Searching for a suspected Mysterious Object in a haunted building was indeed a daunting task.
Making money is not easy.
Sitting in the car, heading towards the destination, Li Yi couldn't help but sigh at this moment.
But he had no other choice, if there were another way to make fifty thousand yuan in a short period of time, he wouldn't have taken such a dangerous task.
The vehicle traveled through the old urban area, the ride somewhat bumpy all along.
Everyone in the car was silent, creating a somewhat heavy atmosphere.
"This car is going in circles, we've passed this road before. It seems like Crow is very cautious. I'm now starting to believe that what he said might be true. Hey, if we really find a Mysterious Object, that would be interesting." The man in the hoodie laughed to himself.
"We're about to work together. If you don't mind, let's introduce ourselves to get to know each other. My name is Wei Li, a doctor in a small clinic in Tian Chang City. I came here because my daughter is ill and I need money for her surgery," said the man wearing glasses, his body slightly emaciated, as he smiled and spoke.
"Zhang Kaiwen," said the man in the hoodie with a grin. "I'm from out of town. Borrowed money from loan sharks and couldn't pay back, so I hid here. I'm just here to make money, no other reason."
"Liu Yan, a local, with some talent in Cultivation. I want to see if I can make the first step, but Cultivation requires money. My family is not well off, and I want to strive for myself. After all, with a regular job, I couldn't save a hundred thousand in ten years, and even if I did, by that time my age would be a disadvantage in Cultivation."
The woman in the camisole spoke very seriously, her eyes revealing her discontent and desire.
"My name is Li Yi," Li Yi said. "I've already discussed my situation with Crow, and you all should have heard it, so I won't repeat myself here."
Eventually, everyone's gaze turned to the last person, a burly man with a square face.
This man sat in the car with his arms folded, his muscles bulging, solemn and serious, he spoke in a loud voice, "My name is Wang Hu, from Xiangjiang. Don't compare me with you amateurs. I'm just here for some pocket money during my trip. To my eyes, you lot are just extras, but I, Wang Hu, am destined to overturn this world."
"..." The others.
Wow, how are you so different from the others?
As the vehicle stopped, a building, half in ruins, stood before them. A police line surrounded the building, with signs warning to stay away from the dangerous structure everywhere. The nearby buildings were also severely damaged, each one incomplete as if struck by some tremendous disaster all at once.
"Is this the Ruined District?"
Li Yi got out of the car, looked around, but saw no one else. The road was lined with numerous abandoned cars, and the surrounding wasteland was overgrown with wild grass.
Few people came to the Ruined District not only because it had suffered great damage, but also because it probably harbored some unknown dangers. Only some outlaws or those who had stepped into Cultivation were willing to linger here.
"Crow, you are late," a sharp and clear footstep sound came from the dark building, and then a figure slowly emerged from the darkness. Although her appearance was unclear, her voice suggested that she was a woman, her tone especially cold.
"We took a few detours on the road to avoid any mishaps," Crow explained in a low voice.
"Only five people? This number of people won't even make a splash inside this building; it's too few, at least ten would be necessary," the figure continued.
"Investigator Wang Jian is active in the old city area of Wangmen District. I don't know whether it's because he received some news or by coincidence, but he showed up there. I think we shouldn't have too many people in this operation, it could expose us. Although I'm not sure what's inside this building, it's always better to be careful," Crow said.
"Wang Jian? I understand, you are right. This matter indeed should not be known by others. Five is fine, let's give it a try. If we fail, we'll find another group," the woman said.
"Hey, wait, from what you're saying, the five of us can only succeed, not fail? If we don't find what you want, does that mean we'll be silenced? This is different from what was stated initially." Zhang Kaiwen stepped forward and asked, frowning.
However, no sooner had he finished speaking than the next moment.
In the darkness of that building, there appeared to be a pair of eyes lighting up suddenly, as if glinting.
Whirring!
At that moment, Li Yi's head buzzed, his ears started ringing, and he couldn't see anything, his vision completely black. At the same time, a nauseating feeling surged up.
Fortunately, the sensation came as quickly as it went.
By the time he came to his senses, he saw Zhang Kaiwen, who had just spoken, suddenly kneel down to the ground, his complexion extremely pale. With a retch, he began to vomit violently, and at the same time, fresh blood continuously flowed from his eyes, ears, and nostrils, making him look miserable and terrifying.
