Chapter 384: The Insider Is Right Beside Me Again?

The night was long, snowflakes drifted down quietly, and the cold grew even sharper.

Lu Yibei hid in the gap formed by two artificial rocks, tightened the newly bought cotton coat around her, and suppressed her psychic energy fluctuation.

Sensing her movement, the jacket, which had transformed into thermal wear under the cotton coat, squirmed gently and raised its collar to nuzzle her cheek.

(๑´ڡ`๑) So comfy~

Although the jacket’s transformed fabric was more resistant to the cold than any clothing on the market,

Lu Yibei always felt that, in theory, the jacket was also a haunting, also “alive,” and shouldn’t be exposed to the subzero night air.

Maybe it felt cold too?

As Lu Yibei thought this, she sensed a faint feeling of gratitude coming through the familiar mark, and a gentle light appeared in her eyes. Only then did she relax and begin to handle the remaining materials at hand.

There were plenty of materials left for making the Paper Cicada Immortal. To prevent failure, she had prepared enough to make three of them, just to be safe.

Now that she succeeded on the first try, though it was indeed a bit ugly, when used together with the Face-Changing spell formation and solidified mask, it barely looked human.

No one said that being ugly disqualified you from being an operator of The Midnight Watchers Society, right?

It was normal for a psychic’s appearance to become ugly when drawing Spirit Patterns for aberrant type or evil spirit type.

Lu Yibei glanced again at the Paper Cicada Immortal pacing back and forth by the lakeside and shook her head helplessly.

Tsk, the running posture was still way too bizarre.

Without decades of gout and rheumatoid arthritis, you couldn’t run with that kind of vibe. Strangely, it had a motivational feel of perseverance despite physical disability.

Next time, she’d have to add a few more joints.

Thinking this, Lu Yibei withdrew her thoughts, focused on the remaining materials in front of her, and began to work.

This time, she decided to make some “Mini Humanoid Self-Propelled Bomb Devices” that could each hold a single Alchemical Bomb.

Recalling the process of making the Paper Cicada Immortal, she used a small knife to shave the bamboo strips thinner.

After being shaved, the bamboo strips were softer and more malleable than before, making the process much easier. Lu Yibei quickly crafted a delicate little figure about thirty centimeters tall.

She placed an Alchemical Bomb in the little figure’s belly, pasted yellow paper over it, and successfully made a small Paper Cicada Immortal with short, stubby limbs. After simply drawing eyes, brows, and a nose, it looked adorably clumsy.

After finishing one small Paper Cicada Immortal, Lu Yibei didn’t mark it with ring finger blood or recite an incantation. Instead, after marking a “1” on its back, she immediately picked up materials to make the next one.

She’d wait until all were done before using her fingertip blood; otherwise, tearing open the wound for each one would be unbearable. So thought Lu Yibei.

Thus, after spending over an hour and successfully making seventeen little paper figures, she lightly bit her now-healed right ring finger, quickly dabbed a touch of crimson on six Paper Cicada Immortals, recited the incantation, and then put them one by one into the metal box.

Seventeen was the limit for the metal box; any more and they wouldn’t fit, and her stock of Alchemical Bombs was running low.

Sigh, the disaster water yield had been dropping lately, and even the landlord’s family was running out of reserves. If she wanted to keep making Alchemical Bombs, she’d probably have to go to Fat Master to buy more disaster water.

After all, the blood of the corrupted deity from the Great Serpent God wasn’t easy to come by.

Worried, Lu Yibei withdrew her thoughts and poked her head out from the gap in the rocks to look toward the lakeside.

The Paper Cicada Immortal was still wandering by the lake, seemingly tireless, and the anticipated criminal forces had not appeared.

Could it be that Shang Nanxing’s deduction was wrong, and that the criminal forces targeting The Midnight Watchers Society operators weren’t tracking them through the Death Owl Emblem?

Lu Yibei frowned slightly and took out her phone for a look.

The time was 21:07, inching closer to midnight.

“….”

It was still early; she’d wait a bit longer…

Lu Yibei tightened her clothes and hid back in the gap between the rocks.

So cold. Even with all these clothes, why couldn’t she get warm at all?

Was it because she’d maintained the witch type power for too long?

Damn, so cold!

As Lu Yibei thought this, perhaps because her body temperature had dropped, she actually started to feel drowsy.

