Morning.
Carrying a basket of fruits, Lu Fei walked into the hospital.
In a single-patient room, Huang Junkun lay encased in plaster, wrapped up like a mummy. His parents had gone to get food, leaving no one to guard him.
Without hesitation, Lu Fei pushed open the door and entered.
"Well, well, Huang, how come you're in the hospital after just one night?"
Placing the fruit basket on the bedside table, Lu Fei pulled a chair over and sat down next to the bed.
Groggy from pain and medication, Huang Junkun opened his eyes.
When he saw Lu Fei, his entire body tensed up.
"W-what are you doing here?" he croaked, his voice hoarse and dry.
"I heard you were hospitalized, so I came to check on you." Lu Fei's tone was cheerful, his grin filled with schadenfreude. "What happened to you? Did you hurt yourself while eating excrement upside down?"
"Get lost! I don't need your fake concern…" Huang Junkun weakly growled, but the outburst aggravated his injuries, making him wince in pain.
"Oh really? I was even planning to bring you a gift."
Lu Fei pulled out a distorted clay figurine.
On its back, a small yellow paper figure was affixed.
The moment Huang Junkun saw it, his expression changed drastically.
"Y-you…"
"What? Do you recognize this little figure?" Lu Fei asked with a sly smile.
"N-no, I don't!" Huang Junkun stammered, visibly panicked.
"Are you sure?" Lu Fei gently began to bend the clay figurine's broken arm.
"Ahhh!"
Huang Junkun screamed in agony. His freshly set arm fractured once more, leaving him pale and trembling all over.
"Still don't recognize it?" Lu Fei moved to the other arm.
"It—it was an old woman who gave it to me!" Huang Junkun cried out in terror. He didn't understand Lu Fei's methods, but he couldn't endure another moment of that excruciating pain.
"An old woman?" Lu Fei paused, his hand still hovering over the figurine.
"She made me stick it to your back last night. She forced me to do it…" Huang Junkun gasped for air, cold sweat pouring down his ghostly pale face. His eyes were filled with dread.
"You'd better be telling the truth. Otherwise, I can't guarantee my hand won't slip. If this figurine falls and shatters, well…"
"I swear! It's the truth!"
Struggling to suppress his pain, Huang Junkun repeatedly vowed his honesty.
Taking the clay figurine, Lu Fei turned and left the hospital.
Instead of returning to the Evil Pawnshop, Lu Fei called Tiger and headed straight to the Three Flavors Teahouse.
"Little Shopkeeper Lu, you're back so soon! Your grandfather still hasn't sent any updates. What'll it be today? Big Sister will give you a discount," said Red Sister, dripping in jewels, as she affectionately linked arms with Lu Fei.
"Not here for tea today. I need to ask you about someone," Lu Fei replied bluntly.
"Oh? Looking for someone again?" Red Sister's sultry, curious gaze locked onto him. "Who are you after this time?"
"Feng the Sorceress."
"What business do you have with that old witch?" Red Sister's face showed surprise.
"She's messed with me too many times. If I don't settle things once and for all, how can the Evil Pawnshop maintain its reputation?"
"That old hag is sly and despicable. She's not very powerful, but she knows plenty of dirty tricks," Red Sister warned, a hint of concern crossing her fair face. "You've just entered this world and don't yet understand how dangerous it is. I'm worried you'll get hurt."
"Thank you for your concern, Red Sister, but if I retreat at the first sign of trouble, how can the Evil Pawnshop stand tall in this world?" Lu Fei's smile was warm, but a chilling determination shone in his eyes.
"You're ambitious. I like it!" Red Sister's eyes glinted with admiration. She picked up a pen and wrote an address on a piece of paper. "This is Feng the Sorceress's address. It's well-known in our circles, so it's not exactly a secret. But if you can't handle her, don't let anyone know you got this information from me."
"Don't worry, I understand."
After paying, Lu Fei and Tiger headed straight to the old sorceress's residence.
An old, run-down courtyard in the city's historic district.
At the gate, two or three people were already waiting in line.
"Why hasn't the Sorceress opened the door yet? I've finally got a date with my goddess, and without the magic potion, how can I score?"
"Quit complaining. I've been here longer than you. Today, I'm going to curse that wretched woman who refuses to divorce me!"
The courtyard remained closed, and the waiting crowd grew restless.
"I'm not seeing anyone today. Go away!"
The elderly voice of Feng the Sorceress called out from inside.
"Sorceress, please, we're desperate! Just open the door!"
"I said no! Stay if you want, but don't blame me if things get ugly!"
Her sharp tone left the crowd no choice but to disperse, grumbling in disappointment.
Lu Fei and Tiger exchanged a glance, surprised at the old sorceress's popularity.
But just like her, her clients were no saints.
"Open up!" Tiger marched forward and kicked the decrepit door open.
"I said I'm not seeing anyone today! Who dares barge in? Tired of living?"
The sound of the door slamming open startled Feng the Sorceress, who set down the straw doll in her hands. She stepped out of her dimly lit room, her expression icy—until she saw who it was.
"You… How are you…"
"How am I what?"
Lu Fei strolled into the courtyard with a casual smile, moving without the slightest hint of injury.
"Why are you here?" Her cloudy eyes darted nervously, disbelief etched across her aged face.
The curse should have worked. Why was this boy unharmed?
She had been about to bring the straw doll to the Evil Pawnshop herself, only for him to beat her to the punch.
"I'm here to teach you the Evil Pawnshop's rules!" Lu Fei sat down on a stool, crossed his legs, and pulled out a strange, ominous umbrella. "This black umbrella? Past due. So now it's mine. Got it?"
"Since you're here, don't blame me for being ruthless!"
Feng the Sorceress's eyes turned cold as she grabbed several straw dolls, ready to unleash them.
But before she could act, a sharp pain struck her chest, as if her heart had been punched.
Stumbling, she grabbed the doorframe to steady herself.
Struggling to catch her breath, she looked up to see Lu Fei casually holding the clay figurine, a playful smirk on his face.
In that moment, she realized her curse had been nullified.
The straw doll she had cursed was merely a proxy, and Lu Fei had used his own power to counter it. The backlash was mercilessly reflected onto her.
But how could this be?
"Y-you have magical power?"
She had spent her entire life painstakingly cultivating the tiniest fraction of power. Yet this young man, barely in his twenties, wielded such potent magic effortlessly.
Why?
*Crack!*
Lu Fei poured his magic into the figurine and crushed it in his hand.
The sorceress's chest convulsed as if struck by a hammer. She spat out black blood and collapsed to the ground.
Her spell was broken. The backlash shattered her meager powers, leaving her utterly defeated.
"Madam Feng, do you understand the rules of the Evil Pawnshop now?"
Lu Fei leaned in, waving the black umbrella before her.
"Whose umbrella is this?"
Her withered lips trembled. She knew she had lost completely. After a long pause, she croaked, "The Evil Pawnshop's…"
"Exactly."
With a satisfied smile, Lu Fei left the courtyard, black umbrella in hand.
Back at the pawnshop, his mood was excellent. He was confident that the old sorceress wouldn't dare trouble him again.
As he carefully stowed away the umbrella, he noticed multiple missed calls on his phone—all from Pan Linkai.
"What could be so urgent?" A sense of unease crept over Lu Fei as he dialed back.
"Linkai?"
"Lu Fe
i, something terrible has happened! Haitao really came to find me!"
"What? He found you?"
"He texted me on WeChat! He wants me to meet him in the Ghost Building… to play a game…"