Chapter 406: I Confess, I Am Lu Yibei

In the Dream City, atop a broken and slanted utility pole, Qing Ji gazed at Lu Yibei on the other end of the street shrouded in dark red mist. His fluttering figure silently descended; the moment his toes touched the solid pole, he slowly bent down, assuming a sprinter’s stance.

In the next instant, his legs exploded with power, every joint in his body emitting soft cracks, his tensed muscles humming like taut strings. As his blood and flesh surged, it was as if air currents were gliding along his skin, making his clothes billow gently.

“Boom-!”

With a thunderous crash, the utility pole shattered, and his monstrous figure roared forth.

With a single stride, Qing Ji closed in on Lu Yibei. His right hand was already raised high, a chaotic orb of light appearing at his fingertips, pulling explosive winds as he pointed straight at Lu Yibei.

Seeing the tiny, rice-grain-sized orb of light at Qing Ji’s fingertip, the vigilant Lu Yibei secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

Ancestor is still merciful, seeing that I’m about to collapse, he’s lowered the intensity of his attack to give me a moment to catch my breath.

So gentle-if this were a novel, he’d be the perfect template for a classic harem drama male protagonist! Lu Yibei thought.

However…

Facing Qing Ji’s attack, Lu Yibei chose to retreat. Borrowing her movement technique, she darted backward, palms pressed together and then swiftly apart, clumsily gathering a chaotic radiance between her hands.

That radiance was unstable, constantly twisting and distorting, radiating terrifying, destructive power in all directions.

Controlling that radiance, Lu Yibei’s hands trembled violently, as if she might lose control of the orb at any moment.

Seeing Lu Yibei barely manage to condense that radiance between her palms, a flash of surprise and bewilderment crossed Qing Ji’s eyes. Although her control over the Hundred-Armed Giant’s power was still quite immature, she had indeed achieved a preliminary mastery.

Such astonishing learning ability and talent-who knows how many times stronger than that foolish Yuebo, a bit weaker than that coward Zhang Huainan, but her mindset is much stronger…

Such an outstanding girl-if only she could bear a big, healthy boy for my Lu Family, that would be perfect.

Qing Ji thought to himself, a proud smile appearing at the corner of his lips. He suddenly swung his arm forward, a storm sweeping out and instantly engulfing the onrushing Lu Yibei.

In an instant, the rice-grain-sized orb at his fingertip flared up, condensing into the shape of a blade, then extending forward, slashing down toward that exquisitely terrified face.

A piercing screech erupted, tearing at the eardrums.

Lu Yibei, “!!!”

She stared in disbelief, her vision swallowed by that inescapable light. Though death had not yet arrived, she already felt its shadow enveloping her.

[Your brain has been pulverized]-such a premonition flashed through Lu Yibei’s mind.

She foresaw it, yet there was no way to avoid it.

Comparing people only brings frustration. Ancestor is just too outrageous!

We clearly started exploring the Hundred-Armed Giant’s power at about the same time, and I’ve only just barely touched the crack of control, not even stepping over the threshold, yet he can already freely change the form of the power he controls!

As Lu Yibei thought this, a buzzing exploded in her mind, her thoughts instantly stalling as if the signal had been cut, plunging into blankness.

The power Qing Ji had condensed into a blade, wielded as if it were his own arm, simulated the Hundred-Armed Giant’s might, piercing through her brow and skull without even exploding, shooting out with a “whoosh” and embedding itself in the ruined asphalt of the city street, leaving a bullet-like hole and a wisp of blue smoke.

“Thud-!”

The girl’s graceful figure collapsed to the ground with a muffled sound.

Lu Yibei, dead.

Her vision slowly faded into darkness.

–

In the darkness, Lu Yibei’s consciousness felt as if it were sinking into icy water, descending slowly.

Taking advantage of the “revival loading” interval, she enjoyed this brief peace, savoring the moment when Qing Ji condensed the simulated Hundred-Armed Giant’s power into a blade.

Her Ancestor, in terms of psychic energy fluctuation alone, wasn’t particularly strong, but his comprehension was absolutely at the human limit-perhaps even beyond it.

