Volume One: Entering the City Chapter Twelve: The Mockery of the Grim Reaper

Lu Yi finally remembered the old woman had once told him: during his stay, he would be responsible for any damaged property. At the time, Lu Yi thought it was just standard practice, like at any regular inn—break something, pay for it. Who could have guessed there was a deeper meaning behind her words.

A faint smile creased the old woman's wrinkled face. “Why wouldn’t you be willing?”

“Uh, of course I’m willing. After all, it was all our fault,” Lu Yi thought to himself, sighing inwardly. Sometimes, when you’re under another’s roof, you have no choice but to bow your head.

The old woman estimated the value of the damaged items and said to Lu Yi, “The window, the door, the railing, plus a little for my trouble—let’s call it six thousand. Will you be paying cash or card?”

Damn, she’s practiced at this, Lu Yi grumbled inwardly, suddenly realizing how easy it would be to spend that nearly six hundred thousand he had in savings. “Card,” he replied, getting up from the floor.

Seeing Lu Yi reach for his wallet, the old woman beamed as she approached. “Don’t think I’m gouging you. At that hour, with you two outsiders, no one else in this town would dare take you in except for me.”

Even as she spoke, she strode over and, without warning, pulled out a pendant and shouted at Lu Yi, “Go back!”

Startled, Lu Yi felt a surge of energy sweep over him. The pendant, which had seemed utterly unremarkable before, now shone with a dazzling light only he could see. Before he could comprehend what the old woman intended, a chilling coldness gripped his heart—the same sensation he’d felt on the bus.

Looking down, Lu Yi saw black smoke coiling around him, but as the light shone upon it, the smoke thinned, fading away.

Could this be the solution? Lu Yi’s heart leapt with hope.

But before he could revel in it, the black smoke began to move. It churned and thickened, forming a cage that enclosed him in utter darkness.

“What are they doing?” Li Xinran, hearing the old woman shout, was about to step in and intervene when Xiaoxun grabbed her arm. “Don’t go. Grandma’s busy.”

The old woman frowned, clearly sensing the struggle. After facing off against the black mist for over ten seconds, she reluctantly withdrew the pendant.

Lu Yi’s vision cleared as if sight had been restored, and the cold vanished as well.

The old woman shook her head, as though wanting to say something, but just then, a strange wind swept through the room. The broken door fragments on the floor rattled, making a clattering sound as if some unseen presence was mocking them.

A piece of the door, still precariously attached to the frame, groaned and finally fell to the ground with a loud crack. The side facing up bore three parallel claw marks, left by a monster.

Sensing imminent danger, the six-pointed star in Lu Yi’s left eye instantly appeared. In the blink of an eye, the scene before him subtly changed.

Those three deep gouges seemed to swell and rise in Lu Yi’s vision, then detached from the wood and floated in midair. A chorus of laughter—men, women, old and young, all mingled together—echoed in his ears as the marks pulsed and undulated.

He blinked again, and the world snapped back to normal. “Bang!” The middle-aged man slammed his fist against the wall. “Outrageous.”

“What’s wrong?” Li Xinran asked in a hushed voice, sensing the heavy atmosphere.

Xiaoxun pointed solemnly at the fallen fragment. “That thing that’s been haunting you just came. It left this message itself.”

“Three.” Lu Yi’s hands trembled uncontrollably. Pressing his lips together, he clenched his fists, barely restraining himself.

“You see now, that thing entwined with you—I can’t deal with it,” the old woman said, shaking her head as she headed for the stairs.

“Three? Could it mean three o’clock?” Li Xinran looked at Lu Yi with concern.

“No, it’s already past three. That can’t be it,” the middle-aged man dismissed the theory outright.

“Then what is it?” Li Xinran grew anxious.

“It’s nothing,” Lu Yi said, glancing at the man before fixing his gaze on Li Xinran. “Don’t let it get to you. Whatever it means, we’ll have to face it sooner or later, won’t we?”

The middle-aged man clapped Lu Yi on the shoulder, changing the subject. “You were pretty gutsy when you charged at that mirror just now. Why’d you do it?”

Lu Yi gave a wry smile. “I’m not as clever as some, and I can’t fight as well as you. If I lost my nerve too, I’d be good for nothing, wouldn’t I?” Though his self-deprecation seemed absolute, the determination in his eyes made it clear he hadn’t given up.

“All right, enough dawdling,” the old woman’s voice called from downstairs. “Dafeng, seal up that door. If another monster gets in, you’ll be the one cleaning up the mess. Xiaoxun, get down here and bring the machine, so the kid can pay and get some rest.”

“And you, young man—even with that thing dogging you, it’s safe under my roof. In this demon-hunting family, even a creature like that couldn’t take your life,” she added, her words brimming with pride.

Hearing this, Xiaoxun lifted her head, a look of pride lighting her face.

Li Xinran’s eyes sparkled. “Grandma, you’re so skilled—could you teach us too?”

The old woman snorted. “You want to stay? Pity I have to deal with the demon in the mirror tomorrow.”

“Mom, but you still have me,” the middle-aged man began, but the old woman silenced him with a roar. “With the way you acted tonight? Tomorrow, you and Xiaoxun are going to the valley for three days of training.”

Her tone softened. “Of course, I’m not stingy with my skills. If you really want to learn, come with me tomorrow. I’ll take you to the Border Mountains. To become a demon hunter of my line, you must slay a demonized red-maned hound by yourself.”

“What’s that?” Lu Yi whispered to the man.

“It’s a kind of monster. That nest of creatures just now would be a match for a single demonized red-maned hound,” the man explained, gesturing with both hands.

“That’s right. But don’t worry, I won’t send you in empty-handed, and I’ll guarantee your safety on the way. But once you face the red-maned hound, your life or death is your own,” the old woman added.

A buzzing sound interrupted her words as both Lu Yi’s and Li Xinran’s watches vibrated.

“Relative Dead-End Level Mission Triggered: Obtain the Helian Family’s Demon-Hunter Legacy.

After accepting this mission, your current main quest will be replaced: Obtain the legacy and participate in the major event one week from now. Note: At that time, you will join other trial participants who arrive later to complete the mission together. The mission deadline will be extended accordingly.

Please make your choice within thirty seconds.

Warning! Warning! The city records show all trial participants with physical attributes similar to Participant 373598 have failed to survive this type of mission. With more than a hundred choosing and zero survivors, this is classified as a Relative Dead-End Level Mission. Proceed with caution.”

To replace the current main quest with an even harder one?

Lu Yi touched his left eye. This unassessed demon eye had already allowed him to witness the extraordinary several times—just recently, it had even helped him break free from an illusion. But none of it was under his control, and the eye had shown no offensive power so far. He simply didn’t have the confidence to choose this task.

Besides, he thought, what sense did it make for someone bonded with a demon eye to seek a demon-hunter’s legacy? Would the eye even help him?

“I am both light and shadow,” sounded impressive, but the city still hadn’t classified this demon eye, and the legacy of a demon-hunting clan was no small matter. Lu Yi knew he wasn’t ready to balance the two.

After weighing his options, Lu Yi glanced at Li Xinran and shook his head, signaling that he wouldn’t participate.