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墨書 Inktalez
On a chilly October night, Bai Zhuo walked down the street with a backpack slung over his shoulder.
At night, Ningda North Road was not a bustling place; by around ten o'clock, many shops had already closed, and the few people on the street appeared sparse and cold.
The staff in the coffee shop were preparing to close for the night. As Bai Zhuo pushed open the door, Nie Qian looked up and exclaimed with delight, "Ah, Mr. Bai, you finally made it!"
This girl seemed truly unafraid. Bai Zhuo smiled and asked, "Where are your friends?"
"Oh, they'll be here soon. Mr. Bai, just wait for me a moment." Nie Qian turned to her colleagues and said, "You all can go home now; I'll handle the rest!"
A few staff members exchanged glances between Nie Qian and Bai Zhuo, assuming they had something going on together, and they chuckled as they changed clothes and left the coffee shop.
Once those unrelated individuals were sent away, Nie Qian was excited. "Mr. Bai, my friends are on their way. When do we start?"
Bai Zhuo checked the time and replied, "Alright, you go turn off the surveillance cameras in your shop first. I'll get ready."
"Okay, Mr. Bai!"
Bai Zhuo looked around at the empty street; only a few streetlights stood dimly illuminating the area. He moved several tables from inside the coffee shop to set up outside and took out a yellow cloth from his backpack to lay it on one of the tables, creating a makeshift altar.
After Nie Qian returned from turning off the cameras, she was beaming with excitement. "Mr. Bai, are we starting soon? My friends aren't here yet. Is there any way I can see that thing?"
Bai Zhuo chuckled lightly. "Most people would avoid such things if they encountered them; you’re eager to get closer. Let's wait for your friends before we begin."
Bai Zhuo took out some talisman paper and started writing with cinnabar ink. Nie Qian watched intently; time passed without either of them noticing until a Maserati drove up from a distance and stopped in front of the coffee shop. The car looked somewhat familiar to Bai Zhuo, but he couldn't recall where he had seen it before. A man and a woman got out of the car; the man was suave and handsome while the woman was stunningly beautiful. Nie Qian smiled at the man before rushing over to whisper something to the woman.
“Lulu, why did you bring your boyfriend along?” Nie Qian asked.
The girl named Lulu smiled, “Sorry, I accidentally let it slip this afternoon. He was worried about me, so he came along. Is this the guy? He doesn’t look like much, far from Zhu Cong and Cold Young Master.”
“Shh~ Don’t say that. He might actually have some real skills! Zhu Cong and Cold Young Master don’t want us ordinary folks to get involved with these things. Who knows, he might really open our eyes! Just wait and see! So, is Young Master Zhu still not giving up on you?”
Lulu sighed, “Don’t mention it. He’ll be here soon. It’s too dangerous; he’s been going on and on about it. Seriously, doesn’t he know I already have a boyfriend?” She glanced back at her boyfriend, her eyes filled with sweetness, though if one looked closely, they could catch a hint of bitterness and resentment.
Nie Qian didn’t notice and comforted her, “Young Master Zhu is really something else. Knowing that a flower has an owner, yet still not giving up… Peng Lulu, I really envy you. You’re surrounded by such high-quality handsome guys; it’s wonderful!”
After hearing this, Peng Lulu shook her head with a smile and muttered softly, “Shouldn’t I be the one envying?”
Peng Lulu’s boyfriend showed no interest in Bai Zhuo’s profession or what she was doing; his gaze wandered around but always returned to Nie Qian and Peng Lulu.
Bai Zhuo was drawing a talisman when she asked the man, “You’ve been in the military, haven’t you?”
The man turned abruptly, frowning as he asked, “How do you know I was in the military?”
Bai Zhuo smiled lightly, “You don’t need to be nervous. I have sharp eyes and pay attention to details; it’s just a guess.”
The man became intrigued and asked, “Oh? How did you figure that out?”
“When you got out of the car, the first thing you looked at were those hidden spots on the roof. That must be a habit developed over many years of experience in real combat. I’m just guessing here; you were looking for snipers. Unfortunately, this is peaceful Huaxia; it’s tranquil Ningcheng.” Bai Zhuo set aside the talisman she was holding and continued drawing another one. “Also, your gaze is very sharp; your stance while walking is stable, ready to unleash great speed and strength at any moment… And those calloused hands of yours with strong arms—among other things. But honestly, all of that doesn’t mean much; what stands out most is the aura you exude. It resembles a friend of mine quite a bit, which is why I said that.”
