Volume Twelve: Invitation to Hell, Chapter Twenty-Six: The Mortar Hell

"Phoenix, the twelfth invitation has appeared. This crime scene investigation might be a bit troublesome," Song Xuekai said as he approached.

"Troublesome?!" Yaoguang looked at him with suspicion. "Don't tell me it's another daughter or son of some consortium or conglomerate."

"You guessed right. It’s the young lady of the Lu Group, Lu Minqian. Our people have arrived, but they haven't been able to enter her villa," Song Xuekai replied.

"I hate dealing with these people the most." Yaoguang picked up her phone. "Yutian, deliver my calling card to that old man Lu Heng’s villa and tell him I’m coming over. Then, bring that Ferrari to pick me up."

"Understood, Miss," Yutian’s voice came from the other end.

"Let’s go. I’ll take you into the Lu villa," Yaoguang said, standing up. She put on her sunglasses and walked out. Jiang Yun glanced at Song Xuekai and followed.

Yutian was efficient; he arrived shortly after. The red Ferrari sports car was too conspicuous, drawing everyone's gaze, but Yaoguang climbed in with an indifferent expression.

In Yecheng, the Lu Group was neither exceptionally large nor small. However, Yaoguang had never liked dealing with the Lu family. Apart from Lu Heng, the rest were unruly and self-righteous. They always put on airs when communicating. In front of those weaker than them, the Lus looked down their noses, but in front of those stronger, they were nothing but sycophants. It was truly a headache.

While Yaoguang was lost in thought, the car drove into the Lu villa. As expected, the guard stopped them. Yaoguang didn't stand on ceremony; she simply said, "Yaoguang of Yilanxuan is here. Tell the old man to come out."

The guard was about to speak when he met Yaoguang’s gaze, cold as a deep, icy pool. Without knowing why, a chill ran through his heart. He didn't say a word and hurried inside. A moment later, it wasn't Lu Heng who emerged, but his son, Lu Liang.

"Who has such a big mouth that they want to see our old man?" Lu Liang scoffed disdainfully at Yaoguang, who was leaning against the car. But when he saw the Ferrari, his eyes lit up—this was the finest sports car currently available. What kind of status did this woman have to be driving such a vehicle?

Yaoguang saw the change in his expression but remained silent, waiting for his next move. But life rarely gives people the chance they expect.

"You bunch of trash! You dare to stop anyone? Get lost!" A roar came from inside the courtyard. Lu Heng, leaning on a cane, stormed out. Before Lu Liang could even speak, Lu Heng struck him on the leg with the cane. "You blind fool! Is a big sister like Yaoguang of Yilanxuan someone you can stop? When I was following her, you were still in your mother’s womb! Get out of here, you’re embarrassing me!"

Lu Heng walked out and, seeing Yaoguang, beamed so widely his hands trembled. "You’ve come. The child is ignorant, please don't take it to heart. Please, come inside for some tea—the finest Dianhong."

"Old Lu, you’re still in good shape after all these years," Yaoguang said, stepping forward and placing a hand on his shoulder.

"You are too kind. It is all thanks to your care over these years," Lu Heng laughed, his tone humble.

Yaoguang waved to the car behind containing Xuanchen and Song Xuekai, then walked on, chatting and laughing with Lu Heng.

"Here, take this. One pill a month, twelve in total. It will ensure that time treats you with extra favor," Yaoguang said, handing him a porcelain bottle.

"Oh my, the old man thanks you, Big Sister." Lu Heng looked at the bottle. "My, this bottle is an antique. I must keep it safe. You have been nothing but good to me; not to mention the elixir, even this bottle is worth a fortune." Treasuring the bottle, he walked into the villa's main hall and told his attendant, "Go get the sandalwood box from my study."

The attendant quickly went upstairs and returned with an exquisite box. Lu Heng carefully placed the bottle inside and closed the lid.

Once the tea was served, Lu Heng spoke again, "Big Sister, what instructions do you have for this visit?"

"I’m here for your granddaughter, Lu Minqian. Did she receive an invitation?" Yaoguang got straight to the point.

"How did you know?" Lu Heng asked, astonished.

"I’m currently with the Yecheng Public Security Bureau. This 'Hell Invitation' case is a serial investigation, and I am in charge," Yaoguang explained.

"So that’s it. What do you need me to do?"

"Where is she now?"

"In her own bedroom, but she is already dead. The funeral home hasn't arrived yet. The housekeeper called the police, but her father refused to let them investigate, which caused this standoff," Lu Heng sighed.

"Let me take a look," Yaoguang said.

"Of course, of course! If I had known the officers were your people, I wouldn't have dared to stop them even with a hundred lives," Lu Heng said, rising to lead her upstairs.

"Uncle Lu, who is that woman? Why is the old man so polite to her, calling her 'Big Sister'?" Lu Liang asked, looking at their retreating backs with confusion.

