Free Web NovelNot long after Professor Ma got into the car, he fell asleep in the warmth of the heater.
After all, he was in his late middle age, early old age, and before leaving, his teacher's wife had forcefully harmonized his soul, so he wasn't very durable in all aspects, which was understandable.
"Junior Brother, my teacher isn't as bad as Professor Ma said. According to my teacher, he and Professor Ma have a love-hate relationship, a bond stronger than gold."
In the quiet car, Mao Sanyou suddenly said, Lu Yibei was slightly taken aback, and her peripheral vision drifted towards the sleeping Professor Ma.
Love-hate relationship, stronger than gold? What kind of bizarre statement is that!
Using these words to describe two men with ding-dongs always felt like there was something fishy going on.
Could it be that when they were young, they were also sworn brothers, just like Old Dad and Shui Ge?
Lu Yibei compared the scene of Old Dad and Shui Ge scrubbing each other's backs in the same bathtub to the scene of Professor Ma and Professor Hou, these two old men, scrubbing each other's backs, and a chill immediately ran down her spine.
Damn it, I might be bearing things I shouldn't at my age.
"Senior Brother, could you please turn up the heater?"
"Oh, okay." Mao Sanyou adjusted the temperature of the car's heater and continued, "My teacher actually envies Professor Ma. He's just determined to surpass him, but after decades, he's always just a little short."
"......"
Lu Yibei listened quietly, and a doubt gradually arose in her heart.
Why is this kid telling me all this?
As if guessing Lu Yibei's thoughts, Mao Sanyou smiled openly at her through the rearview mirror, "You're wondering why I'm telling you this, aren't you?"
Lu Yibei nodded.
"I'm telling you this because I want you to know that the two professors actually have a very good relationship. As students, we shouldn't let their surface disputes affect our relationship. This mission is very important, and I might not be able to handle it all by myself. I'll need your help and effort then."
"......"
Lu Yibei opened her mouth, just about to say something, but suddenly snapped back to reality and simply nodded perfunctorily at Mao Sanyou.
This kid saying this is probably thinking of dumping all the work on me and then running off to enjoy himself, right? Lu Yibei thought.
Her guess wasn't unfounded.
How reliable could a guy be who was assigned to pick someone up at the airport but left the person he was supposed to pick up in the minus five-degree cold wind while he ran off to "rob" celebrity autographs?
But...
When it comes to slacking off, who could compare to Lu Yibei, the professional slacker agent of the Hua City Night Watch?
After a brief exchange of pleasantries with Mao Sanyou, Lu Yibei quieted down and looked out the window.
Tang City, strictly speaking, should already be considered part of the north. It was her first time traveling this far at her age.
She had wanted to take the opportunity of participating in the project research with Professor Ma to experience the wildness of the northern winter, but instead, she saw a city like a maiden hidden deep in her boudoir, quietly weaving a gentle dream in the smokeless and rainless northern land.
Although it was in the north, Tang City exuded the gentle and delicate charm of a Jiangnan water town.
Lu Yibei wondered if this had something to do with the King of Weird Tales in the vicinity being Smelly Girl, who is in charge of spring breeze and reproduction.
Judging from the knowledge of the Great Serpent God and some publicly available files within the Night Watch, the existence of a King of Weird Tales would have a certain impact on the environment, climate, and even the cultural temperament of the area where it resides.
Just like the city where Plague Tai Sui was entrenched was almost reduced to a dead city, and the climate in Hua City became slightly drier and warmer after Lu Yibei became the King of Weird Tales, Ju Meng's existence should have a special impact on this city.
But...
Smelly Girl's temper isn't gentle and likable at all!
Where did things go wrong?
I wonder what changes will occur in the cultural temperament of Hua City after I've been the King of Weird Tales for a long time...
As Lu Yibei thought, she couldn't help but feel a little worried that Hua City, under her influence, would transform into a runaway wild donkey, charging ahead in an indescribable direction.
While she was thinking, a strange chill rose from her spine and spread throughout her body. Lu Yibei was slightly startled and looked suspiciously at the car's heater vent, frowning.
