A single divination predicts life and death; the entire internet begs me to start a live stream.

7:20 PM.

The 19th floor of Hengtai headquarters.

The crystal chandelier was fully lit. The long table was covered with a white cloth, and there was champagne, red wine, and cold dishes.

Dozens of bank representatives, brand managers, and investment institution executives have arrived at the scene.

At the front of the lobby, a huge electronic screen continuously plays promotional videos for the South District commercial complex.

Qingzhou New Commercial Center

[Expected annual passenger flow: 30 million]

[Opening Countdown: 7 Days]

Wang Tianhao stood in the crowd.

Holding a glass of champagne he'd never tasted, he forced a standard business smile onto his face.

Nearby, Ma Xiangqian was discussing the project's rate of return with Hengtai's finance manager.

The legal team, meanwhile, meticulously examined each clause of the latest supplementary agreement.

The people who came to the Wang family tonight didn't seem like guests; they looked more like an audit team.

The smiles on the faces of several senior executives at Hengtai were becoming increasingly stiff.

Wang Tianhao, however, was very satisfied.

"Don't rush."

"A project worth tens of billions."

"Asking a few more questions isn't unreasonable, is it?"

Qian Xiao, Vice President of Hengtai.

"Of course, Mr. Wang's caution is understandable."

"That's good."

Wang Tianhao produced a cost sheet.

"Please explain this as well."

The other person lowered their head.

His expression changed slightly.

[Sakuragawa Dance Company Overseas Cultural Exchange Project]

The following is a seven-digit amount.

There's one more thing to add.

Yae Culture Security Consulting Co., Ltd.

[Special Risk Management for Large-Scale Commercial Events]

Wang Tianhao pointed to the numbers.

"So, you've invited a song and dance troupe?"

"Still a mercenary?"

The vice president's smile froze.

"Overseas teams are accustomed to signing separate contracts for performance safety."

"Stage setup, personnel insurance, special equipment."

"These are all normal expenses."

"Mr. Wang, you wouldn't... not understand, would you?"

Wang Tianhao blushed.

"I didn't know dancing was so dangerous."

"I'll have my employees learn this sometime."

"Work injury insurance can cover more."

Wang Tianhao didn't ask any more questions. He took a picture of the contract number and sent it to the group chat.

There seems to be something wrong with this.

Sent.

His gaze swept across the stage.

The eight floor-to-ceiling mirrors have been set up.

Backstage.

A program schedule was crumpled into a ball.

Throw it in the trash can.

The top originally read:

[Special Guest: Shen Qingyue]

The name was crossed out with a black pen, and next to it was handwritten: [Temporary Breach of Contract].

The head of the brokerage firm stared at his phone.

His face looked terrible.

"Still not coming?"

The staff member shook his head.

"Shen Qingyue's team explicitly refused."

"What about the penalty for breach of contract?"

"Compensation will be provided."

"What about brand collaborations?"

"She said everything is on hold."

The man sneered.

"Does she think she can really compete with Hengtai just because she's famous now?"

No one responded.

In front of the makeup mirror.

Jiang Mingxu, the recently popular idol star, was sitting there and heard everything.

The agent walked over.

"Ignore her. You're only responsible for the rehearsal today. Leave after the promotional video is filmed."

Jiang Mingxu looked at him in the mirror.

"Is searching for a missing person considered offending Hengtai?"

The agent paused.

"Jiang Mingxu".

You know exactly what you were six months ago.

"Hit dramas, variety shows, endorsements, trending topics—aren't all of those things provided by your company?"

Jiang Mingxu remained silent.

The makeup artist came over.

Pick up a dark red necklace.

"Teacher Jiang, you need to wear this in a bit."

Jiang Mingxu frowned.

"Isn't the outfit for the show black?"

"It was added by the director at the last minute."

The necklace is worn around the neck.

Click.

Fasten it.

Jiang Mingxu touched it subconsciously.

"It's a bit tight."

The makeup artist quickly said:

"Take it off after you've taken the picture."

The inconspicuous inside of the red fabric.

A piece of red paper, no bigger than a fingernail, was stuck to the back of his neck.

There were no words on the paper, only a very faint circle.

The banquet officially began at 7:58 PM.

