《I Became a Witch in a World Full of Urban Legends》 Chapter 1: Ill Chapter 1: Ill Name? Lu Yibei. How old are you? All eighteen. All eighteen? Interesting, the doctor who was writing the case file thought. He raised his head, looking at the young man before him with a strange gaze. He suppressed his curiosity and nodded. Care to tell me about yourself? Alright, Yibei nodded. Something is wrong with my vision. Im starting to see a lot of strange things. Does it hurt? the doctor asked. Nope. Symptoms like itching or tearing? Nope. The doctor frowned upon seeing his past medical history and asked again, You had a corneal transnt from a car ident? This might be the seque from the transnt. Have you been checked yet? Yes. Here is the report, Yibei said as he handed the certificate to the doctor. The doctor furrowed his brows while reading the report. Judging from theboratory test sheet, not only did his eyes show no sign of disease, but he also recovered fully. Compared to most corneal transnt patients, he could be considered a patient with the best recovery scenario. This is strange! Your report shows that you arepletely normal. Tell me, what strange things are you seeing? Do I have to? he gulped, his eyes wandering as he spoke. He felt a little nervous. The doctor smiled andforted him: Young man, dont be afraid. I have no other intentions; this is the basic process of seeing a doctor. I need to know what youre going through to help you. Im not scared. Im just worried that youll be the scared one, Yibei thought. You asked for it, Yibei sighed. Its strange, but sometimes I can see faint shadows appearing in the corner of my eyes, and asionally, I can hear strange sounds as well. What kind of shadows and sounds? the doctor asked. Hmm they are blurry shadows, most often at night. When I tried to turn to look at the shadows, they disappeared in an instant. As for the voices W-wait! The doctor interrupted, feeling that something was amiss. Are you being haunted? Yibei couldnt help but chuckle: Doctor, I came to you looking for a scientific exnation, not for you to engage in superstition. Right, my bad. I made a slip of the tongue. The doctor was justified in his superstition, however. There have been way too many rumours about this. Anyways, seeing double is amon side effect of corneal transnts. Seeing that your report is rtively normal, the probability of pathological factors is rtively low, but I cant rule out psychological and other factors just yet. The other factors refer to the residual memory of the optic nerve. Under certain conditions, the recipient of the cornea will see some images that the donor has seen before. This will disappear over time. The doctor considered this possibility as the reason why Yibei was seeing shadows. After all, it wasnt well-researched.Finndd the new??st ??ovels on n/??/velbin(. If you consider thetter, the doctor trailed off. Are the shadows you see blurred? Can you see clearer images? If he had seen clearer images, then the probability of disease would have been much higher. Yes, but do I have to share it? Yibei hesitated. Nope! Just speak to me. Alright Yibei said, taking a deep breath. Ive seen clearer ones a total of three times. When I was hungry one night, I went out to eat some skewers. At the crossroads, I saw a girl in a beige floral dress alongside a yellow and white corgi as big as a car. In a sh of light, she rode the corgi into the sky. Haha! the doctorughed at Yibeis remarks. Surely youve heard of the rumours of magical girls in our city? But thats just a rumour, after all. Of course, but I dont take rumours seriously. Wait, does this have anything to do with my eyesight? Of course. Things you often think about in your mind may affect your perception. Is he saying that Im a psycho? Yibei huffed. Right, the doctor continued. What about the other two times? It was raining five days ago, and I bumped into a senior in the mens locker room. As soon as she entered, she ran away when she saw me. In the mens locker room? A girl? She must have entered by mistake. I dont see the problem here. Of course, there is! Yibei interjected. Her huge head fell on the ground, and she fled without picking her head up! The doctor imagined the scene being described and felt a chill run down his back. His hand involuntarily let go of the teacup he was holding, and the tea soaked his clothes. Then, what did you do I called the police! Thats a normal reaction, right? The doctor didnt reply. He thought that the most expected reaction was to simply run away. When the police arrived, I took them to the scene, but her head wasnt there anymore. All that was left was her hairpin; it was kinda cute! It was pink with white polka dots, and As Yibei trailed off, the doctor adjusted his sses slightly. Could you have seen it wrong? Maybe, but the police dont think so. They think that something is wrong with me and suggested that Ie to the hospital. For thest one, Yibei continued. I was entering the hospital, and I saw someone muttering something to themselves like they were being watched. They spoke about him having lung cancer, and suddenly a huge, ck tumour grew on his body, and W-wait! the doctor interrupted. This is a hospital, my friend. Be serious; dont joke around. This patient is so f*cking scary, the doctor thought. Does it look like Im joking, doctor? Yibei asked with a serious face. R-right. Arent you afraid of those things? Of course, I am! What do you think? Indeed, he was frightened when he first saw the shadows but was surprised that he hadnt shown signs of mental illness. At most, he would see strange shadows by the street, ss balls nging above him at night, the sound of water dripping in the toilet, or someone sighing beside him when he was sleeping Yibei rolled up his sleeves and said, Look at my goosebumps! Are the shadows the cause of your goosebumps? This is a disease, no? Yibei asked. My eyes were injured in a car ident, so naturally, wouldnt I have otherplications? The doctor thought for a moment about facial paralysis. Right, his facial expressions didnt change at all. Doctor, its facial paralysis. Isnt it? I can get over it, but I want to stop seeing these strange things. The doctors eye twitched at this request, but he remained calm. Haha, the doctor chuckled. My friend, dont worry about it. I understand your situation; since you have no physical symptoms, you have to consider the psychological aspects of it. How about I help you take a look? The doctor nned to pass this patient on to another department. Youre taking me to a psychiatrist? Uh yes, but dont worry! Mental illness is not incurable as long as there is proper treatment. No need, Yibei stopped the doctor. I just escaped from there. So, youre a mental patient after all?! Chapter 2: Mr. Rabbit Chapter 2: Mr. Rabbit Lu Yibei was not mentally ill, at least not yet. Although he was blinded and suffered facial paralysis in a car ident two years ago during his graduation trip, he was sure that he was still mentally sane. However, he was rejected by yet another doctor, being written off as mentally ill. This must be the doctors problem, he would think to himself. However, this time, the doctor, who was an expert in modern science and medicine, advised him to look for a witch doctor. How outrageous! Lu Yibei wanted to ask if the doctor knew of a priest, but he was kicked out of his office. Walking out of the hospital, he felt that the world was deste. He boarded the bus and found a window seat in the back. He sat down, leaning against the ss dejectedly. He took out his phone and clicked on an app that had a graphic of a beautiful girl. After all, he was a teenager who enjoyed ying mobile games. Where else would he entrust his restless youth? This game was the card collection game called Love and Magical Girl! Whenever he was in a bad mood, all he needed to do was look at the smiling face of Bai Xiaohua, a magical girl. After clicking on the app, a magical blonde girl in a rose-red dress appeared on the screen with a dynamic soundtrack and an explosive cutscene, smiling at Lu Yibei. [Captain, wee back! What are we going to do today?] [Hey, stop touching me! Do you want me to beat you up?] [Go to hell! You monster!] Hearing her sweet voice, Yibei couldnt help but smile, feeling a sense of warmth in his heart. I knew it, he thought. Only Bai Xiaohua can make me feel better. This was no longer a simple mobile game to him but a hub connecting to another world. The people in this world have taught him a lot of life principles. Being indecisive and reckless, smoking, drinking, swearing, being with beautiful girls These behaviours arent eptable in the real world. The bus departed from the bus station and passed through the city, and the streets outside the window became more and more prosperous. He was immersed in the world of mobile games, and an hour passed without him noticing. When he raised his head, he was surprised to find that the bus had stopped by the side of the road at some point. The passengers in the car had already left, the emptypartments seemed to be stretched, and the doors were closed. Judging from the familiar high-rise buildings and streets outside the window, this ce should be near Mudan Street; it would take five or six stops for Yibei to get where he needed to be. He searched the car with his eyes and found the bus driver had closed his eyes to meditate. He stepped forward, patted him on the shoulder, and asked, Excuse me, sir? Is the bus still running? H-huh?! The bus driver didnt expect that there were still people on the bus. There was obviously resentment between his brows. How did you get in here? the driver asked defensively. What? Im a passenger! Ive been on here since the start! The driver instead shifted the me to Yibei and yelled, Then why in the hell are you still on the bus? Get out! I cant drive you! Why? Is the bus broken down? The driver curled his lips downwards and pointed out the windshield, saying, There was a car ident ahead, and it caused a pile-up, so the viaduct copsed. I advise you to get out and figure out your own way back. Itll be dark soon. [Time: 17:08] I have to get home quick! Lu Yibei got out of the car, and after confirming his position, he walked straight in the direction of his residence. It was just after five in the afternoon, and the sky had already begun to darken. The sun was setting, and it flooded the sky with a crimson orange. The street with pedestrians seemed a bit congested, but it was somewhat quiet. The strangers were silent as they walked past each other wordlessly. He wasnt surprisedwith the days shortened, all kinds of weird and strange stories popped up like mushrooms after the rain. In this world, learning to be alone is a daily skill. An invisible barrier built between everyone The flowers in the fog, The moon in the water, This strange and unpredictable world~ Lend me a pair of your eyes, Let me see everything, clear as ice. Yibei walked in silence, the soothing and ethereal melody flooding his ears. He was stunned for a moment, looking in the direction where the singing came from, and found Mr Rabbit in front of a caf. Dolls thate in all sorts of animals and living things with speakers that y music, and the mascot jumped around excitedly handing out flyers. A baggy ck suit with exaggerated red leather shoes, wearing a huge white rabbit headgear. The headgear was strangely lifelike. The Rabbit mascot handed out leaflets and flyers to people passing by enthusiastically. Most of them ignored him, and those who took the flyers threw it into the trash can shortly after. Yibei looked at the empty eyes of the mascot with a stiff smile and felt a sense of difort. Just as he was about to turn and leave, the mascot seemed to notice his gaze and waved him over. Me? Lu Yibei pointed at himself. Mr Rabbit nodded vigorously, and as if he were under a spell, Yibei couldnt help but inch closer to the rabbit. The smile on the mascots head seems to be getting wider. He walked in front of Mr Rabbit, and just as he was taking the leaflet from Mr Rabbits hands, his eyes felt a burning sensation, as if his eyeballs were on fire. The intense difort made Yibei snap out of his stupor as he stared at Mr Rabbit. He then swiftly turned around and darted away. Chapter 3: Leaflet Chapter 3: Leaflet Those who have experienced life-and-death situations tend to develop extreme thinking. Be fearless and experience the real world! Cherish your life and stay away from danger. Yibei belongs to thetter group. He believes that if he is careful, he can live forever. Running away from the caf, Yibei stopped to take a rest after rushing past two or three streets. Tsk, there was obviously something wrong with that rabbit. Thank God, I ran fast. Yibei instinctively wanted to get away from that rabbit as quickly as possible, but he didnt know why he walked towards Mr Rabbit involuntarily. If it hadnt been for his burning eye, he wouldve be that rabbits victim. Legend has it. There is an exceptionally beautiful female salesman in the city, but nobody can remember her features. She will stop the pedestrians and give them a price list. Once a person gets the list, something terrible will happentheir wallets will be empty! Those who read the list will unconsciously spend until they have nothing left, including their bank ounts. Yibei felt that if he had epted that rabbits leaflet, something simr would have happened. His brain finally processed the incident and found that his hands and feet were freezing, along with the tears running down his face. Although his dead father left him a fortune so he wouldnt have to worry about anything, nothing couldve prepared him for that. Feeling that he had escaped with his life, his steps became a lot lighter, and within a few minutes, he found himself back at his residence at the edge of the university town. Stopping in front of his door, he took out his key and opened the door. Im back Nobody responded. Of course, nobody did! If somebody had responded, he wouldve run out in an instant! While making fun of himself, he hopped into a pair of slippers and turned on the light. The light illuminated the dark room instantlya popr loft apartment, less than 40 square metres, but divided into two duplex floors. The lower floor is the living area, and the upper floor is the bedroom and bathroom. Exposed brick walls, metal pipes, walnut tables and chairs, old leather lockers, unique ironwork, typical, generic decorations The room was simple. He turned around and locked the door, then walked straight to the corner of the living room, where a statue of Ac, the Immovable, was ced. This statue was given to him by his fathers close friend, Shui. Shui wasnt his real name; Bai was. Shui would often show up at their house to eat and drink, steal his fathers clothes to wear, hide in the trunk, and take a shower with his father Wait a minute. Lu Yibei thought they were in love. Besides, he has never seen his mother before, so he might be right. As his fathers best friend, Shui took good care of Yibei after his father died in a car ident. When Yibei submitted his university application, he moved to an apartment near the university town that his father had prepared for him long ago. As a gift, Shui sent him the statue. Shui exined that the statue protects the house: Arent there rumours on the inte that strange stuff is happening because of the Sun Decaying? Haha! Although the statue was hogging up space, he couldnt refuse his kindness, so he epted it reluctantly. After sitting by the statue, Yibei took off his coat and threw it on the sofa. As the coat flew towards the sofa, a paper cube fell out. He stepped forward to pick it up, and his pupils shrank in fear. On the pitch-ck paper were patterns of rabbits, teacups, and long dining tables piled up in bright yellow colour blocks. No This was the leaflet that Mr Rabbit was distributing! And there was the text written on it too His eyes briefly swept over the text, and his eyes burned faintly. Sensing something was wrong, he immediately looked away and crumpled the leaflet into a ball. Like a rabbit, the paper ball bounced on the ground before rolling into a corner. In the shadows of the corners of his loft, the curled yellow lines seemed to flow with magic, tempting people to read the text. Damn it, did that rabbit really slip the leaflet into my pocket, or did he use some strange way to put it in there? His back felt cold. He cant just throw it out; he cant doom someone else to read it. Besides, whats to say that the leaflet wonte back to him? Chapter 4: A Smile Chapter 4: A Smile Ten minutester, Yibei stood by the man-madeke by his loft, holding a lighter and a bottle of water in his hand. He lit the lighter and approached the paper ball little by little. Although his behaviour seemed a bit overboard, there was no harm in doing so if it gave him peace of mind. A gust of wind blew, making the paper ball tremble in its breeze as if it were begging Yibei not to burn it. Right, but you had the gall to scare the living crap out of me. He cursed at the ball and stretched his hand forward, igniting the paper ball. The ball of paper quickly burnt to a crisp, releasing an unpleasant smell of burnt animal fur? The night wasing, and before it got dark, a woman working at the carnival was rushing home. When she passed theke, she smelled a burning smell and was slightly taken aback to see a young man in a red coat staring intently at the flickering fire in front of him. The dim light shone on his expressionless features as if he were performing an ancient ritual. Damn it, the youngsters these days are trying to scare the living hell out of me. The speed of burning was slower than expected; it took a full twenty minutes for the paper ball to burn into ash. He opened the bottle of water and washed the ash away into the artificialke. By the time he returned to his unit, the sky hadpletely darkened. After returning home, he saw the coat he wore today on the sofa. On the sofa, the coat was slumped in a strange posture, looking like a piece of fur that had just been peeled off. Staring at the coat, Yibeis eyes started to swell, and he saw a wisp of pale mist circling it like a weird parasitic animal. Sh*t! My jacket! I bought this for a few hundred yuan; wouldnt it be a pity to throw it away? I should hang it outside Yibei quickly found a hanger to hang the coat outside the window. After being busy for a long time, he finally got some free time, and his silent stomach started to growl ferociously. Getting up from hiszy daze, he walked towards the kitchen, nning to cook a simple dinner for himself. He doesnt want to get takeout; he feels that its a luxury. Not to mention, there are very few restaurants that are still open at night, and the delivery fee would be ridiculously high. Besides, there are rumours from delivery drivers that they have seen tentacles creeping out from behind the door to collect the food or deliver the food to a cemetery. He also read a post about how a man ordered takeout one night two years ago, but it hadnt arrived yet; however, every night he would receive a message saying [Your food is on the way!]. Even if he changed his mobile phone and number, he would still receive the message. Therefore, Yibei felt that it was safer for him to make dinner for himself. After dinner, Yibei and Bai Xiaohua got along intimately, and sleepiness gradually struck him. He washed up hastily and said good night to Ac, the Immovable. He went upstairs, put the blindfold and earplugs on, and leapt on the bed. As soon as his head touched the pillow, he immediately fell into a deep sleep. It was dark. The smoky, crescent moon shone with a faint rose colour; in the dry wind of autumn, the red-and-white coat swayed with the wind. Click, click, click The sound of a rodent grinding its teeth could be hearding from the left pocket of the coat, and a pitch-ck paper cube could be seen jumping out of the pocket. A soft, fluttering noise could be heard in the gentle wind. When Lu Yibei opened his eyes again, he saw a hunched figure standing under the dim light of the streetmp, like a tall, hunchbacked man. The body was thoroughly wrapped in a pitch-ck coat, holding a dimly lit candlestick in their hands. Seeing the scene, he wanted to leave but found that he couldnt move at all. The scene before him was somewhat yellow like he was watching an old movie. The figure walked along the street and entered a residential area before entering a building. The dark corridor had no end in sight, and the figure walked into it, blending into the darkness. The rusty iron doors on both sides creaked with the wind as if something were ready to pull an innocent person in. ng, ng, ng! After knocking on the door, the figure spoke in a strange voice, Is anyone in here? If theres no one, Ill let myself in. Nobody responded. The figure held the doorknob and turned it lightly, and it opened with a soft click. It was a very ordinary one-bedroom apartmentwalls stered white, floors covered with white tiles. There was a TV, coffee table, and blue sofa in the living room. The man walked into the room without turning on the light and sat on the sofa, waiting for something quietly. Time passed slowly in dead silence, and after some time, a womansughter could be heard, and the sound of keys could be heard. Yibeis eyes were distorted with light and shadow, and his view shifted from the figure in the cloak to a woman. The woman was wearing an ordinary but professional grey suit. Her face was blurred, and she seemed drunk. She fumbled in her bag for a moment before fishing out a key to open a door. It was a very ordinary one-bedroom apartmentwalls stered white, floors covered with white tiles. There was a TV, coffee table, and blue sofa in the living room. Lu Yibeis eyes widened, and he wanted to shout to the woman: Run! Run! Somebody is in your house! However, he couldnt make a single noise. He was forced to be a bystander. The woman didnt turn on the light and kicked her high heels off as she stumbled towards the bedroom. Drinking to take advantage of an old man and yet, when I ask for a raise Ill get through this hard time alone. Back in the bedroom, the woman took off her coat, crumpled it, and threw it into the corner. Apanied by the sound of breathing, time seemed to flow slowly, but Yibei couldnt change his gaze. All he could do was stare at the woman, who was sleeping soundly. What do I do? That figure is still in the house! Yibeis heart was in his throat, feeling restless. The woman woke up suddenly, hearing a soft rustleing from under her bed. Mice? she muttered groggily. A furry head suddenly emerged from the darkness, and the ss-like eyes, bloodshot, stared and smiled at her. In the dead of the dark, the woman and Mr Rabbit stared at each other. Chapter 5: Birth of a New Witch Chapter 5: Birth of a New Witch At half past four in the morning, on the opposite side of the city, A new moon emerged from the dark clouds, and the ancient house hidden in the night revealed a dpidated appearance. Under theyers of ivy and vines was a wall that had already peeled off. The courtyard was scattered with dead leaves behind an iron gate that was full of rust. The old and sparsely maintained fountain had already dried up, and the stone carvings of gryphons on both sides of the fountain were cracked and shattered. The building was eerily gloomy. This is the Amber House, located on the outskirts of Huacheng. It used to belong to a wealthy businessman, but hemitted suicide due to bankruptcy. Rumours that it was a haunted house gradually spread, and it was soon abandoned. Up until now, nobody knew that there were still people living in this house. It now belongs to a young girl named Jiangli. Jiangli slept soundly on the rose-coloured bed in the depths of the house. Her long eyshes fluttered slightly, and a few beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. Click, click, click! The clicking sound of high heels hitting the marble floor echoed in the corridor, and the brass doorknob was gently turned. A maid in a ssical maid outfit walked into the room, stepped before Jianglis bed, and bowed respectfully. The maid didnt speak, but Jiangli woke up anyways. As soon as she opened her eyes, a scarlet light shed in her eyes. It subsided like an ebbing tide, and her eyes returned to their pristine, sea-blue colour. The little maid uttered, Miss, a Level C Energy rm. Do you really need me to deal with that? Jiangli asked. The little maid didnt speak, and Jiangli sighed. Where is it? That direction of Changsheng Road. Right. Help me get out of my clothes. The rose-coloured duvet slid off her body, and three thousand silver threads hung down like a waterfall, covering her snow-white body. Her slender and exquisite curves were faintly visible. The maid helped her up, walked her to the chair of the dressing table, and sat her down. With the help of the light, you can see her reflection: long, silvery hair; a delicate oval face; and a petite, thin body that evokes pity in people. Its a pity that this delicate, doll-like girl isnt so perfect. Her slender right leg, from the knee down, was a prosthetic made of metal. On the silver shell of the prosthetic limb, there were strange runes engraved on it that emitted a light blue shimmer. While helping herb her hair, the maid asked, What do you want to wear today? The one I bought two days ago. Hand me my walking stick while youre at it. We can leave without breakfast. Okay, miss. Twenty minutester, Huacheng, Changsheng Road Several police cars were parked next to an old apartment building, and a barrier was pulled up in front of the entrance of the apartment, with red and blue police lights shing. Four policemen were walking out, carrying a stretcher. From the outline under the white cloth, a feminine figure could be seen. Not long after, a ck car came and parked by the side of the road. Seeing the car approaching, the person in charge immediately walked up towards it. The car window rolled down, revealing Jiangli and her frowning, pale face. What happened here? she asked, shing her silver badge. The mourning barn owl was the symbol of the Night Division. The Night Division is a semi-official organizationposed of psychics with unique abilities, specializing in dealing with various things rted to ghost stories. Outside the car window, the person in charge helplessly smiled, We cant handle this. A strange attack happened. Anyways, ording to regtions, after we confirm it, we have to notify your night meeting. But Im not the operator on duty tonight, Jiangli said tiredly. I know its Bai. Weve notified him, and hes already here. He told us to notify you. Whatever. Any witnesses? No. It would be much easier to deal with an attack without witnesses. It saves a lot of effort needed to suppress the spread of rumours. Thinking about it, she turned around and patted the back of the drivers seat lightly: Hua, Ill go up and take a look. Okay, miss. At the same time, Hua handed her the ck cane with a silver unicorn on top. She took the cane and got out of the car, and told her maid, You dont have to go up with me. You can stay here. She was wearing a slim suit jacket lined with a white shirt, and under her high-waisted dress, the ck silk concealed her prosthetic leg. However, it couldnt cover her difficulty walking. Although it was not the first time working together with her, the person in charge couldnt help but feel bad. Shes nice, but shes weird too. What a pity! Hmph! the maid snorted beside him, hearing his words. Our mistress doesnt need your pity! My bad. Changsheng Road was located in a remote ce, neither close to the business district nor the school district. A few people lived here, and almost all of them were students looking for cheap house rent. There were very few residents in the unit building. The whole building was vacated after a short evacuation. Jiangli walked through the quiet corridor, and the only sound that could be heard was her high heels. The murder scene wasnt big; it was a one-bedroom rental house with simple decorations. As soon as she entered the door, she was greeted with a strong smell of blood rushing towards her face. There was already a man who arrived first. A handsome man with a soft yet masculine facehe had fair skin, a slender neck, and a pair of eyes that were like cold stars on a winter night. He was wearing a ssic, dark brown suit with a silver owl on his chest; the cket was slightly opened, and a crimson rose was embroidered on the exposed cor of his white shirt. He exuded a poetic and romantic aura yet possessed the sharp temperament of a swordsman. This same man was squatting at the door of the bedroom, eating instant noodles, as Jiangli arrived. The hand holding the fork gulped down the noodles in big bites, and the soup sshed all over. It was as if he didnt care that there was a horribly mangled corpse in the same room as him just a few minutes ago. Hearing her footsteps, he put down his instant noodles and wiped his mouth with an advertising leaflet, smiling warmly at Jiangli. Youre here! I was getting hungry, so I was eating when you arrived. I hope you didnt mind, did you? Jianglis eyebrows furrowed in annoyance. Bai Kai, Im not on duty tonight, but you called me here. It better be important. Eugh, you called me by my full name. I feel like Imitted a crime. Im your senior, for Gods sake! Besides, I called you here because I was thinking of you! Of me? she frowned. Yup! Werent you responsible for hunting down Miss Twilight? This attack is rted to her? Thats right, he smiled, revealing a bunch of pale strands from his coat pocket. Look, rabbit fur. The rabbit again? A strange tale of a witch was circting, and her name was Twilight. She is a girl with a gorgeous long dress like she just hopped out of a fairy tale. She appears at dusk, wandering the city with a parasol. Those who are attracted to her beauty will go mad as soon as they hear her discordant screams used to deter them, and they will involuntarily be her servants as they lose control of themselves. Half a year ago, Jiangli assassinated Miss Twilight, but it seems that she has returned. In many cases, strange stories can never truly die down. As long as people believe in them, they will live forever. The operators of the Night Division can only kill them over and over again so that they cannot cause damage until they arepletely forgotten by people. Mr Rabbit is the only one left among the servants of Miss Twilight. Recently, he murdered three people in a row, and all those attacked have the potential to be psychic users. These people are easy to screen out from ordinary people since only psychics or potential psychics are the only ones who can see them physically. The blood containing psychic energy is like a drug to those horrifying rumours, nourishing their strength and strengthening them with incredible powers. If you can see them, youre already dead. This is the mostmon phrase told to neers to the Night Division. Because of Mr Rabbits murders, Jiangli concluded that Miss Twilight would re-emerge soon, as she needed the blood to restore her strength. Bai Kai curled his lips and said, I know youve already killed that rabbit, but as long as there are idiots who believe that rabbits are a symbol of evil, they will alwayse back. This isnt that simple, is it? Youre telling me stuff I already know, so just get to the point already. I called you here because I suspect that Miss Twilight isnt actually awake, and the recent attacks have nothing to do with her, he exined. That rabbit wants to umte strength for himself, so he can get rid of her control. Are you sure? Yes! Bai Kai confirmed it enthusiastically. First, we know that it is awake, but Miss Twilight isnt. Second, he continued. Judging from the remaining psychic energy around the area, it has basically advanced from a Level C threat to a Level B threat, which means if we dont stop it quickly, a new witch will be born in Huacheng. Hearing this, her face became serious. If a rumour and urban legend are sessfully formed, then that creature will be close to a Level A threat, and the damage that may follow will be unimaginable. All of the threats that Jiangli faced were all Level B threats that were close to Level A, and even then, they caused hundreds of casualties. Therefore, preventing the birth of a witch means saving at least hundreds of lives! I see, Jiangli pondered. Ill keep an eye on it. She turned around and left, and Bai Kai rolled his eyes and said, I shared that out of the kindness of my heart, and not even a little thank you? How cruel! Whats the use of her being beautiful if shes mean! Heh, is that so? Im sure you need a partner soon, Jianglis voice echoed through the corridor. His expression stiffened immediately, feeling bad for talking badly about her. He realised that he was utterly alonehe had no children, no partner, and even his closest friend had died, and his life was looking bleak Chapter 6: Brassy Love Chapter 6: Brassy Love The next morning Lu Yibei screamed and darted awake. His sweat-soaked back clung to his pyjamas, making him feel incredibly mmy, and an unexinable chill ran down his back. He took off his blindfold and reached for the light as he was greeted with a messy bed. He took several deep breaths to calm himself down. I dreamt of that damned rabbit again. And that poor woman All he could remember was Mr Rabbits lips unfurling like des as his sharp teeth pierced through the womans neck like a de, and everything was red. Her death was too vivid, and strangely enough, it felt real. He touched his neck gently, feeling as if he was the one being torn apart by the rabbits des for teeth. Feeling a liquid run down his throat, he froze. It took him a considerable time to realize that it was sweat, not blood. That rabbit is a big problem He wanted to contact the police, but thinking about it, nobody would believe him. Calling the police because of a nightmare. How smart, Yibei mocked himself in the mirror. Like hell, theyll believe you. Next thing you know, youre in the mental hospital once again. But It felt so real. Am I going to be next? Lu Yibei gulped at this revtion, shaking his head. No, no, no! Theres no point in scaring yourselfyeah! Maybe it was just a nightmare, or maybe Im just getting paranoid about that damned rabbit. He turned to look in the mirror, realizing that his jaw was tense. There was no way he could calm himself down. Looking out the window and at the clock, it was 4:50 in the morningstill dark, four hours before dawn. Leaving the house would be dangerous. Yibei got up and went downstairs. The living room was deathly quiet, save for the ear-piercing sounds of his coat outside being blown by the violent morning wind. ncing out the window, the coat looked like aically short man under the pale moonlight as if he were being tossed around by the wind. Yibeis paranoia still gnawed at him as he pulled the curtains shut. Out of sight, out of mind. After turning on the light, he paced to the side and murmured to Ac, the Immovable, I hope you dont mind, but I have to do this after tonights incident. Sorry. Ac, the Immovables presence, showered Yibei with an inexplicable sense of security in his heart. He stepped forward and picked the statue up, hauling it towards his bedroom. He ced the statue on his bed gingerly, turning around to turn on his speaker to y [Love and Magical Girl]s soundtrack, which was sung by none other than Bai Xiaohua. Lu Yibeiy beside the statue and fell back asleep. Holding the statues sturdy body and listening to Bai Xiaohuas voice calmed Yibei down, but he no longer felt sleepy. What am I doing? Yibei thought he was going to be awake until dawn, but he didnt expect his eyes to droop, and soon, just as dawn arrived, he fell back asleep. In his blurred vision, all he could make out was a pair of bloodshot eyes staring at him. Lu Yibei felt cold like his body had just been thrown into ake. He sank, and he could hear a voice speaking to him. It was like a strange whisper that tickled his eardrums. It was like an ancient and mysterious bad in an unknownnguage. Then the voice became clear. Ring! Lu Yibei was jolted awake when he found that his phone was ringing loudly. It was from Shui, who wanted to make a video call with him. Yibei groaned before epting the call, and a handsome face appeared on the screen, shing him a grin. Yibei, whats up? Sleep well? Whatever. Damn, Shui put a hand up to his chest as he shifted the camera to his face, pulling an exaggerated sad face. Youre cold. I have facial paralysis! I cant move my face! Yibei retorted. Oh, my bad. I forgot you couldnt make any faces. Youre calling me for a reasonI just know it! Let me guess, you screwed up at your little gig again? Excuse me! Im working in Public Rtions. Right, lets just call it that: Public. Rtions. Ill have you know that. Okay, okay, Mr Public Rtions. What happened this time? Yibeis father once told him that Shui is Huachengs first male to work in Public Rtions, and to be honest, he could believe it. What other job requires you to dress mboyantly and work only at night? Thats rightan escort! Shui is also constantly exhausted whenever he gets off work, making Yibei shudder to think what Shui has done to his body for money. It was reflected in Shuis appearance, too; whenever they met, Shui would look drained, like he didnt have a drop left in him. Yibei doesnt discriminate against male escorts, but he is sure that he discriminates against Shui himself. Having a man cling to you and circle around you, promising you the world and whispering sweet nothings in your ears Yibei cringes whenever he thinks about it. Actually, Shui continued. I did encounter somethingst night. I thought about it for some time but decided to call you today because I wanted to. Shui came to an epiphanyst night; he wanted to ept Lu Yibei as his godson. However, before Shui finished his sentence, he saw a figure on Yibeis bed, and Yibeis hand was resting on the figures chest, drawing small circles on its chest with his fingers. Shuis eye twitched. Y-Yibei? W-whos on your bed? Oh, thats Yibei! Im sorry! I forgot you were a teenager with needs; Im sorry! Shui, thats a statue. A statue?! My statue?! Thats the worst! Its made of brass! Youll get hurt if you Yibei tuned Shuis voice out. Just what is going on in that mind of his Yibei, Shui interrupted with a serious tone. I am sorry for not considering your needs, but Yibei hovered his finger over the [End Call] button. F*ck! Okay! Im sorry! Dont hang up! Im not going to interfere with your personal interests! I called you to tell you that I want you to be my godson! Yibei hung up the phone and blocked Shuis number and all of his social media ounts. I treat you as my brother! Not a father! Damn it! It didnt take long for his phone to vibrate again. ncing at the screen, it was a text message from an unknown number: [At least let me finish!] Yibei knew it was Shui texting him, and his finger hovered over the [Block Number] button. However, Shui sent a serious text next. [Yibei, tomorrow is thest day to register at the university. Take some time today to enrol. Otherwise, you might have to retake the exam.] Yibeis fingers swiftly tapped on the screen. [Got it. Ill goter.] He swiftly blocked Shuis new number. Lu Yibei suddenly thought of his nightmare. He hesitated as his finger hovered over Shuis profile but decided not to tell him. Hell make fun of me if I tell him. I rather not feed him any more material. The Night Divisions headquarters Bai Kai was about to get off work when his phone beeped. Upon seeing Yibeis reply, he smiled like the spring breeze was gently blowing on him. A passing operator saw him and peeked over: Bai, whats got you in a good mood? I got me a godson, he smiled as he shook his phone. Is that so? Congrattions! You should bring him over for dinner sometime. Of course! Bai Kaiughed as he patted the operators shoulder. Wait, no. I think he might be a little autistic. He has trouble with people. As he was engaging in a lively conversation with the operator, he dialled Yibei, but all he heard in his ear was, The number you dialled is currently unavable. He tried sending a few more text messages but failed, and he soon realized that he was once again blocked by his godson. Chapter 7: System Chapter 7: System When Lu Yibei put his phone down, it was already 8:27 am. The night sky gradually receded, and the first ray of sunlight shed into the living room through the gaps in the curtains. Has it already been three hours? Lu Yibei thought. He felt that he only slept for five minutes. He guessed that he unconsciously fell asleep after snoozing his rm. After getting up, he washed up briefly to get to the university. He doesnt like to procrastinate. Although there was still one day left to enrol, he didnt want to dy it any longer. God forbid something unexpected happens. He thought as he got up from the bed. When he came to the bathroom, he was prepared to wash up. He sshed his face with cold water, and when he looked up, he was taken aback by his appearance in the mirror. Strangely enough, the Yibei that stared back seemed energetic, and his skin seemed to glow. It was as if the nightmarest night didnt even affect him. However, his eyes were bloodshot. He frowned upon noticing his eyes. However, he didnt feel any difort. Guess Ill wear sunsses, he muttered to himself. He decided to go to the hospital if the redness in his eyes persisted. At 9:00 am, the tranquillity of the park was interrupted by a series of shouts and curses. Holy sh*t! Who did this? If I find whoever did this, hes dead! I almost sh*t my pants. Some aunties who were exercising in the park heard themotion and decided to walk over to find out what happened. They could see the woman, who worked as a street cleaner, was incredibly distraught. Zhang, whats the matter? Yes! Tell us what happened. Did a man hurt you? Ill teach him a lesson! Zhang merely put a hand on her hip and sighed: No, no. Just look at this! I dont know who would be so cruel to just dump their pets corpses by theke! Only then did the aunties realize there were two dead rabbits by her feet, exuding an incredibly pungent and disgusting smell. One of the rabbits was swollen and wet, and the other was beaten into a red pulp. If it wasnt for their telltale ears and white fur, it would be impossible to tell that it was a rabbit. What the hell! How could they just kill their rabbit like this? Disgusting! We need to find this person and Meanwhile, a handsome guy who was wearing sunsses passed behind them. Whats going on? Lu Yibei wondered. Nice to see that my neighbours are energetic. He left them alone and hailed a taxi outside the park. Take me to the polytechnic university, he said before copsing against the car door and falling asleep. The taxi driver sighed and drove him to the Huacheng University of Technology. Nearing the end of August, the heat of summer was receding like a wave, but the university grounds were clearly hot with passion. Due to the fact that it was enrolment season, the seniors would be outside looking for prey to seduce. Perhaps it was the other way around, and the freshmen were the ones seducing their seniors. Maybe it was jealousy that mutual burning hate sparked between them. Wait a minute, thats not the point of a university! This isnt a reality TV show! Buses came to pick up and drop off freshmen who were looking to enrol in the university, stepping through the grand and magnificent school gate, ready to wee their new lives. Lu Yibeis residence wasnt far from the university. He vividly remembers that he came to the universitys bathhouse when the electricity and water in his house were cut off. Of course, he remembers it vividly due to his bad experience of bumping into a female senior in the bathhouse. As soon as you enter the university gate, you will be greeted by a boulevard named Cherry Blossom Avenue. There are countless cherry blossom trees nted on both sides of the road, and in the spring, the blooming flowers will be very beautiful. Through the branches, you can see vines and the mottled walls of the school, which quietly tell the story of the schools past. It was deserted when he first came here, but obviously, it was much more lively today. On both sides of the avenue, there were gongs, drums, and colourful gs that fluttered in the light morning breeze. Many clubs have already set up their tents and stations, ready to snatch the freshmen for themselves. Were the Basketball Club! If you love sports and basketball, you will love us! Ah, you dont have a basketball? No worries! We got plenty! Join us! We can take you into the National Football League! Near the gate were traditional clubs that you would see in many typical universities. Naturally, those clubs attract the most freshmen. However, the further you go inside, some weird clubs will begin to pop up. The Ego and Superego Club, the E-Sports Club, the Macho-Bathhouse-Mutual-Aid-Rubbing Club, If-You-Cant-Come-Up-With-A-Name-Lets-Just-Call-It-This Club These clubs are weird. I might get involved with strange people. Lu Yibei nced at the clubs one by one and rushed past them. As soon as he turned around, he bumped into something that felt soft and bouncy, with a faint fragrance emanating from it. Ah! Just as Yibei felt that he was in heaven, a voice full of disdain and contempt rushed into his ears: Youre Lu Yibei? Huh? Who? How do you know my name? Lu Yibei was taken aback and took a step back. It was a girl with long, chestnut hair; her face was delicate but childish. The light-blue,cy camisole on her upper body hugged her body well, but she wasnt that tall. She was petite with a great figure. Hey! the girl waved her hand in front of Yibeis eyes. Im asking you a question! Are you Lu Yibei? Lu Yibei stared at her as if he were fighting a mental war: You just unconsciously took advantage of this girl, and she, understandably, wants to beat you up. I am Gou Erdan, he said. I think you got the wrong person. Since he was wearing sunsses, there was no way she could tell that he was lying. Yibei patted himself on the back. Wait, but The girl was obviously taken aback, but Yibei was long gone. The girl sighed and said, Hello? Is my system here? Hello! I am here. There must be something wrong with the information you gave me. That guy is a man, not a woman! How could he be a witch? I think you made a grave mistake. Apologies. Recalibrating results. Progress: 10% 20% Recalibrationplete. That was the correct target. That male creature is the witch, who is destined to destroy the world. Kill him as soon as possible. Understood. Lu Yibei! Wait, no Gou Erdan, youre done! I will save the world from your evil clutches! The targets name is Lu Yibei. He lied to you. Damn it. Chapter 8: Capture Chapter 8: Capture Huacheng, Peony Street. There are many ancient streets that are lined with blue tiles and white walls in the city, and Peony Street happens to be one of the more famous streets. At the entrance of the street stood an antique memorial archway, which was decorated with blue tiles and four majestic stone lions at its four corners. The surfaces of the archway were smooth, clean, and glimmering. It donned peony patterns and clouds of fire, and a que that read Peony Street was written on the archway. A canal is in the centre of the street, and from north to south, it forms a winding channel. On both sides, there are nearly a hundred crisscrossing cobblestone alleys that are connected in awork. This actually isnt the real appearance of Peony Street, and there is nothing ancient about it. This was built a few years ago to attract foreign tourists. Only the residents and locals know that, past the quaint buildings and decorated streets, an unremarkable, tiny street with a length of no more than 200 meters that had dpidated streets and worn walls was the real Peony Street. On that dpidated and run-down street was the headquarters of the Night Division. At 10:00 am, Bai Kai, who had been working all night, carried himself out of the street, holding a meat bun in his mouth while stretching himself. In the distance, a rather luxurious ck car could be seen stopping at the intersection, taking the entire street for itself. Seeing this, Bai Kai spit out and frantically caught the meat bun in his hand: Bad luck. The person in charge today was Jiangli. Because of the heart-wrenching words that she said to himst night, he decided to me her for Yibei blocking him. Right? Im nice to Yibei! I bet he would let me sleep beside him with nothing but underwear on! There is no way he could hate me! Bai Kai patted himself on the back and stuffed the bun back into his mouth. At this moment, her maid got out to open the door for her. Jiangli got out of the car and saw Bai Kai standing at the corner of the street as if he were a stray dog who had just found food. Jiangli ignored his fretful gaze and used her cane to support her walk. Surely enough, Bai Kai stopped her. W-wait a moment. There was an attack in the suburbs while we were investigating Mr Rabbits case. Make sure to look at the file, Bai Kai reminded. Got it, Jiangli responded coldly. She made her way to the ancient ancestral building, which was hidden under a few overgrown ginkgo trees. The grey stone steps were infected with moss, and a brass-coloured metal que hung on the red pir that was peeling, and it read [Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration]. Entering the hall, there were only a few tourists, and it was quiet and solemn. When you walk in and enter the house facing the gate, youll see a strangely bright corridor that is decorated with simple dcor. The corridor itself stretched endlessly, with no end in sight. Anybody normal would wonder how such a corridor could be packed into such a small, tiny hut. On both sides of the corridor were thick metal doors that faced each other. The first seven doors were marked with numbers from 1 to 7, representing the different main operators on duty during the seven days and nights of the week. Some numbers were in traditional Chinese characters; some were normal Arabic numbers; some were in Greek numerals; and sometimes, hieroglyphics This is tied to the identity of the owner behind the door. The depths of the corridor extended into darkness. There was more space inside, but it was simply too dark to explore. Jiangli walked until she reached a metal door that was imprinted with the letter V. She turned the doorknob, and it was covered with ayer of whitece. A tablemp with a light-green shade could be seen. On it were a rotary dial telephone and an enamel tea mug that had the words [Serve the People] on it. If it werent for the brand-newputer on her table, it would look like a room that was fit for the 1970s or 1980s. Although it was Jianglis shift today, strange rumours and urban legends didnt usually pop up before dark, which meant she still had seven or eight hours to do whatever she wanted. She patiently watered the flowers on the window sill and brewed a cup of strong tea for herself as she passed the time by ying a game of Mahjong on herputer. A beautiful girl held a tea mug vulgarly as she sat on her desk ying a video game. No matter how you look at it, she looked disobedient. Half an hourter Jiangli won two games of Mahjong and closed it. She then clicked on the crescent-shaped icon on the desktop, which wasbelled with [File Management System]. She started to read the files that were uploaded when she wasnt on duty. URBAN LEGEND 1032 CODENAME: MR. RABBIT THREAT LEVEL: C FIRST APPEARANCE: MAY 5TH CASE OVERVIEW: MISSING PEOPLE CASES ARE OCCURRING IN HUACHENG AT AN ALARMING RATE. EACH MISSING PERSON SHARED THE SAME FOUR QUALITIES:
  1. ALONE AT THE TIME OF INCIDENT
  2. WHITE RABBIT HAIRS AT THE SCENE OF THE CRIME
  3. EACH VICTIM RECEIVED A LEAFLET FROM A RABBIT MASCOT.
  4. THE CONTENTS AND MATERIAL OF THE LEAFLET ARE CONSISTENT, DESPITE THE DIFFERENCE IN LOCATION RECEIVED. SEE ADDENDUM 1.
ADDENDUM 1 THE LEAFLET IS PAPER-LIKE, BUT FURTHER ANALYSIS YIELDS THAT THE MATERIAL USED IS MADE OF UNKNOWN BIOLOGICAL FUR. SIZE IS 176MMx250MM. THE LEAFLET IS PURE BLACK WITH BRIGHT YELLOW PATTERNS, USUALLY WRITTEN WITH A STRING OF WORDS. [PICTURE 1.0] [PICTURE 2.0] [PICTURE 3.0] Jiangli continued reading the contents of the leaflet, a frown forming on her face: This is a curse written in Hebrew. How could it even understand thatnguage? In Jianglis memory, Miss Twilight didnt know the concept behind a spell like this, so the source of Mr Rabbits spell must not be her. But if it wasnt for Miss Twilight, then where did the rabbit get the spell from? Perhaps its a trigger-based curse. The rabbit targets anyone who collects the leaflet. Sunlight is usually the best method to suppress rumours, urban legends, ghost stories, etc. Although Mr Rabbit wasnt that big of a threat, it was difficult to hunt him down. Tsk, I cant believe people are actually stupid enough to read the leaflet after getting it. I would have tossed it aside immediately. Idiots, all of them! Jiangli continued to slide across the screen beforeing across an audio file. [POLICE_PHONE_CALL_01.wav] Jianglis eyebrows furrowed as she clicked on the audio file. A wave of static could be heard, and a frantic female voice could be heard running. H-hello? P-police? I need help! Maam, calm down. This is the Linjiang Police. What seems to be the problem? kill me Hes trying to kill me! Excuse me? Im sorry, but prank calls- Im being serious! the woman screamed as her breath hitched, pausing. P-please. The operator paused before asking, Alright. What seems to be the problem? T-theres someone outside my home I saw him. I swear! I cant see his face clearly, b-but hes out-outside He followed me back home! The womans voice was trembling. Hes outside! I can see him! I can hear his footsteps, and every time I go near the door, hes gone! P-please the woman begged. Hes here again. Hes gone? the woman said with a strangely clear voice. Ah, maam, you might be stressed from work. Might I suggest taking a hot bath to wind down after youre done with your work? Ill let this prank call slide, but please call us when something actually happens. Beep! [POLICE_PHONE_CALL_02.wav] Im not delusional! Hes right outside my house! P-please! Im begging you, please. I think Im going to d-die The woman on the phone was crying, and it was obvious that she was terrified. She would move her sobbing away from the phone as if she were trying to hide from something. Maam, help is on the way. I need you to tell me your address. N-number 28, Building number three, Fuming Road, and m-my name is Lin Kexin, the woman spoke in a hushed and hurried tone. Alright, maam, I N-no! Dont hang up! Please dont leave me alone, Im going to die N-no, maam, Ill stay on the line with you. Please, try to calm down. Help is on the way. No! Dont hang up! Why?! The woman cried as she screamed into the phone. Why? Sh*t! Hes o-outside my door. I-I barricaded it, but I can hear himing in; hes in! Hes- ,,, Maam? Maam, I am still on the line. Maam? Maam! The sound of chewing could be faintly heard, and then there was silence. Jiangli frowned as she clicked off the audio files. Spells of unknown origin: being able to suppress help, the ability to pass through walls She didnt want to admit it, but Bai Kai was right. These things are evolving. Creek! She looked towards the door and found her maid, who was holding a stack of documents and a few photos in her hand. Miss, there are new developments in the case. In an apartmentplex near the university town this morning, somebody found two rabbit corpses near the parkske. These two corpses, which had high levels of residual magic, are suspected to be Mr Rabbits pawns. These documents show the information from on-site analysis, and these are the photos from the scene. Jianglis eyes widened slightly. Something or someone in that apartment dealt with Mr Rabbits pawns, causing his attack to fail. This is the equivalent of dering war on Mr Rabbit. Jiangli subtly nodded at thepetence of that person, picking up the document and photos, but frowned immediately upon seeing a young man in the photo. ck coat, sunsses, wearing a mask, acting sneaky This person right here, Jiangli pointed. Hes hiding himself from the crowd, and he seems unbothered from the incident. I think hes important to this case. Is that so? But I think that No, Jiangli tapped on the photo. Catch this man. I understand. Chapter 9: Night Sickness Chapter 9: Night Sickness The process of enrolment was much easier than he thought. In the Academic Affairs Office, all he did was review his application for deferment and his original admission notice before filling out simple forms and handing them to the teacher in charge. It took less than half an hour. Alright, Mr Lu, you can go to the department over there to report. Thank you. As he was stuffing the documents in his bag, he overheard whispers from the office behind him. Let me guess. Hes another student who took an extended leave from school. Thats like the 5th one this week.. Yeah. Its getting worrying. Excuse me Yibei thought as he pretended to drop his papers so he could listen to the gossip. He couldnt believe they were talking behind his back. Rememberthatstudent fromst year? When the police broke into his dorm, his room was full of garbage, and he slept with mice! Mice, I tell you! And they found- Enough about that. I just ate! Anyways Yibei couldnt hear the rest of their conversations, so he crept closer. This must be because of the Sun. All these strange diseases popping up dont you think its strange? So, they think I have that Night Disease Yibei thought as he pouted. Ill have them know I was in a car ident! Bet; they wont have anything to say if I tell them that. During his stay at the hospital, he vividly remembered rumours of a strange disease called Night Sickness. Night Sickness does not refer to a single disease but is a general term for strange diseases that modern medicine cannot exin. Since there is no definite cause, there would be no definite cure. Before he was discharged from the hospital, he overheard a nurse saying that there were over 200,000 people diagnosed with Night Sickness, and it was increasing daily. Night Sickness. Right. Remember when everyone on the Inte said that the End of the World wasing? Within ten to fifteen years, there will be no more daylight. Shh! If the director hears us, were done for! Lu Yibei sighed as their gossip stopped, and he left the office and headed towards the Chinese Language Department. In a polytechnic university, choosing to major in Chinese seems weird. However, this was his fathersst wish before he died. Since he had a good rtionship with his father, it feels weird to not honour his wishes. His father wrote online novels, and at the time, writing novels was a dead-end career. Only those incredibly sessful writers made a living. His monthly ie was barely enough to support both of them. In a creative aspect, he thought that his father had excellent writing butcked creativity. Nobody wants to read a generic story. In my opinion, he shouldve written something out of the box. Perhaps someone who was forced to be a Magical Girl. When Lu Yibei entered elementary school, his father had to make a choice between his dream and his son, so he chose the son. He learnt how to cook and how to make traditional Sichuan cuisine. After several years, he made enough to open his own restaurant. Yibei thought that his father had given up on his dream, but before dying, his father begged him to learn ancient Chinese. Yibei thought of following in his fathers footsteps to be a chef and run his own restaurant. Its just that Forget it. I have to honour his wishes. Doesnt hurt to take an extra course. Lu Yibei sighed as he stepped in front of the Faculty of Arts: Even if I major in Chinese, it doesnt mean I cant be an excellent chef in the future. Right? If I learn good Chinese, I can exaggerate the names of my dishes and give them an appropriate price! Volcanic Snow (tomatoes and sugar), Dark Clouds Cover the Moon (seaweed and egg drop soup), My Ex-Boyfriend (chopped cucumbers) Noon. In a corner of the campus yground The scorching sun hung overhead, passing through the dense cherry blossom branches. Under the old trees were fluttering leaves, and a girl in a light-blue camisole sat on a stone tform, shaking her legs that were hugged by khaki shorts. A slight smile was on her face as she broke some of her sandwiches to give to a stray cat. Were you abandoned? Not to worry, Ill be studying here soon. Whenever Im free, Ill look for you. Meow! Food is precious, the girl said, petting the cat as it ate the sandwich. Dont let it go to waste, now. Meow! Otherwise, Ill crush your balls. Meow?! After feeding the cat the sandwich, she leaned over to gather up the crumbs before sprinkling them over an ant colony. After she stretched, she took out a ballpoint pen. The ballpoint pen was worn out, with a few cracks on its stic case. After she took the pen out, the surrounding air became gloomy and cold. The stray cat immediately stopped eating, and its fur stood on its back. Even the ant colony seemed afraid as they ran around in an unorganised manner. System. Mistress. I am here. Shaking the ballpoint pen, she asked, Is this the vessel of the pen fairy in this school? How many points can I exchange this for? Calcting This ballpoint pen contains Level C energy fluctuations, which can be exchanged for 20 points. Do you want to exchange it? Yes! she responded immediately. The ballpoint pen started to distort the space around it, like a TV with poor signals. It gradually faded in and out of reality before disappearing. 20 points. Can I roll now? Yes, mistress. The roulette wheel is spinning; please wait a moment. Ding! the system sounded. You have received a 300-yuan campus card! Ding! You have received a 500-yuan campus card! Yes! She cheered. I dont have to worry about food this month! I can buy myself some snacks too! Congrattions, mistress. Do you want to collect your rewards now? Yes, please, she thought politely. By the way, that Lu Yibei hes not a real witch yet, right? Since hes human, I cant exactly kill him now, can I? He will ultimately destroy the world. Killing him while hes still weak will be the best choice. My job is to protect every human being. If I kill a human being, wouldnt that mean Im going against protocol? Mistress. Shut up! Just tell me when hes about to be a witch! When hes halfway done, Ill chop his head off. There. Is that better? Im afraid I cant do that. What the hell The girl sighed helplessly. He could transform at any time, but she cant follow him around all the time. She still had her own things to do. System? Yes, mistress. Youre really useless. On the other side of the yground was the Faculty of Arts. Lu Yibei walked to his dormitory behind an enthusiastic senior. He listened to his ramblings absent-mindedly. Under the scorching sun, the entire yground seemed coated with ayer of gold. His vision blurred when the suns reflection hit his eyes, but in a trance, he could see a figure with loose long hair wearing a white dress. She was being stalked by a huge, hazy figure that was distorted and deformed, exuding a dark aura. That figure leapt from the ground and opened its maw as it devoured the female ghost, sinking into the ground. Lu Yibei froze and rubbed his eyes, but all he saw was a girl cheering alone. He recognised her as the girl he bumped into but decided not to delve into it. He made a mental note not to involve himself in anything rted to her. Junior, you there? My bad. The senior followed Lu Yibeis gaze and saw the girl cheering on the yground: Oh, I see. I understand, really! Who doesnt want their university love story? Riiiight. How old are you again, senior? Thats not important. Have you found love yet? Oh! My boyfriend and I share a dorm together. Were really happy! Lu Yibei didnt want to continue the campus tour anymore. Chapter 10: Who The F*ck Are You Calling Friend Chapter 10: Who The F*ck Are You Calling Friend Student Apartments of the Faculty of Arts, dorm room No. 3024 This is a very ordinary four-person dormitory. Four multifunctional apartment beds are in the space next to the corridor, and the balcony and bathroom are lined with white tiles facing the window. The dormitory was clean and simple, which was a luxury for most students. To Lu Yibei, this was much better than the dingy hospital room he had to live in for almost two years. When he entered the dormitory, there were already three beds that were upied. However, his roommates werent in the dormitory. After briefly walking around the dorm, he went to the door and bowed at the senior who was waiting at the door, My bad. I dont need your bedding. Lu Yibei regarded his senior as someone who was warm and kind, but it seems that the entire act was so that he could sell him bedsheets for his dorm! Ah, no worries. It isnt that expensive, and well help you set it up. Besides, he paused as he stretched his arms out. Youll be staying here for a long time, no? If you buy from me, Ill surely look after you. Lu Yibei frowned upon hearing this. Empty promises like that meant nothing to him. He still remembers that after subscribing to his high schools newspaper, he only received one issue and has yet to receive his second issue. He naively waited an entire semester before realizing that his seniors had tricked him! I assume you being silent means youre thinking about it? Wait, I dont need it. Why not? the senior pouted. You came here empty-handed! Where will you sleep at night? Come on, just pay us; well take care of everything for you. Lu Yibei remained silent before raising his finger and pointing out the window, and saying, There. That apartment. Didnt you say that apartment was pretty good too? The senior raised his head and saw the apartment he was pointing at. Of course, its good; its the most expensive apartment in town! Anyways, regarding your bedding- No. Lu Yibei left the senior alone. He thought Shui was annoying, but this senior was on another level. Damn it, the senior scratched his head. Dear, Im useless, arent I? The lights in the corridor flickered slightly. Honey, youll sell one soon. Dont worry about it. The shadow behind the senior whispered in his ear, and it fell silent. After leaving the apartment, Lu Yibei felt his eyes itching. He looked at his front camera and realized that his entire eyeball was red as if he were bleeding from the eye. He didnt want to wait any longer, so he hailed a taxi and went straight to the hospital closest to the university. He hurriedly registered and went into the consulting room, having to endure his doctor saying that young people never take care of themselves and reap what they sow. Standing in front of the hospital gate, Lu Yibei frowned and muttered to himself, I didnt sleep well, apparently. Looking at the medicine in his hand, he shrugged: That makes no sense. I had a good nights rest for more than a week, except forst night. Five past twelve in the morning The night was as dark as ink. You couldnt see where the rain wasing from. A thick fog enveloped Huacheng in its embrace, and two or three lights shone dimly in the gaps of the dense fog. Lu Yibei felt something cold wash over him, and he jolted awake. He opened his eyes, surprised to find that he was wearing pyjamas and was barefoot, standing on the roof of a high-rise building. The ground was like a mirror, reflecting him. The puddles of mirror-like water felt cool under his feet. The sky was covered in dark clouds, and he couldnt tell whether or not it was dawn or dusk. The high-rise buildings in front of him seemed to have eroded over the years, and the surfaces of the buildings were covered with ayer of dark red stains. The dense fog floated gently between buildings like wandering souls. He could smell the faint, sickly aroma of car exhaust in the air, and a strong breeze forced him backwards slightly. His hair flung across his face, and the winds rushed past his ear. Im in a dream. However, it all felt too real. He felt that he was in the middle of an apocalypse, and he found shelter on top of this building. He reached out and pinched his face, pulling hard. Ouch! Damn it, why did I pull so hard? Lu Yibei grinned at his own stupidity, and in the corner of his vision, he saw a girl in a red dress. The girl seemed unreal; her shape was vague, and she looked familiar. It was as if he were looking at his own shadow. She sat on the edge of the roof and gazed into the distance. Her slender legs were wrapped in matching armoured boots, and the wind made her hair dance gently in its breeze. Q: While dreaming, what should one do when he encounters a mysterious girl? A: Get the hell away! Dont even look at her! Before Lu Yibei could do anything, he felt someone p his face, and there was a burning pain in his cheek. Damn it, I dont wanna look at her! Stop! Smack! Smack! Smack! Smack! Lu Yibei had been jolted awake once again, forcing his blindfold off. However, when he wanted to get up, he found a small, delicate foot wrapped in ck silk, wearing brown leather shoes, stepping on his chest. His eyes trailed up the figures slender calf, passing over the figures well-proportioned thigh before looking below him. Thank god, Im not hard. Wait! Whats going on?! Am I getting robbed? A break-in? Room service? This is absolutely not safe for work, no matter how you look at it! Wont this turn lewd at a moments notice? However, Lu Yibei quickly realized that she was not here for that but rather to send him into the afterlife. He could see that her small, pristine hand was holding a pistol, and he heard a loud click as she pointed the muzzle at his head. He gulped as he raised his hands tremblingly. W-wait, my friend! Were the same! Dont shoot me, please! I have been nothing but a good citizen! I love my country! Shut up! she shouted. Before he could say anything else inappropriate, she smashed the butt of the gun on his neck, and he only had time to groan before passing out. Who the hell are you calling your friend? Chapter 11: Interrogation Chapter 11: Interrogation Crack! In a small, dimly lit room, a strong beam of light shed across Lu Yibeis face. He drooped his head lifelessly, and his hands were handcuffed to a chair. He may look calm, but he was panicking inside. A windowless room with metal tables and chairs was there, and the walls were lined with arge, one-way mirror. The room smelled musty, and dust floated gently under the light rays. A young girl stood behind the light, but only a dark outline of her was visible. This reminded Yibei of the interrogation room scenes he would see on TV. He thought of the characters who were trying to evade capture by lying their way out of the room before hearing the girl speaking in an indifferent tone. Name? It was the girl who was stepping on him! Hello? I asked you a question. L-Lu Yibei. Age? Eighteen. One month away from neen. Tell me about yourself. Huh? Lu Yibei was visibly confused. Wait, Im not in a psych ward, am I? What are you talking about? This isnt some stupid game! Do you know what situation youre in right now? If you dont cooperate with us, the consequences will be unimaginable! The girl shouted, taking out her pistol and mming it on the table. Okay! Okay! Jesus he panted. Im Lu Yibei, a student of the Chinese Language Department at the Faculty of Liberal Arts at the University of Science and Technology. I know how to cook, and I love cooking Sichuan food Oh! And I live at No. 162 Mudan Street, but I recently moved to the Jingyi Apartment Complex at Building 3 down Xuefu Road. I had a corneal transnt following a car ident, but Im mentally sane. My favourite 2D character is Bao Xiaohua. I hate eating. Thats enough; I didnt ask all that. Do you want me to resort to torture? You asked me to talk about myself! He guesses that he was part of a conspiracy; he rejected that senior during the day, and now he was being held hostage. This means he was kidnapped against his will. That probably means they were after his money. O-okay, my ount number is 180xxxx5591, and the password is What are you talking about? Ill kill you, I swear! The girl interrupted and shouted. Not only was he incredibly annoying, but she also found that she would rather deal with urban legends than deal with this person. Then, what exactly do you want? Lu Yibei said weakly. At least tell me what I should be telling you! Lu Yibei had no idea what they were after. Were they after his looks? He thought he was handsome, but certainly not handsome enough to sell his body. Tell me, the girl nced at the one-way mirror. Have you encountered anything strangetely? N,,, Yibei was about to say no, but the thought of his strangely real dream just now. The faint, ambient dust seemed to converge in the corner of the room, forming the vague silhouette of a girl. The girl looked at him as she made an X gesture with her fingers over her mouth and shook her head gently.She then made a gesture of shing her own throat and disappeared in a gentle explosion of dust. Am I hallucinating? Yibei thought. Is she telling me that Im going to die a horrible death if I say anything? I better keep quiet for now. The girl stared at him and coaxed him to continue. Many. I bought a Bai Xiaohua figurinest month, and they sent me two! Also, I came across this strange rabbit, and he gave me a leaflet and Stop! the girl interrupted. Did this figure hand you the leaflet? A slightly stained photo was handed over to him with blotches of dried blood on it. The image on the photo was a side view of a figure wearing a ck cloak and a giant rabbit head. Its eyes were like red ss beads that stared straight into your soul. Lu Yibei felt coldthe person in the photo wasnt the mascot that handed him the flyers, but the Mr Rabbit that he saw in his dreams! W-what the hell? N-no, listen to me; the killings had nothing to do with me, I swear! He gave me a leaflet, but I didnt open it! I thought he was weird, so when I got home, I burnt the leaflet to a crisp, and Boom! The girl mmed the table violently and pointed at him usingly, You lied! Never did I say that he killed anyone! You knew hemitted murder, but you didnt bother to call the police. No! I I- Lu Yibei felt that he was about to faint. What is it? Cat got your tongue? The girl sneered, picking the gun up from the table. She twirled the gun in her finger, giving Lu Yibei a torturing technique that wasnt visible to the naked eye. Lu Yibei had a calm face, however, and she couldnt help but be confused. Hes psychologically strong. Whatever it is, I guess I have to pull out the big guns. She described torture methods in excruciating detail, and Lu Yibei felt that he was the one being tortured. With every word she uttered, he squirmed in his chair ufortably. His heart felt that it was about to stop, and a permanent petrified expression was stered on his face. A few minutes passed, and Yibei slumped on the chair, I-Im sorry! Its just that it was in a dream. I didnt know that my dreams would be real. Let me rify something, Yibei panted, catching his breath. If I told the police something bad happened in my dream, wouldnt theyugh at me? You the girl sneered but found that he was right. However, her ego was severely hurt, and she thought she was being too gentle with him. Hua,e out for a moment, a voice could be heard outside. Yes, miss, the girl responded before giving Yibei a nasty look. Jiangli watched the entire interrogation process behind the mirror before summoning her maid. Miss, why did you call me out? Just give me a little more time, and Ill break him enough so that he can give us more information! The maidined. Jiangli was brushing through a pile of papers in her hand, and she coughed slightly. Hua. Yes, mistress? She tilted her head obediently. Are you crazy? Let him go! Jiangli yelled, ncing at his medical history. Hes not making any facial expressions, not because hes hiding something; he literally cannot make a facial expression! If this continues, he might die of shock! So, were just letting him go? But the girl pursed her lips. He hadnt exined how he knew Mr Rabbit killed someone! Jiangli folded her arms and looked at Yibei behind the mirror. It seems that he has recovered from his fear. He stretched his neck and faced the mirror. Helloooo? Anybody there? Come on, Im getting bored in here. Jiangli frowned. He was petrified just minutes ago, but a false sense of bravery seemed to have possessed him again. Mistress? Yes, Jiangli nodded. He did see it in a dream. Some people who have the potential to be psychic users travel through dreams that grant them visions. We call them prophets. Then, we should recruit him into the Night Division! the maid said. If he joins us, youll be able to ck off a bit, right? Jiangli red at the maid, and the maid thought about how painful it was to be a psychic user as she witnessed her mistress going through unbearable pain. Apologies. The process of bing a psychic user was dangerous. If you want to be powerful, you must pay the price. The worst part is that it might not even be fruitful. More than half of potential psychic users die before they can be psychic users. Isnt he being targeted by Mr Rabbit in that case? If we let him go, hell be in danger, the maid interjected. Jiangli nced at her knowingly and smirked, Why do you think Im letting him go in the first ce? Chapter 12: Transaction Chapter 12: Transaction Helloooo? Anyone there? Helloooo? I think you forgot someone in here! An innocent person! Hellooooo! Lu Yibei mmed the door of the interrogation room and sighed. If Mr Rabbit killing someone was real and not a dream, does that mean that his previous dream was real too? If it was real, then who was the girl sitting by the edge of the building? My mother? My ex-girlfriend? My future daughter? Where is that building anyways? Lu Yibei shut his eyes, attempting to remember every single detail of his dream. He was sure that there was no such building in Huacheng, let alone one tall enough to tower over the entire city. God damn it, is anyone there?! Im still here! What you are doing is inhumane and a vition of my human rights! When I get out of here Squeak! The iron door swung open, and Lu Yibei swallowed his words immediately. The maid walked in with a straight face and said, What were you saying? Yibei could finally get a good look at the girlshe wasnt very tall, and she donned a traditional French maid outfit, which was ck and white. Her figure is well-proportioned despite most of it being concealed under the frills of her dress. Her face had anglo-saxon features, and her face had freckles dotted over it. She wore a pair of ck-rimmed sses, and a pair of deep amethyst orbs stared back at him. Her light-grey, curly hair reached her ears, making her look like a sheep. Yibei knew well that she was nothing like a sheep but a wolf in sheeps clothing! How could somebody this delicate know of such heinous torture methods? Yibei straightened his back and shook his head rapidly, No, no, I was saying that, uh, when I get out of here, I will keep my mouth shut! Yes! As if nothing had happened to me! And, and- Thats enough, the maid interrupted. You can leave. Huh? We got what we wanted. Would you rather stay inside here? No, of course not! Its just that Lu Yibei scratched his head. You guys are some kind of special force that deals with strange rumours and urban legends, right? Is it safe to just let me go? Lu Yibei wasnt a fool, however. After his few previous encounters, he has a gut feeling that all of those rumours being spread across the city were real. He has seen stories like these on the Inte before: a strange man-in-ck saving somebody from a haunted campus, a strong monk confronting a monster in an abandoned factory, a female centaur with silver armour chasing a vampire Most of these posts are popr online since they seem oundish yet are true enough to exist in the real world. Part of what Yibei said was truethey are, in fact, a special force that deals with strange rumours and urban legends. Youre asking too many questions. Youre wee to stay here overnight, though, the maid smirked. Dont I need to sign an NDA or something? Youre letting me off too easily, Yibei asked suspiciously. The maids eyes twitched: Damn, hes good. Their n to lure Mr Rabbit out by using him is thwarted. Its not like he guessed it either. He was just babbling and yapping and happened to guess his current predicament. Onest chanceare you leaving or not? If you dont leave, Ill lock you up in this room for the rest of your life! Okay! Okay! Geez, Im leaving! Yibei put his hands up in mock surrender. She sighed in relief and uncuffed him, then found a hood under her skirt and threw it at him. Lu Yibei stared at the hood that she had just produced from underneath her skirt. What are you doing? Put it on and follow me! Right, right, you cant let me know where your headquarters are. Right, I get it. Okay. He put the hood on immediately and sniffed hard. Fortunately, there wasnt any strange smell. It was warm, with a vague scent of jasmine. In the darkness, Yibei was pushed forward by the maid. Were here, the maid said with a disgusting tone. The hood was snatched from his head violently, and Yibei found that he was right in front of his apartment. That walksted a few minutes, but they appeared right in front of his doorstep. Lu Yibei stared forward as his brain started to connect the doors The base of their operations must be in mymunity! Go home. Remember, do not mention anything that happened today to others. Well know. W-wait. What is it? Could you leave your contact information with me? W-what if that rabbit thing finds me again? Theres no need for that. He wonte looking for you. Okay Yibei leaned forward slightly, rubbing his index finger and thumb together. Then, do I receive any rewards for helping you with this case? I am a remarkable citizen help- No. Yibei returned to his apartment and locked all his doors and windows. Putting his hands on his hips, he decided that it wasnt enough and found a safetytch and a car battery in his storage. After plugging in the safetytch, he connected them with a wire. Although the maid told him that Mr Rabbit wouldnt be targeting him, he didnt believe her at all. Recalling his dream, Mr Rabbit would knock on the door and twist the door handle before letting himself in. Even if something as trivial as a safetytch wont be able to stop him, itll buy Yibei some time. After finishing his setup, he felt that something was missing. He nced at the statue of Ac, the Immovable. D-dont worry! Im not gonna do anything inappropriate. He sped his hands together and bowed to the statue before picking it up and heading upstairs. The closed warehouse was dark, and a pungent, rotting smell permeated the air. Somebody pushed the door open and entered. The man sitting on the chair stood up quietly. His body was exposed to the faint light outside the door, but his face remained shrouded in darkness. He looked at the strange figure that wore a rabbit head and had bloodshot eyes in front of him. The corners of his mouth twitched into a sinister smile, and he announced, Mr Rabbit, shall I congratte you for getting rid of that pesky Twilights control? Im sure youre all prepared by now. When the man spoke, it was as if a cicada was speaking alongside him, which echoed in the dark and empty warehouse. It was irritating but strangely charming. Thanks to you, the rabbit giggled. Something bad is about to happen, though. Myst target was taken in by the Night Division, and Im worried that Youre worried that theyll use that person to track you down, and you want me to get rid of them. Yes! I predict that they are using him as bait so that they can capture me! Hehe, the man giggled too. Well, twenty copies of psychic spirits, please. Are you insane? the rabbit growled, baring his sharp fangs. Twenty copies of psychic spirits? Dont make meugh. I have so many of them! Theres no need to be afraid of those people in the Night Division. But youre afraid, arent you? Listen to me: I didnt ask you to fork over the spirits now. Remember when we hunted for the Witchs Egg? We had so much fun together, no? Twenty spirits and Ill help you awaken the Witchs Egg, and youll be able to grow stronger. I ept. Chapter 13: Can’t Afford It Chapter 13: Cant Afford It Midnight. The drizzle that had stopped for a moment began to fall again, pattering on the bluestone streets of Peony Street. The air was cool and fresh. Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration Sitting in front of theputer, the soft sound of the rain pped on the leaves of the nt outside. The repeated pattering made Jiangli considerably frustrated, so much so that she lost several Mahjong games in a row. Indeed, it was a risky decision to let Yibei be the bait. However, she had no choice. It was easy for urban legends and rumours to hide in the city and evade capture. Besides, there are too few psychic users in Huacheng, and all of them specialize in something. It would be great if there was a psychic user who could track down urban legends and rumours. Yibei seemed to have potential in this area, however. If only Jiangli brushed that idea out of her mind. The process of bing a psychic user is too painful and dangerous. Forcing him to be a psychic is like asking someone to die. And all psychic users die miserably. Jiangli didnt want to hurt an innocent person. Jesus Christ. Yibei fell onto his bed and let out a nasty groan. The reality of the situation just hit himall the ghost stories and urban legends online, the far-fetched and eerily realistic stories of mysterious eventsit was all real. Laying on his bed, he stared at the ceiling, unable to fall asleep. It wasnt that quiet in his apartmentsounds of water dripping in his bathroom, ss balls bouncing on the unit above him, sighing in the living roomit was as if he wasnt living alone. Those doctors were right. It wasnt my eyesight after all, but these strange things were happening! Now that he was sure that these things were real, he figured that he wasnt going to get into trouble anymore. However, he was sure that he was bound to die one day. He thought about the girl in his dream and wondered about her identity. He pondered whether he should report to the [Dreams, Nightmares, and What-Not Administration] or whatever they called themselves. Thinking about them, he guesses that this mysterious organization seemed to be on the good side of things. Perhaps he could help them out? I could be a part-time worker for them! And I get to sleep on the job too! He thought that it was way better than doing odd jobs to support himself. Being outside meant that he was at risk of dying. Time passed slowly, and Yibei was apanied by his own thoughts. Unconsciously, his eyelids began to droop. Just as he was about to ept the warm embrace of sleep, he could hear a knocking from downstairs. Knock, knock, knock! Lu Yibei was in a daze before he was forcibly ripped from his limbo. Hearing the knocks, he got up and prepared himself to open the door. However, the words that came soon after made his drowsiness vanish in an instant. Anyone home? If there isnt anyone, Ill let myself in! A hoarse and guttural voice could be heard outside. W-wait, isnt that the same exact thing Mr Rabbit said before he broke into that womans house? Lu Yibei fell back on his bed, clutching the statue of Ac, the Immovable, tightly. His legs felt weak. Something strange happened in his room, too. The water droplets in his bathroom, the sighs in the living room, the ss marbles upstairs These strange things started to make him feel uneasy, as if they were fearing his existence outside his door. Soon, the room fell into a dead silence. And Lu Yibei was all alone. He sat in silence for a few seconds, grateful that he had barricaded the door before sleeping. Mr Rabbit had some trouble entering the house. Knock! Knock! Knock! Ill let myself in! Lu Yibei took deep breaths, attempting to calm his racing heart that was trying to jump out of his throat. I cant just wait and die like this. Right, I need to call for help. He rushed to his bedside table and scrambled for his phone. Turning on his security camera app, he looked at the scene outside his It was pitch ck, The screen flickered, and a rabbits head was staring directly into the camera. F*ck! Lu Yibei threw his phone out of fright but flew towards it again. Aha! You are home! Ill being in now! Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t, Sh*t. He could hear the rabbit twist the doorknob, but the doorknob emitted electrical shocks, and violent knocking could be heard once again. Boom! Boom! Boom! The door shook violently, making its sawdust fall from the door frame. Amidst the violent knocking, Lu Yibei crouched in a corner as his phone beeped in the darkness. Beep! Beep! Beep! Lu Yibeis eyes began to water, and they burned. When he opened his eyes, he saw something surge in the dark room, approaching quietly. The ceiling seemed to copse upon itself, and he felt ustrophobic. The phone connected, and everything returned to normal. H-h-hello? Police? Theres s-s-s-something outside my door. My name is Lu Yibei. I am living on the 9th floor of the 3rd building of Jingyi Apartment, and Only static could be heard. Hehe! The static gradually shifted into a giggle, and it was clear that it was the voice of Mr Rabbit. Crack! Crack! Crack! Lu Yibei gulped as he heard his living room window being pried open downstairs. His face turned pale, and he continued dialling every single emergency number he knew. Public Security, Firefighters, the security downstairs, his regr take-out ce Crack! Crack! Crack! After calling everybody he knew, he stumbled upon Shuis blocked contact, and he hurriedly unblocked him and called him. Beep! Beep! Be- Hello? Yibei? I-ah! Im doing escort work now! Let me guess, do you want in on the fun too? Theres everything here, men, women, and Im going to die. D-door monster outside my window Clink! His window was open, and he could hear that eerie breeze rushing into his living room. Chapter 14: Taking a Step Back Chapter 14: Taking a Step Back 3:36 am. The once bustling streets of Huacheng quieted down, but of course, there would always be a lively corner made for the people who partied into the night. The building was shaped like a polyhedron, with neon lights that shot into the night sky. On the building was a que that was engraved with [The Underground World]. This is the only nightclub in Huacheng that opens at midnight. The sea-blue tiling on the floor met with the distorted ss walls as if one were travelling through space and time. Down the corridor was a set of curtains, where shes of confusing lights shone behind them, and the smell of tobo, alcohol, and perfume permeated the air. Bai Kai was wearing a white suit and a cherry-coloured shirt, sitting on one of the clubs booths. The strong EDM red in his ears as he watched the dancers swaying their limbs freely under the psychedelic lights on the dance floor. He was like a falcon, ready to pounce on his next target. Suddenly, his cell phone rang. He took out his cell phone and smiled upon seeing that his godson was calling. He got up from his seat, found a quiet corner, and answered. Hello? Yibei? I-ah! Im doing escort work now! Let me guess, do you want in on the fun too? Theres everything here, men, women, and Im going to die. D-door monster outside my window Bai Kais yful face froze instantly. W-what? What about the statue I gave you? Sh*t, Bai Kai gritted his teeth. No matter what, stay by the statue. Nobody answered him, and Bai Kai got up. He found his eyes being forcefully drawn to the centre of the dance floor: a blonde girl with a graceful figure and strangely deep eyebrows. She danced and swayed her hips slightly, charming everyone to focus on her and her alone. Damn, Bai Kai smirked and whispered to himself. Keep yourself for me. Ill make you feel better when Ie back. As if she could hear him, she turned her head and smiled. He nodded and darted out of the nightclub. While speed-walking on the deserted street, his footsteps became strangely fast, and white lines appeared on his cheeks and arms. His suit fluttered in the strong wind, and his leather shoes started to emit sparks against the ground. The next moment, Bai Kais figure changedpletely, leaving white afterimages wherever he went. At the crossroads The traffic police who set up a speed trap were falling asleep. The meter sounded an rm, but they could see nothing, What the hell was that? Dont know. Probably technical issues. Wait, look at the camera recording. A man who was dressed like a cowboy was running at a speed of more than 73.2 km/h in the dimly lit streets of Huacheng. Did something just run past us? Both police officers felt cold sweat dripping down their backs. Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration In the quiet officebelled with a roman five, Jiangli flipped through more case files. Outside the window, a breeze blew. The wind caressed the wind chimes by the window, but there was no sound at all. Ring! This time, the wind chimes sang their tune despite theck of wind. The crisp nging of the wind chime was strangely eerie, evoking fear in the hearts of ordinary people. Jiangli swiftly turned her head around and narrowed her eyes. That was quick, she muttered. The spell that Hua, her maid, cast on the kid worked, which means that Mr Rabbit must be close to the boy. Thinking about it, Jiangli dialled her maid. However, nobody answered, and she furrowed her eyebrows. She sighed as she picked up her walking stick and walked out of the Night Division. I have to do everything on my own, Jiangliined to herself. She wonders why Hua seems to have disappeared, despite being tasked to watch Yibei at all times. However, she was the one who suggested Yibei be the bait, so there was no way she could let him get hurt. She limped forward step by step along the bluestone road, washed by the rain. Every step was difficult, but with each step, she traversed through streets and streets and streets, and She disappeared into a cloud of mist. Cling! The wind blew into his apartment unit, and one could vaguely make out a rabbit mascot attempting to squeeze its body into the open window. In his panic, he dropped his phone as it rolled underneath the bed. The call hadnt been cut off yet, but he could hear Shuis anxious voiceing from the receiver in the silence. statue The statue? Yibei was stunned. Why would Shui believe in a statue? Although he found it unbelievable, his current predicament was even more unbelievable. He threw himself on the bed and clung to Ac, the Immovable, tightly. Tap tap He hugged the statue tighter. Im in. Hehehe Hearing theughter, his head buzzed. He shut his eyes tightly, and his eyes started to burn. He opened his eyes and couldnt tell if he was dreaming or awake. The ck, dark lines of his room seemed to distort and dance in his vision. His body seemed to enter a strange state; the darkness in his room disappeared, but colours seemed inverted. Red was emerald green; blue was orange; yellow was indigo His surroundings brightened instantly, and he could see through the walls of his house. He saw countless strange shadows that crept into all corners of his house. Eyeball-like beads huddled motionless in the corner of the ceiling; wigs are sewn together, shivering underneath the sofa; a tattered, white nightgown cowering behind the bathroom mirror; a tall figure in a ck coat creeping through the corridors of his apartment, dragging a bloody crowbar in his hands Tap, tap, tap His footsteps echoed in the living room, and Yibei could hear him munching intermittently. Mr Rabbit seemed to stop for a few seconds before the tell-tale creaking of the stairs started to sound. He seemed hesitant about his steps as if trying not to make any noise. Creak creak what? With his enhanced vision, he could see the face of an ordinary man underneath the rabbits helmet. Is this actually Mr Rabbit? Lu Yibei tried taking a closer look, but his enhanced vision began to flicker before he was shrouded in darkness once again. Creak creak Mr Rabbit was getting closer, and Yibei grew more and more anxious. I cant just stay here forever. I I need to do something. In the darkness, his bloodshot eyes shone upon Ac, the Immovable. He carried the statue on his shoulders and stood up fearlessly. Its either I die, or you die. Hearing the footsteps mber around in the room near him, Mr Rabbit couldnt help but feel excited. He could hear a door creaking open and frantic footsteps approaching the stairwell. The rain fell again at some point. Lightning shed violently, illuminating Yibeis figure by the stairwell. His dark brown hair was a mess, and his face was expressionless. His bloodshot eyes shone gently in the dark, and he was hauling a strangelyrge thing on his shoulder. Mr Rabbit was obviously stunned to see his victim before him, and he paused on the stairwell. And he subconsciously took a step back. The lightning shed once again, and the boy was nowhere to be seen. Mr Rabbits vision darted around the darkness surrounding him. Something roared in the darkness, and he fell down the stairs. Thest thing he saw was the fabled Ac, the Immovable, staring back at him. Chapter 15: Natural Disaster Chapter 15: Natural Disaster Jiangli raised her head and looked around, and the apartment buildings before her stood silently like stone monuments. Somethings wrong, she muttered. Mr Rabbit is a level C threat, close to bing a level B threat. Hence, he would have energy fluctuations, making it easy to detect him. However, she couldnt detect him at all. A sharp shing noise could be heard behind her, and she dodged to the side. The rain fell continuously, and a white after-image phased right past her. What is he doing here? she grumbled. In that short moment when he was visible, he snorted before disappearing once again. Jiangli parted her lips, wanting to ask him about something. At this moment, a strange and violent wave of energy could be felt from the opposite side of Lu Yibeis house. The wave of energy swept past her like a tsunami, boiling molten iron, piercing screams of despair that struck fear in the depths of her soul, and swallowing everything like a painful vortex. She turned pale. That was a Level S energy fluctuation, but Everybody knew that S rules the top of the pyramid of power, and one might even call them a walking natural disaster. There were no more than five natural disaster-level threats recorded by the Night Division, and each of them caused tens of thousands of casualties. Jiangli never thought that something as powerful as this would be in Huacheng. Jiangli had to make the decision between saving Yibei and dealing with the threat. Im sorry; Ill visit your grave often, Jiangli apologized softly before rushing towards the source of energy. Between the lives of a handful of people or the lives of hundreds of thousands of people, it was obvious what she would pick. Bai Kai knows hes in trouble somehow. That kid should be safe with him, she thought. Although she disliked her colleague, she still trusted him. Azure light shone into the open window, illuminating the apartment briefly. The moment he saw Mr Rabbit, Lu Yibeis mind went nk, and his arms moved on their own. His panic and fearfulness were quite literally thrown out the window as he saw Mr Rabbit tumbling down the stairs. Lu Yibei tossed the statue of Ac, the Immovable, to the side and poked his head down the stairs. He saw the vague shape of Mr Rabbit twitch a few times before it stopped moving. Huff huff He was panting violently and realized that he hadnt been breathing during the entire ordeal. He sucked air into his lungs greedily. His ears buzzed, and his vision was foggy. His nerves finally rxed, and his newfound strength receded like a tide as he copsed onto the floor. In the darkness, he could smell rancid blood. I killed somebody. Lu Yibei realized that the Mr Rabbit he had just knocked out might be a real person. He didnt feel fear anymore, but nausea and difort. He felt like he wanted to vomit. Did I just kill somebody? My god. He wasnt sure if Mr Rabbit was still alive. Itll be bad for him if he wakes up suddenly. Im too powerless. I cant move my legs. Fatigue washed over Yibei, and his consciousness was a blur. Just as he was about to fall asleep, a scream could be heard right outside his door. F*ck! Open up! Hello?! Lu Yibei couldnt bother to answer the door. He was too tired, and his body wasnt listening anymore. The screams drowned out as his head was like an anvil, and he fell into a deep slumber. The window in the living room was shattered as if it were torn apart by some strange force. A white figure pierced through the window like a sharp de,nding firmly on the living room floor. He was greeted with a corpse lying on the stairs and the strong, pungent smell of blood. He was stunned for a moment. His breath hitched as he got closer, and he sighed in relief. After checking that the corpse had no vital signs, he looked up the stairs and saw Yibeis figure. Bai Kai phased towards Lu Yibei, using a simple spell to confirm that he wasnt hurt. He let out a long sigh of relief as he held Yibei in his arms. He nced over at the statue of Ac, the Immovable, and found that it was stained with blood. My god, he couldnt help but sigh helplessly. Thats not how youre supposed to use that thing. Under the pale moonlight, the rain fell silently on the roof. The water tank and sr panel were covered with rust. The walls were peeling and uneven, and mould grew in the potholes on the ground. Five members of the Night Division were sound asleep, and Hua was soaked in blood and unconscious. Jiangli chased after the source of energy, but it disappeared almost instantly as if it had never appeared. She stood solemnly on the roof of the building, turning around to look at the roof of another apartment building not far away. Doubt shed in her eyes. The roofs of these apartments looked as if they had been eroded over decades of time. Just what happened over here? She briefly swept across the members of the Night Division. After confirming that they were fine, she took out a finger-sized reagent tube from her coat pocket and walked towards her maid. Jiangli helped her up and leaned against the wall. She gently pricked her lips and poured the medicine into her mouth. Her throat squirmed slightly as Jiangli forced her to swallow the liquid. Her wound that seeped through her shoulder stopped bleeding and healed, and the maid jolted awake and took deep breaths as if she had just been rescued from a drowning incident. Jiangli let her maid catch her breath in her arms. Hua, do you feel better now? Mistress we failed to protect the target. Seeing Jiangli, she subconsciously thought they had failed their mission and Yibei was probably dead while Mr Rabbit had fled the scene. No, its not your fault. Tell me what happened. After all, theres no point in ming anyone. Miss, youre too kind, but Get to the point, and stop that, she ordered calmly, pping away Huas hand, who was trying to undress her. What do you mean you were ambushed by monsters? Thats strange, Jiangli thought. A group of Level D to Level C monsters? But I clearly felt something way stronger here. We were caught off guard, the maid exined. If that girl hadnte to our rescue, we wouldve died. What girl? Jiangli tilted her head. Perhaps the Level S energy fluctuations came from her? Um, the maid closed her eyes, trying to recall the situation. She was tiny but had a good figure: long, brown, chestnut hair, wearing ace skirt. She also had this long red scarf, which covered half her face, and she had a childish face too. Oh, and she refused to give us her name. It seems like there were more strange psychic users who dwelled in Huacheng. Chapter 16: Evil Rituals Chapter 16: Evil Rituals The rain had stopped, and the early morning twilight sprinkled through the gaps upon the rain-washed clouds, coating the city a brilliant golden red. A girl wearing a red scarf sat on top of a ss tower. Her legs were wrapped in white silk, which was left exposed underneath her short,cy skirt. She swayed her khaki boots on the ledge as her clear eyes stared into the rising sun. System? I am here. Wont you get sick after eating all of those strange things? No, mistress. It is my responsibility to clean up the worlds filth. Do you eat anything else? Food? No, mistress. Thank goodness, she breathed a sigh of relief as she produced a box of strawberry vani Pocky from her breasts. She put a stick between her pink lips as she stared into the distance. However, my snacks seem to disappear on their own, as if somebody is stealing them! she eximed. Mistress, I think you are the one whos eating them a bit too fast. Oh. Name? Lu Yibei was startled awake and found himself in a familiar ce, being asked this familiar question by a familiar face. I almost walked through the Gates of Hell, and here you are, not even the slightest bit of worry for me. Cant youe up with something else? Lu Yibei asked. We literally just met here a few hours ago. The maid sighed as she put her hands on her hips and said, You think I want to do this? Ill have you know Okay, okay! My name is Lu Yibei, and Im guessing that your next question is about my age. No, the maid rolled her eyes. I just wanted to ask: Do you remember anything that happenedst night? Hmm he recalled for a moment before frowning. After I got home, I couldnt sleep. After a while something knocked on the door, and he let himself in, and then Speaking of this, Lu Yibei could recall using Ac, the Immovable, to strike Mr Rabbit down! He vividly remembered that Mr Rabbit twitched before lying motionless on the ground, and the putrid stench of blood seemed to waft into Yibeis nose once again. Lu Yibei turned pale, turning his face away to retch. The maid expected his reaction, handing over a box of tissues and a ss of warm water. After he had calmed down, the maid continued, If I tell you that you didnt kill anyone, will you feel better? Is that true? Yes. Her answer quelled his difort immediately. Thank god Yibei sighed before his eyes darted open once again. Wait! You guys were using me as bait, werent you?! Why did you leave me alone to die? I see how it is; you have no qualms about me dying! Do you have any sympathy left in you?! Lu Yibei couldnt help but vent his anger at the maid, and she ducked away in shame. My apologies. I was the one tasked to protect you, she apologized. You merely killed a pawn of Mr Rabbit; the real Mr Rabbit is still out there. Am I going to get anypensation, though? Or am I able to send out a pennant? I heard that my social credit would As Lu Yibei trailed off, the maids face contorted into confusion: The duality of man Meanwhile, in the basement of the Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration In a pristine, white room, the smell of disinfectant mixed with blood filled the air, along with musical bursts of heavy metal and rock that echoed through the corridors. A corpse with a blunt wound on its foreheady on the silver dissecting table, and wounds covered its maroon body. Standing by the dissection table was a woman in her mid-twenties, her tall and plump body swaying to the rhythm of the music. She donned ck professional attire with a white coat, and the neckline of her coat was slightly open, revealing her breasts. It was as if she were making a statement for people to keep their eyes on her. Her thick, ck, long hair was neatly coiled up, and she took a puff of her cigarette between her bloodied, red lips. She looked as if she were entranced by the music, but her fingers moved swiftly and urately to dissect the body bit by bit with eerie precision. Her name is An Qing, and she is the main cadre of Huachengs Night Division. Her nimble fingers stopped, and she narrowed her eyes on the corpse before frowning. She nced at her watch and pressed on her recording pen. August 29th, 8:37. Record of Individual No. 1574. A Non-Level threat, rotten organs beyond recognition, and there are The sudden sound of footsteps could be heard behind her. ck! Clink! ck! Clink! The door of the surgery room was open, and Jiangli walked in. She nced at the corpse on the dissecting table and turned to An Qing: Knew you would be here as soon as a new corpse appears. An Qing put her recording pen down and flicked her cigarette away. Putting on her high-heeled shoes, she looked up at Jiangli and smiled, I guess I do have a strange hobby. Find anything? Jiangli asked, ncing at the numerous cigarette butts on the ground. Of course. During my autopsy, I found that the exact time of death was three to five days ago. There are ghost mushrooms, bovinecrimal nds, and cooked saltpetre in his body, as well as Youre telling me that this person was man-made? Jiangli nced at the corpse once again. Ghost mushrooms,crimal nds, cooked saltpetre those materials were used in evil rituals. Exactly, An Qing nodded and smiled. Im not done yet. Come have a look. An Qing lifted the corpse and turned it around with ease, exposing its mangled back to Jiangli. I know its abnormal for this person to be man-made, Jiangli asked doubtfully. Whats so important about this anyways? Look carefully, An Qing pointed at the corpse. Jiangli frowned, covering her nose and mouth, and observed the corpse carefully. The corpses back was littered with wounds, and all of them showed regrities. Every few wounds appeared parallel to each other, as if they were scratched out by the sharp ws of a creature. Among the wounds was one that was much deeper than the others, revealing bone. Jianglis eyes widened as a faint blue light sparked in her eyes. Tossing aside the interference of the other wounds from her vision, she reconstructed the scene before her. Some kind of facial makeup Extremely distorted Very deformed, and its eyes are of irregr size Eerily uncanny I got it. Its an istion spell. See? You got it! An Qing smiled. That damned rabbit found a way to ess a powerful spell. He must be clinging onto somebody powerful. This particr istion spell was very powerful; it can be used on low-levelled threats or other creatures to control them as well aspletely cut contact and iste a target. Mr. Rabbit must have sensed that he was targeted, so he sent a pawn to test the waters, Jiangli concluded. If that were true, then Mr Rabbit must be working together with somebody very powerful. The n of using Yibei as bait could no longer be used, but he couldnt be left alone either. It was too risky. Should I let him stay in the Night Division temporarily? Knock, knock, knock! Helloooo?! Open up! I know both of you are in there! If you have the balls to use my godson as bait, why wont you open the door? Hey! Silence. Fine! Dont open the door! Ill just sleep outside here and wait! Hearing Bai Kai curse them outside the door, Jiangli and An Qing couldnt help but sigh. Open up! Chapter 17: The Old House Chapter 17: The Old House The walls were painted ck and white in that dimly lit corridor, and the ceiling that carried the crystalmps was peeling. The heavy, dark lead doors on both sides were engraved withplex patterns, with golden liquid that was reminiscent of mercury flowing between the patterns. Behind the lead doors, waves of malice were flooding from beneath the gaps of the doors. With great difficulty, Jiangli told Bai Kai that he was misusing a ss D psionic item for personal use and had no choice but to keep quiet. He soon followed them out of the dissection room. An Qing felt that there was nothing wrong with letting Bai Kai throw his little tantrum by rolling on the ground. It would definitely save her the effort of cleaning this week. Passing through the endless corridor and going up the spiral staircase that was engraved with strange, animalistic patterns, they saw the light, and Bai Kai stopped in his tracks. Shouldnt you leave? An Qing asked. You said that the boy was your godson. Wouldnt it be better for you to let him know of the situation? I thought of it, he turned around and sighed. But Im not going to. I dont want him to know that I do this type of work. He leaned against the wall at the stairway, lighting a cigarette and smoking it. If I had the choice, I wouldnt have let him know of the existence of these urban legends, Bai Kai sighed, turning his gaze away from An Qing before ring at Jiangli. Why not? An Qing was puzzled. I heard that he has prophetic dreams. It wouldnt hurt to have another person join us. What do you know? Bai Kai curled his lips downwards. I understand, Jiangli interrupted. You dont want him to be locked up forever like those guys downstairs, so he wont be involved in the affairs of the Night Division, right? Finally, Bai Kai nced at Jiangli. Youre saying something human for once, but dont think for a moment that Im forgiving you! Youre mistaking me, Jiangli stopped. I understand you, but that doesnt mean I agree with you. Youre putting a blindfold on him and sheltering him. He is a person who can think for himself, so I think you should give him the choice to make a decision. What then? Bai Kai snapped. Is he going to be like us? Be a monster, risk our lives all day long, and die in some stupid ident? Hes only eighteen! As soon as he said that, his voice lowered as he stared at Jiangli. He remembered that she was only a teenage gi year younger than Yibei when she joined the Night Division. She survived a freak ident by luck and became a psychic user. Both of them stared at each other for a moment. Bai Kai snorted coldly before walking away. An Qing watched as he walked away and turned back to Jiangli, A monster? I feel pretty good, though! I have many men lining up for my contacts outside of work! A few drops of blood were sttered on her porcin face, and her two sharp canines were exposed between her lips when she smiled. Her hands were practically dyed red with blood. Right, Jiangli nodded expressionlessly. After the interrogation, the maid led Lu Yibei to the break room next to the interrogation room and said, Wait right here! She left him alone. As soon as she closed the door behind her, a click could be heard, as if she were afraid that he would run away. Hmph! All of you are treating me like Im some kind of viin he muttered under his breath, looking out the window involuntarily. Through the gaps in the shutters, one could vaguely see the fallen leaves of the ginkgo trees in the garden dancing with the wind. Click, click! The sound of a window being pried could be heard in the room. C-crap, I just wanted to see if the windows were solid. Im not running away! Lu Yibei didnt realize how long he had been in the break room. He only remembered checking how sturdy the doors and windows were. He rummaged through the disys on the bookshelves, and just as he was about to confirm whether or not the golden terracotta model on the coffee table was real, the door of the room swung open, and a silver-haired girl limped in. When Jiangli walked into the reception room, she saw the terracotta inside Lu Yibeis mouth, who had a stunned expression. This is fake, he stopped before walking away and pretended as if nothing had happened. Lu Yibei avoided looking at Jiangli, spitting out the metallic taste in his mouth. Hello, my name is Jiangli, and Ill be exining the follow-up matters for you. After Im done, you can leave. Really? What if Mr Rabbites looking for me again? Im not dumb! Generally speaking, Jiangli exined carefully. Species like Mr Rabbit dont get attached to a single target. After all, we arent your nannies, so we cant exactly watch over you every night. Think about it. Would you want us to be watching you if you were doing something privately? Off the top of my head, you browsed through three pornographic websites, thirty-two fan-madeics, and Stop, please, Yibeis face was calm, but his cheeks were flushed. Keep it to yourself! Right, Jiangli nodded. However, I didnt say that we were going to leave you alone. From the data we have, your family used to live on Peony Street. If possible, I suggest staying at your old house for the time being, so we can guarantee your safety. Huh? Your headquarters are near Peony Street? Yibei asked as he nced out the window. Actually, we are currently on Peony Street. Oh youre not going to kill me in the future so that I keep quiet, will you? No, she replied calmly. To outsiders, we are just a Folk and Culture centre for tourists. If you mention this to anyone, well simply throw you in the mental asylum. Simple as that. Right, Yibei shivered. Then, dont you guys have any form of security here? Lu Yibei had initially nned to keep a close rtionship with this mysterious organization. Now that the opportunity presents itself, hes not going to let it go. Yes, but if you want to join us, you must have at least one or two special abilities. We dont support ckers, she nced at his flushed face. And if you lie to us, well throw you into the mental asylum. Lu Yibei pondered for a moment. His prophetic visions seemed inconsistent, and he wasnt sure if they were going to work again. Besides, he couldnt interpret the dream with the girl in the building either. What are my special abilities? I guess I know how to cook. Does cooking count? Yibei asked. Jiangli sighed as she took a contract and pen out and handed it to him, This is a temporary employment contract. After one month, you can decide if you want to stay or not. Lu Yibei felt that she wanted him in the organization long ago but decided to beat around the bush instead. It was as if Jiangli could read his thoughts, and she nodded, Youre right. Jiangli put away the contract after he signed it: Now that you are a temporary operator, in order to ensure your safety, you can select your own ss D psionic item for self-defence. Got it, Lu Yibei thought for a moment. Could you return my statue of Ac back to me? I heard from the maid that its a ss D psionic item, right? We have thirty-three items for you to choose from, and the [Blessed Statue of Ac, the Immovable] is the biggest one. It might not be convenient for you. No, no, for nostalgias sake, Yibei replied. Ive gotten used to sleeping with him, so Im afraid I might get insomnia without him. Half an hourter. Finally! Standing on the bluestone bs of the street, Lu Yibei stretched his waist and groaned in pleasure. Jiangli wasnt lying when she said that the Night Division Headquarters was not far from his old house; it was no more than a 200-meter walk, and it took him less than three minutes to reach the house despite the twists and turns of the route. White walls, blue tiles. It wasnt much of a differencepared to other houses on the street. Under the eaves were two stone drums, and the gate was locked tightly with copper rings. Ayer of dust could be seen on the locks. A wooden que on the gate read [Lu Ji Sichuan Cuisine]. This was his old house. The ground floor was a restaurant, while the upper floor was the living quarters. He spent most of his childhood in this cramped house. About two years ago, his father spent most of his savings to buy the four units next door and broke the walls down to expand the space. He was fully ready to open his newly renovated restaurant, but Standing in front of the gate, he shook his head and unlocked the locks. A faint, musty smell greeted his nostrils. Shuies over to clean the house asionally, but he could see the dust hovering gently in the air. He walked in, gingerly cing the statue of Ac, the Immovable, on the dining table in the hall. He rolled up his sleeves and walked to the bathroom, retrieving a broom and a rag, and started to clean. Knock, knock! Hey! Why is your house so dirty? How long has it been since youst cleaned it, you brat? Lu Yibei put his broom down and looked up, seeing a man in a coat. He had big, wide shoulders with a round waist. He had a beard and a deep skin tone with bulging muscles. He might look violent, but he had a feminine name: Sumi. His family has been running a handmade embroidery business for generations and lives across the street. He is the same age as Yibei and has been neighbours with Yibei for a long time. Tsk, I just came back! Its normal for it to be dirty! Yibei curled his lips downwards. Are you volunteering to help me clean? What? Sumi stared back. You just came back? Youre joking! I keep hearing the noise in your house! That night, I heard a girl singing! And I thought you got yourself a girlfriend! Sumi noticed that Yibeis expression was a little abnormal and stopped talking. Hello? No Hello? Lu Yibei looked around nkly. The once cosy house, which was decorated with quaint statues and trees and a somewhat colourful palette, suddenly became gloomy and eerie. This ce is close to the Night Division. I cant believe there are urban legends lurking nearby. Lu Yibei threw away the broom in his hand and picked up the statue of Ac, the Immovable. He walked up to Sumi and announced, Forget it; its too dirty! Im not cleaning up anymore; Ill be sleeping at your house tonight. I want to catch up with you. He ran into Sumis house and mmed the door behind him. Sumi shrugged and nced at the old house of Lu Yibei. Through the gaps in the window, he thought he saw someone running into the house. He couldnt believe he wanted to eavesdrop on Yibei and his girlfriends private things. He felt shameful and ran into the house. Hey, you brat! Stay loyal! Chapter 18: Half a Man Chapter 18: Half a Man Remember when we were young? We used to go to those haunted ces! We had a lot of fun, didnt we? Why are you so scared now? Excuse me? Just run away? Youre carrying that iron lump around! We arent getting far with that thing around! Sumi joked around while reaching out to touch Ac, the Immovable, but was pushed away mercilessly by Lu Yibei. Back off! This is my saviour! I wont let your filthy hands desecrate it! Woah, okay, Sumi withdrew his hand, leaning against the edge of the door. That iron lumpcan it ward off evil spirits? Tsk, who knows? Yibei turned away and said, I used this to kill a manst night. It does more than ward off evil spirits. Forget it, Sumi waved his hands. You can sleep over tonight, but A wretched smile appeared on his face, and his jet-ck eyes wandered back and forth on Lu Yibeis body hungrily. Lu Yibei stepped back and covered his chest vigntly with both hands, H-hey! I treat you like you are my brother, and you want me to pay you back? Not that way! Even if you wash up and strip yourself and present yourself on my bed, Im not interested! Sumiughed. I want to eat your food! I dont want to eat disgusting takeout anymore. Like Lu Yibei, Sumi grew up in a single-parent family. His mother was busy, so half of his meals were eaten at Yibeis house. However, ever since Yibeis father got into an ident, he hadnt eaten in his house for two whole years. Please? I dont ask for much Maybe I want some steamed fish, mapo tofu, meat and garlic, stir-fried eggnts Okay, okay Lu Yibei interrupted. Ill cook them, but you have to pay for the ingredients. Of course! Thats a trivial matter. Lets get some vegetables then. Yibei rolled his eyes. Im guessing that you dont have many ingredients in your fridge except for frozen food. Sumi took out his wallet and handed it over to Yibei, smiling, You know me. W-wait! Give me your guitar bag! Excuse me? Youre just going to shop for ingredients do you really need to bring that thing around? Lu Yibei patted the statue as he stuffed it into the guitar bag and handed it over to Sumi: Help me carry it. After leaving Peony Street and a short kilometre walk to the east, they pass through an alley surrounded by old buildings and reach the gate of a local market. The farmers market has been around for quite some time. The sign above the rusty iron gate has long since faded, but Yibei vaguely remembers that it was called the [Jiuliu Vegetable Market]. Buns! Come get your steamed buns! Freshly baked! Fresh fish! Get yer fresh fish ere! It had just been ten minutes, and Yibei had practically filtered out all the bargaining cries in the market. When he was young, he would follow his father to this same market and stare at the items as if he were in a zoo. He didnt feel disgusted in this dirty and dingy market. In fact, he felt warm. However, this intimate feelingsted only for a short moment. His eyes burnt. In the air, streaks of turbid, grey air flowed. He could hear the fish and the shrimp in the tiny tubs of water chatting in a strangenguage and the whines and cries of the chickens and ducks that pierced through his brain. On the hook of the butchers stall was a pigs leg. Grey fog surrounded the leg, forming a whole pig that whispered faintly to nothing. Great. Now Ill feel guilty for eating. Young man, would you like some beef and mutton? Freshly ughtered! Turning around, he could see that same grey fog wrapping around the meat, and the grey fog took the shape of a pig. Yibei stared straight through the butcher and said, Sorry, I dont want it. How do you sleep at night selling me pork and telling me its beef and mutton? Thinking of this, he turned around and froze as he peered into a shop that sold frozen meat. It was a small shop that had white, blindingmps that illuminated the whole shop. The owner of the shop was leaning on his recliner and fanning himself with a giant fan. Through the frosted ss of the freezer, one could vaguely see a cloud of mist swimming inside. The mist took the shape of a chicken, a duck, cattle, sheep, and half a man! Half of the man was cut from top to bottom, and one could see the cross-section of the man as well. It was extremely messy as if he had been cut with a blunt knife. The fog was lying face up on the edge of the freezer. His messy, long, ck hair hung all the way to the ground. His facial features seemed obscured by the fog. He would groan every time a customer walked past. Lu Yibei felt his stomach turn and couldnt help but run away. Peony Street. Meanwhile, Sumi picked up his phone and spread the news about the return of his old neighbour. Hey, Liu! Lu Yibei is back in town! Want toe over to my house and eat? Hey! Uncle Zhang? Yibeis back in town, and I heard he was making pork livers with pickled peppers. Come over and grab a te! Lili, its me! N-no, Im not here to make a confession. Lu Yibeis cooking lunch today. Want toe over for a meal? When Lu Yibei hurried back, there were already several people sitting in front of the gate. They all cast expectant gazes at him but fell silent upon seeing him return empty-handed. Seeing this, Sumiughed. He pulled Yibei to the side and whispered, Why did youe back empty-handed? I called everyone over! And I-I Lu Yibeis chest violently heaved as he tried to catch his breath. You wont understand. Thinking of the human-shaped mist in the freezer, his face turned pale, and he hastily threw Sumis wallet back to him, saying, Forget it. You wont believe me. If you want to eat what I cook, buy the ingredients for me. O-okay, Ill go buy them. Why are you crying, anyway? Lu Yibei motioned for him to hurry up and leave. Wait! Whats the matter? D-dont buy frozen meat! Alright! The freshest meat for Chef Lu! And dont buy the beef and buttons from Booth 37! Oooookay, anything else? Thats it. Chapter 19: Take It Easy Chapter 19: Take It Easy Scallion, ginger, and Chinese pickles; sprinkle with chopped, dried chilis. Add bean paste and saut until fragrant. There is no need for excessive processing when ites to fish like this; simply cut it into thin slices and nch. The key to Chinese soul food is salt, garlic, and peppery noodles. Drizzle adle of hot chilli oil and serve with shredded cucumbers. Lu Yibei made sure that there werent any strange shadows on the ingredients Sumi bought. It took more than two hours for him to finish cooking. When the fish fillets were served, the hot chilli oil was still coating the fillets. The fish absorbed the spices and oil, exuding a fragrant, spicy aroma. The richness of the spices and the cooling cucumbers contrasted with each other and intertwined in a culinary dance. The people sitting around the table could hardly control their hunger and dug in instantly. After taking a single bite, the vours exploding in their mouths overflowed, and they all couldnt help but cheer loudly. As expected, youre fantastic! Its crispy, yet tender How on earth did you do this? This fish melts in your mouth, and the spices Its rare for neighbours to get together and mingle withughter and praises. It felt like Thanksgiving or New Years. However, Sumi noticed that Yibei didnt even touch his chopsticks and sat alone in the corner as he stared at the lush water and grass. Sumi ced his bowl down and patted Yibei on the shoulder. Hey, whats the matter? Tired? Sorry, I only invited three people at first. I didnt expect this many people. Its okay. I have something to do. Tell the neighbours to dig in; Ill leave first. He stood up and removed the apron. He picked up the guitar bag and headed towards the Night Division. After seeing the half-person thing in the freezer, Lu Yibei felt his spine chill. The shadows were strange, too. The half-person was strangely familiar, and all he could think of was the widow who lost her husband next door. Yibei felt sick to his stomach and lost all his appetite. Did the murderer throw the body and mix the body parts with the other frozen meat, or did the owner deliberately throw human flesh in? Furthermore, that shadow seemed to notice the presence of passersby, as if it were trying tomunicate. If it was an urban legend, its not something that Yibei could handle. He figured going to the Night Division was the best choice. Besides, they could probably help him check out the strange things in his house. This is for the professionals to handle, he thought. Hey! Wait up! Arent you hungry?! Sumi shouted at the top of his lungs. Will you be backter?! Lu Yibei turned around and shouted back, Ill be back! Help me make the bed! The cool autumn wind blew through Peony Street, sending ripples rippling through the canal. It gently brushed past the osmanthus flowers, carrying their fragrance in the air. Walking on such an ancient street, its easy to lose yourself in it. Lu Yibei briskly walked over to the Night Division. With a squeak, the old, vermilioncquered gate was pushed open, and the afternoon sun shone on the courtyard. No security, Lu Yibei thought as he walked across the patio. Walking straight to the rear of the centre, he pushed open the heavy metal gate and heard a womanszy voice. Who is it this time? Wait? Its you? Why are you back here? The dark corridor seemed to be swallowed by the darkness, and an absent wind could be felt brushing past Yibei through the depths of the corridor. I-Im Lu Yibei, a new temporary operator, and I Before he could finish his sentence, his eyes fell into darkness. In the darkness, he felt a gloomy chill pulling at hima ck vortexweightless, spinning, copsing. When he came back to his senses, he realized he was on a single, white bed surrounded by blue screens. Pale lights were cast from the ceiling, and the air smelled of disinfectant and an indescribable, pungent smell. A hospital? ck, ck, ck. ck, ck, ck. The sound of high heels could be heard, and a blonde woman in a white coat walked around the screen and came in front of Yibei. Are you okay? Looking at her exposed breasts through her white coat, he gulped and flushed: No, wait, yes, Im okay. Thank you for your concern. An Qing nodded, kneeling on the edge of the bed and cing herself between Lu Yibeis legs. He wanted to bring his legs together, but after seeing a strange well-proportioned curve wrapped in ck silk, he froze in ce. In a daze, An Qing lifted Lu Yibeis chin with her slender fingertips, You must be Lu Yibei, right? Jiangli mentioned you, but I didnt expect you to look this good. Yibei gulped, and An Qing continued, I am An Qing. Besides being on duty on Saturdays, Im also in charge of training neers. Temporary operators dont need training, but I guess you can call me Ms An. Right. Hello, Ms An. Ill have you know I usually take a nap at this time, Lu Yibei. Ill be punishing you for taking my time. What? What punishment? Lu Yibei felt weak in his knees. An Qing pushed him onto the bed and ced a hand on his chest. She leaned over and whispered in his ear, This is very serious. Are you afraid of me? Her long, golden hair hung down and swept across her face. A strange fragrance made Yibei feel sleepy. She kissed his ear lightly, and Yibei felt his heart itch and pound. P-please be gentle Lu Yibei closed his eyes, waiting for something to happen. Yibeiy still like a corpse. If it wasnt for his chest, which was still rising and falling, An Qing wouldve lost control and dissected him on the spot. Teasing him was fun, but it was a pity that he was still alive and breathing. Not my type, she thought and pursed her lips in disinterest. You passed the test; get up. An Qings voice came from a distance, and Lu Yibei opened his eyes, finding that all of the screens surrounding the bed were gone. Looking around, the room wasnt actually that big. The decoration was basically blue and white, like a school doctors room. An Qing sat and smiled at him. A test? When? he asked in confusion. He thought that this strange but beautiful woman had some sort of virginity fetish. Perhaps he was thinking too much. When I kissed your ear, it was to trap any urban legends attempting to sneak in. I wouldve killed them in an instant if they were any lower than a Level A threat. Isnt that amazing? He was confused, seeing the warm smile on her charming face. She exuded a warm and weing aura, but seeing that blood-stained needle on her fingertips, he felt a chill run down his spine. Why are you here anyways? Normal people like you shouldnt be finding their way back to us so soon. Its suspicious! An Qing clenched her surgical knife and pointed at Lu Yibei. I Lu Yibei swallowed. Jiangli told me I just needed to go around the street and report anything strange. So, you encountered something strange? she tilted her head. He nodded. Oh? she frowned, her expression turning from yful to sober. Youre still able to see them. Lets hear it. Lu Yibei told theplete story of his experiences in the market. An Qing was silent before tapping on her chin and saying, It sounds like an urban legend that hasnt fully formed. To be safe, I should go and take a look. Having facial paralysis came in handy. Nobody would doubt the authenticity of his words. By the way, could you take a look at my house too? My house seems to be haunted, too. You really are an interesting specimen, she smiled. If I hadnt noticed any fluctuations in psionic energy in you, I would have wondered if you were a psychic user on the side of fate. Well, I guess its bad luck. Yibei had no idea what she was saying, but he guessed that it wasnt anything good. Ill head out now. You just stay here, and Ill see whats happening at the frozen food store you mentioned first. Dont you need me to lead the way? I know where the market is, she narrowed her eyes and smiled. When ites to strange stories and urban legends, theres a high chance a fight would break out, and I may not be able to protect you. Are you sure you want toe with me? No, no, go ahead. Alright. Wait for me toe back, then, she shrugged, pointing to the document bag on the table. I dont know how long Ill be gone, and theres no mobile phone signal here. If youre bored, you can read the documents there; theyre about Mr Rabbit, and since youre involved in the case, you can read them. The [Night Division Records] are on the table for neers as well, she pointed towards the other table. Temporary operators dont need it, but it doesnt hurt to read. These two things should be enough for you to pass the time, and dont touch the rest, okay? What happens if I touch it? Lu Yibei asked curiously. An Qing simplyughed and turned around, saying, Then theyll have my head on a tter! Oh.s Just kidding! Though I would rather be dead than alive! Chapter 20: Her Room Chapter 20: Her Room URBAN LEGEND 1032 CODE NAME: MR. RABBIT THREAT LEVEL: C FIRST APPEARANCE: MAY 5TH Lu Yibei opened the file bag. A corner of the file was exposed. He hesitated for a few seconds before pulling the document out. Since he was involved in this matter, it would be good to understand the situationpletely. [STANDARD URBAN LEGEND. FORMERLY ASSOCIATED WITH A HIGH-LEVELLED URBAN LEGEND KNOWN AS MISS TWILIGHT. MISS TWILIGHT WAS A WITCH, BUT IS CURRENTLY DORMANT.] A witch? Is she an urban legend as well? After reading through Mr. Rabbits file, he wanted to search through the [Night Division Records]. [NO. 103201, INTERVIEW 01 WITH VICTIM ZHU LINGLONGS FATHER.] Attached to the file was a photo of a beautiful girl with a pristine face. Her skin was porcin-like, and her big eyes were filled with energy. Thick, ck hair flowed down her shoulders like a waterfall. She wore a pure white cotton skirt and a sun hat, smiling underneath the bright sunshine, revealing her dimples. The girl in the photo reminded Lu Yibei of his crush in high school. Beautiful and pure. Unfortunately, shes dead at Mr Rabbits hands. [BEGIN LOG] ZHU MOU: No, my daughter did notmit suicide! She was entangled in your line of work. You need to avenge her. OPERATOR 027: Mr Zhu, please calm down. When the truth reveals itself, we will bring justice to her. Please calm down and tell us about the situation. ZHU MOU: Okay. I import goods for my business, and well run into legal grey areas. Its inevitable, but I do it for my and my daughters safety. OPERATOR 027: I understand. Please continue. ZHU MOU: Youll inevitably make enemies in this line of work. My daughter has. However, this time, she received a very strange leaflet. I didnt think of it at first, but there must be something wrong with that leaflet! After she read that leaflet, she became paranoid. She would shut herself in the room, close her curtains and hide in the darkness she would whisper, The rabbit ising and I am getting so worried for her. ZHU MOU: I took her to a psychologist the next day, but they prescribed her medicine for anxiety. One day, she got better. Woke up early. Put on the new dress I bought her. Put on a little makeup. Told me she was going on a walk [silence] I should have stopped her. [END LOG] FOLLOWING THE INTERVIEW, ZHU MOU BEGINS CRYING UNCONTROLLABLY. INTERVIEW PAUSED UNTIL EMOTIONS WERE UNDER CONTROL. Lu Yibei gulped upon reading the depressing transcript. He didnt want to continue reading it, but curiosity got the best of him. Theres nothing to be afraid of! Im in the Night Division, after all Wait, dont jinx it! When a disaster urs, the headquarters will always be the first to be targeted! Lu Yibei shrugged his concerns off and opened the second file. [NO. 103203. INTERVIEW 02 WITH VICTIM ZHU LINGLONGS FATHER] NOTES: OPERATOR 027 PERFORMED A SPELL TO CALM ZHU MOUS EMOTIONS. THE INTERVIEW WAS THEN HELD NORMALLY. BEGIN LOG OPERATOR 027: Mr Zhu, are you feeling better? ZHU MOU: Yes. Much better. OPERATOR 027: Tell me about the situation when you found her body. ZHU MOU: Okay I found that she booked a hotel room under my name at the resort hotel we used to go to. She stayed there whenever she was in a bad mood and [silence] ZHU MOU: She was hanging from the crystalmp. Her feet were less than ten centimetres from the ground. There was nothing nearby that she couldve stepped on as if someone else had helped her. Arge hole was cut in her stomach, but we couldnt find any weapons on the scene. ZHU MOU: The police said shemitted suicide, but how is that possible? My daughter is such a good girl I was the one who killed her; I got her into this mess. My enemy must have used some kind of magic to make her [END LOG] THE INTERVIEW ABRUPTLY ENDS FOLLOWING ANOTHER EMOTIONAL OUTBURST FROM ZHU MOU. THE SPELL FAILS, AND THE INTERVIEW IS CONCLUDED. Hah! Lu Yibei took a deep breath upon realizing that he had been holding his breath the entire time. He felt depressed after reading the file and put it aside but found himself unable to calm down. In the blink of an eye, his surroundings became dark. He blinked again, and his surroundings became etherealimpossible shapes and grey fog that extended from his eyes in a formless, ethereal shape. A bad premonition struck his heart. He was in An Qings office a moment ago, and in another blink, he found himself in a huge hotel room. The room seemed abandoned; the air was musty, and ayer of dust was present on all the furniture. Cobwebs could be seen in the corners of the room, and the lights flickered. Creak! On the ceiling, a crystalmp swung and shook. A cold and damp air flow could be felt like des cutting across the skin and prating straight into the bone. Nobody would want to stay here. It was like a rotting tomb. Lu Yibei gulped hard upon seeing a photo, and his back felt numb and sweaty. It was a yellowed photo that was neatly cut in half diagonally by something. The other half was gone, but the smiling face of a young girl could be vaguely made out on the remaining half. He instantly knew where he was. This was her room, where the girl named Zhu Linglong was violently murdered. Chapter 21: Scissors Chapter 21: Scissors F*ck. Isnt she dead?! Why am I here? Lu Yibei looked calm, but his heart was full of despair. He thought of holding onto the statue of Ac, the Immovable, forfort but found that he was holding onto air. He left the bag on the bed in An Qings office! Lu Yibei cursed himself for his carelessness, swearing to glue the statue right on his hip so that they wouldnt be separated. The only thing he could hear in that damp room was his own breathing. He closed his eyes, willing the scene before him to disappear. One minute, two minutes, five minutes The crystalmp could be heard creaking on the ceiling, along with the damp and musty smell of the room. Lu Yibei spent about ten minutes closing his eyes but was startled upon hearing a strange sound. Squeak! The closet door made a soft sound as if it had been pushed open by someone! Hearing the closet door open made him tense up. He felt as if he was the only one left in this worldconstantly sinking, absolute stillness, and he could only hear his heart beating. Although he couldnt see it, he could feel something sinister crawl out of that closet, and the temperature of the room was chilling. The feeling of difort crept up his neck and wrapped around it, tightening it little by little. The sounds of crawling and faint howling could be heard, and a figure could be discerned jumping around the room and knocking over furniture as well. Hearing those sounds, he regretted keeping his eyes shut. ck! A soft sound of something falling on the ground could be heard, and he felt that it was at his feet. His eyes were still firmly shut, and he felt a cold aura like a hand stretched outwards towards him, grabbing his ankle. His body trembled slightly, and beads of cold sweat appeared on his forehead. He mustered up the courage to open his eyes, and his heart sank upon seeing an empty and open closet, and the furniture in the room was in disarray as if a tornado had passed through the room. Lu Yibei trembled and saw a pair of ordinary scissors by his feet, but they were stained with coagted blood and flesh. Crackle crackle An old-fashioned tape recorder sounded in Yibeis ears, followed by what Zhu Mou had said in the interview: Arge hole was cut in her stomach, but we couldnt find any weapons on the scene. The voice repeated and rang in his ears. Zhu Mous voice eventually morphed into a high-pitched female voice that screamed in his ears. Scissors! Scissors! Scissors! The frantic scream in the voice conveyed the pain before death, and Lu Yibei couldnt help but cover his ears. His eyes nced at the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the room and found a pair of pale and slender arms resting on his shoulders. F*ck! He ran but found that he wasnt running. Slippery liquid oozed from the dusty carpet, and his steps were slow and heavy. None of this is real none of this is real none of this is real He closed his eyes and continued running forward before bumping into something. The delicate and smooth touch of a body, but there was no warmth to it. It was cold, like a Corpse! Meanwhile, in An Qings office An Qing looked at Lu Yibei, who was clinging to her body. Her lips were raised, revealing a doting yet helpless smile. Oh dear, Yibei, the way you wee me back is a little too enthusiastic, but I like it! Hearing An Qings voice, Lu Yibei hesitated for a moment before opening his eyes. In an instant, the scene before him crumpled like paper, revealing An Qing standing in front of him. Before the scene fully disappeared, he saw a figure in a red dress. Her swaying skirt was coloured a disturbing redthe closer it got to her abdomen, the darker the red was as if something had been cut open Why are you sweating? You didnt do something strange in my office, did you? I did store some spare underwear and stockings in this room, but you wouldnt, right? An Qing teased him, and his vision finally returned to normal. No, no, no, he mumbled, taking a few steps back in a panic. Why? Why are you back so soon? Shes cold like a corpse. Her skin is like ice, too. An Qing raised her eyebrows and asked, Soon? Its been two hours. Lu Yibei was stunned and looked out the window. Before he picked up the file, it was bright and sunny, but now the sun was setting. By the way, I investigated the store that you mentioned, and there was no one in it. No psychic fluctuations, no strange fog, and no human flesh. That cant be true! I saw it all! Yibei, that store has been closed for half a year ago. Are you sure you saw something? While Yibei was in a daze, An Qing stared at him and fell into a deep thought: It seems that hes able to see things I cant, but that cant be right. He has no spiritual ability at all, and yet hes able to tolerate most things he has seen. Im surprised he hasnt gone insane yet. B-but, what if But what if there are, in fact, strange stories looming at that store? Is that what youre trying to say? Yibei nodded. Its good to think that way. After all, how do you exin urban legends? She twirled her hair. I sent someone to watch over that store, and Ill personally take a look when Im free. Then what about my house? Theres nothing unusual about it. If youre afraid, youre wee to apany me! Its lonely in here. Youre not gonna send anyone over to my house? Nope! she smiled sweetly. In that case, can I get your contact? In case something happens? I really think you should send someone to watch over my house! You silly boy! sheughed. Youre the one whos going to watch over your own house! Arent you an operator as well? Right, so I wont be in any danger, right? Oh, I cant guarantee that. What if I die? Then, she paused, her smile getting eerily wider. Ill turn you into my finest specimen. I dont get paid enough for this, Yibei thought. Chapter 22: Because You’ve Seen it Chapter 22: Because Youve Seen it Who doesnt love money? Lu Yibei loves money quite a bit. Although he wasnt short on money, he knew that he needed at least enough capital to pursue his own dream. Theres no harm in saving money despite having no idea what the future holds. No matter how bad it gets, once he graduates from university, he can go back to Peony Street, renovate the old house, and open a restaurant. Perhaps a bar? Receiving tourists every day and listening to their stories while selling them drinks soothes their worries in the process. Therefore, he had no shame in asking for an increase in sry. Pffft! She covered her mouth. I find you more and more interesting day by day. If youre in danger, wouldnt the normal reaction be to ensure your own safety? If that can be guaranteed, of course, I will, he said, rolling his eyes. However, I dont trust you guys that much, so its up to me. Yibei did not trust Jiangli since she used him as bait. He didnt trust An Qing either after having had intimate contact with her. An Qings body was strangely cold; her beauty was immediately dampened by that fact alone. She carried death with her, and talking with her felt unnatural. So, am I getting a pay raise? If not, Ill take it up with that crippled girl. Its rare having someone like you here, sheughed. I can make the decisions. To a certain extent, our six main cadre members have the same rights. Six? He tilted his head. Arent there seven doors here? Well, yes, but one of them died, and no suitable sessor has been found yet, she exined while smiling. Wanna see her? Shes one of the best female samples I have dissected, she continued, sping her hands together. N-no, lets not bother her. Yibei found that An Qing had a strange obsession with the dead. There isnt a single ordinary person in the Night Division. When Yibei returned home, Sumi was busy closing the shop. He helped him clean up the shop and devoured the leftovers from noon for dinner. The sky waspletely dark; the willows were rustling, and a faint scent of cinnamon wafted across the air. The deep alleys with ck tiles and white walls were showered with tender moonlight. Peony Street gradually receded from the hustle and bustle of the dead. There were no pedestrians on the street, save for the asional car driving down the road. In the attic of Sumis home, bright lights illuminate the embroidery frame. It stretched with pure white silk, and colourful silk threads hung down from one side like a deformed rainbow. vSumis thick fingers were surprisingly dexterous,pletely contrasting his physical appearance. Yibei didnt want to disturb him and went back to his room. Back in the room, he carefully took out the statue of Ac, the Immovable, and wiped it gently with a wet tissue. He turned off the light and brought him to bed to cuddle. Drunk men staggered outside the house, and cicadas chirped in the treetops. The asional car speeding through the empty streets in the distance didnt break the tranquillity of the night, instead adding to it. Yibei felt that the world was lying to him. The scenes he saw during the day felt unreal, and yet, his dreams felt real and tangible to him. Whats wrong with me? ording to the file, the police judged that Zhu Linglongmitted suicide. However, there was a missing weapon, so for them toe to that conclusion was strange. Someone cant hang themselves without any sort of assistance, be it a chair or stool. There must be a conspiracy somewhere. However, he found the murder weapon in a dream, but he didnt want to be thrown into the mental asylum yet again. Lu Yibeiy in bed quietly, engrossed in his thoughts. The moonlight shone on his face, and he gradually fell into limbo. He thought of swimming and catching fish with Sumi in the canals of the old street. His fathers face was flushed red from the heat in the kitchen, and his crush, whom he once loved but found it impossible to remember her face, and Before he knew it, he fell asleep. He dreamt of a yground in school. His ssmates were running wildly in the yground alongside the girl he had a crush on. The borders were shrouded in a hazy mist. The sun was still bright, and he could tell that it was a PE ss. The girl was in her sportswear, and her pair of shorts seemed short with her long and slender legs. She sat alone on the horizontal bar, her ck ponytail hanging down behind her. She smiled and waved towards Lu Yibei, beckoning him over. Yibei trotted over and sat beside her. Are you thirsty? Ill get you a drink! Yibei smiled. He could only smile in his dreams. The girl shook her head. Are you hungry, then? I can get you some food! No I didnt I didnt I didntmit suicide Lu Yibei was stunned for a moment. He slid down the horizontal bar and was about to leave, but the girl grabbed his wrist. They were all affected by the remaining magic in the room Thats why they came to that conclusion You need to bring justice to me Her voice sounded distant and hazy, and her grip on his arm tightened. Her face turned blue, her voice started to be sharper and clearer, and her nails dug deeply into Yibeis arm. Find the pair of scissors! My father needs to know the truth! It has to be you because because youve seen it! The girl produced a pair of scissors and stabbed him in his abdomen. He felt his consciousness leaving him as blood gushed out from the open wound. He staggered back a few steps, and his body fell backwards. Ah! Lu Yibei woke up from the nightmare, staring at the ceiling in the darkness. He felt parched, and he wanted to get up to get a ss of water. However, he felt surprisingly heavy, as if something were pressing him tightly onto the bed. He opened his mouth to call Sumi but couldnt make a single noise. Tap tap Vaguely, he could hear footstepsing from a distance that crept closer and closer, and it sounded as if it was stepping on some viscous liquid. The door to the room was closed. Yibei could barely make out its shape in the darkness. Tap tap! The footsteps were getting closer, and anxiety crept up Yibeis throat. Creak! The old doorknob on the door turned gently, and the door opened. There wasnt anyone outside the door; it was dark and clearly not Sumi. A chill washed over Yibei like a waterfall, and his senses were screaming at him to move. However, he couldnt budge at all. All he could do was wait. The room was quiet, and suddenly the bed shook. Through the moonlight, he saw two dents appearing on the beds quilt as if someone were stepping on it. In an instant, the force that was subduing Yibei disappeared, and he was able to move again. He flexed his toes, but he didnt dare to move. He shrank his neck and crept underneath his quilt little by little, and just as the quilt was about to cover his eyes, a drop of liquid dripped on his forehead, followed by a second drop, a third drop A pair of delicate little feet floating in the air broke into his field of vision. That chill bit at his body, and he felt goosebumps coursing through his body. The blood-stained girl in the long dress hung from the ceiling; her back was facing him, and she turned around slowly. Blood gushed out from the wound on her stomach. She was smiling, even though it was obvious that she was in pain, and her eyes were ssy and pale. Scissors she echoed. Find those scissors and give them to my father Chapter 23: Humble Chapter 23: Humble Lu Yibei woke up drenched in sweat again. The cool breeze blew outside the window, but his sweat-soaked clothes stuck to his back. He rubbed Ac, the Immovables, chest tenderly, watching the lighting through the crack of the door. Dreaming in a dream? How ridiculous. She really wanted to get the message across. But did she need to make it that scary? He groaned and rubbed his temples, taking his phone from under the pillow to take a look. It had been 22:01, three hours since he fell asleep. He thought of himself as somewhat mentally sane, but he felt that his mental state was about to break at any second. The door to the room swung open, and a figure appeared at the door. The light red, making Yibei unable to see the figure at the door. It stood motionless at the door, and a chill ran down his back once again. Lu Yibei immediately leaned over, grabbed the statue of Ac, the Immovable, holding it like a machine gun, and leapt off the bed. D-dont get any closer! Get any closer, and Ill kill you! Jesus, its just me. Sumi sighed. Why were you talking in your sleep? I couldnt work in peace at all! I need to restock tomorrow! What? Yibei was taken aback. I was talking in my sleep? Yeah, Sumi nodded with disgust. You were moaning the name of your crush in high school! Tell me, what were you dreaming of? He nced at the statue in Yibeis hand and frowned, Damn. Even bronze statues are not spared from him. With this in mind, Sumi rubbed his abdomen, leaned against the door frame provocatively, and winked at him. If youre having trouble sleeping alone, he purred. Im more than happy to sleep with you. No! Geez, fine, he shrugged, but not before shing a wretched smile at Yibei. By the way, I got this Bai Xiaohua and Chu Xingzi book for 50 yuan. Its really hard to find this thing! Oh? Yibei narrowed his eyes. Thats right! I bought it from someone for 50 yuan! Want it? What do you think? Both of their eyes locked, and theyughed. That night, he was satisfied, but his flesh was bruised and tired. The next morning, Yibei found that Sumi was still sound asleep, and his thunderous snoring could be heard through the door. Affected by the shorter days, the tourists on Peony Street basically appear at noon for one or two hours before sunset every day. Sumi usually sleeps until lunchtime before opening the shop. He didnt want to bother him, so he put on his clothes, carried the guitar bag with Ac, the Immovable, in it, and went out. He was going to report yesterdays situation to the Night Division. Although Zhu Linglong wanted him to find the pair of scissors, he could feel the malice leaking out of her like a faucet. He feared that there was some ulterior motive. Surrounded by the ancient buildings while walking on the streets paved with bluestone bs, the autumn wind bathed Yibei and washed his fatigue away. This refreshing state didntst long. He felt a dull pain in his stomach not long after. It was mild at first, but as he got closer and closer to the Night Division, the pain became more and more intense. A strong cramping painlike a pair of scissors were being stabbed into his abdomen. He froze. Could it be that Zhu Linglong He supported himself by the stone pir on the street and clutched his stomach. It was still about a hundred meters away from the Night Division. He had a vague feeling that if he endured the pain and continued going forward, or if he tried to contact anybody from the Night Division, he would be torn apart in the middle of the street. Damn it, dont they have any way of detecting this? Perhaps Im not close enough. Thats probably the reason why she doesnt want me getting too close to headquarters! It was a coin flipeither Zhu Linglong reaches him first, or the Night Division notices him first. He stood up and walked straight towards the Night Division. However, there was a sudden shock, and the pain intensified as he began to keel over. The shadow of death approached gradually, and he felt his internal organs tearing apart. He couldnt control the vomit being shot out of his mouth, and blood was present in his vomit amidst the mass of half-digested food. The next moment, he saw stars. He fell to the ground alongside the statue. He lifted his clothes, and sure enough, a faint blood stain was present on his abdomen. O-okay! You win! Jesus I wont go to the Night Division! Ill help you find the scissors! Just let me go! As soon as his words fell, the pain disappeared. Christ. Youre powerful, and yet you need me to find the scissors for you. As if she were responding to him, another shot of pain burst through his stomach. Okay! I get it! Stop hurting me! But we have to get along with each other! Once this is over with, Ill go back to my life, and you can move on. The pain began to ripple in his abdomen again, and he kneeled on the floor in pain. However, before the pain was too much, he bent his neck and sneered. Kill me. Lets see how long it takes for you to find someone like me whos willing to hear your pleas. The pain disappeared in an instant, and he was secretly relieved. Right. Ill help you find the scissors, and youll leave me alone as soon as I find them for you. By the way I think I need somepensation too. You see, Im still a virgin, and Before he finished speaking, a sharp pain, like a kick, hit him in the abdomen once again. Although itsted less than a second, the message was clear. Okay. I dont I dont want it anymore he panted. Working for nothing in return is so crazy, he thought to himself. Chapter 24: Strange People Chapter 24: Strange People [You may not believe it, but I was f*cking kidnapped by an urban legend! Im being held, hostage! Help! If anyone sees this message, please contact Jiangli or An Qing!] No. The scene of him calling for help shed in his mind. Im losing my mind. Im starting to engage in some stupid escape n. He hailed a taxi on Peony Street and asked the driver, Excuse me, could you send me to Flower & Sunshine Resort? Oh, the taxi driver hesitated for a moment before nodding. Alright! Flower & Sunshine Resort was located near a scenic spot in the outer suburbs of Huacheng. Surrounded by towering mountains and facing a sereneke, it was beautiful. Lu Yibei has heard of the resort before, but he doesnt have any interest in things like this. Not to mention, the cheapest room here costs 988 a night. With that money, he could instead spend it on [Love and Magical Girl] and be way happier. Just as he was fantasizing about how he was going to spend 988 yuan, the taxi stopped moving. Excuse me? Why did we stop? Look! the taxi driver spread his hands and pointed out the window. The road ahead is blocked! Several road cones blocked the way. What? Doesnt the resort need guests? How will they receive guests if the road is blocked? Guests? The resort has been closed for almost two months. Yibei frowned upon hearing this and asked, Why? The taxi driver looked around vigntly and leaned backwards to whisper, There are rumours that there is a pervert hidden in this hotel who tricks and lures young girls into a secret room, incapacitates them, and disembowels them! Lu Yibei thought that this story was different from the one he knew. Half a year ago, a few young people broke into that secret room and found three young girls hanging on rusty, iron hooks that pierced through their throats. They were like pigs getting ughtered! Their eyeballs were wide open, and they stared straight into their souls! Wait! How are you so sure? Youre describing it like youve seen it with your own eyes! Yibei interjected, hugging the guitar bag tighter and ready to swing it towards the driver. A-ah, he smiled. This is the subject for my horror podcast at night. Did you like it? Well, its based on real events! Besides, since somebody died here, no matter how beautiful the scenery, no one would want to stay here. They have been out of business for several months, and theypletely shut an entire section off. Just as the taxi driver said this, a dull pain pounded on Yibeis abdomen. Why didnt you tell me it was closed before I hopped into your taxi, then? Ah, to be honest, the taxi driver gulped upon seeing Yibeis expressionless face. I just wanted your money. Looking into the distance, there are two tall white buildings built by the mountains. Strangely enough, they look like tombs. Yibei got out of the taxi and mmed the door shut, clutching his guitar bag tightly. He bypassed the road cones and walked along the highway in the direction of Flowers & Sunshine Resort. The power of nature was evident; in just two months, the vegetation on both sides of the road had grown violently. Tree branches were scattered on the road as well, forming natural roadblocks. Yibei would sweep them aside to open up a path for himself. Every few hundred meters, he stopped to pick up a handful of stones and pile them up in unique shapes asndmarks. He guessed that he might encounter something bad in the hotel, so devising an escape route beforehand would ensure his survival. Along the way, there were fewer and fewer buildings; instead, they were reced by a green forest. If there were people around, these forests would be quiet and serene. However, now they were deste and eerie. Yibei felt eyes on him, and he took out the statue of Ac, the Immovable, and cradled it in his arms. The coolness of the brass filled him with divine protection. Just as he was about to enter the resort, he found a small building on the side of the road, which seemed to be the station that receives guests. The exterior of the hut looked new, and it was cordoned off. However, through the half-opened windows, one could see the messy garbage scattered inside. Really? Is not one person looking after this building? Is this resort as evil as he said? The gate was tightly shut, and the lock was slightly rusty. Yibei walked around the resort several times beforeing across a window that was smashed open. He squatted on the ground and examined the ss shards carefully before his eyebrows furrowed together. Someone has been here recently and scraped clothes? After discovering the ss shards, he dismissed the idea of using the statue to break open the side door. He wasnt sure if the person who was here had already left. Thinking of this, he walked to the window, took the piece of shredded cloth, and rubbed it between his fingers. Peering inside the window, he could see the gloomy lobby, which was dim and chilly. The ce where Zhu Linglong was murdered, and a mysterious person who has been here recently. Man, I dont wanna go in anymore. I wanna go home. As soon as he turned around, a sharp pain pierced through his stomach, and he kneeled to the ground and raised his arms in surrender. F*ck, okay! Ill go in; Ill go in right now! He ced the shredded cloth into his pocket and leapt through the gap in the window. As soon as hended, he raised his hand, and his eyes burnt. He saw a strange person. A whole bunch of strange people! Chapter 25: You Can Only Stay in Africa for the Rest of Your Life Chapter 25: You Can Only Stay in Africa for the Rest of Your Life His eyes burnt as he peered around the dark hotel lobby. The thick stone pirs entuated the difference in height, and the huge crystalmp on the ceiling was turned off but still reflected light off its surroundings. Under such light, it was still strangely magnificent, despite the eerie and empty atmosphere. Many silhouettes were in the lobby of the hotel. They were of irregr shapes: tall, weird, long, and narrow. Their bodies were piled up like messy ck lines. Yibei has seen these figures before. In fact, most of the shadowy figures he saw were like this. Each time, whenever he caught a glimpse of them, they would disappear instantly. However, they showed no signs of disappearing, and there were so many of them! Some of them phased through the stone pirs, some submerged themselves in the walls, and some emerged from the ground. Whispers could also be heard being shared among the shadows. He couldnt make out the murmurs. They were broken up into sentences: sharp, manic, and insane. However, as soon as Yibei made his presence known, all the murmurs fell silent, and he felt eyes on him. It was silent and awkward for a long time, and Yibei waved at the strange figures. H-hello. I think I went to the wrong ce. Ill be taking my leave. As soon as his words fell, the strange figures looked away and minded their own business. Thats good, he thought. His stomach began to ache again, as if Zhu Linglong was urging him to move forward, Okay! If it was you, wouldnt you be scared too? Give me some time to adjust, at least He lifted the statue on his shoulder and walked cautiously into the depths of the resort. Walking in the lobby, he tightly held the statue of Ac, the Immovable, ready to m the statue at any time. However, these strange figures minded their own business and spoke among themselves. The stock has fallen Im gonna go bankrupt soon An incurable disease? Youre cheating on me, you b*tch! Yibei eavesdropped on the whispers and murmurs, and all of them seemed to beining about something. Were they vengeful spirits? He didnt know. The next time he goes to the Night Division, he must borrow the Night Division Records for more information. An Qing told him that the Night Division Records recorded all kinds of urban legends known to them. Ten! Ten orders of Kryptons have not been shipped I guess Im staying in Africa for the rest of my life! A voice sounded. He nced at the strange figure who passed by and said, Its just ten orders. Whats the fuss about? Just as he thought of that, the strange figure stopped and stared at him. And the figure started to phase towards him intermittently. His heart skipped a beat, and his whole body trembled. What the hell hey! Dont get any closer! The figure stepped closer and closer, and before he could think about it, his legs had already carried him out of the lobby. With the resort being closed, the elevators were out of service. Yibei rushed through the lobby at lightning speed and pushed open the iron gate of the emergency stairwell. He panted as he rushed up several floors in quick session before leaning on the wall to catch his breath. When he recovered, he noticed a thin, dark, red line stretching out from his chest, connecting him to something. Ten orders Ill be staying in Africa for the rest of my life He heard faint whispers in his ears and realized that he was tied to the strange figure now. God damn it! I shouldnt have talked behind his back! In an instant, Yibei continued running upstairs with a strange surge in strength. He ran from the lobby all the way to the twelfth floor, which was where Zhu Linglong was murdered. It took him less than three minutes to climb up twenty-four flights of stairs. Stumbling and pushing open the door of the emergency stairwell, a strong musty smell flooded his nostrils, along with the faint scent of blood. The windows in the corridors were boarded up with wooden nks, and only a little sunlight prated through the gaps. Yibei saw that the red line was still there, but the whispers in his ears had died down. It seems like the strange figure stopped chasing after him. The corridor was divided into two sides in a T-shape. The dusty brown doors were tightly shut, and some mildew spots grew on the light grey carpet. Standing in the dimly lit corridor, apanied by nothing but dead silence, he vigntly clenched the arm of Ac, the Immovable. This ce had no strange figures or shadowy silhouettes, yet he felt ufortable and anxious. A cool wind could be heard blowing down the corridor. Although it was soft, it was deafening in such a quiet environment. He felt worried that something was about to pounce on him. Yibei gulped and opened his mouth, whispering, Linglong, which way is it? Left? Right? A slight throbbing pain urged him forward, and Yibei nodded as he walked down the right corridor. At the end of the corridor, there was a corner. When he was about to turn the corner, he slowed down and was put on guard. He leaned against the wall and poked his head around the corner. The corridor was empty, and about ten meters away, there was a double door that was decorated, reminiscent of a ssical Chinese design. The brown door was carved with delicate patterns and iid with copper rings. This must be where Zhu Linglong was killed since the area was cordoned off. A warning belt was pulled up, and a sign that said [ONLY STAFF ALLOWED] was hung. After confirming that nothing strange was waiting for him, he took a deep breath and walked over to the warning belt. In an instant, his eyes burnt, warning him of impending danger. The next moment, the hairs on his body stood on their ends, and he froze in ce. A man was now in the empty corridora tall man in a ck cloak with a crowbar that dripped with blood The man twisted his neck a hundred and eighty degrees, revealing a furry rabbits mouth underneath the hood. Yibeis palms were wet with sweat, and his heart was crawling out of the walls of his throat. The fear of death surged through him like a tsunami. Lu Yibei and the pair of scarlet eyes stared at each other for about three seconds, and he ran wildly towards him Chapter 26: Wardrobe Chapter 26: Wardrobe Fear. His eyes burnt, and a string of blood started to leak out of the corners of his eyes. The narrow corridor seemed alive; it was breathing and moving. Shrinking, moving, twisting, and contorting to the rhythm of Lu Yibeis pumping heart His vision was a blurry red, and the lights in the corridor seemed to stretch on themselves, like a picture of a busy road that was hurriedly taken. He had no time to think about why Mr Rabbit was here and subconsciously started to back away. His ankle was caught on something, and he instantly fell backwards and fell to the ground. Ack! The impact stirred up dust and mould, causing him to cough uncontrobly. He sat up in a panic, and his heart stopped. Mr Rabbit was about a meter away from him. . Theres no escape was the only thought that shed in his mind. However, the human instinct to survive, no matter what, took over. Under the oppressive, looming shadow of death, he rolled over, snatched the statue of Ac, the Immovable, and ran towards the rabbit. F*ck it! Youre going down with me! His yells echoed through the empty hotel floor, and he swore he could hear himself hissing. Whoosh! The bronze statue weighing dozens of kilograms carried him through inertia, and the statue plunged through Mr Rabbit Like air Lu Yibei felt his heart stop. With trepidation, he turned around and gulped. It was as if the statue hit nothing but air, and he dropped the statue with a loud ng. Mr Rabbit stalked towards him, and the tepid air that came from nowhere pped against his face. He could even smell the blood and roting from Mr Rabbits body. Lu Yibei couldnt do anything but close his eyes. Maybe death isnt that bad after all One, two, three He waited for death in the darkness behind his eyelids, but it never came. He forced himself to open his eyes, only to see that Mr Rabbit had turned the corner and left. Perhaps Mr Rabbit wanted to psychologically torture him even more? Lu Yibei was deep in thought until he heard a shrill scream. In the dimly lit corridor, he could see Mr Rabbit dragging the crowbar forward, and fresh, viscous blood flowed down the crowbar, staining the carpet a fresh crimson. In front of the rabbit was a girl in a white dress who fell to the ground. She supported her body with her hands and attempted to retreatthe clothes on her abdomen werepletely torn, and a hideous wound was in their ce instead. N-no I beg you, please dont do this The girl begged feebly for her life. Her once-luscious hair was drenched in a cold sweat and sticky on her face. Z-Zhu Linglong? Despite her pleas, Mr Rabbit did not show her any pity. He showed a strange, sadistic smile and made a silent gesture towards her. N-no! Dont! Somebody help me! She yelled, twisting her broken body and struggling to retreat, but the only thing this aplished was to speed up the process of her blood loss. Her cries fell on deaf ears, and she seemed to be trapped in an absolutely isted space. The next moment, everything fell into dead silence. Mr Rabbit stepped forward and gently stroked her tear-soaked cheek like a lover. Zhu Linglong stopped moving, and she let Mr Rabbit drag her limp body back towards the door at the end of the corridor. All that was left of her was a trail of crimson leading to the door. Hah hah Lu Yibei found that he had forgotten to breathe and started taking in gulps of air. The corridor was empty, and he found himself alone once again. My mind is going to break one day True enough, if your mind was broken, you wouldnt be scared of anything. I need to kill that rabbit as soon as possible. No matter what, he is the one causing this! A chilly breeze blew down the corridor, yet the door at the end of the corridor was closed as if it had never been opened. Everything he had just seen felt like a fully immersive movie, making Lu Yibei doubt his eyes. I had enough of horror movies ying in my eyes. Why cant you y an action or romantic movie once in a while, huh? As he thought about it, his stomach began to ache again. The pain was dull but fast as if Zhu Linglong was urging him forward. She seemed impatient, and he stroked his stomach lightly: Miss Zhu, I need a card to enter the room. I cant exactly Click! Immediately afterwards, the door seemed to be pushed by an otherworldly force; a harsh, cool wind rushed through the gap of the door, and Lu Yibei felt his hair standing on its ends. The scenes before were scary, yes, but he wasnt that afraid. Now that he was standing in front of the unlocked door, a primal fear washed over him. He wanted to close the door and run away but gathered the courage to enter the room. However, as soon as he pushed the door open, he could hear the heavy iron door of the emergency exit being pushed open. Creak And the sound of footsteps followed. Yibeis heart stopped beating, and he held his breath. Is this that person who sneaked into the resort before me? Thinking of this, his palms started to feel sweaty. The sound of soft footfalls could be heard approaching. Do I go into the room or face them? Yibei gulped as a sh of determination sparked in his eyes. He gritted his teeth, dashing for the statue of Ac, the Immovable, before rushing into the room where Zhu Linglong was murdered. He entered the room and gently closed the door before locking it. Putting his ear to the door, he sighed before turning around to look at the room before him. The room was dim and eerily cold, and theyout of the room was exactly the same as it was in his dreamscape. However, most of the furniture had been removed, and the blood-stained carpet had also been rolled up and ced in the corner of the room. Holding the statue close to him, he carefully followed the route in his memory to the master bedroom of the suite. He eventually found the master bedroom and felt his heart drop upon seeing it. While the living room waspletely devoid of furniture, the master bedroom was left intact. The gorgeous crystalmp creaked and swayed mysteriously. Its crystal lights were swaying into one another, ying a harmonious tune reminiscent of wind chimes. Even though the room was covered in ayer of dust, its grandeur couldnt be hidden. On the bed was a blood-soaked skirt that was torn apart at the waist area. Ity there quietly, like a tired girl who was taking a nap. He forced himself to look away from the bed, focusing his attention on the wardrobe next to the bed. The red sandalwood cab was engraved with detailed etchings and paintings of phoenixes. Gold threats decorated the rim of the cab, and copper rings with lotus buckles were iid as well. Despite this, Yibei knew this intricate handicraft was a cage. He took a deep breath, cing the statue of Ac, the Immovable, down. He stopped in front of the closet and raised his hand but lowered it. He repeated this several times, unsure if he should open the cab. While he was hesitating, the blood-soaked skirt behind him trembled and floated up, quietly approaching behind him. A blurred and pale figure gradually fit into the dress and attached itself to Yibeis back. Chapter 27: Faces of the Wall Chapter 27: Faces of the Wall Staring at the wardrobe, Lu Yibei was deep in thought. Should I open it? I hope something doesnt pop out yelling, Surprise, motherf*cker! When his fingertips traced along the copper rings of the wardrobe, it felt strangely cold. He held the ring and pulled it gently, and the scarlet door opened with a shriek. It was emptyall that was in it was a rusty pair of scissors stained with blood. The moment heid his eyes on the pair of scissors, the room no longer smelled musty but bloody. A chill ran down his back, and he felt somebodyying on his shoulders and blowing into his neck. A pale figure was stuck on Yibeis back, and their messy ck hair hung down his shoulders. It stretched out a pale hand, resting it on top of Yibeis own, and guided his hand towards the pair of scissors. Yibei tried resisting, but the dull pain in his abdomen told him otherwise. The force that was guiding his hand also became forceful, as if it were trying to push his entire body towards the scissors. The familiar, stinging pain in his abdomen made Yibei shiver, and cold sweat started to drip down his forehead. Damn it, is she trying to kill me? As he thought about it, the pain in his abdomen suddenly intensified tenfold, making his body go limp from the pain. He could no longer resist the force pushing his hand towards the scissors and staggered forward. His legs were like jelly, and he was forced into a kneeling position. His mouth was agape, but the pain was so intense that he was unable to make a single sound. His vision blurred, and his ears started to ring. In the midst of his losing consciousness, he could hear two men talking. Mr Rabbit, tell me, the Night Division is getting closer and closer to you, and yet you are unable to hatch the witchs egg, a hissing voice dripped. If you fail, Im afraid I wont be able to help you anymore. I like Huacheng a lot, but if the Night Division catches on to me, then Ill be forced to leave. Just one more, a voice responded emotionlessly. That damned Lu Yibei! Why cant he just fall into my grasp and surrender? Hed be the perfect sacrifice! Sacrifice? Absolutely not! Yibei yelled in the dreamscape. The scene before him started to morph into a clear warehouse. A huge iron hook could be seen within the warehouse, hanging a ckened, unidentified body. Its rancid blood dripped down onto a stone tform where an egg rested. The object looked like a fossilized egg, but it moved as if it were breathingalive. It wriggled in ce, and every time it wriggled, distorted female faces would be imprinted onto the stone surface. With each drop of blood, a crimson gleam would sh through the cracks of the egg, and those human faces would elicit screams that would break a humans mindinaudible whispers, moans of pain, anxious begging, panic, depression Lu Yibei couldnt avert his gaze from the egg. Strange emotions brewed within himlust and greed. The only thing he knew at that moment was that he needed that egg. Ill find a way, a voice hushed. I got a target for tonight. Is that so? Then, I wish you luck. The sudden conversation snapped Yibei out of his enthrallment, and he looked in the direction of the conversation. Mr Rabbit was in a ck cloak, and his scarlet eyes seemed to be out of focus, staring at the shadow in the corner. His furry, rabbit mouth would twitch from time to time. On the opposite side of Mr Rabbit was a shirtless man who sat on an old shipping container. His mouth was sewn up with wire, and his exposed chest was covered with hideous scars. Surrounded by those scars was a tattoo in the shape of a ckened sun. When he saw the tattoo on the mans chest, Lu Yibei felt his brain tremble in recognition; something fragmented and ethereal surged up within him. He felt that it was important to him. I cant remember where Ive seen that pattern before He tried his best to recall but realized that the mundane conversation between Mr Rabbit and the man had stopped. He froze and looked up, noticing their eyes on him. His pupils constricted violently. Was this not a dreamscape? He swore they were staring right into his soul! In a panic, he wanted to back up but found that he was unable to move. Mr Rabbit and the mysterious man kept approaching, and a sinister aura orbited them. He closed his eyes, and all he could hear were their whispers drowning in his ear. Die die die A few minutes ago Outside the suite, in a dimly lit corridor, a girl in a striped id shirt held a metal club in her hand. She walked through the corridor cautiously as she was vigntly kept on guard. System. Yes. All right, she breathed a sigh of relief. Although she had a voice talking to her all the time, she felt as if they should be standing right beside her. System. Im here. Okay. System? You there? This is the eighth time you have called for me. As long as you are alive, I will always be here, the system responded. Amidst its monotone voice, she could sense a hint of sarcasm. You dont have to be so mean, she pouted. Besides, I wanted to ask you a real question! Get to it, the system interjected. This is the first time Im doing a task like this, so Im a little scared. How about you start talking to me? Just talk about anything! Im afraid I dont have this function, the system replied immediately. System? Seeing that her system did not respond, she started to panic a little. Come on, just talk about anything! Im a little scared over here! Okay, Im here, the system said. Dont be afraid! There seems to be someone up ahead, behind the corner of the corridor on the right! The girl was stunned as she heard this, and she ducked away and immediately yelled-whispered, N-no! Im not going! What do you mean theres someone up ahead? She swore she could hear her system sigh, and it spoke earnestly, Gu Qianqian, you are the protagonist of this world. Do you know what the main character does? Of course, that means my parents are dead, and then my rtives! And all of them would be dead in a tragic ident, or they could be poor and constantly beg me for money! System? Are you angry? she muttered. Alright,st question: If I cantplete this task, you wont kill me, right? In stories like these, if I cantplete the mission, I will be killed. Hah! the system sneered. How could I kill you? The most I could do is deduct the money on your campus card! Wait, the system paused. I shouldnt have said that. Now, you wont take the mission seriously. Absolutely not! she interjected. Ill finish the task well; you just wait! Good, good. Work hard,plete the task, and youll most definitely win the grand prize. Huh? She narrowed her eyes. Didnt you say the rewards were luck based? Are you hiding anything from me? Ah, no, no. Our lottery system is absolutely fair, open, and transparent. There is no ck box behind this operation, absolutely not. Whats the win rate? Ah, the system paused, not expecting this question. The system scrambled through the list of responses and decided to make up a number. Almost 10%! Thats right! 10%! Gu Qianqians eyes lit up immediately as she swung her metal club around her and announced confidently, 10%? Might as well be 100%! That prize is mine! The system couldnt believe that she had bought it but kept silent. She regained her motivation and skipped down the corridor. After seeing the empty corridor before her, her eyes darkened. Theres no one here, she pouted. You got me scared for no reason Before she could finish her sentence, she saw a human face! On the walls of the corridor, faces with eyes of rage and ferocious expressions started to appear, exuding an evil, angry aura. The faces were sunken in as if they had been elongated by some strange force. The faces were distorted, but she could tell their facial features clearly. The faces were trapped in the wall, and painful wailing could be vaguely heard beyond the walls. S-system? she trembled. Im very scared. I Im scared, too, the system replied shakily. Chapter 28: One of Seven Factors of World Destruction Chapter 28: One of Seven Factors of World Destruction His body seemed to be drawn into a pitch-ck vortex, as if even death itself would dissolve within that silent darkness. Countless hands emerged from the sea of darkness, reaching out and grabbing at him. It was as if he were the only one remaining in this world. Bang! Bang! Bang! Lu Yibei was abruptly brought back to reality, and the sounds of the door being mmed shook his eardrums. F-f*ck he heaved. He breathed violently as if he werecking oxygen and keeled forward once again as the sharp pain in his abdomen red up. The scissors moved on their own; they tore apart at the seams of his clothes and plunged themselves into his belly. Its tip submerged slowly into his abdomen, and blood started to pool around his tattered clothes. Thankfully, the wound wasnt deep, and he could feel that his vital organs werent injured. He stared at the scissors that were plunging into his belly and decided to do nothing. He knew that if he were to pull it out, his blood would start gushing out like a waterfall. M-miss Zhu, I quit, please, he breathed. One, two, three After waiting a few seconds, there was no longer any pain in his stomach, and he breathed a sigh of relief. Bang! Bang! Bang! The brash ms against the door continued, and he gritted his teeth, using the wall as support, and leaned against it. When looking towards the door, a pensive look appeared on his face. T-that must be the stranger who sneaked into the resort; how do I get away? His eyes fell upon the statue of Ac, the Immovable, and a venomous re shed in his eyes. sping at his stomach, he picked up the statue and walked towards the door. Bang! Bang! Bang! Gu Qianqian continued to kick at the doors lock and strike it with her metal club before sighing weakly, System? You there? Im here. Isnt it bad for me to just destroy the lock? If anything, Im just alerting whoever is inside the room. Rx. Arent you the main character? You must have a little arrogance and pride in your actions! Who cares if youre alerting them? But I dont want to! Be quiet. Damn, okay. Sending a mental re towards her system, she continued to swing at the metal lock of the door. Bang! Bang! Bang! Yibei leaned against the wall right next to the door, and the ms against the metal lock were thunderous and booming in his ears. He barely moved from his position, ready tounch a surprise attack at any time. However The banging against the door continued without fail, but it seemed that his assant was having trouble breaking the door down. Come on, hurry up! he whispered. The anticipation was clearly killing him, and he found himself cheering for the stranger outside. Crack! Finally, the wood against the door broke. He stared at the door lock that flew out, and the door was slightly pushed forward as well. A phantom-like fish swam through the open door, and its big, twisted mouth let out an evil cackle, Kekeke! Who shall be my dinner tonight? However, its smile fell immediately upon seeing Yibei holding the statue above his head. Primal fear struck within the deepest part of its heart, and it immediately swam out the open door. I-its her! She has spiritual fluctuations surrounding her body! N-no, she mustve transformed into a witch! Gu Qianqian, run! the weird shadow yelled in horror. Seeing a shadow looming closer and closer to the open door, he took a deep breath, and with all his might, he swung the statue of Ac, the Immovable. System, what are you talking about? Gu Qianqian muttered. She simply shrugged and poked her head into the room and Nothing more. Ac, the Immovables plump and smooth forehead, connected with her own, and she flew out of the room from the impact. Her limp body bounced twice down the corridor, and she fell to the ground, not moving. Yibei was overjoyed upon hearing her limp body fall to the ground. His dear statue has never been used practically, save for killing Mr Rabbits clone. He ced the statue gingerly on the ground before sping his hands together and whispering a short prayer to it. He walked out of the door expressionlessly and froze upon seeing the identity of the girl. He knew she was familiar, and his breath hitched. Why her? He noticed that the girls lower body was apparently wrapped in a bath towel, and he frowned upon remembering something. He reached out his hand from his pocket, took out the tattered pieces of cloth, and ripped off the bath towel covering her. He immediately started to turn her unconscious body around, attempting to match the tattered cloth to her clothing. The phantom stood around the corner and stared at the scene before it. M-my god, shes not going to do what I think shes going to do, is she? Im sorry, Gu Qianqian, but I am unable to protect you! The moment he turned her around, he could see a palm-sized hole on her buttocks area, and plump, pristine skin was exposed. He grinned and nodded, So, it was you. But what is she doing in such a ce? He sighed, and his warm breath caressed her buttocks. In her unconsciousness, she seemed to feel a big, cold hand caressing her She startled herself awake, covering her buttocks subconsciously. All she could see before herself was a boy holding pieces of her clothes, rubbing them gently between his fingertips. Her fair face gradually turned as red as a tomato, and tears welled up in her big eyes. Y-you! What did you do to me? Lu Yibei was deep in thought and replied subconsciously, Just pped it You- What? O-oh. He came back to his senses, and his eyes fell upon her hand and the cloth in his hand. W-wait, I think youre misunderstanding something. Liar! I There was no point in exining. He knew his facial paralysis would not make him a bit more convincing. Gu Qianqian, hurry up and run away! Youll die if you provoke her! The systems voice rang in her ear, and she stared at Lu Yibei with a little more fear in her eyes. Gu Qianqian wordlessly snatched the piece of cloth from his hand and ran down the corridor. Lu Yibei, you just wait! I, Gu Qianqian, will kill you one day! Her voice echoed down the corridor. Calm down. Were lucky to be alive, the system reminded. If we want to kill her, we can only do so by performing a sneak attack. Is he that scary? Gu Qianqian pouted. Absolutely, the systems voice trembled. Remember, she is one of the seven factors that will destroy the world in the future. Last time, we had one chance to kill her, and you missed it. Now, shes getting more and more powerful Why do I feel like youre ming me? she tilted her head. Besides, I thought you could predict the future! Why didnt you tell me he was here! I cant track down the trajectory of her fate. It is like fog. Damn! She must be powerful! The system couldnt believe she had bought that awful lie once again. Lu Yibei stared at the corridor where Gu Qianqian had just left. Was she dangerous? Should he be worried? He felt like she was just there to bother and pester him. Forget it, he sighed to himself. Zhu Linglongs power seems to have disappeared. I better report back to Jiangli. Chapter 29: Narrow-Minded Jiangli Chapter 29: Narrow-Minded Jiangli As soon as Jiangli was notified by phone, Lu Yibei was immediately sent to Huacheng Central Hospital by the anxious members of the Night Division. Laying on the hospital bed felt just like home. His waist was wrapped in bandages, and he looked incredibly miserable. Bumping into you twice a week is bad luck, Jianglis maid muttered. Doesnt your semester start tomorrow? I would suggest preparing ahead of time for your course. He gulped upon hearing the word semester being uttered. I dont have time to! Zhu Linglong kidnapped me, so- Enough about that. Did you know that the scissors were a centimetre away from stabbing into your cecum? W-what will happen if my cecum is hurt? Does that mean that I wont be able to have psychic powers anymore? I-I read in some novels that the cecum is the root of psychic powers, so No, Yibei. If it stabbed into your cecum, you would die. Oh. The maid pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, By the way, how did you know that Mr Rabbit will move tonight? The maid furrowed her eyebrows upon asking this question. Being able to track down Mr Rabbits location bying into contact with something he has used is something that most psychic users are unable to do. Are you suspecting me again? he pouted as he pointed to his wound. Im a victim! If I didnt run into you guys, I would never run into Zhu Linglong! No matter what, its all your fault! Calm down! Did you know that we detected a Level S presence around the resort? You are somebody ordinary facing a Level S threat head-on! Do you know how lucky you are to survive with just a few wounds? I feel like youre waiting on me to die After a moment of silence, Yibei asked, By the way, where are the scissors? Did you return them to Zhu Linglongs father? The maid couldnt help but roll her eyes and pointed at his wound, saying, Shouldnt you worry about yourself? I think her father deserves to know the truth. Which is what Lu Yibei would say if he were telling the truth. I could give two sh*ts about her father. I dont want her toe looking for me in my dreams anymore. The maid folded her hands on her chest and stared at him in silence. She turned around and wanted to leave, but Yibei stopped her. W-wait! What is it? Uh he stuttered before pointing at his wound again. Is this considered a work-rted injury? I think I deserve some marypensation Boom! The maid had already left and mmed the door. The room was silent, and he flopped back onto his bed. Just as he was about to fall back asleep, he could overhear a conversation outside. O-oh? Why did youe here? he could hear the maid asking in a shy tone. No way. That maid sounds scared, he thought. He tried to perk up his ears and got out of bed as he clutched his waist. Although this caused sharp pains to prick at his wound, the human desire to eavesdrop overcame him. Haha! a man with a charming voiceughed. Why not? Am I not wee here? This hospital is also within the scope of my responsibility! Ah, about that the maid stuttered. Yibei chuckled upon imagining the maid stuttering. It was gratifying to know that her arrogance could be tamed after all. I heard that the part-time operator in our branch is very special. Hes in there, isnt he? Can I go in and visit him? Special? Yibei was ted. No! To his surprise, the maid sternly rejected the man. My mistress gave stern orders that nobody is to enter this room except for her. Cant I? Absolutely not! Yibei silently cheered the maid on. From the way the man was talking, it was as if Yibei were being treated like a zoo animal. All right then, the man replied. I guess we shall meet by fate. Yibei shivered slightly upon hearing his reply. He felt like he wasnt talking to the maid but to him. He swore he could feel the man staring through the door. The moon was shrouded by the clouds in the deep of the night. Huachengs port was dark and quiet; it was mainly used for ferrying passengers across the river to nearby towns before the night became long. However, due to blockages, this abandoned port was as lifeless and empty as it was cold and gloomy. Even the rushing currents of the river were quiet in the dead of night. In the mountains and forests around the port, a few figuresy dormant in the dark. Their stern faces were like steel, studying their surroundings vigntly. All intersections leading to the port were cordoned off. Click, clock, click, clock. A horses galloping could be heard on the road towards the port. Soon, a figure bathed in silver light appeared in front of the checkpoint. On the lower half, it was a horse, but on the top, it was a human. The figure was like a legendary centaur with the grace and charisma of a unicorn. It was wrapped in silver armour engraved with cyan runes, and under the moonless night, the figure itself shone with a pale white light. Its long, silky, silver hair was exposed under the one-horned helmet that shrouded its face. Judging from the curves of the human body, it should be a woman. This was Jianglis ability: [Mythical Creatures: Familiars of Chiron]. She galloped towards the checkpoint and stopped. Her helmet faded away, revealing a cold yet delicate face. Operator Number 5. Jiangli nodded. Is everyone here? No. Operator An Qing is here, and Operator Gu Xiliu is on the way. The rest of the operators are on duty. Jiangli frowned as she looked around and asked, What about Bai Kai? From what I remember, his area should be free of urban legends for now. Ah, he told us they hesitated. What did he say? Just tell me. Right. He told us, and I quote, You f*cking bitch! You caused my dear Yibei to end up in the hospital; you should be cowering at my feet and begging for my forgiveness! Do you seriously think Im going to join in on your little expedition? Id rather kill myself! Jiangli was stunned at his answer and shook her head: Forget it. We need to act tonight. Tonight, we must keep Mr Rabbit at this pier. As soon as she finished speaking, she disappeared in a sh of silver light. A member of the operations team breathed a sigh of relief and turned around to whisper at the member who wasnt paying attention, Youre done for. Jiangli is narrow-minded. Meanwhile In Huacheng Central Hospital, a dark shadow sneaked through the night towards the wards north of the hospital. Chapter 30: Dead of Night Chapter 30: Dead of Night Under the moonless night, the port was silent. In the distance, Jiangli gazed in the direction of a dimly lit warehouse, quietly listening to the data reports of the operations team around her. Degree of Erosion is at 3.7, abnormally high Level D psychic energy fluctuations, but they peak at Level B Number of entities at an estimated 127 Disaster response at 0.03%, normal Hiding yourself in a herd of Level D urban legends, are you trying to run away? Jiangli narrowed her eyes as she thought. She pinched the bridge of her nose. Over a hundred entities mean that over a hundred souls have been captured by that damned rabbita hundred souls that are unable to rest in peace. Notify everyone, she announced. Do not let any of them get away. We are to investigate all body theft cases when we get back. Understood, the team responded as they turned around and disappeared into the night. Meanwhile Hoot! Hoot! a barn owl hooted. The barn owls role was to convey information to the operations team, notifying them of nearby energy fluctuations. The soft sounds of a guns safety being pulled resonated one after another within the forest, and all of the members of the operation team were on guard. Although it is difficult for weapons to cause damage to high-levelled threats, low-levelled threats that are tangible are still vulnerable to bullets. As for higher-levelled threats, there was a saying in the Night Division: only urban legends are able to take out urban legends. Fog crept through the bay of Huacheng. The heavy, rusty iron door of the warehouse was pushed open, and stale dust poured out of the dark space behind the door like a wave. Like a flood, countless entities in ck tuxedos and a rabbit head stormed out from behind the door. Their bodies crashed into one another like lifeless dolls as they scattered all over the ground. Crack! Crack! Their stiff limbs twisted, and they struggled to get up from their positions on the ground. It was as if they were trying to pass as humans, but they didnt know what it was like to be humans. They suddenly stood still, like men in the army being given an order, before running towards the surrounding forests. Soon. Under the obscuring fog, the sound of continuous gunshots rang through the air. The gunfire disappeared in the dense fog, and limbs covered in putrid blood sttered through the air. For just a moment, the area within the forests of the port was like a hunting ground. Jiangli stood on the hillside, silent. An Qing was standing on a nearby hillside, observing another area across the river. Jiangli felt energy rush into her, and her spiritual sense was fully channelled. In her pale blue eyes, she could see every living, breathing creature within one kilometre; the psychic energy fluctuations emanating from those living corpses were bright and dark, and they sparkled like stars in the night. A strong wave of spiritual energy shone the brightest among the sparkles as if a new star were rising. The next moment, Jiangli and An Qing moved together. They left silver and scarlet streaks across the sky, like two sharp swords that cut through the dense fog and silent night. At the corner of the bay, a rabbit-headed monster, who was running wildly, froze. He let out a weird chuckle before surging in energy, and its body seemed to shake violently. The sound of fabric ripping could be heard, and its body and bloody tumours started to tear through its cloak. A twisted, deformed rabbit-headed monster stared directly into the crowd of the operations team. Bang! Bang! Bang! Continuous gunshots fired through the air, concentrating on the twisted beast before them. Its flesh was torn apart by the gunfire, and ck smoke emanated from its wounds. However, the bullets didnt seem to impede its progress; it approached the team as if it wasnt even hurt and roared maniacally. Raising its thick, deformed arm, it ripped several trees out of their roots and swung them forward in a single, swift moment. At this moment, it was blinded by a sh of silver and scarlet. A silver light tore through its side, and the rapid sound of horse hooves galloped through the gravel. Jianglis form gradually phased back into reality, and putrid blood dripped from her runic de. Her de was dripping with Hydra Poison, enough to make it legendary. Mythical creatures feel pain more than death itself. The rabbit squirmed a few times on the spot before it roared, and its right arm and half of its chest exploded in a gory mass of dark blood. Unbeknownst to the rabbit, the veins on its left arm started to intertwine like a before copsing, and its left arm fell off its limbs cleanly. Jiangli and An Qing huffed as they noticed the aura of the rabbit rapidly weakening. Its huge body fell forward, and the telltale sign of a ritual symbol appeared on its back. Damn it, the two blurted out at the same time. In an unnamed club in Huacheng, the smell of perfume and smoke intertwined with one another. Most only knew that The Underground Club was the only nightclub in Huacheng that stayed open until the wee hours of the morning, but they didnt know that the nightclub itself was illegal. Because it was illegal, it would naturally engage in questionable services and transactions. On the stage in the centre of the dance floor, a group of scantily d bunny girls danced seductively to the music, swaying their curvy bodies to the beat of the music. Their long, slender legs were wrapped in ck stockings, and they posed provocatively with the help of the steel poles on stage. The next moment, a bunny girl with a strange tattoo on her back fell from her pole, and blood gushed out from her mouth. Blood started to pool around her. The patrons who were watching her simply dispersed indifferently. Soon, several men came backstage and pulled her away from the stage. The patrons were indifferent since urrences like these were normal. Illegal activities included trading psionic items, so it wasnt surprising that work-rted injuries would happen. A few minutester, in a deep and dark alley behind the club Mice shuttled through the piles of garbage as they sniffed an unconscious girl in a bunny suit before scurrying away. Suddenly, a scarlet light glowed on her tattoo. Once the light subsided, the tattoo disappeared as if it had melted into her body, and she woke up the next moment. Hah-! Hah! She fell forward as she panted violently. She coughed up two lumps of rabbit fur, and her eyes were like ss beads, showing a dull scarlet colour. Damn it, I didnt expect consuming that Level C Urban Legend would bring me here, she sneered as she sat up from the garbage pile. She took out an old-fashioned flip phone from between her breasts and rummaged through the contacts. Its me. Im out of trouble. Well, Ill see youter at the agreed ce. Once the conversation ended, she exerted all her strength and crushed the phone into pieces. Lu Yibei found himself in a dreamscape once again; he was riding a beautiful white horse that donned silver armour, and it galloped under the pristine, moonlit night. His fingers ran through its gorgeous mane and caressed its delicate and smooth skin, and the horse purred in response. Lu Yibei shut his eyes and enjoyed the moment with his horse. The horses body was strangely firm, and its coat of fur seemed strangely thin. His immersion in the dream was broken, and he opened his eyes, only to find himself back in reality and caressing a mans shirtless chest. His gaze met the mans gaze, and the pregnant silence between them was deafening. From the corner of his eyes, he could see the city buildings in the distance, and he was taken aback, Wait a minute, shouldnt I be in the hospital resting? Where am I? F*ck! Who are you? he yelled. You dont need to know who I am, the man chuckled, and his guttural voice was like the chirping of cicadas. Y-youre the bad guy, arent you? Yibei asked under the offended gaze of the man. You speak like one, so you have to be one. Let me guess, your next sentence is, Yeah, Im the bad guy, so what? Sh*t, now youll say, Ill crush your tiny neck, and nobody wille to save you, Right? You arent going to kill me, are you? Hehe! Not now, but soon. Oh, in that case The man frowned, unsure of Yibeis intentions. He put himself on guard in case Yibei wanted to attack him. Yibei smirked at the man before facing the city behind him. Help me! I got kidnapped! Jiangli! An Qing! Ah, Hua! Anyone! A beautiful girl like me is about to be robbed of her innocence! Help me! Arent you ashamed of yourself? the man couldnt help but think. He let Yibei scream into the distance, though, since he had already enclosed this space with psychic energy. Come on! Anyone out there? Chapter 31: The Burning Resort, Revised Chapter 31: The Burning Resort, Revised Jesus Christ, shut up! The man couldnt help but shout at Yibei, punching him in his lower abdomen, and the night was silent once again. If it werent for the fact that the Devourer needed to perform the breeding ceremony of the Witchs Egg, he wouldve killed Yibei just to silence him. Although it was impossible for anyone to hear him, it was incredibly annoying and sharp to his ears. Coupled with his expressionless face, it was like a mascot screaming into the distance. The man even thought about increasing his price. He nned to ask Mr Rabbit for two Primordial Spirits for all the trouble. The man turned towards him; his figure was like a phantom in the night. He left Yibei alone in the space and returned to the forest by the port. In the distance, he could see the Flowers & Sunshine Resort. Earlier today, the Night Division had cleaned the entire resort, and all of the urban legends within it were exterminated. Almost all of the Night Division members had returned to their own posts somewhere else, leaving only a few people stationed here. The most dangerous ce was the safest ce, so the breeding ceremony of the Witchs Egg shall be held here, and a new witch will be born tonight. At the port, the operation to hunt down Mr Rabbit had ended, and the operations team toiled away to clean up the mountains of rotting flesh within the forest. On the same hillside, Jiangli held her chin as she stared at the calm river. An Qing approached her from behind as she wiped her bloody needle and sighed, All of these living corpses came from Mr Rabbit, so at least we were on the right track. That damned rabbit is getting desperate As soon as she spoke about desperation, Jiangli immediately turned around and asked, Lu Yibei. Where is he? Oh dear me, An Qing covered her mouth and giggled. Since when did you start caring about him? Im sure Bai Kai is annoying him right now. Im worried. If the rabbit escaped, it would most likely go north. Isnt that good? Its weakened now, so it would likely fade into obscurity and disappear, An Qing replied as she tapped her chin. No. We need to rush to the hospital, she said as she fidgeted with a card in her pocket. Maybe youre right. I sealed the entire hospital with this card, so he should be safe. An Qing opened her mouth in surprise and licked her lips, You used this Level-A psionic item on that kid? You must have taken a fancy to him. Speaking of which, I, too, fancy him. Had he died the other day, I wouldve snatched his body away for an immediate autopsy! Jiangli simply red at her, and after a long silence, she whispered, I owe him. She still felt a tinge of regret for abandoning Yibei to hunt the Level S urban legend down. Just as An Qing was about tofort her, the owl badge on her chest hooted. She removed the badge to read the information presented, and fear was painted on her expression. Theres something new. What is it? An Qing hesitated for a moment before saying, Right. My informant sent news that the person who has been Mr Rabbits benefactor is A member of the Eclipse Society. Big deal, Jiangli shrugged. The old man from back then told me everyone was dead, so I dont think we need to worry about it. That isnt it; its that. An Qing spoke before a member of the operations team rushed over with a leaflet. Operators, take a look at this. I found it on one of the monsters. It was a leaflet that was exactly like Mr Rabbits leaflets. However, the usual Hebrew words werent imprinted on that leaflet. There was only one line of text written in blood: [Flowers & Sunshine Resort, Eclipse Society]. After reading the leaflet, the two women looked at each other and nodded, quickly leaving the port. Although they didnt know why Mr Rabbit left such a message, they guessed it was because the Eclipse Society had betrayed him. Something was strange in that messagewhy provide them with information? They decided to rush over and take a look. In half an hour A silver-white figure galloped on the road around the mountains, not far from Flowers & Sunshine Resort. Blue mes shot out from the gaps in the armour wrapped around her joints, leaving a trail of spiritual ash down the road. An Qing rode on Jianglis back and clung to her. Under her glistening, cold armour, she could feel that Jianglis heartbeat had far exceeded her normal level. Are you sure youre not tired? I can handle it, Jiangli replied coldly. Its fine if you cant. If your psychic power goes out of control and you be an urban legend, I wont go easy on you. No need, Jiangli scoffed. If that ever happens to me, Ill kill myself. Taking suicide so lightly, An Qing thought silently. As expected of her. Galloping all the way, they passed through the road around the mountain. Soon, the resort appeared on the horizon. And it was burning. Boom! A violent explosion disturbed the serene silence of the night, and the top floor exploded into mes. The entire scene looked like a volcano was forming outside the hotel. The entire forest was red too. It was mid-autumn, and red was ever-present in their vision. Jiangli stopped in her tracks suddenly, flinging An Qing off her back. An Qing spun in the air beforending firmly on the ground on both her high heels. The next moment, as if the gates of hell were open, something crawled out of that explosion. The horrifyingly hot temperature washed over them like a shower of moltenva, and the surrounding psychic energy seemed to be ignited. Being in a psychic-energy-heavy environment, their hearts pounded against their chests. No It cant be. This isnt a Level A threat Did that damned rabbit make it before us? Did it lure us here so we could witness its new birth? Jiangli shielded her face from the wave of immense heat washing over her, With this power, maybe it needs fresh blood to sustain itself. Doubt, anxiety, and fear washed over the two womens hearts. On the top of a mountain a few kilometres away from Jiangli and An Qing A bunny girl grabbed her locks of hair anxiously as she stared at the hotel being engulfed in mes and shouted at the top of her lungs, Damn it! Damn it! Why? Why? My work I toiled so hard for over a year Just what did you do? she screamed. Mr Rabbit, no, Miss Rabbit, kneeled on the floor, unable to ept that her efforts were reduced to ash. Everything was going ording to n for herescaping from the Night Division, working together with the Eclipse Society, luring members of the Night Division to the resort as live sacrifices What went wrong? She could no longer feel the Witchs Eggs connection to her. Someone must have devoured the Witchs Egg! Damn it! God damn it! I was so close! Although her n was clumsy and hastily put together, she was so close. The frightening psychic energy waves emanating from the mes made her afraid to get any closer. Its over Miss Rabbit murmured as she kneeled on the floor. When her master awakens from her deep slumber, she will never again have the possibility of being free. Chapter 32: Hair and Singing Chapter 32: Hair and Singing About an hour ago On the ground floor of the Flowers & Sunshine Resort In the huge and empty space, there was a faint light shining from an invisible source, and the air was damp and dusty. Therge steam boilers creaked and clicked from time to time. It was located by the sewage treatment station of the resort. In the boiler room, Lu Yibei chattered endlessly in the eerie, quiet darkness. These high-end resorts are unbelievable. I cant believe they specialize in hot springs, and yet all the water in the boiler is dirty! This is clearly a health vition; I really want to report them Cant you just mind your own business? a man asked. No! If you report it, dont you get a bonus yourself? The man could feel his eyeball twitch painfully. He swore he was about to die of annoyancethe boy before him was about to die, yet all he could think about was money. Is this person insane? Just look in the tank! The water and boiler are so dirty. Jesus, I think you might get some weird disease if you bathe in it. Speaking of which, are there any urban legends because of diseases? Like a sewer mermaid? No. What a pity! Yibei sighed. Wait, wait, wait! Speaking of urban legends, I wanna talk about witches! The man frowned and growled impatiently, Arent you scared that youre about to die? I am scared! he retaliated. Im about to sh*t myself! He swore he could still hear the cicadas chewing. A few minutes ago The man who broke into the resort hotel was stopped by the guards of the Night Division. Lu Yibei was ted, thinking he was about to be saved. However In an instant, the dense chirps of cicadas echoed through the forest, and the guards seemed to freeze in ce. The cicadas chirped with madness and malice, and it radiated from the mans body. In an instant, the scars on the mans body were torn apart, and a stench filled the air. Countless cicadas wed their way out between the scars, and his body shrivelled up. In the end, all that was left were his skin and skeleton. The blood-stained cicadas pped their wings as they started to form a dense tornado of cicadas, and the swarm of cicadas rushed towards the guards. The cicadas were ruthless, rushing into every single open orifice of the guards. The screams of pain died down quickly, and not even a single bone remained. Human-eating cicadas Yibeis temples throbbed violently, and he felt his stomach turn uncontrobly. Rabbits and frozen food, now cicadas He didnt think he could see them the same anymore. Listen, the more Im afraid, the more I want to talk. Youre not killing me for the time being, so join me! Make me feel less anxious! Talk again, and Ill cut your tongue off and stuff it into your ass, and Ill pull all of your teeth out and paste them on your face. Lu Yibei stared at him. Without opening his mouth, he spoke, Do you like ventriloquism? The man couldnt take it any longer; his headache pounded against his skull, and in an instant, he threw Yibei onto the cover of stone bs. His back hit the b violently, and he let out a painful groan, feeling like his bones were about to fall out. Why is he getting so angry with me? I just wanted to talk were the only thoughts that ran through his brain. Swish swish He heard strange sounds in the darkness, and strands of ck extended from the cracks in the stone cover like water. With the help of that strange, faint light, he could barely make out the appearance. Taking a closer look, he could see hair! The strands of hair joined together, tangling themselves to be as thick as an arm. The mass of hair crawled over him like a snake, wrapping itself around his limbs and tying him to the stone b. C-could you please not tie me up with this? You already know Im not gonna run away! Shut up for once in your life, my god! the man bellowed. Seeing that Yibei had calmed down, the man snorted and tore open a scar with his bare hands. He took out a palm-sized iron box and produced a crystal bottle from within the box. With a slight grip, the crystal bottle shattered, turning into powder and dissipating in the air immediately. The ball of white, gtinous liquid from the bottle was suspended in the air. As soon as it was exposed to the air, it moved as if it were free from its prison. The liquid let out piercing screams and squirmed violently in the air, and desperate faces started to visibly echo out of the liquid. One, two, three faces A total of three souls. The man rubbed his index finger and thumb together, and a me rose from his fingertips. He directed the mes towards the wriggling Primordial Spirits to roast them and chanted an obscure spell, putting his hands together inplex formations. Soon, the desperate screams started distorting. The spirits were pulled by some kind of force and stretched endlessly, drawing out strange, runic spells in mid-air. Thebination of dense runes would remind someone of a totem being showered by brilliant sunlight, but this fills one with despair and chills. Seeing that the mantra was gradually taking shape, the man sneered and thought: If that rabbites here andpletes the ceremony, shall I pick my own fruits of victory? That man had no intention of letting Mr Rabbit seed. The payment of ten Primordial Spirits wasnt enough to satisfy him at all. Even twenty or thirty wouldnt be enough. However, if he were able to capture a bit of a witchs essence and refine it a bit, it would be worth more than two hundred Primordial Spirits! A sinister smile appeared on the mans face, and Lu Yibei couldnt help but shiver. Somethings wrong. Some infighting is going on. Soon. The spell used to imprison Mr Rabbit was ready, and the light from the spell gradually faded. The man faded into the darkness as well, and Yibeis breath hitched. A dazzling crimson light suddenly blinded him and illuminated the entirety of the boiler room. It seemed that the psychic energy in the space was frozen in this light, and the mans figure was frozen in ce. The hair that bound Yibei shook violently as it rustled and crawled all over him. The stone b beneath him trembled as if something were about to emerge. Feeling that the surrounding energy seemed to be under control, the mans face contorted violently. Damn it! That damned rabbit! That man never expected Mr Rabbit to take a risk and stab the Eclipse Society in the back. Frightened and angry, the man was about to cast a spell to escape Mr Rabbits control, only to be interrupted by a loud explosion. Boom! Yibei didnt know what had hit him. He was on the stone b, confused, and the next thing he knew was that he was being swept across the boiler room. The foul-smelling sewage sshed everywhere, and the hair, like a giant python, pounced towards the man and wrapped around his mouth and nose. The hair was a spell cast by Mr Rabbit as a trap for the man and the two women who were about to arrive. The moment the hair feels a trace of psychic energy and magic in the air, it will pounce on the target violently. When Yibei regained his senses, he stood up, supporting himself by leaning on the wall. However, the man disappeared, and he could only see a huge cocoon made of hair. The hair looked alivewriggling, tightening, and rustling in ce. More hairs crept from the shadows, adding to the mass of hair. I cant stay here anymore, he muttered in a low voice, recalling the route that he had secretly memorized when he was brought here. The moment the coast was clear, he ran out of the boiler room. Bathed in crimson light, Yibei ran with his head buried in his arms. At this moment, he could hear ethereal singing, like whispers in the wind that caressed his very brain, and it echoed and vibrated deep in his soul. Sh*t. No matter how hard he tried to struggle against the binds of the song, his legs uncontrobly moved towards the direction of the singing. His feet moved him towards a narrow and dark alleyway, and the singing started getting louder and louder. After a while, he found himself in another boiler room. Above the clearing hung a fresh corpse, and a stone tform was directly below the corpse. Crimson incantations covered the entire boiler room and gathered under the stone tform. And that strange egg that Yibei had seen in his dream space rested on the stone tform. Blood dripped down the corpse like a leaking faucet, and distorted female faces would reveal themselves with every single drop of blood. Their whispers, their singingit all engraved itself into Yibeis mind. And he swore he could hear two voices singing in harmonious resonance deep in his soul. Driven by this song, he couldnt help but walk towards the egg like a corpse. A greedy light shed in his scarlet eyes, and his lips opened and closed intermittently. M-mine Weak psychic energy began to emerge from his body, and like a wave, it gradually became intense and stronger. The singing echoed loudly in his mind, and the hairs, sensing psychic energy, rushed violently towards Yibei. The moment he stretched out his hand, his eyes sensed something dangerous, and a sharp, burning pain snapped him out of his enthrallment. F*ck! Seeing that his fingers were less than a centimetre away from the egg, his pupils shrank violently as he backed away from the egg. An evil aura seeped out of the egg like a flowing river Yibei needed to leave, and he quickly turned around, but he realized that a lock of ck hair had wrapped around his ankle, and strand by strand, it groped upwards And it pierced straight through his chest in a swift motion. Chapter 33: I Don’t F*cking Want to be Human Anymore! Chapter 33: I Dont F*cking Want to be Human Anymore! The crimson light began to dissipate, and reality exploded in a bubble; it was fragmented, dark, and deste. In his pain, he felt his body getting colder. It was as if he were falling into an endless void. He felt something being stripped away from his bodyin other words, abandoned. He sank deeper into the void and felt many blurred and distorted figures approaching him: some with curiosity, some concerned, some greedy, and some eager. Youre going to die, a female voice whispered. Hearing that voice, he became anxious, Does that mean Im not dead yet? That means I still have a chance to save myself! Its futile. Your soul is exhausted and wants to rest, the voice replied. I cant die yet! No, you dont understand. I still want to Does it matter? the voice scoffed. The sun still rises after youre gone; the moon still shines after youre gone. The world still moves in your absence. So, tell me, does it ever matter? Then, Ill Ill Ill sell my soul to you! Yibei yelled into the void. You can take me, but not my virginity! You see, Im still a virgin, and I want to save my first time for my true love and Yibei continued to trail off, and the voice was silent. The voice wanted to show him a way out, but now she didnt feel like it anymore. Get out of here! the voice roared in annoyance as Yibei continued to ramble on endlessly. In the next instant, he was engulfed in a sh of life. As if something were dragging his body, he felt himself floating upwards out of the void, as if he were about to emerge back into reality. Swallow the Witchs Egg, and you will live. Like a hallucination, the voice whispered straight into his brain. He woke up, back in reality, and panted heavily. His chest and internal organs were all broken, and crumbs of sma spurted out of his huge chest wound. He saw the egg that shone an eerie crimson intermittently and started crawling towards it defiantly. Hurry up! the voice urged. You have a minute left; theyreing! Yibei wondered who this they was, but in the next moment, he felt eyes on him. The stares seemed toe from a shadow in the sky, and malice pierced through his very soul. He gritted his teeth and kept his gaze on the egg, crawling towards it. I he crawled, leaving a gory trail of blood and organs. I he gulped, staring at the egg, centimetres away from him. I dont f*cking want to be human anymore! He yelled as he grabbed the egg, stuffing it into his mouth. His eyes shifted to a turbulent sea of blood, and countless human figures emerged from his body, stretching out their arms and tearing at his body viciously. His body was torn into pieces almost immediately, leaving only bones, a heart, and his bloodshot eyes in a matter of seconds. And just like that, his bones were scattered on the floor. The Witchs Egg hovered in front of his heart and split apart, turning into bloody needles the size of fingers. On the ends of each needle was a female, human face. Rays of crimson light shone from the needles anger, violence, sadness, doubt, depression The needles pierced through his heart, and continued to stab into it. Yibei didnt know how he was still conscious all he knew was pain. Before he fell into aa, he seemed to hear a strange, ancient voice. There is a mountain. There is a woman. Look! A severe drought stretching across the rednd youre hatching youre hatching! In the next moment, his eyes burned, and a burst of zing heat rushed towards the egg. The two forces fought and collided against each other, sending out high-frequency screams that nobody could hear. The forces bit violently at each other, beforeing to a rest, and the forces soon came to a delicate bnce. The egg cracked, slicing itself in half. The other half merged with his heart, and it seemed like magma was flowing between the cracks of the egg. Soon, his heart started beating again, thundering across the boiler room. With each heartbeat, a molten liquid thumped out of his heart. It formed blood, then it formed bone. It formed muscle, then it started to morph into a vaguely human form, then In the underground boiler room. A naked, petite girl curled up in a fetal position, and she was suspended in mid-air. Her snow-white skin was lit aze, but she wasnt harmed or charred by the fire. Her slender and delicate limbs hid terrifying power, and fiery red hair hung down her back, fluttering despite the absence of wind. Shadows emerged from the darkness and orbited around her. One could hear a sigh, and the shadows dissipated instantly. The girl was gently ced on the ground, and her eyes opened. In an instant, terrifying, devastating fluctuations of energy spread from her petite body and detonated with horrifying power. Her long hair hung down her shoulders, and as soon as the tip of her hair touched the ground, the ground cracked from the intense heat radiating from it, and white smoke flooded from beneath the cracks. The water stored in the boiler boiled in an instant, sshing violently against the metal casing. The sprinkler in the room was activated, but all it could spray was steam. In the darkness, the thick, ck hair fled from the scene, but the heat caught up to the bundles of hair, and they were burnt to a crisp in an instant. Fire. The man imprisoned within the tangles of the hair was freed, and by the mounds of sweat dripping down his forehead, he knew that the deed was done. He knelt down on the ground from the heat and gritted his teeth, That damned rabbit, I have to have my revenge Before he could react, a fiery wave of psychic energy hit him. W-whats going on? This wasnt what he thought was going to happen. He knew the immense powerying dormant in the Witchs Egg; however, Mr Rabbits aura should be cold and cruel, not scorching and domineering like a volcano. Another wave of energy hit him, and sharp pains bit at his scars. He had no time to think about what had happened; all he could do was flee. As he ran through the facility, there were violent explosions behind him; a faint yet wildughter could be heard poking at his soul. Theughter was ethereal and sweet, but all it did was cause the man to tremble. The mes licked at him, and he tore apart his body, allowing the cicadas in his body to escape. Meanwhile, not far from Flowers & Sunshine Resort In the manhole cover of a sewage system, five cicadas crawled out of the cracks in the manhole. Their eyes stared helplessly at the zing resort. They trembled collectively before disappearing into the night. Chapter 34: Goodbye! Chapter 34: Goodbye! Breeding a Witchs Egg is like drawing a lottery ticket. Although there is a general scope and guarantee, it is impossible to know what would happen to you after you devoured it. When Miss Rabbit saw that the Witchs Egg she worked so hard to cultivate had awakened into such a terrifying thing, tears welled up in her eyes. That shouldve been me she muttered as she stared into the fire, and the fire only served to fuel her hatred. J-just you wait! That egg will be mine once again! But for the time being she growled, fleeing into the forest. Had she seeded in her transformation, the roles between her and her master wouldve been reversed. Now, her enemies have increased from one to two. Ill be back, Miss Rabbit thought. An Qing concentrated all of her psychic energy to notify all the main operators in Huacheng, and the owl kept on hooting and beeping on her chest. Soon, she got feedback. The Underground Club In a booth in a corner, a fancy-dressed man felt the vibration of the badge under his suit. His face was visibly annoyed as he ced the wine ss down before producing the owl badge from his suit. Hello, the user youre calling is having a good time! He spoke loudly to the owl. He has absolutely no time to talk to you. Goodbye! After he responded, Bai Kai got up and bowed to the women in his booth, saying, Sorry, my dears, but something came up in mypany. Your tabs are on me! Amidst the cheers, he disappeared from the booth. At the port A girl in a one-piece pyjama squatted on the ground, hugging her pillow. An Qing? Now? Ah, whatever. Ill just take a nap before I go. In a remote clinic, a hunchbacked doctor was suturing a hideous wound on the arm of an attractive man on the operating table. An Qing? Do you need help? Well, Im dealing with an urban legend now. Ill be there as soon as Im done. Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration In the garden, a girl rested under a big tree with her big, ck umbre. Oh Ill be there Ill be there Finally, somebody responded, An Qing sighed. The ground started to vibrate violently, followed by a loud noise from the direction of the resort. They could see something breaking through the hotel roof and flying into the air like a fieryet. Apanied by bursts ofughter, a petite and slender figure emerged from the fire. Terrifying waves of energy swept across them, and a domineering and scorching auramanded them. In an instant, the air around them became hot and dry, and the forests around them started to catch on fire. An Qing immediately turned to Jiangli, but all she saw was a sh of silver light that rushed towards the resort. J-Jiangli? What do you think youre doing? You cant deal with that thing alone! An Qing yelled in horror. Damn it! she cursed, chasing after Jiangli. The dark night sky seemed to be soaked in ink. Lu Yibei opened his eyes and was surprised to see that he was back on the rooftop of a previous dream. This time, it wasnt raining, but the clouds in the distance were scarlet red. From afar, he could see that the city was left in ruins. The fire spread from every single building, and it was as if the sky itself was on fire, too, eroding everything it touched. The grey mist that condensed into a human form screamed in pain as it was being consumed by the mes, and it attempted to flee in a hurry. Hearing the screams, Yibei felt a wave of sadness wash over him, and it only intensified over time. Youre finally here, a voice whispered. His heart skipped a beat, and he shouted, W-who goes there? Where are you? behind you. He turned around, and he was greeted by a girl whose hair was red like fire. He recognized her immediately. Her delicate, pristine face, her well-proportioned body, and her slender limbs: her features put Yibei under a delirious spell of lust. O-oh! Yibei stuttered. L-long time no see. You seem to have grown taller sincest time, right? Aha Nah, youre the one whos about to get shorter, the girl said, studying Yibeis body. Only upon noticing her gaze did he realize that something important was missing from him. He saw his feet in an instant as he looked down through his slightly curved chest and delicate waist. M-my he stuttered in horror. Yes, the girl nodded regretfully. Its gone! They continued to stare at each other, and Yibei grabbed the girl by her shoulders and bellowed, What the hell did you do to me, you bastard! Give it back to me! Give it back to me, now! Yibei continued to yell, and the girl silenced him with her hands, Shut up! I dont have much time! Listen, if you dont want your world to be destroyed by my hands, you have to Give it back to me; I dont give a f*ck! Im running out of time! Just listen to me! If you want to keep your damn pe Just tell me! Theres no time. You have to run! Youre a monster, just like me. Dont get caught by the Night Division, and dont kill anyone! The girl looked around her anxiously and continued, After you escape, get back to the hospital immediately and pretend nothing happened. And most importantly, do not let anybody know your identity! The sun conceals your new identity, but remember, every few days every month, you will Her figure started to phase in and out of his dreamscape, and he hurriedly stretched out his hand to grab at the girl, but she was already gone. Looking at the empty rooftop, he was stunned and shouted in despair: No! Whats going to happen every few days every month? Come on; you cant just leave me hanging! Jiangli stood by the resort with her sword, staring at the dormant figure that hovered in the sky. Breathing in the hot and heavy air was damaging to the lungs, and beads of sweat were dripping down her armour. An Qings body was already scorched ck, not far away. Jianglis armour was almostpletely broken, and blood flowed out like a faucet from her wounds. Even her pristine skin was marred by the licks of the me. Where are the other operators? She thought helplessly. The girl before them was in a state of limbo, relying on her instincts to fight back. Even then, both of them were no match for her. If she happens to wake up Sure enough, the girl woke up. Her fiery red hair faded into an intense pink, and the surrounding temperature dropped sharply. Jiangli and the girl stared at each other, and the girls frosty face was filled with murderous intent. Jiangli gritted her teeth as she held her ground. Even if I cant beat you, I must I must fight till myst waking moment! The girl smirked as if hearing her thoughts. Just as Jiangli was about to pounce, the girl simply blinked at her expressionless face and yelled, Goodbye! In the next moment, the girl flew into the air, fleeing. Jiangli stood there, stunned. I-Im alive? Why didnt she kill me? Her body couldnt take the pressure anymore. Amidst her confusion, her vision darkened, and she copsed onto the ground. Chapter 35: I Want to Fly Higher! Chapter 35: I Want to Fly Higher! Huacheng, in a small park by a river. The night was long; the garden itself was decadent but overgrown with shrubs and weeds that grew wildly, entangling each other. Mice scurried between the shrubs and walked through the shadows. In the dark corner, something surged silently, twisting reality into various weird shapes. In the public toilet in the corner of the park, the two gates were tightly shut, and rusty chains hung on the gates. Suddenly, the dark and dpidated park was illuminated with light The mice fled in a hurry upon seeing this, and the next moment, a girls screaming could be heard in the sky. F*ck! How do I stop this thing? Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t Her shouts grew closer, and like a meteorite crashing into earth, the ball of fire crashed straight into a flower bed in the centre of the park. Thick smoke filled the air, and fallen leaves and dead branches were crackling with embers. When the dust settled, a slender leg emerged from the pit. This is so disgusting! Bleh! Lu Yibei spat out a tree root as she crawled out of the pit. Back at the resort, all she knew was to run away. First things first, her new body This was the perfect ce, reallyan empty, abandoned park in an urban area. Nobody would see her. Before this, she didnt know how she even managed to fly, let alonend, which led to her crashing straight into the flower bed. Fortunately, her new body seemed durable. Sitting naked by the ruined flower bed, she got up and walked towards the public toilet. Standing in front of the mirror at the sink, she raised her hand to wipe at the dust that had umted on the mirror. The outline of a petite girl was reflected by the light of the fire behind her. She didnt want to believe it but moved closer. Her long, pink hair hung down her shoulders, and beneath her bangs was a heart-warming and petite face. Her pristine skin blushed with a healthy glow, and her scarlet eyes burnt proudly. She was petite, not thin, and well-proportioned with hints of baby fat. She stroked her bare chest, and the smoothness of it made her feel shame. She is indeed a she, but she wasnt dreaming at all. She blushed, and perhaps due to the shame, the colour of her hair gradually turned red, and the temperature around her started to rise a little too much The stagnant water left in the sink boiled and evaporated almost instantly, which brought her back to her senses. Whats going to happen in the future? She thought. The girl in the dream did mention that the sun would restore my original appearance But what was she not able to say to me? She really needed someone to ramble her concerns with but found that there was absolutely nobody with whom she could share her struggles. If Dad was still alive, he would justugh and tell me not to worry about it. which is exactly how Shui would respond. I could talk to Sumi, but I dont think were that close Besides, the girl told me not to tell anyone about my new identity. She couldnt help but sigh as she stared into the mirror. Time to return to the hospital, she thought. Maybe Ill be restored to my original appearance once the sun rises. However, if I dont change back, how could I pretend nothing had happened? That was true. The Night Division wasnt dumb. Looking at Jianglis serious face just now, it seemed that she wanted to die with her! When she left, she didnt notice that the image in the mirror remained. The girl in the mirror stood motionless before trembling and sobbing to herself. It was a ghost in the mirror, lurking for prey. After years of not having prey, it couldnt believe that a high-levelled threat woulde to visit it. It praised the gods that it was still alive. Lu Yibei stood outside the toilet and thought for a moment. She assumed a superman-flying pose and leapt upwards. Sure enough, with the sound of earth and rock shattering beneath her, her whole body shot through the sky like a cannonball. Dozens of secondster, some residents swore they could hear the screams of a girl echoing through the night. She once again plunged straight into the earth. Shey in the pit for a long time before having the strength and dignity to crawl out. It seemed that she couldnt fly anymorean improper method, perhaps? Or did she run out of fuel? There was no way she could run back to the hospital naked. Someone would see her for sure. She shook her head violently at the thought of herself running through the street naked. She swore she could feel smokeing out of her ears in embarrassment. How about I try again? Boom! She once again crashed straight into the earth. In video games, once you learn a skill, you know how to do it immediately, but that doesnt exist in reality. I cant continue like this, she muttered. ncing at the banana leaves around the impact area, she suddenly had an idea. A few minutester Her body was wrapped in banana leaves, and she nodded in satisfaction. Surely this is enough cover! As she walked through the streets, she remembered something important. She immediately ran towards the nearest public restroom and looked in the mirror, attempting to squeeze out a smile. Damn it. Not even her newfound powers could cure her facial paralysis. However, she saw her reflection trembling violently before running away. ? In the midst of panic, she could see the ghost in the mirror running away, leaving two trails of mes behind her before Flying That night, with the help of the ghost, Lu Yibei learnt how to fly. At 6:37 in the morning, the Huacheng Central Hospital was quiet under the night sky. A figure flew in the sky, generating gusts of wind. Soon, it fell, getting closer and closer to the roof of the inpatient ward. Just as Lu Yibei was about to reach the roof, she bumped into something. An invisible barrier blocked her way, and since she was flying towards it at a high speed, she was caught off guard andnded face-first into the barrier. From the impact, she was once again naked and suspended right above the roof. Before she could recover from the impact, a dazzling silver-blue light bloomed before her. Countless cards flew towards her in the light, bombarding her body like a storm. She hurriedly bounced backwards in mid-air andnded on the terrace in the distance. She flew out once again, albeit unsteady, and smashed into a dense canopy not far away as she hung upside down on a thick branch. She saw stars and felt like her bones were about to fall apart. The patient I admitted two days ago was suffering from night disease again. Fish eggs were observed growing in his blood vessels; how scary! Theres nothing we could do. The only thing we can do is help him relieve the pain. He could hear a conversation approaching the window by her tree. She sat straight up immediately and disappeared into the dense leaves of the tree. W-wait, whats that? W-what? Dont joke around No! Somebody was hanging on the tree outside the window!s Alright, Im taking my leave. N-no! Youre supposed to apany me to the bathroom! Theres a urinal in the study room! Hearing the conversation below her, Lu Yibei couldnt help but apologize silently. Eyeing the building carefully, her eyes narrowed. What happened to me just now? Was it a barrier? No matter what it was, she was sure that it was probably to prevent any strange things from entering the hospital. She felt as if she was being segregated, but it wasnt until then that she realized that she had be a monster herself. How am I going to get back inside? And how did that man even enter the hospital in the first ce? How did he get inside undetected and kidnap me? Big problem. A very, very big problem, Bai Kai uttered in his car endlessly. Ten minutes ago, Bai Kai arrived at the resort. He saw An Qing and Jianglis unconscious bodies by the fire and immediately took them back to a safe area. He provided them with pure silver; the silver itself relies on Primordial Spirits to function, and the resulting liquid looks a lot like mercury. It was used to heal psychic users. The two woke up in an instant, and after listening to their ounts of what happened, Bai Kai was full of doubts. So, youre telling me that the witch spared you. Impossible, Bai Kai continued. A witch needs to consume after she is born. There is zero chance that she will just let you go. Are you doubting me? Jiangli coughed. N-no. Its just abnormal. Alright, alright, An Qing said as she wiped soot away from her skin. Both of us survived. Isnt that good? An Qings right. Now, we need to find out the witchs motives. The four of them nodded, but An Qing felt a vibration on her owl badge. Everyone, she announced. We have to turn back. What? Whats wrong? No, no, nothings wrong, An Qing rubbed her forehead. We just we left Gu Xiliu behind. Shes currently crying alone because everybody disappeared. Everybody in the car was silent for a few seconds, and bursts of sighs echoed in the carriage. T/N: Starting this month, Im going to try and see how I get on with posting one chapter a day. My other novels will stay at their release rate for now. Maybe in the future my other CN novel will go to a daily release as well, but since Im not as proficient in Korean or Japanese as I am in Chinese, I cant do a daily release for any novels I do in thosenguages. Chapter 36: There is Somebody Among Us! Chapter 36: There is Somebody Among Us! No matter how long the night is, the dawn shall always rise. A tinge of purple stained the sky, gradually brightening into fiery orange. Come on Lu Yibei clenched her petite fist, looking into the distance expressionlessly. mes seemed to tumble in her eyes as she stared at the rising sun. After waiting all night, it is time to witness the miracle! Squeak! The roof door of the hospital swung open, and the feeble yet crisp sounds ofints could be heard. For gods sake, I couldnt rest all night. When I saw that white-haired thing, I started seeing it everywhere! Whenever I closed my eyes, I would see that thing too! Im going to go insane A doctor with dark circles lit his cigarette and took a deep puff. As he approached the edge of the roof, he could see the back of a naked girl sprawled over nothing but air. Her silky, long hair swayed in the morning breeze. As she turned around, her hair gradually turned a striking red. On her expressionless face, there seemed to be mes dancing in her scarlet eyesindifferent, gloomy, yet murderous. W-who are you? Sh*t. It was way too embarrassing to be seen like this! Yibei couldnt believe that the doctor would have the gall toe to the roof when the sun wasnt even fully up yet. The doctors body stiffened, and his mind buzzed in fear. The lighter slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a soft ng! The girl was seemingly alert, and she turned around and rushed towards his side. No! Donte close to me! The doctor started to shout relentlessly as he iled his arms, but the girl seemed to ignore him. Come on. You cant keep shouting like this, Yibei thought frantically. Youre going to attract attention! The girl was getting closer and closer, and in the next moment, the doctor could feel his brain short-circuiting. Sweat painted his forehead, and reactions that could only equal a heat stroke began to be apparent on his body. Immediately afterwards, his eyes rolled to the back of his head, and he fell forward. The sun had reached the horizon of the mountains, and bright, golden light showered upon the girls back. Bathing in the sun, she ran wildly. Her fair skin sizzled under the gentle heat, and under her skin, molten light flowed through her blood vessels. A pale smoke covered her body, shrouding her in the mist; beneath that mist, a silhouette that was getting taller and taller could be seen. Looking at his familiar hands, Yibei was excited beyond words. ncing at the unconscious doctor beside him, though, he couldnt help but feel bad. Wasnt this the doctor by the porchst night? I sure hope hes okay He looked downwards and noticed that he was still naked. His gaze fell on the doctor, and an evil thought arose in his head. In a sh, Yibei stripped off the doctors clothes quickly, leaving only his underwear and white coat to cover him before running away. Later on Footsteps could be heard running back up the roofa hand that emerged from the shadows ced a cloth soaked in cold water on the doctors head. Yibei sighed at himself and ran back downstairs. He left the outpatient department and walked across the garden path towards the inpatient department. The closer he got, the more nervous he became. What if the barrier doesnt let me in? He wasnt sure if Jianglis maid had woken up yet. If she wakes up and finds that hes missing, would she report it to her mistress? No matter how you look at it, witch or not, if a patient were to mysteriously disappear, would that not be a cause of suspicion? He reached the inpatient department and stopped. After hesitating for a moment, he took a deep breath and stretched his arm forward. His fingertips danced around the boundary of the invisible barrier as if he were testing the waters. His heart beat faster and faster as his fingers approached the barrier, and his hands trembled uncontrobly. Just as he was about to touch the barrier, a slightly anxious voice came from behind him. Hey! Be careful! Come, let me help you. A woman rushed up from behind him and helped him forward, or rather, forced him forward. Seeing that he was approaching the inpatient building, his pupils shrank, and he murmured, Not good He could feel something poking his back, and he was stunned. He turned his head and saw a tall and voluptuous nurse with thick limbs and as strong as a bull. Why are you working as a nurse? If you work in the paediatrics department, I fear you might scare all the children there. Arent you a hemiplegic patient? How many times have I told you: dont run around alone, dont run around alone? Christ, what if you fall? The nurse rambled. Im not a hemiplegic patient Im just trembling! Yes! Actually, I He opened his mouth to exin himself but was stunned upon seeing that he was in the lobby of the inpatient department. I-I got in? He breathed a conscious sigh of relief. Did the barrier wear out? Or was it because I was restored to my original form? The nurse tugged him towards the elevator and sighed, Right, lets get you back to your room. I Lu Yibei thought for a bit before replying. Okay! I can never let her know that Im not a patient, or she might kill me in this elevator, he thought as he nced at the nurses fan-like palm that rested on his shoulder. After parting from the strong and voluptuous nurse, he walked around the building, looking for his own ward. Just as he was about to open the door to his room, he heard a conversation in the ward. He froze, and he quickly pressed himself against the door. Youre telling me you fell asleep, and when you woke up, he wasnt here, Jiangli interrogated. Yes. Im sorry, Miss, the maid said weakly. Last night, I felt very sleepy for no reason while watching over him, and when I woke up Miss! He isnt in any danger, right? He could hear Jiangli sighing, Dont worry; Ive sealed this building with a barrier. Only ordinary people and members of the Night Division can get in. His heart skipped a beat as he heard this: he was taken away in his sleep without alerting the maid, and only ordinary people or members of the Night Division could get in the hospital Does that mean a member of the Night Division kidnapped him? There must be a spy among us. Lets go out and look for him. Since hes injured, he shouldnt be able to get very far. Oh, Lu Yibei thought as he looked at his deep wound that had already healed into a light pink scar. He gritted his teeth before running away. As he was running, he paused as he saw a first-aid cart by the door of a ward. While the nurse was distracted by the patient she was tending to, he grabbed a pair of scissors and a roll of gauze. A few minutester In a bathroom in the corner of the hospital, intermittent groans and moans of pain could be heard. Ow mmph A patient suffering from haemorrhoids stood by the door of the toilet where the groans were the loudest. Hearing this, he couldnt help but show sympathy for that persons condition. I better leave you alone; good luck! A momentter Lu Yibeis appearance was pale and was covered withrge beads of sweat. He limped forward while leaning on the wall and cursing at himself. Perhaps it was because he was so ted that he was restored to his original appearance that he forgot that he was injured with a wound that was life-threatening. If he rushed back to the ward with a wound that had already healed into a scar, they would definitely be suspicious of him. With such a deep wound, nobody would believe that he would be able to recover overnight. Damn it! It hurts! he cursed. A few minutes earlier, in the toilet cubicle, he made up his mind to cut himself. Be a man! You have got to take risks! After several attempts at poking at his stomach, he painstakingly poked a bleeding hole through his stomach but He didnt realize that the pain would be absolutely unbearable because the scissors were unable to cut through his skin, which made him wince in pain with each attempt. The moment blood started to leak out, he almost fainted from the pain. Just as Yibei was cursing himself once again, the voice of the maid could be heard in front of him. Hey! What are you doing here all alone? He raised his head and said solemnly, I wanted to go for morning exercises. I-I always had the habit of doing this. You were stabbed in the stomach, and you want to do morning exercises? The maid narrowed her eyes. I just wanted to try, he nodded. But the wound tore, and the pain was unbearable, so I lifted myself onto this toilet. He unbuttoned his shirt, revealing a hastily wrapped gauze around his abdomen, and faint traces of blood stained the gauze. The maid absolutely could not believe her eyes. After a while, she put a palm to her head and sighed, For somebody who talks a lot, youre dumb as hell! There is no way you went to exercise after being stabbed! Seeing that the maid believed him, he heaved a sigh of relief. Chapter 37: The Sky Darkens Chapter 37: The Sky Darkens On the rooftop of the inpatient department The golden sun attempted to shine its gentle, warm rays of sunlight upon the rooftop, but it seemed as if something were blocking it from entering, dimming the entire rooftop. Squeak! The door to the roof swung open. Jiangli tidied up the silver strands of hair that fell upon her temples while leaning on her cane and limping towards the centre of the roof. In the centre of the roof, a yellow ying card was embedded into the concrete tiles, with an intricate ace of spades pattern printed on it. A faint, metallic lustre radiated from it. Jiangli bent down and yanked the card out of the ground. The sunlight started to shower upon her as if someone had just opened the curtains of a dark room. Holding the card between her fingers, she frowned and pondered for a moment before inserting the card back into the ground once again. When Jiangli returned to the ward, Lu Yibei changed into a hospital gown andy on his bed. He set up his bed table as breakfast arrived, and he was gobbling it like a hungry ghost. Within seconds, he stuffed a whole bunch of deep-fried dough sticks into his mouth. Seeing Jiangli enter the room, he swallowed the sticks that hadnt been chewed properly and took another sip of his porridge before sitting up straight and patting his chest. Were you that hungry? Jiangli asked indifferently. Yes- ack! Yibei coughed as he talked. The doctor told me there was a chance that my digestive system was damaged, so to be safe, I didnt eat. I starved for an entire day. I see, Jiangli replied as she stepped closer to Yibei. While Yibei was chowing down his food, she started to untie theces of his hospital gown. Thece came off in an instant, and the hastily wrapped bandages around his abdomen were revealed in an instant. H-hey! What are you doing? I dont remember this being in our contract! He eximed, covering his chest as he backed away. Satisfying any of your leaders requests is an unspoken rule that exists in all walks of life, is it not? She raised his chin as she leaned forward. The sunlight outside the window fell on her fair face, and from such a close distance, even the fine hairs on her face could be seen clearly. Yibei couldnt help but want to shout, Youre so beautiful! Of course, he couldnt say that. He would be shot dead on the spot. While he was in a daze, Jiangli pressed her fingertips against the wound on his abdomen. No psionic fluctuations? And no sign of night erosions Perhaps Im worrying too much. Jiangli took two steps back and said coldly, Your wound seems to be soaked in blood. Do you need me to call the doctor over? Yibei was brought back to reality and shook his head immediately, No, no! Am I a man if I cant handle a little blood? Dont worry about me! Is that so? Jiangli smirked. When we retrieved you from the resort yesterday, you were screaming: Oh, help me! Im dying! My intestines areing out! or when you started clinging onto Absolutely not! Yibei interjected. I am a man! Pain means nothing to me, so for you to use me of Last night, the resort was destroyed. Hearing Jianglis sudden interjection, his heart dropped to the floor as if Jiangli had figured out that he was the culprit. Thankfully, his facial paralysis prevented him from showing a panicked expression. Oh. What happened? Jiangli was silent as she studied his face and continued, Mr Rabbits ceremony was probably sessful, and that caused a fire to break out. The entire resort and the surrounding forests have burnt to ash. Damn! Yibei cursed loudly, and Jiangli was taken aback. That damned rabbit! He has the gall to kill anyone at any time, and now he decides tomit environmental vandalism? He said as he looked at Jiangli with passionate eyes. Every forest is a gold mine to human beings; I must bring that rabbit to justice! Jiangli stared at Yibei for a few seconds and blinked before rubbing her eyebrows, Theres no need to trouble you for that. You should look after yourself. Thats all I ask of you. Jiangli paused as she stared at Yibei before taking off her owl badge, which she handed to Yibei. This is for you. Yibei held the badge between his fingertipsit was cold, but it felt alive. He felt reassured and safe holding the badge. What is this? This is the special badge given to Night Division members, and it warns us of any fluctuations in psychic energy as well as transmits information between members, she exined. Carry it with you, she continued. If youre in another situation like Zhu Linglongs, then Ill know immediately. This way, your safety can be guaranteed. Yibei should feel grateful for this, but all he felt was worry and fear. He wasnt sure if it was even safe for him to hold this badge if he were to transform back into his other form. He figured he could just leave it on his nightstand since it was removable. Seeing Yibei staring at the badge in a daze, Jiangli tilted her head and asked, Any question? Oh, no! Im just so happy you gave me something like this. I dont know how Im ever going to repay you. Look, Ill do anything for you! he eximed. He decided to tter Jiangli so that she wouldnt worry about him. If he can get in touch with Jiangli less, then he will have less contact with her. Be calm, Jiangli said, disgusted. Every member of the Night Division is provided with one. I dont need your ttery; just be a good person. Yibei gulped. Jiangli put extra emphasis on the word person. Alright, take care of yourself. Ill take my leave, she said as she limped out of the ward. Yibei watched as she left, and the moment the door closed, his stomach groaned. He sighed as he grabbed yet another fried dough stick and stuffed it into his mouth. He had never felt so hungry in his life. He had already eaten seven or eight fried dough sticks and three to five bowls of porridge, and yet his hunger didnt even budge. His wound started to w at him, and Yibei spat out his dough stick. The wound! He tore open a small slit in his bandage and saw that his wound hadpletely scabbed over. After spending so much effort to harm himself, he couldnt believe that it had already healed in less than an hour. If Jiangli were to touch his wound when it healed, would she have noticed? Thinking of this, he felt hungry. He spent the rest of his day in peace. The sky gradually darkened, and he stood in front of the window, staring at the sun as it sank below the horizon. He felt anxious. The girl in his dream told him that being in the sun meant that his original appearance would be restored. If he were to transform when night falls, wouldnt his identity instantly be revealed? I need toe up with something, he said, biting his fingernails anxiously. The maid looked at Yibei as he looked out the window. Hey, dont you need to let your wound rest? No, no Then why do you look so anxious? Its as if youre in a constant state of constipation. Right, I have eyebrows, he thought as he straightened out his eyebrows. Is it really appropriate for you to be saying all of these things? Yibei asked. Im just here to look after you. Yibei shrugged, Cant help it. By the way, if I go out for a bit on my own, do you O-of course not! What are you nning to do? She instantly became vignt. Im warning you: Dont try to y any tricks, or Ill report it to my mistress! Im just asking, he shrugged. I have the habit of eating supper. Dont you eat supper too? Im sure someone like Jiangli would have the habit of Sensing that he was about to go on a tangent once again, the maid hurriedly interrupted him, Right. Supper. Ill deal with it; wait for me. The maid hurriedly left to get him his supper. Damn it. I dont think I can leave the ward through normal means, he thought. Do I sneak out? If I get caught, theyll get suspicious. As he thought about it, he nced out the window, and night approached like a veil covering the sky, and it didnt take long for the light in the ward to dim. The night was approaching. And Yibei felt as if his heart were stabbed by something, and then it started beating against his rib cage violently. Chapter 38: End Chapter 38: End The transition from evening to night was rapid, and the sky darkened rapidly. His heartbeat sped up unnaturally, and he turned pale as the maid returned to the room. I I need to go for a walk. He pushed past the maid, resisting his growing difort. Seeing this, the maid hurriedly ran in front of him and blocked the door. Absolutely not! My mistress told me that youre not allowed to leave after dark! Looking at the maids pouty face, a strong, unexinable resentment rose in his heart, and it started to echo in his ears. Bursts and shes of tiny, inaudible whispers wed at his eardrums. They roared, they cried, they giggled, they Shut up! Be quiet! Yibei yelled as he kneeled on the ground, and he wasnt sure if he was yelling to the whispers in his ears or to the maid blocking his way. The maid did not expect Yibeis sudden outburst and subconsciously shrank to the side. M-Mr. Rabbit is still out there! Its dangerous for you to be out there! No matter what, I cant let you out, she exined, firm and persistent. The difort in his chest became unbearable, and Yibei took a deep breath, attempting to mask the pain. I Im not a criminal, right? Just let me out for a bit, please. Absolutely not! I cant Hey! Taking advantage of her stupor, he pushed open the door of the ward and rushed out. She couldnt believe he would go against her orders, and she forgot to chase after him. With his back facing the maid, running towards him, Yibei waved his hand impatiently, Come on! Ill just take a walk around the hospital; Ill be back before dark! If I transform into a girl, I wont being back, though, he thought, quickening his pace. Seeing his hand, the maid opened her mouth in astonishment. You didnt have to shout at me! Fine! Go outside and die! Although she thought so in her heart, she sighed as she fiddled with the badge on her chest, rying the message to Jiangli. Miss? Yibei said he wanted to take a walk around the hospital. Should I follow him? With the little maids ability, she would be able to catch up to him in an instant. That was why she wasnt worried that Yibei had already disappeared from her sight. Soon, the badge trembled, and Jianglis voice could be hearding from it. If hes just going to take a walk around the hospital, let him. He isnt a criminal, so lets give him a little freedom. She couldnt believe that her mistress would say the exact thing that he said. By the way, Jiangli added. Be careful of any fluctuations of psychic energy around you. I understand. The final rays of sunlight dyed the hospital corridor an eerie, bloody red, and the whispers in Yibeis ears became more and more intense. It was as if the empty corridor he was in was crowded. His vision was blurry, and his senses were confused. Boom! He limped towards the familiar toilet and mmed the door open, then closed the door to the same stall that he was in. As soon as he locked the door, the whispering stopped, and he was left in silence once again. The intermittent dripping sounds of water in the toilet made this silence even more strange. The lights in the toilet werent on, so the entire toilet was plunged into darkness for a moment. Lu Yibei suddenly curled forward as he felt his chest being torn apart and a cold numbness spreading from his chest. He couldnt help but curl up and leant against the cubicles wall. Somethings about toe out of my body somethings about toe out of my body, out of my body, out of my body, my body His eyes began to burn.s It was as if his blood were ignited with fire, and golden light rushed along his blood vessels. He could feel every single pore opening, and sweat oozed out like a viscous liquid. The second the sweat touched his skin, it evaporated in wisps of white smoke. A hot current rushed straight into his heart along the blood vessels, colliding with the cool air in his lungs. He felt his heart stop for a moment, and he slumped on the floor in pain. Argh He felt as if he was about to explode at any moment. Outside the window of the bathroom, there were cards that mmed themselves onto the window, apanied by the sound of wings vibrating. He neither has the time nor the guts to leave the stall. The coolness in his body receded, reced by a scorching heat that rose his body temperature at a terrifying rate. Immediately afterwards, he felt as if his consciousness was in limbo, and he fell forward. His hands and cheeks touched the toilet bowl, and the smell of burnt stic was in the air. Im melting Im going to die The quaint murmur he heard when he swallowed the Witchs Egg suddenly shed through his mind, and unconsciously, he repeated it in his mouth. There is a mountain a woman. Look, a severe drought is stretching across the redndyoure hatching Im hatching! He bit through every word with great difficulty, and he could feel his voice bing shrill and tender. As soon as he spoke those words, he returned to normal, and the scorching heat that threatened to melt him cooled down in an instant. Crackle, crackle. The light in the bathroom flickered on twice, illuminating the whole bathroom in a pale white. He panted as he looked at his hands and was visibly shocked. I I didnt transform? He stood up and supported himself on the wall. Walking out of the cubicle, he looked out the window; the full moon under the night was like a bowl, and its silver light poured down like running water. He felt reborn. Leaving the bathroom, he saw a patient who was visibly pale and terrified. Judging from the patientsbel, he seemed to be suffering from anal-rted diseases. Seeing Yibei made him jump, and he spoke, Hey, um, are you okay? Oh? He was confused at first but replied. Im okay; I can withstand the pain. Listen to me, the patient sighed as he patted him on the shoulder. Cut it off. Long-term pain isnt worth your sanity. Excuse me? You were the one in the stall this morning, too, right? I can recognise your voice. Yibei was visibly confused before seeing the words haemorrhoids printed on the patients number te. Oh my god! Uh, its okay! Im okay! Pain like this means nothing to me! Watching Yibei walk away with a swagger, the patient silently gave him a thumbs up: Hes amazing. As soon as he turned the corner, he fell forward, catching himself on the wall. Returning to the corridor where his ward was located, he saw the maid staring at him with contempt in the distance. Where did you go? she reprimanded. Do you know what time it is? You didnt even wear the badge that my mistress gave you! Did you know that a strong psychic wave washed over the hospital just now? Of course. I do! Im the source of it! He thought secretly. However, he wasnt sure what a psychic fluctuation was. It seems that he had to change his hiding spot the next time he transforms. He was lucky to not be caught this time, but that didnt mean hed get away with it again. Isnt that horrible? he said in a terrified tone. What happened? Are we in danger? Oh, so youre scared now? The maid narrowed her eyes. Still want to take a walk at night? Absolutely not! Im really scared! You need to protect me! Hmph! Count yourself lucky. It only appeared for a few seconds before disappearing. Although she was teasing Yibei, she was terrified. That psychic wave was way more powerful than anything they had dealt with in the past. Stay in your room. Ill go do my rounds and inform my mistress. Wait a minute! What is it? Where did you keep my supper? Im hungry Boom! The maid mmed the door on him and left. Hey! Yibei shouted before sighing. Instant noodles. Thats all youre getting! The voice of the maid sounded from the corridor. Instant noodles didnt sound too bad after almost dying in the toilet. (END OF VOLUME 1) Chapter 39): Won’t You Get Hungry Soon? Chapter 39): Wont You Get Hungry Soon? Night fell, and it rained after a long time. Raindrops pattered down from the sullen sky, and the city was shrouded in a misty haze. In a deep and cramped alley in a vige in the Xicheng District, Huacheng A woman with an enchanting figure held a ck umbre, and her red high-heeled shoes rattled against the water-logged road. The deeper the alley was, the dimmer the light became, and a look of panic was evident on her delicate face. She felt like someone was following her! They were following her from the nightclub where she works to this alley! She subconsciously sped up her face and panted lightly; the soft cking sounds of her high heels became more and more intense. She turned her head sideways and looked behind her through the corner of her eye. The alley was empty, and all she saw was the rain pouring down. Even though she didnt see anyone, she kept on guard. She took a deep breath, put away her umbre, and rushed into the apartment building in front of her. She entered the elevator hurriedly, and she leaned against the wall. Just as she was about to catch her breath, she saw a figure appear through the gap in the elevator door that was about to close. It was a tall and bulky man who wore a ck trench coat. The drooping brim of his hat covered his face but exposed his bearded chin. The man stepped into the apartment lobby and looked left and right before locking eyes with the woman in the elevator. N-no! Her pupils shrank violently, and she frantically pressed the close button of her elevator. Seeing the strong man get closer and closer, the woman turned pale, and she was on the verge of copsing. Fortunately, the man was one step too slow, and his body mmed straight into the elevator door, making a muffled Boom! The elevator moved silently, and she exhaled the breath that she was holding. After dozens of seconds, the elevator opened. The corridor was dark, and the woman started to worry again. She leaned out of the elevator, waved her hand to activate the motion-sensor light in the corridor, and looked around. She walked out hurriedly and went straight to a door on the left side of the corridor. Standing in front of her unit, she tried to fish out the keys from her bag when she heard hurried, damp footstepsing from the stairwell behind her Like someone was running up in rain boots Her hands started to tremble and sweat, and she failed to insert the key into the keyhole. Just as she felt that the man was about to appear in the corridor, the lock clicked open, and she hurriedly opened the door and rushed in. Entering the room, she hurriedly turned around and closed the door when a big hand with ck gloves blocked her from doing so. Seeing this, she trembled violentlyher face paled, and her slender arms sped the edge of the door tightly. You! Who are you? What are you trying to do? Help! Help me! She couldnt resist the man at all, and she could only watch helplessly as the man squeezed his thick arms through the crack of the door. The next moment, she staggered backwards, and the two-meter-tall man towered over her. He closed the door to the apartment, and the woman came to her senses and cried, P-please, I beg you I can give you money, but please dont hurt me Hehehe! The womans begging seemed to arouse the twisted desire of the man even more, letting out bursts of malicious cackling. He approached her little by little and lifted her onto his shoulders. Her punches and kicks felt like air, and he walked towards the bedroom. Arms that were hard and cold like steel wrapped around her slender waist, and rough palms tightly locked her thighs together. Feeling the furry touch of this man, she realized that the man wasnt wearing ck gloves She froze upon feeling his hand, which was covered entirely in hair. Boom! The woman was roughly thrown on the bed, and her body collided with the hard, wooden bed. She retreated towards the corner of her bed in a panic, but a big hand grabbed her slender thigh and wed through her stockings, drawing blood on her fair skin. She trembled, screamed, and begged, but the burly man was indifferent. Then, everything fell into a dead silence. His sharp ws touched her throat, and there was a biting chill. The man grinned; moving his fingertips downwards, he traced over her delicate corbone, over herrge breasts, across her tiny waist, and each trace tore more fabric, leaving behind a trail of snow-white, pristine skin. The mans fingers rested on her lower abdomen, and he stared at her half-naked body with a pair of cloudy eyes. He stretched out his scarlet tongue and licked his hairy lips, and a pair of fangs were faintly visible before bending down and approaching the woman little by little. His hot and rough tongue tasted her neck as he trailed down her corbone, and the woman felt as if a slippery, warm snake was crawling on her neck. Her body trembled uncontrobly, and her face was pale. Her lips clenched tightly as if she were afraid that any sound would irritate the man. It was as if she were hypnotized; her eyes were blurred with tears, and she hugged the mans head with both arms. She arched into him and wrapped her slender legs around his huge body. For a moment, the manughed, filled with the joy of victory. The room became darker than before, and something surged and grew in the darkness. Palpitating screams echoed through a corridor in an apartment, and the revolting sounds of bones breaking and viscous liquid sshing could be heard. Boom! Lightning struck amidst the rain outside, and the dazzling light illuminated the dark room. A hard-line was projected on the blood-stained wall. The woman rode on the mans body, and her long hair was loose. A pair of rabbit ears were visible on her head, and in her hand was a crowbar, which she smashed down with all her might. One, two, three The man struggled but found that he couldnt budge. He let out a terrified cry mixed with pathetic whimpers akin to those of a dog. You youre an urban legend too? Shh! Dogs like you arent allowed to talk, or should I say bark? You wouldnt want to disturb the neighbours with our fun, would you? The woman purred in an ambiguous tone, but the smirk that was on her mouth said otherwise. Lust was present in her eyes, and she immediately hit the mans head with a crowbar. ng! With a crisp sound, the bedboard broke, and the mans deformed head sank into the crack of the bedboard. After a while, the lights in the room were turned on. The man, half human, half dog,y motionless on the bed. A hole the size of a fist was on his chest, and it bled constantly. Miss Rabbit leaned against the wall and sneered. She looked at the heart in her hand yfully before devouring it in a single bite. Feeling the Primordial Spirit surge in her body, she licked the corners of her lips. Thats the third one. My strength will recover soon, she purred. Soon, Ill be able to find that person, and Ill im my prize. Although she wasnt sure who stole the Witchs Egg, she believed that they would reveal themselves soon because Wont you get hungry soon? Im so hungry! Can I please get something to eat? Yibeiy on the bed, writhing on it like a maggot. All you do is eat! Do you do anything other than eat? the maidined. Thats the problem. You and Jiangli dont let me do anything! If this continues and my limbs stop working, you will take responsibility! The little maid rolled her eyes and said angrily, Its obvious that you dont want to enrich yourself, and yet you have the nerve toin? Didnt my mistress say that she would bring you some books? She did, but not the one I wanted! She told me she cant take the [Night Division Records] out, and I would have to read it in person when I recover! He wanted to read the records as soon as possible. During his hospitalization, he confirmed that the existence described in the strange murmur he heard when absorbing the Witchs Egg was a female demon, and he cross-checked across different materials. However, those materials were limited to stories of legends, and the descriptions varied greatly. If he could get his hands on the [Night Division Records] You can still read other books! Or study! I dont know whats going on in that head of yours! Okay, okay! What do you want me to do? Kneel? Kiss your feet? Well, yes! Do that! Yibei shrank in disgust and yelled, Damn! Dont you have any humanity left in you? Im stuck in his hospital, and you want me to study? The maid sighed. By the way, when will I be discharged? Its taking awfully long. Is it because I havent bribed her? he asked. Absolutely not! I believe that mydy is not that type of person; she is high-spirited, fair, honest, and has a strong sense of justice. She gave up her family to serve the people, so I shall follow in her footsteps, and oh. She realised she spoke too much and stared at Yibei, and she swore she could see his eyes swirl with emotion. Chapter 40): I Am The Greatest Mole Chapter 40): I Am The Greatest Mole Youll be discharged from the hospital today, Jiangli said as she walked into the ward. Yibei looked into Jianglis eyes; they were clear, but they werent very human-like. It filled him with a strange emotion. He was worried she could gather clues from him. What? Jiangli tilted her head, seeing that Yibei didnt respond. Dont you want to be discharged from the hospital? Let him go through the procedures. Understood, miss. The maid left to get the documents needed, and only Yibei and Jiangli were left in the ward. Jiangli walked to the sofa, straightened her skirt, and sat down. She continued staring at Yibei, which made him feel uneasy, Am I making you ufortable? she sighed. Shall I go outside? Yes! I mean no! Wait Realizing he had made a slip of the tongue, he was stunned: W-wait, my leader, listen to me. Im not uneasy because of you; well, I am, but Jiangli simply got up and left the ward. A few minutester, in front of the hospital gate The silver-haired girl was wearing a ck tunic and a long, ck chiffon skirt. She leaned on a cane and stood by the side of the road, and her ck boots concealed the ws in her legs. Her exquisite appearance,bined with gothic fashion, attracted the attention of people from time to time, but nobody came forward to strike up a conversation with her. They were admiring her beauty, like watching the pristine moons reflection in the water. Nobody was willing to reach out to the waters for fear that they might disturb the scene. She stood there alone, frowning. Letting Yibei be discharged from the hospital was a decision she made after several days of consideration. However, she wasnt sure if it was the correct decision. He had a very special ability to locate Mr Rabbit by touching the scissors that he used. If Yibei bes a psychic user, there is a high probability that he will survive. Hence, he will be a great addition to Huachengs Night Division. Jiangli, An Qing, and Li Xuan all felt that recruiting Lu Yibei was a good idea, but Bai Kai She didnt me him for his outburst; she didnt me him for acting like a child; she didnt me him for poking out the tires of Li Xuans car; she didnt me him for pouring red paint into An Qings blood sma storage She couldnt ever me him. Those who were able to track urban legends have always had a big target painted on their back. Bai Kai was afraid. He was afraid that Yibei might die. However, even if Yibei didnt join them, would he really be safe? It has been ten days since the night of the fire at the resort. The Night Division spent a lot of manpower and resources on tracking the Witch, but no trace of her has been found. If news spread that Lu Yibei could track her down, he would be in danger. Of course, a newly-born witch would have to consolidate her strength, so they would go into hiding to gather their strength. This canst for weeks, months, or even years. Although keeping him in the hospital would guarantee his safety, it was inhumane. When Yibei came out of the hospital, he was in a red tracksuit while holding onto a toilet seat He stood in front of the hospital gate and bathed in the bright sunshine, breathing in the fresh air. Finally, Im out of this prison. For the past ten days, not only did he have to self-harm to trick the doctor, but he also had to endure the pain of transforming every evening as well as avoid the maids suspicious eyes. This is not something ordinary people should go through. He saw Jiangli at a distance and frowned. Standing together, they will inevitably attract attention. Just by looking at their clothes, no one would think that these two would have anything inmon. However, the doubts in the hearts of the strangers soon disappeared, realizing that they did, in fact, have some simrities. They both seem to have facial paralysis. Were you waiting for me? Jiangli nodded as she nced at the toilet seat he was holding. I need to tell you something, Jiangli said. As long as it doesnt involve sending me to die, Ill do my best, he patted his chest. Dont worry about that, she said tly. Im just exining to you what you need to do once you get back. Right! he said, swinging his toilet seat. Tell me, Im ready! Put that down, would you? she reprimanded coldly. Once you get back, if you encounter anything strange, contact me as soon as possible. In addition, after your sses, spare some time ande down to the Night Division. Every day? he frowned. Didnt you say you wanted to read the [Night Division Records]? She tilted her head. If you read it by yourself, there might be some things you dont understand. I can guide you. Jiangli thought that she could teach Yibei about the various urban legends as well as somemon traits of psychic powers and energies. This way, she couldpensate for risking his life as well as ensure his safety. Ah, but I thought An Qing was the one who taught neers. Dont you want me to teach you instead? she asked. Thats fine. I can arrange for An Qing to help you out. Although she spoke without expression, he could feel like there was a threat underneath her words. N-no. Im d if youre willing to teach me. Good, she nodded in satisfaction. I checked your schedule, by the way. Youre free after two oclock in the morning tomorrow, soe by the Night Division around two thirty. By the way, she continued, ncing at the toilet seat. That thing I bought it before I got injured, and they kept it at the hospital for me. Ah. She rubbed her eyebrows. Want me to drive you back? Ah, Hua should be here soon with the car. Nope! Ill get myself a taxi, he boasted. In the past two days, I snatched a bunch of taxi vouchers. Isnt it crazy? The fare is 10 yuan, but I only have to pay 0.2 yuan! Jiangli was visibly annoyed at him and turned away. How could I have ever suspected that such a guy would have anything to do with that newborn witch? I think too much. Soon, Ah Hua, the maid, took Jiangli home. After watching them leave, Yibei didnt return to his house but asked the driver to take him to the apartmentplex near his university. The house was way too close to the Night Divisions headquarters. If he fails to control his transformation one night, itll all be over. If he transforms within proximity of the Night Division, they might think that he is dering war on them and kill him on the spot. Hell, even death would be a mercy. Until he could figure out what the girl in his dream meant by every few days in a month, he would never step foot on Peony Street. He sighed. I have be an urban legend, yet I am still affiliated with the Night Division. Doesnt that mean that Im the worlds biggest mole? What should I do? Chapter 41): My Friends at Home Chapter 41): My Friends at Home Squeak! Turning the door handle and pushing the door open, a thinyer of dust greeted Lu Yibeis face. He frowned, covering his mouth and nose with one hand, and walked into the apartment. He was gone for a mere ten days, and yet it was as if no one had lived here for the past year or two. The dust in the air fell upon him like a veil; everywhere he moved, the dust moved like ripples in ake. In an instant, his eyes burnt and beckoned him to look upwards. In his cool-toned living room, tiny streamers flew across the room, and a few figures were revelling at his huge coffee table. Eyeballs that bounced up and down in an endless manner, a mottled wig, a tattered, white nightgown, a pair of dentures that was smoking a cigarette, the coat that was cursed by Mr Rabbit, anthropomorphic figures that twisted among the shadowshis entire apartment was like a gathering for these strange things. Fine dust particles would orbit around them before shooting out at high speeds as if their bodies were a slingshot. What the hell? A disco for urban legends? Yibei couldnt help but stare at the scene before him. It was no wonder why his house would be so dustythese guys were the culprits! Although he was aware of their existence before this, seeing it with his own eyes made him feel a bitplicated. There wasnt any point in being afraid. He knew that urban legends existed: Hell, Im an urban legend myself. Just as he was staring at these figures, they, too, noticed him staring at them. They immediately froze in ce, and their bodies trembled uncontrobly. It was as if they were a group of elementary school students who were caught red-handed by their teacher. excuse me? Shouldnt I be the one whos afraid? Im back, Yibei muttered expressionlessly, putting on his house slippers and walking upstairs. Tap, tap, tap, tap! With each step he took, the sound of someone falling off his bed could be heard as well. The moment Yibeis figure disappeared from the living room, the apparitions in his living room scurried around as if they were fleeing for their lives, emitting strange noises as they darted around the room. Terrible! Horrible! Run! Escape! The owner of this apartment unit has never interfered with their lives because he minded his own business. However, the owner has transformed into a terrifying entity; there was absolutely no way they could continue living here. If they werent careful, they might be prey to her! Yibeiid on his bed, about to take a nap. When he heard themotion downstairs, his brows furrowed as he yelled, Hello? What does a man have to do to get some rest? Pipe down! In an instant, the living room was silent. He nodded in satisfaction andid back down. In his lucid state, he could vaguely hear a faint, furtive discussion in his ears. Shall we go? We have nowhere to go. We might die out there! What should we do then? I think its better for us to His vision went dark as he fluttered into dreand. When he was conscious again, the sky outside the window was a scarlet red. Before he knew it, it was past five oclock in the afternoon. He slept for more than five hours. Damn it, he cursed as he frantically got dressed, rushing downstairs in a panic. He was just about to go out to find a suitable ce for him to deal with his daily pain, but as soon as he stepped into the living room, he couldnt help but stop. Looking around, his whole apartment was clean, with not a single speck of dust on any surface. The previously messy coffee table was now spick-and-span, and the decorative items on it were neatly arranged. His floor-to-ceiling ss windows were polished brightly, which made him think that someone had stolen them. Even his greasy kitchen walls were cleaned up perfectly, and a bowl of steaming hot beef noodles was prepared for him. Christ! he gasped. Did I hire a maid? He knew that he had no noodles or beef stored in his home. Isnt this weird? He didnt want to eat it either. What if it was poisoned? However The aroma of the noodles tempted him, beckoning him closer and closer. He swallowed hard; he was incredibly hungry, oh-so hungry In fact, if he wasnt hungry, he wouldve continued sleeping. Psst! It doesnt seem like he wants to eat it! Does he hate us? I almost got caught trying to steal the beef next door! Im going to beat him up! Come on! Think of something! Told you we shouldve moved. Lu Yibei frowned as he heard the whispersing from behind his refrigerator. He picked up the bowl of noodles, walked over to the dining table, and sat down wordlessly. Technically, these are my tenants. They wouldnt dare to do anything bad, right? he thought. Look! Hes going to eat it! I told you we shouldveced it with poison! Shh! What if he hears us? Yibei was sure that there was no poison in the noodles, and yet he couldnt help but feel a little angry. ncing at the refrigerator, he took a deep breath before diving right into the bowl of noodles. Slurp! Slurp! Slurp! The noodles were cooked just right, with just the right chewiness; the beef was soft but not overcooked; and the soup stock was fragrant but not overwhelming. He devoured the bowl of noodles in a matter of seconds, and his whole body felt warm. His hunger was swept away as he pushed the bowl away from him. The moment he pushed the bowl, he swore he could hear countless sighs of reliefing from behind his refrigerator. He got up and walked over to it. He bent down and was just about to say something before countless figures and apparitions dashed past him. Run! Hesing! He can hear us! Oh God, he can hear us! Ah He was dumbfounded. Dont run. I wont hurt you. Yibei couldnt help butugh at himself. He didnt expect to be the one to tell these urban legends that he wouldnt hurt them. Just a reminder, he coughed. Please dont go around stealing my neighbours stuff. You might scare the soul out of them. To him, their existence was eptable. If it was the Yibei before this, it might be a different story. All the shadows and figures were silent as if they were discussing amongst themselves secretly. Ill pretend that you all heard it, he sighed as he stared at the motionless apparitions. Ill be gone for a while, so dont cause any trouble. After leaving his apartment, he took the elevator all the way up to the top floor and then climbed the stairs all the way to the rooftop. The nights had be long, so there werent many sr panels out. Only a few bulky water tanks were standing proudly on the roof. The barely empty rooftop was dyed a brilliant orange, and it was as if Yibei was in a dream. He found a stone step and sat down, facing the sunset. As the sun disappeared under the horizon, familiar whispers began to tickle in his ear, apanied by the violent beating of his heart. A bloody and cold aura started to envelop him violently. Feeling the cold air spreading through his body, he couldnt help but tense up, grasping the edge of the stone steps firmly. Immediately, the sky was plunged into darkness, and a crescent moon soon revealed itself in the sky. The next moment, a scorching heat set his body aze. He was mentally prepared for this, but the intense heat that tugged at the cold air within his body left him incredibly ufortable and painful. Argh The painsted a few seconds, and he began to chant the secret words. There is a mountain, and there is a woman. Look! A severe drought stretches across this rednd. Youre hatching, and Im hatching! White smoke emitted from him, and the heat remained in his body. He was visibly confused. Theres a mountain, and there is a woman. Nothing changed. A mountain argh! His pupils shrank upon the third spell, and he keeled forward in severe pain. N-no, this isnt right. I did everything right, but Im still transforming Chapter 42): She’s Hungry Chapter 42): Shes Hungry The heat surged uncontrobly in his body, and he could feel his heartbeat beating erratically. He could feel his limbs and organs melting. All he could do was curl up in a foetal position. Argh Mmph When the girl in his dream said that there are a few days in a month, did she mean that this transformation process couldnt be suppressed by any means? He could feel his heart drop beyond the pain; if he didnt leave the hospital today, the consequences would be disastrous. He could feel his consciousness enter a trance, and he didnt know what was real anymore. He was the living embodiment of a bonfire, and his soul and body were firewood. His vision was soon shrouded in mes, and soon the mes overtook his vision. Then He didnt know how long it had been, but soon she felt aforting cold wash over her. A cloud of white smoke emitted from her body as the mes were being extinguished, and the pain went with the mes. As she opened her eyes, she saw her slender, pristine hands that had dug into the ground before her. She took a deep breath and copsed on the ground. When the evening wind blew, it was like a gentle hand that caressed her body. Feeling the coolness on her body, her pupils shrank. F*ck! She immediately crossed her legs and shielded her chest; her clothes had been burnt to ash, and her mobile phone had been reduced tova. My phone! I just bought that! She couldnt help but curse in her heart. She bought that phone after serious consideration and began to curse this ability of hers. However, after thinking about how this ability was the thing that saved her life, she stopped theints in her heart. Yibei stood up and bid farewell to her mobile phone, leaving the rooftop. She walked down the stairwell and hid in the shadows. The stairwell was fully dark, and since it waste, the possibility of meeting other people was very low. She thought about taking the elevator, but if she were to meet someone in her naked state, it would be incredibly awkward! At that point, the entire apartment might explode (literally)! Due to humankinds inherent fear of the dark, nobody would ever take the staircase. The motion-sensor lights in the stairwell were rarely repaired, so it was shrouded in darkness. The stairwell had a strange, stale smell. asionally, the lights would flicker. Within the stairwell, there would be piles of various items scattered across the bases of the stairwell. Why do I feel so scared? Even if something pops out, I can Christ! Yibei leapt backwards upon seeing a human figure staring her down. Upon closer inspection, it was simply an intable sex doll. She may look calm on the surface, but her long, glowing scarlet hair betrays the panic in her heart. Her petite hands gripped the metal handrail, unknowingly making it melt. The stairs before her were submerged in darkness, and she plunged into them. There seemed to be something surging and dashing around in the dark. A sense of hunger came over her like a wave, and she couldnt help but swallow her saliva. Why am I hungry? She tried ignoring it, but the hunger pangs soon started stabbing at her as if she hadnt eaten for several days. Her brain was overwhelmed by hunger, and her only thought was to eat. In Yibeis apartment, in the darkness, several apparitions gathered at the coffee table. Did you feel that? I feel unsafe, the wig whispered. Youre right, the pair of false teeth sighed. If we leave here, where do we go? Im afraid we dont have much of a choice. Or, lets kill him! The eyeball leapt up and down. Humans like to take a bath, so lets ambush him in the shower! Humans, one of them emphasised. He is no longer human. If he doesnt die, were the ones who will die instead. Then, what should we do? Do we just let him do what he pleases? I cant ept this! I still think we should move. Knock knock! Open the door, please, a girl groaned outside. Is that him? the figures whispered amongst themselves. Come on, open the door! I know all of you are inside! The girl wailed again, and a wave of fiery energy washed over the entire room. The figures looked at each other and dashed towards their hiding spots. ck shadows flew across the room, the coat crumpled into a ball being pushed by the eyeballs, and the teeth skittered across the floor. The coat mmed into a door. Knock, knock, knock! The coat struggled to get up. When it turned around, it found that the other apparitions had long since disappeared. Come on, I heard you inside! Please open the door! The coat violently trembled as it crept towards the door. Its sleeves were tremblingly wrapped around the doorknob, twisting slowly. Click! The door was swiftly pushed open by someone outside, and then a petite figure with fiery, scarlet hair rushed in and rushed towards the refrigerator. Is she him? Ive been dead for many years, but this is the first time Ive seen something like this, the false teeth whispered. This is her true form, the wig gulped as Yibei started devouring random things in her fridge. Look at how hungry she is! As she continued devouring the food, a wave of nausea washed over her, and she retched all of the food she had eaten. Ack! The strong hunger that invaded her soul seemed to hunger for something else. The scent of ordinary human food made her sick to her stomach. She could smell the other figures in her apartment. They smelled damp, but her instinct wed at her brain. These figures can relieve her hunger. These things can save her. Yibei turned around, staring at the figures hiding spot. W-what do we do? the fake teeth trembled. Suddenly, the eyeballs yelled, What are you doing? Run! Shes going to eat us! With their yelling, the figures started to dash around the room. Chapter 43): Hunting Urban Legends Chapter 43): Hunting Urban Legends Bits of moonlight were cast through the window, drawing a vague outline within the apartment. In the darkness, dark figures shuttled through the room at a high speed, leaving specks of dust in their wake. Im so hungry, the girl whispered in a deep, guttural voice. In the next moment, the temperature in the apartment rose rapidly. The cold and damp atmosphere was dispelled in an instant. In the darkness, the petite girl was like a beacon as she opened her eyes. Misty, fiery orbs illuminated the room, and her scarlet hair moved without wind, like boneless limbs that danced lightly behind her. She panted heavily, and white smoke lingered in the air. Smoke emitted from her body rapidly, apanied by the violent heaving of her chest, like a demon god that crawled out of the gates of hell. Intense energy fluctuations flooded the apartment and, like a pair of invisible hands, ripped apart all the figures in it. In the next moment, she stretched her slender arm out, grasping the wig that crashed into her hand firmly. You seem delicious. Please dont eat me! the wig yelled. I am hair! I have no meat! Im not delicious at all! The other apparitions hid close by, and they could see her lips slightly parting as she crept closer to the wig. Shes going to eat me! Im going to die! Lu Yibei snapped out of her daze as she held the wig in her hand. Although her instincts yelled at her to eat the wig in her hand, her reason told her that she couldnt do that. These silly little apparitions are her neighbours. She couldnt possibly kill them. Hey! Over here! From the corner of her eye, she caught a glimpse of the eyeballs flying towards her at high speeds. She turned her body and intercepted them in mid-air. Down here! She looked down, seeing the pair of false teeth kneeling before her. O Great Witch, eat me instead! Please let them go! I tried to escape this world by dying, but I am bound to it! Please, free me! Is everyone listening? Im not going to hurt any of you; Im sorry, she whispered. The apparitions didnt believe her. At least for now. Yibei let the wig and eyeballs go, and she watched as they ran into the shadows. As she watched them run, her predatory instincts yelled at her to pounce at them. No they are stinky and damp. I cant eat them. Inedible. Absolutely not. Tell me, she gulped. You have been urban legends for quite a while now She figured that she could find a solution to her problem if she just asked them. Meanwhile, in the darkness, a human figure crept from the shadowsall of the apparitions formed a human shape using the wig, the eyeballs, the false teeth, and so on. Wearing the nightgown and coat too This is my seventh year, the wig said. Three for me! Just one, the nightgown said meekly. Too long. I cant remember what its like to be human. The coat didnt, or couldnt, speak. Perhaps it was a newborn urban legend. Very good, Yibei nodded. Then, I assume you know whats going on with me: Im hungry, and I want to eat you. We do! We know! the human yelled as it took a step back. Its the night Something about psychic sh*t. Okay she didnt really understand. Just tell me how to solve my problem. The human said in unison, Absorb psychic energy! How? We are simply urban legends, so simply existing and devouring ambient psychic energy is enough for us. Do you see the asional shes of light that appear in your vision without exnation? That is ambient psychic energy. You need to eat something bigger. You could kill! the eyeball spoke up. The fat woman downstairs has a primordial spirit much greater than normal humans. I rmend targeting her since shes vulnerable- Before the eyeball could finish speaking, Yibei crushed it with psychic energy, and it was ttened, fluttering onto the floor. Are there any methods that dont involve hurting people? Its fine. Many high-ranking urban legends do this. Is that so? she frowned but suddenly smiled. How about I hunt urban legends? Sure, you just need to Nine fifty-seven in the evening. Huacheng, Linjiang Avenue. The ink-ck sky was permeated with a dense fog that filled the streets by the uninhabited river. Two or three lights would peek out through the gaps in the thick fog. A girl with long, chestnut hair and a red scarf sat by the river bank, eating a matcha-voured Pocky. Her slender legs were wrapped in white knee-high socks and short deerskin boots. 12:00 a.m., Linjiang Avenue. Its strange and has a funny walk, yet it carries an ominous aura. You cant ever meet it. If it sees you, it is difficult to escape. Perhaps you should dwell in the murky water. Task: At midnight, kill the river ape ghost near Linjiang Avenue. Reward: 200 points, a copy of its essence.] After reading her mission, Gu Qianqian pouted, System, what the hell is this? Cant I exchange the essence for something else? It sucks! The system didnt reply. System? Are you there? Hellloooo? If you arent here, Im going home. Yes, the system said with a monotone voice, but she swore she could hear it gritting its teeth. Just ept the essence. You need it to be stronger. But it tastes so bad! You must eat it even if it tastes bad. This is the only way you can be stronger and save the world. System? Yes? Im curiousyou can see the near future and ways to be stronger. Why not use it on yourself? You dont need me to save the world. The system was cursed inwardly. It needed toe up with something to fool her. Everyone has a role to y during the end of the world. My destiny is to assist you, and you are the one destined to save the world! Fine. The system couldnt believe she had bought that lie. Chapter 44): Hunting Urban Legends is a Dangerous Thing Chapter 44): Hunting Urban Legends is a Dangerous Thing Yibei never thought that he would take up reading a newspaper again. The body went missing at night, and two dayster, it was found under the pier. The victim supposedly drowned but died with a smile on his face she pondered as she caressed the fake teeth that were perched on her shoulder. Do you usually read the news? she asked the fake teeth. Sometimes, the news is hard to decipher. Some people are alive but dead, and some are dead but alive. Paying close attention to news like this reminds me that there is a sense of reality left in the world. Yibei nodded, having a little understanding of the personalities of her roommates. The fake teeth are pessimistic, the eyeballs are filled with a fiery rage, the wig is cunning, the nightgown is introverted and shy, and the coat is just stupid. So, should I head over to, lets see, Linjiang Avenue? she wondered. How can I guarantee that itll appear? The night is long! Itll definitely appear tonight, the eyeballs bounced. Something shed in Yibeis eyes. From the eyeballs words, she guessed that on some nights, urban legends would be more active. Could the girl in his dream be referring to this? Whats so special about tonight? Yibei asked. Urban legends be stronger over the next few nights. How did you think I had the power tounch myself at you? The eyeballs bounced back. Yibei quickly went upstairs to her room. She cant hunt urban legends while naked. She still had an image to maintain. All the apparitions in the room were secretly relieved that she was going to be out for a while. However Ah! They could see her running straight to the kitchen as she poured several buckets of water on herself, and steam would violently surge from her petite body. She stood in the kitchen, her long, pink hair drenched in water and sticking to her back. Wisps of steam wafted from her hair, and her face was flushed red. Whats going on with her? Is she going crazy? I think we should run. The wig noticed her shorts that were burnt down to a few rags and said, I think it might be that She originally wanted to put random articles of clothing on her, but only then did she realise the biological difference between male and female bodies. And because of these differences, the sensitivity of some parts wasnt exactly the same. As the shirt she wore brushed across her chest, a strong sense of shame erupted in her heart, and she identally set her clothes aze. As she thought about it, the hunger, which she had tried so hard to suppress, resurfaced again. Her stomach folded inward, and she could feel her stomach acid bubble. Yibei swallowed hard as she eyed the apparitions that stalked her living room. Should I just eat them? O G-great Witch! Please calm down; dont m-make decisions youll regret! Y-yes! We can t-talk it out! Just let her eat me. Shut up! Can you get me something to wear that wont burn? The figures looked at each other before their gazes fell on the coat that was ying with its sleeves in the corner. That! the figures yelled in unison. The night was dark. It started to rain at some point; you couldnt tell where the raindrops wereing from. In the dead of night, on an avenue, a man in a delivery uniform was running wildly. His shoes were kicked off at an unknown time. Even if the raised stones on the road scratched at his skin, even if the muddy water stung at his wound He had no intention of stopping. He didnt want to stop. Because there is a monster chasing after him! Although he didnt see the monster, he could feel it. It prowled after him; it seemed to be one with the shadows. It pressed forward with a coldness that shook him; its malice shook his soul to its core. The terrifying oppression washed over him, and he could suffocate from its presence alone. He yelled for help, but nobody responded. The streetmps shone dimly, and the thick fog lingered on the endless street. The man began to me himself for not listening to his friends advice. Dont go out delivering orders at night! Its not worth risking your life! He chuckled dryly at the thought but gasped heavily as he gradually approached his physical limit. Every time he inhaled, a strong putrid stench would flood his nostrils like a thousand rotten fish that swam along his nasal cavity. Sharp scales and sharp bones crushed his lungs, dripping with blood. The unbearable difort caused the man to cough violently, and every time he coughed, he would cough up muddied river water mixed with scales and nt debris. His vision began to blur. The streetmps flickered intermittently; they distorted and morphed as if some strange force was manipting them. Cold, terrified, exhausted He couldnt hold on anymore, and his body fell backwards. However, the violent impact never came. The waterlogged road was pitch ck, and the man fell on his own shadow like a cushion. The shadow under him seemed alive, and a pale hand protruded from the shadow. The hands were divided into countless branches of new hands, which covered his eyes, mouth, and nose. The hands pulled him under, and he sank to the ground with a plop. As if he were falling into a pool, water rushed into his nostrils. Stone, sand, and scum broke into his respiratory tract in an instant, and he felt more suffocated than drowning. He coughed violently once again, and countless tiny pieces of debris were forced out of his mouth and nose. As if he were hallucinating, he heard an explosion, followed by a piercing scream that echoed in his ears. Hiss! It was like a hiss that came from a bird. W-what? Hehehe! It is I, your saviour. I am the incarnation of justice, born in the dark. I walk under the night, purging all filth. With my Sword of Light, apanied by a demon-ying system, I am the Unstoppable Red Scarf, and I Y-youre too noisy, the man forced out before he passed out. Ah Gu Qianqian sighed as she pouted. It seems like she needs to rehearse her slogan more. [Completed Daily Mission: Do Good Deeds! (1/1). You have received 10 points.] 10 points! One more prize draw! she thought excitedly. However, a disgusting smell of dead fish rushed into her nostrils. Looking in the direction of the stench, the road ahead was shrouded in a thick fog. Strange howling could be faintly heard, and the asphalt road seemed to boil with ripples that surged violently. In an instant, the ripples reached her feet. And she, too, sank under the floor without a trace. In the distance, a figure wearing arge red and white coat crouched in the corner, and the bushes concealed her petite self well. Damn it, the girl cursed. Hunting urban legends is scary. Chapter 45): Shall I Tell You a Story? Chapter 45): Shall I Tell You a Story? It was half an hour before Lu Yibei witnessed Gu Qianqian being dragged underground by the urban legend. Jingyi Apartment. Putting on the coat cursed by Mr Rabbit, Yibei stood in front of the mirror and checked herself out. Her petite body was wrapped in arge red and white coat, and her long skirt hung down to her knees. It was as if a little girl had stolen her fathers coat. I look cute! An inexplicable sense of shame rose in her heart in an instant. She couldnt believe she was calling herself cute. She started to blush, causing the ambient temperature to rise rapidly. The coat shifted uneasily, and Yibei apologised as she rubbed the coat gently. She took a deep breath before turning around and opening the guitar bag at the entrance. She folded her hands together and prayed to the statue of Ac, the Immovable. After transforming into a witch, her apparently slender arms were much stronger than expected. Before this, moving the statue would have been difficult, but now she can easily lift it with one hand. Yibei hase into contact with too few urban legends, not exceeding ten, and five of them are in the room with her right now. Hence, her gauge of power is very vague. She was worried she might not be able to defeat her target. Plus, she didnt know how to conjure a fireball! And she was a fire witch! How could a witch not be able to cast any spells? Just to be on the safe side, she decided to bring the statue of Ac, the Immovable. It was a Level D Psychic Item, so it should be able to help her out. However, How did Shui get his hands on this? Could he be a member of? She decided to ask himter to find out. She held the statue under her arm with one hand and went out the door. Coming to a straight road in themunity, she stared ahead and let out a breath before running forward. She ran faster and faster, and the scenery flew by in the corner of her eye. When her speed reached its peak, she mmed her foot on the ground, and her body flew towards the sky like a cannonball, with a little tail me trailing behind her. And just like a cannonball, she drew an arc in the sky and plunged into the man-madeke in themunity. In a few minutes, Yibei stopped a taxi at the intersection near the university. Im in a hurry; take me to Linjiang Avenue. The car started, and she sat in the back row as she hugged the statue of Ac, the Immovable. She looked out the window, and she could see her own reflection. If what the mysterious girl said was true and that I might destroy the world in the future, would she have known that Shui was a member of the Night Division? Is that why she doesnt want me toe into contact with them? Shui was the only person she was close to in this world. If possible, she wants Shui to remain ignorant of her situation. However, if the newspaper reports strange urrences, then the Night Division would be alerted to them. Ever since Yibei got on the taxi, the taxi driver kept watching her through the rearview mirror, hesitating to speak. Little girl, where is your family? Did you have an argument with them? Ah, she was stunned by the break in silence. No, Im alone. I just want to take my mind off some things. Haha! the driver cheered. Its okay; you need a break from life sometimes. By the way, why are you going to Linjiang Avenue? It isnt a good ce there. Rumour has it that there are a lot of urban legends there! I heard a man drowned because of them there, and he died smiling. The worst part was that, during the autopsy, his lungs were filled with mud and fish eggs! Yibei gulped as she looked at the driver through the rearview mirror, and her brows furrowed. Wait, you again? Thats right. Its the same taxi driver who took the boy Yibei to Flowers and Sunshine Resortst time! Are you scared? I made it up based on real events! he chuckled. Take it with a grain of salt. Oh! I wasnt scared; in fact, I found it interesting! Let me tell you a story, too. Oh! Please do; I run a talk show, so I need more material! A long time ago, there was a fisherman and a woman. They gave birth to a daughter with naturally snow-white hair. Seeing her strange appearance, they were worried about their daughters future, so they arranged a marriage for her early on. As time went by, they started to regret doing so as she became more and more beautiful, and soon they were unwilling to let their daughter marry into the family. They didnt know that their daughter had fallen in love with the fool. Soon, the fool died, and the engagement was dissolved. On the day of his funeral, the daughter crept into his coffin and was buried with him. Staying in the dark and airtight coffin, she became very hungry. Well, she had a good meal. Haha! the driverughed as he wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling that the taxi was bing strangely hot. Looking in the rearview mirror, he could see a delicate face that was expressionless and lifeless, and his heart skipped a beat. Thats interesting, he said weakly. By the way, didnt you ask me why I was going to Linjiang Avenue? Im going home. Screech! Get out, please. If you dont get out, I-I-Ill call the police! Are you sure? Ill pay you. No. Get out now. Get out! the driver trembled. The moment Yibei got out of the car, the taxi sped away. Did I overdo it? Yibei wondered. For some reason, she felt a little less hungry. Chapter 46): No! You Are Too Ugly! Chapter 46): No! You Are Too Ugly! The surrounding area fell into a dead silence. No stars, no moon. The clouds hung low, and the streets were shrouded in a strange fog. She shrugged and adjusted her posture, gingerly holding the statue close to her. Walking on the street, she couldnt help but wonder if scaring the driver made her less hungry. If her making up a story was able to feed her ever-so-slightly, wouldnt the driver be an incredibly strong psychic user by now, considering that he runs a horror show? Perhaps he was hiding the fact that he was strong. Coat, do you know whats going on? The coat simply shook her. Forget it. Its useless to ask you. It seems that she can only ask Jiangli tomorrow. Before the long nights when urban legends run amok, Linjiang Avenue is an excellent choice for ate-night walk. The wide street was filled with towering trees and cheery flowers, and there were benches that allowed for rest. Now, it ispletely deserted. The streets were covered with withered branches and flowers, and the benches had a thickyer of dust. She walked along the avenue but stopped immediately. The surrounding fog became thicker, and even the light from the streetmp had trouble piercing through it. When she turned around, the road from where she hade had disappeared. The smell of mud and dead fish permeated the air, and, at that moment, a loud ssh could be heard. She saw a group of palm-sized fish with bodies as pale as bones flying out of the river in front of them. The river water, along with the trajectory of the fish, drew an arc in the air. Once they reached the highest point, the fish dove down into the ground. Instead of colliding with the ground, they plunge into it as if it were water. I-is this an urban legend? she thought, clutching the statue closer to her. She crept and crouched where the fish disappeared, caressing the ground. It was hard and cold as if what she had just witnessed was an illusion. At this moment, the sound of hurried footsteps approached in the distance. It was impossible to tell who wasing. She found a dense bush and quickly skipped towards it. H-help me! A desperate cry yelled from the thick fog. She blinked subconsciously, and her eyes burnt greatly. In an instant, the dense fog disappeared. Then she could see a man being chased down by an urban legend. The urban legend had a body simr to that of a human, with a greyish-white liquid that flowed eerily all over its body. Broken bones protruded from its abdomen, and the grey and white surface of its exposed flesh exuded a pungent, putrid smell. Its figure was bloated, and its hands and feet were twisted gruesomely. It ran and chased the man down; it would plunge strangely into the ground, only to resurface and be lifted by a group of boney fish. Some say the unknown is scary, but Yibei disagrees. The oing nausea was inevitable. She hesitated about hunting this urban legend; however, her eyes were trained on the man being chased. She could see the man falling backwards as it dragged him underground. H-help Uttering a final, feeble wail, her heart seemed to clench. Just as she was about tounch herself at the terrifying monster, a familiar face appeared at the end of the street. Long, chestnut hair; a red scarf; thigh-high socks Gu Qianqian smashed into the ground with a stick, pulling the rather burly man out of the ground with one hand. W-wait, didnt I knock her out thest time I met her? How is she so powerful? Yibei continued hiding behind the bushes, but she could see that Gu Qianqian was being dragged underground as well. Yibei frowned; she could hear Gu Qianqian giving out her proud monologue for over a minute. How did she get caught in seconds? She soon realised that the ugly monster was creeping towards the unconscious man by the side of the road. Before she had time to think, she gritted her teeth and rushed out with the statue in her hand. The monster stretched out its hand, stroking the mans face with its swollen fingertips as if examining its delicious prey. It was about to enjoy the prey it had painstakingly hunted, but an ominous premonition rose in its heart. It was like an intuitive perception of danger, like a wild animal. The next moment, a domineering, zing, spiritual energy fluctuation enveloped it. It could feel its whole body trembling in fear. Turning around, a dazzling, golden light blinded it, and bursts of Buddhist chants flooded its ears. Boom! A cloud of mushrooms more than two metres high sprung up from the monsters head as the statue of Ac, the Immovable, mmed into it. Its body was flung across the empty street, and its head emitted smoke. Yibeis body was flung into the air, too, not expecting the statue to explode. Her body hugged the statue tightly as she spun around in the air countless times. Fortunately, the coat hugged Yibei tightly and swelled up like a pufferfish, absorbing the brunt of the impact from the fall. Yibei bounced twice on the ground like a ball. The coat deted safely, and it sat up, looking at the monster groaning in pain. When Yibei smashed the statue of Ac, the Immovable, towards the monster, she felt a huge vortex spawn from the statue. A warm current was pulled from her body along her arms like a channel, and the power surged into the statue, and it exploded. After regaining herposure, she stood up and stalked the monster, who was struggling to get up. O Great Witch, p-please spare my life! I am willing to be your friend! The monster begged. A familiar? She was visibly confused. Must be like a follower or something. Hmm she thought about it, thinking that it wouldnt be bad to have personal assistance, but No. You are too ugly. You dont seem powerful, and you dont do anything right. I dont think you can be my familiar, besides- The monsters face morphed violently, unsure if the witch before it was taunting it. Anyways, its time to meet your end, Ac! Just as she raised the statue and was about to bring it down on the statue, there was a muffled voice behind her, followed by a violent earthquake. Thunderous breathing panted from below the earth. Tremors erupted, and the waves swept in all directions. Looking back in horror, Yibei could see the phantom of a huge arm rising from the ground like a mountain, and every single vein of the skin seemed to exude a terrifying power. The phantom shed by, and something sted the groundearth and rocks sshed like waterand a beautiful figure rose into the sky. A monsters life for another! I am reborn and anew! Chapter 47): Black Sun Totem Chapter 47): ck Sun Totem Thats right! I am back; Gu Qianqian is back in business! she announced as shended slowly. System? she uttered. System? What do I do next? System? A mechanical voice filled her ear: Im sorry, but something is interrupting our signal. [Your friend (The Gorgeous and Pretty Demon yers System) has disconnected.] Just as this was going on, Yibei was taken aback by Gu Qianqians way of returning to the scene. She wasnt sure if that was a Guardian Spirit, a monster, or a familiar She hurriedly backed away, but not before shing a look towards the monster. A witch and a powerful psychic user, all in one night, the monster thought as it trembled. Meanwhile, Yibei confirmed Gu Qianqians approximate location before turning around and running in the opposite direction. Meeting Gu Qianqian twice in a row in ces known for urban legend activity made Yibei second-guess her true identity. Is she an urban legend like me? Or is she a vignte? She was sure of one thingit was dangerous to be around her. Comparing the both of them, Gu Qianqian had terrifyingbat power, while all she could do was be hot. She quickly walked down the street and turned around. Amidst the pouring rain, she could see Gu Qianqian executing the monster. Gu Qianqian held the metal club tightly in her hand and raised it high. In the next moment, a huge, ck iron arm towered behind her, supporting her arm. As it fell, the tremors became stronger, like a surging ocean wave that sliced open the earth. A school of bony fish flew towards the club, condensing the fog into a barrier. Even then, the barrier was torn apart easily, and the fog gradually dissipated. The monster began to distort and deform, and its bones started to fade into ash. The moment the club hit it, itpletely shattered into powder. The phantom arm behind Gu Qianqian disappeared; her face was visibly pale, and sweat beaded on her forehead. System? she called out as she retrieved the sole remaining eyeball of the monster. Is this it? Yes. Congrattions! You have received 200 points as well as a copy of its essence. A copy? What about the body here? No need. Then, how do we deal with the body? Give it to her! Who? She tilted her head, looking around defensively. Meanwhile, Yibei crouched in the bushes, secretly looking at Gu Qianqian through the gaps in the bushes. At this moment, she subconsciously stroked the statue, and immediately, she could feel her powers being sucked into the statue. And in the next moment, the statue shone with dazzling golden light as it chanted the Sanskrit loudly. No, no, no She pped the statue, but it only made the chanting grow louder. Found you! Gu Qianqian cheered as she peeked over the bushes. Why are we giving her this again? she asked her system. Just think of it as throwing a piece of meat to a hungry wolf. Im buying us time to escape! Do you know her? Remember the witch I mentioned to you? The one who is destined to destroy this world? Yes! Lu Yibei, the fabled boy who is a witch! Well, she is Lu Yibei. Hah! You are not a good liar. How could that cute little girl be Lu Yibei? The system couldnt help but sigh. Judging a book by its cover is never a good thing. Come on, little girl! Ive got something for you! Gu Qianqian beckoned. Yibei gulped as she got up. It seemed like she couldnt distinguish her true identity, but what was she trying to aplish by calling her over? I have something for you! Gu Qianqian repeated as she opened her hand. It was an eyeball. Yibei should be disgusted by this, but it seemed that every single fibre of her body was yearning for it. Yibei stopped; this seemed too convenient like a strange man giving a young girl candy. System, shes noting. Ill go over there myself, Gu Qianqian pouted. Gu Qianqian, what the hell are you doing? the system yelled. Run! Throw the eyeball at her and run! No! What if it gets dirty? I cant give her something dirty! [New Task: Throw the eyeball at her and evacuate the area within a minute. Reward: 500 points] Gu Qianqians eyes widened at the new task she received. Looking at the eyeball in her hand, she looked at the girl apologetically before throwing the eyeball towards her with all her might. Yibei immediately dove downward, thinking she had just thrown a bomb. Hearing the eyeball plop on the ground, she got up hesitantly but found that Gu Qianqian had already disappeared from the scene. She gulped as she crept towards the eyeball; it was scaly and drenched in a viscous liquid. It was cloudy and lifeless, and beyond the eyeball, she could see countless tiny fish swimming in its iris. She couldnt help but retch when she imagined eating this. Although it was difficult to eat, her body twisted with hunger. Swallowing hard, she was just about to devour the eyeball when a gust of wind blew down the street. A masked man in ck appeared in the shadows and passed by her, and she realised that the eyeball in her hand had disappeared. Hey! Excuse me! She shouted, chasing after the masked man. She stretched out her hand and grabbed his shirt from behind. The man merely nced at Yibei before turning back around. Yibei pulled on the shirt firmly, and it was torn. Through the slits of the clothes, one could vaguely see a ck sun totem tattoo on the wheat-coloured back. After staring at the tattoo for a second or two, Yibei could feel his eyes burning intensely, and his vision was instantly blurred. Chapter 48): What’s Wrong with being a Pervert? Chapter 48): Whats Wrong with being a Pervert? Her eyes burnt intensely, but she couldnt take her gaze away from the tattoo. The tattoo seemed to call to her, forcing her to tremble. A scream echoed in her eyes as if a thousand people were screaming right next to her. Immediately after, she saw a burning passenger bus falling into a valley, and she was filled with an inexplicable sense of familiarity. The car ident she thought. Under the moonlight, the mountain peaks were like dark, silent giants. Through the pale fog, one could see a distorted, huge figure that stood proudly on its peak. The nightmarish figure was twisted and horrifying, yet beautiful and entrancing at the same time. Horrid screams of terror emanated from its huge body, converging into a cry in an unknownnguage. And despite the unknownnguage, Yibei could understand it for a split second: Darkness is in the sky; tomorrow is falling! As soon as the words fell, they slipped out of her brain like a leak. The icy, cold rain pped against her face, and Yibei woke up in a daze,ying on the road, soaked in the autumn rain. It seemed like the masked man didnt hurt her, but he was gone. She tried hard to recall that strange dream, but all she remembered was the car ident and the iprehensible cry. She gulped. Perhaps the car ident two years ago was no mere ident. Could it be rted to those people with tattoos? But why cant I remember anything? All she could remember was the car losing control and falling off the cliff. She tried hard to recall, but her thoughts seemed muddled and damaged; it was bing unreal, and her head hurt, and the colours became unreal, and In a state of confusion, she found herself at the door of her apartment. The next day Yibei endured the headache as if he had a bad cold and the hunger as if he hadnt eaten for a few days. She crept up to the rooftop, bathed in the morning sun, and recovered. Fortunately, he returned to his original state. He was a little worried that he wouldnt transform back into one piece because of his hungry state. He washed up and changed into a set of clean clothes. Nodding at his own reflection, he ced the statue of Ac, the Immovable, into the guitar bag and bid his neighbours farewell. He took the various certificates issued by his boss at the Night Division and went straight to the Huacheng University of Technology. Yibei still needed to catch up with school. Although the things he has experienced recently are unimaginable, he believes that everything will be fine. Once he gets his degree, he might be a bar owner! He passed by a steamed bun shop by his apartment and bought a basket of steamed buns to satisfy his hunger As soon as he took a bite, he violently retched. Feeling the terrified eyes of the customers, he came back to his senses before he scurried away. Arriving at the university, he handed over all the certificates to the counsellor. Afterwards, he left the office and screamed in his heart, The Night Division is awesome! When he got the relevant certificates from the hospital and the police, he was worried that Jiangli would use forged documents to make these certificates. He didnt expect her to pull some strings ande out with official documents! The counsellors couldnt help but look at him with admiration as they read the report. 18 stab wounds? He is, indeed, brave. He does seem a little mentally ill, though. Right? Maybe thats why he got stabbed. He probably annoyed that thug a little too much, haha! Listening to the discussion behind him, Yibeis footsteps staggered. What the hell did you write in that report, Jiangli? The university avoids having sses around this time of year when urban legends run wild. This also means that Yibei would miss the opportunity to meet other students. After handing over a copy of his medical report to the teacher, he found a seat in a corner and sat down. Perhaps it is because he has a cold face and carries a guitar bag that some may mistake him for an unruly youth who is rude. Nobody was willing to strike up a conversation with him. However, he didnt mind. He sat alone in the corner, trying to figure out the car ident and thinking about how to get the information he wanted from Jiangli. All that thinking made him sleepy even before the ss ended. Yibei slept during the entire duration of the ss. Yibei wondered if his father knew of hiszy character. He requested that Yibei choose a major that he knew he would be able to pass regardless. The University held sses between 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. to avoid the night. When his sses ended, the corridor was crowded with people trying to get to the cafeteria or their dormitories. Standing amid the bustling crowd, his eyes burnt, and a babys cry came faintly from his ears, and his attention was immediately attracted by the prospect of prey. The temptation of food made Yibei forget about the car ident and Jiangli. Following the faint smell of blood, he saw a girl with long hair and a shawl. A baby who had not fully formed rode on her neck, which was particrly conspicuous among the dense crowd. As if aware of Yibeis scorching gaze, the baby stopped crying, turned its head 180 degrees, and red at her. An immature baby with unformed, purple skin due to theck of oxygen Its facial features were distorted and ugly; its eyeballs protruded outward and seemed permanently shut, but Yibei could feel its re on him. This girl is being haunted by this thing! Should I tell Jiangli? However, if he doesnt report it to her, doesnt this mean that this baby would be his food? He decided to follow the girl. The girl shuffled quickly through the crowd as if driven by some force. Yibei followed closely behind her until he came to the lobby of the girls dormitory. A powerful, big hand pushed him back. Stop right there! Did you not read the sign? A grey-haired, muscr old man pushed Yibei back and pointed at a sign that said [NO BOYS!] in arge font. Ah I want to look for a friend, Yibei replied. Thats what they all say. Be real with me; you just want to have sex with them, dont you? He was kicked out of the girls dormitory, and he was reluctant to part with such delicious food. Fine. Dont let me in. Ille back after dark. Wait, doesnt this seem incredibly perverted? Theres nothing wrong with being slightly perverted. Chapter 49): Do You Know Him? Chapter 49): Do You Know Him? At noon, in the student lounge of the university Lu Yibei sat alone in the corner, staring at the stack of A4 papers on the small round table, attempting to sort out the doubts in his heart so that he could get information from Jiangliter in the afternoon. As long as I mention the ssification of the urban legends and the basic knowledge rting to psychic powers, Jiangli should be more than d to tell me about it, he thought. She might not tell me everything, though, considering that I am just a part-time worker there. After pondering for a moment, he picked up a pen and wrote: [1. How did Shui acquire Ac, the immovable?
