Chapter 151

Cambodia.

Colleague continued speaking: Moreover, 'I heard that the air there is especially good, the water in the river is clear to the bottom, and the prices are also low—you can easily have fun for a long time.'

Wu Xiaoxiao hearing this couldn't help but frown: "Cambodia, I've heard the place has terrible public safety—won't it be unsafe?"

The colleague instead advised her to relax: "Our whole company is going, and the boss said there will be pick-up and drop-off; besides, when the time comes we'll all be together—what's there to fear?"

"You're definitely overthinking it; if the boss hadn't arranged everything properly, would he casually say these things? Besides, you don't know what our company is like?"

After all that back-and-forth, Wu Xiaoxiao finally stopped talking, pursed her lips: "Indeed, and besides, the eight characters haven't even started—what's there to rush about?"

The colleague nodded vigorously: "You're absolutely right!"

At that moment, Ling Yue's gaze grew colder, making Wu Xiaoxiao shudder violently; she couldn't help but ask: "Host, am I okay?"

A flicker of light passed through Ling Yue's eyes; her first words silenced her: "This week, your company's team-building—you're going overseas for a trip, right?"

As soon as she said that, an uproar erupted.

As the person involved, Wu Xiaoxiao gaped in shock, her eyes wide round: "You—you how did you know?"

As soon as she said it, she realized: "I get it—you must have figured it out, Host."

After receiving an affirmative answer, in an instant, believers and skeptics alike all stared straight at Ling Yue.

She heard a low gasp: "It's actually true—wow, I still can't believe it."

"Hehehe, who asked you to believe? Do you think, besides lucky draws, you could actually get a reading from a host at this level? Stop daydreaming."

"You! What nonsense are you spouting?"

Ling Yue, impatient with the discussion, looked at Wu Xiaoxiao and advised: "Don't participate in the team-building."

Wu Xiaoxiao stared in disbelief: "No, Host, what's wrong with the team-building activity? Am I going to meet with disaster?"

Ling Yue slightly startled: "Not just you—all your employees will encounter trouble."

She wasn't particularly agitated, her tone flat as if asking, "Did you eat today?" Yet it made the already convinced Wu Xiaoxiao break out in a cold chill: "All employees?"

"Surely something major has happened!"

She swallowed the scream rising in her throat: "I know… I know."

At this point, someone couldn't stand it and jeered: "What fortune-telling? I think it's just a shill—your predictions are vague, what team-building? It's all hazy; what exactly do you mean?"

"Yeah, people like that are everywhere."

Quite a few people secretly sided with them; Ling Yue merely glanced at this crowd of jumping clowns, her indifferent gaze making everyone's breath catch—hard to describe, in an instant it felt as if something had locked onto them, soul‑stirring.

Ling Yue continued looking at Wu Xiaoxiao: "I suggest you report to the police right now, immediately."

Wu Xiaoxiao puzzled: "What exactly is going on? Isn't our company having an accident?"

Ling Yue shook her head, gazing at her with deep meaning: "I didn't state the cause—how can you be so certain it's a natural disaster and not **?"

"**?!" Wu Xiaoxiao shook her head, disbelieving: "How could that be? Our company treats its employees well—various benefits and perks; I've been here several months and my salary is paid on time."

Ling Yue: "Have you ever heard of a pig‑butchering scam? Fatten the pig then slaughter it."

She suddenly closed her eyes, recalling that scene, her tone icy: "Your company's Manager Zhou had previously gone by several other names—Manager Zhang, Manager Liu, Manager Xu; the firm is merely a shell company, and as for the friend who introduced you, you haven't been in touch for half a year—are you sure she's still the friend you originally knew? The people she's introduced aren't just you."

With each sentence she spoke, Wu Xiaoxiao's face paled a little more, her hands clenched, eyes reddening: "Host, don't scare me."

Ling Yue shook her head: "Is this even intimidation? What I've seen is the real terror."

If it weren't for this fortune‑telling session, after the celebration ends Wu Xiaoxiao would have gone with her colleagues, and upon reaching the border line, dozens of people would have transferred to a bus and headed to Cambodia.

At first they didn't notice, being drawn in by the exotic atmosphere so different from home, but as time went on, everyone began to feel something was off.

The locals' gazes toward them were like fish meat on a sticky board—covetous and scrutinizing; they weren't ignorant pigs.

Wu Xiaoxiao sensed something wrong, but it was already too late.

In her impression, the ever‑amiable Manager Zhou had suddenly become another person, constantly complaining; previously he had taken everyone sightseeing, staying in hotels, but now he abruptly announced they were moving out, and the whole company was crammed into a rundown shop.

