Free Web NovelWho doesn't like picking up money?
Getting out the door early in the morning and being able to pick up money at the entrance of the residential complex is naturally a very good thing for a freeloader like Lu Yibei.
However, she didn't want to disrupt her current peaceful life because of this money of unknown origin.
Of course, the main problem isn't that the money has a suspicious origin; the real problem is that there simply isn't enough of it.
While walking to Huacheng Institute of Technology, Lu Yibei curled her lip. "You want to hook me with a few thousand dollars? That's underestimating me way too much!"
It's true that humans have greed to varying degrees, but unfortunately, Lu Yibei's greed is much more inflated than a normal person's.
Simply put, if you want to hook her, you have to pay more.
"If you increase the amount a hundredfold, I might consider it. If you increase it by ten thousand times..."
Lu Yibei muttered to herself, calmly observing her surroundings out of the corner of her eye, as if she deliberately wanted someone to hear these words, raising her voice a little.
"If you increase it by ten thousand times, I'll kill even a god for you to see!"
After speaking, she stood by the side of the road and waited quietly for a moment. Seeing that no pile of red, cute little money, invisible to others, suddenly appeared in front of her, she sighed silently.
She has really been quite short on money lately...
After determining the path to remedy her own flaws, Lu Yibei suddenly discovered that the small inheritance her father left behind was simply not enough.
She spent nearly a month painstakingly deciphering a portion of usable content from the knowledge of the Great Serpent God. Before she could even be happy, reality slapped her ruthlessly in the face, leaving her with the words: "You want to get stronger without paying to win?" and walked away.
Lu Yibei had already asked around indirectly about the one at home—the cute miss who was "only to be looked at from afar, not to be profaned," ate a ton, had a foul temper, and had a severe internet addiction.
The first stage of physical enhancement Alchemy recipe and the mental enhancement incense recipe she deciphered from the knowledge of the Great Serpent God to remedy the flaws of the mythological species would cost hundreds of thousands.
And that's a special, blood-draining 15% off discount from an ally in the Peach Garden.
This doesn't even include the two types of Psychic materials, Spirit Rhino Horn and Turtle Saliva Incense, which she couldn't find on the market at all.
...
9:23 AM, in a villa residential area in the suburbs of Hua City.
This was a very large villa. The living room had seven or eight computer desks, each with several monitors. Upon entering, it was easy to get the illusion of having stumbled into the training room of a professional esports team.
At this moment, in the vast room, only one man was sitting in the corner by the window. Accompanied by the tea fragrance drifting from a Chizuru Mizuhara-patterned blue and white porcelain teapot, and utilizing the bright sunlight spilling in from outside, he was carefully savoring a thread-bound book in his hands.
Before long, there was a movement outside the window. A black shadow flashed by, and a tabby cat with beautiful fur landed steadily on the desk in front of him. One paw slapped his book, and it actually started speaking in human language.
"Stop reading! It's annoying as hell!"
The man put down the book in his hand, "My Silicone Girlfriend," took a look at the tabby cat, and yawned. "Cat, why are you back so soon? Did you settle things with Wang Bu Liu Xing?"
"It's not settled! I'm about to be pissed to death by her; you don't even know how excessive she is!" the tabby cat said, its fur standing on end, emitting low growls.
"Do you know why she didn't pick up the Ghost Market coins? It's because she thinks there's too little money, and she even said something like if the amount were increased ten thousand times, she might consider it."
"I'm so pissed, I want to cancel her audit qualification and just kill her."
"That won't do; she is an important target." The man waved his hand. "Why don't you rest for two days?"
While speaking, he sat up straight and typed in the URL "who.is.apparition." A webpage with a skull-style funny face on the homepage popped up.
He entered the username, password, and confirmed with the security USB drive. After hitting the enter key, the interface refreshed to "Monster Story Chat Group Archives." The red and yellow interface was gaudy and flashy, looking just like a Taobao Lunar New Year promotion homepage.
The man moved the mouse to browse the webpage for a while and found an inconspicuous option hidden under various decorations. He clicked it, and the screen suddenly went black. On the black-background table, there were all sorts of entries related to urban legends.
