Lord Sigma

As time went by, more and more young people crowded in front of the [Terror Artist] store. Most of them were curious onlookers, while others were scalpers selling tickets to newcomers.

Three groups of people gathered outside the newsstand where they were sheltering from the rain, surrounding the older thugs. The students then took out half a month's worth of meal tickets to offer cigarettes and smile obsequiously, hoping to get a novel, wonderful, and terrifying journey from these gangsters.

This made Xue Ming feel very uneasy--

--Because it felt like this wasn't a murder mystery game shop, but rather a ticket vending point in the underground world.

The limited-edition tickets in the hands of scalpers also possess an added value far exceeding their original value, as if they could change a person's destiny.

All that could be heard was the ox's loud shouts, trying to drive away the poor student beside him who was short of money but bold and careful.

"Get out of the way! If you don't have money, stand back! You've been scraping together money for ages and only managed to come up with 1,800? You think you can wait until the 6th of next month with that little bit of money? Come back next year!"

A small group of senior students from the Third Experimental High School left disappointed. There were four brothers in one dormitory. Judging from their clothes, they were probably from ordinary families in the city who couldn't afford to let the kids splurge. However, they still saved money by cutting back on their meals and using their meal cards to get the money.

As the dormitory leader walked away, the four brothers murmured to themselves, heads bowed like stray dogs, as if they were dirty criminals fleeing with their tails between their legs.

A silent violence overwhelmed these people. Simply because they couldn't afford tickets, or because they had asked scalpers to let them in a few days early, this reckless request was seen as contempt and insult by the others present—as if they had broken the rules and deserved to die.

Xue Ming didn't understand. He hurriedly walked out of the alley and caught up with the group of people.

The dormitory leader, who was leading the group, lowered his head and hurried along, afraid that his friends from the same school would recognize him. If people remembered him and kept bringing this up, his academic life for the next year or so would probably be difficult.

When a dark shadow blocked his way, the dormitory head immediately looked up, looking as guilty as a child who had done something wrong.

Xue Ming: "Why are you so scared?"

"Who are you?" The dormitory head's heart shifted from extreme fear to extreme alarm. Seeing that the person in front of him was a short, weak man of similar height, a wicked thought immediately arose in his mind. He was worried about not having money for a ticket, and this was a helpful ally, a good brother, delivered right to his doorstep. "Lend me some money? Please?"

Xue Ming was very curious and simply asked, "Why are you so scared? Did you do something wrong?"

The four roommates exchanged knowing glances and, as if on cue, formed a four-corner encirclement around Xue Ming.

The leader started haggling, but they were talking past each other completely, and he had no intention of paying attention to this stranger's sudden questioning.

"Hey, I'd like to borrow some money from you, just 1200 yuan, oh no, just 1000 yuan."

Why did you look so disheveled? After being rejected by that ticket scalper, you left in such a hurry, as if you were fleeing a disaster?

"Don't answer questions with questions, big brother!" The dorm leader became extremely impatient, hissing through gritted teeth in the dimly lit alley, "Give me the money! I'll pay you back next week! Interest is fine too!"

At this moment, Sima Yao and the A Xiang sisters arrived, but they did not interfere in the matter.

They were also curious as to why Jiang Xueming was so resentful about this matter.

--Take a popular tourist attraction like [The Terror Artist] and delve deeper into its interpretation; it's like categorizing luxury goods in the past.

If someone were to haggle in front of a George Armani or Hermès store and be chased away by the staff, they would likely be ridiculed by others.

The hottest items on the internet, the fashion trends championed by well-known commentators or KOLs (Key Opinion Leaders), possess this magical power.

These children, having been humiliated by the ticket scalpers, returned to their social circles like beggars begging in front of shops, unable to hold their heads high for a long time.

This process was particularly effective in the sneaker resale market a few years ago. It was as if selling shoes even slightly cheaper was an insult to other sneaker enthusiasts and a betrayal of their beliefs.

