As An Antique Shop Owner, It's Only Reasonable That I Know A Bit Of Magic - Chapter 67

In an alley, a group of skateboarding teens huddled together, watching one of them show off a cool lighter trick he had just learned.

The metal lighter flipped open and closed, spinning and flowing through his fingers, the flame atop it dancing along.

This impressive display drew successive cheers from his friends on the side.

Just as the boy was basking in his pride, the lighter slipped from his hand, rolling right under a scaffold.

The precariously balanced paint bucket above finally tipped over. The moment the first drop of paint met the flame, a fierce fire suddenly erupted with a whoosh!

“Oh, shit!”

A worker on the scaffold, feeling the intense heat, quickly turned around. To his horror, he saw the flames rapidly climbing up the stream of paint that hadn’t even fully reached the ground!

He was working over ten meters high with nowhere to run. To save himself, the worker immediately lifted his leg, trying to kick the paint bucket away.

The bucket of gasoline was indeed kicked flying, but in doing so, he lost his balance. Along with the swaying mobile scaffold, he toppled backward towards a fire hydrant.

The next second, the sports car carrying Su Fan and Scarlett passed by exactly that spot.

Out of the corner of his eye, Su Fan saw the doomed decorator.

But there was no time to focus on that now, because their car was directly underneath the spinning, burning paint bucket now falling through the air!

The metal bucket, blazing fiercely and belching black smoke, was splattering burning paint in all directions.

If even a single drop of that burning gasoline landed on their skin, the consequences would be unthinkable!

Scarlett instinctively raised her hands to shield her face and head…

“Keep driving!!”

Su Fan’s roared command jolted Scarlett back to her senses!

Without her realizing it, the car had veered from its lane into the path of oncoming traffic!

Seeing a sedan heading straight for them, she sharply turned the steering wheel, rhythmically working the clutch, gas, and brake to barely avoid a collision.

At the same moment, Su Fan swung his arm violently. A powerful whirlwind rapidly gathered in his hand, exploding outwards into the air above!

This gust of wind not only blew the burning paint bucket away but also swept up all the scattered falling embers!

However, the effect wasn’t limited to the air; it encompassed the entire street!

Pedestrians on both sides of the road suddenly felt a strong gale hit them, nearly knocking them off their feet!
Some slimmer individuals, caught completely off guard, were even blown over backwards!

“Goddamn it, what the hell was that!”
“Damn! What kind of freak weather is this!”

Amid the stream of curses from both sidewalks, a Porsche convertible drove through the middle.

The car’s sound system kept looping a creepy song, making Scarlett’s scalp crawl. She tried to change it, but no matter what she adjusted, it always switched back to the same tune.

“What is this music anyway!!”

“John Denver, a famous folk singer. He died in a plane crash a few years ago.”

Su Fan’s voice remained as flat and unemotional as ever.

“This song appeared last time and again now, along with that strange sudden wind.”

“It’s probably an omen signaling the Grim Reaper is about to make his move. Just keep it in mind.”

“Giving a heads-up before he acts… the Grim Reaper is weirdly considerate, isn’t he?”

Hearing this, Scarlett was momentarily stunned, then couldn’t help but let out a snort of laughter.

It was clearly a terrifying death warning, so how did it sound so different coming from Su Fan’s mouth?

The truth was, Su Fan genuinely thought so.

Every time before initiating a chain of deaths, the Grim Reaper used various omens to notify his intended victims.

Considerate? No.

Sadistic amusement? Unnecessary.

If he had to make a comparison, it felt more like a kind of… ritual?
A ritual…

In that moment, Su Fan felt a sudden flash of insight.

This hypothesis needed verification from that black coroner.

But, based on the current situation and the fragments of memory Su Fan possessed, it was probably pretty close to the truth.

Of course, while thinking, Su Fan didn’t forget to remain vigilant of their surroundings.

Along the way, he used his wind control and summoning abilities multiple times to avert crises.

A flying cleaver from a fruit stall, falling objects from above, nails shot from a nail gun… and so on.

Although the frequency was extremely high, the warnings from his Premonition ability prevented any real threat.

Instead, Su Fan’s proficiency with the Premonition supernatural ability gradually increased.

[Based on the premonition, you defused a death trap designed by the Grim Reaper. Premonition +3!]

[Based on the premonition, you defused a death trap designed by the Grim Reaper. Premonition +3!]

[By repeatedly using premonitions to counter the Grim Reaper’s attacks, the warnings Premonition provides you will become clearer and more direct!]

The thrilling car ride soon ended. Ultimately, Scarlett’s sports car came to a steady stop right at the entrance of the shopping mall.

Su Fan opened the car door and headed straight inside.

However, the moment he stepped into the mall, he heard the song playing within.

Scarlett, following close behind, soon felt a gust of wind, and the dark fog followed!

“Here we go again…”

Flickering images once again began to flash through Su Fan’s mind.

This time, what Su Fan saw was even clearer and more direct!
Without any delay, he immediately led Scarlett deeper into the mall.

Compared to Su Fan, she seemed much more nervous and apprehensive.

Her elegant face was full of vigilance. Combined with her less-than-ideal mental state, it gave her a fragile, sickly kind of beauty.

As the two passed by, the lights in the corridor flickered erratically.

This bizarre scene drew the attention of people in the shops on both sides.

Staff members whispered and gossiped amongst themselves.

Su Fan ignored these murmurs completely, observing their surroundings instead.

As far as he could see, on this floor and the ones above, there were no signs of police activity.

Underground, perhaps?

Su Fan looked around for a staircase, but all he could see were escalators. Seeing this, he reached his hand out to Scarlett.

Scarlett was taken aback, unsure what he meant.

“Give me your hand.”

“Okay.”

Although she didn’t know Su Fan’s intention, his actions throughout the journey had already earned her trust.

The shop attendants who had been watching them saw this and started another round of whispers, some even rolling their eyes.

To onlookers, Su Fan’s action seemed like the kind of overly-affectionate, clingy behavior typical of new couples.

Just as they were turning their attention away, intending to get back to work, a sudden scream pierced the air!
The shout also attracted the attention of the mall’s security guards.

These usually idle guards, seeing what was happening on the monitor, jolted in alarm and hurried over!

The moment Scarlett stepped onto the escalator tread, it suddenly gave way and detached! Her foot plunged through the gap!
Just as she was about to be pulled into the machinery of the escalator, Su Fan, holding her hand, yanked her arm hard, pulling her up and out of danger!
But then, the entire escalator began to shake violently. The stainless steel panels covering its main structure started peeling off – it was clearly on the verge of completely falling apart!