It’s just a pity he was born in the wrong era.

If the old man had been born after the night began to lengthen, he might have become a catastrophe-class psychic, and I could have lived as a second-generation rich kid, wandering the streets every day, bullying men and women at will, living carefree instead of struggling like this.

By then, with a single word from Ancestor, wouldn’t Meow Meow-chan have to obediently wash up and be my little wife? Lu Yibei thought.

During her days as a proxy operator, in between playing on her phone, gaming, and cramming for finals, Lu Yibei had read quite a few “popular science books” from within The Midnight Watchers Society.

According to The Midnight Watchers Society’s statistics-

Just as the number and strength of hauntings surged after the nights grew longer, psychics also became more numerous and powerful after that, as if the world itself was striving to maintain some kind of balance.

But Ancestor, limited by his era, could only hone his skills to the peak of his time, while his psychic energy was lacking.

In those days, aside from monsters like Gou Meng, who accumulated terrifying psychic energy through their long existence, catastrophe-class psychics were rare.

Lu Yibei thought secretly, then felt her consciousness begin to rise.

This was the sign of awakening from death, returning to the Dream.

At the thought of soon facing Ancestor’s torturous training again, a trace of bitterness welled up in Lu Yibei’s heart.

People and people, people and hauntings-they’re just not the same.

Although, judging by psychic energy fluctuation, she was now on par with Qing Ji, maybe even stronger, but a loss was still a loss.

Just like how, even among high school students, some can win world-class prizes in science competitions while others struggle just to pass their exams.

Psychics of the same level can have vastly different combat abilities too; it all comes down to how well one understands and wields their own power.

Lu Yibei’s grasp of the powers she’d practically “picked up for free” was nowhere near as reliable as Qing Ji’s, who had honed hers through years of relentless practice.

Thinking it over, she realized that if the Ancestors hadn’t deliberately held back to train her, she would have been blown to pieces and smeared across the asphalt, not even leaving a single chunk of tissue larger than a centimeter behind.

I really need more practice!

Give it a few years, and maybe I’ll be as much of a powerhouse as the Ancestors!

As Lu Yibei thought this, her mind grew clearer. She felt the cool evening breeze on the ruined rooftop and caught the acrid, gunpowder-tinged scent in the air of that city shrouded in mist.

And then…

Just as she was about to wake, a searing pain suddenly flared in her eyes, as if they were on fire, nerves twitching, rings of illusory light flashing before her in warning-something extremely dangerous was approaching.

In the next instant, the burning pain in her eyes forcibly yanked her consciousness out of the Dream, jolting her awake.

She woke, opened her eyes, and saw a woman at her bedside. Awkward and wary, she met the woman’s gaze, and fell into silence.

–

Question: What’s it like to be sleeping soundly, only to wake up and find a stranger standing by your bed?

Lu Yibei: That’s like seeing a ghost!

Question: What’s it like to be sleeping soundly, only to wake up and find a beautiful stranger standing by your bed?

Lu Yibei: Oh, then it’s fine… like hell it is!

If it had been a year ago, waking up in the middle of the night to find a stranger-man or woman, young or old, pretty or ugly-standing by her bed would have had her screaming, leaping up, cowering in a corner, and fumbling for her phone to call the police.

But now…

If calling the police worked on hauntings, what would The Midnight Watchers Society be for?

So, beautiful big sister, who exactly are you? What do you want from me? Lu Yibei was just about to ask the woman in front of her when she saw the woman approach gracefully.

With her eyes half-lidded and a gentle, spring-like smile on her lips, the woman knelt on one knee on the bed, leaned in slightly, and used her slender ivory-and-silver pipe to gently lift Lu Yibei’s chin.

“Little one, tell me-do you know where Lu Yibei is?”

Lu Yibei, “…”

Who’s Lu Yibei? Never heard of him! I don’t know him!

Though the woman’s movements were gentle and her tone soft, the burning pain in Lu Yibei’s eyes only grew more intense as she drew closer.

As their gazes met, Lu Yibei saw a subtle, even more dangerous glint in those emerald eyes-a domineering, overwhelming presence.