    1. What does the ck Sun Totem represent?
    1. Ways for urban legends to feed
    1. What did the girl mean by few days every month? ]
Yibei wrote down five or six questions that he wanted to know on the piece of paper and stared at the paper for a good minute. After nodding at the contents, he tore the paper into pieces, crumpled it into a ball, and tossed it at the nearest trash can. He picked up the paper cup that was filled with coke and downed it in a single gulp. It was as if he had taken a shot of alcohol, and the tingling and burning sensation in his throat calmed his nerves. When he was in a state of hunger, he realised that he was unable to eat human food. The only reprieve he had was that he was still able to drink, so he tried everything from in water to any single beverage avable on campus. After his tests, he found that the most he could drink was Coke. If he were to take a step further and drink something more nutritious, like fruit juices or dairy products, he would immediately vomit. Although drinking Coke cant solve his problem, it would provide him with a bit of energy. Who couldve imagined that the terrifying witch destined to destroy the world would have to rely on sugar water to sustain himself? At the Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration, in the officebelled V. After eating the bento sent by her maid, Jiangliid down on the table for a short rest. Afterwards, she made herself a cup of strong tea and turned on theputer. There is still time before Yibei arrives, so there is still time for two more rounds! This beautiful girl seemed to be obsessed with mahjong, and she was so immersed that she didnt even realise that her maid had escorted Yibei into the office. Yibei was strangely calm today; he didnt know if there was a warning mechanism for whenever urban legends would stray near the Night Division Headquarters, and he feared that Jiangli would see right through him. Ironically, before this, as a human, he would be escorted closely by members of the Night Division. Now that he was considered a threat of some sort, he found that he was able to walk in, dignified, and not treated like a prisoner. Youre here early, Jiangli raised her head and frowned slightly. Id rather be early thante, he replied, scratching his head. In reality, Yibei didnt expect that he would be able to just walk into headquarters without any rms ringing. I see Here, take a look for yourself, and Ill answer your question once Im done with more pressing matters on myputer, she nodded as she pointed at the Night Division Records on her desk. It was wrapped in dark brown leather, and it was as thick as a typical,plete dictionary. Yibei stared at Jiangli as the afternoon sun bathed her in a pale, gold light; he had always found women who worked hard beautiful. He was drowning in his thoughts until a soft sound could be heard from herputer. You won the round! Continue? Without a single expression betraying her emotions, Jiangli turned the volume down, and Yibei could only continue staring in a daze. As he held the Night Division records, he realised that it was not an ordinary book by any means. It seems that this book cannot be flipped at will; it can only be opened page by page. If he tried to pry it open in the middle, it would refuse to budge. He patiently turned over the first page. No foreword, no table of contents. The first thing he saw was an overview of urban legends. There were various conjectures about the source of urban legends, ranging from citing ssics and historical stories to word-of-mouth and ancient legends. Yibei could feel himself getting a headache as he mindlessly started to flip through the pages, but his attention returned to him when he got to the page he wanted. [FEEDING METHODS OF URBAN LEGENDS VARY BUT CAN BE ROUGHLY DIVIDED INTO TWO CATEGORIES, NAMELY, HUNTING AND WORSHIPPING] He already knew from his neighbours that urban legends feed by hunting humans or other urban legends; it was thetter that caught his attention. Worship? he thought. Does this mean drawing energy from the power of belief? Could this belief extend to fear as well? he wondered as he recalled how he got less hungry after scaring the taxi driver. This is a much more peaceful way of feeding! But why do they hunt if a peaceful way exists? I have to ask Jiangli about this. He continued to read and found himself bored again. He didnt stop until he turned to a page and saw bolded words that caught him by surprise. [IN SUMMARY, ONCE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE BELIEVE IN AN URBAN LEGEND, THE URBAN LEGEND WILL MANIFEST IN REALITY.] He gulped as he saw the line of words and started praying in his heart, Bai Xiaohua is real, Bai Xiaohua is real, Bai Xiaohua is Even if you chant it repeatedly, your 2D wife will never be real. Even if she does, theres a high chance that she will just kill you. Jianglis voice broke his trance, and it felt like a knife stabbing into him. How did you know? Was I saying it out loud? I just guessed you were staring at those bolded words for too long. Listen, we had an operator who was an avid fan of the [Alien] series, and guess what happened to him? Did they inject him with a parasite? Face-huggers? Lets just say that the city he was in no longer exists, Jiangli said as she stepped forward, closing the Night Division records in Yibeis hand. Right, ask away. I dont want you to receive too much information at once. Hmm, let me think Yibei pretended to ponder. Well, about the statue of Ac, the Immovable. Ive had it for some time now, but I still dont know how to use it correctly. Im not surprised. For an ordinary person like you, at most, it just wards off evil. Can you exin? Yibeis eyes lit up. If psychic energy is channelled into the statue, it will begin to glow and chant Buddhist scripture, and this is enough to dispel Level C threats. So is it explosive? Why do you ask that? Well, y-you said that if someone were to channel psychic energy into it, it would be stronger, so I was wondering Yibei frantically exined before he was cut off by Jiangli. Its a spection, but if the energy is pure enough, the statue would explode with immense raw power. Nice! he said as his eyes lit up. By the way, this statue was given to me by a guardian of mine, and his full name is Bai Kai Shui. Do you know him? Or does he work here? When his name was mentioned, Jiangli was visibly surprised, but her expression returned to normal in an instant. I dont know who that is. She does know who he is! Why is she hiding it? Chapter 50): Tattoo Chapter 50): Tattoo Is that so? Yibei asked. Isnt it strange for him to just carry an item like Ac, the Immovable, around? He might be rted to a cult of some sort, so maybe you should keep a close eye on him! R-right, Jiangli nodded. I will investigate this, uh, person named Bai Kai Shui. My next question! When I was spying on Mr Rabbit and his aplices, I saw a strange tattoo on one of his aplices As soon as he mentioned a tattoo, Jianglis pupils shrank as she slightly trembled as if she remembered something terrible. I originally wanted to look for it in the Night Division Records, but I couldnt find anything on it I know exactly what you are talking about. We are trying to track them down. In short, they are a terrorist organisation, and you know too much about them. I suggest steering clear of them if you happen to run into them. A terrorist organisation? he frowned. I cant avoid them even if I wanted to; they seem to be tracking me down! Hell, one of them stole my dinner! Alright, Jiangli broke the silence. Thats enough for today. Come back tomorrow. B-but I still have a lot of questions, he pouted. However, seeing Jianglis steely expression, he sighed as he turned to leave. The moment he pushed open the office door, Jiangli called out to him, Wait! What is it? Dont go out for the next two or three nights. Urban legends be more active during the transition of the dark moon to the new moon. Speaking of which, I have something serious to ask! Speak. Do you have any other psychic items I could use? I dont have any psychic energy, so doesnt that mean that the statue I have is useless? Jiangli red at him, and he immediately ran out of the office. On Peony Street, the wind swept by, and the few ancient willows danced in the wind. Yibei walked on the ancient street and pondered as he admired the scenery: Since urban legends can feed on human fear or worship, doesnt that mean I wont have to hunt in the future? How can I make humans believe in me? A podcast? A video? I dont know if theres a distance limit either. He decided to register two ountster to test it out. The most important thing today was to sneak into the girls dormitory. Although it was a bit shameful, he swore he was about to starve to death. Who cares about dignity when you have an empty stomach? And when I get my hands on that girl hosting that damned baby Lu Yibei? A gentle voice interrupted his thought process, and a handsome, well-proportioned, tall man appeared before him. His smile was like a spring breeze as he towered over Yibei. And you are? Li Xuan, he smiled. I am Operator No. 2 of the Night Division. You dont know me, but I know you. Let me tell you: someone is going all the way for you, even going so far as to sh my tires My bad, thats not important, he corrected himself. Operator No. 2? Does that mean hes stronger than Jiangli since shes Operator No. 5? he wondered. So, youre my bosss colleague. Is something wrong? No, no. I just saw you wandering around the streets mindlessly and wondered if you needed help. Thats true, he hesitated to speak but had an idea. He started telling Li Xuan about how he asked Jiangli to provide him with something to defend himself with but was rejected. I see, haha! Dont mind her. Its not that she doesnt want to give it to you; its just that she doesnt have anything to give to you. As he spoke, he groped around in his pockets and took out an intricate trinket carved with decorations of the moon, eyes, and birds. It was like a tiny pebble in Yibeis palm. This is an amulet I made in my spare time, and it chases away bad luck. Treat it like Im making amends for you on behalf of Jiangli. Oh, and this little thing can also repel mosquitoes. Oh, uh, thanks, Yibei said in a daze. Ill be heading off to headquarters. I was supposed to be on duty today, but I got so drunk that I slept past my rm! See youter! Yibei bid him farewell and watched as he left, fiddling with the cold pebble in his hand. He seems nice and down to earth. I didnt know the Night Division had people like this. Tsk! Huacheng, in an apartment near the Underground. A room decorated with seductive, enticing colours, embedded with Tiffany jewels, and an intricate mirror on the ceiling; beneath the mirror was arge, peach-coloured, round water bed, and it was strangely reminiscent of a bed you would find in a luxury hotel. On the big, round bed, a blonde woman with a gorgeous figure and pristine skin slept soundly in Bai Kais arms. The messy bed told a story of a war that happenedst night. Bai Kai held her in one hand and his phone in another and stuck it to his ear. His expression gradually became serious, and he snuck out of bed, wrapping the nket over her naked body. He left the room and shut the door gently as he sat in his living room. Yibei reported you to me, saying that you might be in a cult, Jianglis cold voice came from the other end of the phone. By the way, does he actually hate you? Absolutely not! he yelled. How could he ever hate me? The fact that he chose to report this means that he has a sense of justice and a high degree of vignce! Well, to me, it sounded like he hates your guts. Shut up! Doesnt this mean that this problem is solved? Whats the point of calling me? Its unreliable, she replied coldly. Sooner orter, hes going to find out. You should find a way to deal with him as soon as possible. Next time, Im not lying to cover for you. Okay, okay, geez, I get it, he sighed as he hung up. He lit up a cigarette and looked at the painting on the wall. His new number was also blocked by Yibei, so he couldnt exactly contact him. He could only Shui, where are you? A soft whine came from his bedroom. Shui, this goblin cave needs a big stick! Bai Kai immediately leapt off his sofa and ran towards the bedroom with a wretched smile. Not long after Bai Kai hung up, Jianglis maid, Hua, walked in angrily. Miss! How could he possibly ask you for another item to protect himself? I have never seen such a greedy boy in my entire life! The maidined. Need me to chase him out and teach him a lesson? No need, she sighed. Its not that I dont want to give him an item, its just that Many Night Division members are non-psychics and rely on specially-made equipment to defend themselves. These weapons are not only made to fight urban legends but could also be used against ordinary people, which means that they are extremely lethal. Weapons like these are not appropriate to hand over to a college student. As for the other, more benign psychic items or equipment, some need psychic energy to power, like the statue of Ac, the Immovable, or some are used to detect nearby urban legends. Yibei couldnt possibly use them. Hua, Jiangli sighed as she rubbed her temples. Leave me alone for a bit. Are you okay, miss? Its fine. Just leave. I-Ill be at the door. Please call me if you need anything, the maid responded in a low voice. As soon as she left, Jiangli got up and unbuttoned her grey-blue cloak as she crept towards the mirror. As the cloak slipped down her smooth back and her long hair draped over her shoulders like a cape, she turned around slowly, brushing aside the hair that obscured her back. A ck Sun Totem tattoo was reflected in the mirror. She stared at the tattoo from the corner of her eye, thoughtful. The Sr Eclipse One day, Ill destroy you with my own hands, Jiangli thought, as her eyes turned an icy blue. Chapter 51): Don’t You Know This Place Is Haunted? Chapter 51): Dont You Know This ce Is Haunted? Dusk falls in Lu Yibeis apartment. Lu Yibei sat on the sofa with hisptop on hisp, and the apparitions in his home surrounded him, casting their gloomy yet concerned gazes on him. The first step to getting people to believe is to attract their attention! the wig said. I dont think your username is interesting enough. The nightgown gestured. Maybe something more eye-catching. I dont remember asking any of you, Yibei thought silently. He was a little irritated as he tapped his fingers on the keyboard. He had just registered an ount to prepare for a live broadcast, and the apparitions living in his room kept rambling behind his back. Its like ying a video game and having someone sit behind you the entire time. Ive got an idea! the eyeball chirped up. If I were a witch, I would definitely use my big breasts and seductive appearance to lure ignorant men into a small, dark room and eat them up! A pair of hands loomed over the eyeball as the other apparitions backed away, and the pair of hands ttened the eyeball and squeezed it, tossing it into a corner. Yibei sighed as he returned to hisptop. He wasnt ready to begin live streaming or uploading any short videos yet. He set hisptop aside to avoid burning it to a crispter and nced out the window. It was already evening, and the brilliant, bright orange blended into the royal purple of the night, casting a bright, rose-coloured halo upon the sky. Time to move, Yibei thought. He picked up his coat and guitar bag and put on his pair of clogs, heading towards the rooftop. Clogs are the only kind of shoes that could withstand his higher-than-normal body temperature after he transforms into a witch. Besides, if he were to walk barefoot on campus grounds, he would attract unwanted attention. Lu Yibei turned around, and his gaze swept over the apparitions who crowded in front of hisptop. Come on, lets watch a movie! What about the news? I think we should watch humans exchange their DNA with each other! Yibei simply sighed as he stepped forward to cut off the Wi-Fi. Better safe than sorry. 11:27 p.m. In front of the girls dorm, behind the bushes that were hidden from the prying eyes of surveince cameras. Yibei sat by the bushes, taking advantage of the darkness to cover her petite figure. In about half an hour, the lights in the student dorms will be turned off. About ten minutes before lights out, many girls would rush back into the dorm, and Yibei nned to take advantage of the crowd to sneak into the girls dorms. Although she had transformed into her witch form, she was still a little apprehensive about sneaking into the girls dormitory, especially when there was an old man who was like an iron tower guarding the door. Yibei had been hiding and observing for almost an hour, and during this time, she could see the security guard gently stroking hisrge, iron baton. The iron baton weighed at least a dozen kilogrammes, and he waved it around as if it were nothing. Yibei gulped. Time passed bit by bit, and she would asionally raise her head and nce at the girls dormitory. The outline of the dorm loomed over her in the darkness, and it was eerily silent. Many of the rooms have turned off their lights, and she felt eyes on her beyond the endless, dark windows. The clothes that were hung outside the girls balcony were like shadowy figures that stared straight into her soul. She forced herself to look away, and at the same time, she could see many girls returning to the dorm. She immediately got up to start her infiltration n, and at this moment, a faint crying noise could be heard. Yibei immediately ducked back down into the bushes. A girl wearing a ck trench coat hurried out of the girls dormitory, pulling arge trolley case. On her shoulder, arge, ferocious, and unformed foetus rode. The girl passed the duty room and was stopped by security. After a short exchange, she simply walked out of the dorm. Where is she going? Judging from the words from her friends at home, if the strength and activity of urban legends increase in these next couple of days, is she nning to go out to feed? Lu Yibei shuffled out of her hiding spot and followed closely. No matter where she was going, it would be good for Yibei. She was previously worried that she would be caught in the girls dormitory, but if her target were to go outside, then everything would go smoothly. Lu Yibei followed the girl all the way out of the university and watched as she hailed a taxi from a distance. Yibei hurriedly hailed another taxi, like in a movie plot, and immediately pointed towards the other taxi. Please follow that taxi! The driver was strangely silent and refused to start the car. Excuse me? Could you please follow that car? Yibei asked as she leaned forward, and after seeing the drivers face, she sighed. You again? Y-you witch! Please stop bothering me. I-Ill be good; please just leave me alone. Yibei dug his arms into the car seat and smiled, I thought you believed in science! Do you really believe that urban legends exist? As she spoke, she nced at the taxi that was about to disappear into the distance. I I made that story upst time. I went to Linjiang Avenue to look look for my boyfriend. Is that true? Yes! So please follow that taxi! That girl in the taxi seduced my boyfriend! Half an hourter, after chasing the girl through half of the city, the taxi in front suddenly turned and drove towards a rtively narrow road. Yibeis driver followed behind, keeping a safe distance. The further he drove, the more deste the surrounding scenery became. Soon, there was only one narrow road left. It was winding and winding, and it extended halfway up the mountain before disappearing into the dense forest. As soon as the road narrowed, the driver mmed on his brakes and turned around, saying, Little girl, be honest. Are you trying to kill me? No! Then, why are you asking me to drag you to Shihekou High School in the middle of the night? The driver sighed as he lit a cigarette. Wasnt this high school famous back in the day? I havent heard of them in a while now. Pssh, I think youre pretending to be unaware, the driver scoffed. Dont you know that this ce is haunted? Chapter 52): The Door Has Been Weld Shut, Nobody Can Escape! Chapter 52): The Door Has Been Weld Shut, Nobody Can Escape! After learning that the school in front of them might be where urban legends roam free, Lu Yibei openly replied, Trust me, I dont know why she decided toe here either. Well, I believe you, so get out of my car! Im going home. As soon as his words fell, Yibei felt his hunger slightly sated. What about the fare? I dont want it! Get out! Okay, okay! Yibei helplessly replied as she opened the car door. Before she left, she secretly stuffed a fifty-yuan bill into the seat. By the way, Yibei nced at the driver through the rearview mirror. Could I get your contact information? If I need a ride in the future, I can call you! Yibei didnt know if he was going to ept his offer, but she was confident he would. This is free material for his midnight talk show, and Yibei had no intention of hurting him anyway. The driver was silent, and Yibei leaned forward and spotted his business card inside a small box. Zhang Shan! Yibei nodded. Thank you; Ill call you in the future! The corner of the drivers mouth twitched uncontrobly, cursing himself for not swatting the box away. A girl who seems to be a witch wants to be your long-term business partner Before he could pitch in his opinion, Yibei had long disappeared down the winding road around the mountain. That night, an urban legend about a white-haired girl who always appearste at night was formed; she takes pleasure in scaring taxi drivers and never ever pays the fare Lu Yibei walked on the mountain road leading to Shihekou High School; decaying leaves were scattered on the path, and she could see traces of car tyres on the ground. The waist-high weeds fluttered in the evening wind, making a soft rustling sound as if there were whispers Wait! There was indeed something whispering between the weeds! The moment Yibei turned around, those things ran away at an astonishing speed. Since her hunger was slightly sated, she decided not to chase after whatever had just run away. The winding roads were treacherous and tiring. Through the gaps of the withered branches, the sky was darkening. After walking a certain distance, the buildings halfway up the mountain gradually appeared in her field of vision. It was autumn, and the branches and leaves of the forests in the mountains were withered and yellow. Through the leaves, the grey, European-style domes of buildings could vaguely be seen. Is that the high school? Yibei narrowed her eyes slightly. What is she here for? Is she here to hunt? Yibei continued walking along the mountain path. After a while, she saw several signs that had been knocked down, as well as a wooden fence. The signs and fences were removed and fell to the ground, with skid marks and some messy footprints left by whatever ran over them. Seeing this, Yibei suddenly realised that the taxi that took the girl up the mountain never came back down. This is abnormal. Since taxi drivers know their way around the city, if they say a ce is haunted, theres a good chance it is actually haunted. Even if it wasnt haunted, if enough people believed in it, an urban legend would be born. Since Zhang Shan, her driver, knew that this school was haunted, how could this other driver not know? Unless the driver is dead. Thinking about it, Yibei quickened her pace. After walking along the road for nearly a hundred metres, she finally came to the main gate of the abandoned school, and she saw the taxi parked in front of the school gate. The taxis engine had been turned off, and the door of the drivers seat and the trunk were open. The taxi was empty. Yibei stopped in her tracks and took the guitar bag off her shoulders. She took out the statue of Ac, the Immovable, and held it close to her as she approached the taxi. Walking to the car door, she frowned slightly upon smelling the faint scent of blood, but after searching carefully, she couldnt find any traces of it. Damn it. That taxi driver must be in danger. Bypassing the taxi, she pushed open the half-hidden door and walked into the dusty, decrepit campus. Stepping through the gate, just as her footnded, there was a soft squeak behind her. The door closed by itself, and Yibei gulped. She turned around and pushed it, fiddling with the lock, but found that the doors handle seemed to have rusted and welded shut, and it could no longer be opened. A trace of fear rose in her heart, and her body temperature started to rise uncontrobly. Her scarlet hair took on a deeper, redder shade, and the clogs on her feet were suddenly ignited. She held on to the door with her hand as she took off her clogs in a panic before realising her mistake. With her burning hand, she had identally welded the door shut. As a private school, Shihekou High School once boasted of having the best facilities in Huacheng. The entire campus was sorge that you couldnt see the edge, but it has since been abandoned and lost its former glory. The once prosperous environment was sullen and gloomy as far as the eye could see. Staring at the campus under the cover of the night, Yibei felt a little troubled. How am I going to find the girl and the taxi driver in this ce? Yibei didnt even know theyout of the school. After weighing her decisions for a moment, she decided to walk towards the nearest teaching building. There were Roman columns that stood proudly at the main entrance of the teaching building. Despite its age, it seemed to withstand the test of time and gleamed under the pale moonlight. The teaching building itself had four floors, and there were four ssrooms on each floor. A sign could be seen in each ssroom. ss One, First Grade ss Two All the way through the corridor, Yibei found that the first floor was the first-grade ssrooms, and he deduced that the other floors held other grades. What is the fourth floor, then? The faculty office? Or perhaps something else? She walked up the stairs to investigate. For some reason, the handrails of the stairs were excessively corroded, twisted, and deformed. Some of the handrails even fell off and copsed. Going up to the second floor and walking through the corridor, peering through the dirty windows of the ssrooms, she could see something written on the ckboard, but it was too dark to make anything out. Rows of desks and chairs stared ominously at her. Yibei investigated the entire second floor and found nothing. Walking near the staircase leading to the third floor, Yibei felt her eyes burn slightly. Is there something upstairs? As soon as she reached the third floor, she could hear whispers at the other end of the corridor. Lu Yibei felt her heart drop, and her body temperature rose slightly. She clenched her hands tightly and tiptoed towards the source of the whispers. Standing in the corridor and sticking to the wall, she peered into the window once again. In the ssroom, there were tables and chairs that formed a circle, and four people with obscured faces surrounded the circle. The young people squatted in the open space of the ssroom, and each of them stretched out a hand and pressed it on a white porcin te, whispering something. O te Deity, please reveal yourself, O te Deity (te deity, or Die Xian, is like the Chinese equivalent to an Ouija Board) As they muttered their strange incantations, Yibei felt something approaching. It was a mysterious feeling that crept up her spine. She didnt hear any footsteps or anything, but it was a strange premonition. It came from downstairs at a rxed pace, like a big, lifeless shadow. The darkness in the corridor seemed to get even darker, and a gloomy wind raced down the corridor. Yibei felt as if she couldnt breathe. She hugged the statue of Ac, the Immovable, closely and crept towards the stairs, lying in wait for an ambush. When she felt that the figure was about to appear around the corner, it seemed to stop before turning away quickly, and a scarlet shadow shed past the corner of the stairs. Damn it! Yibei grunted. When she came to her senses and wanted to chase after the figure, she couldnt feel its existence anymore. What was that? Chapter 53): Stop Embarrassing Me! Chapter 53): Stop Embarrassing Me! In the ssroom at the end of the corridor, the four people did not wait for the te Deitys response, continuing the ceremony regardless. O Great te Deity, please reveal yourself. A girl wore a colour-blocked baseball uniform, denim shorts, and a single ponytail as she squatted in the corner of the ssroom, recording the entire process. Her name is Du Sixian, and she is a student at Huacheng University. As an urban legend photographer and videographer, she received an invitation from a fellow friend in an urban legend forum toe to Shihekou High School to uncover the secrets behind the school. Of course, she readily epted and volunteered to be the photographer. O Great te Deity The form of this game was to repeatedly call out for the te Deity. Usually, the white porcin te would not move. Sixian quietly watched as herpanions were illuminated by the candlelight, feeling a little bored. Gradually, her mind trailed off. When she approached the gloomy campus, she was petrified. But boredom can drain a person of all kinds of emotions, including fear. It seems that the rumours behind Shihekou High School were not true. I cant use this for my video today, she sighed. However, I heard that arge part of urban legends hires actors to pretend to be those urban legends. I cant afford them either! Come on, she gritted her teeth. Just one or two sightings and Im done The ceremony continued peacefully for a few more minutes, and her hand holding the camera felt a bit sore. She simply set the camera on the tripod and leaned against the corner in a daze. Truthfully, she didnt know who her fourpanions were. They were probably college students, judging by their stature. They refer to each other by their usernames on the forum. And Sixian was known by her username as well, Witch. The boredom drained her patience, and she began to silently count her own heartbeat to pass the time. Ny-seven, ny-eight, ny-nine When she was about to count to a hundred, she felt a strange feeling behind her, as if something wereing from downstairsno form, no sound, but arge, blurry, disturbing shadow. The cold, biting winds came through the gaps in the doors and windows. Feeling the cold, windy tentacles caress her back, her boredom was instantly swept away as she snatched the camera away from the tripod: Somethingsing! The fourpanions trembled, thinking that the te had moved, but it stilly there quietly. The cold wind blowing down the corridor stopped, and the ominous feeling disappeared with it as well. In the stark, cold night, Sixian felt strangely warm. After a moment of silence, the four of them stared daggers into Sixian. Witch! What do you think youre doing? The boy, whose username was Brazil, yelled. If the te Deity appears, well be the ones to know, not her! Listen, Witch, you just need to record the video carefully, the girl named Daydream reprimanded. Sixian couldnt help but frown slightly. She didnt like her very much because of her bossy demeanour. If it werent for her boyfriend, Pharoah, she wouldnt be here in the first ce. Its okay! This is the first time Witch has participated in this trial of guts. Its normal to be scared! Lets continue the ceremony, Pharoah persuaded. Wearing a pair of ck-framed sses, he is tall and has good posture. His firm jaw held a calm and handsome face like he was someone you could rely on. At this moment, the person named Bright pointed outside and trembled, S-somethings outside Sixian was stunned as she raised the camera towards the window, and her pupils shrank. Sure enough, there were people outsidea short, agile figure with white hair that stared straight into the ssroom. T-this cant be the te Deity we might have attracted something else Just how long was it standing outside, watching us? Sixian was terrified when she thought about it carefully, and her hands and feet felt numb from fear. She suddenly remembered information she had obtained about ying games like this. There is a saying that sometimes these games attract other things. The more eerie the game, the easier it is to attract malicious entities. Those who have encountered weird things during the games did so because something else was attracted. Noticing the figure outside the window, Brazil yelled as if to scare it away. Show yourself! Ill smash your head in! he yelled. Calm down! Pharoah said as he held Brazil back. It might be the te Deity! You do know what happens if you try to confront it brashly like this, right? Brazil immediately bowed his head and stood behind Pharoah. What happens? Sixian wondered as she stared out the window. I thought nothing scary would happen, but Brazil seems terrified They are hiding something from me! We can find out if its the te Deity if we ask him a few questions, Bright pointed out. Ooh! Me first! Daydream giggled. When she volunteered, Brazil and Bright nced at Pharoah with a trace of displeasure but kept silent. O Great te Deity, will my boyfriend and I be together forever? After she asked the question, Sixian could see that the figure outside the window was walking back and forth, and it would appear and disappear from time to time. Yes, you will be together forever and have two children: a boy and a girl. Honey! Daydream yelled. Did you hear that? Were gonna have kids! Yeah Pharoah smiled hesitantly. Let me ask one too! Brazil piped up. O Great te Deity, what will my future career be like? You will make a lot of money in the future, but rtionship-wise, it will not turn out well. Women will hate you. Sixian narrowed her eyes slightly, I thought the te Deity onlymunicated through the te The thing outside is either something terrible or someone pretending to be the te Deity! Sixian sneered in her heart and came to the centre of the ssroom. She put her hand on the te and fixed her eyes on the window as she smirked, O Great te Deity, why is the zero point of the Riemann Zeta function either a negative even number or aplex number with a real part of ? Or how about the Cauchy convergence test to prove a monotone bounded sequence? Amidst the awkward silence, there was a faint yell outside the window. F*ck! In the corridor, Lu Yibei was pretending to be the te Deity in exchange for psychic energy to satisfy her hunger. She wished she could rush in and start beating Sixian up. I can get away with lying about love and money, but what psycho asks about math problems? Stop making things difficult for yourself, and let me eat! Chapter 54): At Least Half of the Compensation Chapter 54): At Least Half of the Compensation Originally, Lu Yibei wanted to leave. The group of people in the ssroom was nothing but a bunch of teenagers wanting to y a dangerous game. Yibei wouldnt think to join these games even if you paid her. These groups of teenagers had no idea how dangerous this abandoned school was, but Yibei knew very well. She knew that at least two urban legends were hidden on the current campus. She came here to hunt, so she didnt have time to dwell on them. Even if you try to reason with them, theyll probablyugh in your face. However, Lu Yibei replied to their calls on impulse and found that, with incantations, her hunger was sated to a certain extent. Although she didnt understand why the energy provided by the five of them was weaker than that of Zhang Shanbined, she was starving to death. She had no room to be picky. Besides, she didnt have to kill anyone. Lu Yibei remembered that Liu Banxian, a fortune teller, said that nine out of ten fortune tellers are liars, and most of them simply follow the wishes and whims of their customers. Remembering him, Yibei remembers how that damn fortune teller scammed all of the children on the block. He had seemed to disappear though. Rumour has it that he probably starved to death or was arrested by the police. At first, Lu Yibei didnt quite believe that he would starve to death, but now he could surely believe it. Lies of love and money could easily be fabricated, but math problems? Seeing that the te Deity fell silent, a sly smile appeared on Sixians face. Its a fake, she said in the darkness. Lets go out and catch them! Whos with me? Everyone was stunned and shook their heads in unison. They enjoyed dancing at the brink of death, but actually dying is another story. Sixian pouted as she picked up the camera and hung it around her neck. She picked up a metal pole from the ground and ran towards the door. Rushing out the door, everyone looked at each other in silence. The moment Sixian rushed out, the figure by the window immediately ran away, and all of them gasped in unison. Oh my god, why didnt we stop her? That couldve been a g-ghost! Do you think shell listen to us? Hey! Sixian yelled in the corridor. Stop right there! I see you! Im gonna blow your head off! After another awkward period of silence, Brazil whispered, Has Witch always been this tough? None of us was this brave before. You could say shes aggressive, Bright murmured. Look! Didnt she scare that ghost away? Honey, what shall we do now? Daydream mewled as she wrapped her arms around Pharoah. Shall we continue the ceremony? Forget it, Pharoah scoffed with a strange expression. The te Deity has been scared away anyway. Lu Yibei ran wildly through the corridors of the teaching building with the statue on her shoulder. She fled through the winding corridors of the building and soon left the teaching building. All of a sudden, the dpidated campus under the eerie moonlight was lively, and the entire campus echoed with the sound of cheerful running. Lu Yibei walked forward in a panic and soon reached the border of the campusa dead end. She looked around and fixed her eyes on a building not far away. This building has six floors and is muchrger than the teaching building. The white tiles on the outer wall were peeling off and stained. The gate was wrapped with thick iron chains and severalrge, rusty locks. The windows were also boarded up. Yibei stared at the building before him, then nced behind her at the footsteps that were gradually getting louder. She looked back and forth before running towards this strange building. When she came to the gate, she noticed there was a discoloured seal on the gate, and the seal seemed strangely intact. Nobody has ever trieding here since the building was sealed off. With Sixians footfalls getting closer and closer, Yibei turned around and ran around the building, and within a few steps, she saw a window that was hastily boarded up. She stepped forward and pushed gently, only to hear a soft squeak that allowed her entrance into the building. The stale, dusty air hit her face in a rush, and the corrupt atmosphere suffocated her. She hesitated for a moment, then jumped into the room. She leaned by the window, shrouded in darkness. She could hear Sixian running impatiently past the window, and she let out a long sigh of relief. However, after she calmed down, she was hit with a wave of realisation. Wait! Why was I the one running away? But after thinking about it, this is a subtle way of saving an ignorant girl who was in danger. Patting herself on the back, she began to look around the room she was in. This ce seems to be an art ssroom. The room was scattered with old painting tools, and a few dusty sketches were scattered on the floor. The immature techniques used on the canvases make the portraits look somewhat eerie. Looking away from the scattered canvases, she was taken aback the moment she looked up. She found that there seemed to be a person standing in the corner, and her heart sank below the floor. The man was leaning against the corner of the wall, and half of his face was concealed by the canvas. His figure was hidden in the darkness, and his face seemed to be stained with a strange liquid. Just how long was he staring at me for? Goosebumps. Yibei approached the figure slowly, clenching the statue harshly with both hands. However, she was secretly relieved that this figure might be an apparition as well and not human. As she approached little by little, the darkness was lifted slowly, like a veil. Just as she got closer, a beam of light suddenly shone behind her. She shielded her eyes from the bright light, and a ferocious face broke into her sight. Her pupils shrank for a moment as she hurriedly took a step back. She then realised that what was in front of her was not a person, nor an apparition, but an oil painting. It was a portrait with a high degree of realism. In the dim light, one could mistake it for a real person. On the canvas was a painting of a girl in a white dress. Her body was lying on the ground, but her body and face had been shed with red paint, presumably by some naughty student. Now, the girl looked as if she was covered in hideous, gory wounds. The light beam behind Yibei was also projected from Sixians mobile phone, and she, too, saw that weird oil painting from the corridor of the building. After seeing the oil painting, a wave of regret and realisation washed over her in an instant. She could see the mysterious girls hair turning a shade of light red. It wasnt until now that she realised that chasing this mysterious girl was too reckless. What if she is an urban legend? What if she ran away on purpose so that she could lure me here alone? Thinking of this, her body trembled uncontrobly. She found that she couldnt move her legs, and her lips quivered. Y-you are you human? What happened to your fighting spirit? Yibei thought as she rolled her eyes. Yibei considered her options and called out in a weak voice, I-Im human! Please dont hurt me; Im just here to make a live broadcast. I just wanted to y a trick on you, but I didnt expect Sixian pointed her shlight at Yibeis face. The light illuminated her delicate face. She pursed her lips, and there was no strange expression on her face. It was just an expressionless girl who seemed frightened. She didnt seem to be lying. Did I go too far? Shes fifteen at best, so why is she out here all alone? A live broadcast, you say? Sixian asked suspiciously. Wheres your equipment? I-I dropped it when you were chasing me. Oh, Im sorry. I didnt mean it. Youllpensate the damages, right? Yibei chirped up. Excuse me? Sixian thought. Whats with her being so happy all of a sudden? Sure, Sixian sighed. But Im not capable ofpensating your equipment in full. What about half? Okay, half is half! No more, no less! Sixian said impatiently. Seeing that Sixian agreed to her deal, Yibei was overjoyed. Treat it aspensation for ruining my dinner! Chapter 55): O Great Plate Deity, Can You Kill Them? Chapter 55): O Great te Deity, Can You Kill Them? It took the girls three minutes to discuss the issue ofpensation and finalise the amount at 1470 yuan. Ill give you my contact information. Send me 1470, and Ill send the things to you, Sixian smiled. Yibei was speechless. How did things turn out this way? She simply mentioned converting thepensation into equipment for recording videos, but she didnt expect her to sell it. Its okay! Really! I dont need the equipment. Oh, but you do! Sixian replied. With the same price, youre only gonna get a set of equipment. With me around, youll get debugging by a professional videographer like me! Besides! Sixian continued as she slung her arm around Yibei. Since we have the same hobbies, we can partner in the future! Shed do well as a saleswoman, Yibei thought. I-I think Ill do fine by myself Yibei muttered. No! Think about it: Its dangerous for a girl like you to do broadcasts like this alone by herself. I can protect you! Ill have you know Im an expert in Muay Thai! Ah, we can discuss thister, but first While speaking, Yibeis eyes drifted towards the oil painting in the corner. Although the girls face waspletely obscured by the messy red lines, she swore she could feel gazesing from the oil painting. I agree. Something is wrong with that painting, Sixian chirped. Shouldnt you be running away, then? Yibei thought, but he didnt move to stop her. Sixian held the camera in one hand and the steel pipe in another, carefully leaning towards the oil painting in the corner. Ladies and gentlemen, after a boring wait, I finally found something interesting! She approached the painting as she talked into the camera and stopped a metre away from the oil painting. She used her pipe to toss the cloth obscuring the portrait, and the moment she opened it, she took a big step back. Yibei frowned. She had no concept of death at all. Shes reckless. Yibei followed close behind with the statue, standing guard behind Sixian. Sixian shone the beam of her shlight on the oil painting, and Yibei could only frown as she stared at the canvas. At a nce, she thought that the painting was of a young girl lying on the ground, but that was not the case. The girl in the painting has her neck, hands, and feet twisted in a strange arc as if they were all broken. Coupled with the messy red lines drawn on it, it was as if she had fallen from a tall building. Theres a name written on it Sixian whispered into the camera. Zhao Ke? Is that the painter? The moment Sixian uttered the name Zhao Ke, Yibei could feel the name resonating out from her mouth, spreading into the deep, dark ends of the entire campus. Her eyes started to burn slightly, and an ominous feeling filled her heart. Something woke up, and a huge, malicious shadow silently enveloped the entire campus. Boom! Boom! The oil painting suddenly seemed toe alive, shaking as if it were trying to break out of the canvas. And the traces of red paint seemed to be eerily vivid. Sixian took several steps back, and the oil painting bounced off the easel. The oil painting flew towards Sixian, and the girl in the painting seemed toe alive, stretching her broken arms towards Sixian. In the blink of an eye, Yibei leapt forward with the statue and mmed it straight into the oil painting. A pale, golden light shed in the room, and the oil painting flew upside down to the height of the room; there was no movement. A horrifying scream filled their ears. Holding the statue, Yibei moved a little closer to the oil painting. After confirming that it was no longer moving, she nced at Sixian. The camera had since fallen from Sixians hands and onto the ground. Holding the steel pipe with both hands, she breathed heavily as she stared at Yibei. You youre not here to broadcast about urban legends. Youre here to hunt them Yibei frowned as they stared at each other: T-thats not true. Im here to do a broadcast, but Im also here to hunt them down. Im actually a member of Acs sect, and this is the special weapon of our sect. As she spoke, she knocked on the statue a couple of times, making a clear, ringing sound. Thinking about it, she ced the statue on top of the overturned oil painting. I get it now! Sixiang yelled. What is it? You noticed that there was something wrong with mypanions, so you deliberately led me away, right? Uh, well Yibei didnt have the guts to tell her that she ran away simply because Sixiang was chasing her. However, now that Sixiang mentioned it, she has, in fact, sensed that something is amiss with herpanions. Her energy intake was somewhat lower than expected, and she thought it was due to some individual responses to urban legends. However, now that Sixiang mentioned it, it means that one of herpanions must be an urban legend in disguise. At least she could confirm that Du Sixian was human. However, just as she was about to warn Sixian, Sixian rushed out of the ssroom with the steel pipe in her hands. Sixian left her shlight behind, and it pointed straight at the oil painting. On the back of the oil painting, insulting and derogatory words were written in red paint, and the object of those words was none other than Zhao Ke. Staring at the paint, her eyes burnt, and a blurry image formed in front of her. Zhao Ke, why dont you just kill yourself? You-youre a pervert! Why the hell did you just draw? The art teacher just feels bad for you; you arent actually good at drawing Ill break your fingers so you will never ever be able to draw again The malicious, venomous words kept ringing in her ears, and Yibeis brain swelled. Suddenly, all the insults died off, reced with a strong sob. A phantom of a boy appeared in the corner of the room, holding an oil painting tightly in his arms as if he were guarding something important. He wore a pair of ck-rimmed sses with bangs that almost covered his eyes. He looked like an ordinary boy. This must be Zhao Ke. Yibei felt bad for him. She recalled when there would be bullies in every ss. Jealousy is a dangerous disease that seems to affect everyone. The burning in Yibeis eyes suddenly intensified, and the scene in front of her was like the scenery outside the window of a speeding car, passing quickly, one after another. She could see a frail student trying to cover the malicious words with white paint again and again, only to have more harmful words scribbled on the canvas. They were no longer satisfied with seeing him in pain, and they wanted him to suffer. So, they destroyed his painting. All the images dissolved into darkness, and Yibei floated in that sea of ck. Then A faint, yellow candlelight dispelled the darkness. Four candles were ced in the four corners of that small, enclosed space. A white porcin te was ced in the centre of the room. Zhao Ke could be seen squatting next to the te, pressing his bandaged fingers on the te. te Deity. However, the te Deity game needed at least three people to y, and Zhao Ke didnt have any friends. So, he made himself some. The canvas was cut into the shape of a human body, and he painted faces on them. And as soon as he had friends, their dull eyes were illuminated by the candlelight. O Great te Deity, please reveal yourself please As Zhao Ke repeated the mantra, the white porcin te turned and made a soft sound. And his eyes were painted over with red. O Great te Deity, can you kill them all for me? In a moment of silence, the necks of the four paper figurines were sliced in half. A cold wind whispered affirmations into Zhao Kes ears, extinguishing all of the candles as he fell into darkness. Chapter 56): Die! Chapter 56): Die! Lu Yibei found himself back in the room, staring at the oil painting. Her scarlet orbs had a faint gold shimmer, and Sixian couldnt help but stare at the girl before her. She decided to return to check on Yibei. Theres something wrong with her. She looks as if shes in limbo. She recalled somebody in the forums mentioning a limbo state, where peoples minds would be transported into another space while their physical bodies remained. If the girl before her was able to do this at will, then she may not be as simple as she ims to be. ording to the forums, people like her are called ghost busters. And among many ghost busters, only a small part can yield psychic spells. Hence Shes probably an incredibly powerful ghost buster! Thats right. She didnt need any equipment, nor did she need any rituals. She easily killed that painting within seconds. Could other ghost busters do this? Sixian was delighted with her observations: I cant believe I have the chance to meet someone this powerful. I need to maintain a good rtionship with her. I should invest in her! So, even if I split the bill, I wont lose any money! An avaricious smile appeared on her face subconsciously. Just as she was immersed in a future filled with money, a muffled sound came from the corridor outside the art room, interrupting her train of thought. It sounded as if someone had kicked something over. It wasnt loud, but the silent corridor made it extraordinarily clear. She peered outside the corridor; it was so dark that she couldnt even see anything. Boom! Not long after, the strange sound sounded again, and it seemed to get closer. She instinctively took a few steps back into the ssroom: What the hell! Are that Pharoah and the others? Another muffled sound came from the corridor, and it was eerily close now. It was like a block of wood hitting the ground, and the muffled sound resounded outside the window of the ssroom. Immediately afterwards, she could see two pale, long, and narrow shadows slithering outside the window. They looked like a pair of legs, but they were definitely not human legs. Sixian began to panic a little as she held her breath, refusing to move. She could feel evil emanating from those shadows. She shifted her eyes towards Yibei anxiously, hoping that she would deal with it. However, Yibei was still in limbo. Another muffled sound sounded again, but it gradually drifted away from their location. Sixian let out a sigh of relief, massaging her numb hands and feet. I need to get out of here, she muttered. She tiptoed towards Yibei, wondering how to wake her up from this deep limbo. Suddenly, the muffled sounds stopped for a moment, followed by the sound of doors opening, which echoed in the dark and silent corridor. The rusted door hinges croaked, and strange, distant, and painful voices could be heard. Inside? No Sixian seemed to understand something, and her pupils shrank. That thing outside was looking for something in the ssrooms, one by one! The thought shed in her mind as the hairs all over her body stood up. The dull footsteps in the corridor and the sounds of doors opening were getting closer. She had no time to think and darted towards Yibei, cing her on her shoulders. Sixian wanted to run out of the ss, but when she heard the sound of keys nging from the corridor, she realised that the shadows were just next door. Inside? No Sixian felt her legs go limp. The evil voice shook her soul violently. I wont have time to run; I can only Cling, cling, cling! The soft clinging sound of the keys was like bells that called for death, and Sixian gritted her teeth. In the dimly lit room, various art supplies were scattered all over the floor. A canvas was lying face down in the centre of the room, and a bronze statue was ced right on top of it. Squeak! The door to the art room was pushed open, and a shadow squeezed through the crack of the door. It was shaped like a human, but its limbs were elongated as if it were without bones. The pale shadow was supported by an easel, and its body was as thin as paper. The head was painted with a deformed and stiff smile. Its weird body floated around the ssroom, and its limbs pressed against the surfaces of the room, making a soft, paper-like rustling sound. Sixian was pressed against Yibei in the rooms locker and observed the situation outside through the gap in the locker. She silently covered her mouth with her hands. She had no doubt that as soon as she let go of her hand, she would cry and alert them. Time seemed to stretch infinitely, passing as slowly as possible. Gradually, a burning sensation spread from her arms. She looked down at the girl in her arms and frowned. Why is she burning up? It-it must be her psychic state. Sixian was getting anxious; Yibeis body temperature was getting higher and higher, and she felt like she was trapped inside an oven. Her heart dropped as her consciousness started to blur. In a daze, she felt the girl in her arms twist her body, followed by the door of the locker being pushed open. Cold air rushed into the locker, instantly relieving her difort. Vaguely, she could hear some talking and, in the next moment, a scream of panic. It sounded like the muffled cry of someone whose throat had been shed, and it sent chills down her back. The strong negative emotions in that cry were like a sledgehammer hitting her head; all she could see was ck. The story of Zhao Kes past ended abruptly in darkness. Yibei opened her eyes and found that she was locked in a small space, and she couldnt help but panic. W-what the hell? She subconsciously stretched her arm out, and the iron door of the locker bounced open with a bang. After she regained herposure, Yibei noticed that in the centre of the messy ssroom, a boy stood there quietly with his back to her, trembling all over. The boy let out a terrified cry and turned around, saying, Y-you scared me! Oh, uh, my bad, Yibei apologised as she massaged her head. What are you doing here at night? Its dangerous to be alone out here. I-I know, but I came here for a trial of guts with my ssmates but we saw something, and we got separated. I heard a noise in this room, and I thought it was my friends, but I met you instead, the boy said as his gaze drifted towards the unconscious Du Sixian. She was unconscious, and there were a few scorch marks on her clothes. Is that so? Im here for a live broadcast, and I encountered some weird things too. Please dont hurt us. The boy froze for a moment. Nobody would want to harm a young, teenage girl. How could I hurt you? Im scared too. Why dont we stick together? That way, we can look out for one another. Mypanion is still asleep, so Yibei turned around and crept towards the statue of Ac, the Immovable. Just as she was a step away from the statue, a wave of ruthlessness shed across her eyes. Die! Yibei yelled as she grabbed the statue and hit the boy with it in one swift, clean motion. Yibeis sudden violent outburst was beyond the boys expectations. His body was hit hard by the statue, and he flew sideways, smashing the easel into pieces. At that moment, many questions appeared in his mind. Why did she attack me? It should be me who attacks first, right? Why is she so strong? Why are her psychic fluctuations The boys neck seemed broken, and he crawled backwards helplessly. In a daze, he saw that pristine face stained with blood, exuding a cold aura that made him shudder. She was like Death himself, approaching little by little. Chapter 57): The Diary Chapter 57): The Diary The boy struggled to get up, looking at the girl before him with horror painted on his face. You! What are you doing? Help me! Somebody! Begging for mercy had no effectnow that he had lost the opportunity for a sneak attack, he could only fight to the death. He lowered his head and clenched his fists. Just as he moved his fingers, the statue was suddenly filled with psychic energy as it smashed his entire arm into the floor. He twisted his body slightly, and the statue once again mmed straight into his chest. Seeing the boys body gradually bing more deformed and broken, Yibei couldnt help but panic inside. Why hasnt he died yet? This shouldnt be the strongest urban legend in the school, right? Sensing the boy moving, she once again brought the statue down onto his head and smashed it violently. The boy was still alive, but a grotesque hole had appeared on his face; his cheekbones had shattered, and half of his face had copsed. I dont know his weakness, so I should hit him every time he moves. Agh, a-again ng! Christ, I never heard somebody wanting to get hit again. Under the continuous assault, the boy had already be very weak. Seeing that he was on the brink of death, he croaked out, D-dont kill me, w-wait! Yibeis vignce prevented the boys from sneaking up on her, so he had no choice but to bite the bullet and beg for mercy. And it seemed like an unconscious girl was being held hostage in the ssroom. If he could get closer I-Im just an ordinary student, he begged. Please let me go; I-Ill give you my money. Shut up! She yelled. Xu Feng, that is you, correct? H-how did you I know you, Yibei muttered. You act well, but I wouldve seen your skull by now. I know that there is a reason for everything, right? Well Yibei fell silent, raising the statue once again. Yes, she knew who the boy in front of her was. Xu Feng was among the people that Zhao Ke asked the te Deity to kill. If Xu Feng appears at Shihekou High School, then he must be an urban legend. The boy looked at Yibei in a daze and asked, How did this girl know my name? My real name that I have almost forgotten? Before the boy could figure out where she got his name, the copper-coloured shadow fell upon him again. His forehead cracked open, revealing a dark gap. An indescribable fragrance emanated from the gap in his forehead, and like a hook, it pulled on Yibeis nerves, causing a surge of hunger in her belly. W-why did you hit me? I Youre nning something, arent you? Yibei interrogated. However, she found it difficult to keep focus; she was getting hungry, and the smell was enticing her, and her hunger grew and grew and grew She needed to end him once and for all, and she couldnt remember how to inject her psychic energy straight into the statue. Come on As if sensing the thoughts in her heart, the statue vibrated lightly, emitting a low buzzing sound, and that strange, maic feeling emerged again. Immediately afterwards, Yibei felt a warm current pass through her body, rushing straight towards the statue. A stabbing pain came from her chest like something was pinching at her heart. Her blood churned in her heart, exuding a cold and evil aura. The next moment, the statue was stained with dark, red blood, and his eyes seemed a little more bloodthirsty and hungry, and even the Sanskrit chanting became distorted and evil. The boy didnt know how Yibeis psychic fluctuations changed from a fiery dominance to a gloomy evil in an instant, and the terrifying oppression made him tremble. Y-you cant kill me! Im his subordinate, and hes not letting you go if you kill me! But Im so hungry A strange smile appeared on the corner of Yibeis mouth, and her eyes shone a bright scarlet. ng! She mmed the statue onto the boys chest, and instantly, dark red blood covered the entire ssroom. The gloomy energy prated the statues body. Apanied by a shrill scream, the boys body began to copse, turning into a thin piece of drawing paper in an instant. Immediately afterwards, the paper seemed to be smashed and torn by a pair of invisible hands, and it exploded like a firework in the blink of an eye. The shredded paper fell like snow upon Yibei, and when she came back to her senses, she could see the core of the urban legend not far from her. The core was a thin piece of paper, like a page torn from a diary. Turbid, ck air flowed on the surface as if it were alive. This was the second time Yibei saw the core of an urban legend. She stared at the diary page, frowning slightly. Well, its better than eating an eyeball. She stepped forward and picked up the page, and its leather-like texture and worn-out paper reminded her of a piece of dry human skin. She silently read the words written on the page. [May 17th, cloudy] Why did Lin Yiqi give Xu Feng the gift I gave her? Why did she ask me to do his things for him? Why did she let me hide in the locker only for me to watch them make out? Why did she show her body to him? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Why? Could this be Zhao Kes diary? Yibei carefully folded the page and put it in his jacket pocket for safekeeping. She wasnt sure how to eat it, and if she had swallowed it rashly, it would be harmful as there could be adverse reactions. She ns to ask her friends at home how to consume it. Dont take it for yourself, she whispered to her jacket. As if responding to her, the jacket raised its own sleeve and patted Yibeis cheek affectionately. Who is the he that Xu Feng mentioned? Could it be Zhao Ke? It wasnt the first time he heard of ves or subordinates. Yibei tried to put the pieces together when he heard a strange sound of musicing from outside the window. Just as she turned her attention to the music, a scream interrupted the silence of the campus. Bright,e down quick, dont ah! After the scream, there was a muffled sound of heavy objects falling from a high altitude. And for a moment, an ominous premonition brewed within Yibeis heart. Chapter 58): Who Should I Believe? Chapter 58): Who Should I Believe? On the roof of the empty teaching building, the discarded desks had been eroded by the wind and rain They were clustered together like a crowd walking in the rain, watching the girl standing on the edge of the roof with cold eyes. The tiles on the roof edge had already fallen off, and the exposed concrete wall was stained with mottled spots. The cold moonlight pierced through the gaps in the dark clouds, outlining the thin figure of a young girl. Despite the moonlight reflecting on her eyes, there was no life in them. Bright, w-what are you doing? Dont make any rash decisions, please! That was all Daydream could think of saying. Its useless, Brightughed helplessly. Hes not going to let us go. From the moment we stepped onto this campus, he was watching. She took a step forward, and her figure disappeared from Daydreams sight. The sound of a heavy object falling from a high altitude rang in her ears, and Daydream rushed forward hastily. She suddenly froze on the spot as she clutched her hair with both hands, slumped on the ground, and screamed. She felt like she was about to copse as if she had fallen into a dark nightmare from which she could never wake up. After half an hour again, shortly after, Sixian ran out of the ssroom to chase the figure by the window. The dusty ssroom was illuminated by dim candlelight, and four people sat around the centre of the ssroom, silent. Brazil couldnt stand the silence and spoke, Shouldnt we go and find Witch? She she left by herself, Bright replied. I dont think its smart to run around the school by ourselves. Daydream couldnt help but frown. It was as if Bright knew something she didnt. Why not speak up? Thinking about it, she nced at Bright and giggled, Although this is the first time weve met, I think we should leave as a team. We came here together, so we should leave together, right, dear? Pharoah frowned, ncing at Brazil from the corner of his eye, I agree with Daydream; we should find her, but We should make this decision together. Lets vote, Pharoah nodded. Lets go and find Witch! Daydream smiled. I abstain, Pharoah said. Lets look for her, Brazil said. We cant leave one of us behind! I object, Bright fussed as she red at Daydream. Daydream couldnt help butugh at her re. She just thinks that these people are jealous of her beauty. After the vote wasplete, Pharoah looked around and sighed, Lets go and find her. If we dont find her in an hour, we leave. After packing up, he discarded the white porcin te and extinguished the candle, and the whole ssroom was plunged into darkness. Then, a shlight was lit, and Brazil walked out of the ssroom, followed by Pharoah. Daydream turned on her own shlight and was about to get up, but she felt somebody tugging at the corner of her clothes. She turned her head and saw Brights pale face illuminated by the shlight, and her heart dropped in an instant. What are you doing? I know you dont like me, but One of them is an urban legend, Bright whispered. What do you mean? Bright remained silent, casting a knowing and solemn gaze onto Daydream. Hello? Daydream, Bright, its time to go! Brazil yelled from outside the ss. Y-youre being weird! Daydream said as she ran out of the ssroom. She quickly caught up with the two boys in front of her and linked arms with Pharoah. Pharoah looked down at Daydream and asked softly, What did she tell you? She said Daydream hesitated. She said that there are very strange urban legends in this school. I suggest you stay away from her, Pharoah frowned. She seems off. Daydream was slightly taken aback upon hearing this, and Brights warning sounded again within her ears. She looked at her boyfriends face and felt that he was unfamiliar. No, how could I ever doubt my own boyfriend? she thought as she shook her head. Bright, Daydream, Pharoah, and Brazil left the ssroom. A sudden gust of cold wind blew in that dark ssroom. In that silence, the white porcin te that was abandoned moved a short distance as if it were being pushed by someone. It moved more and more as if it were alive, bouncing up and colliding with the ground with a nging noise. There was a brief silence, followed by the nging sounds again. Outside the window, a ray of moonlight pierced through the clouds and fell into the ssroom. A string of sticky, red footprints was revealed along the trajectory of the white porcin te, stretching out to the outside of the ssroom. ng! Daydreams footsteps froze, and she looked around cautiously. ng! Her face turned pale, and she turned to look at the dark corridor behind her. Did you hear that? she gulped as she grabbed Pharoahs arm. ng! Daydream immediately shone her shlight down the corridor, and everyone could see the lone porcin te at the top of the corridor. Everyone was silent as they stared at the te, and the air around them suddenly became cold and oppressive. In an instant, their shlights were cut off, and the corridor was once again plunged into darkness. In that darkness, they could feel a pair of malicious eyes ring at them. Run! Everyone ran downstairs in a panic, and they could hear the porcin te chasing after them. ng! ng! The group of teenagers hurried down the stairs, but just as they got down the stairs, they could hear strange noisesing from downstairs as well. Boom! Boom! Like blocks of wood hitting the hard ground, something was climbing up the stairs and gradually approaching. Its arrival was apanied by shadows, like vile, vicious ghosts. Standing stiff on the stairwell, Brazil could hear a faint whisper in front of him: You stay with me? His shlight fell to the ground, illuminating the pale figure. The figure had a distorted face, and its limbs were unusually slender like a living Daydream pretending to be a human. Its body was as thin as paper as it twisted and danced in the cold wind. The shlight flickered twice, and the stairwell was plunged into darkness. He could feel the paper-thin shadow caress him in the darkness as if it were savouring the fear from his body. At the same time, the sound of the te could be heard behind him, and he couldnt help but shudder violently. He didnt know when hispanions had disappeared. He was alone. W-why did you bastards leave me! he yelled. Why A pale piece of paper rested on his shoulders. You will you stay with me? Brazils gaze met with the same pale and distorted face as his own. The moment Brazil was engulfed in darkness, Pharoah hurriedly shone the stairwell with a shlight, but upon seeing the empty stairwell, he was taken aback. Hes gone? Pharoahs eyes narrowed. Keep quiet! Pharoah ordered. We we need to go upstairs, he murmured. Okay, okay, lets go! Daydream nodded as she ran behind Pharoah. The moment she passed by Bright, she couldnt help but whisper so that only the two of them could hear, Dont go to the fourth floor. Hearing this, Daydream was startled. Bright simply leaned against the wall of the stairwell, as if she were getting weaker and weaker. At the same time, she could hear Pharoahs voice from atop the stairs: Hurry up! Before its toote! Recalling his expression, Daydream fell silent. Who should I believe? Chapter 59): Body Temperature Chapter 59): Body Temperature Daydreams gaze went back and forth. Pharoah was already nearing the fourth floor, beckoning Daydream to follow him. Seeing that the two girls didnt follow, he stopped and leaned against the handrail of the stairs, urging them to follow him. Daydream stood motionless; two or three metres ahead of the stairs leading to the second floor, they were engulfed in darkness. Brazils gone Somethingys dormant in the darkness, waiting for its next prey. At this moment, that familiar, white porcin te jumped out from the corner of her vision. ng! The darkness of the corridor became thicker, and the light from her shlight weakened as if it were being consumed by the ever-growing darkness. All she could see was a radius of less than one metre surrounding her. Suspecting a hallucination, she blinked vigorously, but the reality was set. Her shlight had indeed weakened, and her hands trembled as she looked for herpanions. A-are you still there? Daydream called out. Im upstairs; hurry up! Pharoah called out. Please dont, Bright whispered weakly beyond the darkness. As soon as they spoke, an evil, ominous voice responded in the darkness. What about me? The voice was vaguely human. Ive always been here The voice sounded again, and Daydream could see a treacherous figure outlined in the darkness. It was an extremely thin ck shadow crouched by the corner of the stairwell, and a viscous liquid dripped from its body. Its slender fingers fiddled with the te. When Daydream stared at it, it stopped fiddling with the te and raised its head, staring at her. In the darkness, Daydream couldnt see its face clearly, but she could feel its gaze on her and its terrifying, evil smile. Her face turned pale, and her head started to buzz violently. After swallowing hard, she yelled uncontrobly. Pharoah! Bright! Run! However, after hearing their responses, Daydream froze in ce. What? Daydream, did you see something? Theres nothing here. No! she yelled desperately. Its in the corner, l-look! Daydream watched as the strange figure stood up, its body almost touching the ceiling of the stairwell. It walked towards her quickly, with sticky blood on its feet. A strong scent of death surrounded it, and its appearance became more and more apparent as it approached her. Dried blood on a striped face Exposed white teeth, exposed, stiff muscles Rancid. Rotted. Disgusting. Daydream felt dizzy, as if she couldnt breathe. Her lips were slightly parted, but she couldnt yell. Its right here! Why cant you see it? In the blink of an eye, the figure approached her side, and its face was less than a centimetre away from her nose. At this moment, a rush of footsteps came from underneath them, followed by a figure that shed by Daydream, piercing the figure with a sharp, steep bar. The figure staggered to the side as it exploded into arge mass of blood. Its blood surged like a bunch of tentacles, constantly expanding and growing. Daydream immediately backed away from the fallen figure and turned to the figure who saved her. B-Brazil? He looked like he had just fought a beast; his hair was stained red, and his body was littered with wounds. His ragged jersey was now painted red. We need to go upstairs! Brazil yelled. Its infested downstairs! Right, Pharoah agreed, wiping away his frown. We should go upstairs and find a ce to hide and escape at dawn. Daydream didnt know what to do. She looked at Bright, who still leaned against the wall weakly. Lets just go, she sighed. I just hope I just hope that you dont regret it. Shihekou High School, like other high schools, had only three grades, and the entire teaching building was near the gate where the ssrooms were located. ording to the arrangement of one grade per floor, the ssrooms would only upy three floors. Before going up to the fourth floor, the group had a lot of guesses as to what the function of the fourth floor was: activity room, music room, faculty office but they didnt expect that the fourth floor was where the psychological counselling room was located. Why would there be a separate floor for this? Daydream thought as she first entered the school. The long corridor was divided into three sections by two iron doors: a small area before the stairs, the venting room on the left, and the counselling room on the right. The door of the counselling room seemed to be mmed by someone violently from the inside, protruding outwards in an amazing arc. Which way? Brazil asked anxiously. Bright limped behind the crowd as she leaned against the wall and said, R-right, if we insist on staying here. Shut up! Pharoah interrupted, turning left instead. The door to the counselling room was obviously hit by something, so he deduced that it was probably unsafe to go there. He pushed open the iron door, and unexpectedly, he opened it with little effort. The door lock was broken, and it fell to the ground with a simple ng. The door to the venting room was pushed open, and dust greeted him. Did you guys hear anything? Daydream asked again. Everyone shook their heads in silence. Why am I the only one hearing this? Am I the only one who can perceive them? Daydream felt like she was going insane. In just ten minutes, her original friendlypanions became untrustworthy. Bright was vague, as if she knew something. The people in the forum once said that humans are unable to defeat urban legends on their own, but Brazil made it back, iming that he had beaten whatever imed him. Even her own boyfriend was not trustworthy anymore. She felt as if she had fallen into thebyrinth of the Minotaur, unable to find a way out. Pharoahs shlight shone forward, and he could see many shredded paper scraps scattered in the empty corridor. Doors made of white upholstered materials were lined up neatly on both sides of the corridor, like spooky Halloween sheet ghosts that watched silently. His nostrils twitched as a faint stench greeted him. Taking a few steps forward, he seemed to have stepped on something, only to find that within these scraps of paper were mummified, dead cockroaches. Daydream was the second tost, following Brazil. The moment she entered the range of the venting room, she had a very bad feeling. Her back felt chilly, as if something was targeting her. If we break into this ce, will we free some monsters that have been imprisoned here? She noticed a door next to her that wasnt locked and decided to poke her head inside through the cracks of the door. Behind the door was a space covered by grey and white walls, and several morbidly obese people were stacked together like corpses, staring straight into her soul. Ah-! We cant stay here! T-theres somebody here! Daydreams words shocked everyone, and they froze. Bright took a few steps back vigntly, as if she were ready to run away at any moment. Brazil clinched the steel bar tightly in his grasp. Pharoah gestured Daydream back, then moved towards the room and opened the door slowly. Shining the beam of the shlight into the room, he breathed a sigh of relief. He turned around and hugged Daydream tightly and patted her head, saying, Its okay. Its just sandbag puppets used for venting. Is that true? Yes, Pharoah replied softly. Hah! Brazilughed. I dont me her! Id be scared too! But why are they all staring at the door? Daydream thought. As if they are watching us. She felt uneasy. After the briefmotion, everyone became quiet again, and the faint sound of tumbling tes could be heard downstairs. ng! ng! That strange figure must have returned to its former shape and started to prowl the hallways again. However, it was wandering in the corridors downstairs as if it were destined to roam the empty third floor forever. Could we rest? Brazil spoke up suddenly. I-I can hardly walk anymore. Pharoah shone his shlight on Brazil for a moment, and he noticed that his eyes were ck and his pale face was covered in blood. His legs were trembling violently as if the adrenaline had just caught up to him. We should find a ce to hide and rest, Pharoah said. Maybe the counselling room. There might be gauze to help Brazil within there, but The monster here might be leading us there, Pharoah thought. Besides, he had doubts about Brazils true identity. Ill be hanging out in the corridor. Go if you want, Bright said as she walked to the door of the venting room and sat down against the wall. We should go take a look at the venting room while were here, Daydream said. Pharoah nodded wordlessly, supporting Brazil with his arms and pushing open the door of the venting room. The venting room was small, less than ten square metres, and the surrounding walls werepletely sealed. It was wrapped in soft leather to prevent students from being injured when venting. Daydream felt weird being in such a strange, windowless room. She felt as if she were standing in the maw of some huge creature. When her eyes fell upon the sandbag puppets, goosebumps appeared all over her body in an instant. T-they moved! When I looked at them through the crack of the door, they were all staring at me! And now, theyve turned their backs! W-wait! Daydream cried out. Dont go in! Those puppets moved! Lets get out of here. Whatever, man, Brazil scoffed. I just want to rest! Youre annoying. Do you know that? You dont even seem concerned that I was dragged away by one of those ghosts! Yeah, right, it moved, Brazilughed as he kicked the puppet beside him. Next, youre going to tell me its going to jump and kill me, right? Hey, quit it, Pharoah ordered. Pharoah knelt down and checked the puppets, then walked back to Daydream and hugged her. Dont be scared, baby. You might have seen it wrong in a panic just now. If youre scared of them, we can just stay by the door. She nodded and left the room with Pharoah sitting opposite Bright. Pharoah sat beside Daydream and held her hand, saying, Were safe for now. As long as we camp out here until dawn, everything will be over. I hope, Daydream responded, leaning on Pharoahs shoulder. She felt warm and safe in Pharoahs arms and nced at Bright, who sat opposite her. Was she trying to destroy our rtionship? Pharoah seems trustworthy now. I find it hard to trust her instead. A wave of drowsiness washed over her, and although she forced herself to stay awake, she couldnt help but fall into her lovers arms. Sleep. Ill be here. Mmm she replied, and soon, her vision went ck. There is no way urban legends could have body temperature, she thought as she fell into the void. Chapter 60): Love Letter Chapter 60): Love Letter A cool wind startled Daydream awake, and as she opened her eyes, she found herself lying on the cold floor alone. W-where is everyone? The cool wind lingered in the empty corridor, and everyone seemed to have disappeared. The door to the venting room was shut, and she didnt dare to peer inside anymore. Surrounded by darkness, she fished out for her shlight in her pocket. ck! ck! She pressed the switch several times, but it didnt light up, as if it had been tampered with. D-dont be scared; maybe they just went to the bathroom! Daydreamforted herself, forcing herself to calm down. At this moment, the door to the counselling room at the end of the corridor swung open, and a burst of small footsteps could be heard. Several vague figures could be seen in the darkness. H-honey? Is that you? Daydream asked, and she immediately saw those figures speeding up and approaching her. Her eyes narrowed, and she took a step back. The figures walked as if all the bones in their bodies were broken, and they walked in a strange, staggering posture. Daydreams heart fell, and when she could see them clearly, her brain buzzed, numb, and unable to think. Their bloated bodies were covered with off-white skin with scary painted faces. Daydream didnt have time to think; she turned around and ran straight down the other end of the corridor. The doors to the venting room were forced open by the figures, and muffled sounds could be heard. The next moment, the sounds of cloth being torn apart could be heard, and she regretted looking back. The ends of the limbs of the sandbag puppets were torn apart, and rotten hands and feet protruded from their mouldy cotton filling. Death loomed over her, forceing her into shrill screams, and tears rolled down her face uncontrobly. She ran through the corridor and made it to the stairwell. Seeing that the stairwell leading to the third floor was also infested with puppets, her pupils constricted, and she ran towards the stairs leading to the roof, and darkness chased after her. In the art room, Lu Yibei sped her arms around her chest and stared at Sixian, who was gradually waking up. Youre awake. Was hiding in the locker really your only option? Sixian was stunned upon hearing this but found that she was alive. Look around you! Theres nowhere else to hide! You learnt this from a horror game, didnt you, Yibei teased as he sighed. Did I have a choice? Seeing the scattered pieces of paper around the room, Sixian couldnt help but ask, That ghost? Did you kill it? How? I thought humans couldnt kill urban legends? Facing her question, even Yibei didnt know how to answer. I dont know! I just smashed it until it died! It was a hard battle. The strength of that urban legend was not bad Sixian stared at her petite back and felt that Yibei was taller and much more admirable. As Sixian was thinking, Yibei walked towards the window from which she had snuck in and pointed to the empty campus outside. I heard some strange noises just now. I think something might have happened to your friends; I think we should Save them? No! Yibei thought. God knows what happened to them, but what if its a dangerous urban legend that even I cant handle? At a time like this, shouldnt you be thinking about escaping this ce? Although Yibei was stalking the girl who was haunted by that deformed baby, she couldnt find her after entering the school. But she got what she wanted, and she wants to go back as soon as possible so she can ask her friends at home how to devour an urban legends core. By the way, about thepensation I n on giving it to you for free! But I insist! Well, if you insist. Can we go save our friends now? Lu Yibei couldnt help but sigh. Fine, well go take a look, but the first sign of danger, and Im taking you out of here. Sixian immediately stood up from the locker, and a yellowish, pink envelope fell to the ground with a soft sound. Yibei walked over to pick up the envelope and found a line of beautiful handwriting on the back of the envelope. [To Zhao Ke. from your faithful ve, Lin Yiqi.] What the hell? Yibei frowned. I thought Lin Yiqi was the scumbag that cuckolded Zhao Ke. Whats going on? Ooh! Is that a love letter? Sixian asked. Isnt young love beautiful? Yibei didnt agree. Especially since some evident BDSM things were going on between Zhao Ke and Lin Yiqi. Do you want to open it? Sixian asked. I know its not good to invade their privacy, but Yeah, lets take a look. After reading Zhao Kes diary page, Yibei was actually quite curious about his backstory. If she were to look at this love letter, Yibei might be able to piece together the evidence. [Im sorry; its my fault; its all my fault. Please forgive me. This school is full of fake monsters, and youre different. I cant live without you. Please take me back; Ill listen to whatever you tell me to do. If youre willing to forgive me, Ill be in the venting room tonight after self-study. Even if you donte, Ill wait for you.] A scene wasnt constructed in Yibeis eyes, nor did she see anything special. This ability of mine is so unpredictable, she fussed. Do you know where the venting room is? Yibei asked. I dont know, Sixian shook her head. Pharoah, mypanion, should know, though. He has a map of the school, so if we can find him, we can find the venting room. But I dont want to find him! If I continue to explore, Ill be spending more time here! Yibei yelled in his heart. What reason should I make up so that I can fool this girl into leaving this ce as soon as possible? Chapter 61): They’re Not Your Friends Anymore Chapter 61): Theyre Not Your Friends Anymore Walking out of the art room, Lu Yibei and Du Sixian walked towards the teaching building near the main entrance. Along the way, Sixian, like a curious infant, kept asking her new friend various questions. Yes, urban legends have body heat as well. And yes, it gets really hot sometimes. Yibei was a little impatient while answering her questions, and after alluding to her own identity to tease her, she interrupted Sixian before she could open her mouth. Alright, lets stop here. Wait, you havent told me about the detailed files about the urban legends yet! Listen, no one on the Inte has made content like this before! Ill be famous! You have got to tell me! Famous? I doubt it, Yibei sighed internally. In fact, I think the Night Division will pay you a visit if you make content like that. Yibei pretended to ponder deeply and nced at her: Do you know why there is so much ssified information about urban legends but only a few people know about them? Sixian remained silent, and Yibei continued. Youre an ordinary person; could you live knowing this information that I know? Im just protecting you. If you want to live, you shouldnt pry any further. Although Yibei intended to scare her, she was also right. Sixian put herself in danger bying to a ce like this; besides, the online world has always been a ce full of half-truths and lies. In the Night Division Records, it stated that belief is power; if enough people believe in something, that something bes a reality. If ordinary citizens knew how urban legends are ssified, wouldnt it be equivalent to turning them into gods? Providing them with a temte of the ssification, they could create any horrifying urban legend as much as they wanted to. God knows what kind of horrors will emerge. As Yibei thought about it, she suddenly understood why the information in the Night Division is kept ssified. Lu Yibei fell silent and stared nkly into the distance. She doesnt look very old herself, but she seems to have experienced more things than I imagined, Sixian thought. Sixian studied the expressionless face before her and felt that she was staring deep into the void. She is right. I shouldnt pry too much. Im sorry. Thank you for reminding me, Sixian apologised. Oh? Hearing her apology, Yibei broke out of her daze and nodded. Fortunately, the girl before her seemed sensible. Thank god, Yibei sighed again. What I know is only a little bit from what I read in the Records. If she were to ask me something I dont know, I might be forced to make it up! Lu Yibei followed the direction in which the sounds of heavy objects could be heard and walked on the quiet, abandoned campus. Three minutester, the two girls arrived in front of the teaching building. The clearing before the teaching building was empty, and there was a small crater smashed by a heavy object before them. Between the cracks of the impact, blood pooled out, but there was no trace of a body. A long bloodstain dragged forward, gradually turning into hasty, scarlet footprints before disappearing. Lu Yibei gulped. She guessed that one of Sixians friends had fallen from the building. But where is the friend in question? Falling from such a high ce, there is no way for that person to even stand. Yibei shivered as she thought about the sight of a bloody figure standing up from a pool of blood and fleeing from the scene. Sixian gulped in fear, seeing Yibeis trepidation. Things are not that simple anymore. Is something wrong? Sixian trembled. Evil lurks here, Yibei said. To trante Yibeis words, it meant that she had no idea what happened. O-okay, I understand. Sixian nodded and smiled, shivering. Youve gotta see it to believe it, right? Yibei sighed and shook her head, but she noticed a strange detail. Sixian is radiating with fear, but Im still hungry. Could it be that she doesnt regard me as an urban legend at all? Are we going to find my friends? They might be in danger! Youre immortal, right? Well, lets go and have a look. If possible, I will save them, Yibei promised lightly. I knew it! You do save lives! When we get back, Ill be thanking you a lot! I dont need your thanks, Yibei scoffed internally. You might as well give me offerings? Huh? Why did the word offering pop up in my mind? Yibei stared at the building before her and entered, leaving Sixian behind. I have a bad feeling about this, Sixian muttered. I shouldnt have said anything about saving lives, Yibei thought. I dont work for free! The air in the building was tepid and musty, and the dpidated corridors were quiet and dim. The corridors didnt feel correct. It was too empty and quiet. Lu Yibei clutched the statue closer to her, keeping her on guard for the danger that might pounce on her. Sixian followed closely behind her, afraid of being left behind. Something seemed to prowl in the darkness as if it were stalking them. After navigating through the suffocating building, they reached the third floor. They walked down the long corridor to the ssroom where the game of the te Deity was yed. Hey! Whyd you stop? I- Hush-! Yibei quickly put her finger up to her mouth and whispered, Go to the window and peek inside. If there is anything unusual, you will leave immediately. Sixian nodded and leaned against the wall, creeping towards the ssroom little by little. Little by little, the two girls came to the window, and through the dusty ss, a dim, yellow candlelight shone. Several figures moved in the ssroom, and bursts ofughter could be heard. Haha! Pharoah, stop pretending! Ive got all the cards youre looking forthree aces and a pair of sevens! Pssh. Loser. Whatever. Im leaving. Bright? Whats the matter with you? I Sixians eyes widened as she peered through the window. Pharoah, Bright, and Brazil were sitting around the te while Daydream was quietly taking a nap. She let out a breath of relief and was ready to open the door to persuade them to leave this horrible ce. At this moment, Yibei suddenly grabbed her wrist, preventing her from going. Whats wrong? My friends are inside! Shh, Yibei said as she winced in pain. Resisting the burning pain in her eyes, she forced herself to peer through the window. The figures of her four friends faded away in her vision, reced by fourrge, bulging sandbag puppets. The zippers were slightly open, and it was like a gaping maw that spewed evil. The sandbags wriggled. Lu Yibei felt a chill run down her spine. These sandbags are shaped exactly like the urban legend that rested on the girl she was following before. My friends seem fine, though. Why are you? They are no longer your friends. We are toote. If you still trust me,e with me, and well leave right now. Yibei couldnt tell how many urban legends were among Sixians friends before, but she was sure that all of them had turned into urban legends themselves. With one of her against four of them, even if she was able to subdue them, she couldnt guarantee Sixians safety. No! What are you talking about? Theyre inside; I can see them! Sixian peeked into the window again, only to find four pairs of eyes staring deeply into her soul. Feeling the pain in her eyes getting stronger, Yibei forcibly grabbed Sixians hand and started running. At this moment, the sound of a zipper being pulled open could be heard, and an arm wearing a blood-soaked jersey poked out from inside. Chapter 62): Time for Class! Chapter 62): Time for ss! The zipper being pulled open was like nails on a chalkboard in Lu Yibeis ears. Looking back, she saw the sandbag puppets being opened erratically and messy limbs sprawled out of the bag, like puppets that had been dismantled and put back together countless times; each limb was stained with dark, red blood. A faint light was cast upon the sandbags, and an arm wrapped in a blood-soaked jersey could be seen hanging lifelessly along the zipper of the sandbag. A Brazilian ser jersey The sandbags shook violently under the light as if the ferocious beasts imprisoned within were struggling to break free. Inside the sandbag, messy limbs glued together by strange substances wriggled and twisted, scrambling to get out of their prison. Seventeen or eighteen arms forced themselves out of the box, and a deformed face revealed itself beyond the mangled arms, facing out the window with ck eye sockets. The arms forced themselves out of the sandbag and crawled slowly like a spider, creeping towards them. Yibei hurriedly tugged at Sixians arms. Are we leaving or not? If you dont leave, Im leaving you behind! Sixian froze and looked back. She saw her friends smiling and waving at her. They whispered something at her, but she couldnt hear them clearly. Their smiles were warm and weing, but Am I that familiar with them? She thought. Are they actually Sixian trembled. Theyre gone. Cant you deal with them? I Yibei paused. Its hard with you here. Youll be in danger. Driven by the strange warmth that Yibei gave her, she hurriedly nodded, Lets go! However, the whispers of her friends beckoned her, and she couldnt help but turn back. Where are you going? Didnt we agree toe and go together? Stay with us. Du Sixians eyes glossed over, and she numbly stepped towards her friends. Lu Yibei could sense her abnormality, but she didnt know what Sixian saw. What Yibei saw was a viscous, ck liquid gushing out of the sandbags and creeping towards the two of them. Beyond the darkness of the sandbags, pairs of blood-red eyes lit up one after another, and garbled voices that imitated a human voice tempted the human brain. But Yibei is not human. Yibei guessed that they were able to conceal their appearances from normal humans. Yibei didnt realise that Sixian was getting closer and closer to the sandbags, so close that they could just devour her at any moment. But they didntinstead, the countless arms stretched towards her as if they were weing her back. Sixian! Sixian! Yibei called out. Damn it. What should I do? If I forcibly pull her away, I might anger them. But if I leave her behind and run away, its Ring! Ring! The old, rusty electric bell roared, the slumbering school was awakened in an instant, and the corridor became lively in a blink of an eye. A group of shadowy figures staggered upstairs and downstairs, whispering, chasing,ughing, and surrounding Yibei with their shadowy limbs. Recess. Yibei has never hated the bell as much as he does now. Surrounded by so many urban legends, her hands and feet became uncontrobly hot and numb. There are too many figures crowding the corridor; I cant get to her! What should I do? What the hell do I do? Thoughts flooded her mind, and soon Yibei discovered something strange. The figures that crowded her in the corridor They didnt mind her presence. In fact, they seemed to regard her as one of them. I I dont exist for them. Does that mean I can pretend nothing is happening and leave? Just as Yibei was deep in thought, Sixians weak cry for help rang in her ear. H-help! The moment the bell rang, Sixian snapped out of her enthrallment. When she saw that she was already standing before her friends, she couldnt help but gasp. Before she was bewitched, she had already nned to leave with Yibei. Pharoah and the others were just people she met online. Yibei saved her life. Naturally, she trusts Yibei more. But why was she in front of her friends? Sixians gaze darted towards Yibei, but her pupils contracted violently. Looking past YIbeis petite figure, Sixian could see that the dimly lit corridor was crowded with boys and girls whoughed endlessly. But this high school was abandoned long ago. These students arent humans. Sixians body trembled violently, and fine beads of sweat were dotted on her forehead. H-help Ring! The bell rang again. What the hell? Yibei thought. It was one, no, just two minutes! Suddenly, a shadow was cast in front of her, and a muffled voice rang in her ears. Time for ss! A strong stench came from behind, and a drop of cold sweat dripped down Lu Yibeis temples. ncing backwards, she saw puppets with strange faces that stood behind her. If I tell them Im not going to ss, will they attack me? She silently thanked herself for not immediately leaving. Otherwise, these puppets would certainly pounce on her. Her throat twitched slightly as she forced out, Y-yeah! Time for ss! I love studying! Studying makes me happy! Sixians eyes widened. She couldnt believe that Yibei was falling for their trick. Yibei hurriedly rushed towards Sixian and dragged her towards a ssroom at the end of the corridor. Seeing Yibei and Sixian walk into the ssroom, the puppets dispersed and went into their own ssrooms, and soon the chanting of textbooks echoed in the empty corridor. The doors shut behind Yibei and Sixian. Sixians former friends were in the ssroom with them, alongside countless shadowy figures. Yibei held Sixians hand and found an empty spot on the floor for them to sit in, quietly observing the situation in the ssroom. Apanied by the eerie sound of flesh squirming in a bag, the spider-like sandbags moved the desks and chairs around the ssroom, forming a circle. Then they lit the extinguished candles one by one. Sixian gulped and leaned closer to Yibei. They theyre ying the te Deity game. Dont be afraid. I have a n. Sixian nodded. Of course, somebody as amazing as Yibei would have a n at the ready. In reality, Yibeis n was just to observe and react. A few minutester, Pharoah produced a white porcin te and ced it in the centre of the room. The sandbag puppet stood upright, imitating a human being. Students, were going to be ying the te Deity game! Chapter 63): A Brave Idea Chapter 63): A Brave Idea Again? Just why are they so obsessed with this damn game? Lu Yibei frowned. Not long ago, Yibei had a vision when she encountered an oil painting. She saw a boy named Zhao Ke being bullied, and through this game, he summoned a strange entity and asked it to help kill his ssmates who bullied him. And Zhao Kes wish has indeed been fulfilled. But then what? Lu Yibei felt something was missing. The closure of this high school must be inextricably linked to the game. Yibeis eyes were still scorching hot, and her sense of hunger was getting stronger. Strangely enough, she didnt burst into a zing heat as she didst time. She wasnt sure if her power had been exhausted or if it was purposely keeping itself at bay. I knew it! I cant rely on something like this, Yibei cursed silently. If I meet that girl in my dream again, Im going to request several changes! As Yibei was cursing her powers, Sixian watched Pharoah and the others with trepidation. Although they looked the same, the more Sixian looked at them, the more she felt that they were acting unusually. Ordinary people would be terrified to see that many shadowy figures rushing down the corridor. However, they didnt panic. Instead, they walked into the ssroom with them and prepared the setup for a game of te Deity! Yibei was right. They became urban legends themselves. Shall I exin the rules of the game? Pharoah spoke. Alright, calm down! The scene before Sixian was all too familiar to her. The ground was covered with white paper scribbled with writing, and a porcin te was ced on the white paper. Four people sat around the te, their backs facing different directions. Behind them, there was a circle of desks and chairs. Dim, yellow candlelight shone from the four corners of the ssroom, casting shadows on the ground. This was the exact scene when they were ying the te Deity game more than an hour ago. Daydream asked about trifling gossip brightly interrupting Pharoah from time to time Brazil is doing warm-up exercises by the side Sixian felt as if she had entered a time machine. It was as if the things she had experienced the past hour were just a nightmare, and she was back in reality with her acquaintances, no, friends Sixian anxiously looked to her side, and after seeing Yibei studying the situation, she knew that what had happened was real and not just a silly old nightmare. For the game, its best if there are five or six people. Too many people will disrupt the ritual. After all, the te can only hold so many hands, haha! When the game starts, everyone must close their eyes and softly recite, [O te Deity, please reveal yourself!] Sixians heart trembled as she listened to the eerily simr exnation. Mistress? Mistress? Yibei thought. Whats wrong? Yibei whispered back. This is the exact scene when we first came here Its like time has flowed backwards. She felt a sense of urgency to tell Yibei this information. Yibei remained silent and turned her head towards the sandbag puppet known as Pharoah. She didnt know what to do, but she knew that she had a delicious meal when she posed as the te Deity. As for the true nature of the game, you wont know until it starts. Lets see what happens, Yibei whispered to Sixian. Its not like they could do anything. Hundreds of shadowy figures lurked outside the ssroomone against one hundred or one against fourand Yibei knew what the best option was. So, those are the rules! Pharoah spoke. Ready? Everyone sit down and put your hands on the te. The four sandbag puppets crept closer towards the te, and countless arms sprawled out of the sandbag, stacking on top of the te. Seeing that many disjointed, disfigured arms piled up like a hill, Yibei couldnt help but shudder. Even her coat trembled. Dont worry, she said as she stroked her coat. I wont let them get you. If the coat bes too ufortable, it could break the current faade. Sixian heard Yibeis whispers and nodded, Come on! Lets get started! Yibei looked at her quizzically and said, My god, shes brave. Seeing that Yibei was hesitating, the sandbag known as Pharoah turned towards her and growled, Dont be afraid; its just a game! If anything happens, well protect you. The sandbag known as Daydream nudged Pharoah, Excuse me! Youve got a girlfriend here! You arent allowed to flirt with other girls! As she spoke, she cast a malicious look towards Yibei, saying, You have to watch out! I dont like men, Yibei sighed internally. Besides, I dont think Im interested in urban legends like you. Resisting the bile umting in her throat, Yibei stepped forward and put her hands on top of the pile of countless palms. The hands were strangely rough, and Yibeis eyelids couldnt stop twitching. Legend has it that when the left eye twitches, fortune urs; when the right eye twitches, misfortune urs. But what if both eyes twitch? Were starting, Pharoah said. O te Deity, please reveal yourself O te Deity As soon as Yibei spoke, she could feel her powers being sucked away, like when the statue of Ac, the Immovable, syphoned her magic out. She was stunned and nced at Sixian. Sixian seemed to be enthralled once again; herplexion was pale, and a hazy mist flowed from her body and rushed towards the centre of the te. Yibei continued to chant. O te Deity, please reveal yourself As she continued chanting, she felt a strong pain in her eyes. In her vision, the piece of paper under the te suddenly burst into mes. The voices of the four suddenly became distorted and weird, and their chants turned into screams. Beyond the screams, something seems to whisper out, like a womans mournful weep. On the previous night, there was a woman with a straw hat and noodles. She had a handkerchief, a shirt, and a skirt. She is known as Zigu. An inexplicable sense of familiarity rushed into Yibei as she heard the whispers beyond the screams. The screams gradually became more and more intense. And it stopped. The moment of dead silence seemed like an eternity, and suddenly, the screams returned, and the volume increased tenfold. The screaming blinded Yibei for a while, and once again, beyond the screams, she could hear the whisper again, and another whisper A whisper erupted from within her body. There is a mountain, and there is a woman. Look, there is a severe drought that spreads across thend. She is called Nuba, and she is the goddess of droughts. The ancient whisper was exceptionally loud within her body, like a bell that rang in an empty school. Lu Yibei was stunned. She suddenly understood why the whispers felt so familiar. Because those were the exact words used in the incantations to stop her own transformation! The whispers fought for dominance as if they were trying to overpower one another. At this moment, she had a bold idea. Chapter 64): Martial Artist Lu Yibei Chapter 64): Martial Artist Lu Yibei Lu Yibei stopped reciting the mantra that she was reciting absentmindedly and quickly withdrew her hand from the pile. The moment she withdrew her hand, the strange force sucking her magic stopped suddenly, and the screaming stopped as well. Whats wrong? Pharoah asked. If you stop the game abruptly, bad things may happen! Hmm Yibei answered. The te Deity seems Are you scared? Brazil teased. While speaking, countless arms from one of the sandbag puppets loomed over Yibei like poisonous snakes ready to pounce. Scared. Eat. Eat her Strange voices emanated from within the sandbag. Yibei gulped, N-no. I dont think that this game is exciting enough. Are there any more interesting games we could try? Is that so? Brazil sneered. Do you want to summon a sacrificial god? Thats right. Yibei nodded. I happened to know about a ritual of praying to the gods. Would you like to try it out? The four sandbags froze. Sixian was surprised as well. You seem to be smart in the ult, Brazil said. Surely, you dont know anything about spells, right? Shes a psychic user Shes not a psychic user Shes a Strange voices emanated from the sandbags once again. This must be a test. If I say I know spells, will I be attacked? No! Im just like you; I heard this urban legend from somewhere, and I think its very interesting. An oppressive and tense silence filled the room. Lu Yibeis eyes constantly scanned the puppets. She was careful not to show any sign of fear. Alright, Pharoah said, breaking the silence first. Lets try your suggestion; then well continue ying the te Deity game. Its easy. Yibei smiled. The basic process is the same; we just need to change the form. Yeah, yeah, Pharoah urged. Lets get it over with. Yibei frowned. They didnt seem to care what her game was about. Listen to me. There is a mountain, Yibei smiled. There is a woman and a severe drought spreads across thend. She is called Nuba, and she is the goddess of drought! Yibei felt something stir in her body. Silence. The four sandbags nced at each other. What are they waiting for? Yibei sneaked a nce at Sixian and was slightly taken aback. She seemed to be fully enthralled; her eyes were fully white as if she had passed out. Her right hand was forcibly pressed against the te by the hands. I need to hurry. Withdrawing her gaze, Yibei found that the sandbags were staring deeply at her. A gloomy voice boomed from the corridor, but at the same time, it seemed distant, as if it were spoken from the darkest depths of this school. Promise her, and then continue the te Deity game. The moment the voice sounded, Yibei felt an evil atmosphere flooding the ssroom, and there seemed to be a pair of invisible eyes staring into her soul. The sandbags whispered in unison, There is a mountain, and there is a woman. A drought spreads across thend. She is called Nuba, and she is the goddess of drought! They chanted mechanically in a low voice, and then their voices became louder and louder. Yibei watched them anxiously. Nothing was happening. Whats going on? If this doesnt work, I cant think of any other way to get out! Just as Yibei was panicking internally, Sixian suddenly woke up, sat up straight, and began to chant alongside them. There is a mountain, and there is a woman. In the next moment, Yibei felt that the air around her seemed to stop flowing, and she was bing sticky and hot. Immediately afterwards, irritable whispers sounded in her ear as if arge group of people were calling out to her. The garbled whispers and chantsshe couldnt make out any of their words, but there was a strong desire to respond to their calls. Her head began to ache violently, and her whole body tensed up as if her muscles and nerves might be severed at any time. Just when she felt that she was about to pass out, she felt her spirit copse, the voices in her ears receded like a tide, and the surroundings fell into a dead silence. Du Sixian didnt know when she passed out. When she woke up, she was surprised to find that her friends were mechanically reading a strange chant. There is a mountain, and there is a woman. In the next moment, the ssroom was set on fire. A crimson fire licked at every corner of the ssroom, and a terrifying heat swept across the ssroom. Metal melted into a dazzling juice and flowed on the ground. She saw her friends struggling in the mes, their voices shrill and eerie screams. On their foreheads, a strange, deep purple pattern flickered intermittently. The symbol would morph into a dark, me-like pattern as if it were trying to rece the symbol. It was like a fight for dominance, Sixian guessed. The bodies of Pharoah and her friends gradually turned an ashy ck, and their scorched bodies copsed onto the floor. Sixian finally saw their true appearance. A sandbag puppetposed of distorted heads and countless rotten limbs and arms. Sixian immediately crawled backwards in horror: Where is Yibei? She must know what happened, right? She darted her eyes around the burning ssroom and saw the figure beside her floating in midair. Her eyes were emitting mes, and she waspletely naked. Scarlet hair danced wildly behind her, and Sixian felt as if she were looking directly into the sun. The more she stared, the more it hurt; her thoughts sank into a frenzy, and no normal thoughts emerged in her mind. A bunch of strange and unknown knowledge was forcefully poured into her mind, causing a sharp pain in her skull. She fell to the ground, and the messily scribbled purple lines on her forehead copsed in an instant, gradually reced by a fiery symbol. Lu Yibei didnt know how long she had sunk into the silence. There were strange whispers in her ears. In that boundless darkness, something was spying on her. The sacrifice it was interrupted? How could this be? No, she is real. In that darkness, she felt irritated. She parted her red lips and cried out, Get away from me! The prying eyes scattered away, and Yibei found that she was back in the ssroom. She was shocked to find that the entire ssroom was scorched ck. Thankfully, Sixiany in the corner, safe and sound. Meanwhile, the bodies of the urban legends have almost been dispelled, leaving only a disfigured head that red at Yibei. There was only one thing left to do. She walked towards the discarded statue of Ac, the Immovable, and a bloodthirsty emotion surged in her heart. As if something else was possessing her, a scarlet light shed in her eyes. My bad, Ill make it up to you by getting rid of all of them. The next moment, the shining, scarlet eyes of the statue of Ac upied the disfigured heads field of vision. Chapter 65): The Dragon Slayer Will Soon Become A Dragon Chapter 65): The Dragon yer Will Soon Be A Dragon There was amotion in the abandoned, derelict teaching building. In the dark corridors, countless shadowy figures were screaming in horror as they frantically dashed about. At the same time, in that abandoned, derelict teaching building, there was a sound of wheels rolling and high heels cking on the ground. A woman in a ck windbreaker dragged a ck trolley case and emerged from the deepest crevices of the campus, stopping right in front of the teaching building. She looked up at the zing fires that consumed the third floor. Her brows were tightly furrowed against her forehead. Wah! Wah! The baby-shaped monster on her shoulder suddenly burst into an ear-piercing cry as if urging the woman to leave immediately. Only then did she turn around and walk briskly towards the main gate. A momentter, a string of curses could be heard by the gate. God damn it Why would you lock the door? Stupid Amidst her curses, the woman took off her high heels, rolled up her sleeves, and climbed over the campus walls in an unsightly manner. Lu Yibeis body temperature gradually dropped, and her fiery, scarlet hair slowly faded back into its snow-white appearance; her consciousness soon came back to her as well. Looking around at the scorched ssroom, she was relieved to find Du Sixian left unscathed by the mes. Through the window, she could tell the corridor was exceptionally empty. Although her mes were hot enough to melt any metal objects in the ssroom, the four sandbags before her, while heavily burnt, were notpletely damaged. The sandbags were forcibly ripped open, exuding a faint, rancid smell, and four scorched dollsy quietly inside. A shimmering metal was imprinted against these palm-sized dolls, traced with the presence of the monsters as they died in the mes. Gazing at the metal filled Yibei with a sense of dread. She couldnt recall what had happened; all she remembered was Sixian joining in the ritual, and she heard many people calling for her before everything fell into a dead silence. In that dead silence, she burnt like a zing bonfire. She felt dizzy trying to piece together her memories and decided to just leave them. Before this, she wouldve never expected that words could hold so much power, and this power helped her get out of imminent danger. But she wasnt delighted at the fact that there seemed to be another voice living within her body. That force seemed manic and chaotic, like a wildfire consuming a forest. The more she tried to pry about it, the more likely it was that she would be buried in a sea of mes. Should I even try harnessing this power? Perhaps when I am stronger,Yibei thought. But if it cant be used by me, then I dont need it! The ss on the windows had meltedpletely, and the midnight wind carried with it a hint of coolness, blowing against Lu Yibeis porcin skin. It was like a pair of cold hairs that caressed her body, causing it to tremble slightly. It wasnt until this time that she realised that the coat on her body had disappeared at some point. Damn it I didnt kill the coat, did I? At this moment, something pushed open the scorched door of the ssroom. Yibei hurriedly pounced towards her statue, only to see a red and white coat that stood upright and poked its head through the door. Pfft-! Seeing the strangely human coat, she couldnt help butugh. Hearing herughter, the coat flew over with a swish and put itself on her body. Raising the brim of the cor, it kissed her cheek affectionately. Yibei packed up the cores of the urban legends that werepletely scorched, wondering if they were still edible. She chose a trolley case that looked rtively intact and was prepared to put them in it. When she was less than a metre away from the trolley case, a burning pain returned to her eyes. Again? She decided that she didnt want to fall into a lucid state once again and backed away vigntly. However She never expected that the shadowy figure would walk towards her. And the scene before her started to morph into a dreamscape. The setting sun was painted on the gloomy sky; its rays fell on the long corridor through the dark clouds, dyeing the corridor ayer of brownish-yellow. Lu Yibei looked on quietly, like an invisible spectator. A notice board with the words [Venting Room] hung on the wrought iron gate and swayed slightly. By the window at the end of the corridor, a tall girl wearing the uniform of Shihekou High School looked into the distance as if waiting for something. The evening wind blew and messed up her long hair, and the setting sun fell on her body, staining the white swan pendant on her chest blood-red. A soft noise emanated from the corridor. Judging from the number of footfalls, there were at least five to six people. These figures came to the girls side and stopped; they were noticeably male and female students wearing their respective uniforms. However, their faces were blurred and shrouded by a cloud of mist. Lin Yiqi, a boy spoke. Have you thought about it? What if Zhao K Dont say that name! a girl interrupted. Dont even mention that name! Hell know! Oh, um If you really decide to kill him, we can help you. Lu Yibei was visibly startled. She was witnessing a group of high school students nning to kill someone. Thats right! That guy is a freak; weve had enough! All these deaths on campus they must be rted to him. I heard hesmuning with ghosts. Did you hear about ss Three? They tried concealing it, but he sneaked into the girls dormitory of ss Three, and the next day, all the girls jumped off the roof. Seventeen of us are gone. We might be next. Listening in on their conversation, Yibei could only guess what evil entity Zhao Ke summoned through the te Deity game. Even though Zhao Ke got rid of his bullies, he didnt stop praying to the te Deity. Human desires are like snowballs; once they start to roll, theyre unstoppable, brewing into an unstoppable avnche. Lin Yiqi, what did that guy even do to you? a girl asked. The girl wordlessly stroked her lower abdomen with her right hand and said, I have decided. If hees here, I will make him stay here forever. I am grateful that you are willing to help me, she continued. If you arent, Ill find other ways to kill him myself. Of course. For our friends. The girl nodded and said, Alright. You guys hide in the venting rooms; I dont know how powerful he is right now, so we can only sneak attack. Under her instructions, Yibei realised that she was witnessing the brewing and birth of a murder. Chapter 66): Her Mark Chapter 66): Her Mark In the darkness, the girl whispered, O te Deity, please, reveal yourself There is a woman with a straw hat and noodles. She has a handkerchief, a shirt, and a skirt. She is called Zigu. Zigu, you are my shadow, and I shall clothe you. If death takes away all pain, let him turn into a corpse. The next moment, the scene before Lu Yibei shuddered violently, and dizzying screams echoed in the corridor. A strong, nauseating smell of blood permeated the air, and the scene shifted before Yibei. The sky was dark, and Lin Yiqi sat lifelessly in the venting room alone, with her left hand pressed against her lower abdomen. A bloody fire axe rested in her right hand, and a little blood was sshed on her pale face. She panted heavily, like a fish out of water. A young boys corpsey quietly in the middle of the room, and blood pooled around his body. I did it, she said, breathing out augh. I did it! As sheughed, she began to cry, covering her face with her hands as she wept. The sun hadpletely sunk into the horizon, casting a shadow over the entire room. Something strange was in the darkness, eating away at Lin Yiqis body. Ah! Lin Yiqi breathed a long sigh of relief as she stretched her arms out towards the darkness. Take it all away! In the darkness, a dark purple mark slowly lit up on her forehead. A girl wearing a ck windbreaker and sunsses dragged a trolley case through the quiet campus. Entering the teaching building, she walked up the stairs and through the empty corridor,ing to the venting room on the top floor. The room was pitch ck, and nothing could be seen. Only the sound of flesh being cut and the sound of a girl retching could be heard. Lu Yibei could only guess what was happening in the room. Not long after, the girl left the room, dragging the trolley case behind her as she entered another venting room, followed by the sound of cloth cutting open. Only then did Yibei realise what was going on. Lin Yiqi sessfully killed Zhao Ke but also sewed him up, piece by piece, into these sandbags! The process repeated itself countless times, and soon the girl came out of the venting room, panting, and hurriedly left. Dawn came, and not a single soul knew what had transpired over the night. Little did they know that the flower of evil had bloomed quietly. A group of students with anger issues came into the venting room, beating up the sandbag puppets. Where the hell is that Zhao kid? I didnt see him in ss today. Dont care. Its better not to see him. I wish he never showed up ever again. As their fists and feet fell upon the sandbag puppets, they couldnt hear the painful groans hidden within the sandbags, nor could they smell the putrid stench of a corpse in the air. Ack! Breaking away from her dreamscape, she panted. The girl who I followed here she must be Lin Yiqi herself. But who is the baby resting on her shoulder? And why did shee back to this ce? Retracing her thoughts, she picked up the four scorched dolls and put them in a small box. She then carried the unconscious Du Sixian on her back and left the ssroom. The empty corridor was exceptionally quiet. She could feel countless eyes on her beyond the shadows, and she felt uneasy. This was like the time I fell asleep in the library back in school, Yibei gulped. I cant help but feel that something is watching me. I-Im leaving! Yibei announced himself in the darkness. Shes leaving Several whispers erupted in the darkness. Dont stay afraid What the hell are you afraid of? Shouldnt it be me who should be afraid? When she came to the stairwell, she nced towards the stairs leading to the top floor. The dark stairwell was like a big maw that swallowed all light, and something eerie concealed itself within the shadows. Forget it. Better not meddle in things that have nothing to do with me. Ten minutester, at the foot of the mountain outside the high school, Stopping by the side of the road and looking back at the abandoned school that loomed over them, she couldnt help but feel that they had just survived an apocalypse. Although she didnt find Lin Yiqi herself, it was a worthwhile trip. However, a question popped up in her mind. A ce like this is a den for urban legends Why isnt the Night Division guarding it, especially on a moonless night like this? There must be an intruder within the ranks of the Night Division, she guessed. Not me, though! She corrected herself. Im just a part-timer! It was still the wee hours of the morning. On the empty streets, strange figures would roam around from time to time. Long-legged organs would run around, chasing a cloud of mist. Lumps of meat and metal machinery were forcibly welded together, and they stood proudly like amp overlooking the deserted street. Eyes peered at the sleeping human, but they were afraid to approach the terrifying existence of the human. Jianglis right. A moonless night like this is a carnival for urban legends. ncing at Sixian, she couldnt help but feel that she was walking on a trail of bandits while carrying gold bars on her. Yibei took out Zhang Shans business card from her coat pocket, groped around Sixians pockets, and found her mobile phone. Only then did she realise that Sixian had a strange mark on her forehead. The red outlines of the mark formed the vague shape of a zing me, and the centre was pale gold. Beyond the pale gold was an endless shadow, and only one thought came to her mind. My mark Chapter 67): Midnight Chapter 67): Midnight Du Sixian was sleeping soundly; her oval face had a hint of baby fat, with some light freckles dusted over her face. She could easily attract the attention of people if she were to walk on the street. But Lu Yibei could only focus on the mark on her forehead. The mark on Du Sixians forehead seemed to contain strange magic. How do I exin this to her? Oh, I identally turned on you, so you belong to me now? This was strangely like the plot of a harem novel. She wouldnt be surprised if she called the police. And once the police are contacted, the Night Division will be alerted, and they will soon follow the bread trail leading towards her. Even though shes marked, it doesnt mean I can control her, right? Yibei gulped. Staring at the mark, Yibei bit her fingers and paced back and forth restlessly. At that moment, as if her brain had suddenly twitched, she leaned forward and pressed against Du Sixians forehead, rubbing the mark violently. The streetmp not far away gulped as it saw themotion not far away, as its tongue caught the moths attracted to its light, attempting to ignore the two girls. Is this how witches treat their servants? it gulped. Bah! Lu Yibei fell backwards and saw puffs of white smoke escaping from Du Sixians now warm forehead. And she woke up. Yibeis body trembled slightly as she took a few steps back, quickly hiding her cell phone behind her back. Sixian opened her eyes, looking at the surrounding environment in a daze. At midnight, the deserted street was illuminated by strange streetmps. Looking at the unfamiliar yet familiar scenery before her, Sixian was visibly confused before realising that she had already left the campus. I-Im alive! She was still apprehensive about Lu Yibei back on campus, but seeing that she was safe, all her doubts about Yibei were eliminated. Herst memory was of Yibeiforting her to go with the flow. Thinking of her, Sixian hurriedly searched for her and saw the petite girl quietly watching her from behind. Complex emotions were hidden behind an indifferent expression, and Du Sixian was overjoyed. We we escaped! she yelled. A happy ending for both of us! Mm. The moment you see your forehead, Yibei thought. You wont be that happy anymore. We are totally besties now! Sixian beamed. We must keep in touch! Give me your contact information! She subconsciously reached for her phone, only to realise that her pockets were empty. Hey! My cell phones missing! It must have fallen out, Yibei blurted out. Must have fallen out when we were escaping. After tonight, Ill be sated, Yibei thought. I would rather not have her trouble me. Sixian nodded. It was a bit too much to expect Yibei to protect her belongings as well as herself. Thank god I have a spare phone on me! Sixianughed. Good thing I didnt lose them all! Yibeis eyes widened as she backed away step by step, and she was fully ready to run when Sixian inevitably screamed when she turned on her front camera. My god! Its almost four oclock! Wed better go back; why is your face so pale? Ah, I feel cold. Im okay. Lu Yibeis eyes nced towards her phone; she was clearly pointing her face at the front camera. Wait, my forehead. Ah, no, I dont- Why is it so red? Look! I think a scab is forming! Strange. Cant she see the mark? In the corner of Huacheng, a group of buildings were clustered together, like a group of giants that loomed over the city. Only one window emitted a warm, yellow light. Theyout of this particr room was not much different from other units: ten square metres, a desk near the window, some books rted to urban legends, aputer, and simple broadcasting equipment. Zhang Shan sat by his desk as he smoked, whispering a story into the microphone with a charming voice. Did all of you miss me? Let me tell you a story about a strange incident that urred to a taxi driver friend of mine. Zhang Shan picked up the script he had just written after returning home, and a smile of revenge appeared on the corner of his mouth. It begins on a dark and windy night. He was doing his final rounds around the city when he received a strange passenger. He nced at hisputer screen and read thements from the corner of his eyes. [Could the friend you mentioned be yourself?] [Is this story true?] [Its true, btw, that I was the passenger.] [Can I see your feet?] Reading thements, he was d that his audience was engaged. As he approached the microphone to continue the story, the phone on his table vibrated. My bad, I need to answer a call, he said. Excuse me! If its convenient, could youe to pick me up at the intersection below Shihekou High School? Lu Yibeis voice came from the phone, apanied by waves of electromaic interference. After hearing the familiar voice on the phone, Zhang Shan froze. D-does she know I was talking about her? At this moment, he felt as if a pair of invisible eyes were boring into his soul. Chapter 68): There Is Something Strange About This Broadcast! Chapter 68): There Is Something Strange About This Broadcast! The call time increased second by second, and Zhang Shans forehead was covered in beads of sweat. He didnt dare touch his mobile phone for fear that something might appear behind him. Hello? You there? Lu Yibeis voice sounded again. Zhang Shan couldnt help but growl, What on earth are you trying to do? Im live right now! I have thousands of witnesses right now, so dont you dare. The number of listeners never exceeded four digits, but Zhang Shan felt like he had the world behind his back at this very moment. Uh I just want to go home. We want to go home. We cant get a taxi, so I could onlye to you. Could you pleasee and pick us up? We? You didnt go to high school alone? From the very beginning, Zhang Shan doubted Lu Yibeis motives for going to high school. He always felt that there was a secret behind her. And now there was an extra person? Please? Damn it, wait. Zhang Shan gritted his teeth and turned to the microphone. Dear viewers, something urgent came up. Ill see all of you tomorrow. If I survive the night. After he spoke, he cut off the broadcast and picked up his car keys. Strangely enough, although he was no longer streaming, his viewer count kept going up. I dont understand. Nobody is streaming; where are all of youing from? lol] [The streamer said he met a weird passenger, and then a girl called him We all heard the phone call.] [He was scared and then rushed out.] [He said something about noting back alive; its scary.] [Shihekou High School is an abandoned high school. Omg. I heard that its haunted.] [I suspect that the girl on the phone is a nt. But even if its fake, his viewer count keeps rising. Haha.] [Man, I really wanted to see some feet.] [This user has been banned by AutoMod.] In the middle of the night, in the empty streets, figures were squatting by the side of the road, burning paper money. In front of them were incense sticks stuck into a bowl of white rice. Despite the fire, their faces were still blurred and obscured. From time to time, these figures cast their gazes hastily towards Lu Yibei, and they were on guard. Lu Yibei frowned. Why do they keep looking at me? I know that Im cute, but I cant be cute towards urban legends, right? In the distance, an old bus trudged through the mist and stopped at an unmanned tform. It could be seen that there was no driver on the bus. I know I told Zhang Shan toe, but is he actuallying? Thinking about the urban legends roaming across the street, Yibei stared at Du Sixian. She was sitting on the trolley case absentmindedly. After she calmed down, Yibei was surprised to find that she was no longer hungry, despite being hungry moments ago. Zhang Shan fears me, she thought. But this it doesnt feel like its just him being scared. Before Yibei could figure it out, the hum of an engine could be heard at the end of the road. It didnt take long before a speeding taxi came into view. The speeding taxi had a looming shadow riding on it. Oh my god. The taxi drifted across the empty street, drawing a beautiful arc and stopping right in front of the two of them. As if sensing a being of a higher power, the ghost hanging on the taxi quickly scattered away. Zhang Shan stopped the car and rolled down the window, saying, Get in. ncing at Sixian, Yibei hurriedly put the trolley case into the trunk, saying, Toote to exin. Get in the car. She hurriedly sat in the backseat and looked at Zhang Shan through the rearview mirror. This is exactly as it is in those action movies, where the protagonist happens to know a taxi driver, which means that he isnt somebody simple. I should get on good terms with him too! Sixian concluded. Looking around the inside of the taxi, her gazended on a small box containing his business cards. As her hand reached over towards the business card, a hand snatched the box away and threw it out the window. Hmph! Zhang Shan sneered, rolling up the window. I dont think he likes me very much, Sixian thought. Lu Yibei got into the car, closed the door, and looked back and forth at the silent duo in the car. Why does it feel so awkward? The taxi drove alone in the night, and the three gradually drove away from the high school. A strong resentment brewed in Zhang Shans heart as he drove, but at the same time, he was worried for his life. Du Sixian was fast asleep. Lu Yibei looked at Zhang Shan through the rearview mirror. Zhang Shan, I Hearing this, Zhang Shans body shuddered, and the taxi swayed on the road left and right for a bit. Not hearing it! Nope! All kinds of scenarios were brewing in Zhang Shans head: the trolley case must be concealing a body, and this girl must be Lu Yibei didnt speak anymore, and the ride was incredibly quiet. Zhang Shan first sent Du Sixian back home, waited for Yibei to escort her safely, and then dragged Yibei back to her apartment. After confirming that Yibei didnt leave anything weird in his car, the fare was paid, and Zhang Shan chased Yibei out of his car. Sitting in the car, Zhang Shan lit a cigarette and watched as Lu Yibei walked into the apartment. I need to go to a temple tomorrow for an amulet, he concluded. No matter the amount they ask, I will pay. Chapter 69): She’s Definitely Coming Chapter 69): Shes Definitely Coming At 4:30 in the morning, Zhang Shan returned home. As soon as he came home, he went straight to the bathroom and sshed his face with cold water. He wasnt sure if it was because of Lu Yibei, but he felt a little chilly. Hey on his bed and turned on his phone, only to find more than a dozen unread messages and several missed calls. Most of the calls were from listeners who knew him, and many of the messages asked whether or not they needed to call the police. There were also concerning messages asking why he cut the broadcast off. Tsk! He really did want to call the police to arrest the viin, Lu Yibei! After such an abrupt cut, he was sure that his reputation was wiped clean. He sighed as he walked towards his study and sat in front of hisputer. As the page loaded, he casually nced at his peak viewers, and he couldnt help but be slightly taken aback. His peak viewers ranged from less than a thousand to over five thousand in the hour that he was out. Not only that, a lot of listeners were extraordinarily generous and donated hundreds of dors in gifts. Damn, he muttered as he scrolled through the chat history. After reading the barrage of chat messages, he fell into deep thought. Is is this Lu Yibeis way of repaying me? I heard urban legends will give a reasonable return after receiving help from humans. Now, she didnt seem too terrible. Looking at the scattered script on the table, he lit another cigarette, picked up his pen, and started to scribble new ideas. Was my previous idea too sloppy? This gives them more character, shows that theyre willing to help, and makes them more rtable. [It is said that in a certain city, there is a monster wearing arge red and white coat with snow-white hair that is dusted with a pink glow. She is like a porcin doll, with a pair of blood-red eyes like a beast. Every midnight, she will randomly appear at a crossroad in the city, stopping passing vehicles. She will ask them for help, and if they are kind enough to help her and drive her to the most remote corners of the city] In the most remote corners of the city, the alleyways were stained with moss and moisture. At the end of this long and lonely alley, the lights of a tavern that didnt exist in this world flickered. A woman in a ck trench coat stopped in front of the tavern. [Urban Legend] was the name of the tavern. She stepped forward, lifting up the curtain that was embroidered with lotus patterns, and entered the tavern. The warm lights in the tavern were bright, and two or three wooden tables and chairs were scattered before the bar. A girl in dark blue pyjamas concealed her body. She sat cross-legged in a corner against the wall, donning a hideous ck mask that resembled that of a shaman priestess. The bowl in front of her was filled with a thick broth, emitting a pleasant aroma. The fragrance lingered in the air, morphing into the shapes of struggling livestock before dissipating into indistinct whines. Seeing the woman walk into the tavern, the girl put down her chopsticks and waved her over: Lin Yiqi, over here! A wave of resentment washed over Yiqis eyes, but she pulled out a chair and sat down before the girl. Want noodles? Hus noodles are as good as ever. A new urban legend is born, Lin Yiqi said coldly. The girl slurped her noodles; her mask tilted to the side, revealing half of her delicate face. Oh, dont worry about me! Just keep talking; Im just really hungry! Hearing this, Yiqi paused before continuing, To be precise, shes a witch, but not a full witch She broke into the ce that I have been running for a long time, and ce? Youre talking about that uh, high school? Yes. Shihekou High School. Bah. I told you that you shouldnt cooperate with those bastards from the Eclipse Society, the girl scoffed. Is revenge that important? You even dabbled in a dirty little thing like Zigu. Of course it is! Yiqi blurted it out. You should be very clear that in this world, you can only survive if you keep getting stronger; thats why I There are other ways of getting stronger, the girl interrupted. You are always wee to join me. Your method is too slow. I need to be stronger and overpower Zhao Ke, or the whole school will fall into his clutches. I didnt say that there was anything wrong with your methods, the girl said, raising her hand. Ipletely understand. That witch is interrupting my ns. Could you please help me deal with her? Im busy. What do you want me to do? Teach her a lesson. Youre joking, the girl stared, a frown visible through the gaps of her mask. What do you want? Ill get it for you, Yiqi offered through gritted teeth. We have been friends for many years, so logically, I should help you. But instead, the girl continued. You turned to the Eclipse Society instead ofing to me. Could it be that youre afraid of owing me a favour? she guessed. Lin Yiqi remained silent, but that was enough of an answer for the girl. I dont understand why youre still afraid of me. If youe with me, I can provide you asylum from all those monsters, and you have enough time to gain power and get your revenge. I still remember your prayers under the tree. I Yiqi paused. What do I need to do so that youll help me? The girl sighed, Fine. Ill help you out. Thank you! I will definitely repay you in the future! After a pregnant pause, Lin Yiqi continued, I dont know where she is now, though. I might need to trouble you on that too. Its easy to find a newborn witch like her. It doesnt take much effort at all. Although Yiqi knew her capabilities, she didnt know why she was being so confident. Newborns tend to feel like theyre invincible, the girl exined. Are they not easy to find if they unt their powers? Like a lighthouse when youre lost at sea. Shes lucky that Im the first being that shell meet! the girl chuckled. Ill give her a good beating! Leave it to me! Chapter 70): Hell’s Kitchen Chapter 70): Hells Kitchen Back in her apartment, Lu Yibei heaved a sigh of relief. She decided not to take the elevator; a lone girl pulling a trolley case and a statue may attract unwanted attention. Although the Night Division may not pay close attention to her ce of residence, its better to be cautious. Pushing open the door to the stairs, dusty air greeted her nostrils. Carrying the statue in one hand and the trolley case in the other, she carefully closed the door, trying not to make any noise. Climbing up the stairs, she quietly analysed tonights events. The te Deity game harbours a great evil, but she learnt that through incantations, she was able to stimte the power in her own body. Now that she ruined the ritual, it doesnt mean that shes off scot-free. The entity behind the ritual may still target her, so she must find its source and be prepared to deal with it. Pity that my clearance is too low. Otherwise, I could easily look for it in the Night Division records. Just how do I be a full-time worker in the Night Division? The girl in my dreams told me not to be involved with the Night Division if I wanted to survive, but if you cant beat them, join them. When she came back to her senses, she found that she had already reached her floor. She pushed open the iron door of the stairwell and entered the password to open her door. Apanied by a soft sound, she could hear amotioning from inside her house. Hurry! Shes back! We have to clean up! Im not afraid of her! We are free spirits; we have the right to roam around the house! There he goes again. You still need to help us clean up! Come on, hold this stick in your mouth and clean up the cobwebs! Lu Yibei paused outside the door, waiting for them to finish cleaning. She could tell that if she were to enter now, she might devour them out of spite. After performing that weird ritual, she felt unstable. It was as if she had awakened something within her, and violent thoughts would pop up in her mind. Although she was still able to control it, its hard to guarantee that shell remain sane. After waiting for a few minutes, she slowly opened the door, only to be greeted by a terrifying figure. Wee back, Mrs Witch! An eyeball, with a wig and false teeth and dressed in a fluttering white skirt, bowed to greet her. Lu Yibei jumped in shock, gradually regaining herposure. Yibei simply nodded as she carried the statue and trolley case into the room. Seeing her return, the other apparitions went straight into the room wordlessly. They felt a terrifying atmosphere filling the room, and they didnt want to provoke the beast. Lu Yibei walked to the centre of the living room, dropped a box on the coffee table, and announced loudly, Come. I have something to ask you. Did we not clean well enough? the apparitions discussed amongst themselves. Is she going to eat us? Eat you, Mr Eyeball. Youre our sacrifice. W-what? No! Well remember you! Hearing their conversations, Lu Yibei couldnt help but stare nkly. Something catapulted in the room, and Yibei stretched out her hand instinctively. Something wet wriggled and struggled in her grasp, only to be greeted with an eyeball staring at her in a bewildered manner. I-Im not going down without a fight! C-calm down, Yibei said. I just want to ask who among you knows the correct way to eat the cores of urban legends. Yibei set the eyeball down and opened the trolley case. A faint bloody smell permeated the air instantly, and bursts of sinister energy fluctuations spread across the room. Although they were much less suffocating than Yibeis own presence, they still felt fearful of the contents. Well, how do I eat this thing? Although they were truly the core of the urban legends, their outward appearance was still made of artificial leather and textiles. I think you have to eat it directly, the wig said. While I was wandering outside, I saw a ghost devouring a cat demon whole. Absolutely not, the dentures said. I think you have to suck them dry. How? Using your mouth! None of you know how to eat this thing, do you? Right. How could such weak apparitions have the ability to eat the cores of other urban legends? Hehe, I know! the eyeball chuckled. Oh? Have you eaten one before? Nope! This little Yibei grumbled. Hold that eyeball down. Dont let it run away. Ive got some experiments I want to try. Since she couldnt get any useful information out of them, she could only do it by trial and error. To be on the safe side, she had to figure out how much she could eat at a time. She guessed that eating something as sinister as this would definitely cause some side effects. Lu Yibei picked up a charred doll and walked towards the kitchen. The other apparitions panicked after looking at this scene, and under her coercion, they held the eyeball down amidst his protests. In the kitchen, Yibei rummaged through the cabs and found her familys ancestral set of knives. They were stored in a brown leather bag, and there were three knives in total. Ever since she was hospitalised following the car ident, she hadnt touched these knives in forever. Surprisingly enough, they werent rusty at all. Are these magical knives? She dismissed the idea. Thinking about it, she held a knife out, pressed the core of the doll with one hand, and then brought the knife down with the other. Maybe I should make a sd, Yibei said to himself. The other apparitions shuddered, seeing the doll being cut in half cleanly. Could this knife be used against them in the future? It truly was Hells Kitchen at that very moment for them. Chapter 71): First Time Chapter 71): First Time Chop! Chop! Chop! A silver light gleamed in the kitchen, and the knife was constantly raised and lowered. The urban legends core was finely cut into fine pieces bit by bit under Lu Yibeis knife. Cutting the core, she thought of her father. Although my father wanted me to go down a more creative path, he never stopped me from cooking, she thought, thinking back to the time when she would help in the kitchen at home. Her father would even spend some time with her and teach her some of his own ancestral cooking skills. Thanks to her father, her proficiency in wielding the knife was extremely high. Yibei sighed. It took her a few minutes to cut the core into a couple of dozen equal-sized pieces. Carefully wiping away the residue stuck on the knife, she looked at her masterpiece on the chopping board and sighed again. Im good. If I were to be judged, I could win an award or something! Leaning over, she took out a clean, porcin bowl and put the cut cores into the bowl. Mincing a piece of garlic, she tossed it into the bowl while eyeballing a couple of drops of soy sauce and stirring vigorously. When Yibei was done, she brought over bowls and chopsticks, and all of the apparitions were still sitting obediently at the coffee table. Looking at the eyeball, she frowned: Some of you dont have mouthshow do you even eat? Like this. The wig puffed forward, and its body began to squirm. A poof! could be heard, and arge mouth with sharp teeth revealed itself beyond the endless mounds of hair. Seeing this slightly unnerving scene, Yibei couldnt help but back away a little. Even if I treat them as pets, they are still urban legends at their core. But The wigs mouth was still open wide, waving itsrge, sticky tongue towards Yibei. She picked up a piece of the chopped cores with a pair of chopsticks and tossed it into the wigs mouth. Ack! With a foreign object suddenly stuck in its throat, the wig let out a muffled groan. The other apparitions stuck close to each other, cold sweat dripping down their backs. Is she trying to kill us? Ack! The wig convulsed and twitched, and tiny arcs of electricity swam on its body. The already thick wig rustled and grew rapidly, and its somewhat translucent body became more and more opaque. Crap. I should have cut it into smaller pieces for them, Yibei thought. After waiting anxiously for a few minutes, the wig stopped moving. The wig was once football-sized, and now its as big as a medium-sized dog that hasnt been trimmed in a while. How do you feel? Yibei gulped. Are you alright? The wig immediately popped up and hovered before Yibei, dancing with an intoxicating sense offort as it was filled with spiritual energy. Thank you, Mrs Witch! I dont feel unusual; I feel powerful! Its just that What is it? It just tastes a bit strange, the wig paused. Like canned herring mixed with spoiled vinegar. It felt alive too, the wig continued. I choked because I could feel cold, slimy tentacles caressing my throat. Lu Yibei gulped. Although she had already guessed that the cores would taste less-than-pleasant, she didnt expect them to literally be hard to swallow! Looking down at her bowl, which was filled with the cores, she thought to herself, The wig seems fine, so it should be safe to eat. Using her chopsticks to pick up a piece of the chopped core, she opened her red lips lightly and tasted the core with her tongue. A pungent, sour taste that overpowered the foul taste the garlic was trying to mask; burnt; creamy; sticky. It squirmed in her mouth, and she couldnt help but feel sick. Just as she was about to spit it out, something strange happened. Her body temperature rose slightly for a moment, and the core in her mouth melted into a cold current that was immediately absorbed into her body. Like cold electricity, it flowed through her body, causing her to itch uncontrobly. Lu Yibei felt the changes in her body, but they disappeared as fast as they hit her. That was fast, she thought. Could it be that Im stronger than the wig so that Im able to bear its effects? Moving her chopsticks again, she picked up three cores this time. The pain tickled at her, and her body tempted her to take more bites, like nectar after a long drought. Every single limb, every single pore cheered out, More! The tingling sensation rushed through her body, but once again, it ended as soon as it came. Soon, three pieces became five; five became ten; ten became twenty The strange sense offort seemed to mask the foul taste of the cores, and she wanted more. When there were only half of the cores left in her bowl, she took a deep breath, pinched her nose, stuffed all of the cores into her mouth, and gulped them down. The cold, greasy feeling quickly flooded her mouth as it passed through her oesophagus. In an instant, thin, long tentacles caressed her throat, and the stimtion instantly prated every cell. Her vision was blurred, and her thinking was erratic but clear. Arge amount of information seemed to pour into her mind. Fragments of memories are edited like an old movie. Laughter, pain, sunshine, and darknessthe emotions contained within each fragment were like her own. With the influx of information, she felt a sharp pain in her forehead and a dream formed before her eyes. This dreamscape was different from the visions she was granted beforeshe was no longer a bystander but in their shoes. In the dream, she was no longer Lu Yibei but a girl named Xue Qi. Opening her eyes for the first time, she saw herself forming like an embryo. The second time, she saw the cradle she was put into and nurses dressed in white. They smelled of disinfectant and expertly changed her diapers. Soon, a beautiful woman breastfed her tenderly. Immediately afterwards, countless broken fragments shed: studying hard at school, strolling through a sunny park, and sweating profusely in a dance studio. It felt too real. Yibeis brain could fool itself into thinking that she was Xue Qi. She knew her likes and dislikes. She knew her pain and happiness. She knew everything about her as if a whole new personality had been injected into her, and it shuddered her soul. Like an immersive performance, she was part of. But a performance she had no say in. She was like a puppet on a string, a soul imprisoned in a character. The process of her growth seemed to have been omitted and shed before her rapidly. The scene froze for a moment, and it was fixed in a girly roompink with a faint fragrance. The lights were warm, and it made one dizzy. Lu Yibei could see a girl in Spongebob pyjamas with her long hair coiled up. It still dripped with water, as if she had just taken a bath. Sitting in front of theputer, she moved the mouse and clicked on the lower-right corner of the screen. A chat software icon popped up, followed by a dialogue box. Before she saw the content in the chat box, Lu Yibei saw the girls ID on the dialogue box, and her heart tightened slightly. Seeing the profile picture of the girls chat partner, her soul shuddered even more. A picture of the ck sun totemthe symbol of the Eclipse Society! And [Daydream] was the girls screen name Chapter 72): Can I Go? Chapter 72): Can I Go? The ck sun totem was reflected in her pupils, and a sense of difort rose in Lu Yibeis body. It seemed to exude a magical power, and that power couldnt wait to infiltrate into her body. Her eyes seemed to be resisting the force, and there was a burning pain. Coming back to her senses, she quickly looked away from the totem. A sense of enlightenment washed over herthis must be Daydreams life and what happened not long before she died. Unexpectedly, before she lost herself in Shihekou High School, she encountered people from the Eclipse Society. Could the tragedy at the high school be nned by this seemingly indifferent girl? But where is she? Did she die too? With doubts in her mind, she calmed down and continued to y the role of Daydream, quietly watching everything that happened before her eyes. Deliberately avoiding her gaze upon the totem, she locked her eyes on the contents of the chat. The person Daydream was chatting with was named Doctor. [Hey. Free for a chat?] [Sure! Whats up] Daydream seemed quite familiar with this Doctor in person. [I saw you discussing a trial of guts with other members on the forum. Where are you going?] [We havent decided.] [Are you interested in visiting Shihekou High School? I heard that its very active there.] [Im not the organiser.] [I have to ask Pharoah first.] [Hell agree for sure. Can I join you if he epts?] Seeing the Doctors response, Daydream was frustrated and tapped rapidly. [Im not in charge of making decisions.] [Your word is king. Can I go?] [Are you a bot?] [I just told you no.] After hitting enter, she immediately closed the chat and blocked Doctor. After a few seconds, another chat box appeared on her desktop, and the text written on it made her hair stand on end. [Can I go?] Daydream stared at theputer screen and typed out a reply with trembling hands. [Who are you?] [Can I go?] The Doctor gave the same responses again and again, and the once warm and cheerful room felt chilly and eerie. She hurriedly turned off herputer and got into bed. When some people feel afraid, all they need to do is jump into bed and cover their heads and body with their nkets, and it seems like all evils could be warded off. The warmth of the nket enveloped her, and a sense of drowsiness washed over her unknowingly. Buzz! Buzz! Daydream was awakened by the vibration of her mobile phone under the pillow. Perhaps it was because she slept with wet hair, but her hands and feet were a little cold, and her head was groggy as if she had a bad cold. In her daze, she took out her phone from under the pillow and nced at the message. She was stunned for a moment, and her pupils shrank violently as her heart sank beneath the ground. It was a text message from an unknown number. [Can I go?] She threw her phone across the room, and the light on the screen gradually dimmed. Soon, it vibrated again. Daydream tucked her head under the pillow in a panic and pressed her hands tightly around her ears. The buzzing of her phone seemed to prate her ears nheless, and it drove her insane. It stopped abruptly. She waited anxiously for a few minutes and poked her head out of her covers. Sitting on the edge of her bed in shock, she stared at her phone. At this very moment, she wanted anyone to apany her. Her boyfriend was half a city away, and her mother was also out of town. Whats worse was that she did not have the courage to touch her phone at all, for fear that she would receive that strange message again. After sitting by the bed in silence, she heard her cell phone ring in the darkness. Ring! It rang until it stopped, but the call connected on its own. Silence. It was strangely silent, and Daydream calmed herself down, only for a strange, hoarse voice to echo through the phone. Can I go? Ah! Hearing the voice from the phone, the girl screamed, tossing her doll towards the phone. She hurriedly dashed towards the phone and stomped on it violently until she could no longer hear the voice. Her chest violently heaved as she eyed her now-crushed phone. Did did I go too far? Convincing herself that she had gotten herself a stalker, she shook her head and walked towards the bathroom. Daydream stared at her own reflection. The warm water gushing out of the faucet created ayer of mist on the mirror. She sshed warm water vigorously on her face, and she couldnt help but chuckle at her ridiculous behaviour. Im just scaring myself, she thought. I just need some sleep. She gently drew a smiley face on the mirror. However, the moment she drew the smile, the lights in the bathroom went out, and she was plunged into the darkness. Her heart sank to the floor, and she staggered back a few steps. Her eyes adjusted to the darkness, and her eyes fell upon the mirror. Her body shuddered violently as a string of words appeared in the misty mirror. Can I go? The girl rushed forward frantically, wiping off the mist on the mirror with a swipe of her hand. The mist condensed into water droplets, and her figure was reflected in the mirror. Staring at her crazed self, she brought her hand up to rub her eyes, only to realise that her reflection did not mirror her movements. She panicked and wanted to back away, but the figure in the mirror darted forward and grasped her shoulders painfully. Her body was pulled violently into the mirror, and the mirror shattered into a million pieces. The countless shards shed at her porcin cheek, and her cheek was stained with blood. She hurriedly backed herself into a corner, and she could hear countless whispersing from the shards of the mirror. Can I go? She screamed, and soon she was enlightened. Hence, with a soft whisper of You can, everything came to an abrupt end. Like the end of a stage y, darkness struck. The third time she opened her eyes, the girl sat down in front of herputer, unscathed. She opened up her group chat, with the newest topic of [Trial of Guts] being pinned to the chat. [How about we go to Shihekou High to y the te deity game? c:] Pharoah replied not long after. [Why there? Its not a good ce.] It seems like Pharoah had no interest in going there. [Is that true?] [I heard that it was very active I just thought it would be suitable for our trial of guts.] It was almost an hour after Daydream sent her message, but Pharoah has yet to respond. [Are you there, babe?] [If its you, I guess its fine We can go to Shihekou High. Ill get more people to join us] [Brazil has joined the group.] [Bright has joined the group.] [Witch has requested to join the group.] [Daydream has epted Witchs request.] Chapter 73): Trying to Escape? Absolutely Not! (1) Chapter 73): Trying to Escape? Absolutely Not! (1) After a long time, Lu Yibei finally came back to her senses. Even though she was used to being forcefully transported to a dreamscape, the horror and despair still lingered. Oh shit. She uttered a swear and calmed down the chaotic emotions in her heart, then lowered her head to check her body. Swallowing an entire bowl of cores made her experience Daydreams life like a movie. Surely she didnt do anything strange in her unconsciousness. Thinking about it, she turned around and looked at the apparitions, who were silently waiting for her to wake up. Their eyes were inexplicably strange. Like a father awaiting his wife to give birth. Why are you all looking at me like that? Yibei asked. Did I do anything strange? No, no! all of them said in unison. Really? Well, if you want to know that badly, the eyeball sneered. You- Before it could speak, itspanions pounced on it. -did nothing! Yup! Nothing out of the ordinary! the wig said. Eyeball! the dentures yelled at it. Keep quiet! Is there something you guys are hiding from me? Lu Yibei frowned. No, absolutely not! they said in unison. Should we tell her that she was talking about embarrassing stuff she would do to her boyfriend? The apparitions gulped. She might just die of embarrassment. Yibei shrugged, then nced at the remaining three cores in her bag. Devouring Daydreams core alleviated some of her hunger, but she was still hungry. What if I devour half of it again? She thought. All she wanted to do was devour. She had a hunch that if she were to devour something that had innate abilities, she would gain their abilities too. Rather than devouring, the more appropriate term would be plundering. The lust to get more and be more was overpowering her. To be honest Judging from the chat records between Pharoah and Daydream, Pharoah seemed scared to go to Shihekou High School. But what made him change and give the opposite answer in just ten minutes? Lu Yibei knew how to get the answer. Taking out another core, she walked towards the kitchen. ce the core on a chopping board. Cut into bite-sized pieces. Yibei remembered a famous saying. High-end ingredients often only require the simplest cooking methods. This time, Lu Yibei didnt add any other extra ingredients. After cutting the core of the ghost story into two pieces, she grabbed one of the pieces and swallowed it directly. Mmph! Yibei couldnt help but groan in pleasure as the spiritual energy flooded her body. Once again, her thoughts became erratic, and her mind drifted with the wind. And once again, she fell into a dreamscape. This time, she is ying the role of the user known as [Bright.] Brights childhood shed by quickly, just as it did with Daydreams dreamscape. When her consciousness slowed down, she opened her eyes once again. She found herself in a ssroom during recess. Each student had their own clique and was talking amongst themselves, but Bright was sitting alone in the corner. The girls whomitted suicide were from Dorm Room 401. Oh my god. It was that kid named Zhao, right? I heard he did some weird things to them, forcing them to jump off the building. Bright was taken aback when she overheard the conversation. She pretended to sleep on the desk and continued to eavesdrop. She knew what happened in Room 401 that night. She lived next door. Three jumped off the building, not four. There were only three bodies in front of the dorm; they found the fourth body not long after. Where? In the water tank on the roof of the dorm. Some people spected that she escaped from that persons clutches by chance and fled to the roof. While hiding in the water tank, she drowned. Hearing this, Brights body trembled. She knew who that girl was. Bright tuned out their conversation, albeit not voluntarily. She remembered the night well, and her brain was gued by that fateful night. The female dormitory of Shihekou High School was divided into two parts: a double room and quadruple rooms. Odd-numbered house numbers were four-person rooms, and even-numbered house numbers were double rooms. Bright lives in Room 402, which has two rooms. She lives alone, however. Shihekou High School was a private, aristocratic school. Most studentse from rich families, but many among them enrolled with their good grades alone. Because of their grades, they were also given privileges. As long as they maintained their good grades, they could have room to themselves. The school handles all amodation expenses, and frequent schrships are also provided. The school gives them these benefits, and the student helps to increase the schools reputation. Bright enrolled with her grades, and she was very proud of it. Perhaps it was due to her introverted yet unpleasant personality, but she was isted. She found herself mirroring Zhao Ke, but at least she wasnt physically assaulted. The only reason she had this room to herself was because her roommate couldnt handle her. In that loneliness, she learnt alone, like a lone machine left in a world with no humans. Chapter 74): Trying to Escape? Absolutely Not! (2) Chapter 74): Trying to Escape? Absolutely Not! (2) When Zhao Ke sneaked into Room 401, Bright was busy doing homework in her room. A scream, followed by furniture being moved frantically, interrupted Brights thought process. Bright rolled her eyes and put on the earphones in her drawer. Just as she was about to y some music, she heard a sinister boysughing from next door. A boy? Curiosity got the best of her, and she found herself too distracted to continue doing her work. She quietly listened to the movement next door, and in the next ten minutes, she experienced an unprecedented fear washing over her. Maliciousughter echoed from next door, and the eerie atmosphere leaked through the dormitory walls. The lights in her bedroom flickered intermittently as if a strange force were controlling them. The girls in Room 401 seemed to curse loudly and yell out Zhao Kes name. She knew very well who Zhao Ke was; some girls would warn her not to get close to him since whoever met him would experience misfortune. Because of you, Lin Yiqi hates me! Its all your fault! All your fault. All of you will pay for it! Bright could hear Zhao Ke growling, and soon she could hear girls screaming. What the? N-no! P-please, were sorry! A ghost The screaming faded out into soft pleading, and soon the soft pleadings turned into groans of pain. Bright shivered; her inquisitive mind couldnt help but conjure up the worst scenarios in her mind. She knew that just across this wall was a terrifying demon. N-none of my business. I heard nothing. I heard nothing. Knock! Knock! Knock! Help me! Please open the door! A hoarse female voice shouted outside Brights door. Please let me in! H-hes not human! Hes going to kill me! Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock Bright held her breath amidst the endless knocks. The sound of a door opening next door could be heard, and the girl outside screamed, her screams fading away as she ran down the corridor. However, Bright felt a strange sense of joy. That girl yes, shes one of the ones who shunned me. A cool wind sneaked in from the windows, and faint whispers seemed to carry themselves in the wind. Bright knew something sinister continued to lurk next door. Disturbing, eerie, and not human. Bright could feel it outside her room; its demonic eyes seemed to stare right into her soul outside the door. However, after a moment of silence, the oppressive atmosphere disappeared, and all was silent. It left her alone. Bright figured that if she were to pretend nothing had happened, all would return to normal. However The next night, at the same time, there was another knock on the door. Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock In the dark night, there were constant knocks on her door, and a chilling atmosphere filled her room. There seemed to be something standing outside, wanting her to experience the pain it had experienced. Bright suffered from panic and guilt, and she couldnt help but yell out, What do you want me to do? I wasnt the one who killed you! The knocks continued regardless, and Bright cried out in pain. Bright thought that joining Lin Yiqis n to kill Zhao Ke would free her of guilt. However, when she raised the butchers knife, she remembered the inhuman existence that had stayed outside her dormitory door that night. Fear brewed in her heart, and she ran. Since then, she has been on the run, moving out of the dormitory, transferring schools, and even trying to get her parents to move across the country. During this process, she heard of the many rumours that brewed in Shihekou High School: strange hauntings, a boy going missing, the school shutting down for no apparent reason, etc. But the knocks remained. No matter where she went, at the exact time of night, the knocks would continue to haunt her. No one can hear it; the only one who can hear it is herself. She has been silently thinking of a way to solve this problem that has troubled her for many years and has joined many forums that talk about urban legends. One day, she saw a user named Pharoah talking about going to Shihekou High School for a trial of guts. After hesitating for a long time, she sent a friend request to Pharoah. [Pharoah has epted your friend request.] [?] [That school is dangerous. I suggest you not go there.] [You know something about it?] [Troubled by something there.] [Me too. Im nning to look for a solution there. Want toe along? [Okay. Ille with you.] When she reached the school, she decided to face her past head-on instead of running away. She thought that this was thest way to break out of the predicament, but Standing on the edge of the roof of the teaching building, she saw the girl who used to live next door to her. The girl was wearing a wet school uniform; her hair was messy and dripping, and her face was as pale as a corpse. No malice radiated from her body, but her bloodshot eyes stared daggers into Bright. Turning to Daydream, Bright let out a dryugh, saying, Its useless. From the moment we stepped onto the campus, he was watching. Bright was enlightened. As soon as that incident urred next door in Room 401, escape was never an option. Bright took a step forward, and the wind rushed past her face. She fell off the building, and strangely enough, the weightlessness of it all set her free. She smiled. Chapter 75): Torn In Half (1) Chapter 75): Torn In Half (1) Oh my god! Lu Yibei woke up abruptly, and a sense of despair washed over him. She originally wanted to know what had happened to Pharoah but wound up swallowing Brights core instead. Now, a sense of despair lingered in her soul. While thinking, she looked at the trolley case in the living room again and frowned. Should I continue eating? What if I identally swallow Brazils core this time? After swallowing half of Brights core, she no longer felt hungry, but the instinctive desire within her tempted her to continue devouring. Mrs Witch, what are you thinking about? The wig asked, worried after seeing Yibei silent for so long. I was wondering if there were any side effects to eating too much. Hah! the eyeball sneered. Youd better eat it all now; otherwise, it may end up in somebody elses stomach! Lu Yibei red at it, and the eyeball hurriedly hid behind the wig. Eyeball has a point. A powerful core like this may attract other urban legends, and I dont even know how to preserve it. Id better eat them all! Yibei stepped forward and grabbed the two remaining cores. Im no longer a child! I dont have to choose! Cutting both the cores into two, she stuffed each half into her mouth and swallowed. The next moment, the girl keeled over in her kitchen, and once again, she fell into unconsciousness. Lu Yibei woke up to the sound of things being flung around the room, and she found herself in Pharoahs body. In front of Pharoah were a man and a woman arguing with each other in a dim room. They were his parents, and they were arguing about Zhao Ke, who turned out to be Pharoahs long-lost brother. All you care about is work! You have never, a day in your life, cared about your children! the woman yelled. Oh, yeah? You have no idea what they call our son at school! the man yelled. A lunatic, a pervert, a freak! the man gestured. Is that what you want your son to be called? I wish I had never met you! Say it to my face, then! the woman yelled. Tell me you want a divorce! Just leave me alone! The man pushed the woman away. How could my brother be a pervert? Pharoah thought. In my memory, he isnt somebody like that, Pharoah thought. Hes gentle and loving to me. Something must have happened. Ever since Zhao Ke entered high school, something changed. He was no longer the brother who was gentle and caring. Thest conversation between them was more than a month ago. Zhao Ke returned home from school and chatted with Pharoah happily, despite his sudden switch in personality. I figured out something, Zhao Ke told him. Everything will go back to normal, and school wont seem so scary anymore. Zhao Ke informed Pharoah that he might note back for a long time and to take care of their parents for him. Pharoah vividly remembers that Zhao Ke left with no bag and that the setting sun was strangely blood-red. Amidst the argument between his parents, he figured out that whatever his brother figured out was linked to his sudden disappearance. I should have told them about him Pharoahmented. Pharoah looked up at his parents and found that they were still arguing. He didnt quite understand the significance of their quarrel. Isnt the most important thing now to find his missing brother? While Pharoah was thinking, his parents suddenly looked at him, causing his body to shiver. Their eyes were strange, and their words dripped with poison. They were no longer somebody he could call his parents. Frightened, he dashed out of the house, with his parents yelling drowning out behind him. He ran and ran down the dark and empty streets at night. After running through half the neighbourhood, he stopped in front of another vi and panted as he yelled towards a window. Zhuo Huang! Are you home? Zhuo Huang! Pharoah yelled outside the vi to his brothers best friend. He didnt know how to deal with such a sudden situation. He wanted to discuss it with someone. After shouting for a while, Zhuo Huang didnte out, but his parents did instead. Instead of weing him, their eyes dripped with contempt and hatred. Your brothers a freak, your familys a freak, and you are a freak! Dont evere near our house ever again! Zhao Mings heart was torn in half, and for once in his life, he truly felt alone. Chapter 76): Torn In Half (2) Chapter 76): Torn In Half (2) Zhuo Huang is the name of [Brazil] in real life. Not long after Pharoah yelled outside his vi, Brazil moved away. His family wouldugh and say that he requires a better environment for more conducive growth. They would even joke and praise the fact that their little Brazil wasnt like the wretched Zhao family. Didnt they say that both Zhao Ke and Zhao Ming were excellent children and that I should be more like them? Brazil scoffed. Why did everything change in a year or two? Brazil knew why. He knew that Zhao Ke was getting bullied at school, but he never spoke up. He was afraid that he would be just like him. The evening before going to school. Brazil just returned to his dorm, turning on hisputer and getting ready to yputer games. At this moment, his mobile phone vibrated. He nced at his phone and frowned immediately. [Huang, My girlfriend suggested that I go to Shihekou High for a trial of guts. Do you think I should agree?] [idk how she heard of the ce] Although Brazils family forbade him from talking to Pharoah, it never stopped him. They rarely meet in real life but oftenmunicate online. In the beginning, they analysed the reason for Zhao Kes disappearance and went to Shihekou High School several times to search for evidence, but to no avail. Gradually, they would stop talking about these topics and move on to regr teenage boy topics. Sometimes, they would talk about urban legends, perhaps due to Zhao Kessting imprint. After staring at the phone screen for a while, Brazil tapped on the phone screen. [Youre overthinking it. xddd] [Maybe she heard of it online.] [I dont think its that simple.] [What if she knows my brother disappeared there?] [Youre worrying too much, I think.] [If youre that scared, I can go with you.] [Then maybe you can be at peace about Zhao Ke after the trial of guts, idk.] [Please] [Pharoah has invited you to the group Trial of Guts.] Brazil and Pharoah thought it would just be like the times they would sneak into Shihekou High Schoolthey would find nothing, and they would return home safe and sound. But this time, they were wrong. Lu Yibei regretted swallowing two cores at once. She felt that her memory was all over the ce. One second, she would take on Pharoahs role; another second, she would take on Brazils role. She shook her head and focused harder. Then The fog in her brain cleared away, and she saw thest things Brazil and Pharoah saw before they died. In the dimly lit stairwell, a tall and thin entity wrapped its arms around Brazil. From afar, Lu Yibei could feel his pain as if it were her own, and every single one of Brazils cells was crying out in pain. Under that malicious embrace, Brazil struggled helplessly; his eyes gradually became hollow, his muscles tensed up, and his limbs drooped limply. Just as Brazil was about to fade into darkness, he saw Zhao Ke looking at him and doing nothing, just as Brazil did when he saw Zhao Ke getting bullied. Im sorry, Brazil choked out. Pharoah hurriedly walked into the room with a bloodied Brazil on his back. In the room that was padded with several sandbags scattered around, Pharoah hurriedly, yet gently, set Brazil down upon the softer puppets. W-well rest here. We can talk about it when we leaveter. After a pause, he continued, I-Im sorry for dragging you here. I wanted to know how my brother disappeared. Hearing this, Brazils face contorted as he let out a sinister smile. Brazil leaned into Pharoahs ear and whispered in a voice that wasnt his. Hes in my body, Brazil said. Want to see him? Pharoahs eyes widened in shock, and he hurriedly got up and ran towards the door. However, a white, slender hand was conjured in the darkness, shutting the door and locking it. A rancid smell emerged from behind Pharoah. Before Pharoah could turn around, the sandbag puppets opened their maws and shredded Pharoah into pieces. His blood stained the sandbags red, and in his trance, he heard his brothers voice. You shouldnt havee here, brother. Argh Lu Yibei found herself in her living room, but she felt as if she were still in that horrid school. She felt something was amiss. Bursts of pain would explode in her head, and she would keel over in pain. The memories of the four teens would cross with her own, and she would feel disoriented. It was as if someone had cracked her head open and injected the memories of four teenagers into her brain. She knew she was Lu Yibei, but she felt like she was a once cheerful girl gued by nightmares, an introverted girl haunted by guilt, a brother sentenced to loneliness, an unmoving witness As if she were being cursed by their souls. The manly urge to y ser or to meet her girlfriend. Or to meet her boyfriend or to chase deadlines for homework. This must be the side effect, Yibei groaned internally. She couldnt help looking at the other uneaten halves and moaned in frustration. I cant eat anymore; if I eat anymore, I might develop a split personality disorder. Chapter 77): Can’t Beat ‘Em, Join ‘Em; Can’t Join ‘Em, Report ‘Em! Chapter 77): Cant Beat Em, Join Em; Cant Join Em, Report Em! In order to hold back her instincts to devour, Lu Yibei hurriedly zipped up the remaining cores in the bag, out of sight, out of mind. She felt strangely constipated as she switched the channels on her TV. I dont care, her stomach grumbled. No matter how hungry I am, I still have to digest these cores. To put it simply, she feared that she might die if she ate too much, and the fear of death greatly overpowered her instinct to devour. Mrs Witch, are you alright? The wig chirped up. I Yibei replied, startled, forgetting about her neighbours. She couldnt help but feel that they were feigning concern for her. Im fine. Did I do anything weird? No, no. Just asking. Whatever. Im going to go take a nap. She carried the statue in one arm and the trolley case in another hand as she went up the stairs, and the apparitions continued theirmotion downstairs. She nced at the trolley case from the corner of her eye. I should hide this somewhere. Themotion downstairs got louder, and Lu Yibei peeked her head down. The cold expression was exactly like that of a teacher who peeked into a noisy ssrooma sinister, silent figure. All of the apparitions seemed to crowd around her dirty bowl, and all of them opened their maws to lick at the bottom of the bowl. They may not be my pets, but people might think Im abusing them. Suppressing her hunger, she took out half a core from the bag and went to the kitchen. She cut the core into four equal pieces and shared it with her neighbours. The apparitions cheered out and thanked Yibei, and she couldnt help but feel pride in her heart. Well, yes! I am very generous! As Yibei returned to her room, her coat ruffled in anger. Shit. Yibeipletely forgot about the coat she was wearing. Lu Yibei found a rtively uninteresting corner of her room and ced the trolley case there. She stuffed a few sundries into the bag to make it seem unsuspecting and nodded. Entering and leaving the room repeatedly while looking at the trolley case, it just seemed like a normal, unsuspecting trolley case containing groceries. Although she felt that hiding it out in the open was not suitable, it was the only way now. ncing at the clock, it was 6:13 in the morning, about two hours before dawn. I can only rest and wait until the sun rises. Staring nkly at the ceiling, chaotic thoughts seem to flood her mind. Was Du Sixian the only one who escaped the trial of guts? She felt like she was missing parts of the story. She was looking at the full painting, but the painting was missing crucial details and strokes here and there. She felt that Sixian was incredibly lucky to escape with her life. Perhaps she has plot armour, she joked with herself. As she chuckled to herself, her head burst into pain, and the memories of the four lost souls gued her brain once again. In order to suppress their memories, she started thinking of weird things. Why does the world exist? What is the value of life? What happens after death? What the hell are those guys doing downstairs? What should I have for dinner? In a Trolley Problem, how do I make the train swerve so that everybody dies? If Mr Rabbit and Jiangli were drowning in a river, what would be the best way to throw Shui into the river with them? Soon, her thoughts calmed down. Until it didnt, she suddenly thought about the Eclipse Society. She thought back to the time of her first sessful hunt. And that girl with the scarf, Gu Qianqian, who sort of helped her out too. And that strange tattooed man who stole her dinner! Although she felt that he was just there to steal her food, she felt that he was somebody who was very important. Maybe he was stopping me from devouring the core so I dont get gued by the side effects, she thought. Or maybe he was just hungry. Her assumption had some basis. ording to Jiangli, members of the Eclipse Society had no issue obtaining cores. There was no need for that man to snatch away the core. It was unlikely that he was looking for a free meal. Moreover, although Yibei was stunned by his tattoo, the man did not take the opportunity to attack her. He is probably harmless. Hence, Yibei is curious about the mans motivations. What am I thinking about? she yelled in the darkness. Theyre all bad people! However, looking at it another way, to Jiangli, the members of the Eclipse Society were terrorists. Therefore, their behaviour cannot be considered a sign of goodwill. Perhaps their purpose was to prevent Lu Yibei from bing too strong. She wondered what would happen if she continued to starve. She wondered what would happen if she didnt call the taxi driver in the midst of his live stream. She wondered if she would go insane and start killing on the streets. Lu Yibei vaguely felt that there might be a huge conspiracy brewing in the Eclipse Society. Since Daydream came into contact with them as well. Ah she sighed and whispered to herself, I have to think of a way to deal with them. Although she felt that it was dangerous to get involved with the Eclipse Society, she had to be prepared for the worst. I dare them too! She gestured with her arm. Ill rip them to shreds! Perhaps she could abuse the memories she got from Daydream. She felt the need to protect innocent people from the Eclipse Society so that they would stop targeting them. If I make up a convincing story and tell Jiangli, shell take action. This is a reasonable use of public resources to effectivelybat crimes. Ill gather all the memories in my brain ande up with a story to convince her! she nned. Besides, she thought of ways to be a full-time worker instead of a part-timer. Then, her clearance would be increased, and she might uncover deeper secrets sealed away by the Night Division. Maybe it can help her alleviate the side effects of devouring cores. Information like this is for the better since shell be devouring cores for the foreseeable future. Debuffs like these are uneptable! Chapter 78): The Night Division Chapter 78): The Night Division The night recedes like a wave under the gradual awakening of the morning. A girl with a gorgeous figure walked down the streets of Huacheng. Her red lips were juicy and moist, and her hips swayed with every step. Under her tight pink skirt, ck silk leggings staggered as if she were drunk. Damn it, it shouldnt be that strong, the girl muttered. It was just a D-ss urban legend. Mustve been active when it was alive. The side effects of devouring a core are severe, especially without outside assistance. Every time a core is devoured, its memories will be integrated with those of whoever devoured them until the core is fully digested into its system. As she staggered through the still-dim streets, she saw a tall man at the end of the alleyway. Seeing this, she calmed herself down and lightly shook her hand, and a crowbar puffed into existence in her palm. A rustling sound emerged from her head, and a pair of rabbit ears revealed themselves. The man saw the woman and yelled, O-oh! Mr Rabbit, or should I say M-miss Rabbit? Ive been looking for you. He seems shy, Miss Rabbit thought, still keeping vignt against the man. Why? Miss Rabbit muttered, slightly startled, upon feeling the energy fluctuations radiating from the man. Such chaotic energy! How has he not gone insane yet? Miss Rabbit thought. D-dont get me wrong! The man hurriedly shook his arms towards the hare. I-Im here to While speaking, he hurriedly took off his shirt and turned around, revealing the ck sun totem on his back. Do you know why now? The Eclipse Society, Miss Rabbit panicked. Last time, she betrayed Cicada and attacked a newly-born Witch. Could they be looking for revenge? As Miss Rabbit thought about it, her vision began to blur for a while, and fine beads of sweat appeared on her forehead. The side effect of swallowing an urban legends core became more and more intense. It was as if a group of phantoms were guing her mind as they shrieked in her ear. I need to run! She calmly distanced herself from the man and conjured a spell to st her out of the alleyway, but Sensing Miss Rabbits intention to escape, the man was a little annoyed. Damn it, when will Cicada recover? Im not very good at negotiating things like this. Negotiation? Miss Rabbit was slightly taken aback when she heard the words. Wait a minute, let me show you. While speaking, the man held up one palm towards Miss Rabbit and reached into his trouser pocket with the other hand. He fumbled for a while, took out a stack of crumpled Post-it notes, and began to read them carefully. The Elders asked me to negotiate with you, and judging from your state, youre almost at your limit, the man recited from his post-it notes. If you continue to eat, it wont be long until your spirit copses. Miss Twilight is about to awaken, isnt she? The man continued. The man read the contents of the sticky notes, and the words, which were obviously threatening, werepletely devoid of meaning. However, even then, his words still grazed Miss Rabbits heart. Her coat hid the half-eaten core of an urban legend, and the man was right. Her constant eating had almost caused her to go insane. She only hunted down two urban legends tonight, but she could only force herself to swallow one. Some urban legends could be considered gods due to the power of belief. Gods have a different way of thinking; they are tooplex for the brains of anything; they are too strange, too alien, and too otherworldly. She witnessed many powerful, newborn urban legends that devour gods, and yet they plunged into madness as their memories merged together, and they themselves would be devoured. Not many urban legends are able to withstand the temptation of knowledge and satisfy their hunger. Hence, she was confident that the newborn Witch would fall into this temptation. She was betting on that damned Witch to be irrational in her thinking and devour relentlessly. Whats the point of this? Miss Rabbit asked. Surely this isnt one-sided. No businessman would take a one-sided trade. Please wait for a moment, the man gulped as he flipped through his sticky notes. I forgot. Right here! the man pointed. The Night Division is on us, and we are unable to act, even under these moonless nights. Miss Rabbit rolled her eyes upon hearing of the Night Division. She turned around, ready to leave. She faintly felt that she was about to lose control. No matter what the deal was, it wouldnt be appealing to her. She didnt listen to what the man had to say. Lunatics, all of them, she gritted. The Eclipse Society believes in the Sun setting, never to rise again. Miss Rabbit felt likeughing upon remembering this. Wait a minute! the man stopped. The Elders promised to help you alleviate your side effects if you helped us! Hearing this, Miss Rabbits footsteps faltered as she looked at the man behind her from the corner of her eye and asked suspiciously, Isnt that the most well-guarded secret of the Eclipse Society? What are you nning? Heres the catch, the man grinned. It isnt our most well-guarded secret, but the Night Divisions. Chapter 79): The King of Darkness Chapter 79): The King of Darkness Lu Yibei felt like copsing. However, the four lost souls seemed to torture her brain, not allowing her to rest. From time to time, Daydream and Pharoahs souls would taunt her by engaging in wrestling. Lu Yibei had no choice but to be an unwilling witness to their acts. Moreover, she felt a constant pair of eyes staring at her. She didnt dare close her eyes to go to sleep. Although these eyes had no malice, she still felt that it was right to be vignt. When the first ray of sunshine leaked through her curtains, Lu Yibei hurriedly got up and ran to the roof. A few minutester. On the rooftop of a certain apartment, a naked teen boyy under the morning sun. Bathing in the rising sun, his body returned to normal in a sh of smoke. Feeling that he had regained his masculinity, Lu Yibei clenched his fists and gazed at the sun. Praise the sun! His energetic state didntst long; the moment he entered his house, he was already on the floor. He crawled about the house and crawled to the toilet, forcing himself to brush his teeth and wash his face before brewing an extra-strong pot of coffee. Half past eight. Still, half an hour left for him to rush to school. God damn it, the male witch gritted. Perhaps it was time to buy a time-management guide from the bookstore. Its tiring being the bad guy. Whats worse is that this bad guy is being monitored by countless, stronger organisations. He hurriedly crawled out of the apartment in a daze. As soon as he walked downstairs, Lu Yibei heard a burst of coquettishughter from a distance. Thisughter was strangely familiar, and the image of Shui appeared in his mind. As expected, Shui could be seen resting on a bench by the park. His well-groomed self donned a pink shirt with a baby blue suit jacket, and he parked his indigo and strangely gay car by the bench. He was flirting with an aunty who lived in themunity. Youre beautiful; you justck something on you! Sweet mouth, hun. You love flirtin with women, dont you? But how could I? Shui smirked, opening his car to reveal a crate of skin care products in the passenger seat. For you, my queen. This is catered specifically to you. The woman hurriedly snatched the crate from his arms and said, Oh my, ya dont have to be sovish with me! Nothing to be ashamed about, dy. Anything for you. Shui made the woman feel love for the first time. Shui had a reputation for being a yboy, no matter how old, from the oldest of women to blooming flower buds. There is nobody he couldnt conquer. My business card, he offered. If you are free,e look for me. Maybe Ill introduce you to some other handsome men. Oh, absolutely! Lu Yibei couldnt help but dash out of the park. He hadnt gone far when he heard Shuis devilish call from behind him. Yibei! I came all the way here just to see you! How could you run away from me? Im gonna bete for school. I do not recognise this old pervert. Thinking about it, his steps became bigger and faster. However, a light yet masculine perfume flooded his nose, and a strong set of arms hugged him from behind. Yibeis consciousness was in a trance, and perhaps it was due to Daydreams memories, but the perfume made him submissive towards him. Oh, my god, Yibei moaned. We shouldnt be doing this in public. Even though Shui was visibly confused, he was delighted. Finally! His godson isnt rejecting him. Youre looking more and more like your father, Shui praised seductively. Yibei immediately regained consciousness, and he couldnt help but feel disgust shower over him. Fuuuuuuck-! Who do I look like? The person who you ruined? Yibei thought back to the time when Shui joined his father on a blind date (which he ruined countless times due to Shui wiping away food from his fathers mouth from across the table) and couldnt help but feel a strong sense of disgust. Yibei was just about to spew toxic words at Shui, only to hear the woman from earlier getting closer. Hey, you seem close with my dear Shui right here. Are both of you? We need to leave, Yibei said frantically. You can tell me anything as soon as we get out of this park. This woman is definitely the vanguard of gossip in thismunity, and he definitely didnt want to be known as gay in themunity in just three short days. Concealing his face, he pulled Shui out of the park in an instant. Chapter 80): I Want To Join That Secret Society! Chapter 80): I Want To Join That Secret Society! In the end, Bai Kai Shui was still holding onto Lu Yibei from behind, and both of them left the park, still stuck to each other. A dark shadow loomed over Yibei, and he was determined to deal with the side effects of devouring cores as soon as possible. If he wasnt careful, Daydreams memories might gue him again, and Shui might just take his virginity, whether he likes it or not. Even if he is a handsome homosexual, I cant let him have his way with me! Or maybe I can just remain a girl. Hes gay, right? That way, he wouldnt be interested in me. Lu Yibei caught himself in his thoughts: Wait, staying as a girl? What nonsense! He chalked it up to Daydreams memories once again. Doing something embarrassing with Shui is just the surface. If he was caught while vulnerable by other strangers, bad things might happen to him. Just as he was thinking, Shuis deep voice whispered in his ear. Bei, whats on your mind? Well, I was thinking of how you can join my father! Six feet underground! When that timees, Ill have several men y the trumpets for you as they lower your coffin beside my fathers grave. Again, with this, Shui sighed. Anything nice to say? Why were you looking for me? Cant I juste to see how my godson is doing? Whatever. I need to get to my uni. Im going to bete, Yibei huffed as he turned around. W-wait! Shui grabbed Yibeis arm. It its getting dangeroustely. Do you want toe live with me? Youre joking, right? Id rather not stay at your ce. When Lu Yibei was discharged from the hospital, he decided to stay at Shuis house, thinking that staying with someone familiar would help him heal faster. However, all it did was add more woundsmental wounds. This was because Shui would invite women over to his house on a daily basis, and next door, Yibei could hear them performing exercises all night. Think about the single people like me! Plus, if he lived with Shui, he would surely find out about his other feminine form. He wasnt sure if Shui would hide the fact that he was a budding witch since he was from the Night Division himself. He might just report him and lock him up! I-I understand! If youe to stay with me, I wont invite anybody over, promise! Yibei understood the message another way, and goosebumps erupted all over his body as he put his arms around his chest: N-no! Have some respect for yourself; Im your godson! Thats not Shui sighed as he stared into Yibeis eyes. He was strangely serious, and Yibei felt ufortable. He had never seen Shui this serious before. Bei, I know you dont like me very much, but Im here to protect you. The Eclipse Society is bing more active. If youe to stay with me, I can guarantee your safety. He didnt say that part out loud. Its not good to be overly protective, Yibei muttered. Why dont you teach me to protect myself? He was trying to let Shui reveal himself as a member of the Night Division. It seems like he was still unprepared. Alright, kickboxing or muay thai, pick one! Shui joked. What if I join a strange society. Maybe I can wield strange weapons that will protect me at night! Ah, anything for you. Ill look for a good society for you to join. Oh! So you do know a ce like this! Whats the name of it? Lu Yibei remembered their contract, which stated that revealing the existence of the Night Division was an extremely severe offence. I was just joking with you. Of course, societies like this dont exist, Shui scoffed. Shui refused to budge. Seems like his only way in was through Jiangli or An Qing. Lu Yibei got into Shuis car, and he drove him to his university. Although he didnt want to ride in his strange-smelling car, due to their confrontation outside the park, he was veryte for ss! This time, Brights overly studious memories gued his own. Man, Im going crazy. Just as his gay car drove away from the park, a beautiful woman wearing a baseball shirt and a camera hanging on her chest appeared. She held a piece of paper containing an address, and she would stop strangers to ask for directions. Excuse me! Have you seen a petite girl with white hair and pink streaks? She wears a big coat, and Im looking for her! Nope. Sorry. Excuse me! Have you No! Im not buying your products! The girl sighed weakly. Nobody knew who she was talking about. Du Sixian sighed. When she woke up this morning, strange things gued her vision. She managed to find the general area where the girl named Lu Yibei lived, thanks to the taxi driver, but it seemed that nobody recognised the girl she was looking for. Maybe I should ask a psychic to help me, she muttered, getting into another taxi. Chapter 81): Same Old Same Chapter 81): Same Old Same Half an hourter, in an ophthalmologists consultation room. Name? Du Sixian. How big are you? 34C The doctor, who was engrossed in writing the case file, was stunned when he heard her answer. He raised his head, looking at the young woman before him with a strange gaze. He suppressed his need to yell at her and shook his head firmly. Im asking about your age! Oh! Um, sorry, Im eighteen. Sixian gulped awkwardly. The doctor rolled his eyes imperceptibly and asked, Care to tell me about yourself? Alright, she nodded. Something is wrong with my vision. Im starting to see a lot of strange things. Do they hurt? It hurts, but not really. Are your eyes sensitive to the light, itchy, or feel as if theyre torn? Looking through his files, the doctor frowned upon seeing that Sixian had no sort of medical history rted to her eyes. Have your eyes been checked before this? the doctor asked. Its been checked. Here are the test sheets and diagnosis report, she said, handing the report over. The doctor frowned after reading the test sheet and diagnosis report. Judging from the test sheet and diagnosis report, her eyes showed no signs of disease at all. The report says that youre fine; tell me, what strange things are you seeing? Do I have to? she gulped, her eyes wandering as he spoke. The doctor showed a gentle smile andforted, Young woman, dont be afraid. I have no other intentions; this is the basic process of seeing a doctor. I need to know what youre going through to help you. You asked for it. Du Sixian sighed. Its strange, but sometimes I can see faint shadows appearing in the corner of my eyes, and asionally I can hear strange sounds as well! When the doctor heard her say this, his memory started to jog, and his hand holding his teacup couldnt help but tremble. An expressionless face staring right back at him seemed to pop up in his head. W-wait, the doctor stopped. Now, youre going to tell me that they most often appear at night, and when you look at them, they disappear? Strange, Sixian thought. How does he know? Thats true. Sixian nodded. But how did you know? Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me! the doctor yelled internally. At the crossroads, I saw a magical girl riding a dog. And just outside your office, somebody was crying about having lung cancer, and big, ck tumours started to grow on his body! Sixian exined. Right, right. Now youre going to tell me theres a pale little boy under my table. What is he talking about? Sixian thought. Her eyes subconsciously drifted to the bottom of his table, and sure enough, a pale little boy was staring right back at her with curious eyes. Ack! she screamed, jumping from her seat and pointing at the table. A b-b-b A boy. Right, the doctor rolled his eyes as he looked under the table. Where is he? Seeing the doctors head go right past the pale boys body, Sixian couldnt help but cringe internally. She felt that maybe she should go; the doctors in the hospital might not be able to help her. Just as she was about to get up and leave, the doctor stopped her. Young woman. I see that camera on your chestyou arent part of a prank group, are you? If you wanted me to star in something, you shouldve just told me! This is a hospit ce of employment! Not a ce for brats like you to mess around! And that kid! the doctor continued. Lu Yibei! Tell him to stop with these pranks, or Ill call the police! Excuse me? Sixian said. This Lu Yibei. Does he have the same symptoms as me? Both of you are reading from the same script, no? Are you stupid? Sixian was silent, choosing not to argue with the doctor, and asked, Do you know where he lives? I know this may vite hospital regtions, but I really need to find him. This kid has the same symptoms as I do, Sixian thought. If I can find him, maybe he can help me find my saviour from that night. Whatever, the doctor said, rolling his eyes. He has been cklisted by all the hospitals in the area anyways. Wouldnt hurt to break a few regtions. The doctor started scribbling on a piece of paper and handed it over to Sixian. Peony Street? she muttered. Thanking the doctor, she walked out of his office. At this moment, she did not realise that some information may or may not have been concealed from her. Chapter 82): The Legend of Du Sixian Chapter 82): The Legend of Du Sixian Noon. The brightest sunshine of the day beamed across the stone pavement of Peony Street; the air was crisp with each breath; the autumn leaves fell like beautiful strokes of paint upon the sky. Holding her camera in both hands, Du Sixian briskly walked down the street, taking photos of the beautiful scenery from time to time. Peony Street is beautiful, she thought. Why havent I noticed it before? Besides, she was delightfully surprised to find that there were no weird shadows in her vision when walking on this street. Perhaps I can hide from the shadows here. She didnt know how long she had been walking, but soon she arrived at Lu Yibeis supposed residence. It must be here. She took a step forward and held the doorknocker in her hands. Bang! Bang! Bang! No response. Through the gaps in the doors, she could see somebody moving about inside. I can see you inside! I need to talk to you! Sixian said. Excuse me? A crisp voice sounded behind her. That crisp voice was gentle and soft, surely belonging to a young man who is also gentle and soft. Who are you looking for? Wouldnt it be wonderful to share an illness with someone beautiful? Du Sixian turned around, only to be greeted by a man towering over her, and a strong sense of oppression forced her back onto the door. afraid.jpg I-Im looking for Lu Yibei, she stuttered. Sumi narrowed his eyes and stared at her: What do you want from him? She hesitated as if what she had to say was difficult. Its hard to exin, but I need to find him now. Sumi frowned. He mustve gotten himself into trouble, and this debt collector wants her money back. Must be because of that stupid man hanging around his father. Oh, I dont know him. Sumi shrugged. Nobody lives here, by the way. Its pointless to wait here. Sumi left her alone and turned back to his own store. No matter what happens, Sumi will always cover for Lu Yibei. Back in his embroidery shop, Sumi hurriedly shut the door behind him and retrieved his phone. He quickly opened the camera app, took a few photos of the girl lurking outside Lu Yibeis residence, and sent them to him. [Yibei! Somebody is here to collect your debts!] Seeing Sumi leave, Du Sixian couldnt help but sigh. Ah She knew Sumi was hiding something from her. However, she didnt bother trying to ask. Sumi could easily lift her up with one hand and just throw her across the street. ncing at the door behind her, she decided to wait. ck, ck, ck. The sound of high-heeled shoes cked upon the bluestone floor, causing a crisp sound with each step the woman took. A woman in a ck professional suit came from the end of the street, her slightly curly, long ck hair and a cape-like white coat swaying behind her. A cigarette dangled from her rosy lips, and a beer can hung loosely from the grip of her right hand. If it werent for her professional-looking appearance, some might think that shes just a greasy old man. Tsk, treating me like sh*t Theyd better watch out, or Ill kill all of them on the spot. An Qingined to herself. On these moonless nights, the work of the Night Division never ends. As the only Operator in the Night Division specialising in the anatomy of urban legends, her work never ends. Record the urban legends anatomy, hand it over to Jiangli, and then retrieve any useful materials from the urban legends body. Separate the urban legends core from the body, hand it over to a witch, perform a ritual of transcendence to purify the core and other useful materials, and store the core and the remainder of the urban legends body in the warehouse for storage. Monotonous, repetitive, and boring. For that reason, she finds it appalling that she has to be on duty as well. However, there are too few psychics in Huacheng. They had no choice but to dispatch her as well. This is why both she and Jiangli are eager to have new members join them. Is it that hard to transfer a few people over to our branch? I hate managers. She raised her hand and rubbed her sore temple. It was necessary to use a few special powders and spices to deal with an urban legends body, and these spices would inevitably cause a few side effects. Taking a sip of her beer, she saw a trail of spiritual fluctuations and frowned. Following the trail, she found a young girl sitting by the corner of the street, looking like an abandoned kitten. Looking at her, An Qings eyes glowed with anticipation, and she hurriedly scanned her for any psychic tendencies. No traces of evil, no traces of blood. My god Could it be? A natural psychic? An Qing smiled. Perhaps today isnt so bad after all. It was already past noon, and the beads of sweat on her forehead told Du Sixian that she had been sitting on the corner of the street for the past two hours. Should I just look for an inn ande back tomorrow? She didnt want to go back to school. Strangely enough, she felt safe here. No shadows were around to haunt her, unlike in school. She was about to get up, but a confident woman with a somewhat unruly appearance sat down beside her. H-hi? Sixian greeted. An Qing smiled and said, I think you are talented. Come with me, and you can be one of the many guardians of this city. (.._..) Is this a new type of scam? Sixian thought. Like hell, Ill believe you! She silently fiddled with her phone and took a photo of An Qing. Chapter 83): Step Up, Lu Yibei! Chapter 83): Step Up, Lu Yibei! When a persons thinking is highly concentrated and unified, they will be able to learn effectively. Hence, Lu Yibei was unable to learn effectively. Looking out the window, he could hear many thoughts attempting to overpower his own. The wills of the urban legends in his brain were overwhelming him: I need to buy dog food, I need to get groceries, I need to hunt for some urban legends, I want to y football Assholes! All of you! Lu Yibei yelled in his brain. Yibeiined in his heart, and he felt the nudge of a pen poking him from behind. Hey, bud, the teacher is calling you. A-ah, Yibei said, standing up and nodding towards the teacher. I just exined about Cao Pis Literary Theory. Could you exin his standards for examining oneself and others? The professor on the podium looked to be in his fifties, but he was hale and hearty, with a hint of sternness hidden within his bushy brows. His name is Ma; some students think he is narrow-minded and short-tempered. Hence, many students looked towards Yibei with an expression of pity, fully knowing that he wasnt paying attention in ss. All I know is that his father loves collecting concubines! How the hell am I supposed to know about his whatever-theory? The student behind him whispered. Dude, youre kinda done. I flipped through the book to help you, but it isnt in the textbook. Good luck. Uh, oh. Seeing that Yibei wasnt answering, the professor showed a sinister smile. Its not a big deal if you cant answer; Ill just be deducting the points from your grade! What the? Streaks of scarlet ink painted upon Lu Yibeis brain: ser, danger, Kill. Yibei struggled to get his thoughts in order, and suddenly, the memories of Bright seemed to bestow him with understanding, and he beamed with a sudden surge in confidence. He emphasised that criticism should be opposed to the phenomenon of acknowledging that each person has their own strengths and looking past their weaknesses. He proposed that one must judge themselves before judging others, not only to examine ones own talent but to understand others. Lu Yibei spoke slowly and confidently with an expressionless face. After he was done, the air was strangely stagnant and quiet. You youre right, the professor said. Very good, Yibei. Sit down, the professormended. You seem well-prepared for my ss. Im proud! The entire ss was silent, and they couldnt help but cast their gazes of contempt upon Yibei. I hate snobby students like him. Everyone, shun him! Lu Yibei has never enjoyed opening Pandoras Box. You would never know what horrors mighte out of the box. However Those few minutes of him answering confidently filled him with such joy! Never in his life has he answered a question so eloquently and confidently! Young man! the professor beckoned when ss was over. I have a research project in the future, and I would like you to join me! Yibei scratched his head and said solemnly, Well, professor Im busy. Both my parents are dead, and I have to work two part-time jobs to support myself, so I dont think Ill have the energy to help you. A part-time job in the Night Division, and a part-time job (for free!) hunting for urban legends. Dont worry, the professor said. Youll earn money by helping me. Besides, you are just an undergraduate, so your work wont be tough. Of course, if anything goes wrong Your grades will simply be deducted. In trantion, if Yibei refuses, the professor will deduct his grades anyway. This old bastard Yibei gritted his teeth. Whatever, I might as well get paid if Im going to whore myself out for this old man. Yibei nodded. Good, good. Come to myb next Monday! Yibei forced out a fake smile, and the professor turned to leave. Shit. I forgot to ask where hisb is. Lu Yibei walked to the cafeteria with a heavy heart, silently giddy about how he had answered the professors question correctly. It seems that gaining the memories of the cores he devoured isnt so bad after all. I need to find a way to study their memories carefully. Just as he was thinking, the phone in his pocket vibrated twice. Taking out his phone, he saw that Sumi had sent him a message. He must want my cooking again, he smiled, tapping on the message. Debt collector? Yibeis brows furrowed as he swiped through the photos Sumi had just sent, and he was visibly taken aback. H-how did she find me? Did she find out I left my mark on her forehead? Does she know Im not actually a girl? He bit his finger and hurriedly tapped a reply. [If she asks, tell her that you dont know me.] [I did!] [But] [You shouldnt y around with peoples money like that. God may punish you!] [Oh.] Chapter 84): What’s For Dinner? Chapter 84): Whats For Dinner? Back in his human form, he was delighted that he could finally eat human food again. But his lunch was not as enjoyable as he expected. The figure of Du Sixian haunted him, and he found it hard to enjoy his food. And it was also because the cafeteria food was not good in the first ce. Its strangethe aromaing from the cafeteria tempted him. It tempted him to open his wallet and order a lunch set consisting of rice, vegetables, meat, fruit, etc. However, it ended up tasting like wax. Staring at the half-eaten food on the table, he was in a daze. Why? Do I still need to eat more cores? Or is it because the cores ruined my sense of taste? He silently apologised to the farmers who cultivated his food and dumped the remainder of his food into the waste bin, and this scene was witnessed by a girl not far away. Gu Qianqian hurriedly ran over to the waste bin that the boy had just dumped his food in and cried out, seeing the amount of food that was dumped into the bin. What a waste! System! Youre right! she perked up. He is definitely a big viin! Was that really the breaking point? the system said. W-well whatever! Just give me the next mission; I need enough power to take that boy witch down! The system sighed internally. Back then, no matter how hard it bribed her, the girl would refuse to do any mission given to her. Now, she wants toplete missions, thanks to wasted food? I dont have many rewards for you, the system said. I will inform you when sufficient rewards are back in stock. Arent you a system? Why do you even need to restock things? Are you even a real system? The system gulped. It couldnt tell her that it has been feasting to the point where it is powerless. Ah, haha of course I am! I would never lie to you! Whatever, the girl pouted. When is the estimated time for my next mission? Half a month, during the schools celebration. The system smirked. When everybody is focused on the school celebration, it could syphon all their energy without anyone noticing and nt it all on the girl! What a perfect n! There were still two hours before his ss, and Lu Yibei opted to wander around campus aimlessly. Down the Cherry Blossom Avenue of the University, the trees towered over him. The withered and yellow leaves on the branches trembled gently in the breeze and fluttered down from time to time, covering the avenue with a newyer of reddish-brown. The students hurriedly stepped on the fallen leaves, leaving behind crisp, crackling noises. Lu Yibei sat on a bench by the avenue. Originally, he wanted to go to the football field and test out Brazils football-rted memories. He was lucky to meet a few members of the National Football Club, too. Of course, to no ones surprise, he was brutally rejected. Hey, buddy! Hand me a ball, and Ill help you score a few goals! he remembered saying. All of the members nced at him in disgust, and somebody said, Our motto is that our club does not shoot for goals. Get out. And just like that, he was kicked out of the club. What the hell do they mean by not shooting for goals? I cant believe they focus on attacking and defending instead of kicking the ball into the goal! He sat on the bench and looked at each student passing by, hoping that he would run into Lin Yiqi. Half an hour passed, and she didnt appear. He didnt have any expectations for her to show up anyway. Its hard to look for someone in a crowded university like this. Just like how a girl is having trouble looking for him as well. The library is the tallest building at the university. Standing in the small garden on the roof of the library, you could almost overlook the entire campus. During the autumn season, the flowers in the garden bloomed with vigour, contrasting with the dead and sullen leaves down below. The garden is, of course, closed off from the students. Rumour has it that two medical students had a quarrel in the garden, and the boy killed the girl in a fit of anger, burying her body in the flower bed of the garden. The girls body mysteriously disappeared overnight, as if the roots had consumed her entirely. Some say that they saw a terrifying figure eclipsing the bloody sunset during the evening and that the flowers in the garden will only wither when the girls resentmentpletely dissipates. A girl in in clothes satzily on the concrete fence, wearing a ck mask depicting a bird totem. Lin Yiqi, the girl sighed. I know I said to use me to create an urban legend on campus, but did you have to make it so terrifying? Im going to miss observing students secretly, especially when they are kissing! Its so fun to just show up and scare them! Behind her, Lin Yiqi whispered, with the baby still resting on her shoulder, Sorry. I didnt think it through. Forget it. Small matter, but the girl said, ncing at Lin Yiqi. Next time, dont bring that thing when youe to me. Its disgusting. Yes, I understand. The girl nodded, continuing to scan the campus with her gaze before letting out a sigh. Lin Yiqi, are you sure that the witch studies here? Even if she were able to shapeshift, she would be leaking with magic right now! In the girls imagination, the witch should be dying to use her powers, and at that moment, shell be able to pop out like a heroine and punch the witch, teaching her a lesson! Originally, when she returned to school, an earth spirit informed her that a girl had been stalking her from the university to Shihekou High, which made her think that the girl should be studying here as well. However, now she wasnt so sure. A newly-born witch should, by definition, be using her powers for everything. Perfect scores in exams, plenty of friends, boys fawning over them It just doesnt make sense. Lin Yiqi wouldve looked for her herself, but she had to keep a low profile since the Night Division was on the prowl during these moonless nights. While thinking, Lin Yiqis eyes narrowed slightly as if she remembered something important. Shell definitely appear in half a month during the school celebration! Well, Ill teach her a lesson in half a month, then. If I cant find her, then Ill have to go back to my domain. Yes! Lin Yiqi nodded. I know your domain wont be able to hold without your presence, so Good, good. The girl nodded. I have another important question, Yiqi. Please tell me. Whats for dinner tonight? I feel like eating sashimi from that three-Michelin-star restaurant near the campus. Lin Yiqi couldnt help but sigh internally, Arent you a thousand-year-old monster? Are you trying to rip off a young girl like me? Damn it! Chapter 85: Curse Chapter 85: Curse Dont you want toe with me? The trajectory of your life will change forever! An Qing smiled at Du Sixian, giving her an offer she could, in fact, refuse. Sixian shook her head firmly. From the moment the strange woman sat down beside her, Sixian could feel a powerful aura radiating from her. A strange aura of death, simr to the auras she felt at the hospital. Although An Qing had the image of a provocative, seductive big sister, Her aura of death made her seem like a corpse to Sixian. Ah, An Qing sighed. Im not made for this. Its natural; newly-born psychic users will feel sceptical of their surroundings. It was no surprise that Sixian would refuse her offer. However, she was confident that Sixian woulde crawling back to them. Sooner orter, thanks to her psychic fluctuations, shell encounter a terrifying urban legend, and shelle skittering back to the Night Division looking for help. An Qing reached into her white coat, producing a cigarette, and hurriedly reached into another pocket and took out something, stuffing it into Sixians hand. Here, this is for you. Dont lose it. Looking at the business card in her hand that had the symbol of an owl, Sixian looked at An Qing strangely. My contact information is on the card. An Qing smiled. Gradually, youll run into some strange things. If you are ever in danger, call the number, and Ill be there within 20 minutes. Du Sixian froze for a moment, then looked at the card again in a new light. It was a pitch-ck business card with a strange, leathery texture. It wasnt like an ordinary business card; it seemed to radiate a peculiar power. On the front of the business card, An Qings name and contact information were printed in gold text, and on the back of the business card was the owl symbol of the Night Division. Just who is this woman? Sixian thought, looking up to study An Qing, only to realise that she had vanished. That strange woman, An Qing, came and went like the autumn wind. She seems powerful, Sixian muttered. Not as powerful as my mistress, though, right? After all, shes the one who saved me from hundreds of urban legends in that school! Mistress, where are you? Lu Yibei was sitting in the ssroom of the Arts and Science Building; his eyelids were fighting, his head was like an anvil, and a notebook was scrawled out in dizzying handwriting irrelevant to the courses content. The content is as follows: [Daydream: Loves to dance, proficient in jazz dances. (Didnt work out for me) Brazil: Loves football. (Now good at football but rejected by the club) Pharoah: A yboy who escapes psychological trauma by picking up girls (Does this even apply to me?) Bright: Top student specialising in history (And shes beneficial for me too!) (Not only does her professional knowledge intersect with mine, but I was even able to collect knowledge about special warding charms from her memories!)] Perhaps I could buy some materials and try making them on my own, he daydreamed. The middle-aged female professor spoke with a frequency that could only induce sleep in all of her students. As he sorted out the cores knowledge in his notebook, he found himself hit with a wave of drowsiness, and his handwriting soon wandered off from his notebook to his desk and He woke up again. My eyes Something was watching him. It disappeared as soon as he woke up, but the feeling of eyes on him lingered like a chill. Strong resentment lingered on his spine, but that gaze didnt seem malicious. Looking outside the window with the afternoon sun shining upon him, he frowned. This is not a good sign. Its been a while since somebody was targeting me. The best option was to inform the Night Division since he is currently human. All he needed to do was tell them that he was being watched, but He felt the itch to try making some of Brights charms. If it didnt work, he could easily run to the Night Division for help. He scrawled through Brights memories and scribbled the materials needed in his notebook. Talisman of Wings Materials needed: 5g gold. Gold? No wonder Bright couldnt make these on her own! Maybe I can face it head-on instead! He thought. Wait, it could be more powerful than me Staring at the other charms, he frowned and cut them out one by one due to cost issues or the difficulty of obtaining the materials, only tond on the final one. Cheap and safe Its up to you, Charm of Spring Winds! Chapter 86: A New Discovery Chapter 86: A New Discovery Haruki Murakami once said that going to university is a test of how one deals with boredom. Although Lu Yibei acknowledges the importance of the subjects taught in university, he found the statement misleading. University isnt boring when youre out skipping ss! The bell rang, signifying the end of ss, and he flew out of ss like a hungry dog tempted by food. Just as he reached the bottom floor of the building, he was stopped by Professor Ma. Lu Yibei, right? Damn it, Yibei cursed, not wanting to run into this grumpy old man. Yes. Its me. Skipping ss? Ah well, yes. Professor Ma smiled, leaving chills down Yibeis back. Prof, listen to me, Im skipping because- I understand, the professor patted his shoulders. We all have different things to do, especially when youre a student. Your choices are your own youre an adult, arent you? R-right? Yibei stuttered. You have such a way with words, prof. I dont mind you skipping ss, but While speaking, his face turned dark, and his expression became serious, Youre not allowed to skip my ss. Otherwise, your grades N-no. I would never skip your ss! If I could, I would attend your ss now! Hah! Professor Maughed. Youre good. Now, go on, I have my own things to do now. Lu Yibei bid him farewell and ran out the building. A young man in his early twenties was by the entrance of the building as Yibei ran out. Yibei passed the man, and the strong, woody fragrance of his suitcase tempted Yibei to take a closer look. It was an ancient suitcase the surface was polish andcquered, and the copper handle was engraved with designs of clouds on it. Yibei felt strange looking at the suitcase. And a brief moment of nkness washed over his head. When he came back to his senses, he found that the man had entered the building, standing side by side with Professor Ma and hugging him as a greeting. They talked andughed, but the professors expression froze as the man whispered something in his ear while patting the suitcase. Professor Ma looked around hurriedly, and led the man downstairs. Just what is in that box? Something is in that suitcase Yibei thought. Yibei shrugged, deciding that the suitcase had nothing to do with him. Even if it was rted to an urban legend, there were still thousands of other urban legends in the city. After all, he is among one of the many thousands. Professor Mas full name is Ma Zhen. In addition to teaching ancient literary theory courses, he has been engaged in research on the content of special, ancient characters in Southwest China for a long time, and his research results have been remarkable. The young man who met Ma Zhen today is a descendant of a rather famous, family of schrs in Huacheng. This time, he came here to fulfill the dying wishes of his father to return the contents of the suitcase to Ma Zhen. The contents of the suitcase are unnamed bamboo scrolls only a few volumes, but hold countless information regarding ancient ethnic minorities. Two years ago, Ma Zhen heard of these bamboo scrolls that were found in an ancient vige, but he never thought that the father of this young man would get to it first. After several, tired and rigorous negotiations, his father agreed to let Ma Zhen have the scrolls, on one condition give him three years to study the scrolls in full. However, his father passed away mysteriously, and his son decided to fulfill his dying wish by honoring the three-year duration. Through the clean, ss windows of Ma Zhens office, you could see the withered cherry blossom trees down Cherry Blossom Avenue of the university. An unconceble excitement flickered in Ma Zhens eyes, fiddling with the suitcase in front of him. Would you like to open the suitcase now? the young man asked, sitting across from him. No, no, now is not the time, Ma Zhen waved his hands and said, There are no protective measures in my office. If I just open it and check it, it may get damaged. You should also know that the sweat on your hands may have cause these ancient books to Realizing that he had lost hisposure, Professor Ma smiled dryly and said, Im sorry, I was a little too excited. After all, I have been waiting for these scrolls for forever. My father was just as enthusiastic as you, the young man smiled. He holed himself up in his study, refusing to eat or drink just to read the contents of the scrolls. After the young man finished speaking, he stood up and bowed. Ill be taking my leave. Dont you want to sit around for a while? No, the young man smiled andughed at himself, Unlike my family, I have no interest in literature. Ill let you have your fun. Ah, shall I send you off? Its okay, you dont have to worry about me, the man said and left. The office was quiet again, and Ma Zhen stared at the suitcase before him. He hurriedly sent an email to his students to suspend all of their research, and toe look for him as soon as possible. Now There was a much more important research project that was about to begin. Chapter 87: Don’t Come Looking For Me – Go to the Night Division! Chapter 87: Dont Come Looking For Me C Go to the Night Division! The clouds in the sky were dyed a fiery red by the scarlet sunset. Feeling the dimming of the light, Jiangli turned off her mahjong game and grabbed her cane, walking out of her office. As soon as she left her office, she saw An Qing giving orders to the special operations team. A permanent smile was etched onto her face, as if she had just won the lottery earlier today. Jiangli waited until An Qing was finished giving orders to the team. ck, ck. Jiangli walked towards An Qing, and the smile was still etched onto her face. Guess what I found today? An Qing beamed. You did your job dissecting an urban legend, retrieving important body parts, and storing them? Jiang Li replied in a t tone. Ive given up on that for a long time, okay? An Qing curled her lips. I found something better! I met a good seedling today, An Qing whispered. Im confident that shelle crawling to us in a while, and within a year of training, shell be strong enough to fill the vacant position we have. thats good. I just hope she doesnt have an unreasonable godfather. While Jiangli was talking, An Qing noticed the small bag she carried with her. It had the design of a cartoon, yellow duck on it, but it was dirty. Mahjong parlor again? Mm, Jiangli nodded. The probability of meeting someone there is higher on a moonless night, but have you considered that the bet appearing is purely based on chance? its always about luck, Jiangli muttered. After she spoke, she limped forward, and her figure disappeared into the setting sun. Ack! Gray smoke dissolved in the air on the roof of Jingyi Apartment, making the dim sunlight appear blurry and dreamy, as if one is looking at the sunset through a vintage filter. Lu Yibei half-kneeled on the ground, propping himself up with his hands and digging his fingertips into the ground. His blood seemed to boil, and familiar whispers licked at his eardrums, and his breath felt strangely cold once again. At this moment, the sky began to darken, and the thin traces of the new moon emerged from the gap in the clouds. Yibei moaned through the pain. After getting used to the pain, he forced out the incantation. there is a mountain, and there is a woman Lu Yibei chanted repeatedly, but the pain in his body continued. Through the thick, ck smoke, he saw that his hands were shrinking uncontrobly. After a long time, when the sky waspletely plunged into darkness, a loud curse could be heard from an apartments rooftop. Fuck! Fuuuuuck! Why did I transform? Looking at her petite, little hands, the expressionless Lu Yibei could tell that a disappointed frown was stered on her face. She originally thought that the girl in her dream told her that she wouldnt be able to control her transformation if she was hungry, but it seemed that she wouldnt be able to control her transformation regardless under the period of moonless nights. Lu Yibei felt depressed. Because her newly purchased mobile phone melted into a goo once again. Huacheng University of Technology, in Ma Zhensboratory. Professor Ma held a seminar briefing his students about his new research project. After dividing the tasks, Ma Zhen engrossed himself in his work. The light outside the window was a bit dim, and the pale light illuminated the round table in the seminar room. After staring at the suitcase on the table for a while, Professor Ma got up and walked towards the experiment area with the suitcase in his arms. Gently opening the suitcase with a pair of gloves, dark, yellow bamboo scrolls revealed themselves within the suitcase. A faint fragrance emanated from the bamboo scrolls. Carefully taking the bamboo scrolls out, he sterilised them andid them out one by one, careful not to tear or damage the scrolls in any way. This boring and delicate worksted for more than three hours. At eight oclock in the evening, Ma Zhen tiredly walked towards the storage room, with the carefully processed bamboo scrolls in his hand. After storing the bamboo scrolls, he turned off the light in the storage room, but the bamboo scrolls emanated a dim, blue light in the darkness. The moment he saw the blue light, his mind was instantly emptied, and white flooded his mind. A few secondster, Professor Ma came back to his senses and frowned slightly as he looked at the bamboo slips in the dark. Im getting old Talking to himself, Professor Ma locked the door of the storage room and left the research room. Night time. Lu Yibeis residence. Sheid peacefully on her bed, staring out the window. Perhaps it was because she overworked herself the past few days, but soon, she was fast asleep. In the dream, she woke up, finding herself back on the roof where she met the girl. Shouts and calls could be heard from the dpidated city beneath her. Among the chaotic calls and cries for help, a young girls voice, strangely reminiscent of Du Sixians voice, could be heard calling out for her. Mistress, where are you? Mistress what do I do when Im haunted by ghosts? Yibeis heart burst into anger she could finally rest after several grueling nights, but was forced to endure Du Sixians cries even in her sleep. What are you shouting for? Donte looking for me go look for the Night Division! Her voice echoed in the empty city, and her echoes only stopped after a long time. That night, several Night Divisions across the country received mysterious, anonymous letters. The contents of the letters were phrased like children asking Santa us for gifts, except that their wishes were all rted to urban legends. In the dark apartment, little apparitions gathered around Lu Yibeis coffee table. A terrifying surge of energy washed over the living room, and all of them couldnt help but tremble in fear as they nced at the staircase. Immediately after, they heard Yibeis voice echoing from her dream. look for the Night Division t-the Night Division? What is she trying to do? the nightgown whispered. Is she meeting them? the wig trembled. Shes going to fight them! the eyeball perked up. I have long been displeased with those people! Let her fight them! maybe she wants to dive in and hand herself in the dentures sighed. All the apparitions discussed amongst themselves, but one things for sure messing around with the Night Division? The Witch in their house is not somebody to y around with! Chapter 88: I Think You’re Playing With Me Chapter 88: I Think Youre ying With Me Peony Street, in a Bed & Breakfast. Du Sixianid on the bed and slept restlessly. Her pillow and shirt were drenched in sweat, and her hair stuck onto her face like glue as she tossed about endlessly in her sleep. She had a strange dream. She dreamed that she was wandering in a dpidated city. Strange figures appeared from time to time on the streets, concealed by the fog. Like her, they wandered like lonely ghosts, murmuring to themselves. Human-like figures could be seen in the distance, but Sixian found that she couldnt get to them, so she could only listen to theirments. It reminded her of the figures back in Shihekou High. there is a mountain, and there is a woman Sixian subconsciously muttered an obscure incantation in her heart, and suddenly, the surrounding temperature rose, and mes erupted before her in the blink of an eye. A figure made of mes appeared before her, and the only thing she could think of was a god. Panic, vignce, fear, and awe rose in Sixians heart, and she felt something beckoning her to tell the fiery figure her wishes. A wish? she froze. Im dreaming, I know that, but I cant do anything to change the dream And everything feels so real the burn on my skin, the putrid wind Im getting haunted, arent I? Judging from what the strange woman on the street said, she concluded that she was being haunted by an urban legend. Hence, if she were to make a wish right now, something bad would happen to her. But if she remained silent, would it provoke the fiery mes before her. In that case I I want to find my mistress! She could only name the safest, smallest, most minor wish she could think of, which was to find her mistress. As she prayed for whatever gods listening to her, a deafening yell erupted in her eardrums. What are you shouting for? Donte looking for me go look for the Night Division! In the dark hotel room, the mark on Sixians forehead illuminated the room ever-so-slightly. Agh! With a soft scream, Du Sixian was awake again, and she fell back down, staring at the ceiling. the Night Division? What is it? And why does it sound so familiar? A strange energy fluctuation could be felt outside, and her thought process was interrupted by the wave of energy. She could feel and see the fluctuations the air moved like water, rippling with power. The next moment, she heard whispers outside the window, like a group of men were plotting something right outside. Hearing the sound, she hurriedly took out the taser from underneath her pillow. On the dead and empty streets, several men-in-ck huddled together under the moonless light. Is this where the psychic fluctuations came from? Thats right, the ce indicated on thepass is right here. Are you sure? Why dont you go in and have a look yourself? Hearing this, Du Sixian was startled, and tightly gripped the taser in her hands. G-go in? Are they robbers? She unlocked the window calmly and opened it, before poking her head out and breathing a huff in deeply. Who the hell are you people? she yelled. Im tryin to sleep here! Im going to call the police! The special operations team fell into an awkward silence as they stared at the girl who just yelled at the window. They knew who she was An Qing showed them a picture of her earlier today, stating that she was somebody valuable. They were informed that no matter what, they are to ignore her, no matter what kind of danger she was in. Its obvious An Qing wants her to suffer for a bit, so that she woulde crawling to the Night Division on her own. This is their most effective way of recruiting new members. After confirming that the source of psychic fluctuations came from Sixian, the men hurriedly turned around and pretended to not notice her. Did yall hear that? N-no, dont scare me! Were in the middle of a dark street right now! Whatever. Lets go have barbecue? Yeah, yeah! I bet they got beer too! Lets go and have a drink! The men-in-ck chatted amongst themselves as they disappeared down the street, and Sixian was left speechless and ignored. They must be ying with her. After the men-in-ck left, she stayed by the window and kept peering outside. She found herself unable to fall back asleep. After tossing and turning for a long time, she sat up and was about to check the time. Just as she was taking out her cell phone from her jacket pocket, something dropped from her jacket pocket, and she hurriedly bent down to pick it up. Feeling the texture of hardened leather of the card, Sixian froze, holding the card up in the dark. With the light of her mobile phone, she looked at the name and contact information on the business card. Should I call her? She felt that no matter what happens, its inevitable that shell run into an urban legend sooner orter. She figured that relying on an expert would be the best case scenario for her survival. She hurriedly tapped the number into her phone, and hesitated for a moment before dialing it. Beep. Beep. Hello? Huachengs Night Division. How can I help you? Hearing this, Du Sixians pupils shrank slightly. Night Division? So, it wasnt a dream. She could hear a burst of yellsing from the other end abruptly. Hey! Be careful! Youre not supposed to handle my corpses like that! And you! Look at you! You almost pierced that things lungs! Thats a human leg, not a pigs leg! You put it in the wrong storage container! How did you even mess this up? Du Sixian felt like she was listening in on a human trafficking organization, rather than a mysterious Night Division. Chapter 89: Online Conspiracy Chapter 89: Online Conspiracy Night time, in the western district of Huacheng. Zhang Shan, the taxi driver, was still wide awake. he drove the girl to the gate of the high school the abandoned campus is in ruins, and smudges of dried blood painted the walls. Through the corners of your eyes, you could feel countless eyes boring into your very soul Some of you might be wondering how the girl is connected with the school? And just what are those eyes staring at you? How will the taxi driver escape with his life? Well, you just have to find out on the next episode! Good night! Turning off his stream, he smiled as he took a long sip of tea out of his mug, smiling smugly as he read the barrage of chat messages on his stream. [lowkey feels real lol i felt chills down my back like i was there myself] [Thank god Im living with my parents. I shouldnt be listening to your stream at night, haha!] [[[You have been gifted 5 Rockets from a viewer!]]] [feet pics plz] [[[This user has been banned by the AutoMod.]]] Zhang Shan watched the barrage of chat messages for a while and replied to some of them before turning off hisputer. He sorted out the script before him, and found that it wasing to an end. My next story He became popr thanks to that girl who keeps bothering him. If he were to write a new story, would he still retain his new audience? If I could meet her again Thinking of this, Zhang Shan pped himself. She may have blessed me this time, but she mighte and collect the debt I owe her! I better not see her again! Thinking of this, he couldnt help but think of the other girl, Du Sixian, who called him during the day. I hope shes safe and sound Du Sixians hand trembled as she held the beaker of tea in An Qings office. Wait for me, An Qing told her before she left. Ill be back in a while. The air in her office made her feel uneasy. It felt as if she was sitting inside a hospital ward. An Qing reassured Sixian that the Night Division exists to serve the public and protect them so that they are able to live in the light but the dried blood on her hands; the dark, green mucus on her white coat; and her distorted figure that phases from ce-to-ce time to time Sixian couldnt help but feel that she wasnt a good person. If she were to smile, her smile might reach her ears. Ille with you, but Im keeping my camera on! Sixian told An Qing, before she was led into the office. The tea in her beaker was left untouched, and the colour turned from a light orange to a deep, tan brown. Before An Qing left, she had told Sixian in detail what kind of organization the Night Division was. An Qing told her that 60% of the people who left after seeking their help instead of joining them had less than a year to live before an urban legend devours them. The remaining 40% of the cases are all suffering from night sickness. To survive, joining the Night Division was the best choice. Recalling her dream earlier today, she felt strange the fiery figure shocked her, but its words werent malicious, but kind. She narrowed her eyes and shook her head, No. It must be tempting me. I have no choice but to join the Night Division, then! Du Sixian is not a timid girl. She survived the trial of guts, and she was determined to survive, no matter what. Squeak! Not long after Du Sixian made her decision internally, An Qing hurried back inside, wearing a new set of clothes. I-Ive decided! Im joining the Night Division! Oh? An Qing was stunned, but smiled. Dont you want to hear about the other details of the work? Sry? Sixian shrugged. I dont really care about that. My family collects rent from seventeen, no, eighteen households. O-oh. I see, An Qing said, the corners of her mouth twitching. At around eight oclock in the morning, Lu Yibei woke up on the roof of the apartment, bathing in the suns glorious rays. The strange dreamst night had him in a restless slumber, but his exhaustion nailed him down onto the bed. If it wasnt for his coat carrying him up to the roof, the consequences wouldve been disastrous. Seeing the coat twisting and turning in joy as Yibei woke up, Yibei couldnt help but praise the coat. I didnt expect you to be the most reliable one. Ill have to reward youter. After bouncing in joy under the sun a few times, the coat hugged Yibeis body, and put itself on him. He must be rewarding me by feeding me the remaining cores! the coat cheered. Morning ss passed in a sh. Lu Yibei didnt go to the cafeteria, and instead, he walked towards the student lounge. Today is the day where he agreed for Jiangli to train him. First, he decided that he needed to sort his thoughts out carefully, so that he doesnt reveal his own true identity to her. He made up stories about Lin Yiqi and the Eclipse Society, and scribbled it out onto his notebook. Taking a sip of his c, he dug his new phone out of his pocket. It was a mobile phone from seven or eight years ago, but it could still browse the Inte and make calls, which was all he needed. However, it was somewhat damaged, and held together by scotch tape and a prayer. Putting away his thoughts, he opened a certain chat software, and through the memories of the four cores in this brain, found the urban legend discussion forum online. He was put on review, and after waiting for a while, a person named Fenrir in the group sent him a private message and asked him some questions rted to urban legends. With the help of the memory the four, he sessfully answered all the questions correctly, and joined the urban legend forum. [Wee, my name is Dusk, and] [wee! :p] [hey] As soon as he joined the group, he received dozens of wee messages. He narrowed his eyes as he read the messages, and assured himself that no urban legend lurks among the users of the forum. [Nice to meet you all.] After sending a brief reply, he hurriedly gathered all of the fours thoughts toe up with a convincing story to fool Jiangli, filled with half-truths and half-lies. The information about the Eclipse Society, Lin Yiqi, and Zigu in his story are all true. The source of the information is fake, and he made himself an anonymous poster. Coupled with some subjective and ambiguous analysis from himself, a story of I discovered a huge conspiracy from the Inte waspiled. Yes! Yibei nodded. This should be enough! There were holes in the story, which Jiangli may pick up. Then, shell investigate by asking Pharoah and the others but dead people cant speak! Im safe! Hence, there is no loophole in this story! Chapter 90: Fallen Gods Chapter 90: Fallen Gods 1:37pm. Lu Yibei tore out the page in his notebook and tore it into shreds, and stuffed it into his pocket, tossing the can of c into the rubbish bin. Passing over a drain, he was about to discard the shreds of paper into the drain, but found the same pair of eyes staring at him again. This time, it didnt feel resentful at all. In fact, it felt boring, like somebody bored was just trying to pass the time by looking at the scenery. Yibei stopped moving, waiting for the gaze upon him to stop before throwing the shreds of paper down the drain. He watched as the paper shreds get swallowed by the gushing waters of the drain before leaving. Somebodys watching me even if its not malicious, its scary to be watched. He felt an uncontroble, unprecedented urge to just grab the watcher out of sheer willpower and teach them a lesson to not stare at people. How could I resort to violence? Yibei muttered as he smacked himself in the head. That weird gaze seemed to know when he was aware of being watched, and would disappear almost immediately. If I dont attract its attention, Ill be fine. Thinking about it, he stretched his hand over and called for a taxi. Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration, Office V. On the retro-styled desk, the food prepared in the exquisite bento had already gone cold. With a paleplexion and a somewhat tired expression, Jiangli leaned on the chair and closed her eyes to rest. Unlike thest time, she did not take advantage of the free time before Lu Yibei came to y two rounds of mahjong on herputer. Apart from supporting the special operations team in their mission twice, she yed about 47 rounds of mahjong and won all 47 rounds, and yet she couldnt sense any abnormalities from her duration of stay. Even though she won, she was dissatisfied. She wanted the urban legend to pop up, win a round, and subdue it in one clean sweep. Squeak! Her office door was pushed open, and Yibei walked inside meekly. Seeing that Jiangli was taking a nap, he crept over to her desk and took the Night Division Records that were on her table. Holding the Night Division Records, he opened the first page, only for it to automatically flip to where hest left off. Is this thing not an urban legend on its own? If I devour it, will I know everything? He shook his head and chased away his hungry thoughts. Even if he wanted to devour it, he couldnt do so while he was in the maw of the beast. Besides, he was still recovering from the side effects of Pharoah and the others. He didnt want to go insane. Flipping through the pages, he soon found something interesting. [RESEARCH OBSERVES THAT MOST HIGH-RANKING URBAN LEGENDS WILL HAVE THEIR OWN SERVANTS AND SLAVES (I.E., DEPENDENTS) TO AID THEM IN HUNTS, GATHERING BELIEFS, AND OTHER ESSENTIAL BEHAVIORS. DEPENDENTS ARE CHARACTERISED BY MARKS LEFT BEHIND BY THE URBAN LEGEND. DEPENDENTS INCLUDE, BUT ARENT LIMITED TO, HUMAN BEINGS, OTHER URBAN LEGENDS, AND OTHER OBJECTS.] Seeing this, Lu Yibei immediately thought of Bai Xiaohua, the game character that he covets. Speaking of which, if Bai Xiaohua really existed, wouldnt I be her dependent? He would hunt for the in-game currency to appease her and send her help over to other yers, which is gathering belief. Isnt that the definition of a dependent? Du Sixian shed across his mind. Uh oh. Shes my dependent. Is there no way to remove my mark from her? He hurriedly flipped across the records, only tond on twopletely ck pages. Not high enough of a clearance. He rubbed the two pages back and forth with his fingertips, and his eyes slightly burned as he did. The pitch-ck colour, like ink meeting water, slowly faded, revealing the hidden writing below. Just as he was about to read the writings, Jiangli felt a wave of psychic energy wash over the room and hurriedly woke up. Her clear eyes, like a sword, stabbed right into Yibeis own eyes. Did did she notice something? Do I confess my crimes? Jiangli stared at Yibei carefully, and after confirming that he had no psychic tendencies within him, he sighed, Sorry. Im very tired. I was busyst night. Seeing that Yibei was already reading through the records, she simply nodded and said, Continue reading on your own. Feel free to ask me anything you dont understand. She was just about to take another nap, but Yibei spoke up. W-wait, I encountered something strangetely. Oh? Jiangli sat up, her state of tiredness disappearing almost immediately. Tell me about it. After a moment of silence, he cleared his throat and said, Ahem, to put it simply I joined a strange university forum and found a group of people discussing something called Zigu, and there was an incantation attached to it. He decided to repeat the spell that Lin Yiqi was chanting rather than the one he heard at the school. He feared that if he spoke that incantation, he might cause trouble within Jianglis office. Oh! And the incantation went like this: My aunt, my aunt, O Stop! Before he could speak the incantation in full, Jiangli stopped him. She squinted her eyes and stared at Lu Yibei for a few seconds, and after trying to find clues on his paralysed face, she sighed helplessly. You shouldnt be reading incantations like that. Words have power, and they are like a prayer meant to awaken fallen gods. Even just by thinking of it, you are calling out to them, and they will be alerted to your pleas. The more you call out to them Jiangli continued. they might answer you, and the only way youll be safe is if I lock you up in the Night Division. Shit, Lu Yibei cursed internally. I read the incantation silently for twenty, no, thirty times whileing up with a cover story! Shouldnt I be locked up in the darkest dungeon by now? Chapter 91: Is There Anyone Normal Here? Chapter 91: Is There Anyone Normal Here? Why do I feel as if someone has been spying on me for the past two days? Am I being targeted? Jiangli implied that Zigu is a fallen goddess, and this only served to confirm Lu Yibeis suspicions. I think Im in danger! He decided that staying in the Night Division for a long period of time is not good; if he were to transform uncontrobly, hell die even before Zigu gets to him. She knows that I study at the University, thats for sure, he trembled. Im safe for now. However, he couldnt ever predict how this fallen goddess was going to act. She could easily catch him off guard! I need to be ready. Excuse me, but Yibei turned to Jiangli. About the fallen godshow do they differ from ordinary urban legends? Jiangli merely stared at him in silence. Hello? What are you thinking about? Jiangli shook her head and said, I was thinking of sending you to the nearest mental hospital. You have put yourself in more danger than a full-time operator, and I suspect that Absolutely not! Yibei interrupted, his eyes meeting Jianglis. Do I look like the kind of person whomits crimes? I am an upstanding citizen who follows the rules, and I told you, she sighed as she put her hand up to interrupt Yibei. I was just thinking about it. After a pregnant pause, she raised her eyebrows and asked, The forumthey were discussing Zigu, correct? What else did you find? Nothing else. His face betrayed no emotion, but his heart pounded against his chest. He felt wrong for lying to her, but he couldnt tell her the entire storynot yet. Doing so would only raise her suspicions. Ill pretend to obtain information from time to time; then, itll be more credible! Jiangli massaged her temples with her hands and nodded, I see. She then limped over to Yibeis side and closed the Night Division Records, toying with them in her hands. Since you asked, for todays lesson, Ill be teaching you about fallen gods. Most gods are urban legends that are born of peoples worship, she exined as she sat in front of him. However, gods, like urban legends, still need to sustain themselves, and thats where human worshipes into y. Worship tends to be of good intentions, so the gods take upon this worship to define themselves, and in order to sustain this worship and belief, they will bless their worshippers. Yibeis eyes lit up expectedly, but Jiangli shook her head and lightly raised her hand up as if to quell his excitement. Belief is power. This is a well-known mantra to us, she said, staring into Yibeis eyes. Belief changes over timeculture, history, faithand the gods redefine themselves to fit these changes. Do you know Beelzebub? she added. A demon, if I remember correctly. Jiangli nodded: His original name is Baalzebub, the God of the Phoenicians, and he rules over the sky. However, because of these changes, he ended up devolving into a terrifying demon. W-wait, Yibei interrupted. So, if what youre saying is true, does that mean that demons exist too? Yibei couldnt help but fidget in his seat. He thought that if he kept a low profile, he would be able to deal with the impending doom looming over him. Now, with Jianglis words, he couldnt help but feel afraid. Whats the point of fighting back if his enemy is an ancient, former god-turned-demon? Im just giving you an example, she said. Jiangli thought that his reaction was strange; he is a lonely yet interesting boy. What god would target him? Although the reasons for a god to fall from grace are moreplicated, the process is more or less simr to what I have described, she exined further. Got it, Yibei nodded. Good gods turn bad when exposed to bad things. Got it. I guess, but she frowned. I believe that urban legends are more attuned to evil from the very moment they are born. It is inevitable that they be evil. Humans are their main source of food, she continued. Even gods hunt after humans like prey, albeit in a lessmon way. It is inevitable that they be evil. Yibei silently repeated Jianglis words in his heart. He thought of his other form, and a slight trace of anger seemed to prick at his heart. Do you think that I want to be like this? He huffed silently. I want to be normal, too. He couldnt stay angry at her, though. His own problems had nothing to do with her. Her job is to keep urban legends contained, and inherently, there was nothing wrong with that. But he didnt want to let the messy wheel of fate run over him. He wants to live, and inherently, there is nothing wrong with that. My apologies, Jiangli interrupted his train of thought, and she seemed to tread carefully with her words. I may sound extreme, but this is my job. Consider yourself lucky that you were able to experience feel the world with your hands; a world where the anomalous is nothing but strange stories that you read on the Inte. Seeing Jiangli as vulnerable, Yibei couldnt help but be taken aback. If only she knew. Jiangli ended her session early and escorted Lu Yibei out of her office. The two walked through the dimly lit corridor that stretched infinitely into the darkness behind them and through the atrium, where the entrance was. With a silent nod, Jiangli was about to return to her office, and Yibei was also about to leave. At this moment, a burst ofughter could be heard outside, and Du Sixian and An Qing were seen giggling at each other from a distance. He froze in ce. A Witch in the Night Division, alongside herpletely oblivious dependent seen at the same ce I wish I was a normal boy, he thought. Chapter 92: The Unknown Contents of the Bamboo Scrolls Chapter 92: The Unknown Contents of the Bamboo Scrolls Seeing Du Sixian being close to An Qing, Lu Yibei had a bad premonition in his heart. Although the Night Division Records state that there is a psychic connection between the Master and the Dependent, they never once state that the Dependents arent allowed to betray their Master. Realistically, if one were to be marked, wouldnt they find a way to get rid of the mark, no matter the cost? Yibei gulped. In his head, there was no doubt that Sixian had spilt all the beans on An Qing. Then hed be locked up in the nearest mental hospital and die a lonely, lonely death. Looking around, there was nowhere to hide. Am I forced to fight them? How do I transform during the day? T-theyre getting closer; oh my god, what do I do? I I An Qing and Sixian were already right in front of him, and he immediately shut his eyes, clenching his fists as if he had been caught doing something bad. And yet, it was silent. Ah, let me introduce the both of you to each other; this is Lu Yibei. He joined us just a few weeks ago. An Qing smiled. And Yibei, this is Du Sixian. Lu Yibei, right? Sixian smiled; her bright eyes greeted his own dull ones as she stretched her hand out. Nice to meet you! Lu Yibei nodded and gulped: She she doesnt recognise me? Yibeis hand clung to his side, and An Qing let out augh as she patted Sixians shoulder: Dont worry about him! He was a bit weird back then too, but hell warm up to you in the future! Lets head inside; as long as you pass the first time, youll be an official member of the Night Division. An Qing pulled Sixian away, and Yibei continued staring forward, relieved. Before he could leave, Jianglis voice faintly drifted into his ears. Youre being strange, she asked inquisitively. She had been watching the ordeal the entire time. Was I? She nodded, and she held her chin as she spoke: When you saw that girl, you were strangely stiff, and you were staring into her eyes Its as if As if? Its as if you have a crush on her! she deduced. Are you that shy? You didnt even shake her hand. His fear immediately morphed into hurt: Do I really seem that much of a virgin? In order to avoid suspicion, he swallowed his pride and nodded: How did you know? Shes exactly my type, like the girl of my dreams. Speaking of a girl in his dreams, his brain seemed to buzz a little. His intuition felt as if something important was being ryed to him, but it was vague, like a passing memory fading with the wind. He tried hard to recall, but his thoughts were interrupted by Jiangli. Although I dont really support office romances, you should strive harder for your goals and be confident. Without confidence, you wouldnt even know. Do you know how good you are? Right, Jiangli nodded. I wouldnt know, though. Lu Yibei stopped to look into her eyes. Was she trying to encourage him? The two stood in awkward silence for a while. Both of their gazes were fixed on Peony Street, which gradually dimmed under the setting sun. We look like those stone guardian lions that stay guard outside the doors. Right? Anything else? Jiangli asked. You should head back soon. Its getting dark. I do have one more thing to ask: when will I be a full-time operator? Originally, he wanted to save this question until he was able to tell the full story to Jiangli. However, now that Sixian had appeared, he felt as if he had to ask her as soon as possible. So he could abuse his authority as a senior to keep track of Sixian. You want to be a full-time operator? she frowned. Yes! Its my dreampart-time workers dont have as many rights as full-time ones. Right Jiangli hesitated. If you really want to join us, you have to wait a little longer. Its not the right time. But why does she get to be an operator? Yibei pouted, thinking of Sixian. All she has to do is take a little test, and Lu Yibei walked away dejectedly. Wait a little longer, Jiangli told him, and she watched as his figure disappeared into the horizon. Just wait a little longer, she thought. At least until Bai Kai is back. A few days ago, Bai Kai came to Jiangli with a serious face, which startled her. Dy him for as long as possible, he told her. Its inevitable that hell join us, so I need to craft the most suitable rune for him to ensure that hell be a psychic user. And, he added. All the resources in the Night Division are full of garbage! Despite his enthusiasm, Jiangli could see that he was still hesitant about letting Yibei join them. Jiangli sighed as she recalled their conversation. He was like a doting father, paving the best way possible for his son, and a tinge of envy graced her heart. When Lu Yibei left Peony Street, it was already five in the afternoon. He hurriedly hailed a taxi and rushed back to his apartment. He let out a silent curse as he stared out the window. It was rush hour, and the traffic was getting worse. Peering at the rear-view mirror, he could see that the driver was a quiet young man. Strangely quiet, which made him miss the talkative Zhang Shan. He began to ponder. Something was trying tomunicate with me about a dream. What did I dream aboutst night? The people were calling for me and I was back at that rooftop and He shut his eyes tightly, attempting to remember his dream. However, his brain was like a fog, and no recollection came to him. When he opened his eyes, he was back at his apartment. Were here. Yibei sighed as he paid the tab and went straight to the rooftop. Its important, but I just cant remember. 