Chapter Three A Certain Wife
Who doesn’t like picking up money?
Stepping out early in the morning and finding money at the entrance of the community is, of course, a great thing for someone like Luxianbei, who thrives on freebies.
However, he didn’t want to disrupt his current peaceful life because of this mysteriously obtained money.
Of course, the main issue wasn’t that the money came from strange origins; the real problem was that there was simply too little of it.
On his way to Huacheng University, Luxianbei curled his lip, “A few thousand dollars just to bait me? They underestimate me way too much!”
It’s true that humans tend to have some greed, but unfortunately, Luxianbei’s greed was much more inflated than that of an average person.
In simple terms, if they wanted him to bite, they needed to raise the stakes.
“If they increased it by a hundred times, I’d consider it. If they raised it by ten thousand times…”
Luxianbei mumbled to himself, inconspicuously scanning the surroundings with the corner of his eye, as if he deliberately wanted someone to overhear him, raising his voice slightly.
“If they increased it by ten thousand times, even if it were a god, I’d k*ll for you to see!”
After saying this, he stood quietly at the roadside for a moment. When no pile of invisible, bright red, cute little money suddenly appeared before him, he sighed silently.
He was really quite short on money lately…
After determining the way to rectify his shortcomings, Luxianbei suddenly realized that the inheritance his father left him was simply insufficient.
He spent almost a month painstakingly deciphering some usable knowledge from the Great Serpent God, and just as he was about to rejoice, reality dealt him a merciless slap to the face, leaving him with the words “You want to grow stronger without spending money?”
Luxianbei had already subtly asked the family member who was “beautifully distant and unapproachable, greedy like a glutton, with a particularly severe internet addiction” about this.
The first-stage bodily enhancement alchemy recipe and mental enhancement incense formula required to rectify the flaws of the mythological species he deciphers from the Great Serpent God’s knowledge would cost hundreds of thousands.
And that was with the special price of 15% off, thanks to his allies from the Peach Source!
This still didn’t include the two types of spiritual materials, Lingxi horns and turtle saliva incense, which he couldn’t find on the market at all.
…
At 9:23 AM, in a villa community on the outskirts of Huacheng.
This was a large villa with seven or eight computer desks in the living room, each equipped with several monitors. Upon entering, one could easily mistake it for a professional esports team’s training room.
At that moment, in the spacious room, only one man sat in the corner by the window, savoring the fragrance of tea wafting from a blue-and-white porcelain teapot with a Mizuhara Chikage pattern and enjoying a bound book in his hands beneath the bright sunlight streaming in.
Before long, there was a sudden movement outside the window, and a beautifully patterned tabby cat landed steadily on the desk in front of him, one paw slapping down on his book, speaking human language.
“Stop looking! It’s so annoying!”
The man set down the book titled “My Silicone Girlfriend,” glanced at the tabby cat, and yawned, “Cat, how come you’re back so soon? Did you take care of Wang Buliu?”
“Can’t get it done! I’m about to be driven crazy! You have no idea how unreasonable she is!” the tabby cat said, its fur bristling as it let out a low growl.
“Do you know why she won’t pick up ghost coins? It’s because she thinks the money is too little, and she said if the amount increased to ten thousand times, she might consider it.”
“I’m furious! I even thought of withdrawing her qualification for review and just getting rid of her.”
“That won’t do; she’s an important target.” The man waved his hand, “How about you take a break for a couple of days?”
While speaking, he straightened up, typed in the URL “WHO.IS.APPARITION,” and a comically styled skull-themed homepage popped up.
Entering the username “ASMODEUS.COM,” password, and confirming with a security USB, he pressed enter, and the interface refreshed to show “Urban Legends Chat Group Profile,” with a red and yellow mixed interface that looked like a promotional page for a Spring Festival sale.
The man scrolled through the webpage and found an inconspicuous option hidden among various decorations, clicked into it, and instantly, the screen went black. On the black background’s table, various entries related to urban legends were displayed.
