Astrology Hall with Flesh and Blood

Chapter 46

Wait! Yang Chunxia felt all the blood rush to her head, making it difficult for her to speak. "I have no problem handing over power, but before I leave, I must tell you a great secret, a great secret about the prosperity of the Wan family..."

Her throat tightened, and a sweet, metallic liquid welled up inside her. Her vision blurred, her eyes rapidly shooting upwards. Just as she collapsed heavily onto the handmade pure wool jacquard carpet from Kashmiri, a single word flashed through her mind:

Stroke.

Her body was as still as a puppet with its strings cut; her mouth struggled to open and close, but no sound came out. Wanli…my daughter… She moved her fingers with difficulty, trying to write a few words on the expensive carpet…Without those girls, who will save my daughter…

Wan Li coldly observed her agonizing struggle and death until Yang Chunxia breathed her last, at which point she finally stretched out with a long yawn.

"What's there to get so worked up about! The sanatorium isn't going to eat you!"

She started making calls, first cancelling the VIP suite offer, then releasing the regrettable news. She had a lot to do after that!

The doorman was initially reluctant to let the strange man in, but he pulled a special pass from his black trench coat. The pass, made of solid gold and engraved with the signatures of the deceased master and mistress, was enough to prove this man was no ordinary person. Wan Li lazily went downstairs, fully assuming he was the first guest to arrive to offer condolences.

The man was completely wrapped in a black trench coat and hood, the collar of which obscured most of his face. The next moment, he impeccably removed his hat and bowed, his half-dark, half-silver hair momentarily dazzling Wan Li's eyes. She instinctively reached out, feeling his cool tongue gently kissing her skin, slippery and incredibly comfortable; she almost moaned.

The man straightened up. She then noticed that he was tall and slender, with a graceful bearing and strikingly deep features. His icy green eyes, paired with his pale skin, accentuated his mysterious and elegant aura. He appeared to be no more than thirty, yet he exuded an unusually calm and mature presence. A man of indescribable handsomeness! Compared to him, Baihu was like a naive young man, handsome and sexy, but merely a shallow pool, lacking the deep, all-encompassing, and magnetic qualities of the ocean. Wan Li's heart trembled violently. She already imagined herself lying in the man's arms, entwined tightly, panting…

I'm sorry, White Tiger! In this moment of intense emotion, she actually thought of apologizing to the young man she couldn't have. Although you are handsome and sexy, and although I really like your good looks—I like the man in front of me even more!

A man even more handsome than Baihu… She frowned, feeling a shadow of him lingering deep in her memory… But she had no time to think further; desire stirred within her veins. She gazed up at his pale, handsome face, expressionless except for a mysterious smile, then sighed and was pulled into his embrace.

Sweet, profound, and boundless darkness. She sank into that shadowy embrace, feeling an unprecedented sense of relaxation. Like a boat adrift on a shallow river, she sank deeper and deeper, involuntarily…

That is the suffocating embrace of death, and that will be eternal peace and tranquility.

Volume 3 Hellish Record: The Sheep's Song (Twenty-Seven) - End

The Lord sent Nathan to David. So Nathan came to David and said to him, “In a town there are two men, one rich and one poor.”

“The rich man had many cattle and sheep, but the poor man had nothing but a single ewe he had bought and raised. The lamb grew up in his home with his children; it ate his food, drank from his cup, and slept in his lap as if it were his own daughter. A traveler came to the rich man, but the rich man would not give any of his own cattle or sheep to the traveler, but instead gave the poor man's ewe lamb to his guest.”

David was very angry with the man and said to Nathan, “As surely as the Lord lives, the man who did this deserves to die. He must pay back four times the value of the lamb, because he did it and because he had no mercy.”

Nathan said to David, 'You are the man!'

A magnetic male voice flowed gently in her ear, ethereal and melodious like sacred music from heaven, slowly awakening her fading consciousness. She didn't know it came from a famous story in 2 Samuel chapter 12 of the Old Testament, yet, in response to the gentle recitation, two crystal tears slowly welled up in the corners of her eyes.

She was such a poor woman who had nothing, and even the love she once experienced turned out to be nothing more than a fleeting, romantic dream. She had only one thing that truly belonged to her: her life.

