Free Web NovelThe second day of the Moonless Night.
The pitch-black night sky was like ink.
Through the gaps in the snow-falling clouds, the navigation lights of high-altitude night flights occasionally shone through, two or three points of light, like fleeting meteors.
Hua City was tightly wrapped in darkness, and fierce gusts of wind blew through, sighing softly between the towering concrete jungles. The edges of the city's moist silhouette merged with the sky, as if melting into the deep night.
In the depths of the forest park on the outskirts of Hua City, in a low-lying area with standing water, the entire surrounding forest was withering.
It wasn't the natural decay that comes with winter, but as if something capable of destroying everything was brewing and about to descend.
Over the shallow pool, which had accumulated murky sewage, a foul and turbid mist drifted. A beautiful and enchanting woman stood alone by the edge of the pool, her graceful and alluring body covered by a long dress that seemed to be formed from writhing flesh and blood.
Around her, within the layer of light, were illusory and transparent figures, like vengeful spirits. Their numb, despairing, painful, and bewildered faces lunged towards her. As soon as they touched the long dress, they were swept away by the dark green tendrils, and their weak Spiritual Energy was immediately devoured.
"Rustle, rustle, rustle—!"
Faint sounds echoed among the seemingly dead trees behind the woman, as something continuously gathered.
First to appear was a dense mass of dark green flesh and blood. They moved like migrating slug colonies, passing through the damp soil between the dense trees and gathering behind the woman. Then they floated up, like wings, or a twisted banner of flesh and blood, unfurling behind her.
Following closely, black shadows flew down from the withered branches, lining up in an orderly fashion behind the woman.
Twilight Woman glanced at the black-robed figures behind her and asked softly, "How much longer?"
"Reporting, Adult, there are three minutes until midnight," one of the black-robed figures replied.
Twilight Woman nodded slightly, walked slowly out of the dense forest, and stood on the cliff, gazing at the city in the distance, shrouded in darkness and chilling fog. Her eyes gradually turned cold. "Then, let's set off!"
"Ooooh—!"
As her voice fell, a low sound like a bullhorn echoed from somewhere. This team, with Spiritual Energy fluctuation levels at least B- and numbering over thirty, headed towards the city center.
The snow-falling sky gradually darkened, becoming darker and darker, like an illusion.
It was already late at night, with the night sky covering the land, but now, everyone could clearly feel that a darker and deeper night was coming.
As the 'black night', deeper than the ordinary night, gradually descended, a foul and ominous aura quietly rose from the silent city.
The urban legend hidden in the city opened their eyes, peering from the dark corners at the empty streets.
Countless vague and illusory shadows emerged from the streets and alleys, busily moving through the chilling and cold dense fog, converging with the team that was moving through the city.
That Night Parade of One Hundred Demons team, which set off from the forest park towards Huacheng Reservoir, crossing the entire city, left behind a trail of ghostly figures wherever it went, with dark green flesh and blood proliferating everywhere, like a human ghost realm.
Thus, from the edge of the horizon, mixed and vast Spiritual Energy fluctuations soared into the sky, condensing into a dark mass, surging from all directions, like a black ocean rolling and engulfing the entire city...
At the same time, explosions occurred in various corners of the city.
—-
On a remote and deserted street, in the gradually darkening night, under the dim streetlights, a group of ghostly figures gathered together, quickly moving along the long street towards the team advancing towards the city center.
Their flowing white robes were lifted at the edges by the cold wind, revealing scorched flesh and blood.
Just then, the roar of an engine sounded at the end of the street. A dark sports car sped along, cutting through the dense fog like a phantom, blocking the few urban legend born from the gas station fire.
Li Xuan, wearing a dark blue suit, opened the car door and got out. He took out a thick stack of talismans from the pocket close to his jacket. With a surge of Spiritual Energy, all the talismans floated around him.
A smile appeared on his face, and he said softly, "Sorry! This road is closed!"
The next moment, something flew out from the dark corners of the streets on both sides, chasing the dazzling tail flames, and flew towards the few urban legend.
Inside a building by the street, using the cover of darkness, Qi Dong blew on the smoke drifting from his grenade launcher and said coldly, "Explode you motherfuckers!"
