Author: 年终 / Nian Zhong

Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/

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Chapter 52: Emergency Exit

In the time that followed, Fang Xiu had no choice but to give his ghost a crash course on modern apps.

After spending a day in the human world, Bai Shuangying caught on quickly. He believed “apps” were illusions crafted by humans using programming techniques and required a screen to manifest.

Illusions created by evil spirits consumed yin energy while those created by humans consumed electricity. Both aimed to captivate the human mind. The difference wasn’t all that great.

Fang Xiu was silent for a long while, unable to find a single point to refute.

“Not a bad spell, but the name is too peculiar.” Bai Shuangying commented, “The phone’s too small, and the illusions here are too strong. At this point, tracing by karma is more reliable… Why are you laughing?”

“No reason. Just feels like we’re real partners.”

Fang Xiu lowered his shoulder beneath the “surface” to let Bai Shuangying’s true form flow over his wound. The pain had made it burn before, but now it felt like a cold tongue was licking the injury, more soothing than a hot bath.

After a while, Bai Shuangying finally responded. “Neither of us likes this place. Naturally, we should work together.”

“How about you eat some headless spirits first?” Fang Xiu worried again, remembering his ghost hadn’t eaten in a day and a night.

The jade Buddha was too precious to use, but he could feed the small token to the meal card.

Bai Shuangying: “You’re missing limbs. You should keep it for protection.”

“No other options?” Fang Xiu sighed. “Like, maybe don’t kill anyone, just shave off a bit of their living soul?”

Bai Shuangying: “There is.”

Fang Xiu: “I knew it was—wait, what? You said there is?!”

Bai Shuangying nodded distractedly. “There are three main ways for evil spirits to consume living souls.”

“First, killing to take the soul. That’s what we’ve always done.”

“Second, setting up arrays to raise evil spirits. Practitioners can draw formations to extract essence and soul energy to nourish evil spirits, either to control them or gain protection.”

In the clear mountain woods, Bai Shuangying’s tone was calm and soft like a cold mountain spring.

Fang Xiu listened intently. “Won’t extracting living soul energy harm the body?”

“No. The soul is like the body. So long as the core isn’t harmed, it can recover.” Bai Shuangying said, “Compared to the body, this is like ‘donating blood’.”

Fang Xiu was tempted. “Then I could…”

“The technique is complex, and you know nothing of the metaphysics,” Bai Shuangying interrupted mercilessly.

Fang Xiu: “…” There’s even a technical barrier?!

Depressed, Fang Xiu asked, “What’s the third method?”

Bai Shuangying: “Third is dual cultivation through intercourse. Evil spirits use sex to harvest essence… Don’t humans love fox spirits and sexy ghosts?”

Before Fang Xiu could react, Bai Shuangying added objectively, “This one you could actually do.”

Fang Xiu froze for two seconds before diving headfirst into Bai Shuangying’s form.

Seeing him curl up into a ball and grow hotter, Bai Shuangying force-cooled him for several seconds. Fang Xiu eventually stuck his head back out.

“I’ll destroy Huanxi E soon. I promise.”

Bai Shuangying looked confused. “What are you so nervous about? I’m not a lust spirit. I won’t do anything to you…”

But before he could finish, Fang Xiu plunged back in, even hotter than before.

……

By noon, Fang Xiu’s body temperature finally returned to normal.

He ate as usual, then fed the mushroom trio. Only Cheng Songyun and Guan He came to get food today. Jia Xu, Blondie, and Mei Lan didn’t show.

Fang Xiu mussed his hair in the mirror, rumpled his clothes, and perfected his “vagrant” disguise before picking up two roast chickens and knocking on Jia Xu’s door.

Bai Shuangying followed, a bit puzzled at what scheme Fang Xiu was brewing.

Jia Xu answered himself, reeking of meat and alcohol. Seeing Fang Xiu’s empty sleeve, a flicker of triumph passed through his eyes.

“Oh no, Fang Xiu, what happened to you? How’d you end up like this?” Jia Xu clicked his tongue sympathetically and stepped aside.

Inside were Blondie and Mei Lan. Jia Xu’s room had power and was brightly lit with various lamps even during the day.

The air conditioning was blasting despite the mild weather.

A large TV played games with booming speakers.

Blondie yelled while holding a controller, surrounded by open snack bags.

Mei Lan sat at the table eating. There were flowers in a vase, several bottles of red wine uncorked, and a spread of elaborate dishes that were Eastern and Western cuisines mixed together, barely fitting on the table.