Zhou Heng took the stage.

He was impeccably dressed in a suit, with a composed expression, as if all the turmoil of the past few days had never happened.

Thank you everyone.

"Continue to believe in Hengtai."

applause.

The camera pans across the audience.

Banks. Investors. Brands. Financial media.

There's also Hengtai's official account, which is currently conducting a commercial live stream.

Zhou Heng picked up his wine glass.

"Seven days later."

"South District Complex"

"Opening on time."

"It will not be postponed."

The applause grew even louder.

Wang Tianhao leaned back in his chair, gently swirling his wine glass.

In the headphones.

Lin Wanqing's voice came through.

"We're online."

Wang Tianhao's lips didn't move.

"receive."

the other side.

Luo Tiancheng asked:

"Do you see the dance troupe?"

"Not yet."

"Let me know when you get it done."

Wang Tianhao smiled.

"What's wrong?"

"Want to see beautiful women?"

"I want to see how they dance."

Luo Tiancheng said.

"besides."

"Shoot the whole panorama, don't just shoot legs."

Wang Tianhao's face darkened.

"What do you take me for?"

8:15 PM.

The banquet hall lights were turned off.

There was no host announcing the program.

There is no musical intro.

The dozens of guests who were just talking a moment ago.

They stopped talking almost simultaneously.

Wang Tianhao held a wine glass.

He suddenly frowned.

wrong.

It's too neat.

a second before.

On the left, a bank representative was still discussing credit lines, while on the right, two brand executives were exchanging business cards, and in the back row, a financial reporter was even talking on his phone.

After the lights are turned off.

All sounds.

They're all gone.

Even the clinking of cutlery disappeared.

The darkness lasted for three seconds.

thump.

A drumbeat.

The stage lights up.

Eight Japanese women.

Stand there.

Nobody saw how they got on stage.

Black and red performance costumes.

barefoot.

A semi-transparent veil covers her face.

The eight people had their heads down.

Eight closed black umbrellas stood in front of him.

The most central.

It was Ayako Kamishiro, whom I met by the bridge that night.

She was not wearing a mask.

It was still that polite and gentle smile.

He bowed slowly to the audience.

"Thank you all for your help."

"Tonight's dance."

"Please read it carefully."

She straightened up.

thump.

The second drumbeat sounded.

Eight high-angle lenses throughout the venue.

It lit up at the same time.

In the mirror.

There were also eight dancers standing there.

Wang Tianhao counted them offhand.

One.

two.

three.

……

Nine.

He frowned.

Count again.

Eight.

"Oh shit."

Wang Tianhao cursed under his breath.

The horse next to it turned its head forward.

"Young Master Wang, what's wrong?"

"fine."

Wang Tianhao stared at the mirror.

"You might be seeing things."

on the stage.

Ayako Kamishiro slowly raised her hand.

Snapped.

Eight black folding fans.

Simultaneously unfolding.

the strange thing is.

After the folding fans were opened, about half a second later, the sound of fans opening in unison filled the banquet hall.

Swah——

The sound was a beat slower than the action.

No one in the audience found it strange; some even started applauding.

Wang Tianhao, however, did not drum.

He suddenly noticed the applause.

It's also eight times.

The eighth note fell.

The applause suddenly stopped.

Dozens of people.

Not a second time.

Not a single one was missing.

Wang Tianhao slowly put down his wine glass.

"Master Chen."

Luo Tiancheng's voice soon came through the earphones.

"explain."

"I'm not feeling well."

Wang Tianhao stared at the stage.

"The people here seem to be...too well-behaved."

The first dance.

Start.

The eight dancers did not move at the same time.

Ayako Kamishiro turned around first.

The black fan moves from right to left.

Sweep it lightly.

call--

The air from the central air conditioning on the nineteenth floor.

Then they changed direction.

A corner of the tablecloth was lifted.

The candles all tilted to the left.

The second dancer carries a fan.

The wind is blowing upwards.

Third place: Press the fan.

The wind is sinking.

Eight folding fans.

Eight directions.

No one noticed the blades on the air vents at the top of the banquet hall.

I'm following them around.

Snapped.

The east side is closed.

Snapped.

The west side is closed.

Snapped.

