there?¡± ¡°Even if we can¡¯t fit, we have to make it work. I already promised her, can I go back on my word?¡± ¡°It must be really difficult for you to help me, and I understand that the situation has evolved to the point where it¡¯s not easy for you either. Your senior sister is feeling quite uneasy about it as well¡­¡± I didn¡¯t know how Tie Ningxiang truly felt about this, but what I did know was that early the next morning, two police cars were parked outside my adult store, and several officers were knocking on my door. ¡°Gao Jian, open up! We¡¯re here to take someone away!¡± ¡°Take someone away?¡± I was still half asleep, but I quickly put on some clothes and rushed over. As soon as I opened the door, I saw Tie Ningxiang in her neatly pressed police uniform and a big smile on her face. ¡°Good morning, Gao Jian!¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on here?¡± I asked. ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree on this yesterday? I¡¯ll safely deliver the person to you, and you can¡¯t bully her!¡± Several police officers lined up in formation on either side of the door, and behind them, Xiao Feng walked over in her new black dress. ¡°This is too sudden; you could have at least given me a phone call!¡± I protested. ¡°We wanted to surprise you,¡± Tie Ningxiang said, grabbing the shy Xiao Feng. ¡°From now on, treat this place as your home. If he dares to bully you, just let me know. The police never oversight a good person for a bad one, and we never permit a bad person to go! Alright, you two go in and have a private chat. We should be going now.¡± ¡°Hey, wait a minute, Tie team leader!¡± ¡°Mission completed, let¡¯s wrap it up!¡± Two police cars sped away, and from their appearance, it seemed they had finally gotten rid of a hot potato. ¡°I thought the police were supposed to serve the people¡­¡± I sighed, feeling disheartened as I ushered Xiao Feng into the store. This innocent girl curiously touched this and looked at that, making me feel awkward about explaining the true purpose of the products to her. ¡°Feng, from now on, you will be the only waitress in our store. I¡¯ll give you a key soon, and you can eat and live here. Oh, by the way, the first floor will be yours, and the second floor is my office. If there¡¯s nothing important, don¡¯t go up there.¡± I swear on my conscience that I didn¡¯t say this to hide the fashion magazines under my bed or the hundred gigabytes of reality shows on my computer. I was just afraid she might accidentally come across records of the Underworld show. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll do as you say.¡± Xiao Feng obediently nodded her head, appearing to have fully immersed herself in the role of a new bride. ¡°The product catalog and price list are in the drawer. Familiarize yourself with them. Also, this device is called a stun gun. If anyone tries to bully you in the future, just press this button.¡± ¡°Is it this one?¡± ¡°Ah!¡± A scream pierced through the slumbering streets, signaling the start of a new day. ¡­.. Today was the day for releasing missions on the Underworld Show app again, so I charged my phone and left it with Xiao Feng. I headed to the overpass to borrow a talisman from Blind Liu. However, that old slickster seemed to have known I was coming and closed up his shop early. I don¡¯t know where he went hiding. ¡°Damn it! This is a matter of life and death, and he¡¯s not willing to help! Liu, you better wait for me!¡± I shouted at his doorstep for a quarter of an hour before leaving with a heavy heart. I had no choice but to tough it out today. At eight o¡¯clock in the evening, I sent Xiao Feng away and sat alone beside my phone. The hands of the clock ticked away, and the large screen of my phone emitted a faint, cold light. Then, a strange number called me. ¡°Who could it be this time?¡± I put the phone to my ear and answered the call. ¡°Drop the handkerchief, drop the handkerchief, twist off your head, and sneakily place it behind the little child. Don¡¯t let him know; hurry up and catch him! Hurry up and catch him!¡± This nursery rhyme, which should have been cheerful, sent shivers down my spine. Finally, the singing came to an end, and a few sinister children¡¯s laughter echoed from the other end of the phone: ¡°Let¡¯s play a game. If you can find me before dawn, I¡¯ll let you go. Otherwise, you¡¯ll be stuck here with me forever¡­¡± As I hung up the phone, a new message appeared in my inbox. ¡°The campus at night is a mysterious place. Count the thirteen steps beneath your feet, listen to the crying baby in the infirmary, and open the door to the last stall in the bathroom, where the ghostly doll is waiting to ask you where your lost left hand went. Now, answer me one last question: Do you like blue, white, or red?¡± ¡°Live streaming mission: Arrive at New Shanghai High School at midnight and survive until the sunrise.¡± ¡°Optional mission: Play seven games on campus, and for each game completed, earn one point as a reward.¡± Staring at the sudden appearance of the optional mission, I scratched my head and muttered to myself, ¡°Are you sure this mission is just for fun and not a death trap?¡± During this live broadcast with no protective talismans, I needed to be extra careful. ¡°New Shanghai High School?¡± I didn¡¯t recall there being such a school in Jiangcheng. After doing some research online, I discovered that the school had actually closed down completely five years ago. There has been no official explanation for the closure, but there were many different rumors and speculations circulating among internet users. Some speculate that it was due to a sudden fire that resulted in a mass stampede with many fatalities caused by the poor management of the school¡¯s administration. Others claim that the school had a high incidence of students committing suicide by jumping off buildings, leading to its closure by the Ministry of Education. Some even suggest that the school was haunted, with classes taking place during the day and ghosts attending at night for their own education. I found some old photos of the school online, and they showed a bright and spacious campus. After some further research, I discovered that it was actually a prestigious private school established through a joint venture between China and Japan. Only children from wealthy families could attend, with many transferring from other cities. ¡°Normally, a school like this should be very well-known, but in recent years, I have never heard of it. It seems that information about the said school has been deliberately suppressed.¡± Checking the address, I found that New Shanghai High School was located in the middle of Jiangcheng and Puhushan, being quite remote. ¡°That¡¯s not good,¡± thinking back to my close call at the Anxin Hotel the previous night. Thanks to the police arriving on the scene in time, I had narrowly escaped danger. However, New Shanghai High School was located in between the two cities, and it would take the police over an hour to get there, even if they rushed with all their efforts. No protective talismans and I couldn¡¯t even call for help. I rubbed my chin anxiously, feeling increasingly agitated. ¡°What¡¯s on your mind? You look worried,¡± Xiao Feng emerged from the back room, carrying a steaming bowl of mixed sauce noodles. ¡°I made this myself; give it a try.¡± ¡°Xiao Feng, I need to go out tonight. Can you stay here and look after the shop? I won¡¯t have time for dinner. I need to leave now,¡± I said, checking my broadcasting equipment and picking up my black leather suitcase. ¡°Are you going to broadcast again? Can you take me with you?¡± She asked hopefully, holding the steaming noodles in her hand and looking at me with eager eyes. I shook my head firmly and rejected her request, ¡°No, you stay here and take care of the shop. Don¡¯t wander around at night.¡± ¡°Well, at least take a bite. I made it specially for you,¡± she said, placing the fragrant noodles in front of me. It had been many years since anyone had cooked for me after that incident. ¡°Alright,¡± I said, taking a few hasty bites, and I was pleasantly surprised, ¡°This is pretty good. You¡¯re quite the cook.¡± ¡°Thanks. And what about¡­¡± ¡°I have to go. Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll see you tomorrow,¡± I interrupted, picking up my suitcase and hurrying out the door without noticing the smile at the corner of Xiao Feng¡¯s lips. CH 24 Before heading to New Shanghai High School by taxi, even the taxi driver had no idea that such a place even existed. As we drove, the driver had to ask for directions, and it took us over two hours to finally reach our destination. As I got out of the taxi and looked around, I found myself in a barren wasteland with waist-high weeds and foul-smelling ditches. Deep within this desolate area, I spotted the school that had been hidden away from the bustling city. ¡°This looks nothing like the upscale private school in the pictures,¡± The school in the pictures had an air of sophistication and refinement, while the one before me exuded an eerie, ominous aura, like a half-buried corpse. ¡°It¡¯s already 11 o¡¯clock; I need to pick up the pace.¡± In order to complete my mission, I plunged into the wilderness and trudged forward with difficulty. However, I hadn¡¯t gone far when I was met with a row of rusty iron fences blocking my path. ¡°Keep out!¡± read a warning sign that had been torn down and thrown onto the muddy ground, with a few blurred bloody handprints still visible on it. I picked up the fallen warning sign and hung it back in its place, but I couldn¡¯t help feeling puzzled. ¡°Normally, even if this were an abandoned factory, there wouldn¡¯t be a fence specifically built around it unless there were large amounts of hazardous materials inside. But why would a school be isolated like this?¡± After I climbed over the fence and walked inside, if I had turned back at that moment, I would have seen the warning sign I just hung up sway and then fall back onto the muddy ground with a ¡°crack¡±. As I approached the front gate of the school, I noticed two red padlocks fastened to the black-painted gate. I peered inside but could only make out the outlines of a few buildings. I concentrated on observing the building, and I suddenly felt a chill on my calf. I quickly jumped back and saw a black cat crouched at my feet. ¡°You scared me.¡± The cat¡¯s eyes glowed green as it tilted its head in a strangely human-like manner before darting into the abandoned school with a ¡°whoosh¡±. ¡°I can¡¯t take any more surprises. If this keeps happening, I¡¯ll develop a nervous breakdown,¡± I muttered to myself as I stuffed my suitcase under the gate and climbed over it to enter the New Shanghai High School. ¡°Phew, I made it to my destination. It¡¯s time for my second live broadcast!¡± I took out my camera and phone and connected the mobile encoder. ¡°Image acquisition in progress¡­¡± ¡°Connecting to the bullet screen¡­ ¡° ¡°Data is stable. Do you want to start the live broadcast?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Welcome Teletubies died of murder to the live broadcast room, welcome Officer Huang of the third year class 2 to the live broadcast room, welcome¡­¡± As soon as the live broadcast started, several familiar names appeared in the chat room. ¡°OMG, the host is still alive! Thank goodness!¡± ¡°Host, we thought you had already passed away and even ordered a funeral wreath for you!¡± ¡°Where are you planning to go and die tonight? Machine Number One is on standby and ready to call the police at any time!¡± The enthusiasm of my online friends exceeded my expectations. Although they were all just talking nonsense, it helped ease my anxiety and nervousness. ¡°Welcome back to the Super Thriller Live Broadcast Room. Tonight, we¡¯re going to a truly terrifying location.¡± I pointed the camera at the name of the school. ¡°This school is called New Shanghai High School, a private school jointly run by China and Japan. Only children from wealthy families can afford to study here¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard of similar elite schools that introduce Japanese-style education. The tuition fees are ridiculously expensive!¡± ¡°Pfft! China has a history of 5,000 years; do we still need to import Japanese education? Japanese invaders, get out of our live room!¡± ¡°Get out!¡± ¡°Uh, everyone calm down. New Shanghai High School was actually shut down five years ago, so there¡¯s no need to argue about it.¡± The rhythm of the live stream was getting off track, so I quickly stopped the veteran troublemakers, who were ready to fight and post memes: ¡°According to reason, this school should be very famous locally, but in fact, after my investigation, information about this school was intentionally blocked five years ago.¡± ¡°What are they hiding? Or what happened five years ago that led to the shutdown of the entire school?¡± The audience¡¯s attention was slowly drawn to what I was saying: ¡°Through the layers of fog, we will search for the lost truth. Tonight, I will lead you to solve all the mysteries.¡± ¡°Hurry up, the security guard will wake up soon!¡± ¡°My intuition tells me that there must be something fishy in the women¡¯s changing room. Everyone demands that the host investigate.¡± ¡°The upstairs analyst is very experienced, and my stargazing led me to the same conclusion as them!¡± ¡°You two upstairs are agreeing too much. In my opinion, the setting around the women¡¯s restroom should be even more eerie¡­¡± ¡°You scum, get out of the live stream!¡± Holding my phone and camera, I placed my suitcase at the gate and entered the campus. Whether to go to the women¡¯s changing room or the women¡¯s restroom was not something I considered. The first thing to do when arriving in an unfamiliar environment was to confirm the direction and find a map portraying the surrounding area. ¡°Teaching building, laboratory building, women¡¯s dormitory, office building, playground¡­¡± New Shanghai High School was very large, and it would take a long time to search the entire campus. As a precaution, I decided to search one building at a time to see if I could find anything. ¡°Host, if you really don¡¯t want to go to the women¡¯s changing room, we can accept you going to the women¡¯s dormitory instead.¡± ¡°Come on, those who agree to go to the women¡¯s dormitory, press 6.¡± ¡°6 Your sister, we¡¯re here for a paranormal investigation show. There must be ghosts in the women¡¯s restroom. I guarantee it with my reputation.¡± After weighing the options, I finally chose to enter the teaching building closest to the gate. This building wasn¡¯t too tall, only four stories high. Due to the school¡¯s emphasis on elite education, the number of students wasn¡¯t too high, with all three grades taught in the same building. The teaching building had four classrooms on each floor, with signs indicating the year and class posted outside each room. There were two exits on either side of each classroom, and the walls of the staircase bear scorch marks. Most of the handrails have fallen off, leaving the stairs bare and treacherous to walk on. ¡°Judging by the state of this building, the rumors online might not be unfounded. It¡¯s entirely possible that there have been fires and stampedes here.¡± I walked along the first-floor hallway, wondering if anyone else had ever experienced the same eerie feeling of looking into an empty classroom late at night, with rows of desks and chairs sitting silently in the darkness. The classrooms were empty and abandoned, and I couldn¡¯t make out the words on the blackboard no matter how close I got to the window. As expected, all the classrooms on the first floor were empty. With the burnt walls as my guide, I made my way up to the second floor. ¡°Class 5 of Grade 1, Class 1 and Class 2 of Grade 2¡­¡± I searched the second floor but still couldn¡¯t find anything, and I began to wonder if I was overreacting. I proceeded to climb up to the third floor, gasping for breath. ¡°Empty, empty, still empty¡­¡± Finally relieved, I looked toward the last classroom on the third floor. ¡°What¡¯s that?¡± Through the window, I saw four dark figures standing beside the podium! ¡°Bang!¡± My camera slipped out of my hand and hit the ground. I took two steps back, almost falling off the third floor if there hadn¡¯t been a railing behind me. ¡°What is this?! Are there still students on this campus? No, stay calm, maybe those are just human sculptures.¡± I picked up my camera and approached the window again. ¡°What?! They¡¯re gone?! Those four dark figures were not models!¡± I broke out in a cold sweat, and without paying attention to the barrage of comments in the live broadcast room, I hurriedly moved towards the stairs. Just then, with a creak, the classroom door was pulled open. ¡°Ah, you scared me to death! Come out, it¡¯s not a ghost, it¡¯s just a person!¡± The voice sounded young. I was dumbfounded as I watched two boys and two girls walk out of the classroom with backpacks on their backs. ¡°You guys¡­¡± I started to ask, but the oldest-looking boy, who seemed to be around 17 or 18 years old, interrupted me. ¡°We¡¯re students from a nearby school. We heard that this place is haunted, so we came to test our courage,¡± he explained. ¡°What¡¯s there to test? You should go home quickly. This place is very dangerous!¡± I spoke seriously, which was quite rare for me. The fact that the underworld show was set up here for the live broadcast meant that there might really be ghosts in here. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re too timid,¡± teased one of the girls with short hair. She and the other boy were probably dating. ¡°Go home quickly. If something really happens, you won¡¯t be able to run away,¡± I urged. ¡°You adults always make a big deal out of everything. We came here earlier and didn¡¯t find anything strange.¡± one of the teenagers retorted. ¡°Yeah, if you want to leave, go ahead. Our courage test game has just begun,¡± another chimed in. Kids these days were so bold, but this also means they won¡¯t sit idle if they don¡¯t take risks. If I forced them to leave, it might even provoke their rebellious nature, and they could secretly follow me. ¡°Okay, since you don¡¯t want to leave, can I join in your courage test game? I¡¯m actually a paranormal explorer live-streaming host, and I¡¯m quite interested in this stuff,¡± I said these words purely to protect them. But little did I know that the real nightmare was just about to start. CH 25 ¡°Do you want to join us?¡± The oldest boy tilted his head and looked at me. His eyes were bright in the darkness, and for some reason, his gesture reminded me of the black cat I had just encountered at the gate. ¡°Well, since you guys are going to play, adding me won¡¯t make a difference. If I can¡¯t join in, I¡¯ll just record you guys playing on the side,¡± I replied. ¡°Xue Fei, adding him will make exactly four people, and we can finally play the game we¡¯ve been wishing to play,¡± the slightly younger boy squeezed in front of me. ¡°Hi, I¡¯m Hideki, and this is brother Xue Fei. The short-haired tomboy is my classmate Shen Meng, and the quietest girl is called Sakurako.¡± Although Hideki was thin and looked like he could be blown away by a gust of wind, he was actually the most active and daring person in the group. ¡°Actually, we¡¯ve already played a few games just now, like ¡°Spirit of the Pen¡± and ¡°Ouija Board¡± but they didn¡¯t work at all,¡± he continued. ¡°Playing ¡°Spirit of the Pen¡± in this place? You guys are really looking for trouble,¡± I said with a tone of disbelief. ¡°You only realize it¡¯s all a hoax after playing it, right?¡± Hideki spoke casually, but I noticed the other three staring at me with icy glares. Feeling uneasy, I asked, ¡°If you know it¡¯s all a hoax, why not go home now?¡± ¡°No, no, no, there¡¯s one more game we haven¡¯t played yet. It¡¯s a four-player game, and we don¡¯t have enough people.¡± Hideki replied. ¡°What do you mean you don¡¯t have enough people? Aren¡¯t there four of you already?¡± Hideki¡¯s words sounded eerie, and it gave me an uncomfortable feeling. ¡°Sakurako doesn¡¯t play games. She¡¯s very timid and never wants to play with us,¡± he explained. I looked beyond the three teenagers in front of me and saw Sakurako standing at the back, looking very shy and always looking down without speaking much. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll play with you guys this one time, but remember, once we¡¯re done, all of you need to go home quickly. It¡¯s late, and your family must be worried about you sneaking out like this,¡± I said. ¡°Great, we finally have enough people,¡± Hideki exclaimed. I couldn¡¯t share in the excitement that Hideki was feeling. All I wanted was for these kids to safely leave before I thoroughly start searching the campus. ¡°The game is called Four Corners, and here¡¯s how it works.¡± ¡°At midnight, in a rectangular empty room, turn off all the lights, and have one person stand in each of the four corners, facing the wall and never looking back.¡± ¡°At the start of the game, one of the people will walk towards another corner, tap the person in front of them on the shoulder, and stay in that corner. Then, the tapped person will walk towards another corner, tapping the person in front of them on the shoulder.¡± ¡°Everyone will go clockwise, continuing in this way. But if you reach a corner with nobody there, you must first cough, then walk past the empty corner and continue walking until you reach the next person.¡± After hearing the rules, I didn¡¯t find the game to be very scary. ¡°Is that all there is to it? But according to what you just said, there will always be one corner left empty, so the game can never end.¡± Hideki pressed his face against the window and looked into the classroom. ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true,¡± he said. ¡°According to my friends who have played this game before, when there¡¯s no one coughing in the room, it means that there is someone in every corner, but there¡¯s always one person walking around because you can hear their footsteps inside the room!¡± ¡°This is a game played by four people, but as you play, a fifth person may appear.¡± After he explained this to me, I suddenly felt a little regretful. ¡°Why does it sound even scarier than playing with an ouija board?¡± ¡°What are you afraid of? It¡¯s possible that it¡¯s just something my friend made up,¡± Hideki patted his forehead. ¡°If you¡¯re really scared, you can all say ¡®game over¡¯ with your eyes closed to quit, but remember, all four people have to say it together. If one person disagrees, the game will continue.¡± I glanced at my phone and saw that the viewers in the live stream room were also egging me on to play, and some even offered to pay rewards. ¡°Alright, shall we play in this classroom?¡± I asked. ¡°No, this classroom is too small,¡± said Xue Fei. ¡°There¡¯s a special classroom in this building that we can go to.¡± ¡°Special?¡± I squinted. ¡°Looking at the door sign outside, there are five classes in each grade, and there are three grades, which should add up to fifteen classes. This building has four classrooms on each floor, and with a total of four floors, there should indeed be one classroom left vacant.¡± We walked all the way to the top floor and stopped in front of the last classroom on the left. Looking inside from the window, the tables and chairs in the classroom had been cleared out, leaving only the blackboard, podium, and a rusty fan hanging from the ceiling. ¡°Legend has it that this classroom was left empty because of a girl. Her family was very poor, and her parents had to work several jobs to afford her tuition. So she worked very hard compared to other students, studying and reading every day. During the day, she listened carefully in class, and at night, when everyone else had left the classroom, she didn¡¯t want to go home and continued to stay in the classroom with a flashlight.¡± ¡°A week passed, then two. Until one day, the girl who had stayed late in the classroom was spotted by several wealthy young men. After they played with her, the girl, unable to bear the humiliation, jumped from the fourth floor and died instantly.¡± ¡°Although her body had perished, it was said that her spirit would return to the classroom every night to read and study.¡± ¡°Stop it, Hideki!¡± Shen Meng shouted, putting an end to Hideki¡¯s increasingly enthusiastic storytelling. ¡°Are you scared?¡± Hideki asked. Shen Meng pouted in defiance, ¡°No way, I¡¯m just afraid of scaring Sakurako.¡± Sakurako, who always kept her distance from me, remained silent the whole time with her head down. ¡°Enough, let¡¯s start now,¡± said Xue Fei, the oldest of the group. With his words, the others fell silent. ¡°And you; the game requires absolute darkness in this room. No light is allowed. Sakurako will keep watch outside with the camera for you.¡± I nodded and placed the camera on the windowsill. Then, I slid open my phone and activated the camera function without actually unlocking the screen, so that the live stream would not be interrupted. ¡°Okay, let¡¯s allocate our positions,¡± Hideki called us together. ¡°I¡¯ll go first and stand in the lower left corner. Then, the live streaming host, you¡¯ll go in second and stand in the upper left corner. After that, Xue Fei will go in third and stand in the upper right corner. Finally, Shen Meng will go in and stand in the lower right corner. When everyone is in place, Shen Meng will cough, and I¡¯ll start walking. Then, we¡¯ll move clockwise, and when I tap the host¡¯s shoulder, the host will start walking. If there is no one in a corner, cough and continue walking without stopping.¡± ¡°Does everyone remember the rules? Alright then, let¡¯s begin.¡± The classroom was pitch black with no hint of light. The thick darkness seemed like a pool of ink. After Hideki entered and had been there for a dozen seconds or so, I took a deep breath and stretched out my hands to feel my way into the classroom. It was really dark inside. The visibility was extremely limited, making it difficult to see anything beyond half a meter, and as I stood up straight, I couldn¡¯t even see my own shoes. Slowly moving forward, my hand finally touched the wall. In the darkness, this small corner brought a strange sense of psychological comfort. I turned my head to scan the classroom, but it was so large that I couldn¡¯t see anything. The only source of light came from the window, where my camera¡¯s signal light was flashing. Next to the signal light was Sakurako, bowing her head. It wasn¡¯t long before Shen Meng¡¯s cough echoed through the classroom. I knew the game had begun! ¡°Tap, tap, tap¡­¡± The footsteps behind me grew clearer and clearer. Facing the wall, I knew that it was Hideki coming up from behind, but I couldn¡¯t control the nervousness in my heart. ¡°Pat.¡± My shoulder was lightly tapped, and I understood what to do. Following the clockwise direction, I walked towards the next corner. To my surprise, time seemed to move exceptionally slower in the darkness, as if I had stepped onto a passage leading to an unknown destination. Slowly, I saw a black silhouette. It was too dark, and even though I was close, I couldn¡¯t be sure if it was Xue Fei. ¡°Finally,¡± I raised my hand and lightly patted the shoulder of the dark figure. I stopped at the corner and watched the shadow move slowly and disappear into the darkness. The wait was long, and time seemed to lose its meaning in this classroom. I silently counted seconds, listening to my own heartbeat. After about a minute, the first cough sounded in the classroom. ¡°It¡¯s Shen Meng,¡± I thought to myself. Not long after, someone else walked by in the darkness and lightly tapped my shoulder. I took another step to move forward, and it felt like an endless cycle. The second cough sounded, barely audible, and it was impossible to tell who made it. But according to my inference, the voice should come from Xue Fei. CH 26 The third round of the game began, and I felt a tap on my shoulder, signaling me to move forward. Unless something unexpected happens, this should be the round where I pass through the empty corner. Each step in the darkness was difficult, and no one knew what lay ahead. I regretted agreeing to play this game with them, knowing how dangerous the campus could be. One step, two steps, and my hand stretching forward finally touched the solid wall. The corner was empty. I breathed a sigh of relief as the game continued without any abnormalities. ¡°Cough!¡± Following the rules of the game, I coughed and continued to the next corner. As I moved forward, the sound of footsteps echoed and a dark figure appeared in front of me. I lightly tapped their shoulder and stood at the corner. The game continued normally until the seventh round, when I lost patience and grew a bit numb to the game. Suddenly, the sound of coughing disappeared. One minute, two minutes, and three minutes passed without any coughing, but the sound of footsteps still echoed out clearly. ¡°Has someone else entered the room?¡± I resisted my curiosity and didn¡¯t turn around, but I observed with the corner of my eye. The signal light of the window camera kept flashing, and Sakurako stood there like a corpse, still and motionless. ¡°If it¡¯s not Sakurako who joined the game, then who is the extra person in the classroom?¡± My heart beat faster and faster, and no matter which direction I looked in the darkness, everything seemed to be hiding spirits of wronged deceased. ¡°Listen to me, everyone. It seems that we have an extra person in our game. Let¡¯s change the rules.¡± Hideki¡¯s voice was erratic in the classroom. ¡°The basic rules are the same as before, but we¡¯ll add one more. When you tap the shoulder of the person in front of you, you have to say your name. Okay, let¡¯s start with whoever¡¯s turn it is.¡± The footsteps never stopped, and I was considering whether or not to stop them and forcefully end the game when someone suddenly tapped my back. ¡°I¡¯m Hideki.¡± A deep and slow voice rang out, with a subtle difference from the one I heard earlier. It was like someone talking while eating. Without turning back, I moved on to the next corner. ¡°I¡¯m the host,¡± I said to the person in front of me, and then he stumbled away as I nervously stood at the corner. The game had gone on for seven rounds, and I remembered the position changes in each round. Based on logical reasoning and the known clues, I and Hideki were in our correct positions. That meant that something else had been mixed in. ¡°The extra person should be between Xue Fei and Shen Meng, or between Shen Meng and Hideki.¡± Time passed, and only the sound of footsteps remained in the classroom. I counted the seconds while deducing the position of each person. ¡°Pa!¡± My back was lightly patted. ¡°I¡¯m Shen Meng.¡± ¡°Shen Meng?!¡± My hairs stood on end at the sound of her name. ¡°How did she get behind me?¡± In the darkness, I didn¡¯t look back and stiffly took a step forward. ¡°Some games shouldn¡¯t be played casually, especially in a place like this,¡± murmured Shen Meng behind me, but I didn¡¯t quite catch what she said. Feeling uneasy, I touched the wall and left. ¡°This isn¡¯t right. I can only hear one person¡¯s footsteps in the classroom. Where did Hideki and Xue Fei go?¡± Without realizing it, I had already walked to the next corner. ¡°Is no one here?¡± The empty corner was filled with thick darkness. I touched the wall in front of me and coughed lightly before moving towards the next corner. ¡°Could it be that the fifth person has already left? So there¡¯s an empty spot¡­¡± As I continued to ponder, I was suddenly startled by the situation in front of me. There was still no one at the second corner! ¡°What¡­?¡± I quickened my pace towards the third and fourth corners. ¡°No one, still no one!¡± Touching the wall, my lips were dry. ¡°Could it be that they¡¯ve been following me this whole time?¡± I turned around suddenly, but there was only pitch darkness. ¡°The footsteps have stopped, and I¡¯m the only one moving. Could it be that everyone else, except for me, is¡­¡± I looked towards the window, and the camera signal light was flashing. However, the girl named Sakurako was nowhere to be seen! Standing at the corner, an unprecedented fear came from all directions. I felt like there were countless pairs of eyes in the darkness, all malevolent and staring at me. I couldn¡¯t remain calm anymore and rushed towards the window at a fast pace. It was the only source of light in my field of vision. Pushing open the window, I leaped onto the corridor and left the gloomy and oppressive, pitch black room. I felt as though my whole body was dehydrated, and I collapsed on the ground. ¡°Haha, so even adults can be so scared!¡± I heard someone laughing, and when I looked up, Hideki, Xue fei, and Sakurako were hiding behind the classroom door. Hideki was clutching his stomach, laughing merrily. ¡°When did you two come out?¡± I looked at them suspiciously. ¡°We came out a long time ago.¡± ¡°Why is there an extra person when only four people were playing?¡± I asked. ¡°Well, there were only the four of us in the classroom. The reason you heard footsteps is because I kept moving around. After I tapped your shoulder, I returned to my original position, which created the illusion of an extra person,¡± Hideki said proudly. He didn¡¯t share his peers¡¯ fear of the darkness. ¡°Boring,¡± Xue Fei shrugged. ¡°There are no ghosts in this world. It¡¯s all just people scaring themselves.¡± ¡°So it was just a prank,¡± I breathed a sigh of relief, putting away my camera and standing up. ¡°It¡¯s good that everything¡¯s okay. The game is over now, so you should all go home.¡± It was already late at night, and I guessed the parents of these children were starting to worry. I scanned the three kids in front of me. ¡°Where¡¯s the other one? The short-haired girl named Shen Meng?¡± ¡°She hasn¡¯t come out yet? Maybe she¡¯s still in the classroom, scared out of her wits, haha.¡± Hideki chuckled. But his joke was met with my stern expression. ¡°What do you mean, she hasn¡¯t come out yet?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Didn¡¯t you also see through Hideki¡¯s prank before you left early?¡± Xue Fei noticed my unusual expression and asked. ¡°No, I didn¡¯t see through his prank. I searched the entire classroom, all four corners, and didn¡¯t find anyone before hastily escaping¡­¡± I tried to simplify my speech to make it easier to understand. ¡°I looked for her, but Shen Meng wasn¡¯t in the classroom¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible!¡± The kids realized the severity of the situation and rushed into the classroom. I took out my phone for light, but the classroom was empty and silent, with not a soul in sight. ¡°Shen Meng went missing? Right under our noses?!¡± ¡°Shen Meng!¡± Xue Fei and the others shouted in the dead silence of the teaching building, but there was no answer for a long time. ¡°You bastard! It¡¯s all because you had to play this Four Corners game!¡± Xue Fei grabbed Hideki by the collar and lifted him up. ¡°How can you blame me? It was everyone¡¯s decision to come here and test our courage. Didn¡¯t you also agree?¡± Hideki dared not resist the tall Xue Fei and could only wave his hands in the air. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Shen Meng might have left already with her bold attitude. Maybe she¡¯s hiding somewhere, having fun right now.¡± ¡°Do you think she¡¯s as reckless as you?¡± Xue Fei became more and more angry as he spoke, raising his fist to strike Hideki. ¡°Calm down. Now is not the time to argue about who¡¯s right or wrong.¡± I sighed and grabbed Xue Fei¡¯s arm. ¡°Our top priority is to find Shen Meng. This school becomes very eerie at night, and we don¡¯t have time to argue here.¡± I pulled Xue Fei and Hideki apart and squatted in front of Sakurako. She didn¡¯t participate in the game and had been standing outside the classroom, so she might have seen something. ¡°Sakurako, do you know where that sister went?¡± I had no experience dealing with children, so I tried to speak as gently and softly as possible. Sakurako, who was dressed like a doll, didn¡¯t look at me. Her eyes were lifeless as she stared at the ground, then shook her head. ¡°Is this child too introverted?¡± No matter what I asked her, the girl¡¯s responses were only two actions: shaking her head or remaining motionless as if she hadn¡¯t heard anything. ¡°Mr. Host, what do we do now?¡± ¡°What else can we do?¡± I stood up and looked at the eerie campus in the dark. ¡°Check all the buildings; we must find her.¡± With a young life at stake, I couldn¡¯t just stand by and do nothing, even though I knew it would only drag me deeper into this vortex. ¡°We¡¯ll check the teaching building again later, and then go to the laboratory together. You three follow me closely and don¡¯t get lost again.¡± Carrying the camera, I walked at the front of the group. While they weren¡¯t looking, I quietly took out my phone and reviewed the recording from earlier. The footage was extremely blurry, and only a glimmer of light was captured as I was passing by a window. Yet, it was during this split second of brightness that an extremely terrifying scene was captured. Someone had been following me all along in that classroom we were just in! ¡°I knew it, you were lying¡­¡± CH 27 Coming out of the teaching building, I rushed to the laboratory building with the three youngsters in tow. With a missing person right under my nose, it was impossible not to worry. Even though it was possible that the disappearance was just a staged act, as an adult, my first priority was to ensure her safety. Because only I knew that this school might actually be haunted. I didn¡¯t have time to pay attention to the barrage of comments from the online audience as we made our way down the overgrown path to the entrance of the laboratory building. The building had six floors and looked much larger than the teaching building. ¡°This is Japanese-style elite education. In class, students only learn limited theoretical knowledge, and most of the teaching content is done in the laboratory building. They focus more on practical skills.¡± ¡°Holy crap, the Japanese invaders haven¡¯t left yet!¡± ¡°Everyone, get out of my way. My grandfather used this grenade to sink a Japanese submarine!¡± ¡°The people upstairs are crazy¡­¡± The door of the laboratory building was locked and sealed with a strip of tape. As I approached it, I noticed that the tape, although old, had not been torn off. This meant that the door had not been opened since it was sealed shut. ¡°Well, then there¡¯s no need to check this building.¡± If we couldn¡¯t get in, there was no need to worry about Shen Meng being brought here. ¡°Look at this, host.¡± As if someone was playing a joke on me, Hideki pointed to a window on the left side of the first floor. ¡°You can get in from here!¡± I went to the said window, and noticed that all the other windows were taped shut and locked except for this one, which was halfway open. As if deliberately telling me that someone had just entered through here, the window was half open, making a whistling sound as the wind blew through it. ¡°You guys wait outside. I¡¯ll go in and take a look.¡± ¡°How can that be? Shen Meng is my girlfriend. I have to go in as well.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s all go together. More hands make light work.¡± Hideki had just narrowly avoided getting beat up by Xue Fei and was now more obedient. The two of them insisted on coming, and I couldn¡¯t leave Sakurako, the youngest, outside alone, ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go in together. Don¡¯t panic if we encounter any danger.¡± With that, I lifted my camera with one hand and entered the room first. It seemed to be an art classroom, with old painting boards stacked in the corner. I randomly flipped through a few, and the colors on them looked somewhat hideous. ¡°Their taste in art is quite unique,¡± I remarked, as I waved my phone like a flashlight. Suddenly, I saw a vacant face staring back at me. It startled me at first, but as I approached, I realized it was just a plastic mannequin. ¡°If someone with poor mental resilience saw this thing at night, they¡¯d probably be scared to tears.¡± The plastic mannequin was blocking the door, so I wanted to move it aside. However, when I picked it up, I realized it wasn¡¯t hollow, and it was quite heavy. It felt like holding an actual living person. I laid it flat on the ground and examined its face. It seemed that a mischievous student had painted all sorts of colors on it, and I also noticed a name written on the mannequin¡¯s bald head¡ªGuo Junjie. ¡°Was this painted by this Guo Junjie guy?¡± I quickly realized that I had guessed wrongly when I looked at the mannequin¡¯s entire back, which was covered with various slandering words. ¡°Poor child.¡± There¡¯s always one such child in every class who was quiet, introverted, and inexplicably becomes the punching bag for the entire class, growing isolated and bullied. The words on the mannequin¡¯s back had traces of being wiped with clothing, but on top of those wiping marks were even more abusive words densely packed together. I envisioned the scene in my mind at the time¡ªa poor child holding the mannequin desperately using their school uniform to wipe it clean, but the people around them were laughing wildly and writing with paintbrushes dipped in paint on the mannequin¡¯s body, crazily and maliciously writing on the places the child had cleaned, even on the child¡¯s clothes, body, and face. Some say that children were inherently innocent, because sometimes, they didn¡¯t even understand how terrible their actions were. I touched the mannequin¡¯s head and remembered myself when I was young, ¡°There was a time when I was also bullied a lot.¡± ¡°So what happened then?¡± Hideki and Xue Fei flipped into the art room. I grinned, ¡°Later on, I put a fruit knife in my backpack.¡± ¡°Wow, even the host has such a thrilling past? What happened after that?¡± ¡°Later, I got expelled from school, suspended for a long time, and eventually had to go to the police academy.¡± I looked a bit world-weary, ¡°If I could have kept my head down and endured it at the time, maybe now I would be a lawyer or a doctor.¡± As my hand touched the door, I found that the lock had been forcibly removed, and the lock cylinder was rolling in the middle of the drawing board. ¡°There are no tool marks; it looks like it was pulled out by force.¡± I opened the door slightly, and the hallway outside was pitch black, and nothing could be seen. ¡°Let¡¯s go; we¡¯ll never find Shen Meng if we keep hiding here.¡± Hideki urged, he didn¡¯t seem to be worried about Shen Meng, but his eyes were shining with excitement. ¡°The three of you better hold hands and walk along the wall. In case you encounter something beyond human understanding, immediately turn back the way we came from. Do you understand?¡± I repeated my instructions, afraid the kids might get into trouble again. ¡°You should worry about yourself; you talk too much.¡± After Shen Meng had disappeared, Xue Fei grew very impatient. I stopped talking and used my phone as a flashlight to move step by step along the wall. ¡°Bang¡­¡± Suddenly, there was a sound of something being kicked over. The sound was very small, but it was very clear in the silent laboratory building. ¡°That wasn¡¯t us.¡± The four of us stood still and confirmed that there was nothing underfoot. ¡°Bang¡­.¡± A short time later, the strange sound rang out again. Hideki tugged at my clothes and said, ¡°It seems to be coming from the innermost part of the first floor. Let¡¯s go see together.¡± My original intention was to search each classroom one by one, but since he said that, I felt uneasy if I didn¡¯t go and have a look. As we walked past two unfamiliar laboratories, we arrived at a staircase that led to the second floor. In the gleam of the light, I counted twelve steps precisely. Suddenly, Hideki spoke in a mysterious tone, ¡°Have you heard the tale of the thirteenth step? It¡¯s rumored that mischievous children come to the school at midnight, and the twelve steps they usually tread upon will reveal an extra step. If one steps on that thirteenth step, they can enter another world.¡± Xue Fei swiftly interrupted, pushing Hideki to the corner of the wall. ¡°Could you please keep quiet for a moment? Stop spreading such tales! Ghosts do not exist in this world.¡± Watching the two argue, I felt inexplicably annoyed. ¡°What I actually heard is that once you step on that step, you will see what you look like after death because the thirteenth step is your own corpse,¡± I explained. Of course, I had heard of the story of the thirteenth step, and before coming here, because the phrase appeared in the mission prompt of the underworld show, I had even searched the internet for various versions of the tale. ¡°Host, is what you¡¯re saying true?¡± The two of them spoke in unison, but I couldn¡¯t see their expressions amidst the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s definitely fake. That¡¯s just a story someone made up. If you want to hear a good one, find Shen Meng, and I can tell you stories for three days and three nights.¡± As we passed by the stairs, we groped our way towards the source of the sound. ¡°Thump, thump¡­¡± Finally, the four of us arrived at the deepest part of the first floor of the laboratory building, and at that moment, the strange noise suddenly stopped. ¡°It should have come from here, right?¡± The three big men looked at each other, and it turned out that the deepest part of the laboratory building was a restroom. I picked up the camera and looked at the screen on my phone. If there was anything filthy inside the restroom, I should be able to capture it on camera. ¡°I¡¯ll go in first, you guys wait outside,¡± Pushing open the door to the restroom, there was no unpleasant odor inside, after all, it had been five years since it was last used. Upon entering, the first thing that caught my eye was the sink area, with three basin sinks and a massive mirror above them. The mirror was covered in cracks, dust, and scribbled in bright red paint were the words, ¡°I¡¯ll kill you all! Die! Die! Die!¡± ¡°How much hatred doe this person hold?¡± I thought as I wiped the mirror with my hand, but due to the angle, my reflection was blurred, making it hard to recognize myself. Turning on the faucet, the first two knobs were broken, and as I turned the third, a gurgling sound came from the pipes, and soon, a sticky liquid began to flow out. ¡°It¡­it can¡¯t be blood, can it?¡± I reached out and collected a small amount, holding it up to the light¡­ CH 28 The reddish-brown sludge was mixed with tiny gravel, and the sensation on my fingertips didn¡¯t feel like blood. ¡°That was a false alarm.