Calling to heaven brought no answer; calling to earth brought no aid.

This pretty much captures everyone's true situation—not that nobody wanted to leave, but the so‑called Manager Zhou kept bringing people in, while burly guards stood at the room exits, blocking them all together.

Manager Zhou looked at the shivering crowd, sighed, and said sorrowfully: "After all, we've worked together; I don't want to make a scene—just cooperate, or else only you will suffer."

"Manager Zhou?" The colleague who had once spoken confidently stared in shock at the man in a suit, still somewhat dazed: "What exactly are you saying?"

Manager Zhou sighed, looking at them: "I'm really sorry, everyone—our company hasn't been doing well lately; I only found out after going abroad, and now we don't even have the money to return."

"Have you seen the people around me? In a few days we might well be sleeping on the streets; I've heard that in a foreign land, if you end up homeless, they can treat you however they like."

"Hiss!"

Upon hearing this, the others all sucked in a cold breath, their limbs turning chilly; a creeping chill like a snake suddenly crawling up their spines made them shudder violently.

After a while, someone finally spoke: "So… what then?"

"Can't we go back? Boss, you can't do this to us!"

The colleagues were panic‑stricken; Wu Xiaoxiao, sensing something, forced herself calm and looked at the boss: "Manager Zhou, how can we get back? Please give us a solution."

"Make money!"

Manager Zhou decisively spat out two words, leaving the others bewildered, then added: "Give me two more days, everyone wait a bit—I'll soon get my hands on a sum of funds, and then we'll all be able to return home."

Everyone waited, half‑believing, half‑doubting.

In the coming days, time truly dragged like years; the earlier excitement for the trip turned wholly into anxiety—yet Wu Xiaoxiao never imagined she would witness such a scene.

She refused to wait for death; thinking of the cash she carried—meant for buying a gift for her mother—Wu Xiaoxiao, relying on her petite frame, prepared to sneak out the window.

But at the final checkpoint, she suddenly heard a coquettish female voice; in the half‑open room at the end of the hallway, the boss who had been tense earlier was now embracing a girl, his hands roaming.

Wu Xiaoxiao looked over; the woman forced a smile—it was none other than the friend who had introduced her here, who should have been back home, so how was she in Cambodia?!

Wu Xiaoxiao was struck as if by lightning; the next instant, the woman turned her head, noticing her gaze.

In that instant, Wu Xiaoxiao's heart raced to its peak, her chest feeling as if it were being smashed apart; she clenched her palms tightly, praying that, for the sake of their past friendship, the woman would not tell him.

Yet a passing deity abandoned her.

How could she place her hope in the person who had tricked her into the scam company? That friend immediately shrieked, pointing at the doorway: "Someone! Someone outside!"

Manager Zhou sprang up in a panic, the thugs swarmed forward, Wu Xiaoxiao was just an ordinary weak woman, an office worker who had never seen hardship, how could she be a match for those tall, burly thugs?

She was forcibly pressed to the floor, the cold floor against her head, the last thing she saw was a pair of black leather shoes.

The boss's icy voice sounded from above, and from all sides invisible seawater seemed to flood her completely.

"Who do I think you are? Xiao Wu, you're our company's Xiao Wu, right? It's late, why aren't you resting and what are you doing out here?"

"You've seen it, right? And Shanshan—does seeing her surprise you?"

Wu Xiaoxiao's mind was a tangled mess, yet she likewise calmed herself, pulling a thread from the chaos, while growing panic flooded her heart.

"Xiaoxiao, sorry, I didn't mean to—you just appeared out of nowhere and gave me a start." A coquettish female voice sounded, and Wu Xiaoxiao almost couldn't hold back her vomit.

She didn't know how to describe her feeling, hearing the boss's heh-heh laugh, dust fluttering down in the air: "Baby, what are you apologizing for? Anyway, she won't live much longer."

Wu Xiaoxiao shuddered in shock.

The so-called Manager Zhou shrugged his shoulders and laid his cards on the table: "Wasn't it said I had a way to make money? I'll tell you frankly, it really is about making money—none of you lot are ever going back home!"

"I've already made a deal with the big boss here—fifty thousand per person. The company has been treating you like ancestors, and now it's your turn to contribute to the company. Tell me, isn't that fair?"

In an instant, Wu Xiaoxiao felt ice-cold all over, as if thrown into an ice cellar. She was then gagged and tossed into a dark room.

After who knows how long, she was suddenly moved again, and when she saw light, she found herself on an operating table.

