**Chapter 148: Group Invitation**
Just after five in the afternoon, the sky quickly darkened. Above the vast sky, the fiery red sun seemed to be shrouded in a layer of shadow, casting a hazy light with red and gray hues.
Little maid Ahua, after filling out a stack of related paperwork, sat on a bench in the Mudan Street police station lobby waiting. When she saw Luxianbei walking out of the interrogation room, the corners of her mouth involuntarily twitched.
At eighteen or nineteen years old, he had been brought to the police station for something as trivial as chasing cats and dogs. Such behavior was already quite bewildering.
After finally being released, he still had the nerve to bother the police officer for the vegetables he had bought!?
This person… had some serious issues.
“Uncle police, where’s my food? What about the big ribs? And the fish and shrimp noodles…”
“I’m telling you, the price of meat has risen so fast now; ribs are over ten bucks more expensive than last year…”
The police officer who had escorted Luxianbei had probably become somewhat annoyed by being pestered, shooting him a glare and saying sternly, “Shut up, your food isn’t here!”
The officers who responded earlier had only focused on bringing him back, and didn’t even think about the vegetables he had left at the frozen food shop, which could be anywhere in some corner! the officer thought irritably.
“Huh? It’s gone?” Luxianbei was taken aback. So many vegetables had cost him nearly a hundred yuan! To be honest, he found it hard to accept this situation.
He opened his mouth, wanting to say something more, but at that moment, the little maid Ahua, who had deeply experienced the annoyance of his persistence, finally couldn’t stand it any longer and hurriedly stepped forward to rescue the police officer from the impending abyss of trash talk .
“Alright, Luxianbei, let’s go quickly!”
Luxianbei glanced at Ahua, scratching the back of his head, “Uh, but my food…”
Before he could finish his sentence, seeing Ahua’s hands on her hips and her fierce expression, he immediately changed his tone, “Let’s go! We’ll leave right away! Actually, big fish and meat are no different from braised beef noodles with shrimp fish, being simple and frugal is better for young people, right?”
“……” Ahua did not respond, turning around and walking out of the police station.
I won’t bother talking to you; your mouth just won’t shut up.
……
As Luxianbei followed Ahua out of the police station, he just reached the street and saw a car parked by the roadside.
And a silver-haired girl looking at him from behind the lowered car window.
Jiang Li?
Luxianbei was startled, “I didn’t expect someone would come to pick me up from jail?”
“Strictly speaking, your situation is an inquiry for verification, it doesn’t count as imprisonment,” Jiang Li glanced at Luxianbei and said calmly, “Get in the car, I’ll take you home.”
“Oh.” Luxianbei replied absentmindedly, opened the door, and got into the car, sitting beside Jiang Li.
Noticing this, Jiang Li was taken aback for a moment, glancing between herself and Luxianbei, noticing the gap of less than a hand’s breadth, she frowned slightly.
Ahua was sitting in the driver’s seat and saw this through the rearview mirror. Just as she was about to remind Luxianbei to sit in the front, she heard Jiang Li calmly say, “Ahua, drive.”
Ahua drove quickly, and as Luxianbei sat quietly for a little while, he couldn’t help but break the silence in the car.
“By the way, how’s the situation with the Siye Society lately? Is work busy?”
“Except for the urban legend incident investigated at Shihhekou Middle School after your report, everything else is normal, but it’s basically none of your concern,” Jiang Li glanced at Luxianbei and said indifferently.
“As for the urban legend case at Shihhekou Middle School, it’s almost wrapped up; only some aftermath remains that you can’t handle.”
In fact, Jiang Li hadn’t expected that the two samples brought back by An Qing from Huacheng University would lead to clues.
Through An Qing’s analysis and comparison with recorded urban legend files, those two samples came from Mr. Rabbit and a member of the Solar Eclipse Society who was currently wanted, which turned out to be an unexpected gain.
With those two samples, they would soon be able to pinpoint the location of the person and the urban legend, and if they captured the Solar Eclipse Society member hiding in Huacheng, they could find out what they were plotting in the shadows.
