The gate of Luoyan City stood wide open, a streak of blood-red sunset spilling across the walls as if the whole city had been dunked in a pot of leftover chili broth no one bothered to wash.

  The three of us entered side by side.

  On the surface everything looked peaceful—shops still open, teahouses bustling, peddlers shouting as usual. But there was something off, an unnameable eeriness crawling under the skin, like a centipede slipping down your collar and tapping around with all its tiny legs.

  Lian walked ahead, eyes lowered, face unreadable. Hua fanned himself lazily behind him. Only I kept darting everywhere, terrified a fake cult leader might leap out and demand payment.

  We found a decent inn, settled our luggage, and then Lian and Hua prepared to scout the West Altar’s local branch. Before leaving, Lian cast me a glance.

  “You. Don’t wander.”

  I sat upright like the most loyal soldier in the world. “I’ll sit here until you return!”

  The moment they stepped out the door, I grabbed my horse and slipped out the back.

  Not that I don’t keep my word—I do keep my word!

  I’m going out of the city to report to my big brother Nangong Bo!

  We agreed I had five days to retrieve that purple jade pendant. If my brother didn’t see the military seal by the end of the fifth day, he’d march straight into the Blood Lotus Sect, flatten the West and East Altars, and—if he was in a good mood—maybe leave Lian’s bed intact.

  Now it’s been four days plus ten hours. Isn’t it reasonable that I go send an update?

  I was leading my horse down a back alley when I suddenly heard—

  “Woof.”

  My heart seized. I looked down.

  A filthy yellow dog sat in the corner, staring at me with glossy little eyes, as if it were about to say:

  Woof. Thief.

  I jumped back. “D-don’t follow me! I’m just a normal human!”

  The yellow dog opened its mouth and spoke—actual human speech, raspy and weirdly sassy.

  “No need to panic, dear guest. My master invites you.”

  “Y-you’re a demon dog! Did you see through my jade-stealing plan?!”

  “I care not whether you steal jade.” The dog walked a few steps, then turned back. “But if you do not come, my master will come invite you personally.”

  Cold sweat soaked my back. I hesitated a few seconds.

  Then the last thread of rationality—“Don’t cause trouble”—snapped clean in half.

  I followed the dog.

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  It led me through several old alleys, then along a deserted road, until we reached—

  “This is… a manor?”

  A grand estate towered before me, marble pillars, carved beams, gilded plaque reading Qingyin Hall—the kind of residence that looked less like a home and more like an imperial concubine’s retirement villa.

  The yellow dog barked once and stepped over the threshold—

  —then vanished into thin air.

  “…?”

  The door creaked open. An elderly servant in simple but immaculate clothes came out, bowing with serene politeness.

  “Welcome, honored guest. My master has prepared a banquet. Please.”

  He said “honored guest” so sincerely that even my grass-woven slippers felt embarrassed.

  I was ushered into the hall, my suspicion ping-ponging in all directions.

  A talking dog. A mansion appearing out of nowhere. A servant too polite to be mortal.

  How is this hospitality? This is a trap with table manners.

  I swallowed. “Your… master. Which esteemed… immortal would that be?”

  The old servant smiled, evasive. “Let us hope your companions will not trouble my master in days to come.”

  I froze.

  “Your master… is he from the West Altar?”

  The servant said nothing—just gestured toward the banquet hall.

  Warning bells rang wildly inside my skull. If the system didn’t show up now, I was going to kick it awake with my boot.

  A dog that talks. A hall that feels unreal. A servant hinting about the West Altar. If this wasn’t a Blood Lotus trap, then it was the underworld hosting my farewell dinner.

  But before I could bolt, the hall lights flared on, fragrance filled the air, the table laid with eighteen dishes and warm wine as if it really were a reception banquet.

  My throat bobbed. “…Feels like my last meal.”

  I forced myself to sit and eat, cautiously nibbling. The wine tasted unexpectedly sweet. One cup, and my eyelids drooped. When I finally blinked awake—

  Everything was gone.

  The banquet.

  The hall.

  The table.

  I was lying in a bare stone hut.

  “Where… is this?”

  I staggered up. Outside, the moon hung cold in the sky. My horse stood under an ancient pine, perfectly fine, as if I’d just dreamed everything.

  I stepped out, looked up—

  The plaque was gone.

  In its place stood a stone tablet:

  Qingyin Cemetery.

  I nearly fell to my knees right then.

  Beside the tablet was an open grave. A rotting, blackened skeleton lay half-exposed, wild grass growing through its ribs.

  I tip-toed around it—and then saw its skull.

  It had four eye sockets.

  “…I absolutely do NOT want to know what kind of monster this is!!!”

  I scrambled onto my horse and bolted without looking back. If that four-eyed skeleton sat up and said “Have you eaten?”, I would ascend on the spot.

  Only the creaking of a broken lantern followed me, wailing in the wind like a ghost singing opera.

  I crashed into the inn’s courtyard, nearly taking the gate down, slumping over with my soul halfway out of my body.

  “Hah… hah…” I gasped. “System! Where were you?! Aren’t you supposed to detect all dangers and side quests?! What was THAT? And why didn’t you warn me!?”

  The system was silent for a moment. Then it spoke in a suspiciously poetic tone:

  【When the false becomes true, and the true becomes false…】

  “…Are you reciting poetry!?”

  【Reality and illusion blur. Humans often fail to tell them apart.】

  I narrowed my eyes. “You’re dodging.”

  【Your current mental volatility makes you unfit to receive excessive information. I advise you to calm down. Take a hot bath. Sleep.】

  My gaze sharpened. “You know something.”

  The system paused.

  【I know nothing.】

  “You said that without even making a ‘beep’ warning for lying.”

  【……】

  A chill crept up my spine.

  This thing had never been this calm. I’ve asked it who’s more handsome and it would pop out with analysis charts.

  But this time—

  I met something impossible. A talking dog. A mansion that vanished. A graveyard. A four-eyed corpse.

  And the system tells me to go soak my feet and sleep!?

  I shot upright.

  “You’re hiding something.”

  The system went dead quiet—as if someone had pinched its throat.

  I swallowed, scanning the dark room.

  The air in Luoyan City still felt wrong, like an invisible net slowly drawing tight.

  My hand touched my empty waist.

  “...I just wanted to get that damn jade,” I whispered. “How did things turn into this?”

  From somewhere far away came a sound—half dog, half crying infant—carried on the wind.

  I immediately dove under my blanket.

  From now on, I am NEVER walking alone at night again.

  If I can’t steal the jade—

  Then I’ll just have to rob him in broad daylight.