Chapter 44 Yin God Tattoo ⑦ Curiosity: A person full of secrets...
“Okay.” Lan Shuyin nodded.
Perfect timing, I have something to ask him.
Kui Li took her to a Portuguese restaurant. The white walls and blue tiles of the building exuded a Southern European charm.
They chose a seat by the window, where afternoon sunlight filtered through the blinds, casting dappled shadows on the antique tabletop. The air was filled with the rich aroma of grilled sardines, olive oil, and spices, while soft Fado music drifted in from the background.
Kui Li handed her the menu, "See if there's anything you like."
Lan Shuyin took it, but didn't open it. She looked up at him and asked, "What if there isn't one?"
"Then let's go to another one," he replied casually.
Lan Shuyin couldn't help but laugh, pushing the menu back across the table. "Since you recommended it, why don't you order? It'll be a good opportunity for me to see your taste."
Kui Li ordered a few signature dishes and handed the menu back to the waiter. He glanced at the woman who was sipping lemonade with her head down, seemingly lost in thought, and after a moment of silence, said, "It seems I went to all this trouble."
"Huh? What?"
"You've found someone who can handle tattoos."
“It was my employer who found the connection, and I was just checking it out for him.” Lan Shuyin looked up at him and said sincerely, “But thank you for remembering.”
"I was just doing it on the side."
Lan Shuyin couldn't help but recall that he had said he was here to meet a client, but...
"Was that medium you just now really your client?"
"Um."
"I don't think so. He seems very afraid of you."
Wei Li really thought about it for a moment, "For a while, I often went to see him. Maybe he was tired of being bothered by me."
Recalling Sanan's angry question, Lan Shuyin tentatively asked, "Are you looking for someone's...spirit?"
Kui Li neither confirmed nor denied it, but simply smiled and said, "She didn't die a natural death. Although Sanan is a notorious swindler, greedy and profit-driven, in the field of spiritual mediums, there are no more than this many who can rival him." He held up three fingers, "It's a pity that he used all his skills on making money."
Lan Shuyin said "Oh," and continued to ask curiously, "Who are you looking for? Family? Friends?... Lover?"
Kui Li stared intently at her, his eyes deep and unfathomable, as if a thousand emotions were surging within him in that instant.
His gaze was so heavy that it almost made Lan Shuyin look away, but then he suddenly laughed, his tone tinged with a hint of mockery, "A daring little liar. She owes me a lot, and one day, I'll get it all back with interest."
"Collecting debts?" Lan Shuyin understood, but looking at his expression, which was both playful and nostalgic, she felt that it was more than that.
A thought suddenly struck her: Could it be his old friend who loved to paint?
However, before she could speak, the waiter brought out the golden-brown, crispy bread.
Kui Li changed the subject, "Did you go to Haitao Building today?"
Lan Shuyin also wanted to talk about this, so she followed up by giving a general account of what had happened that morning.
"Isn't it strange? I can't see that spirit at all." This time she spoke frankly, no longer hiding her extraordinary perception. Wei Li wasn't surprised, but simply leaned forward slightly. "You mean, there's a faceless spirit there?"
"yes."
"It can't leave that secret room?"
"Hmm, it's like it's been bound by some kind of force."
Kui Li pondered, “This is indeed strange. A spirit without a face either had its face removed before it was born, or had its existence erased by special means after death. But either way, it should be filled with resentment and not be trapped in a small space.”
Lan Shuyin noticed his unusual focus. "You seem more interested in this faceless spirit?"
“It’s just strange.” Kui Li paused for a moment, then added, “I’m only interested in celestial and earthly treasures.”
His explanation was superfluous. Lan Shuyin's lips curled slightly, a sly glint in her eyes. "But I'm quite interested. How about you come with me again?"
Kui Li nodded, but said, "Let's go at night. The yang energy is too strong during the day, and many clues will be hidden."
Then he added, "And you should rest too." His gaze swept across her chest almost imperceptibly before quickly moving away.
With just one glance, Lan Shuyin knew that his eyesight was better than hers.
On second thought, it's reasonable that treasure hunters, who are shrouded in mystery and deal with spiritual objects of heaven and earth year-round, have a perception that is different from ordinary people.
