Looking at the carpenter’s wife, Jian Yue’s emotions were a complicated mix.
Damn, he thought.
This was way too much. The carpenter really had some guts, sneaking off to fool around in the woods in broad daylight while his wife was here lecturing others about ancestral rules and guarding the archive like a saint.
Poor woman, she had no idea she’d been wearing a green hat so many times she could probably start a collection!
As the thought flashed through his mind, the carpenter’s wife suddenly froze. Her expression twisted as she turned that distorted gaze directly on Jian Yue.
Jian Yue blinked, startled. What the… why was she looking at him like that? Was she about to attack him? Hell, even if she killed him, it wouldn’t change the fact that her husband was out there rolling around in the woods!
If he were her, he’d already be on his way to drag those two out by the hair and beat some sense into them.
But then again… should he tell her? What if she didn’t believe him? Maybe it was better to just leave quietly and go find the village chief.
If he brought the chief to witness the affair, maybe the old man would be grateful enough to give him permission to keep searching the archives.
Though… if he did that, the carpenter and his wife would become the laughingstock of the entire village. Would those two even survive the humiliation?
Almost before he finished thinking it, the carpenter’s wife suddenly moved. Jian Yue hadn’t even decided what to do when he saw her expression twist even more violently.
She stood there for a long, trembling moment, like someone making a decision that violated every ancestral rule she’d ever known, then suddenly turned around and ran.
She bolted out the door so fast Jian Yue didn’t even have time to react.
Tian Tian stared after her, wide-eyed. “Brother, she… she just ran off?”
Jian Yue blinked. His suspicion was now confirmed. Damn it. The side effect of his Eight-Trigram gossip card must be that even ghosts and monsters could hear the rumors it created.
Great. If he ever spilled some explosive gossip, these creatures might go berserk from humiliation and tear him apart.
While he was still mulling that over, Tian Tian asked again, “Brother?”
Jian Yue came back to his senses and coughed lightly. “I think she might’ve just…. uh.. had something urgent to take care of.”
Tian Tian blinked, puzzled. “Something urgent?”
Jian Yue nodded solemnly. “You know… one of the three human necessities.”
Tian Tian stared at him, face pale as cabbage. “…”
The live-stream chat exploded in laughter.
“Keep bluffing, man, keep bluffing!”
“Of all excuses, he went with the three necessities! I’m dying!”
“I can’t… HAHAHAHA!”
“No way, she totally ran off to catch them cheating, right?”
Jian Yue calmly turned back toward the shelves. “Let’s not worry about her for now. We need to find the documents that can help her locate the person she’s looking for.”
After being chased earlier, they’d been driven into a corner of the room. Now, when Jian Yue turned around, he noticed the female ghost standing in front of one wall, staring at it with unblinking intensity.
“What are you looking at?” he asked curiously.
Tian Tian gasped. “There’s… there’s a door here!”
Jian Yue stepped closer. The wall was so weathered that they hadn’t noticed before, but up close, he could see a faint outline, the color of the door perfectly matched the wall. It was sealed shut with a heavy lock.
The female ghost’s claw-like nails scraped down the wall as she muttered again and again, “Where are you… where are you…”
Jian Yue frowned. “Could it be… behind this door?”
Tian Tian leaned closer and whispered, “It’s locked. We don’t have a key.”
That would have stopped most people. But Jian Yue simply eyed the lock for a moment, then said, “Can I borrow your hair tie?”
Tian Tian blinked, confused, but quickly handed it over.
Jian Yue plucked out the thin metal wire hidden inside the band, crouched down, and started fiddling with the lock. A few tense moments later…
Click!
The lock sprang open.
Tian Tian’s eyes widened in disbelief. “Brother, you… you can do that?”
Jian Yue smiled. “I’m a law abiding citizen.”
“…”
She actually believed him.
The heavy lock clattered to the ground. The old, rusted door creaked and shifted slightly, as though protesting after decades of being sealed shut.
