Chapter 45: I Remember This Grudge!
In the dimly lit corridor, Lu Yibei stood in front of the rusty iron door, pondering how to coax the woman inside to come out again.
At that moment, the only sound-controlled light at the end of the corridor suddenly turned on, and footsteps echoed from the staircase corner leading to the second floor. Soon after, a slightly plump, dirty-clothed middle-aged woman appeared at the end of the corridor.
The middle-aged woman reached the corridor and saw Lu Yibei. She frowned slightly, quickly walked up to her, and stood before her, sizing her up as if wanting to see right through her.
“What do you want?”
“Hello, big sister. I’m here to find a person named Qin Dalin. May I ask—”
Before Lu Yibei could finish her sentence, the middle-aged woman’s expression turned wary, interrupting her with, “What do you want him for?”
“I’m his relative. We’ve had an elder pass away in the family recently, so I want to get in touch with him,” Lu Yibei fabricated a lie effortlessly, her calm expression not appearing false.
“Relative?” The middle-aged woman’s expression became strange as she scoffed, “I thought that gambling addict’s family had already cut ties with him!”
A gambling addict? Could it be that Qin Dalin was forced to live in a place like this because he lost all his money from gambling?
Lu Yibei thought to herself, furrowing her brows slightly as she pressed on, “Though he has those bad habits, after all, bl**d is thicker than water!”
“Now that this has happened, we think it’s still necessary to contact him, so can you tell me where he is now?”
The middle-aged woman looked Lu Yibei up and down again, rolling her eyes as she said, “It won’t be easy to find him.”
“What do you mean?” Lu Yibei asked, puzzled.
“To avoid those debt collectors, he’s either playing cards in some game room during the day or off drinking with his buddies. He only comes back in the middle of the night,” the middle-aged woman explained kindly.
Upon hearing this, Lu Yibei hesitated for a moment and asked, “Then can you tell me which room he lives in? I could wait for him to come back.”
The middle-aged woman, her expression impatient, pursed her lips and pointed upstairs, “Top floor, at the end of the hall, room 401.”
After she finished speaking, she turned to head outside the building but stopped not far out the door.
The middle-aged woman looked back at Lu Yibei, who was staring blankly at the stairs, silenced for a moment, and reminded her, “Young girl, you seem nice. Heed my advice: if you can’t find that gambling addict, just give up.”
“Don’t go into these rooms casually, and definitely don’t spend the night here. Leave quickly before dark.”
“A girl like you wandering around here is really too dangerous!”
What does she mean by a girl like me? Is there something wrong with how I look? Lu Yibei froze for a moment, looking at the middle-aged woman and asked, “Why? Are there urban legends here?”
Upon hearing the words “urban legend,” the middle-aged woman’s expression suddenly became tense. She hesitated to speak, avoiding Lu Yibei’s gaze, and hurriedly walked away, soon disappearing from sight.
Lu Yibei stared at the long, dark corridor, deep in thought.
From her reaction, it seemed like I hit a nerve—maybe there really are urban legends here.
But since I entered the building, why have I not sensed even a hint of spirit energy fluctuation?
Could it be that the urban legend isn’t hidden in this building, but will come here at some point after dark?
After pondering for a while, an idea struck her, and she reached into her coat pocket to pull out the Blessing God Copper Coin.
Would an urban legend appear in this building tonight? Heads yes, tails no.
Lu Yibei silently chanted, and with a “ding!” she flicked the coin into the air, and after making a prediction, she reached up to catch it in her palm.
“Will an urban legend really appear?”
Lu Yibei muttered softly, turning toward the staircase at the end of the corridor.
Before leaving, she wanted to scout Qin Dalin’s residence first.
Compared to the first floor, the second floor felt even more damp and dark, cobwebs clustering in the corners, and the walls mottled with patches of mold.
Climbing two more floors, the situation improved slightly, but it was still dirty and messy, with a thick layer of dust on the floor scattered with numerous footprints.
The footprints did not head toward room 401 but moved in exactly the opposite direction.
Following the direction the footprints extended, Lu Yibei suddenly noticed a door ajar at the end of the corridor leading to room 420, and behind the door, someone was secretly peeking out, the person’s face partially visible with a large dark red birthmark.
