The Thirty-Third Chapter

Just then, the music from the speakers beside the stage turned into the chiming of a clock.

The clock struck eight times. It was exactly eight o'clock in the evening.

Zhuo Ran raised the card in her hand towards Xue Lan. Her gaze shifted to Xu Anze, who was standing behind Xue Lan and about to step forward, her eyes conveying a warning.

Xu Anze met her gaze for a few seconds, then retracted the hand he had extended and quietly withdrew from the crowd.

Zhuo Ran shifted her gaze back and said to Xue Lan with a smile, "It's your turn to draw a card."

Xue Lan reached out. Just as her fingers were about to touch the card, Liu Mumu, who had been standing beside her, suddenly placed a hand on her shoulder.

In the moment Xue Lan was stunned, Liu Mumu had already drawn the card she had chosen.

It was a Joker card, but the pose was different from the Joker cards they had seen before. The person in this card wore a princess dress, held an umbrella, and raised an index finger to their lips, making a shushing gesture.

Liu Mumu looked at the card in her hand. "How strange, there's an extra Joker card. Why do I feel like the person in this card looks a bit like you?"

She turned the card in her hand towards Zhuo Ran.

On the second floor of the hotel, directly facing the card table area below, was a small conference hall. The tables and chairs in the hall had all been cleared. Zhuo Ran's uncle, who had welcomed guests with her earlier, was sitting cross-legged in the center, wearing a strange white robe with red patterns.

On the floor of the reception hall, patterns resembling twisted, winding snakes had been drawn with blood of unknown origin.

In front of him, an altar was set up. On either side of the altar were two straw dolls. The dolls were dressed in the same style of clothing as Zhuo Ran and Xue Lan were wearing that day.

Beside the dolls, two red cloth bundles contained their hair, fingernails, and birthdates.

In the middle of the altar, besides an incense burner, there was also a bowl filled with a viscous black and red liquid.

The man stood up and drew a white silk thread from the sleeve pocket of his robe. The thread was semi-transparent and very elastic.

He dipped the silk thread into the bowl on the altar.

After soaking for a moment, the white silk thread was dyed a deep red, and the man fished it out.

He then tied it to the hands of the two paper dolls.

At this moment, a rhythmic knocking sounded. The man looked up, his cold gaze fixed on the door, and his voice, hoarse like a snake's hiss, warned, "Who?"

"Mr. Xu, it's me."

"Come in." The man who entered was wearing a hotel staff uniform. He held a wooden box in his hands and carefully handed it to the man called Mr. Xu with both hands.

Mr. Xu casually raised his hand and opened the wooden box. Inside were three cards, identical in material to the new cards Zhuo Ran had just swapped.

The difference was that these three cards were all Joker cards with different designs.

One wore a mask, one held an umbrella, and the last one had taken off their mask, revealing a face identical to Zhuo Ran's.

"I asked her to prepare a substitute for life, and she prepared three cards?" Mr. Xu's voice held a hint of dissatisfaction.

The man carefully forced a smile. "You know, girls have their own strange rituals. Don't worry, Miss will definitely find a way to make the substitute willingly take one of the cards."

The most crucial step in the substitute life ritual was to make the substitute willingly accept it.

Taking something from someone else's hand was equivalent to agreeing to replace their own life.

Mr. Xu had originally planned to prepare some gold and silver items. Such things had always been used to buy lives throughout history and had never failed.

Who knew the Zhuo family girl would come up with all this messy stuff.

But since the Zhuo family had paid a hefty price to hire him, he didn't say anything further, despite his dissatisfaction.

After delivering the cards, the man quickly left the conference hall, closing the door behind him.

Mr. Xu stepped forward and locked the door from the inside, then returned to the altar.

He placed the three cards on the altar one by one and wound the red silk thread connecting the two dolls around each card.

With everything prepared, as the eight bell chimes rang out downstairs, he lit three sticks of incense and inserted them into the incense burner.

As he chanted incantations, the bowl on the altar trembled slightly. The black and red liquid within churned, and the red silk threads tied to the two straw dolls tightened.

