chapter 16

“Go to your own rooms, I have things to take care of!” Liu Hao said coldly, his face dark, tossing out the words before turning on his heel and leaving.

I saw Uncle Yang wiping his tears, my heart churning. I went over and gently patted his shoulder, comforting him, “Uncle, let’s go rest for now.”

“Alright, alright.” Uncle Yang forced himself to hold back his grief and nodded to me.

The man Liu Hao left behind led us to our accommodations.

As we passed by Taoist Priest Sun, I stopped and asked, “Are you two old acquaintances?”

“What?” Taoist Priest Sun glared at me.

“My Master and Mr. Liu have been friends for many years. If it weren’t for Mr. Liu, my Master wouldn’t have agreed to come!” Taoist Priest Sun’s Eldest Disciple said proudly.

“So that’s how it is.” I nodded, pulling a few sheets of Gold Foil from the incense table.

“What are you doing now?” Taoist Priest Sun demanded.

“Borrowing a few sheets of paper.” I waved the Gold Foil in my hand and said lightly, “Don’t worry, I’ll return them. Even if you die, I’ll burn them for you.”

“Who are you cursing?” Taoist Priest Sun was furious.

I smiled at him and turned to leave.

Liu Hao had someone arrange three rooms for us, all in the rather secluded southeast corner of the house.

“You two plan to stay as well?”

I saw Iron Head and Little Pole had followed us, so I asked them.

“Um… Could you show us a way out, save us brothers?” Iron Head nervously rubbed his hands as he asked.

I glanced at him, “Just keep that Talisman around your neck and don’t take it off. Nothing will happen for now.”

“So… does that mean something will happen eventually?”

Iron Head shivered at my words, his legs giving out as he collapsed onto a chair. “You have to help us, we’re still young, none of us are even married yet!”

I folded the Gold Foil I’d taken from Taoist Priest Sun into a Gold Ingot, and asked in surprise, “You’re almost forty and still not married?”

“You must be mistaken, I just look old, I’m actually not even thirty!” Iron Head explained bitterly.

Little Pole quickly chimed in, “Iron Head is only a few years older than me. We’ve been together since we were kids, he just looks mature!”

I hummed in response and got up to walk to the door.

Iron Head and Little Pole hurried after me, watching me anxiously, not daring to speak.

“Where are your three brothers?” I asked Iron Head.

“Still guarding the gate!” Iron Head replied quickly.

I couldn’t help but glance back at him, “Do you really want them to die young?”

“Huh?” Iron Head’s face changed dramatically. He quickly pulled out his phone to call them, but after a long time, couldn’t get through. He cursed in frustration, “What a crappy phone, why is there no signal!”

“Sometimes when the evil energy is too strong, it interferes with the signal,” I explained calmly.

Iron Head shuddered and kicked Little Pole, “Go, hurry up and get them all here, quick!”

Little Pole didn’t dare delay and ran off immediately.

Soon, he returned with three men, one of whom was holding a towel to his nose, his shirt stained with blood.

Iron Head hurriedly took off the Talisman from his own neck and put it on the friend with the nosebleed, then nervously ran over to ask me what to do.

I watched and smiled, “You’re pretty loyal.”
“Alas, all of us grew up together without parents. Loyalty isn’t really our thing!” Iron Head sighed.

I took out seven specially refined Copper Coins and handed them five. “Hold them tight in your palms, don’t lose them. Give them back to me later.”

“Yes, yes!” Iron Head hurriedly took them, distributed the Copper Coins among his brothers, and kept one for himself.

I then gave the other two Copper Coins to Driver Zhang and Uncle Yang.

“Something will definitely happen tonight. Even if someone dies, it’s normal. You have two choices: either run now and get far away, or stay here and see if there’s any chance for a turnaround.” I said to Iron Head and the others.

“Someone might die?” Driver Zhang exclaimed.

Everyone’s faces turned pale.

“We’ll stay here!” Iron Head said without hesitation.

Seeing me looking at him, he quickly explained with a smile, “Didn’t you just say that if we run, we won’t survive for long anyway? It’s better to stick with you and fight it out.”

“Driver Zhang, Uncle Yang, let’s not sleep tonight. Let’s all sit together, brew some tea, and chat through the night,” I said to the two of them.

“Alright.” Both nodded.

Uncle Yang said guiltily, “It’s all my fault for dragging you into this.”

“Hey, old brother, don’t say that. I’m just like Boss Xiaolin, just happened to get caught up in this!” Driver Zhang laughed.

I gave Driver Zhang a thumbs up. Though this elder was just a driver, he had a heroic spirit.

Iron Head and Little Pole brought in tea and snacks. Everyone squeezed into one room, drinking tea and staying up through the night.

The night was deep, outside was deathly silent, not even a dog’s bark could be heard. The quiet was suffocating.

Just as midnight arrived, at eleven o’clock, I asked Little Pole to bring a basin of clean water and set it on the table.

Then I tossed the folded Gold Ingot into the water.

Driver Zhang and the others watched curiously, crowding around and sitting nearby.

I rested my chin on one hand, my arm propped on the table, and gently tapped the tabletop with the other hand.

As the table vibrated, the water in the basin quivered, sending out ripples.

The Gold Ingot, however, stayed fixed in the center of the basin, as if a hand beneath the water was holding it in place, not moving at all.

Suddenly, I stopped tapping the table. The ripples on the water gradually calmed, but the Gold Ingot suddenly moved, turning toward the Southwest.

Driver Zhang and the others exclaimed in surprise, then quickly covered their mouths.

I watched for a while, then got up and walked to the window.

At that moment, a shrill scream came from the direction of the Inner Courtyard.

“What’s going on?” Everyone inside was startled.

Immediately after, there was chaos outside, with hurried, panicked footsteps echoing beyond the room.

“Should we go out and take a look?” Iron Head asked, uncertain and nervous.

I said, “Go ahead, you go check.”

“Ah? Just… just me? You’re not…” Iron Head’s face turned pale instantly.

I looked at him. “What?”

“N-nothing!” Iron Head kicked Little Pole. “Come on, you’re coming with me!”

The two of them gripped the Copper Coins tightly, took a deep breath, and opened the door to step outside.

“Iron Head, be careful out there! Don’t let anything happen!” Their three brothers reminded them kindly.

“Bah, bah, bah!” came Iron Head’s exasperated curse from outside.