He moved his mouse over one labeled [Commission: k*ll my dismembering ex-husband ‖ Reward: All savings from her lifetime] and then turned to the tabby cat on the desk.
“Anyway, since Wang Buliu will definitely be brought in in the end, since she loves money so much, why not complete a few commissions from the blacklist and gather some money to send to her?”
“Why should I!? Why should I! I want to use the money I earn to rectify my own flaws! Why should I give it to her?”
The tabby cat rolled around on the desk, its paws flailing in the air as if fighting someone miles away.
The man pondered for a moment, resting his chin in his hand, “Then there’s only one way left.”
“Let me hear it?”
The man reached out, scratched the tabby cat’s fluffy chin, a sly smile appearing at the corners of his mouth.
“I’ve met a group of people online who know a bit of the trade and can contact some very rich folks with peculiar tastes toward little girls…” Ah! Ouch! Ouch!
Before he could finish his sentence, the tabby cat leaped up and left several scratches on his face.
Jumping off the desk, the tabby cat cast a cold glance at the man and said, “If you talk like that again, I’ll post a commission on the blacklist!” before walking away.
The man held his face, staring at the tabby cat’s retreating figure until it disappeared into the shadow of the wall, then sighed, “I didn’t finish saying it! It’s just a Fuli Ji, goddess, making money, nothing to be ashamed of, tsk!”
“Meow—!”
Suddenly, a chilling cat meow echoed in the empty villa; the man shivered, promptly mimicking a zipper gesture near his mouth, picked up his small Liu Bei, and continued his research.
…
During this time, Luxianbei’s life had actually been quite decent.
Ever since leaving the Bamboo Slips Illusion, he had not felt the heat in his eyes for quite a long time, possibly due to the influence of the bl**d of corrupt deities.
Each evening, when the urban legends ceased to manifest, it was no longer painful, and even the number of times he saw those strange shadows had decreased significantly.
Life seemed to have slightly returned to normal; everything that had previously happened felt like a bizarre dream.
His daily routine consisted of going to bed early, getting up early, attending classes, helping out in Professor Ma’s research lab during breaks, and doing some “part-time work” at the Huacheng Folk Culture Management Office.
After finishing part-time work, he would wander around the old street, buy some delicacies, and either enjoy them in his secret base alone or share them with a certain wife.
Yes, he had encountered a certain wife on the stone tower of Mudan Street more than once.
At first, Luxianbei was very unaccustomed to having an intruder in his secret base, but after a few interactions, he found that this girl, Nanling Yaohua, was not only beautiful with a generous personality but also shared a high degree of compatibility with him when it came to food.
In terms of culinary interests, the two were practically soulmates.
Once people shared similar interests, it was easy to become friends, especially when the other person was such a beautiful girl—too bad…
Thinking about this, after class, Luxianbei walked towards Mudan Street, suddenly realizing that he had unintentionally conjured an image of Nanling Yaohua in his mind, and he slapped himself hard.
“What the hell, Luxianbei, just talk about food and don’t think about her body! How are you any different from that Cao thief?!”
But… one had to admit, the way Chancellor Cao played was really impressive! Luxianbei thought secretly, looking up and spotting his Water Brother at the school gate.
Every dismissal time, various cars would gather to pick up people in front of Huacheng University. Among the many vehicles, Water Brother’s flamboyant purple beetle might not have been the most expensive but was definitely the most eye-catching.
Plus, his white mink coat, shining diamond earrings, and a cigar in his mouth, paired with a handsome yet slightly weary face, made him undoubtedly the most flamboyant guy on the street.
Luxianbei observed from a distance, quietly took out a plastic mask of the Gourd Baby from his backpack, put it on his face, and walked over with his head down.
He had bought the mask while looking for Gu Qiqi to pay her back at the night market, where she seemed to be setting up a stall every night, appearing to be even more short on money than he was.
