Chapter 26

Less than a meter inside the room stood a large wooden board covered in movie posters of various sizes; the largest featured Rosamund Kwan.

To the left of the board was an open aisle that served as the entrance, provided one had already purchased a ticket from the small table on the right side of the board.

Sitting behind the small table was a woman in her early thirties, wearing a red tank top and jeans. She was tall and thin, and the low neckline of her tank top revealed a tattooed butterfly on her collarbone.

At that moment, she held a cigarette in her left hand and pressed a pager with her right, asking without looking up, "How many?"

"Four people, Sister Mei. It's been a while; you've gotten even prettier."

"Sister Mei, isn't Brother-in-law around? Are you running the shop alone today?"

Panzi and Leizi proactively tried to ingratiate themselves, showering her with compliments while paying.

In truth, they weren't even close to Sister Mei, but they were at an age where they were neither young nor old. As long as they were sweet-talkers and knew how to read the room, they could buy a single ticket and then have the thick skin to linger and sneak in an extra movie or two.

Sister Mei tucked the money into a drawer, pulled out four tickets, and cursed while blowing out a smoke ring

"Who knows where that bastard ran off to today!"

Sister Mei's man went by the nickname "Leopard," a fairly well-known thug in this part of town, referred to as Brother Leopard.

Without such a background, it wouldn't have been suitable for a woman like Sister Mei to run a video parlor like this.

Having taken their tickets, Li Zhuyuan and Runsheng followed Panzi and Leizi through the left aisle. The wooden board not only partitioned the walkway but also served to block the light from the doorway.

The interior space was quite large, with a circle of low, small benches in the middle, resembling a makeshift cinema.

In the past, township cinemas could maintain popularity through collective tickets from local state-owned factories and units, or by serving as temporary event stages. Now, as they gradually lost their state-owned status, they inevitably drifted toward decline.

This provided space for private video parlors like Sister Mei's to grow rapidly and spread.

Under the north wall stood a long counter with an old color TV on top and a VCR underneath.

Runsheng leaned toward Li Zhuyuan's ear, speaking excitedly, "Xiaoyuan, this TV is way bigger than the one Great-Grandpa bought yesterday."

Li Zhuyuan replied with a smile, "No matter how big this one is, everyone watches it together. No matter how small your home is, you're the only one watching there."

Runsheng nodded. "That's true. But at night, all the channels just show a fixed screen and make a 'beep' sound. I almost thought I broke the new TV right after we bought it; it scared me to death. Luckily, it's working again this morning."

"Brother Runsheng, maybe the people at the TV stations need to rest at night too."

"Yeah," Runsheng said regretfully, "What a shame. Can't they just work night shifts?"

"Brother Runsheng, let's sit."

Though it was afternoon, there were already some people inside. The movie currently playing was *Prison on Fire*, starring Chow Yun-fat and Tony Leung Ka-fai.

The film was currently halfway through.

Barring any major accidents, the screening times were generally fixed, so Panzi and the others had specifically timed their arrival to sneak in half a movie for free.

It wasn't easy for youths to come by spare change, so they had naturally learned how to stretch every cent, maximizing their entertainment for the least amount of money.

Li Zhuyuan also noticed a deep, small door with a curtain in the southeast corner of the parlor, which looked quite mysterious. It didn't seem to be for cooking, as there was no smell of oil or smoke.

Even though they started halfway through, it didn't stop everyone from quickly immersing themselves in the plot.

Time passed quickly, and the movie ended amidst the signature desolate and melancholic visual language of Hong Kong films of that era.

In fact, before it ended, Sister Mei had already come in and stood by the TV waiting, disregarding the atmosphere by shouting that the next film would be *A Better Tomorrow* and telling them to get ready for an extra session.

After it ended, a few people left for various reasons, but most chose to buy another ticket.

Sister Mei's gaze swept over Panzi and the others, but she said nothing, effectively acknowledging that they were staying for this session.

*A Better Tomorrow* began to play.

Hong Kong cinema was at its peak during this time, not only dominating the entire Sinophone world but also exerting massive influence in Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia.

