Chapter 34: An Old Acquaintance Returns (Bonus Chapter, Three Chapters totaling 7,000 words completed)

"Enter the Netherworld? You mean you want to kill me?"

"That is precisely the case."

Miss Huai Xu in the mirror looked extremely earnest.

"Only in this way can I behold your true countenance, my lord. If I wish to be by your side day and night, I have no choice but to resort to this desperate measure. I pray you will forgive me."

Forgive her?

The hell I will!

"What if I say no?"

"My lord, you cannot resist. Even though I have no desire to end your life, because of my..."

The writing stopped abruptly halfway through.

Lu Li looked up, only to find that Huai Xu’s reflection had vanished from the mirror.

The round clock behind him indicated that a minute had passed. Lu Li had subconsciously assumed that time in the dream world flowed at the same rate as in reality.

So, had Huai Xu left?

No!

Lu Li felt she must still be there. She had met him through the ritual of peeling an apple at midnight. Since he had indeed followed the rules of that urban legend, it seemed the ritual had been completed. Because of Huai Xu’s nature—"elusive, formless, and silent"—this was the only way she could interact with him.

The word she hadn't finished writing was likely "ability." Based on his previous deductions, she had intended to write "my ability." The full sentence would have been: "My lord, you cannot resist; even though I have no desire to end your life, because of my ability..."

Perhaps even that sentence was incomplete. Was she trying to explain her power? Did it mean his resistance was futile, and even if she didn't want to kill him, he would die regardless?

Lu Li felt a surge of panic. He feared these vague, ill-defined abilities more than anything else!

Hm?

He suddenly thought of something. Pan Shuai and his companions were professionals; perhaps he could consult them.

Wait. Why had the three of them been silent for so long?

Lu Li turned around and found the three of them slumped in their chairs, fast asleep. Had they been so exhausted from living in constant danger that they couldn't stay awake?

No!

Lu Li rushed over and reached out to check their breathing. His expression shifted instantly, and he hurriedly checked their carotid pulses.

There was no movement. Their skin was ice-cold and had already begun to stiffen.

Pan Shuai, Hao Liang, and Luo Hao—the three best friends Lu Li had known for over a decade—were dead.

***

Lu Li’s face darkened, but he immediately began talking to himself.

"No! They’re just sleeping! Right, just sleeping! They must have been so tired from work that they could fall asleep in such a critical moment!"

He slapped Pan Shuai hard across the face. "Wake the hell up and get moving!"

Pan Shuai was knocked to the floor by the blow, then rolled over and jumped up, clutching his face and cursing, "Damn it, what bastard hit me?!"

Nearby, Hao Liang and Luo Hao groggily rubbed their eyes and sat up straight. Luo Hao even let out a yawn.

Pan Shuai spotted Lu Li immediately. He lunged forward, grabbed Lu Li by the collar, pointed at the slap mark on his own face, and roared, "Old Lu! Why the hell did you hit me? Huh? I was trying to save your life! When I found out you were cursed yesterday, I smoked for a whole night! I even cried a little in secret! Is this how you treat me?! And you hid your identity as a transcendent from me?!"

Lu Li chuckled. "Alright, I know you love me, but your buddy here is 24k pure straight; I’m not interested in you."

He shook off Pan Shuai’s grip, his hands trembling as he pulled out a cigarette, but he ultimately put it back without lighting it. He snapped his fingers, and the football field shattered like glass. The fragments reassembled into a complete world, and they were back in Lu Li’s home in reality.

Lu Li sat back down and let out a long sigh. "The midnight apple ritual is done, but are you sure you don't remember anything? Pan, think carefully. From a few days ago, your brother Lu has been the one saving all three of your lives."

"I just took a nap, you—"

Pan Shuai blurted out instinctively before freezing mid-sentence.

He sat down, his right hand trembling as he pulled a cigarette from his pocket and offered one each to Hao Liang and Luo Hao, whose faces had suddenly turned pale. He reached to offer one to Lu Li, but Lu Li waved him off.

Pan Shuai pulled out his lighter, but his hands were shaking so violently he couldn't get it to spark. Lu Li pulled out his own Zippo, lit it, and leaned over to light their cigarettes for them.

