Detective Agency of the Bizarre
Chapter 99 - 99 Ninety-nine

99: Ninety-nine.

Challenge 99: Ninety-nine.

Challenge “`

“The Taoist spoke the truth.”

Lu Li didn’t think there was anything wrong.

Drawing lots was superstitious to begin with.

The same went for things like horoscopes determining personality or forwarding messages to receive good luck.

“Boss, snap out of it, he’s a Taoist!

A Taoist telling believers who come to draw lots ‘don’t be superstitious’—is he trying to provoke The Three Pure Ones into showing themselves?”

Shen Qian gritted his teeth in frustration.

“And then?”

“And then I got off the mountain faster than when I had climbed up.

But halfway down, I heard the sound of a flute carried by the wind.

The melody was beautiful and pleasant, I thought I had encountered a master or a Taoist, so I followed the sound and saw an old Taoist with a black beard sitting on a rock, playing the flute.

I mean, he was playing the instrument.”

“Go on.”

“I quietly listened to him finish playing, thinking that I had come across a truly enlightened person, so I asked the Taoist what ancient melody he was playing, it was so delightful.

The Taoist gave me a look like I was an idiot and said he was playing…

‘Mouse Loves Rice’.”

“Listen to that, is that something a person would say!”

“And then?”

“Then that was it, I went straight down the mountain without continuing the investigation.

To be honest, a Taoist talking to you about scientific views and a Taoist sitting on a rock playing ‘Mouse Loves Rice’ on his flute, claiming it to be a mystical institution, I don’t believe it one bit.”

Yet in this very Taoism-oriented scientific institute, there was an old Taoist who could catch ghosts.

“Got it, give me the address.”

After listening quietly to the address, Lu Li hung up the phone.

“I know my way to Tiger Head Mountain!”

“Are you going to Tiger Head Mountain…

for a date?”

A person and ghost sitting not too far away overheard the gist of the conversation on the phone.

“You stay at the Detective Agency, coming with me might be mistaken for a challenge.” Lu Li first replied to Kong Nanqing, then turned to Shen Yuqiao, “We’ll head out shortly.”

…

The wind hadn’t died down, and the rain had temporarily stopped, but the sky remained overcast.

After the rampage of the previous night, the streets were a mess, strewn with fallen leaves and branches.

Qianqing Temple was located within Lingling City and was a small temple situated on Tiger Head Mountain, which was simply a hill no more than a hundred meters high.

The terrain of Lingling City was gentle, with the tallest West Mountain only a little over three hundred meters high, and Jinhua Temple was perched on top of it.

At the foot of Tiger Head Mountain, a row of stone steps surrounded by lush greenery extended upwards, with two or three Taoists holding brooms occasionally seen standing on the steps, sweeping away leaves.

A few scattered tourists were climbing up the stone steps at different points.

Lu Li and Shen Yuqiao stepped out of an old-style Xiali car that turned into the parking area at the foot of the mountain.

After the fresh rain on the empty mountain, the late weather of autumn set in, and the cool air mixed with the scent of grass, wood, and earth was refreshing; Shen Yuqiao took a deep breath and adjusted her backpack.

“Can you make it up there?” Lu Li asked, tilting his head toward her.

“Shouldn’t be a problem,” Shen Yuqiao said, pushing up her glasses.

Stepping onto the first level of stone steps, the moist steps provided good traction, so there was no worry of slipping.

The two continued up the stone steps and, after climbing a hundred steps, stood before the front gate of Qianqing Temple.

Crossing through the gate, the white tiled and bluish-green walls of Qianqing Temple came into view.

Taoists holding brooms had finished sweeping and were pouring into the temple.

“Lu Lili, do we need to shout out as we go inside?”

Shen Yuqiao, still unclear about why they were at Qianqing Temple, asked.

“Pretend to be tourists, follow me.”

With a reply, Lu Li walked into the temple.

The eaves were connected, with lush green branches spilling over the low walls.

Passing in front of the open space before the main hall, several young Taoists were either seated in meditation, practicing their movements in the Seven-Star stance, or sweeping leaves, paying no attention to the visitors.

The Merit Box sat in an inconspicuous corner, unattended.

