TWBS c78~82

表里世界 ☆ 

The World Below Surface

ARC 5 (c78-88) Word count: 18,8k

☆ 78

Translator: InkyDragon

In a labyrinth of shadowy paths, a gloomy alley rejected sunlight, giving off an eerie vibe that sent chills down Chu Xiu’s spine. After days of meticulous searching, he finally found the taped-off entrance, devoid of police presence. Leaning against the wall, he agilely vaulted over it, a sense of unexplainable unease settling within him.

Because of the thorough search by the police, there was little hope of finding any missed clues. However, Chu Xiu remained determined in his investigation. At the end of the alley, there were chalk outlines marking four figures, with faint traces of blood serving as a sombre reminder of the tragic event that had taken place.

Kneeling down, Chu Xiu carefully combed the ground for any overlooked evidence, but his efforts proved futile. Feeling disheartened, he collected some soil that was stained with traces of blood before quickly leaving the scene.

“You, once part of that all-knowing cult, seeking a master’s help again?” the incredulous voice on the phone queried. “Who’s your target this time?”

Keeping it concise, Chu Xiu replied, “Recent events have intrigued me, and I need your expertise. Please help.”

Chu Xiu’s friend readily agreed to help him without any hesitation.

With his usual efficiency, his friend managed to obtain the contact information of a renowned master in just three days.

“Look, this is a famous shaman from Northeast China. She is incredibly unique, a child prodigy,” his friend revealed.

“A child?” Chu Xiu questioned, finding it somewhat difficult to believe.

“Yes,” his friend affirmed, smoke curling from his cigarette. “But do not underestimate her; her abilities are extraordinary.”

After concluding the conversation, Chu Xiu wasted no time and embarked on a journey to the village his friend had mentioned.

On his way, he learned that locals believed that the guardian spirits in the village often manifested as animals and occasionally “possessed” individuals. In the past, elderly women took on this role without disrupting their daily lives.

However, the current situation was vastly different…

Upon reaching the village via plane, bus, and bullock cart, Chu Xiu felt an overwhelming sense of desolation. Amidst the gloomy faces, a bright spot emerged—the little girl in a red dress.

She was unlike all the gloomy-faced villagers. With a cold, disdainful glance at Chu Xiu, she only bestowed a smile after he produced a considerable amount of cash.

Yet, she seemed far from a typical child. Her exquisite appearance sharply contrasted with the other children in the village.

As her father hastily pocketed the money, the girl gestured for Chu Xiu to follow her into an empty, secluded room where she motioned for him to sit.

“Bring it here,” the little girl finally spoke.

Understanding her request, Chu Xiu retrieved a handful of soil from his bag, stained as if with fresh blood.

“What do you wish to know?”

Respectfully, Chu Xiu responded, “I seek information about the events that occurred in this place five nights ago.”

Taking the soil, the little shaman nodded. “Close your eyes and, remember, stay calm.”

Complying, he shut his eyes.

A pitch-black darkness enveloped him, and suddenly, he heard faint noises.

The whistling wind mingled with murmured conversations, gradually growing louder, echoing in the vast darkness around them.

He… saw it.

A group entered the alleyway—two girls and four boys engaged in a deep discussion about a mission.

The pieces started falling into place.

Among them was the person he sought—An Xing Yu.

An Xing Yu was part of the task force! He had been there on that fateful day!

Is he still alive? Excitement surged through Chu Xiu momentarily, but the shaman’s words grounded him, reining in his emotions.

However, that young girl… she seemed oddly familiar.

Chu Xiu’s memory sparked—wasn’t she the girl he bumped into outside the police station a few days back?

She was involved, too. Talking to her might yield valuable information.

Observing further, he heard the girl introduce herself.

Lin Chu… was she the user behind ‘The Lights Come On in a Flourishing City (华灯初上 (Huádēng Chū Shàng)’?

Time stretched and condensed. He “witnessed” midnight.

In a flicker akin to old TV static, the scene reduced to five people in the field.

Only Lin Chu survived; the other four lay lifeless. Yu Xiang Guang’s body stained the soil with blood.

An Xing Yu’s whereabouts remained a mystery.

Why did this happen? Where did An Xing Yu vanish?!

In past missions, everyone always came back, whether alive or dead. Chu Xiu couldn’t understand why An Xing Yu suddenly disappeared. There was a chilling possibility—he hadn’t left.

The thought was too horrifying to dwell on, and it became even more terrifying the longer Chu Xiu thought about it.

Once more, the scene blurred and descended into darkness.

With a gradual blink, Chu Xiu opened his eyes and expressed sincere gratitude to the young girl. She motioned for him to leave quickly.

As the end of the year approached, the world outside was adorned with red lanterns, but the village itself lacked any festive spirit. After gathering and organising the information, he sent it to the client.

*

*

Upon returning home from work that day, An Ru noticed the lively decorations that adorned the streets. Although the excitement of the upcoming Spring Festival had faded, having time off was still a reason to celebrate.

However, An Ru couldn’t find any happiness.

The New Year was approaching, and An Xing Yu was still nowhere to be found. This thought burdened his mind, causing him to let out a deep sigh.

“I’m home.” As expected, there was no response upon entering. Assuming his wife was not at home, An Ru proceeded inside, only to find her seated on the living room couch, lost in thought, her eyes red and puffy.

“What’s bothering you?” His voice involuntarily softened.

His wife turned to face him, mustering a forced smile. “An Ru, please tell me the truth. Did Xiao An have nothing to do with the recent murder case in the university town a few days ago?” She spoke slowly, emphasising each word.

“No! Who gave you that false information?” An Ru responded quickly.

However, after spending years together, she knew her husband too well to be deceived. How could she not read him like an open book when he lied?

Growing increasingly agitated, he retorted, “Was it that unreliable private investigator you hired? Don’t believe a word he says.”

“Unreliable? It’s you who’s being unreliable, constantly hiding the truth from me. I know you’re withholding things…” Her words trailed off, becoming almost incomprehensible. “Little An went to that alley, didn’t he? He did, right?”

“— The detective found out, just like those cops, right? But you kept it from me because you didn’t know where he went, did you?” Her gaze turned fierce. “If you won’t tell me, I’ll find out on my own.”

“— An Ru, you’ve lost our son.” Her stare pierced her husband, her words gentle but firm.

An Ru met his wife’s gaze, rendered speechless by the implications.

What she said… undeniably held truth. Authorities found hair and fingerprints at the scene, one of those hairs belonging to An Xing Yu!

*

*

In another world.

Lu Yan had no clue where the taskers were headed this time; all he wanted was to avoid them.

He couldn’t comprehend why he stood out. However, despite his hesitation in previous missions, he always ended up getting involved when it mattered as if compelled to participate.

In the end, he accepted an active role, working hard to decipher the patterns of the missions and uncover the truth behind the world’s anomalies. Having a purpose made life bearable.

Quietly, he prayed that this time would not bring similar incidents. As he sat on the train leaving town, he felt relieved by the absence of strange occurrences.

Then, his eyelid twitched.

A hunch stirred within him, hinting at the possibility of an unforeseen turn of events.

As Lu Yan journeyed along the northern road, he felt like the trip would never end. He took advantage of the luxurious seat, giving his weary eyes a break.

The overwhelmingly loud television on the train bombarded his senses.

— The Broadcaster’s voice illuminated the recent extraordinary archaeological discovery. The symbols found inside the tomb did not correspond to any known historical dynasty, indicating the existence of an unrecorded civilization. These artefacts offered valuable insights into ancient rituals, languages, and spiritual beliefs, carrying significant archaeological importance.

— Most of the relics remained remarkably intact and only required minimal restoration. Consequently, a few of these items, once expertly refurbished, would be exhibited in the local provincial museum. 

With his eyes shut tightly, he was suddenly struck by an even more astonishing revelation that reached his ears. 

— As the excavation continued, revealing the central tomb, a truly remarkable sight emerged: the body of a young man, unmistakably dressed in modern clothing! 

Lu Yan’s eyes snapped open!

For some inexplicable reason, the television broadcasted a slow zoom-in of the image of the young man lying before an altar in the main chamber. His body showed minimal decay, and his clothes were clearly modern in style.

A young duo sitting opposite Lu Yan on the train were also engrossed in the television. The girl exclaimed, “No way! Did archaeologists really find someone from our time? A time traveller?”

The boy contemplated, “Could this be connected to grave robbing? The experts did mention signs of theft.”

“But they did specify that he was young. Would a young person really do something like that? It seems unlikely,” the girl argued.

Equally puzzled, the boy scratched his head and said, “Unless he came from a poor family… it’s not impossible. Maybe his accomplice ran away?”

As they continued to speculate, a wave of despair washed over Lu Yan completely.

An Xing Yu… Why did Xing Yu stay in this world?

Did he really stay in that tomb for good? Why?

With every bit of knowledge he gathered, it seemed more pointless, akin to a blind man groping in the dark for truth just out of reach.

As the train barreled through the wild, untamed wilderness, trees zoomed past the window one by one, gradually disappearing into the night. In the distance, the unchanging green plains slowly transformed into shades of darkness.

Finally, the train arrived at the station.

Late into the night, Lu Yan grabbed his small suitcase and joined the crowd as they exited. A cold breeze swept through, causing shivers to run down their spines as they bundled up in their warmest clothes.

Close behind, a group of men and women stepped off the train.

“Shouldn’t we wait for the archaeologists? Do we really have to go in now?”

“Don’t be silly. Wait for what? Let them uncover it themselves?”

A hushed conversation ensued, with the fear of attracting attention guiding their words.

“I just checked the news. Despite their excavation, there’s no sign of the Pisces jade pendant. It’s definitely still there.”

The slightly plump man smacked his thigh. “They claim they haven’t found it even after reaching the main tomb? If it’s not being reported, they’re just keeping us in the dark. Think about it, if it were something ordinary, they wouldn’t have singled it out.”

Outside the station, the noise of taxi drivers looking for passengers filled the air as people headed home for the end of the year. Lu Yan waited in line for a taxi and finally got in. Before he could say where he was going, the rear door on the other side swung open and a slightly hefty man in his thirties squeezed in, followed by a thin man wearing glasses. A young woman also got into the front passenger seat.

“Hey buddy, there don’t seem to be any available rides at the moment. How about we share one, eh?” The slightly overweight man said casually. Before Lu Yan could respond, he turned to the driver. “Boss, since we’re a group, any chance of getting a discount?”

Sitting in the front seat, the girl fastened her seatbelt, glanced back, and found it hard to look away. She gazed at Lu Yan with a sweet smile. “Hello handsome. Apologies for the tight squeeze. Let’s just think of it as making new friends, alright?”

The driver appeared intrigued, hesitated momentarily, and glanced at Lu Yan through the rear-view mirror. Regulations prevented him from forcing anyone out.

Relaxing in the backseat, Lu Yan closed his eyes. “Boss, XX Road, XX Hotel, as fast as possible.”

The girl’s smile froze, and the chubby man’s outstretched hand hung in the air, both ignored.

A moment of awkwardness filled the car.

Once the passengers settled in, the driver grew restless. He revved the engine and sped off. The slim guy with black-rimmed glasses attempted to lighten the mood, “What a stroke of luck! We’re all heading to the same hotel; it’s simply perfect.”

The driver relaxed, picking up speed.

Observing Lu Yan’s lack of interest, the others ceased their attempts to spark a conversation and instead engaged in their own discussions. Enduring an hour of mindless chatter that resembled ghostly wails and wolf howls, Lu Yan paid his share upon arriving at the hotel and wordlessly left the car.

“Why’s this NPC acting all high and mighty…” The slightly portly man sneered under his breath.

He thought the man hadn’t heard, yet as Lu Yan retrieved his luggage from the trunk, those words echoed loudly and clearly.

Lu Yan exhaled deeply and casually took hold of his suitcase before entering the hotel.

Sure enough… no matter the distance, he always seemed to encounter them. 

“Cut it out, Cao Yi (曹仪: “grass ceremony” or “weed ritual” or “generation elegance”). The boy toy is gone, yet you’re still gawking like some clueless NPC,” sneered the slightly plump man, eyeing the figure’s back. 

