Chapter 30 Night Banquet ④ - The Strange Twist If there's a chance in the future, I must...
She didn't expect that Boss Wei would not only notice the injury on her hand, but also specially send someone to deliver ointment.
However, before the warmth in her heart could fully spread, it was suppressed by an even stronger thought.
Rushing back to her apartment, Lan Shuyin casually tossed the ointment aside and eagerly opened the book "The Strange Case of the Bone Demon."
The pages are yellowed, carrying the distinctive smell of aged paper and ink. It records mostly little-known folk tales and coping methods, written in a semi-classical style interspersed with numerous obscure terms. The book categorizes ghostly entities and details several methods of identification and countermeasures, including exorcising talismans and spells.
Lan Shuyin was completely absorbed in the bizarre and fantastical world.
As dawn broke, a wave of intense exhaustion washed over her. Finally, she could no longer stay awake and fell into a deep sleep, slumped over the open book.
In my dream, bizarre and fantastical scenes came one after another.
She felt as if she were struggling in a thick, dark swamp, with countless twisted and blurry ghostly figures floating and pulling around her, emitting mocking screechs.
She felt a cold, cutting sensation on her scalp, as if a knife was repeatedly grinding against her head. She tried to chant the incantation as described in the book, but her mouth wouldn't open, and a strange nursery rhyme echoed in her ears again—
"Grandma Moon, shrouded in veil, the desolate mountains and wilderness are quiet..."
"Seeing that, the dark figure laughed, his mouth stretching to the tips of his ears..."
"Not a fox, not a cat, it sits on the grave and smiles at you..."
"I saw the black weasel beckoning, its blood was scalding hot..."
"Summon your soul, awaken your spirit, follow it step by step..."
"Grandma Moon, don't look at it, or it will come looking for you..."
Black Weasel...
—The Night-crying Weasel.
The name suddenly flashed through my chaotic mind, like a ray of light that instantly pierced through my chaotic dream.
Lan Shuyin was jolted awake from her dream. Before she could even wipe the cold sweat from her forehead, she hurriedly turned the pages of the book "The Strange Tales" in her hand.
Found it!
She was overjoyed.
On a page I had hastily flipped through and hadn't paid attention to, a passage about a "night-crying weasel" suddenly came to my attention:
The Night-Weasel, entirely black except for a tuft of silver fur on its throat, resembles a weasel but is sinister in nature. It dwells in extremely yin places, and its blood is of the yin essence. If its heart blood is extracted and guided into the eyes of a living person through a special ritual, it can open the "yin pupil," allowing one to see things normally invisible and glimpse the gap between yin and yang. However, this method is extremely dangerous; the yin blood burns the eyes, causing excruciating pain. Furthermore, the mind is corrupted by yin energy, resulting in either mental confusion or, in severe cases, complete blindness with no chance of recovery. Therefore, this technique should never be used unless absolutely necessary. A fleeting moment of vision may bring eternal calamity.
Just as I expected!
Lan Shuyin's mind involuntarily flashed back to the old locust tree in Qigu Village, its massive, dark shadow pierced by a rough wooden stake. At the time, she only felt the scene was eerie, like some kind of evil sacrifice, without ever thinking deeper...
Could that be the Night-crying Weasel? Was the scalding liquid that splashed into her eyes that the blood of extreme yin?
Lan Shuyin felt a chill in her heart.
Perhaps... it was because of the Night-Crying Weasel's blood that we saw that strange little girl later? And those spirit-like things?
Looking back now, the trap was set so precisely that blood splattered into her eyes... it seemed like a setup designed specifically for her.
It wasn't a coincidence, nor was it bad luck; it was something someone did on purpose.
Who is it?
Who is the person behind the repeated notes that say "Feng Zhi Zhaoyin, I've found you"?
If it's the same person, why would he use this method to let her see the existence of another world?
What exactly does he want to do?
Lan Shuyin closed "The Strange Case," took a deep breath, and slowly calmed down.
This book is far more valuable than I expected, and Mr. Wei's favor is truly invaluable. I must repay him properly if I have the opportunity in the future.