After the meal, the taxi took her back to her hotel.
Just before she got off the bus, Wei Li called her back and asked for her room number.
Shortly after returning to the room, the doorbell rang softly. A smiling waiter brought over a black paper bag, saying, "This is for you, sir."
Lan Shuyin had a premonition. She took the paper bag, and sure enough, there were two ointments inside.
The color and smell of the ointments differed slightly, and each one had a note attached to it with neat and elegant handwriting:
[Left shoulder. It dissipates blood stasis and nodules, specifically treating external injuries caused by spiritual entities, and can relieve pain caused by cold and dampness.]
[The heart and chest. Calms the mind and spirit, nourishes the soul, and effectively heals the root causes of spiritual injuries.]
The two complimentary medicines were perfectly timed. Lan Shuyin lowered her eyes and remained silent for a long time before sighing softly and muttering to herself, "...Which words are they?"
She applied the plaster, and a feeling of comfort gradually seeped into her skin, easing the dull pain in her left shoulder and chest considerably.
Once she felt more comfortable, she opened her laptop and repeatedly tried different pinyin combinations in the browser:
daweijiali
dawanjiayi
danweijiayu
The search results are different each time.
The name that Sanan blurted out at the time sounded vaguely similar to the four syllables of "David Jiali." The name Wei Li was more like a simplified code name.
Lan Shuyin couldn't explain why she suddenly wanted to uncover the truth behind his name. He clearly had many secrets, and his title was perhaps just one of the most insignificant. Yet, some inexplicable force had gripped her heart, making it difficult for her to remain calm.
Perhaps a person full of secrets is an irresistible mystery to someone who is born with a love of adventure.
Just as her thoughts drifted away, the screen of her phone on the table suddenly lit up, accompanied by a rapid vibration.
Lan Shuyin picked it up and saw that it was a voice message from the female college student she had just added that day.
She tapped her fingertip and turned off the screen.
As expected, the call ended automatically.
However, a moment later, a series of texts with a distinct personal touch jumped out and filled the screen:
[Sister! Sister! Urgent help needed!!!]
Here's what happened! My maternal grandfather, my dearest grandfather, has recently experienced a sudden and severe decline in health. The hospital can't find anything wrong; they just say it's organ failure. He's currently being kept alive by machines and medication, and he's in a daze, unable to wake up!
We previously consulted a famous feng shui master who said that something unclean might have entered our house and offended the elderly person!
We've consulted several so-called masters, spent a lot of money, and had countless rituals performed, but it was all for nothing! They're all scammers! I'm so angry!
[But sister, you're amazing! I've never seen you handle those things so cool! You must be really skilled!]
Please, sister, help me! The reward is no object; I'll do anything as long as you can get rid of the ghosts and make my grandfather better! Please, sister! [kneeling][kneeling]
Ghost hunting?
This girl is quite bold.
Lan Shuyin picked up her phone and replied: 【I don't take on these kinds of jobs, but the one about opening your eyes might be helpful.】
Thinking of Mang Shan Tang, she sent a message to Fang Huan, telling him that there was a master at Mang Shan Tang on the second basement floor of the Hong Kong and Taiwan Hai Tao Building who could handle tattooing, but he would have to go there to discuss the specifics himself.
Chang Jingyu's new message has popped up:
【Don't even mention it! Sister, I went back to find that old man, but he pretended to be confused and said something like, 'He's too old to remember, if you need anything, go home and ask your grandfather'? But my grandfather is still unconscious! Isn't he just deliberately trying to annoy me?!】
Lan Shuyin's eyes flickered slightly.
It seems that the old man from Mangshantang does indeed have some connection with Chang Jingyu.
Lan Shuyin tapped her fingertips lightly: 【How much is the reward?】
Chang Jingyu replied instantly: [500,000? Oh no, 1 million! I'd be willing to add another zero as long as it helps my grandfather get better... but I need to inform my dad first...]
Lan Shuyin leaned back in her chair.
Goodness, money talks.
She replied, "Then let's do it tomorrow," and casually put her phone aside.
...
At nine o'clock in the evening, Lan Shuyin had just put on her small bag and sent Wei Li a message saying "See you at Haitao Building" when Fang Huan called.
