Starting as pearl divers, they have endless jobs.

Chapter 134 Brothel, Drinking, Investigating a Case! (10,000 words, seeking monthly votes)
"How is it?" Cong Bo asked in a low voice from the side.

Chen Ye stood up and slowly shook his head.

"I can't tell anything."

The body was almost too clean, showing no trace of any supernatural forces.

Upon hearing this, the light in Cong Bo's eyes dimmed again.

Even someone as capable as Chen Ye couldn't see any clues. Could this case really have become an unsolved mystery?
As Qian, the registrar, listened from the side, tears streamed down his face, and he almost burst into tears.

“However…” Chen Ye changed the subject, “Although nothing can be found on the body, I can go and take a look at the Drunken Spring Pavilion.”

Cong Bo suddenly raised his head, and hope rekindled in his eyes.

"Brother, are you willing to take this case?"

Chen Ye nodded, his expression calm.

"Since I'm just idling around anyway, I might as well stretch my muscles and get some exercise."

He certainly wasn't really doing this out of boredom.

On the one hand, he did develop a strong interest in this bizarre case.

On the other hand, Cong Bo had helped him out of a predicament at Fengmanlou before, and he always had to repay that favor.

Moreover, Cong Bo also said that if anything could be found out, a generous commission would be offered.

You should know that cultivation is very expensive. Not to mention anything else, the large amount of meat consumed every day is a considerable expense.

Moreover, Chen Ye was a bounty hunter himself, so he had even less reason to refuse.

"That's great!" Cong Bo excitedly grabbed Chen Ye's hand.

"Don't worry, brother, I'll give you the highest commission this time."

Chen Ye smiled and said, "Don't get excited yet. Let me make this clear beforehand: I can't guarantee that I'll succeed. If I can't find anything, don't blame me."

“Brother, what are you saying? Do you think I’m that kind of person? Go ahead and investigate. If you succeed, great; if not, consider it a misfortune in your life.” Cong Bo spoke frankly.

Chen Ye nodded.

"By the way, brother, is there any kind of help I can provide? Manpower, weapons, just ask if you need anything."

Chen Ye thought for a moment, then shook his head.

“Not yet.”

"The people from the Demon Slayer Division are too conspicuous and easily alert the enemy. It's actually more convenient for me to act alone."

Cong Bo thought it made perfect sense.

He pondered for a moment, then took out a black wooden plaque from his pocket and handed it to Chen Ye.

The wooden plaque felt slightly heavy in the hand. The front was engraved with a ferocious beast head, while the back had the character "斩" (cut/slay). A faint aura of malevolence lingered around it.

"These are the waist tags for our unofficial staff of the Demon Slayer Division," Cong Bo explained.

"Although it doesn't have any real power, it can be used in critical moments to at least prove your identity and avoid some unnecessary trouble."

Chen Ye weighed the waist token in his hand, and without refusing, put it away.

This thing is like an officially certified temporary worker's certificate, which will save a lot of trouble when traveling in Yuhuo County.

The matter was settled.

Chen Ye bid farewell to Cong Bo and Qian Zhubu, who was still immersed in grief, and left the mansion alone.

Instead of returning to the inn, he headed directly towards the west of the city.

Since we're going to investigate a case, we naturally have to start from the source.

He wanted to go to the Drunken Spring Pavilion to see for himself what was really going on.

……

As night falls, the lights are on.

This street in the west of Yuhuo County is the most bustling and lively place in the entire county.

Zuichunlou is undoubtedly the most dazzling jewel on this street.

The three-story building features flying eaves and brackets, carved beams and painted rafters, with two rows of large red lanterns hanging at the entrance, illuminating half the street.

The sounds of string and wind instruments filled the air, mixed with women's giggles and men's banter. Even just standing at the door, one could smell a strong fragrance of perfume and alcohol.

At the entrance, several girls dressed in their finest clothes were leaning against the door frame, waving and soliciting customers from passersby.

