Loya bluntly stated that someone present was going to die, causing the staff to look troubled. However, they still dutifully relayed her words.
Chu Qianli raised an eyebrow slightly and muttered under her breath, “This is giving Into Science vibes.”
Tan Muxing observed the expressions of the others and whispered, “…Everyone seems so indifferent.”
The others remained unmoved by Loya’s words, as if they did not take them seriously at all.
Huang Jue, after hearing the translation, sneered first as an experienced shaman, “That’s because you foreigners are weak! You can’t handle the malicious spirits here, so you make up these terrifying stories!”
Loya said, “I don’t know what abilities you have, but the voice of the vengeful spirit in the rainy night says it all. Even the area near the elevator has bloodstains, proving that a new tragedy is about to unfold.”
Lilith asked doubtfully, “Bloodstains?”
Loya nodded solemnly. “That’s right. If the deceased left thirteen years ago, then why are there fresh bloodstains near the elevator?”
Huang Jue scoffed impatiently, “I can’t stand this foreigner’s nonsense. Is it my turn yet?”
Loya hadn’t expected Huang Jue to be so rude and exclaimed in shock, “Shouldn’t we verify my claims first?”
Shi Zhuoqu ordered the staff nearby to investigate the location Loya mentioned.
Moments later, someone hurried back to report, “There is indeed blood, and it’s recent. We don’t know where it came from.”
A flicker of triumph flashed in Loya’s eyes.
Shi Zhuoqu asked, “Do you have anything else to add?”
Loya said hauntingly, “No need. I just wanted to warn everyone here—the nightmare is just beginning.”
A said with great interest, “So your warning is just telling us that someone will die?”
Joe: “I have a guardian spirit. I fear no evil.”
Chu Qianli: “I believe in Marx, so I fear no evil.”
Loya: “?”
Lilith glanced at Loya squinting her eyes slightly as she toyed with the crystal ball in her hand. She smirked and said, “If you can’t present your case properly, you can simply stay silent. I believe everyone at this table is experienced—we don’t fall for these supernatural gimmicks.”
Loya’s face changed slightly.
Huang Jue, frustrated by the language barrier, said angrily, “Enough. This foreigner is just a fraud. Who knows if she put that blood there herself? We’re all professionals here—let’s cut the nonsense and get to the real business. There are multiple crime scenes in this building, not just the elevator. As for her claims about more deaths, they’re pure nonsense. I suggest we kick her out immediately. Spouting such ominous words is nothing but bad luck!”
Mei Rujing said flatly, “I agree.”
Xu Zaiyuan remained silent, while Liu Jun asked, “Can we really throw someone out?”
Loya hadn’t expected Huang Jue to propose expelling her. She stood her ground, saying firmly, “Believe it or not, this is my ability. The facts are undeniable.”
A watched the situation unfold with amusement, carefully observing everyone’s expressions.
Chu Qianli raised her hand obediently, “I have a question. You claim you can communicate with the spirit of the deceased. But did she only realize the house was cursed after she died? Does becoming a spirit suddenly grant a higher level of knowledge?”
Loya was momentarily stunned before arguing, “Since spirits enter a higher-dimensional world, the way they perceive things must be different from us…”
Chu Qianli shrugged. “So, what you’re saying is that human evolution leads to death? That as long as we die, we’ll all ascend to a higher-dimensional world? That’s a pretty strange concept.”
A laughed. “She’s a great storyteller, getting here through detailed fabrications, but she lacks real esoteric knowledge. No wonder her explanations are full of loopholes.”
Lilith said, “I support No. 2’s suggestion. No. 1 isn’t qualified to sit at this table yet.”
Tan Muxing looked down guiltily. “Honestly, I also…” shouldn’t be sitting here.
Shi Zhuoqu sought confirmation from the remaining members. “So, do you all believe No. 1’s claims are false?”
Joe nodded. “You can hold an external vote. I’m sure many people outside wouldn’t believe her either.”
Loya failed to identify the second crime scene, yet she fixated on the elevator case, crafting a thrilling, dramatic story. By leveraging these small details, she had managed to reach the second round of discussion.