¡± I turned off the faucet, and the gurgling sound in the pipes stopped. ¡°This place is eerie in every way, but there are no signs of anything supernatural. It¡¯s like something filthy is playing hide-and-seek with me on purpose.¡± I had been under tremendous pressure, and this live streaming mission was more torturous than waiting to die in that Peace of Mind Inn room. It felt like an invisible hand was controlling my fate from the darkness, and it felt horrible. As I pushed open the door to the restroom, a row of individual stalls came into view. ¡°Shen Meng, are you there?¡± There was no response, so I tried to push open the small door of one bathroom. ¡°Hold on.¡± Hideki appeared out of nowhere and grabbed my hand as I was trying to push the door. ¡°Mr. Host, you should know the taboos in the restroom. Opening a slightly ajar door at night might lead to being grabbed by a ghost doll trapped inside.¡± ¡°Ghost doll?¡± ¡°There was a girl named Hanako in this school who, at the young age of sixteen, got impregnated by someone who then disappeared. Poor Hanako eventually committed suicide in this exact restroom.¡± ¡°If the man is already an adult, he could be sentenced to death by law.¡± I remained expressionless, shook off Hideki¡¯s hand, and pushed open the door of the first stall. Among the broken pieces of porcelain tiles covered in moss, the walls were patchy and dotted with something that I couldn¡¯t identify. ¡°Don¡¯t take these campus legends lightly. They must have some basis in truth,¡± Hideki warned, running to the door of the second stall. ¡°Before opening the door, you should knock and ask if anyone is there.¡± He raised his hand and knocked on the white-painted door. ¡°Is anyone there? Miss Hanako, I¡¯m here to keep you company.¡± His strange behavior, deep voice, along with this specific environment, all created an inexplicable sense of fear in me. I took a deep breath and quickly lifted the camera to open the doors in quick sequence. ¡°Pa! Pa! Pa¡­Bang!¡± I continued until I reached the last door, and the familiar sound of ¡°bang bang¡± echoed out once again. ¡°Strange, this door is locked?¡± As everyone knew, bathroom doors could only be locked from the inside. I signaled the three kids to step back and lightly tapped my right foot on the door. ¡°What are you going to do?¡± ¡°Bam!¡± A loud noise echoed through the laboratory building as I kicked the door open. I aimed the camera at the toilet, and although there were no ghosts or evil spirit, I was still surprised by what I saw. There was a stuffed toy with its head twisted off, sitting on the toilet. I brushed off the dust from it and brought the camera closer. ¡°It looks like this toy has been here for a long time.¡± The toy¡¯s head had been cut off with scissors, exposing the tattered cotton inside. Upon closer inspection, I noticed that there were two faint words written on the toy¡¯s belly. ¡°Xue Fei?¡± It had been too long, and the characters were blurry, so I could only guess, ¡°Is it a person with the same name or¡­¡± ¡°Host, what did you see?¡± Xijumu and Xue Fei leaned in closer. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a broken toy,¡± I casually tossed it away, not batting an eye. ¡°Shen Meng isn¡¯t here; let¡¯s keep searching. The night is long, and we can¡¯t waste any more time.¡± We left the first floor restroom and made our way to the second floor. Hideki even counted the steps as we ascended but was disappointed to find only twelve, not thirteen. Most of the classrooms on the second floor were locked, except for the music room and the health center. The two rooms were far apart, and I grabbed the camera and opened the door to the health center first. The beds were separated by curtains, making it impossible to see any clinical details. ¡°Iodine, alcohol, reagents¡­¡± Various drugs were scattered about the cabinet by the door, and used, yellow-brown bandages were thrown on the ground. Further in, there were scattered medical records. I bent down to pick them up; most of them dated five years ago, with some pages chewed by rats and the writing blurred. However, I could still make out the name ¡°Guo Junjie¡± in the name column. ¡°It seems that this child used to be a frequent visitor here, suffering not only from mental abuse but also physical torment.¡± Surprisingly, all the photos on the medical records had been torn off, indicating that the boy¡¯s looks seemed to be a secret that could not be disclosed at this school. ¡°Minor injuries such as a slight injury to the left ear, a mild finger bone fracture, multiple bruises on the thighs¡­¡± The records might not show severe injuries, but the fact that so many injuries were centered on one person and occurred frequently said a lot. ¡°The weak are bullied, and if they don¡¯t resist and silently endure, their tormenters will become even more ruthless.¡± Pulling back the curtains by the bedside, the sight of multiple bloodstains on the old, worn-out health center bed was truly shocking. Although a long time had passed, the bloodstains and sheets had solidified together; the colors were no longer vibrant, but the sense of horror was still palpable. ¡°What happened? Why was there so much bloodshed?¡± I rummaged through the cabinet, finally finding the most recent medical record dating closest to this day. ¡°Falling from height, shattered pelvic bones, extensive internal bleeding, a skull fracture¡­¡± These symptoms made me think of a rumor I heard online about the New Shanghai High School, where multiple students had jumped off the building and died before the school was completely shut down. The medical records stored in the cabinet indirectly proved that the suicide incidents were not just rumors. However, looking at the bloodstained beds, I was a little confused. A normal school¡¯s response to a student jumping off the building would be to isolate the scene, call 110 and 120, and never move the body without authorization, let alone move it to the health room. I looked through several medical records, and my face grew solemn. ¡°The deaths are not an isolated case.¡± Before the school was shut down, there had already been five recorded jumping incidents. Considering the deliberately hidden cases, I estimated that there might be much more suicide attempts. ¡°Is it due to academic pressure or relationship problems?¡± I shook my head. ¡°The collective deaths seem to follow a certain pattern, as if it were predetermined.¡± ¡°What happened to these students?¡± Five years had been enough to erase the truth, and the medical records were incomplete, with most names illegible and only black-and-white printed photos remaining. ¡°The cause of death is key to solving this mystery. We may have to stay in this health center a bit longer.¡± I lifted the curtain next to the second bed and saw the crumpled black sheets stained with fresh blood. With one hand holding the heavily decaying bedsheet, I shook it open and found a school uniform inside. Enduring the putrid smell, I spread the uniform on the bed. ¡°Wang Xiu?¡± The school badge on the chest of the uniform bore a name consisting of three characters, but the last one was too blurry to read. I opened several more curtains and found similar scenes. As I approached the last bed, my hand grabbed the curtain when suddenly, someone touched me from inside the curtain. ¡°Shen Meng?¡± I took two steps back, the touch from earlier suggesting that there was definitely someone or something inside. I turned my phone¡¯s flashlight to the maximum, and the edge of the curtain continued to bounce up and down, as if there was a live, recently caught fish on a fishing line inside. ¡°Is it you? Say something!¡± No one responded, so I approached again, grabbing the edge of the curtain with my hand. ¡°Ding, ding, ding!¡± Suddenly, urgent piano music sounded from the other end of the hallway. I was so scared that my hand trembled, and I ultimately didn¡¯t open the curtain. I picked up my camera and quickly headed towards the classroom where the sound was coming from. After I left, the health center fell into a deathly silence. Everything remained as it was, except for the slow emergence of a plastic model¡¯s arm from the last bed. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I ran to the end of the hallway, panting. The three youngsters were gathered around the piano, and I asked, ¡°Was it you guys playing just now?¡± ¡°Ask him. It¡¯s all this guy¡¯s doing!¡± Xue Fei pushed Hideki in front of me. Hideki felt wronged: ¡°You guys are really framing me this time. I didn¡¯t even touch the piano.¡± ¡°I was with Sakurako in the hallway. At that time, you were the only one in this room. You didn¡¯t play it? Was it playing by itself?¡± Xue Fei grabbed Hideki¡¯s collar. Hideki¡¯s feet left the ground, but his voice was very stubborn: ¡°It wasn¡¯t me, it wasn¡¯t me! There must be something else in this room!¡± ¡°Bullsh*t! Let me tell you, if we don¡¯t find Shen Meng today, don¡¯t even think about going back!¡± ¡°Stop arguing. Maybe it really wasn¡¯t him playing just now.¡± I tightened my grip on the camera, my palms sweating profusely. ¡°All four of us are in this room now, but listen carefully,and hold your breaths¡­¡± From the far end of the hallway, the sound of footsteps gradually became clearer as someone continued to approach. ¡°It¡¯s Shen Meng!¡± Xue Fei let go of Hideki¡¯s collar and quickly ran towards the door. I reached out to stop him, but I didn¡¯t catch him in time. ¡°Shen Meng, you¡¯re back?¡± The footsteps stopped at the door, and Xue Fei looked up with hope, only to see a dull plastic face twisted and leaning into the room! CH 29 ¡°Xue Fei, move aside!¡± Upon seeing the lifeless face of the mannequin, my whole body was covered in goosebumps. Without even thinking about the recording, I grabbed my camera and swung it towards the moving mannequin. Perhaps the disparity between imagination and reality was too great, as Xue Fei turned pale and his legs went weak, unable to move a muscle. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± I shouted after smashing the camera onto the mannequin¡¯s head, causing some unknown substance, either paint or blood, to splatter everywhere. Turning my head, I noticed that the youngsters were frightened and dumbfounded. I kicked the mannequin away and yelled, ¡°Run! Go back to the first floor!¡± I grabbed Sakurako, paid no attention to anyone else, and rushed towards the first floor, taking three steps in two. ¡°I felt like I kicked human flesh just now. How could the mannequin move in the first place?¡± As I arrived on the first floor, I was about to head towards the art room, but the slightly ajar door opened on its own, revealing another lifeless face. ¡°Oh no, I forgot there was another one in the art room!¡± Remembering that I had just held this mannequin with my own hands, I felt a chill run down my spine. Trapped and unsure of what to do, I turned my head and saw the second-floor mannequin chasing after us. It moved slowly, but its presence was suffocating. Panicked and without a clear plan, the three kids and I hurriedly sought refuge in a deep corner of the first-floor restroom. ¡°Close the door and don¡¯t make a sound!¡± I held Sakurako and Hideki in the last stall while Xue Fei, who was larger, hid in the second-to-last one. ¡°Be quiet!¡± Fear permeated the small and dark space, and I struggled to control my racing heart. I took a deep breath and pressed my ear against the door panel. The sound of the mannequin¡¯s footsteps echoed through the hallway, and the sound was getting closer and closer to the restroom. ¡°Tap¡­tap¡­tap.¡± ¡°It¡¯s coming.¡± My eyebrows furrowed and my lips pressed tightly together as I focused intently on the sounds coming from the hallway. The footsteps passed by the restroom door but didn¡¯t come in; it simply moved on. ¡°That was close,¡± My heart was beating rapidly, and my furrowed brows slowly relaxed. But then, just as I was about to catch my breath, the haunting sound of footsteps turned back around! Silent as a ghost, it stopped right outside the restroom door! ¡°Don¡¯t come in, don¡¯t come in, don¡¯t come in¡­¡± Hideki¡¯s lips trembled as he finally realized the full extent of his fear. After what felt like an eternity, just when we thought the mannequin had left¡­ ¡°Creak¡­¡± The door outside the restroom opened. ¡°Bang!¡± The first stall¡¯s wooden door was forced open. ¡°Bang!¡± The second stall¡¯s wooden door was also flung open. I gritted my teeth, sweating profusely on my forehead, as if waiting for the guillotine to drop as a condemned prisoner. This final moment was particularly agonizing. There were only six stalls in the restroom, and quickly the third and fourth ones were opened. Then there was the fifth one, where Xue Fei was hiding. The door shook, and someone¡¯s hand fell on the handle. ¡°Bang!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t kill me! Don¡¯t kill me!¡± As Xue Fei screamed, I pushed open the wooden door and grabbed Sakurako, running wildly towards the outside. At this point, I couldn¡¯t spare a thought for anything else, as my own survival was at stake. In that moment of crossing paths with the mannequin, I saw Xue Fei¡¯s face twisted with fear and deformation, but I couldn¡¯t save him. We ran as fast as we could, making our escape! ¡°Keep up! Keep up!¡± shouted Hideki from behind me. We ran all the way to the art classroom and jumped out the window. As my feet stepped back onto the desolate path of the campus, I finally breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°You¡¯ve seen it all, haven¡¯t you? This place is very dangerous. I¡¯ll figure out a way to rescue Xue Fei and Shen Meng. You two, don¡¯t make trouble for me here,¡± I said, placing Sakurako in my arms down and handing her to Hideki. ¡°Take her home quickly and have the adults there call the police, got it?¡± However, Hideki didn¡¯t seem to have any intention of taking care of Sakurako. He appeared to be frightened and shook off my hand, saying, ¡°I won¡¯t stay with her. You should take care of her instead.¡± Hideki spoke firmly, as if there were hidden implications in his words. I paid close attention to the details but didn¡¯t say much in response, simply stating, ¡°In any case, go home. There are too many strange things happening in this school¡­¡± ¡°Go home? My parents only know how to make money. If I die out here, they probably won¡¯t even know. Can that place really be called home?¡± Hideki¡¯s words left me unsure of how to respond as I glanced at the pitch-black laboratory building, still able to hear Xue Fei¡¯s desperate cries for help echoing in my ears. ¡°Death is much more terrifying than you can imagine,¡± He didn¡¯t want to leave, and I couldn¡¯t force him to go away. so I checked my equipment. The camera was still functioning properly, and the live broadcast room was filled with a barrage of comments. The number of viewers had already exceeded five hundred. ¡°It¡¯s just that there are no gifts yet.¡± I put my phone in my pocket and thought about which building to go to next when Hideki suddenly pulled on my clothes. ¡°Host, I need to use the restroom.¡± ¡°I thought you were going to tell me some earth-shattering news. Come on, I¡¯ll accompany you. Sakurako, don¡¯t wander around here!¡± I said, taking Hideki to the bushes about ten meters away. As we walked, Hideki suddenly spoke in a hoarse voice, ¡°Host, have you noticed that Sakurako is acting very strange?¡± I squinted my eyes, and many hypotheses flashed through my mind. However, I just replied nonchalantly, ¡°What¡¯s strange about her? Besides, you guys are friends. How would I know?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not really familiar with her. This girl was picked up by Shen Meng,¡± Hideki explained. ¡°Picked up?¡± Hideki¡¯s words piqued my curiosity. He nodded, ¡°Me, Shen Meng, and Xue Fei all live nearby. Since we were young, we¡¯ve been told by adults that there¡¯s a haunted school in the quarantine area that shouldn¡¯t be entered casually.¡± ¡°Although we came in during the daytime out of curiosity when we were young, we¡¯ve never been here at night.¡± ¡°What does that have to do with Sakurako?¡± I asked ¡°As we grew up, we had almost forgotten about this place. But then Sakurako appeared. Every time, she would sit on our way home, and it would always be already 8 or 9 p.m. after our night classes. Can you believe that this little girl was wandering alone on the streets? Doesn¡¯t she have any family?¡± Upon careful consideration, there were many contradictions in what Hideki said, but I didn¡¯t point them out. ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Just a few days ago, Shen Meng started talking to Sakurako. She pitied her for being homeless, so she decided to call us to help send Sakurako home.¡± ¡°Does Sakurako¡¯s home happen to be inside this school?¡± ¡°No, but it¡¯s close. The address she gave is behind this school.¡± Maybe Hideki and his friends didn¡¯t know what was behind the school, but as someone who had searched for related information online, I knew very well that it was a incineration pit. It could be used to dispose of garbage by incineration or to destroy evidence by burning bodies. ¡°So, that¡¯s why you came here?¡± I asked. Hideki¡¯s voice grew lower and lower as he spoke. ¡°Yes. Now that I think about it, the names of Sakurako and the ghost doll Hanako that¡¯s been circulating around campus are only one word different. Do you think the two of them could be the same person, or the same ghost?¡± His eerie tone sent shivers down my spine. Thinking back on Sakurako¡¯s unusual behavior, it was indeed different from that of an ordinary person. Normally, a young girl in her situation would scream or cry, but she remained strangely calm. ¡°Why did you wait until now to tell me something so important?¡± I asked. ¡°If you hadn¡¯t seen those moving mannequins, would you have believed me? From the beginning, I¡¯ve been telling you about all the rumors surrounding this school, but you never took it seriously.¡± Now, Shen Meng and Xue Fei have been killed one after another. I guess it will be my turn next, and you probably won¡¯t be able to escape either.¡± Hideki lowered his head and walked silently for a while before suddenly stopping. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± I asked. ¡°We can¡¯t just sit and wait for death. I¡¯ve come up with a good idea that should put an end to this nightmare.¡± A hint of sickness appeared on his young face, and his eyes were as bright as those of a black cat. Feeling a little uneasy under his intense gaze, I spoke, ¡°Tell me about it.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll team up¡­and kill Sakurako!¡± It was hard to imagine such words coming from a child¡¯s mouth. After my initial shock, I forced a smile. ¡°Whether Sakurako is a human or a ghost, it¡¯s only your assumption. Until you have a complete chain of evidence, your intention is called murder.¡± I patted Hideki¡¯s shoulder and turned to leave. On this eerie campus, Sakurako sat alone by the flowerbed like an abandoned doll. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll take you away from the campus now.¡± I gently picked up the girl. While the task given by the underworld show was important, I couldn¡¯t let the little girl die here. As I walked towards the school gate, I hadn¡¯t gone very far when Sakurako, who had never spoken a word before, suddenly whispered in my ear, ¡°You should leave quickly. They¡¯re all ghosts!¡± ******** TN: I think that a lot of people already knows this but I¡¯ll clarify just in case: sakura is a type of flower and hana litterlay means flower, that¡¯s why sakurako and hanako sound really close and are only different by a word. CH 30 ¡°Who should I believe?¡± Sakurako in my arms was light; I could lift her with just one hand as if she had no weight at all. After she spoke, she buried her head in my shoulder and remained silent. If it weren¡¯t for the lingering warmth of the young girl by my ear, I would have doubted if she was the one who spoke those words just now. Before we even reached the school gates, Hideki had caught up to us, twirling a vine in his hand and gesturing to me with his eyes. The message was clear: ¡°Don¡¯t hesitate; take action!¡± Both of them were using their own methods to convince me, and my moving footsteps slowly came to a halt. I put on a look of inner conflict and wondered, ¡°Who should I believe?¡± I put Sakurako down and looked at my phone. The live stream room was full of various opinions. It was really scary. ¡°Host, are you out of your mind? Hideki is definitely a ghost. He has been leading you on from the beginning. The four corners game is just you playing with three ghosts!¡± ¡°Nonsense, that kid is at most mentally ill. How could he be a ghost? It¡¯s that strange girl Sakurako who¡¯s abnormal!¡± ¡°I agree. The camera was so close to Sakurako¡¯s face just now, and I observed for three minutes, but her expression didn¡¯t change at all. She¡¯s definitely a resurrected corpse!¡± ¡°What normal high school student can casually mention murder? Hideki is the ghost! If I¡¯m wrong, I¡¯ll chop my own tongue and stream it live!¡± ¡°Is there any professional who can come out and explain? Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain, are you there? Calling Half-immortal, calling Half-immortal, over.¡± ¡°Screw your half-immortal, I bet 100 ghost coins that Hideki is the ghost!¡± ¡°Are you even proud of betting with just a hundred ghost coins?¡± Master Tieling Biao rewarded the Super Thrilling Live Broadcast Room with 999 ghost coins, ¡°I bet 999 ghost coins, they are all ghosts!¡± ¡°Master Biao is so domineering,¡± I smiled slightly. No matter how dangerous the situation was, reading the barrage of comments made by these troublemakers always made me calm down quickly. Compared with the first live broadcast, the popularity has increased fivefold, and the skepticism has decreased a lot. Actually, I have already figured out who is human and who is a ghost, but it was not the time to reveal it yet. To prevent the ghosts from getting angry and forcing me into a dead end, this pretense had to go on. ¡°I won¡¯t leave this place until we find Shen Meng. Xue Fei may be in more danger, but after observing the inside of the laboratory building, there seems to be no trace of Shen Meng. She must be somewhere else.¡± I crouched in front of the two of them and said, ¡°Don¡¯t suspect your teammates; don¡¯t give up hope. If we fall apart, we probably won¡¯t make it out alive.¡± Encouraging the two of them, I prepared to move towards the next building with the camera in hand, ¡°Hideki, what do your parents do? They are always not at home; are they really that busy?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure, but I rarely meet with them anyway throughout the year,¡± he said. ¡°That must be a large corporation. What¡¯s your father¡¯s name? Maybe I¡¯ve heard of him?¡± I asked. ¡°Wang Hai,¡± he replied. ¡°Oh, Mr. Wang,¡± Hideki wasn¡¯t in the mood for chatting, and I didn¡¯t want to be a bother either, since I had already asked what I wanted to know. Apart from the laboratory building, the girls¡¯ dormitory was the closest building to the teaching building. After circling around, I realized that the dormitory didn¡¯t have a main entrance, but two side doors on either side. ¡°This is the first time I¡¯ve seen a building built with its back to the sun. How do people live here?¡± I remarked. The girls¡¯ dormitory was already gloomy, and the building was sandwiched between the boys¡¯ dormitory and the teaching building, making it difficult for sunlight to shine through. ¡°Are you sure you want to go in?¡± Hideki was cautious and careful after witnessing the murder of Xue Fei. I rattled the chain on the side door of the dormitory, but it was just for show, and the wooden door was easily pulled open. ¡°If you want to go in, you go in. I¡¯m not going in,¡± Hideki said, taking a few steps back. Only Sakurako stood by my side. The dark hallway occasionally emitted strange noises, making it creepy just to look at from the outside. ¡°Don¡¯t blame me for not warning you. Once you go in, you might not be as lucky as you were last time,¡± Hideki cautioned, clearly apprehensive about the place. I hesitated, but lifted my camera and took a few steps into the door. The entrance was where the dormitory janitor lived. The room was unlocked, and in addition to the bed and wardrobe, there was a huge bulletin board leaning against the wall. Several notices were posted on it, and perhaps because they were kept indoors, the text on these papers was very clear. ¡°The police have investigated and determined that the death of Shen Mengting in bed one of the dorm 4118 was a suicide,¡± the announcement read. ¡°The school has initiated psychological intervention measures. In order to accommodate female students on the same floor who are afraid to return to their own dormitory at night, the school has arranged for temporary residence in the No. 1 dormitory building for a period of time.¡± This announcement was posted on a certain day in April five years ago. I rubbed my chin, thinking that the police had intervened in the student death at New Shanghai High School, but I had never heard about this case from my police academy instructors five years ago. I should clarify that most of the instructors responsible for the police academy internship work were in-service criminal division police officers. They usually teach as instructors to provide students with practical combat experience and analyze case situations in the classroom. For a few talented students, the instructors would even actively engage in in-depth discussions with them, using divergent thinking for multi-dimensional reasoning. Five years ago, I had come into contact with many homicide cases, but I had never heard the four words ¡°New Shanghai High School¡± from my instructors¡¯ mouths. ¡°Could it really be suicide?¡± I thought of another possibility. This case was significant, and even the on-duty detectives dared not reveal any information to the outside world. I tore down the notice and stuffed it into my pocket. Then, I found a large bunch of keys with dormitory numbers on them in the janitor¡¯s drawer. ¡°The notice provides two pieces of information: the deceased¡¯s name is Shen Mengting, and her dorm room is 4118.¡± ¡°Shen Mengting and Shen Meng only differ by one character. Is this implying something?¡± I shook the keys in my hand and walked out of the room. Hideki and Sakurako were standing outside the door. I waved at them and said, ¡°I need to go upstairs. If you don¡¯t want to come, stay outside and don¡¯t wander around.¡± ¡°Wait. I¡¯ll go with you.¡± Hideki dodged Sakurako and ran into the dormitory building. ¡°Okay, Sakurako, be careful by yourself.¡± The little girl stood alone outside the door, and before I went up the stairs, I turned back to look at her again, feeling uneasy. She was staring directly at my back with her eyes, like she was looking at a dead person. The dormitory building had floor tiles that were very clean, and there was no clutter on the stairs. Compared to the crumbling stairs of the teaching building, this place was much better. I climbed up to the fourth floor in one breath, counting the door numbers, ¡°4111, 4112¡­ 4118, this is it.¡± With my phone as a light source, I struggled to find the right key among a large bunch of keys. In the dark and enclosed space, standing in front of the dead person¡¯s door, fear was sprouting on this eerie campus. Hideki was acting like a frightened monkey, looking around anxiously. He grabbed onto my clothes tightly and said, ¡°Hey, hey, have you noticed if there¡¯s something following us from behind?¡± He stared blankly into the depths of the stairs, ¡°I feel like something is coming up the stairs.¡± ¡°Damn it, don¡¯t startle me like that,¡± I said, concentrating on finding the key. Hideki¡¯s words made me swear. My fingers were sweating, and I was feeling a bit panicked. ¡°I¡¯m not lying to you!¡± He shrank his neck. At this moment, all the light was focused on the keychain in my hand. Darkness surrounded us from all sides. ¡°That thing seems to be getting closer. I feel like it¡¯s already on the third floor,¡± Hideki¡¯s words made my heart race. I, too, was starting to feel the same. ¡°Indeed, something is approaching,¡± a similar thought flashed through my mind. It wasn¡¯t the sound of footsteps, and there was no sound at all, but there was a strange feeling that something was getting closer. It was coming up from below, not fast or slow, like a large, lifeless shadow. The darkness in the hallway had grown thicker, making it difficult to breathe. ¡°Have you found it yet? Hurry up! Maybe we should just run!¡± ¡°Stop making noise; I¡¯m searching!¡± The figure¡¯s movements quickened, but the more I rushed, the harder it became to find the key. ¡°Damn it, why are there so many rooms in this building?¡± Cold sweat dripped down my forehead as I realized the truth. Something was rapidly approaching from the darkness behind us at the stairwell. ¡°Hurry up, hurry up!¡± Hideki¡¯s voice quavered as though several pale hands were reaching out to grab us from the shadows. Finally, I found the key. I didn¡¯t even have time to grab the camera before I rushed with Hideki and opened the door to dorm number 4118. ¡°Bang!¡± The door closed, and we leaned back against it, listening to the silence outside. There was no sound, as if the eerie feeling we had just experienced was only in our heads. ¡°That¡¯s impossible.¡± The camera outside the door was functioning normally. I took out the underworld show cell phone and saw that it was broadcasting the scene from the hallway at this moment. In the deep darkness, we could vaguely see a blood-red dress swaying outside the door! CH 31 ¡°What is that?¡± I looked puzzled, lowering my head to look at Hideki, who was already huddled up in fear, shivering and muttering something incoherently. My phone displayed that the woman in the red dress was still lingering outside the door, showing no signs of leaving. I took a deep breath and tried to recall all the campus legends I knew, but it seemed that there was no mention of a woman in a red dress. ¡°Stay calm; at least for now, we are safe.¡± With the door blocked and no way to escape, I began to rummage through the room. ¡°The deceased Shen Mengting lived in bed number one. For boarders, the dorm room is where secrets are kept, and I might be able to find something here.¡± It wasn¡¯t that I was fearless, but as I watched the eerie scenes on the live stream of the underworld show¡¯s cell phone, I always calmed down. In addition to the scary figure, there was also a barrage of comments from the viewers. ¡°Wow, what a scaredy-cat! The host left the live stream and ran away by themselves.¡± ¡°Where did the host go again? Please cherish your own live stream room.¡± ¡°Damn, what is this thing floating around? It¡¯s scaring the crap out of me!¡± ¡°Gods and Buddhas, may Lord Buddha protect us. Barrage shield!¡± ¡°What is a barrage shield?¡± The comments from the viewers flew by quickly, and with each comment, the red-dressed figure outside the door seemed less terrifying. There were four girls living in the room 4118, with their beds situated on the second floor and desks and wardrobes occupying the first floor. ¡°Shen Mengting was in bed number one.¡± Opening the corresponding wardrobe, most of the things had been taken away, leaving only a few pieces of old and worn-out clothing. I tried to search the pockets of the clothes, but there was nothing inside. My gaze then fell on the desk, and I opened the drawer to find a book buried under some scraps of paper and tests: ¡°Love Disguised as a Monologue.¡± ¡°Love is unbearable to watch; loneliness is the only truth. You are dangerous and cunning, leaving me only with decadence and desolation.¡± I pursed my lips; this book was not something a high school student would normally like to read. Opening the first page, a delicate bookmark with a sentence written on its front caught my eye: ¡°Your own knight, Guo Junjie.¡± Interestingly, the back of the bookmark had another line of elegant handwriting: ¡°My lovely slave.¡± The book was in mint condition, and the bookmark had never been moved from the title page, suggesting that its owner didn¡¯t care for it much. Flipping through a few pages, some letters fell out. I picked one up and saw a date and a name on it. These were the love letters Guo Junjie wrote to Shen Mengting. They were all still sealed and unopened, and Shen Mengting had not opened any of the love letters. Poor Guo Junjie had been persistently holding on silently, but in Shen Mengting¡¯s mind, he was not even worthy of being a backup plan and was merely considered a slave who could be ordered around at will. I arranged the dusty love letters by their postmarks, starting with the first one written six years ago. As expected, it was a confession of love written by a naive young boy who mustered up all his courage to put his feelings into words. In my opinion, the language used was childish and ridiculous, but for Guo Junjie at that time, every word contained a deep sense of love. The second and third letters were still declarations of love, but in the fourth letter, I detected something unusual. ¡°Why did you give the gift I gave you to him? Why did you make me run errands for him? Why did you make me hide in the closet and watch you two be intimate? You deliberately show off your body in front of him; don¡¯t you know how much that tortures me?¡± Upon reading this, I stroked my chin and thought to myself, ¡°To make someone perish, you must first drive them crazy. Guo Junjie¡¯s sanity is slowly being worn away by Shen Mengting.¡± Opening the fifth letter, I realized that it had been sent five years ago. ¡°I¡¯m sorry; it¡¯s my fault, all my fault. Please don¡¯t ignore me. I can give you everything and even be your dog! This school is full of monsters, but you¡¯re different. I can¡¯t live without you. I¡¯ll do whatever you say!¡± In the letter, Guo Junjie constantly cried and pleaded. Perhaps, at that time, Shen Mengting had already been with someone else and had grown tired of this slave who always followed her obediently. ¡°You wrote very sincerely, but unfortunately, the other party never bothered to read your letters,¡± Shen Mengting never took Guo Junjie seriously. When she received the letters, she simply clipped them between the pages of a book and buried them at the bottom of the waste paper. ¡°He¡¯s a stubborn fool.¡± Forced love is never sweet, and I had a feeling that tragedy was about to unfold. The sixth letter read, ¡°Enough! I¡¯ve had enough! Shen Mengting, if you continue to be with him, don¡¯t blame me for doing something that you¡¯ll regret forever! I swear! I¡¯ll destroy you both!¡± ¡°A person who is driven to madness is about to meet their demise. What will Guo Junjie do?¡± I couldn¡¯t guess the answer, so I opened the seventh letter. ¡°See that! The table is covered in bright red blood, and the police have arrived. But who would suspect me? The weakest, most invisible person who has always been bullied by you! I am the murderer! Hahaha! Shen Mengting, I will make you regret this! I will kill all the bastards who seduced you! I am your knight, and you are my noble princess!¡± Amidst a flurry of wild words on the paper, I could almost see a skinny, hysterical boy holding a knife standing right in front of me. I opened the eighth letter: ¡°You asked me what I could do for you? I could give my own life for you! The small gift inside the envelope is my proof of determination!¡± Shaking the envelope, there was indeed something inside, which I dumped onto the table and shone my phone¡¯s light on. It was half of a severed finger, wrapped in layers of cling film! ¡°Is this child possessed by a ghost?¡± The severed part was a little finger, and although it was decayed and deformed, I could still recognize it at a glance. The eighth letter was concise, but from what I could deduce, Shen Mengting¡¯s attitude towards Guo Junjie remained lukewarm, even with a hint of disgust. The unopened envelope was proof of that. I put the book aside and opened the last ¡°love letter¡±. ¡°Shen Mengting, I know you¡¯ve never liked me. I understand now, and I won¡¯t ask for anything more. You¡¯re just like them¡ªno, even more despicable than them!¡± Guo Junjie had finally faced the harsh reality. He had hurt himself but gained no sympathy or kindness in return. In this world, there was only malice toward him. ¡°Take my final gift, not just for you but for everyone who has bullied me! I have drunk the antidote given by the Buddha. I will jump into the water purification tank and drown myself. I want all of you to be cursed by demons! I will wait for you in hell! I will stare at each and every one of you scream in agony!¡± After reading all nine letters, I felt a sense of horror and regret. If there had been someone in the school who sympathized with and cared for Guo Junjie, he wouldn¡¯t have gone this far. If Shen Mengting had opened the envelope early and took a glance, the tragedy could have been prevented. Unfortunately, there were no ¡°ifs¡± in reality. I held the last letter and read it over and over again, paying close attention to one particular sentence: ¡°He drank the antidote sent by Buddha?¡± ¡°Buddha? I¡¯ve never heard of any enlightened being who would cruelly kill innocent people for someone¡¯s wish and not even enter the cycle of reincarnation. This doesn¡¯t seem like something Buddha would do,¡± ¡°Could it be¡­the Two-Faced Buddha?¡± If we follow the actions of the Two-Faced Buddha at the Peace of Mind Hotel, then it would make sense. But what connection is there between the Peace of Mind Hotel and New Shanghai High School? The letters revealed a lot of information, but they also raised many questions. ¡°There are still such foolish men in the world, willing to be a woman¡¯s dog,¡± said Hideki, who was sitting next to me as I read the later letters. He spoke with a natural tendency to mock Guo Junjie, as if it were ingrained in his bones. ¡°Actually, he¡¯s quite pitiful.¡± I refrained from judging Guo Junjie¡¯s actions, as it was my personal habit not to define criminals¡¯ character, since there was often a twisted life experience behind their insane behavior. ¡°How do you think he alone could retaliate against the whole school?¡± Hideki curiously tapped the severed finger on the table. ¡°Oh my God, it¡¯s so disgusting.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t the letter make it clear? He was supposed to have drunk some kind of poison, and then jumped into the water purification tank. As a result, everyone who drank the school¡¯s tap water that day became mentally deranged. I suspect those few people in the health room jumped off the building because they mistakenly drank the tap water.¡± With a faint smile on my lips, I put away the ninth letter. ¡°Do you think I¡¯m right?¡± Hideki nodded gravely, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I think of that?¡± ¡°You probably didn¡¯t,¡± I chuckled lightly and continued as if nothing happened, ¡°If you could have guessed it that day, you wouldn¡¯t have drunk the school¡¯s tap water.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Hideki agreed. Suddenly, the air in the dorm room seemed to freeze, and the place felt so quiet that you could hear a pin drop. CH 32 ¡°When did you find out?¡± It took Hideki more than ten seconds before he awkwardly replied, ¡°I began to suspect from the first moment I saw the four of you.¡± Backing away towards the door, I created distance between myself and Hideki, ¡°The area surrounding the New Shanghai School is all wasteland, and no matter which direction you come from, you will definitely have dirt on your shoes. However, in the hallway where we met, it was clean, and only my shoe prints were visible.¡± ¡°Therefore, I deduced that you all didn¡¯t come from outside, but rather you were already on campus.¡± ¡°So, I didn¡¯t trust any of you, including you three and Sakurako.¡± Hideki¡¯s face turned dark as he gradually lowered his head. The dim lighting made him look even scarier, ¡°If you already knew we weren¡¯t human, why did you willingly participate in our game? And why did you help us search for Shen Meng?¡± ¡°Life is like a drama, it all depends on acting skills. As an ordinary person with no special talents, the only way for me to survive here is to use my brain. By not exposing your identities and playing the game with you, I was able to gain the upper hand and make you feel at ease, so you wouldn¡¯t want to kill me.¡± I smiled ¡°What does it matter if I play a few games with ghosts as long as I can survive?¡± Hideki¡¯s face became increasingly ugly, with varying sizes of livor mortis appearing on his pale skin, ¡°So you¡¯ve been deceiving us all along?¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Feeling angry and embarrassed?¡± I waved my hand, ¡°It¡¯s not deception, I was just playing with you little ghosts.¡± Who knows how arrogant I must have seemed with my attitude at this moment. I looked like a piece of pork waiting to be slaughtered. Upon hearing my words, Hideki approached me step by step, his clothes becoming tattered and blood seeming to flow from his feet. ¡°Hideki, you¡¯re the smartest ghost among all of them. Don¡¯t do anything stupid. Since I¡¯ve made everything clear, I¡¯ve left myself an escape route.¡± ¡°Do you remember when I asked you for your father¡¯s name? Your name is Wang Hideki, and the second bed in the infirmary has your school uniform. And Xue Fei and Shen Meng, your traces can all be found in this school. You were the victims from five years ago, cursed to death by Guo Junjie and unable to pass on as spirits.¡± ¡°Poor guys, forever wandering in this gloomy haunted school, living in the fear of Guo Junjie for generations to come.¡± ¡°To be honest, I feel sorry for you. Your past mistakes have long been redeemed, yet your souls cannot find peace. Compared to the errors you have committed, this punishment seems a bit too harsh.¡± Perhaps I hit a nerve, as Hideki stopped in his tracks. ¡°We don¡¯t need your sympathy. Shortly enough, you¡¯ll become just like us!¡± His voice was hoarse, as if he were chewing on something. ¡°When two parties cooperate, they both benefit. When they fight, both suffer. You can kill me and imprison my soul here, but before that, I have a proposition.¡± ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Allow me to guide you towards the path of solace and liberation from this restless existence, so that you may finally find the tranquility that eluded you in life.¡± ¡°Just you?¡± ¡°How will you know if you don¡¯t try?¡± Seeing Hideki lost in thought, and the signs of death on his body fading away, my heart slowly relaxed. I had won this high-stakes negotiation. Ever since I received the notification for the optional task in the underworld show app, I was curious. Why would a task require playing games on a campus? What kind of game? With whom? And how do you play? A place so full of ominous energy could not possibly have any other living people around. The answer was simple¡ªI had to play games with ghosts, and the more, the better. At first, I followed the instructions as required, but as the mysterious veil of the campus slowly lifted, I discovered that there were not just one or two ghosts on campus, but they also had irreconcilable conflicts amongst themselves. One party was the culprit who created the entire tragedy, while the other was only a victim trapped here. If my guess is correct, then Guo Junjie is the one behind the scenes manipulating everything, while Hideki and Shen Meng are like clowns whose only purpose is to perform for Guo Junjie. They constantly repeat fear and despair to wash away their own guilt. This unequal relationship gave me a whiff of opportunity, so I decided to take the initiative and confront the ghost. ¡°The torment you have suffered day and night for the past five years is enough to pay for the mistakes you have made. If you don¡¯t resist now, are you prepared to be enslaved for generations and be his plaything forever?¡± I have participated in civil litigation cases and worked as a mediation lawyer. Although it was just to make a living at the time, my experience taught me how to persuade others. ¡°You don¡¯t need to hesitate. You can kill me at any time, but if you miss this opportunity, you will never be able to change your fate of being imprisoned.¡± In the end, I managed to convince Hideki, and he returned to his normal self. ¡°I believe you, but if you haven¡¯t broken the curse before dawn, then stay here with us forever.¡± ¡°Deal,¡± I said when I offered to help Hideki, but I was just talking without any assurance, thinking that delaying the inevitable was better than nothing. After all, death was certain, so why not take a gamble? ¡°To show your sincerity, can you make the red-skirted ghost at the door leave? These tricks don¡¯t scare me.¡± I picked up my phone and monitored the outside movements, but the camera no longer captured the red skirt. However, there was no guarantee that she wasn¡¯t hiding in a place where the camera couldn¡¯t see, waiting to ¡°touch me to death¡± the moment I opened the door. ¡°Red skirted?¡± Hideki¡¯s expression was eerie. ¡°That¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve seen that thing in the school.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that Shen Meng?!¡± The situation was different from what I had imagined. ¡°Shen Meng is already dead, or rather, she died tonight.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Sighing, Hideki wore a bitter expression on his face. ¡°We are just weak-minded spirits who are released by Guo Junjie every night to experience unbearable fears, like repeating nightmares. If our spirits are tortured and can¡¯t bear it anymore, they will dissipate, which means death.¡± ¡°You are right. We are just clowns dancing in Guo Junjie¡¯s palm, with no freedom and no way to escape.¡± ¡°If Shen Meng and Xue Fei don¡¯t show up tonight, is it possible that the girl in the red dress is one of your other classmates?¡± I wasn¡¯t sure if Hideki was lying, so I dug deeper for more information. Shaking his head, Hideki revealed a crucial point: ¡°The cursed students wear school uniforms, while outsiders are different, like Sakurako. I¡¯ve never figured out where she came from.¡± Quiet and reserved, it was surprising to hear that even Sakurako, who seemed to live in her own world, was an outsider? ¡°When did she appear?¡± ¡°About a year ago, she said she came here to wait for someone. But don¡¯t let her appearance fool you. That person may seem gentle and harmless, but she¡¯s actually full of resentment. Even we avoid her.