Chapter 315: A Tale of the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts

On a moonless night, the following day.

The pitch-black sky seemed soaked in ink. Through the gaps in the snow-laden clouds, the navigation lights of high-altitude planes occasionally flickered like fleeting meteors.

Hua City was tightly wrapped in darkness, with gusts of piercing wind whispering softly between the towering concrete jungle. The city’s damp silhouette merged with the heavens, as if melting into the deep night.

In the outskirts of Hua City, deep within the forest park, a waterlogged lowland lay surrounded by a desolate forest. It wasn’t the natural decay of winter, but rather the brewing of something capable of annihilating everything.

Over the shallow, murky pond, filthy mist hovered. A beautiful, eerie woman stood alone by the pond, her alluring figure draped in a gown that seemed to be woven from writhing flesh.

Around her, the air was filled with ghostly apparitions, their faces numb, despairing, anguished, and bewildered, rushing towards her. As they touched the gown, dark green granulation tissue swept over them, instantly devouring their weak psychic energy.

“Rustle, rustle-“

A faint sound emerged from the seemingly dead forest behind the woman, as something gathered continuously.

First came a dense mass of dark green flesh, resembling a migrating slug colony, traversing the damp soil of the forest, gathering behind the woman, then floating upwards like wings or a twisted flag of flesh unfurling behind her.

Next, shadows descended from the withered branches, orderly aligning behind the woman.

The Dusk Maiden glanced at the group of Black Cloak Men behind her and softly asked, “How much longer?”

“Reporting, my lady, three minutes until midnight,” one of the Black Cloak Men replied.

The Dusk Maiden nodded slightly, slowly stepping out of the forest, standing atop a cliff, gazing at the city shrouded in darkness and chilling mist. Her gaze turned cold, “Then, let’s proceed!”

“Woo-“

As her words fell, a low horn sounded from somewhere, and the group, with a psychic energy fluctuation level no lower than B-, numbering over thirty, moved towards the city center.

The snow-laden sky grew darker, like an illusion, increasingly dim.

Though it was already late at night, the night enveloped the earth, yet now, everyone could distinctly feel an even deeper, darker night approaching.

As this deeper ‘night’ descended, a foul, ominous aura quietly rose from the silent city.

The hauntings hidden within the city opened their eyes, peering from the dark corners onto the deserted streets.

Countless indistinct shadows emerged from the streets and alleys, bustling in the chilling mist, converging with the group traversing the city.

The Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, departing from the forest park, heading towards Hua City’s reservoir, crossing the entire city, left a trail of ghostly apparitions and dark green flesh proliferating everywhere, turning the city into a ghostly realm.

From the horizon, a chaotic and massive psychic energy fluctuation surged skyward, forming a dense black mass, rushing from all directions like a black ocean, engulfing the entire city…

Meanwhile, explosions echoed from various corners of the city.

On the deserted streets, under the dimming night sky, the yellow streetlights illuminated a gathering of ghostly figures. They converged along the long street, swiftly heading towards the central part of the city, joining the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts.

The cold wind lifted the edges of their flowing white robes, revealing charred flesh beneath.

At that moment, the roar of an engine echoed from the end of the street. A sleek black sports car sped through the thick fog, intercepting the hauntings born from the gas station fire.

Li Xuan, dressed in a deep blue suit, stepped out of the car. He pulled out a thick stack of talisman paper from the pocket of his jacket. With a surge of psychic energy, the talisman papers floated around him.

With a gentle smile, he softly said, “Sorry! This road is closed!”

In the next instant, something flew out from the shadows on either side of the street, chasing the bright tail flames towards the hauntings.

Inside a building by the street, hidden in the darkness, Qi Dong blew away the smoke drifting from his grenade launcher, coldly muttering, “Die, you bastards!”

With a “boom,” the grenade hit the ground.

In the next moment, a violent explosion and flames erupted from the ground, engulfing the figures of the hauntings.

Amidst the piercing wails, ghostly figures leapt from the flames, only to be stopped by the talisman papers flying towards them.

“…By the order of the heavens!”

Li Xuan murmured to activate the talisman papers, which emitted a brilliant blue light. In an instant, a chilling cold burst forth, freezing the hauntings and the flames into ice sculptures.

“Rat-a-tat-tat!”

With the sound of automatic rifle fire, the ice sculptures shattered, scattering across the ground.

The Midnight Watchers Society in Hua City was indeed unable to confront the Dusk Maiden’s Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts head-on, but they couldn’t just stand by and do nothing about such a malicious event.

Upon detecting the psychic energy fluctuation of the Night Parade, the Society launched a targeted assassination operation against hauntings attempting to join the parade, thereby weakening her power and reducing her chances of success.

Meanwhile, a black sedan from Jinguan City was speeding along the highway, gradually approaching Hua City.