The man moved the mouse to one of them titled 【Commission: Kill the ex-husband who dismembered me || Reward: All savings from before death】, and then turned to look at the tabby cat on the table.
"Anyway, Wang Bu Liu Xing will definitely have to be recruited in the end. Since she likes money so much, why don't you go and complete a few more commissions from the blacklist, scrape together some money, and send it to her!"
"Why! Why! I need to use the money I earn to remedy my own flaws too! Why give it to her."
The tabby cat rolled around on the table, its paws waving constantly in the air, as if it were fighting someone over a dozen kilometers away.
The man pondered for a moment, cupping his chin, and said, "Then there is only one way."
"Let's hear it?"
The man reached out, scratched the tabby cat's furry chin, and the corners of his mouth curled up slightly, revealing a lewd smile.
"I know a group of people online and know a little bit of a way to contact a group of people who are extremely rich and have a special fetish for little girls... Ah! Damn! Ouch, ouch, ouch!"
Before the man could finish his sentence, the tabby cat leaped up, leaving a dozen crimson bloodstains on his face.
The tabby cat jumped off the table, glanced coldly at the man, and left behind the words, "If you say such things again in the future, I will post a commission on the blacklist!" and walked forward.
The man covered his face, staring at the tabby cat's retreating figure until it disappeared into the shadows of the corner, and then said softly, "I wasn't even finished! Just a fan-service girl, a female bodhisattva, making money, it's not shameful, tsk!"
"Meow—!"
A chilling cat meow suddenly echoed in the empty villa. The man shuddered, immediately made a zipping motion over his mouth, picked up his erotic material, and continued his research.
...
During this period, Lu Yibei's life has actually been quite comfortable.
Since leaving the Bamboo Scroll Illusion, perhaps due to the influence of the Corrupted God's Blood, her eyes haven't felt hot for a long time.
Every evening when stopping the urban legend transformation, it wasn't as painful, and even the frequency of seeing those strange shadows had decreased a lot.
Life seemed to have been nudged back onto the right track, and everything that happened before felt like a bizarre dream.
The daily routine was sleeping early and waking up early, attending classes on time, helping out at Professor Ma's laboratory during breaks, and doing "part-time work" at the Hua City Folklore Culture Management Bureau.
After finishing the part-time job, she would stroll around the old street, buy some delicious food, and go to her secret base, either to enjoy it alone or share it with a certain married woman.
That's right, she had encountered a certain married woman more than once on the stone tower on Peony Street.
At first, Lu Yibei was very unaccustomed to having an intruder in her secret base, but after a few encounters, she discovered that Nanling Yaohua was not only beautiful and had a straightforward personality, but also had a high degree of compatibility with her regarding food.
Regarding food alone, the two of them had a tacit understanding at the level of soulmates.
As long as people have the same interests, it's easy to become friends, not to mention that the person in question was such a beautiful girl, but it's a pity...
Thinking of this, after class, while walking on the way to Peony Street, Lu Yibei suddenly realized that the image of Nanling Yaohua had unknowingly appeared in her mind, and she raised her hand and slapped herself hard.
"Damn it, Lu Yibei, if you're talking about food, just talk about food. Why are you lusting after her body? How are you any different from that Cao thief?!"
However... I have to say, Prime Minister Cao's playing style is truly awesome! Lu Yibei thought secretly. When she looked up, she saw Cao, ah no, Shui Ge at the school gate.
Every time school let out, vehicles would always park in front of Huacheng Institute of Technology to pick people up. Among the many vehicles, Shui Ge's Gay Purple Beetle might not be the most expensive, but it was definitely the most eye-catching.
Coupled with his snow-white mink coat, shiny diamond ear studs, a cigar in his mouth, and a face that looked handsome yet revealed a bit of vicissitudes, he was definitely the most flamboyant guy on this street.
Lu Yibei stood in the distance and observed for a while, silently took out a Calabash Brothers plastic mask from her backpack, put it on, lowered her head, and walked over.
