From the sound of it, Yuanyuan and her friend could hear that we were going to help with a client about some spooky cases, and they agreed to help us.
Chongxi was already pestering us to get a move on even as we barely finished lunch. He was anxious to meet the farmer, this being the first time he had handled a case by himself.
The farmer had already completed his work of flipping the fertilizers into the ground when we reached his fields. He immediately tossed his cigarette to the ground and grounded it with his boot when he saw us stopping the car and got up to his feet, walking towards us with brisk steps. He was in good spirits; offering each of us a cigarette while thanking us, "What a tall order you've accomplished indeed! You guys are the real deal!" Real, of course, I mused wryly, we are as real as it gets. Chongxi chuckled gleefully, extremely pleased at himself, "Don't mention it! It's just a simple task for us!"
I breathed and exh
As our car crunched along the way out of Wu Zhong, Yuanyuan began a delivery about her hometown Linnancangzhen Town like a tour guide. It was in the 1970s when the township of Linnancangzhen Town started a mining company to quarry coal, an operation that would continue for decades until 2016. Everything was fine when the mining operations began. But years passed and residents in the vicinity began to observe cracks slowly appearing around their houses. No one realized that the tremors from the mining operations were the cause of the damages to the residents' houses, until the buildings around the quarry were toppling down with devastating alacrity. The cracks began to spread and grow like ivy and webs on a wall and the residents began to fear the worst. My mind slowly drifted away as Yuanyuan rambled on about the residents' ardent pursuit for their interests and compensation. Instead, my thoughts closed in on the area which the ground had sunk.
With my Spirit Sight, I could see the thick tendrils of foul aura curling around the demon. It must be at least centuries old like Godmother. But why did it surrendered itself as soon as it saw us, behaving so meek like a sheep? In anyhow, I would gladly choose to talk rather fight any day. Feigning arrogant magnanimity, I heaved a puff from my cigarette, and stared down at it. "Enough fretting," I said, with all the frostiness I could muster, "Speak up. What are you and what evil have you wrought? I'd have no lies from you!" My cold and steely voice sent a chill down the monster's spine. It looked even more fearful than before as if Death was lurking from behind every syllable I uttered. Its lips quivered as it struggled to summon the courage to speak, until he spoke at last, "Er... Er... P-please! H-have mercy on me!" The monster's courage was no better than its hideous looks, I mused. Then I smiled and said, "Very well, mercy it is, for now," I added quietly, trying
The howls of the Forest Sprite were unbearable. Anyone walking past the Center outside would surely be frightened by its ghastly voice. We waited for minutes as the Sprite continued weeping before it realized that we were staring at it. It choked back a sob. "I was alone after my sibling was killed. Somehow the floods of the river only occur once a year since then. I could only wait for 12 months before I was able to absorb any more energy. Then came three years which persisted without a flood. I was famished and became worried. The river could be drying up at any moment. With my survival at stake, I had to flee from the river. My chance came when a heavy storm battered the town of Yahong Bridge and I took off under cover of the night and returned to the lake. The lake was as miserable as when we left it, if not worst. But there was still plenty of water there in the reed-infested mere. I could no longer hope to be able to absorb any more vitality from humans, but I mi
Lin Feng was already up, working on his combat skills training when I reached the Center. If he had noticed me coming in, he certainly made no sign of it. His passion for training was equaled only by Chongxi's compulsion for food. I went straight upstairs and delivered a kick into the bum of a Chongxi who was still salivating into his pillow in his sleep. "Come on, get up! It's time for your workout!" Chongxi spun in his bed, rubbing his behind painfully. "What are you talking about... Sleeping's... fine..." I looked down at Chongxi, exasperated beyond words. Oh, what a troublesome one this is, I mused, we had already agreed to take a look at the weasels today! Then a wicked idea came to me. I walked to the door. Just before walking out, I feigned surprise and exclaimed, "Yo, Xiao Yu? What brings you here so early in the morning?" Immediately a thud came from behind. I turned and saw Chongxi almost finishing dressing up, looking completely wide-awake!
Now that Lin Feng had mentioned this, only then I remembered that I had spoken to Xiao Yu's mother two days ago! It was the time we make some plans with Chongxi about this. Lin Feng noticed my look and sniggered. The waiter came with our beer and we ordered three bowls of Laba congee. "How about a New Year's Eve dinner?" he suggested when the waiter spun and left, "We can get everyone together. Xiao Yu and her mother, Chongxi and his teacher, my parents with Yuanyuan's parents, and of course, your parents and Edelweiss! All three of us together, and we'll settle the matters in one go!" This was one of the few times that I could not help but admire Lin Feng. As the elder member of our trio, he has always exhibited a reassuring and comforting presence by helping us plan everything ahead for us and giving us his support and help. He had never ceased to be a person we could count on. "All right then, Brother! We'll do it your way! Let's us get on tonight!" An
I answered the call, "Hello there. This is the Head Person of the De Chang Center for Paranormal Studies. How can I help you?" "We've met yesterday. You know who I am. Tomorrow at 9 am. The Nanjiao Park at the south of town. Let's see what you're made of!" "Very well. We'll be there!" I ended the call brusquely and yelled to my friends who were still exploring upstairs, "Boys! Come here! We have a job!" They skipped down the stairs, asking about what was happening and I told them about the phone call. "Shouldn't we get some help? The officer we met the other day at the police station seems close to you. He calls you 'Brother', you're close, aren't you?" Edelweiss asked softly, tugging at my arm. "It's fine. The police can only intervene if the crime is taking place. There's nothing they can do now since nothing's happened yet. There's nothing to prove any wrongdoing yet. Moreover, the police do not believe in the paranormal." Chongxi said, "Let's have Xia
Chapter 145 Uncanny Coincidence Senior? That could only be one of my juniors from university, I realized, although I don't know which. "Who is this?" I said into the phone, albeit more gently. The caller was still frightened, stammering haltingly, "I-I'm Su Yixuan..." The last we met, was during the strange incident at the university where everyone from my zither class got sick and Old Man Xie came to the rescue by using beefsteak plants to cure everyone. Among the students was a girl called Su Yixuan, the one whom I referred to as my girlfriend in my lie to persuade Old Man Xie for his help. "Ah!" I exclaimed and chuckled, "I remember you. How can I help you?" Sheepishly, Su Yixuan's voice rang again, "Well, we had a reunion meal for all alumni of the zither class days. We tried inviting you last time, but your line was out of service when we called you." "Ah..." I muttered. That must have been when we were still in Mongolia.
... I gave a summary of what happened during the incident, coupled with a short introduction on Old Man Xie. Everyone was captivated to my tale; so intently they were listening to my story that they could not tear their eyes off me. Somehow I began to wonder if I could one day write a story myself. Lu Shengnan reached for some vegetables. "Wow... We did not know..." She muttered and chewed on her food, "I had always thought that you were merely a brat born with a silver spoon in his mouth. To think that you are a master of hidden talents! But you said you used a magical gourd to absorb the Yin energy from everyone and this helped save everyone. Did you have this gourd with you now? Come on, let me have a look!" Another girl was tugging at her sleeve, motioning her for silence so that I could continue. The boyish Lu Shengnan scowled at the girl. "What?!" She barked indignantly. The girl was also from my class, although she was very much more