In the back seat sat a blonde woman wearing a monocular eyepatch. Even in a simple gray wool coat, she exuded an irresistible allure.

Some people have that quality-no matter what style of clothing they wear, the final look is always “sexy,” and she was one of those people.

The coat buttons struggled to contain her.

As the vehicle sped along the empty highway, the woman rested with her eyes closed.

“Inspector, the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts in Hua City has begun.”

“Mm.”

Upon hearing the inquiry from the man in the passenger seat, she opened her eyes slightly, responded with a nasal sound, and then closed her eyes again.

Bai Kai, it’s been years since we last met, and your audacity has grown. You dare to keep the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts under wraps? Do you think Hua City’s few feeble operators can stop the parade?

If I hadn’t overheard that gentleman mention you secretly requesting disposable talismans, I might still be in the dark.

I want to see what you’re up to!

The woman thought to herself, suddenly opening her eyes and tapping the back of the driver’s seat, “Speed up, let’s get to Hua City within two hours.”

“Yes!”

While the Midnight Watchers Society members were busy taking down the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts led by the Dusk Maiden across Hua City, Lu Yibei, a proxy operator who had shamelessly called in sick, received a message from Bai Kai.

Bai Kai: “Yibei, it’s started. The departure point is the forest park, and the expected destination is near the Hua City reservoir. I suggest you challenge them at the foot of the mountain by the reservoir. Signal me when you’re ready.”

In the dimly lit apartment, Lu Yibei put down her phone and walked to the second-floor railing, looking down at the gathering of over thirty little Hauntings, who were in a heated debate.

“Don’t worry, our Lady Witch may have many quirks, but she’s the kindest haunting I’ve ever met. If anything happens, she’ll take the heat!”

Watching the hairball still energetically rallying the little Hauntings, she sighed silently.

Then.

She turned around, slung the heavy guitar case over her back, and strolled to the window. Carefully opening it, she leaped out.

Though the little Hauntings were quite numerous, their abilities were only good enough for organizing a Halloween parade. Trying to stop the Dusk Maiden would likely result in them blocking the path one second and vanishing the next, utterly ineffective in combat.

With her newly acquired flying ability, Lu Yibei stabilized herself after a brief descent, gliding silently like a bird riding the wind, landing at the intersection outside Jingyi Apartment.

Standing by the street at the crossroads, she glanced around to confirm her direction. Just as she was about to head towards the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, a taxi approached from afar and stopped beside her.

Uncle Zhang Shan rolled down the window and waved at Lu Yibei, “Hey! Long time no see! Where are you headed today?”

Lu Yibei’s eyebrow twitched slightly, and she replied expressionlessly, “Uncle, have you gotten bolder lately? You’re even picking up hauntings now?”

“You won’t harm me!” Uncle Zhang Shan chuckled awkwardly. “Besides, you’re my muse. Ever since I met you… do you know how many listeners follow my livestream now?”

Halfway through, Uncle Zhang Shan held up four fingers in front of Lu Yibei, his face full of pride, “237,000!”

Lu Yibei rubbed her forehead, exasperated, “Uncle, at this rate, you’re bound to get into trouble!”

“What’s there to fear? If it comes to that, I’ll just switch to driving at noon,” Uncle Zhang Shan joked.

“Hop in! After this ride, I’m heading home to start my stream!”

“…”

Lu Yibei sat in silence for a few seconds, then shook her head helplessly and opened the back door of the taxi, sliding in. “Let’s go to…”

She hesitated for a moment before giving Uncle Zhang Shan an address three kilometers away from the Hua City reservoir. “Today, let’s head to the Hua City Water Plant.”

“Got it!” Uncle Zhang Shan responded with enthusiasm, quickly starting the taxi and driving down the empty road. He couldn’t resist asking about Lu Yibei’s haunting story for the night.

“So, what story are you planning to tell today? Something related to the Water Plant?”

“If the story’s good enough, I’ll waive the fare for you! I’ve been running low on inspiration lately, haha!”

Lu Yibei gently shook her head. “It’s not a story about the Water Plant. Today, I’ll tell you a story about…”

“The Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts,” she said, her gaze sharpening slightly.

Inside the bamboo slip illusion.

In the depths of the pitch-black forest, a bonfire crackled atop a mound of firewood, casting flickering shadows.

Watching the old man gradually consumed by the flames, Gu Qianqian bit her lip hard, tears streaming uncontrollably down her face as her body trembled with sobs.

When she first started wandering, Gu Qianqian was just an eleven or twelve-year-old girl with no means of survival, like a rootless duckweed that could be scattered by the wind and rain at any moment.

If it hadn’t been for the kind-hearted people living under the bridge who took care of her, she might have starved to death in some secluded alley, her body mistaken for a victim of a haunting attack incident.

And this “Grandpa Zhang” was the one who cared for her the most.

