Chapter 340: This Kid is Beyond Saving

Not long after the red-clothed foreman activated the Returned Gu on the wasteland.

A snow-white parrot flew out from the station, piercing through the night, heading in the direction where Lu Yibei and Ah-Hua had left.

Soon, the waiting hall of the Cinnabar Pharmacy was littered with corpses, the Ambushers who had once fought fiercely here were now long gone.

Under the catalyst of the Returned Gu, wisps of addictive toxic smoke, imbued with psychic energy fluctuations, drifted from the decaying flesh, spreading in all directions.

The vagrants who had survived the chaos by hiding in the shadows of the station inhaled the toxic smoke, emerging one by one from their hiding spots like scavengers drawn to the scent of blood, exposing themselves to the invisible fumes, raising their arms in wild abandon.

The entire station resembled a bizarre hell of intoxicated revelry.

At this moment, a figure clad in red work attire walked in from outside the station.

He strolled through the station, bathing in the toxic smoke, his expression one of serene enjoyment, as he meticulously searched every corner of the station.

After a long while, he found a vagrant bound tightly in the narrow gap between the kiosk and the restroom, his gaze darkening.

“Damn it! Escaped?”

After speaking, he paused in thought, his gaze drifting slowly towards the tracks, scoffing, “Hmph! Escaped through the tracks? Clever!”

As he spoke, he began to chant an incantation softly, “Wind of sea and sky, wings that break the chains, soar, whirl, rampage… herald the wind!”

With the incantation complete, a storm suddenly whipped through the station, carrying the toxic smoke that continuously seeped from the flesh along the tracks in both directions.

Lu Yibei and Ah-Hua, following the tracks, left the platform and soon entered a pitch-black tunnel.

Using the faint glow from the Alchemical Bomb for illumination, the two ventured deeper into the tunnel, the sounds of fierce battle gradually fading behind them.

As they walked, Lu Yibei muttered, “Go on, may your journey be safe, with sturdy bridges and bright tunnels…”

“Enough…” Ah-Hua reminded impatiently.

“Tch, I’m just hoping for some good luck,” Lu Yibei retorted.

After a while, when they emerged from the tunnel to see the sky again, silence enveloped the surroundings.

Looking ahead, the land beneath the tracks gradually became riddled with holes.

Fragmented lands of various sizes floated around as if defying the laws of physics, beneath the menacing cracks lay an abyss of pitch-black depths.

Further ahead, the land completely vanished, leaving the rusty tracks suspended in mid-air, extending upwards in a slight arc until disappearing into a thick gray fog.

There was no path forward.

As Hydrangea had said, without the transport of the Giant Train or a special pass, it was impossible to leave the Cinnabar Pharmacy via the tracks.

Gazing at the scene before her, Lu Yibei recalled the roller-coaster-like dreadful experience of riding the Giant Train through The Flesh Tunnel, furrowing her brow slightly as she turned to look at Ah-Hua.

“Is this about where we should wait? Let’s just stay here until those guys are done fighting, then we can head back.”

“Okay!” Ah-Hua responded softly, hesitated a few times as if she wanted to say more, but ultimately remained silent.

In the silence, she walked to the side, adjusted her skirt, and sat down on a relatively flat rock, her hands propping her chin on her knees, her dark brown eyes staring blankly at the sky through her glasses.

The sky was enveloped in a thick fog of industrial fumes, a dull, gray expanse with not a single star in sight, looking nothing like the world she knew. It was uncertain if it was even the same universe anymore.

Lu Yibei noticed Ah-Hua’s unusual demeanor, sat down beside her, and said, “Don’t worry about those organized yet undisciplined guys with messed-up brains. Once they start seeing red, they’ll probably just keep killing each other.”

“We’re about four or five kilometers from the station now, and we have to pass through a completely dark tunnel. Those Ambushers probably won’t end up chasing us all the way here.”

As she spoke, Lu Yibei fumbled in her jacket pocket and pulled out a spicy strip, offering it to Ah-Hua.

“Here, want one? These things really have a bite, perfect for grinding your teeth, great for passing the time.”

“Why do you need to grind your teeth? Are you a hamster or something?” Ah-Hua looked at Lu Yibei skeptically and shook her head.

Seeing this, Lu Yibei shrugged dejectedly, put the spicy strip in her own mouth, and chewed with relish, muttering, “If you weren’t worried about those guys coming after us, then you must be worried about Jiang Li, right?”

“…” Ah-Hua opened her mouth to speak but said nothing, then nodded.

When Ah-Hua had first met Lu Yibei that afternoon, she was still in shock from the attack and busy posting missing person notices. It wasn’t long before she had no time to think about anything else.

Now, having relaxed from the tense situation, all sorts of thoughts surged into her mind.

Seeing Ah-Hua’s troubled expression, Lu Yibei understood her current state.

It was like many people who could face big troubles during the day but at the quiet of night, when the nerves relaxed, all the suppressed negative emotions would burst out.

