Chapter 39

Chapter 39

Xie Qingfeng checked the location, realizing it was at least a two-hour drive from their current spot. If it was a life-threatening situation, they might be too late.

Hao Jixin, also concerned, added, “What should we do, Master? I just tried calling him, but it’s out of service. Why isn’t Bian Shao in the hospital? Didn’t he learn from last time? Now he’s run off to a deserted village in a neighboring city.”

Having lived in C City for years, Hao Jixin was familiar with local places. His worry stemmed from Bian Shao’s location – a notorious spot on the outskirts.

The place had been abandoned for over a decade, following an incident where two families, totaling more than ten people, died. Since then, the village had become notorious for being unsettled, gradually deserted due to its sparse population. Recently, thrill-seekers ventured there for live-streams, seeking sensational content.

Bian Shao, who used to seek such thrills, had recently been hospitalized, his physical health intact but mentally shaken. He had developed a fever from fright and only recovered the next day.

Considering the recent revelations about Bian's illegitimate son, it was odd for Bian Shao to head to such a place amidst the family chaos.

Xie Qingfeng decisively said, “Let's check with Luan Boss first, then head that way.” He had just calculated Bian Shao’s fate, which was starkly different from their last encounter, indicating imminent death, and a particularly tragic one at that.

The critical time was just an hour away. Even if they rushed now, they likely wouldn't make it in time.

Xie Qingfeng, not wanting to disturb Hao Jixin's emotions or alert Luan Boss to any panic, didn’t mention these details. The trio quickly found a car and headed towards the location.

On the way, Hao Jixin finally got through to Luan Boss, who had been asleep after a birthday celebration at the bar the previous night. He had overslept, woken only by the persistent ringing of his phone.

Groggy at first, Luan Boss snapped to attention when Hao Jixin mentioned, “Bian Shao is in trouble,” instantly waking him up.

Through Luan Boss, Xie Qingfeng and the others learned about the recent events in the Bian family.

Once Bian Shao was confirmed safe at the hospital, Luan Boss contacted Bian's elder brother instead of their mother, fearing her reaction and the possibility of alarming their father prematurely.

Bian's elder brother was shocked to discover that their respected father had an illegitimate son of similar age and had even sacrificed his younger son's fate for this secret child.

Regardless of their father's awareness, the fact that he had an affair and recognized the illegitimate child while deceiving them was unforgivable. Bian's elder brother had been scrutinizing the company's finances, suspecting foul play in recent years.

Their father, possibly weakened by the backlash from the illegitimate son, had been using business trips as an excuse, inadvertently giving them a chance to uncover illicit financial activities.

Wiping his face, Luan Boss expressed confusion, “This doesn’t make sense. I spoke to Bian Shao yesterday. He said he wouldn’t wander around for the next half month, fearing that the illegitimate son might harm him. He was cautious about his safety. Oh right, when we hung up, he mentioned some friends were coming over. Could the issue be related to them?”

There wasn’t time to contemplate the nature of the problem. Xie Qingfeng instructed Luan Boss to immediately contact anyone who might know Bian Shao's whereabouts today. After hanging up, he asked Hao Jixin to find Bian Shao’s live-streaming account to see if he was broadcasting.

Hao Jixin, sensing the gravity of the situation, didn’t dare ask further. It was rare to see Xie Qingfeng so solemn. Finding the account, he breathed a sigh of relief seeing the words [Live Streaming], almost laughing at the absurdity of the situation.

"But the screen was black, with occasional signal issues, though the voice was faintly audible: 'Are you dumb? You nearly got me killed. I was about to explain when you scared me, and my phone fell into the pond... Does your phone even work? Can’t you log in, no signal?'"

"'Hey, got a signal now. Where did he go?' Amid various sounds and a shaky camera, the screen finally cleared to reveal Bian Shao's panicked face, almost pressed against the screen. Ignoring the laughing comments from viewers who thought it was a novel live stream, he said despairingly, 'Master, my phone fell into the pond. If you see this live stream, contact my assistant’s phone number, it’s...'"