In a daze, Lu Yibei saw countless, nearly invisible green threads swirling around the woman, entwined with strands of gold, like countless vines weaving the shadow of a giant tree.

That mythical giant tree blotted out the sky, covered in dazzling peach blossoms, with magpies circling and dancing beneath its branches.

The awe-inspiring figure seemed to stand in some distant time and space, while humans, beasts, and hauntings knelt and prayed beneath it, tiny as ants.

Assaulted by a terrifying psychic energy fluctuation, Lu Yibei suddenly felt a burning pain on the back of her hand.

Her Ally Mark had been triggered with malice. She’d felt something similar before, when Gou Meng wanted to beat her up, but it had been much weaker then. Now, with this intensity, it could only mean murderous intent.

A familiar giant tree’s shadow, magpies, the Ally Mark…

All these clues came together in an instant, and Lu Yibei realized who the woman before her was.

But…

Wasn’t that pesky little sister supposed to have been assassinated, gravely injured, and turned into a tiny bean sprout?

Now, how did her pecs get so ridiculously big all of a sudden?

And this psychic energy fluctuation-at least 1.75823 times that of the Big Boss-she didn’t look injured at all. Had she been lying to me all along? Lu Yibei thought nervously.

Back at Dream Come True Entertainment City, the Big Boss hadn’t wanted to kill anyone at first, just needed a scapegoat. Even then, Lu Yibei had to rack her brains and use power leveling, and still nearly got killed by the Big Boss, who was already on her last legs.

Now, faced with a monster whose psychic energy fluctuation was far stronger than the Big Boss’s, she didn’t even have the slightest urge to resist-her mind was filled with nothing but thoughts of survival.

Seeing Lu Yibei remain silent for so long, Gou Meng warned, “Tsk, little one, I suggest you don’t try anything funny. Go ask around who I am! Here in Tang City, squashing you would be easier than squashing a bug.”

“Speak! Where is Lu Yibei? What’s your relationship with him? If your answer satisfies me, I might let you live.”

“But since you bullied Lin Yiqi before, you’d better be ready-there’s no escaping a bit of pain.”

Guessing games are pointless and tiring. Maybe some parts of me are smaller than hers, but my fists are bigger! With fists, I’ll make her talk. If she lies or says something I don’t like, I’ll beat her up, then make her keep talking. Much more efficient, Gou Meng thought.

Lu Yibei, “…” Such a petty grudge, and she’s still hung up on it after more than half a year-this small-mindedness is definitely that pesky little sister’s style.

“Lu Yibei, right? The name sounds familiar. Oh, right, right, I remember now-he’s that proxy operator from The Midnight Watchers Society in Hua City, isn’t he? I’ve heard of him, but…”

“Shut up!” Gou Meng interrupted sharply, thrusting the pipe in her hand forward to press against Lu Yibei’s throat. Psychic energy fluctuation burst out, wrapping around her throat like tree roots, and a sudden sense of suffocation struck.

“Trying to pretend you don’t know him, hoping to muddle through? You’d better keep those lies to yourself-I’ll never believe them.”

“If you’re not familiar with Lu Yibei, then tell me, why did you appear in Tang City? And why are you in the room of a senior sister who knows Lu Yibei? This is your last chance-start over!”

Lu Yibei, “…”

Maybe… should I just come clean with her?

After all, we’re so familiar with each other, and there’s the Ally Mark binding us-she can’t really kill me.

Even if it’s embarrassing, it’s just this once. If my pesky little sister decides I’m an enemy, I might not even keep my life.

Thinking this, Lu Yibei took several deep breaths, suppressing the surging shame in her heart. Then she looked straight at Gou Meng and said solemnly, “I won’t pretend anymore. I’ll be honest. I am Lu Yibei.”

As soon as she finished, her cheeks burned hot, as if some unspeakable secret had suddenly been exposed to the world. The embarrassment was so intense she nearly dug a Great Wall into the bed with her toes.

Hearing this, Gou Meng was stunned and pressed, “Say that again-who are you?”