He was her only lamb.

But what about her relatives? They have granaries full of cattle and sheep, making a fortune every day, yet they still want to take away her lambs too—those are the so-called "great figures" who are her so-called "parents," those are her so-called sister!

"Hi, Dolly the Sheep." The solemn male voice turned frivolous in an instant. "Are you satisfied with the truth behind my birthday present to you?"

White Tiger?!

She opened her eyes listlessly, and there he was, a handsome yet wicked face, watching her with amusement. Who knew how he'd managed to sneak into this rubber cell so quietly? His strong, powerful arms gently cradled her head, coaxing Dolly like a loving father.

"Kill me...kill me..." She was too weak to get up, and could only clutch his sleeve, unconsciously repeating these three words over and over again—at this moment, she suddenly realized that only death was the only way out.

A warm smile spread across Baihu's blue eyes. "What I want is not your life..." He shook his head firmly and slowly, whispering in her ear, "but your inescapable despair."

"Why do I exist? From the moment I was born, I began to ponder this question. After so many years of continuous thought, I finally realized that people exist because they are needed by others!" He was extremely excited, waving his hands in the air. "Because my mother needs me to love her, needs me to avenge her, so she summoned me into this world—I'm so happy!" A blush suddenly swept across his cheeks. "I love it when my mother calls my name. To hear it more often, I deliberately hide and don't come out, just to hear her call it again and again: 'White Tiger!' 'White Tiger!'"

He seemed lost in memories, falling into a strange silence, and only after a long while did he continue:

"But not long after, my mother was killed by my father! I was overjoyed because I thought that my father killed my mother to take me away from her... My father needed me more than my mother, so he didn't hesitate to kill her!"

He stopped again, deliberately waiting for Dolly to ask a question.

"Isn't that right?" she pressed, just as he wanted to.

The white tiger let out a clucking laugh from deep in its throat, "He actually let me go... That beast, he actually hurt me! So I warned him that one day, the flames of hatred would descend upon him, and I would punish him in my own way!"

Hatred…! Dolly’s tears blurred her vision. Two days ago, she might have thought the White Tiger’s past was a joke, but now she could fully understand the hatred he harbored… She too was a child needed and eagerly awaited by her parents, but her sole purpose in being born was to serve as a scapegoat for her twin sister, Wanli, who had been pampered since childhood and grew up to be greedy and lewd! Apart from her innate body, no one needed her to exist!

Sheep and tigers share a common plight... the despair of being unwanted by everyone...

“For the rest of my life, I have always followed the orders of others to burn, kill, loot, and do all sorts of evil things,” Baihu stroked her hair. “Now that I have finally gained my freedom, I can finally follow my own heart.”

Was he no longer Wanli's obedient servant? Dolly secretly placed her hand on his palm, and at that moment she deeply hated her own weakness—alas, this man who took her virginity, she could never forget him even if she wanted to for the rest of her life.

“We need each other.” The deep male voice was as alluring and seductive as a lover’s whisper. “Having been abandoned by everyone, since we’ve survived by sheer luck, why not do something worthwhile?”

“The only thing I want to do right now is to hate…” Dolly nestled her head softly against his chest, only there was she felt safe. “I hate my parents who treated me like livestock, I hate my older sister who parasitized me and enjoyed wealth and luxury… No!” she screamed, clutching her head. “I hate everyone, all those blissfully ignorant idiots, all those wriggling around in the sunlight… every living human being! I hate them all!”

"Plus the dead and the half-dead humans..." the white tiger added with a smile, "Don't forget my share."

“Then, to celebrate the birth of ‘Dark Lilith,’” he said earnestly, cupping her face in his hands and pressing a kiss to her dark, bluish lips, “let’s go on a killing spree!”

"Sir, you're back?" Maya sat on the table, newspapers almost completely covering her. She didn't budge an inch at the astrologer who had returned from a long trip, only giving a casual smirk: "The yogurt is in the fridge, 500ml each of plain, aloe vera, and peach flavors. I didn't buy more because I was worried you wouldn't make it back today."

The astrologer slumped wearily into a chair, too exhausted to even walk. "Any important news lately?"