Xue Ming neither paid nor left; he simply stood there, like a cast-iron statue. He finally realized that the Spirit Calamity that Sima Yao had described as "not a major disaster" was not as simple as they had thought.

After a long while, he pulled out a dozen or so banknotes from his backpack and held them in his palm.

When the dorm leader saw the money, his eyes widened in disbelief.

"Give it to me! Yes! Yes! Yes, yes, yes! Give it to me!"

Jiang Xueming: "Answer my question. Why are you and your friends fleeing this place like rats in the street?"

"No reason? What's there to explain?" The dorm leader felt the person in front of him was unreasonable. He pointed to the huge crowd behind him. "I can't stand their stares! I feel like a failure!"

Jiang Xueming: "What's the reason?"

"Stop asking, okay? Stop asking, I don't want to talk to you. Do you know how annoying you are? If it weren't for this little bit of money, I wouldn't even want to talk to you!" The dormitory head was very tough on the outside, but his back was surprisingly flexible. He hunched over, his eyes never leaving the money.

As Jiang Xueming carefully counted the banknotes one by one, he talked to the young man about their promise.

Tell me your reason, and I'll give you the money.

"There's no complicated reason! I don't deserve to go into that store!" The dorm leader said fiercely, her eyes red. "I don't deserve it, I don't deserve it, you know that?"

Jiang Xueming: "And then?"

"I feel really anxious," the dorm leader said frantically. "My girlfriend came here last week with some idiot from another class looking for thrills, and when she came back, she immediately started telling me how great it was— 'Terror Artist' is a novel experience that every young person should try at least once."

Jiang Xueming: "What is it?"

"How should I know?" The dorm leader's head was green with envy, and she was also furious. "How could I know before I got in? So many people wanted to go in and see. If I couldn't get in, if I didn't have the money, she would dump me. Thinking about this makes me feel like a piece of stinking dog shit. I feel so ashamed!"

Jiang Xueming frowned. "You don't even know what it is, yet you're willing to spend money on it?"

"Two thousand eight hundred yuan will be enough to let me in!" the dorm leader said confidently. "Today only! No need to queue! No need to make an appointment!"

Jiang Xueming: "Do you know what you can buy with 2,800 yuan?"

"I don't want you lecturing me! Who do you think you are? What gives you the right to point fingers at me?" the dorm leader roared. "There are many things more important than money! Can't you think for yourself? Are you just obsessed with this little bit of money all day long?"

Jiang Xueming: "Impressive, that makes sense. Where did you learn that?"

"Stop talking nonsense! Are you going to lend me the money or not? I've told you everything, and you promised me! As long as I'm honest with you, you'll lend me the money!" The big boy pouted, one leg involuntarily kicking and trembling, unable to stop for a moment, feeling like he was sitting on pins and needles with a chill running down his back.

Jiang Xueming: "How is the interest calculated?"

The dorm leader immediately replied, "I'll borrow 1,000 from you! I'll pay you back 1,200 next week!"

Jiang Xueming: "Give me your parents' phone numbers, your home address, and your class."

"Why should I?!" The dorm leader, as if caught red-handed, had no intention of returning the money. "Just now you kept saying that as long as I answered your questions, you would lend me the money unconditionally. Now why are you raising the bar again and again, with each condition more outrageous than the last?"

Jiang Xueming turned her head and glanced at the other students.

The three brothers surrounded him, positioned as if to rob him, but lacking the courage to actually do so. They were likely observing and waiting to find a reason to act through verbal communication.

"You helped him raise money, and all you wanted was to get him into that popular online murder mystery game studio? You just stood outside watching?"

"What nonsense are you spouting?" the dorm leader yelled. "Once I get in, I'm a member. I can bring one ticket out every month, and all of these guys get one!"

Jiang Xueming took off his gloves and handed over the money with his left hand.

--Then, as if playing whack-a-mole, just as the leader reached out, each of them slapped the four brothers across the face with a powerful blow, knocking them unconscious, their heads buzzing, and their cheeks swollen.