With a "bang", the grenade landed.
The next instant, a violent explosion and fire rose from the ground, engulfing the figures of the few urban legend.
Accompanied by chilling shrieks, ghostly figures flew out from the fire, but before they could escape the explosion's range, they were blocked by several talismans that flew over.
"...As fast as the law dictates!"
Li Xuan muttered, activating the talismans. The spells on them emitted a brilliant blue light, and instantly, a chilling cold erupted. The few urban legend, along with the explosion's flames, were frozen into ice sculptures.
"Thud, thud, thud—!"
With a few bursts of automatic rifle fire, the ice sculptures shattered into pieces, scattering across the ground.
The Hua City Si Ye Hui was indeed short on talent and couldn't confront Twilight Woman's Night Parade of One Hundred Demons team head-on, but they couldn't just sit by and watch such a malicious event unfold.
The moment they detected the Spiritual Energy fluctuations of the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, the Night Watch launched a sniping operation targeting the urban legend attempting to join it, aiming to weaken her strength and reduce her success rate in this way.
—-
Meanwhile, a black Hongqi sedan, which had set off from Jin Guan City, was gradually approaching Hua City along the highway.
In the back seat of the car sat a blonde woman wearing a single eye patch. Even though she was wearing a simple gray woolen coat, it couldn't completely hide the alluring aura she exuded.
Some people are just like that; no matter what style of clothes they wear, the final style presented is "sexy," and this woman was one of them.
The buttons of her coat were suffering greatly.
The vehicle sped along the empty highway, and the woman closed her eyes, taking a nap.
"Superintendent, the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons in Hua City has begun."
"Mm."
Hearing the man in the passenger seat's question, she slightly opened her eyes into a slit, responded softly with a nasal sound, and then closed her eyes again.
Bai Kai, it's been years, and your guts have really grown. You dare to conceal the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons and not report it? Do you really think the few old, weak, and disabled agents in Hua City can stop the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons?
If I hadn't accidentally heard that Adult mention you secretly asking for disposable talismans, I would probably still be kept in the dark by you.
I want to see what kind of tricks you're playing!
The woman grumbled inwardly, suddenly opened her eyes, and patted the back of the driver's seat, saying, "Drive faster, try to reach Hua City within two hours."
"Yes!"
—-
While the members of the Hua City Si Ye Hui were sniping Twilight Woman's Night Parade of One Hundred Demons members throughout the city, the "shameless" acting agent Lu Yibei, who had left work early due to illness, received a message from Bai Kai.
Bai Kai: "Xiao Bei, it's started. The starting point is the forest park, and the estimated endpoint is near Huacheng Reservoir. I suggest you challenge them at the foot of the mountain near Huacheng Reservoir. Give me a signal when you're ready."
In the dark apartment, Lu Yibei put down her phone, walked to the railing on the second floor, and looked down. The more than thirty Little Freaks who had gathered were arguing endlessly.
"Don't worry, our Devil Woman, although she has many eccentricities, is definitely the kindest urban legend I've ever met. If anything happens, she'll take the blame!"
Watching Maotuan (Hairball) still trying hard to mobilize the Little Freaks, she sighed silently.
Then.
She turned around, slung the heavy guitar bag onto her back, and paced to the window. She carefully opened the window and jumped out.
Although the number of those Little Freaks was not small, with their level, they were only good for organizing a Halloween parade. Trying to stop Twilight Woman? They'd block the road one second and be gone the next, completely ineffective in combat.
Using her initial mastery of flight, after a brief descent, Lu Yibei stabilized herself, like a bird gliding on the wind, silently landing at the intersection outside Jingyi Apartment.
Standing on the street corner at the intersection, she looked around, confirmed the direction, and was about to head towards the direction of Twilight Woman's Night Parade of One Hundred Demons when she saw a taxi approaching from a distance and stopping beside her.
Uncle Zhang Shan rolled down the window and waved at Lu Yibei. "Yo! Long time no see! Where are you planning to go today?"