¡± As an adult, Hideki and I had different ways of thinking; my way of thinking and behavior were driven by purpose. There were various restless spirits hidden in the New Shanghai High School, and I wondered what their purpose was. ¡°There must be some treasures in this school that are spirit-attracting, which is why trouble keeps finding its way here.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve never heard of any treasures in our school. There was just one crazy person who, when the school was first built, pointed at the main gate and cursed for three days and three nights, claiming that the school was built on his family¡¯s ancestral grave. The security guards had to take him away.¡± Hideki shrugged. ¡°I¡¯ve noticed that you¡¯re curious about everything. You should just be a host and dub voiceovers for ¡®One Hundred Thousand Whys¡¯.¡± I coughed a few times to hide my embarrassment, feeling a bit uncomfortable being lectured by a little brat. ¡°Anyway, since you and the others are all cursed by Guo Junjie, finding him could solve many problems.¡± ¡°We¡¯ve been wandering around this school for five years and haven¡¯t found any trace of him. We only know that he¡¯s secretly watching us from the shadows, but we don¡¯t know where he¡¯s hiding,¡± Hideki expressed his despair, and I could understand how he felt. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, when it comes to searching for missing people or bodies, I¡¯m an expert,¡± I reassured him. The collective death incident at New Shanghai High School was not made public, and to handle so many bodies, they couldn¡¯t transport them out in plain sight. Incineration on-site was the most secure method. ¡°We¡¯ll first go to the water purification tank where Guo Junjie drowned and then to the incineration pit where the school disposes of garbage.¡± After reaching an agreement with Hideki, I put the dorm key in my pocket and said, ¡°The girl in the red dress may have left, so we need to hurry and get out!¡± I grabbed the handle, turned the lock, and opened the door, picking up the camera and running towards the stairs. ¡°Hurry! She seems to be following us!¡± I didn¡¯t need to turn around to know who ¡°she¡± referred to in Hideki¡¯s words. I ran desperately, taking three or four steps at a time, and managed to escape from the girls¡¯ dormitory with some close calls. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s head to the water purification tank right away and don¡¯t let her catch up!¡± I habitually picked up Sakurako, who was sitting on the roadside, and ran towards the distance. ¡°Don¡¯t panic; she doesn¡¯t seem to be chasing after us,¡± Hideki said. Looking back, I saw the red figure standing at the window on the second floor of the girls¡¯ dormitory, seeming to wave at me. I shuddered, realizing that the woman was not wearing a long dress, but a bright red wedding dress, as if it were stained with blood. ¡°Why do I find her familiar?¡± I shook off the strange thought and followed Hideki¡¯s guidance to the water treatment center. Pushing the door open, I saw a small room with water pipes arranged inside. The boiler for heating water was located at the back, connected to several large water tanks. ¡°He drowned in here.¡± I climbed onto a certain water tank and opened the one-foot-wide inlet. A foul smell wafted out. Using my phone as a flashlight, I peered into the enormous tank, but it was completely dry. It was a dark hole with nothing visible. ¡°Wait outside, both of you. I¡¯m going in to take a look.¡± With great difficulty, I squeezed through the narrow opening and crawled inside. The space was dim, enclosed, and suffocating, making me feel oppressed and fearful. Perhaps due to a lack of ventilation, the air in the water tank was thin, and I had to endure the painful sensation of suffocation. I quickly grabbed my phone and searched for anything useful before it was too late. As I cautiously treaded through the slippery ground, I noticed a torn school uniform lying in a corner of the tank. Just as I was about to reach for it, I heard a boy¡¯s voice in my ear, ¡°Why did you kill me?¡± ¡°Who?!¡± I turned around, but there was nothing around me. Suddenly, I heard a loud bang from above. The only exit, the one-foot-wide inlet, had been shut from the outside! CH 33 ¡°Sakurako! Hideki!¡± I frantically pounded the metal sheet on the water tank, ¡°Open the lid, quickly, open the lid!¡± No one responded, and I became increasingly frantic. The air inside was not circulating, and after shouting several times, I felt dizzy and couldn¡¯t catch my breath. My arms gradually became weak, and my cellphone slipped from my palm and fell to the ground. The tank was not very large, but I couldn¡¯t find the exit. I desperately groped inch by inch, until my face turned purple, and my blood vessels burst one by one. I had never experienced anything like this before. Inside this sealed water tank, I felt true fear. It had nothing to do with ghosts or monsters, but rather a simple fear of death. Severely lacking oxygen, I rubbed my cheeks with both hands, digging bloody grooves with my nails. The pain was too much, and I couldn¡¯t even scream. I curled up at the bottom of the tank like a fish that had been drained of all its moisture. ¡°Why did you want to kill me?¡± In a daze, I heard the voice again. I struggled to open my eyes and saw what appeared to be a young boy with a bleeding pinkie finger, jumping into the water tank. He closed the lid with his own hands and slowly sank into the black, icy water. Loneliness and fear surrounded him. In the face of death, his body instinctively struggled. He even called for help, but no one responded, until all his organs stopped functioning and his body lost its warmth, becoming stiff. ¡°I don¡¯t want to die, but why did you want to kill me?¡± The rigid body that should have died floated to my side. Its fish-like eyes stared at me, asking the same question. In my semi-conscious state, I tried to push him away with my last bit of strength, but it was futile. A pair of hands, icy cold, grabbed my neck. ¡°Why did you want to kill me?¡± ¡°Pa!¡± Right then, I was slapped hard across the face, and the darkness in front of me shattered like a broken mirror. A delicate and pretty face was staring at me. ¡°Sakurako?¡± It was then that I realized I was lying inside the tank, soaked wet. The boy and the voice I had seen and heard before were all gone, seemingly just a figment of my imagination. ¡°Are you okay?¡± Hideki was standing above the tank. ¡°Luckily, Sakurako realized something was wrong, or you might never have woken up.¡± I struggled to my feet and leaned over the water inlet, gasping for air. ¡°I saw what appeared to be Guo Junjie¡¯s death scene just now. He was struggling and screaming, saying you killed him.¡± ¡°Everyone at New Shanghai High School is on guard against each other. Who would care about him? Besides, if we had killed him earlier, maybe the tragedy wouldn¡¯t have happened,¡± Hideki¡¯s words made sense. ¡°Guo Junjie has been secretly watching us all the time. He won¡¯t let you investigate smoothly.¡± After Hideki¡¯s words, I also realized that my situation was very dangerous, and that the vengeful spirit could kill me at any time. To be honest, I was really scared just now. I was hit without even realizing it, and I still have some lingering fear in my heart. I probably won¡¯t dare to enter a small enclosed space alone for a while. ¡°Sakurako, can you stay here with me for a while? I feel a little uneasy.¡± Whether Sakurako is human or ghost, at least she saved me just now, so I should trust her a little more. I found my fallen phone and shone it towards the corner of the water tank. The worn-out school uniform was still lying there. ¡°This should be Guo Junjie¡¯s relic.¡± I picked up the uniform and spread it out on the iron tank. There was nothing unusual on the back, but there was a dark blood stain in the chest area. ¡°It¡¯s a bit strange.¡± The blood stain on the uniform was from the blood that had flowed out of the victim¡¯s chest wound. The strange thing was that the blood was evenly distributed, not like a puncture wound caused by a sharp object. I compared the uniform to my own body and pressed the area with the heaviest blood stain with my hand. ¡°This is the location of the heart.¡± What kind of wound can cause bleeding and be difficult to heal? The two words ¡°skining¡± popped into my mind. I thought about Guo Junjie¡¯s act of cutting off his little finger and giving it as a gift to Shen Mengting, and my last trace of pity for him disappeared. ¡°He¡¯s completely insane. Although he still looks human on the outside, his actions are like those of a devil¡ªpsychologically twisted and reckless.¡± I searched the school uniform pocket and found a class photo, but unfortunately, it had been soaked in water for too long, and everyone¡¯s faces were blurred. ¡°He carried the photo with him until his death. It¡¯s not because he had a fondness for those people in it. It seems more like a medium for a curse. He wanted everyone in the photo to have a bad ending.¡± I put the photo in my pocket with Guo Junjie¡¯s final love letter and searched the area, but found no further clues. ¡°Let¡¯s go to the incineration pit. This nightmare needs an ending.¡± I crawled out of the water tank, thinking that the harvest wasn¡¯t bad. Now, all I needed to do was follow the clues and find Guo Junjie¡¯s body. The place where the garbage was processed¡ªthe incineration pit¡ªwas located at the deepest part of the campus, with weeds growing everywhere on the ground. The farther I walked, the more desolate it felt. The cold wind blew into my clothes, and the thought of there possibly being numerous bodies buried beneath the ground made me quicken my pace. ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Two flat-roofed houses were right next to the school¡¯s fence, with the door locked and strange seals on the windows. ¡°Host, we can¡¯t go any further with you. We can¡¯t get into that house.¡± Hideki¡¯s face turned ugly as soon as we approached the pit, and there were signs of cracking on his pale skin that he couldn¡¯t control. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, leave it to me.¡± Hideki¡¯s reaction probably had to do with the talismans on the windows. I approached them and noticed strange symbols drawn on all the talismans. Because of what happened at the Peace of Mind Hotel, I didn¡¯t recklessly tear them off. ¡°At times like this, we should consult a professional.¡± I asked for help in the live broadcast chat, but there were many fraudsters and boastful people who didn¡¯t provide reliable information. ¡°Is half-immortal Liu there? Is Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain here?¡± I suddenly remembered Half-immortal and wished he was online, but unfortunately he wasn¡¯t today. ¡°Yuan Chen¡¯s soul retrieval talisman? Just a low-level talisman, what¡¯s the big deal?¡± I noticed a comment on the screen that caught my attention, posted by someone named Daoist master Wan. It wasn¡¯t because of what he said made sense, but rather his arrogant tone. He spoke with an air of superiority, as if he were invincible in this world. ¡°Lives are at stake. Do any of our viewers have any good ideas?¡± ¡°Call the police! Our trademark in this live broadcast room is to call the police at the slightest problem!¡± ¡°Why call the police? Listen to me, kick the door three times, then use your inner strength to dispel the evil spirits with your butt facing backwards. As the saying goes, kicking the widow¡¯s door at night is the mark of a superior man. Let me enlighten you with my extensive knowledge and expertise.¡± ¡°What a bunch of nonsense! Listen to me, as a professional, a third-term student of the Harbin Buddhist College, I am proficient in Guanyin meditation¡­¡± ¡­¡­ The barrage of comments was scrolling by at lightning speed and I stood at the door, afraid to make a move, paying special attention to the ID of Daoist master Wan ¡°Yuan Chen is one of the Eight Characters of Gods and demons, also known as Da Hao, it can be said to be extremely evil. If evil omens and disasters are seen, they are foremost to be avoided at the end of a prosperous period. Men encounter ugliness, chaos, shamelessness, and gluttony; women encounter multiple disasters, with rough voices and mixed qualities, lewdness, and disobedience in childbirth.¡± ¡°The corpse hidden in the house, carrying Yuan Chen¡¯s fate in life, turned into a land-bound evil spirit after death, with extreme resentment. Ordinary talismans are useless. This Yuan Chen talisman is also only treating the symptoms and not the root cause, it can only temporarily trap it.¡± I stared at Daoist master Wan¡¯s comments, although I couldn¡¯t tell if he knew what he was talking about, he felt much more reliable than others. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to destroy the Yuan Chen soul retrieval talisman Do you have any great ideas, Daoist master Wan?¡± I lowered my posture, as pretending to be aloof at this time might really make him angry and make him leave. ¡°Boy, do you, a mortal, dare to go against Yuan Chen? It¡¯s ridiculous, ridiculous.¡± Half-immortal Liu said the same thing to me back then, but his way of expressing it was much more gentle. ¡°Daoist, if you really have supreme skills in Taoism, please enlighten me. I would be eternally grateful,¡± I asked eagerly. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t say my skills are ¡®supreme¡¯, but in the past 50 years, there have been few cultivators who could match me. Alright, today, I will teach you a technique that can bring you back from the brink of death,¡± the Daoist replied. In the live broadcast chatroom, many viewers expressed their disdain for the Daoist¡¯s arrogant voice. I, too, was feeling uncertain about whether he was a narcissistic teenager or a truly talented immortal Daoist. ¡°You, with no skills or abilities, require a determination to take risks and climb upwards in the face of adversity to break the curse of Yuan Chen. Only then can you find a glimmer of hope amidst the brink of death!¡± the Daoist instructed. ¡°Daoist Master, please don¡¯t judge me. Just tell me what I need to do,¡± I said. ¡°The ominous star holds tremendous power. It cannot bring about good fortune without any ghosts and it cannot hold any authority without any killings. I want you to have a clear mind, without fear or distraction, to find the corpse of Yuan Chen amongst the mountain of corpses and then carry it on your back,¡± the Daoist explained. ¡°Carry, carry the corpse?¡± I repeated incredulously. ¡°Find a place where you can see the clear brilliance, and drop the corpse from a high place. If it shatters to pieces, you will have no worries tonight. But if its grudges linger and don¡¯t disperse, then you will undoubtedly die,¡± CH 34 I have seen many corpses, and I have also seen forensic autopsies, but those were all done with protective measures, such as wearing sterile gloves and isolation suits. Carrying a corpse around barehanded is something I think even a professional undertaker would find difficult to do. ¡°Do I have to carry it?¡± I asked. ¡°If you feel uncomfortable, you can hold it in your arms, but remember not to let the body touch the ground under your feet. This place has been contaminated by the malevolent energy of Yuan Chen for too long, and it¡¯s easy for other changes to occur,¡± warned Daoist Master Wan. I had a foreboding feeling about the ¡°other changes¡± that Daoist Master Wan mentioned, and blinked my dry eyes. ¡°It¡¯s probably safer to carry it then.¡± It¡¯s better to follow someone¡¯s directions than to wander around aimlessly like a headless fly. I decided to do as Daoist Master Wan said. Sakurako and Hideki stayed far away, not daring to approach. This indicated that the Yuan Chen talisman posted on the window was not as harmless as Daoist Master Wan claimed. I took a deep breath and adjusted my mindset. No matter what I see inside, I must remain fearless and determined to achieve my goal. I will not give up until I succeed. I tore off the talisman paper from the window and flipped into the single-story house. The smaller room outside was where the workers rested, and it appeared normal with no obvious abnormalities. However, just one door away, the room inside was covered with talisman seals, and there was a sign hanging that specifically stated ¡°No Entry for Unauthorized Personnel¡±. ¡°Now that I have removed the talisman, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± As I stepped into the inner room, a strong stench hit my nostrils. Even after five years, the smell had not dissipated, but instead, due to the sealed environment, it had fermented into an even more putrid odor. Furrowing my brows, holding my breath, I recalled the words of Daoist Master Wan, ¡°You require a determination to take risks and climb upwards in the face of adversity, only then can you find a glimmer of hope amidst the brink of death!!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give it my all!¡± I exclaimed. I forcefully tore off the talisman from the door, pushed open the wooden door that separated the inner room, and was met with a scene of hell that had been sealed for five years. There was a raging fire, with gasoline splashed on the corpses, and resentment condensed into dark clouds that covered the ceiling. My body trembled, my teeth chattered, and everything in front of me was too real and cruel. Despite having seen so many crime scenes, I still felt extremely uncomfortable. My fingers spasmed, and I didn¡¯t know what to do. As I touched the first piece of charred remains that resembled a human body, I felt like I had entered another grimy world. My deduction was correct, but the difficulty of taking action was immense. ¡°I can¡¯t give up, I can¡¯t be afraid! Find him! Find him!¡± My human emotions were tormented and interrogated, and I desperately used my last shred of sanity to stay alert and search the room like a machine. I didn¡¯t know what Guo Junjie looked like, and there were no images of him left at the school. But I had a crucial clue in my possession. A piece of skin the size of a palm was peeled off from the front of his chest, where his heart was! I needed to find a body with an exposed left rib without any skin adhesion, and during this process, I couldn¡¯t show any fear or hesitation. The timeline seemed to stretch infinitely, and my thoughts became muddled. I couldn¡¯t distinguish whether I was alive or dead, as I kept repeating the same actions, consumed by an obsession that seemed to take root in my heart. ¡°Find him!¡± My hands were blackened, and I had lost track of how many bodies I had examined, and how much time I had spent. When I reached the corner of the room, my eyes fell upon a well-preserved skeleton of a small-framed body, as if guided by fate. I dragged the body out, its face charred beyond recognition, with nothing discernible. But as my gaze lowered to its chest, one side of it had blackened flesh clinging to the bones, while the other side was empty, with no trace of a heart. ¡°I found him!¡± In that moment, as I lifted the body onto my back, the whole room shook, and resentment seemed to churn, as if something was about to awaken. The talismans on the walls moved on their own, some of them emitting a faint red glow. The windows rattled as I heard the sounds, but I couldn¡¯t afford to pay much attention. Once I made sure the body wouldn¡¯t touch the ground, I strode out with determined steps, carrying the body on my back. Stepping out of the burning trench, all the windows of the nearby houses shattered, the talismans turned to ashes, rendered useless. ¡°The place with the clear moonlight is the safest spot. Hurry! Let¡¯s go to the top floor of the teaching building!¡± I sprinted with all my might, time of life and death ticking away, every second counting. Soon, Guo Junjie¡¯s transformed celestial apparition would likely sense our presence. By then, Sakurako and I would have no chance of surviving. Thick black smoke billowed from the incineration pit, forming various shapes of grudges. I could hear Hideki¡¯s alarmed cries in my ears, but I dared not look back, not even a glance, as I ran straight towards the teaching building. ¡°Boom!¡± A loud bang echoed behind me, and the smoke rose from the house as Guo Junjie¡¯s celestial apparition broke free. ¡°It¡¯s over,¡± Hideki¡¯s face turned pale, ¡°I¡¯m afraid my soul will scatter now.¡± ¡°We still have a chance! The corpse is his only weakness!¡± I gritted my teeth and finally made it into the teaching building, climbing up the dilapidated stairs. A chilling wind howled behind me, as if a pack of wolves was chasing me. The body on my back grew heavier and heavier, my legs trembling, dizziness overwhelming me. It felt like being trapped in a water tank again. ¡°Hold on!¡± I bit my tongue hard, blood filling my mouth, the pain keeping me conscious at the critical moment. First floor, second floor, third floor, fourth floor! Only a section of stairs from the fourth floor to the top floor lay ahead of me. These last twelve steps would be a race between life and death against the vengeful spirit. One step, two steps, my legs felt as heavy as lead, and I turned my head to see the lingering grudge forming into a hideous ghost, crawling on all fours, rapidly chasing after me. ¡°Only ten steps left¡­¡± Blood from the corner of my mouth dripped down to my chin as I struggled to lift my leg. As I took my steps, the discordant voice of Hideki echoed in my ears. His body was torn into pieces by the vengeful spirit, scattering like snowflakes. One step, two steps, three steps¡­ The vengeful spirit roared, and a small figure stood in front of it. Sakurako let out a piercing scream, her face as white as paper, with only a pair of dark, hollow eyes left. Incredible grudges emanated from her small body, as if a blood-stained butterfly had flown out of a broken cocoon. The vengeful spirit¡¯s footsteps were blocked by her, and they were locked in a stalemate. I didn¡¯t know what was happening behind me at this moment, but I felt like I was carrying a mountain on my back. I lifted my leg, took a step, but my footsteps became heavy and slow. Four steps, five steps¡­eight steps, nine steps! Only one step remained on the twelve-level staircase, and Sakurako was still holding off the vengeful spirit. ¡°I can do this,¡± As I stepped onto the twelfth step of the staircase, I exerted all my strength to move forward, but when I looked down, there was unexpectedly a thirteenth step! ¡°It¡¯s impossible, I counted clearly. I have already passed twelve steps, why is there an extra one?!¡± I exclaimed. I stood still, feeling as if countless arms were grabbing at me from below. Beads of sweat dripped from my forehead, and I stared at the extra step, unsure whether I should take the final step. The crashing sound from below gradually diminished, and Sakurako was thrown away like a ragdoll, unable to stop the vengeful spirit anymore. The grudges transformed, and the black smoke dispersed, revealing a thin and weak boy in place of the ferocious vengeful spirit. His features were blurred, just like his experiences in this school, where no one cared about him and no one remembered his appearance. Only one step left¡­ ¡°The ones who killed me are all of you, the ones who drove me to my death are all of you. You should pay the price.¡± The boy repeated similar words incessantly, as his grudges grew stronger. The corpse on my back seemed to come to life, as it tightened its grip around my neck. ¡°They bullied you and that was wrong, but killing is something you did on your own. I¡¯m curious, how much grudge do you have to keep killing and not stop?¡± Knowing that my fate was sealed, I stopped struggling. ¡°You all deserve to die! You deserve it! It¡¯s all your fault! It¡¯s all your fault!¡± The boy approached step by step, and darkness completely covered my eyes. He walked past me, but instead of killing me immediately, he stepped onto the thirteenth step. In that moment, the path to the rooftop was blocked, and a pitch-black cave seemed to hang in mid-air. Looking inside, I saw pale-faced souls in school uniforms weeping. They were forever trapped here. ¡°So, stepping onto the thirteenth step really does allow you to see another world.¡± This was the only thought in my mind as breathing became difficult, and I felt myself tilting towards the opening of the cave. When half of my body was about to enter the dark cave, a clear and familiar voice suddenly rang out from a distance, ¡°Gao Jian!¡± ¡°Who¡¯s calling me?¡± I asked weakly. I groggily opened my eyes and could only see, at the end of the dark night, a red dress blooming like a blazing fire. CH 35 My consciousness blurred as the charred corpse on my back dragged me towards the thirteenth step. The trapped souls inside pounded against an invisible barrier, as if there was an unseen gate between two worlds. My heart slowed, my eyelids grew heavy, and an unprecedented drowsiness washed over me. ¡°I¡¯m tired,¡± I thought, longing to just fall asleep and never wake up again. ¡°Gao Jian!¡± At a critical moment, that voice rang out again. But half of my body had already been pulled into the realm of the dead, icy and chilling, my throat dry as if submerged in a dark lake, unable to utter a word. ¡°Gao Jian!¡± Someone kept calling my name¡ªthis was not a hallucination, but a definite sound that I heard. I waved my hands like a drowning person, but my body continued to sink uncontrollably, as if in a nightmare, falling into an endless abyss. ¡°Grab my hand, Gao Jian!¡± The dark lake rippled as a ball of fire descended from the sky, filling my lifeless eyes with its radiance and occupying my entire field of vision. Instinctively, I covered my eyes, but my palm touched the flames before me. There was no burning pain, only warmth, like holding a piece of Hetian jade, smooth and firm. It was a woman¡¯s hand! ¡°Grab on!¡± The long-lost warmth spread throughout my body, and my heart surged with renewed vitality. I grabbed onto the fire tightly, and all the darkness before me was burned away by the blaze! Taking deep breaths of air, I suddenly woke up from what felt like a dream, and opened my eyes wide. The corpse on my back was still there, but the thirteenth step leading to the other world was gone, replaced by a piece of human skin carved with intricate patterns, peeled from the chest area. Guo Junjie¡¯s disappeared skin was placed on the path that led to the rooftop; this cursed piece of skin was used to imprison the souls of students who died unjustly. ¡°Who saved me just now?¡± I looked up and saw two figures, one black and one red, engaged in fierce combat on the staircase. The black, ferocious demon was the Yuan Chen, while the woman in a bright red bridal gown, also haunted by resentment, turned out to be Xiao Feng! ¡°Red Luan¡¯s Auspicious Day!¡± The voice in the live stream room was filled with surprise: ¡°The auspicious day of Red Luan is when the eight characters align with the divine omen. What kind of fate does the host have? It¡¯s rare for an ordinary person to encounter one divine omen in their lifetime, but this person has encountered two different divine omens in just a few hours! And the fates are conflicting, yet they have turned calamity into fortune!¡± Red Luan¡¯s Auspicious Day is also one of the divine omens; though not as menacing as Yuan Chen¡¯s, it has the power to control bloodshed and is formidable in short-term battles. I didn¡¯t know how Xiao Feng had followed me here, but I didn¡¯t have time to think about it now. I stood up again, carrying Guo Junjie¡¯s corpse on my back, stepping over the piece of human skin, and kicking open the wooden door that led to the rooftop. The faint moonlight fell on my face as I reached the top of the building. Only here, on the highest floor, could I catch a glimpse of the moonlight. ¡°Under the moon¡¯s gentle radiance, I will shatter your evil spirit into pieces and scatter your soul!¡± I took step by step towards the edge of the teaching building, walking on the railing. ¡°Die!¡± I exerted all my strength and threw the corpse from my back out of the fourth floor! ¡°Roar!¡± A thunderous roar echoed through the corridor as countless sinister ghostly faces emerged from all directions, baring their teeth and claws, wailing and howling like wolves. ¡°Thud!¡± The sound of the body colliding with the ground came a few seconds later, and at the same time, all the ghosts that had gathered on the rooftop dissipated into thin air. It was not until then that Yuan Chen, the ferocious demon, finally broke free from Xiao Feng¡¯s grasp in the corridor. He walked towards the rooftop, but it was too late. Everything had already ended. The evil spirits turned into strands of green smoke, leaving only a slender boy standing in front of me. He was wearing a thin school uniform, and his blurry face gradually became clear. ¡°Is it you?¡± I blurted out, uttering only two words, but I couldn¡¯t recall where I had encountered him before, despite racking my brain. ¡°We will meet again.¡± The boy turned into ashes under the moonlight, but his last words were imprinted in my heart. ¡°Is it over?¡± The sky was tinged with a faint light as I limped back to the stairs. The skin that had been plastered on the ground disappeared without a trace, and the cherry blossom trees were nowhere to be found. Only Xiao Feng, dressed in a bridal gown, sat on the cold steps, motionless. ¡°Girl, thank you so much.¡± I reached out to pat Xiao Feng¡¯s shoulder, but as she turned her head, I was horrified by the expression on her face. It was not something a human would have¡ªa face filled with hatred and agony. After a brief moment of contemplation, I realized that the vengeful spirit from the Peace of Mind Hotel had taken over Xiao Feng¡¯s body, which explained her earlier intense resentment. I didn¡¯t retract my outstretched hand, but gently embraced her shoulder. ¡°It¡¯s okay now, Xiao Feng.¡± Her eyes, filled with murderous intent, gradually cleared. The expression on her face eased slowly, and she tilted her head before collapsing to the ground. ¡°Sorry for dragging you into this,¡± I said as I picked up Xiao Feng and returned to the rooftop. It was still dark outside, hence the mission given by the underworld show had not been cleared yet. I had no choice but to stay. I put my phone and camera aside and sat on the edge of the building¡¯s railing, looking at the silent and desolate campus. ¡°Is what I see before me the real world?¡± I struggled multiple times on the brink of death tonight. If my judgment had been slightly off or my luck a little worse, I could have become a lifeless corpse, with my soul forever imprisoned here. ¡°I finally understand why Xia Chi chose to avoid live streaming. It¡¯s not a job meant for the living.¡± I lit a cigarette in silence, watching the world below my feet, waiting for the first rays of sunlight to shine on me. ¡°Surviving a great calamity brings great fortune. Being born with a dual fate is something I¡¯ve never experienced before.¡± Daoist Master Wan commented on the chatroom. There were still over four hundred viewers in the live broadcast room. It had been a thrilling and heart-stopping night, far more exciting than any horror movie. ¡°Senior, aren¡¯t you supposed to be resting? Aren¡¯t practitioners of the Dao supposed to prioritize self-cultivation and nurturing their inner selves?¡± I exhaled a puff of smoke, but I was actually grateful for this eloquent senior. ¡°You ungrateful brat! I just saved your life earlier, and now you want to chase me away?¡± Daoist Master Wan retorted. ¡°How could I be someone who forgets favors? If you tell me your address, I¡¯ll send you a couple of boxes of local eggs as a thank you gift,¡± I said with a smirk. ¡°I¡¯ve had plenty of exquisite delicacies, so it¡¯s nothing special. But your fate is extraordinary. Can I have the chance to meet you again?¡± ¡°I can¡¯t ask for more. Senior, I¡¯m in a precarious situation right now. I hope you can give me some guidance when the time comes,¡± I said sincerely. ¡°When the fate is ripe, we will meet,¡± Daoist Master Wan said. ¡°You Dao practitioners always speak in cryptic riddles. The more I listen, the less reliable it sounds. Do you think I, a mere youngster, can survive until the day when fate brings us together?¡± I asked skeptically. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of ten thousand things, but I¡¯m afraid of the unexpected. If you, by chance, caught the eye of this daoist, your luck will be quite good,¡± Daoist Master Wan continued on. ¡°Youngster, as I leave, let me recite a poem for you. Listen carefully.¡± ¡°What poem?¡± I asked. ¡°Red luan[1] ascends to the Palace of Fate, entering and leaving, all endeavors prosperous. Behold the peach blossoms in full bloom, meeting esteemed individuals at every turn,¡± Daoist Master Wan recited in the chatroom. I was about to ask for an explanation of the poem when Xiao Feng, who was in my embrace, woke up drowsily. She saw herself dressed in bridal attire, leaning against me, and her face blushed instantly. ¡°Last night was really dangerous,¡± she said, burying her face in my chest, feeling nervous and unsure of what to say. Seeing her in this state, I suddenly felt uncomfortable. I didn¡¯t voice my inner thoughts or inquire about the secrets on her body. I just brushed her hair gently and said, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to look so beautiful in bridal attire. Whoever marries you will be truly fortunate.¡± As the sun rose from the horizon, its golden rays dispelled all the darkness. The live broadcast mission in the New Shanghai High School came to an end. ¡°Ding!¡± As the sunlight shone upon me, a new message appeared in my inbox in the underworld show app: ¡°Live broadcast mission to stay at New Shanghai High School and survive till dawn has been completed.¡± Evaluation is now underway¡­¡± ¡°Score breakdown: 1 point for completing the live broadcast mission; 2 points for reaching a peak viewership of over 500; 2 points for receiving gifts totaling over 100 ghost coins; ; and 1 bonus point for completing the underworld¡¯s commission.¡± ¡°3 points for completing the optional missions to play seven games on campus; progressed to three. Participated in courage game, four corners game, hide and seek game .¡± ¡°Final score: 9 points earned for this live broadcast.¡± A full nine points! Indeed, high risks come with high rewards. This time, I earned more than twice the points I got from the previous mission at the Peace of Mind Inn. Although I couldn¡¯t recall completing three games, since the evaluation from the underworld show app was given, I gladly accepted it. ¡°Perhaps I should have continued pretending with Hideki in order to participate in more games. It¡¯s a pity though.¡± As I thought about how each point represented a gold bricks, I couldn¡¯t help but feel a slight sting. ¡°The total number of points earned by the host is nine. Would you like to exchange them for goods? The available item catalog has been updated.¡± ¡°Thai ghost Kuman Thong (5 points), Six random pieces of Lesser Transmission Talisman (5 points), Child Immortal Wine (nourishes yin and replenishes yang, harmonizes the five organs, 5 points), Headless Ghost Tomb Altar (a lower-level ghost servant that can be commanded, 6 points), Beginner¡¯s Guide to Destiny Analysis (6 points), Enlightenment Pill (randomly opens one acupoint in the body, 6 points), Flying Dragon Larva (a highly valuable poisonous insect that can be controlled with blood, capable of saving or killing a person, 9 points)¡­¡± ************ Red Luan [1] refers to a mythical bird in Chinese mythology, also known as the ¡°vermilion bird¡± or ¡°phoenix¡±. It is often depicted as a symbol of auspiciousness, good fortune, and prosperity in Chinese culture. Also, i don¡¯t know if it¡¯s linked but the name ¡°Xiao Feng¡± can be translated as little phoenix. CH 36 After the item catalog was updated, there were over a dozen new items added. I didn¡¯t look closely, as I just wanted to leave the New Shanghai High School as quickly as possible. As for what to exchange, I¡¯ll need to study it carefully before making a decision. I helped Xiao Feng leave the school; we supported each other, and we walked quite a distance before finally getting into a taxi. We both smelled unpleasant, with Xiao Feng wearing a blood-red wedding dress that startled the driver when we got in. I had to come up with an excuse about filming a movie to explain it away. ¡°Xiao Feng, how did you find your way here last night?¡± ¡°As soon as you left, I hailed a taxi and followed you. The driver seemed to know you; he was a middle-aged balding man who was very interested in paranormal live streaming.¡± ¡°That balding man? That¡¯s quite a coincidence.¡± ¡°He even said that people in the entertainment industry like you guys need to be careful, as you might be sneaking out to meet someone secretly.¡± ¡°Uh¡­¡± As I looked at Xiao Feng tightly hugging her arms, I didn¡¯t know what to say. She definitely had a huge secret hidden within her, but I didn¡¯t know how to ask about it. ¡°Never mind, things are fine as they are.¡± When we returned to the peak of happiness store at the Tingtang Road, Xiao Feng and I were shocked as soon as we got out of the car. ¡°Whoever dared to smash my store will be damned!¡± Xiao Feng had left the rolling shutter door unlocked last night, and now the glass door inside was shattered, with merchandise scattered all over the floor and trampled beyond recognition. I had planned to come back, take a shower, and get a good night¡¯s sleep, but now my store was vandalized. ¡°Damn it!¡± I rolled up my sleeves and stormed into the store, only to see Blind Liu leaning on his cane, holding something in his hand, tinkering with it and occasionally adjusting the switches, feeling the different vibrations. ¡°What¡¯s this thing for? There¡¯s not even an instruction manual?¡± ¡°You stinky blind man! I treated you like a brother, and you went and smashed my store! This is all my hard-earned savings from years of work!¡± I grabbed Blind Liu by the collar, intending to give him a good lesson. However, before I knew it, he flicked his cane, and his hands flew, overpowering me and pinning me to the ground. ¡°Why would I bother smashing your store? I¡¯m a dying cripple, and I don¡¯t need to bring any more bad luck upon myself,¡± Blind Liu retorted. ¡°If not you, then who else could it be? I yelled for half an hour in your house yesterday, but you were nowhere to be found. Yet today, you came running here on your own. It¡¯s like a weasel wishing a chicken Happy New Year!¡± I replied angrily. ¡°I alone have limited capabilities, so I went out of town to find my senior brother,¡± Blind Liu explained. ¡°Did you find him?¡± I asked. ¡°No,¡± he replied. ¡°Your uncle! You dare to speak so calmly to me without even finding him? Let go of me! I want to fight it out with you!¡± I yelled, ready to confront him. Blind Liu was about to say something when he suddenly saw Xiao Feng, dressed in bridal attire, walking into the room. His face changed dramatically, and he placed his cane in front of his chest, protecting me behind him. ¡°What kind of evil spirit are you? How dare you show up in broad daylight?¡± he exclaimed. ¡°Who the hell do you think you are? She¡¯s my hired waitress, so let go of her!¡± I managed to break free from the restraint and explained to Blind Liu about Xiao Feng¡¯s background. After hearing it, he furrowed his brows and remained silent for a moment. ¡°Old man, if you didn¡¯t vandalize my store, then who else could have done it?¡± I asked. Blind Liu pinched his fingers and just when I thought he was going to resort to some divination, the old trickster pointed at the surveillance camera outside the store. ¡°Take a look for yourself.¡± We pulled up the surveillance footage, which showed a group of people arriving in a van in front of my store in the early hours of the morning, around 2-3 a.m. They carried clubs and started smashing without any hesitation. Although their license plates were covered, their faces were visible, and one of the thugs had a scorpion tattoo on his chest. After vandalizing the store, he even flicked off at the camera. ¡°They¡¯re so arrogant.¡± I remarked. Recently, I had offended quite a few people, so I couldn¡¯t determine their identities for sure. Xiao Feng, who was busy tidying up inside the house, looked worried and said, ¡°Should we call the police?¡± ¡°Call the police?¡± Even if they get caught, they¡¯ll probably be out in a week or two. Such a light punishment won¡¯t quench my thirst for revenge,¡± I said, feeling frustrated. ¡°I¡¯ll investigate this myself, regardless of who¡¯s backing them up. Whoever dared to vandalize my store will pay for it.¡± I was not afraid of threats and was willing to risk everything at this point. After finishing tidying up the store, it was already noon. Xiao Feng and I freshened up and changed into normal clothes before inviting Blind Liu to have a meal with us outside. After a few rounds of drinks, Blind Liu remained silent. It wasn¡¯t until he saw that Xiao Feng had passed out from being drunk that he dipped his hand in water and wrote on the table, ¡°Have you two been intimate?¡± I chuckled when I saw it. ¡°Brother Liu, do I look like someone who can¡¯t resist temptation? She has nowhere to go, so I temporarily took her in. We have a pure friendship.¡± ¡°She is destined to be a Red Luan, but she¡¯s plagued by vengeful spirits. She has a dual identity¡ªa living demon! Don¡¯t provoke her; send her away as far as possible!¡± Blind Liu waved his fingers and wrote down the words one by one. When I saw this, I didn¡¯t think much of it. ¡°Have you had too much to drink?¡± I asked. If it wasn¡¯t for Xiao Feng yesterday, I would have been dead already. Even if it meant risking my life, I couldn¡¯t treat her unfairly. ¡°Karmic entanglements, endless cause and effect. You will sink deeper and deeper, and in the end, there are only two options,¡± Blind Liu stood up, and the last few words were written with wine: ¡°Either marry her, or kill her!¡± ¡°You¡¯re really drunk. I won¡¯t marry her, and I won¡¯t kill her,¡± I said firmly after taking a bite of food. Blind Liu was about to write something else, but he sighed deeply when he heard my resolute tone. ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s all fate, and human efforts are futile.¡± He looked at me for more than ten seconds through the blindfold. ¡°You are already seriously ill, with resentment penetrating your bone marrow. I don¡¯t know where you went last night, but the resentment on you has multiplied several times. If you continue like this, even without her harming you, you won¡¯t live long.¡± ¡°I understand that, but there are some places I must go.¡± I played games with ghosts last night and searched for corpses alone in the room where the Heaven and Earth Divine Wrath Seal was sealed. If there is no heavy Yin energy on me, that would be strange. ¡°Old Liu, do you know how to remove Yin energy from the body?¡± ¡°Items that can remove Yin energy are rare treasures from heaven and earth, and even with money, they may not be easily obtainable. Right now, you should be more concerned about another issue,¡± he turned to look at Xiao Feng, ¡°Having a heavy Yin energy will attract more negative entities to come closer, making your situation increasingly dangerous.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry too much about debts or encountering negative entities. The more you see them, the less impact they have,¡± I replied nonchalantly. ¡°You¡¯re quite optimistic,¡± Blind Liu was speechless with my attitude. ¡°It¡¯s always better to be cautious. You should consider keeping some roosters or black dogs in your shop as early warning signals. When a real danger comes, they might buy you some time.¡± ¡°Keeping roosters in the shop might not be suitable¡­¡± I hesitated. ¡°I¡¯m saying this for your own good. When you can lose your own life, why worry about trivial matters?¡± Blind Liu finished his drink, picked up his shoulder pole, and left. After settling the bill, I carried the drunken Xiao Feng back to the shop. Seeing her delicate and charming appearance, with rosy lips gently panting, I had no desire to sleep. I covered her with a blanket, locked the shop door, and headed to the largest pet market in Jiangcheng. Blind Liu was right, some animals do have the ability to ward off evil spirits. Buying one and keeping it in the shop would be a great idea for added protection when there are no customers around. It was my first time coming to the pet market, and I was surprised to see how bustling it was. ¡°Buy two green iguanas or chameleons and get one free, for only 1999!¡± ¡°Feeling lonely and misunderstood? Need someone to talk to? Get a monk parrot, it¡¯s not just a pet, but a therapist for your soul!¡± ¡°Introducing the intelligent red rose, queen of the spider world. Aren¡¯t you tempted?¡± As I looked at the shops on both sides of the street and the cages outside, I felt too embarrassed to go in and say, ¡°Boss, I need two roosters with white feathers and red combs¡­¡± After strolling down the street for a while, I finally came across a shop that sold pet dogs. Upon entering, I saw that they were all cute and adorable breeds that would surely win the hearts of girls. I shook my head and was about to leave when the enthusiastic shop owner stopped me, saying, ¡°Brother, you seem dissatisfied with my dogs based on your expression.¡± ¡°Too feminine, I want something more majestic,¡± I didn¡¯t dare to tell him that I was buying a dog for warding off evil spirits. ¡°I understand, customers are gods. Please come inside, those dogs have fierce temperaments, and I don¡¯t want to scare away passersbies by keeping them outside.¡± The owner lifted the thick curtain and led me into the backyard. The dogs here looked fierce, but for some reason, as soon as I walked past, they immediately retreated to the back of their cages, trembling with fear, making the owner quite embarrassed. ¡°This shouldn¡¯t be happening, these dogs are usually aggressive, why aren¡¯t they even barking today?¡± The owner looked at me with suspicion. I was also speechless, suspecting that it was because I had too much Yin energy on me, perhaps influenced by the divination of the old man. Seeing that I was about to leave, the owner stopped me with a determined tone, ¡°Wait, I still have some dogs in the shop that are top-notch in quality. But whether you buy them or not, please don¡¯t make a fuss outside; I¡¯m afraid of trouble.¡± ¡°Oh, are there even fiercer dogs than these?¡± I asked. ¡°Of course.