In fact, after a car accident, Lu Yibei herself had gone through a similar phase for a long time, heartlessly comforting Bai Kai during the day.

At night, she would find herself back on that large bus traveling through the misty mountain roads…

Snapping out of her thoughts, Lu Yibei patted Ah-Hua on the shoulder, her tone firm, “Don’t worry, she’s still alive.”

Ah-Hua looked at Lu Yibei, then at the chili oil handprint left on her shoulder.

Feeling a bit embarrassed under Ah-Hua’s gaze, Lu Yibei withdrew her hand, licked her fingers one by one, and then placed her hand back on Ah-Hua’s shoulder.

Ah-Hua, “…”

“This afternoon when I had some free time, I did a bit of fortune-telling, and it showed that she’s still alive,” Lu Yibei said.

“Fortune-telling?” Ah-Hua tilted her head, eagerly asking, “How did you do it? Is your fortune-telling accurate?”

“Accurate!” Lu Yibei blurted out, then thought about her methods of divination and felt a bit guilty, her voice dropping slightly, “As for how I do it…”

Tell her that I used a copper coin for divination-doesn’t that sound a bit too childish? Lu Yibei pondered secretly, clearing her throat.

“Ahem, well, my method of divination is a personal secret, not convenient to disclose.”

“But I can assure you, the accuracy is very high!”

After saying that, Lu Yibei mentally scolded herself.

Damn it, we’re all victims here, why do I have to comfort her!?

If this were in an online novel, someone would probably call me a pushover, right?

This person even bullied me before…

As Lu Yibei was secretly mulling over her dark little thoughts, plotting when to get her revenge, a sudden psychic energy fluctuation entered her psychic sense range.

The moment she sensed the approaching psychic energy fluctuation, her brow furrowed, and she sprang up, gripping her Pure Lotus Sword tightly. She leaped back, positioning herself protectively in front of Ah-Hua.

“Be careful! Something’s coming.”

As she spoke, she bent her knees slightly, psychic energy surging through the muscles of her legs, ready to spring into action at any moment.

Ah-Hua was startled by Lu Yibei’s sudden movement. She opened her mouth to speak but then sensed the psychic energy fluctuation as well.

After a slight frown, she focused her mind, using the special ability of her Spirit Pattern to carefully detect the psychic energy fluctuation.

Having discerned the state of the psychic energy fluctuation, Ah-Hua adjusted her glasses and warned Lu Yibei, “The psychic energy fluctuation level is between B+ and A-, it’s an Elf Type haunting, with a sweet and gentle aura.”

“Elf Type? Such a rare kind?” Lu Yibei exclaimed in surprise.

Elf Type hauntings are technically a special category of aberrant types. However, during their transformation, they didn’t experience negative changes as the dominant factor. In a narrower sense, they could even be called “spirits.”

In fact, after seeing this small classification in The Midnight Tome, Lu Yibei specifically went to Cherry Blossom Avenue at Hua City University of Technology to feed stray cats, muttering, “Transform, transform for me!”

After a week of persistence, she successfully attracted the attention and concern of the headless senior sister, who gently handed her a flyer for the university’s mental health counseling center.

Ah-Hua seemed to guess Lu Yibei’s “bold” thoughts, a hint of disdain flashing in her eyes. “Although they’re different from those guys at Cinnabar Pharmacy, and might not be their people, they’re not weak. Better be cautious.”

Not from Cinnabar Pharmacy? Lu Yibei paused, squinting slightly.

If they’re not from the pharmacy, could they be from one of the other two places?

But the Customs Shop and Entertainment City are in cahoots with the pharmacy. The pharmacy people have already inexplicably sent someone to attack me; would they do the same thing?

Grumbling internally, Lu Yibei glanced in the direction of the psychic energy fluctuation and quickly spotted a snow-white shadow darting through the air like lightning.

Then.

The shadow slowed down about a dozen meters away from them, revealing the form of what looked like a sunflower parrot. In a burst of dazzling light, the parrot’s body rapidly expanded, and amidst a few drifting white feathers, a girl landed steadily in front of them.

The girl appeared to be sixteen or seventeen, with long, light blonde hair and a white dress adorned with sunflower embroidery, giving off a fresh and vibrant aura. However, she seemed slightly tipsy, as if she had just had a drink, with a faint blush on her delicate face.

“Who are you, girl? Which mountain are you from?”

Hearing Lu Yibei’s voice from behind, Ah-Hua noticed that at some point, Lu Yibei had hidden behind her, clutching her shoulders and peeking out with just her eyes showing.

“….”

Seriously, can you at least act a bit more confident when saying such things? Ah-Hua’s mouth twitched.

The girl’s gaze lingered on Lu Yibei for a few seconds before she slightly bowed, “My name is Hydrangea, from Lanruo Inn. My Madame has sent me to assist you.”

Ah-Hua was taken aback by this and glanced at Lu Yibei behind her, whispering, “You know people from the Lanruo Inn Customs Shop? Don’t tell me you’ve already been there?”

