Chapter 380: The Midnight Watchers Society of Tang City

After Professor Ma got in the car, he soon fell asleep in the warmth of the heater.

After all, he was already in his late middle age, almost elderly. Before leaving home, he’d been forcibly subjected to a “great soul harmony” by Shiniang1, so he wasn’t exactly at his best in any aspect. Understandable.

“Shidi2, my teacher isn’t as bad as Professor Ma makes him out to be. According to my master, he and Professor Ma are like rivals in love and hate, their bond stronger than gold.”

In the quiet car, Mao Sanyou suddenly spoke up. Lu Yibei was slightly taken aback, his gaze drifting to the sleeping Professor Ma.

Rivals in love and hate, a bond stronger than gold? What kind of nonsense is that!

Two grown men, using those words to describe themselves, always makes it sound like there’s something fishy going on.

Could it be that, when they were young, they were sworn brothers like Dad and Shui-Ge?

Lu Yibei recalled the scene of his dad and Shui-Ge scrubbing each other’s backs in the same bathtub, and imagined Professor Ma and Professor Hou, these two old men, doing the same. A chill instantly ran up his spine.

Damn, I might be experiencing things I shouldn’t at my age.

” Senior brother, could you turn up the heat a bit?”

“Oh, sure.” Mao Sanyou adjusted the car’s heater and continued, “My teacher actually envies Professor Ma a lot. He’s always been determined to surpass him, but after decades, he’s always just a little behind.”

“….”

Lu Yibei listened quietly, a growing sense of doubt rising in his heart.

Why is this guy telling me all this?

As if guessing Lu Yibei’s thoughts, Mao Sanyou grinned at him through the rearview mirror. “You’re wondering why I’m telling you this, right?”

Lu Yibei nodded.

“I’m telling you this because I want you to know the two professors actually get along very well. As students, we shouldn’t let their rivalry affect our relationships. This mission is important, and I might not be able to handle everything myself. I’ll need your help, so I’m counting on you.”

“….”

Lu Yibei opened his mouth to say something, but suddenly came to his senses and just nodded perfunctorily at Mao Sanyou.

This guy is probably planning to dump all the work on me and go have fun himself, Lu Yibei thought.

He had good reason for this suspicion.

A guy who was sent to the airport to pick someone up, but left them in the freezing cold at minus five degrees to go “rob” a celebrity’s autograph-how reliable could he be?

But then…

When it comes to slacking off, who could beat Lu Yibei, the professional slacker operator of the Hua City Midnight Watchers Society?

After a few casual exchanges with Mao Sanyou, Lu Yibei quieted down and looked out the window.

Tang City, by all accounts, should already be considered part of the north. In all his years, this was the farthest he’d ever traveled.

He’d wanted to take this chance, accompanying Professor Ma on a research project, to experience the wildness of a northern winter. Instead, what he saw was a city like a girl hidden in her boudoir, quietly weaving gentle dreams in the smoke-free north.

Clearly it was the north, yet Tang City exuded the gentle elegance of a southern water town.

He wondered if this had something to do with the King of Hauntings in the area-the pesky little sister who governed spring breezes and reproduction. Lu Yibei mused.

From the knowledge of the Great Serpent God and some internal files of The Midnight Watchers Society, the existence of a King of Hauntings would influence the environment, climate, and even the cultural temperament of the region.

Just as the city occupied by Plague Taisui had almost become a dead city, and Hua City had grown drier and warmer after Lu Yibei became King of Hauntings, Gou Meng’s presence should have a special impact on this city.

But…

That pesky little sister’s temper was anything but gentle and lovely!

So where did things go wrong?

I wonder, if I stay King of Hauntings for a long time, what kind of changes will happen to Hua City’s culture…

Lu Yibei thought, feeling a bit worried that Hua City, under his influence, might turn into a wild runaway donkey, charging off in some indescribable direction.

As he pondered, a strange chill crept up his spine and spread through his body. Lu Yibei paused, puzzled, and looked at the car’s heater vent, frowning.