Seeing Fang Xiu injured, a flicker of guilt crossed her eyes.

Jia Xu took the roast chickens and casually stuffed them into the fridge.

“Sit, sit.” He handed Fang Xiu a list. “Here’s that premium ‘Service Menu’ I promised to show you.”

Fang Xiu took the menu. It now looked anything but tacky, bound in leather with elegant gold embossing.

[Huanxi World Premium VIP Service Menu]

◆ One Night of Pleasure: 100 Chips

◆ Top-shelf Liquor & Tobacco: 100 Chips

◆ Gold & Jewelry: 100 Chips

◆ Room Unlock: 1000 Chips [Redeemed]

◆ Unlimited Premium Meals: 1000 Chips [Redeemed]

◆ 13 Pounds of Human Flesh: 1000 Chips

◆ Perfect Companion: 10,000 Chips / Each

◆ Mansion of Your Choice: 10,000 Chips / Each

◆ Recreate Loved Ones: 10,000 Chips / Each

~Special Offer~

High-End VIP trades: No fees!

Special tools & scales available in-room!

Special needs (e.g., pets, prosthetics) available at the service desk!

Fang Xiu read it carefully.

The food, meal, and clothing options were gone. In their place, offerings requiring tens of thousands of chips had been added.

In other words, one could now fulfill every desire short of “travel” with enough chips, even recreating loved ones from memory.

Jia Xu: “Pretty impressive, right? Even I was shocked.”

His tone didn’t sound “shocked” but rather smug.

Fang Xiu smirked. “Didn’t you only have 1296 chips? How’d you redeem 2000 chips’ worth of services?”

“Jia Ge’s magic item is amazing.” Blondie paused his game.

“Uncle Hou—the fat guy in the foyer—took a liking to him. Called it making friends, and just unlocked unlimited meals for Jia Ge, no payment needed.”

Fang Xiu simply replied with an “oh”.

Blondie: “Hey man, don’t take this the wrong way, but we’ve been eating your roast chicken and snacks nonstop. We’re kinda sick of it now. These meals are top tier. You can order whatever.”

He sighed with envy. “Too bad Uncle Hou didn’t like my sexy drawing. Dude redeemed two ‘Perfect Companions’ who stay with him 24/7. What a life…”

Jia Xu coughed. “I only unlocked room functions. Now I have power, water, internet. I still have 296 chips left. Uncle Hou gave me 4 more to round it up to 300.”

Fang Xiu: “So… Are you planning to live here long-term?”

Jia Xu didn’t answer directly, instead nodding toward Fang Xiu’s left shoulder:

“That injury is from breaking a taboo, huh?”

“Yes.” Fang Xiu didn’t hide the pain and cold sweat.

“I told you yesterday… Even if you couldn’t accept it right away, you should’ve at least gambled once.” Jia Xu sighed loudly. “We’re teammates. If you’re worried about losing your chips, I can lend you some.”

Fang Xiu asked bluntly, “You gamble a lot outside too?”

“Mostly online. Been to a few casinos in Country A.”

Jia Xu held a cigar in his mouth and lit it. “Work is stressful. I just play a few rounds to blow off steam. I’m good with numbers.”

Fang Xiu stared silently.

Uncomfortable under the gaze, Jia Xu added, “Uncle Hou said you’re welcome to borrow chips. He won’t even charge interest. You’ve got 24 hours. Your arm can still be reclaimed.”

“How much did you say?” Fang Xiu suddenly asked.

“Wha-What…”

“You’ve already explained our magic weapons. Uncle Hou knows who I am. So, you’ve probably shared our skills and pasts too, right?”

Blondie interjected, “Hey, hey! Don’t accuse Jia Ge like that! He just called our stuff ‘ghost techniques’. He didn’t go into details…”

In the first two rituals, he and Jia Xu had less experience than Mei Lan.

Having suffered setbacks with Lao Jin, Jia Xu was playing it vague this time.

Of course, he hadn’t admitted Fang Xiu was the team’s de facto leader and just said Fang Xiu was smart.

“Uncle Hou said you can come over anytime. He said since we’re all Jia Ge’s friends, he’ll treat us well.”

Blondie returned to his game. “I think this place is great… I’m living it up.”

Jia Xu stayed silent, just watching Fang Xiu.

Fang Xiu had pretty much guessed it. Uncle Hou sent them to test the waters.

“You’re giving up on the first day? Not even gonna try?” Fang Xiu raised his voice, feigning irritation. “We’re here to break the E, not vacation. So, you three are giving up on returning to the human world?”