The mask was bought when Lu Yibei went to the night market to pay back Gu Qianqian. She had been setting up a street stall there every night recently, and she seemed to be even shorter on money than her.
What Lu Yibei couldn't understand was that her inferior goods, which clearly had no possibility of being sold, always had a group of strange people gathered in front of the stall, and business was surprisingly good.
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When you care about someone, even if they are heavily disguised and lost in a sea of people, you can still spot them at a glance.
So, Bai Kai immediately saw Lu Yibei in the crowd and waved from afar, shouting at him, "Xiao Beibei, Xiao Beibei, I'm here! Why are you wearing a Calabash Brothers mask?"
"Shit!"
Lu Yibei cursed in a low voice, then sprinted over under the strange gazes of his classmates, ducked into the car, and rolled up the window.
Bai Kai slowly got into the car, started the engine, and drove away from Huacheng Institute of Technology.
...
The Gay Purple Beetle drove on the wide highway, silently serving as a beautiful urban landscape, heading nowhere in particular.
Lu Yibei secretly observed Bai Kai through the rearview mirror, pondering whether to tell him that he was about to become a full-time Night Watch member. Just then, Bai Kai spoke first.
"Xiao Bei, actually, I came to see you today because I have something important to tell you." freeweɓnovel.cѳm
Lu Yibei eyed Bai Kai's solemn expression and said languidly, "Are you getting married next month?"
"How could that be!" Bai Kai slapped the steering wheel. "Giving up an entire prairie for one flower is the most foolish act in the world. Yes, I'm talking about your old man!"
"Um, can you change 'prairie' to'sea of flowers'?" Lu Yibei corrected. "Given the context, 'grass' seems to refer to males."
"That's not important."
Lu Yibei said earnestly, "I think it's quite important."
This concerns whether I am the crystallization of beautiful love or an unexpected accident... he added in his heart.
"Then a sea of flowers it is!" Bai Kai pouted. "What I want to tell you today, you might not be able to accept it immediately, but at this point, I have to tell you. I am actually..."
Halfway through Bai Kai's sentence, Lu Yibei frowned, suddenly feeling that things weren't simple, and quickly interrupted, "Wait a minute! If you're going to say something strange, I'll jump out of the car immediately!"
"I am actually ❀ Nоvеlігht ❀ (Don’t copy, read here) a core member of the Night Watch."
Lu Yibei, "..."
You don't need to tell me, I already know!
But what exactly is Shui Ge trying to do with this 'I'm not pretending anymore, I'm laying my cards on the table' attitude today?
Muttering to himself, Lu Yibei asked suspiciously, "And then?"
Seeing Lu Yibei's calm reaction, Bai Kai frowned, "Aren't you surprised?"
Lu Yibei looked at Bai Kai through the rearview mirror with a blank expression, clapped his hands, and said without any emotional fluctuation, "Wow! How amazing, how amazing, and then?"
Xiao Bei is good in every way, but his mouth is as annoying as his mother's... Bai Kai twitched his lips and continued, "Then, I came today on behalf of the Night Watch to inform you that the materials for drawing your Spirit Mark have arrived. Find a sunny noon in the next few days and make time to go."
That time is more suitable for drawing fire-attribute Spirit Marks, with a higher success rate... Bai Kai added in his heart.
"Also, I'm sorry I can't be your leader. According to regulations, relatives should avoid suspicion, and my jurisdiction is not very suitable for a pure child like you..."
As Bai Kai spoke, his voice actually choked up. Seeing this, Lu Yibei frowned and gently patted his shoulder, saying, "What are you crying about? I'll take a picture of you and send it to your rich girlfriends."
"I just feel so bad thinking that you're going to suffer under Jiang Li. That crippled person is notoriously ruthless."
Lu Yibei glanced at Bai Kai's hand, which had somehow found its way onto his own and was rubbing back and forth, and hesitated to speak.
Actually, I think Jiang Li is quite easy to get along with! freewёbnoνel.com
She's a bit aloof, but at least she doesn't want to assault me, it's just...
Lu Yibei suddenly remembered the Mysterious Girl's previous request to him, and his brows furrowed.
