Chapter 72: The Authority of Yangyi
At 2:44 AM.
On the road from the Yongjie City Waste Processing Plant to the Sleepless Street, a taxi drove along the empty highway.
Inside the taxi, which was filled with a faint smell of tobacco, Lu Yibei sat in the back seat with her hands tucked into her coat pockets, her eyes tightly closed as she leaned against the window, pretending to take a little nap. At the same time, she focused on communicating with Zhipianxian, cleverly avoiding the taxi driver’s small talk.
However, after a brief conversation with Zhang Hainan, she noticed some unsettling details and quickly found a rather dismissive excuse to cut off communication with him.
“Uh, I’ve got a situation over here. I’ll talk to you later… Let’s leave it at this, bye!”
After a pause, she added, “By the way, you can’t peek at me before I contact you; you swore an oath!”
Upon receiving Zhang Hainan’s response, Lu Yibei furrowed her brow and began to analyze swiftly.
From what he just said, it seems he knows about the Secret Society? If he knows, why doesn’t he take action to eliminate this tumor?
Is he unable to deal with the Secret Society with his methods?
Or… does he have connections with the Secret Society? Lu Yibei thought.
Zhang Hainan is an old friend of Qing Ji, and she instinctively saw him as someone reliable, so when she had a discovery, she immediately thought of notifying Zhang Hainan.
When they discussed the Secret Society earlier, his attitude changed significantly, making Lu Yibei suddenly realize that something felt off.
Although it’s possible Zhang Hainan’s change in attitude was because he also sensed something wrong with the Secret Society, it cannot be ruled out that he might be connected to it as well.
This possibility is slim, but if it turns out to be true, she would definitely face d*ath with both Zhang Hainan and the terrifying unknown urban legend behind the Secret Society.
In fact, so far, apart from her subordinates, the only people Lu Yibei could unconditionally trust are Jiang Li, Qing Ji, and Bai Kai.
Jumeng counts as half a person.
Lu Yibei trusts Jumeng won’t harm her life, but whether she might harm her wallet or her physical health is uncertain.
“…”
If Zhang Hainan is really linked to the Secret Society, what I said just now was already very dangerous. If I keep talking, I might be silenced?
Is there a way to confirm whether he is trustworthy? Asking him directly or making him swear something, he certainly won’t admit it.
Perhaps… I should ask Proxy Player Sister first?
After some analysis, Lu Yibei decided to spend some time confirming whether Zhang Hainan is trustworthy before continuing to engage with him. It seems more appropriate.
Anyway, making him wait won’t k*ll anyone!
But if I rashly divulge everything I know, and it turns out to be one of those cliché plots where the Chief Priest is the mastermind behind everything, my life might be on the line.
Lu Yibei thought as she loudly called into her mind, “Proxy Player Sister!” and skillfully let her consciousness plunge into an endless darkness.
At that moment, the Ling Tai Purification hidden beneath her voluminous coat trembled gently before falling silent…
——————
Her body felt as if it had fallen into water, light as a feather, or like she was floating on a cloud.
As the wind whispered by her ear, Lu Yibei opened her eyes.
Steadying herself and seeing the scenery ahead, her pupils slightly trembled.
She saw a very small, dilapidated archway. Under the crumbling green tiles, the plaque that showed signs of decay faintly indicated the words “Mudan.”
Below the archway, a shallow and narrow Clear Canal ran from north to south, winding and curving, separating a street paved with slate.
The entire street was dark and seemed uninhabited, particularly quiet, with only dense fog swirling around.
“What the hell… is this place? It looks so much like Mudan Street!”
“Be more confident, drop the ‘so much like’ phrase. I just wandered around, and I’ve seen it all; this is indeed Mudan Street!”
A familiar voice rang out, and Lu Yibei followed the sound to see Proxy Player Sister dressed in a bright red long dress.
She had appeared on the archway, sitting on the beam, her delicate white feet dangling gently as she leaned forward slightly, offering a smile to Lu Yibei.
“No, what’s going on?” Lu Yibei glanced around, “How did we go from urban ruins to a retro version of Mudan Street? Is this like changing skins?”
“d*mn it, you didn’t take the money you earned from me to splurge on some in-game purchases, did you?”
Proxy Player Sister shot Lu Yibei an eye roll, straightening up as she replied with annoyance, “Even if I wanted to spend, I would need the connections!”
“Besides, the playing fee is my hard-earned money; how I use it is none of your business, right?”
