I'm Actually Panicking Because My Heart Doesn't Beat (GL) - Chapter 30

One million yuan is a large sum no matter which city you’re in. Guan Xiaoxuan looked at the man with the online name “Sword and Immortality” and frowned slightly.

Everyone around got excited as soon as they heard the price. Chen Man’s eyes lit up as she looked at him and asked, “Does it have to be the special item dropped by that little boy? Couldn’t it be another item with the same power?”

Sword and Immortality shook his head. “I’m collecting it for someone else. They specifically want this special item, so it can’t be replaced by anything else.”

Chen Man rubbed her chin thoughtfully, then turned to discuss something with her two companions. Guan Xiaoxuan couldn’t hear what they said because of the distance, but judging by their expressions, they were probably planning how to get that item.

Some others asked Sword and Immortality, “How can we get that special item?”

Guan Xiaoxuan looked up at him too. Even though she had the disguise given by Bai Zhiqi, she really didn’t know how to get special items from weird creatures.

Maybe it was a basic question, because a lot of people laughed before Sword and Immortality even answered. Someone nearby said, “You’re new, right? After you kill the weird creature, it will drop the special item by itself. It’s just like playing a game.”

The person who asked scratched their head, embarrassed, and sat back down.

Sword and Immortality smiled kindly and said to everyone, “That’s right. If you’re capable, you can try to get the item. Once you have it, you can message me privately on the forum. But the official organization is also starting to watch that weird creature, so those who can should hurry before the Weird Bureau beats you to it.”

After that, the salon went on very quietly. Sword and Immortality left shortly after posting the bounty. Guan Xiaoxuan, determined not to waste her 70 yuan, ate two more pieces of cake and some cookies before leaving the café.

The shared bike she parked outside was still there, so she rode it away.

Before going home, Guan Xiaoxuan wandered around the streets for about an hour, then found a mall restroom to remove her disguise before taking the bus home.

On the bus, Guan Xiaoxuan checked the forum’s bounty section and posted about the 1 million yuan reward for the special item from the welfare home boy, just like Sword and Immortality said at the salon.

The Xinglin City Welfare Home was where her original self had lived for several years. When she turned 18, she moved out and lived in the house her parents left her.

Now, some memories of the welfare home came back to her. She remembered the food was awful—bland and watery.

The teachers there were strict, lights out was at 10 p.m. sharp, and besides school, the rules were tight—almost like a closed institution.

Leaning against her bed, Guan Xiaoxuan wondered if she should get involved. According to Xing Tianqing, she still had one more weird case to solve, and maybe this was it.

While she was lost in thought, the bus stopped at a station. She glanced casually out the window and saw, behind a giant billboard, a pair of bare legs. The person looked completely drenched, with a puddle of water forming at their feet.

Looking closer, Guan Xiaoxuan realized it was a woman in a red dress, standing behind the billboard, water dripping all over her.

At that moment, her head buzzed like it exploded.

Water.

So much water!

It felt like she was drowning in water. She thought about the water stains that often appeared near her front door and, combined with the woman behind the bus stop, Guan Xiaoxuan almost couldn’t catch her breath.

She pinched her thigh hard, finally able to breathe again. Holding onto the back of the seat in front of her, she took deep, steady breaths to calm her pounding heart.

The bus started moving again. Guan Xiaoxuan bravely looked out the window once more.

This time, the woman stepped out from behind the billboard. She sat down on a bench, barefoot, holding a pair of red high heels in her arms.

Guan Xiaoxuan shivered all over. She didn’t need anyone to tell her — that was a weird creature, probably a vengeful ghost drowned to death.

This was strange. Why was she attracting so many unclean things lately?

She remembered that after seeing this woman last time, water started accumulating at her door. Now thinking back, it was very likely the woman was coming for her but, for some unknown reason, they hadn’t met face-to-face yet. The woman hadn’t entered her home or harmed her.

Seeing the woman again filled Guan Xiaoxuan with fear. She quickly pulled out her phone and messaged Xing Tianqing a long string of texts, telling her everything that had just happened.

Xing Tianqing didn’t reply. When Guan Xiaoxuan got home, still no response.

That whole night, Guan Xiaoxuan curled up on her bed holding sunflower seeds, unable to sleep soundly. She kept feeling like something was at her door, dreaming up to eight nightmares, all about the woman in red standing at her bedside or scenes of her drowning.

When Guan Xiaoxuan woke up the next day, she felt more exhausted than after running eight kilometers.

Luckily, the universe seemed to pity her. Early in the morning, she finally received a reply from Xing Tianqing, who had also just gotten up.

Xing Tianqing: “Don’t worry. Qiu Nan already did a ritual for you. Now, as long as you don’t bother her, she won’t target you. I’ve been pretty busy lately, so I might be away from home for a while. If you need anything, just send me a message. I’ll reply as soon as I see it.”