"Turning to ask his assistant, the assistant quickly rattled off a string of numbers."

"[hhh is this phone number real or fake?]"

"Frowning, Xie Qingfeng turned to Hao Jixin: 'Call now.' They clearly didn’t take Bian Shao's words seriously, thinking it was a dare. If they delayed, that phone number would probably be overwhelmed with calls."

"Hao Jixin immediately made the call, and the other side picked up right away, exiting the live stream: 'Ah, Master, save me! My phone fell into a pond. I didn't misbehave or run off. My friends said they would take me on a vacation to relax. I was worried my mom would wonder why I suddenly stayed at home, so I came along. But then I realized they had tricked me, and it was already too late...' What kind of lousy friends are these? Wait till I get back, I'll make them pay. But what if I end up losing my life here?"

"However, Xie Qingfeng interrupted Bian Shao: 'We'll talk about this later. How many people are with you right now?'"

"Bian Shao honestly replied, 'Just a personal assistant.'"

"Xie Qingfeng asked, 'Do you have any live streaming equipment with you, or is this the only working phone?'"

"Bian Shao looked almost ready to cry, 'This is the only one left. My phone is in the pond. I wasn't planning to live stream, so I didn't bring any equipment.' Otherwise, he wouldn't have had to use the phone for live streaming. Luckily, he thought of this, or he wouldn't have been able to contact the Master, since all his friends' contact details were on his own phone, and his assistant didn’t know them."

"Xie Qingfeng instructed, 'We are an hour and a half away from your location, which is too late. Next, start a live stream, connect with Hao Jixin, and follow my instructions.'"

"Bian Shao quickly agreed, but then suddenly shivered, his voice trembling, 'Master... am I going to die soon?' Otherwise, why would the Master suddenly instruct him to connect, considering the distance was a bit far and he could wait for an hour and a half."

"Hao Jixin also looked at Xie Qingfeng, feeling uneasy, though he wasn’t familiar with Bian Shao. A life was at stake, after all."

"Xie Qingfeng's voice was calming, 'Just follow my instructions later, and you won’t be in danger.'"

"Those last four words acted like a shot of adrenaline for Bian Shao, who immediately promised, 'I will listen.'"

"Hao Jixin, a former internet celebrity with many followers, hadn’t live streamed since joining the Master. But now, to assist, he had to use live streaming to show the Master the surroundings and enable voice and video communication. So, the only option was to connect two live streaming accounts."

"Hao Jixin covered the camera lens before starting his live stream."

"Since exposing the fake young master Xie Weihuan, Hao Jixin had disappeared, and his fans had lost hope. Suddenly seeing their favorite streamer online, they flocked to the stream, only to find a dark screen, no greeting, and a connection to another broadcaster?"

"[Jinjinjin, have you become too big for us? Why aren't you showing your face? Are you leaving the industry?]"

"[Hey, isn’t that the famous paranormal broadcaster recently?]"

"[Really? A paranormal broadcaster? What’s the story?]"

"[Hahaha, this broadcaster was on the trending list a few days ago for a paranormal show that seemed quite realistic, especially one supporting actor who gained tons of fans just with his waist. Sadly, that broadcaster hasn’t been online since that day.]"

"[Someone even made a meme video of Bian Shao. I almost died laughing.]"

"The chat was flooded with messages, but as soon as the streamer [Bian Shao] connected, his face almost smacked into the camera: 'Is it connected? Master, can you see me? I can’t see you from here.'"

"[??? Master? What’s going on?]"

"[Another stunt?]"

"Fans of both streamers were confused: What’s happening?"

"Hao Jixin and Bian Shao were too preoccupied to mind their fans. Hao Jixin said, 'I’ve covered the camera on my end, so it's not convenient to show myself. Don’t worry, just hold your phone up higher and show the Master your surroundings.'"

"Without any hesitation, Bian Shao lifted his phone high, circling around to give the clearest view possible. Waiting for the connection, he couldn’t help feeling an eerie chill despite the blazing sun overhead."