Meanwhile, the girl continued to gaze, seemingly captivated.

“Can’t you just zip it, Fei Hong Sheng (费宏胜: “expense grand victory”, “cost vast success”, “fee magnificent superiority”, or “wasteful triumphant bravery”)?” Cao Yi shot back. “Since when is this your concern? Yapping all the way, aren’t you tired?”

“Heh, don’t come whining to men for help later. What’s with the high heels at this hour?” Fei Hong Sheng refused to yield.

The bespectacled man grew irritated. “Are you done having fun yet? Do you find this amusing?”

Cao Yi’s demeanour immediately softened. “It was clearly his fault. Jing Tao (井涛: “well wave”, “pit billow”, “well surge”, or “pit adventure”), won’t you speak up?”

Jing Tao had a throbbing headache as he made his way into the hotel, shaking his head and sighing. 

Soon, another car arrived, and a group of seven finally gathered. They sorted out their rooms and prepared to go upstairs and settle in. 

The group consisted of three women and four men. Among them, one woman and two men stood out as veterans, while the rest seemed unremarkable or downright brainless. 

In his room, Lu Yan watched the tablet displaying the elevator scene. The seven continued to bicker until the largest man among them bellowed, silencing the chaos. 

It had been… quite a while since he had seen taskers like this.

Lu Yan was completely absorbed in flipping through pages to gather details about the tomb, specifically focusing on accounts related to the recently discovered male body. 

Despite the initial pixelated appearance of the media’s images, Lu Yan persisted and made several attempts, eventually achieving significant clarity. Gradually, the details started to emerge – the trousers on the male corpse were torn, exposing part of his calf, which had a faint red mark.

Meanwhile, in another room down the hallway, two women grew increasingly frustrated.

“What’s going on here? Our original plan was already jinxed, and now they’ve put us in the farthest room in the hotel, right at the end of the corridor. Can anyone even live in that place?”

(TN: In Chinese culture, there’s a prevalent belief in Feng Shui, which considers the flow of energy or “qi” within a space. Within this belief system, certain building areas, including the farthest rooms or corners, might be considered less desirable due to the potential for stagnant or negative energy accumulation. These areas might be associated with bad luck, misfortune, or simply an uncomfortable feeling.) 

The other woman expressed her frustration, “Weren’t they supposed to close off the rooms at the far end? How did they manage to sell it to us, saying that no other rooms were available? They probably think they can easily take advantage of us, especially since we’re out-of-towners.”

A slender, middle-aged woman interjected calmly, “So, are both of you planning on switching rooms now?”

“Of course, we’re switching. The second-to-last room must be better than the one at the end, right?” The youngest one searched in her small bag, found a lip gloss, applied it carefully, puckered her lips, and tossed her long hair. “The second-to-last room probably hasn’t been used yet. Let’s ask about it.”

The woman, who was close to forty, had calm eyes and faint lines at the corners. She nodded gently and said, “Do as you wish. I’m leaving.” With that, she picked up her small suitcase, swiped her card, and opened the door.

The two younger girls exchanged eye rolls. One of them knocked on the door while the other tried to pull her in, eager to proceed without any more delays.

Startled by a knock on the door, Lu Yan approached cautiously and asked, “Who is it?” as he stood beside the door.

A woman’s voice from outside responded, “Hello, can you open the door?”

Taking precautions, Lu Yan secured the door chain before inquiring further, “What’s the matter?”

The voice outside sounded somewhat coy, “Can you open the door so we can talk? I’m just a girl, I won’t harm you.”

Recognizing the voice instantly as the woman from the recent taxi ride, Lu Yan hesitated. A moment later, another voice chimed in, “Sorry, my friend and I booked a room that’s too small for us. Could we swap rooms with you?”

Accustomed to being prepared for swift departures, Lu Yan hadn’t unpacked much. “Sure, give me a moment,” he agreed promptly, sensing the situation without delay.

Quickly stashing his tablet in his bag, he exited the room. As he opened the door, Cao Yi was momentarily stunned by the sight of him.

Wasn’t he the handsome guy from the taxi? Before she could express her excitement, Lu Yan turned to address the older lady, Yi Jun (易筠: “Easy and fine” or “Change and bamboo skin”), inquiring, “Which room am I swapping to?”

Yi Jun smiled graciously and gestured towards the room at the end, saying, “That one. I apologise for any inconvenience, and thank you very much.”

With only a nod, Lu Yan acknowledged her and entered the assigned room.

There is a belief that one should avoid the last room in a hotel corridor, as it may possibly lead to paranormal occurrences.

Before leaving, he discreetly placed a ‘bug’ by the door of the room, wondering what might unfold.

*

*

Chu Xiu arrived just as Lin Chu woke up from her sleep.

She had spent hours immersing herself in every piece of information about the all-knowing deity and had adorned her walls with it. Planning to sleep the day away, a knock interrupted her afternoon.

Annoyed, Lin Chu ran her fingers through her messy hair and got up to answer the door. “Who’s there?”

“I’m looking for ‘The Lights Come On in a Flourishing City,” a male voice called from the other side of the door.

“You have the wrong place,” Lin Chu replied, with no intention of opening the door.

Images of Yu Xian Guang and his urn were still in the living room. She had no interest in anything related to missions at that moment.

The knocking continued persistently. “I’m here to find Lin Chu. I have something very important to ask about An Xing Yu. Please, could you open the door? Let’s talk.”

Lin Chu felt a momentary wave of disorientation wash over her upon hearing that name.

“Ah-ah-ah—” she pulled at her hair in frustration and then smoothed it out with trembling fingers before finally reaching for the doorknob.

“It’s you?” Lin Chu recognized the young man she had bumped into outside the police station.

Chu Xiu nodded in her direction, his expression softening into a gentle smile. “I have some questions about the mission involving An Xing Yu. Could I trouble you for some answers?”

Lin Chu didn’t immediately show any suspicion. After giving him a quick once-over to confirm he posed no threat, she nodded. “Come inside.”

Slipping into her slippers and crossing the threshold, Chu Xiu was taken aback.

The white walls of the room were completely covered in sticky notes, each one relating to ghosts and the supernatural in some way.

“So, you’re a tasker too?” Chu Xiu asked, already certain of the answer.

Lin Chu scratched her head. “Sort of.”

“Do you know An Xing Yu?”

“I’ve never heard of them,” Lin Chu immediately denied.

“No, six days ago, you were definitely seen near X City’s university town, just like An Xing Yu.”

Lin Chu hesitated. “…Alright, I know them. What’s the problem?”

☆ 79

Lin Chu felt a pang of guilt. In the aftermath of the mission, she was consumed by urgency, leaving no room for reflection. However, as time passed, fragments of memories resurfaced, suggesting a possible connection between An Xing Yu’s disappearance and her own actions.

During the ancestral ritual, she had been mesmerised by the flowing river of blood, almost sacrificing herself. In that chilling moment, a subconscious urge compelled her to offer up An Xing Yu instead.

Was it conceivable that An Xing Yu had been sacrificed and left in that otherworldly realm? The troubling thought loomed, but Lin Chu was afraid to delve deeper into it.

As she poured a glass of water for Chu Xiu, she noticed that his attention was not on the drink, but on the clutter of notes that adorned the walls.

“You’re quite remarkable,” he commented sincerely.

With a half-hearted smile, Lin Chu asked, “Why exactly have you come here?”

“To investigate An Xing Yu’s disappearance,” Chu Xiu replied, gesturing towards a report he held. “The casualties were high in your last mission. Everyone, except you, perished. While some deaths can be explained, why did An Xing Yu vanish? If you live, you come back. If you die, you come back…. Once word of this leaks out to other taskers, your days won’t be peaceful.”

Lin Chu acknowledged the truth in those words.

Those who survived numerous tasks weren’t angels; having the ability to off NPCs meant they were capable of taking lives.

Lin Chu maintained her expression, her visage slightly pallid as if recalling an unpleasant memory, attempting to recollect but ultimately shaking her head in a blank manner, a bitter smile forced upon her lips. “I wish I knew. I want to know, too, what he encountered.”

Despite Lin Chu’s display of vulnerability, Chu Xiu’s caution didn’t wane. He always sensed deception from the other side, although clueless about the hidden truth.

“I know you don’t buy it, but we all ended up scattered in the end. I barely survived; how could I muster energy to tend to others?”

The teacup emitted steam on the table, Lin Chu’s sincerity ringing through in her tone.

Her act was seamless, leaving Chu Xiu clueless whether she lied or not. Yet, his instincts persisted, whispering that this girl wasn’t as straightforward as she seemed.

“If that’s the case, care to share your mission details? I couldn’t find a trace of it on the website.” 

He hinted that Lin Chu returned and concealed the mission without posting it.

The opportunity existed; certain agents returned from their missions but opted to conceal their experiences for various reasons, refraining from documenting them.

“Don’t worry,” Lin Chu assured. “I’ll organise it and send it later.”

A flicker of sorrow crossed her features, recalling something deeply saddening. “My best friend died during that mission, and I just can’t bring myself to go back there,” she confided, a faint smile tinged with both genuine and feigned sorrow.

Chu Xiu, perceptive and not easily misled, presented a challenge for her. His manner, somewhat imposing yet not entirely unwelcoming, required Lin Chu’s cautious and indirect approach in their unspoken clash.

Chu Xiu knew Lin Chu’s best friend was likely Yu Xian Guang.

In the living room rested the other person’s portrait, likely connected to her recent visit to the police station.

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Chu Xiu composed himself. “But finding An Xingyu is important. I need a detailed account from you.”

Closing her eyes wearily, Lin Chu settled on the couch before finally speaking up, “Alright, I’ll gather my thoughts.”

Chu Xiu earnestly jotted down notes.

Continuing her narrative, Lin Chu began to recount the eerie events of the mission. Her recollection, distorted by the mission’s duration, seemed tangled, leaving certain details hazy and prompting moments of contemplation.

“… There were loads of ghosts. We dashed through the amusement park in a panic, clueless about where to go. In the pitch-black night, we stumbled upon a brightly lit wax museum. At first, we didn’t realise it, but inside, all the wax figures depicted us dying in different ways…”

However, as Lin Chu slowly recounted the mission’s events, her story diverged greatly from her actual experience. She had crafted a tale right then to deceive him.

Unaware of Lin Chu’s deception, Chu Xiu listened intently. As she described her escape from the eerie amusement park, a hint of sorrow crossed her face when she found herself alone.

“So, you’re asking me about An Xing Yu’s whereabouts? I genuinely have no idea. I’m just as curious. Why did he vanish?” Lin Chu responded, her tone curious.

Taking a moment to ponder, Chu Xiu nodded and bid her farewell, expressing his apologies for the interruption. “Thank you very much.”

Lin Chu walked him to the door, then from the balcony she watched his silhouette vanish down the street. Returning to the sofa, she rummaged through her belongings, retrieving a bug and a pinhole camera.

Wrapping the two small items in tissue, she clenched her hand tightly, crushing them without hesitation.

Meanwhile, a crackling electrical sound hummed near Chu Xiu’s ear, indicating the discovery of his little toys.

*

*

The provincial museum buzzed with visitors, attracted by the allure of recently unearthed exhibits, especially fascinating history buffs. With the New Year prompting a return to hometowns, many parents happily brought their children, hoping to cultivate their appreciation for the past.

Wearing a mask, Lu Yan blended into the crowd and seamlessly passed through the security check.

Inside the dimly lit museum, photography was prohibited for most artefacts. He meticulously examined the excavated objects, silently absorbing their intricate details.

The displayed collection echoed the style of items he had encountered in the tomb—antique, distinctive bronze, jade, and porcelain pieces encased within softly illuminated glass walls.

Due to the limited excavation period, experts had not yet  deciphered much information, resulting in sparse annotations. Lu Yan quickly skimmed through the limited details, concluding his examination in no time.

He turned on his heel, striding purposefully toward the bathroom.

Within the stall, Lu Yan retrieved a stack of white papers from his bag and swiftly sketched with a pencil, capturing the fresh image etched in his mind.