Blondie: “Dude, look at your state. What are you saying?”

Jia Xu exhaled a puff of smoke. “I think we should talk about this more. Just because you lost an arm doesn’t mean you need to go all-in.”

“Don’t be stubborn tonight. I can introduce you to Uncle Hou. Even if you don’t want to meet him, at least win once. There’s still time…”

Then, in an unusual display of softness, he said, “If you don’t know the rules, I can teach you. You’re smart. Winning should be easy.”

Fang Xiu said nothing.

“I’ll think about it. No promises.” He replied after a while.

Jia Xu nodded with a knowing smile.

“So, what about you three? If I don’t go to the casino, will you help me tonight?” Fang Xiu asked, “I’ve made some discoveries I can share. We still have enough human meat that you won’t need to break taboos.”

Jia Xu smiled helplessly and refused.

Blondie pretended not to hear.

Mei Lan hesitated but said nothing in the end.

Before leaving, Fang Xiu glanced at the feast-laden table.

Jia Xu kindly asked, “Want to take some with you?”

Fang Xiu shook his head and stood outside the door, looking at Jia Xu.

“We’re teammates, so here’s a tip: better not use that Luck Borrowing Dice too much.”

Jia Xu grinned. “Of course. I’m not stupid.”

Fang Xiu was silent for a few seconds, then shut the door.

As soon as it closed, Fang Xiu covered his mouth and gagged.

Bai Shuangying reached for his forehead, but Fang Xiu gently stopped him.

“…I’m fine,” Fang Xiu wiped his face. “Just a little nauseous.”

Bai Shuangying was confused. Jia Xu and Blondie had always been unpleasant. Why such a reaction now?

Then he realized. “You sensed it.”

It was a statement, not a question.

Fang Xiu replied weakly, “Yeah. But don’t bring it up…especially not in front of Song Zheng and the others.”

He shut his eyes, trying to forget the image of that table of food.

In Weishan Village, the food came from offerings preserved by yin energy.

In the Mid-Autumn E, the illusion food was inedible.

But here, corrupted by Huanxi E, everything felt real.

Illusions could distort hunger, temperature, and even give you dreams of spring nights, but they couldn’t fill your stomach. “Unlimited gourmet meals”? Really? Whatever you wanted to eat, you can have it? How was that possible?

…Yet people survived here long-term, which meant they must have eaten something that existed in reality.

…And there was only one thing that could be supplied here continuously.

“13 pounds of meat lasts quite a while,” Fang Xiu muttered. “Hope they don’t eat me tomorrow. How creepy.”

……

That night.

While waiting in the foyer, glances kept coming from Uncle Hou’s side.

Fang Xiu squatted in a corner, putting on a pained, conflicted look and stealing glances toward Uncle Hou.

Cheng Songyun and Guan He silently stood by, with Fang Xiu specifically asking Guan He to keep his distance.

Jia Xu was chatting animatedly with a young man wearing glasses near Uncle Hou and didn’t try to persuade Fang Xiu.

At 6:30, the crowd surged into the casino.

Fang Xiu’s group remained in the foyer, along with Song Zheng.

Once it emptied, Fang Xiu’s fragile expression vanished instantly.

“We’re set.” Song Zheng said. “Xiao Tian and Xiao Li are tracking Jia Xu. That guy’s cozying up with A’Qing, so he’s easy to spot.”

“With Xiao Tian on it, he won’t get away. But why are you watching Jia Xu? Isn’t he your teammate?”

“Think of him as a barometer for fortune,” Fang Xiu smiled.

Song Zheng didn’t get it but didn’t pry.

He looked toward the dazzling casino gate. “If I follow you tonight, we’ll need to pay 13 pounds of human meat. Sure about that?”

Even though his instincts weren’t on alert, he had to ask. Fang Xiu had provided his entire group with food and water, so he didn’t mind breaking the taboo once. One corpse wasn’t enough to share, and Fang Xiu had actually taken out 13 pounds of meat to hire him.

“We won’t be here long.” Fang Xiu winked.

The four of them approached the narrow door labeled “Emergency Exit”.

Out of the corner of his eye, Fang Xiu saw the casino greeters. Not only were they not tense, but their smiles grew even wider.

Fang Xiu retracted his gaze and looked at the narrow door.

It was tiny, no bigger than a bathroom door, and pitch-black beyond the threshold.

The Huanxi E was a gambling app.

The casino and apartments were gambling scenes.