Lu Yibei's eyebrow twitched slightly, and she said expressionlessly, "Uncle, are you getting bolder recently? Have you actually progressed to actively soliciting urban legend for rides?"
"You wouldn't harm me!" Uncle Zhang Shan smiled awkwardly. "Besides, you're my source of inspiration. Ever since I met you... do you know how many listeners follow my live stream now?"
Halfway through, Uncle Zhang Shan held up four fingers in front of Lu Yibei, his face full of pride, "237,000!"
Lu Yibei rubbed her forehead and said exasperatedly, "Uncle, if you keep this up, something bad will happen to you sooner or later!"
"What's there to be afraid of! If sooner or later doesn't work, I'll just switch to driving in the afternoon, won't I?" Uncle Zhang Shan joked.
"Hurry up and get in the car! After I finish this fare with you, I'm going home to start my stream!"
"..."
Lu Yibei was silent for a few seconds, then shook her head helplessly. She opened the back door and got in. "Let's go, to..."
She hesitated for a moment, then gave Uncle Zhang Shan an address three kilometers away from Huacheng Reservoir. "Today, I'm going to the Hua City Water Plant."
"Got it!" Uncle Zhang Shan responded, quickly started the taxi, and drove forward along the empty road. Then he couldn't wait to ask Lu Yibei about tonight's urban legend story.
"By the way, what story are you planning to tell today? A urban legend related to the water plant?"
"If the story is exciting enough, I'll waive the fare for you today! I've been a bit short on inspiration lately, hehe!"
Lu Yibei gently shook her head. "I'm not telling a story related to the water plant. Today, I'm telling a story..."
"...about the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons," she said, her gaze slightly sharpening.
—-
Inside the Bamboo Scroll Illusion.
In the depths of the dark forest, the bonfire piled up into a small mountain blazed fiercely, crackling softly.
Looking at the Old man gradually engulfed by the fire, Gu Qianqian bit her lip tightly, tears streaming down her face uncontrollably, her whole body trembling slightly from crying.
When she first started wandering, Gu Qianqian was just an eleven or twelve-year-old Little Girl, completely lacking any means of survival, like a rootless duckweed that could be scattered by the wind and rain at any moment.
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If it weren't for the kind people living under the bridge who took care of her, she might have starved to death in some remote alley long ago, her body treated as a victim of a urban legend attack.
And this "Uncle Zhang Shan" was the one who took care of her the most.
In fact, when Uncle Zhang Shan first applied for the low-rent housing, he even made a special trip to the second-hand furniture market to buy a small bed and a small wardrobe for Gu Qianqian, setting up a cozy little room for her in the already small space.
Although Gu Qianqian, having gradually mastered the means of survival, no longer wanted to trouble Uncle Zhang Shan, even today, she still remembers him smiling and saying to her, "Little Girl, this is your home from now on!"
Gu Qianqian kept sobbing. Unknowingly, the smell of roasted meat drifted from the fire, making her greedy worms stir and causing her immense shame. Thus, filled with shame and indignation, she cried even harder.
Even in the village of the Great Serpent God's survivors at the foot of the mountain, they could hear the sound of their new "God" wailing loudly.
"Waaaah!"
"System, I want to avenge Uncle Zhang Shan! Quickly think of a way!"
"You..." The system hesitated, then after a long silence, said earnestly, "Gu Qianqian, I understand how you feel, but you are no match for them now. Going there will only be suicide."
"As the saying goes, it's not too late for a gentleman to take revenge in ten years. When you are older..."
"No!" Gu Qianqian interrupted the system resolutely. "If there's a grudge, I'll avenge it on the spot. If you can't think of a way today, I'll take you to Lu Yibei tomorrow!"
The system thought, "...It's not certain if the Disaster will be Lived tonight!"
As it was muttering to itself, it suddenly heard Gu Qianqian murmur, "Right, speaking of Lu Yibei... I have a way!"
Immediately after, with a flash of light and shadow around, Gu Qianqian's figure disappeared from the spot.
A moment later.
As a faint light flashed in the darkness, Gu Qianqian's figure appeared under the bridge arch of the Kua Jiang Bridge. As soon as she stabilized herself, she heard the system shouting urgently in her ⊛ Nоvеlιght ⊛ (Read the full story) ear.
