Chapter 16: The Invitation from the Solar Eclipse Society
As Mu Se returned, Li Tanghan, who had been secretly observing the situation in the swimming pool from the shadows, witnessed the terrifying scene and almost cried out in shock.
Although he had dealt with urban legends before, those were all second-rate characters.
However, the urban legend of Mu Se had been widely circulated in Huacheng long before the night began to grow long.
Li Tanghan vaguely remembered that during school, he would occasionally hear rumors about a certain student from a certain school encountering that terrifying woman on the way home from school.
A legend that had been passed down for at least a decade was certainly not something that the likes of Sack Face could compare to, until this moment.
Li Tanghan then realized that the shady business his family was involved in was really not something he could handle either.
After completing the transaction, he had to eavesdrop and spy on the buyers’ intelligence?
Each of them were ruthless characters who would k*ll without blinking an eye!
What would happen if he got discovered? Li Tanghan thought.
As shock and worry intertwined, he just opened his mouth to say something when Cai Jin noticed and suddenly pulled him into an embrace, covering his mouth in the process.
Feeling the warmth from the solid chest he was leaning against, Li Tanghan was stunned for a moment, looking up to meet Cai Jin’s gaze, creating a strange spark in that instant.
Then, both of them flinched as if electrocuted and quickly averted their gazes.
Li Tanghan, “…”
Fortunately, I’m a real man; otherwise, this plot with the boss’s personal bodyguard and the young lady…
Wait!
Speaking of which, this guy shouldn’t have any peculiar interests like strongman locks or male-on-male separation, right? Li Tanghan pondered.
“Be quiet; as long as you don’t make a sound or move around, they won’t discover us,” Cai Jin whispered.
Hearing this, Li Tanghan finally noticed that the pendant Cai Jin wore on his chest was flickering with a dim light, and under this faint glow, a layer of gray mist that was almost invisible to the n*ked eye enveloped their surroundings.
That thing…
Li Tanghan furrowed his brows; he recognized the pendant. He had one just like it, but he almost never wore it because it was too ugly.
Even if his family patriarch was a believer in the heavenly deity, who would wear the community’s landmark logo around their neck?
But after seeing the pendant’s miraculous properties on Cai Jin, Li Tanghan secretly decided to keep the pendant with him at all times.
After a while.
When Mu Se left amidst a crowd of black-robed figures, Cai Jin finally released his embrace around Li Tanghan.
He got up, looked around, and said, “It’s safe here now; you can go back to whatever you were doing. I need to leave first to report this situation to the boss.”
With that, Cai Jin turned and left the vicinity of the swimming pool, and the area quickly fell silent.
Watching him walk away, Li Tanghan felt a chill run down his spine, then shouted, “Wait, I’m coming with you!” and jogged after him.
————
That night.
In a chaotic urban village near Huacheng.
In a pitch-black room, a stunning woman in black lace nightwear was sound asleep.
Through the open door of the bedroom, one could see a fair-skinned man sitting in the darkness in the unlit living room, staring intently at the corner like an owl keeping watch.
“Dear little rabbit, I’m back! I will find you soon…”
Whispers broke the stillness, drifting into the woman’s ears, hazy and indistinct, as if they were close at hand yet seemed miles away.
Suddenly, a violent surge of spirit energy rippled through the house.
The man froze for a moment and glanced towards the bedroom where the energy was coming from, frowning.
The woman, having woken up at some point, sat up in bed, clutching her aching abdomen, gasping heavily, her beautiful features twisted in pain as if enduring immense suffering.
Seeing this, the man pondered for two seconds, took out a sticky note from his jacket pocket, rummaged through it, then clenched his right fist and lightly tapped his left palm, nodding with determination before getting up.
In the bedroom, Miss Rabbit sat on the bed, her bl**d-red eyes reduced to tiny pinpricks, her soft, white rabbit ears drooping lifelessly on either side of her head.
She’s back—the woman is back!
She knows everything I’ve done!
I have no chance; she will definitely find me and take me back!
In her terror, as Miss Rabbit thought this, a hand holding ginger syrup suddenly reached out to her.
“Want to drink a bit? It will help you feel better; this is not taught by the Elders’ Council, I learned it online myself.”
Miss Rabbit looked up at Shuo E, examining the ginger syrup he had somehow acquired, momentarily at a loss for words.
“…”
Can you™ learn something decent online?
Have you ever seen an urban legend with menstrual cramps?
Her anxiety eased slightly after some internal agitation.
After pondering for a couple of seconds, she looked up at Shuo E and said seriously, “Our partnership is likely to be unavoidably terminated from now on.”
“?”
Shuo E glanced at Miss Rabbit’s serious face, then at the ginger syrup in his hand, scratching his head in confusion.
Did something go wrong somewhere?
Seeing that Shuo E didn’t respond, Miss Rabbit explained, “I cooperated with you for the core of the urban legend itself, in order to have the strength to fight before that woman awakens.”
“Now that woman seems to have awakened ahead of schedule; I must first escape. If she captures me…”
At this point, Miss Rabbit suddenly recalled the cruel methods Mu Se used on her rebellious subordinates, and a chill ran down her back.