Of course, that Solar Eclipse Society member wouldn’t confess easily; however, the Siye Society was not a charitable organization and had plenty of ways to make him talk.
While some of those methods might be somewhat cruel, they didn’t need to be humanitarian when dealing with the Solar Eclipse Society sc*m.
However, these matters were none of Luxianbei’s business. He wouldn’t be able to participate in hunting down the Solar Eclipse Society members; as for interrogation, having seen it, it would probably leave a shadow on his young mind.
“Oh…” Luxianbei nodded thoughtfully, but he couldn’t figure out anything useful from Jiang Li’s vague speeches.
After chatting about various trivial matters for a while, Luxianbei finally told Jiang Li about his discoveries at the frozen food shop.
“…Leader, that’s how it is. I suspected something strange was there, which is why I went to take a look, but unexpectedly, that silly vendor called the police, leading to the current mess.”
“I thought it would be bad to tell the police, so I made up a random excuse.”
A spirit hall… an ice coffin… and an unknown cat? Jiang Li suddenly had a flash of insight while recalling the details Luxianbei described, his expression changed slightly.
Could that cat he mentioned be…
No, perhaps it was just a similar urban legend. That guy had been under the radar for a long time; it was likely that he had lost control and been eaten up by other urban legends.
Speaking of which, why does he always get himself into these dangerous situations?
Is this the destiny of a detective-like spiritual ability user?
One that gets actively sought out by various urban legends, encountering trouble constantly, and then one day, senses a terrifying presence they cannot cope with and mysteriously dies.
Jiang Li, thinking this, discreetly glanced at Luxianbei, quickly reining in his fluctuating emotions, and said lightly, “Hmm, I will check it out later, but don’t expect to find anything.”
“Ah?” Luxianbei was puzzled.
“Didn’t you say before that you asked An Qing to check it out and found nothing? This means the frozen food shop is very likely not the regular haunt of that urban legend.”
“Urban legends with a little power usually don’t have just one hiding place; the most have… enough that you cannot imagine.”
Upon saying this, Jiang Li recalled one of the hardest to solve urban legends, that being the source of the singing in the restroom. Everyone in the Siye Society knew of that urban legend’s existence, yet they could not solve it.
After all, its hiding places were far too many to count. No one knew where it would appear next.
To resolve it, it would require more than half of the world’s restrooms to have spiritual ability users stationed, or to find a way to expel it to India.
With that thought, Jiang Li couldn’t help but sigh secretly over the manpower shortages faced by the Siye Society.
The number of spiritual ability users in the Siye Society, whether in total or in development speed, is less than one-tenth of the urban legends hidden in the city’s dark corners.
What they could do seemed plenty, but in reality, it was very little.
While they were busy planning or rushing for a certain urban legend attack, there could be another ten or even more urban legend attack incidents happening in corners they were unaware of.
……
Upon dropping Luxianbei off near the Jingyi Apartment Complex, Jiang Li tossed him out by the roadside and instructed Ahua to drive towards Market 96.
After getting out of the car, Luxianbei watched Jiang Li leave, and then walked towards the half-finished building where he usually dealt with evening urban legends while pondering Jiang Li’s observation that any powerful urban legend had many hiding places.
Speaking of which, I now also count as an urban legend. If I get stronger in the future, shouldn’t I also have more hiding places?
But how do I create hiding places? Do I need to buy a house? That doesn’t seem impossible.
Luxianbei thought, and suddenly felt that if he developed well, perhaps he could end up being a landlord, no, a landlord urban legend or something like that.
Just as he was calculating how to earn more money to buy a house and figuring out where would be the cheapest place to buy a house, his phone in his pocket suddenly vibrated.
Unconcerned, he took out his phone and glanced at it, only to have his pupils constrict and involuntarily look around nervously.
Yet, all he could see was the quiet street shrouded in dusk.
Retracting his gaze and focusing on the phone again, he saw a notification from a certain chat app.
