The restaurant was a completely different world inside. Contrary to what they saw as desolate and quiet outside, it was bustling and noisy inside, with a large red lantern hanging every three steps, illuminating the place with a festive glow.
Unlike the typical restaurants and eateries, which are not immediately greeted with smiling waiters upon entry, the group stood at the numerous entrances for some time without being served.
Wu Yue, unwilling to move, glanced at Cheng Pingxi. Her brother, being the one with some kind of social anxiety disorder among them, consciously stopped a graceful female ghost and asked, "Hello, sister, where is this place? How do I get into the underworld?"
Hearing the voice, the female ghost turned her head after a long while: "What did you call me?"
Upon seeing the face before him, Cheng Pingxi almost blurted out "Auntie," but quickly responded with wit: "Hey, little sister! Pretty little sister, can you tell me how to get to the underworld?"
"Flirtatious!" To everyone's surprise, the female ghost frowned, her eyes widening as if they were about to pop out. Before Cheng Pingxi could react, the female ghost floated away and disappeared from their sight.
What did I do wrong?
Zhuque, chewing on a lollipop she'd somehow gotten her hands on, squinted and replied with an air of nonchalance, "I reckon... at her age and looking like this, she should be calling me grandma."
Cheng Pingxi knew who was speaking without even turning his head. He was quite hurt inside, but he didn't show it on his face. He snorted and said, "Then you must be my great-great-great-great-great-grandmother."
"Oh, my dear grandson." Zhuque wasn't annoyed at all. She had lived for tens of thousands of years, so it was perfectly acceptable for her to be addressed like that. Especially being addressed like that by the little white tiger, she actually felt quite pleased. She couldn't help but feel happy inside.
"ah!"
Cheng Pingxi roared, looking like a teased kitten with its fur standing on end.
Wu Yue looked around, thought for a moment, and said, "I'll send a message to King Yama and ask him to send someone to pick us up."
Just as everyone was waiting for the results, Wu Yue casually added, "This is a bit of a problem, no internet, no signal. Could one of you go and ask what the Wi-Fi is in the Underworld?"
"You all wait here for a while. I'll go ahead and scout out the situation," Yan Chiyu said.
Wu Yue nodded and stood close to the wall. "Okay, be careful." She cautiously lifted her eyelids to observe her surroundings. The flames dancing in each lantern were all different shapes—like human figures, sickles, or fiery butterflies, flickering and indistinct. The last lantern, however, resembled a curved, upright snake with two short, rounded horns on its head, quite adorable. Upon closer inspection, the flames within the lanterns were constantly changing and moving extremely fast.
A slippery breeze silently swept through each of the lamps.
Wu Yue lowered her eyes and shrank back, then suddenly whispered, "Be careful, something's strange about this place."
"What—" Cheng Pingxi was about to turn around when his ankle was suddenly grabbed. He shouted and sprinted down at a speed invisible to the naked eye, disappearing into the ground.
"Little White Tiger!"
Zhuque's expression changed drastically, and the lollipop fell from her mouth. She flew over and grabbed Cheng Pingxi's hand. Flaming wings unfurled behind them, and they plunged together into an unknown and dangerous black hole on the ground.
"Brother, Vermilion Bird!" Who would have thought that danger would strike so soon after she warned him? Wu Yue shouted this and immediately dared not move. The scene she encountered when she fell into the painting that day reappeared. The whispering ghostly words, like cold and sticky venomous snakes, clung to the back of her ears and then seeped into her limbs and bones.
"The night is deep, Miss Wuyue, would you like to share a cup of warm wine with me?" The unfamiliar voice invaded her consciousness without any hindrance.
Wu Yue abruptly closed her eyes, a hint of anger creeping into her usually calm gaze. She had been caught red-handed, her home ransacked without any warning.
"Who are you?"
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