Chapter 5: I Returned Alive
Tangcheng.
A continuous ancient city wall encircles the central area of this millennium-old city, where a towering arrow tower stands, exuding an imposing atmosphere.
Behind the arrow tower, a winding ancient street stretches out. This ancient street, whether in peak or off-peak seasons, regardless of sunny or rainy days, is always filled with a variety of delicious foods and throngs of tourists.
Radiating from this ancient street are clusters of old buildings, with ancient shops steeped in history, siheyuan from the Ming and Qing dynasties, and low brick buildings constructed decades ago.
These architecture groups, thick with the scent of time, resemble a massive maze, with aged branches leaning against mottled walls, elderly people sitting or leaning under trees playing chess, and children scurrying about to play, as various shops vie to squeeze onto the street.
The sound of metal clanging comes from a century-old blacksmith shop, and a dumpling shop is bustling with people. From afar, two shouts from a fruit and vegetable shop attract a crowd of citizens buying groceries.
As the saying goes, the greatest concealment is found in the market.
If someone were to find a hiding place around Tangcheng, the best spot would certainly not be a secluded canyon like Taoyuandi, but this mixed, densely populated complex.
In one corner of the building complex is a very small shop, with a faded sign hanging high that vaguely identifies it as a “pawn shop.”
Although it’s called a pawn shop, it hasn’t seen any pawns for quite a while.
Inside the shop, a space of about ten square meters is divided in two. One half displays various uniquely shaped ceramics, calligraphy, paintings, ancient books, and coins, which experts can tell are modern craft rejects at first glance.
The other half displays eggs, fruits, snacks, toys, and even mobile phone screen protectors and locksmith services.
Behind the checkout counter sits a lean middle-aged man, with small mung bean-like eyes hidden behind glasses as thick as a beer bottle’s bottom, and a receding hairline that is heart-wrenching.
The neighbors call him “Tan Caizhu.” It is said that his ancestors were among the richest on this street, owning many rice and salt shops, as well as pawn shops.
But the family fortunes have declined, and now only this pawn shop remains with Tan Caizhu, leading him to sell only fake goods and snacks, occasionally helping people appraise collectibles for a little extra cash.
However, that’s all day-to-day earnings, and the income is not stable.
After noon, the afternoon sun feels warm in the wind, and Tan Caizhu, wrapped in a cotton coat, is dozing off.
At this moment, a flurry of footsteps comes from outside the door, and a hunched little old man hurriedly walks in.
Tan Caizhu lifts his eyelids to glance at the old man, then slowly closes them again, as if he didn’t notice his presence, letting him walk straight toward the back of the shop.
After rounding a shelf and parting the curtain, there is a narrow wooden staircase that creaks as it ascends, leading to a tiny attic.
At this moment, the curtains in the attic are tightly drawn, with dim light filtering in. In the corner, on an old wooden bed with an antique charm, a petite girl is sleeping. She looks about seven or eight years old, her skin pale and luminous like jade, and her long dark green hair cascades to the ground like a waterfall.
Hearing footsteps from the stairs, the girl suddenly opens her eyes, a flash of cold, calculating intent crossing her gaze that doesn’t belong to her age.
“East Master, it’s me.”
The little old man speaks in a low voice, and the girl’s expression softens, letting out a sigh, “Oh, it’s Yuan Ye. You startled me. Quick, did you bring the things I needed?”
“…”
Yuan Ye hesitates, takes out three items from his bag, and hands them to the girl.
“Everything’s here. Luckily, they didn’t pay much attention to Chunfeng Residence, or it would have been tough to retrieve these.”
Indeed, who would have thought that Jumeng’s old lair had been disrupted, the grave dug up, and the “body” kidnapped? The first thing on her mind was to retrieve the gaming console, the pipe, and the scratcher she had kept for years from Chunfeng Residence.
After receiving the items from Yuan Ye and inspecting them carefully, Jumeng tilted her head to look at him, noticing his anxious expression. She frowned slightly, sat up straight, and said earnestly, “Yuan Ye, please cheer up. I’m still alive, aren’t I?”
“Given the current situation, it’s much better than that time a hundred years ago when we almost got blasted away, right?”