Guan Xiaoxuan rubbed her head and finally relaxed a bit. She replied with a simple “Okay.”

After having breakfast, she absentmindedly watched TV. Around noon, she ordered takeout. The whole day, Guan Xiaoxuan felt lost and dazed.

She checked the door, and just like Xing Tianqing said, it was clean with no water traces—seemed like that woman in red really hadn’t bothered her.

Around one in the afternoon, Guan Xiaoxuan was bored when she suddenly heard noise outside—someone seemed to have returned across the street.

She quickly jumped off the sofa and pulled the door open.

Xing Tianqing was just about to leave. She paused for a moment when she saw Guan Xiaoxuan, then smiled and greeted her, “You’re home? No class today?”

Guan Xiaoxuan said, “It’s the weekend.”

“Oh.” Xing Tianqing forced a laugh. “I’ve been so busy lately, I forgot students get weekends off too.”

Her words sounded a bit pitiful. Guan Xiaoxuan knew how hectic work was for her, so she looked at her with concern and asked, “Captain Xing, are you going out now?”

Xing Tianqing nodded, then seemed to remember something. She said, “My phone died yesterday and I only noticed this morning, that’s why I replied to you so late. Next time you encounter strange things, just don’t provoke them and they won’t bother you.”

“How did I provoke that red-clothed spirit before?” Guan Xiaoxuan asked, curious.

“Do you remember when you woke up at the morgue and sat at the bus stop all night?” Xing Tianqing looked at her and said, “That’s probably when you had contact with her—or took her place—so she started targeting you.”

Guan Xiaoxuan: “…”

She had just been homeless, sitting at a bus stop all night. That ghost held such a grudge and even followed her here?

“I get it now,” Guan Xiaoxuan sighed. “I’ll try to be more careful and avoid provoking these things.”

Xing Tianqing smiled, reached out to rub Guan Xiaoxuan’s head, and said, “Just rest well at home on the weekend. I’m off to work.”

“Wait,” Guan Xiaoxuan hurriedly stopped her, looked up, and said, “About that external staff position you mentioned before—I’ve thought it over. You’ve been busy and I didn’t get a chance to talk to you, but now I want to apply to become external staff.”

Xing Tianqing was surprised for a moment, then smiled happily and said, “Alright. Today I’m going to the welfare home. When I’m done, I’ll help you submit the application.”

Welfare home?

Guan Xiaoxuan’s eyes brightened. She grabbed Xing Tianqing before she left and said, “Is it the Xinglin City Welfare Home? Maybe I can help you.”

Xing Tianqing looked at her, tilting her head, “You?”

At the entrance of Xinglin City Welfare Home, Xiao An and the others had already gathered.

“Is everyone here?” Xiao An and her colleagues weren’t wearing black trench coats today. Although they were here for a case, casual clothes were more practical than uniforms.

Song Yan was still playing a mobile game. Hearing this, he said to Xiao An, “Just waiting on Captain Xing. She said in the group chat she’ll be a bit late.”

Xiao An nodded, “Alright, let’s take inventory. Check if anything’s missing. The fruit must’ve been bought at the wholesale market, right? Don’t buy it too expensive. Our budget’s tight—the reimbursement from last month hasn’t been approved yet. Once it is, we’ll have some money.”

Listening to Xiao An’s rambling, everyone started chatting bit by bit. Just then, they saw Xing Tianqing’s car arrive.

“Captain Xing is here,” Qiu Nan told everyone, waving and greeting her. But when she saw who was with her, she froze.

Xiao An and the others also froze, staring at Guan Xiaoxuan behind Xing Tianqing.

Seeing their looks, Xing Tianqing glanced at Guan Xiaoxuan and introduced, “Guan Xiaoxuan—you all know her, so no need for formal introductions. She submitted her application to become external staff for the Weird Affairs Bureau today. Since she’s originally from Xinglin City Welfare Home, I brought her along to help with this case.”

Everyone exchanged looks but said nothing.

Qiu Nan was braver and said to Xing Tianqing, “Captain Xing, bringing your little girlfriend here to gain experience, huh? After this case, she’ll be officially accepted as one of us?”

Xing Tianqing glared at her, “Stop talking nonsense. She’s still a kid—don’t say things like that.”

Guan Xiaoxuan felt a little embarrassed, gave a nervous laugh, and greeted everyone, “Hello, everyone. I hope I can help.”

Qiu Nan walked over, hooked her arm around Guan Xiaoxuan’s shoulder, and said, “Don’t worry, we’re here, and won’t let you get into danger. Since you’re from the welfare home, you must be pretty familiar with this place, right?”

Guan Xiaoxuan nodded, “Yeah, somewhat.”

“Good.” Xing Tianqing nodded, then said, “Let’s revise our plan and get ready to go.”