The blazing light made tears instantly stream from her eyes, the tick-tock of various instruments reaching her ears. In the silent, deathly still room, like a tolling bell, it hammered heavily on her heart.

What are they doing?

She suddenly felt a chill on her belly, a sharp knife cutting skin and flesh, the intense pain making her instantly recall the slaughter scene she'd seen on the street as a child, but now she was bound to the operating table like livestock, ripped open belly and chest.

"Mmm-mmm-mmm!"

Wave after wave of excruciating pain made her struggle wildly, with not a trace of anesthetic, leaving her in near-numb agony; the doctors wearing masks and blue caps revealed only pairs of inhuman eyes.

Seeing her about to snap the rope, the hemp cord nearly cutting off her wrist, the doctors actually let out a few cold laughs: "Look at her struggling—she looks utterly hideous."

"It's not just that the higher-ups are committing evil by forbidding anesthesia, insisting on live dissection, claiming that organs taken this way are of higher quality and more vital."

"Eh, why are her eyes still open? Isn't she dead yet?"

"What a tough life."

Wu Xiaoxiao's vision went white; in the instant before death, her life flashed like a revolving lantern, and she thought of her mother—she hadn't yet had the chance to be filial, to bring her to the city and let her live in a big house…

Mother will worry.

Mother, sorry, I can't come back.

She closed her eyes, and a wet trace flowed from the corner.

At the same time, this batch of staff sent overseas on travel never returned; Wu Xiaoxiao's mother couldn't find her daughter, she ran all over the country and abroad, praying to gods and buddhas for her child's safety, yet even after her mother passed away, she never saw her daughter again.

This disappearance case also became a cold case in everyone's eyes.

Much later, the deceitful boss used the same fraudulent scheme again, tricking batch after batch of people; in the final round, he was caught by an undercover police officer, and the whole network of connections behind him was exposed.

As it turned out, he had long been cooperating with overseas forces, deceiving young people domestically, then selling them abroad specifically for organ harvesting, after which the organs were sold to various countries via their network.

Every heart, every pair of eyes, went through the underground black market and was scattered worldwide.

These young lives, as fresh as flowers, were thus buried in foreign lands.

"Streamer? Streamer, say something at least."

Ling Yue composed herself, then looked at the living Wu Xiaoxiao, feeling a surge of emotion: "What else do you want me to say?"

She spoke softly: "I've already said enough; the team-building outing is off-limits, and your company is also an illegal organization."

Wu Xiaoxiao startled, locking eyes with Ling Yue's clear black-and-white gaze, as if a bucket of cold water had been poured over her—deep down she still didn't want to believe it, but Ling Yue's words left her no choice.

Wu Xiaoxiao hastily nodded: "Okay, streamer, thank you—I'll definitely resign as soon as I get back!"

No sooner had the words fallen than a voice sounded: "What thanks, little girl—are you bewitched? You actually believe the streamer who should be in the pet livestream room? Aren't you afraid she'll cheat you?"

The speaker, hidden in the crowd, meanwhile many others chimed in: "Heh, this sort of thing needs solid proof; just spouting off empty talk is… too… whatever."

"I feel the same……"

The matter even stirred the management of the Orca Platform; coincidentally, the person in charge of handling this was Cen Ming. Upon hearing Ling Yue's lottery fortune-telling, his first reaction was envy, and after seeing her ability firsthand, he had long become a secret fan.

Being able to have the streamer tell his fortune made him almost weep with envy.

Later, hearing a subordinate tell him that some doubted Ling Yue's fortune-telling authenticity, he wished he could just curse them out: "If you don't know, don't clear things up, then stop spouting nonsense!"

"The streamer has genuine talent—I've proven it myself!"

Cen Ming, heart aflame, approached Ling Yue; those questioning him saw his attitude and wanted to back off, but others simply wouldn't let it go.

A man wearing a black baseball cap lowered his head slightly; his phone was showing a message about various large transfers—without a doubt, he had been bribed.

It was none other than the "PetLove" company that Ling Yue had exposed for selling poisonous cat food; they were just slow to react, not dead men, but the online uproar and sharp drop in sales had the higher-ups fuming.

After learning it was Ling Yue who had exposed them, they set their sights on her, never expecting the opportunity to come so quickly—fortune-telling, did she really think she was some celestial being reincarnated?

For the PetLove company, this was a godsend opportunity handed to them on a plate—they had to ruin her reputation!

Hence, this is how we arrived at this scene.

Ling Yue glanced around, and many people stood up to question her.