The incense in the burner burned at an impossibly fast rate. The pale gray smoke did not rise but instead enveloped the straw doll representing Zhuo Ran.

His gaze was fixed on the altar, waiting for one of the cards to be chosen.

In the next moment, the Joker card with the umbrella moved slightly towards Xue Lan's straw doll.

Before the corner of Mr. Xu's mouth could even curve into a smile, the card suddenly seemed to be crushed by something, instantly shattering into countless pieces that shot out in all directions.

He had not anticipated such a turn of events. Dozens of Joker card fragments embedded themselves in his face and body, and the altar he had painstakingly prepared also broke in half.

Mr. Xu clutched his chest, feeling a tightness in his chest, his vision went black, and he vomited a mouthful of blood before falling headfirst.

Downstairs, after Liu Mumu took the card, Zhuo Ran's expression turned extremely grim.

The hand holding the remaining three cards trembled slightly with anger, but she suppressed it and said to Liu Mumu, "This is a game between Xue Lan and me. Please do not interfere."

Liu Mumu played with the Joker card, which seemed to be made of a special material. Her clear almond eyes held a hint of slyness. "I'll answer for Xue Lan: she disagrees."

Zhuo Ran's expression froze.

The next moment, Liu Mumu said again, "It's just exchanging lives. If not hers, then mine. I agree."

The people around had no idea what Liu Mumu was talking about. Zhuo Ran, the only one who understood, panicked. Just as she was about to get up and leave, the moment her voice fell, her whole body felt as if it had plunged into an icehouse. Her head throbbed painfully, a piercing buzzing sound filled her ears, and blood flowed from her nose and the corners of her eyes.

Zhuo Ran's grip loosened, and the cards in her hand fell to the floor. Among the three cards, there were actually two Joker cards, replaced at some unknown time.

She collapsed onto the card table, unconscious, sending the surrounding people into screams.

Liu Mumu's hand snapped a card in half.

She casually tossed the remaining half of the Joker card onto the ground, patting her hands as if to remove dust. "With just this much skill, you still want to exchange lives? What a dream."

Xue Lan stiffly turned her neck to look at Liu Mumu beside her. "Mu, Mumu, what do we do now?"

She seemed to know something, yet also seemed to know nothing at all.

The three of them from their dormitory crowded around Liu Mumu, all looking at her in unison.

"We definitely need to find the police uncle at a time like this." Liu Mumu took out her phone and dialed the emergency number. She had done the bad deed, so of course she needed the police uncle to clean up the mess.

Eight o'clock in the evening. Fang Chuan, who was enjoying a pleasant weekend with no cases, received a call transferred from above.

A special case was suspected at Moonlight Hotel, and he was ordered to the scene immediately.

By the time the Special Case Investigation Section's officers and consultant Yan Xiu arrived at the hotel entrance, officers who had received the report earlier had already secured the scene.

An ambulance was parked outside, not yet having left.

Fang Chuan showed his identification and was finally allowed into the scene.

The hotel lobby was packed with dozens of people, all young adults in their early twenties.

After the brief commotion, these people were curiously craning their necks towards the card table, where two officers were blocking the way, preventing anyone from getting close.

A group of medical personnel in protective suits were surrounding Zhuo Ran, who had suddenly fainted.

"Where's the injured party?" Fang Chuan quietly asked the first officer on the scene, who was responsible for the area.

"The injured party is still on the table. The ambulance has arrived, but the situation is too unusual, so they haven't moved her."

"What's the injured party's identity?" Fang Chuan asked as he walked.

"The injured party's name is Zhuo Ran, a first-year student at Qing City University of Technology. She was having a birthday banquet here. According to witnesses, she suddenly started bleeding from all seven orifices while playing cards and lost consciousness."

"Zhuo Ran? Why are there so many people named Zhuo all of a sudden?" he muttered to himself.

After walking over to take a look, Fang Chuan understood why the medical personnel were wearing protective suits.