However, the entire group unanimously agreed to remove Loya, and Shi Zhuoqu and the others had no choice but to politely ask her to leave.
Loya hadn’t anticipated such overwhelming rejection. Facing the cold stares of the group, she shouted hysterically, “Then how do you explain the blood near the elevator? That is an evil signal left by the demon! You’re suppressing me just to exclude those who disagree with you, but doing so will only lead to an even deeper curse—worse things will happen!”
“Someone among you is definitely going to die soon!” Loya’s voice trembled with righteous conviction, refusing to abandon her act.
Chu Qianli’s eyes flickered at these words. She spoke softly, “Everyone dies eventually.”
The group was momentarily stunned.
Xu Zaiyuan glanced at her from the corner of his eye, his fingers twitching slightly.
Chu Qianli smiled and said with certainty, “But we’re not cursed. The blood near the elevator belongs to the old doorman. He accidentally injured himself while cleaning. If you don’t believe me, you can have someone verify it.”
Loya wavered in disbelief. “Impossible…”
Chu Qianli raised her hand and made an exaggerated gesture as if casting a spell. “If curses really exist, then everything you just said—bounces back! Bounces back!”
A looked around curiously and imitated her. “What kind of mysterious gesture is this?”
Tan Muxing: “…” Probably just an elementary school kid’s counter-curse game.
Before long, the staff returned to verify the claim, confirming that Chu Qianli’s words were true. The blood was likely left unintentionally by the elderly security guard while cleaning, and further detailed testing could be conducted on it.
Loya’s deception was exposed, and due to her theatrics, she was asked to leave the conference room, leaving her utterly humiliated. Her test paper was displayed on the screen, and as expected, it did not mention the second murder case at all—it was solely focused on the elevator incident.
Shi Zhuoqu said, “If the remaining candidates have nothing more to add, they can choose to directly reveal their test papers.”
Since everyone had already submitted their answers, they could no longer change them. The final voting would take both their verbal statements and written answers into account.
Huang Jue watched as the fraud left and turned back confidently. “Now it’s my turn to explain, right? The first murder happened in the elevator because the victim saw something unclean. The second murder occurred on the third floor, and it was an extremely sinister case. This place is a yin-accumulating site. Someone deliberately prevented the resentment from dissipating in order to refine ghosts!”
Tan Muxing whispered, “He’s practically revealing the whole case.”
Chu Qianli clicked her tongue in dissatisfaction. “This is why I said our seats are bad.”
The three of them—seated in positions 8 to 10—were too far back. If those in front had already explained most of the case, there would be little room left for them to contribute. While everyone had mostly similar answers on their test papers, only those who spoke extensively during the second round of explanations stood a chance of being voted first.
Everyone at the table could be considered an expert; deducing the general trend of the case wasn’t difficult. The competition was all about the finer details!
Some people could predict that they would make money next year, while others could predict exactly when, where, and how they would make money. The difference in skill between these two levels of analysis was what set them apart.
A glanced at Huang Jue with admiration. “You’re very skilled.”
Huang Jue raised an eyebrow. “Since everyone here is capable, we might have to work together in the future. If you think I’m worth following, then just use my answer!”
“The sooner we wrap this up, the sooner we can get out of this yin-infested place. Maybe we’ll even have time to explore G City together.” Having spent years navigating the underground world, Huang Jue understood the importance of forming alliances. He had even invited Mei Rujing and others to join him before. Now, he wasted no time in rallying the group.
Liu Jun frowned in displeasure. “A mere spirit medium…”
A, dressed in a sleek suit, spoke calmly, “It is indeed a tempting offer. I’d love to explore China, but now isn’t the right time. I still have something to add.”
“It should be my turn now, right?” A looked at Shi Zhuoqu.
Shi Zhuoqu, aware of A’s background, nodded silently.
A smiled. “Before that couple moved in, a Chinese occultist once lived in this building. He set up a sinister formation on the third floor, related to the number five and wealth. He was thin, had used many different names, and had an unremarkable appearance. However, he had a deep interest in the occult—perhaps even a cruel ambition…”
“Should I leave something for those speaking after me?” A suddenly realized and turned to Joe. “It should be your turn.”
