Chapter Twenty-One: This Child is Beyond Saving
Not long after the red-clothed overseer in the desolate land activated the returning curse, a snow-white parrot flew out from the station, cutting through the night towards the direction where Luxianbei and Ahua had gone.
Soon, in the waiting hall of the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy, the ground was littered with corpses; the raiders who had fought savagely here were now cold.
Under the catalysis of the returning curse, threads of addictive poisonous smoke containing spirit energy fluctuations drifted out from the decayed flesh, spreading in all directions.
Taking refuge in the dark corners of the station, the surviving refugees, lucky to have endured the chaos, began to absorb the poisonous smoke. Like scavengers smelling bl**d, they emerged one after another from their hiding places, exposing their bodies to the invisible smoke, waving their arms and shouting wildly.
The entire station looked like a bizarre hell of indulgence.
At this moment, a figure in red work clothes walked in from outside the station.
He walked through the station, bathing in the poisonous smoke, his expression relaxed and enjoying, then searching every corner of the station bit by bit.
After a while, when he found a bound refugee in the twisted and narrow gap between the convenience store and the restroom, his expression gradually darkened.
“d*mn it! They ran away?”
After speaking, he pondered in silence for a moment, his gaze slowly drifting towards the direction of the railway, snorting coldly, “Hmph! Did they run along the tracks? Too clever for their own good!”
As he spoke, he began to quietly chant a spell: “Winds of the sea and sky, free the wings of shackles, soar, roll back, rampage… the winds of proclamation!”
With the incantation finished, a storm suddenly whipped up inside the station, swirling and carrying the poisonous smoke that continuously leaked from the flesh, surging along the tracks to both ends.
—
Luxianbei and Ahua left the platform along the tracks and soon entered a pitch-black tunnel.
Using the dim light of the alchemical ammunition for illumination, the two continued forward in the tunnel, the terrifying sounds of battle behind them gradually fading away.
As they walked, Luxianbei murmured, “Go on, I hope you have a safe journey, that the bridge is strong and the tunnel well-lit…”
“Stop talking…” Ahua impatiently reminded.
“Tsk, I’m just trying to be auspicious, okay?” Luxianbei retorted.
Eventually, when they emerged from the tunnel and saw the sky again, the surroundings fell into silence.
Looking ahead, the land beneath the tracks gradually became riddled with holes.
Chunks of fractured land, floating around as if unbound by the laws of physics, displayed sharp crevices beneath them that led to a pitch-black abyss.
Further along, the land completely vanished, the rusted tracks hanging in mid-air, extending upward in a slight arc until disappearing into a hazy fog.
There was no path forward.
As the Xiuyao had said, without the Giant Train’s transportation or a special pass, it was impossible to leave the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy via the tracks.
Looking at the scene before her, Luxianbei recalled the dreadful riding experience of entering the flesh tunnel on the Giant Train, her brow furrowing slightly as she turned to Ahua.
“Is this about it? We stay here and wait until those guys have finished fighting, then we go back.”
“Mm!” Ahua softly responded, wanting to say something but hesitating two or three times before ultimately not speaking.
In silence, she walked aside, tidying her skirt, and sat down on a relatively flat rock, resting her hands on her knees, chin in hand, her deep brown eyes staring blankly at the sky through her glasses.
Above them, thick fog filled with industrial waste obscured everything; it was grey and murky, lacking any star light, looking nothing like the familiar world, leaving them unsure if they were still in the same realm.
Sensing Ahua’s unease, Luxianbei sat down beside her. “Don’t worry, those organized, undisciplined, and somewhat deranged guys will probably keep killing each other once they get bl**d on their hands.”
“This place is about four or five kilometers away from the station, and we have to cross a completely dark tunnel; those raiders shouldn’t have the uncanny ability to chase us here.”
As she spoke, she rummaged through her breast pocket, pulling out a spicy snack and offering it to Ahua.
“Come on, want one? This stuff has a great chewiness, a perfect teeth-grinding treat, great for passing the time.”
Why would you need to grind your teeth? Are you a hamster? Ahua thought, casting a sideways glance at Luxianbei and shaking her head.
Seeing this, Luxianbei shrugged with some disappointment, popped the spicy snack into her mouth, and chewed happily while muttering, “If you’re not worried about those guys chasing you, then you must be worried about Jiang Li, right?”
“…” Ahua opened her mouth to speak but didn’t say anything, instead nodding in agreement.
When she had first met Luxianbei in the afternoon, she was immersed in surprise and busy putting up missing person posters. Not long after she settled down, they were attacked, leaving her no time to think of anything else.
Now, having escaped the tense situation, a flurry of mixed thoughts surged in her mind.
Seeing the troubled expression on Ahua’s face, Luxianbei understood her state.
It was like how many people could face colossal issues during the day, but at night, when everything was silent and their tense nerves relaxed, all the negative emotions suppressed throughout the day would burst forth.