The warm air was blowing, and Professor Ma, half-asleep, was so hot he kept tugging at his collar, but Lu Yibei didn’t feel any warmth at all.

It was as if nothing in this world could warm me anymore…

For some reason, that thought flashed through Lu Yibei’s mind.

The car slowed and finally stopped in front of the Four Seasons Hotel by Kan Quan.

Mao Sanyou drove through half the city, dropped off Lu Yibei and Professor Ma at the hotel, and immediately found a lame excuse about “urgent business” and hurried off.

He looked so rushed, it was as if he was off to save the world.

Watching the old Jinbei van disappear into the wind and snow, Lu Yibei shrugged.

Driving a Jinbei van to save the world actually looked pretty cool.

After the long journey, Professor Ma gave Lu Yibei a few tips about some well-known antique markets in Tang City, then went back to his room. Lu Yibei, meanwhile, couldn’t wait to get to the front desk and retrieve his package.

Tang City Four Seasons Hotel, Room 7022.

Lu Yibei opened the package, unlocked the metal case, and laid out the “craftworks” inside one by one on the bed. After carefully checking that nothing was damaged, he packed them up again and left the room, exiting the hotel.

With the core entity of the haunting restricted and unfamiliar surroundings, he couldn’t help feeling a bit uneasy. Now, with firearms at his side, he felt much more secure.

He alone was an entire King of Hauntings arsenal.

There was no haunting or psychic that a box of Alchemical Bombs couldn’t handle. If there was, at least Miss Qiu could buy enough time for him to escape.

Lu Yibei stepped out of the hotel and stood by the street.

He was looking down at Qiandu Maps, weighing whether to first check out the antique markets the professor mentioned, report to The Midnight Watchers Society in Tang City, or contact the local, Gou Mang. Just then, a face suddenly popped into his view.

It was a thin, middle-aged man in a military coat, his mouth full of yellow, decayed teeth stained by cigarettes. He stuck his head in front of Lu Yibei, grinned, and spread out a stack of maps and tourist guides.

“Hey there, young man, here for some sightseeing? Want to see Lotus Seed Lake first, or Kan Quan? Need a map or a travel guide? Need a tour guide? Need a car?”

As he spoke, the man caught sight of Qiandu Maps on Lu Yibei’s phone and curled his lip. “That thing’s useless. Follow it and you’ll end up in a dead end for sure.”

“Uh…” Lu Yibei glanced at the map on his phone, then at the paper map in the man’s hand. Remembering the miserable experience of wandering around the overpass all day with his dad in Shan City a few years back, he quietly put his phone away.

Tang City was a hellish place, with so many ancient tombs it could drive the city planning bureau mad. The roads probably weren’t easy to navigate either. Having a local guide might actually be more reliable than an online map.

He looked at the man beside him, raised his eyebrows slightly, and asked, “I want to go to Taoyuan. Do you have any suggestions?”

When Lu Yibei mentioned Taoyuan, a trace of wariness flashed in the man’s eyes. He sized him up for a moment before asking, “What are you going there for in this freezing weather?”

“To see Magpie Bridge Mountain,” Lu Yibei replied expressionlessly.

Just now, he’d been hesitating on the street about where to go first, but the appearance of this man selling maps and guides helped him decide-to find a local first.

He’d look for Gou Meng. Whether he wanted to know why those artifacts ended up on the market, or why haunting incidents had become so frequent in Tang City that The Midnight Watchers Society had to issue the silver Owl signal, it would be much easier.

Magpie Bridge Mountain was one of the two famous mountains in the Taoyuan tourist attraction. Lu Yibei had heard Gou Meng mention it before; supposedly, it was especially effective for praying for children.

His pesky little sister loved seeing people smile. As long as a married woman prayed sincerely with a smile and she heard it, most of the time it worked instantly.

Maybe that’s why they say, girls who love to smile have good luck with pregnancy?

For someone with facial paralysis like Lu Yibei, Gou Meng didn’t like him at all, so there was no need to worry about her bestowing any miracles.

