Chapter Seven: A Down-to-Earth Story
Rain fell gently from the sky.
A figure cloaked in a black raincoat darted past, quickly approaching the refrigerated warehouse in the outskirts, stepping on the damp, muddy ground, making a soft, sticky sound.
“Creek—!”
The old, heavy iron door creaked as it was pushed open, releasing a sound like a sigh.
The person swiftly entered the refrigerated warehouse, kneeling before Beres with one knee, clasping their fists and saying, “My lord, we’ve just received news from the Alpha team. They’ve finally found traces of the calamity.”
“Oh?” Beres’s face lit up, “Are they keeping an eye on it?”
Among the thirty or so special individuals he discovered, the calamity was one of his most coveted subjects for research.
“Reporting back, my lord, the Alpha team’s people have already followed it and are preparing to act tonight.”
“Tonight?” Beres sneered slightly, “Those bold but foolish guys… even if they have the treasures I provided them, to act tonight is a bit overly confident, don’t you think?”
The so-called treasures were the results obtained after a long period of studying the Inheritance Beasts.
He used the flesh and bl**d of the Inheritance Beasts, accessed the powers of other urban legends, and completed copies of them. Through alchemy, he processed them to a certain degree of inactivation, resulting in a unique alchemical potion capable of temporarily granting spiritual ability users or urban legends various powers.
However, so far, the highest level of power that potion could grant was only at the B1 standard.
As the spirit energy fluctuation level rose, not only were the bodies of the spiritual ability users or urban legends finding it hard to withstand the destructive power of high-level abilities, but their inherent powers also reacted with rejection to these new ones.
Beres had attempted to improve it many times but hadn’t achieved any breakthrough results.
This was one of the reasons he was so eager to research the calamity.
If he could capture it alive, utilizing her extraordinary ability to contain multiple high-level urban legend powers, combined with the feature of the Inheritance Beasts that could replicate most powers, Beres even had confidence he could create a “deity.”
That would be a true deity, embodying multiple urban legend powers, nearly omnipotent, unlike the incomplete reproductions of mythological species urban legends.
However…
“There’s no rush on this matter. Tell the Alpha team to keep a close watch on the calamity and wait for the right chance to act,” said Beres.
He had gathered data through various channels, thoroughly studied how the calamity managed the urban legends of Huacheng, and some of her past experiences. Coupled with her elusive methods, he could almost conclude that her vigilance was exceptionally high.
Although the Alpha team’s spiritual ability users and urban legends, with the aid of the unique alchemical potions, had a chance of capturing the calamity,
once they failed and alerted her, making her wary, capturing her alive again would be very difficult.
So Beres felt that to capture the calamity alive, he had to find the right opportunity—one where if he acted, success was assured.
After all, he had patience to spare.
Just like a few years ago, when he spent nearly a year gradually leading Jiang Li’s father down the abyss of gambling, turning him from a good husband and father into a lost gambler who eventually lost everything.
Even the last ticket Jiang Li’s father took to the Dream Come True Entertainment City was delivered by him.
He firmly believed that even an ancient monster like Jumeng, who had existed for centuries, would have a flaw; the calamity would certainly reveal its Achilles’ heel at some point.
————
Under the night sky, a taxi sped through the empty city, a chilly drizzle of rain pattering against the windows, producing a soft and dense sound, as if whispering about the arrival of a late spring chill.
Silence filled the space as Luxianbei gazed out at the rain-washed city, lost in thought.
As the king of urban legends in Huacheng, she could sense the positions of most urban legends within the city through the earth vein aura.
After hearing Uncle Zhang Shan say that Banshan Primary School had been closed for over forty years without any incident of urban legends, she felt an uneasy premonition.
Although it was normal for there to be no children in a clay pot rice dish, abandoned schools in the current climate of rising urban legends felt rather unsettling.
As the old mining area near Huacheng Cement Plant drew closer, Banshan Primary School came into view, and Luxianbei checked the surrounding area with her earth vein aura, and the feeling of unease intensified in her heart.
It was as if something extremely dangerous was approaching in the dark.
That feeling was like cold, delicate spider silk wrapping around her heart, making her feel exceptionally anxious.
Around Banshan Primary School, she detected no signs of urban legends; even within a three-kilometer radius, there was no urban legend present.
If the earth vein aura were compared to a version of a monitoring system for urban legends, that location was like a surveillance blind spot.
Such a situation could lead to two possibilities.
The first possibility was that after Banshan Primary School was closed, nearly everyone who knew of its existence had forgotten about it, rarely mentioning it, and without any urban legend tales circulating, it naturally would not give rise to urban legends.
However, this scenario was statistically low.
According to Uncle Zhang Shan, the primary reason for the abandonment of Banshan Primary School, besides the restructuring of Huacheng Cement Plant, was the technical defects and excessive exploitation of the limestone quarry, leading to collapses in the mine tunnels, causing deformation of the school’s foundation, ultimately turning the school buildings into dangerous structures.
Not far below the school lay a collapsed mine tunnel where people had died; in any other place, urban legend tales would have evolved into seventeen or eighteen versions by now.
