Chapter 410: What She Can Do for Her

Lu Yibei stared at the Online Old Pervert’s reply, dazed for quite a while before coming back to her senses. Then her fingers flew across the keyboard, and she hit send.

Wang Buliuxing: “Dying? Why would she be dying? Make yourself clear.”

Online Pervert 0: “Do you know how many years Gou Meng has existed?”

Five thousand three hundred and seventeen years, that pesky little sister told me… Lu Yibei muttered to herself in her heart.

Online Pervert 0: “Gou Meng has existed for over five thousand years. When our boss found out, he was shocked that in such a long span of time, she hasn’t fallen or become corrupted. It’s nothing short of a miracle!”

Online Pervert 0: “Our boss speculates that this might be because she’s always stayed true to herself, guarding this land, so that over all these years, the belief of the people and hauntings in Taoyuan has never been twisted.”

Seeing this, Lu Yibei nodded thoughtfully.

Hauntings born and strengthened through belief do have this hidden danger. For example, the Great Serpent God ended up with a tragic fate in his later years precisely because his devotees’ belief became twisted.

Online Pervert 0: “But, just like food past its expiration date, even if you can eat it for a while, eventually it’s bound to go bad. But this has nothing to do with you or me. If a great haunting like Gou Meng falls and becomes corrupted, the ones with a headache and in trouble will be the Midnight Watchers Society, right?”

“……”

Lu Yibei stared at her phone screen in silence for a long time. Even after the screen went dark and the light faded, she remained in the same position, motionless.

Five thousand years.

Gou Meng herself had said this number, and the Midnight Tome recorded it as the maximum lifespan of a haunting.

Under the erosion of time, no matter how powerful the haunting, after five thousand years, it would vanish without a trace.

Although Gou Meng had miraculously surpassed this limit, after enduring another three hundred years of hardship, she was probably already like a dying candle in the wind.

The recent turmoil in Tang City, aside from Ms. Rabbit and her crew stirring up trouble, was very likely because Gou Meng was approaching her end, her control over the Ley Line Energy in this eight-hundred-li radius weakening, giving those monsters she once suppressed a chance to wreak havoc. So Lu Yibei thought.

As the King of Hauntings in Hua City, Lu Yibei knew very well that if one day her control over Hua City’s Ley Line Energy weakened, there would definitely be hauntings breaking her rules and doing terrible things.

After all, without outside interference and rules to restrain them, not all hauntings could suppress their bloodthirsty desires.

Come to think of it, the reason that pesky little sister was dragging her feet and not collecting relics actively was probably because she knew her own situation, so she just gave up and stopped trying, right?

Having more or less figured out Gou Meng’s thoughts, Lu Yibei put down her phone, grabbed the pillow beside her, slowly placed it over her head, buried her whole face in it, and let out a long sigh.

If it were anything else, she would definitely do everything she could to help Gou Meng. But with the haunting’s end approaching, about to dissipate, she really had no idea how to help.

In the silence, as if suddenly thinking of something, Lu Yibei pushed the pillow away, frowned at the ceiling, and muttered, “No, there is still something I can do for her…”

–

Late night, Taoyuan.

Ever since Crow Slave led twelve hundred Fire Crows, dozens of psychics, and hauntings to invade Taoyuan, the scattered cottages in the mountains of Taoyuan had become temporary shelters for those guys.

A crescent moon hung high, weaving through thick clouds, its dim light spilling over a three-courtyard residence.

Shu E paced back and forth in the empty, snow-covered courtyard, occasionally glancing toward the bungalow on the west side of the yard.

In a corner of the small courtyard, Suolang Baima, with one eye wrapped in thick bandages, watched Shu E pacing back and forth and grew irritated, finally growling, “Tsk, I’m talking to you! Stop pacing around, you’re making me dizzy.”

“Is she your lover or something? You’re pacing like a husband waiting outside the delivery room.”

Shu E shot Suolang Baima a cold glance, said nothing, and quickly turned his attention back to the tightly closed bungalow.