Before opening it, Jian Yue turned to her and said, “Step back. If anything happens, you run. Don’t look back.”
Tian Tian hesitated for a second, clearly not expecting him to say that, then quietly moved aside.
Jian Yue nodded once to the ghost, then pulled the door open with both hands.
The hinges groaned loudly as the door gave way, revealing the room inside.
It was small and sealed off, dimly lit and filled with dust. There was a single narrow bed, a simple wooden table, and nothing else.
Jian Yue stepped inside cautiously. His gaze landed on a thin object wedged in the crack of the desk. He reached out and pulled it free, a yellowed identification card.
It was an old work pass. On it was the faded photograph of a young man wearing a gray sweater and glasses. Though the image had blurred over time, Jian Yue could still make out the man’s general features.
For some reason, he looked oddly familiar, like someone Jian Yue had seen somewhere before, but the memory just wouldn’t surface.
That was strange. His memory was usually exceptional.
He was about to study it more closely when the female ghost suddenly shrieked beside him, her voice trembling with emotion and grief. “It’s him… it’s him! I’ve found him!”
The system interface popped up immediately.
Side Quest: [Hide and Seek] — Completed.
Reward: Key to the Ancestral Hall.
Jian Yue frowned. “Key? Where?”
Before he could finish, the ghost lunged toward the desk. Her spectral body slammed into it, knocking something loose from the wall. Jian Yue bent down and picked it up, a small, tarnished copper key.
As he held it, another notification flashed.
Main Mission: [The Secret of Wanfu Village]
Progress: 30%
Time Limit: None
The story had advanced again. This key must be critical and whatever lay inside the ancestral hall, even more so.
Outside, Tian Tian called nervously, “Brother? Are you okay in there?”
Jian Yue quietly pocketed the key. “I’m fine. Don’t come in. It’s dangerous.”
Tian Tian, already timid by nature, didn’t dare to take another step.
Meanwhile, the ghost was beginning to fade. As Jian Yue suspected, her appearance was conditional, she could only stay until her task was fulfilled.
Her body turned more and more transparent, but her gaze remained fixed on the photograph in his hand, her voice echoing faintly as she disappeared.
“You’re here… I’ll find you… I’ll find you…”
Jian Yue looked down at the ID again. The name printed on it was Ji Feng, a member of the West Asia Archaeological Team.
The back of the card showed a date, June 25th, 1759.
If he remembered correctly, that was almost two hundred years ago.
The man in the photo looked barely twenty. There was no way he could still be alive. And yet… the ghost had sworn to “find him.”
Had he really died? Or was there something more?
Could Wanfu Village’s so-called “longevity” actually mean what it sounded like?
Before he could think further, Tian Tian called again from outside, her voice trembling, “Brother, are you okay?”
“I’m fine.” Jian Yue stepped out and, since she’d helped him find this clue, decided not to hide it. He held up the work pass and said, “I found this inside. I think this man might be the key to uncovering Wanfu Village’s secret of longevity.”
If the archaeologists’ mission had been to search for that secret, then their objectives must be the same.
Sure enough, Tian Tian’s face lit up. “Really? Really? My quest progress just went up, he’s definitely part of the main clue!”
Jian Yue nodded. “Yes. He was part of the West Asia Archaeological Team. We need to find the rest of their documents, anything about their expedition, about him specifically, or whether he’s still alive.”
For the first time, Tian Tian’s eyes shone with real determination. She’d been scared every day since arriving in this cursed village, but now there was hope… hope of finishing the mission and going home. “Okay! I’ll help you look!”
Jian Yue tucked the ID away. “We have to hurry. Once the carpenter’s wife comes back, we won’t be able to get in here again. These shelves are arranged in chronological order. The batch we saw earlier was from 1521. The West Asia team came in 1752, more than two centuries later. I noticed the far side shelves are all from the fifteen hundreds. If we can locate the seventeen hundreds, we’ll find their records fast.”
“Got it!” Tian Tian nodded eagerly.
