Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
I never expected Zhang Yuan would give me so much money. I thought having fifty thousand in that card would be good enough.
When Shangguan Mingyue announced the figure, I was shocked.
"Ha ha, Yan Xi must be thrilled! Who would have thought our first deal would net us two hundred thousand?"
I was indeed stunned; we had completed one-fifth of our one-million goal, and there were still three items left from my master.
For a kid from the countryside like me, twenty thousand was already a fortune, let alone eighty thousand.
"Yan Xi, what do you plan to do with the remaining money?"
Shangguan Mingyue looked at me with a worried expression. "Yan Xi, I originally thought the four items my master gave us would be treasures, but after studying them for half a day, they seem like four pieces of junk."
"What are we going to do then?"
"Don't worry, Xing Mingyue. I have a plan. Let's go eat first, and I'll tell you what we should do next."
Shangguan Mingyue had been pestering me for a solution, but I managed to dodge her questions for now.
After lunch, I asked Shangguan Mingyue to take me to the bustling market.
"This is your brilliant idea?"
Shangguan Mingyue stared incredulously at the large sign in front of us.
"Yes! Just like Jiang Taigong fishing—those who are willing will take the bait."
I found the most conspicuous spot in the market and wrote in bold red letters on a large board:
Selling a Magical Comb: Forty Thousand, Firm Price.
The entire morning passed, and my legs were covered in mosquito bites; not a single person had inquired about it.
Passersby looked at us with a kind of crazy gaze.
"Yan Xi, should we just leave? This plan really isn't working."
I could tell that Shangguan Mingyue was starting to lose her resolve, but I wanted to wait a little longer, shaking my head at her.
Then an old man approached with a leering smile. Although his grin was somewhat sleazy, the large gold rings on his fingers and the gold teeth that showed when he smiled made me think there might be potential here.
I nudged Shangguan Mingyue beside me. "Hey, wake up, the sponsor is here."
Shangguan Mingyue, who had been lost in thought, snapped awake and asked groggily, "Where's the sponsor? Where?"
Gold Tooth smiled at us; a customer had arrived, and we couldn't afford to be slow. Naturally, we greeted him with smiles.
"Big brother, are you interested in buying my comb?"
Gold Tooth hesitated, looking somewhat shy.
Seeing this, Shangguan Mingyue perked up and asked him, "Big brother, how much are you willing to pay for it?"
Gold Tooth chuckled and said, "Sister, I just want to ask how much for both of you for one night?"
Both Shangguan Mingyue and I were stunned. We turned to look at each other and simultaneously cursed under our breath.
Damn!
Immediately after, Shangguan Mingyue grabbed the newly bought stool and chased after Gold Tooth down the street.
I had to admit that this method was ineffective and began to pack up our things to head back up the mountain.
"Miss, can I buy that comb from you?"
Hearing someone speak, I looked up to see a middle-aged man in a Zhongshan suit.
After the incident with Gold Tooth, I felt an overwhelming urge to slap that middle-aged man across the face. I held back my temper and said, "I don't have time, go away."
"Miss, aren't you selling that comb?" he persisted.
"I'm not selling it, I'm not selling it! Just leave me alone."
I was almost irritated enough to hit him.
"Miss, is your surname Gu? Is your name Gu Yanxi?"
Hearing my name from his lips surprised me. I paused my actions and looked at him, asking, "Who are you?"
"Miss, I am Li Kui. I've heard much about your reputation. I've been searching for you for quite some time and didn't expect to find you here."
I eyed the man warily, uncertain of his intentions.
"You’re looking for me? How did you get my name?"
"Miss Gu, I have a friend in business named Zhang Yuan. I heard about you from her, which is why I came to seek your help."
Zhang Yuan?
Looking for my help?
I glanced at the middle-aged man and asked, "Has something strange happened in your family?"
"It's not my family; I hope you can find a place to discuss this matter in detail."
Li Kui's face was filled with worry, and there was a hint of darkness in his brow. It seemed he had indeed encountered something troubling.
"Wait a moment; my friend hasn't returned yet. We'll go together when she gets back."
Upon hearing my words, Li Kui's expression brightened, and he nodded eagerly.
Just as Li Kui nodded, Shangguan Mingyue stormed back, carrying a stool.
She was still cursing, "Damn it, that old fool got away! Next time I see him, I'll make sure to beat him to death."
Noticing someone standing beside me, she suddenly felt something was off and asked, "Yan Xi, who is this?"
"The person buying the comb," I replied.
As soon as I finished speaking, Shangguan Mingyue charged forward with the stool.
I quickly grabbed her to stop her and explained, "Mingyue, don't be impulsive. This really is the person buying the comb."