"Her name is Yaoguang, the mastermind behind Yilanxuan International. Legend has it she’s someone who can summon wind and rain," the butler, Lu Xin, whispered. "Years ago, when the master first entered the underworld, he was cheated and used; not only did he lose his money, he nearly lost his life. It was this extraordinary woman who saved him, avenged him, and helped him make a comeback. The master has been grateful ever since and has worked for her faithfully. She valued his character and has always looked after him. The fact that the master has been free of illness and disaster for all these years is all thanks to her. In the master's own words, she is the Lu family's greatest benefactor, a debt of gratitude he could never repay even if he gave his life."

"So that’s it. The big boss of Yilanxuan International... oh no, the old man is definitely going to punish me later," Lu Liang gestured in frustration. "Hey, Uncle Lu, if that's the case, she must be older than the old man, but why does she look like she's only in her early thirties?"

"Young Master, be quiet! Her age is a taboo. If you don’t want to be beaten half to death by the master, never bring that up," Lu Xin quickly covered Lu Liang’s mouth.

Lu Liang nodded obediently.

"Xuanchen, come up," Yaoguang’s voice drifted down from the second floor.

Walking into the largest bedroom at the end of the hall, they saw a large rice vat with a young girl lying inside, a heavy mortar pestle pressing down on her body. One of the girl's hands hung over the edge of the vat, her fingers clutching an invitation.

Yaoguang walked over and picked it up. Opening it, it read:
*Invitee: Lu Minqian.*
*What crime have you committed? You don't even know yourself, thinking it’s a normal affair. I won't tell you this time; someone else will let you know what you've done.*
*Signed: Messenger of Hell.*

Yaoguang handed the invitation to Jiang Yun, who stared at it, stunned. "This Messenger of Hell is getting stranger and stranger. What is this?"

Yaoguang didn't speak, looking into the vat. The pestle was pressing on the girl, whose face was already the gray of death. It was death by suffocation. Yaoguang reached out to touch the girl’s crown.

"Hmm?" Yaoguang paused. She discovered that the girl’s soul was still within her body, and there were faint signs of soul activity. "Quick, help! She’s still alive!"

Xuanchen and the others rushed forward. "Hold that pestle," Yaoguang commanded.

Xuanchen and Tianyou held the heavy tool, and Yaoguang chanted a spell. The pestle slowly lifted and was placed on the floor. Xuanchen reached in and carried the girl out, laying her on the bed.

Yaoguang quickly formed a finger seal, channeling spiritual energy into the girl's crown. "A-Kun, feed her a Soul-Gathering Pill. She’s been suffocated too long; her soul is hanging by a thread. Hurry!"

Huo Mingkun acted quickly, popping the pill into the girl's mouth. Yaoguang continued to channel energy. The girl’s complexion slowly began to lose its deathly gray.

"Lu Minqian, wake up!" Yaoguang’s voice, resonant and deep, aimed directly at the girl's consciousness.

"Cough, cough, cough!" Lu Minqian suddenly burst into a series of coughs and vomited a mouthful of blood. Yaoguang withdrew her energy.

"Qianqian!" The girl's mother rushed over to lift her up.

"Mom, I’ll never waste food again, waah..." The first thing Lu Minqian said upon waking left everyone in the room stunned. Then, she began to wail.

"Waste food? What does that mean?" Lu Heng and Lu Liang exchanged confused glances.

"The twelfth level of Hell: The Mortar and Pestle Hell. This level is quite peculiar. In life, if you waste food or squander grains—for example, dumping leftovers from a banquet or throwing away food you don't like after only a few bites—you will be cast into the Mortar and Pestle Hell upon death. Curiously, if you talk while eating, especially using foul language, obscenities, or cursing, you will also be sent here. So, a reminder to everyone: try not to talk while eating, especially cursing." Yaoguang looked at the father and son. "Qianqian was likely accustomed to wasting food and thought nothing of it, which is why the Messenger of Hell targeted her. But this time, the murderer didn't kill her. None of the victims from the previous eleven levels survived; this is a warning to your Qianqian. If she doesn't change, the Messenger will return to finish the job."

"Xuanchen, I’ve discovered that this murderer knows me very well. He knew I could save this child. It’s truly thought-provoking," Yaoguang mused. "The murderer timed it perfectly. At that level of suffocation, she would have been brain-dead; even if sent to the hospital, she would be a vegetable. Yet, the murderer was convinced I could save her. What makes them so certain? Could the murderer know my true identity?"

"It’s possible. We will investigate this thoroughly when we return," Xuanchen agreed, sensing the anomaly.

"Get the child something to eat, something liquid. We’ll wait downstairs; I need to ask her some questions," Yaoguang said and headed downstairs. Lu Heng signaled Lu Liang to stay and care for the girl while he went to attend to their guest.

Downstairs, Yaoguang asked, "Did you hear any noise last night?"