The warm air was blowing, and the drowsy Professor Ma was pulling at his collar because he was hot, but Lu Yibei didn't feel any warmth at all.
It was as if nothing in this world could warm her anymore...
A thought inexplicably flashed through Lu Yibei's mind.
——————
The car slowed down and finally stopped in front of the Four Seasons Hotel by the Jianquan Spring.
Mao Sanyou drove across half the city, dropping Lu Yibei and Professor Ma off at the hotel, and immediately left in a hurry, using the flimsy excuse of "having something urgent."
He looked so rushed, as if he was going to save the world.
Watching the old Jinbei van gradually disappear into the wind and snow, Lu Yibei shrugged.
Driving a Jinbei van to save the world seemed quite cool too.
After the journey, Professor Ma instructed Lu Yibei about a few relatively famous antique trading locations in Tang City, then returned to his room. Lu Yibei, however, couldn't wait to go to the front desk to retrieve her package.
Tangcheng Four Seasons Hotel, Room 7022.
Lu Yibei unpacked the package, opened the metal box, spread out the "handicrafts" inside one by one on the bed, carefully confirmed that they were not damaged, repacked them, and then left the room and the hotel.
With the core power of her urban legend body limited and being unfamiliar with the place, she inevitably felt a little uneasy. Now it was fine, with firearms by her side, her heart was at ease.
She alone was a King of Weird Tales' arsenal.
There was no urban legend or Psychic that a box of Alchemy Dirty Bombs couldn't solve. If there was, at least Qiu Guniang could buy time for escape.
...
Stepping out of the hotel entrance, she stood on the side of the street.
Lu Yibei was looking down at the Qiandu map while calculating whether she should first go to the antique trading markets the professor mentioned, report to the Tang City Night Watch, or first contact the local person, Ju someone. Just then, a face suddenly entered her field of vision.
It was a thin middle-aged man in a military coat, with a mouth full of rotten, smoke-stained teeth. He poked his head in front of Lu Yibei, grinned, and spread out a string of maps and tourist guides.
"Little brother, here for tourism? Want to see Lianzi Lake first, or Jianquan Spring? Need a map and tourist guide? Need a tour guide? Need a chartered car?"
As he spoke, the man glanced at the Qiandu map on Lu Yibei's phone and pouted, "That thing isn't good. Follow it, and it'll definitely lead you into a dead end."
"Uh..." Lu Yibei looked at the map on her phone, then at the paper map in the man's hand, recalled the tragic experience of circling on the overpass for a whole day when she went to Mountain City with Old Dad a few years ago, and silently put away her phone.
In this cursed place, Tang City, there were so many ancient tombs that they drove the urban planning bureau crazy. The roads were probably not easy to navigate either. Having a local guide might indeed be much more reliable than online maps.
She looked at the man beside her, raised her eyebrows slightly, and asked, "I want to go to Taoyuan. Do you have any suggestions?"
Hearing Lu Yibei mention Taoyuan, a hint of vigilance flashed in the man's eyes. After subtly sizing her up for a moment, he asked, "It's so cold, what are you going there for?"
"To see Queqiao Mountain," Lu Yibei said expressionlessly.
Just now, she was standing on the street, hesitating about where to go first, but with the appearance of this man selling maps and tourist guides, it made her decision—to find a local first.
Finding Ju Meng first would be much more convenient, whether it was to understand why that batch of cultural relics flowed into the market or why urban legend events had been frequent in Tang City recently, to the point where the local Night Watch had to issue a Silver Screech Owl signal.
And Queqiao Mountain were the two famous mountains in the Taoyuan scenic area. Lu Yibei had heard Ju Meng mention them before. It is said they are particularly effective for praying for children.
That Smelly Girl especially liked to see people's happy faces. As long as a married woman sincerely prayed with a smile, and she heard it, most of them could get pregnant in one go.
Perhaps this was the saying, girls who love to laugh won't have bad luck with pregnancy?
As for someone with a poker face like Lu Yibei, the great deity Ju Meng didn't like it, so there was no need to worry about her bestowing a miracle. fɾeewebnoveℓ.co๓
"Queqiao Mountain, huh..." the man mumbled, then waved his hand, "Then you probably can't go this year!"
