Chapter 3

First Encounter

The morning light was faint, and the sky slowly began to brighten with a pale white glow. Sunlight filtered through the cracks in the curtains and gently brushed across Lin Qianyou’s delicate face.

She was sleeping soundly, her face still carrying a trace of the lingering softness of sleep, and a faint dreamlike haze.

However, the next moment, she was suddenly jolted awake from her dreams. Her eyes snapped open as she sat up, gasping for air, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

Lin Qianyou’s wide eyes showed disbelief. The eerie scene at the Land God Temple from last night was still vivid in her mind, and even now, her emotions hadn’t settled.

She patted her chest and exhaled deeply.

But just as she regained her senses, she realized something wasn’t right.

“Wait! How did I get back last night?”

Lin Qianyou only remembered seeing a red light last night, then passing out. After that, she had no memory of what happened, nor did she know how she got home.

She checked herself from top to bottom—her clothes were intact, and her phone was there, but something felt missing.

“Where’s my bag?”

As she searched everywhere, her phone suddenly rang. It was a call from Ke Siyu.

“Hello? Lin Qianyou?” came the voice on the other end.

“Mm, I’m here,” Lin Qianyou replied absently, still looking around for her bag. It wasn’t on the bed, the couch, or the floor. “Where could it be?”

“What are you looking for? Did you lose something?” Ke Siyu asked. “I sent you a message last night, but you didn’t reply. Did you go to bed early?”

Lin Qianyou’s hands didn’t stop moving as she distractedly responded, “I didn’t sleep. I just passed out.”

“What?” Ke Siyu sounded confused. “Well, keep looking. I’ve already sent you the hotel address. Let’s meet at 7 o’clock in the evening. I’ll wait for you downstairs at your place.”

“Okay,” Lin Qianyou replied briefly.

She searched her less-than-80-square-meter rental apartment at least three times. Finally, Lin Qianyou collapsed onto the couch and began to recall what happened yesterday.

Her bag was still with her when she left the convenience store, and it was still with her when she entered the Land God Temple. But when she got home, it was gone.

Could it have been left at the Land God Temple?

Lin Qianyou grabbed the key to her apartment, locked the door, and went downstairs directly to the security office. She asked the security guard to check the footage from last night. The video, however, showed that after she left last night, she never returned.

“Never came back? Then how did I get home?” Lin Qianyou muttered, furrowing her brow.

She had never experienced anything this terrifying before, and everything seemed connected to that Land God Temple. That temple definitely had something sinister about it. She had to go back.

—

At the Yongning Street Police Station in Yangcheng, Qi Shanglan was lounging lazily in a black casual sports outfit, leaning back in his office chair. His long fingers were crossed in front of him, his head slightly tilted back as he closed his eyes to rest. His prominent Adam’s apple stood out, and his facial features were sharp and defined, giving off a handsome yet somewhat seductive vibe.

The landline beside him rang loudly, but he showed no intention of answering. Instead, he furrowed his brow in irritation, looking extremely tired.

Zhang Zhijian, seeing that Qi Shanglan had no intention of moving, walked over and flicked his forehead. He raised his voice on purpose, saying, “Still sleeping after the sun’s already up?!”

As a veteran of the station, Zhang Zhijian couldn’t stand the behavior of the younger generation staying up late and damaging their health, so he often lectured them on their bad habits.

He turned around and answered the phone, “Hello? Team leader Liu? Yeah, yeah, the Land God Temple in the east district. Shanglan will go with you guys soon…”

After a brief call lasting several minutes, Zhang Zhijian turned and saw that Qi Shanglan was still leaning back with his head tilted, sleeping soundly. He walked over and pushed Qi Shanglan’s shoulder, a “you can’t be taught” look on his face, as he frowned and said, “Wake up, don’t sleep anymore. Get up, wash your face, and go to the Land God Temple with the Cultural Relics Investigation Team.”

Qi Shanglan’s brow twitched slightly, and he opened his sleep-heavy eyes. He lazily said, “Captain Zhang, I was chasing someone until midnight last night. Don’t I deserve a bit of sleep?”