Huang Jue was annoyed that A had added even more details. “You didn’t leave much anyway.”
As contestant number four, Joe had little room to elaborate, so he simply added, “The dark ritual was tied to the resentment of children’s spirits. That sinister occultist likely conducted blood sacrifices using children. The woman who fell in the elevator had some degree of spiritual sensitivity—on that rainy night, she saw the vengeful spirit of a child, which is what scared her into losing her footing and falling to her death.”
Tan Muxing glanced at Chu Qianli with concern. “They’re covering more and more information.”
Contestant #1, Loya, had been expelled, but the remaining people were all highly skilled. Within just three turns, most of the details had already been revealed.
Chu Qianli bit her finger in frustration. “Damn it, this is why they say timing and luck matter. Even if you’re prepared, you still need some luck to actually perform well.”
Sometimes, just being ready wasn’t enough—external factors like timing also played a crucial role. That’s why people say that nine times out of ten, life doesn’t go as planned. There are simply too many unpredictable influences.
However, she still had one trump card: she knew the exact location of the third-floor murder. As long as no one else noticed the feng shui of the villa district, she still had an information advantage.
Contestant #5, the gypsy woman Lilith, put down her crystal ball and shrugged helplessly. “Fine, just reveal my test paper. I don’t have anything to add—they already covered most of it.”
With contestant #1 through #5 finished, it was time for the other side.
After displaying Lilith’s test paper, Shi Zhuoqu turned to the other side and asked, “Do any of you have additional statements?”
Huang Jue crossed his arms and scoffed. “I doubt it.”
Contestant #6, Xu Zaiyuan, had been silent the entire time—like a stone that never spoke. But now, he finally opened his mouth: “The architectural feng shui here was deliberately designed. The formation doesn’t just cover the third floor—it encompasses the entire villa district, including the place where we are staying.”
Chu Qianli was shocked and turned to look at him in disbelief. However, she had no impression of the man wearing a Taoist robe, only remembering that he carried a peachwood sword.
Daoist Liu Jun from the Qianmen Sect had participated in the preliminary exam, but Xu Zaiyuan had been exempted. She had no idea how skilled he actually was!
Tan Muxing noticed how tense Chu Qianli had become. He had seen her test paper and gently reassured her, “Alright, alright.”
The opportunities for the “troublemaker” were dwindling, so it was no surprise that she was getting anxious.
Chu Qianli feared that the location of the murder would be fully exposed. However, Xu Zaiyuan didn’t bring up the feng shui any further. Instead, he revealed something that wasn’t even on her test paper.
Xu Zaiyuan continued, “A modified version of the Five Ghosts Transporting Wealth technique was used here. Normally, the five ghosts refer to five yin spirits or five spiritual deities. This technique allows people to harness the power of spirits to gain wealth, with the condition that they must share their fortune through acts of kindness. If they fail to do so, the technique usually doesn’t work and even brings consequences.”
“However, the practitioner here attempted to create his own five ghosts. He used blood sacrifices of abandoned infants, intending to enslave these spirits to transport wealth for him. This method isn’t even recorded in ancient texts—it seems to be his own experiment.”
“Even with his modifications, he must have set up a secret altar on the third floor, placing paper figures, incense burners, fingernail clippings, and grains of rice. Combined with the feng shui of the villa district, this created an amplifying effect for gathering yin energy.”
Chu Qianli could only divine, like A, that the formation was related to the number 5 and wealth. They couldn’t determine the specific name of the formation, yet Xu Zaiyuan was able to explain it clearly.
Chu Qianli complained, “Good grief, because I don’t understand supernatural spells, I’m now getting crushed by theists.”
Foreign mages like Joe also didn’t understand Chinese magic, but Xu Zaiyuan just so happened to run into a topic he was familiar with!
The crowd was in an uproar. They only knew about the formation, yet the Daoist could even describe the materials used.
A looked surprised. “I didn’t even know formations had these details.”
