Chapter 55: Sleepiness Is Contagious

The dragon-carved staff seemed to sense danger, guiding the way with intense concentration, not daring to slack off for a moment. Clutching the staff, Xiao Zhi walked at the head of the group, struggling up the stairs. He led the way, followed closely by Farmer Jia and Yan Shan. Luo Gan took up the middle, with Er Hu and Uncle De bringing up the rear.

The wind battered the windows and doors, producing loud bangs that startled the stealthy group. Suddenly, Xiao Zhi stopped. Farmer Jia bumped his face into Xiao Zhi’s backside and cried out in pain.

"Ah, Brother Luo, I don't think something’s right. Can't you take the staff and let me walk behind?" Farmer Jia rubbed his nose and gave Xiao Zhi a hearty smack.

"What was that for! You nearly sat on my face." The nervous jolt made Xiao Zhi lose control, and a foul smell wafted through the air. The others grimaced, some pinching their noses, some turning away, and a few could not help coughing.

Er Hu called out, "What the hell… That reeks! Did you fight flies for your dinner tonight?"

Uncle De coughed incessantly. "Young man, you must have some internal heat. You really need to take care of yourself."

Xiao Zhi apologized repeatedly, and as he turned, the staff in his hand thumped against Yan Shan’s head.

Yan Shan clutched his head, bending over with a pained cry. "Brother Zhi, it’s me, one of our own! Have mercy!"

Luo Gan realized Xiao Zhi was utterly terrified, and that having him lead was undermining morale. "Xiao Zhi, the vanguard is crucial for the spirit of a fighting force. The scout is the eyes of the team! You can’t falter! Understand?"

Though the darkness was thick, Xiao Zhi’s eager, admiring eyes glowed as he looked at Luo Gan. "Brother Luo, you really know what you’re talking about!" With that, he handed the staff to Luo Gan, who was momentarily stunned.

Xiao Zhi continued, "Brother Luo, you should show us the spirit of a true vanguard!"

Luo Gan’s attempt to encourage Xiao Zhi had inadvertently dug himself a hole. Now, everyone stopped and turned to him, pushing him into the spotlight.

Once, long ago, Liu Bang had famously slain a serpent while drunk, earning the legend of the "Son of the Red Emperor clearing the way." Now, with so many eyes on him, even if he felt afraid, Luo Gan had no choice but to step up and assert his authority.

Without further thought, Luo Gan took the staff. The moment he grasped it, a powerful magnetic force surged through, dragging him forward like a wild horse. In no time at all, he was hauled up to the second floor.

Realizing he’d gone too fast, Luo Gan braced himself, planting the staff firmly on the floor. Er Hu and Yan Shan were first to catch up, followed by Xiao Zhi and the rest, while Uncle De, out of breath, could barely straighten up as he climbed the stairs.

"Everyone, the staff points to this floor. We need to make a plan. My suggestion is—"

Before he could finish, the staff surged with supernatural power, yanking Luo Gan off his feet and dragging him straight into the strange room of the Sima residence. The staff flew toward the bedhead, and Luo Gan, unable to react in time, crashed into the wooden bedframe. The bedsheet fell over his head, leaving him dizzy and disheveled.

That violent impact triggered a glowing cursor in Luo Gan’s vision. The clue progress now stood at fifteen percent, and the bed before him was encircled by a yellow halo. He looked closely and saw a modern logo and the words "Rosewood Furniture, Exquisitely Crafted" in simplified script on the bedhead, making him rub his eyes to see if he was imagining it.

Xiao Zhi and the others entered the room, immediately sensing the odd atmosphere. Yan Shan lit his torch, and the room filled with light. Farmer Jia glanced out the window, quickly drawing the curtains to avoid being noticed from the street, and was relieved to see nothing unusual outside.

Er Hu examined the furnishings with curiosity. The washbasin was spotless, the floor immaculate—nothing like an abandoned, unkempt room.