"Xie Qingfeng expressionless, took Hao Jixin’s phone and looked at the scene on the screen."

"Bian Shao was near a pond, surrounded by dense weeds and trees, with an old village visible in the distance. The first thing that caught the eye in the camera was the large, shimmering pond, followed by a towering locust tree almost reaching the sky beside Bian Shao."

"[Hey, where is this? The scenery looks nice, and the water’s so clear. Wouldn’t it be awesome to take a bath here in the summer?]"

"[Hahaha, what’s Bian Shao doing? Isn't it hot standing under the sun? Why not stand under that big tree?]"

"Bian Shao saw this comment, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and realized he had been foolishly standing in the sun."

"As he was about to move, he heard the Master's voice from Hao Jixin’s account: 'Don’t go near that locust tree.'"

【？？】

"Bian Shao immediately stopped, but out of curiosity, he couldn’t help asking, 'Master, why? Is there something wrong with that tree?'"

"Xie Qingfeng focused on the locust tree, still emanating an ominous aura even under the bright sun: 'Locust trees attract ghosts.'"

"Those four simple words made Bian Shao's eyes widen in shock. He hurriedly moved as far away from the tree as possible, his assistant clinging to him, trembling: 'W-w-were we almost, almost...?'"

"[Hahaha, oh man, Bian Shao, did you forget you’re supposed to be fearless and skeptical about ghosts? You got scared just because of 'attracts ghosts'?]"

"[Yeah, the other streamer’s voice is actually pretty nice.]"

"Hao Jixin's fans were even more bewildered: That's not their streamer’s voice, and it sounded eerily familiar."

"Xie Qingfeng had been wondering why Bian Shao would face such a terrible fate in broad daylight. Seeing the locust tree, his brows furrowed, and his headache intensified upon noticing the pond's water rippling without wind: 'Stay away from the pond as well.'"

"Bian Shao, now too scared to move, asked desperately, 'Master, is there anywhere safe I can go?' He couldn’t shake the feeling that something sinister lurked around him, even in the daytime."

"Xie Qingfeng directed Bian Shao to point his phone camera forward: 'Walk in the direction I tell you, don’t stay there.' Especially after seeing the shadows beneath the locust tree distorted by the rippling water, emitting a faint dark aura."

"Xie Qingfeng didn’t explain directly, fearing it would terrify Bian Shao and render him immobile, especially considering his assistant's frail appearance."

"Bian Shao and his assistant, clinging to each other, scanned their surroundings with the phone. Upon hearing Xie Qingfeng’s command to stop, they started walking forward."

"They came to a large patch of overgrown grass, obstructing their path. With only a narrow, seemingly man-made path on the right, Bian Shao asked, 'Master, how do we proceed?' There seemed to be no other way."

"[Obviously, take that path. There's no other way around.]"

"[Hmm, I have a feeling this 'Master' will tell Bian Shao to walk through the grass, hhh. Is Bian Shao being pranked? Where did they find this 'Master' who leads him where there’s no path?]"

"Seeing the comment, Bian Shao immediately defended the Master: 'Don’t talk nonsense. The Master saved my life before. If it weren't for him, I’d be dead by now. I’d walk through knives if he told me to!' He trusted the Master's guidance implicitly."

"Xie Qingfeng's expression grew more serious. He instructed, 'Walk through the grass in front of you, slowly, and point the phone camera towards the ground.'"

"Without hesitation, Bian Shao did as told, parting the grass and taking the first step."

"Sensing Xie Qingfeng’s unease, Jing Xiu leaned in and whispered, 'What's happening?'"

"Their voices low enough for only them to hear, Xie Qingfeng shared his concern that someone had laid a trap for Bian Shao's life. He would need Jing Xiu's help later, given Jing Xiu's superior agility and combat skills."

"Xie Qingfeng confided, 'He has only half an hour left. I’ll try to buy him an hour. Once we're there, you go ahead and rescue him.' Jing Xiu’s strong yang energy and martial skills would be crucial."