In a hazy, dreamlike state, she seemed to see a little girl selling Alchemical Bombs on a cold winter night. But after wandering every street and alley, no one bought her Alchemical Bombs, and her pink little hands and feet were frozen bloodless.

It was late, and she couldn’t walk anymore, so she curled up in a deserted corner to shelter from the wind. She was so cold that she could only light an Alchemical Bomb, and then the whole street was bathed in dazzling light, finally warming up…

“Bzz bzz-bzz bzz-!”

Just as Lu Yibei was about to fall asleep, her phone in her arms suddenly vibrated nonstop, jolting her awake.

When she opened her eyes, the jacket had already thoughtfully delivered the phone to her hand through the sleeve.

Unlocking the screen, Lu Yibei realized she’d been added at some point by Professor Ma to a WeChat group called [Dongyi Culture Research Project Group-2]. Besides Professor Ma and two other professors and their students, her nemesis Professor Hou was also in the group.

The phone’s vibration was caused by Professor Ma and Professor Hou.

The reason was that Professor Hou and his students had picked up a few artifacts from the antique market that afternoon. Professor Hou believed he had successfully recovered cultural relics, while Professor Ma thought most of them were fakes.

So, the two old men started arguing.

Lu Yibei glanced outside. The Paper Cicada Immortal was still wandering leisurely by the lakeside, so she withdrew her gaze and watched the drama unfold.

Ma Zhen: “[Image][Image] Old thief, you really should read more books! How could this possibly be real?”

Ma Zhen: “@Hou Jun You’re really not cut out for artifact appraisal. Why are you tagging along just to stir up trouble? Go home and rest. I’ll call you when the project starts. Embarrassing!”

Hou Jun: “Hmph, you’re the one with tunnel vision, and you still have the nerve to mock others? I won’t stoop to argue with you. Tomorrow, after the radiocarbon isotope analysis, we’ll see the results.”

Mao Sanyou: “[Eating melon emoji]”

Xinyi: “What are you talking about? What are you talking about? Count me in!”

….

Lu Yibei glanced at the pictures Professor Ma sent, frowned slightly, and typed a message: “I agree with Professor Ma’s view. Professor Hou, this bronze artifact of yours is indeed a fake.”

Hou Jun: “@Lu Yibei This student, it’s good to express your own opinion, but academic research shouldn’t be influenced by personal feelings!”

Lu Yibei, “….”

Is he saying I’m biased toward Professor Ma? But there’s clearly a problem here! Lu Yibei grumbled inwardly and typed another message.

Lu Yibei: “Professor, the shape of this bronze artifact does resemble some previously circulated relics, but it’s just a high-quality imitation. Don’t you think the symbolism represented by its form is problematic?”

Hou Jun: “What’s the problem? I don’t see any issue!”

Lu Yibei: “Look, isn’t its shape four horses pulling a carriage? But the carriage is loaded with gold, and in ancient times, gold represented currency, so…”

Xinyi: “Horse pulling coins1? Isn’t that a curse? Haha! [Thumbs up]”

Mao Sanyou: “Junior sister, watch your words, watch your words!”

Hou Jun: “….”

Lu Yibei: “And this one [Image], it looks like a gold-inlaid jade belt buckle, but it’s carved with an egret, and its head is turned to the left… That doesn’t seem very auspicious, does it?”

Xinyi: “Hahaha, heading west2, hahaha, teacher you’re awesome!”

Xinyi: “Senior brother said it, not me, okay!”

[Xinyi has been removed from the chat group by administrator Hou Jun], [Lu Yibei has been removed from the chat group by administrator Hou Jun]….

Lu Yibei, “….”

Why so petty?

He obviously bought a fake, but won’t let anyone say so!

I bet when my pesky little sister makes artifacts, she’s not so careless, right?

As Lu Yibei was grumbling, her phone vibrated again. She glanced at it-it was a message from Professor Ma.

Professor Ma: “Lu Yibei, nicely done! I shouldn’t have analyzed it from the texture and patterns with that old guy-I should’ve gone at it from the symbolism like you did. That old guy’s nose is all bent out of shape, serves him right!”

Professor Ma: “Alright, I’ll stop here for now. Get some rest. I got in touch with my old friend at dinner, and he seems to know the whereabouts of a few artifacts. Let’s meet him together early tomorrow morning.”