5:30 in the afternoon, at the University, where Professor Mas office resides. A boy in a white coat hurried forward with a stack of documents he wore a pair of round-framed sses with thick lenses, and his slightly curly hair was a mess. His thin stature wobbled as he walked, causing his clothes to wrinkle with every step. Pushing open the door to Professor Mas office, he hurriedly said, Professor, the analysis is out. Come take a look; I think something is wrong. The Professor was in a daze, with various papers and documents scattered around him. His eyes were trained on the words on a peculiar bamboo scroll, constantlyparing and contrasting the words written there. Ceremony Guideline Is this a ritual for sacrifice? The more he read, the more his brain started to buzz, as if he were drunk. He swore he could hear whispers that tickled at his ear. He came back to his senses when the student walked directly in front of his line of sight. Oh, apologies. Lu Xu, what were you saying? Professor, the ink used on the bamboo scrolls has been analysed, and you should take a look for yourself. The Professor furrowed his eyebrows and took the document from his hands. The analysis of the inks and pigments used is very important when studying ancient texts like these. Throughponent analysis, one can deduce the level of technology and standard of living and, ultimately, their culture. The content of the report seemed normal; nts and minerals weremonly used as pigments for the ink, but thest column read [Unknown]. Chapter 93: Remain Chapter 93: Remain Unknown? Are you sure this is right? Yes. I tested it three times, and all the reports were the same. I can only confirm that it is some kind of animals blood, but we dont have any matches for it in theb. Could it be an unknown creature? the student continued. Professor Ma looked down and pondered for a moment: Lu Xu, could you stay for longer? Do another analysis, record the creatures blood in detail, and well send it to the biology department for further analysis tomorrow morning. Humans inherently fear the unknown, but for an obsessed schr, the unknown means something more to discover. If it really is an unknown creature, its best to cooperate with the biology department, Professor Ma thought. He doesnt believe in gatekeeping research, especially in terms of science. Having other professionals help him out would be tremendous for him. Ill do it right away, Lu Xu responded, and he left. As soon as he left, the professor was once again engrossed in the writings on the bamboo scrolls, as if it were a siren beckoning him toe closer. And before his eyes, the research on ancient ethnic minorities seemed toe alive. Night time. Lu Xu extracted the blood from the ink and ced the sample carefully under a microscope. Through the lenses, a dark, ck colour came into view. The blood seemed to squirm. He froze for a moment, thinking that he was too tired. Rubbing his eyes, he leaned over at the microscope over and over again, not believing his own eyes. Is the equipment malfunctioning? That cant be He felt his hand prick. What the He hurriedly took off his gloves and saw that the skin on his finger was swollen and red like an insect had bit into it. After confirming that there was no broken skin, he couldnt help but mumble aloud. Tsk, damn bugs I told them not to eat in theb, and none of them listened! Later at night, in the Universitys postgraduate dorms. The cool night breeze blew in the dark sky, and a crescent moon revealed itself beyond the gloomy clouds. Lu Xu tossed and turned in his sleep, and sweat painted his back and forehead. He muttered something strange in his sleep, and it was obvious he was having a nightmare. In his dreamscape, he dreamt of a vige surrounded by mountains and dense forests. In the dead of night, the vige waspletely shrouded in darkness, and the door of someones hut creaked open. An old man stumbled towards him in the darkness. Lu Xu froze and dashed forward to help the old man up, but the old man could only stare into his eyes in horror. Y-you have to run, the old man with crazed eyes said. They know youre here You need to leave now! The old mans words seemed to stun him, and he could feel his consciousness fade in and out. His voice didnt seem human; it was an otherworldly form of fear that apanied the old mans words. The old mans face started to morph, and his features became exaggerated and distorted, and his bony ws firmly grasped onto Lu Xus shoulders. H-hey, let go! Lu Xu pushed, but the old mans grip was like iron, and his ws dug into his shoulder des. At this moment, a sigh could be heard. Immediately afterwards, one door after another was forced open, and the sounds of footsteps upon footsteps resounded in the streets. But there wasnt anyoneonly scarletnterns that bobbed up and down. Thenterns beckoned Lu Xu, but he couldnt breathe. He could feel them approaching; he knew they were dangerous, and he knew He knew that they wanted him to remain forever. Lu Xu! Bud, wake up! Lu Xu woke up in a puddle of sweat, feeling that his roommate on the lower bunk bed was kicking the upper bunk. Gripping his pounding chest, the dregs of the nightmare left him, taking the memories of the dream away with them. Lu Xu! You up? Wet dream? His roommate teased him, peering upward. Shut up Lu Xu muttered with a manic expression. Seeing his expression, his roommate wisely closed his mouth, and they were silent once again. In the darkness, a scarlet light flickered under the skin of Lu Xus fingers, and it crawled upwards along his arm. It was rare that nothing strange happened to Lu Yibei for the past two days, and he was in a fantastic mood. After ss, he carried his strangely heavy guitar bag and hummed as he left his final ss for the day. He smiled as he checked the notification on his phone and stopped by the security department right by the gate. Excuse me, Im collecting a package for Lu Yibei. ncing at the shelves behind him, the security guard sighed and pointed backwards with his thumb, saying, Come in and take a look for yourself. He then returned his attention to his phone. Lu Yibei passed by his side, and he could see that he was also ying [Love and Magical Girl]. You y this too? To kill time. Who is your favourite character? Of course, its Bai Xiaohua! Good taste! What faction are you in now? The security guard was visibly excited. Im in Wait, both of us, at the same time Mi Qiu Bichi!, Xingxing Xiaosan! Oh. It seems that there were fewer things inmon between the two of them. After collecting his parcel, he wasnt in a hurry to open it. He didnt want that damned Zigu to know that he was still at the university. Looking at the various materials in the box, he couldnt help but rub his hands excitedly. Finally, I can start making the Charm of Spring Winds! Chapter 94: Rights for Part-Time Workers! Chapter 94: Rights for Part-Time Workers! Du Sixian has been thinking about the final test that An Qing has prepared for her. To be honest, although she temporarily dispelled her prejudice about the Night Division, the existence of the Night Division reminded her of the strange figures that continue to gue her vision in the corner of her eye. After waiting for two days, the final test finally came. Outside the window, the sky was scarlet, and Du Sixian sat alone in An Qings office. Not long after, the door to her office opened, and four people walked in, holding a bronze box with animal patterns. Four chains hung loosely from the box, and each of the four pulled one of the chains. The box hung in the centre of them, and something seemed to tremble within the box. An Qing was one of the four, and Jiangli, whom she had met once, was the other. However, the other two people were still unfamiliar to her. One of them is a short and petite girl who held a big, ck umbre in her other hand. Her clothes wererge and loose, and the gloomy aura emanating from her terrified her. The other person is a very tall man; he radiated an aura offort; he is a man who puts you at ease with his mere presence. Despite this, the moment Sixian looked away, she found that she couldnt remember anything about the man, as if he were intentionally leaking out of her memory. The four of them walked up to her and ced the box on the table. This is Jiangli, Operator No. 5. Youve met her before, An Qing introduced, smiling. This is Tang Tang, Operator No. 1, and Li Xuan, Operator No. 2. Gu Xiliu was supposed toe in today; shes Operator No. 3, but She ked, Jiangli exined tly. Youre probably not going to be seeing her at all during your time of employment. She always finds a reason to ke. Operator No. 1, you say Sixian thought, eyeing the little girl named Tang Tang up and down. At first, she thought that the Operators were arranged in terms of strength, with No. 1 being the strongest, but it was impossiblehow could a gloomy little girl be the strongest Operator inside the room? Shall we start? An Qing said, breaking her train of thought. The moment An Qing unlocked the ancient andplex lock of the box, something within it started to bang against its constraints. Bang! Bang! Bang! Something terrifying woke up within the box, and each bang seemed to resonate within her own heart. The box opened little by little, and Du Sixian couldnt breathe. Her eyes tingled, and it seemed as if time was slowing down in that very room. The box was now fully open, and it was strangely silent. Du Sixian stepped forward and took a peek inside, only to be greeted by a huge, bloodshot eyeball thaty quietly inside, bound by a silver that trapped it within the box. And its alive. It rotated slowly and stared at Sixian; its disturbing gaze seemed to prate her body and see through her soul, making her feel fear that she had never experienced before. Her surroundings started to blur, and only then did she feel a pressure that pressed against her brain. Time seemed to slow, and slow, and slow, until it was just her and the eyeball staring at each other. Du Sixian didnt know how long she went under. When she came back to her senses, Jiangli and the others had already left, leaving only An Qing leaning on the opposite sofa with a small smile on her rosy lips. Congrattions! You passed the test. You are now an official member of the Night Division. Oh, uh, Sixian uttered, visibly confused. What happened? Its a ss B psychic item, she exined. Its the eyeball of a legendary animal that can tell right from wrong, and it also reveals your true colours. Du Sixian eyed An Qing. It seems that they still dont trust her fully. However, youre strange, An Qing said. I recruited you because I felt psychic energies within you, but ording to the eyeball, youre fully human. Of course! I am fully human! What do you mean by that? Well, it means you arent a natural psychic. Most natural psychics are born with something that powers them; think of it like a potion or a tattoo. This power is embedded in their soul, but we couldnt detect anything from you. Is that bad? On the contrary, its good, An Qing smiled. If you arent a natural psychic, you dont have to worry about turning into a monster for the time being. In fact, you have a choice. A choice? Yes. You can be a Combat Operator or a Logistics Worker. Exin! The key difference is that to be a Combat Operator, you need to embed a rune into your soul, An Qing said, her expression turning serious. However, most of the raw materials we have for crafting runese from urban legends, and by branding those things onto your soul You be an urban legend, Sixian finished. Correct. This rune is like a mask that you channel your energy through, but, if you wear it for too long, you wont be able to remove it anymore. Now, for the logistic work, all you have to do is keep your mouth shut and contain whatever anomaly wee into contact with from the public, An Qing exined. Du Sixian frowned and pondered. Bing an urban legend but An Qing and the others seem to be doing well? She weighed the odds together: if she were to be a logistics worker, she would stille into contact with urban legends, and she would be unable to fight back. You dont have to make a decision now, An Qing smiled and sat beside her. Think it through. I have a question. Do tell. Now that Im a member, does that mean I cant host broadcasts anymore? Pfft! An Qing chuckled. You dont have to worry about all that; in fact, we release broadcasts regrly to the public. Excuse me? Sixians eyes widened. S-so, youre saying that some of the videos on the Inte are true? I-I thought that belief is power, a-and were supposed to keep it secret! Youre right, belief is power, An Qing smiled. We need that power too; the public needs people to believe in, people who can deal with the horrors they face daily. Well, if you want to be a Combat Operator, Ill let you in on some secrets. Ive decided! I want to be a Combat Operator, and those broadcasts, I You want to take over, I assume? An Qing smiled. Thats good. Gu Xiliu is currently in charge of the broadcasts, but the quality of work is not up to standards, and As An Qing spoke, Sixian tilted her head. Wait. This is too easy. I thought an organisation like this would be very strict in terms of standards. Since youve already made up your mind, just wait patiently for a few days, An Qing interrupted. Why? I need to prepare for you to transition into a psychic user, she exined. The materials take a few days to be prepared, and it might be dangerous. Besides, we have to give you time to decide. In the meantime, she continued. Its time to learn about what we do. An Qing stretched out her finger and pointed at the bookshelf. In an instant, Sixian could see the Night Division Records, which were as thick as a dictionary. Seeing the Records, she suddenly remembered something: Do I have to read through them? Like Lu Yibei? Ah, no, An Qing smiled. Hes part-time, so he has to read through it page by page. For you, I have a quicker way! Listening to An Qings words, a voice like a hallucination whispered in Sixians ear. Yes! Its my dreampart-time workers dont have as many rights as full-time ones. The voice sounded like the voice that had guided her to the Night Divisionis this the god-like existence from her dream? Why is she hearing her voice now? And Why does it seem a little unhappy? Chapter 95: Weaponizing Chapter 95: Weaponizing The sky outside the window had already darkened, and the crescent moon shrouded by the dark clouds looked as if it were being submerged in water. Lu Yibeis apartment was pitch ck, but conveniently, bing a Witch grants her night vision. Unpacking her parcel, she spread the materials out on her coffee table and went through them one by one. Mercury sulphide, carving knife, mahogany She requested the store to cut the mahogany into small pieces, the size of a card with the thickness of a finger. She couldnt believe they charged her twenty yuan extra. However, since it was beautifully cut, she couldntin. Her friends surrounded her, looking at the items on the table like curious parents about the trinkets their child had brought back. Ms Witch, what are you doing? Shes dabbling in the arts of alchemy! the eyeball yelled. Its muscle memory to any Witch; its rooted in their soul! She may be using mercury now, but one day shell use humans, and Shell use urban legends! For example, shell start with you, another piped up. Shut up! Lu Yibei got a little impatient with their banter, picking up a few pieces of mahogany and throwing them towards them. They scrambled away stealthily into the shadows, and she couldnt help but sigh. Their minds were immature, like childrens. She shrugged her shoulders and concentrated her energy on crafting the Charm. Recalling Brights recipe, she picked up the carving knife and a piece of wood and carefully carved it ording to the pattern in the recipe. Although the wood was sturdy, she was proficient in the ways of using a knife, so she was quick and urate in her carvings. Half an hourter, shepleted the carvingspatterns symbolising the wind and the sun, as well as some strange symbols that held an unknown meaning. Putting down the carved wood, Yibei sighed and took a short rest before getting up to fetch the purified water he had prepared earlier and mixed the mercury sulphide in a small bowl. Bright used a porcin bowl, but Yibei couldnt look at porcin the same anymore. Besides, she fears that Zigu might be rted to porcin. It was better to not take a risk. With a brush dipped into the mixture of mercury sulphide and water, Yibei fixed her eyes and started to paint ording to Brights recipe. Unlike cooking, she had no talent for painting, and Brights memories dont exactly trante into muscle memory. ording to the recipe, it must be painted in one single stroke, so she drew extra carefully and slowly. During this time, her apparitions fell silent andid on the sofa behind her, watching intently. It was functionally easier than carving, but it took her twice as long to finish painting. The Charm seemed to possess some kind of power; while making it, she could feel her spirit weaken slightly. While waiting for the paint to dry, she tilted her head and stared at the Charm as she fiddled with her hair. Their memories are getting to me, she thought, Daydream loves to y with her hair, and here I am. Shifting through her memories, it was time for the final step, which was also the step that Bright had failed. What does imbue with energy to awaken it mean? She frowned, going through her memories once again. She saw Bright attempting to imbue the charm with magic but failing to do sosun exposure, moonlight exposure, tossing it into the microwave, being baptised by a priest She guessed that it meant channelling her psychic energy into the charm, but she didnt know how to control her own powers. Turning around, she eyed her audience, which looked at her with expecting eyes. Which of you can control psychic energy? Come and do me a favour. Working together, the apparitions nodded and threw theirmon sacrifice over. Hey, bastards! the eyeball yelled as it conjured a middle finger, only to be lifted up by Yibei. Come on. Psychic energy. Absolutely not! I would rather die than help you! Well, in that case, she smiled, opening her mouth to reveal a set of pearly white teeth. W-w-wait! F-fine! Just a little, Ill give it to you! The eyeball squirmed out of her grip andnded on the coffee table. Leaning towards the charm, it made a few gestures in the air to imbue the charm with psychic energy, only to scream out in agony. A-ack! Help me! Its sucking me dry. Im- Im going to die! As the eyeballs energy was being drained, the charm began to tremble violently; bursts of emerald green light illuminated the charm, and the symbols glowed with radiant light. The eyeball started to shrivel. Seeing this, Yibei hurried forward, and it took a lot of effort to separate it from the charm before its life force was syphoned out. The charm flickered a few times in the dark before splitting into two and falling back on the coffee table. Yibei held the eyeball gingerly in her hands and whispered, Are are you alright? Y-you should have just eaten me. The eyeball closed, and the other apparitions were visibly petrified. Yibeiid the eyeball down on the couch and instructed them to take good care of the eyeball before going back upstairs. If the eyeballs energy is fine, then the energy left within an urban legends core must be fine too. Its not like I can continue eating them anyways, and theyre rotting away in my room. A stupid neighbour asked me if I was eating durians. Id better get rid of it before somebody reports me for hiding a corpse. She was much faster when making the second charm, and it only took ten minutes to make it. After a brief thought, she picked up half of the core of the urban legend and tried cutting it with the carving knife, but found that it could barely make a dent into the core. What the but I cut it open in an instant thest time! Wait Thinking of this, she dashed towards the kitchen and found her familys ancestral knife. Taking the kitchen knife, she brought it down upon the core, and the core was cut in half easily. Raising the knife in her hand, she breathed out shallow breaths of excitement before letting out a cheer: Sh*t! It cant be Chapter 96: No Contrast, No Harm Chapter 96: No Contrast, No Harm She came to the conclusion that the kitchen knife is a weapon used against urban legends, but Why? Thinking of her father, she sighed. Then again, her father was never reliable in terms of his words. Dad used to tell me that if he kissed my cheek, a girl woulde along and kiss mine, but I have never even held a girls hand before! It was probably a white lie meant tofort her. To convince her that she is not someone unwanted. However, this kitchen knife is special, but she thought that she shouldnt rely on it too much. After a moment of silence, Lu Yibei sorted out her thoughts. This kitchen knife should be reserved for emergency situations. I cant predict how powerful it is. Its just like Its just like the force within my body. Chop. Chop. Chop. Her familys restaurant used to have a signature dish called the [Lions Head]. It was originally a Huaiyang dish, but her father hadbined it with local tastes to make it spicy, and unexpectedly, it was well received. Yibei used to help her father in the kitchen by handing him the meat used for this dish. Chop! Chop! Soon, half of the core was chopped into a paste. The apparitions couldnt stand this bloody scene and ran away back into the shadows. Hey! Youre cookin in the middle of the night? Keep it down! Hearing the yelling outside, Lu Yibei shrank her neck in shame. She could understand theints of her neighbours. A neighbour is something mystical; it knows when youre about to sleep, and it will use that knowledge to make sure you will never be able to sleep by listening to heavy metal, bing a drummer, or even an opera singer. After wiping the kitchen knife clean, she picked up the chopping board and went to the coffee table. The chopped cores werent very big, but they were just used for preliminary testing. She didnt know how much energy the charm would absorb, and she didnt want to waste her cores either. She ced some of the cores into the mixture of mercury and water, and unexpectedly, something strange happened. The mixture began to boil a deep purple. In the blink of an eye, the boiling liquid ignited, and a crimson me more than three metres high rose up. Silver shes of light suddenly emerged and exploded in the living room, turning into a gorgeous and magnificent flow of colour and crackling like firecrackers during the New Year. The sudden dazzling light and explosion startled her as she fell backwards, and in less than a minute, the entire living room was a mess. Damn, I shouldve been more careful. Previously, when devouring the cores, it didnt feel that powerful, but judging from the reaction from the mixture, it was very powerful. She got up from the mess to look into the bowl, only to get startled once again by frantic yet undeniably angry knocks at her door. Knock! Knock! Knock! Oi! Youre cookin and setting off fireworks in your house? Come out! I know youre awake! The person who knocked on the door was a man with arms bigger than Yibei herself, and he was apanied by his menacing dog. The dog bared its teeth, ready to bark at the units owner at its mastersmand. However As soon as Yibei opened the door, the dog whimpered as it hid behind its master. It is said that dogs can see things that ordinary humans cannot see, and this remains true. Behind that door was a cave of magic, and it was simply too scary for dogs toprehend. Oi! You The man was prepared to bark but stopped upon seeing the little girl before him. Wasnt this units resident a striking young man? Never mind that; surely a young, innocent, and petite girl had nothing to do with the sounds just now. However, she was wearing a mans coat, andprehension seemed to rush into the mans brain. Is there anything wrong? Yibei asked. Ah, dont mind me! The man replied. Just checkin up on ya. He couldnt do anything to such a delicate and petite little girl, right? He couldnt help but curse the young man who lived in that unit. He couldnt believe he was using this girl to quell his anger, and it was working. Checking up on me in the middle of the night? she asked expressionlessly. I I I was bored! The man stuttered, feeling an icy wind wash over him as he looked into the girls eyes. He fled away, and his own dog was outrunning him. Lu Yibei closed the door and leaned against the door panel as she breathed a sigh of relief. Thank god he didnt force his way inside my house. How do I exin this red mercury mixture on the floor and this stench? He mighte up with a weird conclusion. I might have to mass produce these in the future, and doing it in a ce like this is inconvenient. While thinking about it, Lu Yibei saw the blurry silhouette reflected in the window of the living room and subconsciously squeezed her face. Having said that, she didnt expect her face to take her out of danger so easily. Swallowing her pride is much better than not dying. Lu Yibei stepped forward to examine the mess in her living room and couldnt help frowning. On the floor, the purple-red liquid refracted faint light, and its shape was between solid and liquid. The core restored the mercury sulphide back to its solid form. How? She thought of the ancient alchemists who used mercury sulphide and attempted to refine it. And once they swallowed it, they would die immediately. After pondering for a while, she decided to try to make the charm with the purple, liquid-like crystal. Dipping the brush into the purple liquid, she brushed along the charm. The whole processsted peacefully for about half an hour, and she quietly watched the emerald light once again beam from the charm, only for a prickling pain to pierce through her palms. Ack! she eximed as she dropped the charm. However, the charm was intact, and it dawned on her that she had sessfully made her first charm! Lu Yibei looked happily at the dozens of pieces of mahogany raw materials left on the table, and her eyes gradually deepened with raw focus. Soon, she devoted herself to making as many charms as she could. That night, without knowing it, she made a total of sixty-eight charms. After tidying up the rest of the materials, she stood up and stretched her arms, her gaze casually falling on the kitchen knife. As if remembering something, she brought the kitchen knife over to the statue of Ac, the Immovable, and pointed it towards the statue. Turning over the statue to its base, she hesitated for a bit before carving its base with the knife. True enough, powder started to fall from the base. She gulped and stared at the knife in her hands. With something this terrifying in her possession, wouldnt it be much easier to carry this aroundpared to the heavy statue? Chapter 97: Back to Life Chapter 97: Back to Life At dawn, somewhere around Krorn. Each of the roads in that desert ne had no end in sight, and mounds upon mounds of rocks were scattered upon them. They were ten metres high and undted from time to time, and the rising sun gradually brightened them, dyeing each mound a golden red. From a distance, it looks as if a giant dragon with countless scales is deep in slumber. Such a remote and dangerous ce was not suitable for any human to reside in, but a figure could be seen hurriedly bouncing across the mounds. An adult man in full white, imbued in a silver light, phasing in and out of vision with a sword by his side. The desert morning sun was zing hot on his back, and Bai Kai stopped upon reaching an oasis. He calls it an oasis, but really, it was just a muddy reservoir of water, surrounded by caves that barely stretched out to anything. Stopping, he went straight to a cave dug out by the corner of the oasis, deliberating about avoiding the Euphrates trees by the cave. The trees were a symbol of perseverance, but Bai Kai never liked them. Rumour has it that the souls of tortured warriors clung onto these trees, and their twisted thoughts formed the twisted boroughs of the trees. He doesnt know if this rumour is true, but on this deste ne, it certainly felt as if they were reaching out towards him. Bai Kai walked forward, and before he could enter the cave, a person greeted him. It was an old man with a white beard and cloudy eyes, wearing a sheepskin jacket covered in grime and dust. A rusty pipe was pinned to his waist, and he leaned on a brick-red willow cane. Master! Bai Kai called out. A gleam of light suddenly shed in the old mans eyes, and his figure disappeared in a sh. When he reappeared, he was behind Bai Kai and pinched his buttocks hard. Master! You cant be doing this in public! What if the police arrest you? Nonsense! What police? Were the only people here! The old man teased with a hearty smile, looked past Bai Kai, and looked behind him, asking, Why are you alone? Wheres Lu Ming? Ah, hes Bai Kai hesitated to speak and lowered his head. Dead? Well Ah, the old man sighed and looked towards the vast ne with his hands behind his back, To live is to suffer. At least he gets to reunite with her. After a pause, the old man turned around to look at Bai Kai and changed the subject: Speaking of which, you took the effort toe all the way here, surely not just to see me. What do you want? I wanted to head over to Jingjue. For Yibei. Took a detour to see you. Oh, good, good. Do you need my help? No need. You still need to look after these trees, dont you? Bai Kai said, peering into the dark cave. Of course, but dont you want to stay overnight? Just like good old times, between a master and his student. Bai Kai nced at the dark cave behind the old man and said with a wry smile, The Wikstroemia is a big girl now, is she not? Im afraid the cave cant fit all three of us. Shes gone, the old man said, eyeing the cave behind him. Ever since she knew about Lu Yibei, she has been wanting to see him, the old man expressed. Told her that hed be an ordinary person for the rest of his life, but she retorted and said that ordinary people should be protected. Im afraid shes already in Huacheng by now. Strange, the old man continued. I thought the both of you would have seen each other by now. Fortunately not. Bai Kai shuddered upon thinking of that bloom. He tasted the horrors of the Witch that went by Wikstroemia, and since then, the fear of women has been instilled in him. Fortunately, the outside world is beautiful, and the girls outside are even more beautiful. Hence, he was known as the King of the Night in the streets of Huacheng, and his nimble fingers earned him the title of the Kitty Whisperer. The old man knocked his willow stick on the ground, taking Bai Kai out of his daze and saying, Stay with me tonight. Its lonely being out here alone. I dont know about that, Bai Kai shrugged. What happened to preaching about self-respect? Sharing a bed between us, that might be. I dont care! the old man huffed. I dont want to be alone! Right, of course. Let me head over to the vige, and Ill prepare some mutton stew when I get back, the old man said. And Ill go get some wine! Bai Kai said. And when youe back, Ill keep the cave light low, and we can Sleep in the same bed! the two said in unison, and that night, the cave was filled with a strange, homosexual atmosphere. Huacheng University of Technology, in Professor Ma Shis office. Professor Ma sat at his desk and muttered to himself. Hes alive? Back from the dead? Did he fake his own death? Earlier, a guest came to Professor Mas office. It was the young man who sent him the bamboo scrolls a few days ago. Deviating from his professional appearance, the young man was unkempt, with dark circles around his eyes, as if he had seen something terrifying. My father is alive. Professor Ma was stunned at the time and thenughed. He thought the young man was joking andforted him by saying, I think you miss your father too much. Itsmon that youll have dreams that No. I believe that he hase back to life. The young man interrupted Professor Ma, then looked around in a panic as he lowered his voice, There is a tradition of returning fallen leaves to their roots; when people die, they have to be buried where they came from, but my father was not buried even after a week. My elder brother was busy, and so was I when I came to you. When I went back home, I was so exhausted, and As the young man spoke, his whole body trembled. His teeth chattered as if he was feeling cold all over, and it took him a while to adjust his mood and continue talking. I saw my father. He was sitting in the shadows in the corner of the room and smiling at me. It was dark, but I could see his pale face as clear as day. He touched my forehead, just as he did when I was a child, but I was petrifiedhis hand was warm, and he told me toe and take the scrolls back. I woke up the next morning sweating. When I came over to his coffin, it The young man stopped talking and fell silent. Professor Ma had already guessed that the coffin was probably empty. P-please, return the scrolls. Professor Ma found it peculiar, but for the sake of his father, he epted. But before that, he needs two days topletely reproduce the text on the bamboo scrolls for subsequent research. Its impossible; its The young man left his office like a corpse, and Professor Ma continued to mutter to himself. No matter if it was true, for his fathers sake, he should return the scrolls, but Why? He shook his head before continuing his research once again. Chapter 98: You’re In Big Trouble! Chapter 98: Youre In Big Trouble! 8:30, in Huachengs University of Technology. A junior and a senior, guided by fate, would run into each other in the corner, and their breakfast would be scattered all over the floor. A handsome man would carry his friend with a sprained ankle, and his smile would make anyones day. A professor would sigh as he tapped a message into his phone, which read, [I wish I could skip ss too, but Im a f*cking teacher!] Lu Yibei would walk into campus grounds with his backpack, and his gaze would dart around him, seemingly worried about something. Although he didnt do anything bad, there was a kitchen knife and seventeen or eighteen charms in his bag, which always made him feel like he was carrying a backpack of weapons. He regretted not taking the statue with him. A boy carrying a guitar bag is normal in this day and age. The first ss on Monday morning was taught by Professor Ma, and the attendance rate was exceptionally high. When Lu Yibei managed to squeeze through the crowd and came to the ssroom, it was already full of people, leaving only a few seats near the podium vacant. Finding a ce rtively far away from the podium and sitting down, Lu Yibei looked at the empty podium and frowned slightly. Strange, where is he? Sure enough, the bell rang, and Professor Ma entered the ss right on time. The once hearty old man who was strangely eager to deduct a students points seemed dulldark circles under his eyes, and his hair unkempt and messy. His clothes were tucked and untucked, and the hairs on his temples were snow-white. Professor Ma walked to the centre of the podium in a trance, weakly saying, Self-study session today. If any of you leave the ss, Ill be deducting points. After speaking, he hurriedly left the ssroom. The same words sounded like thementation of a tiger that had been dewed, and soon the ssroom became noisy. Lu Yibei looked at the direction in which Professor Ma left, and he felt doubt. Professor Ma is strict not only with students but with himself as well. This is out of character for him. Not only was hete today, but he seemed out of it. Something strange must have happened. Yibei decided to follow him. If Professor Ma had encountered an urban legend, maybe he could help (and take the urban legends core for himself to eat!) Although he didnt have to worry about hunger for the time being, he felt that the 60 charms he made in total were too little. If possible, he ns to make three to five hundred more. In the long corridor, the lights flickered, sending the empty hallway into liminal darkness from time to time. Professor Ma walked forward while leaning on the wall, his mind gued by the events of the past few days. Tap, tap, tap. Suddenly, the sound of footsteps could be heard behind him, and his heart dropped to the floor. He slowed his pace, and when the footsteps were right behind him, he roared out. Whos there? Yibei was visibly startled, and he brought his hands up to his chest and said, Its me, Professor Ma. Im Lu Yibei. Phew! Professor Ma eximed as he patted his chest and let out a sigh of relief. Why are you following me? Go back to ss, or Ill deduct your grades! Is that all you know? Yibei gritted his teeth. You asked me to help in yourboratory before, but I dont know where theb is, so I thought of asking you. Everything should be done gradually. Yibei knew that if he were to ask Professor Ma if something abnormal was happening to him, he wouldnt ever spill the beans. Oh Professor Ma nodded thoughtfully and smiled bitterly. Ive decided to withhold the project. You dont need to participate in it for now. Those bamboo scrolls triggered something sinister, and he didnt want to research them any longer. Although there have been no casualties so far, he feels that there is a greater danger lurking in ces he cannot see. He couldnt let his student venture into the unknown depths with him. Professor Ma Are you okay? Why do you ask? Something must have happened to you, Yibei exined. I can read faces well, and I can tell something is up. Even if one doesnt know how to read faces, anyone could tell that the professor is going through something. Is that true? Yes. You can trust me. Well, in that case, Professor Ma said, looking around the empty corridor before getting closer to him. Not to me, but to my student. Something happened to him. Thinking of Lu Xu, he frowned again. The bamboo scrolls must be causing Lu Xu to Im going to see him now. Maybe you shoulde along. Professor Ma could sense something in Yibei, having encountered some strange things himself. He believes that everything can be exined with science, and hence, he chooses to believe in Yibei. Sure, but Im not sure how Im supposed to help. Try, Professor Ma forced a smile. Whether it works or not, I will be in your debt. Besides, if anything goes wrong Professor Ma continued as he gripped Yibeis shoulder. Promise me you will ensure your own safety. Ten minutester, Lu Yibei met Lu Xu in the postgraduate dormitory of the University. He sat in the corner of the room against the wall, wrapped his body in a quilt, and huddled up, not responding to any stimuli as he trembled from time to time. Lu Yibei looked at Lu Xu; he didnt even blink his eyes once the entire time he was in here. Lu Xu, this is my student, Lu Yibei. He might be able to help your situation, Professor Ma said. Professor Ma and Lu Yibei entered the dormitory with keys borrowed from the dormitory manager. Lu Xu was not surprised by these two unexpected visitors, or rather, he did not care that they were in his room. A few days ago, he came to me saying he was suffering from depression and wanted to withdraw from the project. I was too engrossed in my work, so I simply referred him to the universitys psychologist. He waspletely normal, albeit tired and anxious, so I gave him a few days off. After a pause, Professor Ma nced at Lu Xu with some distress and said, I received the news this morning that he had injured his roommate. He hasnt slept at all for the past few days, and he would murmur unintelligibly. His roommate told us that he was like a dog infected with rabies, pouncing at him and trying to bite him. As if something was possessing him, the professor whispered. A possession? An evil spirit? Lu Yibei deduced, thinking back to the time when he was possessed by Zhu Linglong, and his abdomen shifted ufortably from memory. While thinking, Lu Yibei looked at his backpack from the corner of his eye. The charm, he thought. I might as well try it out. See if its effective. Chapter 99: Not Enough Chapter 99: Not Enough Bright didnt know what the charm did, considering she never sessfully made it, and even the ancient archives she read through were vague. The archives borated that the charm was like the breeze that weed springreintroducing the breath of life to all things, dispelling evil spirits, and refreshing ones mind. Originally, after he made the first charmst night, he wanted to test it out on the apparitions in his apartment, but they were too nimble for him to catch them. Now was a good time to test it out. Lu Yibei thought about it and opened his bag, only for Professor Ma to ask, Are you about to start? Yes, but he paused. The things in my bag are a bit strange. I hope you dont mind. Nothing I havent seen before. Being a teacher for so many years, he has seen too many students take out strange things from their bags, from cigarettes and alcohol to mobile phones, game consoles, pets, household appliances, and even various family nning products and sex toys. Not umon. Oh, thank god, he responded, as he whipped out his kitchen knife and stuck it to the floor in one swift motion. The technique was smooth, and Professor Ma swore he saw a chef in Lu Yibei. Ah oh He never expected a student to be carrying a kitchen knife with him. My bad. I have other things in my bag that I need to take out. He grabbed a handful of charms as he spoke and threw them on the floor. Professor Ma had just recovered from the shock of witnessing the kitchen knife and was slightly taken aback when he saw the words engraved on the charm. Its an exorcism spell I learnt, he exined as he looked away. Got it from a book. Its not a problem. Professor Ma replied. The text its interesting. Interesting? Well, Professor Ma nodded slightly, then pointed to Lu Xu. Lets help him first; then, Ill tell you what the text means. Professor Ma nced at the charms, and he knew that they would work without a doubt. He was a little sceptical at first, but he knew that it was potent; on the other hand, Lu Yibei could care less for what the charm represented. Taking a charm, he walked over to Lu Xu, and in a hoarse voice, he croaked out, Useless As he spoke, he cracked his stiff neck to look at Yibei, like a puppet snapping its neck at its audience. Lu Yibei felt a little terrified by him and stopped moving forward, and yet he felt unsatisfied rather than scared. I worked so hard on these charms! How could you say its useless? Try it, for his sake. Lu Xu stared at Lu Yibei intently, then nced at Professor Ma with scarlet eyes and said, I told you its useless! Get out, get out! As he shouted, he ripped the quilt off of his body, revealing his severely malnourished upper chest. Only skin and bones were left, and his veins were a strange green like a parasite was inside his body. Besides, Lu Yibei saw more things than Professor Ma. The moment Lu Xu lifted the quilt off his body, Lu Yibeis eyes began to burn violently. A grotesque stream of light flew past his peripheral vision, and a burst of pained cries from women and children rang in his ears. Shielding his eyes from the light, he saw fog behind Lu Xu. Through the thick fog, Lu Yibei saw a pale figure shrouded within the fog. It held a blood-redntern in one hand and rested the other on Lu Xus wrist. Where its fingers fell, blood-red lines began to fester. Professor Ma didnt know what Lu Yibei saw; he only saw Lu Xu lifting the quilt to reveal a body covered with horrible, red lines that followed Lu Yibeis petrified face. Lu Xu stood up unsteadily, panting violently. He let out low growls that did not resemble human beings; his eyes stared at Lu Yibei like a ghost, and he flew towards him. His eyes were about to burst out of their sockets, and his teeth and ws pounced towards Yibeis neck. Yibei, be careful! Professor Mas exmation sounded in his ears, and the dense fog and figures in front of Lu Yibei disappeared in an instant. What the? Lu Yibei eximed in his heart and threw the charm towards him in a panic. It flew past his shoulder. Lu Xu was already right in front of him, and in a panic, he threw all the charms in his hand towards him. Seven or eight charms fluttered in the air, and five of them hit Lu Xu square in the chest. Ack! As soon as the charm hit his body, a wisp of blue smoke was forced out of his body, and explosions, like a firework, burst into his room. Lu Yibei stood in the blue light illuminating the room; he felt rejuvenated and fresh as if spring had just started, and the faint fragrance of flowers blooming filled the room. But Lu Xu didnt seem to think so. He wailed as he trembled erratically on the ground, and his wailings pierced through both of their ears like nails to a chalkboard. Yibei hurriedly picked up his bag and pushed Professor Ma out of the room before throwing the remainder of the charms towards Lu Xus body. Running out of the room and shutting the door, more intense wailings of despair gued their eardrums. It really was necessary to make two or three hundred more of these charms. The screams drowned out behind them, and Professor Ma trembled, What was that? Something is possessing him; that is true, Lu Yibei said. Its just that hell be unable tomunicate for now. Professor Ma couldnt help but nce at Yibei. Why is he so calm, as if he won? Will Lu Xu be alright? Will he be alright? Ill find outter. Lu Yibei replied ambiguously, turning his head away. In Brights memory, this charm was meant to ward off evil and rejuvenate oneself. How the hell would he know that the charm would be this powerful? He may have eliminated whatever was possessing Lu Xu, but Lu Xu might fade away alongside that strange entity. The wailing gradually stopped, and Lu Xu came back to his senses. Professor, I Im okay. The professor was about to barge into the room, but Lu Yibei held him back as he mouthed the word imposter to him. Grabbing two more charms from his bag, Lu Yibei came to the gap above the door and saw Lu Xu lying on the ground. He threw the charm at Lu Xus head, which bounced off with a clear ck. The charm simply bounced off his forehead, and nothing happened. Yibei, jumping off the door frame, turned to the professor and said, It should be fine now, but we have to stay on guard. Lets ask him what happened. The disturbingly thick fog behind Lu Xu remained, but the pale figure was farther away. Yibei could still make out the scarletntern in the distance, as if it were retreating away from them. In other words, the charm simply chased it away. It will still return. Lu Xu, what happened to you? Someone is going to kill me it It had a scarletntern as it chased behind me, and it wants to enter me, invade me, tear open my skin. He couldnt stop looking behind him, and in a daze, he fell into a state of unconsciousness. Chapter 100: Charms Chapter 100: Charms After Lu Xu fainted, Lu Yibei and Professor Ma froze for a few seconds before helping him up and rushing him to the hospital. The dormitory fell silent, leaving only the faint fragrance to tell the tale of what transpired in the room. The bright sunshine poured into the room, but it distorted slightly as the wind blew, refracting off something invisible. A gust of wind poured into the room once again and apanied by the breeze, a girl in bluended in the centre of the room. She stood still, her face hidden behind the mask she wore. Looking around, she found a charred piece of wood devoid of any energy. Right here, the girl muttered, picking up the charm. The wood of the charm was notpletely scorched, and the spell could still be vaguely discerned. The girl toyed with the charm, and a yful smile appeared on her face. Earlier, she was lying on the roof of the library once again to look out for the Witch that studies at the University of Lin Yiqi. At this moment, a strange wave of psychic energy washed over the University. There were hundreds of waves of psychic energy that washed over the University on a daily basis, so she paid those no mind, but This specific wave of energy felt familiar. She felt as if she needed to check it out. Unexpectedly, there are still people who remember how to make this charm, but Which fool used the core of an urban legend to make the charm? she shouted as she sniffed the charm. How interesting! I cant wait to see which genius is responsible for making this. And just like that, she was gone with the wind. The lingering wind swept up the remaining charms off the floor, and all that remained were cherry blossom petals that fluttered in the room. In the hospital. Lu Yibei bit his fingernails. Because of the urgency of the current situation, he left all of his charms in the room. He hoped nobody would notice them, but he couldnt help but feel anxious. Ah, maybe I shouldnt have helped Professor Ma. A doctor came out of the emergency room, and Professor Ma hurriedly went up to him. Hu, how is my student? Hearing the conversation between Professor Ma and the doctor, Yibei immediately pricked up his ears and leaned closer to eavesdrop. Lack of sleep andck of nutrients lead to bad tempers and the tendency to hurt others; excessive excitement is reported too If it wasnt for thepletely normal drug report, I would have thought that he was high on cocaine. Professor Ma was speechless for a while and nced at Lu Yibei calmly, while Lu Yibei turned his back, looked at the ceiling, and whistled expressionlessly. Seeing this, Professor Ma looked away helplessly and smiled apologetically at the doctor, saying, Thats awful. Good thing we found him before anything bad happened to him. Professor Ma promised to help keep this a secret, but it wasnt like Yibei did anything bad either. Hes stable, for now. I suggest that he stay in the hospital so that we can monitor him, though I suspect that he may be suffering from night sickness. I suggest keeping a closer look on him. Of course, of course Once a person is diagnosed with night sickness, they are doomed as their world bes entangled with the world of urban legends. Fortunately, Professor Ma knew that Lu Xu did not have night sickness, but To him, it feels like he is suffering from something worse than night sickness. You can go and see him when he wakes up. For now, let him rest. Okay, thank you, Hu. The doctor left, and Professor Ma trudged over to Lu Yibei. Yibei Before Professor Ma finished speaking, Lu Yibei cut him off firmly: I dont know! I have nothing to do with this! As long as he insists that he doesnt know anything, Professor Ma cant do anything about it, and he cant drag him over to the Night Division. Everyone has their own secrets; I get that. Ill help you keep it a secret if thats what concerns you, Professor Ma said. In fact, I want to tell you about the special engravings on the charms you made. Lu Yibei tilted his head to look at Professor Ma, quietly waiting for Professor Ma to continue. Seeing this, Professor Ma straightened his messy hair and sat up. Judging from the special characters on the charms, they should belong to the characters used by the ethnic group called Dongyi, from ancient times. Professor Ma spoke in a clear and concise manner, simr to how he would speak when he taught a ss. I say that, but Dongyi is a broad concept; there are nine main types of Dongyi, which are Wanyi, Yuyi, Fangyi, Huangyi, Baiyi, Chiyi, Xuanyi, Feng Yi, and Yang Yi. Judging from the style of your writing, it should be Feng Yi. Professor Ma is actually very good at lecturing, but relying entirely on his strictness does not allow students to study hard and listen to the knowledge. The maic voice speaks eloquently, and the obviously boring content will cause feelings of drowsiness. Hearing this, Lu Yibei nodded thoughtfully. Look up information on this. This will be your exam this semester. Is that fine? Yes. You have read through the textbook, havent you? Remember, no less than 10,000 words or your grades will be deducted. Got it? Yibei rolled his eyes. As for the inscriptions, I roughly tranted them. The content is simr to a passage in the [Book of Rites]: Through the night, the divine sentence glows, and Something itched at Yibeis mind, and he hurriedly covered Professor Mas mouth. Stop talking right now, Professor. If you continue talking, something bad might happen. Professor Ma nodded but was visibly confused by his actions. Promise me that youll never say or think those strings of words again, and Ill exin why. Professor Ma nodded again, and Lu Yibei calmed down. Well, you know how the both of us are encountering strange things? As a professor, you should know that gods are born of belief, and with these godse powerful words that call out their name. Professor Ma stared at Yibei intently as he listened, only to let out a dryugh. Hah! Yibei, arent you being a little superstitious? I am a man of science! Even though what we went through was unnatural, I have been researching this for many years. I read aloud many scriptures and ancient texts, and yet I am still here, right in front of you. Its a miracle youre alive! Yibei cursed inwardly. All I did was mutter Zigus prayer a few times, and to this day, its still staring at me! Only then did it dawn on him that studying history meant encountering and learning about ancient entities. He suddenly felt that Bright was smarter than she was given credit for since she started making charms to protect herself from these strange entities. The ult may be special, but we have to believe in science too. Got it, got it, Yibei absentmindedly muttered, choosing to inch away from Professor Ma ever so slightly. T/N: Weve made it to chapter 100! I look forward to working on this novel for as long as I can. Chapter 101: Fish Chapter 101: Fish Three in the afternoon. Du Sixian had finally received a text from An Qing after waiting for the past two days, and she hurried over to the Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration. However, before she could enter the gate leading into the Night Division, a truck blocked her way. It was a truck that delivers parcels. She could recognise that it was the countrys most popr delivery service, judging by thebels on the parcels and on the truck. She silently waited as she watched several men in ck lift several silver boxes out of the truck. An Qing had told her before that these men are the Special Operations Team of the Night Division, and most of them are ordinary people who have undergone special training. Some of them had some, albeit weak, psychic abilities developed from the training. They hauled three silver lockboxes from the truck; each box was carried in groups of three, and they hauled these boxes straight towards the Night Division. Sixian studied the scene before her wordlessly before squeezing through the gaps between the truck and the gate. She subconsciously lowered her head when passing by the men so as not to draw attention to herself, but one of the men patted her shoulder firmly and smiled as he let out a firm, Congrattions! She froze for a moment as she stared into the hardened yet genuinely joyful face of the man who congratted her. She thanked him awkwardly and hurried inside. The thought of gaining otherworldly powers seemed to make her footfalls lighter. Before this, her only hobbies were making videos and ying RPG games. Now, with the opportunity presented to her, perhaps she too can be the characters that she loved to y. The endless hallway that stretched into a maw of darkness seemed to beckon Du Sixian closer, threatening to swallow her whole. She hurriedly found the door to An Qings office and knocked lightly. Come in! Upon hearing her cheerful voice, she pushed the door open and couldnt help but be taken aback. The bright afternoon sun shone through the open windows of the office, and the slight fragrance of the flowers outside the courtyard sneaked in through the windows. On the desk in front of An Qing, there were three lockboxes with faint owl engravings on them. These are the lockboxes from just now. Sixian parted her lips slightly in surprise. An Qing smiled and raised her finger to point to the boxes, saying, These are the raw materials for the runes. Pick one. Pick one? she thought. She carefully looked at the seemingly normal lockboxes, and all of them looked the same. She could only look at An Qing for help. Ah, she nodded. It seems that none of these lockboxes are suitable for you. Why? Some potential psychics will be attuned or have an affinity for certain urban legends; although you cant see the cores in the box, your gut would tell you to pick the box you desire. Think of it as fate. Oh Sixian muttered as she nced at the boxes, feeling disappointed. Does that mean that none of these boxes is for me? Of course not. An Qing smiled. To be honest, most potential psychics wont be able to detect anything. It is just procedure. There is nothing to worry about, Sixian, An Qingforted. Do you know how urban legends have hundreds of variations to their stories? Their powers can be derived from this as well. You can apply this principle, and the rune in your soul will adapt ordingly. Oh, okay Sixian nodded, half-understanding whatever her mentor was saying. Tap, tap. An Qing tapped on the lockboxes on the table with her nails. This is a manticore, she muttered, pausing for a few seconds. Youll probably obtain the ability to fly, andter on, youll be able to manipte poison. This is a kappa, and youll be able to manipte water. And this one is the Henggong Fish. What does it do? Sixian asked. Its delicious. What? Kidding. Nobody in our records has used this rune before. If you pick it, youll be the first. Wait, why does it sound like she wants me to be her guinea pig? Sixian thought. In the end, Du Sixian chose the fish as her rune of choice. She would much rather venture into the unknown than suffer the side effects of bing hairy by picking the manticore or bing bald by picking the kappa. She sighed. She thought that the options presented to her were quite literally shit, shit, and poop. Once she picked her rune, An Qing showed a weird smile that made her uneasy, and she said, Well, what are you waiting for? Strip. W-what? An Qing wordlessly rubbed her fingers together as she smiled, Before you move on, I should check to see if you are developing well. Only new psychics will fall for a trick like this, and unfortunately for Sixian, she is, in fact, a new potential psychic. Her face flushed as she took off her coat. The bright sunlight beamed through the open window endlessly, and through the window, you could see the now shirtless, slender figure of a girl. Her back was smooth and wless, and the slender straps across her fair skin were tied together with a light pink bow. Her miniskirt came off and fell to the ground, and her slender calves, wrapped in silk and ck stockings, were removed, revealing snow-white legs. Just as she was reaching to untie the straps that concealed her breasts, An Qing pulled the curtains to the windows shut. An Qing is not a demon, or a subus, as some might call her. At best, she is cold-blooded and a heartless zombie. She didnt do anything strange to Du Sixian. It would be inappropriate to do so as the Night Divisions resident surgeon, and she did a full-body checkup on Sixian. Even though it was not at all necessary. An Qing instructed her to lie down on the bed, and in her office, arranged like an infirmary, a strong aroma of herbs filled the room. She stood in front of arge crucible and paid close attention to the brewing concoction within. The brown-ck sludge boiled with putrid bubbles, revealing a hint of gold from time to time. Like gold surfacing in a dirty pond. When the gold became more prominent, she grabbed the red bones of a fish on the table decisively and crushed them all with the palm of her hand. The red core of the Henggong Fish was crushed into a powder as it fell into the crucible, and the liquid rose rapidly as it steamed violently, outlining aplex set of runic inscriptions in the air. After a burst of dazzling light, the mixture shrank violently, and all that was left was a translucent, palm-sized fish that swam about in the air. Each scale on its body was like gold, and it breathed new life without w. Light reflected off its magnificent body like ripples on the surface of a body of water. Under An Qings psychic guidance, the fish swam straight between Sixians eyebrows and plunged into her. The majestic vitality of the fish poured into her body like a tsunami. She opened her mouth to scream from the sudden intrusion, but she felt the rapid numbness in her consciousness as she stared forward lifelessly. Like a fish. A fish that swims in water with no higher purpose, forgetting all troubles as it swims and swims and swims The girl couldnt remember her name; all she knew was to swim and forget all her troubles. An Qing frowned as she watched the now-unconscious Du Sixian. Her eyebrows furrowed as the thermometer indicated a high fever, and her condition was gradually worsening. Why on earth did her body reject the rune? An Qing muttered as she wiped the sweat away from Sixians forehead. That cant be right; the probability of rejection is very low ording to my records, but Her eyes fell on the golden scales that shimmered intermittently on Sixians forehead, and a look of regret shed in her eyes. I hope shes able to adapt to the runes power and wakes up, but if she bes an urban legend She let out a long sigh in the dark office. Lu Yibei dreamt of Du Sixian that night. It was strange. In the dreamscape, she could see Sixian blowing bubbles like a bubble gun from her mouth, and she swam about in the air mindlessly, as if her body were piloted by a goldfish. She cursed loudly, breaking the dreamscape, and she found herself back in the real world. Sitting up on her head, she scratched her head. What the hell is Sixian doing? Meanwhile, in An Qings office in the Night Division, Du Sixians eyes fluttered open in the dim lighting of the office. Chapter 102: Escape Chapter 102: Escape Du Sixians rejection of the rune came and went quickly. High fever, intermittent golden scales appearing on her forehead, shortness of breathall of these side effects disappeared in an instant, to the point where An Qing was caught off guard. In her memory, the side effects of rejecting a rune take time to alleviate. How do you feel? An Qing hurried over and asked with concern. I Sixian looked at An Qing nkly as she sat up on the bed. I feel dizzy Her ears rang as she recalled hearing a loud curse while she was unconscious, as if it came from a distant time and space, beckoning her to wake up. Other than that, I feel okay. Thats good, An Qing nodded. Why dont you rest here overnight? Ill leave you be. An Qing left the office and turned off the lights, and Sixian was left in a daze. She sighed as sheid back on the bed and stared at the ceiling in the dark. Recalling carefully, she was sure that the voice she had just heard was the same voice that guided her to the Night Division. But why? What is my connection with her? she thought. This unknown connection made her feel uneasy as if a pair of eyes were always on her. Tap, tap, tap. Just as she was deep in thought, a soft collection of footfalls stopped outside An Qings office, and somebody entered the room. A girl. A shade of silver moonlight seemed to surround her, and the coarse cloth of her skirt was engraved with strange patterns. It attached thinly to her body, reflecting her perfect figure. Under her skirt, a pair of slender legs were connected to a pair of bare feet, which donned a pair of bronze bells that hung around her ankles like an anklet. The bells collided gently with each other with every step; the chiming was crisp yet melodious. Her face was bright and clean as jade, and her peach lips and jadeplexion were framed by meticulously tied, long, ck hair with a hairpin fashioned in the design of a bone stuck in it. She looked as if she had travelled from a distant past, and a tinge of a primal aura was hidden underneath her face. Before this, Sixian never thought of anyone (other than herself) as perfect, but seeing the mysterious girl before her, she felt that if the perfect girl doesnt exist, then the girl before her is not human. And if shes not human, how the hell did she break into the Night Division without anyone noticing? She felt a chill run down her spine. As she was staring at the girl, the girl looked around nkly as if she didnt exist and muttered to herself, Strange I could feel him for a moment just now; why did he suddenly disappear? Uh, excuse me? Hearing Sixians voice, the girl was stunned for a moment as she yelled. The girl put her hand to her heart, and when she calmed herself down, she asked Sixian, Excuse me, but have you seen a man just now? I dont know what he looks like, but I can tell you that hes about the same age as me. You could be describing anyone. Right? Ah, Id better go back and wait, the girl pouted as she walked towards the window and opened it. With her toes gripping the rims of the window, apanied by a burst of air that flung all the papers on An Qings desk across the room, her figure transformed into a stream of moonlight, and she was gone. What the hell? Should I tell An Qing about this? Sixian uttered this, staring nkly at the window. On a cool night, at Huacheng Hospital. Lu Xu couldnt sleep, or more urately, didnt want to sleep. As long as he fell asleep, the scarletnterns would keep haunting him, trying to invade his body. But he fell asleep after all. He slept longer than he had spent sleeping in the past week, and when he woke up, he couldnt help but recall the conversation he had with the doctor. The reports all came out normal. If theres nothing wrong, well keep you here for another day, and you can leave, the doctor said as he flipped through Lu Xus reports, smiling. That cant be Lu Xu spoke weakly with a hoarse throat. Are you sure? The doctor was obviously taken aback by his reaction and assured him, Yes, I am sure. You should rest and not worry too much. Just as the doctor was about to get up and leave, Lu Xu propped his body up on the bed and let out a hoarse shout. Doctor! The doctor stopped and looked at him suspiciously. Y-youre wrong! I can feel myself getting weaker; it-its that damnntern I told you about in my dreams! Its getting closer every time I sleep I dont want to die, please! The doctor wordlessly shook his head and nodded towards Lu Xu before leaving the ward. The ward was silent, and he sat on the bed with a nk expression. Nobody can help menot the doctor, not Professor Ma, and even Lu Yibei could only dy my death. I can only rely on myself. If that old man in my dream could escape, why not me? Lu Xu woke up to a cool breeze hitting his face. His head was pounding, and when he opened his eyes, he was shocked to find himself sleeping on the bed of his dorm room. The area surrounding his bed was dark; the darkness seemed to swallow all light, and everything in his room could only be discerned by a vague outline. No scarletnterns, no weird vigesjust the warm touch of his usually damp bed in his dorm and the faint waft of sweat that was eternally present in a boys dormitory. It all just seemed so real. For a moment, he thought that everything he had experienced was just a dream. A strong wind blew in from the open windows, and the hooks on the curtain caused a cacophony of irritating ngs. A cold sweat dripped down his forehead, and he leapt down from his top bunk, picked up a chair, and walked towards the window. Holding the curtain with one hand and the chair in the other, he prepared himself to swing at any time and opened the curtain with one swift motion. It was empty outside the window. The dark, thick fog vaguely outlines the campus. Lu Xu swallowed as he stared into the void and hurriedly closed the slightly open window and pulled the curtains tightly together, pressing the chair firmly against the hem of the curtains. Laying back on his bed, drowsiness struck. In the darkness, any slight sound seemed to be amplified tenfold, and he heard the faint sound again in the darkness. Something tugged at his curtains, and even the chair that restricted the curtains movements were being dragged slowly away from the window, like nails to a chalkboard. The drowsiness left him in an instant, and he sat up and he stared at the balcony. A faint scarlet light shone through his dark-blue curtains, painting the darkness a very slight violet. The corner of the curtain rose slightly with the wind. The cold wind fell on Lu Xus body, freezing him. His heartbeats were so fast that he swore that his heart was about to leap out of his throat; his breaths were shallow and short, and his chest felt tight. He held his quilt tightly against him with both hands, peering at the window from the top of his quilt. The tormenting sound of the chair being dragged away from the window stopped as it was slightly pushed over, hitting the floor with a clear, crisp sound, and the whole dorm fell into still silence. There was no wind, but the chair moved again as it centred itself in his room. Lu Xu felt that there was somebody sitting on it, watching him quietly in the dark with a sinister smile. Whoosh! The curtains of his window were suddenly pulled aside, and a scarletntern loomed outside. Thentern hovered outside the window like a strange eye, as if it were studying Lu Xu closely. At this moment, his only sense of security was gone. His hair was damp with cold sweat, his body trembled with a fearful vigour, and his teeth collided with each other uncontrobly. Thentern entered through the window and floated closer and closer, and the faint scarlet light reflected upon his cheeks. His pupils contracted, and his eyeball spun uncontrobly in his eye sockets. His body twitched continuously as he let out dying groans. A few secondster, drowsiness washed over him, and he fell asleep. The hospital at night fills one with a sense of dread. The lunatic remarks of that patient named Lu Xu made the doctor feel uneasy whenever he went to the toilet alone. I must change to another ward tomorrow, the doctor thought mindlessly. Leaving the toilet by the end of the corridor, he passed by Lu Xus ward as he straightened his clothes. A wave of cold washed over him, and he shouted in a panic, W-who goes there? Lu Xus door was slightly ajar, and the doctor could see him sitting by the bed, a strange smile being the only feature he could discern in the dark. Dont be afraid; its me. I escaped. As he spoke, his hand seemed to toss something to the ground, making a light ck-ck sound. Two pieces of burnt wood. Chapter 103: The Ordinary People who Invented the Charm of Spring Winds Chapter 103: The Ordinary People who Invented the Charm of Spring Winds Night, under the Huacheng Bridge across the river. For the longest time, the bridge under the river has be a home for many homeless people, and many illegal lodgings have been crafted indiscriminately under the bridge. Shacks built of iron sheets and wooden boards barely shelter anyone from the wind and rain. After the Sun began to change and the number of urban legends increased sharply, the ce waspletely abandoned. The hastily crafted shacks were still there, but the residents had long since disappeared. Which was wonderful for a vagrant like Gu Qianqian. After hunting down the urban legend of an old man who haunts the bridge at night, she took over and called this ce her nest. The night was dark, and she extinguished the bonfire she had just made for herself. The two iron sheets of the shack were supported by wooden beams that leaned against the wall. No doors, but a decent shed for a woman like her. She sat cross-legged on the sofa she bought secondhand, carefully counting the wages she earned from the odd jobs she had done the past week. She arranged the money ording to its value and stuffed it into the piggy bank. She calls it a piggy bank, but really, it was just a rusty paint bucket, and it didnt contain much money. But she treasured it as if it were her most prized possession. She carefully welded four legs and a pair of ears to the paint bucket, trying to craft a makeshift piggy bank. After working odd jobs for a week, she had saved a total of 282.30 yuan, which was a small amount, but she was satisfied nheless. Her system thought it was all useless. Gu Qianqian, are you not the protagonist of this story? How could you muddy your history by doing these odd jobs, you call them? Whatever, nobody has to know! she beamed. Im bored, and I still need money to survive in this world! The system wanted to rebut andin about how she spends all of her money on eating, spending upwards of 50 yuan per meal, but remained silent upon seeing the girls face. Speaking of tasks, the school celebration is upon us. Are you ready? Yup! I have just about enough money to buy me a nice dress for the event. What? No! The system stopped. Im asking if you were able toplete the task of sneaking into Ma Zhensboratory and stealing the bamboo scrolls! Oh? Damn it, I knew you would forget! If you dont touch the scrolls before the full moon, you cant enter that space! the system said. Fortunately, there is still time. Why are you ming me? I asked you to remind me! She pouted, feeling wronged now that the system was yelling at her. My apologies. I forgot too. What kind of system are you? The system didnt know how to refute it. The system avoided following Gu Qianqian onto campus since a terrifying existence seems to lurk there. The trajectory of Gu Qianqians fate was deviating on arger scale. System? Yes, Mistress. The bamboo scrolls she paused. Whats in it? A hundred sacrifices. Ten people. A dead god. Forced their way into the gates of heaven for forbidden knowledge, only to be trapped in a perpetual cycle of death. What? There was a group of people, the system exined. Under the order of their king, they took a hundred virgins to the mountains to appease their god. Did their god answer them? It did. The people indulged themselves in the books given by the god, and they were engrossed in the books of forbidden knowledge. They soon found out that it was toote to leave, and they were stuck in perpetual death in an alien ce. And then? You dont have to know. All you have to do is get to the scrolls, write whatever is on them down on a piece of paper, and leave. System? Why cant I just steal the scrolls? What if I write it wrong? You dont have time. In that strange ce, you can bring nothing. All you can bring with you is your memory, and you must memorise whatever you have written. Are you lying to me? No, the system replied monotonically. I am a system with no emotions. I dont know what lying is. Gu Qianqian let out a single tsk before searching for online stores that sold dresses. She is still a teenage girl, and every girl fantasises about wearing a beautiful dress and attending a ball, and preferably, at midnight, they would meet their prince. Whats the point of meeting a prince? the system interjected. I know you think that only a princes level of wealth can support your reckless spending. You wouldnt get it, and hey! I thought you were an emotionless system! Taking advantage of the darkness, Lin Yiqi sneaked up to the roof of the library and found the girl staring at the moon in the librarys garden. The girl could sense her presence, and through her mask, she smiled through her eyes. Havent seen you in days. Lin Yiqi hesitated to speak and paused for a few seconds before exining, The Night Division is too active under these moonless nights. I cant go out that much. Hows your investigation going? The girl shrugged her shoulders and said, I couldnt find anything about her. I thought you gave me the wrong information, so I nned to go to the High School to have a look. No! Lin Yiqi stopped. No, I mean, theres no need for you to do that. You can leave first, and Ill let you know if I see her. Lin Yiqi had finallymuned with such a great goddess, so there was no way she would give up so easily. However, the girl couldnt leave her domain for long, and she couldnt afford to support this glutinous goddess. Like most urban legends, goddesses need to eat tooflesh, blood, or urban legend cores. There was no need for that, however; she is usually enshrined by thousands of people and urban legends within her own domain. Even if she were to feed as little as possible, the tribute she needs daily is unbearable for Lin Yiqi to support. Therefore, Lin Yiqi could only suppress her resentment towards Lu Yibei for the time being. She couldnt bear feeding the goddess 5kg of grains, five live animals, and five whole fruits daily. Hah! Youre afraid of Zigu, arent you? The girl pondered. What can that little thing do to me? Tsk. Zigu wouldnt even think to take action against you, but if you offend it in its own territory, Ill be the one whos in trouble. Alright, since you have already made up your mind, Ill head back first, but I found somebody interesting in your school yesterday, the girl smiled. Somebody is making the Charm of Spring Winds. That charm? Lin Yiqi was a little surprised. An ordinary student making a charm that powerful thats Thinking of the surge of urban legends appearing in the school, she ended her sentence with understandable. But isnt it intriguing? I thought nobody knew how to make that charm anymore, the girl smiled. Thest time somebody made the charm was in, let me think Ah! The girl raised her finger. The Warring States, wait, no, the Han Dynasty! Or longer before! Anyway, I want to meet this person. Have you found them? Check this out, the girl smiled, producing a burnt charm from her bosom and shaking it in front of Lin Yiqi. A little bit of divination does the trick. Im not as good as Zigu in terms of divination, but Im sure that itll be urate. A burst of blue light shot out from the girl, and under the shroud of the dazzling light, the girl morphed into a magpie with shiny fur. What are you? The person who made this charm must be a little knowledgeable about psychic powers; otherwise, they wouldnt be that dumb to use urban legend cores to power the charm, the girl exined. Since I have decided to look for him, of course, I have to use a form that is pleasing to the eye! Lin Yiqis mouth twitched. Of the many forms of the girl that she has seen, she felt that her previous form was probably the most eptable one among all of them. Chapter 104: Not On The Face! Chapter 104: Not On The Face! Lu Yibei felt that he was sickdown with an illness that made him incredibly drowsy during the day but restless during the night. He guessed that it was due to him hunting urban legends every night some time ago, followed by spending every night eating their cores and using their cores to make charms, whichpletely disrupted his Circadian rhythm. Plus, Du Sixian seemed to gue his dreams from time to time, and Lu Yibei thought she should shoulder some responsibility as well. Counting through the causes of his insomnia, he began to worry about how to pass the long nights. Going out to hunt was not an option. The first two times were because he knew where the urban legends were, but if he were to go out by himself, he would be wandering around like a headless chicken ande home hungry. How about he looked at hisptop on the desk. Writing. Thinking of his essay assigned by Professor Ma, he felt dizzy, adding his name to the list of culprits contributing to his insomnia. An essay about the Jumang and Dongyi tribes, no less than 10,000 words, was handed in within a week, and his overall score will be deducted if he doesnt fork it out. This is exploitation under the guise of growth! F*ck you, Professor Ma! With endlessints in his heart, he still got out of bed and walked to his desk. This is the adulting worldunwilling but forced to bite the bullet. Still muttering curses, he entered the URL leading to the homepage of the Z National Knowledge Network. Lets see Dongyi Dongyi, he mindlessly muttered as he searched the query, and there were more than 2,000 search results for rted documents. Needle in a haystack, he thought. He then searched for information about Jumang. God of wood, spring, and vitality in ancient mythos, governing the rising of the sun. Described as having a bird body and human face while riding on two dragons. He pondered for a few seconds before adding the word bird to his search query, and the search results dropped to about 40. He scanned through the titles of each document from top to bottom and found a series of articles titled [Remarks on the Worship of Bird Totems of the Dongyi Tribe]. [A significant feature of their culture is the worship of bird totems] Significant feature, you say, he muttered as he started his essay. Lu Yibei tends to not care for things he isnt interested in. Likewise, if he is interested in something, he will put his all into it and go all out. This isnt right. The Dongyi tribes worship the Phoenix! What does that have to do with Jumang! Right here! He ys an important role in the Spring Festival, where sacrifices Halfway through talking to himself, he forcibly stopped himself and covered his mouth. Writing an essay was no problem for him. He was a freshman, so Professor Mas expectations must be lowered. The problem was the ancient descriptions; he fears that he might attract the attention of a slumbering, terrible existence and just die on the spot. Its very much possible! Thinking about it, he skipped the records and descriptions and read the parts he deemed safe. [In the legends, the gods governing the tribe tend to ovep. Through cultural changes, the Dongyi tribes mixed with the Hans, and their culture started to fade into obscurity. However, some prominent activities, such as sacrificial ceremonies and celebrating the New Year, remain a tradition.] After being exposed to multiple urban legends as well as the contents of the Night Division Records, he finds that urban legends are like idols. The more people believe the more likely it is for them to exist. On the contrary, if a god were forgotten, would they die? A fallen god Caw! A loud caw could be heard suddenly, followed by the sound of ss breaking beside him. He was slightly startled, and looking in the direction of the wind rushing through his window, he saw a shadow sh and a tiny stone hit his forehead. You stinky boy! What the? Who are you? Yibei yelled, dissatisfied, but froze in ce. There wasnt anyone, and he couldnt sense any urban legends around. The apparitions in his house told him they were going to visit their friends down the block, so they werent in his house either. Plus, he was multiple floors above ground. Who just spoke to him? At this moment, the sound of pping wings caught his ear, followed by a magpie thatnded in front of him. A magpie? Why do you look so shocked? I was the one who spoke to you just now. ! The magpie looked disgusted and nodded, saying, Yes, I was the one who spoke. Yes, you arent dreaming. The bird pped its wings and blew gusts of wind towards Yibeis face, and Yibei couldnt help but murmur, What the hell are you? Realising that something strange had broken into his home (again), he leapt away from the window and rushed towards his bag, taking out a handful of charms and holding them in his hand. D-donte closer! I have a gun! A gun that can kill things like you! Oh? You should give it a try, the magpie said, seemingly eager. I dont think Ill let you, though. You see, Im going to beat you up, and it may hurt, but you wont die, so for our convenience Dont struggle! The magpie dove towards Lu Yibei in an instant, and he hurriedly leapt for his kitchen knife in his bag. In an instant, an ominous premonition rose in his heart, and his eyes burnt hard. Strange streamers and messy lines distorted his vision, and the fragrance of nts and soil rushed towards his nostrils. He suddenly saw a giant tree rising from the ground and piercing the sky, falling towards him. He felt suffocated. Come on transform transform! The magpies flight became slow in his daze, but he had no time to react, and he could only watch as the magpiended in front of him and kicked him. Argh! With a single roundhouse kick, Yibei flew upside down from the impact, and hended straight on his bed, unable to get up. Twisting his damaged body, he looked at the magpie from the corner of his eye, seeing it imitating Bruce Lees ssic pose. Strange thoughts shed in his mind, and he hurriedly started to recite the incantation silently. Theres a mountain, and there is a Boom! Before he realised it, he was stabbed in the back of the neck. The ws of the magpie pierced his skin, and he could vaguely hear his spine snapping. It seemingly suppressed the rise in his body temperature. Ah, ah, ah. Cant let you do that. Help! Im getting beaten up by a bird Yeah! And Ill be here all night! Just dont hit my face! Cant promise that! The magpie pped its wings towards Yibei, who looked like a dead fish who had given up all hope. It didnt know that he had already clenched his kitchen knife hidden behind his back. Chapter 105: Anti-anti-assassination Chapter 105: Anti-anti-assassination Lu Yibeis eyes burnt with intensity, warning him of impending doom. Countless cyan lines appeared one after another, surrounding the magpie-like vines in his vision, waving, intertwined into the phantom of a giant tree. The giant tree that pierced through the sky was full of delicate peach blossoms. It seemed to stand tall in another space, and humans and beasts alike knelt and prayed to the tree like insignificant ants. And he saw it. The real figure behind the magpie. However, it was only a glimpse of the tip of the iceberg, and dense murmurs rang in his ears. The deep trembling within his soul invaded his nerves, making him feel an unprecedented sense of crisisthis magpie was not simple. He couldnt lose. He had to win. The next moment, the magpie crashed straight into him. The violent impact was like a heavyweight boxer punching straight through him, and his ribs rang softly. The unbearable pain sent his heart into overdrive, and a cold wind rushed straight to his head. The murderous aura and cruelty sleeping within his heart awoke, yet they calmed his mind with each cold gust of wind. For somebody whos afraid of dying, handing over his fate to somebody unknown was terrifying; he wanted to take matters into his own hands. Clenching the kitchen knife behind his back, all he could do was let the magpie approach him. The magpie noticed his tricks for preparing for a sneak attack, but she didnt take them seriously. Ordinary human. Weak psychic fluctuations. Kitchen knife. Be serious! she yelled in her brain. He couldnt even see her true form. No matter how hard he swings, all he is stabbing is an illusion. She didnt intend to hurt him. Just to teach him a lesson for dabbling into the ult and let him know that fallen gods are also gods, and due respect must be given regardless! He continuously dodged the deadly dives of the magpie, leaping left and right from his bed. Taking advantage of his dropping from the bed onto the floor, he hid the kitchen knife in his sleeve. The magpie darted from left to right, its wings generating gusts of wind within the room. Fear and pain pressed him back like an invisible cage, eventually cornering him. The magpie rushed forward again, and his blurred vision locked onto the ethereal shadow of the giant tree. All he had was a second. With this in mind, facing the magpie, a cold light swept out of his hands. The moment he swung the kitchen knife, the oppressive feeling disappeared in an instant as if he had broken free from his shackles. An unspeakable joy and madness flooded his senses; all he wanted was to defend himself, but now he wants to cut that damned bird up. Clink! The sound of gold and stone colliding sounded in the dark room, and dazzling sparks shot out in every direction. The magpie had already guessed that a cornered dog would bite back, and the moment he made a move, her ws stretched forward to catch the de of the knife. A little thousand miles short of your target! She thought as she smirked. Not anywhere close to my true form. Speak ill of me again! However, just as she was about to crush the kitchen knife in her talons, she was horrified to find that it not only couldnt make a single dent in the knife, it cut her. That very second of the magpie being shocked was all he needed. His eyes were trained on the phantom of the tree, and he pushed harder. The knife stabbed at the tree behind the magpie. It slid across the darkness without making a sound, like the fangs of a poisonous snake. He was sure he had stabbed something. He could feel the resistance despite his vision intermittently showing that he was stabbing nothing. Despite this, there was still a short distance between the knife and the actual tree, as if something was protecting the tree. Gritting his teeth, he held the knife with both hands and pushed forward with all his strength as he growled. nk! As the tip of the knife continued to plunge deeper, there was a crack, as if a crystal had shattered. Hot, golden blood sshed from the magpies body and onto his face, plunging his eyes into darkness. Sh*t. He thought he had avoided the assassination, only for him to realise that this terrifying existence probably had countermeasures of its own too. In the darkness, he could hear thunder. And a voice from afar; deafening, tragic mourning. It was as if an ancient memory had been awakened like clear water washing away the mud. A sharp roar sounded, and the roar converged into something material, sweeping in all directions. Lu Yibei seemed to be sucked into the ensuing turbulent vortex alongside the apartment. His furniture, appliances, dishes, and tableware collided everywhere, and finally, his windows shattered, and the fine ss shards pricked at his skin and drew blood. Amidst his dizziness, he found himself in the dreamscape again. In the dream, the sun is gone and night is but a forgotten dream, leaving only an eternal dusk. The Earth is a shadow of its former glory, and everything that was once magnificent has been reduced to dust. Those blood-drinking natives barely survived the ordeal, wandering through the eternal deserts like ghosts. They called out to their gods repeatedly as they moved from one ce to another and finally found a ce where the sun rose and where a huge peach tree with birds perched upon it stood proudly in the desert. Old people, men, women, and children were all made the same in front of the peach tree. The moon glows with divine reverence, and I, Jumang, shine the same. I seed in the sky and stand tall, bestowing merits and virtues on the people. That magpie is Jumang! He yelled in his thoughts. Did I just f*cking stab the one god I was researching on? Its over! After that, a bone-piercing pain struck him, as if it wanted to tear his body apart. The moment he felt that he was about to be torn apart, warm currents poured out from his eyes, and chills overflowed his chest, enveloping his body. Night time, in the residential area directly across Jingyi Apartments. The rented room was devoid of people, but various apparitions gathered together. Come on, Eyeball. I brewed this wine with the crumbs of an urban legends core and managed to steal the dregs of the core when a powerful urban legend devoured it. An apparition that looked like a pile of broken toys and figurines spliced together haphazardly, with arms that stuck out from the heap. It poured a ss of fine wine for the eyeball sitting across it. The crumbs? Hah! I have actually devoured a full core before! Is your resident Witch that generous? Does she have room for more? the pile said, blinking all seventeen pairs of eyes towards the lone eyeball. No problem! Ill talk to that little goblin, and Im sure itll work. She just loves to listen! Im counting on you! Dont worry about it, the eyeball beamed, but the next moment, a terrifying wave of energy enveloped everybody in the room. After a brief moment of silence, frightened cries echoed everywhere. Were gonna f*cking die! Itsing from that direction! Eyeball, protect me! Eyeball? The eyeball was silent as it nced at his other friends as they exchanged nces with each other. Everyone! they said in unison. Thats our Witch! Everything is fine! The other apparitions were unconvinced. You trust her that much? Chapter 106): Attention at Jingyi Apartments Chapter 106): Attention at Jingyi Apartments The moon was covered by thin clouds, and Huacheng was peaceful. Save for the one apartment building that just shot out a wave of strong psychic energy across the city, creating ripples among the clouds and dyeing the moon a tinge of emerald green. Whispers of fear cried out in the dark corners of the city, and countless eyes trained their eyes on Jingyi Apartments. Huacheng University of Technology, female dorm. Lin Yiqi hid in thest cubicle of the toilet at the end of the corridor, holding the screaming baby-urban legend in her arms. In desperation, she could only cut her fingers andfort them with her own blood. Its disgusting purple mouth greedily suckled upon her fingers, and her slender fingers withered rapidly as they spread up to her arms. Bursts of piercing pain stabbed at her fingers, but she didnt seem to care as she stared out the window. Its her, she murmured. Wasnt she going to find the person who made the charms? Why did she She was concerned for the girl, but she didnt dare to pry. An enemy that could make the girl this angry is not somebody she could deal with anyway. Under the Huacheng Bridge. Gu Qianqian wrapped herself in a nket, still picking out a dress for the school dance. System? What about this dress? The system nced at the dress that she had chosenlow-quality, 19.9 yuan, cheaply made at a sweatshop. Maybe stop being stingy and spend some money on a good dress, the system suggested. I know, I know, she sighed. But Cinderes dress is beautiful because of magic! I cant buy a good dress because Im poor, so Ill just buy a cheap dress and have you enchant it! The system hid itsints within its hearts when it suddenly felt a wave of psychic energy washing over the city, and it couldnt help but sneer. It seems that the trajectory of Gu Qianqians fate wont be altered after all. Although it was a little earlier than expected, the system predicts that the Disaster and Jumang must have met by now. Which means she should be hunted down by now! System? System? Gu Qianqians voice repeated. Apologies. What were you saying? Seriously? I asked you how this dress was. If its okay, Ill order it. This is a dress for dolls. I know! And I am a doll! Not in that forget it. As long as youre happy! The system could, in fact, try to enchant the dress, even though it maye several sizes smaller. Peony Street, the old house of the Lu family. A girl in a white dress and long ck hair sat by the window sill of the attic with a long sword resting by her knees. She drank the goat milk wine that she brought with her before she left while staring at the now-emerald sky that loomed over the University. Not bad. It can barely be given to Lu Yibei as a runic gift, but its a pity that its too woody. She thought of the Euphrates trees at the entrance of her cave that almost cast a shadow on her childhood and curled her lips, I hate wood. Forget it. We shall wait and see. Meanwhile, in the Night Division, in the office marked Two. The room behind the door is decorated like an ancient hermits hut, with bamboo mats recing the floor. Disy racks filled the walls around the room, filled with all kinds of exquisite ceramic handicrafts. In the centre of the room, a suave-looking man in a waterproof apron sits before a potters wheel, carefully carving his work. A hasty knock on the door. He frowned, turning off the wheel and going over to the door after wiping his hands clean. As soon as the door opened, he was greeted by a member of the Special Operations Team who was out of breath as he identally dropped all the documents in his arms. Ah! Operator No. 2, Im sorry, I thought you Li Xuan nced at the documents on the floor and smiled, saying, Its okay; Ill deal with it. Whats the hurry? Emergency. A Level S psychic energy fluctuation was detected near the University. The duration was 2.31 seconds, and the erosion of the night was 12.6. The lowest value is Level B, while the peak value is Level S, and Okay, I get it. Ill send someone right away with me. Ill be at the scene first, and you go inform the others and tell them to gather urgently. Roger that! The lone member ran into the darkness of the corridor, while Li Xuan walked towards the atrium. His pace was slow as if he were taking a leisurely walk. Natural disaster at the university, he mumbled. Lu Yibei lives there. Does this have to do with him? I should check up on him. Talking to himself, he felt strange eyes watching him in the darkness. He quickened his pace as his figure shed a few times and disappeared. Just like Jiangli hates Gu Xilius truancy, Li Xuan doesnt like being watched by Tang Tang. Chapter 107: Open the Door! Chapter 107: Open the Door! When people are alive, there will always be various illusions like [She likes me back!], [I dont need to study; itsmon sense!], etc. When Lu Yibei plunged the knife into the tree, his opponent forced him into a dreamscape. When he woke up, before he had time to see the situation before him, he felt a sense of tightness before realising that he was tied up. That damned magpie tied him up with thework cable in his house, followed by ayer of scotch tape. Its a miracle he was still alive after offending a fallen god. He cursed himself for being so reckless when dealing with a god. He found himself in the living room downstairs now. The magpie must have taken him downstairs when he fainted. The whole living room looked as if a storm had just gone through it: broken ss, scratched wallpaper, decorations and paintings scattered across the ground, a TV with a big hole in it Whatever he looked at, he frowned. But what about the magpie? Just as he was thinking, a girls voice sounded in his ears. Are you awake? A face wearing a hideous mask appeared from behind him and congratted him: The operation is a sess; youre a full-fledged woman now! His heart skipped a beat as he checked his body from the corner of his eye. Shifting his thighs a little, he breathed out a sigh of relief. Besides, even without surgery, it wasnt that big anyways. Thank you, Yibei thanked. I know how to take care of my patients, so dont worry, the girl said, and at the same time, she put pieces of his charm into her mouth through the gaps of the mask, as if she were eating cookies. Seeing this, he felt his heart like a needle, Those Wait, who the hell are you? he asked. What are you doing in my house? How did you get inside? You have a lot of energy for somebody who just stabbed a god. He was stunned for a moment, and his neck turned stiffly to look at the girl as his pupils seemed strange. No you Seeing this, the girl smiled as she patted the still-bleeding wound on her shoulder and said, Thats right. It is me. She ate another piece of the charm and swallowed slowly. Immediately, there was a green gleam on her shoulder, and her wound healed little by little. Not bad. Youre good at making these. As a chef, he would be quite happy to hear somebody praise his cooking, but Those are my spells! Dont talk about it like a delicious snack, okay? The girl suddenly let out a muffled groan; her eyebrows were furrowed together as if she were experiencing great pain. A faint smell of blood permeated his nostrils, and he was stunned for a moment, seeing golden blood ooze out of the girls shoulder. Damn it, the girl breathed out sharply. What kind of knife is that knife of yours? Youd best tell me the truth, or A surge of condensed psychic energy locked onto him between the areas of his thighs. His face paled slightly, and he hurriedly exined, N-no! Im the worst at lying. My father hates liars; I will never lie. The girl in front of him must be Jumang, if not a direct reincarnation or derivative of Jumang. And he could sense she was powerful. If she wanted to, he would die in a single thought. Ill tell you everything! Yibei pleaded. Ill make sacrifices and burn candles for you every spring! Ill even burn money for you! Stop it, the girl interrupted. Were you always this talkative? Whats the use of burning money anyway? All it does is cause air pollution. At least modern urban legends are environmentally friendly. What if I nt a tree every year in your name? Yes! That would be great, the girl agreed but realised that the topic of the conversation had strayed too far. Her eyes drifted to the kitchen knife on the coffee table, and she saw the cold light that beamed off of it that made her wound emit a dull pain. Answer the question! What kind of knife is that? She pretended to be strong and growled at Yibei, but she couldnt hide the vain air in her words. Okay But could you please untie me first? No! O-okay, my knife, it isnt much, but my father- The girl interjected immediately, The Ancestral Dragon de. Uh, no. Ancestors Eternal Edict? What are you talking about? ZulGurubs Omen? Isnt that from a game? How does that exist in real life? Actually, its my familys ancestral kitchen knife. The girls eyes twitched, and herplexion became eerie. You dont want to cooperate with me at all, do you? It seems like I have to give you a little pain before you tell me the truth. To be honest, the thought of a great god like her being stabbed by a kitchen knife was ridiculous. Thinking about this, she stretched out a finger, imbuing it with a blue light, and pointed it at Yibei, saying, I see you were writing an article about Jumang just now. Yes! Jumang, I worship thee! Amen! Stop that, the girl continued. Do you know what else Jumang rules over? He shook his head. Hes in charge of vitality, which means reproduction. You see this little light on my hand, and do you see where its pointing? She pointed towards his crotch area, and the light grew brighter. So You want to fuck me? Yibei blurted it out. The girlsplexion became darker, and she moved her fingers closer to his lower regions. W-wait! he shouted in a panic. O Great God, please spare me! Im telling the truth. He suddenly felt very wrong. All he knew was that his kitchen knife was very powerful. He suddenly felt that he had a little understanding of the girls feelings; being such a powerful entity, you must be subdued by an equally powerful, grand weapon. Being subdued by a kitchen knife, of all things, he figured he had toe up with a different name for the knife. Because her fingers were getting closer and closer to his lower regions. For a while, he tried his best to search for an impressive artefact in his memory but couldnt find anything suitable to name his kitchen knife. Knock! Knock! Just as he was racking his brains to think, there was a knock on the door. The girl visibly jumped, and her finger identally touched his crotch without realising it. And despair washed over him. This is literally just light on my fingers to scare you. Its useless. Oh. Knock! Knock! The gentle knocks turned violent, and seeing this, the girl gave Yibei a look, and he shouted at the door, Who is it? Open the door! Its your neighbours! Beyond the voice, a muffled voice could be heard saying, Get out of the way! Were breaking in! Chapter 108: That Bastard Lu Yibei is not Human! (1) Chapter 108: That Bastard Lu Yibei is not Human! (1) A few minutes ago, in Jingyi Apartments. A figure in white walked through the gardens of themunity like a ghost. It was autumn, but the vegetation in the garden did not wilt. In fact, it was full of vitality and verdant growth. The figure walked to the apartment buildings and looked up in the direction of Lu Yibeis house. The darkness of night did not affect his vision in the slightest, and he saw cracks in the broken windows of his house. Oh? Li Xuan pondered. This is interesting. After discovering that there was indeed something weird in Yibeis house, Li Xuan wasnt in a hurry to rush upstairs. First, he wasnt sure if the source of the psychic energy wave was his house. Second, if the source dide from his house, there are two scenarios. [Lu Yibei was attacked by something powerful, and he would be dead by now.] [Lu Yibei is colluding with something powerful, so there is no need to rescue him. In fact, rescuing him puts him in greater danger.] Hence, he decided to wait for the Special Operations Team to arrive, not only to help but also to serve as witnesses for him. He was afraid of trouble and wanted to cover all bases: Tang Tang spying on him is trouble; rescuing Lu Yibei is trouble Thinking of it, Bai Kai, who is rted to Yibei, is also in trouble. If Yibei is entangled in this line of work, he will definitely die. Li Xuan continued to stare at the windows of Lu Yibeis house, and soon there were sounds of footsteps behind him. A group of men in ck, wearing special gear, held heavy firearms and demolition equipment in their arms. Operator No. 2. Everyone is present. Good. Let us pay our little friend a visit, shall we? Keep close. We dont want to disturb the other residents. In the living room. The girl stared at the door, and she could feel the presence of five psychic users outside the door. Although one of them tried their best to suppress the psychic fluctuations, she could still feel that they were very strong. It does not mean that they are of higher power than her; psychic users tend to have special means to deal with urban legends as well as psychic items. Not to mention the wound on her shoulder, which continuously bled gold. Your neighbours are very enthusiastic, she remarked. Right? Like the maintenance people when they call asking for fees, or when they disappear when its time to repair public facilities, or He was speaking nonsense, but he rejoiced in his heart; the Night Division took notice of the incident tonight. Although part-time workers like him have no rights, at least they have the heart to check up on him. Well, open the door and send them away, the girl ordered. Ah, you know I cant do that to my neighbours; they Well, I dont care what you do! Dont you love to talk? And dont try anything; the people outside must be from the Night Division. Itll be bad if Im caught again. Again? Youve been with them? Its not as serious as you think. Just a little difference in opinion. Right. And Im also their most wanted criminal. Oh my god Did you blow up the headquarters? Li Xuan didnt intend to give the two inside any time to react to them. The longer the dy, the more evidence will be destroyed. However, just as they were about to break in, the elevator bell suddenly sounded in the stairwell, and immediately afterwards, a big man with big arms led a big dog by its side. Damn it, you think having a girlfriend is great, bangin all night and disturbin my sleep? As soon as he stepped out of the elevator, he must have seen the dozen or so men who were fully armed outside his neighbours house. Gah! The man hurriedly turned around to run, but two men strode forward; one pushed him to the ground, and the other covered his mouth. Dont panic; we are the police. We received a report that a homicide may have urred here, and we are going to break down the door. If you understand, just nod. The man nodded pitifully, but as soon as he let go of his hand, he let out a scream. Dont kill me! Im a good citizen! I didnt see anything! Damn it, shut up! Shut up, you hear me? The man trembled and fell silent as Li Xuan approached him. He squatted down in front of the man and took out his police officer ID card from his coat, saying, Were the good guys. You seem to know whats happening inside, dont you? Perhaps it was because of Li Xuans gentle, smiling face that the man couldnt help but let his guard down. Oh, you have no idea! The manined. A lil boy bringin girls back to his ce on the daily! And theyre beautiful! Okay All of them are young girls, which is fine! Youth is great, but whatever theyre doing inside um you know borate. Candles! Leather whips! Bangin against the door! I keep hearin the moaning of a girl inside his house. Its miserable! Li Xuan and the other members couldnt help but look away tough. Lu Yibei truly is worthy of being Bai Kais godson. borate more. I wouldnt care at first, yknow, but recently, they started bangin and smashin on things in the middle of the night. I went toin one night, and it was a girl who only wore a coat, and her face, and those legs. The important parts only. She kicked me out! I didnt see that boy, but I know he was inside! Think they finally went too far today! I see. Can I go now? Hearing this, Li Xuan smiled at the man and said, Not yet. If what you say is true, Ill let you go. As they were talking, they didnt notice the nts trembling in the flower pot in the corridor behind them or the bright red orchids that bloomed quietly towards them. Chapter 109: That Bastard Lu Yibei is not Human! (2) Chapter 109: That Bastard Lu Yibei is not Human! (2) I have a n, the girl smiled. If it goes well, itll prevent any conflicts with them. Plus, I dont think you want them toe in. As far as I know, these charms are not practised by the Night Division, and Im sure you dont want them to know about them. Alright. Whats the n? It was at that moment that he realised that the girl was right. They absolutely cannot enter the room. There is no guarantee that they wouldnt lock him up. Kill everyone outside. No witnesses, no crime, the girl smiled. Really? Yibei tilted his eyes. Can you even deal with that many people? You may have injured me, but I barely need to do anything to kill them if I want to. Alright, lets start with the one who takes the lead. To tell you the truth, Im just a part-time worker, and they treat us like sh*t! I wish I could blow the Night Division up! He spoke with a half-truth, and the girl was stunned, believing in Lu Yibeis ramblings. After all, to her, the Night Division may be dying in the night to let the people live in the light, but some of their methods are definitely less than ethical. But he spoke, breaking the silence. Maybe not. Maybe his wife and children are waiting for him toe home. Im just going to He was about to stand up and open the door, but the girl stopped him again. Wait! If n A doesnt work out, isnt there a n B? I guess. Okay! Well, uh, are you willing to swallow your pride? She could hear the conversation outside, and the man was crafting a story for them. She might as well deepen their misunderstanding by pretending to be a couple! Being a thousand-year-old tree, there was nothing she hadnt experienced. Are you kidding me? I am an imposing man of seven feet, and my pride is everything! Im going to open the door! The girl sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose. Alright, yes, youre the man. Do you have any towels in your bathroom? Yes, why? Dont worry about it. All you have to do is look. As the girl spoke, she stretched out her hands and untied her clothes. Her cloth slipped down, and only a few articles of emerald green were left on her body. Her arms and thighs are exposed, and her skin is pristine and glowing. W-what are you doing? Yibei stuttered. He couldnt help but look at her gorgeous figure. Are you nning to use your beauty on them? As he talked, the figure of Shui shed in his mind, and he smiled, saying, Ill remember what you have sacrificed for me. The girl red at Yibei, and in the next moment, she disappeared in a sh. In the corridor outside Lu Yibeis apartment. Li Xuan and his men squatted beside the man, waiting for him to finishmenting about being single. Although what he said was bing more outrageous, they couldnt help but be enthralled by his story. After the man had finished speaking, he fell silent, and everyone followed suit. The corridor fell into a deep silence, and Li Xuan couldnt help but sigh, You should write a book. He nced back at his men and announced, Alright. I got the gist of the situation, and we have been dyed for more than ten minutes. We need to break Before he could finish speaking, the door to Yibeis house burst open, and a girl ran out cursing. She was wrapped in only a towel and a coat. Her thick, dark, emerald hair was draped wetly on her shoulders as it stuck to her back. Bastard! Lu Yibei, you arent human! The scene in front of them stunned everyone present, and they all took a deep breath. Why did the enemye out before we went in? The girl who rushed out the door stopped upon seeing the group of men outside his unit, and a look of astonishment appeared on her face as she stepped back in fear and asked, W-who are you people? We Me! the man shouted. I-I called the police! I heard too much movement inside, and I thought somebody died inside! At that moment, he felt like a hero. Hearing this, a look of panic appeared on the girls face, and she ran back into the room, Honey! Come quick! Standing in the living room, Lu Yibei looked at the scene at the door. He was stunned for a while, but quickly adjusted his brain to fit the situation. This is your f*cking n B? I like it! But are you sure they wont be suspicious when they see the mess in the living room? No matter. He has a role to y in this act. You! he yelled out from inside the room. Get back in here, you shameless b*tch! Act like Shui Act like Shui Everyone looked at Lu Yibei in unison, and all of them thought he was domestic violence incarnate. Im sorry! I didnt know there were people outside; listen to me, the girl pleaded. What is there to exin? Yibei yelled. Get back in here! The girl was stunned, then looked towards the men in pity before going back inside. At the same time, Lu Yibei came to the door, and his eyes fell on Li Xuan. Oh? Operator Li Xuan? We met before; you even gave me this cute little gadget. I have to say, its pretty useful! Li Xuan twitched the corners of his mouth and said through a gritted smile, Im d to hear that. We received a report of loud soundsing from your house, so we came over to take a look. Ah? Lu Yibei said, Its a big misunderstanding, the scene you just saw I was just having a little conflict with my girlfriend. Define little conflict. Uh Lu Yibei paused and said resentfully, Actually, its not my fault; its mainly her fault. We yed League together! I was the miner, and she was the jungler. She refused to give me the blue buff, and she even came over to myne to tax my minions! But youre beating her? I didnt! Lu Yibei rejected it. I am a man of honour; I would never put my hands on a woman! I simply got angry and just tossed and smashed some things in my house. And thats it? Yup. Thats it. Right, Li Xuan nodded and turned to his men. It was a misunderstanding after all. Lets head back for more pressing matters. After speaking, they quickly left the corridor and walked towards the stairwell. Li Xuan faltered in his steps behind his men, looking at Yibei through the corners of his eyes. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared and reappeared right in front of his doorstep, poking his head into his house. Seeing this, Lu Yibei almost cried out in shock. Li Xuans eyes swept across the dark room like a falcon searching for prey. As far as he could see, everything in the living room was intact, save for some pieces of porcin and ornaments that were scattered on the floor. Operator Li Xuan, is there anything I can help you with? Yibei forced herself out, dizzy. Its fine; Im just looking around. Li Xuan looked back at Lu Yibei, showed a gentle smile, and patted him on the shoulder. Word of advice: girls need to be coaxed. Even if its her fault, say its your fault. You can discuss it togetherter. Right. Understood. Okay, Ill take my leave. Good night. The moment he turned around, his ever-eternal smile turned into a scowl in an instant. The window in his living room should have been broken, but it has been restored. Something strange might be in his room. He might be controlled by that strange thing, or He might not even be human anymore. I must pay close attention to him. Im leaving no room for foul y. That little gadget I gave him is going toe in handy. Soon, everyone went back to their respective ces, leaving the burly man alone on the ground in the corridor. The hell is with teenagers these days. The moment the door was closed, Lu Yibeis whole body was like a deted balloon as he slumped down. Li Xuans sudden turning back frightened him. For a moment, he thought their n was going to be exposed. We fooled him, he breathed out, his heart pumping against his chest. He suddenly remembered the girl in his house. Thinking of this, he hurriedly got up and walked to the living room, only to see the girl lying down in a pool of golden blood. Seeing this, his heart skipped a beat. He briskly walked over, turned the girl over, and patted her face, H-hey, youre not dead, are you? If you keep talking, Im going tomand myself to die. My bad. What happened to you? The girl rolled her eyes and scoffed. Do you think its easy to suppress my psychic fluctuations and act in order to fool a Night Division member? We couldve been caught at any moment! And Im injured! The girl could barely hold onto her form. So, youre weak now? Not exactly, but It was only then that the girl noticed his suspicious tone. Stop. What are you trying to do? the girl looked at him in shock. What dont I want to do? Youre right about one part. Im not human. While speaking, he gently set the girl down as he walked towards the discardedwork cables in his house. Looking at the girl, who was now tied into a human burrito, Lu Yibei nodded in satisfaction. Although I fought with her side by side, I cant sleep at night if she isnt tied up! The girl could only sigh and shake her head as he tied the final knot around her. Chapter 110: Delinquent Urban Legend On Me Chapter 110: Delinquent Urban Legend On Me Lu Yibei went back upstairs to sleep. He tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Something seemed to nag at him in his mind. It seems that Jumang, or at least a subordinate of Jumang, is pursuing him. Should I just take advantage of the situation and stab her a couple more times to make sure shes dead? So that nothing bad happens in the future? His eyes slowly drifted to the kitchen knife that rested on his desk, and his eyes darkened. Holding the knife in his hand with his back against the wall, he approached the staircase quietly. Just as he reached the middle of the stairs, a bad premonition rose in his heart and his eyes started to burn slightly. It seems that some of his power was returning to him after the girl suppressed it. Standing still on the stairs, he was suddenly in a trance. The next moment, the scenery started to shift and melt before being blown away by an unknown wind. When was the light on? The dark apartment was suddenly lit up, and Lu Yibei was stunned for a moment. When he came back to his senses, he shook his head violently. No. What I just saw was what she wanted me to see. This is a big problem. Surely, she wouldnt take revenge on him, being weakened and all. However, she didnt. He must be safe for now. Thinking about it, Yibei silently pinned the knife on his waist, restrained the bad premonitions in his heart, and walked down the stairs. Yibei couldnt help but be stunned upon walking into the living room. On the sofa were a few pillows stacked on top of each other, and thework cables hugged a vaguely human figure. When he decided to touch the figure, augh burst from his side. Hah! the girlughed and pointed at him mockingly. She couldnt believe he fell for the oldest trick in the book. He felt shame, but he didnt reveal it. It was only then that his eyesnded on the girls figure that leaned by his window sill. She had already removed the towel and put on her emerald dress. The broken ss in the room was all cleaned up, and sitting by the window, under the faint moonlight, she crushed another piece of his charm into pieces and sprinkled the powder on her still-bleeding wound. The ck mask was ced beside her, and the girls skirt was slightly open. Her delicate corbone extended to her shoulders, outlining a shallow yet intoxicating figure. Her chest framed her petite body perfectly, and she is perfect. Emerald hair hung loosely beside her, and it fluttered as if there was wind in the room. As soon as the powder hits her wound, it generates a thick, emerald mist that envelops her in its cool current. The more he watched her, the more he felt as if he were tipsy on peach blossom wine. He forced himself to return to his senses. Shes still a monster, he thought to himself. She wanted to kill me. Thinking about it, he restrained his urge to continue looking at the girl and walked straight towards the pillows on the sofa. Sensing that Lu Yibei had turned back, the girl stopped what she was doing, frowned, and secretly watched his every move. Lu Yibei walked to the sofa without looking at her and muttered, with his back turned to her, Is there anything I can help you with? Anything to help you feelfortable? The girl couldnt help but chuckle. Is this person a fool? The girl thought with a smile on her face. Its not funny! he said out loud. I actually came to apologise to you. I know you can kill me with a single thought, but Im still alive. That has to mean something. Its embarrassing to say, but Im scared of dying. The girl continued tough like the currents of a mountainous river, and he couldnt help but feel relieved listening to herugh. ording to Shui, making a womanugh means youve already won half the battle. The other half all depends on luck. Now, it was to quell the beast within her by offering sacrifices and letting her reluctantly forgive you. The girl may be an ancient being, but she is still a woman. Shuis charming tactics have never failed. I hurt you, and Ill find a way to help you, he breathed out. But you cant be mad at me! I was just defending myself, right? I guess youre right! she teased. Despite her easygoing appearance, she was anxious, and she wanted to return to her domain as soon as possible after recovering. If she were to leave now, she may encounter danger, like the Night Division or other urban legends. If she were to be caught in a vulnerable state, she would be in trouble. In fact, she knew countless were coveted after her core. She couldnt say for sure that the boy before her wanted it as well. Rather than take the risk of leaving, she decided to stay. The kid may have been awkward, but his heart was good. Since you agreed with me, then Then, what? Then Ill kill you! However, he couldnt find a way to sneakily attack her. She was sitting right beside him, after all. Should I stab her now or threaten her? Shell see meing, right? But shes injured, and Could you exin why you tied me up? As soon as this remark came out, Lu Yibei felt as if a hammer had just fallen on him. Ah, well he hesitated to speak, feeling awkward. Is she implying that I love seeing her tied up? Im not a pervert! Oh my god, youre sweating, the girl pointed out. Whatever, I dont want to hear it, haha! You probably wanted to y with me when Im weak, right? I know what you think. You are worried that I will be bad for you, so you want to control me when I am weak, right? Right I appreciate the human instinct to survive. You probably werent thinking straight, she smiled. You didnt take advantage of me to stab me, and youre treating me well. As the girl spoke, she jumped off the window sill and walked over to pat his shoulder. This gesture warmed his heart, and he could feel it flutter. However, she knew a but was about to appear in her statement. True enough, her hand rubbed his shoulder as she whispered in his ear, But I am a thousand-year-old being. I know what youre trying to do. She started to poke at the knife concealed in his waistband. Whats worse is that Im not your enemy in the first ce; the Night Division is. Youre housing urban legends under your roof, and that is explicitly prohibited by the Night Division. Five of them, in fact. How does she know? Did theye back while he was upstairs? Did she You Yibei breathed out. Of course, I ate them! she eximed. Im injured! I need to eat to heal! Lu Yibeis face paled slightly, and there was a burst of anger in his heart. Just when he was about to get angry, he heard the girl say, Im lying to you. I just locked them up in the refrigerator. Why are you looking at me like that? she pouted. A bunch of little guys just broke into your home, and Im supposed to just wee them in? He remained silent. Alright, lets talk business, the girl said. For the next few days, you will help me collect five cores to help me recover from my injuries, and Five? Excuse me? He managed to get the core of four urban legends before and almost lost his life because of it. Now that she was asking for five, it was time to bargain for his life! Its not a one-way transaction, she assured. Dont you want to know about psychic powers? Or questions about urban legends? I can answer it all; I know everything. More than the Night Division? Well, Im sure you dont have the clearance to read everything in the Night Division Records, she smiled. What do you say? What if I refuse? Cant help it. Ill just drag both of us to the Night Division. Im a wanted criminal, and youre harbouring a wanted criminal in your house. This kid is so cowardly. A meaningless threat like this will have him folding, the girl thought. F*ck, fine. But five cores are too much for me to find. I know. I dont expect a weak kid like you to collect them quickly, the girl said. So, I have another condition. Not another unequal treaty You surely are a thousand-year-old scammer. What is it? Its not hard at all! She brought her hands up in mock surrender as if reading his thoughts. I just need you to help me find somebody in Huacheng, and youll have somebody helping you. After all, she is a benevolent goddess. Okay, what does that person look like? An urban legend, to be exact, or a Witchshort, a 14- or 15-year-old girl with stunted development and long pink and white hair, and she was wearing The more Yibei listened to her description, the more he felt that something was wrong. Oh! Right, and she was wearing a coat simr to the one youre wearing! Must be a popr brand. Her main characteristics are obvious, so it shouldnt be too hard to find her. Right. Not hard at all. I can guarantee that you wont be finding her at all! he yelled out inwardly. However, if she were to stay here, then shed be staying overnight, which means Shell definitely find out when night falls again. Chapter 111: Jumang Chapter 111: Jumang Some things may be challenging, but they are never impossible. Its been some time since Lu Yibeisst period. Now that he has more than 20 days remaining as a buffer period, hell be able to control his transformations for now. Although I dont know why she has business with me, 20 days should be enough for me to find out what shes after, he thought. The girl didnt specify the quality of an urban legends core that needed to be fed to her, which means that he could possibly find a way to gather as many cores as possible with the least amount of effort. All things are possible! He thought positively. Plus, the girl was somewhat right. The Night Division Records are probably the only thing that the members are allowed to read, and Jianglis exnations were entirely from her point of view. If Yibei were to ask her for information about the Eclipse Society, she would simply brush him off. However, if the girl was able to provide him with more knowledge rting to urban legends, being a goddess herself, it would be more authentic and reliable. He pondered for a few moments and looked at the girl who sat by the sofa, surrounded by a thicket of thorns: I ept your proposal! Ill help you collect cores and look for that person, he continued. In exchange, you have to teach me everything I want to know. Is that reasonable to you? He gripped his kitchen knife and held it firmly by his side so that the girl could see it. I think the both of us have trust issues. I might betray you, but I am afraid that youll betray me too. His grip on the knife hardened, and so did his gaze. It seemed to be a silent warning to the girl. Oh, youre being cautious, the girl smiled, beckoning him towards her. A simple spell will fix this. He stepped forward suspiciously, never letting go of his kitchen knife. The girl in turn eyed his knife, and she seemed a little apprehensive. She calmly moved her thicket of thorns to the side to allow Yibei some space to sit. Give me your hand, the girl said, stretching out her own. He stretched his hand out, and she gently pulled it into her own. Good. Now repeat after me, I You the girl paused as she looked downward in shame. Whats your name again? Lu Yibei, he replied. However, he just realised that, despite their incident in thest few hours, he still didnt know her true name. By the way, what is your name? Although he already knew her identity, he still felt that it would be better for her to confirm his suspicions. Jumeng, the girl replied nonchntly. Huh? He thought he had heard it wrong and asked again, Just to be sure, its Jumeng and not Jumang, right? You heard me the first time, the girl nodded, with a faint smug tone that added to her primordial aura. Isnt it a beautiful name? I thought you were Ah! she smiled. How should I exin it? Youre both right and wrong, but the real exnation is much moreplicated. Youre not being honest, are you? He frowned, edging the kitchen knife closer to her. Hey! she peeped. Are you not a man? Its no wonder youve been single until now! After I finish the spell, Ill tell you, okay? I wont be single when my dakimakura arrives. Im not hearing it! She spat in disgust. Now, lets continue with the spell. Repeat after me. I, Lu Yibei. I, Lu Yibei Will be married to Jumeng today. Will be married to wha huh? Excuse me? My bad. Back in my domain, I presided over too many weddings. Habits are hard to break. Now, repeat after me. I, Lu Yibei, agree to establish a cooperative rtionship with Jumeng. We will thrive in our blessings and weather our sufferings. Through thick and thin, we will treat each other with our hearts, and those who vite the sacred pact will never know peace. This sounds like a wedding vow. And it seems iplete! Where are the dates for the agreement, or, or What are you talking about? This isnt a spell! This is a sworn oath to you! Are you f*cking kidding me? Thisisthe spell! the girl sighed as she rolled her eyes. This is how it has always been, ever since I started to exist! Youre not lying, right? I cant be lying, she huffed. Otherwise, we could go the simpler way, and I can make you my husband, but I think you know what being my husband entails. Of course, being my husband is great; you only need to spend 20 minutes a day praying to me and offering me food, and I can No, no, thats fine. I dont need to be your husband. Having Du Sixian as my dependent is bad enough. If I technically be her dependent, who knows what will happen to the both of us? Is that all? Are you going to recite the spell, or not? She huffed again. If you dont want to, I can just break the spell, and you can continue to be Operator No. 5s littlepdog, and maybe youll wander around like a headless chicken; maybe that will be your peak; maybe youll die tomorrow when I tell them what youve been Lu Yibei groaned and repeated her spell. As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes started to burn violently. After a brief burst of light, his living room started to dim, and in the darkness, he could see two petite hands sped together. His heart skipped a beat, and a surge of electricity seemed to run down his back, beckoning the sweat beads to stain his clothes in a greasy, cold sweat. At this moment, he saw a cloud of emerald light hovering by Jumengs hands, and an ethereal nt sprouted from the cloud, releasing the calming fragrance of peach blossoms in the air. In the next moment, an orb of me containing a drop of blood ignited the back of his hand as it floated towards the peach blossom bud. The moment the two met, they merged. The fiery red of the me mixed with the gentle emerald cloud, forming a dirty grey cloud in her palm. The cloud then copsed into ck, hitting her hands like ink as it sshed out aplex sigil that submerged both of their hands. At this very moment, an idea stered itself onto Lu Yibeis mind: if he or Jumeng were to break the terms of their contract, something very bad would happen to them. The pain in his eye gradually dissipated, and soon he found himself back in the living room. He could see Jumeng still sitting in her thicket of thorns, toying with an orb of me with her fingers, and he couldnt help but cry out in his heart. She knows, he cried out. She must know. Theres no way she doesnt know. Hmm the girl muttered, snapping the orb of me out of sight. I didnt expect a boy like you to be attuned to fire. Arent you an interesting one? Huh? Does she not know? He gulped and weakly asked, So, thats the spell? Its finished. Its much moreplicated, but I omitted a lot of unnecessary details. Then, can I ask you a question? Go ahead, she smiled. Why are you called Jumeng instead of Jumang? I thought that Oh. They just call me both names. You know,nguage isnt as developed as it is today, so I am known as both Jumeng and Jumang, she smiled. Thats it? Woman, I smell lies in you! Thats it, she smiled, raising her arms in mock surrender. Of course, she couldnt tell him that she was originally a giant peach tree with a magpies nest that rested on its branches but was mistakenly worshipped as a hibiscus tree by a group of ancients. And somehow, she inherited most of Jumangs power down the line. She didnt feel like revealing information like this to him. A girl has secrets. Forget it, Yibei sighed. If you dont want to tell me, then I wont ask anymore. Chapter 112: Work Chapter 112: Work Huacheng University. Morning. There was no ss, but Professor Ma came early anyway. He made himself a cup of strong tea, read thetest journal articles, and waited for the son of his old friend toe. Two days have passed, and he has alsopleted the re-engraving process. It is time for him to return the bamboo scrolls. Professor Ma never goes back on his promises. However, he waited for the entire day, and nobody came to his office. Seeing that it was almost time for dinner, he got tired of waiting and picked up the phone by the table, scrolled to the contact information left by the young man, and called him. Beep. Beep. With each ring, his patient wore down. Just as he was about to m the phone down on the table, somebody picked it up. Hello? Who is this? An unfamiliar voice spokea middle-aged man who seemed to be gued by exhaustion and annoyance. H-hi. Im Ma Zhen. Im calling for the father of the owner of this number. Oh, Professor Ma. I thought Apologies. Its good to hear from you again. Professor Ma was visibly annoyed at this point, but he swallowed his anger and continued, And you are? Apologies, again. Im the eldest son, and the person who went to see you is my younger brother. I know you made an appointment with my brother to meet today, but The man, on the other hand, fell silent, and Professor Ma could vaguely hear muffled sobbing as if the man was trying to obscure his own crying. A feeling of unease crept into his heart. After a long silence, the man returned, his voice a little hoarse. You can keep the bamboo scrolls. It is my fathers gift to you, but my brother hes gone mad. Im sorry to keep you waiting. The professor frowned upon hearing this. Does this mean that the younger brother made his own decision to snatch the scrolls for himself? I will be hanging up. Our family is a mess right now, and I dont want to waste your time. Dont hang up just yet. There are a few things I need to ask you, Professor Ma insisted. Do tell. Ill help you to the best of my abilities. Professor Ma felt that his lips were dry and took a sip of the weak tea, which tasted just like water. Your brother came to me a few days ago. He told me that your father asked me to return the scrolls. I agreed, out of respect for the dead, and Before he could finish speaking, a cold snort came from the other end, and the man spoke, Professor Ma, you are a man of education! How could you fall for that? Did he tell you that my father somehow came back to life too? Wouldnt I know if he came back to life? After a short silence, the man continued, He insisted that father came back to life and told me that he would see father running through a bamboo forest in his dreams. Sometimes he would beughing alone in the corner of an old warehouse. Sometimes, in the cemetery of a mountain. I mean, isnt this outrageous? Indeed. I presume it is. Despite this, Professor Ma knew better, especially after seeing what had happened to Lu Xu the other day. Somehow, he could see a thin and pale old man that haunted a bamboo forest in his mind. His heart shuddered. When he told me he was going to collect the bamboo scrolls today, the man interrupted his thoughts. I confiscated his phone and car keys, but Did something happen? He disappeared, the man breathed out. With my fathers body. Couldnt find either of them. Im worried something bad might have happened to my brother. I see. Its okay. Things will work out on their own. I hope. I must get back to work, and you The man paused. Keep yourself safe. Im worried that my brother is looking for you. He hung up the phone with no further exnation. Ridiculous. I am a man of science. A man cant juste back from the dead hah! As he murmured to himself, he took out his phone and searched for Lu Yibeis phone number. Just as he found his number, the phone rang, and an unknown number was calling him. Hello? May I speak to Ma Zhen? You are? Im a doctor from the hospital in Huacheng. During our rounds this morning, we found that Lu Xu has gone missing, and he has yet to return to his room. Excuse me? We dont know what happened; even after checking the cameras, we couldnt determine where he disappeared. He was supposed to be discharged today, but anyway, he left your contact information with us, and we are calling to ask if you have seen him. He still needs to pay the hospital bill. No, I have not seen him, but I wille and pay the bill for himter. Putting down the phone, Professor Ma sat on the chair and was lost in his own thoughts. Two disappearances in a short timeframe And both of them came into close contact with the bamboo scrolls That cant be right; I was the closest to the scrolls, but Im still here. However, a faint stench rushed into his nostrils, and the smell of rot gued his office. As soon as he realised it, he hurriedly took another whiff, only to find that it disappeared in an instant. I need to get that damn cleaner in my room already. As he spoke, he called Lu Yibeis number. Lu Yibei was sound asleep and reluctantly got up upon being awakened by his mobile phone ringing. Rushed footsteps came from downstairs, and Jumeng barged into his room and leapt onto his bed, looking at him with expectant eyes. He ignored her and epted the call, putting the phone to his ears as Professor Mas voice flooded his ears. Yibei, something bad has happened. Lu Xu and my old friend disappeared, and I suspect something bad is happening. Come to my office as soon as possible. Yibei was visibly stunned, and he replied, Okay, well meetter. As soon as he hung up, Jumeng began to tease him, Who was that? A girlfriend? A boyfriend? Or somebody boring from the Night Division? Arent you the god of reproduction and not the god of gossip? he asked, rolling his eyes. My professor. Agh, youre a boring person, and your professor is a boring person too, she spat. People with titles are all very boring, like wives, teachers, and mothers Are you sure about that? he smiled. Because, judging by his tone, well be able to get you some juicy cores in no time! Chapter 113: G-g-ghost Chapter 113: G-g-ghost Professor Ma leaned on the chair and was lost in his own thoughts. The previous phone call disturbed him slightly, but Lu Xus disappearance disturbed him to no end. He was engaged in the research of ancient texts for most of his life, and he was part of many amazing discoveries as well. Some of those discoveries include his window being scratched in the middle of the night, a ck dog wandering inside his house, or even the countless, strange dreams he would have regarding the texts he studied. It didnt harm him or anyone else, so he chalked it up to great imagination. Until now. He stood up from his chair as he held his teacup and looked out the window. His office overlooked the male dorm. The third floor is upied by very famous students, and he was impressed by them. There was a student gued by night sickness in that ss, and he did something that shocked the entire campus. The police received a report regarding a stench that emanated from that students room, and when they broke into his dorm, they saw him lying among dozens of rotting animal corpses. Even murder scenes dont phase the police, but all of them vomited as soon as they opened the door. That students dorm was at the end of the corridor, and it is still vacant to this date. The windows are boarded up, and even the dorm next to it is vacant. He became a little bored staring out the window, and his vision wandered to the top floor, where freshmen lived. In a daze, a figure broke into his vision. Someone was standing on the roof of the dorms, overlooking the direction of his office. Professor Ma could feel his heart skip a beat, but a strange familiarity seemed to wash over him. Lu Xu. He hurried forward and pressed himself against the ss, trying to take a closer look, but found that the roof was devoid of people. Professor Ma rubbed his eyes over and over again, and true enough, nobody was there. However, the faint stench returned to his nostrils, and just as he was about to turn around to investigate the source of the stench, his body forcibly froze in ce. A feeling of unease washed over him, and his back felt eerily cold in that empty office of his. Some humans possess a sixth sense where they instinctively feel that something is wrong. Professor Ma once thought that he had simr feelings to this, but now he could tell that his sixth sense was ring rms at him. The stench became more intense as if a dposed corpse was right in front of him, and that corpse held a strong sense of malice. The moment he turned his neck, his neck would be snapped. He swallowed hard, and his hands trembled with every slight movement of his fingers. He could feel something approaching closer and closer to him. Suddenly, a chill ran down his back, and his body shuddered violently. He could feel a pair of hands resting on his shoulder, pushing him forward towards the window. Some humans experience the call of the void, where they im that an otherworldly force is tempting them to jump down from a high ce. Professor Ma didnt think of it as a temptation, but something he has done all his life. One foot forward. Professor? Im here! Hearing Lu Yibeis voice, Professor Ma came back to his senses in an instant. After realising that half of his body was leaning out the window, his face paled instantly as he kicked himself back into the office. At this moment, that invisible power seemed to disappear in an instant, and he fell to a much, much shorter height, with the nerves of his behind crying out in pain. Although this was not his first time hunting down urban legends, the situation this time was different. He wasnt fighting alone. Before he left, Jumeng, with a grave face, told him that if he were to encounter any trouble, he could call for her at any time. A pir to fall back onto! How great! Yibei felt ted that a goddess was supporting his journey, but Where the hell is Professor Mas office? It took him a while to find the professors office, and he knocked on the door lightly after calling out for him. With verbal confirmation, Lu Yibei pushed the door open and entered as he was greeted by the scene of Professor Ma massaging his buttocks in circr motions. O-oh, Professor, he breathed out. Was I interrupting something? You bastard. What the hell are you talking about? There is nothing to be ashamed of! We are both men, right? I believe that Seeing Professor Mas face darken, he strategically shut up. Professor Ma updated Lu Yibei on Lu Xus sudden disappearance, then told him all about the disappearance of his old friend as well as his son. After listening, Lu Yibei could onlye to one very obvious conclusion. Its all in the bamboo scrolls! Just as he was about to ask to see the bamboo scrolls, Professor Ma, still rubbing his buttocks, was limping across his office. Tea or coffee? Coffee, please. Two sugars and one cream. Although he wasnt interested in drinking, after being tortured for an entire night by Jumeng, he thought he needed some caffeine and sugar to re-energise himself. I dont have any of that, Professor Ma said. I got the 3-in-1 packets. Thats fine. As he brewed the instant coffee, with his back turned towards Yibei, he asked, Do you think this has to do with the ult? I want to hear your opinion. Im not sure, but I am confident it is rted to the set of bamboo scrolls you were studying. Can I take a look? Ah Professor Ma furrowed his brows. Are you sure? All the disappearances are linked to the scrolls, and Im worried that Thats fine! You touched the scrolls too, but youre right here in front of me! Yibei said calmly. Professor Ma remained silent before leaving his office, beckoning Yibei to follow behind him. The two soon arrived at Professor Masb. He sat Yibei down in the research room, then walked to the storage closet alone. After turning on the lights, his eyes locked on the ancient box containing the scrolls. Opening the box, rolls of dull bamboo revealed themselves within the box. Staring at the scrolls, he shook his head as he closed the box, picked up the replica bamboo scrolls that he had written out, and walked out of the storage closet. Lu Yibeis eyes were burning the moment he stepped into theb, and they only intensified as he got closer to the storage closet. Looking at the storage closet visible through the ss wall, he could see Professor Mas figure in the dim light. Now, Yibei was 100 per cent confident that the bamboo scrolls were the culprit. He wasnt sure what was in the storage closet, but he could confirm it when the professor left the storage closet. Professor Ma returned to his side with the set of replicated bamboo scrolls. Yibei wordlessly took the scrolls and unfolded them, and a string of hieroglyphs with weird shapes caught his eye. What puzzled him was that his eyes burnt slightly less, as if there was nothing wrong with these bamboo scrolls. What are these writings? This should be a sacrificial ceremony, Professor Ma exined. I have not fully deciphered it yet. Is there anything unusual about it? No Its just an ordinary set of bamboo scrolls. If he cant see it, it doesnt mean that Jumeng couldnt. He could write it down and ask herter. Is that so? Professor Ma looked a little disappointed. I must be thinking too much. I wasted your time today. Professor Ma wanted to show him the original scrolls, but Something strange seemed to overtake him the moment his handsnded on the box. As if something was telling him not to hand the scrolls over to Yibei Chapter 114: Diamond in the Rough Chapter 114: Diamond in the Rough It has been about three days since Du Sixian became an official member of the Night Division. During this time, An Qing, who was in charge of training new recruits, conducted aprehensive test of her abilities on her, and the test results were Seeing Du Sixian walk out of their iron maiden-like test device, An Qing frowned and filled out the data as she announced, Alright, this was thest test. How did I do? Sixian beamed. Am I officially part of the team? Well An Qing hesitated. Your results are subtle! For now, you arent exactly part of the team yet. True enough, Sixians results were strangely vague. The runes have been embedded into her soul, and if she were to stimte it with a little psychic energy, she would be able to see a vague figure of a fish on her body. Judging from the results, the intensity of her psychic fluctuations was about Level B, which is far greater than any of their previous recruits who had just obtained a rune. Strangely enough, she didnt gain any noticeable abilities except for a significant improvement in her rtionship with water and the strengthening of her body. This is very contradictorySixian is like a high-endputer with no sort of drive system within her. Which means that this rune was not suitable for her. Subtle results arent enough for the Night Division. The word subtle meant bad in Sixians eyes, and her happy mood turned sour in mere seconds. Be honest, An Qing, she muttered. Did it fail? Well Tell me the truth! Sixian, An Qing smiled as she patted Sixian on the shoulder. Your results arent bad. There are many cases before you where their psychic fluctuations are strong, but there were no special abilities that were detected. However, it isnt something that cant be solved. Of course, the Night Division possesses the resources to ensure that potential psychic users will not waste their inherent talent. They have a series of standard spells, specific spells, and even forbidden spells for psychic users to learn. With these tests, you may still be a genius! An Qing encouraged. She was genuine in her encouragement; some psychic users developed special abilities that were not only useless but hindered them from learning other spells. Du Sixian is practically a clean te. Since she had no special abilities, nothing would be able to hinder her from learning new spells. Is that true? Yes, An Qing smiled. Youre like a diamond in the rough. Previously, the Night Division had psychics with no special abilities too. They had no particr bias to a core, just like Sixian, and they were considered useless. However, somebody came up with a solution to this: he solved the problem of being useless but also formted a set of enhancements to help them be stronger. If you cant use urban legend cores to power yourself, then you can use mantras or incantations to help you! However, at that time, the Sun was still normal, and there were little urban legends roaming around the Earth. There was no need for talented psychic users, and there were also too many Night Division members. It wasnt until the night grew long that his proposal was brought to light again. An Qing was fortunate enough to meet him once. She still remembered the yful smile that was permanently etched on his face. And he was the only person she had any interest in. Meanwhile, Sixian stared at An Qing with a huge question mark hovering over her. Diamond in the rough? Is she insulting me? With great doubts, Du Sixian was taken back to An Qings office and left alone. After a while, she returned, walking in with arge, dusty, leather suitcase and mming the case in front of Sixian with a bang. W-what is this? An Qings red lips curled slightly, and she took out a silver key from her breast pocket. She unlocked it and took out a brass pipe the thickness of an arm, and it was carved with many intricate patterns as she waved it in front of Sixian. This giant suitcase is basically the standard equipment every Night Division has, but most of the time, we dont use it. Then whats the use of it? An Qing smiled and said, As long as you learn how to use these, you can formally participate in our operations. Du Sixian looked at An Qing, then inside the suitcase. She sheepishly took out a sheepskin scroll iid with copper and unfolded it, revealing vigorous and powerful mantras that wrote themselves in ink before her. [#3, CURSE OF THE RED FLAME] After reading the contents of the scroll, something in her body seemed to stir, and her eyes couldnt help but light up. Something told her that she could easily learn whatever was written on these scrolls. In the evening, Lu Yibei, who suffered as he forcibly put a stop to his transformation, hurried back to his apartment. He told Jumeng that he has something to do during the day and will only return at night. This way, hell be able to avoid detection. Opening the door to his apartment, he called out casually, Im back. Wee back! Jumengs voice sounded from inside the house. Do you want to eat first, or do you want to feed me first? Only then did he remember that he was housing a goddess under his roof. Entering his apartment, he saw Jumeng sitting at the dining table. She wore an emerald, coral fleece coat with a penguin hoodie that she got from god-knows-where, and her snow-white legs protruded from under the jacket as she sat cross-legged at the table. In front of her were several takeout dishes of Chinese food. Where did you get the money to buy all these? Im a goddess, for gods sake, she said, rolling her eyes. My people make offerings to me, so How so? Every year, thousands of believers tie coins with red strings and throw them on a peach trees branches. Sometimes, they would throw money into an offering box and buy incense from a high priest. Isnt it wonderful? Youre telling me that this isnt your money? What happened to your sense of morality? Excuse you! They willingly gave their money to me. I cant help it. But If you dont believe me, you should find your own believers, and youll be surprised by how many things they are willing to gift you! Oops, I forgot youre just an ordinary human being. Lu Yibei grumbled in his heart, and Jumeng moved to his side as she stretched out a greasy hand, rubbing her index and thumb together. Pay up, kid. What the Why does it feel like youre trying to extort me? Look, you went out during the day to work, and now you should have the cores on you. Fork them over. With her tone, Yibei couldnt help but envision her as a delinquent ckmailing a studentperhaps she bullies her believers into giving her money! I-Im just an ordinary human being like you said! It takes time for me to hunt for cores for you. By the way, I wrote down part of what I found on a set of bamboo scrolls. See if youre able to interpret it. At this moment, Jumeng grabbed his wrist, brought it to the tip of her nose, and sniffed deeply. After sticking her nose deeply into Yibeis wrist, she looked straight into his eyes with a serious expression and said, Bamboo scrolls, correct? When do you think these bamboo scrolls you speak of were created? Long, long ago? he tilted his head. Correct, but the scent of bamboo in your hand reeks of modernity. Your teacher deceived you and showed you a replica. What the f*ck? Professor Ma lied to me. But whats the point of lying? Chapter 115: Sneaking In Chapter 115: Sneaking In After Lu Yibei left, Professor Ma stayed in theb, flipping through the bamboo scrolls back and forth withplicated feelings. Damn it, why didnt I show him the original scrolls? I shouldve shown him! Hand on his forehead, he stared at the bamboo scrolls and watched as the symbols danced in his vision. They seemed to enthral him, forcing him to gaze at their intricate, distorted dance. Suddenly, that disgusting stench broke into his nose again, and just likest time, it smelled very close to him once again. Professor Ma couldnt help but groan as he covered his mouth and nose, and the stench broke him free of the scrolls enthrallment. ncing at his watch, he realised it was already half past seven, and the sky outside was almost ink-ck. No, no. I have to go home. Cant let the cleaningdy babble again. He hurriedly stuffed the scrolls back into the box, tossed them into the storage closet, and left theb in a hurry. After locking the door to theb, he frowned as he was greeted with an intense stench. It was much stronger, as if an invisible river of rot flowed through the corridor, apanied by bursts of low-pitched singing. He stood in the corridor, looking left and right. It was dimly lit, and it gave him a feeling of unease to be alone in the usually crowded corridor. Something tells him that something is hiding in the shadows of the corridor. Something that would bring danger to him. He produced a copper coin from his suit pocket and could vaguely see the words [Kaiyuan Tongbao] engraved upon it. This coin was dated back to 1,300 years ago and was obtained by ident. Because it was too worn out, he bought it from a viger with his own money and kept it as a keepsake. Since then, he has carried this coin with him. When in doubt, he will flip the coin. He doesnt think the behaviour of coin-flipping is superstitious. It just helps him to ovee indecisiveness, but deep in his heart, he hopes that there is something magical within the coin. Heads for left, tails for right. Flipping the coin, itnded on tails, and he hurried down the right corridor. Just as his figure disappeared down the right corridor, the lights in the left corridor turned a deep, scarlet colour. On the empty cherry blossom avenue of the University, only the wind dances with the fallen leaves. At this moment, a girl wearing a ck and white baseball shirt with arge sun hat skipped in the distance. She carried a metal bat, and her legs were wrapped in ck stockings, which, in turn, were wrapped in a pair of short boots. She skipped on each pile of fallen leaves, making a crisp sound with every bounce. Gu Qianqian! her system reprimanded. Could you keep quiet? We are supposed to be sneaking into the University! Thats not what you said earlier! You told me that the University is empty and that I, as the protagonist, should be proud of every step I take! Youre so confusing! Yes, I did tell you to be proud, but were sneaking in like thieves right now. Have you ever seen a thief walking in loud and proud to rob a house? I suppose not, she muttered as she took out a stic mask of Sailor Moon from her coat pocket. Ill cover my face! Now, I really am a thief! Youre attracting more attention with that sh*tty mask! And where did you even get that from? I bought 500 of them from the market! I n to sell them during the school celebration! she beamed. Dont worry about it; Ill make a lot of money for myself! She patted her chest with confidence, and the system cursed those two dazzling lumps of flesh that held a copious amount of milk within them. Gu Qianqian argued with the system for quite a bit, and before they knew it, they arrived near the back door of theboratory building of the Faculty of Arts. Under the guidance of the system, she avoided the cameras, and with a great kick, she leapt from the ground, drawing an arc in mid-air, andnded gracefully into a window leading into a corridor on the 4th floor. She leaned against a pir and peeked her head out, observing the hallway. System. Understood. Checking psychic fluctuations 10% 20% Complete! Whats the result? Gu Qianqian, its not looking good. Are there many enemies in the dark? Too many. As soon as the system finished speaking, the faint sound of a horn tooted in the empty corridor. Then came the gongs, the drums, the flute, the pipa, the violin The music was harmonious in the hallways, and it yed a festive tune of sacrifice. For some reason, the tone of the music was rather weird, and she swore she could hear silentments and eternal sorrows embedded in the piece. Immediately, a scarlet light appeared at the end of the corridor, and blood-rednterns flickered into existence, shrouding the entire corridor in a deep blood-red. A cloud of dense fog gathered in front of aboratory, and the fog seemed to tangle itself into a vortex, like a portal leading into another world. Gu Qianqian, Im uploading a task right now. The system felt a bit inhumane to not reward Gu Qianqian for something so dangerous. So you were lying! You told me you didnt have any more tasks for me to do! Thats not the point! A mechanical notification popped up in Gu Qianqians mind: [Task: Surrounded by scarlet lights, you are toe into contact with the [Remnants of the Chronicles of Mangshan] and evacuate within five minutes! Reward: 1,000 masks.] These masksyou bought them behind my back? Gu Qianqian interrogated. I believe in supporting small businesses, the system replied. Youll be able to make a profit with these. One unit is priced at 2.5 yuan, and you can earn 1,600 yuan if you sell 800. After deducting the expenses, you can make a profit of 1,572 yuan! Gu Qianqians eyes lit up, and she couldnt help but cheer as she swung the metal bat in the air. Its time to move the mountains and split the sea! Her voice boomed throughout the corridor, and a dazzling light surrounded her body. A wave of psychic energy swept across the entire building, and the phantom of a giant blessed her with its powers. Boom! With a slight bang, she flew forward with the metal bat in hand. Sensing the intrusion, the scarletnterns flickered like an rm, and the air echoed with bursts of angry and resentful murmurs. Foul-smelling limbs extended from behind thenterns, waving their ws as they stained the campus walls a scarlet red. The once-lively corridor for students and teachers to gather seemed to have turned into a ying field for alien creatures. But in this sacred ce where the festive scarletnterns hovered, Gu Qianqian was more than happy to skip around danger. Ssh! Ssh! The sounds of flesh and blood exploded one after another as she dashed in and out of vision down the corridor. She smashed every single limb that was in her way as if they were nothing, and she would crush them under her boots with vigour. The system couldnt help but be astonished. Even though she was bird-brained, she had a real talent for fighting. She had already fought her way through half of the corridor, and when she came to theb surrounded by dogs, she took a step into the dense grey and passed through without hindrance. As soon as she entered theb, the cacophonous music and scarlet light stopped instantly, and it was as if nothing that had happened a few moments ago had urred. Gu Qianqian, did you bring the knife I instructed you to? Of course, isnt this it? The system frowned. She took a nail clipper instead of the knife she was instructed to bring. Thats not its fine. Just scrape off a little of the A crisp sound reverberated in theb. Gu Qianqian held the bamboo scroll in one hand and a nail clipper in the other, cutting a small piece of the scroll using the nail clipper. Chapter 116: The Style of Painting is Wrong Chapter 116: The Style of Painting is Wrong Under the night sky, a thin mist floated on Peony Steet like silk, floating against the clear water channel. On the second floor of Peony B&B, Du Sixian leaned against the window, staring at the canal in a daze. Earlier, An Qing told her that she was a genius. She believed it, and she even thought she would be able to master the spells on the scroll with ease. However, when she actually tried, she realised that perhaps An Qing was just lying to make her feel better. From 3 in the afternoon to 9 in the evening, she couldnt even stimte her powers. Mantras are like mathematics in the world of urban legends. If you cant decipher it, then its all gibberish. Du Sixian herself is also stubborn. If she believes in something, she will fight for it. She practised the mantras until she felt strangely exhausted, and An Qing carried her back to her residence. When they parted, An Qings hesitation to speak made her suffer a lot. She thought that An Qing was just lying to make her feel better, but she wouldnt give up. Now that shese into contact with the world of urban legends, its too early to give up. She raised her hands again, murmuring the inscription of the scrolls she had seen earlier. Deste wilderness; straw; bones; fan a fire, and a red me wille! As she chanted, she recalled the description of the operation of psychic energy on the scroll. Imagine withered grass in an empty wilderness, igniting in red mes. Then, try to envision the shape of the mes at your fingertips. The moment she sketched the me out in her mind, she suddenly felt something stir within her, followed by a ray of crimson that gleamed at her fingertips. Itsted for only less than a second, however, and it fizzled out before it even formed a me. She was immediately struck with a wave of dizziness again, and a cold sweat ran across her pale face. Damn it-! She sighed, got up to close the window, and copsed back onto her bed. Hiding her body under the sheets, she let her exhaustion take over, and soon she found herself in that weird dreamscape once again. The biting wind choked at Du Sixians face, and after a short panic, she found herself in a dpidated street. Again? She muttered to herself, bending down and picking up the sand formed by the weathered buildings that towered above her, rubbing it lightly between her fingers. The sand and stones slid across her delicate fingers. It all felt real. Dusting the sand off her clothes, she found a puddle of sewage umting under a rusty fire hydrant. Squatting down next to the sewage, she frowned slightly as she suppressed her nausea, touching the nasty water with her fingers. The pungent smell of sewage greeted her nostrils, and the greasy texture was true to her fingers. Sure enough A small smile appeared on her face, I can practise my mantras here! She slowly raised her hands and parted her lips, chanting the spell in a low voice, Deste wilderness; straw; bones; fan a fire, and a red me wille! After she chanted the mantra, a crimson gleam shed across her fingertips, only to fizzle out once again. Instead of feeling defeated, she was delighted. She could practise spells in her dream. Everything here feels realthe sand, the water, even the movement of psychic energy in her body as she attempts to cast a spell and the fleeting heat thates to her fingertips. And she doesnt feel the slightest bit tired. Come on! Deste wilderness Deste wilderness! She practised again and again, and asionally, figures wandering the street would cast their eyes on her, only to look away, thinking that she was a lunatic. They were here to pray to the gods anyway. I dont have any, Lu Yibei sighed as he nced at Jumeng, who wasining about wanting to eat supper. You ate a lot for dinner. How are you hungry again? Tsk! I am not ustomed to such little food! Back in my domain Yeah, in your domain. Were in Lu Yibeis house now, he interrupted. If youre that hungry, I can cook you food. I want noodles, she muttered. Longevity noodles. Isnt that easy? Im talking about the noodles made by turning psychic energy into dough. I used to go to that tavern to eat a bowl every one or two weeks, and let me tell you, the taste is just wonderful! Then why dont you go there now? Are you crazy? she yelled. If I go there in my injured state, Ill be the main course! Christ, what kind of tavern are you going to? Wont the owner be scared that hell lose sales? Its a tavern dedicated to urban legends, she exined. You cant fight in the tavern, but once you leave Anyway, if you beg me nicely, I can take you there in the future. He imagined it for a momenta group of urban legends, potentially friendly ones, chatting in the tavern. Then, outside, a group of urban legendspotentially unfriendly onesgnawed at each other outside the door. His heart shuddered for a moment. N-no. I dont want to go to that sort of ce, even if you beg me to go. I might be premium Witch Steak if I go there! Thinking about it, he turned around, picked up the paper on the table, and blew on the ink that hadntpletely dried out. There were crooked hieroglyphs written on the paper, copied from what he wrote on the bamboo scrolls. Although he remembers less than a third of the content, if Jumeng could recognise the text, she should be able to remember everything. Alright,e take a look. Youre proficient in manynguages, right? Youre asking the right person, she said as she leapt from the sofa. Tell me! Whatnguage do you want the great goddess to trante for you? If you beg me, I might consider! Anynguage? Exactly! Could you trante it into C? Jumeng visibly froze, followed by a light dusting of pink on her face, Ah, except for that. Any othernguage! Java, then. Seeing that Jumengs eyes were gradually darkening and his eyes were starting to burn, he hurriedly cleared his throat and said, English. Trante this into English. Perhaps angering an ancient goddess wasnt the wisest thing he had done. Snatching the piece of paper from him, she spat disdainfully as she read the writings, The Writings of the Southern Barbarians. I could read it in a single nce! Great! Whats in it? In modern terms, you could call it a diary. A diary? Look, right here is the date: the third day of the month. The diary entry talks about a king asking the writer to lead 300 soldiers and bring 120 children to the mountains to worship the gods. The king is f*cking inhumane. Sacrificing children I agree. People like these are f*cking inhumane. I cant believe a goddess like you can swear like this! Oh, its just written on here. Oh. And here, she pointed to another paragraph. On the sixth day, they went eight hundred miles, and they couldnt find anybody in any of the ces they went, losing a lot of people to poisonous miasma in the forest. He wrote, and I quote, [These f*cking children are so annoying. I cant sleep at night!] ! Its not that he doesnt believe in what Jumeng is saying. Its just that the contents He couldnt believe that a diary full of swears would lead to urban legends forming. Did Professor Ma make a mistake? Chapter 117: Imitate, not Surpass! Chapter 117: Imitate, not Surpass! It took less than 20 minutes for Jumeng to fully exin the texts to Lu Yibei, and she wrote it all down in English for him to understand. He couldnt help but sighgods are truly different beings. Using a magical brush, the beautiful brushwork upied more than half a page, but Jumeng stopped, letting out a long sigh of relief. Theres nothing useful in the first half, and I didnt bother writing down the second half. Huh? Why not? Too many words. Troublesome. I could, you know, just tell you. Come. Pointing at the paper, she spoke, This is the final entry; they did find a god in the mountains, but they all felt that something was wrong with their god. [Many of the men felt the gods presence, but they couldnt describe its appearance. I felt it too. We are finally at the mountain, but something tells me that we wont be able to leave. I dont know if we were the ones who found it or if it found us.] Hearing this, he frowned. He could vaguely feel the anxiety and hopelessness of the person who wrote the diary. Perhaps the god they met was the culprit that triggered a series of events that happened around Professor Ma. Theres no more useful content in what you gave me, Jumeng interrupted. Didnt you say that there was more that you didnt write down? Listening to the discussion between Lu Yibei and Jumeng, all of the apparitions in the apartment huddled in a corner of the room and whispered amongst themselves. Trapping and driving humans into madnessisnt that how some high-level urban legends hunt? Could you even call them gods? Arent gods just high-level urban legends? Those ancient humans were probably eaten or became the gods servants. Are they preparing to hunt the god? Forget it. We just watch. Yibei could hear their conversations and then looked back at Jumeng. Why are you looking at me like that? I am different! she defended. I dont hunt or trap mortals to be my believers. Right. Forget it. Theres no point in exining the logistics of this to a human. If you have the opportunity toe to my domain, you will know how highly respected I am! Well, we have to put this aside for now. Ill try to find out the remaining contents of the bamboo scrolls tomorrow, and well be able to find something new. By the way, are you still hungry? No need! Im not used to your human food! Jumeng spat with a look of disgust. Whatever. Ill go to sleep now. Go! Go! she waved her hands as if she couldnt wait for him to leave. As soon as he entered his room, Jumeng sat cross-legged on the sofa. She looked around, and after confirming that Yibei went back to his room, she pulled out a roasted ducks neck from nowhere and put it in her mouth. You little things. Dont tell him about my secret food stash! she warned the apparitions. W-we know! Hiding a secret is much better than ending up in a gods stomach. Lu Yibei was lying on the bed, just about to fall asleep in a daze, when Du Sixians voice suddenly sounded next to his ear. He grumbled in his heart that he was about to suffer, but he couldnt resist the sleepiness and fell asleep with his head tilted back to the headboard. Soon, she felt as if she had fallen into a deep sea, sinking. When she felt cold on her toes, she opened her eyes, finding herself back on that familiar rooftop. Faintly disturbing whispers remained below the city, and Sixians voice was exceptionally clear: Deste wilderness! Straw, bones! Fan a fire, and a red me wille! Come on! Again! Again, I will definitely seed this time! Lu Yibei sat cross-legged on the ground and sighed helplessly. She thought that Sixian would soon ept her fate and remain silent in the dreamscape. However, the opposite was true. What the hell, Sixian? Id like to see what tricks you have up your sleeve. Walking to the edge of the roof, she leaned her body forward to hear Sixian better. All she saw was a vast sea of mist and dpidated buildings, but a strange idea of locate Du Sixian was imnted in her brain, and she felt her eyes burn. Her eyes watered up from the pain, and through her blurry vision, mist formed in front of her, and she found herself on a messy street after her vision was sent piercing through the mist. She could see Du Sixian clearly now, and before her was a girl who was repeating a strange incantation with her gleaming fingertips. The girls fluent chanting could make any ss fall asleep. She could feel her psychic energy converging at her fingertips, and with a soft exaltation of force, a tiny pir of me was conjured on her palm for a few seconds before dissipating. I I did it! I sessfully recited my first mantra! Meanwhile, Lu Yibei was speechless. Shes practising mantras in MY dream? Since she decided to do something like this under her nose, its only right to learn the spells that she was learning, right? An eye for an eye! Sixian began to practise the incantation again, and Yibei closely followed every single word and every single movement she made. Deste wilderness; straw, bones Deste wilderness; straw, bones Halfway through the recitation, something stirred within Yibei and took over her. Fan a fire, burn the rhinoceros, and shine like a fiery disaster. As soon as her words fell, the air around her body vibrated violently, and psychic energy quickly gathered at her fingertips, condensing into a little scarlet light. After a brief silence, the light spread, and a deafening bang echoed through the city. Boom! Red mes bloomed at Lu Yibeis fingertips like roses; terrifying heat swept through the air, and the air was burnt. White steam burst from the surroundings from the intense heat. The firelight reflected a bright red on her cheeks, and in a trance, the girl overlooked Du Sixian condescendingly with a yful smile on her mouth. Soon, the smile on her face faded, and exhaustion hit her like a tide. She regained control of her body, and her smile forced itself back into her usual stiffness. W-what the hell? Noticing Sixians gaze in her direction, she quickly squatted down and ced herself under the guardrail of the rooftop. Sixian is a member of the Night Division now, and if she sees me Meanwhile, on the dpidated streets below, Sixian raised her eyes to look at the building that seemed to stretch into the clouds. Chapter 118: The Nemesis of the Facially Paralyzed Chapter 118: The Nemesis of the Facially Paralyzed The crimson mes reflected the sky a scarlet red as if a hideous scar had been burnt above the clouds. Although she didnt know how to judge the level of psychic fluctuations, she knew whoever just cast that spell was somebody terrifying. That mantra Its simr to mine. Was she doing it on purpose? She could feel someone powerful hiding in that building. However, there was a great distance between them, and coupled with the barrier of steam and mist, she couldnt see whoever it was clearly. Withdrawing her gaze, she slowly raised her hands and secretly tried to recall the spell the other girl recited. Thankfully, she noticed that casting spells in her dream took no toll on her body. So, she tentatively interpreted that the mysterious girl let her know the stronger version of her own spell. Deste wilderness; straw, bones, fan a fire, burn the rhinoceros, and shine like a fiery disaster! She felt her body stir, and a restlessness several times stronger was brewing in her body. Her psychic energy twisted and turned within her, and then nothing. The spell seemed to squeeze her dry of her psychic energy; her body convulsed uncontrobly, and she passed out. You cant treat magical mantras like skills in an RPG. If you learn a skill that is temporarily unavable to you, the mostmon prompt would be insufficient mana. However, if you use high-level mantras that dont belong to you, you will only drain all of your energy, and your body will shut down in response. At eight oclock in the morning, the rm res in Lu Yibeis bedroom. This mundane routine of going to bed early and waking up early is foreign to him. Hes used to staying up untilte in the morning. Opening the curtains, he vaguely recalled Du Sixian fainting in his dreamscape, and he couldnt help but feel bad. N-no. It was her making a fool of herself. I dont need to feel sorry for her. He took off his pyjamas, put on a knit sweater and jeans, and went downstairs. He was greeted by the sight of Jumeng sitting cross-legged on the sofa, staring at the TV while watching a romance drama on TV. She was watching it all night. In Yibeis dreamscape, he could vaguely hear lines from the drama she was watching. Why do ancient goddesses even entertain corny soap operas like this? I guess they do appeal to old people. Ready for school? Jumeng perked up. Yeah. Alright, make sure you listen to your teacher and dont talk back! Have a nice day at school, and remember to eat breakfast! Youre acting like my mother. O-oh? Jumeng was stunned for a moment, with a shy expression on her face, I could be your great-great-great-great grandmother at my age, but I prefer the term sister; but if you insist, you can call me mother if you want. Goddesses know no shame. Whatever. Do you happen to know what the Curse of Red mes is? What? Jumengs eyes widened as she took her attention off of her soap opera. Where did you learn that from? I overheard it from somewhere. That is a very powerful spell, ranked #80 in the Night Division; it rivals forbidden spells that most Witches dare not to cast. With your psychic tendencies, if you cast them, youll be squeezed dry like a wet rag on a sunny day. Dont you even think about trying to cast that spellyou still need to help me heal. Im not your ve! D-dont worry about it. I just wanted to know about it. Although he looked calm, he was panicking inside. The f*ck! How do I even know dangerous spells like these? Judging from Jumengs exnation, if Du Sixian were to use this without a care in the world, would she If the Night Division were to investigate this and find out that a Witch had secretly imnted knowledge of a dangerous spell onto their recruit His whole body felt as if an ice bucket had been poured on top of him. His gaze moved towards Jumeng. I have to think of a way to tie her up and haul her over to the Night Division, confess my sins, and maybe theyll let me off easy. Are you thinking of something bad happening to me? Jumeng asked. No! Although he was proficient in lying thanks to his facial paralysis, it seems that he has met his match! Is that so? This little thing on my hand is telling me otherwise Jumeng teased, raising her right hand, revealing a pattern of inteced leaves and mes shimmering on the back of her hand. Do you know what that means? Jumeng questioned. Uh, you like leaves and fire so much you got them tattooed on you? This means you vited something in our agreement, she smiled. Youre heartless, arent you? You stabbed an innocent old woman and injured her, and now, you want to take advantage of her! Lu Yibei raised his right hand in silence, showing off the shimmering engravings on his hand. The two stared at each other, and the whole room was filled with an awkward silence. Im sorry for stealing food from you. Chapter 119: Can You Show Me the Bamboo Scrolls Again? Chapter 119: Can You Show Me the Bamboo Scrolls Again? Du Sixian got up very early. The sun has yet to rise, and she started to practise as soon as she woke up. Unlike yesterday, she managed to cast her spell in a single try this time. After confirming it a few more times, she couldnt help but smile with the biggest grin stered on her face. She was sweating, but she was happy. I have to tell An Qing about thisas for the other mantra and the mysterious girl in my dream I need to investigate that on my own. The sky was a pale grey. She changed into ace denim skirt and put on a small jacket. Sitting in front of the table, she turned on theputer and briefly replied to her few loyal fans. She hinted to them that she has a big surpriseing up for her newest video. Soon, she was out the door. At the gate of the Night Division, she ran into An Qing. Oh? Youre here early; are you here to practise your mantras? An Qing asked as she smiled. Casting spells doesnt happen overnight, so dont worry too much about it. ording to the statistics from various Night Divisions across the country, it takes an average of eight to twelve days for new recruits to cast a spell. Actually, about that, I went back home and practised yesterday. An Qing was about to reprimand her since she practised without supervision, but she was taken aback upon hearing what she had to say. I think Ive already mastered casting the spell, she paused. I can make a pir of me with my fingertips. She decided to hide the fact that she was training in a dreamscape. W-what? An Qing genuinely thought that Sixian was a great recruit, but now she was shocked. Taking less than 24 hours to learn a mantra Although casting a tiny pir of me was nothing impressive, learning it as a new recruit was surely something else. You heard me the first time! Im a fast learner! An Qing nodded in a daze. Im just worried that youll be kidnapped by other people with your talent, she thought. Y-youre doing fine, shemended. You must continue practising, An Qing continued. But everything you do, you must report to me only. One-on-one. Sure enough, I am not enough for An Qing, Sixian pouted inwardly. And yet, shes investing her time in me. Come on, let me see the results of your practice, An Qing said. Both of them entered the gaping darkness of the Night Division, but Sixian stopped midway as if she remembered something. By the way, just askingwhat happens if I practise a spell not meant for me? Like a more powerful spell? Hearing this, An Qing froze and frowned. Have you started thinking about learning high-level mantras now? With such high talent, its no surprise that she wants to learn something more powerful. But she couldnt dampen her spirits. Its a gradual process, An Qing exined. Once you master a spell, you can start learning something more powerful. If you try to skip that process, something bad might happen to you. What if you learn the spell from elsewhere? What are you trying to tell me, Du Sixian? Did you obtain something strange? No, no, Im just making a hypothesis. Let me tell you a story: a budding psychic user was disappointed in his own power, and he obtained many spells from unknown sources. Can you tell me what happened to him? He went crazy? Thats part of the truth, An Qing sighed. He refused to tell us where he obtained the spells before he went insane with power. Today, he still writhes around in his cell in the mental hospital. Besides, with your talent, theres no need to rush. One step at a time to the top. Right. One step at a time. As for that dream She nned to keep it a secret. Her own, personal hyperbolic time chamber. Huacheng University. In the literature building. Recently, Professor Ma was exhausted because of the bamboo scrolls. Most of his sses are just self-study sessions now. Suddenly, there was a whisper in the ssroom. Have you seen the ss WeChat group? Something big happened. What happened? You dont know yet? Come on, just tell me. He Ruo is dead. They found his body at theb. They said it was an urban legend attack. What? No way! I was with him yesterday! Why did he go to theb alone? Professor Ma heard it all. At first, he could care less, and urban legend attacks were slowly bing the norm in this world. However, when he heard that his student had died near thebs, he couldnt help but be uneasy. The ssroom is a ce for learning, not gossip, he said to the ss. And Lu Yibei,e with me. Lu Yibei had a giant question mark over his head. Wait, I wasnt the one gossiping! Why was I called out? Lu Yibei thought helplessly, but upon seeing the professors gaze, he sighed and got up. He must be worried about hisb. Lu Yibei. The scrolls I showed you yesterday were not the original bamboo scrolls. O-oh, Yibei replied. He didnt expect Professor Ma to confess his sins to him so soon. Listen to me. I wanted to show you the original scrolls, but somethingan ideawas put in my head. I just couldnt show you the original scrolls. That boy, He Ruo, is a good boy. It must be those bamboo scrolls. You need to look at them. No problem. Chapter 120: You’re Here Too? Chapter 120: Youre Here Too? He Ruo was a good boy, ording to Professor Ma. However, Yibei thought he was the closest in terms of personality to Shui. He was famous in campus for all the wrong reasons all girls who were targeted by him will almost certainly not escape him. Of course, Shui allegedly treats every woman hes with as if they were husband and wife, but He Ruo is a certified scumbag ording to the girls hes been with. However, now, he is dead, and his story will simply dissolve into irrelevance. As soon as the bell rang, Professor Ma hurriedly left the ssroom, as if he were more excited that ss was over than his students. Seeing Professor Mas actions, Lu Yibei followed him knowingly. He briefly asked his professor about He Ruo, but he simply shook his head. He originally wanted to tell him about the contents of the bamboo scrolls, but with a man of integrity like Professor Ma, perhaps it was for the best that he didnt reveal that the scrolls were really just a diary filled with swearing. They soon saw an area cordoned off in the Faculty of Arts, with yellow warning tape blocking their way. Professor Ma and Lu Yibei looked away from the ce where He Ruo was killed, looked at each other, and shook their heads helplessly. Although they felt bad about He Ruos death, they had more important matters to attend to. Just as they left, a girl appeared from the stairwell leading to the corridor. Her face was stained red from tears, and she hurried to the scene where He Ruo had died. Soon, her heart-piercing cries echoed down the corridor. N-no! I was joking when I said he should go kill himself. I didnt mean it. The sudden appearance of the girl and her weird behaviour stunned even the policemen beside the tape for a while. It was almost certain that He Ruo was killed by an urban legend, but now that this girl has appeared, could it be that she herself was the urban legend who killed him? Seeing the girl slumped on the ground and crying, Professor Ma froze for a moment, frowned, and walked towards the utility room where He Ruo was killed. Come! Professor Ma patted Yibeis shoulder. Lets have a look. He didnt expect Professor Ma to be into gossip like this. Forget it; just watch from the sidelines and observe. Like many onlookers, the two stopped a few metres away from the warning zone and watched from afar. At this moment, they roughly understood what happened from the gossip of the people around them. He Ruos body was discovered by the janitors early in the morning, and the janitor could smell a faint, rotting stench in the corridor. A few days ago, another professor suspected that theb was infested with rats, hence the rotting smell. When he opened the utility closet, his soul almost jumped out of his body. The police arrived quickly, surveyed the scene, and transported the body away. It is said that the body was carried away using buckets instead of a stretcher. His body had rotted into a puddle of ck mucus, but his head remained intact as if he had avoided dying. His skin was still pristine, but his eyes were wide open, and his pupilscked life within them. His mouth was agape, and his cheekbones shrank. It was as if he saw something terrifying and died. His roommate saw him the afternoon before, and they were just attending ss together that very day. Professor, he attended your ss a while ago, and he brought in a beautiful girl, remember? No. Thats fine. It was when you were worried about Lu Xus situation. Hearing this, Professor Ma was slightly taken aback and then said repeatedly, Dont talk about it. Dont talk about it. Its not good to talk about people behind their backs. Regarding He Ruos death, his cause of death was agreed upon, but his time of death was stillrgely up in the air. Some say it happenedst night. Some people said that he had encountered some urban legend, and he was turned into a living dead. It was not until yesterday that his body could no longer maintain the shape of a human body, so he found a ce and turned it into a puddle of ck mucus. These theories made Professor Ma a little scared. The thought of a student who may have been dead for weeks once sitting in his ss gave him chills. On the other hand, Lu Yibei didnt care too much about when He Ruo was killed. Just knowing that someone died tragically in front of him made him feel ufortable. We should leave. Arent you still worried about the bamboo scrolls? His eyes were burning; he was afraid that if he got any closer, he would see how He Ruo wouldve died. However, Lu Yibei didnt want to see him! ording to what Professor Ma said, He Ruos death is probably rted to the bamboo scrolls, so why dont we just investigate the bamboo scrolls? Ive already seen too many scary things! Yeah, lets go. Seems that Professor Ma had the same idea. However, just as the two were about to leave, the crying girl seemed to calm down a little and blurted out an important message, causing an uproar among the onlookers. I-I dragged him here and locked him up in herest night! The policeman closest to the girl was stunned and asked, What? What do you mean? I-I wanted to teach him a lesson! The girl cried out. He kept pestering me in ss, so I lured him here and locked him up in here, but I didnt want to kill him! I didnt know this would happen! The policemen nodded amongst themselves knowingly before handcuffing her. They needed to interrogate her back at the station. However, just as the girl was about to be dragged away, a group of men in ck appeared down the corridor. Lu Yibei frowned slightly. The man leading the men in ck was none other than Li Xuan. Li Xuan stood in front of the policemen, and the policemen were shocked. Youre Li Xuan simply smiled and said, Leave this to us. The policemen led the girl away, and the crowd dissipated with the policemens orders. At this moment, Li Xuan nced at Lu Yibei, who was in the crowd, from the corner of his eye, and he couldnt help but smile and walk over. Youre here too? Li Xuan smiled knowingly. Chapter 121: The Deserted Village in the Bamboo Scrolls Chapter 121: The Deserted Vige in the Bamboo Scrolls Seeing that it was Li Xuan at the scene of the crime, Lu Yibei wanted nothing more than to turn around and disappear. I didnt expect you to be here, Li Xuan smiled,nding a firm grip on his shoulders. Y-yes, he replied in a soft voice. Jiangli told me to pay attention to abnormal events happening around me during our first lesson, so I thought toe to investigate. He prayed that Li Xuan wouldnt discover his true intentions. He should have thought about it long ago. Of course, the Night Division would send someone over to investigate. Even then, Li Xuans smile was uncanny; he always felt that something was wrong with him. His smile was a little too wide, and his teeth were a little too shiny. Damn it, if he catches me, how do I tell Jumeng? he cursed. Its all her fault that Im caught up in this mess! Wow, Li Xuan praised. Youre dedicated to your work. Li Xuans eyes thinned out as he spoke like a fox preparing to devour his prey. Oh, dont tter me, Yibei chuckled as he rubbed his head. Its just something to fill the time with. Its good that youre doing your job, but its time to let the grown-ups take over, Li Xuan smiled as he squeezed his shoulders. Yibei felt that his shoulder des were about to be snapped in half, and he gritted his teeth and said, Okay, to be honest, Im kind of scared of whats inside too. Ill leave it to you and your team. He hurriedly turned around and dragged Professor Ma away with him. Li Xuan stood on the spot and squinted his eyes towards Yibeis disappearing figure. Theres a trace of Lu Yibei wherever trouble is. Its hard not to be suspicious of him. If it werent for the strange fear that seems to repel him away from Yibeis apartment or the fact that Bai Kai was breathing down his neck, he wouldve definitely gone to investigate him and find out what he was hiding. As he was in deep thought, a tall man approached him and whispered in his ear, Operator Li Xuan, Operator An Qings test results are out; it seems like this is an urban legend attack. As he spoke, he handed a tablet to Li Xuan. Since there was nothing left to investigate, An Qing received a sample of the ck mucus leaking out of his corpse and analysed ita mixture of bodily fluids and decayed organs but no bacteria. Her preliminary analysis indicated that he was burnt to death by corrosive chemicals, but there were no chemicals detected in the mucus. Hence, she hypothesised that this was an urban legend attack. However, there was no residue of psychic energy within the ck mucus. She couldnt confirm her hypothesis. But what made her feel weird was that after passing the analysis of the spell check, no residue of psionic fluctuations was found in the ck mucus, which meant that it was strange to talk that she couldnt jump to conclusions. Argh, leaving the problem to me again, Li Xuan sighed. Lu Yibei followed Professor Ma upstairs. It wasnt until he sat down in theb that Professor Ma couldnt hold back the doubts in his heart and asked, Do you recognise the policeman just now? Why does it feel like he dislikes you? Uh, I know him. Hes my godfathers colleague. As he spoke, he added, I think he hates me because I engage with the ult. He doesnt think its serious business. He couldnt expose the Night Division, so he came up with a little white lie. I see, Professor Ma sighed. Policemen inevitably deal with strange cases all the time; they are either superstitious or dont believe in the ult at all. Life imitates art, Professor Ma thought to himself. Policemen tend not to believe in the ult, although evidence states otherwise. Professor, the bamboo scrolls. Oh, yes! The bamboo scrolls. Im getting old! Professor Ma patted his head, smiled, and went into the storage room. Lu Yibei, likest time, waited for him to retrieve the scrolls. A strange expression appeared on Professor Mas old face. His bushy eyebrows were contorted into a weird shape that seemed to contain a wave of anger. His cloudy eyes stared past the box, and the ground undted beneath his feet as if it were trying to speak to him. He snapped back into reality, and he couldnt help but feel a wave of anxiety and fear wash over him. What happened to me just now? His eyesnded on the box containing the scrolls. Once again, something seemed to nt an idea in himto not show Lu Yibei the bamboo scrolls. However, with the mysterious disappearance of that young man and his student Lu Xu, apanied by He Ruos death, he felt that justice overrode that sense of fear. I should flip a coin, Professor Ma thought suddenly. Thats what I always do when Im being indecisive. Thinking about it, he reached into the jacket pocket of his suit, fumbled for the polished and shiny copper coin, and bounced it into the sky with a ding! Heads for give, tails for hide. Smack! He smacked the copper coin on his palm, but the moment his handnded on it, his expression froze as he could feel the copper coin standing on its own beneath his hand. Lu Yibei waited in theb for a while. When Professor Ma came out of the storage room again, he saw an old wooden box iid with copper in his arms. While in the storage room, Professor Ma flipped a coin three additional times, and he received the same result again and again. This simply wasnt something that could be exined with probability. Perhaps it was because of these results that his mind was clear enough to hand the box over to him. Yibei was stunned upon seeing the slightly familiar box in Professor Mas arms. This was the exact box that the man he ran into the other day was carrying. Lets open it, Professor Ma murmured, pushing the bamboo scrolls towards him as if he fears it. Alright, Yibei said as the scrolls slid towards him. If nothing strange happens, hell note everything down and ask Jumeng about the contents of the scroll. A faint fragrance emanated from the bamboo, and his eyes began to burn, his vision distorting. There is indeed a problem with these bamboo scrolls! Come on, let me see whats behind you! He took a deep breath and took the scrolls in his hand. The moment he touched the scrolls, he was immediately sent into a dreamscape; his body flew in a passage of light and shadow, and a strange force seemed to knead into the air, rippling it. The vortex seemed to pull at his consciousness. He gritted his teeth, willing his physical body to slowly unfold the bamboo scrolls. As those strange and special characters were exposed, his vision soon returned to him. She found herself in a deserted vige surrounded by mountains. The mountains loomed over her, the peaks hidden within the cloudy mounds. It rained lightly, and the sky was a dim and gloomy grey. Standing on the muddy path, Lu Yibei felt the icy rain dripping on her face. Her pink hair was stuck to her temples, and she grumbled as it stuck to her face. The vige was strangely dim and devoid of people beyond the windows and opened doors. Large puddles were scattered around the vige grounds as if she had just entered another world. She frowned as the rain pitter-pattered on her. She expected to see dead soldiers hauling sacrifices towards the mountain but was instead greeted with nothing. Eep! A sharp, piercing sound shrieked from within the dark corners of the vige, like a sobbing, mournful cry from a distant time. Staring at the direction from which the sound came, the heavy rain pped against the mud beneath her feet. The dpidated huts on both sides were silent. Everything was still intact, but something told her that something else loomed down this muddy, forgotten path Chapter 122: I’m Going In! Chapter 122: Im Going In! The torrential rain intensified, and the sky dimmed violently. In just a few steps, that deserted vige was shrouded in an eerie darkness. The darkness seemed to illuminate once-forgotten etchings on the vige wallsws, shes, and dark red stains. A womans intuition is urate. Lu Yibei didnt know if she were to consider herself a woman, but her intuition told her that something terrible had happened in this vige. The hazy, distant sounds of various ssical instruments strummed in the dark vige. One may think a celebration is happening beyond the endless vige, but all that there was to see was pitch darkness. In the dead silence, the door of someones house was pushed open, and a mans hoarse voice rang out from a distant ce. He seemed to be calling out a certain name, attempting to awaken it. Thatched doors opened one after another, and countless footsteps stomped on the rainy, muddy path. Scarletnterns lit up beyond the doors, and they floated out of their respective huts. Thenterns soon met with each other and, like a river of blood, hovered towards the dark and deste forest outside the vige. Hiding behind several crates, she couldnt help but shiver at the scene that had just happened. The scarlet light was disturbingsomething else, not fire, illuminated thenterns. The shadows they cast on one another contorted and wriggled with life. Some shadows wore armour, holding strange tools in their hands. Their legs stomped and marched with precision; some legs were crooked and deformed, looking as if they were carrying a heavy load, forcing them onto their knees. Some shadows were eerily short, and a ceremonial mask could be made out of them. Strangely enough, these figures were shackled. The realisation washed over Yibei in an instant; these were the child sacrifices. And this must be the grand procession for some kind of ceremony, and their destination must be somewhere outside this vige. A scarletntern drifted past her, but it moved as if it didnt see her. However, she could recognise a figure among the crowd of scarletnterns. Lu Xu. He was wearing a shabby hospital gown, like a puppet who had lost his soul. His body was slightly arched back, but his head was lowered. His head hung on his shoulders, and arge hole was carved into his chest. Within that hole, something shimmered. Squinting her eyes, and with thenterns aid, she could see the contents within his wound. Rotten, ckened pieces of flesh. Her eyes stabbed into themselves, and the scene before her morphed into a pristine hospital ward. In the dimly lit ward, filled with the faint smell of disinfectant, he sat alone in his bed as he stared into the wall. Suddenly, his body convulsed, and his whole body was forcibly bent backwards. He struggled and writhed his limbs vigorously, but no matter how he resisted, he couldnt get rid of that strange control over him. With a final breath, he closed his eyes. His blood vessels hissed like snakes, and they hissed with new life. Ack! Lu Xu let out a painful cry, and bright red spread on his chest like a scarlet flower blooming out of him. The soft sound of flesh being torn apart was beautiful, and his cacophonous wailing stopped. Something chewed and tore out of his chest, and the glowing scarlet emerged from his body. The scene gradually faded away, and she found herself back in the vige. She was terrifiedantern grew and wed out of his body! She soon realised the scarlet parade was long gone, but she could still see Lu Xus staggering figuregging behind the crowd. I have to follow them, she thought. Nothing bad will happen in my dream anyway. Hopping behind them in great strides, she could see the titanic mountains in the distance. The darkness was like a river, undting and flowing among the misty heavens. Huacheng University. Professor Ma could tell that something was wrong with Lu Yibei. He was holding the bamboo scrolls in both hands, staring intently at their contents. However, his eyes seemed dull, as if he had turned into a living statue. He paced back and forth in theb, wanting to wake him up but feeling that it was better to leave him alone. He stood up and sat down repeatedly, and suddenly he noticed that the air in theb was noticeably warmer. Psst! It sounded like water droplets falling on a hot pan. He relentlessly searched for the source of the sound, and his eyes fell on Lu Yibei. Wisps of smoke were generated from his body. I cant wake him up, Professor Ma thought, sitting back down on his chair. Lu Yibei trailed after the scarletnterns, keeping a safe distance. The sound of musical instruments ying was getting clearer and clearer as they entered the deep forest. The rain was pouring on top of them, and everything was covered with a faintyer of white mist. She noticed that they were now walking on top of stone bs, cut symmetrically and neatly. Not something the ancients would make. At least not by someone born of royalty. A thinyer of moss covered the stone bs, but instead of a lively green, it was a dull grey-ck. Like fur on a dark animal or fungus on rotten food. The winding stone road was overgrown with weeds, and it became denser and lusher the further they went into the forestbyrinth. Surrounded by primitive trees and dense mist, it was as if you were leaving the known world to enter a new dimension. An ancient silence washed over her; she walked and walked until a hoarse voice shouted, and the musical instruments stopped their music. The forest fell into a dead silence, and the scarletnterns vanished from sight. She hurriedly turned her head front-to-back, but she didnt know where the parade was. An inexplicable sense of panic washed over her, and she quickened her pace on the stone bs, only to fall forward. The stone bs suddenly took a downward turn with no warning. She slipped on the moss-covered bs as if she were being sucked into a vortex. She slid all the way down. Out of the corner of the eye, the dense forest distorts, like furtive figures writhing their limbs in ecstasy. She continued to fall into the gaping maw of darkness, and she thought that she wouldve hit the floor by now. Stretching her arms out to grab at the weeds did nothing to slow her down. Gradually, the fog cleared the further she slid, and a huge, endless, and evil pit broke into her field of vision. The stone road stopped abruptly at the edge of the pit. The scarletnterns danced on the edge of the pit, shaking, crying, and praying, and hundreds of figures floated by the pit, whispering in a meaninglessnguage. Something told her that an ancient evil lurked within the pita primal secret waiting to be unearthed. Her face paled as her tiny body got closer and closer to the edge of the pit, and nothing she did could slow her down. No! I cant die like this! she yelled out inwardly. Theres a mountain! And there is a woman. Yelling out the few words with vigour, her body became hot, and her long, mud-ridden hair shed with a violent crimson. Chapter 123: Help Chapter 123: Help It still works! Lu Yibei praised. However, it continued to nag at her. If she did this, it may cause psychic fluctuations in real life, and Li Xuan is still investigating the incident at school. Not my problem, she thought. Her body flung closer and closer to the edge, and the gaping maw of darkness seemed to open as if it sensed her arrival. She could even smell the stench that apanied the biting wind at the bottom of the pit. Surrounding the pit, figures with deformed bodies emerged behind the scarletnterns, and Lu Xus vague form could be seen among the crowd. They turned around in unison, staring at Yibeis descending figure, and hissed, Kill her! Kill the sphemer With each sullen word, they babbled an unknown prayer. Her heart beat against her chest wildly, and the disturbing prayers in her ear became more and more intense. Her body skidded down the cobblestone road, and something seemed to ignite; the figures by the pit hovered closer and closer to the edge, waving their twisted, bloody limbs towards her Ten metres, five metres three metres Just as she was about to fall into the pit, she could feel her body bing lighterweightlessand she soared into the air with the forward momentum brought about by her sliding, kicking Lu Xus body square on the chest. His body was flung alongside his apanyingntern, and like a zinget, he shed straight across the pit, hovering directly above it. With thenterns light, she could see what was within the pit: irregr, mounded shapes of the earth, like a big mouth filled with sharp fangs. Kill the sphemer! Lu Xu had no concept of death, and he continued to yell out curses as his body was ignited from the inside out, bursting into mes. His body fell straight into the pit, and he fell and fell and fell into the never-ending maw. The sound of thunder exploded in the sky. The sudden noise made her jump slightly. Raising her head, she could see the lightning moving about the clouds. The sky was eerily dark despite the shes of light, and the dark clouds seemed to shape themselves into huge eggs. But the quieter it was, the more restless Lu Yibei felt; a huge and lifeless sense of oppression came from all directions. Staring at the gloomy sky, then staring into the bottomless pit. Something tells her that something will appear, either from the sky or the gaping maw. The egg-shaped cloud in the sky burst open, revealing dazzling lightning that burst into the sky. The water contained in these clouds, like a flood, poured into the pit; her body temperature rose to a terrifying height, and her zing, crimson hair floated behind her like a cape. The rain falling upon her vaporised into a thin mist as if she were wearing a shawl made of water. Roar! A deep roar could be heard from within the pit, like a whale in the deep sea,bined with the hissing of snakes and thementations of thousands of people. She was visibly stunned and peeked her head down into the pit. A huge shadow emerged from within the pit and rolled into a gross amalgamation of corpses that bit into one another, and the ball of corpses scrambled to climb up the pit. It was a ball of dead, but it was strangely alive. The ball morphed into itself, and beyond the cracks, countless scarlet lights emerged from the ball. Lanterns! She thought, and beyond the ball, she could see that the thing hidden deep under the pit was also covered with scarletnterns. She found it difficult to stare at the thing beyond the pit; bright, exaggerated images flooded her mind and buzzed in her ear. Her consciousness was pulled into an amorphous whirlpool of dreams, and a feeling of nausea hit her. Cant stay here any longer. I need to fly away. She tried stabilising her head, but at this moment, something neighed within the darkness, and a sticky, blue-ck figure flew straight up from the pit, like a whale leaping out of the sea, and flew straight towards her. She wanted to dodge, but a strange force pinned her down. In desperation, she frowned and bit her lip, raised her hands in front of her, and yelled out Du Sixians incantation from within her dreams. Deste wilderness; grass, bones Fan the winds of fire into a zing me! A pir of fire formed at her fingertips, and it soon formed itself into a basketball-sized fireball. Waving her arm slightly, sheunched the fireball straight at the figure, and it collided with the figure; it twisted into various shapes as it struggled against the light, only for the fireball to fizzle out into nothing. At first, the figure was like a whale, but it turned into a serpent that spat out strange words, apanied by hideous faces that emerged from the cracks of its skin. Damn it, she couldnt help but curse, and a disgusting stench hit her, and she felt suffocated as it got closer and closer Densely packed eyes like scarletnterns stared straight into her soul. Rage, greed, despair Under these negative emotions that threatened to break her psyche, she could hear a broken incantation. Something unmistakably familiar to her. Her mind was a mess, but she trained her ears on that strange voice. Then she heard a whisper. O Respected Witch, the one destined to bring about disaster, I beg thee to show me mercy and fill me with grace. She was startled upon hearing this. Just as she was about to open her mouth, a chill washed over her. As if she had walked into a room and a bucket of water had sshed onto her. Professor Ma stared anxiously at Lu Yibei. He was practically a living smoke machine, but whats worse was that the bamboo scrolls themselves were emitting smoke, and the wholeb was as hot as a sauna. He nned on getting closer to Yibei to somehow wake him up but found that he was surprisingly chilly. Like an ice cube. Is he going to melt? The heat in theb was getting unbearable, and he needed to get out before he passed out from the intense heat, but Something must have happened to Yibei. He couldnt just leave his student behind, right? Staring at the bamboo scrolls intently, he thought that Yibeis life mattered more than the bamboo scrolls, but his research He took out the coin again and threw it into the air. Heads to save him, tails to run away The copper coinnded perfectly on its side as it endlessly spun as if it were refusing tond on one side. What the hell! I need to I need to His eyes darted around theb anxiously, and he found an unused bucket in the janitors closet. He hurriedly filled the bucket up with water and sshed the entire bucket on Yibei. Chapter 124: Is Lu Yibei In? Chapter 124: Is Lu Yibei In? After carefully inspecting the scene and finding nothing abnormal, Li Xuan quickly got his men together to disperse the crowd. Of course, it was difficult to persuade the nosy crowd, but upon iming that He Ruos death was rted to a malignant disease, everyone started to run and leave the scene as if something evil was chasing them. Li Xuan then ordered his men to bring a special sign to dissuade anyone froming near the scene of the crime. After this, he looked in the direction where Lu Yibei had disappeared upstairs, and a yful smile appeared on his face. He had been suspecting him for quite some time; recently, he lurked by Yibeis house and saw the broken windows to his apartment. He looked away for a moment and found that the windows were repaired when he came back. It bothered him greatly. Even if Yibei himself was skilled in repairing appliances, how could one repair a window in just a matter of minutes? Even if the Level S psychic fluctuations didnte from him, there were grounds for suspicion. He must be hiding urban legends in his house. Ah he sighed. I hate trouble, yet I cant stop thinking about it. Suddenly, a strong wave of psychic energy washed over the entire corridor andmanded him in ce; the domineering, fiery aura burnt the air around him as if something was zing right above him. What surprised him was that it was quite literally fluctuatingone moment, it was strong and terrifying; another moment, it was something he could step on and squish on. And just like that, the psychic fluctuations disappeared, as if somebody had put out the zing fire. Gone? What the hell is that? Lu Yibei could it be? He gritted his teeth and took out a carved rune that looked like a painted pebble. Holding it in between his fingers, he murmured a few words to it, and a blue light shed above the rune, condensing into the shape of an eye. He looked at the phantom eye that was condensed by the blue shimmering light and peeked through it. He saw a girl. To be precise, it was a girl with emerald hair wrapped in a bath towel. Wisps of smoke surrounded her milky skin, and she could be seen browsing aputer. Damn it. I lost again! Jumeng yelled as she closed the game on theputer. Through gritted teeth, she opened the web browser and entered [How do I be stronger in-game?]. [Power Levelling + Q], [Explosive Liver Changes Fate], [Krypton Gold, Invincible], [One key is in my hand, and it is the key to the world!] Thousands upon thousands of search results popped up, and she rested her chin on her hand. She thought about recruiting a few of her believers from her domain to help her out in the game; being a goddess yet losing was such an embarrassing scene. However, before she swallowed her godly integrity to curse the yers that had beaten her in the game, she could sense a weak, psychic energy pulsing near her. Her eyes locked onto a gadget resting on Yibeis bed, and her eyes furrowed in anger. Who? Whos spying on me? After hearing the girls shout, Li Xuans eyes were met with emerald, and the connection to his spying device was crushed, along with the rune he had just used as it crumbled in his grasp. His body trembled violently in the hallway, and he hurriedly looked away. Indeed. He is hiding an urban legend in his house. I shouldve been more cautious; my sole evidence has been destroyed, he gritted through his teeth. Now, he was disinterested in investigating that strong psychic wave that urred upstairs. He didnt want to die while in a great state of fear. However, it wasnt right to let something dangerous lurk on school grounds. Stay here. I will go have a look, he ordered his men. Even if it were dangerous, surely a peek wouldnt hurt, right? Meanwhile, in theb. Professor Mas limbs were worn out; he didnt know how many buckets of water he had just sshed on top of Yibeis unconscious body, and yet he didnt show any signs of waking up. The puddle around him was already boiling from the heat. He sighed as he turned to fill the bucket again. Although it didnt seem to be of use, he couldnt just do nothing, right? However, when he returned to Yibei, he dropped the bucket of water in shock. At some point, Yibei was reced by a girl with fiery white hair, and her body was naked. Although the dense steam that lingered around her covered her privates, Professor Ma couldnt help but gulp. At this moment, the girl let out a soft moan, and her eyelids trembled slightly. The surrounding temperature dropped rapidly, and the steam surrounding her body was getting thinner and thinner. I-Im not a paedophile! he yelled out, taking his coat and covering her naked body as he stood by the side. He still had a job! The girls eyes opened, and feeling the difort of her long hair sticking to her body alongside the strange-smelling water, she noticed that she was back in theb. Ab that looked strangely like a sauna with steam floating about. Y-you Where is Lu Yibei? What? I am Yibei. As soon as she opened her mouth, she realised her voice was very, very wrong. What the fuck! I transformed in front of Professor Ma! How do I Do I kill him? Make him my servant! Thinking of Du Sixian, she brushed the thought of making him her servant away. Then you must be Lu Yibei, correct? Although his tone was full of doubts, as somebody studying strange, ancient texts, what has he not seen? As a man of education, this is something that he can hypothesise. Well At this moment, a knock came from the door. Knock, knock, knock Hello? Li Xuans voice could be heard from outside. Professor Ma, correct? Im Lu Yibeis friend; is he in? Chapter 125: Because I Love to Learn Chapter 125: Because I Love to Learn Is he in? Hearing Li Xuans voice outside, Lu Yibeis heart rose to her throat, and she hurriedly turned to Professor Ma and shook her head violently. Back at Flowers and Sunshine Resort, even though Li Xuan didnt see her female form, Jiangli and An Qing did, so she was sure that a file of her appearance was made. If Li Xuan were to enter the room, a battle would ur; victory or loss means nothing if it means exposing her to the Night Division. Professor Ma furrowed his eyebrows. Although she was expressionless, a sincere look of fear was painted on her face as she grasped onto his coat like her lifeline. But why is she scared? Professor Yibei murmured, but the door to theb was knocked on again. Professor Ma, this is urgent! I need to speak with Lu Yibei! He didnt know if he should hide her or expose her. ording to Professor Mas observations, this girl before him must be some sort of urban legend, and this urban legend is none other than Yibei herself, and as her teacher, he has the responsibility to help her. The coin He took it and tossed it into the air again. Heads to help her, tails to expose her. Ding! He was secretly relieved to see that itnded on heads; only then did he realise that he wasnt relying on chance but to confirm his feelings when the coinnded on his desired choice. And in his heart, he wanted to help her from the very starta girl about the same age as his grandson, dripping wet, naked, pleading with big watery eyes Whats more, this girl might be Lu Yibei! She had helped her so much, so doing her a little favour should be no problem. Plus If that man outside were to see a naked girl inside hisb, he would never have a job again. Clearing his throat, he walked straight towards the door. Who is it? I dont ept students from ten oclock to four-thirty in the afternoon! Its written outside my office! Ah, Professor Ma, I am Li Xuan wanted to say something but was interrupted sharply by Professor Ma. If you have any questions, ask them in ss tomorrow! Professor Ma, Im not your student. Im here to find Lu Yibei. If youre not my student, then why are you here? I have no business with you; he left long ago! No, Professor Ma, I If you dont leave, Ill call security and pass on a message to that damn Lu Yibei that Ill deduct his marks if he cant control his friends! Lu Yibei peeked her head out of the storage room, seeing Professor Ma in a new light. The strict, hot-headed, enthusiastic Professor seemed graceful and understanding suddenly, but Are my grades deducted for real? Outside theb. Li Xuans chest felt congested. He couldnt tell if Professor Ma had always been this grumpy or if he was hiding something. If he were to break in and Lu Yibei wasnt inside, the Professor would inevitably cause a scene. Well, if you say so. Leave! Dont disturb my research! No matter. His informants will keep a close eye on this enigmatic Lu Yibei, and he went around campus to ask about Professor Mas reputation. Surprisingly, everyone he askedmented how strict Professor Ma was, and no matter what you do, he will find a way to fault you and deduct your grades. All of a sudden, he couldnt help but pity Lu Yibei. Professor Ma stuck his ear to the door and waited until he couldnt hear Li Xuans footsteps. He heaved a huge sigh of relief. He couldnt believe he was hiding something from the police, and he returned to the girl hiding inside the storage room. Seeing Professor Ma return, she got up immediately to thank him, but he immediately jumped backwards and pointed a finger at her. Sit over there! Dont get any closer! He still wasnt sure if that was really Lu Yibei or an urban legend. Professor, dont be afraid! I wont hurt. Before Lu Yibei could finish, a drop of water dripped on her skin, and green smoke was emitted from her skin. Both of them stared at each other in silence. Lu Yibei sat down on the chair silently, and Professor Ma breathed a sigh of relief, Ahem exin yourselfwho are you, and why are you here? If your exnation is not reasonable, Ill call that policeman back. Professor, I she bit her lip. Im actually Lu Yibei. It was useless to hide it. Plus, he helped hide her. He probably already knows. Then why are you Professor Ma asked, pointing at her. I have night sickness. Ive been hiding it from people. Night sickness? Although it is true that people who are gued by night sickness suffer from strange symptoms, This seems stranger than that. Ive had this for almost two years, she breathed out. Every time Ie into contact with the ult, I will transform into a girl. Because of this, that policeman has always suspected that Im an urban legend, so Professor Ma frowned upon hearing her exnation. As a professor, he was responsible for learning about his students. Judging from the information he had learned, Lu Yibei had indeed been out of school for more than a year due to illness, and what she said now was also true, and it didnt seem like she was lying. You should know that students afflicted with night sickness arent allowed in academic institutions, and since Im hiding you I was worried you would say this. I dont want you tough at me. What is it? I love studying! Lu Yibei raised her head and looked at Professor Ma with zing eyes. Please dont tell anyone my secret! Please! Professor Ma sighed as he looked into her fiery yet pleading eyes. Chapter 126: She Agrees Chapter 126: She Agrees He wanted to drive her out of theb. But how could one drive a young, innocent, and naked girl out into the unknown? He would really rather she not speak at all. You are you really the Lu Yibei I know? he asked. Y-yes, its true. I suppose I could help you keep your secret, but Professor Ma said as a sinister smile appeared on his face. Her heart skipped a beat as she clutched his coat tighter around her. Surely this old man isnt having strange ideas about Where are your morals, old man? On a remote path leading outside the campus. A hesitant young girl walked out of campus with a dazed look in her eyes. She wore a dark blue, buttoned-twill cardigan and linen cropped pants. The underwear hidden beneath had an ancient twinge to its fashion. The girl is Lu Yibei, and the clothes on her body were found by Professor Ma. When Professor Ma was researching a special text about cloth dyeing, he asked the students to restore the clothes ording to the recorded content and keep them inside the storage room of theboratory. It was just research, he told her. He didnt expect the small clothes to fit her that well. Strangely enough, Lu Yibei felt as if the cores affecting her memory had been quelled. Although the clothes had a weird texture to them, strangely enough, they didnt burn up into pieces, and her body temperature remained at a constant, pleasant level. But what is that old n nning? She couldnt help but think of the deal she had just made with Professor Ma. You may look different, but you are still my student; I have to protect my interests as well, Professor Ma said. And let me ask you, why havent you handed in the essay I asked you to do? Ah, well Not finished? Change it to a standard paper and hand it to me next week. She couldnt believe what she was hearingshe thought her grades were going to be deducted! She nned to head home as soon as possible and ask that damned Jumeng to write an essay for her as rent! After youre done with that, Ill task you with another essay! You love studying, dont you? Oh. So thats how it is. Taking advantage of a little girl, she felt like a joke. Its hard to read, Professor Ma. Looking at his giddy smile, she felt fear that she had never felt before. There is a remote road leading out from Huacheng University. It cannot be named, but most students know it as the road to Gate No. 4. When the road was first built, it was a normal road made for students to head out into the bustling city centre. Besides the remote location and the obvious disrepair, the road was said to be haunted. Two or three years ago, when a girl was attending her boyfriends birthday party, she left the party early and went back to campus alone in the heavy rain, and something chopped off her head. Nobody knew what had happened; the security guards heard a brief scream and nothing more. It was said that she discovered something between her best friend and her boyfriend, and because of her untimely death, she was filled with resentment and turned into an urban legend, wandering about near the road in Gate No. 4. Every rainy night, some students im that they see a girl holding a rose-coloured umbre, and if you dare to approach her System, with you following me around, I dont think any urban legend wille and attack me, Gu Qianqian huffed. Ever since she first infiltrated the campus, she found that taking the path by Gate No. 4 made it much easier to break in and out. Others are afraid of encountering urban legends, but she is not. Weirdly enough, she too has be some sort of urban legendthe unnamed Guardian of Huacheng University. Ever since she came around, the number of urban legends spotted on campus has decreased significantly. I was just telling you what had happened here before, the system replied. Besides, you are the one repelling the urban legends with your presence. The system couldnt help but grumble under its breath. How could somebody this dumb be bestowed with so much power? System, I know you asked me to stick the scraps from the bamboo scrolls into my flesh, but why? I dont want to die of an infection. As a vagrant, she has seen many homeless people sumb to their untreated wounds. It is natural that she has worries like these. There is no need to worry, the system assured. It is imperative that the bamboo scrolls remain embedded in your flesh so that you can form a connection, and you can wait until the full moon rises to go to that ce. Then, why do I even need to participate on a school night? Wont I just dy my mission? Im helping you create an alibi! The bamboo scrolls will inevitably trigger strong psychic energy fluctuations, luring the Night Division over! Do you really think theylle up to you and invite you for tea? Makes sense, but why do I even need the bamboo scrolls on myself in the first ce? That doesnt Gu Qianqian, run! The system went haywire and into overdrive, warning Gu Qianqian of an impending presence down the path. She turned her head around, only to be greeted by the sight of a young girl. Gu Qianqian takes this path because nobody else would dare take it. Lu Yibei had the same idea, it seems. It wasnt smart to remain in Professor Masb; what if Li Xuan decides to turn back? Besides, Professor Ma promised to help her with rted matters at the school. Good thing I told him Id turn back to normal in three to five days, she grumbled. I dont have to submit that thesis for at least a week. She nned to leave campus on this path, but never in a million years would she expect to meet Gu Qianqian on this path. She must be sneaking into campus from this path. No wonder I dont see her around that often Just as she was deep in thought, Gu Qianqian immediately turned around and ran in the opposite direction. She took several looks behind her as she ran. Why does she keep running away from me? she sighed, deciding to chase after them. There were things she had to ask them. Hey! Dont run! I want to talk! Gu Qianqian heard her words, and all she did was run faster. Chapter 127): Get In, We’re Leaving! Chapter 127): Get In, Were Leaving! Lu Yibei had long wanted to get in touch with Gu Qianqian. Having met Gu Qianqian twice in a row in a ce haunted by urban legends, Lu Yibei felt that she was definitely not an ordinary person. Plus, she has never heard of a Gu Qianqian being mentioned in the Night Division. She felt that she must be some kind of enigmatic exorcist, or Or somebody who was like her. If she could establish a good rtionship with her, she wouldnt need to rely on cunning goddesses or the Night Division for information anymore. Jumeng mentioned that some magical materials were required to be stronger, but as of now, Yibei had no way of obtaining these items, especially not from the Night Division. But if Gu Qianqian had these materials, considering her strength, wouldnt it be great to be friends with her? Lu Yibei is currently a college student recently gued by the burden of essays, a part-time worker for the Night Division, a wanted criminal for the Night Division, a supposed World Ender enving a girl to be her servant, and somebody suspicious of Operator No. 2, Li Xuan. Despite her several identities, Gu Qianqian seemed to evade her, and she wondered if she was just a figment of her own imagination. Wait up! she shouted while chasing after Gu Qianqian, feeling that she was unable to catch up to her. Damn, shes good at running. Gu Qianqian, hurry! The system red in her ears, urging her to run faster. The system couldnt believe that Lu Yibei would appear right in front of them; it means that the Witch doesnt care about being found out by the Night Division anymore. ording to the systems estimation, she should have been beaten up by Jumangs sessor by now, and she would not appear on campus, but This could only mean that Jumangs sessor has fallen and is under that Witchs control! Although Jumangs powers have little to do with acquiring world-ending abilities, the vast psychic energy absorbed from a god is enough to make the Witch strong enough to bring destruction to the world. And if shes strong enough to no longer fear the Night Division System? Mistress, we have to run. I thought you said she wasnt that scary, though. We could always fight her, so why are we running? The situation is a bit different now. This is a tactical retreat. I feel like weve always been retreating, though. How about we surrender to her? she asked. She doesnt look or feel scary. Maybe she just wants to talk. Gu Qianqian! the system suddenly shouted in Gu Qianqians mind upon hearing her words. You are the protagonist! Are you really willing to stoop so low to talk to a Witch? Yes! Gu Qianqian retorted. Why dont you want to? Wouldnt it be great to battle it out with somebody stronger than me? Even if I am the protagonist, doesnt she still need to face some adversaries? The system was at a loss for words. This girl is too far gone. Nothing has changed about that damned Witchno matter how kind or how squishy her cheeks look, she will eventually herald the end of the world. Lu Yibei thought that Gu Qianqian couldpete in a marathon and win first ce. Besides, with her short legs, its going to be hard to catch up to the much faster Gu Qianqian. However, she would never have expected that Gu Qianqian would crash into a car. Emphasis on Gu Qianqian. The moment the car hit her, the steel bumper of the car was immediately crushed by her sheer presence. The person in the car flew out the window andnded straight into a pile of garbage. Thankfully, he didnt seem hurt. Gu Qianqian staggered a bit from the impact but was fine after brushing the fine dust out of her clothes. Seeing that Gu Qianqian was fine, the man was also taken aback for a moment, but as if something possessed him, he walked up with proud strides, grabbed her wrists, and yelled out in her ear, Dont even think about leaving. Ow! Youll pay for this! The system and Lu Yibei couldnt help but sigh in their hearts. System, what do I do? she whispered in her head, but in the next moment, a mechanical notification sounded in her head, notifying her that her system had disconnected. Im sorry, Gu Qianqian, but I have no idea how to deal with bullies. Id better hide myself from the Witch too. The system nned to abandon the ship. Whats the use of a destructive tank if all it has is a single button? System? System? Seeing that her system had truly disconnected, she turned to the man with an apologetic face and said, I-Im sorry Do you want me to take you to a hospital? Hell no! Im dyin here! You cant send me to the hospital in time! Oookay, so you dont need my help. Im leaving you here, okay? Of course, the man didnt expect Gu Qianqian to suddenly turn cold on him and decided to whip out his trump card: Help! Somebody help! Shes trying to do a hit-and-run on me! Humans are inherently nosy, and soon the pedestrians on the streets gathered nearby. After seeing the car smashed into pieces, they couldnt help but think that a beautiful girl would be so aggressive when driving a car, and they pointed their fingers at Gu Qianqian. Little girl, what have you done? Look at him! Hes dying? Hey, it looks like hes fine. He should be dying by the looks of it, right? Maybe he has internal damage, and hes about to die soon poor thing No matter how you look at it, the crowd seems to be wishing death on the man. No matter! This means that he could extort more money out of the girl! Lu Yibei never expected such a cheap scheme to y out in front of her eyes. To be honest, she felt bad for Gu Qianqian and walked up to her and stood in front of her with her arms stretched outwards as if to shield her. Normally, she would hide, but now she felt a sense of justice overtaking her. You! she pointed towards the man. You hit her first, and youre trying to ckmail her? Gu Qianqian was so anxious that she was about to cry, but seeing that this supposed World Ender was speaking up for her, she hurriedly grabbed her tiny hand and nodded vigorously. Y-yes! You hit me first! You! This is obviously her car! The man bellowed. She hit me! I see it nowyoure trying to ckmail me, and both of you are in it together! This is her car, ording to your words, Yibei said. Yes, thats right! I see, she thoughtfully nodded as she turned to Gu Qianqian. Do you mind lending me your car for a bit? A-ah? O-okay. Yibei wordlessly entered the drivers seat under the anticipating eyes of the crowd, and turning the engine on, she was delighted to find that it was still usable. In the next moment, she pulled the window down and drove towards Gu Qianqian, whispering in her ear, Get in the car; lets get out of here! It wasnt until they were far away that the man realised what had happened. H-hey! They stole my car! Somebody stop them! I thought you said that was her car. A few minutester, at the police station. Lu Yibei and Gu Qianqian were taken to the police station for questioning. The car was heavily damaged, so it wasnt a surprise that anyone jogging could catch up to them. In the interrogation room, Gu Qianqian sat opposite a police officer. Name? Gu Qianxi. Age? Neen. ce of residence? Under a bridgethe third bridge by the bank of the river. Young woman, we know what happened, the policeman sighed. That guy who hit you with a car is a known con artist, so dont be afraid and tell us the truth. But Gu Qianqian hesitated, wondering if she had to specifically tell them that she lives in a tiny hut under the bridge. She was in a daze, and thankfully, a police officer came in. Let her go. Her family is here to take her. Hearing this, Gu Qianqians expression changed. I thought my family was dead Chapter 128): Raised by an Urban Legend Chapter 128): Raised by an Urban Legend Gu Qianqians childhood experience, ording to her system, was something straight out of a manga. When she was six, her parents passed away, and her parents have be nothing but two vague outlines in her memory. Then she lived with her rich uncle in a small mansion, and her room overlooked a small garden. Her uncle treated her like family, and Gu Qianqian was happy. However, on her 15th birthday, her uncle vanished. On that day, she was anticipating a grand birthday celebration as always, as she found it hard to fall asleep. Perhaps it was because she was too excited, but she didnt notice that the mansion was eerily quiet, and she fell asleep while fiddling with her mobile phone. When she woke up the next day, it was already noon, and when she opened the door of her room, a cloud of pungent dust greeted her rather than a pleasant birthday atmosphere. The wooden floor on the second floor was damp; thick dust umted on the few remaining pieces of furniture, and cobwebs hung in the corners. The walls were soaked with mildew; mould twisted in the walls like carvings. The whole house looked as if it had been abandoned for a long time. At first, Gu Qianqian thought this was a birthday surprise, despite not liking it that much. However, when she went downstairs and searched around, all she found was a pale paper doll and stacks of paper money by a tiny shrine. Her contact information for her uncle had vanished; nobody in themunity recognised her; the police station had no records of this house being registered When she walked out of the police station, Gu Qianqian walked home in a daze. If I stay here, maybe theylle home. When she got home, she realised that home was no longer home, and overnight, she became a vagrant. She worked various odd jobs, slept in parks, lived in bridge holes, and evaded child traffickers who attempted to kidnap her. After a person has experienced a traumatic event, they either be gloomy and emotionless or full of life. Gu Qianqian was obviously thetter. Hearing that her family hade to pick her up, Gu Qianqians eyes turned rosy. Noticing Gu Qianqians strange emotion, the policeman hurriedlyforted her, saying, Youngdy, it is alright. We dropped your charges. Youre free to go home. System? Im here. I suggest that you not meet those imposters. But At this moment, there was a knock on the door. Knock, knock, knock. Who is it? We are Gu Qianqians family, the person outside the door responded, and Gu Qianqians heart rose to her throat. Oh, please,e in. A hale and hearty old man, along with a young girl, walked into the room, and Gu Qianqian froze. The girl is Lu Yibei; she knows that but who is this old man? Professor Ma didnt know what kind of evil hemitted to be strung up in Lu Yibeis criminal web; he couldnt believe he had to deceive the police twice a day! Decades of a positive image have gone to waste! When he received the call from Yibei, he almost cursed the heavens but couldnt help but sumb to her demands (and the coins demands too). Big dealhell just take this secret to the grave. Cant tarnish a reputation if nobody knows. Fortunately, I also know some people in the public security system, he thought. If anything bad were to happen, he could just cover it up. Connections matter. Plus, if they were to do a deep dive into Lu Yibeis background, they would find nothing which could arouse suspicion. The first person that came to mind when trouble arose was Professor Ma. After all, the only living human who knew of her secret was none other than him. That damned car moved so slow, she grinned. If only it were fast enough, me and Gu Qianqian wouldve been safe. Plus, who else would she look for? Surely not the Night Division! Thats a one-way trip to the mental hospital. Hence, why not contact Professor Ma? Big deal! Just write two more essays for him as payment! Soon, the two of them reached an agreement, and Professor Ma agreed to help. System, what should I do now? Staring at the two people at the door, Gu Qianqian asked anxiously in her mind. System? After a long silence, the system finally responded with a very small voice, Fight them and attract the Night Divisions attention. Just like Lu Yibei didnt want to be targeted by the Night Division, for some strange reason, the system didnt want Gu Qianqian to be involved with them either. A child who was raised by urban legends is definitely someone of interest to them. After receiving the systems response, Gu Qianqian nodded wryly and stepped up to them, only for Lu Yibei to rush up and smoulder her with a bear hug. Sis, you scared me to death! Are you okay? H-huh? The sudden hug made Gu Qianqian startled, and Lu Yibei whispered in her ear, This is my professor. Hes here to help. She then took a step back and shed a toothy grin to Gu Qianqian, saying, Grandpa is taking us home. Lets go home. See? The system thought. Lying through her teeth with no regret. And you say shes harmless. Grandpa! Professor Ma, who was filling out the information at the desk, suddenly heard two girls calling out for him. His heart warmed, and he felt that his lifelong dream of having granddaughters was fulfilled. It was all worth the help, really. The police didnt investigate the personal information written on Professor Mas report for too long and sent them home with a smile. Dont go lying about your family living under the bridge, the policeman in charge joked. Go home and have a nice rest, alright? Lu Yibei and Professor Ma looked at Gu Qianqian wordlessly. She really may just be living under a bridge. Its a pity. Chapter 129: The Road to Killing Chapter 129: The Road to Killing After leading Lu Yibei and Gu Qianqian out of the police station, Professor Ma didnt linger too long. There are still many things to be done on campus. Before leaving, he called Lu Yibei aside. Is that girl really a student? he whispered. I have never heard of somebody so miserable living under a bridge. Ah, well she stuttered. All she knew about Gu Qianqian was rted to urban legends. She couldnt tell him the truth. You know how girls are, she exined. No matter how bad the situation is, she isnt going to tell you. Nonsense! Poverty and poor family background are not something to be ashamed of! I, too, relied on schrships and teachers support to get to where I am today! You! You must tell her that Huacheng University hosts many schrships and student funding for students like her, and If she encounters any problems, she can contact me. Well, then, Ill Dont even think about it! Ill reveal your secret! Professor Ma was still, admittedly, afraid of Yibei. He didnt even let her finish her sentence. System, they kind of remind me of the two scoundrels we fought at the meat bun shop back then. That damned Witch will make sure you dont even have bones left to cremate, you dumb girl. How could you evenpare them to flesh-eating urban legends? The system groaned as Yibei waved Professor Ma away and hurriedly ordered Gu Qianqian, Do what I tell you to do. Only in this way can we sessfully save our lives to live another day. But system Arent we going to run away, or did you change your mind to let a protagonist like me shine? No! the system blurted out. Were just showing a little bit of vulnerability. Lure her into a false sense of security. I see! Should I be friends with her? Her sidekick? Ill gain her trust, wait for the right moment, and boom! Ill backstab her! Suddenly, the system felt as if it wasnt evil anymore. However, she had a great point. Before this, the passionate young men the system hosted believed in their fate as protagonists, but never once did they bother to think of something as smart as backstabbing someone. Even though protagonists are strong, you cant rely on them solely on that title. After all, Lu Yibei seemed strangely human for a Witch, but this was risky. If Gu Qianqian didnt gain her trust quickly, then her efforts would be in vain. After thinking for a while, the system whispered to Gu Qianqian, You can try, but we can talk it out once we reach that ce. Once we obtain that thing, the system thought. Youll have enough strength to fight her. No problem! Im the best at making friends! Gu Qianqian, where is this confidenceing from? You never had friends before this? What about that old uncle? He made me some wine to drink the other time, but Im not sure where he went off to! The system didnt have the heart to tell her that the homeless man didnt regard her as a friend. He simply tried getting her drunk to do indescribable acts to her. The system couldnt sense him anymore; perhaps he drank himself to death and ended up in the gut of an urban legend. You wannae over? My house is really big! Gu Qianqian boasted to Yibei, snapping the system out of its thoughts. No! Why are you inviting the Witch over to your house? Do you really think shell agree? Alright, lets go, Yibei replied. The system was in shock. Although going to Gu Qianqians house was weird, Lu Yibei had no choice; if she were to return home in her current state, Jumeng would immediately know, and if she were to bump into the people of the Night Division, she would be done for. Perhaps it would be good to hole up with Gu Qianqian for the night. Chapter 130: The Urban Legend Chat Group Chapter 130: The Urban Legend Chat Group The system didnt expect that Gu Qianqian would invite the World Ender to her doorstep; Lu Yibei didnt expect that Gu Qianqian would literally live under a bridge. Since Lu Yibei had no money on herself and Gu Qianqian was reluctant to spend money on a cab, the two walked for about ten kilometres from the University to her tiny little hut under the bridge. Along the way, Lu Yibei kept a step or two behind Gu Qianqian and followed closely behind her. She silently kept her hand by her schoolbag, where she hid her kitchen knife. After all, she didnt know Gu Qianqian that well. It was good to be on guard. When Lu Yibei followed Gu Qianqian, they walked through the muddy path hidden in the bushes near the bridge and climbed down dangerousdders with no safety precautions. Lu Yibei was dumbfounded when they reached her homeif it could even be called a home. Not even four walls, if you dont count the sole sheet covering the hut as a door. The roof was made of stic sheets and wooden boards. However, once they entered the shack, she couldnt help but feel shocked. A slight fragrance, true to any girls rooma patchy sofa, as if it were sewed by a grandmother. By the window overlooking the river, there are several barrels cut into different heights, and various vegetables were nted inside. A stream of clear spring water gushed out from the rock wall by the window and was urately led by a few hollow knots of bamboo into an old fish tank used to store water. A small tform extends out of the window, on which there is a cage woven with reeds, in which several pigeons are kept. A TV was ced firmly on top of a dresser, and on the wall were neatly arranged wires that syphoned power from nearby street lights. A round table with one leg missing, padded with bricks, was in the centre of the tiny hut, with a pile of handicrafts that have not yet been finished ced on it. Yibei recognised them; she had seen simr things in the souvenir shops down Peony Street. Even though the hut wasnt very big, it was cosy, and you could tell that it was neatly divided into the bedroom, kitchen, bathroom, living room, etc. This girl is amazing. Living alone, she has mastered carpentry, cooking, masonry, bing an electrician, farming, raising animals, and making handicrafts. Originally, she felt a little sympathetic to Gu Qianqians situation, but isnt she living well on her own? She felt bad for looking down on her. ncing at the vegetables nted outside in the barrels, rules out the possibility that shes an urban legend. Hence, she may be a vignte. Ever since she became a Witch, Lu Yibei has had little interest in human food. Youre in luck, Yibei! Gu Qianqian suddenly said something, breaking the silence. Oh? Wait, I got it right here! she eximed as she opened the bird cage, petted the pigeons, and retrieved something within. Two pigeon eggs rested in her palm. We can eat pigeon eggs tonight for dinner! Listen, although I know you keep those pigeons for food, I didnt expect you to eat their eggs. Why dont you raise a chicken instead? Wont that be more efficient? Bah, too troublesome! Gu Qianqianughed. In the morning, I release the pigeons, and they go look for food on their own. Saves me a lot of time looking for chicken feed; I can even work during that time! Damn. Shes a master at time management. Right, Gu Qianqian continued, putting the two pigeon eggs into Yibeis hands. Want to eat fish for lunch? Seeing that she was being incredibly warm to the Witch, the system couldnt help but remind her, Ahem! Were trying to get close to her to backstab her as a reminder. Oh, I forgot, she whispered in her brain. Gu Qianqian was silent for a while before turning her back on Yibei. Take this, and follow me to look for earthworms as bait! she said as she stuffed the fishing rod into Yibeis hands without looking at her. The fish in the autumn are all plump and easy to catch. Youll like them for sure! Hmph! Yibei wordlessly took the fishing rod. She wasnt surprised at her sudden change in temperament; those who dabble in stuff rted to urban legends inevitably have some psychological issues. Gu Qianqian was definitely an all-rounder. She knew how to fish. Not half-baked like Shui or Yibeis dad, but like a true fisherman who toils away under the sun. This made Lu Yibei dumbfoundedshe was clearly very smart in terms of life skills, so why was she so bird-brained in all other situations? They sat on a tall rock by the river, waiting for the fish to take the bait they had just caught, and both of them were lost in conversation. By the way, Gu Qianqian, weve met before this, remember? Why were you there at the same time as I was? Oh, I had a task Gu Qianqian mindlessly said, only for her mouth to be shut by her system. Gu Qianqian! Youre exposing your system! Come up with an excuse now! To exorcise a demon in that alley! Thats right! Is she really an exorcist? Lu Yibei thought, finding it hard to believe. You do this often? she asked. Tell her that you do it asionally when you receive amission, the system ordered. Sometimes. When I get amission. Commission? Yibei murmured. No wonder she mentioned a task. Could there be other Night Divisions out there that shes working for? Who would trust a lone psychic user to hunt down urban legends? Thats right. I am employed, Gu Qianqian said, as ordered by the system. Whomissioned you? Im interested! Yibei was genuinely interestedif she had to hunt down urban legends to sate her hunger every month, she might as well get some money out of it. Plus, if this mysterious organisation does exist, shell meet more psychic users, and perhaps she can exchange her services for those enigmatic materials that Jumeng mentioned! Its a chat group, Gu Qianqian (or the system) said. If you dont know the special code, you cant enter the chat group. True enough, a chat group for something like this does exist. The system predicts that the World Ender will know about the chat group sooner orter, so it might as well mention it now. If she joins too early, she may get into a fight with the monsters within and wind up hurt! Oh? A chat group? Whats the name? An Urban Legend Chat Group in the University Forums, Gu Qianqian replied. There are many chat groups with this name. You wouldnt know which is the real one, and ording to the rules, I cant directly point it out to you. The only way to know is by invitation. Gu Qianqian was still rambling ording to the systems instructions. But the moment Lu Yibei heard the words urban legend chat group, she suddenly thought of Pharoah, Daydream, Bright, and Brazil, who all sumbed to urban legends and entered her belly. She thought that it was a coincidence that they were targeted by the Eclipse Society, but now it seems that things are not that simple; they may have entered the chat group by mistake or were invited by someone. Simply put Hey! Hey! A fish ate your bait! Just as Lu Yibei was deep in thought, Gu Qianqian rushed to her side and held her hand, pulling on her rod with newfound vigour. Chapter 131: This Forum is a Big Problem! Chapter 131: This Forum is a Big Problem! Hey! Hey! A fish ate your bait! Gu Qianqian beamed. It must be a big one! Lu Yibei was about to pull, but Gu Qianqian barged forward and snatched the rod from her. She firmly held the fishing rod with both hands; her centre of gravity slightly sank as she lifted it upward. With a loud ssh, arge river carp revealed itself beyond the waters as it was hoisted upward. With one swift motion, she grabbed the carp with a single hand and smashed it straight to the ground. I was right! she beamed as she tied a rope through the fishs gills. Its so big! For her, it is a good day when she isnt hungry, and it is a better day whenever theres meat to eat. Seeing her happy, Yibei opened her lips, but her words were caught on her tongue. She decided not to ask about the urban legend chat group for now. She knew enough anyway from the remaining memories scattered in her headthe Eclipse Society must be behind this somehow. It isnt right to inquire for information when somebody is happy, she would think. Yibei narrowed her eyes, watching as Gu Qianqian was still cheering about the carp that they caught. She may look innocent, but she might turn into a second Jiangli if I try to interrogate her, Yibei thought. Thinking of Jiangli, she let out a sigh once again. She had to attend her ss tomorrow, and perhaps she could create a convincing story for her withoutpromising her identity. Although, for now, Yibei can confirm that the eyes that were training on her on campus were Jumengs eyes. However, the Eclipse Society has yet to reach out to her officially. Perhaps someday theylle knocking at her door. Perhaps this is why shell have no qualms about killing them if they even think about trying to harm her. Just as she guessed, Gu Qianqian does have excellent cooking. Although Yibei herself grew up surrounded by chefs, she could tell Gu Qianqians cooking was up to standard. After they ate, Yibei silently watched as Gu Qianqian cleaned the tes,ing up with scenarios about her existence as well as ways to ease the conversation into the chat group. Before she even realised it, Gu Qianqian had already finished cleaning, and she was by the doorstep. I Im going to go to work, she told Yibei. I wont be back until veryte. Mm. I mean it! I wont be back until nine oclock at night at least! I see. Be careful. Its dangerous in the dark. No Gu Qianqian paused, feeling awkward that she had to spell it out for the girl before her. What Im saying is, dont you have to go back home? Ah. A live eviction. But I have nowhere else to go! I guess I have to swallow my pride! No, no need. Ill stay here and wait for you, she smiled. Ah, oh Gu Qianqian shed an awkward smile. Well then! Ill be heading off! Dont go through my stuff! A few minutester, after confirming that Gu Qianqian had left for work, Lu Yibei got up from the sofa and went through her stuff. She noticed that Gu Qianqian was apprehensive whenever she got near the couch, where her piggy bank was. Yibei felt suspicious about it, so it was in her best interest to at least be sure that it wasnt some kind of weapon. After opening her makeshift piggy bank, her heart fell. The jar is full of moneynot 100-dor bills, but small change, stacks of 1, 5, and 10 yuan, and an endless amount of coins. Yibei fetched her backpack, rummaged inside for a bit, and fished out a fresh 20-dor bill from it, stuffing it into the bottom of the piggy bank. Meanwhile, Gu Qianqian walked over to the construction site, feeling uneasy with each step she took. Finally, her system came back online and gave the excuse that it was experiencingwork fluctuations. Gu Qianqian, youre done for. As soon as the system spoke, her face fell. What do you mean by that? Is she going to go through my piggy bank? I thought we had a girls code going on! Well, no. It is much more serious than that. My money is very important to me! I dont see how anything else is more important than that! Im saying that she may be toying with your feelings, the system interrupted. Shes not going to let go of you until she squeezes you dry. All the system could see beyond the witchs cold eyes was a maniptive, cunning, and emotionless girl who would do anything to get what she wanted. In her heart, there is no ce for anyone other than herself. The system was, admittedly, worried that Gu Qianqian might end up hurt by regard for her as a genuine friend. It was more than an hour after Gu Qianqian left. After confirming that she wouldnt be back for a while, Yibei took out her phone, a piece of paper, and a pen. She was a little thankful that she had the mind to stuff these in her backpack; if they were in her hand when she transformed, they wouldve turned into a ball of ash. Sitting cross-legged on a chair, sheid the pen and paper down, resting the phone on top of the paper, before opening the university forums. She decided to check the announcements and photos tab. Maybe she could find a clue or two there. However, there was nothing but random pictures, game discussions, and various urban legends spreading across the Inte. If it werent for prior knowledge, thanks to Daydreams memories, Yibei wouldve thought this was just a regr forum. Afterwards, she decided to turn her attention to some of the chat rooms. [TWILIGHTS SERVANT: All of these new games are scams! Are there any good, genuine games out there that dont steal your money?] [100 2/3 CATS: Found a game file: wanhuamirror5.rar] [FENRIR: TW! Someizens reced the CG of Wanhua Mirror 5 with jump scares! Please be aware!] [GIRL WITH NO PROBLEMS: What the hell? The game has been down for a while. What are you talking about?] How is this any different from the games I y? Yibei thought, sighing. The Eclipse Society is too good at hiding itself. Its difficult to weed out urban legends like this. Maybe Gu Qianqian was rightmaybe its impossible to find them unless they reveal themselves to you. However, since Yibei herself is considered an urban legend, wouldnt that mean that she could theoretically find this chat group? ording to her scattered memories that do not belong to her, there is a mysterious rule in this forum: every 44th minute of each hour, there will be an urban legend gift package provided for owners of specific chat groups. When Yibei heard this at first, she thought it was ridiculousforums like these are bound to have superstitious rules, but After obtaining information from Gu Qianqian, it seems that theres some credibility to this rumour. That gift package might be a gateway for her to join the chat group. ncing at her phone, it was 4:23 in the afternoon, and she quickly created a new ount. Using Daydreams memories, she submitted a request to join the forums with a new ount. Previously, Yibei used her personal ount, so her story didnt seem suspicious to Jiangli. However, a few secondster, her screen shed bright red, followed by a string of words. [YOUR REQUEST TO JOIN HAS BEEN REJECTED. 