Zhuo Ran's condition was frightening. While everyone else's blood was red, the blood flowing from her body was mixed with black, making it extremely jarring.

Aside from bleeding from all seven orifices, her heartbeat, breathing, and blood pressure all indicated she was normal.

It was as if she were asleep.

Fang Chuan whispered a few words to the officer maintaining order beside him. The officer stepped forward and spoke with the medical personnel, and soon they stepped back.

Yan Xiu walked forward, stopping a few steps away from Zhuo Ran.

There was a pool of blood on the ground, which had dripped from the table.

In that pool of blood, there was a very distinct strand of black. Whether it was an illusion or not, Fang Chuan felt that the strand of black was moving.

"What's going on?" Fang Chuan asked in a low voice that only the two of them could hear.

"She's been poisoned by Gu."

"So someone poisoned her with Gu here?"

"No, she's likely been infected with Gu for a long time. Under normal circumstances, the Gu would have adapted to her body and wouldn't move around randomly. This situation now clearly indicates an accident, and the Gu worm is moving erratically, out of control."

Yan Xiu put on gloves, stepped forward a few paces, and grabbed Zhuo Ran's hair, revealing her face. He first lifted her lower eyelid; there were several black lines inside, proving she had been infected with Gu for a long time, and it likely wasn't a harmful Gu worm.

"Where's the developer cream Yan Ling gave you?"

Fang Chuan took out a small bottle and handed it to Yan Xiu with the attached cotton swab dipped in the cream.

Yan Xiu dabbed the cotton swab onto Zhuo Ran's forehead, and a black patch immediately appeared on her forehead.

"This is a backlash from a failed ritual of some kind," Yan Xiu judged.

At this moment, an officer from the investigation section quickly walked up to Fang Chuan and whispered, "Captain, we found a conference room on the second floor. It's set up like a ritual site, but it seems something went wrong. A middle-aged man has fainted inside."

"Handcuff the person first, then get a doctor to help examine him."

The officer nodded in acknowledgment.

When Yan Xiu had finished his examination, Fang Chuan asked, "Shall we go up and take a look? They found a ritual site upstairs."

Yan Xiu and Fang Chuan went upstairs. The unconscious middle-aged man was handcuffed with special restraints and moved to a corner.

He had only vomited blood and fainted from some kind of shock, but he had many small, deep wounds on his body, with something embedded in them. A doctor was treating him.

Fang Chuan casually dabbed the other end of the cotton swab onto this man's forehead; it also turned black.

Yan Xiu didn't speak. He stood in the center of the conference hall, his feet on strange patterns, surveying the entire space. Finally, his gaze fell on the pile of things on the ground.

Although the altar was broken in half and the items on it were scattered messily on the ground, at first glance, one could still discern most of it.

Two straw dolls tied together, wearing clothes, were soaked in a black-red viscous liquid, looking somewhat grotesque.

"It's a Substitute Life ritual from the Grass Gu lineage."

Yan Xiu provided the answer before Fang Chuan could ask.

Fang Chuan was only familiar with some common Metaphysics schools; he had never even heard of the Grass Gu lineage, but he understood what Substitute Life meant.

"So, the girl below who suffered a backlash is named Zhuo Ran, and she's performing a Substitute Life ritual. And this person is the one presiding over it?" Fang Chuan looked disgusted, seeing someone who looked human but was actually doing something utterly conscienceless.

He then pressed further, "Then who is her Substitute Life target, and how are they doing?"

Yan Xiu turned his head and said indifferently, "You should also be concerned about who had the ability to mess up the Substitute Life ritual like this."

Fang Chuan hesitated, "A kind passerby?"

Yan Xiu didn't want to mock his naivety.

If it weren't for a powerful Mystic Master suddenly appearing from the sky and resolving the matter, then there would be another possibility.

There was only one person they knew who had the ability to just casually pass by.

Coincidentally, they had lunch together at noon, and she had very seriously said she had important business to attend to in the evening.

Yan Xiu felt he already knew what kind of important business it was.

