--Soul Lantern / What If Some Fool Tries to Run Inside?

She initially thought she simply liked the floral scent on Ling Mengxue's body and the soft feel of her skin.

But as time went on, this feeling grew stronger and stronger, especially after hearing that they were going to separate. Ye Yiren felt a sense of loss and uncertainty!

'Could it be that I've fallen for him? Impossible, he already has a girlfriend... Besides, I only consider Brother Feng brother, and I don't like boys...'

Ye Yiren pondered it carefully, but no matter how she thought about it, she couldn't see anything wrong with it.

Illusion!

It must be an illusion!

After receiving such comfort, I feel much better.

Next to her, Ling Mengxue, who had just ordered several dishes, glanced at her strange expression and wondered if this tomboy had lost her mind again and was about to lay a hand on her.

Fortunately, I was overthinking it; the two of them ate the meal peacefully... Ugh!

It's very quiet~

Feeling a little awkward, Ye Yiren finished eating and drinking and hurriedly left after saying goodbye. She even used her speed-up skill and disappeared in the blink of an eye.

Ling Mengxue took a sip of the lily and lotus seed soup, not paying any attention to it, and even thought it was quite normal.

If Ye Yiren insisted on a shy, girlish farewell, her worldview would truly shatter.

Chapter Thirty-Eight - The Soul Lamp

After taking care of her lunch, Ling Mengxue followed the navigation to find Ping'an Street.

Strangely, on Baidu Maps, that area was highlighted with a red warning icon, but there was still a green description left, with seven blurry characters faintly visible.

[Welcome to Ping'an Street District!]

Ling Mengxue was certain that these things weren't written on the map, but she could still clearly see them. The words seemed to appear out of thin air and lingered in her eyes, remaining there for more than ten seconds even after she looked away from her phone.

"What kind of principle is this? A curse??"

Although the Ping'an Street District cannot be sealed off, it has been confirmed online that Ping'an District remains open, with a strong warning that the area is prone to paranormal events and advising the general public to stay away.

Even with official personnel guarding the area, there are always some adventurous young people who are fearless and dare to venture in, no matter how hard they try to stop them, saying that they can't make ends meet and want to go in to find treasure.

Hey, just playing around~

As someone with a terrible sense of direction, Ling Mengxue could still get lost even with GPS navigation. She finally managed to hail a taxi, thinking everything was finally over, but the driver, upon hearing that she wanted to go to Ping'an District, immediately kicked her out of the car...

Is it really that exaggerated?

"Ghosts and monsters are just for show!"

Ling Mengxue thought they would think that way, so she hailed a few more taxis, but everything seemed to be the same. As soon as they heard any words related to these things, they would drive off as if they had lost their minds, without stopping at all. It was ridiculously simple!

Considering that he still wanted to maintain the image of "Ling Feng," he simply found a secluded place and changed back.

Firstly, people are generally gentler and more approachable towards girls, so they're unlikely to kick them off the bus without a word. Secondly, they're likely to be able to find out some useful information instead of running around aimlessly like headless flies.

Of course, the most important thing is that maintaining the magical illusion requires a continuous consumption of magic, which is incredibly tiring. At first, you don't feel it at all, but as time goes on, this feeling becomes much stronger.

When I reached the intersection, I flagged down a car.

Sure enough, this time the experienced driver saw that it was a beautiful young woman, and his initial fear was immediately reduced, while he kindly offered a reminder.

"Young lady, Ping'an District is taboo in our area. It's the same in the south and north of the city. No one will risk their life to agree to take you there. No matter how much money you have, it's useless if you have to be alive to spend it. Uncle here hopes you can take it easy. You're so young, you should live a good life. Why would you think of going to such a place in the prime of your life?"

Hearing this earnest advice, Ling Mengxue felt a warmth in her heart, but also a bit speechless, and couldn't help but secretly complain.

Why wasn't anyone this enthusiastic when I was a guy?

Are you going to give me a hard time and kick me out of the car?

It can't be because every driver has a different personality, right?

Why did only one of the dozen or so cars stay to talk to me?

Holy shit, your dam!

"Uncle, I am Astral Mark Girl, I'm not afraid." Ling Mengxue simply used her Divine Acting, revealing a gentle smile, innocent and carefree.