100 2/3 CATS: REASON FOR REJECTION: YOU HAVE ALREADY JOINED THIS GROUP. PLEASE DO NOT CREATE DUPLICATE ACCOUNTS.] What the Yibei felt a chill run down her spine. How did they know she had already created an ount beforehand? Chapter 132: Intruder in the Lab Chapter 132: Intruder in the Lab Lu Yibeis suspicions about the forums only grew, but she didnt jump to conclusions just yet. Her ount may just have insufficient reputation and data, so it may be ruled out as a bot ount. It may also be IP-locked. I need to make a more convincing ount and log in through myputer, she decided. If it still doesnt work, I can only let Jiangli continue with her investigation until she loses interest in my ount. A small part of her prays that Jiangli never unravels the secret behind the forums. She felt like she needed to check it out herself. She sighed as sheid back down on the sofa and fiddled with her previously scorched mobile phone, mourning over her lost game progress on it. She missed Bai Xiaohua. Will she be lonely? Stuck in the game world all alone? Maybe its time to look into more budget-friendly phones. Huacheng University. Professor Ma was leaning over the desk, still immersed in studying the contents of the bamboo scrolls. Earlier, when Yibei transformed before his eyes, something told him that he shouldnt be studying the scrolls for the time being, but it seemed to beckon him closer and closer Was it the scrolls power? Or was it his insatiable thirst for knowledge? After he came back from the police station, he engrossed himself in the bamboo scrolls as if they were the only things left in the world. He tranted the characters on the scrolls andpared and contrasted them while mumbling to himself as if it were more conducive to his thinking. A snake totem? Were they sacrificing for it? Mountains, flows this must be an exaggerated description of worship. In various societies, the worship of snake totems isnt all that umon. Fuxi and Nuwa in Chinese culture; Wadjet in Egyptian mythology; the Naga in Indian mythology; the Feathered Serpent God in Mesoamerican They all have one thing inmon: the worship of them bestows supernatural abilities corresponding to the elements, like life, death, air, lightning, etc. For the snake totem in the bamboo scroll, it bestowed abilities rted to the mountains and the rivers. Professor Ma continued to mumble the research on the prayers given to the snake totems absentmindedly as he tranted the scrolls. After recording a few keywords, he adjusted his sses and pulled the chair forward to bring himself closer to the table. At this moment, something slipped out of his chest pocket, making a soft ding! sound. It was his copper coin, lightly reflecting the light from the ceiling. However, it unnaturally flickered as if it were trying tomune with him. Why did it fall out? Professor Ma muttered, bending down to pick up the copper coin and put it back in his jacket pocket. When he sat up straight again and looked out the window, he jumped up from his seat. ncing his watch in a panic, it was already 8:47 pm. It was sundown for nearly three hours. If the copper coin hadnt fallen out of his pocket, he wouldnt have realised the time and probably wouldve stayed longer. Its already sote, so isnt it better to just retire for the night? However, as his eyes nced over the bamboo scrolls, he felt reluctant to leave. And his brain felt fuzzy. At this moment, his mind shed with strange images: he could see He Ruo being attacked and the scene where Lu Yibei falls into a deep trance as he looks into the scrolls. Ah! Professor Ma covered the bamboo scrolls with his paper, forcing himself not to look at them. He shook his head violently and then stuffed it into the wooden box used to hold it indiscriminately. No, no time to go home, he muttered, carrying the box with him into the storage room. Locking the storage room door, he felt an inexplicable sense of drowsiness hit him. He shook his head and headed towards the bathroom. The bathroom in theb was like an ordinary bathroom found inside a house. Squeak! Squeak! With a few light turns, water gushed out of the sink. Professor Ma bent down and repeatedly used both hands to p water on his face until he felt less tired, but the moment he used his handkerchief to wipe his face clean, a faint stench entered his nostrils. An all-too-familiar stench and his body froze. In the mirror, an old man with a pale, wrinkly face appeared before him. His heart skipped a beat, and he took half a step back subconsciously but found that his reflection was mirroring his movements. Oh my god, its just me. He looked strangely tired as if he hadnt been sleeping for the past few days. He scoffed at how engrossed he was in his research and couldnt wait to go back home to his wife. The moment he pushed open the bathroom door, the lights in theb seemed to dim a little. The bookcases, the tables, the chairs Every single piece of furniture seemed to cast shadows longer than usual, and they seemed distant and unreal, like frosted ss. In the southeast corner of the room, the window facing the schools fourth gate opened at some point. A gust of wind poured in from the window, beckoning the dark blue curtains to dance like a treacherous figure twisting its soft limbs for its puppet master. The wind carried the chill of thete autumn night, and theb seemed eerily cold. The books and papers rustled in the wind as if a figure were rummaging through them. Something is in the library, Professor Mas brain warned. He blinked, and everything was back to normal, save for the window that was left open in theb. His mind was a trained mind, with keen intuition obtained by working in the same room for more than ten years. He could vaguely tell that something was different in this room. Plop! The sound of a book being knocked to the ground could be heard, and theb fell into dead silence once again. Professor Mas pupils shrank sharply, feeling terrified in their hearts. His legs started to tremble, and the shadows seemed to dance and convince him that something, perhaps many things, was hiding in the room. The corner of the wall; under the desk; the gap between the bookcases; behind the door of the bathroom that is right behind him All stared with malicious eyes and a wide grin. Professor Mas heart was about to leap out of his chest, and his breathing became erratic as he forced himself to retreat straight into the bathroom. He hurriedly fumbled with the lock and groped at his pockets, producing the three Charms of Spring Winds that Yibei gave him just in case. He ced two of them in front of the door and on the window sill of the bathroom, respectively, holding the remaining one in his hand as he ran straight towards the first-aid kit. Despite his old age, he has never encountered an urban legend before, but he has heard many stories about it. In many of those victims deaths, they were scared to death rather than killed. Fumbling with the first aid kit, he plopped down two hypertension pills and swallowed them without water. If he couldnt survive the shock, then calling for help would be useless. He hurriedly took his phone out and searched for Yibeis contact number. However, the stench seemed to be getting stronger, despite the closed door, and it seemed to get closer and closer. Chapter 133: Copper Coin’s Decision Chapter 133: Copper Coins Decision The sky waspletely dark and true to her words, Gu Qianqian still wasnt back home. Yibei groggily got up and pped around in the dark, finding the light switch after tripping over various trinkets. As the lights flickered, she couldnt help but feel badit was the tiniest LED light that she had ever seen. Even if the source of electricity was stolen from a nearby street light, Gu Qianqian was still conserving as much energy as possible. Withdrawing her attention from the light, Lu Yibei paced back to the sofa and sat down. At this moment, her phone suddenly vibrated twice. She froze for a moment before turning it on, and she couldnt help but widen her eyes. [Helpem,] It was a text from Professor Ma, and it seemed to have been sent in a hurry, judging by the typos. This was very out of character for him, and a vague premonition stirred in Yibeis heart. Plus, hes a literature professor; there is simply no way that his texts would be ineligible, so He must be in danger, she gulped. She hurriedly opened her contacts, but her finger hovered over the call button thoughtfully. No. I cant call him. Not now at least. Calling him may put him in more danger; plus, he may be isted, just like Yibei was isted by Mr Rabbit, and his phone may be useless by now. But Yibei didnt know where Professor Ma was, asking for help without providing any location. It only filled Yibei with immense anxiety. Lu Yibei felt a little dizzy and anxiously paced back and forth in the room, taking a few deep breaths and forcing himself to think about the situation. Jiangli once said that urban legends tend to seek out those who seek them; if Professor Ma has not had any incidents for many years, then he must have some way to avoid danger. Doesnt this mean that if he lives a normal life, then he would never know about urban legends? Hence, something must have broken his perception. The bamboo scrolls appeared in Yibeis mind. Something bad mustve happened when he was studying the bamboo scrolls. That must be it! He even mentioned strange phenomena happening when he was studying the scrolls! Hence, he must be inside the Universitys researchb! With this in mind, Lu Yibei put away her cell phone and brandished her kitchen knife, dashing out of Gu Qianqians home. Although she wasnt sure where his exact location was, it was worth a try. However, now she has no way to contact Professor Ma, and she cant sit still. Even if its just a guess, its worth trying. The young witch turned back around into Gu Qianqians home, taking the twenty-dor bill she stuffed inside her piggy bank back out. Sorry, but my powers might fail me, and I might need to take a cab! In an apartment in the west of Huacheng, Zhang Shan carefully browsed through hisment section and couldnt help but feel a little worried. [REPEATER: Your stories are getting more absurd. I might unsub in the future.] [SENGSUO: Did you lose contact with that girl on your phone?] [EMPEROR: Youre getting boring. Ille back in a few days.] [intewarrior34: I agree. I think you should sell foot pictures instead. Theyre really pop- [AUTOMOD: intewarrior34 has been banned for 24 hours.] Ah He let out a big sigh as he lit a cigarette and leaned back on his chair. After he finished his stories rting to Lu Yibei, he began to go through his old drafts, but those drafts were all made up and admittedly absurd, so they didnt seem real to his viewers. In just a few days, his viewers have dropped by half. Although he doesnt make a living through streaming, he couldnt help but feel frustrated by the sudden drop in his newfound poprity. My viewers are right. What if I He nced at his mobile phone and scrolled until he found an unsaved number. His hands slightly trembled as he hit dialled, only to be greeted with a mechanical female voice. Im sorry, the number you have dialled is unavable. He hung up and put out his cigarette. He took his car keys and decided to start work for the night. He wasnt particrly surprised that his phone call didnt go throughthat girl is an urban legend, for goodness sake! 20:57, three minutes after Professor Mas text. A lone taxi drove across the silent streets of Huacheng; the number of pedestrians gradually thinned as the night became darker, and after passing by two cars, he began to miss the gifts his viewers would gift him. A job that supports his hobby and even funds it. He couldnt help but feel sad. If I meet her tonight, I must force her to give me more material. She seems harmless anyway. Ah! he yelled out. What am I thinking? Shes an urban legend! She might still eat me alive! When he put his eyes back on the road, his eyes couldnt help but widen as he mmed on the brakes. Screech! Wisps of smoke drifted out from his tyres, and two shallow skid marks were drawn on the road. An all-too-familiar girl standing in the middle of the street, wearing a blue dress and donning a suspiciously shiny kitchen knife pinned to her waist Gulp H-how did she find me? Im nowhere near the University, and yet He stared at the girl in the distance without breathing, then silently put his hands on the gear lever and stepped on the clutch, ready to start off on the t ground and elerate quickly. Fate is a strange thing. She didnt know if it was the luck of the draw, but whenever she needed transport, Zhang Shan would always be there. She was in a hurry, so she didnt even think about contacting him, but there he was. Do I have any metaphysical powers? As if she were phasing, Yibei appeared right next to Zhang Shans car as he started driving away, and she had to run to catch up to him. Hey! Are you free now? Could you send me over to the University? Ill pay you this time, promise! Zhang Shan looked at Lu Yibeis expressionless face, then at the kitchen knife on her waist. I dont care about money anymore! Zhang Shan cursed in his heart, then sighed silently, Get in! He really wanted to say no, but he didnt want to die either. Meanwhile, under a bridge, shortly after a young witch had disappeared into the night, Gu Qianqian returned to a slightly ajar door, and she couldnt help but feel unsettled. Im back! she called out. I brought you something delicioustwo meats and one vegetable for us to share! No response, and the silence was making her more and more uneasy. She slowly pushed the door open and fumbled for the light switch, and the first thing she noticed was the opened piggy bank. Her face turned pale, and the takeouts in her hand fell to the ground in a loud snap. Its over! She mustve stolen something! Ive been so kind to herI even bought her food, and yet As Gu Qianqian cried with a choked voice, she dumped the banknotes in the piggy bank on the floor and counted them. Perhaps it was because Gu Qianqian was crying that the system felt bad and started tofort her. Witches cant be trusted. We must beat her up the next time we see her, but for now, you must get up and eat your food. Wait! she cried out. What is it? She didnt actually steal my money. In fact, there are three extra yuan inside. If the system had a physical mouth, it would be hanging down to the floor by now. No A witch couldnt do this. There must be some kind of conspiracy, some kind of 21:02. The bathroom was shrouded in darkness. Professor Ma shrank himself into the corner as he trembled, staring at the mobile phone that fell into the toilet. Five minutes ago, he was typing out a message for Yibei when the light above his head started to flicker before dimming. The erratic dimming shocked him as the speed of his fingers increased tremendously, and as if he had been electrocuted, his phone fell and bounced straight into the toilet bowl. Of course, his first reaction was to pick up the phone, but as he approached the toilet, he heard a strange sound of musicing from within it. Like an old music box that yed out of tune endlessly. He suspected that if he picked up his phone, something bad would happen to him. Even his trusty copper coin told him to stay away from the toilet. However, he couldnt help but nce at the toilet bowlwould Yibei know where he was after sending that hasty text for help? Uncertainty, despair, and fear were like a three-headed beast that lingered in his mind. And in the darkness, time seemed to slow down, and he felt strangely tired. At this moment, the sound of music stopped. There was dead silence in the bathroom, except for the asional tick of water. As he crawled closer to the toilet bowl, it suddenly rang again, and strangely enough, it became clearer and clearer, as if the music wasnt ying from within the toilet bowl, but He retreated away from the toilet bowl and stuck himself to the wall farthest from it; however, he could hear the toilet gurgle as water would bubble out, and that familiar stench enveloped his breath. Metal pipes collided with each other. A few fingers protruded from the toilet. He was frightened out of his mind, and yet his fingers trailed over the copper coin in his pocket as if he were searching for a divine answer to help him out. Heads means I will die, and tails means I will survive Tossing the coin and pping it firmly on his hand, he revealed heads. His face turned pale in an instant. At this moment, there was another soft sound of water rushing up from the direction of the sink. Aplete, bloody arm forced itself out of the toilet bowl, and it brought its fingers down on the rim of the toilet. Chapter 134: Changing Coin Chapter 134: Changing Coin Zhang Shan sped down to the north, towards the university, in a strangely silent ride. Perhaps it was because the atmosphere was a bit awkward in silence that Lu Yibei couldnt help but break the silence by asking, Why arent you talking? I thought you loved to tell stories to your passengers. I dont want to. Oh? She was slightly taken aback. How about I tell you one, then? The corners of Zhang Shans mouth twitched up and down as if he were unsure of his feelings. Should I listen? If I do, I can adapt it and tell it to my audience, but it may also lead to dire consequences. His eyes were back on the road, and soon the view of the University came into view. Were almost there. Save your story for another time. She wordlessly nodded. Saving Professor Ma was more important than silly little stories. Dont stop at that gate. Turn to the fourth gate, Yibei ordered. She didnt want to be stopped by the security, especially with the ring kitchen knife strapped to her waist. Plus, Gate No. 4 was much closer to theb. However, as soon as Zhang Shan heard this, he mmed on the brakes and started to tremble. Gate No. 4? The haunted gate? Isnt it haunted over there? How dare she take that way to enter the school at such a time? Zhang Shan thought about it, nced back through the rearview mirror, and almost jumped up from his seat. Its empty! Just as he was about to panic, a girl with a big bump on her forehead crawled upwards from the taxis floor and got up, asking, Why did you stop all of a sudden? Ack, this hurts. After an embarrassing silence, he turned the wheel towards Gate No. 4. In the dark bathroom, the stench was unbearable, as if many corpses were stacked on top of one another. Professor Ma pushed himself into a corner by the window, and the fear in his heart continued to intensify. His legs were so weak that he couldnt even stand, so he was in a defensive sitting position. He could only watch helplessly as the bloodied arm fumbled around in the darkness as if searching for a target. At this moment, he suddenly felt a furry sensation on the back of his hand. The mouse running past the back of Professor Mas hand seemed to have yed a malicious joke with him. Agh! The arm locked onto his position in an instant and flung itself towards him. A strong stench wafted through his nostrils, and his survival instincts took over, forcing him up clumsily. In a panic, his hand was pressed harshly against the fluffy rat that struggled in his grip. He was about to withdraw his hand, but at this moment, the arm was about half a metre away from him. In a fit of anger, he clenched the rat in his hand and flung it towards the arm. Squeak! As if it were ying catch, the arm caught the flying mouse in an instant. After catching the mouse, the arm quickly retreated to the sink, forcing itself through the tiny holes of the sink and disappearing. Squeak! Squeak! The mouse screamed in horror and struggled constantly in the arms grip, but bit by bit, it was swallowed down the sink like a snake. With a shrill squeak, it disappeared down the sink. Its body was squeezed into a pulp from the tiny holes of the sink, but it did not die immediately, and its screams could still be heard as it went down the sewer pipe. Professor Ma stared at the sink that had brought him great fear, and after a long while, he scrambled to his feet and ran out of the bathroom. However, he could hear something being dragged in front of the door, and when he tried to push the door open, he was horrified to find that it was blocked by something outside. Professor Ma was slightly taken aback, and he felt chills run down his back. Something is in the library! The copper coin was righthe will be dying today! Sooner orter, that arm will catch him in the bathroom, and even if he leaves the bathroom, hell have to face whatever horrors are in theb. Professor Mas mmed against the door hard, and this time, the sound of metal pipes was ringing in his ear. Help me Please, help me. Water started to overflow from the toilet and the sink, and a thinyer of water made his shoes ufortably wet. Through the water, a pale arm stretched out and grabbed his ankle. He struggled desperately but felt that the arm was like iron. His face turned dark as he remembered the rat being forced down the tiny holes of the sinkwhatever it is will keep him alive as it dragged him down the sink, and hell still be conscious even if he is made into a pile of meat pulp Thinking of this, his eyes became dull, as if he had transcended. He stopped struggling, letting the arm pull him towards the sink. Ding! The copper coin slipped out of his coat pocket and fell to the floor. He opened his eyes weakly and saw heads once again. He sighed and closed his eyes. He saw his loving wife waiting for him at home, and their love for each other was just as fresh as the day they met. I miss her. Ding! The crisp sound of the copper coinnding rang again, but Professor Ma did not open his eyes. Ding! Ding! Ding! Clearly, copper coins shouldnt be able to flip themselves over and over again, and Professor Ma forced his eyes open. In the darkness, the polished coin kept bouncing on the ground as if being manipted by a pair of invisible hands. Every time it bounced up, it would flip three times in the air, and itnded on its tail every single time. Damn it! Why am I trusting this damn coin so much? The spark of life was rekindled in him. Enduring the pain, he gritted his teeth, kicked himself forward, grabbed the door frame of the bathroom, and put a foot against the sink. Help me! Im inside here! Anybody! Help me! Professor Ma yelled a few times and suddenly felt that the arm on his ankle was losing its strength. The arm let go, and he limped lifelessly on the ground. The next moment, the door to the bathroom swung open, and a suffocating yetforting warmth rushed into the room. Professor, are you alright? Im right here, Yibei called out. The girl before him was covering her eyes as if she were in pain and wielding a shiny kitchen knife with her other hand. Chapter 135: Chasing After Her Chapter 135: Chasing After Her Lu Yibei supported Professor Ma by the waist and sat him down by a desk. At this moment, the lights in the research room had flickered back to normal. As the light shone, it could be seen that the books on top of the tables were scattered erratically. Seeing this, his face slightly changed as he got up abruptly, but a sharp pain hit his waist, and he reluctantly sat back down. Now that the adrenaline rush has worn off, the pain is finally starting to settle in. Oh no, Professor Ma breathed out. Yibei, go check if the bamboo scrolls are still in the storage room. They should still be there, Yibei muttered. She was unsure if she should tell Professor Ma what she had encountered before getting in there. Ten minutes ago. Near Gate No. 4, a taxi stopped near the entrance. Originally, the young witch wanted Zhang Shan to drive into the University, but he threatened her, saying that he would call the police on her, so she had no choice but to get out of the car. It was clear that he was still apprehensive about her. This isnt the first time that we met, and I couldve killed you many times before this. What happened to basic human trust? You see, youre not human in the first ce! Zhang Shan cursed in his heart and wordlessly drove away from the university, plunging the university back into dead silence. The moonlight shone like water on the concrete road leading to Gate No. 4; weeds were overgrown by the sides of the road, and the road itself was deste and abandoned. On the right side of the intersection, a rusty iron signboard fell to the ground, with the words [No. 4] etched onto it. Under the pale moonlight, the empty atmosphere was slightly disturbing, and she held the kitchen knife tightly in one hand and two charms in the other, praying that she wouldnt encounter the headless girl. Originally, she chose to take this entrance to save some time, but if she encounters an urban legend, itll waste even more time. Of course, the other gates were guarded by security, and if she were to be caught, she wouldnt be able to enter the university grounds. No cute face can deter her from thew. However, she was confident that she could deal with urban legends. True enough, she did encounter something strange along the way. In theb. You did you encounter anything strange? Professor Ma trembled as Yibei poured out more medicine for him. As an old professor, he knows of the rumours about Gate No. 4. Whats worse is that he was a witness. It was raining, and he didnt know what had happened. He was driving down Gate No. 4, as usual, to get to his office quicker, but he saw many students with ck umbres by a bulletin board. Through the crowd of umbres, he could see a ck-and-white picture of a girl smiling, revealing her dimples. The students ced flowers, dolls, and other gifts in front of the photo frame. He remembered asking what had happened, and instead of taking the bouquet meant for his wife, he ced it next to the photo frame. That was thest time he went down Gate No. 4 and rumours of a headless girl spread among the student body. Therefore, when Yibei mentioned that she encountered something strange at Gate No. 4, he didnt doubt her at all. Of course I did! Yibei said as she dropped the pills into his hands and sat cross-legged on the ground. Let me tell you, I was The one-sided conversation went on and on, and Professor Ma couldnt help but wish he was trapped in the bathroom once again. She encountered something strange on the bulletin boardit was dusty, and a single bulletin was posted inside. The paper had turned yellow due to time, and the ck characters on it had faded to a malicious red. Because of Gu Qianqian, he didnt really pay much attention to the board, but now she swears she saw something in the reflection of the ss on the board. There was a blurry silhouette reflected in the ssa tall figure in familiar clothes holding arge umbre that covered her entire body across the street. Lu Yibei turned her head and looked across the street, but she only saw an empty street. She froze for a moment, then turned her head to look at the reflection on the board, only to see that the figure was now in the middle of the road. Lu Yibeis eyes began to burn slightly, and the fear of knowing something was approaching made her shudder. She clenched the kitchen knife and charms in her hands. At this moment, she nced at the bulletin board from the corner of her eye, and she could see that the figure was right next to her, and it was lowering its umbre The burning pain in both eyes became more intense, and the terrifying girl manifested before her. She was wearing a blood-stained dress, and her entire neck was brutally cut off, leaving only a thinyer of fleshy skin connecting her head and neck, like a rose with a broken stalk. The drooping head turned half a circle, and it grinned with an iprehensibly wide smile. Fuck! Its that headless girl! Why didnt I just run away? She cursed herself. I have to fight her! Thinking about it, she hurriedly took two steps back and firmly grasped the kitchen knife in her hand. At this moment, the girls head tilted as it fell into her arms. She then turned around and dashed straight towards the Faculty of Arts. Oh, maybe she was on the way too. Excuse me? You chased her? Professor Ma imagined the scene of Lu Yibei carrying a gleaming kitchen knife and chasing after the rumoured female ghost. Yibei felt that the professors tone was a little strange. Well, she was the one who led me here. Chapter 136: I Was Really, Really Scared! Chapter 136: I Was Really, Really Scared! In theb Lu Yibei nced at Professor Ma, and she could see that his lips were slightly parted as if whatever he wanted to say was stuck in his throat. It truly is strange that an urban legend would even consider helping her out. This must mean that Professor Ma has a connection to the headless girl. On the other hand, Professor Ma could tell from her cold eyes that she wanted to ask him a question. The exact kind of look a student would have when they wanted to ask a question in ss but ended up not doing so for fear that they would be embarrassed. Come on, ask me anything. Oh, well, Yibei said, surprised that he could read her. If you insist I was wondering if Before she could finish her sentence, Professor Ma swung his hand and pped her. Absolutely not! I did not sleep with her! I would never sleep with my students! I didnt even say anything Well, I thought about it, but I didnt say it out loud! Professor, thats not what I meant. What Im trying to say is, I bumped into Lu Xu thanks to her. Hearing Lu Xus name, Professor Ma leaned his head in closer, but not before swallowing two pills into his mouth. Alright. Im ready. Lu Yibei stared nkly at Professor Ma and sighed, We dont have to do this. Just tell me! Otherwise, Ill deduct your grades! He would never admit it, but Professor Ma was deathly worried about Lu Xu. When she realised that the headless girl was leading her to theboratory, she couldnt help but frown. Do I wait for her to leave, or do I take a detour? Wait! Im supposed to be saving Professor Ma! I dont have time for this! However, the headless girl turned around and waved towards her before getting into a running position and dashing towards her. Her heart skipped a beat as she subconsciously took two steps backthe girl was getting closer and closer, and her running towards her head-on was sending chills down her spine. On the ground, not far away, there was a soft rustling sound, like a small creature scurrying about. Looking for the sound, the headless girl turned around to look for the source, holding her head in her arms. She then turned back around and stared at Yibei with cloudy, dead eyes. And it blinked. Its weird looking at a corpse filled with hints of life. Is she trying to tell me to follow her? The headless girl stopped a few metres away from her and pointed towards her own head in her arms. Yibei stared at the head and stretched out his hand slowly before retracting it repeatedly as if she were scared of being electrocuted by the head. As if sensing her fear, the girls head sighed lifelessly, as if she were trying to say, I thought you werent afraid of me! Patting her own head, she ced it firmly back on her neck, then opened her umbre. Now that her upper body was concealed by therge umbre, she seemed strangely normal. Some may even say that her slender waist and long legs are a little enticing. Seeing this, she thought about the rumours about how some students will strike up a conversation with the urban legend, not knowing better, before being scared to half-death. Just as she was thinking, there was a sudden sound of her stomping her feet in front of her as if urging her to move forward. The girl waved her arm from under the umbre, beckoning Yibei to follow her. Lu Yibei narrowed her eyes, not in a rush to follow. Although, from the current point of view, the girl had no intention of harming her, she is an urban legend, so Its better to be cautious! Hence, Yibei followed her, albeit cautiously and from a respectable distance. Fortunately, the path to Gate No. 4 is remote, and it is almost impossible for any normal human to appear. Otherwise, if they were to bump into a girl wielding a kitchen knife following a headless girl, they may book themselves into the nearest mental hospital. The two soon arrived at theboratory building in less than a minute, and the darkness seemed to engulf the headless girl. When she got near theboratory building, she didnt seem to want to stop; she walked in through the main entrance quietly, and the dimly lit corridor quickly engulfed her figure. It seemed that security was still working; bursts of a soap opera could be heard from his duty room. However, no matter how brave the security guard was to choose a post near Gate No. 4, his curtains were still fully closed. Suddenly, the security guard opened the curtains as if intuition was telling him something was there, and the headless girl floated past the duty room just as he did that. But he saw nothing. She must have a way to hide herself from humans, Yibei deduced. However, Yibei had no way to hide herself other than Lu Yibei walked past the duty room, finding that she was much shorter than the height of the window, and walked through with no incident. She followed the girl all the way to the second floor, and her eyes started to burn. The corridor was empty, and the whitewashed walls and flickering fluorescent lights were suffocating her. Yibei could hear the sound of her own breathing under the sickly light, and she was grossly aware of how automated her breathing was. However, when she came back to her senses, the girl in front of her had disappeared, and she was alone again. She didnt know how to find Professor Ma from here on out. Although he may be in theb hes usually in, he may be in other rooms tootheb, his office, the filing roomhe could be anywhere. Yibei frowned, trying to deduce his most likely location and head over there first. At this time, the girl appeared before her again before hurrying up the stairs leading to the third floor. The girl, seeing that Yibei wasnt following her, poked her umbre out from the stairwell and waved it up and down as if asking her to follow her. The professor he must be upstairs. The umbre waved up and down as if it were nodding. Professor Mas office was at the end of the corridor; the filing room was on the third floor; theb was on the fourth floor. Yibei had doubts about trusting an urban legend, but time was running out. I hope Professor Ma is alright. She followed after the girl with courage. Besides, theb was the first ce she wanted to check anyway. Its better to trust the girl to save some time. Im feeling brave, she thought to herself. This isnt like me. As she followed, she didnt realise that the girl in front of her had stopped, and she bumped into her back, causing her head to fall into Yibeis arms again. Feeling her long hair mixed with dried blood, Yibei couldnt help but cringe immensely and stand there like a statue. She subconsciously wanted to throw it across the corridor, but she swallowed her fear and turned her head around to look at the girls face. Her cloudy, lifeless eyes stared at her, and she rolled her eyes. Immediately afterwards, her body retrieved the head before cing it back on her neck. Did she just make fun of me? The girl waved her arm, raised her finger, and pointed upstairs. However, instead of leading her upstairs, the girl looked at the stairwell and looked back at Yibei before making a motion that she was cold, as if something was looming upstairs. She wanted to ask the girl to confirm her suspicions, but the girl simply backed into a wall and gradually faded away. Ah really? She came to the stairwell and cautiously retrieved two charms from her pocket before tossing them upward into thending of the stairwell. A burst of dazzling blue light flooded the entire stairwell, followed by a shrill scream. The voice sounded like a man with a very hoarse voice, like an insect hissing. Strangely enough, it reminded her of a viger in the vige she had seen in her vision before. As she thought about it, she produced two more charms and threw them into thending again, but this time, they simply made a clunk! sound on the floor. After making sure that there was nobody else, she went up the stairs and came to the fourth floor, and the scene before her sent a chill down her spine. The entire white-washed corridors were stained red with handprints and smears of blood, and beyond the prints, the characters within the bamboo scrolls were etched into the walls. Hold up! Professor Ma interrupted. Youre telling me outside the corridor now? Right? I was so scared! I contemted abandoning you! Oh. Then what? Well, I saw Lu Xu, and he was looming in the corridor. Chapter 137: Coward! Chapter 137: Coward! Indeed, when Lu Yibei first saw Lu Xu, she was terrifiedthe walls, the ground, and even the ceiling were painted with bloodied handprints, and they still dripped with fresh blood. And a familiar stench that made her shiver. The corridor had a thinyer of mist, just like what she saw in the vige. A cold breeze blew from the window at the end of the corridor, silently parting the grey mist. The doors of thebs down the corridor were all tightly shut, but Yibei felt that if she were to get close to them, a pair of bloodied arms would burst out and pull her in. It was as if she had entered a new world the moment she stepped into the corridor. Her eyes continued to burn, warning her of impending danger. Seems like Professor Ma is here, and The power of the bamboo scrolls is manifesting into reality, and thinking of her perils in her dreamscape; she couldnt help but shiver. That thing in the pit it must be a fallen god. Even if the Night Division was here to deal with it, Im afraid that Should I run? No! What the hell! We came this far! Its not the time to be a coward! I have to save Professor Ma! Although she was timid and afraid of death, she mustered up the courage and trudged down the bloodied corridor. Kitchen knife in one hand, charms in another, and the incantation to summon fire was fresh in her mind. The closer she got to theb, the quieter the corridor became, as if something was about to pounce on her. Her eyes burnt harder, and her white hair shifted from light pink to a deep scarlet. Despite her fear, she felt an inexplicable sense of excitement. Yibei was on guard, prepared to retaliate against anything that might pounce on her, but nothing happened. Where are they hiding? Just as she was thinking about this, she could see a figure wriggling about in the darknessthin limbs, big bellyand it disappeared into Professor Masboratory before she could take a good look at it. Her hair stood on its end, and she stopped abruptly. After calming down a little, she looked in the direction of theb and cautiously moved forward. Fortunately, it didnt seem like the door was locked from the inside. She came to the door and turned the handle slightly, leaving a small gap open. Then she tossed two charms through the gap. Snap! The charm didnt activate as it plopped to the floor, and Yibei pushed the door open. It was dark inside theb; the light switches were on, but no light came from the fluorescent lights above, and even the moonlight flooding in from outside the window seemed to be swallowed up by the darkness. Even with her enhanced eyesight, it was difficult to see. It was as if the shadows were concealing everything from her. Professor Ma? Are you in here? Although it wasnt smart to talk right now, she needed to confirm if Professor Ma was here. She called twice but got no response from Professor Ma. She bravely moved into theb. At this moment, her eyes swept across the direction of the storage room, and she suddenly felt a sharp, burning pain. Looking away from the storage room, the pain lessened, and she froze. Somethings inside there! Is it that thing, or is it Professor Ma? With each step she took towards the storage room, she left a trail of charms to protect herself, and everything became strangely silent. But the quieter it was, the more frightened she became. Like a hallucination, she heard a soft rustling sounding from inside the storage room. There were many shelves inside the storage room, and each of them wasbelled carefully to provide Professor Ma and his students with the convenience of searching through materials. However, this arrangement of shelves irked Yibei. It was like they were waiting to devour her. When she came to those bookshelves, she stopped moving. Something lurked in the darkness, surveying her movements. She took a few deep breaths, and like a goddess bestowing rain upon drynd, she rained down charms straight into the darkness. The charms clunked on the floor before rumbling violently, and a dazzling blue light flooded the storage room. True enough, something was lurking in the darkness. The light blinded Yibei, but beyond that, she could hear pained screams erupting from the darkness. They were like cockroaches, densely packed as they scattered relentlessly from their hiding spots, only to turn into ash the moment they came into contact with the light. Her vision returned to her, and she couldnt help but take a step back. A bloodshot eye was staring at her beyond the darkness. Yibeis brain buzzed, and for a moment, it was as if a nightmare was crawling out from the dark side of her memory, taunting her. It reminded her of the despair she felt watching the monster reveal itself from the pit. In a trance, a strange growl sounded in her ears, and amidst the growls, she heard a cry for help. Help me A strong stench filled the room, and the bloodshot eye moved towards Yibei as it morphed into a full body. It twisted erratically, and watching the body form before her, her stomach did flip uncontrobly. When she regained her senses, she could see a figure floating towards her. The facial features of the figure were distorted, and a scarletntern was growing out of its body, but Yibei could tell that this figure was Lu Xu. Lu Xu closed the distance between them, and Yibei ducked forward, rushing past him. At this moment, Lu Xus feet touched the charm that she had scattered, and once again, the storage room was filled with a dazzling blue light. Resisting the re of the light, Yibei could see Lu Xu screaming in the blue light, twisting his body in pain like a strange snake disguising itself as a human. Kill him! The next moment, she felt something ignite in her body. The blood in her body rushed like magma, and the dazzling scarlet spread upward from the tip of her hair. At the same time, Lu Xu broke free from the influence of the spell and pounced on her. However, this time, Lu Yibei did not dodge. Her eyes shed with an unusual calm, and the speed of Lu Xu pouncing towards her seemed to slow down infinitely. She silently raised one hand and covered her eyes to iste herself from the world and raised the other hand to pick up the kitchen knife that was glowing red from the heat radiating from her. She took a step forward and pierced the knife straight through Lu Xus chest, hideously carving a giant hole in him from top to bottom. The kitchen knife greedily sopped up the blood dripping from his body, and not a single drop of blood hit the floor. P-pause! So, you killed him! In a single stab! Not just a single stab, Yibei sighed inwardly. At least twenty-eight. The moment Lu Xu started to scream, it was as if something had awakened in her body, and she couldnt help but stab him over and over again. Once again, Lu Yibei felt afraid of the power in her body. Professor Mas lips quivered, and noticing his expression, Yibei rummaged through her pockets for a moment. She quietly ced Lu Xus urban legend core on the table. I didnt kill him, she lied. He ran away, and he hesitated before he could hit me. Maybe he still has a bit of Lu Xu left in him. Good, good, he sighed. By the way, you were covering your eyes when you opened the bathroom door just now, so My eyes were hurting. Oh, I see Facial paralysis is a blessing in disguise. Yibei didnt know that she could just lie twice in a row and not be caught. Chapter 138: Do You Even Know How to Rob? Chapter 138: Do You Even Know How to Rob? Yibei. The moment Professor Ma called for her, she immediately sat up straight and put her hands on her thighs, like a dutiful student waiting to answer her teachers question. The bamboo scrolls. We need to get rid of them. I cant let them be stored here. Did you only realise this just now? she yelled inwardly. However, she didnt me him. For an ordinary person, urban legends dont exist. Is there any way we can dispose of it? Professor Ma asked. She was about to nod but stopped herself. The right decision would be to hand it over to the Night Division, but what if Li Xuan does something behind my back? After all, Li Xuan was still deathly suspicious of Yibei. I cant do that. It has killed at least three people, and Are you scared of it, Yibei? No. Im just being reasonable, so So, why cant you? he sighed. I originally nned to lighten your workload if you helped me, but if youre scared, I cant help it, so W-wait! Ill do it! The matter of doing homework still burdens a great witch. Lu Yibei pped her chest as if assuring him that shed get the job done. However, Professor Ma didnt expect her to agree so readily. These scrolls were dangerous, but Yibei was prepared to dive right in (after a small threat) and help him get rid of the scrolls. On the flip side, Yibei wanted the bamboo scrolls, and she thought of Jumeng. With such a powerful goddess residing in her humble domain, there is nothing to be afraid of! Plus, she had an urban legend core to feed her! When she analyses the bamboo scrolls, theres no doubt that more urban legends wille out, and shell be having a feast! The thought of poisoning the cores came to mind. Jumengs recovery was good, but that meant that shed keep an eye out for Yibei. Just as she was deep in thought, Professor Ma spoke: Yibei, there is one more serious matter I need your help with. What is it? Ah, well, he stuttered, and his face became inexplicably red. Could you call me an ambnce? I think I sprained my waist. After speaking, Professor Ma couldnt hold on any longer and copsed on the chair. What the hell! Yibei felt at ease seeing the ambnce take Professor Ma away, but she couldnt help but sigh, remembering the emergency services looking at Yibei with subtle yet telling expressions. Late at night, one little girl, one old professor, one lonelyb What the hell! Again? In theb, not long after Professor Ma was taken away, the entireb fell into a peaceful silence. But not for long. In the darkness, there was a sudden sound of water bubbling in the bathroom of theb, and a pale finger squeezed out of the holes beyond the sink, followed by a whole arm, a shrivelled head, and a crooked body An old man with a hunched back, wearing a colourful shroud, climbed out of the sink. His wrinkled face harboured a big mouth, and the corners of his mouth could reach the base of his ears. Hecked an arm and held a scarletntern in another as he walked out of the bathroom. He moved forward as if fluttering and quickly merged into the darkness. He didnt know where he was going. Maybe he would leave, or he might stay in a certain corner of the campus, waiting for a chance encounter. After watching the ambnce take Professor Ma away, the surroundings soon fell into silence. Lu Yibei carried the ancient box containing the bamboo scrolls and walked out of the school gate. Ill ask Jumeng whether or not gods can die, and Ill pay her using this core. Judging from her memory, the fallen god must be whatever was lurking in the deep pit in the vige. Despite this, it was lifeless and voracious, and Yibei wondered if gods were able to die. Gods are urban legends of some sort, and if the conditions are met, wouldnt they be able to be killed, too? Plus, she could ask Jiangli tomorrow andpare the two answers. Professor Ma suddenly shed in her mind, and she couldnt help but curse himher stash of charms was almost finished. There are only more than thirty left! She couldnt help but feel insecure. I have to bargain with that damn goddesster She can have one half of the core, and Ill use the other half to manufacture more charms. But soon, she would realise that Jumeng would go hungry, and she wouldnt be able to make more charms. On the main path of Gate No. 4 Yibei never thought that the headless girl would appear before herwell, two parts of the headless girl. Like a basketball, her head bounced into view before Yibei, a couple of metres away, and her cloudy eyes were fixed on Yibei. Yibei subconsciously looked back to see if anything was following her, and sure enough, the girls body stopped right behind her. What the? H-hey, Yibei greeted the head. Are you here to see me off? Theres no need to C-core A strange voice forced itself out of the head, and Yibei immediately understood what this was. A robbery! She hurriedly pulled out her kitchen knife and pointed it towards her body, and as if in fear, the girls neck spurted blood like a fountain, and her entire body started to tremble. In a sh, her body ran away and slipped into the darkness, but out of the corner of her eye, it seemed that she had forgotten to bring her head along with her. You forgot your head. The head was about to roll away in a hurry, but Yibei leaned downward and grabbed the head like a child would with a ball. Turning her head around, the girl was crying, and she let out a distant plea, D-dont kill me Im starving No matter what, it felt like Yibei was bullying her. This girl needs to take more lessons in robbing people! But since she mustered the courage to rob her, surely she must reward her bad deed. As she thought about it, a ruthless look shed in her eyes, and she silently raised the kitchen knife. Chapter 139: Harmful Chapter 139: Harmful The overgrown weeds along the path of the fourth gate swayed gently with the wind. On the deserted road, a petite girl squatted in the middle, holding a kitchen knife in one hand, looking expressionlessly at the head that was in her arms. I understand what its like to be a newly-turned urban legend. I was like you, too, so I rte to you. It only gets more difficult from here on out, so you should be wary. The girl couldnt help but feel grateful that somebody as chatty as the witch before her would give her grace, even though she tried to rob said witch. A witch who can understand her, talk with her, and not send her into the Night Division Plus, theres more to being an urban legend. Yibeis words were fading into the background, and the girls eyesnded on the kitchen knife now in Yibeis hand. The memory of her throat being cut and her head severed kept resurfacing, and she couldnt help but burst into tears. In the darkness, there were swift sounds of a knife cutting something. Lu Yibei raised the knife with her hand and cut Lu Xus core, which was in the shape of a redntern. However, the moment she brought the knife down, the girl burst into tears. The tears seemed to have illuminated her face, and she, strangely enough, looked human. That is a humans decapitated head. Her crying became more and more intense, and a sense of uneasiness brewed in her heart. If the security guard were to hear them, things would get messy. Hey! Stop crying! Yibei urged, stuffing half of the core into the girls mouth. In a panic, she attempted to spit out whatever was being forced into her mouth, but the stench that entered her nostrils was like petrichora droughting to an end. Memories that did not belong to her were jumbled in her mind, causing her to lose focus for a short while. Her nearly exhausted spiritual energy quickly replenished, and a strong scarlet light rushed through her head. Looking at the twitching human head that seemed to be lost in bliss, Yibei hurriedly got up and left the University. Crap. I need to stop getting myself into situations like these. Not long after Lu Yibei left, the scarlet light in the girls head gradually faded away, and her body soon revealed itself beyond the darkness as it scurried towards her discarded head, putting it back onto her neck. Her eyes were slightly filled with new life, and she stared in the direction where the witch had left. Ever since her death, she lingered here to repay the kindness of the students who mourned for her, but nobody ever walked down this path. However, a witch came down the path instead, and She hoped that she could repay her kindness, too. I have nowhere to go, Yibei thought. It is only ten oclock at night, and there are still many hours before the sun rises. Jumeng is still at home, and going back home in this form is equal to throwing yourself into a lions maw. And it didnt feel appropriate to go to Gu Qianqians with these bamboo scrolls in her possession. Her old house was too close to the Night Division, and she didnt want to run into unnecessary troubles. She heaved a long sigh as she stood under a streetmp. I shouldve asked Zhang Shan to wait for me. Maybe I can follow him home, and we can tell each other stories. Speaking of which, Lu Yibei was quite interested in Zhang Shans live radio station, and if she had the chance, she wanted to check it out. After wandering around the street for a long time, Lu Yibei felt a little tired. She found a bench and sat down. Taking out her mobile phone, she opened the forums, intending to research the urban legend chat group. Yibei smiled as she read through the now-lively chat rooms in the forum. They were just like urban legends, only active at night. When Lu Yibei clicked into a chat room, an urban legend was being discussed. [inteman09: A female urban legend, oh, well] [GIRL WITH NO PROBLEMS: I dont like your tone.] [GIRL WITH NO PROBLEMS: My fellow sisters! Stay away from this user!] In the midst of unintuitive discussions, they would asionally mention the user named 100 2/3 CATS, which was the cow management that rejected her application to join the forums. She clicked on the group chat records, patiently scrolled through for a while, and found her first discovery since joining the group. [19:05 100 2/3 CATS: Alright, let us start with an urban legend of the week. Since some new members have joined the group recently, let me reiterate that whatever I say is true.] Seeing this, Lu Yibei frowned. Urban legend of the week? ording to Jiangli, the more people believe in an urban legend, the more likely it is to manifest in reality. Do these people have no idea what theyre doing? Lu Yibei thought about it and continued to scroll through the chat records patiently. [19:02 100 2/3 CATS: The protagonist of the story is a young girl who likes taking photos a lot. Lets call her A. She lives in Xicheng, Huacheng, which is a mountainous region.] What? The previous chat record was still 19:05, so how is this at 19:02? Is my data not working? Yibei chalked it up to a bug and continued to read. [19:07 100 2/3 CATS: A has always had a habit of sorting out the photos taken by her asionally and then picking her favourites to save. This continued until she obtained an old film camera.] [19:09 100 2/3 CATS: She bought that camera in a vintage shop during a business trip. Well preserved, has no damage, and looks brand new. It was as if it were calling out to her, like an old friend reuniting with her.] [19:12 100 2/3 CATS: She abandoned all her previous equipment, only using that camera to take photos. However, after a month, when taking photos in the suburbs, she encountered a heavy downpour, and she was forced to return home. She decided to fill her time by taking selfies. [19:15 100 2/3 CATS: Of course, film cameras need to be developed. She brought the camera over to a store to develop them, declined an invitation to a party, turned off her cell phone, and locked herself in her room. She looked at her photos one by onebeautiful, wless, just like herbut with each selfie she took, a stranger would appear in the frame.] [19:20 100 2/3 CATS: She didnt realise it at first, but soon she would realise that something was wronga man in white clothes whose face was shrouded in the shadows, and with each chronological photo, he was getting closer and closer to her. She was terrified! A pervert was following her! She turned her entire house upside down but found nobody.] [19:25 100 2/3 CATS: She would smile wryly and take another photo of herself] Thats it? Lu Yibei tilted her head and swiped up and down the chat history, but there were no additional messages. This user had great story-telling abilities. She couldnt help but feel disturbed as she read. [19:48 GIRL WITH NO PROBLEMS: @100 2/3 CATS That region she lives in thats where they bulldozed an entire cemetery.] [19:50 100 2/3: Yes, that is the one.] [19:57 DAUGHTER: @100 2/3 CATS Is that camera still in Huacheng?] [20:02 100 2/3 CATS: Yes. It exists. But I dont know where it is. You can DM me if you want more information.] Maybe this users storytelling abilities arent that good. What kind of user gatekeeps stories behind their DMs? She couldnt help but hover her finger over the [Report Group] button. She immediately began to think, Something is up with this forum, and urban legends have their own chat group as well. I havent finished my story with Jiangli yet. I cant investigate further without telling her more. Or Thinking about it, Lu Yibei silently shifted his gaze to his thighs, held her chin, and thought seriously about it for a second or two. Her reason and shame saved her integrity once again. Perhaps she could use her girl form to register an ount? No matter what, a cute girls aesthetic is always weed, even in an urban legend-centred forum. Chapter 140: Exposed! Chapter 140: Exposed! Peony Street. Du Sixian didnt dream tonight. During this period of time, she has be ustomed to entering that dreamscape every night to practise mantras. However, now that she wasnt dreaming, she couldnt sleep and would get up every two or three hours. However, now that her body was imbued with spiritual energy, a little rest was needed to sate her. Upon waking up, her first thought was to practise. She figured she couldnt rely on the dreamscape too much, fearing that it might disappear. An Qing told her earlier today that once she has fully mastered the first mantra, she can continue with her physical training. Combining her physical skills with her magic would supposedly form a deadlybo. So, you have to push yourself! Du Sixian yelled inwardly. You got this, Du Sixian! Holding the scroll, she took advantage of the night to push open the window and lean against it, hoping to refresh herself with the cool breeze. Outside the window, a thin mist floated down the pale Peony Street. Du Sixian was fascinated by the scenery for a while, and at this moment, a crisp bell rang in her ears, and a girl appeared at the end of the street. She was wearing a white skirt with strange patterns printed on the corners, and she walked barefoot on the bluestone b like a peony quietly blooming at night. Who is this? Taking a closer look, she recognised this as the girl who was drawing runes at the Night Division, and she was very beautiful. While she was staring at the young girl, the young girl also noticed her and cast her gaze from afar. Sensing the girls gaze, Du Sixian was taken aback for a moment before dropping her scroll onto the street. The girl was stunned for a moment, then leaned over to pick up the scroll. She floated gently towards Du Sixians side. Your scroll, the girl said. While speaking, her body leaned forward slightly, an inexplicable fragrance of flowers wafted through her nose, and she smiled sweetly. That smile seemed to illuminate the moon with a pink hue. Du Sixian took the scroll from the girls hand without saying a word and put the scroll away. When she turned back around, she found that the girl had already disappeared. Looking at the empty streets under the night, Du Sixian felt that her cheeks were hot as if she had fallen deeply in love. What the In the early morning, the rising sun lifts the veil of night and illuminates the Earth. When Lu Yibei returned to his apartment, the security guard considered calling the police on him. He was almost naked; his shorts were torn. He had covered his family jewels while he carried a weird wooden box with him. The clothes he got from Professor Ma were made of ordinary fabric after all, and they couldnt bear his body growing the moment he transformed back into a boy. He felt like the Incredible Hulk, bursting out of his clothes. Fortunately, the real estate aunt, who was fascinated by Shui, appeared and confirmed Yibeis identity, and the security guard reluctantly let him in. Without staying too long, Lu Yibei walked through themunity all the way, returned to his apartment, and knocked on the door impatiently. Knock! Knock! After Lu Yibei knocked on the door twice, he vaguely heard footstepsing from behind the door, and the door was pushed open slightly, revealing a pair ofzy, emerald eyes beyond the gaps. Where were you? Jumeng moaned. Ill have you know Im scared of the dark! You had me worried sick! At that time, the morning sunlight filled the whole room through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Jumengs porcin-like face seemed to be coated with a thinyer of gold; her soft, long hair was loosely scattered, and she rubbed her sleepy eyes with one hand. She was wearing arge white T-shirt with I dont want to work written in big red characters on it. As the breeze blew, therge T-shirt worn as a nightgown rose and fell, exposing her smooth and slender legs, and her pink feet were juicy under the golden sunlight. Why are you wearing my clothes? What else do you want me to wear? Ill remind you that you injured me, and Okay, okay, I get it, Yibei sighed. He couldnt believe that this girl was an ancient goddess. However, he couldntin. A goddess with gorgeous breasts and beautiful thighs He stretched out his finger and poked Jumengs face. What are you doing? she pouted, but she didnt resist. Cute. After entering the house, Lu Yibei went upstairs and changed into a new pair of clothes. As soon as he went downstairs and came to the living room, Lu Yibei was about to look for Jumeng, but a gust of wind blew, caressing him with its strange hands as Jumeng manifested right beside him. Look, I promised to help nurse you back to health, but I didnt say anything about satisfying your strange interests. Jumeng wrapped her arms around his chest and asked seductively in his ears, The cores. Did you bring back cores for me? How did you Did she secretly follow me yesterday? It cant be! If she were following her, she wouldve killed her long ago. Youre being stupid on purpose, right? I can sense the charms you use, you know. An average of three charms can kill an average urban legend, and you used thirty-seven. So, on average, you must have collected ten cores, right? Lu Yibei frowned. Is she ckmailing me? Age trulyes with the stinky disease of having no shame. Well, I did get a core emphasis on a. While speaking, he took out half of Lu Xus core and handed it to Jumeng. This is half a core. Not even a core. Jumeng suspects that hes lying to her. Lu Yibei shrugged and patiently told Ju Meng what happenedst night, omitting many unnecessary details. Lu Yibei! Am I not enough for you? Leaving me alone at home to hook up with other women.. you you! Jumeng feigned being hurt, and Yibei couldnt help but want tough. You could at least pretend to be hurt. Well, take it or leave it. If you dont want it, Ill use it to make cores. I never said no! Jumeng immediately snatched the core away and ran a good distance away from Yibei, afraid that he might snatch it away from her. Suddenly, Yibei remembered something and yelled out, Wait! Jumeng was visibly startled, and the core slipped down her throat, causing it to be stuck. Ack! Ack! What are you? A cold bead of sweat dripped down Yibeis forehead. Now that she has swallowed Lu Xus core in full, wouldnt she be able to see everything that Lu Xu has seen? Like the scenes of Yibei hunting him down? Lu Yibei looked at Jumeng from the corner of his eye and found that she was staring at him with a gloomy expression, and her body trembled. Yibei Why are you lying to me? Its over for me! Its over, Lu Yibei cried out inwardly. Chapter 141: Corrupting the Blood of the Gods Chapter 141: Corrupting the Blood of the Gods Seeing Jumengs frightening expression, Lu Yibeis palms felt sweaty, and his brain started toe up with various lies and excuses to save himself. Fighting a goddess like Jumeng is pointless, so the only way out is through negotiation! Plus, Jumeng barely exerted any strength thest time they fought; if anything, Yibei almost died trying to wound her. Whats wrong? By the way, isnt the weather nice today? Yibei mentioned it with an expressionless face. Hmm Jumeng narrowed her eyes as she nced at him. What are you acting dumb for? Need me to remind you of the wholesome and generous things you have done to me? Lu Yibeis face turned pale, and he hurriedly replied, I-I humbly apologise I dont know what you mean; I mean, I helped an olddy across the street, I stuffed some money into a homeless girls piggy bank, and I helped that student get away from his ss. Thats not what I meant! Jumeng bellowed, her voice shaking the apartment, as she took off her shirt and pointed at her porcin-like belly. Look at what youve done to me! Lu Yibei hurriedly covered his eyes with his hands, intermittently peeking through the gaps of his fingers before hiding them again. However, Jumeng did not budge, and he reluctantly took his hands away. In an instant, he noticed a wisp of ck mist emitting out of Jumengs lower abdomen as if it were alive. You Jumeng pointed. I cant believe you would use the blood of corrupted gods to poison me! What? Yibeis eyes widened. What are you talking about? Ill have you know that if Im contaminated with such filthy and unclean things, I might just turn into a degenerate! And when that timees, the entire Huacheng will not be able to escape, especially you, little boy. I gave you nothing but grace, Jumeng sighed. All you had to do was collect cores for me, and you get toe home to an obedient and beautiful goddess, and yet Oh, you are just shameless, Yibei inwardly pouted as he cleared his throat. I really do not know what youre talking about. I split the core in half, gave one half to a hungry girl, and you get to eat the other half. Youre acting stupid again. I swear! I dont know what youre talking about! Hearing this, Jumeng squinted at the contract mark on the back of his hand and sighed. What kind of urban legend was it? Jumeng asked. Judging from my reaction, you gave me the core of a corrupted, fallen god. Hearing this, Yibeis mind was cast back into the pitch darkness of the pit in his dreamscape, and he couldnt help but shudder. Well, Ill tell you where I got it from, but only if you can exin to me what you just said. Jumeng nced at her contract mark again and nodded, Ill use the Night Divisions terms so youll be able to understand: corrupted gods are simply gods that have gone insane or deviated from their original purpose, and they will start attacking anything that doesnt fall in line with their purpose. Their blood contains everything about themtheir beliefs, their purpose of existence. When corrupted, their blood changes, too, like a virus. Drink too much, and Ill be gone. I understand, Yibei gulped. In a sense, theyre like humans who carry a virus but dont iste themselves? I am not familiar with human culture, but I assume so. Now, tell me where did you get the cores from. Wait a minute, wait a minute! he said, remembering something and changing the topic. Last question: if this is as dangerous as you mentioned, then the girl I fed the core to The thought of the benign schoolgirl going on a rampage and decapitating every student in her way sent chills down his spine. You filthy Jumeng growled as her face darkened. You poisoned me, and youre still worried about women outside? ? Do gods get jealous easily? Well Will you be alright? I am an ancient goddess. I will be fine. What about the girl? Well, shell be fine. Theres too little corrupted blood to even matter, really. Onest question? Yibei asked. Speak. If youre fine and the girl will be fine, then whats the point of throwing your little tantrum just now? Thats right, what am I getting angry for? Jumeng thought. And to answer Yibei, she simply pped him across the face. Dont question a goddess! After dealing with the incredibly jealous goddess, Yibei went upstairs to retrieve the bamboo scrolls. cing the box on the table, he unlocked it, and Jumeng immediately shrank back away from the box and pinched her nose. It stinks! What the hell did you bring home? What? It doesnt even smell like anything, Yibei replied as he leaned forward to sniff. All he could smell was the slight fragrance of bamboo and camphor wood. Youre human, so you cant smell it. All I can smell is the stench of a corrupted god. But when I transformed into a witch, I couldnt smell anything either. Is something wrong with me or her? Well, these are the original bamboo scrolls I asked you to trante yesterday. If anything dangerouses out of it, you get to have it as your food. Jumeng was silent. Why are you being so quiet? I thought you wanted cores? Yibei asked. Well, I didnt expect to be eating turds to recover. Theyre still a source of cores; if you dont want them, I can continue making charms! Absolutely not! I am an ancient goddess! This is an acquired taste, she retaliated, putting her fist to her chest. Whatever, lets take a look. Yibei rolled his eyes, and the two got closer to the box. She carefully took the bamboo scrolls out of the box and untied the thread that held the scrolls together with a look of disgust as if she were unwrapping a piece of turd. The moment she unfolded the bamboo scrolls, Yibei suddenly felt a sharp burning pain in his eyes, and a strong sense of uneasiness hit his nerves. The special characters on the bamboo slips were glowing red and dancing a malicious dance, and after a moment, the characters pounced towards Jumeng. Seeing this, he lunged forward and smacked the scrolls out of her hands before toppling over her with his body over hers. W-wait, I can exin Oh! Jumeng smiled seductively, wrapping her fingers around Yibeis neck. I understand whats happening. Chapter 142: The Imprisoned God Chapter 142: The Imprisoned God Jumengs legs were like roots that bound Lu Yibeis legs together in the soil, and her knees were like rapidly growing poison ivy, shooting up towards the poor boys family jewels. He had toy on the sofa for about half an hour before he could even speak. Ack I think you rigged our contract. I cant feel my, ugh And yet, my contract mark isnt glowing. Hmph, be grateful I went easy on you, Jumeng huffed. Youre lucky I didnt castrate youwell, lucky for me because, ultimately, I didnt hurt you. As she spoke, she nced towards Yibei, clutching his family jewels. He should be fine, right? Ill tell him more about urban legends to make up for it. Of course, she wouldnt say that out loud. A goddess has to maintain her own image, even if she is in the wrong. F-forget it Yibei panted. I dont me you anyway, so lets continue talking about the bamboo scrolls. Well, first of all, we need to dispose of these scrolls; they are evil incarnate. By the way, you didnt need to p it out of my handthey could never even scratch me even if I allowed it, Jumeng exined. How about we burn it? Yibei suggested. Yibei wanted to get rid of the bamboo scrolls as fast as possible, seeing how they directly caused the horrific events over thest few days. Jiangli was right in saying that knowing too much would put one in danger. Whats wrong with kids these days and ying with fire? Jumeng frowned. Its not good to y with fire. Well, thats the only way I can think of disposing of it forever! Any other suggestions, O High Goddess? You cant burn something like this, boy, Jumeng sighed. My powers arent sufficient to destroy these either. Listen to me. These things are like conduits for the gods virus; the only thing capable of destroying relics like these are urban legends or even gods with abilities that dispel these viruses. However, having these powers means you are more susceptible to gods own beliefs, which makes it easier to corrupt them. In my opinion? The best way to deal with cursed objects like these is to leave them be and let time do its work. When everybody forgets about it, they will gradually fade away too. You know a lot about these things, Yibei said, shivering. This is a fellow god of yours, no? Theyre long gone, Jumeng shrugged. You cant restore a corrupted idea. Hearing this, Yibei couldnt help but feel slightly bad for her, and he found that she held simr views to him. Plus, I bet you dont want to see a beautiful woman like me be a corrupted, ugly goddess, right? Beautiful is stretching it, Yibei pouted. I can barely feel my Yibei walked over to the discarded bamboo scroll and bent down to pick it up, but not without catching Jumeng distancing herself from him. Are you scared of this? I thought you said they couldnt affect you. Jumeng bit her lip and said nothing. What are you hiding? Yibei inwardly smiled as he waved the bamboo scrolls towards her. If youre quiet, I can only assume that you consent to Im still a girl! Jumeng yelled. Just what do you think youre doing? Im not going to have sex with you! I didnt say anything about sex, he coughed. Like I was saying I can only assume that you consent to help me trante these scrolls. Oh. His arms were a little sore from resting his head on the table and listening to the goddess exin the contents of the scrolls. She had a grave expression on her face before ring at Yibei with resentment in her eyes. Humans have no conscience. What does that have to do with me? The first texts you asked me to trante were all diary entries full of vulgarnguage, but the second half of them is full of ancient knowledge. What do you mean? Obscure knowledge, mysterious scriptures of unknown origin: These things are usually hidden and buried away, but if humans were to stumble upon them and offer them as offerings to the items respective god, they would acquire knowledge and power that ordinary humans cannotprehend, making them a living god. Jumeng thought of her domain and her giant peach tree. Isnt that a good thing? No, because when these people in the scrolls found the god in question, it was already dying. Lu Yibeis eyes widened upon hearing it. This was what he wanted to ask from the very beginning. And Jumeng indirectly confirmed it. Gods can die? In some ways, yes. Even an ancient goddess like me will die; are we not urban legends in essence? Time governs all things; in time, we will fade away as people forget about us. From what I know, no urban legend has made it past five thousand years old. How old are you? Five thousand, three hundred and seventeen. Youre joking. Are you ying with me right now? Well, my situation isplicated, but I cant exin it. She simply couldnt tell her that she was just an ordinary peach tree that stood tall for about five thousand years, and she was realistically just about three hundred years old. Inparison to other ancient gods, she was very young. Theres more interesting stuff in the scrollsthe soldiers who were responsible for searching for the god did not return after acquiring this forbidden knowledge. Instead, they remained in that dead, sacred ce. Over the years, they started to worship the god as a snake god, and their descendants came to believe that they were all worshipping a snake god. Wait, but didnt you mention that these scrolls were written by just one person? How could that be? Wouldnt that soldier be dead before he could even acquire all of this information? Well, you see, he might still be alive. What? Yibei widened his eyes. He couldnt believe what he was hearing. Didnt I just tell you that they found a dying god? I dont know much about the god, but they learnt that it travelled across the unending sea and pierced through the sky toe to these mountains to fade away, but it never expected ordinary humans to find it. Then? What happened to the soldiers? It gave those humans grace. Perhaps it was a final act of benevolence before it could fade away. However, when it tried to fade away, it couldnt. What do you mean? If the god dies, so do the forbidden knowledge and power bestowed on humans. The god found that it couldnt will itself to fade away no matter what because Oh my god, because they tried to imprison it. Thats right! Jumeng nodded, but a gloomy look shed over her eyes. If one day I were to fall and I ran away to fade away peacefully, would my people let me or lock me up? Chapter 143: Lu Yibei’s Inscription Chapter 143: Lu Yibeis Inscription Never in a million years would Lu Yibei expect that the dark and gloomy god within the pit would be the victim of the situation. Is being a god even all that? he doubted. At this moment, he hoped that he would never transform into one. What do we do with these? he asked, pointing at the scrolls. Were you even listening to me? Jumeng said angrily. Just throw it away! And dont go picking up things like these anymore, you hear me? The house is getting dirty! Myhouse. Ourhouse. Yibei sighed and turned around. He thought that after Shui blessed him, his house would be safe from dangerous beings until a shameless goddess came around. I cant kick her out because of the damn contract, too, he grumbled. He got up, put all the bamboo scrolls back into the box, went upstairs, and kicked it towards the corner of his room. Afterwards, he sat on his bed and turned on his phone, and he was delighted to find it working;st night, he had been monitoring the chats in the urban legend forum. Although he didnt participate in any discussions, his phone suddenly ran out of battery and turned off on its own. Thank God it still works Lets see. I have three new messages [GU QIANQIAN: Why did you stuff money inside my piggy bank? I was thinking about it all night, and I couldnt sleep because of it. Because I felt bad for you, okay? [180XXXXXXXX: Hello, this is the Orthopaedic Inpatient Department of Huacheng Central Hospital. I am the doctor overlooking Professor Ma Zhens condition. Pleasee over and see him whenever you can. Hes having a hard time going to the bathroom and ims that hes paranoid. I dont know how manyints we can handle from him dragging other patients into the bathroom with him.] Seems like Professor Ma is suffering from PTSD I hope hes okay. He clicked on thest remaining message and frowned upon reading it. The text was sent by his counsellor. They are like mystical creatures; theres a high probability that they will not contact you, but when they do, it means something bad is about to happen. [COUNSELLOR: Lu Yibei, the school celebration is approaching. We have learnt of your heroic deeds in subduing hooligans at the expense of serious injuries. I think that is verymendable, so we hope that youll be able to give a speech during the celebration! Pleasee over to my office whenever youre free.] What the hell! Who do I me this on? Jiangli! Its all her fault! Her fault that I got stabbed eighteen times! And now I have to give a speech? He put away his phone, changed into a new set of clothes, and went downstairs. It was almost noon, and he wanted to grab lunch before meeting with Jiangli. What about Jumengs lunch? Wait, what am I thinking about? As he went downstairs, he could see Jumeng watching another soap opera. Seeing that he was about to leave, Jumeng sat straight up and called him over: Bei, where are you going? If youre going to collect cores, you shouldnt do it in daylight! Dont tter yourself, he teased as he stuck his tongue out. Im going to set up a stall at the nearby market. Maybe I can attract some customers and earn some money. Oh? What for? Lu Yibei pointed to his expressionless face and said solemnly, Attraction. Facial paralysis. Wait, before you leave, I just remembered something. Can you Can I get you lunch? No! Youre a goddess! Do that yourself! Tsk! Listen to me! Jumeng spat. You have a little trinket in your house, correct? Im not talking about the charms. Do I? Yes, that little trinket helps to refresh the mind and repel mosquitoes, but Yibei suddenly remembered it was the little trinket that Li Xuan gave him to protect him as a gift and said, What about it? Tiny problem. I came out of the bathroom after taking a shower yesterday and found somebody peeping at me through that thing. What? I didnt say you could use my bathroom! Did you use my towel too? Theres a peeping tom here, and youre worried about that? Well, you are a girl. Is that what it is? Jumeng smirked. Yeah, I used your towel, and it still has the scent of a woman stered onto it. I bet you want to smell it so bad! I need to buy a new towelter. Whatever. Do you know who was peeping at you? I dont know. I was so angry that I shed him with a blinding light and broke the trinket, but I remembered his eyes, creepy and unmoving, like a hawk. Oh He couldnt tell her that she had just attacked a member of the Night Division. However, he would never expect somebody as prim and proper as Li Xuan to install a camera to spy on him! It seems like he does not trust Yibei at all. 1:53 pm. Yibei was half an hour early for his scheduled ss with Jiangli. He couldnt help but worry that Li Xuan would be more suspicious of him since a random girl decided to break his trinket, and he thought of skipping ss today. However, if he didnte over to the Night Division, it would simply confirm Li Xuans suspicions. Alright Walk into the Night Division with dignity and power, and nobody will suspect you. He soon ran into Hua, and she led Yibei into her mistress office. Opening the door, he could see her tapping away on herputer, ying a game of mahjong. He felt weirded out about Jianglis obsession with mahjong, and it didnt just stop atputer games; anywhere she wentonline tournaments, casinos, gambling densshe would be there ying mahjong. Whats worse is that she would win 90% of those games and take the money for herself. Whats the fun of ying a game where you always win? He pouted. Maybe shes hunting an urban legend rted to mahjong? Ding! Jianglisputer speaker emitted a victory notification, and she looked up from herputer. Oh, youre here early, she nodded. Its good that youre here early. I have good news and bad news. Good news first. The good news is that your runes are ready, and youll be promoted to an official member of the Night Division if you want to. Bai Kai helped Jiangli source suitable runes for Yibei, but he begged Jiangli not to tell him that he was the one who found the runes. Jiangli couldnt help but slightly smirk when she recalled discovering Bai Kais weakness in the midst of their operation. Whenever he would bring a woman home, she would let Hua go to his house and re funeral music outside his window. What about the bad news? The courier responsible for the runes is running a littlete. You wont be able to be an official Night Division member now. That doesnt seem like a big deal, though, he thought. If you dont mind me asking, what runes have you prepared for me? Its Before she could even finish her sentence, her office door swung open, and Li Xuan stood by the door, smiling. Chapter 144: Find a Way to Kill Him Chapter 144: Find a Way to Kill Him Lu Yibei thanked the heavens that he had facial paralysis because he had almost screamed in horror. Jumeng was right; there was indeed something wrong with his eyes. His eyes peeked over his sunsses and coupled with his unnerving smile, Yibei felt as if, if he stared at his face for too long, he might go insane. Is he nning to expose me in front of Jiangli? Yibei shivered. However, he couldnt run away or act irrationally, so all he could do was stare back at Li Xuans unblinking eyes. There was a pregnant silence for about a minute or two, and Jiangli was the first to speak up. Whats the matter? I dont remember calling you in. Ah, I was looking for a file, but I couldnt remember where it was, he smiled as he spoke, and his eyes drifted towards Yibei. The Operators of the Night Division, in addition to their duties of protecting the city, have their own duties to attend to. For example, An Qing is in charge of performing autopsies on urban legends and training new members; Gu Xiliu is in charge of magic and purification ceremonies; and Jiangli is in charge of management duties, so it wasnt a surprise that Li Xuan would be here to ask her about his files. But its such a coincidence that he came at this time! Even Jiangli thinks its weird that hes here! Looking towards her, Jiangli was frowning as she stared at Li Xuan. Judging from her expression, she was obviously not very satisfied with his answer. You couldve just asked Hua. Ah, she doesnt have enough clearance for that. Im looking for the file rting to the Garden of Peaches. What for? Jianglis expression suddenly became serious. She has heard of the Garden of Peaches, an extremely powerful conglomeration that is also extremely benign. Its rare to find a group that decides toy low and not wreak havoc. However, the Night Division kept a close eye on them. Do you remember the psychic energy fluctuation a few nights ago? The analysis came out, and they suspected that it came from the Garden. As Li Xuan spoke, his eyes would drift towards Yibei. Its over, isnt it? He wants me to confess my crimes, and now Jumeng is a wanted criminal Should I tell her to run away? I see, Jiangli slightly nodded. Ill send the file over when Im done with his ss. Thank you, Li Xuan smiled, turning around to leave. By the way, train this boy well. He has potential. Jiangli didnt respond to Li Xuan and waited until he left the office to ask, Why does he pay so much attention to you? Both of you dont know each other, correct? But I could notice that he was constantly looking at you. We do know each other. A little bit, at least. Tell me. There was an urban legend attack at my campus, and I ran over to take a look, but Li Xuan was already there, and he Hearing this, Jiangli immediately interrupted and said, And I suppose he threatened you to be more careful? Wow, I guess he did do that. How did you know? Thats just his character. He may look smart and gleeful, but hes a shady person. She recalled back to when she first joined the Night Division, and Li Xuan had kept a file on her for two years straight. Nobody knew about his investigation, but Jiangli deduced that he was investigating her. Its like Li Xuan is using the Night Division as an excuse to satisfy his perverse desire to know everything. Forget about him, Jiangli sighed. Lets talk about your runes. Could you exin what runes are, please? Although he pretended to ask about his runes, he was panicking inside. If something goes wrong during the process, his real identity might be exposed. Have you heard of Ifrit? Jiangli asked. Yes, Charmander! What are you talking about? Nothing. Just a joke from a game. Well, in short, Ifrit is a legendary being who maniptes fire, and your runes are derived from it. He shifted ufortably in his seat. There was already a terrifying me that brewed in his body, and now his runes were rted to fire as well. Doesnt this mean I can use these runes to hide the witch inside of me? Does that mean that Ill be super powerful? Yibei asked. I cant guarantee that. Ifrit is powerful, and so are the runes derived from it. I cant guarantee your survival if you were to use these runes and embed them into your soul. To be honest, she couldnt understand how or why Bai Kai sourced such dangerous runes for his godson to use. It all depends on whether or not Yibeis body is able to ept these runes. What? You might not be able to bear the runes burden. Is this the real bad news you had for me? No. The real bad news is that our courier is injured, so your runes wont be here in time. How is that bad news? he wailed. I need to find a way to kill him, so he wont be able to deliver those runes! I dont want to die! Chapter 145: His Matters Aren’t Yours to Worry About Chapter 145: His Matters Arent Yours to Worry About In fact, Jiangli wanted to kill Bai Kai. If she were to conduct a survey, everybody in the Night Division would unanimously vote to kill him, but its hard to catch somebody as speedy as him. Sometimes, she wonders why he would ever pursue the path of extreme speed. You dont need to worry too much about that, Jiangli reassured. We have ways to minimise the risk of rejection. But there are still risks Are there no runes that are easy and safe to use? We do actually have zombies locked up in the basement. They have no cores, so Ill just let them bite you. If you have talent, nothing will happen to you. What about my abilities? The Night Division Records say that if I be a psychic user, Ill obtain special abilities too! Youll be less intelligent. No Im talking about abilities, not side effects. I know what Im sayingthat is the zombies ability. Some say that they feel luckier after being bitten, but luck is subjective, so I personally think that it is a reduction in intelligence since they are unable to perceive properly. How about it? If youd like, I can lead you down to the basement. I think Ill settle for Ifrits runes. Youre brave, Jiangli said, patting him on the shoulder. Its good to be brave when youre exposed to a world full of urban legends. He turned his head and looked at her, and he couldnt help but feel bad for badmouthing Jiangli in his head earlier. Ill hand Li Xuan his file, she muttered. You can stay here for a bit. After she left, he took the Night Division Records out of her shelf, and it started to flip open on its own. However, after ten seconds, it stopped flipping. He was surprised to find that the pages werepletely out of order. Page 25? How could that be? I read about 20 pagesst time, but He attempted to flip back and found that the pages were simply skipped over, and it wasnt even redacted from him likest time. His eyes casually nced over the contents of the skipped pages, and his pupils suddenly contracted slightly. The contents of the pages were exactly what he heard from other people: Jumeng, Gu Qianqian, etc. The Records had assumed that he had understood the contents by default and skipped over them. A cold sweat dripped down his forehead, Thank God Im alone. If Jiangli noticed, I might get into trouble. If I obtained redacted information hidden without the proper clearance He felt bothered by the fact and stopped reading after reading about two or three lines, waiting for Jiangli toe back. In order to not be a suspect, he could only put the Night Division Records down. In the endless depths of the hallways. The door to this room was tiny, but upon entering, the ceiling of the room seemingly stretched into the infinite, obscured by dark shadows. Old wooden boards creaked whenever you stepped on them, and there were countless bronze pipes lined up on the wall facing the door, densely packed together like sardines. Surrounded by those bronze pipes, a hideous face with closed eyes rested in the centre of them. Jiangli sat on a stone bench in front of the pipes, gently stroking the faces eyes with both hands while injecting spiritual energy into it, recalling information about the goddess named Jumeng. An abnormal urban legend that has existed for over five thousand years sessor of a power belonging to an ancient god owns a domain known as the Garden of Peaches organiser of the Night of a Hundred Ghosts As she muttered information about Jumeng, a strange gleam appeared where her hands touched her eyes, and her silver-white hair floated as if an invisible fan was blowing right in front of her. The next moment, her consciousness seemed to have fallen into an endless torrent of information, and a gleaming copper ball carved withplex patterns appeared before her in her dreamscape. The copper balls exuded a strange, otherworldly force. Her eyes swept across the vast number of copper balls, and she quickly locked on to one and pointed at it. The dreamscape disappeared in an instant, and the copper pipes generated a low humming noise. The hums soon grew louder, and the face opened its hideous eyes and opened its mouth, rolling a copper ball out of its tongue straight into Jianglis hands. The pale-faced Jiangli hurriedly got up, bowed slightly towards the face, bid farewell to thergest psychic item of the Night Division, and limped out of the room. Knock, knock. If it isnt Jiangli, Li Xuan smiled. I didnt expect you toe so soon. Done with Yibeis ss? I dont think thats any of your business, Jiangli replied coldly, handing the copper ball over. Ill be taking my leave. Wait. What is it? Please dont tell me you want another file. You know the proceduresunless there is an emergency, each person is limited to one copper ball a day. No I need to tell you that there is something wrong, Yibei, he leaned forward and whispered. I dont have enough evidence, but I advise not getting too close to him. Thats what you told everyone when I first joined the Night Division. I know what you are. Li Xuans face drastically changed when he heard this: You His suspicions of both Jiangli and Lu Yibei skyrocketed; after all, she is somebody who came out of the Eclipse Society! So far, except for her, no one has been able topletely escape their control! I think you should worry about yourself instead of worrying about me. Ifthatperson finds out that youve been badmouthing him, I dont think the Night Divisions sry is enough to cover recing your tyres. Li Xuans smile faltered slightly when he remembered that his tires were repeatedly shed by Bai Kai. When he came back to his senses, he found that Jiangli had already disappeared. Dont get too close to him! He yelled down the corridor. Maybe you can get some clues from the Records! Shut up! After finishing speaking, she quickened her pace, leaving Li Xuan alone in the corridor. He continued staring at her disappearing figure and clenched the copper ball until his fist turned white. Chapter 147: The Classroom Chapter 147: The ssroom Just as Lu Yibei guessed, Jianglis reaction after hearing the words Eclipse Society was much more extreme than he couldve imagined. She mmed her hands on the table and leaned forward slightly as she stared daggers at Yibei. Why didnt you tell me earlier? Ah, uh they were just discussing it in the chat. Later, there was an urban legend attack at the school, which Operator Li Xuan was investigating. If I hadnte here today, I wouldve forgotten about it. I see. You should head back first. Are you going over to Shihekou High School? From what I heard, that ce is infested with urban legends! Are you preparing anything? We have known about Shihekou High School for a while now, but because of special reasons, we are unable to deal with them in a permanent manner. By the way, you should head back before it gets dark. After she spoke, she turned around and limped out of the office. The reason why Shihekou High Schools urban legends are difficult to eradicate is because the urban legends have long been integrated into the school. If anything, the entire school is now a living urban legend. Unless the entire school is levelled and every single piece of information about it is expunged from public sources, it will still remain. Plus, demolishing the school is not a permanent solution; the urban legends will scatter in an attempt to find new shelter, and itll be difficult to deal with infestations of urban legends in the city. Hence, the Night Division regrly sends people to monitor the situation at the school. However, if it were up to Jiangli, she would use radical means to take the school down. For example, find whoever owns thend near the school and throw them into the school for a trial of guts. Jianglis words implied that they have people monitoring the situation at Shihekou High School, so how did Du Sixian and Yibei enter the school without being stopped at all? Did they all run away, or Was it nned for him to enter the school? Jiangli saw An Qing training her new student, Du Sixian when she came to her office. Seeing her approach, An Qing left Du Sixian to train on her own and went up to talk to her. Whats the asion? An Qing smiled. You dont usuallye down here unless you want something. I need your help. Lets go out for a walk. Yibei found new information about the forums. Are we just going to investigate or eradicate? Frankly, An Qing wasnt surprised Jiangli woulde to her for every mission. Jiangli hates Li Xuans guts; Gu Xiliu is always busy; and Bai Kai Just investigating. Oh? An Qing smiled. If thats the case, can we bring her along? Where were going is somewhere dangerous. I heard that she has no inherent talent in her, so she might get herself into danger. You dont have to worry about that. She already knows how to cast one spell. Hearing this, Jiangli was visibly surprised and nodded. Well, Ill be waiting for you two at the entrance. At the officebelled with a V, the door to the dim office was pushed open. A figure peeked inside and rushed into the office. His hawk-like eyes narrowed at the dark book left on the office table. With a gleam of light on his fingertips, he made the Records hover before him as he flipped through the pages. After a few seconds, it opened at page 23 and flipped until he came to page 29. Li Xuan stared at the Records, doubting, Just six pages? The progression of pages was slow. This means that Lu Yibei is a slow learner. Damn it! He mustve found a way to hide his tracks; I must Li Xuan was talking to himself when he suddenly felt eyes on him and a feeling of ghastly, slimy tentacles surrounding his limbs. Looking out of the window, he saw a girl holding a ck umbre with dishevelled hair and thick dark circles around her eyes. Peeper, peeper, peeper, the girl muttered in a low voice as she hovered away. Li Xuan sighed as he closed the Records. He couldnt believe Gu Niang, the member he hated the most, caught him doing such a sneaky act. Shes quiet, elusive, and, worst of all, a tattletale. The ck car rode down the muddied road, and not far away, a narrow river could be seen, stained a light red with the afterglow of blood. Hua was driving, and Jiangli sat in the passenger seat. An Qing and Du Sixian looked out from the windows on the left and right, respectively, and the only sound that apanied them was the sound of wheels running over dry branches scattered across the road. Behind them was an ordinary jeep full of members of the Night Division d in civilian clothes. Under the gradually darkening sky, the scenery that was cast with ayer of shadow swept back one scene after another. Driving along the winding mountain road, the gloomy and oppressive campus in front broke into sight. Earlier, when Du Sixian learned from An Qing that they were about to investigate Shihekou High School, her brain short-circuited for a moment. Should I tell her what happened here? However, she quickly tossed that thought awayif somebody as powerful as her mistress didnt join the Night Division, it must be because she doesnt want to be disturbed. Seemingly aware of Du Sixians unease, An Qing patted her on the shoulder lightly and smiled, Were just here to investigate. Dont worry about it; I am by your side. Du Sixian smiled back at her. An Qing was right. Plus, she couldnt help but feel excited about getting close to an urban legend in a safe environment. Were here, Hua said, parking the car right in front of the gate. The sun hadpletely set, shrouding the entire campus in darkness. The buildings were like towering giants that hid in the shadows, and it was eerily quiet. With Huas help, Jiangli got out of the car and stood in front of the gate, and she couldnt help but feel a sense of disgust wash over her. Lets divide tasks, she said. We have twelve people, so form 3 groups of four, led by me, An Qing, and Hua. Each group must have a member who is familiar with the environment of the school. After entering the school, split up and check each building. If, at any moment, you find something abnormal, contact everyone through the badge. If there is no further question, group up. Half of Jianglis words became gibberish to Du Sixian as if she were falling asleep in the middle of a lecture. I wonder where she is, Sixian thought. Im powerful now. I wont hold her back, right? When she came back to her senses, she found that she was walking right behind An Qing into the school. The trees grew crookedly; the ground was overgrown with weeds; statues of a long-forgotten time; portraits of long-forgotten faces Stepping into the target teaching building, there is a dark corridor with doors on both sides tightly closed. asionally, chairs could be seen discarded in the corridor, as if there were still students roaming about the abandoned school. No, Du Sixian thought. They must still be here. They are all just hiding because the Night Division is here. An Qing suddenly stopped and waved her hand, signalling everyone to stop. Then she caressed her owl badge with her fingers, listening to the message that was just transmitted to them. Group C here. We found a ssroom that ispletely charred by fire, and the urban legends hiding nearby were all avoiding this ssroom. As she heard the message, Du Sixian couldnt help but firmly clench the corners of her skirt. Chapter 148: The Noble Urban Legend Chapter 148: The Noble Urban Legend In the charred ssroom. A serious fire mustve broken out herewalls that arepletely ck, with weird burn marks on the walls, as if somebody was trying to escape the fire. The atmosphere was strangely dry and hotpared to the damp and chilling air that permeates the entire school. Plus, the tables and chairs were fully intact as they sat on the soot-covered ground as if they had grown back after the fire. Hua investigated the ssroom and frowned. Before this, there was indeed a ssroom that had been burnt, ording to the Night Division Records, but that was in a ssroom on the other side of the campus. A terrible deduction came to Huas mind: the school is alive and is shifting its structure. Among the many urban legends, they have dealt with, it wasnt umon to have ces of gathering for urban legends. In the end, all of them would merge into one, creating a much more chaotic, unstable, and terrifying entity. She ordered her other members to investigate the ssroom thoroughly, and soon they found something. Every member quickly gathered, and with the aid of a shlight, the molten and cooled metal on the ground was covered with palm prints. Even just by looking at the palm print, you could feel the painful emotions contained within its twisted grasp. We need the fingerprints, Hua ordered. Well have topare it with the missing persons reports around the country. As for the others, continue investigating and see if we can find other clues. Yes! Du Sixians group rushed over and entered the dark gate, and their figures seemed to be engulfed by the darkness that loomed around them. Du Sixian felt as if many figures were hidden within the darkness; the eyes werent malicious but fearful. The other three turned on their shlights, and the dusty and decrepit teaching building was in sight. Dust floated in the stale air, the yellowed walls were stained withrge stains of unknown origin, and the metal doors and window frames on both sides of the corridor were covered with traces of rust. The school seemed more dpidated than thest time Du Sixian came here. She guessed that, ever since they left, the passage of time had be distorted. She forced herself to restrain her own footsteps, pretending to be unfamiliar with theyout of the school. Especially after she heard Group Cs reports. All this while, she never told a single soul about her expedition here, as if something nagged at the back of her brain to prevent her from doing so. It wasnt like she wanted to tell them anyway. Look alive, An Qingforted, sensing her apprehension. Youll get used to it the longer you work with us. Theres nothing to be afraid of. Another member piped up. The urban legends here are fearful and tend to stick to their own business. Right? Much better than the time we had to investigate that graveyard. I got so scared I couldnt even find it in myself to pee, the third member chirped. Alright, alright, An Qing gestured and leaned closer to Sixian. These two have been working on the same team whenever they have a mission. Its better to partner up with someone you trust when going out on expeditions; its the tradition at this point. Were just following what that genius did back then. Du Sixian was slightly stunned. This must be the same genius who wasnt talented enough to be a psychic. She once thought that the Night Division members were all aloof, serious people, but now she finds that they have a certain charm to them that makes them endearing. The corridors started to get familiar as Du Sixian walked towards the ssroom; Hua had already investigated most of the ssroom, leaving only the four corners untouched. Entering the ssroom, An Qing frowned slightly when she saw the scene in front of her. She looked at Hua, exchanged nces with her, and then turned to look at her team members. Come, lets help investigate. The other members nodded their heads and got to work, but Du Sixian was left in a daze. This ssroom could this be what happenedst time? She she must have risked her life to save me, right? This ssroom waspletely unfamiliar to her now that it was covered in soot, and she couldnt help but think of the girl who had saved her. Du Sixian? Are you okay? Yeah. After being in a daze for a while, Du Sixian came back to her senses only when An Qing called her out and walked towards a corner of the ssroom. Like others, she checked the area under a desk, carefully put the desks and chairs on the ground, searched the drawers carefully, and then quickly moved on to the next area. At this moment, she vaguely heard An Qing and Hua whispering. Whats the situation like? Did you find anything else before we came here? I thought the school was alive, but it isnta fight between urban legends broke out here, and there are traces of a ritual left behind. Just urban legends? Im very sure of that. When Du Sixian heard this, her face changed slightly. Is is my mistress an urban legend? But shes not evil; she saved me! This must be why she didnt want to be discovered by the Night Division. And that voice in my headthat must be her! She guided me to the Night Division because she wants me to walk down a brighter path! At this moment, she felt that her mistress was incredibly benevolent but misunderstood. Although Im sure that it was only urban legends However, although it is certain that there have been urban legends fighting here But you cant tell what kind of urban legend it was, correct? An Qing knew very well what Hua meant: the analysis of the types of urban legends through the residue of their psychic energy is affected by time. If the event urred within an hour, she couldpletely restore the characteristics and abilities of that urban legend; after 24 hours, some information can be obtained; after a week, only vague information can be obtained; and after a month, next to nothing can be deduced. Du Sixians hands were mindlessly searching the desks as she eavesdropped on their conversation, and she touched something. It was smooth yet rigid and cool to the touch. She was startled and almost screamed but felt that it was familiar. Taking a deep breath, she pulled it out, only for her pupils to shrink violently. Porcin The white porcin dish used by Pharoah and the others to y the te Deity game At this moment, she heard the conversation between An Qing and Hua. If we find anything special, we can give it to Gu Xiliu and let her have a psychic dream to recreate the events here. At least shes useful for something. Chapter 149: Audience Who Refuses to Leave Chapter 149: Audience Who Refuses to Leave Du Sixian held the edge of the white porcin te, and fine beads of sweat oozed out from the palm of her hand. Should I tell them or hide it from them? I want to protect my mistress, but I cant let An Qing down, or I can destroy it. Thinking about it, Du Sixian lingered in front of the desk for a long time until An Qings and Huas badges vibrated. Did any of you find anything? Jianglis voice sounded. If not,e over to the auditorium as soon as possible. We found something over here. Jiangli was never the type of person to make a fuss. If she said that she found something, it must be something big. Du Sixian nced towards them, and seeing that they were distracted, she stuffed the porcin te into her clothes. I need to dispose of this somehow, she thought to herself. Jiangli must have found something big. I suggest we go there immediately, An Qing said. There doesnt seem to be anything unusual here for the time being. Hua simply nodded, leading her team out of the ssroom. However, her eyes swept past Du Sixian, and she found it weird that she was lingering at that table for too long. Forget it. Shes a neer. Its probably nothing. In the depths of a dpidated school, there is a building that is much smaller than other buildings. It imitates the curved dome built by the National Center for the Performing Arts and is equipped with some Roman pirs. This is the auditorium of Shihekou High School, with a total of two floors. A few minutes ago, Jianglis group felt a strange wave of psychic energy. The floor-to-ceiling ss doors were all locked, and there was a thickyer of dust on them, making it impossible to see clearly what was inside the auditorium. Standing in front of the doors, Jiangli was considering whether to break into the auditorium to save time or wait for her members to find the key. However, one of her team members shouted, Operator Jiangli, there is an emergency exit back here! Soon, she came to the emergency exit and saw that the thick iron gate of the exit was deformed and heavily damaged as if it had been smashed through by somebody. Between the gaps was a hole that could fit exactly one person inside. Ill head in first, Jiangli announced. You can follow me after I confirm that there is no danger inside. Understood! Jiangli took a step into the auditorium, and a dazzling silver light gathered at her feet as it travelled up her legs. Soon, her lower body was wrapped in silver-white armour that shimmered a pale blue, and her walking stick had transformed into a greatnce. Jiangli channelled her psychic energy in an attempt to sense danger, and after confirming that there was nothing inside, she called out to her team members to enter. The three entered one by one and turned on their shlights. There is a walkway that can amodate four or five people standing in a line and extends four or five metres forward. The walkway turns to the right, leading directly into the auditorium. The surrounding walls are yellowed, with mildew spots on the corners of the walls, and there are bits of trash scattered on the ground. Jiang Li took two steps forward and suddenly stepped on something under her feet, making a soft noise. She frowned slightly as she brought her leg up and saw a mouse corpse with all of its innards removed, leaving only skin. Jiangli brought her leg down, crushed the skin with her heel, and continued moving forward. Soon, they came across arge iron door. Jiangli stepped forward and gently pushed the iron door. Apanied by a soft whining sound, a strange smell whiffed from within. Corpses, Jiangli thought as she smelled that all-too-familiar stench. To be exact, it was the stench of urban legend corpses. Without staying too long, she pushed open the door and stepped into the auditorium in two or three steps. Seeing the scene inside, her face sank. The members of the Night Division were all psychologically and mentally resistant to the horrors they would encounter in their line of work. However, when they saw the scene in the auditorium, they couldnt help but tremble, and one of them even dropped his shlight in shock. The auditorium was imitating major theatrestall, wide halls with nearly a thousand seats spread out in a fan shape. The turbid air is apanied by a gloomy, cold draft, and at a nce, all of the seats were densely packed with shadowy figures. The figures stared forward at the stage, like an audience unwilling to leave. The curtains of the stage were a dull white, yellowed from the erosion of time. ncing at her team members, who were all petrified, she walked forward, grabbed the figure, and tossed it in front of the three of them. No psychic fluctuations. This is not an urban legend. The three-pointed their shlights towards the figure on the ground, and they saw that it was merely a sandbag puppet made with sheets and pillows. These sheets were the bedding in the dorms, but since all the students here were rich, they didnt use the bedding provided. When the Night Division first came here, they found arge amount of bedding piled up in the storage room. The sandbag puppets were noted in the Records as rough in workmanship, with the vague appearance of a person. However, these dummies have a human face drawn on them, and the sses and names of students were written on the back of these puppets. Maybe the graveyard shift wasnt that bad, one member spoke up. Oh my god Is it moving? When one of the members put their foot on the puppet, his boots caught on the rope of the puppets chest, which flung the puppet straight towards him. Haha! It just got stuck to your boot! Weve done this mission so many times, and youre still scared of the puppets? How would I know its not alive? Jiangli silently shook her head at her teams banter and swung hernce in the air, walking in the direction of the stench. Walking down the aisle, she gradually walked to the front of the stage. At this moment, there was a sound of metal copsing, and the curtains immediately fell with a whoosh, flooding the entire auditorium in a cloud of pungent dust. When the dust settled, Jiangli saw more than a corpse-like puppet in performance costumes standing on stage. Shrouded in darkness, they were forced into various poses and seemed to twist their broken bodies ever so slightly. Chapter 150: Evil Interpretation Chapter 150: Evil Interpretation These corpses were dead, but the shadow of death still haunted them. It seems that the thrilling show has not yet ended. Corrupted flesh and blood spilt onto the rusty props and the mouldy wooden floor in the crevices. The scavengers had long since died; their shrivelled husks, densely packed, were moving on the filthy, foul-smelling slime. The turbid and cold wind blows from a ce beyond sight, silently depicting the face of a tyrant. On the stage, the victims body was floating, with his head down and his face obscured. His toes barely touched the ground as if he were suspended by something invisible. Seeing the scene in front of them, the three members of Jianglis team were stunned for a few seconds before taking out various tools and charms to eliminate whatever threat might pop up. One of them hurriedly pulled out his pistol, loading it with a copper-d bullet engraved with a simple spell. Jiang Li squinted her eyes slightly, staring at the corpses on stage. Suddenly, something horrid shed in her mindthe remains of memories she wished to forget. Fingernails on a chalkboard, stic foam rubbing against each other, a chilling electric drill The noises were cacophonous in her ear, filling her with the desire to destroy. She hurriedly shook her head. The residual influence of the Eclipse Societys evil ritual still haunts her. She waved a hand around herself, dispelling all kinds of evil impulses within her. She hurriedly raised her head towards the stage; the three members, armed with special guns, had already approached the corpses. Stop, dont touch them! she yelled. Hearing the shout behind them, the three members immediately stopped and looked at Jiangli before taking a closer look at the corpses. Seeing this, their hearts almost jumped out of their chests, and they couldnt help but take several steps back in fear. The corpses turned their heads with treacherous smiles on their faces and bloodied tears running down their gouged-out eyes. Although they no longer had eyes, a strange sense of desire lingered within them; the team members could clearly feel the evil and dirty emotions that brewed within their minds. At this moment, a dazzling blue stream of light pierced through the darkness like an arrow, and a greatnce was nailed to the stage between the three of them and the corpse. Light gleamed from thence, covering the stage in the cold,forting light of an aurora. The corpses were suspended in mid-air, and the light pierced through above them as if the invisible thread that controlled them had been cut as they were tossed to the ground. At the same time, there was a strange noise in the hall, and the puppets ced on the seats fell to the ground one by one, making muffled noises as if the audience were leaving the stage. Hearing the sound, Jiangli turned her head towards the audience. Her eyes darkened, and she could sense something fleeing the auditoriuma superficial existence, a newly-born urban legend. Withdrawing her gaze, she thought that there was no need to pursue whatever lurked here. Without the nourishment of this special environment, they would most likely fade away after two or three days. If it wasnt for Lu Yibei, it could have grown, and The members of the Night Division sent here to perform investigations were only responsible for ensuring that the urban legends of Shihekou High School stayed there, and they rarely ventured deep into school property. Wouldnt it take them at least a few months to discover the evil ritual that gave birth to an urban legend within the auditorium? Perhaps years? Even if it was just ten days, these whispers without form would take on a physical, real urban legend. The sudden appearance of thousands of tiny urban legends would be enough to cause a small-scale disaster, and Yibei prevented it. I must reward him somehow, but not too obviously. With his character, he might just start flying with joy. While thinking, Jiangli came to the stage. At this time, the three members of the team had initiallypleted the investigation of the surrounding environment and were about to start examining the corpse. Jiangli pulled out hernce that was stuck to the stage and firmly grasped it in her hand before slicing through the corpses clothes. Sure enough, a familiar tattoo broke into sight, sending shivers down her spine. The tattoo hidden in her own clothes throbbed ufortably, and she forced herself to look away from the corpse. Dispose of the corpses. Ill let the others know something happened here. Understood. Leave the dirty work to us, Miss. Hearing this, she nodded, caressing the badge on her chest with distant eyes. After sending the message to An Qing and Hua, she picked up hernce and started walking towards the 2 oclock direction of the auditorium. Sure enough, a ss jar full of an owls eyeballs could be seen hidden in a dark corner. With the swing of hernce, she crushed the jar and its contents into a powder. Then, she walked in the 4 oclock direction and found a bunch of dried ck widow spiders on an abandonedmp stand. A pair of goat horns at 6 oclock. Just as she was about to investigate the relic left behind at the 8 oclock position, the auditorium doors were pushed open, and An Qings group arrived Before entering, An Qing could sense countless, formless whispers fleeing the auditorium and asked Du Sixian if she wanted to enter. Before this, she would refuse, but now that shes an official Night Division member, she has nothing to be afraid of! She walked into the auditorium with great strides. Only to run out of the auditorium with a green look on her face, vomiting all over the overgrown weeds. An Qing hurriedly walked over to Jiangli and sped her arm, whispering, Are you sure it was done by someone from the Eclipse Society? Im sure. Looking around the hall, An Qing furrowed her eyebrows. I hope its not what I think it is. It is, she solemnly nodded. A gathering of unformed whispers and apparitions, waiting for an evil ritual to form them into a full-fledged urban legend, like yeast added to the wine. Given enough time, they might have Although An Qing wasnt familiar with the evil rituals of the Eclipse Society, she knew how serious they were judging by Jianglis tone: Is there a way we can find whoever created this? No. Whoever made this ritual is gone for at least a week. I can barely feel the residual psychic energies here. What about that goat horn? An Qing pointed. Maybe I can let Gu Xiliu try with that thing in your hand? I suppose, she reluctantly nodded. Jiangli continued to talk with An Qing, and Hua came over after investigating the corpses. Miss, ording to the characteristics of the victims, I can confirm their identities: the first was a senior student who went missing on the 27th ofst month; the second was an employee; the third was a taxi driver, and he had just recently died. The rest of the corpses are too old or rotten to be identifiable. Du Sixian rushed out of the auditorium and emptied the contents of her stomach onto the weeds. When she regained herposure, she looked around from the corner of her eye, stroked the porcin te hidden under her clothes with one hand, and narrowed her eyes slightly. She wanted to vomit when she saw those horrible, rotten corpses, but at the same time, she took this opportunity to get out of sight to dispose of the porcin te. Du Sixian tiptoed over the railing, took out the porcin te, and threw it straight towards the forest ahead. The white porcin dish drew an arc in the air and fell into the middle of the dense forest before rolling away and disappearing out of sight. Chapter 151: Lucky Enough to Survive Chapter 151: Lucky Enough to Survive After leaving the Night Division, Lu Yibei found a remote and abandoned corner of the street to transform into her nightly worries. The lone Witch wandered about the streets like a vagrant the entire night, and at sunrise, she let the suns rays wash over her as she transformed back into her original form. When he returned to his apartment and opened the door, he saw Jumeng still sitting on the sofa, her eyes red and gushing with tears while holding a box of tissues. Really? Over soap operas? he sighed. Whats the matter with you? I cant I cant! I just feel for her, you know? She cried out as she pulled even more tissues out of the box. W-what are you talking about? I just watched a movie; its about a cannibalistic old woman, and shes just so I cant Oh, he frowned. That movie. I just feel for her! I can see myself in her. I know she has done a lot of bad things and probably deserves to die, but I still feel for her! She got kidnapped, and her family was taken away, and and she got beat up by that bearded man, like Right And she eats her kidnappers as revenge. But dont you feel for her? Jumeng cried out as she stared straight into Yibeis eyes. People cut down trees, but the trees cant fight back, but seeing such a frail old woman fight against her kidnappers I see, Yibei said, fiddling with his fingers. Enough about uh, sad stories; I have something to ask you. Ooh! A question? She smiled as her tear ducts immediately dried up as she swung back and forth on the couch. That means you have food for me, right? Let me see! Uh, on credit, please. Ill ask a question on credit, and youll get your cores next time. Man she pouted. Is this how youfort a woman? Demand her to do all of your bidding and not pay her back? I never said that, he denied, scrolling through his phone and showing a webpage on finance to the goddess. See? Humans do things on credit and pay in instalments. Shouldnt a fine and beautiful goddess like you adopt an excellent system for yourself? Youre just making things up! I dont know what youre nning, but excessive consumption will only lead to ruin! Im not answering any questions! She still does know economics, after all. Thought I could fool her. But her emerald eyes shed. Ill make an exception, just this once. You cant run away from me because if you dont pay me back You want me. Yes! I mean, no! Not in that way! I meant that youre going to be under my control. Ah! No! Thats not- In a sense, she still wanted him. He let the goddess regain herposure, gathered what he had learnt today, and asked, When I went to the Night Division today, I overheard people talking about how mythical creatures and urban legends were born, and apparently, they can just die out of the blue? Listen to me. In the urban legend tavern that I frequent, they have a signature dish that needs to be ordered a year in advance, and the key ingredient is the core of a mythical creature. I assume you know what a mythical creature is by now? Yes. Good, do you know how they make this dish? Once they sense that a new mythical creature, or myth, is born, they will start keeping a close eye on it. Yibei couldnt help but fidget and grope at his neck, To kill it? The tavern isnt a shady business. They just wait for the myth to die, then collect whatever remains of them. He nodded and continued to ask, Arent they scared that the myth mighte back to life? Mythse and go, which means that they can simply revive, correct? The tavern has that covered too! Jumeng smiled. If the myth were toe alive, the tavern would provide a free meal voucher that could be used once every month forever. Jumeng wordlessly conjured a meal ticket in front of Yibeis eyes and smiled, twirling it around for him to see. Okay What about your own death? How did you escape it? Why are you asking me this? Jumeng asked, and her eyes narrowed as she backed away from Yibei a little. Is it wrong to ask? he pouted. Im just a little curious;e on, weve been staying together for quite a while now! The Night Division didnt tell you yet? The runes that they cultivated, Jumeng thought in her heart. Artefacts they stole from ancient fairy tales and myths long forgotten. Are they supposed to tell me anything? Im just a part-timer. Are you an urban legend, Yibei? Jumeng simply asked. M-me? He choked out andughed. Little ol me? Absolutely not! How could someone like me be one? Plus, if I really am one, I wouldnt be working for the Night Division at all! Oh, you poor thing, she sighed before letting out a wryugh. I know you arent, but who told you that there are no urban legends in the Night Division? What the hell? Are you really that surprised? Jumeng sighed. Do you really think ordinary humans have the means to fight against the horrors in the dark? I hate to admit it, but she sounds right! He thought to himself. You still havent told me how you escaped your own death. Ah I really dont want to talk about it. Do I have to? Youre being annoying Jumeng moaned, deliberately avoiding the topic. You really dont want to know why. Why? Because I did nothing! she yelled inwardly. All I did was bask in the sun and enjoy the sea breeze daily, and suddenly, everyone started worshipping me! I did nothing! You dont know, do you? Of course I do! Are you implying that I, a goddess, am lying to you? Then, tell me! Fine! Jumeng yelled as she stuck her index finger on Yibeis chest. You cant tell anybody else! Yes! I promise! Its actually very simple, you see. Jumeng leaned in closer to Yibeis ear and whispered. Its all luck. After she finished speaking, she saw his bewildered expression and couldnt stand it any longer as she clutched her stomach and fell on the sofa, rolling back and forth as she cackled. ? Fine! Dont tell me! Its not like I wanted to know anyway! Their investigation at the high schoolsted until midnight; five operation teams were sent out to guard the school, and Jiangli and the rest left the dark and dpidated campus. On the drive back, Jianglis face was gloomy and cross; her anger bubbled within her, and her grip on her seatbelt tightened harshly. Hua. Y-yes? Mistress? Call up whoever owns Shihekou High School and convince him to demolish the school. Ah, mistress Hua stuttered. You see, he has been raising his propertys price yearly, saying that its a great attraction and all Plus, the Night Divisions budget has been tight this year, so In order to ensure normalcy, demolishing haunted sights like the high school is usually carried out under the guise of ordinary construction work. Unfortunately, the property owner of the high school refuses to budge no matter what. If he doesnt agree, call him up at midnight every day until he agrees to meet. Although Jiangli doesnt enjoy employing annoying methods like this, sometimes, to deal with annoying people, you have to be annoying like Bai Kai taught them to. If only we agreed to Bai Kais n earlier perhaps we would have less troubles by now, she thought, regretting that she abstained from voting. But what if he still refuses? I know you dont mind, but Tell him that Bai Kai sent you. Hell agree eventually. Huh? Hua was perplexed. She didnt expect her mistress to employ such lowly tactics. It must be that damned Lu Yibei influencing her Hua cursed. By the way, Hua, did you find anything in the teaching building? Jiangli asked. Since Jiangli was busy dealing with the evil ritual in the auditorium, she didnt have time to update herself on the situation. Its nothing special. Its just that Speak. The schoolit just reminded me of Flowers and Sunshine Resort. The Witch, Jiangli breathed. Do you think she was at the school? I-Im just guessing, Hua exined. After all, judging from the remaining traces of psychic fluctuations and factoring in the missing time I see, Jiangli nodded after a slight pause. She turned her head towards the car window and watched as the rapidly receding scenery passed by her. What was the Witch doing at the school? For food, or the Eclipse Society? Hua. Pull over, Jiangli said as she patted the drivers seat, feeling a little nauseous. Im not going back tonight. What? Oh Hua was worried, but her expression turned into a slight disappointment. Mahjong? At this hour? We already have enough money, mistress, and excuse my tone, but do you really want to be writing another self-reflection report after those guys used you of cheating? Im not going to y mahjong. Im just going to go around the neighbourhood and investigate the missing Witch. You dont have to lie to me, Mistress. Gambling is fun sometimes. Do I really y mahjong that much? Jiangli sighed as she shook her head. There was no need to exin to anyone why she was so obsessed with mahjong. Not even Hua. Hua reluctantly pulled over and bid Jiangli farewell, and the silver-haired girl limped towards a deep and narrow alley ahead. With every small step she took, the forms and dregs of a night market increased with every step, and soon she stepped into a bustling night market as if she had found a secret garden hidden beyond the cracks of a concrete jungle. The sounds of vendors yelling were endless, and the aroma of street food wafted through her nose. Ever since the nights became long, most people were afraid ofing to night markets, but some people still longed for the nightlife. Standing by the corner of the bustling street, she walked towards a lone chess house, lit up with a sign named [Lucky Star] on it. Chapter 152: Card Games Chapter 152: Card Games Theyout of Lucky Star is intentionally misleading; upon entering, you will be greeted by rows of massage beds, and the unaware will spend a hefty amount of money for a meaningless, vourless massage done by scantily dressed women. Only those who are aware and led by familiar faces can walk into the underground casino behind a secret door under the leadership of a youngdy. Jiangli thought back to the time when she started ying mahjong when she was just fifteen years old. She got lost in the crevices of the casino, and the girls, perhaps taking pity on her, arranged for her to attend to a massage bed, and she was forced to touch slimy and grimy men. She became acquainted with the people there. Back then, she would y two rounds on a small table near the entrance before losing all of her money, and she could only leave disappointed. Every time she came by, the regr men there would shout and tease her, Ere to give your money again,ss? Shouldnt be stealin yer mums wallet. Jiangli would simply ignore them and order the person in charge to shuffle the cards. However, today is different. Squeak. As soon as she entered the basement and got herself some chips, she walked straight into the inner parts of the casino, and the casino erupted in whispers. Some people quickly cleared their chips and ran outside for fear of being watched by her. Some didnt think it was a big deal and shouted at the top of their lungs, Shes here! She ignored them and walked straight to the southeast corner of the casino. She found a table at which sat three lone people, and with the sound of her chips falling on the table, it startled the three figures that huddled together. All of you seem free tonight. Couldnt find anyone to trick and crush their hopes tonight? Seeing her, the man with a thin face trembled. Through Jianglis eyes, she could see that all of his eight arms were trembling in fear, and each hand held a piece of mahjong. You why are you here? the man forced out. Its not Ah! the woman with six pairs of eyes panicked. We can y two games with youter, but we should talk for now. Thest figure didnt speak at all but gave a slight nod. Only a slight shadow traced their figure, and their long neck coiled around their shoulders like a poisonous snake. Gambling is inherently harmful, and in ces where gamblers gather, it is not umon for there to be a few urban legends that promise riches to gamblers, only topletely devour their hopes away. Luckily for Jiangli, these urban legends were all her informants. The thing I asked all of you to investigate Any updates? No! the three said in unison, and then they started talking one after another. Nobody has ever heard of a Witch in the Eastern suburbs, the pale man said. There have been a few incidents of urban legends disappearing along Linjiang Avenue, and A lone psychic did it, Jiangli interrupted. We tried to recruit her before, but she refused. The University A whisper caressed Jianglis ears. Havent you heard? None of us has been there ever since that psychic energy wave washed over the entire city. I see, Jiangli frowned. What about the game Ive been asking you to keep an eye on for me? Any news? About that, the woman said. Everyone has heard of the game that fulfils all of your wishes, but nobody has ever seen it. Maybe it really is just an ordinary urban legend. Is that so? Jiangli thought to herself. Then, what did I see the other time? Very well, then. Jiangli nodded, and a conniving smile appeared on her face. Its time for your payment; shuffle the deck! The three urban legends were speechless. Even if they did next to nothing, they could still earn money. Gambling is truly a disease. Night time. On the hill where Shihekou High School was, two dark shadows flew over quickly andnded on a rtively empty area on top of the hill. A curvy woman dressed in rather interesting clothes and a man in a dark blue suit with a fair face but dull eyes. Ooh, this seems fun, the woman chirped as they overlooked the campus. Your n has been ruined. The man frowned slightly and reached out and groped in his coat pocket, taking out a stack of post-it notes and flipping through them. This is just an extremely small part of our n in Huacheng. Even if this were destroyed, it would not affect the overall situation. You only need to focus on doing your part and nothing else. Her rabbit ears revealed themselves as they popped out of her head, and they twitched silently upon hearing his words. Lets see The man continued reading through the post-it notes,pletely unaware of her anger. Got it! The above are the words of the Elders. Forget about them, the woman said in a low voice, retracting her ears. When am I going to get the form you mentioned? Im getting impatient. Youll get it when its done; plus, if you encounter difficulties when dealing with Miss Twilight, we wille to your aid as well, the man said. At least, thats what the Elders told me. Im giving you onest chance, the woman threatened, and a scarlet gleam shed in her eyes. Or, I can reap the fruits of mybour in advancethousands of highly pure, Primordial Spiritseven if the Eclipse Society hunts me down because of it. We should leave. Theres no point in staying here, the man said. What? the woman said, ncing at the school below them. Didnt you say that you came here to contact Shes gone, the man said as he closed his eyes, and his nose twitched as he sniffed the air. That psychic item, sure enough, is gone. I cant feel it anymore. I guess we have no choice but to leave, Miss Rabbit sighed. By the way, the man stopped, grabbing her shoulders and leaning closely to her. What the what is he doing? She thought. Ill rip your head open if you try anything. The club youre working at Are they hiring? What? The strip club. Are they hiring? Why are you asking me this again? She wanted to ask the man if he wanted to hunt for people with psychic tendencies, but she remembered that he was fully human, which confused her further. Well Someone stole my wallet. Ill just cut straight to the point: I need a job. I need to put food on my table. Ill ask, but are you really I dont mind selling my body. She couldnt help but sigh and nod. Why did they send such a fool to take over Cicada? But isnt that good? Maybe I can use him for my own good. Before dawn, Lu Yibei was awakened by his rm clock. Before he knew it, he had adapted to the rhythm of getting up early. Was he enjoying bathing under the morning sun? When he changed his clothes and went downstairs, Jumeng was still lying on the sofa, fast asleep. A wig was acting as her pillow, and the wig didnt dare move a single inch. He tiptoed over and gently covered her up with the discarded nket on the floor. Then he gently supported her head with one hand, helped the wig escape, and reced it with a soft pillow. O Great Witch Shh! he red at the wig. Didnt I tell you? Donte back until I tell you to! Okay, I get it, the wig sighed as it turned around but stopped and hovered by his shoulder. When is she leaving? We can hardly bear it on our own outside. Do you think I want her to be here? I can hardly bear it on my own inside! Soon, he gave a simple reply. Theres something else, but I dont know if I should tell you. Lu Yibei frowned slightly and said, Tell me. You dont think you have a crush on her, do you? From my experience, the two of you are notpatible. Personality ys a part here; looks arent everything. Nonsense! Yibei red at the wig. Im not interested in her. Plus, if she wasnt attractive, nobody would be listening to her anyway! I need to leave for school. You all just find a ce to hide, and dont get caught by her! He immediately went out the door and closed it as he leaned on it, letting out a big sigh. How am I going to tell the counsellor that I dont want to be giving a speech because I survived a violent stabbing? What a headache! However, never in a million years would he expect that his problem would be solved before it even started. Because the counsellor went insane overnight. Chapter 153: Funeral Chapter 153: Funeral On the way to school, Lu Yibei gnawed on an egg-filled biscuit bought at the entrance of themunity while scrolling through the records of the chat group. [00:05 SEPIA: Since somebody asked, let me tell you in detail about the different feelings brought to me by various female urban legends let me light up a cigarette real quick.] [00:07 SEPIA: Lets start with zombie girls, and I do not rmend them! Their bodies are too cold and full of yin; although it is a plus in the summertime, their body odour is too strong for most to handle, and they are very stiff, so they cannot recreate many postures with you. [00:10 SEPIA: I do rmend vampires in that regard, though, but be sure to get your rabies shot after she bites you!] No matter the situation, men will always start to think with their juniors. If anything, this person could write a whole guide on how to pick up urban legend girls! He continued to scroll down. [00:35 SEPIA: But the best of all are witches] What the He couldnt help but feel offended, but he didnt know why. He immersed himself in the chat records, and after walking for about fifteen minutes, he came to the door of his ss. Looking up to confirm his ssroom, he nodded to himself and walked straight to a seat in a lonely corner. Although he had already made an appointment with the counsellor yesterday to discuss his speech, he still nned to finish this ss before going to the counsellors office. There werent many students in the ssroom; the ones who were present were in their respective cliques, talking loudly amongst themselves without a care in the world. That game is so good, right? The plot of the game is excellent, and the graphics were made in Unreal Engine too! Nice! Do you think its going to bepetitive? Oh, I dont care about all that. The only thing Impetitive about is the girls in-game. Yibei immediately tuned them out, turning his attention to the group of girls on the other side of the ssroom. He didnt quite understand what they were talking aboutwho is Jack Altman? What is the difference between nude red and red nude lipsticks? It just didnt click with him. The remaining dregs of Daydream wanted to exin it to him, but he tuned her exnation out, instead wondering about the best way to get rid of their memories as soon as possible. ck, ck, ck! Just as Yibei was about to fall asleep, a tall, smartly dressed girl hurried in and joined the girls discussion, and Yibei found himself interested in their discussion. Yun, why are you back on campus? Arent you supposed to be attending your rtives funeral? Dont talk about it! the girl shushed. If I stayed at that ce for a second longer, you might not be talking with me right now! Its just a funeral, though? Whats so scary about it? Dont tell anybody else, but I think the funeral was haunted. Haunted? He thought, and he noticed that their discussion had gotten considerably softer, so he stood up and sat closer to them. Isnt it good that they found your grandfathers body? But your missing cousin Thats what Im saying! My cousin disappeared with my grandfathers body, but my grandfathers body appeared out of nowhere! Whats worse is that my older cousin refuses to let anybody see his body, and he didnt even bid him farewell like he wanted him six feet under as soon as possible Interesting. Im d I n to be cremated when I die. Burials indirectly foster urban legends whenever the deceased are mentioned. Hearing what Yun had said, the girl sitting opposite her frowned, He didnt let you see the body? Then, how do you know that the funeral was haunted? Im telling the truth! My older cousin hired nine strong men to carry my grandfathers coffin, but guess what? They couldnt even lift his coffin up. Her face turned considerably paler, and she stopped talking. Come on, continue! They dragged his coffin instead, but the rope tying the coffin up snapped, and the lid burst open, breaking two of the mens legs, and inside the coffin Its empty? No. There was something insidenot my missing cousin, but my second cousin, and he was wearing my grandfathers clothes. Youre not making this up, r-right? I-I dont even know anymorethe rope was thick and sturdy too, so there was no reason for it to snap open, so I think that she gulped. Everyone was terrified, and their faces were ashen. Everybody just started toe up with excuses to go back home, but that wasnt the weirdest thing that happened. Dont tell us! Please! A girl covered her ears and said. -- What thecontinue the story! Im getting invested! Yibei thought. Let her finish. Another girl spoke up, and Yibei cheered inwardly. I was driving back home when my other cousin called me, she gulped. He told me that, when they left, they saw the older cousin sitting alone in the courtyard, with our second cousins corpse lying next to him. There were 18 tables filled with food, and he just drank alone, and he heard him talking. What did he say? Yun started to cry and swallowed. He said, Dad, you already killed my brother. What else do you want from me? Cant you just let me go? She continued to cry silently: He told me there wasnt the wind that day, but he could see my grandfathers favourite white towel fluttering violently in the wind as if it were He ran away, but he turned around, and he saw a scarletntern hovering over the coffin, Yun continued. I-I dont remember there being one, and its a funeral Nobody hangs up rednterns during a funeral. A scene started to form in Yibeis mind: an old-fashioned house, probably situated in a vige; an uneaten banquet; cloth fluttering without wind; scarletnterns He couldnt me any of her rtives for the horrors they went through. If anything, he told himself that the moment something went wrong, he would be hightailing it out as fast as possible! Chapter 154: Senior’s Request Chapter 154: Seniors Request The girls discussion continued to gnaw at Lu Yibeis mind, causing him to be absentminded during the entire lecture. While upied with his thoughts, he found that ss was already over, and he just remembered that he had to deal with his counsellor and grumbled inside. He loves studying; dont get him wrong. Although he isnt studying the major he wants, he thinks that taking university seriously is not necessary. As long as you pass your sses, youre set for the world. He packed up his unopened textbook and headed straight towards his counsellors office. The floor leading to his office was somewhat deserted since it was still early in the morning. Some students and lecturers rushed up and down the hallway for their next ss. Walking down the corridor, he came to his counsellors office and knocked on the door. No response. Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock God damn it, I thought you said you were free all day today, he grumbled. Come on Hearing the constant knocking, a security guard was alerted and found Yibei knocking on the counsellors door endlessly. Excuse me, what seems to be the problem? Uh, Im looking for Counsellor Xue. Is he- Before he could ask whether or not the counsellor was in today, he could see the security guards expression change in an instant. Are are you really looking for him? Yes? He wont being in for a while or forever. You should go to the Academic Affairs Department before they go out for their lunch break. What? Did something happen to Counsellor Xue? Ah he hesitated to speak and shook his head. I heard that he was sent to the hospital this morning after encountering something. Something? He thought before speaking. Do you know which hospital hes at? I want to go and see him. I need to report it to Jiangli and have her investigate it. Hes at the mental hospital, the guard said. You probably shouldnt go. He doesnt respond to anyone anymore, and he just attacks anybody that gets near him. After listening to the security guards words, Lu Yibei was silent for a moment, thanked him, and left thoughtfully. Down Cherry Blossom Avenue, the withered and yellow leaves floated down from time to time,ying a thinyer of dead leaves on the ground. Autumn was beautiful at the University, but Yibei didnt have the time to appreciate it. Although he wasnt familiar with who the counsellor was, he knew that he was a good person. Yibei couldnt help but feel bad hearing that he was locked up in an insane asylum now. Itd be hard to visit him. Others may not know what the mental hospital contains, but Yibei knows it very well: it is the ce where the Night Division detains those with out-of-control psychic abilities and dangerous urban legends. He recalled back to when Jiangli would threaten to lock him up there for one night. Now that the counsellor was locked up in there, it must mean that he came into contact with an urban legend, which means that the Night Division must know about it, right? Withdrawing his thoughts, he wondered how he was going to fool Jumengter,plete Professor Mas thesis, and give a speech on what its like to be stabbed multiple times and still live during the school celebration. However, as soon as he looked up, his eyes burnt. What the I should leave Who cares about helping Jumeng collect cores? I need to take care of myself first. This is not a breach of contract! It is daylight, so it is not suitable to hunt! Even though he wanted to leave the scene as quickly as possible, he was nosy and couldnt help but nce in the direction where his eyes burnt the most. His eyesnded on Cherry Blossom Avenue, and his eyes swept through the crowd. He saw a girl plucking her head out from her neck and parted her long hair, showing a sinister smile. She wore a dirty white dress, and waves of ck mist spread around her and her red umbre. And yet, the pedestrians around her werepletely unaware of her existence. Its the headless girl, Yibei thought. Why is her umbre red now? Wasnt it a grey umbre? He calmed his own nerves down upon seeing her; after all, she might be the friendliest urban legend he had ever met, apart from the apparitions in his house. Plus, she helped rescue Professor Ma before. The problem is How do I greet her? Thinking about it, he nced at her again, only to see a student walking straight into her and knocking her head out of her hands. He hurried forward and dragged her to a quiet, lush side of the campus. He then returned and picked up her head, which was invisible to everyone and pretended to tie his shoces as he ran back to the headless girl. After returning to the grove, Yibei handed her head over to the girl and sat down on the grass. Why did you appear to me? Arent you afraid of me? She spoke as she twisted her head back into ce like a screw. Her voice still sounded ghastly and distant. Whats there to be afraid of? Lu Yibei said it expressionlessly, and there was indeed no fear in his heart. I scared you thest time you were in the boys bathhouse I thought you would run away again this time! She cried out in a low voice. He finally came back to his senses and smacked his own head: She doesnt recognise that I was a girl the witch who had helped her However, if she doesnt know who I am, why did she appear to me? Well, why did you appear to me? Huh? She seemed visibly surprised as if she were shocked that a human was fine with her presence. I found something in school that scares me. I need your help, she spoke reluctantly. Look, even if I can see you, Im just an ordinary boy. How can I help you? Y-you see, I know you cant help, but I know you are Professor Mas student, and you have a good rtionship with him. Go on. I know Professor Ma knows somebody powerful. But I cant find him, so I need your help. That powerful person must have a way to help me out. Yibei couldnt help but smirk inwardly: Shes talking about me! Not me, but me! Im a little curiouswhats scaring you, exactly? Arent you a g-ghost yourself? I like this ce a lot, she smiled softly. I dont want to destroy that. Werent you killed here? He thought to himself. Whats there to like about a traumatic ce? The cool autumn wind blew against her long hair, and the fallen leaves fluttered across her face. In those cloudy and distant eyes, he could see life and hope within them. Chapter 155: Blink Chapter 155: Blink It is not unreasonable to protect something you love. Judging from her appearance, it seems that the headless girl is telling the truth. Lu Yibei still had to ask her what exactly the problem was. If it is within his scope, he wille to campus at night to deal with it. However, if it is too difficult of a task, then the number that you are calling is unavable! I can help you look for Professor Ma and ask him if he can find the girl youre looking for, Yibei proposed. But I cant guarantee that you can find her, and I think its best if you tell me what the problem is so that I can tell her. Youre right, she nodded, and her head turned to the staff dormitories. I dont know what exactly happened, but if you arent scared of me, you cane with me to go take a look. The staff dorms? he said, and he suddenly remembered what the security guard had said earlier. Did you see the counsellor getting attacked? What? How did you know? she said. I didnt see it, but I felt it. I knew it was real when I overheard some girls talking about how a counsellor had been sent to the mental institute. Alright. Lets go take a look. As they walked down Cherry Blossom Avenue, his eyes drifted back towards the headless girl, leading her so as to avoid other students bumping into her. I think its best if they dont run into her. Just in case. Its alright, really, she spoke as if aware of his thoughts. Before this, I tried to find somebody who could see me, but they couldnt. I see, he replied. Is there any other reason why you want to stay here? Theres no reason for you to want to appear to people if you just like it here. Well, I want to repay the three people whoid flowers at my memorial and paid homage to me. Just three? He thought. Didnt Professor Ma say that there were many people mourning for her? And I want to find the person who killed me. Sure enough, there were other reasons for her to remain her, but it didnt seem malicious. Its been so long, and Im not sure whether hes still here He must still be here, right? As soon as her words fell, her face darkened, and the ck mist hovering around her body became thicker. Yibeis eyes burnt slightly, and he could feel a biting chill down his spine. No. Hes still here. I can feel it. What? He thought to himself. Hes still here? Is he a student or a teacher? Do you happen to know who killed you? Maybe I can help you a little. Yibei couldnt help but curse himself inwardly for his tendency to help other people in need. I forgot what he looks like, she replied with a distant voice, and her eyes trembled slightly. How do you even forget your murderer? he blurted out. You dont forget your name. Right? So how is that? I I did forget my name. Oh. Could it be that her memory is scattered? Or could it be that its just simply leaking out through her neck? Were here, the girl called out, and before Yibei knew it, they were already at the staff dorms. The girl pointed towards the second floor, and on the balcony, he could see a familiar coatthe same coat that Counsellor Xue wore on their first meeting. The coat swayed gently in the wind; the windows were shut; the curtains were drawn. It was nothing special, but it made him feel uneasy. Lets go up and take a look. The two of them walked past the security podium, but the girl rushed forward and held Yibeis hand, and the security guard, painting her nails, didnt acknowledge both of their existence. Woah, he thought to himself. To think I made up all those excuses. They soon came to Counsellor Xues dorm room; it was locked shut, but the girl simply phased through the door. A few secondster, the doorknob turned, and the girl let Yibei in. Yibei hurriedly sneaked inside and quickly shut the door. He turned around to take a look and was immediately shocked by what he saw. It is a single room of about 30 square metres, with a single bed near the door, a desk next to the bed, and a bookshelf next to the desk. The windows near the balcony were like a living area, with carpets and two single sofas. From the outside, it looked cosy and warm. However, the messy, dark photos that were hung haphazardly on the walls destroyed this sense of warmth, filling one with unease. Yibei carefully looked at the photos and frowned. He knew Counsellor Xue enjoyed photography from gossip; its amon hobby enjoyed by many, but after seeing the photos, he thought that his hobby may not be that simple. Almost every photo was dark and gloomy. The contents of the photos were almost all statues: bronze statues in the park of the University, the statue of Confucius in front of the library, mannequins thrown at the garbage dump, and clown statues in an abandoned yground The photos were all overexposed and taken at a weird angle, which filled Yibei with a sense of dread. He swore that some of the statues were staring at him. Its no wonder he encountered an urban legend, dabbling in strange stuff all the time. The girl patted him gently on the shoulder and pointed to a picture that fell beside the sofa. Is that photo rted to the thing youre scared of on campus? Yes. He carefully walked over to the picture, picked it up, and studied it; it seemed to be taken from the sports equipment closet. In the dimly lit corridor, a pale old man could be seen, wearing a colourful shroud with a stooped figure, and He held a scarletntern in his hand, and his head was unnaturally turned to the camera. His lifeless face stared straight through the camera lenses. Yibei swore he could see him blink. Chapter 156: I Must Save Him Chapter 156: I Must Save Him Lu Yibei could feel something cold and disgusting crawl up his back, and his hands trembled as he tossed the photo away. In the next moment, his eyes began to burn, and he was forced into a dreamscape once again. Objects that were difficult to describe and shapes that shouldnt exist shed in his sight. Streams of indescribable colour shed one after another, and they faded into a dim light. He raised his hands and found that her hands had be petite and smaller. I must have triggered something. Like how I triggered the dreamscape with the bamboo scrolls Looking around, she found herself hiding in the sports equipment closet at the University. There were no windows down the corridor leading to the closet, and the corridor looked particrly gloomy without the suns rays touching it. There were a lot of things piled up inside the small space; apart from some worn-out sports equipment, there were also many unused clothes and props from other activities. Rather than a sports closet, it was more like a discarded item closet. In fact, if it werent for the recent rehearsals for the uing school celebration, the gate leading to this closet would have been locked. The dimly lit corridor was dead silent, save for her petite footsteps. Several costumes were discarded on the ground, and the abandoned sports equipment held a little rust to it. Several puppets from the drama club were discarded, too, but their limbs and joints were still of great quality. Did they really have to paint their faces that way? She thought, asionally ncing at their creepy and uncanny facial features. I wouldnt be surprised if an urban legend was hiding inside the puppets. There was a sudden sound of footsteps echoing down the corridor, and she turned her head only to see somebody walking down the opposite side of the corridor in a sneaky manner. She frowned, found a pile of cardboard boxes stacked together, and hid behind them. Before this, she thought that her existence in a dreamscape would go unnoticed, but due to the events in the bamboo scrolls, she felt that it would be best to just hide herself, just in case. Yes! a voice spoke in the darkness. The photos are going to be so good. Ill be able to make so much money! Counsellor Xue? She breathed out as she peeked out from her hiding ce. Indeed, it was him. She watched as he started to take photos of various discarded puppets, and she would never expect him to sell photos of creepy things. Hobbies like these are dangerous. Hes barking up the wrong tree. However, he couldnt me him. Photos like these were in high demand, and many people, in pursuit of the thrill of it all, enjoyed participating in taking or buying photos of real urban legends. She saw that the urban legend chat group shared some alleged photos of urban legends before, but she would never expect her counsellor to participate in such a thing. How do you even sleep at night? Suddenly, she heard him curse. Damn it! Did that old man appear? She thought, looking down the corridor. He lined the puppets up and put them into exaggerated and creepy poses as he kept pressing the shutter. The pale, painted faces of the puppets flickered with every sh, and Yibei couldnt help but feel uneasy. He took the photos obsessively, changing their postures once in a while. Suddenly, a feeling of unease emerged in her heart as he approached arge, iron locker. It was unlocked, and its rusty doors were slightly ajar. Within it, a figure could be vaguely seen. Oh? More puppets? Counsellor Xue said as he moved forward to open it, and her eyes started to burn intensely. When she regained her vision, she was startled by the scene before her and trembled. Counsellor Xue was holding the pale, old man in his arms, dragging him out of the locker little by little as heid him t on the ground. Then he swung his arm around the old man and took a selfie with him. Then he carried the old man by the waist and ced him firmly on a table not far away. This is amazing! Why did they throw such a high-quality puppet away? What a waste of money! he breathed out. Im going to be so rich! Although it was funny in context, thinking of what was going to happen to him, she couldnt help but feel bad now. There is no way you dont feel a bit uncanny looking at him, right? How is he even She couldnt believe that her kind counsellor would be so foolish yet so brave. ck ck ck ck. The soft sound of his shutter resounded again and again, and in the intermittent darkness, she could see the old man sitting up. The counsellor was still blissfully unaware until a pair of cloudy, bloodshot eyes burst into the scene through his lens. Agh! He fell off the long table, ignoring the pain in his body, and started to scramble across the floor. Along the corridor, a scarletntern lit up. Y-you! Dont get anywhere near me! Damn it Despite this, the counsellor still continued to take photos as he ran, and Yibei couldnt help but sigh as her eyes were plunged into darkness. The headless girl had been watching Lu Yibei for a while now; he suddenly fell into a strange state, as if his soul had left his body, and she couldnt help but worry for him. She patted his shoulder lightly and was about to call to him, but suddenly felt a terrifying wave of psychic energy wash over her. She felt death creeping at her door and an aura violent enough to tear her down. She couldnt help but tremble and grasp onto Yibei. It it mustve noticed me! The girl picked up Yibeis body and quickly ran out of the dorm, but the continuous waves of psychic energy continued to crash into her. Where is it? The girl thought aloud. I got him involved; I must protect him no matter what! Chapter 157: Preparation Chapter 157: Preparation In the morning, at the University. Some students had already returned to their dorms, while others remained in their sses. At this moment, two figures sneaked out of the building as they ran towards the University gate. I told you there wouldnt be anyone! Well be fine! thenky boy said. The chubby boy beside him panted and said, Im still a little worried Ive never skipped ss before. If we get caught Bah, we wont get caught! I skipped several times! Let me tell you, our teacher does roll call before ss, so were in the clear! The day we get caught is the day we see ghosts flying up in the air! thenky boy boasted, looking towards his friend. However, his chubby friends forehead was stered with cold sweat as he stared at the sky behind thenky boy. Hey,e on, skipping ss isnt that big of a deal. What are you scared of? You said if we get caught, well see ghosts flying, right? Yeah? Look behind you. Thenky boy looked in the direction pointed out by the chubby boy. The two of them saw a boy phasing in and out of reality, and his feet were not on solid ground. When they came back to their senses and were in a hurry to take a picture of this weird scene, the figure disappeared in the direction of the main path to Gate No. 4. The infamous Gate No. 4 Thousands of thoughts came to mind, and the two boys who were about to skip ss and go to the Inte cafe looked at each other for a while, silent. Aha, thenky voice whispered. Well, what do you know? I left my ID card in the dorms. Aha, the chubby boy replied. I actually really like to study, so Ill head back to ss. By the way, theres a temple nearby known for its spirituality. Why dont we go visit after school? You dont have to tell me twice. Feeling the oppression of powerful psychic energy fluctuations, the headless girl felt as if she had fallen into a maze of intertwined psychic energies. No matter what direction she went, she couldnt get rid of those eyes. And all she can do is continue to speed up and escape. However, in her state of hurry, she cant guarantee that Yibei will stay hidden permanently in her grasp, but she has no time to waste. She didnt want to die at that terrifying existences hands. She hurriedly flew towards Gate No. 4 and was about to enter the abandoned duty room where she usually resides when the terrifying eyes on her suddenly disappeared. Like a haze blown away by spring winds, great pressure was relieved from her shoulders, and she went limp as she sat on the floor. At this moment, Lu Yibei woke up. Hey on the ground, sat up, and took a few deep, erratic breaths as if he were saved from a drowning incident. He was still holding that strange photo in his hand, and as far as he could see, it was a dpidated and overgrown scene of weeds. Where This is the duty room near the main path of Gate No. 4. Oh, he replied, hearing the voice of the headless girl behind him. However, it seemed like she was missing her head. Wheres your head? And werent we inside the dorm just now? Oh! the girl eximed as she tried touching her face, only to find that her head had detached. It must havee off when I was running away, but its okay; the most important thing is that we escaped. But its okay; just go back and look for itter. The key is that we escaped. I think the connection between her head and her body is very weak, he concluded. What do you mean by escape? Did that scary thing pop up? No! she cried out. It was something strongerI could feel it! It made me so scared that I had to drag you out as soon as possible! At least several times stronger than what made me scared! ording to what she said, there are still urban legends hidden in the school that are several times stronger than that weird old man. Isnt this an ordinary university? I just felt chills all over when I felt that thing attacking the counsellor, like a grey and musty wind blowing around me, but this time, it felt like a volcano was erupting around me. No matter how fast I ran, I couldnt escape it It was really scary. Huh. I wonder who shes talking about. Its okay. Look on the bright side; whatever you just described may not be malicious, heforted. How would you know? She spoke angrily, and a little blood spurted out from her neck. Think about it, he said as he wiped the blood from his face. If it wanted to kill us, wed be dead by now. Youre right again. Anyway, I was holding onto As she spoke, Yibei fell deep in thought. There was still an urban legend in school, and preparations should be made just in case it decides to be active. If worst came to worst, he decided to ask Jumeng for help. Its good that we escaped, he said absentmindedly. Now, Ill go look for Professor Ma and find the girl, and you will Find my head, please. I can feel my head being kicked around. After bidding farewell to the headless girl, Lu Yibei left the school from the main road of Gate No. 4, found a cafe in themercial street near the university town, and sat down in a corner. The caf was deserted, which gave him the opportunity to study the photo. Holding the photo in front of him, he felt his heart drop to the floor. The old man wasnt in the photo anymore. All that remained was a scarletntern looming down the corridor. Is this the same scarletntern that grew out of Lu Xus body? Good. That means I know how to fight it. As long as it isnt stronger than Lu Xu, but where is it? Holding the photo in one hand and resting his chin in the other, Lu Yibei thought for a while and suddenly felt that he was thinking about something wrong. No, maybe I dont have to go find him myself. I just need to figure out what he wants. Then hell appear before me. Grasping the key, Lu Yibei suddenly felt that things had be easier. Now, I have to confirm with Professor Ma regarding the bamboo scrolls and prepare for any chance encounter with them. Yibei couldnt help but feel good about himself. Its good to be prepared! Chapter 158: Tails Chapter 158: Tails After leaving the school, Lu Yibei stopped a taxi and went all the way to Huacheng Central Hospital, skillfully bypassing the sight of the security guards and walking to the inpatient department. Why does he have to bypass security? It really is quite simple. He is cklisted from every hospital in the region for telling doctors horror stories. Lu Yibei came to the door of Professor Mas ward with great difficulty and then leaned on the door. Through the small window on the door, after confirming that Professor Ma was the only one in the ward, he sneaked inside. When Lu Yibei entered the ward, Professor Ma had just finished arguing with the doctor. He hugged the quilt alone, curled up in a sullen mood. Its stressful to be under constant supervision. Squeak. Argh, didnt I make myself clear? Professor Ma yelled. I dont need a psychiatric evaluation! Get out! He was slightly taken aback upon seeing Lu Yibei and his eyes watered up. It was as if he were seeing his child. Yibei? Youre here? Why? I missed you so much! Also, why are you here? Hurry back and finish your thesis! Yibei could feel a slight joy radiating from Professor Ma, despite his pushy words. Professor, I came to ask something important. Professor Ma frowned upon hearing this as if he were saying, You onlye here because you want something from me. Is it about your thesis? I cant help you with it. I encourage independent thinking amongst my students, and Its not about the thesis. As he spoke, he nced outside the ward before getting closer. Somebody was attacked by an urban legend today, and its rted to a scarletntern that resembles Lu Xusntern. What I want to ask is: Do you know their origin? The scarletntern was apanied by an old man wearing a colourful shroud. An old man in a colourful shroud? Professor Ma thought for a while with a serious expression, and a sh of light shed in his eyes. I think I do. In the next few minutes, Professor Ma gave Lu Yibei a brief ount of the bizarre process of the old friend who gave him the bamboo scrolls, from his death to his sudden resurrection to his mysterious disappearance. Thats all I know about the scrolls. Professor Ma sighed. He was still worried about his friend and his friends son, though he could already guess their fates. After listening to Professor Mas lecture, Lu Yibei briefly recalled the whole story about the recent attacks at the school and suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment. Most of the urban legends that appeared with the blood-rednterns are rted to the bamboo scrolls in some form. He Ruo was attacked, probably because he bumped into Lu Xu, who sneaked into theboratory building to look for the bamboo scrolls. Professor Ma is the holder of the bamboo scrolls, so it is reasonable to attack him. As for Counsellor Xue He deserves it, Yibei pouted. Looking for trouble. Now, the scrolls are in my hand, which means I have a big target on my back Besides that old man, I wonder if there are any more urban legends. Yibei, listen to me. If worstes to worst, just give them the scrolls back. I have reproduced the contents of the scrolls, so it is fine to give them back. We dont need to fight with things beyond ourprehension. I dont want something bad to happen to you. Ill be careful. Because Ill be throwing them away! Yibei I have something I want to give you. Maybe it can help you out a little. Oh! he thought. What kind of special thing would Professor Ma have? Only psychic items can help in this matter, right? So what does he have up his sleeve? He took out an old, polished copper coin and ced it in his palm, This has been with me for a long time. Anytime I encounter something difficult, it helps me make the correct choice. Treat it as a good luck charm from me to you. Lu Yibei had seen Professor Mas special copper coin before. When he was in the research room, he often saw Professor Ma ying with it in his hand. Something that Professor Ma valued was gifted to him. He couldnt help but feel touched. Thank you, Professor Ma. Oh. Im not giving it to you permanently. I still want it back after youre done. Oh. Also, there is one more thing! What is it? Professor Ma grabbed Lu Yibeis wrist and said solemnly, Come with me to the toilet. I have caught all the patients and doctors I could catch, and I pretend I dont exist. I have been holding it in for almost ten hours now. Right. The hospital sent me a text about him bothering everyone to apany him to the toilet, even until now. Ten minutester. Lu Yibei bid farewell to Professor Ma and boarded the bus back to the University. Sitting on the bus, he was free to study the copper coin that Professor Ma lent him. Holding the shiny copper coin in his hand, Lu Yibei didnt feel burning pain in his eyes or any other abnormal reaction, which temporarily ruled out the possibility of it being an urban legend. The only thing that made him feel special was that no matter how long the copper coin was held in his hand, it was like a piece of ice, permanently cold. Maybe its like Ac, the Immovable. Thinking of this, he pondered for a few seconds and then said to himself, O Copper Coin, do I need to prepare fifty charms for my uing operation? Heads for yes, tails for no. Tails? Is fifty not enough? What about sixty? Tails again. What about eighty? Tails again. Eighty pieces are almost my limit, and there will be no more in stock. What should I do? A hundred? Tails. My god, is there something wrong with this shitty thing? The copper coin would never lie. As a qualified divination psychic item, it cannot lie. Its not my problem, its you! Chapter 159: You’re Hiding Cores From Me? Chapter 159: Youre Hiding Cores From Me? On the bus back to the University. Leaving aside the question about the number of charms, Lu Yibei asked several questions about the copper coins, one after another. Can I kill the urban legends on campus if I prepare ordingly? The new cards in [Love and Magical Girl]are they able to ship them over here? Am I a man or a woman? He received tails three consecutive times, and he could confirm one thing: this was an unfair coin that leaned towards tails. He gave up trying and leaned on the bus seat, saying, It really is a special coin, being able to only produce tails that many times in a row. Maybe it can be useful in other situations, like dividing housework. Thinking about it, he smiled and put the coin away. He took out his mobile phone and opened the chat in the urban legend forums, hoping to obtain some useful information. He frowned as he scrolled through the chats, finding a person with the username [WITCH] who had been very active thest two days. They would argue over the most minute of things rting to urban legends, iming that crabs, snakes, and toads were all immortal beings. Of course, it wasnt all that surprising. He has seen much, much worse discussions happen in the chatroom. However, going through Pharoahs and the others memories, this [WITCH] person must be Du Sixian. Lu Yibei thought for a while and then figured out the reason. Du Sixian is a member of the Night Division; Jiangli probably told her that she investigated Shihekou High School before, and she spilt everything she knew the night she sneaked into the school, and she will expose me too. After thinking about this point, Lu Yibei became faintly worried again. If they were to find out, things would start bing difficult for me, but I think I should be safe for now. The discussions in the chat group soon became boring, and he put his phone away as he looked at the scenery outside. On Peony Street, in the Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration, in an office decorated like a hospital room. Du Sixian was seated in front of aputer, with her hands typing on the keyboard faster than a cheetah. As a chronically online girl, it is natural for her to chat with fellowizens. After she was discovered browsing chat groups while on the job, she was surprised that Jiangli encouraged this behaviour and asked her to argue about the most absurd things in these chat groups. She felt as if she were just as at home! Of course, Jiangli requested that she intentionally speak of wrong information in order to obtain correct information; Lu Yibei was reading the chat too, so sooner orter, hell report his findings to Jiangli. An Qing, this person said that zombies dont have a favourite blood type. Is that true? Hmm no. I know what I like. The person she was arguing with kept describing things that werepletely different from what An Qing knew about zombies, so it was either that he was wrong or she was wrong. And nobody knew more about the undead than An Qing, being one herself. I like AB Blood a lot, An Qing added. This person should be a politician. He had me thinking about whether I had a blood type I liked or if I simply liked blood. Anyway, you shouldnt concern yourself with him. Plenty of people like that on the Inte. Should I investigate him? I feel like he has something to saydidnt Jiangli mention that there are a bunch of people called the [Storytellers] who specialise in spreading rumours in order to create an urban legend? A real storyteller isnt like him, An Qing smiled, patting her on the shoulder. I dont know how to exin it, but youll know it when you see it. If it makes you feel better, you can report this person to Jiangli. Im sure she wouldnt mind investigating a little bit. Okay, no problem! Du Sixian responded, typing out a response in the chat group. [WITCH: Just you wait! Im gonna key your car and smash your dogs head in!] An Qing twitched her lips when she thought of the Level B psychic item in the Huacheng warehouse that could be investigated along thework cable. Alright, dont get too obsessed over your work like Jiangli, An Qing smiled. Come, let me train you today. Ooh! New mantra? No, An Qing shook her head. If you want to be a qualified Operator, mantras arent enough. You must specialise in either alchemy or physicalbat. In fact, many urban legends will not give you the window to attack, so you must find a way to buy time for yourself to cast those spells. I personally dont know much about alchemy, so I can arrange for a ss for you if youd like. No, no! she rejected. Im fine with learning martial arts! She thought that throwing bottles of potions would be boring. She wanted to fight! Throwing the charms one by one is indeed a bit unreasonable, and the uracy is not high, but if it can be fired in bursts like a submachine gun, that would be great! With such an idea in mind, after getting off at the bus stop at the University, Lu Yibei did not go directly back to the apartment to start making charms. Instead, he turned around and went to the department store in the corner of the University City and found a shop in the middle of the mall. Its a toy store, and on disy was a toy gun that mimicked a pistol. In Brights memory, there were no requirements for the thickness of the charms to be effective. If I can make the charm as thin as possible and shoot it using the gun, wouldnt that be great? Plus, if I make other charms in the future, I can swap the bullets out for different bullets! Lu Yibei thought about it and put the selected toys on the cashiers table. Thank youone toy pistol, a figurine of a Chitose Orchid, a limited edition figurine of Bridal Orchid, and two body pillows. That will be 2,732 yuan. Damn it, since when were toy pistols this expensive? He walked back home in a sullen mood. He couldnt believe he had to pay 2,732 yuan for a single toy pistol! Anyway, its only two or three kilometres away; just walk back! When he returned, he ignored Jumeng, who was watching a cooking programme and went straight upstairs. He clearly remembered that thest time he went to Shihekou High School, there was only one core of the ghost body that he hunted, and it was stored in this coat. After finding the coat, Lu Yibei spent a few minutes turning all the pockets of the coat upside down, and then his face gradually darkened. Its gone. Did I put it somewhere else and forget about it? He thought, and at this moment, a burst of cheerfulughter came from downstairs. Are you serious? Peanut butter and squid? Lu Yibei narrowed his eyes slightly, looked in the direction of the voice, and shouted in a deep voice, Jumeng! Did you steal my cores? What the! Why are you picking a fight with me? Fine! Youre hiding a core behind my back, right? Then dont me me for what Im about to do! Five, four, three Hearing her rushed footsteps, Yibei couldnt help but feel like he was bing a mom. Chapter 160: What Are You Making That Many Charms For? Chapter 160: What Are You Making That Many Charms For? Yibei challenged Jumeng to a fight, and since she was in a bad mood, she happily confirmed. To no ones surprise, Yibei was defeated, tied up to arge peach stem summoned by Jumeng, and thrown onto the bed. However, she decided to look for the core that Yibei had mentioned. After rummaging through the boxes for a while, Jumeng put her hand on her hips and sighed, Strange. I cant feel any psychic energy in this room. Are you sure you had a core inside this room? No. Im being honest this time. This was a core I saved from long ago. Do you think Ill believe you? She spat. You even med me for stealing your stuff! Me! A great and honest goddess! I am not evil! How could you? Right. You may not be evil, but youre not that good either, he pouted. As a Gen Z, he has a deep gic resistance to things like unequal contracts and upying foreignnd. To be honest, Yibei suspected Jumeng was lying about her injuries. Look at her, constantly fed and sleeping during her free time. She wasnt injured at all! Jumeng continued searching the room until she stumbled across a cardboard box at the top of a closet. Whats this? She stared at the cardboard box, squinted her eyes slightly, tapped the ground with her toes, and hovered by the box. W-wait! Yibei choked out. Dont touch that thing! Please! There are no cores inside, so please dont open that box! He struggled in his bindings, but the vines wrapped around his limbs tighter the more he struggled, causing him to grit his teeth in pain. What are you being so defensive for? Youre hiding something in here! Not true! Ack- Really? Then tell me whats inside, and Ill believe you! That box contains Lu Yibei hesitated to speak, his face stained with a blush, Its not cores! So do not, under any circumstance, open it! Hmph! she spat. The more you tell me not to open it, the more I want to. As she spoke, she snapped her fingers, and two emerald vines protruded from the space behind her and retrieved the box for her. His face immediately turned grey, and the light in his eyes dimmed out. Its over for me Jumeng leaned over, removed the tape from the box, and opened it. Upon seeing the contents, her face paled, and she hurriedly closed the lid. She turned to look at Lu Yibei and forced an awkward smile, and intermittentughs escaped her mouth as she tried to talk to him. Hey, um pfft, I have lived for thousands of years, but I have an pfft, open mind. I dont pfft, discriminate against what you do. A rose-coloured ace dress, matching headbands, knee-high ck socks, and other cosy supplies. There are only two possibilities: one, it belongs to his girlfriend (unlikely); two, well Its all a misunderstanding! I got that from Comicon! Its just for collection! I have never worn it before! Really? If thats the case, then she spoke as she made the dress hover before Yibeis eyes. Tell me why there are holes all over this dress. Yes! It is for me! What about it? He yelled inwardly. Its not my fault a petite girl like Bai Xiaohua is small and tiny! How could I fit inside that? To know true love is to be one with them. Yibei was forced out. Okay, I get it. Its fine. I understand it is not strange for men to dress up as women. What do they call it now? Drag queens? Or you could be transgender. He was silent. Listen, I have no intention of discriminating against you. I am but a benevolent goddess who seeks the best for her people, and Yibeis face was still red, and he attempted to struggle free, but the vines continued to tighten around his limbs. Ah At worst, I can grant you a wish if you want me to make it up to you. For real! He yelled, immediately breaking free from the vines. I am a goddess. I am not designed to lie, she smirked. However, I can only satisfy wishes within reasonable scopes. You dont want to know what will happen if I disobey that. Im sure I dont, considering that youre shit. What? Youre, uh, even though you may be covered in shit, you arent stained with the shit. You are that beautiful, is what Im trying to say. Youre like jadebeautiful, cool to the touch, like a goddess descending to earth. Oh, you! Jumeng covered her slightly hot cheeks and giggled. What can I do? I am but a humble goddess! I cant believe she bought that. I better take advantage of her while I can and squeeze her wishes dry! Your wish, Yibei. Very simple. Help me make some Charm of Spring Winds. Thats it? Alright then. You couldve asked to be a living god so people could pray to you, so you never had to sustain yourself again What a missed opportunity! So, how many are you going to make? About 200? Almost at the same time as Lu Yibeis words fell, Jumengsplexion changed drastically, and she blurted out, My God! What are you making so many charms for? Blow up an enemys ancestral grave? So you cant do it? I thought goddesses couldnt lie! Are you going back on your deal? Shut up! Since I promised you, I wont go back on it! Jumeng red fiercely at Lu Yibei, gnawing her teeth. Its just two hundred anyway! It just consumes the psychic energy I have umted for a month, but I dont feel bad! I am a magnanimous god! Jumeng clutched her chest and thought. Lu Yibei forced Jumeng down the stairs and started the production of the Charm of Spring Winds. Soon, the second floor of the apartment was once again quiet. Not long after, in the tranquil silence, there was a rustling sound, and the coat that Lu Yibei threw on the bed stood up and floated in front of the cardboard box containing the magical girl suit. Crouching on the edge of the box, half of its body poked inside, wriggling. The next moment, a burst of dazzling light shed as if a rainbow had been melted into the water and then overturned. The dress with many holes was now repaired and had a slight, attractive gleam to it. Miss Witch seems to like this dress very much! If I repair it for her, shell be happy, right? Chapter 161: He Obviously Likes It, He Just Doesn’t Want to Admit It! Chapter 161: He Obviously Likes It, He Just Doesnt Want to Admit It! Lu Yibei dug out the materials required to make the charms, handed them to Jumeng, and went back upstairs alone. Although he was a shining example of Gen Z, heavily opposing freebour, after thinking about Jumeng, he thought that she wasnt human in the first ce, so he didnt feel guilty doing so. Back upstairs, he went straight for his coat, hoping that the core was hidden within a pocket. Just because I didnt find it doesnt mean its actually gone. Maybe it fell into a corner. or However, no matter how hard he searched, he couldnt find the core because his coat had disappeared too. What the He looked around the bedroom and scratched his head. Did somebody break into my house? It cant be an ordinary person, so it must be an urban legend. But Jumeng would be alerted, so Yibei crossed out every single possibility in his head, including a strong enough urban legend to hide from Jumengs presence. Something must have happened in the few minutes he went downstairs. Thinking of this, he lowered his voice and called out, My coat, where are Before he could finish, a slight ruffling sound came from the corner of his room, and a pink shadow flew right towards him. Agh! What the hell! Donte near me, or Ill As he shouted, he took a few steps back in a hurry, hitting his knee on the foot of the bed as he tumbled across the floor. In the living room, there was a strong atmosphere of resentment flooding the room, so strong that you could see it forming into reality. Jumeng sat cross-legged on the carpet by the coffee table, pouting as she eyed the charms materials in front of her. It was exactly like how an auntie fails to bargain for their favourite fish in the market, and her resentment was stered on her face. Of course, she didnt have the slightest intention to make the charms herself. When somebody has enough power, they can simply order their subordinates to do their dirty work. In the event that a subordinate doesnt exist, simply hire a new one! You! Youre the wig, right? What did I just tell you? The thickness should not exceed two millimetres, and what did you just make? And you! What are you drawing from the charms? Youre not supposed to draw that! Eyeballs, Ill give you two choices: either do your job or disappear from this world. I think I know what choice you want. A bloodshot eyeball trembled as it opened its maw, but the rest of the apparitions pounced on it in a hurry, saying, Forget it, forget it. Lets bear with it, and itll pass As a goddess, she has the right to order others to do work for her. Since her host is abusing her, shell simply abuse the other things lurking in the apartment! Expecting a goddess to do dirty work like polishing wood, crushing materials, and painting magical runes? Absolutely not! Plus, all she had to do was infuse the charms with magic, and that can be done with a single thought and a wave of a finger. A fitting job for a goddess like her! As she thought about it, she heard a firm yell upstairs. Turning her head, she frowned, expecting to hear a loud thud that woulde soon after, but she could hear nothing. Before his body hit the floor, a soft rustling sound rushed past him, and something vaguely enveloped his body. A coat quickly disassembled itself at a blinding speed, turning itself into several pieces of exquisite, vibrant fabrics that glowed with a slight radiance and adjusting its size ording to Yibeis body. The fabric softened his fall before shifting itself and sewing with great precision. It allsted a few seconds. When he came to his senses, he found that he was hovering upright, less than two centimetres off the ground. He was still in shock, and his peripheral vision caught the floor-to-ceiling mirror in the corner, and his face turned pale. What the fuck! In the mirror, on his lean body, his sweater and jeans have been stripped clean and reced with the now-pristine and wless magical girl suit that was damaged thest time he wore it. His dreams have finallye true. It was attached to his body, and it fit like a glove. All it did was outline his youthful waist and hips. His lean arms were clearly defined by the sleeveless suit, and underneath the gorgeousce skirt and knee-length stockings, a few messy hairs could be seen growing on his well-built thighs. Listen, I know I said I wanted to try on Bai Xiaohuas suit, but I meant on my own terms! Jumeng couldnt hold back her curiosity and yelled upstairs, Lu Yibei, what are you doing up there? Hearing her voice, he nced at the door in a panic and gulped, Im all right! Its just that a cockroach suddenly flew out of the closet! Oh, so youre being a bitch! Another yell came from downstairs. Arent you a man? Oh, another yell came. Im sorry, I didnt mean to discriminate! What I wanted to say was yes! The cockroaches in the South are indeed quite big! Some are even asrge as a rat! Want me toe up and smite it? No! No! I already crushed it on ident! Under no circumstances is she allowed to step foot into his foot. Are you sure? Yes! Get back to work! I want to see those charms done! Tsk! Whatever! Im already working on it! she yelled back, turning to the apparitions beside her. Come sing The Internationale with me. Debout, les damns de terre; Debout, les forats de faim; La raison tonne en son cratre Hearing the impassioned and impassioned singing voiceing intermittently from downstairs, Lu Yibei sighed. After confirming that they wouldnte upstairs, he sighed with relief, walking over to the mirror and fiddling with the skirt. It all happened because I called for my coat, and reasonably, my clothes shouldnt transform into whatever Im wearing right now, so I must be wearing the coat, but as for how it obtained this ability. It must have swallowed the core I ced inside the pocket! Thinking about it, he feigned anger and patted his skirt, saying, Now, who told you to devour the core that I stored for myself? Youre turning bad, quick! Get this thing off me! Why does she seem unhappy? the coat wondered. I thought she liked it! I thought girls loved wearing pretty things! His clothes squirmed on his body, and he heard a zipper unzip itself, causing the shirt to fall off, revealing his smooth and toned back. At this moment, Jumeng, who finished making the first charm, ran up and barged into the room, Yibei! Yibei! Its done! Is this the charm you Before her eyes was a half-naked boy staring at himself in the mirror, wearing a skirt. The corners of her eyes twitched, and after a pregnant pause, she hurriedly said, I I should have knocked. Ill just put this here and Poof! After she spoke, she tossed the charm into his room and ran away in a gust of smoke, covering the weird smile forming on her face with her hands. I knew it! He loves dressing up as a girl, but he doesnt want to admit it! Hee hee! He could hear what she was saying. At this very moment, he wondered if there was anywhere else to stay and decided to move out overnight. Chapter 162: The Wikstroemia Chapter 162: The Wikstroemia He elected to stay in his room for the rest of the day, and it was eerie how quiet he was being. Hey on the bed for the past three hours as he stared at the ceiling in a daze. Okay, Jumeng saw me cross-dressing; its not a big deal. If anything, she thinks its a strange hobbyone, it isnt illegal; two, Im not hurting anyone; three, Im not stealing her food. It ispletely fine! Lu Yibei had the strange ability to adapt to any situation, considering his extremely thick skin. Nothing matters to him at this time. Nothing can phase a person without shame. If anything, Jumeng seeing me do so is beneficial, he thought. Now, I can avoid her suspicion and run out at night under the guise of wanting to avoid her, and Ill be safe from being detected! But I must prepare. He got up from bed in a hurry and barged into his walk-in closet, searching for his sewing kit and the guitar bag containing the statue of Ac, the Immovable, and got to work. As a child who grew up in a single-family, he had to rely on himself for almost everything, so he was able to use a sewing kit with rtive ease. He nned to modify the guitar bag a little bit to fit his agenda. Time unknowingly passed as he got to work; it was around four in the afternoon, and the orange sky was dusted slightly with hints of indigo. Soon, he finished sewing additional attachments to the guitar bag. This guitar bag was a gift from Sumi, his neighbour, and previously, it was only big enough to store the statue. Now, two additional pockets were sewn in, and his toy gun and kitchen knife were ced into the pockets. No more, no less. Just like that, he had a portable arsenal with himlong-range, short-range, emergency weaponhe had it all! He was very satisfied with his work and patted himself on the back. Then he took out a drawstring bag that was used to hold shoes, stuffed his remaining charms inside, and carried the box containing the bamboo scrolls with him. Before going downstairs, he nced at the magical girl suit thrown on the bed and sighed, Could you revert back to your original appearance, please? The suit flew into the air, and in a dazzling twirl, it returned to its original red-white appearance of a coat andnded quietly on Yibeis shoulder as it rubbed his cheek affectionately. Thats more like it, he smiled and went downstairs. When he came downstairs, he could see the apparitions helping Jumeng out, and more than half of the charms hemissioned wereplete. Seeing Yibei in the living room, Jumeng smiled and waved her hand, beckoning him over, but he simply snorted, stuffed the charms into his bag, and left without looking backwards. Jumengs hand was still frozen as she watched him leave. Seeing this, the eyeball leapt up and whispered to its friends, Whats wrong with the two of them? Are they having a fight? They all nced at Jumengs frozen state and shrugged. By the way, this goddess is quite powerful. In just a few seconds she went upstairs, and she sent our Witch into a nonverbal state. Tell me, who should we listen to in this family from now on? I think we should still follow our Witchs words I think she has great potential, unlike this hag, and As the eyeball continued to speak, it could sense that its friends were slowly backing away. It twisted its body and looked backwards, but before it could react, it was tossed across the room with a baseball bat and passed out. Seeing the eyeball twitch lifelessly on the floor, Jumeng stomped on it and yelled, No! I am not inferior to him! No matter what, I am on top, understood? Understood All of them didnt understand the rtionship between the goddess and the Witch, but after listening to her, it was clear what her intentions were. She wants to seize this apartment and eat everyone in here! What are you looking at? Continue and work! Dont bezy! After leaving his apartment, he didnt go straight to Gate No. 4 of his University to find the headless girl but instead stopped a taxi to go to Peony Street. When Jumeng made the first charm, he had already tried to shoot it with his toy gunperhaps it was because the charm was the size of a tiny bullet or that it was made with high-quality peach wood in spite of the goddessbut it flew less than one metre away from the gun, charred and falling limply to the ground. However, this wasnt a problem for him. He still needed to visit some old neighbours back on Peony Street to get the job done. He was very familiar with theyout of the whole street, having lived here for more than ten years. Which alley is the best shortcut? Which alley is the best to sneak around in? It was all muscle memory for him. At around five in the afternoon, the sky was a deep scarlet, and various stalls set up on Peony Street had already started to close shop. The fallen leaves were scattered on the streets, and the tourists soon dispersed, leaving the ancient streets to return to their original tranquillity. Passing through the archway, he went straight to the shops in his old neighbourhood, having nned out this entire operation. The Car Master at the end of the street is a well-known car shop. Even if it is the most damaged bicycle you have ever seen, no matter what, hell be able to restore it. It isnt just limited to vehicles eithersmall appliances, high-heeled shoes, iron potshe could fix anything. When he was young, he would often stand right by the Car Masters booth and watch him do his work, and because of that, he also learnt some things simply by listening. Therefore, since he wanted to remodel his toy gun, the Car Master was the first person he thought of. As long as he gave the gun to him, it would turn out all right. When he found him, the Car Master was wiping away the oil stains on his hand and was about to close the shop. When he saw a familiar face approaching him, he tossed his rag in the air and picked up his toolbox, about to run away as if he had encountered a thief. W-wait! Dont run! Im not going to steal your tyres today! Yibei gabbed at the shoulder straps of his toolbox andughed. Before this, he was known as the resident trickster, stuffing firecrackers into water pipes, adding ghost peppers to lunch boxes, and forcing pedestrians to listen to him talk non-stop. Despite this, everyone had a love-hate rtionship with himeverybody hates a wild child, but everybody loves a child with a warm heart who can cook. After stating his request, the Car Master reluctantly agreed to help him, and in just two minutes, hepletely disassembled the toy gun. He put on his sses and looked at the internal structure of the gun before saying, Okay, I know how to change this. Give me half an hour. However, he didnt get to work immediately and instead stared at Yibei. Whats wrong? Is there anything missing? No! he said with a dark face. I cant work while you are here. Go find something else to do, ande back in 30 minutes! In reality, he didnt want to deal with Lu Yibei potentially, forcing him into a conversation he couldnt leave. Whatever! I have other things to do anyway! The ce Lu Yibei wants to go to is a tower located in the depths of Peony Street. The whole tower is made of high-quality wood, all of which is of ancient mortise and tenon structure. A long time ago, there were many statues of gods enshrined in it, but those statues were long destroyed. The tower was already sealed off, and the gate was locked with heavy-duty locks. He once found a weakly locked area and climbed inside, and he would climb to the top of the tower, dering it his own secret hideout as it overlooked the entire stretch of Peony Street. Lu Yibei hadnt been to the tower for a long time. He followed the path in his memory, climbed into the entrance of the ancient tower and climbed upwards. Perhaps it was because his limbs were longer now, but he found it much easier to climb to the top of the tower, taking him less than five minutes to reach the peak. After climbing over the fence and jumping into the corridor on the top floor, Lu Yibei patted the dust off his body, and as soon as he looked up, he saw an incredible scene. The mottled and colourful sunset glow wove half of the sky into a floral-like design. This is why Peony Street was named that way. However, something else sat by the window of the tower. A girl in a white dress sat by the edge of the tower, and she seemed to outshine the sheer magnificence of the sunset with her beauty alone. And all she had to do was sit silently. Her face was delicate and unspeakably wless. She had no smile, but her aura hinted at her pleasant nature. Her eyes were as bright as spring blooms, coupled with the innocence of a cub and the justice of a heroine. The orange rays reflected in her eyes, reflecting a charming yet mncholy gaze. Even just thinking of her smile makes somebody feel a little giddy. And her figure was perfect tooher wasp-like waist, her slender legs, her fragrant shoulders, and the loose white dress barely concealing the mountains on her chest Lu Yibei found that she was fresh and refined yet down-to-earth; she ate her roasted chicken without the need for bowls or utensils, using only her hands to pluck out the meat into small pieces and put it into her mouth, washing it all down with a swig of water. Who the fuck is this? His sense of reality spoke. Somebody of unknown origin broke into his secret base. If anything, this girl might be an urban legend! He rolled up his sleeves angrily and was about to step forward to argue with the girl, but he saw the girl turn around, staring at him curiously as she spoke, Would you like something to eat? He was silent for a few seconds as he rolled his eyes. He stepped forward, squatted beside the girl, tore off arge drumstick, and chowed it down. Then he grabbed a handful of beef and chowed it down as well. Pfft! You might be a good match, and youre interesting! If I wasnt already engaged, I wouldve dated you. Oh, so her heart is with somebody else. Then we have nothing to talk about! By the way, my name is Wikstroemia, and you are? Chapter 163: The Old Wang Next Door Chapter 163: The Old Wang Next Door Yibei was about to introduce himself but found that her name was strangely familiar. Wikstroemia? Isnt that traditional Chinese medicine? How could that be her name? Shes a liar! A fraud! Back then, he thought he had found true love with a married woman named Starry Vige, whom he met on the Inte. Of course, he was scammed out of his money, and he was almost beaten to death by his father. Hello? Are you still there? she asked. I live on this street, by the way. Alright, Miss Wik, I am 18 years old and a virgin! You can call me Varia, and Ill stay right here! If she isnt going to tell me her real name, then I wont either! Varia? The girl thought, and her mouth was agape for a few seconds. She thought that the other party might have thought she was using a false name, so he replied using a false name as well. But it didnt matter to her; she made friends with people, not with names! Varia! What a name! she eximed. You seem under the weather. Do you feel unlucky recently? He shuddered as soon as he heard these words, as it sounded like a fortune teller who scams people of their money. A fake name and a scammershe must be a novice in the business. Meanwhile, Wikstroemia noticed the extremely weak fluctuations of psychic energy escaping from his body, as if he were haunted by urban legends. Now that he was closer, she could sense something strange. Or are you encountering something strange? While speaking, her gaze swept over Lu Yibeis coat, and a meaningful smile appeared on the corner of her mouth. Her eyes became as clear as water in an instant, and under hermand, she conjured a pair of invisible hands and touched his coat. She didnt expect his coat to be an urban legend. She thought that he was being haunted by one and not wearing it as his clothes. However, in the next moment, his coat flung off himself and flew into the corner of the room. Seeing this, his face warped as he bounced to get his coat as it trembled behind him, What the! What are you? He immediately brought his guard up as he stared at Wikstroemia; her gaze was clear like the reflection of a sword, and he felt oppressed by her aura flooding the room. I think youre misunderstanding something, Wikstroemia stuttered, restoring the softness to her eyes. I have no intention of attacking your little friend, but Wait a minute, let me She fumbled as she conjured what seemed to be a pamphlet: My uncle said if I ever encountered such a situation, if they threatened to hit me, I should reply, Do it, coward! ? Does her uncle want her dead? Seeing his shocked expression, Wikstroemia tilted her head and asked, Is there something wrong? No, but I think you should be careful of your uncle. Thats so funny because I think so too! she smiled. Judging by your reaction, I should tear out what he told me from this booklet. Back to the topic, your coat Will it be okay? She continued, worried. Ah, uh, itll be fine! These days, everybody has their own urban legendlike pets! Youre living under a rock if you dont have one. Of course, she didnt believe such an outrageous lie; in the past few days, she explored the entirety of Huacheng, and the number of urban legends she encountered was quite small. She didnt want to embarrass him, though. She still needed to look for the person named Lu Yibei but avoid the Night Division at all costs. She came into contact with a girl named Du Sixian; she felt kindness in her body, but upon learning that she was from the Night Division, she did not ask her for help. This boy in front of her seemed differentthis little crook who raises little apparitions cannot join the Night Division. He is probably just a lonely psychic who lives to live. As for his ability to nurture urban legends, they seem weak and superficial, unlikely to develop into anything terrifying. Plus, after she reached Huacheng, she didnt meet anyone who had psychic powers aside from the Night Division. She couldnt let this boy go. By the way, ah, where did he go? She realised that the boy had long disappeared, climbed down the tower, and ran out of Peony Street in a hurry. Varia! She yelled down the tower, and Yibei yelled back, I, uh, left my gas running at home! Lets never meet again! Goodbye! Damn it, why did I meet such a nasty thing in the tower? Its almost nighttime! He hurried down the tower, afraid that the Night Division might catch him transforming. Even if they dont, that woman up there can definitely tell that something is wrong with him, so she must be strong. Fortunately, she had no intention of chasing after him. ording to her uncle, when meeting psychic users, it is necessary to be careful with them. Therefore, when she stroked his coat, she left behind a trail of her breath so that shed always be able to find this mystical Varia wherever he went. If she could track him down, observe him from time to time, and jump to his rescue whenever hes in danger, itll be difficult for him to reject her. Plus, judging from his demeanour, he must have encountered something recently, so he would need help soon. And if he were to sort things out on his own, then She started flipping through books like [Ten Common Ways to Hide a Murder as an ident]. She had already read books like these countless times. However, after leaving the desert, she found that there were many facies in the pamphlets her uncle gave her. However, she found an interesting paragraph written on the pamphlet, and she felt that it wasnt all that difficult to replicate. He felt a chill around him, the same as how the phantom of Zhu Linglong stalked him, which made him quicken his pace. After getting the remodelled toy gun from the Car Master, he didnt stay too long. He hurriedly put down the cash he had prepared earlier and rushed to a remote corner of the city without stopping. He found a construction site that was suspended due to an urban legend incident, and it was also the ce where he would loiter after he transformed. The chilly aura gradually dissipated. He found an empty clearing, stripped himself, and waited for the sun to set. When she left, she was wearing her magical girl suit. Hey! Who told you to turn into this? Turn back into the coat, now! The clothes couldnt help but feel wronged, and in a sh of light, they returned back into the coat. However, the thigh-high socks and leather shoes were still on her, but she found them strangelyfortable, considering that she would run around barefoot all the time. Could you change the socks? Im notfortable with long ones. Her coat wriggled slightly, and she reced the socks with normal socks that had ace trim. Ah, no, could you change it to She soon realised that her coat had exhausted all of its energy, and its power started to waver. It transformed the white socks into knee-high ck socks but neglected to get rid of theircy material. It became ck-thigh-highs made of seductivece. Ah whatever. Ill wait for the coat to recover. It was fully dark when she reached Gate No. 4 of the University; dark clouds obscured the moon, leaving the sky pitch ck. The weeds moved with the wind, giving the illusion of figures that prowled in the dark. It was quiet, save for the sound of bushes being rustled. A storm was about toe, and she grew impatient waiting for the headless girl to appear. Plus, that lingering feeling of unease has yet to leave. Putting down her bag, she took the gun out. The gun could load ten charms at a time, so she loaded ten. After installing her charm bullets, she took out her kitchen knife and hid it in her sleeve, and she kept the statue close to her. After waiting for some time, the sense of uneasiness grew stronger. Just as Lu Yibei was thinking about whether something happened to the headless girl, a thick fog appeared right ahead. Immediately afterwards, a piercing wind blew, and a bloodied torso came into view, rushing towards her. Her heart dropped, and she raised her gun, ready to shoot. However, seeing that the torso was headless, recognition shed in her head. Realising it was the headless girl, a faint voice whispered into her ear. Quick run Chapter 164: The Things That Bind Her Chapter 164: The Things That Bind Her Hello? Hello? Can you tell me what happened? She called out for her twice, but her body failed to give any response. Something made her head disconnect, she thought, and she felt unsettled as she stared into the fog. It couldnt be the bamboo scrolls since they werent on campus anymore. Could this be the terrifying existence that she mentioned before? Although she was lucky enough to survive until today, there is no guarantee that her existence would allow her to exist peacefully on campus. Thinking of this, her face turned slightly pale, and she raised her head to nce at the depths of the campus. The path was strangely humid and hot, and the weeds and trees swayed unnaturally with the breeze. If the headless girl wanted her to run away, it meant that something dangerous lurked in the school. Which means I have to run away! What are you waiting for? Its the same as in all horror movies: Curiosity kills the cat! Its better to just not enter the creepy cabin and go back home! She hurriedly carried the headless girls body on her shoulders and stumbled upon her bloodied head not far away. She picked it up and ran out the school gate. She didnt bother to take her guitar bag or the box containing the bamboo scrolls. Her body seemed strangely heavy, despite Yibeis strength as a witch, and she only became heavier the more she moved away from the gate. Her legs trembled, feeling the weight on her shoulders. Looking at the exit that was only one step away, she gritted her teeth and took a step with all her strength, but Zip! A hum, like a metal chain, could be heard; the pressure on her shoulders was relieved, and so was she. However, staring at her empty hands, she looked back in horror. On the dpidated path leading to campus, several scarlet chains were conjured out of thin air, piercing through the chest of the headless girl and dragging her back towards the centre of the path. Her limbs swayed lightly, like a flower that fluttered with the wind. What the- The chains stretched with terrifying energy, and a ck mist wrapped across the chains, and it looked strangely alive. Where are they dragging her to? It cant be She wanted to run away at first but quickly rejected the idea, saying, I need to save her! She shook her sleeves and retrieved the knife hidden underneath them. Clenching the handle, she nted her legs on the ground, and with a slight explosion, her body surged forward like a bullet, chasing after the girl who was being dragged away by the chains. It got faster! I need to She surged forward with greater strength and caught up with the headless girl. She grasped the chains firmly and started shing them. In an instant, the teeth-stinging sound of metal being shed entered her ears like nails to a chalkboard. The chains were shed open, and a flood of ck mist exploded right in her face, causing her eyes to burn intensely and her blood to boil. In an instant, her body temperature surged to a terrifying level, and a sh ofva could be seen beyond her eyes. She heard whispers, and those whispers gradually became clear. What we did we wont be found out, right? Who is the person you hired? The first thing she heard was a girls hoarse voice as if she had been crying but also mixed with panic. Gradually, the girls voice faded away, and the voices of other people sounded one after another, some men and some women as if arge gathering was going on. Before her eyes, groups of figures emerged and gathered together as they danced around them, like a group of strange shadows in arge crowd. However, their voices were weak and soft, as if they were discussing something incredibly private. No, I havent seen him since that day. I just wanted him to teach Jiang Yuzhen a lesson and scare her; I didnt know that he would do such a terrible thing. Somebody said they saw Jiang Yuzhen at Gate No. 4 the other day Do you think shelle looking for us? Its not our fault! Didnt we already give her flowers? Why would shee looking for us? Its not our fault. Jiang Yuzhen, that must be her name, Yibei thought, and she was killed because they wanted to teach her a little lesson. Another voice sounded behind her, and it was Professor Mas voice. What are all of you doing here? We- we came here to mourn for our ssmate she-she What the You were the ones who killed her. Why are you crying? Oh, I see, Professor Ma replied. The scene morphed into a dark campus, and the sound of a car door closing could be heard. A vague outline of Professor Ma could be seen, holding a bunch of flowers in his hand. I may not know who you are, but may you rest in peace. Yes! This is exactly what Professor Mas character is! Yibei cheered. Is this why she helped Yibei rescue Professor Ma? Im afraid of all the people who gave her flowers; the only genuine one is Professor Ma. She wanted to listen more, but the ck mist and whispers disappeared in an instant, and she found herself back in the centre of the path. Coming back to her senses, she hurriedly ran towards the unconscious girl, finding her lying near the bushes on the bulletin board, where it was rumoured that she was killed in the first ce. The chains around her had disappeared, and her head was hanging by the treetops. Yibei attempted to drag her out of the school once again, only for the headless girl to be sling-shotted back into the centre of the path. Whats happening? She frowned, unsure of what to do. At this moment, she held the hand of the headless girl, and she felt that it was wet. Pulling her hand up, she found that it was covered with asphalt as well as a dark red, viscous liquid. Ack! What the hell? She yelled, watching as the blood crawled towards the headless girl before evaporating into thin air. She turned her body around, finding an extra wound on her back where the chains stabbed her, and blood continued to gush out. A realisation shed in her eyes, and she quickly threw her knife away. These chains they are hers. If I cut them, shell be hurt; as for her previous injuries Her eyes drifted towards the dark campus; the towering buildings, like dead beasts, morphed with the darkness. Behind the dark windows, there seemed to be countless peering eyes. And I cant take her away from here. Tsk! Chapter 165: Explosions are Art! Chapter 165: Explosions are Art! It was five minutes past eight, and Gu Qianqian had just finished herst job for the day of unloading the dishes. Uncle Zhao, let me help with the vegetables! she smiled. Remember to hand me this months wages tomorrow! Uncle Zhao Wu was in charge of unloading the items; he was bald and of average height, stepping on a pair of cheap, stic slippers. He looked a bit sloppy, but his eyes were extraordinarily energetic, like a hardworking mouse. This months wages? D-do you think I pay too little? Listen- School canteens are tricky. Although Huachengs cafeteria wasnt unpopr, they needed to cut corners to save costs, which is why they could only unload their deliveries at night. However, ever since the nights became long, it has always been difficult to hire workers at night, and herees Gu Qianqian! Gu Qianqians sry was three times that of ordinary part-time workers, but she could easily do the job of five to eight people with her strength! Hence, Uncle Zhao panicked upon hearing her request. Where would he find a worker who is willing to work at night and be underpaid? Oh, I have done many part-time jobs, and you pay me the most, but Im going on a long trip the day after tomorrow, so I dont know when Ill be home! Ill definitelye back here, though, she promised, patting her chest. Hearing what Gu Qianqian said, he heaved a sigh of relief and said, Good, good, Ill keep your job for you. By the way, I reserved the biggest portion of chicken rice for you today. Really? Thanks a lot! She beamed and left happily. Walking through the empty campus, her system waited until it waspletely quiet before whispering in her ear, Youre that happy over a meal? Dont you feel that it is out of character for a protagonist? Youre right. Next time, Ill have him make me a feast! Fit for a heroine like me! Tsk, eat your meal. We still have to look for the bamboo scrolls. Never mind, I cant feel it on campus anymore, but that cant be By the way, I have something to ask, Gu Qianqian murmured, furrowing her brows. Where did those two peoplee from? They just barged into campus and started beating that poor headless ghost. Weve been looking for her for so long, and I feel that someone stole our victory! While talking, Gu Qianqian found a bench by the side of the road, sat down, unwrapped her bento, and smiled as she looked at the fat portion of chicken inside. Theyre from the Eclipse Society Are they better than the student council? Gu Qianqian munched. In the past few days, Gu Qianqian has snuck into campus multiple times to find the bamboo scrolls. However, she was caught one day by the student council, and she still retains psychological trauma from the encounter. A group of brats pretending to be adults versus a terrorist organisation that harbours dangerous urban legends, so you tell me! And, the system continued. Dont you know youre being yed like a fiddle? This is because a rumour started to brew on campus: pay Gu Qianqian ten bucks, and shell do anything for you. Aha! Jokes on them! Gu Qianqian boasted. I know their tricks, so as long as I keep working for them, I can get money! Ha ha ha! The system was speechless. Forget it, but the Eclipse Society is still on campus. We need to be careful; they want to sneak underground to find something, and well pretend we see nothing. If we meddle, well end up like that ghost just now. Gu Qianqian was terrified. Y-you mean that theyll blow us away fifty feet into the air? Yes! So well leave them alone for somebody else to take care of. Who? Why are you asking this? Dont ask, just eat! Come on, you have to tell me! Or I wont be able to sleep at night! The Witch. Are you satisfied now? Destroying the Eclipse Society may be the most correct thing she will do, but that doesnt offset the crimes that she willmit! System. What is it? Why are you so sure that she will destroy the Eclipse Society? I found that your recent predictions are getting more and more inurate. Damn it, woman! Youre asking too many questions! I can guarantee that my predictions are all urate! Just shut up and eat your food! But I already finished! she said, rubbing her belly, which had barely changed after eating two portions of chicken rice. What the Are you still in puberty? After all, it takes a lot of energy to transform a body embedded with runes, but it will get better when it is fully developed in the future, right? Well, probably. By the way, system What is it? I can sense the bamboo scrolls, she said, pointing towards antern-shaped mark on her arm. Under her skin, a faint scarlet light could be seen, which is proof that the bamboo scrolls are within one kilometre. Strange, why did ite back all of a sudden? The system murmured to itself in a low voice and pondered for a few seconds: Gu Qianqian, follow me. System, arent you going to issue a mission? Gu Qianqian asked. Nonsense. I have no missions for you; plus, youre going to waste it all on cash to buy useless items, like shoes for the dance! I know who you are! I could simply enchant the cheapest shoes for you, and yet Gu Qianqian felt a little wrong. She pursed her lips and said, But I still want No, you dont! Listen to me! I want to use the points to buy ss slippers! And Cindere wore fake shoes the day she met the prince, correct? The system improvised. It transformed into a pair of ss slippers. I guess youre right. Meanwhile, on the path of Gate No. 4. Agh After burying thest of her charms to make a trap, Lu Yibei breathed a sigh of relief. Half an hour ago, she realised there was no way to take the headless girl to safety, so she thought of setting up defensive traps to protect her. She learnt these traps to target the old man with the colourful shawl, so she didnt know if they would work well in the current situation. Its better to tryeven better if it works. As long as an urban legend touches the mechanism, they will be knocked down by the statue and then be showered with more than 70 charms. And it will be a glorious, beautiful explosion. Chapter 166: Big Guy Chapter 166: Big Guy Waiting is the challenging part of this, and Lu Yibei was very impatient. After she found a ce to hide the headless girl, she hid herself too, waiting for almost an hour before realising something important: Love and Magical Girl has a major update tonight. The secondmost important thing. The most important thing is that the thing that attacked the headless girl may not necessarilye after her, and it might be because she saw something that she shouldnt have seen. Its just like how Jumeng saw Yibei in her magical girl suit. Although she didnt want to kill her, if her strength allowed it, she would beat that goddess into a pulp. I cant rule out that the enemy is waiting for me to let my guard down, she thought. I have to wait it out! I am patience incarnate! Do you know how long it takes to make one Sichuan dish? Or how long does it take for me to farm in-game currency to the point where the police file a missing person report for me? Her train of thought was interrupted by a drop of cold liquid dripping on her face, followed by two more drops, then three, before a shower of cold water poured on her head. The heavy rain that had been brewing for the past hour finally started to fall, and it may be the biggest rainfall ever since the start of autumn. Meanwhile, as the rain started to fall, Gu Qianqian, guided by the imprint on her arm, slowed down as the rain made it hard to see. She broke into a janitors closet, stole arge raincoat and boots, and quickly put them on. She wouldnt mind, Gu Qianqian thought. She was friends with the female janitor, and she often got hired by her to help clean the buildings on her behalf. What wonderful friends she has! The school should employ me! I help unload groceries, clean the building, make props for the Drama Club, and help the students hog seats in the library. And everyone is so friendly to me! And I get paid for it! The system would sigh every time she epted a job like this, and she didnt know why. The system deduces that it was because of her status as a protagonist and because she longs to help people. The rain was like a translucent curtain, shrouding the campus in a shiny grey. Gu Qianqian stepped forward and got into a posture that vaguely resembled an archer preparing to shoot, and Whoosh! In the blink of an eye, she dashed across the entire campus and found herself in the main path of Gate No. 4, leaving a faint afterimage of herself behind. Gu Qianqian, something is wrong. Before we get the bamboo scrolls, dont you think its weird that they are right here? On the path? the system alerted. I dont think so, she replied. Isnt it normal for weird things like that to move around on their own? Shes making sense for once! I cant even talk back to her! Its normal for urban legends to move from one ce to another. After all, there are plenty of ces on campus for B-level or above urban legends to lurk. Like the small garden on the librarys roof, or the underground sewage system, or the main path of Gate No. 4 Apart from these urban legends, whose legends have been deeply rooted in the hearts of the students, there is usually a strong territorial sense among other urban legends. Like wild dogs that mark their territory, they tend to avoid unnecessary conflicts with each other. If two different urban legends ovep too often, their rumours will ovep and homogenise, and over time, their legends may fuse, making it difficult for them to maintain independence. However, this is also a method to birth powerful urban legends, but few are willing to sacrifice their independence in exchange for power. In the systems memory, the bamboo scrolls tend to be contained in just one area, so for them to appear on the other side of campus No matter what, its mistress needs to walk with caution: Gu Qianqian, be ready. A fight may soon begin! A fight? Really? She sighed as she fumbled into the coat and pulled out her enchanted metal club, holding it in her hands. Meanwhile, in the sewage system on the other side of the campus, Miss Rabbit closely followed a member of the Eclipse Society, walking along the putrid currents of the sewage. The rainfall was getting heavier, and the water flow in the sewage was bing turbulent. It may overflow if the rain continues. Miss Rabbit didnt know the name of the man walking in front of her. Every time she asked, he would simply smile. Things like names didnt have much impact on their cooperative rtionship. Besides, they already signed a contract. Plus, in the world of urban legends, names have power. For example, curses draw their power from names; sometimes, even uttering the true, unspoken name of an urban legend would greatly weaken them. A disgusting stench was eternally present in the air as if it were a river of corpses that were flowing by them. The sewer imbued them with a sense of mystery as if they were about to venture into a world where endless secrets were buried. While passing a pipe, she heard subtle voices within it, but she understood them well. Staring at the pipes, she frowned upon seeing the rust and vibrant mould on them, apanied by the eerie sound of a broken music box. No point looking, the man said. Its not interested in working with us. I already asked it before we came here. What is that thing? Ah, every school has an urban legend about hearing strange noisesing from nowhere, and this school isnt different. Miss Rabbit stopped in her tracksthis meant that this urban legend was extremely strong, considering that every student has heard of things like these before, and it would live for a very long time too. If you want to kill it, you must dismantle all pipes or find a way to reroute its core legend, which is all difficult to do. Then, who are we going to meet? she asked. Have you ever heard of the boy who hid hundreds of feline corpses in his dormitory? Miss Rabbit nodded slightly, I heard that after the school disposed of the corpses, hemitted suicide and turned into an urban legend himself. Are we going to Yes, and he lives here in the sewer. Hearing this, Miss Rabbit had a disgusted expression on her face. Although shes a murderer herself, she didnt murder without reason; she couldnt believe they were about to work with a sociopath. No matter. They needed the Night of a Hundred Ghosts to ur, so they needed his help. Soon, a string of miserable mewings could be heard, and the man quickened his pace. Boom! A powerful psychic explosion passed through the sewer at the speed of light, as if another urban legend was lurking in the sewer. A terrifying growl could be heard as waves upon waves of powerful energy washed over the both of them. The meowing stopped abruptly, and both of them froze as they looked in the direction of the psychic explosion. Somebody else is with us, she thought. And tonight of all nights, lets see Expanding her thoughts, she could feel at least three or four dangerous entities lurking about in the school, and they were stronger than her former mistress Chapter 167: Close Your Eyes, Hope to Die! Chapter 167: Close Your Eyes, Hope to Die! The deafening buzz soon whittled down in their ears, returning to the putrid gushing of the sewer. Miss Rabbit couldnt help but feel a sense of tranquillity despite the murky waters. Meow! A shrill meow echoed, followed by countless deafening meows that started to fade away into the distance. And there he goes, Miss Rabbit said coldly, crossing her arms. What do we do now? It seems like your little friend doesnt want to meet us anymore. I assume you were the one who set off the explosion? Miss Rabbit continued as she interrogated the man. Isnt it funny how we wont be working together anymore after tonight is over? Aha, Miss Rabbit, youre funny, the man replied as he scratched the back of his head. I did not, and the elders never told me what to do if things were to go wrongno matter, we can look for other urban legends to help us. Miss Rabbit scoffed. She couldnt believe he missed her sarcastic remark. This mans brain is definitely something Im starting to doubt whether hes human or not. She thought for a while, nced sideways at the man, and said contemptuously, Since the elders didnt give you instructions, follow my lead. As she spoke, she could feel the residual remains of the explosion on her high heels; there was only one threatening entity left on campus, and her eyes widened in recognition. The thief! The thief who stole my egg! Her eyes shed a threatening scarlet, and her rabbit ears shot up from her hair. Sharp nails grew from her fingertips, and her body started to tremble uncontrobly. All she wanted to do was kill that damned thief and take back what was hers. However, her brain stopped her; the psychic explosion had exceeded the upper limit of what she could bear, which frightened her a little. She couldnt believe a newly born Witch was able to beat the other entities above ground. How? How is she this strong? She mustve eaten a lot of cores, so she must have gone insane by now, but how? She deduced that something else must be guiding her. And the heist was nned out for a long time. The man simply watched Miss Rabbit stomping on the ground as she calmed down on her way out, and he couldnt help but ask, Miss Rabbit? Im waiting for your orders. We have to go up, she gritted through her teeth. If possible, I need you to help me kill something. With dangeres opportunitythat Witch must be weakened after fighting the other entities above ground. If she is weak, then Miss Rabbit will pounce on the opportunity and For a very long time, she has been unable to gauge how powerful the man before her was. Being able to hide your psychic presence means that you are powerful. And judging from his weak intellect, it must mean that he is incredibly strong! Its difficult toprehend the unknown, which inevitably takes a toll on the human brain. You want me to help you kill something? Hold on, I need to ask the elders. He flipped through his post-it notes and nodded, They said I can help you if it doesnt affect the mission. Come on, who are we going to kill? I cant wait! A strange glimmer shed in his turbid and numb eyes as she spoke as if he were no longer a puppet for the elders of the Eclipse Society, and Miss Rabbit couldnt help but shudder as his mere presence started to be terrifying. Were just going to take a look. The cold rain drenched Lu Yibei wet, and whenever the wind blew, she would shiver from the piercing winds biting into her bones, and she cursed the fire in her body that was unable to keep her warm. The great powers of nature seemed to overpower the fiery soul within her. She pouted and wanted to just slingshot herself back home. However, she felt a little uneasy leaving the statue and the charms behindthey were psychic items, after all. If children were to y with them, itd be troublesome, and the greenery here may be affected. And also the headless girl. She was, admittedly, worried for her. She didnt want a wild dog toe and snatch her head away. Squatting by the headless girl, she considered burying a hole for her or propping her up in the leafy branches of the trees, and suddenly, a loud whoosh could be heard near them. A huge figure phased in the centre of the path, apanied by a strong, burning pain in her eyes. The figure was wearing a dark raincoat, and the hood of the raincoat was down, revealing half a face wearing a low-quality mask, concealing their identity. Under the raincoat was a pair of maroon rain boots, with smoke emitting from them. A metal club wrapped with barbed wire shed with every single lightning strike as if a mercenary from hell was here to hunt them down. She felt her heart drop to her stomach as she stared at the figure. Could this be the one who hurt the headless girl? The figure started to approach their hiding spot. She had to act fast; she stepped on the ground as hard as she could, loading her pistol with the precision that she had practised not long ago, and Because of her sudden, hurried jump, she leapt too high and mmed head-first into the crown of branches above her before stting face-first down onto a wider, sturdy branch. Fuck! Its over for me! she squirmed as she iled her limbs. Come one! Run! I need to stall and get away from here! She raised her gun and pointed it at the approaching figure, but Gu Qianqian stopped as her system started to scream and overload her thoughts. Gu Qianqian! Were in danger! Gu Qianqian! Lets run! Gu Qianqian- She became mildly annoyed as she stared at Lu Yibei, who was hanging on the branches: I think we need to help her Its a trap, Im telling you! She may look cute, but its just something she put up! We cannot die in her hands! Not today! And Gu Qianqian tuned the systems ramblings out, eyeing Yibei and the box of bamboo scrolls before her back and forth, saying, Well, its not toote for me to runand, didnt you say that its imperative that I get the bamboo scrolls, because without them, it would be impossible to save the world? The system remained silent. She was right; those scrolls were too important for their mission, but danger still loomed, and Gu Qianqian quickly skipped forward and picked up the box with both of her hands. See? Nothing happened. Now, we have to help. Click. At this moment, there was a soft sound in the darkness, as if something had slipped from a branch overhead. Although the sound was very subtle, the system could hear it all too well. Its a trap! She immediately phased backwards, only to see two or three charms falling from the sky as they plopped into the muddy puddle. God damn it, I knew I shouldnt have trusted those damn YouTube tutorials She learnt how to build this trap from YouTube, but she never expected that it would trigger in the wrong order! Ac, the Immovable, was supposed to incapacitate them first before the charms rained down on them! The figure dodged the charms with no effort! What the hell! If I die, Im haunting that YouTuber for life until he kills himself! The ck stic bag that held the charms also flopped out of the branches, and she sighed. Its over, However, Ac, the Immovable,unched forward, albeit incredibly dyed, but the trajectory of the statue hit the ck stic bag, causing it to tear open as dozens of charms flew out. The rain of charms plopped right by Gu Qianqian, and she stared at them in horror. System, what do we do? Just close your eyes and imagine the flowers. What for? Just look at the flowers, Gu Qianqian. Chapter 168: Shut Up and Kiss Me! Chapter 168: Shut Up and Kiss Me! The system was convinced that it knew the Witch like the back of its hand, but urban legends are inherently unpredictable, and never would it expect the Witch to craft such an exquisite trap for them! Spells belonging to Jumang. I was right all along, the system breathed. The Witch hunted the goddess down and consumed all of her knowledge. As for why it chose aparatively weaker charm, the system knew whycost issues. Among all the charms, this was the easiest to obtain the raw materials for, and to the systems knowledge, Lu Yibei was as poor as Gu Qianqian. The little savings her father left behind for her were not enough at all. Metal strengthens the body; spices sublimate the soul; cores replenish psychic energy; all of these cost money in some form. When the materials soon leave the human psyche, the costs of obtaining them rise exponentially. The system thought of how hard it raised Gu Qianqian and thought that it had all gone to waste: The charms must have reacted to our psychic energies by now, and soon we will be blown up into shreds. The system emptied its mind and allowed the ensuing dazzling emerald light to envelop both itself and Gu Qianqian; it was disgustingly warm, disgustinglyforting, and disgustingly powerful enough to eradicate it. Its over. Like spring rain over her body. When she was enveloped by the dazzling light, Gu Qianqian was shocked to find that she was fine; if anything, she feltfortable and warm. Beyond the emerald light, she saw a young man walking towards her. Although he held no emotion in his face, she could sense a smile. Who are you? Hush! the boy gestured in a maic voice. Shut up and kiss me! He walked up to her, kissed her forehead, and undid her raincoat as he hugged her body close. As she closed her eyes, everything dissipated like a shattered mirror, like a distant spring dream that would never bear fruit. In that dazzling light, she felt weak and powerless. What the fuck, Jumeng? That hag was cutting corners! Watching the charred charms, Yibei realised that when Jumeng was manufacturing the charms, she used her own magic to ease her own workload! Otherwise, how could it exin the scene before her? Yibei had seen the charm at work beforea shimmering blue light, like a sh bombbut these charms Like a strong acid and a strong base meeting like a lump of ice thrown into a frying pan, like an Inte policeman entering and governing a chat room Dozens of charms detonated, and the emerald light was like a dazzling train of fog, colliding with the figure on the path. Even from a respectable distance, she could feel her body vibrate, and her eyes were filled with an emerald lightso pure, so brilliant, like witnessing the warmth of spring and the blooming of the Earthlike life itself before it vanished into thick, murky smoke. When her eyes got used to the blinding light, she saw the murky smoke and cried; this meant that whoever was walking down the path was still alive. She thought of rushing forward to finish the business with her kitchen knife, but suddenly, a soft chime could be heard beyond the smoke, followed by golden lines of words shooting into the sky, outlining a familiar figure beyond the smoke Despite therge robe covering her petite figure, it was difficult to hide how curvy the goddess was. The golden words orbited around Jumengs illusory figure, and she held a banner in her hand, which read [MADE IN THE GARDEN OF PEACHES] in big, bold characters. Are you kidding me? Why are you putting yourself in such a serious situation? And who is this ad even for? The smoke soon started to clear as the chimes faded away, and Gu Qianqian could be seen, with scraps of her remaining clothing falling to the ground as she panted heavily, staring at Lu Yibei with strange eyes. Gu Qianqian is a powerful psychic, but she is also human, so the charms would not affect her as hard as they did her system. However, she could feel her internal organs rearranged from the explosion, and her psychic energy was exhausted from healing herself from the damage. Seeing Gu Qianqian in a half-kneel position before her, her mouth was agape: What the hell is she doing here in the middle of the night? Curiosity got the best of her, and she wanted to ask Gu Qianqian what she was doing on campus. After the smoke dissipated, Lu Yibeis attention was focused on the dying Gu Qianqian, not noticing the strange things that were scattered on the ground. A dark, red liquid flows into the box of bamboo scrolls. Her eyes started to ache without reason. Forcing herself to look at the source of the pain, she could see that the air around the box of bamboo scrolls was rippling, outlining an illusory vortex. The rain, fog, and everything else were sucked into the vortex as it started to devour the residual psychic energy; beyond the illusory vortex, one could vaguely see the grey world beyond the dark mountains, decorated with scarletnterns that scattered on its mounds; the darkness was endless, with countless caves likebyrinths. Bloodied chains gripped the headless girl; Lu Yibei was like a monkey in a storm, clinging onto a tree trunk for her life, but Gu Qianqian had nothing, and she was sucked into the vortex. Beyond the vortex, she could see a terrifying ck snake that caused her bodily temperature to rise rapidly; her coat had already fled the scene. The snake coiled around Gu Qianqians body and swallowed her in a single gulp. In an instant, the vortex was dispelled, and the surrounding streets were quiet again as the rain continued to pour overhead. Lu Yibei was left sprawled on the ground, staring at the bamboo scrolls, beforeing back to reality as the raindrops no longer evaporated before they could even touch her. Did did I kill her? She breathed out. S-she couldve told me that she wanted the bamboo scrolls. She couldve told me! I would be happy to get rid of it, but She was probably dead. All she could do was erect a gravestone for her and do a burial without a body. The guilt was eating at her heart. Gu Qianqian was just a teenage girl; she needed to find a way to save her. But how? As she was deep in thought, the manhole cover in the pathway suddenly bounced off, and two figures flew out of the manhole andnded firmly before her. It was a seductive girl with a pair of rabbit ears, dressed in interesting clothes, and a man in a dark blue suit with a fair face but dead eyes. The two shot a yful smile towards her, and she couldnt help but feel an ominous premonition brewing in her heart. Chapter 169: A Toy Gun That Kills Monsters Chapter 169: A Toy Gun That Kills Monsters A minute ago. Miss Rabbit and the man hid their auras with all their strength, observing the residual energy above ground. The man could notice that a faint, little me of the explosion was left, and he looked at Miss Rabbit and asked, Do you really need my help? The thing up there is probably heavily injured. Miss Rabbit gripped her rusty crowbar and murmured, Dont let your guard down. We cant let her escape. Miss Rabbit deduced that if the Witch was able to avoid detection for this long, she must be very good at slipping away. I understand, the man replied. Seeing the bunny girl before her, Lu Yibei couldnt help but feel that she was strangely familiar. Rabbit ears rabbit ears pamphlet Mr Rabbit Recognition shed in her eyes, T-that must be Mr Rabbit; and and and if I can transform into a girl, whats to say Mr Rabbit cant turn into Miss Rabbit? I I need to run! With this in mind, she moved her limbs slowly, careful not to fall from her branch. She wanted to get to an open area to st off. Like prey backing off, she moved on the branch, and her face turned pale. The man had disappeared from sight, and her eyes started to burn intensely as if warning her. sh! Her body moved on its own as she leapt away from the tree. Stepping on the ground, she looked behind her, only to see a pale pile of bones being crushed on the sunken, cracked asphalt road. And that strange man continued to stare her down. A sense of unease brewed in her heart as her body did a backflip, avoiding another sh. She didnt even know how she did that; it was as if an idea was presented to her brain, and her body would move on its own. sh! sh! sh! Driven by that instinct, she nimbly rolled and leapt over a barrage of bones that collided harshly against trees and telephone poles. As she dodged, she could see the man go shirtless at one point, and his chest, his wrists, and his ankles were all stered with a hideous wound as if he had been yed. In his wound, something wriggled, rapidly growing disgusting bones one after another. Her attention was focused on the man, and Miss Rabbit had quietly approached her with eyes filled with anger. She gripped the crowbar tightly and swept it towards her head without hesitation. Instinct told her to duck forward, but a few barrages of bonesnded on her dodging trajectory, and she had no choice but to reroute. Miss Rabbit caught her brief moment of weakness and swept her crowbar upwards, mming into the Witchs back with an explosive force that forced the air out of the Witchs lungs. The force was like a torrent in her guts, and her body flung out like a cannonball. Miss Rabbit kicked the ground and flew upwards; she opened her bright, red lips, revealing her sharp teeth, and pounced towards the Witch. Roar! She bellowed beyond the rain, causing her surroundings to be distorted by the immense volume as she gripped the Witchs chest, You damned thief! Did you really think you could run after stealing my Egg? But dont be afraid, the rabbit chuckled. Im not going to kill you. Yet. Then let me go! What the fuck are you holding onto me for? She yelled inwardly. Letting you die is too easy. I am going to use your body to refine the Egg so that you can feel the pain of being tormented by the endless resentment of souls. Letting you die like this is really too cheap for you. I will use your living body to refine the witchs egg so that you can feel the pain of being swallowed up by the resentment of other sacrifices. m! Miss Rabbit flung her upwards and continued her barrage of attacks, mming her crowbar onto the petite Witch. She couldnt help but scream out in pain, which seemed to irritate the rabbit, causing her to attack even faster. What the hell happened to fair fights? She thought. The pain didnt stop despite her overactive brain; this was the first time she was in a real head-to-head battle with other urban legends, and she thought of her weapons The charms the statue her mantras her knife They shed through her mind, but she didnt know which to use first; however, Miss Rabbit and the man didnt allow her time to retaliate. I need to get away. I need to use my gun. She wasnt sure if Miss Rabbit was stronger or weaker than Lu Xu, but if it could hurt Gu Qianqian, it could hurt Miss Rabbit. If she could get to her knife, which could even injure a goddess, dealing with Miss Rabbit should be no problem. She immediately started to recite the mantra in her head, Deste wilderness; grass, bones fan the fire, and She uttered thest part of her mantra, and an orb of fire started to form in the palm of her hand. She grasped the fireball as tightly as she could, and a strange sense of calm overtook her. She stared at the target in front of her as if time had stopped. She took a deep breath and moved her body. As expected, a piece of bone shed through her ankle, bringing tears to her eyes. She gritted her teeth through the pain, turned towards Miss Rabbit, and shot the fireball towards Miss Rabbit. And all this happened in less than a second. What the! Miss Rabbits pupils shrank upon feeling the scorching heat approaching her, but she decided not to dodge the attack. After all, this was the introductory fireball, thought Night Division members, but the moment the fireball touched her chest, there was a violent explosion, scorching her clothes into countless pieces. The fireball was much more powerful than she expected as if she were being blessed by a mysterious power. Not powerful enough. Miss Rabbit skidded on the pathway and stabilised herself. When she was ready to pounce upwards again, she could see the Witch pressing a gun against her forehead. What is this? A special psychic firearm of the Night Division? Miss Rabbits nose twitched. stic. P-stic? A toy gun? She felt insulted, and she couldnt help but let out a dryugh. Y-you You think a toy gun is going to do anything to me? As she spoke, she silently clenched her crowbar, ready to swing upward. Lu Yibei simply shrugged as she looked away: Toy guns cant kill humans, but It can surely kill monsters! she yelled, pulling the trigger. Chapter 170: I Changed My Mind! Chapter 170: I Changed My Mind! The gun vibrated slightly in Lu Yibeis grip, and the charm, engraved withplicated runes, shot out of the muzzle with a swoosh, colliding with Miss Rabbits psychic energy and immediately activating it as it trembled with an emerald light The emerald light shone with brilliance, and Miss Rabbits scarlet eyes were dyed green with panic, and it would blow her head up in less than a second Tailwind through the sands of time; thunder that pulls through the dark clouds; the spindle that travels through the cracks of time A slight incantation left the lips of the man behind them, and the shimmering, trembling emerald charm slowed down its trajectory like it was moving in slow motion. Lu Yibei didnt hear the mans spell, but she could hear a series of noises ringing in her ears. The crackling sound of electricity, followed by the deep yet eerie atmosphere of a deep jungle, coupled with the endless depths of the sea An intense burning in her eyes brought her back to reality, and in that daze of two seconds, Miss Rabbits head flicked to the side. The charmnded limply less than a metre away and exploded, sting away the side of Miss Rabbits face into a bloodied mess, revealing sharp, dense rows of canines. Countless pink, wriggly maggots repaired her wound, restoring her original, seductive appearance. Yibei was terrified; she hastily loaded another bullet while Miss Rabbit was recovering, only for a disturbing,manding voice to force her to slow down. Her body stagnated as if it were covered with rust, and it seemed as if time was slowing down. The moment she pulled the trigger, Miss Rabbit had already rolled out of the way as she yelled, Why didnt you use it earlier? I could have died! You just asked me not to let her escape, the man yelled back. Not intervene in the battle, I thought. Forget it! Miss Rabbit growled as she got up, walking towards Yibei with uncontrolled anger festering in her scarlet eyes. You little thief, I changed my mind, she uttered, gripping the crowbar in her hand. Y-youre letting me go? Miss Rabbit twitched her lips and said, Are you dumb? Im killing you! I have no use for you anymore! Youre dying tonight! Help me kill her! Miss Rabbit yelled at the man. This is an order! Finally! The man smiled as a light shed in his eyes. Were getting to the fun part. The man let out a low, inhuman growl, and clusters of ck pustules appeared on his exposed skin. He inhaled a violent breath, causing his chest to swell and the mounds of bones protruding from his body to turn from a pale white to an endless ck. His eyes were fully white, his tongue stuck out, and his saliva dripped down the sides of his mouth. A ck mist orbited him, and as the wind swept the mist towards Yibei, it carried a disgusting stench, like the musk of a wild animal. A werewolf? Miss Rabbit thought. No, its too disgusting, too filthy. It cant be She has seen urban legends rting to werewolves before or psychics that turn into werewolves, but they never had any powerful psychic fluctuations. Boom! An explosion sounded in her ears, and the man disappeared from sight. When she turned around, she saw the Witchs body being mmed into a wall not far away and the man in a posture as if he had just punched someone. Too fast! The blow caught the Witch off guard. Before she knew it, her petite body was smashed into the wall, and waves of pain bit at her bones as if all of the bones in her body were broken. H-hes strong The scorching heat in her eyes was unbearable, and two lines of bloodied tears slid down her fair cheeks; she felt enlightened by the current situation. The man approached her broken body little by little, and she raised her hands in surrender, shouting, W-wait, please! I I have something to say! The man was visibly caught off guard, and Miss Rabbit herself was stunned too. I I, too, changed my mind. I As she spoke, she silently recited the incantation buried in her heart, giving up her passive suppression of the two forces that wanted to break through her soul. There is a mountain, and there is a woman. A drought Ack! she coughed out, and her chest seemed to be hit by a ferocious beast within. A strange cold spread from her chest, and the pain caused her body to convulse uncontrobly. Its beginning, she thought, her mind empty. Like every evening. Her blood seemed to be ignited in an instant, and a golden-red light shed through her veins. Her pores gushed out sweat, which immediately evaporated into steam. A hot current rushed straight into her heart through her veins, colliding with the cool feeling in her chest. Her heart stopped beating, and she slumped forward, face-first into the floor. The cold and scorching heat met and fought in her body as if they were fighting for dominance, and a familiar song sounded in her ears. Lend me your eyes, And let me see themotion clearly. Hearing the song, Lu Yibei cheered in her mind as she fell into darkness. Chapter 171: Do You Know Who Jiangli Is? Chapter 171: Do You Know Who Jiangli Is? Time seemed infinitely stretched, and when Yibei opened her eyes, a familiar scene appeared before her. The dark clouds above her spiralled into a dark infinite, twisting into a terrifying vortex; the air was dry and hot as if she were standing in a desert at this moment. She found herself back on the rooftops again. The already dpidated city seemed even more run-down as she leaned her head close to the balcony as if another disaster had swept through the ruined city. The fire spread through the city endlessly, and the grey figures below scattered about as if they had nowhere else to go. This is where I met that girl when I swallowed the Egg and also where Du Sixian harasses me every night, but This doesnt feel like my own dream. Why am I here after muttering that incantation? Thinking about the fight that had just transpired, she couldnt help but panic. Wait! I was already fighting back, and now that Im here, wouldnt that mean that Im a walking sandbag for them to beat up? Let me out! Suddenly, a faint singing sound could be heard nearby, and as expected, she saw that mysterious girl who appeared to her right after she devoured the egg. Her hair was fiery red, and she wore a gorgeous, long skirt, sitting on the railing of the roofs balcony with her back to Yibei. Her snow-white legs hung over the edge and swayed gently with her song. The moment she looked at the girl, she stopped singing and turned around with a big smile on her face: Long time no see! Yibei frowned. The girl seemed seriously injured despite her carefree appearance; her delicate hands, legs, and right eye were all wrapped in bandages, and a cane was right by her side. Strangely enough, Yibei felt that the cane was reminiscent of Jianglis own cane, but the silver-white decoration on the top of the cane was heavily damaged, so she couldnt confirm it. Youre finally here! the girl said, breaking the silence. If you hadnte, Id thought youd be dead by now. Thats a rude greeting, Yibei pouted. Im alive and well! How could I die? And look at youyoure the one wrapped in bandages! Shouldnt you be worried about yourself? Judging by how rude this girl was, it wasnt a surprise that she got beat up! Whatever, she smiled as she waved her hand in front of her. Ive been waiting for you here for so long. Why havent youe to me? Am I not powerful? Do you not need me? I mean, its not a bad thing if you dont need me; its just forget it. The girl thought that it was good that Yibei was able toe into this realm. If she coulde here, it means that she has power. Well, for one, I fear dyingspeaking of which, can you kick me back into the real world? I have a lot of things to take care of! Yibei was well aware of the power lying dormant within her body, but she was afraid of dying. Coupled with what Jiangli and Jumeng told her, she would shudder in fear the more she thought about it. It was as if she had a nuclear reactor within her, and she had no way of controlling it. She thought that itd be best to find a way to control it first before attempting to use it. Youre clever, the girl praised. Unlike me and some other people Ive met. Come. Sit and chat with me. Ah, uh I know youre worried about the battle outside, but dont worry, your body will automatically take care of it. Excuse me? Its like leaving your character in idle mode in a clicker idle RPGyour body will automatically deal with those two bastards outside. Does this mean I can activate an ability and instantly kill them? Well, no! the girl interjected. Its possible in theory but definitely not in practice. If you were to do that, wouldnt the Night Division be worthless? Therefore, to not reveal our identities, we can only evacuate, but Im sure your body will be able to scare the urban legends out of those two. The girl shed a meaningful smile towards Yibei, and she couldnt help but shudder slightly. Smack! The girl pped her palms lightly, drawing Yibeis attention to her. Okay! Lets get down to business. You tell me about your experiences outside, and Ill give you some useful cheat codes! I have more time to spend with you this time, so I will try to let you know as much as possible. Because the girl didnt know when the next time was. She nced at the vortex of dark clouds above her as if it were an abyss leading to a distant ne. Well, if you insist! Yibei said. Besides, she wanted to get useful information out of this mysterious girl who had helped her escape from certain death several times. Yibei omitted many unnecessary details and simply told the girl about her recent experiences living as a Witch. However, upon mentioning that Du Sixian had appeared in her dreams from time to time, the girl interrupted her with an expression like that of a best friend who knew that Yibei had gotten together with a scumbag of a boyfriend and beat her chest in shame. Who is this Du Sixian? Why did you bring somebody unknown into our family? she sobbed. Take her off! And Ill tell you who the real, suitable candidates are to join this family of ours; they arent difficult to find because they should have appeared by your side by now. With my information, youll be able to gain their approval and make them your dependents. Yibeis eyes widened. She couldnt believe that potential candidates to be her dependents were already existing in her circle. It seems that staying and having a good chat with her is the right choice! Is this a good thing, though? she wondered. I dont want them to harass me nightly like Du Sixian does. However, its good to know about other potential psychics near me. I can get to know their abilities and prepare ordingly! Alright, ready? The first person is Su Yigan, and Wait! Who? Su Yigan You should know this kid by now, right? The girl eyed her. He may be an idiot now, but hell be powerful in the future! But I dont know how to talk to boys, so youll have to do the heavy lifting. And dont sell your body to him! Listen, Im not selling my body, even if you didnt mention it, and I dont even know who this Su Yigan is! For real? All he does is yell about how hes the greatest protagonist of all! You should have encountered him on the first day of university! First day? Could it be that senior who lives in a dorm with his boyfriend and sells beds? Listen, I really dont know who Su Yigan is Maybe I can go around and ask for him. Thats awkward, the girl said, scratching her head. What about Zhang Yijing? Dont know them either. What? I have, but to my knowledge, theyre dead. Dead? The girl was visibly confused and seemed hesitant to speak now. Is is that bad? I promise you, I have never heard of the people you mentioned to me. Yibei expressed. Yibei was worried, too. If these were the best candidates to be her dependents, and theyre all people she doesnt know, wouldnt that mean that shes in deep trouble? No, no, maybe its a good thing that you dont know them, the girl said. Because it may mean that things have taken a different turn. The girl suddenly remembered something and looked at Yibei: Then, do you know who Jiangli is? Chapter 172: I Beg You, Don’t Kill Jiangli Chapter 172: I Beg You, Dont Kill Jiangli No? Subconsciously, Yibei wanted to deny it, and she continued, Im not too familiar with her, no. Okay, good, the girl let out a long sigh of relief. Why? Is she not a suitable candidate? Yibei decided to pry. Absolutely not! the girl shouted. She is the most unsuitable one, in fact! Just be careful of her! Fortunately, it seems that you havent had much contact with her, so make it stay that way. Im afraid its a bit toote now, Yibei thought. I already belong to heruh, I mean, her work in the Night Division. Is anything wrong with her? Yibei asked. Its not good to say this, but if you have a chance to see her naked body, you must pay attention to her chest, lower abdomen, and backsee if there are any special marks etched onto her body. N-n-naked? Youre joking, right? What am I supposed to do? Infiltrate the womens bathhouse. The moment she sees my female form, Im afraid the bathhouse will turn into a bloodhouse! No, why dont you sleep with her? ? If I do that, Im better off dying. Just kidding, just stay away from her. Anyways Wait a moment! C-can I ask a question this time? Uh, sure, ask ahead. Do you know of a ce full of ethnic people in the southeast region? And there are some urban legends rting to scarletnterns in a vige? I was wondering if If the girl knew about the bamboo scrolls, maybe she could ask her if Gu Qianqian was still alive. Bamboo scrolls I vaguely heard of them before; let me think about it. The girl rested her chin and thought for a while, then looked at Lu Yibei and said, Do you have any other information? To help jog my memory. Yes! Immediately afterwards, she briefly described to the girl what she knew through Jumengs trantion, the content of the bamboo scrolls, and the illusion she saw when she first encountered the bamboo scrolls. I remember! the girl shouted. The girl recalled that the kid, Su Yigan, mentioned the forbidden knowledge that he mastered from an illusion sourced from a bamboo scroll. Since Yibei was unable to control the power in her body, if she acquires that knowledge, shell be able to control it and be less likely to make mistakes! However, since she doesnt know who he is, its better to let her do it herself. It may be more reliable than relying on that kid. Thats a good ce! The girl grabbed Yibeis shoulder and looked her in the eyes. You have to find a way to enter that domain. It contains some useful knowledge for you. What the hell? Lu Yibei asked nkly. Youre worried about not being able to control the power in your body, correct? the girl smiled. That knowledge can help you keep it under control and harness the powers for yourself! For a while, at least. As for the future the girl added to her heart. Sounds good, so do you know how to get in? Ah, well, the girl stuttered, and she secretly cursed Su Yigan under her breath. He refused to share his secrets, and they needed to be exchanged for something of equal or greater value. Information like entering the bamboo scrolls domain was irrelevant to the girl, so paying for it was out of the question. The girl was wondering how to fool Yibei, and in turn, Yibei frowned, thinking of exposing the girl when A storm started to brew above them. At some point, miserable white fog had filled the air, and through the fog, a vortex of dark clouds was rolling violently above them. Waves of psychic energy gathered above them as they washed over both of them, and through the vortex of clouds, a gap opened directly above both of them, and a spotlight seemed to highlight the girl. The next moment, the sound of thunder came from the sea of clouds as if it were gathering insurmountable amounts of energy. Countless roars and maddening murmurs flooded Yibeis mind; she didnt understand them, but she could feel the emotions they were trying to convey. Anger. Pure anger and rage shook his soul, making his legs feel a little weak. Looking at the girl beside her, she couldnt help but frown and whisper, What did you do this time? It looks like God himself is trying to punish you and smite you down. Did you dig somebodys ancestral grave? Kidnap a minor? Beat up a sage? The girl let out a wry smile and chuckled: I did all of that and much worse. In fact, Ive beaten people over the age of 5,300 years, but I had a clear conscience when doing so, the girl thought. What the Yibei was shocked upon hearing that. It didnt seem like she was joking. You you really are a wicked person! Stay a little farther away from me! Yibei hurriedly stepped away from the balcony, immediately sped her hands together, and yelled into the sky, Hey! Aim it right! I dont know her that well! Boom! As soon as she shouted, a lightning bolt crashed down on the girl, leaving behind a huge crater where the girl was. And the ends of the scorch marks were less than a palm away from Yibei. For a moment, foul-smelling smoke filled the air, and the residual electricity dispersed from the roof. What the hell! I told you to aim it properly! You almost got me, too! At this moment, the girls voice was imnted into her head. It seems that our time is up, Lu Yibei. Remember: find a way to enter the bamboo scrolls domain, and stay away from Jiangli! Dont trust her too much. As she spoke, it was as if a great sadness had overtaken her form, and Yibei swore she could hear the girl sobbing. And if Jiangli did do something against you for my sake, I beg you, dont kill Jiangli. A corporeal image of the girl appeared as she bent down to pick up her damaged cane. As soon as she picked it up, she vanished, and Yibeis vision fell into an inextricable darkness. She woke up in a jolt and was surprised to find herself in a taxi as if she had been taking a nap this entire time. Youre awake? Where do you want to go this time? Zhang Shan? What the she said in a daze. How did I get in here? Oh no. Its been more than an hour since she got in the car, and the metre has jumped by almost 100 yuan. Shes not going to negotiate on the bill, right? Chapter 173: Almost Suffering from PTSD Chapter 173: Almost Suffering from PTSD It was nighttime, and heavy rain nourished the dpidated gardens of the Amber Hall. It waste in the morning on the other side of town. Lightning illuminated the building once in a while, revealing its dpidated appearance. Within the gloomy building, a room was illuminated on the top floor. Jiangli stood in front of her mirror and wrapped her naked body in a white bath towel. Her moist silver hair was coiled up, and the residual steam from the bathroom leaked into the bedroom. Ensuring that she was alone, she took out a Tibetan anemone pendant from her bedside table and returned to the mirror. She gently undid her towel and turned her naked body around, revealing a dark sun totem on her smooth back. She slightly frowned as she shifted the pendant, and her fingertips glowed a silvery white. Opening her lips, she began reciting Sanskrit mantras in a low voice like an ancient bad, and the light on her fingertips shone with intensity. In a sh, it transformed into a golden light, with vague images of lotus flowers on a pond. Under the guidance of her power, the pendant hovered towards the ceiling, causing the chandelier above her to flicker. Boom! Lightning shed outside her window, and the pendant shot towards the tattoo on her back like a shooting star. However, the moment it was about to touch the tattoo, it seemed to hit an invisible wall, and it hovered harmlessly before Jiangli as it glowed a dazzling gold. Jianglis body convulsed violently, and herplexion became pale. The intense pain from the impact seemed to strip her soul, but she forced herself to remain silent. A trace of ck mist overflowed from her tattoo as it merged into the pendant, and the golden light of the pendant began to dim. The pendant soon became exhausted and fell to the ground with a loud ng. Its once shiny surface seemed to rust almost immediately. Jiangli let out a sigh and wrapped the towel back on her body, picking up the pendant and cing it back into her bedside drawer. Changing into a set of pyjamas, she turned on the bedsidemp andid back on the bed with a book, and there was a sudden knock on the door. Knock knock It was careful and soft as if whoever was knocking was afraid of disturbing whoever was inside. Hua? Come in. Squeak. Hua, still dressed in her maid attire, walked in with a heavy expression. Miss, I just received a message from the Night Division. A Level A Threat. Do they need my help? she frowned. Its just a routine notice. ording to the Night Division, for all alerts above Level B, all Operators within the vicinity must be ready to provide support at any time. Did anyone go to investigate? Yes, An Qing was on duty tonight, so she went to the scene. Judging from the situation, there wasnt too much damage, and the source of the psychic fluctuations vanished. I see. Ill stay up and wait then, Jiangli nodded and walked over to her desk, turning on herptop. The all-too-familiar chime of her mahjong game reverberated around the room. Miss, would you like me to make anything for you? Tea? Coffee? Instant noodles, please. Im a little hungry, and Ive been craving it. I understand. Hua immediately left and tried recalling her mistresss favourite way of eating instant noodles. Braised beef noodles with fried green onions and fried eggs But why cant I replicate it the way she wants it? Its strange After she left, Jianglis phone vibrated, and she saw that it was a text message from Li Xuans internal number. [Well, what do you know? Its the University again. I sure bet it has something to do with Lu Yibei! Arent you going to check up on him?] After reading the message, Jiangli silently copied the message and forwarded it to Bai Kai with a caption [by Li Xuan]. Near Gate No. 4 of Huacheng University. An Qing arrived at the ce where Lu Yibei had fought with Miss Rabbit and the mysterious man. It was just her, Du Sixian, and three members of the special operations team. Less than three minutes had passed since the psychic energy fluctuations were detected; when she was about to set off for her investigation, the fluctuationspletely vanished. However, on a windy and rainy night, there would be nobody on the streets. An Qing wanted to take advantage of this and investigate. Holding an umbre and looking at the pieces of scorched earth near her, An Qing frowned. The scorched earth had been quelled by the heavy rain for more than ten minutes, but it seemed to still have life in its tiny ember. Although the source had vanished, judging from the remnants of it, An Qing couldnt help but shudder at how familiar this felt. Its like the power I felt back at Flowers and Sunshine Resorts After the fire at the resort was extinguished, the members of the special operations team investigated the ruins and found that the concrete pirs were still warm to the touch despite the absence of runes. Could this be the Witch who escaped? Meanwhile, Du Sixian and the three were busy with their tasks, using standard psychic items from the Night Division to conduct on-site investigations. An Qing, were done, Du Sixian smiled. It was the first time she participated in something like this, and it made her feel energised. This is way better than picking fights with strangers online! Its a pity I cant record this and post it online! The erosion of the night is 4.3, which is too high; psychic energy fluctuation residual is estimated at Level A; and the natural disaster response Du Sixian was silent, and An Qing patted her on the shoulder: Whats the problem? Whats the value? Ah I think I may have calcted it wrong. Generally speaking, a value of 0.01% to 2% is normal in normal urban legends, and values above 5% are dangerous. However, the number she obtained was a shocking 13%! Maybe I forgot to put a decimal in No need to recalcte, An Qing said. It should be correct. If it truly was the Witch from the resort, it would have a high value. Just as An Qing was thinking, the other three members came over with two small silver boxes in their hands. Operator An Qing, please take a look at these items. The moment she saw the contents of the boxes, she couldnt help but frown. Broken ck bones and bloodied rabbit fur Ah, it looks like I have to work overtime tonight. Miss Rabbit never wants to return to the University ever again in her life. Hell, shes reconsidering even getting close to the University at all. She didnt expect that the little thief would be stronger and braver for every second that they fought. It didnt surprise her that the damned Witch could cast powerful spells and curses, but what did surprise her was After the Witch had given her monologue, she seemed to fall limply to the ground. Miss Rabbit and the man thought they had an opportunity and lunged forward together. However The moment they approached her, the psychic energy scattered in the area seemed to be ignited, and with an intense vibration, a blinding light shed in their eyes. The terrifying energy filled both of their hearts with a strange peace, and they wanted to bow their heads before the power revealed itself to them. Within the blinding light, a pair of eyes made of gold slowly opened as if a demonic god ofva had broken free from its shackles and gazed upon the world. And just by looking at it, youll be burnt. In an instant, vicious messhed out of the Witchs body, leaving only scorched earth wherever it licked. Her scarlet hair fluttered behind her, and her eyes were dull and lifeless as if she were no longer controlling her own body. Miss Rabbit and the man wanted to fight back but gave up almost immediately. Miss Rabbits crowbars melted one after another, and the mans palm seemed to have melted off from the intense heat. If this is her sleepwalking, what would she be like when she awakens? Miss Rabbit and the man immediately made their retreat and ran out from the gate, and unexpectedly, the Witch trailed behind them. The psychic energy leaking from the Witch was destructive and taunting as if it wereughing at their cowardly attempts to run away from her. The chirping of insects would stop wherever they went, and urban legends would hide away from the intense heat; wherever they passed, there was a dead silence. Soon, Miss Rabbit and the man found that she was no longer chasing them and breathed out a sigh of relief. Even though they were confused as to why the Witch decided to take a taxi, they could only be grateful that they were still alive. Damn it! Miss Rabbit was cursed. I cant get the egg back and Miss Twilight is about to wake up. What am I supposed to do? I should have just begged the Witch to take me in. I just want to be free. Chapter 174: She’s Actually Giving Money? Chapter 174: Shes Actually Giving Money? Who am I? Why am I here? Where do Ie from? are all questions that the great philosopher Socrates asked. Lu Yibei herself thought that she was simr to the philosopher, finding herself in the taxi. She eyed the rising taxi metre, was shocked, and made a decision. G-go to the bridge! she said. In her current state, she could only think of Gu Qianqians nest under the bridge. Alright, Zhang Shan replied, but heined mercilessly in his heart. It was a 20-minute drive from the University to the bridge! And you made me drive around for over an hour! My oil isnt free! I have to charge her this timeI must! As if doubling down on his decision, he switched gears and stepped on the gas, driving towards the bridge. As he drove, he observed the girl through the rearview mirror. He could see her leaning on the car door, looking out the window as if she were deep in thought. Strange. Why is she so quiet today? No pressure, but I would love it if you told me a story to tell my fans! Sure enough, her stories were of high quality and brought a lot of engagement to his streams. However, those stories seemed too real, which caused a chill to run down his spine almost constantly. Soon, they reached the bridge, and he was struck with another question. D-do I ask her for the fare? Ah, Shan, wait here for a while. I dont have any cash on hand, so I have to go and get it. She nned to rummage through Gu Qianqians piggy bank to pay the fare since she could just return itter. Its hard finding workte at night. Hearing that she was going to pay the fare, Zhang Shan started to shake in his seat and clenched the steering wheel as tightly as he could. Outside the window, the road was wet after the rain, shimmering under the light of the streetmps. Farther away, the mountains and waters were hazy. Its deste. This is no ce for anybody to live. D-do you live here? Yeah! Under the bridge! Hearing this, a cold drop of sweat appeared on his forehead. Bridge? That same bridge where they fished out a corpse? That means no! I must ept her fare! I dont care! Ill be operating at a loss if this continues! She had already gotten out of the car and disappeared into the bushes leading to the bridge. Soon, Zhang Shan was left alone, and the quiet, damp Linjiang Avenue was silent. The cold wind caressed his arm through the open door, and he trembled with fear as he got out to close the door. When he got back in his seat, he could hear the sound of the door opening and being closed again, and the temperature of the taxi seemed to drop rapidly. He could feel a hand being ced on his shoulder and a cool wind being blown into his ears, and the wind carried words that he never wanted to know at all. Gulp! Zhang Shan didnt dare look through the rearview mirror; there must be something back there! Is this what happens when you ask an urban legend for a fare? This time, he heard rustlinging from the bushes, and he couldnt handle it anymore. Releasing the handbrake and stepping on the gas, his taxi sped down the roads of Linjiang Avenue. Yibei took out two hundred yuan from Gu Qianqians piggy bank and returned to the taxi. From a distance, she could see that the back seat of the taxi was crowded with figures. These figures were pale and seemed to shift in and out of reality. Their bodies violently twisted as they caressed Zhang Shan, looking at him with malicious eyes. Yibei frowned upon seeing this. This must be those urban legends who havent been fully formed, ording to the Night Divisions Records. These urban legends were like ghosts with no fixed form. If they dont be an urban legend, they will fade away when morninges and cease to exist. Thinking about it, she hurriedly returned to the taxi. Although these figures wont cause Zhang Shan any harm, they might have a big enough effect on reality, seeing that their weight was pushing the taxi down. Those strange figures could sense something powerful approaching and froze upon seeing her. She paused and folded her arms around her chest, casting a menacing look at the figures in the car. However, something unexpected happened. She thought the figures would simply leave and scatter in fear, but Sparks appeared on their bodies, and like paper, they were burnt to shreds almost instantly as they vanished. In the air, she could hear their screams drifting away with the breeze. She shook her head lightly, They must be dead, I guess and came through the bushes, only for Zhang Shan to step on the gas and speed forward. However, it was as if something clicked in Zhang Shans mind, and he stopped the car and looked out the window, realising it was Lu Yibei, and reversed back towards her. I got you the fare. He rolled down the windows, and after receiving arge amount of change from her, he stuffed it in his pockets without counting and was prepared to leave. Wait, Zhang Shan, I have something for you. She put her guitar bag down and opened a slit through the zipper, and with a swipe, she took out a kitchen knife. Sweat dripped down his forehead like a flood, and he swore he peed his pants a little. Oh, sorry, wrong thing. Stuffing the knife back into the bag, she fumbled through the bag, grabbed a few charms, and handed them to Zhang Shan. Its dangerous to be drivingte at night. These charms will help you out, so please keep them! Staring at the charms, he hesitated for a moment before nodding, Thank you! before speeding down Linjiang Avenue once again. Tsk, why is he always so impatient? Half past one in the morning, in an old apartment. After returning home, Zhang Shan did not turn on his broadcast but lit up all the lights in his living room and counted the change that Lu Yibei paid him. He sat on the sofa and stared at the pile of small changes, worried that they would vanish or be something worse. However, the banknotes seemed benign, and he was temporarily relieved. She actually gave me money and she made it up for the previous two times. No, no, maybe it will disappear tomorrow morning. Urban legends hate the morning, right? So, Ill just He stuffed all the money into a jar and screwed it tightly, cing the jar by the window where sunlight would flood in in the morning. Lu Yibeiy on the sofa at Gu Qianqians ce, tossing and turning, unable to fall asleep. She didnt know if it was because of the strange noisesing from outside the house, or if she was worried about Gu Qianqian, or both. She sighed as she got up and turned on the lights. She took out the bamboo scrolls from the box and unfolded them. However, nothing seemed to happen. As if in just a few days, the mysterious power within the scrolls had disappeared. Ah She sighed and tossed the bamboo scrolls aside, staring at the ceiling in a daze. The girl in her dreams told her to find a way to get into the bamboo scrolls domain, but how? Now that the bamboo scrolls seem passive Maybe it was because they were full after swallowing Gu Qianqian whole. Gu Qianqian, you must stay alive! Otherwise, Im not paying you back! Chapter 175: Keeping Gu Qianqian Determined Chapter 175: Keeping Gu Qianqian Determined Being sucked into the vortex, Gu Qianqian thought she died; she couldnt breathe, and her eyes closed by themselves. She couldnt feel anything in the darkness, but she could feel countless eyes on her and invisible threads from the darkness connected to her body as her body sank and sank. The threads seemed to break one after another as she fell deeper into the darkness, but One thread seemed extraordinarily strong, preventing her from falling into death. There were countless, intertwined murmurs in her ears as if urging and guiding Gu Qianqian to just give up and let go. However, among the voices, she could hear an all-too-familiar voiceher system! Gu Qianqian You cant die, or youll have to start over again. Gu Qianqian Youre broke, and youll have to sell your house for money. A vision was forced onto her, and she could see a dark figure sneaking into her homesleeping on her sofa, rummaging through her stuff. And going through her beloved piggy bank! And her money, like birds out of a cage, flew into the distance and disappeared. It was like an elixir of life was poured into her mouth; her heart started to pump blood back into her system, and she could see, she could feel, she could hear, she could shout. No! Not my money! Gu Qianqian screamed and woke up, and her limbs desperately swung as ifunching a fierce attack on an invisible enemy as she leapt onto the ground. System! Somebody found my piggy bank! Are you kidding me right now? Breaking into the world of the bamboo scrolls through abnormal means was dangerous; the fallen god buried within is powerful, and if you want to avoid certain death, there are no tricks. You must either be stronger than the god itself, suppress your own energy, or have a strong enough will. And clearly, Gu Qianqian has the will to survive, even though the will to survive is in her money. When Gu Qianqian was approaching the pit of death, the system tried many ways to reinvigorate her: the visions of her saving the world, finding her family, luxurious dinners, a prince charming Never would it be expected that she would awaken at the thought of her money being stolen! System! We need to get out of here! Somebody got to my piggy bank! Gu Qianqian Yes? You dont have to worry. I dont think anybody would go through your piggy bank. Because nobody would care for such a small amount! You cant say that! I just know that my money is in danger! she frowned. The system realised that the path that it nned for her might be a little off. Shes dumb but strong, so she was suited for the path of Hercules. From the looks of it, though, maybe she should take a detour and venture into the paths of the God of Poverty! Because all she does is think about money! Even though she wont be as strong inbat, once she ascends, she will be so unlucky that it will spread to her enemies, so shell win every battle shes in! Gu Qianqian? How do we get out of here, system? We need to figure out a way to get out of here together. If you die here, you will lose your money. What?Then, hurry up and do something! What do you want me to do? Send me a mission! Hurry! Ill finish it so that we can go back as soon as possible! While speaking, she waved her arms vigorously, bringing up gusts of strong wind and imbuing herself with bravery strong enough to kill gods. By the way, system, what exactly is this ce? She looked around, and all she could see was a deste ck The sky is gloomy and full of dark clouds, as if a heavy rain may fall at any time, and the vegetation on both sides is disturbingly dark. The towering tree before them was dark, and so were the shrubs. However, they still maintained a slight green tinge to their darkness. The primordial forest before them formed an endless maze, but there was no sign of any animals within. The darkness loomed over Gu Qianqian, but she had a big heart and was blind to the danger, and she was just as carefree as she was in the outside world. Its not like Ive never eaten grass before or gnawed on bark! I have had food for months here! Gu Qianqian briefly recalled what happened before she lost consciousness and continued, System, I remember that before I fainted, there was a boy. What happened to him? the system asked in a deep voice. He kissed me and touched my face. Am am I in love? She whispered while holding her hot face in both hands. She couldnt describe her feelings, but she felt warm and giddy. Ah, damn it. The system knew what the Charm of Spring Winds does: in addition to causing severe damage to urban legends, it also makes the target feel that spring ising. And the meaning of the phrase is very subtle. That damn Witch I just thought she was poor and made the most essible Charm to her. I didnt expect her to n this out to disturb Gu Qianqians will! Now that Gu Qianqian is lovestruck, she will have zero will to fight against the Witch! Unless money is involved, of course! In the past, hosts have been distracted by factors like true love or avarice, and it was all because of the Witches of the past conjuring visions like these. Asking ordinary teenage boys to deal with matters like thatits over before it even starts. To avoid that, I got a female host this time But not even Gu Qianqian was spared from a vision like this! After thinking for a while, the system said, Gu Qianqian, the boys ultimate goal is to be with you! Isnt that a good thing? And once both of you are together, do you know what will happen? N-no? After you get together, your stuff is his! From then on, half of your money is his, half of your food is his, and even your piggyback! Nothing goodes from a man! S-stop. That sounds scary, she said, immediately losing interest in the boy. Good. Now, lets get down to business. This ce is thend that I told you about beforeand where you can obtain a lot of knowledge! However, because how we entered is a little different, where wended is also different. The thing is The system was prepared to issue a mission to Gu Qianqian, but she immediately got up and pointed into the distance. System, look over there! She pointed to the dense jungle in the distance. Someones over there! Looking in the direction of Gu Qianqians finger, a few vigers are standing on the hillside in the distance. Their faces were obscured by fog, and they seemed to have been watching them for a while now. Vigers? The system gulped. I thought there were only scarletnterns here! Before the system could stop her, Gu Qianqian immediately got up and darted into the forest: Somethings not right! Lets go have a look! Chapter 176: Don’t Knock After Dark Chapter 176: Dont Knock After Dark As Gu Qianqian approached them, they turned around and ran towards the forest as if they were frightened. The system didnt know how long they were standing there either. However, it couldnt feel any psychic fluctuations, and it couldnt help but praise Gu Qianqianthe most direct way of solving this problem is to find whoever caused it in the first ce! The system began to go deep into thought; it clearly remembered that when Su Yigan came herest time, there were no living people here, only scarletnterns that were like parasites. But why was it different now? Was it because Su Yigan came here through his consciousness, while Gu Qianqian came here with her whole body? Hey! Wait up! Dont run away! I wont hurt you! I just want to ask you something. She shouted at the vigers. Of course, they ran even faster. Gu Qianqian! What? Before you shout at them, consider putting your club down. You look like youre about to beat them up. Oh Gu Qianqians runes aim to strengthen her physical capabilities. Even without its power, she still retains its otherworldly strength. Despite this, she failed to catch up to those vigers. They ran through the mountains and forests at a blinding speed, and they ran in a weird posture, too! The dark forest was extremely dense, and the bushes were also waist-high. From a distance, you could only see their upper bodies. It waspletely stiff, and their hands were drooping while their backs were straight. Their necks were strangely elongated as if they were being hung by some invisible thing. System, I dont think they are humans. Gu Qianqian pointed out. They look like they hang themselves and run as if they are floating. I think so too. If anything bad happens, you can just kill them. The system considers itself aw-abiding system and has never ordered her to do anything illegal. Plus, he issues her a mission called [Do a Good Deed Daily.] Although it barely rewards her with anything, it is a good incentive. However, there were no rules here. Everybody here was malicious and out to get you. If you dont kill them, theyll kill you. Gu Qianqian ran after the vigers for about an hour, and she ran almost 10km. However, she was still unable to catch up to the vigers. The vigers disappeared from sight after climbing over a hill, and when she climbed over the hill, they were nowhere to be found. Fortunately, she found traces of human activity forward; in a small area down the hill, she saw smoke risinga human settlement! System, there seems to be someone living in the ravine ahead. Issue me a mission! Am I the system, or are you the system? Just let me do my job. What kind of mission can I possibly give you? the system shouted. Go down and take a look, and Ill release a mission when the time is right! Okay! she said, walking along the winding, muddy mountain road towards the vige hidden within the ravines. However, a jelly-like ck shadow was conjured behind her, and the shadow condensed into the strange faces of a man and a fish. It stretched out its neck, observing the footprints on the ground. The footprints were strange, and every step was dragged out on the soil, like the marks made by an idental fall. The sky was getting darker than it possibly could, but they finally left that dense forest. In the distance, she could see some fields, which were bare and unfruitful. It was strange that not a single weed grew on it. The fields were surrounded by dense jungles and distant mountains, which looked pale and sickly. Somewhere farther stood a scarecrow, and under the dark night, it looked like a figure standing menacingly in the field. With each gust of wind, a faint stench of blood could be smelled. Covering her mouth and nose, she could see a gloomy vige. At the entrance of the vige stood a stone tablet. The walls of the houses in the vige were mostly built of stone and ster, and nothing was alive down the roads of the vige. The windows revealed no light. Even though some doors were open, the gaps were like mouths swallowing all light. The vige was shrouded in both darkness and silence, and it was as if the both of them had broken into a deserted vige. She could even hear her own breathing. Although it was serene and quiet, it did not make anyone feel at peace. There was faint light flickering in the houses, and she could feel eyes on her again. S-system? I dont like it here. I dont think the vigers live here. The system didnt respond just yet, allowing a mechanical voice to sound in her mind. [This is a dead world: A distorted utopia. The moon no longer shines, and the forgotten things sway in the dark. In a treasure house deep underground, the only things that haunt it are writhing snakes and their nameless scales. Task: Investigate the vige, find a viger, and obtain useful information. Then, find the ancestral hall of the vige. Reward: 300 points, a scrumptious dinner.] Food? Forget the points; is the dinner enough? Enough, I presume. Finally! A reward that isnt those disgusting potions! Can all rewards be reced with meals from now on? Hmm no. Aw The system sighed upon hearing this. Its expensive to conjure those potions! In fact, if it wasnt because her power had reached a bottleneck, it wouldnt be feeding her those potions! After receiving the mission, Gu Qianqian shrugged and strode towards the nearest house. Just as she was about to knock on the door, a hoarse voice came behind her. Outsider, dont knock after dark. The voice was airy like dry wind, which sent chills down her spine. Turning around, it was an old man in a coat walking quickly towards her. No He wasnt walking; his hands were drooped, his back straightened, and his neck stretched. He was being dragged to the ground, floating towards her. Chapter 177: Don’t Come Out No Matter What Chapter 177: Dont Come Out No Matter What The old man continued to babble, and his speed was extremely fast for an old man. In the blink of an eye, he was already in front of her. His eyes were cloudy and distant, and his face was full of saggy wrinkles that threatened to fall off his bones as if he were melting before her. His head sagged upwards, and he repeated his words, Dont knock after dark, or youll be heard by those things. A strange smell came to her nostrilsa pungent smell of the elderly plus an indistinguishable smell. Gu Qianqian shivered. She didnt dare speak out. In the past years, under the guidance of the system, she has faced many urban legends, which taught her to be resilient in the face of danger. However, fear seemed to grasp at her heart. She subconsciously took a few steps back until her back hit the door: G-gramps? Heard by what? Dont knock after dark. The old man didnt answer her question, turning around and walking away. Gu Qianqian swallowed the breath that was stuck in her throat: System, what now? The system was silent. It didnt know how to answer herto its knowledge, there werent many urban legends here before. Last time, it was simply eradicating the scarletnterns whenever you saw them, but now Dont knock after dark Come with me Ill take you to find a ce to live. The old man stopped at some point and beckoned Gu Qianqian over as if he were a puppet. System should we follow? Yes. Go and see what the hell hes up to. The system thought it was better to follow the old man rather than stay in the vige. Besides, those figures hidden in the houses seemed much more terrifying than the old man. Gu Qianqian walked up and walked with the old man. Looking at his back, she kept guessing what expression the old man would have at this moment. Numb and lifeless, or fierce and ferocious? Or a sinister smile! The old man led Gu Qianqian along a deste dirt road towards the edge of the vige, making a few turns before stopping in front of a temple. It was a temple in the design of a mountain temple; the tiles were of simple shapes, and a thinyer of moss grew over the tiles. The walls were peeled and pitted, and in some corners, they copsed. The old man stepped into the temple and pushed open the door that smelled of rotten wood. He walked in without beckoning Gu Qianqian in as if he had forgotten he had a guest with him. She followed him into the temple and immediately felt a chill washing over her as if she had dipped herself into a cold sea. The air was so humid and heavy that she found it hard to breathe. The system sensed something strange and immediately widened its senses, but found nothing strange. As soon as she entered the courtyard, her footsteps froze alongside her body. In the courtyard, there were about thirty water tanks densely packed together, and each tank was big enough to hide an adult male. The tanks were filled with water, reflecting the shimmering light that came from nowhere. Every time the wind blew, ripples would form, and the tanks would rumble as if something was going to leap out of the tank. The old man walked between the tanks and clenched the walking stick in his hands, and his aura became as thick as the mountain. Hes about to attack! Gu Qianqian thought. However, at this moment, a rough hissing sound came from the hut on the side of the courtyard. Dad, its toote! Why did you run out again? Why dont you listen to me? Somebody came out of the hut, and his face was illuminated by the dim candlelight in his hand. It was a strong and tall man, and his dark face was covered with deep and shallow scars as if a wild beast had shed his skin. Strangely enough, the scars were almost parallel. His walking posture was normallike a human and not like a puppet. Gu Qianqian was slightly relieved, but the reaction of the man waspletely opposite. When he noticed Gu Qianqian, his pupils constricted violently as he shouted, Outsider! Dad, why did you bring an outsider back? Do you want to kill? Dont knock after dark That thing is not human. They will hear. The old mans voice gradually became weaker as his figure faded away. Hearing his words, the man was startled before looking at Gu Qianqian and saying, Come with me. I will arrange a ce for you to live, and no matter what, promise me to stay inside. No matter what you hear, donte out. And after dawn rises, leave. We have never weed outsiders here, and others will not be as weing as me. His expression wasced with resentment and hatred, and Gu Qianqian couldnt help but ask, There are other people in the vige? Do you You dont want to know other people, the man simply said, staring daggers into her eyes. Hurry up and go to sleep. No matter what you hear, donte out. After he spoke, he let Gu Qianqian into the hut and closed the door. She was plunged into darkness, and she could hear a click from outside and the crisp sounds of a door being locked. Chapter 178: Let Him Go! Chapter 178: Let Him Go! The dark hut was dusty and without furniture. There was only a wooden bed with no bedding, and even the window was about the size of a basketball. Strangely enough, although the room felt dirty underneath her hands, she couldnt feel or hear any signs of insects or rats. The system ordered her to check on the door after everything outside was quiet, and she groped in the darkness for a while, finding that the wooden door was bare. System, this door can only be locked from the outside! I see. It is not surprising that there is a lock on the outside of the wooden door of a house like this, but at least there will be something like atch to prevent outsiders from breaking in. However, the wooden door of this thatched hut has notch, let alone a door handle, as if it were deliberately made like this from the beginning. Why? Could it be that this hut was originally built to imprison something? What is the purpose of a prison within a temple? System, have we been fooled? I feel like Ive been kidnapped, and Im about to be sold to be somebodys wife! Gu Qianqian said gloomily. Gu Qianqian, you are overthinking it. No human trafficker can abduct a girl to this kind of ce. Plus, if they were to kidnap you, they might go broke after keeping you in for one day. Soon, it began to rain, and the raindrops fell on the water tanks in the courtyard. But the rainwater pouring into the water tank seemed to be swallowed up by something as if it could never be filledpletely. Bursts of sounds could be heard from the water tank as if there were countless hands patting the walls of the tank. System, I think I did something wrong. What is it? I shouldve asked the man about the situation in the vige, but I didnt! Now, I have no food No scrumptious dinner to eat and Im so hungry. Ah, Gu Qianqian the system hesitated to speak as if it felt bad for her. You still have a chance ofpleting the mission. Youre right! I can ask him tomorrow morning, and Ill have a scrumptious breakfast tomorrow! No, what Im saying is, go out whenever you hear strange sounds and ignore his directions. Are you not the protagonist? You have powers greater than the beings that reside here! Understood, Gu Qianqian nodded in response. She was so hungry that absolutely nothing could stop her. The rain outside the window was getting heavier and heavier; the night wind was howling, and the branches and leaves of the trees were rustling as if something was approaching the dpidated temple. Gu Qianqian sat curled up on the bed, staring at the small window of the wooden house. Using the desire to eat to fight against the desire to sleep, she stayed in a daze for several hours and waited until a strange noise came from the courtyard. Squeak! It was the sound of the door to the temple outside being open, and the system reminded me, Gu Qianqian! Thats your cue! The moment the systems voice fell, the rain seemed to pour heavier, and lightning shed, illuminating the courtyard in a terrifying white. Then everything stopped, and everything was quiet. Not long after, there was a soft rustling sound outside the courtyard. The sound sounded like something was moving, and the footsteps were chaotic as if several people were clustered together, dragging their feet forward. Gu Qianqian got out of bed and tiptoed to the door, looking outside through the tiny window. A sudden chill invaded the courtyard, and dozens of women in red shuffled into the courtyard. Their figures were identical, with a red cloth hanging on their frozen faces, disguising their eyes and foreheads. All you could see were their sharp faces and dark red lips. And the scarletnterns that dyed the entire courtyard red. Strangely enough, the water in the tanks remained pitch ck, as if it were devouring the light from thenterns. The womens movements were stiff like puppets as they circled to the centre of the courtyard before stopping, and the water tanks began to tremble and m against themselves, sshing water all over the courtyard. Amidst the sound of sshing water, the man hurried into the courtyard and bowed to the women before running towards the water tank. The man walked to the water tank, paused for a moment, then rolled up his sleeves and plunged his hand into the dark water, and his expression became painful and hideous. As the man stretched his hand into the water tank, the water in the tank churned violently. After a while, apanied by a painful groan, the man suddenly pulled his hand out of the water tank alongside something else. It was a deformed baby with pale blue skin and a bulging abdomen with an umbilical cord attached. Its legs were limp, and strangely enough, it had seaweed for hair. The baby opened its maw and swallowed the mans arm up to his elbow, and two white fangs sunk into his flesh, his bright red blood flowing into its mouth. That must be where his scars came from! Enduring the pain, he brought the baby over to the women and announced it to them in a loud voice as if he were trying to tter them. The women, however, were silent and shook their heads in unison like puppets. The man gritted his teeth and returned to his own hut. Immediately afterwards, screams of a baby could be heard, and excitedughter came from the womens mouths as he left the hut. The man walked to the next water tank and repeated the process. If the women shook their heads, he would go back into his hut to dispose of the babies. System the babies Just as the man was walking towards a water tank again, the women stopped him suddenly and whispered something. Immediately, the mans eyes were filled with fear and uneasiness, and he knelt down in front of the women with a plop, shaking his head desperately and chattering in defence as if he were trying to deny something. The women stared at the man motionlessly before turning their bodies in unison towards Gu Qianqian. All of them raised their hands, tilted their necks back at ny degrees, and let outughter that shredded ones eardrums. Amidst the bursts of screams, shadows continued to sh around the temple, and asionally strange noises could be heard, as if someone was hiding outside the temple, scraping against the wall with sharp nails. Something evil was awakened, and its evil aura flooded the vige. System, we got caught! You know what to do next. I got it! She mmed her fist on her chest and grabbed the metal club, kicking the door open and pointing at the women. Let him go! Pick on someone your own size! Chapter 179: Live or Die Chapter 179: Live or Die Surrounded by the dark mountains, the deste vige was dead and lifeless. Until screams broke through the silence of the night, and the lifeless vige seemed lively once again. Wooden doors were continuously being pushed open, and one after another,nterns floated out from their dark corners. The scarletnterns, like evil ghosts, were extremely evil and filthy. A female yell echoed through the vige, mixed with murmurs that seemed toe from an ancient time, and a golden light shed through the entire vige. Immediately afterwards, a majestic presence rose into the sky, and even the rain trembled in its sheer presence. Gu Qianqians psychic abilities were definitely equal to a Level A Threat. If she were to do something bad, shed be put on the national criminal list immediately. And even though those women in red were key in this strange ritual, they could notpare to her sheer majesty. They couldnt survive a single club to the head, or, more urately, they fell even before she did anything. The water tanks were all shattered open, and the filthy running water soaked the tiles of the temple, but there were no babies inside the tanks. The clothes of the women were shredded by sheer force, and their bodies tore like paper puppets. And there was no blood. Instead, it was ck like asphalt, and the blood squirmed like snakes. System? Are they urban legends? They dont seem to have cores in them! They are indeed urban legends, the system responded. But obviously, this is not the main body; there are more important things to attend to. Like what? Getting out of here! In this vige, its impossible to tell how many dangerous urban legends are lurking around. Hence, escape is the best option. Their main purpose in entering this domain was to obtain forbidden knowledge, but now that violence has permeated the realm, the system fears that this very domain might morph and change before their eyes. We need to leave now, Gu Qianqian! No! I havent finished the mission yet! Gu Qianqian retaliated as she pointed her club at the man. You! Tell me everything you know about this vige, and where is your ancestral hall? A-ancestral hall? You! You are the one who killed the olddy! The vige chief wont let you go for this! What the hell are you talking about? Tell me where your ancestral hall is! A-anc-ancestral As the man spoke, his firm muscles started to tense up, and his body bent backwards in a glorious arch, causing his spine to snap, followed by a sharp contraction of his pupils. Crackle Bright red blood poured out of his abdomen like a fountain, and a scarletntern emerged from his body. [You have sessfullypleted the mission! Find somewhere safe to enjoy your meal!] The system believed that she hadpleted the mission in order to make her leave as soon as possible, but the system did, in fact, obtain useful enough informationthe olddy, the vige chief, and ordinary vigersand they were all able to transform into urban legends with no psychic tendencies. As soon as shepleted her mission, she had no worries anymore. Putting away her club, she stomped on the ground and leapt into the air with a loud explosion. A few minutester. A figure wrapped in golden light galloped across the fields, and behind her, countless scarletnterns chased after her, like a scarlet dragon chasing after its prey towards the distant mountains. The scarecrows raised their heads and murmured faint whispers of fury. In Jingyi Apartments. Jumeng sat cross-legged on the sofa and lined all of the apparitions on the coffee table in front of her. Do you think that brat will nevere back because of what happenedst night? she asked, worried. After he left yesterday, Jumeng went upstairs to his room and helped him tidy up, only to find that his magical girl suit had disappeared. Hence, Jumeng was so worried that he took the clothes and left home in a fit of rage to kill himself. Thats impossible! Hes stingy, so hell return sooner orter. Right? With such a beautiful goddess waiting for him, I bet hes running back home right about now. Really? Jumeng wondered. Yes! Then, tell mewhen hees back, what should I do to make sure that he wont be angry at me? Show your boobs! Sell your body! All kinds of strange phrases appeared in the apparitions heads, but they didnt dare speak them. Even if she did listen to them, he might think that she wants to kill him when his guard is down. I think you can do ah do What sounds are you making, oh, making babies? Absolutely not! It is not the time yet! Why are all of you looking at me like that? Forget it; you wouldnt understand! Jumeng rolled her eyes. After all, who wouldnt yearn for a romantic rtionship that blends ones soul and flesh? However, only a few urban legends, let alone human beings, can bear the toxins in their body. We meant Do him a favour and make him a meal. Oh! So thats what you were talking about! At around nine oclock in the morning, Lu Yibei had bathed himself in the sunshine and taken a shower at Gu Qianqians house. He returned home and was about to pick up his bag and phone to go to school, only to see somethingpletely indescribable on his table. In arge copper basin was a dark, green liquid that boiled bubbles, and the corpse of an unknown animal was put within the liquid. He could see the reproductive organs of another creature entangled with another creature, like the hanging arms of a dying person, except for their genitals. What are you? Ive only been out for one night, and youre trying to brew urban legends in my house. What are you talking about? Jumeng pouted. Its garlic and fried pork! I tasted it, and it was good! He thought of throwing it all away, but looking at her guilty face as if she were trying to apologise for what happenedst night To eat or not to eat, that is the question. Chapter 180: This Kid is Trying to Kill Me Chapter 180: This Kid is Trying to Kill Me He couldnt figure out how a great goddess like her used ordinary pots and pans to make something as terrible as this. This thing is poisonous! Seeing the dark green smoke wafting out of the basin that seemed to form a skull, he couldnt help but gulp, Do I really have to eat this? Just eat it, damn it! she pouted as she returned to her spot on the sofa. Ah, um, listen, I know you made this because of what happenedst night, and Im not an unreasonable person, but If you want me to eat this, you probably want me killed, right? How about this? he suggested. Ill do the cooking; after my sses, Ill buy some ingredients and cook. Hmph! What do you want to eat? As long as I can get the ingredients, Ill make it. For real? Yes. Itll taste better than boba, I promise. Hearing this, Jumeng couldnt help but smile and say, Forget it! I forgive you! If you apologise, Ill consider it over. Me? Apologise? However, looking at the basin in front of him, he felt hesitant to speak. Forget it; I know you young people find it hard to apologise, so you can just apologise in your heart! By the way, there are four dishes, one soup, and one dessert. I dont care that much about human food! No problem, Yibei smiled. Also, could you help me with something? Speak! If youre free, could you copy the memories of the cores that you ate? It will be useful to me. Although Lu Xus core contains the blood of a corrupted god, if it was swallowed by a goddess and she seems fine, it should be fine as well. Furthermore, when I spoke with her previously, she mentioned that there was a discrepancy in Professor Mas projects content. Since the headless girl didnt have any memories of Lu Xu, all of the memories must be with Jumeng! It should be easy to connect the two once she finds that old man with the colourful shawl in her memories, too! Why are you suddenly interested in that kids memories? Jumeng asked, suspicious. I took his ce recently, and I am helping my professor continue his research. I need his memory very much. Jumeng knew that he could lie with a straight face, so she checked the imprint on her palm. Seeing that it didnt glow, she dispelled her suspicions and shrugged: Alright then. No problem! No matter what hes trying to do, it isnt breaching our contract. Who cares if he dies? And even if he dies, she could easily revive him and, at worst, turn him into a monster. Copying it down isnt the best choice, however, Jumeng revealed. First of all, its troublesome. Secondly, it is time-consuming for you to fully master his knowledge, so I suggest you use other methods. Like? Jumeng stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder. You may not know this, but many high-ranking urban legends, after swallowing a core, have special means to transfer the cores memories and pass them onto others. So, youre telling me you can just give me his memories? Hurry then! If he directly obtained Lu Xus memories, things would be much easier than studying whatever Jumeng copied down. Thats impossible, Jumeng sighed. Youre just a human being. If I do that and you encounter somethingplex, you might go crazy right in front of me. I already am crazy, though. Just the other day, I was chatting with a sales attendant at the lipstick section of the pharmacy, and we wereughing and chatting about our favourite products. I got her phone number though! He thought. Although it is dangerous, if there is somebody kind (me) and powerful (me) who can help you make special potions, this wouldnt be an issue. Jumeng spoke in vague terms since she herself wasnt sure of the logistics behind it. However, being the tree that inherited Jumangs power, she has knowledge that ordinary people can never reach. In terms of making potions, she is able to do so proficiently. But if you dont have the money, itll be hard! Even somebody like me cant afford the raw materials! After she spoke, she rubbed her index finger and thumb together towards Yibei, making an intentional gesture. If you want to extort my money, just say it! You dont have toe up with such wild stories! Im doing this for your own good! And it doesnt even cost that much! Its all to protect that tiny, little human brain of yours! Yibei cursed inwardly, fully knowing she spent all her money on video games, spending it all on gacha. He still remembers how she wailed when she didnt obtain the character she wanted. Fine, when Ie back at night, Ill buy the materials. What do you need? He figured this was the best-case scenario. This way, nobody would know his true intentions for obtaining Lu Xus memories. Lets see, I need Jumeng said, and she suddenly smiled. Actually, you dont need to do all that. I know somebody, and we have a special channel. It is much cheaper than buying it yourself, so you just need to Give you the money. See? Youre getting it! she praised, cupping her hands towards Yibei. Yibei sneered, took out his wallet, and ced his bank card in her hands: Make sure you swipe the card when the timees! Thank you! Jumeng patted his shoulders. When the timees, Ill make sure you remember everythingfrom his research down to his girlfriends favourite pose Ill make sure you know everything! Ah alright It was fine if she didnt leave out details like that. Being somebody from Gen Z, watching drama and gossip sustains the soul. After being handed the bank card with a bnce of no more than 1,000 yuan, he put on his backpack and left. Before he could reach the gate of the University, however, a series of texts were sent to his phone. [You have withdrawn 400 yuan from your ount. Summary: Personal ount transfer.] [You have withdrawn 500 Summary: Personal ount transfer.] [500 Summary: Personal ount transfer.] What the hell? She already exceeded my credit limit! [2000 Summary: Dungeon and Heroes Coupon Recharge] [2000 Summary: Dungeon and Hero Coupon Recharge] [2000] What the fuck? He didnt know how Jumeng managed to syphon tens of thousands of dors out of a bank card with a bnce of less than 1,000 yuan! There must be a way for urban legends to do so, but he knew that if he didnt do anything, hed be in big trouble. Without a second thought, he immediately took out his phone and logged onto his bank, filled out a form, and restricted consumption of the card. Plus, he transferred 90% of his deposit to the expiration date. Soon, the string of transactions finally stopped. Hah! Not even a goddess can withstand the power of technology! Ill deal with her bitch ass once I get back! Meanwhile, at Jingyi Apartments. Kekekeke Seeing all of her coupons being recharged, she couldnt help but let out an evilugh. With these coupons, Ill be able to dumpster those noobs like nothing! All thanks to that sucker who gave me his card, hah! This is like an endless offering to a goddess! One more coupon, I need to What? Why cant I Seeing that she had failed to recharge her coupons, she was stunned. She re-entered the password and tried to do so again, only to see the imprint on the back of her hand glowing. The imprint frequently lit upevery time she woulde out of the shower or whenever the slit of her dress would reveal her thigh too much. The mark will always glow lightly. However, in broad daylight, the imprint of her hand was dazzling and blinding, and she couldnt help but shiver. A shiny magpie flew into Lu Yibeis unit through the window and found Jumeng sitting on the balcony. The goddess was smoking a cigarette, and she looked at the sky with a solemn expression. The magpiended on her shoulder and tilted its head: Mistress! I brought you something! Its- O Little Magpie, I feel that I have reached a hurdle I cannot cross. Im afraid that kid wants to kill me. Oh? Didnt you say that you had formed an alliance with him and that it was amicable and fruitful? What did you do? Well, I was just using his bank card to recharge my video game credits Isnt he being too stingy to a goddess? The magpie was silent, but all it could think of was, You deserved it! Chapter 181: Why Does She Tell Me Everything? Chapter 181: Why Does She Tell Me Everything? Mistress, you do not have to be doing this. The supposed Incarnate of Doom you mentioned, could it be that human? Impossible! He is just some kidhalf a psychic at best! He doesnt even have aplete set of runes in him! Pick any child from my Garden, and Im sure theyll be able to beat him up three times! Plus, the mark dimmed. He was probably being impulsive. Mistress, before I came, the magpie shifted. Master Oogway could see that the Incarnate of Doom still exists. Why dont you return home? Everybody is worried about you. Master Oogway has been serving Jumeng ever since she came to be, resting underneath her peach blossoms. Perhaps due to the stereotype of turtles being wise, he could peer into the future and subsequently transform into an urban legend. His predictions were all eerily urate. His tasks were mundane within the Garden, though: the naming of children, the choosing of suitable dates for weddings and funerals, aiding families in search of their missing keys Jumeng received a call from Lin Yiqi, and she needed to leave the Garden. However, before she left, he peered into the future, and blood flowed from her orifices almost immediately. He begged her to remain within the Garden because she would inevitably encounter the Incarnation of Doom. Jumeng, of course, doesnt care. Am I not a goddess? she boomed. How could one be a goddess if they have fear in them? And because of that, she ended up having to reside in Lu Yibeis house to recover. Indeed, if she were to head back now, she would encounter other dangers on her way back. When the timees That Doom Incarnate will cease to be. Hearing the magpie mention Oogway, Jumeng scoffed, And what does he know? That Witch has been in hiding ever since I came here. If theres nothing else, leave me be! Thinking of her people waiting for her return in the Garden, she paused for a while before muttering, And tell everyone that Im fine. I will return when I am done with my matters. I understand, and the magpie chirped as it began to shake uncontrobly. Its stomach shuddered and grotesquely expanded as it spat out parcels several timesrger than its body. Jumeng stepped forward, tore off the tape on the parcel, and took inventory of the contents. 