Lan Shuyin was busy and simply hung up.
Unexpectedly, the other party persisted, making call after call.
Lan Shuyin answered the phone impatiently, only to find out that the other party had already arrived in Gangzhou. After receiving the message that afternoon, he booked the earliest flight to come over.
Although she felt that even if Mangshantang was acting strangely, it should have closed down by now, Lan Shuyin couldn't resist Fang Huan's repeated requests and sent him the location.
At night, the Haitao Building stands quietly on the edge of the city's hustle and bustle. Its outline gleams with a cold, bluish-gray light under the moonlight. The abandoned neon light fixture at the top leans at an odd angle, and the faded gray walls swallow the scattered streetlights, exuding an ominous solemnity in the darkness.
Kui Li had arrived long ago, leaning against a streetlamp, looking down at his phone. When he saw Fang Huan following behind Lan Shuyin, he raised an eyebrow and said with a half-smile, "I was wondering why you were late."
His tone was as gentle as ever, but Lan Shuyin inexplicably felt that he hadn't finished the sentence—it turned out he was being held back by a burden.
She then secretly shook her head. How could someone as considerate and kind-hearted as Kui Li have such a sharp tongue? She always loved to imagine things.
Lan Shuyin had no interest in small talk and turned to Fang Huan, saying, "We've already made things clear on the way. Wei Li and I are going upstairs. You can either go to the second basement level to find that master yourself, or come with us. Of course, you can also wait outside."
"I'll go with you!" Fang Huan repeated without hesitation, his attitude as resolute as it had been on the way there.
Seeing that he was determined to do so, Lan Shuyin said calmly, "Anyway, you'll have to bear the consequences."
She put on her headlamp and took the lead.
As they ventured deeper into the garage, a thick, damp darkness, thick with the stench of decay and mold, assaulted their senses. The pampered Fang Huan frowned, hesitating several times before finally raising his sleeve to cover his mouth and nose.
In this suffocating darkness, the only source of light comes from the elevator deep inside.
The buttons and the elevator car were illuminated by a stark white light, silently inviting the passengers in the deathly silence, like a carefully laid trap, quietly waiting for a lucky person to visit.
“This elevator is acting strangely.” Lan Shuyin said as she stepped forward, “It was clearly out of service when I came during the day, but then suddenly it started working…”
Before she could finish speaking, Wei Li gently tugged at her arm.
"Let me see." He took two steps forward, his fingers brushing against the elevator call button, then he leaned into the elevator car to examine it carefully, holding onto the door with one hand. After a moment, he turned his head and smiled at Lan Shuyin, "Come in, no problem."
Lan Shuyin entered the elevator as instructed, only to see Wei Li's fingertips lightly gliding across the floor button panel as he casually asked, "You're saying the 23rd floor will plummet?"
"Yes, it later stopped on the 14th floor."
"Let's go check out the 23rd floor first," Wei Li said, pressing the number [23].
The elevator doors closed quickly. The elevator ascended smoothly.
【B2】……
【B1】……
【1】……
When the number jumped to [3], Lan Shuyin's nerves tensed slightly, but nothing unusual happened. The display didn't show [4]; instead, it went straight to:
[5]...
[6]...
Continue upwards.
Finally, we arrived at floor [23] without any problems.
"When I got to the 23rd floor today, the door wasn't open, and then..." Before Lan Shuyin could finish speaking, the indicator light for "[23]" went out, and the elevator door slowly opened.
Her tone suddenly changed, "...maybe I'm just unlucky."
What came into view was a completely abandoned office area. Broken partitions lay askew on the ground, and moonlight streamed through the curtainless glass windows, casting pale patches of light on the floor.
Amidst this mess, the dust-covered corridor was filled with disordered footsteps, and a faint yet distinct light shone from the end of the corridor.
Lan Shuyin and Wei Li exchanged a wary glance, then tiptoed cautiously toward the light source.
The light came from a half-open door.
Inside the door was a control room. The walls were covered with monitoring screens, several of which were in operation, displaying real-time images of the elevator shaft and each floor.
The swivel chair in front of the control panel was still turning slightly, a steaming cup of coffee sat on the console, and a cursor on a monitoring screen was still flashing—clearly, someone had been here just now.