"Nothing at all. At eight this morning, her mother went to wake her, but she didn't respond. When she walked in, she saw her lying in the rice vat, and she wasn't breathing. The butler knew it wasn't simple and called the police, but her father said it was embarrassing and wouldn't let them in. Truly a family misfortune," Lu Heng lamented.

"No noise... how were these items brought inside? I’ve been thinking about this. None of these objects are small; how did they get to the crime scene?" Yaoguang muttered.

"Big Sister, what did you say?" Lu Heng asked.

"Oh, nothing. I was just talking to myself," Yaoguang replied.

Soon, Lu Liang and his wife brought Lu Minqian down. She was still weak and pale. Yaoguang checked her pulse. "There’s no major problem anymore, but she is very weak. Be careful with her for the next month; don't let her overexert herself. Her soul was injured, and recovery will be difficult."

"Big Sister, I know I was wrong. I will never waste food again. Please forgive me," Lu Minqian suddenly knelt before Yaoguang.

"Wait, what is this? Why are you asking for my forgiveness? Get up and explain clearly," Yaoguang was bewildered.

"The person who wanted to kill me said so. If you forgive me, he won't kill me. If you don't, tonight is my death date," Lu Minqian sobbed.

"Don't be afraid. Tell me the whole story," Yaoguang commanded.

"It was around one o'clock last night. I was asleep but woke up freezing. The room felt like the dead of winter. I climbed out of bed and saw a large rice vat in front of me. A woman in white was holding that mortar pestle, looking at me eerily. I was terrified and tried to scream, but I couldn't make a sound. The woman looked at me and said, 'You like wasting food so much, do you know how many people are starving? Since you don't repent, I will punish you in the Mortar and Pestle Hell so you learn what you’ve done wrong. I won't kill you tonight, but tomorrow you must admit your faults to someone named Phoenix. If you aren't sincere, I will come to take you tomorrow night.' She spoke so eerily, like a ghost in a drama. After she finished, my body wouldn't obey me; I crawled into the vat myself. She pressed the pestle on me. It was so heavy, I couldn't breathe, and soon I passed out. The last thing I saw was her leaving through the window." Lu Minqian wiped away her tears.

"Did you see her face?" Yaoguang asked.

"No, I couldn't see it clearly. She wore a white dress but was surrounded by thick, black mist. The strangest thing was that a man followed her, hunched over, his head down, hair covering his face. The woman felt like a ghost, so cold."

"How much food did you waste?" Yaoguang asked.

"A lot. When I ate with friends, we would often order a table full of food and barely touch it."

"I need to read your consciousness," Yaoguang said. Her eyes shot out a sharp light, and Lu Minqian couldn't look away. A moment later, Yaoguang withdrew her gaze. "Lu Minqian, you aren't just wasting food; you are squandering it. This is no small sin. Every grain of rice and every meal is hard-won. Your behavior can be called 'rich and uncharitable.' A table full of food, and you eat one-tenth and throw away nine-tenths. Your behavior is excessive. The murderer was right—do you know how many people are starving, yet you... how do you expect me to talk to you? Old Lu, you’ve spoiled your child." Yaoguang’s expression was dark enough to wring water from.

"Big Sister, I know I was wrong. I promise I will never do it again," Lu Minqian cried.

"If you are truly sincere, hold my hand and swear. I’ll warn you: any oath made to me is a contract. If you dare to break it, losing a layer of skin will be the least of your worries." Yaoguang extended her hand.

"I dare," Lu Minqian said, taking Yaoguang's hand. "I, Lu Minqian, swear to heaven that I will never waste food again. If I break this oath, may I vomit everything I eat, die a starving ghost, and never be reincarnated. Heaven and Earth be my witness." Her eyes were firm.

"Why are you so certain?" Yaoguang was stunned by the weight of the oath.

"Last night, when I was dying, I saw many strange visions. Many people starving to death, eventually turning to cannibalism. I saw myself being eaten by the starving, I saw myself become a starving ghost eating others. I saw people killing for food, I saw farmers losing their lives in the rice fields... I... I really know I was wrong..." Lu Minqian sobbed.

"You truly know you were wrong. I forgive you, but please remember your oath. Stop crying; your soul is injured and needs rest." Yaoguang looked into the girl's eyes; this rich kid had finally woken up.

After Lu Minqian was taken to rest, Yaoguang turned to Lu Heng. "Remember, Old Lu, only those who can endure loneliness can keep their prosperity. Being rich and uncharitable is self-destruction. The Lu family’s discipline is not something I should have to teach you." Refusing any further thanks, Yaoguang left the villa.

On the way back, Yaoguang kept thinking about Lu Minqian’s words. The murderer knew her true identity and even her style of action. Who exactly was this person? The woman in white with black mist, the hunched man—how were those heavy tools transported into the victims' homes? Was it a rift in space-time? These questions plagued her. She could only hand the clues to the celestial immortals to investigate.

Since the Hell Invitation case began, Lu Minqian was the only survivor. The murderer’s principles were truly unfathomable.

The twelfth level of Hell: The Mortar and Pestle Hell.