The tapes in video parlors were primarily Hong Kong films, with occasional foreign films, though the covers were always quite explicit.

However, having just finished one Chow Yun-fat movie only to immediately start another, Li Zhuyuan found it difficult to get into the mood.

The feeling was very similar to when the older boys in the residential compound used to force him to watch *Ultraman Leo* all day long as a "thank you" for helping them with their homework.

Episode after episode, with the opening and ending themes fast-forwarded, the once indescribable happiness of a daily episode turned into aesthetic fatigue under the weight of repetitive patterns.

Leizi had stepped out earlier while changing the tape and had returned from the nearby convenience store with four bottles of soda, one for each person.

The money they earned from hauling bricks at the kiln wasn't much; their parents each took half, leaving them with just enough to afford this.

Fifteen minutes into the movie, four young men burst in. The leader, unbothered by the heat, wore an ill-fitting suit vest, while the other three had their shirts off and draped over their shoulders, exuding a sense of hooliganism.

They smoked heavily and spoke loudly, intentionally letting out exaggerated laughs during their conversations.

They had likely seen this movie before, as they chatted and spoiled the plot, habitually starting or ending every sentence with a curse word.

The people around them were dissatisfied, but no one said anything—after all, there were four of them.

Panzi and Leizi whispered to Runsheng and Li Zhuyuan, introducing who these four were and what their reputations were in the underworld.

Teenagers of this age held a peculiar sense of admiration for such ruffians, as if simply knowing them was a significant achievement.

However, the Li family generation placed great importance on education because of Li Lan; Panzi and Leizi were both in high school. Had they dropped out in middle school, they would likely be running with these men.

Li Zhuyuan didn't mind the smell of smoke—after all, Great-Grandpa Li Weihan and the others smoked—but he disliked their loud voices. Unable to bear it, he stood up and walked to the back row against the wall, where there were chairs that were much higher than the low benches in the front.

Panzi and Leizi confirmed Li Zhuyuan was still there, just sitting in the back, and turned back to the movie.

At that moment, the one in the suit shouted toward the back, "Sister Mei! Where are you? Where are you? We've been here so long, where are you!"

Sister Mei poked her head out from behind the wooden board and cursed, "Shouting, shouting! Shouting for your mother's soul? Look at the time! If I go to call you, you'll be here in a bit!"

"Hehehe." The man in the suit wasn't offended; he just whistled at Sister Mei. "Looks like Brother Leopard has been smoking too much. Look, you're sagging."

"Look at your grandmother!"

Sister Mei cursed again and disappeared behind the board.

Before long, two women walked in. Both were in their thirties, wearing heavy makeup and skirts.

After entering, they sat down on either side of Li Zhuyuan, then both lowered their heads to look at the boy curiously.

"Oh, little handsome guy, waiting here for big sisters?"

"Such smooth skin, so fair. Are you this sensible at such a young age?"

The two began to tease him.

At that moment, the two lackeys beside the man in the suit stood up and sat next to each woman. Their hands began to wander, exploring, and the women did not resist, engaging in playful interaction.

Li Zhuyuan realized that the chairs in the back row were not intended for normal spectators.

Just as he was about to leave his seat to sit back with Runsheng, the two couples beside him stood up first, pulled back the curtain, and entered the mysterious passage.

Soon, the sound of two doors closing echoed; there were likely several small cubicles inside.

The man in the suit began shouting, "Sister Mei, Sister Mei! Change the tape! Change the tape!"

Sister Mei poked her head out and cursed, "It's not even night yet, change what damn tape!"

The man in the suit said dissatisfiedly, "Spice it up a bit, set the mood! Change the tape!"

A few other moviegoers even joined in the heckling.

Although Sister Mei had Brother Leopard behind her, they were all thugs; sometimes she could scold them, but she still had to go along with them. Thus, she could only walk to the VCR, remove *A Better Tomorrow*, find another film in the long counter drawer, and pop it in.

Li Zhuyuan noticed Panzi, Leizi, and the others beginning to show excitement and anticipation, like youths from an African tribe about to undergo a primal rite of passage.

Soon, the new movie began playing; it was a period piece.

