C17 Corpse Field

When Liang Yue entered the room, her attire and demeanor were impeccable. She exuded the confidence and poise expected of a corporate professional.

However, after a brief exchange of witty remarks with me, her true self emerged. She seemed embarrassed by her last comment and instinctively stuck out her tongue.

Third Uncle watched our playful banter, barely able to contain his laughter, which earned him a stern look from Liang Yue.

With a serious expression, Third Uncle addressed her, "Assistant Liang, my nephew isn't wrong. Given the number of incidents at the square and the fatalities, it's clear that the Yin energy is overwhelming. It's particularly inadvisable for a young woman like you to visit such a place."

Liang Yue dismissed our concerns with a wave of her hand, "There's no need for you to worry. I'm well aware of what I'm doing."

Since Liang Yue was adamant, we didn't press the issue further.

She inquired about our planned departure time, and Third Uncle suggested the sooner, the better.

Liang Yue nodded in agreement, escorted us out of the conference room, and led us to Tianyou Square in front of the building. She asked us to wait while she went to fetch her car.

While Liang Yue was away, I seized the opportunity to question Third Uncle, "You've mentioned before that places like haunted houses are masked by Yang energy during the day, hiding many things that only reveal themselves at night. Why are we going during the day this time?"

Third Uncle glanced skyward before explaining, "Nephew, you're correct. The process of inspecting a site is known as surveying. A haunted house usually refers to a single building or even a larger structure, where the focus is on the Feng Shui within the rooms, which we call 'small Feng Shui.' Tianyou Square, on the other hand, is part of a commercial area, which means we have to consider the Feng Shui of the square itself as well as its surrounding environment, including wind direction, terrain, and the arrangement of nearby buildings. All these factors contribute to what we call 'big Feng Shui.' To properly assess big Feng Shui, we must observe it in daylight."

Third Uncle's explanation was clear and thorough, prompting me to nod in understanding.

After a short wait, a sleek burgundy BMW X5 pulled up and came to a sudden stop in front of us, giving Third Uncle and me quite a scare. It was Liang Yue behind the wheel. I couldn't help but think that she must be a wealthy heiress or, as I suspected earlier, she had cozied up to the affluent Wu Tianyou. She claimed to be just an assistant, but what kind of assistant drives such a luxurious car? The car's color alone suggested it was custom-tailored for her.

Liang Yue rolled down the window and beckoned us to hop in. As I reached for the front passenger door, she gestured with a look of distaste, "You sit in the back."

I grumbled under my breath, "Like I care."

Third Uncle and I settled into the backseat, and Liang Yue glanced back, reminding us, "Seatbelts."

I was taken aback and replied with annoyance, "Could you be any more nagging? What's with the seatbelt in the back?"

"If you don't want to buckle up, then don't," Liang Yue retorted, her lips twisted in a dismissive sneer, as she started the car.

Since Tianyou Group's headquarters was located in Shenshi, and the Tianyou Square project was in a neighboring city, we needed to hit the interstate to get there. It wasn't until we were on the highway that I understood why Liang Yue insisted we wear seatbelts, even in the backseat.

Despite her delicate appearance, Liang Yue drove with a ferocity that was nothing short of impressive. The highway was bustling with fast-moving vehicles, but she maneuvered the BMW with such confidence, overtaking other cars and tossing us around in the backseat like rag dolls.

Third Uncle and I exchanged a knowing look and simultaneously reached for our seatbelts.

After nearly an hour of this wild ride, Third Uncle and I were completely disheveled by the time the car came to a stop. We staggered out and sat on the steps, trying to regain our composure, nearly on the verge of being sick.

Liang Yue stood nearby, clearly enjoying our discomfort.

I was too exhausted to even glare at her properly and could only manage to rebuke, "Has anyone ever told you... you drive like a maniac? Don't you ever speed?"

"Mind your own business," she shot back. "Tianyou Square is just up ahead. Shall we go now?"

Third Uncle looked even worse off than I did, his face deathly pale. It wasn't until Liang Yue handed him two bottles of water and he took a few sips that he began to recover. Observing her expression, I couldn't shake the feeling that she was trying to put us in our place, perhaps because we had underestimated her.

Surveying the area, it became clear that we were indeed in a prime location. Surrounded by towering commercial buildings and rows upon rows of shops, the pedestrian streets were a bustling maze of activity with throngs of people everywhere. Following Assistant Liang's directions, we left the parking area, crossed a pedestrian street, and made our way toward the fabled Tianyou Square.

"There are the buildings of Tianyou Square," Liang Yue pointed out as we approached. "Eight in total, with the tallest one in the center serving as the main building where all the key business projects are housed."

Looking in the direction she indicated, one building stood out prominently, its entire facade painted a striking red. Emblazoned vertically on its surface were the bold characters: Tianyou Square.

