The World Below Surface

Chapter 78

In a labyrinth of shadowy paths, a gloomy alley rejected sunlight, giving off an eerie vibe that sent chills down Chu Xiu's spine. After days of meticulous searching, he finally found the taped-off entrance, devoid of police presence. Leaning against the wall, he agilely vaulted over it, a sense of unexplainable unease settling within him.

Because of the thorough search by the police, there was little hope of finding any missed clues. However, Chu Xiu remained determined in his investigation. At the end of the alley, there were chalk outlines marking four figures, with faint traces of blood serving as a sombre reminder of the tragic event that had taken place.

Kneeling down, Chu Xiu carefully combed the ground for any overlooked evidence, but his efforts proved futile. Feeling disheartened, he collected some soil that was stained with traces of blood before quickly leaving the scene.

"You, once part of that all-knowing cult, seeking a master's help again?" the incredulous voice on the phone queried. "Who's your target this time?"

Keeping it concise, Chu Xiu replied, "Recent events have intrigued me, and I need your expertise. Please help."

Chu Xiu's friend readily agreed to help him without any hesitation.

With his usual efficiency, his friend managed to obtain the contact information of a renowned master in just three days.

"Look, this is a famous shaman from Northeast China. She is incredibly unique, a child prodigy," his friend revealed.

"A child?" Chu Xiu questioned, finding it somewhat difficult to believe.

"Yes," his friend affirmed, smoke curling from his cigarette. "But do not underestimate her; her abilities are extraordinary."

After concluding the conversation, Chu Xiu wasted no time and embarked on a journey to the village his friend had mentioned.

On his way, he learned that locals believed that the guardian spirits in the village often manifested as animals and occasionally "possessed" individuals. In the past, elderly women took on this role without disrupting their daily lives.

However, the current situation was vastly different...

Upon reaching the village via plane, bus, and bullock cart, Chu Xiu felt an overwhelming sense of desolation. Amidst the gloomy faces, a bright spot emergedthe little girl in a red dress.

She was unlike all the gloomy-faced villagers. With a cold, disdainful glance at Chu Xiu, she only bestowed a smile after he produced a considerable amount of cash.

Yet, she seemed far from a typical child. Her exquisite appearance sharply contrasted with the other children in the village.

As her father hastily pocketed the money, the girl gestured for Chu Xiu to follow her into an empty, secluded room where she motioned for him to sit.

"Bring it here," the little girl finally spoke.

Understanding her request, Chu Xiu retrieved a handful of soil from his bag, stained as if with fresh blood.

"What do you wish to know?"

Respectfully, Chu Xiu responded, "I seek information about the events that occurred in this place five nights ago."

Taking the soil, the little shaman nodded. "Close your eyes and, remember, stay calm."

Complying, he shut his eyes.

A pitch-black darkness enveloped him, and suddenly, he heard faint noises.

The whistling wind mingled with murmured conversations, gradually growing louder, echoing in the vast darkness around them.

He... saw it.

A group entered the alleywaytwo girls and four boys engaged in a deep discussion about a mission.

The pieces started falling into place.

Among them was the person he soughtAn Xing Yu.

An Xing Yu was part of the task force! He had been there on that fateful day!

Is he still alive? Excitement surged through Chu Xiu momentarily, but the shaman's words grounded him, reining in his emotions.

However, that young girl... she seemed oddly familiar.

Chu Xiu's memory sparkedwasn't she the girl he bumped into outside the police station a few days back?

She was involved, too. Talking to her might yield valuable information.

Observing further, he heard the girl introduce herself.

Lin Chu... was she the user behind 'The Lights Come On in a Flourishing City ( (Hudng Ch Shng)'?

Time stretched and condensed. He "witnessed" midnight.

In a flicker akin to old TV static, the scene reduced to five people in the field.

Only Lin Chu survived; the other four lay lifeless. Yu Xiang Guang's body stained the soil with blood.

An Xing Yu's whereabouts remained a mystery.

Why did this happen? Where did An Xing Yu vanish?!

In past missions, everyone always came back, whether alive or dead. Chu Xiu couldn't understand why An Xing Yu suddenly disappeared. There was a chilling possibilityhe hadn't left.

The thought was too horrifying to dwell on, and it became even more terrifying the longer Chu Xiu thought about it.

Once more, the scene blurred and descended into darkness.

With a gradual blink, Chu Xiu opened his eyes and expressed sincere gratitude to the young girl. She motioned for him to leave quickly.

As the end of the year approached, the world outside was adorned with red lanterns, but the village itself lacked any festive spirit. After gathering and organising the information, he sent it to the client.

