Chapter 41: Dark Amulet’s Backlash

　　"Close to death?" Tiger gasped. "Is that Lucky Sister Brand really that powerful?"

　　"Let me put it this way: whether it's raising child spirits or worshipping dark amulets, it's essentially borrowing fortune from such entities. It's like taking out a high-interest loan—the more you borrow, the more you have to repay," Lu Fei explained gravely.

　　"When there's nothing left to repay, the only thing left is your life."

　　"The faster and more effective the amulet, the harsher the backlash."

　　"My goodness!" Tiger's eyes widened, visibly shaken. "When I used to go out collecting with my previous boss, we'd sometimes come across people selling dark amulets. Lucky for me, I couldn't afford one!"

　　"Most dark amulets on the market are fakes; finding a real one isn't easy. Looks like Lulu was 'lucky' enough to get an authentic one."

　　"You warned her to get rid of it quickly, but she didn't listen. Now look at her—on the verge of losing her life."

　　"People tend to have a sense of invincibility. They think they can stop in time before anything bad happens."

　　Both of them shook their heads, reflecting on the situation.

　　After that day, Lulu suddenly disappeared from the internet, her social media accounts suspended. No one knew what had happened.

　　Just when Lu Fei and Tiger assumed she had faded from the scene, she reappeared at Evil Pawnshop.

　　"Shopkeeper Lu, please save me!"

　　Still wrapped up in her thick attire, Lulu took off her sunglasses as soon as she stepped in, revealing her haggard, blackened eyes. She pleaded tearfully with Lu Fei.

　　"Miss Lulu?!" Lu Fei exchanged a surprised look with Tiger.

　　"What's going on with you now?"

　　"I'm dying! I really am!" Lulu broke down, placing the Lucky Sister Brand on the counter. "Shopkeeper Lu, please, take this thing away from me!"

　　"I should've listened to you and gotten rid of it sooner—I wouldn't be in this horrifying state!"

　　"My account's been banned, my company wants to fire me and make me pay damages, and my boyfriend is leaving me!"

　　"I tried finding the person who sold me the Sister Brand, but he vanished."

　　"I don't want to die…"

　　Lulu sobbed bitterly, removing her mask.

　　"Your face!"

　　Both Lu Fei and Tiger were taken aback.

　　Lulu wasn't wearing that ghastly "death makeup" now, but her face was covered with deep knife wounds, raw and ragged like writhing worms, distorting her once-sweet features into something grotesque.

　　Even if the wounds healed, the scars would remain, permanently marring her beauty.

　　For an influencer, disfigurement was the ultimate blow.

　　"It's not just my face. My hands, my body—they're all covered in cuts!"

　　"These past few days, I've been in a constant daze, sometimes fainting randomly. I'd wake up covered in fresh wounds, with no idea what I'd done."

　　"At night, I feel as if a pair of hands is gripping me, and I can't control myself. I'm terrified that the next cut I make will be across my throat!"

　　Her blackened eyes were filled with pure terror.

　　Tiger couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy.

　　After all, she hadn't done anything truly wicked; she'd just wanted fame. She'd chosen the wrong method and ended up paying a terrible price—a pitiful outcome.

　　"If you'd pawned the Sister Brand to me that day, I would've been more confident in helping you," Lu Fei said, hesitant. "But with the backlash at this level, I can't guarantee anything."

　　If Evil Pawnshop took on a case, it was obligated to resolve it. But with Lulu in this condition, Lu Fei wasn't entirely confident.

　　Lulu immediately responded, "I'll do whatever you say, as long as you save me!"

　　"That's not what I meant." After thinking it over, Lu Fei said, "Simply getting rid of the necklace might not be enough. Sister Brands usually have a dedicated altar at home, and that's the key."

　　"Yes, yes! The altar's at my place. I've been offering her favorite things every day because I'm afraid I'll die faster if I stop," Lulu replied, nodding frantically.

　　"Alright, bring the altar here. If I can handle it, I'll try my best." After the last experience, Lu Fei wasn't about to take on the task without examining the object thoroughly.

　　"I… I'm afraid to move the altar myself. How about you come to my place?"

　　"That's fine too."

　　"Thank you so much!"

　　Relieved, Lulu wiped away her tears, put on her hat and mask, and immediately insisted that Lu Fei and Tiger accompany her to her home.

　　She acted jumpy the entire way, as if sneaking around, even holding an umbrella against the sun.

　　Ironically, her extreme precautions only drew more attention. After all, summer had already begun, and most people were in short sleeves or dresses. Seeing someone wrapped up like a mummy was bound to attract stares.

　　Lu Fei noticed that Lulu seemed to fear more than just being recognized—it was almost as if she was afraid of the sunlight itself.

　　Not a single inch of her skin was exposed to the daylight.

　　After leaving the antique street, Lulu hailed a cab and directed Lu Fei and Tiger to her residence.

　　Seated in the confined space of the taxi, Lu Fei caught another whiff of the rancid odor under the heavy perfume. It seemed stronger than before.

　　Where was that smell coming from?

　　It must be the result of the dark amulet's backlash.

　　The whole ride, Lulu fidgeted anxiously, repeatedly urging the driver to speed up.

　　She wasn't sure when she might lose consciousness again, so she had to find help while she was still somewhat lucid.

　　"We're here."

　　The cab screeched to a halt.

　　Lulu hurriedly stepped out.

　　She lived in a hotel-style apartment building, rumored to house a large percentage of influencers and known as the "Influencer Apartments."

　　Keeping her head down, Lulu hurried through the entrance, only slowing down once she was out of the sun.

　　They took the elevator up to the 14th floor.

　　As soon as the door to her apartment opened, a foul stench rushed out to greet them.

　　It was a mix of decay, blood, and perfume, all mingling into one repulsive smell.

　　The place was a mess, with clothes and various items strewn everywhere, resembling a garbage dump.

　　"My room wasn't always like this," Lulu said, a bit embarrassed, but she quickly led them to the altar for the Sister Spirit without further explanation.

　　In the shadowed corner of the room was a small, dedicated altar piled with makeup, perfume, and jewelry.

　　Lu Fei didn't recognize the brands, but judging by the logos he'd seen on TV, they were high-end.

　　Amidst all the luxury items was a small, rectangular black wooden box, standing like a revered centerpiece.

　　This was likely the Sister Spirit's urn.

　　Inside, it probably contained her ashes, hair, or perhaps even corpse oil.

　　"Shopkeeper Lu, what do you think?" Lulu asked anxiously.

　　"Hold on."

　　Without touching it, Lu Fei narrowed his eyes, inspecting the small urn. He quickly noticed something unusual about the wood.

　　It was as dark as charcoal yet still retained a wooden sheen. Dark energy swirled around the entire box, but the energy didn't seem to be coming from the contents—it was emanating from the box itself.

　　"A wooden box with inherent dark energy… Could it be…" Lu Fei was incredulous. "Could it be made of yinwood?!"