“Does that mean I should praise you for being a hero?” Zhang Zhijian tossed a stack of photos at him, the ones Qi Shanglan had taken in the thief’s hideout last night, just developed.

“Take these photos, grab a cab to the Land God Temple, and I’ll reimburse you.”

Qi Shanglan took the photos and raised an eyebrow, “What about my oden from last night?”

“…”

“Reimbursed too!” Zhang Zhijian said, speechless from frustration.

Qi Shanglan smiled faintly, teasing, “Ah, Captain Zhang, you’re the best to me.”

—

At the Land God Temple in the east district, the worn-out temple doors were once again slowly pushed open with a creak.

Lin Qianyou stood outside, warily scanning the interior. After seeing nothing unusual, she stepped inside.

The statue of the god inside still wore that welcoming smile, but it no longer seemed as eerie and terrifying as last night.

Lin Qianyou muttered a prayer, clasped her hands together, and reverently bowed from a distance. Only then did she feel at ease and walk further into the yard to search for her bag on the empty ground.

However, after circling around the area two or three times without finding the bag, she instead came across a dirt hole. She turned on her phone’s flashlight and shone it inside, but still didn’t see her bag. She was about to head back into the temple to look when, suddenly, the temple doors slammed shut with an invisible force.

Lin Qianyou gasped and instinctively ran over to open the doors.

But the doors felt as if they were glued shut—no matter how hard she pushed, they wouldn’t budge.

This is too strange, too unnatural.

Lin Qianyou, a firm believer in materialism, could hardly believe her eyes. If last night’s encounter was an accident, a dream, then what about today? Was it another hallucination?

While thinking this, a plump round ball suddenly rolled to her feet. Lin Qianyou was startled by the unexpected ball, and she jumped up with a scream. As she looked closer, she realized it wasn’t a ball—it was clearly a small person, no bigger than a child!

Rather than saying it was a person, it would be more accurate to say it was a little fortune child like the one she had seen in a painting on the wall of her grandparents’ house when she was a child!

The little fortune child had a round face, a fleshy nose, and a chubby belly. He wore bright red clothes, and his hair was tied into several little braids with red strings. He was only as tall as Lin Qianyou’s knees, looking like an adorable, cute child.

Before Lin Qianyou could recover from the shock, the little fortune child suddenly hugged her leg, excitedly saying, “Great deity! It really is you!”

“Ah! A ghost!” Lin Qianyou was badly frightened and screamed as she wildly shook her leg.

The little fortune child was thrown about five or six meters away, but quickly steadied his round, chubby body. After a brief daze, he was about to sprint back.

Lin Qianyou saw this and quickly retreated, shouting at the little fortune child, “Are you a person or a ghost? Don’t come near me! Stay away!”

The little fortune child was startled by Lin Qianyou’s scolding. He stood there innocently, his big, round eyes staring at her, tears nearly welling up in them. “Great deity, it’s me, Ah Fu, the temple’s little spirit child. We haven’t seen each other for a thousand years. Don’t you remember me, Ah Fu?”

“What nonsense are you talking? What deity? What temple spirit child? Who said we haven’t seen each other in a thousand years? Don’t dress up like this and scare people. Go home and find your parents. I have things to do, so I’m leaving.”

In a hurry, Lin Qianyou fumbled to open the door, and this time the door opened easily with just a pull.

Seeing Lin Qianyou was about to leave, the little fortune child quickly followed her.

However, Lin Qianyou turned around and shouted at him again, “Don’t follow me!”

—

When Qi Shanglan arrived at the Land God Temple, the Cultural Relics Investigation Team was also just getting out of their car. The temple was located in a narrow alley, so the car couldn’t drive in, and the group had to get out and walk there.

Qi Shanglan greeted the senior officers one by one before showing them the photos in his hand.

After looking at the photos, they confirmed it was definitely a thief’s hideout and praised Qi Shanglan for his bravery and attention to detail.

“Ah, I’ve heard that a handsome guy joined our Yangcheng Police Station, and seeing him today, he really is a fine young man. Courageous, very courageous!” Team leader Liu laughed, patting Qi Shanglan on the shoulder.

