Getting in wasn’t easy.
Li Qiao opened WeChat and found Su Yan.
[Are you a member of Nevernight Empire?]
The reply came instantly.
[Qiao-meimei (*╯3╰) I am a member! I’ll go with you!]
[No need. I’ll just give them your membership number.]
[Ok, sending it right now~ mua! (*╯3╰)]
Li Qiao recited Su Yan’s membership number and successfully entered Nevernight Empire. The interior was dazzlingly luxurious.
She deliberately avoided everyone and stopped outside a private room where Li Shanchuan and Wang Qinglin were inside. The room was filled with other people—and, of course, no shortage of beautiful women.
Aside from her father, every other man had a woman in their arms.
Wang Qinglin, a cigarette dangling from his lips, teased, “Shanchuan, loosen up! You’re out to have fun—what, afraid your wife will find out?”
“All men have a wandering eye. Here, Reel, take this one from me.”
“Not interested.” Even in his youth, Li Shanchuan had never enjoyed these kinds of settings. Now in middle age, he liked them even less.
The women in their arms could practically be their daughters.
Li Shanchuan looked visibly uncomfortable.
Outside, Li Qiao silently applauded him. Good job, Dad. At least he’s not here to fool around.
“Hey—girl, come in and clean the table.” The door to the neighboring private room swung open, and the person inside spotted Li Qiao, promptly pulling her in.
Were they mistaking her for a waitress?
Only three people were inside, all of them young. Li Qiao’s sharp gaze immediately locked onto one of them—a boy who looked utterly drained.
“Haozi, we’re here to cheer you up, not for you to sleep.”
“No… I’m just so tired.” The boy’s head drooped, his eyelids heavy.
“What’s wrong with Haozi? Is he sick? We should take him to the hospital.”
“Haozi’s always been healthy. He doesn’t look sick.”
“If it’s not sickness, then what? Possession?”
“He’s not possessed. Someone’s stealing his lifespan.” Li Qiao finally spoke up.
The two boys stared at her in disbelief.
What an absurd idea.
They didn’t believe her at first, but Haozi’s recent condition defied all logic.
“St… stealing lifespan?” they stammered.
“Yes. There are many supernatural things in this world.”
“Then… then what do we do? Is Haozi going to die?” Panic set in.
Li Qiao’s first task was to wake Xie Haozhi up.
When he finally stirred, his vision was blurry.
“Qingnan, Qingbei… you’re still here.” Rubbing his eyes, Xie Haozhi froze when he saw Li Qiao. “Who… who are you?”
“The master they hired for you.”
The Qing brothers nodded eagerly. They’d spent half a month’s allowance to get her help. When desperate, people will try anything—just in case it works.
Xie Haozhi let Li Qiao examine him in a daze.
She didn’t look much older than him!
Under the gaze of a pretty girl, Xie Haozhi’s face flushed.
“Lately, have you been mentally exhausted? Feeling irritable, under pressure, like you’re on the verge of breaking down?”
Xie Haozhi paused, then nodded.
“Your Tian Gong (Heavenly Palace acupoint) has cracks, indicating physical distress. You also feel weak all over, right?”
“Yes! That’s exactly it!” Could she really be the real deal and not a scammer?
Finally meeting someone who understood his condition, Xie Haozhi couldn’t stop talking.
“No energy. No motivation to do anything. Food tastes like nothing. Master… am I gonna die?”
“You won’t die.”
“But what about this weakness? It’s like all my energy just vanished, and now I’m a walking corpse.”
“That’s because someone’s stealing your lifespan.”
“Stealing… my lifespan?”
Xie Haozhi’s face paled. A terrifying possibility dawned on him, and his body trembled. “Master, save me! I’ve always been a good person—never done anything evil! Why would someone steal from me?”
Who had he offended?
“Think carefully. Have you received any strange objects lately? Stealing lifespan requires a medium—an object tied to you.”
Xie Haozhi shook his head firmly. “I haven’t gotten anything weird.”
Li Qiao disagreed. Impossible. His condition was like a deflating balloon—whoever was stealing from him was doing it aggressively.
“Think harder. Something you picked up, or was given to you. Anything counts.”
Qingnan suddenly spoke up. “Haozi, the compensation money!”
Xie Haozhi’s compensation was a large sum.
His family had been well-off.
Three years ago, his parents died in a car accident. The compensation had been delayed, and the other party had clearly calculated that no one would stand up for him.
A student couldn’t fight the system.
Just when he’d lost all hope of ever receiving the money, a month ago, the other party suddenly contacted him.
They claimed their business had been struggling for the past three years, but this year things had improved—so they were finally paying him.
In the accident three years ago, both sides had been at fault.
They said they wanted to “make amends” and even suggested staying in touch like family.
As the victim, Xie Haozhi felt conflicted.
No matter what, this person had killed his parents.
Xie Haozhi refused to keep in touch but accepted the money—twice the required amount. Now, it seemed like it had all been a scheme.
“How vile.”
Qingbei slammed his fist on the table.
Worried for Xie Haozhi, the Qing brothers pressed for a solution. If this continued, he wouldn’t survive.
“Master, please save our friend. Name your price—we’ll scrape together whatever we can to pay you.”
The theft had to stop, or Xie Haozhi would die.
“Since fate brought us together, I won’t ignore this. First, we need to go to Xie Haozhi’s home.”
The three exchanged glances. The Qing brothers helped Xie Haozhi up, and they left.
Xie Haozhi lived in a townhouse.
Only a housekeeper looked after him.
“Auntie Wang, these are my friends. You can go—we’ll handle things here.”
Auntie Wang glanced at Li Qiao, then nodded and left.
They helped the weak Xie Haozhi to his bedroom to rest while Li Qiao explored the house.
Her eyes landed on a family portrait.
Qingnan: “That’s Haozi’s parents. They adored him. After the accident, he almost followed them to the grave. Qingbei and I stayed by his side until he recovered. And now, after all that, some bastard is trying to kill him? Unforgivable.”
Qingnan’s anger was justified. He and Qingbei were loyal friends—Xie Haozhi’s destined guardians.
“Those who harm others will eventually face retribution.” Stealing lifespan was forbidden magic. The perpetrator would soon suffer the consequences.
“Master—come quick! Something’s wrong with Haozi!”
Qingbei rushed out, his voice frantic.