Her face radiated the unique clarity and fragrance of a young girl in the prime of her life, instantly exuding an overwhelming sense of approachability that seemed to make even the world pale in comparison!

For a moment, the driver froze, his face turning slightly red.

After a moment of realization, he said with some surprise, "Miss, are you from the Star Engraving Alliance? To be honest, I specialize in delivering packages for your alliance. If that's the case, I can take you there, but only to the outer perimeter."

"But sir, aren't you a Didi driver?"

When Ling Mengxue saw him suddenly do a 360-degree Sichuan opera-style face change, she almost couldn't process it.

"Hmm? This is just a part-time job I do occasionally~ How about I give you a discount on your transportation fare, okay?"

"..."

Having inexplicably gotten into the car, Ling Mengxue didn't know what to say.

After inquiring further, she learned that recently many young people from all over the country have been traveling and exploring Star Prefecture, also in search of those possible hidden places.

Even though Special Affairs Bureau issued warnings, few people paid any attention and went in to explore on their own.

However, the number of people dying there continues to rise daily. Apart from those who enter voluntarily, every week there are chosen ones drawn into the secret realm, but only a handful manage to emerge unscathed. Many of them end up in hospitals with missing limbs, or even suffering mental breakdowns...

Ordinary people see them having fun and think it looks exciting, so they want to join them inside for an adventure, maybe even to find treasure... Seriously... isn't that like turning on a light in a toilet? Are you trying to get yourself killed?

They're just bored and have nothing better to do!

Finally, after reaching the outskirts of the Ping'an District, the driver immediately sped away and disappeared, even forgetting to give himself a discount!

Ling Mengxue felt her head buzzing, but she didn't think too much about it and headed towards her destination.

Looking up, I saw a few scattered pedestrians on the street, but most of them looked unwell and worried.

A few small shops lined the street, their dim lights casting a harmonious and tranquil atmosphere, yet also hinting at an eeriness.

Looking further along the blockade, the street was desolate. Occasionally, only a few pedestrians could be seen walking by, all looking around in panic, as if a monster would run out and devour them at any moment. They hurried along.

The only noteworthy thing is that in the area filled with a light mist, people were carrying small gauze lanterns that emitted a faint white light, which looked quite eerie.

A ghostly blue flame flickered within... or more accurately, it was a ghostly figure!

If you listen carefully, you can even hear faint, piercing screams coming from within...

Even though they were afraid and terrified, not one of them chose to drop the lamp in their hand...

Recalling that she seemed to have seen this kind of light in the shops she had just passed, Ling Mengxue couldn't help but feel curious. She guessed that the small lantern was probably for protection.

She fired from a distance, then instinctively used 'Eye of True Sight'.

[Item Name: Soul Lamp]

[Quality: Inferior]

[Description: Containing a small amount of Star Source, shrouded in a faint mist in the darkness, eerie laughter, and occasionally flashing black shadows...]

Soul Lamp forged from the soul of an unknown creature...

The interplay between illusion and reality, the burning flame of the soul can also illuminate the fog ahead--]

"Soul Lamp??"

After reading the introduction, Ling Mengxue was slightly taken aback.

Ordinary people probably couldn't handle this, right?

Moreover, several nearby shops sell it, which is quite amazing.

However, since they contained Star Source, these ghostly creatures were either killed by the Star Engraving skill or refined by the Astral Mark Executor.

Star Prefecture seems to be the core region of that United Alliance, so it's not surprising that there are many Astral Mark Girl there...

[img=700,988]htt It's so bland... The "should" part later is more exciting...

Chapter Thirty-Nine: If a fool were to try to run inside...

After standing there for a moment and thinking, Ling Mengxue went into a small shop.

The shop wasn't large, but it was filled with Soul Lamp of various sizes, some of which were still glowing with a dim white light and were burning with a "sizzling" sound.

Standing at the door, one could occasionally hear a mournful scream, which sounded particularly eerie in the silent room.

She's a traveler from out of town and not very familiar with the area, so it's better to have more precautions.

It was still daytime, but the Ping'an District was shrouded in mist. As far as the eye could see, it was a vast expanse of white, and even the sunlight could hardly penetrate it, making the sky slightly gloomy and the air very cold. Even though it was summer, it felt as desolate as late autumn.