“That’s true…” Lu Yibei pouted, “Even if you take the playing fee to buy two cups of milk tea and play around with them, it’s got nothing to do with me.”
Though she felt a bit like a cash machine, it was still a mutually beneficial transaction.
“Well, it’s good that you have this awareness,” Proxy Player Sister nodded in satisfaction.
“…”
Looking at her mischievous demeanor, Lu Yibei opened her mouth to retort, quickly recalling her original intention, changing the topic, “Wait, that’s not right! Why am I talking about this with you… I need a favor?”
“Oh, out having fun every day without a single call, and when something happens, you think of me?” Proxy Player Sister scoffed, “Just spill! Who are you trying to deal with? You wouldn’t come looking for me if there wasn’t something going on.”
As she spoke, her slender arm waved lightly, producing a long sword engulfed in crimson flames. Even from a distance, one could sense the terrifying spirit energy emanating from the sword.
Why does she act like a thug? Lu Yibei thought to herself as she calmly replied, “Zhang Hainan…”
Proxy Player Sister, “???”
She tilted her head, stood up, sheathed the long sword, and cupped her hands toward Lu Yibei.
“Sorry for the disturbance, I’ll be on my way!”
While she might not be unable to defeat that old man, defeating the Black Emperor at his peak state would likely consume Lu Yibei’s lifespan, and it might still fall short.
Seeing this, Lu Yibei quickly said, “No, I didn’t say I wanted to k*ll him!”
Proxy Player Sister paused, tilting her head as she asked, “So you want to cripple him?”
She cradled her chin, pondering for a moment, “That depends. I have a plan here requiring seventy years of lifespan and another that takes ninety years; which one do you want to hear first?”
Lu Yibei was taken aback and asked in surprise, “Seventy years… ninety years… does that mean I could at least live to over a hundred? Then why am I working so hard? I could just stay home and live!”
Living to over a hundred years old was more than enough for her, and if during that time, regardless of wealth or health, Jiang Li could keep her company, she would ask for nothing more.
“…” Proxy Player Sister stared at Lu Yibei blankly, “Little brother, your focus seems a bit off, doesn’t it?”
Even if you have such a long lifespan now, you can’t possibly d*e peacefully… Proxy Player Sister thought.
“Uh, what I meant to say…” Lu Yibei tentatively suggested, “Is it really unreasonable to require such a hefty price just to cripple Zhang Hainan?”
“What do you think?” Proxy Player Sister rolled her eyes, “The price for playing in the Grandmaster tier versus the Bronze tier is definitely different!”
Moreover, crippling Zhang Hainan, in a certain sense, would be akin to sacrificing a teammate… the price for playing in the Grandmaster tier while acting would have to double, Proxy Player Sister thought to herself.
“Then how do I determine if he is trustworthy?” Lu Yibei pressed, “In fact, I’ve recently discovered something about the Secret Society, and I’m hesitating whether to tell Zhang Hainan.”
“For free!” Proxy Player Sister said seriously, her tone grave, “Although I really don’t like that preachy old man, I can assure you that you can always trust Zhang Hainan when it comes to matters involving the Secret Society.”
After she finished speaking, Proxy Player Sister felt a swirl of doubts rising in her heart.
How strange, why is she encountering the Secret Society at this time?
Logically, shouldn’t the Secret Society gradually form a climate two years later? Why has it happened early? What has triggered this chain reaction?
d*mn it, if Yangyi has awakened early too, it could be a big trouble! If possible, she must prevent it from awakening! Proxy Player Sister thought anxiously.
She knew that proposing to bring Lu Yibei to Dachunyang Palace was indeed somewhat risky; it could lead to Zhang Hainan locking her up for guidance.
But if she didn’t take the risk, once Yangyi awakened, retrieving the fragments of Ling Tai Purification would become nearly impossible.
Although there are other substitutes to complete Ling Tai Purification, the original is always better.
“Are you that sure?” Lu Yibei squinted, skeptical.
Proxy Player Sister collected her thoughts and nodded, “Absolutely sure.”
As she spoke, she seemed to see that old man with white hair, standing on Zixiao Terrace, calling upon thunder until his spiritual energy depleted and his body shattered, enveloped in a never-ending storm of thunder, trying to confine Yangyi within the bounds of Zhenwu Mountain, her expression becoming distant.
Zhang Hainan is an annoying old man, but he is also admirable; unfortunately, the repercussions of Yangyi’s awakening extend far beyond Dachunyang Palace… Proxy Player Sister thought.