Is that the woman from before? How did she come up here? Lu Yibei was startled.
This type of old building usually has many illogical designs. She had observed when she came up that the entire building only had that one staircase.
Could there be hidden passages in this rundown building? Lu Yibei thought, just as she was about to approach the woman to inquire, the woman abruptly slammed the door shut.
“Bang—!”
Lu Yibei stared at the door that had been closed again, frozen for a moment before turning to walk toward the other end of the corridor.
Having already been met with a closed door, she didn’t plan to engage with that woman any further.
Curiosity killed the cat; since she now knew where Qin Dalin lived, there was no need to complicate things.
Turning around and following the direction pointed out by the middle-aged woman, Lu Yibei quickly found room 401. Upon seeing the entrance to Qin Dalin’s residence, she paused slightly.
In the entire building, almost all the doors were old and dilapidated, except for Qin Dalin’s, which was a brand-new security door that looked remarkably sturdy.
Moreover, the security door was covered with talisman papers written with incantations in cinnabar, and in the corner, there was a skull of a bull carved with strange patterns.
Lu Yibei reached out to touch the talisman papers, feeling a burning sensation at her fingertips, and immediately retracted her hand.
She was currently in an urban legend state; the talisman papers reacted to her, which indicated that these were not the work of con artists but genuinely had certain effects against urban legends.
“What on earth is Qin Dalin up to? Is he being tormented by an urban legend?”
“Knock, knock, knock—knock, knock, knock—!”
Lu Yibei tried knocking on the door for a while and waited a moment, but when no one responded, she sighed and exited the building.
“It seems I’ll have to go back to prepare, and come back after dark.”
————
Moments later.
Sitting on the bus back to the city, Lu Yibei suddenly remembered something, her eyes brightening as she took out her phone and opened the browser to search for Qin Dalin’s residence address.
She entered “Huacheng Power Plant Old Staff Building” in the search bar, clicked search, and after scrolling through several pages, a few pertinent pieces of information caught her eye.
“Chen Siqi, female, 18 years old, missing near Huacheng Power Plant Old Staff Building in June 2018…”
“Zhang Huihui, female, 15 years old…”
“Fang Liqin, female, 17 years old…”
Lu Yibei briefly skimmed through the information, her expression growing serious as she discovered it was mostly news about missing persons or missing person notices.
Counting them up, in the span of three years, four or five people had gone missing in that vicinity, most of whom were females between their teens to twenties, and none had been found.
In desolate and rundown places like this, an average of less than two people went missing per year can be comprehensible, but it raises suspicion—did the Siye Society not investigate?
No, there’s no spirit energy fluctuation nearby, so perhaps the Siye Society has already been here but found nothing.
Without spirit energy fluctuations, it could only be treated as a regular serial m*rder case handed over to the police. I wonder if that psychopathic killer has been caught.
As Lu Yibei pondered, she didn’t realize her phone screen had gone dark, the black screen reflecting her delicate face. In the midday sun, with no makeup, she still bore a touch of allure.
Lu Yibei, “…”
No wonder that big sister said girls like me shouldn’t wander around here; does she want to remind me of this?
Does she know something?
Lu Yibei thought, rubbing her temples, “It looks like when I go out at night, I’ll need to find something to cover my face!”
She was headed to find Qin Dalin and didn’t want to be targeted by any serial killer focusing on beautiful young girls.
Unless…
What if Qin Dalin is that serial killer?
A sudden hypothesis jumped into her mind.
Could Qin Dalin be connected to those missing person cases, fearing those girls would turn into urban legends seeking him out for trouble, which is why he pasted a bunch of strange things on his door?
If that were true, with Qin Dalin’s suspicious behavior, he would have been investigated by the police long ago, but since he still lives there, it means he hides well and hasn’t shown any slip-ups.
Thinking of this, Lu Yibei silently pulled the copper coin from her pocket and gently tossed it into the air.
Before the coin fell, she swiftly caught it, her expression becoming serious, her gaze shifting multiple times as an intense mental struggle seemed to occur within her.
“…”
After a long time.
Lu Yibei gently patted her coat, whispering, “Coat, will you turn into something pure yet seductive that makes people want to commit crimes at first glance?”