¡± The owner took out a key and opened the innermost room. As soon as the door opened, I smelled the strong odor of raw meat. ¡°Be careful not to get too close to the cages. These are all large fighting dogs, and there are also mastiffs being boarded here, all fed with raw meat. They are wild.¡± The owner stood by the door, gesturing for me to go in and see for myself. I nodded, and as soon as I took a step forward, all the iron cages started rattling with the sound of chains, as if a bowl of cold water was poured into hot oil. CH 37 ¡°Boss, is this cage sturdy enough?¡± I felt a chill run down my spine. Inside two rows of iron cages, fierce fighting dogs bared their teeth and stared at me as if they had just spotted a wild beast. They all entered attack mode, and if they hadn¡¯t been chained up, they would have surely pounced on me and torn me to shreds. The boss, standing at the door, was also puzzled. ¡°This has never happened before. Sir, were you a professional dog butcher before?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t even dare kill a chicken, let alone a dog,¡± I replied. Although these ferocious dogs were strong and vicious, they did not meet my requirements. They seemed to have an inexplicable hostility towards me, and it was clear that they could not be tamed. ¡°Do you have any other dogs here?¡± I asked, unwilling to give up. This was the largest pet dog store in the market, and if I couldn¡¯t find a satisfactory dog here, I might as well not look elsewhere. The boss took a sharp breath upon hearing my question and said, with great implication, ¡°Today really is strange. Alright, since you¡¯re already here, let me show you my collection.¡± The two of us walked past the two rows of iron cages and entered a separate breeding compartment at the back of the housing. Even before we got within ten meters of it, the hunting dogs in the compartment seemed to sense something and began to roar fiercely. Their voices almost shook the roof, and the iron bars rattled as their bodies repeatedly hit the cages with a ¡°bang, bang¡± sound. ¡°Stay away from the cages. These dogs all have a history of attacking people. Technically, they should all be put down, but I just couldn¡¯t bring myself to do it,¡± the boss warned. ¡°Alright,¡± I replied. Surprisingly, I was now even more interested in buying one of them, given their sensitivity to negative energy. As we entered the compartment, I noticed that all the cages here were reinforced, thicker, and twice the size of the ones outside. The boss lifted the black cloth covering the cage and pointed to the first one. ¡°This is an Italian Neapolitan Mastiff, one of the most dangerous breeds in the world. Once it attacks, it won¡¯t stop until it kills, and it even enjoys swallowing its prey, including humans. It¡¯s known as the most ruthless killer in the world of fierce dogs. It used to be a favorite of the Mafia; it was used to terrorize and assert power.¡± The massive dog inside the cage that was barking furiously was actually as large as a one- or two-year-old colt. ¡°I don¡¯t recommend buying this dog. It¡¯s already an adult, and no one has been able to tame it since its previous owner died,¡± the boss said, lifting the second cage. ¡°This is an Italian Cane Corso, originally used to drive cattle to the slaughterhouse by biting and holding them down. They¡¯re also used for hunting large game like wild boars and have excellent agility and reflexes. They¡¯re brave and have extraordinary toughness, often fighting to the death until they achieve total victory or death. They say the heads of the hellhounds Cerberus in many movies are modeled after them.¡± ¡°These kinds of dogs can be tamed with some effort, and they¡¯ll become your most faithful guard. If you¡¯re really interested, the fixed price is 30,000 yuan.¡± The boss raved on about the price of 30,000 yuan, but I only had 200 yuan in my pocket at the moment and thought it was more than enough. Unaware of my dilemma, the boss lifted the black cloth covering the third iron cage and said, ¡°This is a pit bull, also known as an American bulldog. It weighs 30 kilograms and can beat a 75-kilogram human in three minutes. Among all ferocious dogs, it¡¯s the most brutal and aggressive. This purebred pit bull has hurt people multiple times and has a terrible temperament, so I¡¯ll give you a discount at 15,000 yuan. ¡° Noticing that my poker face was still intact, the boss uncovered the fourth iron cage and said, ¡°This is a purebred Tibetan mastiff that a wealthy friend from Zhejiang put on consignment with me after going bankrupt. There¡¯s video evidence of it fighting off three starving wolves without falling behind. According to the consigner, this dog is priced at 100,000 yuan.¡± I licked my dry lips and thought, ¡°Asking for 100,000 yuan for a dog, is he insane?¡± ¡°What¡¯s in the last cage?¡± I asked casually, hoping to broaden my horizons. To my surprise, the boss looked a bit hesitant and said, ¡°The dog in this cage is actually not for sale. If you don¡¯t like any of the other dogs, please leave.¡± ¡°Not selling it?¡± His words piqued my curiosity even more. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re not keeping a protected animal in that last cage, are you? That would be illegal.¡± ¡°How could I dare do that? Hey, if you want to see, go ahead. It¡¯s not like it¡¯s a good dog anyway.¡± He pulled off the black cloth, revealing a lazy-looking ordinary wolf dog in the cage. ¡°You had it hidden so well, I thought you were keeping a lion in there.¡± Compared to the other mighty and proud dogs in the house, this wolf dog seemed too ordinary. The boss had a wry smile on his face. ¡°This dog¡¯s breed is called the Chinese rural dog, also known as the native dog.¡± ¡°We can never judge a book by its cover. If you are hiding it so well, it must be extraordinary. Tell me more,¡± I said. The boss looked a bit embarrassed but continued to explain. ¡°This dog was consigned to me by a lazy Taoist priest. He was penniless at the time and offered to sell the dog in exchange for some alcohol.¡± ¡°Selling a dog for alcohol? That¡¯s quite a carefree attitude,¡± I remarked as I examined the native dog in the cage. Strangely enough, while the other dogs in the house were barking incessantly, clearly intimidated by my negative aura, this native dog was calm and ignored me. ¡°The lazy Taoist priest claims that this dog is a Changbai Mountain guard dog. It has chased away Siberian tigers, fought against blind bears, and killed a six or seven zhang (18-21 meters) long giant snake. It grew up drinking Tianchi water and eating lingzhi herbs,¡± the boss said. ¡°Just this one did all of that?¡± A zhang is about three meters long. Besides the questionable existence of a snake that long, this native dog¡¯s tail was barely over a meter long when held straight. ¡°Boss, you¡¯re exaggerating a bit,¡± anyone with a bit of common sense would find it hard to believe. ¡°That¡¯s what the lazy Taoist priest said. At first, I didn¡¯t believe it, but then I realized this dog is truly exceptional.¡± The boss pointed to the other dogs beside it. ¡°These fighting dogs have vicious personalities and can¡¯t be kept with other dogs, but this native dog is different.¡± ¡°One time, a store employee forgot to close the door properly, and a bulldog got loose. None of us adults could do anything, and we were about to call the police, but this native dog suddenly appeared from somewhere and let out a single bark. The bulldog obediently went back to its own cage,¡± the boss recounted. ¡°A few months ago, my daughter-in-law came to the store carrying her child, who had a high fever, and asked me to drive them to the hospital. But as soon as I brought the car out, my daughter-in-law suddenly said that the child¡¯s fever had gone down. When we went back inside, I saw her son playing with this mongrel dog on the floor.¡± ¡°You can¡¯t imagine the scene. This dog sat at the entrance of the store, and all the other dogs were quiet and obedient, not daring to make a sound.¡± ¡°Even more surprisingly, when we were leaving, this native dog bit onto the child¡¯s clothes and refused to let go. We had to cut the clothes to free the child, and since then, the child has never been sick again. When we went back to our hometown for the Chinese New Year, I found out that new clothes were bought by my sister-in-law for her own child, beore he had drowned in a reservoir while playing. My brother then gave those new clothes to my children.¡± ¡°Boss, I came here to buy a dog, why are you telling me stories?¡± Although I believed the boss after hearing all this, as a host of the underworld show, I had to conceal my identity and pretend to be a normal person as much as possible. The boss felt a little embarrassed and said, ¡°I know it sounds strange, but this dog is indeed extraordinary. I¡¯ve sold it several times, but it always manages to escape and come back to me. So I decided to keep it and provide it with good food and drinks; after all, it has done lots of favors to my family.¡± ¡°You guys are truly virtuous and righteous.¡± I was moved by what the boss said. Wasn¡¯t this spiritually enlightened dog exactly what I needed? ¡°How much is this dog? I sincerely want to buy it. Boss, could you give me a price?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that I won¡¯t sell it to you, but even if you take it away today, it might secretly come back tomorrow, wasting your effort, and then I¡¯ll have to refund your money.¡± ¡°That¡¯s my own business. Just name your price.¡± I put on an impatient look as if I was going to take money out of my pocket right away. ¡°The price is set by the lazy Taoist, and you have to pay this amount.¡± The boss extended five fingers. ¡°Five hundred? That¡¯s too expensive. I think two hundred is more appropriate.¡± ¡°Five hundred thousand.¡± ¡°What?!¡± I turned around suddenly, and I didn¡¯t know what I stepped on, so my body leaned and hit the iron cage next to me. The Tibetan Mastiff inside, who had already taken a dislike to me, smelled the flesh and rushed out! CH 38 My mind was elsewhere, and before I knew it, a sharp set of dog teeth was headed straight for my eye. In a split second, I felt a powerful force knock me back before I could even cry out for help. When I regained my senses, a friendly yellow-haired dog was licking my wrist. ¡°Did you save me?¡± I asked, still dazed from the impact. The owner was sweating profusely, understandably worried about the potential consequences if his dog had blinded me. ¡°Are you okay, buddy?¡± he asked, crouching down beside me. ¡° I¡¯m fine, no need to worry,¡± I replied, trying to stand up. Suddenly, my wrist felt numb, and I looked down to see the same dog continuously licking a particular spot on my wrist, clearly interested in it. ¡°I seem to have a strange connection with this dog¡­wait a minute!¡± A bolt of lightning struck my mind. ¡°The spot that the dog is licking is the wound left by the Plum Blossom Gu from the underworld show interview!¡± In a panic, I quickly pulled my arm back, ignoring the owner¡¯s attempts to calm me down. I knelt down on the ground and locked eyes with the yellow dog. ¡°Do you know what this is?¡± The owner was confused by my sudden reaction. ¡°Why are you kneeling? Ar you trying to extort me?¡± ¡°Listen, I want this dog,¡± I said firmly. ¡°Huh? What¡¯s going on?¡± the owner asked. ¡°I said, I want this dog!¡± ¡°No, brother, this dog is not for sale. That 500,000 estimate is probably just the drunken ramblings of an old Taoist.¡± ¡°What¡¯s its name?¡± ¡°Why are you so stubborn, brother? This dog has been waiting for its owner to come back. Even if you buy it, it will sneak back. ¡± ¡°Tell me its name!¡± ¡°It¡¯s called Bai Qi.¡± ¡°Bai Qi? The fierce general of the Great Qin who killed 400,000 people?¡± ¡°The characters may be the same, but¡­¡± ¡°What a domineering name, so heavy with killing intent! No wonder it¡¯s impervious to joy and anger and immune to disturbance by ghosts and demons! I¡¯m buying this dog for sure!¡± Standing up, I pulled out my black card given by the underworld show, ¡°Boss, here is 500,000 yuan, not 1 yuan less.¡± ¡°Brother, calm down¡­¡± The owner was completely dumbfounded, wondering what was going on. ¡°No need to hesitate anymore. It¡¯s exactly what I want!¡± I reached into my pocket and took out two hundred Yuan, stuffing it into the owner¡¯s hand. ¡°I¡¯ll pay in installments. You take these two hundred first. Bai Qi! Let¡¯s go!¡± Jogging all the way, Bai Qi was attracted by the plum blossom pattern on my shoes and followed closely behind me. After we ran out of two streets, we finally heard the owner shouting. He was waving the two hundred Yuan and running after us in his slippers: ¡°Hey, that dog is not for sale!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you back the missing 49,800. You don¡¯t have to chase us anymore!¡± We ran out of the pet market and got into a taxi. I quickly instructed the driver to start driving. ¡°Take a quick tour around the city before coming back here.¡± ¡°Okay, okay.¡± When I returned to the pet market, I found that the owner had not called the police and was still doing business as usual, which put my mind at ease. ¡°He probably thought you would sneak back on your own the next day.¡± I petted the fur on Bai Qi¡¯s neck, and the dog lay very humanely on my lap, sniffing the wound on my wrist incessantly. ¡°Do you know about the underworld show?¡± That was where the nightmare began, and I could never forget it. I had an uncontrollable fear of the place, and although I didn¡¯t want to admit it, not daring to re investigate the no lights road again was proof enough. I returned to the ¡°Peak of Happiness¡± store with Baiqi, and Xiao Feng had already prepared the meal, sitting at the table, earnestly reciting the names and prices of various products. Seeing her recite names that were embarrassing made me smile. ¡°The meal is really good today. I could smell it before I even entered the door.¡± ¡° You¡¯re back!¡± Xiao Feng greeted me happily, but she didn¡¯t expect to see Bai Qi beside me. She let out a sharp ¡°ah¡± and then quickly retreated back into the shop. ¡°Gao Jian! Wh-what is that?¡± ¡°He¡¯s called Baiqi. From now on, he¡¯s a member of the shop.¡± We entered the house, and Baiqi wagged his tail, slowly circling around Xiaofeng. The girl in question, though, was trembling and dared not move. Baiqi seemed very pleased with Xiaofeng¡¯s reaction. He barked three times at her and then ran into the house to play with his tail. ¡°Xiao Feng, make three portions of food from now on, and make sure there¡¯s meat in every meal. This dog is very human-like; don¡¯t mistreat him.¡± ¡°I feel like you¡¯re treating him better than you treat me.¡± Xiaofeng, who was frightened, felt a bit aggrieved. I quickly sat down next to her and said, ¡°You work hard, and I¡¯ll give you a raise. Let¡¯s go buy some suitable clothes tomorrow¡­¡± After saying these words, I silently criticized myself in my heart, ¡°Why am I acting like a con artist?¡± Looking at Xiao Feng, who was happy and still continuously picking food for me, there were some things that I could only keep to myself and couldn¡¯t say out loud. After being full and satisfied, drowsiness came over me. I let Xiao Feng sleep on the second-floor bed while I made a bed on the first floor. The next morning, I was abruptly woken up from my sweet dreams by a rapid knocking on the door. ¡°Who is it?¡± When I opened the door, it was a strange person dressed in a trench coat and wrapped up tightly. ¡°Hey buddy, going to an adult store to buy something is not a shameful thing, but do you really have to dress like a secret agent?¡± The person¡¯s tone was cold and detached, ¡°Let¡¯s talk inside. I have some business to discuss with you.¡± ¡°Business?¡± We entered the room, and I asked Xiao Feng to go outside and watch the store while I made a cup of tea for the man in the trench coat. ¡°What kind of business?¡± The man didn¡¯t say anything, but simply placed his briefcase on the table and opened it. ¡°A business worth a hundred thousand yuan.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a big deal.¡± Compared to Xia Qingzhi¡¯s small-scale dealings, this was the real deal. ¡°When you haven¡¯t opened up shop for three years, when you do, you¡¯ll have three years of success. Tell me more.¡± The man stood up and positioned himself at the door, making sure no one was eavesdropping. He took off his hat and sat back down. ¡°Good day, Mr. Gao. I am Zhang, the personal secretary of Director Huang from Qian Ding Pharmaceutical Company.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s trendy to hire male secretaries now, huh? Nice to meet you.¡± My gaze didn¡¯t leave the bundle of one hundred thousand yuan notes on the table. They looked so pretty, with their bright red color. ¡°Mr. Gao, this one hundred thousand is just a deposit. If the results of your investigation satisfy Director Huang, we will give you another one hundred thousand.¡± ¡°Two hundred thousand in total. What do you want me to do? Steal trade secrets from a rival company?¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s like this. Director Huang has three children, two daughters and one son. The eldest daughter works in another province, the second daughter is bedridden with a serious illness, and the only son, Huang Guanxing, just turned twenty but spends most of his time lazing around and getting into trouble.¡± ¡°Wait, are you asking me to investigate your boss, Director Huang?¡± ¡°How is that possible? The person who commissioned this job is Director Huang himself. He met you at the Jiang family¡¯s wedding and thought you were capable, so he sent me to communicate with you,¡± the secretary explained. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my mistake. Please continue,¡± I said. ¡°Although Director Huang¡¯s youngest son, Huang Guanxing, is not productive and only spends his time indulging in pleasure, he is still Director Huang¡¯s only son and the only one who can carry on the Huang family bloodline.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why Director Huang has always secretly protected him, even though he gives him a headache most of the time, for fear that something might happen to him.¡± ¡°But even with all the protection, Huang Guanxing still died,¡± the secretary continued. ¡°Died?¡± ¡°Yes, the police investigation concluded that it was an accidental car crash, and that it was caused by Huang Guanxing driving under the influence of alcohol. He is fully responsible,¡± ¡°He has only himself to blame for drinking and driving,¡± I lit a cigarette and asked, ¡°Do you mind?¡± Secretary Zhang waved his hand and said, ¡°Although Mr. Huang¡¯s son was promiscuous and ill-behaved, he had a medical condition¡ªalcohol allergy. There was no possibility of him driving after drinking.¡± ¡°In addition, the presence of alcohol was only detected through the autopsy, which made Mr. Huang suspect that someone had murdered his only son and made it look like an accident.¡± Secretary Zhang sat up straight, ¡°There are many groups that have conflicting interests with our Qian Ding pharmaceutical company. It is difficult to determine the killer, and Mr. Huang is the face of our company. There are some things that he cannot handle personally, so he wants you to investigate in secret.¡± After a moment¡¯s thought, i nodded my head in understanding. Usually, private detectives do not accept commissions for murder cases, but the stack of bills on the table was too tempting. ¡°Okay, I accept your commission,¡± I said, stubbing out my cigarette and straightening up. ¡°I will need you to provide me with some information, including all of Huang Guanxing¡¯s communication tools and social media accounts from before his death. I need to screen everyone he had contact with one by one.¡± ¡°No problem, I understand your procedures,¡± Secretary Zhang took out a file folder from his coat. ¡°Both of Huang Guanxing¡¯s phones are in here, along with his social media account information and passwords. This is my business card. If you need anything else, please feel free to contact me at any time. I will do my best to assist you.¡± **** After seeing Secretary Zhang off, I locked the door to the second floor and opened the file folder. ¡°A deal for two hundred thousand yuan, looks like I¡¯ll have to give it my all,¡± I took out Huang Guanxing¡¯s used phone and logged into his WeChat account. As I scrolled through his contacts, a familiar username caught my eye. ¡°Girl who loves handsome and talented men? Isn¡¯t this¡­¡± CH 39 This name appeared in my livestream chatroom before, and I remember it very clearly. During the livestream of the Peace of Mind Inn, there was an audience member who doubted me from start to finish. Fortunately, he reported the case in advance and happened to save me as well. ¡°There are many people with the same username. It shouldn¡¯t be the same person,¡± During my livestream at the New Shanghai High School, I didn¡¯t see the viewer named girl who loves handsome and talented men, appear. Considering the time of his death, he should already have encountered that accident by that time. ¡°Could this really be a coincidence?¡± I took out a pen and paper and started to sort out his relationships according to the information provided on his social media account. Huang Guanxing was truly a playboy. His WeChat was filled with car models and third-tier celebrities, all with sweet voices and sexy outfits that were tempting enough to commit a crime for. As I listened to their voice conversations, I was already stunned. ¡°They are all painted skeletons, with white bones and flesh. Stay calm.¡± Within three days, there were twenty-two people who had contacted Huang Guanxing, and twenty-one of them were women. The only man was his father, Director Huang. Based on the chat content, I narrowed down the investigation to four individuals. Jiang Shihan, an intern nurse at the Jiangcheng Maternity and Child Health Hospital, with a height of 1.66 meters and an impressive bust size of 36D, was Huang Guanxing¡¯s girlfriend. On the night of the car accident, she stayed with Huang Guanxing until late at night. According to the information provided by Secretary Zhang, she seemed to have experienced some kind of incident that night, and currently her mental state was extremely unstable. Miao Yuanyuan, a girl from the countryside who came to the city to work, has a fresh and delicate appearance and was one of Huang Guanxing¡¯s targets for his playboy ways. However, due to some inexplicable reasons, he was not able to succeed with her. It is worth noting that Miao Yuanyuan comes from the Shengmiao, an ethnic minority group that has retained its primitive customs and has not been Sinicized. Wang Yuchun, the only current popular star in Huang Guanxing¡¯s WeChat friend list, had dated Huang Guanxing before she became famous for her role in the movie ¡°I Am Pan Jinlian,¡± which made her an instant hit across China. She then kicked Huang Guanxing to the curb and was taken away by a mysterious godfather. Onizuka Ayaka, the only Japanese woman in his contact list; she was the owner of a blues bar, and there was no record of her in the information provided by Secretary Zhang. ¡°Each of these four individuals has both the motive and ability to commit the crime. In order to eliminate their suspicions, I must go to the scene and conduct further investigation.¡± After organizing the information, I casually flipped through Huang Guanxing¡¯s phone. When I opened the call log, one call caught my attention. Four days ago, this playboy actually called 110 (emergency number in China). ¡°Why did he call the police?¡± I checked the time when he made the call, which was the same night I was live streaming at the Peace of Mind Hotel. Considering my experience that night, I didn¡¯t believe in coincidences. ¡°Huang Guanxing must have seen my live stream! He was definitely the person who doubted me from beginning to end. He is the girl who loves handsome and talented men.¡± I searched through his phone, checking all the browsing history, but couldn¡¯t find any trace of that night¡¯s broadcast. I wasn¡¯t sure where he saw my live stream, but I had a hunch that his death was related to the underworld show. After memorizing the information, my next step was to visit the police station and see if I could get any clues indirectly. I opened the locked door and descended to the first floor, when suddenly I felt a headache coming on. Xiao Feng was dressed neatly, and it was obvious that she had put a lot of effort into her appearance. She shyly ran over and took my hand, saying, ¡°Let¡¯s go buy some clothes.¡± ¡°Pulling and tugging in broad daylight is not appropriate,¡± said Blind Liu, who was leaning against the door with his bamboo pole. I wasn¡¯t sure when he had arrived. ¡°Gao Jian, your Yang fire is already weak. So you must control yourself.¡± ¡°Woof woof!¡± Bai Qi, who was crouched in the corner, barked at me disapprovingly. It was clear that he meant, ¡°Go get some food; I¡¯m hungry!¡± ¡°I say, gentlemen, it¡¯s only 8:30 in the morning. Can you give me some personal time?¡± I calmly withdrew my hand from Xiao Feng¡¯s grasp. ¡°Old Liu, aren¡¯t you afraid of having your fortune-telling booth under the overpass confiscated by the city management when you are here?¡± ¡°Where there is smoke, there is fire. I naturally have good news for you,¡± replied Blind Liu, taking a white jade pendant with a red string from his pocket. ¡°Last time I went to visit my senior brother, although he wasn¡¯t home, he left this pure-hearted jade for me.¡± ¡°Pure-hearted jade?¡± I asked. ¡°It means to have a pure and focused mind, to hold onto the essence and preserve the spirit, which can lead to true cultivation,¡± Blind Liu replied. ¡°What does that mean?¡± I inquired further. Blind Liu had a face as expressionless as a dead tree. ¡°It means that if you wear this jade and don¡¯t let your mind wander, you can see the words written in the the General Outline of inner eye practice manual. If you cultivate it well, you will greatly benefit. That book is a closely guarded secret.¡± ¡°Well, it¡¯s said that you don¡¯t get something for nothing. Since you¡¯ve given me this treasure, why don¡¯t we both study the book together? That way, if I don¡¯t understand something, I can ask you,¡± I suggested. ¡°No, I don¡¯t have your good fortune,¡± Blind Liu firmly refused. ¡°Once you learn the Taoist practices of the Miaozhen Temple, you¡¯ll have to call yourself a Miaozhen practitioner, or you¡¯ll get into big trouble.¡± ¡°I understand, it¡¯s like intellectual property and intangible cultural heritage,¡± I said. Blind Liu didn¡¯t know how to respond to my statement, so after thinking for a while, he muttered, ¡°Oh well, as long as you¡¯re happy.¡± After seeing Blind Liu off, I couldn¡¯t wait to put on the jade pendant. As I suspected, I felt a coolness in my heart and my spirit was refreshed. I found the book in the cabinet and took a deep breath before opening it. ¡°A trickle of clear and bright faith, discerning between Buddha and demon with five eyes and six senses. Able to perceive sights and sounds thousands of miles away, one¡¯s vision transcends the universe like a floating boat.¡± I eagerly turned to the second page, only to find it blank. ¡°What the heck! Old Liu, you lied to me!¡± With a slap on the table, just as I was about to get up and chase after that swindler, Bai Qi, lying beside me, suddenly yelled out, ¡°Woof!¡± The sound was sudden, and I was momentarily stunned. I felt as if all the clutter in my mind had been cleared out. When I looked down, the blank sheet of paper in front of me now had lines of words appearing and disappearing as if by magic. ¡°Bust open the gates to vanquish all demons, worthy of ascending to the golden palace to meet the jade emperor. Able to consort with celestial beings, and use the axis of the earth as a door frame.¡± ¡°A hundred illnesses will vanish from the body like smoke, and the three elements of the body will glow like the sun. If you can achieve it, you will enjoy everlasting health and happiness, both physically and spiritually.¡± ¡°When the central meridian is clear, all other meridians will be clear. Penetrating the tendons and marrow, one will attain true realization. Not only will it eliminate all illnesses, but it will also cut off all threads of poverty.¡± ¡°The world will become a paradise, and the universe will become a small room. From the top to the bottom, and from the bottom to the top, true qi will permeate every part of the body.¡± ¡°It looks impressive, but I can¡¯t understand a single word,¡± I thought to myself. My mind was clear, and even the act of turning the pages seemed effortless. ¡°The inner eye is divided into five stages: the Chasing Eye, the Judging Eye, the Anticipating Eye, the Penetrating Eye, and the Distant Eye.¡± ¡°When the fruit is ripe, it naturally falls off the vine. Progressing step by step, we ascend to higher levels.¡± ¡°The Inner Eye is located at the center point of the brow line connecting the two eyebrows. To activate it, sit facing the golden disc when the sun is rising or setting, relax the entire body, place the tongue against the palate, gently close the lips, and focus the gaze on the Inner Eye without moving the pupils.¡± ¡°When inhaling, visualize red golden light and warmth entering the brain from the Inner Eye. When exhaling, imagine the golden light and warmth staying in the brain, while slowly and evenly exhaling impure air from the Inner Eye. At the same time, another internal qi sinks from the central meridian to the perineum, and flows into the Yongquan acupoint until the Inner Eye becomes warm and swollen.¡± ¡°Practice again facing the red light every midnight. When there is no sun, you can also practice facing the light.¡± ¡°Practice until you can see the feathers of birds flying a hundred meters high; then you have achieved the level of ¡®chasing eyes¡¯.¡± ¡°The key to practicing is to relax your body and mind completely, with no distracting thoughts. If you experience swelling in your forehead or tears from your eyes, it is normal and should not be a concern. Keep your focus on the inner eye acupoint.¡± After reading about the practice of ¡®chasing eyes¡¯, I was about to turn the page when suddenly my eyelids twitched, and a flood of distracting thoughts rushed into my mind. When I looked back at the general outline of the inner eye practice manual, the page had become blank. ¡°How amazing!¡± I had already memorized the method of the first level of this practice manual. ¡°Given time, even without the camera function of the underworld show, I would be able to easily see through the illusions of ghosts and spirits.¡± ¡°What are you grinning for?¡± Xiao Feng reached out her slender hand and touched my forehead. ¡°Have you gone crazy?¡± ¡°Hahaha, Xiao Feng, from now on, you can¡¯t hide any secrets from me.¡± Feeling cheerful, I joked with her, ¡°Even if you¡¯re wearing clothes, you can¡¯t escape my psychic eye.¡± ¡°What are you talking about!¡± She blushed and grabbed the collar of her clothes. ¡°I¡¯ll accompany you shopping in the afternoon. I¡¯m going to the police station now.¡± Without giving Xiao Feng a chance to speak, I slipped out first. Walking to the city branch police station, I saw heavily armed police officers and traffic police guarding the entrance. My expression slowly turned solemn. ¡°Brother, why are there so many people gathered at the entrance of the police station?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t join in the fun. Someone died inside.¡± CH 40 ¡°How could anyone die inside a police station?¡± I pushed my way through the crowd, curious to see what was going on. As it turned out, an overloaded truck had lost control and crashed into the entrance of the police station. The scene was gruesome, with truck contaminants scattered everywhere. ¡°Hey! What are you doing? Get behind the barricade!¡± A police officer shouted at me. ¡°I was sent by Tie team leader. We¡¯ve made some progress in the murder case at the Peace of Mind Inn,¡± I explained. The officer looked at me skeptically but then made a call, and his attitude immediately changed. ¡°Tie team leader wants you to come over right away.¡± I nodded my head, realizing that Tie¡¯s name carried some weight in the department. She was a skilled detective and a force to be reckoned with. I arrived at the Criminal Investigation Department and, under the hostile stares of several police officers, made my way into Tie Ningxiang¡¯s office room. She was carefully reviewing some case files, sporting a pair of glasses perched on her tall nose, giving her the air of a refined teacher. ¡°What are you doing here, pretending to act on my orders?¡± Tie Ningxiang kept her head down, still reviewing the files as she spoke. ¡°If I told you I just wanted to come see you, you wouldn¡¯t believe me, would you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to butter me up.¡± Tie Ningxiang took off her glasses and pulled a pair of handcuffs out of her desk drawer, slamming them down on the table. ¡°You¡¯re interfering with official police business. If there¡¯s a next time, I¡¯ll have to detain you.¡± Knowing Tie Ningxiang¡¯s no-nonsense personality, I quickly moved next to her and said, ¡°I¡¯m just kidding. I know you¡¯re busy with work, and I wanted to help you lighten the load a little.¡± ¡°Spit it out; I don¡¯t have all day.¡± ¡°I have a crucial lead regarding the Peace of Mind Inn murder case,¡± I said, my lips curling into a smile. The bait was out, and I didn¡¯t believe that Tie Ningxiang, who was always determined to solve the case, wouldn¡¯t take the bait. ¡°What lead?¡± ¡°It¡¯s about a two-faced Buddha statue. You might have seen it in the peace of mind lnn,¡± The two-faced Buddha was the link between the Peace of Mind Inn and New Shanghai High School, the two places where the live streams took place. Therefore, investigating the statue¡¯s origin with the help of the police would greatly benefit me. Tie Ningxiang nodded and took out five or six photos from the case files. ¡°Yes, we found similar statues in the building during the investigation. But when we questioned the landlords, they said they weren¡¯t Buddhist.¡± ¡°Lu Xing was commanded by the two-faced Buddha to commit the murders. Although I¡¯m not sure if the two-faced Buddha refers to a person or an organization, wherever they exist, murders will occur,¡± I said. ¡°Have you discovered any new crime scenes in these past few days?¡± The intuition of a woman was already scary enough, let alone that of an excellent female police officer. The incident of the mass deaths at the New Shanghai High School was too big of a matter, so I could only keep it as a secret in my heart for the time being. I shook my head silently, ¡°The two-faced Buddha is very dangerous, so be careful when investigating it. If there¡¯s something that bullets can¡¯t handle, give me a call.¡± ¡°Something that bullets can¡¯t handle? What is it?¡± she asked. ¡°I can¡¯t explain it clearly, but such things do exist.¡± Having been hanging out with that half immortal and that Daoist master in the live streaming chatroom for a long time, I also learned to speak in an ambiguous tone. Tie Ningxiang didn¡¯t answer for a while. After a minute, she stood up, pulled the curtains shut, and walked up to me. ¡°Sister, you¡¯re too close. It¡¯s-It¡¯s inappropriate.¡± ¡°At the Jiang family¡¯s wedding, we sat together the whole time, and your behavior was very strange. Ever since you took out that large-screen phone, your demeanor has completely changed. Come clean: what did that phone contain that made you, a person with no money, power, or influence, dare to stand up against the Jiang family? Do they really have the kind of invisible yet existent things that you mentioned?¡± I inwardly cursed at the situation. I didn¡¯t expect Tie Ningxiang to observe me so closely. ¡°Give me an explanation, including Jiang Chen¡¯s strange reaction later on. He only lightly tapped you, and yet he¡¯s been lying in the hospital since then. I¡¯m curious, how did you do it?¡± ¡°Senior sister, I¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t call me senior sister. Right now, our identities are that of a police officer and a suspect.¡± ¡°Are you suspecting me?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t suspected you of anything, but you¡¯ve hidden far too much from me!¡± Tie Ningxiang became forceful and didn¡¯t seem like a gentle woman at all. I sat on a stool with a wry smile and said, ¡°Telling you would only hurt you. Some things can be known, but once you know them, you can¡¯t forget them.¡± ¡°The police represent the fairness and justice of society. If I stop pursuing the truth because I¡¯m afraid of being hurt, then this city will never see the sunlight again!¡± ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m not suitable to be a police officer.¡± I lit a cigarette and still didn¡¯t answer Tie Ningxiang¡¯s question. Instead, I brought up another matter: ¡°A few days ago, the young master of Qian Ding Pharmaceutical got into a car accident. I suspect it was a meticulously planned murder, and I want to take a look at the autopsy report.¡± I smoked on my own while Tie Ningxiang looked at me like I was a defiant rogue who wasn¡¯t afraid of being scolded. She slammed the chair hard and said, ¡°I¡¯ve had enough of your shamelessness.¡± ¡°Sister, I provided so many clues for you and even helped you reason things out. Maybe in the future¡­¡± ¡°The autopsy report is in the cabinet behind. You only have three minutes to read it. Hurry up and disappear from my sight!¡± ¡°Okay.¡± After swiftly skimming through the report, I discovered that it was indeed him who had been driving under the influence of alcohol and caused a collision with a residential building after crashing through the guardrail. ¡°Why would someone who is allergic to alcohol get drunk?¡± I wondered. With this question in mind, I left the criminal investigation department. As I stepped out, I spotted many police academy students in uniform standing at the entrance. Most of them had red and teary eyes, and a few girls were even crying. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Was the deceased some substitute instructor at the police academy?¡± The police officer who stopped me earlier knew that I was in contact with Tie Ningxiang and his tone became more courteous as he relayed the details: ¡°The deceased is the security guard, Uncle Huang. He was in good health, and no one could have anticipated this tragic accident.¡±.¡± ¡°Why are police academy students here too? They look so sad?¡± I asked. ¡°You don¡¯t know about this,¡± the police officer replied with a regretful tone. ¡°Although Uncle Huang was over 60 years old, he was very interested in solving cases and mysteries. He often stood outside the first-floor entrance of the police academy to eavesdrop. The police academy couldn¡¯t chase him away because of his age, so they arranged a special position for him and allowed him to attend classes with the students.¡± ¡°Are they considered classmates then?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, Uncle Huang was a very warm person and was loved by the children. When they heard about his accident, the entire third years of class 2 stopped attending classes and came to see him for the last time,¡± the police officer explained. ¡°So, all of these people here are third years of class 2?¡± ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve been with him for three years now, and we¡¯re about to graduate. A while ago, Uncle Huang used to joke with us and say that we shouldn¡¯t call him Old Huang anymore, but rather Officer Huang.¡± ¡°Officer Huang? I don¡¯t know why anyone would want to be a police officer. They have to wake up earlier than a rooster, sleep later than a chiken, and spend their awake time in constant worry,¡± I remarked. ¡°Regardless, in the hearts of all students, Uncle Huang will always be Officer Huang of the third year class 2,¡± the police officer replied. ¡°True, that¡¯s a valid point,¡± I acknowledged as I was preparing to leave. However, before I could do so, I abruptly halted, placing my hands on the police officer¡¯s shoulders, and inquired with a sense of urgency, ¡°What did you just say?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t say anything,¡± the police officer responded. ¡°The last sentence! ¡®Regardless, in the hearts of his students, Uncle Huang will always be¡­¡¯¡± ¡°Officer Huang of the third year class 2. Yes, that¡¯s him!¡± I exclaimed, my face turning scary as my pupils trembled violently. ¡°Do you know the old man?¡± asked the police officer. Pushing the officer aside, I leapt over the barricade and ran frantically towards the inside. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with him?¡± one of the officers asked. ¡°Someone just ran in! Stop him!¡± . My eyes were bloodshot, and a growing suspicion was forming in my heart: ¡°Please don¡¯t let it be true, please don¡¯t let it be true!¡± The traffic police and police officers on duty attempted to stop me, but I paid them no heed. I was determined to confirm it with my own eyes, even if it meant having to confront and potentially fight against them. ¡°Get lost, all of you! Leave me alone!¡± I yelled, as I ran frantically within the isolation area. Finally, I saw the old man. His skull was bleeding, and there was a huge hole in his stomach, but his chest was still rising and falling slightly. ¡°He¡¯s not dead yet!¡± I rushed to the old man¡¯s side. ¡°You are Officer Huang of the third year class 2 from Peace of Mind Inn, right? You¡¯ve seen my live stream, haven¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Get this lunatic under control!¡± someone shouted. Several police officers pressed me to the ground, and I watched in horror as the old man¡¯s body stiffened and was slowly carried away by doctors. ¡°First it was the girl who loves handsome and talented men, and now it¡¯s Officer Huang of the third year class 2? Does everyone who watches my live stream have to die? Is this the meaning of the underworld show?¡± The punches that landed on me were heavy, but I couldn¡¯t feel the pain. As I watched the ambulance drive away, a feeling of inexplicable guilt suddenly washed over me. CH 41 After being suspected of assaulting a police officer, I was held until the afternoon before being released. Instead of heading back to Ting Tang Road, I decided to make a detour to the store to purchase a fruit basket, and then quickly made my way to Uncle Huang¡¯s house. I was eager to examine the belongings of the old man. He was unlike Huang Guanxing, the privileged second-generation with shallow intellect who relied on his lower body part to think The old man was a former ¡°police academy student,¡± equipped with basic criminal investigation knowledge and adept at uncovering the truth. ¡°I hope I¡¯m not too late.¡± I lightly knocked on the door, and an old lady in her sixties opened the door. ¡°I¡¯m a police officer from the city branch. We were all saddened to hear about the incident with the old man, so I was sent as a representative to come and take a look.¡± The room was filled with grief. The old lady asked me to sit on the sofa and went to make me a cup of tea. ¡°Please accept my condolences,¡± I said without touching the tea cup on the table. Instead, I walked around the room and asked, ¡°May I see Uncle Huang¡¯s room, where he used to live?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± she replied. In his room, the old man had set up a small two-square-meter partition where he kept various detective novels and police academy study materials. It was clear that he had a genuine interest in solving cases. I didn¡¯t touch anything haphazardly. I scanned through all the books and picked out the few that the old man had recently flipped through based on their placement and creased pages. ¡°There is nothing hidden in the books,¡± I opened the drawer and tore off a few pages from a notebook. Inside, I found a pair of reading glasses, a fountain pen with ink, and everything was neatly arranged, making it easy to see what was there. Sitting in the chair where the old man used to sit, I asked myself, ¡°If I were him, where would I record a secret that I found interesting?¡± ¡°Are you looking for something?¡± Suddenly, Uncle Huang¡¯s wife appeared at the door. I stiffened for a moment but quickly regained my composure and asked, ¡°No, Is there anything unusual that the old man did recently?¡± ¡°Nothing of interest, except that he kept talking about live-streamed murders. Every night, he would lock himself in the room and stare at the computer as if waiting for a program to start. Also¡­¡± the old lady hesitated, looking at me for a while before continuing, ¡°He seemed to have sensed that something was going to happen to him. So this morning, before he left for work, he left a letter and instructed that if anything happened to him, the letter should be handed over to the police.¡± ¡°Letter£¿¡± I tried to remain calm. ¡°What kind of letter is it that has to be handed to us? Is it the old man¡¯s reasoning about the case?¡± ¡°He didn¡¯t let me see it. Since you¡¯re here, I¡¯ll just give it to you directly,¡± the old lady said as she took out a brown envelope sealed with glue from her waist pocket. ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll bring it back to the office and let the team leader take a look at it.¡± My heart was pounding as I took the envelope without changing my expression. ¡°Thank you for your time. Please take care of yourself.¡± Leaving Uncle Huang¡¯s house with the envelope, I couldn¡¯t wait any longer and opened it right away. ¡°Live-streaming murder. The first broadcast was at the Peace of Mind Inn and involved five deaths. The second broadcast was at the New Shanghai High School, and the estimated death toll was over ten people.¡± ¡°This is not a simple puzzle-solving program. All the bodies inside are real, and the scenes are extremely frightening and thrilling. Moreover, the perpetrator is always able to arrive at the crime scene to film before the police can find them. It is very likely that they are the killer.¡± ¡°The same person hosted both broadcasts, and this person has been in and out of the police station many times. They have a close relationship with the team leader of the Criminal Investigation department, and their identity is mysterious. They act decisively, think quickly, and possess extremely high investigative and anti-investigation awareness.