The message was from someone with the ID “103.5 Cats,” and the content was a group invitation.
**“103.5 Cats invites you to join the ‘New University City Urban Legends Chat Group Approval Group’**
Confirm/Cancel**
Luxianbei stared at the phone screen expressionlessly for a long time, took a deep breath, and gently clicked on the “Confirm” option. Following that, the phone screen switched to a chat group.
**“You have successfully joined the New University City Urban Legends Chat Group Approval Group; you can start chatting with everyone.”**
After joining the chat group, there was no ridiculous group friend urging Luxianbei to share photos or dress up as a girl, so he just stared at the screen, waiting silently to see what others were chatting about.
However, the entire chat group was lifeless; more than two hundred people had gray, indistinct avatars, except for his avatar and that person with the ID “103.5 Cats.”
After waiting for a few minutes, noticing that it was about to become completely dark, Luxianbei hurriedly put away his phone and quickly ran toward the nearby area of the half-finished buildings, then slipped into the dark interior of the building.
Before long, sounds of moaning filled the darkness, sometimes low and sometimes shy, before gradually returning to normal…
……
A little over ten minutes later.
When Luxianbei interrupted his transformation into an urban legend and walked out of the half-finished building, he took out his phone again, and noticed two new messages.
**“17:44 103.5 Cats: @Bai Xiaohua, congratulations, you have passed the offline preliminary review and joined the second review group. Please modify an ID that fits your identity.”**
**“17:50 103.5 Cats: @Bai Xiaohua, we will organize your final group’s review soon, please be prepared and wait; currently, there are 217 people ahead of you.”**
103.5 Cats? Offline preliminary review? Luxianbei pondered this ID along with the events of today, feeling a sudden clarity.
It seemed that An Qing’s previous investigations were likely correct; there truly were no urban legends there, and the urban legend that appeared today was probably targeting me specifically.
But how did they find me? After thinking for a moment and feeling a bit confused, he collected his thoughts and modified his ID according to the instructions of 103.5 Cats.
“Hmm… hmm…”
Staring at the screen, pondering for a few seconds, he entered the four characters “Wang Buliu” and clicked confirm.
**Chapter 149: Now It’s My Turn to Show Off!**
After modifying his ID, Luxianbei stared at the screen, waiting for a moment. Seeing no subsequent messages, he pondered for two seconds before exiting the chat group.
Of course, before leaving the chat group and putting away his phone, he casually submitted a report citing reasons for promoting feudal superstition, as well as the typical indecency that might exist in most chat groups.
Since it didn’t cost anything, he thought he might as well report it; who knows, maybe he could crush this “source of all evil” in the cradle?
Being banned from the group only indicated that the puppet master behind the urban legends chat group was, like Jumeng, a rookie that even modern technology couldn’t defeat.
On the other hand, if they truly were so powerful, even reporting wouldn’t help.
……
On the way home, passing by the convenience store at the entrance of his apartment complex, Luxianbei paused briefly, went in, and bought instant noodles, eggs, tomatoes, shrimp, a handful of scallions, and two boxes of strawberry ice cream.
These were the ingredients for cooking for Jumeng. Luxianbei was usually trustworthy when he promised to help others, as long as what they wanted was not his body or life.
After exiting the convenience store, he looked at the heavily filled bag and shrugged.
With meat, vegetables, and dessert, after going through such a bundle of trouble, he could still treat that thieving sister like this; he had already been generous to the end.
Moreover, his secret boiled instant noodles could also be considered a signature dish of **Luxi Chuancaiguan**. Cost-effective and delicious, it was definitely a popular late-night snack favored by the surrounding crowds.
Luxianbei still remembered that his father’s secret boiled instant noodles had once sold nearly three hundred portions in one night.
That was probably a far cry from those quickly emerging and disappearing trendy instant noodle eateries.
However, such splendor had ceased to exist as the night began to grow long; night-time delivery was severely affected, and with his father’s unexpected passing, it was no more.
I still prefer being a chef… Luxianbei sighed inwardly, quickening his pace toward home.