The moment the Fragrant Dream took effect, he sensed a strange hostility, as if the spirit residing in the old building was very dissatisfied with the actions of this uninvited guest.

Xue Ming put the money away and asked Sima Yao to deal with the young men.

"Send them back."

Sima Yao: "Why should I?"

Jiang Xueming: "Just in time to start a five-player team? Don't you need teammates for your King of Glory game?"

"Alright." Sima Yao pulled the two little ones out of the alley.

A Xiang and Qianqian had something to say to each other in private.

Qianqian, the eldest sister, is straightforward and a bit slow-witted; she only discusses things with her younger sister.

"How could this guy lie to a child? And he likes to hit people."

A Xiang looked completely infatuated. "Even when he bullies kids, he's so handsome."

It's 3 a. m.

Following the ticket number, Jiang Xueming squeezed into the crowd again.

--Ah A Xiang looked nervous, protecting her shoulders and short skirt, as if afraid of being taken advantage of.

But she was overthinking it. People were like sheep encountering a wild beast. Xue Ming walked forward, they naturally made way for her.

That was Jiang Xueming's spiritual pressure at work. He hadn't done this for a very long time since he became a nymph. Fragrant Dream floated around him, and only a faint glimmer of spiritual power emanated from his skin. The surroundings became deathly silent, as if the temperature had dropped several degrees.

When Xue Ming arrived at the store, the ancient facade opened automatically. The lock seemed to have a complex and ingenious mechanism. With a clicking sound, the porch came into view, but it was completely different from the abandoned mansion described by Sima Yao.

Its decoration is very luxurious, like a wealthy family's home when the Qing Dynasty still existed in the last century, with many foreign gadgets displayed on the counters and windowsills next to the entrance.

Two shrines stand beside the shoe cabinet, their bright red oil lamps and candles complementing the golden incense burners and offerings. They enshrine Guan Yu, the Martial God of Wealth, and Bi Gan, the Civil God of Wealth.

A Xiang followed behind Xue Ming, holding Qianqian Qian's hand, and kept looking at her phone, afraid that the viewers in the live stream would go hungry.

Next came two distinguished guests, one fat and one thin, and finally a working woman in her mid-twenties, who looked like she had just finished a long 996 workday and was rushing to the event at the appointed time.

There were six people in total. They walked along the porch and into the main hall, where the decor changed from Chinese to Western. The marble statue in front of the counter was David statue, the red carpet was spotless, and the waiting chairs along the way were very luxurious with gold lacquer and silk embroidery.

The lights came on, and a dark shadow was crouching at the counter, seemingly a staff member cleaning out clutter from under the cabinet.

"Wait! Just a moment! Coming right away! Please press the Summoning Bell! Your good friend, Lord Sigma, will be at your side immediately!"

Upon hearing this call, the people reacted in various ways.

A Xiang was full of anticipation, leaning over the counter and peering inside, trying to see the clerk's face clearly, but all she could see from the dark corner were two swaying swallowtails and round buttocks under the swallowtail coat.

That deep, powerful yet comical baritone voice seemed to have captivated her, carrying a hint of alluring frivolity.

Qianqian just pursed her lips, finding the whole charade pointless.

The three passersby behind them, the fat and thin monks who knew each other, were offering each other cigarettes and lighting them. They looked at the interior decoration of the house and occasionally, out of curiosity, they would touch the picture frames in the hallway, commenting on the figures of the three girls in front of and behind them and whispering among themselves.

Only the exclamation mark above Jiang Xueming's head lit up.

--If the Phoenix were here, a bright red signal would definitely appear above his head.

The phrase "Please ring the Summoning Bell" is a rule passed down from ancient times by bosses in the underworld; it's an unchanging ritual.

The words "Madness Butterfly Sect" surged from Xue Ming's heart, and in an instant, he entered battle mode.

He gently tapped the Summoning Bell, then suddenly regretted it, because among the magazines in his pocket, there were only thirty rounds of the Life Restart Bullet.