"Oh, sir, you look unfamiliar. Is this your first time visiting Zuichunlou?"

"Come on in and have some fun! We've got some really pretty girls new here!"

Chen Ye, dressed in ordinary cloth clothes with a long sword at his waist, walked towards the gate with a blank expression on his face.

His appearance made him stand out starkly from the lewd grins of the other pleasure-seekers around him.

A sharp-eyed pimp immediately came forward, a professional smile plastered on his face.

"Sir, are you here for a drink and some music, or...?"

The pimp looked Chen Ye up and down, his eyes filled with a searching gaze.

Chen Ye didn't say anything, but took out a small piece of silver from his pocket and threw it over.

"Let's find a quiet spot, get a pot of good wine, and some snacks to go with it."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was calm and carried an air of authority.

The pimp took the silver, weighed it in his palm, and his smile immediately became much more genuine.

"Alright! Please come in, sir!"

The pimp bowed and scraped as he led the way, guiding Chen Ye up to the second floor.

The second floor is quieter than the first floor, and mostly consists of booths with partitions.

Chen Ye found a seat by the window, where he could see the entire second-floor lobby.

Soon the food and drinks were served.

Chen Ye poured himself a glass of wine, sipping it slowly while discreetly observing his surroundings.

He pushed his perception to its limit, but the result was exactly the same as what Cong Bo had said.

The entire Drunken Spring Pavilion was bustling with noise, filled with all sorts of desires and emotions, but there wasn't a trace of yin energy, demonic energy, or any other unusual energy fluctuations.

Whether it's those charming young women or the pimps and waiters who frequent the area, they are all just ordinary mortals.

Even the rich fragrance in the air was just ordinary cosmetics, without any bewitching scent or anything like that.

"That's really strange."

As Chen Ye held his wine glass, a sense of unease crept into his mind.

"Could it be that we've really gone in the wrong direction?"

He looked down at the men downstairs, embracing girls and having fun. They all looked energetic and radiant, not at all like they were about to die from exhaustion.

So if the problem isn't with the people involved, or with the food and drinks, then where else could it be?
Chen Ye took a sip of wine, his gaze slowly sweeping over the ornately decorated building, and fell into deep thought.

To cause one after another of the most vigorous men to die silently without leaving any trace is something that ordinary evil spirits cannot accomplish.

Therefore, there must be some details that have been overlooked.

As Chen Ye pondered, he sipped his wine absentmindedly.

Meanwhile, his eyes darted around the building, trying to find some clues.

But he saw the top courtesans flirting with customers in the corner, the brothel madam with a big smile on her face, and the drunken patrons behaving in a ridiculous manner.

Everything seemed so normal, so normal that it felt somewhat abnormal.

"Hey buddy, drinking alone is so boring, how about I have a drink with you?"

A voice sounded in my ears.

Chen Ye looked up and saw a beautiful woman in a pink gauze dress sitting opposite him, holding a wine glass and smiling at him.

The woman looked to be in her early twenties, with captivating eyes and a charm honed by years of experience in the world of entertainment.

"No need," Chen Ye replied casually.

The woman seemed surprised by such a cold response, and her smile froze for a moment.

But she quickly recovered and smiled even more sweetly.

"Oh dear, this young man doesn't look like he's here to have some fun; he looks more like an official investigating a case."

She joked as she spoke, sizing up Chen Ye with her big, watery eyes.

Chen Ye's heart skipped a beat. He knew that these women, who had been through many ups and downs, had very sharp eyes.

His behavior was indeed out of place with the atmosphere here.

So he decided to stop hiding it, put down his wine glass, looked at the woman, and asked, "Has anything strange happened in the building lately?"

The woman was stunned for a moment, clearly not expecting Chen Ye to be so direct.

She blinked, looking puzzled, and asked, "Strange thing? What strange thing?"

"For example, have any guests or sisters suddenly developed some strange illness, or encountered any inexplicable events?"

Chen Ye changed his question to a more specific one.

