Chapter 42 – The Unexpected Invitation

The next day, Wei Yang woke up unusually early, much earlier than his usual 6 a.m. wake-up time. When he opened his eyes, he was greeted by the same handsome face as always. After a brief internal struggle, he quietly got out of bed. However, before he could steady himself, the Little Celestial Master, who was supposed to be sound asleep, also opened his eyes. With a slightly drowsy expression and a faint frown, Zhang Xiuqi looked at him with those deep, dark eyes.

Somehow, Wei Yang understood the meaning behind that gaze and quickly reassured, “Brother Qi, it’s not time yet. Go back to sleep. I’ll go prepare breakfast.”

Hearing this, Zhang Xiuqi obediently closed his eyes and fell back asleep. Only then did Wei Yang realize that his words had carried an unintended meaning, and he grimaced slightly as he headed to the kitchen to cook. Nowadays, besides frozen foods, he could also make simple breakfasts, making him a somewhat qualified househusband.

Soon, the rich aroma of meat buns and fried eggs wafted from the kitchen. Lao Ye slowly crawled out from the balcony, ready for its daily exercise. As it passed by the bed, it let out a low “ah” at the person sleeping in, but failing to wake him, it seemed a little annoyed. It then waddled into the kitchen with its inward-turned steps to beg for some shrimp.

About ten minutes later, as if triggered by a clockwork mechanism, Zhang Xiuqi sat up in bed, went to the bathroom to wash up, and then returned to put on the neatly folded clothes placed by the bedside. These weren’t the dry-cleaned clothes provided by the hotel, devoid of the usual mechanical drying smell. Instead, they carried a faint scent of sunshine. Once dressed, he walked out of the bedroom. The dining table in the living room was already set with food—steaming white porridge and buns, golden fried eggs, and fresh green salad—a combination that made one’s mouth water. Zhang Xiuqi didn’t know what “mouth-watering” meant, but his stomach let out an honest growl, expressing its delight.

Over in the kitchen, Wei Yang, who had been dealing with Lao Ye, looked up and reflexively smiled at the newcomer. “Brother Qi, you’re up. Let’s eat. After breakfast, we need to head to Jieshui Studio…”

His smile was a bit unnatural, tinged with a hint of awkwardness and guilt, but the sincerity beneath it was far more genuine than the polished smiles he often wore for outsiders. Zhang Xiuqi nodded lightly and walked over to start his meal. Under the table, Lao Ye had managed to secure a few small shrimp and was happily munching away. Seeing the normal behavior of this man and turtle, Wei Yang quietly breathed a sigh of relief, picked up his own bowl and chopsticks, and began eating as well.

Although there hadn’t been many clients visiting recently, Mr. Li from Sunshine Andrology had persistently come by several times. His “issue” was truly unresolved, and he was increasingly anxious, almost treating aphrodisiacs as his daily meal. Master Wei was his only hope, so he clung to him desperately for a solution.

For such a sucker who came knocking on his door, the young swindler didn’t waste any time. He sold him a ritual instrument and advised the man to stay away from women for a while to focus on strengthening his foundation. The aftereffects of the “lust-cutting” technique couldn’t disappear overnight. In time, the man would naturally become more restrained, saving him from getting entangled in any Peach Blossom Evil.

As for the next steps, Wei Yang was a bit troubled. No matter what kind of scheme he planned, he needed to scout the location and understand the situation beforehand. In this day and age, deceiving people couldn’t be done with just a few clever words. Wealthy individuals, in particular, have seen it all and might have even been scammed multiple times or even tried their hand at scamming others. They weren’t easily fooled.

Back when he was working with the old swindler, Wei Yang had always been the one to do the scouting. But now that his partner was Zhang Xiuqi, the task had become much more challenging. While it wasn’t difficult for Wei Yang to disguise himself and change his demeanor, hiding the striking presence of the Little Celestial Master was no easy feat. Could they rely on Sun the Otaku’s hacking skills to pave the way? However, before he could finalize a new target, Jieshui Studio received its most unwelcome visitors—the police.

The visitors weren’t local patrol officers but bona fide plainclothes detectives. As soon as they entered, they flashed their police badges and asked for “Wei Yang” and “Zhang Xiuqi,” requesting that they come with them to assist in an investigation. This sudden turn of events immediately made Sun Muhua’s legs go weak. Although their scams were usually consensual, if any of their previous victims had a change of heart and decided to report them for fraud, it could spell disaster!

Compared to Sun the Otaku’s terrified demeanor, the real person of interest, Master Wei, remained remarkably calm. After verifying the authenticity of the officers’ credentials, he smiled at the dark-faced man leading the group and asked, “May I ask why you’re looking for us? We haven’t encountered any cases at Jieshui Studio that require an ‘investigation,’ have we?”

It wasn’t that he was particularly brave. If they had been looking for the old swindler or him, Wei Yang might have felt a bit guilty. But the cases he had handled with the Little Celestial Master were all solidly resolved. Not only were the clients unlikely to report them, they were probably grateful. Moreover, Zhang Xiuqi’s identity was a significant factor. The incident where he and Master Zeng had dealt with the Yellow Husk on the street hadn’t made it into the news. Whether China had a “Special Branch” was unknown, but places like Longhu Mountain undoubtedly had some connections with the government. Otherwise, how could ordinary people handle the chaos caused by such supernatural forces? Even if the government was strict, those with genuine abilities outside the norm likely received some preferential treatment.

With this confidence, Wei Yang wasn’t afraid. He faced the police with composure, neither submissive nor arrogant, not at all like someone who had done something wrong. Officer Yang scrutinized the two overly young feng shui masters and snorted lightly, “If we’re looking for you, it’s naturally related to a case. Just come with us.”

