The old locust tree cast shadows under the streetlights.
The quiet street was empty, with only Lu Fei standing alone.
"Am I just being paranoid?"
Lu Fei glanced around, then cautiously withdrew his gaze.
He took down the "Owner Out, Call for Assistance" sign, opened the door, and headed straight to the back room.
At this hour, he wasn't expecting any customers. Lu Fei washed up and went to bed early.
No matter how tragic or horrifying the incident at Duobao Pavilion was, it ultimately had nothing to do with him. Besides, it might not even involve a cursed item at all—just gossip spreading on the street.
The police had only taken people in for questioning that afternoon; the investigation wouldn't yield results so quickly.
Reminding himself that he had to visit Liu Fugui's friend to assess an item tomorrow, Lu Fei cleared his mind and closed his eyes to sleep.
The next morning, he opened the shop's doors early.
Right on time, Liu Fugui arrived, holding a breakfast bag.
"Morning, Master Lu."
"Morning, Uncle Fugui."
"If everything's set, let's get going."
Liu Fugui was driving a spacious business car, comfortable for the ride.
As they traveled, their conversation naturally turned to the Duobao Pavilion tragedy.
"Old Liang definitely got set up. I've warned him time and again not to push people too far, to show some mercy, but he wouldn't listen..."
"Do you know what he collected?" Lu Fei asked.
Liu Fugui shook his head, his double chin wobbling in response.
"Not exactly, but it was definitely something nasty. I saw him coming back the other day with something wrapped tightly in a black cloth."
"Now, while I didn't get a clear look, the thing had this ominous air about it."
"I may not have the sharp vision of your Xie Zihou shop, but I've been in this line long enough to hone my instincts a bit."
"I sensed something off and tried hinting for him to share what treasure he'd brought back."
"He said it was a valuable find sought after by some bigwig. He'd tracked it down to some rural household, but he wouldn't tell me what it was, like he was afraid I'd steal the business."
"What kind of high-profile buyer would want something with such malice? I figured he'd been duped, but I didn't expect it to turn out so tragically!"
Lu Fei felt his scalp tingle. "What kind of grudge drives someone to this? This wasn't just about harm—he was forced to kill his own wife and child. That's worse than killing him outright."
"Oh, there's no shortage of people with no moral compass," Liu Fugui sighed, throwing in some praise. "If only everyone were as just and kind-hearted as you folks at Xie Zihou, capturing cursed items and helping people. The world would be at peace."
Lu Fei thought to himself that their business wasn't quite so noble; it was just a way to profit from the supernatural.
"Let's put that aside. Today we're visiting my friend about that cursed item. His name's Mr. Su, a notable figure in Jiangcheng," Liu Fugui quickly steered the conversation back to business.
Lu Fei redirected his thoughts. "Yesterday, you mentioned their family's cursed item was a statue?"
"Yes, their business has been struggling for the past couple of years, so they hired a master to bring in a prosperity statue. Business did improve, but…"
Liu Fugui's expression darkened as he swallowed nervously.
"Family members started suffering one by one!"
"What do you mean?"
"Every time their business saw a success, one family member would encounter misfortune—either diagnosed with a terminal illness or involved in an accident."
Lu Fei's brows furrowed. "That's ominous. What kind of god did they bring in?"
"I only know they paid a hefty price to get it from Southeast Asia," Liu Fugui muttered, curling his lip. "I've heard tales of strange practices over there. Why they'd seek fortune from a place like that, I can't imagine."
"If they're trading lives for fortune, it's likely an evil deity," Lu Fei mused.
Evil gods weren't easy to deal with, often far more dangerous than typical cursed items.
Liu Fugui stole a glance at Lu Fei's expression and reassured him, "No worries, Master Lu. Just assess the situation first. If you can capture it, great; if not, no harm done. But I trust in your skills—there's nothing Xie Zihou can't handle!"
"Uncle Fugui, were you a horse tamer in a past life?" Lu Fei asked, his tone dead serious.
"Huh?"
"You're certainly skilled at riding horses—you love buttering people up."
Liu Fugui looked momentarily stunned, then forced a laugh. "Haha, but I'm sincere! Oh, we're here!"
He turned the wheel and steered the car toward an impressive set of large gates.
Two towering columns flanked the gate, each wrapped in a coiled dragon sculpture, with an enormous landscaping feature right behind the entrance.
Underneath a lush, towering rockery, a clear stream babbled, centered around a massive, ivory-colored column rolling continuously—a feng shui design meant to gather and retain energy.
Beyond the scenic rock garden lay rows of rare trees, with glimpses of fine architecture peeking through the foliage.
Lu Fei couldn't hide his surprise.
The Dragon Creek Valley estate was renowned in Jiangcheng and very different from Xie Yao's smaller villa. Not just anyone with a bit of money could afford to live here.
Residents here were either extremely wealthy or powerful.
Wealthy, as in at the pinnacle of fortune.
Powerful, as in holding serious influence.
Liu Fugui, with his streetwise charm, was a familiar face on Antique Street. Yet, here he was, connected to someone of this caliber. Could it be that this man was deeper than he seemed?
Lu Fei stole another look at him.
"My car's too modest; let's leave it here. Mind walking a bit with me, Master Lu?" Liu Fugui parked in the lot outside Dragon Creek Valley.
"No problem."
At the grand gate, Liu Fugui approached the neatly dressed security guard and exchanged a few words with a friendly smile.
After the guard radioed in, they were finally allowed in.
Past the towering rock feature, they entered the villa complex.
Pavilions and corridors connected through winding paths, with every plant and structure thoughtfully arranged. The grounds were so vast, they resembled an enormous private park.
Alone, Lu Fei would have surely gotten lost.
He adjusted his clothes, thinking, "If Liu Fugui had told me sooner, I would've dressed better. I look more underdressed than the security guard."
"Number Nine Villa—that's the Su family's place."
When they reached a stately, imposing villa, Liu Fugui stopped.
"Mr. Su has bought several antiques from me and values my fair prices and honest character. Don't be misled by their wealth and status—Mr. Su is very down-to-earth."
With that, Liu Fugui pressed the doorbell.
"Who is it?" came a low voice.
"It's me, Little Liu."
Liu Fugui gave a fawning smile to the camera.
"Please wait a moment."
Two seconds later, the solid carved door clicked open.
"After you, Master Lu."
Lu Fei and Liu Fugui entered the spacious courtyard.
"Are you Mr. Liu? Please follow me."
An elderly butler led them to a side hall of the villa.
"My master is on his way back from the hospital and should be here soon. If you don't mind, you may pay respects to the Buddha Mother in the meantime."
At the side hall entrance, the butler lowered his voice cautiously, as if afraid of being overheard.
Pay respects to a Buddha?
Wasn't this supposed to be an evil deity? And they still wanted to show reverence?
Liu Fugui looked at Lu Fei.
Lu Fei nodded. "All right, let's take a look."
"Please."
The butler opened the door.
A waft of incense smoke greeted them.
The dim, opulent side hall came into view.
Lu Fei's eyes were immediately drawn to the offering table against the wall.
Atop it stood a statue draped in a red cloth, looming in silent mystery.