The woman tilted her head, thought about it seriously for a moment, and then shook her head.

"No, everything is fine in the building. Business is booming, and all the women are doing well. I haven't heard of anyone getting sick."

As she spoke, she leaned closer curiously and asked in a low voice, "Young man, who exactly are you? Why are you asking these questions?"

Chen Ye didn't answer her question, but instead changed his perspective.

"Do you know that several people have died in the city recently, and they all came here before they died?"

The woman's expression changed immediately upon hearing this.

A flicker of panic crossed her eyes, and she quickly waved her hands, saying, "This... I don't know anything about this. Don't talk nonsense! We run a legitimate business here, and we've never had any murders or lawsuits!" Her reaction didn't seem like she was lying.

Chen Ye knew he wouldn't get any more information by asking, so he took out a piece of silver from his pocket and placed it on the table.

"Consider this your payment for the drinks."

After saying that, he got up to leave.

The woman looked at the silver on the table with a complicated expression, a mixture of excitement and fear.

"Brother, I...I really don't know anything."

She couldn't help but offer a defense.

Chen Ye ignored her and went straight downstairs.

The first exploration ended in failure.

For the next few days, Chen Ye came to Zuichunlou almost every night.

He changed identities, sometimes as a wealthy young master who spent lavishly, and sometimes as a taciturn swordsman in the martial arts world.

He explored every nook and cranny of the Drunken Spring Pavilion, and even secretly sneaked into the storeroom in the backyard and the staff's quarters.

The result was still nothing found.

As time went by, there was no progress in the case.

Cong Bo was clearly under immense pressure as well, sending people to inquire twice, but Chen Ye could only tell him the truth, at a loss for what to do.

That evening, Chen Ye once again sat in his usual spot on the second floor of Zuichunlou.

He was already getting a little irritated.

This feeling of being able to see something but not touch it, of having power but nowhere to use it, made him very unhappy.

But he quickly suppressed his frustration, after all, as a bounty hunter who made a living on the edge of a knife, it was essential to keep a clear head at all times.

Chen Ye picked up his glass and drank it all in one gulp. The spicy liquor slid down his throat, gradually calming his mind.

Try again, and if it doesn't work, just give up.

Just as Chen Ye was pondering to himself, the chatter of several girls at the next table suddenly drifted into his ears.

The sound wasn't loud, and it was easily overlooked in a noisy environment.

But Chen Ye heard it clearly.

"Hey, isn't it strange? I've been having a lot of dreams lately."

A young woman in a green dress, who looked quite young, was holding a glass of fruit wine and complaining to her friends.

"What kind of dream did you have? Did you dream that some handsome young man redeemed you?" another slightly older woman immediately teased.

These words immediately drew a burst of giggles from those around them.

The girl in the green dress blushed slightly and spat.

"Get lost, what nonsense are you talking about! I've been dreaming about men all the time lately, and all sorts of all kinds of men."

"Hey, if you ask me, you're a little slut. Aren't you serving men enough on a daily basis? So you even dream about it at night?"

"Exactly, exactly! Looks like she's gone crazy from wanting a man!"

The girls burst into laughter again, and the topic quickly shifted to the newly released rouge and face powder.

A seemingly ordinary chat passed by just like that.

No one present took these jokes seriously.

Apart from Chen Ye.

His hand, holding the wine glass, froze in mid-air.

His expression remained calm, but a sharp glint suddenly flashed in his eyes.

dream?

Dreaming of a man?

These words were like a bolt of lightning, instantly cleaving through all the fog in his mind.

Yes!

The problem isn't in reality, it's in the dream!

He kept searching for clues in the real world, looking for demonic or ghostly energy, but he was wrong from the start!

The other party doesn't act in reality at all, but in the target's dream, slowly draining their energy and spirit!

This explains why no traces were found at the scene or on the body.

Chen Ye's heart began to race.

It wasn't because I was nervous, but because I was excited!

