MLV Ch 39

His phone buzzed. Jiang Ye looked down to see a message from Jin Feize.

Ah Zhe the Cutie: [The college entrance exam results are out. What was your score?]

Jiang Ye scrolled through WeChat, his gaze pausing for a moment. Today had twenty-four hours, and it was now 7 PM. As the day was nearing its end, someone had finally asked about his exam score. And that person, surprisingly, was Jin Feize.

Argos: [What’s it to you?]

Ah Zhe the Cutie: [Even the Department of Special Biology Research requires candidates to pass the tier-one university cutoff score. Did you make it?]

Jiang Ye hadn’t actually had a chance to check his score yet; he didn’t know if he had passed or not.

Ah Zhe the Cutie: [Image]

The guy had somehow found his ID number and looked up his score. He had safely passed the tier-one cutoff, crossing the first threshold of the Department of Special Biology Research.

Ah Zhe the Cutie: [The dorms at Capital University are for four people. I don’t want to live with those filthy, ugly idiots. I’ve already found a place. A new apartment complex, one bedroom, one living room, just right for us.]

Argos: [There are dorms. I’m not renting.]

Ah Zhe the Cutie: [Rent? I don’t rent. I bought the apartment.]

Jiang Ye: “…”

Li Miaomiao had said the Liu family had a habit of praying to Buddha and burning incense. Were they really praying to Buddha? Jiang Ye had a gut feeling that the object of their worship was likely related to Taisui. If that were the case, he couldn’t just barge into the haunted house alone. He listed potential people to ask for help. First was Shen Duo, but that guy only ever told half the story, especially regarding his mother. Aside from some trivial details, he never told Jiang Ye his mother’s objectives or the specifics of her actions. The department had its rules and regulations, and Jiang Ye understood Shen Duo’s position. He didn’t have the authority to know the details of related incidents, so Shen Duo could only keep him in the dark. If he told Shen Duo about the Liu residence this time, he would probably be excluded again.

Jiang Ye drew a cross over Shen Duo’s name and his eyes moved to Huo Ang, who was next on the list. He sent a message to Huo Ang, asking if he was free to come to Shen City. Huo Ang didn’t reply until ten o’clock at night.

Lord Huo: [Sorry, just got off work and saw your message. What’s up?]

Argos: [Are you free to come to Shen City?]

Lord Huo: [I’m being a dog for your Teacher Shen, so I’m afraid I’m not. Let me check the weekend.]

Lord Huo: [Wait, I have to work overtime this weekend, no time… You wait. Once I assassinate Shen Duo, I’ll be free!]

Jiang Ye: “…”

Huo Ang had no time. That left only one person on his list of potential helpers: Jin Feize.

Jiang Ye’s delicate brows furrowed into a deep line. He really didn’t want to ask this guy, but among the people he knew, only he was both idle and exceptionally capable. After a moment of thought, Jiang Ye steeled himself and knocked on Jin Feize’s door.

“Why ask me?” Jin Feize said. 

“I can’t talk to ghosts.”

“But you can ward off evil,” Jiang Ye said. 

“If the situation gets out of control, I hope you’ll help.”

Jin Feize was nonchalant. 

“Not really interested.”

Jiang Ye stared at him in silence.

Jin Feize smiled faintly.

“There’s no benefit in this for me. What will you give me in exchange?”

His gaze fell on Jiang Ye’s crimson lips, direct and suggestive. Jiang Ye’s expression instantly turned cold, his eyes icing over. He turned to leave. 

“I’ll find another way.”

Jin Feize suddenly grabbed Jiang Ye’s wrist, pulling him into his arms and simultaneously wrapping an arm around his waist.

Jin Feize was smiling. 

“Don’t be so proud. If you go to a haunted house alone, you’ll die in there. If you’re dead, what’s the point of investigating?”

Jiang Ye’s eyes were as cold as ice, but he stopped struggling. The lunatic was right; he had to find help. Jiang Ye struggled internally. Forget it, it’s just a kiss. It’s not like we haven’t kissed before. He closed his eyes and conceded, “Go ahead and kiss me.”

A faint hint of surprise appeared in Jin Feize’s eyes, followed by a sweet smile. 

“How strange. You’re actually not resisting me anymore.”

Jiang Ye looked at him coldly. 

“Are you going to kiss me or not?”

“You think a single kiss can make me do your bidding?” Jin Feize whispered. 