"Isn't it just the same old entertainment gossip?" Maya pouted. "Oh, right, that actress Pandora escaped from kidnappers and is now in the hospital recovering—it's all over the newspapers!"

"'The kidnapper pierced the century's best breasts'—I knew it! How could someone with such a thin figure have such big breasts! It must be fake! Now she's exposed, isn't she? Flat as a board, as smooth as a mirror!" Perhaps because she herself has a loli figure, Maya has extremely high standards for women's figures, especially their breasts.

"Pandora embroiled in saline bag controversy," the astrologer glanced at the large, eye-catching headline from the side. Pandora's familiar, beautiful face reminded him of events from decades ago... As if echoing the beginning, below the huge photo of the flat-chested Pandora, a short news item read:

A fire broke out at the Wanshi Group villa, killing all 117 people, including the current chairman Yang Chunxia and employees. All the furnishings were destroyed. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the police… Additionally, the heiress, Ms. Wan Li, is missing…

"By the way, sir," Maya asked curiously, "did your debt collection go smoothly this time?"

The astrologer did not answer; his gaze was fixed on the woman in the newspaper, as if trying to peel away a complete story from beneath her exquisite makeup.

"A child raised in a honey pot will taste so bitter." He replied abruptly.

Volume 3: The Suicide Watcher of the Hell Record (Part 1)

"Damn it!" the driver cursed angrily, forcing the taxi to a slow, forced stop. Before him stretched several parallel lines of cars, a long, dark column resembling beetles, seemingly endless, extending from the top of the asphalt approach bridge far from the Yangtze River Bridge all the way to the horizon. It was a traffic jam, and not just a simple traffic jam. Car horns blared impatiently, fueling the irritation of the passengers, yet not a single car in sight moved an inch. Within a minute of the driver's curse, the car behind him was already completely blocked by another densely packed line of vehicles.

"Another person is going to jump off the bridge!" The news spread like wildfire through thousands of stranded cars. Since its construction, this Yangtze River bridge has failed to fulfill its original purpose as a transportation link, instead becoming a suicide hotspot for countless residents of the city. According to relevant data, my country has 2 million attempted suicides annually, with 287,000 actually committing suicide each year, of which 210,000 succeed. Every two minutes, one person dies by suicide in my country, and eight attempt suicide. Suicide ranks fifth among the causes of death in China, and is the leading cause of death among young adults aged 15 to 34. Since the bridge stood proudly over the Yangtze River, all those in the city contemplating suicide have chosen this place as their final destination, a dramatic end to their short and imperfect lives. However, it's unclear when, but some new faces have begun using "suicide" as bait among them. Some jump off bridges after failing to get their wages; others commit suicide because their sons scored high on the college entrance exam but they can't afford the exorbitant tuition fees; still others do so because they can't afford medical expenses for sick family members. If these people were forced into suicide by life's hardships, it would be understandable, even heartbreaking. Indeed, many suicide attempts have caused a stir in provinces and cities, and those who survived quickly resolved their life's problems. As a result, imitators flocked to the scene like flies. Every little thing—wife eloping, unpaid debts, failing exams, marital discord, mother-in-law arguments—seems to be resolved by jumping off a bridge. It's as if the government and relevant agencies are obligated to intervene and seek justice simply because the person jumps—not obligated, but forced to. Whenever someone claims to be jumping off a bridge, police, special police, firefighters, and water police are inevitably mobilized, on high alert. Even if the Yangtze River Bridge isn't completely closed, traffic is severely disrupted. Over time, the initial sympathy from onlookers quickly transforms into extreme anger and dissatisfaction. "Go ahead and jump if you dare!" This is the most common heartfelt cry from drivers stuck in traffic.

This time was no exception. The driver craned his neck out of the window, gazing into the seemingly endless distance and cursing under his breath. Based on his past experience, once a traffic jam occurred, it couldn't be cleared until the suicidal person resolved their issue, and the wrangling negotiations between the suicidal person and the government would take at least four or five hours to resolve smoothly. He remembered that just a week ago, during the suicide show on this very bridge, the traffic jam lasted for five hours, blocking a stretch of ten kilometers and affecting as many as 70,000 vehicles, causing an unprecedentedly severe social backlash. The thought of those who used suicide as a pretext to whine and whine to the public, collectively whining and tantrums, filled the driver with utter disgust. "If you want to jump, then jump!" he had roared along with everyone else last time, his anger venting freely from his throat.