Thinking of Boss Wei, she remembered the tube of ointment she had casually left in the entryway. Stretching her somewhat stiff limbs, she washed her hands first, then went to get the ointment.
As soon as I unscrewed the cap, a cool, slightly bitter herbal aroma filled the air.
This taste...
Lan Shuyin paused slightly. This unique, bitter medicinal scent was actually the same as the plaster that Wei Li had given her in Qigu Village.
However, she didn't think much of it. Since they were cooperating, it wasn't surprising that they had the same effective drug.
She applied the ointment to her still somewhat red and swollen knuckles, and a soothing coolness quickly seeped into her skin, seemingly relieving the pain somewhat.
After getting ready, Lan Shuyin began to prepare seriously. She quickly reviewed the records in "The Strange Tales" in her mind: coarse sea salt can interfere with spirits, while cinnabar can be used to draw talismans, which have the effects of both summoning and binding—but there is a prerequisite: only those "possessing supernatural powers" can use it to its full potential.
The book does not elaborate on what this "supernatural power" refers to. But Lan Shuyin felt that if she could see things that ordinary people couldn't, it would be unreasonable not to call it a supernatural power.
We don't have either of these things at home.
So she carried a light bag out, first went to a pharmacy to buy some high-quality cinnabar, and then went to the nearby seafood market to buy a bag of coarse sea salt.
After putting the two items away, Lan Shuyin took a taxi to the murder mystery game shop from yesterday.
On a weekday afternoon, the store was very quiet. The young man at the front desk was the same one who did the brochures yesterday. Hearing the doorbell, he looked up and was about to greet the customer, but his expression froze when he saw who it was, and the words "Welcome" got stuck in his throat.
Clearly, he had a strong impression of the customer who smashed the prop.
"I'm just looking around." Lan Shuyin pretended not to notice his embarrassment, nodded, and then walked into the narrow corridor.
The walls were covered with dark-colored posters, and the grotesque ghost faces and blood-red wedding dresses looked particularly jarring in the dim light.
She stopped at the corner of the corridor near the women's changing room, pretending to examine the poster, but her eyes were actually scanning her surroundings.
She was waiting. Waiting for the spirit in the dark blue overalls to reappear.
The book *The Strange Tales* states that all things possess spirits and are ranked. All non-physical, supernatural entities can be called "spirits," and the book roughly divides them into three levels:
Basic spiritual entities are mostly remnants of human existence. The most common are wandering spirits, also called ghosts, which are formed from the lingering obsessions and residual energy of a deceased person. Their consciousness is chaotic, and they only repeat the strongest thought from their previous life, making them relatively easy to deal with.
Secondary spirits are even more bizarre and diverse. For example, a ghost is not a complete soul, but rather a "mark" left by a strong emotion in a specific environment. It cannot communicate, has no self-awareness, and only has a fixed and unchanging behavior pattern. Another example is a bound spirit, an enlightened spirit that is forcibly bound to a place due to obsession or a special way of death. In addition, earth spirits nurtured by natural things such as mountains, rivers, and ancient wells also belong to this category.
The book only mentions two types of the highest-level spirits.
First, there are vengeful ghosts, which are terrifying spirits formed from ghosts through mutation. They are clear-headed, retain intelligence, can manifest and possess people, and create illusions. They are extremely cunning and dangerous, and are the main targets for removing seals recorded in the book "The Strange Ghosts".
Another one is something called "聻", which is described as the final state that all spirits will eventually enter, but it is not described in detail.
The reason Lan Shuyin cautiously referred to what she encountered yesterday as "spirits" was because she was still unable to determine which type of thing they were.
Just then, a burst of laughter and chatter entered the store.
There were six men and women who had come together, including students wearing hoodies and fashionable office workers, who were having a lively discussion about a certain notebook.
"Can we open wedding invitations now?" a man in his thirties, wearing glasses, asked. The receptionist asked, "How many of you are there?"
Six.
"This project requires at least seven people."