¡± After reading the entire letter, my face turned as dark as ink. Fortunately, I arrived early. If I had handed the letter to Tie Ningxiang, the consequences would have been unimaginable. I took out a lighter and burned the letter and envelope to ashes before leaving. When I returned to Ting Tang Road, I absentmindedly accompanied Xiao Feng to buy her clothes before locking myself in my room. ¡°Could the Underworld Show be a means of collecting souls for the underworld? Or is their death just a coincidence? Or maybe only those who are about to die can see the live broadcast of the Underworld Show?¡± The cause-and-effect relationship was uncertain, but the fact that someone dies every time I make livestream was indisputable. ¡°What should I do?¡± I couldn¡¯t figure it out, so I decided not to think about it and went downstairs to stop Xiao Feng, who was preparing to cook. ¡°Come on, let¡¯s go out for a drink.¡± ¡°Is this a formal date?¡± Xiao Feng, who changed into a bodycon skirt, a slim-fit T-shirt and took off her long skirt, became even more attractive with her two long, white legs shimmering. Looking at those legs, I instantly forgot about a lot of my troubles. ¡°Girl, what are you thinking all day long? If you don¡¯t want to come, I¡¯ll take Bai Qi instead.¡± Bai Qi, who was lying on the ground, perked up his ears, and his eyes darted around as if he had smelled meat, running over and biting onto the hem of my pants without letting go. ¡°Can¡¯t I go?¡± Xiao Feng pouted and gave Bai Qi a reluctant look. ¡°This dog sticks to you all day long but snarls at me. I feed him well every day, yet both of you bully me.¡± With a shake of my head and a smile, I left the house with Xiao Feng and Bai Qi. We made our way to the night market in Jiangbei, where we sat by the tranquil flowing river and I drank several bottles of beer to dispel the darkness in my heart. ¡°In two days, it¡¯ll be time for the underworld show to release its tasks again. Life is already difficult, why do we have to make ourselves even more uncomfortable?¡± I said, a bit tipsy, as I looked at Xiao Feng, whose face was slightly red from the alcohol. The city wind blew her hair into a messy tangle, and amidst the fluttering strands, I could see the deep pain and loneliness hidden in her face. Compared to her, I was much happier; at least I had enjoyed life recklessly and without restraint. I placed my hand on her slightly thin shoulder, and she jumped in surprise like a startled rabbit, but when she realized it was me, she didn¡¯t resist. Her eyes were filled with confusion and tenderness as she leaned her head against my chest. Two lonely people watched the river in the black night; on one side, there was revelry and noise, and on the other, it was as quiet as the ends of the earth. ¡°I and my sister are unlucky women, from a young age, our foster parents would curse us as worthless. The old folks in the neighborhood could recite our foster parents¡¯ license plate numbers, but couldn¡¯t even remember my sister¡¯s and my name. We were called labels like cheap goods, bad luck, and monsters. Everyone would point and gossip about us. At first, I didn¡¯t understand why. It wasn¡¯t until my sister was killed by Lu Xing that I realized I was nothing more than livestock in our foster parents¡¯ eyes, like a pig raised to be slaughtered.¡± This was the first time Xiao Feng had voluntarily shared her childhood experiences with me. It was colorless and filled with deep gray hopelessness. ¡°The day I met you, my back had already been stabbed with seven iron needles. In fact, that night, I was planning to sacrifice myself after paying tribute to my sister. But then you appeared. Your eyes were rational and clear, as if you had already seen everything. In reality, it was you who saved me.¡± ¡°From the moment I left the police station until now, this period of time has been the happiest in my life. I know you may not marry me, but can you let me stay by your side in the future? I don¡¯t need any formal status.¡± Xiao Feng spoke earnestly, like the nearby river silently enduring a lot without expecting any reward. ¡°Who said I wouldn¡¯t marry you?¡± I tilted my head back to finish the bottle of beer, feeling a bit drunk at the moment. I was about to say the next thing when a spiky-haired thug approached us, a cigarette dangling from his mouth. ¡°Hey, buddy, can I have a lighter?¡± He leered at Xiao Feng. ¡°Your friend sure is bold with her clothing. How about we have a drink together?¡± He was obviously trying to take advantage of Xiao Feng while I was drunk. ¡°Don¡¯t make me say it twice, get lost!¡± ¡°Wow, you¡¯ve got a mouth on you, kid. Looks like I need to teach you how to talk to people!¡± The thug held a bottle opener in his hand and swung it towards my face. I kicked the table away and leaned back to dodge his punch, grabbing the empty bottle and smashing it onto his head without hesitation. Blood gushed out immediately. ¡°Next time before getting into a fight, go get a haircut. You look like a porcupine. How will the doctor stitch you up?¡± I was already annoyed, and he had walked right toward me. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± ¡°Xiaowei! Damn it, how dare you touch my brother?¡± ¡°Bring that girl over here to apologize to Xiaowei!¡± Suddenly, four or five guys from the neighboring table stood up, with bare arms and bulging muscles on their faces. ¡°Let¡¯s go, Gao Jian,¡± Xiao Feng tugged on my clothes from behind, her tone urgent and worried. ¡°You said you wanted to follow me, so you¡¯re mine now! How can I just stand by and watch you get bullied by others?¡± I smashed the bottle on the bridge pier, revealing the sharp glass shards. ¡°Come on! Five against one, I won¡¯t back down today or my surname is not Gao!¡± ¡°Damn it! Let¡¯s kill him!¡± The burliest of the five men across from us picked up a stool and charged towards me, standing almost two meters tall with a protruding belly, shouting with great momentum. I squinted, having drunk quite a bit of alcohol just now, feeling a little dizzy, but that didn¡¯t affect the final outcome. ¡°Your voice is loud, is that move of yours called a wild boar charge?¡± I lifted the tabletop with both hands and, while his vision was blocked, bent my knee and kicked him in the most vulnerable part of his body. As he writhed on the ground clutching his crotch and howling in pain, I grabbed his hair and pushed him down to the ground. ¡°There are still four of you left. Are you going to come at me all at once?¡± I scanned everyone with my eyes and stopped at a man with a scorpion tattoo on his chest. ¡°I think I¡¯ve seen this face on the surveillance camera before.¡± The alcohol hadn¡¯t worn off yet, and it took me a while to remember. ¡°Isn¡¯t this the asshole who smashed my store and flicked off the camera? Very well, the enemy of my enemy is my friend. Let¡¯s settle the score today!¡± The man with the scorpion tattoo seemed to be their leader. ¡°Me and A Ming will stop him. You two figure out how to bring that girl over. She looks innocent and clueless.¡± ¡°You guys have no shame.¡± I pressed the broken bottle against the neck of the fat pig under my foot. ¡°Looks like there will be bloodshed today.¡± ¡°Kid, don¡¯t be too arrogant. There are four of us and only one of you.¡± ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. I still have a dog!¡± Several thugs looked at Bai Qi, lazily lying by the river, with disdainful eyes. ¡°Are you joking? This scruffy mongrel?¡± I was furious and laughed back, ¡°Bai Qi, did you hear that? These guys say you¡¯re a scruffy mongrel.¡± I had never seen Bai Qi get angry before. It always showed a don¡¯t-care attitude, as if it were just an ordinary dog waiting for life to end. But today, lying by the river, Bai Qi showed a different side. Its teeth were bared, emitting the unique scent of a predator, completely different from that of a domestic dog. That feeling of making one¡¯s teeth chatter and body shiver was called¨Ckilling intent! CH 42 ¡°Boss, there¡¯s something off about this dog! My brother-in-law is a police officer, and their trained police dogs are like this¡ªthey can bite through a person¡¯s throat directly, even more ruthless than wolves.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be a coward; both of you go beat it!¡± The group of thugs exchanged wary glances, hesitant to make a move. They resembled tourists who had unwittingly stumbled into a lion and tiger park, adopting a cautious and submissive demeanor. Just because they didn¡¯t dare to act rashly didn¡¯t mean that I would be lenient and let them off the hook. ¡°You¡¯re scared now? Why were you so wild when you smashed up my store?¡± Without further ado, I grabbed a bottle of liquor and charged towards them. ¡°Listen to me, even the most vicious dog is just an animal!¡± The tattooed man was a regular on the streets, getting into fights was a common occurrence for him. He grabbed a stool and lunged at me, rallying his companions with a cry, ¡°Let¡¯s go! Let¡¯s beat the hell out of him!¡± But in a matter of seconds, his bravado crumbled into fear. A blur of yellow streaked past, too swift for my eyes to discern, and the tattooed man was swiftly knocked to the ground. Sharp teeth were dangerously close to his eyes, and hot saliva dripped onto his nose. A pair of black and numb eyes fixed on his vulnerable neck. The tattooed man swallowed hard, his Adam¡¯s apple rolling. He looked at the scruffy wolf dog, slightly bigger than a normal stray dog, and his lips trembled. He couldn¡¯t even speak a word. ¡°So fast!¡± I exclaimed, squatting beside the tattooed man with a scorpion tattoo. ¡°Smack!¡± The bottle smashed onto the concrete ground next to his ear. ¡°I have a few questions to ask you. If you answer well, I¡¯ll let you go. If you deliberately hide anything, leaving you with one ear wouldn¡¯t be too harsh, would it?¡± ¡°I admit defeat today, but I don¡¯t think we have offended you before, brother,¡± said the tattooed man. ¡°Did you smash a store called ¡®peak of happiness at 263 Tingtang Road?¡± I asked. ¡°Yes, I led some brothers to do it,¡± he confessed. ¡°That¡¯s a remarkably straightforward answer. So, who is your boss?¡± The haze of my drunkenness dissipated, leaving me clear-headed in the cool breeze. The tattooed man faltered, pausing for a moment. ¡°You can¡¯t afford to offend them. They are in charge of half of Jiangcheng,¡± he said. ¡°Is it Jiangjin Real Estate? Did Jiang Chen himself ask you to do this?¡± I inquired. ¡°We are not qualified to speak with the young master of the Jiang family. The one who hired us is Shi Youfu, the security captain of Century New Estate,¡± the tattooed man replied honestly while lying on the ground. ¡°If you are really angry, go find them. I heard that Shi Youfu is having a birthday party with several girls at the Blues Bar tonight.¡± ¡°The Blues Bar¡­¡± I had no intention of wasting time with these small-time crooks, so I quickly recalled the information about the Blues Bar and urged, ¡°Let¡¯s go, Baiqi, Xiao Feng.¡± As we hastily left the night market stall, I was oblivious to the tattooed man¡¯s resentful glare. Instructing Xiaofeng to return to the shop on her own, Baiqi and I made our way towards the Blues Bar. The Nightless Street was located in the center of Jiangcheng City, with a long street full of restaurants, KTVs, bars, and other entertainment venues that operated throughout the night, never turning off their lights. The Blues Bar I was looking for was located right in the middle of the Nightless Street. It was a bar with industrial metal parts and simple striped wood as the main color scheme. The interior decoration was somewhat oppressive, but many young people liked to come here. Compared to the dull decor, I believed that more customers came here to consume because of the mysterious bar owner. I ordered a cold beer and sat in a dim corner of the bar, the loud heavy metal music tormenting my eardrums and occasionally a bright spotlight shining on me. I furrowed my brows, trying to comprehend why so many people liked to indulge themselves in this kind of place. As I scanned the room, my eyes searched for Shi Youfu, the captain of the Century New Estate¡¯s security team. I had met him once at the Jiang family¡¯s wedding, and his appearance was familiar to me. ¡°Is he not here? Or is he still inside one of the private rooms?¡± I looked around and saw a chaotic scene with youngsters rubbing against each other, fueled by passion. ¡°Hmm?¡± My gaze stopped at the innermost part of the bar, where a little girl around eight or nine years old was lying on the bar counter doing her homework. She looked like a doll, very obedient, and the outside music and dancing crowd seemed to have nothing to do with her. With her head down, she silently wrote her homework. ¡°With such a noisy environment, can you even concentrate on your work?¡± The little girl didn¡¯t even look up, completely ignoring me. ¡°What¡¯s your name? Have we met before?¡± After I said this, the staff at the bar couldn¡¯t take it anymore and looked at me with a wary look, as if they had encountered a pervert. ¡°Your skills at picking up girls are pretty old-fashioned.¡± A drunk guy hugged his girlfriend as he walked past me, staring at the little girl several times. ¡°You dare to hit on someone so young. Let me give you a piece of advice: don¡¯t ruin your life for three minutes of pleasure.¡± With a bitter smile on my face, I shook my head. I really felt like I had seen the girl somewhere before. Due to the nature of my job, I pay close attention to everything and everyone around me, and this feeling was definitely not an illusion. ¡°This bar prohibits pets from entering, sir. Watch your dog,¡± the waiter also said, walking over with an unpleasant look on his face. ¡°After I finish this drink, I¡¯ll leave.¡± My original intention was to observe from the shadows, keep a low profile until I found Shi Youfu, and although I was curious about the girl¡¯s identity, I was still prepared to leave quietly. As I stood up, someone grabbed my hand with a cold, smooth grip, like polished jade. I turned in surprise and saw the little girl holding a pen in one hand and gripping two of my fingers tightly with the other. Confused, I stood frozen in place. A man slurred his words and exclaimed, ¡°Wow, buddy, you¡¯re a master of playing hard-to-get! You took advantage of her youthful curiosity and led her into your trap. You¡¯re a true player in the game of love, and I applaud you!¡± I tried to interject, ¡°No, you don¡¯t understand¨C¡° But he interrupted me, saying, ¡°You don¡¯t have to say anything. I know what you¡¯re thinking. According to our laws, the minimum sentence for a girl under 12 years old is three years! Don¡¯t hesitate, buddy. Life is short, and chasing fame and fortune is just an illusion. Follow your heart and enjoy the moment!¡± ¡°I don¡¯t give a damn about what you think!¡± I sat down on the chair with the girl holding my hand, but she remained silent and kept her head down, seemingly engrossed in something. The waiter caught sight of this and hurriedly left, presumably to fetch someone. ¡°Hey there, student, have we met before?¡± I attempted to strike up a conversation with the girl, but she continued to hold my hand in silence, leaving me feeling awkward, as if I had unintentionally wronged her. ¡°You two have met before? How come I, her mother, had no clue?¡± A voice chimed in, and I turned my gaze towards a woman who exuded an indescribable allure, instantly drawing my attention. She possessed a natural magnetism that captivated men, with her mature and enchanting beauty unlike anything I had ever witnessed before. She held a lady¡¯s cigarette between her fingers, lightly biting her crimson lips, making people feel both excited and thirsty. My gaze followed her smooth neck downward, and I noticed a mysterious azure blue color that seemed to pulse to the rhythm of the music. Upon closer inspection, it was a beautifully crafted fox tail tattoo, extending from her chest all the way down to her thigh. I had met many beautiful women before, but few could compare to her. ¡°Why are you staring? I¡¯m talking to you.¡± She sat next to me and signaled to the waiter, who brought out a bottle of Royal Salute and began to mix a drink on the spot. ¡°This kind of alcohol is usually sold by the bottle, but I¡¯ll treat you today.¡± The drink had three layers, with flames burning on top, creating a beautiful sight. I had never tasted this kind of drink before, and the burning flames were like the woman in front of me, leaving me speechless. ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked. ¡°You are sitting in my bar, holding my daughter¡¯s hand, and now you¡¯re asking me who I am?¡± She took out two ice cubes and put them in the drink, creating a rich aroma of extreme cold and heat. I looked away and followed her lead, adding ice cubes to my glass. ¡°Onizuka Ayaka?¡± Her Chinese was so fluent that I wasn¡¯t sure if my guess was correct. ¡°Try my wine. It¡¯s a new recipe that you won¡¯t find in any other bar.¡± In her shop, in front of the mother, holding her daughter¡¯s hand, how could I possibly feel comfortable drinking alcohol? ¡°It¡¯s a misunderstanding. I just felt like your daughter looked familiar, like I¡¯ve seen her somewhere before.¡± ¡°Just seeing her makes you hold her hand? Even as her mom, she doesn¡¯t let me touch her.¡± Onizuka Ayaka¡¯s words had an underlying meaning that I could sense. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I must have mistaken her for someone else. I don¡¯t come across children her age in my daily life and work.¡± Onizuka Ayaka didn¡¯t seem angry after hearing my explanation. Instead, she said meaningfully, ¡°Just because you don¡¯t come across them in real life doesn¡¯t mean you haven¡¯t encountered them in your dreams.¡± She picked up her glass and swayed her hips. ¡°Sakurako, come to my room for a bit.¡± ¡°Sakurako?¡± When I heard that name I almost dropped my glass. During the live broadcast in the New Shanghai High School, a little girl stood up at that critical moment to help me fend off the evil spirit of Yuan chen. That girl filled with resntement was called Sakurako. ¡°But isn¡¯t Sakurako a ghost? The girl in front of me is definitely a living human being though!¡± I nervously held the girl¡¯s face in my hands, but my hands shook uncontrollably when I saw her expressionless face. ¡°They look exactly the same! She and that ghost look exactly the same!¡± Closing the textbook, Sakurako took my hand and followed Onizuka Ayaka. The three of us and the dog walked to the employee lounge behind the bar, away from the noisy crowd. Under the envious and jealous gazes of others, Onizuka Ayaka closed the door to the room. She took off her high heels and elegantly sat on the bed. Even her casual movements would test the willpower of a normal man. ¡°Don¡¯t be so restrained; relax,¡± she said. How could I possibly relax in this situation? Right now, all I want to say is, fortunately, I didn¡¯t wear sweatpants when I left in the morning. ¡°Do you have a reason for calling me here? We don¡¯t seem to know each other.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so formal. Sakurako likes you, so I¡¯ll like you too. Once I start liking someone, you can do whatever you want.¡± She stretched her body, revealing her amazing curves. ¡°Do you need a hint?¡± CH 43 ¡°I just want to ask one question: where was Sakurako on the night before last?¡± I interrupted the Japanese woman. ¡°You really are a gentleman who only cares about Sakurako,¡± she said, biting her lips as if teasing me. ¡°She was in my shop the whole time, she didn¡¯t go anywhere.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible, I saw her on the night before last!¡± ¡°Oh? And where did you see her?¡± ¡°It was at¡­¡± I couldn¡¯t say the name of the place, as it involved too many things. ¡°You can¡¯t explain, can you?¡± Onizuka Ayaka walked to my side and tried to touch Sakurako¡¯s face, but the little girl avoided her. ¡°As you can see, this child never gets close to anyone, including her biological mother.¡± Looking at it this way, it was true. Sakurako had a strong tendency to isolate herself and avoid interacting with others. I first noticed this when I met her at New Shanghai High School, and she remained consistent in her reclusive behavior. However, it wasn¡¯t until Hideki suggested harming her and I feigned protection by taking her away that she finally spoke to me for the first time. ¡°My husband passed away very early. Since he left us, my daughter has become like this. I have taken her to see many psychologists, but it has been of no use. Some people say my daughter has autism; others say her emotional functions are deficient. There was even a dreams expert who claimed to be able to hypnotize Sakurako inside her dreams, but after she woke up, that expert went mad instead.¡± Onizuka Ayaka¡¯s face carried a bitter smile. ¡°I really wanted to give her a healthy and happy childhood, but I couldn¡¯t.¡± She lit another cigarette and stood barefoot, ¡°On the third anniversary of my husband¡¯s death, an elder in our family said it was a dream curse that ran down the family. Every fifty years, one of the descendants can see things in their dreams that ordinary people can¡¯t. I begged him to help Sakurako, but he couldn¡¯t do much; he just told us to leave Japan and try our luck in China. And that¡¯s how we ended up here for the last three years.¡± ¡°Sakurako¡¯s condition has been deteriorating steadily. Initially, we were still able to have basic communication, but over the past few months, she hasn¡¯t uttered a single word.¡± Underneath the enchanting and beautiful appearance of Onizuka Ayaka, there was a mother¡¯s worry. ¡°Sakurako refuses to communicate with anyone; you¡¯re the only person I¡¯ve ever seen her willingly hold hands with.¡± Her tone became serious, ¡°You said you¡¯ve met before, so I guess you must have met inside a dream. Judging from Sakurako¡¯s attitude towards you, I assume you took care of her a lot in your dream, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°In my dream?¡± I tried not to show any unnecessary expression, but I knew for sure that New Shanghai High School incident was not a dream, and Sakurako¡¯s situation was not as simple as her mother had made it out to be. ¡°Perhaps you won¡¯t believe it, but whenever Sakurako falls asleep, she sees extremely terrifying things. She has been living in a nightmare all this time, which is why she grew numb,¡± ¡°As her mother, I cannot enter Sakurako¡¯s world and can only watch her suffer. It¡¯s a dual torment for me, both physically and emotionally,¡± she continued, placing her hand on my chest and slowly sliding it downwards. ¡°My demands are not high. I just want Sakurako to be happy like a normal child every day. For that, I am willing to sacrifice a lot.¡± Unknowingly, sweat began to bead on my forehead, and the blue fox tattoo on her plump body seemed to come to life, revealing a sly expression. ¡°Tell me, how can I help you?¡± Dealing with this woman was no less difficult than dealing with the Yuan Chen evil spirit. Since I entered the room, the initiative has always been in her hands. ¡°Sakurako is a poor girl who refuses to interact with anyone but you. So, if you have the time, I hope you can come and spend more time with her,¡± ¡°Is that all you have to say?¡± ¡°What else can I say?¡± Onizuka Ayaka reclined on the bed, slipping on her high heels. ¡°After all, no one knows what you¡¯ve done in the dream. Even if you harm Sakurako¡­forget it. I hope you¡¯ll be gentle; she¡¯s just a child.¡± As I wiped the sweat from my forehead, I felt a sense of helplessness and embarrassment at the woman¡¯s words. ¡°It¡¯s not an issue for me to agree, but there¡¯s something I need to ask you about,¡± I set aside the matter of Sakurako and got straight to the point. ¡°A few days ago, Huang Guanxing from Qian Ding Pharmaceutical Company died in a car accident caused by drunk driving. As far as I know, he left the Blues Bar on the night of the accident, and you had a brief exchange with him on WeChat that same night.¡± ¡°Do you think a lonely woman with a child like me could be a murderer?¡± ¡°Until the real killer is caught, anyone could be a suspect. So, I will agree to your request, but please answer my question honestly. Did anything unusual happen with Huang Guanxing on the night of the accident?¡± After thinking for a moment, Onizuka Ayaka replied, ¡°Huang Guanxing and his girlfriend came to see me late that night. They had several arguments, and I remember clearly that Huang Guanxing even slapped his girlfriend.¡± ¡°Did he drink alcohol that night?¡± ¡°No, he was sober and only ordered a glass of juice.¡± ¡°When did he leave?¡± ¡°Around midnight, he took his girlfriend to a Home Inn motel.¡± The accident occurred around 5 a.m., and Onizuka Ayaka¡¯s suspicion of being the culprit was mostly ruled out. ¡°If nothing¡¯s going on, then I¡¯ll go out and get busy. After all, I¡¯m a single mother. If we spend too much time together, employees are bound to gossip.¡± Onizuka Ayaka looked like she cared about her reputation, which left me speechless considering she was the one stretching and wriggling on the bed just a moment ago. As I pushed open the tightly locked door and walked towards the hall, a drunken, chubby man squeezed his way over. ¡°Where¡¯s your boss? I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s prettier than a fox spirit. It¡¯s my birthday today, so have her come sing me a song and liven things up!¡± ¡°I¡¯m sorry, the boss is in there discussing business with a client. Outsiders aren¡¯t allowed in.¡± One of the staff members answered. ¡°Don¡¯t give me that nonsense! Do you have to sneak into the room to discuss buisness? Get out of my way! I just saw her a moment ago!¡± The chubby man then stumbled and ran into the backstage area. ¡°Captain Shi, why are you in such a hurry? Who are you looking for?¡± Onizuka Ayaka twisted her snake-like waist, leaning against the door while holding an unlit cigarette. As soon as the chubby man saw Onizuka Ayaka, his eyes went wide, and drool dripped down his chin. ¡°You¡¯re so damn beautiful! Come on, it¡¯s my birthday today, and I¡¯m in a good mood! I¡¯ll give you a chance to earn some extra money. Come sing a song with me in the private room; take good care of me, and I won¡¯t be stingy with the money.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s difficult for me. I¡¯ve already been hired to entertain this customer tonight. Why don¡¯t you talk to him and see if he¡¯s willing to share a minute or two with you?¡± Onizuka Ayaka acted like a helpless little woman, taking my other hand as if nothing had happened. ¡°You¡¯re hired for the whole night? Just for this little pretty boy?¡± Shi Youfu, with a strong smell of alcohol on his breath, stared at me with an unfriendly look. ¡°Kid, I have some status at Jiangjin Real Estate. I¡¯ll take this girl with me. You don¡¯t mind, do you?¡± ¡°You really know how to cause someone trouble.¡± I escaped from the mother-daughter pair¡¯s grip and flexed my numb fingers. ¡°Shi Youfu, you¡¯re just a watchdog for Jiangjin Real Estate. How dare you say you have any status?¡± ¡°Kid, don¡¯t get cheeky with me. I don¡¯t want to see red on my birthday.¡± ¡°People from Jiangjin Real Estate all have the same faces.¡± The chubby man in front of me was the one who had incited the tattooed man to vandalize my store. This situation wouldn¡¯t end well for them today. ¡°Hey beautiful, why don¡¯t you come with me?¡± Seeing me shake off the hand of Onizuka Ayaka, Shi youfu thought I was backing down and came over with a lecherous smile. ¡°Hey, is this your daughter? She¡¯s been a beauty since she was young. Why don¡¯t we have her come over and have some fun together?¡± ¡°What a pervert!¡± I muttered to myself as I brushed past him and picked up the half bottle of Royal Salute on the bar. ¡°Excuse me, Madam, I heard that the genuine Royal Salute imported from overseas has an especially sturdy bottle that won¡¯t break even if dropped on concrete. I¡¯m curious, is this bottle real or fake?¡± Shi Youfu reached out to hug Onizuka Ayaka, but the alluring woman remained unfazed and even took a puff of her cigarette. ¡°Of course it¡¯s genuine. If you don¡¯t believe me, you can try it for yourself.¡± ¡°Great, I think I will.¡± I grinned and grabbed Shi Youfu¡¯s collar. Now, all the overweight man could see was Onizuka Ayaka, and his big, chubby hands were about to touch her when someone suddenly grabbed him from behind. ¡°Are you trying to die or something?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t keep spouting profanity all the time. Didn¡¯t your mother teach you to be a civilized person?¡±. I maintained a smile on my face, or rather, I was quite pleased at the moment. ¡°Are you the security captain of Jiangjin Real Estate, Shi Youfu?¡± ¡°That¡¯s me. I¡¯ll count to three, and if you don¡¯t let go, you¡¯ll bear the consequences!¡± ¡°It seems I¡¯ve got the right person,¡± Shi Youfu, whose collar I had grabbed, continued to pretend to be tough and was about to start counting, but I didn¡¯t give him the chance to utter any nonsense. ¡°No need to count to three. One is enough!¡± I raised the wine bottle in my hand and slammed it hard against his slightly bald head. ¡°Crack!¡± Glass shards shot out, and the light-brown wine got mixed with the bright red blood. Shi Youfu¡¯s eyes widened, and he fell down headfirst. I casually threw away the broken bottle and said, ¡°A woman¡¯s words can¡¯t be trusted. This is obviously fake wine bottle.¡± The bar exploded in an instant. Several young people rushed out of the private room. I smiled apologetically at Onizuka Ayaka and took out my phone. ¡°Hey, Er Gouzi, there¡¯s work tonight!¡± CH 44 The young people who came out of the private room were all part of the Century New Garden security team. These guys were not very capable and relied on the Jiang family¡¯s reputation to act tough, always following behind Shi Youfu. Now that they saw their leader getting beaten up, they rushed forward with fists swinging and cursing, no different from the thugs on the street. ¡°Get him! Grab him and beat him to death!¡± Shi Youfu, who had been knocked out by my bottle, moaned and lay on the ground, holding the back of his head, blood pouring out. He looked ferocious and completely sober. ¡°You think you¡¯re tough because you have numbers? Attack them, Bai Qi!¡± I shouted confidently, but the imposing figure of the yellow figure did not appear before my eyes like I expected. As the group of seven or eight strong young men closed in on me, I quickly spun around to assess my surroundings. That¡¯s when I noticed the local dog, lying behind a flowerpot, hugging the broken half-bottle of Royal Salute that I had accidentally spilled earlier, looked unsteady and swaying from side to side. ¡°What the hell is going on?¡± In that moment, I couldn¡¯t help but think that this furry creature might be the death of me. The seven or eight strong young men held various weapons and looked fierce and menacing. ¡°How dare you touch our boss? Today, we¡¯ll let you walk away but you¡¯ll be carried out!¡± Several people shouted and rushed towards me, but I picked up the dumb dog and ran away, looking for a back door. ¡°Is there a back door?¡± I didn¡¯t forget to kick Shi Youfu in the stomach before leaving, and as he spat out a mouthful of blood, most of my anger from the store being trashed dissipated. ¡°The kitchen has a small door that leads directly outside.¡± ¡°Things may change, but the green hills remain. We¡¯ll catch up another day.¡± Without saying goodbye, I headed straight to the kitchen. A wise man doesn¡¯t suffer immediate losses. I¡¯ll settle the score with them when Er Gou shows up. As several people chased after me, I frantically fled down the dark alley behind the Blues Bar. ¡°Stop right there!¡± ¡°Listen up, whoever catches him first today, I¡¯ll give you a thousand yuan!¡± The promise of money motivated the people behind me, as they began to chase with renewed energy, I wasn¡¯t familiar with the area, and I was still carrying Baiqi. He looked like a slightly bigger dog than normal, but he weighed several times as much as a household pet dog, and soon my shoulders were aching. ¡°You can¡¯t handle your drink, but you still insist on drinking. Aren¡¯t you just a living liability for your teammates?¡± After running for about 100 meters, I was already gasping for breath. I threw Baiqi, who was holding onto the broken bottle for dear life, to the side and picked up a piece of brick, standing in the middle of the alley. ¡°You want to keep running? Kid, if I don¡¯t send you to the hospital today, I¡¯ll never be able to show my face in Jiangcheng again! Beat him up!¡± Just as I was about to be beaten up, two secondhand Wuling vans appeared out of nowhere and stopped at the entrance of the alley like divine soldiers. ¡°Is Brother Jian all right? Sorry that I¡¯m late, brother!¡± More than ten people came out of the two vans, holding sticks and wearing masks and baseball caps. The leader had his right hand wrapped in a cast, and his blonde hair was particularly striking in the dark night. He shouted, ¡°How dare you mess with Chen Ergou¡¯s brother! Attack them!¡± The situation was quickly turned around. I laughed and threw the brick in my hand, ¡°Ergou, you came just in time, neither early nor late!¡± The security team was trapped in the alley, but the fat man, Shi Youfu, remained calm. He held a towel to his head and said, ¡°Take a good look, we are Jiang¡¯s security team. Do you still want to mess around in Jiangchen in the future?¡± ¡°Jiang¡¯s security team? Ha! Even if the Jade Emperor came today, it wouldn¡¯t make a difference!¡± Ergou had brought his own brothers, all young but ruthless. ¡°You¡¯ll pay for not recognizing my warnings; wait until I call for backup!¡± Shi Youfu quickly dialed a phone number and said, ¡°Gu master, we¡¯re in the back alley of Blues Bar. Please come quickly. We can¡¯t handle these many people.¡± After hanging up the phone, Shi Youfu grew even more confident, saying, ¡°Luckily, I invited the Gu master to the birthday party today. Soon, you will know what it means to be unable to survive and unable to die!¡± ¡°We have twice as many people as you; why are you so arrogant? Do you want me to give you all a taste of your own medicine?¡± I stopped Ergou and said, ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive. That Gu Master is probably not an ordinary person.¡± ¡°It¡¯s too late to be afraid now. The Gu master is a distinguished guest invited by Young Master Jiang from Miaojiang, specifically to deal with Gao Jian. You guys were just unlucky today. Remember to check the almanac before going out next time!¡± Shi Youfu¡¯s face was covered in either wine or blood, and his smile was terrifying. ¡°Jiang Chen invited him to deal with me?¡± At the wedding, I had injured one of the ghost raised by Jiang Chen. He probably thought I was a practitionr, so he hired a Miaojiang gu master to use his Gu against me. I knew he would seek revenge for the humiliation I caused him at the wedding, but I never expected him to be so vicious. Based on my knowledge of Miaojiang poisonous Gu, once the insects enters the body, the victim would suffer from severe illnesses or even be tortured to death. ¡°Appearances can be deceiving; this Jiang Chen is truly vicious,¡± The back door of the Bluex Bar was pushed open, and a figure in a black robe entered the alley. ¡°Gu master, we¡¯re here!¡± Shi Youfu shouted out for help as though he had found his savior. The person didn¡¯t react and continued to stroll into the alley, with the black robe concealing his face, giving him an air of mystery. ¡°Stop! This area is off-limits!¡± Two of Ergou¡¯s lackeys reached out to block him, but the black-robed figure stood still for five or six seconds, seemingly doing nothing. Suddenly, the two men¡¯s faces turned black, and they clutched their wrists in agony before falling to the ground. Their bodies writhed and convulsed, screaming in excruciating pain. ¡°Haha, the Gu master has some good tricks! How about that? Are you scared now?¡± ¡°Zhongsheng, Liu Ge!¡± Er Gou wanted to go and check on his people but I held him back, ¡°Don¡¯t go, let me do it.¡± ¡°Brother Jian, be careful. This guy exudes a wicked aura from his waist.¡± I signaled to him not to worry, but in truth, I didn¡¯t have much confidence either. However, since I had caused this trouble, I could only face it myself. As we stood in the dilapidated alleyway, the man in the black robe appeared indifferent to our presence. He moved slowly, as if we were of no concern to him. I tightened my grip on the brick in my hand, trying to anticipate how the two lackeys of Er Gou had been taken down. They must have accidentally been bitten by poisonous insects. ¡°Always be careful. One bite, and it¡¯s over,¡± I thought to myself. But guarding against insect attacks in the pitch-black alley was too difficult. As I pondered a solution, I took a few steps forward and suddenly felt a sharp pain in my leg. I looked down and noticed that a palm-sized flower snake had bitten my calf at some point. I pulled off the snake, and it struggled for a few moments before going still, stiff, and seemingly dead. I touched my leg, and other than two small bite marks, I didn¡¯t feel anything unusual. ¡°You¡¯re quite a tough guy. You¡¯re the first person I¡¯ve seen who can keep a straight face after being bitten by a seven-step snake,¡± a slightly surprised voice came from the man in the black robe. ¡°So, you¡¯re not mute after all?¡± It wasn¡¯t that I was tough enough to endure the pain, but my calf didn¡¯t feel much¡ªa little numb and tingly, as if it had even promoted blood circulation. ¡°You still have the strength to talk? Let¡¯s see how long you can last,¡± the man in the black robe sneered, flattening his palm, and a few bug-like creatures, smaller than even stinkbugs, jumped out from his palm. ¡°San Tu worms. Using Gu on ordinary people would be too wasteful,¡± he said, and then self-indulgently shook his head, looking like a lonely mysterious master. I was too scared to move, and after a few minutes, it seemed like nothing had happened. I looked down carefully and saw a few small flying insects fluttering their wings feebly on my shoe. ¡°They look the same as those San Tu worms. Could these things explode after they die?¡± To be honest, I was also shocked by the man in the black robe¡¯s methods. He had knocked down two adult men with a wave of his hand. I thought he was very strong, but it had been so long, and other than posing and speaking like a pretentious jerk, he hadn¡¯t actually harmed me. ¡°Could it be a slow-acting poison? Will I die from it when the midnight comes?¡± ¡°Oh? The San Tu insect can¡¯t approach the body; it seems I have to use my Gu techniques. Boy, I intended to give you an easy death, but you didn¡¯t appreciate it,¡± sneered the black-robed figure, as if everything was under his control. He waved his sleeve and produced a sealed pottery jar in his palm. ¡°Today, I will show you the true power of the Gu techniques,¡± he said, placing his index finger on the jar and dropping a drop of his own blood inside. As the smell of blood wafted, a grotesque, giant insect crawled out of the jar. It resembled a centipede, but with thirty-three pairs of legs. ¡°This is the Miaojiang secret technique¡ªthe Thousand-Legged Gu!¡± With a flick of his finger, the Thousand-Legged Gu climbed down his arm and onto the ground, moving faster and faster until it became invisible to the naked eye. I was holding a brick in my hand, looking around in confusion with sweat in my palms. ¡°Do you really think you can match the thousand-year Gu technique with your mortal eyes and body? you¡¯re like a mantis trying to stop a carriage, completely overestimating your abilities.¡± As soon as he finished speaking, I felt a chill on my arm. The insect had long crawled onto my body without me noticing. ¡°Oh no!¡± I tried to shake it off, but it was too late. The Gu had bitten my arm, injecting venom into my body. The skin on my forearm turned bluish black as the poison spread. CH 45 The Thousand Legged Gu is as fast as lightning, and its venom is as fierce as a gale. If the bitten area is not immediately cut off, the poison will spread throughout the body, and you will only have fifteen minutes left to live,¡± cackled the black-robed man, waving his hand casually as the intelligent creature completed its mission and crawled back into his robe, demonstrating remarkable spiritual awareness. ¡°Brother Jian¡± Er Gou exclaimed, concerned about my well-being, as he ran over. However, upon examining my arm, he found that the bluish black color from earlier had slowly faded away, leaving only a drop of black blood seeping out of the plum blossom wound on my wrist. I was also puzzled and patted Er gou on the shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, getting bitten by this bug doesn¡¯t hurt at all. In fact, it¡¯s quite refreshing,¡± I assured him. Turning to face the black-robed man, he now appeared in my eyes as a benevolent Miaojiang doctor who held the well-being of all people in his heart. He was far from the cunning and ruthless Gu Master that I had previously imagined. ¡°Putting on a false show of power huh? how will you be able to laugh when the poison takes effect?¡± The black-robed man was dismayed to see me still lively and comforting others. He waved his hand and pulled out a reddish black ceramic jar from his robe. ¡°A Miaojiang person can only cultivate nine gu worms in their lifetime, and the first one nurtured with their blood is the Life Gu! Boy, if you die under this Gu bite, you can consider yourself lucky.¡± As soon as the reddish black ceramic jar was brought out, the black-robed man¡¯s aura grew even more fierce and eerie, with a sense of sinister energy swirling around his body. The poison gu inside the jar was not an ordinary creature, and seeing his confident demeanor, I became suspicious and dared not make any rash movements. More than ten pairs of eyes were fixed on the black-robed man¡¯s palm, and he did not disappoint them. After reciting a spell, the blood-red color on the surface of the ceramic jar deepened, and a giant moth pushed open the lid and flew into the sky. That was no ordinary moth. It was the size of a palm, with six wings flapping and a human face grinning on its back. ¡°My Life Gu¡ªthe Facehugger Moth!¡± exclaimed the black-robed man. I couldn¡¯t tell if it was just my imagination, but after this creature appeared, the already dim alley grew even more eerie. The neon lights outside twisted, and something resembling willow catkins floated down from the sky. ¡°Hold your breath! The air is toxic!¡± I quickly covered my mouth and nose, but it was too late. I seemed to have inhaled something, and my throat felt itchy. Turning my head, I saw that Erg Gou behind me, as well as Shi Youfu further away, were all pale and clutching their necks, gasping for air as if breathing was difficult. ¡°The Facehugger Moth is one of the Three Yin and Five Evils. The phosphorus powder it carries is highly poisonous. Without my antidote, you¡¯ll suffocate and die within an hour,¡± the black-robed man said, laughing triumphantly. The people in the alley were writhing on the ground, unable to move except for me. ¡°Er Gou!¡± Ergou grabbed his own neck and squeezed it tightly. He clawed at the dirt on the ground, like suffering uninmaginable torment. But despite inhaling the phosphorus powder like the others, I only felt a slight itch in my throat. That was it. ¡°Do I have some kind of immunity to poison? Or have I just consumed too much gutter oil that I can resist poisonous insects?¡± It made no sense, but I picked up a brick and headed towards the black-robed man. Never mind his sneaky tricks, let¡¯s subdue him first. ¡°You can still move? Your perseverance is admirable, even to me,¡± said the black-robed figure with a rare hint of admiration on his face. ¡°Anyway, if you can walk five steps unscathed, I can consider giving you a comfortable death.¡± He proceeded to count my steps after warning me that my body was infested with multiple toxins and parasites that would only worsen if I moved too fast, given the fact that I had already been poisoned. ¡°Five steps passed,¡± he said, shaking his head and slowly closing his eyes. ¡°The insects will devour your heart, and the seven orifices of your body will bleed. I can already envision your agonizing death.¡± His words sent shivers down my spine, but I felt no discomfort whatsoever. With a newfound sense of bravery, I strode forward five steps, and to my relief, any discomfort had vanished, including the soreness in my throat. Had it not been for the gravity of the situation, I might have even burst into song. ¡°This doesn¡¯t make sense. Er gou was in so much pain, why is the poison not affecting me?¡± I stared at the plum blossom mark on my wrist in confusion. ¡°Could it be because of the Plum Blossom Gu from the Underworld Show?¡± Judging from its appearance alone, the Plum Blossom Gu from the Underworld Show was like a dragon with a horn, and its level should be much higher than that of the black-robed figure¡¯s Gu: ¡°Could it be that the Plum Blossom Gu is too dominant and my body can¡¯t accommodate any other Gu?¡± Lost in thought, I had unknowingly taken more than ten steps and was only a meter or two away from the black-robed figure. Hearing my footsteps, he opened his eyes wide in surprise: ¡°What?! How come you¡¯re not dead?¡± His voice, tinged with a hint of gloom, sounded rustic to my ears: ¡°Brother, I¡¯m also curious. How come my back and legs stopped hurting after you poisoned me? I can still walk so far without getting tired and swing a brick with such force!¡± ¡°You¡¯re not an ordinary person! You¡¯re also a Gu Master?!¡± The black-robed figure exclaimed and took a step back. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect to meet a fellow Gu Master here. Well then, according to the rules of Gu Masters, I have to challenge you to a Gu battle!¡± He waved his hands, and three pottery jars fell from his black robe, arranged in the shape of the Chinese character ¡°³É¡± (ch¨¦ng): ¡°Let¡¯s show our Gu!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± To be honest, if it weren¡¯t for the fact that my friends, Er Gou and the others, were on the brink of death, I would have thought this guy in front of me had a severe case of chuunibyou, dressed in some cosplay outfit. ¡°Merging the characters for ¡®gu¡¯, with the top representing the insect and the bottom representing the container, transforming the Yin energy into an insect and the container into the gu. Three Yin and five calamities¡­¡± the man in the black robe chanted incessantly, but I had already walked up to him by the time he finished. ¡°Hey buddy, how about simplifying that spell a bit? I mean, I¡¯ve already made it to you and you still haven¡¯t finished; isn¡¯t that a bit awkward?