**Chapter 96: She Took it Too Seriously, Making it Hard to Refuse 5**
12:02 AM
In a sports car leaving the Siye Association Headquarters in Shengjing, Golden Toad Boy was roaring into the phone.
“… This is a mission from the Black Emperor, on the same level as the God of Wealth’s tasks…”
“Not cooperating? Can’t you understand human speech? I just said, at any cost! If you don’t cooperate, we’ll short their stocks, cut off our controlled financial institutions from them—whatever it takes to dirty their hands, got it?”
“Alright, we’ll discuss everything else when I get back!”
With that, Golden Toad Boy forcefully hung up the phone.
12:08 AM
Tantric, Patisapa Temple.
This vast temple is built against the mountains, its main structure is a Nepalese-style pagoda with symmetrical sides and a golden double-handed sloping roof. Surrounding it are numerous small buildings with silver roofs, creating a “moon circling the stars” effect.
Inside the temple dedicated to the destructive deity Shiva, six enormous cremation platforms are constructed, where nearby devotees hold open-air cremations. There are ritual ceremonies almost every day, large and small.
At this moment, a sacrificial ceremony had just concluded, and the air was still lingering with the strange scent mixed from burning bodies and various spices. Near the cremation platform, an old man, thin and aged, yet with eyes as clear as stars, returned to his residence.
As soon as he sat down in a secluded little house far from the main building, the old man sensed an abnormality, frowning as he searched around, and then saw a face he greatly despised in the golden lotus basin filled with clear water, his wrinkled face revealing a ghostly expression.
Zhang Hainan, the one who once loitered around the temple, launching surprise attacks on people in the temple at all hours without a fixed target.
All because one of the temple’s inherited spirit patterns, “Mohuloga,” had some connection with Zhang Hainan’s spirit pattern “Water Lord,” even serving as a possible direction for an advancement of “Water Lord.”
At that time, Zhang Hainan had reached a bottleneck and urgently needed to absorb various strengths, hence he came to the temple, staying for three full years…
During those three years, the people of the temple suffered immensely, and the elder who had received the temple’s spirit pattern legacy endured even worse torment.
The torment methods inherited from Qing Ji were no joke.
To put it plainly, during those three years, every night when he went to bed, all he saw when he pulled back the covers was Zhang Hainan.
Sometimes Zhang Hainan was actually in his blankets, sometimes it was just an illusion.
To this day, within the temple, tales of “the water and thunder devil from Z Country” still circulate.
“Hahaha, my old friend Yadu, long time no see! I have something important I want to discuss with you.”
The elder, “…”
“Oh, sorry, I forgot you’ve been in silent meditation these years. How about this? Let’s set a time, we can meet at our temple later?” Zhang Hainan said, “I’ll be there in half an hour!”
Upon hearing this, the elder’s pupils contracted slightly and he blurted out a single word: “Get lost.”
“Oh? Have you broken your vows?” Zhang Hainan said in a strange and mysterious tone, “Breaking it is fine! I’ve told you long ago that silent meditation is useless; only constant practice is the way to advance spirit patterns! You need to let your actions align with your spirit patterns!”
Listening to Zhang Hainan’s words, the elder, known as Yadu, whose face darkened due to breaking his vow, became even gloomier, as if it were about to drip water.
“Since you’re so agitated, I won’t visit you after all; let’s just discuss it here,” Zhang Hainan said.
In fact, he did not plan to visit Patisapa Temple at all; who else would handle the Code F urban legends at Dachunyang Palace?
Why he said such things was probably… just a friendly exchange?
————
12:34 AM.
Amsterdam, top floor of the Tulip Society.
This ancient building, with a history dating back to the late 18th century, has a palatial room on its top floor, elaborately decorated with luxury; the ceiling is adorned with gemstones and gold, depicting a vast nautical map.
The nautical map outlines several sea routes, detailing several locations where deep-sea urban legends are entrenched, yet, inexplicably, a large segment is absent, leaving a vast blank.
“People from the Siye Society?”
At the desk, an elder with a regal air was reviewing the financial report for the last quarter. After hearing the attendant’s report, he looked up and couldn’t help but scoff, “Aren’t they just the same kind of goods as the church? I remember them as… the spiritual energy organization from Z Country? What do they want with me?”
“Tell the people below to inform her that I’m too busy to meet her. Tell her to behave, don’t stir up trouble at the Tulip Society. If she’s here to consume, arrange a few strong fellows for her. If she’s here to cause trouble, let her get lost!”
The attendant nodded and left.
Bruce Ma continued reviewing the financial report, his expression serious.
Since the night began to lengthen, the business of the Tulip Society had been thriving. After all, there are few places in the world where people can indulge in all-night revelries without worrying about encountering urban legends.
Moreover, here, there are countless entertainment options, limited only by your imagination, with nothing that the society cannot provide.
However, over a year ago, subtle changes occurred. Business remained booming, yet income dropped by 20%.
Unable to find the cause and destination, a large sum of money seemed to have evaporated.
“d*mn it, if I catch the one stealing my money, I’ll definitely send him to those octopus monsters as an incubator!”