It was in Cantonese rather than Mandarin, but fortunately, there were subtitles. However, as one watched, it became clear that the presence or absence of subtitles didn't make much difference.

Initially, the plot seemed normal, with a lighthearted, dramatic feel. Li Zhuyuan saw a short man selling wheaten cakes and thought this must be the Hong Kong version of *Water Margin*.

Until a man and a woman entered a room to drink, then lay on a table, and their clothes began to disappear bit by bit.

Only then did Li Zhuyuan realize what kind of film this was.

Panzi and Leizi's eyes widened, more engrossed than they had been with the Chow Yun-fat movie, terrified of missing any detail, as if they wanted to imprint every frame into their minds to savor later.

Li Zhuyuan felt that these two "brothers" of his probably wouldn't be this attentive when looking at the blackboard in class.

Runsheng began to blush and lowered his head; he wasn't being coy, he was genuinely embarrassed to watch.

This period was the golden age of Hong Kong and Taiwan midnight movies, which produced a series of classics that left a heavy mark on film history.

A short while later, the two men who had gone in came out. They acted nonchalant, pulling out cigarettes to light, seemingly trying to use the smoke to mask some awkwardness.

"That fast?" The man in the suit showed no regard for his lackeys' dignity. "I haven't even built up the mood yet."

Despite saying that, he was unwilling to wait any longer. He stood up and walked into the deep passage with his other lackey.

Then, before the passionate scene in the movie had even finished, the two of them came out.

Now, all four were sitting in the chairs, smoking. They were no longer noisy and had finally quieted down.

It was as if they were interpreting the phrase "lay down the butcher's knife to become a Buddha."

After a while, the man in the suit shouted, "Sister Mei, Sister Mei! Play *A Better Tomorrow*!"

In a state of Buddhahood, one's heart is compassionate and cannot bear "slaughter."

"Damn it, so much trouble!"

Sister Mei was indeed annoyed, but she could understand. She went back in to change the tape and even adjusted the progress, skipping to where the movie had previously stopped.

After finishing, Sister Mei intentionally looked at them with a mocking smile.

She knew that at certain times, men were like tigers that had lost their teeth.

The four men indeed averted their eyes, suddenly becoming upright gentlemen who "refused to look at impropriety."

The two women remained seated in the back. They weren't supposed to start work so early; they had been called in ahead of time to perform four quick sessions.

At this point, they were too lazy to go back; they would have to come back again once night fell anyway.

Before long, they stood up and began sitting next to the moviegoers, chatting closely with them while their fingers toyed with the men.

Initially, the two chosen men refused with righteous indignation, then gave polite rejections, followed by a coy, hesitant push-and-pull...

Then, they all let out a sigh and stood up, as if forced by necessity to "feed the tigers," or perhaps as if they were performing a good deed to help.

Ultimately, with a sense of resolve—as if saying, "If I do not enter hell, who will?"—they were pulled into the deep passage.

As for Panzi, Leizi, and Runsheng, they were ignored from beginning to end.

The women had eyes; they knew not to waste time on certain people.

If someone was good-looking, they wouldn't mind sitting with them to watch a movie and chat; even without pay, it was enjoyable, as such needs were always mutual.

Unfortunately, Panzi and the others didn't meet the standard. There was one boy who was quite handsome, but he was too young; if only he were a few years older.

However, since it was the afternoon session, most people were there purely to watch movies. The women soon ran out of potential targets, so they stopped sitting in the chairs and went out to chat with Sister Mei.

By the time the movie finished, it was nearly dusk.

Seeing that there wouldn't be many people tonight, Panzi and Leizi sensibly moved from the middle area to the edge, preparing to sneak in another session.

Li Zhuyuan had to go home for dinner, so he said goodbye to Panzi and Leizi and left the parlor with Runsheng.

Runsheng liked movies, but he loved eating more.

Li Zhuyuan went to the nearby convenience store and bought four bottles of soda and several bags of snacks to give to Panzi and Leizi.

As he passed Sister Mei's small table, she was talking to the two women.

They were in a partnership: Sister Mei provided the venue and kept watch, and they split each session's earnings with her.