*

*

Upon returning home from work that day, An Ru noticed the lively decorations that adorned the streets. Although the excitement of the upcoming Spring Festival had faded, having time off was still a reason to celebrate.

However, An Ru couldn't find any happiness.

The New Year was approaching, and An Xing Yu was still nowhere to be found. This thought burdened his mind, causing him to let out a deep sigh.

"I'm home." As expected, there was no response upon entering. Assuming his wife was not at home, An Ru proceeded inside, only to find her seated on the living room couch, lost in thought, her eyes red and puffy.

"What's bothering you?" His voice involuntarily softened.

His wife turned to face him, mustering a forced smile. "An Ru, please tell me the truth. Did Xiao An have nothing to do with the recent murder case in the university town a few days ago?" She spoke slowly, emphasising each word.

"No! Who gave you that false information?" An Ru responded quickly.

However, after spending years together, she knew her husband too well to be deceived. How could she not read him like an open book when he lied?

Growing increasingly agitated, he retorted, "Was it that unreliable private investigator you hired? Don't believe a word he says."

"Unreliable? It's you who's being unreliable, constantly hiding the truth from me. I know you're withholding things..." Her words trailed off, becoming almost incomprehensible. "Little An went to that alley, didn't he? He did, right?"

" The detective found out, just like those cops, right? But you kept it from me because you didn't know where he went, did you?" Her gaze turned fierce. "If you won't tell me, I'll find out on my own."

" An Ru, you've lost our son." Her stare pierced her husband, her words gentle but firm.

An Ru met his wife's gaze, rendered speechless by the implications.

What she said... undeniably held truth. Authorities found hair and fingerprints at the scene, one of those hairs belonging to An Xing Yu!

*

*

In another world.

Lu Yan had no clue where the taskers were headed this time; all he wanted was to avoid them.

He couldn't comprehend why he stood out. However, despite his hesitation in previous missions, he always ended up getting involved when it mattered as if compelled to participate.

In the end, he accepted an active role, working hard to decipher the patterns of the missions and uncover the truth behind the world's anomalies. Having a purpose made life bearable.

Quietly, he prayed that this time would not bring similar incidents. As he sat on the train leaving town, he felt relieved by the absence of strange occurrences.

Then, his eyelid twitched.

A hunch stirred within him, hinting at the possibility of an unforeseen turn of events.

As Lu Yan journeyed along the northern road, he felt like the trip would never end. He took advantage of the luxurious seat, giving his weary eyes a break.

The overwhelmingly loud television on the train bombarded his senses.

The Broadcaster's voice illuminated the recent extraordinary archaeological discovery. The symbols found inside the tomb did not correspond to any known historical dynasty, indicating the existence of an unrecorded civilization. These artefacts offered valuable insights into ancient rituals, languages, and spiritual beliefs, carrying significant archaeological importance.

Most of the relics remained remarkably intact and only required minimal restoration. Consequently, a few of these items, once expertly refurbished, would be exhibited in the local provincial museum.

With his eyes shut tightly, he was suddenly struck by an even more astonishing revelation that reached his ears.

As the excavation continued, revealing the central tomb, a truly remarkable sight emerged: the body of a young man, unmistakably dressed in modern clothing!

Lu Yan's eyes snapped open!

For some inexplicable reason, the television broadcasted a slow zoom-in of the image of the young man lying before an altar in the main chamber. His body showed minimal decay, and his clothes were clearly modern in style.

A young duo sitting opposite Lu Yan on the train were also engrossed in the television. The girl exclaimed, "No way! Did archaeologists really find someone from our time? A time traveller?"

The boy contemplated, "Could this be connected to grave robbing? The experts did mention signs of theft."

"But they did specify that he was young. Would a young person really do something like that? It seems unlikely," the girl argued.

Equally puzzled, the boy scratched his head and said, "Unless he came from a poor family... it's not impossible. Maybe his accomplice ran away?"

As they continued to speculate, a wave of despair washed over Lu Yan completely.

An Xing Yu... Why did Xing Yu stay in this world?

Did he really stay in that tomb for good? Why?

With every bit of knowledge he gathered, it seemed more pointless, akin to a blind man groping in the dark for truth just out of reach.

As the train barreled through the wild, untamed wilderness, trees zoomed past the window one by one, gradually disappearing into the night. In the distance, the unchanging green plains slowly transformed into shades of darkness.

Finally, the train arrived at the station.

Late into the night, Lu Yan grabbed his small suitcase and joined the crowd as they exited. A cold breeze swept through, causing shivers to run down their spines as they bundled up in their warmest clothes.

Close behind, a group of men and women stepped off the train.

