Chapter 135: The Conspiracy

It didn’t matter that Qi Yan hadn’t made an appearance yet. As soon as he pulled out his Yin Talisman, Zhong Yu glanced at it along with the others, and sure enough, his expression shifted. There wasn’t much surprise on his face, but his brow instinctively furrowed, and he made a subconscious gesture—touching the area over his heart.

Seeing this, Qi Yan’s eyes narrowed slightly, and his suspicion solidified to about seventy percent certainty.

Before he could devise a way to probe further, the former classmates all grew curious one after another.

“Hey, Qi—no, Qi Yan, what’s this business you’ve gotten into now? I remember you used to be the biggest skeptic when it came to charms and talismans.”

“Well, these things seem pretty trendy right now. I won’t go into details, but I have two friends in business who wear them. You know, like the Thai ‘Elephant God,’ the God of Wealth?”

“You guys don’t get it. It’s just catching on in the mainland, but in Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, it’s been all the rage for a long time. You know those celebrities from there? Most of them secretly keep little spirits—they call it ‘raising ghosts.’ Eight out of ten do it!”

“I went to Phuket, Thailand, last year. You wouldn’t believe how many people there wear them. Our tour guide had six or seven hanging around his neck and didn’t seem to mind the weight. I wanted to get one for the novelty, but I didn’t know how to go about it.”

Their chatter veered off in all directions.

Qi Yan used the excuse of needing to use the restroom and beckoned Li Ruo Ke, who immediately left her seat to accompany him.

In the corridor’s washroom, Qi Yan glanced around to ensure no one was near and quickly shared what he had been thinking. “I’m pretty sure I’m not mistaken. It’s a bit coincidental, but not by much. Just looking at that obsidian bead, it’s way too familiar. Don’t forget, I never leave home without my Yin Talisman; I wear it every day. How could I mistake something like this?”

Li Ruo Ke frowned and nodded. “Looks like it really is. Who would’ve thought a meal could turn up such a discovery? Reality truly is stranger than fiction.”

Qi Yan added, “Think about it carefully. Zhong Yu’s got decent capital behind him and is professionally trained, but the entertainment industry is fiercely competitive. He went from a provincial city’s car radio DJ to being snapped up by a major entertainment company. Doesn’t that seem connected?”

“If it really is one of the Seven Yin Palace Talismans, the effect on his luck and fortune would be obvious. Especially after what that classmate said earlier, it got me thinking. A lot of celebrities keep these things at home. Rumors don’t arise without cause. Why is this trend so rampant in their industry? There has to be a reason.”

Li Ruo Ke nodded in agreement. “But… we still don’t know exactly what he’s wearing around his neck. Should we find another chance to confirm? Or maybe I could take one for the team—drink a bit, pretend to get drunk, and then lift his shirt to see the necklace? No one knows me here, so it wouldn’t be too awkward.”

Qi Yan quickly stopped her. “Don’t be ridiculous. Let me think it over. It’s not like he’s hiding it well—it’s just under a shirt. There are plenty of ways.”

Rubbing his chin, he began plotting. Li Ruo Ke sighed. “Searching high and low, only to find it effortlessly—this really is a symphony of fate. We’ve uncovered another Yin Talisman right before our eyes. If we can verify it soon, we must inform Elder Yan and the others immediately.”

“But the question is… does Zhong Yu even know the secret behind the Yin Talisman? From how he acts, he doesn’t seem low-key. Isn’t he about to debut soon? That would make him a ‘Tang Monk’s flesh’ on stage—exposed and vulnerable. If we stumbled on this by chance, those people will find him sooner or later. By ‘international convention,’ I think disaster is looming for him.”

Qi Yan smirked and shook his head. “Whether disaster comes from above or below isn’t my concern—that’s for Elder Yan’s team to handle.”

“But Dong Ye… tsk, well… I actually knew he had found a new job at a company under Dingtai Group, but I completely forgot about it until now. He went from an intern to a middle manager overnight? If that’s a coincidence, I’ll eat dirt!”

“Then you better tell him to quit. I think someone’s already found out about your connection with Dong Ye; otherwise, they wouldn’t be targeting him so precisely and at just the right time. What do you think their intention is?”

Qi Yan sneered. “What? Isn’t it obvious? It’s a silent, invisible ‘warning’ to me. They’ve mapped out my personal data and relationships. They can’t kill me directly, so they’re going after my closest friend first, hoping to provoke me into a reaction… Dong Ye is now effectively a hostage in their hands. And the hostage doesn’t even know it, kept close with sweet words and promises.”

“Besides, I really can’t advise Dong Ye to quit. Setting aside all grudges, the companies under Dingtai Group are on the surface legitimate. They’re the kind of places fresh graduates like us chase after. Didn’t you see how thrilled Dong Ye looked earlier? He truly believes he’s hit the jackpot with this promotion, thinking his career is about to soar. How could I tell him to quit? On what grounds?”

Li Ruo Ke lowered her head, pondering for a moment, then asked, “From what you know of Dong Ye, can you trust him? If he’s one hundred percent trustworthy and your relationship is that solid, couldn’t you just tell him the truth? It would be for his own safety.”

“Heh!” Qi Yan gave a bitter laugh. “Tell him the truth? What truth? He’s not me. Do you think anyone hearing this grand conspiracy would believe it? Even if he trusts me, once he knows this so-called ‘truth,’ he might die even faster.”

“Uh… that’s true. Damn, this is such a mess… That wretched ex-wife is downright sly! Honestly, if she ever threatened your best friend’s life, would you risk everything to use the Yin Talisman’s power? That would only speed up your own backlash,” Li Ruo Ke emphasized.

Qi Yan shook his head again. “I don’t know. Truly don’t know… The reason I got so worked up after guessing their intention wasn’t just because of Dong Ye. It’s that if they’ve traced my relationships, they must have full access to my basic information. Dong Ye is just the beginning—they’ll come after my father next, or other people important to me.”

“As long as I keep the Yin Talisman from turning against me and killing me, one by one, they’ll all get dragged into this mess eventually. That’s the real reason I’m so restless right now.”