Ling Yue gave a light smile: "What do you want to do?"

"Evidence! We just said that—unless you produce some proof, we're not deliberately making things hard for you; we just can't stand you swindling a little girl like that."

The supposed "swindler" herself, Wu Xiaoxiao, was lost for words, wanting to explain—what swindling? The streamer was clearly just giving her advice, mitigating risk, and hadn't taken a single cent!

However, the voices of these questioners directly drowned out hers.

Ling Yue's current situation was no different from being roasted over a fire.

She had kept her head down before; after a while she lifted her gaze unhurriedly, her indifferent eyes sweeping the crowd below: "Evidence? It's simple enough."

"Wu Xiaoxiao, call the police."

As soon as those words left her mouth, the scene fell instantly silent—no one had expected her to be so ruthless, opening with a major move, and many more grew panicked and uneasy.

The next moment, Ling Yue's words caused their tightly wound nerves to suddenly relax.

Ling Yue: "Didn't I say that? That shell company is suspected of illegal crimes; reporting to the police and handing it over to them isn't that the best solution?"

Before Ling Yue spoke, she had already informed the Jing Shi police via message; this is an international major case, with dozens of lives hanging in the balance, and moreover, Ling Yue would not naively think that this familiar procedure is being used for the first time by the other side.

Thinking that someone might already have been killed before this, she couldn't help but furrow her brows tightly.

On this side, Lin Shaoze instantly mobilized the team upon receiving the message; Cheng Ziming was somewhat doubtful, and just as he spoke, he received a phone call.

Lin Shaoze's voice came from ahead: "Take a look."

In the message, Ling Yue's narration was clear and logical, and even the company's scale, name, and legal representative were written out clearly, as if she had witnessed it firsthand.

Below, the reason for the report was noted: international organ trafficking, causing Cheng Ziming to suck in a breath of cold air: "Holy shit, there's actually such a thing!"

Although the location is not in Jing Shi, the victims are now in Jing Shi, so they can also coordinate internally with the Northern City police.

Of course, the most important thing now is to first ascertain whether the matter is true.

Even if the reporter is Ling Yue, the procedure that must be followed for the party they have cooperated with many times must still be followed; otherwise, they don't deserve to wear this uniform.

Thus, such a scene appeared on the anniversary celebration of the Tiger Whale platform.

Uniformed police appeared on the spot, and Ling Yue walked over calmly: "I'm the one who reported it."

Wu Xiaoxiao hurriedly ran over: "Me too, the streamer said I'm the target they're after, officer, please take me along as well."

Cheng Ziming: "……"

To be honest, even if she didn't say that, he would still have to take the person away.

Before leaving, Ling Yue looked at Bai Ze: "You come too."

She had just thought that the Special Safety Bureau had already filed a report, and since she happened to be free today, she could also settle Bai Ze's identification.

Yes, up to now, he is still an unregistered resident.

The other two suddenly saw an unfamiliar face, both startled; after a few seconds, Bai Ze had already walked over—he looked tall and big, but actually he was quite…… docile? well-behaved?

Cheng Ziming couldn't help but pound his head, what kind of description is this?

He glanced at the captain with a smug look, Lin Shaoze's expression unchanged: "Let's go."

Ling Yue nodded, during which she didn't even glance at the noisy people, her obvious disregard surpassing even air; her magnanimous demeanor directly likened the opposition to clowns on stage.

Standing on Ling Yue's side, those who despise the fans who sow discord are even more contemptuous.

Before Ling Yue went out, she could still hear the mocking voices from inside, the corners of her mouth slightly raised; even a fly constantly buzzing by her ear would be annoying.

Afterward, everything felt to Wu Xiaoxiao like walking on cotton, light and airy, unreal.

After finishing her statement, she directly received news from the police that the company she thought of was merely a shell company; even the name she knew was half true and half false, and the person in control was not surnamed Zhou but Xu, and the company's registration had been in effect for as long as three years, so it could hardly be called new.

Moreover, the wages for these days shown by the company indicated only two employees, while all those many people were counted as outsourced, and the wages they received were also products of tax evasion.

She was completely disheveled in the wind.

Ling Yue, however, was not rushed; only after learning what the police investigation had uncovered did she voice her earlier prediction.

Previously, because of the public setting, in order not to hinder the police investigation, Ling Yue had kept it concealed, but now there is no need to conceal it anymore.

Ling Yue recounted everything in detail.

The overseas human trafficking organization, a Cambodian evil force, made Wu Xiaoxiao's scalp go numb, as if sitting on pins and needles.