Seeing Jumeng’s carefree demeanor, Yuan Ye was unsure whether to feel happy or angry, his lips parting as he struggled to find words.
However, the current situation is different; that person has returned! Yuan Ye thought.
After fiddling with the gaming console for a moment, Jumeng raised an eyebrow and asked casually, “By the way, Yuan Ye, what’s the situation over at Taoyuandi? Any news?”
Finally, getting to the serious matter… Yuan Ye thought, replying respectfully, “I got some information.”
“The ones leading that group are indeed the criminals who were expelled a thousand years ago. Their goal seems to be awakening Qunyang.”
Upon hearing this, Jumeng scoffed, “What a move! Digs up someone’s grave and wants to play necromancy there? Aren’t they afraid of summoning something strange?”
“And what about the people in Taoyuandi? Those guys haven’t made things difficult for them, have they?”
“…” Yuan Ye’s face grew grim. He hesitated several times before failing to speak the words out loud.
“Is there something you can’t say?” Jumeng replied calmly, “I know the situation in Taoyuandi isn’t that good; it’s just some fence-sitters, right? I’ve known that for a long time!”
In reality, that group of ancient refugees who settled here have never worshiped Jumang but the divine tree Fusang.
As for the gods born above Fusang later, whether it was Jumeng or Qunyang, they might not care that much.
Jumeng has known this for a while.
Now that she’s been chased away and Qunyang’s followers have returned, it’s normal for some to turn sides.
“Lady Jumeng, things aren’t as you think!” Seeming to guess Jumeng’s thoughts, Yuan Ye changed how he addressed her and hurriedly added, “Actually, after you were attacked, many still bravely resisted those criminals, but they brought along a mob of unknown helpers, and many of them…”
“Died?” Jumeng replied flatly.
“…” Yuan Ye fell silent, nodding. “Most of the survivors have been imprisoned, and a few escaped have scattered around the outskirts of Tangcheng. I’m afraid they’re in danger and haven’t dared to contact them for now.”
After a pause, Yuan Ye tightened his wrinkled fist, fixing his keen gaze on Jumeng, and bowed respectfully.
“Lady Jumeng, it’s our honor to follow you, so you must fight your way back. Everyone is waiting for you!”
In fact, they still care.
“Hey!” Jumeng’s cheeks flushed slightly as she waved her hand in embarrassment, “What’s so honorable about it? What do you want? Do you want me to play games and use public funds to spend on in-game purchases? But…”
“Since you say it that way, I can’t really refuse to fight back, can I?”
“Don’t worry; as long as I’m alive, that guy can’t take what’s not mine!”
Jumeng said proudly, a glint of piercing coldness appearing in her dreamy gaze as she looked towards Taoyuandi. Seeing her like this, Yuan Ye seemed to see the divinity who had previously led the Hundred Demons Walk for eight hundred miles without defeat.
————
Like a headless fly, Luxianbei wandered for most of the day but still couldn’t find Jiang Li.
She hadn’t told anyone where she was going, and during the day Luxianbei couldn’t use the mystical aura to call upon urban legends, and trying to mobilize Huacheng’s urban legends to investigate a Siye Society operative’s whereabouts was even less feasible.
Moreover…
“What the hell? Is today their day off? Do they have the right to refuse work?” Luxianbei stared blankly at the Decapitated Senior, asking this question.
The Decapitated Senior nodded, supporting her head, “Yes, isn’t this the rule you set?”
Luxianbei, “…”
What the hell? When did I set such a rule… Wait!
Luxianbei turned to gaze in the direction of Happy Neighborhood, narrowing her eyes.
Since she couldn’t find Jiang Li for now, it seemed necessary to check out Happy Neighborhood first.
……
Half an hour later.
After passing through the first level of the underground parking lot, Luxianbei stopped at the railing at the entrance of the second level, staring at the sign before her with a frown.
[Private Property Ahead, No Entry Without Permission, Visits Declined.]
Luxianbei, “…”
It seems that a certain girl has used her financial prowess again.
Just as Luxianbei was lost in thought, suddenly someone patted her shoulder from behind. Upon turning around, she saw Du Sixian’s terrified face.