“Magpie Bridge Mountain, huh…” the man muttered, waving his hand. “Then you probably won’t get to go this year!”

Lu Yibei frowned slightly and pressed, “Why not?”

The man curled his lip. “There was a heavy snow in the mountains a few days ago. Several walkways in the tourist attraction collapsed. The area’s closed now-no one can get in.”

“Not even by climbing over the wall? Or is there some secret path locals use to sneak in? There’s always a way if you really want to get in, right? Name your price-if it’s reasonable, we’ll go.”

Let the person who benefits pay for it; once he found his pesky little sister, he’d just have her reimburse him.

She’d already said, if he ever made it to Taoyuan, she’d cover food, lodging, fun, everything-so the travel expenses should be included too… Lu Yibei thought to himself.

“Hey kid, you look young-why are you so into these shady tricks?” The man seemed a bit annoyed, looking at Lu Yibei impatiently.

“I told you, you can’t go. Heavy snow closed the mountain, don’t you get it? Going in now is just asking for trouble.”

Hearing this, Lu Yibei frowned, pondering silently.

Why did this guy’s attitude turn so sour the moment Taoyuan was mentioned?

Could something really have happened to his pesky little sister?

When Lu Yibei was researching those artifacts that ended up on the market, he’d already found it odd. Later, hearing that haunting incidents were frequent in Tang City and The Midnight Watchers Society had issued a call for help, he started to suspect Gou Meng might be in trouble.

Now, hearing the man say Taoyuan was closed and absolutely refusing to take him, his suspicions grew even stronger.

If that’s really the case, should I…

Uh? Who’s Gou Meng? Never heard of her! Don’t even know the name.

Seeing Lu Yibei remain silent, the man grew impatient. “Hey, young man, are you buying anything or not? If not, I’m leaving!”

Lu Yibei glanced sideways at the man and nodded. “Hold on, don’t rush. I need to look things over and think about it, right?”

The man, “…” It’s just a few dozen yuan, what’s there to think about?

He was about to ignore Lu Yibei and leave, but suddenly realized that at some point, Lu Yibei had quietly taken his bag of pamphlets.

So, over the next ten minutes, Lu Yibei pretended to carefully examine each of the maps and guides the man was selling, memorizing the maps one by one. Then, expressionless, he looked at the man.

“Alright, I’ve thought it over. I’m not buying. You can go now!”

The man, “???”

Before the man could react, Lu Yibei strode off toward another vendor selling maps and guides not far away.

“Ma’am, can you take me to Taoyuan?”

“No? Then can I take a look at your maps and guides?”

From a distance, watching Lu Yibei “greet” every vendor in front of the hotel, the man stood silent and bewildered in the cold wind.

Half an hour later.

Lu Yibei was escorted out of an old, dilapidated office building by two security uncles.

“Get lost! If you come back to make trouble again, I’ll call the police!”

Standing in front of the old building’s entrance, Lu Yibei looked back at the timeworn, shadowy doorway and the retreating backs of the two security uncles, scratching his head in confusion.

What the heck? What’s going on? Isn’t the Folk Culture Administration Bureau in Tang City supposed to be where The Midnight Watchers Society is located?

Half an hour earlier.

After asking several street vendors and confirming that Taoyuan was indeed temporarily inaccessible-and scoring a complete map of Tang City for free-Lu Yibei changed his mind and decided to report to The Midnight Watchers Society in Tang City first.

Following the map in his memory, he set out from the Four Seasons Hotel in Tang City and, after more than ten minutes, found the building of the Folk Culture Administration Bureau.

It was an old building over thirty years old, with two large red “Demolish” characters painted on the grayish-white exterior wall. Inside, due to the building’s structure, the empty corridors were dimly lit, and the wooden doors lining both sides of the hallway were tightly shut, their paint peeling and mottled.

If someone wanted to shoot a horror movie, this building would be the perfect set-no need for props, just show up and start filming.

But what kind of place is The Midnight Watchers Society? It’s a place that deals with hauntings.