“…”
Shuo E was silent for two seconds before saying, “Of course you can terminate the partnership; after all, we did agree that you could leave at any time. However, there’s something I must inform you of before you leave.”
Upon hearing this, Miss Rabbit’s droopy ears perked up at once, and she suspiciously narrowed her eyes at Shuo E, coldly asking, “What is it?”
“Uh…” Shuo E hesitated while pulling out the sticky note, saying, “Wait a second, let me check!”
“Where is it? I clearly remember it being on this, or was it in another book? No, it’s not this one…”
Miss Rabbit, “…” See? This is the outcome of choosing to draw spirit patterns from the core of the aberrant urban legend!
In fact, spiritual ability users who draw spirit patterns from the core of aberrant urban legends usually have some issues in their heads; Shuo E, who suffered severe memory loss, was already among the less affected.
So, my dear spiritual ability user friends, listen to my advice: don’t hunt aberrant types anymore.
That’s right, I am an aberrant type…
Just as Miss Rabbit was cursing internally, Shuo E stared at a crumpled sticky note he had pulled out from who knows where for a few seconds before his eyes lit up.
“Got it! The Elders’ Council’s original words were: if Mu Se awakens ahead of time and Mr. Rabbit abandons the partnership, then I am to bring you back…”
Miss Rabbit’s expression instantly turned alert, and a crowbar appeared in her hand in an instant, coldly saying, “Bring me back? What do you want?”
Shuo E looked at the rusty crowbar in Miss Rabbit’s hand and quickly explained, “I think there’s been a misunderstanding; the Elders’ Council merely wishes to invite you to join us.”
“You’ve been working with me for so long; you must know that everything we do is to obtain better experimental samples, and because of the unique characteristics of urban legends, you—with your extraordinary vitality—are one of the best experimental samples in all of Huacheng.”
Of course, there were actually better options, but… Shuo E thought.
“One of the best samples…” Miss Rabbit murmured thoughtfully.
In truth, Shuo E spoke the truth. Generally speaking, if other urban legends encountered one from a slightly higher level, surviving was quite difficult; let alone someone like Miss Rabbit, who was lively and vibrant after just a few days.
To say further, swallowing a witch’s egg to seize its powers carries a high risk; ordinary urban legends trying to step up in this way face a substantial chance of suffering backfire from negative energy and ending up with no bones left. Miss Rabbit was confident in her regenerative ability to dare to do that.
After a pause, Shuo E added, “In fact, the Solar Eclipse Society has several experimental projects suitable for you recently; if successful, you could easily gain the power to match Mu Se.”
“And the safety can be ensured; at least Mu Se doesn’t have the guts to attack the bases of the Solar Eclipse Society for now.”
Miss Rabbit, “…”
After a moment of silence, she looked up at Shuo E’s face, which was full of “Do you desire power?” and said solemnly, “What’s the cost? What’s the price?”
“Three times!” Shuo E raised three fingers, “The price is that you must unconditionally cooperate with the Solar Eclipse Society in three different types of rituals, and once successful, if you wish, you can join the Preparatory Elders’ Council; if you don’t want to, you can leave freely.”
“Of course, the premise is that you can survive. These rituals are still in the experimental stage, so they carry certain dangers.”
Miss Rabbit, “…” The terms seemed enticing, yet something felt off, as if she had seen this scenario somewhere.
After pondering for a few seconds, she suddenly recalled something strange she had seen many times at her workplace.
Those lower-level demon types negotiating prices with customers when making deals were just like this.
That’s right; those lower-level demons, after enjoying and siphoning off human vitality, had to charge a fee; their sense of urban legend ethics was non-existent.
Usually, ones like Miss Rabbit directly consumed people.
After a moment’s contemplation, Miss Rabbit bit her lip and said, “Perhaps I could go take a look first? After all, words alone hold no power, do they?”
Any urban legend or spiritual ability user with some knowledge would know that once you fell into the hands of the Solar Eclipse Society and became an experimental sample, after enduring the painful experimental process, if you failed, the Solar Eclipse Society would undoubtedly recover data and materials at the cost of your life.
In fact, the deal between Cicada and Miss Rabbit was essentially another experiment; if Miss Rabbit failed the ritual of consuming the witch’s egg, in addition to the egg, everything about her would also be taken as research material.
But…
At least with the Solar Eclipse Society, if the worst came to the worst, she would d*e. However, if she waited until Mu Se fully regained her strength and was captured by her, under the master’s control over her subordinates, it would be extremely difficult for her to even d*e; it would be a fate worse than d*ath.
There’s an old saying that often rings true: sometimes, living is scarier than dying.
In weighing the two evils, Miss Rabbit finally made a bold decision.
“Of course, the Solar Eclipse Society is not filled with mad sorcerers who are crazy about spell studies and ritual studies; we are always very trustworthy and open-minded,” Shuo E said.
“However, before we go formally, I have one condition: if I decide to participate, I must return to Huacheng once after the first experiment succeeds,” Miss Rabbit said seriously.