Inside Tianyou Square, the contrast to the bustling world outside was stark, just as Liang Yue had mentioned. The streets were nearly empty, with the few passersby hurrying along without pause. Two-thirds of the shops were shuttered, and even those that were open seemed forlorn and lifeless.

I shook my head to myself, recognizing the lack of vitality in this place. It was a vicious cycle: the less foot traffic, the poorer the business, and consequently, even fewer people would come. The challenges here seemed even more daunting than I had anticipated, and I couldn't help but wonder if Third Uncle was up to the task.

Continuing down the commercial street, the time was nearing 2 p.m., and the sun shone brightly. Yet, as we entered the area, a sudden gloom descended as if dark clouds had obscured the sky, though when I looked up, the sky was clear. Neither Third Uncle nor Liang Yue seemed to notice, leaving me to question whether it was just my imagination.

As we progressed toward the main building, the sensation intensified, and I started to feel a strong ache in my left shoulder.

I instinctively rubbed my shoulder, and Third Uncle noticed. "What's the matter? Is your shoulder bothering you again?" he inquired.

I nodded in confirmation.

With concern, Third Uncle asked, "Is the sealing paste still on there?"

"Yes, it's still on. I'm fine," I responded. Third Uncle's concern suggested that the abundance of Yin Qi in the area was affecting my shoulder, especially since it lacked Yang Fire. This thought brought a pang of sadness; I wondered when my Yang Fire Lamp would be ignited. Once we wrapped up here, I knew I needed to have a serious talk with Third Uncle.

As we walked, Third Uncle turned to Liang Yue and asked, "From where can we view the entire layout of these buildings and their surroundings?"

Liang Yue gestured toward the main building. "The only place would be this main building. It's the tallest around here, with a rooftop that offers a panoramic view of the area. But..."

"But what?" Third Uncle pressed.

"Oh, it's nothing... If you'd like to go up, I can take you," she offered.

By then, we had slowly made our way to the base of the main building. Liang Yue was ready to lead us inside, but Third Uncle halted, gazing up at the structure. Liang Yue and I, puzzled, followed suit and looked up.

Soon, my neck began to ache from the strain, and I asked Third Uncle, "What are you looking at? There's nothing there."

Without answering me, Third Uncle turned to Liang Yue and questioned, "Who penned the words 'Tianyou Square' on the building?"

"A well-known local calligrapher," Liang Yue answered. "Is there an issue?"

Third Uncle let out a scoff. "An issue? It's a major one."

Taken aback, Liang Yue hurriedly asked, "It's just a few words. What could possibly be wrong?"

I was just as perplexed, waiting for Third Uncle to explain.

He pointed upward and instructed, "Now, follow me: Tian... you... corpse... field!"

Tianyou corpse field?

Upon closer inspection, and with Third Uncle's prompting, I realized that the character for 'square' was slightly misshapen due to an exaggerated final stroke, and the dot was positioned too far from the horizontal line. From our angle below, the character indeed resembled the word 'corpse'.

Tianyou Square, once a thriving hub, had eerily transformed into a Tianyou Corpse Market.

A single letter's difference had led to a drastic change.

For Liang Yue, this was a startling revelation that left her speechless.

Third Uncle elaborated, "From a distance, the calligraphy is impressive, truly a work of art. But from below, looking up, it carries an unfortunate implication. We're still unsure if the person who wrote it did so with intent or by accident. If it was deliberate, then we're facing a very complex situation..."

Liang Yue murmured in disbelief, "Really? Can such things happen? Well, if that's the case, I could just have Director Wu change the inscription, right?"

Third Uncle shook his head, "Altering one character won't resolve the underlying Fengshui configuration. If the overall energy is waning, this character is merely the tip of the iceberg. We should head to the rooftop to get a better perspective."

Nodding, Liang Yue led us into the main building of Tianyou Square, which housed a sprawling shopping center with various retail booths.

Despite its decline, Tianyou Square hadn't shut down. Merchants, desperate to stay afloat, had slashed prices significantly. Consequently, bargain hunters often frequented the mall. Inside, we spotted a smattering of shoppers browsing the stores.

Whether it was the air conditioning or something else, I sensed a chilling draft rising from the floor, sending shivers down my spine.

Liang Yue guided us into the elevator and selected the topmost floor of the main building.

The elevator's directory indicated that the mall consisted of retail spaces from the first to the eighth floor, featuring jewelry, apparel, dining, entertainment, and fitness businesses. The ninth through eleventh floors were designated for offices. The elevator ascended without pause, finally halting on the eleventh floor.

Familiar with the layout, Liang Yue led us down a corridor and up a stairway, pushing open an iron door to reveal the rooftop of the main building.

Third Uncle gave a nod of approval. As we stepped through the doorway onto the rooftop, a fierce wind greeted us...