He didn't shatter Fang Chuan's illusion; let him deceive himself for a while longer.

Zhuo Ran's Substitute Life target was quickly found. It wasn't difficult to investigate; one just needed to check the surveillance footage to see who Zhuo Ran had the last contact with.

However, after reviewing the surveillance, the police officer from the investigation department hesitantly said to Fang Chuan, "Captain, I saw Liu Mumu in the surveillance just now."

Fang Chuan: ??? You must be kidding me. Liu Mumu is a proper university student. She should be sleeping or playing games in her dormitory at this time.

The officer continued with a strange expression, "The person playing cards with Zhuo Ran is named Xue Lan. We checked Xue Lan's ID card and found that her birthday is on the same day as Zhuo Ran's. But the last person to have contact with Zhuo Ran was Liu Mumu. She drew a card from Zhuo Ran, and then the other party collapsed."

Fang Chuan: ...

Fang Chuan: ...

Why is Liu Mumu everywhere!

"Bring both Liu Mumu and Xue Lan up. Find two vacant conference rooms first, and we'll question them," Fang Chuan took a few deep breaths, allowing his brain to absorb enough oxygen to prevent hypoxia when he got stimulated later.

"What about those university students below? They're all clamoring to leave," the officer asked.

"Find a few brothers to take their statements one by one. We'll talk to them all before deciding."

"Yes."

Not long after the officer left, he returned with Xue Lan and Liu Mumu.

Liu Mumu was still sporting her usual bun hairstyle today, with a fluffy felt rabbit on her hair tie, bobbing with her movements.

Fang Chuan and Yan Xiu first entered the vacant room where Xue Lan was. Xue Lan sat on a chair, her hands clasped nervously.

Seeing the police officers enter, she quickly stood up.

"Student Xue Lan, please sit."

Fang Chuan's tone was gentle, "I have a few questions I'd like to ask you. I hope you can answer truthfully."

Xue Lan nodded.

"What is your relationship with Zhuo Ran?"

"We didn't know each other before. When the National Day holiday ended, I learned that she grew up with my boyfriend. She was sent to the hospital for emergency treatment that day, and I saw her once in the hospital the next day with my roommates."

Fang Chuan raised an eyebrow. This relationship was a bit complicated. "What is your boyfriend's name?"

"His name is Xu Anze."

Fang Chuan noted down the name and continued, "Your birthday is on the same day as Zhuo Ran's. Did you know that?"

"She told me yesterday when she invited me to her birthday banquet at the university canteen. I didn't know before that."

"How do you think Zhuo Ran knew?"

Xue Lan lowered her eyes, "Probably my boyfriend told her."

Although she couldn't understand what had happened, the police's questions and Mumu's unusual behavior were subtly telling her something.

All of this should be related to her and Zhuo Ran sharing the same birthday.

Then, what role did Xu Anze play in all of this?

Xue Lan was truly a bit lost.

"Before Zhuo Ran had her accident, she was playing a card game. Why did you participate in the game?" Fang Chuan continued to ask.

"Zhuo Ran told everyone that we were born on the same day and wanted a duel between the birthday stars. I happened to be pushed forward, so I didn't refuse."

"Can you tell me what happened in the end?"

"We were playing Old Maid. Mumu stopped me and drew a card for me. After she got the card, Zhuo Ran collapsed."

Xue Lan answered truthfully.

"What is your relationship with Liu Mumu?"

"She is my roommate."

At this moment, Yan Xiu suddenly spoke, "Has she ever told your fortune?"

Xue Lan froze for a moment, quickly glanced at Yan Xiu, then looked away. "No, no."

The two men present exchanged a look and sighed simultaneously.

This girl does know how to protect Liu Mumu, but she shouldn't have answered no.

The fact that she wasn't even curious about Liu Mumu's fortune-telling was truly strange.

Fang Chuan said, "Student Xue Lan, this case is very unusual. I'm a police officer specializing in such cases. I hope you can answer all my questions truthfully, as it pertains to verifying the truth."