As he immersed himself in drawing, noises from outside the stall drew his attention. Footsteps suggested the arrival of the trio from the hotel the previous night—approximately three individuals.

With no one else visible in the restroom, the threesome began their conversation with unguarded frankness.

“We were supposed to infiltrate the archaeological team, right? So why are we here at the museum? We’ve combed through this place and found nothing. They must’ve hidden everything,” grumbled Fei Hong Sheng.

“Do you think it’s easy to just join the archaeological team? We don’t know anyone there. We barge in and say, ‘Oh, we’re here to excavate artefacts.’ Do you think they’d believe that?” added another deep voice.

“Stop bickering, you two are noisy when you’re together. Let’s figure out a solution instead. Those recent discoveries they unearthed, if not on display here at the museum, where else could they be?” Jing Tao interjected.

“This bloody mission, hunting down a jade pendant, who knows if it’s tucked away in a museum or stashed by some bloke. We might end up in a tomb by the end of it all…” Fei Hong Sheng finally fell silent, but soon resumed grumbling about other things.

At the mere mention of the jade pendant, Lu Yan’s attention sharpened.

What jade pendant? Could it be the one he had in mind?

Their ensuing conversation confirmed Lu Yan’s suspicion; they were indeed seeking the Pisces jade pendant. The only two in existence were in Lu Yan’s possession, and strangely, after world returned, the pendants hadn’t vanished.

Lu Yan’s emotions at that moment were hard to pin down. He had been probing for any conspiracy tied to the mission, some unseen force guiding it. But he couldn’t discern any consistent thread. Yet now, his hunch had a lead. 

Why, just as he acquired the jade pendant, did someone else receive a task to locate the Pisces jade pendant? Could something have silently observed him all this time?

Lu Yan couldn’t grasp it, but he was damn sure he wouldn’t allow this bunch to take away the Pisces jade pendant.

After a while, those fellows departed, and only then did Lu Yan emerge from the bathroom stall. 

Passing by the mirror, he suddenly felt uneasy, causing his pupils to shrink in an instant.

As he exited, he noticed that despite leaving the cubicle door open, the compartment door began to close, one after the other, as seen in the mirror.

It was as if invisible hands were at work, closing the doors.

Bloody hell!

Lu Yan swiftly walked away.

Shortly after, a young boy, around seven or eight years old, entered the restroom.

He had been brought to the museum by his mother for a visit and was supposed to write an essay afterward. He couldn’t understand what was so fascinating about a bunch of dusty old relics; in fact, he had accidentally knocked over a particularly beautiful bowl. As a result, his mother was arguing with the museum staff, and the boy, muttering to himself, decided to go to the toilet on his own.

Pushing the door open, he stepped into the cubicle.

Unbeknownst to him, the mirror showed the cubicle door remaining firmly shut, never budging.

He pushed through a door that led to who knows where.

After a moment, a pale hand unexpectedly appeared on the door handle, slowly opening the stall door.

In the reflection of the mirror, gore and flesh covered the walls, floor, and ceiling of the stall—a scene straight out of hell.

Outside the mirror’s realm, a gentle breeze pushed open the tightly closed door, revealing a perfectly clean and completely empty space.

The whereabouts of the little boy remained a mystery to everyone.

*

*

Inside the museum, a young mother, fresh from an argument with the staff, rubbed her sore throat and muttered to herself, “That filthy brat’s going to get a good spanking once we get home, making me cough up all that money.”

Then it hit her: hadn’t Little Treasure mentioned needing to use the bathroom? Where could he be?

Unaware of the consequences of her argument, a wave of customers began to leave. Soon, half of the museum’s visitors had departed, leaving behind an eerie emptiness.

For unknown reasons, even the staff dwindled in numbers until only about twenty people remained within the museum’s walls.

Lightning cut through the thick, cloudy sky, briefly illuminating the museum with brilliance as the storm raged on, accompanied by a deafening clap of thunder.

“Oh, what’s happening? Why is it raining?”

“Oh no, I forgot my umbrella. It’s so difficult to find a taxi around here…”

Just wait a moment, let the rain calm down before going back. The weather has been unpredictable lately. It was scorching hot just a few days ago, and now it’s suddenly chilly…”

Another thunderclap, and half of the lights in the museum went out.

“Ah—” a girl’s scream pierced through, followed by a chorus of commotion.

Did the lightning strike the power lines?

Gathered at the museum entrance, the crowd watched in horror as another bolt of lightning struck, creating a dazzling burst of light that brought down the distant utility pole in an instant.

“The wires are on fire!” they exclaimed.

At the same time, the museum’s lights finally went out completely, plunging everything into darkness.

Even the pouring rain couldn’t extinguish the sparking wires. The pole swayed and gradually toppled, crashing onto a row of vehicles in the parking lot. Car alarms blared one after another, causing a fresh wave of distress among the onlookers.

For some of them— their cars were there!

*

*

“Blimey, what’s happening outside? It’s incredibly loud and absolutely rude.” The young mother made her way towards the bathroom, hearing the commotion near the entrance. Annoyed, she scowled. But before she could take a few steps, the overhead lights flickered twice, then disappeared.

Complete darkness.

And to make matters worse, there were dripping sounds, as if there had been a botched waterproofing job.

Enough already. Once she got out, she was definitely going to file a complaint against this museum. How on earth did they manage things? Leaking like this?

The young mother turned on her flashlight and cautiously moved forward.

“Little one? Sweetie, are you here?” She shuffled towards the door of the men’s restroom.

Strange, why was there more water accumulating on the floor?

She shone her flashlight inside, still in complete darkness. A gust of wind blew in from the other window, causing the partition door to rattle, bringing in a handful of cold raindrops.

“Little Treasure? Are you there?” She raised her voice, “Is anyone in the men’s restroom? Can I come in now?”

No response, only the increasing rush of cold wind.

She cautiously stepped through the door, being careful not to soak her boots in the pooled water on the floor. Stall after stall, she peered inside.

“Little Treasure? Little Treasure?”

To her dismay, even after reaching the last partition, she found no trace of her son.

“Little Treasure, stop playing hide and seek with Mama. Come out now, alright?” Failing to locate her son, an unsettling feeling washed over her, causing her to raise her voice once again.

The flashlight beamed around, and suddenly, her body tensed up abruptly, as if her blood froze in an instant.

She saw…

In the mirror, the pristine setting was gone. Outside the window, rain lashed against it like blood, with long, grey-white shadows drifting back and forth. And the water on the ground… undeniably blood!

She was completely drenched in bloodwater! The droplets that had fallen on her face, which she had casually wiped away, were now smeared into a bloody mess.

Blood handprints adorned every inch of the walls!

Ghosts… they were ghosts!

The museum was haunted!!

“Ah!!” The young woman let out a piercing scream, desperately attempting to flee. But just as she neared the closest stall, a ghastly pale hand shot out, forcefully pulling her entire being into the compartment.

The door slammed shut with a powerful gust of wind.

The wails suddenly stopped.

*

*

Naturally, the high-pitched screams caught the attention of the few people huddled at the entrance. They exchanged anxious glances.

“What’s happening? Who’s there?”

“Has something happened? Should we go take a look?”

Pushing and shoving, they urged each other forward, trying to gather their courage. Everyone switched on their flashlights, illuminating the area slightly.

“Just my luck, encountering something like this on New Year’s. Good thing I have car insurance, or I’d be in big trouble.”

“Doesn’t this museum have a backup generator? Where are all the staff? Why can’t we find anyone?”

“Exactly! Can’t they turn on the lights? It’s pitch black, and it’s too scary.”

They all huddled together, trying to boost each other’s courage, making the atmosphere slightly less eerie. However, there was no denying that once the museum, known for its antique decor, fell into darkness, it became quite frightening.

Among them were the seven members of the task force, whose reactions were slightly more pronounced than the others.

The others didn’t know, were they still unaware? There was definitely some ghostly activity happening in the museum. They had considered leaving quickly, but the team leader, Jing Tao, advised against a direct exit. There had been previous instances where those who left early ended up dead on the road.

“Risk is an opportunity, so why not take a chance? What if they find the Pisces jade pendant?”

The beams of seven or eight flashlights scanned the area. The red dots from the several cameras on the ceiling disappeared, appearing to be out of power and no longer functioning.

There were no staff members present.

“Hey, now that there are no staff or cameras, wouldn’t it be easy for us to take a few relics without getting caught?” a man in the crowd cautiously proposed.

“Stealing is not right, mate,” another man advised.

“Oh, come on, I was just joking, not being serious,” chuckled the man who spoke earlier.

Nevertheless, his words unintentionally sparked thoughts in others.

Before long, another person casually mentioned, “I’ve heard that these glass cases usually trigger an alarm, but after the power outage, the alarms are disabled, right?”

“Even if they are, so what? These staff members seem to have disappeared into thin air.”

“Yeah, and no one will notice anyways.”

“The relics are highly valuable; maybe we shouldn’t.”

“Haven’t you read the reports? There are many more inside the tomb, and this exhibition only showcases a small portion. Besides, what is the use of these relics anyway?”

More and more people were growing anxious, and eventually, those who opposed were silenced.

In that moment, their objective shifted. Instead of searching for the source of the screams, they began scavenging for things that were valuable and easy to carry.

Lu Yan trailed behind the crowd, releasing a deep sigh and casting a cold eye on these people, who led themselves to their own demise.

He wanted to leave, but he shared the same concerns as the rest of the group.

Heavy rain, lightning, and damaged power lines… Everything was preventing them from exiting the museum. If they were to hastily depart, they might encounter something even more horrifying.

He walked at the rear, vigilantly surveying the entire hall.

Surrounding the grand exhibition hall were several smaller ones. He strolled slowly towards a display stand, his entire body tense, ready to flee at any moment.

In one of the smaller exhibition rooms, a woman’s scream erupted once again.

Lu Yan heard a sound. It was a familiar voice from yesterday, one of the people in that tasker group called Cao Yi.

Others instinctively ran in, entering the small exhibition hall.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” They asked. 

Lu Yan remained unmoving. He could hear a faint dripping sound.

It was like a tick-tock sound, dropping onto the glass display table beside him.

He wondered from where the sound of water was coming from?

Before he could ponder it, he heard Cao Yi’s crying in distress. 

“Really, I really saw a figure, a white one. Iit disappeared in an instant. I’m not blind.” Cao Yi said, clearly frightened. Her makeup was a bit smudged. “I came in from the entrance into the toilets, saw several stalls, then I checked them one by one. Then, I felt something on my neck, like hair or something. I turned around and saw a white figure drifting into the wall…”

Beams of torchlight shone, making everyone’s faces appear blurred in the darkness.

The atmosphere momentarily froze, and whether it was psychological or not, the temperature inside the museum seemed to drop a few degrees, growing increasingly chilly.

“You shouldn’t spout nonsense; it’s probably just your stress getting to you, causing you to misperceive,” advised Jing Tao.

“I didn’t misperceive! It’s real, I really saw it. Why don’t we hurry out? This museum is haunted…”

Even if they knew there were ghosts in this mission, they couldn’t just blurt it out like that, right? This bunch of NPCs was such perfect cannon fodder. If they ran away, what would they do themselves?

Jing Tao wished he could grab the other person’s neck and shake them to see if brain’s could be squeezed out. But in front of everyone, he couldn’t do that. He could only glare at Cao Yi darkly, hoping to make her tone it down.

Yi Yun sighed, reached out to pat Jing Tao’s shoulder, and gently shook her head at him.

Jing Tao understood her unspoken words, his forehead tightening as he shot her another glare.

Yi Yun flashed a smile that seemed a bit fake no matter how you looked at it. “After all, it’s a museum, filled with relics just dug up from tombs. If they get a bit contaminated, there’s a real chance, isn’t there? It’s better to believe there’s something than to believe there’s nothing.”

Her words may have been accurate, but the guilty tone in her voice made them utterly unconvincing, regardless of how you looked at it.

“Don’t pretend to be bleeding innocent. I remember all of you, working together, trying to push us out and keep everything for yourselves, right?” one of the blokes sneered, seeing through her scheme.