This tone could be considered “friendly” for a police officer. A thought suddenly struck Wei Yang—he remembered the two people he had encountered at the Buddhist Artifact Exchange a few days ago. Since Heipi hadn’t made any moves, it was likely that they couldn’t handle the tough obstacle that was the Liu Family and had come to cause trouble for him? But the situation didn’t seem to fit. If they were truly here to cause trouble, why bother with plainclothes officers? They could have just driven a police car over, hauled them to the station, and ruined Jieshui Studio’s reputation. Why go to such lengths to discreetly invite them?

Wei Yang tilted his head slightly and glanced at the Little Celestial Master standing beside him. At this moment, the iceberg-like figure seemed to have some emotion as well, his brows tightly furrowed as he stared intently at the police officer, as if puzzled by something. Wei Yang’s heart skipped a beat. Could it be that the iron Buddha they had seen at the exhibition had caused some trouble?

However, they were now facing real police officers. It wasn’t easy to make a quick escape or send secret signals. Wei Yang finally made up his mind and spoke before Zhang Xiuqi could say anything, “Since it’s police business, we law-abiding citizens are naturally willing to cooperate. But could we first ask what this case is about and why you’ve come to us?”

Officer Yang was clearly an experienced investigator. He could tell that Wei Yang might have guessed something, but he didn’t call him out on it. Instead, he simply dropped a line, “It’s a big case, and it might turn into a homicide. We’ll discuss the details once we get back.”

The car Officer Yang brought didn’t have police plates, but it moved smoothly through the streets, barely stopping at red lights. Soon, they left the city and headed for the highway entrance. It didn’t look like they were heading to the police station at all. However, Wei Yang became increasingly calm. This wasn’t about assisting with a case—it was about dealing with something supernatural. Although he didn’t know what that iron Buddha, which even the Little Celestial Master couldn’t figure out, truly was, as long as it involved these kinds of supernatural forces, they still had room to maneuver.

As he pondered how to handle the situation, Zhang Xiuqi, who was sitting beside him, suddenly leaned closer, his back straightening as if to shield Wei Yang. Wei Yang didn’t know what Zhang Xiuqi had sensed, but his heart warmed. He couldn’t help but reach out and pat Zhang Xiuqi’s knee, both to comfort him and to calm his own nerves.

After about an hour on the highway, the car exited and headed toward the suburban outskirts of the provincial capital. This was a high-end residential area, and the old swindler had brought him here before for work. However, they had never ventured into the most exclusive villa districts. Yet today, that was exactly where they were headed.

The car drove past a lush garden and finally entered a private courtyard. The courtyard was built entirely in a traditional Chinese style, exuding an air of elegance and prestige. The owner was undoubtedly wealthy or influential. Officer Yang didn’t offer any explanations. Once they arrived, he led the two directly into the main hall and addressed the middle-aged man sitting in the seat of honor, who looked quite serious, “Sir, I’ve brought them.”

The middle-aged man nodded, scrutinizing Wei Yang before speaking in a deep voice, “You’re the young Master Wei from Jieshui Studio? I’ve heard about you. The reviews are quite positive.”

Who knows who had recommended them? Wei Yang gave a faint smile to this “leader” who could command police officers for private matters, “You flatter me, sir. But I thought we were being invited to assist with a police investigation. Why are we at a private residence? If you need environmental consulting, you could have just come to us. We’re open for business, no need for such a grand display.”

His tone carried no hesitation or surprise, instead radiating a natural calmness. Director Sun couldn’t help but curl his lips, “It seems you’ve already guessed it. Something strange has happened at my home, and we’re at a loss for solutions. That’s why we’ve come to you.”

With that, the man stood up and gestured, “Everyone’s here. Please follow me.”

He left no room for refusal, walking straight toward the inner courtyard. Wei Yang hadn’t even taken a step when Zhang Xiuqi moved first. Like in previous encounters with malevolent spirits, his expression was cold and resolute, and he immediately stepped forward without hesitation. However, his steps suddenly halted, as if remembering that he had a companion. Instead of walking ahead alone, he firmly grasped Wei Yang’s wrist and pulled him along.

This action far exceeded Wei Yang’s expectations. The chilling aura around Zhang Xiuqi hadn’t diminished, and in the past, it would have been a feat if he didn’t leave Wei Yang behind. How could he now be holding onto him so tightly? Yet, even though he knew what awaited him might be another terrifying ordeal, Wei Yang followed closely, unwilling and unable to stop. The fear that had haunted him for so long seemed to be slowly fading, replaced by something more urgent. If he had the ability, he didn’t want to be left behind again, nor did he want to watch that person disappear from sight, just like… just like… in that nightmare.

For some reason, Wei Yang suddenly recalled the nightmare he had the first time he met Zhang Xiuqi. In the dream, a man with a distorted face had strangled a poor woman, taking her life. He didn’t know who those two people were, but if there truly was an evil spirit at play, he couldn’t just stand by and watch that scene repeat itself.

The hand gripping his wrist was so firm. Wei Yang followed closely behind the Little Celestial Master as they walked through a long corridor and arrived at a bedroom door. Director Sun pushed the door open, and before the three of them could step inside, a pungent smell of disinfectant hit them. On the large iron bed facing the door, a man was tightly bound by several white straps, his neck twisted at an unnatural angle. From the doorway, it was impossible to see his face clearly. Around the bed stood a few people, and with just a glance, Wei Yang recognized more than one familiar face among them.