Chapter 1171: The End of Auspiciousness

The End of Auspiciousness

"Is it here..."

Shen Nan held a transparent umbrella and slowly stopped in front of a guest house.

He looked up at the guest house's signboard. It was still an old-fashioned light board from over a decade ago. Mottled neon lights wove into the four massive characters "Meeting Immortal Guest House," and coupled with the overcast clouds and mist in the mountains, it seemed to truly be veiled in a layer of mystery.

The guest house's triumphal arch seemed to be broken, with only a side glass door open. Shen Nan's expression was a bit strange. He verified the address once more to make sure he wasn't mistaken, then entered the guest house through the side door.

Under the dim lights, the main reception hall was actually arranged somewhat decently. Nearby was the kind of red leather sofa found in old-fashioned hostels. A scrolling screen hung on the wall behind it, which was already the most high-tech object in the entire main reception hall. Conspicuous red characters silently scrolled across it:

——Warmly welcome all guests to the Wushan Conference.

Shen Nan's mouth twitched slightly. "Bureau 749's funding is truly getting tighter and tighter year by year..."

"Little friend Shen Nan."

Shen Nan turned to look and saw a white-haired elderly woman walking slowly towards him, leaning on a Walking Stick and supported by a youth.

"Elder Xiao?!" Seeing Xiao Chunping, Shen Nan's eyes lit up, and he immediately walked forward.

"Elder Xiao, it's been many years. How has your health been lately?"

"Hahaha, getting older, even my walking is unsteady." Xiao Chunping chuckled softly. Her palm gently patted the shoulder of the youth beside her. "Fortunately, the children have all grown up, they don't need us to worry about them..."

"Yao Qing? You've grown so tall." Shen Nan carefully scrutinized this youth with delicate and handsome features, teasing, "In my memory, you were still just a little tyke..."

"...You're the little tyke." Yao Qing pouted.

Xiao Chunping turned her head to look at Yao Qing.

"Good grandson, greet him."

Although Yao Qing was somewhat reluctant, he still obediently spoke, "...Big Brother Shen."

"Little friend Shen Nan, did you just arrive?" Xiao Chunping asked.

"Yes."

"Haha, the accommodation environment this time is nothing compared to our session back in the day... It doesn't matter to me, but I'm afraid you youngsters will find it hard to get used to."

"...It's understandable. After all, the conditions here in Wushan are limited. Having a place to stay is already good enough." Shen Nan paused for a moment. "However, I still don't quite understand why it was decided to be held here this time... Is there something special about this Wushan?"

Xiao Chunping nodded slightly. "I'm not too clear on that either... But I think the organizers should have their own purpose."

"True..."

"By the way, didn't little friend Chen Ling come with you?"

Hearing the name Chen Ling, Shen Nan was taken aback. He smiled helplessly, "No... We just separated a couple of days ago, and besides, he's currently wanted by Bureau 749, so he can't come to this kind of occasion either."

"Big Brother Shen, then did you see Sister Zhiwei?" Yao Qing couldn't help but ask. "How has she been recently??"

Shen Nan raised his brows, speaking somewhat teasingly, "What? Worried about your Sister Zhiwei?"

"You... just tell me!"

"Don't worry, she's doing quite well." Shen Nan patted Yao Qing's shoulder and glanced at the time. "Elder Xiao, you guys stroll around first, I'll go put away my luggage."

"Alright, we'll chat later."

Shen Nan dragged his suitcase to sign in at the front desk. After completing check-in, he headed toward his room.

As soon as he pushed the door open, a smell drilled into his nasal cavity. It seemed the doors and windows had been sealed for too long. The scent of an old guest house emanated within the cramped space, making him unconsciously furrow his brows tightly...

Shen Nan closed the door, walked straight to the balcony, and pushed the window open.

Shen Nan's room was on the fifth floor. Although the floor wasn't high, because the guest house was situated on high ground, he could overlook Wushan Town... Just as he was breathing in the fresh air, the faint sound of firecrackers and the beats of gongs and drums drifted over from another corner of the town.

Shen Nan looked in that direction, muttering to himself,

"Is this... a lion dance?"

...

Crackle, crackle, pop, pop!!

The loud sounds of firecrackers advanced along the streets of the small town. The boys who were squatting on the floor of the train car not long ago were now holding their heads high and chests out like roosters. They tied strings of firecrackers to sticks they picked up from who knows where, holding them out in front of themselves to set them off.

The explosions of firecrackers right in front of them were so deafening they couldn't hear anything clearly. The splashing sparks burned small holes into their neat suits. Pungent white smoke rolled into their nasal cavities with the wind, causing them to cough repeatedly, but they still wore smiles on their faces, charging forward like warriors...

From amidst the rolling smoke and fire, an agile Great Crimson lion shadow leaped and flipped out!

The lively sounds of intermingling drums and gongs played from the car's sound system. Accompanied by the clamorous rhythm, the Awakened Lion darted across the windowsills of buildings as if weightless. At times, it shook its head and blinked its eyes; at times, it opened its mouth and roared; and at times, it shook the lifelike fur on its body, drawing hearty laughter from the children watching by the roadside.

Most of the people in Wushan Town had never seen a lion dance before. Hearing the sounds outside, they successively looked over in curiosity...

"Wow, there's actually a lion dance??"

"In this day and age, such a lively bride escort is rare to see... Whose family's daughter is getting married?"

"I don't know, haven't heard of anyone's daughter in our town getting married..."

"..."

Firecrackers roared, and the Awakened Lion led the way;

In the dense smoke and fire, a black Audi with its hazard lights flashing slowly advanced, as if riding the clouds and mounting the mist.

There was no lineup of luxury cars, no red carpet leading the way. Right amidst this rolling smoke and mundane aura, a dancing red lion was like a nimble god shuttling through the mortal realm. Its every movement attracted the gazes of the majority of people, drawing shouts of "Bravo!" and cheers, as it accompanied the procession in tearing through the brambles, striding boldly toward the destination of happiness and Auspiciousness.

"Big Brother, aren't you going to do a lion dance?" Amidst the roaring firecrackers, a boy holding firecrackers saw Chen Ling still following beside them and couldn't help but ask.

"...I don't know how to do a lion dance," Chen Ling said truthfully.

"What?!!" The boy's ears were filled with the sound of firecrackers, completely unable to hear what Chen Ling was saying.

"I said, I don't know how to do a lion dance!"

"Ah? Oh... I thought you and that big brother were together..."

"..."

Chen Ling didn't explain further. Merely wearing his Great Crimson Theatrical Robe, he just followed within the crowd like this.

The fleet advanced slowly. Under the watchful eyes of numerous gazes, they finally arrived on a relatively spacious main road. The Awakened Lion roaming in the front seemed a bit unsure of the direction, and could only toss and turn, performing within a small area.

Seeing this, Chen Ling turned his head at the right time and asked:

"Where is the bride's home?"

That boy was taken aback. "Big Brother, we're not going to the bride's home."

"Aren't you guys escorting the bride? If you don't go to the bride's home, how are you going to escort her?" Chen Ling's tone was full of incomprehension.

"We are going to escort the bride, but we aren't going to the bride's home. The bride isn't there..."

"Then where is she?"

"Over there."

The boy raised his hand and pointed to a building at the end of the road... That was the only high-rise building in this small town that looked modern. But seeing the vigorous and lively characters on that building, Chen Ling suddenly froze in place.

Wushan Number One People's Hospital.