If the family had been wiped out due to a vendetta, the difficulty of this mission would be quite high.
The grand gate of the Zhou Family Compound now stood half-open in a state of decay, the thick layer of dust on the redwood doors giving off a heavy sense of desolation.
The gray brick walls surrounding it also blocked the prying eyes of those outside.
"Let's go."
Nan Yue took the lead, stepping into the manor that likely hadn't seen a visitor in at least a century.
Everyone followed her inside as Nan Yue scanned their surroundings. Upon entering the main gate, they were greeted by a large courtyard with paths made of colorful stones winding through the garden.
The plants and flowers had all withered away, but one could still imagine the Zhou family's former glory.
Silence fell over the group once they entered the courtyard. The quiet was unsettling, broken only by the sound of footsteps crunching on withered grass and stones.
They passed through the overgrown front garden and reached the front hall, a place once used for receiving and entertaining guests.
The group followed the covered corridors deeper into the estate. To their surprise, instead of the typical scenes of a wealthy mansion within the inner gates, a massive lake appeared before them.
While it was common for courtyards to feature rockeries and flowing water, this household had practically moved an entire lake into their courtyard.
Skilled craftsmen had built pavilions, towers, and even artificial mountains upon the lake. Anyone unaware would think they had stumbled upon a scenic outdoor landscape.
It was unclear if the water was stagnant or flowing, but it hadn't dried up even after a century. If it hadn't appeared so strangely within the Zhou Family Compound, Nan Yue might have even praised the lake for its tranquility.
There was a Lake-center Pavilion in the middle of the water, with several wooden boats nearby that hadn't rotted away yet. However, they only retained their shape and likely could no longer carry anyone.
"The Zhou family was truly wealthy..."
Once the initial shock passed, people began to talk amongst themselves.
Most were stunned by the immense economic power of the Zhou family. Building such a landscape in a small city was comparable to many royal gardens.
"Usually, wealthy families have ponds or lakes because water represents wealth and a continuous flow of riches. Even in modern times, people build them this way, often using fountains instead."
"But this lake... something isn't right."
Wen Xiang Yuan couldn't quite put her finger on it. She just felt that while water could bring prosperity, such a massive lake felt bizarre no matter how she looked at it.
"You're right," a short-haired girl in the crowd spoke up. "Water can gather wealth, but a barren mountain cuts it off. If there were only a lake, you could say it was for fortune."
"But the fact that they also built an artificial mountain is very strange."
The artificial mountain the short-haired girl referred to wasn't a typical garden rockery. Near the perimeter wall, someone had actually piled up yellow soil to create a genuine barren mountain.
People often spoke of beautiful lake and mountain scenery, but creating such a landscape within a residential courtyard was odd.
"A barren mountain gathers resentment and easily leads to a restless household... this..."
A look of confusion appeared on the short-haired girl's face. Nan Yue heard two men nearby whispering quietly.
"Isn't that the Daoist from Cuiyu Palace?"
"Yeah, I've seen her streams. She specializes in debunking paranormal events. Why is she here? Isn't she a somewhat famous streamer herself?"
"Why else? For the money. Even a Daoist wants to make a living."
"What did you say!"
The short-haired girl glared at them. The two men stopped talking on the surface but continued to exchange mocking glances.
She carried a peach wood sword on her back and a blue bag over her shoulder. Her clothes were old but very clean.
Few people around her spoke to her. Everyone knew her; she had once claimed that the streamers on this platform were just faking ghost stories. Now that she was here to compete with them, they naturally looked down on her.
Nan Yue glanced at Zhu Xi Ning, who then slipped over to the girl's side.
"I've watched your streams. You're really amazing."
The short-haired girl's lips curved slightly, but she maintained a calm and detached demeanor.
"How should I address you? Since we're colleagues now, it'll be more convenient."
Zhu Xi Ning looked gentle and sweet, giving the short-haired girl a good impression of her.
"Just call me Qingfeng."
"Daoist Qingfeng~"
Zhu Xi Ning was a smooth talker. Within a few sentences, she had established a good rapport with Qingfeng and brought her over to their group.
Qingfeng looked at them with a disapproving expression. "Are you here to get famous too? Or for the money?"
"I used to think this platform used false advertising and exploited the supernatural to hoard wealth. But now that I'm here, I've realized there really seems to be something wrong with this Zhou Family Compound."
"You all should leave as soon as possible before something actually happens."
Zhu Xi Ning held Qingfeng's hand. "You forgot, the contract we signed says we can't back out halfway through."
Qingfeng had been observing the landscape. Hearing this, she frowned. "When your life is at stake, who cares about a contract?"
"I'm just afraid we couldn't leave now even if we wanted to."
Nan Yue lowered her voice and said, "To be honest, Daoist, the reason we came here isn't for fame or profit. A good friend of ours went missing while streaming on this platform."
"We know this platform is problematic, and we want to find out what happened to our friend."
Upon hearing this, Qingfeng gave them a sympathetic look. "So that's how it is. Don't worry, I'll look out for you."
Nan Yue didn't say it aloud, but this Daoist Qingfeng looked only a year or two older than herself. Although she was a wandering practitioner, she didn't seem nearly as experienced as Zhu Xi Ning.
She had revealed her hand after just a few words.
"What's next?"
Someone in the crowd asked, "What are we supposed to do?"
"Find a place to rest for yourselves. The stream starts once it hits midnight. We'll find out how things are assigned then."
Hearing this, everyone dispersed. Some didn't believe in ghosts, while others were there with an adventurous mindset.
Consequently, most of them hadn't noticed anything wrong with the manor yet.
"I'm going to look around. Take this bell; ring it if anything happens."
Qingfeng coolly handed Zhu Xi Ning a brass bell, then waved and walked away.
It was then that Xu Yuan finally brought his companions over to greet Nan Yue.
"Boss."
"This is my teammate, Xie Nanchen."
"Hello, Sister Nan."
Xie Nanchen adjusted his round glasses. "I've heard Xu Yuan mention you. You're on the Top Rankings. That's very impressive."
Nan Yue was amused. Where did they find such a serious kid?
"What are your plans?"
Xu Yuan was much more composed now. At least he didn't feel the need to follow them every step of the way like he did at Zhengmiao Childcare School.
"Since the mission hasn't started and the risk is low, we'll take a quick lap around the place first."
Nan Yue nodded. "Be careful."
After Xu Yuan left, Nan Yue and the others huddled together to share what they knew about the current situation.
A platform that specialized in paranormal live streams, organized by an unknown entity.
A live show where it was unclear if the deaths were just for the camera or if people were actually dying.
Rate on N.U.