200g of silver, 150g of mica, dogwood, pinto peanuts treated with bilethats everything. Jumeng is a talented alchemist. Due to her experience, she has developed a keen eye and is able to discern the quality of materials by just looking at them. Besides, she knows in her heart that these materials were top-notch because they were made by none other than her. These materials were all obtained from the Garden of Peaches, and all of Yibeis money goes straight into her pocket. Pleasure doing business with you, Jumeng giggled. It was getting closer to the middle of the month, and the anniversary celebrations of the University were approaching. The campus, of course, had a festive spirit brewing. It was the same old, boring ritual, to be frank. Invited guests speak, alumni speak, students-forced-to-give-a-speech speak, donation campaigns and a cultural performance made just for the sake of the rich people to show that their money is, in fact, going somewhere. Despite how boring the ritual was, it yielded ie, so the entire campus was urged to prepare for anniversary celebrations. Every single student seemed to be doing their own work. In Professor Mas absence, a substitute teacher came, and there were only half of the usual students in ss. Damn, if Professor Ma saw this, he might pop a vein and end up staying in the hospital for a couple more months, Yibei thought. He took out the copper coins lent to him by Professor Ma and flicked them into the airheads to remain in ss, tails to skip ss. Its going to be tails for sure! He thought. All it does is show tails anyway; I have Professor Mas indirect permission to skip ss! Without even looking at the coin, he pped it down on the back of his hand and stuffed it straight back into his pocket. He wouldnt actually skip ss, considering it was Professor Mas ss. However, if it werent for the fact that the Student Union was banging on his door for his script, he wouldve probably never skipped ss. Sitting down at the library he rarely went to, he spread out his pen and paper on the table and stared at it for two whole hours, and the only words written on the paper were [Hello everyone!]. I dont know how to write a speech! he grumbled out loud. There aremon misunderstandings in everyday life: some think that IT majors can repairputers, that those majoring in food sciences can cook, that those majoring in physics can craft atomic bonds And since Yibei studies liberal arts, some (the Student Union) think that he must be good at writing articles. Well Plus, it was hard to write a speech about a person who was absolutely not stabbed a total of eighteen times. It was as if asking him, a man, to describe his experiences of giving birth to a baby. Smacking the pen down on the table, he saw that it was time for lunch and hurriedly packed his bag and left the library. I only have a day left! he moaned inwardly. Maybe if I absorb Lu Xus memory, Ill be able to vomit a speech out? Ill get it done! Soon! Food tastes like wax after bing a Witch, but he still forced himself to down cafeteria food. After a meal, he felt satisfied with how full he felt. I cant let hunger control me, he reminded himself. He strolled around campus to aid in digesting his food and waiting for his afternoon sses. He unconsciously found himself walking near Gate No. 4 and frowned as soon as he realised. He cursed himself for being too distractedthat damned Jumeng stealing all of his money from his card, about what happenedst night, and especially rumours of a fire starting at Gate No. 4. In criminal psychology, it is said that there is a high chance that criminals will return to the scene of the crime. It is impossible for the Night Division to ignore themotion that happenedst night. If he happens to wander near the gate, he may be a suspect. And Li Xuan wille knocking on his door again. Just as he was thinking, somebody patted his shoulder, and a familiar voice that gued his dreams sounded in his ears. Hey, youre Lu Yibei, right? I remember you! He was stunned for a moment. Turning around, Du Sixian had the biggest smile on her as she held two boxes of takeout from the cafeteria in her hands. Damn it, are the Night Division actually here? he panicked. Is Du Sixian going to report me to them? Seeing that he went nonverbal, she simply smiled and poked him on the nose, saying, Dont you remember me? We met at the Night Di- uh, the Folk Culture Administration! In her heart, she only regarded him as her colleague, and to her, having great rtionships with your colleague can boost work productivity. Y-yeah, I remember you, he replied expressionlessly. At the Folk Culture Administration, yeah. Youre interesting, she chuckled, ncing at Gate No. 4. Speaking of interesting, are you here to help keep track of the incident? Du Sixian cursed herself for not getting an extra lunchbox. Oh, no, he hastily denied, and he began to string up a story. There was a rumour going about a fire herest night, and I was worried that some urban legends may form because of it. I nned on telling the Night Division if something happened, but I dont think they have a need for a part-time worker like me to interfere, so And your voice matters! Sixian patted him on the shoulder. An Qing told me that having a keen sense to detect urban legend activity is important, so I think even a part-time worker like you is important too! By the way, she whispered. Can I tell you a secret? I think I know everything about you by now from you guing my dreams, Yibei cursed inwardly. Without waiting for his response, Sixian began to babble. They couldnt find any traces of the urban legend who caused the fire yesterday, but we did find a photo with an urban legend inside of it! The old man in it was kinda scary, but we couldnt find the camera used to take the photo! Isnt that crazy? Let me tell you, the ghost story that caused the fire yesterday was not found, but when we made an unannounced visit this morning, we found a photo with the ghost story sealed in it. The old man in it was scary, but we searched the house and found nothing. Do you think its strange that the camera that took the picture was not found? He nodded wordlessly. Luckily for him, Du Sixian was the worlds most trusting being on Earth. Chapter 182: It’s Open! Chapter 182: Its Open! As she spoke, Yibei thought about the urban legend involving a camera that was mentioned in the urban legend forum not long ago. Is there a connection? Should I He brushed his thoughts off: if the chat group was to be investigated by the Night Division, then whatever urban legend tform was mentioned by Gu Qianqian would probably vanish. Weighing the situation, he nned on getting more information from Sixian but found that she was talking about another thing now. Speaking of the benefits of bing a real Night Division member, I obtained runes that dont contain any special abilities. Isnt that crazy? I think its a blessing in disguise! What is she talking about? Forget it; I need to go back and investigate the chat group more to confirm Sixians findings on the urban legend involving a camera. Perhaps it was because Du Sixian had experienced so much recently; hence, she felt that Yibei was a kindred spirit that she could confide in. Plus, the benefits I got were amazing! Its Wait! he interrupted. Dont tell me. Im just a part-time worker. I dont want to know too much. In reality, it was because he knew everything that Du Sixian was about to say, thanks to their shared dreamscape. Despite this, he found that the Sixian in the real world was much more pleasant than the Sixian in the dreamscape. Besides, he was protecting himself. If Sixian identally says too much and doesnt have the authority to hear it, he may be investigated. The Night Division has yet to find its mark on her body, but that doesnt mean that they will never find it, and one day, they will inevitably run into each other. Shes still too young, he pitied. As they talked, he swiftly changed the topic from the Night Division to her own hobbies, and she started to babble away once again. Did she really think joining the Night Division was a good idea? He thought. I feel like most do so unwillinglyif you dont know about urban legends, you wouldnt know about the Night Division. Being a helpful member of society is great, but Im just so bad at it! At the very least, he is self-aware. He knows that if he were to be captured as a war criminal, he wouldnt be able to survive the torture and immediately betray his country. That is if there is even a negotiation stage. As expected, running away is always the best decision. Before lunch break was over, Sixian and Yibei chatted away about her hobbies, ranging from all of the weird stories shese up with to her notoriously viral videos. How is she so eloquent both online and offline? he wondered. After lunch, he escaped Sixians grasp on the pretext of afternoon sses. However, he did not return to the University and instead left. Im not trying to skip ss; I just cant focus because of all that junk information Sixian told me! Besides, everybody was busy preparing for the anniversary celebrations; nobody was in ss anyway, so he was sure his lecturers wouldnt notice. Leaving Gate No. 4, he took the bus and headed straight towards the market. Although Jumengs act of syphoning his funds made him extremely angry, he needed to appease her somehow. The easiest way to somebodys heart is through their stomach! Plus, Jumeng is an urban legend herself. Once her condition stabilises, he will be able to ask her for the money back. The first step in gathering wool is to raise a sheep well. He sat in the bus and leaned against the window, watching as the speeding scenery outside the window receded. When the bus passed by the museum, his eyes swept across the various sculptures in front of the museum and the tourists who were taking photos with the camera. He immediately thought of the urban legend with the camera. Damn it, I was so distracted by Sixians stories that I forgot to check the chat group! He hurriedly fished for his mobile phone and opened the forums but was shocked to find that the chat group had vanished. There was no notification that he was kicked out of the chat group, nor were there any prompts that the chat group was deleted. ming it on his cheap phone, he turned his phone off and on and logged onto the forums through a browser, but sure enough, there was no chat group, as if it had never existed in the first ce. Could it be that they know the Night Division is lurking on the forums and decide to jump ship as soon as possible? The bus had arrived at his destination, and he shrugged as he put his phone away and scrambled off the bus. Jiangli is still investigating the chat groups with Sixians help. I shouldnt worry about it for now. If anything, I need to sneak back into the bamboo scrolls realm and rescue Gu Qianqian. The market in the afternoon was always deserted; walking out of the bus, the air was turbid and rotten. The walkway, although not littered with sewage and debris, was still stained by the remnants of them. The stalls on either side of the walkway were filled with meat and vegetables that were no longer fresh, and the vendors were nestled underneath the shade, lying on their benches as they took a nap or giggled at their phones. This is no surprise; once peak hours are over, a ce will immediately lose all of its vitality. Even the flies hovering in the air seemzy. Walking through the walkway, he could feel his eyes burning ever so slightlythe turbid smell in the air, the sneaky whispers of shrimp and fish, the dark shadow that hovered in front of the butcher Can I eat these urban legends with no form? he wondered. Knowledge truly is power. He found that, after reading through the Night Division Records, he always felt that he was a little bolder than before. He stopped in front of the butcher, and the butcher put down his phone and put on his best sales attendant smile: What do you want, kid? Ribs or meat? You can pick this piece if you want ribs. Ah, no. He shook his head and pointed to the meat shuffled into the corner. I want that piece. Are you sure? That piece is too thin, the butcher advised. You have to pick out the meat that has a perfect bnce of fat and meat! Looking at the ribs pointed out by the butcher and then at the piece he wanted, the former had bright, supple flesh, while the one he picked out was dry, dull, and had a ck shadow enveloping it. Not fresh, he thought to himself. There is no shadow surrounding the piece he picked out, so it must have been left out here for at least a day! How did he make it look so fresh? He expressionlessly looked back at the butcher coupled with disgusted eyes and pointed at his original selection: I want that meat, please. He swore he heard the butcher scoff and curse under his breath. It seems like he didnt fall for his trick. I bet advanced mathematics wont help you pick groceries, he boasted inwardly. However, judging by his current knowledge, it seems that knowledge from the Night Division Records was useful when buying groceries. Wandering around the market, he bought a few ingredients to cook with and was about to leave when suddenly, an ominous feeling rose in his heart. Looking around him, his eyesnded on another butcher, where he had seen a dismembered person before, and he called on An Qing to help investigate. In An Qings words, this stall had been closed for a long time, but now it was half-opened, and through his warm eyes, he could vaguely see disturbing shadows that scurried through the stall. Its open? Chapter 183: The Attic Chapter 183: The Attic Yibeis favourite meat is a roll of beef. Every time he eats hot pot, the fat, juicy rolls of beef are his first choice of meat to eat. Some say that, after a traumatic event, you will start to hate the things you love, and he finds that this saying is absolutely true. After seeing that dismembered man, he buried his love for beef in his heart, seemingly paranoid about eating meat. Who knows if there were any strange things mixed in the beef am I a cannibal? Assuming that if each of his hot pot meals were mixed with fingernail-sized human flesh, adding it up over ten years, he could very well be a cannibal. He feels nauseous. An Qing temporarily quelled his worries and confirmed that there were no urban legends in this stall, but he still prefers to nevere to this side of the market ever again. The psychological shadow still lingered in his heart, however, and curiosity seemed to get the best of him. Im not the same Lu Yibei as before, he decided, wanting to go near the stall to confirm the situation. He didnt rule out the possibility that the original owner of the stall simply came to clean up or that they were here to pick something up, but he also didnt rule out the possibility that when he reported the situation to the Night Division, whatever lurked here scrambled away as soon as they sensed danger. He sneakily crept towards the stall and unzipped his bag, grasping the handle of his kitchen knife. If I discover anything, I need to ask for payment from the Night Division, he grumbled. Need to make up for my missing funds because of that stupid goddess. This stall has been sitting in the corner of the market for quite some time now. He vaguely remembers that he came here with his father to shop before. Their shutter door was gathering dust and stained with an unknown substance, and above it was a faded signboard that read [Frozen Food]. Ever since the nights got longer, many stalls closed as early as possible. In the past, they would usually wait at least until after the office workers got off work, but now, after lunch, they would usually close their stalls or be inactive. Which is how nobody noticed Yibeis covert operation. Taking a deep breath, a rancid smell rushed into his lungs. It smelled like a dirty refrigerator, and he gripped his knife harder as he ducked underneath the shutter and slid inside. He took out his knife, held it close to his chest as he entered the dim store, and froze in ce. The store was a square room, and the walls were stained yellow from the leaking pipes. For some reason, he felt that the ceiling was caving in on him, which made him feel a little ustrophobic. He gulped. If An Qing told him there that there was nothing here, then what did he see the other day? Was he hallucinating? Looking around, his eyesnded on a small table with an incense burner and candles stuck into it. The apples that were given as offerings had grownrge pieces of mould, and surrounding them were the ashy remains of burnt money made of paper. There was also a photo frame on the table. The ck and white photo in the photo frame had been torn in half as if the person in the photo were split in half from top to bottom. He immediately recognised himthe owner of this store! His sallowplexion, his thin body, his stooped figure, his dead eyesit was impossible for him to forget. Taking a look at the burnt incense, two were short, and one was long. It is said that burning incense like this is taboo! What is the owner thinking? Is he trying to chase away his customers? He swore it was getting harder to breathe, and just as he was nning to leave, a sound suddenly came from above him. Thud! There was a dull sound in the ceiling as if there were an attic above him. So thats why the ceiling feels so low, Yibei thought. Theres a hidden attic here. Squinting his eyes above him, there was indeed a square-shaped hole in the ceiling, but it was so dark that he couldnt see what was beyond the hole. It was barely big enough for a person to pass through as well. Squinting his eyes even more, he could make out the outline of a foldingdder hanging in the darkness, low enough for him to jump up and pull it down. Gazing at the void above him, it seemed to loom over him, and at any moment, a dismembered corpse might just crawl out along thedder. Staring at the void, he ducked slightly and leapt up with all his strength. Shit! He found that he used too much strength and leapt straight through the hole, and in the darkness, a cold white light shed across his vision. Landing back on the ground, he staggered twice to regain his bnce and breathed erratically. Did did I identally activate my powers? How did I jump that high? An ordinary person shouldnt be able to jump that high to begin with. And what the hell was that light? He rummaged through his backpack and loaded his toy gun with a couple of charms before attempting to jump again. Soon, he managed to pull thedder down with a tter. He decided to climb up thedder and throw a couple of charms straight into the attic. ck! The charms simply fell on the attic floor, dormant. This time, he took his knife out and stretched his arm in, shing through the mouth of the hole as he iled his arm around before climbing up the attic. Entering the attic, he immediately saw the source of the white light that shed in his sight just now. It was a strange-looking freezerboxy, unlike a rectangr freezer. The lower parts were made of metal, but the upper part was entirely made of ss. It was pushed into the deepest corner of the attic, and it was powered on. Nothing was inside the freezer except for the cold, white mist that leaked out of it. An abandoned store But somebody burnt incense downstairs and hid a freezer up here Although there were no urban legends here, he was sure that it would transform into one if these rumours about this ce were to spread. He decided to immediately report it to the Night Division. You made me paranoid of beef! Youre gonna pay for this! Just as he was about to contact Jiangli, he decided to take a photo of the freezer first and opened his browser in order to use the search-by-image function. The freezer was eerily familiar, and as the page loaded, his face instantly turned pale. [Ice caskets, or corpse-preservers, were a temporary solution to help mourning families.] The dim light from his phone illuminated his pale cheeks, and his eyes began to burn as an unsettling sound could be heard in the darkness. Chapter 184: Why Is There a Cat Here? Chapter 184: Why Is There a Cat Here? The attic plunged into a deeper darkness, and the air seemed a little colder. The lights in the coffin flickered, and their light seemed to be imprisoned within a small radius of the coffin, unable to illuminate the attic. Somethings here with me But why didnt my eyes tell me? Why didnt the charms work? He gulped as he concentrated his mind, gripped the kitchen knife with one hand and his toy gun with the other, and stared in the direction that made his eyes burn the most. He could hear faint sobs, and the darkness seemed to be swallowing all the light from the coffin. I cant see, he thought. But I can feel something squirming in the darkness. He continued staring at the darkness, and the fear made him hold his breath as he gripped the handle of the knife until the whites of his hand could be seen. True enough, something crept beyond the darkness, and a pair of glowing eyes revealed themselves. He was stunned. The eyes were no higher than his own knees. What the is it lying down on the ground? Just as he was about to pull the trigger, the pain in his eyes returned to normal, and he found that the air wasnt as suffocating anymore. Meow! Apanied by strange meows, the shadow engulfing the entire attic receded like a tide. The cold light flickered back on, and a cat crept out of the corner as it sat right in front of him. It was a calico cat, but its coat was mottled and dirty over its skinny,cerated body, as well as a huge bump on its head. Animal abuse, he breathed out. As much as he was scared of its appearance, he pitied it. However, something was amiss: the cat was illuminated by the coffins light, but it cast three, no, more shadows behind it, as if there were many cats crowding behind it. It tilted its head and meowed at Yibei, and a strange light shone in its eyes, which made him tremble slightly. This is not a normal cat, he thought. Its a murderer. The cat held a sinister aura to it, and all it reminded Yibei of was Mr Rabbit. One person and one cat confronted each other in the dark and weird attic. The silence was no longer threatening but, in fact, awkward. Yibei, being Yibei, opened his mouth to break the silence: A-are you an urban legend? Are you responsible for, uh, these things happening around here? The cat simply tilted its head once again as it meowed. It thinks Im stupid, isnt it? Although the cat isnt making my eyes burn, to appear in such a weird ce He gulped once again as he aimed the toy gun at the cat and pulled the trigger with no hesitation. Thud! Meow! There was no explosion as the charm hit the now-screaming cat. It fell to the ground from the impact and meowed as it looked at Yibei again. It cant be! he yelled inwardly. It cant be a real cat! Did I justmit animal abuse? Im not buying it! He silently removed his backpack, shook out the contents, and crept towards the cat. I dont care if youre not an urban legend Im taking you back to the Night Division. Seemingly aware of his intentions, the cat immediately stood up as it arched its body and tail, letting out a series of threatening meows. He ignored it and brought his backpack over to the cat. Meow! The moment the backpacknded on the cat, it shuffled through the gaps of his backpack nimbly and leapt straight into the darkness as it stared at Yibei with mocking eyes. You! Just wait! Iming to get you! At this moment, the sound of the shutter down downstairs came from under the attic, and a loud shout could be heard. Shit. Downstairs. The butcher who sold meat to Yibei helped the police officer open the shutter door, and the both of them stared into the unweing darkness of the store. Smelling the strange air and seeing the burning incense, the both of them were immediately repulsed as they looked at each other. Youre saying a thief broke in? Where is he? The police officerined inwardly. This ce looked haunted, and he doubted any thief would even step foot into a ce this repulsive with nothing to steal. Well, yes! Im telling the truthI saw that little brat enter this shop with my own eyes, but The butcher did see Lu Yibei sneak into the store. He would never admit it, but he cursed that boy for having such a keen eye to pick out the best meat in his stall, causing him to lose one-fifth of his profits. Because of this, he kept a close eye on Yibei. Seeing him sneak into this store, his patriotic duty as a citizen took the wheel, and he immediately called the police. Well, you should have called the owner of this store, seeing that this ce is dead, the police officer huffed. Where is he? Hes the butcher gulped. Hes dead. I think he had a strange disease, and Halfway through, he realised something was very, very wrong and shivered. He was so keen on revenge that he hurried to the nearby police booth without thinking, but now that brat was nowhere to be found, and this ce seemed Noticing that the butcher had gone silent, the police officer gulped too. He, too, could feel something watching them from the inside, and it was eerily quiet. H-hey, I dont think theres anything here. I think we should leave. I agree, and you will follow me back and file a report with me for falsely reporting and wasting a police officers time! What? Ah, the butcher grumbled as he reluctantly peered inside. I-I know youre in there! Come out! What are you doing? The police officer pulled him back, eyeing the incense that still burnt with vigour. Dont call for things that arent there anymore! Alright I guess well leave, the butcher grumbled, but a muffled thud could be heard as if some heavy object was pushed down. The two immediately noticed the dark void leading to the attic. In an instant, the police officer stepped forward and pulled out a taser: Im warning you! Get down immediately, or Ill have to call for backup! Hello? Polices orders! Come down immediately, or I will have to use force. Before he could finish, a human head hung down from the ceiling as if it had appeared in the darkness. Looking at the expressionless face with bloodshot eyes, the police officers words stopped abruptly, and the butcher immediately fell on his buttocks and pointed at the head. G-g-g-g-ghost! Are you kidding me? A ghost in broad daylight? What are you, five? the police officer shouted. Right? Yibei agreed. And you! The police officer sighed. What the hell are you doing on private property? Get down here ande with me. Chapter 185: He’s Brave! Chapter 185: Hes Brave! Your name? Lu Yibei. Age? Almost fully neen. In the inquiry room of the Peony Street Police Station, the expressionless young man behind the desk, after answering the policemans questions, some strange thoughts popped up in his mind uncontrobly. In the past month or two, havent there been too many scenes like this? Ive already visited hospitals, police stations, and mysterious organisations. Whats next? Wait, there wont be a next time! This will be thest! The police officer frowned as he heard Yibeis weird answers and mmed his hand on the table. Bang! Be serious! Exin to me carefully why you were in there so that we can let you out earlier. Of course, if you want to stay, youre more than wee. Right, right He sat up straight and nodded. Continue, please. Alright, the police officer shuffled through his notes. Tell me what you were doing between 3:15 p.m. and 3:45 p.m. inside the abandoned store. Yibei grumbled. All he wanted to do was go back home and cook. Half an hour ago In the attic, Yibei knew that chasing a cat trying to avoid him was pointless. Even though he wasnt very human anymore, the cat proved to be much more nimble than he was. He attempted to shoot the cat with his toy gun, but it easily dodged the charms. Hearing that somebody was downstairs, he originally nned to stop chasing the cat and hide out in the attic. However, the cat, as if it were trying to enact its revenge n, began scratching its ws on the attic floor and meowing, as if it were trying to attract attention from downstairs! He hurriedly pounced towards the cat, only for it to jump andnd firmly on the coffin. Meow! The cat mocked Yibei. Fuck! If I dont catch this damned cat, then Im no longer a man! Ducking slightly, he rushed forward and lunged at the cat, only to see a teasing sh in its eyes. The cat vanished before him, and when it reappeared, it meowed between the gap of the coffin and the wall, and its hind legs began to push on the coffin. No A cat cant push something that weighs hundreds of kilogrammes. And when the coffin tipped forward, he rolled to the side to avoid being crushed by it. Boom! The coffin hit the attic floor, and Yibei buried his face into the floor as he heard shoutsing from downstairs. He sighed as he turned to look at the cat, only for his heart to drop. The cat had its smile raised to its ears, revealing an exaggerated smile with its sharp, white teeth. It backed away little by little, allowing the shadows to consume it as its mottled fur grew rapidly, waving at Yibei as if it were waving goodbye. A cold wind swept across Yibei, and his eyes began to burn intensely. As the calico cat retreated little by little towards the darkest corner of the attic, strange and twisted shadows suddenly appeared behind it. Judging from those outlines, they were all physically disabled cats; some were missing an ear, some were missing a leg, and some had only half their bodies. Those shadows piled up together as if they were integrated into one body, like a phantom of a cemetery dedicated to cats projected into this attic. A pair of glowing eyes looked upon Yibei with resentment, indifference, and morbid curiosity. Theplex, negative aura emanating from them caused his ears to buzz, and the maddening meowing in his ears faded away as the shadows consumed the cat, leaving only the orders of the police officer downstairs flooding his ears. And thats how I ended up chasing a stray cat into the attic of the store, he ended. I dont know why they were burning incense or why there was a giant coffin in the attic, so dont ask me! All you have to know is that I am not a robber. Listening to his words, all the police officer could do was stare at his face and look for subtle changes. The policeman didnt think he was lying. In fact, he seemed sincere. Wait here a moment, the police officer ordered as he left the room. The police officer then turned to management and checked for Yibeis information before returning back to the interrogation room. You have to admit that Jiangli did a very reliable job forging information for Yibei. The certificates were all government-certified, and they were no different from actual, official documents. Jesus Christ, kid! The police officer frowned as he sat back down. Eighteen stabs in the stomach? How are you even alive? Ah, right. Anyways, you can leave after contacting your family toe pick you up. Were done here for today. There is no concrete evidence that Yibei was at the store to steal. At most, he was disturbing the public, but how could a young man who was stabbed eighteen times in the name of justice be suspicious? Wait a minute, officer. Whats the matter? Well, he hesitated. There is no one else in my family right now, so The police officers eyes widened as he flipped through Yibeis file, and only then did he see that both of his parents were deceased. He didnt expect Yibei to not have any other rtives. Is there, uh, anyone else you can contact? You need somebody toe pick you up. Sorry, its the rules; I dont make them. Ah, well, he muttered, thinking of the people he could contact. Jumeng is definitely a no-go. Professor Ma is busy recovering. As for Shui He hasnt heard anything from himtely, and he doesnt know where hes been fooling around. Perhaps hes on another business trip with a rich woman, and its not like he hasnt done that before. Jiangli. Can I call my boss? She cane pick me up. If she came, then there would be no problem, and he would be able to tell her about the situation in the attic. Two birds with one stone! Ten minutester, in Office V of the Night Division. Jiangli sat at her desk, not ying mahjong for once. She was carefully reviewing the documents regarding the 20 urban legends that she has dealt with this past month until the phone on her desk suddenly rang. Hello? Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration what? Is he in the police station? For trespassing onto private property to catch a stray cat? I understand. Ill be there in a moment. Chapter 186: Invitation Chapter 186: Invitation At five oclock in the afternoon, the sky darkened rapidly. The zing sun seemed to be obscured by ayer of shadow, like a scarlet glow cast upon the earth. Filling out the relevant documents, Hua sat on the bench in the lobby of the police station. She saw Yibei being led out of the interrogation room, only for him to turn around and argue with the police. Excuse me, where are the groceries I bought? I need them, or I wont have dinner tonight. A teenage boy being arrested for chasing a cat and pestering the police for his groceries is not normal. Shut up! Your groceries arent here! the police officer yelled. Of course, the police only care about taking people in and not their belongings. Ah Yibei sighed. Those groceries cost him almost a hundred yuan, and he felt as if he suffered a huge loss. Before he could open his mouth to babble further, Hua immediately stepped forward to rescue the police officer: Youre out; lets get out of here. But my groceries Who cares about your groceries? she yelled in a hushed whisper. Food is food; theres no difference! You can get more foodter! Or just eat nothing! Its good to live in hardship and simplicity! He followed Hua out of the police station, and he could see a silver-haired girl looking at him from behind a rolled-down car window. I didnt expect you toe and pick me up from the prison, he admitted. From the police station, she corrected. Get in. Ill take you back. Opening the car door, he wordlessly sat beside Jiangli, which made her freeze for a bit. The gap between them was less than a palm. Hua was about to intervene and remind him to take the shotgun but was surprised to hear Jiangli order her to begin driving. The ride was bumpy and silent, and, of course, he couldnt help but want to break the silence in the car. How was work? Are there any interesting updates? Well, Shihekou High is still being investigated, but were nearing the end of the investigation. I cant tell you because its ssified information. Jiangli turned her head to look out the window. She didnt expect An Qing to piece together the clues from the two samples brought back from the haunted gate of the University. Through her analysis andparison with past records, she confirmed that the samples originated from Mr Rabbit, a wanted member of the Eclipse Society. With those samples, they can be located, and the Night Division will soon be able to uncover what they have been doing behind their backs. Of course, once they capture the members, they wont confess their crimes, but the Night Division has at least a hundred ways to make them talk. Human rights dont exist when dealing with the Eclipse Society. However, she knew that Yibei must not participate in this investigation or read about it. The methods the Night Division uses might traumatise him for life. Oh, I see, he replied, disappointed that he couldnt obtain useful information. By the way, I suspected there was something strange in that store, Yibei said. I decided to investigate it on my own, but I didnt expect the police to be called by that stupid butcher, so I just made up a story about chasing a stray cat into the store. Yibei retold his experiences to Jiangli, and her eyes widened. The incense, the coffin, the cat of unknown origin Could the cat be? No, impossible, she shook her head. He disappeared long ago. Maybe he lost control and was devoured by other urban legends. Speaking of which, why does this guy always get into these dangerous situations? Is this the fate of those who detect things beyond a humans senses? Is this the kind of fate where he will actively be approached by strange entities and one day, he will encounter something he cannotprehend and die horribly? I shall investigate that store myself, but dont expect to find anything, Jiangli nced at Yibei, calming her emotions. Why? Didnt you say that An Qing found nothing, too? It simply means that the store is a temporary hideout for the urban legends. In fact, it could be one in a million hideouts they have. She thought of her most difficult cases and of the ones regarding singing that could be heard in the toilet. Almost everybody knew of it, but nobody in the Night Division could solve it. After all, it has too many ces to hide. Nobody knows where it will appear. Unless more than half of the toilets in the world are guarded by psychics, its impossible to locate them. She sighed again as she thought of theck of manpower in the Night Division. For every new member of the Night Division, there are ten more urban legends hidden in the dark corners of the city. Their power is, in fact, limited in this world; when they n to subdue an urban legend, it is very likely that ten other attacks are going on in parts of the city they dont know about. Jiangli dropped Yibei off at his apartment and ordered Hua to drive towards the market where Yibei was. He watched as Jiangli drove away and turned around to walk towards the construction site, where he usually deals with his transformation. Then he thought about Jianglis words about urban legends with hideouts. Doesnt that include me? He thought. Maybe I should find new hideouts! But how? I cant buy a house with my money but in the future A realisation dawned upon him. If he bes stronger, he might be a wandering urban legend. A vagrant, if you will. Just as he was thinking about it, his phone vibrated. His eyes widened as he nced at his phone, and he couldnt help but look around nervously. Good. Theres nobody around, he thought, seeing a prompt pop up in his notifications about a certain chat group. The person who sent the message was [ONE HUNDRED AND 2/3 CATS], and it was an invitation to join the chat group named [NEW GC! University Urban Legend Chat Group]. His eyes stared at the screen for a long time as he tapped on the [CONFIRM] option, and his screen switched to the chat group. After joining the chat group, he decided to remain silent and see what the other group members would say. However, the chat group seemed dead, even with more than two hundred users. Strangely enough, all of their profile pictures were the default profile, and the only ones with profile pictures were him and the person who invited him. Seeing that the sky was about to darken, he hurried into the construction site, and not long after, a groan could be heard in the darkness, followed by a short incantation, followed by a sigh of relief. The boy emerged from the construction site and scrolled through his phone, finding two new messages directed to him. [17:44 ONE HUNDRED AND 2/3 CATS: Congrattions on passing the preliminary review Please change to an ID that matches your identity.] [17:50 We will finalise your entry into the actual group in the near future, so please be patient There are currently 217 people ahead of you.] A review to enter a chat group? A hundred and two-thirds of cats cats cats! he gulped at the realisation. Somehow, the cats managed to find him and invited him to this mysterious chat group. Chapter 187: My Turn to Show Off! Chapter 187: My Turn to Show Off! Changing his ID, he stared at the screen to wait for a response, but to no avail. Looking around, he exited the chat group and reported it for the spread of pornography. Its worth a shot, he wondered, thinking of Jumeng. A goddess like Jumeng cannot be stopped by modern technology, so if they are the real thing, me reporting them should do nothing. On the way home, he passed by the convenience store near the apartment and bought instant noodles, meat, eggs, tomatoes, a handful of chives, and two tubs of strawberry ice cream. After leaving the store, he looked at the bag in his hand and shrugged. A full meal plus dessert after all the bad things shes done, ah He thought of his fathers secret recipe to cultivate the best-tasting instant noodles around town; he remembers that it sold nearly 300 bowls in a single night. High-quality, cheap prices are an easy recipe to attract customers. Compared with those popr ramen recipes online, Yibei thinks that his fathers recipe still reigns supreme over those trends. Ever since the nights grew longer, their sales at night were seriously affected, and his father died out of the blue. I like being a chef, he thought as he walked back to the apartment. Standing in front of the door, he took out the key and opened the door, calling out into the room. Im back! As soon as he opened the door and saw the scene in the room, he noticed an unusual smell and couldnt help but frown. It was pitch ck, and the apparitions who were used to greet him with enthusiasm were nowhere to be seen. In fact, something seemed to lurk in the darkness, awaiting his return. That goddess was left alone the entire day! Shouldnt she be watching a shitty soap opera or something? Where is she? However, her eyes felt normal, which means that there was no danger. He peered outside his unit to confirm that it was his apartment unit when he heard a faint voiceing from the inside. Youre back? Why did you leave me again? Hearing the goddess, he felt like running out and just holing up for the night in some park. The lights flickered on, and, in the corner of the room, he could see the apparitions huddled together as they shook their heads towards him apologetically. As if they were telling him, We are victims too. Yibei nodded towards them and looked at Jumeng, who was in the living room. She stripped off herrge T-shirt and put on her emerald robe and mask. She moved a chair and sat towards Yibei as she folded her hands together. Through the gaps in the mask, you could tell that she was slightly angry. He wordlessly entered, changed into his slippers, and locked the door behind him before walking towards the kitchen with his groceries. Hmph! Oh my god, what are you doing? Are you actually mad at me? he asked. Youre the one whosing homete! Didnt you tell me that you were going to cook for me? Its dangerous outte! I was waiting for you all day, worried sick! Yibei felt like he was at a loss. Why was she speaking like his dad? Could it be that shes no longer satisfied with their rtionship and that she now wants to be a family? Dad! Your son is being taken advantage of! Please smite this woman down! Seeing him go nonverbal, Jumeng secretly rejoiced, thinking that he felt guilty over his actions. Despite that, Jumeng felt a little guilty for syphoning a bit too much money out of his bank ount. At first, she nned on swallowing her pride as a goddess and apologising. However, the longer she waited for him, the more her mind changed. The moment hees back home, Ill let him have it! She thought. And he wont be able to get angry at me for using his bank card dry! I think youre lying to me, Jumeng said coldly. What are youactuallydoing outte? Do you actually think of the woman waiting for you at home? Yibei scratched his head, feeling guilty, only to realise something. Wait, were not even rted! Why am I feeling guilty? My bank card, he bluntly replied. Youre a mean goddess. Where did you learn this from? Thats not very goddess-like of you. Ah, Jumeng replied nkly. She remembered seeing the wives who spent money recklessly in her Garden and shouting at their husbands to avoid being held ountable. It seems that this trick doesnt work on Lu Yibei. Although Jumeng was wearing a mask, he could see that she was blushing, but he shrugged to himself. My money is gone anyway. Cant do much about it once it turns into game credits. He sighed as he turned around into the kitchen and took out two ramen pots from his cab. The secret recipe was actually nothingplicatedtomatoes to add a tangy kick to the ramen, one half stir-fried to make a paste, while the other half was cut into cubes. Then, add water and seasoning packets to make the soup. Cook the noodles, soak them under cold water to retain their chewy texture, and rub in a littlerd. Fry only one side of the egg, and let the other side cook in the heat of the soup. Anchovies to enhance vour, and garnish with chives. When Jumeng saw that her purported feasts were now instant noodles with some meat and some vegetables, her heart was full of disdain as she hovered into the kitchen, wondering what was so special about such cheap food. However, when the fragrance hit her nostrils, she couldnt help but swallowthe fresh crisp of vegetables, the animal fat boiling in the soup, the fragrance of spices within the seasoning packets But Im a goddess Im not going to eat something as cheap as this. Sorry, something happened today, and this is all I cane up with. I hope you dont mind, he muttered, handing her a pot of noodles. Okay! she smiled as she took the pot and lifted her mask to eat. This tastes far worse than the offerings I get in my Garden. I see. And its not as good as that buffet ce in the middle of town. Mm-hmm. Andpared to the urban legend taverns longevity noodles, this is nothing. I see, he nodded. Does it taste good? It it does! She blurted out, and her eyes widened as she saw Yibei jump up from his seat. Fantastic! Now that Ive made you your delicious food, wheres my potion? I thought we agreed on this! About that You havent done it yet, I assume? Its in the process. Sounds just like me whenever Im doing my thesis. Tsk! she pouted as she put down her chopsticks and pointed outside. I told you its in the process! Its still processing on the balcony! He frowned as he walked towards the balcony. Then he saw a piece of pure silver carved into the shape of a dish, and the dish was filled with moonlight. Moonlight was the best term he could use to describe the substance in the dishdreamy, transcendent liquid rippling in the saucerand he felt hypnotised as he stared into the dish. Isnt it beautiful? Jumeng boasted behind him with an emerald aura radiating off her. You showed off your cooking skills; now its time to show mine off! Chapter 188: I Want to be an Alchemist! Chapter 188: I Want to be an Alchemist! Snapping her fingers, the te filled with moonlight hovered straight into her palm. What is that? he asked. Have you heard of lingering spirits? These are low-purity spirits of that form. I think I do, he nodded. In fact, he actually saw them on the night he broke into Flowers and Sunshine Resort. All you have to do is sit and be a good boy while you watch me do my thing. If something goes wrong, you might get killed. What the hell? This kills people? A slight chance it might, she smiled. If anything goes wrong, I can just revive you and turn you into my servant. No biggie! He immediately shut his mouth and stepped aside. Even if there was a slight chance something went wrong, he was no stranger to low-probability things urring in his presence. Jumeng took a deep breath and sat down, holding the silver te in one hand. She rummaged through her parcels with the other hand and crushed them into dust. The dust hovered under hermand as it was slowly added to the illusory moonlight. With more dust, the moonlight began to boil as bubbles floated out of the liquid. Instead of popping, it shattered, bursting into a tiny disy of shimmery starlight. Gazing at the liquid, Jumeng whispered a few iprehensible spells, and the liquid flew up from the te forming an orb of liquid before her. Her hands cupped the orb without touching it, and with a snap, emerald-green mes rose as the orb began to shrink rapidly, solidifying into reality as it turned into an exceptionally pure liquid. When the orb shrank to half its size, Jumeng tapped on her eyebrows and flicked a tiny eyebrow into the air. As the eyebrow fell, it transformed into a feather; the feather was streamlined and perfect as if it were coated in ayer of pure gold. It was without ws, and Yibeis mind could utter words of perfection as he stared at the feather. Whispers containing iprehensible information were uttered from the feather, and it slowly blended into the orb. The orb had now dyed a tinge of gold and silver, intertwining with each other in a beautiful dance of elements. The ritual continued as he watched her work. The faint whispers gradually receded, and the emerald-green me wrapped around the orb went out, leaving only an orb of liquid hovering on her fingertips. Im done, she grinned. How was it? Am I truly a goddess in your eyes now? He had to admit that she was good. I he pondered for a few seconds. I want to learn alchemy as well! Is there anything else youd like to say? she smiled. Uh, how long will learning take? She pouted as she turned back around, saying, You cant learn alchemy in a single day. There are a lot of factors to consider. Yibei thought of the small chance of him dying and shivered. Just to be sure, you have no history of gic diseases in your family, right? she asked. Why? Please dont tell me that thing morphs my DNA or something. No, just asking. Jumengughed inwardly at her attempt to scare him and plopped the liquid back onto the te, handing it to Yibei. Yibei stared at the mercury and golden liquid before him. He didnt intend to swallow it yet and turned back into the living room. Wig? Are you in here? I need your help. Perhaps it was because the Witch was so generous with it thest time; the moment the wig heard his call, it immediately ran out of its corner and hovered in front of him. Great Wit-Master! What do you need? Try this, he said, dipping his fingers into the liquid. Jumeng scoffed, thinking that he didnt trust her. In reality, Yibei was minimising risks. The wig hesitated for a moment before a tongue slowly protruded out of the mass of hair and licked up the liquid from his fingers. Although it was a little scary, it knew that if the Witch died, they would die too. Oh? The wig muttered as it sounded as if it were licking its lips. Its delicious and refreshing. Like cold brew tea. Good, he nodded. Thank you for your help! After he spoke, he dropped the liquid on the te, and in the next moment, severe pain like turbulent waves hit his body. His body began to twitch violently, and he could feel a huge amount of information rushing into his brain; his eyes were a distant fog as he stared straight up at the ceiling. What the His body was limp on the ground, and not far away, he could see the wig throwing up clumps of hair from its maw as well. Seems like it works! Jumeng said, and it looked as if the air was rippling, morphing into another world. My brain its being overwhelmed by Lu Xus memory, he thought. Immediately afterwards, he could see Lu Xus memories shing through his brain. His vague memories of his childhood, to a blurry scene of middle school and high school, to a more vivid scene as he first entered campus grounds, and finally, he saw how the bamboo scrolls pierced through his skin and merged into his body. And other memories, among others. No girlfriend? Are you kidding me? All you have is your left hand, right hand, and a sleeve! These were hisst thoughts as he fell into unconsciousness. When he woke up again, he felt mentally tired, but his body was energetic. Opening his eyes, Jumengs delicate face came into view: Youre awake! The operation was a sess! You are now fully a woman! Yibeis eyes widened, and he sat up to check his body, relieved to find that his junior stilly in between his thighs. Just kidding, she smiled, patting him on the shoulder. You might feel a fever or the need to vomit, but you should have absorbed Lu Xus memories in full. After carefully going through Lu Xus memories, he found that they did not affect his emotions, unlike the memories of Pharaoh and the others. I I feel smart! I feel like Im all ready to write a full thesis. Aw, look at you! Jumeng praised her as she conjured herptop for her. Now, if you excuse me, my teammates need me to win the war. Watching her leave, he couldnt help but narrow his eyes. Judging from Lu Xus memory, if the mysterious blood enters your system, that means tomorrow night will be thest chance this month that he can enter the realm of the bamboo scrolls. However, the anniversary is tomorrow night, and he doesnt know if it will coincide with his speech. Chapter 189: After the Party Chapter 189: After the Party It was bright outside at eight oclock. When the first ray of dawn fell on his bedside, he jumped out of bed as if he had been awakened by a nightmare. Sitting up on the bed, he sighed and rubbed through his messy hair, getting out of bed. His body was fully adjusted to his routine of going to the roof to bathe in the suns rays. Seeing that he was still in bed, his body jerked him awake. After washing up and changing into his jacket, he went downstairs and saw Jumeng sprawled across the sofa, asleep. Last night, Jumeng spent more money on purchasing game credits and spent all night ying video games. Now, she was mumbling game terms in her sleep. He didnt know gods could sleep and talk. He grumbled as he approached her, shifting her hanging arms and legs back into the safety of the sofa and covering her with a nket, tucking her in. Before he left, he found the wig cowering in a dark corner of the bathroom and pulled it up to his eye. O Great Witch, the wig moaned. Its not that I want to disobey you, but could you please test new medicine on the others? Im sorry, he said with a hand on his forehead. However, I need your help today. For something else. Please dont be a spell this time. No, I am going out to do something troublesome, so theres a good chance I wont be back for a while If I donte back in a week, tell Jumeng that something happened to me, and she has to find a way to heal and go back to her Garden on her own. Do you understand? He felt that this trip to the world of bamboo scrolls may be dangerous. If something went wrong, he didnt want Jumeng to wait for him in vain and potentially endanger herself. Its not manly to make her worry! The wig was silent upon hearing this. If something this serious came out of the Witchs mouth, there was a good chance she may never return. But that cant be! Is there something that the powerful Witch cant solve? If anything, shell be able to solve any problem thates her way, right? Could she be trying to organise a Night Parade of Urban Legends, turning the entirety of Huacheng into her territory? Or something greater? The wig thought of this and trembled, Great Witch, dont worry! I can help you with this. Im counting on you, he smiled and patted the wig, retrieving his guitar bag and leaving the apartment. The wig watched as Yibei packed his stuff, and a dim light of gold outlined him. For a moment, the wig saw him in a different lightno longer was he a timid,zy Witch, but a reliable, strong Witch. O Witch, the wig cried out. Yibeis eyes widened as he heard this, and he immediately turned around and shushed the wig, saying, What are you doing? What if she hears you? Thankfully, she was still fast asleep. After leaving the apartment, he didnt directly go to campus but to the abandoned construction site near the University. A copper coin, the statue of Ac, a toy gun, a kitchen knife, eighty-two charms, two spells, aptopno, not theptop; thats for me to write my speechter After spreading everything on the ground, he looked at it for a while and nodded. If you dont count the uncontroble power in his body, these are all the items he can use. It may be a lot, but he feels that it isnt enough. He silently cursed Jumeng for not teaching him alchemy when she could. His speech would start at 3 p.m., and he would be thest of the speakers, so he still had several hours toe up with the worst speech you have ever heard in existence. However, after absorbing Lu Xus memory, he found that writing a speech was not so hard after all. A bit of misfortune, sprinkle in a little sad story to get the audience engaged, and end with a positive outlook on life! A whole empty speech bragging about his survival from a fatal stabbing, but at least he could fork out the speech. At 11 a.m., he finally finished his draft and replied to the Student Union under the bombardment of their texts. Most of themittees in charge of this event are from the Student Union anyway, so their office remains at the Student Union office. In the corridor outside their office, dozens of students ran around with props and stacks of paper, directing cameramen around to adjust the lights and cameras. Everyone had their roles to perform, which exuded the unique teenage vigour of determined students. Which contrasted with Lu Yibeis current appearance of doing absolutely nothing. Where do they find the energy to do this? Heined as he stared at the students running up and down the corridor. Excuse me, your cell phone is ringing. You should check it. Oh, Jesus! Thank you; I wasnt paying attention. Turning around, he saw the girl who reminded him, and he was slightly taken aback. It was Lin Yiqi, and she was wearing a white dress, with that gloomy baby still lying on top of her head. The baby, covered in pink skin, poked its head out and sniffed the air as if it could smell something from Yibei. Staring at the baby, his scalp tingled when Lin Yiqi interrupted him. Okay Youre being weird. Do you know where the nurse is? I can take you there. Ah, sorry. I couldnt find the Student Union office, so I was a little anxious. Oh? she smiled. Theyre right over there, in room 407. Thank you, he replied, walking over to the room. He stopped and turned around, ncing at Lin Yiqi. From a distance, she was surrounded by a group of girls. With her slim figure and beautiful face, it wasnt hard for her to stand out from the crowd. I wonder what they would think if they knew she had dismembered a living person and hid the body in a puppet and that there is an ugly ghost baby climbing all over her head. He quickly shook his head: Theyre all lucky they wouldnt be targeted by urban legends. Its difficult for them to evene into contact with it anyway. He gently knocked on room 407. Knock. Who is it? Lu Yibei. Okay Who are you again? Eighteen stab wounds. Oh, its you! Everyones scripts have been sent, and were all waiting for you! Come in, quickly! the boy behind the door shouted. The moment Yibei entered and closed the door, Lin Yiqis neck nced in the direction of room 407. That boy had weak psychic fluctuations. Lin Yiqi spoke with the baby in a voice that only she could hear. After the baby confirmed it, she asked, Did he see you? You cant tell that the psychic fluctuations areing from him or his jacket? Hmm Lin Yiqi bit her lip thoughtfully. Ever since she was put on the wanted list by the Night Division more than a year ago, she has beenying low and building good rtionships with her peers. It was so that she could reim her spotlight in a more subdued way and avoid attracting the attention of other people. However, now, somebody with psychic tendencies has appeared out of nowhere. What if Do you remember what he looked like? Maybe we can trap him and then let him out after the party is over. Remember, we can only trap and scare him, but we cannot hurt him. Lin Yiqi nodded and patted the baby, nodding slightly. Chapter 190: The Bloody Palm Prints on the Window Chapter 190: The Bloody Palm Prints on the Window The person in charge of reviewing the speeches was a tall and slender boy in a light-pink shirt, and his somewhat long hair was tied into pigtails. On his fair face, his lips were dusted cherry pink, and she wore a pair of orange-ted sses, which hid a pair of eyes like peach blossoms. If he was an actual girl, he would be very pretty, Yibei wondered. He stared at theputer screen, looked up towards Yibei, and asked, Youre Lu Shiba? Yibei, he corrected. Lu. Yi. Bei. I know, the boy said, rolling his eyes. But everyone here calls you Lu Shiva. Didnt you know that? I didnt know, and now I dont want to know, he grumbled. Who came up with such a silly name for him? He ns on letting his apparitions stalk this person and scare them when theyre using the toilet. He reached into his guitar bag and put his printed script on the table, pushing it towards the boy. With one look, he frowned after reading a few lines. When he finished reading the first page, he adjusted his seating position with a serious look on his face. Seeing his expression, Yibei could only feel insecure. After all, it was a hastily written speech with no substance to it, but he couldnt afford to rewrite it. However, he never expected the boy to begin sobbing. H-hey, are you okay? Its too good, the boy cried out as he wiped his tears. Your script this is very good. The best among the stacks I have over here. Yibei couldnt believe the clich sob story that made the boy before him cry. Then again, he is an ordinary boy, not somebody exposed to the horrors of the night. God, the boy said, standing up as he wiped his tears. You see, Im in charge of the news agency at the University. I was wondering, after this event is over, do you want to Youre in charge? Its no wonder most of the articles in the school magazine are sob stories Yibei thought. No, thank you! Y-you dont have to tell me now! Please go back home and think about it. I dont want your literary talent to go to waste. Right Ill let you know. I have other things to do on the anniversary, so I understand! Lets exchange contact information, or you might run away from me. Good that you know. A few minutester, the boy waved his hand and bid Yibei farewell, Remember! Text me whenever! Yibei nodded awkwardly before taking the stairs as quickly as possible to disappear from sight. Like many young people today, he dislikes crowded ces. He finds it too troublesome, and some may call him autistic. Sitting alone at home and enjoying your ownpany is much better! Video games and a cold drink! Who doesnt like that? Plus, he didnt like being forced into cooperative rtionships and having to be all smiles while doing so. He just wanted to go home and ignore that. Uh, what was his name again? The library was closed early because of the celebration. After leaving the office, he wandered around campus aimlessly before deciding to find an empty study room to rest in. Air-conditioned, with water and charging ports, as well as free Wi-Fi Students with nothing to do could stay there for all of eternity. The study room is south of the library, which is opposite a very crowded building. Half of the building is dedicated to science and engineering students. It wasnt that it was crowded; the total enrolment per year was a thousand students, but only a few dozen students were admitted to Huachengs University. More than half of the building needs to be vacant to amodate their gruelling course, so the University decided to make some of the vacant space into self-study rooms. Perhaps because it was the school anniversary, but the study rooms were deserted. He finally found a suitable room with only one girl sleeping on a table. He parked himself in a corner by the window and sat down, plugging his headphones into hisputer. He browsed through videos rted to urban legends and found a particr user with a suspiciouslyrge number of views and a prising amount of likes and dislikes. Looking at the selfie of this particr user, he quit within five seconds. Du Sixian? Isnt the Night Division going to beat her up for doing this? He thought. No. Maybe they instructed her to do it. He closed the tab and logged onto the university forums, finding that the Urban Legend chat group was still up and running. I knew it! Every group reported for porn gets taken down, but this is still standing! Thinking about it, he decided to send another report when a notification rang in his ears. He frowned slightly, clicking on the private message sent to him by [ONE HUNDRED AND 2/3 CATS]. [ONE HUNDRED AND 2/3 CATS: Hello, I know that you were sending reports regarding our group. Your malicious jokes have caused us a lot of trouble. Please stop immediately. Otherwise, well conduct a stricter offline review on you again.] What the his eyes widened. Arent reports anonymous? How did they Thinking of the eerie sight he saw in the attic yesterday If everything that happened yesterday was because of the cat, and if the stricter offline review were toe true, it might end up in his death. He wanted to be careful, but he also wanted to assert his dominance while facing urban legends. Staring at the report button, he narrowed his eyes. I really want to press it. As the saying goes, what doesnt kill you makes you stronger. Just as the thought of dying shed through Lu Yibeis mind, someone patted his shoulder from behind. Jesus, fuck! The girl who was sleeping in the room earlier had no idea he would react so violently and immediately shielded herself from him. Coupled with the strange sound she heard, which woke her up, she felt the need to inform him. Im so sorry for scaring you; what is it? I I think we should leave this room. Something isnt right. Huh? Didnt you hear the strange noise just now? It was, ah! As she exined herself, she screamed as she pointed out the window. She saw small, bloody palm prints appearing on the window behind Yibei as if an invisible baby were crawling on the window. A babysughter echoed through her brain. Her emotions suddenly copsed as she grabbed her bag and ran straight out of the ssroom. Man, whats wrong with her? Heined as he turned back around, only to see a string of bloodied palm prints right in front of him. He opened his mouth, ready to shout after the fleeing girl to wait for him, only for the door to the study room to m shut by an unknown wind. Bang! As the door closed, a faint smell of blood wafted into the room, and the door let out a soft click. Chapter 191: Why Don’t You Play with Us? Chapter 191: Why Dont You y with Us? The moment the door mmed shut, the light in the room dimmed into a dark grey, ageing everything in the room immediately. Yibei raised his head, nced out the window, and saw that the early autumn sun was still shining above the sky. It was as if the study room was devouring all the light before it could enter the room. Staring out the window, he realised that he could no longer hear the bustling students rehearsing outside as if he were isted from the outside world. If the current situation was caused by the chat group, then they are much more powerful than he imagined. As he thought, the light in the ssroom continued to dim, and a gloomy atmosphere permeated the room. It reminded him of the time when the teacher identally locked him in the ssroom. He remembered watching the sun get swallowed by the horizon and its zing mes transform into dusk. He could feel that the ssroom next door was full of studentssome whispered, some were fighting, and some sat and stared quietly. It was a lively ssroom, but he knew that they were not people he knew. Outside the study room, footsteps could be heard intermittently and drowned out. The janitor? He yelled, but all he heard were the echoes of his voice in the room. The room instantly turned ck, and he was immediately sent back to his childhood. He remembered his father and Shui breaking into the school to break him out of the ssroom. He remembered them having to pay a fine for breaking into private property, and He remembered what being fearful of the dark was. Tap. Tap. He looked in the direction where the sound came from, only to find that the desks and chairs, now stained with rust, blocked his view. Tap. Tap. The strange noises were like footsteps that were fast and light, stepping on a viscous liquid. Its something covered in blood crawling about, isnt it? To answer his paranoia, one hand was already on his guitar bag. Swallowing hard, he concentrated his attention on the sound and locked his gaze upon it, followed by a slight heat in his eyes. Wait, thats it? In the past month or so, he has gained some experience judging how powerful an urban legend is. The more his eyes burned, the more dangerous they were. The apparitions that resided in his home barely caused a reaction. The headless girls, Zhu Linglong and Lu Xu could potentially cause harm to him, but he was strong enough to ovee them, which caused his eyes to feel hot. They must be Level D or Level C threats at most. The strange hand that attacked Professor Ma, as well as the four from Shihekou High, caused his eyes to burn painfully, and his eyes continued to hurt after a couple of hours. Mr. Rabbit could be included in this group as well, judging from the files given by Jiang Li, so these urban legends must be ssified as a Level B threat. His chances of winning a head-on fight against them were rtively low, but he could run away easily. There are other urban legends that he doesnt know how to ssify. For example, how do you ssify something that sends you into a dreamscape? This phenomenon urred with Jumeng, Zigu, the bamboo scrolls, the calico cat, etc. They must be at least Level A threats or something stronger. There is no point in going into detail. He couldnt even fight them if he tried. Now, his eyes were only slightly warm. Not even as warm as when he saw the headless girl. Hence, whatever was haunting him right now was no big threat. However, he didnt let his guard down, knowing some were able to hide how powerful they were, just like Jumeng seemed like a harmless magpie until she stabbed him. Judging from the whispers he heard at the Night Division, that one blow almost caused a great panic amongst the Night Division. Hence, he guessed that an urban legends maliciousness factored into his burning eyes. So The urban legends in this room are either weak or have no malicious intent. He leaned over, grabbed the statue of Ac from his guitar bag, and seated it right next to him with a loud ng. Immediately afterwards, he rained charms around the room, loaded his toy gun, and mmed it on the table with a loud bang. After doing all that, he nced at the footsteps and confirmed that this strange being was not approaching. As long as you dont harm me, I dont care what you do! Dont bother me when I have headphones on! He put his headphones back on and put on his favourite song, only for him to rip his headphones out. It seemed that the theme of Silent Hill was ying rather than his favourite song. Whatever. Im about to give a speech soon. Might as well get familiar with it. As soon as he opened his speech, hisputer screen turned white before turning ck, reflecting his figure and something else looming behind him. m! He hurriedly shut hisptop and closed his eyes, taking in a deep breath. Be calm, be calm. Do not acknowledge it He knew he had to be calm to avoid transforming; yes, it would deal with whatever was haunting him, but he wouldnt be able to transform back into himself, and he would ruin his speech. It was apromise he was willing to make. Looking back down at his desk, he froze as he saw a piece of yellow paper before him. Turning the paper around, there was a line of words written on it with fresh blood and messy handwriting. [y with me.] In an instant, he remembered the fragments of memories of his childhood that he had buried away. He remembered everythingthe faint whispers by his ssmates that he didnt know. Lu Yibei, why dont you y with us? Chapter 193: Past Events Chapter 193: Past Events Many years ago, when Yibei was still in elementary school, urban legends only existed in stories, usually by word of mouth. After dark, the area around his school was still bustling and lively. At nine oclock at night, the lights in the canteen were still on. An old man and his wife sat there as they stared at the two attractive young men who appeared in school. One of them was wearing a rather mboyant floral shirt with many buttons undone, which was popr at the time for bad boys. The other man was theplete opposite, with a gentle, jade-like appearance and soothing eyes. The two men were sitting on a bench in the canteen, sharing an orange soda. The two old people envied them. Bai, listen to me; you dont want children. Not with your lifestyle. Bai Kai downed the orange soda and nced at Lu Ming, rolling his eyes. You cant control your penis! Something is going to happen to you sooner orter! Remember that time with the zombie nurse, or the policewoman, or the teacher? Oh, now youre telling me that little rascal is hard to raise. Interesting! Lu Ming red at Bai Kai, kicked him from under the desk, and said, You shouldnt be talking. Bai Kai winced in pain and pouted, You always tell me how true love is better, but whenever you and I are together, you have everything but true love! All you do is babble on about me being a slut! Forget it. Why dont you work with Liu Wei? You wouldnt have so many troubles if you did. Liu Wei is a lone psychic who, alongside Lu Ming and Bai Kai, solved the first urban legend incident in Huacheng. Plus, he is also a nightclub owner. After dealing with the urban legend, he offered both of them work at the nightclub due to their looks and figures, and they didnt even need to sell their bodies. Bai Kai, of course, happily epted the offer. Lu Ming wanted to take it, but he was knocked unconscious all of a sudden and found himself with a child. Lu Ming was silent for a while and smiled: Bai, I dont want to hunt urban legends anymore. What the hell? What else are you going to do then? Bai Kai was stunned. Wait! Youre going to tell me that youll wait for that woman to die, then youll work for him, right? And well pole dance together, for old times sake? Im not you, Lu Ming chuckled. I want to be a chef. Its in our blood, I think. In your blood? Are you nning to open a restaurant for urban legends? So what if I did? Bai Kai opened his lips to retort but could only force out a simple, Youre Youll end up killing yourself. Its risky, I admit it, he said, sping Bai Kais hands. If I do kill myself one day, please help me take care of Yibei. What? Im no father; you said it yourself! I-I cant be responsible for his future! T-tell me now! What do you want him to be? T-the strongest psychic to ever exist? Lu Ming shook his head. Somebody powerful! A billionaire! He shook his head again and said, I just want him to be healthy and live a happy life. Bai Kai sighed and rummaged in his pocket for a cigarette. I could do all the things I mentioned, but that is the hardest thing to do. What? Bai Kai red at Lu Ming and said, Youre fucking digging me a hole! How am I supposed to give him a happy life? Lu Ming smiled warmly and patted his shoulder wordlessly. W-what are you trying to do? Im warning you. Lu Ming simplyughed again: Nothing. Im just wishing you luck. Argh, Im not done with my questions, Bai Kai interrupted. What do I do if Master brings that Flower over to find her fianc? I will tell him that I gave birth to a daughter, and they cannot marry or bear a child together. Is it good to be lying like that? If Master knows about it, hell rip you apart. Cant rip me apart when Im dead. It was silent between the both of them, and Bai Kai was the first to speak. Arent you scared Ill end up getting your son killed? You wont. You dont know that. Well, I do, because As he spoke, the tiny baby in his arms twisted and woke up from his nap. The babys eyes were big and watery, and as soon as his eyesid upon Bai Kai, the baby beamed. Huggie! Huggie! In an instant, Bai Kai felt that his heart was about to melt, and he snatched Yibei out of his fathers hands and walked towards the canteen. Tell me! What do you want to eat? Ill buy this entire canteen for you! Bai! Hes just a baby! Shut up! Hes our son now! Ice cream! Baby Yibei shouted. Anything else? That. That. That! Alright. Bai Kai smiled and turned to the canteen owner. Ill take all the things he chose and put them in a bag for me, please. Lu Ming was dumbfounded at his sudden change of demeanour. All of a sudden, it seemed like Bai Kai was Yibeis father and not him. In the deep mountains, hundreds of kilometres away from Huacheng, a figure surrounded by silver light rushed through the forest and stopped on top of arge rock. The light dissipated from his body, and he sighed: Strange, why did I suddenly remember something from so long ago? But! Yibei was so cute back then! Now, he doesnt even acknowledge me anymore! He looked towards Huacheng, a hundred miles away, caressing Ifrits core in his hand. Dont me me for not abiding by our agreement. This is Yibeis own choice. If I dont help him, somebody else will. He wanted to help him choose something that suited him and a power that he could call his own. Ah, you probably never expected the world to be like this. Im afraid itll be hard for him to live a happy and healthy life. In fact, before going to the Gobi Desert, he was still hesitant, but he needed to consult his master. Regarding your godson, Bai Kai, there is an ancient saying: You can only appreciate knowledge after living all your life inside a cave, looking for shadows. You see, the meaning of this is to I get it! Bai Kai interrupted. If Yibei fully embraces our world and bes knowledgeable and strong enough to fend for himself, hell be able to lead a happy life! Thats not- I get it now! Thank you! I thought keeping him oblivious was the best choice, but thank you for enlightening me. Thats To be honest, his master wanted Yibei toe over to his cave and cultivate his potential powers before leaving the cave with new knowledge of the world, but before he could say anything, Bai Kai was already long gone. Chapter 194: Speech Chapter 194: Speech Excuse me? Hello? Wake up! Yibei suddenly woke up amidst a soft call and sat up straight when a familiar face came into view. It was the girl from before, in the study room. Shit, I need to put this knife away before I scare her. He hurriedly looked around for his kitchen knife, only for him to notice that his guitar bag was zipped shut. Even hisptop and headphones were still inside his bag. Everything he had just experienced was like a nightmare as if nothing had happened. Something must have been haunting me right before I even entered this room, then. Just as he was in deep thought, a slender white hand waved in front of his eyes. Hello? Are you okay? Youve been making strange noises in your sleep, and I wanted to wake you up. Do you need to go to the nurse, orno, its the anniversary; I dont think theyre avable? Sorry! he interrupted. What time is it now? The girl was slightly startled by his outburst and replied shakily, It should be almost half past five. Hearing this, he immediately grabbed the guitar bag and dashed out of self-study, passing through the corridor like a gust of wind. Meanwhile, on the other side of the corridor, Lin Yiqi breathed out a sigh of relief, watching him dash to the other side of campus. Fortunately, the urban legend in his body remained dormant. I resolved a crisis,she thought.Hopefully, I wont ever bump into him again. Backstage, Zhang Yijing paced back and forth and looked out the window, watching as the sun sank into the horizon. Tap, tap, tap, tap A rush of footsteps soon came into the hearing. Turning his head, he saw a familiar figure rushing towards him backstage, and the suns ming rays fell upon him like a majestic cape flying behind him. For some reason, he was almost moved to tears upon seeing Yibei, and he yelled out, Where were you? Do you know how much I have suffered because of you? Ah, sorry, something came up, and I was dyed Am I toote? Youre toote! he cried out. Its toote; I cant have them coordinate the lighting and the music anymore, and And because of you, I have to give a speech in your stead! A boy came out of nowhere and scoffed. You both owe me a big favour. Its not easying up with a speech in just an hour. Zhang Yijing crept closer towards Yibei and whispered to him, You see, hes the person recing youter for your speech, but if youre ready, I can try and put you back on. Zhang Yijing scurried away to the organisers, and the boy rolled his eyes, saying, And why were youte? If anything goes wrong during the speech, Ill have both of you paying me back. Yibei had originally wanted to let him give his speech, but his tone was way too unfriendly! Can I ask what the title of your speech is? And why do you want to know? Oh, uh, I heard of you a long time ago, and I like your writing style. Maybe itll be better than my sob story. Hah! You have good taste, the boy nodded. Its [How College Students Should Start a Business]! Interesting, right? Right. Then tell me! What do you like about my writing? ? I havent even heard or seen your speeches! I was just trying to be friendly! Oh, your writing is certainly interesting, Yibei forced out. Youll surely get the crowd going with your speech. This must mean that you started your own business, right? Well, yes! Let me tell you, the nning stage is almost over, and as soon as we enter the market, well be listed on the GEM in less than a year! I got connections, so no matter what, well appear at the top! Absolutely not. Yibei thought that this guy should not be allowed to give a speech after their short conversation, and he needed to take over. Well, dont you want to know what my speech is about? he asked. Not really. I guess I can listen before they let me take the stage. Oh, you dont have to worry about that, Yibei smiled, hearing Zhang Yijing calling from a distance. Youll be hearing it very soon. E-excuse me? Im about to go on stage, he smiled. I suggest you go to the audience so you can hear it better. Y-you! No! Youre jeopardising the future of college students! They need to be like me! They need to start a business! And I spent an hour writing this speech; you cant. Yibei simply walked away, smiling. In the auditorium, a grey-haired man stared at the stage attentively, and he seemed a little restless. Wang, why isnt Lu Yibei out yet? Professor Ma, I told yousomething happened, and hes being dyed. It should be his turn soon. Yes, this old man is Professor Ma. Hearing that Yibei was about to give a speech, he snuck out of the hospital and rushed back to school. Professor Ma, you seem interested in this Lu Yibei. Who is he? My proud disciple, he smiled. No wonder you rushed all the way back, Wang said, smiling. Ladies and gentlemen! The announcer interrupted him. Now, let us invite Lu Yibei to give us his inspiring speech! Hes here! Be quiet! Professor Ma ordered. Wang slightly opened his mouth but swallowed his words and nodded. He saw a handsome boy walking to the centre of the stage, looking extremely calm and confident. Ahem! Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Lu Yibei, and the title of my speech today is [The Things About Being Brave That Nobody Talks About. Professor Ma, are you sure this is your disciple? Uh. All Professor Ma could hear was a string of boosing from the audience, mixed with another boys shouting in the crowd. Thats it? Are you fucking kidding me? You should have let me on stage, you piece of Romain Rond once said that true heroism is to see the world as it is and to love it. I am proud of myself for living and understanding life for the sake of justice, but nobody ever tells you how stupid putting yourself in danger is. Maybe its worth the praise, maybe its worth the pain, but in loving life and, by extension, another persons life, you might lose your life in the process. Love yourself more, and be nicer to yourself. With that, I would like to end my speech with a quote. Please do not get stabbed twenty-eight times in a row. Thank you. The speech was decent enough despite the booing. However, Professor Ma stood up and apuded regardless and yelled, Yes! What a great speech! The entire auditorium was quiet, but they all followed suit and started pping for him as well. To be honest, most of the audience was asleep, but if the professor liked it, then we liked it too! Lin Yiqi narrowed her eyes as she saw him leave the stage. Love yourself more. Its strange for someone to say that after encountering an urban legend. She doesnt know anyone who continues to live life as they are ever since theye into contact with one. She gently stroked the baby on her shoulder and frowned. No matter, he is just a weak psychic. He should be no problem. In the backstage Yibei ignored the vice president, who was crying out of excitement, grabbed his guitar bag, and ran out of the auditorium. Although the topics of his speech took many detours, he managed to stay on track and end it gracefully. Now that it was getting dark, he needed to find a quiet ce and wait for the bamboo scrolls to take him. The sky outside was a lead grey colour, and he could feel the temperature of his body increasing rapidly. However, as soon as he walked out, he saw Professor Ma waiting by the door, which scared him. Damn it, not now! He thought as he ran past him. Yibei, stop! Yibei stopped and waited for Professor Ma to walk up to him, as he said with a serious expression, Lu Yibei, tell me what you just talked about on stageyour ability to bullshit is not enough! I need to teach you how to write a better script! Youre my student, and As he spoke, he suddenly saw a wisp of smoke rising from his hair, and he stopped immediately. He was very familiar with what the smoke was, and it sent him straight back to hisboratory. Yibei nced at Professor Ma and sighed, Well, you can teach me another day. You know whats about to happen. Professor Mas lips parted slightly, and he wordlessly stepped aside to let him go. Lu Yibei, wait! What? Ill drive you! Professor Ma called out. Ive seen you and your night sickness before, and, well, I think my car can give you some cover! Y-youre a girl, so Yibei couldnt help but feel moved and nodded: Ill leave it to you. Take me somewhere where nobody is around. Professor Ma hurriedly waved him over towards the parking lot. He sat in Professor Mas car, and as soon as they left, the two forces in his body began to gain momentum. His heart beat wildly against his chest, but it seemed to beat more violentlypared tost time. The beasts within him struck fiercely, sending waves of heat and cold throughout his body. His eyes were also scorching as if to fight off the coldness. In an instant, his blood ignited, and his blood vessels shone with a golden light. Ack! Ugh His body began to twitch violently, and painful moans escaped his lips. Hearing the unusual noises in the backseat and noticing that the car was unusually hot, Professor Ma nced backwards before turning on the radio to the maximum. He didnt want anyone to misunderstand the situation. He is a gentleman who is not going to take advantage of his own student, who was moaning and groaning in his backseat. Ah! It hurts. Stop. A soft cry drowned out the loud music, and Professor Mas grip on the wheel became tighter. I need to clear the dashcams footage after this, or my wife will kill me. They soon drove out of campus onto a shortcut, and the surroundings turned barren in the mountainous region of Huacheng. Driving on the bumpy mountain road, the view ahead suddenly opened up into an abandoned quarry with piles of sand and gravel by a river. They gradually slowed down, and before Professor Ma could stop the car, Lu Yibei unlocked the door and leapt out onto the sand; his foot instantly turned the sand into a shimmering crystal as he plunged into the river. Sizzle! A sheet of bubbles rose up as if the water were boiling. ncing into the backseat, he could see that the seat was burnt out in the shape of a tiny girl and felt worried. I need to send this to the workshop before my wife finds out. A few minutester, Professor Ma sat beside the girl on a huge rock by the river. The two held cooked fish in their hands and an alluring aroma wafted in the air. Youre going to enter the bamboo scrolls? He asked quizzically. Should I enter too? Its not as dangerous as you think. Im fine on my own, the girl said, eating. Oh, it actually tastes pretty good. Is there anything I can do to help? Probably not. If anything, Id rather you go home early. W-well, I can help you look over the bamboo scrolls. What if some creature appears and takes the scrolls away? Before Yibei could answer, she could feel something change: the bamboo scrolls unfurled without her knowing, and an unsettling aura filled the air, swallowing the surrounding moonlight like a vortex. Chapter 195: Unexpected Surprise Chapter 195: Unexpected Surprise One after another ripples swayed in the air, and the shimmering light attracted by the bamboo slips outlined an illusory, unformed vortex. Seeing that the portal leading to the bamboo scrolls world was gradually taking shape, Yibei zipped up her jacket and turned to Professor Ma. Professor, its about to start. I suggest you stay as far away as possible. He wordlessly nodded, and seeing her walk towards the bamboo scrolls, he called out onest time, Yibei! What is it? Ah, if I study simr antiques again in the future, you have to help me check them so simr tragedies dont happen again. In trantion, he wanted me toe back safe, andshe smiled. Got it! She walked forward but stopped and ran back towards Professor Ma. W-what? Are you not going in anymore? No I just dont know how long Ill be in there, and I might get hungry, so She snatched a few cooked fish from the ground and stuffed them in her pockets, then leapt into the portal, leaving Professor Ma behind. The bamboo scrolls rapidly absorbed all energy from the surroundings, and the vortex soon glowed with an ominous scarlet light. The portal beyond the vortex showed a ck-and-white world, and the ck mountains seemed to be dotted with a bloody light. There were various sounds from the barren mountainsthe sobs of a girl, the sighs of an old woman, and the growls of a beast. Before she fell into the vortex fully, she nced back, and her pupils shrank in horror as they burned with intense pain. She could see that there was a dense mass of strange figures looming behind Professor Ma. A woman with long hair, covering her face with her rotten hands and feet exposed under her tattered dress. A giant worm covered with saas Eight pale children stand together in a line, with dark red flesh connecting them together. Something swam in the river, poking its head out. There were more figures behind Professor Ma, and the number exceeded half a hundred. They were strong and weak; the weakest had just formed, while the strongest caused Yibei to have intense pain in her eyes. Various filthy and evil auras gathered together to form a terrifying aura. Professor Ma is in danger! The damned bamboo scrolls, it must be! She tried to shout but found that she couldnt make a single sound. The world around her vibrated violently, and in the vortex of dizzying screams, she felt as if she had fallen into a dark pool and sank continuously. Her body was pulled by a strange force, and an astonishing roar seemed to pierce right through her mind. She could see nothing, and all was ck. Soon, the bubble of darkness shattered, and she found herself on the damp floor of the world once again. Following her instructions, Professor Ma stood 20 or 30 metres away, not noticing the number of figures that stood behind him. However, they seemed to be afraid of something, keeping a respectable distance away from Professor Ma. A weak urban legend tried to pounce on him, only for a powerful one to snatch up and devour the tinier urban legend. Thissted until Yibei disappeared from sight, and he went to rest on a rock. The moment he moved aside, the crowds of urban legends dashed towards the bamboo scrolls like kids during recess, but Professor Ma didnt even notice them. But he could tell that something was wrong. Eurgh, its so stinky. Did the fish go bad already? And why is it so cold? Half an hourter, the bamboo scrolls gradually flickered and dimmed. Professor Ma looked at it for a while longer and leaned over to pick it up, walking towards his car parked in the distance. Just as he started the car, he drove back to the city. Meanwhile, on the other side of the river, a silver light shed and disappeared in an instant. A few minutester, a military vehicle drove quickly towards the riverside. I knew it! I knew it! Li Xuan shouted, with Jiangli sitting opposite him. I told you there was something wrong with Lu Yibei. I knew it! Im not crazy! he shouted. I had people watching him this entire time, and sure enough, I found something! An Qing nced at Jiangli and sighed. All of a sudden, a bright light shed outside their vehicle, and the car door was forcibly opened. A strong gust of wind blinded them, and when they regained their vision, they saw Bai Kai sitting right next to Li Xuan. Whats the situation like? Bai Kai asked, his eyes drifting towards Li Xuan knowingly. Well, our colleagues detected arge number of urban legends near a river, but we arent sure whats happening now. Man, I thought it was something really serious. I almost couldnt keep up with your car, he joked. Are you sure, though? I ran through the entire mountain, and I didnt sense anything unusual. Thats impossible, Li Xuan interjected. Are you doubting me? Thats what I thought, he scoffed. By the way, I gave you a souvenir. Li Xuan eyed him suspiciously. Why is Bai Kai so generous all of a sudden? Bai Kai threw him a dark object, and feeling the rubbery texture through his gloves, he could tell that it was a piece of a rubber tyre, which almost strangely felt like his own tyre. Did you sh my fucking tyre? Li Xuan yelled. Oh, youre done. Im going back to headquarters and filing a formalint against you! And youre just among the many hundreds who filed a formalint against me, and yet, Im still here, Bai Kai shrugged and fell deep into his thoughts. What was Yibeis professor doing by the riverte at night? Yes, he knew who Professor Ma was. Before Yibei enrolled in university, he had already investigated all of his teachers. Later, he discovered that his godson had a special rtionship with Professor Ma, yet he found nothing unusual. Judging from the remnants of the psychic energy fluctuations, there were at least a hundred urban legends by the river apanying Professor Ma, but he is now just alone there. What happened? Will Yibei get thrown into the mental hospital? It was strange to him. There were no humans living in the surrounding area for more than ten miles, and the urban legends disappeared when he arrived. Chapter 196: Food Doesn’t Fall From The Sky, but Fish Does Chapter 196: Food Doesnt Fall From The Sky, but Fish Does There was no day and night cycle in the world of bamboo scrolls, forever imprisoned in the boundary between day and night. Beyond the ck mountains, a simple shack stood quietly on its ridges, which seemed strangely out of ce in this monotonous world of evil. A burst of rapid footsteps sounded from the other end of the fountain, and a figure flew out from the sea of trees,nding steadily in front of the shack. Supporting herself, Gu Qianqian straightened the red scarf around her neck and opened the door to her shack, throwing herself on her simple bed made of hay. Face nted on the bed, she mumbled out into her pillow. System. Confirming progress of the mission [Investigating the Secrets of the Deserted Vige] 66% Complete! That little? she pouted. This is more difficult than doing retail. Gu Qianqian has been here for several days, and she has already understood the situation here clearly. There were three small viges scattered around the area, and the stars surrounded arger vige. In each vige, there were a varying number of humans that wandered about, usually more than ten. Most of them wore simr costumes to the women, so there must be next to no living humans here. The other humans were extremely active as if they were preparing for some ritual. Gu Qianqian felt that, apart from not knowing where this mysterious ancestral temple was, she had already investigated enoughtoo much even. Despite her task being 66%plete, she couldnt help but feel burnt out. System, what do the vigers mean when they say they are preparing a grand ceremony to wee gifts that fall from the sky? I cannot say, the system said. It must be some kind of special festival. An isted ce like this can only be created by an extremely powerful entity that can create different pockets of reality. From a certain perspective, this is a new world. However, it was iplete. No matter how powerful this entity is, it cannot create a real world, and the resources in this world will soon dwindle. For example, the jungles seemed dead, and the fields were barren. The system predicts that this festival is what sustains the remaining humans here. Is food going to fall from the sky? Gu Qianqian asked. The system was speechless. Even in their predicament, shes thinking about food. Even if the system wanted to, it couldnt produce food for her. There just wasnt anything left in this barren world! System! Look! Theres a shooting star outside! Make a wish! I dont make wishes. Why? No reason. The tradition of wishing upon shooting stars still remains even in modern times, and they too are something like myths. Some wishes doe true, in fact. If I make a wish, it will backfire on me,the system thought. Gu Qianqian ignored the system and went outside to the front of the shack, chasing after the streams of light left behind by the shooting stars. One of the streams seemed to fall near the nearest vige. System! We should go take a look! Its not going to give you any food if you wish on it. Thats ridiculous. Why not? Gu Qianqian, we are not in fantasnd; we are in the dead-god-pocket universe! There is nothing here! Do you really think a god will rain food from the sky? System- Dont interrupt me! Im not done! System, I just picked up two grilled fish. ? My wish for food came true! Gu Qianqian beamed. I told you they work! What infuriated the system more was that Gu Qianqian was right. It did, in fact, rain food for the vigers. What kind of stupid god is this? Youre supposed to be scary! Her vision gradually became clearer, and Yibei could see a pair of feet breaking into sight. Ah, hello, woah, what the hell? As she looked up from this pair of feet, this person seemed to be cut off at the knees, and everything above was a blur of flesh and blood. Looking around, this persons limbs were torn apart by something, and she could see a tentacle grasping an eyeball. Seeing this, her stomach churned and retched, and a wisp of fire coughed out of her mouth. Ack! This ce is so fucking weird; I have to leave. She felt that this felt just like the game known as P*BG, where they get dropped off and are required to hide and search for guns and be thest person standing. She quickly picked up her pace and walked past the mound of gore, but really, what frightened her was that She felt the urge to take a bite. Shortly after, the Witch left. A rustling sound came from behind the bushes. Soon, figures in coarse clothes walked out from behind the bushes, and they carried rattan baskets with rusty steel forks. Their pupils were like snakes, and they eyed the mound of flesh and blood on the ground. They swarmed up, and nothing was left of the mound. Their long-awaited feast begins once again. Chapter 197: Faking It Chapter 197: Faking It The mountain road was winding and deste, and there were overgrown weeds on both sides of the road. The trunks held weird shapes, like figures that spied in the dark. The jungle was humid, and it was cold enough to form mist within the silent jungle, where one could hear their own breathing and heartbeat. At least, this ensured that nobody was following behind Yibei. She had always liked silence and solitude, but it wasnt until she was walking for a few minutes that she realised that she didnt know what true silence was. Her concept of silence was apanied by mobile phones and long-winded videos to sleep to, but it was truly silent here. Deste and empty, leaving one with their own thoughts. It tormented her mind, and she desperately wanted to reach the vige as soon as possible, which could give her clues to mysterious knowledge. Although it was quiet, that didnt mean that danger was absent. I am brave! I am not a coward! But Im going to start singing. Im getting paranoid. With a shaky breath, she began to sing, and with each note, she began to skip down the mountain path. Confused eyes stared at her as they hid behind bushes, and they werent sure why their food was so jolly and alive. In the past, when their god gifted them food, their food would be dead on arrival, and the few surviving ones were moments away from death. Seeing their food be so jolly, they couldnt help but feel fear. The jungle soon parted ways, revealing the vige in the distance, only for her to be startled. When she arrived at the vige entrance, the sky seemed to darken a little more. In her memory, it was always raining here with how damp everything is, butrge areas of bright red could be seen in the vige. In the vige, red cloth was stretched between the houses, and beautiful scarletnterns were hung in front of every house. Eachntern dyed the streets a gorgeous red colour. The streets were quiet despite the prosperous disy of red. In fact, it was eerie. Although her eyes werent warm at all, she felt that something wasnt righttraces of human activity like abandoned carts, sewing kits, empty kitchens, etc.but nobody was around. She walked along the widest alley by a scarletntern, which seemed to seep the buildings in blood. Going deeper into the vige, she could see many snake-headed human statues carved from wood, with red cloth wrapped around the statues, alongside makeshift stalls erected by the statues. However, the stalls contents were hard to describe. It looked like an imitation of a bustling stall, in fact. The fire was burning underneath arge pot, and steam blew out, but there was not a single person to be seen. It was as if there were a huge celebration, but it was not meant for living humans. Stopping by an alley, she put down her guitar bag and took out a charm, the statue of Ac, and her toy gun. She loaded the toy gun and ced it in her coat, then carried the statue with her as she walked to the centre of the vige. Every two or three metres, she would fling a charm behind her as if she were sowing seeds, just in case something was stalking her. A vague odour soon invaded her nostrils. The closer she got to the centre, the stronger it was. Just as she was about five metres away, she saw another set of stalls that sold meat. Bloody limbs, neatly stacked together like cargo, looked strangely like human limbs. There were other forms of meat that could not be identified, and they seemed to exude an unsettling aura. Urban legend meat? Her eyes drifted to a pot, and her face turned pale instantly. She immediately forced herself to look away. Although she has devoured the cores of urban legends, she has never seen an urban legend cooked alive before. She retched ufortably, and a hoarse voice sounded from behind her. Shh! Dont make a sound. It was an old man in a dark coat walking quickly towards her. His posture seemed weird, however, as if he wasnt walking but floating towards her. She stared at the old man, and after making sure her eyes werent warm, she breathed a sigh of relief. Plus, he didnt seem to trigger any of her charms, so he wasnt a threat. Another stranger, the old man mused. Another? Could it be Gu Qianqian? Shes alive? Excuse me, but have you seen a girl with chestnut hair wearing leather boots and a red scarf around here? The old mans glossy eyes stared at Yibei, and he turned around silently and walked towards the corner of a vige. Dont knock after dark They will hear you. Who are they? They are celebrating a festival, a lively one. Hello? Stay at my ce for the night and wait until daybreak. It seemed that the old man was babbling about what he wanted to say, but she followed him anyway, listening to his endless chatter. The more she trailed behind him, the more ufortable she was. She couldnt help but narrow her eyes at his feet. Isnt it ufortable to walk like this? Uh, hey, doesnt it hurt your feet to walk like that? We can sit for a while before we continue. Dont knock after dark. Hello? Dont knock after dark. Are you the only one left in the vige? Where is everybody? Are you scared of living here because I am? Dont knock The old man continued to babble, and Yibei sighed. Finally, the old man was still and turned around to face her. His cloudy eyes trembled, and his mouth parted, only for him to repeat the same words to her. Hes pretending! If I cant pry your mouth open, then Im not a man! Chapter 198: The Best Option Chapter 198: The Best Option She underestimated how tightly sealed his mouth was. She talked to the old man for the entire journey until they reached a dpidated temple, but he continued repeating the same words. However, he did have some variation to his answers, and she soon learnt that his name is Ze Mengrao. Judging from Lu Xus memory, the Miao ancestors had this surname as well, and they worshipped dragon and snake totems as their gods. Plus, he identally revealed that he was once young, and he saw a foreigner who wore a long coat and braids. Moreover, he revealed that he was the former priest of the vige, but due to an unknown reason, he had lost all qualifications to serve the gods. Just as she wanted to ask how the veins in his forehead grew, and he red and growled at her. She immediately shut up, but she wasnt discouraged. Rome was not built in a single day. Arriving in front of the temple, Ze Mengrao paused and nced at Yibei, pushing open the door. The temple looked dpidated, and the tiles were covered with tiny nts. The walls were pitted, and some parts even copsed. Staring at the door, a memory of Bright appeared in her mind. ording to tradition, you cannot paint a door ck or bad luck mighte to you. Of course, the door to the temple was ck. Through the door, you can see one red and one ck beam. It is said that red beams are unlucky for men, while green beams are unlucky for women. Soon, they came to a courtyard filled with water tanks. It was also bad luck for water tanks to face the door, but there were plenty of them facing the door. In addition, there were coins stacked on the beams and windchimes made of unknown bones. A crooked locust tree grew in the courtyard. Judging from Brights study of Feng Shui, this temple was simply uneptable. Bright really is a bright light to me. To survive, she gathered so much niche knowledgeif only she were still alive. Walking into the courtyard, she felt that she was able to face anything. It wasnt like she had no experience with this. Besides, she is a terrifying existence. There is nothing to be scared of. She couldnt help but feel how unweing this temple was, feng shui or not. When she entered the courtyard, the old man was already waiting for her. He waved and led her to a corner, gesturing at the thatched hut under an old locust tree. She held the statue close to her and followed him. As they passed the water tanks, she peered into them and sighed in relief that they seemed empty. However, she swore she saw a shadow like a big fish shing in the tank, and she hurriedly looked away. As she entered the hut, the old man stood at the door and warned, Do not leave the hut. This is a warning. There has been a lot of unrest in the vige. Why? There is a skull-crushing madman nearby, and many vigers have died. Oh, do you know what they look like? The old man was silent, and she tried to pry answers out of him but failed to get any responses. She returned to the hut and grabbed more than thirty charms, arranging them neatly around the bed as she threw herself on the empty bedboard. After running about for an entire day, she felt tired, and it was time to rest. The bed was so hard that her delicate body felt ufortable lying on it. Coat, could you turn into a sleeping bag? Or like a onesie, I could sleep in? As soon as she spoke, a soft rustling sound could be heard as her jacket transformed into a pretty, pink-id, furry sleeping bag. This is all I can do! () Yibei didnt know what the coat had transformed into in the darkness, but she could feel how soft and gentle the fabric was. Oh, itsfy. The Witch likes it! () By the way, wake me up in an hour. Im going to fight that old man. The jacket trembled slightly in affirmation, and she soon fell asleep in her cute, tiny bed. There is no dawn in the realm of bamboo scrolls. In the dark forest, Gu Qianqian breathed heavily as he leaned on the trunk of a big tree. Beside her, there were several half-human, half-snake monsters. Their bodies were twisted and deformed, with varying degrees of injuries. The only thing they had inmon was their heavily crushed heads as if a vehicle had run over them. I got them all, system. Can I eat the grilled fish now? Well, if you can still eat Of course I can! she beamed, fumbling for the grilled fish in her pockets. Just as she was about to chomp down, the system stopped her. Wait! Whats wrong? I thought you said I could eat it. Thats right, but let me smell it before you eat it. Just to make sure. No! Gu Qianqian, I can vaguely smell the World Ender on that piece of fish. Please let me smell it before you eat it. Youre some, she pouted. Nobody believes you. She dangled the grilled fish before her eyes and swallowed it in one clean swoop. All the system could do was watch helplessly. System, when you mentioned the Witch, I suddenly remembered something! What is it? Didnt you say that as long as one of the seven World Enders is prevented from being born, the world can be saved? So why are we keeping an eye on the one that is already born? Thats because Thats because this is the only one whose location I can determine. Because its easier to deal with her, the system said thoughtfully. Chapter 199: Master Chapter 199: Master There were some truths in the systems words. In a sense, it already knows the Witchs growth trajectory, so it can deliver a fatal blow at a critical moment. Plus, the Witch is technically human, so she is weaker than the other six. The system tried targeting the other six, but they all ended in His most sessful host barely made it to the end, but the weakest one couldnt evenst three days. The worst time was when its host couldnt even find his target, and he was killed almost immediately. World Enders take a long time to grow, so wouldnt it be best to just kill them while they were weak? The system, to be honest, was obsessed with progression. It believed in slow, progressive movements leading up to a dramatic, grand finale. Its like when you lose countless times ying video games, but you just have to continue for the thrill of it. System? Whats wrong? Youre so useless, Gu Qianqian pouted. You said shes the weakest, yet youre scared of her. I said that she was easier to deal with, not weaker. System? What now? the system grumbled before seeing her slightly green face. Poisoned fish? Is she going to die? Is she finally going to dethrone its weakest host? The system popped out of Gu Qianqians mind, and he sniffed the fish bones left on the floor. It did reek of the World Ender, but it shouldnt be poisonous, so why Ack ack Sorry, I got a fishbone stuck in my throat. Please help me. [The System has disconnected.] Eh? Gu Qianqian mmed herself into a tree, coughed up thest fish bone in her throat, and was already ready to look for her next meal. Meanwhile, the system continued to sniff at the bones, and it seemed to remind it of Home. After resting for almost an hour, the jacket squirmed and returned to its original shape. She immediately got up, hid her knife in her sleeves, and left the hut to find the old man. She remembered where the old man had leftinto the main hall of the dpidated temple. There were no strange noises in the courtyard, so it should be safe to look for him. Leaving the hut, she avoided the water tanks and walked straight to the main hall. She was about to knock but remembered his continuous warnings about not knocking. She grumbled before calling out to him, Hey! I need to piss! Ze Mengraoy on a hard wooden board, and he was half awake. His eyes were continually glossy, and he seemed to dance on the edge of being dead and alive. Suddenly, that pleasant yet annoying sound broke into his ears, and he bounced off his bed like a corpse. Hearing that the girl had no intention of letting him rest, he got up and opened the door. The essence of being human is perseverance. Although she was technically not human, she still retained this human trait. Finally, after continuous pestering, the door to the main hall squeaked open. Stranger, return to bed, or something bad will happen. Oh, alright, she grumbled, turning around to leave. He watched as she returned to the hut and shook his head,ying back on his coffin-like bed. Its better that these strangers avoid finding out the secrets of this vige. Curiosity killed the cat, but He would never expect that this was just the beginning. Half an hourter, her voice sounded outside the door again. Hey! I know you have some kind of back pain, and I know a way to relieve it! Open up! Stranger! Return to your hut and keep quiet! If something bad happens, this old man will not be responsible. Pssh, whatever. Hey! Im hungry! Do you suffer? She whispered outside the door instead of yelling. Hello? she continued. No! He yelled out of bed. Go back to your hut! Man Hey, um This might sound crazy, but its so dark inside the hut, and I can feel weird things crawling on me. The old man grumbled in his coffin. A stranger is afraid of the dark in this foreign ce? Unbelievable. He decided to ignore her. Hey, are there fish inside those tanks? I brought some fish food from outside. The old man couldnt handle it anymore, and he sprung up from bed and opened the door, pointing at her, Shut up! What are you trying to do? Oh Are you angry at me? Im just scared. If Im bothering you, Ill head back inside. The old man scoffed. He guessed that she was going to awaken the things inside the water tank and then try to explore the secrets behind this vige and lose her life. Since she wanted to know so badly, maybe there was no harm in telling her, considering that she was not leaving here alive. The old man opened the door, weing Yibei in. He couldnt refuse a dying person, anyway. The air in the temple was turbid, and a strange smell entered her nose. The tiles on the roof were rotten, and there were no windows. The air was cold, as if they were in a cave, and the surroundings were pitch-ck until the old man illuminated a scarletntern before her. Under its light, this ruined temple soon revealed itself in front of her. The structural style of this temple seemed to deviate from traditional constructionpirs and beams and mounds of mud. This temple was like a closed box. On the grey wall, it depicted a dark mountain forest and its ck river. There were strange shadows that wore armour, holding their sacrificial utensils high up in the air as they squirmed along the way. The god enshrined in the temple was arge snake, and its green eyes shimmered with light. It was strangely realistic, from its scales to its delicate fangs, which contrasted with the dpidated temple. This is not something the people here could ever manufacture, so it muste from somewhere else. Tell me, what do you want to know? The old man asked. We have all night to talk, Yibei smiled, and for once in his life, the old man felt fear. Chapter 200: Would You Believe Me If I Told You I Was a God? Chapter 200: Would You Believe Me If I Told You I Was a God? The Witch began to spew garbage out of her mouth for hours on end, making sure to keep her terrifying knife against his neck as she began speaking things he had never heard before. This vige is ancient. At the time, a group of soldiers were ordered by the king to take a hundred boys and girls into the mountains to appease the gods. Get to the point, she urged, pressing the knife into his throat. Uh, once they found the god They were bestowed with ancient knowledge, correct? Well They found that the god was dying, so So they got greedy and imprisoned the god. Next. They used the mountains and rivers to imprison it, but they themselves were imprisoned as the god cursed them. Already knew this, next. How do you know so much? The old man was doubtful.You know so much, and yet youre still alive? If I told you I was a god, would you believe me? ncing at the seemingly ordinary girl, if it werent for her knife, he wouldnt have thought twice about her. Surely, this cannot be a god. Yibei became impatient. Jumeng had already told her everything she needed to know. We wont get anywhere with this arrangement. Now, let me ask, and you will answer. How did you be a priest, and what did you do? Well There are strict conditions for bing a priestonly vigers who have had no physical deformities since birth and suffer from no mental problems. This may seem simple, but this vige suffered from curses and vigorous incest, so things like these were considered miracles. Almost every newborn was deformed and held the characteristics of a snake. Strictly speaking, there are no normal people in our vige anymore. borate. The old man wordlessly took off his clothes, only for the girl to yell back, Hey! Why are you taking off your clothes? Are you taking advantage of me because Im a girl? Ive already seen everything I needed to see before! He has been to a bathhouse before, and he has seen everything he has needed to see. Quite literally. Youngdy, look at me. Nope! Look. Peeking through her fingers, her pupils shrank slightly. The old mans frail body was covered with threads of fabric. With every single breath, something shone within his body. What happened to you? This is what happens to normal people. He lowered his head as he spoke. As soon as a normal newborn is born, they have no chance to spend time with their mother since the Old Lady wille and pay them a visit. The Old Lady will take them to the ancestral hall and put them in the cer under the hall. The cer was strangelyrge, connected to countless tunnels, and even looked upside down. It had narrow passages that extended in all directions, and they were twisted because they were steep. The only way you could navigate the cave systems was by crawling like a snake. The babies are fragile, and if they were to remain in this cer, the chances of survival would be extremely low. The majority of them die, and the cer is filled with tiny skeletons. If one is lucky enough to survive, the Old Lady will return them to their families, but the nightmare that apanies them has just begun. Who is this Old Lady you keep talking about? Well, she originally was the bride who was sacrificed to the gods. Our ancestors tried to appease our god and sent him brides for many years. However, those bridges will return as Old Ladies, and they all lived in the ancestral hall. Well, that seems unfair. Did they even obtain consent from either party? As she thought of it, the old man continued the story. The babies who survived will have a lot of knowledge in their minds that a baby should never possessknowledge of mysterious, ancient texts that tell of obscure knowledge no longer existing in the outside world. Once thises to their conscious mind, they will begin to have nightmares every night, being thrown into the dark cer as they crawl deeper and deeper into the darkness. There were many filthy creatures that could not be seen, crawling endlessly in the dark maze. Soon, the figures will be clearer, revealing strange faces covered in sphemous scales and whispers manic enough to drive one crazy. Whispers? Maybe its god trying tomunicate with them. Or talking snakes, like in Harry Potter! Sorry, you probably dont know what Harry Potter is. After a short silence, Yibei asked, Do you know what the whispers were saying? N-no. You dont want to hear it. I cant speak it in humannguage. Just say it. Hearing this, the old man stared straight into her body, and he opened his mouth, revealing a mouth full of sharp, yellow teeth and a forked tongue. The tongue slithered across his mouth, whispering an unknownnguage from the depths of his throat. And Yibei miraculously understood everything. A serpent god from a distant ne is trying to fade away its cursed, immortal soul. Normal humans cannot live a normal life, while the queer ones live a normal life, she whispered. H-how did you understand that? How is that possible? I told you. Im a god. T/N: Weve reached the 200th chapter! Id like to thank all the readers who have stuck with me on this novel up to this point Chapter 201: Taking the Sacrifice Chapter 201: Taking the Sacrifice I told you. Im a god, she said, raising her eyebrows at the old man. As she finished speaking, she could feel her eyes heat up slightly, but not in an ufortable manner. It was warm and soft, like a hotpress on her head, which made her feel veryfortable. At the same time, she could feel something sparking in her heart, like a fire that gradually became bigger over time. Dont joke about that, the old man chuckled. How could you be a god? The old man immediately swallowed his chuckles upon seeing a sh of light reflected against her kitchen knife. His chuckles, however, were like water, dousing the fire brewing within her, and she was freed from that warm feeling that seemed to envelop her. If that doesnt prove Im a god, then I dont know what will. Even Jumeng did less to convince me! Who cares if you dont believe me? She pouted, shing her kitchen knife in the air. Now, more questions. Do you know what happens when you hear the whispers, like bing a priest of this temple? Are there others like you? If it really is that easy to be one, then I live in an eternal nightmare, he said cryptically. As he spoke, his voice started to shake, and his body began to shake violently as cold sweat dripped out of his forehead. His eyes darted left and right, and a few sybles of the forbiddennguage leaked out of his tongue from time to time. Under his skin, the flickers of a scarletntern shed intermittently. It was as if he were hiding among the shadows, grabbing at him and squeezing everyst drop of blood left in him. His senseless babbles soon became coherent, and even though Yibei didnt recognise thenguage, she understood every single word. Priests asionally hallucinate even during the day after listening to the whispers. Some hallucinate twisted shadows that crawl in dark corners; some deserted viges; some strange figures walking with bloodiednterns; some a giant figure that looms beyond the endless mountains. They knew something would bear itself in their bodies, and that thing would be born and devour their bodies from the inside as they wed their way out. They lost weight day by day, and one day, their bodies would be torn open by the scarletnterns as they wither away silently. Only a few people managed to maintain their sanity and not sumb to thenterns light, and they were lucky enough to be priests who lived in the ancestral hall. Their job? Simple. Remain in a half-awake state,mune with the gods, and grasp forbidden knowledge that is tooplex for the human brain. Hearing this, she suddenly thought of an exactly familiar scene that often urred in her state of sleep. In a half-awake state? Yes, he said, regaining control as he peeked at her. In dreams, wemune with the gods, and when we wake up, we obtain the knowledge they share with us. Some learn more, some less, and everything they share with us is different. This is exactly how it is with Sixian, but instead of me teaching her, shes teaching me A small fraction of the priests are lucky enough to be chosen to be spat out to the outside world, with the duty of bringing food back into this unfinished world. The other priests will leave the ancestral hall in early spring andte autumn to rally the vigers to perform sacrificial ceremonies. The sacrificial ceremony is meant to awaken the corpse of the serpent godthe corpse of a timeless, mythical monster. It should have disgusted the vigers, but it smelled as sweet as honey. You sacrifice urban legends? Yibei widened her eyes as the old man continued the babble. I thought they were your food, not Yibei was worried. She knows very well the side effects of swallowing the core of an urban legend. Plus, the Night Division Records state that in the event of overconsumption, even powerful myths will be affected by the memories and powers contained within the urban legends core. And for how many years have bamboo scrolls existed? A thousand? Two thousand? Maybe longer! And if the vigers were feeding their god with urban legends, wouldnt it have gonepletely nuts? This relevance made her shake a little. She considered that, if it had a little sanity left, it might be able to bemunicated with. However, it must have gone insane by now, and it might attack her as soon as it reveals itself to her. They are indeed our main source of food, the old man crooked his head up. But only the dead ones. We save the living, squirming ones for our god. In the fifth year our ancestors imprisoned the god, we suffered a famine. In the tenth, we ate all the remaining livestock, he continued. In the thirteenth, there was only a jar of pickles left in all seven viges, and it triggered a war. As he spoke, the corners of his mouth turned up in a strange arc, like a snake that was smiling. And we had an abundance of food once again. Cannibalism. Lu Yibeis stomach didnt feel well. There were only three or four viges left in this world, to her knowledge. They are your main source of food, but what are the other sources? He was silent as his gazended on the door. However, his eyes seemed to look through the door and at the water tanks in the courtyard. The water tanks? Children. Too deformed to bother saving. Jesus Christ, do the people here eat anything?She thought, once again feeling a nauseous chill run down her back.Both the gods and the vigers are crazy! Your customs are interesting. Had I known this, I wouldve brought some enoki mushrooms and taught you how to cultivate them. Its so small, but even a handful of enoki mushrooms feeds me for an entire week! The old man immediately broke out of his daze and asked, Enoki mushrooms? What is that? Forget it. Its disgusting. It tastes bad. You dont want to know. Better not give them false hope. I dont know if Iming back here. Last question, you said you learnt a lot of knowledge in your dreams mind sharing? The old mans body violently trembled as he backed away from her, screaming towards the ceiling. No! No! I didnt tell her anything. I didnt! His screams were human, but they seemed to distort with an unconceble malice in his tongue. He shrunk himself into a ball as he started tough and cry to himself, babbling to himself. And her eyes began to burn intensely. Her vision blurred, and through the blur, she saw figures towering over them, like an endless, ck waterfall that surged violently beyond the limitless mountains. Countless soldiers held scarletnterns, crawling all over its body like ants, stabbing at it. ck ck ck Yibei snapped herself out of her daze, and the old many limply on the ground. Large bruises covered his body as if a python had just squeezed him dry. Somebodysing, she whispered to the old man. Its the Old Ladies. Theyre here for the sacrifice. Chapter 202: Aren’t You Going to Attend the Ceremony? Chapter 202: Arent You Going to Attend the Ceremony? ck ck ck The footsteps grew louder as they stopped outside the door, and the knocking began. Knock knock Perhaps it was because nobody came to answer the door, but the knocking grew faster and harder, which made Yibei incredibly tense. A sacrifice? You mean those things in the tanks? She whipped out her kitchen knife, pressed it against the old mans neck, and said, Wait, I thought you said all sacrifices came from the outside, so why are theying here? She found that she became skilled at threatening others with her knife. She pressed her knife just enough to cause the old man pain but not enough to draw blood. Committing arson, bing a spy, learning spells in secret Im nothing but a criminal now. The old man held panic in his face and weakly said, There havent been enough sacrifices recently, so we can only use people from the vige, and since nobody wants to die He didnt continue, but she clearly knew what he meant. Those deformed babies will die in ce of the vigers. Hurry up and deal with the Old Ladies, or I might just kill you. She had no idea what the Old Ladies were capable of or how strong they were in terms of psychic powers. If it wasnt necessary, she didnt want to have a conflict with them. But By the light of the scarletntern within him, she could notice that his posture whilst moving was strange. His body was limp as he tried crawling on the ground like a snake. Oh my god. Cant you move? My bones are broken, he croaked out. This is my punishment for telling you the secrets of the vige. Then what should we do? she panicked. You cant let her continue knocking like this! Shes going to kick the door down! Youre right so The old man hesitated. You. You go out and greet her. Me? Hah, she drylyughed as she pressed the knife further into his neck. Do you think Im fucking dumb? Do you want me to tie a ribbon around myself as they burn me at the stake? No, no, I didnt mean that, never, the old man shook. Let me exin: as long as you can speak thenguage of the serpent, there shouldnt be a problem The Old Ladies think everybody is equal in the vige, as servants to our god. Really? How could I lie to you? If I neglect my duties, I will suffer too. I dont have the privilege of lying. She slid the kitchen knife back into her pocket and stood up. Jacket? Can you turn into a set of clothes fit for a vige girl? She whispered to her jacket. You have to y the full part. Plus, its hard to tell whether or not the old man was lying. It might as well be safer than sorry. Her jacket turned up and rubbed against her face. Then, after a tangle of fabric, it turned into a set of dusty, coarse clothes. She felt a chill on her lower parts and found that her snow-white thighs were exposed under her loose clothes. Where the hell did my pants go? (c)The Witch is demanding! The jacket squirmed again, causing the clothes to extend slightly, turning the clothes into a coarse dress. It started to rain suddenly. The courtyard was misty with the rains arrival, plopping against the water tanks as irregr ripples appeared on the surface. Strange figures revealed themselves past the surface. Staring at the wooden door, although she couldnt see what was happening outside, her eyes were burning slightly. The intensity of the pain was slightly greater than when she met the headless girl, but not to the point where she encountered the sandbag puppets at Shihekou High School. After a mental calction, she estimated that she would be able to beat whatever it was head-on in a battle. Kitchen knives, charms, and spells Plus, if it didnt work, she also learnt a spell from her father. I dont know if itll work, but he looked cool as hell doing it! Grasping her kitchen knife, she opened thetch to the main door and pulled hard. Squeak! Standing outside the door were three women of almost identical stature, wearing red wedding dresses. On their lifeless faces, a piece of red cloth obscured their eyes. Thenterns they held shone with an eerie light, dyeing the courtyard a dark red. She soon realised that her method of judging her enemys strength based on her eyes was wed; her eyes fell upon the Old Ladies, and she soon discovered that something obscured itself behind them, something messy and dark. The lines were like a den of snakes that tangled and intertwined with one another, causing one to feel impending feelings of doom. And at that very moment, she knew the mythical monster behind these Old Ladies had already gone insane. Fortunately, it didnt seem hostile to her yet. I cant tell, though. Even though the Night Division trained me, and with my own experiences, I cant tell if its going to pounce on me. Should I just let it rip? Just as she was contemting sting the Old Ladies down with the spells she learnt from her father, they opened their mouths, hissing with anguage she understood very well. We are here for the sacrifices. She secretly breathed a sigh of relief. The old man didnt lie to her. She bowed and made a respectful gesture, Please. Follow me. She randomly picked a water tank and walked towards it, standing in front of it. Crap. I forgot to ask him how to get this thing out of the tank. Staring at the water tank, she felt a chill behind her, and she could see that the Old Ladies were waiting quietly for her. Although their eyes were veiled, she could feel their gaze on her studying her. She gritted her teeth and bit the bullet, plunging her hand into the tank. The water immediately overflowed and sshed out onto the ground with a soft ssh. And goosebumps immediately broke out all over her body. The water seemed clean, but it was more slippery than the water she knew. It felt viscous and sticky on her face. She suppressed her nausea and leaned forward, putting her entire arm into the tank. Her arms stirred around for a while, and her fingers met with something. She grasped it with great joy and lifted it up, fishing it out of the tank. True enough. A deformed baby with blue skin and a bulging abdomen. Its deformed head curled up, and it wrapped its legs around Yibeis arm like a baby would to its mother, only to open up its mouth full of sharp, jagged teeth to bite on her arm. However, before it could do so, its body twitched, and it burst into wails. Wah! Wah! Its piercing cry was like a monsters roar to her ears, and she could only cover one ear as she handed the strange baby to the Old Ladies. The Old Ladies tilted their heads curiously as if wondering why the baby was not biting this petite girl before them. They continued to stare as the baby continued to wail, and before she could break the silence, the Old Ladies nodded and took the baby from her arms. She breathed a sigh of relief and went to the next water tank. After her first experience, she felt that it wasnt as bad as she thought. In the blink of an eye, she had already gone through half the tanks in the yard. However, it was because the Old Ladies didnt find the babies satisfactory. It was not until they reached the eighteenth tank that the final Old Lady took the baby into her arms. We are done, they said in unison. Phew, take your time! she said, shaking the viscous water from her arms. I wont walk you to the door. They turned to leave, only to turn back towards her and stare at her, revealing waves of malice beyond their veils. What the hell? Did I say anything wrong? What the fuck is wrong with all of you? Arent you going to attend the ceremony? They said it in unison. Chapter 203: Coincidence Chapter 203: Coincidence She could feel the strong maliceced within their words. They know Im not a viger. They know Im not from here. The soft rainfall seemed to gradually turn violent, and the surrounding temperature dropped rapidly. With each breath she exhaled, she was visibly cold. The snake-like tendrils behind the Old Ladies began to move as the rain poured; the Old Ladies drifted closer and closer, surrounding her and observing her. Their pale and thin faces almost touched her own. And she could smell the stench emanating from them. It was terrifyingly cold and strangely quiet. Yibei didnt dare to move a single inch. Something seemed to itch at the back of her mindsomething dirty, uncleanwas awakening beyond the endless mountains, approaching this vige with its evil aura. Hurry up! What do I do? Do I fight? I can feel it. Somethingsing! She was frozen, but she knew that if she did nothing, she might herald her own death. At that moment, the old mans words suddenly shed in her mind. Were all equal in their eyes. We are servants to the gods. Aha, she forced out. H-how could Inotgo to the ceremony? Celebrating our god, the beacon of this turbulent world, swimming in the rivers and our endless sky, our shakable foundation of stability She turned around and gestured, As a humble vige girl, if I participate in the ceremony without dressing up, it would definitely be sphemy; I shall put on my ancestral dress and rush to the ceremony! She was secretly grateful that she was the type of person who couldnt keep their mouth shut. For a moment, she herself believed in the lies that she told the Old Ladies. The Old Ladies were silent, and she narrowed her eyes slightly, waiting for their response. Did I fool them? I hope I did. Otherwise, I might not be able to escape from that thing. One things for sure: she could see that the mountains and the forest far away had been swallowed up in the darkness. Something gargantuan was making its way over, devouring everything it could. Could it be the serpent god? Even though it was a dead god, it still harboured great power. Immediately, a cold power rose within her heart, forcing her heart to thump out erratically and freezing her. She tried her best to breathe, but she couldnt help but feel suffocated. The Egg!she trembled.Its stirring its hatching! The Egg seemed to hatch with the presence of the god approaching. It trembled, it quivered, and it longed. Affected by the Egg, she could feel her emotions bing violent with bloodlust, and thousands of strange whispers tickled her ear. ept her ept her ept her No! Her heart felt as if it had been pierced by countless knives, punishing her thoughts. Ack! The pain forced her to her knees, and then There was nothing. The darkness beyond the vige receded like a tide, and so did the terrifying presence approaching them. The Old Ladies retreated as they bowed: You are an excellent candidate to be a priest. We hope to see you at the ceremony. The Old Ladies drifted out of the courtyard with the deformed babies. Take your time! She croaked out, waving them goodbye. Now what? Why did they say I was a good candidate to be a priest? All I wanted to do was steal knowledge for myself, but She copsed to the ground andy on it, looking at the sky nkly with open lips as she breathed in the cold air. If I had let the Egg take over, I wouldve killed them all, but I couldve lost myself. She covered her face with her hands and cursed, Damn it. Im still too weak. She felt that she needed to be stronger and master the power in her body faster. Sensing her downturn, the jacket slightly squirmed as if trying tofort her. The hem of her skirt lifted up and patted Yibeis face. ()You got this, O Great Witch! The Witch smiled at this gesture but immediately frowned. You see, I appreciate the gesture, but Get back down! What if somebody sees this? After letting the rain baptise her, she slowly got up from the ground. The moment she stood up, the jacket shook violently, as if it were a wet puppy, shaking off all the rainwater on its fabric. Stroking the jacket, she looked towards the main hall of the temple and walked towards it. At some point, the scarletnterns within the hall had been extinguished, but thentern within the old mans body still shone dimly. You a voice croaked out in the darkness. What are you? Youre an outsider; how could you believe in our god? Your god is very powerful, she agreed. And I am very good at clinging onto somebodys thigh and kissing their feet. When the old man saw her deceiving the Old Ladies, the long-dormant hope in his heart was ignited; however, as soon as she opened her mouth, it was doused immediately. Im not losing anything anyway, she muttered. Im only pretending to believe to save my life. As soon as I stop believing, Im stabbing that thing in the back! The old man shuddered for a moment. How could a girl have this much audacity? To lie to their god and even spheme it? Despicable foreigners! Youngdy, the old man said. If you sneak into the ceremony and find any normal babies, please take them away from here. Uh, no way, she replied. That sounds dangerous. You do it yourself. I tried, he smiled. I really did, but I failed. Thats why I lost my qualifications as a priest, and I had to beg to retain my life. Then why are you asking me about this? She muttered in the darkness. Arent you the priest of the serpent god? You should be asking me to do the opposite. Indeed, but he paused. The wrongdoers have been lynched and killed long ago, but the vigers still live with their sin in their blood. Maybe they deserve retribution, maybe they dont, but a baby? If our god truly is merciful, perhaps it would let a single baby go. It was silent for a moment as she let his words simmer in her brain, and she spat, Damn it, youre right, but why should I help you? How can I do something that you failed at? Im going to be honest with you; Im not actually a god. Oh, but you are, the old man forced out, feeling his broken bones shing against each other. The vige secret, it The Witch suddenly felt herself bing invigorated as soon as the old man told her that she was a god, but Before he could finish, his body straightened up like a nk as his abdomen bulged violently, and there seemed to be something gnawing away at his body under his skin. Thenternsing out! I have to She hurriedly took out her knife and was about to sh, but the old man let out a final cry: It- it doesnt want to be set free. Go! Before its toote! The ominous red light was forcing its way out of his body, and blood began to choke out of his mouth. K-kill me! Itsing! The light from his body was getting more and more evil, and she gritted her teeth, raised her knife with both hands and stabbed him in the abdomen. And just like that, she killed her first true believer in less than three minutes. Gu Qianqian followed the aroma of stew near the vige, but before she entered the vige, she bumped into a group of people dressed strangely. In pure ck robes, often seen in TV dramas, some donned crimson robes and held scarletnterns in their hands. Their necks were stretched as if they were being hung, performing some kind of sacrificial ceremony. There were about twenty people, with four people carrying red wooden boxes made of unknown materials. The presumed leaders yed musical instruments; from an outside perspective, it seemed festive. However, with a closer look, their expressions were heavy and fearful. Under the guidance of the system, she followed them furtively as they headed away from the vige. They walked through a small forest and stopped in front of a quaint river. It was dark and turbulent, and the sound of its surging tides could be heard from afar. She had been here before with the purpose of drinking, but after taking a single sip, she spat it out, finding that it had a fishy taste to it and burning her tongue. The vigers put down the box they were carrying and began to recite something over and over again, but Gu Qianqian couldnt hear a single thing they were saying. Creeping closer after their recitation, they opened the wooden box, and inside, she could see strange, deformed babies covered in strange runes. They took the babies out and threw them into the river one by one. They struggled for a moment before sinking into the darkness. System! What what are they doing? Are we just going to do nothing? She cried out in her mind. The metal bat was firm in her hand, and she was about to ughter all of the vigers before her. Gu Qianqian, dont make impulsive decisions. What are you talking about? I thought you said I was the protagonist! If I cant save even a few babies, then I am nothing! Gu Qianqian, calm down! Those babies are deformed monsters! There is no point in rescuing them! B-but They didnt even do anything wrong. Theyre just so small, without their mothers or fathers. The system was stunned for a moment. For some reason, Gu Qianqians words reminded it of the words that the Witch uttered long ago. And it didnt know whether or not the Witch had a tinge of kindness within its ever-evil heart. Gu Qianqian, who taught you this? Myself? she cried out again. This is basic empathy! System, give me my task now! Or I might I might Gu Qianqian? The system was fearful. If Gu Qianqian were to betray it right now I might ignore you for a couple of days! God damn it, Gu Qianqian. Suddenly, there was a series of soft thuds from the river. Turning around, they could see that the deformed babies were spat back ontond. Large pieces of their chest and abdomen were torn off, and the babies wailed in pain before they grew silent. When the vigers saw this, they were shocked, and all of them began to panic as they ran back to the vige. The sacrifices are contaminated! a viger yelled. Our god is angry. We are going to suffer! If the river festival fails, then the mountain festival will fail too! The vigers rushed past their hiding spot, and Gu Qianqian was still crying, burying her face in her arms. Hey? the system cooed. Gu Qianqian, I promise you, the next time we meet anormalbaby, or maybe a baby with a little peculiarity to it, I will give you some side quests toplete. How about that? The system had its reasons. If those deformed babies were saved, they would only harm others. Really? Yes, but you wont be able to receive great rewards since its a side quest. At most, I can give you the title of [Babysitter], so its your choice. Then, Ill do my best to save them, and system Yes? Finally, you are issuing meaningful missions. Is that so? Chapter 204: Banquet Chapter 204: Banquet The air was full of the stench of rotten blood, and Lu Yibei sat in the dark, ruined temple, casting a spell on the old mans unrecognisable corpse. He had almostpletely transformed into something terrifying had she not killed him. With a snap of her fingers, red mes rolled over his body, and zing fire rose up. Staring at the fire, she gathered all the information in her head. The mountain sacrifice should be the sacrificial ceremony next to that giant pit, so what is the river sacrifice that he mentioned? And he also said that god didnt want to be released, so why did he ask me for help when I first entered this realm? In her opinion, the old mans words seemed more credible. Before he died, he regarded Yibei as his god. Generally, a person would not lie to a god. The fire gradually burned out, and darkness rolled back into the temple. The Witch gathered his remaining ashes and wrapped them in a coarse cloth. Leaving the main hall, she carefully tied the cloth together and ced it in her guitar bag. He probably doesnt want to be buried in thisnd of despair. It was drizzling now, and a cold wind blew through the dpidated vige, disturbing thenterns hung by the low houses. The drizzle was like mercury on the skin, stinging with every drop. It was eerily cheerful and vastly different from the first time she came here. The sound of instruments could be heard deep in the vige. Doors were also pushed open, and the streets were livelyvigers with varying degrees of deformities, wearing snake-shaped masks, marching out of their homes. They were carrying scarletnterns, but no words were spoken between any of them. Their postures were weird, and they walked down the winding alleys, guided by the scarlet light. Arriving at the outskirts of the vige, she was shocked to see such a scene and ducked into a nearby, empty home. Jacket, she requested, poking her head out and observing the vigers. Can you make a mask like theirs? The jacket squirmed slightly, but nothing happened. It then squirmed excitedly as if it were trying to tell her something. Oh, its okay if you cant. *(*)*My Witch is the Best! The coarse cloth of her clothes grazed against her thighs, and she couldnt help but moan out slightly. At the same time, the door to the house she was hiding in was pushed open, and a one-armed man called out, Whos there? An idea was conjured in her brain, lifting up her coarse skirt. The deformed viger peered into the house with hisntern, and suddenly, he saw a pristine leg emerge from behind the wall, and he swallowed hard. No woman in his vige had such a pair of beautiful legs, and yet Before he coulde back to his senses, he saw yet another set of pristine hands emerge, beckoning him, Oh, youre home. Pleasee to me. The deformed viger swallowed hard, feeling all the heat in his head transfer to somewhere else. He couldnt care about stupid ceremonies anymore and ran towards the legs. However, as soon as he turned the corner The second before he lost consciousness, all he saw was a golden face with ring eyesing into his field of vision. ng! Looking at the unconscious viger, she shrugged: I guess no man can resist the temptation of a woman. No matter the realm, but She knelt down to him, took off his mask, and snatched hisntern from him. She stripped part of his clothes long enough to knead into a rope, tied him up, and threw him into the house. Im sorry, but I have to do this! When she mixed into the crowd of deformed vigers, she soon found herself in the centre of the vige. From a distance, she saw a long table had been ced in the open space in the centre of the vige, and ten people gathered behind the table, with the Old Ladies on the left and right. A group of priests stood quietly behind them, standing four by four and carrying dark wooden boxes. The vigers were like puppets, with their heads lowered. One of the many Old Ladies was strangely deformed. She, too, wore a gorgeous dress, but her face was not veiled like the others. Her body arched like a coiled snake, and her eyes were sickly gold, with vertical pupils full of malice. Her skin was like the scales of a snake, and it was hard to look away from her. Whats worse was that her face was strangely arched and curved like a snakes. Entering further into the centre, she passed a stall that looked like a noddle stall, and a tantalising aroma of meat prated her nose. ncing at the stall, however, she felt a spasm in her stomach. Under the stall, there was a tall priest chopping meat, and judging by its shape, it was clearly human. The priest was thin andnky. The pot was steaming, and he put the cut meat into the pot. The meat sizzled as it entered the pot, exuding an aroma of cooked meat and something undting within the dark waters of the turbid soup. A strong sense of nausea overcame her, and she forced herself to look away. I know its what they eat, but couldnt they have picked something more ethical? Just as she was thinking, a piercing sound could be heard, like a woman weeping in pain. She hurriedly looked around and noticed the priests haulingrge stone tes filled with cooked delicacies towards therge table. As soon as the te was ced on the table, they pounced to snatch as much food as they could, as if they didnt know the ingredients used to make it. Vaguely, Yibei could hear themmunicating with each other in the serpentnguage. Perfect the hallucinogenic in the soup. Its making me feel good. I feel angry I want to kill. It tastes different not a fresh corpse. Jesus Christ. The Old Ladiesmunicated in low voices. If she didnt know better, she wouldve thought she stumbled upon an avant-garde banquet. Soon, they finished their dishes. They stood up and opened their mouths as they roared out loud. Then, bursts of music could be heard. At its signal, the feasts celebrating the gifts the god bestowed on them truly began, and conversations burst between the vigers. This years food seems dark It should be fine, right? Those clothes of yours, are they passed down? Youve never seen me? I have been living in a ruined temple outside the vige, and Oh, I never really liked him anyway! I never knew his name to begin with. Standing among the vigers as the Old Ladies watched, she felt quite panicked and felt the need to blend in. Meanwhile, near the celebration, a figure sneakily blended into the crowd. System! When are we going to take action? Wait for my signal, clear! Strangely enough, the system felt uneasy. Chapter 205: A Mole! Chapter 205: A Mole! Most of the vigers seemed quite simple, judging from their conversations. Or maybe they went numb with despair and have given up onplex thoughts, like NPCs in an RPG. It took her less than ten minutes to converse happily with another viger, and she got all the information she needed as if she herself were a native viger. Turns out that the old man, Ze Mengrao, had a bad reputation in the vige. Whenever he was mentioned, the vigers would sneer in hatred. The same vigers remainplicit. If I hadnt burnt that old man to ashes, I wouldve lifted up his coffin and bludgeoned all of them. She soon learned a couple of swear words in their nativenguage, and the sound of musical instruments stopped for a moment. The deformed Old Lady stood up and whispered to the priests behind her before a cacophony of wails could be heard. The vigers suddenly became inexplicably excited as they cheered. It felt like sharks that smelled blood from a mile away. She looked around nkly, not sure what was going on, until she heard, Dinner is ready! The Old Ladies finished their meal, so now it was the vigers turn. With the sound of a bell, the vigers scrambled towards each stall near the centre. She merely watched as the vigers fought over food like wild beasts. Mixed into the crowd, even through their masks, she could feel the ferocity on their faces, as if their amiable selves were but a faade. Just as the old man said, everyone here is deformed in some way, and only newborn babies can be saved. But where are they? There werent any young vigers, or children, for that matter, and even the vigers were being hush-hush over it. All she could think of were the dark wooden boxes carried in by the priests, but There was no way to get close to those boxes, so she could only wait for an opportunity. The scene currently was like a zombie apocalypse movie, and vaguely, she could understand why the Night Division exists. All though they seem wildly inefficient, their existence has indeed prevented hellish scenes like these from happening in the outside world. And maybe, if I be an official member, I can try to change the world. For almost five minutes, she watched as the vigers devoured their food until the viger she talked with rubbed his belly and came to her side. Why havent you eaten?Did somebody steal your food? Tell me, and Ill deal with them! Her cousin triple removed waved his unusually thick arm and patted himself on the chest. Uh, no! Ill go eat right away. Wait! her cousin said. You dont have a bowl! Ill lend you mine. He thrust a bowl into her hands and looking into the bowl, it was stained with an unknown mucus. She smiled at him and reluctantly followed the crowd towards a stall. Gu Qianqian, saving the world is not about eating dinner. Im just taking a small bite! That thing is probably poisonous! the system warned. You are not a viger here! If you take a bite, I dont think I can call the ambnce from outside! Even just a sip of the soup? Meanwhile, a group of priests hurried from outside the vige and went straight to the Old Ladies. They knelt down and said something to them in a panic. Sacrifices contaminated The next moment, the deformed Old Lady stood up and let out a scream that deafened the ears. Lu Yibei felt that she waspletely pushed to the front by the surging crowd. The priest was like a chef from hell, looking at her with strange eyes. The priest eyed her up and down, and seeing that she had not handed her bowl over, he began to babble wordssimple, frightening, simplebut she could understand it very well. There is a mole! Stop the ceremony! In an instant, a filthy atmosphere spread to every crevice of the vige, and the sticky humidity spread through the crowd like a snake. Her hands trembled violently, and her head felt numb as she tried to figure out what went wrong. The music stopped, and the light of the scarletnterns illuminated the panicked faces of the vigers, and it was silent. The sky became gloomy, with faint thunder booming within the clouds, and heavy rain poured down in an instant, sticky and painful upon her skin. Under the cover of the rain, ck shadows flew out from the deformed Old Lady as they swam through the crowd. Thenterns began to flicker, and she felt a burning pain in her eyes. She could clearly see the ck shadows that swam every time the scarlet light shed on them. Vague human shadows with a head like a snake. Like hounds, they swam past each viger, only stopping to circle around a certain viger before flying to their next target. The vigers who were touched would immediately convulse and fall to the floor, their eyes staring nkly into the air. The temperature continued to drop, and she could hear whispers in her ears like insects pestering her. She deserves it. Not pious enough. In a ce like this, surrounded by imminent dangers, she couldnt me them. She would be fearful, too. She was still unable to calm down, and the words of praise in her mind were intermittent. Seeing the shadows approaching her, she gritted her teeth and opened her red lips, reciting a spell in a low voice. Golden pce; jade houses; iron walls With each word, she could feel that her psychic energy was being drained out, but the spell was like a greedy beast, delving deep into her body top up all the energy within her body. But why did my dad look fine when he cast it? Its unfair! She continued to chant as she felt herself losing consciousness. At this moment, a very familiar shout came from not far away, interrupting her chants. Dont get any closer! Or Ill smash your head in! Oh, Gu Qianqian. Unexpectedly, she appeared before she had the time to find her, but thankfully The shadowy figures stopped their pursuit, screaming as they rushed towards Gu Qianqian instead. Chapter 206: A Viscous, Evil Woman! Chapter 206: A Viscous, Evil Woman! As the shadows surged towards Gu Qianqian like a tide, a dazzling golden light shed from her body. Thunderous breathing, apanied by each rise and fall of her chest, came from her body. With the intense burning pain, Yibei saw the image of a huge arm emerging behind her, and its huge palm gently pressed against the back of her hand with its onyx-coloured skin. Golden lines outlined the shape of the arm as if they were blessing her with an otherworldly power. As the shadows started to pounce on her, she narrowed her eyes, clenched her metal bat with both hands and swung it forward. Home run! Apanied by a loud explosion, the shadows were instantly sted away into the rain clouds and disappeared. Her bright red scarf buzzed behind her with the wind, and Yibei breathed a sigh of relief. However, the sound of tes shattering could be heard, and watching the Old Ladies, Yibei narrowed her eyes. Should I really sit around and do nothing? She knew the Old Ladies had the power to conjure the power of their god, and she knew that they were the most powerful, humanoid existences in this vige. If they do anything, Gu Qianqian might be out of luck. The Old Ladies surrounded the deformed Old Lady, and they spoke in a rushed, hushed tone. The surrounding vigers scattered away from the skin, and each godly st of her metal bat roared against the wind, and the rain seemed to have no intention of stopping. All kinds of sounds crowded around Yibeis ear, making it impossible to hear what the Old Ladies were saying. Youve grown, Yibei. For once in your life, youre not running away. She brushed past the fleeing crowd, getting closer and closer to the table of the Old Ladies. All the ck shadows pursuing her were sted into the rain clouds, leaving ash behind that sputtered with faint movement. She shook the metal bat against the floor, looked towards the priests carrying the dark wooden boxes, and said, System, is it fine if Iplete my side quest now? The system slightly senses psychic energy radiating off the Old Ladies and the priests, as confirmed. Its confirmation gave Gu Qianqian great confidence, and she grinned, swinging her metal bat as she charged forward. At this moment, the Old Ladies retreated, but the deformed Old Lady stood forward as she stared Gu Qianqian down. Suddenly, she raised her head, stretching her hands into the sky as she let out a harsh hiss into the air. The eerie hists prated into Yibeis ears, and she could feel her mind emptying in an instant as she copsed to the floor, as if forgetting her motor functions. She could then hear a prayer being uttered in a strangenguage. O Serpent God, born in a distant ne, heed me. As she uttered her prayer, her scaly body began to squirm as if something were alive underneath her skin. Boom! Apanied by the sound of her body exploding, her snake-like head separated from her body, and her golden iris locked onto Gu Qianqian in a purple light, flying towards Gu Qianqian like an arc of lightning. Shes like a Duhan! The system sneered. Gu Qianqian, dont be afraid! Stand your ground! Gu Qianqian immediately cast a spell: A mountains might! Immediately, rock-like substances shielded her body with the breath of life; when the lightning hit her body, it crackled, and the impact left a ck mark on the shield. The electricity dispersed instantly, but Gu Qianqian waspletely fine. Well done, Gu Qianqian! The system thought that her fighting was almost instinctive and praised itself for making such great judgements about choosing a host. Gu Qianqian walked forward, approaching the other Old Ladies. However, a ray of light flickered on her shield from the dark mark. It was weak, barely visible, but it shed with an intense light, filling the vige with an evil aura. The next moment, purple-ck mes wed themselves out of her shield, and herplexion turned pale as numbness settled throughout her body, falling limply to the floor. The system didnt even know what had hit Gu Qianqian, and seeing that she was struggling to get up from the impact, it shouted in horror upon realising what the mark was doing. Gu Qianqian, stop using your psychic abilities immediately! She was using their gods corrupted blood on you! W-what are you talking about? She forced herself out, attempting to get up. Something unclean, it exined. It contaminates the runic structures of high-level urban legends and myths Gu Qianqian, were in big trouble. The mark wasnt strong enough to destroy Gu Qianqians abilities and corrupt her, but it would take at least an hour or two to dispel the curse ced on her. And if she had nothing to fight back, its no better than dying. Standing within the panicked crowd and witnessing Gu Qianqian fall to the floor, the Witch felt scared. W-what happened? Is she okay? Are those hags really that powerful? Several ck snakes pooled under Gu Qianqian, wrapping around her and dragging her to the front of the deformed Old Lady. Silence! With a loud roar, the fleeing vigers froze in ce and ceased their screams, and they all turned around to look at the Old Lady. Her golden slits nced over the vigers as her voice boomed across the vige: My innocent kin, this woman here is a sinner who desecrated our ceremony. She shall bear the punishment alone, and only after receiving her due punishment will the anger of our god subside. As soon as she spoke, the vigers roared with ferocity. Traitor! Kill her! The vigers didnt want to offend their god, cheering on. All of their pupils were bloodshot, staring at the girl before them being entangled by ck snakes. However, all she did was purse her lips as she fiddled with the metal bat in her hand. Looking at the chaotic scene, Yibeis breathing became shallow, and her tiny fists became red from her grip. Come on Do something, Yibei. Do something, anything! A trace of anger shed in her eyes, and she couldnt help but scream at the top of her lungs. Enough! Her voice boomed across the vige, and the vige fell into a deep silence. Gu Qianqian finally noticed Lu Yibeis presence, and she couldnt help but cheer in her heart, System! Look, its her! Shes going to help us! No, shes not! Surrounded by enemies, only for a bigger enemy to sneak into the crowd. There is no saving to be done. Why not? Gu Qianqian pouted. Shes technically an outsider; do you think the vigers will let her go? Shes here to save us for sure! Not necessarily! A Witch like her can infiltrate even the highest ranks of the Eclipse Society. A realm like this means nothing to her! She is nothing but a Deceiver and a World Ender! Keep your guard up! System? Yes? I dont think shes the type of person to do all that. The deformed Old Lady nced at the girl who had just interrupted her speech, and she muttered coldly in thenguage of the serpent, Is there anything wrong, little girl? Do you not think she should be punished for her sins? Well, yes! She gave it a thumbs up. Absolutely! Your decision is the wisest choice. Forgive me, Gu Qianqian. But I dont think her punishment is enough. Oh? The Old Lady narrowed her slits. Is that so? How do you n on punishing her? Yibei asked, feigning confidence. Execution. Skinning, livestock, hangingthe Old Ladies behind her whispered in unison. Thank God, Yibei thought.That makes my job easier. If thats the case, she said. Were letting her off easy! Id say we sacrifice her to our god and let it be the judge! As soon as she spoke, Gu Qianqian stared at the Witch with wide eyes, and the system couldnt help butugh dryly. Hah, what did I tell you, Gu Qianqian? What did I say? She is viscous and evil! I was right all along! System Yes? Why do you sound so excited when Im about to be executed? Chapter 207: Mountain Sacrifice Chapter 207: Mountain Sacrifice The Old Ladies got into a circle formation, surrounding the deformed one as they whispered amongst themselves. Most of them focused on how to deal with Gu Qianqian, and some praised Yibei for her idea. Her heart began to beat fast, and beads of sweat oozed from her palms. Ever since she encountered Miss Rabbit, she didnt know how many times she panicked. And yet, she was never as nervous as she is now. Last time, it was all on her, but this time, she may identally kill Gu Qianqian. A sacrifice, you say, the deformed Old Lady spoke, her slits studying Yibei closely. Yes, she spoke, raising her head in confidence. This is an outsiders conspiracy to desecrate our holy ceremony. Executing her may not be enough to appease gods anger, so indeed, she is the perfect sacrifice. Since she incurs its wrath, perhaps she shall meet it in person. The deformed Old Ladys eyes shed with a golden light several times. Gu Qianqian felt wronged and puffed up her cheeks, wanting to yell at the Witch. However, the moment she opened her mouth, the system stopped her. Be calm. What do you want me to do, then? Shes lying in my name. I never did anything wrong! What a surprise for a Witch to lie, the system sighed. But shes dying time for us, so maybe its our chance to escape. But Im pissed! Its never toote for a gentleman to take revenge. But Im not a man! As the Witch spoke, the Old Ladies fell into deep thought before nodding in unison. You make sense, little girl. Let us sacrifice her to the gods, and The Old Ladies gathered together and said, We hear that you may be the best candidate for bing a nun to serve our god. Then, you shall preside over this sacrifice, and when it is done, you will be a nun to the cause. Thank you, Yibei responded. Yes, my n is working! I can help Gu Qianqian escape somehow, and maybe I can get into contact with the serpent god, steal knowledge, and get out of here! Looking around, she expected to see the grateful faces of the vigers, but instead, all she saw was pity and contempt, as if sad that her fate was reduced to bing a nun. After the storm, the banquet celebration continued. The vigers continued topete for food, and the soup, exuding a peculiar smell, was mixed with meat. Everybody seemed to take their minds off Gu Qianqian, still within the ck snakes grasp. However, the vigers seem to avoid Yibei. Its hard to imagine how these deformed vigers would, ironically, avoid the most normal-looking person among them. However, she didnt care. She was used to being alone anyway. At the banquet, three Old Ladies brought a nuns robe to her. The Old Ladies looked exactly the same. After taking the robe, she took the opportunity to slip out of the celebration under the pretence of changing her clothes. She returned to the stone house she was hiding in and found the guitar bag that she had hidden inside. The robes worn by the nuns had a strange texture. Silky or made of tulle, but its smooth yet greasy on the skin. Now, Yibei understood why the jacket couldnt morph into their ceremonial clothes. It must be of unknown origin. The jacket seemed to touch the robe, and I swallowed it as it began to mimic its appearance. Additionally, it added ayer of velvet lining to the robe. She couldnt help but want to feed it more cores. After getting into the robe, she took out her knife and a drawstring bag filled with charms from her guitar bag and ced them close to her body. She didnt know who to trust anymore: the old man or the cry for help she heard when she entered the realm. Anyway, she had already nned on killing the serpent god if the opportunity arose. Before leaving, she also checked on the deformed man that she knocked unconscious with the statue and smiled upon seeing him still lying limply by the wall. She ced the statue gingerly on top of his family jewels and left the house back into the celebration. When she returned, the banquet wasing to an end, and a group of priests had gathered at the edges of the space. A sharp wail could be heard. ng! A gong sounded, and the deformed olddy nced at Yibei coldly before turning around and leading the priests towards the dark mountains and rivers. The vigers carriednterns and followed numbly behind like sheep. Seeing this, she hurriedly merged with the priests, and they left the vige into the torn, fragmented mountains. The storm returned suddenly, and the sky somehow became darker than ever before. Under the dim moonlight, the huge maze surrounded by trees seems to be connected to an ancient mystery. The atmosphere was currently depressing, and vaguely, she heard hoarse whispersing from Gu Qianqian, being dragged along by the snakes at her feet. Clearing progress 73%, 73.5% Shh! Youre going to expose me, Gu Qianqian! 74.6% Yibei wanted to convey her n to Gu Qianqian, but whenever she wanted to get closer to her, the snakes wrapped around her legs would hiss at her. After her third attempt, she stopped to avoid raising suspicion. The stone road was now covered with a thickyer of moss, and Yibei had an eerie sense of recognition. This was where I wasst time. Were going to the pit, arent we? Plus, the Egg within her began to stir. Its cold breath rippled through her body, causing her body to tremble. What is causing me to feel like this? I I feel weird. Soon, the dense fog in the forest cleared away, and sure enough, they came to the evil pit that seemed like an ancient beast with its maw open. As soon as they arrived, the priests and the vigers spread out along the pits rugged and steep edge. Following them, she discovered the jagged trail thest time she came here, not far away, and peering into the sinkhole, she felt a tingle in her heart. Its too deep. Thenterns swayed with the light wind, and everybody began to pray as they hovered by the pit. Their unexined whispersmigrate together in a cacophonous prayer. She had no idea what any of them were saying, so she could only observe Gu Qianqian while attempting to blend in with the vigers. Kuntukutakatkautsuvasson Mia Morasuna, Dany Sheli Hong I feel like a viger right now. I thought priests and nuns had special privileges. To answer her, a figure appeared behind her ominously. Just before a pair of pale hands were about to push her, she instinctively swerved to the side and saw a figure in red rushing by before twisting unnaturally to look at her. Its the deformed Old Lady! O-oh, hey, uh, what am I supposed to do? She didnt respond to Yibei, but her scales began to swell violently, and her neck was engorged; her clothes were torn as she began to grow and grow, turning into a giant, ck snake with limbs overlooking the entire pit. It is your duty to preside over the ceremony, escorting the sacrifices to the ancestral hall. Are you disobeying the sanctity of the ceremony by avoiding your duties? A dizzying fragrance entered her nostrils, and soon, she realised the predicament she was in. No matter how you look at it, it was an attempt to kill her! The Old Lady implied that the ancestral hall was at the bottom of the sinkhole. Why didnt that old man tell me? A frightening scream sounded in her ears, and she could see the giant serpent tossing Gu Qianqian into the sky, and her body was suspended over the pit. The priests pushed their wooden boxes into the pit, letting them slide down its crevices into the darkness. In a brief moment of confusion, the snake pounced on Yibei with its fangs and ws, and its sharp fingers and wsunched waves of ck smoke towards her. Yibei instantly unsheathed her kitchen knife and swung it towards the evil ws. Stabbing it relentlessly, she silently recited her spell to conjure a pir of fire. The psychic energy around her became restless, and she shot out several fireballs from her fingertips, urately hitting the snakes body as it crackled upon impact. The snake roared as it lost its stability, but Yibei knew her job wasnt done. Narrowing her eyes, she leapt onto a rock and leapt off it, shing her kitchen knife down on the snake. At that moment, she felt the wind and the rain on her face, and her red hair sparked with bloodlust. Gu Qianqian felt herself being suspended over the sinkhole, but she could feel herself being lowered little by little. Roar! The system briefly stopped the process of clearing the curse out of her body and nced in the direction of the roar, Gu Qianqian, l- What is it? Forget it 92.1% After seeing the Witchs bloodlust with its own eyes, the system was in awe but kept silent so as not to damage Gu Qianqians ego. Even if she wasnt relying on the power within her body, she would be a terrifying menace once she did. If Gu Qianqian knew that her destined enemy was more ruthless and talented, as well as proficient in tinkering with spells and alchemy As the system was thinking, thunderstruck. Arcs of electricity danced in the clouds, and a huge sense of oppression came over the pit. A shadow, deeper in ck than the shadow within the pit, crept past and rose into the sky in an instant. The shadow shimmered strangely as its sphemous limbs sent out maddening screams in all directions, intending to devour all that there was. Gu Qianqian! Before she knew it, a dark limb dragged her deep into the sinkhole. By the edge of the sinkhole, relying on her kitchen knife, Yibei was in a fierce battle with the giant snake. The battle was in an endless back-and-forth, but she never expected that the snake would call upon its god to aid it. When an intense burning pain came from her eyes, her vision blurred as her body stagnated. The snake quickly took the opportunity and swept its tail across her feet. She soared into the sky, and a dark tail wrapped around her ankles, sending waves of chilling cold into her soul. She waved her arms wildly and stabbed wherever she could, feeling cold blood spraying on her face, and the terrifying scream of the snake was heard. If Im dying, Im bringing you down with me! The Witch yelled viciously, grasping her knife with both hands, and repeatedly stabbed the snake with her knife. They viscously fought as she tried to break free from the snakes tail, but the snake felt something pulling it into the pit, and even though its ws grasped onto the stone floor Apanied by the sound of rocks copsing, it fell into the abyss alongside the Witch in its grasp. Roar! It was as if the cries of thousands of wronged souls and the screams of countless snakes had gathered together. The terrifying wails of the snake sounded in her ears, and yet a strong sense of calm came over her as she spun endlessly in their fall. Soon, they could no longer see the pits opening, and the two fell into an eternal darkness. Chapter 208: Coach! Chapter 208: Coach! She didnt know how long she had been falling, and the strange colours within the darkness began to fade. She soon felt herself falling heavily on cold, hard ground, feeling as if her internal organs had been rearranged. Of course, my flight powers dont work here. How convenient. She grumbled as she sat up, groping her body to check whether she was injured or not and whether her equipment was still with her. Breathing a sight of relief, she stuck her ear out. Breathing, heartbeat, and the trickling sound of water in this endless darkness Looking around, she could see nothing but ck. She took several deep breaths, finding it hard that her vision was lost. Thest time she entered this realm, she could see the pit from a high altitudejagged, like a maw with sharp fangs. Fortunately, she wasnt sliced in half by any of the protruding rocks, which is a blessing in disguise. Thinking of this, she thought of Gu Qianqian. She didnt know if she had the same luck as her. She groped around in the darkness, found a ce to lean on, and sat down quietly. Instead, she waited for her eyes to adapt to the endless darkness. She remembered that the pit was filled with endless cave systems, and if she were to wander into one of them, it would be hard to tell if she would be able to navigate her way through. Plus, she didnt dare to conjure a pir of fire to illuminate the way. The sudden appearance of light may act as a beacon for terrifying beings to pounce on her. She breathed slowly in the dark once again. Time bes meaningless when you lose your sight. She sat quietly, and soon, her eyes adapted to the darkness despite barely being able to see anything. Further away, she could see a blurry outline and darkness. She felt uneasy despite her in-built night vision. Even the dark Shihekou High was clear as day to her. It seemed that a strange power was obstructing her vision. I need to do something. The longer I stay here, the more dangerous it is. She vaguely remembered that some snakes could sense heat, which meant that hunting in the dark was no problem. She didnt know if snake gods had the same properties, so it would only be a matter of time before something slithered up to her. Not to mention, her heart had been violently beating as if urging her to move forward. Guess the only way is to move forward.She cursed silently, holding onto the rocky walls with one hand, groping the darkness with another. She could feel something strange going on the ground, and it was slippery to step on. After walking for a while, she frowned as she could see a blurry outline ahead of her. She retrieved her knife and held it in her hands before secretly breathing a sigh of relief. It was a dark wooden box, presumably the one thrown overhead. Wait, shouldnt a box like this break into pieces from that height? And the sacrifices inside She crept closer, and sure enough, the smell of blood mixed with a faint stench came into her nostrils. Inside the box was a deformed baby with one eye and one leg, and ck scales seemed to cover its body. She couldnt help but feel bad for the baby. Born into the world, only to die shortly after. Just as she was about to close the wooden box, a sudden cold wind rushed past her. The next moment, a ck shadow shed in front of her eyes, followed by the sound of music and bones colliding. She looked into the wooden box once again, only to find that the deformed baby was now just a pile of white skeletons. Somethings nearby It just ate that baby. A horrified haze swept through her mind, and she hurriedly supported herself against the rock wall. Seeing vague outlines is the worst. In such an environment, she could sense something within the darkness, but without proper sight, it was hard to track them down. She concentrated on paying attention to the air around her, and she could feel the presence crawling and rustling within the darkness. A low hissing noise made it to her ears, like a snake, but more like a human imitating the sound of a snake. She cursed in her heart and took out a handful of charms from her bag, ready to throw. In the darkness, the intervals of hisses got closer and closer to her, and they sounded like they were both crying andughing. Click! A soft sound was in the darkness, like something kicking away rocks while moving quickly. Laying her eyes upon the scattered sounds, she could feel her eyes burning. There is one! Her eyes narrowed slightly, and without hesitation, she threw the charms in that direction. The charms drew an arc in the darkness, followed by a dazzling emerald light. With the help of the light, she saw a group of strange, deformed figures. They have a baby-sized body with swollen, rotten facesno eyes, nose, or mouthand only four ck holes in ce of them. Their bodies were covered in ck scales, and their lower half hadpletely transformed into snakes. There were many of them, but they were weak, fully subdued by a single swipe of charms. But some managed to escape its dazzling light, staying away from the shimmering emerald light with fear, yet they refused to leave. They circled around the light, but far enough not to be harmed by it as they scattered to the stone walls. They were crowded together, forming a dense mass like ants. What made her more uneasy was not the babies but something elseck and shiny substances grew on the ground, like asphalt. It seemed alive, stretching and contracting as they wriggled on the floor, and it looked seemingly like the shadows the Old Lady was able to summon. The emerald light began to dim as its power was drained, and she was plunged back into darkness. The babies began to crawl quickly, and waves of a fishy stench came over her. It was more disgusting than piles of trash and worse than anything she had ever encountered. Fear piloted her, throwing another set of charms into the darkness. The emerald light rose up again, and once again, they screamed as their bodies were licked by the light, and she took the time to think. They are obviously the babies from before but transformed into monsters. Are these the same babies? No, I have never read anything about them in the Night Division Records. They are like mutants. The emerald light began to flicker, and she threw more to keep the light alive. If it were a mutant, it would be a bit strange since mutants require a real body, but these babies are sacrifices. Could it be that the serpent god didnt actually devour its sacrifices? This revtion surprised her slightly. And if it didnt swallow any sacrifices, what was the point of the sacrifice? Something else mustve answered the vigers Belief is power.This is drilled into every Night Division members head. These vigers were worshipping a god that had long abandoned them, and through their bloodshed, they unknowingly created something bigger, something more sinister. A sound of footsteps could be heard in the distance. An earthy, yellow glow illuminated the surroundings, but Yibei was oblivious to it. Gu Qianqian. System? Are you sure that an ancestral hall is inside the pit? That doesnt make sense, and weve been walking for hours! How could I not know the way? I know things better than anyone! The system retreated into its thoughts. They could clearly feel the ancestral hall nearby, but it felt as if they were walking in circles. System, look! Looking at where she was pointing, it could be seen that the steep rock wall near them was covered with corpses, and from a distance, they could make out a petite girl who held charms, throwing them out from time to time as if she were feeding carp at the park. The system didnt know if the Witch was trying to tame the monster or trapped surrounded by the monsters. Forget it; just stay away from her. As long as she is involved, nothing good wille from it. Gu Qianqian, ignore her. Lets take a detour. But But what? Have you forgotten that she wanted to sacrifice you to the god? Oh, she responded, reluctantly ncing at the emerald light before walking away. ck! She identally kicked a wooden box, and its lid was opened from the impact. A thin, malnourished baby rolled out, and it struggled uneasily before crying out. Wah! Although its cry was weak, in a silent environment, it could be heard from anywhere, which attracted the deformed babies. S-system! Its a living,pletely normal baby! Gu Qianqian, watch out! She hurriedly looked backwards, and she could see a scarlet light in the darkness, hovering through her body andnding on the dying baby. The Witch was weighing out what was more cost-effective: constantly throwing charms to carve out a route or casting arge spell stolen from her father. Suddenly, she heard a baby crying and stopped. Immediately, she could see that the babies tormenting her retreated towards the cry of the baby, and their wails held resentment. Looking at the direction in which they were heading, she could see a faint, yellow light. Gu Qianqian? She was stunned for a moment and chased behind the babies. It was her instinct to rush forward to see her, but as soon as she saw her, she regretted it. At this moment, the curse within Gu Qianqians body had long been cleared away, and she crushed each approaching deformed baby with her metal bat as if she were whacking a mole. Under the golden, blessed light of the metal bat, the Witch could see blood stained upon it and a ck, shiny substance intertwining with the roots on the floor. As the blood fell on these roots, something seemed to squirm beneath, like the vessels of a living creature. In the dark cave around them, there were waves of heavy, muffled sounds, like a huge heart that pounded against its chest walls. The Witchs eyes began to burn with an intense pain, a pain that she had never felt before as she knelt on the ground. Bizarre images kept flying before her eyes, and strong, negative emotions ate away at her brain. The broken words murmured in her ears, but she couldnt understand anything, and yet, a strong desire to destroy overcame her. In the darkness, something stirred. It almost filled the entire cave with its ten-metre height, like mud. Its slimy surface rolled and surged, morphing into various creatures that Yibei recognised as if it were a twisted imitation of animals. Seeing such a nightmare forming before them, she had no time to warn Gu Qianqian or recite any spells, so she subconsciously shouted something out. Coach! And in the next moment, a dead silence fell between them. Chapter 209: Minimalistic Levelling Chapter 209: Minimalistic Levelling In the dark cave, a drop of filthy water fell, suspended in mid-air, before it touched the ground. Gu Qianqian stared at the droplet that reflected her bats light, and she touched it lightly, only to see that the water droplets scattered from her fingers push as if they were in a zero-G environment. The next moment, everything returned to normal, and the droplets fell quickly. The twisted monster in the darkness roared, and its powerful noise seemed to scream with the wails of countless tortured people. The cumtion of thousands of years of sin is rippling out in waves. Close by, the Witchs body was suspended in mid-air, and her eyes were tightly shut, as if she had fallen into a deep sleep. On her delicate face, ava-like liquid spread across her blood vessels, and her deep-red hair flowed despite theck of wind. The scorching heat and bloodlust spread out from her tiny body, sweeping through the cave like a tornado. The tiny, deformed babies were caught in between these two terrifying waves of energy and immediately scattered into the safe crevices of the darkness. S-system? Whats happening? Dont do anything stupid; just step back. It didnt know why the World Ender was trying to suppress the presence in the darkness with her own powers, but it knew that if Gu Qianqian were to intervene, it would be like a three-year-old prancing into a battlefield of warriors. Coach! As soon as her words fell and she opened her eyes, she could feel light and warmth on her face, and she found herself back on the rooftop of the tall building. The moonlight above framed the night sky. The stars were dim, shining their light upon the devastated earth. The fire rampaging through the city was extinguished at some point, leaving only scorch marks. It was lifeless, and something wasnt right. Her hair hung upside-down, and she soon realised that the world was quite literally turned upside down. Back here again? A mysterious voice rang in her ears, and she looked around, seeing a strange figure approaching her. She wore a long, ck dress intertwined with gorgeous redce. The low-cut design showcased her perfect figure, and with every step, her slender white legs would reveal themselves as her snow-white hair swayed gently behind her. Ta-da! she stepped, stopping right in front of Yibei. A literal goddess with an enchanting aura stood before her, and she was dangerously enchanting. She took off her high heels, threw them aside, andid down next to Yibei. Turning her face sideways to look at her, the tip of her nose was less than a finger away from her own, and her eyshes were like feathery fans. You see, this could feel romantic, but given the circumstances Who are you? And where is my, uh, trainer? Coach? The girl was stunned for a moment before smiling: You dont recognise me in this form, do you? W-wait, recognition shed in her eyes. Its y-you! I havent seen you in a few days, so why are you And why is your chest so big now? Are you taking hormones? The girl sneakily puffed out her chest and asked, Isnt my Witch form great? Do you want to touch it? Her eyes swept over the rather obscene ravine on her chest, and a strange feeling washed over heras if she were looking at her own reflection, even though she lookedpletely different from her. The girlughed, conjuring a box of cigarettes and a silver lighter in her hands and lighting them. Need a hit? No, thank you, and I dont like sharing saliva. Well, you called for me. Whats the issue? Yes! she suddenly remembered. We are in big trouble right now, so train me right now! With anything! The girl simply sighed as she inhaled her cigarette and said, I told you, you cant rely on dream training like this, you know. At least, it wont be able to help you forever, let alone Forget it, the girl stopped. Have you ever paid to level up in a video game? No, she said, gritting her teeth. Thats pay-to-win, and I dont like that. Its the same way here, the girl said, smiling. If you learn something powerful here, then use it in real life immediately; your body wont be able to handle it. Your body will slowly deteriorate without you realising it, and one day, you might just drop dead on the streets. You might just lose ten years off your life by doing this. Then, how many years do I have left? I need to see how many times I can use a trump card before dying. Now, how would I know that? Tsk, I thought somebody as powerful as you would know how many hairs are on my body. The girl sighed, patted Yibeis shoulder, and asked, Are you sure you want to take the risk? Uh, preferably not, but is there any other way? I guess, the girl thought. Its a more minimalist version, but itll take up fewer years of your lifespan! Okay What are the differences? No difference; it should help you win your battle regardless. She suddenly thought of Gu Qianqian facing the darkness alone and the baby in her arms. A look of determination shed in her eyes. I ept it. I need the power now. Oh, I already knew you were going to do so long ago, so its already pre-installed in your brain. Just start chanting, and it should work. Well, dont help me make decisions, even though I would choose this now. The girl flicked her cigarette away and looked at her with serious eyes: Lu Yibei, while we still have some time left, lets talk. Okay, what do you want to talk about? Politics, video games, that doujin of Bai Xiaohua Youre a pervert! the girl spat. Thats not what I meant by talk; I was going to tell you to work hard and be stronger! Master the power in your body, so you dont have toe back to me for help! I dont want to see you ever again! why? Because I have my own things to do, she smiled. One day, I might not be able to answer your call. As soon as her words fell, the surroundings shook violently, and a loud roar of a beast could be heard. The world tilted, shifting back to its upright position. Yibei couldnt maintain her bnce and slid towards the edge of the roof. The sky was cloudy, and the lead-coloured clouds condensed into a funnel shape as if something was about to fall into it. Come on! You son of a bitch! the girl yelled into the sky. Her eyes were like a golden sea, submerging the red in her pupils. A long katana that seemed to be made ofva appeared in her hand, and she leapt into the sky. With a single sh, the clouds seemed to be ignited into a fiery red, and dazzling light quickly shuttled through the clouds. Watching the girl fight the unknown enemy, she fell deep into her thoughts. Every time Ie to her, she seems to be fighting something. What is it? It seems dangerous. Will she She could feel her consciousness waver in the dreamscape, and she yelled at the girl, Hey, dont die! The girl sneered as her voice boomed across the sky: I will die on my own terms! Nothingnot even deathwille to im me! Dont be so confident like that! Sheined in her heart, and the surroundings morphed back into the deep, dark crevices of the cave. In the pit. Under the guidance of the system, Gu Qianqian ran through the endless cave until the Witchs figure was only a ck dot in her vision. Were far enough; lets rest here! the system instructed. We need to hide and watch carefully. This is a rare opportunity to pick up on her weaknesses. Got it! However, the sound of Yibei chanting a spell in a low voice echoed through the cave. Golden pce; jade house; iron walls Golden pces and jade houses; iron walls; dragon tails; phoenix wings Golden pces and jade houses; iron walls and a dragon tail; phoenix wings and a tortoiseshell; spread thy radiance, and grant me power. Listening to the three sessive chants, the system was frightened. Three spells at once? How did the World Ender get ess to the Night Divisions array of forbidden spells and incantations? Even if she devoured their Operators, she wouldnt be able to obtain this information! For a moment, the system felt as if the difficulty had risen from [Hell] to [No Survival]. Gu Qianqian You should go kiss her feet. System, what did you say? she said, cradling the baby. I wasnt paying attention. Forget it. The system flinched in fear. It wanted to trust Gu Qianqian, but Suddenly, countless white lights like stars lit up in the dark cave, and a sky-piercing roar echoed through the cave, like the roars of dragons and phoenixes. Thousands of rays of light like meteors scattered and flew in all directions, and the lights transformed themselves into legendary beasts that galloped around, filling this ce that had never seen light with a dazzling blessing. The twisted monster let out a horrified scream: To be stained with light is to have its body torn apart. The terrifying screams became high-pitched, and the sinful screams of cursed souls spread in the air, causing the cave to vibrate violently. Gu Qianqian, brace yourself! Wh- The cave began to shake as the cave system copsed upon them. Ferocious cracks spread on the ground, and suddenly, it was weightless within the cave. The ground seemed to open up, and in the chaos, the monsters body was torn in half. Half of it was devoured by the light, while the other half quickly retreated into the darkest parts of the pit. At the edge of the pit, the ceremony continued even after the Old Lady fell into the pit. Weird and eerie prayers hovered over the pit, and scarletnterns swayed in the wind. Roar! As if it were an illusion, they heard what sounded like the screams of a dragon before it was killed. Amidst the mournful screams, a pale light rose into the sky from the bottomless pit, staining the ever-grey sky with light as if it were a beacon signalling to the vigers that they could return to their homes. Perhaps it was because they were used to the darkness, but when they saw the sky turning bright, fear rose in their hearts. Soon, waves of foul-smelling smoke filled the air and exploded, spilling pus and blood all over the ground and staining the earth red. Gu Qianqian fell into the darkness again before she hit the ground. The white light soon reached her, but she could also see countless golden stars in her vision. It wasnt until it was all dark again that she regained her consciousness. She rubbed her painful joints and got up. As soon as she woke up, she heard the sound of soft footfallsing from a cave not far away. She supported herself on the walls and walked in the direction of the sound, and she could see the Witch with her head pressed against the stone wall, and she ran in ce as if there were no stone wall in front of her. System, do you think shes gone crazy? I-I dont know. Perhaps theres a more sinister reason? Like something hiding behind that stone wall. Really? Gu Qianqian replied. Why does it look like shes stuck in the wall trying to get out like an NPC? The system sighed. Does she really think that Witches are dumb AIs in a video game? However, the Witch fell to the ground face first, but she still continued to run. Maybe she is stuck. Chapter 210: All Hail the Copper Coin! Chapter 210: All Hail the Copper Coin! System, my head hurts a little. The system hurriedly ran its diagnostic checks and huffed out sarcastically. Oh, is that so? If only somebody told you to watch out and cover your head, but too bad, you didnt! I was just trying to protect the baby. Looking down, the system could see the baby being cradled in her arms. The baby waspletely oblivious to the situation, grabbing at her clothes with a pair of weak hands. For young people, raising a baby should be troublesome, but it was nothing to Gu Qianqian. With her proficiency in any task, taking care of any job is easy. And yes, being a babysitter is also one of her many odd jobs. If she had never encountered the system, she would be a hard-working, diligent, independent young woman. Gu Qianqian, you stay here and take care of the child. I will see whats happening with the World Ender. The system silently observed the Witch for a while and came to a decision. Gu Qianqian- Omigosh, look at you; youre so thin! You havent had enough to eat for a long time, did you? she cooed. Gu Qian- Tell you what? Ill buy some milk powder once we get out of here. No, maybe Ill raise a cow. No, I cant afford a cow. Maybe goats milk? Gu Qianqian! What are you being so loud for? Youre gonna scare the baby! We need toplete our mission! the system reminded. The Witch is vulnerable now; go, take your bat, m it down on her head, and the world is saved! But she hesitated. Are you sure its that easy? Gu Qianqian made sense. The Witch did cast three spells in quick session. System, I have a n. And what extraordinary ns can the great Gu Qianqian make? I think you should leave it to your system. Why dont we take her with us? What? Well use her as protection, and well throw her as bait if we encounter something like the monster just now! The system was shocked at what she was saying. Has Gu Qianqian finally matured? It didnt hate this development at all. [You have triggered a secret mission! Pick up the item (The Unusual Witch)! Reward: 500 points and an unknown alchemy potion] System, I came up with this n; I didnt mean to. Complete this task as soon as possible. There is a punishment if you dontplete it within the time limit. The system thought she would be ted toplete tasks, and it begged her to hurry up before the Witch turned back to normal. No matter what, she will feel hungry after casting three powerful spells in quick session. Gu Qianqian huffed in anger, Youre giarising my ideas! Im done with you! She strolled towards Yibei, who was still running in ce with empty eyes. She took off her scarf, wrapped it around Yibeis armpits, and carried her on her back. Yibei didnt seem to resist her, but her legs still continued to run in ce. The system breathed a sigh of relief: Lets go. There are weak energy fluctuations up ahead, so lets go take a look. In the darkness, her back looked like a humanoid monster with many, many strange limbs. Following the system, Gu Qianqian ventured deep into the cave. The faint light radiating from her spread out but could not illuminate the ends of the cave walls. As if she had stepped into the pce of an ancient god, the darkness slowly lifted its veil, revealing its contents to her. Although the world outside the pit is barrennd, there is dense vegetation and strange vigers who live there. However, this ce had no traces of life at all. As the wind blew, the surroundings were strangely quiet, as if they were venturing into another unknown realm. The air was damp and cold, but she swore she could smell a faint scent of blood. Under the dim light radiating from her, she could see many corpses scattered around. Their limbs were in a position that suggested that they were in pain, struggling to escape. A ck, shiny substance adhered to their bodies, flowing like molten wax. She walked forward, but more skeletons appeared in front of her, piled together like an ancient catb. And they were also wrapped in that strange ck goo. Her faint light swept over them, forcing the ck goo to wriggle deeper within the crevices of the bones. A faint sound of chewing came from an unknown ce. Oh, no. Is it that monster that the Witch couldnt kill? Gu Qianqian suddenly became nervous. I feel itGu Qianqian, the ancestral hall is up ahead! System Her muscles instinctively tightened as she prepared herself for battle. It was quiet, and she could hear her own heartbeat. In the darkness ahead, she suddenly felt a strong wind passing by the stone ceiling above her. The baby who was sleeping in her arms woke up and cried in fear, and the strong wind above her instantly struck down. She moved based on instinct, ducking forward to avoid the blow. Boom! There was a loud noise, and in her dim light, a huge tentacle was embedded into the stone floor. It swung past her like a whip, hitting the stone wall hard. The entire cave shook, and small rocks fell down upon them. A shrill scream suddenly sounded behind her, and she screamed wildly. She could see ck goo pouring out of the endless caves, and they were covered with eyes that glowed with an evil, green light. Their ephemeral limbs twitched and squirmed as they wed towards her. Now! Gu Qianqian, throw the Witch at them! She hurriedly untied Yibei from her back, and she threw her petite body like a javelin onto the greasy ground. Her legs were still running in ce as she plopped upright on the floor, and she ran forward like a racing car with new batteries installed inside of it. system? I feel guilty. The system scoffed. Wasnt she the one who suggested using her as bait? Dont worry. She is the World Ender after all. I dont think she will die that easily. But as long as she can be crippled, it will be a guaranteed victory in the future. The system floated out of Gu Qianqians mind and looked into the cave: Gu Qianqian, head towards the ancestral hall; we must find the things we need before the second night falls, or we wont be able to leave. Do you want to stay here for another year? Gu Qianqian nced at Yibei running towards the mass of goo and nodded, hugging the baby tightly in her arms before running deeper into the cave. When Yibei woke up, she felt like she was in another dimension. She felt a little confused, but she was even more confused when she found out she was running straight towards an indescribable monster in front of her. What the fuck? Where the fuck am I? She immediately braked and stopped, staggering right in front of the monster. A terrifying sense of oppression washed over her, and her forehead was suddenly covered with beads of sweat. The moment it noticed her, the ws and tentacles of the goo twisted and squirmed towards her. Their cracks-like mouths muttered broken words, and a scream echoed in the cave. And the scream held fear within. Im the one whos supposed to be scared! You, as a monster, have no right to be scared! Is it afraid of her spell earlier? She cleared her throat and waved at the creature before her: Hello, nice to meet you. As soon as she spoke, a shrill scream echoed through the cave, and the giant mass of goo began to retreat to the surrounding caves. They are acting like Im an evil god. The surroundings suddenly shook violently, and immediately, a huge snake head smashed open the rock wall on her left, roaring and opening its huge maw. Its maw caught the fleeing goo, dragged it out of the cave, and started to fight with it. Yibei watched many films of two monsters fighting, but those movies were far from as shocking as the scene before her. Their blows were like thunder, echoing through the cave system violently. Heavy rain seemed to fall from the void, mixed with broken stone pirs that hung from the caves ceiling. The snakes fangs were like a sword, tearing apart the goos body with each terrifying bite. The goo was separated into weird limbs, like imitations of humans or evil spirits wing their way out of hell. They tore and bit at the snake, leaving behind hideous scars wherever they struck. The two behemoths fought each other tirelessly, making the already endless cave system feel cramped. And there were even more terrifying psychic fluctuations that she couldnt see with her naked eyethe long-forgotten worship and the evil beliefs of the vigers, fighting for a single victor. Under the protection of the serpent god, Yibei watched helplessly. Her eyes burnt from witnessing a fight between them. In an instant, she saw countless, dazzling rays of light hitting her body and heard the murmurs of tens of thousands of people whispering. It was confusing and illogical. One moment, she could hear voices praising the great rivers and the mountains; the next,ining about the unptable food in the military camp; the next, crying in despair. In the chaotic light and shadow, she saw a group of old people wandering like lonely ghosts. Taking advantage of the night and the dim light of theirnterns, they came to the sleeping mountains, where the serpent resides. They had nned this out for a long time; they used various methods to gather as many dying lives as possible so they could corrupt a god. Their spear, made from alchemy, pierced the serpents body, spreading blood all over its scales and casting a cruel curse to imprison it for future generations. Perhaps they were trying to make their own god. Under the scarlet night, the serpent roared in anger. Dark clouds gathered under itsmand, and rain poured down as thunderbolts fell from the sky. The columns of lightning stretched for thousands of miles, spreading their tentacle of destruction towards the world. Then, the earth caved in on itself, and arge pit opened itself up beneath the serpent. And all was silent. She opened her eyes unknowingly, unaware that she had closed them. The darkness soon receded like a tide, and her vision became clear. A much smaller, ck Serpent then slithered towards her. Although much smaller, it was still almost as tall as Yibei. On the Serpents head, its scales were seemingly torn off, revealing flesh and blood and, beyond that, bone. O Sesor of the Great Witch, the World Ender who brings about Drought and Disaster, it is an honour to see you again, the Serpent spoke directly into her mind. It seems that you have heard my call. Thank you for weakening the slimes power so that I was able to defend myself, the Serpent continued. I have but onest request. Should you aid me, I will grant you all the knowledge that I know. All the knowledge?She thought. What is it? Boom! The Serpent suddenly stood upright, revealing its abdomen to her. On its abdomen, countless, human-like tumours stacked together, tightly grasping the Serpents body. Remove this seal and kill me. Let me return to the Heavens and the Earth, and I will grant you knowledge. H-how? The golden slits of the Serpent pulsed with excitement: Touch it and pour your energy into it. I will deal with the rest. Sounds simple, but somethings weird She felt something shake gently in the pocket of her robe. When she reached out to touch it, she felt a cold object rubbing the back of her hand and leaping out of her pocket,nding on the cold, hard ground. Ding! Professor Mas copper coin! She bent down to pick it up, but when she saw the coin, her pupils shrunk slightly. Heads? Damn it, something truly is wrong with this Serpent! Chapter 211: Epilogue (1) Chapter 211: Epilogue (1) In the dim light of the cave, the copper coin disying heads came into her view. This is Professor Mas copper coin, and it seems to be his good luck charm. Until now, it has never shown me anything positive. If its doing so now, it must be warning me of something. It means that there is something very wrong with the Serpent in front of me! As I suspected! She calmly picked up the coin and stuffed it back into her pocket, and she said calmly to the Serpent, I suppose I could help you. O Great Witch Who Brings Forth Disasters, I am grateful for the mercy you have bestowed upon me. I have nothing but the utmost respect for you. The strange voice spoke directly into her brain. You really dont have to use that many prefixes to talk to me, she sighed, raising a finger towards the Serpent. Before I grant your wish, you must grant me your knowledge first! Its not that I dont trust you, but when making deals with beings like you, its good to be safe. It was silent for a moment, and she couldnt help but want to swallow her words. This Serpent is strong. If I expose it for trying to trick me, I dont think Ill be able to win the fight. The Serpent silently stared at the Witch before it with its golden slits that glimmered in the dark cave. Its pupils would expand and shrink, revealing an unconceble cold behind its eyes. The psychic energy fluctuations radiating from the Witch made the Serpent a little fearful. Judging from how calm she looked, she must be confident in her own strength. Plus, after experiencing the deadly battle just now, it had already expended most of its strength. It wasnt sure if it was able to defeat her, devour her, and seize the slumbering power within the Witch for itself. It continued to stare as it spoke into the Witchs mind. Very well, you are being reasonable. The Serpent only needed to reveal relevant knowledge, it thinks. If it offered her knowledge without exposing its n, it could lower her guard and gauge her way of thinking. Plus, theplex knowledge that it bears could break the most rigid of minds. Just being safe, the Witch whispered, wiping away the sweat gathered on her palms. Look into my eyes, O Witch. Look into it and feast upon my knowledge. She hesitated for a moment before raising her head, looking into its eyes like shimmering stars that danced around a ck holes event horizon. The next moment, her eyes burnt with intensity, illuminating the area around them further. Soon, her eyes dimmed, and she found herself in a hazy dreamscape. The haze gradually cleared, and she saw a vast sea of stars before her. The stars endlessly morphed as they hovered around her. These tiny yet lively stars were mystical and otherworldly as if they were alive with knowledge. She swallowed and looked at the star right before her. It seemed to be filled with otherworldly knowledge that didnt exist in the outside world. It was colourful and dreamy, and she reached out to touch it. The next moment, the other stars around her vanished, and she seemed to be swallowed by the rich darkness. Waves of iprehensible murmurs entered her mind, followed by unbearable noise. Like nails on a chalkboard, foam rubbing against each other, sounds of tables being pushed around She cringed heavily at the sounds, but her eyes widened as knowledge began to echo in her mind. She could clearly feel the surge of information filling her mind. Some of them were directions for making charms, not unlike her own charms; some were spells and potions; some were runic patterns. However, they were foreign to her. Attempting to understand the knowledge, she felt her soul being mmed by an invisible sledgehammer, and countless iprehensible thoughts emerged in her mind. She forced her brain to halt her consciousness and let the knowledge fill the crevices of her mind. No. Not all at once. I have plenty of time to go through itter. Before she blocked off her thought process, she could see three different ways to make up for her own shorings. Although it was all vague, it already made her feel that she had gained a lot. Only a second passed as the Serpent passed on its knowledge to her, but she felt as if a century had passed. When she found herself back in the dark cave, she felt intense fatigue, and it felt as if her skull was thumping against her head. Jumeng was right. Ordinary people simply cantprehend foreign knowledge. If the Serpent presented her with moreplex, obscure knowledge, she feared that she wouldnt even have the rity to block out her own thought process. I was right; this Snake was way too quick to share knowledge with me. Its trying to drive me insane. O Great Witch, the Disastrous World Ender, I have shared all of my knowledge with you. How do you feel? Not bad, she said as calmly as possible. Unfortunately, I already know most of these things. Still, I find some information useful, and I am grateful that you have decided to share it with me. To be fair, it wasnt an exaggeration. She did find her potential areas of improvement useful, and to be honest, she could simply ask Jumeng for more information. She forced herself to stay calm, gripping her robe behind her back. The Serpents golden slits undted with curiosity. Indeed, this Witch is the World Ender. Otherwise, she wouldnt have known so many things, and she wouldnt have been able to stay sane. This made the Serpent d that it didnt act rashly, feeling ecstatic that it seemed to lower the Witchs vignce. After all, if it possessed a core as pure and true as the Witch before it, it had a chance of reincarnating from the dead. Yes, the Serpent did want to kill itself, walking through endless mountains and boundless seas, content with dying while facing a scenery that was foreign to it. However, even a single speck of belief held onto it, refusing to let the Serpent fade away. In the dark abyss, tortured by the manic, evil thoughts of the vigers endlessly Even a great god like itself would break. I was right. This terrifying Snake, prisoner to those vigers and their beliefs, a shadow of its former glory The Serpent thought that death was its best escape, but upon seeing a new god enter its domain, it gave the Serpent hope. Well then, Great Witch. Could you help me remove the seal? No problem, she shrugged. Shall we start now? Absolutely. Once again, I would like to express my greatest respect and gratitude to you. And thank you for your core. The Serpent revealed an abdomen that was wrapped in malignant tumours. No need to do all that. We are just making a fair transaction. Its reasonable. No need to do all that because you were trying to kill me and backstab me! Stupid fucking snake! She walked forward calmly, strolling forward with her hands in her pockets. She grasped her kitchen knife hidden in the pocket, and its de turned red as she willed her powers into it. Now! Her eyes suddenly shed with bloodlust, and she used all her strength to fling the kitchen knife forward. Like a shooting star, the kitchen knife arced with mes, piercing into the Serpents body. The psychic energy imbued into the de began to spread fire into the Serpents body, and its painful roar resonated throughout the cave system. Roar! And it could feel itself burning. Meanwhile. Gu Qianqian, while escaping, stumbled upon the ancestral hall, which stood proudly in the centre of a huge undergroundke. Theke was like a snake that entangled the little oasis. A tform raised the ancestral hall high up; its grey walls and ck tiles were ancient and rough, carved with the unique etchings of ethnic minorities. The system immediately urged Gu Qianqian to rush in. However, inside, they did not find any traces of the Serpent God. All that was left within was a pile of bamboo scrolls in a state of rot. Golden Silkworm? Flying Men? Zombie Puppets? Miasma Avoidance Pills? Urban Legend? Extermination Talismans? What are these? Hearing the system mutter the title of the scrolls before them, Gu Qianqian whispered, System, what are these? Hmm Im not sure, but you can sell these in the Urban Legend forums for good money. The moment she heard that there was money to be made, her eyes lit up: Isnt that great? I can treat myself to McDonalds every day! Ooh, I cant wait for fried chicken! It isnt really great, the system sighed. It could easily find substitutes for these spells on the bamboo scrolls. They didnt have much use for them. If there were any ancient, powerful spells that could make up for her ws, that would be great, but the system was frustrated. Because there was not a single one inside the hall! The system cursed, but at the same time, a terrifying roar shook the foundations of the ancestral hall. Heavy stones began to fall outside the ancestral hall, sshing into theke and setting off turbulent waves, and the frightening sound of falling stones could be heard as they fell upon the roof of the hall. Feeling the terrifying waves of energy that could only signify the blood of a corrupted god, the system yelled in Gu Qianqians mind, Gu Qianqian! We need to leave! The pit is about to copse. What the hell? At some point, Gu Qianqian utilised her powers to pack all of the scrolls using a torn curtain and leapt out of the hall in a single step. From a distance, it looked like she was carrying a giant boulder behind her back, with another hand cradling the baby in her arms. Money is power. The wind blew violently in the cave as the rain seemed to pour down from nowhere as if a typhoon had appeared within the pit. The petite Witch was caught by the typhoon, colliding with the falling stone as she yelled in pain, tasting iron in her mouth. Even though the Serpent had exhausted most of its powers, the Witch felt that her own powers were seemingly insufficient to deal with its dregs of power. She could no longer remember how many times she had struck the Serpent with her knife or she had been flung away by the powerful typhoon. Her bones ached. As shended on the ground with a loud crash, she rolled forward and immediately rushed towards the Serpent once again,nding on its back. Being afraid of dying means that, once she chooses to take action, she will do absolutely anything to survive. Imbuing her knife with zing energy and etching a charm into the tip, she stabbed the charm into the Serpents body as it erupted within its pulsing wound. The typhoon blew her away once again, but she forced herself to regain her footing mid-air, dodging the lightning strikes aimed at her. With each stab, she could see the Serpents struggle beginning to slow down. She didnt know why, but she could feel a cruel bloodlust rising in her heart, and her scarlet hair turned into a zing white. As pale as a blizzard, with the heat of a stars core. Wait! The Serpent pleaded in her mind. But the Witch didnt heed its pleas. She didnt want the enemy to escape. Perhaps it would fake its death; perhaps it had a second phase; perhaps reinforcements woulde to aid it; perhaps she would be convinced by its begging. Silence! she yelled. She rushed forward and twisted in the air, slicing a giant wound onto the Serpents back and shing a hole into her bag, letting the remaining charms rain upon it. Fan the winds of mes and perish underneath my mes! zing pirs of fire erupted from her palm, and she pressed them against the wound, sending the spell deep into the Serpents body. On top of the spell, the powers obtained from praying to Jumengbined with the charms triggered a powerful, emerald-red explosion, and a shiny-ck substance continued to flow out like a geyser from the wound. The typhoon became unbearable, and the Witch fell to the ground, paralysed by the final struggles of the Serpent. Do you truly think you have won against me, Foul Witch? The Serpent spat in her mind. You wont be able to survive my corrupted blood; when the timees, you will regret not letting me devour you! And you will be buried here. Forever. The Serpent gradually faded away into the storm, carrying its blood into its heavy wind. Translucent, grey figures emerged from its blood, and other strange figures in the darkness fled. Not long after, a huge skeleton hit the ground hard, turning into ash. Corrupted blood?She thought as she sat up with difficulty. Feeling sticky ck blood staining her face, she felt waves of numbness that pulsed within her body. The cave system began to shake violently, and with the Serpents dying roars fading away, the Witch could see the sinkhole above her, like a giant snakes maw, beginning to close. Chapter 212: Epilogue (2) Chapter 212: Epilogue (2) The Witchs burning gaze was forcibly cooled by something, and her vision began to fade. Her thoughts became sluggish, and she tried calling out. However, her throat seemed to be strangled by something, and all she could choke out was a soft moan of pain. Her flesh and bones felt as if they were being corroded by strong acid as pain resonated throughout her body. Tyranny, cruelty, avarice, bloodlustall kinds of negative emotions grew like fungi within her mind. But these thoughts have always been with yousomethingwhispered in her mind. The sticky, ck blood merged with the Witchs body, and she saw darkness. She found herself in a fragmented dream on the roof of an empty high-rise building. A giant, ck Serpent was coiled on the roof, squirming towards the centre. It raised its huge body and stared her down. Its maw was huge, with neither teeth nor a tongue. Like a ck hole, it began to swallow up the little light illuminating the city, and the Witch felt herself being pulled into its maw. Pointless to resist. Pointless to struggle. Pointless to hope. She let herself sink into the darkness. She hovered in the darkness for an eternity. Only her heart continued to beat with life, and a biting coldness bulged from her heart. In a daze, she could hear the cries of countless girls and see an ancient pool of blood carved from rock. The blood flowed into it along a dirty ditch, and the faces of young women, distorted into pain, struggled within the pool of blood. The pool of blood began to take form, swelling upwards into the shape of a female body. As the bloodied woman was formed, like a bubble, it burst, sshing blood everywhere. A petite girl emerged from the bubble like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon. Her pale hair hung down like curtains, and the blood flowed down her face, leaving no scarlet traces on her pristine face. She was pure, like the first snow in winter, but her aura was terrifying, like an endless blizzard. The girl smiled at the Witch, opening her mouth. A terrible noise, like the screams of countless girls, flooded her ears, stinging her eardrums like a de was poking at them. The girl continued to scream, but the Witch could only hear a single word. Lilim1Lilim, or Lilin, are said to be the descendants of Lilith and Satan. They were described as demons or subi. They are said to harm children and seduce men, draining them of their essence.. A name? It sounds familiar. Seeing that the Witch was unable to understand her, the girl shook her head, sinking back into the pool of blood. The Witch looked upon theke silently, only to be pulled backwards. She opened her eyes. She patted her face, and it seemed like the pain and all of the negative emotions that eroded her blood and bones seemed not to exist at all. Oh my god. She began to take deep breaths, greedily letting the air fill her lungs. She felt as if she hadnt breathed for an eternity. Feeling the cool, humid air fill her lungs, she was stunned as she looked around hurriedly. Only then did she realise that, at some point, she had left the bottom of the pit and was lying by a clearing in the forest. The dark weeds she was lying on had ayer of dew on them. Looking at the pit nearby, it seemed to have shut, leaving a ferocious scar on the ground. Is it over? Lu Yibei stared at the hideous scar on the ground and realised something. Fuck! If the Serpent God is dead, doesnt that mean that this world will die too? How the fuck am I going to get out? She hurriedly scourged through Lu Xus memory. She soon found out that she could leave when night fell the next day and breathed a sigh of relief. The fatigue finally caught up with her, and she copsed back onto the clearing. However, she felt something strange on her body. Something seems to be pressing on her chest, which makes it slightly ufortable. When she raised her head slightly to look at her chest, she saw two lumps. Jesus Christ! What the hell? She leapt up from the ground like a fish out of water. Standing straight, the lumps on her chest had a weight to them, causing her to lean forward. Looking at her torn robe, she could visibly see the ridges that could only resemble the ridges of breasts. And she knew very well that she was seeing her own body. Damn, Im big! Jumengs words soon came back to her mind regarding the blood of corrupted gods. Jumeng told me that the blood of corrupted gods should have a serious impact on high-level urban legends, causing them to fall into madness. However, weaker existences will be able to reap some benefits. It means Im not strong enough to be affected by the blood, which also means that I became stronger! Unexpectedly, being weak had its benefits. Now, if I run into that damn Rabbit again It will be a battle between men. Its a pity I lost consciousness inside the pit, though, she sighed. I dont even know how I got out of it. The Serpents cores must be buried inside too. But its okay! she continued. I dont even want to try eating a dead gods core; if I bring it to Jumeng, shell be suspicious; if I hide it, it may cause weird things to happen. And most importantly, I gained knowledge. Although she wasnt able to understand its knowledge yet, she has benefited a lot from it. In summary, she knows that there are three ways to improve her shorings. She had vaguelye into contact with the first two ways before, which were to devour other urban legends and gather faith. Both had their own problems: devouring meant risking your own life; gathering faith was safe, but it entirely depended on the believers beliefs, which may end up corrupting whoever they were worshipping. The Serpent was a good example. The final, third way had no risks at all, but it had one big disadvantage: money. The knowledge vaguely mentioned that various potions and mythical items were needed. Damn it, being poor sucks! The coat squirmed ufortably as Lu Yibei was deep in thought. >:/ It seems that my Witch doesnt want the cores. That means I can only throw it away in secret, right? () But it shouldnt matter if I absorb its power a little before throwing it away, right? Meanwhile, in Gu Qianqians shack by the side of the mountain. Seeing that the portal back home had not yet opened, the system checked each and every single one of the scrolls that she had taken from the ancestral hall. A disguise spell? the system said. You cant use that. Its tooplicated. Hmph! Youre looking down on me! I didnt want it anyway! She grumbled, tossing the bamboo scroll into her designated sell pile and grabbing a new roll of scrolls. What about this one? she asked. It harnesses the power of bugs to create powerful venom. You hate insects, so sell them. Maybe you can get a Level C core for it. Her eyes lit up once again, taking the next scroll from the pile. What about this one? This one is More than two hourster, she had divided the scrolls into two categories: ones to be sold and ones to be studied. The system secretly smiled to itself. Finally! Its host was listening to it. Gu Qianqian had refused to learn spells before, but now, after a little convincing, she fell into its trap obediently. So nave, Gu Qianqian! System, there is another set of scrolls here. Do you know whats on it? Its sealed. The system was startled. Analysing it, it was exactly the same as the set of bamboo scrolls used to form a portal to enter this world. Im afraid that thing is evil. Dont even take it out; leave it here. Why? Youre not telling me why! She pouted, frustrated that she had to leave a bamboo scroll she had worked so hard for in this dreaded world. Gu Qianqian Im not hearing it! Gu- Nope! You are a bully! All you do is bully me. Gu Qianqian! That is a copy of the bamboo scrolls used to enter this miserable world! If we take it out, we might identally let the remaining urban legends in this world escape into our world! We cant do that! I wont let them! she retorted. I can teach them to be human, to be people with ideals, ambitions, and love! Meaningful people to society! Youre not making any sense! The system sighed. Yes, her ideals were beautiful, but if they were that simple, urban legends would never choose to be one. In fact, the system would force Gu Qianqian to instil core socialist values into the World Ender. And didnt you say that Im the protagonist of this world? I suppose. There are many kinds of protagonists there are protagonists like in [Give Me Personal Space!], [I Got a Suite in Fairy Land], and [Its Hard to be a Lord of Another World]. ? So, I have decided that, in my story, I will be a cultivator, strengthening myself endlessly! An idea rang into the systems head. Strengthening endlessly It seems possible to strengthen her if it could somehow steer the vigers beliefs into believing in Gu Qianqian. Plus, if the vigers could turn into psychics, they could aid her inbat. The system decided to give it a try. After failing so many times, it was good to try new thingsplus, if anything went wrong, Gu Qianqian would be the one to bear it. Its rare to see her so motivated. Hope it works! Huacheng, in a hotel. A woman dressed in revealing clothes entered and stopped at the receptionist. The employee nced at the woman with a yful smile on her lips and said, Youre herethat old man looks well-dressed and rich. Hes a good target. Good, the charming woman smiled. Ill head up right away. After I take my clothes off, Ill send you a text, and you can ask them to knock on the door. I know, I know, this isnt the first time weve done it. By the way, hes old and fragile, so lets try not to cause too many problems. Dont worry about it, the charming woman said again, smiling. Ive seen the photos. Somebody like him cares about reputation the most; hell pay after a little threat and get me a beer. What? I have tomit to the bit! In the suite on the top floor. Ever since the nights became longer, it has never been easy to stay in a suite like this. Customers were paranoid about urban legends, so they tended to avoid booking rooms on the top floor. However, a rather handsome old man specifically requested the suite. Such weird behaviour caused the receptionist to pay more attention, and then she had some weird ideas to cause some trouble. In the suite, Professor Ma sat cross-legged on the bed, staring intently at the bamboo scrolls spread out in front of him as he mumbled to himself. Lu Yibei When the hell are you going toe out? My wife is going to kill me! More than twenty hours have passed in the real world. His phone calls were overwhelming him, but he didnt dare to answer them. Ever since Yibei was sucked into the portal, the bamboo scrolls would glow intermittently, then emit a dark, smelly liquid. Sometimes, it would vibrate violently, and a roar could be heard inside the scrolls. This made him shudder in fear. How could he bring such a haunted item back home? In desperation, he could only find a remote hotel, lock its doors, close the curtains, and hide in despair. Fatigue soon caught up to him, and just as he was about to fall asleep, a knock suddenly sounded. Knock knock Hearing the sound, he frowned as he called out, Who is it? The person outside didnt answer, but the knocking got more vigorous. Knock, knock, knock! The rapid knocks filled his heart with panic, and he eyed the bamboo scrolls on the bed. Suddenly, the scrolls began to glow with a blinding light, and a pair of slender, white hands stretched out of them, grabbing onto the edges of the scrolls for support as if they were trying to crawl out. Seeing the scene like Sadako and hearing the constant knocking, he swore he almost peed. Outside the suite, the charming woman knocked endlessly, but nobody came. Damn it, is that old man that scared? If this continues, I have no choice but to ask for the master key downstairs, she grumbled. And I, Wang Chunhua, will never let the golden egg fall out of my grasp. Just as she was nning to go back downstairs, the door suddenly swung open, and she was so happy that she rushed in without gauging the situation. Then her chest hit something soft. She took a staggering step back, and after she regained her footing, she was stunned. A tall, white-haired girl was wearing an oversized mens jacket, and her slender legs were exposed under the jacket. The girl crossed her arms with a gloomy face and huffed, Can I help you? I think you got the wrong room, girl. The charming woman cursed the receptionist. Didnt she see somebody entering the room with the old man? N-no, this is the right room, she answered. Its, uh, room service! Special services, if you know what I mean. Oh, but I still think you got the wrong room. He already has me here. Chunhua gulped, feeling that her beauty was severely dwarfed by the girl in front of her. However, her ego didnt allow her to back down. Well, maybe he needs more help. The both of us can. Oh, no need! The girl interrupted. I already squeezed him dry. The moment she heard this and looked at the girls pristine legs, she covered her face in shame and ran away. Watching her leave, Lu Yibei shrugged and closed the door, but not before hearing a loudinting from the corridor. That old man has a little minx in his room, yes! Whatever, whos the next guest? Im getting frustrated. When she returned to the room, Professor Ma had already fallen asleep due to excessive fatigue. The bamboo scrolls on the bed seemed to havepletely decayed, turning into a ball of ash. Seeing this, she swept the ash away, then sat down on the sofa as she hugged the jacket silently. She waited and waited until a hint of the rising Sun appeared beyond the horizon, and she went to the rooftop of the hotel. No matter how unbearable the night is, dawn will alwayse. As the Sun rose little by little, she allowed the golden sunlight to pour on her. However, her eyes didnt begin to burn like usual; her body didnt begin to heat up like usual; her body didnt begin to morph back to normal like usual. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Huacheng, in a certain apartment unit. Lu Yibei wasnt home for an entire day, and Jumeng couldnt help but feel worried. She was so anxious that she logged off her game and sat in the living room as she stared at the door. The wig hid in the corner, observing Jumeng with mixed emotions. Should I tell her that our Witch may note back?It wondered.But she asked me to wait for her a little longer! What do I do? If she goes crazy, we will be the ones who suffer! Just as the wig began to panic, the lock on the door began to shake, and a familiar voice came from outside the door. Hey, you got up early enough, Lu Yibei teased. Did you stay up all night ying games? I got you breakfast. Want to eat together? Jumeng nced at the boy before her and pouted, Of course! But dont think for a second that Ill forgive you for leaving me here all night! Oh, I just went downtown with my ssmates for one night. I just forgot to tell you. Were you worried about me? If you die, nobody is going to help me collect cores! Of course, I was! The wig smiled and looked away. True enough, their Witch was powerful and came back safe and sound. A supposed big problem was solved in just a single day. The wig admired their Witch endlessly. At the dining table, Lu Yibei eyed Jumeng as he kept stuffing fried dough sticks into his mouth as if he wanted to vent his anger using his food. Wait a minute; Im sweating. I need to shower, he said. Entering the bathroom, he immediately locked the door and sighed. He turned on the shower head and took out a palm-sized crystal bottle from his pocket as he stood in front of the mirror. Thick liquid, like ck blood, was inside the bottle. This was what leaked out of his body as he transformed back into his original form. What on earth is this? It stopped me from feeling hot. Is this the Serpents corrupted blood? He thought for a moment and sighed again. He stepped on the toilet as support and opened a ceiling panel, hiding the crystal bottle inside the ceiling. Lets hide it there now that the matter is finally over, he muttered to himself as he stretched. No matter what, tomorrow is always a new day. [END VOLUME 2] T/N: This brings us to the end of Volume 2. Id like to thank you all for sticking with me to this point with all thements youve shared while reading this novel (even though Im not answering as much these days due to IRL responsibilities, I do read the messages you leave and I really appreciate them), Im afraid I have some bad news. This will be the end of the daily releases for this novel for now, as IRL responsibilities are catching up to me So at least for now, the release rate will drop from daily releases to hopefully 3 chapters per week. I thank you for your understanding and hope you will continue to stick with me on this novel Chapter 213: Levi’s Group Admission Chapter 213: Levis Group Admission Levi sat in the living room, staring at his phone for more than half an hour. His curious yet panicked face was reflected on his phone screen. He felt as if he was being watched. It wasnt like passive surveince, where certain apps collect data through your search history, key logs, and things that you mention by mouth. Really, it wasnt umonmany American shows feature plots where secret agents eavesdrop on sensitive information through a tapped phone. Levi knew this because after his girlfriend added a certain item to his online shopping cart, it was all that was rmended to him dayster. But it was different now. It was a paranoia that haunted himsomething terrible was observing his every move from inside his phone. Even if he taped the camera and microphone or reced his phone, it was still there. Levi felt that he had encountered something weird, and it was all because he applied to join that damned group chat. When he was young, he would stay at his grandfathers house in the countryside during the summer and the winter. Despite being in the modern era, many still maintained ancient customs that had been passed down for centuries. Mystical customs, like fortune-telling rituals, weremon in the countryside, and many jobs involved these mystical things. Levis grandfather was a well-known sage in their hometown. He is said to have encountered divinity, but Levi has never seen his grandfather encounter anything for that matter. Most of the time, all he does is tell fortunes, reads Feng Shui, and hosts funerals. He had the idea of passing these skills on to Levi, but it was boring to him. After learning some bits and pieces, he no longer paid attention to them, and they were sealed in the dusty crevices of his brain. It wasnt until the nights became long and urban legends began to manifest into reality that videos, forums, and chat groups about urban legends naturally began springing up on the Inte like mushrooms after a spring rain. Levi never thought of himself as attractive or capable, and the Inte was an escape for him. Soon, he unknowingly became well known in his corner of the Inte as [MASTER LEVI]. After gaining a certain reputation, he simply quit his job and opened up an online shop, and he mainly sold amulets, prayer beads, exorcism charms, and other products. As for whether those trinkets work, he didnt know. If anything, the people buy it for their peace of mind. If they really did encounter an urban legend, they might even chalk it up to the urban legend being too strong or that their trinket was too weak. In short, urban legends are just a tool for him to make money and pick up girls. When he wasnt maintaining his online store, he would browse through certain websites, using things he did not necessarily understand to deceive people. In half a year, he used urban legends to go through four or five girlfriends; when he was satisfied, he would make love to them; when he got bored of them, he would simply say, Fate does not allow us to be together. If we continue, there will be consequences. He wasnt a very good person. However, such days ended abruptly half a month ago. One evening, half a month ago. The sky was strangely dim, and underneath the dark sunset, the sky seemed to be filled with a weird atmosphere. As soon as Levi returned home after going out to retrieve materials, he made himself a simple dinner and then sat alone in the living room. He mixed cinnabar, spread out a stack of yellow paper, and followed what his grandfather taught him loosely untilte at night. He was like a vampiretheter it was, the more energetic he was. After making a batch of amulets, he turned on hisputer and was prepared to browse through websites to see if there were any beautiful girls he could target. Logging into the forums, he noticed a message abruptly being sent to him. 100 2/3 Cats? Who is this? And why did they send me an invitation to join a group chat? Hah! he smiled. An urban legend group chat made by the Universitys students? There must be a lot of females for me to catch in there! He epted the invitation with zero hesitation. [MASTER LEVI HAS JOINED THE GROUP CHAT.] [YOU CAN NOW CHAT WITH EVERYONE.] [inteperv01: A neer? M/F? Any nudes?] [inteperv01 has been banned from the chat group for 1 hour.] [StreetLoner: @MASTER LEVI, dont pay attention to him I dont know how that guy keepsing back.] Levi was speechless. This was the first time he had encountered someone taking the initiative. [StreetLoner: You arrived just in time . Today happens to be the night of urban legends for this group, so youll be able to hear our admin tell us stories about the urban legends in this city.] [MASTER LEVI: Oh!] Urban legends?He sneered.I know them like the back of my hand. In the next hour or so, he didnt pay much attention to the group chat because he thought that the stories they shared were insulting to his brain. Loopholes, unrealistic it wasnt worth it to read. Soon, it was approaching the dead of night. Just as he was about to turn off hisputer and go to sleep, a new message popped up. [100 2/3 Cats: @everyone, todays round of stories will start in five minutes, and everyone will be muted.] Is it about to start?He smiled and sat up straight, waiting in front of hisputer. In the past, in other group chats like this, Levi would establish his dominance by refuting all of the members stories in order to gain recognition. This was his usual routine. His purpose in epting the invitation was not just for girls. Now that he saw an opportunity present itself, he was nning to do so again. [Group Owner has muted all users.] [100 2/3 CATS: This story takes ce in a corner of Huacheng, and it follows a young man named Xiao Zhang. One morning, he picked up a dor at the gate of hismunity; nothing to be seen here Then, the next night, he picked up a ten-dor bill in the same ce. But on the third night, he picked up a hundred-dor bill, and he was ted that he was able to keep picking up money. Thats it? he said, shaking his head. Now what? Theyre probably going to say that his greed took over, and a vicious urban legend wille and im his life for all the money he took for himself. Predictable! Levi closed the group chat and went to the bathroom, nning to read through the chat after he was done. Ten minutester, after washing up, he sat back in front of hisputer and reopened the group chat. Opening it, he found that this strange [100 2/3 Cats] hadnt finished telling their story, and he couldnt help but frown. How are you even telling this crappy story forten minutes?Ill give you credit for that. He heard multiple variations of this story more than 20 years ago from his grandfather. He told him that a person can only earn a certain amount of money in their life; if you spend it all, it means that your life is nearing its end. If something wants to harm you, it will send you money in advance, and after you spend it, you will die a premature death. Levi wasnt scared when he first heard this. Now, he thinks its a great way to teach children to save their money, but he surely wasnt the slightest bit scared now. [100 2/3 Cats: After Xiao Zhang was done washing up, he sat back in front of hisputer when suddenly there was a knock on the door. Naturally, he asked, Who is it? But nobody answered. The faint knocking continuedit was soft, but you could hear metal scratching, like a hand with long nails wing at your door.] Levi began shifting ufortably, scratching at his forehead. The protagonist in this story was doing something simr to what he just did, and he couldnt help but feel a little ufortable. [100 2/3 Cats: You see, Xiao Zhang was naturally courageous. After hearing the knock, he stood up, walked straight up to the door, and looked out through the peephole. The sight caused his soul to shudder in fear. Outside the door, a lone white dress hoveredheadless, limbless.] Bo-ring. The predictable story line wore away at his patience as he spat at the screen and turned off hisputer. He leapt on his bed and fiddled with his phone for a little before falling asleep as the video lulled him to sleep. The need to pee woke him up. His head felt heavy, and his world began to swing. He didnt remember where he was for a long time. After lying on the bed for a moment, he came back to his senses and nced at his rm clock by his bed. [2:22] The room was strangely chilly. When did the temperature drop? He rubbed his sore temples and shuffled his feet into his slippers to go to the bathroom. At this moment, he could hear knocking on his door. Knock knock It was soft and quiet but loud enough to be heard. However, listening in closer, he could hear the sound of nails wing at his door as the knocking persisted. Hearing this, he immediately woke up from his state of half-sleep, and goosebumps ran across his body. Immediately, he concentrated on listening to the noiseing from the dark side of his living room and shivered. His house is an old-fashioned apartment that his parents left behind for him. It wasnt too small, and transport was not an issue. The only drawback was that the walls were thin, and if anybody did anything, he would be able to hear it. In fact, all of his neighbours could hear it. At this moment, he listened carefully; strangely, it didnt sound like it wasing from the door but from the other end of the corridor outside his apartment unit. He bravely gulped and marched towards the door, looking through the peephole. The corridor was dark, and nothing could be seen. Phew. Suddenly, a pale, white dress shed into view from the other end of the corridor, and in an instant, his body was filled with chills as he staggered back a few steps away from the door. Calming down, he looked out the peephole again, and his heart calmed down when he saw that it was just a white dress hanging on a clothing wire. The moonlight shone down quietly, illuminating the dress. The corridor was dark, but he could see that the white dress was dripping with water as if it had just been washed. It dripped onto an iron board on the floor, which caused the knocking sound. Knock knock Levi breathed a sigh of relief: I knew it. Rubbing his head, he turned back to the bathroom. Releasing his dder, he came out of the bathroom and passed through the living room. For some reason, his head couldnt help but nce in the direction of the door again. The living room was dark, with just a dim lighting in through the windows cast by the streetmp. The outline of his door seemed strangely distorted. The story that he saw in the group chat traced through his mind again, and he felt a little uneasy. Turning around, he grabbed a handful of the amulets he had made from the coffee table in the living room and hurriedly went back to his room, stuffing them under his pillow as he fell back asleep. After that night, he suffered from a severe cold and was bedridden. All he could do was rely on the remaining food he had left in his refrigerator. Three dayster, his condition improved, and he left the house. As soon as he went out, he smelled the strong scent of incense candles. In the empty corridor, there were wreaths on the wall and a few wisps of ash that sprouted out from the paper money that was being burnt, carried along by the soft breeze. The corridor seemed gloomy, and inadvertently, he could hear weeping. Soon, he learnt that there were deaths in the corridor. Three people died over thest three days, and the first to die was a young man named Xiao Zhang, whose corpse tightly held a handful of crumpled banknotes. As the auntie spoke to him about the news, he broke out in a cold sweat on the spot before running home and leaping straight into hisputer desk. He hurriedly logged into the forums, attempting to find the group chat. However, it was as if the group chat had evaporated into thin air. Levi could feel his heart sink to the floor. That night, he was gued by a nightmare; he dreamt that he woke up in the middle of the night and saw a strange woman lying beside him in his bed, with the moonlight illuminating her. She was wearing a white dress andid face up like a corpse. Her face was paler than her dress. W-who are you? She didnt answer. Her body rose as she was suspended in mid-air and slowly moved towards him. He could feel his bones turning into slush, and he couldnt move. The stiff corpse was suspended over him, with her face still facing upwards. Her arms hung limply, and her hair hung over his face. A putrid stench could be smelled emanating from her body. And she turned over. As soon as he saw her pale face and cloudy eyes, all he could hear him say was, How much money do you have left? Waking up from that nightmare, he began piling up his amulets, prayer beads, and other trinkets he had at home like a nest. They kept himpany every night, and he found it difficult to fall asleep. Every time he fell asleep, he could see the face of that wretched woman. He spent several days in fear until he received an invitation to join the group again. [100 2/3 Cats has invited you to join a group chat.] [Confirm] [Deny] His heart thumped against his chest, and his pupils shrank slightly. Before he could click on [Deny], his cursor seemed to be controlled by a strange force, forcing him to click on [Confirm]. [You have sessfully joined the University Urban Legend Group Chat (REVIEW). You can now chat with everyone.] The group chat was lifeless. Even though there were more than two hundred users, their profile pictures were all grey, but only his profile picture and 100 2/3 Cats were disyed. Just as he was about to leave the group chat in a panic, he received a message from that strange user. [100 2/3 Cats: @MASTER LEVI, congrattions on passing the preliminary offline review. Now, you are in the second review group! Please edit your profile so it matches your identity.] [100 2/3 Cats: @MASTER LEVI, we will finalise your entry into the group very soon. There are currently 19 users ahead of you.] He didnt know what to do. A weekter, he was almost desperate. He tried everything to get rid of that group chat of his nightmares, but it seemed to inch itself back into his life in weird ways. And the list was counted down by two to three users per day. As of yesterday, there were only two people left to be reviewed. In other words, either today or tomorrow, he will be audited by that weird group chat. And in his suffering, the sky turned dark. Levis cell phone vibrated slightly like the devil himself was calling to him. He picked up his phone and peeked at the message, and a crazed smile appeared on his face. [@MASTER LEVI, you will undergo your second review tonight. Please head to the ughterhouse in the southern suburbs at midnight and stay there alone until dawn.] A ughterhouse aha, hahaha! Levi felt numb, and his head began to ring. He felt like a death row prisoner waiting for their execution. That ughterhouse was abandoned three years ago due to a strange incident. Rumour has it that a group of animals keep humans in captivity in the dark crevices of the ughterhouse. Chapter 214: The Slaughterhouse Chapter 214: The ughterhouse Levi didnt know how long he was staring at the phone on the table, but when he finally forced himself to calm down, he realised it was already past 10:40 p.m. No matter what he did to try to get himself out of this mess, it seemed to always find a way back to him. True despair seemed to wash over him, and the clock was ticking. No matter who he tried to call and how he tried connecting to any inte service, it seemed that something was interfering, preventing him from getting in touch with anyone. He persisted, and his phone beeped again. [100 2/3 Cats: @MASTER LEVI, a gentle reminderyou have toplete this taskalone.Otherwise, your review will be cancelled.] Staring at his phone, the realisation that it was impossible for him to escape washed over him. He had to either face the unknown or die. He didnt even want to think about the terrible things that might happen to him if he was disqualified from the review. Vaguely, he felt that if he wanted to have a chance of survival, he had to go to the ughterhouse down south alone at midnight and survive until dawn. It was almost 11 p.m. Levi stood in front of his apartment unit, wearing a ck fishermans hat, as he carried a bulging travel bag filled with exorcism items. It was only at this time that he regretted crafting such unreliable exorcism items. Even this bulging, heavy bag failed to give him any sense of security. Damn it! He took a deep breath and began to walk out. The corridor was quiet, and the oldmp cast a dim light upon him. The smell of incense candles was still fresh in the air, and the abandoned paper dolls by the memorial were missing half of their bodies. Its weirdly shaped blush dusted upon its features was strangely bright under the night. There were very few taxis on the street. Standing by the side of the road, he waited for more than ten minutes until a taxi stopped for him. The ughterhouse in the southern part of town, please. He didnt need to specify the ughterhouse; the moment he mentioned it, the driver was stunned and looked at his guest through the rear mirror with a pale face. S-sir, the ughterhouse was closed three years ago. I know, he nced at his watch and said impatiently. Just drive. Im in a hurry. Suddenly, he realised that an opportunity was presenting itself as his eyes lit up: Actually, to tell you the truth, Im going to the ughterhouse because Im not hearing it! The driver interrupted. I-Im just a humble taxi driver, and I should mind my own business. Listen to me; I will take you there, but I am not driving you to the door. Okay, Levi responded, leaning backwards onto his seat. His eyes drifted across the small iron box containing business cards near the drivers seat, and a trace of hesitation shed in his eyes. Zhang Shan.Weird. He might be with those things haunting me. No ordinary taxi driver wanders around at night,Levi thought. The car sped through town, heading from the west side of the city towards the south. Zhang Shan nced at Levi through the rear mirror, and he seemed to be sleeping. Zhang Shan couldnt help but sneer in his heart. Like hell, Im falling for your trick to listen to a story! Ive got plenty of weirdos telling me that, and my te is full! Half an hourter. Zhang Shan parked his taxi on the side of the road, two kilometres away from the ughterhouse. He turned to Levi, shook him, and said, Sir, were here. As he spoke, he continued and raised his finger as he pointed at the fork of the road ahead: See that intersection? Enter through the fork, pointing straight, and keep walking. Its about two kilometres away. Yeah, Levi nodded and walked out. Hey! W-wait! Where are you going? Levi turned to Zhang Shan strangely with raised eyebrows and asked, What is it? Zhang Shan rubbed his fingers and said, Ah, well, you forgot to pay me the fare! Are you trying to leave without paying? Oh. Ever since he sessfully received fares from even the likes of that damned girl, Zhang Shan found that he was bing braver. So what if youre an urban legend? You should pay your cab fee regardless! How much? Levi asked impatiently. Zhang Shan shrugged as he whipped out a card with a QR code from under his steering wheel and handed it to Levi. Eighty-seven. No cash payments, only online. Levi red at the taxi driver before him but suppressed the anger in his heart and paid the fare as he turned to walk towards the fork. Now, he was more certain that Zhang Shan was working together with those people in the group chat. It was true that he had taken a taxi the night before, but they were all submissive and fearful. Zhang Shan was the first to be so bold and so brave. It was very dark, and a cold wind blew down the street. There were no pedestrians, and dead leaves were gently stirred by the wind. Levi walked straight down the fork and soon found himself on a deste street. The houses on both sides were low and dpidated; the doors were tightly closed, the windows were dark, and not a single soul was visible within. After walking for a while, there were no longer houses, and the asphalt road transitioned into a shabby road of unmixed tar. The light from the streetmps seemed to abruptly stop at a junction ahead as if it were swallowed up by the looming darkness ahead. Only the outlines of nts that swayed in the wind could be seen. Levi paused, fumbling for the shlight inside of his bag. Tap, tap, tap. After pressing the switch several times, the shlight seemed to refuse to turn on. Levi cursed in a low voice, Damn it,e on. As soon as he finished speaking, somebody patted him on the back. His heart dropped, and he immediately turned around, only to be greeted by an old man who had appeared behind him. Oh my god, what are you? Taking in his appearance, he couldnt help but shudder violently, and he was speechless. The old mans face was frighteningly pale, and his wrinkles were like soaked, crushed bean curds sttered across his face. Have you seen my grandson? The old man trembled, speaking as if something were stuck in his throat. His voice sounded strangely distant. I he stuttered, forcing himself to take deep breaths. I just got here. I have never seen your grandson. Oh The old man seemed to drag his words out, and his cloudy eyes looked past Levi, staring at the dark road that loomed behind him. Are you going to the ughterhouse? Y-yes? Ah, the ughterhouse well the old man murmured, as if he knew something but was unwilling to say it. Old man, do you know something I dont? The old man suddenly giggled, and hisughter seemed shallow and thin. The wrinkles moved as his mouth arched tough, and his eyes began to tremble: Have you seen my grandson? If you see him, tell him toe home. The old man then turned around, disappearing down the deserted street. He limped away, but at a speed that was not fitting for a dying old man. Up ahead was the ughterhouse, and judging from the old mans words, his grandson was probably inside. As soon as Levi turned back around to face the darkness, his expression changed, and a chill crept up his spine. The shlight that had been unable to light up flickered a few times, and then lit up with a loud pop. Pop! Levi swallowed and froze in ce before taking out two sets of prayer beads, two crosses, and a string of garlic from his backpack and hanging them around his neck. Then, with false bravado, he marched into the darkness. The dust on the tar road was thick, and mud had umted in some crevices. Strangely enough, rotting coins could be seen scattered in the dirt. With the support of the shlight, Levi walked on the road with trepidation. After an unknown amount of time, he finally saw the ughterhouse appear before him. It stood alone in the wilderness; its walls were tall, and the grass had already grown to the walls height. The paint on the gate had long peeled off, and a rusty card hung above the gate. [SLAUGHTERHOUSE] Levi read it silently in his mind. A ruthless look shed in his eyes, and he pushed open the ajar iron gate and walked in. As he passed through the gate, the stench of animal excrement hit his nostrils. After walking a few steps forward, he could see a green-tiled hut in the distance. He stood and hesitated for a moment. Before he could continue walking forward, he suddenly heard a loud bang behind him. Bang! He tremblingly looked back, and the card had fallen off the gate. It must be the weather.He convinced himself. An ominous premonition rose in his heart. In the next moment, he could feel a sharp pain in his shoulder. Looking down in a daze, he saw an iron hook pierce through his corbone, and blood started to gurgle out of his chest. Gloop gloop Heavy breaths could be felt behind his neck, and he froze in shock. The next moment, he could feel himself being roughly pulled by the iron hook. Severe pain tore through his upper body, and he flew backwards into the darkness. Help! Help me, please! At midnight, a shrill, frightening cry for help echoed through the wilderness, but soon it was silent again. In the wilderness, not far from the infamous ughterhouse, a man stared quietly in the darkness as the interior of the ughterhouse began to sh with an ominous, scarlet light. He was tall and thin as he puffed up his afro. His sallow face was covered with thick dark circles under his eyes, and he seemed to be going through a lot of troubles in life, which caused him to lose sleep. He was wearing a pitch-ck cloak with a bright yellow emblem pinned to his cor. If one were to take a closer look, you could see a funny, skull-shaped emoticon. His cloak fluttered in the breeze, revealing his two pitifully thin but hairy legs underneath. A ck shadow flew in the sky with a loud whoosh andnded steadily beside the man. It was a very petite girl who looked about seven or eight at most. She had a pair of ck cat ears sticking out from her mixed-coloured bob, and it swayed from side to side. She wore a ck cloak that was simr to thenky mans, and the cor was very high, covering half of her face. Like the man, she, too, had the emoticon emblem pinned to her chest pocket. She crouched down like a cat and peered at the man: Perv, can wepleasetell the boss to transferthatuser to another review group? I cant standheranymore! Thenky man simply nced at the girl and said, What? Did she report us again? Again is an understatement, the girl pouted angrily. Ever since she found that the re-review was just a bluff, she reports us, with an average of two times a day for an entire month! Once, she even reported us seven times a day. Seventimes, the girl pouted again. Do you really think we can handle any more reports without spending psychic energy? Thenky man scratched the back of his head,ughed, and said, Its just a report, no? There shouldnt be a big problem, correct? Its not just reports, the girl said, rolling her eyes. She has been spamming my private chat with walls of text, andst week, she found a Trojan horse virus and sent it to me If I didnt react quickly enough, she would have stolen my information. And yesterday, she continued. She sent hundreds of dirty pictures and sent them to the group! All at once! Hearing this, thenky mans eyes lit up: Oh, I like her. Tsk, Ill report her to the boss and let them deal with her. Because The girl stood up, folding her hands across her chest, and said, Female group members cannot, under any circumstance, be reviewed byyou.Otherwise Otherwise, what? I have no interest in these women at all. Hah, she sneered. I know you wont do anything to them, but their review location She paused, and her cheeks were stained with a pink blush as her tail drooped downward. Her words became hesitant. Their review location is inthatkind of ce. What kind of ce? Care to enlighten me? Thenky man shrugged and smirked. The girl stamped her feet and growled, Well, itswhatever, you slut! I dont have to say itbastard! What do you know, little brat? Its Heaven to mesomethingyouwould never know, thenky man rolled his eyes. Youre a pervert Whatever, I dont want to talk to you anymore! She stuck her tongue out and spat. ncing at the ughterhouse and seeing that the lights had died down, she was stunned for a moment, raising her hand to nce at her wrist. On her wrist was a childrens electronic watch, and she asked doubtfully, Is that Master Levi? Its already 12:13 a.m.; where is he? Did he note, or did you already deal with him? Oh, he was most definitely dealt with. What? That was quick. What did you do? Thenky man nced at the ughterhouse and curled his lips: He gottaken awayas soon as he entered the ughterhouse. Nothing much to say, really. What the the girl rolled her eyes, making a pull-back motion with her arms. I came all the way here to watch the show, and youre telling me you just dealt with that arrogant bastard. Killed him off, just like that? He changed his disy name to [HUMBLE LEVI] and begged every day to be spared, he said, shaking his head. Arent we being a little bit too cruel to arrange his review in such a difficult ce? Hes on the cklist, the girl reminded herself as she put her hands on her hips. We are entrusted with a duty! The more miserable the death, the better! Plus, you never said anything about being cruel when he deceived those girls or when he sold fake items and caused innocent people to be attacked by urban legends! Okay, okay, I get it; youve said enough, he interrupted, raising a hand. By the way, have you chosen a location forthatgirls review? Hmm, the girl frowned, thinking for a bit. Her peripheral vision drifted towards the ughterhouseit was long abandoned, yet the shadows that crept in the darkness hid something great, and the faint, ghostly whispers of animals being ughtered still remained in the wind. Thats it! Thenky man turned to look at the girl and asked, Are you sure? Shes a newly-born urban legend, and isnt she a key target on our hit list? Bringing her here seems I get it! he said, realisation dawning upon him. Youre avenging a private vendetta! Shes not that powerful, but you think shes annoying, so youre bringing her here to deal with her! Im not you, the girl said, rolling her eyes. I take my job seriously, and the boss thinks very highly of her. If shes that strong, why not bring her here? Let her get taken away as soon as she steps into the ughterhouse. Well, thats up to you! Thenky man shrugged. By the way, how much money didshepick up? Ah, about that. The girl hesitated to speak as if she suddenly remembered something, and the corners of her mouth twitched. Dont ask these stupid questions! No matter what, Ill have her reviewed within the week itself. Early the next morning, in front of Jingyi Apartments. Lu Yibei stood at the entrance of themunity, pondering with his hand on his chin. He stared at the wallet on the ground for a long time. The peoplemuting to work or to the University seemed to rush past him, ignoring the wallet that appeared to be stacked with cash on the ground. This has been going on for several days! What kind of dumb fucking trap is this? Even Mr. Rabbit was better than this! Meanwhile, on the stone pir by the entrance of themunity, a beautiful, civet cat eyed the boy who was eyeing the wallet. Seeing him bend forward to pick up the wallet, the cats eyes shed with excitement, and the corners of its feline mouth curved slightly. Finally! She picked it up! I thought she was a noble citizenrefusing to pick up one dor, then ten dors, then a hundred! All I had to do was dump an entire wallet there! Hah! As the cat was praising itself, its ears twitched, and in the distance, it could hear the boy walking into a tiny police hut at the corner of the street. Excuse me, Mr. Policeman? I just found a wallet by the entrance, and theres a lot of money inside. Im rushing to campus, so Ill leave it to you. Meow![trantion: FUCK!]The cat loudly meowed when it heard this, pping its paw on the stone pir, leaving a smoky paw print behind. Chapter 215: Someone’s Wife Chapter 215: Someones Wife Who doesnt like picking up free money? As soon as you leave first thing in the morning, you get to pick up free money conveniently ced right in front of the gate of yourmunity. For somebody without a spine, like Lu Yibei, naturally, this is great news. However, he didnt want to break his currently peaceful life because of money from unknown sources. Of course, the main issue was not because the money came from unknown sources. The real problem was that the amount was too little. Walking towards his University, he curled his lips and snickered to himself, Me? Taking the bait? For just a few thousand dors? Youre looking down on me! Human beings are indeed attuned to greed, but unfortunately, his greed surpasses that of normal people. Simply put, if you want him to take the bait, you have to pay up. A hundred times more even betterten thousand times more! He muttered to himself at an audible enough volume as he sneakily observed his surroundings, as if he were trying to let somebody hear what he had just said. Would be nice if the next amount was increased by ten thousand times! he moaned aloud. I would even kill a god for that amount of money! After saying that, he stood by the side of the road and waited. When he saw a pile of coins that the other pedestrians seemingly could not see dropping in front of him, he sighed. Hewasshort of money currently. Determined to find a way to make up for his weaknesses, he realised that the property his father left for him was not enough. It took him almost a month to interpret some of the knowledge from the Serpent, but before he could celebrate, reality gave him a ruthless p on the face, as if it were trying to tell him, You want to be stronger without spending money? Keep dreaming. He had already asked the goddess residing in his home in a subtle way. Even though he knew that he had to keep his distance, not make fun of her, provide food for her, gauge her temperament, let her use theputer From the Serpents knowledge, he interpreted that the first stage of strengthening himself would be to delve into alchemy and that in itself would cost hundreds of thousands of dors. With the goddess help, he was given a special price of 15% off for some resources, not including a rhinoceros horn and incense made of a turtles saliva. These were two mythical materials that one could not find on the market. 