And, it just ran away.
Lan Shuyin's gaze swept across the elevator surveillance footage, and a thought immediately came to mind—there might not have been any supernatural force behind today's terrifying elevator ordeal.
It was man-made.
Someone was there, coldly watching her struggle in terror in the elevator, and might even have... orchestrated that accident themselves.
"Kui Li..." Lan Shuyin was about to speak when Kui Li raised his index finger and gently pressed it to his lips.
With a barely perceptible movement of his fingertips, a few wisps of shimmering white dust appeared out of thin air, drifting away like stardust defying gravity.
In an instant, the atmosphere in the entire control room suddenly froze.
Countless black crawling insects, seemingly appearing out of nowhere, murmured and gathered into a terrifying tide, startling Fang Huan so much that his face turned deathly pale, and he started jumping around on the spot.
However, these insects had a very clear target, and without stopping, they swarmed toward a seemingly airtight wall on the side, frantically burrowing inward.
Within moments, a raucous shout suddenly rang out from inside the wall.
Someone's there?!
Lan Shuyin's eyes sharpened, and she immediately stepped forward, reaching out to push against the wall where the swarm of insects had gathered.
The wall that my fingers touched loosened slightly, and a hidden, narrow door slid open inwards.
There was actually an employee elevator hidden inside.
The elevator is currently descending.
The floor numbers kept changing until they stopped at—[14]
Lan Shuyin immediately pushed open the emergency exit next to her and rushed downstairs.
"Clang—!"
The loud crash of the iron gate slamming against the wall jolted Fang Huan awake. Before he was fully alert, he saw that both of them had disappeared, so he gritted his teeth and stumbled after them.
Lan Shuyin ran down the cold cement steps, her hurried footsteps echoing violently in the enclosed space, just like the pounding of her heart.
The floor numbers flashed past her eyes, and Lan Shuyin cursed inwardly:
You dare scare her?!
If we don't find that charlatan today, I'll change her name!
She quickly reached the 14th floor.
The emergency exit door on the 14th floor is hidden deep within the escape room. The door panel blends perfectly into the graffiti on the wall, becoming part of a horror-themed scene, and is extremely difficult to find without deliberate exploration.
Where are they?
Why did you flee here?
A warning bell rang in Lan Shuyin's heart, and she reached out to stop Wei Li beside her.
"Be careful, this is the shop." She suppressed her slight panting and looked around solemnly. "That faceless spirit is in one of the themed rooms. It's not afraid of cinnabar, but..."
"Um, excuse me for interrupting." Fang Huan raised his hand shakily, his voice weak, "Are we... supposed to be 'capturing spirits' right now?"
"What?" Lan Shuyin glanced at him.
"I just want to confirm... Right now, the evil spirit isn't bothering us, but we're deliberately provoking it, right?"
Fang Huan was completely devoid of his usual young master demeanor. He shrank his neck, his voice trembling, "Don't you two think that this matter... is a little bit, slightly inappropriate?"
The headlamp shone on his pale face, and Lan Shuyin curled her lips into a mocking smile. "I told you to wait outside, but you insisted on coming along. I warned you that it's dangerous here."
"Then... I feel safer staying with you guys." Fang Huan said shamelessly, then shrank back behind her.
Distracted by him, Lan Shuyin forgot what she was going to say. She noticed a hidden door next to her and pushed it open.
The door hinges groaned dryly. These hidden doors were originally equipped with ingenious mechanisms, but they all failed after the power was cut off, and they opened lightly without any resistance.
After walking through a dimly lit corridor, she finally found the ajar iron door.
“This is it,” Lan Shuyin said softly, raising her arm.
Tiny bumps had already appeared on the exposed skin, silently telling the eerie and sinister story of the place.
Inside the door was a room that had been deliberately decorated to resemble a hospital ward.
The room was small and simply furnished. In the center was a rusty iron-framed hospital bed with chains hanging down to the floor. Apart from that, there was only a wooden desk and a closed low cabinet.
The walls were covered with large patches of dark stains of varying shades, making it difficult to discern whether they were intentionally aged decorations or something else entirely. A strange, burnt smell permeated the air, as if something had been burned there, with embers still lingering.
