**Chapter 17 Fifteen Days**
The pitch-black vortex quietly spun on the gray-white sand dunes, with countless grains of sand falling along its edge, disappearing, and then once again plummeting from the horizon, connecting a thin gray line between heaven and earth.
“Miss Jiang, please wait a moment!”
Just as Jiang Li approached the vortex and was about to leave Nowhere Land, she suddenly heard the voice of the Big Boss behind her.
“What?” She frowned and turned around to look at the man who had come not far behind her, her expression indifferent, “Isn’t the gambling game already over? Do you have something else?”
“No, no, Miss Jiang, you’ve misunderstood.” The man waved his hand, “I just wanted to remind you, you should be aware that our gamble has unequal stakes, right?”
Hearing him mention this, Jiang Li’s eyes trembled slightly, and she nodded with a complex expression.
Within this entertainment city, there were vast treasures hidden, and aside from those treasures, there were also unimaginably powerful magical forces.
Accumulating chips in the top three could indeed earn her a chance to gamble with the Big Boss, but that was merely a single opportunity.
The Big Boss of the entertainment city was a firm believer in fairness, both towards others and himself, so the stakes in any gambling game had to at least be equivalent.
The stake that Jiang Li proposed was to shut down the entertainment city, and the value of that stake clearly far exceeded the chips she brought with her each time.
Thus, for these fourteen rounds of gambling, she had to pay a price each time—either a piece of precious memory, a portion of her lifespan, or some other significant thing.
“How much is left?” Jiang Li coldly inquired.
“What’s left are your memories related to your mother, your maid, and your engagement…” As he said this, the Big Boss paused momentarily and, in his extremely alluring voice, asked, “Are you really not considering using those memories to make up this stake?”
“Especially the memories of your engagement; since you haven’t seen that person, it wouldn’t matter if they disappeared from your memory, would it?”
“Not considering it at all.” Jiang Li replied without hesitation.
This was her final insistence.
Ever since she was used as a stake and lost, falling into the hands of the Solar Eclipse Society, her world had been plunged into profound darkness.
The reason she had been able to hold on was because of the memories of her mother and Ahua that supported her.
And that memory of her benefactor was like a light shining into the dark world that trapped her.
Though it was but a faint light, it was enough to awaken her, urging her to chase that light forward, tearing a larger rift, and finally seeing a world bathed in golden sunlight.
“Alright then, since Miss Jiang insists,” the Big Boss shrugged, “I will accept this stake as agreed.”
“But I must remind you, once you walk out of here, you probably have about fifteen days left to live. I hope you can quickly obtain the [First Place] and return here.”
Upon hearing this, Jiang Li tilted her head expressionlessly, puzzled, “Strange, why would you deliberately remind me of something like this? You don’t seem that kind-hearted, do you?”
There’s always something lurking behind the abnormal.
“Hahahaha!” The Big Boss laughed heartily, “Miss Jiang, you’re overthinking it. Don’t always think of me as so wicked, okay? I have emotions too, and I have interests in certain things.”
“And someone like you, who can gamble with me for a long time or urban legends, is quite rare now. I’m looking forward to you resolving this crisis and surviving.”
As he spoke, the Big Boss raised a gloved finger and waved it.
“My personal suggestion is that when you obtain the [First Place] next time, you should first find my manager to exchange for some lifespan before coming back here.”
“Hmph!” Jiang Li didn’t respond, merely snorted coldly and turned to continue walking towards the pitch-black vortex leading out of Nowhere Land.
As a malicious urban legend that treats others’ lives as a game, even if the Big Boss had high expectations for her, she felt no joy or honor, instead experiencing a surge of inexplicable anger.
The Big Boss watched as Jiang Li’s figure was swallowed by the dark vortex until she disappeared, murmuring, “What a pity, I originally thought she could win.”
For a long time, on the desolate sand dune, a faint sigh echoed.
“Ah! How long has it been since then? I really want to lose thoroughly once again!”
