SES Chapter 71 Part 1

Chapter 71

Basking in the warmth of friends’ care.

Could it be…

Sure enough, that guy greeted everyone with enthusiasm — and even sent a voice message:
“Little Carrot, Little Pocket, Little Sansan, Little Chubby!”

Mu Dai couldn’t help but laugh. What should she reply? She held down the voice button but couldn’t decide.

The “Conman” said, “Oh? We’ve got a newcomer? This is the girl with the fire thing?”

Yan Hongsha replied, “Yes, senior, hello.”

Both Yan Hongsha and Cao Yanhua were the respectful type toward the Conman — Hongsha called him “Senior,” while Cao Yanhua called him “Mr. Shen.”

Someone knocked. Mu Dai jogged over to open the door — it was, of course, Yan Hongsha. She’d been alone in her room feeling bored, and since the “meeting” was going on, she came over to join in the fun.

As she stepped inside, she kept staring at her phone.
“Mu Dai, why hasn’t the Conman replied to me yet?”

Mu Dai said, “Probably busy giving you a nickname.”

Sure enough, the Conman soon replied:

“Red Scarf, hello to you too.”

Unlike “Little Carrot” or “Little Sansan,” this nickname didn’t seem to bother the person it was aimed at. Hongsha touched her neck with a wistful look.
“I can’t even remember what it felt like to wear a red scarf anymore.”

Back to business.

Luo Ren had been in touch with the Conman this whole time, so the Conman already had some idea of what had been happening lately.

“I’m still more inclined to agree with Little Carrot’s take,” the Conman said. “That phoenix in the water represents the Phoenix-Luan Buckle restraining the cursed bamboo slip — but it’s incomplete. Remember, phoenix, huang, and luan are three separate birds. The one in the water is only one of them.”

Yi Wan San asked, “Then what if we added more blood to the water?”

“You can try,” the Conman said. “Go ahead and bleed for fun if you’ve got nothing better to do.”

Yi Wan San fell silent. Honestly, even he knew that bleeding wasn’t exactly a long-term solution.

The Conman continued, “First, you need to understand this — it’s not your blood that’s trapping the cursed slip. It’s the power of the Phoenix-Luan Buckle clinging to your blood. The fading color could mean the Buckle’s power is weakening.”

Cao Yanhua asked, “Why would it weaken?”

“Cao Chubby,” the Conman said, “imagine I tie you up really tight with a rope. But you struggle and strain at it every single day. Wouldn’t it loosen eventually?”

Cao Yanhua wisely kept quiet.

Luo Ren spoke after a pause: “Could the weakening be related to the other five cursed slips scattered around?”

Up to now, there was no proof that the different slips could communicate with each other — but the idea was hard to shake.

The Conman thought for a moment. “Possible. Think of it like a tug-of-war between two forces. Right now, it’s the two slips against the Buckle. If the other five joined in, the Buckle’s power would drain much faster.”

Yi Wan San finally asked what had been on his mind: “If those two slips break free again, will Ping Ting get possessed again? My dad’s urn is buried now — surely the slips won’t go after it?”

“That’s what I’m worried about,” the Conman said.

He paused for so long that everyone started feeling uneasy, and then finally sent a long message:

“When you dealt with the first cursed slip, you were shorthanded — it was a fluke. But with the second one, all five people representing metal, wood, water, fire, and earth were there. And it was the first time you actually used the Phoenix-Luan Buckle to trap it. That’s like officially declaring your stance, fully exposing yourselves, and standing in open opposition to the slips. Your target profile is now huge. If a slip escapes, you’ll be the first it comes after — maybe all at once, maybe one by one.”

Mu Dai read that twice, a chill creeping up her spine. Hongsha shivered too, glancing warily at the windows and the door, as if the cursed slip might already be outside waiting.

After a moment, Cao Yanhua muttered, “So basically, we’re on the pirate ship now and can’t get off. No quitting halfway.”

“My advice,” the Conman said, “is that you five stay together as much as possible. You might all be targets now.”

Thanks to that last comment, Hongsha refused to go back to her own room to sleep, and instead squeezed onto Mu Dai’s bed. Before lights out, she triple-checked the locks on the door and windows.

Mu Dai sighed. “You’ve seen it before — if the slips really show up, no door or window will stop them.”

Hongsha climbed onto the bed without energy and, after a moment, said, “Can we keep the light on?”

Mu Dai curled deeper under the blanket, pulling it over her eyes. “Sure.”

Still, with the light on, sleep was restless. After a while, she couldn’t resist checking her phone — Luo Ren had sent a message:

“Take your time on the road. I’ll be there soon.”

I’ll be there soon.

She held the phone to her chest, thinking: If only Luo Ren were here now.

Meanwhile, Cao Yanhua and Yi Wan San were packing again. After last time, they were much faster at it.

Cao Yanhua asked Yi Wan San to tell Uncle Zhang, “If I just got back and am already running off again, he’s gonna fire me for sure. I can’t face his expression. Brother Sansan, can you tell him for me?”

Yi Wan San said, “And why would I dare? He’s known me longer — his scolding will be worse.”

They ended up writing a heartfelt note, sticking it to the bunk bed frame with clear tape.

In it, they begged Uncle Zhang — even if the room was taken while they were gone — to please leave the bunk bed for them, so they’d at least have somewhere to sleep when they got back.

Once packed, they turned off the lights, held their breath, and slipped out the bar’s back door in the dark, heading straight for Luo Ren’s place.

Luo Ren was ready to go. Uncle Zheng was helping him load the trunk. When he saw Cao Yanhua and Yi Wan San, he scowled.
“I really don’t get what you people are up to. Aren’t you shareholders? In just two days you’ve emptied the place. Is Phoenix Tower even opening?”