¡± The face of the black robed man, who had maintained a calm demeanor all the time, suddenly changed. He was just about to drop his blood into the jar when I attacked. ¡°Bang!¡± Holding his bleeding head, the stubborn Gu Master fell to the ground, still chanting his spell. He trembled with his bony arms as he tried to reach for his pottery jar. ¡°I really can¡¯t understand your stubbornness,¡± I said as I subdued him with a grappling technique, flipping open his black robe to reveal a small, skinny middle-aged man who looked somewhat sleazy. ¡°Impossible! You¡¯ve been poisoned; how could you possibly be unscathed? This is impossible!¡± ¡°What are you pretending to be, a big bad wolf? Hurry up and detoxify my brothers, or you¡¯ll regret it.¡± I picked up a brick and, with some disbelief, quickly subdued the Gu master, who had poisoned over a dozen people, with a wave of his hand. ¡°Your time is up; the poison has taken hold! You¡¯ll die within fifteen minutes. The Gu techniques of the Miaojiang are unparalleled, and you have no idea that death is right around the corner!¡± The man in the black robe pointed at me and cursed me wildly, but I couldn¡¯t be bothered to deal with him. I lifted the brick and gave him two hits on the forehead, saying, ¡°What Miaojiang Gu techniques? What unparalleled? If you don¡¯t detoxify my brothers, I¡¯ll roast your worms with a lighter right now.¡± With a few bricks thrown, the effect was immediate. The man in the black robe obediently detoxified each person one by one. ¡°Brother Jian, you are truly amazing. I almost thought I was going to die just now.¡± The man in the black robe was indeed quite skilled. If it weren¡¯t for me, a freak who had been affected by the Plum Blossom Gu, the others wouldn¡¯t have been able to fight him. After detoxifying everyone, the security guards crouched in the corner, too scared to even make a sound. Their leader, Shi Youfu, who had been fierce just moments ago, now had a big smile on his face. It was like he was a completely different person, almost reminiscent of a historical figure, He Shen. ¡°It¡¯s all a misunderstanding, brother,¡± he said, stuffing all the money he had in his pocket into Er Gou¡¯s hands. Seeing me take out a cigarette, he hurried over to light it for me with a fawning expression. ¡°Brother, smashing your store was something we were instructed to do from above. We¡¯re just errand boys with no power or influence. We can only follow orders. I¡¯m really sorry. If there¡¯s any loss, just let me know, and I¡¯ll compensate you right away.¡± Despite being in his forties, Shi Youfu begged like a child, with a flattering attitude that was almost too good to be true. After he handed over most of his savings, Er Gou and I didn¡¯t make things too difficult for him. We told them to leave quickly, and the dozen or so people surrounded the Gu master, who had been left in a sorry state with his black robe torn to shreds. ¡°I told the others they could go, but not you,¡± I had Er gou strip him naked and leave him in just his black briefs. ¡°Holy cow.¡± A few of Er gou¡¯s underlings were also stunned as they searched the man and found a dozen cloth bags and seven pottery jars of various sizes. It was unclear how he had managed to conceal them all. After a few minutes, the formidable and arrogant Gu Master was now crouching in the corner, naked except for a newspaper covering his chest, like a girl who had just been bullied. ¡°Since I have fallen into your hands, it¡¯s up to you whether you want to kill or torture me!¡± ¡°Listen, buddy, don¡¯t look at me with those hopeless, unwilling-to-die eyes. We¡¯re not going to do anything to you. I just have a few questions to ask you.¡± We threw the Gu Master into the van and drove back to Ting Tang Road. CH 46 After getting off the van, I left all the money I had taken from Shi Youfu with Er Gouzi. I then picked up all the bottles and jars that belonged to the Gu Master and carried them back to the store, along with the Gu Master himself. ¡°Xiao Feng, lend a hand,¡± I said. Although Xiao Feng was surprised that I had somehow managed to bring back a whole person, she trusted me completely and didn¡¯t ask any unnecessary questions. Once we helped the Gu Master into the store, I wrapped him in a bed sheet and closed the store doorway. Then I brought him up to the second floor. ¡°Xiao Feng, don¡¯t touch the pottery jar inside the black robe!¡± After reminding her, I locked the door, leaving only me and the Gu Master in the room, with him wrapped in the bed sheet. ¡°Who are you, and why did you capture me?¡± the Gu Master clutched the bed sheet tightly, looking nervous without his usual Gu worms by his side. Xiao Feng had been in a similar position at the Peace of Mind Inn, but her demeanor was charming, while the Gu Master just looked creepy and out of place. ¡°I¡¯m sure you¡¯re curious why the Gu worms don¡¯t affect me,¡± I said, pulling the curtains closed. The topic that followed might delve into some darker territory, so I didn¡¯t want anyone else to hear it. ¡°Hmph, I lost to you today because I¡¯m not skilled enough. Do what you want with me. Those who practice Gu refinement have tasted all the pain in the world. No matter how you torture me, I won¡¯t even frown,¡± the Gu Master said dramatically. However, his bed sheet outfit ruined his demeanor, making him look comical. ¡°Are all of you Gu practitioners this difficult?¡± I sighed and grabbed a pen and paper, writing down the words ¡°Plum Blossom Gu.¡± ¡°I brought you here today to ask you a question. If you answer truthfully, I¡¯ll release you,¡± I said. ¡°Is that a promise?¡± the Gu Master asked. ¡°A gentleman¡¯s word weights as much as a thousand pieces of gold, but you must answer truthfully with no schemes,¡± I wanted to ask him about the Plum Blossom Gu, the only clue left by Xia Chi after his disappearance. It was too important for me to ignore. The Gu Master furrowed his brow, bit his finger, and smeared a drop of blood on his forehead. ¡°I swear on my life Gu, if I tell a lie, the Yin Worm will devour my body. You may ask your questions now.¡± Gu practitioners respected their Gu worms, and their life Gu was their most important one. Swearing on it held a lot of weight. ¡°Your poisonous insects have no effect on me, not because I have practiced Gu techniques, but possibly because of a previous infection I had with a certain type of Gu.¡± ¡°That¡¯s impossible. If you had been infected before, multiple toxins would only accelerate the hatching of the larvae in your body, turning you into a vessel for the life Gu.¡± The Gu Master meant that the interaction between different types of Gu worms can stimulate each other, triggering ferocity and giving birth to even more powerful Gu worms. ¡°Are you sure? Is it possible that one type of Gu poison is too dominant, and once it enters the body, it can no longer tolerate other Gu poisons?¡± Following my words, the Gu Master seemed to have thought of something, but then shook his head, ¡°Well, there were such kinds of poisonous insects, but they have long been extinct.¡± As soon as I heard this, I felt like there might be something to it, so I immediately followed up, ¡°I wonder about that, Gu Master, have you ever heard of the three words ¡®plum blossom Gu¡¯?¡± ¡°plum blossom Gu!¡± The Gu Master¡¯s eyes widened, looking at me incredulously. ¡°The plum blossom Gu is a taboo among the Gu clans. How could an outsider like you know about it?¡± ¡°So there really is such a thing. If it can break free of the plum blossom Gu, then I can break free from the control of the underworld show, right?¡± Holding back my excitement, I lowered my voice and said, ¡°To be honest, the poison I¡¯m inflicted with is exactly the plum blossom Gu¡¯s.¡± Seeing my wrist, the bedsheet-wrapped Gu Master suddenly stood up with a start, ¡°plum blossom Branding? That innate Gu insects still exist in the world!¡± He stared blankly for a long time before sitting down, his expression changing constantly, ¡°Boy, to tell you the truth, I don¡¯t know much about the plum blossom Gu. I only came across it in ancient books. Although it¡¯s called the plum blossom Gu, it has nothing to do with plum blossoms in appearance. It¡¯s only called that because the person who¡¯s infected with the Gu will carry a plum blossom-shaped wound for the rest of their life, hence the name plum blossom Gu.¡± ¡°The wound will never heal?¡± ¡°Yes, not until death.¡± ¡°What a domineering Gu worm.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just domineering, it¡¯s downright against the natural order.¡± The Gu Master seemed like he was recalling the records in those ancient books, ¡°Before the blooming of a hundred flowers, the plum blossoms alone herald the coming of spring. The Plum Blossom Gu is the top of the hundred Gu and is completely incomparable to the Three Yin and Five Evils, and its method of refinement has long been lost.¡± He glanced at my wrist again and said, ¡°Curing Gu requires targeting the right symptoms and using poison to fight poison. I know what you want to ask, I¡¯m sorry, there is no cure for this poison.¡± I didn¡¯t expect him to be so straightforward and resolute, ¡°Is there really no way at all?¡± ¡°To put it this way, the most domineering Gu in existence currently should be the Blood Gu of Miao Qingpo. It is selected from a thousand blood leeches; the strongest ninety-nine are fed with fresh fish blood for nine days and then allowed to kill each other until only nine remain. These nine are then fed with the blood of five different domesticated animals for another nine days, until only one remains. Finally, it is fed with human blood and various poisons for 49 days to unleash the bloodthirst of this Gu. But in the past, this Blood Gu was just food for another Gu called the Golden Silkworm Gu. What I want to say is, according to ancient records, the Plum Blossom Gu¡¯s favorite food is the Golden Silkworm.¡± After going around in circles, he finally came back to the matter at hand. But through the Gu Master¡¯s explanation, I finally realized how vicious the Plum Blossom Gu truly is. ¡°Is there no other way?¡± I asked. ¡°If I conceal any truth, may heaven strike me with five thunder strikes,¡± he replied. If he had indeed made such a vow, then I had no other option but to fulfill our agreement. With a heavy heart, I opened the door and firmly stated, ¡°It¡¯s time for you to go. And please, be cautious not to associate yourself with anyone from Jiang Jin Real Estate in the future. They will betray you and still take advantage of your abilities.¡± Despite being a skilled Gu Master, he was lacking in common sense and appeared to be quite naive. As soon as the door creaked open, a sweet aroma filled the air, and Xiao Feng¡¯s voice echoed from downstairs, ¡°I¡¯ve prepared some noodles for you both. You¡¯ve just finished drinking, so please, have your fill before you go.¡± Fate was a strange thing. Just moments ago, the two of us were enemies, but now we were sitting at the same table eating noodles, and when our eyes met, the awkwardness was palpable. ¡°I never thought you¡¯d have the nerve to stick around and eat noodles,¡± I said. ¡°Hmph!¡± the Gu Master¡¯s tone was cold, but he ate voraciously without any regard for manners. After he had eaten his fill, it was already past one or two in the morning, and there were no taxis in sight. As I glanced over at the Gu Master, who was wrapped up in a bedsheet, I couldn¡¯t help but let out a sigh and facepalm in frustration. ¡°We can¡¯t just let him wander outside like this. It could cause a disturbance, and someone might even call the police. Let¡¯s just let him stay here for the night.¡± He slept on the floor and all the bottles and jars were thrown outside. I locked the store door before finally feeling at ease. ¡°Don¡¯t even think about doing anything funny, or you¡¯ll regret it,¡± I warned. the Gu Master snorted and fell asleep with his head turned away. Seeing that he didn¡¯t move, I too drifted off to sleep. The room was quiet; it was around three o¡¯clock in the morning. Suddenly, the Gu Master, who was locked in a thin blanket, opened his eyes and said, ¡°You¡¯re too naive to compete with me!¡± With a smirk on his face, he recited an incantation, and the pottery jar outside the door began to tremble. Soon, the Facehugger Moth flew out of it and into the room through the ventilation duct. ¡°I¡¯ll spare your life because of that bowl of noodles, but anyone who humiliates a Gu Master must pay the price.¡± He commanded the moth to scatter phosphorous powder into the room. ¡°The Facehugger Moth is the Lord of Yin, and your business will become even more desolate from now on. I will cut off your source of income!¡± The Gu Master smiled inwardly, but his joy from achieving revenge didn¡¯t last long. Bai Qi, who had drunk half a bottle of Royal Salute, got up at this moment. ¡°This dog is quite sharp, but how could I not deal with a mere untrained animal? ¡± He was imagining the scene of the mutt inhaling the poison and dying in agony, but in reality, Bai Qi just shook his head and showed no signs of being affected. ¡°What¡¯s going on? Is this dog also affected by the Plum Blossom Gu?¡± As he pondered, Bai Qi spotted a single Facehugger Moth fluttering around the room. The fellow had just woken up from a drunken stupor, and in his excitement, he slapped the moth to the ground. ¡°Splosh!¡± The Gu Master spat out a mouthful of blood. It wasn¡¯t an exaggeration¡ªhis cherished Gu had been injured, and he was bleeding inside. When the Facehugger Moth finally managed to escape, its wings had been torn off by Bai Qi, and several of its legs were broken. ¡°I¡¯ve been roaming the Miaojiang for over a decade, and I¡¯ve never suffered such humiliation.This isn¡¯t over!¡± Wiping the blood from the corner of his mouth, the Gu Master silently recited another incantation. This time, he summoned a centipede Gu, and ordered it to crawl along the roof and into the room to avoid Bai Qi. But an unexpected incident occurred once again. The centipede Gu stopped motionless in front of Xiao Feng¡¯s sleeping room and seemed to have lost control. ¡°What does this mean?¡± The Gu Master¡¯s face turned pale. ¡°Centipede Gu loves extremely yin and cold things and will only stop when it encounters a woman born under a yin sign and who is heavily influenced by yin energy. Could it be that the person living in that room is the Tianxi Holy Maiden I¡¯ve been searching for these past few years?¡± CH 47 Typically, in the past, it was usually women who learned Gu techniques rather than men. While men were capable of learning it, Gu was considered an extremely yin and cold evil creature, and men who practiced it often had short lives. As a result, the Miao family generally prohibited the teaching of the Gu technique to men. The Gu Master, who learned the Gu technique through stealing and self-study, had exceptional talent. However, his unfortunate fate as a male meant that as his Gu technique grew stronger, his lifespan decreased. To survive, he had to constantly seek out something of extreme yin to nourish his body. Agreeing to Jiang Chen¡¯s request to come and kill Gao Jian was also a last resort. Buying extremely yin ghostly creatures from the market requires a lot of money, which is difficult to come by in the remote Miao region. Everything was for the sake of survival. However, on that day, the centipede Gu he had been nurturing unexpectedly discovered a girl born under the yin sign. This kind of girl was born to be suitable for practicing Gu technique, and if she had been placed among the Gu clan, she would undoubtedly have been chosen as the holy woman of the clan. ¡°Never mind that she was born under the yin sign, but her body is filled with such heavy yin energy. Is she a living ghost or a living person who has been to the underworld? If I can stay by her side for a long time, the yin and evil energy of my Gu may get neutralized or even get transferd to her.¡± After a great effort, the Gu Master managed to get the centipede Gu back into the pottery jar and slept soundly that night. The next morning, I was awakened by Xiao Feng, who was still fast asleep. ¡°Is there a fire?¡± I jumped out of bed and opened my eyes to see Xiao Feng kneeling beside her pallet with a strange expression on her face. It was like seeing a cockroach but not being able to kill it. I followed her gaze to the other side of the pallet, where the Gu Master, wrapped in a bed sheet, had already awakened. He had a stiff smile on his face, and his eagle-like eyes were fixed on Xiao Feng. He looked like he wanted to swallow her whole. ¡°Oh my god, could this old bastard have fallen for Xiao Feng? With such a big age difference, how shameless!¡± After getting dressed, I walked up to the Gu Master and asked, ¡°It¡¯s already morning, why haven¡¯t you left yet?¡± ¡°No rush. I quite get along with the girl in your shop and want to give her an opportunity,¡± the Gu Master replied calmly and steadily. ¡°What opportunity?¡± ¡°I want to take her as my disciple and pass on the Miaojiang Gu technique,¡± he said, scheming to stay by Xiao Feng¡¯s side under the guise of being her master and transfer the yin and evil energy of the gu to her. ¡°Are you out of your mind?¡± When I woke up, the Gu Master¡¯s thinking had made a huge leap, and I didn¡¯t quite understand what was going on. So I turned around and asked Xiao Feng for her opinion, and the girl decisively shook her head and refused. ¡°As you can see, Xiao Feng is not interested in learning Gu techniques from you. It¡¯s getting late, so please leave. This is not a shelter for the disabled, so you should return where you came from.¡± The Gu Master¡¯s face turned pale and green as he said, ¡°Young lady, think carefully. With my extensive knowledge of Gu techniques, I can easily poison several strong men with just a touch of my finger. These techniques can also help maintain youth and prevent aging, in addition to being lethal weapons.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to learn, and I don¡¯t like fighting,¡± she replied. ¡°It seems that I haven¡¯t made myself clear. Gu techniques are vast and profound. Besides being used to kill enemies, they can also be used for beauty and youth preservation, and even to control someone¡¯s mind, making them love you unconditionally.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t learn, I trust Gao Jian,¡± ¡°You¡­¡± the Gu Master was left speechless, his lips turning purple as he struggled to respond. I tidied up the bed sheets and kicked the Gu Master lightly. ¡°Come on, old man, that¡¯s enough for today. I still have work to do. Don¡¯t lay around here like a dead fish.¡± ¡°Okay, how about this? I swear on my life that if that girl lends me something, I will never harm you again. In fact, I¡¯ll even help you with something else unconditionally,¡± the Gu Master said sincerely. His words piqued my curiosity. ¡°Ask Xiao Fengfor something? What do you want to borrow?¡± After hesitating for a while, the Gu Master mustered up the courage to say, ¡°The girl¡¯s Heavenly Sunflower..¡± ¡°Heavenly Sunflower has been used in medicine since ancient times. It¡¯s a Yin ingredient that is particularly favored by women, and the Tiaxin Holy Maiden¡¯s Heavenly Sunflower is an invaluable treasure,¡± the Gu Master explained. Xiao Feng still looked confused and shook my arm, asking, ¡°What is a Heavenly Sunflower?¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t know, you can search for it online later. I¡¯ll go to the kitchen to get something,¡± I replied. ¡°I really want it. If you lend it to me, I promise to do two things for you. No, three things, okay?¡± the Gu Master pleaded. I didn¡¯t say anything and went straight to the kitchen, holding a knife. ¡°You old pervert! If you don¡¯t leave today, I¡¯ll chop you up alive!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be impulsive! How about five things? Let¡¯s negotiate!¡± the Gu Master shouted. I chased the gu master out of the small shop, but he continued knocking on the roll-up door from outside, saying, ¡°Please reconsider?¡± At noon, Xiao Feng was preparing to go out and buy groceries when she ran into the Gu Master, who was squatting outside the door. He was wearing a tattered black robe and holding a pancake with an egg in his hand. He didn¡¯t look like a wise man at all. ¡°Little girl, it¡¯s fate that we can meet in this vast sea of people. Let¡¯s be master and disciple¡­¡± The Gu Master kept babbling and insisting on accompanying Xiao Feng to the market, which even tested her normally good temper. ¡°Please don¡¯t follow me anymore!¡± Xiao Feng finally had enough. ¡°I just don¡¯t want you to miss out on such opportunity,¡± the Gu Master replied. ¡°If you keep following me, I¡¯ll call the police!¡± Avoiding the Gu Master, Xiao Feng chose narrow paths to walk on. The deserted alleyway was quiet and a bit scary. The sound of a fallen bottle could shock anyone. Suddenly, Xiao Feng felt a tap on her shoulder from behind. ¡°Why are you following me again? I told you, I don¡¯t like bugs and don¡¯t want to learn witchcraft from you¡­¡± ¡°Learn witchcraft? Big brother won¡¯t teach you how to play witchcraft. Big brother has something more fun to teach you!¡± The voice was off, and Xiao Feng quickly turned around to see a man with a scorpion tattoo, ¡°It¡¯s you guys! The thugs I met at the night market after that day!¡± ¡°Who are you calling thugs? Did we do anything to you?¡± The tattooed man smiled slyly and was about to grab Xiao Feng. However, right then, the Gu Master, dressed in a black robe, walked into the alleyway and said, ¡°You¡¯re looking for death! How dare you lay a hand on someone I have taken a liking to.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve taken a liking to? What else can an old geezer like you do besides just looking?¡± taunted the thug. The Gu Master gave a cold smile and said, ¡°Your sentence has twenty-one words. I¡¯ll torture you for twenty-one days before letting you die. Centipede Gu!¡± Just as he was about to start chanting a spell, he was hit with a strong force to the back of his head. He tried to get a good look at the person behind him, but his head felt heavy and he eventually passed out. ¡°Take that woman away and leave this place immediately,¡± said the man wearing a duckbill cap, who had attacked the Gu Master from behind. Half of his face was handsome and fair-skinned, while the other half looked like it had been burned, with scars covering his face. ¡°Let go of me! Let go!¡± Xiao Feng struggled as the man with the duckbill cap walked up to her with a smile on his face. ¡°Little sister, long time no see. I heard you¡¯re doing well these days, aren¡¯t you?¡± ¡°Little sister?¡± Xiao Feng¡¯s expression suddenly changed, as if she had thought of something terribly frightening. She slowly lifted her head, looked at the eerie face under the duckbill cap, and screamed. ¡°Lu Xing!¡± ¡°Silence her and take her away!¡± In a deserted warehouse on the outskirts of Jiangcheng, Xiao Feng was tied up and thrown onto a shabby sofa. Her brother, Lu Xing, sat beside her playing with a short knife, occasionally gesturing towards her face. ¡°The corpse that was hidden in the Peace of Mind Inn was found, and Mom and Dad were taken away by the police. I became a wanted criminal too.¡± He grabbed Xiao Feng¡¯s hair and pressed the blade against her neck, ignoring her painful screams. ¡°But you, enjoying your life with your little lover, have forgotten that you were born with a lowly fate, haven¡¯t you?¡± After speaking, Lu Xing held the knife to Xiao Feng¡¯s neck, ¡°You can¡¯t escape. Your fate is predetermined, and you cannot escape it. But don¡¯t worry; I won¡¯t kill you now. You are the seventh. Before you, I have to kill another person.¡± Lu Xing picked up the newspaper from the ground, and the headline featured the news of the police¡¯s successful investigation of the hidden corpse case in the peace of mind inn. The article was accompanied by two pictures: one of the inn and the other of the captain of the criminal investigation team of the city branch, Tie Ningxiang. ¡°Stars of fortune and misfortune! I¡¯ve been searching for ten years, and I never thought I would find it here in Jiangcheng!¡± Lu Xing laughed wholeheartedly. The few young men around him all lowered their heads. They looked so obedient that they seemed to be controlled by some external force, as if they were puppets. ¡°This time we¡¯ve gathered all eight auspicious stars: the Red Luan, the Yuan Chen, the Disaster Star, the Death God, the Heavenly Doctor, the Nobleman, the Star General, and the Ten Evils. Now we just need to wait for the appropriate time of Mourning Clothes, Funeral Guests, and Death¡¯s Door, then we can cheat fate and completely reshape our destiny!¡± CH 48 Xiao Feng lay on the sofa, her eyes fixated on Lu Xing¡¯s maniacal laughter. Memories of her childhood nightmares flooded her mind, causing her to shut her eyes in agony. She whispered softly to herself, ¡°Our destiny is predetermined. We cannot escape it.¡± Unbeknownst to anyone in the warehouse, a centipede had crawled out of Xiao Feng¡¯s pocket and vanished into the depths of the sofa. It wasn¡¯t until the afternoon when I found out that Xiao Feng was missing. The Gu master had rushed into the shop, saying that she had been taken away by a group of thugs. At first, I didn¡¯t believe it, but when I went to the market to investigate, I realized that the situation was much more serious than what the Gu master had described. There were no signs of a struggle at the kidnapping scene, and the fact that the thugs were able to easily overpower the Gu master suggested that their identities were not simple. ¡°Why would they kidnap Xiao Feng? Money or something else?¡± I shook my head, ruling out those possibilities, and picked up the vegetable basket that had fallen to the ground. ¡°The vegetables inside are still clean and not scattered, which means the basket wasn¡¯t thrown during a struggle. Xiao Feng must have let go on her own.¡± ¡°Why would she let go? Did she see something terrifying? Like a ghost haunting in broad daylight?¡± I dismissed that thought, as Xiao Feng was already haunted by a ghost of her own, and wouldn¡¯t be that much frightened by them. I came to a realization: ¡°Who is the person that Xiao Feng fears the most?¡± The inn landlord couple had already been arrested, and besides them, there was only one person who could make Xiao Feng so terrified. ¡°Her brother, Lu Xing, who¡¯s on the run.¡± My eyes lit up, and I called for the Gu master, asking him if he had seen a strange young man. The Gu master¡¯s was vague and unclear, only recalling a young man wearing a duckbill cap standing behind him when he fainted. ¡°It¡¯s highly likely that the person behind this is a fugitive. We need to call the police immediately,¡± I said, confident in my assumption. Half an hour later, the first thing that I said when I met Tie Ningxiang was, ¡°Xiao Feng has been kidnapped, and it¡¯s likely Lu Xing who did it.¡± A city-wide search was launched in secret, and although I was worried about Xiao Feng¡¯s safety, I knew there was little I could do to help. Returning to Tingtang Road, the Gu master, who had been silent the whole time, finally spoke up: ¡°I share half the blame for that girl¡¯s disappearance. I¡¯ll do my best to help you find her.¡± ¡°It was bound to happen,¡± I replied, lighting a cigarette and grabbing two cups of instant noodles to place on the table. ¡°There¡¯s actually something I need to tell you. I lost one of my gu worms.¡± ¡°Lost one?¡± ¡°It¡¯s the thousand legged Gu, that half-foot long centipede. It has a preference for extremely cold and dark things. When I lost consciousness, it escaped from the Gu container,¡± the Gu Master hesitated for a moment before revealing what he had done the night before. ¡°So, you¡¯re saying that the lost Gu worm is likely with Xiao Feng now?¡± ¡°Yes, I feed the Gu worm with my own blood, so as long as it appears within a hundred meters of me, I can sense it.¡± ¡°Can you even search the entire Jiangchen with each of its corner? Just wait for the police to do their job, I¡¯m more anxious than you are,¡± I knew the Gu Master meant well, but his suggested method was too inefficient. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, I¡¯ll find her and give you an explanation,¡± the Gu Master said, then shook his black robe and walked out of the shop. Just a few hours ago, the small shop was bustling with activity, but now it had become cold and empty, as if time had turned back to a long time ago. ¡°If only I had said those words by the river yesterday¡­¡± A whole day had passed, and there was still no news of Xiao Feng. During this time, I had asked Er Gouzi to look for her, and even begged Blind Liu to do a divination, but it had no effect. In Blind Liu¡¯s words, this was a calamity that Xiao Feng was destined to face and couldn¡¯t avoid. I had no intention of doing anything else until 8 p.m. the next day, when a sudden flash of cold light illuminated the darkened shop. Someone had dialed the underworld¡¯s large screen phone. What was meant to come would always come. I took a deep breath and picked up the phone. ¡°Hello?¡± ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at Miyun Mansion. Please take your personal belongings and exit through the back door. Thank you for riding with us.¡± ¡°The bus has arrived at the station. Pedestrians and vehicles, please be careful. Welcome to the No.14 autonomous ticketing bus. Please board through the front door and insert one yuan. No change will be given on the bus.¡± ¡°The bus is now departing. Please remain seated and hold on tight. Thank you for riding the No. 14 autonomous ticketing bus. If you are boarding, please have exact change ready, as the fare is one yuan. Passengers getting on should proceed to the back door. The next stop is station N.3 bridge crematorium. ¡° After what seemed like a bus announcement, a woman¡¯s voice suddenly rang out: ¡°Promise me, don¡¯t let my daughter get on the bus! Promise me!¡± The phone suddenly hung up, leaving a busy signal echoing in the small shop. Not long after, a text message arrived in the mailbox: ¡°At the silent and deserted midnight, do not board the last bus that is likely to be a hearse full of dead bodies due to delay.¡± ¡°Live streaming mission: Arrive at Miyun Mansion before dawn, take bus 14 and arrive at the final stop alive (Note: the task must be completed without the company of any living creature, otherwise it will be considered a failure).¡± ¡°Optional mission: Protect the passengers on the bus. Each additional surviving passenger earns you one point as a reward.¡± Staring dumbfounded at the text message in the mailbox, every live streaming task gave me an unexpected feeling. ¡°Forbidding the task to be carried out with any living creature? This rule is obviously targeting Bai Qi. How did the Underworld Show know about Bai Qi? Have they been around me all along?¡± Four hours before the start of the live broadcast, my only trump card, Bai Qi, couldn¡¯t join me on the livestream. ¡°The tasks on the Underworld Show are becoming more and more dangerous. Last time, it was only thanks to Xiao Feng¡¯s intervention that I survived.¡± I couldn¡¯t expect a miracle to happen every time I livestreamed. It¡¯s too difficult to rely on last-minute solutions. After much deliberation, I decided to use the points I earned from the Underworld Show to exchange for protective talismans that could keep me alive. I asked Bai Qi to stay and guard while I called Blind Liu to come over, and then I took a taxi to the largest bank in Jiangcheng. Taking out my large-screen smartphone, I sent a message to the mailbox: ¡°Points exchange. I want to exchange for six small random transportation talismans.¡± ¡°Points deducted. Four points remaining. Your items have been deposited in your personal safe and can be collected at any time.¡± The Underworld Show replied almost immediately. When I arrived at the bank, which should have been closed, it was unexpectedly well-lit, and the graceful branch manager was standing at the entrance. ¡°Mr. Gao, we have received the notification. Please follow me,¡± the person said. ¡°The package has already arrived? Did you see who delivered it?¡± I asked. ¡°Sorry, we only received a phone call saying that you would come to collect the package,¡± the person replied. I felt a bit incredulous. The Underworld Show really had incredible capabilities. But when I thought about it, they could communicate with ghosts and even produce things like the Plum Blossom Gu. Therefore, they could easily sneak something into a bank vault without anyone noticing. After arriving at the personal safe deposit box on the lower level and swiping my black card, I took out a black package. I didn¡¯t open it hastily. Instead, I went back to Ting Tang Road, where Blind Liu, whom I had called, was already waiting for me. CH 49 ¡°This specific talisman is not to be used recklessly. If used improperly, it will bring disaster,¡± warned Blind Liu. ¡°Are all the talismans with red paper bottoms ominous?¡± I didn¡¯t expect that out of the six talismans I randomly exchanged, one would actually attract misfortune. ¡°Not all talismans with red paper bottoms are ominous. It¡¯s just that this one is too malicious. Although the paper and ink are ordinary, the person who drew this talisman is not a good person, and every stroke is full of resentment. Anyway, listen to my advice: Don¡¯t show this talisman to anyone easily, and don¡¯t use it recklessly.¡± I folded the six talismans and put them in my pocket, then bowed to the Blind Liu. ¡°Thank you for your guidance, brother. I have offended you in the past, but if I survive tonight, I will come to apologize in person.¡± ¡°Why do you suddenly sound like you¡¯re saying goodbye? Where are you going tonight?¡± Blind Liu moved his fingers, and the blindfold covering his eyes seemed to see through my thoughts. ¡°I can¡¯t say, but I have to go, and I can only go alone.¡± I packed all the live streaming equipment into a black leather case and lit a cigarette. There were still two hours left until midnight. ¡°It seems that you have made up your mind, and I won¡¯t stop you. But I just read your fortune, and the hexagram was very ominous and hazy.¡± ¡°Oh? What did the hexagram say?¡± It was my first time letting someone read my fortune, and I had never believed in these things before. Blind Liu shook his head. ¡°When riding a horse, the horse won¡¯t move, but when taking a car, the car won¡¯t work. It¡¯s best for you to walk wherever you¡¯re going tonight. And your birth season is in winter, with a preference for warmth and fire. Your destiny is in the south, so tonight you must not head north. Finally, take a winding path instead of a straight one, and it will seem farther, but it will actually be closer to your destination.¡± After he finished speaking, he didn¡¯t stay for long, coughed twice, and left with his cane. ¡°No cars, no north, no straight paths¡ªthese are really strange requirements.¡± I kept it in mind and then quickly searched for information about the Jiangcheng 14 bus on my computer. After searching, I was shocked to find out that there were 11 reported accidents involving the 14 bus route, both big and small, with several lives lost along this route. Moreover, all of the accidents had one thing in common: they always involved the last bus on the 14 route. No matter who was driving, even experienced drivers would inexplicably make mistakes that led to tragic consequences that could not be undone. Netizens have various speculations about this. Some say that the 14 bus route is remote and has poor road conditions, and they hope that relevant departments can pay more attention to it. Others believe that the 14 bus has been using old-fashioned Minsheng brand buses that have been worn out and should have been thrown out long ago, but the bus company has been resisting external pressure to continue using them. Those holding these two views account for 20%, and the remaining 80% believe that the last bus of the 14 route is not carrying passengers but lost spirits and wild ghosts. This argument does have some merit, as the final stop of the 14 bus route is the Jiangcheng No.3 Bridge crematorium. Additionally, the bus company often sends out an empty bus, which doesn¡¯t pick up any passengers, to run the entire route at midnight during the Zhongyuan and Shangyuan Festivals. This strange practice has left many citizens confused, but the bus company has never given a direct response, causing rumors to spread that the last bus on the 14 route is specifically for transporting the deceased. As a local of Jiangcheng, I had heard of this rumor before but never paid it much attention. Like most people, I considered it just a topic of conversation for idle chatter. ¡°If only I had gone to the bus company earlier to ask,¡± I thought to myself. With only four hours before the Underworld Show mission starts, I quickly researched the situation online and set out with my suitcase, heeding Blind Liu¡¯s advice to walk instead of taking a taxi, to the distant Miyun Mansion on the outskirts of the city. ¡°Why do I need to get on the bus at Miyun Mansion? Is there some hidden reason behind it?¡± I studied the 14 bus route map repeatedly, memorizing the name of every stop along the way. Miyun Mansion was neither the starting nor ending point, just a seemingly insignificant stop on the bus route. After walking for an hour and a half, I finally arrived at Miyun Mansion before midnight. The place was even more desolate than I had imagined. Weeds were growing everywhere, and the partially constructed resort resembled a mutilated patient lying half-dead on the wasteland. The building was incomplete, with unused sand and dried concrete piled on the ground. The gate was pushed over, and half of the words ¡°Miyun Mansion¡± were buried in the soil. ¡°Miyun Mansion started construction a few years ago, claiming to be the number one resort in southern China. It even appeared on TV. But after all these years, it still hasn¡¯t been completed,¡± I couldn¡¯t see anyone within hundreds of meters of me, but there were some scattered lights coming from the small, two-story buildings of the nearby farming families. After circling around for a while, I finally found the bus stop¡ªa lonely iron sign with only the 14 bus route map on it. ¡°The bus only runs once, which is really unfortunate.¡± I checked the time and saw that there were five minutes until midnight. I set down my black suitcase, sat on the curb, and started silently smoking a cigarette. ¡°Will the bus come? It¡¯s already almost midnight, so it stands to reason that it should be out of service by now.¡± After a while, the lights in the nearby rural buildings went out, and in the endless darkness, the only light came from the tip of my cigarette. ¡°Forget it, it¡¯s almost midnight; let¡¯s start the livestream!¡± I opened my suitcase, and since I might have to livestream on the bus, I didn¡¯t use a camera. Instead, I took out the large-screen cellphone, turned on the camera function, plugged in a mobile encoder, and clicked on the ¡°Underworld Show¡± app. ¡°Connecting to the bullet screen¡­ ¡° ¡°Data is stable. Do you want to start the live broadcast?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°Welcome Teletubies died of murder to the livestream room. Welcome Master Tieling Biao to the livestream. Welcome¡­¡± As soon as the stream started, the audience soared to fifty viewers, and familiar IDs flashed by, but I couldn¡¯t feel happy at all. The murder of Officer Huang of the third year class 2 and The girl who loves handsome and talented men was related to the Underworld Show. In other words, the viewers in my livestream might be using their remaining lives to watch me. ¡°First of all, welcome to the super thrilling live broadcast. Before we start today¡¯s show, I have to tell you that not everyone can watch this livestream. Based on my personal speculation, anyone who has watched this live broadcast may face the danger of being killed. Therefore, I urge all viewers to be very careful!!¡± I gave a warning to my viewers because I was worried about their safety, but I didn¡¯t mention the deaths of Uncle Huang and Huang Guanxing because I also wanted to stay alive. For the livestreams to continue on, there must be viewers; hence, the death will never stop. ¡°The host is bragging again as usual, who are you scaring? Please be less predictable and more sincere.¡± ¡°This forced act came out of nowhere, without any foreshadowing. I¡¯ll leave a negative review!¡± Teletubies died of murder donated 99 ghost coins to the Super Thrilling Live broadcast room: ¡°Don¡¯t you dare say that about the host! I¡¯ve watched the host¡¯s livestreams twice and feel that the host is very dedicated and has acting skills comparable to a female lead in a Japanese action film!¡± ¡°Why is the picture quality a bit blurry today? Is it because I masturbated too much and became nearsighted?¡± ¡°Nonsense! My biology teacher told me that there is no connection between your eyes and your genitals. Masturbating too much only leads to your hand getting pregnant!¡± ¡°Wow, I learned something new! I¡¯ll definitely wear gloves next time!¡± ¡°66666!¡± As the barrage of comments went by in the live broadcast chatroom, no one really took my words seriously. Shaking my head with a wry smile, I aimed my phone at the bus license plate and said, ¡°Today, let me take you on a ride with a veteran bus driver on the No. 14 bus¡­¡± ¡°Oh my god, the host is going to speed! Buckle up, everyone! New driver on board, please pay up!¡± ¡°Beep! Student card!¡± ¡°Beep! Senior citizen card!¡± ¡°Beep! Sorry, your face is too handsome for this device to recognize at the moment!¡± ¡°Everyone, please be quiet. This is not just any ordinary bus we¡¯re taking this time.¡± I quickly stopped the argumentative veteran trolls who were starting to send memes and explained the situation of the last bus of the No.14 route to my viewers. As I was giving my explanation, an elderly woman in her sixties or seventies appeared across the street, carrying an iron basin and a bag of paper money. She was facing me, or more specifically, she was sitting at the return bus stop for the No.14 bus. ¡°Where did she come from?¡± I didn¡¯t pay much attention at first, but after a few minutes, the old lady began burning paper money on the main street, crying and wailing in a very mournful voice. CH 50 I wanted to ask her about her situation, but as I watched the flames rise and heard her heart-wrenching cries, my vison grew hazy, and I couldn¡¯t seem to take a step forward. ¡°Is she burning paper money on the road? Could it be that her family members died on this road?¡± I wondered. ¡°Or perhaps it was a worker from the Miyun Mansion who died in an accident here?¡± I speculated. ¡°She¡¯s crying so bitterly; it must have been a close relative who passed away,¡± My mind was filled with all sorts of random speculations, and as the flames started to die down, the bag of paper money was quickly burned to ashes. ¡°Excuse me, sir, is this the bus stop for the No. 14 bus?¡± Suddenly, a voice came from behind me. I was startled and turned around to see a young girl with a backpack. She looked around 12 or 13 years old, probably not yet in high school. ¡°Yes, this is the bus stop for the No. 14 bus,¡± I replied. ¡°Thank you,¡± she said sweetly, standing next to me. I was puzzled and looked across the road. The old woman had already left, leaving only the ashes of the burnt paper money on the street. ¡°Already gone?¡± I had no idea when the old woman had left. It felt like only a short while had passed. ¡°What do you mean, already gone?¡± The girl next to me swayed her ponytail and glanced at me. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just an strange old lady,¡± I said, brushing off the dust from my clothes as I stood up. From the corner of my eye, I looked at the girl beside me. She was about 150 cm tall, with a youthful and innocent look. She was dressed very cutely, like a flower about to bloom, eager to show her best side to everyone. ¡°Hey, what¡¯s your name?¡± I asked. ¡°Liu Yiyi,¡± she replied. ¡°Why are you here at the station so late at night instead of going home?¡± I was a bit puzzled. The girl was a beauty with a hint of makeup that made her look innocent and charming. If she ran into bad people, the consequences would be unimaginable. She didn¡¯t answer directly but instead kicked the gravel on the roadside with her toes and asked, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going home late at night? Do you have to wait for the bus here?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± This girl was quick-witted and caught me off guard. ¡°Please go home quickly. Look, there are no lights within a few hundred meters around here.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not going back. I¡¯m waiting for the bus.¡± ¡°What bus are you waiting for? Can¡¯t you see clearly on the sign that the last bus left at 9:30 pm and it¡¯s already stopped running? Where do you need to go? If it¡¯s really not possible, I can give you money to take a taxi.¡± ¡°My mom said I shouldn¡¯t take things from strangers.¡± The girl had principles, with two ponytails sticking up behind her head, making her look quite amusing. ¡°Your mom must have also told you not to wander around at night. You should go home quickly and not let her worry,¡± I said. The girl lowered her head and after a while spoke up, ¡°My mom isn¡¯t home, and I¡¯m going to find her.¡± She was a stubborn girl, and I couldn¡¯t persuade her. All I could do was wait with her. ¡°Do you think the No.14 bus will come?¡± She blinked her big eyes and looked pitifully at me after a moment of silence. ¡°It will come.¡± Actually, I didn¡¯t want the No.14 bus to appear. I was even willing to stand on the roadside all night instead of taking that frequently delayed last bus. Around 1 a.m., as I was sitting on the curb, almost falling asleep, two yellow and green lights pierced through the bumpy road in the distance. ¡°Route 14, here we come!¡± The bus was moving very slowly, taking about five minutes from the time we saw its lights to when it finally pulled up to the station. ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at Miyun Mansion. Please take your personal belongings and exit through the back door. Thank you for riding with us.¡± ¡°The bus has arrived at the station. Pedestrians and vehicles, please be careful. Welcome to the No.14 autonomous ticketing bus. Please board through the front door and insert one yuan. No change will be given on the bus.