She crossed her arms, unable to imagine what would happen if she weren't a streamer, following the company abroad this week to an unfamiliar place where she didn't even speak the language.

Wu Xiaoxiao rubbed her arms; in just a few minutes, she was already breaking out in cold sweat on her back.

Her feverish mind suddenly cleared; she had previously been wholeheartedly trusting and supporting the company, as if bewitched.

Everyone knows such a major case cannot be delayed, so after the Jing Shi police contacted the Northern City brother department, the latter immediately deployed forces and launched the arrest operation.

Even if it weren't human trafficking or organ trafficking, they could still be controlled on charges of tax evasion.

The operation was swift and precise.

According to Ling Yue hearing Cheng Ziming's account, at the time the company employees were still drinking afternoon tea when the police suddenly burst in, heading straight for the CEO's office; upon seeing the police, the brand-new gleaming silver handcuffs terrified the boss into smashing the floor-to-ceiling window, about to jump out to escape.

That was a twelve-story building, its exterior all smooth glass; as he stretched one foot out, he was frightened by the beautiful view outside the window, feeling dizzy, half his body straining to crawl back while shouting: "Save me, save me! Officer, save me!"

In the end, he was lifted onto a police car and taken away.

He was timid, his legs weak, unable to walk at all.

After the matter was settled, Ling Yue did not leave directly but went to the police to get Bai Ze an identification card, with a note from the Special Safety Bureau; the process went very smoothly.

As for Bai Ze, looking at the thin card, he asked: "Is this a photo ID?"

Ling Yue blinked slightly; thanks to her good grasp of history, she understood his meaning—it was the ancient term for an identification document, more precisely, the name used during the Qin dynasty.

She nodded: "Yes."

After returning home, Ling Yue also received a call from Cen Ming, full of inquiries; she naturally had nothing to say, but over the next dozens of minutes her phone never stopped ringing.

Not knowing how she heard the news, she was slandered at the celebration and taken to the police station.

Song Xi, the foolish son of a landlord's family, patted his chest and assured: "Streamer, rest assured, even if something really happens, I will definitely do my utmost to pull you out!"

Just as he finished saying that, the old father beside him slapped his shoulder: "Get lost, don't say you're my son!"

The foolish Song Xi: "⊙﹏⊙"

"Dad, what's wrong with you? Are you suffering from menopause?"

Ling Yue couldn't hold back, laughing out loud; she held the phone a bit farther away, turned on speakerphone, and from the other end came Song Xi's howling cries.

Da Lao Hu Jun Jun on the single sofa couldn't help but laugh out loud: "What a foolish human!"

Bai Ze glanced at Ling Yue quietly, a faint smile appearing on his face: "Also quite funny."

Ling Yue expressed strong agreement with that.

After finishing dinner that night, she arranged the recent matters; the Feng Shui Turtle Master and Jinjin had both returned, and after the incident of the Xuanmen Association's Celestial Master splurging on purchases, Ling Yue dared not delay, nor would she underestimate the ugliness of human nature.

She feared that if something happened, taking measures afterward would be too late and pointless.

Next is the Xuan Cat Queen; the CFA competition is imminent, and Ling Yue feels it necessary to give a heads-up.

The proud Xuan Cat Queen lowered her gaze slightly: "There's still a match? Wasn't it already canceled?"

Ling Yue: "……"

It turned out that the time gate had been open for too long, causing the Mysterious Cat Queen to think the competition had already been cancelled.

She felt embarrassed and wanted to change the subject, looked around, suddenly noticed something seemed missing, and Ling Yue couldn't help but ask out loud.

Da Hei lay on the fluffy little yellow duck plushie, hearing this, the dog lifted its eyelids: "I know, I know!"

Ling Yue looked at it, and Da Hei sprang up: "It's Duo Duo!"

It said, somewhat puzzled: "You wouldn't know if you weren't home, but Duo Duo the Rat King has been busy lately, saying that winter has come and he wants his little brothers to have a good winter, and also that there are too many little brothers, he can barely support them, so he needs to control the rat population."

"So lately, it's been so busy that you don't even see a rat's shadow."

Da Lao Hu Jun Jun beside him couldn't help but interject: "I don't even have time to play a duo game with you anymore."

Ling Yue laughed upon hearing that: "Playing games, duo queue?"

"What rank are you at now? King? Diamond?"

Da Lao Hu Jun Jun shook with anger, his fur trembling: "... You must be doing this on purpose!"

As for that Diamond Glory, after dragging wave after wave of teammates down, they barely managed to climb from Silver to Gold.