The shopkeeper was a kind-looking old woman who was lying in a wicker chair watching the latest TV series, smiling broadly. Hearing the noise, she quickly got up and said with exasperation, "Hey, you young people, you're so young, why aren't you studying? Why are you always coming to this place like those chosen ones? Is this a place for people to come?"

"Grandma, I want to buy a lamp..." Ling Mengxue thought for a moment and then smiled awkwardly.

The old woman turned around and saw that it was such a beautiful young girl. Her expression was complicated. Thinking that she might die young, she felt even more heartbroken. "Alright, Grandma will get it for you! Why are you, a girl, running around in this place? Don't you know where you are?"

"This is a... tourist attraction..." Ling Mengxue said subconsciously.

"Hey, what era are you living in? This isn't a place for young people like you. Remember, you have to be out before dark by six o'clock, and you have to be there well in advance! Don't risk your life for some thrill."

The old woman, her face full of earnest advice, took out a small gauze lantern from a special container.

After all, it's part of her job; of course, she also gets a commission from selling lights.

The salary for a job specially recruited by a national special organization is naturally top-notch. If the old woman weren't already halfway to her grave, she wouldn't be running this shop.

No one would joke about their own life and fortune.

As a result, almost half of the shops on the street are managed by elderly people and volunteers.

Furthermore, all the Soul Lamp were jointly crafted and distributed by the Ninth Bureau and the Star Engraving Alliance, and the ghosts and spirits in Ping'an Street were used as wicks to burn... hence the name 'Soul Lamp'.

Ling Mengxue was unaware of the inside story, so she was inexplicably touched by the old woman's concern and said, "It's alright, just think of it as me liking to seek thrills. Grandma, how do you use this thing? Can this light really protect people?"

"This is something issued by the state. It can protect a person within a ten-meter radius. No matter what, never leave the range of the Soul Lamp. It only has a suppressive effect on low-level supernatural creatures in the outer area, preventing them from approaching."

"Important Note: Before the Soul Lamp goes out, you must find a way to escape... Never become interested in the unknown, and never try to unravel mysteries. If you let curiosity get the better of you, you might have to stay there forever, hehehehehe~~"

Speaking of consequences, the old woman simply pulled out a crumpled piece of paper from her pocket and began to mutter about it, leaving Ling Mengxue somewhat bewildered.

Wow, it's that professional!

After explaining everything in the brochure, the old woman finally smiled kindly, "Young lady, one lamp costs 100,000 yuan. Will you be paying by card or cash? After hearing Grandma's story, do you still want to go inside?"

"??"

Upon hearing the word "100,000," Ling Mengxue almost blurted out, "Are you trying to rob me?" but thankfully she reacted in time.

Since the 'Soul Lamp' belongs to the industry of a Special Affairs Bureau, it should also be for the benefit of those adventurous young people, and this method is intended to dissuade them from pursuing their dreams.

After all, very few people can afford to come up with that much money all at once. They're either rich kids or true fans of paranormal adventures. Ordinary players simply can't afford it.

Otherwise, if an ordinary person were to spend 100,000 yuan on a broken lamp, wouldn't that be considered extremely suspicious?

Ling Mengxue thought for a moment, but didn't expose her, simply smiling politely, "No need, I can just go in."

"??"

The old woman had thought she would give up, but this unexpected turn of events caught her off guard. Seeing that the girl was really about to leave, she panicked. "Girl, don't go in! Grandma will only sell it to you for 30,000, okay?"

She had been in this place for some time and was fully aware of the horrors of Ping'an Street.

That's why she knew that if she let this delicate-skinned girl run in, she might attract some terrifying supernatural creature from the secret realm, leaving not even bones behind, and she would be a sinner.

"No need, really no need!" Ling Mengxue shook her head, but felt a little strange.

Didn't it just sell for 100,000?

How come there's only 30,000 left in the next second??

Who haggles like that? They're even cutting their own price!

Seeing that her words had no effect, the old woman gritted her gold teeth and hardened her heart. "Young lady, how about five thousand yuan?..."

"Three thousand...?"

"One thousand!!"

"Two hundred yuan, can I buy one before going in?!"

"It's yours, it's yours!!"