In fact, when Grandpa Zhang first got his low-rent apartment, he even went to a second-hand furniture market to buy a small bed and a little wardrobe for Gu Qianqian, setting up a cozy little room for her in his already cramped home.

Although Gu Qianqian, having gradually learned how to survive, no longer wanted to burden Grandpa Zhang, she still remembered him smiling and saying to her, “Little girl, from now on, this is home!”

Gu Qianqian continued to sob, and before she knew it, the aroma of roasting meat wafted from the fire, making her stomach growl with hunger, filling her with shame. Embarrassed and angry, she cried even harder.

Even in the village of the Great Serpent God’s descendants at the foot of the mountain, they could hear their new “god” wailing.

“Waaah-!”

“Systems, I want to avenge Grandpa Zhang! Think of something!”

“You…” Systems hesitated, then spoke with a heavy heart after a long silence. “Gu Qianqian, I understand how you feel, but you’re no match for them now. Going there would be suicide.”

“They say revenge is a dish best served cold. Wait until you’re stronger…”

“No!” Gu Qianqian interrupted Systems firmly. “If I have a grudge, I want to settle it immediately. If you can’t come up with a plan today, I’ll turn you over to Lu Yibei tomorrow!”

Systems thought to itself, unsure if Calamity would even survive the night!

As it was mulling over this, it suddenly heard Gu Qianqian mutter to herself, “Right, speaking of Lu Yibei… I have an idea!”

With that, the surroundings shifted with a flicker of light and shadow, and Gu Qianqian’s figure vanished from the spot.

Moments later.

As a flicker of light darted through the darkness, Gu Qianqian appeared beneath the River-crossing Bridge, steadying herself just in time to hear the systems urgently yelling in her ear.

“Gu Qianqian, I know what you’re thinking. You want to use the power of Calamity, right? Absolutely not!”

“Have you ever heard the saying, ‘A small favor can bind a person for life’? Making deals with a tiger won’t work! If you owe Calamity a favor…”

“I’m not listening, I’m not listening!” Gu Qianqian covered her ears and shook her head vigorously.

The systems fell silent for a moment before speaking gravely, “Gu Qianqian, do you really have to go today?”

“Yes!” Gu Qianqian affirmed resolutely. “Even if it kills me!”

“Alright, alright! I’m scared of you!” the systems said through gritted teeth. “But just so you know, all the points and rewards you’ve accumulated will be gone!”

It doesn’t matter. After this is over, I’ll write an anonymous letter of complaint to The Midnight Watchers Society.

Complaining, the very tactic Calamity loves to use, right?

Might as well let her taste what it feels like to be reported! the systems thought bitterly.

Thinking of the little money and Roasted Pig Trotters that could be bought with those points, Gu Qianqian hesitated briefly for two seconds, then nodded, “Hmm!”

The night deepened, and Mudan Street seemed to have sunk into slumber, shrouded in darkness, except for the lights shining from the Lu Family’s old mansion.

A woman dressed in a business suit and wearing black-framed glasses, holding an umbrella against the snow, approached the front door of the Lu Family old mansion and gently knocked on the thick door panel. Soon after, footsteps could be heard from behind the door.

“Creak-!”

The wooden door opened slightly, and a beautiful girl in a white dress peeked out, sizing up the woman outside with a smile, “Teacher Ou, what brings you here so late?”

The woman outside hesitated for a moment, then stretched out her hand, opening her palm to reveal a cluster of white flowers emitting a faint medicinal fragrance.

“Rao Hua, I remember, last time I helped you, you said if I ever needed help, I could come to you anytime with this cluster of Nanling Rao Hua, right?”

The girl smiled sweetly, nodding, “Yes, that’s right.”

“Whew-!” Getting the affirmation from Nanling Rao Hua, the woman let out a sigh of relief, her expression gradually turning cold, “Then could you please stop tonight’s Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts?”

“This…” Nanling Rao Hua appeared troubled.

Seeing this, the woman frowned and sighed in resignation, “I guess it’s too much to ask you to do something like this, isn’t it?”

“Not really,” Nanling Rao Hua shook her head, explaining, “My grandfather warned me not to interfere too much in things like the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, which could change the dynamics between humans and hauntings, but…”

Pausing, Nanling Rao Hua pushed the token back to the woman with a smile, “I can still take down a few hauntings participating in the Night Parade to vent your frustration.”

“I couldn’t fulfill your request, so I won’t take the token back. Wait here; I will return shortly.”

With that, she stepped out the door, a single figure with a sword, walking into the snowstorm.

The woman stood in front of the Lu Family old mansion, watching Nanling Rao Hua’s receding figure. Long after her silhouette had disappeared, the woman bowed slightly in the direction she had gone, murmuring, “Thank you!”

On the other side, at Hua City Central Hospital, in the Special Illness Treatment Department.