The Midnight Watchers Society in Hua City was even converted from an old ancestral hall!

So, Lu Yibei didn’t find the ghostly atmosphere inside the Folk Culture Administration Bureau building strange at all-in fact, he even felt a bit at home.

However, after wandering patiently in the building for over ten minutes, he finally managed to stop a seemingly approachable woman, only to find she knew nothing about anything he asked.

…

Lu Yibei took out the Death Owl Emblem and waved it in front of the woman. “Ma’am, do you recognize this?”

The woman paused, then shook her head. “No, I don’t.”

“Ma’am, but you know what this place is, right?” Lu Yibei pressed. “Is it, you know, that place?”

The woman’s expression changed, her face tense. “Which place is that? Young man, don’t mess around!”

“Uh… I mean a haunting incident!” Lu Yibei frowned. “Did I not make myself clear? How about this, let me tell you about a haunting incident I personally experienced?”

“Thinking back, the first haunting incident I went through was at an abandoned private middle school, where over a hundred people died because of a saucerspirit game…”

“Hey, ma’am, don’t go! Not interested in saucer spirits? How about the killer man-eating pigs at the Slaughterhouse? Those things really eat people! Hey, hey, ma’am, what about the River God Marriage? Interested?”

“Help! Security, security!”

…

Watching the two elderly security guards shuffle toward him at a pace barely faster than walking, Lu Yibei fell silent.

…

That was the whole story of how Lu Yibei bothered a woman in the old building and then got kicked out by the security guards.

Escorted by the two security uncles, Lu Yibei left the alley in front of the old building and walked out to the street. He took out his phone and sent a message to Jiang Li.

Lu Yibei: “Boss, isn’t the Folk Culture Administration Bureau in Tang City the office of the local Midnight Watchers Society?”

Three minutes later.

Dog Leader: “Of course not, what made you think that? The locations of The Midnight Watchers Society branches vary across the country. As long as they meet the requirements of being reasonable and discreet, that’s enough. So it depends on the situation-city headquarters could be in a museum, psychiatric hospital, private detective agency, whatever.”

Dog Leader: “Honestly, did you even read the ‘Midnight Watchers Society Operator Handbook’ I gave you?”

Lu Yibei: “…”

I did read it, but I was too busy studying the haunting hunting procedures and operator defection punishment rules, looking for a way out for myself.

Dog Leader: “[Location: Tang City Museum] Be good, go by yourself, don’t bother me, I’m busy!”

Lu Yibei: “…”

Something’s off!

Did we swap our lines or something?

The Tang City Museum wasn’t far from the Folk Culture Administration Bureau-just under five hundred meters away on Beimen Avenue. With the Tang City map memorized, Lu Yibei took a shortcut through the alleys and, in just three or five minutes, arrived at the wide street.

Beimen Avenue was one of the most bustling streets in Tang City in the old days. Although it had declined somewhat as the city center shifted, the souvenir and specialty shops that accompanied the museum, now a tourist attraction, still did brisk business.

Besides those souvenir and specialty shops, the wider spots along the street often had stalls selling antiques.

Most of these stalls were run by former street vendors from Taohua Road antique street. After the antique street was reorganized, they moved here. Almost everything they sold was fake-buying from them meant getting ripped off. They were always on the move; as soon as city inspectors showed up, they’d wrap up their goods and run off in a flash.

Lu Yibei walked down the street toward the building at the end that looked like a giant square bronze cauldron, but soon stopped in his tracks.

He had heard a familiar voice.

“Don’t miss out, don’t pass by! Three autographs from the hottest idol, limited quantity, first come, first served!”

Following the voice, Lu Yibei looked over and saw a tall man squatting by the roadside, setting up a street stall.

Those signature thick eyebrows and big eyes-who else could it be but Mao Sanyou?

Lu Yibei: “…”

Seriously? This is your so-called emergency?

This senior really is an unreliable scammer, huh?

Footnote:

• Shiniang (师娘): Master’s wife.

1. Shidi (师弟): Junior fellow apprentice.