If she successfully gained power through the Solar Eclipse Society’s experiments, the first thing she wanted to do was hunt Mu Se and consume her core of urban legend.
Only by doing so would the mark of her subordinates on her body completely disappear, granting her true freedom.
Of course, if possible, she would also settle her new and old grudges with the thief who stole her witch’s egg at that time.
“Of course, in fact, after a successful experiment, you will have a considerable adjustment period ahead,” Shuo E explained.
Miss Rabbit nodded thoughtfully and then turned to Shuo E, “So when do we set off?”
“Now?”
“Hmm.”
Although she deeply cherished Huacheng, a city abundant in “food,” she didn’t want to stay a minute longer under the threat of Mu Se.
However, when I come back next time… Miss Rabbit thought, narrowing her eyes with a glimmer of cold, sinister crimson light.
————
Morning.
Huacheng Folk Culture Research Management Bureau.
When the first ray of sunlight streamed through the gap in the curtains and fell on Lu Yibei’s brick-supported, one-legged desk, he stretched, checked on the screen of his blacked-out computer, and confirmed that his hair hadn’t thinned out before finally relaxing.
After finishing up an urban legend case in the early morning yesterday, he worked overtime to compile the details into a report and submit it to the database of the Siye Society before he managed to squeeze in an hour of rest.
Such intense work made him involuntarily worry about his hair volume.
Hearing from Water Brother that Jiang Li often did this, he wondered how her hair remained so thick. Lu Yibei inwardly complained.
Just as he was secretly speculating that Jiang Li’s waterfall-like silver hair was probably a wig, hiding a shiny bald head beneath, the office door was pushed open.
Bai Kai rushed in hastily and said to Lu Yibei, “Xiao Bei, I heard that last night you encountered those guys in black robes and masks?”
Lu Yibei shot Bai Kai a glare, annoyed, “What do you mean you heard? It’s obviously the information I sent you, okay? Were you drunk last night again?”
After returning from the half-finished building on Fuchun Road last night, he immediately sent the weird situation he encountered to Water Brother, yet it had fallen on deaf ears until hours later.
“This…” Bai Kai rubbed his forehead, “I wasn’t drunk last night; I was busy escorting the sisters from the club home. They have been somewhat…”
“Feeling lonely and cold? Did you sleep with them? Didn’t you say you don’t eat from the nearby grass? Water Brother, get your act together!”
Listening to Lu Yibei’s barrage of soul-searching questions, Bai Kai’s mouth twitched, “Tch, what are you thinking? They are all spiritual ability users or urban legends…”
“Holy hell!?” Lu Yibei exclaimed, “You slept with an urban legend?”
When Jumeng was still at his place, he often saw her wandering around in an oversized T-shirt, her long and shapely legs on display, and honestly, if he didn’t have any indecent thoughts, he’d be considered a decent person.
Plus, considering how Jumeng often behaved shamelessly at his home, he had even thought of demanding her to pay rent with her body (but didn’t dare).
But still, who in their right mind would sleep with an urban legend?
And Water Brother…
Lu Yibei looked over at Bai Kai, taking in his suit embroidered with peacock feathers and his peach blossom eyes, along with that corner of his mouth that had a seemingly nonchalant lift but was anything but smiley, and couldn’t help but facepalm.
“Xiao Bei, don’t always think of me in such a bad light, okay? Am I that kind of person?”
“…”
Lu Yibei remained silent, but his eyes, fiery with determination, spoke volumes about his response.
“…”
Bai Kai fell silent for a moment, deciding not to continue discussing this issue with Lu Yibei. After all, he indeed was “that kind of person” on normal days.
“Xiao Bei, the reason I was escorting the sisters home is that they have someone after them; those guys in black robes have been stalking them, and someone informed me that they are plotting a Hundred Demons Walk.”
“So when I saw your message this morning, knowing you had dealings with those guys, I nearly had a heart attack.”
Lu Yibei frowned after pondering over Bai Kai’s words.
Hundred Demons Walk?
From Water Brother’s tone, those black-robed figures were exactly what Stinky Sister had mentioned—the ones wanting to casually urinate around Huacheng?
But…
“Someone informed you? Is this news reliable? Water Brother, be careful not to let someone whisper sweet nothings into your ear! Throughout history, many have fallen for that.” Lu Yibei warned earnestly.
“Stop babbling!” Bai Kai retorted, “The person who informed me is absolutely reliable and definitely wouldn’t whisper sweet nothings!”
Yeah, that kid Xiao Hua, although she’s been known to sow chaos, when it comes to significant matters, she’s definitely a good girl and wouldn’t lie.
But I’m not sure why she spent so long trying to find Xiao Bei and ended up mingling in the circle of lone spiritual ability users in Huacheng.
If it were before, it would’ve been my turn to step in and play matchmaker, but now…
Bai Kai thought, stealing a glance at Lu Yibei.
If Xiao Hua knew that her fiancé occasionally turned into a girl, with her personality, she might just do something terrifying, right?
There are indeed some rituals and alchemical potions for correcting and changing gender…