“That’s a bad deal for me. It’s not enough. I want something else.”

Jiang Ye took a deep breath. His intuition told him this guy was about to say something terrible.

Jin Feize’s voice was gentle and ambiguous, with an indescribable sensuality. 

“I recently finished the study materials my grandfather gave me. I’m ready, Xiao Ye. Let’s go to bed.”

Jiang Ye: “…”

He knew Jin Feize was up to no good.

Without a second thought, he said coldly, “I refuse.”

He pried Jin Feize’s arm off and turned to leave. Jin Feize pulled him back again, pinching his chin and forcing his head up, then kissed him deeply. It was the same rough, domineering plunder as before, his lips grinding against Jiang Ye’s until they were flushed with color. Sucking on his lips wasn’t enough; Jin Feize pried open his jaw and ventured inside. Jiang Ye felt like he was being savored, like a meal on a table. He pushed hard against him, but Jin Feize didn’t budge, as steady as a mountain. He was too strong. Trapped in his embrace, Jiang Ye was like a butterfly in an iron cage, unable to escape.

Just then, Li Miaomiao kicked the door open and shouted, “I knew it! You two are making out again!”

With Li Miaomiao here, Jiang Ye struggled even more fiercely. But Jin Feize had no intention of letting him go, like a predator with its jaws clamped on its prey, refusing to release its grip for anyone. The guy’s kisses were incredibly aggressive; Jiang Ye felt like his lips were about to be bitten raw.

And so, Li Miaomiao watched them kiss for a full minute. Seeing that no one was paying her any attention, she quietly closed the door.

Finally having had his fill, Jin Feize released Jiang Ye.

“Forget it,” Jin Feize said with a smile. 

“Just kissing is fine too. I’ll help you with this.”

He told Jiang Ye to wait and made a phone call. The next day, he had Jiang Ye go to the airport to pick someone up. The arrivals gate was bustling with people. After a short wait, he saw a silver-haired young man pushing a suitcase towards him from a distance. The man was dressed very coolly in a white T-shirt, ripped jeans, and a pair of shiny, studded boots. He walked with a swagger, exuding a rock-and-roll vibe. Most striking was his head of brilliant, silver-white hair, which made passersby turn their heads again and again. Jiang Ye thought this couldn’t be the person Jin Feize was expecting, but the man stood at the arrivals gate, held up his phone, and made a ‘V’ sign. Seconds later, Jiang Ye received a message from Jin Feize, and it was a selfie of that very guy.

The young man seemed to have received a photo of Jiang Ye as well. He held up his phone, scanned his surroundings, and located Jiang Ye in an instant, jogging over with his suitcase.

“You’re Jiang Ye? I’ve heard so much about you. I’m Zhang Yi, the 89th generation disciple of the Heavenly Master’s Mansion. I just took over, making me the youngest Heavenly Master in the five-thousand-year history of China. Ah Zhe said you’re breaking into a haunted house. You’ve come to the right person. I’m a professional.”

Jiang Ye hesitated before shaking his hand. 

“A Heavenly Master?”

Do Taoist priests dye their hair?

Zhang Yi winked. 

“Don’t believe me, do you? Would Ah Zhe lie to you? He lived in the Linglong Pagoda on Mount Longhu for eight years, and I was his guard on the eighth floor. He was locked up for eight years, I stood guard for eight years. I stopped nine idiots who tried to rush the pagoda with dynamite packs, saved thirty junior disciples from hanging themselves, and mediated between seventeen bald junior sisters who were tearing each other’s faces off. Ah Zhe and I are tight. One time, Ah Zhe tried to hypnotize me into committing suicide. Luckily, I’m afraid of pain, so the sting of slitting my throat woke me up. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here to meet you.”

Seeing Jiang Ye still frowning, he pulled out a Taoist priest certificate and held it up. The cover was printed with a Taiji symbol and the words “Supervised by the China Taoist Association.” Inside was Zhang Yi’s ID photo. In the picture, his hair wasn’t dyed; it was a head of soft, glossy black hair, and he was smiling with a mouthful of white teeth.

Jiang Ye was silent. This was the first time he learned that Taoist priests had certificates.