……
Standing at the door, he took out his keys and opened the door. Luxianbei habitually called out softly to the inside.
“I’m back!”
As soon as he opened the door and saw the scene in the room, he sensed something unusual and frowned.
The room was dark as no lights were on, and usually, the various urban legends that would joyfully rush in upon opening the door were nowhere to be seen. The house was eerily silent, as if brewing a storm.
Something’s not right, absolutely not right!
With how Jumeng played wildly at home every day, if it weren’t for me stopping her, she would have turned my living room into a club, it wouldn’t be this quiet at all!
But, there was no burning sensation in his eyes, which meant there was no hidden danger…
Luxianbei thought, slightly squinting his eyes, slowly withdrawing from the threshold. He looked up at the house number, preparing to gently close the door when a ghostly voice came from inside.
“Back? You’re back, why do you want to leave again?”
Luxianbei, “…”
Hearing Jumeng’s strange tone, he suddenly wanted to leave this place even faster.
Just as he was about to turn to leave, the lights in the house suddenly lit up. He turned to the direction of the switch and saw the various urban legends huddled together, desperately shaking their heads at him.
As if silently conveying the message “Don’t blame us, we were forced!” or something similar.
Seeing this, Luxianbei slightly nodded, returning the gaze with “I know, I won’t blame you,” before retracting his sight and turning to look at Jumeng in the living room.
At that moment, she had shed her oversized T-shirt and put on that green long robe again, wearing that ghostly mask, moving a chair to sit in the middle of the room with her arms crossed, staring intently at the entrance. Through the mask’s gaps, he could faintly see the fury in her eyes.
Luxianbei stared at Jumeng for two seconds, unperturbed, changed into his slippers, closed the door, and expressionlessly went towards the kitchen with the convenience bag.
“Hmph—!”
After just a few steps, a cold hum reached his ears, startling him and causing him to shiver.
Luxianbei turned to look at Jumeng, annoyed, “What’s the matter? Why the jumpy attitude?”
Jumeng glared at Luxianbei with a sideways glance, chin slightly raised, “Why are you back so late? Didn’t you say you’d come back to cook for me? Do you know how dangerous it is to roam outside after dark? Do you have any idea how worried I was at home?!”
Jumeng bombarded him with a seven-parts reproach and three-parts concern, leaving Luxianbei dazed and at a loss in place.
Why does her speaking style remind me so much of my dad?
Could it be that, like Water Brother, she is not satisfied with our current relationship and wants to take it a step further, wanting to be my ‘father’?
Dad, can you see me from heaven? Your son is being taken advantage of; please come down and do something about them!
Noting that Luxianbei was silent for a long time, Jumeng secretly delighted in her heart, thinking that he must be guilty, and that this tactic was effective.
In reality, she felt a bit guilty for overcharging too many points at once. Initially, she even planned to set aside her dignity as a deity to apologize properly.
However, she waited a long time but did not see Luxianbei return. As night fell, her mindset gradually changed.
This time, she would take the initiative, turn the tables, and dominate the situation.
As long as I suppress him with my imposing manner from the start, he won’t be able to throw a tantrum over my gaming point misappropriation!
Thinking this, Jumeng continued to glare fiercely at Luxianbei, “An accident? I think you are just untrustworthy! Heh, a man’s mouth is full of lies! You promised when you went out, but what happened in the end?”
“You infuriate me! Infuriate me! Do you even think about me at all?!”
“I…” Luxianbei opened his lips, his head hanging slightly as a hint of guilt arose in his heart, but he soon sensed something seemed off.
Wait, why am I thinking about her?
Hold on, this isn’t some seduction scheme, is it?
With this thought, Luxianbei suddenly became enlightened, lifting his head to look at Jumeng, saying expressionlessly, “I say, you don’t think this will let you gloss over the fact that you overcharged my credit card, do you?”
“Where did you learn this crappy girl PUA technique? Why not learn something good?”