Seeing Li Zhuyuan return with things in his hands, Sister Mei teased, "Oh, little brother is bringing food to the big sisters? How embarrassing."

As she spoke, she made a gesture as if to reach for them.

She intended to tease the boy, but to her surprise, instead of pulling away, the boy actively leaned closer to make it easier for her to take them.

She actually took a bottle of soda.

Li Zhuyuan then set down a bag of spicy strips for her.

This action actually left Sister Mei a bit bewildered.

Then, Li Zhuyuan went inside and gave the soda and the remaining snacks to Leizi and Panzi.

When Li Zhuyuan came back out, Sister Mei pointed at the soda and snacks on the table. "Take them. How can I eat a child's food?"

"It's fine. It's for you."

Li Zhuyuan shook his head. He had no intention of flattering Sister Mei, and he likely wouldn't return to the parlor in the future. But Sister Mei had allowed them to watch half a movie for free today, and Panzi and Leizi were still inside, being allowed to linger.

"Hehehe."

Sister Mei and the two women behind her both laughed, finding the boy quite interesting.

At that moment, a shout came from outside. An old man was pedaling a tricycle while shouting, carrying a middle-aged man lying sprawled on the back. The man's arms and legs were spread out beyond the vehicle, looking like a turtle on its back.

Li Zhuyuan noticed that the middle-aged man's fingers were bluish, and his lips were a terrifying shade of purple.

Sister Mei ran out anxiously, arguing loudly with the old man.

The old man waved his hands in a distressed explanation, saying he had only been paid to deliver the man and it wasn't his fault.

The details of the matter became clear through the argument.

The unconscious man was Brother Leopard, Sister Mei's man. He had gone to a bathhouse in Shigang Town that afternoon for a back massage, and something had gone wrong.

Li Zhuyuan didn't know why one would go to a bathhouse in the summer.

He was even less certain what "a big back massage" meant.

He could only understand it as a very forceful back massage, and perhaps Brother Leopard hadn't been strong enough, causing him to lose consciousness during the process.

The bathhouse owner hadn't sent him to the hospital but had instead called a tricycle to take him home.

Sending someone to the hospital cost money, and they were unwilling to pay.

Sister Mei's face turned red and white with rage. She pinched the man hard several times, while the two women nearby kept trying to persuade her. Finally, Sister Mei could only add more money, climbed onto the tricycle, and urged the old man to ride to the town clinic.

But the old man was exhausted from pedaling from Shigang to Shinan. His usual work in Shigang was only short-distance; even with Sister Mei's extra money, he truly couldn't pedal any further.

However, the unconscious man was in very bad shape. Slapping his face wouldn't wake him, and if he wasn't sent to the hospital soon, he might die. Sister Mei was frantic, both cursing and crying.

"Xiaoyuan?" Runsheng looked at Li Zhuyuan.

Li Zhuyuan understood his meaning and nodded.

Runsheng stepped forward, signaled for the old man to sit in the back, and then he climbed onto the tricycle.

Great-Grandpa's family owned a flatbed tricycle, and following his instructions, Runsheng had been practicing riding it for several days and had now mastered it.

Though for short-distance deliveries, a hand-pushed cart was more convenient.

At this moment, although there were three adults on the tricycle, the weight was nothing to Runsheng; he quickly pedaled away.

Li Zhuyuan could only wait for Runsheng to return before going home together. However, he didn't return to the parlor but went to the nearby convenience store to buy another bottle of soda, sitting on a nearby bench to drink and wait.

In the open space outside the convenience store was a billiard table where two young men were playing. Their skill level was quite poor. After watching for a while, Li Zhuyuan couldn't help but feel sleepy; he leaned against the wall of the convenience store and yawned.

About half an hour later, Li Zhuyuan saw Brother Leopard return.

Li Zhuyuan was confused. The patient had returned, so why hadn't the person who took him to the hospital returned?

Fortunately, before leaving home, he had told Auntie Liu and the others that he was going to the town with Panzi to watch a movie. Even if he returned late, Great-Grandpa wouldn't worry; he would just think the child had lost track of time while playing.