"Oh! Okay! Okay, okay, okay! We finally caught this thing!"

A ferocious-looking monster suddenly leaped out from under the counter; to be precise—

--It was a small pink rabbit, no more than twenty centimeters long, with bared teeth and a fierce look on its face.

With its sharp teeth and claws, it scratched at the tabletop, gnawing out shocking dents in the wooden furniture, before a pair of white gloves caught it!

Lord Sigma makes a dazzling entrance, his skin looking as if it had been scorched by hellfire. If Professor Victor were present, he might mistake this man for the twin brother of [Hell Highway].

Lord Sigma caught the little rabbit and spoke to the tourists with great seriousness and earnestness.

"Be careful, guests! Be careful! It has a bad reputation—if Lulu catches you and bites you, you'll lose a finger or two at best, and bleed to death on the spot at worst."

Immediately afterwards, the announcer adopted a relaxed expression, closed the screaming pink rabbit in his hand into the cage, and tossed it into the locker on the counter.

"Alright! Ladies and gentlemen! I've finally freed my hands to tip my hat to you all!"

Sigma said this, and then took off his top hat, revealing a head of jet-black curly hair.

"Tonight, six more young and vibrant souls have arrived here to undergo a spiritual cleansing— Terror Artist John Berger will be showcasing his work one by one! Wait a minute..."

Sigma stopped mid-sentence, staring blankly at the woman in the back row.

"Madam, are you scared?"

The young woman who came in last was genuinely terrified by the mad rabbit. The claw marks on the counter and its piercing screams stunned her, leaving her completely terrified. It was clear that this young woman was very timid and had come alone.

Before the woman could reply, Lord Sigma lifted her up with one hand and pulled her down with the other.

The light, flowing tailcoat was torn in two and replaced with the robes worn by the theater's drum ballad performers.

The red-skinned devil's appearance also changed from a Western-style receptionist serving guests to an approachable and cheerful red-faced old man.

"Don't panic, it's all fake, it's a script! Look at this guy!"

Lord Sigma lifted the iron cage and saw the pink monster retract its fangs, its large, watery eyes staring at the crowd.

The office Jiali in the back row of the line were absolutely smitten!

"--Hahahahahaha!"

A sharp, piercing laugh suddenly rang out, but in less than half a second, Lord Sigma returned to normal. The monster in the iron cage shed its cute disguise and began frantically gnawing at the iron bars of the iron door, spitting saliva onto the lady's face.

Lord Sigma grinned maliciously, clutching his stomach and rolling on the ground.

The moment the pink rabbit squeezed out of the cage, it was grabbed tightly by the devil, finally ending the prank.

A Xiang was so amused by this incredible transformation and animal taming miracle that she couldn't stop smiling.

Wow.

Before she could finish her exclamation, Lord Sigma gently tapped to stop the live stream.

"Little beauty, filming is not allowed here, I'm so sorry!"

At the same time, the elegant yet unrestrained waiter tossed a hot towel onto the face of the last lady. The lady seemed to be possessed; the rodent-like saliva on her face slowly slid down to her chin, and she actually tasted the sweetness of honey and whipped cream between her lips and teeth.

It's like what that monster spewed out wasn't filth, but rather sweet candy.

"Everyone! Before the story begins!" Sigma pulled out a registration booklet. "I need to know your names, and you all need to get to know each other."

"Except for you--"

Sigma pointed at Jiang Xueming, his face suddenly turning extremely gloomy.

"--Only you! There's no need to get to know each other again!"

Jiang Xueming's spirits lifted, and his hand was already on the gun.

Sigma, with a serious expression and trembling lips, said in a terrified tone, "Ye Bei!"

Xue Ming didn't say anything; it would be awkward to say anything at this moment.

After a very long time, when Sigma finally received Xue Ming's ID card, he chuckled and apologized.

"I'm sorry, I made a mistake. My boss asked me to do this; I thought you were a regular customer."