"Traffic jam?" the passenger in the back seat asked calmly, his composed tone like an icy rain falling on a summer night, carrying an incongruous chill. Everyone else, faced with a severe traffic jam, would become agitated, their faces flushed, veins bulging, sweat pouring down their faces—except for him. He seemed detached from the situation, and consequently, from the ever-increasing meter. Money meant nothing to him, and he paid no heed to the passing of time.

"It must be some son of a bitch jumping off the bridge again!" the driver cursed. "Committing suicide every other day, are they trying to kill us all? If they have the guts, they should just jump off and end it all!"

He wasn't the first onlooker to shout for him to jump. On the bridge blocked by the unknown suicide victim, the vast majority likely shared the same thought. After all, the tradition of prioritizing the interests of the majority when individual interests conflict with collective interests has been passed down since ancient times. While they might not have uttered words like, "For the sake of our smooth traffic flow, please jump already!" they still hoped for a swift resolution to restore the bridge's original convenient function. Whether the outcome was the suicide victim abandoning his suicidal thoughts and returning to life, or simply taking a careless leap, was beyond their consideration. Ultimately, if not oneself, who else can be expected to take responsibility for one's own life?

The driver only saw a dark shadow flash by, and the passenger was gracefully standing outside the car. "I'm going to clear some traffic, I'll be right back," he said with a smile, his expression undeniably authoritative. "Until then, please wait for me here, okay?"

The driver didn't even have time to object. He watched the passenger's black figure disappear into the distance, forgetting even to ask for the fare back.

The astrologer moved with ease through the narrow gaps between cars, like a black raven soaring through a dense forest of humans. Along the way, he received thousands of curses from drivers and passengers directed at the suicidal man, and now he felt an increasing interest in this unfortunate soul. When he finally caught a glimpse of purple, surrounded by police at a distance, an elegant, faint smile appeared on his thin lips.

She was a young girl, around twenty years old, with fair and radiant skin, fully displaying the enviable quality of youth. Her face was small, with a pointed chin, and her almond-shaped eyes slanted upwards, exuding a cunning and alluring air. At this moment, her dark eyes darted about intensely, the word "shrewd" clearly etched on her forehead. She straddled the concrete railing of the bridge, her legs apart, her hands tightly gripping the iron bars beside her.

A girl radiating such vitality and energy wouldn't commit suicide. The astrologer deduced this from the first glance; she was merely using the excuse of destroying her youthful beauty to gain something else. Sure enough, a middle-aged man was struggling to explain something to her.

“We can’t meet your demands,” “Undergraduates all share rooms in groups of four, we can’t make exceptions for them”… The astrologer watched as the man struggled to explain, while the girl just shook her head with a cold laugh, her one leg dangling higher and higher. “How about we make a deal?” he suddenly interjected, “Whatever your wish, I can grant it.”

The girl's legs stopped shaking.

“Since you’ve already gambled with your life,” the astrologer chuckled softly, his icy green eyes narrowing into slits, “why not go all the way? What do you say?”

Volume 3: The Suicide Watcher of the Hell Record (Part 2)

The girl's name was Bai Feifei. A somewhat unusual name, yet it carried the high hopes of her family. From elementary to middle school, she consistently ranked at the top of her class, the apple of her parents' eye, and being spoiled had become a habit. Upon entering high school, she suddenly found her studies difficult, her grades plummeted, and she became extremely frustrated, even to the point of emotional breakdowns and wanting to avoid school. Ignoring her family's objections, she took a year off from school on her own, only returning after slightly adjusting her mindset. Faced with her unauthorized action, her parents were powerless and dared not interfere. Later, she was admitted to an ordinary university.