Lu Yibei frowned slightly and pressed, "Why?"
The man pouted, "It snowed heavily in the mountains a few days ago and crushed several plank roads in the scenic area. Now that place is closed, and no one can get in."
"Can't even climb over the wall? Or is there some local shortcut or path for sneaking in without a ticket? If you want to get in, there's always a way, right? Name your price, and if it's reasonable, we'll go."
The wool comes from the sheep. After finding Smelly Girl, just let her reimburse me.
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She had already said that if I ever came to the Taoyuan area, she would cover food, accommodation, entertainment, and everything else, so the travel expenses should also be included... Lu Yibei muttered inwardly.
"I say, little brother, you look so young, why do you like to engage in these crooked ways?" The man seemed a bit angry, looking at Lu Yibei, and said impatiently.
"I said I can't go, and I just can't. Do you understand that the heavy snow has closed the mountain? Going in now, isn't that asking for death?"
Hearing this, Lu Yibei frowned and pondered secretly.
Why did this Elder brother's attitude become so bad as soon as I mentioned the Taoyuan scenic area?
Could it be that Smelly Girl is really in trouble?
Earlier, when Lu Yibei was researching the cultural relics that flowed into the market, he already felt something was strange. Later, he heard that urban legend incidents had been frequent in Tang City recently, and even the Tang City Night Watch had sent out a distress signal. He began to guess whether Ju Meng had encountered some trouble. ƒгeewebnovёl.com
Now, hearing this man say that the Taoyuan scenic area had already been closed due to heavy snow and that he was absolutely unwilling to take him there, it further solidified his guess.
If that's the case, should I...
Huh? Who is Ju Meng? I don't know her! I've never even heard that name.
Seeing that Lu Yibei didn't speak for a long time, the man said with some displeasure, "I say, little brother, are you buying something or not? If not, I'm leaving!"
Lu Yibei glanced at the man sideways and nodded, "Wait, don't rush. Don't I need to carefully select and consider?"
The man, "..." It's something that costs dozens of yuan, what are you considering?
As he was thinking this, he was about to ignore Lu Yibei and leave on his own, but he found that at some point, Lu Yibei had secretly swiped the bag containing the small booklet.
So, for the next ten minutes, Lu Yibei acted as if he was seriously selecting the man's goods, flipping through each of the maps and travel guides he was selling one by one, concentrating on roughly memorizing the maps on them, and then looked at the man expressionlessly.
"Alright, I've considered it. I'm not buying, you can leave!"
The man, "???"
After saying that, before the man could recover, Lu Yibei strode towards another vendor selling maps and travel guides not far away.
"Older sister, can you take me to Taoyuan?"
"You can't? Then can I look at your map and travel guide?"
From a distance, watching Lu Yibei "visiting house by house" and greeting the vendors in front of the hotel, the man stood in the cold wind, silent and confused.
————
Half an hour later.
Lu Yibei was carried out of an old and dilapidated office building by two security guards.
"Get lost quickly, if you cause trouble again, I'll call the police!"
Standing in front of the old building's entrance, Lu Yibei looked back at the deep, age-old doorway and the receding backs of the two security guards, scratching the back of his head with a bewildered look.
What the heck? What's going on? Isn't the Tang City Folk Culture Research Bureau where the Night Watch is located?
Half an hour ago.
After asking several vendors and confirming that it was indeed temporarily impossible to enter Taoyuan, and after getting a free complete map of Tang City, Lu Yibei changed his mind and decided to report to the Tang City Night Watch first.
Following the map in his memory, he set off from the Tangcheng Four Seasons Hotel and spent over ten minutes finding the building of the Tang City Folk Culture Research Bureau.
It was an old building over thirty years old, with two large red painted characters "dismantle" (Chai - Demolish) on the grey-white outer wall. Inside the building, due to the architectural structure, the empty hallway was dimly lit, and the wooden doors on both sides of the corridor were tightly shut, the paint old and mottled.
If someone wanted to film a horror movie, they could use this building as a location, set up temporary scenes, and shoot on the spot.