Then she sighed a little. “If only our other teammate were here. Her skill would be perfect for this.”
Jian Yue raised an eyebrow. “What kind of skill?”
“She can locate any object she’s seen before,” Tian Tian explained. “As long as she’s looked at something once, she can activate her card, say its name, and instantly sense where it is. With these archives looking all the same, she could just picture the West Asia file in her mind and find it right away.”
Jian Yue thought that would indeed be useful, but shook his head. “There’s no time. Going back and forth will waste precious minutes. Let’s search ourselves.”
Tian Tian nodded again, her expression firming. “Okay.”
The live-stream chat buzzed with excitement.
“This streamer’s insane! in a good way.”
“I used to think he was just lucky, but no, the man’s sharp.”
“The progress is way faster than expected.”
“But the deeper he goes, the harder it’ll get. Gossip alone won’t save him forever.”
By now, the audience had been watching for so long that many of them had grown attached. What started as pure entertainment had turned into genuine concern.
Jian Yue worked methodically. He’d once handled archive registration himself, and during his years away from forensic work, he’d even served as a library clerk. Organizing and reading documents came as second nature to him.
Shelf by shelf, he combed through the massive archive. The building looked small from the outside, but inside it was like a maze, there were even multiple underground levels.
Finally, he stopped. “Here,” he called to Tian Tian. “This row is from the seventeen hundreds.”
She rushed over at once.
Luckily, there weren’t too many expedition teams from that period, just five boxes in total. They split up to search. Jian Yue was halfway through one box when he heard Tian Tian’s excited shout.
“Brother! The West Asia Archaeological Team’s files!”
Jian Yue hurried over. Sure enough, she was holding a faded folder, the cover marked with the words West Asia Archaeological Team. For the first time in hours, his tense heart eased.
Tian Tian handed it to him eagerly. “Brother, quick! Look for Ji Feng!”
He opened the folder carefully and began flipping through the pages. At first, his expression was calm but soon, his brow furrowed. His hands stilled, eyes darkening with something unreadable.
Tian Tian noticed immediately. “What’s wrong?”
Wordlessly, Jian Yue passed the folder to her. “See for yourself.”
She took it, flipping through with bright anticipation at first, this was their key, the hope of returning home.
But the more she read, the slower her movements became. Her face gradually stiffened. By the time she reached the end, her fingers were trembling.
When she finally looked up at Jian Yue, tears were already streaming down her cheeks. Her voice broke as she choked out,
“How… how can this be? Why isn’t there a Ji Feng listed anywhere?”
✦ ✧ ✦
Cresvynia
[Translator]
☕ A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THE TRANSLATOR
If you have ever thought “someone should buy this translator coffee”… congratulations. You are someone.
☕ BUY THEM A COFFEE →
✧ (づ｡•ㅅ•｡)づ ☕ ✧
✦ thank you for reading ✦
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ChaptersChapter 1 · Master, Calm DownChapter 2 · This Damn ValleyChapter 3 · The Old slave Is here!Chapter 4 · Shocked my Friend?Chapter 5 · Life Doesn’t have that many viewers but Live doesChapter 6 · Science is Primary productive ForceChapter 7 · A one million in a card!Chapter 8 · You’re First Person to reject Young MasterChapter 9 · He saved meChapter 10 · Your Life is mineChapter 11 · This village is such a Mess!Chapter 12 · Little GoblinChapter 13 · Who should be afraid of whom?Chapter 14 · I, an honest person, don’t understand these thingsChapter 15 · The world is finally upside downChapter 16 · Made a decision that went against our ancestorsChapter 17 · Young Master hasn’t laughed so happily in a long timeChapter 