That request was very strange. He and Jiang Li clearly didn't have a very close relationship, so why would he want to kill her? Lu Yibei wondered.
"To compensate you, I've decided to take you to a good place before you become a full member."
Hearing Bai Kai's words, Lu Yibei was startled. He quickly pulled his hand away, covered his chest with both hands, and warned, "I'm not going to any strange places! My first time is reserved for my wedding night, I don't want to give it to some strange older sister!"
"What are you thinking, kid!?" Bai Kai said with a wry smile. If I really took you to such a place, wouldn't Master and Xiao Hua kill me?
"I want to take you to the Ghost Market."
"Ghost Market?" Lu Yibei tilted his head, puzzled. "Are there still places like that now?"
Lu Yibei vaguely remembered that before the nights grew longer, there was an old street near Peony Street where a group of mysterious people would gather on the first and fifteenth day of each lunar month.
They would set up stalls on both sides of the old street, light dim candle oil lamps, and sell strange handicrafts, antiques of unknown origin, and occasionally engage in superstitious activities like praying to gods, fortune-telling, and bone-reading. It was said there were even gray market dealings like hexes and curses.
The Ghost Market typically opened around two or three in the morning and closed at dawn.
On that ancient street, looking from afar, the flickering lights and the shadowy figures of buyers and sellers created a scene like a haunting, hence the name.
However, ever since the nights grew longer, two or three in the morning became the most active time for urban legends. After several consecutive urban legend incidents, the Ghost Market, which had formed spontaneously over many years, had long since disappeared.
At this moment, Lu Yibei felt quite puzzled hearing Bai Kai mention the Ghost Market.
Are those people really not afraid of encountering urban legends? Or is the Ghost Market Shui Ge mentioned a true "Ghost Market"?
Just as Lu Yibei was doubtful, Bai Kai smiled and said, "You don't have to be afraid. The Ghost Market I'm talking about has no malicious urban legends, and the stall area is a special zone designated by the Night Watch, so there's no danger."
Are you city management? Do you have to manage even this?
Lu Yibei muttered to himself, chewing on the term "Violent Weird tale," a vocabulary he hadn't seen in the si ye book before, and asked, "Violent Weird tale? What's that?"
"This involves a long-standing debate within the Night Watch. Some people believe all urban legends are evil, but a small minority believes there are also a few benevolent ones..."
After a pause, Shui Ge added, "I'm a centrist, but I think this management is quite good."
"After all, you know that the Hua City Night Watch has so few people, only six core members in total, and twenty-one five-person special action teams. How can such a small number of people manage all the urban legend incidents in the entire city?"
"Of course, there are basically no urban legends at the Ghost Market; most of them are lone Psychics."
"Oh..." Lu Yibei nodded thoughtfully, his gaze inadvertently sweeping out the window. Seeing that the car had already reached Peony Street, he paused slightly, then patted Bai Kai's seatback and said, "Shui Ge, stop for a moment, I'll get off here."
"Hmm? Didn't we agree to take you to the Ghost Market? You're getting off..."
"Oh, come on! Doesn't the Ghost Market only open at midnight? I have something to do right now, I've already made an appointment with someone. I'll contact you when it's closer to the time tonight." Lu Yibei interrupted.
"Made an appointment with someone?" Bai Kai frowned, instantly switching to "Mom" mode. "A date? Is it a boy or a girl? How old are they? What do they look like? And..."
"Alright, alright!" Lu Yibei interrupted. "I'm a guy, can I really be taken advantage of?"
"That's not how it works." Bai Kai said earnestly, "Xiao Bei, I'm telling you, boys also need to learn to protect themselves when they're out."
Your old man didn't protect himself well, and his end was miserable! Bai Kai thought.
"..." Lu Yibei stared at Bai Kai with a blank expression for two seconds. "Got it. Adapting to the situation and knowing when to run are my specialties."
"Alright." Bai Kai nodded, then changed the subject. "But who exactly are you meeting?"
"Someone's wife," Lu Yibei said indifferently.
Bai Kai, "???"
(I'm late~)