Shangguan Mingyue turned her head to look at me, still somewhat skeptical. "Is he really the one buying the comb?"
I hurriedly let Li Kui explain himself to Shangguan Mingyue. After he finished, she finally relaxed and set down the stool, reaching out to Li Kui. "Money first; no money, no talk."
I thought Li Kui would be furious, but to my surprise, he just chuckled and said, "Please give me your account number, Sister Shangguan. I'll transfer the money right away."
Shangguan Mingyue handed him my bank account number, and two minutes later, my phone received a text message from the bank.
The deposit of fifty thousand had been credited. Shangguan Mingyue's expression instantly brightened.
She grabbed Li Kui and suggested going to a teahouse for a detailed discussion.
"No need for that. I have a villa; why don't we talk there?" Li Kui said.
We both agreed. It's not easy to find such a wealthy person these days.
Li Kui's villa was located on a scenic mountain in the northern part of this area, with elegant views and a pleasant atmosphere.
Once we arrived, even I, coming from a rural background, couldn't help but exclaim, "Boss Li, you have quite the skill to find such a paradise."
"Sister Gu, you're too polite. Come, let's have some tea."
After finishing my cup of tea, I decided to stop being courteous. "Boss Li, you collect money and help people out of trouble. What do you need us for?"
Li Kui was the executive president of the local chamber of commerce, running a real estate business. His position was mainly to build connections.
Discussions between merchants often involved confidential matters, and with today's advanced technology, it's hard to keep secrets. So Li Kui had chosen a secluded villa specifically for entertaining nobility.
At first, business was booming, but since last month, the villa had closed its doors to the public.
The closure itself wasn't a big deal, but in the business world, reputation is everything.
The villa's shutdown had severely damaged Li Kui's reputation; many believed he was facing financial difficulties and could no longer afford to keep it open.
Li Kui was suffering in silence; there were too many strange occurrences at the villa, and its guests were all prominent figures.
He feared trouble more than he feared losing his reputation.
Upon hearing about Zhang Yuan's situation, he sought my contact information to reach out to me.
Unfortunately, I had left my phone behind and couldn't be contacted all day. He had no choice but to take a chance on the streets.
Fate is unpredictable; since we crossed paths, I decided to take on this matter for Li Kui.
"Boss Li, can you tell me what strange occurrences have been happening at your villa?"
I found it odd that Li Kui had skirted around the issue without revealing what was going on at the villa.
Li Kui looked troubled and hesitated before finally saying, "What you two Great Masters may not know is that recently a large hole appeared in the back mountain of my villa. I sent people to investigate, but everyone who went in came out insane. One person hasn't come out yet; it seems like the situation is dire."
A hole?
People going insane?
I exchanged a glance with Shangguan Mingyue, and our curiosity about the situation intensified.
"Ah, the Demon King is going to kill someone..."
A shadow lunged at me, knocking me to the ground.
I hit my waist against the steps beside me, wincing in pain.
The sudden turn of events caught me off guard, but fortunately, Shangguan Mingyue was quick to pull me up.
Li Kui rushed over with an apologetic expression and asked, "Gu Daxian, are you okay?"
A man in his forties approached, his face adorned with unknown makeup and a large red flower, grinning at me.
He seemed mentally unstable, but how could someone like him be in the villa?
Li Kui Villa catered to nobility, and looking at this man's appearance—short and stocky with massive biceps—he seemed more like a laborer.
Shangguan Mingyue stood protectively in front of me, concerned that I might be in danger again.
Ignoring the pain in my waist, I carefully observed the man. I noticed there was no hint of emotion in his eyes; they were particularly vacant.
"Boss Li, who is this person?" I asked Li Kui.
Li Kui leaned closer and whispered in my ear, "Great Master, this is one of those who went into the cave. He hasn't been sent back because his family is still up on the mountain."
"Are all those who come out like this?"
Li Kui nodded slowly. "Some are even worse; they lash out at people."
"Can you take me to that cave?"
Li Kui's description only fueled my curiosity about the cave. What could possibly cause such a sudden mental breakdown?
The cave was located halfway up the mountainside behind the villa, and the soft soil nearby indicated that it must have been caused by a landslide. The falling earth had exposed the entrance, which had been sealed off.
Such occurrences were common in the mountains of rural areas, so I was no stranger to them.
"Is this the entrance?" Shangguan Mingyue asked Li Kui, pointing at a dark opening above us that was about half a person's height.
Li Kui nodded but didn’t follow us up.
I had no choice but to climb up with Shangguan Mingyue. When we reached the entrance, I sensed something was off.
"Mingyue, do you smell something strange?"
Shangguan Mingyue glanced at me, her expression tense. "Is it the smell of decay?"
Comment 0 Comment Count