After surveying the uncomfortable environment, Fang Huan turned around and saw Lan Shuyin with her back to them, gesturing at the wall. He couldn't help but ask, "Miss Lan? What are you doing?"
Lan Shuyin didn't even turn her head. "Make preparations."
Sizzle—!
Suddenly, a faint sound of fingernails scratching the floor came from under the hospital bed.
What was that sound?
Lan Shuyin then turned her head, directing the beam of her headlamp toward the source of the sound—the rusty iron-framed hospital bed.
Sizzle—sizzle—!
The scraping sound gradually became more rapid, as if something was scratching the cement floor with sharp fingernails, eagerly trying to crawl out!
Lan Shuyin steadied her breathing and was about to step forward to check on her when Wei Li silently stepped forward and blocked her from the hospital bed.
Just as he bent down and lowered his head—
A pale, flat face emerged from the shadows under the bed without warning!
The face had no features, no contours, like a piece of human skin that had been peeled off and ironed flat, thrust directly into Kui Li's eyes.
This sudden close-up attack made Lan Shuyin behind him jump, and she subconsciously took a half step back.
But Kui Li seemed to be stunned by this extreme terror, standing motionless and almost blankly facing the faceless spirit.
The spirit emerged completely from under the bed, seemingly sensing something. Its terrifying face turned slightly and finally locked onto Lan Shuyin.
As if it had instantly recalled the grudges of the day, an angry "hoho" sound came from behind its mouthless face.
In the blink of an eye, it abandoned Wei Li and, with icy malice, instantly appeared in front of Lan Shuyin!
A cold wind swept over her, and the emotions in Lan Shuyin's eyes settled, transforming into extreme calmness.
She took two quick steps back and threw the block of sea salt that she had been holding in her hand.
The sea salt hit the hospital gown, making a soft "sizzling" sound.
The spirit lowered its head and let out an even sharper, more piercing screech, clearly enraged.
The next moment, it dissipated, transforming into several black shadows that wrapped around Lan Shuyin's limbs. The icy, bone-chilling touch instantly seeped through her clothes into her skin, and Lan Shuyin felt a sudden heaviness all over her body as a tremendous force slammed her against the wall behind her!
Bang!
Her back slammed against the cold, hard wall, sending a jolt through Lan Shuyin's body. The terrifying, faceless face suddenly loomed closer, almost touching her nose.
Lan Shuyin gritted her teeth, struggling to bend her arm in the cramped space where she was tightly confined. The tactical pen, smeared with dark red cinnabar, was already gripped tightly in her hand, held high—
Without the slightest hesitation, her eyes flashed with fierce light. Using the twisting force of her waist and abdomen, she used all her strength to stab the pen tip hard into the spirit's back!
"Awooo—!"
A piercing scream almost shattered eardrums.
The spot where the cinnabar pierced instantly burst into a burst of dark red flames, and a stench of burnt and rotten flesh filled the air.
Taking advantage of the moment, Lan Shuyin twisted her waist and nimbly spun around, breaking free from the shadowy figure's grasp.
The faceless spirit let out a furious shriek, and all the scattered shadows regrouped, carrying overwhelming resentment, and pounced on her once more—
Lan Shuyin had been waiting for this moment.
Just as the twisted figure was about to touch her, she leaned back, slid, and revealed the intricate pattern painted in vermilion on the wall behind her—
Spirit-Locking Array!
This is the magic circle she drew in the short time she had after entering the room!
The book "The Strange Demon" records numerous spell arrays, with the expulsion array being the simplest and most direct, and the spirit-slaying array being the most domineering and ruthless. The greater the power of the array, the higher the risk of backlash from failure, and it is also very easy to completely enrage the spirit. However, the high risk is not the reason why she dares not use the spirit-slaying array.
From the moment she stepped into this room, her goal was very clear:
Capture it alive.
She wanted to capture it alive.
Since even Kui Li showed unusual interest in this special faceless spirit, it must have a very touching secret.
The instant the spirit rushed into the array's range, Lan Shuyin flicked her wrist, and the tip of her tactical pen pointed at the core runes of the spirit-locking array!
Buzz—!
A burst of red light, like blood-red chains coming to life, instantly bound the furious spirit that charged forward.
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