9:23 am, in the suburbs of Huacheng, within a vi. In therge vige, there were seven or eightputer desks in the living room, and several monitors were ced on each desk. If one were to enter the room for the first time, they may think that they have stumbled into an e-sports teams training room. Inside the room, only one man was sitting in the corner by the window. The slight fragrance of tea came from the blue and white porcin teapot, with intricate decorations of cranes. The bright Sun shone through the window, and he toyed with the thread of his book in his hand. After a short while, there was movement outside the window, and a ck shadow shed past. A beautiful civet catnded steadily on the desk in front of the man, and it pped its paw on the mans book as it began to vomit. Stop reading! Youre starting to annoy me! Back so soon? The man said this, putting down his book. Are you done with your business yet? No! In fact, I cant stand her! You dont even know how ridiculous she is! I cant handle her! The catined, and the hairs on its back began to stand as it let out a low growl. Do you know why she didnt pick up the money I left her? Its because she thought that it wastoo little,and she even said, out loud, that she would only consider it if I increased the amount of money by ten thousand times. Shes annoying me! I want to just cancel her review and just kill her! Sorry, but no one can do it, the man said. She is an important target. How about taking a break for two days? As he spoke, he sat up straight and typed in the URL [who.is.apparition], and a seemingly innocuous webpage with a skull popped up. He entered his username and password, confirming it with his secret USB sh drive. Clicking Enter, the interface immediately refreshed the files of the Urban Legend group chat. The red and yellow interface was full of chimes and whistles as if it were trying to promote a New Years event. The man browsed through the webpage and found an option hidden underneath the various decorations. Clicking on it, the screen turned ck. Taking a closer look, all kinds of information rted to urban legends were sprawled across the screen messily. The man moved his mouse to one entry titled [Commission: Kill my ex-husband, who dismembered me. Reward: All my life savings], then turned to look at the cat on the table. No matter what, we must recruitherinto our group. Since she likes money that much, how about youplete a few of thesemissions and give her the money you earn? Why? Why mustmymoney go toher?I want to use it on myself! Why am I giving it to her? The cat began to roll around the table vigorously as it scratched the air, fighting it. If thats the case, theres only one way, the man pondered. What is it? The man stretched out his hand and scratched the cats furry chin. The corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a lewd smile. I know a group of people on the Inte, and with my connections, I can contact a few of these rich people who have a special liking for little girlsack! It hurts, damn it! Before the man could finish speaking, the cat leapt up, leaving more than a dozen bright red scratches on his face. The cat jumped down from the table and spat, If you say such things again, Ill put up amission on the website to hunt you down. Covering his face, he watched as the cat disappeared into the shadows and said, I wasnt done speaking I meant that those guys have a special liking for little girls dressed up as the female Bodhisattva, and they would throw money at them. Meow! A chilling meow echoed through the vi, and the man shuddered as he nodded and made a zipper gesture with his mouth. He quickly picked up his book and continued to study it. During this period of time, Lu Yibeis life was really fulfilling. Ever since he left the bamboo scrolls realm, perhaps it was because of the Serpents corrupted blood, but he found that his eyes had not heated up for a very long time. He still transforms every evening, but it is no longer as painful as it once was, and he is able to have greater control over his transformations to a certain degree. Plus, the number of times he bumps into other urban legends seems to have decreased drastically. Life seemed to be back on track, and everything that had happened before seemed like a distant fever dream. His daily routine now consists of going to bed early, getting up early, going to ss on time, helping Professor Ma at hisboratory, and working his shifts at the Night Division. After finishing his shift, he would wander around the streets, buy delicious food, and go to his secret base to enjoy it alone or share it with somebody elses wife. Yes, somebody elses wifenone other than Wikstroemia herself. At first, he was very ufortable having an intruder inside his secret base, but after getting to know her, he found that she was not only beautiful and bold in character; she also loved food. Thus, they hadmon ground. As far as food was concerned, it was as if they were soulmates. And as long as they had the same interests, Yibei didnt find it hard to make friends. Not to mention that she is very beautiful, but it is a pity that she seems to be somebody elses wife. Thinking of this, after ss, he walked down the road towards Mudan Street, where his hideout was. He suddenly realised that the figure of Wikstroemia appeared in his mind unknowingly, and he raised his hand and pped himself hard. What the hell are you doing, Lu Yibei? You like talking to her about food, and food only. Why are you thinking of her body? Youre no different from your godfather! But I have to admit, I wish I had some of his game!And like a god, when he looked up, there he was. After school, there were always vehicles parked in front of the University, waiting to pick up their loved ones. Among the many vehicles, Shuis mboyant, purple beetle may not be the most expensive, but it was definitely the most eye-catching one. Coupled with his thick, snow-white coat, shiny diamond earrings, cigar in his mouth, and a handsome face that only got better with age, he is definitely the textbook definition of a womaniser. Observing from a distance, he silently took out a mask from his backpack and put it on his face, walking over to his car with his head lowered. He bought this mask from Gu Qianqian; she had been setting up a stall every night recently at a night market and seemed to be more in need of money than he was, and he felt bad for her. Strangely enough, this mask was obviously cheap and of poor quality, but for some reason, her stall would be crowded with people. When you care for someone, even if they are disguised, you will still be able to feel their presence. Therefore, Bai Kai could spot his godson in the crowd almost immediately, and he waved his hands and shouted, Bei! Im over here! Why are you wearing that ugly mask? Fuck! Yibei cursed, and under the strange gazes of his ssmate, he dashed over to Bai Kais car and rolled up the window. Bai Kai smiled as he slowly got into the car, started it, and drove away from the University. The purple beetle drove on the wide highway, silently taking in the beautiful city as it wandered around the endless road. Yibei nced at Bai Kai through the rearview mirror, wondering whether he should tell him that he was about to be an official member of the Night Division. However, it seemed that Bai Kai was five steps in front of him. Bei, to be honest, I picked you up today because I have something important to tell you. Youre finally getting married? Impossible! Bai Kai patted his steering wheel andughed. Giving up an entire grasnd for a single flower is simply stupid of me! Bei, Im talking about your dad! You want to marry my dad? he asked. You do know grass typically refers to men, and flowers refer to women, right? It does not matter. I think it does. Because even Im not sure whether Im the product of beautiful love or an ident! Im not giving up on a garden of flowers. Happy? Bai Kai pouted yfully. You may not be able to ept what I have to tell you today, but I must tell you today. I If you say anything weird, Im jumping out of the car. I am actually an Operator of the Night Division. Thats it? I already knew this long ago! This cant be it! So, what now? Arent you surprised? Shocked, even? Bai Kai frowned, expecting a greater reaction. Uh, oh my god, you got me good. Thats so cool, so awesome, wow, he emotionlessly cheered as he pped his hands. Youve got your mothers mouth, thats for sure, Bai Kai muttered. Anyways, on behalf of the Night Division, Im going to inform you that the materials for your runes have arrived. I am tasked with waiting for a sunny day at noon and taking you to embed your runic patterns into your soul. Because noon is when the Sun is shining the brightest, there will be a higher chance of sess for your runes made of fire,Bai Kai thought to himself. And Im not allowed to be your supervisor or trainer, Bai Kai sobbed. ording to the Night Divisions rules, rtives must avoid suspicion from their loved ones, and my jurisdiction is not very suitable for a young man like you. Geez, what are you crying for? Do you want me to take a photo of your ugly face and send it to your sugar mommies? Im just mourning for the fact that you have to suffer under Jianglis hands! he cried out. That damn crippled woman is notorious for being mean! Yibei nced at Bai Kais hand, which seemed to fidget around with his other hand, but he hesitated to speak. Actually, Jiangli is quite easy to get along with. Yes, shes a little cold, but at least shes not trying to fuck me up. He suddenly remembered the mysterious girls request to him, and he frowned. It was a strange request, really. His rtionship with Jiangli wasnt that close, to begin with, so how could he kill her? To make it up to you, I n on taking you to a fun ce before you be an official member of the Night Division. Hearing this, Yibei immediately sank back into his seat and covered his chest with both hands: N-no! I do not want to go to that kind of ce! I want to save my first time for my wedding, not some weird girl at a weird ce! No! What are you talking about? Bai Kai smiled bitterly. If I take you to that kind of ce, Im afraid my master will smite me down. I want to take you to a ghost market. A ghost market? Yibei tilted his head. Do they still exist? He could vaguely remember that, before the nights became long, there was an ancient street down Peony Street where a group of mystical people would gather on every first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. They would set up stalls on both sides of the street, lighting dim candles and oilmps and selling strange handicrafts and antiques of unknown origin. They would asionally engage in superstitious activities, like asking for divination or fortune-telling, and some might even cast spells. They usually open at two or three in the morning and close at dawn. On that ancient street, looking from a distance, their figures would be shadowy and blurred, which earned them the name of a ghost market, because it looked like ghosts were performing transactions with one another. However, ever since the nights became long, coupled with the fact that urban legends were most active at night, after several incidents, the tradition of a ghost market had long disappeared. Hence, he felt confused listening to his godfather mention a ghost market. Are they really not afraid of urban legends? Or is he talking about a real ghost market staffed by urban legends? Bai Kai simply smiled and said, Dont be scared; there are no vicious urban legends in the ghost market, and the area where the stalls are set up is a special area designated by the Night Division. There is no danger at all. Since when is the Night Division part of urban management, and why is the Night Division supervising things like this? Theres a debate going on within the Night Divisionsome think that all urban legends are evil, but a small number of people think that urban legends are capable of good. After a pause, Bai Kai added, I am a centrist, but I agree with this form of management in the ghost market. After all, you should know that we are understaffedsix main Operators and a pitiful special operations team. How can such a small number of people take care of all the urban legends in the city? Of course, he continued. There are basically no urban legends in the ghost market. Most of them are lone psychics. I see, Yibei nodded, ncing out the window. Seeing that the car had driven near Mudan Street, he was stunned for a moment as he patted Bai Kais seat, Shui, could you please stop here for a moment? Huh? Why? We still have to go to the ghost market. Didnt you say it only opens in the morning? I have something to do right nowI made an appointment with someone! Ill contact you when its almost evening. You made an appointment with somebody else, Bai Kai frowned, switching to mom mode for a second. Is it a date? Male or female? How old are they? How do they look? Okay! Okay! he interrupted. Ill be fine on my own; Im a man! Thats not the point. Let me tell you, Bei, boys should also learn how to protect themselves when outside. Because your dad needed protection too. He simply stared at Bai Kai and said, I know, but adapting to perilous situations is what Im best at! Good, Bai Kai nodded. But Who are you meeting up with? Its a date, correct? Im meeting up with somebody elses wife. ? Chapter 216: Is This Who You Call “Somebody Else’s Wife?” Chapter 216: Is This Who You Call Somebody Elses Wife? Bathing in the afternoon sun, the ancient streets were still showered with their gorgeous rays. Even though time has taken its toll on the streets, she was reluctant to grow old. The old teahouse on the street had simple furnishings, not as formal or well-dressed as other teahousesa small square table, bamboo chairs, shabby china, and a copper teapot. A few snacks were decked out on the table, and a few old people sat around it. Drinking tea and chatting with one another, listening to soap operas, and gossipingthis is the daily routine of the elderly on Mudan Street. When young, Yibei and Sumis group of friends loved to run over to the teahouse for no other reason than to listen to the old people ramble about mystical stories that could be true or false. A serpentine woman who is a fairy, or exorcising corpses to beckon the gods, or statues who eat children The stories were slightly unsettling, enough to scare children until they sweated, but they couldnt seem to pry their ears away. At the time, Yibeis habit of talking nonsense had already begun to take shape, and he would always find illogical aspects of the story and point them out, making the old people furious and testing the limits of their cerebral haemorrhage and myocardial infarction, causing him to be beaten up by the old people. Thinking about it now, he felt that the beating he received was not a loss at all. The stories told by the old people were probably true. Looking for logic in the world of urban legends is simply stupid. The old teahouse not only sells tea but also sells snacks. The most famous of which is the old couples beef offal. Spicy, but not dry and greasy. Rich, numbing aromas are mixed with the natural, light taste of beef offal. Bursting between the lips, it lingers in ones memory, making every bite unforgettable. However, their beef offal was difficult to get after Mudan Street was partially transformed into a tourist destination. The owners arezy and dislike tourists flocking around to the teahouse just for their food, destroying the tranquillity of the area. Hence, if any locals wanted to have a bite of their beef offal, they had to inform them in advance. Walking into the teahouse, he looked around and found the owner, who was lying on a wicker chair with his eyes closed, seemingly meditating. Mr. He? I ordered some beef offal. The owner didnt open his eyes. He simply patted the bento next to him and muttered, Take it. You dont have to pay. When will you be back home? Ill take payment in the form of a meal cooked by you. Ah, youre doing too much, he said, embarrassed by the subtle praise. Now, you know we love your cooking, the owner said, rolling his eyes. Nothing to be embarrassed about! Actually, I do want to ask something embarrassing Are you really not going to share the recipe for your beef offal? His father had actually been coveting the secret recipe for the beef offal for a long time. If only Yibei hadnt been born, he would most definitely have had an affair with the teahouses owner to obtain the secret recipe. Bah! Get out! Well, it doesnt seem like it. He took the bento of beef offal with him and went straight to his secret hideout located on the corner of Mudan Street. However, as soon as he left the teahouse, a figure wearing a snow-white fur coat sneaked into the teahouse. Mr. He! Long time no see! Can I ask you something? Bai Kai greeted him, pulling down his mask and sunsses. The owner raised his eyebrows and spat, How unluckyfirst the son, now the lover. Get out of here! I dont want to deal with two of you in a single day! Im just here to ask about my godsonhe came here to buy the beef offal, correct? Do you know who he bought them for? How would I know? Hes probably munching on them on his own right now, he mumbled. Hearing this, he fell into deep thought. Yes, he might have bought it for himself, but toying with somebody elses wife I cant let her win! Absolutely not! On the way to the hideout, the boys mood was as tangled as the headphone cords that he took out of his pocket. He feltplicated. He was excited to meet his friend; he was anxious about getting caught; he felt excited again. However, when he climbed to the top of the tower, all of hisplicated emotions disappeared. The girl was sitting barefoot on the edge of the guardrail, hanging her slender legs over it. The sunlight fell on her side, reflecting a hint of sadness. The breeze blew through her flowing ck hair, bringing with it the scent of osmanthus mixed with the slight scent of pineapples. Youre here? Wikstroemia tilted her head towards Yibei and smiled. Come, I got you some cold gluten that I bought at the market earlier today. Its handmade! And, she smirked, shaking a bottle in the air. Mulberry wine. After seeing the food and wine bought by the Flower, Yibei realised that he probably didnt have any strange feelings for this woman. Just friends through food. Nothing more, nothing less. Yes, making friends through food, and we meet up at a secret location, and shes married Nobody is going to fucking believe me! Well, she herself didnt believe it either. She had no idea how dedicated he was to food. She only knew that the boy before her was coveting her beauty like the countless people she met along the way, but this time, she didnt mind. ording to her handbook, her appearance is a weapon; as long as she wasnt taken advantage of, she could use her appearance as a weapon. She devoted herself to studying this handbook, determined to live like a human. Moreover, after getting along with the boy before her, she thought that he was a friend worth making. Besides, she had little contact with outsiders since she was young. As she thought about it, Yibei was, of course, bbering about a random subject, only to interrupt himself and ask, Some people say I talk too much You dont find me annoying, right? Nope, she smiled. An elder in my family once said that talking a lot means that youre an artist, a historian who remembers everything. Dont know who that is, but I already like them! This is for you, random elder! he said, raising the paper cup and drinking it in a single gulp. A young man and a young woman meet in a remote ce, with nothing happening. Bai Kai never believes this to be the case. If nothing happens, could you really call yourself a man? Far away, on a hillside not far from the tower, Bai Kai squatted in the bushes as he cast a spell to improve his eyesight and hearing, peering into the top of the tower. Her skin, these legs, and the waist? The buildings obscured her face, but just by seeing her figure, Bai Kai knew that she must be a beautiful woman and vaguely felt that something was very wrong. If Beis first love is a young woman this perfect? He will never forget her, and his life will be over. Before he wanted to barge in on them, he heard a particrly familiar sentence. I once said that talking a lot means youre an artist, a historian who remembers everything. ? Isnt that Beis mothers facy? How does she Something is fishy! I have to investigate this! I have to see what she looks like! In a sh, he left the hillside and headed towards the Night Division. Since this is the headquarters, Peony Street is tightly governed. Through the surveince room, you can see almost all corners of Peony Street. Bai Kai had no intention of abusing his power to use these surveince cameras to spy on his godson; it was simply hical and indecent of him to do so. But it was different nowthe words of a dead person came out of the mouth of a living person. This is enough to be considered an urban legend. As an Operator, it is his duty to investigate urban legends. Completely normal. He silently pushed open the door to the control room, rushed to the console, and brought up a camera pointing towards the direction of the tower before freezing on the spot. Is that the Flower? How did she meet Bei? Is this who you call somebody elses wife? Lu Yibei? Wait, they dont know each others identities, he murmured to himself as he watched the scene on camera. Thinking of this, he smiled. Destiny is funny; maybe I shouldnt tell them the truth this early. As he spoke, a certain figure shed in his mind, and his eyes dimmed a little. Love is pure; if you were to tell somebody that their love is simply the workings of fate, their love might falter. Which is why arranged marriages and the like are the dregs of traditionalism. At worst, it might develop into a situation like mine. Right, Ill let them have their little date and give them a surprise when the timees, he smiled, fantasising when his godson would bring the Flower over to him, and he would say, You two were originally meant for each other! This somebody else is you, Bei! Ah, if only you were still here. You wouldugh at my jokes, right? Bai Kai sighed, thinking of his godsons father. However, he felt that even if they were together, they wouldnt do anything too drastic, knowing their characters. If anything bad really did happen, a marriage certificate can easily be obtained at the Civil Affairs Bureau. She really came here by herself and didnt even try looking for me. Hanging out with strangershow annoying! I have to talk to himter, he murmured to himself. The Sun was gradually setting, and red clouds filled the sky. Looking out the window, he could feel that his transformation wasing, so he got up, bid farewell to the Flower, and headed towards the University district alone. Not long after the boy left, the Flower, who had been sitting there for a while, packed up the garbage and was about to return to his old house. At this moment, a fluctuation of psychic energy, like a sword, flooded through the tower. Feeling this wave getting closer, her eyes darkened as she summoned a long sword and stabbed behind her with lightning speed. In an instant, two silver arcs of light collided in mid-air, causing sparks to fly everywhere. The terrifying force rumbled through her hand, and she admittedly felt surprised. At the same time, she felt a whirlpool of dark energy in the palm of her hand, as if her sword was about to fall out of her hands. She immediately turned around and was shocked to see the person standing behind her. Master Bai? Is that you? In her memory, Bai Kai is a rugged man who wore coats made of sheepskin and a white turban. However, the man before her was wearing an exaggerated fur coat and a pair ofrge sunsses, with fine skin, tender flesh, and mboyant air around him. If it werent for the facial features and his sword techniques that she was quite familiar with, she wouldnt have known it was him. Youre improving fast. You had about half of my skill back then. After confirming that the person in front of her was Bai Kai, she immediately lowered her guard, discarding her mour and returning to her appearance as the feared demon in the Gobi Desert. She rolled her eyes and immediately pouted at him: I dont believe youmy grandpa said that you have the worst talent for swordsmanship among all the people he has taught! Do you really believe that old man who barely practices swordsmanship himself? Then, tell me, why am I the only one of his students to obtain the runes finely tailored for a swordsperson? Bai Kai pouted back. Probably because you suck at using swords, so its ironic hehe! Young people love talking about nonsense every day, he sighed. Anyways, when did youe to Huacheng? And why? Why didnt youe looking for me? After listening to his bursts of questions, she was stunned for a moment before remembering the purpose of her trip. Her cheeks turned slightly red as she stuck her tongue out and shuffled her feet on the ground. Suddenly, it was as if her entire body was wrapped in energy as she began to shine brightly, and she flew straight out the window like a beautifulet made of bouquets. No! Not now! I cant be sent back by Master Bai Kai! I havent found my Lu Yibei yet! Meanwhile, on the other side of town. As the sky dimmed, a moan came from the darknesssometimes hoarse, sometimes manlybut it soon turned feminine. A momentter, the Witch walked out of the construction site, sweating profusely. Her eyes felt numb as if her entire body had been hollowed out. Yes, although the pain was dullpared tost timean unbearable itch within her bones, coupled with a permanent cold and the whispers of a girl echoing in her earsshe didnt know which option she preferred more. Walking out of the construction site, she used the light of the streetmps to look at the strange, ck substance in the crystal bottle in her hand and frown. A bottle every day I dont know how many more bottles I can buy without going broke to store this liquid. I dont know what will happen if ordinary peoplee into contact with this. She fished out her newly bought phone from a certain brand from her pocket. Yes! Now that her body no longer heats up, she has the courage to buy a gship mobile phone again. Unlocking the phone, she clicked into the urban legend group chat, forwarded more than 30 spam videos, and sent a report as usual, citing that fraudulent information was being spread in the group. Then, she received a prompt message. [100 2/3 Cats: Please stop reporting the group. Otherwise, you will be re-examined offline. We will organise your final group entry in the near future. There are currently 5 users ahead of you.] [varia: @100 2/3 Cats, are you a bot?] [100 2/3 Cats: Yes.] [varia: Cool! Lets y solitaire now.] [varia: Ill go first, then you select your card.] [100 2/3 Cats: Please stop chatting with me.] Tsk. Im just trying to be friendly. After closing the group chat, she opened her address book and dialled Bai Kai. It beeped twice, and it connected. Bai Kais panting rang in his ears, vaguely mixed with theughter of a girl on the other end. Agh Bei? Is that you? Whats the matter? Youre tired? Thats fast! You cant keep up with me! The girl on the other end yelled. Im sorry; Ill call you backter. You do your thing, Yibei said. After hanging up, she nced at her phone screen and shook her head. After hanging up the phone, Lu Yibei nced at the space that had just darkened and shook his head helplessly. Shui is reaching that age. Maybe Ill buy some supplements for him. Meanwhile, on the outskirts of Huacheng, on top of a hill. Bai Kai stood there nkly, looking at the cell phone in his hand, and sighed. In the shadowy forest, there was no trace of Wikstroemia. He couldnt believe he lost track of herhe was the Night Divisions top three psychics, and he lost track of a young girl. He felt shame. Those two brats are a perfect match when ites to messing with me, he grumbled. Fuck! Chapter 217: Almost Missing Out Chapter 217: Almost Missing Out Shortly after nightfall, in the outer parts of the suburbs. A huge, dpidated mansion rested within an overgrown garden, and in the huge mansion, only the study on the top floor was still lit. Jiangli sat in front of the old-fashioned desk, carefully flipping through the files piled up on the desk. She picked up a pen from time to time, recording several notes in a notebook. URBAN LEGEND 1624 CODENAME: THREAT LEVEL: C- FIRST APPEARANCE: JULY 5TH CASE OVERVIEW: URBAN LEGEND 1624 IS CURRENTLY UNCONTAINED. WORKERS FROM QINGSHIKOU TUNNELS HAVE REPORTED SIGHTINGS OF MYSTERIOUS FIGURES LURKING WITHIN THE TUNNELS. ncing through the file, she picked up the pen and wrote a line of characters in her notebook. [Urban Legend 1624 is most likely an evil spiritominous energies, high-risk factor. Not suitable for neers.] Putting down File 1624, she randomly picked up another file and opened it. URBAN LEGEND 0784 CODENAME: The Moving House of Blood THREAT LEVEL: B FIRST APPEARANCE: JANUARY 1ST, 1999 CASE OVERVIEW: URBAN LEGEND 0784 IS A BUILDING THAT MANIFESTS IN CITIES. THE BUILDING HAS REPORTEDLY COME ALIVE TO ASK FOR HELP FROM PEDESTRIANS, CAUSING Jiangli put the file away again, writing in her notebook. [0784, unresolved case, not suitable for neers.] URBAN LEGEND 1105 CODENAME: COIN BOX THREAT LEVEL: B- She closed the file again. URBAN LEGEND 0994 CODENAME: STRANGE MUMMIES IN VILLA THREAT LEVEL: C+ After looking through seven or eight more files, Jiangli stopped and leaned on her chair, rubbing her swollen temples. Just as she was about to continue, the door to the study suddenly opened, and her maid, Hua, held a tray of tea and snacks. Seeing the mountain of files on her desk and her mistress tired face, she pouted. Mistress, its been seven or eight hours. All this forthatboydo you need to be so concerned about him? Jiangli nced at her and shook her head: Hua, you dont understandsince he has be my subordinate, it is my duty to ensure his safety. Do you know how high the mortality rate is for new Operators on their first expedition? Yibeis situation is different from Du Sixians; Sixians runes held no special properties, so there will be a long period of learning. Now that Yibeis runes have been obtained, ording to the internal records of the Night Division, he will be able to acquire special abilities, considering that his runes are sourced from a fiery being. It is almost certain that his abilities will be rted to fire. Of course, there are a small number of people who have more than one type of ability. Therefore, ording to customs, after he finishes adapting to the runes in his body, he will only have a week to adapt before he devotes himself to the work of the Night Division. This is the Night Divisions best n: to fight against urban legends, eliminate the fears of urban legends in the hearts of citizens, and master their own abilities. However, kicking them out into the wild has its drawbacks. A small part of this riskes from their inherent fear of facing urban legends for the first time and more so from their superiors error in terms of choosing a suitable case for them to deal with. Chasing after urban legends is a cruel thing. In fact, many new psychics die or be incapacitated within their first three missions due to their superiors failing to select a suitable case for them. Jiangli knew how cowardly Yibei wasif his life was in danger, he would definitely give up and start running away. But what if running away wasnt an option? If he could run and escape with his life, then good, but what if the opponent was too strong? She didnt want him to encounter too many dangers in the early stages of his career because of her negligence. Hua, youre dismissed for the day. Go and rest, alright? Mistress Go. I understand, mistress. Hua ced the tray of tea and snacks down by her study and left, and Jiangli buried her head into the files once again. 2:55 am. In a small park near the University, a figure walked quickly and briskly from the darkness and stood where the streetlight shone the brightest. Yibei and Bai Kai made an appointment to meet here at three in the morning and then head over to the ghost market together. However, because his house was too noisy, he went out early and came here to wait. Jumengs favourite game had just been updated, and her addiction to herputer became more and more serious. Shes glued to it for more than 20 hours a day, and of course, she somehow found a way to funnel in-game currency into her ount. Looking at her, Yibei felt that the records about fallen gods in the Night Division Records might be a bit outdated. Apart from their beliefs being distorted over time or being corrupted due to excessive consumption of cores, maybe they should add a new section detailing how easy it was for them to sumb to Inte addiction. I have got to find a way to get her enough cores as soon as possible. If I let her stay, my electric bills will be off the roof. As he was thinking, the sound of wheels rolling over the asphalt could be heard, and it was particrly loud on this silent night. Turning around, he saw a bright purple beetle approaching from a distance, stopping in front of him. Bai Kai rolled down the window and waved him over: Bei! Get in! Its almost time, and theyre about to open! He simply nodded and got in the car. Soon, the beetle drove out of the University and headed towards Dongcheng and Huacheng. In Dongcheng, there is an ancient street that was already known for its night market before the nights got longer. It wasnt known by anything, and even its scale was unpredictableoff-season, there would only be a dozen stalls open, but during midsummer or the height of spring, the stalls would stretch to almost infinite, stretching across for miles on end, bustling with people. However, as the nights became longer, the size of the night market shrank, and most stalls would close before 12 a.m. Rumour has it that if you remain open until 3, the ghost market will reopen at 5. After the night market closed, some vendors did not leave. They simply packed up their food items, changed the signboards, and started a new round of business. And Gu Qianqian was one of these unwilling-to-leave vendors. It was just past three oclock in the morning, so she hurriedly packed up her masks and hid in the corner of a deep alley, taking out a bamboo scroll from her backpack. As she murmured a few words, a faint light shed on the bamboo scroll, followed by tworge rattan boxes manifesting out of thin air and hitting the ground in front of her. She picked up the boxes and trotted back to the street. Like a nimble kitten, she scurried past the crowds of people and found an empty space, putting down her box and opening up shop. As soon as she sat down, the system spoke to her. Gu Qianqian, I would like to remind you that we have sufficient funds. What we need now are materials, do you understand? We dont have to work anymore! We have enough money now! But, system she frowned. This is the first time Ive seen and earned this much money that person yesterday, remember? He brought a whole box of gold bars, and I Stop, lets focus on your potential, the system interrupted. The situation yesterday was still barely eptable, but at least it was alchemy materials that could be used to make the [Copper Sphere of the Sun] Excuse me? Did you use my gold for that? Her eyes widened. What do you think? You said you wanted to be a cultivating protagonistnot my fault! I need resources to help you out! From today on, we only collect materials, not money. Understood? Gu Qianqian defeatedly nodded. As soon as she finished speaking, she looked up and saw a seductively dressed girl with a pair of bunny ears. Beside her was a fair-faced man. Excuse me, miss, the rabbit girl smiled. Is this bamboo scroll to craft this cleansing potion real? Of course! Gu Qianqian nodded. If you consider buying it, you can try chanting half of the scroll first. The rabbit girl smiled and unfolded half of the bamboo scrolls, studying them carefully under the dim light of the streetmp. Staring at the contents, she would frown and sigh before closing the scroll and ncing at the man beside her. The man nced at the scrolls and said in a deep voice, Its real. Unexpectedly, the key to their problems could be found beside a street in a market. Although it was of poor quality The rabbit girl raised the scroll, shook it at Gu Qianqian, and asked, How much is this? As she spoke, a psychic wave of energy filled with bloodlust quietly enveloped Gu Qianqian. Feeling the strange energy enveloping her, she frowned slightly, using her own mountain-like resolve to bounce the energy away. Feeling her energy bounce back towards her, the rabbit girl turned pale as she took two steps back. Why are all young people so powerful these days? Gu Qianqian, the system whispered. Ten aura mushrooms. Gu Qianqian nodded slightly, raised three fingers at the girl, and said, Ten aura mushrooms. Youre holding up three fingers, and arent these a bit expensive? Before the rabbit girl could finish speaking, the man beside her suddenly said, We dont have any aura mushrooms, but I can trade them for the tail of a copper-shelled firefly. As soon as the man finished speaking, the system yelled excitedly in Gu Qianqians mind. Yes! This man is an expert! He probably guessed what we were going to refine, so he told us about a higher-level material! Depending on the quality, we need at least two. Gu Qianqian nodded, stretching out five fingers towards the man. Five? Thats reasonable, the man nodded, taking out a silk purse from his pocket and throwing it at Gu Qianqian. He then escorted the rabbit girl out of her stall with the bamboo scroll and walked out of the ghost market. Looking at their departure figures, the system fell silent. System? Did I get scammed? I wanted two, but he gave me five! Gu Qianqian, you are a business genius! Unexpectedly, Gu Qianqians horrid ability at math reaped profits. Alright! We can stop for today, the system announced. Lets head back quickly and refine the [Copper Spheres of the Sun] so that we can start nting crops in the bamboo scrolls. A momentter, in a remote alley not far from the ghost market. Miss Rabbit eyed the man next to her, who stared at the bamboo scrolls with strange eyes and asked, Why do you want to help me? Im just helping the organisation collect useful things, not helping you, the man tilted his head. I never said anything about showing the scroll to you. Plus, if you really wanted to see it, you needed to deal with the urban legend inside the Qingshikou Tunnels and obtain its core. Miss Rabbit bit her lip, Deal. Ill deal with it within three days. As long as I can get that form, I can absorb all the cores Ive collected during this period; although its not as powerful as the Night Divisions form, I can only bite the bullet! Not long after Gu Qianqian closed up shop and left, Bai Kai led his godson to the vicinity of the ghost market. Inte autumn, it was chilly at three oclock in the morning, and there was a light fog in the air. There are a lot of things for sale on both sides of the dpidated streets, which is dizzying, but the items include fake-looking antiques that could be bought at any night market. Shui, are you tricking me? This ce looks no different from the ghost market down Mudan Street. We havent reached yet, Bai Kai smiled meaningfully, raising his hand as he pointed down a deep and narrow alleyway. Once we pass through this alley, well enter into the real ghost market. Looking in the direction of the alley, Yibei tilted his head and said, Thats where the snack vendor is, no? And Gu Qianqians stic masks, he thought in his heart. This was exactly the ce where he found out that Gu Qianqian was selling her masks. Juste with me. Walking into the alley, the surroundings became quiet. Under the dim light, it made Yibei feel as if he were travelling through time and space. After walking for a while, the alley seemed to suddenly open up into a lively street, and the noise returned to their ears again. It seemed no different from when they entered the alley, but the things sold at the stalls were creepy to look at. Fresh corpses, weaker urban legends sealed in ss bottles, psychic items of iprehensible shapes, and some stalls that hung signs like [SEEKING CHILD], [CURSE], and [POISON]. As soon as he entered, his attention was attracted by a strange stall. It hadrge jars, but it was engraved with strange-looking talismans and seals, which made it seem very powerful. The most eye-catching thing was the card, [LIFE CHANGING], in bright red. The stall was run by a skinny old man, and his dark, emerald eyes intertwined with Yibeis. Do you want to change your life? he grinned. Come, take a look. What kind of change is it? To be honest, changing his life sounded great. He had encountered many bad things because of his bad luck, so maybe its good to introduce change. The old man walked over and cryptically said, Its simpleyou get to change your life. One life. Your one life. All you need is Before he could finish, Bai Kai stepped in and stood in front of his godson, saying, Shut up, old man! You want his life, dont you? These jars, coupled with your life, are not enough to trade with his. Bai Kai hurriedly pulled his godson away into the depths of the ghost market, leaving the old man to giggle on the spot. S-shui, thank you. What? I didnt expect you to save me back there, he said. B-but dont think that you impressed me by doing that. Bai Kai nced at Yibei and pouted, I was just telling the truth. And your life is valuable to me,Bai Kai thought. Bai Kai led his godson through a small half of the market, and soon, they stopped in front of a store that was one of the few with an established front. The owner was an exaggeratedly fat man, and when he saw Bai Kai walking in, he immediately got up to greet him, but the mounds of fat on his body made it difficult for him to get up. Seeing this, Bai Kai pushed Yibei in and said, You go and take a look. Ill talk to the owner. He nced at the fat man and nodded, walking deeper into the store. The fat man, Fu Er, narrowed his eyes as he studied Yibei, and his eyes widened as Bai Kai approached him and asked, Is hethatchild? Good that you know, Bai Kai smiled as he patted his shoulder. So, you gonna give me any discounts? Twenty per cent, Fu Er nodded. No, thirty! Yes! Thirty per cent off! Venturing deeper into the store, the boy stopped. When he passed a shelf, a chill rose up his spine without any warning, and he couldnt help but shudder. His eyes doubtfully swept across the shelf, and he saw arge crystal bottle that contained a dark liquid, and his pupils shrank. Gently brushing the dust away on the bottle, sure enough, it was the same ck liquid that seeped out of his body during every transformation. Whats this ck liquid, and why does he have it?He thought. He thought of disposing of all of the ck liquid before, but now he feels that he has almost lost at least 100 million bucks. Chapter 218: The Beauty Who Brings Disaster to the North of the Lands and the Rivers Chapter 218: The Beauty Who Brings Disaster to the North of the Lands and the Rivers While he was wandering around the store, Fu Er lit Bai Kai a cigarette, and the two of them smoked while chatting, attempting to get some useful information out of each other. Fu Er wanted to know about Yibei, and Bai Kai wanted to know about urban legends that lurked in the area. They both were cunning, but as they tried to weave information out of each other, they ended up chatting about their own matters instead. Bai Kai, shameless as he is, talked about the women with extremely beautiful figures in his life, while Fu Er rambled about the dirty money he obtained from his business without shifting his face. After several back-and-forth conversations, the floor was littered with scraps of moral integrity. Examining the crystal bottle carefully, Yibei frowned. He could basically confirm that the contents of the bottle were the same liquid that seeped out of him whenever he transformed. And if it can be used for sale in a ghost market, that means it must be a good thing, and if he could sell it every single day, it is a very good thingno, it is the best! I just dont know if He silently cursed and nced at the smallbels on the various shelves around the store. Fu Er only looks after the store. Technically, this was a self-service store, and customers would have to choose the items they wanted by themselves. Each item was given a brief introduction with thebels underneath them. [Tuft of Hair: Able to withstand one to three curses, depending on quality; 300g of gold.] [Spiritual Urn: Able to absorb one to five spells, depending on quality; 500g of gold.] [Divine Armoured Horse (imitation): psychic item that increases speed; 950g gold; or items equivalent in value.] Damn, you could probably find every solution to every problem in this store alone. awesome! After reading through seven or eightbels, Yibei withdrew his gaze and nced at therge crystal bottle again as he frowned. In a single nce, the other goods can be bought using gold or other psychic items; only a few of them can be paid in money. What unsettled him was that all the other goods had short descriptions about them but not the giant crystal bottle of ck liquid. Didhe misce it? Or does he have no intention of selling it at all? No. I have to ask if this thing is worth anything. This is important to me. He carefully hauled the crystal bottle with both hands and walked towards Fu Er. Excuse me, whats inside this bottle? This one isntbelled with anything. Fu Er and Bai Kai turned to see what was inside Yibeis hands, and their expressions changed as the corners of their mouth began to twitch uncontrobly. Damn! Bai Kaiughed. I cant believe youre keeping something like this around! If you spill this, Im afraid half of the tenants in the ghost market wille looking for a fight! W-what? Fu Er stuttered. I-I gained fifty pounds recently! I cant run for my life! I hired a clerk before this. Maybe he took it out from the back to sell to my customers, and Alright, I get it, Bai Kai smiled sarcastically, walking towards his godson. Youre great at doing business. Yibei had always thought that even if the ck liquid had some value, it shouldnt be too expensive or sought-after. However, after seeing Fu Ers and Bai Kais reactions, he couldnt help but panic a little. This liquid must be expensive and dangerous! Bai Kai stopped in front of him and snatched the bottle away, cing it back on the shelf. He then turned back around and gave Fu Er a look, signalling for him to safeguard the bottle. Fu Er nodded slightly, then wiped the sweat away from his forehead as he breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing his relief, Yibei became even more confused and asked his godfather, Uh, whats in that bottle? You made that thing look like a bomb. Because it is, Bai Kai exined. A gas bomb, if were being specific. I make gas bombs in my toilet all the time! The liquid is named Disaster, Fu Er exined further, but before he could speak, Bai Kai interrupted him. Youre talking too much. Previously, Bai Kai had no intention of letting his godson know of the origin and use of such evil things. To him, he wouldnt be exposed to such evil liquids for some time. However, now that Yibei had found the bottle, he guessed that he would have to exin to avoid getting into trouble. That liquid is a filthy, psychic polymer. It is difficult to get rid of, and its only use is poison. Depending on its purity, its effects range from mild hallucinations to irreversible mental damage. Only psychics and urban legends that are evil incarnates would have ess to such a thing. Yes, Fu Er nodded. Despite how beautiful it is, its troublesome. Whoever gets involved with it bes unlucky! Now, who the hell are you calling troublesome? Be careful of whates out of your mouth! So is this thing worth anything? Not really, but it is dangerous, Bai Kai frowned. Not very valuableHe looked at the shelf expressionlessly. The crystal bottle, which seemed to shine beforehand, suddenly seemed fairly dull in his eyes. Yes, yes, its uses are too niche, and only a few customers look for them. The price basically fluctuates from 0.9 times to 1.2 times the value of gold. ? Why is everything measured in gold? Is anything else worthless to you? But He subconsciously patted his pocket. There was still todays Disaster Liquid in his pocket since he didnt have time to hide it in the space above his bathroom ceiling. He still had seven or eight pounds of this stuff at home, and now he couldnt help but feel that it was time to lose some water weight. Strange. Ever since we told him about the liquid, he cant peel his eyes away from the jar.Bai Kai thought silently. He pulled his godson aside and patted his shoulder, Bei, dont worry about it. The purpose of our visit today is much more important than that bottle. His godsons face was expressionless as he nced at him, seeminglycking interest. Just what is so special about that cheap bottle of liquid? Bei, youll be receiving your runes soon, Bai Kai said in a deep voice. After, youll be taking on your first mission. Do you know how high the mortality rate is when newly-born psychics take on their first mission? Seeing that his godfather was bing serious, Yibei hurriedly peeled his eyes away from the bottle and looked into his eyes, shaking his head. Bai Kai raised three fingers before dropping one of them, like a wilted flower: 31.4%. This means that almost one out of three people will die. For your safety, I n to give you a few psychic items for self-defence before you go on your mission, such as Wait a minute! Yibei interrupted upon hearing this as he remembered something. I-I looked through the catalogue. Ive already thought about what I want! Bei I only have a budget of a thousand grammes of gold. I might not be able to buy what you want! I have to take care of my face, my body, my connections; my daily expenses are off the roof. Fuck! This is the first time I have seen somebody talk about spending money themselves in such a fresh and refined way! Im not a kid, Yibei pouted. Im not going to ask foreveryitem in the store. Cant have it all.He silently cursed in his heart, turning around to look at the psychic item that resonated in his heart the most. I want those, he said, pointing at the Divine Horse Armour and a stack of talismans on the shelf. Oh? A speed-rted psychic item?Bai Kai smiled, You know just what to pick to win my heart. Perhaps it was because when he first chose his own runes, he was running for his life. Hence, he thought that there wasnt anything shameful about wanting to run for your life, and he nodded. However, seeing thebined price of the two items, he frowned. The armour was 950 grammes of gold, while the talismans were 51g. Exactly 1001g Bai Kai twitched his lips and said, Ah, Bei, this talisman is just like a smoke bomb. Its pretty useless, so- No! I want it, and I want it now! Fine! Buy it, then! Buy it all! And add in the lightning talisman as wellsmoke bombs should be paired with sh bombs! Ah, just like a woman. Oh, my godson This was Yibeis tried-and-tested method of getting Bai Kai to buy whatever he wanted. He shrugged and picked up a stack of talismans. It might be shameless, but shame is temporary. Might as well bite the bullet! Meanwhile, in a dpidated mansion on the outskirts of Huacheng. Jiangli carefully sifted through the files she brought back and selected four or five cases that were suitable for Yibeis mission. She packed up the scattered folders on the table and drank her cup of tea before picking up her notebook to flip through it again. [Investigate urban legends in the Lucky Community], [Collection of information on missing person cases], [Repairs on seals and data research on the southern suburbs ughterhouse] These four or five tasks should be able to help him when he starts, Jiangli said to herself. They are all simple tasks, but if he still has problems, he can only She rummaged through her desk to pick up an untouched document and opened it. Inside, there were various advertisements for various cemeteries around Huacheng. Too old-fashioned; he might not like it This one is good but a bit small. Jiangli is a thoughtful mentor. She didnt want to be unprepared, no matter the situation. While carefully helping him select suitable tasks, she also made psychological preparations for herself, just in case he failed, by helping him choose a suitable resting ce. There was no such thing as luck in the Night Division. Their work transcends luck, and they have no room to leave it up to fate. Yibei rejected Bai Kais invitation to go to the sauna to rub each others backs and rx in the spa. When he returned home, the sky was already turning white. Come on! Get over here! Ill beat you up, I swear. As soon as he opened the door to his unit, he could hear excited shoutsing from inside. Jumeng was wearing arge T-shirt that she found in his closet, sitting cross-legged on the sofa, disying her pristine, long legs, and wearing a pair of pink cat-ear headphones. She had beer in her left hand and fried chicken in her right as she tapped her greasy fingers onto the keyboard as she gamed. If the residents of the Garden of Peaches knew that their god was like this in private, their faith might copse on the spot. Sometimes, Yibei feels that hes in big trouble. In situations like this, being emotional could make the oue worse, so all he does is try and smile politely with that rigid face of his. I think its time for a break. Arent you afraid of cardiac arrest? It wasnt until he spoke that Jumeng noticed his presence, and she leapt up from the sofa and said, Youre back! Did you go hunting for urban legend coresst night? No. Its okay; you tried your best. Want some fried chicken? Jumeng smiled, grabbing a half-eaten drumstick and shaking it towards him. He sat next to her and took the drumstick from her hand: Is this considered an indirect kiss? Jumeng stared at theputer screen intently, her hands constantly controlling her game character as she nodded: I dont mind! Its up to you! Well, dont mind if I do! he said, immediately digging into the drumstick and tearing offrge pieces of meat. Well see about that!He sneered in his heart. The two had constant, silent battles. Theypeted with each other to upy the living room, and thus, they were very petty. Jumeng was slightly stunned when she caught a glimpse of him eating the drumstick.I wanted to prevent him from stealing my fried chicken by saying I already bit into it, but hes too shameless! Jumeng simply leaned over,id on hisp, and whispered, Do you mind if I lie down to rest for a while? Whatever, he shrugged, grabbing a piece of chicken wings this time as he gnawed on it. On the other hand, he gently went through Jumengs hair with his fingertips and yed with it gently. Lu Yibei Finally! I win!He cheered in his heart. What is it? Something is poking my head, she whispered. ? No, no, no. That cant be! I can feel my own thing, and it isnt even hard! Do I have feelings that I dont know about? He narrowed his eyes and fumbled through his pocket, pulling out a palm-sized crystal bottle from his pocket. Jumeng yfully nced at him from the corners of her eye but immediately jumped up and pushed herself to the other end of the couch, asking, Y-y-y Where did you get this from? What? Thatthingin your hand! Where did you get it from? Do you know what it is? It is literally called Disaster! Its the excrement produced in the cirction of this worlds collective psychic system! You, youre disgusting! A beautiful goddess making metaphors rted to shit and pee I guess she really is a nt goddess. Its disgusting, but this is a matter of money! I have to distract her! He silently put the crystal bottle away, then pointed at theptop screen and said, Oh, your team won. What? She was stunned for a moment, picking up theptop as the grin on her face started to grow. Well yes! Im the raid leader! Yes! Well done, everyone! All thanks to me! In reality, before she scrambled to the other side of the couch, she identally ordered her character to rush towards the boss, which led her teammates to rush in as well. He hurriedly left the living room and went upstairs, washed up, changed his clothes, and prepared to go to university. He had no time to rx. Once he rxes, just like Jumeng, he might be addicted tozing around on the sofa. At least she is a god, and she still has a way to ensure that she is ageless and beautiful. When passing by the living room, he couldnt help but feel the emerald eyes of disgust piercing through his soul. Throughout the morning ss, he found himself distracted from time to time, and his thoughts would unconsciously wander to the Disaster Liquid. In the Great Commentary, the people in ancient times would tie ropes for promises, butter, sages changed them with written contracts. I cant believe Jumeng would feel disgusted by the liquid, which means that its beneath her. The ancients had no writing, but they had oaths. Maybe I shouldnt sell it, but keep some for self-defence. In addition to rope-knotting, bead-knotting was also developed as Argh, enough! I have to listen in ss, or Ill be distracted for the whole day! He pped his cheeks and forced himself to focus on the lesson. And when somebody focuses on something, time flies. When he came back to his senses, the bell rang. He hurriedly packed his things to leave when he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket. Taking it out, he couldnt help but frown. It was a message from Jiangli. It was short but unnerving. Today is a good time to retrieve your runes. If you have nothing going on,e over around noon. Chapter 219: Are His Parents Not Talented Either? Chapter 219: Are His Parents Not Talented Either? After the morning sses, Lu Yibei left the university early and took the bus to Peony Street. Looking at the receding autumn scenery of the city outside the window, he couldnt help but think of the issues he had discussed with Jumeng before. One afternoon, a week ago. Meng, I have a question. What the hell? Are we that close for nicknames now? Something was amiss. Yibei, who was always rude towards her, suddenly became more affectionate, even giving her a nickname. Thats not what you said in bedst night, he pouted. Thats not, she rolled her eyes, kicking Yibei away from the bed. If youre that annoyed with me, you should have asked somebody toe over to repair the air conditioner in the living room! Arent you annoyed that Im in your room every night? Not really. I like it when you rub yourself against me, and you can do that for as long as you want, he said expressionlessly, but his mouth twitched as if it were dancing. Oh, youre disgusting. What do you want to ask? I have a raid to get back to! Right, ahem! He cleared his throat and sat up straight. Im about to be a full-time employee at the Night Division, and Ill be retrieving my runes. When I was thinking about it, I suddenly came up with an idea. He intentionally spoke slowly, making sure that there was nothing strange about her expressions: What would happen if I drew runes onto an urban legend? Is thisyouridea? Jumengughed. This is old news! This is a tried-and-true method of strengthening oneself by drawing upon runes that have been left behind by others. So, urban legends can draw upon the powers of other runes?He thought. In other words, there is no danger in urban legends drawing runes? Her gaze was still fixed on theputer. Under normal circumstances, runes are just like tattoos. There is no danger to it other than a little pain. Under normal circumstances. Thats right, she shrugged. The not-normal circumstance is when the runes an urban legend draws upon are much more powerful than their own. In that case, they will likely be reced. If a human covers their entire body with tattoos, do they still look human to you? So, theres a condition,he frowned inwardly.I am just an ordinary boy, so the Night Division must be reluctant to use more powerful runes for me, right? In other words, Ill be o-okay! And one more thing, Jumeng said, raising a finger. What is it? When are you going to get a bigger sofa at home? That small sofa is really ufortable for me to sleep on. Shui once said that a man is unhappy without arge sofa. However, he would also emphasiseying a cloth over the sofa because if it gets dirty, itll be hard to clean. For a simple kid like me, the bed is way morefortable than my sofa! Just as the boy was rushing towards Peony Street in An Qings office. An Qing was sitting in front of theputer, entering data regarding an urban legends anatomy into the file. At that moment, somebody knocked on her door. Knock knock! Pleasee in. An Qing looked up from her screen and called out softly. The door of the office was pushed open, and Du Sixian walked in holding a pinkptop. An Qing, is it okay for me to post this video like this? She clicked on the videoa voluptuous woman was wearing a mask and a white coat, and next to her, there was a huge fire. Within the fire, a vague figure struggled in pain. The woman began speaking, Hello. Today, I will barbecue this zombie. If this gets more than 100,000 likes, I will upload a video of me eating the zombie. The entire video was edited to have funny post-production effectssensational, exaggerated, absurd, but haunting enough to question the reality of it. Not bad! An Qing smiled and nodded, Ill leave this to you, and once youre done uploading the video, you can go back and rest. The both of us were out tootest night. Alright, Sixian nodded as she turned around to leave. Suddenly, as if she remembered something, she stopped and asked An Qing, Wait, I have another question. Go on. You didnt actually eat the zombie, right? Of course I did! Her red lips curled up slightly as she smiled. ? Although she had known for a long time that there was no ordinary person in the Night Division, she felt that she couldnt ept the fact that her other mentor would eat other urban legends. Just kiddinglook at you! Did I scare you that much? Go and upload the video and rest. Right. How could her mentor do such a terrible thing? Thankfully, it was a joke! Sixian smiled as she left An Qings office. As she left her office, it became quiet again. An Qing focused her attention on her work, picked up a blood bag from the drawer, and inserted a straw. Silly girl, theres nothing delicious about zombies, she muttered. No blood in them at all. Du Sixian went on several missions with An Qing. Although she was just a trainee and could not help much, she was still very tired as she was not used to the Night Divisions routines. After passing through most of Peony Street, she came to the B&B, where she had lived for a long time. When she returned to her room, she immediately threw herself into the soft bed. Lying on the bed as she stared nkly at the ceiling, Sixian frowned slightly. I cant sleep now. I havent mastered the spells and incantations I learnt some time ago. I should train. Deste wilderness; bones, ash ignite the fires in the night, zing brighter and brighter. Once she finished chanting, she immediately stopped, letting the restless psychic energy within her quell. Then, she started her second incantation. The sixteenth spell, [Deste mes], was destructive. She knew that if she released it at will, it might blow a hole in the ceiling. Yes, it was quite distressing. In order to facilitatemuting, she bought this room in the B&B. Deste wilderness; bones, ash Laying on the bed, having practised the mantra countless times, she suddenly felt exhaustion washing over her like a tide. Then, her vision went dark, and she fell into a restless sleep. The biting, cool wind carried the tepid mist, pping Sixian in the face. She woke up, and after a brief daze, she found herself in the dreamscape that seemed to avoid her for a period of time. Looking around at the dpidated streets, her eyes felt strange. In the past month or so, she had only entered the dreamscape when she was practising spell number nine, Qian Lian*. *t/n: Qian Lian literally means red-banded, usually referring to the non-venomous, red-banded snake. At other times, when she was practising other spells like [Flow of the Earth], [Winding Vines], or [Surge], she was not able to enter the dreamscape, making her progress extremely slow. Now that she was practising a fire-rted spell and waking up in the dreamscape again, she suddenly felt enlightened. I only enter the dreamscape when I practice fire-rted spells! So, a special condition must have been triggered to allow me to enter this realm! Thinking about this, she suddenly remembered what An Qing had said to her. You may be a little upset when I say this, but the gap between you and a genius is imaginably big, but dont be discouraged. Legends are legends for a reason. Even if you arent as strong as them, you can still be very powerful. Maybe you can consider specialising in a spell with a certain attribute. Looking around the dreamscape, she couldnt help but clench her fists slightly. Since Im here, lets practice [Deste mes] again. Deste wilderness; bones, ash ignite the fires of the night, burning brighter and brighterI cast thee, deste mes! As she finished reciting it, fire suddenly ignited in the palm of her hand. The fire rotated violently and formed a vortex, quicklypressing into a ck hole-like fire. With its intense pull, she immediately shot it out of her hand as it fell to the ground, causing a violent explosion as thick smoke filled the air. When Yibei arrived at the Night Division, Jiangli was already waiting at the entrance. Seeing him, she still maintained her cold attitude, nodding towards him and saying, Come. Everything is ready. She turned around and limped deeper into the building. He followed closely behind, opening and closing his mouth several times. He hesitated for a while before asking, Hey, um, is it dangerous for me to draw upon runes? Although he got a definite answer from Jumeng, he felt that there were discrepancies between her and Jianglis statements, so he wanted to ask for a different point of view. Yes, she simply nodded. Shit. Every home is vulnerable to earthquakes, floods, gas leaks in the same way, anything rted to psychic energy carries its own risk, she exined. Staring at her back, he frowned and murmured, Butpared to the risk of me working here in the future, its negligible. Youre quick, Jiangli said, slowing down to match Yibeis pace. But arent you good at escaping sticky situations yourself? Isnt that a bad thing? Theres nothing wrong with it, she said, looking forward coldly. Of course, unless you prefer to be buried in a grand ceremony where I stick the g of the Night Divisions owl on your grave, Ill dly help you choose a resting ce. I think I prefer running from sticky situations. Entering the dark, endless interiors of the Night Division, they walked past the seven offices, venturing deeper into the darkness, and both sides seemed to be littered with identical iron doors. As they walked, he could see some silk-like shadows floating in front of him from time to time. They were like ghosts, but they didnt feel like ghosts. It just felt like a tangible wind blowing in front of him. Following closely behind her, he silently counted the iron doors on both sides, and upon reaching the 32nd door, Jiangli stopped, produced a copper key, and opened the door. Go in and strip. I will be inspecting your body. He tilted his head immediately as if to confirm whether she really wanted to check him out. Having a beautiful girl check out my body? Not bad! As if she had guessed the thoughts in his head, she calmly closed her eyes and spoke, Put away those strange thoughts; you dont need to take off your underwear. To me, it doesnt really make any difference whether you strip or not. The interior of the room was simple. It was clean and reminiscent of a clinic. In the room, there were a few ss cabs, a medical bed, and a chair. However, unlike the beds used in the hospital, there were a few restraint straps by the side of the medical bed. This seems weird. Its rare for us to have somebody retrieve runes. That bed was moved from the mental hospital for you to use temporarily. Now, strip and lie down. Time is precious. How does she sound so clinical and cold?He cursed, stripping ording to her instructions. Lying down and leaning on the pillow, he stared at the ceiling in boredom. Just as he was about to say something, Jiangli pulled the restraints and tied him tightly to the bed. Under the light of the room, he saw a pair of cold eyes staring at him. At this moment, he realised that Jiangli had not lied just now; it didnt matter if he was wearing clothes or not. Fuck! What the hell is going to happen to me? Preparations are done. You wait here, and Ill call the person who will help you draw upon the runes. Arent you the one helping me? Of course notdrawing runes is a technical job that requires a high degree of alchemy, and there are only two people in Huachengs Night Division who can do it. After Jiangli finished speaking, she patted Lu Yibeis head gently and said, Okay, just lie down obediently. After youre done,e to my office, and Ill exin the other things to you. After saying that, she turned around and walked towards the door. Only two? I feel bad about this. W-wait! Who are these two people? An Qing and Bai Kai, she said calmly before shutting the door behind her, and the room fell into a dead silence. Bai Kai? That name sounds familiar. Where have I heard it before? Fuck! Now is not the time to scare yourself! Wait a minute, Jiangli? Jiangli! Please,e back! I dont want Bai Kai! I want An Qing! I dont want Bai Kai! I want An Qing. He struggled against his restraints, squirming like a baby as he yelled. The door suddenly opened with a whoosh, and an illusory silver figure shed in. The person who came in wore a mask, a medical cape, and a protective suit. However, Yibei recognised who Bai Kai was in an instant. Those eyeshe could recognise those evil, charming, arrogant eyes from anywhere. Yibei felt that, after his father passed away, Shui had transferred all his strange antics towards Yibei. Now that he was tied up on the bed, unable to move, almost naked, and at his mercy How messed up was that? Bai Kai pushed in a medical trolley filled with various materials and a bottle filled with liquid nitrogen. Kid, you want An Qing instead? Seems like you like her a lot. Yibei simply looked down at his restraints and didnt speak. He simply nodded wordlessly. Doesnt matter. Just think of me as An Qing, and let this ol man see how your body is developing, he said in a strange tone, tracing his chest with his fingers, causing goosebumps to erupt on his body. Silence wasnt an option. He could no longer hold his words. Jiangli! Help me! If you donte back, Im going to get a gulp! As he shouted, Bai Kai filled his mouth with a strange liquid that melted into his mouth, funnelling down his throat before he had time to react. W-what did you do to me? Something to make you good for me, Bai Kai muttered. I wont hurt you; its an oral anaesthetic to help ease the pain. As he spoke, there was an uneasy and strange smile reflected in his eyes. Hes freaking me out! He wanted to protest but realised that the anaesthetic had taken effect and he could no longer talk. Ah agh mm Not enough, it seems, Bai Kai said, stuffing another oral anaesthetic down his throat. His throat felt full, and his eyes widened at the sudden intrusion. He forced himself up slightly, and after uttering a few ahs and ohs, his vision went dark as he slumped into the bed. His godson fell back onto the bed limply, and the room became quiet. Seeing that he had fallen asleep, Bai Kai immediately took action. He dashed back to the door, putting his ear against it. Confirming that there was nobody outside, he quickly ced soundproofing and psychic-concealing spells on the four corners of the room before returning to the bed. He gently caressed his forehead, then pped open the lid of the liquid nitrogen tank. The next moment, a spear covered with spikes with the texture of ruby flew out from the inside. This is the core of Ifrit. In order to obtain its core, Bai Kai suffered serious injuries, which forced him to rest in his masters cave for more than half a month. As soon as the core wrapped in frost met with the air, bursts of golden-red light shimmered instantly, melting away the thickyer of frost and filling the air with bursts of fog. Taking advantage of this, he skillfully picked up various materials from the cart with his left hand, and silver light surged like a storm in the palm of his right hand. Rainbow fragments, cold iron, frosted silver, cier stones Various materials were immediately crushed into a powder as they met the light of his palm and were controlled by his psychic energy to an uracy of 0.1mg. They were then mixed together. When he finished, the core of Ifrit had heated up to a terrifying level and hovered in the middle of the room like a miniature Sun. He quickly used his psychic energy to pull the crushed powder and sprinkle it on Ifrits core. In an instant, bright mes rose into the sky, burning the spear bright red. The spear screamed with the intense heat as ifing from the void itself. Huge, terrifying shadows were projected out of thin air on the four walls of the room; they had two horns and hid a strong figure and an evil elf that existed only in legends. After thest burst of dazzling light, the scattered light and shadow shrunk violently, and in an instant, all of the psychic energy was condensed and interwoven into the spear. Holding the spear, Bai Kai took a step forward, raised his hands, and stabbed into Yibeis chest fiercely. Letting go, he took two steps back and took out a stopwatch, starting it. Alright lets see Do you inherit more traits from your father or that damned woman? A soft sound of steam burst into the room, and the smell of burnt flesh and blood flooded the room. Absorbing Ifrits core, Yibei began to twitch violently. Jet-ck liquid seemed to spurt out of his chest like a geyser, and Bai Kais eyes widened. Fuck! Fuck! What the fuck? Why is there so much Disaster in Beis body? Where are his parents traits? Its over! Bai Kai was in a panic and even considered for a moment that he had lost his godson, wondering if the Disaster Liquid had somehow seeped into his system. Chapter 220: Who Cares If She’s an Urban Legend? Chapter 220: Who Cares If Shes an Urban Legend? In the dreamscape, Du Sixian seized every opportunity to practice every new spell that she learnt. Boom! The sudden thunder made her freeze on the spot, and her hands were still maintaining the same movements when the spell was cast. The thunder was deafening as if it were exploding right next to her ears. Along with the thunder came an unbearable heat, which invisibly oppressed her nerves and seemed to ignite her blood. Boom! Several streaks of crimson lightning shed in the clouds, and another explosion boomed. Looking up, the dark clouds in the sky were stirred by some kind of force, condensing into a huge lead-coloured vortex. A horrifying low roar became increasingly clear among the clouds. Somethingsing. As soon as this thought shed through her mind, a huge fireball pierced the darkness in the sky like a fallinget, and the red fire illuminated the entire dpidated city. From time to time, strange figures appeared on the streets, shrouded in a red-brown mist in the distance, wandering like lonely ghosts. The moment the huge fireball appeared, those figures suddenly became restless, calling out in iprehensible sentences. There is a mountain, and there is a woman. The stinky sewage on the ground continued to heat up, and plumes of grey smoke evaporated in the air. Her ears continued to be filled with garbled, iprehensible calls, and waves of tingling pain came from the depths of her brain. The messy crimson lines were like a wildfire burning the grasnd, running around in her mind like a dancing elf. All kinds of horrific images shed before her eyes, and a huge basalt stone monument rose in front of her, with ancient Arabic characters carved into it. She could see children being impaled onto an altar, and as their blood spilt, it evaporated into the air, forming a pir of smoke that morphed into a figure. The figure was as burly as a giant, and its whole body was wrapped in mes and thick smoke. Its long, curved horns seemed to be cast fromva, and it was as dazzling as a torch that illuminated the darkest night. After an unknown amount of time, the horrific fantasies in her mind gradually faded, and Sixian slowly raised her head, waking up from her nightmare. The sky itself seemed to be ignited, and the huge fireball was nearing impact, falling into the streets in the blink of an eye. Boom! The violent shock wave swept across all directions with a terrifying fire, and the intense heat melted the reinforced concrete, turning it into a golden rain of fire that poured over the city. A majestic, evil elf rose into the sky amidst the rain, opening its arms and embracing the sky, seemingly intoxicated by the destruction. It was the pure manifestation of energy that contained Ifrits remaining will. Gulp Sixian looked at the terrifying figure in the sky in horror and gulped. She wanted to force herself to wake up, but unknowingly, she let out a cry of horror instead as she muttered Theres a mountain, and there is a woman. Theres a mountain, and there is a woman. Inexplicably, a low call sounded in Lu Yibeis ears, waking him up from his drowsiness. Then he realised that he was falling into darkness. Although there was neither a sense of weightlessness nor the sound of rushing wind, he felt as if he were falling. And in the midst of his fall, there were waves of deep, chanting voices. However, when he listened carefully, he couldnt find where it was from as if it were echoing within his consciousness. The calls banded together, word by word, and they pieced together to form a unified voice that resonated in his soul. And among the countless voices, he could hear Du Sixian. Fuck! Why is it always you? Cant you save me some trouble? Cursing, he threw an imaginary stone into the darkness, causing invisible ripples to ripple across the darkness. Then, a sound like broken ss came from the end of the darkness, and something was torn apart. A whistling sound could be heard, and mes started to emerge from his body as the faade began to copse, heading towards the destend in his dreams. Boom! In the ruins of the city, the temperature is constantly rising. The burning garbage and scum emit pungent smoke, forming a toxic smog over the city. Du Sixian trembled behind a toppled boulder. She knew that the huge monster was like a derailed train, rampaging through the city uncontrobly, getting closer and closer to where she was. Plus, the high temperatures forced her into a heat-like daze, as if she would faint from dehydration at any moment. I cant stand it anymore. Where is god? Are there any gods here? She knew there was a god in these ruins, and that god guided her to the Night Division. If God were here, they would not let this destruction continue. It seemed to only get hotter, and the city itself was like a furnace. Strangely enough, she feltfortable in the scorching heat. The surroundings were suddenly quietthe calls from the streets, the rampaging of the monster, the copsing buildingsthey all disappeared in an instant. She peeked out from behind the rock, and a spectacr scene was disyed before her. One after another, mes pierced down into the ground, wedging themselves into the ruins of the city like pirs of me and like a forest of light. As a result, the city shook. At that moment, in the sky, a graceful figure standing in the void slowly emerged, sitting on a throne in the centre of this dreamscape. Her scarlet hair was flowing behind her, and the zing mes were woven into a coat to wrap around her petite body. Her eyes were tightly shut, as if she were sleeping unconsciously. She stared nkly at the girl in the sky, and only then did she realise something: Its her! Its my master! My mistress! Shes actually my God! She knew that the girl who had helped her back in high school was powerful, and she had also suspected that she was an urban legend. But never would she have thought that the person she had been looking for might actually be a mythical legend! A goddess of some sort! Plus, it seemed like she had some kind of special connection with her. But Im a member of the Night Division now, and if my mistress is an urban legend, am I not a traitor? She was worried, but she persuaded herself to ept this as a fact. She had been searching for her for so long, so she could only firmly grasp onto her thigh. Plus, its not like her mistress was asking her to do anything bad. While she was thinking, something changed. After the girl appeared, the manifestation of Ifrit seemed to sense the danger and let out a thunderous roar. He pounced towards the girl, not intending to let her have the first move. A storm suddenly arose in the centre of the city, and arge amount of air was sucked into the vortex of thick smoke. In an instant, a huge pir of mes like a mountain rose into the sky with billowing ck smoke, holding up Ifrits ferocious body that wrapped him in zing mes as he shot out towards the girl in the sky. The next moment, the girl in the sky suddenly woke up, and her golden eyes shot out a fiery, divine light. And the world stopped. Under the illumination of the fire, her petite body seemed to be erged, coupled with a terrifying aura, causing Ifrit to stiffen. And this aura was primordial. Even though the two existed in ancient legends, Ifrit seemed to be afraid of the girl. The girls legend seemed to span farther back than that of Ifrits, and she was much closer to a true god. Ifrit was like a prince in a remote kingdom, while the girl was like the emperor of a bustling kingdom. Plus, this was her dreamscape. Breaking into this ce was tantamount to trespassing on private property. She had no need to hold back at all. Ifrit spread out his wings of me, intertwining into countless human figures with ferocious faces that seemed to crawl out of hell. The faces shouted and sang, murmuring mind-breaking incantations as they looked at the girl in the sky. The girl merely raised an arm, and several ming swords stretched out from the void behind her, spinning and stirring the air around them, spreading into a blinding cyclone. Sixian stared at the brilliant sword from behind the cover, feeling a stinging pain in the depths of her brain. A recitation could be felt within the recesses of her brain, embedded itself into her memory. A scorched sky and mountains that span outwards; a red earthdestruction, disaster, mes Rain down the fires of Heaven, my ming sword that guards the gate! Apanying the chanting of the spell in Du Sixians mind, the girl stretched out her hand and made a stroke in the void. In an instant, the ming giant sword shed down in the air, and a red arc fell from the sky like a star plunging into the atmosphere. Ifrits wings began to burn up and dissipate into the atmosphere, and the faces, too, went with the wind. A blood-like torrent poured out from behind the girl, and looking at the scene in front of her, a strange thought shed through Sixians mind. Roar! A shrill scream could be heard, stinging the eardrums of everybody in the city and imprinting pain on every soul. Ifrit, surrounded by fire and blood, eyed the sky as it leapt towards a dark cloud. There is no point in struggling. It wanted to escape, but it seemed to get slower and slower, and at thest moment, it tried its best to reach into the clouds. Just a little bit more However, itsst chance to escape was cut off, cutting off its connection with the outside world and ushering in its tragic end. Ifrits body shattered into dazzling fragments, scattering into every corner of the city and the crevices of the Earth. From a distance, Du Sixian saw a bright wisp of me flying towards her and hitting her between the eyebrows. Ah! The moment the mes hit her, she suddenly woke up and found herself back in the B&B. The scene of fire and destruction was still fresh in her mind, and she couldnt help but tremble in her bed. In a trance, an incantation emerged from the depths of her mind, and she chanted it softly. In a trance, a mantra emerged from the depths of her mind, and she chanted it softly in her ears. However, no matter how hard she tried, a spasm in her brain would force her to stop the incantation. Ow she moaned in pain, staring at the corner of the room. This isnt something I can master now. I cant be too ambitious, but I have gained a lot of knowledge now. While thinking, she gently clenched her fist. She had a slight feeling that, after witnessing the scenes in the dreamscape, she hadpletely mastered spell number 16. Her strength is otherworldly! Every time I feel like Im about to catch up with her, I find another canyon between us. Subconsciously, this made her impression of Lu Yibei much greater. However, even Yibei himself, after leaving the dreamscape, would not be able to cast spells of that level. After inhaling the steam of the Disaster Liquid, Bai Kai saw many strange and bizarre sights. He saw the people who kidnapped him as a child; he saw the deste Gobi Desert where he almost died; he saw the urban legends that walked at night more than ten years ago; he saw the woman that he could never forget Her eyes were charming, and her voice was soft: Im back, and Ill never leave your side again. Can we be together? Absolutely! He smiled, opened his arms, and stepped forward. The moment he hugged the woman, his hands glowed silver, and energy arose. Ack! Ack! Ack! Cough! Ack! Uerugh! Bai Kai coughed violently, waking up in a room filled with water vapour. Damn it, I shouldve seen right through it. How could she evere back to me? Tsk. Bai Kai cursed and opened his eyes, seeing a room filled with thick smoke. He turned his head and looked towards the bed, where he saw a graceful silhouette that made his blood rush. What a beautiful figure! Awesome! Wait, somethings wrong! Why is he a girl now? What the hell happened? In his stupor, the sound of ss breaking could be heard, and he hurriedly looked around the room. The spells that sealed off the room in the four corners of the room were corroding and breaking under the water vapour, and the cracks glowed with a golden light. His eyes narrowed slightly, and he started to move quickly. O Sighing Turtle, embodying the nature of the Universe I breathe along yin and yang, concealing the scenery within the heavy spring. Muttering an incantation, silver light danced around his body, faintly condensing into the shape of a tortoise shell. The illusory tortoise shell entered his body, forming a barrier between him and the water vapour. Shielding himself from the intense heat, his lips trembled as he began to form seals, running around the room to reinforce the barriers in the room. Then he picked up his godsons clothes, closed his eyes, and gently covered her body. He then found a corner farthest away from Yibei and sat down against the wall. He could sense the psychic energy fluctuations emitting from her and fell into a deep thought. Weak energy is hidden underneath the violently hot fluctuations, and there is another bloodthirsty energy that could only belong to a Witch What a ploy! Checking whether the runes target is an urban legend should have been a necessary step in the past, but I skipped it because it was Bei. Yibeis father had talents in spells and alchemy, while his wife was a hybrid between a powerful urban legend and a human, and she had divine roots in her. It was silly of me to think that Yibei wouldnt inherit their powers, but Who wouldve thought that Bei would be a Witch? When did she no matter. Its dangerous noweven if shes still human, she still needs help to stay safe during the process of transferring runes. I dont know if she can. He ruffled his hair endlessly, saying, I shouldnt jinx it! The fluctuations are stabilising, and the most risky part of the operation is done. The issue now is Bai Kai talked to himself and nced at Yibei. If she really is Yibei and not a Witch disguised as Yibei, how should I get her out? How should I get along with her in the future? Shes a girl, so I cant get close to her. How do I address her parents if I meet them after I die? Sorry! Your son is now a girl! They are going to haunt me endlessly! His thoughts turned into a slurry of porridge, and his numb eyesnded on Yibei. Even if she is a Witch, as long as she is still Bei, I will protect her until the day she falls, and even then, I want it to be in my hands. Thinking of this, a cold look shed in his eyes. At this moment, a soft nasal sound suddenly echoed in the room. Sniff sniff Lu Yibei woke up. Chapter 221: Shui, You’ve Changed! Chapter 221: Shui, Youve Changed! Bai Kai has always felt that he is quite good at dealing with women, and he is definitely what some may call a womaniser. But when the target was Lu Yibei, he realised how different his mentality was when facing women. For a time, countless thoughts shed through his mind, and he finally made the choice to leave the scene first. Just before she fully woke up, he unleashed his power, morphed into a silver light, and rushed out of the room at a blinding speed. The door opened and closed in a sh, and when he steadied himself in the corridor, his heart still wildly beat as if it were infected. No matter what, if somebody tries to hide an urban legend inside headquarters, it is equivalent to sneaking somebody into a pce to beat up an emperor. Its a big exaggeration, but chaos will ensue. With her dangerous psychic fluctuations, it could attract other psychics to her location to encircle and suppress them. He patted his chest and forced himself to calm down. From his point of view, what he was about to do now was already one of the craziest things he had ever done in his life. Of course, there were other things that were done with Lu Yibei and her father. Damn it, Lu Ming, I really am part of your family now. After his emotions calmed down a little, he cursed viciously in his heart, and soon, a proud and intoxicating smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. In the end, I have a better rtionship with Yibei. Take that, Lu Ming! Hah! If only you were here to see this, loser! He boasted in his heart, but a sense of sadness rose. His eyes became moist with tears as he sighed. He pped himself hard. No! Now is not the time to be sad! He hurriedly gathered his thoughts and started moving ording to his n. He formed seals with his hands and quickly transformed the marks, reciting spells silently in his heart andpleting all movements in one swift motion. Towers of jade and gold with walls of iron; the dragons and lions roar, with fences ten feet high a forbidden country, bound by beasts of the wild! As he silently recited thest spell, there was a low hum in the air, and lights of gold, silver, and copper, wrapped in silver light, shot towards the iron door in front of him, and they slowly submerged into it before disappearing. The moment the light of the sealing spell disappeared, he quickly raised his hand, bit the tip of his left thumb, and wrote his name in blood. After adding ayer of blood to the sealing spell, his forehead was already covered with tiny beads of sweat. Casting a spell on short notice with a blood mark would ensure that others in the Night Division would not notice the waves of psychic energy pulsing through the building. This is more tiring than a night with five Inte celebrities. Everythings going right Now, back to Fu Ers store to buy some things. He put his hands on the wall and looked around to make sure that no one had noticed the strange phenomenon. He muttered to himself for a few moments, then walked towards the entrance of the Night Division. He needed to help Yibei; in order for her to safely leave the Night Division, he would have to buy a high-quality doll to create the illusion that she was still in the room so as to buy enough time. Now, he must find out if she can return to her original appearance before making any hasty ns. If yes, use this time to help her turn back into a boy and hide her psychic powers, as well as make long-term ns. If not, run. Run as far away as possible and arrange a ce of refuge. After a while. Bai Kai walked down the corridor, feeling a twinge of emptiness in his heart when he remembered the cost of helping Yibei escape. Dont even think about going out to pick up girls for at least half a year. Or I could call Aunt Zhangno! No! Absolutely not! A chill rose in his spine as he thought about Aunt Zhang, and he shook his head hard upon remembering her. Along the way, when he reached the rusty sign that read [Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration], he met the person he wanted to meet the leastJiangli. He calmed down and walked forward. Hiding would only arouse unnecessary suspicion. Dont talk to me.Dont talk to me. Bai Kai? Wait a minute! You fucking talk too much!He cursed. However, he turned around with a smile on his face. Whats up? Jiangli raised her head and nced at the sun, then averted her gaze, saying, Where are you going? Have Lu Yibeis runes been drawn? Where are the others? Ah, his face became serious as he frowned. The runes have been drawn, but there is something wrong with him. Shouldnt we rush to buy materials to help him out? There was indeed something wrong with him or herthat is true. He wasnt lying, and Jiangli would have no reason to suspect him. Is that so? She tilted her head and nced away with disdain. I told you a long time ago that he should be given the most basic runes. Excessive help will only put unnecessary stress on him. And now, Im seeing that youre right, Bai Kai ttered. Im trying to find a way to remedy it. I see, she nodded, stepping out of the way. Go quickly. If you need any help, contact me immediately. After all, he is my subordinate,she added in her heart. The situation was urgent. Bai Kai wordlessly ran out of the Night Division when he saw a very stylish car in the distance. The hum of the engine quickly came to a stop at the entrance of the alley in front of the gate. Li Xuan, wearing a dark purple, custom-made suit and with a smile on his face, walked out of the car. He saw Bai Kai running from a distance and waved at him. Hey, where are you going in such a hurry? Arent you supposed to be drawing Yibeis runes today? Nothing went wrong, right? Get away from me! Bai Kai let out a low growl, ferociously sweeping his eyes over Li Xuan. At that very moment, Li Xuan could understand that his tyres would be shed if he were to say a single word. You Li Xuan opened his mouth, but Bai Kai mmed his hands on the hood of his car, and with a gritty sound, he left deep scratches on all the tyres of the car. What the fuck? Youll pay for this sooner orter! Li Xuan cursed and walked forward. When he passed by Jiang Li, he paused for a moment, cleared his throat, and said, Ahem, you saw what happened. He acted first, so you can stop saying Im targeting Yibei in the future. Oh. Jiangli nced at Li Xuan and responded lightly, then limped out with a cane. Li Xuan rolled his eyes, straightened his clothes, and walked inside the Night Division. However, before he could pass through the garden, he heard a strange noiseing from behind him. Puff! This all-too-familiar sound made him stiffen, and he turned his head sharply, only to see Jiangli squatting next to his car, holding her car, which shifted into a triangr thorn that poked into the tyres of his car. As if sensing his gaze, Jiangli turned to look at him with a strange smile. She wanted to smile to disy her friendliness, but she hadnt smiled for a long time, and the smile she squeezed out was horrific and dark. Li Xuans mouth twitched, and his face spasmed. Fuck, what the fuck? The Night Division has fucking gone insane! Ill write a letter of transfer tomorrow, fuck! Li Xuan couldnt help but burst out, shouting at the top of his lungs. He waved his arms vigorously and strode inside. Jiangli squatted on the ground and looked into the deep recesses of the Night Division. Lu Yibei should be fine, right? Big problem. Big mistake. Big issue. There is no hope left for me. I should just wait and die. In the room filled with billowing wisps of smoke, Lu Yibeiy on the bed, her long dark hair and slender limbs drooping at her sides as she stared at the lights above her. I transformed into the Night Division. Can I save my life by selling my body? What should my final meal be? What posture is most ttering when dying? No matter what, she still retained that talkative self of hers. Hello. My name is Lu Yibei, and I work in the Night Division. Something went wrong while I was drawing my runes. After a short recollection, she suddenly felt a throbbing pain in her brain. A short scene was presented in her brain, and she remembered using a powerful spell to kill Ifrit in that dreamscape of hers. But what then? She rubbed her sore eyebrows. I remembered seeing Du Sixian, and I remembered some other things, but what else? And where is Shui? Sitting up, she felt something sway on her chest, leaping from it and then bouncing back. Subconsciously, she looked down, and in horror, she hurriedly caught the cloth that bounced off her breasts before it could reveal too much. Covering her chest with both hands, she sat on the hospital bed with her knees on one side before putting on her clothes. She is close to 1.8 metres tall and has shrunk by almost ten centimetres. However, the clothes barely fit her, and the hem of her clothes barely covers her sensitive areas. At the same time, it makes her legs look even more beautiful and slender. After wearing her clothes, she immediately noticed a feeling of difort. She opened her cor and looked down at her breasts. What the hell? She has seen her own body countless times, so she isnt embarrassed about it. What shocked her was that there was a broken-off spear covered with patterns of red light that was stuck in her chest. Being drugged and waking up with a spear stuck in their chestwho in the right mind would ept this? The slender de of the spear prated her body two inches below the corbone, but it didnt pierce through her back. The only remaining hilt of the spear loomed between the ravines on her chest, which would remind people of some not-so-desirable scenes. What the hell happened to me? Just as she was in a state of confusion, there was a sudden itching in her chest. Her blood seemed to squirm in her chest, and the spear continued to integrate into her body. Her body seemed to absorb the spear into her body, and when it absorbed the end of the hilt, the spearpletely disappeared. In the blink of an eye, the hideous scar waspletely healed, and only smooth, white skin was left. Thest step of drawing runes has beenpleted. After the spear integrated into her body, there was an indescribable feeling brewing within her. She felt that in the deepest parts of her body, it was ignited, and scorching energy exploded from the inside out, spreading throughout her body. It was like she was tipsy, and a hint of pink dusted on her fair skin. As the scorching energy in her body gradually cooled down, a little water slowly seeped out from under her skin and dripped onto the floor, followed by her vision blurring. Immediately afterwards, she heard an ancient murmur that seemed toe from ancient times, resounding from the depths of her consciousness, and a hint of red quietly rose from the tips of her hair. Climb up the mountains and look to the south; you will see a graceful river. The ancient murmur had not yet finished reciting, and then another voice sounded, covering it up, and the red colour on her hair also dimmed. Like fog and like stars, it is her child; it is also her lips that blow out the light in the darkness. The sound seemed ethereal and clear, like a silver bell, which reminded her of a delicate girl. The two sounds intertwined and collided in her mind. In the end, there were only bursts of harsh, high-frequency noise in her ears. The next moment, her vision blurred into a dreamscape. She saw towering blue mountains, eerie castles, ancient ck-stone monuments, and more. She saw images that could not be described and could not be exined by typical logic. Those images disintegrated into a blur before her eyes, and theplex and intertwined information merged into her mind. Just when she felt that her head was about to explode due to the overwhelming amount of information, everything dissipated before her eyes like a bubble. She sat quietly on the edge of the hospital bed for a moment, savouring the fragments of memories from theplicated information. She could clearly feel the special abilities that the runes gave her, and she couldnt wait to try them out. But not now. Aftering down from her high, she realised how precarious her current situation was. I am a Witch in the middle of the Night Division! Although she had vited thew the past few months by being a traitor, it was done in secret, but now She patted her face with both hands, forcing herself to calm down. She then tiptoed towards the door, and as soon as she reached the door, a dazzling light formed on the door. In an instant, images of dragons and lions morphed on the door, and bright lights of gold, silver, and coppershed towards her. She instinctively stepped back from the door, and the light dimmed slightly the more she walked away. This room is sealed by some kind of spell. She cursed. Then she remembered the spear that pierced into her chest, and her face turned pale at a disturbing thought. Something must have gone wrong when Shui was drawing the runes for me, and he decided to do an honour killing for me, suppressing the grief in his heart and stabbing me. Then, he sealed the room and informed the others to handle funeral arrangements. Considering the potentially homosexual rtionship between Shui and her father, he guesses that Shui at least formed some attachment to her. It wouldnt be shocking that he would stab her to death. No, no, no! Shui couldnt be that cruel. At most, the worst thing he has done to women is wait! Thats worse! She patted her cheeks and forced herself to interrupt her thinking. Laying back on the bed, she silently waited to die, but her mind couldnt stay silent. Click. As she wandered through her thoughts, the lock to the room clicked open, and somebody entered. Her eyes felt hot for a moment, and she immediately sat up, feeling something approaching her. Looking at the corner of the room, she could see an image being formed. Somethingsing! A sh of silver light burst into the room, revealing Bai Kais figure. Only then did she realise that her body was giving her a brief nce into the futurea premonition. Before she could recover, Bai Kai threw something at her. Put it on! Taking off the clothes, she realised that it was an outrageously short, floral, one-piece hip-hugging dress. ? Is this a joke? You may be my godfather, but where are your morals? Shui, I really misjudged you. I always thought you were a coward with women and held true love for men. I didnt expect What are you talking about? I got these from the women at the club! he eximed, throwing a few more things over. Looking at the other items that fell into herp, she saw eyeshadow, an eyebrow pencil, lipstick, and a pair of red, high-heeled shoes with long and thin heels. Come on, hurry up Do you want to leave the Night Division alive? Well Lu Yibei bit her red lips and responded weakly. Then, wear it! Okay! Ill wear it! Chapter 222: Do You Like Humans More or Urban Legends? Chapter 222: Do You Like Humans More or Urban Legends? Okay! Ill wear it! Lu Yibei picked up the dress with great speed before mming it back down on the bed. No! Wait! Isnt the skirt a little too short? I cant cover myself! Im sure you can cover yourself! Change quickly I wont look at you, promise! Bai Kai said, turning around and covering his eyes. Seeing Bai Kai turn around, Lu Yibei picked up the skirt again and swallowed. Although she has lived on this Earth for a short amount of time, she knows that life actually consists of constantpromise, trade-offs, and giving up in order to achieve utility. So, it was time topromise. Two minutester, she changed into the dress and coat. She then quietly watched as Bai Kai worked, inspecting the items that he had bought from Fu Er. Leaning against the wall, she couldnt help but feel that if she had a cigarette in her mouth right now, she would seem like a woman who would get herself into a lot of trouble. During the short time that Bai Kai left the Night Division, he bought clothes for her as well as three psychic items. One is a y pot used to collect misfortunes, and its opening was shaped like a giant mouth; the pot itself seemed bottomless and pitch ck. The second is a figurine made of human skin that was pale in colour and as thin as the wings of a cicada. Thest was a metal pendant used to conceal psychic fluctuations. cing the y pot on the ground, he pressed his hands on the pots body and muttered a few spells. Immediately afterwards, the pot seemed toe alive, squirming and shaking a few times. With a buzzing sound, tonnes of numb eyes opened on the pots surface, greedily swallowing up the remaining water vapour, Disaster Liquid, and smoke in the room. Then, he took the figurine, touched its chest with his fingertips, and injected psychic energy into it. The figurine seemingly expanded, squirmed, and deformed, evolving into a shapeless body. Meanwhile, Yibei toyed around with the cosmetics that she had never touched before, peeking at Bai Kai from time to time, feeling warm in her heart. She suddenly realised that Shui was actually a reliable person. No matter what, he would never do anything to hurt her. Shui? Thank you for doing all this for me. Hearing her words, Bai Kai was slightly startled, and when he turned his head, his face turned pale. Fuck! You He saw a face with thick eyebrows, a face like a monkeys butt, and lips like sausages wrapped in chilli. Seems like she has a lot to learn as a girl. He silently sighed, grabbed a cotton pad, squeezed out makeup remover, and helped her wipe the makeup off. He used seven or eight pads and half a bottle of makeup remover to clean her face. He then picked up a beauty blender, soaked it in water, and squeezed it before applying liquid foundation and buffing it into her face. Bei, your skin is pale, so you should pick a foundation with pink undertones. As for your lips, a thinyer of red should suffice. Shui How are you so good at this? Bai Kai gently nudged her head and said, I learned it from the women in the club. Bei, you will be a big girl from now on, so you should learn these things. I can ask them to teach you if you want. No, thank you I probably dont need them. Probably. Ah? Bai Kai was stunned for a moment and curled his lips, saying, What a pity. ? In the courtyard of the Night Division, Jiangli sat on an old wooden chair, and beside her squatted the gloomy mushroom girl who held a big umbre. Do you think Lu Yibei will be fine? Ever since she talked with Bai Kai, she felt uneasy. It wasnt that she suspected Bai Kai; she was worried for her subordinate. And she felt that his situation was much worse than Bai Kai had let on. After all, drawing runes is a very dangerous thing. The more powerful the urban legend cores used, the higher the risk. She fully understands this. After listening to Jianglis question, Gu Niang slowly rolled her eyes as if she suddenly came to life and responded slowly, I dont know; Im just a little old mushroom. Jiangli looked at Gu Niang beside her, her lips slightly open, but she hesitated to speak. A little old mushroom, but I do think that Lu Yibei will be fine. Hell be fine.She breathed a sigh of relief upon hearing that. Gu Niang, like the fungi that grow on the ancient building of the Night Division, is the oldest and most special member among the Operators. Her runes are special, and she, as she says it, is one with the mushrooms. She can see things that others cannot. Some say she sees the fate of life and death, and some say she can see the good and evil in ones heart. Therefore, if she says that Lu Yibei will be fine, then he will be fine. Fine, in every single sense of the word. Jiangli stood up with her cane and was about to leave, but she heard Gu Niang whispering, Somebody ising. As soon as she spoke, high heels collided with the ground not far away, and the person who came out was Bai Kai. Beside him was a tall girl wearing a sexy, short skirt and a coat. The girls hair was like a waterfall, and her dark blue eyes were likepizzuli. Her eyebrows were feminine, her nose was straight, and her lips plump. Her cheekbones were slightly contoured to subtly reveal their shape, and highlights were dusted onto her nose, exuding amazing charm. Why does she look so familiar?Jiangli thought, stepping forward to meet her. Shui, will I really be okay? Lu Yibei asked as they walked out of the Night Division. She felt that Bai Kais n to sneak her out was a little insane. Putting on the high heels and the hip-hugging skirt, she couldnt even walk steadily. Could she really get away with it? Bai Kai simply squeezed her hand and responded, Dont worry about it. Try not to talk too much. Ill handle whatever happens. We have to leave quickly; your pendant is going to explode from your psychic fluctuations. Yibei nodded. Now that things havee to this, I have no choice but to trust him. After passing through the dimly lit corridor and entering the small courtyard, light flooded her eyes, and she shielded them. Looking up, Lu Yibei saw Jiangli standing by the garden, and her heart dropped. As if noticing her panic, Bai Kai patted her back gently and stood in front of her. Whats up, Jiangli? Jiangli nced at Yibei with a smile as if wanting to study her more carefully. Then, she looked back at Bai Kai and asked, Who is this girl? Oh, her! heughed. Shes from the club I frequent. Itll take a long time for Beis runes to stabilise, and Im not busy, so I just invited her to y a little, you know? Hearing him dwell on the word y, Jiangli immediately showed disdain in her heart, drifting her eyes towards Yibei. Her delicate face was in light makeup, and she seemed cold and expressionless. Her eyes moved downward, and when she saw that the girls slender legs could not stop trembling, she tilted her head in confusion. Excuse me, your legs. Are you ufortable? Bai Kai followed her line of sight and nced at Yibei, and he immediately responded for her. Ah, well, wedidhave some fun, and I might have worn her out a bit. Ooh, this feels embarrassing to say, haha! As he spoke, he humped the air in front of him as if to show what he had done. What the? You say it is enough, but do you really have to show her? Jianglis cold face immediately turned red, understanding what Bai Kai wanted to express. She understood that knowing too much is not necessarily a good thing. Bai Kai, youre crazy! Bai Kai curled his lips and said, Well, if you excuse us, well be leaving. Ill send her back, and Ille back to take care of Bei! Jiangli waved her hands, shooing them away. Seeing this, Bai Kai held Yibeis hand and was about to leave, but when he saw Gu Niang appearing behind him, holding her umbre, his expression changed as his heart fell. Gu Niang, who always enjoyedzing around in the garden, appeared in the middle of the path. This made Bai Kai panic a bit, and beads of sweat tainted Yibeis palms. Jiangli stood aside and watched quietly as Gu Niang approached them, and she couldnt help but feel that something was off. Did she find something weird about them? Yibei, who waspletely unaware, stared nkly at the gloomy girl before her and watched as the girl approached her. She approached them closer and closer until the tips of their noses touched. Those deep, ck eyes stared into Yibei, and she felt as if a pair of invisible hands were slowly reaching out towards her, peeling away her disguise inch by inch. A suffocating oppression came over her, and she felt her heartbeat stop for a moment. At this moment, the girls slightly hoarse voice sounded faintly in her ears. Do you like humans more, or urban legends? In an instant, countless voices, like a roaring tsunami, exploded in her ears, and they directed the harshest interrogations at her, probing at her soul. The voices gradually faded away, and Yibei was stunned for a while beforeing to her senses. She struggled to squeeze out a smile, not realising that tears wereing out of her eyes. H-humans. I like humans more. The girl stared at Lu Yibei without saying anything more. She turned back to the garden and walked towards the flower bed, transforming back into a lifeless mushroom. Chapter 223: Do You Want to Know How Your Father Really Died? Chapter 223: Do You Want to Know How Your Father Really Died? Although Lu Yibei felt that there was a strange smelling from Gu Niang, coupled with her disturbing aura, she didnt know the crisis she had just avoided. All he could see was Shui seemingly bing nervous, dragging his godson away from the Night Division as quickly as possible. As he left, he held onto her hand tightly, as if he were afraid that if he let go, she would fly away and disappear. He drove them from Peony Street to the edge of the city. Bai Kai didnt say a single word along the way, and it was eerily quiet inside the car. Yibei seemed to have noticed this and wisely closed her ever-speaking mouth. Halfway through, the pendant around her neck shattered with a loud snap. Seeing this through the rearview mirror, he said nothing but stepped on the gas silently as he picked up speed. More than ten minutester, they were finally out of Huacheng, and the concrete jungles gradually became sparse. Bai Kai breathed a sigh of relief and parked his car on the side of the road. Wiping the sweat from his palms on his trousers and the gloomy face he put on, he turned around to Yibei with a smile. Bei, congrattions. Youre in the clear now. Ah? She was stunned and asked in confusion. What do you mean? And by the way, who is that girl? You and Jiangli seem scared of her. Why wouldnt we be? He smiled bitterly. She was already there when I first joined the Night Division. Actually, she might even precede the Night Division, he continued. The person in charge of selecting the location of Huachengs Night Division reported that when they first entered the building, she was already there. Is she an urban legend? Not really, Bai Kai frowned. She is a living, breathing human being, but I admit, she is closer to an urban legend than psychics are. He paused for a while, swallowing before he spewed out more information. For ordinary psychics, to put it simply, the ratio of urban legend to human in their body is a 1:1 ratio. Hence, Gu Niangs ratio might be a 4:1 ratio. Logically speaking, she shouldve transformed into an urban legend by now, but she is still human. Bai Kai didnt know how she managed that, so he didnt tell Yibei. Based on what he knows about his godson, although she wasnt very smart, she seemed to be able to deduce a lot of things via observation. If she knew how strange Gu Niang is andpared it with her own current situation, she might kill herself. To a certain extent, she is the gatekeeper of Huachengs Night Division, and she is much more terrifying than any detection device we have in store. However, you dont have to worry anymore since she didnt point out anything wrong about you. Nobody seems to be following us, which means that we are safe. From now on, he murmured, looking out the car window and admiring the scenery. You have to hide your identity, and Bai Kai seemed hesitant to speak, and Yibei peered at him through the rearview mirror, seeing his tearful eyes. He immediately turned around and grabbed her hands tearfully. Bei! You must not believe in anything a man says to you! Their so-called love at first sight is all lust! Do as I say, not as I do! Never be alone, never drink from an unattended cup, especially when alone with boys, and Okay! Okay! Yibei interrupted. Im not interested in men. What if? Im sure of it! Then, would you like your godfather to buy you some clothes? You should No! She felt that, after she transformed, Shui seemed to be much more difficult to deal with than before. After learning that Yibei had a way of transforming back to her boy self at first dawn, Bai Kai took her to the outskirts of Huacheng, and they decided to settle in a vi. Handing the key over to her, he hurriedly returned to Peony Street. To the Night Division, Yibei was still in the small room recovering from the rejection of his runes, so he couldnt leave for too long. The neighbourhood near the vi was deserted; there were no security guards, and the other vis doors were open. She walked to the house number given by Shui and found the vi. 3 floors, arge garden, with a mountain towering over the visit was peaceful here. Shui told her that this vi belonged to a rich friend of his. She wasnt sure why he had a key to his friends vi. However, the moment she unlocked the door and walked into the vi, she saw how luxurious it was inside. She felt as if she had stumbled into a castle, and in the centre of the living room, a huge portrait of a certain woman could be seen. My god. I never shouldve underestimated you. Night soon fell. In the living room of a vi, decorated like an e-sports training room, it was livelyseven or eight figures wearing ck cloaks with skull emojis talked andughed with each other as they typed away on theputers. Anky man with dark circles under his eyes sat in the corner of the room. Multiple windows were open on the three screens in front of him, which were ying various videos and live broadcasts. Some of these live broadcasts featured people in various weird exercise and yoga positions bumping into each other. Hey, can you hurry up and analyse this for me? Im dying of anxiety! A soft mewl sounded behind him, and the man hurriedly closed his tabs. He then turned around and saw a cat girl with a sad face. Whats wrong with you? Did she give you a hard time again and report the group chat? The girl rolled her eyes and said, I wish. She didnt bother me all day. Dont you think this is strange? Youre saying She didnt report you for one day, and you feel uneasy. Yes! Dont you think its strange? The girl tilted her head. Youre crazy. The cat-eared girl narrowed her eyes slightly, and a cold look shed in her slits. The next moment, with a sh of cold light, three quick shes appeared on the mans face. After a moment of tense silence, the man hissed, rubbing his face and drawing in a sharp breath of cold air. So, what do you want? Are you just trying to torture me? The cat-eared girl folded her arms and scoffed, Hmph! Im not that kind of kitty cat! Quickly check where [VACCARIA] is. Ill go and see for myself. If she manages to escape before the review, then the boss will have my skin! Okay the man reluctantly agreed, turned around, and settled into his chair in front of theputer. He swiftly logged into the website and began his search. As the man meticulouslybed through the digitalndscape, the cat-eared girls phone buzzed twice in her pocket. She quickly retrieved it and examined the notification from the ount, and a sly smile crept across her lips. Reported! It seems Varia hasnt fled the scene. Meanwhile, in a wealthy womans vi on the outskirts of Huacheng, Lu Yibeiy sprawled on a bed, d in a luxurious bathrobe, with her eyes glued to her phone. A few hours earlier, after wandering the neighbourhood in a state of paranoia, she had returned to the vi and found afortable room, copsing onto the plush bed. Initially, she had nned to rest for a short while, but she ended up sumbing to a deep slumber, only to awaken in the early hours of the morning. She shed the dress that clung too tightly to her chest and hastily took a shower. d in her bathrobe, she responded to Shuis barrage of concerned text messages. Then a crucial matter came to mind. Without hesitation, she grabbed her phone, unlocked it with her fingerprint, logged into the group chat, and filed a report. Her movements were fluid and practised, the result of countless repetitions. She felt the knot of anxiety around her throat loosen. A sense of relief washed over her. After all, everyone needs a purpose in life, and perhaps one day, she could be the one to bring these criminals to justice. As she pondered, a private message popped up from a certain calico cat. [100 2/3 CATS: You finally showed up. I thought you wouldnt have the guts to face me.] Somethings definitely wrong with this person! [100 2/3: Dear user VACCARIA, as somebody on our Red List, we are required to tell you the contents of the review before you attend your review. Do you have any questions?] [VACCARIA: Cant you just leave me alone?] [100 2/3 CATS: Absolutely not! And dont even think about leaving the groupits forbidden!] [Varia: Hmm no.] [100 2/3 CATS: ???] [100 2/3 CATS: Are you taking me for an idiot?] SYSTEM PROMPT: The other party has blocked you. [100 2/3 CATS: ()] Lu Yibei ced her phone down and sneered inwardly. Only a fool would subject themselves to such absurd rules! What can you possibly do to me? Do you think you can get me through the phone? Have you found her? Where is she? Im going to teach her what cyberbullying in real life is. The cat-eared girls voice wasced with fury as she mmed her phone on the table with a pop! The tall,nky man removed his hands from the keyboard, turned around, and said with a heavy expression, Are you sure about this? I dont think youre a match for her. How would you know? Im getting annoyed; lets fight right now! Fine! the man eximed, flinging open the curtains and gesturing towards the outside. ording to the bosss information, she should be on the other side of the neighbourhood. Go on! Im eager to see how you fare! I the cat-eared girl faltered, her cheeks flushing a crimson hue. After a moment of hesitation, she blurted out, Ill let her be for now. After all, shes a key target on the red list. W-well get her in the future regardless The man scoffed, catching a glimpse of the sharp ws extending from the cat-eared girls delicate hand. He hastily swallowed the second half of his mockingugh. The cat-eared girl curled her lips and continued, Speaking of which, why is she here? Is she trying to find us? The mans expression turned grave at her question. I think its just coincidence, but I cant rule out the possibility that she discovered our hideout. Maybe shes even more powerful than what the boss estimated! In that case the cat-eared girl ced her chin in her hands, her eyes slightly narrowing as she pondered for a moment. Shes clearly not interested in joining us voluntarily, and shes ignored the money Ive thrown her way. I cant fight her, but I dont want to follow her either. If she gets involved in something bad, we need to have a backup n. Lu Yibei was assured that she had blocked [100 2/3 CATS], but she couldnt fathom how they had managed to bypass her block and appear in her friend list. A sense of unease washed over her. Hesitantly, she picked up her phone and tapped on the message, knowing that those pesky urban legends always found a way to reach her. [100 2/3 CATS: User VACCARIA, dont you realise that refusing to join us will be a grave mistake on your part?] [VACCARIA: Fine. What exactly do you do? Im sure youre not just a group chat for urban legends, are you?] [100 2/3 CATS: Thats a given.] [VACCARIA: ?] [100 2/3 CATS: Dont be coy now; you know I cant tell you anything until you join us. If it helps, if you join us, there are numerous benefits waiting.] [VACCARIA: Like what? Money?] [100 2/3 CATS: Money is merely a fraction of the benefits. Theres so much more for you to gainarent you curious about why your superior is so enamoured with mahjong?] Okay But what am I supposed to do with that information? ckmail her? [100 2/3 CATS: And as for you, oddball, dont you want to find out the safest and most secure way to improve your ws?] No need, actually. The Serpent gave me his knowledge; if I decipher its secrets, Ill surpass this with no problem. Noticing her silence, the cat-girl stopped typing as well, as if she were trying to formte a great n to recruit her. The iing message was like a storm brewing amidst the silence, causing Lu Yibeis expression to shift abruptly. [100 2/3 CATS: Dont you want to know how your father really died?] Chapter 224: The Last Time You Felt Warm Chapter 224: The Last Time You Felt Warm [VACCARIA: Sorry, but I have no interest in joining.] With a hint of annoyance, Lu Yibei finished replying to the cat girl. She propped her chin on her hand, her eyes fixed on her phone screen, with a sneer. Oh, this person is truly good at tricking people. Theyve conducted thorough background checks, crafting a web of lies to entrap their victims. I nearly fell for their tricks! Thankfully, I know the circumstances of how my dad died. Whether its from my own memories, the police records, or Shuis recollection of rushing to the scene, it was nothing more than a tragic ident. An ident of my making. As Lu Yibei delved deeper into her thoughts, a deep guilt crept from the recesses of her heart, making her feel suffocated. Her hands involuntarily clutched at her chest and bathrobe. If I hadnt insisted on dragging my father along on my graduation trip, none of this would have happened, right? Her thoughts drifted, her eyes clouding over as her mind journeyed upstream through the river of time, back to the past. In the first two years of high school, Lu Yibei enjoyed his years, far removed from his academic obligations. As the first semester of his senior year approached, the harsh reality of the impending college entrance exams finally dawned upon him. The once carefree student was forced to confront the daunting task of securing a ce at a decent university. The carefree days of his youth hade to an end, and the price for his past ignorance was about to be paid. His senior year was marked by relentless toil and stress as he struggled with the demands of college preparation. Yet, funnily enough, his determination never wavered, fueled by the hope of escaping his current predicament. Finally, his unwavering dedication bore fruit. The moment he clutched his admission notice, the pent-up emotions of an entire year were unleashed in joy. ted by his sess, he started nning his graduation trip with a close friend. The prospect of adventure and the chance to escape the stress of high school filled him with a sense of freedom. After years of suppressing any form of enjoyment, the taste of excitement proved irresistible. His itinerary for his graduation trip was a testament to his yearning for thrills, and he meticulously crafted it to incorporate at least something strange, something dangerous or something out of the box. However, fate had other ns. As the nights grew longer and the world around them began to undergo subtle shifts, nning for a trip was something that would soon prove to take a wrong turn. Two days before graduation, all his friends were ordered by their parents to cancel their ns. Therefore, he begged his father to follow him on his graduation trip instead. On that fateful day, they went rafting on the Xiling Riverit was a thrilling father-son bonding moment. Soon, they went back to their hotel to rest. It was lightly drizzling. After a short rest, the two of them took advantage of the cool weather to leave the hotel and hit the streets. After visiting several snack vendors, Yibei suddenly came up with the idea of going to the Emei Mountains to watch the sunrise over the sea of clouds. It originally wasnt part of his original itinerary, so he didnt expect his dad to agree to it so swiftly. However, his father suggested that if he simply wanted to watch the sunrise, there was somewhere still mostly untouched by human development where the both of them could watch the sunrise in natures original splendour. This is located in the Qioni Mountains, and Yibei, like his father, was full of energy. If they agreed to go somewhere, they would leave overnight. He spent half an hour buying the ticket after their short conversation. The father-son duo left their hotel on the three-oclock bus in the morning. The timing was precise, and it was hard to tell whether this was the first bus of the day or thest bus of yesterday. When the two of them walked to the station, it began to drizzle, and a light mist covered the area. Seeing the impending weather, Yibei suggested postponing it, but his father simply retaliated, But its your summer vacation! It should be no problem; its just some light rain. The two of them boarded the bus, but for some reason, as the bus drove away from the city, Yibei noticed a faint uneasiness between his fathers brows. Now that I think about it, dont humans have some kind of sixth sense of when theyre about to die? The bus was out of the city now, and the scenery outside the window was filled with nothing but steep, green mountains that towered over them. The sky became darker than it already was, and dark clouds announced their arrival with each thunder strike. In the blink of an eye, it began to rain heavily. The bus was extremely quiet, but it was clear that it was suffocating. Everyone on the bus was uneasy, including the driver. It became hard to see outside the window, and only the cascading droplets of water could be seen. If a school of fish suddenly swam past the window, it wouldnt be strange at all. Yibeis father had his eyes and hands trained on his phone. On a treacherous, rainy mountain road, Yibei didnt know how his father managed to obtain a strong enough signal to support that magical girl online game that he loved to y. The other passenger is sitting diagonally in front of them. He was tall and burly, wearing traditional clothes fit for a Tibetan and a pair of worn sunsses. He seemed unkempt and dirty, and the skin on his face was dull and colourless as an indescribable smell emanating from him spread across the bus. He had been sleeping since he got on the bus, snoring intermittently. It was as if the downpour outside and the bumpy road were nothing but a luby to him. The bus continued to brave the dark and stormy night, and its light could only illuminate a tiny area ahead. The drivers driving speed was incredibly slow. The bumpier it got, the slower the bus drove. This continued for a long time, and soon, Yibei could see a young man and a woman stranded by the roadside not far ahead. The driver slowly parked the bus on the side of the road and turned his head back, saying, Sorry, but its unlucky for them to encounter such terrible weather outside. Do all of you mind if we help them? After obtaining the approval of most of the passengers on board, the driver opens the bus doors and lets them inside. Perhaps it was because it was raining so heavily that everyone was suddenly caught off-guard, or perhaps it was because this area was close to a hidden town in the mountains. As soon as the young man and woman entered, a bunch of other people entered one after another. There were shepherds with tanned skin; girls were wearing traditional clothing with pale, blue faces from the cold; there were youthful teenagers with colourful hair. Soon, the quiet bus was filled with people. Among these people, the one who caught Yibeis attention was a man with a hunchback, wearing a dark raincoat. He caught his attention for three reasons: first, he visibly leapt out of the bushes as the bus was driving. If it wasnt raining and if the bus wasnt driving slowly, this man wouldve been run over by the bus. Second, he seemed scary; his face was weathered, and arge scar in the corner of his eyes and mouth was present. From a distance, it seemed as though his mouth extended from the upper ear to the lower ear. Moreover, the wound seemed fresh, and the stitches could still be seen. Soaked in the rainwater, the stitches bulged as if the wound was threatening to fester again. Lastly, the moment the man got into the car, the sleeping, snoring man suddenly woke up and clutched the prayer beads in his sleeves. He hurriedly yelled at the driver and begged to get off the bus. When the unknown man saw this, he scoffed and simply sat in the seat he vacated. The moment he sat down, he immediately stared at Yibei, stretching out his tongue and licking his wounds. His saliva burnt his wounds, but his face forced out an expression of pleasure. ncing at him, Yibei felt nauseous, and his father put down his phone to raise his middle finger at the man. He could still remember how his father red at the man before he gently gestured at Yibei to sleep on his shoulder. He mustve learnt that move from Shui,he deduced. He didnt refuse and leaned on his shoulder, and he felt warm and at ease as his consciousness began to fade in and out from the lulling of the rain. He had no idea that it would be thest time he felt his fathers warmth. If he had known earlier, he would not have fallen asleep so quickly. When he tried to open his eyes, he found that he couldnt as hey on a bed in Yucheng Hospital, and severe pain echoed throughout the walls of his body. He soon found out that, after he fell asleep, the bus encountered a massivendslide and was swept away into a ravine, crashing through the highway fence. The police told him that the ident was tragic and that he was the sole survivor of the incident. He was told thatrge stones crashed into the bus from thendslide and somehow avoided him. Then Shui hurried over and told him words that were very different from those of the police. Yibei once thought that death must be a very painful thing for all parties; it would involve crying and tantrums before falling into a deep depression. However, after losing his father, it didnt seem to be a big deal. No tears seemed to fall from his eyes. He would simply nod and help his mother handle funeral arrangements, and Shui wouldfort him from time to time. This stark indifferencested for a long time until he lived in his old house in Huacheng. One morning, he woke up and yelled into the living room, Dad, I want some steamed dumplings and tofu for breakfast! But there was no response, and only then did it fully hit him. Guilt, pain, sadnessall kinds of negative emotions that his body bottled up crashed into him wave after wave, destroying his faade and leaving nothing behind. Recalling this, her brows furrowed. There were indeed many things about her fathers death that made her feel weird: the weather, the sudden introduction of new passengers, the snoring man wanting to get off the bus, and that strange, strange man She recalled having remembered these scenes when she came into contact with the Eclipse Societys totem. Judging from her repressed memories, her father was a strong psychic. Could he really die from a mere car ident? And, if there really was an urban legend attack, did Shui know? Is he hiding something? In this new world of urban legends, Yibei felt that there were too many inconsistencies about the ident. No, it cant be that simple. Even though 100 2/3 CATS imed to have the answer, she felt that she couldnt trust a group of people with unknown origins. She must first understand their nature. On the other end of the phone, the cat-girl waited but received no response from the Witch. She couldnt help but feel anxious again, and she got down on all fours as she scurried through the windows, tables, chairs, and floor. Finally, thenky man couldnt stand the cat messing up his desk and interrupted, Can you stop that? Youre making me feel dizzy. The cat girl red at him and scoffed, That Witch hasnt replied yet, and I feel anxious. I want to see her and cyberbully her in real life! Youre a cat, he reminded her. Whatever, she huffed as she grabbed her phone to send another text before being interrupted. Wait a minute, thenky man stopped. Are you sure you want to send her a text now? So what if I am? She doesnt care, he simply said. What are you going to send her to convince her to join us? She doesnt even care about how her father died, which shows how cold-blooded she is. If you send her a message now, I think He hesitated to speak. Well? the cat-girl urged, revealing her ws. Get those ws away from my face; I still have girls I need to seduce. Get to the point! Well, he said. If you send her a message now, she will only continue to be annoyed, which in turn will annoy you. As he finished speaking, a cold light shed across his face, revealing three more scratch marks on his face. What the fuck? Why did you do that? He moaned, covering his face. Tsk, then what do you think we should do now? Well, I think shell cave soon and text you herself. As soon as he spoke, the cat-girls phone vibrated twice, and on the screen was a message sent by [VACCARIA]. [VACCARIA: Fine. But you have to answer a few of my questions.] [100 2/3 CATS: No problem. Ill tell you everything I know.] After reading the cats message, the Witch slightly frowned as she tapped into her phone. [VACCARIA: Does my fathers death have anything to do with urban legends?] [100 2/3 CATS: Yes.] [VACCARIA: Does it have anything to do with the Eclipse Society?] [100 2/3 CATS: Sorry, but I cant reveal that yet.] In trantion, it probably means that they are involved, but I cant be sure until certain conditions are met. [VACCARIA: How do I know what youre saying is true?] It was silent for a moment. [100 2/3 CATS: We have our own ways of receiving information, and it is always reliable. I cannot prove it now, but the decision is yours to makediscover the truth or continue living in the dark.] The Witch frowned slightly. Why are they suddenly so formal? [VACCARIA: Here is my suggestion: We will help each other. I willplete your review, but you have to form a contract of alliance with me. After that, you will answer a few more questions for me.] In the past month, Yibei was very free, which gave her enough time to study the alliance contract between her and Jumeng. Whenever she had thoughts of killing Jumeng, the mark on the back of the goddess hands would light up, and the same would be true if she wanted to lie to her, albeit a bit dimmer. Therefore, she felt that this contract could be used as a lie detector. As for the spell to form the contract, it was just a few simple incantations. She could recite it after listening to it once, but she needed a target. After a while, her phone vibrated. [100 2/3 CATS: I can promise you this, but you must join us after passing the review.] [VACCARIA: Dont worry about it.] [100 2/3 CATS: If you go against your word, you will be cursed!] [VACCARIA: Well, Ill definitely keep my word.] Its impossible to not get involved, so the best she could do was cooperate. [100 2/3 CATS: Dear VACCARIA, tomorrow night, you will undergo the second review. Please head over to the Southern Suburbs ughterhouse at 12 oclock midnight and wait until daybreak.] That ughterhouse? Rumour has it that a giant, ck pig eats people who venture into it. Am I the only one? Is there anyone elseing? [100 2/3 CATS has added you to the 104th Review Discussion Group.] Besides this cat, are there other people? Looking at the chat groups members, she started to memorise their usernames. [Genius Mahjong Girl], [Invincible Wang], [Lis Outdoor Broadcast] After writing down their IDs and memorising them, she put away her mobile phone. Chapter 225: 0.01 More to 53.4 Chapter 225: 0.01 More to 53.4 In the early morning, thenky man took out a drink from the fridge and passed by the cat girl, who was studying for the uing review. He identally caught a glimpse of who she was reviewing and was stunned. Excuse me? he said, surprised. Levi? The one you sent to the ughterhouse? Is this a mistake? Right, I havent informed you yet, the cat-girl nced at him. Didnt you tell me that Levi was killed as soon as he entered the ughterhouse? Any idea why hes suddenly inside my review group chat again? Ah, thenky man put a finger to his mouth and looked away. Ididsay he was killed, but I wasnt sure. Iter found out that he survived. Did the boss make a mistake in their judgment? He shouldnt be added back to the group chat if anything. Tsk, the cat-girl scoffed. Boss isnt like you, making that many mistakes at work. Thenky man simply looked away and changed the topic: By the way, are you sure you want [Genius Mahjong Girl] and [VACCARIA] to team up together? I feel that something bad might happen if you put them together. Cant you be more optimistic? They both have something theyre eager to know, so I think its good for them to work together. Plus, the cat purred and continued. The ughterhouse has been on our cklist for a while; if the two of them work together, get through their review, and deal with the ughterhouse at the same time, wouldnt that be great? I wouldnt be that optimistic. What do you think is the chance that theyll work together? At least 70%. Im thinking 30% Hmph! the cat snorted. Lets just wait and see! Early in the morning, Yibei experienced the life of a wealthy person and strolled over to the swimming pool to bathe under the morning sun. However, upon returning to his boyhood, he soon became worried. He sat on a bench by the pool, holding a tall ss in his hand as he looked into its pitiful contents. Why is it so little today? He sighed and cursed to himself; it was as if his money had put on wings and flew away from him, waving its little hand towards him as it flew away. When it was bright, Bai Kai drove to the vi. With a call, Yibei came out of the vi, and when he saw Bai Kais state, he was shocked. He had a thickyer of sweat and thick, dark circles under his eyes. He looked as if he had aged ten years overnight. He couldnt help but feel bad for his godfather, who was busy all night dealing with his problems. He stepped forward and patted his shoulder, saying, Shui, thank you for your hard workst night. Bai Kai leaned one hand on the wall and the other on his waist as he red yfully at Yibei, saying, I dont know how Aunt Zhang knew that I brought a girl over, so I owed her afavour.Dont mention it. But its not a loss on my part. At least Bei is safe now,Bai Kai thought. I thought Yibei murmured and stopped talking.I thought he went back to the Night Divisionst night. I didnt expect him to expend more effort And!He drove his own car all nightst night and came back with a Beetle! Where did he get this from? Soon, they found themselves driving towards the Night Division, and Bai Kai began a short lecture regarding psychic powers. Youre going to enter the Night Divisionter, and theyll be checking up on your body. Stop. Just to be sure, were going to the Night Division, right? Not aShadyHealth ExaminationDivision, I hope. What nonsense are you talking about? Before drawing upon your runes, we check your body to verify whether youre an urban legend; after drawing upon your runes, we check your body to determine how you adapted to the runes. Okay, are you the one checking up on me, or That damned cripple is the one who is checking you out, he grumbled, knowing his godson wouldnt want him to check up on him. From today onwards, you will officially be her subordinate, and whatever happens to you in the Night Division has nothing to do with me. Got it. Jiangli may be cold, but at least shes beautiful. I dont think Id befortable having Shui touch me. Bei? What is it? Yibei felt cold. It makes me sad when you do this. Goosebumps erupted all over Yibeis body as Bai Kai suddenly turned around, tears streaming down his face. Yibei hurriedly pressed him into the backseat and yelled, Okay! Okay! Im sorry! Ill cook for you or treat you to dinner sometime, okay? Promise? Promise. At your house? Well, uh, maybe not there, and not the apartment either, Yibei said. Plus, I rarely cook ever since I attended university, and I dont have aplete set of utensils. I see. Well, when the timees, Ill call a few friends over. The air was filled with a pregnant silence as the car drove over a bumpy road. It was awkward, and you could cut the tension with a magical knife. Something isnt right. Im trying to tell him something, but I feel likeBei[Shui]is hiding something from me. Looking at each other through the rearview mirror, the two of them said in unison, You first! Okay, me first, the two said in unison again. It was awkward again. After a short silence, Yibei spoke up, I want to find out if dads death was just an ident. Ever since I got to know that urban legends exist, I felt that a car ident wasnt actually the case. Hearing this, Bai Kai smiled and asked his own question: Well, I want to know where you got the Witchs Egg from. I was pursued by Mr. Rabbit back then and stumbled upon the egg. Then Ill tell you what I know, Bai Kai gripped the steering wheel hard. After the ident, I went to investigate the scene and found that there were indeed residual psychic fluctuationsas for who the murderer is, I only have a rough guess, and I cant tell you my guess as of now. After a pause, he added, In the future, when you be strong enough, it wont be toote to tell you. Okay, Yibei responded softly before propping his head up and looking out the window. In front of the Night Division, after finishing his night shift, Li Xuan stretched and walked out the front door, eager to enjoy a hot breakfast down Peony Street. As soon as he walked out, he saw Jiangli limping from the other end of the alley from a distance. The two acknowledged each other, and the moment they passed by, Jiangli shed Li Xuan a sinister smile. Li Xuan was stunned and turned around to see Jiangli limping away. Again? Are you kidding me? In the past 24 hours, the two of them walked past each other seven times, and every time, Jiangli would sh that sinister smile at him. Just once or twice would be fine, but this is too much. Is she going to sh my tyres again? When he turned back around, he saw Yibei and Bai Kai walking side by side, and they made provocative hand gestures towards him with both of their hands at exactly the same tempo, which made his heart twitch. A wonderful day of work ended with Jiangli, Bai Kai, and Yibei. Crossing through the gate and walking through the courtyard, Yibei remembered the girl who stressed him out and unconsciously nced towards the flower bed in the courtyard. Gu Niang was still squatting underneath the big tree, holding a big, ck umbre. The moment he looked over, she raised her head and smiled. Why is she smiling at me? He wanted tough at his predicament but only nodded back at her. Meanwhile, Jiangli stood in front of the window of her office, peeking at the current scene like a principal making her rounds across a school. She seems to like Yibei. Ive never seen her smile at anyone before. Half an hourter, the inside of the office wasbelled with a V within the Night Division. Yibei was shirtless as he walked out of a testing device that eerily looked like an iron maiden. Jiangli nced at him, her eyes sweeping over the faint mark of Ifrit on his back. After two seconds of pondering, she picked up her pen and filled in some data in the form on the table. [Rune Adaptability: Good Psychic Fluctuation Levels: B- to B+] He watched as she filled out the form, thinking back to what he felt within the test device, feeling a dull pain in his head. The moment he entered the device, waves of melodious harmonies rang in his ears. However, the melody continued to echo deep in his mind, bouncing off the walls of his brain as the pitch became higher and distorted, gradually turning into a deafening cacophony. The gentle whispers soon turned into the malicious secrets of a Devil and murmurs of evil human deeds embedded within the human system. Ever since Yibei swallowed the Witchs Egg, he had encountered many simr things, such as the murmurs or visions forced upon her. This was something he was used to, and he passed the devices test without any ws. Did I pass? he asked Jiangli. Yes, you did. When she saw Gu Niang smiling at Yibei, she had already guessed that he would pass the test. She was just following procedures now. Thank god he breathed a sigh of relief.From today onwards, I am an official member of the Night Division. He was secretly delighted until Jiangli broke him out of his delight and said, However, the test is notpletely over yet. Bai Kai had already told him the process of the test and nodded: I know. Now, youre going to test my special abilities, right? Shui told me. I see, Jiangli replied softly, and he could see a trace of doubt within her eyes. You do know that ShuiisBai Kai, right? I figured. Its very on-the-nose. [*t/n: (Drinking Water), pinyin is Bai Kai Shui. Yibei calls his godfather Shui, but most people know him as Bai Kai. To Yibeis credit, it is very on-the-nose.] Jiangli simply nodded and limped towards the door. Seeing this, he wanted to help her walk, but she simply phased out of his grip. Come. Follow me to the practice room. Yibei scratched his cheek awkwardly as he followed behind her. The two of them walked silently within the dim and endless corridors of the Night Division. Within the infinite stretch of darkness, the only sound that apanied that was the sound of her heels and her cane striking the ground. Jiangli, can I ask you a question? He said, looking at her through the corner of his eye. Speak. Why do you like ying mahjong so much? He wouldnt admit it, but the calico cats question statement still lingered in his mind, as did the real cause behind his fathers death. Jiangli lowered her head in silence but didnt seem to want to avoid his question. After a brief silence, she answered with a sigh, My father was once the most prolific gambler in the city. As his daughter, I was influenced by his actions. It wouldnt surprise anyone that I came out with a gambling addiction. She continued softly, I know it isnt a good habitthere is no such thing as a small or big gamble; it is simply gambling regardless. Those who win crave for more, and those who lose crave a win. It is a perpetual cycle with no winners. It was rare for his mentor to speak this much to him in such a gentle tone, and he found himself lost in thought for a moment. When he came back to his senses, he found himself in front of the practice grounds of the Night Division. The size of the grounds is like an indoor football field. The ground was paved with fine sand and gravel, and the surrounding walls were ted with an unknown metal. There were several human-shaped stakes erected in one corner of the grounds and some fitness equipment in the opposite corner. He wasnt sure how such arge space could fit into such a small building, let alone such a small door, and was visibly stunned. Under the guidance of his mentor, she brought him over to where the fitness equipment was. Try this one, she said, pointing at the boxing machine. Although your runes are attuned to energy, it will still strengthen your body. He frowned slightly. He was a little worried that he would break the test machine with just a single punch. Regardless, he took a deep breath, gripped his arm, stepped forward, and punched as lightly as he could, as convincingly as he could. However, the moment he punched, it was as if an otherworldly energy had taken over him and thrust him forward, causing his fist to break through the air as he fell forward. Before he could fall, his spine, tendons, and ligaments straightened him in an instant, stabilising his form. Boom! With a loud, muffled sound, Jiangli nced at the counter, raised her eyebrows, and said, 217 kilogrammes of force? Not bad, but the most important part ising up next. Energy-based runes are usually one of three types, she continued. Body strengthening, spell amplifications, and attuned-being spells. However, judging by your punch, it shouldnt be the first one. Yibei gulped. His single punch was close to the level of a world-ss boxer; if his ability was to strengthen himself, his punch would be much more than this, and whenever he punches, it should also be apanied by some fire. In other words, what shes saying is that Ill either be a warrior, a mage, or some supernatural being. He was deathly worried that the Witchs Egg powers would expose him, and he only used about 20% of his actual strength. He started to doubt whether he was actually a warrior type. At this moment, Jiangli turned around and asked, Before I forget, did you happen to learn any spells after drawing your runes? Theoretically, the spell should correspond to the runes themselves, which belong to Ifrit. I didnt see anything belonging to Ifrit, but I know I have a lot of spells thanks to Du Sixian,who cursed inwardly. Uh, no? Then, you should be the second typethe amplification of fire magic. The upper limit of this application is about 20 times, but Ifrits runes are powerful, so it may reach about 30 times. On the other hand, the lower limit should be between 0 and 5 times. Zero? he blurted out. Im good enough at math to know that anything times 0 is 0, right? Well, youre right, she confirmed. If youre unlucky, it is indeed possible that the lower limit is exactly zero, and the runes will interrupt your castings of the spell. However, you dont have to worry. Its unlikely that it will happen to you. Plus,she thought inwardly.I think youre thick-skinned enough to not care about not being able to cast spells. Fuck. If what Jiangli said is true, then I am so utterly fucked. My powers, amplified by Ifrits runes He stepped forward to the next testing device, which resembled a giant bronze koi fish. Holding onto its tail, he infused it with psychic energy ording to Jianglis instructions, and the koi fish opened its maw to spray out dazzling sprays of fire with varying intensity. When it was over, he nced at Jiangli and found that her expression had changed subtly. She held her chin with one hand as she stared at the form in front of her. Her brows furrowed slightly, which caused Yibeis heart to tremble. Hey, I didnt actually hit the lower limit of zero, right? he asked weakly. No. No, you didnt, he felt relieved hearing her speak, but anxiety came rushing back in the moment she opened her mouth again. However, your situation is rare; maybe one in a thousandnobody has ever had an amplification of 53.4 times just after obtaining their runes. This amplifies even the most basic of spells into something very destructive. On the other hand, she continued, putting down her pen. It is also the first time that anybody has ever had an amplification of 0.01 times. This causes even the most destructive of spells to drop to something like a ssh of water. ? I literally achieved something like [All or Nothing]I either became god or useless! What the hell? Seeing his solemn mood, she quickly stepped forward and patted his shoulder, saying, Dont be upset; although your amplification levels are indeed unpredictable, you also hold the most potential. Plus, it is not necessarily a bad thing. The consumption of energy corresponds to the power of a spell, so if your amplification backfires when you cast a destructive spell, at least you only expend 0.01 times the normal amount of energy. Oh. She has no idea how tofort people! Id rather she keep quiet! He cursed inwardly but felt that he was overreacting.Even if I cant be a consistent mage, I still have my knife with me! Yes! There is nothing that cant be solved! The first step in improving your mental health is to be in a good headspace, and Yibei managed to convince himself and adjust his mentality. Seeing his depression fade away, she said, Now, lets move on to the next step, shall we? ording to the procedure, after a recruits psychic ability has adapted to their runes, they will begin to perform tasks under the Night Division. However, I decided to go against the procedure. As she spoke, she reached into the pocket of her jacket and took out a piece of paper, handing it to him. These are the tasks I have selected for you, and you will have no direct contact with any urban legends. Pick one. No direct contact!He praised her inwardly and looked over the paper she gave him, only for his eyes to darken almost immediately again. [Southern Suburbs ughterhouse] Why does this name look so familiar? Chapter 227: Mask of Glamour Chapter 227: Mask of mour Lu Yibei walked along the path pointed out by the old woman; it wound through old cottages like the tentacles of some kind of monster piercing through a ship. There were forks that broke into many different roads. He could faintly hear music from a funeral, but he couldnt tell where it wasing from. He could smell the burning of paper money, but he couldnt find the source either. Perhaps it was behind the doors of these creepy-looking cottages. There were alleys that extended far away, and he couldnt tell where they led. If you are somebody curious, you will forget the olddys words and go down these alleys, and perhaps youll lose yourself in this tiny suburb. Im built differently, though. You could put the prettiest stripper down this alley, and I would still walk forward. Im focused. Poised. Ten minutester, he found the ughterhouse at the foot of a mountain. The walls surrounding the ughterhouse towered over him. Beyond the walls, he could only see the rusty iron roof of the ughterhouse. Briefly checking information about the ughterhouse, this is not only a ughterhouse for pigs but also a breeding ground for them. ording to some news reports, the ughterhouse seemed to employ special breeding tactics before being forcefully closed due to an urban legend incident. Before their closure, they were the winners of [Huachengs King of Pigs] every year. Looking at it from a distance, he checked the time. It was 14:24, but the sky seemed to darken inexplicably. The strange thing was that the dark clouds seemed to only converge above the ughterhouse. A little further away, the afternoon sun still zed on. Truly, this is a ce that the Night Division could only seal away. You couldnt exin this with science and coupled with its reputation He shook his head and came to the high walls of the ughterhouse. He didnt realise how tall the walls werethey were nearly four metres high, and their mere presence suffocated him. He found that the courtyard wall was divided at a height of more than two meters, and the lower wall was more weatheredpared to the top half. The upper walls seemed to have been added at ater date. What are they trying to hide? Scrolling through his phone, one article caught his attention: four years ago, the ughterhouse sent a spy to steal their technology, which caused a death. However, there were no reports on this persons death, as if they were trying to cover it up. He briefly nced at the ughterhouse where he was going to hold the review, then took out his tools and went to work. There is only one location where the seal needs to be reinforced. Once he reces it, his task will beplete. Just as Jiangli said: No urban legends. Not difficult. At least, thats what it seems on the surface. ording to the diagram of the seal given by the Night Division, he quickly found a locked manhole cover surrounded by withered weeds. Taking out the key, he unlocked the manhole and pried it open. As he climbed down thedder into the deep cer, a stench of animal faeces wafted into his nostrils. A dazzling silver light blinded him suddenly, but the owl badge slightly vibrated as it buzzed, returning the cer to darkness. It seemed that if he broke into this ce without wearing the badge, you would be subdued.This really feels like Im working for a secret society. He remembered talking with Jumeng aboutbining the knowledge of science, engineering, and history to find a suitable career for him since these were the courses he focused on in university. Grave robbing, she answered him. He could remember Jumengs indifferent yet cute face. Smiling in his heart, he covered his mouth and nose with one hand and looked around in the darkness with his shlight. The dark cer was tiny, and iprehensible curses were etched onto the smooth stone walls. He could see dark-coloured earthen bags scattered around the room. He fumbled through his coat and took out a ck, double-stemmed lily. Holding it up with one hand, one lily bloomed a light blue while the other bloomed a light yellow. Taking note of the lilys colours, he took out a red envelope marked with a silver owl andpared it with the colour chart written on the envelope. [Psychic Fluctuation Levels: D- to D+ Natural Disaster Tendency: <= 0.01% Status: Normal] Completing his field research, he put away his bag and held the Operation Code in one hand, with the shlight in the other. Taking out a mahogany hammer, he walked towards a bag deep within the cer and carefully moved the bag aside to reveal three silver stakes nailed into the ground. Pulling out the items needed, a strange feeling washed over him as if he were being stared at. Like a pair of eyes that eyed him in the shadows. Eyes that were not bright or cloudy and held no emotion. It wasnt human, and it never rested. It would blink asionally, he thought. This strange feeling made him ufortable, but he suppressed it. Pulling out the short, silver stakes nailed into the ground, he removed brand new stakes from his waist and inserted them into the ground, raising the hammer. ng! ng! ng! After receiving the runes, his strength was far beyond that of an ordinary person, knocking down all three stakes with a single strike of the hammer. A faint light shed at the bottom of the bag, and there seemed to be a faint buzzing sound in the air. ording to the Operation Code, this meant that the seal was strengthened. When he bent over to clean up, he noticed that the eyes watching him seemingly disappeared. Climbing out of the cer, he reced the manhole cover and locked it, eyeing the old silver stakes in his hand. It was engraved with runic inscriptions, but something seemed to have corroded it. It was full of small chips and stained with a dark rust. His work went by smoothly, and it took less than an hour for him to reinforce the four seals around the ughterhouse. However, when he came to thest location, something happened. The manhole cover seemed to be damaged and broken into, and a strong stench emanated from the cer. Staring into the dark recesses expressionlessly, he raised his hand and allowed a pir of me to flood into the cer, and the mes got bigger and bigger and bigger. Wait, fuck! I didnt mean to use my Trump card! What the fuck? Under normal circumstances, the pir of me should berge enough to illuminate a small area. However, the fireball forming on the tips of his fingers became asrge as the manhole cover before shooting out into the darkness with a whoosh! The mes, amplified by his runes twentyfold, violently licked through the dark recesses of the cer. An explosion could be heard inside the cer, and the ground shook. With his ears ringing and his face covered in soot, he fell to the ground as he stared nkly into the manhole, recovering as much psychic energy as he could. He felt a little tired but climbed down the cer. With such a big fireball, whatever is inside should be half-dead, right? Secretly, he rejoiced, conveniently forgetting that there was a chance for his spell to be amplified 0.01 times instead. The cer was covered in ayer of soot, and he nodded as he sighed. The stone walls werent damaged, and he walked towards the designated earthen bag. However, instead of three silver stakes, two were missing; the remaining stake waspletely ck. He frowned and took out the lilies, and almost instantly, the lilies bloomed into dark blue and orange, respectively. That meant that psychic energy leaked through here, but it was still within a safe range. He cursed as he started writing on a notepad. [Psychic Fluctuation Levels: C- to C+ Natural Disaster Tendency: <=0.02% Status: Unstable] Cough! He coughed as he breathed in smoke. Leaning down, he was about to pull out the stake before feeling the strange eyes on him again. Unblinkingly, it watched his every move. It seemed to watch him from a ce humans cant reach, like stars in the sky. However, stars were high up in the sky, but the eyes were hanging right behind him. Look all you want; you cant take a bite out of me. I know Im handsome! As if to fill himself with bravery, he murmured a few words in his mind, tightening his grip as he pulled out the stake. Then he took out three new stakes, stuffed them into the ground, and nailed them down. However, as the hammer hit, the expected sound of metal nging wasnt heard; instead, it was the muffled sound of flesh being pierced. The ground was soft, like flesh. By the light of his shlight, he could see blood seeping out from the ground, and a putrid smell rushed into his nostrils. Immediately, the ground began to squirm, and the earth moved and undted as if something were about to break out of the ground. Seeing this, his eyes turned cold as he raised the hammer, mming the two remaining stakes into the soil. With two strikes, the ground sttered blood all over him, but it trembled twice before falling silent. Outside the gate of the ughterhouse, he called Jiangli while wiping away blood from his body. Beep. Hello? Yibei? Are you done with your task? Of course. Such a simple task is nothing but a piece of cake! He paused, deciding to conceal what had happened to her. He still needed toplete his review and wait until daybreakter at night. To be safe, hell inform her after the review is over. If he reports it now, they might enclose and investigate the ce. There are still four other people in the group chat. I dont know them, and I shouldnt involve them in my business, right? What if the Night Division recognises me and sends someone after me? Seeing that her subordinate was silent, Jiangli spoke, Yibei? Did you encounter anything strange? Ah, no, no. I was just wondering if theres a bonus forpleting my tasks. If the bonus is good, it might incentivise me to do more work. Noted. If you dont have anything to do, why dont youe back to headquarters? She immediately hung up the phone, and he put away his cell phone. Turning around, he took another look at the ughterhouse and felt something blinking at him beyond its doors. Feeling cold, he ran away quickly. The ughterhouse was far away from the city, and with how terrifying its surrounding urban legends were, it became even more difficult to catch a cab in the afternoon. While waiting for a taxi, he encountered a strange man. This man wore a dark fishermans hat with a low brim, concealing half of his face. He wore all ck, but the zipper on his upper coat was mostly open. One could vaguely see the turban wrapped around his shoulders and a thick gauze that was stained with blood. He was carrying arge, bulging backpack on one shoulder. When the man saw Yibei, he pretended not to see him, looking around before hurrying in the direction of the ughterhouse. He didnt take the man to heart at first, fiddling with his phone. However, his eyes warmed slightly, and a thought stered itself on his mind. Hes looking at you. Why is everyone looking at me? Turning his head, his eyes met the mans own. They locked eyes, and panic shed across the mans pale face. His body trembled as he scrambled away, trotting down the winding path, and disappeared. Hes going to the ughterhouse. Is he from the group chat, too? Why is he here so early? Before he could figure out why, a car parked next to him, and the driver rolled down the window and said, Hey, you there! Are you the user [Han Xiaojuan, my wife]? Although he didnt want to admit it, he nodded and got into the car. Forgot to change my ID,he thought. In the evening, at a mansion. The silver-haired mentor sat in a wheelchair, facing the huge floor-to-ceiling window as she stared at the sunset. It slowly sank into the horizon, and its scarlet rays coated her silver hair with ayer of crimson. Not long after, the door opened, and Hua, her maid, came to her side, holding a rectangr brass box. Mistress, I brought you a new prosthetic limb. The fat man from the ghost market said that if you put this on, you wont be able to tell the difference from an ordinary limb. Very good, Jiangli nodded, turning her wheelchair to face Hua. Is there anything else at the market? Thest time you went there, you said you met a girl selling a [Mask of mour], correct? Did you buy it? I did, but Mistress, she scratched her cheek. Why do you want to disguise yourself? Jiangli shook her head, smiled slightly, and said, There are five people in the review group chat this time. The people who participate in these reviews must have some kind of ability, she added. And there arent a lot of psychics who know me. An Operator once participated in an event suspected of being organised by an urban legend. If somebody recognised him, wouldnt it cause trouble? I suppose, Mistress, Hua nodded, taking out the mask. The mask seemed to be of poor quality, with a slightly deformed bald head. The corner of Jianglis mouth twitched slightly. This was the first time she had seen someone embed a spell on such a weird item. Taking the mask, she ced it on her face and unlocked her phone. Turning on her browser app, she searched for pictures of girls and clicked on a picture at random. Focusing on the appearance of the girl, she injected her psychic energy into the mask. The moment she injected her energy, the stic mask stuck to her face as if it were part of her own face. It squirmed and stretched, and in a few seconds, her appearance morphed into a beautiful, tanned, blonde girl with a slightly seductive look. ncing at the mirror Hua was holding, she nodded with satisfaction, saying, The quality of the mask is pretty good, but I dont know how many times I can use it. She shed a horrible, fake smile towards Hua. Mistress, do not ever do that again, Hua murmured, remembering her childhood trauma of being bullied by horrible, delinquent girls. Jiangli tilted her head in confusion and said, Is my smile that scary? I tried copying how Li Xuan smiles. Tried. Yes. Hua was speechless, watching the unnerving smile pierce through her soul. Chapter 228: I Recognise You! Chapter 228: I Recognise You! Mistress, why dont youe back home? Perhaps the Disaster had avoided you. It should be safe now. Right? You are strong, O Goddess. No Disaster can harm you! Yes! Everyone misses you in the Garden! And seven or eight couples are waiting for you to host their weddings! Jumeng sat cross-legged on the ground. Her pristine legs revealed themselves beneath her wide T-shirt. Listening to the magpies endless chatter, she frowned, waved her hands, and said, Okay, I get itbut didnt I leave some of my powers in the Garden when I left? Ask Master Oogway to host the weddings at my ce. The magpies continued to flock around her, and she sighed, Go back and tell everyoneif nothing happens after a month, I will make my return. Yibei was close to his apartment, and he asked the driver to stop his car. Getting off, he went into a store and bought dozens of thumb-sized ss bottles with corks to contain the Disaster Liquid that leaked out of him. Unlocking the door, he saw Jumeng sitting by the balcony, whispering something to a group of birds. Hearing the door open, the birds seemed startled as they fluttered their wings and disappeared into the distance. What are you doing? Yibei said, kicking off his shoes. Feeding the pigeons. I didnt know pigeons were ck. Jumeng narrowed her eyes and nodded, saying, Maybe its because these pigeons have a ck heart. What are you lying for? I know thats a magpie! Forget it; she would be bored at home if she did nothing all day long. Its inhumane if she is not allowed to chat. He shrugged and walked upstairs. Eyeing Yibei, Jumeng breathed a sigh of relief. It feels ufortable being under somebodys roof. I am a goddess, am I not? But why do I feel a sense of grief? In the next month, I had to find an excuse to say that my injury healed, then help Lin Yiqi with her errands and return to the Garden. Right, Ive been out ying for way too long this time. Of course, unless that boy kneels and kisses my feet, promising to sacrifice for me and buy me a lot of in-game coupons, begging me not to leave! Jumengughed as she thought about Yibei, who always made her tremble with annoyance and would one day kneel at her feet and cry for her. Meanwhile, Yibei packed up his equipment and stuffed it into his guitar bag. Putting on his coat, he went downstairs. What are youughing at? Jumeng nced at him and smiled: I thought of something funny. Like what? Your mom is giving birth to a baby like you? Yourmommy is the one who gave birth to a baby like you, she retaliated. Damn, didnt know you were my mommy. What the? Have you any shame? Jumeng scoffed, ring at Yibei as she pointed a finger towards him, saying, My cores. Where is it? I have been under your roof for this long, and you havent brought back a single core. Am I getting whored out for nothing? Tsk, what an ugly heart! She mentions this whenever she loses.He huffed and headed to the bathroom. Yibei had no special merits. The only thing good about him is that he always means what he says. Every time Jumeng asked a question, even if it was a joke, he would answer it patiently. On the other hand, he had agreed to help her collect cores, but so far, he had only collected a total of two pieces, and one of them was poisonous! He would be embarrassed whenever the goddess brought it up, and he would yell, Ill do it next time! And Jumeng found this cute of him. The apparitions in the apartment secretly observed their argument, whispering amongst each other. I think they should get married, the nightgown fluttered. Hmm, the wig pondered. If two urban legends want to get married, I dont think the Civil Affairs Bureau will allow it. What the hell are you talking about? The eyeball grumbled as it expanded with anger. Ever since the coat gave some of the Serpents cores to the apparitions to feed on, they, too, became stronger, and so did their negative emotions. As for why the coat was willing to give them its cores, it was because it was the core of a mythical monster, and the energy contained within it was terrifyingly dangerous. It had no choice but to share. Plus, it thought that it would be great if they could help the Witch out, and thus, feeding them would increase their overall strength. Even though these apparitions have not left the apartment in a long time Im a coward, I know! But its time to change! I bet I could topple a tree all on my own! Be careful, eyeball; you might get beaten up if you boast too much, the dentures advised. Im not afraid! The eyeball bulged. I am different! I am strong! Come! Lets get rid of the cockroaches and rats in the utility rooms of the apartment! There is only room for us here! We we are the uh Tsk, hurry up! What should we be called? Itd be embarrassing not to have a name for ourselves. After a short silence, the apparitions were discussed. I think we should be called [Ill Fucking Cut You Up With This Knife of Mine!] Vulgar. How about [The Holy Order of the Witch]? [The Witchs Little Tea Party]? [guing Disaster Upon This Beautiful World!] Without the Witchs knowledge, he was suddenly the leader of a covert organisation within his apartment unit. When he came to the bathroom, he immediately locked the door and stepped on the toilet. He found three full bottles of Disaster Liquid in the ceiling, and after hesitating, he put back a bottle. Two bottles are enough. If I save some money and sell it at the ghost market, Ill be able to buy the first batch of ingredients andplete the form, which will help me understand more of the Serpents knowledge. He stuffed two bottles into his guitar bag and zipped it up, leaving the bathroom. Taking advantage of the sky not darkening yet, he was ready to rush to the construction site to transform. Passing by the living room, Jumengy on the sofa, starting a new round of her online game, while the apparitions were huddled near the kitchen drain, rallying among themselves. What are they doing? Forget it; what they do is none of my business. He shrugged and called out to Jumeng, Im going out again. Take care of dinner by yourself! Go! Go! Jumeng waved, focusing on her new match. Todays raid boss is based on the extremely powerful god, Jumang! Its going to be a difficult fight, my party! Follow my lead, and we will beat it within three tries! Is she bragging about herself, then going to kill herself (in the game)? Mmph! Moans could be heard at a construction site, and not long after, a tall girl wearing red and white emerged from it. Raising her hands, she looked at them thoughtfully.I can feel the fire in my body moving, but I can also feel it being suppressed by something. Its converging near my eyes. Its as if a pair of hands were beating against the prison of her mind, shouting, Let me out! She had a feeling that this power might break out violently. Gathering her thoughts, she took a few steps out of the construction site and looked down. Her pristine legs revealed themselves through her oversized coat. With the autumn wind blowing, it made her thighs feel chilly. Coat, could you turn into something warm? Its getting cold. Trembling slightly, the coat squirmed as it turned into a professional white shirt and a ck, hip-hugging skirt. It gave her ck pantyhose, covering her legs. Where did you learn all this from? This feels restrictive, tacky, and uninteresting. The coat was silent as it tried to decipher its mistress request. Then, it squirmed again and transformed into blue and white sports attire, reminiscent of something from high school. Looking down, she blushed, noting the lines and curves of her body pressed tightly against the constrictive attire. Im covered up, but why do I feel like Im much more revealing? Forget it. I can only settle for this for now; otherwise, something might happen! She shook her head and squatted down, taking out the bottles of Disaster Water and rolling up her sleeves, dividing them into small ss bottles. Heading to the ughterhouse, she wasnt sure if it would be dangerous, so she thought itd be good for her to prepare more backups. Time to kill whateveres my way with bottled money! Pay-to-win-for-the-win! A taxi drove down an empty road. Recently, Zhang Shan started his work much earlier than before because his live broadcasts have be popr. With his new series [The Taxi Driver and the White-Haired Urban Legend], the poprity of his show has been rising steadily. Some studios even contacted him, expressing their desire to adapt his stories intoics or short films. However, he declined all invitations, afraid of the very real white-haired urban legend. He was satisfied with his progress. He felt that he couldnt take risks. He still had to maintain a certain degree of respect for things he didnt understand. However, he felt that he hadnt met her recently. If this continues, hell run out of inspiration. It was Day 36 of not meeting her. He found that he missed her. He was stunned for a moment and came back to his senses, mming down on his brakes and parking by the side of the road. Whats wrong with me? Why am I thinking of strange things? Just as he was about to start driving again, the door to his backseat was suddenly opened, and looking through the rearview mirror tremblingly, he realised there was a pretty girl in his car. The girl has smooth, white hair and wears middle-school sports attire, which adds a bit of purity to her bratty aura. Looking at her through the rearview mirror, Zhang Shan recalled watching a movie featuring a girl who looked pure but held a lustful aura. [A Chinese Ghost Story] Excuse me, could you drive me to the Southern Suburbs ughterhouse? The girls face was expressionless, acting as if she didnt recognise him. I know who the hell you are! Even if you change your appearance, I can recognise that guitar bag from a mile away! But she seems grown up. Did she grow stronger? That has to be it. I thought of her, and she appeared. She must be more powerful. As he thought, he started the car and drove out of town, and soon he heard a faint sounding from the backseat. Youre quiet, and Im feeling bored. Want to hear an urban legend? Zhang Shan was silent and nodded bravely, saying, Go on, but you still have to pay the fare. Im not taking your story as payment. If youre pretending to not recognise me, then I dont recognise you either!He thought to himself. Meanwhile, Yibei was stunned.What the hell is he talking about? Is he implying that I dont pay for his rides? Im just trying to help with his live broadcast! Give me an invoice; I will pay for the tab, she murmured. Besides, the Night Division reimburses 1,850 yuan formuting expenses every month. If she doesnt use this, she feels like she has lost money. Its important to shear a sheeps excess wool! Allow me to begin. This story begins in the Eastern Jin Dynasty, and Emperor Ai was obsessed with the secret to immortality. This obsession spread to many other monarchies, and among them was King Yu in the southwestern region. He sent a soldier to gather boys and girls to go to the mountains to find a god. Shebined her experience in the realm of the bamboo scrolls and the Serpents knowledge, crafting an enchanting story. As she spoke, Zhang Shan listened, mentally noting down the next episode of [The Taxi Driver and the White-Haired Urban Legend]. Zhang Shan was enthralled by the story. When he came back to his senses, he found himself about a hundred metres away from the ughterhouse, and cold sweat flooded his back. Oh my god, if I hadnt realised, I would have just driven in. Meanwhile, Yibei was delighted.As expected, Zhang Shan would drive me straight to the entrance! As they thought about it, the car was quiet. The fare. 97 yuan. Uh, right, let me scan your QR code to pay, the Witch said, taking out her mobile phone and leaning forward, paying him a total of 300 yuan. Before he could say anything, she had already grabbed her bag and trotted towards the ughterhouse. Her figure was soon swallowed by the darkness. They were obviously in the wilderness, but he couldnt hear the wind, the cicadas, the insects, or the birds. Swallowing, he silently turned on his radio, yed the song Dj Vu by Initial D, and fixed his eyes on the steering wheel as he elerated out of the suburbs. And just like that, the Witch and her noble steed were reconnected. Yibei thought that, apart from the suspicious man she met in the afternoon, she would be the first to arrive at the ughterhouse. However, she didnt expect to find somebody already waiting. It was a girl with blonde hair and pigtails, wearing a typical Japanese school uniform. Her skin was tanned, and the hem of her top was tied in a tight knot, revealing her waist. Underneath her id skirt, she wore ck knee-length socks. Havent I seen you somewhere?She squinted her eyes and looked at the girl. At this moment, the girl noticed her presence and raised her head. She was stunned, as if she were facing a formidable enemy, but revealed a sinister smile. Oh! I recognise you! The Witch pointed at the girl and shouted. The girl froze. How? Chapter 229: Before the Review Chapter 229: Before the Review Isnt this the woman who was with Bai Kai the other day? The other day, she was dressed like a prostitute, and today, shes wearing a school uniform That pervert! Bai Kai should be locked up! Why is she here? And why does she have the stench of a Witch on her? When she saw Bai Kais formerpanion appearing in front of her as a Witch, and ims to know her, Jiangli was slightly shaken. Quickly brushing away her panic, she calmed down and tilted her head, Do I know you? The Witch pondered for a bit, and Jiangli broke the silence again, Have we met somewhere? No, no, the Witch waved her hand. Uh, well, I know you, but you dont know me. Lu Yibei walked forward and sat down next to Jiangli, despite how cold she was being, Youre Mew Mew, the cosyer! How could I not recognize you? I love your cosys! That cosy you did of Bai Xiaohua? Chefs kiss C the resemnce was uncanny! Well, save for the breast size. seems like she knows the owner of this face of mine,Jiangli thought inwardly. Had I known earlier, I wouldnt have copied the first face I found online! It might have been safer to pick a random passerby on the street, and now, Im talking with a weirdo a weirdo-Witch. Jianglis initial n for the review was to immediately split up, find a safe ce, and stay there until dawn. However, looking to her side, this strange girl now had her hand on her shoulder, chatting away.Tsk, hard to act alone now. Jiangli gently pushed the girls hand away and murmured, Im not Mew Mew. Youve got the wrong person. However, the girl only slung her arm harder around her shoulder, and sighed emotionally, I 100% get it! Many cosyers dont want to be tied to their persona C I get it, I truly do! You are you, even though I dont know you. However, I just want to say that Im a big fan I bought a lot of your photosets, like that Belfast dress set, or your female Jotaro cosy What is she yapping about?Jiangli wondered. and, and the girl before her continued. That swimsuit set of yours? My god! Your curves were unbelievable! How did you get your ass to look like that in the photos? And those legs! Seeing them right here in person, I cant help but want to touch them! touch me? Jiangli was stunned and tried scooting over to the side, but the girl was locking arms with her. Let go of me! Jiangli pushed, cheeks turning slightly red. Im telling you C Im not Mew or whatever her name is! Youve got the wrong person! Damn it, why is this girl acting like a guy? I never knew Witches were this annoying! Worst thing is, this little Witch reminds me of that annoying little Lu Yibei Wait ncing at the girl, she peered at her curvy body that pressed against her school uniform, and shook her head. No, this isnt him. If it is him, it would be impossible for him to enter and exit the Night Division without ringing any rms. Jiangli recalled back to when she first became an Operator, and a member of the Eclipse Society tried sneaking into the Night Division. Before he could pass through the courtyard, he was immediately transformed into a pile of mushrooms, and Bai Kai picked up his remains to boil into a mushroom chicken dish. are you not Mew Mew? No. I dont believe you. I dont care. I am not her. Whatever, it doesnt matter if youre not her, the girl nodded as she produced a banana out from her pocket, handing it to Jiangli. Youre here for the review, correct? Were friends now, and we can look out for each otherter. Jiangli darkened her gaze, stepping back coldly. Why does a Witch have a banana with her? Oh, my bad I know what youre thinking, the girl scratched her head as she nced at the banana. I stole a bunch of them from a taxi driver just now it was on the passenger seat. A cheap Witch interesting. Seeing that the girl beside her remained silent, Yibei simply unhanded the banana and peeled it off to eat for herself. To be honest, coupled with that disarming smile and how cold the girl was being, Yibei thought that the girl right beside her was none other than Jiangli, who decided to infiltrate into this review for an investigation. If it really was her, she wouldve killed her by now by how much she was annoying her. However, Yibei was fully intact, and it seemed that her personality was different, so this shouldnt be Jiangli. I cant rule it out though. I have to trust my instincts! When Yibei had finished her fourth banana and Jiangli herself reluctantly epted one, the third person to be reviewed appear before them. He seemed rather handsome, but he dressed extremely shabbily. As he walked, he held a selfie stick as he recorded a video on his phone, mumbling, Today, we will be visiting the legendary Southern Suburbs ughterhouse. Type 666 in chat if youre listening! Before the two girls could speak, he saw the two beautiful girls, like manifestations of ck and white, from a distance. They shed disarming and forced smiles as he walked closer to them. I didnt expect to be apanied by two beautifuldies tonight, how wonderful! But, I am a decent man, he pointed to his phone camera as the two approached him. Good evening,dies, I am Li. Li Sang Hyuk*? Yibei titled her head. *[t/n: could refer to either Faker, the League of Legends pro, or a footballer.] Well no, but with me around, the two of youdies will leave this ce unscathed. How sure are you? Yibei interjected coldly. What if the two of us kill ourselves right now? Oh, uh Li stared at her, speechless. Why cant you just y along?! If youre here, youre already not nning to leave this ce alive, correct?! He thought to himself. Aha, he adjusted his mood, smiling as he squeezed himself between the two of them. Youre entric, I like that. Jiangli frowned and opted not to respond, but Yibei pinched her shoulder, egging her to respond. and I think youre weird. And disgusting. She then nced at the girl across the mans shoulder. Dont you worry about me, I can handle things myself. Aha, Li awkwardlyughed towards his camera. Beautiful women with beautiful words. Its almost as if I can feel my heartstrings softening. Oh, Im sure something else is softening. Well, the atmosphere became awkward, and Li pointed his camera towards the sky. Isnt the moonlight beautiful tonight? And its slightly chilly too. Lets see how much garbage cane out of your mouth versus mine, Yibei thought. Yibei simply rolled her eyes, Thats what a roon stealing a watermelon would think before they sumb to a farmers rake.* *[t/n: roon stealing a watermelon, is a Chinese saying about how thieves will eventually get caught, hence sumb to a farmers rake. Yibei was implying that Li was going to die tonight since he was admiring the moonlight, much like the a hitman saying just look at the flowers, before shooting their victim in the head.] It was awkwardly silent after she implied that he was going to die tonight. Li didnt want to talk to Yibei anymore, and turned his head towards Jiangli. However, before he could speak, Jiangli grinned at him with a malicious smile, and he couldnt help but tremble. Youre Li, correct? Full name, Li Daqiang, male, 27 years old C you know a few electricity based spells, but nothing special; streamer with 327,000 subscribers. A few years ago, you molested a girl in the name of exorcism, and you were arrested for two years and seven months; two years ago, you bewitched a businessman and extorted him of tens of millions of dors; earlier this year, you came in contact with people from the Sect of Light And, Jiangli scoffed. Youre living in paranoia because youre being hunted, helplessly running away for your life. How does she know so much? Yibei wondered. Li broke into a cold sweat and turned around, I repented. Im a good guy now, I swear. He untangled his arms that were around the girls arms and found a stone to sit on alone, ring at the two girls from a distance. He performed a divination earlier today, and it mentioned that things were going to go his way, so why did he bump into these two women? Soon, a loud noise came close by. A jet-ck eagle cawed in the sky and crashed straight into Lis motorcycle close by. Just as Li was about to curse and yell, he saw a giant man climbing over his motorcycle. A bald man over two meters tall, wearing a dark jacket and sunsses. He exuded an aura that could only be described as invincible by the three of them, and he had dozens of heavy copper rings that cupped his thick forearms. He strolled over to the gate of the ughterhouse, and he took off his sunsses, Are we all here? If we are, lets discuss our abilities. His voice was powerful and deep, and he continued, The ughterhouse may be dangerous tonight. If wemunicate well before going in, we have a greater chance of making it out alive tonight. As he spoke, he nced at Yibei. Their eyes met, and Yibei frowned, unsure of whether tounch a fireball straight towards him. However, the bald man simply said, Not bad! and nced at Jiangli next. Jiangli shed a sinister smile, and he nodded, Good, good, and looked at Li. Meeting his eyes, Li was stunned, but pointed at him and started shouting, What the hell? All she did was smile! And why should I listen to you? Im warning ya, you dont wanna mess with me! Ah, young man, the bald man interrupted with a sneer as he pointed at Jiangli. You dont know whats behind that smile. Thats a smile that has killed millions of people. Jiangli was speechless, and so was Yibei. If only I could have expressions Is that so? Youre telling me somebody like her has ever killed someone? he sneered. The bald manughed, Kid, you dont know what youre dealing with here. Go home. Li was startled and blushed heavily. Kid? Oh, now youve done it, Ill have you know that Im At this moment, their mobile phones suddenly vibrated at the same time. Taking out their phones, they read the message, and everyone looked at each other. It was silent and knowing. [100 2/3 CATS: @everyone, everyone has arrived at the review location. You may enter in advance, or enter at midnight. Before entering, there are rules to be followed: 1. Enter before midnight. Once you enter, you are not allowed to leave before 8am. If you leave before then, your review is considered as a failure. 2. After entering, you must move around continuously. Standing still is grounds for failure. Enjoy the thrilling review tonight!] It was silent. Li looked up shakily and was the first to speak, I I think something is wrong. Something m-m-must be inside. See? Just a kid after all, the bald man snorted, running towards the giant iron gate and kicking it open with a single kick. Is this ce safe? Jiangli whispered to herself as she got up and followed the man into the ughterhouse. Soon, only Yibei and Li were left. Li shakily turned to Yibei, Hey, um youre beautiful so Who are you calling beautiful? Keep that dirty tongue of yours inside your mouth! Yibei interrupted, pointing a finger. You dont have the right to talk to me, and you will never beat me in anything. If you keep talking, Ill make sure to annoy you until you kill yourself. As she spoke, she opened up [Love and Magical Girl] and yed with Bai Xiaohua on her phone. Like hell Im going in early. Im spending eight hours inside the ughterhouse C nothing more, nothing less,she decided. The corners of Lis mouth twitched, Dont be angry. Its not good to be angry at women But shes looking down upon me Ill make her eat her words in the future! He silently tapped on his mobile phone and started his stream, Hey, its Li here again! You must have seen the preview video I posted just now, correct? Whats this? Oh, why am I alone, you ask? I had the pleasure to deal with three fuck-ass review mates earlier, so I decided to explore alone. Now, chat, let us go explore the ughterhouse together. Li was chatting away with his stream, walking alone along the path to the ughterhouse. The grass around the trail was tall and undted with the wind, but it was eerily quiet. If somebody were to hide within the grass, they wouldnt be found. Where is that strange man I saw earlier? He must be hiding somewhere. Strangely enough, the crescent moon above them seemed to dim gradually, and it became darker. Lis figure gradually blurred in the darkness, as if he had strayed into a portal. Yibei looked away and continued fiddling with her mobile phone, only for Lis loud shouts to be heard. What the hell, chat? Look what I found C a dry well! Anyone wanna see whats down there! Gift two subs, and Ill head right down! A dry well Yibei was stunned as she heard this, and her expression changed as she realized where Li was heading to. It is the direction of the seal where she discovered a destroyed manhole cover! She hurriedly kept her phone and trotted into the grounds. She was familiar with the winding roads of the ughterhouse, and passing through the tall grass, she quickly came to the manhole cover. However, Li was nowhere to be found. The only trace of him left was his mobile phone that fell on the edge of the manhole, emitting a faint light, with a few drops of viscous liquid stained on the screen. A person disappearing in a matter of seconds Staring at the manhole, she felt strange C after dark, it seemed that everything was different. The manhole was like a big mouth that was ready to devour anything that entered. And yet, it seemed to exude an aura of temptation, alluring the curious to explore within its maw. Pausing, she walked up to the edge of the manhole and stared into the darkness before snatching Lis phone off the ground, running away. The moment she turned around, a strange sigh could be heard deep within the cer. Li may not be a good person, but this phone is pretty good and he has an EhPhone 12 Plus Pro I wonder if it can withstand high temperatures And Im not taking advantage of him to steal his phone! Im keeping it for him, yes! Ill give it back to him when I see him! Promise! TRANSLATOR NOTES Hello, slicedbread here! I am a frence trantor who has been tranting for about two years now, and I am fluent in both English and Chinese. I got the green-light from NightcoreJack, so I will be taking over as this novels new TL! ^_^ First off, I have a couple of things to address. Since Id like to keep things as transparent as possible, below are the lists of concerns ranging from most important to least important: ?Release Schedule C Tentatively, Im thinking of a twice-a-week release schedule on Tuesday and Friday. I am still a university student, and my schedule is pretty packed as it is. Hopefully, I will be able to stick to a twice-to-week schedule, though that is always subject to change. ? Old Readers C I do not (currently) have a Disqus ount, so I would greatly appreciate it that if you stumbled upon this that you inform the old readers on NightcoreJacks website to read the new and updated TL here. ^_^ ? Archiving C If youve been keeping up with NightcoreJack, there is a possibility that they might not continue TLing due to their health in addition to not renewing their n of renewing the website next year. Fret not, I have the entire archive of I Became A Witch tranted from Volume 1 Chapter 1 up to the current chapter, though I am unsure exactly when Ill re-upload the old chapters since itwill be a hassle uploading over 200+ chapters to this site ToT. When the timees, Ill definitely get to it. ? Communication C I am still human, so if there are any tranting errors or mistakes, please do nothesitate to point it out in the replies C I will fix them as soon as possible. If youd like to discuss or ask questions about the story, Id be happy to discuss them with you ^.^ (e.g., the subject on Yibeis parents, urban legends, etc.) ? Ko-Fi C #shamelessplug; I am TLing this for free, so if youd like to support me you canmission your very own freshly baked trantions on my Ko-Fi or just donate me any amount youd like as motivation. /slicedbreadsbakery) Thank you for reading through the notes, and thank you for sticking around this novel! Also, make sure to send your good wishes to NightcoreJack, and wish him the best in his recovery. Chapter 230: Shes Using His Phone to Stream? Chapter 230: She''s Using His Phone to Stream? There was a faint sound of water dripping, and his nose was itchy from the surplus of dust invading his nostrils after a great fall. Damn it, it hurts All the bones in his body seemed to be falling apart, and his chest burnt and ached from the putrid air. Li opened his eyes; his dted pupils gradually focused as they adapted to the darkness. He found himself in a small room, mottled with moldy, ck hay. The walls were mossy, and the mice scurried in the darkness, squeaking and chewing. He sat up holding his head, feeling dizzy. He recalled holding his phone and turning on the shlight to look into the manhole, and then Thats right! He took a photo into the darkness, and a pair of eyes stared back at him! However, those eyes werent violent or malicious. Instead, it was empty, lifeless, like fog on a stagnantke.Those eyes merely observed with no other intention. It was, of course, ufortable to be watched, but Li couldnt find any other word to describe those eyes. I looked into those eyes, and I was forcibly dragged into the hole He recalled something like an iron hook, which stretched from the darkness, piercing into his calf and dragging him into the cer. As he was dragged downwards, he immediately casted a hand-me-down spell given from his ancestors, enveloping his body with electricity as his body tumbled through the darkness. In the face of death, potential energy awakens. Li felt that it was the best time for him to cast that spell. If he could make it out alive, he would be able to advance his runes and be stronger. As he was in deep thought, those empty eyes stered themselves within his mind. He remembered going to the zoo C it was dpidated and somewhat worn-down, and the animals were trapped in dimly-lit, boxy cages, hiding themselves in the darkness with dead eyes. It was different this time, however C he felt like he was the zoo animal being watched. His body shivered. Only then did his mind realize that those eyes were currently observing him C they concealed themselves, not wanting him to know they were watching. However, upon acknowledging them, it was as if he vited an unspoken rule, and those eyes seemed to turn angry Meanwhile, when the bald man noticed that Jiangli was following him, he immediately invited her to join his one-man party. Jiangli shed an unfriendly smirk in response, which startled the man, I understand C strong people like you work alone. Take care. As he spoke, he gently bowed towards Jiangli and went into the other direction. Watching him leave, she sighed to herself calmly, Its okay. If anything is following me, I can deal with them easily. She looked around and recalled the several safe zones recorded in the files of the Night Division, walking towards them briskly. The ughterhouse was once thergest pig ughtering and breeding areas in Huacheng, and their production surpassed even the biggest ones in the surrounding cities. In addition to three ughtering and processing nts, there were also seven or eight breeding farms, and two small buildings used for office work and experimentation. When the urban legends surrounding the ughterhouse were sealed away, Jiangli had just joined the Night Division. Her situation was simr to Yibeis, and since she was a new recruit, she didnt participate in the mission to seal the ughterhouse away. She only obtained information regarding the ughterhouse when she was promoted to a higher ssification, so this was officially her first time here. In the ughterhouse, except for the office and experimentation building, the buildings were all five-meter-tall, blue-colored, brick buildings, which donned windows that were extremely high up from the ground and iron railings. The windows were tiny C they acted more as a source of venttion rather than to aid in sight. The only other defining feature was the iron door of medium size. However, they were all locked byrge, rusty locks. Some may wonder what secrets these locked doors conceal. Passing by the buildings, Jiangli noticed countless scribbles on the walls, and each word seemed desperately scrawled out. Nothing new here, she remarked. Ive seen writings like these before. Humans arent designed to understandplex urban legends, and their minds crumble at the sheerplexity of the unknowable. Hence, they needed to vomit these negative thoughts out from their mind. These may manifest in music, words, pictures, but the mostmon one was scrawled writings. As if they could get rid of their nightmares by writing down what troubles them,she sighed.The opposite is true, in fact. Writing it down exposes the urban legend to more people, which powers them further. Of all the urban legends shes dealt with over the years, most of them were reurrences due to the fact that somebody would unravel these desperate writings and essentially revive the urban legend. The moon was strangely dim tonight, barely illuminating the concrete floor. Recalling the information in the file, Jiangli quickly found the feeding room. ording to the records, this is the location with the least residual psychic energy fluctuations, which means that this must be the safest ce. The walled courtyard was tall, and it was overgrown with grass; the dark red paint had peeled off, and it looked abandoned. Jiangli came to the door and pushed it tentatively. She didnt expect the door to be pushed open with ease, and looking down, it seemed as if someone had broken the rusty locks that sealed the buildings away. A messy courtyard came into view, and there was a blue-bricked building facing it. The door was ajar, and there was a little firelight dancing within the cracks of the door. Somebodys here. Is it another group chat member? Or somebody else? Jiangli thought of the absentee and frowned. Her eyes turned cold, and with a sh of silver light, dazzling pieces of armor affixed themselves onto her arms, and a swordrger than her manifested within her hands. Holding the sword, she quietly approached the building, and peered inside through the crack in the door. She could see a small room with a twisted metal table and old wooden chairs that were sprawled across the room, which made it look as if the room was evacuated in a hurry. A dirty, yellow notebook could be seen on the ground, and the word [Registration] could be seen written on it. Apart from that, there is nothing. An iron door could be seen diagonally opposite the main door, and a faint light could be seen behind the iron door. Using her sword to open the door, she wasnt in a hurry to explore what was behind the other iron door within. Using her senses to gauge the surrounding psychic energy fluctuations, she walked towards the table, picking up the yellowed notebook from the ground. [July 7th, Special Growth Concentration Feed 2.1T August 8th, Special Growth Concentration Feed, 450kg of Nutritional Powders ] The contents recorded on the registration page were normal in the first dozen pages, but there wererge nks between August and September. Jiangli turned back a few more pages until she reached thest registration date at the end of September. [September 25th, Special Growth Concentration Feed 2.1T, Meat 100kg, Nutritional Powder 350kg.] Meat? Pigs are omnivores, but why specifically meat? From a costing perspective, it is incredibly inefficient so what kind of meat were they feeding the pigs? Human flesh. Those two words shed in her mind, but she rejected it immediately. There are problems in obtaining human flesh, and there werent anyrge-scale missing person reports back then. So, what meat is it? 100kg isnt enough to feed every pig damn it, there arent detailed enough records in the Night Division Records. Flipping through the pages, it seemed that meat was a new addition to the feed. When it came to the month of November, it was nk again, and she remembered something. The murder in the ughterhouse was at the end of November, but that means Flipping through the pages, she was startled as she stumbled upon sprawled writings on the notebook. Dark, red graffiti was painted on the page, and the shapes were inconsistent and twisted, like a childs drawing. Looking closer, the drawings seemed to resemble tiny figures. Jiangli continued to read through the page, and she felt a weak, psychic energy wave looming over her. Raising her head towards the direction of the psychic energy wave, her eyes fell on the iron door, and she could hear a faint, muffled sound. Thud thud thud as if somebody was hitting a wall. Show yourself! she growled, but nobody responded. Her eyes shed a cold silver, and she walked towards the door with her sword in hand. Jiangli is much different from Lu Yibei. In her opinion, avoiding danger to the best of your abilities may be good, but it is not the best solution. The best solution is to deal with the problem as soon as possible, guaranteeing long-term safety. She had long smelled a familiar stench of animal carcasses rotting in a closed space. She remembered smelling this in the auditorium of Shihekou High as well. However, she could also smell incense. She diverted her psychic powers to wrap around her mouth and nose, took two steps back, and pushed open the door with her sword. Behind the door reveals a warehouse used to store pig feed. It was empty, with thick dust and scattered footprints on the floor. In the center of the warehouse, an offering table stood. The paper money had just burnt out within the shrine, and the mes of the red candles swayed in the darkness. The wax dripped down onto the table like blood. Looking around with her sword, it was so quiet that she couldnt tell where the mming of the wall came from. She saw a pile of bones in the corner of the room, however. Walking forward, she could see bones of poultry and livestock, and even reptiles, but none of them were the bones of a human. 23:56, in the low barren hills behind the ughterhouse, a figure wearing a ck robe pinned with a skull emoji stood on arge tree with twisted branches, looking down from a distance. Her furry ears would shiver from time to time. The leaves rustled, and thenky man climbed up the tree and sat next to the cat girl. Any updates? thenky man asked. Zhang Dexian is fighting the urban legend in the ughterhouse, but its hard to guess the victor; Mahjong Girl is investigating the feeding room; Li is trapped in the breeding farm, still alive, but not for long if nobodyes to save him; Levi is still missing, but boss suggests that he might still be here. The cat girl stopped, and thenky man tilted his head, What about Varia? Stop talking about her, or Ill get angry, she growled. She hasnt even entered the ughterhouse yet. Shes being difficult, as per usual. Is that so? What is she up to now? thenky man smiled yfully. As the leader of the urban legend group chat, many members consider the cat girl to be the most stubborn member, which also means that shell get annoyed if things do not go her way. Hence, watching her be this annoyed with the Witch entertained thenky man. Shes streaming on Lis phone. Is that so? thenky man pretended to be surprised. He took out his mobile phone, opened the stream, and typed, [Can I see your feet?] Before he could click send, a furry paw smashed his phone into pieces. Not the time, she meowed angrily. Theres a review now. Be serious for one night, thats all I ask. Youre no fun. The cat girl sneered at the man, Varia is acting up again, and Im about to die of anxiety. What if the Night Division is watching the stream? Not possible, the man grumbled as he put away his crushed phone. First, no normal person is watching the broadcast; second, theres no psychic fluctuations radiating from the stream C you know our boss has the power to detect psychic fluctuations through a screen; third, shes barely even showing her face. Tsk, shes barely showing her face, and you still want to sexually harass her. Got it. Could you me me? Her breasts look supple I just want a tiny peek I cant help but want real-life, face-to-face verification in our group chat now, she purred. Especially with people like you existing. Tsk, Im not done yet, thenky man said. To address your concerns, our boss made sure that the Night Division and ordinary humans should not be able to see her streaming. Does that mean? Correct. The viewers are all urban legends and lone psychics. How do you know this? Oh boss mustve briefed you before you came here, correct? You just wanted to annoy me. The cat girl revealed her sharp ws, and the man twitched his lips, Now, now, dont scratch me- Before he could finish his words, with a sh of cold light, pirs of blood spurted out from his face. What the hell?! I told you, not the face, and yet Not the face? So anywhere is fine? the cat purred, and her gaze nced downwards. fine, just the face. Three minutes after picking up Lis phone, Lu Yibei discovered that the livestream was still running. She shoved the phone into her pocket, but the vibrations persisted. Impatiently, she pulled it out to find a private message from the livestream tform. Despite her initial reluctance, the allure of the tforms private message prompted her to register as a livestreamer. She fumbled with the settings, identally creating an ount in the process. Im definitely not an idiot, how do I she muttered to herself, ming the tforms confusing interface. After a few more minutes of tinkering, she stumbled upon Lis own ount. The sudden surge of gifts rolling in piqued her interest. She pondered for a moment before switching back to the livestream room. Hello, viewers! Im Lis, uh, friend, she announced, her voiceced with a hint of forced enthusiasm. Hes got himself into some trouble and sustained some really serious injuries, so he wont be able to livestream for now. But worry not! In his absence, Ill take you on a tour of the Southern Suburbs ughterhouse. My livestream room code is 6324, soe join in the fun! Yibei had long wanted to be a streamer C she had already set up an ount and waited for Du Sixian to help her out. However, her fluctuating body temperature made it hard for her to carry electronics anywhere. Now, she discreetly turned off Lis livestream andunched her own, titling itC [The Docile, Soft-to-the-Touch Girl C G-g-g-g-ghost Hunting!] As the clock neared midnight, she clutched the phone and stepped into the ughterhouse grounds. Momentster, from a distance, the cat girl spotted Lu Yibei. She was confused as she witnessed Yibei strapping something that looked like horse armor to her legs, galloping around the ughterhouse grounds. What the hell is she doing? the cat girl nudged. Uh the tall andnky man pointed to his phone, Shes found a loophole. What? Thenky man sighed, The rules state that upon entering the ughterhouse grounds, you must takeat least a step forward. So The cat girls eyes widened in realization. She took a single step into the ughterhouse, and thats it? Who else is watching the livestream? I told you shed be popr, the tall andnky man responded with a shrug, turning his phone to her. Beautiful girls tend to have a lot of viewers. But she hasnt even shown her face? That curvy figure gives her face away! Plus, her voice is pleasant, so the audience is smitten. Just. Like. Me, the man exined with a wide grin. The cat girl remained silent. She retrieved her phone from her jacket pocket and sent a message to Lu Yibei. [100 2/3 CATS: @VACCARIA, please refrain from exploiting loopholes. This is your first strike out of three.] A considerable distance away, Lu Yibei received the message, and a loud FUCK! echoed throughout the ughterhouse. She couldnt help but wonder how a game developer could allow a bug to happen, and proceed to prohibit yers from using it. Fuck! What disgusting developers you people are! This Divine Horse Armor was putting in work for me! TRANSLATOR NOTES: Im d to see so many familiar names in the replies section <33 Pleasement any thoughts or theories regarding the story, I genuinely do read every single one of yourments ^.^ Story Discussion:I do think its funny how Yibeis shameless mannerisms barely changed even after transforming from boy to Witch, to the point where even Jiangli got suspicious about it. Shouldve trusted your instincts, Jiangli! As always, thank you for reading! If youd like to support me by getting your very own freshly baked trantion, or by just donating me any amount youd like, you can buy me a coffee at /slicedbreadsbakery! Chapter 231: Anonymous Warning Chapter 231: Anonymous Warning In the oppressive darkness, Li tended to the wound on his calf. Rising to his feet, he pounded on the walls of the drywell, desperately seeking for an escape route. His heart pounded with a need to flee this nightmare. Ever since he had thought of the eyes staring him down, he was gued by those eyes that chilled him to his core. Li had faced numerous challenges throughout his years, but none had instilled such fear within him. His past opponents were motivated by predictable motives, so he could formte ns against them, but The most terrifying ones were the unpredictable ones. After a long search, Li discovered a potential exit from the room C a square hole approximately one meter in length and width, in the corner discreetly blocked off by corroded iron bars. With a kick, he shattered several of the rusted bars, realizing that this cer was probably used to oversee the movement of livestock C the pigs, to be exact. The gnawing fear of imminent death bit at his aura of bravado. He hesitated for a moment before steeling himself and crawling into the hole. As his hands brushed against something sticky, he instinctively brought them to his nose, immediately, a wave of nausea washed over him. The stench was overpowering C a nauseating blend of rotting flesh, urine, and petroleum.The darkness flooded within the hole, and the ustrophobic, suffocating walls pressing against him were gloomy. Wind drafted into the hole, reflecting off the walls to tease his mind with horrific images that teased at his brain. Leaning against the wall as he crawled out the other end, he swallowed hard as he began chanting a spell underneath his breath, O Spirit of the Dharma, strengthen me. These spells he inherited were unlike any recorded in the Night Division Records C they were modifications of Taoist techniques that were sourced from electricity, developed by his ancestors over generations. However, since his grandfather, nobody in his family were able to master the spells until he was born. There were rumors that he could be a half-immortal, or potentially, an Immortal. He couldnt help butment over the conditions of his hometown, and believed that money was the key to all things. As he chanted the spell, crackling like static electricity emanated from his fingertips, illuminating the dimly lit corridor. The corridor stretched endlessly, winding its way into the darkness, its end obscured from view. Rooms lined both sides of the passage C no doors, reced by square holes like the one he had entered. Driven by an instinctive urge, Li ventured towards the corridors end. His journey seemed effortless, and nothing seemed to creep in the darkness. Despite this silence, he felt uneasy. The corridor seemed to stretch on infinitely, like abyrinth. After an eternity, he found himself losing his sense of direction. I must be a maze if I continue walking, Ill just be lost However, a strange sense of bravery filled him, Hmph! Something is trying to trap me in here forever, but when a dragon encounters a mountain, will it stop in its tracks? Absolutely not! Muttering to himself, he extinguished the faint light at his fingertips and closed his eyes. The best way to confront urban legends, he believed, was to rely on instinct. By trusting his intuition instead of his senses, he could navigate his way out of thebyrinth. With his eyes closed, he emptied his mind, allowing his mind to guide him. After taking twenty or thirty steps forward, he abruptly collided with a solid wall. Bingo! Am I out? Li opened his eyes and quickly surveyed his surroundings. Looking back behind him, thereid a corridor spanning only ten or twenty meters, with four rooms aligned on either side. Looking forward, he noticed an opening in the grimy concrete wall, simr to the one he entered, butrger. Peering through it, a flickering firelight danced at the other end, apanied by the faint hum of machinery. Li stared at the entrance, and crawled into the narrow passage. As he squeezed through the cramped tunnel, the hard concrete walls exuded a strange odor, making him feel as if he was trapped inside a beasts stomach. Damn it, what the hell is wrong with this ce? Li cursed under his breath, covering his mouth and nose with one hand, and crawled faster to the exit. Just as he was about to emerge from the tunnel, the sight that greeted him left him stunned. It was a huge factory. There were roaring sounds and the loud noises of countless machines operating in the factory. ck sludge piled on the ground that was covered with cracks. From time to time, fire spat out, illuminating the entire factory. An assembly line that looked like hell-on-earth, rotated endlessly. Rows of rusty iron hooks dangled from the ceiling, impaling countless naked figures; their jaws pierced by those gruesome implements. These unfortunate souls, still clinging to life, struggled ceaselessly. Their screams and howls echoed through the air as one-by-one, they were fed into the machine. Amidst the cacophony of the crushing and the steaming of the boiler, their chilling cries would suddenly fade, leaving only the hum of machinery. Witnessing this horrific scene, Lis mind raced, recalling the urban legend surrounding the ughterhouse. Rumor has it that screams could be heard in the middle of night, and some would im to see a hulking figure roaming the ughterhouse grounds. The ughterhouses director had mysteriously vanished, leaving no trace behind, with some specting that he was still lurking within the ughterhouses confines. And then there was the chilling rumor C the ughterhouse was home to a group of human-eating animals. Lis gaze swept across the factory walls, revealing numerous openings identical to the one he had just emerged from. He immediately realized that the rooms he had passed were the ughter pens, where pigs met their ends. And the factory building before him was the ughterhouses assembly line A sudden sound like thunder jolted Li from his thoughts. Before he could regain hisposure, a monstrous head emerged from the tunnel entrance; its ck hair matted and its skin wrinkled. A pair of bulging eyes with no emotion stared intently at Li. The creature grinned, revealing a row of razor-sharp fangs. The indifferent smile,ced with a hint of mockery, like a human observing an trapped animal, sent shivers down Lis spine. A buzzing filled Lis ears, and his body felt numb, as if he was injected with an anesthetic. His limbs no longer responded to hismands, and a swirling vortex seemed to engulf his mind, spinning rapidly, pulling his consciousness into its depths. Panicked, he bit the tip of his tongue, jolting him back into reality. Summoning every ounce of strength, he scrambled backward, desperately trying to escape the creatures clutches. As he retreated, rusty iron hooks shot out from the tunnel entrance as they scraped against the walls, causing sparks to fly relentlessly. The flickering sparks obscured Lis vision. In the blink of an eye, a searing pain erupted in his chest and shoulders, apanied by a terrifying pulling force. Arge chunk of flesh and blood was ripped from his body, leaving a gaping wound. With a final burst of energy, he tried crawling away, copsing onto the ground. Hot blood gushed from his wound, clouding his consciousness. He sensed those prying eyes once again, their invisible gaze watching his every move. However, he knew the source of those eyes now. It was the very something that surrounded the legends of the ughterhouse. In a daze, he heard footsteps that echoed in the darkness. A figure soon stopped beside him, and he wore a ck coat and a fishermans hat. Help me he pleaded, but as the man squatted down, he produced a butchers knife from his coat. Im afraid not C Ive made a deal, and only one person leaves this ce alive tonight. Me. With a swift motion, he raised the butchers knife and plunged it into Lis chest. In the distance, on the hills outside the ughterhouse in the southern suburbs. Oh my god, Levi showed up! But he The cat-eared girl stumbled and turned her head C she saw thenky man staring at the phone and giggling. Her face darkened, and she raised her hand and gave him a p in the face. Stop watching her! Is it really that interesting to watch somebody run their mouth for 20 minutes straight? Help me figure out why Levi just killed Li! It wouldnt be interesting if she wasnt pretty. As the man spoke, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the cat girl raising her ws, and hurriedly changed his words, Uh, I think its a simple enough exnation regarding Levi Spit it out! The fact that Levi was able to survive before this was weird in itself, and now, hes attacking the other group chat members. Therefore, he mustve struck a deal with the urban legends in the ughterhouse. A deal? the cat girl frowned slightly, But the urban legends in the ughterhouse dont treat regr humans like humans! At all! How did he? maybe its because he didnt see himself as human, and they recognized him as one of their own? Think about it, if you have livestock, and one of them was particrly outstanding andcent, wouldnt you want to keep them? The cat girl didnt answer. He implied pet, and she wasntfortable with the term. While she was thinking, the mans words suddenly interrupted her thoughts. Varia has a lot of talent, by the way. What talent could she have? Shes eloquent. She could be a news anchor. A sexy news anchor. With those siren sses that everyone is wearing these days. Meanwhile, the Witch took very, tiny, miniscule, small steps on the ughterhouse grounds. ording to the rules, as long as I walk a little, I should be fine. There are no rules on how far each step needs to go. She walked forward while holding up her mobile phone, and in a sinister tone, introduced various urban legends about the ughterhouse that she had read from the Inte. Although these urban legends frighten me, sometimes I wonder C if humans arent the only creatures with sentience, what rtionship would the other creatures have with humans? Logically, wouldnt they see humans as food? Looking at the screen, it seemed that her viewers exceeded 20,000 in just half an hour. However, those viewers didnt seem to like her. [HAPPY ASSASSIN: Another urban legend broadcast, another person courting death.] [CHALDEA: The ughterhouse? Boring. You shouldve went to the Lucky Community, or Wollongong for something more exciting.] [36 HEADS, 72 ARMS: I just came online, where the urban legends at?!] [FOX KING: Is this an ASMR broadcast? Her voice is nice, I could fall asleep to it.] [TAOIST MI: Are you an urban legend?] Seeing the barrage of messages, she scratched the back of her head, Arent you all scared of this ughterhouse? [INTERNETVETERAN048: Oh, I am scared! Chat, type fear if youre scared!] Tons of [fear] stream-emotes popped up on her screen. Are they making fun of me? These people suck. While thinking, Lu Yibei nced across the screen of her phone and answered one of the questions nonchntly. [HAPPY ASSASSIN: Arent you going to enter the building?] Ah, well, Im scared. [36 HEADS, 72 ARMS: Whatever. Im done here.] [CHALDEA: Youre scared? Want me to invite some friends over to protect you? Im familiar with the ughterhouse!] [ANONYMOUS: I suggest not going into the ughterhouse tonight. Something big might happen.] With this anonymous message, the chat stirred. [HAPPY ASSASSIN: Oh, youre weird-weird. Are you the streamers mole? I get it now!] [CHALDEA: Whats happening tonight? It cant be that scary.] [TAOIST MI: Thats true C ording to my divination, everyone should stay at home tonight, and find a dog to sleep with] [WIDOW: I only have a teddy bear, is that fine?] [ANONYMOUS: Listen to me! Somebody from the Eclipse Society will appear at the ughterhouse tonight!] [CHALDEA HAS LEFT THE STREAM.] [HAPPY ASSASSIN HAS LEFT THE STREAM.] The Eclipse Society? What are they going to do here? Wait, when I was fixing the seal, I found a damaged area could it be that Turning back to read the chat to check on this anonymous user, she found that her stream had fell into a dead silence at some point. Her viewers also dipped sharply from 20,000 to just over 500. Fuck you, Eclipse Society! They havent even sent me my gifts yet, and you scared them all away! My profits! Money is life-and-death to me, and if you little ratse between me and my money Oh, Ill show you if you appear tonight With her viewers leaving, she lost interest in streaming and put Lis phone aside. Taking off the guitar bag, she pulled out her kitchen knife and held it in her hands. At this moment, a lonely message floated across the screen of the mobile phone. [TAOIST MI: What a nice knife! Are you selling that?] She didnt notice the message however, putting the phone in her pocket and looked up at the building before her. Since the people from the Eclipse Society may appear, she wanted to notify the others, and well, at least let that other girl know C who cares if shes actually Jiangli or Mew Mew, girls should stick together! And, there is a real danger looming over them. If something goes wrong strangely enough, she felt as if she was responsible. Her eyes narrowed slightly as she clenched the kitchen knife, taking big strides forward. TRANSLATOR NOTES: STORY DISCUSSION: Our little Witch might be a little cowardly, but when ites to protecting her (new) friends, she certainly doesnt hold back! Go Yibei! As always, if youd like to support me, feel free to donate any amount ormission your very own freshly baked trantions at /slicedbreadsbakery <3 Chapter 232: Whos the Problem? Chapter 232: Who''s the Problem? Rustle, rustle The sound of heavy objects being dragged echoed in the darkness, intertwined with the sounds of a viscous liquid dripping intermittently. Levi grabbed at the corpses ankle with an indifferent expression, dragging it with him along the corridor. Soon, he came to a hole-in-a-wall. The hole is fashioned in a way that is simr to a garbage passage of an apartment, but it wasrge enough to fit arge pig to slide down. Stopping in front of the hole, he recalled his experience of being dragged into the depths of the ughterhouse with an iron hook pierced through his body. His heart beat against his chest, and his breathing becamebored and uneven. That night, Levi found himself waking up inside a cage. The cage is made of welded steel, like arge cage made for dogs. He could barely move around inside of it. His hand patted around the cage, feeling that it was covered with a coarse cloth. He couldnt see anything outside, let alone the eerie darkness within the cage, and the air was filled with a nauseous, moldy stench.Realizing his predicament, the panic brewed in his body as his body willed him to yell. He endured the pain of the bleeding hole through his shoulder and tried mming through the steel bars of the cage. He threw his body as hard as he could against the cage, and the cloth draped against the cage slipped off. Immediately, he saw arge space with countless cages like his own stacked on top of each other, like Tetris. A faint light shone from an unknown source, outlining deformed figures within the cages. Levis mind went nk at the scene before him, and the only thing that resonated in his mind was the rhythm of his heart beating against the walls of his chest, threatening to leap out of his throat. Then, he heard a high-pitched whisper behind him C artificial, but human. Youre stuck here too? Levis pupils shrank, quickly turning around to find the source of the whisper, and found somebody trapped in an iron cage just like him. They were extremely obese, with all hair shaved off them. He couldnt discern the persons gender, but he could discern the bs of flesh that were morbidly stacked on their body. If it wasnt for their vaguely human face, Levi wouldnt have believed that they were human. Looking at this peculiar person, Levi swallowed, forcing his heart back into his body, What do you mean, stuck? As soon as he spoke, the cage adjacent to his shook, and countless morbidly obese faces emerged from the darkness of the cage. Their eyes bulged against the sockets, and their facial muscles undted with rich, yet unreadable expressions C they could be crying,ughing, angry, disgusted, fearful, or all at the same time. They repeated the persons words in their mouths, and countless voices gathered together in a cacophony of high-pitched whispers. Are you stuck here too? The urban legend is true there are humans being treated as livestock here, and I am one of them now Levi felt cold sweat dripping down his back, and subconsciously, his back hit the cold steel bar of his cage. Are you stuck here too? Another whisper rang in his ear, and he could feel a warm breath on his ear. He immediately turned around, feeling that his face had almost touched the others. Ack, get away from me! He shouted in a panic, falling on his shoulder. In a panic, he felt his injury sting within his inmed nerves, and blood began to spurt out of his wound. His vision blurred, and he felt his body bing light, transcendent. In his haze, he heard heavy footstepsing from a distance. Huge figures as high as buildings approached in the darkness, waving their big hands and turning their huge heads to the cages. Levi could discern they were humanoid in the darkness, but he swore he could make out pig-like features in the darkness. He felt the air above him, and suddenly, he felt himself being grabbed by arge hand, and he was thrown onto a giant dining table. Rotting meat on a cold table, with stone tes stained with blood. The figures sat around the table, tearing apart the meat and grabbed at the food relentlessly on the table. Cups and tes were haphazardly thrown across the table, as with the bones of the meat, and piles of eyeballs marinated in a putrid, ck mucus that bubbled from time-to-time. The sound of their maws chewing through muscle and bone caused Levis soul to shudder in fear, and as he shook, the four figures stopped eating, pushing a stone bowl in front of him. The bowl was filled with rotten flesh and blood, and other viscous liquid-like masses that he didnt want to name. He stared nkly at the figures, and they studied him, waiting for him with a strange smile on their pig-like faces. He realized their intentions quickly C they wanted him to eat the disgusting mass of food as they watched. Just like how humans feed their leftovers to their pets. Levi threw Lis body down into the hole until a soft thud could be heard. As agreed, I delivered the first tribute to you. He spoke down the hole, feeling a slight sting in his shoulder. Then, a howl sounded from within the hole. It was an unpleasant howling that causes ones body to cringe C a strangely inhumane howl of anger, pain, and despair. The sound of flesh could be heard crawling up the hole, and a big face with big, lifeless eyes revealed itself before Levi. It was strange seeing such a huge body crawl through such a narrow hole. He quickly squeezed out a smile, but he couldnt conceal the disgust in his eyes. The big face retreated back into the tunnel, and Levi fell into deep thought. It was inhumane C the food he consumed; moldy, rotten. Those eyes that studied him with peculiarity, like a kid with their first pet. The memory lingered in him like a parasite. He knew that if he wanted to forget them, he could only destroy them. When it was finally quiet, Levi took out his mobile phone and sent a message. [I killed the first person in the review, but Im afraid the others will be a much more difficult kill. When are youing?] An ount with a ck sun totem avatar replied to him, [Soon.] This man he was texting was somebody he encountered after leaving the ughterhouse. He imed that he could help Levi take revenge on the urban legend group chat and the urban legends in the ughterhouse. The man disyed his strength, convincing Levi. Subconsciously, he touched his shoulder that was still wrapped in a thick, stained gauze. Jianglis original n was to find a safe ce, read a book, be alone with her mind, y a few rounds of online mahjong on her phone, and survive the night silently. However, recalling that the files regarding the ughterhouse seemed tock any information after the Night Division sealed this ce away, she had a change of heart. She wanted to investigate the ughterhouse, and find out the root of the urban legends that persisted here. Just like Shihekou High, the Night Division is unable topletely contain the urban legends surrounding the ughterhouse. It was difficult to demolish urban legends tied to buildings like this, and they cannot be erased until the root of the problem was found. If she could find the root, she would use her hands and tear its wretched roots out. Thinking about it, why didnt the previous Operator-in-charge mention anything else about this ce? Its nothing but brief introductions in the files. They knew this ce is dangerous, so why didnt they continue their investigation? Could there really be a mole in the Night Division? Jiangli felt that something was amiss. After tonight was over, she nned on investigating who oversaw the investigation years ago. She walked in deep thought, and unknowingly, she left the feeding room, finding herself in front of the ughterhouses office building. The tall building towered over here, like a lonely tomb watcher, with the dark windows that bore deep into her soul. Staring at the buildings, her eyes narrowed slightly. She used her sword to pick at the lock, shing it into two cleanly-cut pieces. If the registration book contained such important information, then the office itself must hold greater secrets. She prepared to walk into the office, but stopped and took a few steps back. Somethings here. She knew that she was being watched as soon as she entered the ughterhouse grounds, but it seemed as if the gaze had intensified tenfold. The eyes followed every single step she took, studying her from beyond the shadows. Jiangli immediately expanded her senses to the maximum with a stern face, however, something seemed to disrupt her range of detection. Her psychic powers were originally strong enough to cover the entire ughterhouse, but now, it seemed to forcibly stop in a radius of ten meters. Im being targeted by one, or several powerful urban legends, but where are they? She felt annoyed. She isnt afraid of urban legends, even the powerful ones C if she wins the fight, great; if she loses, they will still probably die no matter what. She hated dealing with urban legends that hid themselves in the shadows, watching over your every move. Like urban legends that stay inside your mirror, just out of view, or presences that loom over you when you close your eyes in the shower, or the child-like fear of sticking your feet out from underneath the nket. Tsk. Jiangli pursed her lips in annoyance, holding her sword in one hand as she stepped into the office. She looked ready-to-kill, both in appearance and intention. Walking through the corridor of the ground floor, she didnt enter any rooms on either side. Looking at the floor n she saw before entering, she walked to the direction of the reference room on the third floor. She suddenly stopped as her eyes adjusted to the darkness C dark red stains were omnipresent down the corridor, and various hand and footprints were hastily stained against the walls, the windows, and everywhere imaginable. Remnants of an attack? She presumed, withdrawing her gaze and walked upstairs. The moment she stepped onto the stairs leading to the third floor, the closed security doors of the second floor opened quietly, and figures in uniforms emerged from the rooms. They did not follow her, but merely wandered in the corridor, still bound to their duties after their deaths. Jiangli wasnt sure if it was an illusion, but she felt that the corridor of the third floor was much, much longer than the corridors of the second floor, possibly stretching out beyond the confines of the offices geometry. The walls were white, and every few meters, rusty iron doors with yellow seals on both sides of the corridor could be seen. This is the experiment section of the building, and it felt as if nobody hade here for a long time. Strangely enough, there was no trace of dust despite the inactivity. ording to the markings of the floor n, the third floor is where the data and misceneous research items were stored. About eighty percent of the third floor was used for storage purposes. Through the windows of the corridor, one could vaguely see shelves through the darkness, and they were stocked with bottles and jars. Taking a closer look, she was stunned C the jars were filled with an orange-red liquid, and thebels on them not onlybelled pig organs, but human organs too. Some of thebels seemed to be made with a mixture of pig and human skin too. Jiangli used her psychic senses to probe into the room and scanned the jars one by one, and after confirming that there were no psychic fluctuations, she continued walking, stopping in front of a rusty, metal door. The door was welded shut with steel bars withrge locks, and the locks had runic symbols engraved upon them, reminiscent of a spell for sealing urban legends. Hanging on the wall was a card that read [King of Pigs Exhibition Room]. Staring at the door, her vision deepened, feeling psychic energy fluctuations pulsing from behind the door. Meanwhile, the invincible man named Zhang Dexian was in a bitter battle in the breeding farms. His strategy waspletely opposite from Jiangli, going straight to the breeding farm where it felt the most evil. To him, the best way to seed is to face the biggest problem head on. Once he kills the root urban legend, the night will be easy. However, he underestimated the amount of urban legends in the ughterhouse, and overestimated his own invincible strength. He was cornered now, and he leaned against the hard, cold walls of the building, panting violently. His bare chest that was firm with muscles rose and fell with eachbored breath. The shimmering copper rings that were sped around his arm were dimming, and before him, a group of figures wearing work uniforms were closing in. They looked humans, but their bones were deformed, and their hair was falling out. Ayer of ck mucus coated their bodies, and the mucus moved about under their shabby uniforms, coating their hands that held rusty iron hooks. Their bloodied eyes stared him down, and they growled at him. Although these were just low-levelled urban legends, there were simply too many of them C hundreds, thousands even. They started closing in, and he closed his eyes, ready to ept his fate. He straightened his back and clenched his fist, yelling, Come on, you sons of bitches! I have all night to deal with you bitches! Secret Dharma C Fearless Lion! He roared and mobilized the remaining psychic energy left in his body, only for the wall behind him to be sted open. Boom! A petite figure rushed in amidst the falling dust, shouting, Mew Mew! Im here to save you! as she clumsily waved her kitchen knife around, beheading a few of the workers effortlessly. As she sliced through their heads, shended right in front of Zhang Dexians shiny pecs, like a bodybuilding champion covered in oil. What the fuck? The scene she had originally envisioned was perfect C Mew Mew, who she suspected was Jiangli, would be cornered by the enemy. Then, Yibei would fall from the sky like a guardian angel, killing all the urban legends and saving her. Then, Mew Mew (Jiangli), would be safe, and Mew Mew (Jiangli) would like her. Then, Yibei would win the favor of her favorite cosyer (Jiangli), and will win the favor of her superior (also, Jiangli) back in the Night Division! That would be perfect, but instead, I was greeted with pecs and abs instead! TRANSLATOR NOTES: This story switches from vivid, descriptive horror toedy in the blink of an eye possibly one of the main reasons why I enjoy reading and tranting this. That being said, I only notice mistakes like days after I post the chapters, so if you notice anything amiss, dont be afraid to point it out in the replies! As always, if youd like to tip me any amount to support me, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery or order your very own trantions <3! Chapter 233: Face My Weapon and Be Freed! Chapter 233: Face My Weapon and Be Freed! Jiangli stood before the iron door, and her eyes turned silver, raising her sword without hesitation to cut off the steel bars that welded the door shut. With a swift kick, she kicked open the door and used the door as a shield to rush into the room. Her nostrils were immediately greeted with a strong stench of formalin, as well as the stench of turbid psychic energy waves. It was empty now, and she couldnt sense any urban legend hiding inside the room. There were messy footprints scattered across the floor, however, as if somebody had just escaped. Where are you hiding? She frowned, wrapping her eyes with psychic energy as she scanned around the room. It was arge room with a simpleyout. There were four ss tanks that resembled aquariums, with the tops sealed. Three of them seemed smashed through, and ss shards could be seen on the floor. At the bottom of these aquariums, there was a wet, reddish-brown mucus that resembled strange bodily fluids. The only intact aquarium was covered with a thickyer of dust. Covering her mouth and nose, she saw a panel hanging on the wall, detailing information about the previous pigs that were held in here. [Shanfeng Vige, Ningxiang County Pig, 948KG][Songliao Mountains, ck Pig, 957KG] [Hormones, Songliao Mountains, ck Pig, 1002KG] She silently read through the information regarding the previous King of Pigs asbelled by the ughterhouse. There was more text behind the panel, detailing scientific research regarding the pigs. It had no practical value, but there was one disturbing detail written on it. Special feed? Does this have anything to do with feeding them meat? She shook her head. No, you can rece meat with other things to supplement nutrients, so how would they support the growth of such heavy pigs? Her mind worked as she walked around the room, but determined that there was no valuable information in the room. She exited the room and walked towards the archives. That exhibition room was probably just for investors to see C a clean te for them to witness. The Southern Suburbs ughterhouse was the winner of the King of Pigs for three consecutive years, which attracted investment opportunities under the guise of establishing scientific research to breed pigs. Just like geese with golden eggs, the pigs themselves were like gold to the ughterhouse. In fact, when ordinary people witness just how big the pigs were, they have reason to believe that the ughterhouse possesses revolutionary technology to breed the pigs. It cant be this simple. Walking down the corridor, she saw several rooms by the end of the corridor. Other rooms usually had a window adjacent to them, and you can look into the room from the outside. However, these rooms had no windows, and the locks on them seemed heavy-duty, where even the best locksmiths would have trouble picking them. This must be where the archives are. Anypany would seal sensitive information away with such heavy locks. ng, ng! Jiangli didnt hesitate to sh through a hole big enough for her to fit through. Ducking through the door, the room was veryrge. Several dead nts could be seenying limply against the wall, and next to them were empty bookshelves and office desks. In the corner of the room, a filing cab could be seen. The cab was sealed off with police tape, and along the corners of the cab were the tell-tale sealing spells of the Night Division. Why seal this and not mention it? Did they find something terrible inside? She frowned again and removed the seals, opening the cab door. Nothing leapt out at her as she opened the doors to the cab, nor was there any strange totem that caused the rms in her body to re. There was nothing within, and a lone, dusty, USB drive revealed itself. She was disappointed, but picked the USB drive up and sat on the office chair. She fumbled through her pockets, finding an adapter cable to insert the USB and connected it to her mobile phone. I hope it works. It must be important if it is stored inside this cab. As she thought, her phone finished scanning the contents of the sh drive, and a bunch of garbled codes popped up. Encrypted. Of course. Since her phone was provided from the Night Division, it had the ability to crack through encrypted files, and she tapped on the option to do so. [7% 12% 21%] Watching the progress bar, her expression shifted suddenly and looked up to the outside of the room. She could sense something approaching C no footsteps, no discernable sounds, but she could feel it. It was walking up the stairs, moving like a shadow. Hah! Finally! Something stopping me from uncovering the secrets of the ughterhouse, she sneered in her heart. She stuffed her phone into her pockets and picked up her sword, walking out into the corridor. When she returned to the corridor, it was nothing but darkness, apanied with an eerie silence. She could feel the corridors filled with a disgusting presence of psychic energy. She calmly covered her eyes with ayer of psychic energy, and shadows revealed themselves in her vision. The shadows faces were blurred, and she didnt recognize their shadows in the darkness. Their bodies were covered with a viscous liquid as they stared lifelessly at her. Then, they started to move. Their eyes shed an evil red, and they rushed towards her with strange roars, as if they were piloted by something evil. I didnt expect lowly urban legends like you to be as sneaky as this. Whispering to herself, her eyes darkened as she raised her sword towards them, and her de began to spit out a pir of silver-blue mes. Yes! Reveal yourselves to me! Confront my sword and be freed from your shackles! No, no, no, it cant be, not like this, Yibei thought. Although Yibei was fiddling with her cellphone before entering the ughterhouse, she was secretly observing the situation as well. From her peripheral vision, she remembered seeing Mew Mew and Zhang Dexian moving together. Thats why when she heard the sounds of Zhang Dexian and the urban legends fighting, she concluded that Mew Mew was in trouble as well, and began fantasizing about saving her. Reality is often disappointing. Instead of saving a beautiful girl, she unexpectedly saved a muscr man. She nced at the headless remains of the workers on the ground. Although there were more workers approaching in the distance, she could sense the man being more afraid of her knife than the workers. When she turned to look at him, he shed a confident smile. A smile again. Why is everyone smiling? Mew Mew smiles like she never smiled before (literally!), and now, hes smiling like hes the reincarnation of a god of war, and for me wait, I have facial paralysis C I cant smile. I should keep my mouth shut. Zhang Dexian watched the silent Witch before him, sping his fists together, Little girl, I have no way of repaying your kindness. Thank you for saving my life. I can only give you Stop! she interrupted. Nope! Im not hearing it! Im not marrying you! Im not into bulky, muscr men! Nooope! Zhang Dexian wanted to correct her, but stopped as the workers were closing in on them. Their eyes shed red as they stared at them, like they were two pieces of delicious meat delivered to their doorstep. They look bloodthirsty. Were in danger, he said. Well, what do we do? Do we kill them? Im supposedly a Level B psychic user now if I were to estimate my power level Ill deal with these bastards! Watch me!Yibei thought confidently. I have a way to deal with them, but you need to buy me some time. Why are you taking the lead? Youre not the protagonist here!Yibei grumbled internally. She cursed inwardly, but still nodded, You can count on me! Were in danger, and yet Im still covering for him. Whatever C I already tested out the imitation Divine Horse Armor, and Im satisfied with how fast it is. If his power is unreliable, I can just gallop out of here. Little girl, you know some spells yourself, right? she heard the man ask. Yes, I can summon some fire on the palms of my hands. And other spells as well and incantations as well, but considering her unusual power of amplification, if she were to amplify her spells by 50 times, she fears that she wouldnt be able to bear the terrifying consumption of her psychic energy. She could force herself through it, but with Mew Mew (Jiangli) around, she felt that it was inappropriate to show off. Ah? Dexian went, seemingly shing question marks above his head. Thats it? Yup, but its super strong. Wanna see? Zhang Dexian was speechless. How could a tiny cough of fire that could only be used for lighting the way be any good? He felt that he was in trouble. He thought this little girl was somebody powerful, but a little girl is a little girl after all. Zhang Dexian was silent and looked forward, Forget it, there is only one way now. Excuse me? Anything I can do to help? Just dont be a coward! As a hard-blooded man, fighting was all that he knew, and he wanted to fight to the death to protect the girl, despite her inabilities. Uh, are you sure about that? Yibei asked, pointing behind him. I will protect you, so we have to be brave! And he trailed off, looking at the direction of her finger. What the fuck?! The workers morphed together at some point as they stuck to each other, forming a huge body. Deeply corrupted by the legends of the ughterhouse, they stuck together like Lego, and formed several behemoths that were as tall as the roof. They were on all fours with sharp fangs, and their red eyes were like warning lights, outlining the ck mucus on their bodies like a wild boar. Their maws were full of saa, and ck mucus dripped from their mouths like saliva as their screams shook the foundations of the building, crawling rapidly towards them. Zhang Dexian was stunned, unsure of how to act as he clenched his sweaty fists. The next moment, he felt his feet leaving the ground, and he seemed to be flying. He looked down in confusion, only to realize that he had been lifted up by Yibei. This isnt your fight. You shouldve left things to me! Yibeis voice resonated in his ears. Are you going to run? They seem fast and sensitive to movements; I dont think we stand a chance! Boom! As he spoke, a powerful st of air sted the two of them out the breeding farm. The wind was strong enough to push against Dexians face, and his tongue swayed out of his mouth like a g in strong winds. The next moment, a roar sounded behind them, and several huge, ck figures crawled out from the building with their eyes trained on the falling Witch Meanwhile, on the hill outside the ughterhouse. Thenky man and the cat girl sat side-by-side on the treetop, sharing an earphone. As they observed the ughterhouse, they were mesmerized by the new chapter about the Serpent on a certain taxi drivers livestream. My god, I didnt expect the Witch to do something like this under our noses killing an ancient, mythical god? How credible do you think this Zhang Shans story is? the cat girl inquired. At least 60%, and thats ounting for him saying that hes her friend, thenky man replied. But arent you worried? the cat girl looked to her side. Wouldnt there be any problems with her obtaining the Serpents powers? Her powers are still immature, correct? If the Eclipse Societyes tonight, and she loses to them, then her new powers would not be a problem. I wasnt talking about that, the cat girl corrected. Remember the time when I told you about how, on multiple asions, she refused to pick up the money I left on the floor as a trap? Shes inherently cautious, so how could she just devour the Serpents knowledge? You expect her to resist the temptation of power? I dont have that expectation for other people, but for her Boom! Boom! A loud explosion could be heard in the ughterhouse, and the two looked at the source of the sound, causing the corners of their mouth to twitch together. In the ughterhouse grounds, a frail, white-haired girl was seen running with a muscr man in her arms. Her figure danced as she leapt from building to building, leaving behind a string of her afterimages. Severalrge figures chased after them, spewing foul and poisonous mist in an attempt to subdue them. However, the girl was nimble, and would always be able to dodge the mist before it could hit them. Shes fast, thenky man said, unsure. Look closely C its the same horse armor from earlier. It should be a replica of the Divine Horse Armor if I remember correctly. Oh, he responded lightly, andplicated feelings stirred in him. The two have organized dozens of group reviews like this, and its not like they didnt witness some powerful psychics. They have even seen some of them treat the review like some kind of escape room or an ARG, but this is the first time they seen somebody treat the review like a parkour game. Thenky man opened his mouth to say something, but two psychic energy fluctuations of unknown origin broke into his senses. A rotten stenchced with violence was approaching. The cat girls furry ears swayed from side-to-side, and her pupils turned into sharp splits. That anonymous user from Varias livestream was right, thenky man announced, flexing his wrists as he stood on the branch. The cat girl nodded, looking in the direction of the psychic waves. With her enhanced vision, she saw two ck shadows flying from a distance,nding near the ughterhouse. The members of the Eclipse Society are here. