Chapter 10: The Sun Sets, and Every Door Closes

The day’s livestream finally ended. Jiang Chen returned to his hotel room, took a hot shower, and changed into pajamas. He was just about to lie down when someone knocked urgently at the door.

He opened it to find cameraman Wang Qiang standing there with the livestream equipment on his shoulder. Beside him was Liu San, his newly assigned fortune-teller teammate.

Liu San held a willow branch he’d broken off somewhere. Chanting under his breath, he circled Jiang Chen and waved it around.

“The sun sets in the west, the sky turns black, and every household shuts its door! Nine doors out of ten are locked, but one is open still! Away with bad luck, and welcome good fortune!”

Completely baffled, Jiang Chen turned to Wang Qiang. The cameraman looked embarrassed and lowered his voice.

“Jiang Chen, I don’t have a choice. You’re now the production team’s highest-priority person of interest. The director gave strict orders: your stream has to run around the clock, with no blind spots.”

The scene went straight out over the camera. Night-owl viewers perked up, and comments raced across the screen.

【What’s happening? Are they performing a ritual on Jiang Chen in the middle of the night?】

【I’m dying! Physical control didn’t work, so the crew’s trying mind control!】

【That fortune-teller looks pretty professional. Listen to that willow branch crack!】

【The director must be traumatized. A major explosion on day one left him no choice but to watch Jiang Chen twenty-four hours a day.】

【Jiang Chen: I just wanted to do a variety show, and now you’re exorcising me like an evil spirit!】

After a few circles, Liu San stopped in front of Jiang Chen and solemnly counted on his fingers. “Young man, the area between your brows is dark, and your complexion is dim. A sign of great misfortune, I’m afraid. For the safety of our team, why don’t you let me be captain? Follow my lead and I’ll make sure disaster turns to good fortune.”

Jiang Chen was already sleepy. Listening to this nonsense, he raised his hand. “What the hell? You lousy fortune-teller, coming to my room in the middle of the night to play mystic. Keep talking and see if I don’t slap you.”

Liu San tucked in his neck, hurried back two steps, and waved both hands. “A joke! Just a joke!”

He immediately put on a flattering smile and leaned forward. “Brother Chen! I’m older than you, but I call you that gladly! I’m just hoping some of your good fortune rubs off on me!”

Liu San knew exactly what he was doing. His fortune-telling stall under the overpass usually couldn’t draw a soul to his livestream. Today, as soon as he’d been assigned to Jiang Chen’s team, his numbers had exploded. The windfall had left him giddy.

Rubbing his hands, he asked eagerly, “Brother Chen, what’s the plan for tomorrow? I’ll be the sharpest blade in your hand. Point me somewhere and I’ll strike!”

Footsteps sounded in the hallway. Their new teammate Chen Ming, the geography teacher, approached in a faded plaid shirt and black-framed glasses, looking scholarly. He rubbed his hands awkwardly at the door.

“Mr. Jiang, sorry to disturb you. I wanted to ask about tomorrow’s plan too. You’re the captain, after all. I should prepare my lesson in advance.”

Jiang Chen looked at the two men: an eager street swindler and an honest teacher. The situation was crystal clear. He was still the Idea Guy; Liu San was definitely the Action Guy, and Chen Ming was the Easygoing Guy. Some people met kindred spirits among high mountains and flowing water. He’d found accomplices in a ditch.

Viewers picked up on the peculiar combination too.

【Wait! How did we get the same lineup again?】

【The Idea Guy, the Action Guy, and the Easygoing Guy, version 2.0?】

【Didn’t the new rules forbid illegal projects? What can these three do?】

【One teaches you how the world turns; the other handles what happens when you stop turning.】

【That’s savage!】

【Jiang Chen’s probably out of ideas. He can’t take a fortune-teller to teach geography.】

Jiang Chen smiled at the two men. “You sure you want to know tomorrow’s plan?”

They nodded eagerly. “Yes! We really do!”

“Brother Chen, stop keeping us in suspense,” Liu San said, stamping his foot. “I won’t sleep tonight!”

Wang Qiang pricked up his ears, watching Jiang Chen and silently praying for a lawful, wholesome project.

The moment Jiang Chen spoke, that hope shattered.

With a grand wave of his hand, Jiang Chen said, “Listen up. Tomorrow we’re robbing a tomb.”

The air froze. Wind blew through the hallway. Wang Qiang’s camera shook in his hands. The livestream went silent for three full seconds, then question marks flooded the screen.

【Did I hear that right?】

【What did he say?】

【Not sightseeing?】

【Not visiting a grave?】

【Tomb robbing???】

【Bro, this is a lifestyle reality show, not an audition for *The Lost Tomb*!】

Wang Qiang swallowed and slowly lowered the camera. “Brother Jiang?”

“Hm?”

“Just to confirm… you said visiting a grave?” His voice trembled.

Jiang Chen shook his head.

“Archaeology?”

Another shake of the head.

Wang Qiang’s voice weakened, his legs shaking. “Then what do you mean by tomb robbing?”

“Exactly what you think it means.”

Wang Qiang opened his mouth, but no sound came out for a long moment. The stream erupted.

【What? Actual tomb robbing?】

【Holy shit! So that’s what the dragon-seeking verse was about!】

【A fortune-teller and a geography teacher? Their skills fit way too well!】

【Production crew, run! Your resident menace is at it again!】

This time Wang Qiang knew better. He set the camera on a hallway cabinet and ran for the emergency stairwell, frantically dialing the director.

“Director, answer the phone!”

It rang a long time before a sleepy voice answered. “Who’s wailing in the middle of the night?”

“Director, it’s me! Wang Qiang, Jiang Chen’s cameraman! Wake up! I need extra people tomorrow, and you’d better file a report with the police in advance!”

The director sat bolt upright, his voice jumping an octave. “What? Why do you need extra people? What’s he making by hand this time?!”

Wang Qiang grabbed at his hair. “He’s not making anything! He just said they’re going tomb robbing tomorrow!”

The other end fell silent for two seconds. Then came a long sigh. “Oh, come on. Stop panicking. Tomb robbing? Where? What ancient tombs are there to rob in this backwater Jiangzhou? It’s a stunt to bait comments. All right, wash up and go to sleep.”

He hung up.

Wang Qiang stood frozen, listening to the dead line. Through the crack in the stairwell door, he watched Liu San and Chen Ming animatedly discussing feng shui and geological plates. His hand shook so badly he could barely hold his phone.

What would happen tomorrow? Please, you lunatic, spare me! I don’t want to be your accomplice!