“Alright, I believe you!” Lu Yibei puckered her lips and quickly shifted the topic, “By the way, I have another question about the Secret Society; when I summoned spirits with objects from the Secret Society, I accidentally glimpsed an unknown urban legend…”
“Stop!” Lu Yibei’s words were interrupted as Proxy Player Sister’s expression grew tense, “Don’t inquire about that guy’s information; the less you know about it, the better!”
“You mean…” Lu Yibei looked at Proxy Player Sister, testing the waters, “You want me to pack up and leave?”
Proxy Player Sister looked at Lu Yibei with a “Mom is very disappointed in you” kind of gaze, “What I mean is, it’s fine for you to oppose it; that’s even great! But the less you know about it, the better.”
“Not knowing its name, or even ignoring its existence ensures you won’t be influenced by it.”
The authority of Yangyi is born from the negative rumors surrounding “objects,” representing “distorted material desire.”
While all biological existence relies on material support, indulging excessively in the pursuit of material desires can lead to a decline of the spirit, making one a slave to material goods.
In reality, an object is just an object that is used appropriately at the right time; if a problem arises, it is merely the fault of the user, or others bringing prejudice and defining the object.
Gaining weight because of fried chicken or sweet soda, wasting time on smartphones, videos, and games… blaming this and that, and even likening them to floods and ferocious beasts, or wicked demons, is a form of spiritual opium.
It is irresponsible to attribute the errors of the user to the objects themselves.
Once a sufficient number of people believe that an object can cause harm, then that object indeed will cause damage…
Due to the specificity of its authority, Yangyi can virtually corrupt and create any object.
Once one knows of its existence and comes into contact with objects that have been corrupted by it, they will sense its aura, subtly influenced until they become enslaved to “objects.”
That is its terrifying nature.
Lu Yibei sidelong glanced at Proxy Player Sister, “So it’s that eerie?”
“It is precisely that eerie.” Proxy Player Sister nodded.
Why do you think it has become one of the factors of destruction?
“But…” Lu Yibei frowned, “I’ve already glimpsed its existence.”
“Don’t worry, just leave it to me!” Proxy Player Sister’s face broke into a knowing smile, “All you need is for your sister to help you transform it, and everything will be fine.”
“Once the transformation is complete, you won’t be influenced by it anymore.”
Since Yangyi so enjoys switching concepts, let me return the favor! Proxy Player Sister added in her heart.
The reason the Secret Society can spread Yangyi’s “gospel” so widely is precisely that they switched the concepts of “using objects” and “relying on objects.”
As long as the concept of Yangyi and a specific thing is switched, the influence can be minimized.
“What do you mean?” Lu Yibei asked warily, “What do you want to do? You’re going to harm me, aren’t you?”
“Have you heard of a thought stamp?” Proxy Player Sister smiled.
Lu Yibei, “???”
Just as she was puzzled, Proxy Player Sister suddenly leaped down from the archway, her fingertip aglow with a soft pink light, which she heavily tapped right on her forehead, causing Lu Yibei to lean back.
The next moment, darkness engulfed her vision.
In the pitch-blackness, a strange yet unwavering thought emerged in her mind — after telling Zhang Hainan the information about the urban legend behind the Secret Society, it would equal the Pink Fluffy Rabbit!
——————
At 3:05 AM, Sleepless Street was still bustling.
Standing at the corner of the street, one could see bright neon signs and hear the clamor all around; human faces and silhouettes surrounded her. However, compared to when night first fell, there was noticeably more fatigue and hoarse tones in the shouts, and passersby carried a bit of drunkenness on their faces.
The aromas of food and fine wine intertwined in the air, saturated from half the night, so rich it was nearly suffocating.
From afar came the wailing of an ambulance siren; it was uncertain whether someone had drunk too much and needed to be rushed to the hospital for a stomach pump or whether a drunken brawl had left someone injured.
Amid the siren, Lu Yibei awakened, taking in the sights outside the window, momentarily stunned, muttering, “Have we arrived at Sleepless Street?”
“Already here,” the driver chuckled. “If I can’t wake you, I’m still here waiting for a while!”
Waiting for a while? Lu Yibei glanced unintentionally at the taxi meter, and her expression turned dark.
The meter read 1 hour, 43 minutes, and 57 seconds, charging 278.5 yuan.
Lu Yibei, “???”
Are you kidding me, just a “while”?