————
In the darkness, vague forms that were difficult to describe flew by, colors blending together and slowly moving, gradually spreading into the Void.
There, a series of whispers that confused the mind echoed, those were the last mournful cries left by crazed gamblers forever trapped in Nowhere Land.
In such an environment, Jiang Li felt a sharp pain in her forehead and instinctively mobilized her spirit energy to resist.
In the next moment, accompanied by a wave of weakness from spirit energy depletion, the pain in her forehead finally eased.
Soon, the bizarre images before her faded away, and before the entrance of the entertainment city, a resplendent hall appeared in Jiang Li’s view.
She squinted her eyes for a moment, and once she adjusted to the light, she took out her phone from her bag, marked a reminder for fourteen days later in the notes, then put her phone away and retrieved her only remaining chip.
At that moment, a sudden, intense sense of weakness struck, as if her vitality had been drained by some strange force, causing Jiang Li’s complexion to turn pale, nearly unable to stand.
Leaning against the cool wall beside her, she rested for a moment before gradually returning to normal, tightening her grip on the chip in her palm, and briskly walking deep into the entertainment city.
————
In the early hours.
In the depths of the “Lan Zhuo” Inn.
A woman dressed in a black dress stood on a wide terrace, gazing out into the dead silence of the darkness, where fleeting gray-white breaths drifted with the cold wind.
In the dark, various eerie and indistinct shadows floated, yet when one tried to focus on them, they vanished without a trace.
All that could be seen was the cluster of buildings of the Lan Zhuo Inn.
From afar, the sound of wings flapping echoed down from the sky. Following the sound, a pure white parrot flew over, landing steadily on the terrace, manifesting the likeness of a girl.
“Master, I’ve confirmed that the Calamity is indeed related to the girl who has been continuously challenging Nowhere Land in the entertainment city. I saw her meet with that girl’s attendant at the pharmacy station.”
“Oh?” The Black Peony squinted her eyes, a slight and inscrutable smile appearing at the corners of her mouth, “What did they talk about?”
“The Calamity said…” Xiuyao paused for a few seconds before bowing slightly, “She wants to challenge the Big Boss of the entertainment city for that girl and disband the entertainment city on the spot.”
Although Luxianbei had quietly shared this matter with Ahua, Xiuyao, possessing the “Parrot Mimicry” ability, was easily able to replicate what she had said by simply observing her lip movements.
“Disbanding the entertainment city for a girl, huh?” The Black Peony smiled meaningfully, “How romantic yet arrogant! But a youth is not a youth without a bit of recklessness.”
Xiuyao frowned and cupped her hands, “Master, do you need me to stop her?”
“Did I say I wanted to stop her?” The Black Peony raised her brows slightly, “Go, Xiuyao, continue following them. Report anything to me at any time. If necessary, don’t hesitate to offer them a little help covertly.”
“It’s time for a change around here.”
Upon hearing this, a strange glimmer passed through Xiuyao’s eyes, but she quickly suppressed her curiosity and responded, “Yes!”
After all, even if the master’s orders were hard to comprehend, she only needed to follow them.
With a soft flutter of wings, Xiuyao took flight once more, heading into the darkness.
The Black Peony watched Xiuyao fade away, revealing a bitter smile.
“Meeting at the pharmacy station? That really isn’t wise! After all, that fellow is the only one of us three… Anyway, if she can’t even handle this little crisis, I won’t have any expectations left for her.”
Talking to herself, the Black Peony drew the golden silk veil on the terrace and turned to enter the room.
————
Deep within the “Dan Sha Gu Shi” pharmacy, in a city plagued by disease, the only fully constructed, even luxurious building stood.
This was a factory built against the mountain, its rugged rock walls and gray-white metal walls piled together into a gloomy giant. Unlike the nearby city, there was no noise or signs of life here; only the roar of giant machinery and the drift of thick smoke.
The integrated structure made the entire building appear like a war machine that could activate at any moment, radiating a chilling and fierce aura from within.