"Shouldn't we wait for the archaeologists? Do we really have to go in now?"

"Don't be silly. Wait for what? Let them uncover it themselves?"

A hushed conversation ensued, with the fear of attracting attention guiding their words.

"I just checked the news. Despite their excavation, there's no sign of the Pisces jade pendant. It's definitely still there."

The slightly plump man smacked his thigh. "They claim they haven't found it even after reaching the main tomb? If it's not being reported, they're just keeping us in the dark. Think about it, if it were something ordinary, they wouldn't have singled it out."

Outside the station, the noise of taxi drivers looking for passengers filled the air as people headed home for the end of the year. Lu Yan waited in line for a taxi and finally got in. Before he could say where he was going, the rear door on the other side swung open and a slightly hefty man in his thirties squeezed in, followed by a thin man wearing glasses. A young woman also got into the front passenger seat.

"Hey buddy, there don't seem to be any available rides at the moment. How about we share one, eh?" The slightly overweight man said casually. Before Lu Yan could respond, he turned to the driver. "Boss, since we're a group, any chance of getting a discount?"

Sitting in the front seat, the girl fastened her seatbelt, glanced back, and found it hard to look away. She gazed at Lu Yan with a sweet smile. "Hello handsome. Apologies for the tight squeeze. Let's just think of it as making new friends, alright?"

The driver appeared intrigued, hesitated momentarily, and glanced at Lu Yan through the rear-view mirror. Regulations prevented him from forcing anyone out.

Relaxing in the backseat, Lu Yan closed his eyes. "Boss, XX Road, XX Hotel, as fast as possible."

The girl's smile froze, and the chubby man's outstretched hand hung in the air, both ignored.

A moment of awkwardness filled the car.

Once the passengers settled in, the driver grew restless. He revved the engine and sped off. The slim guy with black-rimmed glasses attempted to lighten the mood, "What a stroke of luck! We're all heading to the same hotel; it's simply perfect."

The driver relaxed, picking up speed.

Observing Lu Yan's lack of interest, the others ceased their attempts to spark a conversation and instead engaged in their own discussions. Enduring an hour of mindless chatter that resembled ghostly wails and wolf howls, Lu Yan paid his share upon arriving at the hotel and wordlessly left the car.

"Why's this NPC acting all high and mighty..." The slightly portly man sneered under his breath.

He thought the man hadn't heard, yet as Lu Yan retrieved his luggage from the trunk, those words echoed loudly and clearly.

Lu Yan exhaled deeply and casually took hold of his suitcase before entering the hotel.

Sure enough... no matter the distance, he always seemed to encounter them.

"Cut it out, Cao Yi (: grass ceremony or weed ritual or "generation elegance"). The boy toy is gone, yet you're still gawking like some clueless NPC," sneered the slightly plump man, eyeing the figure's back.

Meanwhile, the girl continued to gaze, seemingly captivated.

"Can't you just zip it, Fei Hong Sheng (: expense grand victory, cost vast success, fee magnificent superiority, or wasteful triumphant bravery)?" Cao Yi shot back. "Since when is this your concern? Yapping all the way, aren't you tired?"

"Heh, don't come whining to men for help later. What's with the high heels at this hour?" Fei Hong Sheng refused to yield.

The bespectacled man grew irritated. "Are you done having fun yet? Do you find this amusing?"

Cao Yi's demeanour immediately softened. "It was clearly his fault. Jing Tao (: well wave, pit billow, well surge, or pit adventure), won't you speak up?"

Jing Tao had a throbbing headache as he made his way into the hotel, shaking his head and sighing.

Soon, another car arrived, and a group of seven finally gathered. They sorted out their rooms and prepared to go upstairs and settle in.

The group consisted of three women and four men. Among them, one woman and two men stood out as veterans, while the rest seemed unremarkable or downright brainless.

In his room, Lu Yan watched the tablet displaying the elevator scene. The seven continued to bicker until the largest man among them bellowed, silencing the chaos.

It had been... quite a while since he had seen taskers like this.

Lu Yan was completely absorbed in flipping through pages to gather details about the tomb, specifically focusing on accounts related to the recently discovered male body.

Despite the initial pixelated appearance of the media's images, Lu Yan persisted and made several attempts, eventually achieving significant clarity. Gradually, the details started to emerge - the trousers on the male corpse were torn, exposing part of his calf, which had a faint red mark.

Meanwhile, in another room down the hallway, two women grew increasingly frustrated.

"What's going on here? Our original plan was already jinxed, and now they've put us in the farthest room in the hotel, right at the end of the corridor. Can anyone even live in that place?"