It wouldn’t be the first time being a bait; though last time it was passive, this time it’s active.
Hearing her question, the coat immediately began to move, seemingly about to perform unexpectedly right then and there.
Feeling the fabric shift sizes, a hint of panic crossed Lu Yibei’s eyes as she hastily cleared her throat and shouted, “Not now! Change tonight, tonight!”
Living beings have their limits; one can lower their principles, but they shouldn’t completely forsake them, right?
Although there were only a few people on the bus, changing clothes in public felt too embarrassing to even imagine, Lu Yibei thought.
————
In the afternoon.
Lu Yibei ran back to Happy Neighborhood, grabbed her guitar bag, and brought all the gear she might need for combat.
When she returned, Jiang Li wasn’t in the rental apartment. Worried about her being alone there and encountering the same situation as last night, she sent her a message.
Wang Buliu: “I have something going on tonight, won’t be back. You’d better not go back either; it’s not safe alone.”
Genius Mahjong Girl: “What’s going on? Can I come along? [Heart Emoji]”
Wang Buliu: “Private game, can’t bring pets.”
Genius Mahjong Girl: “[Smile]”
Lu Yibei, “…” Why does it feel a bit chilly behind me?
Wang Buliu: “I’ll make you something delicious tomorrow.”
Since the materials borrowed from the neighbor’s house were still unused, with three big bottles of vinegar left over, she wondered if she could borrow some dumplings or hairy crabs. Lu Yibei thought.
Genius Mahjong Girl: “[Heart Emoji]”
Done, her expression is normal now… Having arranged things for Jiang Li, Lu Yibei put away her phone and left Happy Neighborhood, heading to the central park where she found a secluded spot to practice the suona.
————
Meanwhile, in the Li family mansion.
The confined Li Tanghan was snuggled in bed, cautiously keeping an eye on the bodyguards sent by his grandfather to keep watch while fiddling with his phone, messaging someone.
After a long time.
After receiving a message from someone called “Human Skin,” he put down his phone, a meaningful smile spreading across his face.
Good, everything is arranged now!
Qin, tonight you just get ready to enjoy the big gift I prepared for you!
————
That night, at 9:22, a taxi drove toward the Huacheng Power Plant Old Staff Building.
The car was silent, only the sound of the wind outside the window could be heard.
Zhang Shan, through the rear-view mirror, secretly observed the girl in the back seat, familiar yet frightening, with mixed feelings.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries when she got in, the girl had lowered her head to play with her phone, seemingly not intending to tell him a story.
She wore an apricot-colored off-the-shoulder long sleeve knit top, her delicate collarbone and white, round shoulders exposed, paired with a fish-tailed denim skirt, and classic red and white canvas shoes; she had even applied a bit of light makeup, indicating she was well-prepared.
Even someone like him, who already suspected her to be an urban legend, couldn’t help but steal a few glances.
But…
What was she doing at the old staff building? There hadn’t been any stories of urban legends there!
Was she dressed up so nicely to go on a date?
That doesn’t make sense; if it were a date, wine bars, upscale restaurants, amusement parks, and even cheap hotels would be understandable. Why go to that kind of haunted place?
Zhang Shan pondered for a while, and as the journey was halfway done, he finally couldn’t resist asking, “Miss, you don’t have a story to tell today?”
“????”
Lu Yibei raised her head, looking at Zhang Shan’s silhouette with a look of surprise.
Driver, you’re not acting quite right!
What have you been through recently to have the courage to actively inquire about urban legend events again?
Lu Yibei contemplated for two seconds, her expression devoid of emotion as she said, “Yes, if you want to hear it, I’ll tell you.”
The story of a mysteriously missing girl, an old building hiding a secret room, a monster in the old building with a bloody birthmark on its face, an elusive serial killer, and a room sealed with talismans…
Lu Yibei felt she might have inherited her father’s talent for writing low-tier web novels as she narrated the story with surprising skill.
Combining the news and missing person notices she had seen online with some discoveries earlier in the old staff building, and adding a bit of fabrication, she soon had Zhang Shan’s face pale and sweating profusely.
He had heard about the missing girls in the area but had never linked those cases with urban legends before.
When Lu Yibei stopped, Zhang Shan realized there was no conclusion to the story—the perpetrator remained uncaught, and the mystery unsolved.