In fact, for a long period after the car accident, Luxianbei experienced similar feelings; during the day, she was carefree, even comforting Bai Kai in return.
But at night, she would find herself back on that large bus traversing foggy mountain roads…
Snapping back to reality, Luxianbei patted Ahua’s shoulder, speaking with conviction, “Don’t worry, she’s still alive.”
Ahua glanced at Luxianbei, then at the chili oil handprint left on her shoulder.
Luxianbei felt a bit embarrassed under Ahua’s gaze, withdrew her hand, licked her fingers one by one, and then placed her hand back on Ahua’s shoulder.
Ahua was speechless.
“When I was idle this afternoon, I did a bit of divination, and the result showed she’s still alive,” Luxianbei said.
“Divination?” Ahua tilted her head, eagerly asking, “How did you do the divination? Is your result accurate?”
“Accurate as hell!” Luxianbei blurted out, quickly realizing her divination method might sound childish, and her voice softened, “As for the method…”
Would it sound too silly to tell her I used coin tossing for divination? Luxianbei thought secretly, clearing her throat.
“Ahem, well, the divination method is a personal secret, not convenient to share.”
“However, I can guarantee the accuracy is extremely high!”
After saying this, Luxianbei mentally scolded herself.
d*mn it, we’re all victims, why do I have to comfort her!?
If this were a web novel, someone would probably call me a saintly b*tch, right?
This girl previously abused me too…
As Luxianbei internally mulled over her dark thoughts, calculating when to find an opportunity to take revenge, a sudden wave of spirit energy fluctuations intruded upon her spiritual awareness.
As she sensed the approaching spirit energy, she frowned and sprang to her feet, gripping Ling Tai Purification tightly, leaping back a step to stand in front of Ahua.
“Be careful! Something is coming.”
While speaking, she slightly bent her knees, a surge of spirit energy welled up in her leg muscles, ready to unleash her skills at a moment’s notice.
Ahua was startled by Luxianbei’s sudden action, opening her mouth in alarm. Just as she was about to say something, she too sensed the presence of that spirit energy fluctuation.
Furrowing her brows, she focused her mind and used the special ability of the spirit patterns to carefully detect the nature of the spirit energy fluctuation.
Determining the state of the spirit energy, Ahua adjusted her glasses and reminded Luxianbei, “The spirit energy fluctuation level is between B+ and A, it’s an elf-type urban legend, its aura is sweet and gentle.”
“An elf-type? Is that a rare kind?” Luxianbei asked in surprise.
Elf-type urban legends, in strict terms, actually fall under a special category of mutant types; however, during the mutation, there were no negative changes dominating the process. Narrowly speaking, they could even be referred to as “demons.”
In fact, after seeing this small classification in The Book of Siye, Luxianbei made a special trip to Huacheng University’s Cherry Blossom Avenue to feed stray cats, all while mumbling, “Turn into something for me, turn into something for me!”
After a week of persistence, she successfully aroused the concern and attention of the Decapitated Senior, who subtly handed her a pamphlet for the school’s psychological counseling office.
Ahua seemed to guess Luxianbei’s “bold” thoughts, her eyes flashing with a hint of disgust. “Although they might not be like those guys from the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy, they probably aren’t harmless, so be careful.”
Not from the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy? Luxianbei was taken aback, her eyes narrowing slightly.
If they weren’t from the pharmacy, could they be from one of the other two places?
However, the nightclub and entertainment city are associated with the pharmacy; the pharmacy’s people have already called in someone to attack me for no reason. Wouldn’t they do the same?
Muttering to herself, Luxianbei looked in the direction of the spirit energy fluctuation, soon spotting a snow-white figure that shot through the air like lightning.
Then, the figure slowed down about ten meters away from them, revealing itself to be a parrot resembling a sunflower, and under a burst of brilliant light, the parrot’s form swiftly enlarged, accompanied by pure white feathers drifting down, a girl landed steadily before them.
The girl appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, with long light golden hair and a white dress adorned with sunflower embroidery, giving off a refreshing vibe. However, she looked as if she had just had a drink, with a faint blush on her delicate face.
“Who are you, girl? Which mountain are you from?”
Hearing Luxianbei’s voice from behind, Ahua realized that, unbeknownst to her, Luxianbei had hidden behind her, grasping at her shoulders and peeking out with just her eyes visible.
“…”
Seriously, when you say something like that, can your demeanor convey a bit more confidence? Ahua’s mouth twitched.
The girl’s gaze lingered on Luxianbei for a few seconds before she slightly bent her body. “My name is Xiuyao, from the Lan Zhu Inn. My master has specially sent me to help you.”
Upon hearing this, Ahua was taken aback and glanced at Luxianbei with her peripheral vision, whispering, “You know people from the Lan Zhu Inn? You haven’t been there for fun, have you?”
If that were true, the prospective son-in-law would be in trouble… Ahua thought.
“What are you thinking? How could I go to such places! Am I that kind of person?” Luxianbei quietly replied.