Standing beside him, Liu Yan's eyes widened, revealing an expression of disbelief mixed with terror, "Is this... Eye witness?"
"Eye witness? What's that?" Li Yi immediately asked.
"Divine eyes that can kill, this is something only accessible after truly stepping into cultivation. She's not an ordinary person anymore, at least she's a cultivator who has awakened as a Spirit Medium." Liu Yan seemed to know quite a bit, and although her tone carried fear, it also held traces of envy and desire.
"This person has already awakened as a Spirit Medium?" Li Yi was also stunned.
Although he didn't understand much about cultivation, living in this era meant it wasn't unheard of.
The first realm of cultivation is the Spirit Medium.
Although the Spirit Medium is the first step of cultivation, this step is a vast chasm that keeps countless people out.
Because there are problems with cultivation in this world.
If normal people attempt to cultivate, they either fall gravely ill or go mad, ultimately dying in agony.
Even if they overcome the issues of cultivation, the progression is incredibly slow. Li Yi knew a relative's child who had been cultivating at home for five years, spending each day doing nothing else, eating large meals, and sleeping a lot, yet ended up with no gains after all that time.
Eventually, friends and family concluded that the child might not have been cultivating at all but probably just mooching off his parents.
Moreover, this wasn't an isolated case; many families experienced the same.
Spending three to five years in cultivation, only for many to end up gaining nothing.
The risks didn't match the rewards, and it was a huge waste of time, making many people give up on cultivation. Only families with decent conditions are willing to spend money and time to let their children try, and of course, there are also some poor families who tighten their belts to support a cultivator.
"Be more careful when you speak next time. This was just a small lesson to you, don't be too arrogant. In this Ruined District, if I really wanted to kill you, I could make sure no trace of you was found." As footsteps continued, the mysterious woman now revealed herself within the damaged building.
She was tall, wore a tight outfit, and had a long ponytail that fell to her waist. Her pale face bore an unyielding coldness, and her eyes were special—her pupils were whitish, as if faintly glowing.
"Crow, transfer the money to them and get them moving right away. Don't think about playing tricks; I'll be watching you from the shadows. If anyone acts dishonestly during this time, I guarantee you won't leave here alive," the woman said, then swept her gaze over everyone and turned to leave.
Shortly after, her figure blended into the darkness of the abandoned building and disappeared in a blink of an eye.
"Hey, what a detestable woman. We almost got killed. People who have truly stepped into cultivation are really formidable. At that moment, I thought my head was going to explode. That technique was called Eye witness, right? Damn it, even if I have to take out a high interest loan, I will try cultivation," Zhang Kaiwen staggered to his feet, spat out a mixture of blood and saliva.
"That really packed a punch just now. It looks like this journey won't be a calm one after all, ha, I'm starting to get a bit excited," Wang Hu laughed loudly.
Wei Li, a doctor, wiped his glasses and said, "Eye witness is indeed dangerous, apparently targeting the brain, similar to a kind of psychic shock. Ordinary people have no means to defend against it. To counter such an attack, only a cultivator who has also awakened as a Spirit Medium can do so, but it's unknown how far its range can extend or whether it can be blocked by walls and buildings."
Li Yi kept quiet, not saying a word as he massaged his somewhat dizzy head, still shaken by the experience.
He had only been affected by the aftermath and wasn't the primary target.
And just being affected by the aftermath had severe consequences; if that woman had been serious, Zhang Kaiwen would undoubtedly have died, with no chance of survival.
If it was just a warning, she was a bit too heavy-handed... Could it be because we're in the Ruined District, or is it that people who have stepped into cultivation no longer regard ordinary people as significant?" Li Yi pondered, then felt his mobile phone vibrate.
He took it out and saw a message indicating a deposit of fifty thousand yuan.
The others received the notification simultaneously.
Crow spoke in a deep voice, "The money has been transferred. Stop dawdling. Start moving now. I'll send you more related information via text once you enter the building."
"Chit-chat time is over. Let's move, losers."
Wang Hu was the first to act, ignoring the others and striding toward the crumbling building ahead.
"Hey, Wang Hu, don't be so rash. Didn't you hear what Crow said? That abandoned building is haunted," Zhang Kaiwen said.