Chapter 126 The Liu Family's Skin Lantern

The next morning.

Xie Xun woke up to a familiar aroma of food.

A slight noise came from the kitchen, along with Fu Qinghuai humming an off-key tune. He'd recently become obsessed with short videos, learning snippets of strange pop songs.

After washing up, I walked to the front of the shop, just as Fu Qinghuai was coming out of the kitchen with a bowl of noodles.

The noodles were served in a clear broth, topped with a perfectly soft-boiled egg, a few sprigs of bright green vegetables, and sprinkled with chopped scallions.

"You woke up just in time."

Fu Qinghuai placed the bowl on the small square table, then magically produced a small dish containing pickled cucumbers and fermented bean curd. "Try it, I've prepared the soup base to your liking."

Xie Xun sat down and ate his noodles.

The broth is clear and fresh, the noodles are cooked to the perfect firmness, and the soft-boiled egg releases a golden yolk when poked.

He ate quietly, while Fu Qinghuai sat opposite him watching him, his hand supporting his chin, his eyes focused as if he were admiring a famous painting.

After a bowl of hot noodle soup, most of the fatigue and tension from last night dissipated.

Just as Xie Xun put down his chopsticks, the wind chimes at the shop entrance rang.

Zhou Wei came in, carrying a file folder. He had dark circles under his eyes, indicating that he hadn't slept much last night.

"Captain Zhou, have you eaten?" Fu Qinghuai greeted him lazily.

"I've eaten, I've eaten."

Zhou Wei sat down at the table, opened the file bag with a serious expression, and said, "Xiao Xie, there's something going on. After you finished dealing with the laboratory building last night, we followed procedure to screen for recent abnormal events in the city and found a report that... seems a bit off."

He pulled out a report and pushed it over.

The complainant is a nurse at a private hospital in the port city. She claims that she saw a "strange green light" coming from the top window of an old tenement building across from the hospital while working the night shift for a week in a row.

The building belonged to a powerful local triad, "Hong Sheng Tang," and was used as their ancestral hall and meeting place.

The nurse didn't pay much attention at first, until she took care of a terminally ill patient...

The man happened to be a retired elder of Hong Shengtang. On his deathbed, he held her hand and repeatedly muttered things like "lanterns eat people" and "Brother Kun was eaten by the lamp."

The patient died that very night, the same night the nurse saw the green light again.

“We contacted our colleagues in the port city,”

Zhou Wei lowered his voice, "The current leader of Hong Sheng Tang is Liu Yongkun, known in the underworld as 'Uncle Kun.' In the past two years, he has suddenly become reclusive, but the gang's business has grown bigger and bigger, and his methods have become more and more... bizarre."

"Several competitors have run into trouble inexplicably. No signs of human intervention could be found at the scene, but the deceased all had one thing in common."

He pulled out a few photos.

The bodies in the photos died in various ways, but all of them had an inconspicuous, burn-like scorch mark on their necks.

Xie Xun picked up the photo and looked at it carefully, his pupils contracting slightly.

The scorch marks were about 60-70% similar to the chalk lantern pattern he had seen on the wall of the storage room in the laboratory building.

"And this too."

Zhou Wei then took out a blurry screenshot from a surveillance camera, taken late at night at a dock in the port city. An elderly man dressed in a Tang suit was getting off a vehicle, carrying a long, rectangular object covered with a black cloth.

The black cloth wasn't completely covering the area; a corner was showing.

The bamboo frame is dark yellow, and the edges of the skin are pale white.

"Human skin lantern".

Fu Qinghuai's voice turned cold. "We've finally found the real culprit."

Xie Xun put down the photo and looked at Zhou Wei: "Does the Hong Kong side want us to get involved?"

"It's not a hope, it's a request."

Zhou Wei smiled wryly, "Their department for handling special incidents has just been reorganized, and they lack manpower and experience. Moreover, Hong Shengtang's influence in the area is deeply entrenched, and forcing our way in could easily alert him."

"Moreover, they found some information."

He pulled out the last piece of paper, a yellowed photocopy of an old newspaper, dated fifteen years ago.