After flipping through just a few pages, Bruce Ma couldn’t help but curse, slamming the financial report down on the desk.
At that moment, as the document lay open, rows of tables and texts gradually began to fade, leaving behind a pale blank page.
“Hmm?” Noticing the anomaly, Bruce Ma raised an eyebrow and leaned over the desk, closely examining the documents, and soon saw a line of text appearing on the pale page.
[I know where the portion of the nautical map you’ve been searching for is. Want to chat?]
“Oh?”
Bruce Ma’s green eyes, resembling those of a beast, flicked left and right, a cold smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, “Is this Siye Society? Don’t think that using that part of the nautical map as bait will make me meet you. What you’re doing now is making me very unhappy…”
It was as if an invisible hand was writing with a feather pen, and the paper once again transmitted a soft rustling sound.
“Shasha—!”
[I might also know where the missing income of the Tulip Society has gone in the last year. Interested in discussing that?]
Bruce Ma stared at the words appearing on the page, pondering for a few seconds, he replied seriously, “Sounds like a deal? Haha, I like trades! I can meet you, but before we do, shouldn’t you pay a bit of a deposit? My friend.”
“Dong—!”
Just as Bruce Ma’s words fell, there was a dull thud from a corner of the room, followed by an ethereal feminine voice echoing in the office.
“Regarding that portion of the nautical map, I can tell you a few key words… 1633, King of Minhai, sunk pirate ship.”
Following the voice, a thick book fell from the bookshelf, crashing onto the hardwood floor.
A faint mist rose from the opened pages, coalescing into a blurry figure, which gradually came into focus, revealing a cold and graceful woman.
Bruce Ma examined her, resembling a lady from his collection’s ancient Z Country painting, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face, “You are from the Siye Society? That way of appearing is quite… what do you Z Country people say?”
“Oh right, it has somewhat of a feeling of [beauty hidden within books], interesting!”
The Wordless Book assessed the man before her; he was just over fifty, with a weary yet refined face, slightly curled hair tips, and time seemed to have left no mark on him. His eyes, shadowed by his brow, reminded one of beasts lurking in the deep sea.
“……” The Wordless Book pondered for a few seconds, ignoring Bruce Ma’s somewhat frivolous remarks, and said, “So, can we discuss now?”
“Of course!” Bruce Ma nodded, smiling, “However, I am aware of what you mentioned, and I’ve even tried to investigate it. But the place where the ship sank is in your Z Country; are you really willing to let my people get involved?”
“If this collaboration goes well…” the Wordless Book replied lightly.
That portion submerged in Liuoluo Bay was a menace, likely to cause urban legend events often, and if Bruce Ma could take it away, it would be a good thing.
As for obtaining that nautical map, it would enhance his strength, while the headache would fall on the church, and there would be little impact on the Siye Society.
Although the church and Siye Society were allies, they had frequently backstabbed the Siye Society for their own interests, and this time, it was time for the Siye Society to stab the church back.
“Hahaha!” Bruce Ma laughed, standing up to pour the Wordless Book a cup of tea, “Dear noble lady, try my fine black tea; let’s sit down and talk slowly.”
————
In a forgotten corner of the city, buildings made of reinforced concrete were stacked together like divine building blocks.
The alley, soaked by a light rain, bore the marks of moisture. Under the afternoon sunlight, steam rose, creating a dreamlike hue on the moss-covered brick walls.
At the end of this long alley stood a tavern that seemed to not exist in this world, its extinguished sign reading “[Liao Zhai],” named after the short story collection by Liu Quan.
“Da, da, da!”
A middle-aged man in a black suit, tall and upright, walked from the end of the alley, splashing on the puddles, creating a series of wet footsteps.
The visitor was none other than the General.
In fact, he didn’t want to come to the Liao Zhai Tavern unless absolutely necessary; aside from the frequent appearances of high-level spiritual ability users and urban legends among the tavern patrons, even the tavern’s owner was a headache for the Siye Society.
It’s unclear when Liao Zhai Tavern first appeared; the earliest record in the Siye Society archives traces back to the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. Some even suspect that Liu Quan must have drunk here and seen many strange things, leading him to name his novel collection “Liao Zhai.”
To this day, no one knows if the owner, Hu Boss, is human or an urban legend, nor do they know the strength of his spiritual energy; all that’s known is that those who disturb the tavern and the urban legends will appear on the menu the next day.
The General came here entirely because it was the only place where members of civilian spiritual organizations could gather together.
According to the Siye Society’s file number 0027, every night, Liao Zhai Tavern magically appears in any corner of the eastern hemisphere of the world, as long as someone there wants to drink a good drink, eat a hot meal, and can afford the “meal cost” demanded by the owner.
……
Crossing the alley, the General stopped in front of the Liao Zhai Tavern, appraising the small entrance, raised his hand to pull the brass ring on the door, and was about to knock when the sliding wooden door suddenly swung open with a crash.
The owner, sporting two faint dark circles under his eyes, peeked out from behind the door. Upon seeing the General, a wan look crossed his face.
“I was wondering why I suddenly had a nightmare from my sleep. It turns out you disaster star came knocking? Get lost, get lost! If my patrons find out you’re here, my business today is ruined!”