The only bad consequence is that, as soon as they log in and enter a match, upon seeing their nicknames, whether teammates or opponents, they all get scared and flee.

Da Lao Hu Jun Jun couldn't help but mutter: "Modern people, they just can't handle losing!"

Pet consultation shop.

The wind chime by the door suddenly clattered into motion, its sound extremely hurried, giving a feeling of suffocating oppression.

Ling Yue raised her eyes and saw a gaunt-looking middle-aged woman holding a small swaddled baby.

Ling Yue was still wondering where her pet was.

The older sister suddenly leaned over, unwrapped the swaddling cloth in her arms, and a chubby cute blue cat leapt out, shook its body, hadn't even steadied itself for a few seconds before flopping onto the table in front of Ling Yue.

On that chubby cute round face, the cat's eyes were so sleepy they could barely stay open, yet it forced itself to stay alert, scanning up and down, as if finally letting its guard down.

Snap—

The little blue cat lay on the table, almost at the point of falling asleep as soon as it touched the surface.

Ling Yue: "???"

She looked at the older sister, who rubbed the kitten's little head, hearing its soft, muffled mew, then sighed, sat down, and said: "Boss, hello, I'd like to consult about our Duo Duo; lately at home it never sleeps, constantly jumping up and down, I'm almost worried sick, and as soon as I take it out, it falls asleep again."

"But I can't keep letting it sleep outside all the time; what if someone picks it up and I'd be furious."

Ling Yue nodded and asked the first question: "Have you taken it to see a vet?"

"I have!" the older sister exclaimed, slapping her thigh: "I've gone to the best pet hospital in Jing Shi several times, but they found nothing despite all the tests, sigh, I'm about to go crazy with worry."

Although her face was full of worry, when she looked at Ling Yue her eyes were full of expectation: "I heard from our Niu Niu that you can talk to small animals; could you please ask Duo Duo what's wrong with it?"

"Hoo-hoo~"

Ling Yue followed the sound downward and saw the little blue cat, Hu Hu, fast asleep; she frowned slightly and, from its body, actually saw threads of yin energy.

That's not normal.

She first asked the older sister: "I see the cat is sleeping normally; are you planning to let it sleep a bit longer or wake it up now?"

The older sister obviously doted on the cat: "Then let's wait a bit longer; Duo Duo has been especially nervous lately, I touched it and a couple of days ago it even scratched me, sigh."

"What on earth is going on!"

She said this while showing Ling Yue the scratch on her wrist, already scabbed over, so it looked fine.

However, Ling Yue noticed another problem: the yin energy on the kitten's body seemed to have come from her, or perhaps they both shared the same source of yin energy—not just a thread or two, but a thick concentration, as if they had been steeped in yin energy for half a year.

Anyway, since this is the last order, Ling Yue spoke up: "Have you been constantly unlucky, suffering from bad luck?"

Hearing that, the older sister startled and lifted her head: "How do you know?"

Ling Yue gave a faint smile, gazing at her face: "I can tell; this bad luck should have been going on for a long time, only recently it's gotten worse, and you probably realize it yourself."

After Ling Yue finished speaking, what she didn't expect was that the older sister practically saw a savior and immediately poured out her heart: "I really have been having bad luck these past six months; no major disasters, just a pile of small things, I'm almost in tears, my husband is even worse off than me, and lately the cat has gone mentally off—if it weren't for thinking we still have a few kids at home, I could drive myself mad."

"I haven't done anything wicked either; I thought I was possessed, so I ran to several temples, prayed to gods and buddhas, and got a bunch of peace charms, but they were utterly useless!"

From her tone of mixed grief and indignation, Ling Yue could already hear her frustration; however, this rapid-fire, machine-gun-like speech impressed her a bit—she really has a gift for eloquence.

Getting a bit off track, Ling Yue cleared her throat lightly and affirmed part of her idea: "Your line of thinking was sort of a lucky hit; indeed, something's not quite ordinary. But you might have run into a charlatan—those things are useless and only provoked the other side."

Finally, Ling Yue put it bluntly: "Something else has gotten into your house."

As soon as she said that, the older sister jumped and shuddered: "No, no, something else—could it be unclean stuff?"

Her face turned deathly pale.

At that moment, a sudden meow rang out; the little blue cat, which had been struggling to stay awake, rose to its feet, pressed against its owner's hands, rubbing again and again: "An owner's meow is a treasure ^_^, the meow loves its owner so much~"

It also heard Ling Yue's words, and the meow cried: "What unclean stuff? Owner, don't be afraid, the meow will protect you!"