"Gu Qianqian, I know what you're thinking. You want to use the power of the Disaster, right? No, absolutely not!"
"Haven't you heard the saying, 'It's hard to repay a villain's kindness for a lifetime'? Playing with a tiger is not an option! If you owe the Disaster a favor..."
"I'm not listening, I'm not listening!" Gu Qianqian covered her ears and shook her head desperately.
The system thought, "...I shouldn't have found a female host!"
After a moment of silence, it said in a heavy tone, "Gu Qianqian, do you have to go today?"
"Yes!" Gu Qianqian said firmly, "I'll go even if I die!"
"Alright, alright! I'm scared of you!" The system gritted its teeth and said, "But let me tell you! All the points and rewards you saved before will be gone!"
Worst case, after this is over, I'll write an anonymous report letter to the Night Watch.
Isn't using such despicable methods exactly what the Disaster likes to do?
Let her also taste the feeling of being reported! the system muttered.
Thinking of the small money and roasted pig trotters that could be exchanged with those points, Gu Qianqian hesitated for two seconds before nodding, "Okay!"
————
The night was deep, and Peony Street seemed to have fallen asleep, completely dark, with only the Lu Family Old House lit up.
A woman wearing a professional suit and black-rimmed glasses, holding an umbrella, braved the wind and snow to reach the gate of the Lu Family Old House. She gently knocked on the heavy door panel. Soon, footsteps were heard from behind the door.
"Creak—!"
The wooden door opened a crack, and a beautiful girl in a white dress peeked out halfway, sized up the woman in front of her, and smiled, "Teacher Ou, is there something you need me for so late?"
The woman outside the door hesitated for a moment, then reached out, opened her fingers, and presented a cluster of small white flowers with a faint medicinal fragrance in her palm to the girl.
"Nanling Yaohua, I remember, the last time I helped you, you said that if I needed help, I could come to you anytime with this cluster of Nanling Yaohua, right?"
The girl smiled sweetly and nodded, "Yes! That's right."
"Phew—!" Having received a positive answer from the Nanling Yaohua, the woman breathed a sigh of relief, her gaze gradually turning cold, "Then please stop the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons tonight?"
"This..." Nanling Yaohua showed a look of difficulty.
Seeing this, the woman frowned and sighed helplessly, "As expected, asking you to do something like this for me is a bit like forcing a man, isn't it?"
"Not exactly." Nanling Yaohua shook her head and explained, "Grandpa instructed me not to interfere too much with things like Night Parade of One Hundred Demons that could change the dynamic between humans and urban legend, but..."
Halfway through her sentence, Nanling Yaohua pushed the token in the woman's hand back and smiled, "I can still help you kill a few urban legend participating in the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons to vent your anger."
"Since I couldn't fulfill your request, I won't take back the token. You wait here, I'll be back soon."
After speaking, she went out the door and walked into the wind and snow, alone with her sword.
The woman stood in front of the Lu Family Old House gate, watching the receding figure of Nanling Yaohua for a long time. She then bowed slightly in the direction where her figure disappeared and murmured, "Please!"
————
On the other side, Hua City Central Hospital, Special Disease Treatment Department.
Du Sixian stood in the corridor, looking through the glass at the treatment room, watching An Qing taking care of the surging number of black night disease patients alone. She hesitated, her pink fists clenched tightly until her knuckles turned white.
She had just received a notice that the Special Operations Team and three main cadres of the Hua City Si Ye Hui sent to hunt down urban legend were insufficient, and there was a severe shortage of manpower. At least two directions of urban legend were left unchecked, and An Qing was needed for support.
However, when she arrived outside the treatment room and saw An Qing overwhelmed with work, she fell into hesitation.
Hunting down urban legend was saving people, and treating black night disease patients was also saving people, but the difference was, if An Qing left the hospital, there would be no hope at all for the black night disease patients who were still being constantly brought in.
Just as Du Sixian was hesitating, her phone vibrated twice. She quickly took it out and glanced at it. After reading the message, she let out a long sigh and slumped to the ground as if all her strength had been drained.
