Xiaofeng lay on the sofa, watching Luxing laugh wildly. Childhood memories like nightmares surged in her mind. She shut her eyes tightly in pain. "It's all fate—a fate you can't escape."
Everyone in the warehouse had their own thoughts, none noticing that a Thousand-Legged Gu had crawled out of Xiaofeng's pocket and slipped into the sofa's crevice.
By the time I found out Xiaofeng was missing, it was already afternoon. Mr. Gu burst into the shop in a panic, saying Xiaofeng had been taken by a gang of thugs.
At first, I didn't believe him. But after going to the market myself, I realized the situation was far worse than Mr. Gu had said.
There were no signs of struggle at the kidnapping site. The fact that they subdued Mr. Gu so easily meant these people were no ordinary punks.
"Why kidnap Xiaofeng? For money? For lust?" I shook my head, ruling those out. I picked up the fallen vegetable basket. "The vegetables inside are still clean, not scattered around. That means the basket didn't fly out during a fight—it was dropped by Xiaofeng herself."
"Why would she let go? Did she see something terrifying? A vengeful spirit causing chaos in broad daylight? Impossible. Xiaofeng's already haunted by ghosts. Even if it was a ghost, she wouldn't be that scared."
A knot twisted in my mind: "Who does Xiaofeng fear the most?"
The landlord couple had been taken in by the police. Besides them, only one person could terrify Xiaofeng so badly.
"My fugitive brother—Luxing." My eyes lit up. I called Mr. Gu and asked if he had seen a strange young man.
Mr. Gu was vague but recalled that when he collapsed, a young man wearing a duckbill cap stood behind him.
"Almost certainly him. Call the police—he's likely a wanted criminal."
Half an hour later, I met Tie Ningxiang, and her first words were: "Xiaofeng was kidnapped, probably by Luxing."
A citywide manhunt quietly began. Though worried for Xiaofeng, I knew there was little I could do.
Back on Ting Tang Road, the usually quiet Mr. Gu finally spoke: "I'm half to blame for the girl's disappearance. I'll help you find her."
"What's meant to come can't be avoided." I prepared two bowls of instant noodles and lit a cigarette.
"There's something I need to tell you—I lost one of my Gu worms."
"Lost one?"
"The Thousand-Legged Gu—the half-foot-long centipede that loves extreme cold and yin. When I lost consciousness, it escaped from the jar." Mr. Gu hesitated, then confessed everything he had done the night before.
"So that lost Gu might be with Xiaofeng now?"
"Yes. I feed the Gu with essence blood. If it's within a hundred meters, I can sense it."
"Jiangcheng's too big to search step by step. Wait for the police—I'm more anxious than you." I knew Mr. Gu meant well, but his method was inefficient.
"Don't worry. I'll find her and give you an answer." With that, he shook his black robe and left the shop.
Hours ago, the shop was lively; now it felt cold and empty, as if time had rolled back.
"If only I had said those words by the riverside yesterday..."
The whole day passed with no news of Xiaofeng. I asked Ergou to help search and even begged Liu the Blind to do a divination, but nothing helped. Liu said it was Xiaofeng's destined calamity—inescapable.
I had no heart for anything else. Until 8 p.m. the next night, the dark shop was suddenly lit by a cold glow.
Someone was dialing the big-screen phone of The Netherworld Live Show.
What's meant to come always arrives. I took a deep breath and picked up the phone.
"Hello?"
"Ding dong! Miyun Mansion has arrived. Please secure your belongings, exit from the back door, and walk carefully."
"Vehicle entering station. Pedestrians and vehicles please beware. Route 14 unmanned bus boarding at front door. Fare: 1 yuan, no change."
"Bus departing. Please sit tight and hold on. Welcome aboard Route 14 unmanned bus. Prepare exact fare of 1 yuan. Passengers please board from rear door. Next stop: No. 3 Bridge Crematorium."
After the suspicious bus announcement, a woman's voice cried out:
"Promise me—don't let my daughter get on! Promise me!"
The call abruptly ended, leaving only busy signal beeps ringing through the shop.
Soon, a text arrived:
"Silent and empty at midnight. Do not board a late last bus. It may be a hearse filled with the dead."
"Live mission: Arrive at Miyun Mansion by midnight. Take Route 14 bus and survive until the last stop. (Note: No living companions allowed, or mission fails.)"
"Optional mission: Protect passengers. One point per passenger saved."
I stared dumbfounded at the message. Every live mission hit me unexpectedly.
"No living companions allowed? Clearly targeting Baiqi. How does The Netherworld Live Show know about Baiqi? Have they always been watching me?"
Four hours until the livestream started. My last trump card, Baiqi, couldn't join me.
"The Netherworld Live Show missions get more dangerous each time. Last time, I survived only because Xiaofeng saved me."
I couldn't rely on miracles every time. Desperation was too risky.
After much thought, I decided to spend my Netherworld Live Show points to redeem some life-saving talismans.
I left Baiqi to guard the door and called Liu the Blind to come over. Then I took a cab to the biggest bank in Jiangcheng.
Using my big-screen phone, I sent a message to the mailbox:
"Points redemption request: Random set of six Lesser Talismans."
"Points deducted. Remaining points: 0.4. Your items have been stored in your personal safe deposit box and can be claimed anytime." The reply from The Netherworld Live Show was instant.
When I arrived, the bank was unexpectedly open. The elegant lobby manager stood at the entrance.
"Mr. Gao Jian, we have received notification. Please follow me."
"Did you check who sent the items?"
"Sorry, we only got a call saying you would pick them up."
It felt unbelievable. The Netherworld Live Show was truly powerful—communicating with spirits, even conjuring items like Plum Blossom Gu, slipping them silently into a bank vault unnoticed. How could ordinary people detect it?
In the underground vault, after scanning my black card, I retrieved a black package.
Without opening it immediately, I returned to Ting Tang Road. Liu the Blind was already waiting.
Carefully locking the shop, I invited Liu inside.
"Gao Jian, your Heaven's Gate is blocked, dark clouds press down. Disaster is imminent." As soon as he sat, Liu began counting on his fingers. "Tonight, don't go anywhere. Stay home and sleep with this dog."
I smiled bitterly. "You're usually right, but tonight I have to go out."
"Going out? Looking for death?" Liu's beard trembled in worry.
"No choice. There's still a way out if I go. Staying means certain death." I opened the package. A faint incense scent filled the room.
"I asked you here to help identify these talismans' functions."
I had redeemed six random Lesser Talismans but knew nothing about them. I needed Liu's expertise.
Laying the six talismans flat, none creased, they looked less refined than the Thunder Talisman shells but still carried a spiritual aura in every stroke.
"Where did you get these?" Liu was amazed. "Some of these talisman arts have been lost for ages."
I glanced at the clock—9 p.m.—and urged him, "Enough talk. What do they do?"
"This first one, yellow background with black characters, is the Maoshan Guide Talisman. The most common of the six. It breaks illusions and ghost traps."
"The second one radiates hostility—yellow background with red characters. Made from cinnabar mixed with blood. If I'm right, it's the Maoshan Seven Gang Talisman."
"The third is rarer—yellow background, white characters, written with rice mixed ink. It's a countryside hermit's Baby Night Cry Talisman—stops infants from crying at night."
"The fourth and fifth seem like a pair of mother-and-child talismans. My understanding is too shallow to grasp their meaning."
"As for the sixth, on red paper—this is a Great Calamity Talisman!"