Lilith asked, “So you’re saying the spirits created by the formation scared the deceased, and she accidentally fell into the elevator shaft?”
Huang Jue, disliking the Daoist faction stealing the spotlight, sneered, “Aren’t Daoists always boasting about being upright and honorable? And yet you know such sinister techniques?”
Xu Zaiyuan responded, “Knowing is just knowing. We also know about spirit mediums, but that doesn’t mean we stray onto the wrong path.”
Huang Jue grew furious. “We haven’t even found the altar yet! Who’s to say you’re not just making things up and randomly listing materials?”
Xu Zaiyuan replied honestly, “I’m not skilled in feng shui, but this feng shui setup is related to the stars. If we find someone proficient in this art, we might be able to deduce the altar’s location.”
After Xu Zaiyuan finished speaking, Player 7, Liu Jun, said, “You can reveal my answer sheet. I have nothing more to add.”
Xu Zaiyuan had already exposed the Five Ghosts Fortune Technique, leaving little room for the remaining players. His advantage was overwhelming!
At the table, only Players 8–10 hadn’t spoken. Chu Qianli, Tan Muxing, and Mei Rujing discussed among themselves and decided to rearrange their speaking order.
Shi Zhuoqu asked, “Do the remaining three players have any additions?”
“Yes, yes, of course we have something to add! They’re all speaking from a theistic perspective, but we atheists haven’t spoken yet!” Chu Qianli moved the No. 9 card to Mei Rujing and placed the No. 10 card in front of herself. “We’re adjusting positions. I’ll go last.”
Shi Zhuoqu said, “Then next is Player 8.”
Tan Muxing, in truth, had no idea what to say. However, after being hyped up by Chu Qianli, he pushed through his nervousness and said, “Ms. Zhang really liked drawing. She often sketched near the Tingfeng Xiyu Building and had excellent artistic skills.”
“Is that worth mentioning?” Lilith scrutinized Tan Muxing. The crystal ball in front of her reflected the light as she hesitated. “And you…?” Don’t seem to have any special abilities in this field?
As an oracle, Lilith glanced at Tan Muxing’s facial features and felt he wasn’t one of her kind.
Joe, who had witnessed his berserker state, quickly intervened and advised, “Let him speak, let him speak!”
Tan Muxing looked down, embarrassed. “…That’s all.”
Mei Rujing, now playing as No. 9, spoke calmly, “Ms. Zhang did not fall because she saw something unclean. She was frightened by strange noises on a rainy night.”
Huang Jue complained, “Mei Mei, why are you always contradicting me?”
Huang Jue had claimed the deceased saw something unclean, while Mei Rujing insisted otherwise.
Mei Rujing said coolly, “I study the Plum Blossom Divination method and used ‘Wind Perception Divination’ near the elevator. By examining the time, color, and wind patterns, I determined that the wind on that rainy night sounded like a crying infant. The white mist that rose due to the rain was an omen of cold-borne disaster. Only Ms. Zhang on the third floor heard it, which is why she panicked and tried to rush downstairs, only to fall into the elevator shaft.”
Joe said, “That’s still similar to what we said. She might indeed have had a spiritual sensitivity, so only she heard the ghostly wailing.”
Mei Rujing shook her head. “No, if she truly had spiritual sensitivity, she would have been scared long before. Why was it only that night?”
A watched the debate with great interest. “So now we’re getting into the details of why she fell?”
Huang Jue added, “Mei Mei, these things all require fate. I only became a spirit medium after I was injured!”
Mei Rujing was silent for a few seconds before frowning. “That’s exactly why I said you all can’t speak without mentioning ghosts. There were no spirits or ghosts here…”
Player 10, Chu Qianli, smiled and continued, “That night was indeed a coincidence, but it wasn’t Ms. Zhang’s spiritual awakening. Instead, it was the strong wind’s effect. The rainy night’s wind disturbed a sealed room, causing Ms. Zhang to hear strange noises.”
Huang Jue was stunned. “A sealed room?”
Xu Zaiyuan looked at her and confirmed, “That must be where the formation is.”