Just as they reached the mouth of the alley, Lin Qianyou happened to walk out of the temple. She looked pale and hurriedly walked towards them, not noticing the plainclothes police officers at all.

However, the police officers, ever vigilant, immediately noticed something unusual about Lin Qianyou.

When the distance between them was about ten meters, Lin Qianyou finally noticed them and pretended everything was fine, slowing her pace.

Her expression gradually returned to normal, and she calmly looked ahead, only to be shocked by the next sight.

Among the group of people, there was a man glowing with a red aura, exactly like the one she had seen in the temple last night!

Lin Qianyou struggled to hold back a scream as she stared blankly at Qi Shanglan, who was glowing red.

Noticing the strange look in Lin Qianyou’s eyes, Qi Shanglan raised an eyebrow, confused but dismissive. He then casually continued walking forward.

As they brushed past each other, Lin Qianyou clearly heard the frantic beating of her own heart.

What’s going on here?! Am I losing my mind?!

Once Lin Qianyou had walked far away, Team leader Liu sighed, “Ah, being good-looking is really great. The little girl’s eyes were nearly popping out of her head!”

As soon as he finished speaking, a group of big men burst into laughter, teasing Qi Shanglan.

Qi Shanglan curled his lips into a smile, looking like a carefree, aloof young master, and casually replied, “Tsk, nothing special, just keeping it low-key.”

Another round of laughter followed.

By the time they reached the Land God Temple, the little fortune child was nowhere to be seen. Qi Shanglan led the group straight to the thief’s hideout.

Team leader Liu sent two or three people with professional equipment to go down and investigate, while the rest waited above.

Qi Shanglan, feeling bored, strolled leisurely to the front of the temple.

Unconsciously, he found himself staring at the statue of the deity, his brows slightly furrowed, and after a while, he muttered three words: “Tu di… gong (土 (tǔ) means “earth” or “land”, 地 (dì) means “ground” or “place”, 公 (gōng) here refers to a deity, commonly translated as “God” or “Lord.”)?”

But just as he spoke, the little fortune child suddenly popped out from the corner of the temple, looking upset. “It’s not Land God. Our deity has taken the form of a woman now. You should call her Land Goddess instead.”

Qi Shanglan followed the childish voice and turned to look. When he saw the little fortune child, he nearly passed out from fright.

“Holy crap! A ghost!”

He was fast on his feet, with long legs and well-trained reflexes as a police officer. In just a couple of steps, he had jumped back several meters.

Team leader Liu noticed the commotion and, seeing Qi Shanglan’s terrified expression, curiously asked, “Young man, stop being so superstitious. This is the Land God Temple. Even if there is something here, it’s a deity, not a ghost. Where could a ghost come from?”

“No, it’s really a ghost, a little kid ghost, and it can talk. Team leader Liu, didn’t you hear it speak just now?” Qi Shanglan pointed to the corner of the temple.

“Where? Where’s the ghost? Come on, let me see. Just a moment ago, I was praising you for being bold. Now you’re showing your true colors?” Team leader Liu said, walking into the temple.

“There’s nothing here!” Team leader Liu swept his gaze around and then put his hands together, smiling at the statue, “The young man didn’t know any better and offended the Land God. Please don’t mind him.”

Qi Shanglan: “…”

The little fortune child, with short legs, walked out from the temple. Qi Shanglan quickly pointed it out to Team leader Liu. “Hey, hey, hey! It’s right there, right there!”

“Where? Where is it?” Team leader Liu saw nothing and, helpless, turned back to Qi Shanglan, saying, “Are you having a hysteria attack? Stop being so paranoid!”

After saying this, Team leader Liu turned and walked toward the thief’s hideout. Qi Shanglan stood frozen in place.

Team leader Liu… can’t he see it?…

“Great deity, don’t you remember me, Ah Fu?” The little fortune child lifted its round face, looking at Qi Shanglan with big, pitiful eyes.

Qi Shanglan tightly furrowed his brows, his Adam’s apple bobbing up and down, but he couldn’t speak a word.

Is this… an illusion… or… am I really losing my mind?