Lu Fei looked up, a flicker of surprise crossing his face.
The visitor was the white-robed man he had seen at the Three Flavors Teahouse.
Red Sister had introduced him as Jing Jian, a wandering practitioner skilled in yin-yang arts.
"Hello, how can I assist you?"
Lu Fei stood calmly, his expression neutral but polite.
"Shopkeeper Lu, I'm here to discuss a big business deal with you!" Jing Jian said cheerfully, settling himself comfortably as if they were old friends.
"Tiger, tea, please."
Lu Fei couldn't help but wonder. He had no prior dealings with Jing Jian. What could be his purpose in offering a lucrative business deal out of nowhere?
"Do you have a cursed item to pawn?" Lu Fei asked directly.
"It's not me who has a cursed item," Jing Jian replied, waving his hand. He sipped his tea before continuing, "Do you remember the conversation at the Three Flavors Teahouse about the coffin mold and the Fish Scare Stone?"
"Of course."
"I travel a lot, and recently, while passing by Fuxian Lake, I spotted a massive fish surfacing. That fish reeked of demonic energy—it must be the fish demon hiding in the lake. I observed it for several days and figured out its activity patterns."
"And?" Lu Fei's expression remained calm.
"That's the big business opportunity I'm offering you!" Jing Jian exclaimed enthusiastically. "The Evil Pawnshop specializes in cursed items, and the Fish Scare Stone is a priceless treasure! I'm willing to share the fish demon's activity patterns with you. If we work together to take it down, you can have the Fish Scare Stone, and I'll take the fish's inner core. It's a win-win!"
Lu Fei glanced at him and nodded. "Ah, I see. You can't handle the fish demon alone, so you're looking for help—but you don't want to pay for it. Right?"
"That's not quite it!" Jing Jian's face flushed with embarrassment. "I can guarantee that no one else in the field knows the fish demon's patterns as I do!"
"In that case, surely others would be eager to work with you. Why come to the Evil Pawnshop?" Lu Fei sipped his tea leisurely, his attitude indifferent.
Jing Jian hadn't expected this reaction.
"Don't you want the Fish Scare Stone?"
"Of course I do."
"Then it's settled! I promise not to compete with you for the Fish Scare Stone," Jing Jian assured earnestly.
Lu Fei gave him a faint smile. "Do you remember what you said at the teahouse?"
Jing Jian blinked, unsure. "What?"
"You said Master Duan was setting me up to die by sending a novice like me after the Fish Scare Stone and coffin mold," Lu Fei reminded him, his smile faintly mocking.
Jing Jian froze. Scrambling to recover, he said, "That's different! Going alone and working together are two entirely different things. I've studied the fish demon's habits and know when it's most vulnerable. If we strike then, I guarantee your safety."
"If that's the case, why not handle it yourself? You could take both the Fish Scare Stone and the inner core. Isn't that better?" Lu Fei asked nonchalantly, his tone unbothered.
Jing Jian scratched his head, flustered by Lu Fei's calm refusal to be swayed.
"Fine. I'll be honest with you."
When he first saw Lu Fei at the teahouse, Jing Jian had thought he was a gullible young man. But now it was clear that Lu Fei wasn't easy to manipulate.
"I can't handle the fish demon alone, so I need a partner. Most people are after the inner core since it can enhance their powers. But the Evil Pawnshop is different—you're interested in the Fish Scare Stone."
He spread his hands. "That's the truth."
Lu Fei smiled and opened his hand, then closed it. "What if I want both?"
Jing Jian nearly choked on his tea, staring at Lu Fei in disbelief. "What did you just say? I'm providing the crucial intel, and you want both? How is that fair?"
"Considering you're the one seeking my help, I'd say it's perfectly reasonable," Lu Fei replied, mimicking Jing Jian's gesture.
"Then what's the point of me doing all this work? No way!" Jing Jian protested, waving his hands. "In that case, I'd rather go it alone."
"If you want to collaborate, you'll need to show some sincerity."
"Sincerity? I'm bringing you a big business deal on a silver platter, and that's not sincere enough?" Jing Jian stood abruptly, exasperated. "Forget it! I'll find someone else to work with. You'll regret this!"
"Safe travels," Lu Fei said with a polite gesture toward the door.
Jing Jian snorted, storming out in frustration.
"Boss, there's an old saying: 'No one flatters without a motive.' That guy's definitely up to something! We're better off not trusting him," Tiger said.
"Of course. If something's truly good, no one's eager to share it," Lu Fei replied.
He brushed the matter aside.
The Fish Scare Stone was undoubtedly a treasure, but only if you lived to claim it.
"Forget him. Let's stick to our plans."
Lu Fei and Tiger were preparing to head to the haunted dormitory when his phone rang.
"Shopkeeper Lu, get over here quick! I've found a new lead on the flaying case!"
It was Liang Ge, the private investigator. His voice was brimming with excitement.
Lu Fei had promised to help him deal with the flaying case's perpetrator. With new clues, he couldn't delay.
"Alright, we're on our way."
At Liang Ge's office, the air was thick with cigarette smoke.
The room was hazy, with overflowing ashtrays. It was impossible to tell how many cigarettes the investigator had gone through.
"Shopkeeper Lu, take a look at this."
Liang Ge, unshaven and disheveled, pushed a laptop toward Lu Fei, his face anxious and weary.
"Hold on."
Lu Fei waved his hand to clear the smoke and had Tiger open the windows. Once the air cleared a bit, he squinted at the screen.
It displayed a series of photos.
"I contacted the families of three victims and managed to persuade them to cooperate. Two of them mentioned that the victims had purchased an item before their deaths."
Liang Ge pulled up a new photo.
It was of an ancient-looking knife.
The blade was small and uniquely curved, thin yet sharp.
Even through the photo, the knife exuded an unsettling aura.
"I investigated it. This is an old execution knife, specifically designed for flaying."
Liang Ge's eyes gleamed with excitement despite his haggard appearance.
"Shopkeeper Lu, look at this knife. Could it be a cursed item?"
An execution knife for flaying?
Lu Fei's brow furrowed. No wonder the blade felt so unsettling.