Du Sixian stood in the corridor, looking through the glass into the treatment room, watching An Qing tending to the surge of Nocturnal Syndrome patients all by herself. She hesitated, her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

She had just received a notification that the special task force from The Midnight Watchers Society in Hua City, along with three main operators, was struggling to eliminate the hauntings. There was a severe shortage of personnel, and at least two areas with hauntings were left unguarded, requiring An Qing’s immediate support.

However, when she reached the treatment room and saw An Qing overwhelmed with work, she found herself hesitating.

Eliminating hauntings saves lives, but so does treating Nocturnal Syndrome patients. The difference was, if An Qing left the hospital, those patients who kept arriving would have no hope.

Just as Du Sixian was caught in indecision, her phone vibrated twice. She quickly took it out and glanced at it. After reading the message, she let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if all her strength had been drained, and she slumped to the ground.

The phone, which had fallen to the floor, displayed a message from Operator Bai: “Please tell An Qing there’s no need to come. Two Class A solitary psychics have suddenly appeared at the two unguarded locations and have already intercepted the hauntings.”

“Thank goodness!” Du Sixian murmured. “No wonder Qing-Jie always says that the hardest part of working for The Midnight Watchers Society isn’t dealing with the hauntings, but making decisions. I’ve truly experienced that today!”

Zhang Shan dropped Lu Yibei off at the Hua City Water Plant entrance and then turned around to leave.

In the blink of an eye, the taxi disappeared down the road, leaving Lu Yibei standing alone on the deserted street, feeling as if she were the only person left in the world.

The snow fell heavier, and the wind blew stronger. Lu Yibei pulled the hood of her tactical jacket down further, took out the Pure Lotus Sword from her guitar case, and walked along the highway.

Dark clouds loomed overhead, blocking out any light from the sky. The distant mountain peaks stood in ominous darkness, as if they might collapse at any moment.

When Lu Yibei reached the foot of the mountain, less than two kilometers from the Hua City reservoir, she stopped. Standing in the middle of the road leading to the reservoir, she held her sword in one hand and her umbrella in the other, staring intently ahead, waiting in silence.

Before I fall, I won’t let her cross this mountain, Lu Yibei thought fiercely.

1:30 AM.

An hour and a half after the Dusk Maiden began the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts, in an old residential area in Hua City’s Xicheng District.

In a warm study, Zhang Shan sat at a desk, finishing the last part of today’s haunting story with his distinctively raspy voice.

“…

The girl said that to protect this city and her home, she must fight to the death.

So, the driver remained silent, saying no more, watching her walk alone into the snowstorm, further and further away, until she vanished, her fate unknown.”

“Alright, dear listeners, that’s the end of today’s story…”

Zhang Shan was just about to wrap up with his closing remarks and take a break when he noticed the barrage of comments flying across the screen, causing him to pause in surprise.

“I Come from the Mausoleum” sent Rocket X20.

“I Come from the Mausoleum”: “Forget the rest of the stories, just tell this one. I love it!”

“There is a home in Hua City Cemetery”: “You’re amazing! Also, if you don’t finish the story today, I’ll move my home to yours!”

“Online Old Pervert 10086”: “Touching, beautiful and kind-hearted. Although I’d rather see some legs, I have to say, it’s really moving!”

“Daoist Priest Mi beneath Qingcheng Mountain”: “If it’s so touching, why not go help her? [Disdain] Otherwise, once the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts is over, the hauntings in your city won’t end well either, will they?”

“Online Old Pervert 10086”: “This…”

“Boiled Mermaid”: “This priest makes a good point! How many brothers have died today alone? I can’t stand it anymore!”

“Boiled Mermaid”: “Let’s team up and take down the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts (1/100)”

“There is a home in Hua City Cemetery”: “I was pretty scared, but if a young girl dares to go alone, I can’t just hide at home! Count me in! (2/100)”

“Not teaming up with monks”: “Is this really happening? Although I still think the host’s story is made up, I can help spread some recruitment info. I’m quite confident in my connections!”

“Sister-in-law, I’m already in”: “Trash! Count me in for the team up! (3/100)”

“Crooked Bobby Cockroach Rat”: “Just arrived, I was already on my way to avenge my descendants, planning to relax one last time before dying, and didn’t expect to find so many like-minded friends! (4/100)”

…

Watching the listeners engage in what seemed like cross-server chatting completely unrelated to him, Zhang Shan rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought.

What the heck is going on? What are they talking about?

Why can’t I understand anything they’re saying, and why does it feel like “he’s just a storyteller, what does he know about the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts”?

Darn! Why is the number of people in the live room decreasing? Didn’t they just say the story was interesting?

So, ten minutes later, as he watched the number of listeners in the radio live room visibly drop by more than half, the light in Zhang Shan’s eyes dimmed.

Is this considered a live broadcast accident? Zhang Shan wondered.