Xue Lan pursed her lips and remained silent.

Seeing that she refused to speak, Fang Chuan didn't press further. Instead, he stood up and said to Yan Xiu, "Let's go meet our Master Liu."

His familiar tone made Xue Lan glance at him a few more times.

After leaving Xue Lan, Fang Chuan entered the room where Liu Mumu was.

She sat restlessly on the chair, fidgeting left and right, or sometimes resting her chin on the table.

It was clear she wasn't nervous at all.

Fang Chuan sat on the chair opposite her and sighed, "Master Liu, tell this pitiful me, why are you here?"

Liu Mumu lay on the conference table, her chin resting on her fair arm, blinking at Fang Chuan. "I came with my roommate to attend the birthday banquet of a suspected love rival."

"Then, can you tell me why that suspected love rival suddenly lost consciousness after you drew a card from her hand?"

"Who knows? Maybe she's done too many bad things and is facing retribution."

Fang Chuan felt he probably wouldn't get the answer from Liu Mumu willingly.

He had to change his approach. "Zhuo Ran and your roommate Xue Lan were born on the same day, possibly even at the same time. Zhuo Ran held a Substitute Life ritual at the birthday banquet, attempting to exchange lives with your roommate, and you happened to interrupt this ritual."

"Really? Such a coincidence?" Liu Mumu continued to play dumb.

Fang Chuan felt a headache coming on. He looked at Yan Xiu for help.

Yan Xiu nodded slightly at him. After Fang Chuan stood up, Yan Xiu sat in his place.

"When did you find out?" Yan Xiu asked directly.

So annoying, Liu Mumu shot Fang Chuan a glare. He's actually trying to use a beauty trap on me.

Yan Xiu sat casually in the chair, his dark eyes meeting hers, his handsome face showing no emotion.

So handsome, Liu Mumu thought.

So she obediently replied, "After the holiday break in October, we discovered that Xue Lan's boyfriend had an ambiguous relationship with Zhuo Ran. We were just casually calculating their marriage prospects..."

Who knew the results of the divination were anything but casual? Since she had already calculated it, doing a little something extra wouldn't be troublesome.

"The roommate you mentioned earlier is Xue Lan?" Yan Xiu remembered that Liu Mumu had come to them saying her roommate's boyfriend might be a threat to her.

"Yes, her."

"Why didn't you tell us when you discovered the problem?"

"Didn't you say you needed evidence? We didn't have any evidence then," Liu Mumu said quite righteously.

"You could have called the police after arriving at the hotel," Fang Chuan couldn't help but interject.

"Oh, I did call the police," she said with a smile, but only after everything was over.

Fang Chuan didn't want to speak.

"Fang Chuan, you go out first," Yan Xiu suddenly said.

Fang Chuan glanced at him and walked out.

After he left, only the two of them remained in the room. Yan Xiu suddenly said, "You interrupted a Substitute Life ritual. According to regulations, I need to report it truthfully to headquarters. Someone will come down soon to investigate your identity and determine your level of danger. If possible, they will recruit you. If not, you will be placed under certain surveillance."

Liu Mumu was bewildered. She didn't know about this. Also, why was Yan Xiu telling her this?

"They will repeatedly confirm with you how you knew how to break the Substitute Life ritual. How do you plan to answer?"

"I calculated it."

Yan Xiu leaned forward slightly. "How many diviners do you think can calculate something to this extent? Didn't your grandfather tell you not to get involved in such matters casually?"

Liu Mumu shook her head. Her grandfather was only worried about who would peel apples for her if he was gone.

She was a little displeased with Yan Xiu's questioning and mumbled unhappily, "I was clearly trying to save someone."

"I know," Yan Xiu's gaze softened slightly. "But even a hero breaks the law. You should understand this principle."

"So, are you going to report me?"

Yan Xiu sighed. "Just this once. If there's a next time..."

Liu Mumu originally wanted to say there wouldn't be a next time, but after thinking about it, she said, "Next time, I'll definitely tell you in advance."