What baffled Luxianbei was that her low-quality goods clearly had no chance of selling, yet there would always be a crowd of curious people gathered around her stall, making quite a business.
When you care about someone, even if they are layered in disguises and blending into a crowd, you can spot them at a glance.
So, Bai Kai immediately saw Luxianbei among the crowd, waving his hand from afar, calling out, “Xiao Beibei, Xiao Beibei, I’m over here! Why are you wearing a Gourd Baby mask?”
“d*mn!”
Luxianbei cursed softly, and under the curious gazes of his classmates, he dashed over and jumped into the car, rolling up the window.
Bai Kai leisurely got in, started the engine, and drove away from Huacheng University.
…
The flamboyant purple beetle cruised down the broad road, quietly serving as a beautiful scenery against the urban landscape, destination unknown.
Luxianbei secretly watched Bai Kai through the rearview mirror, contemplating whether to tell him that he would soon become an official member of the Siye Society, when Bai Kai beat him to the punch.
“Xiao Bei, actually, I’m here to tell you something important today.”
Luxianbei looked sideways at Bai Kai’s serious demeanor and said softly, “You’re getting married next month?”
“How could that be!” Bai Kai slapped the steering wheel, saying, “Giving up a whole grassland for a flower is the dumbest thing in the world—yes, I’m talking about your dad!”
“Could you substitute ‘grassland’ with ‘flower sea’?” Luxianbei corrected, “Given the context, ‘grass’ seems to refer to males.”
“That’s not important.”
Luxianbei replied seriously, “I think it’s quite important.”
This concerns whether I’m a beautiful love child or a mistaken consequence… he added in his heart.
“Then ‘flower sea’ it is!” Bai Kai nodded. “What I wanted to tell you today might be hard for you to accept all of a sudden, but at this point, I have to tell you that I actually…”
As Bai Kai spoke halfway, Luxianbei furrowed his brow, suddenly feeling that things were not simple, and he quickly interrupted, “Wait! If you’re going to say something strange, I might just jump out of the car!”
“I’m actually a key operative of the Siye Society.”
Luxianbei, “…”
You didn’t have to say it; I already knew!
However, what did Bai Kai’s current “I’m dropping the act and revealing everything” stance mean?
Pondering, Luxianbei curiously asked, “And then?”
Seeing Luxianbei’s calm reaction, Bai Kai frowned, “Don’t you find it surprising?”
Luxianbei expressionlessly stared at Bai Kai through the rearview mirror, clapping his hands without any emotional fluctuation, saying, “Wow! So impressive, so impressive, and then?”
Xiao Bei is great in every way, but this mouth is as annoying as his mother… Bai Kai twitched his mouth and continued, “Then, today I’m here to notify you on behalf of the Siye Society, that the materials for drawing spirit patterns have arrived, and in the next few days, find a sunny day around noon to take a trip.”
That time is more suitable for drawing fire attribute spirit patterns, the success rate is higher… Bai Kai added in his mind.
“Also, I’m sorry for not being able to be your leader. According to the regulations, relatives must avoid suspicion, and my jurisdiction isn’t quite suitable for a pure-hearted kid like you…”
As Bai Kai spoke, his voice seemed to choke up a bit. Noticing this, Luxianbei frowned and gently patted his shoulder, saying, “What’s wrong with you? Why are you crying? Be careful, I’ll record this and send it to your rich girlfriend.”
“I just thought about how you’re going to suffer under Jiang Li and felt really upset. That darned cripple is notoriously cold-hearted.”
Luxianbei glanced at Bai Kai’s hand that had unknowingly settled on the back of his hand, rubbing back and forth, wanting to say something but hesitating.
Actually, I think Jiang Li is quite easy to get along with!
She might be a bit aloof, but at least she doesn’t want to mess with me, it’s just that…
Luxianbei suddenly recalled the mysterious girl’s previous request, and his brows tightened.