Yi Yun waved her hands frantically, “No, no, how could you think that? I…”

“Stop daydreaming! There’s plenty in this museum for everyone! Your gang can’t scare us off just because there are more of you. Cause a scene and I’ll call the police right away. No one will come out of this looking good!”

Now Jing Tao understood what Yi Yun was trying to do and was impressed. He quickly added, “Okay, okay, you call the shots. We won’t argue with you, alright? Let’s agree not to involve the police, right? We’ll quickly find things on our own.”

“That’s right,” the man grumbled as he passed Cao Yi, who was still standing there dazed and muttered, “But I really did see it…”

Yi Yun’s expression turned icy as she pulled her aside, gesturing for the others to gather around to avoid eavesdropping. She didn’t hold back while scolding the woman, “If you want to get yourself killed, don’t drag us down with you! Who knows what could come out of that ancient tomb? Right now, they’re about to test if these artefacts are cursed. If you keep spouting nonsense and scaring off these NPCs, do you think we won’t use you as the guinea pig?”

She explained it to her clearly, and finally, Cao Yi understood the situation, nodding vigorously.

She was a complete newbie, only on her second attempt. The first time, she breezed through with someone else’s help and thought it was no big deal. She even wrote a horror novel based on her own experience, which boosted her reputation as a “talented female author.” Later, one of her clients discovered it and invited her to a website. She didn’t take it too seriously, thinking she had toughened up enough after watching many horror movies.

But this was her first-ever up-close encounter with a ghost, and she almost fainted on the spot.

In horror movies, no matter how scary and gruesome they may be, it’s all fiction.

However, in this moment, she truly experienced what it felt like to be on the edge of life and death.

Right now, Yi Yun made her feel the same way the experienced person who had guided her before did, and she instantly found Yi Yun quite likeable, even if she spoke with disdain. As soon as Yi Yun finished speaking, Cao Yi hurriedly caught up, wanting to walk alongside her and tugging at her clothes.

“Don’t keep following me,” Yi Yun said, not interested in engaging with the other person.

Cao Yi caught a glimpse of her calm appearance, which provided some relief. She muttered under her breath.”Y’know… I’m really scared.” 

“Ah, do whatever you want.” Yi Yun turned around and surveyed the area once again.

However, her focus was not on the exhibits inside the museum; instead, she kept her gaze on the people around them.

She wanted to witness what would happen if someone tried to steal an artefact.

Before long, a man who had argued with them earlier grabbed a chair and forcefully slammed it against the glass display case.

Although the glass case was supposedly sturdy enough to withstand a bullet, it couldn’t withstand the impact and shattered onto the floor. Two delicate glass cups were nearly destroyed inside.

The man reached out, took the two beautiful glass cups, and discreetly placed them into his backpack.

Nothing stirred.

Yi Yun kept her eyes fixed on him.

Unbeknownst to her, the hand behind her slowly turned icy. However, Yi Yun, still standing in the corner, remained unaware.

If she had glanced back, she’d have seen the girl who clutched her clothes, her eyes turning white, her hair steadily lengthening.

Droplets fell, one by one.

The gentle pitter-patter, as when the storm approached, so faint yet so distinctly audible to everyone’s ears.

“This blasted museum, still leaking!” The man with the glass cups cursed. Wherever he went, the irksome drip persisted, getting on his last nerve.

☆ 80 

The sound of dripping water became clearer, audible to everyone this time. It had a distinct, echoing sound that captured their attention.

Torchlights were used to scan the ceiling, revealing its dampness streaked with water, which formed rivulets trickling down.

Some of the people complained about the museum’s poor renovations, keeping themselves busy with their tasks.

However, one man, who was holding two glass cups, stared intently at the ceiling, a feeling of unease settling in his mind.

Something didn’t feel right.

As the pooled water continued to increase and cascade, it started to take on a peculiar shape, catching the man’s eye.

Determined to understand its pattern, he raised his flashlight higher, widening his eyes in an effort to make out the form.

Unfortunately, the museum’s darkness hindered him, frustrating his attempts. Damn it! What on earth could be up there?

What could it possibly be?

Yi Yun was fixated on the man. She watched as he froze, rooted to the spot and stared up at the ceiling. A surge of fear shot through her as lightning slashed across the sky.

She was so focused on what was in front of her that she completely missed the growing, chilling sensation creeping up from behind.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning tore through the sky.

In that brief moment of light, the middle-aged man’s eyes widened as he finally noticed the pattern above.

Water began streaming down from the ceiling, forming the shape of a human face.

The brightness from the lightning quickly faded, plunging the museum back into darkness. However, the middle-aged man’s eyes continued to widen.

Why did he feel like things were becoming clearer instead?

It wasn’t his vision sharpening; it was the face coming closer and expanding! It twisted into a strange grin, directly aimed at the middle-aged man.

He thought he heard a creepy sound.

Someone was laughing.

Within the unsettling silence of the museum, laughter swirled, genderless and unnerving, sometimes distant, sometimes near. These ghostly pale shapes, reminiscent of spectral visions, wove through the darkness, casting an eerie pall with their translucent forms.

Amidst these figures, pale and giggling, some reached out toward him…

Yi Yun gazed at him for a prolonged moment, unaware of Cao Yi’s sudden disappearance behind her.

Maintaining a cautious distance from the middle-aged man to avoid any potential trouble, she could only make out a dark silhouette faintly against the backdrop.

What was above?

Baffled, she lifted her gaze, directing the light, but still unable to discern anything.

Then, in an instant, her eyes widened.

The man had vanished!

Driven by instinct, Yi Yun tentatively took a few steps forward, scanning her surroundings in disbelief.

The place was silent, with the emptiness emphasised by the damp water stains on the floor. Suddenly, a single sound broke the quiet: “drip-drop.” The sound echoed through the room as a droplet fell from the ceiling, creating small ripples as it hit the ground.

One couldn’t vanish without a trace in an instant. Something eerie must have happened.

What had just occurred?

Was the disappearance of the middle-aged man connected to the artefact he had retrieved from the tomb? Or was it a result of his constant upward gaze?

“Cao Yi, you…” She hesitated to look up again and took two steps back. But when she turned around, the other person was gone too!

This nearly made her scream out loud.

Unconsciously, she realised that she was all alone in the museum hall.

Where had everyone gone?

Yi Yun didn’t dwell on the thought for long. She quickly moved forward, trying to contact others using her phone. However, the signal was weak, and she couldn’t send any messages.

Stay calm… considering their previous experiences, it was wise not to shout or seek company, as it could be a ghost’s trick.

Yi Yun tightly pressed her lips together and increased her pace, despite her fear.

‘I must keep pushing through, for the sake of my little one. No one else will raise her.’

Yi Yun remembered that night vividly with pouring rain and everything, just like tonight’s wicked weather. After dropping her little one off at home, she had the urge to take a shower after being drenched when she heard a voice in her mind. The voice told her that she had to reach a certain place before midnight next Wednesday for a task, otherwise she would be transported to another world.

At first, Yi Yun didn’t believe it. But after days of relentless nightmares, she had no choice but to accept it. The nightmares warned her that if she didn’t participate, she would meet a gruesome end on Wednesday and the task would be passed onto her daughter.

How could she bear that? Her little one was so young.

And so, she started this cycle of tasks, one after another. Each task brought her to the brink of death, almost taking away half of her life. Resentment grew in her heart – towards the tasks, towards that other world. Unfortunately, she even began to resent her own daughter.

If it weren’t for her little one… If it weren’t for her, if she hadn’t gone to pick her up that day, would any of this have happened?

Yi Yun couldn’t face her own conscience; she simply numbed herself with love for her daughter – she wasn’t just surviving for herself, but for her little girl.

The flashlight on the mobile phone flickered twice, then dimmed, and shortly after, the already faint light completely disappeared. The hall was now plunged into boundless darkness.

Sweat trickled down Yi Yun’s forehead even more profusely. She hurriedly tried to fiddle with her phone, but it had run out of battery and shut down. She then grabbed a flashlight, but as soon as she turned it on, there was a faint electrical crackling sound and the beam vanished instantly.

‘No… I can’t panic…’

Yi Yun strained to widen her eyes and cautiously stepped into the depths of the hall. She moved slowly along the wall to avoid bumping into the display cabinets.

There was a faint glimmer ahead, a mere flicker in the darkness, like an oasis for a long-thirsty traveller in the desert. Yi Yun knew there might be traps, but she couldn’t resist taking step by step toward it.

As she got closer, she realised it was a small exhibition room with its door closed, emitting a faint ghostly green glow from the crack beneath it.

Almost unintentionally, she knocked on the door.

“If you open the door, you can come in,” a young man’s somewhat indifferent voice came from inside.

Yi Yun suddenly noticed that the door was latched from the outside. She pulled back the latch, hesitated for a moment, and then forcefully pushed open the door.

The walls were still lined with display cabinets, but those were unimportant details. The focus was on the exhibit inside the glass cabinet in the middle. It was about the size of a child’s head, round, smooth, and emitted a deep, luminous green glow.

As soon as Yi Yun laid eyes on it, one word came to mind—Night Pearl. 

(夜明珠: refers to natural jewellery that glows in the dark, visible to the human eye, emitting light on its own. It’s a material composed of luminescent substances within the depths of the Earth, formed over millions of years. Initially ejected from volcanic magma, these substances gathered through geological movements, coalescing within ores. The stones containing these rare luminescent elements, once processed, become what people call the Night Pearl. They often exhibit hues of yellow-green, light blue, orange-red, and such.)

This was the first time Yi Yun had encountered something like this. She let out a small gasp and then realised there was a young man standing at the edge of the display cabinet.

It seemed like he was the one who had just responded.

Bathed in the faint, serene green light, the man’s shadow was cast against the wall, but it was nothing like a ghost.

As the man turned around, Yi Yun was momentarily stunned.

Wasn’t he the man who had switched rooms with them yesterday?

Lu Yan also recognized the woman and nodded slightly, saying, “So it’s you.”

After observing the hall for a while and seeing that both of them were standing motionless, the man feared that he might end up the same as before if he lingered too long, so he moved to leave.

No matter how careful he was, he found himself unintentionally trapped in the exhibition hall. The glass door closed abruptly behind him, seeming to lock itself securely, leaving him with no choice but to wait.

A familiar face brought Yi Yun a sense of relief. “What a coincidence. I’m Yi Yun. And you?”

“Lu Yan.”

“So, Mr. Lu, do you know anything about this?” Yi Yun gestured towards the Night Pearl.

“Sorry, no clue,” Lu Yan’s demeanour remained cold, but Yi Yun persisted, longing for company to boost her courage.

With the door now open, Lu Yan saw no reason to stay. After giving another a chilly glance at the Night Pearl and a polite nod at the other person, he left the hall.

Just as Yi Yun prepared to follow, two more people arrived.

Jing Tao and another trapped visitor entered, the latter completely fixated on the Night Pearl, their eyes unwavering.

“Bloody hell, there’s a bloody Night Pearl here! Gotta be worth a fortune, right?”

“Consider this, in this pitch-black place, using a torch drains the battery. But with this, you wouldn’t need that torch to see clearly, right?”

The man continued talking, though not explicitly, his implications were perfectly clear.

Jin Tao appeared to be swayed, and Yi Yun joined in, saying, “But isn’t it risky to show it off like this? What if the staff check later…”

“Just take it out for a look, give it a try. We’re not keeping it out forever, it should be fine, right?”

Yi Yun fell silent, clearly persuaded by his argument.

Tick-tock.

A drop of water landed on the glass counter.

They gathered around the Night Pearl in a circle, completely unaware as a figure slowly walked past the doorway.

Lu Yan returned to the lobby, relying on his memory to find the spot where the middle-aged man had stood earlier, crouching down to thoroughly examine it.

The previously soaked floor had completely dried, with no trace of the previous water stains.

Since his disappearance, where had the glass cups gone? And why had the water stains on the floor vanished?

Lu Yan stood up and returned to the counter where the glass lantern had been. Shards of glass still covered the floor.