¡± The familiar broadcast came through the speakers, and my drowsiness vanished as I stood up straight. ¡°No way, it¡¯s one o¡¯clock in the morning and the 14 bus is still operating? And it looks like there are still a lot of passengers on board. Could the rumors be true?¡± The surroundings of Miyun Mansion were shrouded in thick darkness, with only the headlights of the No.14 bus providing any light. The front and back doors of the bus were open when I stopped Liu Yiyi, who was holding a one yuan bill, and gestured for her to wait. After a short while, an elderly man came down from the back door. Despite it not yet being autumn, he was wearing a thick cotton coat and a scarf around his neck. He looked like he was seriously ill, but he walked quickly, and in the blink of an eye, he crossed the street and stopped beside the pile of burnt paper money. Just as I was about to take a closer look, Liu Yiyi shook off my hand and got on the bus first. I had no choice but to take out a one yuan coin and board from the front door. This bus was a vintage ¡°Minsheng¡± model, so old and worn-out that it seemed impossible to deteriorate further. It relied on a manual lever to start, and the wipers were out of order. The interior was even more ramshackle, with an odd scent lingering in the air. Despite the absence of visible litter on the floor, the paint was flaking off, and the wooden seats were all in a state of disrepair. Sitting on them was a thoroughly uncomfortable experience, akin to sitting on the lid of a coffin. ¡°The bus is now departing. Please remain seated and hold on tight. Thank you for riding the No. 14 autonomous ticketing bus. If you are boarding, please have exact change ready, as the fare is one yuan. Passengers getting on should proceed to the back door. The next stop is Station Grace Village.¡± Instead of sitting down immediately, I took the opportunity to survey every passenger on the bus while searching for a seat. The driver was a young man who looked even younger than me. He wore the uniform of the bus company, and his eyes were fixed on the steering wheel. Sweat soaked his forehead. ¡°Is it that hot? Or is he sweating from being scared?¡± His work ID was flipped over, with the photo side facing inward, and no information could be seen. I moved slowly, but the driver didn¡¯t urge me on. He had an overly good temper and showed no signs of the impatience of someone his age. Sitting right behind the driver¡¯s seat was Liu Yiyi, who took off her backpack and made a face at me. A middle-aged woman in ordinary dress sat a few seats away. She looked like she had just finished dancing in a square and was heading home. ¡°At one in the morning, someone her age should be asleep. Where could she be going on the No. 14 bus?¡± Sitting diagonally behind the middle-aged woman sat a couple who looked like they were pretending to be in love. They were in their early twenties, and the woman was unwilling to leave the man¡¯s embrace, while he kept frowning, seeming a bit disgusted. Across the aisle from the couple was a patient, or more accurately, a strange person in a patient¡¯s gown with bandages wrapped around his head. This person was around forty years old with an extremely pale complexion. He kept muttering to himself, and his leg, which was leaning against the inside of the seat, was shaking involuntarily. ¡°I don¡¯t think he looks like a normal person, but why do I feel like he¡¯s the most normal person on this bus?¡± The two meanings of ¡°normal¡± are naturally different, so I continued to look further back. Sitting in the second-to-last row of the bus was a girl about the same age as Liu Yiyi. She looked like she had just been crying, with swollen red eyes and a backpack in her arms. ¡°There are two girls?¡± I remembered the phone call I received when the underworld show announced their task. A woman had said, ¡°Promise me, don¡¯t let my daughter get on that bus! Promise me!¡± ¡°Which one is your daughter?¡± The underworld show mission was indeed not simple, it couldn¡¯t be easily deciphered. I had very few clues at hand, so I could only go with the flow. Sitting in the last row of the bus, near the window, was a woman wearing heavy makeup with a big, wavy hairdo. Her dress and appearance made her look like a hostess in a karaoke bar. Next to her, there was a woman wearing a red coat with her hair completely covering her face, half leaning on her. What¡¯s even more peculiar was that the woman with heavy makeup seemed completely oblivious to the woman in red and was instead focused on playing with her phone. ¡°What kind of duo is this?¡± I withdrew my gaze and sat in the empty seat behind Liu Yiyi. ¡°Uncle, where are you getting off?¡± There wasn¡¯t a single person on the bus who spoke, making it eerily quiet, so I could hear Liu Yiyi¡¯s voice very clearly. ¡°Don¡¯t speak, don¡¯t move around, and quickly get off when we arrive, got it?¡± I replied quietly, but in my heart, I was wondering, ¡°Can¡¯t this silly girl see that none of the people on this bus are normal?¡± After the driver saw me take a seat, he was about to start driving when someone suddenly grabbed the half-closed door. ¡°Finally caught up, hurry up!¡± Three workers with safety helmets boarded the bus. Their clothes were covered in paint stains, and their shoes had mud on them. They paid their fare and then, shoulder-to-shoulder, looked for empty seats to sit in. ¡°Wait, how could there still be workers getting on the bus at this late hour when the Miyun Mansion construction has been halted for years?¡± They reeked of alcohol and had flushed faces, suggesting they had been drinking heavily. ¡°Do ghosts drink alcohol?¡± I shook my head, thinking they were probably local workers hired to repair nearby houses. Once the three men were settled on the bus and the doors closed, the No. 14 bus slowly started moving. This marked the beginning of my third thrilling live broadcast. ¡°The car started, the road was clear, and we headed north. I didn¡¯t follow any of Blind Liu¡¯s three pieces of advice¡­¡± I looked out the window with a wry smile as the wind scattered the ashes of burnt paper money along the roadside. The old man with a scarf around his head was nowhere to be seen. I could only vaguely see a black-and-white photo frame in a basin, and the elderly man in the picture with a scarf around his head, seemed to be smiling at me. CH 51 The old man in the black and white photo frame had a meaningful smile, and it gave me a shiver down my spine. ¡°Was there originally a photo frame in that basin?¡± As the No. 14 bus slowly started, the windows on both sides were not tightly closed, and the cold wind blew into the bus, brushing fjpast passengers who were either humans or ghosts. ¡°Jianbang, move over there a bit. Your brother needs to lie down and rest. Wake me up when we get there.¡± A construction worker, who reeked of alcohol, propped his feet up on the seat and winked at the young companion next to him. The two young men accompanying him understood his gesture and took off their helmets, sitting in front of a young woman with wavy hair to block the view of the other passengers. The older foreman chuckled and curled up in the last row of seats. It looked like he was sleeping, but his dangling hand was not behaving properly. Every time the bus shook, it would lightly touch the woman with wavy hair sitting next to him. ¡°Can¡¯t this guy see the woman in the red clothing?¡± I captured everything on my phone¡¯s camera. The reality of the last row of the bus was that the foreman was lying in the arms of the woman in the red clothing. Half of his face was covered by her long hair, which was quite disturbing. Noticing that the woman with wavy hair wasn¡¯t resisting and was engrossed in her phone, the foreman¡¯s courage grew stronger. The young man sitting in front swallowed his saliva and unconsciously reached his hand back. ¡°Hey, can I sleep too, bro?¡± The young man named Jianbang, said enviously. ¡°You¡¯re still a kid. You haven¡¯t even grown all your hair. Why sleep?¡± the foreman retorted. Through their conversation, I roughly understood that the three of them were from the same hometown. The oldest was the foreman, Wang Chunfu, and the other two young men were Jianbang and Jianye, both of whom Wang Chunfu had brought from their hometown. The three men had been drinking quite a bit, and with no one saying a word, their actions became increasingly bold. Perhaps unable to bear the harassment any longer, the woman with wavy hair sitting in the back row screamed and slapped away the large hand of Wang Chunfu that had been constantly reaching towards her. ¡°What are you doing?!¡± She stood up holding her small bag, her slender legs making Wang Chunfu¡¯s eyes light up as he reluctantly moved his hand away. ¡°Beauty, I¡¯m sorry, I must have been too drunk, didn¡¯t touch you, did I?¡± Wang Chunfu slurred his words, knowingly asking the question. With a cold snort, the woman with wavy hair knew that she had encountered a rogue. Without hesitation, she stood up and strode towards the front door, eventually taking a seat opposite Liu Yiyi. What was strange was that the woman in the red dress followed closely behind her, like her shadow, sitting behind her, and now facing me. Separated only by a narrow aisle, I finally had the chance to observe closely. The woman in red wore a long dress that covered her ankles, and her hair completely obscured her face from every angle. I wondered to myself, ¡°Does this woman even have a face?¡± As I imagined some chilling scenarios, I turned to the woman with wavy hair. Her anger had not yet subsided, and she was texting someone who had not replied. Looking somewhat forlorn, she made a phone call on the bus. ¡°Rongrong, what do you want? Haven¡¯t I told you not to call my home phone?¡± A man¡¯s voice deliberately lowered came from the other end of the line. ¡°I¡¯ve sent you so many messages, and you haven¡¯t replied to a single one. I even called your company phone, but nobody answered. Do you want me to die before you¡¯ll be satisfied?¡± ¡°Rongrong, we¡¯re in the process of getting a divorce, and dividing our assets is complicated. You have to give me some time,¡± the man explained. ¡°You always say that every time. It¡¯s been dragging on for weeks already! If you don¡¯t give me an explanation soon, I¡¯ll go to your house with my pregnant belly!¡± ¡°Nonsense! Don¡¯t do anything foolish, you have to trust me,¡± ¡°Honey, who are you talking to at this late hour? Don¡¯t wake up the child,¡± another woman¡¯s voice came from the other end of the line. ¡°Wifey, why are you awake? It¡¯s nothing, just some company business. That group of idiots can¡¯t do anything without me¡­¡± The man trailed off before he hung up the phone. ¡°Hello! Hello! You bastard Li Zijian!¡± The woman with wavy hair angrily threw her phone and pounded her slightly swollen belly. No one in the car came out to stop her, and the driver ignored her, silently driving while wiping the sweat off his forehead from time to time. ¡°Beauty, how can a scumbag like him be worthy of you? He¡¯s not planning to divorce at all, he just doesn¡¯t want to take responsibility for you. All of his excuses are just a cover-up,¡± Wang Chunfu stumbled from the back of the car, picked up the dropped phone, and remarked, ¡°Oh, it¡¯s actually an Apple phone. Did that jerk give it to you?¡± ¡°Give me back my phone!¡± ¡°Oh, wow, listen to that voice, like a little female leopard. If he doesn¡¯t want you, we do, right guys?¡± With that, he reached out to grab the shoulder of the woman with wavy hair. ¡°Stop it!¡± Finally, someone in the silent carriage stood up, the voice coming from my direction, but it wasn¡¯t me, it was Liu Yiyi, who was less than 1.5 meters tall. The little girl clutched her school bag and timidly stood up from her seat. ¡°What are you meddling in?¡± I sighed. ¡°Wandering around outside at one or two in the morning, probably not from a decent family, but she looks so cute,¡± Wang Chunfu stared at Yiyi¡¯s face, feeling more and more itchy in his heart, ¡°come here, come to uncle and teach him how to stop.¡± The situation had developed to a point where I had to step forward and say, ¡°What do you want? I am her family. If there¡¯s a problem, let¡¯s discuss it!¡± ¡°You¡¯re pretty bold, aren¡¯t you?¡± Wang Chunfu and his friends, Jianbang and Jianye, came over, their demeanor fierce. I also clenched my fists, preparing for a potential fight. ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at station grace village. Please gather your belongings and exit through the back door. Thank you for riding with us,¡± the announcement came over the car¡¯s intercom. It turned out the bus had arrived at its first station. As the bus came to a stop, its front and back doors swung open, revealing a somber scene. A line of mourners, all dressed in funeral attire and sporting solemn expressions, stood patiently at the entrance. I could see the driver¡¯s face filled with fear, with beads of sweat pouring down his face and his hands trembling as he held tightly onto the steering wheel. ¡°Such bad luck,¡± Wang Chunfu muttered as he noticed the funeral attendees boarding the bus. He tossed the phone to the woman with wavy hair before he sat down next to the patient in a hospital gown. As soon as he sat down, the patient immediately hugged his legs, pressed his body tightly against the window, and kept muttering, ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything. I didn¡¯t see anything. Please don¡¯t kill me. I don¡¯t know anything!¡± Wang Chunfu spat on the ground in front of him, scowling, ¡°Are you crazy? You scared me.¡± I didn¡¯t catch their conversation as I had my complete attention on the funeral attendees. ¡°This is all so strange.¡± What¡¯s the point of wandering around wearing mourning clothes and armbands and keeping watch at the wake in the middle of the night? At this stop, five mourners got on the bus¡ªmen and women with pale faces who didn¡¯t remove their mourning clothes upon boarding. It seemed they were used to wearing them, and all five of them sat in the last row. ¡°Are they people or ghosts?¡± As they passed by me, they brought a chill with them, and the bus fell silent again. ¡°The bus is departing. Please hold on tight and welcome aboard No.14 bus. Please prepare your change before boarding. Passengers boarding the bus, please move to the back door. The next stop isÒ»Station Chrysanthemum Garden.¡± The scenery on both sides gradually receded, and darkness engulfed everything. The No.14 bus drifted in the vast night like a lonely boat. The atmosphere inside the bus was extremely oppressive, and I stole a glance at the five people in the back. They were all dressed in white from head to toe, with no seams on their clothes, a hemp rope tied around their waists. Their facial muscles were stiff, as if they had been crying for so long that they had briefly lost consciousness. ¡°There is a certain etiquette to wearing mourning clothes with hemp, but their attire seems haphazard and ill-fitting.¡± I couldn¡¯t quite put my finger on what was wrong with them, but I had a nagging feeling that something was off. ¡°Uncle, thank you for earlier,¡± Liu Yiyi whispered, patting me secretly, still shaken from the recent events. ¡°Stay quiet, don¡¯t move, and get to your destination quickly. I¡¯ll say it again; this is not a joke.¡± I scowled at the girl, the only person in the bus who seemed normal to me. Unconsciously, I felt a strong urge to protect her. Liu Yiyi pouted and nodded her head, ¡°Okay, I understand.¡± No one spoke, and the only sound in the car was the roar of the old engine, which sounded like an elderly person struggling to breathe their last breath, every moment feeling like an eternity. Time seemed to slow down when under intense pressure, and I had no idea how long it had been since the bus started running. ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at Station Chrysanthemum Garden. Please take your personal belongings and exit through the back door. Thank you for riding with us.¡± Both the front and rear doors of the bus opened, but no one got on through the front. My attention shifted to the back door. The seemingly unhappy couple stood up as the man urged the woman to hurry. Reluctantly, she grabbed her handbag, and both of them exited the bus. ¡°The bus is now departing. Please remain seated and hold on tight. Thank you for riding the No. 14 autonomous ticketing bus. If you are boarding, please have exact change ready, as the fare is one yuan. Passengers getting on should proceed to the back door. Next stop is Station Martyrs Street,¡± The vehicle had just started moving when the middle-aged woman sitting behind me suddenly sprang up and exclaimed, ¡°Wait!¡± She grabbed my neck as if possessed and accused me loudly. ¡°You stole my things! Get off the bus with me! Come with me to the police station and explain yourself! Come with me now!¡± CH 52 I was completely confused as the middle-aged woman exerted her strength and dragged me towards the back door of the bus. ¡°What¡¯s gotten into you? How could I steal from you when I was sitting in front of you the whole time? Did you see me leave my seat once?¡± Despite my attempts to explain, the middle-aged woman refused to listen. ¡°It¡¯s you! I saw it clearly, a grown person like you not learning to behave and stealing things!¡± With that, she forcefully pulled me towards the bus door, insisting that we go to the police station immediately. Feeling bewildered and falsely accused, I found myself being dragged off the bus by the determined woman. As I watched the bus slowly disappear into the distance, I didn¡¯t know weither to laugh and cry, ¡°Auntie, I¡¯m really not a thief. You can search me if you want, I have nothing on me.¡± ¡°Auntie knows you¡¯re a good person.¡± She gasped for breath as she watched the No.14 bus disappear into the night. ¡°It¡¯s because you¡¯re a good person that I wanted to save your life.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± I asked. ¡°Just now, the wind blew open the mourning clothes of those people outside. Can you guess what I saw?¡± She spoke in a secretive tone, lowering her tone. I subconsciously asked, ¡°What did you see?¡± ¡°Those guys aren¡¯t human!¡± The wrinkles on the middle-aged woman¡¯s face gathered together as she whispered, ¡°They didn¡¯t have legs under their mourning clothes!¡± ¡°No way,¡± I never expected the seemingly ordinary middle-aged woman to be so observant. I had been keeping an eye on those people in mourning clothes since they got on the bus, but as someone who had studied criminology, even I didn¡¯t notice anything unusual. ¡°Could it be because of the angle?¡± The middle-aged woman was very close to those people, while I could only watch from my phone. ¡°Never mind about that. Auntie saved your life without expecting anything in return, I just hope you can take me home.¡± After getting off the bus, she became solemn and serious, completely different from her demeanor on the bus. Since we had already gotten off the bus, it was too late for me to go back and chase after it. I nodded helplessly and asked, ¡°Where is your home? It¡¯s not easy to find in this remote area.¡± ¡°It¡¯s easy to find, just follow me and don¡¯t stray too far from me. Keep your head down and watch your step.¡± We walked north along the road and soon heard a woman¡¯s cry for help. I was about to go check it out. ¡°Don¡¯t bother! Keep moving!¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s face was serious as she urged me on in a stern voice. I hesitated, ¡°Isn¡¯t it better to check it out? It sounds like the couple who got off the bus just now.¡± The middle-aged woman firmly grasped my arm and urged me to move. ¡°If I tell you to move, just move. Interfering too much can get you into trouble,¡± she cautioned. Her grip was surprisingly strong, making me feel as though she had the strength of a grown man. ¡°No. I still need to take a look!¡± The woman¡¯s crying grew louder and more desperate, as if someone were chasing her with a knife. I shook off the middle aged woman¡¯s arm and left the road despite her obstruction, running towards the source of the woman¡¯s cries for help. The ground was uneven, and the wild chrysanthemum branches scratched my legs, causing a sharp pain. ¡°Hey! Are you okay?¡± After passing through the chrysanthemum garden, I could vaguely see a woman lying in a pool of blood in the darkness, and without much thought, I hurried over. Placing my hand on the woman¡¯s nose, I realized she had already stopped breathing. ¡°She¡¯s dead?¡± Perhaps due to my profession, I instinctively turned over the woman¡¯s body, but strangely, there were no wounds on her, except for the bruised and blackened marks on her neck from being strangled with a rope. ¡°Then where did this blood come from?¡± My body trembled as I gazed ahead and saw a man lying near a nearby mound with several stab wounds on his body. ¡°The man is dead, so¡­¡± ¡°Watch out!¡± Suddenly, the middle-aged woman pushed me with great force. As I stumbled away, I looked back to see a bright fruit knife lodged into the ground where I had been crouching just moments before. Still reeling from the shock, I turned around and saw the woman who had just stopped breathing suddenly shaking her head and getting up. ¡°You¡¯re not dead?¡± ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t even know how many years she¡¯s been dead, and her body is probably rotting.¡± The middle-aged woman stood between me and the other woman, seemingly trying to protect me but actually gripping my arm tightly, as if afraid I would run away. The woman who missed her attack didn¡¯t seem bothered and sneered, ¡°You have the nerve to talk to me? Your own grave has been abandoned by your own son. Now you¡¯re homeless¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s grip on my arm was painful. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid. I¡¯ll take you to my house, and once we get there, you won¡¯t see any of these lost souls and ghosts anymore!¡± Their conversation gave me chills, and at this point, I didn¡¯t dare to follow her. ¡°Auntie, I don¡¯t think I can take you home. You two talk slowly. I have to go.¡± I tried to break free but couldn¡¯t shake off the middle-aged woman¡¯s hand. Her grip was tight, as if her hand was attached to my flesh. ¡°Don¡¯t go, we¡¯re almost at Auntie¡¯s house. Come sit for a while, come sit for a while!¡± The more enthusiastically she invited me, the more frightened I felt. I tightened my grip on my phone and used all my strength to push her away. Stepping back a few paces, her face was cloudy and vague. ¡°Where exactly is your house, Auntie?¡± The middle-aged woman, who was now facing away from me, shook her head a few times. Her head seemed to be about to fall off, but she suddenly turned around and said, ¡°The house is close. We¡¯ll be there soon. Once we pass this mound, you¡¯ll be able to see it¡­¡± ¡°Mound?¡± It was only then that I noticed that the man had been leaning against not a pile of dirt, but an unmarked grave. My body uncontrollably ran backwards, as I instinctively wanted to get away from these two eerie women. ¡°Don¡¯t go, come sit at my place. You won¡¯t have to worry about any wandering spirits or ghosts once you¡¯re inside!¡± The middle-aged woman¡¯s voice was slightly high pitched and sounded eerie and desolate in the night wind. I didn¡¯t dare turn back and instead used both my hands and feet to run into the endless darkness of the night. My pants were torn, my shoes had been lost, and my feet were covered in fresh blood. I had no idea how long I had been running; time had become incomprehensible. All I could hear was my own labored breathing, which grew heavier and more strained with each passing moment. My body was exhausted, and I knew that I couldn¡¯t run any further. Finally, I was exhausted and couldn¡¯t run anymore. I collapsed on the ground with a thud. ¡°Are you done running?¡± With a thud, my legs gave out and I collapsed to the ground, gasping for air. ¡°You¡¯re not running anymore?¡± I looked up to see a terrifying sight: a person was crouched on top of a grave several meters away. As I focused my vision, I realized with horror that it was a ghost. The middle-aged woman who had pulled me off the bus approached me, holding a large rock in her hand. ¡°An eye for an eye, a life for a life. We must kill the wicked!¡± she declared. Before I could react, the rock came crashing down, and my world spun out of control. A fiery pain erupted in my chest, and my heart began pounding wildly in my chest. **** I slowly opened my eyes, and there were no graves, wild chrysanthemums, or evil spirits in front of me. All I could see was a blazing fire. As I watched the flames rising and listened to the heart-wrenching cries, my mind suddenly cleared, and I stopped in my tracks. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I looked around and saw a wide road. Across the street, an old woman was putting paper money into an iron basin and burning it in the middle of the road! ¡°Was that just a dream?!¡± I still had a cigarette in my hand, and I looked around, realizing that I was still standing in front of the bus stop at Miyun Mansion with the number 14 bus sign. I checked my watch and saw that it was not yet midnight. ¡°This can¡¯t be real,¡± I thought. The events of earlier were still vivid in my mind, and I remembered them clearly. ¡°The live stream, right. Let me ask the viewers in the chat room.¡± I picked up my phone and asked, ¡°Hey, guys, I have a serious question for you. Did I just get on a bus earlier? Did you see a few drunk construction workers and some mourners?¡± ¡°The host is acting mysterious again.¡± ¡°He¡¯s acting so convincingly, it feels like it¡¯s real.¡± ¡°Applause and flowers, you deserve an Oscar for your acting!¡± Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain chimed in: ¡°Hey, buddy, how have you been? I saw you lost in thought on the side of the road about half an incense stick ago.¡± As soon as Half-Immortal Liu¡¯s comment appeared on the screen, I breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°Since even Half-Immortal said so, it seems like I really was dreaming just now.¡± I looked down and saw that my shoes and pants were intact, and there were no injuries on my body. ¡°Was it really a dream? But it was too realistic,¡± It wasn¡¯t until I reached into the pocket of my inner jacket that I realized something was off. This was the pocket where I stored the talisman papers, and as I touched it, I found that out of the six talisman papers, only four remained, and two had turned to ashes. I was stunned and didn¡¯t know what to say for a moment. ¡°How could talisman papers spontaneously combust?¡± I muttered to myself. Fortunately, Half-immortal Liu was in the chat room, so I recounted the whole incident to him. Half-immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain said, ¡°Based on what you¡¯ve said, it feels like it was not just a dream but also some sort of omen. Could it be that a higher power is secretly helping you?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be ridiculous. The only higher power I know is a blind man who is constantly being chased by urban management officers,¡± I said while pouring out the talisman ashes from my pocket. I tried to recall their appearance and divine patterns and said to Half-immortal Liu, ¡°Half-immortal, do you think the dream I had might be related to these two talisman papers?¡± After listening to me, Half-Immortal Liu took a long time to post a comment: ¡°Strange! Strange! Based on what you said, I¡¯m 80% sure that the burned mother and son talismans are a secret technique not passed down by the Xiao Zhuang Taoist Temple! The son talisman has the ability to pull the soul, which can make people dream, while the mother talisman can make the dream linger, making them experience disasters in their dreams!¡± ¡°The soul is pulled, and the dream lingers?¡± CH 53 I suspected that the dream I had just experienced was somehow related to these two talismans. However, since I didn¡¯t know how to use the talisman paper, I didn¡¯t know how it was activated without any seals or incantations. When I expressed my doubts, Half-immortal explained that the Mother and Child talismans do not require any special incantations. As long as you care deeply about something or someone, and even if your soul is connected to it, the talisman paper will naturally take effect, and you will dream about it. Ever since I obtained the talisman paper, I have been thinking about the No.14 bus route. As the saying goes, ¡°What you think about during the day will come to you in your dreams at night.¡± I accidentally triggered the child talisman¡¯s soul pull, and then, under the guidance of the mother talisman, I experienced the dream I just had. ¡°Host, you¡¯re truly lucky. If it weren¡¯t for the Mother and Child talisman leading you into the dream early, everything you experienced in the dream could have become a reality,¡± Half-immortal said. ¡°Yes,¡± I thought back on it and felt a chill. ¡°No wonder I always felt that time was passing too quickly or too slowly, and I couldn¡¯t even count my heartbeats. It turns out it was all just a nightmare.¡± On the other side of the road, the old lady was still crying loudly. I walked over, recalling the scene from my dream. ¡°Grandma, please accept my condolences. The dead cannot be brought back to life,¡± I said. The grieving old lady looked up at me and said, ¡°Go away! Don¡¯t block the light. My old man¡¯s eyesight is poor. He won¡¯t know where to get off.¡± ¡°Get off? Could you please be a bit more specific?¡± I asked. ¡°Go away!¡± she yelled, scattering a handful of paper money. Her cries echoed far into the darkness of the night. I silently stepped aside and could hear from the old lady¡¯s wailing that she was burning paper money for her husband. They had been a loving couple for over fifty years, weathering all kinds of storms together. Their bond was something that I couldn¡¯t even begin to imagine. No matter how fierce the flames burned, they always went out eventually. When the paper money turned to ashes, the old lady wiped away her tears and hobbled off into the distant village with her hunched back. Once she was far away, I crouched down beside the iron basin and sifted through the thick ashes. Sure enough, just as in my dream, I found a glass photo frame beneath the remnants of the burnt paper money. Inside was a black and white picture of a stern-looking old man. The photo was taken in winter, and he was dressed in a padded jacket with a scarf wrapped around his neck. I carefully put the photo back into the frame and bowed three times to show my respect. This was a couple who had walked hand-in-hand through the journey of life, from youth to old age. Returning to the bus stop for the No. 14 bus, I checked my watch again. It was exactly midnight. ¡°Excuse me, sir, is this the bus stop for the No. 14 bus?¡± I heard a voice behind me suddenly say. Without immediately turning around, I recognized the familiar tone of the voice. ¡°You¡¯re right; this is the bus stop for the No. 14 bus,¡± I replied. ¡°Oh, thank you,¡± she said sweetly, standing next to me with a curious look, as if wondering about this strange uncle. Her big eyes kept unconsciously glancing at me. Everything was just like in my dream, except in my dream, I ended up dying at Chrysanthemum Garden. The middle aged woman and the strange young couple were all wandering ghosts. ¡°Why are you here at the bus stop so late at night instead of going home?¡± I asked her for the second time, and her response was exactly the same as in my dream. She didn¡¯t answer directly. Instead, she kicked at the gravel on the roadside and asked back, ¡°Why aren¡¯t you going home late at night? Do you have to wait for the bus here?¡± I lit a cigarette and looked around, ¡°Actually, a mother asked me to come here to pick up her daughter. But I haven¡¯t seen what her daughter looks like, so I can only wait here.¡± ¡°Is it my mom?¡± Yiyi seemed to have slipped up. She opened her backpack and took out a photo, handing it to me. ¡°Is this the person?¡± The photo showed a mother in a light yellow dress sitting on a bench in the park. Beside her, a young Yiyi was crying sadly while holding a melting ice cream. ¡°You¡¯re right, that¡¯s her,¡± I handed the photo back to the girl and acted surprised, ¡°You must be Yiyi, right? The girl your mother asked me to pick up is named Liu Yiyi.¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s me!¡± The girl looked very excited. I didn¡¯t know why Yiyi was so happy. Although I felt a twinge of guilt at deceiving her, I knew it was the only way to protect her. ¡°Okay, since you¡¯re Liu Yiyi, come with me later. It¡¯s dangerous at night, and if you want to see your mom, you have to listen to me,¡± I said. ¡°Okay,¡± she said, nodding heavily, looking very cute. ¡°The No. 14 bus arrives at 1 am. On the bus, there will be a wavy-haired woman playing with her phone, a red-haired woman in a long dress, a middle-aged woman, a little girl about your age, a couple, and a crazy person in a hospital gown. Yiyi, remember, when you get on the bus, don¡¯t move around or talk randomly. Leave everything to me.¡± ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll listen to you,¡± she said. Yiyi thought I was a friend of her mother¡¯s, and compared to the dream, she had indeed become more obedient. ¡°Alright, the thrill show of tonight is about to truly begin! I will make sure to see through who is human and who is a ghost!¡± Time flew by, and before we knew it, it was already 1 a.m. in the morning. In the distance, the green and yellow car lights pierced through the darkness as an old, worn-out bus, the No. 14 bus, slowly pulled into the station. ¡°Ding-dong, we have arrived at Miyun Mansion¡­¡± The bus door opened, and an elderly man wrapped in a scarf stepped off from the back door. He was wearing a thick winter coat and gave me a friendly smile upon seeing me. I had seen that face twice before, although only in the black and white photo frame. I bent down, respectfully cupping my hands towards himr beforegetting on the bus through the front door, bringing Yiyi with me. The driver, who was younger than me, nervously gripped the steering wheel, keeping his eyes straight ahead and remaining silent. After Yiyi sat behind the driver¡¯s seat, I looked around the bus. ¡°Middle-aged woman, young couple, patient in hospital gown, little girl, wavy-haired woman¡­ Wait a minute!¡± My eyelids started twitching as I realized that one person was missing from the bus! ¡°Where did the red-dressed woman who was leaning against the wavy haired woman go?!¡± Recalling the dream sequence, I realized that everyone was ignoring the red-dressed woman, and only I could see her at that time. After taking my seat, I felt uneasy. Although there seemed to be only nine people in the bus compartment, there were actually ten people sitting there! The red-dressed woman was sitting in the last row of seats. If the dream sequence was real, she should be leaning against the wavy haired woman right now. ¡°The vehicle is starting, please hold on tight¡­¡± ¡°Click!¡± The door was pushed open, and three drunken workers got on the bus. They were exactly the same as in the dream, from their expressions to their tone and pauses in their speech. ¡°The bus is now departing. Please remain seated and hold on tight. Thank you for riding the No. 14 autonomous ticketing bus. If you are boarding, please have exact change ready, as the fare is one yuan. Passengers getting on should proceed to the back door. The next stop is Station Grace Village.¡± As the bus began to shake, I turned my head and saw that the foreman, named Wang Chunfu, was lying on the last row of seats. Now, it seemed that there were only him and the wavy haired woman in the last row, but only I knew that Wang Chunfu was actually resting his head on the red-dressed woman¡¯s legs. His entire face was covered by her long hair. ¡°Why did an extra person appear in my dream? The woman in red is definitely not human, but why can¡¯t even ghosts see her?¡± With countless questions, as time passed, everything that happened in the dream came true one by one. The woman with wavy hair was harassed, and she sat by the front door of the bus and made a phone call. Then Wang Chunfu persisted until Liu Yiyi stood up. ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at Station Grace Village. Please gather your belongings and exit through the back door. Thank you for riding with us,¡± I lowered my head and remained silent. ¡°This is the second stop.¡± As the five funeral attendees took their seats, the temperature in the vehicle dropped to a freezing point, and only the patient in a hospital gown kept muttering deliriously. The No.14 bus started again, and my palms started to sweat. The next stop is Chrysanthemum Garden, and I absolutely cannot get off with that auntie this time. I¡¯ve already figured it out. The darkness conceals countless dangers, and the safest place is to stay on the bus. I glanced at the young couple sitting by the back door. The woman drew circles on the man¡¯s chest in a coquettish manner, while the man¡¯s eyes were gloomy, as if he were up to no good. ¡°For every life saved, you get one point. Should I intervene?¡± The man didn¡¯t seem like a good person, but in the dream, he was actually the one killed by the woman. ¡°For that point, let¡¯s save his life.¡± **** ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at Station Chrysanthemum Garden. Please take your personal belongings and exit through the back door. Thank you for riding with us.¡± As time passed, I stood up and walked towards the back door as the bus announcement rang once again. The young couple also got up from their seats and prepared to disembark. Everything was very similar to the dream¡¯s events. At least, the beginning of the story was similar¡­ CH 54 The bus door opened slowly, and the young couple holding hands walked out. ¡°Hold on!¡± I grabbed the railing and stood in front of the two of them. ¡°Do you have a problem?¡± The man¡¯s tone was gloomy, and his eyes were filled with a fierce light. At this moment, I didn¡¯t have time to reason with him. I knew he wouldn¡¯t believe me if I told him in front of everyone that his girlfriend was a female ghost who would take his life. So I came up with an extreme solution. Standing with my hands on my hips, I scolded them like a shrew, ¡°Do you really think that you, this pair of despicable lovers, can ignore my existence?¡± ¡°Are you looking for trouble? Get lost! Who is this lunatic?¡± The man hugged the woman, and his attitude was obvious¡ªthis was my girl! ¡°You shameless person! Stop right there!¡± I pushed the man aside, grabbed the woman¡¯s right hand, and straightened her middle finger. ¡°Everyone, look carefully¡ªthere are still traces of a ring on this finger! This woman had already been engaged to me but dared to run out and seduce other men!¡± In fact, I had been secretly observing various details on the woman¡¯s body. Her palm had calluses, and there were marks of wearing a hairpin and a ring on her right middle finger. Her bag had a corner of the sleeve exposed, and since the previous stop before the Miyun Mansion was a textile factory, it was very likely that she was a married female worker before her death. Combined with my dream experience of the woman seducing the man and then brutally murdering him, it indicated that they were not a couple but only had a kind of sexual relationship. The woman¡¯s face turned pale, and she tried to explain to the man, ¡°I don¡¯t know him, Ah feng, you have to believe me!¡± ¡°You¡¯re caught red-handed, and you still won¡¯t admit it? Come with me back home; your eldest and second child are waiting for you to breastfeed!¡± I scolded loudly, and the woman looked very aggrieved. She grabbed Ah Feng¡¯s arm and said, ¡°Ah Feng, let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t mind this crazy person.¡± ¡°Crazy person?¡± I pretended to be angry and kicked the woman out of the bus, saying, ¡°Get back home and take care of your child!¡± ¡°What the hell! You dare to use force!¡± The man called Ah Feng suddenly got nervous and pulled out a spring knife from his pants pocket. ¡°I knew you weren¡¯t a good person.¡± I wasn¡¯t flustered and carefully avoided the knife before wrestling with him.. ¡°How lively! It¡¯s different in this city. Even riding a bus is like watching a drama,¡± one of the three drunk construction workers said while sitting in the back, laughing and joking, but with no intention of coming over to help. The young driver was solely preoccupied with wiping his sweat and tapping the steering wheel in anxious anticipation, while intermittently glancing at the time. Instead it was that lively auntie who approached us and firmly declared, ¡°If you want to fight, take it outside the bus and spare others from your disturbance.¡± Immediately after her statement, she seized mine and Ah Feng¡¯s arms, determined to pull us out of the bus. The other woman also came over and pretended to mediate by pulling and tugging. ¡°You want me to get off the bus? No way!¡± After experiencing that desperate scene in my dreams, how could I comply with their demands? I shook off the auntie¡¯s hand, pushed her off, and ran to the front of the bus, cursing as I ran, ¡°You old woman trying to harm me? Go home and take care of your child! Today, I will teach this pretty boy a good lesson!¡± Ah Feng was also enraged and charged towards me with his small knife. The two of us started fighting again at the front of the bus. What surprised me was that the woman and the auntie who had gotten off the bus couldn¡¯t get back on and could only bang on the bus door. The young driver turned a blind eye to my fight with Ah Feng and only focused on the electronic clock at the front of the bus. After about two or three minutes, he pulled the manual lever, and both the front and back doors of the bus closed, and the vehicle started moving. ¡°What the hell! Stop the bus and let me off!¡± Ah Feng shouted, but the driver showed no intention of stopping. With his pale face, he stole a glance at Ah Feng secretly, and he stammered, ¡°We can¡¯t stop at each station for more than five minutes, otherwise, there may be other passengers who want to board the bus.¡± ¡°Other passengers?¡± Perplexed by his choice of words, I probed for more information. ¡°Passengers who are different from you guys¡­¡± He didn¡¯t say more and focused on driving the bus. Looking out the window, I realized the woman and the auntie had vanished without a trace, as if they were never there. Ah Feng also noticed the strange atmosphere on the bus. He put away his small knife and sat back in his seat, his face stiff. The half-closed window let in the cold wind, and after the commotion I had caused earlier, the bus grew even quieter. ¡°We finally escaped that danger,¡± The warnings in my dream ended here. The rest of the journey could no longer be predicted. I picked up my phone and checked the live stream. One of the comments caught my attention. ¡°Host, you shouldn¡¯t have saved that man. He seems to be a fugitive perverse murderer,¡± wrote a user named ¡°Police Dog Loves Rice.¡± ¡°A perverse murderer?¡± I remained silent and searched the internet on my phone. The national public security system was now interconnected, and all wanted fugitives could be found. Comparing the man¡¯s appearance and his nickname, I quickly found information on him. ¡°Yuan Feng, 25 years old, 173cm tall, also known as Ah Feng and the Lunatic.¡± ¡°On May 12th, a stabbing homicide occurred in chrysanthemum garden, Jiangcheng Huaxin district. The victim, Wang Amei, was a female worker at Huaxin Textile Factory. Through investigation, Yuan Feng was identified as a major suspect and is currently on the run. Yuan Feng speaks with a Beijing accent, is approximately 1.73 meters tall, of medium build, and was last seen wearing a white checkered shirt, blue jeans, and black sneakers. A reward of 50,000 yuan will be given to those who provide useful information leading to his arrest.¡± Silently reading the contents on my phone, my mind was in turmoil, ¡°Did I just save a murderer?¡± The female ghost clearly wanted Yuan Feng to pay with his life, but I accidentally thwarted her plan. ¡°If I survive tonight, I will make sure he faces justice. It¡¯s better to leave matters of the living to the living.¡± Glancing at the thick darkness outside the window, I put away my phone and clenched my fists. The bus passed through two more stops, Martyrs¡¯ Street and Red Nine Brick Factory, without any passengers getting on or off. However, every time the bus stopped at a station, the driver would open the front and back doors and wait for a period of time, no less than three minutes and never more than five. ¡°The bus is now departing. Please remain seated and hold on tight. Thank you for riding the No. 14 autonomous ticketing bus. If you are boarding, please have exact change ready, as the fare is one yuan. Passengers getting on should proceed to the back door. The next stop isÒ»station Qicun Maternal and Children Health Center.¡± As soon as the bus started moving, the woman with the wavy hair¡¯s phone rang, and the ringtone was extremely piercing in the quiet bus. As soon as she answered the phone, a man¡¯s furious voice roared from the other end of the line, ¡°Zhang Rong! Why did you send our pictures to my wife? Damn it, don¡¯t you know she¡¯s pregnant now?¡± ¡°Pregnant? Is it not also your own flesh and blood that is in my belly?¡± The wavy-haired woman became somewhat hysterical, her pent-up anger finally bursting out, ¡°Li Zijian, since you refuse to tell her, I¡¯ll tell her myself. I have many more pictures taken while you were sleeping. If you don¡¯t give me an explanation, I¡¯ll ask your wife which position she prefers. Then I¡¯ll specially choose one and frame it to send to your house!¡± ¡°Shut up! Stop talking!¡± ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I speak? Why am I always the one being hurt?¡± The woman with wavy hair shouted loudly. ¡°We¡¯re both pregnant with your child, but she¡¯s lying on your villa¡¯s memory foam mattress, while I¡¯m sitting here on this broken bus getting bullied by a few hooligans!¡± ¡°Zhang Rong, let me be honest with you. I can¡¯t divorce my wife. If you still care about our relationship, you must abort that child immediately! I will compensate you¡­¡± ¡°You bastard! Say that again?¡± The wavy-haired woman thought the man on the phone would comfort her, but she was disappointed. He only treated her as a disposable toy. ¡°Our relationship was a mistake, and I do not want to make any more mistakes. If you persist in your stubbornness, it will only harm both of us. Zhang Rong, with that being said, take care of yourself.