"Preparing for the worst, fearing Bian Shao might not last until they arrived."

"Jing Xiu, without hesitation, agreed: 'As the National Teacher commands.'"

"Xie Qingfeng, momentarily taken aback by Jing Xiu's formal address, gave him a puzzled look. He sensed something odd in his words but had no time to ponder as they were on a rescue mission."

"Bian Shao and his assistant, pushing through the overgrown grass, quickly accumulated numerous scratches on their arms. The chat debated whether Bian Shao was being tricked, with some recalling the last stream and trusting the Master's guidance, while others thought the path would have been a better choice."

"After walking for over ten minutes, they suddenly came across a swamp."

"Bian Shao and his assistant, scratching their heads, were about to detour and continue through the surrounding underbrush, but Xie Qingfeng instructed them not to take a detour and to head straight forward."

"The watching fans on both sides were perplexed: ???"

"Before they could even recover and send messages, Bian Shao and his assistant, without any hesitation, stepped onto the swamp with their eyes closed."

"The audience was shocked: 'What the heck??? Are they crazy? They just walked over it?'"

"But in the next moment, both sets of viewers were stunned into silence, their half-typed messages forgotten, as they saw the swampy ground transform into a field of tall grass as soon as Bian Shao stepped on it: ???"

"If it weren’t a live stream, everyone would have thought they were seeing things. What just happened?"

"Bian Shao and his assistant also felt the prickly grass under their feet and opened their eyes to a sight of tall weeds, breathing a sigh of relief: 'As expected of the Master. Did we just encounter an illusion? Everywhere else must be... a trap?'"

"Both of them were trembling, and even the camera on their phone was shaking, turning the previously jovial atmosphere among the audience into one of heart-pounding suspense."

"[Is this for real... Did we just witness a ghost hitting the wall? What was that just now?]"

"Just a moment ago, it was a vast swamp, and then it turned back into a thicket of weeds with a single step?"

"Finally, when they emerged from the grassland and stood on higher ground, looking down, they saw ** right in front of them."

"When they first arrived, Bian Shao had felt uncomfortable in this place. Now, looking at it, it felt eerie and chilling, making him break out in cold sweat despite the summer heat."

"'Master, should we keep going?' He turned the camera towards his face."

"Xie Qingfeng looked at Bian Shao’s facial features. Five minutes from now was his previously predicted time of misfortune: 'Are you wearing any jade?'"

"Bian Shao responded, 'Yes, I am. The Guan Gong statue I had last time broke, and my brother got me a new one. I always carry it with me.' He then showed the Guan Gong pendant hanging around his neck."

"Seeing the Guan Gong pendant, Xie Qingfeng’s expression softened slightly: 'You and your assistant sit down right where you are, holding the Guan Gong jade, facing the sun. Close your eyes, and I’ll teach you an incantation to ward off evil. Recite it continuously for the next five minutes without stopping.'"

"Bian Shao and his assistant exchanged a glance, seeing fear and uncertainty in each other's eyes, but decided to follow the Master's instructions: 'Okay, we’ll do as the Master says.'"

"The two sat down as instructed, holding the Guan Gong statue and facing the sun. They propped the phone on a rock, closed their eyes, and began silently reciting the incantation taught by Xie Qingfeng."

"The chat grew eerily quiet for a moment, the viewers feeling uneasy and anxious as they watched Bian Shao’s actions."

"Xie Qingfeng watched the time on his watch, while Hao Jixin beside him dared not even breathe too loudly. He seemed to understand the gravity of the situation, alternating his gaze between the time and the live stream, feeling a mix of anxiety and fear but unable to speak."

"Time seemed to stretch on until, as the second hand ticked its final second, the sound of the jade shattering crisply filled the air. The jade broke into countless pieces, scattering on the ground before them, leaving the already tense audience in utter shock: !!!"

"Simultaneously, as the clock ticked past the critical second, Bian Shao and his assistant remained unharmed."