From him, Jiang Ye also learned that the “mountain” Jin Feize had mentioned was Mount Longhu. He had been living in the Linglong Pagoda, studying under Zhang Yi’s late master, Zhang Junwu. Honestly, Jiang Ye couldn’t picture the lunatic Jin Feize as a cultivator of the Dao. He figured that the old Heavenly Master Zhang had likely never anticipated that the Tai Chi he taught Jin Feize for physical fitness would become Jin Feize’s method for killing people.

“Pardon me for asking,” Jiang Ye asked with a frown, “but why was Jin Feize locked in the pagoda?”

“You don’t know?” Zhang Yi said. 

“Ah Zhe is a malevolent entity.”

“A malevolent entity?”

“In the words of the Department of Special Biology Research, an ‘abnormal biological entity’.” Zhang Yi patted him on both shoulders. 

“A normal person has a flame on each shoulder and one on top of their head. Ah Zhe doesn’t have them. He’s like a dead person. If you spend enough time with him, you’ll find that most ghosts are afraid of him. That’s because he’s one of the more sinister types of abnormal creatures. Even minor ghosts have to take a detour when they see him.”

No wonder Liu Bei was afraid of him. Jiang Ye mused, “So he’s not human?”

“He used to be. I’m not sure if he counts as one now.”

“What do you mean?”

Zhang Yi said, “This is a secret of the Jin family; I don’t know much about it either. In short, he became like this after some kind of incident. Originally, the higher-ups at the Department of Special Biology wanted him locked up on Mount Longhu for life. But then your mother came to visit the mountain, and I don’t know what she said to those old geezers, but he was allowed to leave the pagoda.”

A jolt went through Jiang Ye. 

“So my mother really did find Jin Feize?”

Zhang Yi looked down at his phone and showed him a photo of Jin Feize and his mother. The background was the misty rain of Mount Longhu. Jiang Ruochu was in a black overcoat, standing next to Jin Feize, who was dressed in a simple robe. It was the first time Jiang Ye had seen Jin Feize with long hair. The misty rain was thick, his robes were thin, and his smile carried the dampness of the rain, gentle and soft.

So what Jin Feize had said was all true. It was indeed his mother who had sent Jin Feize to his side.

Zhang Yi asked with a smile, “How do you feel after spending time with him? To be honest, his release from the mountain is still a point of contention in our sect. When I left, a few of my martial uncles at the Heavenly Master’s Mansion told me to find a way to bring him back. If you feel he is indeed very dangerous, after I help you check out that house, I can take him away.”

Jiang Ye stared at him fixedly and said, “So you two are not friends.”

Zhang Yi laughed out loud.

“Who told you we’re friends? In the eight years he was locked up, he tried to kill me several times.” His smile vanished, and he said seriously, “Trust me. Even though I listen to rock, have a band, dye my hair, smoke, and play mahjong, and even though the Heavenly Master’s Mansion has ordered me not to attend any major ceremonies until I dye my hair back, I really am a good Heavenly Master. In this world, besides my late master, I’m the only one who can control him.”

Jiang Ye’s feelings became very complicated.

Jin Feize clearly disliked Zhang Yi, yet for Jiang Ye’s sake, he had still called him over. Of course, one should never think well of that guy. He was most likely doing it to make Jiang Ye lower his guard so he could toy with him better.

Zhang Yi took out a piece of gum to chew. 

“So, how about it?”

Jiang Ye said coolly, “He has been behaving very well, with no inappropriate actions whatsoever.”

Zhang Yi was a bit surprised. 

“Really? He hasn’t tried to kill you? Have you checked his place? There’s got to be a pig-slaughtering knife or something. He’s addicted to killing.”

Jiang Ye continued without a change in expression, “Please inform your elders that he is very safe. There is no need to take him away.”

Zhang Yi scratched his head. 

“Alright, as long as everything’s fine.” He then spoke into his phone, “You’ve really done it, Ah Zhe. I never thought you could turn over a new leaf. This is great. Master would be so happy he’d jump out of his coffin.”

Jin Feize’s voice, tinged with a gentle smile, came from the phone. 

“Of course. For my Xiao Ye, I can do anything.”

Jiang Ye’s previously calm eyes flickered slightly. 

“You two are on a call?”

“Yeah,” Zhang Yi said. 

“I just called to ask where you were and forgot to hang up.”

Jiang Ye: “…”

He had just lied for this guy, and he must have heard it. He was going to be smug again.

Jin Feize said, “Xiao Ye is so good. I like Xiao Ye the most. Come home soon. I’ll be waiting for you, all washed up.”