18 · Brother, you smell so good!Chapter 19 · Licking everything to the endChapter 20 · This mental state is too advancedChapter 21 · Enough, let’s stop this farce!Chapter 22 · Young master, please let me explain!Chapter 23 Part 2 · You’re playing with fire!Chapter 23 Part 2 · You’re playing with fire!Chapter 24 Part 1 · The light of righteousness shines upon the earthChapter 24 Part 2 · The light of righteousness shines upon the earthChapter 25 Part 1 · You two-faced man!Chapter 25 Part 2 · You two-faced man!Chapter 26 Part 1 · Butler Wang, I see you still retain your charmChapter 26 Part 2 · Butler Wang, I see you still retain your charmChapter 27 Part 1 · I’m straight, bro!Chapter 27 Part 2 · I’m straight, bro!Chapter 28 Part 1 · This is a blatant violation of citizens’ portrait rights!Chapter 28 Part 2 · This is a blatant violation of citizens’ portrait rights!Chapter 29 Part 1 · The domineering CEO falls in love with me!Chapter 29 Part 2 · The domineering CEO falls in love with me!Chapter 30 Part 1 · Take this Five million and leave my son!Chapter 30 Part 2 · Take this Five million and leave my SonChapter 31 Part 1 · Biting me means you’re arrogantChapter 31 Part 2 · Biting me means you’re arrogantChapter 32 Part 1 · Has butler realise his mistake?Chapter 32 Part 2 · Has butler realise his mistake?Chapter 33 Part 1 · The simple master-servant relationship has soured!Chapter 33 Part 2 · The simple master-servant relationship has soured!Chapter 34 Part 1 · A one-night stand by the domineering CEO leads him to fall in love with meChapter 34 Part 2 · A one-night stand by the domineering CEO leads him to fall in love with meChapter 35 Part 1 · This tastes damn sweet!Chapter 35 Part 2 · This tastes damn sweet!Chapter 36 Part 1 · I will take responsibility for youChapter 36 Part 2 · I will take responsibility for youChapter 37 Part 1 · He will never drink again!Chapter 37 Part 2 · He will never drink again!Chapter 38 Part 1 · He said he didn’t want itChapter 38 Part 2 · He said he didn’t want itChapter 39 · Now is not the time to ask for a title!Chapter 40 Part 1 · Brother Dao, how can I live without you!Chapter 40 Part 2 · Brother Dao, how can I live without you!Chapter 41 · What a human-like beastChapter 42 Part 1 · This damned ancestral hall has successfully caught my attention!Chapter 42 Part 2 · This damned ancestral hall has successfully caught my attention!Chapter 43 · After the overall situation is fully opened upChapter 44 · Village chief, are you really that vigorous for your age?Chapter 45 · Butler Wang, I love you!Chapter 46 · What exactly do you see in me?Chapter 47 · I swear to GodChapter 48 · All I want to do is die with himChapter 49 · I’m going to kill themChapter 50 · Who would like Shen YushuChapter 51 · Young master, I want to cling to you tightly!Chapter 52 · They’ve run away together! They’ve run away together!Chapter 53 · Sworn BrothersChapter 54 · My boss is the best in the world to meChapter 55 · I want you all to be buried with him.Chapter 56 · It’s a beautiful day outside Wanfu VillageChapter 57 · You don’t have anyone you want to seeChapter 58 · I’m married! Married!Chapter 59 · The Cold Prince’s SweetheartChapter 60 · Young master, this old servant has arrived! ~Chapter 61 · Who else could do something so outrageous?Chapter 62 · Boy, I got my eyes on youChapter 63 · Does Butler Wang really want to see him that much?Chapter 64 · Come on, call me Dad!Chapter 65 · Other men might have it too!!Chapter 66 · Being obsessed with love is indeed a major problemChapter 67 · He’s playing the devoted second male lead!Chapter 68 · The number one person to wash underwear with a cold face!Chapter 69 · Young master, will you be back for dinner tonight?Chapter 70 · Others ask for money to save peopleChapter 71 · Wang, please don’t die!Chapter 72 · My current identity is that of a father!Chapter 73 · Here’s your chance to confess!Chapter 74 · That’s definitely