Chu Qianli shot him a sidelong glance. “The feng shui layout here is indeed deliberate. The mountain dragon shifts its hexagrams, rearranges the Nine Stars, and finds the Lian Zhen position as the air inlet. The layout of Tingfeng Xiyu Building corresponds to the entire villa area. We couldn’t find the formation inside the house because someone completely sealed that room.”
“Ms. Zhang’s bedroom on the third floor happens to be near the sealed room. Because she enjoys drawing and has a keen sense of space, she frequently sketched inside the building and gradually sensed something was off. She felt that the house had a hidden space. Combined with the eerie sounds on the rainy night, she panicked and fell.”
“There is a secret chamber in the northwest corner of the bedroom. If you don’t believe me, we can have someone dig it out, though it’ll take some effort.”
Shi Zhuoqu sent people to investigate but returned with skepticism. “But our floor plan doesn’t show any extra rooms…”
Chu Qianli insisted, “You have to break through the wall to see it. Otherwise, no matter how much you divine, you won’t be able to find it!”
The sorcerer who set up the Five Ghosts Fortune Formation used the villa’s architecture and the surrounding mountains to create a Yin-converging point. By aligning it with the celestial stars, they selected a crucial burial site and sealed the formation room completely, cleverly hiding it within Tingfeng Xiyu Building.
Others had only deduced that something was on the third floor, but because they didn’t understand feng shui and star observation, they couldn’t pinpoint the exact location!
Shi Zhuoqu had no choice but to call in a construction team to break open the wall and search for the sealed chamber, verifying whether Chu Qianli was lying.
Liu Jun instinctively looked at his companion and uneasily asked, “Zaiyuan, if she really finds the location, doesn’t that mean she’s even better than you…?”
Xu Zaiyuan calmly replied, “She’s already found it.”
The demolition process required time, so everyone remained in the conference room.
Lilith remarked, “Setting aside the room’s location, most of what you just said was already mentioned before.”
Chu Qianli firmly waved her finger. “No, no, no! We are fundamentally different. We are approaching this with a spirit of seeking truth from facts, without adding all that mystical nonsense!”
Huang Jue retorted, “You just said there were strange noises. If the room was completely sealed, and the sounds weren’t from vengeful spirits, then where did they come from?”
Joe added, “Maybe the deceased had a bit of a spiritual sensitivity, which is why she could feel the resentment from the sealed room. Besides, your friend also said the wind sounded like a crying baby, so it must be the wailing of a child’s spirit.”
“Yeah! Why would the wind specifically sound like a baby crying? That clearly means it was a ghost at work. Otherwise, it should’ve sounded like something else!”
The crowd buzzed with discussions.
Tan Muxing weakly asked, “Are the three of us the only atheists at this table?”
Mei Rujing remained expressionless and said coldly, “If these people keep spouting superstitious nonsense, I’ll report them all for promoting feudalistic beliefs the moment I step out.”
“……”
Faced with their skepticism, Chu Qianli tried her best to reason with them. “My friends, you need to study. Study hard! Don’t just shut yourselves off and make wild guesses. Let’s look at the world with an open mind, shall we?”
Tan Muxing, watching a certain someone who didn’t like studying suddenly turn into an advocate for learning, felt there was something oddly ironic about the scene.
Huang Jue raised an eyebrow in dissatisfaction. “Then explain why the wind sounded like a baby crying.”
Chu Qianli earnestly explained, “Even if the room was sealed, there were still gaps and spaces. The violent storm on a rainy night caused a rapid influx of air. The intense vibration of airborne particles affected the eardrums, naturally producing a ‘woo-woo’ sound, which resembled a baby crying. This is due to resonance at certain vibration frequencies!”
The theists: “???”
After listening to both rounds of arguments, A stroked his chin, feeling troubled. “…How should I put this?”
Chu Qianli cheerfully concluded, “There would never be a Battle of the Psychics in our country. Welcome, everyone, to Approaching Science!”
“……”
I am just a novice translator and Chinese is not my native language. I try my best to translate the chapters as accurate as possible.
If there are any mistakes then kindly comment and remind me. Your support means a lot.