The hall was sparsely visited, with a mother and son kneeling before the statues of The Three Pure Ones and a few tourists lined up at a corner table waiting to draw lots.

Crossing the threshold, Lu Li gazed silently at the divine statues of The Three Pure Ones for a few seconds before heading to the small table in the corner to join the queue.

“`

Two tourists who were traveling together were queuing in front, both of them elderly adults.

Behind the table, the Taoist priest was earnestly persuading, “It’s already the 21st century, technology is closely related to humanity, and everything people have today is brought by science.

Elder, you should be less superstitious and have more faith in science.”

Just as Shen Qian said, from the inside out, the temple exuded an air of serenity and inaction.

“Shh, you can’t take that…”

While the Taoist priest was still trying to dissuade the old couple, a quiet voice came from behind.

The woman kneeling on the cushion grabbed her playful child who was sneakily eating the fruit on the offering table and scolded him in a low voice.

Just then, a middle-aged Taoist priest entered the main hall and went straight to the mother and son.

Lu Li was interestedly watching this scene unfold.

The woman, noticing the old Taoist approaching, grabbed her mischievous son with an embarrassed expression, “I’m so sorry, Taoist priest, my child is too naughty…”

The Taoist didn’t say a word and went behind the divine statue to the side room; shortly after, he came out with a plate full of fruits.

He first replenished the offerings on the table and then handed a peach to the little boy, saying kindly, “This is a tribute fruit, for the immortals to eat.”

“Quick, thank the Taoist priest,” the woman gently tugged at the little boy’s sleeve.

The little boy wobbled a bit, stretched out his hands to hold the peach, and asked in confusion, “The immortals won’t be angry, will they…?”

The Taoist waved his hand, “If the immortals would get angry over someone eating a piece of fruit, then why would we worship them?

You two continue, I have other matters to attend to.”

After he finished, he turned and walked out of the main hall, giving Lu Li a friendly smile before he left.

Silently withdrawing his gaze, Lu Li quietly waited for the old couple to resolve their issue.

A few minutes later, the old couple, having solved their confusion and conveniently obtained an amulet, left supporting each other.

It was Lu Li’s turn.

“Are you here to draw lots or to seek answers?” the Taoist priest heaved a sigh of relief and asked with a smile.

“To find a person.”

Lu Li described the Taoist priest’s appearance and behavior.

The Taoist priest’s expression gradually became more somber.

“Are you talking about Uncle Lu?

Please wait a moment…” The young Taoist priest stepped out from behind the small table, clutching the corner of his Taoist robe, hurried outside, and shouted as he crossed the threshold.

“Brother!

Brother!

It’s not good, Uncle Lu has caused trouble outside again!”

It seems he had come to the right place.

After a while, the Taoist priest returned with a black-bearded Taoist.

“This is the visitor who has come looking for us!” the young Taoist priest exclaimed.

With a serious demeanor, he walked up to Lu Li, bowed respectfully, and said, “Esteemed visitor, I am Steward Liu, the manager here.

May I know what matter brings you to seek Uncle Lu?”

“Some personal matters, I would like to consult him on some questions.”

The two Taoist priests exchanged glances, relieved that it wasn’t trouble knocking on their door, and took a deep breath.

Steward Liu smiled and nodded, “Of course, you may.

Wei Shinie, please take these two visitors to Uncle Lu.”

“Alright.”

The young Taoist agreed and led Lu Li and another through to a courtyard behind the main hall, among a cluster of tiled houses.

In front of the old-style wing room, the young Taoist turned to remind them, “If my master says something…

please don’t take it seriously.”

Creak—

The door was pushed open, revealing an old Taoist with a white beard, lounging on a daybed, enthusiastically gnawing on a chicken leg in his left hand.

He looked towards the doorway, paused momentarily when he saw Lu Li, and then quickly recognized him.

“It’s you…

Do you really intend to be so ruthless?

I did not wish to kill, it was you who forced me…”

The old Taoist, vengeful at heart, abruptly jumped onto a low table, his hands greasy as he waved the chicken leg with determination.

“Come then!

Let this old Taoist see what you’ve got!”