Leaving her doting parents and suddenly integrating into the unfamiliar environment of university was incredibly difficult for Bai Feifei to adapt to. She was fairly pretty and eloquent, attracting the attention of many boys. However, her true nature was revealed in front of her female classmates. She was extremely shrewd and never willing to suffer any loss; not only that, she also loved to take advantage of others—if those around her accepted the loss, it would be fine, but they were all classmates, also only children of their parents, so why should she get away with everything? Furthermore, the pampered Bai Feifei only cared about herself and never considered others. Within a semester, her female classmates tried to distance themselves from her and avoid her. If they couldn't afford to offend her, couldn't they at least avoid her? According to one of her roommates, her true nature wasn't particularly hateful, just unlikable. Bai Feifei gradually felt a sense of loneliness and exclusion. From the actions of her seven roommates, she keenly sensed that she was being excluded. Most people would react to this situation in one of two ways: either actively seek the reason and try to reintegrate into the group, or turn to other options and seek new companions.

But she didn't.

She chose to fight.

In her eyes, those seven girls had ganged up on her, and if she easily surrendered, it would be a sign of weakness and defeat, the greatest failure and humiliation of her life. "What right do you have to bully me?" she shouted at the mirror. "I'll fight you to the end!"

She began to fight this battle alone. Knowing her roommates had exams the next day, she deliberately made loud phone calls at 1 a.m., behaving wildly and gesticulating wildly, keeping the entire dorm awake. The next day, when her roommates returned listlessly from their exams and found her still sleeping, they turned on music. She then launched into a tirade of profanities, using every kind of vulgar language imaginable. Her roommates, enraged, retorted, and she jumped out of bed and attacked them… This incident had a terrible impact, alarming the counselor and department heads. All seven roommates demanded she move out, but the counselor's mediation resulted in Bai Feifei apologizing, barely calming the anger between them. However, Bai Feifei didn't genuinely apologize. Instead, she learned from her previous experience and racked her brains every day for better ways to deal with "them." The war within the dorm lacked the smoke of gunpowder, but it was more devastating to one's will and physical strength than any real battle. Both sides were exhausted as rivals. Finally, taking advantage of the university's dormitory upgrade, which changed the number of undergraduates from eight to four, the four roommates luckily escaped her clutches.

The remaining three roommates shared the bad luck. Exhausted from the ordeal, they frequently reported their situation to the counselor, their plight so dire that even the counselor couldn't bear to watch. He found Bai Feifei and talked to her for an entire night. "Try to see things from other people's perspectives, be more considerate of others..." the counselor's advice began.

Bai Feifei scoffed at this, "Stupid is the only word!" She glared with her bright phoenix eyes, "I'm not some living saint!"

Her stubbornness and obstinacy far exceeded the young counselor's expectations. He carefully adjusted his glasses and softly said, "As the ancients said, 'Take a step back and the sea and sky will broaden...'"

"That's a sign of weakness, it's surrender!" she exclaimed dramatically. "Doing that would be worse than death for me!"

Having said all that, there was no point in trying to persuade her anymore. The counselor could only sigh inwardly and change her dorm room. Perhaps in a new environment, with some new friends, she would be less aggressive? He imagined it so hopefully.

Sure enough, less than a week later, she had another falling out with her new roommate. Again, it was over a trivial matter. She actually went to the rooftop alone, and the anxious faces of the teachers and students below gave her ample confidence. "If you don't give me a new dorm, I'll jump!" Her bold words finally convinced the teachers. She hid her smug smile deep inside and proudly carried her bedding into her third dorm room. This time, she gained more than just a new dorm room; she received an overwhelming outpouring of concern. For a long time, she hadn't been the center of attention, and all she received from teachers and students was indifference—but now, simply by threatening to jump, she seemed to have returned to her former lofty and respected status, admired by everyone—even if they had only gathered there out of fear for her safety.

She began to use her skills to the fullest. The library, teaching buildings, and administration buildings… wherever there was any height on campus, she left her mark, seemingly poised to leap over them. With this ability, she obtained many things she desired but could not have. This time, her vision was broader and more far-reaching; she deliberately chose the Yangtze River Bridge, a conspicuous location, making a truly spectacular move.

What she wanted was a private dorm room. She didn't want to share a room with others and have to put up with their opinions; she wanted to live quietly by herself.

The person who came to persuade her was the vice principal in charge of students. Like all the teachers, he considered Bai Feifei a headache and wished this suicidal devil would graduate and leave the school as soon as possible. In his own mind, if sacrificing a dormitory room could settle the troublesome Bai Feifei, that would be ideal; he'd gladly hand it over. But he feared she would take advantage and make some strange demands later. Just then, a man exuding a mysterious aura appeared before them. He was tall, elegant, handsome, and strangely beautiful; he was like Mephistopheles from Faust, subtly stirring up Bai Feifei's desires.