¡± The phone was abruptly disconnected, and the beeping busy signal sounded cruel even to an outsider like me. The wavy-haired woman clenched her phone tightly, her face twisted into a terrifying expression. ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll do it! I¡¯ll follow your words, Li Zijian. Don¡¯t regret this!¡± she screamed. Pressing her pale hand against her stomach, her long nails left bloody scratches on her skin. She gasped heavily for air, her lips bloody and her heavy makeup smudged by tears, giving her an almost ghostly appearance. The No. 14 bus continued its journey, forcing together a group of people who had no connection with each other. They came from different places, but the bus had only one final destination. Time flowed silently through the dark night, and before long, the broadcasted announcement sounded again. ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at Qicun Maternity and Children¡¯s Health Center. Please take your personal belongings and exit through the back door. Please watch your step when disembarking.¡± CH 55 The announcement blared over the intercom as the No. 14 bus pulled into the station. The woman with wavy hair who now had a ghostly appearance, stumbled up from her seat, biting her lip as she dug her nails into her stomach, and made her way towards the bus door. ¡°Please exit from the back door,¡± the driver reminded her in a hushed voice, but the woman paid him no heed. She was already very close to the front door and took only a few steps to reach it. ¡°Ha-ha¡­¡± As the door opened, the laughter of children playing outside drifted in. I peeked out and saw several small figures throwing a basket in front of the bus door before running and jumping toward the Maternity and Children¡¯s Health Center. ¡°Whose brat is still up so late?¡± The woman with the wavy hair was wearing high heels that clacked loudly as she walked, and she was so distraught that she didn¡¯t even bother to avoid the basket blocking her path. She was just about to step inside when a voice cried out, ¡°Wheee¡± Just as her sharp heels were about to plunge into the basket, the sound of a baby¡¯s cry came from within the old and worn-out basket. The woman¡¯s foot came to a sudden halt, her thin heel only a few centimeters away from the delicate skin of the baby. In fact, the baby in the basket was able to reach out and grab the woman¡¯s calf. The realization that she had almost taken the life of an innocent baby filled the woman with dread, and she slowly regained her senses as the hatred in her mind began to subside. ¡°Mama¡­¡± The baby¡¯s voice was mixed with sobs, and the sounds that came out of its tiny mouth sounded like the word ¡°Mama.¡± The woman with the wavy hair crouched in front of the bus door, her mind frozen for over a minute. Suddenly, she changed her mind, and instead of getting off the bus, she picked up the basket and returned to her seat. ¡°What is this crazy woman planning to do?¡± Whether she was a human or a ghost, she posed no threat to me once she got off the bus. However, to my surprise, she not only stayed on the bus but also picked up a baby. It¡¯s not that I lacked sympathy, but the timing and location of this abandoned baby were just too bizarre. In the middle of nowhere, who would choose to abandon a baby at a bus stop in the early morning hours? It was obvious that someone did not want the baby to survive. In other words, this was not abandonment, but intentional murder! The woman with wavy hair held onto the basket tightly, and even when the baby inside started to cry, she didn¡¯t take any action. Instead, she opened her handbag, took out her makeup kit, and started to apply it carefully. ¡°Is she crazy?¡± I aimed my phone at the woman with wavy hair, and the chat room exploded with comments. ¡°Oh my god, what the he** s this?¡± ¡°It proves that as long as humans are willing to try, they can be scarier than ghosts!¡± ¡°You people only focus on the surface. Haven¡¯t you noticed the weirdest thing about this wavy haired woman?¡± ¡°Hey upstairs, tell us what you found.¡± ¡°It¡¯s clearly the season for black stockings, yet this woman is wearing pants!¡± ¡°Damn you!¡± After quickly touching up her makeup and covering her previously tear-streaked face with a thick layer of foundation, she finished applying her lipstick amidst the baby¡¯s cries. ¡°If my first child hadn¡¯t been aborted, he would have been your age now.¡± Looking at her face, which seemed to shed makeup with every smile, was definitely unappetizing. I even felt sorry for the baby in the basket. The woman with wavy hair took out her phone, picked up the baby, and gently rubbed its swollen, tearful face. ¡°You really look so much like him, that heartless man.¡± Strangely enough, when the baby was in her arms, its crying became noticeably quieter, and its chubby face seemed to conceal deeper emotions. ¡°Since no one wants you, then I¡¯ll be your mother. Come on, let¡¯s say hello to daddy.¡± She dialed the man¡¯s phone number, but as expected, he hung up. She tried several other numbers, but no one answered. ¡°Alright, Li Zijian, you¡¯ve forced me into this!¡± Holding the baby in one arm, the wavy haired woman¡¯s skinny arm squeezed the baby too tightly, causing it to cry out in pain. But she didn¡¯t care at all. After searching for a while on WeChat, she finally found her target. She clicked on the video call option and held her phone up in front of her face so that she and the baby in her arms could both appear on the screen. The video call was answered after a short while, and the person on the other end was a quiet and introverted woman wearing pajamas with a big belly and swollen eyes who seemed to have just been crying. ¡°Who are you? How did you get my WeChat?¡± Her voice was very gentle, several times better than the wavy haired woman that was sitting on the bus. ¡°Who am I? Have you forgotten about the pictures in your email?¡± ¡°You seduced my husband!¡± ¡°Seduced? Let me tell you the truth, your husband¡¯s so-called overtime was actually spent with me. We know every inch of each other¡¯s bodies.¡± ¡°Shut up! You have no shame!¡± ¡°You have the nerve to say that to me? You¡¯re the one who stole him away from me! I¡¯m his wife, and look, I even have his son in my arms!¡± The woman with wavy hair sneered, ¡°Don¡¯t they look alike? Take a closer look, they resemble each other so much, your husband and my son!¡± As she spoke, she brought the baby¡¯s face up to the screen, and played with his little hands. ¡°You¡­ you¡­¡± The woman on the other end of the screen, who was pregnant, suddenly doubled over in pain and cried out. Hearing the commotion, the man sleeping in the living room rushed into the room. ¡°Rou Rou! Yang Rou!¡± The woman¡¯s white nightgown was soaked with blood as she fell off the bed. The man quickly dialed the emergency number. The tragic scene was broadcasted in full detail through the phone video, while on the screen, the baby wailed, but the woman with wavy hair was smiling happily. ¡°Serves her right!¡± She giggled as she placed the baby back in the basket, then threw the basket aside as if it were a tool she had finished using, indifferent to the child¡¯s cries. Yi Yi, who was sitting beside me, had a kind nature and instinctively wanted to pick up the crying baby. But I held her shoulder and said, ¡°Sit down, don¡¯t interfere in things that don¡¯t concern you.¡± Before departing, the bus made another announcement. Following that, approximately 40 minutes elapsed without any notable occurrences for the three consecutive stops. ¡°We¡¯re only a few stops away from the final station.¡± I tapped my foot nervously, feeling increasingly uneasy. Although the journey had been eerie, there had been no real danger, which was a bit too peaceful compared to the New Shanghai High School. ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at Green Earth View. Please take your belongings and exit from the back door. Have a nice day.¡± The front and back doors opened, and after about a minute or two, a rhythmic sound of copper bells rang outside the bus, which was very strange, just like the cowbells that shook when we drove cattle back in my hometown. ¡°What on earth is going to come up this time?¡± The ringing sound gradually became clear, and the baby in the basket stopped crying. Several passengers felt confused. Just then, the five people in the back row who were wearing funeral attendees clothing all stood up at the same time. Their faces were ashen, and their movements were stiff. The five of them lined up and got off the bus through the back door. As they turned around one by one, I saw that each of them had a yellow and red talisman paper stuck to the back of their heads. ¡°Sticking talisman papers to the back of their heads?¡± I stood up and wanted to use my phone to record the appearance of the talisman paper. But then I noticed a Taoist priest wearing a blue robe standing outside the bus. He was shaking a copper bell in one hand and waving a willow branch in the other, muttering incantations under his breath. ¡°Could he be the legendary exorcist?¡± I picked up my phone and walked to the back door of the bus. As the Taoist priest was chanting, he suddenly shook his body and looked at me in disbelief. ¡°You are¡­.¡± I was about to speak when the Taoist priest stopped me with a gesture to keep quiet. He inserted his willow branch into his waist and quickly wrote a few words on a yellow piece of paper, which he then folded and held in his palm. Swinging his copper bell, he closed his eyes and got on the bus. He handed me the yellow paper, still with his eyes closed, and then got off the bus without looking at anyone inside. The whole process was quiet, and he didn¡¯t even glance at the passengers. I didn¡¯t immediately open the yellow paper. Instead, I watched the Taoist priest and the funeral attendees walk away. ¡°The bus is now departing. Please remain seated and hold on tight. Thank you for riding the No. 14 autonomous ticketing bus. If you are boarding, please have exact change ready, as the fare is one yuan. Passengers getting on should proceed to the back door. Next stop is Station Huayuan District.¡± Along with the announcement, the phone of the woman with wavy hair rang. She checked the caller ID and a nasty smile appeared on her face. ¡°Hello? Li Zijian, how¡¯s your precious wife doing?¡± ¡°Rong Rong, what are you saying? You are my sweetheart, and that old hag can no longer interfere with us.¡± The voice on the phone was crystal clear, with the same tone, pitch, and intonation as the previous phone call, but the content and the way of speaking were completely different. ¡°You¡­Who are you?¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zijian, silly! I called you so late to share some good news¡ªwe can finally be together openly!¡± ¡°Did you get a divorce?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s even better than that. That woman and her bastard child died in a car accident! I don¡¯t have to divide my assets, and I can get a big sum of money from the insurance company! It¡¯s fate! It¡¯s destiny that brought us together!¡± The voice on the other end of the phone was filled with excitement, like a child who had done something good and was eager for praise. ¡°Stop the act! Do you really think I would still believe you?¡± The woman with wavy hair sneered coldly. ¡°You called me late at night and even asked me to get rid of our child. You heartless jerk!¡± ¡°Get rid of our child? Rongrong, are you having a nightmare? I never called you and asked you to do anything like that! Besides, that¡¯s my own flesh and blood. How could I bear to let you get rid of him?¡± The man on the phone sounded puzzled. ¡°Rong Rong, I¡¯m not lying to you. If you don¡¯t believe me, just check the news yourself.¡± I paid close attention to the situation on the other end and realized that the plot had taken an unexpected turn. Returning to my seat, I immediately took out my phone and searched the internet. ¡°This afternoon, around 5 p.m., a serious traffic accident occurred at the entrance of Jiangcheng Huayuan District. A private car collided with the No. 14 bus, resulting in two deaths and one injury. One of the deceased was identified as a pregnant woman named Yang Rou¡­¡± The news also included several pictures, one of which had a woman wearing a red maternity dress with her face blurred. The woman with wavy hair must have also seen the news article, as she trembled with her phone in hand. ¡°Hello, Rongrong, you saw it, right? I wasn¡¯t lying to you,¡± the man on the phone said. ¡°Zijian,¡± it seemed like someone was strangling her, the woman with wavy hair was having trouble breathing. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, I lied to you. Your wife never cheated on you. The child in her womb is yours¡­¡± Her head was forcefully twisted as she looked at the baby that had crawled out of the basket. She stared at the baby¡¯s face. ¡°Look, he looks so much like you!¡± TN: I don¡¯t know what¡¯s happening either¡­. TN: Just kidding, lol. So I will explain stuff without spoiling much. As can be seen from the chapter, Zhang Rong seems to be saying contradictory things, like saying at first that she would abort the baby, then later saying that if she didn¡¯t abort HER baby, it would be the baby in the basket¡¯s age. meaning that this girl is either unstable or is having illusions by some ghost. Super minor spoilers¡ª- Zhang Rong is seeing illusions in the bus. I¡¯m not sure if all passengers saw what she saw, but what I¡¯m sure of is that her first calls with the guy named Li Zijiandi didn¡¯t happen at all. He never told her to abort her baby or anything like that, and the call with the pregnant woman didn¡¯t happen as well¡­I didn¡¯t read that much forward, but in the next chapter there¡¯s an explanation. CH 56 The wavy-haired woman¡¯s attitude had taken a 180-degree shift, but this wasn¡¯t because she suddenly had a change of heart. Using the underworld show¡¯s phone camera function, only I and the people in the live-streaming room could see what was happening in the bus. A long-haired woman with flowing tresses dressed in a bright red gown that resembled blood stood up from the seat behind the wavy-haired woman. With both hands, she began rubbing the wavy-haired woman¡¯s face, while her black hair, also stained with blood, gradually wrapped around the wavy-haired woman¡¯s neck. This red-clothed woman who had appeared in my dream had never left. She had been following behind the wavy-haired woman all along. As I pieced together the events that had transpired, everything started to make sense. The wavy-haired woman had falsely accused Yang Rou, the original wife, of infidelity and had cunningly taken over her position, becoming romantically involved with Li Zijian. Feeling deeply wronged, Yang Rou had gone to the hospital alone to have a check-up with her bulging belly, but as she was leaving the residential area, tragedy struck when she was hit by the No. 14 bus. Filled with anger and resentment, her spirit lingered on in the human world, and she grew attached to the No. 14 bus, which had long gained a reputation for being cursed. So in truth, from Li Zijian¡¯s making that call toward the wavy-haired woman, telling her to abort the baby, to the other events that transpired in the video call, it was all the vengeful ghost of Yang Rou¡¯s doing. ¡°No wonder the red-clothed woman in my dream was clinging to Zhang Rong, following her wherever she went. It turns out to be because of her unresolved resentment.¡± Upon careful recollection, the clothes of the red-clothed ghost were extremely loose-fitting. The first time I saw her in my dream, I thought she was wearing a red coat. In fact, it was a bloody maternity dress, but the unborn child in her belly had already died, making it appear loose. The baby in the basket climbed up the wavy-haired woman¡¯s leg and onto her body. Her eyes bulged with fear, and her neck appeared to elongate, as if being pulled up forcibly like a carrot from the ground. ¡°Help¡­me¡­save me¡­¡± The wavy-haired woman¡¯s life was hanging by a thread. The ghost seemed to be deliberately torturing her, thus slowing down the process of death. Sitting in my seat, I watched everything unfold through my phone, clearly witnessing the wavy-haired woman¡¯s cries for help. However, I had no intention of intervening, firmly believing in the principle of ¡°reaping what one sows.¡± Both Yuan Feng and the wavy-haired woman had brought their misfortune upon themselves, thus attracting the attention of these vengeful spirits. Having inadvertently saved Yuan Feng¡¯s life, I knew that justice could still be served in the daylight through legal means. However, the case of Zhang Rong was entirely different. Although her actions were morally reprehensible, they did not violate any laws. At most, she would face public condemnation, which would not significantly impact her life. She could still enjoy the insurance compensation from Yang Rou with Li Zijian. Unfortunately, some forms of justice in this world cannot be fully served and may go unnoticed by most. In my opinion, if the death of the wavy-haired woman could placate the wrath of the vengeful ghost, then it was, in some sense, a fair outcome. ¡°Auntie, you¡­¡± As soon as Yiyi spoke, I stopped her. As someone who has struggled in society, I know very well that I should protect myself and not come in contact with the bad luck of a ghost. But the actual situation deviated from my expectations. The three drunken construction workers and Yuan Feng walked over. The wavy haired girl¡¯s appearance was too bizarre, so it was hard not to attract attention from the other passengers. ¡°Help¡­ help me¡­¡± Standing amidst four burly men, they formed a united front, emitting a strong aura of yang energy. As a result, the movements of the red-clothed female ghost began to slow down. ¡°What¡¯s wrong with this girl? Is she sick?¡± ¡°Maybe she¡¯s having trouble breathing. Could it be asthma? The smog in the city causes a lot of people to get this disease,¡± ¡°You two know nothing. Get out of the way!¡± The man named Wang Chunfu shouted, appearing a bit tipsy. He looked at Zhang Rong with a frightened expression and said, ¡°Hey, at times like this, you need to perform chest compressions and artificial respiration. Move aside and keep the airway clear.¡± He was really lecherous, and I couldn¡¯t bear to watch this farce unfold, but I couldn¡¯t interrupt because I hadn¡¯t yet determined the identities of these three people. ¡°Learn something useful. This is common knowledge for emergency situations,¡± Wang Chunfu spoke with a practiced tone, but his expression was vulgar and lewd. He tore open Zhang Rong¡¯s collar and began to press on her chest, pretending to take a breath before lowering his head to exhale into her mouth. ¡°Sister, do you feel any better?¡± The man¡¯s Yang energy entered her body, and Zhang Rong felt a bit of warmth. The ghost¡¯s black hair entangling her neck also loosened a bit as she nodded repeatedly, ¡°Save me, save me.¡± ¡°Okay! I¡¯m a softhearted person, I can¡¯t bear to see someone die!¡± Wang Chunfu continued to breathe into her mouth, and without realizing it, his face, which was already flushed from the alcohol, turned a sickly gray color. ¡°Brother Fu, let us help too,¡± ¡°Sure, sure, you guys come and help. When you press down, make sure to use force,¡± Wang Chunfu replied. The three men exchanged a smile and took turns performing CPR. Jianbang and Jianye possessed even more yang energy than Wang Chunfu. From the mobile phone screen showing the ghostly scene, the red-clothed ghost¡¯s hair had being tangled around the four men, but since they collectively bore the weight of her resentment, they were not in any immediate danger. The No. 14 bus moved slowly forward, and it seemed like the driver was unaware of everything that was happening on board. After passing through a large area of desolate and dilapidated rose gardens, a huge investment promotion billboard appeared, followed by a broadcast announcement inside the bus. ¡°Ding dong! We have arrived at Station Huayuan District. Please take your belongings and exit from the back door. Please watch your steps when exiting the vehicle.¡± Yang Rou had her accident in the Huayuan District, and according to the scenario with the middle aged woman and the other woman that was with Yuan Feng at the time, the ghosts on the bus had to get off at the place where they died. In other words, the red-clothed ghost was going to get off at this stop. ¡°Zhang Rong is lucky. She managed to escape death.¡± The front and back doors of the bus opened. I kept a close eye on the movements of the Red clothed Ghost on my phone. She couldn¡¯t kill four people at once. Her blood-soaked clothes were flipping, and her black hair was curling like waves. One minute, two minutes, three minutes passed. The baby who had been lying on Zhang Rong¡¯s body had turned dark, and fell back into the vegetable basket. Then, as if by magic, a white cat with both eyes gouged out jumped out of the basket and fled from the bus. No one got on the bus through the front door. The driver pulled the lever and prepared to start. ¡°The vehicle is starting. Please hold on to something¡­ The next stop is Zhanduan Watchtower¡± The announcement came once again. The front door had already closed, but the back door was only halfway closed, as if something was stuck in the middle. ¡°Driver, the back door is broken!¡± Yuan Feng knocked on the back door and the driver turned to look, but he seemed reluctant to leave his seat. He only whispered, ¡°It might be a mechanical problem. Can you try pulling it a few times?¡± ¡°What a lousy bus!¡± Yuan Feng stood up and kicked the door a few times, then used brute force to close it. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s go!¡± As I witnessed his actions, cold sweat dripped down my forehead. I was the only one on the entire bus who knew why the back door wouldn¡¯t close. It wasn¡¯t due to a mechanical problem, but because the red clothed ghost had jammed the door. She still had unfinished business to attend to, and her resentment had yet to be appeased. I had been watching the livestream closely, and I saw that in the end, Yuan Feng had forcibly driven the Ghost away from the bus. However, she hadn¡¯t gone far. Her face, obscured by her black hair, was pressed tightly against the glass of the door, and her head kept banging against it. As the bus resumed its journey, I naively believed that the worst was over at this stop and we could continue safely. But to my horror, it turned out that the truly terrifying ordeal had only just begun. Before we could leave the station, the No. 14 bus came to a sudden stop again. The passengers were all puzzled, ¡°Why aren¡¯t we moving? Come on, let¡¯s go!¡± The driver trembled as he stood up from his seat, his face turning pale as he looked outside. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I felt anxious. After all, we were very close to the final stop. I ran to the front door to take a look and was startled by the scene before me. A pregnant woman was lying a few centimeters away from the front wheel of the No. 14 bus. No, to be precise, it was a pregnant woman¡¯s corpse. Her beige maternity skirt was dyed red with blood, and her eyes were wide open, staring at us from a skewed angle. ¡°Oh my god! You hit someone!¡± The three drunken construction workers were scared awake by the sight of the corpse lying on the ground. The wavy haired woman screamed and ran to the back of the bus, ¡°Yang Rou! It wasn¡¯t me who killed you! It has nothing to do with me! It has nothing to do with me!¡± ¡°That wasn¡¯t me who hit her! I only saw a black figure lying on the ground from afar just now, and I thought it was a piece of wood. It wasn¡¯t until I got closer that I realized it was a person!¡± The driver was so scared that he couldn¡¯t speak properly. He wiped his sweat while explaining. Yuan Feng, the driver, and the three workers stood in front of the bus, looking at each other with no idea what to do. ¡°Her face is swollen and congested. The time of death should have been a few hours ago,¡± I said to the driver while holding my phone. ¡°Don¡¯t panic. Can we drive around her and get the bus out first?¡± ¡°We¡¯re too close. This old bus will slide forward when it starts, and we will definitely run over the body as soon as we move,¡± The driver kept rubbing his hands, and I realized his palms were sweaty. ¡°And there¡¯s something I have to tell you¡­¡± The driver hesitated before speaking, ¡°The old driver who drove this bus before me told me never to stop at a station for more than five minutes, or something bad would happen.¡± ¡°What would happen?¡± Yuan Feng and I asked in unison. ¡°I don¡¯t know. The old driver called me last night before he died¡­¡± The driver¡¯s face became even more grim as he spoke. ¡°This is not good.¡± I frowned and looked outside the bus. We could only stop at each station for a maximum of five minutes, but with the dead body blocking our way, we couldn¡¯t leave. ¡°Hurry up and find a way quickly. It¡¯s already been four minutes!¡± ************ TN : So as you can see, the videocall was the ghost¡¯s doing. One thing I still don¡¯t know and which I don¡¯t really think is relevant to the story is whether Zhang Rong was still pregnant. CH 57 Seconds ticked by, and there was no room for hesitation. After a brief moment of contemplation, I spoke up, ¡°We need to get out of the car and move the body.¡± ¡°Move the body?¡± The group let out a collective gasp of horror. ¡°What the hell! Are you crazy?¡± Wang Chunfu was the first to yell, ¡°If you want to get out, go ahead, but I¡¯m not taking any chances with this bad luck!¡± ¡°I agree,¡± Yuan Feng¡¯s words were even more extreme, devoid of any hint of compassion, ¡°Just run over her body; she¡¯s already dead anyway.¡± I turned my gaze to the young driver again, ¡°What do you think?¡± ¡°I¡­I can¡¯t leave my position,¡± the driver¡¯s face went pale as he spoke, ¡°The old driver told me that if I wander off as the bus¡¯s driver, the vehicle will start driving on its own.¡± I wasn¡¯t sure which part of his story was true. Glancing down at my phone, I noticed that we only had fifty seconds left. ¡°Never mind, just open the door. I¡¯ll go down and move the body. If you don¡¯t want to die, then come and help me!¡± The driver had no choice but to open the back door. ¡°You can only exit through the back door, it¡¯s the rule.¡± Putting away my phone, I gestured for the passengers to come down and assist me. However, only Yi Yi responded. The little girl placed her backpack on the seat and ran to my side. ¡°What are you doing? Get back in your seat!¡± I shouted, my voice raised in alarm. Getting out of the car was dangerous, and moving the body would only make us more vulnerable to ghost attacks. ¡°Let me help you. You can¡¯t drag it alone,¡± Yi Yi insisted. As the seconds ticked by, the time was running out. I let out a sigh and glanced at the other passengers inside the car. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s hurry up.¡± Together, Yi Yi and I ran down from the back door, and an eerie chill ran down our spines. Perhaps it was because the ghost was lurking close by. We raced against time, gripping the legs of the pregnant woman¡¯s corpse tightly. ¡°Put some strength into it!¡± In theory, dragging a corpse shouldn¡¯t have been too difficult. I had even sprinted a hundred meters carrying Guo Junjie¡¯s corpse back in New Shanghai High School. However, the corpse of the pregnant woman in front of us felt as heavy as lead. Even with all our might, Liu Yi and I could only move it a few centimeters at a time. ¡°Why is it so heavy?¡± I wondered aloud. ¡°Hurry up!¡± the passengers inside the car kept shouting, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time!¡± Yi Yi and I were sweating profusely under the pressure, but the corpse seemed to be getting heavier and heavier, rendering our efforts useless. ¡°F*** it! Just drive over it!¡± Yuan Feng yelled, his face pressed against the windshield; In the other side, the driver¡¯s foot already hovered over the gas pedal. His eyes were fixed on the electronic clock beside him. ¡°Someone, please come and help us! This thing is getting too heavy!¡± I shouted at the other passengers, my face turning red with exertion. ¡°Hurry up!¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who killed her, it wasn¡¯t me who killed her, this wasn¡¯t my doing¡­¡± I heard someone muttering, drawing closer. To my surprise, the one who came to help was the strange person in a hospital gown. He grabbed the body¡¯s waist and with the three of us exerting all our strength, we were finally able to drag it from the middle of the road. ¡°We¡¯re almost there! Keep going!¡± I encouraged the group as we slowly moved the body away. Suddenly, the corpse seemed to become lighter, as if something that had been weighing it down had let go. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Hurry up and get back in the car!¡± I grabbed Yi Yi¡¯s hand and ran towards the car, but the driver had only opened the back door, so we had to circle around to get in. As we got into the car, I heard the person in the hospital gown muttering ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who killed her, it wasn¡¯t me who killed her, this wasn¡¯t my doing¡­¡± I turned around to see that he had not followed us and was now kneeling in front of the pregnant woman¡¯s body, bowing his head in what seemed like remorse. ¡°What the hell!¡± I pushed Yi Yi into the car and ran back to drag the person in hospital gown. At this point, the bus had already started and we only had a few seconds left before the five minutes were up. ¡°Let¡¯s go! Start the car quickly!¡± Yuan Feng patted the driver¡¯s shoulder, urging him on. At this time, the wavy-haired woman who had been hiding at the back of the bus seemed to have seen something, and she pointed outside, her voice trembling: ¡°Don¡¯t come over! Don¡¯t come over!¡± With her small bag in hand, she stomped her high heels on the floor of the bus, making a clanging sound, and ran towards the group of men. ¡°She¡¯s following us! She wants to get on the car! Drive! Drive now!¡± ¡°Wait, there¡¯s someone who hasn¡¯t gotten on yet!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t wait! Drive, hurry up!¡± Suddenly, this crazy woman rushed towards them and even tried to grab the steering wheel from the driver. ¡°Do you want to kill us all?¡± Yuan Feng quickly stopped Zhang Rong, but she had already been scared out of her mind by the red-clothed ghost. She flailed her arms wildly, and her nails left bloody marks on Yuan Feng¡¯s face. ¡°Damn it! Everyone is a lunatic,¡± Yuan Feng said with a grim expression, pushing Zhang Rong to the ground. Jianbang quickly held Zhang Rong in his arms and helped her sit in the seat near the back door. ¡°Take a rest, don¡¯t be afraid, the three of us are here, nothing will harm you.¡± With the man in the hospital gown following me, I quickly made my way onto the vehicle. The situation seemed to have been resolved perfectly at this point. ¡°Close the door! Let¡¯s go!¡± I urged as I pressed the man down onto the seat beside me, my breaths coming out in heavy pants. The bus went faster and faster, but the back door was still open. ¡°Driver, close the back door!¡± ¡°I did! I already closed it!¡± ¡°What?!¡± I quickly took out my phone and aimed the camera at the back door. In the middle of the screen, a woman in a blood-stained red dress was holding onto the door tightly. Although she couldn¡¯t get on the bus, her hair hung down like a water snake at the bottom of a lake, slowly wriggling into the bus. ¡°Not good!¡± It was too late to warn them. The long hair, covered in blood, entangled Zhang Rong and Jianbang, and they didn¡¯t even realize they were being pulled towards the wide-open back door. ¡°Be careful!¡± I stood up to go grab the two of them, but I never expected that Zhang Rong, who was held in Jianbang¡¯s arms, had such a vicious heart. She was wearing high heels, and with them, she stepped hard on Jianbang¡¯s cloth shoes. Jianbang screamed in pain and fell backward. She took advantage of the opportunity to push him out of the bus! ¡°Bang!¡± the bus door finally slammed shut and the young man vanished into the darkness. The commotion that had occurred at the back of the bus had happened so quickly that it went unnoticed by the other men who had been standing at the front. It wasn¡¯t until the door had closed that they realized someone had fallen off the bus. ¡°Jianbang!¡± ¡°Brother!¡± Wang Chunfu and Jianye quickly glanced out the window, but it was too late as Jianbang had already disappeared into the vast expanse of the night. ¡°Stop the car! I¡¯m going to find my brother!¡± ¡°No, we can¡¯t stop the bus until we reach the next station. This is what the old driver instructed me to do¡­¡± Jianye spun around and seized the driver¡¯s collar, his eyes blazing with anger as he bellowed, ¡°Stop the bus!¡± ¡°Stay calm,¡± Yuan Feng reached out to stop him. The dead man had nothing to do with him, and he did feel any sorrow for the guy. ¡°We can¡¯t bring the dead back to life; If you get off the bus now, you¡¯ll only cause trouble for yourself.¡± ¡°You bi**! What did you do just now?¡± Wang Chunfu grabbed Zhang Rong and slapped her in the face. ¡°The three of us tried to save you out of kindness, but instead of showing gratitude, you got Jianbang killed. I¡¯m going to throw you off the bus and let you accompany Jianbang in his grave!¡± After speaking, he seized Zhang Rong by the hair and dragged her toward the window. ¡°No! No!¡± The woman¡¯s screams were particularly piercing in the car. Despite the chaos, the majority of the passengers, including myself, remained silent, exposing the ugly side of human nature for all to see. ¡°You have to stop!¡± Only the timid girl, Yi Yi, stood up as she found her voice and tugged at Wang Chunfu¡¯s clothing. ¡°You can¡¯t do this!¡± ¡°Get lost! I don¡¯t need a little kid like you telling me what to do!¡± Wang Chunfu pushed Yi Yi away, but the stubborn and kind child got up from the ground and held onto Wang Chunfu¡¯s arm tightly. ¡°Stop it, all of you!¡± I rubbed my temples and stepped in between them, trying to separate the three. ¡°This isn¡¯t the time for arguing and fighting. We¡¯re all here on this bus for different reasons in the middle of the night. It¡¯s fate that brought us together.¡± ¡°Who says I have any fate with you?¡± Wang Chunfu spat out, his teeth clenched. If he hadn¡¯t seen me as someone who couldn¡¯t be easily bullied because of my size and build, he would have already attacked. ¡°It¡¯s because you insisted on stopping to move the corpse. If we hadn¡¯t stopped, we could have just run over the body, and none of this would have happened!¡± These people didn¡¯t lift a finger to help move the body earlier, yet they now spouted nonsense after something happened. I let out a bitter laugh and decided to stop speaking. After all, humans can¡¯t reason with mad dogs. I took Yi Yi¡¯s hand and sat back in my seat, patting her head. ¡°Listen to me. Leave everything to me, just stay quiet.¡± In the back of the bus, Zhang Rong was being punched and kicked by Wang Chunfu until he had vented all his anger, leaving only the sound of her crying in the bus. Looking at Zhang Rong lying on the ground, Yi Yi felt a bit sorry and said, ¡°Look at her, her arm is bleeding¡­¡± ¡°Compared to the horrible things she made, this small injury doesn¡¯t mean much.¡± I tried to smile and speak kindly. ¡°Just relax; we¡¯re almost at the final stop.¡± Eventually, the eerie bus returned to its calm state, and I lowered my head, waiting for the next announcement from the loudspeakers. ¡°This night feels endless,¡± After about thirty minutes, the driver slammed on the brakes abruptly. ¡°Why did we stop? We haven¡¯t arrived at the station yet, have we?¡± Yuan Feng hurried to the front of the bus to inquire, but only saw the driver pointing outside, his hand trembling. ¡°Is there something outside?¡± I also turned my head and looked out. At the end of a large, desolate rose garden, a huge advertising billboard stood by the road. ¡°Uncle, haven¡¯t we seen this scene before?¡± Yi Yi¡¯s small hand was cold, and she asked anxiously. I held her hand tightly and nodded reluctantly, ¡°Yes, we¡¯re back at the Huayuan district again!¡± Looking into the distance, the body in the middle of the road across a fence rail remained in its original state, with its eyes wide open and unblinking. CH 58 ¡°What should we do? What should we do?¡± The people inside the bus were like ants on a hot pot, all out of ideas and panicking, spinning in circles on the spot. ¡°Is this a ghostly wall of some sort?¡± Jianye, who had just lost a loved one, crawled to the window. The pregnant woman¡¯s body was still there, but his brother had completely disappeared, as if evaporated, leaving no trace behind. Yuan Feng¡¯s face was grim. He suddenly pulled out a spring knife and held it to the driver¡¯s neck. ¡°I don¡¯t believe in superstitions. Tell me, are you behind this?¡± ¡°Big brother, what do I have to do with this? This is my first time driving the number 14 bus,¡± the driver dared not move, sweat dripping down his face. ¡°Driving other buses only pays around three thousand yuan a month, but for the last bus of the number 14 route, you only need to drive it four times a month to get an extra four thousand yuan bonus.¡± ¡°I was desperate for money for my wedding, so I had no choice but to take over the work of the old driver. If I knew this was going to happen, I wouldn¡¯t have come even if it killed me.¡± The driver¡¯s tone was tearful and didn¡¯t sound like he was lying. ¡°If you dare to make any moves, don¡¯t blame me for using my knife!¡± Yuan Feng said viciously, then put away his knife and walked over to me. ¡°Do you have any ideas? You seem calm, do you know something?¡± ¡°I¡¯m just a mortal; what can I do?¡± I held onto Yi Yi¡¯s hand tightly. ¡°It¡¯s not a big deal for the bus to stop halfway. You should ask the driver to start the bus and go around the pregnant woman¡¯s body. Maybe if we make another round, we can leave this place.¡± At this point, we could only try, but half an hour later, everyone¡¯s faces were like they had been covered with a layer of dead ash. ¡°We¡¯re back again?!¡± The huge advertising billboard outside the window stood by the roadside, and the deserted rose garden looked like a dug-up grave waiting to bury the number 14 bus. ¡°What should we do?¡± ¡°Do you guys have anything else to say besides ¡®What should we do?¡¯ Use your brains and think, there¡¯s not just me on this bus!¡± We were almost at the final stop, and to encounter this situation of getting lost in a maze was frustrating me to no end. Jianye buried his head and seemed to still be mourning his brother, while Wang Chunfu held onto his Guanyin pendant and recited some incomprehensible sutras. Only Yuan Feng stood at the front of the bus, with a constantly changing expression on his face. ¡°There are indeed more than just you on this bus, but if we were to talk about it, your behavior is the most abnormal,¡± Yuan Feng put his hand into his left pocket, and I remembered vividly that his spring knife was in his left pocket. ¡°My behavior is abnormal?¡± Yuan Feng was starting to suspect me, which left me feeling both amused and exasperated. ¡°That¡¯s right, you have been calm and collected since you got on the bus, and everything you have done has had a clear purpose. I suspect there is a reason behind your actions,¡± Yuan Feng maintained a distance of at least two meters from me at all times, and his cautious personality proved inseparable from his ability to evade the law. After he said that, the remaining few people on the bus began to look at me with strange eyes, except for Yi Yi, who stood firmly by my side. ¡°Did what I do harm you guys?¡± I asked, looking at the several despicable people in the bus. ¡°You pushed yourselves into a dead end.¡± ¡°You may not have harmed them, but I think you could harm me,¡± Yuan Feng leaned against the front door of the bus. ¡°You are a police officer, and although you held back during our fight earlier, some habitual movements cannot be changed. Those are the bare-handed catches and throws practiced by criminal investigators.¡± I didn¡¯t expect Yuan Feng to be so astute. ¡°What does it have to do with you that I¡¯m a police officer? Today, I¡¯m just helping a friend take care of a child, and delivering this little girl to her mother is my primary task.¡± However, I knew that I had to feign confusion and buy myself some time. As long as Yuan Feng desired to live, he wouldn¡¯t turn against me just yet. ¡°Uncle, you¡¯re a police officer!¡± The most excited person in the bus was Yi Yi. It seems that police officers have a high status in her eyes. ¡°Comrade police officer, what should we do now?¡± The police officer¡¯s identity was really useful, and Wang Chunfu¡¯s attitude towards me had improved a lot. I touched the talisman paper placed close to my chest. There was a solution, but I wouldn¡¯t use it unless it was a last resort. ¡°Let¡¯s take another lap, everyone keep an eye out, we might discover something unexpected.¡± ¡°Taking even ten more laps would be a waste of time.¡± Yuan Feng walked to the back of the bus and grabbed Zhang Rong, who was sitting on the ground, with one hand. ¡°I have a way for all of us to escape.¡± ¡°What way?¡± Even I was curious. Yuan Feng smiled cruelly. ¡°It¡¯s simple. The pregnant woman outside was indirectly killed by this woman. We just need to stop the bus next to the corpse and throw this woman out.¡± ¡°No! Don¡¯t do it! Don¡¯t throw me out of the bus!¡± Zhang Rong ignored the pain of her hair being pulled and hugged Yuan Feng¡¯s thigh. ¡°There¡¯s a female ghost outside the bus window. She¡¯s been there the whole time. I¡¯ll die if I go out!¡± Yuan Feng kicked her away, seething with anger. ¡°You, a cruel woman like you, should have met your end long ago.¡± He paused, his voice growing more menacing, ¡°Buddhism always says that one will face retribution for their karma. As far as I¡¯m concerned, if Zhang Rong dies, we all have a chance at survival.¡± It was clear that he was someone who had no regard for human life. For him, as long as he could live, it didn¡¯t matter how many others died. ¡°Those who share my opinion, raise your hand,¡± he declared, ¡°The minority must follow the majority.¡± There were nine people in the bus, including the driver and the eerie little girl sitting silently in the back seat. ¡°Now let¡¯s start the vote.¡± After Yuan Feng finished speaking, he raised his hand first, followed by Wang Chunfu and Jianye. ¡°You have to think carefully. It¡¯s not the time to sympathize with the weak. This vote will determine our life and death.¡± Hearing Yuan Feng¡¯s words, the driver also raised his hand: ¡°I¡¯m sorry, my fianc¨¦e is waiting for me at home. I¡¯m the pillar of my family and can¡¯t die here.¡± It was now four to five, and Yuan Feng turned his gaze towards me. ¡°Are you willing to sacrifice the rest of us just to save her?¡± I furrowed my brows, preparing to respond when the little girl sitting in the backseat slowly raised her hand. ¡°Five to four, you two come and assist me,¡± Yuan Feng commanded, ¡°When we open the door, we¡¯ll use our collective strength to eject her from the bus!¡± Despite Zhang Rong¡¯s desperate struggles, the three men showed no mercy as they firmly held onto her hands and carried her horizontally. ¡°Get ready to open the door. On the count of three, we¡¯ll all let go!¡± The three men were driven insane, willing to throw Zhang Rong off the bus to save their own lives. ¡°Stop!¡± Even if I had a heart of stone, I cannot remain indifferent to their actions. ¡°What you¡¯re doing is called murder. Even if you manage to survive tonight, you¡¯ll have broken the law¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t lecture me about morality. We¡¯ll all die if we don¡¯t kill her now.¡± As the bus pulled into the station and the driver prepared to open the back door, I knew I couldn¡¯t wait any longer. ¡°Let her go. I have a way to save you all!¡± I quickly grabbed my phone and walked to the front of the bus. From my pocket, I took out a yellow and black talisman paper¡ªa Maoshan Guiding Talisman. ¡°Is Half Immortal available? We might have encountered a ghostly wall, and I¡¯m not sure if this Maoshan Guiding Talisman can break the illusion.¡± Seeking help from the live stream chatroom, Half-Immortal Liu from Qingcheng Mountain did not disappoint. ¡°You always have some strange talismans on you. You are lucky, little friend. This talisman paper in your hand is drawn by a Maoshan celestial master and is more than enough to break through a ghostly wall.¡± ¡°Thank you, Half-Immortal. But I don¡¯t know the incantation and gestures needed to use this Guiding talisman. Can you teach me?¡± ¡°You¡¯re putting me in a difficult spot here. Qingcheng and Maoshan are a thousand miles apart, so I can only tell you the incantation for the Qingcheng Guiding talisman. You can give it a try. After all, the path to enlightenment is not easy.¡± ¡°Thank you so much, Half-Immortal.¡± I bowed and thanked Half-Immortal Liu in the live stream room. Without him, I would have been in real trouble tonight. ¡°Listen carefully. I¡¯ll only say it once: Clear your mind, unblock your passage, and let the divine talisman lead the way, as swift as a law commands!¡± ¡°Is that it? Wasn¡¯t the Heavenly Thunder Talisman incantation a long string of words?¡± ¡°Talismans in the world are divided into low-grade, intermediate-grade, high-grade, and supreme-grade. The Guiding talisman is only the most common among the intermediate-grade talismans, so its incantation is naturally simple.¡± Thanking Half-Immortal. Liu once again, I held the talisman with two fingers and stood at the front of the bus. ¡°Who is this guy talking to?¡± ¡°Why did the police officer suddenly turn into a Taoist priest? I see he¡¯s still holding a talisman paper.¡± The three men stopped their actions, and Zhang Rong, who had been rescued, crawled to the back of the bus and huddled under the seat. Yuan Feng walked towards me and said, ¡°What kind of trick are you preparing to play now?¡± ¡°Step aside and watch quietly!¡± I shouted, fully concentrating and clearing my mind of all distractions, just like when I was studying The General Outline of inner eye practice manual, emptying my mind and visualizing a point between my eyebrows. ¡°Clear the mind, unblock the passage, and let the divine talisman lead the way, as swift as a law commands!¡± The talisman paper between my two fingers burned, and the night outside the window rapidly retreated, as if a glass mirror had been shattered. ¡°It worked!¡±