Even from a distance, one could smell an extremely uncomfortable pungent scent wafting from the factory, seeping through the entire city.
As one passed through the factory doors, a pitch-black swamp came into view, filled with countless thorny vines resembling venomous snakes, writhing and slowly dragging bloated, pale corpses into the murky sludge.
On those eerie thorns, blue and purple flowers resembling lilies bloomed, glowing faintly and adorned with bizarre human-like facial patterns.
Deep within the factory, molten lava like a waterfall surged from a massive opening in the mountain, guided and flowing into enormous alchemical boilers connected by chimneys.
Thin, bone-like workers, dressed in flimsy rough cloth, walked through the nearly hundred-meter-high crude metal passage, climbing to the top and orderly dumping the medicines from their baskets into the alchemical furnaces.
During this, workers occasionally collapsed from exhaustion, immediately swarmed by others like vultures discovering a decayed corpse, fighting over the items on him.
Soon, the thoroughly scavenged corpse was dragged away by a foreman as though it were a ragged sack.
At the top of the factory, there was a massive platform overlooking the entire operation, surrounded on all sides by thick single-sided glass. The workers couldn’t see inside, only knowing that the owner of the pharmacy would occasionally appear there, using his eerie powers to monitor everyone.
At this moment, on the massive platform, behind the single-sided glass.
A grotesque figure of considerable bulk sat on a throne made of black iron.
Its skin was a grayish-blue, dotted with various sores, resembling a distorted giant toad. It held a massive pipe in its hand that it occasionally brought to its face, taking a small puff before slowly exhaling black smoke.
If Luxianbei were to see this figure, she would certainly shout, “Pestilence Taijie! Someone’s mimicking your face!”
Though its twisted style was different from Pestilence Taijie, it was equally hideous.
This was the owner of the “Dan Sha Gu Shi” pharmacy, who had a name that was pleasing to the ears yet inconsistent with its appearance, called Jade Palace Immortal. It was said that long ago, he was once a charming young man.
“Poof—poof—poof—!”
Accompanied by a series of light sounds of flesh being torn, the sores on Jade Palace Immortal burst open, becoming a multitude of eyes that covered its body, trembling and surveying the factory through the single-sided glass.
“d*mn it, someone over there is slacking off!”
“Hey, hey! Someone go drag the lazy one from Line 1756 in Section C and chop him up for fertilizer!”
As Jade Palace Immortal shouted, two foremen in deep blue overalls, who had been quietly waiting behind it, rushed forward, bowed, and then quickly left the massive platform, running towards Section C.
After the two foremen departed, Jade Palace Immortal rolled its thousands of eyes in unison, “I’ve told them many times, slacking off is stealing my money! Why don’t they ever learn? Unforgivable!”
Just as it was speaking, the lights flickered, and a small figure dressed in red overalls abruptly appeared in front of it, kneeling on one knee and producing a hoarse voice through a metal mask.
“Sir, we’ve found the location of the Calamity of Huacheng.”
Jade Palace Immortal leaned slightly forward and coldly said, “Oh? Have you prepared what I asked you to prepare?”
“All set, it’s right outside. Please have a look, sir,” the foreman in red cupped his hands.
“No need!” Jade Palace Immortal waved its bulky hand dismissively, “Just handle it. In any case, whatever means you use, make sure she gets a taste of the pinnacle of the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy’s masterpieces.”
“If a king of urban legends could become our customer and be drained dry, that would be a substantial fortune. Do you understand?”
The red-clad foreman trembled visibly and hastily responded, “Understood! I will do my utmost!”
After speaking, he quickly rose and fled towards the door, just about to push it open when Jade Palace Immortal called him back.
“Wait a moment. If you fail…” Jade Palace Immortal said, “Don’t let those idiots leak that this is related to me.”
“You should know what to do, right? After all, those pitiful creatures would do anything for just a little wealth, wouldn’t they?”
“Yes!” The red-clad foreman replied.