The screen of the phone that rolled onto the ground displayed 【Cadre Bai: Please tell An Qing she doesn't need to come. Two A-Level lone Psychic suddenly appeared in the two areas with manpower shortages and have already stopped those urban legend.】
"Thank goodness! Thank goodness!" Du Sixian murmured, "No wonder Sister Qing always says that the most difficult part of the Night Watch's work isn't the urban legend, but the choices. I've learned that today!"
————
Zhang Shan turned around and left after dropping Lu Yibei off at the entrance of the Hua City Waterworks.
In the blink of an eye, the taxi had disappeared at the end of the road. Lu Yibei stood on the deserted road, carrying her guitar bag and holding an umbrella, feeling like she was the only one left in the whole world.
The snow fell heavier and heavier, and the wind blew faster and faster. Lu Yibei pulled down the hood of her jacket, took out Lingtai Pure Karma from her guitar bag, and walked forward along the road.
Dark clouds pressed down, not a ray of light penetrated the sky, and the distant towering mountains were a pitch-black mass, as if they could collapse at any moment.
When Lu Yibei reached the foot of the mountain less than two kilometers from the Huacheng Reservoir, she stopped, stood in the middle of the road leading to the reservoir, holding her sword in one hand and her umbrella in the other, staring intently ahead, waiting silently.
I will not let her cross this mountain before I fall. Lu Yibei thought fiercely.
————
1:30 AM.
An hour and a half after the Twilight Woman began the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons, in an old residential area in Hua City West District.
In the warm study, Zhang Shan sat at his desk and finished the last part of today's urban legend story with his unique smoky voice.
"..."
The girl said that to protect this city and her home, she had to fight to the death.
So, the driver fell silent, said nothing more, and watched her walk into the wind and snow alone, gradually moving away, and finally disappearing without a trace, her life or death unknown."
"Alright, listeners, today's story is..."
Zhang Shan was about to say his closing remarks and take a break when he saw the bullet comments flying across the screen and was slightly taken aback.
I am from the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor sent Rocket X20
I am from the Mausoleum of the First Qin Emperor: "Don't tell the rest of the story, just tell this one, I love listening!"
There's a home in Huacheng Cemetery: "Boss NB! Also, if the streamer doesn't finish the story today, I'll move my house to your house!"
Netizen Laosepi 10086: "Touching, beautiful and kind-hearted. Although I want to see legs more, I still have to say, it's too touching!"
Daoist Master Mi from Mount Qingcheng: "So touching, why don't you go help her? 【/contempt】 Otherwise, after the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons is completed, the urban legend in your city probably won't have a good end either?"
Netizen Laosepi 10086: "This..."
Water-boiled Mermaid: "This Daoist Master makes sense! What time is it? How many brothers have died today? I can't stand it anymore!"
Water-boiled Mermaid: "Team up to defeat the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons (1/100)"
There's a home in Huacheng Cemetery: "I was quite timid at first, but even a Little Girl dares to go alone, so it's a bit unreasonable for me to shrink back at home! Count me in! (2/100)"
Not teammates with Monk Suo: "There's such a thing? Although I still think the streamer's story is made up, I can help post a few recruitment messages. I'm quite confident in my connections!"
Sister-in-law, I'm already inside: "Trash! Count me in for the team up earlier! (3/100)"
Wai Bo Ba Bi Cockroach Mouse: "Just arrived. I was already on my way to avenge my children and grandchildren, just planning to relax for the last time before I die, but I didn't expect so many like-minded friends! (4/100)"
...
Looking at the listeners, completely on a different channel from himself, Zhang Shan propped his chin and fell into thought.
What the heck? What's going on?
Why can't I understand what they're saying at all, and why do I feel like "he's just making up stories, what the heck does he know about the Night Parade of One Hundred Demons chapter"?
Damn it! Why is the number of people in the live stream room getting smaller and smaller? Didn't they just say the story was interesting?
So, ten minutes later, seeing the number of listeners in the radio live stream room decrease by more than half at a visible speed, the light in Zhang Shan's eyes disappeared.
Is this considered a live stream accident? Zhang Shan thought.