Suolang Baima smirked and continued on his own, “Speaking of which, your Eclipse Society came here for Fuyang and Gou Meng’s power, right?”

“Now that the time is drawing near, how about we make a deal? When the time comes, let’s work together and kill everyone else. Fuyang’s power goes to you, and those guys’ core entities and psychic artifacts go to me. How about it?”

Seeing Shu E still silent, Suolang Baima half-threatened, half-advised, “You’re a smart guy, and we’ve been through life-and-death together, so we’re basically acquaintances, right?”

“Let me put it this way! I’ve heard some people have already started secretly teaming up. If we don’t act now, forget about eating meat, we won’t even get a sip of soup.”

The news that Crow Slave had set up a secret incantation on the Fusang divine tree, intending to use the massive psychic energy released when the Tang City barrier attacked Taoyuan to revive Fuyang’s power, had somehow leaked out. It was as if overnight, nearly all the psychics and hauntings who had helped invade Taoyuan knew about it.

When the news first broke, most of the psychics and hauntings were skeptical. After all, the source was questionable and reeked of conspiracy, so no one dared act rashly.

Backstabbing was all too common among psychics and hauntings.

Why not backstab? Just because they’re allies?

Besides, these psychics and hauntings, each with their own agenda, weren’t really allies to begin with.

However, in the past few days, after several psychics skilled in psychic detection or specializing in incantations joined forces with hauntings to investigate, everyone found that although the source of the information was unknown, its credibility was extremely high.

For a while, everyone tacitly pretended to know nothing, continuing to cooperate with the Crow Slave’s actions, but secretly, they had already started making their own preparations.

Whether it was Fuyang or Gou Meng, once struck by Tang City’s barrier, their power would surely be damaged. As high-tier mythical type hauntings, the core entity of their haunting, which contains their power, would be one of a kind in the world, whether for devouring or for drawing Spirit Pattern. No one wanted to miss such a golden opportunity.

Thus, this group of people and hauntings were like a pack of lurking wolves, waiting for the moment to pounce all at once.

As a solitary psychic, Suolang Baima was not weak compared to most psychics and hauntings, but as a lone wolf, trying to snatch “food” from a hungry pack was obviously not an easy task.

“Heh heh…”

Just as Shu E was hesitating over the conditions Suolang Baima proposed, a cold laugh came from the western bungalow. Ms. Rabbit had already broken free from the illusion left by Lu Yibei and returned to normal.

“Just you, wanting to cooperate with us? Save it, will you? You’d better worry a bit more about that witch type who wanted to kill you before. From what I know, she’s very scary.”

“You know her background?” Suolang Baima asked seriously.

“Of course!” Ms. Rabbit nodded slightly.

That was a terrifying witch type who possessed both bizarre flames and charm abilities, and had even intercepted the Night Parade of a Hundred Ghosts from the Plague Taisui. There was nothing strange about her being capable of terrifying deeds.

But…

Ms. Rabbit rolled her eyes at Suolang Baima. “But why should I tell you?”

If possible, I’d still like to end her life with my own hands, Ms. Rabbit thought.

Seeing Ms. Rabbit break free from the illusion, Shu E hurriedly came forward and asked, “Are you alright? I was really worried just now…”

“I’m fine.” Ms. Rabbit replied softly, a hint of shyness appearing in her eyes as she spoke.

“That’s good. If something happened to the important test subject I’m supposed to monitor, the Council of Elders would punish me,” Shu E said blandly.

Ms. Rabbit, “…”

Suolang Baima, who was about to leave, froze slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching, “…”

Come on, little brother, even I can’t stand it. Do you even know how to talk?

–

Early morning, Taohua Road, antique street.

At the crack of dawn, Gou Meng took the breakfast prepared by Liu Seer, climbed onto the roof of Chunfeng Residence, a fried dumpling in her mouth, head drooping as she looked down at this street that was both “young” and steeped in history, gradually coming to life.