He hesitated as faint noises caught his attention before approaching the door.

He wanted to try if he could leave.

As soon as this thought occurred to him, it felt as though the ground beneath him stretched endlessly. Despite walking towards the entrance, he found himself stuck in the same place.

Pausing, he glanced once more at the door, turned on his heel, and ventured further inside.

Despite what felt like an eternity of walking, there was no end in sight. A strange thought crossed his mind: Could this museum truly be this vast?

“Ah!”

Inside the museum, a chilling scream echoed, quickly followed by hurried footsteps coming from the right. The source of the chaos appeared visibly terrified.

Exiting a small exhibition room were a man, one of the taskers, and a woman, a regular visitor.

Without a clear direction in mind, they bolted towards the exit but failed to create much distance between themselves and Lu Yan, who watched them helplessly.

“What do we do? I don’t want to die!” The girl sobbed, her nose running and tears streaming down her face. “I shouldn’t have come. What kind of haunted museum is this?”

“Quiet down; what if someone hears us?” the man urgently cautioned. “Let’s figure out a way to escape, shall we?”

“You’re right. Rain or no rain, worst case scenario, we’ll catch a cold. Let’s hurry out of here. Should we ask for help?”

“Are you crazy? What are you suggesting?”

Enshrouded by darkness, they seemed unaware of Lu Yan’s presence, carrying on as if they were alone. It wasn’t until Lu Yan coughed softly that they finally noticed someone standing in the corner. The girl screamed again in terror, and the man hastily reassured her, “It’s alright, it seems like it’s just a person.”

“Apologies for interrupting, but could you please clarify what you mean by ‘haunted’?”

Upon realising that the other person appeared human and composed, both individuals promptly began to explain.

“…We were inside another exhibition hall, admiring a displayed suit of armour. We were lingering for a moment…” 

Here, the girl aggressively punched her companion. “Clearly, he is the one who touched that armour,” she accused.

“Well, the head of the armour accidentally fell off, and we were just about to fix it. Then, unexpectedly, it started moving and chased us! This museum must be haunted!” exclaimed the companion.

Lu Yan smirked subtly. “Not necessarily. What if it’s a robot? I’ve heard that some museums use disguised robots as exhibits.”

“Is that true?” The man remained sceptical.

Although he had a suspicion that it could be a ghost, he wished that the eerie occurrences wouldn’t ensnare them so quickly. Lu Yan’s words provided a hint of reassurance.

How much time had passed? They hadn’t even caught a glimpse of the elusive Pisces jade pendant. It would be terribly unfair if they were so early preyed upon by a ghost.

“Yes, if it were truly haunted, why didn’t it continue chasing you?” questioned Lu Yan in a calm and soothing voice. Even with his face hidden in darkness, both the man and woman couldn’t help but lean toward believing him, sensing that his reasoning might be correct.

Lu Yan had a hunch that each exhibit had its own sphere of influence. It seemed the museum lured visitors to wander off, exploring different sections of the museum. However, he needed to confirm this theory.

“Be careful with these relics; they’re very old,” he warned.

He purposely avoided mentioning ghosts, which ironically made his credibility stronger.

The girl found his words somewhat believable, as her fear of ghosts made her trust him more.

“But we didn’t just run…” Her words trailed off.

Ignoring her, he changed the subject.

“What are your names? I’m Lu Yan. And you two?” In the dim lighting, Lu Yan moved closer, his eyes dark and intense, fixed on them.

“I… I’m Wang Peng Fei (王鹏飞: “King flying on a mythical bird”).”

“Ke Xiao Xue (柯小雪:”Snow on a humble branch.” ).”

Ke Xiao Xue was still scared and made a request, “If you don’t mind, could you walk with us? I feel something really strange. Earlier, we wanted to run, but we couldn’t get out.” Her voice grew weaker, “It’s like… hitting a ghost wall.”

Because of the recent psychological suggestion, they all felt closer to Lu Yan.

Lu Yan smiled and said, “Sure.”

Coincidentally, he also needed to witness some phenomena firsthand to verify his own speculations.

As a provincial-level museum, the local government spared no expense; the museum was enormous, divided into three main exhibition halls and forty-two subsidiary ones. Among them, the two main halls, C1 and C2, stood side by side, along with thirty-one subsidiary halls, D1 to D31, on the ground floor. The rest were on the second floor, usually closed off and not open to regular visitors.

They walked past the first row of display cabinets.

Lu Yan remembered clearly that they contained small jade artefacts.

Wang Peng Fei, the tasker, carefully examined them before moving on to the next row.

Soon, they passed the second row, which mostly showcased jewellery.

Wang Peng Fei intentionally whispered to Ke Xiao Xue, “Look, these hairpins are quite beautiful, aren’t they?”

Under the glow of the flashlight, several jade hairpins shimmered with a gentle, warm light.

The daylight visit had gone well, as Ke Xiao Xue had approached it in the mindset of appreciating relics. But now, the hairpins were right in front of her, within arm’s reach. No one knew about her secret desire, and no one would leak a word. Her attitude towards the hairpins immediately shifted from that of a tourist admiring artefacts to that of a woman eyeing accessories.

Bloody hell… they’re so beautiful…

She reached out, her hand groping the glass case.

Lu Yan didn’t intervene; he simply stepped back.

Wang Peng Fei was even more excited. “If you really like them, we can take them out and try them on, just for a bit. We won’t take them away. After trying them on, we’ll put them back. Nothing will happen.”

Ke Xiao Xue muttered, “Just try them on?”

“Yeah, just put them on and have a look. After all, they’re on display for us to see. I don’t think it should be a problem to touch them a bit, right? Besides, they’re all made of jade. Just be a bit careful, and you won’t damage them.”

While Ke Xiao Xue hesitated, Wang Peng Fei had already taken a metal knife out of his pocket and forcefully started opening the casing. 

“Calm down, let’s just look,” she said, but he had already sliced open a seam in the glass cabinet, creating an opening about the size of an open hand.

“Choose whichever catches your eye and give it a try,” Wang Peng Fei encouraged her.

Ke Xiao Xue succumbed to the temptation. She reached out and plucked a pin made of vibrant jade from the shelf.

“It’s absolutely stunning…” Her expression turned enchanted as she caressed it, unaware of anything unusual.

Wang Peng Fei and Lu Yan now felt certain that something strange was in the museum’s collection.

A faint, fluorescent green glow emanated from the side. Wang Peng Fei spun around, shock evident on his face as he rushed over.

“Wow, you guys are incredible, you found the Night Pearl.” He turned off the flashlight, completely amazed.

Yi Yun offered a helpless smile.

Both she and Jing Tao knew better than to handle the artefacts carelessly. They had simply enticed that ordinary tourist into taking the Night Pearl.

Now, that tourist, holding the Night Pearl, walked alongside them, almost oblivious to anything else, serving as a mobile light source.

In Yi Yun’s thoughts lingered a gnawing worry: “Could they undergo some kind of change?”

Jing Tao shook his head: “It shouldn’t. Look at the guy with the glass cups. He just disappeared. The worst that could happen is probably just disappearing, right?”

The man holding onto the Night Pearl trailed behind, then suddenly stopped at a certain distance. At the same time, Ke Xiao Xue, wearing the jade hairpin, touched her face with a dreamy expression. But as if she had just realised something, she spun around and fixed an intense gaze on the man holding the Night Pearl. 

Finally, the three taskers noticed something was wrong.

“What’s going on?”

Why were they radiating so much hostility? It was as if they were  about to start a fight.

Lu Yan retreated once again, hiding in the shadows, observing the only three perceptive individuals among this group of taskers.

Jing Tao cautiously reached out his hand to pull the man holding the Night Pearl forward, but the man refused to budge, standing stubbornly in place.

It felt as though, by taking another step forward, something dreadful would happen!

Jing Tao had no other option but to give up.

Yi Yun pursed her lips. “What do you think? Is the museum causing trouble again? What’s our escape plan?”

She counted on her fingers. “Once someone gets close to an artefact, they become drawn to it. Taking it forcefully could be harmful, so the first solution is to not take the artefact. But now, we have two people who possess artefacts at the same time and can’t go near each other. Is this a common occurrence or unique to us?”

Wang Peng Fei understood. “Well, let’s conduct an experiment with another person.”

Jing Tao and Yi Yun nodded in agreement.

Seemingly intentionally or unintentionally ignoring Lu Yan, the latter felt satisfied with his hypnotic effect. He quietly stood in the corner, waiting for the results of their experiment.

They quickly devised a plan. Wang Peng Fei stayed in place, waiting, while Jing Tao and Yi Yun, along with the person holding the Night Pearl, attempted to bring other visitors for the experiment.

Another drop of water fell, landing on the already water-covered floor.

Jing Tao and Yi Yun left, and the brightness gradually faded.

“After thinking about it, the person who stole the  glass cups earlier disappeared. Where do you think the glass cups?” Jing Tao wondered after they left.

Yi Yun shook her head. “I was watching closely, but I didn’t see it. It happened so quickly, and he was gone. Even Cao Yi vanished.”

As they continued on, they entered a small exhibition hall. It was completely dark inside, but there were faint, eerie sounds seeping out.

“Is anyone here?” Yi Yun called out into the darkness, motioning for the person holding the night pearl to step forward, illuminating the entire space with its soft glow.

Under the gentle radiance of the night pearl, the exhibition hall was fully revealed. Their keen eyes spotted a girl huddled in a corner, trembling violently, her clothes soaked from the water on the floor.

And that girl… if she wasn’t Cao Yi, then who could she be?

“Cao Yi? What are you doing here?” Yi Yun demanded, her voice growing louder.

The figure remained hunched over, facing away from them, appearing unaware and unresponsive. Yi Yun approached, reaching out to turn the person around, only to be taken aback by their face.

Why did Cao Yi’s face resemble that of a wild creature?

It was akin to some mythical feline demon or similar creature.

All of a sudden, Cao Yi’s eyes flew open, shining with an eerie greenish glow; Yi Yun could even make out her pupils, sharp as straight lines.

“What in the… what’s happening?” Jing Tao was equally startled. “Run, hurry!”

Yi Yun spun around and dashed off, Jing Tao dragging her along, legs churning as they bolted away, leaving the daft tourist standing there, motionless, 

Cao Yi sat up, struggling against the brightness, and knocked over that annoying light.

☆ 81

Just as they dashed out, the sound of shattering echoed behind them, creating a cacophony.

The Night Pearl lay shattered, plunging the museum back into darkness.

“What do we do now, Cao Yi…,” Jing Tao panted, “Didn’t they say she wouldn’t undergo any mutation?”

Their sprinting stirred up the pooled water beneath them, creating a noisy symphony of splashes.

“Those who took relics won’t mutate, they’ll just disappear. But Cao Yi shouldn’t have come into contact… What other dead ends did she stumble upon?” Yi Yun strained to think.

“Where are we even going?” Jing Tao reflexively glanced back. “Huh, she’s not following us?”

The pursuing footsteps from earlier had stopped, making their panicked escape seem unnecessary without anyone chasing them.

The sound of dripping water grew more intense.

Lu Yan Li and Wang Peng Fei both picked up on urgent footsteps in the distance, their expressions darkening.

Ke Xiao Xue stood still, her face filled with an intoxicated expression, seemingly unaware of the gradual change happening to her face.

Wang Peng Fei moved closer involuntarily, trying to get a clearer view.

A droplet fell into his eye, momentarily blurring his vision. As he reached to wipe it away and opened his eyes, Wang Peng Fei’s gaze widened suddenly.

Ke Xiao Xue was gone!

She had disappeared right before his eyes! Along with her disappearance, the ornate jade hairpin had also vanished. A sudden chill ran up his spine, causing his legs to feel weak.

Only then did he notice Lu Yan standing nearby in silence. Wang Peng Fei lunged toward Lu Yan, as is grasping at the last straw of hope. “Did you see that? Did you see her? She’s gone…”

But hadn’t Lu Yan been watching the whole time? At the moment Ke Xiao Xue vanished, Lu Yan witnessed a terrifying scene that was too unbelievable to comprehend. However, the horrifying image lasted for only a fleeting moment, so fast that it seemed like an illusion.

