The name sounds prestigious, but in reality, it's just a civilian-run online forum with no official affiliation. Fang Ming logged into the forum and entered the Metaphysics Exchange section, a subforum.
"Welcome back, Administrator Fang the Master!"
Closing the automated greeting, Fang Ming, one of the subforum's administrators, began his daily duties.
"Bored at home today, anyone kind enough to chat with me?"
"The largest casino in Macau, live beautiful dealers shuffling cards…"
"Lonely nights? Find the top three hidden hotspots…"
Fang Ming's lips twitched as he scrolled through the posts. Despite keyword filters, these shady advertisements still found loopholes.
After completing his routine task of deleting spam posts, Fang casually browsed the forum. He was about to log off when Ouyang Xueqing's voice drew his attention.
"I forgot there's a building under construction here. The road's been reduced to two lanes—looks like we'll be stuck in traffic for a while."
Looking out the car window, Fang Ming saw a towering structure on the left—a building over 80 meters tall.
Such a height was unremarkable in the bustling districts of Shanghai, but here on the city's outskirts, it stood out as an imposing structure.
"Tianmao Tower!"
Fang Ming's gaze fixed on the massive red banner draped across the building. Something clicked in his mind, and he reopened a post he had seen earlier in the forum.
"Two Years to Completion: The Rapid Construction of Tianmao Tower"
The post had been published in the Feng Shui Forum, a subforum within the metaphysics section. It had been up for quite some time, but Fang Ming had previously dismissed it. Now, standing near the site, his curiosity was piqued.
The author was an architect, a doctoral student in civil engineering at a prestigious university. His mentor, a renowned expert in architecture, was the chief designer of Tianmao Tower.
The post, written in a diary format, documented the challenges encountered during the tower's construction and how they were resolved.
However, the post wasn't purely academic. Its primary purpose was to disprove claims made by so-called Feng Shui masters who had publicly declared the area unsuitable for tall buildings.
When the project was announced, many Feng Shui practitioners spread rumors that any building over 50 meters on this site would bring disaster and harm to the surrounding residents. The controversy sparked protests from local residents, allegedly incited by these practitioners.
This led to the author's disdain for Feng Shui experts, prompting him to share the building's progress on the forum as a form of rebuttal.
"You claimed no building over 50 meters could stand here? Well, Tianmao Tower is 80 meters now, and nothing's happened. Where's the disaster you predicted?"
The post became a hot topic, drawing responses from Feng Shui enthusiasts nationwide. Local practitioners condemned it, while others watched the drama unfold.
By the time Tianmao Tower reached 60 meters six months ago, discussions on the post had quieted down. The author, however, continued to post updates.
Fang Ming hadn't commented earlier because he had never been to Shanghai and refrained from making judgments without firsthand observation.
Now, with Tianmao Tower right before his eyes, he had plenty of time to examine it closely due to the traffic jam. After a while, he frowned, opened the car door, and stepped out.
"Hey, Fang Ming, what are you doing?" Ouyang Xueqing called out, leaning out of the car window with a puzzled expression.
"Just checking something. I'll be back in a moment."
Fang smiled at her and strode toward the building.
The tower was only about 20 meters away from the road, so Fang quickly reached it. The structure's framework was nearly complete, with scaffolding erected for exterior finishing.
Fang circled the building, occasionally pausing to inspect certain areas.
"Hey, what are you doing here? This is a construction site. Outsiders aren't allowed," a worker approached, blocking his way.
"Sorry, I just needed to stretch my legs. The traffic jam's been a bit much," Fang replied casually.
The worker relaxed slightly, though his tone remained stern. "No loitering here. Move along."
"Understood." Fang smiled and turned to leave. After walking a few meters, he stopped and called back, "By the way, has anything unusual happened here recently?"
The worker froze momentarily, then scowled. "What nonsense are you talking about? Nothing unusual happens here. Now leave, or I'll call security."
Fang didn't press further. He left with a polite nod, but his previously relaxed demeanor was replaced by a somber expression.
When Fang returned to the car, his serious face only deepened Ouyang's confusion. She decided not to pry further, focusing instead on driving as the traffic began to clear.
In the car, Fang opened the forum on his phone and left a comment under the post:
"Odd numbers, no trouble. Even numbers, spirits will knock.
Seal the Southern Gate, stabilize the Northern Tower.
For buildings over 50 meters, avoid installing doors or windows on even-numbered floors. Remember this."
After posting, Fang closed his phone. He had said what needed to be said—now it was up to the designers of Tianmao Tower to heed the warning.
Little did Fang know, his comment reignited the post's popularity.
"OMG, it's Fang the Master!"
"See? I knew something would go wrong with this building!"
"Front-row seat for the Master's return!"
"Touching the Master's aura for luck!"
"Rubbing the heads of those above me!"
Fang's forum username, "Fang the Master," was legendary among long-time users. As a moderator for the metaphysics section, he rarely appeared. But every time he did, it sparked a storm of discussion.
Three years ago, Fang had risen to prominence on the forum. A prominent Feng Shui master had posted about discovering a "treasured site," sharing topographical maps that drew widespread praise from fellow practitioners.
Fang, however, left a single dissenting comment:
"Greedy wolves peck the moon; peacocks won't soar like chickens.
Avoid burial; it harms both others and yourself."
His remark provoked outrage among Feng Shui enthusiasts and the master's followers.
Three months later, the same master returned to the forum with a public apology, admitting his error and crediting Fang for his timely warning. While the master didn't elaborate on what had happened, the incident cemented Fang's reputation.
In the car, Fang leaned back, lost in thought. He had stumbled upon the forum years ago while learning to use the internet and had commented on the master's post after noticing its flaws.
Ironically, Fang had only chosen the username "Fang the Master" out of frustration after finding simpler options like "Fang Ming" or "Feng Shui Enthusiast" already taken. To his surprise, the name was available, leading him to muse about the humility of Chinese netizens.
Fang rarely posted, only commenting when he saw dangerous misinformation that could lead to harm. As he often said, "A poorly trained doctor might harm one patient, but a negligent Feng Shui practitioner could ruin an entire family—or even a village."
After an hour's drive, they reached a rundown village on the outskirts of the city, contrasting starkly with Shanghai's modern cityscape.
"Is your friend really staying here?" Ouyang asked, skeptical.
Fang nodded.
"Do you know where exactly?"
"No."
Ouyang rolled her eyes. "So, how are we supposed to find them?"
"I have my ways."
Fang smiled—a genuine, childlike grin that momentarily stunned Ouyang. She hadn't expected such innocence from someone so enigmatic.