Dangerous City

Not long after.

The body of Lu Caiwei was discovered, causing a wave of shock and heated discussion—though it soon became nothing more than drunken gossip, fading away with the passing winds.

Such is the way of the world.

Whether it be a dazzling prodigy of their time or a renowned figure from an exotic land, their brilliance is but a fleeting spark, destined to be forgotten in the endless river of time.

Seasons change, storms rise and fall.

Only the vast sea of stars remains as radiant as ever.

Compared to the boundless universe, the life and death, glory and shame of a single person—or even an entire race—are far too insignificant, not even amounting to a speck of dust. No one pays much attention, nor would the eternal spirits spare them a glance.

Even as civilizations intertwine, each world vastly different, time never stops. The struggles of living beings will never cease.

Such is the case for Yunxing.

And likewise for Lanxing.

Even in another parallel galaxy, on that blue planet nurturing modern civilization, it is no different…

Blue Star.

Pingjiang City.

Night fell.

The summer heat finally receded, but the dazzling neon lights of the streets brought their own kind of fervor. In this pleasure-seeking city of revelry, the long avenues were lined with tall, lightly dressed beauties openly beckoning to passing young men.

"Hey handsome, come have some fun…"

"Little bro, our bar’s got a special—buy a crate, get half a crate free!"

"Pretty lady, pretty lady, interested in a side gig?"

As the city’s bar district, such scenes were commonplace.

Any establishment without a few attractive servers to lure customers was doomed to fail—this was the best of times, and also the most cutthroat.

The youthful figures added charm to the summer night, making the after-hours scene even more restless.

Most passersby couldn’t help but steal glances. Even if their wallets were too thin to indulge, there was no harm in looking—after all, who didn’t appreciate beauty?

Except for one young man walking in from the distance, who never once turned his gaze.

Anyone paying close attention would notice—he didn’t spare these young women a single glance, not even a tilt of his head. His composure was almost unnatural for his age. Even the most cunning honey trap would find him an impossible target.

He was just too steady.

If not for his hair and stubble, people might’ve wondered if something was wrong with him.

Unfortunately.

This young man wore sneakers and shorts, a toothpick dangling from his lips—the very picture of an average, unremarkable guy. His looks were plain, his presence forgettable.

And so, the world missed out on the legend of the Steady Brother.

The young man himself couldn’t care less about others’ opinions. He walked with calm ease, his only concern being to avoid bumping into people—nothing else stood out.

After strolling along cheerfully for a while, he suddenly spotted a red slip of paper on the ground. Cautiously scanning his surroundings and finding no suspicious figures, he quickly stepped on it, pretending to tie his shoelaces as he picked it up.

A crumpled hundred-yuan bill, carrying that nostalgic scent of money…

Holding it up for a closer look, he couldn’t help muttering in emotion.

"Starting off lucky. My luck’s not bad today."

"Been a long time since I’ve seen one of these…"

Just as he was enjoying this small victory—

Suddenly!

The streets erupted into chaos. People fled in panic, screams filling the air. The lively avenue turned desolate in an instant, bystanders locking themselves indoors. Even the gates of the nearby residential complex were sealed shut.

In less than half a minute.

The bright city night sky was veiled in a strange mist, streetlights glowing with hazy halos. The empty streets took on an eerie, sinister atmosphere.

In the blink of an eye, not a soul remained.

As if countless ghostly figures were leaping and darting between the towering buildings.

Yet the young man showed no reaction, as if oblivious to the abnormality. Hands in pockets, he continued his leisurely stroll, carefully tucking away the hundred-yuan bill like nothing was amiss.

His unhurried pace didn’t change in the slightest.

The streets were unnervingly quiet, every sound amplified in the silence.

The entire city had become a ghost town.

But atop the high-rises, things were anything but calm.

Several black-clad figures landed with practiced agility, their expressions grim as they stared at the distant spectral shadows.

"Captain, the number of Phantoms has been increasing lately. With just our team in this old district, we’re stretched thin."

"Should we call for backup?"

"Captain, we’ll follow your lead!"

As soon as the group—men and women alike—finished speaking, they turned respectful eyes toward their leader.

The woman at the front was tall and striking, her form-fitting black gear both protective and flattering. The craftsmanship alone spoke of considerable expense.

But this beauty, with her cool, mature demeanor, paid no mind to appearances. Her sharp eyes remained fixed on the distant Phantoms, her expression stern.

"As Celestial Practitioners of the Supernatural Investigation Bureau, it is our duty to protect civilians and eliminate Phantoms!"

Her commanding tone left no room for doubt. The black-clad team immediately stood firm, responding in unison.

"Mission accepted!"

With the captain leading the charge, the group leaped into action, engaging the ghostly figures atop the rooftops. The sounds of battle—crashes and impacts—echoed into the distance.

"Boom! Boom!"

The vibrations traveled far, startling even the neighborhood cats and dogs.

Yet the young man in shorts remained focused on his path, eyes glued to the road as if afraid of tripping. No disturbance, no matter how loud, could distract him from walking steadily forward.

After passing several intersections.

Finally.

He stopped before a narrow alley, eyeing the shabby wooden storefront at its entrance. A satisfied smile crept onto his face.

"Not easy."

"Finally found a place that sells talisman paper. These things are hard to come by these days."

Muttering to himself, he stepped forward with measured calm and knocked on the door.

"Knock! Knock!"

"Anyone there?"

After several attempts, an elderly, trembling voice finally responded from within.

"You—you should leave! The shop’s closed tonight! Come back another day!"

The moment the words left the old man’s mouth, the young man’s face twisted in panic, as if his lifeline had been severed.

"What? Closed?"

He glanced back anxiously, then gritted his teeth.

"Closed won’t do!"

"I never go unprepared—every night’s dangerous. If you don’t open, how am I supposed to get through tonight?"

"This door’s opening, whether you like it or not!"

With a determined glare, he flicked his wrist slightly.

The lock inside the wooden door clicked open on its own.

"Click!"

A crisp sound, and the door shifted slightly inward.

The young man pushed hard—with a loud clatter, the aged wooden door swung wide open, bathed in moonlight.

After waiting a few seconds and seeing no one emerge from the inner room—only hearing faint, trembling noises—he didn’t bother waiting further. He began rummaging through the shop himself.

Before long, he found exactly what he was looking for: several rolls of coarse paper. His face lit up with joy.

"Ah! Looks like enough for a hundred thousand talismans. Not bad!"

After bundling the rolls and wrapping them in a layer of thick paper, he nodded in approval.

"Good. Now it’s rainproof. No issues on the way back."

With everything packed neatly, his task was complete.

He rummaged through his pockets, pulling out colorful bills along with assorted coins of varying sizes. After counting them several times, he finally gathered enough paper money and, satisfied, closed the door behind him as he set off on his return journey.

Strolling leisurely home, his steps felt noticeably lighter.

A constant, cheerful murmur escaped his lips.

"Ten thousand talismans might be a bit lacking—nowhere near the scale of a billion—but it’s passable. After all, this world is different. If a billion people suddenly appeared, the entire planet would descend into chaos."

Reluctantly accepting the situation, Wu Tao’s strides grew steadier as he headed toward his secluded dwelling in the distance. A carefree tune hummed from him, radiating an unmistakable ease.

Meanwhile, atop a high-rise building, the atmosphere was anything but light.

On the ground, one team member had already stopped breathing, while another lay unconscious.