That request was indeed very strange; he had no close relationship with Jiang Li, so how could she possibly want to k*ll her?
“To compensate you, I’ve decided to take you to a good place before you become an official member.”
Upon hearing Bai Kai’s words, Luxianbei was momentarily stunned, quickly pulling his hand back and crossing his arms defensively, saying, “I’m not going to any strange places! My first experience is reserved for my wedding night, and I don’t want to give it to some weird big sister!”
“What are you thinking?!” Bai Kai smiled wryly, if I really took you to that kind of place, Master and Xiao Hua would probably k*ll me, right?
“I meant to take you to the Ghost Market.”
“Ghost Market?” Luxianbei tilted his head, puzzled. “Does such a place still exist?”
Luxianbei vaguely remembered that before the nights became long, there was an ancient street near Mudan Street where a group of mysterious people would gather every fifteenth of the month.
They would set up stalls on either side of the ancient street, lighting dim yellow candles, selling various unique handmade crafts and mysterious antiques, occasionally involving fortune-telling and the like, and even rumored to perform curses.
The Ghost Market generally opened around 2 or 3 AM and closed at dawn.
On that antiquated street, from a distance, shadows flickered as people engaged in trade, creating a ghostly atmosphere which is how it got its name.
However, ever since the nights grew longer, two or three o’clock in the morning became the most active time for urban legends, and after numerous urban legend incidents, many spontaneously formed ghost markets had long since disappeared.
At this moment, Luxianbei felt puzzled upon hearing Bai Kai mention the Ghost Market.
Didn’t those people fear encountering urban legends? Or does the Ghost Market Water Brother refers to really indicate a true “ghost market”?
Just as Luxianbei was in doubt, Bai Kai smiled and said, “You don’t need to worry; the Ghost Market I mentioned has no malevolent urban legends, and the stall area is set up by the Siye Society, a special zone with no danger.”
Are you like the city management? Do you have to regulate this too?
Luxianbei thought inwardly, chewing over the term “strong urban legend,” a vocabulary he hadn’t seen in “The Book of Siye”, and asked, “Strong urban legends? What does that mean?”
“This relates to an ongoing debate within the Siye Society. Some people believe that urban legends are all evil, but a small number think there are some good ones among them…”
After a pause, Bai Kai added, “I’m in the middle ground, though I think this management works quite well.”
“After all, as you know, there are so few members in the Huacheng Siye Society, a total of only six key operatives, twenty-one special task forces of five members each; with so few people, how can they completely manage all urban legend incidents?”
“Of course, there aren’t many urban legends in the Ghost Market; most characters there are rogue spiritual ability users.”
“Oh…” Luxianbei nodded thoughtfully, his gaze drifting casually outside the window, and when he realized the car had arrived near Mudan Street, he was slightly taken aback and tapped Bai Kai’s seat back, saying, “Water Brother, stop here; I’ll get off here.”
“Huh? Weren’t we supposed to go to the Ghost Market? You’re getting off…”
“Come on! Isn’t the Ghost Market only open at midnight? I have something to do now and made plans with someone, so I’ll contact you again around the time in the evening.” Luxianbei interrupted.
“You’ve made plans with someone?” Bai Kai frowned, instantly switching to “Mom Mode,” “Are you dating? Male or female? How old? What do they look like? Also…”
“Alright, alright!” Luxianbei cut in, “I’m a guy. How could I be at a loss?”
“That’s not how it works,” Bai Kai said seriously. “Xiao Bei, you must learn to protect yourself out there.”
Your dad failed to protect himself, and his ending was miserable! Bai Kai thought.
“…” Luxianbei expressionlessly stared at Bai Kai for two seconds, “I got it; being adaptable and knowing when to act is my best skill.”
“Fine.” Bai Kai nodded, then changed the subject, “But who exactly are you going on a date with?”
“A certain wife,” Luxianbei replied indifferently.
Bai Kai, “???”
(Late arrival ~)