Lu Yibei: “Okay, Professor.”

After replying to Professor Ma, Lu Yibei looked up at the Paper Cicada Immortal outside and frowned.

It was already late, but the assassins from the criminal organization still hadn’t shown up.

Was it because my Paper Cicada Immortal was too ugly, or was it because this was the city center and it was inconvenient for them to make a move?

Could it be that the criminal organization also has lazy salary thieves, procrastinators who don’t want to come assassinate a little reserve operator like me?

Forget it, I’ll wait a bit longer. If nothing happens, I’ll go home, get some sleep, and play with the Ancestors. Tomorrow, I’ll find time to take the Paper Cicada Immortal for a stroll in the suburb.

Besides wanting to learn how to control the Hundred-Armed Giant’s power, she was also very tempted by the Yellow Springs Soul Chasing Talisman that Qing Ji mentioned.

If it could summon the soul of the dead for half a stick of incense’s time, wouldn’t that mean she could call her dad back and ask him what really happened in that car accident?

Although the Ancestors calmed down and refused to teach her, there was always a way to get him riled up again.

If all else fails, just say more bad things about “Lu Yibei,” and if that doesn’t work, add some bad things about “Lu Ming!” Lu Yibei thought.

After nightfall, the bustle and excitement of Arrow Tower Old Street didn’t last long, and soon faded into silence as darkness deepened.

Not every old street was like Mudan Street, with The Midnight Watchers Society stationed there; most old streets weren’t so peaceful at night.

Especially places like Arrow Tower Old Street, where countless lives had once been sniped outside the city gates.

Under the night sky, the dim yellow streetlights shone on the snow-covered stone pavement. A man in a military coat, with a sorrowful physiognomy, slowly walked under the city gate of Arrow Tower, snowflakes gently landing on his shoulders.

Suddenly, he stopped, took something out of his coat pocket, and glanced down at it.

It was a pale gold Death Owl Emblem, one of its outstretched wings broken. At this moment, the emblem was gently vibrating, as if to remind him of something.

The man stared at the emblem for a few seconds, spat silently, his sorrowful face growing even more bitter and resentful, then put the emblem back in his pocket.

Twenty-three operators and reserve operators from The Midnight Watchers Society had come from all over to assist; twenty-two had already been assassinated. Only two reserve operators remained, not worth worrying about-he could deal with them later.

Right now, he had more important things to do. He was going to kill a god!

The man continued forward. When he reached the pawnshop deep in the alley, the sound of footsteps echoed from the narrow, winding lanes all around.

Looking toward the sound, he saw figures approaching the pawnshop from different directions in the alleys.

A refined man in a white suit, holding a bone flute.

An old man wearing a bamboo hat and a rain cape, dressed like a fisherman.

In a relatively wide alley, a man and a woman walked side by side. The man wore a trench coat and looked pale, while the girl had a pair of rabbit ears, swinging a rusty fire axe back and forth in her hand.

…

After a while, the sound of a bronze gong came from afar, like the instrument ancient night watchmen used to strike the hours.

“Bang-bang-bang-!”

The gong sounded three times, without any rhythm yet piercing straight into the heart. The streetlights quietly went out, and when they lit up again, a figure wearing a strange mask had already appeared before the main entrance.

Long red hair hung from beneath the bronze mask, which was shaped like a crow. Iron-black sharp teeth radiated a violent aura, and paired with the robe made entirely of pitch-black feathers, he looked just like a giant black bird standing upright.

In his hand, he held a rusty blade.

The moment he appeared, the ancient street was filled with faint sounds: the snores of sleepers, the cries of children, the rumble of old heaters…

All sounds fell into dead silence in an instant, even the cold wind swirling with snowflakes seemed to sense the murderous atmosphere and slowed its pace.

As if sensing something, the pawnshop surrounded by more than a dozen high-tier psychics and hauntings suddenly began to shake violently. The tiles on the roof collided with each other, clanging noisily.

A few seconds later, a faint golden light shone from the crack of the door.

Moments later, with a “boom” like thunder exploding, blazing golden light swallowed the pawnshop, and the earth trembled.

The violent shockwave surged like a tide, sending shattered tiles, bricks, and beams flying dozens of meters away. Amidst the swirling dust, a massive figure emerged.