(TN: In Chinese culture, there's a prevalent belief in Feng Shui, which considers the flow of energy or "qi" within a space. Within this belief system, certain building areas, including the farthest rooms or corners, might be considered less desirable due to the potential for stagnant or negative energy accumulation. These areas might be associated with bad luck, misfortune, or simply an uncomfortable feeling.)

The other woman expressed her frustration, "Weren't they supposed to close off the rooms at the far end? How did they manage to sell it to us, saying that no other rooms were available? They probably think they can easily take advantage of us, especially since we're out-of-towners."

A slender, middle-aged woman interjected calmly, "So, are both of you planning on switching rooms now?"

"Of course, we're switching. The second-to-last room must be better than the one at the end, right?" The youngest one searched in her small bag, found a lip gloss, applied it carefully, puckered her lips, and tossed her long hair. "The second-to-last room probably hasn't been used yet. Let's ask about it."

The woman, who was close to forty, had calm eyes and faint lines at the corners. She nodded gently and said, "Do as you wish. I'm leaving." With that, she picked up her small suitcase, swiped her card, and opened the door.

The two younger girls exchanged eye rolls. One of them knocked on the door while the other tried to pull her in, eager to proceed without any more delays.

Startled by a knock on the door, Lu Yan approached cautiously and asked, "Who is it?" as he stood beside the door.

A woman's voice from outside responded, "Hello, can you open the door?"

Taking precautions, Lu Yan secured the door chain before inquiring further, "What's the matter?"

The voice outside sounded somewhat coy, "Can you open the door so we can talk? I'm just a girl, I won't harm you."

Recognizing the voice instantly as the woman from the recent taxi ride, Lu Yan hesitated. A moment later, another voice chimed in, "Sorry, my friend and I booked a room that's too small for us. Could we swap rooms with you?"

Accustomed to being prepared for swift departures, Lu Yan hadn't unpacked much. "Sure, give me a moment," he agreed promptly, sensing the situation without delay.

Quickly stashing his tablet in his bag, he exited the room. As he opened the door, Cao Yi was momentarily stunned by the sight of him.

Wasn't he the handsome guy from the taxi? Before she could express her excitement, Lu Yan turned to address the older lady, Yi Jun (: "Easy and fine" or "Change and bamboo skin"), inquiring, "Which room am I swapping to?"

Yi Jun smiled graciously and gestured towards the room at the end, saying, "That one. I apologise for any inconvenience, and thank you very much."

With only a nod, Lu Yan acknowledged her and entered the assigned room.

There is a belief that one should avoid the last room in a hotel corridor, as it may possibly lead to paranormal occurrences.

Before leaving, he discreetly placed a 'bug' by the door of the room, wondering what might unfold.

*

*

Chu Xiu arrived just as Lin Chu woke up from her sleep.

She had spent hours immersing herself in every piece of information about the all-knowing deity and had adorned her walls with it. Planning to sleep the day away, a knock interrupted her afternoon.

Annoyed, Lin Chu ran her fingers through her messy hair and got up to answer the door. "Who's there?"

"I'm looking for 'The Lights Come On in a Flourishing City," a male voice called from the other side of the door.

"You have the wrong place," Lin Chu replied, with no intention of opening the door.

Images of Yu Xian Guang and his urn were still in the living room. She had no interest in anything related to missions at that moment.

The knocking continued persistently. "I'm here to find Lin Chu. I have something very important to ask about An Xing Yu. Please, could you open the door? Let's talk."

Lin Chu felt a momentary wave of disorientation wash over her upon hearing that name.

"Ah-ah-ah" she pulled at her hair in frustration and then smoothed it out with trembling fingers before finally reaching for the doorknob.

"It's you?" Lin Chu recognized the young man she had bumped into outside the police station.

Chu Xiu nodded in her direction, his expression softening into a gentle smile. "I have some questions about the mission involving An Xing Yu. Could I trouble you for some answers?"

Lin Chu didn't immediately show any suspicion. After giving him a quick once-over to confirm he posed no threat, she nodded. "Come inside."

Slipping into her slippers and crossing the threshold, Chu Xiu was taken aback.

The white walls of the room were completely covered in sticky notes, each one relating to ghosts and the supernatural in some way.

"So, you're a tasker too?" Chu Xiu asked, already certain of the answer.

Lin Chu scratched her head. "Sort of."

"Do you know An Xing Yu?"

"I've never heard of them," Lin Chu immediately denied.

"No, six days ago, you were definitely seen near X City's university town, just like An Xing Yu."

Lin Chu hesitated. "...Alright, I know them. What's the problem?"