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Early chapter today! Im d yall have the same thoughts as me regarding the story! Jiangli is really growing on me as a character C shes really well written, in my opinion. Most stories Ive read dont get the cold. not cruel-superior-character right, but this story strikes a fine bnce between her being cold and having genuine, human concern and curiosity over Yibei and urban legends respectively. As always, if youd like to support me, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery; any amount helps motivate me to continue tranting this ;3c. Chapter 234: The Eclipse Society and the Urban Legend Group Chat Chapter 234: The Eclipse Society and the Urban Legend Group Chat Shue, that little group chat of theirs where do theye from? Seeing that they were about to arrive at the ughterhouse, Miss Rabbit could no longer resist the urge to ask her travellingpanion this question. Even though she was aware that her rtionship with the Eclipse Society was merely cooperative and that she shouldnt be asking too many questions She was still, nevertheless, curious about this enigmatic organization that had only popped up in recent times C the organization that forced the Eclipse Society to be willing to hand over that dangerous artifact to a human in order to prevent this organization from recruiting new members. Even before Miss Twilight was in by Jiangli and forced into a deep slumber, she had never heard of such a strange organization. In short, in just a few years, this online organization somehow established themselves as a major enemy to the Eclipse Society. A bunch of clowns, the mysterious man named Shue huffed. Whatever theyre trying to achieve is unattainable, at least, ording to the Elders. Then, why do you care about them? Theyre hindering us from spreading our grace, again, ording to the Elders, he turned to look at her, and a violent wave seemed to dance in those dull eyes of his.Doesnt that mean Im technically stealing people from you? she joked. Any organization seeking for longevity requires a steady stream of members to maintain their existence C the Eclipse Society is no exception, although their methods are a bit unusual. They arent rted to the Night Division, are they? she asked, breaking the silence. No. They arent simr to you either, I assume. Never. ShuE swerved to the right and flew straight down the steep hillside,nding right outside the ughterhouse. After searching the grounds, he came to a manhole, where the seal was, and took out a dark urn. The urn seemed to undte from within, with wet, sticky noises emanating from within. If Miss Rabbit perked her ears up, she could hear the wails and moans of a dying person. ShuE undid the talismans wrapped around the urn, and Miss Rabbits eyes shed with an unconceble disgust, stepping away from him. Disgusting. The urn contained an amalgamation of voodoo magics and an urban legend, capable of violently tearing apart any seals. Its mere presence was the embodiment of evil, and itd be troublesome if one were to identally wander into its maw. Clink! Undoing the talisman, ShuE pped off the lid on the urn and stretched his arm into it. His hand caught a chain from within the urn, and he pulled as hard as he could. Attached to the chain was a thorn-covered skull that radiated a dull, disgusting green. The chains were made of an unknown material as rust painted its metal, and strange, colorful insects squirmed and crawled through the crevices and holes of the skull. The disgusting, fishy aroma of blood began to permeate the air. Even then, the skull seemed alive C muscles and blood vessels hung down from its severed neck, and they moved and squirmed rhythmically as if it was trying to breathe. Shue carried the skull and walked towards the manhole cover. Stepping on it with one foot, he silently recited a spell, tightening his grip on the chain as he infused it with psychic energy. Infusing the chain with psychic energy, the rust on the chain peeled offyer byyer, and bloodied letters like ants appeared on the chain. With a crisp, burning sound, the chain disintegrated into a fine dust. Kicking the manhole cover to the side, the skull fell into the cer with no interruptions. Clunk! Perking her ears, she could hear sizzling from within the cer, like acid corroding metal. A few secondster, a violent vibration could be felt beneath her high heels, and silver arcs of lightning spewed out from within the cer as thick smoke surged upwards rapidly. Using the smoke as cover, the skull that had ripped apart the seal flew out the cer and tried to escape into the sky, but ShuE captured it swiftly with the violent pull of the urn. He closed the lid and re-wrapped it withyers of talismans, cing it back onto his hip. Alright, next location now. ShuE was about to walk towards the next seal when a strange psychic wave swept past him, and in the next moment Whoosh! A dark cloak swept past him andnded right in front of the duo. As the strong winds dissipated, the cloak settled, revealing two hairy,nky legs that wore flip-flops. Thenky man scratched his head with azy smile, Sorry, pretty boy and fine littledy. Im afraid the both of you have to stay here for a while. ShuE nced at the skull emoji badge on the mans cloak, and turned to gesture his head at Miss Rabbit. Miss Rabbit nodded and licked her bright, cherry lips. Finally, she sneered. Something exciting to eat. She had purchased the [Soul Detox] potion from the ghost market, eliminating any nausea and side effects from her overconsumption of cores. Now, it was time to unleash her newly recovered self onto a suitable opponent. Shue nodded at her, and in the blink of an eye, leapt forward towards the next seal. Thenky man immediately turned his head when he heard a growling from his side. No running! With the animalistic growl, she summoned her crowbar and clenched it tightly. Leaping forward and mming down her crowbar, now imbued with mes, towards thenky man. Shit! The crowbar whistled with an intense heat, and thenky man hurriedly rolled out of the way in a clumsy manner, staggering and stumbling as he caught himself. m! Despite how clumsy he was, he held no panic in his face. Looking at Miss Rabbit, he smirked. Dont you want to see something lewd? Thenky mans words echoed and resonated iprehensibly in Miss Rabbits ears as her footfalls slowed. Shaking her head, she tried toe back to her senses and move forward as thenky mans voice continued to thump in her rabbit ears. Ill make sure Ill go slow. *[t/n: Thenky mans original words here are HXD, GKD, which is Chinese Inte ng. HXD trantes to good brother, while GKD trantes to hurry up C GKD is also typically used in a What is the source? context when asking somebody where they obtained something (e.g., video source, image source.) To localize it, it would sound like Brother, source? I tried tranting it in a way that sounds better in a battle-context.] The next moment, she found herself in a dull, trance-like space C bright-colored screens shed past her one after another, and the screens started to y shocking images and videos of various people in peculiar, yoga-like positions. Im about to cum! Please, faster, Im about to- Are you a virgin? Your thighs delectable Miss Rabbit felt blood rush to her face, and her mind felt numb as her breathing became erratic. Thenky man appeared behind her in that dark, voyeuristic space, and she felt her heart drop as she turned around. I-I want I want it-, she gasped as her eyes widened at the same time, realizing that the words had unconsciously left her mouth. Her eyes shed a murderous red, and she revealed her razor-sharp teeth as she roared into the space. Youre fucking disgusting! I have to fucking kill you. Its not like she hasnt dealt with psychics and urban legends who target the mind, but this is the first time she had seen somebody powerful enough to control her body. She felt that she was like an ant in hot waters. I wonder what position you like it in, his voice echoed in the space. Dont you want to do it with me? Please? Fuck no! Die! Growling, she unleashed all of her psychic energy. Her beautiful, curvy figure was now surrounded with a bloodied, scarlet aura, dispelling and shattering the trance-like space as murderous psychic waves swept across the surrounding grass, wilting them instantly. Her psychic powers rapidly expanded and caused the air to explode. Amidst the explosion, her figure distorted and disappeared within the smoke, and in the next moment, she reappeared out of thin air behind thenky man who continued to whisper meaningless seductions. With a bloodthirsty grin, she lifted up her crowbar and mmed it down. Boom! ShuE was in deep thought when he heard a loud explosioning from behind him. Feeling a murderous wave of energy sweeping across the ughterhouse, he paused to turn his head around. He could see a violent, red explosion, with the earth and rocks being shot into the air as smoke billowed rapidly. Is he strong? Why the need to exert all your strength, silly rabbit? He wondered. Calming down, he trotted towards the next seal. Standing over the manhole, he was prepared to toss the skull into it when he heard a soft mewl behind him. Meow! He was motionless for a moment. Turning around, he saw a calico cat with mottled fur that sat behind him in the middle of the path. It tilted its head with big, watery eyes that studied him, just like a normal cat would. A cute little creature stumbling into this ce. Impossible. He sneered as light glistened in his eyes, and he raised his hand to point at the cat as invisible powers rippled in the air. Out of nowhere, sharp bone shot out from his fingertips, tearing apart the cats body as if a violent beast had devoured it. Its fur was stained with flood as pieces of flesh flew everywhere. Its head fell to the floor, and its pupils were wide open with shock, and yet, it filled his heart was a strange feeling. Moving around the dead cat, he could feel its eyes follow him no matter where he went. It seemed as though it was asking him, Why did you hurt me? At this moment, a thick, dark fog settled over the corpse of the cat. The pieces of torn flesh squirmed together as they split and multiplied. With a few disgusting cracks and tearing of flesh, the corpse soon turned into arge gathering of wild cats. The cats arched their bodies menacingly as they let out violent growls all at once. The cacophony of growls and mewls gathered together as they prated ShuEs ears, and through the nails-on-chalkboard chorus, he could hear a girl asking him a question. Why would you hurt a small, lonely cat? Through the thick fog, a cat-eared girl walked out of the fog like a vengeful spirit, and her eyes glowed red. Feeling the powerful and chaotic psychic waves emanating from the girl, ShuEs eyes pulsed with excitement. The members of the urban legend group chat were stronger than he thought, and for once, he felt like he had purpose. TRANSLATOR COMMENTS: Tensions rising! Please let me know what do you think of the localized(?) trantion rather than tranting it straight from its original, Chinese Inte ng C its rather awkward pping the fat t/n in the middle of reading but this sites HTML code is kind of [REDACTED]; Personally, I dont really enjoy direct trantions unless Im forced to since I feel that it breaks reader immersion to the storys universe, so the best middle ground for me is to exin what was changed so that the readers get a grasp of what the original text was. I hope you like it! As always, if youd like to support me in any way possible, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery; any amount helps motivate me more to bring you quality trantions! Chapter 235: The Choice is Yours, Big Muscle Hunk! Chapter 235: The Choice is Yours, Big Muscle Hunk! In the dark hallways, her eyes glistened a pale blue, and the dazzling silver armor that was wrapped around her body illuminated the dark, dingy hallways of the office. Stepping forward, Jiangli pierced through several shadows and apparitions that flew and pounced at her with her sword. As the de connected with their bodies, pained, gloomy wails echoed down the eerie corridors. Her sword tore through the darkness with an intense silver light, leaving behind silver arcs of energy that burnt through the shadows. The arc of silver light pierced through a shadow, causing it to explode in an instant. Its dark blood, like ink, sshed down onto the floor. With each sh, the arc of silver would sh across the walls, leaving deep cuts on the peeling wallpaper. Jianglis body phased down the corridor rapidly, and wherever she passed, she would tear through a shadowy apparition one after another with ease. There was no hesitation nor panic with every single step of hers. Her de was sharp, precise, and graceful. On the tip of her de dripped a poisonous liquid C even Gods will writhe in pain whening into contact with a Hydras poison.Silver light continued to zip-zap down the hallway like shooting stars. In just a short amount of time, she reached the end of the corridor, and the few remaining shadows huddled in the corner, trembling and hesitating with their moves. These poor shadows that were surely controlled by greater, more powerful urban legends, may be deadly to ordinary people, but to true psychics, they were nothing but pesky mosquitoes. However, this is just a trial. An assessment. The dark shadows that shrouded the corridor still remained close to the wall, and Jiangli knows that the true culprit was still hiding in the shadows. She turned away from the fearful shadows and de-manifested her de. She nced at the darkness surrounding her with ice-cold eyes. Show yourself! However, nothing answered. Instead, her mobile phone vibrated in her pocket. It seems like the file has finally been decrypted. She silently took out her phone and tapped on the decrypted document. You dont want me to look into the file, and yet, you refuse to show yourself, she grumbled inwardly. Ill show you whos the one in charge here. As the contents of the file loaded, her eyes widened. She thought that such a guarded document would contain something important, but never would she expect several diary entries and audio files disyed on her screen instead. Frowning, she tapped on the first diary entry. [May 22 The King stopped eating, and his weight gain is severely hindered. He must have heard us discussing about the investment in the pig pen the other day. About turning it into a specimen. Pigs are smart. They can read faces. Some even understand human speech. The King mustve understood our conversation the other day. When I came to see it, its eyes rolled, and it smiled at me. Pigs dont smile C that I know, but it bared its canines at me, like it was taunting me. Like I was nothing but prey.] The King? She frowned as she tapped out of the entry. She remembered running into a specimenbelled as [The King], and deduced that the empty aquarium-sized contained must be prepared for the pig. Pondering, she opened the first audio file, and it was immediately apparent that it was two men arguing with one another. I told you that something is wrong with that form that came out-of-nowhere, didnt I?! Were lucky that nothing happened in the first few days! Shut up! I got this form from North of Tibet C without it, do you really think we canpete with the pigs of Hope Meat? Do you think well have a pig as big as the one we have now? Do you think well receive any sponsorships with no pigs fit enough for the King of Pigs? A form consisting of animal corpses and metals you cant even name if your life depended on it! the other man seemed to sigh. You do realize they will end up eatingusif they dont get enough of this, right? But its magic, no? The pigs are well-fed. Jiangli frowned. This sounds like a product of alchemy, with the mention of unknown metals. This must be what was in the pigs feed. As she continued to piece together the story, she felt that the shadows seemed to close in on her. Something moved in the darkness, and waves of psychic energy seemed to inch closer and closer, as if they wanted to stop her from learning too much. Jiangli snorted. She willed her body to tremble slightly, and a mirage of a horse with fur as white as the moon was brought forward. Immediately, the suffocating stench of the shadows disappeared instantly, and she tapped on the next diary entry. [June 17 Even for such a small investment deal, the factory director insisted on being alone. How ridiculous! I hope everyone continues to believe that we have some sort of special scientific research going on, because I cant believe something this ridiculous happened C sending somebody over to steal our form? How ridiculous! Did I mention how ridiculous it has been the past few days? That little thief fell into The Kings pig feed and died. No, maybe he didnt die from the fall, but when we found him, he was already dead. Ridiculous. Its ridiculous, isnt it? I told the factory director that we should stop feeding the pigs this stuff. Pigs never forget the taste of meat on their tongue.] Jiangli was about to tap into the second audio file when a low growl came from the other end of the corridor C it sounded like a wild boar that breathed heavily. The next moment, the cold, office floor of the corridor sparked with intense heat, and a squeal tore through the deadly silence. A huge body could be heard stomping towards her in the darkness, and each step of its disgusting feet shook the very foundations of the building. Jiangli immediately summoned her sword and shed away. The arc of light collided with something sturdy in the darkness, as if she had hit metal and stone. The urban legend revealed its deadly maw, and Jiangli continued to feed it a healthy serving of silver light. Imbuing herself with power, she rose into the air, and her silver armor shifted dramatically. The moment shended back on the floor, her lower body was no longer human, but the muscr body of a horse. As her hooves hit the ground, azure blue and silver arcs of energy intertwined with a windy power, blowing away the filthy shadows that tried to surround her. However, at this moment, a warm current rose up in her body, and the ck Sun Totem tattoo etched into her back began to glow with a faint light. She froze as she felt this, and she felt her psychic energy bing stagnant. In the next moment, a rusty iron hook shot out from the darkness and mmed straight into her. Her breastte became dented as she flew backwards from the impact. Her body crashed straight through a wall, and she fell out of the building in a mystical silver light as she tumbled onto the open space in front of the office building. Thud! Enduring the pain, she stood up once again with a green face. Her lips stained red with blood caused her to feel strange. She could feel the tattoo creeping on her back, like a spider, making her feel uneasy. Somebody from the Eclipse Society is here. A ritual Her eyes widened as her psychic senses picked up something terrifying C she could sense that the seals that sealed the ughterhouse away have been dispelled, and her fingertips unconsciously tapped on the mourning owl badge hidden underneath her armor. Even if she was punished and reprimanded by the Night Division for acting without permission, it is better than letting those damn cretins from the Eclipse Society get away with it. If they seed with their ritual, something as dangerous as a Level A threat or greater will be born through the polluted, corruptednds of the ughterhouse, just like what she once experienced. After all, only a few people like her have withstood the erosion of the night to be psychics. Most turn insane and be living urban legends, forever tied to the original legend. Damn it! Fuck! Shit! What the fuck?! Just as she was about to tap on her badge, she could hear shouting from a distance. Looking at the source of the sound, she saw a young girl carrying a muscr man who was two times bigger than her with one hand as she leapt from roof to roof, leaving behind afterimages with how fast she was moving. Looking closer, she could see the girl throwing something at the three gargantuan beasts that seemed to be chasing them. With each throw, a purple-ck smoke would rise from their bodies, and the beasts would stagger. Isnt that? Jianglis eyes were covered with ayer of psychic energy as she trained in closer at the girls hand. Disaster Liquid? How? Where did she get this much Disaster from? With such arge amount of Disaster, she is no buyer, but a producer Something is wrong with her! She could feel something looming over her as a huge gust of wind rushed over her, and looking up, she could see a half-human, half-pig figure covered with tumorous boils falling from the office building, unleashing arge iron hook towards her. She hurriedly rolled to her side in a panic, and the hook pierced and plowed through the ground, leaving deep scars in the earth. Zhang Dexian nced at Lu Yibei, who seemed to toss an endless amount of Disaster Liquid towards the urban legends chasing them. Dexian was filled with disgust, and even the other urban legends were dumbfounded. Why is she throwing away her money? God, I hate rich people. They disgust me! He thought. What the fuck are you looking at?! she yelled as shended on another roof. I thought you said you needed time to unleash your ultimate move! Would be nice if you could do it, like right now, since Ive been running away for ten minutes now! Arent you the invincible man1? What happened to real men? Okay uh, Im ready, Im ready! Dexian seemed toe out of his shock and blurted out. However, before he could finish speaking, she stopped, turned around, and after bracing herself, tossed him straight towards the beasts. Alright! Go ahead, big muscle hunk! ?! I thought we were friends! I didnt expect you to- His muscr body fell in an arc, and feeling the impending doom beneath him, he came back to his senses and took out his fully charged Vajra, and stabbed through his own chest. Stab! Stab! Stab! After three consecutive stabs of the Vajra, golden lightning seemed to pulse and burst out of the wounds, filling the air with dazzling light. Seeing Zhang Dexian, who seemed like the God of Thunder descending from the Heavens, she nodded with satisfaction. Alright! Well split the credit! I get 80%, and he gets 20%. I did most of the work here! TRANSLATOR NOTES: Note 1, from arent you the invincible man?: Original trantion here is the Chinese equivalent of a John Doe, or Ex-Machina, or plot armor, or protagonist, or OP cheat code, etc. Didnt think it fit well so I adjusted the TL. I love Jianglis need to uncover secrets, I also enjoy the bureaucratic theme behind the Night Division (kind of reminds me of SCP :p). As always, if youd like to support me in any way, feel free to do so at /slicedbreadsbakery, any amount helps support this trantion! Chapter 236: She Chose the Most Powerful Chapter 236: She Chose the Most Powerful After throwing Zhang Dexian towards the beasts, Lu Yibei turned and ran as fast as she could. She took refuge on the roof of a factory building far away from both Jiangli and Dexian. Peeking out from behind her cover, she could see Zhang Dexian stabbing himself in the chest, and she couldnt help but p in admiration. Oh wow, self-harm-to-win1? Even then She felt scared chopping vegetables, so to see somebody stab themselves with no regard in the world Of course, even though Dexian was using powerful psychic items to increase his own strength, it was very admirable. Blood gushed out of his chest and morphed into a fascinating golden lightning, like golden snakes that danced and slithered around his body as if he was Brahma, the Hindu God himself. They morphed into iprehensible runic symbols, and the psychic fluctuations rose steadily, reaching a terrifying, thunderous level of power. Seventeen, no, eighteen Mr. Rabbits worth of power, or half a Serpent. How interesting! She found herself coveting for Zhang Dexians ancient Vajra slightly, but the more she thought about the downsides, like his ability taking way too long to charge, or having to self-harm to activate it, she lost interest.It takes a lot of willpower to use something like that! Cant risk it! But! Why does the lightning on his body look so simr to Ac, my statue? She found herself missing the days she spent with the statue. The dark sky was illuminating with bright and righteous, divine lightning. The beasts seemed to stiffen, and the ck fog that surrounded them at all times seemed to be suppressed by some strange force as it was forced back into their bodies. O Vajra, imbue me with divine powers of Buddha himself to smite these evildoers down! His voice boomed across the ughterhouse, and a golden shower of starlight rained down from the sky, like the Milky Way was crashing down onto the Earth. It was as if the Heavens were being ripped open as he gathered starlight on his fist, and he surged downwards like a drill. What the fuck? Thats so fucking cool! Yibei couldnt help but apud and praise the scene before him. The air surged with violence as it swept in all directions, and her ears were filled with bursts of the chanting of a sutra. She found herself feeling ufortable the more she listened to the meaningless, monotonous chanting. Looking at the other side of the roof, she saw Mew Mew fighting with a pig-headed man. Mew Mew is Jiangli C Im so sure of it! At least 90% sure! When she woke up at Flowers and Sunshine Resort, she saw Jianglis powers manifesting in reality. She remembered how majestic Jianglis centaur-like form that donned silver armor, etched with azure-blue runic symbols, with fur as pale-white as the moon. When she was kidnapped by Cicada, she remembered dreaming about Jiangli on a white steed, galloping relentlessly to save her- Wait! No, no, not that! That was all in my head! Mew Mews tanned face was trained in on the battle before her, and her golden pigtails bounced with each gallop like a battle g. Although this sultry image of a bratty school girl didnt fit Jianglis cold, yet graceful image, almost everything else screamed Jiangli. At least, Yibei was 90% sure it was Jiangli. Jiangli and the King fought viciously with one another, like myths of a mythical centaur fighting against a disgusting beast from Hell. Through the shes of lightning, Jiangli left behind countless afterimages with each rapid, moonlike gallop she took, and iron hooks shot out endlessly, as with the silver arcs of sword shes that tore through the air. The Kings body was asrge as a hill, and piles of human-like tumors squirmed and undted on its body, with lips opening and closing with resentment of falling victim to the ughterhouse dripping from their lips. There was no fear in Jianglis eyes C she shed her sword calmly and gracefully, pushing back the ck smoke with silver arcs of light. Invisible to the naked eye, the psychic waves collided and crashed with one another, like nuclear bombs. The Witch held her chin with one hand as she looked at Zhang Dexians fight, then at Jianglis fight, Well, I dont think theres any room for me to do anything here, and it doesnt seem like they need my help no! she yelled to herself. I must do something at least! I dont want to look useless! Is there anything else hidden in this ughterhouse? Im here to deal with urban legends, yes, I need to participate C Im helping! Yup! As she spoke, she put on her Imitation Divine Horse Armor, and it galloped her away faster than her mind could process. When she reappeared, she found herself at on the domineering roof of the office building of the ughterhouse. She stepped to the edge of the building and watched over the entire ughterhouse. She crouched down and swept her eyes back and forth, looking for any urban legend that she could bully. Huh? She saw a figure sneaking towards a remote hut in the distance, and he carried a dark body bag on his shoulders. The body bag seemed to be containing something C something big enough that one could vaguely see a rotten pigs head bulging out the zipper, with its blood dripping, leaving a trail behind him. Isnt that the guy I met earlier while I called for a taxi? He must be here for the review, right? But what is he doing with that pig? Levi stood at the door of the hut as it opened. Somebody greeted him, but most of their body was obscured by the door, and Yibei couldnt see their face close enough. Levi exchanged a few words with the person, looked around, and threw the body bag into the hut as he hurriedly shuttled in and closed the door behind him. Somethings off here! She cursed to herself as she quickly left the office building. She wanted to see what hes up to Cing early to the ughterhouse only to not appear when it was time to meet up Doing something shady? Not on my watch! Outside the ughterhouse. By a manhole cover, bones and fur were scattered across a battle field. Strange skeletons that formed an image of dogs, monkeys, bears one might think they stumbled into a museum. Their bodies were fully made of bones, with reinforced bone attached onto them like armor. In sharp contrast were the cats that hissed at them. The cats were skinny, and held various degrees of physical disabilities, as if they had been abused. They were wrapped and cradled by the fog, and their scarlet eyes shed with an eerie light. And strangely enough, they fought against one another. With each bone that was shot, one cat would explode into gore. However, the more the cats were ughtered and torn apart by the bones, they seemed to divide and swoop menacingly over the pile of bones. And, invisible to the naked eye, their psychic fluctuations fought against one another in a violent war, and the cats were starting to overwhelm the bones. Meanwhile, ShuE and the cat girl fought against one another on the branches of the vast forest surrounding the ughterhouse. After a hard blow caused by the cat girl, his bone armor shattered into pieces. Taking advantage of the chaos, he hurriedly retreated through the mahogany woods andnded on a branch. From the corner of his eye, he could see his skeleton army being devoured by therge tsunami of cats, and shuddered. After acquiring that [Soul Detox] potion, he felt himself bing stronger. However, he was still no match for the cat girl. He felt himself bing overpowered with each fleeting moment, but she treated this like a game of cat-and-mouse. Thankfully, he thought. The ritual is about to begin. Meow! The cat girl leapt up the branches and was about to pounce, but she heard Shue sneer, Youre strong, but arent you worried about the people in the ughterhouse? Her ears shifted slightly as she tilted her head, What is there to be afraid of? We made sure to suppress every dangerous urban legend in the ughterhouse. If anything, the remaining urban legends roaming about in there should be afraid. As she spoke, the violent roars of a battle not far away stopped, followed immediately by the wails of a woman. The tone was strange C it was trembling, rapid, erratic; as if something ancient, primal, human, lewd, was being carried out Get away from m- agh! Mmph! Oh the more you push me away, the more excited I get! Get the fuck away from m- agh The cat girl scratched her ears with disdain, and turned back to ShuE, Instead of worrying about us, consider worrying about your little friend there. She might, uh, be defiled soon. Im not worried about her, ShuE sneered, but he couldnt hide the slight red tinge on his cheeks. To be honest, he couldnt care less if Miss Rabbit perished in battle. They just have a cooperative rtionship. Nothing more. By the way, he looked away. Rumor has it only one person is leaving the ughterhouse alive tonight, and that person is me! what are you talking about? The cat girl raised her eyebrows, and an uneasy feeling rose in her heart. She could feel something awaken and opening its eyes, deep within the recesses of the ughterhouse. The terrifying slumber stirred, like evil incarnate being born out of a malicious womb, growing, festering, spreading its ominous shadows in all directions to defile and corrupt this verynd. Flickering her ears, she noticed psychic energy fluctuations belonging to none other than Levi, and something else. The two energies were weak C weak enough to avoid detection if they were deliberately hidden from view. It was probably why both she and thenky man were not able to detect Levi. Her heart tightened at the implication, You bewitched Levi. Correction, he interrupted, wagging his finger. He voluntarily did so. He wants revenge, and he will soon be a part of the great ritual. The word ritual echoed in her ears, and she turned pale. She remembered that her boss had mentioned to them that the Eclipse Society had mastered evil rituals capable of forming urban legends. One way was to split the core of the urban legend, then rbine it to mimic the powers of a much more powerful urban legend. The four beasts within the ughterhouse C one master, three dependents; all of them have roots to the Great Beast, Beelzebub. Pigs, or more urately, swine, are often referenced in ideation to Beelzebub, and through this ritual, Beelzebubs abilities could be stimted to form Gluttony incarnate. We have to stop the ritual now. Just as the cat girl was about to leave, a sudden tremor formed under her feet, andrge walls of bone closed in around her. Youre not going anywhere! he roared as the walls closed in on them. Its toote, kitten. You cant rescue you and your friends, so enjoy your final moments and fight me! The flesh on his back broke open, revealing pale skeletal arms that merged into the wall of bones. In the next moment, the towering wall of bones squirm in the rhythm of his breathing, and moved as if they were one with him. The cat felt as if she was trapped in an arena, and she could only leave if she killed her opponent. However She didnt seem panicked. Instead, she smirked, Thats not true. There is one other person left in the ughterhouse. She couldnt figure out why the Witch was hiding and attempting to avoid the review tonight, even doing as much as watching Zhang Dexian and the Mahjong Girl fight and doing nothing. However, she could now sense her psychic energy fluctuations approaching the source of the ritual, and she felt enlightened. The Witch must have noticed that something was amiss from the very start C she wanted to get right down to business and deal with the biggest problem. Since she was the strongest person to be reviewed, it makes sense that she would choose the most powerful opponent! The dim hut radiated a rancid odor. Three huge pig specimens, and a human skull were ced in the center of the house. Levi took advantage of the chaos outside and gathered the necessary materials to begin the ritual. On the floor,plex runes were drawn with mercury, mixed withplex, unknown alchemical materials. Candles were then set up around the corners of the room. They flickered with a green light, forming an invisible force field to prevent the dissipation of psychic power. Two figures knelt in the two corners of the room in a strange posture. Their mouths moved gutturally as they babbled strange sybles, as if muttering a strange prayer. As they prayed, a ck Sun Totem tattoo formed on their naked backs. And underneath the light, the mercury began to boil, creating a toxic cloud of steam in the room. The bones and corpses in the center of the room began to melt as they were wrapped by the toxic steam, and they soon formed a mass that exuded a pungent odor. The remaining sma from the mass was suspended in mid-air, like a breathing embryo. It squirmed, radiating a faint, bloodied light. Cloudy eyes from a distant ne soon became clearer, and they got closer, closer, and closer The eyes turned restlessly C they shed with a dreamy, alluring light, like hallucinations as flies buzzed around the room. Levi and a member of the Eclipse Society, who volunteered to be a sacrifice, raised their arms together as they picked up the ceremonial dagger, shing their own wrists as they fell to the floor. Hot blood sprayed out their wrists like geysers, and the candles were immediately extinguished, leaving the eerie, red light of fments that swayed in the air. They hovered over the two people in the room, wrapped around them like spider with their prey. At this moment, arge rock broke through the window. You bastards! I know youre in there up to no good! Justice is here to be served! With a loud yell, several charms and ss bottles containing Disaster Liquid were tossed in like grenades, and thick smoke flooded the room, polluting the ritual. And the intense waves of psychic energy that grew and grew festered into nothing. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Note 1, from Oh wow, self-harm-to-win? Even then: [t/n: original TL here is Kryptonian, which is Chinese Inte ng for sacrificing something to obtain a reward (e.g., in gacha, you sacrifice your time and sanity to obtain something you want. In this case, Zhang Dexian self-harms in order to be imbued with great powers.). Yibei implies that Dexian isnt actually using his own strength to beat the urban legends.] Woah, a direct reference to Beelzebub! I find this really fascinating that they refer to it as the Great Beast, and the implication that it exists in Yibeis world very intriguing indeed! As always, if youd like to support me, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery! Any amount helps to support the trantion! Chapter 237: The Beasts Chapter 237: The Beasts The Witch felt that she was in luck. When Jiangli and Zhang Dexian were fighting against those terrifying monsters, she was able to catch these two little cretins who were up to no good in this dark, dingy corner of the ughterhouse. And this ritual that they were doing is definitely not a prayer for good weather, nor is it a prayer for luck. Judging from the scattered fragments of memories regarding rituals that she obtained from the Serpents knowledge, she could more-or-less guess that this was an evil ritual. If she stopped them now, its equivalent to dealing with 0.5 Mr. Rabbits! If I cant defeat the overpowered boss, I might as well kill the twockeys who are responsible for summoning the boss! I got a knife too! she let out a battle cry, and using the thick smoke as cover, she leapt through the window as she shed at the sma-embryo that was suspended in the middle of the room. The ck threads extending from the sma were just about to fully envelop Levi and the other man, entering the final stage of the ritual.However, with the Witch interfering, the sma squirmed, and burst like a punctured balloon. Countless red threads, as if frightened, retreated into the shadows immediately. With the ritual interrupted, the two bodies were torn apart instantly into a mist of blood. Just as she was about to cast a spell strong enough to cremate a dragon, a sound could be heard. Wah! Like a baby crying. The cries prated through her ears as it became louder and louder; it morphed into the gradual buzzing of flies that whispered desires of hunger in her ear. She felt dizzy as an invisible hand seemed to strangle her, and she felt that she couldnt breathe. However, she was well-versed in the tricks of the mind. She quickly got rid of the unknown influence, and gathering herself, she couldnt help but be stunned at the image that was beginning to form in front of her. It seemed that the pile of gore had reversed itself C Levi, who had just been turned into a puddle of blood, got up again, piece by piece, muscle by muscle. However, this was not Levi. It seemed that the sma had just taken away his innards, and this was but a false image of an iplete Levi. The threads tried to pull his limbs back into a position the way a human would, prating through his body in an attempt to feed more. The Witch was stunned, and she immediately sliced Levi up with her kitchen knife. However, like piranhas, the moment his blood dripped to the floor, the ck threads immediately stitched his broken body back together again. She immediately continued to slice, but it seemed that, the more she sliced, the more they were fervent in their attempts to repair him. However, with each attempt, Levi grew farther and farther apart from LeviC his eyes bulged, his body formed together like a strange animal, and his pupils eerilyrge. His back had two huge tumors protruding out, and squirmed as if something was trying to break out. She felt her head numb slightly, and continued to sh at the mass of Levi. The more she shed, the weirder Levi became. His eyes, his nose, his ears, even his internal organs, seemed to be covered in mucus, wrapped over ws, tentacles, creatures that she couldnt name; a strange amalgamation of nature infecting his body. Levi was no longer Levi at this point C a stew of natures greatest horrors, and Yibei swore that she was about to vomit. Why is he so tanky? What should I do? If physical attacks dont work, Ill try magic! If that doesnt work, Ill use my items! Resisting the urge to vomit, she stepped back and recited a spell. Deste wilderness, fan the shing red mes forth! A fireball formed in the palm of her hand, and she shot it forward. At the same time, she quickly took out two ss bottles and tossed them alongside the fireball. The ss bottle shattered under the high temperatures, and it was like a cigarette that fell onto a puddle of gas at the gas station; like kilograms of potassium falling into a pond; like lightning hitting a tree Boom! She never once thought that her Disaster Liquid was mmable and explosive. Thinking of these nuclear bombs that she had been carrying around like a vial of Coke, she couldnt help but curse. Fuck! In the next moment, her vision was filled with a purple-red fire, followed by a violent impact. Her body was shot into the air, and by gravitys virtue, she bounced off a courtyard wall, andnded straight into the ground, forming a Witch-shaped hole. Cant kill me that easily! At the open space by the office, the sh of metal was endless, as with the silver arcs of light that shot into the sky. Jiangli fought with the King; strangely enough, she could feel that its power was weakening little by little, as if something had happened. Meanwhile, Zhang Dexian also felt that his opponent was weakening. They wondered what had happened when they heard a loud explosioning from the corner of the property. A purple-red mushroom cloud as tall as the buildings flew out the tin roof of a shabby hut, and looking closer, they could see a figure flying out the roof, mming straight into a wall, before falling back onto the grass. ? Isnt that the power distribution room? Whats going on there? Were fighting for our lives here, and youre messing with the power? Whose side are you really on?! Meanwhile, the towering wall of bones formed an arena, sealing off Shue and the cat girl. The cat girl dodged spears of bone that erupted from the wall, and found chances to leap onto Shue. However, he expended most of his strength to defend himself, intending to buy as much time as possible. And her attacks began to grow more desperate. Sensing her anxiety, he sneered and taunted, You seem worried. Not confident in your little friend in the ughterhouse? Cant me you, he snickered. However, I have no intention of fighting you I just want to buy- Boom! As he talked, a loud explosion could be heard, and a purple-red light prated through the gaps of his wall of bones. The faint undtions of psychic energy weakened and stopped, and horror painted his face. Did she how did she interrupt the ritual?! In his daze, the cat girl wrapped her legs in a dark mist and kicked him in the side, shattering his armor of bones as he was smashed straight into the wall. I trust her! If our boss trusts her, then so do I! she mewed, pouncing towards him. Even if she is extremely annoying! Meanwhile, thenky man sat on Miss Rabbits slender waist, holding her wrists firmly with both hands. He dodged his head left and right, dodging her tongue that was like a rose with razor-sharp thorns. Woah there, his seductive voice echoed and resonated deep within her brain. Like ducks that swim in pairs, or pear blossoms that bloom in unison wouldnt their lips touch as they sp their beaks and branches together? Closer, and closer, like you and me His words radiated within her brain, and she immediately felt her lower-half feeling warm and weak as her breathing became erratic once more. Feeling her mind weaken, it seemed that she was falling into his enthrallment. Oh, but are your melons sweet? his voice radiated. Very, very sweet As they spoke, Miss Rabbit felt something pressing against her lower abdomen, and she snapped back into reality as she yelled, Wait! Im a man! Im actually a man! Im not a woman! Ah. You know what they say C a girl without her [BLEEP] is like an angel without her wings What the fuck is wrong with you?! I hate perverts! If I could defeat him, I will eat him alive and study how he even obtained his runes in the first ce! As she was growling in thought, a loud explosion could be heard, and thenky man was stunned as his words of enthrallment stopped abruptly. She felt her strength flooding back to her, and she immediately wrapped her legs around his torso in a deadlock. Oh? His expression changed, however, as the grip on her legs became tighter and tighter. With effort, she spun her legs, and he twisted rapidly on the spot as he drilled downwards into the Earth like a twister. A few momentster, he climbed out of the little hole he had just made, and as soon as he poked his head out, he saw a glimmering crowbar whizzing towards him. You die, you fucking pervert! She swung her crowbar down repeatedly, and each blow hit his mouth urately. If he stops talking, he stops bing dangerous! It took a while for the Witch to recover from the explosion. Before she got up, she felt as if she was hallucinating, with her eyes bing darker and darker. An ominous psychic wave rose up, and it still felt like she was waking up from a deep slumber. Staring up ahead, the long-forgotten pain in her eyes returned, but intermittently, as if there was bad connection in regards to her ability to detect danger, and her body temperature rose and fell rapidly. In time with the rising heat, strange images flickered before her eyes. Beyond the thick smoke, a distant pair of eyes opened from a distant ne. And countless shadows emerged behind the approaching human silhouette, like projections from another dimension rushing to peer into the world. Light like flies emerged from the shadows, weaving a terrifying nightmare with each buzz. Something is about to pierce my chest- A sudden premonition rose up in her mind as her eyes became boiling hot. She quickly rolled to the left, and an insect-like limb broke through the smoke, stabbing at her original location as a stream of mucus spat out of it. This mucus seemed to have the strange ability of forming teratomas C wherever itnded, clumps of flesh and blood grew out the soil like twisted nts, growing into maws with sharp teeth that bit at the air. A drop of mucus fell by the grass near her feet, and immediately, there was sharp pain as the maws bit at her legs. Cold air seemed to rush from her body to fix her wound. In the next moment, an angry aura exploded with bloody ripples, and a figure tore through the smoke and flew towards her. A tyrannical wave of psychic energy hit her face, and she became pale. Oh, this is as strong as 0.8276 Serpents. Although the ritual was iplete, interrupting the birth of Gluttony, Levi was still tied to the ritual, bing part of Gluttony himself. A disturbing hum sounded, like flies that swarmed around a corpse. Amidst the buzz, her eyes darkened as it heated up. The magical premonition shed in her mind again, and she dodged to the left from an iing limb. Sure enough, it was the ability of seeing into the future, predicting her enemys attack! Are these all thanks to the runes? She felt a burst of ecstasy in her heart, and she turned to look at Levi, who had fully emerged from the smoke. His upper body was covered with a ck carapace, and the gaps in the carapace revealed thick fur, like the fur on pigs. His eyes bulged like a fly, and his pupils clustered together. The huge bulge on his back burst open, revealing a pair of translucent wings that dripped deadly mucus. His lower body was maggot-like, with pig trotters growing on his abdomen that squirmed forward. Facing his new form, she felt like she was cheated C she nned on bullying the weak, but this reveal was like a high-levelled yer in an RPG disguising themselves as a low-levelled NPC in a vige. Uh oh, should I run? She nned on leaving the ughterhouse grounds to report to the Night Division. If she fails the review because of it, then so be it. Living was more important. However, noticing Levis speed, she was stunned for a moment. Hes very slow! Im not running anymore C not that I nned to! How could I run when everyone else is fighting? Although Levi was as fast as an Olympian sprinter,pared to a Witch who possessed the (imitation) Divine Horse Armor, he is sluggish. Levi squirmed and pounced, and she dodged sideways, discovering the reason behind his speed. The back half of his maggot-like body was dotted with a mass of muddied blood, and ck threads dripped onto the ground to devour anything in order to repair the hosts body. However, something is destroying this process. As new flesh grows, it bursts open in a corrosive pus. Paying attention to this, she dodged another attack, holding back her nausea to study the mud. She was surprised to see that the flesh was unable to form because of the remnants of a purple-ck liquid that stained onto the flesh, like mold. Thats my Disaster Liquid. Its preventing him from healing! She felt her tense nerves rx slightly. He cant heal! This is an easy fight! Despite his powerful psychic fluctuations that seemed to overpower everybody in the ughterhouse, to the point of wanting to call upon the strange, female entity in her head, after finding out that his transformation is iplete, the smile on her face became abnormal. For the longest time, she was forced to fight against existences that were much more powerful than she was equipped to handle. Now, it was her turn to have fun. She dug out a few bottles of Disaster left in her pocket, grabbed a handful in each hand, and used her armor to quickly circle behind him. Aiming at the wiggling, ck threads, she threw out the ss bottles in her hand. To kill a tanky boss, you have to interrupt its healing spells! As the bottles broke, it began to corrode the threads, and like roots absorbing herbicides, it withered and shriveled. Roar! Feeling arge amount of poison entering its body, Levi let out an inhuman roar and pounced towards her. However, he fell to the ground. Youre scary when youre angry, but you cant kill me. You do know that, right? As she taunted, she reached into her pocket and took out her copper coin. After confirming that she did have the ability of premonition, a bold idea formed in her mind. Will my next spell be amplified by over 0.1? Flicking the copper coin, she caught the coin and moved away from the pouncing Levi. Far away, she stopped, and facing him, she recited a spell close to her heart. Golden pce, jade houses, iron walls dragon tails, with the wings of a phoenix She didnt need to look at the copper coin. In her premonition, the result was tails, indicating a negative prediction. If the mental consumption of a forbidden spell is reduced to about 1/10th of the amount, she canpletely bear it. the four beasts of the sky, strike down like a cannon! And with an amplification of 0.0952471, she shot out her spell. TRANSLATOR NOTES: As always, if youd like to support the series, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery! Any amount helps ^.^ Chapter 238: Do Something! Chapter 238: Do Something! The silver de violently collided with the iron hook C a process repeated an infinite amount of times as metal collided with metal. The des power intertwined with the violent roars of the King caused ripples to thunder through the air. However, as her enemy became weaker and weaker, she did not find herself relieved, but instead, worried. The tattoo on her back continued to pulse, which told her that the members of the Eclipse Society are nearby, and they are most likely here to perform a ritual. Moreover, there are several urban legends creeping around in the ughterhouse. Judging by the widespread legends about the Eclipse Society across Huacheng, it proves that they are powerful. Combining the ughterhouse itself, as well as the weakening of the existing urban legends tied to the ughterhouse, it could only mean two things And if they seed As she thought about it, evil psychic waves of energy came from the power distribution room, and confirmed her suspicion. An urban legend, modelled after a legendary demon, broke through the smoke of the explosion, chasing after a white-haired girl.No! Fragments of memories of a painful past shed through her mind. Her eyes trembled as she faltered in her steps, and her heart tightened. As a psychic formed by the evil of the Eclipse Society through a ritual like this, her usually calm and collected demeanor was disturbed when her eyes fell upon the ugly monster emerging from the smoke. D-damn it, they improved their ritual they were able to tap into a legendary demons power but Why is it so slow? It seems iplete? As she thought of this, she noticed the white-haired girl no longer dodging the beasts blows. She seemed to toss something in the air, raising her hands as she recited a spell. golden pce, jade house, iron walls From a distance, she could hear the faint chanting of the spell, and her pupils shrunk. That Witch how does she know the forbidden spells of the Night Division? Its okay if she knows how to cast the spell, but why that spell? As far as she knows, there are no more than ten psychics in the entire Night Division who have mastered this spell, known as the [Cannon of the Four Beasts Who Dwell in Bright Skies]. A Witch casting this spell is certainly unheard of. Did Bai Kai teach this Witch the spell? Is this what she gets at the expense of her womanhood? An iron hook shot out at her as she was distracted. She hurriedly brought her sword to her chest, but the hook twisted and mmed right into her as she was thrown to the side. As she hit the ground, her silver-white armor drew a string of sparks. Using her sword as a cane, she stood up and looked at the white-haired girl casting the spell, and frowned. Generally, depending on ones strength, the area of coverage of this spell should envelope most of, if not the entirety of the ughterhouse. But its like a child with stunted growth trying to count The Witch admits that there was an element of gambling involved in her predictions, but she found that she made the right choice as she was now capable of casting the spell in a tolerable range. Bright freckles of light seemed to form from the void, and the illusory images of dragons and a phoenix surrounded the air. In an instant, a mighty torrent of light surged downwards, smiting the darkness. The void spewing out the light continued to expandrger andrger, as if it was about to bless the entire ughterhouse in its divine light, and Poof! The expansion abruptly stop, and the pir of light that remained was only asrge as an arrow, shooting out and piercing through Levis shoulder. In an instant, his flesh charred, and apanied with his painful roar, his wound sizzled, but he was unable to recover. As if his flesh waspletely purified. After discovering that the Witchs powerful spell wasnt actually that powerful, Levi felt that he was being bullied. He opened his maw and let out of a burst of disturbing prayers, swooping forward again. Wherever he flew, he left a trail of mucus that formed disgusting maws. Youre angry Im toying with you? Theres no point! Youre my toy now! She hurriedly distanced herself from Levi and flicked the copper coin again. Predicting the oue, she began to chant the spell. Deste wilderness; ash, bones On the outskirts of the ughterhouse, in the arena of bones, the psychic waves caused by the use of the forbidden spell could be felt, and Shue fell into a cold sweat. Although he didnt know what the situation inside was, if a spell like this was unleashed, their ns might be ruined. The cat girl smirked upon sensing the spell, and taunted, Oh, seems that she is more powerful than I thought! Your ns are ru-ined! Dont get too happy, now, Shue sneered. If it gets fully cast, you will be taken along with it. Shue implied that, even though it was the same spell, it would cause different degrees of damage to different types of urban legends. The cat girls ears perked up, E-even then, you are no match for me! As long as you are stopped, I dont care! They could feel the spell being casted, and Poof! Nothing happened, and shortly after, they could only sense the castings of a fire-based spell. Hah hah! Shueughed. Is this the person you trust? She failed in casting that forbidden spell! Shes probably weakened now that she can only cast that joke of a fire spell. Are you sure youre confident in her? You little Oh, the cat girl stopped feeling angry as her ears perked up once more. Well, why dont you use your psychic sense to see it for yourself? Shues smile stiffened. Even if he didnt tried to sense, he could already tell something was amiss from the subtle change in temperature. It was indeed a measly spell, but strangely, it seemed amplified. And with his sense, he could tell that the amplification had soared past the ten times mark, which is close to the upper limit. Fire zed as a fireball the size of a wash basin condensed in the Witchs hand, emitting terrifying mes. Facing the abnormally hot mes, even Levi, who was in a state of semi-consciousness, felt uneasy. It stalled its movements as it buzzed anxiously, attempting to dodge. No running! she sneered as her eyes locked onto Levi. Tilting her body backwards, sheunched the fireball towards the beast. The fireball roared with intense mes, like a shooting star, leaving behind a trajectory of vibrant red in its path. Seeing the fireball approaching, Levi moved his huge body to the side, letting his maggot-like body tank the brunt of the impact. With an explosion, fire spewed in all directions, and a ck dent sted through Levis body as ck threads hurriedly tried to restore it to its original health. As expected of a tanky boss like you! Again! She flew up, tossed the coin, predicted the oue, and recited another spell. Looking at the swift Witch with fluttering white hair, the millions of eyes in Levis pupils trembled in unison. The Witch before him was like a mystery box from a gacha, making him unable to guess what spell she would unleash next. Is it the fireball amplified by god-knows how many times? Or the powerful, forbidden spell that turns out to be nothing? Or something else? Formting a defensive n is nothing but a luxury now. The centaur galloped as her image shed through the mass of sh, leaving behind a hideous, deep scar that revealed bone. After fighting for a long time, Jiangli finally tilted the scale of victory towards her. The destructive effects of the Hydras poison finally leaked into the Kings body, leading it to its fateful end. However, it had no intention of falling, and it waved its thick limbs to spit out a vicious, me-like breath. It roared, and countless iron hooks shot out from its hand to destroy anything around it. The King seemed to be in a state of rage, and Jiangli kept her guard up, finding gaps from time-to-time to stab into the beasts body. Jiangli knew that victory was imminent for her. The more scars she left, the easier the battle would be. As the toxins began to umte in its mountain-like body, eventually, its core would erode bit by bit, and the beast will fall. Feeling that the Kings actions were turning sluggish, Jiangli was finally able to split her focus and nce at the Witch. She saw her hovering in the air, and every time she stopped, she would throw something shiny in the air and randomly select a spell that also seemed to be randomly amplified. For a moment, a blinding light of white and red shone across the ughterhouse. Jiangli nced at the deformed, degraded, iplete reincarnation of Beelzebub, who seemed to be in a state of confusion, and Jiangli immediately understood what the Witch was doing to it. Torture. Physical, psychological torture. Suddenly, a violent buzz could be heard. Levi, whose body was now covered in blood and pus, roared, and a glowing ck Sun Totem tattoo emerged from beneath his rotting flesh. Then, above him, arge void ripped open, like the ss of reality was shattered open. In an instant, the twisted space above Levi stretched open. I-its trying to call on a powerful being in the Eclipse Society to rescue it Staring at the hole, her eyes zed over it, and her tattoo burned with a green sheen, shining from underneath her armor, as if it was attempting to break through and answer the call from the void. At this moment, a hollow voice could be heard. fan the red mes forth! The Witchs shout broke Jiangli out of her stupor, and she couldnt help but be startled. A mediocre spell, yes, but it seemed to be amplified tenfold, no, greater, as if she was blessed by higher powers. Her cold eyes fell on the Witchs face, and it narrowed as she fell into a deep thought. The giant beast roared as its iron hooves stomped on the ground. The des lining its back stood up like hairs, shooting out towards Zhang Dexian. His body was wrapped in golden lightning, and he performed a swift two-step to dodge the des. With a loud roar and incantation, an image of a tiger shed behind him, and as if blessed by it, he descended from the sky, grasping the fangs of the beasts tightly. His legs touched the ground beneath him, and veins protruded from his muscr arms. With a roar, heunched the beast upwards and mmed it down using its teeth, causing it to squirm and scream. Zhang Dexian was about tond the final, killing blow on the seemingly weakened beast, but stopped in his tracks when a searing wave of heat washed over the battlefield, making him think that he had just stepped into a desert. He had limited time to strengthen himself in the fight, so he didnt want to distract himself in the battle the two girls were in. However, with that wave of heat, he couldnt help but be stunned, and saw a scene that he would never forget. He could see the white-haired girl raising her hands to the sky, and with her slender fingers, she molded arge fireball that constantly expanded It expanded like the scorching Sun, and the dazzling light and intense heat spread in all directions like a mini-Sun, illuminating the ughterhouse. With her long hair flowing behind her, she seemed like a goddess that held the Sun itself in her palms. didnt she tell me she only knew how to cast a simple fireball? As expected! Master was right! All women do is lie! He felt unhappy, and turned to look at the struggling, dying beast. With anger, he punched his fist together, and delivered thousands of thunderous blows on its head. Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Stop moving, stupid! And all the beast could do was howl in pain. To be honest, Yibei only considered the mental consumption of the forbidden spell, and forgot to consider how exhausting it would be to cast even a simple spell amplified tenfold. In her opinion, however, somebody as weak as her couldnt possibly, ever, cast a spell amplified tenfold in her entire life. The moment she finished chanting, she felt as if she had failed. Even for a simple spell, after being amplified tenfold, the consumption of psychic energy was terrifying. She had already consumed a lot of energy, and was almost sucked dry from this simple fireball. However, the air around her was seemingly on fire, and the fireball itself was like a miniature Sun that spewedva. Whatever! Go forth, red mes! With a shout, she tossed the mini-Sun towards Levi. The heat spread like a deadly wave, and in an instant, Levis body was engulfed by the fire, and zing mes spread across his body like a virus as he took one final look at the void above him closing. Immediately, the mini-Sun expanded rapidly before copsing unto itself, and exploded. Boom! As the smoke dissipated, Levis remains were revealed. He wasnt exactly killed, but his current state was not very pretty. Pus and blood seeped out from therge wounds, umting into ake of mucus, pus, maggots, flies, that gathered into a cloud of ck. In the bone-deep wounds, ck threads squirmed, attempting to sew together the charred flesh back in one piece. Jiangli and Zhang Dexian were in a trance as they witnessed this, silent. Yibei, who was sted away by the explosion, came back to her senses as she got up from the floor, squealing out like a pig that stung the ears of the other two. Ow, fuck, shit, it fucking hurts, ow- Im going to fucking die I got the Im-going-to-fucking-die disease what are the two of you looking at?! Do something! Kill it! I cant fucking feel my legs! Do you know what happens when we dont pull out the roots of a fucking infestation? It grows back and multiplies! Basic science! If we dont fucking kill this thing, that shit is going to- [OMITTED ONE THOUSAND AND EIGHTY ANGER-FILLED COMPLAINTS AND WORDS] Zhang Dexian and Jiangli nced at each other and thought to themselves. Hmph! Show off!Dexian thought. How stupid does a Witch have to be to use such a destructive spell in its lethal range? Jiangli thought. The two of them nodded at each other, and pounced on the dying Levi. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Weve made it to 10 chapters! Thank you all for sticking around, I greatly appreciate seeing all of your names in thements ^.^ Addressing some TL mistakes C in Chapter 236 regarding Kryptonian, I misread as 봽, thetter of which ispay-to-win, while the former is actually self-harm-to-win.Thank you for pointing that out! Pretty big and egregious mistake if Zhang Dexian were to appear in future chapters and I fumbled his actual ability T_T. Please do not hesitate to point out any mistakes, Ill review them again and make necessary changes as soon as possible! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, feel free to do so at /slicedbreadsbakery! I am doing this as a fan of the webnovel and I am not getting paid to do so, so any amount helps to further motivate me! <3 Chapter 239: I Know What You Are Chapter 239: I Know What You Are Silver light and golden lightning shed on the ughterhouse grounds, phasing towards the mud-like mass of flesh before them. A fist imbued with the power of the Heavens and a broadsword imbued with moonlight struck and shed at Levis putrid remains. However, after a few seconds, it was as if the mass of flesh was brewing like stew, and a violent roar emanated from the mass. Blood shot out like a geyser, morphing into rotten teratomas mid-air as it cursed and sizzled on the ground it fell upon. Mosquitoes and flies grew and festered from the dirty mass of flesh, flying about in all directions like thick clouds of smoke. Green mes spat out from the mass flesh, spreading rapidly across its disgusting, amorphous blob before its putrid body was burnt into a crisp, leaving nothing behind. All it left behind was a charred outline of what it once was. Jiangli and Zhang Dexian nced at each other, as if they were asking each other: How the hell do we deal with this strange Witch with strange amplification powers?And at the same time, their eyes drifted towards Lu Yibei, and they were visibly startled, not realizing that she had already stood up at some point. Great job! the Witch pped expressionlessly, though with an excited tone. Wonderful job! Amazing! We defeated the raid boss! What should we do now? Werent you Jiangli muttered in surprise as the corner of her mouth twitched slightly. immobilized? Paralyzed? the Witch boasted. Well, Im fine as a feather now! How did you recover your psychic energy so fast? Zhang Dexian frowned. Bah, something about how humans are able to recover at different speeds. Am I not allowed to stand up? Should I go back toying down? Lu Yibei turned around and cursed, Tsk! If it wasnt for the both of you looking as if yall wanted to get rid of me, I wouldve justid down and rested for a bit! Of course, the Witch was simply pretending to be drained of her psychic powers. Yes, it was consumed from her amplified fireball attack, though not to the point of immobilization. If she wanted to, she could easily fling out two more spells. And nothing more than that. She took into ount the psychic energy needed to power her (Imitation) Divine Horse Armor, and that in itself might only allow her to cast just one spell. Hence, she allowed the two of them to deal with the remaining dregs of Levi. Life is full of dangers! When I have help around, it makes sense for me to save myst-resort-ability for emergencies, right? Plus! That disgusting blob what if it faked its death? What if its blood corrupted me? Or what if it self-destructs and brings me down with it? On the other hand, Jiangli stared at the stoic, young Witch before her, but hesitated to open her mouth: If she really is the Lu Yibei I know, it would be reasonable for her to exercise caution no matter the situation, but I still need further confirmation, she added in her heart. Jiangli raised her eyebrows, stepping forward to talk with the Witch. At this moment, however, a cold, chaotic wave of psychic energy broke into her detection range. She immediately brought her guard up, and nced at the other two, who were also looking at the source of the psychic fluctuations. They could see a dark shadow flying from outside the ughterhouse as theynded right in front of them. The figure wore arge, ck cloak, clipped together with a skull-emoji badge. A pair of furry cat ears could be seen underneath the cloak, and as the figure took off their hood, it revealed a cute looking cat girl who greeted them with a smile. Seeing that the three of them were being cautious and defensive of her presence, she smiled once again, Dont be afraid, Im not your enemy C my name is Meow Xiaoqi, and you can call me Xiaoqi. You may know me as the user [100 2/3 Cats]. Due to unforeseen circumstances, the review ends now. Congrattions for passing the review! Were way ahead of schedule! Seeing the excited cat before them, Jianglis eyes trembled slightly. Its her Lu Yibei stood aside and nced at Xiaoqi, and her eyes pulsed with excitement. She wanted to ask her a long-awaited question, but Zhang Dexian, like arge iron tower, stood between her and the cat girl. Oh, so youre the one who forced me into this fucking game of yours? Inviting me into your little group chat that I couldnt even leave or report? Zhang Dexian pointed an usatory finger at Xiaoqi. Ive been tolerating this little game of yours for way too long, and Hey, hey, calm down, Xiaoqi shed a salesperson-like smile. I know youre excited, and I fully understand what youre feeling, but the reason why we Actually, Yibei whispered to Jiangli. You can, in fact, report them. I did so multiple times. Xiaoqis ears twitched, and the memories of the group chat getting banned flooded into her brain. The corners of her mouth seemingly twitched for a moment, and she paused before continuing her exnation. Were doing this for the confidentiality of our organization. You see You see, theres a trick to reporting their group chat Yibei continued to whisper to Jiangli. Xiaoqi red at the Witch, suppressing the anger in her heart. This review is to verify your strength, and clearly, if youre not strong enough And if youre brave like me, Yibei continued to whisper. You can pester and annoy the admin of the group chat C look, I made more than 20 yuan by forwarding these ads to the group! And I get to report them after too! Wanna try? Are you done yet?! Tsk, were not talking about you! Yibei pouted. Its rude to barge into our conversation! Yeah, right! I can literally hear you talking about me! Xiaoqi grumbled. Jiangli allowed the Witch to yap on, ncing at how sincere and determined she was in taking down the group chat. Doubt casted itself onto her prying eyes. Finally, the Witch stopped talking, and Xiaoqi could finally finish her exnation without getting interrupted. well, thats all I have to say about our group chat. Later, I will send all of you a private message, and provide a URL leading to our website, a.k.a., . Lets all get along in the future! You may all leave the ughterhouse grounds. Xiaoqi bowed to the three of them, turned around, and left into the shadows. Yibei couldnt help but frown watching her leave. Our contract will they send someone to me? I mean, she just left, but thats good too C when you sign a contract, I must use my real name, but Im still not sure if Mew Mew is Jiangli what if she eavesdrops when Im doing the oath to the contract? Is it over for me? Thinking about it, she turned to the side, noticing that Mew Mew had been staring at her for the past minute. Her clear, ssy eyes were studying her, as if looking through her and prying open all the dirty little secrets hidden deep inside her heart. Ah, uh Yibei cleared her throat, avoiding Jianglis gaze. Its gettingte, isnt it? I think we should head back so we can get a good nights sleep. She hurriedly turned around to leave, but a slender, fair hand ced itself firmly onto her shoulder. Turning around, Yibei was greeted with that terrifying smile from hell once again. Dont go. Lets have a nice, long chat together. When Meow Xiaoqi found thenky man by the bushes near the gate of the ughterhouse, he had no recognizable human form. He was like a puddle of blood-red pulp, and his clothes and body were torn into pieces. His barely visible head was covered with big bumps that resembled the markings of a crowbar, and his mouth was swollen as if he had just eaten spicy noodles. His entire form was disfigured beyond recognition, and it was difficult to look at him. Meow! O-over here! B-by the bushes- ack! As he called out to her, a little blood sprayed out from the corner of his mouth. Oh my god, the cat girl retched as she pushed aside the bushes. What happened to you? I got beaten up, genius! Xiaoqi was silent, but recalled what had happened earlier, You know what? You deserve it for barking up the wrong tree. What can I say? I am a simple man C any hole is a goal. Well, is it over? thenky man sat up and asked. Its over. Its a pity that Xiaoqi recalled her fight with Shue, and couldnt help but get annoyed remembering how it ended. It was true that Levi attempted to call upon the Eclipse Society to aid him in battle. However, Shue used this as an opportunity to save himself instead. The fight between Shue and Xiaoqi was reaching its peak, with Xiaoqi wing closer and closer to his heart. Sensing an escape opportunity, Shue broke free from the wall of bones, and exposed his ck Sun Totem tattoo on his back. Immediately, the tattoo resonated and shook the forest clearing violently, and all that was left was the afterimage of Shue. Xiaoqi tried to pounce on him, but the afterimage shattered into nothing. he escaped? thenky man asked. Yeah. Hey, we survived! thenky man tried cheering her up. Remember what our boss said? Were still in our infancy stage, so there is no way we canpete with behemoths like the Night Division and the Eclipse Society. No shame in losing, even though you didnt exactly lose. By the way, could you lend me your phone? What for? Ah you know I need to search up some dirty stuff to recover, or thenky man looked through his swollen eye sockets, caressing Xiaoqis thighs. you could let me pet your little kitty cat to speed up my healing process What the fuck? Why didnt that rabbitdy just kill you and get rid of you? she looked at him with disgust, tossing her mobile phone towards thenky man before running away. Hey! Where are you going? Im heading back! We must inform thatdy that Levi is dead! She spent so much money trying to get her revenge, and if we keep her waiting, she might just drop dead on her own! And the cat girl continued. Im not staying her to watch you D.I.Y. your healing process. What the hell? Thenky man thought to himself. Listen! As a state-of-the-art pornstar, I never chase for physical pleasure, rather, the artistic and aesthetic enrichment of bodies exchanging their energies with one another! And thus, another night ends. Everyone who participated in the review got the answers they wanted, and Xiaoqi will send a private message to them soon. The Night Division will notice what happened at the ughterhouse soon. It wont be long until they send teams out to investigate this ce. But that has nothing to do with me. Lu Yibei wanted to leave this ce as soon as possible. Llla I was never here, I dont know anything Hey! Lu Yibei, wait up! Im talking to you! is it over for me? Her heart tightened, but she continued to walk forward and ignore the sounding from behind her. Just as the two stepped out of the ughterhouse, Jiangli hurriedly ran ahead of her, deliberately blocking her way by mming her foot against the ughterhouse gate. Ah, my bad. Were you talking to me earlier? I was thinking about some other stuff. Well, I have some other stuff I would like to ask you. This Witch has the ability of amplification, with a lower limit of an amplification greater than zero but less than one, and an upper limit greater than fifty. She also cannot stop talking, and she have facial paralysis. What is the probability that she is Lu Yibei? Jianglis answer was 90%. If only the Witch in front of her wasnt a girl, and a strong one at that, she wouldnt even have that remaining 10% of doubt. With such obvious, defining characteristics, Yibei would always be the first to be caught as a criminal. Of course, she couldnt reveal her identity to her, and she couldnt let anyone in the Night Division know she was here. The urban legend group chat must continue to exist. It is a serious crime for Night Division members to participate in activities like this, but She needed more evidence toplete what she needed to do. Well, I guess we can talk Great. Are you Lu Yibei? what the fuck? Yibei was now 100% sure that the girl standing right in front of her is Jiangli. She must be here for a reason. The Jiangli I know wouldve drawn out her sword and get rid of a Witch instantly, but she didnt; she had many opportunities to do so in the ughterhouse, but she didnt. Plus, she decided to disguise herself as Mew Mew, which means she has a reason to conceal her identity. I get it now! Were in an actingpetition, and I am the #1 Actress of Huachengs Kindergarten Drama Competition! No matter what her reasons are, I just want to get by without being sent to the mental hospital I dont know who that is, Yibei replied. Lu Yibei, Jiangli said sternly. Hes a member of the Night Division. A man, mind you, who cannot stop talking even if his life depended on it, with a face that cannot move. He is a scary man C I reckon that he has several murder cases tied to him too. Be careful if you know him. Jiangli seemed to put extra emphasis on the words be careful. Okay, that is simply not true I have never killed anybody, Yibei cursed. Ah, Night Division, I know that ce! Ive been with somebody who works there, but I have no idea the person youre talking about. Ooh, ooh, and, she continued. I met two girls C one kind of looks like a mushroom, and the other she was pretty, but she wasme! Can I leave yet? Yibei didnt wait for her reply, tossing her guitar bag over her shoulder and walked out of the ughterhouse. Alright, shes not chasing after me, which means she doesnt intend on exposing me yet. If she doesnt do it now, she wont do it in the future either. Yibeis steps picked up paced, but came to an abrupt halt when Jiangli called out to her. Lu Yibei! Ill gift you the full Bai Xiaohua Summer Celebration Swimsuit Figurine set if youe back! Do you want it? Yibei stiffened for a moment, and gritted out under her breath, Of course I do! Then, she bit her tongue hard, and continued to walk forward without answering Jiangli. Watching the Witch leave, Jianglis eyes narrowed. Youre determined, Ill give you that. Jiangli was about to give up, but the Witch suddenly turned around, and blurted out, By the way, want to y mahjong together sometime? Jiangli was just about to answer with an enthusiastic Okay! but immediately bit the tip of her tongue. The two of them looked at each other with silent understanding, as if they were telepathically telling each other, I know who you are, and you know who I am. Its good if we dont tell anyone our secrets for the time being. Moreover, it was as if they were threatening each other with a silent, If you tell anyone, youre done for. After an intense, tacit staringpetition, the two of them suddenlyughed. Meanwhile, Zhang Dexian walked out of the ughterhouse after reading Xiaoqis message and bandaging his wounds. Passing by the two girls, he felt a strange sensation creeping up his back. Looking at them, his body trembled in fear, almost bursting open the wound he had just treated. It was still dark at the ughterhouse, and the two girls were smiling at each other C one of them smiled like a stiff ster statue, while the other one smiled like a demon crawling out from hell. Christ! I thought there were still monsters lurking around Zhang Dexian thought to himself. TRANSLATOR NOTES: What a satisfying ending to their secret identities! Im d it turned out this way instead of a dramatic one! As always, if youd like to support me, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery! Chapter 240: Waiting For Somebody Who Will Never Return Chapter 240: Waiting For Somebody Who Will Never Return Although [Varia] and [Genius Mahjong Girl] imed that they were just having a friendly exchange with one another post-review, Zhang Dexian refused to believe their obvious, unjust lies and politely declined their invitation to having morning tea together. They are obviously not friends whatsoever! Coupled with those eye-catching smiles of theirs Leaving the ughterhouse, he walked alone along the path that was littered with old houses under the wee hours of the morning. Tapping through his phone with a cracked screen, he clicked on the DM sent by Meow Xiaoqi, and sighed as he read the message. Ah a real beast-of-a-man like me walks alone, but I didnt expect to gain a newpanion Now that he knows the whereabouts of the first Divine Artifact, all he could do was move towards his goal. One day, our sect of Vajrayana Buddhism will rise again, nting our roots and cementing ourselves back into the world No matter how dark the night is, dawn wille once agin! He looked up into the starry sky above him, and it was as if the face of a kind, old monk could be traced within the constetions. He couldnt help but shed a few tears, calling out, Master!Eep! What the hell are you shouting in the middle of the night for?! You wanna die?! Leaving the ughterhouse, Lu Yibei tread along the path slowly while fiddling with the core of an urban legend in her hand. It resembled a ball of meat, but strangely, rather than its texture being tender, it was hard like stone. No matter, it is delicious nheless. She may have thought that the bald, invincible man was weird, but now, she thinks that he is a good person. He got rid of three urban legends on his own, and she walked up to him and shamelessly asked for a core. Unexpectedly, he plopped one of their cores onto her palm. Eat enough and youll be thick skinned, she thought to herself. The Witch led the way, while Jiangli trailed behind her like a phantom. From time-to-time, she would look down to read the encrypted files on her phone, while looking back at the ughterhouse to ensure nothing was following them. [JULY 14 The King isnt eating as much anymore, but his weight says otherwise. In fact, the rate at which his weight is increasing is simr to that ofst years hormonal-period. I decided to inform the factory director about this, but all I got was a threat that if I stuck my nose in ces I shouldnt be, I would be fired immediately. Has he gone insane? There are people dying, damn it. Their family members have been phoning us anding to our office demanding for an exnation, and all he could think about is investment, opportunities, profits! To think he even sent his men to threaten the persons grandmother to shut up Maybe getting fired isnt as bad as it seems.] [JULY 21 The Kings weight is far exceeding the expected rate, even when taking into ount his previous hormonal-growth period. The factory director almost got his wish C he received an investment deal earlier today, and he was ted! However, something happened in the afternoon when he brought the investors over to see the King. I overheard that, once the King of Pigs Competition was over, the best pigs of the factory would be ughtered, and a full-pork feast would be held for the investors. The best pigs if not the King, then who would it be? The King let out a terrifying howl after the factory directors statement, mming his head against the metal fence of his enclosure repeatedly. The investors were so frightened that they turned pale. And, the fence copsed. The unimaginably thick, steel-tes of the fence came crashing down, and the King rushed out of the factory. Everyone was scrambling to protect the investors, but my attention was on the King, and its attention was on me. Even from a distance, I could see anger and resentment in those ck orbs. I have been working with pigs for over ten years now, and never have I seen such intense emotions behind those eyes. It was as if it was trying to recognize my face. For revenge. I hope Im overthinking it. The factory director scrambled to ughter all the best pigs in the ughterhouse, preparing a pork-only feast for the investors, but they left without a single word. It would be a waste to throw away all this food. Everyone tasted a little, and it was the best thing that anyone has ever tasted. It was, indeed, the best pig in the factory.] Jiangli was in a trance as she read through the journal entries when a hand suddenly ced itself on her shoulder. She immediately resisted the urge to elbow the perpetrator, and turned around to be greeted by Yibeis expressionless face. This must be what went down at the ughterhouse before it turned all you know. Where did you find this? None of your business. Come on! I thought we were friends now! Wont we be working together in the future? Nobody said that but you. Come onnnnnn, plus, I might know the olddy who was mentioned in the journal. Jianglis eyebrow raised, doubtfully asking, You do? Yup! Yibei replied, pointing a finger at an old house in the distance that was shrouded in the night at the end of the path, revealing only a vague outline. She lives there. When I first came here, I bumped into her, and she told me that her grandson went to the ughterhouse and never came back. And what did you Oh, me? I thought she was being creepy! I told her that, if her grandson had been missing for several years, she should have reported it to the police instead of telling me! Ah. Jiangli wanted to praise her with a firm Well done, but because of their currently precarious rtionship, she gave a curt response instead. Gently pushing the hand on her shoulder away, she continued to read the journal entries as they walked down the silent path. [AUGUST 6 The situation in the factory is worsening. The investment n failed, but the factory director still needed a way to pay the due payments for the equipment he ordered C capital turnover problems, it seems. Of course, that made everyone worried about employeeyoffs, but I was more worried about the whereabouts of the King. When the King escaped from its enclosure, nobody knew where it went. Some of them imed that it ran to the mountains during the chaos, but I dont think it left C no, its probably hiding in a deep, dark corner of the ughterhouse. Because from that day onwards, I could feel a pair of eyes staring at me. Lifeless, colourless eyes, like spotlights that stared at you in the sky, day and night they never closed, only to blink, and they never held much emotion in them. I saw those eyes, and they were exactly like the Kings. It watches over us, and it wants revenge. Washing upst night before leaving work, I discovered pig fur in the bathroom which resembled the Kings coat of fur.] [AUGUST 13 I knew it! The King is still hiding in the ughterhouse! And I can prove it! Many employees have heard strange, yet soft sounds that emanated within the factory. It was weak, barely audible, but it would always resemble the pained squeals of a pig, or somebody mumbling to themselves. Somebody imed they saw a huge, ck shadow hovering over the dormitory building, studying the employees that slept through the windows. Nobody noticed until he woke up from a nightmare, seeing a big, swine-like face outside his window. Like a pale, ck cloud that was alive. The pigs in the ughterhouse would be manic once in a while, attacking employees from time-to-time, as if guided by some strange, otherworldly force. Everyone med it on the weather, but I know that it must the Kings doing. The other day, I went to see the pigs in their pens, and their eyes Frightened, angry, pleading human.] [AUGUST 15 The King, it appeared! It attacked an employee that was once its keeper! When we found Yuichi, blood shot out of his mouth, and there were several teeth-like holes that bled on the side of his face. His ear was missing, and a strip of flesh was torn off from his cheek alongside it. Three of his fingers were violently bit through, revealing bone. When he was finally conscious again, he was asked what exactly he had encountered. He was silent, but he started to breathe heavily, before yelling, Pig! Pig! Pig! As he yelled, he stared straight forward, looking past his worried colleagues, as if his gaze met with something that cannot be seen with the naked eye. Was the King there with us? However, heter imed that somebody tall and burly had attacked him. I dont know the truth anymore.] [AUGUST 20 The missing reports of our employees have been stacking up recently, and the factory director, in secret, sent men out to search for the King. Huacheng is known to have many underground bunkers built during the war with the Japanese. When the underground subway system was built, these bunkers were dug out, however, some remained. Rumour has it that the sewers of the ughterhouse is connected to one of these bunkers. I shouldnt have suggested them to look into the sewer. They never came back.] [SEPTEMBER 13 Were losing more and more people. We can no longer afford to manage the pens with how little workers we have, and the pigs were starving. They killed and devoured each other, and the ughterhouse reeks with the scent of blood and metal. I told the factory director that we needed to hire more workers if we wanted to continue, so I brought in three new employees C big, burly, fully capable of doing the jobs we needed them to do.] [SEPTEMBER 21 Its just me and the director now.] All that was left was an audio file, but before Jiangli could tap on it, the Witchs voice floated straight into her ear. Theres something wrong with these journal entries C this person said that the King was the best pig they had in the ughterhouse, but went on to say the they killed the best pig to attract investors. Then, the King was allegedly still around hiding in the factory. Isnt it weird? Like, theyve eaten it, so where else could it be hiding? In their bellies? As she spoke, Yibei recalled the half-human, half-pig urban legend she saw in the ughterhouse, with teratomas littered across his body. Youre right, Jiangli murmured. After all, the King was a pig that was fed with alchemical potions, so its difficult to guarantee that it wont be causing problems after a human consumes its flesh. If one of them was weak in the mind, more problems would arise. After she was done talking, she finally noticed that the Witch was still clinging to her. I thought you said you had other business to attend to. Why are you still here? The Witch simply shrugged. Were probably taking the same path back. Nothing weird or suspicious about it. The same path, you say. Yeah. The same path. The same path that leads straight towards the Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration? Want me to give you a ride? Ah, the Witch blinked. Okay, not entirely the same path. Jiangli rolled her eyes, tapping onto the audio file. [ughterhouse.mp3 What are you talking about?! That pig died long ago, didnt it?! We ughtered it just for the feast, and you took a bite too! No, director. The King was and is always here. You cant see it, but it was always watching. F-fuck you! T-this is all your fault, isnt it?! I just know it! All these disappearances, and wait! What are you no donte any closer, or I swear Ill-] The audio file immediately erupted into a violent scream, and the sounds of flesh being torn apart could be heard. All that was left within the audio file was the sound of gurgling, flesh being torn, and the squeals of a pig. Skipping forward through the 30-minute long audio file which had nothing left but repeated gurgling and chewing sounds, she frowned, and the Witch next to her brightened up as if she hade to a conclusion. I get it now! The owner of the journal entries ate the pork contaminated with the alchemy potions, and became an urban legend himself! The journal entries and audio files are the result of him transforming into one! But the Witch paused before continuing. Somebody once told me that urban legends are powered by belief. In just a few months, powered by nothing but the employees of the ughterhouse is it really enough for the urban legend to exist? Jiangli raised an eyebrow at Yibei, and exined, If a catalyst exists, for example, an alchemy potion, belief will no longer be the primary factor for an urban legend to persist. In fact, the urban legends in the ughterhouse werent strong at first C gradually, as the rumours about the ughterhouse spread across the city, they became stronger. And Jiangli continued. The theory that belief births an urban legend is a well-kept secret in the Night Division C it is not well-known and not widely circted. How did youe to know this? what the fuck? I thought we already knew our true identities! Why are you still teasing me?! My mentor taught me, okay? Jianglis eyes narrowed slightly, as if she was holding in a grin, How interesting that even Witches like you have mentors. Tell me C what kind of mentor do you have? Ah uh nothing like you! the Witch scrambled. I-Ill have you know my mentor is like chocte C cute, beautiful, and everything! Nuwa, the Mother Goddess Herself must have put all of her energy into making my mentor! She could look good wearing nothing! Or even just a sack! okay. Thats what Im saying! If she wears a sack, then every single person in the world would start wearing sacks! When I look at her, it is like looking at the dewy mist and drizzle that paints a grand mountain in the background C the rain would fall between my eyebrows, and itll be like spring. I would be enlightened, I would know right and wrong, I would remember progress, I would remember my own feeble humanity, I would let others remember their own humanity, I would In the next two minutes or so, the Witch continued to ramble on and on, spewing out colourful words of grandeur for her so-called urban-legend-mentor. Okay! That must have bnced out all my bad karma! The Witch could swear that the girl before her was blushing, but it didnt seem like she was reacting at all. Jiangli waited until she stopped babbling and yapping, then nodded and asked, Anything else? Tsk! You just want to hear me talk good about you! I have nothing else to say C unless you want me to say that you have great child-birthing hips, and I dont want to die just yet! nope. Nothing else. She sounds like a greeeaat teacher. I hope you study hard under her, and not cause any unnecessary trouble. Jiangli nodded. She ended up adding more praises for herself so shameless! It was the darkest hour, and the ambient temperature was at its lowest point. This is usually when urban legends are most active, but the countryside about a kilometre away from the ughterhouse was cold and lifeless, with only dead leaves that fluttered in the air. Wandering through a dusty alley with shabby buildings scattered around the area, under a lonely streetlight closest to the path that leads to the ughterhouse, its pale light fell upon a haggard, olddy. She supported herself against themppost and her cane, standing alone in the darkest of night. Her cloudy eyes blinked towards the barely-visible outline of the ughterhouse in the distance, waiting for her grandson to return. God damn it. Yibei frowned as she walked down the path. Standing in front of the old woman, she asked her an all-too-familiar question, Have you seen my grandson? If you see him, tell him toe home However, Yibei no longer felt that she was creepy. Instead, she felt a little bit of pity for the old woman. The Witch opened her lips, but hesitated. She didnt know how to break it to her that her grandson had died a few years ago, and that she would be waiting for somebody who would nevere back. At this moment, Jiangli stepped forward, and stretched her finger out, which was imbued with a silver-white light. She flicked at the old womans forehead, and with a soft voice, spoke. Your grandson has passed away. You do not have to worry about him anymore C even if you wait, he will nevere back. What are you-?! Yibei was stunned, then grabbed at Jianglis shoulders. You cant just- Look at her, Jiangli said with a cool, calm tone. It was as if the old woman was enlightened, and she began to murmur to herself, Oh, is that so? Thank you I suppose it is time for me to leave As the old woman spoke, her body began to fall to the ground, like viscous mud. The Witch immediately held her hand out, but retracted it when she felt how stiff and cold the old womans hands were. She was dead for a long time. There was no life coursing through her pale, bone-y hands. Immediately, her corpse began to wither before them. She too, has passed away a long time ago, Jiangli patted the Witchs shoulder. The only reason shes still around is because of her lingering attachments to see her grandsone home. In a sense, she is an urban legend without a stable form C if we dont break the truth to her, over time, her legend will spread across the area, and the remaining residents of this ce will suffer. You may be kind, Jiangli exined. But being too blinded by your kindness is simply stupidity, and that stupidity can backfire on you! It seems that you and your mentor have a lot of things to learn C you mustnt be this stupid in the future! What the fuck?! TRANSLATOR NOTES: Extra long chapter today! And woah, that was a lot to take in C I do enjoy these journal entries/entries in the Night Division Records because they give such rich worldbuilding to the story! Do you feel the same way? Ill be d to hear if thats the case! As always, you can support me at /slicedbreadsbakery! Any amount helps to support the trantion! Chapter 241: Our Boss Wants to See You Chapter 241: Our Boss Wants to See You After casting the [Soul Invitation] spell to send the old woman back to the dead, the old woman felt peace as she shriveled into nothing, and the Witch quickly left before the old womans body turned to dust. Strangely, Jiangli felt as if she had gotten into a lovers argument with the Witch. Watching her figure gradually blending into the night, she couldnt help but sigh to herself. She understood why the Witch felt that way C after all, the old woman was not exactly dead. She still seemed alive, yearning and pleading for her grandson toe home. Over time, you will understand why. I got used to seeing this too many times. As the Witchs figure disappeared, Jiangli fished for her phone, and read the private message sent by Meow Xiaoqi. [100 2/3 CATS: The gambling game that you mentioned will indeed manifest in Huacheng again. It will appear around October, when the Winter Clothes Festival begins. As for where it manifests and ways to participate in the game, we do not know yet C we need to spend more time searching for information. But lets talk business! Work hard,plete tasks, and earn points so that you can redeem more mysterious answers at ater date! #LetsGetIt!] [100 2/3 CATS: PS: If you wanna know how to earn points, refer to the document I sent.] Jianglis eyes widened as she read the texts on her phone, and cursed, Damn it! I knew your shady organization would pull something like this! She did predict this earlier C when the urban legend group chat imed that, post-review, she would get to know all the details about the gambling game that would be held in Huacheng, she knew that things just arent as simple as it seems.Her face darkened considerably, and she shoved her phone into her pocket. ncing to the side, she frowned as she stared at the old womans rapidly rotting body, before fishing her phone out again to call for her maid, Hua. Hello? Mistress? I-is that really you? Who else? I I! Jiangli pulled the phone away from her ear as the deafening sounds of Huas crying sted through the speaker. What were you so worried for? Jiangli asked after waiting for her to calm down. I told you there was nothing to worry about. Despite the review itself and the Eclipse Society emerging being a little worrying, she decided to tell a white lie to Hua. Thank god, youre okay! Mistress, Ill be there in a second! Alright, Jiangli softly responded as her eyes drifted onto the rotting corpse. And could you bring some tools to help dispose of a corpse? So remember when I reserved a grave in the cemetery for Lu Yibei? Im afraid that itll be used in advance. Oh my god, no way, Hua stuttered across the phone. Mistress did you kill him off? What happened? Hua was internally panicking C it was already a serious vition that her Mistress went to participate in some urban legend chat group review, but I get it now! Hua thought internally. Lu Yibei mustve caught my Mistress in the act, and she killed him to silence him, and she needs my help to conceal the evidence! Were going to be like Thelma & Louise! M-mistress? Might I suggest that I turn myself in on your behalf? T-tell them that I was the one who killed him, and you caught me. Jiangli massaged her temples and sighed, No, its not what you think. Ill exin it to you when you get here. Really? Judging by what you said, Lu Yibei was there with you. Jiangli remained silent as she nced towards the distance, and replied, Do you really think that a coward like him woulde to such a creepy, deserted area? Well, yes, he did. In fact, he, or she appeared in such an unexpected form Makes sense! Of course. Lu Yibei is shameless; a coward who loves to run away. Flight-over-fight. He would never be seen anywhere near here. By the way, Mistress? Huas cheerful voice rang. Since were going to be using his grave, shall I reserve another one for him? Jiangli frowned at this, but replied, Yes, and I recall there being two empty graves right next to each other. Reserve those, so at least Ill have apanion when Im buried there. You know it, Mistress! Ill be right there! Leaving the ughterhouse, the Witch wandered about the outskirts of town until dawn, bathed herself in the morning Sun, and returned to the city in his original form. The sky gradually got brighter, and various civilians or students came and went. In the gentle breeze of the morning, steam from various hawkers permeated the air. The city was booming with activity. Everyone had their own roles to y, and none of them had time to pay attention to the young man who sat by the corner of a porridge hawker by the end of the street. Porridge topped with preserved eggs and lean meat was plopped onto his table, but Yibeis gaze was still affixed onto his phone. He looked just like a juvenile, who just pulled off an all-nighter at the Inte caf. Reading the private message that Meow Xiaoqi sent, his fathers death was, indeed, not an ident, and it was caused by the Eclipse Society. The Eclipse Society was targeting his father because he was escorting something important that very fateful day they were on the bus. [VACCARIA: What was he escorting?] Meow Xiaoqi informed that neither her nor the group chats informants know. She suggested that the fastest way to obtain this information is to establish an extensive, underground web on the urban legend forums by issuing hefty rewards, and using arge number of points or items equivalent in value in exchange from information. Could it really be the Eclipse Society It all made sense to him C after seeing the Eclipse Society tattoo on the mysterious mans back, he fell into a trance-like state. His brain mustve erased the memory to protect him from further mental and emotional harm. Even then, somethings missing Im the one who imed my fathers relics, and I burnt them all. I remember this very clearly. Plus, when the bus ident happened, my father had nothing but a change of clothes, his phone, and wallet. Nothing else. Did the Eclipse Society seed in stealing the item? Nothing is missing, though. Pondering for a moment, he typed a message to Meow Xiaoqi. [VACCARIA: I thought you said youll send someone over to sign a contract of alliance with me, but its all radio silence on your end.] He felt that he couldnt fully trust the information given by them just yet. [100 2/3 CATS: Our boss said that, in order to disy our sincerity, they will visit you in person one day, and sign the contract on the spot. For now, sit back and rx!] What the fuck? A strange, terrifying being who seems to be the leader, or boss, overseeing a group chat of powerful urban legends and psychics wants to meet up with me? How the fuck am I supposed to rx?! He suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, remembering the few years when he was a keyboard warrior online and would type beautiful words to get back at nastyizens. Of course, who could resist the sheer serotonin of talking shit about people youll never meet anyways? [VACCARIA: Online matters should be settled online, since all of you do your work online anyways. I dont think theres any need to meet in person.] [100 2/3 CATS: You literally asked to sign a contract in person.] [VACCARIA: oh.] [VACCARIA: Can I choose our meeting ce?] [100 2/3 CATS is typing] [100 2/3 CATS: Our boss said it was okay. Go ahead.] [VACCARIA: Cool! Lets meet at the Huacheng Folk Culture Research Administration, right at the end of Peony Street.] [100 2/3 CATS: ???] [100 2/3 CATS: Youre not serious, right? I know what that ce is! Are you trying to throw our boss in jail?!] Yibei shrugged as he stared at his phone. Im kidding! I swear! Its just a joke! Well, even if it was a joke, thats the safest ce I could think of! [VACCARIA: How about Huachengs University of Science and Technology? We could meet at the library.] If we cant meet at the Night Division, then well meet at a ce with tons of people in broad daylight. With that many eyes around, they cant pull off something funny, right? [100 2/3 CATS: Okay.] Yibei nodded to himself as he read the message, downloaded the appendix that Xiaoqi sent him, and ritualistically tapped on the [REPORT USER] and [BLOCK USER] button. Even though hepleted the review, he didnt want her contact in his phone. Tapping on the appendix, he carefully read through it, and had a preliminary understanding of how the urban legend chat group, and by extension, the forums, worked. Earn rewards by publishing bounties ormissions on psychics, humans, or urban legends. You can also publish bounties for fallen urban legends he murmured to himself as he scrolled through the appendix. This is exactly like what Gu Qianqian told me about that little group chat of hers. The procedures seem quite formal, and they dont seem all that dangerous. But where do they get their information from? How do you confirm that you havepleted amission? He tapped on the link on the appendix, which brought him to a website. In an instant, his phone was stered with a bunch of brightly-coloured ads, blinding text, and sting with deafening music. The Macau Crown Casino is now online! Join us, and have a sexy, beautiful dealer deal your cards, mmph! Fuck?! He hurriedly turned off his phone and put it face down. When he looked up, he found that the entire restaurant was ncing at him with strange looks thanks to the lewd message that yed out of his speakers. Immediately, he stood up. Three minutester, he ran out of the porridge hawker store in despair, carrying a bag of breakfast for Jumeng. On the way back to his apartment, he fished out his phone again. With his experience of [Dad barges in while I watch a film while hiding underneath my nket], he left the website, looked left and right, mute his speakers, then opened the website once again. Following the instructions in the appendix, he waited until a website disguised like small ads hovered over several other ads. Immediately, he could tell that it was the website mentioned in the appendix. Dancing between the ads was a skull emoji, and he immediately tapped on it. After the page loaded, he couldnt help but be stunned C an orange and ck colour scheme, with the structure of the web page it resembled a certain website that starts with the letter P and ends with a B No! I have no idea what website that is! Scrolling through the website, he stopped at the column on the home pagebelled with [RECENTLY COMPLETED BOUNTIES]. The bounty listings in the forum piqued his interest. Clicking onto it, the firstmission was by an ount with a garbled ID, and themission was about hunting urban legends in the Southern Suburbs ughterhouse. The reward was an additional ten-year lifespan. Reading themission, his mind drifted towards the old woman who lived near the ughterhouse. The secondmission listed was by an anonymous urban legend, and themission was a bounty put on a man named Li. He didnt recognize the name, but he sure did recognize the face stered on his screen currently. He was one of the two men who participated in the reviewst night. What the-?! He stole money via sexual, fraudulent crimes, posted indecent, perverted videos on the Inte, and forced a pregnant woman tomit suicide by jumping into a river?! Reading the reasons listed on why a bounty was put on Li, he couldnt help but sigh. He felt that this website was a little scary now. In fact, the statement of I wont let you go even if I die, rang truer. Most of these urban legends seemed to be newly-formed ones, and it is not easy to hunt somebody down under the protection of the Night Division. And Although it was highly unlikely, he wonders if anybody would stumble into this website while searching for [Tutorials On How To Choke My Chicken]. Putting his phone away, he put his phone back up when he received a voice message from Professor Ma. Ahem! Lu Yibei, its been a while! Whats the progress on the essay I instructed you to do? A-ah, he tapped on the voice message button to reply. Ill give it to you in ss tomorrow. Immediately, he sent a text to Jumeng. [YIBEI: What the hell? Whats the progress on the essay I instructed you to do?] [SMELLY GODDESS: I forgot! I was ying video games (?>?<>) [YIBEI: Are you fr rn?] [SMELLY GODDESS: Next week! I promise you! Itll be done!] His eyes narrowed as he read her message. He excused himself into an alley, and fished through his pockets for the core of an urban legend, taking a few photos for Jumeng. [YIBEI: What if I give you this? (core.jpeg)] [SMELLY GODDESS: ] [SMELLY GODDESS: Give me an hour!] [SMELLY GODDESS has switched their status to Do Not Disturb. They may not be able to reply to your message immediately.] I cant believe were worshipping gods when gods are literally just like us. If I have enough cores on me, will she warm my bed?! When he returned to the apartment with breakfast, he was greeted with the sight of Jumeng. Instead of her usual, sloppy makeup, she seemed prim and proper, with a clean T-shirt and her emerald-like hair tied up into two buns. She donned a pair of sses from god-knows-where as she sat cross-legged at the coffee table, staring at theputer screen as her fingers rapidly flew across the keyboard. Yibei couldnt help but get a little emotional seeing how focused she was onpleting his work. Good job, party! We killed them in just one rotation! ?! Jumeng looked up from her game screen and gave an awkward smile, Hi! Your essay will be done right away, just you wait! Yibei sat down next to her at the coffee table, and peeped at the chatting software that was opened on another tab. Beep! Why did an old man just send you a message? he asked, frowning. You see, the thing is Jumeng scratched the back of her head. Im waiting for my people in the Garden of Peaches to send me their own little essays. Listen! Your essay is about the people of Dongyi, correct? A big part of Dongyi culture rtes to me, so So? so, I asked each of my followers to write me a 500-word essay regarding the history of the Garden of Peaches, and surrounding areas as an offering to be bestowed to me. Ill sort them outter. He couldnt believe it. Professor Ma gave me homework, I gave my homework to you, and you gave my homework to your people its giving Matryoshka dolls Can these essays even be considered as sacrifices? he asked, curious. Jumeng nced at Yibei, and waved her hands at him, shooing him away, Youre not a god, so you wont understand! Literally anything can be an offering C beer, sunflower seeds, melon seeds, small, portable fans, power banks Pause. You sound like a vendor of an all-purpose store by the side of the street. And absolutely, I am, Jumeng shrugged. As long as I tell them to sacrifice something, theyll do it without question. Score. I just obtained divine, mythical knowledge for free. Du Sixian, your time ising! Wait, shit, Yibei sat back down. Could you, uh, ask your followers, or people, or whatever to attach a reference whenever possible. Its an academic essay, so Bah. Small matter, Jumeng smiled, typing up a new message. [P.S.: Each reference made counts as an additional sacrifice to me!] something feels awfully weird about this. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Story Discussion: (potential spoilers?) I have a hunch that the item Yibeis father was escorting is Yibei himself. It would make a lot of sense considering there seems to be weird time shenanigans going on in the story. If youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by tipping me at /slicedbreadsbakery! Any amount helps! ^.^ Chapter 242: Are You Trying to Make Me Your Assistant or Your Hitman? Chapter 242: Are You Trying to Make Me Your Assistant or Your Hitman? Lu Yibei wasnt sure whether Jumengs way of obtaining information is reliable, but he was most definitely sure about how efficient it was. In just an hour, Jumeng received more than 2,000 sacrifices from her followers, and it took only about half an hour to filter out the repetitive or nonsensical contents that were sent in. Jumeng confirmed the information with one-by-one, and the two yed Fall Guys with each other in their short break. Two hourster, a lengthy, eloquent essay more than 13,000 words long was written C much longer than normal essays, and almost the length of an entire thesis. Finally! Jumeng stretched. Alright, fork the goods out. Give me a second! Im looking for it! Jumeng followed his gaze, and noticed that he was staring outside the window, Are you serious? Its still morning out, and youre already nning to leave? Even with me around? As the old saying goes, its good to look forward to uing ns, aha Yibei muttered. Jumeng held her chin and gazed at him, before nodding, Not bad, Lu Yibei C your earthly skills of reeling in a woman is improving. Be honest! Are you messing around with a female behind my back? For the slightest moment, the image of a beautiful girl with tanned skin and blonde hair shed in his mind, and he murmured, Youre right my senior at the Night Division is a bit- a female dog.Fumbling around his pockets, he grabbed the urban legend core, and gingerly ced it on Jumengs pristine, jade-like hands. Jumeng studied the core, which resembled a crystallized pork belly, and frowned as she looked up at him. Somethings wrong. is it poisoned? No. Something is wrong with you. How did somebody like you kill an urban legend this strong? Did you not just receive your runes? If we really wanted to be specific, this is a Level B Threat in Night Division standards! And youre not injured?! Ah, uh Yibei stuttered, unsure what to reply. If I tell her that if potential powers erupted in me thanks to fight-or-flight, and I used my kitchen knife to slice it precisely in half, would she believe me? Hell no! What a stupid lie! I can never say that! As he was fumbling trying toe up with a lie, Jumeng wordlessly brought her hand out, disying the contract mark on her hand that was pulsing with a red gleam, indicating that he was lying and breaching the details of their contract. Tell me the truth. Youre acting like I want to make shit up! Arent you hunting my Witch form down? I cant! Yibei was uneasy, but Jumeng simply sighed and turned away, Forget it, youre always in fishy, shady situations anyway. I dont really care, to be honest. As she spoke, she plopped the core straight into her mouth, and it was as hard as iron. She bit off half of it with the sound of metal crunching, and beckoned Yibei over. Bei, I know you bought porridge for breakfast C give it to me. This core is as greasy asrd, so I want to bnce it out with so porridge. Okay! Okay! Here! he responded, handing the vegetarian porridge over to her. He watched as she took a swig of the porridge and bit at the core, consuming them. At this very moment, he realized that Jumeng is a real, high-levelled, powerful urban legend, swallowing the core of a Level B urban legend like it was nothing but breakfast. Jumeng swallowed thest of her food and was smiling contently. Seeing that she was in a good mood, he immediately asked, Meng, do you know anything about Dawa Gengzha2? The scenic area up in the mountains? Jumengs eyes widened a little as she looked at him up and down, Well, of course! Why? Are you nning to go travel? I really want to go there, he said expressionlessly, yet with a tone of sadness. Before my father died, he promised that we would go there together, but Its a month before winter break starts, he continued. I n on going there to take a look. Like Im fulfilling hisst wishes. Jumeng discreetly nced at the mark on the back of her hand, but it remained dim and dormant. No. You cannot go. What? Why? That very ce you mentioned is where urban legends gather, just like the temple dedicated to me in Taoyuan1. Do you understand me? Its dangerous! Does that mean you restrict its ess, then? Do you not let outsiders into the Garden? Of course not! Jumeng raised her chin. I am a reasonable, benevolent, considerable goddess. I would never do that to an outsider. Plus, the Gardens temple is a national treasure, ranked as a 5A scenic destination! We earn so much from the entrance fees and merchandise store! no wonder you dont turn outsiders away. Youre just big and greedy! However, listen up C the peak at Dawa Gengzha is different, Jumeng whispered. Ordinary humans can go, so can lone psychics. Id wager that ordinary urban legends can go too, but not you. Why? Because youre a Night Division employee! Jumeng said with a serious expression. The leader of the urban legends who reside there hates them! Your death is almost guaranteed if you go there. Is it really that serious? Yibei frowned. Are they that strong? Im sure the Night Division has taught you about the Night Parade of 100 Demons, correct? I, the Great and Dignified Lord Jumeng, hosted three of these parades in order to upy the entirety of Taoyuan. Yibei nodded C information about the parade is avable inside the Night Division Records, and it was also found in the Serpents knowledge that was bestowed onto her. To put it simply, strong urban legends, through a special ritual, will connect their spiritual energies with the Earths veins over a certain area. Then, that specific territory will be considered theirs. In a sense, its like a dog peeing to mark its territory. For example, the dimension inhabited by the Serpent within the bamboo scrolls is the result of this ritual and parade. Of course, there are other benefits to this parade, but there are no records found detailing the benefits in either the Night Division Records or the Serpents memory. Now that you know that your favourite goddess has hosted three of these events, how many times do you think the leader up on Dawa Gengzha has hosted these rituals? He shrugged. Thirty-three times. Jesus! Oh, youre scared, Jumeng smirked. I cant estimate how strong they are, but Im sure you have a rough estimate by now. The moment you step into the mountains, youre gone. Even I cant perform divine interventions and save you. So, youre saying that you would save me if I run into trouble? his eyes watered. Uh, Jumeng hesitated. Hell no! Youre practically asking for it if youre trying to climb up that mountain! Its none of my business! Tsk! Youre so cruel, he rolled his eyes, then turned around to go upstairs to get his guitar bag. Then, he hurried down and locked himself in the bathroom. He stepped on the toilet, took three bottles of Disaster Liquid from the ceilingpartment, and carefully stuffed them inside his bag. After witnessing their power at the ughterhouse, he felt that keeping these vials of Disaster is like a ticking time bomb at home, and they have to be disposed of as quickly as possible. Yibei? Shit! I noticed youve been locking yourself in the toilet a lot recently and I think I know why. Hearing this, his heart tightened, and he almost slipped off the toilet. Are your kidneys okay? Bitch! Youre the one with bad kidneys! he blurted out. What the-? Its okay! Do you know what your favourite goddess specializes in? The maniption of fertility seems to ovep with health, too, so I can help you cure your kidney disease! Wanna try? Its a patented 3000-year-old form which takes effect in three hours! No added sugars inside! get out! Meanwhile, in the corner of Lu Yibeis apartment. There was silence among the apparitions who overheard their Witchs and Jumengs bickering. The dentures,ing closer to his friends, spoke seriously, Do you think what the goddess is saying is true? youre suffering from kidney problems? the wig fluttered. Dont get me wrong C Ive be stronger recently, and Im starting to recover a lot of memories from my past life. In my memory, I got a friend Is the friend you? the eyeball interrupted. No! Im as strong as a bull! Its okay, we understand, the wig caressed the dentures. If you want that kidney prescription, lets make our Witch suffer from kidney failure! Makes sense! Ill sneak to his phone and download some information on it for us! Hey! I want a part of this too! the wig fluttered. We dont have anything wrong with our kidneys, but we need the funds to build an organization! Selling that prescription might be a good choice! And thus, a brand named [Witch & Co. Kidney Solutions] popped up overnight, established without the Witch-in-questions knowledge. Leaving the apartment on his way to the University, Yibei was finally alone with his thoughts. Analyzing the Serpents knowledge, he sessfully crafted his first alchemy potion to cover his deficiencies, gained knowledge about the ghost market, and established a channel to trade psychic items through Shui. If it hadnt been for the review, he would have went to the ghost market to trade his Disaster Liquid for materials. He had already nned on selling the liquid over to the obese salesman in the market, and buy materials from him at the same time. However, I recall Shui saying that he is not a very nice person. If he guesses what I am from the materials I buy, it would be bad for me. Plus, after obtaining information about Dawa Gengzha from Jumeng, he felt a strange sense of urgency to go there. My fathers death is not an ident C the urban legend group chat confirmed that. I must find out why he died, but I cant just rely on the group chat to supply me with information. Moreover, he needed to find out what exactly his father was escorting. That could probably exin everything he needed to know. Although Jumeng said that the leader is extremely powerful, as long as I am able to defeat them, surely it will be fine? I just need some time to train and prepare! If I put my mind to it, I can do it! He soon reached the printing shop by the gate of his University, and he took out the USB from his pocket, handing it over to the owner. Excuse me, could you help me print out the document inside this USB? Sure thing! the owner said, clicking about on hisputer to retrieve the file from the USB. In a few moments, the owner gave him a sheet of papers containing his essay. Half an hourter, in Professor Mas researchb. Lu Yibei eyed Professor Ma with the gaze of a child who was caught copying answers from his friends, but still determined to not let up the truth. Professor Ma read through the paper in detail for more than ten minutes. asionally, his face would scrunch up, and his brows would furrow; he would make strange sounds like, Oh? Ah. Hmm. Hmm from time-to-time. [afraid.jpeg] Yibei never expected Jumengs work to be good, but now, it was no longer a question of her reliability, but a question of how outrageous the paper was. Yibei? Yes! Yibei, your essay is a bit informal in terms of professional, research-based writings, and its strangely novel C starting from the history of the Dongyi people, to their worship of totemic gods. Very few schrs have mentioned about various factors brought up in your essay. Ah, I see This cant be anymore novel, considering that the essay came from the Great Goddess of Dongyi herself However, I like it. Are you interested in publishing it? what? This was outrageous from the very beginning, but it only became more outrageous. Professor Ma is very strict academically C to say that he likes the paper means that the writing is of high quality. You dont want to? Professor Ma asked, noticing his gaze. I understand C the writing is informal, but I can help you revise through it. When the timees to publish it, put yourself as the author, since youre the one who wrote this. Just make sure to put my name in the acknowledgements, hehe! It was obvious that he loves this paper. Professor Ma, is the paper not silly though? I mean I barely- What are you worried about? Professor Ma patted on the stack of papers. Yes, your research may not be thorough, and the views superficial, but it provides valuable information considering how rarely mentioned it was. In my opinion, this opens up avenues for further research to be done. Or you would rather be the one doing the researching on your own? Yibei simply blinked. No. Im just feeling guilty because Im not the one who wrote the paper in the first ce! If I am continuing with research, Id have to hold Jumeng down and milk her dry of her information! No, no more research. Ill publish it. Thats what I want to hear! Professor Ma smiled. With this paper, youre almost one of us now! You can fight back anyone who says otherwise. Uh, what the hell? Ill let you in or something C a joint research project on the culture of the Dongyi people has recently beenunched by Yanjing University, Professor Ma disclosed. You seem to be talented in terms of researching them, so I am nning to take you in as my assistant. N-no. No thank you. I dont want to. Remember thest time we researched the bamboo scrolls? And a lot of bad things started to happen? Surely you dont want to continue researching about these things, right? Yibei trembled. What are you talking about? This will help your qualifications! You can get a postgraduate degree with ease if you do this! Yibei was afraid that he wont live to see that day. Arent you scared of what might jump out again? Yibei said in a low voice. Judging from all the information I collected just to write this essay, what happens if I stumble upon things I shouldnt be seeing? Itll be much, much, worse than what I saw in the bamboo scrolls. Yeah! Much, much worse! That damned goddess is feisty and has a bad-mouth all she does is eat and drink all day and can somehow cure kidney problems in just three hours and most urban legends cant beat her. Youre scared, Professor Ma! Admit it! Oh Professor Ma broke out of his trance, but immediately, he answered, Thats why I want you to be my assistant! Professor, be honest C are you trying to make me your assistant or your hitman? Yes. Man, old people suck! Act your age! Seeing how flustered his student was getting, Professor Ma got up, and patted him on the back, Its just a mild suggestion. If you dont want to, forget it, but Ill just go ahead and find another student to could you give me time to think about it? Immediately, Professor Ma beamed. No rush! This project wont beunched until spring next year, so you have two months. Just give me an answer a week before it starts. Well, do I have to publish this paper at the library? Yibei asked. Go! I will take care of the matters rted to publishing. I hope nothing bad happens in the future he cursed inwardly. Well, Ill leave it to you, Professor Ma! TRANSLATOR NOTES: 1. Taoyuan:Taoyuan is a district in Taiwan, but Taoyuan also trantes to the Garden of Peaches, which is Jumengs implied domain that she watches over. Im not exactly sure which Taoyuan Jumeng is referring to whenever she mentions them in this chapter, but its most probably a separation of ce-for-humans and ce-for-Jumengs-people kind of situation, considering the exnation for the Serpents bamboo scroll world is given underneath. I thought this was a little confusing while tranting it, so Im just writing it down here in case you are too. 2. Dawa Gengzha: Dawa Gengzha is a scenic, mountainous, tourist destination in China, and it means beautiful, sacred mountain in Tibetan. As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery! ^.^ Thank you Alex for your kind donation! Chapter 243: You Killed The Clone?! Chapter 243: You Killed The Clone?! The library of Huachengs University of Science and Technology has undergone renovation twice and quadrupled in size over the decades. Its unimaginablyrge, and on normal days, even though many students linger within to study, some areas still seem deserted. However, when exam season rounds the corner, academic masters and st-minute) academic masters would crowd inside. No matter howrge the library was, it couldnt amodate for the sheer insanity that desperate students hold. It was also as if studying in the library would please the God of Examinations, blessing you to pass your exam. When Lu Yibei entered the library, he was pleased to see studentsing and going. Just as I thought. Exam season equals to crowded library, a.k.a., a great ce to meet the so-called leader of that urban legend group chat Taking out his campus card, he scanned it at the librarys electronic gateway system, and entered, looking for an empty seat. At a nce, there were no seats left for him in the endlessly bright library filled with endlessly bright minds. He had long anticipated this, so he simply took out his phone, opened the group chat, and scrolled to find for the contact who could not be removed from his friends list even after reporting, blocking, or deleting it. [VACCARIA: Im at the library. Where is your boss?]10 secondster [100 2/3 CATS: Our boss will meet you at around 12 o clock.] ncing at his phones clock, it was only seven minutes past ten in the morning C two hours before their fated meeting. Wandering through the endless sea of students, he finally found a few unupied seats in a rtively quiet corner at the top floor of the library. Four tables, surrounded by bookshelves C a conducive environment to study silently. Generally, this location would be great for studying, with books hastily piled around and on the table. However, no bags were seen, indicating that it was unupied. A thin girl sat near the corridor, farther away from these seats. Looking closely, he could see ayer of dust on the books and table, as if the students were deliberately avoiding this table. Weird. Why isnt anybody sitting here? Stepping forward and cing his bag down, he saw a yellow post-it note pasted on the table. [Somebodys here] As he stared at the post-it note, someone suddenly tapped him on the shoulder. Turning around in shock, he could see the thin girl, who was wearing a pair of round-rimmed sses with her hair tied into a pair of braids. She seems tired. Finals season, perhaps? Hello, are you a freshman? the girl asked. I advise you not to sit here. Its bad luck C you should sit next to where I am. really? Is that even a thing? Unlucky seats? Im not giving up an empty, secluded area for free! How so? he inquired. The girl nced at the post-it note still pasted on the table, moved closer, and whispered, That sticky note was left behind by a senior, and she was killed that very night she left her seat. Rumour has it that her spirit still lingers in the library to return to her seat to finish her studies As he listened, his eyes drifted to the empty seat, and he felt strangely cold and unweed. It was as if the sticky notes was radiating a warning, sealing the seat with a sinister, unweing aura. Vaguely, it was as if somebody was sitting there, casting a gloomy, unfriendly face filled with malice towards him. And, she continued. Students who sit here end up bing injured or sick C some students even broke up with their partners after sitting here. Nobody who sits here leaves without a bit of bad luck, so no student would sit here willingly. Moreover, she got closer again to whisper. A student who worked here part-time was busy organizing books, and she saw the girl after closing hours. She sat there, covered in blood, with nothing above her neck Oh? Is this the same girl who was murdered by Gate No. 4? he asked, with a slight frown. Oh, so you do know about the rumours! Heard of it, he responded with no expression. He thanked the girl, found an empty seat in the other corner of the library, and sat down. Knowledge is power! As a studious young man striving for knowledge, he originally nned to take advantage of the time to finish his work. However, even with his book spread out in front of him, he found that he couldnt move his pen to write a single letter. He couldnt help but look towards the table where the headless girl had left behind yet another urban legend. Although he didnt have much contact with her, he knows that she is shy, and holds deep, emotional ties to this school. Hence, there was no way such a shy urban legend would make bad luck befall onto a student C something must have forced her hand. But why? Thinking through all the possible reasons, an hour passed unknowingly. When he came to his senses, the time on his phone disyed [11:40], and he hurriedly cleared his table. Finishing, he looked at the time on his phone again and froze. [11:55] He was very sure that cleaning up his books and stationery would not take longer than a minute. However, the time on his phone was elerated, making him feel as if he had entered some sort of time dtion area, stealing him of his ten minutes. Just two books and my charger and ten minutes has passed? Something seemed very wrong, and he hurriedly left to go towards a more crowded area. He felt as if a tiny man resembling him popped up in his mind, with the letters and symbols [1s, -1s, 1s, -1s] beating against his brain. Many bookshelves towered over students in the library, blocking the office-like lights to cast shadows. The books were all tightly arranged, but left some gaps in between for other books to be put into. From time-to-time, students could be seen passing behind the bookshelves. He walked between the bookshelves, and a strange idea imnted itself into his mind. A female protagonist would take a book, and would see the smiling face of the male protagonist behind the bookshelf C but, what happens if the person on the other side of the bookshelf is not human, but an urban legend who spies on students? If I take a book now, will a pale, scary face jump-scare me?! Or a bloodied hand holding a knife?! And itll stab you as soon as you take the book out! O-o-or something that cannot be described in humannguage, flying out from the cracks to devour you?! He felt incredibly uneasy taking this route, fleeing as he ran straight towards the open area of the library. There were many tables and chairs, with students who were busy studying or lounging about. The only sounds that could be heard are footsteps, the turning of pages, low, hushed voices, and the tick-tocks of the clock. Immediately, his tense nerves rxed. I love humans! I love students! I love students who study! They are so kind! Among the vast army of students preparing for war, he found a quiet corner in the open area, and sat his back against a stone pir of the library. He took out a textbook to pretend to read, spread it open on his knees as he made sure to keep one hand inside of his bag, feeling around for his kitchen knife. When needed, he can draw the knife and deal with whatever jumps on him. [11:56], four minutes before meeting time. Tick-tock, tick-tock. A pretty, fashionably-dressed girl started walking towards him. Her eyes were visibly reddened, and her mascara was flowing down her cheeks, as if she had just cried. Is this her? He nced at his phone. Still 11:56. The girl simply walked past him in a hurry. When it was 11:57, his phone buzzed and vibrated, and he could see the Jiangli had sent him a message. [Come to my office a littleter than usual today. I have some matters to attend to.] Yibei simply replied with an [OK], then put down his phone. Soon, a boy walked over to him. The young man seemed tall and muscr, with long and messy hair. He donned a pair of ck-rimmed sses C the librarys blinding lights reflected off the lenses, making it hard to see his eyes. He also donned a mask, covering the lower-half of his face. The young man squatted down next to him, and Yibei raised his head to look at him. He was immediately greeted with a gloomy face, with big eyes that were surrounded by an unnerving white. Hey, buddy, mind if I ask ya somethin? he asked with a hoarse voice, as if he has a cold. do I know you? No, but I see that you have the same phone as mine, he joked. I wanted to ask if you have a charger, and whether I could lend it to charge mine. okay! Fifty yuan for one hour of usage, take it or leave it. The young man was visibly stunned, and disgust, contempt, and the loss of camaraderie shed in his eyes. He coughed lightly and left in a hurry. ncing down on his phone, it was 11:59. One minute left Strangely, he became nervous, ncing about. He made sure to keep his eyes on the fat man with pus-filled pimples, and the young couple flirting with each other, and the janitor who was emptying the trash, and Which one of you is the boss of the group chat? If they dont disguise themselves as a human, would they really be able to appear in front of me? In front of all these students? The minutested strangely long, and he made sure to check his phone again and again. It was as if time had stopped, and his phones clock remained at [11:59]. At the very moment when it jumped to [12:00], his breath hitched, and his surroundings became extremely pin-drop silent. Even a library couldnt be this silent. He couldnt hear anymore footsteps, or the sound of turning pages, or the hushed whispers of discussion, or the consistent tick-tocks of the clock. Raising his head, he saw something strange C every single person had their heads lowered, with their gazes affixed onto their phones. No longer were they deep in discussion, or frowning from academic stress, or flirting with one another C they were all deeply engrossed with their phones, as if it was sucking away their very soul. As he watched all of them in a silent shock, something touched him on the back of his hand. It was icy-cold, like metal, but it had a soft body, like adybug. It was small, light, crawling across the back of his head, sending shivers down his spine. Bugs?! In my library?! His brain gave an order as his body stood up immediately. Without looking down, he felt the bug fall from his hand, and immediately, he stomped on it. Bam! Bam! Bam! Immediately after, the dead-silent library returned to normal. All the sounds that he once took for granted came flooding back into his ears like music. He looked around, and saw that activity had went back to normal, as if they werent bewitched by their mobile phones just a minute ago. He frowned at this, fishing out his phone. 12:03. Are theyte? Or maybe they already did appear, but I didnt pay atten- no, it cant be. Bringing his shoe up to him, he frowned slightly C he was sure he had just trampled a bug to death, but he couldnt see any mucus, or broken insect limbs under the soles of his shoe. Instead, all he saw was ck ash that resembled crushed graphite. Shit. As he thought about it, his phone vibrated, and it disyed a message sent by Meow Xiaoqi. [100 2/3 CATS: You did not just kill our boss clone. To think that our boss decided to visit you in person] [VACCARIA: Your boss is a bug?] [100 2/3 CATS: I fucking knew it! You stomped our boss to death, didnt you?!] [VACCARIA: Listen! In my defense, I thought a person woulde to meet me, but I didnt expect a bug Im sorry, okay?! (shibainupensive.jpeg)] [100 2/3 CATS: You being sorry doesnt fix the fact that you killed them. (policewomanwithbaton.jpeg)] [VACCARIA: Trade offer! I wont report your group chat today! Im sorry! I truly am!] Dozens of seconds pass. [100 2/3 CATS: IDGAF! You shouldnt have reported us in the first ce! ?? Forget it C our boss sent me a text saying to head over to anywhere with aputer in the library, and theyll send another clone to meet you.] Aputer he frowned slightly reading the message. Recalling where hest used aputer to check for information, he put away his phone and walked towards the location. When he came to theputer, he hastily typed in the title of a random book, and scrolled endlessly while waiting uneasily. The next moment, the library fell into a dead silence once again. Turning back, he could see students suddenly being bewitched by their phones again. He shook his head, turning his head back to the screen. Strangely, hisputer screen seemed to be facing a system error, disying a blue screen, but with no text on it. All he could see was a white dot in the sea of blue, hovering in the dead centre of the screen. The white dot then grew gradually, soon upying the entire screen. Looks like an egg, he thought. Reminds me of T*modachi. Finally, the egg made of pixels hatched, and a pale bug emerged from it, crawling along the edge of the screen. Its body visibly grewrger among the pixels, as if it was flying towards him, and In an instant, the cold, hard disy screen was like rippling waves C bright red, green, and blue pixels glitched out of the screen as it dissipated as soon as it came, with a harsh, deafening sound of electric that rang in his ears. The pale bug burst out from its prison,nding on the table with a chirp. It was a chubby insect with a pale, metallic body, about the size of an index finger. Its eyes resembled mung beans, and a small, arc-shaped mouth formed by pixted dots. If anything, the face of the bug resembled a smiling emoticon. Staring at the bug, he felt nervous. He could feel terrible psychic energy fluctuations radiating from the insect. Though it wasnt very strong, he could sense that it was part of much, much bigger body, as if it came from an ethereal ne. Its a clone, right? That might exin it. As he was studying the bug, the bug opened its mouth. Greetings, the obviously-metallic voice, resembling a certain virtual singer greeted. It is pleasant to have finally meet you, dearest Varia, the Witch who has inherited the powers of the Ancient Goddess, Nba, and the Witch, Lilim. I am pleased to have finally make your acquaintance. Due to inconvenient reasons that have dyed my ns, the bug continued. I am unable to meet you in person, so I have chosen this form instead. I deeply apologize. Listening to the strangely formal speech, he was obviously stunned, and could only blubber out a response, Uh, um, Im sorry, yeah. Sorry for stomping on your clone earlier. It is no matter C clones do not expend much psychic energy, the bug exined. Meow Xiaoqi has informed me that you do not trust our organization, and are seeking an alliance contract. Is that correct? Uh, yes? Which fucking stupid bitch gave you such useless advice? Fucking stupid prick with no bitches, fucking- ?! My apologies. Mynguage database is based on vocabry collected solely from online sources. Sometimes, it may scourge out unwanted information. I hope you understand. I understand, Yibei nodded weakly. Again, I dont think I can trust your organization without a contract. Simple as that. Facing such a peculiar person with insurmountable amounts of psychic powers with such an interesting personality, he found that he has to pretend to understand its speech even though he didnt understand it. The insects face morphed from a ?? to a ?? as it spoke, I have an alternative, but I am unsure if you are willing to try it. TRANSLATOR NOTES: I would like to apologize for thete chapter C I genuinely did not realize it was Friday yesterday, and ced my head down on the pillow. When I finally woke up, it hit me very, very hard anyways, doesnt seem like its a Night Division visit just yet, so we have to stay tuned and see what this enigmatic Boss has in store for our Witch As always, if youd like to support what I do, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery! Any amount is appreciated! Chapter 244: May Mew Mew Be With You! Chapter 244: May Mew Mew Be With You! First, youete, and now, you try to give me an alternative when youre the one whoste. Interesting! Lu Yibei nced around him, confirming that the entire library was still bewitched by their mobile phones. Lowering his voice, he whispered, Youre telling me you have other ways for me to trust your organization? That is correct. Would you like to give it a gamble? the bugs face morphed into one of confidence. Absolutely not! he yelled after hesitating for a tenth of a second. Ab. So. Lute. Ly. Not! I dont even know your name! Or what kind of urban legend you are! And you think that I can trust you? he continued. Like hell I will! A weird bug overseeing an entire organization who knows of my true identity it knows all of me better than I know myself! What will I get myself into if I believe this stupid bug?! Where do theye from? Do they have a physical form? Do they I expected as much, the bug responded amidst Yibeis garbled thoughts. It wiggled its backside, and then leapt onto Yibeis shoulder firmly. Yibei kept staring at the bug, trying to guess what it was doing. However, the bug simply took off without him knowing. Like a strange, tiny ck hole had swallowed the bug, leaving nothing behind.A strange premonition gued itself in his mind, warning him that something ising, and it was toote to dodge. N-no! Is it too fast? Or does it have any special abilities?! The urban legends at the Southern Suburbs ughterhouse had terrifyingly powerful psychic fluctuations, and despite that, Yibei was able to predict their actions with ease. However, he found that he couldnt predict in advance the actions of the bug, which filled him with unease, especially with the warning his brain gave him. S-should I be scared? Or should I just stomp on it and run away? Ms. Varia, or, Mr. Varia? My apologies, I am unsure how you would prefer to be addressed as. just my name will do. I understand, Varia, the bug rended on his shoulder. To disy my sincerity, I shall inform you about the kind of urban legend I am C and as you can see, I am a bug. Yibei blinked, Do you think Im stupid, or? If youre just a bug, then Im a stupid bitch! A stupid bitch with no bitches in all neen years of his life! The little bug squirmed, revealing a cute, tiny hand out from the side of its body. It brought the hand up to its head, and disyed a ??, Oops! You got me! I guess I really cant trick you! all those big words to make a tiny fool. Well, to be honest, the bug chirped. I do not actually know the kind of urban legend I am. After all, I had just awakened not too long ago. If you wanted to guess, I assume that I am some sort of urban legend rting to the Inte, or an artificial intelligence. Yibei simply squinted at the bug with a skeptical gaze C there was no way he would believe the bug without finding sufficient evidence to prove its origin. Inte addiction is like a gue that poisons the younger generation C their phones devour their souls, the rise of artificial intelligence threatening their existence. You have heard of these, havent you? The conspiracy theories regarding the future of humanity. Can these things even form urban legends? Well, imagine you are on the toilet, and a beluga whale emerges from it C do you ever imagine why that happens? Uh Yibei pondered, before answering the bug. Maybe the whale wanted to scare somebody, but failed, and was sealed into the toilet, enduring its fate for three whole years. Now that its sentence is over, it broke out of the toilet, killing anybody that sits on it. Then, it bes strong, but loses all of its hair C it decides to retire and be obsolete; it gets married, and has a granddaughter named Chibi Maruko-chan. The bug blinked at him, taking a few minutes to process the intense imagery that Yibei just described before speaking, My apologies, but quick question C what in the actual fuck are you talking about?! Is it possible for us to have one normal conversation? Youre supposed to go Woah! Why would there be a beluga whale in my toilet?! I cant believe a Witch like you has this much shit in her mouth! the bug eximed. Even the toilets jealous! And I cant continue on with what I want to say! Yibei stared at the bug for a few seconds, before sighing and speaking in an extremely exaggerated, yet expressionless tone, Woooooooooah. Why would there be a beluga whale in my toilet The bug smiled in satisfaction as it exined, The very same reason that exins my existence C I dont know. There is no way to exin either scenario. To answer your first question about my name, I have taken on many IDs in the past, so I never had a concrete name. Youre born from the Inte, correct? Why dont you just name yourself the Virtual God, Virtual-anything, or if you really wanted to be mysterious, Null? You make a good point, the bug pondered. Your proposal is good. I will consider the name. Now, the bug chirped. Enough introductions. Lets get back to business, shall we? About our cooperation. Excuse me? You heard me the first time, the bug nodded. Everybody in the organization wants you in, but I am sure that an outcast like you would not want to be subject to bureaucracy, correct? Actually, no, bug C that is not the truth. As long as I am able to earn a fruitful living, I literally do not care C Ill just leave the killing and the setting people on fire to silence the witnesses to the rest of my colleagues. To be honest, the bug continued, taking Yibeis silence as confirmation. Other than signing an alliance contract, I cant think of any other way to gain a hundred percent of your trust. However, once the contract is made, we cannot do any harm onto each other until the contract is met. That is inconvenient for all parties, correct? After all, we may strive for the same goals in the future, but hold different opinions, the bug continued. why does it sound like they are nning to betray me before we even start our cooperation? You know what? Thats good! I appreciate the honesty! Gives me all the reasons to stab all of you in the back when the timees! Okay, Yibei nodded. I agree C but again, I cannot trust you without a contract. There is a simple way to circumvent this, the bug disyed a smiling emoji. You do not have to believe me C I know you are skeptical of us from the very start, but try toplete somemissions on the forums, and we will exchange it with information that you want to the best of our regtions. Moreover, you canpletemissions for resources C that way, if the information turns out to be false, you still earn something from it. I hope you consider it. Yibei fell into deep thought. Its a tempting offer even if the information is false, the false information muste from something, which means that I can use it as reference. Plus, I can gain resources I need. However I cant help but think that this bug is hiding something from me C does it truly want to cooperate with me for nothing in return? I dont believe it. I have said what needs to be said, the bug squirmed as it leapt back onto the table. It is almost time, and I will be on my way. Would you like to see me off? Sure thing! As soon as Yibei said that, a thick textbook rolled into a cylinder came whizzing out of his hand. m! The textbook smashed straight down onto the table with a crisp sound, and the ambient noise of the library turned back to normal. The students seemed confused as per why they were suddenly bewitched by their phones, but went on to continue with their work. And on the table, all there was left was a lump of ash that resembled graphite. Yibei felt his phone vibrate, revealing a message from Meow Xiaoqi. [100 2/3 CATS: Did you just kill our boss clone again?] [VACCARIA: ??? Your boss asked me to see it off.] [100 2/3 CATS: ??????] At 2:05pm, within the endless corridors of the Huacheng Folk Culture and Research Administration. In a modern-looking room that contrasts from the outside, a silver-hair girl whose face was theplete opposite of the warmth of the room sat in front of a desk, staring at theputer before her. From time-to-time, she would pick up a teacup with the words [For The People] engraved onto it, taking a sip from it. The afternoon Sun fell through the windows, coating her with a light-gold shimmer, causing her moistened lips to glimmer. On herputer was unexpectedly, not the interface of an online mahjong game, but detailed information about a murder case. Jiangli hasnt been touching mahjong frequently these days, and only ys about thirteen rounds to maintain her skills. The rest of her time is spent on scourging and studying the variousmissions of the urban legend forums. After doing due research andparisons, she was surprised to find that most of themissions listed on the forums were closely rted to the cases that have been tackled by the Night Division. However, themissions listed were eerily detailed, as if they were being written by the victims themselves. Jiangli moved her mouse and stopped her cursor to study the gruesome, gore-filled photo on her screen. They are helping these urban legends fulfill their final wishes, but at the same time, they are hunting the most dangerous of them. Are they not as bad as I imagined them to be? No. Urban legends are still urban legends at their core C to believe that they have a conscience is to beplicit. but, should I ept thismission? Knock, knock. Come in. She quickly closed the forums, and called out to whoever was knocking on her door. She could see the all-too-familiar figure slipping in through the door, immediately shutting the door behind him. Good afternoon! Not ying mahjong today? Thought you mentioned wanting to get better at it. Jiangli nced at his expressionless face and calmly spoke, There is no need to get better at it when I am already at the level beyond the reach of ordinary humans. Awesome! You really are a genius mahjong girl, arent you? Jiangli blinked, Ive never been called that before, but yes, I suppose you could call me that. By the way, Lu Yibei, youve worked really hard at the Southern Suburbs ughterhouse yesterday. What the? Is she trying to hint that he cursed inwardly, before ncing at the teacup on her table and boasting, Well, of course! I am born to serve the people! I am for the people! They were like two warriors fighting against each other in a deadly battle, and neither of them could find a w in one another. Then, why didnt you report any anomalies immediately after repairing the seal yesterday? she asked. Uh, I forgot. My bad. I was busy with something important. And whats so important for you to neglect your duties, may I ask? I was, uh, watching Mew Mews stream? he blurted out. The two warriors continued to fight, and though their swords would pierce through each others armour, they finally found a middle ground. I see, Jiangli waved her hand, as if announcing for a temporary truce. I was merely just testing you C the seal of the ughterhouse is stable, thanks to your work. Good job C now, it is time for you to begin your next task. As she spoke, she opened the drawer next to her, took out several sheets of papers neatly stapled onto one another, and spread them out in front of her student. These are the new tasks that I have selected specially for you. Take a look at them. [URBAN LEGEND 3101 CODENAME: MISSING CHILD THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN FIRST APPEARANCE: NEW YEARS EVE CASE OVERVIEW: A CHILD ON FUCHUN ROAD MYSTERIOUSLY DISAPPEARED AFTER PLAYING WITH HIS FRIENDS. THREE DAYS LATER, AN URBAN LEGEND INCIDENT OCCURRED. ALL INDIVIDUALS AFFECTED REPORTEDLY RECEIVED AN INVITATION TO A GAME OF HIDE-AND-SEEK] [URBAN LEGEND 2204 CODENAME: THE HAPPY COMMUNITY THAT CANNOT LIVE BEYOND FORTY THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN FIRST APPEARANCE: APRIL 15th, 2015 CASE OVERVIEW: AN UNREPORTED URBAN LEGEND CIRCULATES WITHIN THIS COMMUNITY, WHICH IS KNOWN FOR ITS HIGHEST HAPPINESS INDEX IN THE CITY. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THEIR HAPPINESS COMES AT A PRICE, WHERE NONE OF ITS RESIDENCE CAN LIVE PAST THE AGE OF FORTY] [URBAN LEGEND 0102 CODENAME: CURSED NOTE THREAT LEVEL: UNKNOWN FIRST APPERANCE: UNKNOWN CASE OVERVIEW: CURSED NOTES ARE CIRCULATING WITHIN VARIOUS HIGH SCHOOLS IN HUACHENG. THOUGH INITIALLY THOUGHT TO BE A PRANK DEVELOPED BY STUDENTS, AFFECTED STUDENTS WHO DID NOT CREATE THREE ADDITIONAL COPIES TO BE DISSEMINATED ARE THEN MET WITH CONSEQUENCES. SEE ADDENDUM 1 FOR FURTHER INFORMATION] [Your love will never fade, and so will your loved ones. Huachengs Niujiao Mountain Cemetery wees you and your loved ones with open arms!] The first three files already filled Yibei with confusion, but when he opened up the fourth file, his expression morphed greatly. N-no! What do you mean by this? he asked, holding the leaflet up. Are you threatening me that if I dontplete these tasks, youll bury me alive?! Its not what you think, she exined, gently plucking the leaflet away from his hand. Generally speaking, before we bury you, we would need to borrow a special incinerator from the mental hospital and visit a crematorium Besides, she continued. As a member of the Night Division, it is reasonable to prepare a grave for our members as soon as possible. Uh Its one of the main employee benefits that has been around since the start of the organization. Thats a weird benefit. It is. Thats way too shady. I dont want to be buried C can I im some other employee benefit instead? She thought for a moment, before politely declining, No C pick one of the cases, see which one you like better. Varia, I have selected these tasks because they are the mostpatible with themissions in the urban legend forum! She added in her heart. From Jianglis seasoned point-of-view, there is an unquantifiable amount of danger in investigating cases that coincide with themissions in the urban legend forums. Hence, it is best toplete them with a partner. However, what she was doing goes against Night Division policy C the only reliable partner she could rely on was none other than Lu Yibei. One problem. I am unsure how to recruit him as my investigation partner. Uh, Jiangli? he asked shakily as he read through the files again and again. These cases seem a little scary. Are you sure somebody like me, a new Night Division employee, will be able to take them on? Oh, I would have forgotten if you didnt mention it, Jiangli exined. New recruits cannot take on cases with Threat Levels exceeding D+, but worry not! I found a loophole! She randomly selected a file and pointed towards the Threat Level on the file, All the cases that I chose have an unknown threat level, so technically, you are allowed to investigate them. Looking at his shocked face, she suddenly put on an elder-like tone with sincerity, saying, I am doing this for your own good, Yibei. I am trying to make it so you be one of the main Operators of the Night Division as soon as possible. For my own good damn you, Genius Mahjong Girl! I know what youre trying to do! He grumbled inwardly. I still dont think this is appropriate, he put his hands up in doubt. I barely even know how to cast a spell, and to take on a case like this? I think Isnt Bai Kai your guardian? Ill have you know that he is currently one of our strongest Operators of Huachengs Night Division. Are you telling me that he hasnt handed you anything to help you out? Did he not even train you? Thats weird. Thats very suspicious. He did? he pondered for a moment,ing up with a half-truth, half-lie, Shui only taught me how to cast a fireball, I think? Enough with all the I thinks. There is no need toplicate things, she interrupted. I believe in your ability to tackle on these cases. If anything, your little fireball would be more than enough toplete these. Please dont tell me these are the matters she had to attend to before calling me here. Wait C is she holding a grudge because of what happenedst night? She wants me dead, no?! He gritted his teeth, selecting a sheet of papers from the table before stuffing it into his coat pocket. He turned around, prepared to dip before Jiangli called out to him. Wait, Yibei, onest thing He turned around, only to be greeted with a terrifying smile that could literally stop a child from crying forever. You got this! May Mew Mew be with you on your mission! ?! TRANSLATOR NOTES: From thest chapter, both entities upying Yibeis body have actually been mentioned previously C Nba (or, just Ba) has sort of been mentioned (iirc, not frequently by name but by incantation) in the fire-based spells that Witch-bei casts (the one that starts with Deste wilderness, ash, you know, considering that Nba is the goddess of drought, and the incantation paints an image of drought. We can finally put two-and-two together, woohoo!). In (Witch) Lilims case, she has only been mentioned by nameonce in the epilogue of Season 2 (read on Nightcore Novels). Just writing this down to clear up some confusion in thements section! EDIT: (one day after posting) Ive switched up the TL a bit due to some mistakes in dialogue. Thank you catventurer4 for pointing them out, especially the dialogue part; I tried formatting this so that the paragraphs are spaced more evenly just like in NightcoreNovels so that it isnt an eyesore to read but :v not really sure how to fix this since it looks normal on the WordPress site, but I hope yall are able to bear with the inconsistent paragraph spacing ToT. As always, if youd like to support this trantion, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery! Any amount helps! Chapter 245: Do You Accept Disaster Liquid? Chapter 245: Do You ept Disaster Liquid? Getting kicked out of Jianglis office was certainly a confusing experience for Lu Yibei. Walking out of the gate of the Night Division, he couldnt help but look back with a frown. May Mew Mew be with me? Is she trying to hint that shell be apanying me on my task? Couldnt she just tell me? Why continue pretending to be Mew Mew? No could it be? As he was deep in thought, a spark of inspiration ignited within his mind, and he quickened his pace as he left Peony Street. Sitting in the taxi that drove further and further away from the Night Division, and far away from its detection range, he took out the sheaf of papers that were hastily stuffed inside his pocket. On the now-crumpled papers, written in a neat font, the case held detailed information about the mysterious, premature deaths urring in the Happy Community. Noting down a few keywords from the case, he folded it back neatly and stuffed it into his pocket before fishing for his phone.Tapping on his phone, he discreetly nced at the taxi driver through the rearview mirror, switching his phone to silent mode. He then turned on his web browser, entered a familiar web address, and skillfully tapped on the skull emoji that was floating about the endless horde of inappropriate advertisements. Then, he tapped into themissions section of the urban legend forum. Holding a deep breath, he tapped on the search bar of the forums, entered the query [Happy Community], and tapped on [Search]. As the page loaded, lo and behold, it was amission that swept away all remaining doubt within his mind. If Im guessing it correctly, Jiangli wants me to apany her inpleting themissions for the urban legend forums, not the other way around. However, how did they even gain her trust? To make a Night Division Operator tolerate their existence, and even participate in their activities? There are already too little Operators working in Huachengs Night Division, and now, one of their own Operators are hanging around urban legends. Isnt that a little too Plus! I didnt even agree to that bugs request yet! Considering that Jiangli had already epted themission, am I left with no other choice? Just as he was busy worrying about it, his phone vibrated, and a notification popped up from the urban legend chat app. [Genius Mahjong Girl has sent you a friend request!] ept. [You are now friends with Genius Mahjong Girl. Go ahead! Start the conversation!] [Genius Mahjong Girl: Are you online? Are you down to work together tonight? ??] [VACCARIA: No. Ive got to take a shitter at night.] [Genius Mahjong Girl: Even if we split the reward?] [VACCARIA: Listen I dont wanna work with the fake Mew Mew] [Genius Mahjong Girl: What are you talking about? I am the real Mew Mew! ??] [VACCARIA: Nuh uh, Im not buying it, unless you take a selfie with a fork on your nose.] [Mahjong Genius Girl: Ah. Cant really do that right now. Im using andline, so no photos!] [VACCARIA: ? ] [VACCARIA: Well, Im not free tonight. Lets discuss another time.] Yibei had already nned to go to the ghost market tonight to dispose of his Disaster Liquid and use it to purchase materials to make up for his shorings. He had no time whatsoever to apany Jiangli on her little mission. Moreover, even if he wanted to, its an urban legend with an unknown Threat Level C at the very least, he wanted to make some preparations before going there. First, Im going to make up for my weaknesses by reinforcing my runes and purchase some psychic items for self-defence. Then, Ill ept one or twomissions to confirm the legitimacy of the urban legend forums. After, Ill investigate the Happy Community, and im my reward. That is the easiest, fastest process I cane up with. [Genius Mahjong Girl: When will you be free?] Yibei frowned as he read the message, looking out the window of the taxi. Then, he swiftly typed out a reply. [VACCARIA: At least three dayster.] [Genius Mahjong Girl: Alright! Ill be waiting on you! ??] why does she seem more cheerful online than in real life? He wondered, tilting his head. And why does she keep sending this ??emoji? Is she trying to send me a hidden message or something? Im getting weirded out! However, as he thought about the strangely cheerful soul that was locked behind that cold, jade-like appearance of his superior, he couldnt help but find it cute. In an officebelled with a roman V, within the endless confines of the Night Division. Jiangli stared at the chat room opened on her phone, and when she finally received her subordinates reply, she couldnt help but let a faint smile escape from the corners of her mouth. Holding up her phone, she typed out a simple [Ill be seeing you then!], added another finger-heart emoji (which was the only emoji avable to her in the Recently Used section), and tapped on [Send]. Its not that difficult to pretend to be a cute girl on the Inte, she thought to herself. All I have to do is send cute emojis! Later at night, gloomy clouds converged into one another, and underneath therge shadows they cast, it seemed to put the entirety of Huacheng to sleep C everything was strangely silent, and in the darkness, urban legends awaiting their prey were ready to move. The dpidated streets in thete autumn held a thin fog over them, and yet, business people would appear from every corner of the city, walking through these streets like hazy, wandering ghosts. It was rare for a lively ce to appear after nightfall, and this is exactly where they would gather. The end of the day was the start of business for the ghost market. Gu Qianqian packed up all of herrge woks, gas tanks, various fried foods for sale, and turned over the wooden card on her street hawker cart that read [Fried Rice & Noodles] to reveal [Qianqians Grocer] on the back of the card. She then pushed her cart towards a deeper part of the alleyway. Her small business has been doing great the past few days. With all the materials she has exchanged via barter to obtain various alchemical materials, her ns to make an [Mini Artificial Sun] seeded, and sheunched it into the sky of the Serpents domain within the bamboo scrolls. The Artificial Sun beamed with light, sweeping away the putrid haze that polluted the evil world for millennia. As she pushed the cart forward, the system couldnt help but nag in her ears. Gu Qianqian, you must consider your next steps carefully, the system advised. It will take more than just a Sun to revive that Snakes world to help in your goals of cultivation. In my opinion, I dont think its worth it. If anything, growing potatoes there is more than enough. There really isnt a need to grow lets see what you suggested tomatoes? Rice? Snow peas? eh? Gu Qianqian was visibly confused as she asked. Didnt you mention something about performing miracles in front of the vigers to gather their faith? What happened to that? Did you not perform the miracle of [Five Fish and Two Loaves] to the vigers? Why do you have to farm when you can just spawn food out of thin air? The system had no idea why Gu Qianqian had an obsession for farming. With the funds obtained from selling forms and psychic items, they could easily solve the problem of hunger in the world concealed within the bamboo scrolls. B-but, I want to be like Shennong (ũ), the Divine Farmer! I want to introduce life to their barrennd, and provide them with ways to implement modern farming methods! Is there no greater miracle than self-sufficiency? Gu Qianqianined. She the system stuttered to themselves. Shes right! Is it because her runic patterns are closely rted to nature? Or is it because of her innate buff as a Gen-Z human to prioritize the living standards of her fellow human beings? Gu Qianqian, the problem is evident C such a miracle would take a long time toplete. Im worried that you wont have enough time. What do you even mean by that? Dont we have bamboo scrolls that tell us the recipe on crafting potions that help speed up nt growth? she asked. As long as we have enough materials, I am confident enough in my alchemical abilities! Its not much harder than making my handicrafts, to be honest! The system couldnt help but agree. After all, she was strangely talented in terms of alchemy. The system had never let here into contact with alchemy before, and was worried that something would go wrong when she crafted the [Copper Sphere of the Sun]. When production first started, there were enough materials to craft just five of them. Nobody, not even the system, would have predicted that she would seed, though barely, in crafting this medium-to-high difficultly alchemical item the second time she did it. By the fifth attempt, the [Copper Sphere of the Sun] was perfect and without w. This situation surprised the system, and they felt a little regretful that they didnt discover her talent in alchemical production earlier. If they did, they would select a runic pattern that could assist her in this matter. In the future, Gu Qianqian could refine an alchemical potion so devastating that it could wipe out Disasters like the World Ender. Just thinking about it made the system feel giddy. Just as the system was fantasizing in spraying that alchemical potion on the Witchs face, Gu Qianqian had already parked her cart in a remote corner. Looking left and right, she took out a bamboo scroll from her pocket that was sewn on the inside of her pants. Injecting psychic energy into the scroll, a stable portal the size of a manhole cover appeared mid-air in front of her. She then threw all of her cooking tools and the remaining unsold food from her cart into the portal. Leaning half of her body into the portal, she then tossed psychic items one after another out of the portal. [Mask of mour], [Potion of Wisdom], [Bamboo Scroll Replica], [Skeleton of the Serpent God] Yes, you read that right C the Skeleton of the Serpent God. Ever since the Witch killed the Serpent, causing the giant sinkhole to copse and seal on itself, the system was deathly worried that the Serpent would be resurrected, and asked Gu Qianqian to dig through its grave, harvesting its bones for sale. I did it for everyones good! Selling all of its ashes to prevent its resurrection! System? A viger with a t head told me that he found a glowing, bronze statue hidden in his house yesterday. He told me it might be a psychic item of some sort, and brought it to me while I was busy at the fields. Should we sell it? Her words interrupted the systems thoughts, and they asked, Oh? Where is the statue? Lets take a look before we sell it. Give me a second! she nodded, leaning half of her entire body into the portal once again as various items were tossed out of the portal. Hold on, I swear it was here just a second ago Found it, but she muttered. Uh I think something is wrong with it, system. What seems to be the problem? I think Ive seen this statue somewhere before. Well, show it to me! I might recognize it! Oooookay! she responded, hauling the statue out from the portal before plopping it onto the ground with a loud DUANG! The bronze metal of the statue outlined the figures toned muscles, and the statue itself held a cross, solemn face. Its arms were raised high up, holding a nuclear warhead firmly on its shoulders. Ah. Of course. If Gu Qianqians wasnt knocked out clean by this damned thing, she wouldve recognized it for sure! This is that damned Witchs statue that she carried at all times! System? System you there? I am here. This looks like Lu Yibeis statue! Gu Qianqian guessed, patting on the statue of Ac, the Immovables head. Its not just a looks like, Gu Qianqian C it is her statue! Why did that damned Disaster leave her statue in the Serpents world?! What is she trying to tell us?! Did she use it as an anchor so that she can observe us? And teleport inside whenever necessary? She mustve devoured Jumangs power by now, so she should be able to do this If that is the case, then everything that weve done under the Witchs nose is for nothing! Is that true? Gu Qianqian frowned. We should probably give it back to her. You told me that, as an upstanding citizen, I shouldnt take things that dont belong to me. Im just fucking worried that youll sell it because youre a big and greedy pig! Thats why I keep instilling you to be an upstanding citizen! I dont want you picking these strange things up to sell! This damned statue is obviously the Disasters back-up n, so if we give it back to her, its straight-up telling her that we discovered her conspiracy! Wevee so far, and my ns are finally back on track! If she gets angry, my efforts will turn to nothing! The system carefully organized itsnguage and phrasing, You see, that applies to humans, but Im afraid that doesnt really apply to urban legends and psychics. Since she is the World Ender, we cannot keep it with us, let alone return it to her! Do you know what happens if we return her weapon to her? no? It means that were helping our enemy! We cannot return the statue to her C we must get rid of it at a low price! When you set up stallter, ce it at the C-Grade section. As long as somebody is interested, no matter the price, sell it! Do you understand? Ooookay I got it. she pouted as she reluctantly responded, pushing her cart into the ghost market. Should be right ere! Zhang Dexian, the Invincible Man, stood at the entrance of a quiet, winding alley that seemed to lead to nowhere. Staring forward, he clenched his fists. An hour ago, he received information from the urban legend group chat that a member discovered that a certain stall was selling a Divine Artifact that he had been searching for in Huachengs ghost market. Hence, he rushed over after reading the message. With such a sacred opportunitynding itself in his hands, he was both nervous and excited to the point where he wanted to look up to the sky and guffaw. Staring at the entrance, he patted his face lightly and walked towards the ghost market. I mustnt let the seller see that I am too eager to obtain the artifact. Otherwise, they would drive the prices up! He had suffered this kind of pain countless of times when he first descended the mountain. As the night grew darker, the ghost market grew livelier. All kinds of strange psychic energy fluctuations would flow through the market, from stall-to-stall, to street-to-street. It was only then when Fu Er, the obese store owner, would ask his employees to open up shop. If somebody hadnt reserved an item today, he wouldnt have wanted to open up shop since his right eyelid has been twitching non-stop since this afternoon, which signified misfortune. As a veteran who had been in this line of business for many years, Fu Er was well aware of what brings in fortune, and what would bring in misfortune. If somebody powerful disguises as somebody ordinary, his store will be ripped to smithereens and he would die. Hence, he would keep his guard up at all times. He studied each person that came and went in his store, and his eyes blurred over time due to boredom. His thoughts would drift back to the time where he was still an errand boy in the ghost market. At the time, he remembered meeting a man who had nothing but bad intentions.What was his name again? Lu Ming? Hes nothing but a bitch! I dont really remember what he looks like, but he looks just like the boy in front of me wait a minute! His eyes widened instantly as he stared at the in boy walking towards him. His obese body trembled slightly, and beads of cold sweat dripped down his forehead. Taking in his appearance to confirm his identity, he took a deep breath. D-damn it, you scared me! Its just the son! I thought it was the father! Is he the reason why my eyelids have been twitching all day today? Reanimating the body of a human is scary enough but reviving the body of a psychic, or an urban legend? Thats way more terrifying! The most likely oue of a psychic or urban legend resurrecting is corruption! In truth, Fu Er was afraid that Lu Ming would be reanimated C if he did, what would he do? Seeing Lu Yibei walking up to him, Fu Er retracted his thoughts and wiped away his sweat and smiled, You came alone today? What brings you here? Well, Shui isnt free today, so he asked me toe by myself. Ill contact him once Im done here, Yibei exined, making sure to emphasize his godfathers name. Fu Er seems scared of Shui, Yibei thought to himself. If I mention his name, Fu Er might not be brave enough to trick me. After all, it is my second time here, and Im unsure of the customs I see, Fu Er smiled. Did youe here to buy or sell something? Im here to sell things. Oh? And what is it that you would like to sell? he asked, narrowing his eyes as he sat straight up with considerable difficulty. do you ept Disaster Liquid here? Disaster Liquid? Depends. If you have too little, we wont ept it. To Fu Er, Lu Yibei is merely a boy who had just obtained his runes to be a rookie psychic. If he identally came into contact with Disaster, he wouldnt have that much to begin with. Even though Yibei inherited both Lu Mings and Shuis striking appearances, favors will remain as favors, and business will remain as business. If this new precedent of epting too little gets spread in the ghost market, wouldnt he simply go out of business? Just as Fu Er was deep in thought, Yibei rummaged through his backpack and plopped five bottles of Disaster Liquid on the counter, and pushed it towards him, Is this enough? Fu Er was speechless. Is this too little? he frowned. Its okay, I understand C I have a little more with me in my bag. As he spoke, Yibei plopped five more bottles of Disaster onto the counter. Looking at the ten bottles on the counter, the corners of Fu Ers mouth twitched slightly, and he remained speechless. Ah still too little? I guess I have no choice but to Yibei frowned, reaching into his backpack again. Seeing him reach into his bag again, Fu Ers tiny eyes widened in severe shock, as if he had just gotten stic surgery to make his eyes be bigger. I-if he takes out five more bottles Ill show him! Ill show him what a real heart attack looks like! I dare you! I fucking double-dare you!Fu Er trembled. His face looks weird,Yibei thought, nodding in enlightenment as he unhanded the various bottles inside his bag. I get it! Hes testing me! Ill just Yibei only took out one additional bottle from his bag, cing it gently on the counter. If this isnt enough, then Im stumped, Yibei sighed helplessly. I got nothing left. TRANSLATOR NOTES: EDIT:Just realized this is an older version of the chapter literally just fell to my knees in the middle of the grocer. It should be all fixed now. My apologies for not realizing it was an older version. (CHANGELOG: From the section where Yibei visits Fu Ers store, he no longer shows up as Witchbei, but as Yibei. Dialogue is altered to reflect this change.) So guess who binge-read the entire manhwa of I Became A Witch me! Its pretty nice seeing how the characters are portrayed! It gives me a greater idea of how they look C to be honest, Jiangli looked exactly how I imagined her, so the author did a great job at describing her! On the other hand, the plot is drastically shortened in the manhwa, seeing that theyre finishing up the ughterhouse arc now C pretty nice for those who want summarized versions of the story, but updates to the manhwa are pretty slow ^^, understandable considering the art is really good. If youd like to support the trantion, you can do so at /slicedbreadsbakery. Any amount helps ^_^! Chapter 246: Shes Looking At Her Pork Trotters Chapter 246: She''s Looking At Her Pork Trotters I got nothing left, Lu Yibei shrugged. In reality, he has eighteen and a half bottles left inside his bag. Before he left, he took out half of the six bottles of Disaster that he hid in his toilet, totalling 3 litres. He thought that it might not be appropriate to sell them all to Fu Er, and bought thirty 100ml ss bottles shortly after leaving the Night Division and apportioning the Disaster to each tiny ss bottle. However, he identally spilled some of it while filling up thest bottle, and he couldnt help but feel bad thinking about it. Fu Er blinked as he stared at the eleven bottles of Disaster Liquid sitting gingerly on his counter, and his peripheral visionnded upon his backpack. This kid most definitely has some more, but probably not a lot; if he brings out ten more bottles, I might just get a heart attack and die right here and right now! In Fu Ers opinion, more than 100g of Disaster is a respectable amount, but the boy before him plopped several kilograms of it on his counter. It made Fu Ers heart skip a beat C not only because he can make money off of it, but also because it is extremely terrifying. W-what if it leaks? Or it explodes? Or I get poisoned?!He wasnt sure how to gauge Yibeis power, but he was definitely sure that Yibei is very different from him. However, the mass of Disaster is about four times that of pure water C with the eleven bottles before him, the mass of Disaster should be about five kilograms. If done correctly, he could make a profit of one kilogram of gold! Although it couldnt bepared to the price of high-quality psychic items, it is enough to tip the scales of Fu Ers judgement to his greed over his fear. Pondering, Fu Er muttered under his breath, Yibei, where did you get this much Disaster from? Uh Shui gave it to me. Yeah. Im not too sure where he got it from. When in doubt, me Bai Kai! Fu Ers pensive face rxed as he nodded: Ah, a gift from Bai Kai. That makes much more sense. If a new psychic like him shows up with this much Disaster on him, it would probably be foul y on his part! I wouldnt ept the trade offer no matter what! Yibei studied Fu Ers expression, and decided to attach another half-truth to his statement, I heard he was hunting down a Witch a few days ago C maybe the Witch left all this Disaster behind. Wait, wait, wait Fu Ers eyes lit up, as if he had just obtained important information. Youre telling me that all this Disaster came from a Witch? Dont Witches produce this? Is that a rare thing? Why is he getting excited all of a sudden? Yibei couldnt figure out Fu Ers sudden excitement, so he could only give a vague answer. Probably? Im not that sure. Fu Er sat in silence for a moment, then turned around and shouted further into the shop, Lin! Come over here for a second! The sound of footsteps shuffling drew from deep within the store, and not long after, a man with a gaunt figure and a face full of malignant sores walked out, kneeling towards Fu Er. Fu Er carefully held a bottle of Disaster and opened the lid, then rummaged through his drawer to find a needle. He dipped a little of the liquid with the needle, and handed it over to the man with the sores. Smell it. Tell me if ites from a Witch. I understand, the man responded with a strangely low and guttural voice. He epted the needle and brought it to his nose to sniff. Immediately, his eyes were blurred over as he frothed at the mouth. Then, he fell forward face-first to the ground, but before he fainted He didnt forget to stretch out a thumbs up towards Fu Er. Oh my god, what the fuck?! Is he? Yibei asked in shock. Hell be fine after lying down for a while. He likes doing this. excuse me? He likes to do this? He nced at the man who had just fainted, and suddenly thought of Jumengs baseless usations of him performing unsightly things. He couldnt help but feel a little sick. Damn it, that stupid, smelly goddess distracted me! Meanwhile, Fu Er put the lid back on the bottle, and swirled the Disaster around a little before nodding, It seems that Bai Kai did milk this from a Witch. Woah? Could we please not use the term milk? If we associate this word with Shui, I cant help but feel that he did something bad to the Witch a.k.a., me! Ah, by the way, Yibei C did Bai Kai give you a picture of the Witch while giving you all this Disaster, perhaps? Uh, no. Why? He didnt?! Fu Ers chubby face trembled excitedly. If a photo is attached to a Witchs Disaster, its market price will easily increase by fifty percent! Ill have you know Witches are all stunningly beautiful, Fu Er smiled as he continued. You see there are always some men who have weird hobbies C Im sure a young man like you would understand, right? Even a worthless item bes expensive after you attach ayer of two-dimensional skin on it. Shut up. Shut up right now. I dont know what youre talking about, and I definitely didnt spend more than five hundred yuan to buy that stupid Bai Xiaohua body pillow. Okay, fine. I did, but who else would call me their One True Love other than her?! As his thoughts evolved from denial to eptance, he nodded and responded with no expression, I dont get what youre saying, but no, Shui didnt give me any photos with the Disaster Liquid. Security risks aside from attaching my photos onto the bottles, selling myself out means nothing; increasing the price by fifty percent? I refuse! My integrity is on the line! Ah, pity. In that case, I can only buy it at the most recent market price, less 5%. Yibei nodded, understanding that business is still business. He still believes that Fu Er must have found a way to sell Disaster at a price slightly higher than the transaction price. Couldnt he just find a photo of a random Witch and paste it on the bottle? If anything, Im making a loss! Wait. What if I want to buy something from you? Do I get any discounts? he asked. Hearing this, Fu Er visibly frowned as he looked around, Well three percent. That is all I can give you on the ount that were acquaintances. Cant you go any lower? Yibei asked as his eyes drifted across the shelves in the store. What if I want to exchange all the proceeds from these bottles of Disaster for your products? Ah Fu Er was stumped, thinking before he answered, Another two percent C take it or leave it. I cant go any lower, since Disaster is not an easy substance to handle. If I go any lower, I wont make any profit. Deal! Yibei nodded. Half an hourter Five volcanic crystals, twenty strands of hair from a corpse, and three stalks of goosegrass. Is that all, Yibei? Fu Er counted all the alchemical materials on the counter and confirmed it with Yibei, before asking, Can I ask you one more question? What are you nning to refine with these materials? In alchemy and traditional Chinese medicine, there is a saying of Sovereign-Minister-Assistant-Courier (ʹ), forming a government. The principal medicine is identified as the sovereign, thenes the minister, so on, so forth. However, the minister should not be exceeding the principal; thebined medicine can demonstrate a synergistic effect when all parts of the government are in the correct proportions. This is why Fu Er was curious as to why Yibei bought only principal medicine, and none of the minister. If possible, he wanted to purchase his form. Shui told me to buy these materials. How would I know? Im just an errand boy for him, Yibei sighed. Stop asking me questions! Shui is asking me to do all this, okay?! Yibeis calm face concealed all of his inner thoughts, and Fu Er couldnt tell whether he was telling the truth or not. Bai Kai doesnt want people to know what hes up to, so he entrusts his godson to purchase materials for him. This makes sense to me! If it involves Night Division operations, then I shouldnt pry too much. Even then, although the sovereign is the principal medicine, the minister ys an important role, and could affect the properties of whatever alchemical substance Yibei was nning to produce. Just like how in ancient times, there would be many different ministers serving under one emperor C loyal ministers, disloyal ministers, power-hungry ministers, jesters, etc. All of them could affect an emperors rule. After a short silence, Fu Er got up and disyed a greasy smile to Yibei, Pleasure doing business with you. If you have any business, make sure you consider my store first! Im operating at a loss helping you, you know? Pleasure doing business. Ille back next time, Yibei responded calmly, putting everything into a satchel. Then, he put the satchel into his bag and turned around to leave the store. Right. All my remaining ingredients to help replenish my qi and blood can be bought at the pharmacy, but where should I sell all my remaining Disaster Liquid? And how am I going to refine all these materials? He wondered. It dawned on him that he is now encountering a serious problem C he has never refined any kind of alchemical potion before this. The yback from the Serpents memories only included forms, and no sort of videos to guide him on [How To Refine Alchemical Potions!] The form of a potion to reinforce his core is already difficult, but a novice like him with no experience is likely to run out of materials before he couldplete a sessful potion. Both sides of the dpidated streets were lined with stalls, lit up with the pale, orange glow of papernterns. At about 4am in the morning, the flow of people visiting the ghost market reached its peak, though it is not as noisy as one would imagine a bustling street to be C there was no sound of bargains and transactional talk. Various figures would shuffle through stall by stall, with their eyes scanning on each item as they reserved their thoughts to themselves. Yibei wandered through the streets of the ghost market, searching for a ce where he could dispose of his Disaster. At this moment, a familiar bronze glimmer broke into his peripheral vision. Turning his head, he was stunned, before shuffling through the gaps of the crowds, and sure enough, his eyesnded on the bronze statue with a familiar shape and extremely familiar muscles. F-fuck! Thats! Walking closer to the strangely inconspicuous stall, he saw Gu Qianqian sitting on a tiny, foldable chair, eating roasted pork trotters with relish on a te. W-wee! Pick whatever you like! Gu Qianqian noticed a customer hade, and quickly stood up with the enthusiastically fake smile of a saleswoman. However, when she raised her head to meet the eyes of her customer, her smile froze, and the te of pork trotters that she was holding fell to the ground with a soft ng! Her emotions were like a rollercoaster, as if she was a mobile vendor preparing to run from the government chasing her out from obstructing the road, or a thief stumbling into the head of a household, or a bully trying to fight a veteran In summary, her thoughts are now consisting of: Were cooked. Yibei looked at her, wondering how she brought the statue of Ac, the Immovable, out of the Serpents world within the bamboo scrolls. Before he could speak, his eyes heated up, and a premonition shed through his brain. [Shes about to run away.] Yibei was visibly confused, and was prepared to push Gu Qianqian back down on her stool to have a formal discussion with her regarding the statue, but stopped when a new premonition shed in his mind. [She got a little reluctant to escape after dropping her te of pork trotters on the ground.] Yibei looked down at the scattered pork trotters on the ground that were soaked with muddied water, and a series of questions popped up in his mind. There is no way youre eating them when theyre covered in mud right? Yibei decided to walk closer to the stall, and put one hand on the statue of Ac, before squatting down next to Gu Qianqian, Gu Qianqian. Long time no see. Y-y-yeah! Long time no see indeed! H-h-h-how are you? she smiled awkwardly as she kept urging the system in her mind. System? System System! What the hell do we do now?! What else can we do?! Give it back to him! the system responded. Were giving it back?! After I rejected that guys payment for the statue?! He offered two urban legend cores, and we rejected him! How could I just give the statue away after what I did?! Who cares if hes a Witch? When will there be rights for the oppressed Gu Qianqian?! Youre still worried over sales?! the system yelled in her mind. Sooner orter, youll die because of money C Im telling you! Figure it out yourself. Im not helping you! [Beep! The Beautiful Demon ying Girls System has disconnected.] Gu Qianqian was panicking internally for a while, not realizing that Yibei had put his hand on her shoulder, as if he was afraid that shell run away. Y-you what are you trying to do? There are rules in the ghost market and there is strictly no physical assault allowed whenever the market is running! Oh? Yibei gave her a sinister gaze. Just physical assault? So, Im allowed to use curses, poisons, and other kinds of non-visible assault? Gulp. Gu Qianqian swallowed. She didnt consider that. Seeing Gu Qianqians eyes filled with caution, he was secretly ecstatic. He was nning on pressuring her further so that he could get the statue back for free, when a sudden premonition shed across his mind again. [Shes gazing at the mud-covered pork trotters again.] Youre sweating. Are you hot? he asked. No, no. It isnt hot, Gu Qianqian muttered; her face pale like a chicken infected with the gue, shivering and cold. Well, in that case [Shes peeking at the fallen pork trotters once again.] Yibei sighed as the same premonition shed in his mind, adjusted his tone, and said calmly, Are you scared of me? I thought we were friends. Y-yeah? Yeah. Yeah, we are? Gu Qianqian sounded as if she was doubting herself. Cool. Were friends, but even if we are, I hate it when people lie to me, so could you [Shes looking at the pork trotters scattered across the dirty ground again.] His thoughts were once again interrupted by the premonition, and finally, he couldnt help it, yelling, God damn it! Could you stop looking at those damn pork trotters already? Theyre covered in mud! Theyre not edible anymore! You cant eat them! You can, actually. What the fuck?! Y-you heard me the first time! Theyre edible! Ill just wash the mud off! When I first became homeless, I would pick up all the scraps of food Id find on the ground and wash them before eating them! [She wanted to take one final peek at her discarded pork trotters, butcked the bravery to do so.] Yibei massaged his temples. This girl is too pitiful. I cant help but feel sorry for her. He no longer wanted to bully her. He felt that, if he continued, God Himself might smite him down. Forget it. Shes trying to do business. Ill just buy the statue back the proper way. As he was thinking, he patted on the head of the statue, and said in a serious tone, Gu Qianqian, this statue I I cant give it to you! I picked it up! If you rob my store by force, Ill fight you! Before he could finish speaking, Gu Qianqian, with tear-stained eyes, yelled. when did I say I was going to rob you? I was going to ask how much youre selling it for. Oh. The tears in her eyes instantly receded, and she tilted her head to look at him, Are you actually going to buy it? You need at least three urban legend cores! Urban legend cores? he frowned. I dont have any on me right now. How about this instead? As he spoke, he took out two bottles of Disaster from his backpack, cing them down in front of her. What is this? Ink? she muttered in disgust. Are you trying to trick me?! What kind of person do I seem like to you? he sighed, but exined patiently. This is some sort of psychic material C its value is no less than the core of an urban legend. Gu Qianqian was about to open her mouth when a mechanical beep resounded in her mind. [The Beautiful Demon ying Girls System has sessfully reconnected]! Immediately afterwards, she could hear the systems voice yelling, Gu Qianqian! Trade with him! W-what?! Gu Qianqian was stunned, turning to look at Yibei. S-system, but Sister? You have a sister? Yibei tilted his head. Ssibal! I dont want two bottles, I want three! Gu Qianqian retaliated. The system was horrified hearing this, Gu Qianqian! Youre trying to bargain with the World Ender! What are you trying to do?! Oh, okay, Yibei nodded, taking out an extra bottle of Disaster before cing it on her hand. ?! TRANSLATOR NOTES: More lore behind the Disaster Liquid! Ive read yourments about its function, and it was, although vaguely, described in an earlier chapter (Chapter 218): *** ? Seeing his relief, Yibei became even more confused and asked his godfather, Uh, whats in that bottle? You made that thing look like a bomb. Because it is, Bai Kai exined. A gas bomb, if were being specific. ? That liquid is a filthy, psychic polymer. It is difficult to get rid of, and its only use is poison. Depending on its purity, its effects range from mild hallucinations to irreversible mental damage. Only psychics and urban legends that are evil incarnates would have ess to such a thing. Yes, Fu Er nodded. Despite how beautiful it is, its troublesome. Whoever gets involved with it bes unlucky! *** Weve also seen its uses inbat as some kind of corroding liquid that burnt the half-formed Beelzebub, halting its healing process. As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can support me by clicking the button below. (Woo! Figured out how to add make it look pretty!) Any amount helps! ^.^ Chapter 247: Adding A Little Something Extra to Her Potion Chapter 247: Adding A Little Something Extra to Her Potion And with a payment of three bottles of Disaster Liquid, the transaction waspleted. Lu Yibei felt that it was a fair price, while Gu Qianqian, on the other hand, felt that she made a great profit. So, were done here? Yibei asked as he handed the three bottles of Disaster over. By the way, be careful when handling this thing C its mmable, explosive, and toxic! If youre not careful with it, and it slips out of your hand Boom! He made sure to emphasize the word Boom! with an exaggerated, explosive motion with his hands. It was fun to be a bit mean towards Gu Qianqian and savour her reactions. Gu Qianqian, predictably, was a frightened by his words. She frowned as she scrunched up her nose, and nodded tremblingly. G-got it! She was deathly afraid that the tiny ss bottles in her hand would slip, making sure to escort them with her two hands as she carefully brought them towards her trolley parked by the alleyway. While this was happening, he went back to the front of the stall and studied the statue of Ac, the Immovable. He was wondering about how he was going to take it with him when his eyes inadvertently swept across the rest of the stall, and an involuntary frown made its way onto his face. Arent these all the alchemical potions from the Serpents memory? Did Gu Qianqian refine all these?Just as he was about to scourge through his memories to confirm, a premonition shed in mind, interrupting his thoughts. [Shes about to pick up the dirty pork trotters from the ground.] Are you kidding me he cursed inwardly. Lo and behold, as he turned around, Gu Qianqian was seen squatting by the muddy puddle with her fingers hovering above the discarded pork trotters. Gu Qianqian. Wh-wh-wha-!? The sudden mention of her name startled her, and the pork trotters that she picked up slipped out from her hand once again, sshing onto the mud. The pork trotters were now coated with a more evenyer of mud and grime. And her face paints a scene of distress and despair. Yibei stood next to Gu Qianqian and patted her shoulder, Forget about it. We cannot save it anymore. Im afraid we must let the dead rest in peace. At the very least, he continued. It didnt suffer through any pain in itsst days. Come on, let us bid farewell to it. B-but Gu Qianqian nced at the pork trotters once more, then back at Yibei, hesitating to speak. I could just treat you to some food some other time, he offered. You said it yourself! No takesy-backsies! she blurted out, and the system had no time to halt the brakes on Gu Qianqians tongue. Shame on you, Gu Qianqian! Shame on you! You really are the worst student I have ever had the misfortune of teaching! the system roared. Hes trying to trick you, Gu Qianqian! Do you really believe a Witch is going to treat you to food for free? He wants something from you! Listening to the system, Gu Qianqian felt a little scared before pouting, turning back to Yibei as she muttered hesitantly, maybe not. Pork trotters are kind of expensive. Doesnt matter. I just need to ask you something, and if possible, I need you to help me with a little favour. Treat it as a bribe-in-advance of some sort, he gestured. A girl like Gu Qianqian absolutely does not operate on the same channel as normal humans shes like a doe who had just escaped from the forests, who will easily ept the offers from any wolves. I think its good to tell her my intentions upfront so she doesnt misunderstand anything Plus! Shes pathetic enough as it is! I dont have the heart to lie to her! Did you refine those potions yourself? he asked, cursing at himself inwardly. Yup! Ah, youre amazing! he praised nonchntly. Gu Qianqians face turned slightly red as she scratched the back of her head, saying, Ah! It wasnt much! Youre making me feel all giddy inside! No, no, take it from me! Youre great at this! he praised again. Were friends, correct? And considering that youre great at refining potions, could you help me refine my own potions? Is that alright with you? Just as Gu Qianqian was about to agree, the system snarkily yelled inside of her head. Ooh! Ooh! they shouted. Ooh! Called it! I told you so! I. Called. It! He was trying to trap you! Decline his request, Gu Qianqian! System Gu Qianqian, hes trying to abuse your powers without giving anything back in return! Ill have you know that hell probably backstab you the first chance he gets! The system will use all the worst possible presumptions to specte about the personality of a Witch. What cant the World Ender do? Hell use you, then kill you to silence you! And thats the most gentle method he has to deal with you! System! My bad. What were you saying? He offered to pay me! I dont have to refine the potions for free! The system blinked. Hell offer one unit of medicine and one unit of Disaster? Is that what it is? Hes offering these two things as deposit! Gu Qianqian, with a smile, continued to give a nk stare at Yibei as she took the two ss bottles, waiting for the system to respond to her. System! The bottles are already in my hand! How do I reject her?! The hell are you rejecting him for?! ept his offer! Gu Qianqian, youre too na?ve! If you ept his offer, you can refine the Disaster Liquid into something powerful! The system thought to itself. But that isnt what you told me earlier Gu Qianqian pouted inwardly. You just said that hes trying to trick me, and I must decline his offer at all costs. The system was silent for a moment, before replying, Gu Qianqian, we must be analytical in this situation, and eptpromises C if we dont help him refine these potions, hell find somebody else to do so. Plus, if we help him, well gain profits! Its still a win for us in the end! Moreover, the system smirked inwardly. We could add a little something extra to his potions C poison, toxins, curses the possibilities are endless! Kekeke! System Yes, Gu Qianqian? I thought we were the protagonists who act as the Aspects of Justice, so why are youughing like were the viins? Two bottles for deposit, and another for the final payment. Although the price of an additional three Disaster Liquids was not cheap, Yibei didnt feel as if he lost a lot. I have a lot of Disaster stored anyways, and I am able to produce them daily. I dont care about vendors charging me a high price, Im just worried that nobody will buy them in the first ce. Earlier, when he was wandering around the ghost market searching for buyers, it seems like, except for Fu Er and Gu Qianqian, nobody was willing to purchase Disaster. Even if there was a price, it was very unreasonable. I need you to help me refine this potion. Could you take a look? Yibei asked, writing down the form of the potion with the pen and paper given to him by Gu Qianqian. [Deste Fire]? Gu Qianqian muttered as she studied the form given by Yibei, before turning back into her mind to ask the system, System? What is this potion used for? It seems like it can be used to temporarily strengthen the power of fire-based spells, which is in line with her own psychic attributes. Hence, she is almost guaranteed to drink it, so it is the perfect opportunity for us to poison it! Seeing that Gu Qianqian was staring at the form for a long time, Yibei asked, Uh, is this too difficult for you? If Gu Qianqian has trouble refining this potion, that means that she wouldnt be able to help with refining the potion to cover for my deficiencies and reinforce my core C and that is a big deal to me. Hence, to be safe, he wanted to request Gu Qianqian to refine a random potion to test her skills beforemissioning her to refine the potion that he needs. Of course not! Gu Qianqian suddenly boasted. This is much simpler than the [Copper Sphere of the Sun]! However, itll take me three days to refine this for you! I could easily make seven or eight potions in a day, but the system told me that it would take two days to prepare the poison. Gu Qianqian gulped inwardly. Three days? Seems like I cant make up for my deficiencies before going to the Happy Community. With [Deste Fire], I can at least guarantee some form of protection for myself, though. [Copper Sun of the What]? What did you just say? Yibei asked curiously. Oh, thats not Gu Qianqian realized that her words slipped, and a trace of panic shed in her eyes. Sun. Light. Light source. Yeah! In short, its a light bulb. Light bulb Yibei thought of Gu Qianqians home under the bridge, with a light switch that causes the light in her humble shack to flicker every time he tries to turn it on, and couldnt help but nod. Thats pretty silly, but its good, in my opinion. At least you dont have to steal electricity from the street light on the bridge anymore. If you get caught, you might get detained! Yibei said. As he spoke, he took out two volcanic crystals that acted as the sovereign of the potion, and ced them in Gu Qianqians hands. This is the sovereign medicine that [Deste Fire] needs, and two of them is enough to refine almost ten potions. After considering production losses, Ill be satisfied if you manage to produce just eight of the potions. Ah, but problem is, I dont have any more supplementary medicines to act as the minister, Yibei sighed. Theyre cheap, though. I trust that youll be able to buy them yourself? The prices of several moremon medicinal materials that are used as the minister are incredibly low nowadays. Like a piece of hay amongst piles of hay. However, Gu Qianqian was still reluctant to part with such a small amount of money, and could only do so after the systems earnest persuasion. O-okay. I ept. Cool! Yibei earnestly said. Weve reached a deal! Ille back to pick up the potions in three days. Before he left, he stood up and ced Ac right next to his bag. Then, he calmly and discreetly helped Gu Qianqian to pick up the dirty pork trotters, and made sure to dispose of them in a garbage bin very far away to ensure that she wont go through the garbage to retrieve her food. I feel a bright light shining on my body. I feel like an upstanding citizen with a red scarf on my chest, gleaming brighter and brighte- [Shes shedding tears of grievances over her lost pork trotters.] Gu Qianqian carefully stowed the Disaster Liquid and volcanic crystals given to her by Yibei into her trolley. Then, she turned back to pick up her fallen pork trotters, only to find that the puddle they were marinating in was now empty. She stared at the muddied puddle illuminated under the dim light of her stallsntern, unable to ept the cruel reality that her pork trotters have left this world until a tempting aroma wafted into her nose. Huh? What is that? Pork trotters? Gu Qianqian was stunned for a moment, immediately turning around to be greeted with a bento gingerly ced on top of her tiny stool. She hurriedly opened it to be greeted with tworge and juicy braised pork trotters that were teeming with vour and steam. A sticky note with hastily written words was pasted on top of the bento. [The night market next door is closed, and I could only get these pork trotters after banging on the door of a hawker down the street for a long time. It might be a little cold now, but enjoy. P.S. Braised pork trotters are tastier if they are seasoned with various spices. I dont have the time today, but I will make some for you another day. Yours sincerely, Lu Yibei] On the old, dpidated streets outside the ghost market, a man smoked one cigarette after another, and drank a bottle of alcohol after each smoke. Zhang Dexian leaned against the corner of the alley as his gaze was affixed onto the street lights above his head, like a man who failed to follow his dreams. He couldnt understand why fate was being so feisty with him. It took him more than two hours to hunt for an additional urban legend core, which was enough to purchase the Divine Object he was seeking from that vendor. However, as he was finished digging the core out of the urban legend, he received a heartbreaking message from the urban legend group chat. [oldinteperv001: Dexian! The thing that you were looking for was purchased by somebody else. Remember VACCARIA? From your review at the ughterhouse? Well, you canplete moremissions and redeem her information, and bring it up to her yourself.] [oldinteperv001: You could also use just the forums designated user-to-user transaction feature, but she hasnt registered an ount yet, it seems. Not sure when shell do it either.] [oldinteperv001: Sorry for your loss, want some sexy pictures to unwind?] [oldinteperv001 is sending you multiple files] Zhang Dexian nced at the messages that were blowing up his phone and put it down, before finally letting out a loud roar down the alleyway. I havent lost yet! I will only admit defeat when I die. The fight is never open until I admit defeat! Just you wait,dy, Ill find you! And he downed another bottle of alcohol. Late at night, in the outskirts of Huacheng where the Amber Mansion resides. Jiangli, donning a ck,cy nightgown, leaned against her bed with a pillow against her back. She picked up the tablet next to her pillow and studied themission that she had not had the time to look at in detail earlier in the day. Themission was posted a week ago, and although many people have viewed themission, nobody has epted it, and there were very few users who leftments rted to themission. [Defend Chaldea: Wow, somebodys actually requesting amission on this ce? I fear nobody will ept this.] [Happy Assassin: Ditto. An uphill battle.] [Master Rice and the Green Mountain: The rewards are way too little.] These users seem to know something she muttered, shaking her head as she read thements. Although there wasnt much information on the Happy Community, it was obvious how wary the users of the forum were about it. She tapped on [ept], then scrolled down to read on the detailed information left by the original poster. The information seemed like a story, as if the user was telling her the story face-to-face. Probably their personal experience, she thought to herself. The weirdly-specific, yet highly descriptivemissions aremon on the urban legend forums, probably because the forums require everymission publisher to describe it in as much detail as possible so that those who ept themission know to the fullest extend the details of it to enable them toplete the task more safely. [The Inte once imed that the Happy Community is the most liveable residentialmunity in Huacheng, and it took me a lot of effort to buy thest avable unit here. After spending more than half a year renovating the unit, and struggling to move my things in for another month, I finally moved into my dreammunity. Strangely enough, after moving in, I found that what was said online is very, very true. It may the close to the city, but it offers the tranquillity of the suburbs. The air is cool in the morning, and the grass seems much greener over here. When I open the window in the morning, I can see many birds flying about in the air. My neighbours are the best. asionally, I would run into someone going to the park with their child, or walking their dog, and they would always have a warm smile on their face to greet me. In the centre of themunity is a manmadeke with a water fountain, where you get to enjoy the serene sound of water all day long. At the time, I felt that my dream of living here has been achieved. Although I was alone even after graduating for about eight years, at least I finally had an apartment unit to myself] As Jiangli read the post, she nodded thoughtfully to herself. When I tagged along the Night Division to investigate the Happy Community, what we saw was consistent with what the original poster is describing. The environment, the people, the living standards it was all too good. There is absolutely no sign of any urban legends lurking there. However, the eerily perfect living environment of the Happy Community is exactly why the people feel that something is wrong there. There will be differences between humans. With that many people living in a tight-knitmunity, how is it possible that there are no conflicts? Plus, there is a strange phenomenon that no resident of the Happy Community will live over forty. Some dismissed the above rumour as some sort of attempt to thwart the peace of the Happy Community, A smear campaign, they would im. However, the Night Divisions data cannot be false. More than thirty residents died within a year, which is grounds for suspicion and further investigation. Jiangli continued to scroll down. [It all started when I officially moved into the house. The property management organized a wee party for all the new residents, but since I caught a cold, I had to cancel. I was lying in bed that night, listening to the musicing from the wee party outside. I forgot when I had fallen asleep, but I do remember waking up. I walked to the kitchen to get myself a ss of water, and subconsciously looked out the window and noticed something strange. All the buildings, as far as the eye can see, were dark. Not a single window had a light on, as if themunity was abandoned overnight. All I could see was the red aviation lights on the roof, shing like a pair of scarlet eyes as it painted the entiremunity a dim red. Even the park was pitch-ck. The only lights that were on were the dim street lights, and I could hear nothing. I remember it being around nine oclock at the time. The party mustve just ended, but it shouldnt be that quiet. My mind was still burnt from the fever, and I went back to bed without thinking too much. When I woke up the next day, I chalked my experiencest night up to a fever dream. In retrospect, if I had noticed something was wrong earlier, I wouldve left themunity. I swear! The next day, the property manager came to my unit and told me that he wanted to hold a small party C just for me, to make up for the party that I missedst night. How thoughtful, isnt it? However, I had a few urgent responsibilities to attend to, so I never had the chance to ept his offer. I dont know when the feelings of unease started, but they only grew stronger day by day. I tried searching for the problem, but I found nothing. The air is still as crisp as ever. Theke is still as clear as ever. My neighbours are still as friendly as ever. However, something is nagging me in the back of my head, telling me that something is wrong. I was gued by a nightmare that themunity was concealed, like arge, malicious shadow. Like a crocodile awaiting its prey under a quietke, disguising itself as a piece of wood. The crocodile would remain motionless, but its sinister eyes would dart here and there, scanning every corner of themunity. Only then did I realize what the problem was C the wee party! It started bugging me that the property manager was visiting too often. At first, he extended an invitation to a party once every half month, then it was once a week, and finally, once every three to four days. It was as if I would only be called a member of themunity if I attended that damn party] The party. Jianglis gaze paused for a moment, tapping her chin lightly with her fingertips. Seems like the problem starts at the wee party. If I find a way to participate, Ill find the root of the problem. TRANSLATOR NOTES: I hope all of you are enjoying the story! Nothing much to add-on here, but it is very lovely reading all of yourments! See you on the next chapter! P.S., I have a very important examing up in the next two weeks, and Im not very sure if that will affect my upload schedule (Tue&Fri) considering its already pretty spread out. Im just leaving this here in case I take a sudden leave. If it doese to that, I will make sure to leave a note in the T/N that I wont be uploading. Again, unlikely that I wont post, but if my studies get in the way, Ill notify all of you. As always, if youve enjoyed the trantion, feel free to leave a tip on my Ko-Fi below! Any amount helps the trantion! ^.^ Chapter 248: Gravestones, Skeletons, and a Jews Harp Chapter 248: Gravestones, Skeletons, and a Jew''s Harp [Im not the only resident being gued by their overtly enthusiastic invitations. Theres a woman staying in Room 102 C dont know her name, but she lives in the same building as I do. Were on the same boat, it seems. It was through her that I discovered anomalies in themunity. Shes a young, beautiful, but aloof woman. She is exactly the type of woman who you would see in the movies, rejecting anybody thates her way from thousands of miles away. Such a woman would not associate herself with me. I happened to read on the registration form at the management office that she has a son studying in the local primary school, and a mother suffering from Alzheimers at home. For some reason, she disliked contact with anybody. She would deliberately avoid people if they happened to bump into her in themunity. Hence, shes the type of person to not attend parties, let alone the wee party. The difference between us is that its in her character to not attend gatherings like these, while I was forced to not attend due to an illness.And that difference unites us. We are the only outliers in the Happy Community. Coming back homete the other day, I stumbled into her arguing with the security guard downstairs. Her voice was sharp, stinging, demanding to know the location of her mother who has went missing. However, the security guards on duty failed to find her, and they failed to provide any useful surveince footage. Their heated argument went on all night, but I didnt pay them much attention. An old woman with Alzheimers going missing is something that is to be expected C if anything, I felt that it was the womans fault for not keeping a close eye on her mother. I would notice her looking for her mother for about two or three weeks, and she looked increasingly troubled the more I saw her. In the end, she gave up. Another few weekster, I bumped into her downstairs, sitting on a bench in front of the building with a somber expression. She saw me walking past, and unexpectedly, she called out to me. I sympathize with you, and envy you for being able to stay in an apartment like this, she spoke eloquently to me. Because of my job, I never have the opportunity to talk to women, let alone such a beautiful one in front of me. It was silent and awkward. With a dry smile, I remembered that I should reply to her, Is living in an apartment a bad thing? I mean, they give you a little garden to tend to on the first floor, so It is, she said. Staying in the first floor means youre closer to the ground. Closer to gravestones, skeletons, Jew harps, and strange visions. Ah, interesting, I had no idea what she was yapping about, and gave the driest answer known to man. Turning around, I subconsciously nced at the window of her unit, only to notice nothing but ck. Moving closer, I could see a face graduallying closer on the reflection of the ss, approaching closer and closer- Be careful, the woman stepped up to me and whispered in a calm voice. Theyre watching you. Who? Our neighbours? The security guards? The management staff? I fear that she might be a little emotional due to the loss of her mother. That night, I searched for videos regarding a Jews harp, listening to its weird melodies. Its strange C a peculiar mix of melody and onomatopoeia. Like vibrating airflows, like the low hums of metal bouncing, like the low growls of an unknown beast, like endless, incessant chanting Why a Jews harp? What does that have to do with anything? Ive never heard anything like that up in my unit. Is that what she was hearing close to the ground?] Reading this, Jiangli ced her tablet down on the bed, and rummaged through the files rting to the Night Divisions investigation on the Happy Community. Their investigation took ce underground, and Jiangli has always disliked ces like these. Sewers, basement, underground parking lots, and the like C those ces were humid, dark, and resemble tombs. In fact, these are the primary investigation ces for the Night Division while researching on potential urban legends. [The sewers in the Happy Community are cleaner than an untainted maidens hand] Reading the investigation file, the corners of her mouth twitched slightly. The investigation must have been in vain, considering that this is all he coulde up with. Bai Kais investigation report disyed that the underground systems of the Happy Community were spick and span, with no detectable psychic fluctuations. Despite the sewers appearing as though they are regrly cleaned, his investigation report concluded that there was certainly something abnormal present. Although he didnt give a reason why he thought it was abnormal, I fully understand why he did, Jiangli nodded. A perfectly clean underground area, both physically and in psychic standards something smells fishy C like theyre trying to cover something up. [The days went on, but my neighbours are still as friendly as ever to me. However, because of that woman, I began keeping a closer eye on themunity. I began noticing that the birds flying past my unit every morning looked exactly the same, and so were their chirps. My neighbours were all young C just like the rumours, nobody who lived here seemed to be over forty. After bedtime, I noticed a man who lives in the building opposite of mine looking around with a pair of binocrs. Is he spying on me? Im starting to feel unsafe in my own home. Ive seen strange markings appearing on my door. And a recurring dream. Or should I say, a recurring nightmare I dreamt of a figure with a vague, blurry face lurking within my home. It was visibly stronger than me, and yet, slightly shorter. It seemed so ordinary that I could mistake it as anybody on the streets. It hid in a dark corner of my bedroom, by the foot of my bed. Sometimes behind my door. Watching. Observing. I chalked it up to that woman messing up with my thoughts. Who cares about living on the first floor? Or a Jews Harp? Her words are negatively influencing me regardless. However, a monthter, Ide to realize that something was very wrong with themunity. That evening,ing home from work, I could sense somebody following me. Its footsteps intertwined with mine C light and slow. Calcted, like a cat waiting to pounce on a mouse. Looking back, I would only be greeted with a stone path, and grass that grew on both sides of the path, neatly trimmed off by themunitys gardeners. I continued my walk home, but I heard the footsteps again, and this time, they were lighter than before, but much, much closer. I turned around immediately and saw a man standing behind me. It was one of the managements staff, wearing a ck suit. His muscles could be seen visibly underneath his shirt, but he was shorter than me in stature. He was the very same staff member who invited me to the wee party. Not sure what his name is. In fact, I dont think anybody in themunity does either. All of them were recruited online, and I guess that only the management knows of their identities. He did not try to hide. Instead, he greeted me with a smile. There was something unnerving about his smile. As if it was forged, like an alien learning how to smile to blend in with humans. Were having a small party this weekend, he smiled. I hope youll be able to attend this time. To make up for the wee party you missed, correct? Everybody here wants to get to know you! everybody? All of management, and of course, your neighbours, he grinned. I suddenly remembered the woman who lived in Room 102, and asked, Even thedy who lives on the first floor? Yes. Her too, he responded while staring straight into my eyes. alright. Ill see if Im free then. At the time, ourpany was preparing for a project, and my work schedule is as inconsistent as it can be. I couldnt guarantee that Ill be able to attend the small party anyways. Strangely enough, my vague answer seemed to have angered him. His smile was still stered on his face, but I saw rage in his eyes. When I turned around to leave, I could still feel eyes on me. It might be the staff member, but I couldnt bring myself to look back. I decided to take my phone out and use the camera as a means to look backwards, but what I saw on my phone, I The staff member was still staring at my back with no expression. His eyes didnt seem human at all, as if I was nothing but prey. Further away, I could see my neighbours with their dogs alling to a halt, staring at my back with wide eyes. Even their dogs were motionless and staring at me, as if they were under some sort of spell. My body screamed at me to turn around, and the moment I did, that spell seemed to be lifted immediately. The neighbours resumed their walks like they never stopped; the dogs frolicked in the grass like they never stopped; the staff member smiled at me like he never stopped Yes? Can I help you? N-no. No. No its nothing. His words brought me out of the trance, and I walked quickly back home without stopping. Even then, I felt their unmoving eyes on me. As if they wanted to do something malicious to me. Their eyes were like nails piercing through my body. Is there anything more terrifying than being treated as Public Enemy No. 1 by your neighbours, and even your houses management?] a spell? Jiangli put her tablet down and flipped through the files, which contained data from a sample survey given to residents living in the Happy Community. The data showed that there were no traces of curses or any other psychic influence on the residents. An urban legends influence, perhaps? Or have they fully transformed into dependents? Jiangli picked up the tablet once more. [When I hurried downstairs of the apartment, I saw the son of the woman from a distance. A member of management was squatting down next to him, talking to him as he reached for something in his pocket. I recalled my previous experience with the manager, and felt that the child might be in grave danger. I was about to step forward to intervene when I heard the woman screaming behind me. No! Dont touch my son! she shouted. I turned back to look at her, and I was frightened to see her. Somehow, she seemed to have aged by ten years C if it wasnt for her voice, I wouldnt have recognized her. Afterwards, I wouldnt see her for another week. When I saw her again, something terrible seemed to happen. Because her son has disappeared. I wasing back home after buying dinner at the canteen, and I saw her running towards me from a distance. She wore nothing but a nightgown, and her hair was absolutely disheveled. Something mustve happened to her, and she seemed incredibly depressed. H-have you seen my son? she huffed, catching her breath. No, I simply said, and she ran away without another word, disappearing into the night. Not long after I returned home, I could hear the vague sounds of police sirens, and guessed that the woman mustve called them here. Listening to the intermittent sound of sirens as I ate, I recalled the time where the management staff was talking with the womans son, and I couldnt help but feel uneasy. Dear Reader, imagine that there are people near your home with the intention of harming you C somewhere where you should feel safe at all times The days gone by, and I was buried in mountains of work. I ended up sleeping overnight at work for several nights in a row, and I wouldnt have known if the woman ended up attending the follow-up party. It didnt ur to me that she would be missing. When I went to find her, there was a thickyer of dust on the windows and the door to her unit. Again, I couldnt see anything through her window. I tried shouting, but got no response from her. Am I the only one left? I still have those same nightmares every night, but they were getting much clearer, and the strange figures were getting closer and closer to me night by night. I stopped going home after that. I brought a folding bed to work, and only came home once to pack sets of clothes to wear in the office. A week would pass, but something happened. The figure in the dream met with me. That night, I buried my head in work once again. My colleagues were done with their work, and the whole office was empty. In the wee hours of the morning, the sky was pitch dark, and the gloomy clouds hung low, as if they were trying to trap anything that tried to fly out. Then, the rain came, and so did the heavy thunder and lightning that shook themunity to its core. Big drops of rain mmed themselves onto the window, and I could no longer concentrate on work. Iid down on the bed I brought to rest and fiddled with my phone before falling unconscious. I dreamt about the same figure who has been haunting me every night C it sneaked into the office building under the rain, went up the stairs of the fire exit, and came to the door of my offices unit. I realized very quickly in my lucid state that I had to run away, but my hands and feet seemed to stop working, and I was forced toy still on my bed. All I could do was watch in horror as the figure, shuffling between the desks and chairs, approached closer and closer to me. Then, it climbed on top of me, though my bed made no creaking sounds. I had no idea who it was. Its face was as blurry and unrecognizable as it always was. It hunched over, squatting on my chest as it held a tiny mallet and something pale, thin, and tentacle-like that glimmered as the lightning struck over the building. I knew want it wanted to do C it wanted to hammer that strange thing into my skull. I knew I was dreaming, but I felt the sharp, stinging cold that prated my skull, apanied by the excruciating pain that mmed into my brain one strike after another. I reflexively tried to scream under the intense pain and fear, trying my best to wiggle around. Finally, I woke up. The cold rain greeted me as I opened my eyes. Looking at the streets around me, I was so petrified that I fell to the wet concrete underneath me. It turns out that, in my dream, I somehow left my office and returned to the gate of the Happy Community. I could vaguely see shadows standing behind the gate, like gravestones. I could hear weird bursts of musicing further inside C soft, muted, like a strange mix of melodies and onomatopoeia; like metal vibrating against each other; like every sybleing alive to drive itself into my brain The Jews harp! Thats what it is! Its impossible to forget that instrument once you hear it. I soon realized that this was what caused the woman to disappear, and theyreing to get me now. I started running for my life, and I never looked back. From that day onwards, I lived my life in fear. I was scared, afraid that I would disappear like that woman and her family. But, what other choice do I have? Do I continue living in themunity and die as soon as I hit forty? I dont care who it is or how it happens. Save my soul. Help me. I dont want to disappear. Save me. Save me. Save me. Save me. Save me. [THE REMAINING CONTENTS OF THIS POST HAVE BEEN REMOVED FOR VIOLATING COMMUNITY GUIDELINES, AND HAS BEEN DELETED OR RESTRICTED BY THE MODERATORS OF THE FORUM.] REWARDS: Extended Lifespan (10 Years), Property in the Happy Community] A Jews Harp that may be a key element. After reading the lengthy entry of themission, Jiangli put down her tablet and rubbed her slightly swollen temples. She initially thought that the urban legends surrounding the Happy Community would be contained within themunity itself, just like the urban legends surrounding Shihekou High. If that was the case, they could rinse-and-repeat and simply impose strict surveince and cement of seals to minimize the harm they would bring to civilians. However, after reading the entry, she realized that things may not be as simple as she thought it was. The figure in the story somehow left themunity to go to the persons office, and haunted him to the point where hes facing severe paranoia. Plus, the urban legends are somehow able to conceal their psychic fluctuations, coupled with the ability to mess with a persons mind I would ssify them as a B+ Threat or higher. Unpredictability is a major factor As she thought about it, her phone buzzed. Taking a look, it was a message from VACCARIA. [VACCARIA: Yo, you asleep?] [Genius Mahjong Girl: Yeah.] [VACCARIA: Ooh, youre sleepwalking? Could you please send me a selfie as promised? I know you arent using andline C I know it! It says right here that youre logged into your phone right now! Selfie! Selfie! Selfie!] Jiangli sighed, opening her gallery and sent the pictures that she had prepared for VACCARIA. [Genius Mahjong Girl has sent an image.] [Genius Mahjong Girl: There. Happy? Now that you got my selfie, make ample preparations. I dont need you holding me back during our mission. ??] [VACCARIA: ???] TRANSLATOR NOTES: NOTICE (14/6/2024):I am very sorry, but there wont be any updates today or next week. I just got home and found that my dog has passed away, most likely due to a case of serial dog poisoning happening in our area. I am filled with nothing but regret for not being there when she needs me and I am afraid that she died lonely and afraid. I am not in the correct mental state to trante for now and I deeply apologize for that. I will see all of you most likely the following week. Thank you for understanding. -slicedbread EDIT:Thank you again for pointing out the discrepancies and describing the sound of the Jews Harp! Ive adjusted the trantion to fit it better! If you want to listen to what a Jews Harp sounds like, Google has a nifty function that lets you listen to how it sounds when you search it up. To me, it kind of sounds like sheets of metal wiggling in a cartoonish way C unsure how that would sound creepy, but things are certainly escting to be very creepy As always, if youd like to support this trantion, you can do so at my Ko-Fi with the button below! ^.^ Chapter 249: Lu Yibeis Preparations Chapter 249: Lu Yibei''s Preparations In the early hours of the world beyond the bamboo scrolls The false Suns rays prated through the thick fog of the world, allowing its brilliant rays to bask upon the pitch-dark mountains and inky rivers. The fog that lingered throughout the night was dispelled instantly, and dew could be seen sliding down the ink-ck leaves of the worlds cursed vegetation. Light rain permeated throughout the world, causing various tiny rainbows to be outlined wherever the [Copper Sphere of the Sun] shone. It was cool in this once-wretched ce, as if it waste autumn back in the real world. Despite the cool, rxing weather, Gu Qianqians willpower that was developed throughout the years of working many odd jobs sprung her out of bed immediately. She has never been the type to procrastinate C as soon as she received the request from the Witch to help her refine a potion, she bought the remaining materials required and nned on crafting the potion today. Gu Qianqians alchemy workshop is located deep within the mountain range of this world. Alchemy workshop is an exaggeration on its own Cpared to the alchemical workshops on the scale that of the Night Division or the Eclipse Society, it is incredibly pitiful. All she had was a small wooden hut built along the paths of the mountain. Moreover, her alchemical equipment were all remodeled from second-hand furniture. The venttion fan squeaked and creaked as she turned it on, and she had just remembered to cast a solidification spell to help support her barely-cold refrigerator used to store materials. Her cauldron is a modified pressure cooker; her Midas rod was crafted from a disassembled bicycle part; her measuring instruments and beakers were discarded beer bottles or ss containersShe had no need for a tool to help her grind materials or to help her heat the solution up C her powerful grip is strong enough to crush, and she could simply use her psychic powers to heat the solution up. The Night Divisions Department of Alchemy is like a 3-Star Michelin restaurant, while Gu Qianqians pitiful alchemical workshop is like a street-side vendor whose most frequent customers are wandering flies. Although a street-side vendor may be unhygienic and unhealthy, that doesnt mean that their food isnt good. In such a shabby environment, she was able to craft the [Copper Sphere of the Sun], widely considered to be a mid-to-high level alchemical product, without much trouble. Setting her materials down, she took them out and begun to grind them carefully with her hands. After all the required materials were ground into a fine powder ording to the Witchs form, she set up her pressure cooker and directed her psychic energy to begin the heating process. As the pressure cooker heated up, she used the dew she collected, wrapped the materials in gauze, and slowly filtered out the liquid that was produced into a small bowl. The system poked out their half-human, half-fish appearance from the inside of her head, and stared at the bubbling mes beneath the pressure cooker. After a moment, the system directed, Gu Qianqian! Now! Got it! she responded, and immediately poured the red-hot copper acting as the principal medicine into the pressure cooker. As the copper melted, she grabbed her Midas rod, injected it with psychic energy, and traced the surface of the liquid as she murmured strange mantras. When the final syble fell, the liquid instantly turned from a dull yellow to a brilliant red. Seeing this, she calmly added the other ingredients into the pressure cooker one after another. Soon, the liquid grew thicker and thicker, and at the very moment before it became a solid goo, she grabbed the volcanic crystal, willed her body to surge with psychic energy, and pped her hands together in a violent boom. Boom! With a firm, resonating p, the volcanic crystal was instantly crushed into a powder as it fell like snow onto the pressure cooker. In an instant, countless streams of light emerged from the liquid, like tiny, magnificent fireworks. Psst! In a low hum, the streaks of light disappeared. The liquid within the pressure cooker began to hover into the air as it formed a strange shape in the air. Then, it morphed itself into a liquid-like ball of golden-red liquid, as it slowly began to float downwards. Gu Qianqian produced a clean jar that was previously used to store sliced peaches, and gently allowed the liquid to plop right into the jar, sessfullypleting the production of a [Deste Fire] potion. ncing at the finished product, the system couldnt help but be astonished, Gu Qianqian, you you did it in a single try! Youre too good at this! And! the system reminded. Time to add some poison to it, and make sure to add a lot! I hope she drinks it and dies immediately on first taste! System? Wouldnt it be bad if they were all poisoned? Excuse me? Did her bribe work on you? Really? Pork trotters? Of all things? Thats not what I meant! her eyes shed with panic. I-if they were all poisoned, wouldnt she be able to tell right away? youre right! That makes sense! ording to my database, that Witch is extremely cunning! Every time she obtains or even refines a new potion, she will find a test subject to help her taste it first to confirm that it isnt poisoned! Therefore! the system grinned. Of the eight potions that need to be delivered, we will tamper three with slow-acting poisons. Cool! Gu Qianqian agreed. Because of your pork trotters, Ill only poison three of eight of your potions! After all, she is the World Ender. It would be bad if I just sit back and do nothing. As she thought about it, she turned around, prepared to refine the second batch. Early in the morning, three dayster. Jiangli had only slept for about two hours before clocking into the Night Division, and she was visibly groggy as she trudged through the void-like hallways. In addition to collecting information on the Happy Community every single day, she also devoted her time to hone her mahjong skills by practicing thirteen rounds daily, which is a lot even for her. After exchanging pleasantries with Bai Kai, who was in charge of the night shift the day before, she took over his position, sat down in her office, and was ready to wee her first guest of the day. ck ck ck. An Qing, as seductive as ever, smirked as she gently ced a thick stack of documents on Jianglis desk. Here are all the things you asked me to investigate. As she spoke, she made sure to hand copies of documents such as partnership and property rights information to Jiangli. My research indicates that the results arepletely identical to previous surveys C from the purchase of thend for development, to thepletion of the buildings, all the way to its sale, there have been no issues reported. Its impossible to even find something as subjective as abor dispute throughout the building process. Moreover, An Qing continued as she ced down more documents in front of Jiangli. Here are the files detailing all the deaths of residents over 40 in the Happy Community this past year. All causes of death seemed pretty weird C especially the resident who died after half of his head was sliced cleanly off by a fan that fell from a ceiling. I mean, isnt that the kind of death that only happens in the nightmares of school children? Onest thing, An Qing ced down a final document. Here is a report of the autopsies I performed on their corpses C although they are, indeed, just 40 years old, their organs disyed signs of elerated aging. However, that was all the information I could get since I couldnt detect any residual psychic energy in the bodies. Jiangli flipped through the various files and documents on the table, and An Qing patiently waited for her to finish reading. For a moment, the only sounds in the vintage office were the sounds of pages turning. After a moment, An Qing pped her hands together, attracting Jianglis attention. Speaking of which, why are you picking up this case again? As long as we continue to spread negative rumours about themunity, wouldnt it be fine? Indeed, the biggest contributors to the rumours surrounding the Happy Community are part of the Night Divisions misinformation department. Although they couldnt find concrete evidence surrounding the urban legends of the Happy Community, for the time being, they decided to dissuade as many people as possible from staying there by generating rumours scary enough in hopes of deterring ordinary folk. Lu Yibei epted the task of investigating the Happy Community, Jiangli exined briefly. I see. Wonderful! I didnt expect that boy to be useful as soon as he was hired, An Qing nodded, curling her lips. My Du Sixian, on the other hand Im afraid itll be another two months before shes ready to help in simple investigations. Well, An Qing stretched, turning around. If theres nothing else, Ill be heading back to my office. Mm. As the door shut, Jiangli couldnt help but look out the window, looking at the small garden under the morning Sun. What is Yibei up to these past two days? As she thought about it, she took out her phone and dialled for Hua. Hua? About my request for you to keep an eye out on Yibei C hows it going? Hes Hua paused; her tone seemed to be dripping with resentment. I dont think hes prepared for the investigation at all. Every single day, Hua exined. He would study for his finals in the library every morning. Then, he will spend the rest of his time either drinking tea at the old teahouse down Peony Street, watching old men y chess by the street, or watching those seniors rehearsing their dance performance in the park. If anything, I feel as if he has integrated into their circle! It wont be long until he bes the centre of their group! ? Yibei, what the hell are you doing? Damn it! I was hoping that he would take the investigation a little more seriously to think I even advised him to prepare well and yesterday? He purchased a all-day-experience ticket at the Dafong Art Centre, watching all those young women dancing, singing, and ying the piano. Mind you! He went on a blind date three times during the experience, and- A blind date? Isnt he just neen? Why the rush? Jiangli wondered. Plus, isnt he a Witch now? You cant go on blind dates! Youll hurt their hearts! Or are you trying to use these dates as an excuse to hide your identity? Should we just arrest her after all this is over? Figures. Maybe hes just full of energy and greedy for love, with teenage hormones running wild in him, Hua responded. I understand. Im hanging up. Hanging up, Jiangli nced at the documents scattered across her table and sighed. These documents should be enough to make up for his investigation, if he investigated at all. Besides, I never expected him to obtain useful information from the very beginning C I am simply observing how he ns on investigating the urban legend at hand. However, An Qings investigations are indescribable, to say the least. Jiangli, after a while, took out her phone again, and logged into the chatting software, sending a message to Yibei. [Genius Mahjong Girl: When will we meet tomorrow? ??] Ten minutester [VACCARIA: Oh, my bad. I was watching a performance and didnt see your message. Is tomorrow afternoon good?] [Genius Mahjong Girl: Alright! See you tomorrow afternoon! ??] [VACCARIA: Forget it. How about tomorrow evening? I have somethinging up in the afternoon. ] Tsk. Hes getting more and more annoyingtely. Whatever. Evening it is, she muttered. Before she could type out a message, she received another message. [VACCARIA: Ah change of ns. How about the day after tomorrow? You asked me to prepare well, correct? Well Im not prepared! Are you okay meeting a day after tomorrow?] Jianglis mouth twitched slightly reading the text as she clenched her phone. She willed herself to take a deep breath as she typed out her reply. [Genius Mahjong Girl: What do you think? ?? ] [VACCARIA: I deeply apologize. Ill see you tomorrow evening! ] Seeing that Jiangli had replied with apletely new emoji without any guidance, Yibei felt that something was very, very wrong and decided to make a wise reply. After Yibei had settled the housing contract in the Happy Community, the sky hadpletely darkened. Shoving the contract into his bag, he felt a throbbing pain in his chest and felt as if he was coughing blood, What the fuck? Why is the rent in this shitty neighbourhood so damn expensive?! Even with all the negative rumours running rampant online, it has obviously not affected the housing situation in the Happy Community. People still flock here regardless. Yibei requested a real estate agent to help him three days prior before finally finding andlord willing to rent their unit out. Indeed, over thest three days, he wasnt wasting his time trying to fight for the centre position of the seniors dance performance group C in fact, he beelined it straight towards the Happy Community to investigate. From his point of view, the Night Division had investigated the Happy Community countless of times, only to discover nothing, which meant that it was impossible for him to gather any useful information through conventional methods. No best way forward, so Ill have to take a detour. For example, in reference to the seniors who rehearsed their performances at the park daily. Yibei has spent many years in the teahouses down Peony Street during his childhood, and are familiar with the senior citizens who probably have witnessed the development of Huacheng, growing from a small, rural city, to a bustling, modern city. If he were to ask anybody in Huacheng, apart from the Night Division, the ones who knew the most about older urban legends must be those senior citizens. Of course, they are very temperamental at their old age C their temperaments are unpredictable, their gossips are like parkour, and they couldnt stay on topic if their life depended on it. This is probably why the Night Division never bothered to interview them. However, Lu Yibei is the king of talking absolute gobshite in the whole of Huacheng. He is not afraid of overtly verbose people. In fact, he worries that even he might be too verbose for them. After three days of yapping and chatting with the elders, he managed to scourge some information regarding the Happy Community that the Night Division did not have. The only bad thing about talking with senior citizens are the grannies. Over thest three days, he has been forced into more than 20 blind dates. In todays society, appearances are more or less the same C what matters most is the inside and what lurks behind them. Yibei couldnt believe that people woulde with urban legends on his blind date with a girl. A bunch of ghastly embryos hovered behind the girl, and Yibei was so frightened that he told her on the spot When Yibei came to the ghost market, it had just opened, and the streets were busy. Waves of aromas wafted from the vendors that sold various snacks. He pushed through the crowd for a long time before locating Gu Qianqian, who was squatting by her stall. Her stall seems to offer a wide range of goods, selling fried rice, toys, handicrafts, and other less conventional business projects. He waited quietly for a moment, and stepped forward when she was done packing a customers food. Excuse me, could I get an order of [Deste Fire] to go? Oh! Its you! Give me a second! Gu Qianqian, seeing that it was Yibei, hurriedly went over to her trolley and rummaged through it to find the potions contained in the ss jars. He took the potion from her hand, and looked at the jar with the tacky packaging in disdain before walking away silently, blending in with the crowd. Seeing him leave, she was about to breathe a sigh of relief to continue making fried rice. When she turned back around, she saw Yibei sitting by her stool, holding a copper coin in one hand and a ss jar in the other. Wh-wh-wha-!? I thought you just left! Gu Qianqian blurted out. Ah, well, he raised his head, expressionless. I was indeed leaving, but I felt that there might be something wrong with the potion, so I came back. I see! What seems to be the problem? Isnt it obvious?! he raised his voice, shaking the potion in front of her face. This ss jar looks like shit! Of course Im worried about how hygienic it is! ? The system and Gu Qianqian considered the many possibilities of their cover being blown, leading to Yibei rejecting the potion. However, they never considered that he would refuse because of hygiene reasons. You know what? How about I drink it right now? If something happens to me, Ill just return it to you. Oh, by the way, you dont have some kind of hygiene-health-certificate-thingy on you right? No? No. Well, guess Id better test the potion out myself, Yibei sighed. H-how? Gu Qianqian was atrociously bad at lying, and her voice would tremble every time she speaks. Her doe eyes stared at Yibei as she held her breath. Like this! As he spoke, he tossed his copper coin in the air and thought to himself: Heads if the potion is tampered with, tails if the potion is fine to consume. Gu Qianqian! the system yelled in her mind. Hes using divination to test whether the potion is poisonous! Wh-wha-?! Before she could ask the system for a solution, the copper coinnded firmly on his palm. Tails. He nodded with satisfaction, then nced at Gu Qianqians sweat-covered forehead and panic-stricken face as he picked up the second potion. System! What do I do now? System! System?! Im choosing a rich host next time! Gu Qianqian is way too poor, and now, we got ourselves into this mess! How shameful! Yibei simply wanted to test Gu Qianqian by randomly picking out a single bottle to verify. However, seeing her current expression, he became more worried about the hygiene and production of the potion. What is she so scared of? Clink! Tails. Perfectly safe to consume. Clink! Tails. Safe again. The entire scenested for less than a minute, but to Gu Qianqian, it felt like an eternity of torture. Just as she was wondering whether he would test all eight potions and expose her for tampering it with poison, he put away his copper coin and stood up. Well, seems like everythings fine, he said, rummaging through the bag Gu Qianqian gave him and stuffed a random one into Gu Qianqians hand. Here you go! As a gift C I look forward to our next deal! Gu Qianqian watched as the boy leave, and after confirming that he did, indeed, leave, her voice trembled inwardly, System? Did you reconnect yet? Im here. Lets not do these shady things ever again. That was way too scary! Ditto. By the way, system? What should I do with this potion? Throw it away! Ah, but I dont want to! Its so precious to me Listen, Gu Qianqian this might be the poisoned one Well, what if I test it out myself? TRANSLATOR NOTES: First off, were back! Second off, Happy 20th Chapter on the new site! I apologize for the sudden absence C if you werent updated, my dog, who I was very close to, got poisoned, and I have been mourning for her even until today. I think tranting helped me to distract myself from the sadness a little, though I cant say for sure the trantion quality is up to standard Ill edit it if anybody (or myself) spots out any errors. As always, if you would like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking on the button below. ^_^ Chapter 250: Cohabitation Chapter 250: Cohabitation Collecting the potion, Lu Yibei quietly took cover in the darkness of an alleyway. Will at least one of these potions cause harm to me? Heads if yes, tails if no. Lu Yibei thought to himself as he took out his copper coin and flung it into the air. Smack! The copper coin was still spinning as he caught it mid-air. With his ability of precognition, he didnt need to see the copper coins answer. Tsk, I knew it! I knew there was a hygiene problem from the very start! To think I even gave her the chance to fess up! Gu Qianqian is so kind! He grumbled to himself. If it were up to me, her bank ount number and every teeny-tiny dark secret would have been exposed by now. He nced out the alleyway towards Gu Qianqians humble stall, and as he was deep in thought, he flung his copper coin up into the air again. Fling! The copper coin spun gracefully, and its shiny surface reflected the moonlight.Before his eyes could heat up, however, his hand shot out and caught the coin firmly in his palm. He initially wanted to use his ability to test if Gu Qianqian had any ill intent towards him, but as soon as he flung the coin upwards, he realized that he didnt want to know the answer to that question. Precognitions are not reliable the future is always changing tsk, tsk If I judge a persons good or bad solely through divination, shouldnt I just lose myself and be the copper coin? He chuckled to himself as he put the coin back into his pocket, then rummaged through the bag of potions. He then took the good potions out and put them into his backpack. If the potion is good, Ill consume it when necessary, but if there is a problem with it I guess its a great chance to test it out on the enemy to see what side effects the bad potions have. Returning to his apartment, it was still the wee hours of the morning. Opening the door, he was greeted with a pitch-ck living room. Hello? Anyone home? He called out again, but nobody responded. Weird. Jumeng has nobody to go out and y games with, and my little apparitions have nowhere else to go. The house was quiet, as if he had just went back in time and first started living here after moving out of Shuis house. Scratching his head, he walked in and went upstairs. Launching himself into bed, he stared at the ceiling in a daze, upied by his thoughts. I thought she was still injured, so why head outte at night? but if shes fine, why would she stay at my house? Under the moonlight, at the small garden on the top floor of Huacheng Universitys library, a variety of flowers bloom. A girl sat on the railing with her legs hanging, and her big, emerald-like eyes gazed at the moon through a ferocious-looking mask as she hummed an ancient song to herself. Soon, soft footfalls could be heard entering the garden, and a figure emerged from the shadows. The figure walked up to the girl and bowed to her. Youre finally here. Why were you looking for me in such a hurry? Surely, youre not trying to rush me to locate that pesky urban legend? Jumeng pouted. Its been so long, and I couldnt find any clues, she continued. I estimate that she may have left Huacheng long ago. No, youre mistaken, Lin Yiqi shook her head. Youre right C its been so long, and I am no longer concerned over that matter. Plus, even if I find her, beating her up will do me no good, Lin Yiqi thought to herself. Absolutely not! Jumeng waved her fist and boasted. I, the Great Jumeng, have promised that I will beat her up! And hence, I must beat her up! Dont you worry about a single thing! Before I leave, I will most definitely avenge you! Jumeng reassured. thanks in advance, I guess, Lin Yiqi murmured. But that is not what Im here for today C Im here to warn you that you should leave Huacheng as soon as possible. Jumeng tilted her head in confusion, Why? I thought we agreed that you didnt need to bestow me any offerings? After all, the food Lu Yibei makes at home is quite delicious, she noted. No, its not because of that, but are you dating someone? Huh? Jumeng frowned and made an ugly face. You got yourself a hot sugar daddy? Listen C Im not you. Youre busy looking for worshippers? Lin Yiqi guessed again. Recalling her daily life with Yibei, Jumeng replied, I guess? That kid relies on me a lot! Lin Yiqis eye twitched slightly. Why do I hear a hint of pamper-and-pride in her words? Ah, none of my business Well, I was guessing because you have been living like a hermittely, Yiqi exined. I was worried that you havent noticed that there is some unrest in Huachengtely C a few days ago, I was praying to Zigu1, and Wait, what the hell? Jumeng interrupted. Youre praying to that nasty woman again? Well, I am her dependent, Yiqi gave a bitter smile. While youre away, I can only rely on her to ensure the safety of me and my children. Continue. While I was praying to her, Zigu revealed that urban legends are beginning to gravitate towards Huacheng. Im afraid that Hearing this, Jumengs eyes narrowed as she interrupted once again, Youre telling me that somebody is trying to organize a Night Parade? Yes. After all, Huacheng has not been ruled over by an urban legend for a long time now. I see. If thats the case, it might be a bit of a bother, but there is nothing to be afraid about. Nothing? Lin Yiqi was about to speak, but swallowed her words. She nced at the seemingly harmless goddess in front of her, and swallowed her words once again. Attempting to upy an area through a Night Parade is tantamount to dering war on all urban legends of the area, which is very risky for the urban legends who organize it. However, Jumeng has performed this very ritual three times while expanding the area of her influence, and every single time, she would kill all the urban legends who tried to resist. Therefore, a Night Parade may mean nothing to her. However, its impossible for her to interfere, correct? After all, she stored more than half of her power in the Peach Blossom Tree in the Garden to intimidate any trespassers with ill intent. This is a reasonable assumption for Yiqi to make C right now, Jumeng is enjoying herself outside of her domain. If she were to return and find that her territory has been torn down, she would never be able to live the embarrassment down. Alright, as Yiqi was deep in thought, Jumeng jumped down from the railing and walked up to her, patting her shoulder. Thank you for informing me about this. I guess it pays to be good to you! However, she continued. A Night Parade takes a lot of time to prepare, so I still have time C I should be back in Taoyuan before then. Also, the Night Parade is a fight between gods, and mortals will inevitably be coteral. Id advise you to not join in on the fun, because if you identally get caught in the crossfire, Im afraid not even your bones will be left considering your abilities. I understand. Jumeng shrugged as an aura of brilliant emerald surrounded her. In the blink of an eye, she transformed herself into a magpie with gorgeous wings. She was just about to fly away, but circled mid-air to perch on Yiqis shoulder. If you have time, head back to Taoyuan to see your grandmother. She misses you a lot C and dont bring that ghost-baby of yours! She doesnt like seeing things like that! After saying what she needed to, she pped her wings, and disappeared under the moonlight. Meanwhile, on the rooftop of Jingyi Apartments, several tiny apparitions gathered together. These are the tiny apparitions that lived in Yibeis apartment. The jacket fluttered out from the dark corner, and emptied its pockets. Plop! Plop! Plop! More than dozen urban legend cores the size of rice grains were scattered onto the floor. Today was the very first day that the jacket trailed behind several other tiny apparitions toplete its n of [Conquering the City and Establishing Our Territory]. It sessfully infiltrated the other apparitions ir in an abandoned parking lot near the apartment. The apparitions psychic fluctuation levels could barely even reach a pitiful D-, and they were no match for the jacket. They persisted in the fight for less than half an hour, and the few who survived scattered and ran away. While the rest of its friends were salivating at the cores, the wig stood up and cleared its throat, announcing, Ahem! Before we dig in, I would like to say a few words. Our mission of hunting shadowy apparitions has ended in great sesss! Kudos to us, the members of [Envoys of Love and Peace; Models of Morality and Conscience; Handsome Men and Beautiful Women; The Witchs Warriors Group]! Our victory over the cockroach-rat and the snail-monster will be one for the books! In addition, I would like to address our members of [Envoys of Love and Peace]- Clink! Ow! Before the wig could begin speaking again, a ck orb-like figure flew from the side, kicking the wig as it flung over the railing. The wigs shrill shout could be heard as it gradually got further and further away. That damn bitch is so chatty for something without a mouth C yes! Although we dide up with that name together, do you really have to read it outpletely every, single, time?! Ive had enough! the eyeball cursed. Whatever! Lets dig in! As it spoke, the eyeball revealed its maw from the center of its round body C like a starfish, the eyeball split into five sections, revealing rows of densely-packed teeth. A tongue shaped like a tentacle revealed itself, and with a single swipe, the eyeball devoured three of the grain-like cores on the ground. Seeing the eyeball digging in, the other apparitions also revealed their maws and ate. For a moment, on that very rooftop, strange lights could be seen shing, apanied by the sound of chewing. One would think that a strange, ritualistic feasting of an evil gods servants would be taking ce. After a while Burp! After they ate, the eyeball burped and muttered, I feel that were bing stronger how about we organize a Night Parade of 100 Demons, and take over Huacheng? As soon as it spoke, its friends were stunned as they gazed at the eyeball. Some were so shocked that they forgot to swallow their remaining cores. A barely Level D urban legend is nning to upy Huacheng? What the hell did you swallow?! It is no different from a child who had just graduated from kindergarten wanting to enroll into a university. Why are you all looking at me like that? Even if we cant do it, we represent that Witch! youre not making sense. Under the silent gaze of all the apparitions, the eyeball took a firm and steady step forward, determined to achieve its dreams. Next day, at 5:37 p.m. The autumn rain was chilly as it bit into the skin, and the sky was shrouded in a deep fog, like a divine silkworm hard-at-work weaving dense clouds into the sky. In a book bar across the street from the Happy Community, a blonde girl with a seductive aura sat by the window, pulling her leather jacket closer to herself. The cold rain was sttering against the window, forming a thinyer of condensation on the window. With a finger, she drew messy, iprehensible symbols on the ss, and it was hard to tell what she was writing. As she finished scribbling, one could see that it was simply a mahjong tile representing the rooster. Jiangli was somewhat d that she had decided to sit down in the book bar, avoiding the fate of being entangled in the cold wetness of the rain. Perhaps it was because she was taken away by the Eclipse Society when she was younger while it was raining like this, which is why she has always hated weather like this. Of course, the rain also reminded her about the behaviour of a certain someone, and she couldnt help but let out a sigh. We agreed to meet in the afternoon, didnt we? Where is she? Its been a few hours now, and she even set her status to [Do Not Disturb] If she hadnt already epted themission from the forums, Jiangli wouldve thought that she had run away because of the dangers that might exist in the Happy Community. The sky gradually darkened outside. She withdrew her gaze and continued to flip through her half-read book, titled [A Farewell to Arms]. It is a novel written by the writer Ernest Hemingway, and the protagonist of the novel is somebody who is running away. Jiangli continued reading the book, and soon, she could hear the sound of rushed footstepsing her way. Looking up, she saw a girl with white, wet hair, walking over with a guitar bag as she plopped down on the seat opposite of hers. Sorry, Imte! I was busy ying some musical instruments at the cultural center, and when I came over, there was a traffic jam! Jiangli stared at her in silence for a few seconds and spoke, Taking into ount the road conditions, coupled with the heavy rain, the average traffic jam from the center will not exceed ten minutes, but here you are,te by three hours. How unlucky, right? Every time we came across a traffic light, it turned red! And every time we reach a crossing, some olddies will be crossing the road C I mean, I even had to pay ten yuan extra for the cab fare! Ridiculous! Jiangli was silent again as she gazed out the window. Looking at the Happy Community framed by the rain and the window, she spoke, Im afraid its a little toote for us to conduct an investigation. In themunity, visitors are prohibited from entering or exiting after eight o clock in the evening Smack! Before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted by the Witch pping something on the table. And who told you we were visitors? We live there. We cane and go as we please. Did she rent a house there? Is that what she has been doing the past few days? Also, did she just say Looking at the document detailing the housing arrangement, she tilted her head and muttered, We live there? Thats right! the Witch pointed one finger at Jiangli, You and the other at herself. and me! Werent you the one who suggested that we team-up toplete this mission? Think about it C how can we investigate the problem thoroughly if we dont live in themunity? Logically speaking, all of the strange things started to happen after the residents move in, so how can we investigate if we arent residents in the first ce? Makes sense, but Jiangli frowned. I dont think this is very convenient for the two of us What do you mean? Im a girl, and youre a girl. Are you worried I might do something to you? Or do you have some sort of dirty little secret you cant share with me? I think youre the one with the dirty little secret. What secret could I possibly have? the Witch puffed up her chest and winked. Im just a very ordinary girl! With a straight face, Jiangli looked at Yibeis chest, then at her own chest. She took note after making aparison, and silently zipped up her leather jacket. Looking at the girl before her, who is very undoubtably a girl, who also has a very high probability of being her unreliable subordinate in the Night Division, she felt that this situation is unbelievable. How does she pull this off so confidently? Dont you feel ashamed of yourself? Alright, but even if you want me to move in with you, shouldnt you at least let me take a look at the house before we make any ns? Jianglipromised. If she persisted too much, she was afraid that she might reveal her true identity, and this wasnt a game that she was nning to lose. Ah, about that C I took a look at our unit yesterday. Nothing special about it, but I guess somebody did die in the unit not long ago. Bah! Youll see it when we get there! It was still rainy, and because of that, there were very few pedestrians in themunity. Soon after the two entered, they realized that they were the only two people around. Looking around, the area of themunity is veryrge, with twelve buildings standing in the shape of a ring. Looking at the windows, the lights shining from them seem to weave together a string of strange letters, which resembled tombstones with engravings on them. Standing at the bottom floor and looking up fills ones heart with a strange anxiety, as if they will topple over and bury everything in thismunity with rubble and dust. The biting wind, carrying the raindrops, blew across themunity, causing the grass and trees to sway with it. The branches and leaves rustled under its persuasion, and yet, under the seemingly warm and harmoniousmunity, they couldnt help but shake off the minute, uneasy atmosphere that could barely be detected with their psychic senses. It was as if they were walking in the territory of a sleeping beast. If it wakes up, it will lead to a terrifying end for themunity. As they walked, the Witch seemed to sense something, and spoke to Jiangli with her eyes: Somethings wrong. I feel it too, Jiangli nodded in reply. The two of them nodded at each other, and began briskly walking back towards their rented unit, as if they were saying: Lets get out of here, we can talk about itter! Jiangli would soone to realize that she would be deceived C the unit that Yibei rented is a small, boutique apartment with one bedroom, one living room, one kitchen, and one bathroom. Jiangli sat down in the living room, and her face was so gloomy that it appeared as if she was about to summon her own rain in the apartment. Theres only one bed. Theres only one bed. Theres only one bed. Theres only one bed. Is she trying to do something weird to me?! Noticing something unusual about her supposed superiors temperament, the Witch hurriedly exined to clear the air, Oh, Im not going to sleep with you. You dont have to worry about anything. What a strange thing to say! Is she trying to hide something? Oh, that came out wrong, tsk the Witch paused. Actually, I dont n to sleep at all tonight. What do you mean? I want to take a walk outside to see if the rumours are true C whether the residents here are as nice as they seem ording to the Inte. As she spoke, she put down the guitar bag on the living room floor, took out aba2, and walked outside. ?! TRANSLATOR NOTES: Guess who forgot to update again yesterday me. I guess I got a little toofortable on my little break the past two weeks ToT, hopefully we can resume back to the normal schedule of Tuesday and Friday soon enough! Note 1 C Zigu:Zigu is the Goddess of Toilets, and she was a concubine who was physically abused by a vengeful wife and eventually sumbed to the abuse. Note 2 C Laba:Laba, or Suona, or Dida, is a Chinese musical instrument which resembles a trumpet. STORY DISCUSSION: Yibei runningte to meet Jiangli in the book bar: Yibei about to wreak havoc on her neighbours with theba to see how nice her they are: As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so below ^.^ Chapter 251: The Jews Harp vs. The Laba Chapter 251: The Jew''s Harp vs. The Laba Aba? You and Bai Kai are truly like-godfather-like-goddaughter Coming back to her senses, Jiangli watched as the Witch closed the door behind her, and nodded with slightly affirmation. To be honest, I wonder if the residents are as friendly as they seem. Imagine somebody ying an instrument this loud at night C wouldnt it be abnormal if they were able to tolerate this kind of behaviour? If they have noints, that might mean they are being influenced by something. Even then Jiangli hurriedly retrieved her bag and took out a mask and a hat, and left the apartment to chase after Lu Yibei. Varia, please, wait a moment. Hearing her superior calling after her using her username, Yibei turned around, only to be greeted with her superior handing her a mask and a hat. Uh, whats this for?Seriously? Jiangli blinked. Cover your face when youremitting crimes. This is basic etiquette when youre doing something bad. Im not objecting you to doing this, but dont let them remember your face beforeing home. Yibei tilted her head as she looked at Jiangli, then at theba in her own hand. Soon, she realized what Jiangli meant by handing her the items. Oh! Surely, you dont think Im heading out to y this bad boy, now do you? Do you think that Im the type of person to have no morals?! Jiangli eyed Yibei up and down as her eyebrows furrowed, before nodding and speaking, Yes. You are that type of person. During theirst coboration, so to speak, the Witch mustve been worried that the failed reincarnation of Beelzebub would have some sort of self-destruct attack, and pretended to be incapacitated while shouting at her colleagues to finish the beast. What morals could you possibly have? If youre heading out with aba and im to want to test how friendly the residents are, what else could you possibly be doing? Jiangli, known for being a cold, yet charming woman who distances herself from people; unattainable and jade-like, found her mind bing much more active after running into Yibei. Forget it. No matter whoes across this Witch, they will never be able to decipher her garbage mind. If I dont try to intervene, Im afraid my own heart wont be able to take it. Did you really need to emphasize the are? the Witch pouted. Jiangli folded her hands on her chest as her eyes unconsciously drifted towards theba, and asked, Alright then, let me ask you a very fair question C what are you nning to do outside with thatba? Self-defence? She said it in a matter-of-fact tone, then put theba to her mouth. With a huff, a loud bwa! sounded. The sound was crisp, yet harsh at the same time. All she needed was two days of observing the senior citizen performance groups brass yer, and she was able to pick up the ways of ying theba. Moreover, she went to the culture centre to practice ying a couple of songs. Even the teachers there were impressed by how fast the strange boy was picking up theba. Despite that, they still refused to amodate to his refund request for half of his fees. Self-defense? Jiangli tilted her head in confusion. Aba for self-defence? She blinked for a moment and thought about the somewhat attractive Witch ying aba and smashing urban legends with it. Her face itched slightly with emotion. If she isnt going out to be a public nuisance, then it should be fine, right? Right, Jiangli felt a little more relieved after her mini-interrogation. Then, tell me how you are nning to test how friendly the residents are. Hehe! Yibei chuckled without expression as her eyes glimmered underneath the apartment lighting. You havent had dinner yet, correct? Dinner? No. I havent. Oh, just you wait! the Witchs eyebrows raised slightly. Ill be making you something goodter! She turned around, strutting towards the unit opposite of theirs with theba hanging on her waist as she rang the doorbell. Ding dong! Ding dong! Squeak! The door opened slightly, and a man wearing sses who looked to be about thirty and in his loungewear, greeted them. He was slightly startled when he saw the beautiful girl in front of him. Oh, hello! How can I help you? Sorry to bother you thiste in the evening, Yibei bowed. I just moved in the unit opposite of yours, and I was making dinner when I realized that I ran out of vinegar! I was wondering if you had any! Neighbours lending things weremon, but to have such a beautiful girl doing so is a whole other can of worms. W-wait here a moment, please! the man responded as he ran into his house. After a moment, he came back with a bottle of vinegar and ced it into Yibeis hand. Yibei nodded and took the vinegar bottle and ced it on her coffee table. She sat on the sofa and looked at the time on her phone. When exactly ten minutes had passed, she got up again and strutted towards her neighbours door. Ding dong! As soon as the door opened, the Witch stuck out her tongue and put a hand to her head, Oh, silly me! Turns out I ran out of garlic too! I was wondering if you had any garlic to use! Of course! Dont worry about it! the man replied with a smile. And hence, Yibei obtained garlic. Ten minutester. Ding dong! As soon as the man opened the door, the voice of a woman could be heard from inside his unit, Damn it! Why is she at the door again? Were neighbours! Neighbours should help each other, no? Hmph! Ah, am I disturbing you? Yibei pouted in a guilty tone. Your girlfriend is in, isnt she? I didnt mean to disturb the both of you. I hope she isnt mad at you. No, no! Its no problem! Ah, okay! If your girlfriends upset, Ill feel guilty over it C in that case, I was wondering if you have two packs of instant noodles and a handful of green onions The corner of the mans mouth twitched slightly, Of course. Its no problem. My god. Why is she such a bitch?! Jiangli covered her mouth in embarrassment. If they were living anywhere else, various fights and arguments wouldve happened by now. She couldnt stand to listen anymore, so she took an umbre and left the apartment. She nned to take a walk around the Happy Community to see if she could find anything special. Before she was ready to leave, she could hear the doorbell ringing again. Ding dong! Haha, Im back again! Do you have two eggs? We do. Ding dong! The sounds of a doorbell rang intermittently in the corridor for more than an hour, and it was soon quiet. Yibei sat alone in the living room, looking at the ingredients and condiments on the coffee table as she held her chin, lost in her thoughts. The residents here are way too attuned to the values of Buddhism. I almost emptied their entire refrigerator with what I have here, and he was only very slightly unhappy. Even then, it didnt seem like he was about to get impatient at all. I took more than 30 items from them! If it were me, I wouldve called the police on them by now! There is something seriously wrong with them! I guess its time for n B. Thinking about it, she walked over to her guitar bag and took out a mini speaker. She plugged in her phone and searched for the ylist that Shui downloaded for her from god-knows-where. Just as she was about to hit y, she suddenly remembered about her roommate. Hey, you dont mind if I y a little music, do you? It miiight be a little weird and inappropriate for children, but I swear Ill keep it down! Hello? You there? What the-? Where did she go?! It had been raining for most of the day, but it turned into a light drizzle at night. The falling rain could barely be seen with the naked eye as they gently pitter-pattered from the sky. Jiangli walked alone on the footpath of the Happy Community, making sure to look around warily. All the buildings of themunity were painted grey and white, and every household seemed to have their lights on. Even the gloomy rain couldnt mask how warm themunity was. Too quiet, though. She thought to herself C in her ears, all she could hear was the soft sound of rain dropping on her umbre, and the gentle wind caressing the leaves of the grass and the trees. She was only about three streets away from the busiest streets of Huacheng, and yet, she couldnt hear the slightest hint of noise from the city. In this manner, she walked around themunity before remembering something. She began briskly walking towards a building in the third block of themunity that had just recently been taken up by newer residents. On the urban legend forums, the person who posted themission lives in this block, in Room 417. Maybe I can find something of use there. Thinking about it, she quickened her pace and walked towards the apartment Arriving, Jiangli immediately extended her psychic senses and surveyed the area. Finding nothing unusual, she walked towards the main entrance. As soon as she walked through the threshold, she thought of the woman who lived on the first floor who was mentioned in the posters story. Confirm her suspicions, it seemed that the womans unit is the only unit of the entire apartment to not have its lights on. Walking towards the units windows, she decided to peer inside of it. It was pitch-dark, and she could only see her own reflection. Frowning, she imbued psychic energy into her eyes to strike through the darkness obscuring her vision, only to be greeted with a blurry outline of a human face staring right back at her. The face was lifeless, like a turbidke. The pale face seemed to get closer, and closer, and closer, and closer Thwack! The windows swung open. A very beautiful woman with messy hair and a soulless-looking face greeted her. Even a seasoned Night Division Operator like Jiangli felt uneasy about the current situation. Moreover, the womans face matched the description of the poster on the forums, and this is the very woman who had supposedly disappeared a long time ago. The woman stared straight through Jiangli without blinking, attempting to squeeze out a polite smile, Hello. How can I help you? Ah Jiangli tried to return a polite smile. I was just taking a look. The woman was visibly startled at Jianglis idea of a smile, before nodding and closing the window behind her. Stepping aside, a trace of doubt shed across her eyes. Didnt themission state that the woman and her family were all missing? Why is she here? Is it possible that the posters memories are unreliable? Jiangli recalled back to the time when she tagged along the Night Divisions various investigations early on in her career. Many of the victims were suffering from mental disorders, or seemed to have jumbled-up memories due to excessive fright from being exposed to things that werent meant for the human mind. It was difficult to obtain any useful information from them. She wordlessly nced at the pitch-dark windows and narrowed her eyes. Or, maybe, the woman was captured by the figure in the story C the strange figure nailed that tentacle-like nail into her head, forcefully transforming her into one of the many friendly neighbours of the Happy Community. As she was pondering, a strange sound could be heard, interrupting her thoughts. The sound was like a voice, barely audible and slow, as if it was resonating in the back of her mind. The jews harp. She pricked up her ears and listened carefully to its strange calling, but the sound was too weak; too light, masked by the wind and the rain. If she was none-the-wiser, she wouldve thought it was the wind blowing through the narrow corridors of the apartment. The more she listened, however, the more she felt that something was very wrong. The source of the sound seemed to being from all directions. Her eyes tried to follow the noise, walking back and forth to find the source. Finally, as if she had just remembered something, she lowered her head and looked at the damp ground beneath her feet. Itsing from under me? Thinking to herself, she held her umbre and walked towards the direction of themunitys underground parking lot. During the Night Divisions previous investigations, Jiangli and a few members of the Special Operations Team disguised themselves as maintenance workers for the underground venttion ducts of themunity, which can be found within the parking lot. The underground parking lot is vast, with a total of three floors spanning across the entiremunity. It seemed that it was built with the idea of having amunity over it. Under the guise of maintenance work, they carefully inspected the entire parking lot, but they couldnt find even the weakest semnce of an apparition or an urban legend. Although it was great that there are no urban legends, it was, indeed, peculiar. Jiangli has seen all kinds of urban legends and apparitions that linger within empty parking lots C human heads rolling from car-to-car; a head hanging from a venttion duct with their tongue hanging down; dark figures popping out from dark corners; faceless women, but never has she encountered a parking lot with absolutely zero urban legends. Objectively, this meant that the parking lot of the Happy Community is uniquely safe from urban legends, but its different now. Jiangli thinks that there is a problem lurking here. She couldnt detect any fluctuations in psychic energy with her senses, but the eerie melodies of the jews harp continued to itch in the back of her mind, and confirming that the jews harp did indeed exist, she felt that it was necessary to investigate further. She walked slowly towards the slope leading towards the underground parking lot C the street lights showered her from the back, casting a long shadow on the slope. She walked on top of her own shadow, and gradually, she smelled damp asphalt. The rain from earlier had flowed in, forming deep puddles on the ground of the parking lot. The lights of the parking lot were dim, and countless, thick concrete pirs connected the ceiling and the ground casted their shadows. Parked vehicles were randomly distributed in the dimness of the parking lot, silent, unmoving. Suddenly, she could hear the jews harp once again C its distorted melody echoed and reflected across the pirs of the parking lot; its melody increasingly disturbing the longer she listened to it. It was as if it was some kind of sacrificial music. A strange image seemed to be stered in Jianglis mind C she could see the residents of themunity enjoying themselves to the warm and harmonious atmospheres of their home. Looking closer, however, the residents faces were blurred out, and the cacophonous melody of the jews harp twisted their limbs to its rhythm, as if they were subject to an otherworldly ritual. The image before her eyes seemed too real, too clear, as if she was one of them. Following the sound of the jews harp, she unknowingly came to the bottom floor of the parking lot. The sound of the jews harp was almost deafening, and almost real. Just up ahead. She moved closer and closer towards the source when the music suddenly stopped. Then, it became louder, and faster, and In an instant, a terrifyingly powerful wave of psychic energy washed over her as her vision went dark. She couldnt see anything, and all she could hear was the screeching melody that seemed to weigh her down with its horrifying emotions. The sound was approaching closer and closer, and soon, it was deafening. No human can describe the eerie, cacophonous sound in detail. All the blood vessels under Jianglis jade-like skin bulged out, as if they were trying to escape her body. She could no longer focus on the fluctuations of psychic energy, but she knew that she was being attacked C like someone had inserted something sharp into her brain, and the pain that followed struck out from the depths of her soul, filling her brain with nothing but pain. However, at this moment, a new melody, carrying the telltale harmonies of a sad, yet ear-shattering sounds of aba resonated throughout the parking lot. Yibei could be seen rushing towards her, ying a song titled [Sunrise at Emei]. It was a little out of tune, but it couldnt affect how majestic and grand the melody was. The jews harp tried to y over its thunderous sound, but stopped. It tried again, and stopped, then tried again, and stopped After several attempts, the jews harps putrid melody was seemingly led astray by the magnificent of theba, and it reluctantly made a loud, mournful note before falling silent. Jianglis blurred vision returned to her bit-by-bit, and she could see countless translucent swirls that resembled densely-packed tentacles, and the end of the tentacles were as sharp as spiked bone. Looking around, she found that she was actually at the entrance of the parking lot. TRANSLATOR NOTES: EDIT:Fixed up the TL. Thanks catventurer4 for pointing them out! ^_^ As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below ^.