It seemed to be a giant turtle, its sturdy limbs like stone pillars supporting its enormous body. Its long neck arched high like a giant python, and its eyes shone with dazzling golden light, hanging in midair like lanterns. Its nostrils, like chimneys, spewed thick white vapor with every breath.

This was Grandpa Turtle’s true form, the Snake-necked Turtle General.

After a few seconds of silent confrontation with the intruder, Grandpa Turtle suddenly moved, raising a forelimb and stomping down hard.

The man in the black feather robe, instead of retreating, advanced a step. Flames burst forth from beneath his robe, enveloping his body, and he swung a fierce punch toward the forelimb.

Thus, a roar erupted, the shockwave swept out again, spreading hundreds of meters away…

“Boom-!”

A deafening crash suddenly rang in her ears. The drowsy Lu Yibei shuddered awake, steadied herself, and sensed for the presence of the Paper Cicada Immortal, slightly stunned.

Paper Cicada Immortal… exploded?

Could it be that the criminal forces sent to intercept me have already arrived?

After a brief moment of thought, Lu Yibei’s gaze sharpened. She stealthily poked her head out from between two artificial hills, craned her neck toward the lakeside, and saw the blond girl whose clothes had been blasted to tatters.

The wounded girl looked at her “companion,” now reduced to just a head on the ground, parted her lips blackened by smoke, slowly exhaled a wisp of black smoke, and after a long daze, walked shakily forward, trembling as she turned over the head lying face-down in the dirt, switched on her phone flashlight, and leaned in.

The girl saw it clearly. Under the ghastly white light, beneath the half-melted plastic mask, the “human face” of psychic contamination level was revealed. Her face instantly turned pale, and her lips twitched stiffly twice.

Then…

A shrill, terrified scream echoed across the midnight shores of Lotus Seed Lake.

“A ghost, a ghost-!”

Watching the girl immediately activate a speed-enhancing spell formation and turn to flee, Lu Yibei rolled her eyes.

Ghost, my ass!

That’s called art, get it?

The psychological fortitude of this batch of criminal forces is really lacking!

After grumbling inwardly, Lu Yibei tapped her toes on the ground and leapt up. With the help of the fake Divine Speed Horse Talisman, she performed her movement technique, chasing after the girl and quickly catching up.

Judging by the psychic energy fluctuation that surged from the girl when she screamed, her strength should be around 0.2 Great Serpent, not too strong.

Even in her current physical state, if she responded cautiously and attacked boldly, Lu Yibei was more than confident she could kill her-the odds were pretty high.

She hadn’t expected that just to intercept a reserve operator, they would send such a strong psychic.

Luckily, the information was asymmetrical. Otherwise, they might have sent a full Great Serpent, or even a new Rabbit-level enemy.

If that happened, and the interception failed, once they figured out her background, she’d have no choice but to pack up and flee with the professor.

Thinking this, Lu Yibei slowed her pace several times, keeping a distance of over five hundred meters from the girl, and before she knew it, she had arrived near the Four Seasons Hotel in Tang City.

From afar, seeing the building of the Four Seasons Hotel in Tang City, Lu Yibei stopped, crouching on the rooftop of a low building across the street.

Then…

Noticing the girl entering the hotel through the back door, she paused for a moment, waited two or three seconds, then moved again, cautiously approaching the hotel’s rear entrance. She set down a metal box, took out a Paper Cicada Immortal, recited an incantation, and controlled it with her mind, sending it into the hotel.

After the little paper figure wandered around the rear lobby and detected no psychic energy fluctuation, Lu Yibei entered, glanced around, and her gaze fell on the elevator.

7? Did she go to the seventh floor? But isn’t the seventh floor occupied entirely by members of this research project team?

Could it be that, besides Hu Yue, there’s another suspected insider in the project team?

Damn! The insider is right beside me again?

Footnote:

• Horse Pulling Coins(马拉币): “Horse pulling coins” is a humorous pun in Chinese, playing on the phonetic similarity between “马拉币” (mǎ lā bì) and the vulgar curse “妈拉逼” (mā lā bī, meaning “fuck your mother” or similar offensive expressions).

1. Heading West(上西天): In Chinese culture, the left symbolizes East and the right symbolizes West. “Heading west” is a common euphemism for death, originating from the Buddhist belief in the Western Pure Land – the paradise after death.