Crappy girl PUA… What’s that? Jumeng was momentarily dumbfounded, looking at Luxianbei, unsure how to respond.
d*mn it, why didn’t this work on him?
I’ve seen those spendthrift women in Peach Source, who are scared of being scolded by their husbands, do it like this, and it worked out great! Jumeng thought.
Luxianbei, “…” It seemed that I hit the nail on the head.
Although Jumeng was wearing a mask, he could still sense a hint of panic in her eyes. It seemed that at that moment, beneath the mask, her exquisite face was probably as red as a monkey’s bottom.
Having seen through Jumeng’s trick, Luxianbei was too lazy to entangle with her. After all, when it came to games, once the money was spent, it was hard to get it back.
Was the user agreement at the start all white points?
Is Beishan Pizza just a joke?
I’m not some hustler’s mother; I don’t have that kind of capital.
Luxianbei thought resentfully and turned to go to the kitchen, leisurely taking out two pots in preparation, and then started processing the ingredients he bought from the convenience store.
The secret boiled instant noodles at Luxianbei’s house were actually quite simple.
Tomatoes were used to enhance the flavor; he cut a small half into cubes and sautéed them until mushy, then added water and the seasoning packet to make the broth.
When boiling the noodles until they were seven to eight mature, he drained them in cold water, placed them in a bowl, and kneaded in a little bit of lard.
To fry the egg, it’s best to cook one side only; let the high temperature of the broth cook the other side, which adds more flavor, briefly boiling the shrimp, only a little, to finish. Finally, sprinkle some fried scallions on top, and it was done.
……
When Jumeng saw that Luxianbei had prepared a meal that had turned from three meats, two vegetables, and one soup into boiled noodles, she felt disdainful in her heart, thinking how could that thing be good to eat?
However, when the fragrance of vegetables, the richness of animal fats, and the aroma mixed with spices achieved a certain subtle balance, she couldn’t help but swallow her saliva.
But…
You think a bowl of boiled instant noodles can satisfy me? Does the dignity of a deity mean nothing? I absolutely will not…
“It’s ready; something came up today, so it’s like this. Just make do with it, alright?” Luxianbei served the cooked noodles in front of Jumeng softly.
“Alright!” Jumeng responded cheerily, taking the bowl from him, lifting her mask, and started eating like a greedy wolf, while still chattering away.
“EMMM… this taste is far worse than the offerings in Peach Source.”
“Hmm, hmm!” Luxianbei nodded.
“It’s also not as good as the revolving buffet restaurant in the city center…”
“Hmm, hmm!”
“EMM… compared to Hu Boss’s longevity noodles, it’s even farther off!”
“Hmm, hmm…” Luxianbei agreed again, gazing at Jumeng suddenly asked, “Is it good?”
“Good!” Jumeng blurted out, froze for two seconds, and as she was about to correct herself, Luxianbei quickly seized the conversation.
“Since I’ve already made you something delicious, what about my potion? Didn’t you say I would get it when I went out during the day?”
“This…” Jumeng was momentarily speechless.
“Not done yet?” Luxianbei tilted his head, studying her expression.
“I’ve been working on it, I’ve been working on it.”
This kind of similar style; he didn’t know how many times he had heard it… Luxianbei thought to himself, lightly saying, “So you haven’t done it.”
“Tsk!” Jumeng put down her chopsticks, rolling her eyes, “I told you I’ve been working on it. Do you think that kind of thing doesn’t take time? Go see for yourself on the balcony!”
Luxianbei frowned, feeling puzzled as he walked toward the balcony, then he saw it—a pure silver dish sculpted into a plate, filled with “moonlight.”
That hazy, half-real, half-illusory fluid rippled in the dish, entrancing Luxianbei for a moment.
“It looks like it’s almost done; just now, you showed off, now it’s my turn to show off!”
The voice behind him came from Jumeng, and as Luxianbei turned around, he saw her walking toward him while licking a bowl, her aura unexpectedly becoming sharp, with a hint of emerald green flames swirling around her.
Luxianbei, “…” suddenly felt that she was looking a bit cute or something.