The man nodded in agreement but remained silent. Bai Zhuo continued, “That killing intent around you suggests you’ve taken quite a few lives, haven’t you?”
Curious again, the man asked, “Does your friend also kill? Was he in the military too? In this peaceful era, there aren’t many opportunities for soldiers to see real action. Is your friend a criminal?”
Bai Zhuo chuckled softly, shaking his head and deciding not to continue the conversation. There was no point in talking to this person; after finally putting on a show, he ended up being scolded like this—what a shame.
At that moment, another car drove up and parked in front of the coffee shop. A gentleman stepped out, wearing black-rimmed glasses and exuding an air of refinement.
As soon as he got out of the car, he glanced at Bai Zhuo. He initially intended to walk straight toward Peng Lulu, but upon seeing Bai Zhuo, he gasped, "It's you!"
Bai Zhuo asked curiously, "Do you know me?"
The man fell silent for a moment before cupping his hands in greeting. "I apologize... Of course I know you. You are the dark horse of this year's Onmyoji Competition, the disciple of Ge Lao Ge Zhongxiang, and the remarkable individual who publicly embarrassed Leng Xuanhe while stealing his woman—Bai Zhuo!"
"Well, I didn't realize I was so famous..." Bai Zhuo rubbed his nose and asked, "What's your name?"
"My name is Zhu Cong. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can become friends... It's just a pity that you are too close to the Kagura Family. I really don't want to be your enemy; you're quite dangerous, just like your senior brother," Zhu Cong said.
Upon hearing this, Bai Zhuo frowned deeply. "What? I'm too close to the Kagura Family? What's going on?"
Zhu Cong looked at Bai Zhuo with surprise and replied, "You are now a celebrity in Ningcheng and even in the Jiangnan Region's Yin Yang Realm. Your every move is under scrutiny. Moreover, the young master of the Kagura Family, Kagura Keiha, has been calling you 'brother' in the Yin Yang Realm, and there’s also the matter of Kagura Aoi giving you gifts. This has spread like wildfire; everyone is watching."
Zhu Cong took out his phone and flipped through it before handing it to Bai Zhuo. "Here, take a look at this photo."
Bai Zhuo focused on the screen and saw a picture of Kagura Aoi handing him a Luminous Pearl while he wore an expression of delight.
Bai Zhuo's face turned grim as he gritted his teeth and shouted angrily, "Who the hell took this photo? Isn't this ruining me?" He was furious, crushing a piece of yellow talisman paper in his hand. "If I find out who took it, I'll make sure they regret it... How could they capture me looking so ridiculous!"
"…"
Zhu Cong couldn't comprehend what kind of person Bai Zhuo was anymore. Ignoring him, he turned to glance at another man nearby and snorted, "Oh, who do we have here? It's Young Master Ning Chen! What brings you back here? Why aren't you staying over there?"
It turned out this man was named Ning Chen. He was playing with a military knife that seemed to have come from nowhere and replied casually, "That's classified information; I can't disclose anything!"
"Cut it out... You're really boring. I just don't understand what Lulu sees in you."
Ning Chen glanced at Zhu Cong and said, "Zhu Cong, stop bothering Lulu. She's my girlfriend now... You should know that a weakling like you, who can't even tell the grains apart, I could take down with just one hand. You'd better watch yourself."
Zhu Cong laughed arrogantly, "I know you have that ability. If you really wanted to take me down, it would be a matter of a single finger, but... do you dare?"
"..." Ning Chen snorted coldly, not continuing the conversation. Bai Zhuo clapped his hands and suddenly realized, "Ah, now I know why this car looks so familiar! So your last name is Ning. This car must belong to Ning Lan; you're her older brother?"
"Oh? You're classmates with Lanlan? What a coincidence! I'm Lanlan's big brother," Ning Chen replied.
"Haha, who isn't? Since we're here, let's take a good look. If Nie Qian wants to see that thing, let her see it! Here, this is my homemade Cow's Tear; just apply it to your eyelids. It lasts for half an hour and can be a bit irritating to the eyes. Alright, let's get started. You all step back; Zhu Cong, if you're not going to help, step back too."
The group stepped back as Bai Zhuo took out four incense sticks, lit them, and placed them on the edge of the table. A bowl of clear water was set aside. Ghost Cao Xin was a spirit without hair or blood, so normal summoning techniques wouldn't work on it.