We've finally found a clue!
He suppressed his excitement and his gaze fell once again on the girl in the green dress who was complaining about having a dream.

At that moment, the girl was chatting happily with her friends and was completely unaware of Chen Ye's spying.

Chen Ye did not step forward immediately.

He knew it wasn't the right time to alert the enemy; he needed more evidence to confirm his suspicions.

So Chen Ye paid the bill and left Zuichunlou quietly.

After returning to the inn, Chen Ye did not rest. Instead, he sat cross-legged on the bed, calmed his mind, and carefully reviewed all the information he had obtained in the past few days.

The deceased were all men who had frequented the Zuichunlou brothel.

The cause of death was exhaustion, and he had a strange smile on his face before he died.

There were no problems with the people inside Zuichunlou.

Now there's another clue: the girl in the building has strange dreams.

All the clues connected, and a bold guess gradually took shape in Chen Ye's mind.

The culprit may not be a traditional demon or evil spirit.

Rather, it is some unknown entity that can manipulate dreams and feeds on human essence.

It used Zuichunlou as its lair and the girls in the building as bait and medium.

When male guests interact with female guests, it may subtly leave a mark on them.

Then, using these girls' dreams as a springboard, they invade the dreams of the male guests who have been marked.

In dreams, it weaves a blissful illusion for the target, causing them to unknowingly have all their yang energy drained away in endless pleasure.

He died suddenly when his oil ran out and the lamp went out.

In this way, it continuously absorbs nutrients and strengthens itself.

This conjecture almost perfectly explains all the doubts.

The more Chen Ye thought about it, the more alarmed he became.

But what kind of being could possess such bizarre methods?

Chen Ye did not go to Zuichunlou the next day.

He changed into inconspicuous clothes and began to wander around the Zuichunlou brothel, secretly observing every girl who came out of it.

Chen Ye quickly located the girl in the green dress who had complained about having a dream last night, and then quietly followed her.

The girl did not return to the backyard of Zuichunlou, but instead turned into a side alley and entered a seemingly ordinary house.

It seems that not all girls live in the building.

Chen Ye waited at the alley entrance for a long time until the night was deep and the lights in the house went out.

He knew the time had come.

So he moved swiftly and silently slipped into the courtyard, arriving at the girl's window.

Chen Ye held his breath and gently pressed his ear against the window paper.

The room was quiet, with only the sound of even, steady breathing.

The girl in the green dress was clearly fast asleep.

Chen Ye didn't rush to act; he was waiting for that thing to reveal itself.

Time passed by, and the surrounding alleys were so quiet that only the sound of the wind could be heard.

Just as Chen Ye's patience was about to run out, a sudden change occurred!
He keenly sensed that an extremely faint yet incredibly strange energy fluctuation suddenly emanated from the direction of Zuichunlou.

This fluctuation is invisible and intangible, and ordinary people cannot detect it at all.

It was like an invisible net, instantly enveloping the area.

Immediately afterwards, Chen Ye sensed an extremely subtle energy silently probing into the room in front of him.

coming!

Chen Ye's spirits lifted, and his eyes instantly glowed with a blood-red light!
Bloody visuals!
In his view, the whole world had changed.

A wisp of gray, smoke-like mist was seen extending from the direction of Zuichunlou, then penetrating the wall and precisely connecting to the brow of the sleeping girl in the green dress.

The girl had an extremely faint, almost imperceptible mark between her eyebrows, which echoed the gray mist.

Through this connection, Chen Ye could even vaguely see vivid and sensual scenes unfolding in the girl's dreams.

On the other side, the gray fog split into several thicker branches, extending in different directions into the city.

Chen Ye immediately understood.

Those branches must be the unlucky ones who have been marked!
This lurking, sinister thing is using these girls as a base to launch remote dream attacks on its prey!
But what surprised Chen Ye the most was the source of this gray fog.

It did not originate from any person or object in the Drunken Spring Pavilion.

Instead... it came from the entire Drunken Spring Pavilion!

(End of this chapter)