“In exchange for your body, I can grant you any wish until you are satisfied.” A strand of silver hair reflected the shimmering water beneath the bridge from under his hat brim, its color so clear and pure. “Until you are satisfied, I will remain at your beck and call.” He lowered his head deeply, as if to kiss Bai Feifei’s delicate fingers. “My Queen.”

A faint smile crept onto Bai Feifei's radiant face. "Haha, until I'm satisfied... interesting."

As if summoned by some inexplicable force, she deliberately extended her slender fingers to the astrologer's lips, "I believe that it will be a very, very, extremely long time, won't it?"

Volume 3: The Suicide Watcher of the Hell Record (Part 3)

She got her wish and occupied a private dormitory room, finally escaping the agonizing experience of living with her college roommates and saying goodbye to them forever. She initially enjoyed the pleasures of living alone, doing whatever she pleased, but soon discovered that a persistent sense of loneliness had quietly taken hold of her. Bai Feifei's suicide attempt had made her famous, causing her neighbors to keep their distance, fearing she might commit suicide at the slightest provocation and bring bad luck upon them. Under these circumstances, not only were there very few friends visiting, but even the girls she usually encountered in the hallway avoided her like the plague. The more Bai Feifei had longed for solitude before, the more she now hated those who ostracized and isolated her.

"Satisfied," that was the condition the handsome man in black offered her. As long as she remained dissatisfied, the man would continue to be at her beck and call—ha, what a bargain! Only a fool would say he was satisfied!

Without delay, she rushed towards 666 Frozen Street. "Hey!" She didn't care what the man's name was, and shouted loudly before even entering the door, "I'm so pissed off right now!"

The man sat upright at the table, his eyes fixed on a cup of thick, white yogurt. A doll with jet-black hair perched on his shoulder—strangely, it was moving? The doll wriggled in dissatisfaction and squealed in a shrill voice:

"What do you mean by 'feed'? How dare you be so rude to a gentleman?!"

"It's alright." The astrologer extended his palm and gently patted Maya's head. "Is something troubling you, guest?"

She plopped down angrily, not forgetting to roll her eyes at Maya. "Of course it's a dorm problem! Even a fool could figure that out!" She spat out a single, vicious word through gritted teeth, "Idiot!"

Maya had never seen such an arrogant and rude female customer before. Stunned, she raised her small fists, wanting nothing more than to beat the woman up and avenge her beloved husband. However, the astrologer stopped her first.

"Excuse my bluntness," the astrologer said, feigning surprise as she raised her beautiful eyebrows, "but haven't you already gotten a dormitory room? You no longer have to fight with those annoying roommates and can finally live a peaceful and happy life—isn't that your long-held wish?"

“That’s true…” Bai Feifei’s beautiful brows furrowed into a deep frown, “But peace can get boring after a while. I want a few true friends,” her eyes gleaming, “not the annoying kind, but real friends I can talk to! Get it done quickly!”

A strange light flashed in the astrologer's icy green eyes. "I understand," he replied, lowering his head to conceal his true expression.

Bai Feifei returned to her dorm room excitedly and turned on her computer. Since having a room all to herself and losing the friendship of her classmates, she had been so lonely that she could only devote all her energy to the virtual world of the internet. Unlike people in real life, online friends wouldn't get into big fights over trivial matters, let alone get involved in financial disputes. Chatting about romance and nature in the virtual world, sending virtual smiles and blessings anytime, anywhere, satisfied her soul without harming her real-world interests—in Bai Feifei's view, this was the most ideal and normal friendship. Pampered by numerous online friends, she only needed to complain a little, and voices of help or comfort from all over the world would rain down upon her, until they overwhelmed her. If only all of this could come true! She often thought to herself wistfully.

She logged onto QQ as usual. As soon as she logged on, she saw a notification that someone had added her to a group and promoted her to administrator. She hesitated, then moved the mouse; the group name flashed eerily on the screen.

The Glass City of the White Queen.