The soft, glutinous voice was nevertheless firm, and Ling Yue's eyes curved into smiles: "Since Duo Duo is awake now, I'll start asking it."

The older sister opened her mouth, wanting to say, "Let's just continue our earlier topic," but seeing the kitten acting cute and begging for affection, her heart softened and she agreed.

Ling Yue looked at the kitten and first greeted it; Duo Duo jumped in surprise, having always been spoiled by its owner, its furthest range of activity being just the little blue kitten at the apartment gate, which terrified it immensely.

After it got used to the situation, Ling Yue then continued: "The owner says you don't rest at home and your temper has become irritable; what situation have you encountered? You can tell me."

Duo Duo looked at her half-believing, half-doubting: "You? Can you really?"

Ling Yue smiled gently: "Only if you speak up will I know whether I can."

Duo Duo: "Alright."

"Actually, it's not that Duo Duo won't sleep and its temper is bad; I'm the one who's frightened. It's especially, especially nasty, it won't let Duo Duo sleep, Duo Duo can't sleep, so of course its temper is bad, and moreover it wants to harm the owner—although Duo Duo doesn't know why only it can see it—"

The little cat proudly lifted its head and puffed its chest: "I am the owner's little warrior; I must protect the owner and certainly not let the villain succeed!"

Through the kitten's words, Ling Yue synthesized the information, peeled back the layers, and finally reached a conclusion—

The villain that Duo Duo saw should be the unclean thing hidden in the older sister's house; for some reason (Ling Yue didn't see the cause-and-effect line, so she doesn't know what it is) it has always wanted to harm humans, but because Duo Duo has been guarding, it has never succeeded.

Duoduo's problem is exactly because of this; it is the family's little guardian, but also because of this, it causes its own sleep time door to be too short, emotions cannot be regulated, so its temper becomes increasingly irritable.

After they left, that thing wouldn't follow them, so Duo Duo could relax and didn't need to guard against it; that's why it slept so soundly, impossible to wake even if called — it was just catching up on sleep.

It's an incredibly cute little blue cat.

Ling Yue saw its little ears perk up and twitch, utterly adorable: "I've told you everything I know; can you help us?"

Ling Yue didn't answer it, but instead translated her conversation with the kitten for the older sister; hearing it, the sister felt both moved and frightened.

"How, how are we supposed to deal with this?"

After saying that, she suddenly looked at Ling Yue with hope, a bit hesitant as she pleaded: "Boss, uh, I mean, Master!"

She was so excited she even changed her form of address.

The older sister continued: "I know you're the best; please help me, help me — besides the consultation fee, I can give you extra payment!"

Ling Yue blinked, realizing she'd misunderstood, and shook her head: "No need, you and Duo Duo are the same case; you've already paid, no need to pay again."

The older sister instantly became overwrought, her hands trembling, she kept saying: "Really? Really?"

Just, Ling Yue hadn't expected that her ordinary consultation would require a house call; fortunately, she didn't live far from the shop.

After Ling Yue locked the shop door and left, not long after, a golden little mouse came pattering over, constantly peering at the tightly closed glass door.

That signature bow-tie tail — who else could it be if not Xunbao Shu Duo Duo?

Xunbao Shu Duo Duo first sniffed the air, then immediately stomped its feet in frustration: Yue Yue had just left not long ago.

Thinking it had arrived a little late and missed the chance to meet, Xunbao Shu Duo Duo stood up, paws on the door, anxiously scratching its round ears.

It muttered: "What should I do? Do I have to run back home to look for Yue Yue?"

Just then, a squeak came from behind it; a grubby, long-tailed gray rat poked its head out of a manhole cover, leering around, and only after making sure no one was there did it dash over.

It innocently asked the treasure‑seeking mouse: "Boss, have we found the person?"

Xunbao Shu Duo Duo instantly recalled its boast, shook its head, and said: "We haven't found them, but it's fine — we can go look for Yue Yue."

"Ga ga ga!"

On the crooked‑necked tree by the door, a jet‑black, glossy crow couldn't help but cackle: "Hahaha, Duo Duo, look at your little brother — so ugly!"

Xunbao Shu Duo Duo's little eyes instantly blazed: "Crow, I thought you weren't here!"

"Tell me quickly — where did Yue Yue go? Is she coming back? I have urgent business with her."

Upon hearing that, the crow instantly perked up, patting its chest: "Of course I know — Yue Yue was taken away by someone; she's now in a nearby residential complex, not far."

