Chapter 92: Gathering Knowledge
A small figure in a bright red coat stood beneath a tall streetlamp, her hood casting a soft shadow over her face. The lamplight made her look both delicate and alert. Around her feet, in the shifting darkness, something watchful and cunning lurked, a pair of sharp eyes quietly observing the world outside. Those eyes took note of the “outsiders” who were drawing closer, their footsteps echoing along the quiet street.
The girl in the red coat—Little Red Riding Hood—lifted her gaze and immediately recognized Yu Sheng and his companions as they approached. Her expression remained calm and steady, as if greeting old friends.
“Sorry, the taxi took a bit longer than I expected,” Yu Sheng called out, raising his arm in a friendly wave. “Did you wait long?”
“Only a few minutes,” Little Red Riding Hood replied, her voice matter-of-fact. She glanced to the side, as though checking something hidden. “I sent my wolves around the area already. Nothing strange tonight. The Museum should be steady, so this evening is perfect for our work. Did you read all the information I sent?”
“Yeah, I did,” Yu Sheng answered, nodding as his gaze followed hers toward a large, silent structure in the darkness. The building was old, empty for years, and it seemed to breathe ancient secrets.
But that old building wasn’t exactly a “museum.” It was once a theater, now long abandoned and sealed from the public. Somewhere inside its silent halls lay the hidden entrance to the so-called Museum—an Otherworldly place they planned to enter tonight.
Little Red Riding Hood’s voice was firm as she gave them instructions: “Once the Museum Night begins, remember the rules. Don’t touch any items that seem to be breathing. Don’t stare too long at any painted portraits. Don’t go into rooms painted red. And if you see a mannequin dressed like a tour guide, pay close attention to its hands. Whatever door it points to, don’t enter that door or even consider it.”
She paused, giving Yu Sheng and the others a long, careful look. “That’s about it. The Museum is known as a relatively stable Otherworld. Its depth usually stays around L-2. As long as we don’t break the rules, we should be safe. The threat level is marked at Level Two…”
As she spoke, Yu Sheng’s mind drifted back to the “introductory guides” he had studied from the Special Affairs Bureau’s encyclopedia. Registering with the Bureau had given him access to a wealth of information about the supernatural world—knowledge that had helped him understand things like “depth” and “threat levels.” He now grasped what Li Lin and Xu Jiali had meant when they spoke of such things, though before he could never fully make sense of it.