^ Enjoy todays chapter! Chapter 252: Lu Yibeis Secret Ramen Recipe Chapter 252: Lu Yibei''s Secret Ramen Recipe At the very moment Jiangli regained her consciousness, she saw the countless pale, almost invisible tentacles squirming violently, as if they had been struck by lightning. The tentacles swayed in the air, setting off waves of energy that undted within the parking lot, violently lifting Jiangli up from the ground and into the air. m! With a single sway, the energy wavesunched Jiangli straight towards amppost outside the parking lot, causing a huge dent as it flickered dark. The vibrations caused by the energy waves were so violent that it caused her shirt to disintegrate into nothing but dust. As themp flickered on and off, the tentacles seemingly began retreating back into the dark recesses of the parking lot, melting into the darkness beyond the pirs. And like a nightmare, the terrifying psychic energy fluctuations faded away into nothing, as if there was never anything lurking in the parking lot in the first ce. Jianglis body fell t onto the puddle-filled pavement, causing the disgusting mud to ssh on both her remaining clothes and her body. She wretched and coughed violently from the pain in her abdomen, and all she could taste in her mouth was metal. Covering her chest as she stared at the tentacles receding into the parking lot like a tide, her gaze deepened. Was I doomed the very moment I stepped into the parking lot? When was I targeted? Was it outside C when I met the woman in her unit? Or was it when I started hearing the sound of the jews harp? She cursed silently as she brought herself up from the ground, feeling a little humiliated and cross that she was almost taken out by an urban legend without putting up a fight.Well, those kinds of things do happen when youre in this line of work She recalled back to the past where even the stronger, more experienced Operators of the Night Division fell prey to the ws of B-Levelled Threats. Their abilities were suppressed, and they were tortured relentlessly until they died before having their bodies possessed by those urban legends. Hence, she knew that she should have been prudent to avoid ambushes like these. I let my guard down C to think that it would be fine to be less vignt when I couldnt detect any psychic energy fluctuations Normal Night Division protocol calls for a buddy system when investigating quiet, concealed urban legends that have integrated into normal society, like the Happy Community. Since they are constantly surrounded by civilians, making it difficult to use their abilities at will, there are usually more than two members per team moving around at all times to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Which is why Jiangli had decided to invite Lu Yibei to help her investigate the Happy Community, and toplete themission with her. Jianglis mind bumped back into reality, and only then did she realized that the Witch was still standing by her, ying theba. Covering her chest, she walked up towards Yibei. Theyre gone. Yibei ignored Jiangli as she continued to blow into the instrument while giving her a nasty look. She continued to y for about five minutes, before Jiangli spoke up once again, How long are you going to continue ying that thing? Now, the Witch huffed as she took a breath. That stupid thing probably wont be back for a while now. Lets hurry home. We can talk about itter. She then wordlessly turned around and made big strides back towards their apartment. You know what? Maybe its good to have a cautious, cowardly partner sometimes. Jiangli thought to herself. Of course, I cant rule out the fact that she might be the first to up and run the moment something dangerous happens. Catching up with Yibei, she looked at her tattered clothes on her chest, then nced at Yibeis jacket, before muttering, Its a little cold, isnt it? Im not cold. Itd be embarrassing if we were to bump into somebody right now. She couldnt find it in herself to ask Yibei to take off her jacket so that she may cover herself. Hence, she decided to beat around the bush. Yibei turned around upon hearing her words, sighing, I swear I cant take you anywhere As she spoke, she unzipped her jacket and stepped forward. Jiangli thought that Yibei was simply going to plop the jacket into her arms C however, she didnt expect Yibei to grab her by the arms and twist her around all of a sudden. Jianglis eyes widened at the sudden move, and in the blink of an eye, Yibei slipped the jacket over the two of them and zipped up. Instantly, the jacket squirmed and grew in size, tightly wrapping the two of them together. The warmth of the jacket and the warmth of two bouncy mountains on her back caused Jianglis jade-like face to radiate a sheer red, coldly muttering, Are you seriously trying to take advantage of me while were still outside?! I thought you said it was cold. Well, Im not cold anymore. Pfft, you were probably too embarrassed thinking about running into one of our neighbours without a top on! I guessed right, didnt I?! Plus! Yibei continued. Were both girls! Were both grown women! Nothing to be shy about! Lets just head home quickly. What the-?! She learnt this from that scumbag Bai Kai, didnt she?! Well, kind of. And it wasnt just Bai Kai C Yibeis very own father taught him to do this since young C they were probably worried that this child would never be able to find a wife in the future. Under the drizzling night, the streets of the Happy Community was strangely quiet, and Jiangli sessfully returned to the front door of their apartment without bumping into anyone. While Yibei was fumbling for the keys, Jianglis could hear the sounds of moans and pantsing from inside their unit. Her already-cross face turned darker, and interrogated, Care to exin whats happening inside our apartment? Uh, you see the Witch scratched the back of her head in embarrassment and whispered, Turns out, our neighbours werent even the slightest bit of angry from me borrowing their entire fridge and food stock for the next month, so, uh, I decided to try something else? Hear me out, Yibei exined. We have two single neighbours living above us and right next to us C if they happen to know that there are two beautiful girls living near them who arent able to hold their voices in, and their mind starts to conjure inappropriate scenes from all the noise, do you think theyll be able to handle it? Absolutely not! If I were in their shoes, I might tear the door to our unit down with my bare hands! And how did that go? Jiangli asked. Well the Witch paused. Truth is, they werent even the slightest bit of angry when I checked up on them. In fact, they were extremely happy and hinted that they didnt want to disturb us. Maybe theyre voyeurs? Who knows! Tsk. Jiangli spat with disgust, and broke out from the shackles known as Yibeis arms. She snatched the key out of her grasp, opened the door, and trudged inside without looking back. Yibei followed her inside, and before she could speak again, she heard the bedroom door m shut with a loud bang, followed by a soft click. H-hey! You didnt even have your dinner yet! Ill cook for you! You can shower and sleep after youre done eating! Not hungry, her superior responded coldly from behind the door. Locking herself in, she could see that the bedroom was of an average size. The room was dimly lit from the moonlight shining through the ajar curtains. A double bed found itself in the centre of the room, with brand-new sheets and duvet covers. A wardrobe stood proud in the corner of the room with its door half-open, and it was empty inside. Throwing herself into the bed, she could feel her internal organs trembling from the brief contact made with the urban legend, and the minor cuts on her body stung. In the darkness, she clenched her teeth and guided part of her psychic energy onto her injuries, repairing them bit by bit. Although doing this can speed up the healing process, it does not numb the pain. A pale-blue light shimmered beneath her skin, and her thin body trembled uncontrobly. Large beads of sweat coated the surface of her body, and after a while, she found herself drenched. The shimmer halted after a moment, and sheid exhausted and damp on the bed. Staring at the ceiling, she recalled her experienced from earlier and pondered. The urban legend immediately retreated after bewitching me. Why didnt it kill me? Why bewitch me in the first ce? Yibei said that theba was for self-defence C moreover, she spent about three days learning how to y the instrument, and true enough, it came in handy. It was as if she knew that this might happen, so she decided to prepare just in case. However, where did she get such information from? Themission post mentioned nothing about instruments, neither could one guess from nuanced interpretation; she couldnt have obtained information from the Night Division Records with her clearance level, though its not like there is relevant information on there either An urban legend? Her jacket itself is one, and although it is not very powerful, it seems pure in its intentions. How unexpected! To think that there are other urban legends surrounding her! After staring at the ceiling for a considerable time, she gradually felt her strength returning to her. She got up, turned on the light, and wrapped the duvet around her as she opened the door. Her mind is now full of doubts, and she wants all of them answered by her dear subordinate. When she walked out of the bedroom, the Witch was still busy-at-work in the semi-open kitchen. As steam blew out of the pot, waves of a tempting aroma snuck into her nose. This familiar aroma wait Frowning, she tiptoed towards the kitchen, and stretched her neck over Yibeis shoulder to see what she was cooking. At that very moment, Yibei turned around, causing the both of them to bump squarely into each other. O-oh! Youre awake! I thought you were going to hole yourself up in the room! Ill let you in on a secret C the Lu family contains a secret ramen-cooking technique. I mean, couldnt you smell it yourself? Instant noodles. Something in her memory flickered, and the corners of her eyebrows trembled. Even then, she made sure to respond calmly, Mm, not bad at all. Am I overthinking things? Instant noodles can be found everywhere. Also, the Lu family? But its not that man? Pfft, you mean perfect, didnt you? Ah, but I only cooked one bowl of ramen since I thought you fell asleep C in that case Why dont you watch me eat? Yibei asked. ? I know youre not human anymore, but couldnt you at least be more human when interacting with one?! Kidding, Yibei said, sprinkling green onions over the pot as she brought out adle, scooping the ramen into a bowl. Eat. You were cold from falling into the puddle earlier, so I added some ginger to help warm your body up, Yibei said, cing the bowl of noodles onto the small bar by the kitchen, pushing it towards her superior. Jiangli eyed Yibei, then eyed the bowl of noodles on the counter. Strangely, the bowl of ramen looked so familiar to here, and she was so lost in her thoughts that she couldnt find it in herself to pick up her chopsticks. Helloooo? What are you looking at? I added somerd in there too! It wont be as crunchy if you let it cool! Jianglis senses snapped back to reality. Her eyes were full of doubt as she blinked at Yibei, but hesitated to speak. H-hey Yibei scratched the back of her head. Why are you looking at me like that? Youre not worried that I poisoned your food, right? No, she shook her head, picking up the bowl as she took a small sip of the broth. The rich broth, intertwining with the yolk, chives, andrd, melted on her tongue as her taste buds tingled with umami, and immediately, recognition shed in her mind. The taste of the broth this is the very taste Ive been asking Hua to recreate a long time ago, but no matter what she did, she couldnt She began swiping the noodles into her mouth relentlessly, forgetting that she had a cold, jade-like image to uphold, and in just a few minutes, the bowl of ramen was emptied right down to the bottom, leaving nothing behind. Neat. Yibei thought to herself as she nced at Jiangli, who had a dishevelled appearance not unlike a bad girl. I didnt expect her to have a side like this. Is it true? Is it really real? Was dad right all along? Does the Lu family make dishes so delicious that they are virtually equal to aphrodisiacs? Once I find out the cause of his death, Im heading straight back to Peony Street and opening a bar! As the Witch was fantasizing, Jiangli stared at her empty bowl. Her eyes no longer held that same cold re, rather, it held the gaze of a pitiful girl. Her shimmering eyes stared at Yibei with an eager glow. What the-?! Dont look at me like that! Im feeling a little scared and vulnerable at the moment! I wrapped you up in my jacket because I knew you didnt want to be naked, and maybe you were right about the recording of moans I yed for our neighbours, and, and! Anything else? no. Please wait a moment, the Witch responded, getting busy once again. Looking at her busy self, Jianglis mind began drifting towards a distant past. Her instant noodles are not that deliciouspared to real delicacies, but sometimes, people find themselves yearning for a certain food, not because of how delicious it is, but because of circumstances that are rted to the taste, imprinting itself onto their memory And Jianglis memory is rted to the man who made ramen just like this. The Amber Mansion is a famous mansion found in Huacheng. Before urban legends have increased in both quantity and quality, it was once the destination for ghost hunters to stream or film for their viewers. Legend has it that the Amber Mansion once belonged to a wealthy businessman. Post-bankruptcy, the businessman went insane, and killed his wife and daughter beforemitting suicide. However, Jiangli knew that this wasnt the case C nobody died in the Amber Mansion, because her biological father was that very businessman. The reason why the Amber Mansion became a haunted mansion was because her father was involved in a gamble that was impossible for a mortal like him to win. Jiangli had a very happy childhood C her father was a sessful businessman, and her mother was gentle and loving. If anything, Jiangli was the temte for a happy family found only in fairytales. However, when she was 13, every good thing she once had shattered into a million pieces, and each shard pierced into the recesses of her memory, unable to be removed. Day after day, year after year, those memories would continue to torture her. At that time, her father, who was in the line of construction, switched his career to real estate and made a lot of money by taking advantage of the rising prices of the housing market. Once people make enough money, their wants will also continue to grow C they want to try things that they could never once afford, and her father was no exception. After purchasing extremely expensive things like a mansion, a luxury car, a yacht, etc., he started feeling empty, and to supplement his emptiness, he turned to gambling. From local high-stakes tournaments in Huacheng, to illegal casinos, to gambling dens found in Macau, Monaco, and Las Vegas, his gambles became greater and riskier. Although the amount of money being gambled was huge,pared to his annual ie, it was nothing but a drop of water in a bucket. Even if he lost too many gambles, or won a lot less, it would not shake the wealth he had already garnered. But soon, he was no longer satisfied with the stakes. He wanted something more exciting. And so, his wishes were answered. Even now, Jiangli wasnt very sure how he came into contact with the gambling game hosted by urban legends, but she knew that, in those six months, he lost almost everything. First, it was his fortune. Then, it was his luck. Further, his lifespan. On top of that, his wife and his daughters freedom. She didnt know how it was possible that her freedom was ced as a bet to the Eclipse Society. All she could remember back then was that she suffered a serious illness after the mysterious disappearance of her parents and after the menacing threats from evil debt collectors. On that fateful day the Eclipse Society infiltrated the Amber Mansion, it was raining heavily, as if a hole had been poked in the sky. The servants present had long been dismissed, and Hua was also driven away by Jiangli during that period of time. With no one to take care of her, all she could do wasy in bed like a corpse, gued by fever dreams as the ufortable, suffocating heat wed at her. She dreamt that a group of shadowy figures broke into her home C some resembled humans, some resembled beasts, and many more had unidentifiable shapes. As they broke into her home, they would rummage through every drawer, devour any food they see, and enter any room they wish. There were many figures that stood by Jianglis bed, staring at her with malice, or pointed at her with their weird words. She found herself awake, albeit in a daze, from the dream, and she could hear people climbing over the gate outside. Someone sneaked in from the backyard, and their face was concealed, wearing a hooded scarlet robe with a ck sun totem embroidered on it. If anything, they resembled a textbook cultist. She was frightened, and she felt that if they found her, she would be killed. She forced herself out of bed and crawled into the closet, peeking out from the cracks. She silently muttered prayers to every god she knew, but to no avail, those cultists seemed to know her exact location, walking straight towards her room. Their footsteps came closer and closer, until they stopped right in front of the closet TRANSLATOR NOTES: NOTICE (Tuesday, 9/7/2024) C Unfortunately caught up with school work and preparing for interviews for my internship, so no chapter today! ToT I will be returning tomorrow (Wednesday)! to make up for todays chapter. Apologies for the inconvenience! EDIT: Thank you catventurer4 again! I was scratching my head trying to trante that part you mentioned ^^ Thank you for pointing that out! Woah, this was a slightly heavy chapter C didnt expect such a lighthearted chapter name to contain something so dark As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^.^ Thank you Alex for donating once again! I appreciate your generosity and wishes a lot! <3<3 Chapter 253: If You Cant Get Married, Consider Him! Chapter 253: If You Can''t Get Married, Consider Him! At the young age of thirteen, Jiangli came to know of something dreadful C gods do not exist, and by extension, they cannot answer her prayers. The room was pitch ck, and through the gaps of her closet door, she could see vague figure shuffling through her room and rummaging through it. Their movements were gentle and their footfalls were soft, but at this daunting moment, any noise felt like the whisper of death to her. Biting her lip, she hugged her petite body closer to the corner of the closet, covering her eyes with her hands. asionally, she would peek out the gaps of her fingers, and all kinds of thoughts began to gue her mind. A-are they debt collectors? Are they looking for my f-father? Like the ones who came not long ago? O-or thieves! Theyll leave if they cant find anything expensive right? Or maybe my room is big enough! Big enough so they wont notice the closet by the door As her thoughts ran wild, her ears picked up hushed whispers in the darkness. The strange cultists were talking to each other.did you find her? Did she run away? a man with a hoarse voice croaked. No. Shes here C that is what the divination tells me. She must be hiding somewhere! a voice spoke. It was impossible to discern their gender through their distant, wispy voice. Hiding, you say? Ooh! A fun game of hide-and-seek! Shouldnt we give her a little surprise? Hehe! Another man giggled in a shrill tone to himself, as if he has gonepletely mad. Take it easy. She remains an important sacrifice to us in our ceremony. She must, at the very least, be breathing. T-theyre looking for me! In an instant, her na?ve thoughts of them being mere thieves shattered. Their hushed discussions continued, but her ears no longer registered a single word of theirs. Instead, all she could hear was the harsh ringing that deafened her ears. Her heart thumped wildly against her chest, and she soon found herself to be out of breath, as if she was being strangled by arge, invisible hand. She gasped silently for air, but she couldnt seem to breathe any of it in. Soon, however, the cultists seemed to have stopped and left the room, and their footsteps echoed down the mansion further and further away. It was eerily silent, and Jiangli finally allowed herself to take a deep breath. Leaning against the closets door, she carefully pushed it open little by little, and peered outside. A dark and empty room greeted her. There were no signs of the cultists around. She opted to wait a little longer, but she couldnt hear anything unusual. With trepidation, she fully opened the closets door and creeped forward. As soon as her foot touched the floor, however, she felt something against her foot. The strange thing was cool to the touch, slippery, and brittle C like some kind of ss insect. As soon as she stepped on it, its fragile body exploded with a loud pop, sshing its putrid mucus all across the floor. The silent sound was loud enough to stir up what seemed to be a slumbering presence C immediately, rustling sounds that tickled her spine shuffled from every corner of the mansion, like countless insects crawling in the darkness. Boom! At this moment, lightning shed outside the window, flooding the room with a brief sh of light. Ah-! Within that split second of her room being illuminated, her pupils shrank instantaneously, and she held her head and screamed in terror. Cockroach-like insects of all sizes were crawling all over her room C they were on the floor, the walls, the ceiling, the closet, her calves They crawled around rapidly, like a living carpet made of brown velvet. Shrill giggles boomed from within the Amber Mansion, and each thundering footstep rang like an uing death sentence. Hehe! I knew it! I knew that little girl was hiding in the closet! Oh, you must be frightened by my little pet, werent you? Did you guys hear that?! Did you all hear her cute little screams? Although she was still young, she knew that it wasnt the time to be afraid anymore. The footsteps thumped closer and closer down the corridor C suppressing the fear in her heart, and averting her eyes from the disgusting insects scattering all across the room, she turned her eyes towards her balcony. You can do this, Jiangli. The bugs arent scary. My room on the third floor is not that high. There are bushes to cushion my fall. The nearest police station is less than a kilometer away. Push the ss door open. Jump. Run to the police, and Ill be safe! Reciting her hastily made-up n to herself, she stomped on all the strange insects on the ground with tears covering her bloodless face. Even then, she bit at her lips and refused to make a single noise. The few seconds it took to cross the ocean of brown seemed like a century. ck! The balcony door swung open as the cold wind and light drizzle invited themselves in. Standing at the edge of the balcony and looking down, she could feel herself flinching at the approximately eight-meter-drop from her balcony. The footsteps outside were deafening, and they were about to enter the room. Her limbs no longer listened to her brain, and she scrambled up the guard rail while calming herself down with a deep breath. She brought her arms up to her head to cushion her fall, and leapt outwards without much thought. The moment she jumped, however, the disgusting insects seemed to sense this, and they immediately fluttered their wings in unison and flew after her. They smashed through the balcony door like a flood of brown, causing ss and wood to shatter out from above. Shes trying to run away! Hehe! Its all your fault for wanting to have a little fun. Enough talking! Once we catch her, I swear I will torture her, and she will be awake throughout the entire process! The overgrown bushes have not been tended to for a long time, and have grown wildly during the rainy season. Falling from above, Jianglis arms were heavily scratched from clinging onto the wall, while her clothes were torn apart by the tree branches. Uponnding, she fell onto a puddle of mud and leaves. She endured the stinging pain resonating across her body and stood up, but just as she was about to stand up and run away, she found that her legs had seemingly gone numb as she fell face-forward once again. Looking back, she could see the horrid scene that hasid waste onto her leg as she held herself up with her arms. She could no longer hold the floodgates of her eyes back as she cried out in pain. Her calf was violently pierced through by the tree branches while falling from her balcony, and the scarlet blood was washed away by the rain, mixing into the turbid mud below her. Meanwhile, the insects that were hovering close by picked up on the scent of blood, and immediately, alongside a cacophony of buzzing, they swooped down from the sky and flew straight towards her bleeding calf. As they collided into her, Jianglis vision immediately went dark, like a burnt-out light bulb. Her body fell back onto the cold, muddy puddle C her breathing became rapid, and her lungs were like ice, stabbing into her chest, while her forehead became unbearably hot. The darkness, fear, and pain loomed over her, like the maw of a beast chipping away at her consciousness piece by piece When she came to again, she found herself imprisoned in a dark dungeon located in one of the Eclipse Societys strongholds. The dungeon was about less than two square meters in size, and she only had sufficient space to curl up and sit in a corner against the wall every single day. A palm-sized skylight was by the corners of the room, and only at noon did it allow pitiful amounts of light in. It was silent down in the dungeon most of the time, and she was apanied by the sound of spiders weaving webs, and the intermittent dripping of droplets that condensed on the roof of the dungeon. asionally, somethingrge would run past her. A mouse, she thinks. She would bring her legs up to dodge them, and its long tail would sweep across her feet or the backs of her hands. The injury on her calf was haphazardly treated by the Eclipse Society, and it was obvious that they werent as careful with it as they were with the tattoo that resonated on her back. Even the gauze isnt tied up properly. Because of this, her wound continued to hurt for a week, until she could no longer feel any sensation below the knee. Even then, her nerves still foolishly clung onto her dead leg, and she would obediently swallow the food that the Eclipse Society would bring her. She would count the moments the Sun shone through the skylight and would record the days she was in the cell. When she counted to one hundred and twenty-seven days, the door to her cell was finally opened. The person who opened the door had ck hair and deep, wine eyes. He seemed to be in histe twenties, and he would be considered handsome, with slightly feminine features. Despite this, he couldnt mask the arrogance that disyed itself on his brows. As he was pushing a wheelchair into the cell, Jiangli could see that there was another robe-d Eclipse Society member behind him. At the handsome mans gesture, the robed member picked up the barely lucid Jiangli and plopped her down onto the wheelchair. She was then pushed out of the cell as they travelled down the dark corridor. You know, the man spoke. You seem to be smart and strong for a kid like you. Plus, youre extremely lucky to have all this psychic potential in you, and lucky kids be great psychics. That means you can be one of us. Jiangli hadnt spoken in a long time. When she opened her mouth, she found that she could barely make a sound, and she couldnt muster up the strength to utter a single syble. All she could do was re at him as a reply. Do you hate me? he smiled. Doesnt matter if you do. Youll thank meter, in fact. It was silence all the way. Ten minutester, they finally exited the dark, ustrophobic corridor as the walls began to open up into a cave-like structure. Several members of the Eclipse Society were donning red robes as they walked through the clearing in the cave, carefully using the blood of some unknown creature to outlineplex incantations on the ground. The corpse of a centaur could be seen in the very centre of the ritual, surrounded by candles that flickered with blue mes. In the dark corners of the cave, a deformed monster about as twice asrge as a normal adult bellowed with anger. Jiangli would never forget what she witnessed that day. That very scene is what happens when a ritual fails, birthing an urban legend in the process. The monster was vaguely humanoid, but its eyes were that of a beast. The guttural chokes of a beast could be heard rumbling deep within its throat, as if it was about to pounce and tear apart the Eclipse Society members surrounding it. The monsters skin was as fragile as wet paper. As it struggled against its bindings, wounds would open as blood would sputter out. However, its healing ability was too fast, and it seemed to be in a constant cycle of never-ending pain. The Eclipse Society embedded iron hooks into its neck and shoulders, and began dragging it away. Jiangli, who was frightened out of her mind, didnt even realize that she was being picked up and ced in the centre of the altar alongside the corpse in preparation for their ritual. The strange man stepped forward and gently stroked her forehead, smiling, I wish you good luck. Immediately, massive amounts of energy that was harnessed from Primordial Spirits manifested within his palm, and he activated the ritual on the altar. Soon after joining the Night Division, Jiangli woulde to realize that the amount of energy harnessed from Primordial Spirits is equivalent to about a hundred human sacrifices. At the time, the techniques that oversaw the rituals of the Eclipse Society were not as sophisticated andplete as they are now. During then, potentially useful psychic materials were tossed inside during the ritual haphazardly. It was a waste of precious resources, but they didnt care. All they cared was pursuing evil rituals in hopes of spawning unspoken powers that could only exist in legends. In the centre of the altar, darkness surrounded her. Her vision began conjuring vague outlines in the dark, and they seemingly began forming images outlined by streams of light. Immediately, she saw deserts; she saw oasis; she saw abandoned inds; she saw cities billowing with smoke; she saw a burning colossus Countless images came and went, and everything returned to darkness. Within that darkness, however, the neighing of a silver horse sounded from a distant ne. Its long mane manifested as it swayed in the wind like a victorious g, merging into her body as one. The Eclipse Societys ritual was initially sessful C using the corpse of a centaur, a girl with psychic potential, many Primordial Spirits, and all kinds of strange psychic materials, they were able to craft a trace of divinity in the form of runes belonging to a mythical legend. However, they werent satisfied. They wanted to create a real mythical legend C one that would span across millennia in word. Before they could repeat the ritual, however, something urred. A man in a red robe had slipped into their ranks as all the other members were focusing on the ritual. Before the next ritual could ur, the man suddenly opened up his hood, pulled off his mask, and held up the silver badge of an owl in the air as a sword manifested in his hands, leaping over to Jianglis side immediately. Night Division Special Operations Team C you are hereby under arrest! Get down on your knees with your hands behind the back of your head! Damn it, you-! Are you resisting arrest? Ill have you experiencing the wonderous light of justice! Boom! At that moment, Jiangli had no idea what her life would be. At that moment, she wouldnt know why this specific Operator would use the terrifyingly destructive Spell Number 57 as a warning shot. Neither would she have known how peculiar, yet amazing it is for the Operator to instantly cast the spell without even chanting it. All that she knew was that she was being saved. The man brought her out of the copsing cave after destroying the Eclipse Societys stronghold, and sat her down in a simple house away from the prying eyes of the public. He then told her that Hua would return as her maid to take care of her. Before leaving, he made her a meal C instant noodles. Jiangli was very much ustomed to a life of luxury, eating delicacies that hailed from all over the world. However, at that moment, her brain seemed to tell her that the instant noodles that she was shoving into her mouth is the most delicious delicacy the world could offer, and tears began dropping from her eyes uncontrobly. Faced with an awkward situation, the man was helpless as he looked around, attempting tofort the girl. However, the more he spoke, the harder she cried. Hey, kid, he scratched his head and muttered. Are you worried that you wont be able to walk for the rest of your life? And that you wont be able to get married in the future? Why dont you leave it to me? Suddenly, she stopped crying, and fear stered itself within her heart. It was as if she had just left the tigers den to stumble upon a dragonske, and the instant noodles were hovering over her mouth as she began to shake. Wait! Wait! Wait! Dont get the wrong idea, kid! he hurriedly exined. I dont mean it that way! What Im saying is I have a son about your age, so if you cant get married in the future, why dont you consider him? Make things a little easier for you? Jiangli eyed the man before her, and remembered that he saved her life. Well, I guess hes handsome, so his son shouldnt be ugly as well. Maybe I dont need to ve away in my next life. Maybe I can settle down forever. Slurp. She ate her noodles silently and nodded. E-excuse me? Mister? I dont even know your name. How will I find you in the future? Uh if youre interested in joining the Night Division when youre older,e over to Huacheng branch and ask around for the Daniel Wu of Peony Street. The moment you mention that name, Im telling you C theyll know exactly who youre talking about! However, half a yearter, after Jiangli had sessfullypleted her training in the Night Division and was transferred over to the Huacheng branch, she couldnt locate any Daniel Wus of Peony Street, and all she could find was Hells Reincarnation of Edison Chen. As soon as Lu Yibei plopped down the second bowl of noodles in front of Jiangli, she recovered her thoughts and raised her head, looking directly into the Witchs eyes, Yibei, if I recall correctly, you live on Peony Street, correct? Did your father happen to have any nicknames that he used to be called when he was younger? Hearing this, the Witchs hand began to tremble as she took the empty bowl, but her face remained stoic and calm, Ah, here we go again with this Lu Yibei thing C I told you back at the ughterhouse! I dont know who that man, sorry to that man! Stop asking me this, seriously, its like nobody wants to have a little fun and whimsy anymore. I see, but you were the one who told me that this is the Lu Familys Secret Ramen Recipe, Jiangli smiled, pointing at the ramen before her. ! The Witchs hand trembled as she identally spilled some of the soup on herself. She didnt know if she should be frightened by her smile or her words. Shit! Did I really say that?! Damn it! Sucks to be proud of my own family, I guess! I identally let it slip out of my big mouth! Shit, theres only one thing to do now Aha, I did? I meant the Lao Familys Secret Ramen Recipe, yup! I totally said that! You were injured and got cold in the rain, so your brain was probably affected a little! Well, you heard it wrong! Lao Familys Secret Ramen Recipe is what I said! Not Lu! No human witnesses or physical evidence. If I deny it to my death, nothing will happen. I see. Do you know of anyone who was called the Daniel Wu of Peony Street, then? What the fuck? Where did she get that information from?! Thats the nickname my neighbours gave me as a joke! TRANSLATOR NOTES: EDIT: Thank you catventurer4 for the edits again! Apologies for thete update! That aside, Im d we got to read about Jianglis backstory! I cant imagine having to experience all that torture as a child As always, if you want to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below ^.^ Thank you Imp and MosAnted for donating! I truly do appreciate your generosity <3 (^^)??.* Chapter 254: Thats All For This Chapter! See You on the Next One! Chapter 254: That''s All For This Chapter! See You on the Next One! The Daniel Wu of Peony Street C this is the very nickname jokingly given to Lu Yibei by his neighbours when she was still running about the old streets wearing open-crotched pants as an infant. During her time of boyhood, she was, indeed, adorable C with red lips, radiant teeth, and a chubby face. Compared to normal babies, he would be considered a high-quality, male-infant model. Pity that her face wouldter be disabled. She is, by no means, unattractive. In fact, both of her forms are higher than average. However, nobody has jokingly called her that very nickname for the longest time, and she guesses that her once-doting neighbours have forgotten that name too. Therefore, when she heard Jiangli utter the nickname that even she had almost forgotten, she could hear sirens ring inside her head. Im gagged. Did she do a background check on me? If I let her, something bad might happen sooner orter! M-maybe, after she gets what she wants frompleting the investigation, she will personally deal with me, and Her thoughts were uneasy as she shook her head, deciding to muddy the waters by saying, The Daniel Who of Peony Street? I have never heard of anything like that in my life! Its just a nickname, and I bet theres many other nicknames like that in the Super Secret Underground Club C let me think ah! The Cai Xukun of Changshou Road, or the Chris Evans of Tuanjie Vige, or the Shun Ogori of Frog Town Are you interested in meeting them? she continued to yap on. Tell them my name and theyll give you a couple bucks off your drinks! No, Jiangli sighed after a moment. I know what they are like, and I am not interested.Shes trying to hide it. I know her old house is on Peony Street, and her family also owns a restaurant wait, could it be? No no. Although she and the man looks somewhat simr, their temperaments are the total opposite. Like father like son, correct? How could such a heroic man have such a cowardly son whose only talent is yapping garbage? Enough about that, Jiangli changed the topic. Im curious C do you know why yourba is able to stop the urban legends own music? Is there anything special behind your instrument? Well its a long story Keep it short. You know the saying Youre not you when youre hungry? Yibei said, pointing at the two empty bowls on the table. Youve already eaten two bowls of ramen! And Im still starving! At least let me cook something for myself, and we can talk after we eat, okay? Okay, but What is it? Jiangli paused before muttering, Dont you think its a little weird for you to be eating all alone while I watch? I know what you are! You want to eat more! I can see right through you! Just say so, damn! Whats the need to beat around the bush?! Whats gotten into her today?! It feels like Im dealing with a second Gu Qianqian around here! Half an hourter, they were done with their meals. Yibei sat on the sofa, holding a warm tea cup in both hands as she took a sip of the Tieguanyin tea that she borrowed from her neighbours. Taking a huge gulp, she couldnt help but let out a satisfied sigh. Ah! Food does taste better when its free! Jiangli eyed the Witch in disgust as she sat opposite of her, and grumbled, Now, can we finally talk business? Over the past few days, I have investigated various files regarding the Happy Community, including the death reports of the victims, and yet, none of the information I obtained talked about the jews harp in detail. Where did you get your information from? Yibei took another sip of her tea and replied slowly, You see, some things cant be found through files and reports C there is no harm in listening to first-hand experiences of the elderly. I mean, at your age, Id imagine- Jianglis face immediately darkened as soon as she said that, and she immediately changed exined how she obtained her information instead. Alright C it all started three days ago when I was talking to an old man while drinking tea at the teahouse The old mans name is Tang Yao, who lives on the southern side of Peony Street. When he was younger, he would constantly meet up with another man named Liu Banxian. Together, they set up a stall on the overpass on the northern side of Peony Street, bing Peony Streets very own [Southern Tang and Northern Liu]. Liu Banxian was known for his fortune telling skills, while Tang Yao acted as his informant. As a vagrant born and raised in Huacheng, he has been loitering around for more than 40 years. He has never done anything remarkable, but his main interest in life is to watch and join in on the excitement C in short, hes a busybody. When he was younger, whenever there were rumours of something strange happening somewhere, he would ride on his bicycle to check it out, even if it meant cycling dozens of miles away. If he still had that kind of energy now, even having thirty lives wont be able to save him from urban legends. There is practically no urban legend that Tang Yao has never heard of. Hence, if you want to obtain information from him, you only need to treat him to a meal. However, the older a person gets, the weirder their temperament bes. When Yibei first found him, he refused to speak to him Pause. If he refuses to speak, how did you get the information from him, then? Jiangli interrupted. Tsk, the Witch rolled her eyes. You would know if you just continued to listen. You see, even as an old man, he is what I like to call a penny pincher. I heard that he paid money to eat at a buffet once, and to get his moneys worth, he ate until he was so full that he had to be sent to the hospital for a stomach pump C and this happened more than once. I understand. Did you invite him to a buffet? No, I dont think you understand. If I could defeat him with just a single buffet, I wouldnt have to spend an entire day with him. I invited him to drink tea, and as long as somebody invites him to drink, hell definitelye. Oh? And how did that go? Jiangli tilted her head in confusion. If you take in a lot of liquids, youll have to go to the bathroom, correct? the Witch smiled. I simply locked all of the toilets surrounding the teahouse from the inside out, and every single time he needed to go to the loo, I would magically pop up there as well. As she spoke, she made a gesture to emphasize the phrase magically pop up. I wont go into the details, but by the time he drank his seventeenth cup, he finally opened his mouth. Just opening his mouth? Im afraid shes leaving out a lot of details! Although Tang Yao pointed out a clear path for the Witch, it wasnt easy to obtain a clearer image about the history of the Happy Community. In the next half day, hepletely a series of menial tasks C he helped Mrs. Wang to buy vegetables and ughter chickens; he helped Mr. Zhang pick his grandson up; he helps tutor Mrs. Zhus daughter it was like a series of side quests that he had toplete. They did not abide to the Three Laws of Robotics when they used him as a tool. When he was about to be a dead dog from the exhaustion, the side quests had finallye to an end, and what was waiting for him was the [Red Sunset Troupe], which is the senior citizen performance group of Huacheng. Before he went to the park to meet with them, he thought he needed to spend a lot of time to get close to them in order to scourge information. After all, there were separated by a generation gap of at least three generations, and their age gap is by dozens of years. However, as soon as he approached them, an elderly man stopped him. Whose child is this?! Mind helping me move the stereo over there? Do I know you?! Youre acting as if Im your very own grandson! What happened to shame?! After being ordered and passed around for kisses several times, he finally managed to scourge information about the Happy Community thank you for your hard work, Jiangli praised. Before this, Bai Kai had prepositioned to the Night Division that he would send people to collect information about urban legends all across Huacheng. However, this process was anything but smooth. None of the members of the Special Operations Team couldst more than two days helping the senior citizens out with their unreasonable requests and seemingly endless nagging. However, in Yibeis case As Jiangli thought about it, she turned to look at the yapping Witch, and thought of Tang Yao before frowning. I hope they were able to handle Yibei Ah! I didnt really do much! the Witch waved her hand humbly. Now that were back on topic, I bet that the information you found didnt mention that the Happy Community used to be a theatre, correct? A theatre? Jiangli was visibly stunned. When? More than a hundred years ago C it was operating during the war, so youll be hard pressed to find any written information about it, especially considering that it was a small theatre. The olddy who told me about it was over ny years old, and she herself heard it from her elders. The theatre mainly performed Sichuan-styled operas, but theirs was a little different C since they are close to an area popted with ethnic minorities, different forms of their ethnic music were added to the apaniment. The jews harp is part of the ethnic instruments added, the Witch continued. Combined with the contents of themission, I concluded that the urban legends in the Happy Community are probably rted to that very theatre. Jiangli stared silently at Yibei for a few seconds, and asked, What happened to the theatre? Before the Happy Community was established, it was always and of abandoned, privately-owned houses. The earliest records simply mention that it was a wastnd, and none of them mentioned anything about urban legend activities here. It was burnt down, the Witch exined. The olddy told me that the theatre troupe dug a tunnel under the theatre to protect the children who had no time to evacuate from the invading soldiers. Therefore, when the soldiers came and found no one, they burnt the theatre down in a rage. Were they all burnt to death in the tunnels? The Happy Community was only established three years ago, and the nights had already be long before then. Hence, if they were all burnt to death, coupled with the circumstances, an urban legend would have existed long ago. Youre right, Yibei rubbed her nose. The olddy said that when her elders were young, there were indeed strange happenings around the area, and they were the ones who witnessed it. After the theatre was burnt down, nobody lived in the area where the Happy Community is now located in. After a year or two, all that was left was abandoned houses and overgrown foliage. Li Aniu, the eldest member of the olddys family, fled to Huacheng to seek refuge with his rtives. At the time, however, the war was raging on Cmunication was scarce, and it was hard to determine whether someone would be alive or not the next day. When he came to Huacheng, he searched everywhere, but couldnte into contact with any of his rtives. It was gettingte, so he was forced to stay in one of the abandoned houses to spend the night. The abandoned houses were particrly creepyte at night, especially considering that there was not a single soul around. Aniu thought of some urban legends he heard when he was a child, and felt a little uneasy. You cant afford to be scared it costs a lot of money to stay at an inn he patted his face as he wrapped his coat around himself, running towards the abandoned houses. Due to theck of maintenance, many trees grew in crooked manners. From a distance, they resemble twisted figures in the night. As soon as he reached the houses, he could see flickering lights of fire in the woods ahead. Moving closer, he could soon hear a hoe digging into the soil. Following the noise, he was close enough where he could see anky old man in his sixties, and a kerosenemp that hung on a branch near him. He swung his hoe and dug pits one after another on the ground. Every time he dug open a pit, he picked up a wooden board from the ground and set them into the soil. Seeing this, Aniu suddenly broke into a cold sweat. These wooden boards, about half a meter wide with one end cut into a triangle, are simple tombstones that weremonly seen in the surrounding area. Few families are able to afford a funeral, so when one of their loved ones die, they would wrap them in mats, bury them in the ground, and insert a wooden board acting as a tombstone. When worsees to worst, their corpses would simply be disposed off out in the open. The old man was behaving strangely. He dug a hole, and set up the wooden board, but there were no bodies around. Aniu immediately felt that something was wrong, and didnt stay any longer. Since it was gettingte and he was running low on money, he bravely decided to return to the abandoned houses. He found a rtively intact house, hid in it, and used a wooden stick to act as a barricade on the door. Laying down on the musty bed, his eyelids grew more and more heavy, and gradually, they closed involuntarily. Just as he was about to fall asleep The windows to the house swung open, and a pale face appeared by the window. It was the same old man from earlier. Hesing to get me! The old man crept through the window, and snuck right up to the bed. He leaned down and stared right into his very soul C Aniu immediately closed his eyes, feeling that his heart was almost about to jump out of his throat. At this moment, he could hear the old man cursing in a dialect, Sonnie, yer a human?! You almost scared the shit out of this ol man! Aniu was stunned for a moment, opening his eyes as he got up, Mister, youre human? The old man was visibly frightened as he took a few steps back, holding the hoe tightly in front of his chest, Son, the hell would I be if Im not human? Well, I thought that you were a Ghost? Aniu didnt respond. He simply stared at the old man in fear. The two of them were in a staring contest, and the old man spoke, Whatever. Yer already here, and you cant leave now that itste. Im warning ya C no matter what you hear outside Stay. In. Side. If you dont leave the house, you wont run into ya-know-what. After speaking, the old man turned to leave, but Aniu decided to pry more, Mister? Why are you the only one here? Arent the houses here good enough to live in? The old man simply ignored him and cursed, Son of a bitch! as he kicked away the stick holding up the door, leaving. Ah, Aniu ended up ignoring his advice and left the house, didnt he? Jiangli interjected, sipping on her tea. Damn. How did you know? Why wouldnt I? The Night Div- The Night What? Yibeis eyebrows moved, as if to say to her, Yeah! Say it! If you say it, Im the winner of this little game between us! Her eyebrows looked incredibly mean, and it made Jiangli want to punch her once on each eyebrow. the Knight named Diff who mentored me said that among the various urban legends that he was exposed to, most of the victims that sumb to the urban legends were attacked because of their curiosity. In fact, a person without any psychic potential will most likely not run into any urban legends over their entire lifetime. As long as they dont stick their noses where they dont belong, or if they arent unlucky. How interesting! the Witch nodded. She wasnt sure if she was talking about how Jiangli was able to twist her words in such a short amount of time, or her knowledge of urban legends. Well, youre right, the Witch continued. He did end up leaving the house. At midnight, he heard the percussions of gongs and drums, the plucking of a harp, somebody singing, and childrenughing. At the time, the only entertainment he had was watching salesmen brag about their products, so how could he resist the temptation of song and opera? He went into the woods, following the source of the music, she continued. And she saw a stage in the middle of where the old man set up the tombstone C as soon as he stepped in, the childrensughter and the music abruptly stopped. On the dark stage, an actor stood in their costume, with their back to the stage, singing without any music apanying them. He wanted to run away, but the actor turned their back to him and floated over C he stopped running out of fear, and the actor stopped too Pause. I get it C there are urban legends spanning across generations, Jiangli interrupted. Then, what happened? Why havent there been any sightings of urban legends among so many people? Thats a story for another time, Yibei said, grabbing the remote control on the coffee table and pping it down. Thank you for listening to todays episode! Well be seeing you on the next one! Come on, its gettingte. Why dont you go to bed? She sat motionless on the sofa, folding her hands over her chest as she stared straight at the Witch. She looked as if she is an unhappy child who wasnt satisfied with story-time before bed. fine, the Witch scratched the back of her head. To put it simply, somebodyter sealed the urban legends away, and they would be forgotten over time, correct? However, when they were constructing the Happy Community, they identally dug the seal out, but theres a whole other story to that, and I heard it from the old man who was driving the excavator. Care to listen? Seeing the gleam in her eyes, looking as if she was ready to yap on, Jiangli stood up and said coldly, No, before turning around and walking towards the bedroom. However, shes unexpectedly proficient at doing these sorts of things, she cursed inwardly. Hey! Come on dont sleep just yet! I have a lot more to say! Although Yibei wasnt yapping about in garbage this time, she felt unsatisfied that her story was abruptly cut short. She chased her superior to the door of the bedroom, only to see her sitting on the side of the bed with a sweet smile. Patting the bed, she said, What? You want to sleep together? ?! TRANSLATOR NOTES: EDIT: Thank you Imp and Catventurer4 for the tips! Adjusted the TL to reflect the changes. Not very happy with the trantion on the first-half :v lots of things I wasnt sure of (e.g., the Underground Club [˼]? Ive never seen this get mentioned before + the part of Tang Yao being a messenger []). If there are any mistakes, Ill fix them immediately, but OMG! That cliffhanger, and theres only one bed ?? As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^.^ Have a great weekend! Chapter 255: The Chance is Now! Chapter 255: The Chance is Now! Is she asking me what I think shes asking? Is God smiling upon me today? Well, yes! Lu Yibei nodded and leapt straight into the bedroom. As if she was afraid that Jiangli would regret her choice of words, she made sure to close the door behind her, and locked it with a firm click! Now, there were only the two of them in the dark room, and none of them spoke. Jiangli squinted her eyes at the dark, blurry figure by the door. Her mind conjured the form of the Yibei that shes more familiar with, and her cheeks couldnt help a warm up a little. You bastard! Youre shameless! Cursing in her heart, she wrapped herself up with the nket, and turned her back towards the door. At this moment, she could feel the bed shift slightly, and her heart skipped a beat. After waiting in silence for a few seconds, the steady, rhythmic sounds of breathing could be heard. Turning around and sitting up in a hurry, she saw the Witch now lying on the bed in a onesie (which her jacket presumably transformed into). The only parts of her body that were exposed was her delicately sculpted face, with a few strands of sticky saliva running down her slightly ajar lips.The Witch has fallen into a deep slumber. Letting a beautiful girl sleep alone was an absolute no-no in her books, but what could she do with her current form? What else was there to do but fall asleep? Maybe, the two of them could be scissor sisters1. In the darkness, Jiangli stared at the Witchs sleeping figure, and after confirming that she is, indeed, in dreand, sheid back down on their pillow again. However, as sheid in bed, she found that it was impossible to rx and calm down. She couldnt help but ponder about the possibilities that the Witch sleeping beside her is actually her saviours son. She tossed and turned, feeling disturbed. Eventually, her body grew tired, and just as she was about to fall asleep, she could feel a hand snaking around her behinds as they groped it with a firm grip. Instantly, her cheeks glowed with a deep red, and her body jerked awake as if it she was being electrocuted. She trembled violently, shaking away any trace of sleep in her body. It was as if her heart had been run over by a truck. I-I knew it! She has evil intentions sharing a bed with me! In embarrassment, she began channeling her runes, causing a four-meter-long sword to manifest in her arms, and was prepared to sh behind her. However, the hand on her butt seemed to exert a forward-moving force, and Jiangli felt as if she was flying C her body felt light and weightless, and without her being able to react in time, she fell off the bed with a loud crash. m! Ow Jiangli groaned after falling off the bed, and supported herself by the bed withrge question marks hovering over her head. Squinting her eyes, she could see the Witch sleeping as if she was a butterfly, with the entire span of her body upying the entire bed. ? She looked at the sleeping Witch, then looked down at her own body, feeling slightly offended. Sleeping in the same room with a beautiful girl, sharing the same bed and pillows, falling asleep almost instantly, and shoving me off the bed so you can have the bed to yourself Is something wrong with her, or is something wrong with me? Her thoughts grew angry, and she shoved the Witchs limbs back to their original position. Laying back down on the bed, she folded her hands on her chest, and stared up at the ceiling in a daze. This time, the Witch didnt make any more moves, and Jiangli soon joined her in dreand. In the dark of the room, a pair of scarlet eyes opened in a panic, with a hint of gold dusted behind her orbs. Not long after her superior fell asleep, Yibei abruptly woke up and took deep breaths, feeling that she was having trouble breathing. Her gaze was affixed onto the ceiling, and she could hear even breathinging from beside her. She was stunned for a moment as she nced to the side to look at her superiors sleeping self C Jianglis slender arms were over Yibeis own chest as their bodies were huddled close to one another. Even then, Jianglis forehead was scrunched up. God, even the way she sleeps is terrible. Would it be kill you to be a little honest in your sleep?! God bless whichever man is marrying her in the future C thinking about the quality of his sleep after they get married is making me worried for his hairline! Cursing, she gently unfolded Jianglis arms away from her chest and snuck out of bed. She took her own pillow with her and tiptoed out the room. Closing the door behind her, she sighed silently. Whatever. Something weird is happening in thismunity, so it isnt good if the both of us fall asleep together. Might end up being a little unsafe. Also! Before she wakes up, I need to find a ce to hide when the Sun rises in the morning! Click! The door closed softly behind the Witch, and in the darkness, Jiangli opened her eyes a little as she looked at the door. In the darkness of the room, the corners of her mouth raised ever-so-slightly, and she closed her eyes once again. Yibei came to the living room, sitting and leaning against the sofa with her arms folded over the cushions. She decided to peep out the gaps of the curtains, looking out through the window to look at the other buildings that were shrouded in the night. The night was pitch-ck, and everything was deathly silent. Her unfinished stories that she has yet to tell Jiangli began ying in her mind. ording to the olddy, Aniu encountered an urban legend that night, but was rescued by the old man who was digging up graves in the forest. The old man managed to intervene in time, and grabbed his hand as they ran like maniacs along the mountain road. They could barely see anything at night, but the urban legend was close in pursuit behind them. The thing pursuing them spoke in a thunderous tone, yet it sang a tune in minor scale that was barely audible. Aniu was so petrified that his legs almost gave way after running around with the old man all night. They werent out of danger until a ray of sunlight appeared on the horizon. When he finally came to his senses, he broke into a cold sweat once again. They ran together all night, and even taking into ount the old mans weak legs, they still ran more than ten miles. After daybreak, however, they found themselves right at the viges entrance. Thinking about it, the urban legend mustve manipted their senses, so it was like they were running in ce all night. Speaking of which, Aniu is brave too. After experiencing something that frightening after searching for his rtives in vain, he chose to remain at the dpidated house whats more terrifying? Urban legends? Or the threat of poverty and hunger? Well, if what the old man said was true, as long as we dont leavete at night, the urban legends wont harm anyone. Who cares if they like to sing at night? Ill let them! Fine C I cant watch them, but that doesnt mean I cant listen! How beautiful, isnt it? Its sort of like bumping into gold if you think about it. If you bump into an urban legend like he did, but escape unscathed, or if they have no intention to harm, you will be granted with luck. After Aniu settled in the run-down house, he saved his money by doing all sorts of hard work. Then, he managed to start a small business. After making a lot of money, he found that he didnt want to leave anymore. Despite all the lurking urban legends of dead actors and children who were buried alive under the burnt rubbles of the theatre, their reign of terror would soon be restrained by an unknown psychic who came from afar. They overheard that there were urban legends lurking in the area. On the same day, they found an old man who lived by the ruins of the theatre, and a young man who is living a happy life. After they sent the two of them away that night, they blew on aba while carrying an ancient sword, venturing alone into the forest where the ruins of the theatreid. ording to Anius recollection, he could hear music ying in the woods C the [Yin Yang River]. However, with the psychic around, their twisted tunes were forced into ying [Three Womens Godson] instead. Yibei drew inspiration from the above recollection. She thought that theba might have a certain suppressing effect over the urban legends in the Happy Community, so he spent 800 yuan and signed up for a crash course in folk music. Its a pity that none of the teachers in the cultural centre knew how to y the [Three Womens Godson]. After the twisted tunes were interrupted, there were countless of howls, and the entire forest erupted in the mes and explosions, like a fierce, ongoing war. The burning and explosions persisted the entire night. When the Sun appeared on the horizon, the mysterious psychic limped out of the forest C their clothes ragged, and the ancient sword they were holding went missing. The two thought that the sword was broken, but the psychic informed them that the sword was used to seal the urban legend away, and additionally requested them to prevent the sword from being pulled out of the seal. Otherwise, the urban legend will be revived. Since then, there were no more urban legends lurking around the ruins of the theatre. Overtime, many residents decided to call this ce their home, forgetting that an urban legend had even existed here in the first ce. They even forgot that there was an ancient sword buried under the ruins of the theatre, long lost to time. The olddy mentioned that the people who lived in the vicinity were very happy C arguments between couples or unruly children were a rare sight. The urban legend must be good at heart. Maybe they were still protecting themunity then. Thissted until the old, dpidated houses were fully demolished to construct the Happy Community. When Yibei went to find Tang Yao again to scourge for information, his face morphed immediately as soon as he saw Yibeis boy-self. Neither of them spoke when they saw each other. Yibei simply sat next to him, and looked at him with great meaning as he offered him tea. From time-to-time, he would struggle to force out a smile from his malfunctioning face, to the point where itd be better if he didnt even smile in the first ce. Thinking of the experiences two days ago, Tang Yao could no longer bear Yibeis presence, and swallowed two Suxiao Jiuxin pills as he mmed his hand down on the table, pointing at Yibeis nose with an usatory finger. You little brat! Ive watched you since you were young! How could you do this to me? Whatever C just ask me anything you want! Ill tell you everything! Hence, Yibei was able to locate the man who drove the excavator in the early stages of construction. When he found him, it was obvious that the man didnt want to have anything to do with what happened then. Yibei immediately understood, and muttered, Well, that sword was mine. The excavation went very smoothly in the first month. However, on the final day, something went wrong. The man was the first to encounter this problem C when he drove the excavator to dig out the remaining unearthed parts, the excavator got stuck. He thought that it might be a hard rock, but even as he tried again and again, he couldnt. He dug the soil up around the hard area, and discovered that there was an ancient sword buried underneath. The de was pierced straight into the ground, leaving only the strangely-shaped hilt exposed. Even then, there was no sign of rust on the hilt, and it glowed with a faint light. The man, however, didnt know that it was an ancient, sealing sword. He was secretly delighted that he didnt damage the sword, and leapt out the excavator to pull the sword out so he could finish his job. However, something happened as soon as he touched the sword. Immediately, his eyes were filled with visions of fire, and his head felt like it was being burnt to a crisp as the excruciating pain of being burnt alive embedded themselves into his brain. After several attempts, he realized something was wrong, and ran to tell the foreman. The foreman was also a vagrant, much like Tang Yao. He immediately called for some psychics to take a look, and they informed him that this sword was sealing away unclean things, so it is best to not touch it and leave it as it is. The foreman sighed, If we dont get this sword out, we cant finish our job. Cant you guys deal with this thing? Each of them shook their heads, No. We only know simple spells and are able to see things ordinary people cant see. Whoever owns this sword is much, much more powerful than us. Im afraid we wont be able to do anything to the sword, let alone what might happen if we pull it out. After hearing their exnation, the foreman was frightened, but what could he do? In their line of work, the foreman usually bears the advance payment. Money is usually paid in advance as a deposit, and once the work is done, the remainder will be paid out. If the job isnt done well, then, the foreman and his workers might just collectively leap off the tallest building. The foreman was incredibly worried over it for the next couple of days. He tried a bunch of traditional folk methods, like using darkened dogs blood, spreading glutinous rice, burning paper money however, the sword didnt move an inch, and even the soil around it seemed to be as hard as iron. Some of the excavators witnessed this, and theyter pretended to fall ill and refused to drive the excavator over it. The situation seemed dire, and the foreman grit his teeth, offering a reward C if anyone could get rid of the sword, they would be given 100,000 yuan. The day after he issued the reward, a mysterious guy appeared C it was one of the psychics he had invited before. He mentioned that he has a way of getting rid of the sword, and no payment was needed. All he wanted was that the sword would be returned to him, and those who knew of the situation must not mention it to anyone else. Hearing that he didnt have to spend any money to solve their current issue, he calcted the estimated costs. All he needed to do was silence the few excavators and ground employees with a gift of money, and he would save tens of thousands of yuan. Immediately, he agreed. That night, the psychic drove the foreman and other onlookers away, walking into the area alone. They waited all night outside the area, but didnt hear any movement. Soon, the sky turned unbearably dark, and they couldnt help but infiltrate into the area to take a look. When they came, it seemed that the psychic had already left, and the sword was gone. Even the hole where the sword was originally embedded in was gone. A few dayster, nothing abnormal happened, and their work went on as scheduled. The few witnesses also collected their hush money, and not a single word about this incident was told. It wasnt until the piling was being drilled that something strange happened. While building a foundation for a building, if the soil is too lose, the drilled holes will copse. Hence, mud is required to be poured into the hole to protect the foundation. If mishaps like these happen, it can cause huge losses. During this period, a barely legal profession would be needed C a diver. These arent your traditional divers C when a drill bit gets stuck, or falls, these divers will dive into the borehole filled with mud to fish these drills out. Due to how difficult and dangerous this job was, there was a saying that goes, Its ten thousand if you go down, but it isnt ten thousand when you go down. Inevitably, a drill bit fell, and a diver had to be put to work. During then, an ident urred. Just as everyone was thinking that the diver had died under the deep mud, he miraculously leapt out the mud with the drill. Coughing out the mud, he seemed fine. However, when he opened his mouth, everybody felt their spine chill. He said that there was people beneath the borehole, and there were countless of them swimming about in the mud. They sang operas and yed instruments, and through the turbid and non-visible mud, he could make out heads, and the outlines of limbs. The only reason why he was able to escape because they pushed him up and out of the borehole. He felt that there were countless hands pushing him out, as if they were driving him out. Hearing what he had to say, everybody chalked his reaction up to an adrenaline-induced hallucination. Well, if they rescued you, that means that they are nice! Maybe they can help us out with the work! somebody joked. Thus ended the strange incidents surrounding the construction of the Happy Community. The rest of the process went by surprisingly smooth, and it waspleted more than a month ahead of schedule. Nobody was killed, so nobody took the incidents seriously. There wasnt a need to phone the police. We work in this line of work all year round C its natural to encounter weird people sometimes. Thus, everything would be sealed away in the long river of time, which makes sense as to why the Night Division had such limited information on them. Hearing the old womans and the drivers ounts, the Witch felt that the urban legends hidden away in the Happy Community might not be malicious before everything happened, even helping themunity from time-to-time. Hence, theirmunity would be a happy co-existence. However, after the sword was taken away, the urban legends were twisted by its non-presence. Even then, I cant do anything much C they are hidden away, and I have no other information on them. Hell, I dont even know how to find them. Even if I find them, I might not be able to defeat them; if I cant defeat them, I might not be able to run away; even if I am able to escape, I might only be able to do so by sacrificing Jiangli. Its too difficult. If I can find that damn sword, maybe I can turn the tables around. The Witch sat in the living room until seven in the morning. Seeing that it was almost sunrise, she quietly left the apartment. She came to a box that resembled a garbage can, and hid in it. She fiddled with her phone for two hours, and didnt leave until the Sun fully rose. Leaving her hiding spot, she went to buy breakfast for Jiangli outside the Happy Community amidst the friendly greetings of fellow neighbours. As soon as she returned to the apartment, she bumped into a man wearing a badge that disyed [Management], and he wore a ck suit. He seemed short, but held a strong stature. As soon as she stepped into the entrance of the apartment, he shed a professional smile, Good morning. Are you the resident who moved in here yesterday? Yes. Can I help you? You see, the man smiled. Ourmunity has a tradition C whenever a new resident moves in, a wee party will be held for them. Finally! Yibei cheered inwardly. Uh, Im just renting. Am I wee too? Absolutely. If possible, the party will be held this weekend. Id like you toe. What if its impossible? The man was visibly stunned upon hearing this, but immediately shed another smile, Then, well just adjust to a time possible for you. What if its just straight-up not possible for me, then? You know, with a face like this, I am always busy. The man was silent, as if he was trying to formte a way to reply. Kidding! Yibei blurted out. Ille to the party. After all, I cant just let everybodys kindness down. How wonderful! Everybody will be happy if youe. Oh, Im sure of it, Yibei waved her hand. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Note 1: Scissor sisters CThe original states that all they could do at night is grind tofu (ĥ), which has the exact same meaning as ???????? Oh, things are getting creepier by the minute Im not very sure how the plot would continue to advance, but Im excited! How are you all feeling about this arc so far? Let me know in thements! As always, if youd like to support me and the trantion, you can do so at the button below! ^.^ Chapter 256: Calamity-Level Psychic Item Chapter 256: Cmity-Level Psychic Item The Sun was fully up, and sunlight began flooding into the windows, filling the entire room in its warm embrace. A girl found herself waking up in a simply decorated bedroom. Opening her eyes, she was greeted with a white ceiling. Collecting herself from the brief confusion of waking up, she fumbled around for her mobile phone from the nightstand beside her. She woke up due to the sound of her phone ringing and beeping endlessly as it vibrated on the nightstand. From the time Hua sent her first message at 5:30am up to 8:40am, three hours had passed, and Jiangli now has more than 30 unread messages and 10 missed calls. I cant believe I fell asleep she grumbled, rubbing her eyes. Ever since she was rescued from the grasp of the Eclipse Society, this was the first time she has slept so soundly outside of the Amber Mansion. To think I fell asleep in a dangerous ce like the Happy Community Jiangli would almost always sleep in a half-awake state, and would immediately wake up if she heard a slight noise C just likest night, when Lu Yibei got up and left the room. However Thinking for a moment, she shook her head, deciding to me that all-too-familiar bowl of instant noodles as the cause for her sound sleep.After all, I should be able to sleep soundly with my saviour watching over me. Swiping through her phone, she called Hua back. Beep beep Mistress! Is that you? You finally called me back! I was so anxious when you didnt pick up the phone, so, I I! Well, something happenedst night, and her lips remained open, but no words came out. She was busy remembering all of the things that happenedst night, and got lost in her train of thought. that kid didnt do anything to you, right? No, no. We slept together almost immediately. Oh my god! Hua screamed on the other end. The both of you slept together?! Damn it! I know that stupid brat is good-for-nothing, but for him to attack my Mistress! Damn it! Ill have to teach him a lesson! Oh, when I catch him Hua has always felt that if she had held her ground when Jiangli requested her to leave back then, perhaps her Mistress wouldnt have been kidnapped by the Eclipse Society. Hence, she has since cultivated a form of survivors guilt C after Hua returned to her post as Jianglis personal maid, she became extremely overprotective over her Mistress, and would even resort to ufortable measures to do so. Hua? Yes! Im right here, Mistress! Well, as you know, he, well, she is a currently a girl. I dont think- Mistress! Hua eximed once again. The sisterhood of scissoring sisters1 has existed since the start of time! I know that the both of you are girls now, but you must learn to protect yourself no matter what! Oh, Jiangli rubbed her forehead. Hua, its not what you think. Nothing of what you are thinking right now happenedst night. for real? Yes, Jiangli responded, lowering her head and ncing at her chest. Will you take the time toe overter? I need you to bring me some things. Since her clothes were identally damagedst night, she was given an apron found in the apartment as a cover-up. She isnt exactly in the right state to go out at the moment. Clothes and some daily necessities, please, she listed out. I may have to stay here for a few days. Before Jiangli left the bedroom, her mind yearned for the taste of instant noodles. She wondered how was she going to convey to the Witch that she wants another bowl of instant noodles without appearing weak and vulnerable. As soon as she opened the bedroom door, however, she was greeted with a strange fragrance. She followed the scent trail and saw the Witch busy in the kitchen. That smells good. The Witch knew that her superior was approaching from behind. Curling her lips, she turned around and said, Well, of course! Ive got many secret recipes handed down from the Lao family. Jiangli rolled her eyes and scoffed, Oh, so it isnt the Lu family this time around? Ah, uh you were hearing things! You probably hurt your head or somethingst night! I dont know! the Witch retorted, turning back around to continue her preparations. When she was little, she enjoyed adding a little something extra to the buns that she would buy from the bakery early in the morning before consuming them. It wasntplicated by any means C frying the buns with a little scallion oil, and sprinkling some sesame seeds over them. This simple process is enough to enhance the taste and the aroma of the buns tenfold. These buns were purchased by the gate of themunity earlier in the morning, and the scallions and sesame seeds were, well, generously loaned to her by the neighbour living in the opposite unit. Sizzle! Sprinkling a handful of sesame seeds on the buns, she flipped the buns over on the pan as they soaked in the rich, fragrant oil. After a moment, the golden buns were served on a te and plopped down right in front of Jiangli. Here. Enjoy! Jiangli blinked at the Witch, then at the te before her, You got up early to make this for me? Tsk! the Witch spat and looked away. You may be beautiful, but is there any need for your thought process to be that wishful too? I was making it for myself, and I thought of making extra for Ms. Freeloader right over here. Im generous, arent I? Well, I just happened to think of my dadst night, and when I woke up this morning, I started to miss his cooking Cursing underneath her breath, she picked up the chopsticks and stuck the bun into her own mouth. Seeing that Yibei was about to put the third bun into her mouth, Jiangli came back to her senses and dug in as well before Yibei finished them all on her own. There is a saying that goes love and food are the only things that must not be taken for granted. No normal person would give up the opportunity to eat good food. Although Yibeis mouth is rotten, her cooking is sublime! Jiangli began biting down on the fried buns when Yibei suddenly spoke, breaking the silence, By the way, when I came back home, I bumped into someone from management at the entrance. He invited us over to a wee party this weekend. Jiangli stopped chewing and frowned, Did you agree to it? Uh the Witch responded vaguely, attempting to lick at the oil that slipped from the corner of her mouth. Jiangli couldnt stand to look at her anymore, and was prepared to hand over a piece of tissue for her to wipe. However, the Witch simply raised her fingers and wiped at the corner of her mouth, then put her finger into her mouth as she slurped and licked at her fingers. It takes talent to be seductive at breakfast C Ill give her that. Is there something intrinsically wrong with her as a person, or is that how boys behave once they turn into girls? Jiangli shook her head and asked again, The party. What are you nning to do? Jiangli thinks that it is necessary for them to attend the party. With all their clues being vague and solelying from second-hand ounts, attending the party might be a good breakthrough for them. Of course, the urban legends in the Happy Community have strange, unpredictable abilities. A little nning is required before they dive into the deep end. Well, my n was the Witch put down her chopsticks and gazed into Jianglis eyes with a serious, intense look. My n was to let you n it, she said with a straight face. Yibei thinks that Jiangli is much more experienced in investigating urban legends, especially the kind of urban legends that could easily affect the livelihoods of the people living here. After all, thousands of people live here! This is no video game like [Love and Magical Girl]! I cant just be Bai Xiaohua and tear all the buildings down to get resources! Is she worried about the safety of the civilians here? Jiangli wondered, looking at how apprehensive Yibei was being. Nodding, she said, Well, in that case, leave the nning to me. When the timees,y low and keep your mouth shut at all costs, and dont even think about sticking your big nose in situations that dont involve you. All you need to do is assist me at the most important time of the battle. Jiangli made sure to emphasize on the phrase sticking your big nose. Yibei sighed, I feel like you dont trust me. Is that so? Jiangli tilted her head. Ill be honest with you C Id thank the heavens if youd stay by my side and not up and run the moment things turn south during the party. Are you kidding me?! How could I do such a thing? I mean C I love you! I would never do something like that! Yibei flirted, making her eyebrows do an borate dance for the girl sitting opposite of her. Jianglis face remained stoic, however, Oh so, youre telling me your love is the kind that fizzles out at any time. I see how it is. Yibei shrugged and didnt pursue any further. Shes an Operator of the Night Division, and Im just some urban legend. Well, even if I tell her that I didnt want to be turned into an urban legend, and swear up and down that I want no trouble, she still has to believe me, right? Even then I cant deny it C what she said was absolutely fucking right! After Yibei ate about five buns, she stood up, ordered her jacket to change into a set of breathable, casual clothes that hid her figure, and walked towards the door. Where are you going? Jiangli asked, still sitting by the kitchen ind. I need to deal with some things, Yibei turned around and answered. After all, you only gave me three days to prepare! I still have got a bunch of things to do that I havent finished yet! Lets see C I still have to continue chatting with old people, and continue my lessons at the cultural centre, and then Okay, go, Jiangli interrupted and shooed Yibei away before she could begin her yapping process. Ande back home early. Yibei felt a little giddy hearing that. She bid Jiangli farewell and left the apartment. As soon as she walked out the door, her eyes narrowed slightly as she fell into deep thought. I still need to yap. I still need to practice myba. I still need to meet the foreman, and ask him about the psychic who came for the ancient sword. If Im quick enough, I might be able to retrieve the sword before the party. Yibei decided not to tell Jiangli anything about the sword for now. From the ounts of the excavator, it seems like that ancient sword is something very powerful. If she were to tell Jiangli, she might have no choice but to confiscate it under Night Division duties, and Yibei herself was unwilling to part with something potentially powerful. Ill see how it goes, she thought to herself. If I cant deal with it, it wouldnt be toote to hand it over to them. Huacheng C in Tang Han Arts, Trade, & Transport Co. In an old-fashioned office, an old man hung up the phone. His face betrayed his age, but his salt-and-pepper hair was meticulouslybed, and so was his well-ironed suit. His eyebrows were thick and strong, and he held a calm, yet intimidating aura. His name is Lee Shunnian, and he is the boss of this verypany. A few meters away from his desk, a young man who resembled Mr. Lee was sprawled out on the sofa. As he munched on grapes, he raised his head and asked, Dad, what were you talking about on the phone? His name is Lee Tang Han, and he is Mr. Lees son. He is also the juridical person whose name is used as the forefront of thepany. Mr. Lee nced at his son and calmly replied, I gave him another tens of thousands for him to keep quiet. There is nothing to worry about. Tsk, his son sneered. That Qin-or-whatever-his-name-was is nothing but a lowly foreman from the past. If it wasnt for you, he wouldnt be alive talking to you on the phone! Youre telling me hes still knocking at our door threatening us for money? Old man, he continued. How much hush money have you spent on him over the years? If you ask me, we should simply cut him off, and nk! Mr. Lee threw his tea cup as it shattered on the floor by Tang Han, making him leap up in shock as Mr. Lees voice boomed through the office, You little brat, what do you know? If he dies, and the news leak out, there is no guarantee that what had happened back then will not be discovered by the Night Division! And if they investigate us, do you think our lowly shrine will be able to protect something as precious as that? Even if the gods provide us with divine intervention, the only thing that Im able to do is skin myself alive. I was just trying to help Tang Han stiffly replied after an awkward silence. It was silent again between them, and Tang Han asked, Hey, old guy, that thing that we have is it truly part of a Cmity-Level psychic item? Youre questioning a gods judgement? Yes! I am! The psychic energy fluctuations of that thing is way too weak! How about you hand it over to me so I can take a closer look at it? Maybe I can figure out how to use it! Oh, youre hellbent on pissing your old man off today. Cai Jin? Cai Jin! Come in the office! Mr. Lee bellowed, mming on the table. Immediately, a buff and burly man came walking through the door. I dont want to look at my failure of a son anymore. Send him away as far as possible, Mr. Lee muttered coldly. And keep a close eye on this brat. If he talks like this again, pull ten teeth out for every word he says. Dad, you! Tang Han words were stuck in his throat, but he hesitated to speak. His father was too angry to even look at him. Mr. Lee averted his eyes, and quickly left the office. Tang Han wanted to catch up to say something, but Cai Jin, the buff and burly man, stopped him, and soon, he was dragged away by a group of bodyguards. Back home, Tang Hanid on the bed as he stared at the antiquenterns on his ceiling, and was lost in his thoughts. Thinking about his earlier experience today, he was full of resentment. If it wasnt his father, he might have burst out in anger. Stupid! Nothing I do is right in your eyes you just dont like me! Im right, arent I?! Why is it alright for you to hook yourself up with those evil gods, but when I talk to some weak urban legends, Im in the wrong? Fuck. If I cant deal with you, then Ill deal with that stupid Qin-guy-or-whatever Anger is a strange thing. The more you think about something, the angrier you be; the more you concede, the more you feel you lose. Tang Han knew that he couldnt do anything to his father, so he could only endure his harsh words. Hence, he decided to vent all of his anger on that parasite named Qin Dalin. The address of Qin Dalin, the foreman, was obtained by Yibei when he went to visit Tang Yao. He wanted to thank Tang Yao for the information by treating him to his favourite buffet. However, as soon as Tang Yao heard the word buffet, his face turned pale, as if he was about to be served up hisst meal, and vehemently refused the offer. It was as if Tang Yao was saying, You made my dder hurt because of tea, so what will happen to me if I ept his invitation to the buffet? He might just kill me! However, Yibei continued to pester him with invitations, and Tang Yao gritted his teeth and told him the address of Qin Dalin. He made sure to warn Yibei that no other person is to know of this information, otherwise, something bad might happen to him. Seeing how secretive Tang Yao was being, he felt thepulsion to meet Qin Dalin even more. His intuition seemed to hint that Mr. Qin must have some sort of way to locate the psychic who pulled the sword out of the Happy Community grounds. Leaving themunity, Yibei stopped a taxi and gave the driver the address given by Tang Yao. Before setting off, she looked at the map, and it seems like Mr. Qin only lives a dozen kilometres away. Despite this, the roads in Huacheng were winding andplicated to navigate. The taxi had to stop and check the map constantly, and it took more than an hour to reach her destination. Stepping out the cab, she looked at the various buildings that were in the distance, and she couldnt help but mutter, Damn you live like this? What the hell was this Qin-dude thinking about when he decided to stay here? Wont you be afraid of bumping into something when you get up in the middle of the night to pee? Jesus Ahead, the crooked cement road was littered with weeds on both sides, and the dense canopy of treespletely obscured the Sun above her. Through the dense branches, a collection of vintage, red-bricked houses could be seen. After walking for about a hundred meters along the dim cement road, she finally arrived near the address given by Tang Yao. It was a house trapped by tall, dark-grey walls. It resembled a Soviet-style building from the 1950s, and there was only one entrance C arge, rusty iron door. The building itself is dpidated and remote. Even before the nights became long, one might think its haunted. Now, nobody would dare to set a single foot into the building. Entering through the gate, the situation behind the decrepit walls was just as she expected C a long, dark corridor with aged, yellowed walls was abandoned, popted by only garbage bags that hadnt been cleared up in a long time. A pungent smell of rot flooded the corridor. Strange. ording to what Tang Yao said, Mr. Qin made a lot of money from the Happy Community project. Why live in a ce like this? Tang Yao wasnt trying to fool me, right? If he did, oh I might just treat him to an ice-cream-only buffet Yibei muttered to herself as a door near the entrance cracked open. The old, iron door slid open with a loud groan, which caused her to turn towards it immediately. Hello? she greeted, walking towards the door. However, the owner didnt seem to be willing to show their entire face. It was only barely open, revealing only half of their face behind the door. The lights in the corridor were dim, and the Witch could only roughly identify the person behind the door. Surprisingly, it was a woman, and her eyes were bloodshot with dark circles underneath them. Her most striking feature was arge scarlet birthmark on her face. Excuse me, do you know of a Qin Dalin who lives here? Although she couldnt smile, she tried her best to sound as kind as possible. However, she didnt expect the woman to re at her before mming the door in her face. Waiting, the Witch knocked on her door twice, but she received no answer. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Note 1: The sisterhood of scissoring sisters:The term used this time was grinding mirrors, (ĥ) which, well, you can already guess the meaning from the previous chapter. Im not quite sure if Apocalypse-Level Psychic Item sounds corny, but I cant think of any suitable alternatives for it so Im open to suggestions :v Perhaps Disaster-Tier? Unsure. Anyways, I hope all of you have a wonderful weekend! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^.^ Chapter 257: I Will Remember This Chapter 257: I Will Remember This Under the dimly lit corridor, Lu Yibei stood right in front of the rusty iron door that shut in front of her, as she thought of ways to lure the woman out of the house. At this moment, the only functioning voice-activated light shone at the end of the corridor, and it was followed by the sound of footsteps that could be heard stomping down from the second floor. Soon, arge, middle-aged woman with dirty clothes could be seen. Therge woman walked down the corridor, and her eyes met with Yibeis. She visibly frowned and walked over to the Witch briskly, then studied her up and down, as if she was trying to see through her. What are you doing here? Hello! I am looking for a man named Qin Dalin. Can I ask if Before Yibei could finish speaking, therge woman immediately looked left and right, and interrupted her, Why are you looking for him? Im his rtive. A close family member passed away recently, so I wanted to inform him about it, Yibei lied with a calm expression. It didnt seem like she was lying. Youre a rtive? therge womans eyes questioned her as she sneered. I thought that nasty gamblers family cut ties with him long ago! A nasty gambler? Did he gamble all of his money away? Is that why he lives in a ce like this?Lu Yibei cursed, frowned slightly, and spoke, He has some bad habits, but bloods still thicker than water, right? Aha so, with how things are right now, we thought that we should at least inform him about. Do you happen to know his whereabouts? Therge woman rolled her eyes, It wont be easy for you to find him. Uh, why? He has debt collectors looking for him, so to avoid them, hell camp out in those cardrooms to gamble or drink with his friends. He only everes back at midnight, therge woman exined. I see. Do you know which unit he lives in? I can wait for him toe back. Therge woman curled her lips, pointing upstairs impatiently, Top floor. Unit 401. As soon as she was done, she walked past Yibei and walked towards the gate, but stopped before she walked past the threshold. Therge woman looked at Yibei, who was looking at the stairwell. She was silent for a moment, and spoke, You seem like a nice girl. Listen to me C forget about that nasty gambler, and do not enter these houses if you have nothing important to do. Most importantly, do not stay here overnight. You must get out of here before dark; its way too dangerous for a young girl like you to be loitering around here! A young girl like me? Is there a problem with me? The Witch wondered, then asked therge woman, Why? Is there any urban legend around here? Hearing the word urban legend, therge woman suddenly appeared nervous. She opened her mouth, as if to speak, but stopped herself. She avoided the Witchs gaze and hurriedly walked out the building. Looking back at the long, dim corridor, she thought to herself: Judging by her reaction, I must be correct. Something strange must be happening here. However, why havent I felt anything ever since I entered the building? Could it be that they only appear after dark? Her questions were left unanswered, but she had an idea. She reached into her pocket and took out her copper coin. Will there be any urban legends in this building tonight? Heads for yes, tails for no. Flicking the copper coin up into the air, she allowed her premonition to do the work, then reached out and grabbed the coin. So, there are urban legends lurking around here. Whispering to herself, she turned and walked towards the stairs at the end of the corridor. Before she left, she wanted to scout through Qin Dalins unit. Walking up to the second floor, it seemed darker and damper C cobwebs could be seen gathering in the dim corners, and the walls were mottled with mold. Walking up another two floors, it seemed that the situation was improving, but it was still very dirty and run-down. A thickyer of dust stained the ground, and visible footprints could be seen upon the floor. The footprints seemed to be leading away from Room 401. In fact, it went thepletely opposite direction. Following the footprints, it lead up to Room 420, and from a distance, she could see a door with a crack at the end of the corridor. There was somebody lurking behind the door. Looking closer, she could see a woman with arge, dark-red birthmark on her face. Wait, isnt this the same woman from earlier? How did she get up here? These vintage, old-fashioned buildings were usually unreasonable in their architecture. ording to her own observation, she only saw one stairwell that amodated for this entire building. Could there be secret passages in this building? She wondered as she walked up to Room 420 to ask the woman, but once again, she mmed the door shut before she could open her mouth. m! Yibei was visibly stunned, then turned and walked towards the other end of the corridor. Rejected again. Im not going to try and make contact anymore. You know what they say! Curiosity killed the cat! Well, I already know where Qin Dalin lives C no point trying to pry further. She quickly stumbled upon Unit 401, but was slightly startled upon seeing the condition of his door. In the entire building, she observed that all the doors were old and worn out. The door to Qin Dalins unit, however, is an all-new security door, which looked incredibly imprable at first nce. Moreover, it was stered with talismans; its incantations written in cinnabar. The skull of a cow with strange seals carved into it was ced by the door as well. Reaching out with her fingertips to touch the talismans, she felt a burning sensation and immediately retracted her hand. She is now in the state of being an urban legend, and the talismans reacted to her very presence. It meant that these talismans arent the ones sold by scammers C these talismans were meant to deter urban legends like her. What the hell was this Qin Dalin up to?! Is an urban legend hunting him down?! Knock, knock. She tried knocking on the door, but received no reply. Sighing, she quietly exited the building. Guess all I can do is go home. I need to make some preparations beforeing back here after dark. Sitting in the bus that drove towards the city, Yibei suddenly recalled something as her eyes lit up. Taking out her phone, she opened up her browser and looked up the address of Qin Dalin. It turns out that his apartment is the old staff building for the employees of the Huacheng Power nt. Then, she looked up the query [Huacheng Power nt Staff Building], tapped on searched, and after scrolling down more than a dozen pages, she could see several strings of noteworthy information. [Chen Siqi, Female, 18 Years Old. Disappeared near the old staff building located in the Huacheng Power nt in June 2018] [Zhang Huihui, Female, 15 Years Old] [Fang Liqin, Female, 17 Years Old] With just a single nce, her face scrunched up slightly. They were all missing person reports. Four or five people disappeared in proximity of the power nt over thest three years, and most of them were woman in their teens to early adulthood. None of them have been found yet. Moreover, this was after the nights became long. One person disappearing every year in a remote and dpidated ce like that C it was understandable, yes, but wouldnt it raise suspicion? Why hasnt the Night Division investigated that ce yet? No. There were no psychic energy fluctuations nearby. Maybe the Night Division investigated that ce before, but found nothing. Without the presence of psychic fluctuations, they probably handed the case over to the police, ruling it out as a serial murder case. I dont even know if they caught the serial killer. As she was deep in thought, the screen of her phone dimmed, and the ck screen reflected a delicate face. Under the noon sun, even without makeup, she looked enchanting. oh, so this is what she meant by a young girl like you Was she trying to warn me? Does she know something? She sat up and rubbed her eyebrows. When I go there, I need to find something to cover my face! Im busy looking for Qin Dalin! I dont want to end up as some girl-obsessed serial killers target! Unless Qin Dalin is the serial killer. A sudden thought popped up in her mind. Could Qin Dalin be rted to the girls disappearance? Was he worried that the girls would haunt him, so he decided to take all those precautions? Assuming it is true, the police must have done their investigation, but since he is still living there, that means that he has hidden his tracks well. Reaching into her pocket, she took out her copper coin and flicked it into the air. Before the copper coin fell, she reached out to catch it mid-air. Her vision became heavy, and her gaze flickered in-and-out of reality, as if she was fighting with conflicting thoughts in her head. Time passes. The Witch caressed her jacket gently and whispered, Jacket, uh, do you know how to transform into clothes that are, you know, both sexy and innocent? I want to wear something that makes people want to jump on me just by looking at me. This isnt the first time I used myself as bait. Well, not that I wanted tost time, but Im doing it on my own ord this time! Hearing her mistress, the jacket immediately squirmed, as if it was about to transform on the spot. W-w-wait! Not right now! she panicked as she felt the fabric shift on her skin. Do it at night! Not. Right. Now! The longer somebody lives, the lower their limit of their integrity. However, that doesnt mean that its absent. Although there werent many people in the bus, it was way too shameful to change clothes in public! In the afternoon, she ran back to her apartment in the Happy Community. She searched for her guitar bag, and took all things that could be used inbat with her. When she came back, Jiangli was nowhere to be seen. She was a little worried that Jiangli might end up alone at night, which runs the risk of her encountering the same urban legendst night. Hence, she decided to inform her by sending her a text. [VACCARIA: Something came up. I dont think Iming home tonight, so you shouldnt either. Its not safe to be alone.] [Genius Mahjong Girl: What do you mean by something came up? Can I tag along? ??] [VACCARIA: Its a private event. No pets allowed.] [Genius Mahjong Girl: ??] Why did I feel a chill run down my spine? [VACCARIA: Trade offer: Ill cook up something delicious for you tomorrow.] Well, I still have three family-sized bottles of vinegar that I borrowed from our neighbour. Maybe I can borrow some dumplings, or crabs! [Genius Mahjong Girl: ??] Phew! Back to her usual emoji After she was done dealing with Jiangli, she pocketed her phone and left the Happy Community. She went straight to the park to find a secluded ce to practice herba. Meanwhile, in the Lee Mansion. Tang Han, who was still grounded, kept guard of the bodyguards sent by his father. Whole they werent looking, he fiddled with his phone and sent a message to someone. After a while, he received a message from somebody named [Skin]. Putting down his phone, he smiled. Finally. Everything is going to n! Qin-or-what-your-face-is, I hope youre ready for what I have in store for you tonight! 9:10pm, a taxi drove down the road leading towards the Huacheng Power nt. It was silent in the car. The only thing that could be heard is the sound of the rushing wind outside the window. Zhang Shan, through the rearview mirror, eyed the familiar, yet unfamiliar girl who was sitting in the backseat. He heldplicated feelings inside of him. After the girl got in the car and exchanged a few words with him, all she did after was fiddle with her mobile phone. She seemed to have no intentions of telling him a story. Tonight, she donned an apricot-coloured knitted sweater that hung off one shoulder, revealing her delicate corbones and fair shoulders. She paired it with a denim fishtail skirt and a pair of ssic red-white sneakers. She also seemed to wear a little makeup, as if she was dressing up for a particr asion. Even if he knew that she was an urban legend, he couldnt help but take second looks at her. The only problem is What business does she have at the power nt?! I have never heard of anything strange happening there! Did she dress up nicely to have go on a date there?! That cant be right! If youre going on a date, shouldnt you go to some ce like a bar? Or a fancy restaurant? A club, even, or an amusement park, or a love hotel! Why the hell would you go to some ce like that?! Zhang Shan was fighting with his thoughts, and seeing that they were at the halfway point of her destination, he couldnt help but blurt out, Hey, arent you going to tell me any stories tonight? ? A hint of surprise was stered on the girls face, as if she was saying: Somethings wrong with you, Mr. Taxi Driver! What came over you today? Why do you want to a spooky story from me? Well, if you want to she pondered for a few seconds. I can tell you a story. Mysterious disappearances, secret passages, a strange woman with a bloodied birthmark, a runaway serial killer, a door stered with talismans Yibei felt that she might have inherited her fathers talent of telling stories. After all, he was an 18th-rate online novelist. Shebined the stories of the missing person reports she saw on the Inte, and discoveries made by the employees of the power nt, in addition to some fabrications she made up on the spot. Soon, Zhang Shan was pale, and his forehead flooded with cold sweat. Truthfully, he has heard of these missing girls, but he never made the connection that the disappearances were rted to urban legends. When the storytelling stopped, Zhang Shan realized that the story ended abruptly. The serial killer was still on the loose, and the mystery was still unsolved. W-w-what happens next? She didnt answer him, but pointed out the window with no expression, Were here. Ah His heart felt troubled after listening to only half the story. However, he was afraid that if he continued to ask questions, he might make the girl angry. He could only watch as she scanned the QR code for payment. Then, she got out of the cab, took out aba from her guitar bag, and yed the main theme of [Detective Conan]. Illuminated by the cabs lights, she began walking towards the old staff building of the power nt. Could it be Zhang Shan immediately understood something. His body trembled slightly as his eyes widened. Shes using herself as bait to find the serial killer! The ending was meant for me to interpret! If you do something bad, then, urban legends wille to hunt you down and eat you alive! It is karma, in a way! The light of the underworld shining upon the Earth! How wonderful! I have got to tell this story to my listeners! He could visibly feel Yibeis impression in his mind improving. Looking up to find her, she had already disappeared into the power nt. Down its dark, winding path, the sound of herba ying was tuned out by the ambient environment. Realizing that his surroundings have fallen into silence, with the city lights far away from him, he found that his taxis lights were the only source of light surrounding him at the moment. The story the Witch had just told resonated in his mind. He slightly panicked, and felt cold sweat dripping down his temples. A-a-although that serial killer only targets young girls, what if they have a change of mind?! They dont want sweet desserts anymore, and want a taste a something a little more old-schooled?! I-I cant stay here! He stomped on his clutch, shifted gears, stomped on the elerator, and skedaddled away in an instant. Truly, he was worthy of the title of being the fastest driver around in Huacheng. Yibei was hiding underneath a big tree by the power nt, observing the building made of red bricks in front of her. With how her mouth was pouting as half of her head was poking out from behind the tree, she seemed a little cute, and a little sneaky. It was pitch-ck, and neither star or moon was present in the sky. It was gloomy, and the dark windows of the building were like maws that screamed for help. At this moment, she could hear the roaring of an engine sounding behind her, and she couldnt help but be startled. When she turned around, all she could see was a taxi speeding away straight towards Huacheng. Strong as ever, Zhang Shan. Seeing him off, she withdrew her attention from his taxi and thought about what to do to attract Qin Dalin. After all, she didnt know what Qin Dalins thought process is when selecting a target. ying theba is a big no-no. Although it could attract his attention, it might scare him considering that this is a spooky, abandoned location. Or She silently lifted up her skirt and revealed her pristine thighs. She then stretched her leg out from behind the tree, swaying them. However, after hearing nothing, she retracted her legs with a frown. Damn it. Was I being too obvious. Do I go out and dance? I know Daydream used to dance with the memories I inherited from her. Just as she was considering it, a figure emerged from the darkness and snuck up behind her. [Somebody is sneaking up on you. Hes raising a piece of wood towards you!] A premonition shed in her head, and she made a decision on the spot. I need to do my part in this performance. Ill try my best! The next moment, a piece of wood as thick as an arm swung out through the dark, hitting Yibei on the back of her head as it shattered into two pieces with a loud m. Ah! T-that hurts! Wha Before she could register what had happened to her, she rolled her eyes and fell to the ground, using the big tree as a support. The moment she fell to the ground, she peered through her eyes to see who had attacked her C a middle-aged man in his forties, wearing a visibly-bleached-through maroon jacket. His hair looked greasy and messy, and his eyebrows were barely visible. The right side of his face seemed becerated by some kind of weapon, leaving a long, nasty scar. The hell did you hit me that hard for?! I. Will. Remember. This! Ill deal with youter! Yibei thought. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Imay or may not be able to upload this Friday since its assignment deadline week is next week. As much as I enjoy TLing in my free-time, I really do need to get started on my assignments T_T. Fret not, Ill be back next week! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^.^ Chapter 258: In Just A Bit, Ill Scare You Too! Chapter 258: In Just A Bit, I''ll Scare You Too! As soon as Qin Dalin knocked Lu Yibei out, he hid himself behind a tree and stared at her with wary eyes. Wait what about that girl from the Inte he murmured to himself. Forget it. If I cant fork a single person out to those guys, Id be in big trouble Another girl? Big trouble? Repeating his words in her head, she frowned. Seems like hes looking for targets on the Inte then, hell lure them here so he can get down to business And if he cant fork a single person out that must mean all of those missing girls mustve been kidnapped by him, and then given to third party Are they human, or are they an urban legend? As she was trying to piece the puzzle together, soft footfalls could be heard, interrupting her train of thought. Qin Dalin looked around, and squatted down by Yibeis side. He touched the back of her head to ensure that she wasnt bleeding, and breathed a sigh of relief. He picked her up, ced her unmoving body on his shoulders, and began briskly walking back to the old staff building. Now that she was being carried on his shoulders, she immediately cracked open her eyes to observe her surroundings.Soon, they passed through the gateway and entered the decrepit building from earlier today, and the already dim surroundings became much darker. Walking a little further inside, the two would then be swallowed up by the darkness. Within the dark corridor, she could see nothing, but she could smell something indescribable in the air. She could discern the stench of rotten, umted garbage scattered around the corridor, and the musty smell of mould on the walls. However, if one were to pay attention, they might make out the smell of blood too. Strange. I dont remember smelling blood earlier during the day, and I can sense slight psychic fluctuations too C they kind of remind me of the little buggers at home It was as if the acrid stench of blood was seeping out of the walls after dark, where they would silently tell a story of the horrific things that happened here. Seemingly, she could sense the suffering within the walls. Qin Dalin moved weightlessly as he walked up the stairs, making sure to not activate the lights by the entrance of the stairs. In the darkness, it was as if he was deliberately controlling his breathing and footsteps as he walked up step by step. Yibei opened her eyes along the bumpy ride up, and nced at the eerily dark corridors beyond the stairwell. She couldnt help but think of what mightve happened here. What would happen if it was just a regr girl who mightve fallen for his trap online? Na?ve girls who have yet to witness the cruelty of this world; deceived by the words of Qin Dalin? It would be no surprise C just a few top-ups for their gacha game, perhaps a sprinkle of in-game skins and yet, it still isnt entirely their fault. Then, they woulde to this ce, but they would never expect to meet such a cruel beast that lurks in the darkness, who is prepared to teach them theirst cruellest lesson. Then, Qin Dalin would knock them out, remove all traces of the crime, then bring them back to where he stays C where rats and cockroaches gather in the dark. They might be unconscious, or they might be fighting for their lives. However, he has no need to hide his identity anymore. He is a fully grown man, and he can easily subdue young, na?ve girls who look like me with violence. Hes something greater than a monster. Ruthless, and merciless. Especially considering this world of urban legends C this ancient, dpidated building is like a bloody maw waiting to swallow up fresh meat. Gulp. Then, the maw will close, and the closest help is two or three miles away. Nobody will know that a girl is trapped in this building. Before she knew it, Qin Dalin stopped right in front of his unit, and he started fumbling for his keys. In the darkness, she could make out the talismans that were stered at the door. Frowning, she carefully moved her arm, and quietly ced her palm on the door as he tried to look for his keys. Rip! A burning pain seared through her palm, as if she was touching the bottom of a pan. Through the pain, she tore off most of the talismans stered on the door. Oh, youre scared of urban legendsing to hunt you down, arent you? Well, well, well! Ive torn it all down for you! Ill have you know, this little girl- wait, that isnt right this little boy is here to create the scariest urban legend this shabby apartment has to offer! Stabbing you to death is too easy of a way out for you maybe I should Seeing the talismans getting ripped out, Qin Dalins heart dropped as his face turned pale. He immediately threw her body to the side, scrambled for the talismans, and tried piecing them back together. However, the damage was done. His face darkened as he growled, You little what have you done?! However, the Witch simply closed her eyes and remained motionless, as if she was silently responding to him with a, Nope! Didnt do anything! Im just a helpless little girl that was knocked out by your big wooden stick! Tsk, he scoffed, seemingly knowing that it was a waste of energy to get angry at an unconscious girl. Forget it. Its not like you have much time left anyways. Otherwise, if I had it my way, I wouldve forced all the evil fire I have down your throat and make sure that you would be limbless for the rest of your life! Cursing, he opened the door, dragged her into the unit, and closed the door, locking it with a loud click. He turned on the lights, and finally, bright lights illuminated their surroundings. The house was obviously aged, with two bedrooms and one living room. It was simply decorated, but upon entering, one could see the many cute handicrafts on disy, with various sulents and flowering nts nted by the balcony. Despite the simplicity, it was full of character and warmth. If I didnt know anything about him, hell, I wouldve thought that he is living a delicate, happy life by himself! Thank God for the copper coin All of these things are lies made to conceal his true character C somebody living in paranoia; somebody extremely cruel. I can see why the girls mightve been deceived by him. Strangely, the smell of blood seemed to be even stronger indoors. Under the warm, weing lights, the walls were still pale, as if the dead girls were trying to tell the Witch that theyve been hidden in the walls, under the floorboards, inside the flower pots, behind the bathtub, within the empty spaces of drainage pipes They reminded her of the whispers she would hear from the Witchs Egg, except, the whispers from the girls are much weaker C she could listen to all sorts of whispers emanating from within the wall, and it sounded like there were at least a dozen voices pleading for her. Yibei peeked at Qin Dalins face and let out an invisible frown. It seems like there is much more blood on his hands. This is simply just the tip of the iceberg. Many more girls mustve disappeared, but nobody knew them. Nobody cared enough to look for them, and they would disappear from this world, alone and afraid, leaving no trace of their existence. I see why the urban legend forums need to exist. It gives na?ve girls a chance of redemption; a chance to correct their mistakes and punish those who have wronged them. Wait a minute, speaking of Damn it! I shouldve checked whether amission has been posted for this ce! I couldve been rich! Rich! If you do things with no expectation of repayment, then, you are a hero. However, I am no fucking hero! I want it all! Qin Dalin ced Yibeis body on the sofa. Then, he found a rope and tied her hands together before walking towards his bedroom. She wasnt sure what was going on inside, but she could vaguely make out the sounds of heavy objects being dragged around. As soon as he left the living room, Yibeis jacket immediately started to squirm, and it handed her the carving knife that was hidden inside her pocket. She cut the rope up, but kept them in their ce so it appeared as if she was still tied up. Earlier, she had already used her copper coin, and it ensured her that she would not encounter great dangers when dealing with Qin Dalin. She felt at ease with the assurance. After a while, the noises in the bedroom seemed to have quietened down, and Qin Dalins footsteps could be heard returning to the living room. Its almost time she rolled her eyes around in a circle, and just before Qin Dalin opened the bedroom door, she rubbed her head in pain and looked around with ssy eyes. Wh where am I? Seeing the strange man walking out of the bedroom, she screamed, Eek! Wh-who are you?! What are you going to do to me? D-do you want money? I-I can give it to you! Just dont hurt me! Please! Let me go! However, her voice didnt match her face. Her bodynguage was stiff like sticks, and her face didnt even move. She definitely didnt seem frightened C perhaps he hit her head a little too hard? If anything, he found it a little amusing. If youre so scared, whye to such a scary ce at night? He thought. Thinking about it, he smiled as he sat across the girl, and said in a soft tone, Dont be afraid. Im not a bad person. Calming your victims down so you can proceed with the next step of your ns. Unfortunately for you, I know what you are! She brought her legs up to her chest, and stared at him with doe eyes, I-if youre not a bad person, why did you hit me in the head? Ah, well I saw you were sneaking around the property, so I thought you were a bad person. I wanted to scare you off, but I didnt expect to actually hit you. Ha ha! My bad! Oh, I am not a good person at all. Ill give you the scare of your lifeter she cursed inwardly. I see in that case, could you untie me? Not at the moment. W-why? I thought it was a big misunderstanding she asked, forcing a tear out. Can you please let me go? I wont call the police, I swear! He looked at how pitiful she was being, like a little white rabbit falling into a hunters trap. He felt giddy inside, but put on a sad face. He silently took out a cigarette and lit it. Taking a puff, he sighed, Its been a while since I could find anyone who would hear me out. Would you like to chat with me? Ill let you leave if you talk to me. Have you not talked to anyone in a long time? Strange Yibei was visibly confused for a moment, then, her gaze was affixed onto the balcony with doubtful eyes. Have you really never talked to him? I thought you two were staying together! Qin Dalin followed her gaze C the curtains to the balcony were closed, and the nts did nothing but cast their lonely shadows on the floor. He stared at the balcony in a trance, as if he had remembered something horrible. His eyes trembled, and he came back to his senses when the hot cigarette ash fell on his pants. He jumped up from his chair from the sudden pain. You little fuck! I was trying to be nice with you, and youre trying to y the fool with me?! Who are you talking to?! Yibei acted as if she was frightened, and shrank back into the sofa, B-but I could clearly see a woman standing there She briefly recalled the way Chen Siqi was dressed the day she disappeared, and whispered, Shes wearing a white dress, with ck sandals and a red bag! Shes right here in the room with us! He felt chills run down his spine, and goosebumps erupted all across his body. He remembered every single girl he had kidnapped. They often appeared in his dreams to torment him, but he was still alive and well. He tried to rationalize it C she knows what they are wearing, but only because it is written on the missing person reports. The police tried to do this before. After a brief panic, he calmed himself down and gritted his teeth. Shut up. Do you really think youre walking out of this ce alive tonight? Growling, he picked up the ashtray and pounced on her. Before he could smash the ashtray on her head, however, she magically dodged to the side. He relentlessly tried pouncing on her again, but narrowly missed. You little-! Ill kill you, I swear! W-what do you want me to do?! I dont want to get hit! Tsk. Not my fault. Youre the one whos being too obvious with your movements C I even made it so that itll look like youll hit me, but too bad! Youll just miss by a teeny-tiny bit! His expression darkened as he pounced again, but with each pounce, the girl would dodge and dodge again. Like a slippery roach, but strangely, her movements were like a ghost. Soon, he realized something was wrong. Holding the ashtray and taking a few steps back, he studied the girl before him C strangely enough, her face betrayed no panic; expressionless, like earlier, just like a corpse. Suddenly, he thought of the torn talismans by his door. His face turned pale as his voice trembled, W-what are you? Me? I can be Chen Siqi, or Zhang Huihui, or Fang Liqin, or the countless of dead bodies buried underneath the Happy Community In a voice that he couldnt hear, she whispered to her jacket, Hey, mind turning into a tattered white skirt? Receiving her instructions, her jacket squirmed, and in the blink of an eye, a torn nightgown hung down her petite body. She also loosened the rope in her hand at the right time, revealing the carving knife in her hand as she stepped forward. Her psychic energy stirred within, causing a strong wind to blow inside the unit. Her snow-white hair was messy, but her glowing scarlet eyes could be seen beyond the snowstorm. As if affected by her powers, the lights above them flickered constantly. The weak, ambient psychic fluctuations that were buried in the walls suddenly grew stronger, and the room began ring out cries that resembled a group of girls sobbing. In an instant, Qin Dalins body was petrified. He took several shuddering steps back, supporting himself against the wall. Looking at the Witch, who was holding a knife with a dull expression, her face seemed to morph in and out of reality. This was all due to her psychic powers, and they have a great effect on the human spirit. His entire body is reacting to her mere presence. N-no dont get any closer! Its not like I wanted to kill all of you! He began pping himself through the wind, Stupid! Stupid! Its all my fault! I shouldnt have gambled away my money! If I didnt gamble, I wouldnt need to do all of this! N-no its their fault for tricking me into that bet I lost everything because of it I can only continue if I do as they please otherwise, they they will A gamble? What kind of gambling game causes you to lose your freedom? Forget it! The show must go on! Silence! You will tell me this C where is my ancient sword? Tell me, and I will consider sparing your life! A-ancient sword? he was visibly stunned, but shook his head. No! I cant tell you that! Then, die. She began hovering off the ground with her hard-to-control ability to fly. She remained in the air for a few seconds, and began floating towards him. His pupils began contracting violently; his chest heaved in and out, stuttering in horror, A-a-a-a-at, the L- the Lees! Before he could finish his sentence, he keeled over as foam rushed out of his mouth. His body fell forward, and he was unconscious. No way. Did he fall into shock because of me? With such weak mental, how did he kill all those girls?! Damn it. I still need the sword, but She groaned and rubbed her sated belly. She had no idea that by instilling so much fear in a single person, she was able to be sated of her hunger. She estimates that all that fear is equivalent to consuming a third of a full core. Stepping forward and flipping him over, she checked his breathing and confirmed that he was still alive. Then, she tied his hands and feet with rope, picked him up with a single hand, and threw him towards the sofa. Ding! As he flew across the room, something slipped out of his pocket as it fell to the ground. Hmm? Picking it up to inspect it, she frowned. It was an intricately crafted gambling chip, coloured in red and white. Rather than stic, it felt as if it was made of metal, and it was cool to the touch. The number 10 was engraved on one side, and aplex seven-pointed star engraved on the other. Feeling it in her palm, she could sense faint psychic energy fluctuations within it. Is this what he was talking about? Losing something while gambling? I feel some psychic fluctuations inside the chips tsk! Why are you as an ordinary person making a bet with an urban legend! Itd be crazy if you win against one! Muttering to herself, she pocketed the chip. She isnt the type to gamble, and she would never gamble in her life either. She nned on stowing the chip away, then exchange it for cash once she finds out where the casino is. Putting it away, she decided to sit down and y with her phone out of boredom, waiting for him to wake up so that she could continue their friendly consultation. At 11:30pm, she suddenly panicked, realizing that her phone battery was at 10%. Just as she was about to turn off her phone to save the battery, the lights inside the unit went out, and a gust of wind blew from outside the window. She could sense two psychic energy fluctuations within her detection range, and the presence is quietly approaching Qin Dalins unit. Somethingsing. Is this the urban legend the copper coin predicted? Its strength is about the strength of one Mr. Rabbit, and since there are two psychic waves, thats 2 Mr. Rabbits! Weighing the judgement in her mind that it might be too dangerous for her to face something as strong as two Mr. Rabbits, she decided to conceal herself before acting. The next moment, a premonition shed in her mind. [They are about to enter the door.] Her face changed in slight shock, and she immediately got up and rushed into Qin Dalins bedroom. However, with a few rushed steps, she found that she was stepping on nothing, and she fell downwards. Immediately, the temperature inside the unit dropped sharply, and white frost condensed themselves on the windows. Although the door to his unit was locked, it opened with a shrill squeak, followed by two figures that entered the unit TRANSLATOR NOTES: Its gonna be a rough period at university the next couple of weeks, so I apologize in advance if chapters areing out a bit slow ^^ Changes from previous chapter: I was slightly confused by the term [Huacheng Power nt Office Building], but turns out the office building in question is literally where Qin Dalin lives, a.k.a., where Witchbei visited earlier in the morning. I adjusted the TL from the previous chapter to reflect this change. As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below ^_^! Chapter 259: Do Not Be Afraid! We Are One and the Same! Chapter 259: Do Not Be Afraid! We Are One and the Same! Ow that hurt! Within the thick dust clouds, Lu Yibei rubbed her buttocks back and forth as she winced in pain. Seeing that the woman with the strange birthmarkcerated across her face was able to magically move from the ground floor to the fourth floor, Yibei had already guessed that there might be something akin to a secret passage within the apartment. However, never in a million years could she predict that Qin Dalin would dig out arge hole in the centre of the room. She was caught off guard as she started running on air, and she fell straight down. Damn it isnt he afraid that hell fall into his own hole on ident? Stupid she cursed in her heart as she supported herself by the wall. Standing up in the darkness, she began looking around. The hole that she fell from was, indeed, a 90-degree vertical drop. The drop was about 3 to 4 meters high, and the hole itself was 1.5m long and 1m wide. It resembled the opening of a dry well, and it could easily allow for an adult human to fall through. Sniffing, the pungent, putrid smell of blood seemed to gush out from the walls. With the cool draft that was blowing through the passage, the wind sounded as if it was whimpering, like it was trying to hold in its sobs. Using her senses to confirm that the two presences were still upstairs, she found that they had stopped moving once they passed the threshold of Qin Dalins door. She then took out her phone and turned on her shlight to illuminate her surroundings. Step-by-step, she explored the passage cautiously. The surrounding concrete walls were darkened and damp, and she guessed that it might be due to the ambient moisture. Dried blood that appeared to be hastily mopped away stained the ground beneath her, and not far away was a wire that hung tattered, moldy clothes.This must be where Qin Dalin drags his victims to, she thought to herself. Earlier, she could hear him moving heavy furniture in his bedroom. He mustve been moving furniture away to open up the hole leading down here. Soon, she found a secret passage that continued forward. She bent forward along the short tunnel, and after walking a few meters, she was greeted with a rusty iron door. It was unlocked, and she stopped right in front of it. She used her finger to push it open, then thought that an urban legend might ambush her from the inside. She flicked her copper coin silently to confirm that her next spell would be amplified, and conjured a pir of fire in the palm of her hand. Then, she reached out and pushed the door open fully. Screech! The door let out a disgusting screech as it opened, and immediately, her face was greeted with the concentrated smell of mold, dust, rotten food, and blood. Behind the iron door revealed a dim room of about 30 square meters, and she guesses that it is a room on the third floor that was refurbished. The windows were sealed, and the walls re-ttened. A thick security door was situated by the corner of the room, and old tables and chairs were haphazardly ced by the door. In the centre of the room was arge, iron cage with two steel basins inside. One of them contained murky water, while the other contained spoiled, rotten food. Moreover, there seemed to be a bunch of ckened stuff piled up inside the cage. She turned her shlight brighter to see what was inside, only for her face to turn deathly pale. The light revealed arge mass of tangled hair, and through the hair, she could vaguely make out a skull. The victims mustve been imprisoned inside this very cage, and they would soon wither away into cold corpses. As for where the actual corpses were hidden, perhaps it was as how she felt earlier C hidden in the dark corners of the building where ordinary people would never think to find them. Underneath the skull and scattered bones, she finally found the source of the smell of blood that seemed to leak out from the wall. Twisted, scarlet threads, like veins, extended from underneath the cage. They embedded and attached themselves to the ground, and took a firm root within the cold, hard concrete. It resembled the rooting system of a nt, and faint psychic energy pulsed from the root system. Yibei stared at the roots in a trance. She then chanted a spell softly underneath her breath, and unleashed a fireball onto the scarlet roots. Woosh! The fire zed through the secret room that has never once seen the light of day C through the fire, she could hear faint screams, and the stench of burnt flesh and blood. She watched as the mes continued to burn away at the root system. Qin Dalin, you if this had continued, something terrible might have manifested inside this old apartment. No wonder thatdy from earlier warned me to not loiter around here. She must be worried that I would run into Qin Dalin himself C after he deals with one of his victims, wouldnt I be the next easiest target? If you think about it, suppose I was an ordinary girl C if I ran into a big man who had just killed someone, wouldnt I be scared shitless? Soon, the scarlet roots were burnt to ash, and she could no longer feel psychic energy pulsing within the ashes. She was then ready to leave. Before she left, she decided to inspect the tables and chairs. She opened the drawers of the tables one after another, and soon, she found a notebook with yellowed, moldy pages that was hastily stuffed inside. Vo. She flipped open the notebook and shone her shlight on it, only to find a single [277] scrawled upon it. 277? What does that mean? Turning onto the next few pages, she would then be greeted by more numbers, with each string of numbers getting their own distinct page. [181]; [205]; [229] These numbers had no obvious connection or pattern to them. The only pattern that he could currently discern is that the number is increasing. She flipped through the notebook in confusion, and it wasnt until she turned to the first page where she came to an epiphany: On the very first page, the handwriting wrote [100 days left] hmm could this represent the number of days Qin Dalin has left after handing the girls over to this unknown urban legend? It isnt a fixed number, it seems. Some give him an extra forty days; some give him only a few extra days. Were the girls judged by appearance? Age? Psychic potential? Hell, I wonder how many days Im worth. Thinking about it, she put down the notebook and was prepared to leave this hellish ce. Agh no you-! Suddenly, she could hear screaming, like a pig getting ughtered, from the other end of the secret passage, and the screaming seemed to belong to Qin Dalin himself He was woken up by a strange draft blowing through his apartment. Waking up, Qin Dalin found that he was tied to a chair. Thinking of the female ghost that had just haunted him, his body trembled unconsciously. Looking around, however, he couldnt see her anymore, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This relief onlysted a few seconds before his breath caught itself in his throat again. The singr light above his head flickered for a moment, and as his room was illuminated, he saw two terrifying figures standing in the dark corners of the room. One of them waspletely naked, with ghostly-pale skin that folded in upon itself, stacking on top of one another. The figure resembled somebody who was once very obese, but had all of its fat and muscle drained away. If anything, the figure resembled human skin that was sewn onto a skeleton. The one was very short, perhaps less than 1.4m tall. The figure wore a dirty sack on its head, with scarlet threads sewn onto it to resembles the bags eyes and mouth. It resembled a crudely-made voodoo doll, and maggots could be seen squirming through the holes in the sack. Immediately, Qin Dalin froze. Fear swarmed through his nerves like countless insects gnawing at his bones. His heart beat against his chest, and his whole body was numb as his brain thud against his head. Agh no you-! The two figures crept closer, and he let out a shrill scream. His mind turned nk, and his vision turned to ck. What luck I have! That female ghost has no intention of letting me go she even called on her friends to torture me This was thest thought that registered through his mind before he went dark. Inside the secret passage, Yibei had just heard Qin Dalins screams. She didnt know what was going on, but she could sense a sudden surge of psychic energying from him, and her hunger was sated. Many questions started to pop up in her head. What the hell is going on up there? I dont even need to lift a single finger, and I get rewarded for it? As she was thinking, she stretched her fingers out towards the hole from where she fell. She was about to extend her psychic senses to observe the situation from above, and soon, she could hear a conversation from above. Skin, are you sure this is the guy that Master Lee wanted us to kill? The urban legend named Skin nced at the now unconscious Qin Dalin, whose limp body sat against the chair. Yes, I am sure. I have seen the photos C it is unlikely that this person is disguised as him. When Skin spoke, their voice sounded like the amalgamation of voices speaking together, making it hard to make their words out. Hmm the sack-faced urban legend named Sack scratched the back of their head, catching a bunch of maggots in their palm as they fell to the ground like rain. Why was he tied up? Do we even need to do anything here? Master Lee couldve just called two ordinary thugs to kill him! Youre right Skin pondered, before an idea came to mind. Is there a possibility that another urban legend got to him before us? Master Lee must know other urban legends aside from us, correct? After the other urban legend knocked him out, they tied him up, and nned on letting him starve to death, or maybe, theylle back to torture him. Sick in the head, but cheap, Sack pouted. Youre the bitch whos sick in the head and cheap! Your entire family lineage is sick in the head and cheap! The Witch rolled her eyes as she eavesdropped. After regaining herposure, she carefully analyzed the contents of their conversation. Right. They mentioned a Master Lee. Before Qin Dalin fainted, he said something about the ancient sword being in the hands of somebody named Lee could this be the same Lee? Lee mustve known that Qin Dalin was about to reveal the whereabouts of the sword, so he sent two urban legends to silence him, but isnt that a little too quick? As she was trying to piece together the puzzle, her thoughts were interrupted by the chatter of the two urban legends upstairs. So what do we do now? Do we just kill him? I think we should! We cant squeeze much psychic energy out of him anyways! Hearing this, her heart skipped a beat as she cursed inwardly. She still has no idea where the ancient sword is. If this Master Lee dude was not the one who took the ancient sword away, and the urban legends killed Qin Dalin, that would mean that all of her clues up to now would be considered null. I cant let that happen. I need to She no longer had time to think. She came to the hole and held onto the wall with both hands. With a sudden force, she leapt up, and like a gecko, she mbered on the walls. After desperately climbing up the hole, she steadied herself in the bedroom. Immediately, she gradually released her psychic energy and walked out the bedroom with swagger. Although she is unable to utilize all of the power in her body without the prerequisite of getting into dangerous situations, after drawing onto her runes and casting spells frequently, she has found some ways to channel her psychic energy. Take psychic energy fluctuations as an example C it is like casting a spell, but there is no need for incantations. All I have to do is gather a little psychic energy, and not release its power Damn it! I said a little psychic energy! Why cant I stop?! Does my stupid amplifying effect work on this too?! Shit. This isnt going to cause any trouble, right? She was frightened, seeing that the psychic energy she was gathering underneath her palm was growing endlessly. As soon as she stepped out the bedroom, however, she was frightened once again. As soon as she swung open the door, a cold draft blew through the apartment unit, and there was a strange smell present in the air. The lights above flickered, and the shadows that were cast on the wall were distorted by some strange force. They swayed and moved as if they were alive, prepared to lunge out from the wall towards Qin Dalin with their fangs and ws. In the centre of the living room stood two terrifying figures, who were obviously not human. Jesus F. Christ. This is way too scary even for me! If I had known what they looked like, I wouldve hid in the secret passage and waited for them to leave! Seeing the two figures, she was still frightened by the scene that appeared to have originated from the two urban legends. Her heart jumped as another cold breeze blew across the apartment, but she gritted her teeth and walked forward. I am no pussy Ill just fake it till I make it! After all, Im a little stronger than them if I were to pick them out individually. Ill try scaring them, and if that doesnt work, Im using the Divine Horse Armour to get the hell out of here! Immediately, she raised her hand and shouted, You animals! What the hell do you think youre doing?! The two urban legends turned around, immediately attracted by her voice and the terrifying psychic fluctuations that seemed to surround her. Immediately, they felt their cores tremble. A girl wearing a tattered white dress stood right in front of the bedroom, with her long, fire-white hair swaying behind her. She had a delicate face with a cold demeanor, and her pupils were like ice. The lights continued to flicker above them, and the sounds of sobbing permeated the entire unit. Faint, illusory currents of red poured out around her, like small rivers of blood. They flowed with a faint glow, as if they wereva. The liquid was deformed, sickly, but imbued with a strange, sinister vitality, as if it wanted to pollute and burn through the darkness with evil. This was simply an evil god revealing itself, bathed in blood and fire! The two urban legends were frightened, and they froze in ce. Although this strange Witchs psychic fluctuations indicated that her strength was about as equal as theirs, the quality of her psychic energy was simply too high. In some way, it invisibly formed a barrier of disparity between the two parties. Like how a predator separates itself from prey. Whats worse is that they couldnt even sense her presence beforehand. However, with her power, she could be considered one of the best urban legends in the entirety of Huacheng C why is she interested in an ordinary human being? Skin cursed inwardly, before meekly speaking, Is this your- no, no my apologies C Your Highness, is this your prey? Seems like theres a misunderstanding here. The Witch was silent for a moment, before her cold voice spoke, No. I was simply entrusted with a task. Ah Skin hesitated in fear. To be honest, the two of us were also entrusted, uh, with a task. If your task happens to be the same as ours, we will, uh, make our grand esca- I mean, take our leave. I knew it. If it really was the person who took the ancient sword away, and Im lumped into this situation she cursed inwardly. She was about to speak, but Sack stared forward as they yelled. I know what you are! Its you! ?! What the hell? How do you know me? How is this possible? Skin was visibly horrified, and they wanted to pull their fellow urban legend away. However, Sack wiggled out of their grip and spoke, You must be the Witch that Zhang Shan mentioned in his podcast! Im your biggest fan! I didnt know you were real! Like for real! If Im not real, am I just a paper doll to you? She wanted toin to them, but before she could speak her mind, she stared at Sack, whose head was dripping with maggots. Suddenly, she felt as if her scalp was numb, and she was disinterested in arguing. Wait a minute, did they just say Zhang Shans podcast? The Zhang Shan that I know?! What the hell did he say on his damn podcast?! Does he know that urban legends are tuning in to his podcast too?! She felt a little weirded out knowing that a group of urban legends were eagerly waiting for Zhang Shan to share a new story. After a moment of silence, she decided not to answer Sack. Instead, she gritted her teeth, and growled, Tell me C who sent the two of you? Tell me, and I might consider sparing your life! Skin trembled when she said this, and blurted out, M-master Lee! Lee Tang Han! Hes from the Tang Han Arts, Trade, & Transport Co.! His surname is Lee, and he runs an arts, trading, and transportationpany he might be the person who pulled out the ancient sword! Thinking to herself, she forgot that she was still subconsciously gathering psychic energy on the tips of her fingers. The pressure within the unit was still rising, and the two urban legends felt their cores pounding against their chest. Were done for! What did we say to make the Witch angry?! Does she have a grudge against Master Lee?! Meanwhile, she had no idea that she had already scared the two urban legends in front of her, considering that they didnt provide her with energy that she obtains from scaring ordinary humans. She nodded at their answer and responded calmly, Do not be afraid. We are one and the same. ? What the fuck?! Is Master Lee that powerful that he is able to hire such powerful urban legends? Sack and Skin thought to themselves. Amidst the suffocating silence, Skin nced at Qin Dalin, then at Yibei, Since Master Lee hired you, then, youre free to do as you please to him. Although they didntpletely believe in her words, her psychic energy fluctuations were enough to convince them that she is telling the truth. If they made her unhappy, the consequences would be disastrous. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Happy 30th chapter on the new site! Not very happy with todays trantion, since I was trying to rush to put at least one chapter out this week :v I will make amendments if there are any mistakes, so I hope you bear with me for todays chapter! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^.^ Chapter 260: Wont You Chat With Us? Chapter 260: Won''t You Chat With Us? How is it possible to even open our mouths in front of the potential Queen of Huacheng? Skin thought relentlessly. Whatever she says is King! If only I can slither away silently without causing anymore conflict, that would be the best. Yibei thought to herself. If the chance of winning the fight is less than a 120%, is it ever really in my favour? After the peas-in-the-pod got to know one another, the three reached a consensus C they are all one and the same! After a brief silence, the three urban legends turned their attention to Qin Dalin, still tied to a chair in a helpless, yet not-pitiful state. Well, what shall we do with this human? Skin pointed at him, waiting for the Witchs response. seems like they regard me as somebody who is sliiiiightly stronger. They are both fearful and envious of me? Good. If I can maintain that image in their minds, I can wait it out and obtain useful information. Then, I can fish in troubled waters, and slip away at the right time! Thinking about it, she folded her hands across her chest and raised her chin, presenting an arrogant image, I have my own way of dealing with this man. The two of you can wait outside. Youre not letting him go, are you? If he doesnt die, we wont be able to answer to Master Lee, Sack said.Right? Skin agreed, their cloudy eyes rolling in their eye sockets. We dont want to offend Master Lee. Formting a response, she turned her back towards them, and spoke in a tone that was more in line with her current disy of arrogance, Hmph, and why should I care about how that Lee-or-whatever feels? Why are the two of you still standing there? Get out! She was slightly worried they wouldnt move, and peeked at the two through the corner of her eyes. Isnt this how they act in those dramas? Was it not convincing?! Shit. I jumped the gun against two urban legends. What if they burst out in anger and end up hurting me?! Logically, urban legends have no human ethics, so they might just jump me from behind Skin and Sack looked at each other, worried, as if telling each other, Did we fuck up?! She seems to hate Master Lee! Her face didnt even budge when we mentioned his name! Isnt she so kind? Rece her with another urban legend, and Im afraid that we wouldnt be given the same grace that shes giving us C shed be ying with our cores like balls! The two nced at the Witch with a knowing gaze C they could feel how strong her psychic energy fluctuations were, but they could not gauge the actual depth of her power. They quickly gave up the idea of testing her. The two bowed respectfully, and in a gust of wind, the two hovered out the apartment unit. Sensing that they were now far away, she breathed a sigh of relief. She picked Qin Dalin up from the chair, turned around, and walked towards the bedroom where the secret passageid. To be honest, she didnt know what she had in store for the unconscious man in her grasp. She couldnt just let him go. With all the bad things he had done, her conscience would haunt her if she just left and went back home. However, killing him seemed too cruel of a punishment C after all, he is a living-and-breathing human being. Moreover, she had no confirmation that this Master Lee person who sent Skin and Sack to haunt Qin Dalin is the same person who stole the ancient sword. She needed to obtain information from him. Weighing her choices, she decided to imprison him in the secret torture room. First, Ill stalk the two urban legends C if I can locate the person who pulled out the ancient sword, I wonte back; and if I dont, Ille back and ask him. Imprisoning him in the rotted cage, she took out a small vial of Disaster from her jacket, opened his mouth, and plopped a single drop into his mouth. Disaster holds potent hallucinogenic properties and pollutes psychic energy. It is mostmonly used to induce aa, and just one drop is enough to keep Qin Dalin in deep sleep for less than half a month. However, she still felt a little uneasy. Yes, he might be unable to leave, but what if somebodyes to save him? Theres still that woman living in the building, or the scary woman with the birthmark As insurance, she casted another spell and welded the iron doors leading to the secret room shut before leaving. After finding an iron container from his house, Yibei tore off the intact talismans from his apartment door and stored them in the container before leaving. Its not easy to travel here! I must at least leave with something! These talismans werent very powerful, so she wont be able to use them for the time being. However, she could still sell them at the ghost market. As for the cow skull, she decided to ditch it. She didnt want to ruin her image by smuggling that away in case she runs into Skin and Sack again. Is it logical for somebody powerful to steal weak psychic items used to ward off evil spirits? Nope. Walking out into the corridor, she walked towards the stairs, and reluctantly nced at the cow skull that stillid intact in front of Qin Dalins door. Maaaybe I cane back another day. This isnt about money C I swear! Do I seem like a person whocks money? Im just saying! An opportunity to borrow something presents itself in front of me! If I dont take advantage of it, Ill regret it for the next tens of thousands of years Leaving the apartment, she came to her guitar bag that she had hidden in the corner of thepound. Leaving thepound, she stumbled upon something strange. It was the dead of night in an empty street, and the dead leaves rustled on the ground. Under the dim street light, a figure that resembled human skin stacked on each other, and a tiny humanoid figure with its head covered with a sack let out whispers and bursts of eerieughter, as if they were plotting something terrible. are these two trying to scare people? If an ordinary person stumbled upon this, their first instinctive reaction would be to punch them on the spot. I need to ask where they usually hang out, then write in an anonymous report to chase them away from there! Grumbling, she calmed herself down before stepping forward. Sensing her approach, the two urban legends immediately became quiet. Skin stepped forward and bowed, Ah, Great Witch, Master Lee has sent somebody to pick us up after dealing with that man. Please wait a moment. I see. She didnt say anything else, and sheltered herself underneath the shadows of the trees. I must maintain a sense of mystique by not talking. If I yap too much, I will make many mistakes. Because among the strong urban legends that exist, who else yaps like Lu Yibei? Although it goes against her very nature to zip her lips, there is nothing she can do about it. She wasnt sure how many other urban legends were under Master Lees watch, but she predicts that there are more, and if he was the one who possessed the sword, then taking it from him would be hard. Thus, it wont be easy to know its whereabouts. Moreover, if two urban legends were sent out to deal with Qin Dalin, but three came back, Lee Tang Han might piss himself out of fear. Therefore ncing at the two urban legends, she narrowed her eyes. They were fooled now, but if she truly wanted to infiltrate into enemy territory to know the swords whereabouts, she must still be within Lee Tang Hans circle. I need toe up with something real quick C what kind of image do I present to him? What expressions should I force out? Whats my emergency response n? Well, if the n involves yapping, rest assured! I can do that with no problem! She was still thinking about ways to deal with Lee Tang Han, but at this moment, psychic energy broke into her senses, interrupting her train of thought. She looked towards the apartment where she felt the psychic energy, and she swore she could hear the pained wails of Qin Dalin. Blinking at the apartment, the old apartment seemed quiet. Just as she was about to look away, another wave of psychic energy washed over her, apanied by Qin Dalins miserable wails. What is this? Whats going on? Did he wake up? Was he frightened that he woke up in that room? Another wave of psychic energy washed over her, sating her hunger. again? Really? Damn, hests long! Its as if hes my personal psychic-energy-power-bank! In the secret torture room, Qin Dalin woke up. Opening his eyes, he was greeted with a pitch ck. He was disoriented for a moment, but the smell that permeated throughout the room told him where he was. His body squirmed subconsciously as it bumped into the railings of the iron cage, and immediately, he felt his heart sink. The female g-g-g-ghost locked me up in the torture room that I built with my own two hands In an instant, he felt as if he had been thrown into deep, freezing waters. The water was endlessly cold, endlessly dark, and endlessly evil Before he decided to kidnap the ghost, he didntmit a single crime for more than half a year. The reason why he stopped was because of this very room C or rather, there was a problem with the entire apartment building itself. The girls he murdered never left, and their spirits continue to wander the corridors every night. They cried in dark corners, or they would gently knock on doors one after another, as if they were looking for somebody This strange phenomenon scared most of the residents away, leaving only the woman with the birthmark and the pig-butcheringdy. Qin Dalin knew that the spirits were looking for him, and eventually, they will. Hence, the urban legend in charge of getting his debts struck a deal with him C in exchange for items that were able to ward off evil, he must pay them his debts. Therefore, he was able to sleep peacefully for a few nights. Then, when he came across Yibei, he thought that he would be able to sleep peacefully once again, but Just as he thought about it, the iron door that had been welded shut by the Witch opened with a creak, and several vague figures hovered into the room, with their backs turned to him as they surrounded the cage. They all donned torn clothes, like the ones Lu Yibei was wearing earlier. It was dead silent, like a tomb, and a strange voice came from outside the cage. Hello. Would you like to chat with us? Qin Dalins body trembled as he struggled violently inside the cage C this was the very line he used to tempt those girls into a conversation in order to let their guards down. This line was tried and tested many times against sad, lonely girls. He wanted to scream for help, but when he opened his mouth, all he could feel was a sharp burning pain, as if a piece of red-hot coal was lodged in his throat. The ghostly figures did not move, but their heads turned 180 degrees, revealing faces that were whiter than the torn skirts they donned. Their bodies rose up, suspended in mid-air as they hovered closer and closer to the cage, speaking in unison, Wont you chat with us? Ah! Mmm! His voiceless throat emitted waves of frightened wails, and he mmed his body against the iron cage. His whole face was the very definition of fear, and his pupils were the size of rice grains. Finally, everything fell silent. In the dark room, all that was left was a twisted, deformed corpse thatid quietly on a bed of rotten hair. There was nothing outside the cage, and the doors were still welded shut, as if the ghastly girls had never entered. In thispletely enclosed prison, a whirlwind stirred in the corner. The wind stirred up alongside the sound of crying, and blue mes rose in the eye of the wind. Through the mes, translucent ripples painted the walls, and an unusuallyrge face with no facial features, save for a mouth, appeared out of thin air. It opened its lips and revealed a bright red tongue, and a tall, thin man wearing a tuxedo, a bowler hat, with a ck-and-white mask concealing his features, jumped out of the mouth and walked to Qin Dalins side. Leaning down, he touched Qin Dalins chest and murmured, Did he die of cardiac arrest and organ failure? As he murmured to himself, he wiped the foam that spilled out of Qin Dalins mouth, brought it to the gap of his mask, and sniffed. My god! Such pure Disaster Liquid C no wonder he died of a heart attack! How could you feed this to ordinary humans? Ah, what a bother another loss in our business why are there so many people just evading their debts now? Tsk! The man walked towards the corner of the room, found the crumpled notebook, and flipped through a few pages casually. He shrugged as he read the contents, turning to thest page as he took out a pen from his jacket pocket, and wrote arge [0] on it. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Were back! I hope you enjoy todays chapter. Thank you Imp and Alex for bing members of the Ko-Fi! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! Chapter 261: Ill Save You If I Feel Like It Chapter 261: I''ll Save You If I Feel Like It Night time, in the outskirts of Huacheng where the Amber Mansion resides. The fiddling of an Erhu () could be heard from the piano room on the top floor; its melodies mncholic yet passionate. Even just by listening could one produce vivid imagery in their mind, envisioning a lonely boat in the midst of a stormy sea. And the person ying the Erhu was none other than Jiangli. After ying the [Flight of the Bumblebee], she put down the Erhu and breathed a sigh of relief. Getting started with the Erhu was no big deal for her since she had yed the violin for about eight years ever since she was a child. Although she had only started practicing for about ten hours, she was able to y some difficult tunes. One might ask C why not y the violin instead? She wasnt sure why either. Perhaps it was because she saw Lu Yibei mastering an instrument in just three days, so subconsciously, she wanted topete. The door to the piano room creaked open, and Hua walked in with a silver tray in her hands, bringing Jiangli a bowl of steaming hot ramen.Mistress, I made the instant noodles ording to how you instructed me to. Please give it a taste. Thank you, Jiangli responded as she nodded. She brought the bowl close to her and sipped the soup. Then, she slurped up noodles with a pair of chopsticks. Upon swallowing, she frowned slightly and shook her head. Mistress, does it not taste good? Its a little off. Thats weird! I made the noodles exactly as how you asked me to! Jiangli cupped the warm bowl in her hands and looked at her maid, sighing as sheforted, Hua, I dont think it has anything to do with you. There must be some extra steps that I might have missed Yibei doing while she was making the noodles. I see, Hua sighed, defeated. Then, she rolled her eyes and huffed, Mistress, is it true that Yibei is the child of your saviour? Because if that were the case, wouldnt that bastard be my future uncle?! She thought inwardly. Mistress is practicing the Erhu just for him! Plus, I used to treat him like shit! With how petty he is, he would most definitely hold a grudge against me! Deep in thought, Hua felt that her pleasant days would soon be gloomy and depressing at a speed visible to the naked eye. However, there was nothing she can do. Why did Mistress have to fancy him?! Mistress, an update C I went down Peony Street the other day to investigate past Operators who were named Lu, and sure enough, there was one Operator who shared the same surname, Hua updated. Is that so? Jianglis eyes trembled slightly, but she decided to remain calm. Do we know their name? Unfortunately not, Hua shook her head. All I could find was their surname C all other files and records have been deleted. They mightve retired or died in the line of duty. After members of the Night Division retire or die, their files and records would be erased. The only ce where backup records are kept is Shengjing Citys Night Division. I see, Jianglis eyes shed with a hint of disappointment, patting Huas shoulder gently. No matter C all Ive done before this is wait, so I dont mind waiting a little longer. Since Yibei was able to make instant noodles that taste exactly the same as her saviour, even if she wasnt rted to him, she most definitely knows something, and there would be plenty of time to scourge information out of the Witch in the future. Hua, why dont you rest for the night? Id like to continue practicing. Okay. You should rest early too, Mistress. Dont stay up toote! Hua said, dusting off her clothing as she bowed in front of Jiangli before retiring for the night. Listening to her waning footsteps, Jiangli waited until Hua got far enough before taking the Erhu into her hands. She turned over the sheets of music in front of her, and was prepared to y the [Croatian Rhapsody]. However, her phone buzzed twice in front of her. She frowned. Picking up the phone, it disyed a text from Varia, including a deleted text that she missed. [VACARRIA has deleted their message.] [VACCARIA: Yoooo you there?] Why did she have to text me now she frowned, tapping on her phone. [Genius Mahjong Girl: Whats up? ??] [VACCARIA: To be honest, Ive been hiding this for quite a while now, I] ? What the-? Why is she being so weird all of a sudden? [Genius Mahjong Girl: Get straight to the point, please. ??] [VACCARIA: You know, I never had many friends, but you you treat me the best.] Jiangli scratched her head, trying to recall what monstrosity she could have possibly done to cause Yibei to talk like this. If anything, she realized that she never did anything particrly good to Yibei. [Genius Mahjong Girl: Itste. Did you get in your feelings after turning some sad music on?] [VACCARIA: No! Listen Im heading over to a very dangerous ce right now, and I dont know if Ill ever get the chance to say this to you in the future, so] Jiangli felt that something was wrong. [Genius Mahjong Girl: So what does that have to do with anything youre saying right now?] [VACCARIA: Im feeling emotional, okay?!?!] Are boys, uh, girls like these nowadays? She frowned as she typed out several paragraphs of text, but wound up deleting all of them. She wasnt sure how to give an appropriate reply that wont hurt Yibeis pure and na?ve heart. [VACCARIA: Therefore if you want me to tell you what I have to say face-to-face C Im telling you, these are my heartfelt feelings!!! C You have GOT to save me if I ask you for help! ??????] [VACCARIA has shared their location with you.] ? All that for nothing! You couldve just asked me from the very start! Do you think that Im a three-year-old child! All that rubbish just to! [Genius Mahjong Girl: Ill see depending on my mood. I might save you if I feel like it. ??] After sending her reply, she turned off her phone, muted all notifications, and tossed it aside. She didnt start practicing the Erhu immediately. Instead, she held her chin with her hand, and gazed out of the window at the moon. The moonlight was like mercury, pouring into the window, which caused her to lose herself in her thoughts. What the hell is she doing right now? She immediately picked her phone up and tapped on the location that Yibei sent her. Hongshan Vis? Why is she? Hongshan Vis is a residential district located in Huacheng, and it is said to be the only residential area that is rtively safe after the nights became long. Although it is in the outer parts of the suburbs, there have been no urban legend attacks reported thus far. The citizens of Huacheng were once attracted to this ce, but after seeing the housing prices, they were immediately turned off. Rumour has it that the vis were built in such a way that it follows a certain formation C each vi represents a single vector. With thirty-six vis being built, it reflects divinew, which deters evil beings from closing in. However, this rumour is nowhere near scientific or adherent to metaphysics. Psychics and urban legends who were a little more well-informed were aware that this residential area harbors extremely powerful psychic fluctuations from an urban legend, which prevents ordinary urban legends from entering with ease. Of course, Yibei couldnt have known this. The only thing that she knew was that the citizens who lived here were either rich or came from royalty. Hence, when she learnt that Lee Tang Han lives here, she immediately decided tobel him as a big, ruthless, stinky leek1. Although she has never met him before, she guessed that he must be somebody powerful after sitting in the car of the driver sent by him. Because if he wasnt powerful, why would he pull something like this? Other than Zhang Shan, Yibei was surprised to see an ordinary human bepletely fine with three urban legends sitting in his car. Plus, his driving and tenacity isparable to those drivers in videos from a certain website that starts with P and ends with a hub where a taxi is featured. They hadnt arrived at Lee Tang Hans residence yet, but Yibei started to panic a little when she realized that he might be more powerful than she estimated. She has always seen money like her kin C now that this ruthless leek has held her money-making machine hostage, she felt very scared. For my kin! I will do anything! I will even throw my dignity and morals away! Soon, they would pass the threshold of Hongshan Vis, and as soon as she saw the statue by the gate, she became more and more panicked It was night, and the moon hung high in the sky, shrouding the lush mountains in its gentle light. Surrounded by the tall mountains, an elegant, antique gate stood proud. In the distance, a ck off-road vehicle without a license te could be seen driving along the mountainous road. As if it could sense the vehicle, the gate opened. As the car drove through the gate of Hongshan Vis, the first thing that came into view was a boulevard full of ginkgos. As it waste autumn, its golden leaves fell and fluttered underneath the street lights. The surrounding greenery was dense and stretched into the distance, and though there was the sound of water, there was no residency to be seen just yet. Turning the corner, the greenery opened up into arge, man-madeke. Reflecting the moon, theke resembled a silver mirror, with queer rocks that were scattered about its structure, leading up to a pavilion in the center. If anything, it resembled a ssical Chinese garden. However, Lu Yibei had no time to appreciate the beautiful scenery before her. Her attention was fully on the statue in the middle of theke. The statue was like a cluster of clouds that twisted into jarring, irregr, iprehensible shapes. From certain angles, it resembled haze dispersing. Moving onto another angle, its appearance would change again, resembling a human transforming into dark, gloomy clouds. This was no creation of God. This man-made horror vites everything that God wishes. The statue was about ten-meters high, embedded in the middle of theke. Its structure casted arge shadow that spread onto the calm waters, connecting itself to theke. Staring at the statue, her thoughts seemed to be agitated, like something was rushing deep within her mind, about to break out. She couldnt sense any psychic energy fluctuations from the statue, but she felt a strange sense of hostility emanating from it, like a wild beast preparing to hunt her down, sending chills down her spine. Her mind began ring warnings, and a strong sense of danger that she had never experience before suddenly bombarded her from all directions. The Witchs Egg within her heart trembled slightly, and the long-lost, intense burning in her eyes hit her like a truck. Eurgh! If my eyes are burning up, that means that something very bad is about to happen! She remembered thest time her eyes experienced such intense pain C one, when she first swallowed the Witchs Egg, and two, when she first encountered the Serpent. Both times, she almost lost her life. She wanted to look away, but her eyes were glued to the motionless statue. The longer she stared, the more she felt as if she was being forced out of her body. Soon, she found herself detached in a lucid state, trapped in a dark passage. She walked through a dark and narrow passage that closed in on her. Soon, the passage opened up to the quiet residential area of Hongshan Vis. However, all the lights in the vis were turned off, and all that she could see was a thickyer of eternal mist. Beyond the mist, she could hear waves of maddening murmurs. Dark clouds were affixed onto the sky, like evening on a rainy day, and a dim light was cast through the gaps of the clouds. Vaguely, she could see a hazy figurerger than the tallest building in Huacheng, hidden beyond the clouds and the mist as it waded through them. Looking closer, a pair of wings made of billowing smoke fluttered behind it. As the wings pped, brief , iprehensible changes were billowing within the clouds, like arms, ws, and tentacle-like limbs with grotesque proportions, or slits that opened and closed like maws. Suddenly, the figure seemed to notice the Witch, and a gap opened at the end of all its illusory, twisted limbs. Through the gap, green eyes emerged as they filled up the sky in dense numbers, casting their infinitely malicious gaze onto her. She once saw simr figures shuttling through the city in her own dreamscape where she met the girl C they lurked far away beyond the horizon where they left no impression on her other than their blurred outline. Soon, the figure was above her head, unleashing an unbridled amount of maddening fear towards her. Immediately, the feeling of suffocation overcame her, and she found herself in a ustrophobic space that was flooded with smog. Waves of intense stimtion burst through the smoke, like there were a pair of invisible hands holding an iron rake plowing through her trachea. All she could hear was the chaotic sounds of a city C they were distant, and they gradually became sharper and more intense. Just as she felt that she was at her breaking point where the noise was about to prate into her brain, she gritted her teeth and began reciting an age-old incantation familiar to her body in an attempt to fight the foreign power. Havinge into contact the Serpent, she understood that you can only fight fire with fire, and fight urban legend with urban legend. There is a mountain and a woman, and behold, a drought Swim to the north and climb the mountains C look to the South and behold! A graceful river in beautiful waters Like fog, like stars C they are her children, and the lips that blow out the light in the dark In a daze, she felt something stirring in her body, like bright fire, like an iplete Sun, spreading a terrifying heat around her body. The mini-Sun was turbulent under the pressure of the smog, causing countless gaps to appear in its formation, as if it might copse at any moment. Immediately, a scarlet-coloured light emerged from the center of the Sun C the power of the Witchs Egg manifested. Under the two forces, the smog began to recede, and the clouds dissipated However, it didnt seem like it was actually being chased away. It seemed like the clouds were either running out of energy, or losing interest in its target. She found herself staring at the statue again, and it took her a while to bring herself back to reality. After a while, she noticed Skin and Sack backing themselves up into the far corner behind her in the jeep. Judging from them cowering, if it werent for the fact that there were three rows of seats in this car, they wouldve barricaded themselves in the trunk. Seeing the Witche back to reality, Skin trembled, Are you okay? Why? Whats wrong? the Witch tilted her head in confusion. Sack trembled, causingrge clumps of maggots to fall off from its sack, pointing underneath Yibeis seat. Looking down, she realized that when she was fighting against the suffocating pressure of the statue in her head, she began leakingrge amounts of Disaster Liquid. Ah. Even though I was fighting for my life, I cant let them think Im weak! It is just Disaster Liquid, she responded, waving her hand as if it was no big deal. I release this once every few days, so there is nothing to worry about. Okay, maybe I lied C it isnt just once every few days; its every day! Thinking about it, she rummaged through her guitar bag for an empty bottle and stored the Disaster that leaked out. Skin and Sack had identally absorbed some of the highly-pure Disaster from proximity alone, and almost got high on it. Seeing the Witch collect it with her bare hands, their cores almost copsed from the fear resonating in their body. Disaster Liquid? Releasing this once every few days? Is the same liquid that you could only get less than 100g of after milking a Witch dry of it? What the hell is she?! Just as Skin and Sack were in shock, the Witch calmly took out her phone and sent a calm text over to Jiangli. [VACCARIA: HELP ME! IM GOING TO FUCKING DIE! HELP! HELP! HELP!] Ah, shit, this might seem too cowardly. [You have deleted this message.] [VACCARIA: Yoooo you there?] After a while, Yibeis face darkened when she read Jianglis reply, and she was so upset that she almost threw her phone out the window. What the fuck do you mean by if I feel like it?! Do you not care about me anymore?! Is it my fault for having certain expectations on her? Shes probably hoping that I die after learning that I am an urban legend myself TRANSLATOR NOTES: Note 1 C Leek:Leeks are said to be hard-to-kill, growing back after you chop them off C this is used to describe investors who are preyed on in the stock market (i.e., chopped off like a leek), butter, more na?ve investors woulde into the market, repeating the process. In this context, it is used as a metaphor on how Tang Han might have exploited people who are considered lower to him, or how dominant, powerful people abuse informational asymmetry. Its a bit contradictory from the initial exnation, but Im not sure what else could be used to describe Tang Han lol. Decided to leave the original leek trantion in rather than rece it with something else since I think imagining him as a literal leek is just funnier in my head. P.S.: Imsort ofworried about the future of the site C over thest few days, only 3 other stories got updated, and admittedly, the Discord is somewhat dead with some messages/requests getting ignored, which makes methinkthat the site traffic isnt doing all that hot. I was pretty new to uploading novels so I pretty much just dove into any site that would ept trantions without doing further research (my bad on that part). If this site implodes, rest assured I kept all the previous chapters in my Word files, and maybe Ill pop up in a more reputable TL site ^.^ -slicedbread. I hope you enjoy todays chapter! Seems like Witchbei has found herself in hot waters again with something powerful and eldritch As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^.^ Chapter 262: A Phone Call Chapter 262: A Phone Call Hongshan Vis, Unit No. 16. An endless stream of music yed within the smallpounds of the manor-like vi. Peeking through the lush greenery that surrounded thepound, one could see countless figures moving back and forth in the huge courtyard, and one may also hear cheerfulughter from time-to-time. It was alreadyte at night, and although the pool party had been ongoing for several hours, it was only getting started. Although Lee Tang Han was grounded by his father, that didnt stop him from inviting people over to his home. Technically, this does not go against his fathers, Lee Shunnians, wishes. In the courtyard, arge swimming pool with a heating system could be found, and it was surrounded by gauze-like mist. Amp by the corner of the pool casted dreamy lights across the courtyard, painting itself on the mist and the pool. Beautiful womenughed as they held their wine sses while dressed in swimsuits that entuated their figure. They stood up the pool and danced to the DJs music, swaying their hips side-to-side as they drank. The scent of alcohol and perfume intertwined with one another across the dance floor. Lee Tang Han wasying on a beach chair nearby, grinning to himself as if he had brought the entire underground world to life. He swirled his wine ss in one hand, while the other hand snaked into the tight gaps between a womans breasts covered up by her swimsuit. Finding his bearings as he located the goods, he groped them unceremoniously. Everyone! Let us toast to this wonderful night!A handsome man in pink, floral swimming trunks leapt out from the crowd, and jumped onto the high tform as he held up a bottle of champagne. The crowd was invigorated and cheered for him. Amidst the cheers, he raised the bottle with both hands, opened his mouth, and downed the entire bottle in a few gulps. Then, he took two steps back, braced himself, and started running. At the end of the tform, he leapt up, flipped, and dived into the swimming pool with a loud ssh. Ah, Bai seems to get stronger with age. If he keeps on drinking like that, he might drink himself to death soon enough, Tang Han joked with the woman next to him. Excuse me! Shui has a liver made of metal! Mind you C hes known as the Wine Deity in our club! the woman interjected. Is that true? If hes the Wine Deity, then what am I? Well, I guess you can be the woman tapped on her cherry-like lips with her finger, as if she was deep in thought. I guess you can be my man! So true! Tonight, Ill be your groom! Before he could get down to business, his phone buzzed twice in his hand. Reading the notification, his forehead visibly scrunched up, and he kissed the girl, now in his arms, deeply. Babe, why dont you join your friends for a little bit? Ive got to deal with something. Leaving her arms, he stood up and briskly walked over to the vi. Entering, within the dimly lit corridors, he could see a man and a woman tangled up with one another. He grinned slightly, and thoughtfully avoided them through the living room. Then, he entered the underground wine cer, and after making sure of his surroundings, he opened a secret doorway and entered. As soon as he entered, he was greeted with a long, Gothic-style corridor. Within the corridor, a tall, demure, and conservatively-dressed woman was walking up to him. She wore a genderless business suit that covered up her figure, and donned light makeup that acted like a veil to cover up her beauty. The woman walked with him, and helped him to change into more formal clothing as she exined the situation to him. Master Lee, the two urban legends have sessfully dealt with Qin Dalin. Mr. Yu has already brought them back here. Tsk, thats it? he sneered. With all the deeds he has done, I wouldve thought that he had something special about him. At his old age too he continued. Old people tend to be scared, afraid C many-a-times would they be way too conservative with how they act. The woman listened in silence, and waited until he quit yapping to continue, Master Lee, although the two of them havepleted their task, well Well, what? his face darkened as he interrupted. Well, they brought another urban legend back with them. Mr. Yu kept silent the entire journey for fear that something might happen in the car. How should we deal with this, Master Lee? Another one? How? he frowned; his eyes hesitant. Any suggestions? The woman nodded, Master Lee, Mr. Yu noticed that when they drove pass the Statue, her psychic powers were not suppressed. I suggest not engaging with her in person due to the risks involved. In my opinion, let me go and deal with her, and you can observe the situation. Once the danger is eliminated, you cane out. Some may not know why there has never been reports of urban legends attacking in Hongshan Vis, but Lee Tang Han, the son of the developer, Lee Shunnian, knows. The Statue residing in the middle of theke is the very reason why. That very Statue symbolizes a certain urban legend that stands at the very top of the urban legend pyramid. Although it had no psychic fluctuations on its own, its mere presence exudes a suffocating pressure within the boundaries of Hongshan Vis. If ordinary urban legends enter the area without explicit invitations, their cores will instantly be suppressed. Under normal circumstances, no normal person living in Hongshan Vis would invite an urban legend into the area C they were too paranoid over their lives, and even the mention of anything resembling an urban legend would send them running. However, Lee Tang Han was no normal person. Now, his driver, Mr. Yu, reported that the two urban legends he hired brought another urban legend back, and this very urban legend was able to resist the Statues power. He was slightly worried, but at the same time, excitement inexplicably rose in his heart. If I can befriend that urban legend, I wont have to deal with my old man anymore in the future. That way, I can show the world what I truly am. Pondering, he nodded, Sure. The two walked through the corridor together before stopping, where two doors were ced on either side of them. Lee Tang Han went into the right room, while the woman waited until he entered the room to enter the room on the left. Entering, he walked into the specially decorated room. He sat down on the plush sofa and poured himself a ss of wine. As soon as he turned on the monitor, however, his entire body jerked in fear as he spilled the wine all over himself. On the monitor, he could see a white-haired girl with her face pressed against the camera. Her deep, red eyes widened, and she stuck two of her fingers in the corners of her mouth, made a funny face, and stuck out her tongue. What are you doing? Skin asked. Oh, uh, nothing! Theres a camera over here, and I was thinking that somebody might be spying on us! When you enter a new environment, wouldnt it be smart to observe the surroundings? I mean C isnt it basic etiquette to make a stupid face whenever you spot a camera? Lu Yibei thought. Rest assured C Master Lee is an honest man! He would never do such a thing! Sack ensured. Is that true? So, hes not a rich, ruthless, heartless, narrow-minded nepo-baby who stomps on everyone he considers beneath him? she asked thoughtfully. No! Of course not! Nothing she said was wrong, but why do I feel like something is wrong?! Did she sense that I was watching her and said all that on purpose? Cool! So, he isnt actually a rich, ruthless, heartless, narrow-minded nepo-baby who stomps on everyone he considers beneath him. Cool, cool! Seems like Im overthinking it! her voice resonated through the monitor. I youll know when you see him, Skins voice spoke. Youre making it sound like I would hate meeting this allegedly-not rich, ruthless, heartless, narrow-minded nepo-baby who stomps on everyone he considers beneath him. No harm in meeting him! After all, the Chinese writer Lu Xun has stated that you must be mindful of personalities when making friends, she spoke again. what the fuck?! Enough! I have a name! Do you have to use those shitty names to describe me whenever you mention me?! Sack was silent, but thought of something as they scratched their sack, Uh, Mrs. Witch? I dont think Lu Xun ever said that. Lee Tang Han nodded on the other side of the screen and agreed in his heart: Right. Has he ever said that before? Why do I feel like Well, Lu Xun has said many things! How the hell would you know if he didnt say it? the Witch grumbled at the two urban legends calmly. Did you personally ask him? Uh do you know how to invoke his soul? Skin asked. Well, no! But I could personally send the two of you over to him, she answered. Skin and Sack trembled when they registered her words. After making sure that she wouldnt pounce and kill them, they secretly breathed a sigh of relief. After all, if she really wanted to send them over to see Lu Xun, she very well could. With a brief look at the warmly decorated conference room, Yibei, who was already anxious at her current predicament, became more and more ufortable. Both Hongshan Vis and Lee Tang Han hold major problems. For the first point, the Statue of an evil god was ced in the middle of theke of Hongshan Vis. This was absolutely no ce to go to. For the second point, she suspects that Lee Tang Han is secretly reselling psychic items under the guise of art trading, making him a much more dangerous person that she had anticipated. Damn it! How do I keep getting myself into these shitty situations? She thought to herself. For some reason, she thought that she has a knack for identally stumbling into the enemysir. However Toote to run now. If I dont find that damn sword and information regarding the Statue, I wont be able to sleep at night when I go back home. Because if she couldnt sleep, she would supplement it with activities, say, ying theba in the dead of night so that the residents of the Happy Community would stay awake with her too. Therefore, for the sake of my neighbours sleep quality and health, Ill have to stay here a while. They are good people! Good people who will allow other people to endlessly borrow items without the expectation of needing them to be returned! Sitting on a sofa in the corner of the room, she pondered for a moment and decided to stay temporarily to gauge the situation. Taking out her phone, she frowned when she saw that Jiangli had not replied to her message. Hey, she turned to Skin and Sack. Im going to the bathroom. Be back soon. She took her guitar bag with her, opened the door, and left the house. Then, she followed the directions given by the driver from before towards the bathroom. She walked through a short corridor and into the bathroom, locking it behind her. She pressed her ear against the door and listened intently, and after making sure it was quiet, she hurriedly took out her phone and dialed for [Genius Mahjong Girl]s number that she asked from Jiangli earlier. She may have decided to stay in Hongshan Vis for now, but she feels uneasy without backup. What will happen to me if I encounter something bad and I cant escape? However The number you have dialed is unavable. Please try againter. God damn it! First, you dont answer your messages, then, you dont answer your calls, she cursed silently as she massaged her temple. Thinking for a bit, she brought her phone up again. Now that Jiangli was trying to act funny, she can only do something to reassure herself, for example, make a phone call to report something TRANSLATOR NOTES: Now what the hell was Shui doing at the party too As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below ^.^ Chapter 263: Something My Knife Is Interested In Chapter 263: Something My Knife Is Interested In It was night, and the street lights illuminated the deserted streets of Huacheng. Abruptly, the roar of an engine could be heard bellowing down the end of the street, and soon, a matte-ck Yamaha R6 sports motorbike came speeding down the highway. The driver appears to be a young woman, donning a ck, form-fitting motorcycle racing suit, which outlined her hourss figure. Her long hair was tied up into a ponytail, which hung down from the gap of her pink cat-ear helmet decorated with a fang-like pattern. Whenever she would speed her motorcycle up, it was as if a golden g was fluttering in the wind behind her. Her beauty is entuated by her cat-like aura, which exudes a unique, untouchable image. The signal lights on her helmet blinked twice, and the Bluetooth device built into her helmet sounded a notification indicating that a call wasing, which she epted immediately. Mew Mew! Oh, Hua, its you. Speak, Im listening, Jiangli spoke. The grating sound of a signal being interrupted sparked for a couple of seconds before Hua spoke again. Mistress? Are you on your way to help Lu Yibei? Jiangli was silent for a few seconds before replying. Yes, I am. Hongshan Vis has always been Bai Kais primary ce of refuge, but with Yibei appearing there, Im afraidUh, Mistress? Hua interrupted. You dont have to exin yourself. I wasnt implying that you were worried about the kid. Oh. I was just calling to inform you that shes about to do something stupid again! Excuse me? borate, Jiangli inquired, taking the opportunity to change the subject. Remember when you asked me to monitor her calls? She just made three anonymous reports near Unit 16 of the residential area in Hongshan Vis C luckily, I managed to intercept all of them. An anonymous report? Jiangli frowned under her helmet. What for? An anonymous report to the Night Division when you are an urban legend yourself? Youre brave, Lu Yibei. Ill give you that. Ah, well Hua hesitated. Why are you hesitating? Is there something you cant say? Man,e on Hua sighed on the other end, continuing. Alright C she made an anonymous report that there were illegal gatherings of gang members organizingrge-scale events of gambling, drug dealing, public disturbances, and other illegal, disorderly behaviour. Hearing Huas exnation, something seemed to click in her mind, and the corners of Jianglis mouth twitched slightly. So, what youre saying is she didnt make a report to the Night Division. Yes. She called the police. Indeed. This is something only Lu Yibei could do. However, isnt it strange? Usually, she would run away at the first signs of danger. Its her way of living C to beg for mercy with no regards of her dignity, and to flee if shes unable to win the fight. What could possible be in Hongshan Vis for her to stay there? Jiangli wondered. Every parent has most likely told their child to go to the police if something goes wrong. Yibei wasnt sure that the police would take care of the things Lee Tang Han did behind the scenes, but she was sure that those things were against thew C if anything, they were against public order and customary practices. This wouldnt count as a false report, would it? To be honest, if it hadnt been for my current situation, I wouldnt have bothered them! Their work is hard enough! When she called the police, she made sure to not mention an address so that the police would conduct a house-to-house investigation. Then, the police would realize that this has something to do with an urban legend, and transfer the case over to the Night Division. After, the Night Division would send out teams to rush to the scene, and this entire process would take about an hour. With this, she felt a little relieved knowing that she was about toe into contact with Lee Tang Han. Even if she fucks up, her life would not be in danger. By the time the Night Divisiones knocking on the door, Lee Tang Han will hopefully be too tired to deal with them, and I can slip away in the chaos! She thought as she moved, and unknowingly, she came back to the conference room. She stood outside and eavesdropped for a few seconds, and after ensuring that it was safe, she opened the door and walked in. Immediately, she could see a strange woman inside. She was holding a briefcase that was painted with strange patterns. Unlocking it, she pushed the briefcase towards Skin and Sack as she began exining something. This is your payment as promised. Please inspect it. Seeing the two crystal-clear, high-quality urban legend cores within the briefcase, Skin and Sack were ecstatic, and their eyes couldnt help but sh with an ufortable excitement. It was as if Cowherd meeting Weaver Girl1 after umting a years worth of HUNGER and THIRST debuffs, crafting a bridge made of nothing but his own SHAME. They lusted after the cores as if they were about to devour it right in front of her eyes. Well, that was the case until Yibei walked in the room. Seeing her walk in, Skin and Sacks hunger turned to fear, as if they were afraid that the Witch would cackle and snatch the cores away, so they hurriedly put the cores back and stepped aside. The woman seemed to have noticed the subtle change in the atmosphere. Turning to face the Witch, she greeted her with a smile. Greetings, Your Excellency, but it seems that you were not invited for thismission. Shit. Time to get down to business. Whether Ill be able to fool her depends on what I say, Yibei cursed inwardly, putting her hands behind her back as she raised her chin, snorting. Ah, it is good that you recognize what I am. It has been a while since Ive taken a stroll out into the ordinary world. Although she was pretending as if she was a Grand Mother Matriarch capable of many things, she couldnt hide the fact that she really was just Grand Daughter. Sneakily, she nced at the woman with her peripheral vision. Come on, please tell me she fell for it Is she truly just as I have predicted? An urban legend with strengthparable to a god? The woman thought in shock. Her eyes shifted several times, and her smile seemed to get even wider. We didnt expect that a powerful being such as yourself would visit my Masters humble abode. I would like to apologize for any slight we have against you. While Yibei was away from the conference room, the woman had already inquired Skin and Sack regarding the mysterious Witch. Powerful psychic abilities, with the ability to scoop up Disaster Liquid with her bare hands. Her power can be used topete with gods! And her deep eyes seem indifferent to everything, unburdened by emotions The woman judged that the Witch before her was at least a Level A urban legend. Plus, with how she speaks, shes implying that she is part of a much bigger urban legend organization, and she herself is one of its founders. Wait, what did you just say? Yibei asked, thinking about what the woman just said. Uh the woman was stunned at the sudden shift in tone. Im sorry for any slight against you? No, no. Before that. The woman tilted her head and spoke with hesitation, We didnt expect a powerful being such as yourself to visit this humble abode? Yes! That one! she nodded with a straight face. Tee-hee! She called me powerful! Moreover, it is just Skin and Sack here C there are no other urban legends around for the time being, which means I fooled them! I did it! As she was busy stroking her own ego, she could see the womans mouth twitching uncontrobly, and decided to calm it down with her antics. Okay, dont get ahead of yourself. This is still somebody elses territory, and I still need to take into ount that big-ass Statue outside! If my cover slips, I might be done for! Ahem! I have lived for many years, and many things have lost my interest, but I do enjoy hearing yourpliments. Not bad, little girl! Oh, youre too kind! the woman bowed. It is my honor to meet an existence like you. However, I would like to ask a question if it doesnt offend you C why have youe to our humble abode? The Witch nced at the woman before walking over to the sofa. She sat down, crossed her legs, and picked up the teacup as she took a sip, What do you think? Well, its not that Im trying to hide anything from you, I just didnt think Id get this far. I cant just tell her that Im here for the ancient sword, neither can I tell her that Im here to ask about the Statue! Uh The woman studied the Witch before her, as if she was being interrogated, and she couldnt help but feel a little nervous. She quickly recalled that there mightve been a conflict in business interests between them, the Witch, and other entities dealing with them. Are you here forst months batch of Primordial Spirits? That was all the Eclipse Societys idea, so at best, were just intermediaries, the woman spat out, eager to throw the Eclipse Society under the bus. Primordial Spirits? The Eclipse Society? Yall are doing business with the Eclipse Society?! Arent all of you afraid of a dog-eat-dog situation happening?! She thought, shaking her head gently. Uh are you here for the baby fox spirit that we kidnapped recently? What the-?! What the hell?! Or are you here for the relic a Cmity-level urban legend left behind that was soldst week? Unfortunately, we dont know who the original owner is. If youd like to know its current whereabouts, wed be happy to tell you. Or are you talking about the anonymous report that we sent to the Night Division telling them that a mole is within their ranks? Thats enough. Its none of those things, Yibei couldnt help but interrupt. Your criminal resume is a little too colorful, I fear. At first, she thought that she simply broke into their of some kind of psychic-item-smuggling-dealer, but she didnt expect to hear so many egregious crimes being mentioned, and she could no longer bear to listen. Plus, shes telling me all this with a straight face! Thats telling me that they have nothing to hide, and I dont want to hear about the things that theyre hiding from me either! Well, that is, in fact, the case. Its not asplicated as you think, she put down the teacup and looked at the woman. Being given that much time, she was able toe up with a lie. I am simply here for a small, little matter. A small, little matter? That cant be it. The woman thought, but she didnt want to offend the Witch before her. It seems that our destinies are intertwined. A dear dependent of mine has, by chance, curried favor from that bastard Lee Tang Han. I am one to overlook ones shorings and mistakes, but my dependent has been nagging about it in my ears constantly. Over time, I got tired of listening to herints, so I decided toe over to your abode to investigate for myself. Shame, however, the Witch sighed disdainfully. It seems like the master of the house has no courage to face me in person. A dependent? A favor? The woman had doubts in her hearts, but suppressed them, smiling. Great Witch, Im afraid there was a misunderstanding. My Master is currently entangled with other things and is unavable, so Although the Witchs words casted doubt in the womans heart, if she was able to resist the Statues power, it is best to not offend her and attempt to get along with her. Moreover, Skin and Sack, and other urban legends that are around Lee Tang Han have their own motives. It is no surprise if the Witch was hiding something too. As long as what she wants is within our scope of tolerance, it doesnt matter if shes lying through her teeth. Seeing that the Witch was silent, the woman continued, May I know the name of your dependent? Why do you ask? she frowned. God fucking damn it! Coming up with the stupid dependent story isnt enough for you?! I have toe up with a name, what theyre like, how their day is going Im fucking bad at making up names! Youre going to kill me! The woman smiled and exined, Well, we must know her name and address. Once my Master returns, he will most definitely pay a heftypensation to make up for his slight. The Witch pondered for two seconds, raised her head, and looked up at the ceiling before sighing. Hah she sighed. Her name is Sixian. Ive looked after her since she was young, and Ive always treated her as my own child. Pity! Once they reach a certain age, and well, you know how kids are C they never want to stay at home, so Im sorry, Du Sixian! Let me be a boywife for a day, okay? Youre living a few minutes away from the Night Division anyways! They wouldnt dare to step a single foot near Peony Street, I assure you! Im protecting you, too! I didnt mention your full name! a girls name. Is she a female urban legend? The woman thought to herself, connecting the dots. That makes sense C my Master is hellbent on spreading his seed on anything he can get his hands on. However, there is no need to deliver yourpensation to her C I shall do so myself. Id rather not have that bastard anywhere near my dependent before Im finished with my investigation. Im taking the risks on my back, so I get the reward. Thats reasonable! This is me being reasonable. When the woman heard her words, she felt relieved. She wasnt afraid that the Witch would demand something, no C judging from her experience in dealing with urban legends, she should truly be afraid of urban legends who dont want anything. Free-to-y games always end up being the most expensive. In that case, please,e with me. Although the collection of items in my Masters abode is notplete, in addition to most of the items being stored elsewhere, everything here is of high quality. Come with me to the collection room, and you may choose whatever you like. The woman then began walking out the conference room. Reaching the door, she bowed slightly, as if signaling the Witch to follow after her. Collection room? The ancient sword might be there! I can just take it and get the fuck out of here! I am nevering back to this haunted ce ever again! Thinking about it, she took her guitar bag and got up from the sofa. At this moment, Skin, who was shivering in silence and fear, causing theiryers of dead skin to ke off like snow, couldnt hold themselves back anymore as they threw themselves towards the Witch. O Great Witch, please! Wait a moment! Seeing how much grace and care the Witch gave to her dependent named Sixian, Skin was incredibly moved. They were about to ask if she was epting anymore dependents. Yibei nced at Skin and asked, Whats the matter? T-the reason I became an urban legend is because my family was murdered. I couldnt forget them, so I could only carry their skin and flesh with me. H-however, in the end, its just me left wandering this world C I have a wish I understand! the Witch interrupted with a nod, and Skins eyes lit up immediately. You want me to send you down so you can reunite with your family, correct? ? The fuck is wrong with you?! Under normal circumstances, shouldnt youfort me, then ask what I wish for, so that I can say, Can I be your dependent? In their daze, Yibei walked out the conference room and disappeared down the hall. Looking at the slightly ajar door, Skin sighed in defeat. Just when they were about to give up, the Witch suddenly poked her head through the door again. Oh! By the way, I almost forgot she patted her own head. Yes! Yes! She changed her mind! Skin cheered inwardly. Wait right here! Ill go and collect my baby down in the collection room beforeing back to grant your wish, she said with a calm expression, as if she woulde back after a while. Skin was ted C life is so strange with its ups and downs! Unit 16 of Hongshan Vis was the same as the other vis in the area C a unified three-story, Western-styled building with a garden, a swimming pool, and a personal parking lot. Although it only appears as slightly above averagepared to ordinary residential buildings, Hongshan Vis holds a secret space beneath each vi several timesrger than on the ground. This was what Lee Shunnian nned when he first developed Hongshan Vis. Following the woman, Yibei walked down the long corridor that resembled a castle, and was asplicated as abyrinth. Walking silently for five minutes, they soon reached a stone wall with strange markings etched onto it. She carefully examined the etchings, and from certain angles, she could discern that the markings resembled the Statue outside. Just as she was studying the woman who was currently patting on the fog-like patterns on the wall, she could feel the kitchen knife that she hid inside her sleevesing to life. The knife pointed towards a certain direction, piercing through the jacket slightly. Even Yibeis own jacket was slightly itching itself towards that same direction. Immediately, she noticed something was off, and looked towards where both of her knife and jacket were pointing towards. She was greeted with a dimly-lit and narrow dead-end. What is my knife so interested about in that direction? She thought to herself. TRANSLATOR NOTES: 1) Cowherd and Weaver Girl C This is a traditional Chinese love story between an ordinary cow-herder (Cowherd its in the name) and a deity/goddess (Weaver Girl). Cowherd was said to be handsome and dutiful, but poor and lonely after being orphaned. One day, Weaver Girl and her six other sisters descended to Earth to bathe in ake, and Cowherd, witnessing this, decided to steal one of their clothes from the clothing pile. Cowherd then reveals himself, scaring the women as they quickly dress themselves and transform into doves to flee back into the heavens. However, Weaver Girl was left behind as she couldnt find her clothes. Cowherd then stopped her from fleeing, and they talked it out C eventually, the two would fall in love, and Weaver Girl would decide to remain on Earth to stay with her new husband. Soon enough, they have children, and they lived happily ever after until the Celestial Mother noticed Weaver Girls absence from her loom duty. The Celestial Mother then abducts Weaver Girl in the dead of night, but Cowherd and their children chase after them, which catches the Celestial Mothers attention. She hardened her heart, summoning a heavenly river (some call it the Milky Way) with her hairpin, separating Weaver Girl from her newfound family. Across the river, Cowherd and his children begged for them to be reunited, and so did Weaver Girls sisters who witnessed the ordeal. With all their pleading, a herd of magpies then formed a bridge across the Milky Way to reunite the family, which also moved the Celestial Mothers heart. Even then, the Celestial Mother needed Weaver Girl to attend to her loom duties C she allowed the two to be reunited on the 7th of every 7th lunar month, and on that day, the same herd of magpies would form a bridge over the Milky Way, allowing the two to be reunited. I hope you all enjoy todays chapter! The dialogue was really funny to trante! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^.^ Thank youMatacus and Imp for your kind donation! Chapter 264: The Horrible, Terrible Lu Yibei Chapter 264: The Horrible, Terrible Lu Yibei Lu Yibeis body stood right in front of the collection room, but her eyes were gazing in the direction where her kitchen knife was pointing. Seeing that the Witch had gone non-verbal, the woman called out to her, Great Witch, this is the collection room of our humble abode, where we store our various psychic items After a short pause, she continued, Of course, these items may not be to your liking, so we beg for your understanding. No, no. Its the thought that counts, Yibei waved her hand. Well, even if that was the case, I dont want whatever thing I get to be worth nothing but a pile of shit! If I do that, I wont be able to sleep at night! Tsk, she shook her head. I do not approve of young people possessing such powerful psychic items. An environment that is too safe, too sheltered, is not conducive to their growth. Ah. It seems like her organizational style is pretty old-school and conservative, the woman thought to herself. If anything, she sounds like a neutral party! However, even among the well-known neutral factions like the Garden of Peaches, the Jade Desert, and the Love & Unity Friendly Neighborhood Community. I have never heard of a top-dog like her before! As the woman was deep in thought, Yibei raised her finger and pointed towards where her kitchen knife was poking at as she asked in a casual tone, Excuse me, but where does that path lead to?Breaking out from her thoughts, the woman was visibly stunned at her question before she smiled and answered, Ah, that is the private quarters of our Masters father.. Can I go take a look? My apologies, but no outsiders are allowed to enter, the woman gave out a helpless smile. Without explicit permission, Im afraid I wont be able to take you further inside. Ah, forget it. Im not as petty as one may think, the Witch waved her arm before entering the collection room with her chin held high. Night time, outside Hongshan Vis. A motorcycle sped through the darkness. At a bend a few hundred meters away from the main gate, Jiangli could see police cars parked in front of the gate. Frowning, she turned off the engine and pulled over to the side. Although the Night Division and the police force asionally work hand-in-hand in solving cases, only a few people within the police force are aware of the Night Divisions existence, and those very few are the ones responsible for establishing long-term contact with the Night Division. Therefore, attracting their attention at this very moment may cause unnecessary trouble. She took off her helmet and pushed her motorbike into the bushes to conceal it. Looking around to ensure that nobody was around, she briskly walked over to the wall of the gate. Under the wall, she hid herself by the rich foliage, and tapped her hand on the wall to gauge the situations beyond the walls. Then, she took out a ck mask and put it on, before leaping upwards andnding steadily on the wall. Just as she told her dear Witchy subordinate, masking up and concealing your identity is basic courtesy of doing something bad. She herself is well aware of this principle. It waste at night, and the entirety of Hongshan Vis was quiet. After confirming the location, she leapt down from the wall and ran towards the vibeled Unit No. 16. Her swift figure broke through the wind without a squeak, like an elegant ck cat prowling in the night. As she skipped passed theke, she paused for a moment as her eyesnded upon the Statue in the center of theke. Frowning, she quickly retracted her gaze and continued to run. Just like how Jiangli has her own informants, Bai Kai, too, has his collection of little birdies who report to him. His informants consist of female escorts in the clubs, the single, leftoverdies, the widows whose husbands died early Women from all sorts of backgrounds who surround themselves with or yearn for thepany of men are able to bring with them special information that many ordinary informants cannot. Huachengs Night Division had once wanted to investigate the Lee family C they suspect that they were trading psychic items in the name of private art trading. However, they were preupied with other urban legend cases and attacks in Huacheng, and the investigation was put on an indefinite hiatus. After all, the talents residing in the Night Division were withering away, as if they were already one step into their grave. This was the case, until one of Bai Kais informants had identally overheard that Lee Shunnian was secretly in contact with a mysterious urban legend during a cocktail party. Although Bai Kai had reopened the case for investigation, a long period of time has passed, and the clues he found were inconclusive. They were definitely not enough to convict Lee Shunnian. Lee Shunnian, as old as he was cunning, was good at hiding his tracks. If it werent for the fact that he had a rebellious son, Bai Kai wouldnt even be able to obtain a single clue. Humiliated, Bai Kai could only try to milk as much money as possible from Lee Tang Han during his investigation. After all, the allowance and funds allocated to each Operator are not particrlyrge. Come on! Open up two more bottles of Macan! Mr. Lee is treating us tonight C dont you dare go home even if youre drunk! Turn it up! Sitting by the edge of the swimming pool, Bai Kai asked the attendant for two more bottles of wine worth more than 20,000 yuan a bottle, and his heart felt a little giddy. Although there was no progress on his investigation tonight, with the money he could obtain from tonight, he could offset his goddaughters spending in the ghost market. Plus, he could use the leftover money for future use. Yes! I am saving the money! Having a godson and a goddaughter are two very different things. The godson must be raised in hardship to hone his skills, but the goddaughter must be raised in wealth. If the goddaughter does not possess seventeen or eighteen psychic items to defend herself, what happens if she gets stepped on outside? Bai Kai thought. As he was thinking, a siren suddenly sounded outside the vi, followed by a very heavy knock on the front door. Knock! Knock! Knock! A stupid and might-as-well-be-blind man opened the door for whoever was knocking. Soon, several police officers filed in one after another, holding up their badges to prove their identity in one hand and a gun in the other. Wary of whoever might suddenly jump on them, they directed the crowd over to the open space by the swimming pool. We received an anonymous report that criminal activities are happening here! We hope that everyone cooperates with the investigation at hand! Although this seemed a bit over-the-top, the anonymous report that was received the police station was horrifying. The female operator who received the call was shaken up upon listening to the callers vivid description of the criminal activities urring here, and subconsciously, her mind conjured up a terrifying image of what might have happened. If the report was true, and that drug dealings were happening here, the situation at hand will be slightly precarious. Most drug dealers are known to be vicious and aggressive, so the police had to be extra cautious. Looking at the scene, Bai Kai still had no idea what was happening before him as he continued to stand by the swimming pool. What the hell? Why is the police here?! Everybody up in front, get over to the other side and get down on the floor with your hands on the back of your heads! Hey! You over there with the pervy-pink Shibu Inu swimming trunks! Yes! Im talking to you! The hell are you looking around for! Bai Kai was visibly stunned as he scratched the back of his head in confusion. Awkwardly, he smiled, Ah,rade! I have no idea whats going on, but I think theres a misunderstanding over here The policeman blinked, A misunderstanding, you say? How about you get your ass down and cooperate with the investigation? Yes! Cooperation! Yup! Bai Kai patted his chest. Butrade, could you tell me what youre investigating for? Large-scale gatherings of gambling, illegal activities, suspected criminal exchanges, [REST] and suspected drug dealings. ? Listening to the policeman go on-and-on about the list of suspected activities that were supposedly going on here, the corners of his mouth twitch uncontrobly, and he frowned as he walked towards the crowd to squat down. Whose fucking son made a prank call around here?! I dont care if I lose the money I earned tonight C what if the enemy gets alerted and the investigation is flunked?! Meanwhile, in the collection room. In the huge storage space, various psychic items were ced in ss covers, propped up by wooden stands that resembled what you may see in museum exhibition stands, and they were illuminated by bright lights above them. Yibei followed the woman booth to booth, and every time they stopped by a psychic item, the woman would enthusiastically introduce the item, which resembles a saleswoman advertising theirpanys product in a shopping mall. Dont you own any psychic items that resemble a sword of some sort in your collection room? My dear Sixian has been practicing her swordsmanship skills recently, and I would like to bring something a little more eye-catching to her. Because the Witch continued. Arent the items stored here a little too shit?! Pots and pans, used household appliances, and is that a half-eaten bag of spicy chips? Is this supposed to be a psychic item collection room or a second-hand furniture garden sale?! Uh the woman stuttered. Great Witch, I am sure you are ustomed to seeing high-end psychic items, but unfortunately,plete psychic items, like swords, are hard to produce C psychic items are closely rted to urban legends and psychics, as you may know, so these items over here that are closely rted to everyday life are the most susceptible to the effluence of psychic energy. As for swords the woman gave a bitter smile. To be honest, unless somebody as great as you spend their time and energy refining them, they are incredibly hard to refine. Well, shit. I didnt know any of this. Yibei thought. If anything, Im a little curious as to how my statue of Ac turned into a psychic item. Wait C did its previous owner held it to sleep every night, just like I did? Then, over time An image of a bald monk and Ac sleeping together in an intimate embrace hovered over her mind, and she couldnt help but feel a chill run down her spine. Im sorry! Im not sleeping with you anymore, Ac! Allow me to introduce you to this item, Great Witch C this is pottery made locally, and it was suspected that an urban legend once resided in it. If you inject psychic energy into it, it can affect your targets sanity. Yeah, yeah, the Witch responded absentmindedly. Ever since she found that there were no items resembling a sword in the collection room, she couldnt help but wonder if the ancient sword was hidden in the private space of Lee Shunnian. How about this one? This tiny vase is able to answer your questions regarding the future with a certain probability. I see. Looking at the vase that was shaped like a little man kneeling, she was reminded of something. As the woman turned her back, she took out her copper coin from her pocket, flung it up into the air, and grabbed it as a look of surprise spread across her face. Damn it. It really is in there. What should I do? If I ask them for the sword in his private quarters, they might not give it to me even if I ask, and I dont want to attract the attention of anything weird. I can only wait for the police to arrive, and amidst the confusion, I will sneak into the private quarters. Witch? Great Witch? What about this item? This is a nutcracker, and if you inject your psychic energy into it, itll summon a puppet to fight alongside you! Look at how cute it is! It must be popr with the girls! I guess. its looking bleak! The woman thought to herself. She must hold her psychic items to a high standard, so the collection of things over here doesnt even pique her interest! Meanwhile What do I do? Yibei thought to herself. These things may seem a little shitty, but they are still psychic items! I want them all! She allowed the woman to introduce her to a few more psychic items, but suddenly, her phone rang. After taking out her phone and taking a look, her expression shifted slightly. Immediately, she looked up to the Witch and said after a slight pause, Great Witch, I apologize C something unexpected has happened, and it requires my assistance. Could you please look around on your own for now? The police must be here! She thought to herself, giddy as she nodded, No problem. Go. Because now that youre gone, I can see what that old man has up in his private quarters! Apologies once again for not being able to apany you, Great Witch, the woman bowed before hastily walking out the collection room. As she walked out, she looked towards the path leading towards the private space. Pausing slightly, she shook her head, then continued walking towards the other direction. Im thinking too much. The woman thought. His private quarters is heavily guarded and protected by our god. Even if she is a Witch, she wont be able to break into it silently. After she left, Yibei pretended to stroll around the collection room, silently observing her surroundings. After making sure that there was no surveince cameras around her, she looked at the booths holding the psychic items and felt herself bing braver. It is amon urrence for this to happen C many people look good on the surface, but if they are kept out of the public eye, they will be unable to suppress the dark urges in their hearts; if their target is a bad guy, then they will simply morph into something worse than a beast. However, Lu Yibei was well-educated since she was a child, so she is slightly better than those beasts. Shes like a beast who is well-dressed. Hence Yes yes! This looks good! Its mine now! What the-?! Whats a stick doing here? The fuck?! And it vibrates? Wait I dont think this should be here whatever! Still mine! In less than three minutes, she looted the entire collection room of all easy-to-carry psychic items. Excuse me! I was not looting it! They are the ones smuggling psychic items, arent they?! I am an Operator of the Night Division! I am currently upholding justice! With this line of thinking, all possible guilt left in her heart was eliminated. Yup! Not looting, not stealing! Mind you C this was clearly written in the [Night Division Appendix: Code of Conduct for Night Division Operators]! It is my god-given right to steal- confiscate these illegally acquired psychic items by force! When she was studying the [Night Division Records] with Jiangli, she made sure to read the code of conduct as carefully as possible, especially the part regarding special privileges or special permissions. She had practically memorized it. She wanted to find terms where she could pin me onto Hua or Jiangli for their inappropriate behaviour, but now, it seems that she has different uses for the terms. Oh, shit! This is really heavy! Carrying the now-bulky guitar bag, she sneaked out of the collection room, looked around, and ran towards Lee Shunnians private quarters. No turning back now. If she wanted the ancient sword for herself, she wouldve antagonized all of them anyways. Taking a few more psychic items, in addition to her infiltrating into the private quarters is just going to change her sentences from life imprisonment to the death penalty. There wasnt much of a difference to begin with. She quickly walked through the winding, narrow corridor, and came to a dead end. The silver-gray wall that was seemingly made of some foreign metal was perfectly embedded along the corridor, blocking her way. Seeing this, she lightly stretched out her hand and touched the cold, hard metal wall, frowning. Sturdy, with weak psychic energy waves. If I try to smash it open, Ill make a lot of noise, and itll be hard for me to slip away. But how do I get in without smashing it open? Damn it. Shouldve at least nced at the [Basic Emergency Spells of the Night Division] that Jiangli gave me wasnt there something like a noclip spell, a turtle-breath spell, an invisibility spell As she was deep in thought on how to break through the wall, the kitchen knife hidden in her sleeves seemed to react to the wall. Whoosh! Like a bullet, her knife shot out through her sleeves. In a sh of silver and a sound of Slink!, the knife pierced through the metal wall and disappeared into it, as if it waste for its lunch break. What the fuck! My knife! What the fuck is going on?! Just as she was worried over her potentially missing ancestral kitchen knife, and how she would be disowned by her ancestors for losing her family heirloom, a strong psychic wave rushed from behind her. Before she could sense anyoneing, she felt a chill wash over her. Her premonition forced her body to move as she rolled to the side, feeling a cold light brushing against her back. Her opponent was surprisingly fast. Although she was able to dodge, she could still feel a burning pain in her back. As if she had been whipped. One whip came after another, and the sounds of something piercing through the air continued one after another. After she dodged and rolled several attacks in a quick session, she could finally make out her assant. It was a man with wisps of pale fog lingering on his body C his face was pale, and his pupils shone with a scarlet luster. He held a hard bone whip in his hand, and his face and appearance was obscured with a fog. A psychic! Sighing in her heart, the worst-case scenario she had imagined happened C stopped by security before she could even get her goods or escape. TRANSLATOR NOTES: I hope you enjoy todays chapter! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below. ^_^ Chapter 265: Why The Hell Did It Explode?! Chapter 265: Why The Hell Did It Explode?! Whoosh! Whip! The hard, bone whip that resembled the spine of a reptile swung relentlessly towards the rolling Witch, sending out waves of pressurized air. The whip itself didnt touch the walls of the corridor, but each swing of the whip left indents of different depths on the walls. Although Lu Yibei could predict the foggy mans movements, he was simply too fast for her to catch up. Moreover, within the cramped corridor, unless she wishes to take a gamble and perform risky tricks such as catching the whip with her bare hands, she could only take on a passive stance and dodge with difficulty. She didnt want to fling out any spell with no care in the world either. The bone whip struck at her, onesh after another like thunder strikes. Whichever wall had the misfortune of receiving its hit was heavily damaged until fine powder could be seen lingering in the air. She absolutely had no time to use her copper coin to predict the amplification of her next spell. With no certainty involved, who knows what unexpected situations might ur. If she unleashes an attack that is identally amplified by 50 times, her counterattack might just turn into a kamikaze attack. She couldnt even find the opportunity to zip open her guitar bag to throw whatever it is to fight back. If she hesitated even for a second, the burning pains of a whip would be present on her fair skin. Plus, she did, in fact, try it. Every time she dodged to the side in an attempt to open her guitar bag, the foggy man whosh out his bone whip and hit her on the back of her hand with deadly precision.If this continues, I fear that my entire palm will be smashed to pieces! On the other hand, the foggy man seemed much stronger inbat than she was C he was able to operate with flexibility in the narrow corridor; with strange scales manifesting themselves on his forehead, in addition to the golden, petrifying slits he had for eyes Each time he struck out his whip, it was like a poisonous snakeshing out. If anything, he resembles a mysterious reptile that wanders in a deep, darkbyrinth, guarding its treasure. Damn it! How unlucky! Would it kill to give me just one lucky moment? Dodging another sh of the whip, she cursed angrily in her heart. Earlier, when she learnt that the ancient sword might be hidden in Lee Shunnians private quarters, she had already guessed that there might be somebody out to stop her. Wouldnt it be reasonable for a super top-secret room used to store powerful psychic items to be guarded by several psychics or urban legends? She guessed as much. However, strangely enough, the closer she got to the quarters, she couldnt feel any psychic fluctuations around her. Hence, she decided to take the gamble. Its better than not trying! How would I know what would happen unless I try? Have you ever heard of anybody who is cursed with an eternity of bad luck? It is like a permanent debuff applied onto someone C no matter how small the probability is of something bad happening, inevitably, it will happen. Lu Yibei is one of these unlucky souls. Hah! Exhaling, she leapt up and activated her imitation Divine Horse Armor, galloped up the wall beside her and dodged the iing bone whip. Hurriedly, she distanced herself from her assant. Damn it C I cant just dodge anymore. I have to do something, anything! Otherwise, once that womanes back from dealing with the police, I might get myself into big trouble! I got it! Should I try negotiating with him? Maybe I could fool him into thinking Im somebody powerful, like I did with them earlier! Maybe I can buy myself some time! Cursing, she steadied her body, and looked straight at the foggy man as she shouted with determination, Enough! Cease this madness! If you stop now, I might just consider forgiving you for offending-! Before she could finish her sentence, the bone whip shot out towards her, this time, imbued with a mysterious ck mist. She was shocked seeing this, and shut her mouth to dodge to the side again. Fuck you! At least let me finish my sentence, you dirty, cheating bastard! All yappers like me should boycott this behaviour! Listen to me,rade! Im innocent, I swear! I felt that there were some abnormal psychic fluctuations here, so I came to investigate myself. I didnt expect to bump into you! If you continue to waste your time here, the real thief might escape! Come on! she continued. Take a good look at me! Do you think a pretty girl like me would lie to you? Huh, the foggy man broke his silence, snorting as he spoke in a deep voice, ???????????????????????????????? ??.* *(All beautiful women do is lie.) ? She was confused as she heard the foggy man speaking in anguage and ent that resembles what the characters in a Thai soap opera that Jumeng watches would say. What the hell? Why is there a Thai person here?! In other words, he has no intention of talking to me! Fuck! Big L in thenguage department! She was suddenly acutely aware that apart from the difference in yin and yang, the biggest difference between her and her assant is thenguage barrier. We should promote more Mandarin speaking sses to the world! Fortunately, with the foggy man responding, she was able to buy herself some time to distance herself from the man. Immediately, she unzipped her guitar bag, reached in and grabbed at the handle of herrge cleaver. With premonitions of the mans next actions floating in her mind, her eyes shed in a gloomy manner. You forced my hand. If I could help it, I wouldnt want to use violence! Before the man could phase to her location, she whipped out her cleaver and shed at the bone whip. In an instant, sparks burst out within the corridor, alongside the harsh, deafening sound of metal and bone colliding. Then? And then, nothing happens. Below summarizes the three things that happened within that one second: 1) Lu Yibei, drawing out her kitchen knife, shed at the foggy mans bone whip. 2) Lu Yibeis wrist became numb from the sudden shock stemming from the impact, and the grip on her knife loosened. 3) Lu Yibeis ancestral kitchen knife is gone once again. As soon as the two collided, the cleaver flung outwards, grazing the foggy mans neck as it left a moderately deep gash over his corbone. Then, with a firm sound, it disappeared into the metal wall, as it did with Yibeis carving knife. what the fuck?! Are thews of physics here different from the real world? Why is my bad luck never-ending?! Meanwhile, the foggy man looked down at his bone whip that was sliced in half by the cleaver, then looked at the other half of the whip that was less than half-a-meter long. Gradually, his expression visibly darkened. Ah, shit, the Witch retracted her hand. Listen, I can exin C let me think of ways to make it up to you With her hesitant tone, her eyes suddenly grew cold. ncing at the foggy man, she growled a low, Fuck you! and pulled out the final ancestral kitchen knife from her set of three. A sudden silver light shed across his eyes, startling him. mming his feet on the ground, he hurriedly stepped back several meters, distancing himself from the Witch as he stared at mulberry cleaver in her hand with vignce. An ordinary kitchen knife will never slice the bone whip made from a Nagas spine. She must have done something. C not the knife, but her. Seeing that he was vignt of her knife, she sighed and straightened herself as she huffed, Boy, I told you that I dont mean any trouble. If you continue trying to attack me, dont me me for whates next. Because! she announced. Once I take action, Ill leave no room for mercy. Ill slice this ce down with ten thousand knives and a thousand cleavers, and Ill make sure nothing is left behind. Leave me! I do not wish to have blood on my name! Ten thousand knives and a thousand cleavers? Does her guitar bag contain all of that? He stared at the Witch, motionless. Good, he seems scared, she huffed inwardly. This is my chance to get the fuck out of here! Calmly, she put her knife back into the guitar bag, and nced at the man coldly. Hmph, it seems that you do not know who I am. Is everybody under this roof the same? I do not wish to stay in such a wretched ce! Rolling her eyes, she zipped up her guitar bag at lightning speed and was prepared to run away. At this moment, a strange voice sounded behind her, like a Thai soap opera actor was reciting his lines. ???????????????????, ????????????????????? ???????* *(Dont let the water ripple C Id like to see it infinitely clearly) Chanting, the bone whip seemed toe to life again as its sharp protrusions pierced through his palm. Bright red blood gushed out of his palm, staining the whip with red. Immediately, Yibei could feel the surrounding air bing moist, as if the vi had turned into some strangely sticky entity. Large areas of mud and moss manifested itself on the ground, and bursts of a deep purple smoke emerged from the ground, spreading itself from the floor to the walls. A slight inhale will make you dizzy. The once hard ground beneath her gradually softened, and the foggy mans spell was practically turning this narrow corridor into a swamp. He didnt have the courage to fight the Witch, but he couldnt let her slip away, so he decided to use a spell to hold her back and wait for backup. She attempted to take a step back, but felt as if each step was taking a step in a muddy swamp, and she couldnt help but frown. Are you kidding me? What do you take me for? Do you really think that I, Lu Yibei, would be stupid enough to let you finish casting your spell?! Tilting her head, she wordlessly took out a crystal bottle from her guitar bag, stretched out her hand to form a thumbs up, and aimed upwards. Then, with her target on the mans forehead, she flung the crystal bottle out towards him. Time to interrupt your spell! Boom! A deafening explosion shook the foundations of the vi, and mes engulfed the foggy man and the Witch. It was at this moment where she suddenly remembered that Disaster Liquid is both mmable and explosive. However Why did it explode all of a sudden? This is weird! Unit No. 16 of Hongshan Vis, by the open space of the swimming pool. The police interviewed each attendee of the party one-by-one as they took brief notes. Then, they sent two men to search the vi. Seeing that they found nothing, they were ready to leave. As one of the organizers of the party, Bai Kai kept slinging himself around a policeman to exin the situation to him. Come on,rade, were just here to have a little fun! Absolutely nothing illegal has happened here! Its just a misunderstanding, like I said earlier. Im telling you C it must be some naughty little kid making a false report! The policeman nced at Bai Kai and disciplined, If thats the case, good C but a party in the middle of the night?! Look at the time! No wonder your neighbours are angry! We have received many such reports before this! Yes, I understand, yup! Bai Kai responded. I swear! Well take it easy in the future! Well close up shop before ten o clock! Comrade, Im telling you- Yes, I get it, the policeman nodded. Were leaving now. Mind following us back to the station to make a simple record? Absolutely. No problem. Im an upstanding,w-abiding citizen. I will absolutely do so. The policeman was about to say something more, but looking past Bai Kai, he could see that the swimming pool behind him looked as if it was boiling, with uncountable bubbles rising up. Frowning, he stepped past Bai Kai to take a closer look. At this moment, Bai Kai could sense strong psychic energy erupting from underground. His eyes immediatelynded upon the swimming pool, and seeing that the policeman was approaching it, his expression morphed into shock. Stop! Get down! Boom! Thunder grumbled from below, and in the next moment, the swimming pool was like a geyser, sending its waters up into the sky, sshing its surroundings indiscriminately. Getting up from the ground, still slightly dizzy from getting drenched in hot water, he looked down and saw that there was no water left in the swimming pool, save for a dark pothole that emerged, with thick smokeing out of it. Looking behind him, all that was left of Bai Kai was a dotted outline. ? What happened to being aw-abiding citizen? When Jiangli found Lu Yibei in the basement that was flooded with smoke, she was in a state of unconsciousness, holding a strange, broken sword in her hand. Son of a bitch! I dont keep my eye on you for one second, and you want to put yourself up on the 8AM news?! Staring at the Witchs unconscious body, she hauled the Witchs body, alongside her sword and guitar bag on her shoulders, and vanished in a silver sh. ? Damn it, why is it so heavy? Was she always carrying something this heavy around? Not long after they vanished, bursts of angry curses from Lee Tang Han could be heard down the corridor. Who?! Who the fuck was it?! My world was turned upside down, and you dare to cause trouble inside my house?! If I catch you, youre dead! ncing backwards, where she could hear bursts of angry cursesing from the vi, Jiangli shrugged, then quickened her pace as she left Lee Tang Hans vi. No matter if she caused the explosion. The Night Division will now have a reason to intervene in the investigation in a fair and honest manner. Five minutester, they were on the edge of a small river two kilometers away from Hongshan Vis. Jiangliid the Witch down on the grass. ncing at the river, she silently recited an incantation, causing a small pir of water to rise from the river as she sshed it on the Witchs face. Ssh! It waste autumn, so the temperature of the water was a biting chill. The Witch suddenly woke up with a jolt, and before she could see anyone, she heard a question ringing inside her ear. Youre awake! Youre back to the original Lu Yibei now! Hearing this, her heart dropped as she checked her body. Quickly, she adjusted her emotions and blurted out, Who? Whos Lu Yibei? After being silent for a moment, she gave up trying to fool with the Witch who was hellbent on dying on that hill. She squatted down beside her, and calmly exined, You gained a lot this time, havent you? Since I ran over to save you, shouldnt I get a little something as well? Although this was a Robin-Hood-kind-of-situation where she stole psychic items from evil people, Jiangli still felt a little uneasy about leaving that many psychic items in her hands. Its necessary to take back some of the Night Divisions possessions, she thought to herself. She was stunned for a moment when she saw Mew Mews face greeting her, and when she fully came back to her senses, she avoided Jianglis gaze and yapped, Uh? What did you say? I dont think I got you there. Somebody! Anybody! Help me! A woman is trying to extort me of my possessions! Stop acting dumb, please. I went to eavesdrop earlier, and theyre saying that the Lee familys vi was broken into. The value of the psychic items that were stolen is equivalent to about 200kgs of gold She was stunned for a moment and frowned. Those shitty little things are worth that much money? Is he cooking the books by falsely reporting on their true value? Shit. If I get caught, does that mean that I have to give everything back to him, in addition to paying him that amount?! Seeing her unmoving face, she added, If he reports this situation to the Night Division, Im afraid that youll be put on a bounty. Tilting her head, she spoke without an expression, Im not afraid! The Night Division wont arrest me! I dont give a fuck! Nobody is touching my money! Jiangli opened her lips and was about to say something, but at this moment, a wave of psychic energy broke into Yibeis perception. Shit. Someonesing! Her face morphed slightly as she grabbed Jianglis arm and leapt into a bush. Jiangli looked at Yibei with puzzled eyes, and was about to ask before Yibei put his index finger to his mouth, Shh! Somebodysing! As soon as she finished speaking, Jiangli could finally detect the presence, and a secondter, they saw a familiar silver light zipping towards them in the distance. Bai Kai? What is he Bai Kai revealed himself in a sh before Jiangli could finish her thoughts as he stood in front of the duo. Now, I wanna know which son-of-a-bitch fucked me over today! Stepping in front of the bush, he cursed as he pushed away its branches and its leaves, and upon seeing the inhabitants of the bush, he froze. Within the bushes was Lu Yibei, and the other was a girl that he had never seen before. Bai Kais face darkened as he pointed at Mew Mew, and asked, Who is she? ?! TRANSLATOR NOTES: Jianglis here to save the day! Im really enjoying tranting her dialogue and actions! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^_^ Chapter 266: Dont Touch Me! Chapter 266: Don''t Touch Me! In the study of Lee Tang Hans vi. Smack! A firm p swung across his face; the sound crisp and loud. Lee Shunnian was notified about the earlier break-in and came to investigate. He sat on the opposite of his son C his back straight as he held his cane with both hands; his face so dark you could swear that it was about to start raining. Look what you did now, you bastard! Do you really think your little meetups with dingy urban legends would go unnoticed? Our god has told me everything! I was simply turning a blind eye C I didnt expect you to invite some sort of gue god into your house! Lee Tang Han covered up his tomato-like face and exined, Theres nothing to worry about, father. When I checked the scene, only some insignificant items were stolen from the collection room. There is no sign that the door to your private quarters was broken into. How the hell would I know that the damned urban legend would be a thief?! To think I was about to kiss her feet! Damn it! If I catch her, Ill have to teach her a lesson! Hearing this, the anger in his fathers brows rxed slightly, Good. If anything from my room was lost, I would have skinned you alive myself!Lee Tang Han was about to reply until a knock came from outside the study. Knock! Knock! Come in. Lee Tang Hans assistant opened the door and walked in. Bowing to both her master and his father, she spoke, Master, Young Master C the police has given us enough time. It is time for the Young Master to go with them to cooperate with their investigation. Hearing this, Lee Shunnian simply scoffed as he knocked the ground with his cane, Go! Somebody as useless as you shouldve been thrown in jail as a lesson a long time ago! Lee Tang Han tried his best to keep his cool as he followed his assistant out the study. After his son left, Lee Shunnian got up and walked through the vi alone. He entered the wine cer, and came to a metal wall that was surrounded with the polices yellow tape. Looking from a distance, he could tell that the metal wall had no obvious signs of damage, and breathed a sigh of relief. However, the corridor has been cordoned off, so he has no choice but to wait until the police was done with their investigation before he could examine his private quarters himself. Hmph! I dont even know where I picked this good-for-nothing son up from. That little bastard better be telling the truth. If I did lose something, I would have no choice but to send him to the church. Rumor has it that the children sent to the church will alwayse back obedient andpliant Forget it. Ill wait until the police is done with their investigation, then move the items from my private quarters away from here before the Night Division intervenes in the investigation. Meanwhile Ah uh this is When Lu Yibei was interrogated by Bai Kai on who the mysterious girl beside her was, she was speechless. Although Shui seems like the type of person to let you off the hook, he still has a strong sense of justice! My father once said that in the club under his protection, the women were rarely sexually harassed by customers. Therefore if Shui knows that Jiangli was secretly participating in the urban legend forumsmissions, he might report it to the Night Division! Wouldnt it be awkward and dangerous for her?! Seeing that she was silent, Bai Kai frowned and patted on her shoulder with a stern grip, Come with me. Id like to talk to you alone. Then, he turned around and walked away into a clearing. Seeing this, Yibei nced at Jiangli and blinked at her, as if asking her, Should I go? Jiangli blinked back, as if saying, Go! And dont say anything unnecessary! ?? ?! Huh?! Was that my imagination? How did she Scratching the back of her head, she shook her head and chased after Bai Kai. As soon as she reached Bai Kai, Bai Kai pulled her to a big tree by the river, then nced Mew Mew in the distance as he lowered her voice, Bei, tell me whats going on. Who is she? Ah, shes she fidgeted ufortably as she spoke. Shes my best friend? Yeah. A best friend who I have a very close rtionship with. Hearing this, Bai Kai widened her eyes as he took a step back. He looked Yibei up and down, and sighed, Bei! You cant do that! Just because you can be a girl doesnt mean you can use that to your advantage by jumping on her! Havent I, or hell, your father, taught you enough? Cant you just, you know, take her down fair-and-square? Both of your pick-up methods are ten times worse, actually! If I heed both of your advices, Ill get the cops called on me! Plus! How can you be so sure that Im not the one getting jumped on?! Uh, Shui, Yibei pouted. I thought you knew me well. Im not interested in women Ah? Bai Kai suddenly recalled back to the time when Yibei had various strange behavioral patterns due to Brights and Daydreams memories shing with her own, and his expression changed slightly. Realizing that what she said might cause misunderstandings in Bai Kai, she hurriedly corrected, And Im not interested in men either. Bai Kai was silent for a moment, then sighed again, No C thats not the issue right now. My question is C what were the two of you doing out here in the middle of nowhere? Uh, we were She was prepared toe up with a lie, but Bai Kai interrupted her before she could finish. Ah, ah, ah C and dont tell me that youre here for a date. No normal person woulde here at this time and ce for a date, like godfather, like goddaughter, Bai Kai had already guessed Yibeis cheeky ns to lie to him. Be honest, Bai Kai continued. Were you in Hongshan Vis earlier? And dont lie to me C I could feel both of your psychic energy fluctuations just now. It was how I tracked the two of you down. Well Tsk, I knew it! Bai Kai scoffed, ncing at Mew Mew with a pout. So, youre telling me shes the one causing all the trouble earlier?! Shui, uh, listen Shui put his hands on his hips and interrupted, Dont try to defend her. Do you know how humiliated I was earlier? For gods sake! I told the police that I was a w-abiding citizen or whatever, and I swore up-and-down that no illegal or criminal activities were happening inside the vi. Well, guess what? As soon as those words left my mouth, the damned swimming pool exploded right in front of my face! Hearing this, Yibei held her forehead and covered her face with one hand, as if she was a child who did a little oopsie. She peeked at Bai Kai through the gaps of her fingers and squeaked, What happened next? I ran away! Now, the police think that the boss of the house was making bombs at home, which constitutes the crime of illegally manufacturing explosives! It was silent again, and Bai Kai looked straight into his goddaughters eyes through the gaps of her fingers, Bei, youre an adult. It is fine to go on dates with a boy or a girl, I suppose. Please remove the boy part I said what I said, he shrugged. Listen C your godfather is an open-minded person, so I wont try to intervene in any of your rtionships. Even if you have a fiance waiting for you, I have never Excuse me? Could you repeat that? Repeat what? That I wont intervene in your rtionships? No! The next sentence! Even if you have a fiance waiting for you, I have never barged into any of your rtionships. There, that is what I said. Is there a problem? Bai Kai blinked, looking at his goddaughter up and down, as if asking, Since when did I raise such a stupid goddaughter? When the fuck did I get a fiance?! Yibei blurted out. Tell me her name! Her address! Her height! All of her measurements! Uh Bai Kai was stunned for a moment, before saying something that shocked his goddaughter further. Which fiance are you talking about? No way. How many fiances could I have? My father mentioned something about an arranged marriage when I was younger, but I never bothered asking him. However, listening to Shuis words I dont think I ever asked how many fiances I have. Actually, who in the right mind would arrange more than one marriage for their own child, damn it?! Oh, plenty! Bai Kai curled his lips and continued adding currents to his goddaughters shock. Theres one who was wed off to you in the womb, theres another in the act of returning the favor, theres also another one who sold their daughter off, and one of them is for political purposes, and there is one who was simply attracted to you ever since you were a child, and Stop, stop! she could no longer listen and interrupted. What was my dad thinking?! Was it necessary to get me that many fiances?! Bai Kai thought for a moment, before nodding meaningfully, Maybe your father was worried that you would walk down his road and hang yourself from a tree, ending up with a crooked neck. A little bit of insurance, he would say! a little bit? Its starting to sound a little like a lot! Bah! All of that is unimportant! Yes, your father mightve pulled some strings, but at this day and age, nobody would be stupid enough to follow his wishes. Makes sense. Im neen now, and I have never met a single one of these fiances before.She thought to herself. Bai Kai then peeked over his shoulder to nce at Jiangli, then turned back around to grip Yibei on the shoulders, What I want to say is C even though I said I wont interfere in any of your rtionships, at least dont go out on dates with people who have unknown origins! Look at her! I didnt know you were into bad girls! Im telling you! The longer you date bad girls, the easier it is for you to be led down the wrong path! Just like your dad, Bai Kai added in his heart. From Bai Kais point of view, Yibeis father was a charming and handsome young man. He was very popr in the psychics circle and was coveted after by thousands of girls, which is quite a feat. He just had to go and follow that devil-incarnate-of-a-woman tomit crimes. Straight out of clich martial arts novel. Real inspiring. Yibei sighed silently and replied, Okay, Shui, but to be honest with you, I was the one who blew up their basement. She was the one who fished me out of the explosion. Bei, I told you C you dont need to defend her. I mean, look at her! Blonde hair, full-ck-leather motorcycle suit, and are those stuffed breast pads? Shes not a good girl. she wears breast pads? Wait, not the point she shook her head and retorted. Shui, Im not trying to defend her. Im trying to tell you that I was the one who blew it up. Is that true? Yes! Bai Kai remained silent and dark for a few seconds, and his face was as red as tomato until he suddenly smiled at his goddaughter. Woah, thats awesome, Bei! Im telling you C I have hated that bastard Lee Tang Han for a long time! However, since I was investigating him, I had to kiss his ass almost every day! Wouldnt you be pissed off? Because I would! Shui, I thought you said Bah, its not the same! Bai Kai waved his hand to interrupt. Yes, I did say that you shouldnt date bad girls, but I never said that you couldnt be a bad girl! Bad girls are good too, you know C even if theyre out alone on the streets, nobody would harass them! Yes! I have double standards! But what kind of parent would I be if I dont favor my children? Plus! The Lee family arent good people to begin with! I have reason to believe that they jumped on Bei first! Bai Kai thought to himself. Thinking for a while, Bai Kai said, Bei, Ill relent. If that girl is willing to jump into danger to help you, she must be very kind. You must treat her well in the future. Shui, Yibei sighed. I told you, I dont have that kind of rtionship with her. Cant there be genuine, tonic friendship between a guy and a girl? Ah, Bei, young as ever, Bai Kai patted him on the shoulder. The tonic friendship thing you mentioned is way too rare to ever happen. It could happen, yes, a girl in a tonic rtionship with her male friend, but as soon as either of them start thinking of impure thoughts, its over. As he spoke, Bai Kais eyes shifted towards the endless night sky, as if he was trying to say, Ive been there before. Yibei wasnt sure what to reply with, but Bai Kai took out a small box from his pocket and stuffed it into her hand. Here. Just in case, Bai Kai said. Dont worry about Tang Han for now, I have a way to deal with him. He shouldnt be able to track you down for the time being. Whats this? Birth control. Birth what now? She muttered as she studied the box. Realizing what the box is, she was about to raise her head and say something to Bai Kai, before a string of premonitions shed through her mind. [Hes out.], followed by her pupils contracting. Earlier, while tracking them down, Bai Kai was hiding his psychic powers. However, he had no need to hide them anymore, and used his power of speed to leave the forest. All that was left of him was a trail of silver outlining his previous position. Hes quick! Is this Shuis ability? I kinda want it! He was so quick that her premonitions could barely even catch up with his speed. Being able to move fast is a skill, and Yibei is very, very greedy. At the same time, a sense of danger quietly rose in her heart. In the Southern Suburbs ughterhouse, she relied on her premonitions to kill that urban legend, which subconsciously allowed her to let her guard down. She felt that, even if her opponents were slightly stronger than her, she could rely on her premonitions to carry her through the fight. However, seeing Bai Kai zip away before her premonition could even catch up made her realize that her ability was far from enough. One day, she might encounter somebody as fast as him. Even if she could predict their movements, she wouldnt be able to react in time. I need to solve this weakness of mine. I need to be stronger, or learn some spells, or get some psychic items Maybe, I can use that foggy mans incantation Earlier, she had roughly memorized the spell he recited. If she could find the time to learn some Thai, she might be able to channel its usage. Jiangli sat on a rock by the river for an ufortable amount of time before Bai Kai left. Seeing Yibei return to her, she raised her head and asked, What did you tell him? I told him you were a bad guy and that you should be arrested for your crimes. Jiangli was silent, and stared at the Witch with a pair of cold eyes, waiting for her to tell her the truth. Okay! Geez the Witch shrugged. He told me that the club is needing manpower, so hes going back to work when hes done, and I told him that Im a good man now, so Im not going to sell myself out anymore, so Im not going back. Thats about it. I see. Jiangli seemed satisfied with her answer, feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders. Huachengs Night Division was like a university C it looks carefree on the outside, but protocols are kept tight inside. Although Bai Kai seemed carefree, she felt that if he knew what she was up to now, even if she werent punished for it, it would probably cause a lot of trouble. Thank God Yibei helped me out Thinking of this, her heart warmed up to the Witch slightly. No, thats Varia, not Yibei. Unless she decides to admit it to me one day. Thinking about it, she nced at the guitar bag and broken sword on the ground, then nced back to the Witch, By the way, what are you going to do with these things? Ah, about that she squatted down, picking up the broken sword to inspect it. Could you go back first? I want to handle this myself. And dont you worry! Ill find a ce where theres nobody around to test these things! I wont cause harm to anyone, promise! Well, I want to study the ancient sword first. When she awoke in her lucid state, she could vaguely hear a warninging from the sword. Thief! Dont touch me! How could she control herself? She felt that it was necessary to find a ce where no one was around to perform [Person Getting Up Early In The Morning to Discipline Her Sword]. TRANSLATOR NOTES: Okay, slight oopsie from previous chapter C turns out Witchbei didnt actually transform back to Boybei near the end of the chapter. It was just Jiangli trying to fool Witchbei into admitting that shes Yibei and not Varia C she didnt fool Yibei, but shedid end up fooling me. Fixed! As always, if youd like to support the trantion, you can do so by clicking the button below! ^.^ Chapter 267: I Am Your Great-Great-Great-Granddaddy! Chapter 267: I Am Your Great-Great-Great-Granddaddy! Could you go back first? Hearing Lu Yibeis request, Jiangli peeked at the broken sword on the ground, and after brief deliberation, nodded, Alright. Wait, what? the Witch replied, stunned. You agreed? Just like that? You dont want to take a look at it yourself or something? Originally, Yibei thought that she would have to suffer a lecture from her troublesome superior after requesting to do things herself. Never in a million years would she predict that her superior would just agree without much thought to it. There must be something wrong with Jiangli! There is no way she would allow the two of us to get along that easily! Not even an argument? Really?! Shes plotting something! I know it! In her state of confusion, she felt a little ufortable. Jiangli rolled her eyes, What? Would you rather have me tag along with you? I know what you are C even if I wanted to intervene, you will most definitely start spewing garbage out of your mouth to distract me, and then, at the right moment, you will vanish without a single trace. Am I right?What the- dont act like you know me! If you keep this up, I might think that you have a crush on me! Yibei blurted out, teasing. Jiangli tilted her head and rolled her eyes once again, Youre overthinking it. I already have someone I fancy. What the fuck?! This is big news, people! This monster-hunting emotionless machine is able to fall in love?! Not buying it! Her nosy soul within her body became restless. If it werent for her wanting to die on the hill of keeping her identity secret, she would have dragged Jiangli over to the side and interrogated all night long on this persons information C their social security number, their address, their household registration As the Witch was deep in thought, Jiangli interrupted, Alright. Have you decided on where to go to try these things? Ah. Wouldnt it be fine to just find a ce with nobody around? Jiangli blinked, looking at the Witch as if she was a fool, and shook her head, No, absolutely not. There are strict procedures in ce when testing out new and unknown psychic items. Of course, Yibei wouldnt know what unpredictable consequences would ur if she would simply test the psychic items out. However, Jiangli, who has been working under the Night Division for several years, knows very well what would happen. A few years ago, when she first joined the Night Division, she had the opportunity of seeing a Cmity-level psychic item that resembles a matchlock gun stowed away in the Night Division headquarters. ording to the Operator who introduced the item, the Wanggongchang Explosion had slight rtions to this psychic item. The Night Division suspects that the person using it wasnt aware of what it could do, and utilized the weapon in a reckless way. Jiangli has no objection to her subordinate testing out these new psychic items she had harvested, but out of the abundance of caution, the Witch must now be allowed to act without a care in the world. Shifting her tone to a more serious one, Jiangli spoke, You cant just find any random ce to test them out, but if you havent thought of a suitable location yet, I can rmend a ce to you. Where? Wordlessly, Jiangli stood up and patted the dust off herself. Then, she spoke, Wait here a moment. Ill take you there. Ten minutester, on a road leading to the outskirts of Huacheng, a matte-ck sports bike that was carrying two girls could be seen speeding under the guiding orange street lights. And on the back seat of the motorcycle, Yibei held onto Jianglis slender waist as she wore Jianglis own cat-eared helmet. She could smell a faint fragrance inside the sealed space of the helmet. It smelled pleasant, and it is exactly the same scent that could be smelled from time-to-time whenever Jianglis hair shifts in the air. At Yibeis big ol age, she has never held a girls hand before, so where has she seen this scene before? Ever since they left the river side all the way to their destination, she was in a state of confusion. A bunch of messy and unrealistic fantasies clouded her mind, including the type of fantasies that couldnd you in jail. Shew as silent the entire ride C rare, but peculiar. By the time the Witch came back to her senses, Jiangli had already parked her bike by the ruins of Flower & Sunshine Resorts. Were here. Are you going to let me go, or? Oh! My bad! Yibei blurted out, withdrawing her hands from Jianglis waist. After they got off the bike, the Witch took off Jianglis helmet, and immediately, her face morphed as soon as she saw the charrednd and the remaining structure of the building that resembled the burnt skeletons of giants. What the why did she bring me here? Did she get enough of this stupid little game we were ying? Did she go, Ive had it! Ill bring the prime suspect down to the crime scene! She felt uneasy, and almost jumped out off her skin when Jiangli turned her around to look directly into her eyes. She was shocked, and almost confessed on the spot in hopes of getting a more lenient sentence. A while ago, a very, very scary urban legend was born here, which caused a great deal of damage. All residents within a radius of 5km have been evacuated. Due to the urban legends residual psychic energy fluctuations, not even urban legends lurk here anymore. So, Jiangli continued. You can do whatever you want here without the worry of hurting anybody innocent. Thank god! It seems like she doesnt know yet! Plus! The way I look right now is very different from what I looked like back then Seeing the Witchs hesitant eyes and rare silence, Jiangli thought that she was waiting for her to leave, but felt awkward trying to ask for it. Hence, she got on her bike, tied up her long blonde hair, and rode over to her, Ill be leaving first. Contact me when youre done. After she spoke, she gradually disappeared from the Witchs field of vision, alongside the fading hums of an engine. Watching Jiangli leave, Yibei felt that there was something different about the Jiangli before everything started, or even the Jiangli when this resort was burnt down to the bone. But what exactly is different about her? She didnt have an answer. Tsk. Who cares about her? I dont care what she bes C nothing to do with me! she announced, plopping her guitar bag on the ground as she retrieved the ancient sword from it. Inspecting it, she murmured to herself, Right. The most important thing now is to inspect this sword. What did you call me, you little shit? Ill have you calling me your daddy in a bit! She ced the ancient sword on a fully-scorched rock, and used her phones shlight to carefully examine the ancient sword that she paid for using her two ancestral kitchen knives. The design of the sword is simr to what you may find as an early design of a bronze sword C it is shaped like a willow leaf engraved withplex patterns. A faint design of firelight could be seen flowing between theplex patterns, but due to the sword being broken, its full design cannot be seen. Strangely enough, what caught her eye was how an ancient sword possessed a guard, or a handle. However, this ancient sword, despite its olden appearance, had a unique ring-shaped guard C so precisely made as if it was made using a modern machine. Wait, she suddenly thought of something serious. No way. Is this a fucking fake? She hurriedly picked the ancient sword up and gently patted it, whispering, Uh, hello? Are you in there, sword-spirit-or-whatever? You got guests! Shit, that didnt work C I am the Bone of my Sword, Steel is my Body and Fire is my Blood! My baby, my baby, turn around! Bankai! Seems like the passwords uttered were wrong, and the sword remains silent. The more she shouted, the more anxious she became upon seeing the swords non-response. I lost so much just to get you C who cares if I lost everything? At least put in some work! In a fit of rage, she growled, Whos your daddy?! andunched a fireball towards the sword. The fireball that was shaped like a basin whizzed towards the sword. When it was less than a meter away from the de, the fireball abruptly stopped for about two seconds. Then, as if the air surrounding the sword had awakened, a strong wind blew, stirring up a pale cyclone on the swords epicenter. The Witch was unable to open her eyes due to the soot and ash that was scattered across the air. Covering her mouth and nose, she could hear bells and drums beyond the ash. The exact bells and drums you would hear in a sacred ritual C majestic, rich; it pounds at ones heart as it cleanses the soul. Soon, everything fell silent. Carefully, she brought her hands down from her jaw, then nced in shock at the undamaged broken sword that was hit by a fireball that was amplified by about thirty times its original power. Did it eat my spell? Looking at the ground surrounding the ancient sword, it revealed the color of the original soil after cleansing the surrounding charred ground. She shook her head, rejecting the first thought that came to her mind. No. It didnt swallow my spell its more like it purified it. Cleansed it. Yes! Seems like I didnt actually lose anything. If anything, I gained a small profit! She walked over to the sword as she was deep in thought, and was just about to pick it up when something happened. A pure light, like a clear spring in the mountains, began radiating off the sword. Its pure steel majesty burst power out from it, radiating in all directions. The light grew more and more intense, tearing through the darkness as it announced the arrival of its own light. The light was like a rushing torrent, carrying an indomitable force that is attempting to purify and remake everything in its path. The Witch couldnt dodge in time, and was instantly enveloped by the swords light. Flopping on the ground, she felt her eyes heat up as the strange light swallowed her up, leaving her in the darkness. Like countless times in the past, she felt herself being shattered into countless pieces, as if she was gas being spread out. All she could feel within the unknown murmurs was her sinking deeper into her mind. Suddenly, her back touched something cold and hard, and she found herself back on the familiar rooftop. Opening her eyes, she was stunned. Although the familiar sky was still heavily polluted, it was a dirty grey-blue. However, she found it much betterpared tost time, where the sky was on the brink of copsing on itself, heralding the arrival of the end of the world. Hey, coach! Im back! Whats going on this time? Care to exin? Shouting at the top of her lungs, the Witch sat up, and looked around for the mysterious girl who she suspects as another her. However, she was greeted with something beyond her expectations. On the rooftop, the rusty water tank copsed with a loud gong, and a gentle breeze stirred up the debris on the ground, causing it to dance. However, she wasnt greeted with the mysterious girl C instead, she was greeted by a man who donned a ck-colored robe. He carried a box on his back where his long braids rested. He resembled somebody from the Qing Dynasty, and his back was facing her, though a sword was visible in his hands. And the sword was the full, undamaged, unbroken, ancient sword. A silver gleam flowed down the ancient sword C wherever the gleamnded, it would transform into blossoming lotus flowers, or into flying cranes, or into fluffy clouds, imbuing one with purity. Okay. What the hell? First, you got rid of me, and now, you bring a creepy old man toe greet me?! Shouldnt you be in your grave by now?! As sheined in her heart while backing away as quietly as possible, the man turned around, as if he had noticed something. Studying the mans features, her pupils shrank immediately, and her body shivered due to the intensity of emotions flooding within her. This face is so familiar. I recognize that face from anywhere C Ive seen it every day for the past dozens of years. And the man looked exactly like her father, Lu Ming. Oh, its over for me, isnt it? That ancient sword mustve sent me along my merry way C otherwise, how else would I be able to see my dads ghost?! This must be the underworld! Wait, the Night Division Records state that there is no such thing as an Underworld or Hades in this world. Just as she was fighting with her own thoughts, and the yappings of her minding in like a massive flood, the man who resembled her father walked over and cupped his hand on hers. Greetings, youngdy. I am known as Clear. May I ask for your name, please? does he not know me? Right. I look like this now. Theres no way my father would recognize my current form now. Also, what did he say his name was? Whatever! Somethings wrong with him! Varia. Ah, isnt that Clear scratched his cheek, thinking to himself: Isnt that a traditional medicine known to promote blood cirction, stimtes menstruation, and relieves carbuncle? Why would there be anyone with a name like this? However, he remained mindful of the girls family. He felt that it was awkward to ask her about her name. a wonderful name, Miss Varia, Clearplimented. He took a few steps forward, and sat down cross-legged a short distance away from Yibei. Throughout their conversation, she kept looking at both the man who bore a strong resemnce to her father and the ancient sword in his hand. Noticing her gaze, Clear chuckled, Youngdy, you seem interested in this sword of mine. She didnt dare to speak, but nodded instead, as if she was a chicken pecking at its food. To be honest, she was afraid of her father once, and true to her luck, the man in front of her had the exact same face as her own father. Im scared, okay?! I have inherited this sword from my masters sect, and it is known as the Spirit of Karma. Pity that as Clear spoke, his eyes dimmed slightly before he shook his head. It is not important. It does not matter if I mention it. Speaking of which, he continued. I am unclear of something, so I was hoping that you would be able to rify it to me. What is it? What youre seeing now he pointed to himself. is a residual image of mine. I left an image of me in the sword as my final blessing to future generations. However, I was wondering how the sword ended up in your hands. As Clear spoke, his expression did not budge, but she could see his eyes turn cold. It was a subtle change, but the Witch could feel that his temperament had suddenly changed from a weak schr, to a swordsman who could kill in just a single swipe of the de. Ah, uh you see Hesitating, she could see Clear getting closer and closer out of the corner of her eye. She gritted her teeth and blurted out, Ancestral inheritance, yes! I inherited this sword! Oh? Clear narrowed his eyes, and looked at the Witch up and down. Does your husbands surname start with a Lu, perchance? The Witch was silent for a moment. She felt as if she had just caught some important information, but didnt want to confirm it with him. All she could muster up was a mere, Yes. How did you know? Hearing her answer, Clears brows rxed, and the cold aura of death surrounding him disappeared. A wry smile appeared on his face as he sighed, Then, it is right. However, I am unsure of what your husbands full name is. Yibei. Lu Yibei. What? he frowned upon hearing this. What about this Lu Yibeis fathers name? Lu Ming? No. That cant be right Clear muttered. What about Lu Mings father? Lu Bayi? as she spoke, he saw Clear frowning again, so she decided to interrupt him. And Bayis father is Lu Yuebo. Any further, and Im all out of names for you. Yes! Thats the one! Lu Yuebo! That is my son! After Clear finished speaking, an awkward silence permeated between the two of them, followed closely by You are my great-great-great-grand-father/-sons wife! Clear was ted. My great-great-great-grandsons wife is so beautiful. How wonderful! How capable! As expected of my own lineage! Meanwhile, in Lu Yibeis mind This whole time I was talking about making the sword call me daddy, and turns out, hes my great-great-great-granddaddy. Great. And I am the grandson in question. How embarrassing! If I tell him now that Im Lu Yibei, he might just clean me up with that sword of his! Clear sat closer amidst Yibeis thoughts, and asked, Youngdy, allow me this question C how many kitchen knives has this sword been cast into? Was this sword not Lu Yibeis? How did it get into your hands? Did something happen at home? Indeed. My husband has unfortunately passed away. Okay. Thats it, Ill never lie again. (Thats my one-time limit!) You know the old saying C you need more lies to cover up your previous lies! Also! Did I really just say that I passed away? What kind of stupid fucking behavior am I on to curse myself to death when Im still very alive! As she was deep in thought, she ced her face over her forehead, not wanting to look at Clears expression anymore as she waited for his response. I see. Are you pregnant? ?! TRANSLATOR NOTES: NOTICE: IF YOU ARE SUBSCRIBED TO MY KO-FI, I IMPLORE YOU TO UNSUBSCRIBE NOW. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT OVER THE LAST FEW MONTHS. I GREATLY APPRECIATE THE TIPS! Hello! Unfortunately, I got some bad news, and this might be thest tranted chapter in a while. I have finals and internshiping up, and if you know anything about the audit sector, its that I am going to be ving away in the corporate world working 8am-10pm (unfortunate, but that is the norm here C imagine how shocked I was hearing this from my future superior!). I didnt want to go AWOL so I thought that itd be good to inform all of you now rather than keep you waiting for a potential update, so this is an open offer for somebody else to pick the web-novel up.All of you may send in trantion requests to your favorite trantion sites so that this story can live on (though if this story gets MTLd or poorly-AI-tranted I might just forcibly take the wheel again)! I personally have been tranting this over the years as a fan of the story and I deeply adore the tinymunity this story has gathered, though I am currently and for the foreseeable future (until, say,te May) upied with busier things in life. Thank you to all the regrmenters, readers, and lurkers. This project was incredibly fun while itsted over the years with Witchbeis adventures, and I hope to see this story be able to live on in future trantions. Who knows! If nobodyes to pick this up byte of May, I will be take up tranting this again! And if youd like to talk, you know where to find me! ?? (P.S., again, if youre subscribed to my Ko-Fi, I would advise you to unsubscribe immediately. Thank you for your support over thest few months!) Yours sincerely, Bread. The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!