“Senior, what are you doing here? You’re not investigating the urban legend incident, are you? This is your…”
“I know.” Luxianbei suppressed a strong sense of embarrassment and calmly replied, “It’s my sister’s lair.”
Du Sixian was taken aback and smiled, “Hehe, Senior, are you here to inspect on behalf of your benefactor?”
“…” Luxianbei fell silent for two seconds and replied expressionlessly, “Sort of.”
“That’s great! I’ve been waiting for my benefactor to come!” Du Sixian said with a smile, “Although she seems unable to come personally, just seeing you means my efforts haven’t been in vain.”
As she spoke, she gestured for Luxianbei to follow her, “Come on, Senior, let me show you the results of my work.”
Luxianbei nodded and followed Du Sixian into the second level of the underground parking lot. As soon as they entered, they were greeted by rows of ornate luxury cars, with a newly constructed brick wall dividing the area in half further ahead.
Du Sixian walked briskly, her hands clasped behind her back, explaining to Luxianbei like a treasure, “I’ve partitioned most of the area at the back, opened up the original theater, and turned it into an office area, temporarily dividing it into four departments: Human Resources, Planning, Logistics, and Promotion.”
“Oh, no, it should be called Strange Affairs instead.” Du Sixian stuck out her tongue, “The project is quite large; it’s almost emptied my small treasury.”
Luxianbei frowned slightly, “Are you doing this recklessly, with no oversight from home?”
Scamming money from urban legends counts as fraud too, right? If it comes to scrutiny, it might draw the attention of Siye Society.
Although it could be resolved through Xing Yuan, it would still be a hassle.
Upon hearing Luxianbei, Du Sixian seemed to remember something unpleasant. She fell silent for a few seconds, her eyes briefly clouding, but quickly cleared up again, “Hehe, of course not! My dad has always supported my entrepreneurial endeavors!”
Luxianbei, “…” If your dad knew your entrepreneurial project involved running a criminal urban legend organization, he would probably have a fit!
Seeing Luxianbei silent, Du Sixian continued, “The Strange Affairs Department consists of former small leaders from various urban legend hotspots in Huacheng. They primarily focus on counting the number of urban legends across different regions of Huacheng and recording them, then planning the monthly events based on their spirit energy needs.”
Is it a needs-based distribution system? Sounds good. Luxianbei thought.
“In the Planning Department, there are three online novel authors who’ve died from overwork, two B-site short video creators who’ve become urban legends from overexertion, and several game planners cursed to d*ath by players, all responsible for planning the disturbing events for each urban legend.”
Luxianbei nodded in affirmation, particularly for the last group of urban legends.
They excel at doing shady work.
“I did a field investigation earlier, and found that many urban legends only produce simple scares that don’t have the intended effect. So I brought in a few urban legends with psychological knowledge, a few experienced in props production and atmosphere creation, and most importantly, two urban legends who can identify criminals through their aura.”
“They make up the Logistics Department, responsible for analyzing the psychological states of the scare targets, providing targeted production plans to the Planning Group, supporting certain urban legends who can’t accomplish scares alone, and searching for criminals.”
As she spoke, Du Sixian leaned close to Luxianbei’s ear, lowering her voice, “Don’t worry; I know our side goes hunting human criminals every Tuesday and occasionally on Thursdays. I won’t let Li Operative and Bai Kai Operative notice.”
Luxianbei, “…”
You’re quite the competent Siye Society insider.
“Lastly, there’s the Promotion Department.” Du Sixian spun around playfully, striking a cute pose.
Her lively and adorable demeanor completely contradicted that of a shadowy mastermind pushing Huacheng toward becoming the most terrifying city in Z Country and even the world in the future.
“They’re urban legends that can disguise themselves as humans, responsible for spreading urban legend stories in certain areas before each scare operation, to achieve the best scare effects.”
As she spoke, Du Sixian gently tapped on the wall in front of them, and along with a slight rumble, an urban legend with wall-painting abilities moved aside, revealing “Huacheng Calamity Irresponsible Scare Company” in front of Luxianbei.