“I…” Lu Yibei lowered her head, avoiding Gou Meng’s burning gaze, and replied in a voice as soft as a mosquito’s hum, “I-I am Lu Yibei.”

“That’s getting more and more ridiculous!” Gou Meng rolled her eyes. “Kid, did you even finish elementary school? If you’re going to lie, at least follow some basic rules, will you?”

“If you said you were that kid’s master, lover, sworn friend or something, maybe it’d be a bit believable. But now you’re saying you’re Lu Yibei? You think I’ll believe that nonsense?”

“Tch, big boobs and no brains. Can’t you use your chest for thinking before you speak?”

Gou Meng said with a face full of disdain, then reached out and jabbed Lu Yibei’s chest hard several times with her slender pipe.

“……”

What the hell! These days, no one believes the truth anymore?

Lu Yibei complained inwardly. Feeling the burning pain on the back of her hand, her eyes suddenly lit up. She was about to pull her hand out from under the blanket to show the Ally Mark on the back of her hand and prove her identity.

Just then, as if sensing her slight movement, Gou Meng’s expression darkened. She stomped hard on Lu Yibei’s hand and said coldly, “What are you trying to pull out?”

“Hiss-!”

Her hand aching, Lu Yibei took a deep breath and explained impatiently, “What could I possibly have? Where did you get this suspicious habit? I just wanted to show you the Ally Mark on the back of my hand!”

“The Ally Mark can’t be faked, right?”

“……” Gou Meng eyed Lu Yibei suspiciously for a moment, then stepped back a bit and curled her lip. “Fine, show it to me. But if you try anything funny, don’t blame me for being rude!”

My Ally Mark-unless I die, or my body and soul are completely shattered and rebuilt, it’s absolutely impossible to erase. It really is hard to fake. Gou Meng thought confidently.

Hearing this, Lu Yibei hurriedly pulled out her right hand and held it up in front of her.

Gou Meng stared closely, and her eyes widened at once.

In the pitch-black room, on that fair hand, there really was a mark glowing with a crimson light. The complex lines outlined the shape of a giant tree and bird feathers-indeed, it was her exclusive Ally Mark.

The mark looked right, so… is this seductive little vixen really Lu Yibei?

But…

Why is there a missing corner on the mark?

Looking at the small, dim patch on the lower right corner of Lu Yibei’s Ally Mark, Gou Meng frowned, reached out to touch the mark on Lu Yibei’s hand, and rubbed it with her fingertip. Immediately, the mark’s glow flickered, as if it could collapse at any moment.

Seeing this, her brows furrowed even tighter. Gathering psychic energy at her fingertip, she rubbed hard on Lu Yibei’s hand…

The entire Ally Mark instantly twisted and deformed, its luster fading.

“Damn! Who are you trying to fool? It rubbed right off! Have you ever seen an Ally Mark that can be wiped away with a little psychic energy?”

In fact, for a moment just now, Gou Meng almost believed this girl’s nonsense. But now…

That’s my Ally Mark, not a sticker from a pack of bubblegum!

Are you insulting my intelligence, or my abilities? Gou Meng thought angrily.

Lu Yibei, “???”

What the heck? What’s going on? What am I supposed to do now?

She looked at the now smudged but still glowing Ally Mark on her right hand, then at the furious Gou Meng whose psychic energy fluctuation was surging. Her mind raced as she desperately searched her memory for any reason why the Ally Mark might be damaged.

Then…

The scene of being punched by a haunting with the Hundred-Armed Giant’s power outside Dream Come True Entertainment City, her arm snapped in one blow, flashed through her mind.

Could it be that the power of the Hundred-Armed Giant, which invaded my body through the hand branded with the Ally contract, nearly crushed all the tissue along the way, and also caused some damage to the Ally Mark, making it like this? Lu Yibei wondered.

“I know what happened! Listen to me, there’s a reason for all this!”

“Shut up! Flowery words and dirty tricks-none of you witch types are any good!” Gou Meng shouted sternly. “Now you have two choices: either hand over Lu Yibei, or become the core entity of a haunting!”

Lu Yibei, “……”