Zhang Yi hung up the phone. 

“‘Washed up’? Why does that sound weird?”

“He means he’s washing the vegetables and waiting for me to come home for dinner. Let’s add each other on WeChat,” Jiang Ye said. 

“My phone is dead. I’ll use your WeChat to add myself.”

Zhang Yi hadn’t expected this kid, who looked so cold and aloof, to be so approachable. He didn’t think much of it and unlocked his phone, handing it to Jiang Ye. After adding his own WeChat, Jiang Ye, when Zhang Yi wasn’t looking, sent the photo of the long-haired Jin Feize to his own number via text message, then deleted the message history.

“Done.” Jiang Ye handed the phone back to him.

Zhang Yi arrived late, and with bad weather on the way—it looked like it was about to rain—they decided to rest at a hotel for the night. The next day, he, along with Jiang Ye and Jin Feize, headed straight for the Liu family’s villa. Li Miaomiao insisted on coming. Jiang Ye disagreed at first, but Zhang Yi guaranteed it would be fine, saying he was a professional. Fearing it would be more dangerous if Li Miaomiao secretly followed them, Jiang Ye finally agreed to bring her along. The four of them pretended to be college students from Shen University looking to rent a place together and managed to trick Liu’s grandfather into meeting them.

“Someone died in this villa, that’s why the price is low,” Old Man Liu said. 

“You’re all young people, full of vital energy. You don’t need to be afraid living here.” Though he said this, he directly handed the keys to Jiang Ye. 

“Take the keys and go look yourselves. I won’t go with you.”

“Pardon me for asking,” Jiang Ye inquired while taking notes in a notebook, “did they exhibit any strange behavior or encounter any strange things or people before they disappeared?”

Old Man Liu shook his head; he knew nothing. Unable to get any information, Jiang Ye had no choice but to leave with the keys. The Liu house was in a high-end residential area, surrounded by small villas and large apartments, with good landscaping and low housing density. When they arrived at the entrance of the Liu villa, they saw a two-meter-tall golden statue of a thousand-armed Guanyin standing in the courtyard. The bodhisattva held several ghost heads in her hands, her expression impassive, her eyes downcast. It looked very out of place in the European-style villa courtyard.

“Maybe the house is haunted, so Old Man Liu put this here to ward off evil,” Li Miaomiao said.

Zhang Yi studied the Guanyin statue and said, “Tsk, this bodhisattva is a bit odd.”

Jiang Ye frowned. 

“What do you mean?”

“The construction of this Guanyin statue doesn’t conform to the standard form.” Zhang Yi pointed to the statue’s arms. 

“A normal thousand-armed Guanyin has twenty arms on the left and right, each symbolizing twenty-five, adding up to a thousand. This Guanyin statue cut corners; it only has fourteen arms. What a rip-off.”

Li Miaomiao asked curiously, “Can it still ward off evil then?”

“It can, because what actually wards off evil in a Buddha statue isn’t the ‘Buddha,’ but its materials. Gold and stone can generate a specific magnetic field that can suppress some malevolent entities.” Zhang Yi took out a compass and said, “Jiang Ye needs to talk to the ghosts. Ah Zhe, you should stay out of the house, so you don’t scare them away.”

Jin Feize sat on the swing, his eyes curving into a smile. 

“Alright. I’ll leave it to you then.”

Worried about mold in the villa, Jiang Ye put on a mask and did a quick tour inside first. The villa’s windows were bright and the floors were so polished they reflected his image. There were none of the filthy mold spots they’d seen in Taisui Village.

Zhang Yi followed him with the compass. He came out and said, “Strange. There are no ghosts in this villa.”

“No ghosts?” Li Miaomiao asked. 

“So all those rumors are false?”

“Not necessarily,” Zhang Yi said. 

“We might have to come back and check again at night. By the way, how many people in this family?”

Li Miaomiao said, “Five. Liu Bei passed away before, so there should only be four now.”

“Not bad.” Zhang Yi looked relaxed. 

“Just four ghosts. I can handle it.” As he spoke, he winked at Jin Feize. 

“Ah Zhe, as we agreed, ten thousand yuan per ghost.”

Jin Feize tapped on his phone, and the sound of coins clinking into a bag from an Alipay transfer notification chimed from Zhang Yi’s phone.

Zhang Yi beamed. 

“Alright, leave everything to me. I guarantee your satisfaction!”