Chapter 148 According to...
Based on the information revealed by the driver, it can be inferred that all the amulets worn by people in Baishui Street are made by Thai masters, causing the entire street to be filled with resentment. However, in such an environment, the volunteer girl in front of him is clean and free of any impure energy, which is indeed suspicious. If Nezha wanted to, he could easily sweep this place away. But in this short time, Nezha has learned that modern laws are very strict, and he must not act as recklessly as before.
“Let’s go take a look first,” he said, taking the Hun Tian Ling (a magical ribbon) and tying it around the girl’s arm. Ping Yu let him do as he pleased, somewhat troubled: “Wasn’t it a bit too reckless of us to come here like this?”
Nezha paused, raised an eyebrow, and said, "I can beat him."
Let alone one Tai Master, even hundreds or thousands of Tai Masters would be nothing more than ants in his nest.
Pingyu knew, of course, that eliminating Tai Shi would be a piece of cake for Nezha. But it was like smashing a cup; throwing it from a height was easy, but cleaning up the shards and fragments without leaving a trace was difficult. She explained, "I just don't know what we should do if that Tai Shi is really harming people? Who should we notify? We can't just execute him on the spot, can we?"
"Go ahead," Nezha said, changing the subject. "I have my own way."
The volunteer seemed oblivious to Pingyu and Nezha's conversation, and didn't even notice if they were following. She walked on, and in the short time it took to talk, they had already put a considerable distance between them. Pingyu cleared her mind of distractions and hurriedly caught up. No one spoke as they walked. Pingyu used this opportunity to observe her surroundings, watching the passersby. The moment her gaze shot out, it seemed to dissipate into the tide; no one paid attention to her gaze, treating her as if she were invisible. Conversely, in their arms and on their shoulders, the unseen infant spirits stared intently at her. Even when they were far away, they would turn their heads to keep their eyes fixed on her.
They were overly cautious, as if afraid that others wouldn't know the road to the execution ground was a trap.
Further down the street, they arrived at the "incense and candle shop" the volunteers had mentioned. Unlike the modern decor and festive atmosphere of today, filled with gold paper and red lanterns, this shop was quite old-fashioned. Red silk and embroidery hung everywhere, and even on a sweltering summer day, it gave off a chilling and eerie feeling at first glance.
Is the store empty?
The idea was quickly refuted by Pingyu. She heard a rustling sound and stopped. Her round, good-natured face was still smiling as she greeted the inside of the incense and candle shop: "Grandma, you're still open in this heat!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the pile of red cloth on the ground collapsed. From the collapsed red cotton cloth, a figure emerged unsteadily. Ping Yu first saw a right angle, then saw the hair coiled up. The person the volunteers called "Grandma" was a thin old woman. She had a long, thin neck, with a gold thread around it. Her skin was old and wrinkled, covered with brown spots, and her limbs were as thin as withered wood. Strangely, her hair was black, not the dark, dull black of dye, but a natural, light brownish-black.
Is it because of good skincare?
The old woman did not answer.
Her cloudy eyes glanced in this direction, then she got up and walked out. Only then did Pingyu notice that she was holding a baby wrapped in swaddling clothes. And the gold thread around her neck wasn't a Buddhist amulet, but a thin chain with a key hanging from it.
The child was sucking his fingers, being unusually well-behaved.
The old woman hadn't looked back since she got up, and the volunteers seemed used to her ignoring everyone. She shrugged apologetically at Pingyu and Nezha, and the three of them went to greet her. The old woman led them to the adjacent square-shaped shop, which had only a tightly closed roller shutter door. The old woman, holding the child, squatted down shakily. She inserted the key into the lock, struggling against the heavy iron door. Pingyu couldn't bear to see the old woman suffer, especially her hands, which were so thin they were practically bones, as if a strong gust of wind would break them. So she bypassed the volunteers, and under their surprised gazes, pressed down on the iron door under the old woman's hands, saying, "Let me do it, Grandma."
Nezha, not wanting Pingyu to suffer, came to her side.
The boy's position was just right to block the volunteers' line of sight. The cubicle he created prompted the old woman, who had been keeping her head down facing the roller shutter door the whole time, to take action.
Neither thanking nor cursing, the old man released his hand from the baby's eyes and shook his head almost imperceptibly at the girl.
The next second, the boy gently pushed with his finger.
The roller shutter in his hands transformed into a leaf, billowing and soaring upwards. The moment the door slammed against the frame with a deafening crash, the old woman was back inside the shop. She and the child crawled back into the red cloth covering the floor, as if the child had returned to the ravaged, bloodied place where they had come from.
In the blink of an eye, the old woman vanished without a trace. The volunteer, dressed in striking black, returned to the front and said, "Let's not disturb the old lady's rest. Would you like me to accompany you to the execution ground?"
Pingyu looked at Nezha, and Nezha blinked.
Ping Yu: "Please lead us to the end, thank you."
Nezha wanted to keep this person under his watchful eye.
The volunteers' reaction was nothing more than calm as machines.
As the saying goes, extremes meet, and contrary to the thick black fog outside, the terrifying scene Ping Yu had imagined did not appear behind the roller shutter door. Like all old residential houses, sunlight streamed in from the platform terrace at the top of the steps, illuminating the peeling paint on the walls and the cement steps stained with dirt.
As the volunteer stepped onto the first step, he said, "From here, the next ten floors are all Ajarn's ritual sites."
"Ajarn?"
Pingyu's retelling prompted an explanation from a volunteer: "In Thailand, those who perform rituals are called Ajarns. However, here, those with the ability are respectfully called 'Master,' so the people of Baishui Street call him 'Thai Master.' If you want to pray for blessings or purchase amulets, you can choose your items on floors 1-4 and pay on the 5th floor. If you want to have your fortune told or have your destiny told, go to floors 6-7 and wait. Someone will then lead you to the Ajarn, who will guide you in the direction of your future."
To uncover the truth here, we must begin our exploration from the first floor. For some reason, Ping Yu suddenly felt a surge of competitiveness. Although she had lost her spiritual power, her practical skills, such as divination, remained. This must be what they mean by "competitors are always envious of each other."
She looked around and found only the stairs. Pingyu instinctively asked, "Isn't there an elevator here?!"
The volunteer nodded with a smile.
The fire that had ignited in Pingyu's heart suddenly went out. Her eyes narrowed into tiny dots, and she blinked twice.
No, the elevator...?
What do you mean there's no electricity?! The elevator!
Ping Yu looked at his leg muscles, which he hadn't exercised much, and his pupils dilated in shock:
You mean I have to walk up to the tenth floor by myself?!
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