I created the myth of the Great Old Ones.

But looking at the difficulty of the task, it was only at the level of an ordinary person.

Lu Ban didn't understand what a mortal difficulty mission was, but "Friends Under the Bed" was also a mortal difficulty mission, so it was probably similar.

He figured that he might just hear some strange noises and see some mysterious guys while staying in the abandoned theater.

After glancing under his bed, Lu Ban figured there wasn't much of a problem.

Having learned about the relevant mission information, he went online to search for clues.

Entering the name of Jiangcheng Grand Theatre, Lu Ban quickly saw that Jiangcheng did indeed once have a grand theatre.

This theater, located at the junction of the current Jiangcheng New District and the old city, has a history of more than 50 years. Until the 1990s, it was a popular choice for Jiangcheng residents to relax and enjoy themselves on weekends.

However, with the development of film and the later popularization of the Internet, Jiangcheng Grand Theater gradually declined. Finally, around the beginning of the century, due to electrical problems, a serious fire broke out in Jiangcheng Grand Theater, making it impossible to repair.

The theater's owners planned to demolish it and sell the land to a real estate developer, but due to unforeseen circumstances, the deal fell through, and the site became a neglected wasteland to this day.

After all, these things happened twenty years ago, and the internet wasn't as developed back then, so it seems reasonable that Lu Ban couldn't find anything.

Rumors about the Jiangcheng Grand Theater are mostly found on local forums and online communities that are outdated, with many pages no longer valid. However, Lu Ban still managed to find some clues.

"...Legend has it that the fire was caused by a theater owner's wife having an affair with a theater actor. After their affair was exposed, she was tied to the stage and burned alive in the theater!"

"No, it was people in the theater who used it for illegal transactions back then. They got into a fight over the spoils, which led to the burning of the entire theater. I saw the police surround it with my own eyes!"

"Don't believe everything you hear. The truth is that this grand theater was originally built on an ancient battlefield. Too many people died there, and the yin energy is too heavy, so it is often haunted. The reason why the theater was not sold is also because it is haunted!"

"I heard from my nephew's classmate's mother that people still sing and play instruments at that theater at night, it's really scary!"

"What nonsense! It's the 21st century, why would anyone believe in these things? If you ask me, it's probably because there's something wrong with the Earth's magnetic field there, causing people to hallucinate. It's all explainable by science!"

Such statements mostly disappeared into the long history of the internet along with rudimentary web pages, and can only be glimpsed through snapshots.

As for more in-depth information, Lu Ban felt it would be difficult to find online and he would have to go to the library.

Tomorrow I'll go to the library during the day to look up newspaper and magazine materials from that year, and then go to the Jiangcheng Grand Theatre to see the cards in the evening.

Having made the decision, he became calmer, losing the excitement of a primary school student going on a field trip the next day.

After washing up, Lu Ban glanced under the bed again; it was empty.

Although that incident made him hesitate, there was nowhere else for him to sleep now.

When people are poor, they can even sleep in a haunted funeral hall.

After turning off the lights and lying in bed watching videos for a while, Lu Ban gradually became sleepy.

In a daze, Lu Ban suddenly felt something pressing down on him.

He tried to open his eyes and get up, but his eyelids were as heavy as stone, his body was stiff, as if he were already dead, and his chest seemed to be compressed, making it difficult to breathe, and he was about to die.

This feeling is like when you're about to wake up from a dream last night.

In the midst of his subconscious struggle, Lu Ban's right hand suddenly touched a cold, soft, and delicate hand.

As if to soothe Lu Ban, the hand gently grasped his fingers and rubbed against Lu Ban's palm.

With the touch of this hand, Lu Ban felt the pressure on his body suddenly decrease. Although he still couldn't lift his eyelids and couldn't move his hands and feet, Lu Ban felt much more relaxed and his consciousness was not so hazy.

He moved his left fingertips slightly, and a silver revolver with a long barrel and a large caliber appeared there.

boom--

Lu Ban's consciousness completed the firing of the pistol. A sound began to appear in his mind, echoing in the room as his mouth opened and closed.

"Good luck, good luck! Good luck brings joy and love, good luck, good luck to us all..."

It's "Good Luck".

Lu Ban has currently loaded five speech bombs, including a segment of "Good Luck," which is the original version.

Don't ask, the answer is to ward off evil.

Whether it was due to the cheerful melody of the song or Lu Ban's own ability, the oppressive aura emanating from him suddenly disappeared.

Lu Ban opened his eyes.

In the dimly lit room, the cabinet cast a deep shadow in the dim light, and an unknown shadow swayed behind the curtains. Lu Ban subconsciously touched his shoulder first to make sure there was nothing there before climbing out of bed to the sound of "Good Luck" in the light of his phone.

He turned on the light and glanced under the bed.

Empty.

Getting up, Lu Ban carefully opened the cabinet again.

crunch--

The sound of the cabinet door opening and closing rang out. Lu Ban glanced over and discovered that among the clothes he had folded, there was an eye staring at him!

"!!!"

Lu Ban's heart skipped a beat, and he took half a step back.

But soon he realized that the eyes were just a print on the sweater.

"There is probably something in this room."

Now that things have come to this, even Lu Ban can understand that there is probably something strange in his room.

And there's more than one.

At least what immobilized him and that cold, soft hand were two different things.

Lu Ban thought for a moment.