South side.

North side.

One place after another.

The eighth folding fan fell down.

The entire floor.

Only air intake remains.

There was no airflow.

The air began to feel stuffy.

A bank executive loosened his tie.

"Is it a little hot?"

The waiter immediately brought over some ice water.

The executive took a sip.

Let's keep watching the dance.

I just finished drinking that glass of water.

The lip print on the rim of the cup wasn't his.

But it belongs to a woman.

Each time the dancer turns around.

The person in the eight mirrors.

Just half a step slower.

At first there was only a little.

Gradually.

The gap is becoming increasingly apparent.

The dancer in real life has already raised her hand.

The hand was still hanging down in the mirror.

Reality has changed.

The mirror also faces the audience.

Until the next drumbeat sounds.

The movements in the mirror suddenly caught up.

Boom!

The dancers in the eight mirrors all looked up at the same time.

Eight people on stage.

But he still kept his head down.

Wang Tianhao felt a chill run down his spine.

"Master Luo."

"The mirror is wrong."

"Take a picture for me."

Wang Tianhao quietly raised his phone.

The screen was just positioned in front of the stage.

The image automatically went out of focus.

Refocus.

clear.

Eight dancers.

Eight mirrors.

everything is normal.

But Wang Tianhao could see it with the naked eye.

In the mirror on the far right.

There were nine people standing there.

The ninth woman.

There was no dancing.

She was standing right behind Ayako Kamishiro.

Through the mirror.

Looking at Wang Tianhao.

Wang Tianhao suddenly lowered his phone.

Look up again.

Gone.

"Holy crap..."

The drumbeats sounded for the third time.

thump.

Eighteen floors.

The talisman that protects Shi Zhiyuan's life.

It thumped gently.

It felt like someone blew a breath from behind.

Snapped.

It was then pasted back onto the wall.

Shi Zhiyuan looked up.

I didn't pay attention.

Continue taking the medication.

It could be in the water glass on the table.

His reflection.

I didn't take any medicine.

The reflection is sitting there.

Not moving at all.

Looking at myself in reality.

Fourth tone.

thump.

Old concrete factory.

Liu Jianguo suddenly frowned in his sleep.

The black line on the ankle.

It shrank upwards by one inch.

The four wind tiles left by Luo Shouzhou lit up simultaneously.

The black line stopped immediately.

The life-protecting formation is functioning normally.

It was not broken.

It's even more stable than usual.

far away.

Luo Shouzhou was dozing off against the wall.

An old compass rested on my lap.

The dial needle turned slightly by half a increment.

He opened his eyes.

I glanced at it.

"Um?"

next second.

The needle returned to its original position.

Liu Jianguo's breathing is stable.

The amulet is normal.

The four acupoints are stable.

There was nothing there.

Luo Shouzhou yawned.

Close your eyes again.

And below the cave.

The shadows cast by the four wind cards.

An extra layer has quietly appeared.

There are still four cards.

shadow.

Eight.

Fifth tone.

thump.

Zhou Heng's office.

Inside the safe.

First-generation legal person seal.

Suddenly, I felt myself sinking downwards.

Snapped.

Printed on the backing paper.

Nobody touched it.

There was an extra red mark on the padding paper.

The strange thing is...

The seal itself clearly bears the complete company name.

It was made by pressing it onto the paper.

But it was blank.

There is only a square red frame.

The sixth tone.

The seventh tone.

Boom!

Eighth tone.

The entire banquet hall.

Everyone's glasses trembled simultaneously, and ripples spread across the surface of the wine.

Followed by.

Dozens of guests in the banquet hall simultaneously raised their glasses to their chests.

Even the person who was on the phone didn't realize when they put down their phone and picked up a cup from the table.

Zhou Heng stood at the very front.

He was also holding a glass.

Ayako Kamishiro stood in the center of the stage.

No wine glass was brought.

Just a smile.

He slowly pressed the folding fan to his chest.

Dozens of guests.

He actually followed her.

He brought the wine glass an inch closer to his chest.

Wang Tianhao paused for a moment, then remained still.

He had just put the cup down.

But when he lowered his head...

The cup on the table.

Missed.

He slowly raised his head.

In my right hand.

He was holding it right there.