As she spoke, she extended her sword-holding hand from behind Ahua, pointing the blade at Xiuyao and growling, “Didn’t you say you’d help us?”
“Then where were you when we were being chased just now?”
“…”
Wasn’t it you doing the chasing?
Did you encounter even a hint of danger during the entire process?
Moreover, the master isn’t even here yet for me to openly help you, right?
Having mentally cursed steadily, Xiuyao patiently said, “This is a long story; it’s somewhat complicated to explain. Why don’t you follow me to a safe place, and I’ll explain it to you?”
“No need,” Luxianbei responded without hesitation, “We’re quite safe here!”
As long as they hid here and waited for the Giant Train to return, they could quickly get back to the platform and board the train.
On the contrary, with an ambiguous urban legend like you, why should I easily trust you? Even if you’re a human outsider, that’s not enough.
I can’t just think that because Biesuzhen is touched, I should assume everyone from the Lan Zhu Inn is kind to me, Luxianbei thought.
“You…” Xiuyao became anxious, glancing back at the direction of the station, speaking in a low voice, “In a situation like this, if you don’t trust me, it will lead to a dead end!”
If it weren’t for the orders from Black Peony, she wouldn’t want to waste her breath with Luxianbei.
“Do you know that the station of the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy is already filled with their terrifying creations, and it won’t dissipate for several hours? You won’t be able to return!”
“Moreover, even if a large amount of poisonous smoke spreads this way, inhaling just a little will lead to utter ruin!”
While she spoke, she pointed towards the tracks leading to Dream Come True Entertainment City and continued, “However, if you don’t return, when the Giant Train comes, it will be the same dead end!”
“That driver won’t stop just because there are people or other things on the tracks, and…”
As Xiuyao spoke halfway, a gust of wind blew past, and she suddenly felt a wave of inexplicable joy.
A trace of “treasure” was already floating over with the wind…
Xiuyao’s expression changed, and she hurriedly pulled out a snuff bottle from her bosom, taking a deep inhalation. She then swiftly dashed towards Ahua, placing the snuff bottle under her nose.
Xiuyao’s speed was extremely fast. Ahua didn’t have time to react before she felt a thick fragrance rush into her nostrils, and soon she began to feel drowsy.
Although Ahua’s reaction was a beat slow, facing such a situation, Luxianbei typically reacted incredibly fast. Additionally, since Xiuyao had paused for about half a second at Ahua, before the snuff bottle could reach Luxianbei, she had already sprinted three zhang away.
“What the hell! What are you doing? Can’t talk me into it, so you’re drugging me?”
“This isn’t…” Xiuyao explained.
“If it’s not a drug, then what is it?” Luxianbei questioned warily.
“It’s…” Xiuyao was momentarily at a loss for words, not knowing how to explain it to Luxianbei, and stamped her foot in urgency, “Alright, this is indeed a drug, but not the kind you think it is, just… just hurry and take a bit!”
I can’t just tell her this drug’s main purpose is to help guests enjoy themselves, and only secondarily to block the ‘treasure’ effect, right? Xiuyao thought indignantly.
“I won’t!” Luxianbei replied defiantly.
A drug produced by the Lan Zhu Inn, which cannot be conveniently explained regarding its effects, is arguably more dangerous than the “treasure” from the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy! Luxianbei considered.
As she pondered, her eyes suddenly felt warm, followed closely by a blur in her vision. She saw wisps of blue-violet threads appearing in her sight.
Those threads floated about, some long, some short, some thick, some thin, messily resembling a ball of yarn that a cat had played with.
Among the countless threads, one particularly tiny thread floated before her, following her breath, and right under her gaze, “slinked” its way into her body.
Suddenly, Luxianbei felt a rush of joy, involuntarily letting out a soft exclamation, “Ohh—!”
The joy she felt wasn’t like the brief happiness sparked by a joke or a short video, but rather a deeper and much stronger happiness from within her heart.
It felt like being together with a beloved person, gathering with family and friends, achieving financial independence in her twenties without worrying about the future, or finally seeing the results of long-term efforts, with all the perseverance coming to fruition…
In summary, it was an irresistible joy.
From afar, seeing a slight flush appearing on Luxianbei’s face, Xiuyao’s mouth twitched as she tentatively yelled at her, “How… how do you feel now?”
“Very high…” Luxianbei smiled and responded, then her face brightened with a radiant smile as she exclaimed, “Wait, that’s not right!”
“I’m already high to the extreme!”
“Smack—!”
Xiuyao slapped her forehead in frustration, shaking her head, and muttered sorrowfully, “It’s done, it’s done, this child is beyond saving.”
Why wouldn’t she listen to kind advice?
Ahua watched Luxianbei, who was smiling like sunshine, nodding with a complex expression, echoing, “Mm-mm, I feel the same way.”
A person who has had a perennial deadpan look is now laughing like a fool; it defies logic!
What should we do now!?
(Oh hey, what a coincidence~)