The second possibility was that something existed there that urban legends feared, perhaps a powerful urban legend capable of blocking the detection of earth vein aura.
Given that when Luxianbei previously inquired about Banshan Primary School, the urban legends had no knowledge of it, she felt there was a strong likelihood that a terrifying urban legend capable of blocking earth vein aura probing resided within Banshan Primary School.
Could that urban legend be Qin Nanzhu?
If so, would my rash visit upset her, leading her to attack me? Luxianbei wondered.
Just then, Uncle Zhang’s slightly trembling voice reached her ears.
“W-What are you pulling out a kn*fe for?”
“What?” Luxianbei was taken aback and looked down.
Perhaps too lost in thought, she didn’t realize that she had already taken Ling Tai Purification from its metal box and was holding it in her hand.
“Uh…” Luxianbei looked at Uncle Zhang, who had freed his hands to retrieve a self-defense electric baton from a storage box, organizing her words to explain, “Don’t be scared! We’re almost there, right? I just wanted to prepare in advance in case we encounter something inside.”
“But…” Uncle Zhang frowned, hesitating to continue.
But hadn’t he just said there were no urban legends?
“Are you trying to say that there has never been an urban legend incident there, right?” Luxianbei replied with a teasing look in her eyes. “That’s utterly foolish!”
“Most humans always behave this way, easily deceived by superficial appearances and are more inclined to believe what they want to believe. But sometimes, the truth often contradicts the majority’s views.”
“Have you ever considered that the absence of urban legends at Banshan Primary School is merely a lack of knowledge on your part, but that doesn’t mean there truly aren’t any urban legends there?”
“Have you gone in there at midnight when the crows take flight?” Luxianbei asked ominously, the cold glow of the headlights reflecting on her expressionless face.
Upon hearing Luxianbei’s comments about his alma mater, Uncle Zhang furrowed his brow and tentatively said, “Are you suggesting that there are urban legends at Banshan Primary School that I just don’t know about?”
“Then when you go in later, could you take me with you? I’ll just follow behind to see and collect material, I promise I won’t disrupt anything!”
“……”
You’re not satisfied just listening to stories; you want to go in and see too?
I think you’re really floating away…
Luxianbei scoffed internally, pondering for a moment before not answering Uncle Zhang’s question, but instead shifting the topic, “Let me tell you a story, okay? Just as fare for the ride.”
Uncle Zhang, “……Didn’t you just say there were no stories today? You just made this up? You simply don’t want to pay the fare, right?”
“A long time ago, well, roughly over forty years ago, there was a primary school built around a mining site, where all the students were the children of the mine workers,” Luxianbei recounted.
“The story takes place one afternoon when all the students were quietly attending class in the school when suddenly a terrible earthquake struck.”
“In an instant, the earth shook and the mountains trembled, accompanied by a loud rumbling, and the school building collapsed. Most of the students and teachers had no time to escape and were buried alive under the rubble.”
“In that disaster, many lives were lost, including several close friends of little Zhang…”
“Wait!” Uncle Zhang interrupted as he felt increasingly uneasy. “Why do I feel like you’re hinting at something?”
Over forty years ago, Banshan Primary School indeed experienced a slight ‘earthquake’ due to the mining accident, and it was that ‘earthquake’ that turned the school buildings into dangerous structures.
“No, there are many people with the surname Zhang; why does it have to be you?” Luxianbei replied expressionlessly and confidently, “I just saw the scene and suddenly thought of this story.”
After a pause, gauging Uncle Zhang through the rearview mirror, seeing he had no further comment, Luxianbei continued, “Little Zhang and his close friends were extremely good friends; calling them brothers wouldn’t be excessive. They were worried about little Zhang, who was unconscious, and couldn’t bear the thought of him waking up to see such a cruel scene. They all knew that little Zhang was timid and weak, and probably couldn’t accept all of it.”
“Hey! Zhang Shan, are you really not talking about me?” Uncle Zhang shouted, feeling sweaty in his palms.
“You’re really overthinking it! This story is merely down-to-earth,” Luxianbei denied, then…
Silently activated her charm ability.
Based on her deductions, there might be an extremely terrifying urban legend hidden within Banshan Primary School, and even letting Uncle Zhang approach the school was already risky. If he truly followed her in, she probably couldn’t guarantee his safety one hundred percent.
As for why she didn’t explain the truth and let him leave on his own…
First, Luxianbei was concerned that even if he knew there were urban legends at Banshan Primary School, Zhang Shan would become even more enthusiastic.
Second, telling a story would allow her to avoid paying the fare!
“They were worried about little Zhang, who was in a coma, and couldn’t bear the thought of him waking up to see the cruel scene. They all knew little Zhang was timid, and his nature was weak; he probably couldn’t accept it all.”
Uncle Zhang, “……She’s definitely talking about me. I was timid as a child, which is why I started reading various urban legend stories to build my courage, and eventually became obsessed with urban legend tales!”
Indeed, as an urban legend, she should have many ways to learn about my past experiences.