Brother Leopard no longer looked as listless and decadent as when he was unconscious. As he walked, he exuded the swagger and disdain unique to a middle-aged ruffian, shaking his head and shrugging.

Unfortunately, the two young men playing billiards didn't seem to know the local underworld customs; as Brother Leopard passed them, they didn't even bother to greet him.

At that moment, Li Zhuyuan suddenly noticed that as Brother Leopard stepped out from the shadow of the billiard table, the heels of his leather shoes were lifted.

This scene instantly reminded him of the posture of the bearded father and son walking toward the fish pond that night.

They, too, walked on their tiptoes with their heels suspended, making their gait wobbly.

Li Zhuyuan's heart tightened; he suddenly realized something.

At the same time, Brother Leopard seemed to sense a gaze upon him. He stopped, stood on his tiptoes, and slowly turned his head to scan the convenience store.

Li Zhuyuan immediately pressed his head against the wall and took a sip of his soda, pretending to watch the billiard table with boredom.

Brother Leopard's gaze swept back and forth several times but failed to find the peculiar gaze.

Then, he continued to advance on his tiptoes, walking into his own video parlor.

Li Zhuyuan remained in his original position, thinking: *Even if it's not the seventh day after death, it's understandable that Brother Leopard is in a hurry to go home and check.*

Immediately, Li Zhuyuan grew worried again, because Panzi, Leizi, and the others were still in the parlor.

*But it couldn't be that unlucky, could it?*

Just then, a woman in a skirt walked out of the parlor. When Sister Mei had taken Brother Leopard to the hospital, she had instructed them to help watch the shop.

The woman walked straight toward the convenience store, and since Li Zhuyuan was sitting right at the entrance, she would have to pass almost directly in front of him.

Li Zhuyuan noticed that she, too, was walking on her tiptoes. But unlike Brother Leopard, there were feet beneath hers.

They were a pair of leather shoes, very familiar.

Furthermore, behind the woman's legs, a man's legs were pressed tightly against her.

As for the upper part, Li Zhuyuan couldn't see it unless he looked up, but he could imagine it: Brother Leopard was practically pressed against her, her feet were stepping on his, and she was essentially his clothing, or a puppet.

So, what was this?

Whether it was the *Chronicles of Strange Tales* he had read before or the *Record of Righteousness Subduing Demons* he was currently reading, the theme was "dead corpses." The existence of a "non-dead corpse" was beyond Li Zhuyuan's current understanding.

The two young men by the billiard table whistled at the woman. She ignored them, walked up to the convenience store owner, and asked for a pack of cigarettes.

The owner asked in surprise, "Why this kind?"

The woman replied, "I want a change of taste."

The owner gave her the cigarettes and wanted to tease her as usual, but seeing her grim face, he swallowed his words.

The woman turned around, tore open the cigarette paper, pulled one out, lit it, and took a deep drag.

*Hiss...*

*Hiss...*

Li Zhuyuan heard two sets of inhaling sounds, one male and one female.

Clearly, the one wanting that drag of smoke was not the woman herself.

The woman was clearly intending to return to the parlor, but she stopped in front of Li Zhuyuan, leaned down, and looked at the boy who was "dozing off in a daze."

Li Zhuyuan wanted to use this to bluff his way through. He knew Brother Leopard was invisible, but the woman could be seen by those around her.

However, the woman reached out and nudged his shoulder. Having no choice, Li Zhuyuan had to put on an expression of just waking from a stupor and looked at her with confusion.

"Little handsome guy, go inside and wait."

The woman's face was very close to Li Zhuyuan's now, allowing him to clearly see the second, male face behind the woman's head.

As the woman spoke, Brother Leopard's mouth moved in unison.

"No thanks, it's too smoky in there, it makes my head dizzy. I'll wait here."

"It's almost dark; it's not safe out here. Come, follow big sister inside." The woman took Li Zhuyuan's hand.

In that instant, Li Zhuyuan felt two hands grab his wrists simultaneously—one warm, one cold.

"No, no." Li Zhuyuan shook his head, then forcefully shook off the "pair" of hands and walked toward the billiard table. "I want to watch billiards. I want to learn. These two brothers are really good."