In a corner of the social section, there was a small news item: "Antique dealer Shen Wanshan went to Hong Kong for exchanges and had a pleasant conversation with local collector Mr. Liu," accompanied by a photo of Shen Wanshan with a middle-aged man.

That man bore a striking resemblance to Liu Yongkun in his features.

The "Liu family" mentioned in the news is Liu Yongkun's father, the previous generation of Hong Shengtang's tutor.

"The Liu family lanterns were very likely the 'gifts' or 'trade items' that Shen Wanshan brought to Hong Kong and gave to the Liu family back then."

Zhou Wei concluded, "Now the lanterns have turned the tables and are controlling the descendants of the Liu family. The people in Hong Kong believe that since this matter involves the ancestors of the Shen family, you are probably the one who knows the situation best and has the best way to solve it."

Xie Xun remained silent for a moment.

"When do we leave?" he asked.

"The sooner the better. Your identities have already been arranged in Hong Kong. You will go there as 'folk culture consultants' to assist in the investigation of the 'suspected cultural relics smuggling case in tenement buildings.' This is the official cover."

Zhou Wei said, "Lin Huairou and Liu Xiuyuan will also accompany us as technical support personnel, while A-Can and I will coordinate from the rear."

Fu Qinghuai had already gotten up and started packing their bags. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow: "Oh, a publicly funded trip?"

"It's public funds being used to risk one's life."

Zhou Wei said irritably, "The plane tickets are booked for the morning after tomorrow. You guys prepare well these two days. If you need any special magical artifacts, the bureau will try its best to provide them."

Zhou Wei gave a few more details and then left in a hurry, as he had to rush back to the bureau for a coordination meeting that day.

The shop returned to silence.

Xie Xun walked behind the counter and began to count the items without saying a word.

Specially made copper coins, a thick stack of yellow paper and cinnabar ink, as well as the familiar Seven Star Ancient Sword and Soul-Locking Chain.

He moved swiftly and focused his eyes, already mentally considering the possible situations in Hong Kong and what countermeasures would be needed.

Fear? Not at all.

Troublesome? Just solve it.

Fu Qinghuai swayed over, leaned against the counter, and tilted his head to look at him: "You're already packing? We're not leaving until the day after tomorrow."

"Get ready early."

Without looking up, Xie Xun sorted the items into a sturdy canvas bag. "I'm not familiar with Hong Kong. It would be troublesome if I forgot anything."

"Indispensable."

Fu Qinghuai took out a small wooden box from his pocket, opened it, and inside were several dark beads. "If things really come to a head, I still have these."

Xie Xun glanced at it but didn't ask any further questions.

Fu Qinghuai always carried some strange and useful gadgets in his pocket; he was used to it.

"Oh, right,"

Fu Qinghuai remembered something, "When we get there, can you buy me a new phone? My old phone is dying; it even lags when I try to pay with a QR code last time."

Xie Xun: "...Why would a ghost like you need a new phone?"

"You can play a match-3 game and watch videos."

Fu Qinghuai said matter-of-factly, "Besides, if we get separated, we can still call each other."

We won't be separated.

Xie Xun put the last magical artifact into his bag, zipped it up, and said calmly but confidently, "I can find it wherever you go."

Fu Qinghuai was stunned for a moment, then his lips curled up into a smile as he leaned closer: "Xunxun, the way you said that... makes my heart race."

"You don't have a heartbeat at all."

"Even if my soul jumps away, it's fine."

Xie Xun ignored him, put the bag under the counter, and turned to clean up the kitchen.

We're not leaving until the day after tomorrow, but I need to check the inventory in the store, ask the owner of the convenience store next door to help watch the store, and also let Jiang Le know when she goes back...

Fu Qinghuai followed behind him, watching him busy himself, his eyes lingering on him.

"Looking around~"

"Um?"

"After this is all over, let's go on a trip, just the two of us."

Where to?

"Whatever, just find a warm place with few people and stay for a few days. I'll cook for you. No need to make paper figures or check the feng shui, just enjoy the sunshine."

Xie Xun paused as he washed the rag, the water splashing loudly.

"……OK."