The sun had just risen, casting its light on the snow-covered blue tiles, hanging on the bare branches of the persimmon tree, shimmering with a faint golden glow, beautiful as a dream.

But Gou Meng wasn’t looking at the scenery, only at people, the coming and going, all kinds of people.

The morning market had just ended. The street stall owners, carrying bags of modern craftwork rejects, hurried to the breakfast shop at the corner, each with joy written on their faces. One look and you could tell they’d tricked quite a few treasure hunters this morning.

The cornmeal noodle shop at the corner had opened early as always for over a decade. The owner bustled through the white steam, serving bowls of delicious and affordable cornmeal noodles to customers. Over ten years ago, when Gou Meng first ate noodles at that shop, the owner was the current owner’s uncle.

In the distance, a fierce quarrel broke out at the street entrance. A middle-aged woman in a black down jacket was desperately grabbing a pedicab driver’s arm. There was a big tear in her jacket, and fluffy yellow goose down spilled out, drifting in the wind.

With just one look, Gou Meng could guess what had happened. Most likely, the pedicab driver had accidentally torn her clothes and could only hang his head in guilt, enduring her scolding and tugging.

After venting her anger, the middle-aged woman stopped and demanded a thousand yuan in compensation. The pedicab driver, who had been silent, was startled and finally spoke, incredulous, “How could a jacket be that expensive? Are you trying to scam me?”

At this, the middle-aged woman was enraged again, rushing up to pull at the driver. Seeing that a fight was about to break out, the onlookers surged forward to intervene and mediate. After much persuasion, the pedicab driver reluctantly paid five hundred.

The bills were counted out one by one from his pocket, and in the end, only a pile of small change was left, barely enough for the last hundred. That was probably several days’ worth of his earnings, so after the middle-aged woman strutted off, he actually sat on his pedicab and started to wipe away tears, looking truly miserable…

Farther away, young people in a hurry to work wore anxious expressions, a woman who had just become a mother beamed with joy, a group of elementary school students chattered like sparrows as they ran through the alley, and… so many more.

“How interesting!”

Gou Meng sighed contentedly, picked up the last fried dumpling and bit into it, stretching lazily.

Once, in that chaotic ignorance, she had tried hard to hear people’s prayers, to see this world clearly.

Hundreds and thousands of years later, she opened her eyes, and everything she saw lived up to her expectations.

This world is full of mottled flaws, yet so lovely and beautiful.

It’s worth raising a glass for, and topping up ten more times!

Finally, Gou Meng convinced herself, gulped down the bowl of soy milk at hand, then took out her phone, logged into the game, skillfully entered the top-up page, and selected the 648 yuan option. Just as she was about to confirm, her phone suddenly vibrated.

“Buzz buzz-buzz buzz-!”

A new message interrupted her in-game purchase spellcasting for a better world.

“Who is it? Ugh! Why now of all times…” Gou Meng muttered as she tapped open the message.

Lu Yibei: “Are we collecting artifacts again today? I’ll come find you a bit later.”

“Collect what? Mao Sanyou already snatched everything up, what’s left to collect!” Gou Meng pouted, talking to herself.

“Buzz-buzz-!”

Lu Yibei: “If you don’t want to go, I can reluctantly take you to the aquarium instead? But tomorrow, you have to work hard collecting artifacts!”

“Tsk! Seriously…” Gou Meng rolled her eyes at her phone. “You dog, show some respect when you talk to me! Do you think I’m a three-year-old you can coax?”

Gou Meng: “Hmph, you invited me yourself, it’s not like I’m being lazy! If you dare go back on your word, I’ll make you pregnant!”

On the other side.

In the taxi heading to the antique street, Lu Yibei frowned slightly at the message from Gou Meng.

If it were before, she would have immediately roasted Gou Meng: “Can you come up with something new besides threatening to make people pregnant?”

But…

If she said that now, it might touch a sore spot for her.

Lu Yibei thought for a moment, then picked up her phone and replied: “Alright, then let’s meet at the entrance to the antique street in ten minutes?”