"Haha, little brother has good taste."

"Come, little brother, stand by and watch closely. The brothers will teach you."

The two young men, who were actually terrible at billiards, felt a huge sense of satisfaction from the boy's praise. They actively pulled Li Zhuyuan between them, letting him watch their "professional" moves.

The woman straightened up. She didn't continue insisting on taking Li Zhuyuan back to the parlor but instead walked back on her own.

By the billiard table, although Li Zhuyuan was staring foolishly at the white ball falling into the pocket, his peripheral vision was fixed on the woman's figure.

This sight of two people walking pressed together was truly eerie.

For safety, he felt he should call his two brothers out.

"Hey, hey, hey!" The convenience store owner walked out, looking dissatisfied. "The game isn't over yet. Either pay more or stop."

Billiards at this time wasn't charged by time, but by games. If two strangers shared a table, the loser paid for the game.

Therefore, the owner hated it when a pair of low-skill friends came and took too long for a single game.

"What's with all the shouting? It's just more money."

"Yeah, as if we can't afford it."

The two young men both reached for their pockets, but once their hands were inside, they seemed to forget how to pull them out.

It was unclear if they truly had no money or if they were intentionally waiting for the other to pay first.

Li Zhuyuan also reached into his pocket.

The two young men's eyes immediately locked onto him.

"Little brother, do you have money?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then renew the table. The brothers were intentionally playing slow just to teach you, and now the owner is unhappy."

"Yeah, we did it all for you."

"Oh, sorry. My mistake." Li Zhuyuan pulled a banknote from his pocket. "I'll renew the table for you."

Smiles immediately appeared on the faces of the two young men.

Li Zhuyuan then pointed toward the parlor. "My brothers, Panzi and Leizi, are in there. Could one of you call them for me? Tell them to come out and take me home."

"Little brother, why don't you go in and call them yourself?"

Li Zhuyuan replied very shyly, "They're playing a movie about men and women in there. I'm too embarrassed to go in."

"Hahahahahahaha!"

Li Zhuyuan took the money to the owner to renew the table.

One of the young men walked into the parlor to help call the people.

A moment later, he came out. Li Zhuyuan specifically checked; there was no one behind him, and he wasn't walking on his tiptoes.

However, Panzi and Leizi did not come out.

"Little brother, your brothers said to go home by yourself. They want to watch the movie."

The other young man asked curiously, "What movie are they playing now?"

"Don't know, but it's pretty intense. The man is standing up, holding the woman upside down. Very intense."

The young man made gestures as he spoke.

"Damn, they can even film it like that? Should we go in and take a look?"

"I'm not going. I'm going home after this game. If I'm too late, my mom will scold me again."

Li Zhuyuan frowned. Although Panzi and Leizi were sometimes playful, they were very responsible when it came to being older brothers.

Setting aside the fact that they should be curious why their brother, who should have gone home long ago, was still outside, even under normal circumstances, if they knew he was calling, they would at least come out to explain the situation in person.

But the result was merely having someone pass on a message. This was clearly abnormal.

However, even though the young man had gone in to call them and come out safely, Li Zhuyuan still didn't dare enter that parlor.

If only Brother Runsheng were here. During the last memorial service for the Niu family, when facing the possessed Blind Liu and Old Man Shan, Runsheng's slap had been incredibly swift and decisive.

At that moment, two people walked out of the parlor with their arms around each other's shoulders. They were two of the original four ruffians.

There was nothing attached to their backs, but their steps were light and unsteady, as if they were stumbling drunk. Furthermore, their eye sockets were sunken and dark, as if they had stayed up for several days straight.

But when he had seen them inside earlier, although they had quieted down after "becoming Buddhas," they still had energy. How could they become so decadent after watching a movie for a short while, as if their very essence had been drained?

Most strangely, Li Zhuyuan noticed that their pants were wet at the crotch. A dark stain ran all the way down, spilling onto their slippers along the ankles.

It looked like incontinence...

No, it didn't seem like urine, because it was somewhat white and thick.

And gradually, the liquid turned a brownish-red.

They stumbled along, leaving red footprints behind them.