If that’s the case, this prospective son-in-law might not be acceptable… Ah-Hua thought.

“What are you thinking? Why would I go to a place like that? Do I look like that kind of person?” Lu Yibei whispered back.

As she spoke, she extended her sword-wielding hand from behind Ah-Hua, pointing the sword at Hydrangea and growling, “You said you came to help us?”

“Then where were you when we were being chased and attacked?”

“….”

Weren’t you the one doing the chasing and attacking?

Did you face any real danger during the whole process?

Moreover, my Madame isn’t ready to openly confront the Celestian yet, so how could I help you openly?

Hydrangea grumbled internally, then patiently said, “It’s a long story, and explaining it would be complicated. Why don’t you come with me to a safe place, and I’ll explain everything in detail?”

“No need,” Lu Yibei replied without hesitation, “We’re quite safe here!”

As long as we stay here, wait for the Giant Train to return, then head back to the platform and hop on the train, we’ll be fine.

Why should I easily trust a haunting whose intentions are unclear? Even if you’re a non-human girl, it doesn’t mean I should trust you.

Just because Bie Suzhen was moved doesn’t mean everyone at Lanruo Inn Customs Shop will have good intentions towards me, Lu Yibei thought.

“You…” Hydrangea was a bit anxious, glancing back towards the station, and said in a low voice, “In this situation, if you don’t trust me, you’re heading for a dead end!”

If it weren’t for Black Peony’s orders, she wouldn’t bother arguing with Lu Yibei.

“Do you realize that the Cinnabar Pharmacy’s station is now filled with their eerie creations, and it won’t dissipate for several hours? You can’t go back even if you wanted to!”

“Moreover, with such a large amount of toxic smoke, it’s entirely possible it could drift over here. If you inhale even a little, you’ll be doomed!”

As she spoke, Hydrangea pointed towards the tracks leading to Dream Come True Entertainment City and continued, “But if you don’t go back, when the Giant Train arrives, it’s still a dead end!”

“The driver won’t stop just because there’s someone or something on the tracks, and…”

Before Hydrangea could finish her sentence, a gust of wind swept by, bringing with it a strange sense of pleasure.

A trace of “treasure” had already drifted over…

Hydrangea’s expression changed as she quickly pulled out a snuff bottle from her pocket, took a deep breath, and then darted forward to Ah-Hua, placing the bottle under her nose.

Hydrangea moved so swiftly that Ah-Hua couldn’t react in time, feeling a strong scent invade her nostrils, followed by a drowsy sensation.

Though Ah-Hua was slow to react, Lu Yibei was usually quick in such situations. With Hydrangea pausing for half a second at Ah-Hua, Lu Yibei had already dashed ten meters away before the snuff bottle could reach her.

“What the heck! Are you resorting to drugs because words won’t convince us?”

“It’s not…” Hydrangea tried to explain.

“If it’s not drugs, then what is it?” Lu Yibei asked warily.

“It’s…” Hydrangea was momentarily speechless, unsure how to explain to Lu Yibei, and stomped her foot in frustration. “Okay, it is a drug, but not the kind you’re thinking of. Just come over and take a whiff!”

She couldn’t possibly tell her that the primary use of this drug was to entertain guests, with the secondary purpose of blocking the effects of “treasure,” could she? Hydrangea thought.

“I won’t!” Lu Yibei stubbornly replied.

A drug from Lanruo Inn Customs Shop, with effects that are hard to explain, might be even more dangerous than the “treasure” from Cinnabar Pharmacy, Lu Yibei thought.

As she pondered, her eyes suddenly felt warm, and then, as her vision blurred, she saw strands of blue-purple threads appearing in her sight.

These threads floated around, varying in length and thickness, like a tangled ball of yarn played with by a cat.

Among the countless threads, one tiny strand floated right before her, and with her breath, it slipped into her body.

Out of nowhere, Lu Yibei felt a surge of joy, letting out a soft exclamation, “Oh-!”

This joy wasn’t the fleeting amusement from watching a funny clip or meme; it was a profound, intense happiness from deep within.

It was like being with a loved one, surrounded by family and friends, achieving financial freedom in your twenties, living without worries, doing things purely out of interest, or finally succeeding after long-term efforts, seeing all your perseverance pay off…

In short, it was an irresistible joy.

From afar, seeing Lu Yibei’s face flushed with a hint of intoxication, Hydrangea’s lips twitched. She shouted, testingly, “How do you feel now?”

“Very happy…” Lu Yibei replied with a smile, then her face broke into a radiant grin, and she shouted, “Wait, no!”

“I’m totally high!”

“Snap-!”

Hydrangea slapped her forehead, shook her head, and muttered in despair, “It’s over, this kid is beyond saving.”

Why wouldn’t she listen to reason?

Ah-Hua, standing by, nodded with a complex expression as she watched Lu Yibei laugh brightly, agreeing, “Yeah, I think so too.”

A perpetual facial paralysis case laughing like a fool-there’s no way that’s normal!

What are we going to do now!?