The bespectacled man looked around and immediately spotted Lan Shuyin standing alone in the corridor.
He strode closer, flashing a warm smile. "Miss, do you play murder mystery games? We're just one person short, want to team up? This game has a really good reputation."
He waved the flyer in his hand, the two large, blood-red characters "囍帖" (Wedding Invitation) standing out prominently, with the subtitle boldly proclaiming: Ghost Marriage Theme, Extremely Immersive, Not for the Faint of Heart.
Lan Shuyin's gaze swept over the shocking headline, then looked at the group of enthusiastic young people in front of her, and she couldn't help but smile knowingly, "Great, I was just worried that it would be boring to be alone."
"Great! We're full!" The bespectacled man turned around happily to confirm the reservation.
Upon hearing this, the receptionist glanced at Lan Shuyin, scratched his head, and said, "Well then, I'll take everyone to change clothes first. There are many styles; just choose one you like."
I stepped into the changing area once again.
Lan Shuyin chose the same Republic-era schoolgirl outfit she wore yesterday. The reason was simple—the trousers were neat and tidy, so she wouldn't feel restricted when she got into action, and carrying a small bag didn't look out of place.
As Lan Shuyin was fastening her buttons, she suddenly noticed a burning gaze.
A girl with long, pink, wavy hair kept looking at her through the mirror.
The moment their eyes met, the girl suddenly smiled sweetly, took a few steps closer, and said in a soft, sweet voice, "You're Annie and Karen's college classmate, right? I met you at the Neon Night yesterday."
Lan Shuyin paused slightly as she fastened the frog buttons, then remembered.
This girl was indeed with Li Kailin and the others yesterday, but she had black hair yesterday, and today her hair is pink.
Looking into the mirror and seeing the other person's smiling eyes, Lan Shuyin said calmly, "It's you."
"Mmm." The other person fiddled with their hair, their attitude warm and natural. "My name is Su Wei. Annie's high school classmate. These are my friends from the game, we arranged to meet up and play a game together... By the way, I still don't know your name? It was too noisy at the bar yesterday, I didn't pay much attention."
Su Wei spoke lightly, but her words subtly conveyed a sense of distancing herself from Annie and the others.
Lan Shuyin fastened the last button, turned to face her, and smiled politely, "Lan Shuyin."
Upon hearing her name, Su Wei's eyes crinkled into a smile as she exclaimed, "Wow, what a lovely name! Let's work together later. It's my first time playing this kind of horror game, and I'm a little nervous."
"Okay." Lan Shuyin nodded in agreement, a perfectly timed smile on her face, but her heart was at peace.
Whether the other party was genuinely friendly or doing it on purpose, at this moment all her thoughts were focused on another matter—how to find the spirit from yesterday.
The group gradually took their seats in the lounge, the same arrangement of three women and four men as yesterday. However, compared to Xuan Bingbing's somewhat reserved colleagues, these young people were clearly more adept at creating a lively atmosphere. Amidst their cheerful conversation, the lounge remained relaxed and lively.
Through the introduction by Zhang Junjie, the bespectacled man, Lan Shuyin quickly learned about everyone's situation.
Zhang Junjie himself is a typical "second-generation demolition beneficiary," quick-witted, and the patriarch of a famous MMO game clan that the group belonged to.
The other three men are Jiang Wei, who is still a junior in college; Yao Fanfan, who has just entered the workforce; and Shen Chen, a well-known dentist, who exudes a natural ease and professionalism.
As for the girls, Lan Shuyin had a general understanding of Su Wei's situation. She had become a game streamer during high school and had accumulated a considerable following. Another girl named Yu Shumin dressed sexily and boldly, and had a cheerful and outgoing personality.
When asked about the upcoming "Wedding Invitation" game, Yu Shumin rubbed her arms, half expectant and half nervous, and said, "To be honest, I'm a little scared. Two of my friends just played this game last week, and they said the rituals inside were incredibly realistic. And for the next few days after we finished playing it, I always felt like someone was watching me from behind, and I felt really uncomfortable. It took several days for that feeling to go away."
