Lu Fei and Tiger spent an entire day at the police station, assisting with statements and investigations.
Each rescued child was on a missing persons list, their absences ranging from days to years. Many parents, having given up hope, were overwhelmed with emotion upon being reunited with their children.
The police station and hospital were filled with the sound of crying—tears of relief, gratitude, and heartbreak.
Even Tiger, a rough and rugged man, couldn't help but feel his eyes grow misty.
When the parents learned that two brave citizens had saved their children, they wanted to express their heartfelt thanks.
But Lu Fei and Tiger slipped away before they could be found.
They quietly took a cab to the hospital.
**In the hospital room.**
Mrs. Yu, still receiving IV fluids, sat by her son's bedside. She couldn't take her eyes off Dongdong's sleeping face.
"Enough, enough. He's home now. You need to rest," Mr. Yu said gently, patting his wife's shoulder.
"I'm afraid that if I close my eyes, Dongdong will disappear again," she whispered.
"He won't. The police said the criminals have been caught. No one will take Dongdong away from us again. And we owe it all to Mr. Lu—they're the ones who found him."
"Once Dongdong gets better, we must properly thank Mr. Lu," she said.
"That's right. Dongdong still needs us. If your health fails, how will we care for him? Why don't you rest on my shoulder for a bit? I'll watch over him."
"Just ten minutes. Promise you'll wake me after ten minutes," she said, reluctantly leaning against his shoulder.
"I promise."
Exhausted, Mrs. Yu closed her eyes after one last glance at her son and soon fell asleep.
Mr. Yu let his tears flow silently, carefully supporting his wife and gazing at his son with tenderness.
Though weary, he looked like the happiest man alive.
In the soft glow of the room's light, the silhouette of the reunited family exuded warmth and serenity.
Watching them, Lu Fei felt a mix of emotions—happiness for their reunion and envy for their bond.
*When will Grandpa come back...*
Pulling himself from his thoughts, Lu Fei said, "Tiger, let's go. Time to head home."
"Aren't we going to say hello?"
"Let's not disturb them..."
**Two days later.**
Lu Fei and Tiger saw a news report on TV.
The couple responsible for the child abductions went mad while being transported to court. They began biting themselves, tearing at their own flesh. The police couldn't stop them.
In the end, they died, having literally chewed themselves to death. Their bodies were a bloody mess.
Lu Fei could only think, *Serves them right.*
Such a gruesome death sparked widespread speculation online.
People recognized the couple as the owners of Wangyue Manor, and rumors about the manor's sinister fish-raising practices quickly went viral.
Those who had eaten Wangyue eels were left questioning the psychological toll.
The eels, raised on corpses, were addictive, seemingly enhancing health while secretly draining vitality.
Some believed the owners had been cursed for their evil deeds.
Others claimed they were demonic practitioners who used corpse-fed eels to extend their lives.
Some even suggested the owners themselves were monsters, with anyone who ate the eels becoming their unwitting slaves. These tales often ended with a "reclusive master" descending from the mountains to vanquish the evil.
The more outlandish, the better.
Lu Fei couldn't help but be dumbfounded by the stories.
Wangyue Manor, now shuttered, had become a hotspot for urban explorers and thrill-seekers.
"So many fools these days," Lu Fei muttered, shaking his head. He paid no attention to the online rumors, focusing instead on the merit energy he had gained.
When he helped the ghostly children recover the bones buried in the mud, their gratitude had bestowed upon him this mysterious power.
"With the bald man and his wife dead, I hope those children can finally rest in peace."
The merit energy had significantly boosted Lu Fei's abilities.
He felt like his spiritual capacity had doubled, allowing him greater control over his spiritual tools and enhancing his overall strength.
The stronger his abilities, the more confident he would be when facing supernatural threats.
What started as a compassionate attempt to help Mr. Yu's family had turned into an unexpected windfall.
Aside from the merit energy, he had also acquired the mysterious black bead.
Though unsure if it was a demon core, it was clearly a concentrated essence from the monster. It might prove useful in the future.
These gains brought him more satisfaction than money ever could.
Over the next few days, Lu Fei continued his usual pawnshop operations while devoting time to spiritual training.
Reflecting on the past two months since Evil Pawnshop reopened, he felt he had undergone a transformation.
Sorting through his account book and records of supernatural items, he tallied the seven cursed objects he had collected so far:
- A necklace made of human bones.
- Hungry ghost coins.
- A mother-child snake's shed skin.
- Yinwood.
- A ghost-head blade.
- The Bride's Vengeance painting.
- The small coffin.
Although the painting was only a temporary pawn, every item that passed through Evil Pawnshop left its mark.
Lu Fei flipped through the ledger, noting that his grandfather had collected 99 cursed items during his first three years as shopkeeper.
Setting the ledger aside, Lu Fei made a decision.
"I'll collect 100 items in three years—one more than Grandpa!"
With seven items already under his belt, he only needed 93 more. It was a daunting goal, but he thrived under pressure.
"No matter the purpose of Evil Pawnshop, my aim is to run this family business well. To grow and make it thrive once more!"
As Lu Fei meticulously planned his next steps, Liu Fugui burst into the shop.
"Brother Lu, great news! We've got a buyer for the small coffin!"
"How much?" Lu Fei asked, calmly closing his ledger.
"1.2 million!" Liu Fugui said excitedly, his pudgy fingers trembling with enthusiasm.
"That much..." Tiger started to exclaim, only for Lu Fei to shake his head.
"Too low. Tell them we're not selling," he said firmly.
"That's low?" Liu Fugui was stunned.
Tiger was equally bewildered.
"Think about it, Liu. Would someone who wants a small coffin be an ordinary person?" Lu Fei asked with a sly smile. "Selling it for a million would be letting them off easy."
"You've got a point. I'll let them know."
Liu quickly sent a message.
Moments later, a bespectacled man clutching a briefcase rushed into the shop.
"Mr. Liu, 1.2 million isn't cheap! You can't be so greedy!"
"Mr. Zhang, you know Evil Pawnshop doesn't deal in ordinary items. Compared to its true value, 1 million is nothing," Liu Fugui said with a grin.
Mr. Zhang frowned. "Fine. What's your price?"
"I don't make the decisions. Shopkeeper Lu does," Liu said, gesturing to Lu Fei.
Lu Fei held up two fingers. "2 million. No bargaining."
"What?! You might as well rob me!" Mr. Zhang exclaimed angrily.
"Then don't buy it. Liu, show him out," Lu Fei said, waving dismissively.