But what kind of place is the Night Watch? It's a place that deals with urban legend.
The Hua City Night Watch was even renovated from an old ancestral hall!
Therefore, Lu Yibei didn't find the eerie atmosphere inside the Tang City Folk Culture Research Bureau building strange, and even felt a sense of familiarity.
However, he patiently wandered around the building for over ten minutes, and finally managed to stop an Older sister who seemed easy to talk to, but encountered a situation where she knew nothing.
...
Lu Yibei took out the bao sang cang xiao badge and waved it in front of the Older sister, "Older sister, do you recognize this?"
The Older sister was stunned for a moment and shook her head, "No, I don't recognize it."
"Older sister, then you know what kind of place this is, right?" Lu Yibei pressed on, "Is it that, that?"
The Older sister's face changed, and she said nervously, "Which 'that' is that? Young man, don't mess around!"
"Uh... that is urban legend incidents!" Lu Yibei frowned, "Did I not make myself clear enough? How about this, let me tell you about the urban legend incidents I've personally experienced?"
"Looking back, the first time I experienced a urban legend incident was in an abandoned private middle school, where over a hundred people died because of a Disc Spirit game..."
"Hey, Older sister, don't go! If Disc Spirit doesn't work, how about the killer strange pigs in the slaughterhouse? Those guys, they really eat people! Hey, hey, Older sister, how about the River God marrying a bride? Are you interested?"
"Help! Security, security Older brother!"
...
Watching the two elderly security guards, who were running slower than walking, rushing towards him, Lu Yibei fell silent.
...
The above is the entire process of Lu Yibei stopping a woman in the old building to torment her, and then being chased out by the security guards.
Being escorted by the two security guards, Lu Yibei left the alley in front of the old building all the way to the street. He took out his phone and sent a message to Jiang Li.
Lu Yibei: "Leader, isn't the Tang City Folk Culture Research Bureau the office location of the local Night Watch?"
Three minutes later.
Dog Leader: "Of course not, what were you thinking? The locations of the Night Watch headquarters across the country are all different, as long as they meet the two conditions of rationality and concealment. So, depending on the situation, the city Night Watch headquarters could be located in museums, mental hospitals, private detective agencies, etc."
Dog Leader: "Honestly, did you not read the Night Watch Agent Manual》 I gave you carefully before?"
Lu Yibei, "..."
I did read it, but I was busy studying the Night Watch urban legend hunting operation procedures and the regulations for punishing agent defection, looking for a way out for myself.
Dog Leader: "【Location: Tang City Museum】 Be good, go by yourself, don't bother me, I'm busy!"
Lu Yibei, "..."
Something's not right!
Are our character lines reversed?
————
The Tang City Museum is not far from the Folk Culture Research Bureau, it's just on the North Gate Street less than five hundred meters away. Having memorized the Tang City map, Lu Yibei took the shortcuts and went through the alleys, arriving at the wide street in just three to five minutes.
North Gate Street was one of the most prosperous streets in Tang City a long time ago. Although it has declined somewhat now with the relocation of the city center, the souvenir and specialty stores along the street, which are associated with the museum as a tourist attraction, are still doing good business.
Apart from those souvenir and specialty stores, in the relatively open areas on both sides of the street, you can often see some stalls selling antiques.
A large part of these stalls are former vendors from Taohua Road Antique Street. After the antique street was rectified, they came here, and almost everything they sell is fake. Buying from them means being cheated, and they operate on the move; as soon as the city management arrives, they wrap up their cloth and run away quickly.
Lu Yibei walked along the street ★ 𝐍𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ★ towards the building at the end, which looked like a square bronze cauldron, and stopped after not going far.
He heard a familiar voice.
"Passersby, don't miss out, three autographed copies from a popular trending star, limited quantity, hurry up and buy!"
Following the direction of the voice, Lu Yibei saw a tall man squatting on the street not far away, setting up a stall.
With his characteristic thick eyebrows and big eyes, who else could it be but Mao Sanyou?
Lu Yibei, "..."
Good heavens, this is what you meant by urgent business?
This Senior Brother is indeed an unreliable swindler, isn't he?