Pan Shuai squinted and took a deep drag, exhaling two streams of blue smoke from his nostrils.

"So, we really did die once, didn't we?"

"Strictly speaking, not quite," Lu Li explained. "It was more that I pulled you back just as you were on the brink of death."

He dragged a chair over, sat on it backward, and leaned his chin on the backrest. "What did it feel like?"

The three of them stared deeply at Lu Li. They didn't believe they hadn't died. Old Lu... he was still hiding things from them. But they were used to it; he was the type who disliked idle chatter. If you didn't ask, he wouldn't say. Plus, they had known each other for over a decade; that unspoken understanding was still there.

The three of them followed Lu Li’s lead and changed the subject.

"How to put it... it felt like being in a dream, all hazy and confused. Then, in the distance, something seemed to be calling me, and I couldn't help but want to go there. Then you woke me up."

"Same here."

"Ditto."

Lu Li felt thoughtful. They really had died. Their souls had been summoned. And the one who had summoned them must have been Huai Xu.

"Do you remember where you were going?"

"No impression," Pan Shuai said, puffing on his cigarette while trying to recall. "It was all so hazy, just like a dream. Now that I’m awake, it’s just as blurry as a dream, too."

"Fine." Lu Li looked at the time. "Everyone’s tired today, and it’s a good outcome all things considered. Why don't you head back and get some rest? We have to deal with the next urban legend tomorrow, after all."

***

"Alright, we’re heading out." The three of them had been on edge for hours and were genuinely exhausted. They could also tell that Lu Li had secrets he didn't want them to know. As good friends, they wouldn't pry, so they took the cue to leave. That was the unspoken understanding of a decade-long friendship.

As they reached the door, Pan Shuai turned back. "By the way, the next urban legend is the Pen Spirit. Remember to get ready; we’ll be there to join you tomorrow night."

The Pen Spirit.

"Fine, I must be the unluckiest man alive," Lu Li sighed helplessly. But what else could he do?

"Alright, Old Lu, go back inside and get some sleep. See you tomorrow afternoon."

"Okay, see you then."

In the hallway, looking at the door Lu Li had just closed, the dark red paint seemed to have blackish-brown rust on it—it looked unnervingly like dried, aged blood.

"Let’s go, let’s go. Time to head home and sleep."

Shivering, the three of them signaled for the other colleagues stationed outside to disperse.

When Lu Li returned to the living room and turned on the lights, his gaze inadvertently flickered toward the dining table.

His vision froze.

On the table, there was a bowl of plain scallion oil noodles that hadn't been there before. The jade-white noodles were soaked in an amber broth, topped with a pinch of vibrant green scallions and a tender, white poached egg.

Perhaps because the window wasn't closed tightly, the wind from outside whistled past the back of Lu Li’s neck, feeling as if someone were quietly blowing on him from behind.

The bathroom door wasn't shut properly, and as the breeze drifted through, the hinges creaked.

Something was making a rhythmic "tap... tap..." sound, never stopping. It sounded like something jumping on the floor, or perhaps marbles rolling on the ceiling.

The quieter it is, the more a person’s senses are magnified. It’s like walking home at night, when you can't help but wonder if something is chasing you. You speed up, from a stroll to a walk, then a jog, and finally, you’re sprinting. And all the while, you’re too afraid to look back. Only after you’ve locked your door and look back do you subconsciously shudder.

"..."

Lu Li curled his lip, sat down at the table, and began to eat the noodles.

***

Xing Tian opened his eyes.

Looking at his four new teammates, he spoke in a cold, indifferent tone: "You’ve all received the notification. This mission is to assist the indigenous NPC organization, the Paranormal Event Response Bureau, in handling supernatural incidents and uncovering the truth behind the scenes."

"Remember, we are only here to find the truth. While solving the problems might yield higher rewards, don't go throwing your lives away."

Despite his words, he was quite confident. As long as it wasn't the kind of hopeless mission world they’d encountered last time, he, Xing, could still hold his own!

He would absolutely complete this mission perfectly!

*I mentioned in the last two days' single chapters that I would add extra updates, and I have delivered. I’m exhausted... going to sleep now.*