But why suddenly tell me all of this? Could it be that…
No way, no way! I was just drinking with them recently; how could they possibly be urban legends? Uncle Zhang thought.
Although there were some discrepancies in the details of the story Luxianbei told and his experiences, under the influence of her charm ability, he felt like she was someone who had lived through those events, making her words highly credible.
Inadvertently, he felt sweat on his palms, cold sweat sliding down his cheeks, his heart pounding, and the sound of Luxianbei’s slow, slightly eerie voice filled his ears.
“And so, they chose to become urban legends, working together to weave a dream for little Zhang, a dream that felt just like reality.”
“In that dream, the earthquake did not cause the school building to collapse, in that dream, the historically tragic school had no urban legends involved, in that dream, little Zhang’s memory seemed to freeze at the most beautiful moment; his friends were always by his side, growing up with him.”
As Luxianbei spoke, she activated the Dream Dream ability, several invisible tendrils extending from behind her, silently attaching themselves to the top of Uncle Zhang’s head.
Soon you’ll experience a holographic projection-style urban legend story! Luxianbei thought to herself, silently observing the scenery outside the window, ready to let Uncle Zhang see his “friends.”
“Time passed, and by a chance opportunity, little Zhang, now middle-aged, returned to his old haunts. His little friends noticed his approach and, after discussion, made a decision to reveal the truth to little Zhang.”
“They believed that little Zhang had now grown into a responsible and capable man who could face the cruel truth.”
“And so, they quietly waited at the foot of the mountain where the former campus once stood, waiting for little Zhang to arrive, until midnight arrived, and the crows took flight.”
As the last word fell, the ability activated.
In the next moment, Uncle Zhang turned a corner, and the entrance to Banshan Primary School suddenly appeared on the road ahead without warning, coming into view.
“Screech—!”
The screeching sound of tires came abruptly, and the taxi stopped by the roadside, tall grass growing miserably beside it, the cold wind whistling.
At the end of the beam of the car’s headlights stood the rusted school gate, surrounded by wildly growing vegetation.
Five pale figures stood side by side, waving their hands gently and mechanically, as if to say goodbye or to beckon someone closer.
Behind them, the dark outline of the mountains and the ruins of the school loomed, like a beast lurking, waiting to devour passersby.
The cement road dampened by the rain stretched from the school gate to the front, shining under the high beams as if it were a path leading to either heaven or the underworld.
Staring at the scene before him, Uncle Zhang felt utterly unwell; if it weren’t for his regular exercise and good physical condition, he would surely have suffered some acute cardiovascular incident on the spot.
I have no objection to you telling an earthbound story, I’m even quite happy, but you can’t pull off something so outlandish! Uncle Zhang inwardly complained about Luxianbei.
In his memory, they should still be three to five minutes away from Banshan Primary School.
Now the school gate loomed right before him, with several familiar faces at the entrance waving at him; there was no doubt he had encountered an urban legend incident.
“Uncle, why did you stop?” Luxianbei leaned closer to Uncle Zhang from behind, whispering in his ear, “Keep going!”
“Gulp!” Uncle Zhang swallowed hard, nervously pointing outside, “W-We’ve already arrived! It’s right ahead.”
“Ahead? Isn’t ahead just the road? I don’t see the school!” Luxianbei questioned, “Could it be… did you see something?”
“I didn’t!” Uncle Zhang blurted out, then realized his reaction was too intense and might raise suspicion, his voice lowered immediately.
“I-I’ll just drop you off here, huh? You should get out of the car.”
“Eh? Didn’t you just say you wanted to come with me to see the school?” Luxianbei tilted her head, speaking.
As she spoke, her small hand grabbed Uncle Zhang’s shoulder while quietly channeling a weak spirit energy; a bone-chilling coldness radiated from her fingertips, chilling as if it came from a corpse crawling out of a mortuary.
Uncle Zhang jumped slightly, shaking his head vigorously, “No, I’m not going! I need to rush back to livestream; if I don’t go back soon, my audience will be waiting anxiously.”
“Alright then!” Luxianbei feigned a helpless sigh, “So, Uncle, how much is the fare? Someone told me before that you have to pay for the ride.”
“Don’t want it; just get going!” Uncle Zhang shouted, agitated.
Luxianbei shrugged, opened the car door, and swiftly got out.
The gentle breeze and light rain hit her as she walked confidently, one hand carrying Ling Tai Purification, feeling delighted as she listened to the sounds of the car engine and the fading roar behind her.
What is humanitarian spirit? This is what is called humanitarian spirit!
Not only helping others without accepting fares, but being frightened also provides a sense of fulfillment far greater than normal people.
Uncle Zhang is such a good person! Good people should live long lives, so let me face any dangers alone.
Luxianbei thought, gazing at the vaguely visible buildings on the hillside, her gaze sharpening.
————
Two minutes later.
Not long after Luxianbei left the roadside near the foot of Banshan Primary School, a rustling wind erupted from the darkness.
Five shadows swooped down from the distance, pausing briefly before glancing in the direction Uncle Zhang had left, and then swiftly chased after Luxianbei, running up the hillside…