Li Zhuyuan tugged on the sleeve of one of the billiard players and pointed at the marks.

"Look."

"What? Look at what?" The young man was confused.

"The footprints."

"Where are the footprints?"

Li Zhuyuan turned back to look, only to find that the red footprints on the ground had vanished. Even in summer, evaporation shouldn't be that fast, especially with color.

Then, two more people walked out: the man in the suit and his other lackey.

They walked one after the other, the lackey in front and the man in the suit behind.

Both had a sense of being on the verge of falling at any moment.

The man in the suit muttered, "Too intense, too intense. So comfortable, so comfortable. This movie is so comfortable to watch..."

Li Zhuyuan lowered his gaze and found that the man in the suit's pants were entirely red.

Moreover, the red liquid was continuously dripping down the pant legs. At first glance, it looked as if he had just been soaked in a pool of red pigment.

Li Zhuyuan hesitated, then stepped forward and asked the man, "Brother, what's wrong in there?"

"What's wrong?" The man in the suit looked at Li Zhuyuan with glazed eyes. He seemed drunk, as if it took him a long time to realize the boy in front of him was speaking to him.

"Hehehe, I'll tell you. They're playing something good in there. But, not for kids, not for kids, hehehe."

As he spoke, the man in the suit beckoned to the lackey in front, "Wait for me, wait for me, let's go together."

With a "thud," the man in the suit fell, but he immediately scrambled up and continued walking. The red trail he left on the ground was like that of a passing water truck.

This time, Li Zhuyuan did not look away. He reached out to grab the billiard player to look again, but as his hand extended, the marks vanished from his sight at a speed visible to the naked eye.

The four who had just come out didn't seem to be in immediate mortal danger, but Li Zhuyuan could feel that they had lost something.

The sixth volume of *The Profound Interpretation of Yin-Yang Physiognomy* stated: 【Physiognomy arises from the heart; the heart is tied to the source. If the source is depleted, the heart scatters; if the heart scatters, the physiognomy declines.】

This meant that facial features were not static; one had to consider the real-time influence of spirit and vitality.

Although the original physiognomy of those four could only be considered a "lower grade"—meaning a life of mediocrity—now, the features on all four of their faces showed a trend of collapsing and declining.

Although his own physiognomy readings had been quickly and correctly verified by Xue Liangliang and Zhao Hequan, Li Zhuyuan was not superstitious. He did not believe that by reading a face and deducing a destiny, he could define a person's entire life.

But it was like getting a check-up during a medical exam; at the very least, it indicated that these four people had suffered a massive loss.

If Panzi and Leizi continued to stay inside, would they suffer the same fate?

But what could he do now?

He had discovered that after the "Little Oriole" incident, something had changed within him, giving him a more acute perception of those "dirty things."

The problem was, he also discovered that having this perception seemed to make it easier for those dirty things to take an interest in him.

That woman, or perhaps Brother Leopard, had inexplicably tried to call him into the parlor.

The billiard player could go in and come out safely, but Li Zhuyuan felt that if he went in, something would likely go wrong.

Ultimately,

Li Zhuyuan's gaze fell upon the telephone next to the convenience store owner.

Fortunately, Great-Grandpa had left him a "model problem" to study.

He walked back into the store. The owner was amused; he was quite curious about this boy, who seemed to have quite a bit of pocket money. He wondered which family the child belonged to.

"What are you buying this time?"

"Boss, I need to make a call."

"Sure, go ahead."

Li Zhuyuan picked up the receiver and held it to his ear, looking thoughtful as if recalling a phone number.

After watching him for a while, the owner turned back to continue his accounting.

Taking the opportunity, Li Zhuyuan quickly dialed three numbers.

After a few slow rings, the call was connected.

Li Zhuyuan first clearly explained his location, even confirming details with the owner to get a precise correction.

The owner thought the child was calling home to have someone pick him up; indeed, the family seemed well-off.

But Li Zhuyuan's next words caused the pen in the owner's hand to drop, and his face froze.

"I am reporting Sister Mei's video parlor next to this convenience store! Not only are they illegally distributing obscene videos, but they are also organizing illicit sexual transactions!"