someone with connections!Chapter 75 · This is my personChapter 76 · How come you’re already married?Chapter 77 · I’m going to pester you, young master!Chapter 78 · How do you turn a straight man gay?!Chapter 79 · Am I Butler Wang’s mistress?!Chapter 80 · He really does have a fiancé!Chapter 81 · Don’t stay with himChapter 82 · Man, you asked for this!Chapter 83 · Was he just acting like this?Chapter 84 · The second male lead is about to turn the tables and become the master!!Chapter 85 · This trick is cheapChapter 86 · How dare you cheat on me!Chapter 87 · Are you an undercover agent sent by Butler Wang?Chapter 88 · I think of my master day and nightChapter 89 · These wealthy families really know how to have funChapter 90 · You possess such advanced talent that you can enter Hope IslandChapter 91 · Be my Consort!Chapter 92 · Young Master, are you really angry?!Chapter 93 · I swear I will only love you!Chapter 94 · Who bullied you?Chapter 95 · Just a quick favor!Chapter 96 · This is no challenge for him at all!!Chapter 97 · He’s no match for them!Chapter 98 · Xiaoyu, I only love youChapter 99 · This is Butler Wang’s territory!Chapter 100 · Is this how you treat your savior?Chapter 101 · You two are definitely a family!Chapter 102 · Who is your mother-in-law?Chapter 103 · Are we really going to send him to his death?Chapter 104 · He married him againChapter 105 · How can someone be so carefree?Chapter 106 · Butler Wang has done immeasurable good deeds!Chapter 107 · Only those who survive can be considered heroes!Chapter 108 · Since we’re going toChapter 109 · I love youChapter 110 · I will never leave you again.Chapter 111 · The Overbearing King’s Gentle PamperingChapter 112 · Mainly, I kind of want to be your auntChapter 113 · Don’t easily test my limitsChapter 114 · He’s seducing me!Chapter 115 · Uncle opened the doorChapter 116 · The world of the wealthy is such a mess!Chapter 117 · Your old servant is here!Chapter 118 · Xiaoyu, you’ve gone astray!!!Chapter 119 · Uncle, you have to keep this a secret!Chapter 120 · Who’s child is this?Chapter 121 · Butler Wang really has a crush on me!Chapter 122 · One person has surrounded everyone!Chapter 123 · Are you guys playing this fancy?!Chapter 124 · Even gamers are working for him!Chapter 125 · If you fall into the river, I’ll save you first!Chapter 126 · What a troublesome little devilChapter 127 · Does the Puppet Master app have anti-fraud features?Chapter 128 · You’re a scorpion demon incarnate!Chapter 129 · How about we give it a try?Chapter 130 · The dog shit will arrive faster than your knife!Chapter 131 · Is he hungry too?Chapter 132 · We even stayed a few days less than them!Chapter 133 · How about I marry you so you can take my place?Chapter 134 · This is truly a team full of villains!Chapter 135 · It’s clearly an auspicious omen!Chapter 136 · Is it normal to think my brother smells good?Chapter 137 · You’re the biggest capitalist here!Chapter 138 · What happened to true love?Chapter 139 · Romantic types are strictly prohibited from participating in horror dungeons!!!Chapter 140 · What should I do with Butler Wang!?Chapter 141 · Butler Wang! The most courageous man ever!Chapter 142 · What are you doing?!Chapter 143 · Man, you’re playing with fire!Chapter 144 · I heard a heartbeatChapter 145 · Can puppets also have superb kissing skills?Chapter 146 · What else is real then?!Chapter 147 · Seduction? That won’t work on me!Chapter 148 · What is my uncle doing?!Chapter 149 · Uncle, you don’t treat others like this!Chapter 150 · I’ll give you five million!!Chapter 151 · We’re true love!Chapter 152 · Sister-in-law, I genuinely want to help you!Chapter 153 · They can even find an excuse to sleep together!Chapter 154 · Butler Wang iis popular among young people.Chapter 155 · Who says Butler Wang’s strategy guide is bad?Chapter 156 · I’ll remarry the moment you’re in your coffin!Chapter 157 · Now it’s your turn to beg me or not