Was it truly… an illusion?

Lu Yan shook his head. “I didn’t see anything.”

Since he had become involved in this task, he needed to ensure these few individuals survived a little longer, prolonging the existence of the “normal” world and giving him more time to investigate the burial ground.

He despised the eerie world, so he always ensured that at least one of taskers remained alive, even when it seemed pointless, only prolonging their existence a little longer.

Wang Peng Fei muttered to himself, “No, this can’t be… Where could she have disappeared to?”

If obtaining the relic resulted in disappearance, what would happen if they stumbled upon the Pisces Jade Pendant? Should they take it or not?

Wang Peng Fei always felt that the path of the task was not straightforward.

A drop of water fell from above. Just as it approached Lu Yan, he moved to the side.

In that brief moment, he saw it! It looked eerily similar to a scene from hell. The liquid falling from the ceiling was not water, but blood!

The thick bloodwater was unavoidable; they all became soaked, like being caught in a light drizzle, their damp clothes sticking to their skin. At the same time, a strange draft sent a shiver down their spines. Their phones were irreparably damaged as water seeped in from an unknown source.

Lu Yan could already imagine what they would look like in reality.

Furthermore, one after another, pale silhouettes floated through the hall. Lu Yan even saw some shadows coming from the artefacts, merging with the figures on the ceiling; certain shadows twisted and slithered back into the glass cabinets.

The floor was covered in a thick layer of something. Just as Wang Pengfei was thinking about it, Yi Yun and Jing Tao returned to where they were originally standing, joining him.

The night pearl that was used for light was gone, and the two NPCs who could have shown them the way were also missing… But they still hadn’t figured out the true pattern of the ghost murders.

It seemed like another tourist had decided to mess with the artefacts. In a flash of lightning that briefly tore the world apart, the scene in front of them became blurry once again.

This time, Yi Yun saw it too! She was instantly terrified and started trembling.

“Oh my… Didn’t you all see it?” Yi Yun tried to dodge the water droplets in a hurry, but she couldn’t avoid them and ended up with blood dripping on herself.

“See what?” Jing Tao asked.

Yi Yun, annoyed, wiped her face with a tissue. Her hair was wet and stuck to her skin. “I saw a ghost!”

She described what she had witnessed. Who among the others would doubt her? They all followed suit, scared, wanting to look up at the ceiling but not daring to. It was completely dark, and they had no way to avoid those droplets.

Jing Tao was freezing and on the verge of catching a cold. He coughed a couple of times and said, “I have an idea. The museum has two levels, and the upper one is not open to regular visitors. Should we… take a look?”

As soon as those words were uttered, the only response they received was a haunting silence.

Yi Yun and Wang Peng Fei found themselves hesitating.

Sure, in their past adventures, they had taken risks to stay alive. But knowingly charging into the unknown, especially when they knew there were ghosts ahead, wasn’t something the average person could handle.

Lu Yan looked at them, took a step forward, and headed towards the staircase.

The water that had collected on the ground had already risen above their ankles. Furthermore, the sound of dripping had escalated from individual drops to a constant drizzle.

“Hm..”

His voice brought the trio back to reality. They were all slightly surprised. Why did they always instinctively overlook Lu Yan? Even though they were aware of his presence, an indescribable sense of affection and trust made each of them question themselves.

“Lu Yan? Where are you going?”

“Yeah, it’s getting dangerous in the museum. We should stick together.”

Lu Yan responded, “I’m going up to the second floor.”

“But it could be risky up there…”

“Haven’t you noticed? The water level is rising rapidly. If we don’t act soon, the accumulated water might flood the entire ground floor.”

As Yi Yun followed behind, she asked, “By the way, have you seen a jade pendant? It’s called the Pisces Jade Pendant. If we can find it, it could help us solve this. So, let’s not rush to the second floor.”

Both Pisces Jade Pendants were in Lu Yan’s pocket. He remained calm and replied, “No.” Nevertheless, he continued towards the staircase.

Another lightning bolt streaked across the sky. A few seconds later, a deafening boom reverberated, as if it wanted to tear the entire museum apart.

Amidst the sound of dripping water and the noisy rain, Lu Yan heard something else—a mixture of noises.

He scanned his surroundings vigilantly; the night offered little resistance to him. However, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t pinpoint the source of the sounds.

Yi Yun was about to speak when a splashing sound approached from a distance—a person hurrying through the water, breathing heavily, seemingly being chased by something.

“Who’s there?” Wang Peng Fei’s voice echoed.

Upon hearing his voice, the person rushing over seemed to find comfort and quickly shouted, “It’s me! I’m Zhang Wen Hao. I was so scared—I was being chased by a real ghost.” Zhang Wen Hao blurted out as he ran closer.

“Don’t talk nonsense,” Yi Yun restrained him.

“It’s true! Just a moment ago, I was in a small exhibition room doing nothing, and suddenly, a knife hanging on the wall swung at me, nearly slicing my neck.”

“After that? Maybe it was just that the shelf wasn’t set properly,” Jing Tao said.

“After that? I almost died! I went to that exhibition hall dedicated to weaponry, man, and all those weapons came crashing down towards me. A few knives almost pierced right through me,” Zhang Wen Hao recounted, still shaken.

As he spoke, screams echoed from other exhibition halls. People fled in panic from the smaller halls, gathering in the main hall.

Three members of the task force were missing, and most of the tourists had suffered losses. Everyone now understood: those artefacts were not to be touched. Touching them meant risking your life. And now, trapped with no way out, all the phones were damaged. Staying put meant a high chance of drowning due to the rising water.

The footsteps of the approaching Grim Reaper filled everyone with deep despair and fear. What should they do to survive? Should they go to the second floor?

The first floor was already so dangerous, what could the second floor possibly hold? They didn’t dare to imagine.

As everyone debated loudly, Zhang Wen Hao suddenly felt the urge to urinate. He looked around, trying to hold it in, but the urge grew stronger. He needed to find someone to go with him. He leaned towards Jing Tao and whispered, “Bro, come with me to the restroom, please? Look at the situation now, I can’t go alone.”

Jing Tao glared at him. “You’re scared to go, and you think I’ll go? What time is it and you’re thinking about the toilet?” He almost wanted to knock some sense into Zhang Wen Hao’s head. Hadn’t this guy read online summaries or watched horror movies? Toilets, elevators, enclosed spaces – those were where eerie events happened the most.

Zhang Wen Hao persisted, “I’ve had a lot to drink, I really need to go.”

His voice caught the attention of a young man among the tourists, who was very friendly and said, “Do you need to use the loo? I can accompany you.”

Zhang Wen Hao looked gratefully at the man. He remembered him; initially, he didn’t want to take any artefacts. He used to think this guy was annoying, but now it seemed even NPCs had a sense of justice.

Together, the two of them set off, and as they were about to leave, another tourist said, “Wait, I need to go too.”

In the end, it turned out that a group of five people went to the restroom together.

Zhang Wen Hao felt even more relieved. Just before leaving, he warned them not to wander off. Then, the five of them confidently made their way to the bathroom.

Lightning flashed, momentarily illuminating the hall as bright as day.

While everyone else was busy looking around in the sudden brightness, Lu Yan suddenly turned his head, gazing in the direction the group had left.

There were definitely five of them, but the footsteps… they sounded like they belonged to… just one person.

So, the other few were all…

Lu Yan’s heart pounded fiercely. He hadn’t noticed it a moment ago.

Wait a second, why couldn’t he remember the appearance of those few people from earlier?

His memory was sharp; before the anomaly, he had memorised the faces of all the tourists. But those few just now… were they really the visitors who had come to tour today?

Other taskers, as well as Zhang Wen Hao, were confused and didn’t notice anything unusual. However, having someone with them provided some reassurance.

A group of people made their way towards the restroom. As they walked, the stagnant water grew deeper, gradually reaching up to their shins. Just before it could reach their shins, they stumbled upon the restroom.

Outside the restroom, there was a mirror.

Suddenly, lightning struck, causing Zhang Wen Hao to instinctively glance into the mirror.

To his horror, the mirror reflected thick, clotting blood-water that fell from the ceiling and covered the floor. Even the droplets sliding down his hair and face were blood! The thick, sticky blood drenched his entire body, making him look like a ghost. What terrified him even more was that in the mirror, there was no reflection of the other four people behind him!

Slowly, Zhang Wen Hao turned his head around. The four pitch-black figures were still there, advancing towards him. It was as if one could almost smell the earthy, coppery scent emanating from them.

Another flash of lightning illuminated the scene.

As Zhang Wen Hao looked back at them, the four individuals simultaneously flashed him a perfect smile.

A piercing scream reverberated throughout the entire museum.

“Can you believe it? Five people going to the toilet together and still ending up in trouble?” Jing Tao exclaimed in astonishment.

Wang Peng Fei was equally taken aback, while another tasker, Luo Chuan (罗川: “Net River”), remained unfazed. “Even if there were fifty people, it wouldn’t make a difference if the restroom is haunted, right?”

“I heard only Zhang Wen Hao’s voice, I was wondering how the others were doing?”

How many of them can make it out? 

It would be helpful if at least one of them could update them about the situation in the restroom.

After waiting for so long, they knew. Those four tourists, in all likelihood, had also encountered something eerie.

The taskers couldn’t help but feel irritated.

“We can’t keep waiting here indefinitely. Most of the people on the ground floor have already explored everything. Let’s discuss whether or not we should go to the second floor,” suggested Yi Yun.

“Let’s go.”

“Let’s go.”

“Let’s go.”

Initially, Yi Yun was keeping count, but when she realised that there were actually multiple identical responses, she suddenly felt horrified.

Who was responding?

Yi Yun asked hesitantly, “Did any of you just speak?”

Jing Tao shook his head, “No, I was still thinking.”

“Let’s go, let’s go…”

“Ha-ha-ha-ha-ha, let’s go…”

The voice was still responding! She could hear it more clearly now!

Lu Yanli asked, “What did you hear?”

“I heard… I heard this eerie voice, telling us to go… to the second floor…” Yi Yun trembled with fear, a mix of terror and dread overwhelming her. She nervously chewed on her fingers. “Why me? Didn’t the rest of you hear it? Only I did?”

“Tell me, damn it! You all heard it too!” Yi Yun was on the verge of madness. Biting her fingers didn’t help; she grabbed her head, screaming hysterically, and then, ignoring everything, lunged at Jing Tao. “You heard it too, right? It was you who responded to me just now!”

“Hee hee hee hee… Come and join us…”

“Go on, off you go…”

The voice persisted. Jing Tao was startled. “No, I honestly didn’t hear anything.”

“Impossible!” Yi Yun shouted at him with all her strength, looking completely unhinged. Regardless of how you viewed it, she wasn’t behaving normally. “You all definitely heard it… More than just me…”

Suddenly, she became incredibly strong. Jing Tao couldn’t restrain her alone; it took Wang Peng Fei’s help to barely subdue her.

Lu Yan closed his eyes.

The sound of rushing water, faint murmurs, and the dripping of water droplets…

What else was there? What else?

The glass cabinet emitted strange sounds – the clinking of jade objects and the resonant tones of bronze ware striking against each other. 

He opened his eyes. “I heard it too.”

Yi Yun, who had been struggling and roaring, suddenly paused and turned to look at him. Although the darkness made it difficult to see clearly, Lu Yan felt a penetrating gaze fixed upon him.

Lu Yan confirmed, “I saw it too.”

Yi Yun stopped her frenzy and slowly released their hands. With excitement, she exclaimed, “I knew it! I wasn’t the only one who heard it.”

But what exactly had they heard?

Soon enough, Wang Pengfei and Jing Tao also heard it.

The peculiar sounds were originating from different glass cabinets.

As the hall momentarily lit up from a lightning flash, they finally saw it…

In that brief moment of illumination, several “visitors” transformed into wisps of greyish-white smoke and vanished without a trace.

This sudden turn of events frightened them all. But what shocked them even more was the slight trembling of the ground.

“No, it’s not the ground,” Yi Yun said, her voice trembling with fear and confusion.