————
As the red-clad foreman descended from the massive platform via a metal ladder, he had just reached the bottom when a group of shadows surged forward, blocking his path.
Among the blocking shadows were both urban legends and humans, but all were extremely thin, their pupils appearing dazed. They looked similar to the factory workers, the only difference being the silver shackles adorning their bodies.
“Sir, please, give me, hurry and give me!” A man whose hair was as dry as wild grass knelt before the red-clad foreman, begging, “I beg you, just give me some treasure, and I will do anything for you!”
“Is that so? You would really do anything?” The red-clad foreman asked with a meaningful smile.
“Absolutely, anything!”
“Alright then, go k*ll an urban legend for me, and if you succeed, you will become ‘Red Clothing.'”
The so-called “treasure” referred to an addictive substance that was added to nearly all the medicines and foods available at the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy. It had no specific name, even lacking a definite form; “treasure” was simply the term used by the city’s beggars.
And anyone who became a red-clad foreman at the Dan Sha Gu Shi pharmacy would enjoy unlimited supplies of this “treasure.”
Surrounding the hesitant urban legends and humans stirred into a commotion upon hearing the red-clad foreman’s words, begging and pleading rose all around.
“I’m willing to do it, just give me the treasure.”
“Leave it to me, I can do it!”
“…”
Seeing the pitiful creatures devoid of dignity surrounding him, the red-clad foreman chuckled coldly, “Since you all want to go, then go! Whoever brings back that urban legend, or makes her consume the treasure, will become the new ‘Red Clothing.'”
“However, I must remind you, that urban legend is currently at the station.”
Upon saying this, a silence fell over the crowd for a few seconds.
The station, being a shared property with three factions, strictly prohibited violence within it.
However, the pitiful creatures quickly began to cry out again.
Blinded by desire, they disregarded the supposed restrictions, and even though they feared the other two factions and didn’t dare to storm the station, they had countless ways to launch an attack outside the station.
Seeing this, a satisfied expression appeared on the red-clad foreman’s face as he suddenly waved his hand, causing a stack of papers depicting a red-haired girl to fall to the ground in front of him.
Immediately, with a series of crisp metallic snaps, those who had been freed from their shackles surged forth like starving beasts that had broken free, grasping the papers and, howling like wailing ghosts, transformed into shadows speeding toward the factory’s exit.
Watching the shadows vanish from sight, the red-clad foreman smirked.
The king of urban legends, huh?
Many of these pitiful creatures used to be just that!
————
As night fell.
Inside the d*ath’s Head Pharmacy, after the giant train departed, silence reigned, a foreboding atmosphere seemed to awaken in the night, gradually surrounding the station.
Hidden in the shadows and darkness, beggars spied on the two outsiders under the dim lights of the station.
Luxianbei sat on the ground, wrapped in a coat-turned-sleeping bag, revealing only her exquisite little face and small hands.
She was nibbling on some spicy sticks, her head bowed in deep thought about something, when she noticed Ahua giving her a peculiar look and turned away, rummaging through her sleeping bag to pull out half a pack of spicy sticks.
“Want some? Don’t be shy, have a bit!”
Ahua helplessly shook her head, sighing, “Wang Buliu, I don’t think you’re here to cause trouble for the Big Boss of the entertainment city; you seem more like a tourist.”
Facing Ahua’s indifferent attitude, Luxianbei slowly retracted the spicy sticks, pouting a little, “Let me correct you; I told you, I’m here to negotiate terms with that guy.”
“Is there a difference?”
“Of course there is!” Luxianbei straightened her back. “Causing trouble is about creating problems, negotiating is about talking. If it’s just talking, and it doesn’t work out, I can always come back again!”
“Honestly, I’m quite confident in my ability to make a getaway.”
“…”
Has she not even seen the Big Boss of the entertainment city yet, and she’s already considering getting away if the negotiations fall through?
At times like this, should I say, this is truly Luxianbei?