In this spacious area, the décor resembles a cozy café, illuminated only by the green glow of emergency exit signs and the gentle light emitted by each urban legend.
Strange, grotesque forms with bl**d and flesh, drenched in an eerie atmosphere, hurriedly moved about, looking quite busy.
Is this a haunted café theme, or a café haunted at midnight? Luxianbei wondered.
But…
“Living as workers, and after d*ath, turning into working urban legends, isn’t that a bit too tragic?” Luxianbei asked Du Sixian.
Du Sixian propped her chin and pondered for two seconds, “Not too bad, I guess? They work a 2333 schedule. They start working at eleven o’clock at night until three in the morning, working three days a week.”
“Ah? Isn’t that easier than Siye Society?” Luxianbei blurted out.
“Yeah!” Du Sixian raised an eyebrow at Luxianbei, teasing, “Would you like to consider switching jobs?”
“…”
Luxianbei opened her mouth, intending to say something, when suddenly a familiar voice spoke from the side.
“Tsk! Have you finally returned? The witch…”
“Adada—!”
Mafun’s “Lady Witch” was abruptly kicked into oblivion by Luxianbei’s flying kick, and then her gaze swept over each urban legend, freezing their voices as they prepared to greet her.
At the same time, Luxianbei looked at Meng Meng, who was tongue-tied, secretly using her bond mark to send a message, “Meng Meng, doesn’t she still not know my identity?”
“Reporting to Lady Witch, Du Sixian still doesn’t know for now.” Meng Meng replied.
When Du Sixian found her way here, Meng Meng immediately recognized the aura of her bond mark, treating her as one of their own, and hadn’t exchanged much information regarding Luxianbei.
“Good, then never let her know.”
“Understood.” Meng Meng responded, “I will find time to inform everyone.”
But…
Why does the Lady Witch want to do this? Isn’t Du Sixian her bond? Is there a need to conceal such things from a bond? Meng Meng thought.
————
As night fell on the streets of Huacheng University City.
Luxianbei, chewing on a spicy strip, walked toward the Jingyi Apartment Complex, lost in thought.
Although Du Sixian arranged everything quite well, and Huacheng’s urban legends suddenly operated like a precise machine, leaving her with little to worry about, why did she still feel a little lost?
Am I going to end up becoming some sort of mascot or something?
No, no, I should be a strategic weapon to deter the surrounding pests!
……
Luxianbei mused idly, and before she knew it, she had arrived at her doorstep.
Skillfully extracting her keys to open the door, she stepped inside and immediately heard a sound of soft sobbing.
The sobbing was faint, as if the person was desperately trying to suppress it.
Who is crying?
Luxianbei was momentarily taken aback, cautiously closing the door behind her and then following the sound upstairs, tiptoeing on the stairs. Just as her line of sight crossed the staircase, she saw Jiang Li curled up on her bed, hugging her knees.
She was staring intently at her mobile phone screen, her eyes slightly red, her frail body occasionally trembling as faint sobs seemed to painfully extract themselves from her.
“Some things pass through my heart, but I can’t go back. I mean, I can’t live like that anymore…”
The classic line from “Wild Flowers” played from her phone.
Upon hearing this, Luxianbei felt a tightening in her heart, and the initial spark of anger to rush over and give Jiang Li a beating was instantly extinguished.
She carefully approached, sitting beside Jiang Li, and gently said, “It’s not good to hide here and watch such a tragic movie alone at night. How about we watch something cheerful instead?”
“Disney or DreamWorks?”
Jiang Li seemed not to notice Luxianbei’s presence, staring blankly at her phone screen until Luxianbei repeated her words. It was only then that she slowly looked up and revealed a bittersweet smile as she murmured, “Is this another illusion? But it feels so real…”
As she spoke, she sat up and gently hugged Luxianbei, burying her head in her chest, snuggling against her. A warm sensation spread across Luxianbei’s cheek, causing her body to stiffen suddenly.
At this moment, Luxianbei turned her head away, mumbling, “It’s not just like it; it’s real! I’m back alive.”
As soon as she finished speaking, Jiang Li’s eyes widened in shock, a flush creeping from her cheeks to her ears, and then with a puff, a wisp of white smoke rose from her head…