He turned on his computer and started playing the Spring Festival Gala's song list, filling the entire room with cheerful music.

Lying in bed, Lu Ban drifted off to sleep peacefully to the melodious strains of "Unforgettable Tonight".

Chapter 014 A Foreign Bodhisattva

The next day, at eight o'clock.

Lu Ban arrived at Jiangcheng City Library again. In the eyes of the young librarian, Lu Ban was probably a very studious and promising young man.

He carried a backpack containing books to pass the time, a power bank, self-heating rice, water, snacks, drinks, a flashlight, first aid supplies, and more.

Lu Ban has found newspapers from more than 20 years ago.

Back then, the internet wasn't as developed, and many things didn't leave a record online. However, copies of the officially published newspapers were kept at the city library every year, and you could access them simply by applying and registering.

Lu Ban searched for almost an hour and only found scattered information about the Jiangcheng Grand Theater.

This includes the transfer announcement and related reports, reports of the fire, and news of his previous well-received performances.

Lu Ban wasn't a famous detective who could solve cases while sitting in an armchair; these clues were just old news to him.

He only noticed that the name of a pianist named Du Danping was frequently mentioned in reports about the Jiangcheng Grand Theater.

In 1997, the Jiangcheng Evening News even had a feature article about him.

[…Du Danping was born into a musical family and was immersed in music from a young age. Her excellent musical sense and remarkable talent were evident from a young age; by the age of twelve, she had already performed and won awards on national stages…]

[...Du Danping's compositional style is diverse, encompassing both folk music and European classical music. He is also incredibly fast at composing; it is said that he once composed ten pieces in one night, all of which were adopted. In an interview, Du Danping stated that musical melodies often resonate in his ears, and he simply writes them down—truly a genius...]

[...On the evening of the 19th, Du Danping held her first solo concert of the year at the Jiangcheng Grand Theater, which was a complete success. Audience members, including leaders from Jiangcheng City, highly praised Du Danping's performance...]

[...According to our correspondent on the scene, the remains of pianist Du Danping, who tragically died in the fire at the Jiangcheng Grand Theater, were laid to rest yesterday, and people from all walks of life came to pay their respects...]

"Who's playing... Could it be this person?"

In the typical plot of a detective novel, a pianist who rose to fame only to perish in a fire is highly suspicious.

Lu Ban silently noted down Du Danping's photo and some key information from the newspaper, made a copy of the architectural design drawings of the Grand Theater, and just as he was about to leave, he had a sudden inspiration and found the video of Du Danping's performance from back then.

The video quality in the 1990s was not high. On the huge stage, under the spotlight, a young man in a suit was sitting in front of the piano. As the theater quieted down, his fingertips began to move across the black and white keys.

Lu Ban had originally considered the possibility that the musical genius Mr. Du Danping was a time traveler, but after hearing the music, he dismissed the idea.

It was music that Lu Ban had never heard before. It was light, cheerful, and melodious, like the song of a nightingale. It was hard to imagine that it came from a heavy piano. Even Lu Ban, who knew nothing about music, could feel joy and happiness from the music.

The music quickly moved into the second movement, and the somber melody caused the listener's emotions to plummet, like a blizzard in the dead of winter, striking everyone's heart. It was a stark contrast to the previous joy, like a carefree child entering adolescence and encountering setbacks from society and growth.

Afterwards, although the music was still profound, it had lost its sharpness and instead resembled a magnificent movement that embraced all things, solemn and steady, like a plum blossom that had finally bloomed after enduring hardships.

Finally, the chords intertwined, and the magnificent music came to an abrupt end at its most exciting point, freezing people's impression at that peak.

A very good piece of music and performance.

Lu Ban's evaluation.

After thinking for a while, he made a piece of the music into a ballad, downloaded the digital version to his phone, watched other interview videos of Du Danping, and then left the library to go to the old site of Jiangcheng Grand Theater.

On the subway, Lu Ban took out "The Golden Bough" from his backpack, but his attention was not entirely focused on this anthropological work. The text describing how ancient humans created faith was distorted and became a systematic explanation.

Lu Ban clicked into [Silent Department Store], intending to purchase some goods to prepare for the evening's mission.

What he wants most is something that can ward off evil spirits and suppress unclean things.

"Speaking of which, which faction do the ghosts in this mission belong to?"

Lu Ban pondered.

Some ghosts, such as zombies, kill people by physical means, so modern weapons can be used to grind their bones to dust.

Some ghosts, like Sadako and Kayako, are caused by supernatural beings, and the problem can probably be solved with mystical things like spiritual power.

Some ghosts are completely irrational; you don't know where they came from, and you die the moment you see them. These purely idealistic beings can only be fought against with faith.

Lu Ban first looked at the items in the "Faith" category, wondering if there was anything there that could restrain those unreasonable and bizarre things.

At first glance, he saw a statue of excellent qualities.

The base of the statue was a black square stone, on which sat a creature. The creature was bloated, with pustules and wounds on the greenish-blue stone. It had a huge mouth on its abdomen, revealing sharp teeth. Its face was indistinguishable, twisted like kneaded clay.

Just seeing the statue made Lu Ban feel a chill creep up his spine.

A benevolent image of the Heavenly Father.

【excellent】

Exquisitely sculpted statues

Offerings are made, awaiting a response.

Then pray that you are lucky enough.