Bai Zhuo spread his hands and began to perform Hand Seals, slapping his hands on his shoulders.
"Is this... boldness born from skill?" Zhu Cong murmured to himself. Nie Qian heard him and curiously asked, "Zhu Shao, what's he doing?"
Zhu Cong replied, "He's extinguishing his own soul fire with a dark spell; this makes it easier to attract other spirits. It's extremely dangerous... I'm curious to see what Bai Zhuo is capable of!"
Bai Zhuo cut his finger and let a few drops of blood fall into the bowl of clear water. He took out a Primordial Bell and the Soul Banner given by Su Meiniang, chanting incantations.
"Yin-Yang Ancient Banner, summon souls and repel spirits! Cao Xin, Cao Xin, heed my command swiftly!"
A chilling wind swept through the street as the nearby streetlights flickered wildly. The water mixed with the blood began to swirl and boil as if it were cooking; in no time at all, it evaporated completely!
Bai Zhuo noticed something stirring in his backpack. When he looked inside, he saw the Five Elements Plate spinning—there was an Evil Spirit!
Bai Zhuo furrowed his brow and rang the bell again. "Yin-Yang Ancient Banner, summon souls and ward off evil spirits. Cao Xin, present here, heed my command! Urgent Command!"
The cold wind grew stronger, and he dared not use the Borrowing Method, having to settle for the Taiyi approach instead.
After several minutes, the streetlights outside stopped flickering. Bai Zhuo frowned deeply again. "Strange, why is this happening?"
Zhu Cong felt a vague sense of worry and pulled a talisman from his pocket.
At that moment, all the light bulbs in the café exploded! Two girls screamed, and Bai Zhuo was taken aback, realizing he had summoned a harmful Evil Spirit. He slammed his hand on the table, threw out the talisman he had prepared earlier, and quickly formed hand seals while chanting: "Earth without extremes, Heaven and Earth Borrowing Method, nine stars above, daylight covering the moon, Supreme True Lord, Urgent Command, decree!"
Zhu Cong reacted swiftly as well, stepping forward instinctively to protect Peng Lulu. He formed Hand Seals with his hands, and the spell's power radiated from the talisman, creating a barrier in front of him.
Bai Zhuo's spellcasting seemed even more powerful; the barrier expanded as a heavy object fell with a loud crash, causing tables and chairs to clatter.
"Woo woo woo... Brother Bai, why didn't you take me to see Mom? You're a big liar; you're a bad person!"
"Cao Xin!" Bai Zhuo exclaimed in shock, glancing around but seeing nothing but darkness.
"Brother Bai! You promised to help me find Mom; you big liar!" Cao Xin's voice grew increasingly hoarse and piercing.
A car passed outside, its headlights illuminating the room for a moment. A familiar figure appeared—Cao Xin.
For some unknown reason, Cao Xin had transformed; her long hair obscured half of her face, and her crimson eyes flickered ominously, looking terrifying.
Bai Zhuo rushed forward and explained, "Cao Xin, I'm sorry. Brother Bai has been too busy. I haven't helped you find your mom. Cao Xin, come with me; I'll take you to find her right now!"
But to his surprise, Cao Xin let out a sharp laugh. "Hee hee hee... Mom? I've already found her! Brother Bai, look!"
Cao Xin brushed aside her long hair, revealing a bloodied female head embedded in her chest, which opened its eyes and gave Bai Zhuo a strange smile.
"Brother Bai, look, this is my mother!"
Bai Zhuo's expression changed dramatically as he shouted, "You wretched thing, get out of Cao Xin!"
His voice carried an unusual power, causing the head to scream and retreat into Cao Xin's body. Suddenly, Cao Xin's face twisted into a ferocious snarl as she yelled, "Don't bully my mother!"
Bai Zhuo felt as if his eardrums had shattered, and his body was sent flying backward, the world around him reduced to a deafening roar.
"Hahaha... Die, die! Mother... Brother, Sister! Hehehehe!" Cao Xin laughed maniacally, revealing terrifying fangs. Bai Zhuo realized that Cao Xin was no longer the person he once knew.
He crashed heavily to the ground, the immense impact causing him to roll several times.
Confusion filled his mind; what on earth was happening? Cao Xin was merely an Earthbound Spirit; there was no way she could become an Evil Spirit in such a short time, no matter how wicked she had been!
After everything he had experienced, Bai Zhuo vaguely sensed that there must be someone or something else at play here. (To be continued.)
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