"What are you up to?" it said, spreading its wings warily and fluttering low around the treasure‑seeking mouse, eyeing it suspiciously, feeling sure it couldn't be anything good.

The treasure‑seeking mouse was so angry its feet almost left the ground.

Don't forget, it used to be a flying mouse as well.

Xunbao Shu Duo Duo took a deep breath, calmed itself, and said: "Take us to find Yue Yue; I have an extremely urgent matter and need her help."

The crow preened its feathers, saw how serious it was, and nodded: "All right, just remember to stick close to me later — that old residential area isn't easy to find."

Inside the old residential complex.

As soon as Ling Yue stepped inside, she sensed a strange aura, looked up, pointed at the building directly opposite her, the fifth floor, and asked: "Um, is that your home?"

The older sister had originally paid no mind, glanced curiously, and upon seeing it froze: "Yeah, yeah! How did you know?"

Ling Yue raised her gaze at the rows of towers rising from the complex, feeling somewhat speechless.

How should she put it? Among the five or six buildings, only your floor, your residence, is coated with a thin black mist, making it starkly obvious against the other bright buildings.

In short, the whole complex has only one place with truly awful feng shui — the older sister's home.

Ling Yue thought it over and decided not to say anything; the less she spoke, the more the sister would imagine, surely she was an expert — only an expert could have such bearing.

Her look toward Ling Yue grew ever more admiring.

"Click," the key turned and the door opened.

After taking in the surroundings, Ling Yue's brows rose slightly as she faced the altar bearing the Three Pure Ones and a Guanyin statue — Buddhist and Daoist arch‑rivals sharing the same table — she hardly knew what to say.

The only silver lining was that these items were fakes, or never consecrated; even if she worshipped them for a hundred years, they would never become effective.

Inside the room door, various peace‑and‑exorcism talismans were stuck up, making it look more orthodox than some shamans' homes.

The older sister, however, was quite proud, telling Ling Yue: "Master, take a look — these are all I bought at great expense; how effective are they?"

Ling Yue's eye twitched; she really wanted to tell the truth — they're no good, all fakes.

But seeing her enthusiasm, Ling Yue changed the subject: "Ahem, I'd better first inspect the house for any unclean spots."

The older sister snapped back, slapping her forehead: "Oh dear, look at my terrible memory, Master — let's hurry and find that thing; I've heard now I dare not sleep here."

Ling Yue nodded, still silent, when the silent little blue cat Duo Duo leapt onto the altar, looking at them haughtily: "Meow~ I kind of know a little bit; want to ask me?"

As it spoke, it tilted its head slightly, revealing a round rear skull, eyes occasionally glancing at Ling Yue; its smug little expression was just like that dog‑side‑eye meme, making people unable to hold back laughter.

Ling Yue turned her head; the little blue cat was looking at her, eager and excited, and she gave a small smile: "Okay."

Ling Yue leaned down, level with the kitten: "Then please, adorable Duo Duo, tell me where the big bad guy is."

The little blue cat pushed off the desk and darted to a door, its short legs hopping several times; in the owner's astonished gaze, it latched onto the handle.

With a click from the lock core, the door opened.

Behind Ling Yue, the nervous older sister covered her mouth, an exclamation escaping between her fingers: "Duo Duo, you're amazing!"

The little blue cat proudly tipped its toes and curled its tail triumphantly.

The female owner continued: "When did you learn to open doors? Mom saw the house door open earlier — was that you?"

Duo Duo the little blue cat: "QWQ"

It shoved its way inside, meowing: "Right here, Meow Meow this time I've found help — big bad guy, come out and surrender!"

The room was utterly silent.

Only then did Ling Yue realize this was a clean, tidy storage room.

The little blue cat stood before the coat closet, its round little head swiveling left and right, so anxious it stomped its tiny feet: "The big bad guy is right here — this is its lair! Why won't it answer me all of a sudden?"

Ling Yue's gaze fell upon the wardrobe —

Are you coming out on your own, or should I ask you to come out?

When she spoke, she deliberately emphasized the word "please", and a layer of black mist on the cabinet's surface seemed to be blown away by an invisible wind; with a creaking sound, the cabinet door slowly opened.

The elder sister stared in horror at the cabinet door that opened on its own; although she had done many things to ward off evil, seeing it for real was still her first time!

She suddenly felt her legs go weak, instinctively grabbing the chair beside her; in contrast, Ling Yue, the master, strode forward several steps, all the way to the cabinet, before finally standing still.

A sharp, piercing yet strangely alluring voice came from the cabinet: "Detestable humans, do you also want to be their accomplice?!",,