The room’s cabinets trembled violently, causing the floor to quiver and sending ripples throughout the space. Alarmed, everyone looked around, bewildered by the sudden movement and wondering what was happening.

In an instant, a powerful gust of wind swept through the room, dislodging the floor from its display stands. The cabinets started to loosen, hurtling towards Yi Yun. With a swift dodge, she narrowly avoided being crushed. However, before she could catch her breath, another cabinet came crashing down just behind her. Just as she thought her fate was sealed, a hand grabbed her and whisked her to safety. The glass cabinets descended to the ground with a resounding crash, shattering into countless pieces, causing glass shards and droplets of water to scatter in all directions.

Everyone shared the same thought: “Bloody hell!” They had realised that when these artefacts were damaged, inexplicable occurrences unfolded.

Before they could even begin to contemplate their next move, the remaining cabinets in the room began to stir. They creaked and rattled as though the ancient relics housed within were striving to break free.

Initially, Yi Yun found it slightly amusing, tickled by the whimsy of her own imagination. However, her laughter soon morphed into fear as a hairpin materialised out of thin air, hurtling towards her. Reacting swiftly, Lu Yan pulled her out of harm’s way once more. The hairpin collided with the wall, emitting a loud thud before falling to the ground.

This marked the second time Lu Yan had come to her rescue, and Yi Yun felt genuine gratitude towards him.

Lu Yan had no need for her gratitude. With lightning speed, he dodged a massive bronze cauldron that had somehow moved behind him, crashing down heavily and narrowly missing him by half his height. From atop the cauldron, a sleeve sword fell, and he couldn’t dodge in time, resulting in the blade barely grazing his cheek and leaving a shallow cut.

Others were also struggling. In the broad daylight, the various artefacts displayed in glass cabinets seemed to come to life, striving to break free and keep them all there.

To make matters worse, heavy metallic footsteps echoed from several exhibition halls.

Listening to those footsteps was like hearing soldiers in heavy armour from centuries ago.

Their guess was correct. Occasionally illuminated by flashes of lightning, they saw around a dozen armoured figures, wielding swords and shields, slowly advancing toward them.

Initially, their movements were somewhat awkward, but over time, the suits of armour moved as smoothly as if they had been oiled. Their speed increased, and heavy swords were raised high, descending forcefully towards the intruders.

Just as Jing Tao was about to be struck, Wang Peng Fei lunged forward and pushed him aside. Both scrambled and crawled away in haste, with dismembered armors relentlessly pursuing them from behind.

Lu Yan found himself in the most perilous situation.

Perhaps because of the Pisces jade pendant he wore, the armors chasing him were the most numerous. Additionally, he faced relentless attacks from various other objects, causing him to bear the brunt of the assault despite his resistance to the darkness’s influence, resulting in splashes of red across his body.

The museum had been completely sealed off, yet there was a mysterious draft. Suddenly, a painting fluttered and landed on Lu Yan’s wet face.

He couldn’t see anything; his vision was plunged into darkness!

Lu Yan had no other option but to reach out and try to remove the painting, but it wouldn’t come off. Once again, he heard sounds echoing all around him. He knew those things were coming to kill him.

The stagnant water had risen to his knees. As he dodged a few attacks, Lu Yan gradually felt the pain of oxygen deprivation.

And that painting… it still wouldn’t budge!

He couldn’t afford to damage it himself, so he cautiously tried to peel it off multiple times, but without success. With fierce determination, Lu Yan squatted down and submerged his entire body in the “stagnant water.”

The painting started to disintegrate, breaking into fragments that scattered everywhere.

But Lu Yanli felt something was terribly wrong.

An icy-cold hand firmly pressed down on his head, preventing him from standing up.

Lu Yan reached out towards the hand that hovered above, his senses tracing its outline, only to grasp at emptiness. He couldn’t comprehend how this could be happening.

He held his breath and attempted to rise, but despite his efforts, he remained submerged, unable to lift his head from the water despite the water only reaching his thighs.

Gradually, his consciousness blurred and his lungs burned as if on the verge of bursting. Yet, he resisted swallowing water and fought to ascend.

Suddenly, a bolt of lightning streaked overhead. Underwater, he widened his eyes and caught a glimpse of his reflection—a ghostly figure, deathly pale, perched on the ceiling with unnaturally elongated arms, pinning him in place.

Then, a force struck him from the side, sending him off balance.

Finally freed, Lu Yan straightened up and gasped for air. Beside him, Yi Yun also caught her breath and asked in a raspy voice, “Are you alright?”

Shaking his head, Lu Yan replied, “I’m fine, thank you.”

Shards of glass littered the floor, pricking him in several spots. However, compared to death, these were mere scratches.

The once serene museum now lay in disarray, with toppled display stands and large artefacts surrounding them. The water gradually lost its red tint, revealing its true nature bit by bit.

Dragging its long tail, the ghostly figure floated and frolicked within the vast hall, its shades of grey and white creating an eerie presence.

“Go on… go on…”

“Hee hee hee hee hee…”

The figure chuckled, trying to lure some individuals into going upstairs.

What awaited them on the upper floor?

Although the four individuals had sustained some injuries, none were severe enough to significantly impede their movements.

“Let’s check the second floor. If not, we won’t stand a chance of escaping,” Lu Yan suggested.

They had exhausted all other options.

The blood falling from the ceiling resembled a torrential downpour, and the rising water threatened to reach their waists. The armour-clad ghosts remained unfazed, but their movements slowed down.

“Quick! Find the stairs!” Jing Tao gritted his teeth and made a determined effort to move towards the wall.

Others exerted equal effort to locate an exit. The layout of the museum had completely changed, including the positioning of the stairs. Before long, Wang Peng Fei exclaimed with excitement, “Hurry! The stairs are over here!”

The blood had risen above their waists, emitting a thick and nauseating stench that penetrated their nostrils.

But there was no other option; they could hardly move forward. Everyone knew how to swim, so they clenched their jaws and swam across, attempting to suppress their disgust.

Outside the stairwell, a deep pool of blood awaited them.

Inside the stairwell, it was immaculate; absolutely nothing. Even the emergency exit signs were fixed to the wall, casting a faint green glow in the darkness.

Curiously, they hesitated.

Behind them, twelve sets of armour stood in flawless alignment, wielding swords as they advanced. With no alternative means of escape, the four of them had to forcefully enter the stairwell.

Strangely, the bloodstains on their bodies vanished completely when they stepped up, leaving their clothes dry. Only the wounds on their bodies served as evidence of their earlier frantic escape.

In comparison to the otherworldly ambience of the grand hall on the ground floor, the second floor seemed remarkably ordinary. A few rays of light filtered down from above, enabling them to clearly see each other’s faces.

“It’s too ordinary. I… I’m afraid to go up,” Yi Yun anxiously gazed upwards.

“But we’ve already come this far. We cannot retreat now,” Jing Tao wiped his face. “I passed by a window a moment ago, and briefly considered jumping out. However, when I peered outside, I realised it was dozens of stories down. Certain death if we jumped.”

“This cursed museum is determined to trap us here!” Wang Peng Fei exclaimed.

He exchanged a secretive glance with Jing Tao, then nodded subtly. Jing Tao leaned closer to Lu Yan, whispering once again about the significance of the double-fish jade pendant and its bloody appearance.

“Once we find it, it will all be over!”

None of them wanted to go upstairs, but they knew they had to.

As long as… as long as they found that double-fish jade pendant, they could bring this mission to a close.

Could the pendant be on the second floor?

“Since we have to go up there, let’s just get on with it,” Lu Yan said, composing himself and taking the lead up the stairs.

The double-fish jade pendant seemed to be more important than he had anticipated.

Now that it was in his hands, there was absolutely no chance he would hand it over.

Seeing him forge ahead, the other three felt a bit more at ease and hurriedly followed suit.

They soon conquered the ordinary two flights of stairs.

In the corridor, the large door was slightly open, allowing a warm yellow light to seep through the gap.

Lu Yan reached out and gently pushed the door, causing it to creak open. Inside, he saw…

*

*

“Old Yu are you still buried in work?” a colleague passed by, noticing Yu Huai Yao (于怀尧: “To go think of Yao”) engrossed in front of his computer with a screen displaying an image of a restored relic. They greeted him.

He responded vaguely, “Mm, go ahead, I’ll take another look.”

“Alright, take care.” The colleague smiled and left without suspicion.

Once the colleague had left, the vast research institute was deserted, leaving Yu Huai Yao alone.

Yu Huai Yao had been working diligently for quite some time when suddenly, the ringing of the phone interrupted his concentration.

“Little Huai, are you busy?” It was his mother calling.

Yu Huai Yao asked, “Is something wrong?”

“It’s about that matter again. Your cousin Xiao Huan’s (小桓: “Little Soapberry”) funeral is in two days. Can you come back for it?”

He marked the date on his desk calendar. “I understand.”

His tone concealed any hint of emotion. But after hanging up, he stared at that date for a very long time.

“Bro, do you believe in ghosts?”

In his mind, he remembered the conversation they had a year ago when his brother had asked him that question.

At that time, he shook his head, affirming his belief in science.

Yu Huan didn’t say anything else.

Later… they lost contact for a long time.

And then, he received the news of his brother’s death.

☆ 82

In a tragic turn of events, Yu Huai Yao never imagined that his cousin would meet such a horrifying end. The discovery of their bodies, along with those of two men and a woman, in an abandoned factory at midnight was truly shocking. The sight was so distressing that their identities were almost unrecognisable amidst the tragedy.

Reluctant to expose his mother to such horror, it was Yu Huai Yao who went to identify the bodies.

Despite exhaustive investigations, the cause of death remained a mystery. The police searched for any signs of unusual behaviour prior to their deaths, but everyone confirmed that Yu Huan had shown no signs of abnormality. In the end, the incident was frustratingly concluded as suicides.

Yu Huai Yao closed his eyes, remembering the words his cousin once spoke.

“Do you believe in ghosts?”

Once a sceptic, Yu Huai Yao now pondered.

Ghosts…

As he scrutinised a series of data flashing across his screen, he let out a deep sigh.

Ghosts…

Suddenly, the lights in the research institute flickered. Yu Huai Yao stood up, rubbing his temples, preparing to leave.

Unbeknownst to him, on a screen adorned with a painting of court ladies, one of the maidens suddenly widened her smile behind him, her eyes casting an eerie, sideways glance at Yu Huai Yao.

The person turned off the light and left the room.

The following day, Yu Huai Yao received a call from a middle-aged police officer named An Ru. Yu Huai Yao remembered An Ru clearly because he had heard about his missing son. Despite the thorough search, there had been no indication of the son’s whereabouts.

What An Ru revealed next deeply unsettled him.

“Officer An, are you saying that there might have been a fifth person present on the night of their deaths?” Yu Huai Yao tightened his grip on his phone, feeling the weight of this information. At that moment, he noticed his breath becoming irregular.

If anyone else had seen An Ru on the other end of the line, they would have been shocked. In just over two weeks, he had lost a significant amount of weight and now had scruffy facial hair with dishevelled hair stuffed under his cap. 

He blew out a smoke ring. “No need to call me an officer. I’ve resigned. I dug this up myself. Though I’m not entirely sure, you seem pretty invested, so I thought I’d share.”

Yu Huai Yao wanted to inquire further, but An Ru cut to the chase, stating a time and place. “If you want to know more, let’s talk in person.”

With that, the call abruptly ended.

An Ru turned off his phone and focused his unwavering gaze on a building in front of him.

Based on the investigation carried out by the private detective hired by his wife, Little An had previously met this girl. The girl’s friend had also died in the accident.

Lin Chu walked over to the window, drew the curtains shut, and caught another glimpse of the man disguised as a sanitation worker, lurking behind a tree.

She felt a chill run down her spine as she realised she was being followed once again. Trying to shake off the feeling, Lin Chu closed the curtains, dimmed the lights, and settled on the sofa in hopes of finding some peace.

Her home had undergone a complete transformation to deter potential intruders. Lin Chu meticulously removed all the notes from the walls, leaving behind a spotless environment. Apart from the memorial photo of Yu Xian Guang on the TV cabinet, there was no trace of its previous appearance.