Driven by a strong curiosity, he couldn’t help but ask, “And then what?”
Lu Yibei did not answer but emotionlessly pointed out the window, “Uncle, we’ve arrived.”
“Ah…”
Zhang Shan, having heard half the story, was itching with curiosity but worried that if he pressed on, Lu Yibei might get angry and bring trouble upon him.
He could only watch helplessly as she scanned the payment code, got out of the car, and pulled a suona from her guitar bag, awkwardly playing a tune from “Conan’s Execution Song,” walking toward the old staff building under the glow of headlights.
Could it be…
Zhang Shan suddenly realized something, his body shaking slightly as his eyes widened in surprise.
She dressed up carefully tonight and came here to use herself as bait to deal with that serial killer!
I understand, the story’s conclusion is that those who commit wrong deeds must answer to ghosts knocking at their doors; the killer ultimately will be devoured by an urban legend! The wheel of fortune turns justly, and the light of the underworld shines upon the earth?
Wonderful, wonderful! Next time, we’ll tell this!
Zhang Shan thought to himself, feeling that Lu Yibei’s image in his mind had grown taller. However, when he looked up to find her, she had already vanished into the dark, winding path, and the sound of the suona had faded away.
He glanced outside and realized the surroundings had fallen into silence; the bright, bustling city had long been left behind, and for a one or two-kilometer radius, the car’s headlights became the only source of light.
Zhang Shan, “…”
Images of the story Lu Yibei just told flooded his mind, and he suddenly felt a bit anxious as a cold sweat rolled down his temple.
Though the psychopathic killer had previously targeted young girls, what if he had developed a taste for something else and suddenly wanted a change?
This place is not suitable for prolonged stay!
Time to… run away.JPG
Clutch in, shift gears, hit the gas, and take off—his sequence of movements was seamless, truly deserving the title of Huacheng’s second best driver.
————
Lu Yibei hid beneath a sturdy tree near the old staff building, observing the red brick structure ahead.
With her small mouth pursed, peeking out from behind the tree, her gaze shifty, she appeared to be both sneaky and somewhat cute.
The night was pitch black, with no stars or moon visible. The atmosphere felt a bit gloomy, and under the veil of night, the dark windows seemed like silent mouths crying out for help.
At that moment, a sudden roar of an engine sounded behind her, and her body involuntarily shivered slightly. Turning around, she saw a taxi speeding away.
“…”
Zhang Shan is still as decisive as before! Lu Yibei thought.
Once Zhang Shan’s figure fully disappeared into the night, Lu Yibei refocused her mind and serious thought about how to attract Qin Dalin’s attention.
After all, she didn’t know what standard Qin Dalin had when choosing his targets.
Playing the suona definitely wouldn’t work; although the sound would attract attention, playing that ridiculous instrument in such a sinister place was scary—it might frighten Qin Dalin away instead.
How about…
Lu Yibei mused, quietly lifting her skirt to reveal her fair thighs, extending them out from behind the tree to sway along the empty street.
After waiting a moment and seeing no signs of activity around, she retracted her legs, frowning.
Is this intention too obvious?
Or perhaps, I could go out and dance; after all, Yun Meng’s memories include dancing skills.
As Lu Yibei was contemplating, a shadow suddenly rushed out of the darkness, approaching her from behind.
[He has approached your back]
[He raises the wooden stick in his hand]
The thought of prediction flashed through Lu Yibei’s mind; she was momentarily stunned and then made a decision—I’ll do my best to cooperate in your performance.
In the next moment, a thick wooden stick whistled through the air and struck Lu Yibei on the back of her head with a “bang!” shattering into two pieces.
“Ah—! It hurts, what…”
Before Lu Yibei could finish her sentence, her eyes rolled back, her mouth shut, as she leaned against the nearby tree and fell to the ground.
In the instant of falling, she opened her eyes slightly and glanced at the person behind her.
It was a middle-aged man of around forty, wearing a faded maroon jacket, with greasy and messy hair, faintly defined brows, and the right side of his face seemed to have been cut by some sharp object, showing a long scar.
So, it was you who hit me so painfully? I’ve noted this grudge! I’ll deal with you later! Lu Yibei thought.