Xiao Zhi moved to the bookshelf, finding the books neatly arranged in categories: literature, history, Confucian classics. He flipped through one and found none of the expected yellowing.

Luo Gan said, "Strange, isn’t it?"

Everyone nodded in agreement, though none could explain why.

Xiao Zhi, still leafing through a book, walked over. "The books are pristine—no yellowing at all. How odd!"

Er Hu joked, "No sign of a soul, but that washbasin is spotless. If there’s a ghost here, it must be a very fastidious one!"

Somehow, the walls had become covered in talismans, golden yellow and warding the room, though no one noticed when it happened.

Luo Gan felt helpless and stopped Uncle De, who was struggling to climb on a stool to post more talismans. "Uncle De, let’s not make a fuss!"

"Stop? How can I stop? The whole room feels wrong, so inauspicious! Put up the charms, quickly! Spirits above, protect us!"

Uncle De pressed his palms together and chanted, and Luo Gan realized there was no talking sense into a stubborn old man.

Meanwhile, Farmer Jia poured earth from his bundle, spreading and smoothing it near the bed with practiced hands.

Luo Gan began to doubt whether bringing Farmer Jia and Uncle De had been the right move. "What are you doing now?"

Farmer Jia explained, "I brought this soil from the village. Watered it last night, and collected it this morning when it dried."

Even Er Hu, a fellow villager, was confused. "What’s that for?"

"You don’t get it? This is fresh earth, full of spiritual energy. It wards off evil. Our temple always puts this kind of soil under the incense burners."

Realizing there was no point in explaining further, Farmer Jia focused on his task.

Seeing the two of them so absorbed in their rituals, Luo Gan rummaged through his pack, debating whether to sneak a drink from the bottle of liquor he found.

Uncle De had just finished plastering talismans all over the room, and Farmer Jia had leveled the soil near the bed.

Yan Shan lifted the bedsheet, finding nothing unusual, but suddenly felt an overwhelming drowsiness.

"President… what time is it? My eyelids are fighting to stay open…"

With that, he collapsed onto the bed and fell asleep. Farmer Jia found it odd. "Yan Shan’s been resting all day, he shouldn't be this exhausted. Luo, you’d better talk to him!"

Uncle De, eager to leave this ill-omened place, lowered his voice mysteriously. "When I was young, I heard a story about a child who slept in an empty neighbor’s bed…"

Suddenly, Xiao Zhi’s book slipped from his hand with a thud, and he swayed as if on the verge of collapse.

"Brother Luo, I haven’t felt this tired in ages. I’ll sleep first, if you don’t mind."

With that, he too fell asleep at the foot of the bed, leaving the rest in shock.

Sensing that something was wrong, Luo Gan slapped Xiao Zhi’s face to wake him. "Xiao Zhi! Xiao Zhi! If you keep sleeping, we’ll all be discovered. Wake up—save your sleep for home!"

Farmer Jia and Uncle De exchanged anxious glances.

"Uncle De, now that both of them are asleep, it’s just a coincidence… right?"

"A coincidence? Both of them just happen to be tired?"

Er Hu, fuming, seemed upset at Xiao Zhi and Yan Shan’s apparent laziness, so Luo Gan hurried to explain. "Er Hu, they're just too tired. Let them rest."

But this did nothing to ease Er Hu’s anger; Luo Gan now suspected something else was afoot.

"They look so comfortable! I can't stand it—I’m sleeping too!" Without another word, Er Hu flopped onto the bed and promptly dozed off.

Luo Gan turned to see that Farmer Jia and Uncle De had also fallen asleep. Suddenly, dizziness overcame him, his head spinning, legs heavy. Instinctively, he stumbled to his pack, opened the liquor bottle, took a swig, and collapsed.

Shortly after, as if by reflex, Luo Gan sat up, screwed the cap back on the bottle, checked that it was intact, and finally lay down to sleep, at peace.