So what did this door represent?

Song Zheng was also scrutinizing it. “I have a bad feeling…”

“This is just the beginning,” Fang Xiu said darkly. “The Huanxi E is powerful. There will be traps. All of you, stay sharp. Don’t trust your senses too much.”

Everyone nodded.

Cheng Songyun clutched her prayer beads and Guan He put on his spirit-vision blindfold.

Curious, Song Zheng examined them, then flipped his left hand.

A brass seismoscope appeared on the back of it. It was small and hovered above the back of his hand. Its eight dragons pointed in eight directions, unmoving as Song Zheng shifted.

Seeing Fang Xiu looking intrigued, Song Zheng explained, “This is my reward for breaking an E, the ‘Murder-Intent Seismoscope’.”

“If anyone nearby harbors murderous intent toward me, a ball will drop from the matching dragon’s mouth and sound an alert.”

“Great choice.” Fang Xiu raised an eyebrow. This skill paired perfectly with Song Zheng’s enhanced intuition.

Song Zheng edged the device toward the door. There was no reaction.

Relieved, he said, “Let’s go in. I’ll take the lead.”

“You two take the middle. I’ll cover the rear,” Fang Xiu instructed.

Song Zheng took a deep breath and stepped into the darkness.

Right before entering, Fang Xiu looked back towards the casino. Seeing that they had no intention of entering, the two greeters were about to close the gate. However, while their head remained still, their face kept twisting to the point where it moved to the side and kept staring at him.

Seeing Song Zheng enter, the smiles on their faces became even brighter. Their two beautiful faces became completely distorted, their eyes narrowed to the point where it almost disappeared, and the corners of their mouths were raised so high it came to their cheekbones.

No human could smile like that.

Fang Xiu took a breath and crossed the threshold.

As soon as he and Bai Shuangying had just stepped in, the door slammed shut. Instantly, the space was pitch-black, filled only with the scent of dust and decay.

Fang Xiu raised his remaining right hand, igniting a red flame.

The ghost-fire illuminated four faces. After observing the surroundings, everyone’s faces were even gloomier than the environment.

Afraid of losing his human, Bai Shuangying pinched the hem of Fang Xiu’s T-shirt.

No wonder. This place was bizarre.

It looked like a “masterpiece” made by “a friend who studied animation for three years”.

Twisting staircases defied gravity and logic, like Escher and Penrose gone wrong, without a hint of artistry.

They were at the bottom. Ahead were three or four staircases leading up, each splitting endlessly.

The ghost-fire didn’t reach far. Who knew where they led?

Song Zheng hissed, “Shit, is this luck-based too?”

How long would it take to reach the end?! And these were illusions… If they stepped wrong in the real world and fell… Well, that would be quite fun.

Guan He no longer reflexively looked to Fang Xiu. He tried to analyze. “Like the casino, we probably have five hours. If we don’t clear it in time, we’ll be forced to exit.”

“These beads can’t suppress the illusion.” Cheng Songyun tightly clenched her beads as she gritted her teeth. “This is ridiculous.”

Their brief hope was crushed by this chaotic scene.

No wonder no one explored here. Compared to this hellhole, gambling was easier.

Fang Xiu: “No wonder the ‘Emergency Exit’ wasn’t lit. Turns out it’s not safe at all.”

Then he realized something. “Song Zheng, you guys never entered this before?”

“No,” Song Zheng said honestly. “We saw other teams try. The lucky ones lost half, the unlucky ones were wiped out.”

“Even with intuition and luck, it’s not worth gambling our lives.”

“But you came in now,” Guan He said. With Fang Xiu here, he wasn’t scared.

Song Zheng shrugged. “We’re running out of chips. Can’t just wait to die. My intuition’s quiet. Should we just pick a path?”

The four stood in silence at the foot of the stairs.

Fang Xiu leaned close to Bai Shuangying and whispered, “Can you dispel this illusion?”

“This place is different from the guest rooms. The Huanxi E’s power is very strong,” Bai Shuangying explained.

He could force it, but doing so meant confronting the Huanxi E directly and drawing the Underworld’s attention.

And Bai Shuangying wasn’t in the habit of sacrificing himself to warm humans. Letting Fang Xiu soak in his true form was already the limit.

“…However, I do have a suggestion.”

His pale eyes slowly turned to look at Cheng Songyun.

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The author has something to say:

Oh, of course they’ll end up using the third method to feed his ghost.

That’s the real Unlimited Premium Meals. Fang Xiu eats enough for the both of them~

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