"Are you sure you're not just making excuses to slack off?" Jiang Wei replied with a grin. "I have a classmate who works part-time as a DM (director). He said that every time he finishes his shift, all he has to do is claim that he's seen a ghost, and the manager will definitely approve his leave."
"The book itself isn't scary; it's all about the music and lighting. Those rituals are definitely fake; if they were real, the book would have been banned long ago," Yao Fanfan agreed dismissively.
“My friend said that this store used to have this kind of ritual, and there were even NPCs sticking their faces to scare people. It was canceled because the ritual was too real and attracted unclean things.”
“That’s called marketing, it’s called a gimmick.” Shen Chen lit a cigarette, his tone carrying the confidence of someone with experience. “However, I’ve heard a saying: the more afraid a person is, the more likely they are to see ghosts. That’s mostly the result of psychological suggestion. For example, if you’ve heard beforehand that a book is haunted, you’ll always feel that something is wrong when you’re reading it. That’s called herd mentality. So, if you really see any supernatural scenes, nine times out of ten you’re just scaring yourself.”
"Excuse me, sir, smoking is not allowed indoors," the delivery guy reminded him at the opportune moment.
"Oh, sorry." Shen Chen readily stubbed out his cigarette, smiled, and said, "It's a habit. When I'm stressed, I want one."
"Try this?" Su Wei sat down next to him and handed him a white e-cigarette. "It's orange flavored, so it won't bother anyone."
"Thanks." As Shen Chen took it, his fingertips brushed against her wrist almost imperceptibly.
The movements were natural, but no matter how Lan Shuyin looked at it, she felt that there was a sense of familiarity and closeness between the two, which was definitely not as simple as online friends who had just met.
When the casting process began, Lan Shuyin's eyes were immediately fixed on "Chen Jingyue". Unfortunately, Yu Shumin took that card.
"Can I trade my 'Qin Wanwan' character for this one?" Lan Shuyin immediately stepped forward and handed over her character card, her tone carrying just the right amount of embarrassment. "I played as Chen Jingyue yesterday, and I really felt a connection with this character. I'd like to experience it more deeply."
Yu Shumin was a little surprised, but readily agreed to the switch, saying, "No problem, it doesn't matter which one I play."
"Thank you." Lan Shuyin took the card.
Stepping back into the old room filled with a musty atmosphere, DM began to guide the "asking the name" ceremony in a deliberately low voice. Players took turns walking to the dusty mirror in the corner and whispering their character names.
When it was Lan Shuyin's turn, she stepped forward slowly.
"Chen Jingyue".
She gave her name and held her breath. The moment she finished speaking, a familiar chill rose from the soles of her feet and went straight up her spine.
Then, a sudden change occurred—
The previously blurry mirror suddenly became clear!
In the flickering candlelight, the face reflected in the mirror—hers Lan Shuyin's face—was rapidly losing its vitality, turning a lifeless, bluish-gray, with dark purple lips and a vacant, frozen gaze, like a corpse that had been lying in a mourning hall for a long time.
What's even more chilling is that this time, the lifeless eyes in the mirror actually moved slightly, and a trace of resentment surged deep in the pupils as they stared intently at her outside the mirror!
A strong sense of horror made Lan Shuyin's scalp tingle instinctively. Pretending to fix her hair, her right hand, already inside her bag, shot out with lightning speed, her vermilion-stained fingertip swiftly touching the cold mirror!
The moment the cinnabar touched the mirror, the strange phenomenon stopped abruptly.
The ashen, resentful face in the mirror seemed to be erased by an invisible force, and the color quickly returned, restoring Lan Shuyin's original appearance.
Immediately afterwards, the entire mirror image of the mandarin ducks lost its support and quickly returned to its previous blurry state.
This time, she didn't even need to blow out the candles herself; the unsettling chill had completely disappeared.
On the mirror surface, only a faint, inconspicuous dark red cinnabar remained, silently recounting the brief yet strange confrontation that had just taken place.
It really works!
Lan Shuyin felt reassured and quietly returned to the player group.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