Seeing Hu Boss try to close the door, the General furrowed his brow slightly, suddenly stepping forward, his form resembling a long g*n thrusting into the doorway.
“You don’t have to do business today…”
Hu Boss’s expression darkened upon hearing this, “What do you mean? Is the Siye Society so amazing? The Guardian is so impressive? Saying you won’t let someone do business means no business will be done? You should inquire about who I, Hu…”
“Today I’m booking the entire place.” the General said flatly.
As the words fell, Hu Boss blinked in surprise, then a flattering smile quickly spread across his face, “Oh, General, you’re quite generous! Please, come in!”
“By the way, may I ask how many people the General intends to invite? What kind of people should I prepare for? This way, I can customize the menu according to the guests’ preferences.”
“Head of the Bamboo Forest Society, young master of the Fuchun Ruan family, Miaojiang Guji… no need to prepare anything else, just get a few good drinks ready.” the General replied.
From his experiences during his youth, he knew that wanting to negotiate with these civilian spiritual organizations typically required getting them drunk before any serious discussion would begin.
And as for drinking… not reaching the Great Wall, he wouldn’t stop, so it could be considered a small skill attached to his spirit pattern!
“Whoa!” Hu Boss exclaimed lightly, “They’re all big figures? But it sounds like you’re setting up a Hongmen feast? The Siye Society has started incorporating civilian spiritual organizations now?”
The General shot Hu Boss a glare and said, “Isn’t that a bit too much curiosity for you, Hu Boss?”
“Alright, alright!” Hu Boss waved his hand, “As long as you pay for the meal, I won’t bother with what you Siye Society is doing. But I must warn you in advance, if anything gets broken in the tavern, it will be on your head!”
“Rest assured.” the General said blandly, “Everyone knows the reputation of Liao Zhai Tavern; they don’t want to end up in your freezer.”
“Shame on you!” Hu Boss glared back, “Don’t make it sound like we’re a black shop! We’ve always served every customer fairly.”
Pausing, his gaze turned cold as he added, “Of course, troublemakers can’t be counted as customers; they should be… well, let’s not mention that. I’ll go prepare for you.”
Watching Hu Boss depart, the General frowned tightly, “…”
What do you mean ‘not counted as customers’? Ingredients?
“By the way, speaking of good drinks, I have a few jars of 300-year-old Zhuan Hong; want to give it a try?”
“Sure.” the General nodded.
“Hmm…” Hu Boss grinned at that instant, an audible laugh only he could hear escaped his lips.
He had finally caught a fat sheep and successfully fleeced it; how could he not be happy?
Tonight would be the day of the General’s bankruptcy!
————
In a taxi heading from Shizhou City’s First People’s Hospital to the outskirts of Shizhou City.
Huasang had been secretly observing Luxianbei from the corner of her eye.
For some reason, ever since he got into the car, he had been very quiet.
A quiet Luxianbei meant it was unusual, likely hiding something bad.
……
Earlier, when she saw Huasang outside the hospital, Luxianbei was actually very calm.
It wasn’t the first time he was facing a fiancée; he was utterly unfazed!
These days, even married people get divorced, alright!
Just a verbal engagement, once made clear, it shouldn’t count.
However…
Once in the car, with both sitting in this confined space, less than a meter apart, even able to scent each other’s body, the atmosphere suddenly turned awkward.
In this invasive atmosphere, Luxianbei couldn’t help but start wondering how Huasang became his fiancée.
How could one not think about such things?
It’s like when someone reminds you not to think about games while studying; you’d end up unable to help but think about them.
Luxianbei combined the information he had known about Huasang and recalled her childhood experiences he had eavesdropped on, especially that creepy uncle who took her to Dachunyang Palace after the disaster in Jinhua Village…
Wait, that creepy uncle might, perhaps, most likely be my dad?
Tsk, who would have thought that old man would do such deceiving things to naive little girls behind my back? How worried could he be about me not marrying in the future?
Thinking this, Luxianbei turned to look at Huasang, their eyes meeting unexpectedly, and both cheeks reddened at the same time.
Turning his head to stare out the window at the changing city landscape, Luxianbei scratched his cheek awkwardly, “Um, recently I heard something about you…”
“Uh-huh… uh-huh!” Huasang nodded, “I know what it is; I’m sorry, actually…”
“Actually, the broken ruler wasn’t the real deal.” Luxianbei interjected.
“You know?” A hint of surprise flashed in Huasang’s eyes.
“Uh, I know.”
“Whew…” Huasang let out a sigh of relief.
She had been worried about this all morning, terrified that Luxianbei would, like her master, not believe the broken ruler was a fake.
“Don’t worry, I’ll get the real ruler back!”
“Absolutely! Even if it costs my life.”
“Uh, actually…” Luxianbei turned to look at Huasang once more, and upon seeing her resolute eyes and slightly clenched pink fist, he realized she wasn’t just making polite remarks. He had to swallow back the latter half of his sentence: “You don’t need to push yourself so hard.”
She took it too seriously, making it hard to refuse.
“……”