Gou Meng: “Tsk, idiot! Do you really not get it? What girl can get ready for a date in just ten minutes? At least an hour!”

Can’t get ready in ten minutes?

Lu Yibei: “I showered, brushed my teeth, and even had a health-preserving breakfast, and it only took me twenty minutes to get out the door!”

Gou Meng: “That’s because you’re weird, okay? You’re not a normal girl at all.”

Weird? Lu Yibei looked at her reflection in the taxi window, tilted her head, and asked the driver with a blank face, “Driver, is there anything weird about me?”

“Uh…” The taxi driver glanced at Lu Yibei through the rearview mirror, his mind rippling, and blurted out, “Weird-weirdly pretty.”

Lu Yibei, “…”

First the doctor, now the driver-who’s next?

Looks like it’s time to seriously consider getting a mask and sunglasses.

Everyone’s getting weirder and weirder. How am I supposed to live like this?

–

When she saw Gou Meng at the street entrance, Lu Yibei was stunned for a moment before she came back to her senses.

She wasn’t wearing the sporty kids’ outfit Lu Yibei had bought her that looked like an old lady’s exercise suit, but instead had on a very casual getup: a dark dress with a down jacket, her dyed-black hair tied up high, and her lips, glossed, shimmering with a thin golden sheen in the sunlight, jelly-like and translucent.

Though it was just a simple change, it gave the illusion of a complete transformation.

“Are you crazy? Going out like this, aren’t you just making yourself a target?” Lu Yibei exclaimed. “Don’t you know there are a lot of people looking for you out there? If they find you, they’ll kill you!”

At that, Gou Meng puffed up and looked Lu Yibei up and down. “And you think going out with you isn’t eye-catching enough?”

Walking down the street with a witch type who can’t fully suppress her charm and might unconsciously show off her beauty to the world at any moment-what could be more attention-grabbing than that?

If there is, it would probably be streaking.

Gou Meng thought, pouting, “Didn’t you say you could change back? Why’d you come out like this?”

“I’m already injured, and I got attacked by a haunting last night. I’m worried if I lift the haunting state, I might just drop dead on the spot,” Lu Yibei said expressionlessly.

“Uh…” Gou Meng dodged Lu Yibei’s direct gaze, rolled her eyes, and said, “So you’re sacrificing your dignity?”

“You only get one life, but you have plenty of dignity. Lose one, you can always pick up another later. No big deal!” Lu Yibei said seriously.

Faced with her shamelessness, Gou Meng pondered for a few seconds, tilted her head, and said, “Shall we go then?”

With that, she naturally stepped forward and grabbed Lu Yibei’s wrist.

Lu Yibei looked down at the soft, pale hand on her wrist, suddenly remembered something, stopped, bent down slightly, and turned to Gou Meng, “Come on, today I’ll be merciful and carry you for once.”

Seeing Lu Yibei, who usually hated having her ride on her shoulders, suddenly so agreeable, Gou Meng narrowed her eyes and took two cautious steps back. “Something’s off. You said you were taking me to the aquarium-are you up to something?”

“Be honest, are you holding a grudge over last night and planning to trick me out and hand me over to those gangsters?”

At that, Lu Yibei shrugged, as if signaling Gou Meng to hurry up and get on her back, and said impatiently, “I said it’s a special exception… Are you coming or not? I won’t wait!”

“I’m coming!”

Gou Meng answered, leaped up lightly, and nimbly climbed onto Lu Yibei’s shoulders, sitting steadily. Then she grinned, “Not bad, mount tamed successfully. I’m quite pleased, so I’ll make an exception and grant you a title, okay?”

“What title?”

“Uh… Big Dairy Cow?”

“Can’t you be a little more serious?”

“Then… Slutty Monster? All witch types are slutty anyway.”

Lu Yibei, “…”

…

The two bickered as they walked out of the antique street. At that moment, on the other side of the street, Mao Sanyou, disguised as a stall owner, watched their departing backs with a grave expression.