Ahua fell silent for a few seconds, adjusted her glasses, and said solemnly, “I advise you not to have such thoughts. In a place like this, if you let your guard down…”
“Boom—!”
Just as she finished speaking, a loud explosion resonated from outside the station.
The ground trembled, the rusted metal frame of the overhead shelter shook violently, dust falling like snow, as if this aging station might collapse at any moment.
What did I just say? The moment I haven’t finished my sentence, something goes wrong!
Ahua was startled and just about to grab Luxianbei to find a place to hide when she saw the sleeping bag on Luxianbei suddenly transform into a green cloak, striding boldly over to a bench and pointing at her own nose.
“Don’t be afraid, it’s a landmine. I buried it.”
The beggars secretly spying in the station: “…”
Ahua: “???”
Seeing Ahua look confused, Luxianbei expressionlessly explained, “Earlier you said you wanted to stay here overnight, so I got worried about potential dangers while sleeping and went out to do a bit of safety work in advance.”
“After all, the locals here don’t seem very friendly, and I tend to sleep pretty soundly. Looking at it now, I’m glad my preparation wasn’t in vain.”
Ahua: “???”
When Luxianbei had previously mentioned she had gotten an upset stomach from eating beef noodles and had been running to the bathroom, Ahua had found it strange; she obviously hadn’t eaten a single bite. How could she have had an upset stomach?
So this is what she was up to outside? Ahua thought furiously.
“Next time you do something like this, can you please let me know in advance? You will scare me to d*ath!”
“Aren’t you worried someone might be eavesdropping? What if some despicable bastards are listening in?” Luxianbei pouted, “Setting a landmine is all about discretion, you know?”
As soon as her voice fell, a certain parrot in the shadows tightened its grip on its wings.
Ahua rolled her eyes and pressed on, “Speaking of which, why are you carrying landmines with you?”
That’s just too strange! What on earth has Luxianbei experienced during our time apart? Ahua thought.
“You’re overthinking it; how could I possibly carry something like that?” Luxianbei said, “I just brought a few bombs for self-defense.”
As she spoke, she leaned closer to Ahua and whispered a few things in her ear, then raised an eyebrow slightly, “Got it?”
“Earth Fire Growth Lotus… a trigger type spell?! Wait!” Halfway through her words, Ahua’s pupils suddenly constricted, “This is bad, things aren’t right!”
“What do you mean by ‘not right’ again?” Luxianbei frowned, “Can you stop being so jumpy? Are you a chicken?”
Ignoring Luxianbei’s banter, Ahua seriously explained, “Triggering Earth Fire Growth Lotus requires contact with spirit energy fluctuations higher than Class C, but the area surrounding the station is the most impoverished in the city. Anyone with a bit of power among spirit ability users or urban legends would never want to stay here…”
Luxianbei’s expression grew serious as she looked toward the night sky outside the station.
“In other words, high-level spirit ability users or urban legends from the depths of the city have gathered nearby for some reason?”
“Yes!” Ahua nodded.
“Did you do something upsetting to offend them?” Luxianbei asked suddenly.
“You’re the one who tends to offend others with your words, aren’t you?”
Ahua: “???”
I was about to ask you the same thing!
Before you showed up, everything was fine!
Moreover, when it comes to offending others, you probably have a lot more experience than I do, right?
Just as Ahua was internally lamenting, a dazzling, ghastly white light suddenly shot out from the gap in the station’s awning, heading straight toward them…
**Taking a Break**
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You know, as one gets older, one’s energy and mental acuity really decline a lot. I find myself feeling tired easily, so I can hardly stockpile any drafts, managing to hold on for several months (I feel like that’s quite hard).
Additionally, this arc in the entertainment city has become overly complicated due to my own carelessness, leading to constant headaches. I really can’t take it anymore.
So I’ve decided to reasonably utilize the rules of this site~! I’m going to take a good day off today to adjust my state (with justification)!
Well, I’ll resume updating tomorrow (aiming to update more).
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