*

*

As Lu Yan pushed open the door, they were greeted by a surprising sight that left all four of them speechless.

Contrary to their expectations of a bloody or gruesome scene, the room was brightly lit, with staff members lounging on the sofa. They turned their heads in surprise when the door was pushed open.

One of them asked, “How did you guys get up here? Sorry, this area is not open to visitors.”

This response left them unsure of how to react. Yi Yun muttered, “They’re unaware?”

Indeed, these individuals appeared completely ordinary. A nearby computer emitted the soothing sounds of falling snow, accompanied by a simulation of a fireplace. Outside, the rain had stopped its menacing downpour, no longer posing the earlier threat that hung over them.

Wang Peng Fei was filled with both uncertainty and suspicion. 

A staff member approached, noticing bleeding wounds on them, and asked cautiously, “What brings you here?”

Yi Yun, afraid of conflict, quickly replied, “We’re here for a visit, but due to the heavy rain, we couldn’t leave immediately. The power downstairs is out, so we thought we’d come up and take a look around.”

The staff member remained sceptical, huddling together with a few others to whisper among themselves before reluctantly allowing them entry.

“It’s pouring outside. Leave once the rain stops,” said a female staff member, pouring everyone a cup of hot tea. “Here, warm yourselves up.”

The paper cups they held felt slightly warm to the touch, and the staff wore gentle smiles. They even provided small blankets and cushions to ensure their comfort and warmth.

In theory, their guard should not have been so low. Perhaps it was the white noise playing in the background, gradually easing their suspicions. Or maybe it was the hot tea and snacks that were offered. Regardless, as they sat on the soft, warm sofa and observed the bustling activity around them, it became increasingly challenging to view them as ghosts.

Lu Yan sat alone on the side, abstaining from both tea and food, quietly observing the bustling staff.

An open gash ran across his face stretching from the corner of his eye to his jaw, resembling a delicate trail of blood and tears. When a staff member inquired about his need for medical attention, he remained silent.

He couldn’t shake the nagging sensation… that he had missed something. Why did these few people seem so strangely familiar?

The staff took a short break before putting on their coats and getting back to work.

It was only at this moment that taskers had an opportunity to take in their surroundings.

It made sense why regular visitors were not permitted. The exhibition hall alone contained several mummified corpses. Deeper inside, there were also some untreated wax figures. Parents who brought their children to visit might unintentionally frighten the little ones to tears.

Observing the seemingly friendly staff, Yi Yun couldn’t resist moving closer and asking, “Have all the recently unearthed artefacts been brought here?”

Few paid her any mind as they were engrossed in their work. The only person who acknowledged her presence was the one who had initially poured her tea. They responded softly, “There’s still plenty yet to be unearthed.”

Yi Yun wanted to ask about the excavated items. Specifically, she was interested in whether there was a Pisces jade pendant among them.

Without even raising their head, the person replied, “No.”

Yi Yun felt somewhat disappointed, and the other two exchanged a troubled glance in silence.

The mission was crystal clear: they needed to obtain that jade pendant from the tomb. Although there was no specified deadline, everyone was aware of it. The longer they stayed in this mission world, the more dangerous the situations they encountered became.

Wang Peng Fei asked, “Are you sure there is nothing? With so much being unearthed, mightn’t you have overlooked something? We just want a quick look.”

Of course, that was not what he really believed. Once they found the jade pendant, they could leave.

The staff paid them no mind, deeply absorbed in handling the items they held.

Yi Yun looked around, thinking they were restoring cultural artefacts at first, but… they were handling different bones, examining them carefully before placing them down. What were they actually doing?

This time, Jing Tao posed the question. As soon as he spoke, the nearest researcher to them set down the skull they were holding and fixed their gaze on the group.

“What’s wrong?” Jing Tao felt a chill down his spine.

Suddenly, the staff member chuckled and pointed at the skull, saying, “Once these things are out of the grave, they seem quite eager to go back in.”

What did that mean?

Jing Tao decided not to ask any more questions, a gut feeling telling him to remain silent. 

Lu Yan cautiously tried to approach the door, only to encounter the same confusing ghost hitting the wall he faced downstairs when trying to leave.

At that moment, several more staff members entered the room, pushing a fresh corpse on a small trolley covered in a white cloth.

“Here’s another one for the show,” one staff member chuckled, uncovering the white cloth.

Beneath it lay yet another corpse, almost completely drained of life, with skin clinging to bones and bulging eyes—an eerie sight of despair. Despite its almost mummified appearance, the corpse looked recently deceased, with pale bluish-white skin lacking the glossy brown hue of decomposition.

Two staff members carefully positioned the new body inside a display cabinet, examining the head and then retrieving some tools from the side.

Yi Yun didn’t know their intentions and leaned in for a closer look. As she watched, her eyes widened abruptly, and a chill ran up her spine to the top of her head.

This corpse… why does it feel so familiar?

The staff member turned the body’s head to the side, revealing that it was unmistakably a female corpse with a small mole behind the ear. Yi Yun remembered—Cao Yi had the exact same mole in the same spot behind her ear!

No wonder she found the body familiar… This was Cao Yi’s corpse!

Yi Yun suppressed a scream that nearly burst from her, cautiously edging backward only to collide with a chilling figure. Wheeling around, she found a staff member wearing a smile. “Where are you headed?” the figure asked innocently.

Meanwhile, Jing Tao’s instincts tingled with unease.

He stood near another staff member, observing closely. However, he didn’t recognize the deceased person, so he disregarded any strange feelings.

But… the staff member wasn’t wearing gloves and his bare hands revealed dark purplish patches, a clear sign of livor mortis.

Jing Tao slowly retreated. At the same time, the busy staff suddenly stopped, their smiles directed at them. “Leaving already?”

“Why hurry? It’s pouring outside. Stay a little longer.”

“Stay.”

A flash of lightning illuminated the room, followed by the ominous rumble of thunder.

The staff, once bustling with activity, now stood still, fixated on them. Gradually, eerie smiles spread across their decaying faces.

“Stay… here,” echoed the haunting whispers.

The bodies, once motionless within the glass cases, stirred. Eerie creaks filled the air as they stumbled out, taking unsteady steps into the room.

“Quick, run!”

The group rushed towards the exit, only to find it inexplicably sealed, trapping them inside. Faced with the approaching undead, they had no option but to scatter like birds in different directions to evade the imminent danger.

A lightning bolt ripped across the sky, accompanied by a deafening clap of thunder.

In perfect alignment on the display shelves, a row of bronze chimes began to clang wildly, creating an eerie and unyielding cacophony that sent shivers down their spines, reverberating through the air.

Downstairs, the chasing corpses appeared relentless in their pursuit of Lu Yan. Having managed to evade their attacks multiple times, he understood that his survival depended on putting an end to this ceaseless chase, let alone waiting for the others to finish their job.

In a momentary glance behind him, Lu Yan stumbled upon a shocking revelation. Instead of a wall, there was a concealed chamber with meticulously arranged coffins. Caught off guard, he lost his balance and fell into one of the open coffins.

Thankfully, he had created a clone of himself earlier… so thought Lu Yan, just before everything faded into darkness.

“— Oi, wake up! Who the hell are you? How did you end up here?”

When he opened his eyes again, the scene remained just as dark. A few beams from torchlights darted around, illuminating enlarged faces in front of him, filled with concern and caution.

Upon seeing Lu Yan wake up, a nearby staff member let out a sigh of relief and continued, “Why did you suddenly appear here?”

Instead of answering, Lu Yan carefully surveyed his surroundings.

It was pitch black, gloomy, and damp, with the air thick with the smell of soil. On both sides hung mining lamps, revealing two paths adorned with numerous tools, all eerily familiar.

The structure inside the graves he had seen in the forbidden area of the Village of the Heavenly Immortals was remarkably similar, with a path splitting east and west, leading to a gaping hole.

The people before him were covered in grime, smeared with plenty of dirt.

“Where am I?” Lu Yan finally spoke up.

“You don’t know?”

Lu Yan had a vague idea in mind, but he wasn’t certain. He remained silent, and the group exchanged glances.

The distant cries echoed eerily once more, indicating that another unfortunate soul had fallen into the mysterious space. Uncertain about the source, Lu Yan’s senses sharpened, and he cautiously looked in that direction.

Jing Tao appeared, followed by Yi Yun, and eventually, Wang Peng Fei also materialised in this unexpected place—an ongoing excavation of a tomb!

While Lu Yan wore a puzzled expression, the team members quietly speculated: had their mission brought them close to the Pisces Jade Pendant? Otherwise, they wouldn’t have any idea about its whereabouts or how to find it.

It now seemed confirmed—the pendant must still be inside the tomb, presenting a goal for them, at the very least.

“Are you all here to steal things?” the team leader interrogated, suspiciously examining them from head to toe.

“Absolutely not. We have no clue why we’re suddenly here,” Jing Tao staunchly defended, refusing to leave even when the team suggested escorting them out. They reassured the team repeatedly, emphasising their willingness to help without causing any trouble.

After persistent pleading from the four of them, they convinced the team to let them stay and assist in the excavation. They joined hands and became part of the ongoing effort.

The excavation of the tomb was nearing completion, ready to reveal its main chambers. Positioned between the eastern and western chambers, the team prepared themselves for exploration.

The path ahead clearly led towards the east, indicating the direction for the team. Among the group, Lu Yan maintained a quiet presence. Progress was slow; the team frequently stopped to remove layers of dust, meticulously documenting the long-forgotten inscriptions that adorned the walls.

Impatience grew among the other three members, eager to uncover treasures. In contrast, Lu Yan displayed remarkable patience, driven by a thirst for knowledge about the tomb’s occupant.

With each step, the inscriptions on the blue brick walls faded. The team’s deliberate pace was fueled by their dedication to transcribe and decipher these ancient writings.

“It makes you wonder… this type of script is unprecedented in history, at least according to our records,” pondered the eldest archaeologist, furiously jotting down symbols in his pocket-sized notebook.

Lu Yan walked beside him, his brow furrowed in deep concentration.

‘Why is he able to write down these hieroglyphs while I cannot?’

Lu Yan’s curiosity was piqued by the wall inscription, and he eagerly asked, “Do you have any thoughts on how to decipher these characters?”

The specialist shook his head, trying to contain his excitement. “Not so fast. For now, I’ve only noticed some recurring patterns,” he explained, flipping through his notebook to show Lu Yan. “Do you see these winding lines in different sections? What do they remind you of?”

“Water?” Lu Yan guessed.

“Yes, I believe it may represent ‘water,’ but I don’t have conclusive evidence. We will need to return and investigate further,” the specialist said with a sigh. “These unseen characters with their unique style are undoubtedly a significant archaeological discovery!”

As they continued their conversation, they turned a corner and saw the rest of the expedition members ahead, filled with jubilation. “Team Leader, we have found a mural here!”

“What?” exclaimed Team Leader Cen (岑: “Small hill), hurrying over with quick steps, followed closely by the others. 

A team member meticulously removed dust from the wall using tools, gradually revealing vibrant colours inch by inch.

The scene stretched out before them like an endless mural. The taskers were not idle; they were armed with tools, ready for the task at hand. However, the archaeological team still had suspicions about these four individuals. Due to the need for technical expertise, they were not allowed to intervene.

Lu Yan lent a hand by holding up the lamp for illumination. He stood on the opposite side of the corridor, completely absorbed in deciphering the mural.

The style of the mural bore a striking resemblance to the treasure map in the village chief’s home in the Village of the Heavenly Immortals, as well as another mural in the central chamber of the forbidden area. It seemed as though they were all crafted by the same hand.

However, the mural in front of them was not the Five Immortals painting, but rather depicted a different story.

The initial images revealed a landscape that was somewhat unclear to Lu Yan’s eyes. Verdant hills, lush greenery, and flourishing woods teeming with life.

Further along, another landscape emerged, which seemed similar yet subtly different from the previous one. Upon closer examination, it appeared as if the mountains in the preceding painting had taken a different turn.

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