"Can you hear the voice in my heart?" Li Banfeng exclaimed, quickly retreating two steps.
Ling Miaosheng smiled. "Sir, there’s no need to worry. I can honestly tell you that I am a Peeping Cultivation practitioner. It’s precisely because I heard music in your heart that I introduced so many phonographs to you. I know you are a person who loves music, and I am also willing to become your friend. However, I just heard the sound of venting steam, and I think I won’t be able to offer you any help. There are only two Amikan Country Steam Phonographs in all of Puluo State. One is on the Lu Family’s private train, and the other’s whereabouts are unknown. I guess you have a special affection for that phonograph, but unfortunately, I’m afraid I can’t help you with that."
Ling Miaosheng was ready to see his guest out.
Li Banfeng glanced around. "The Sewing Machine Phonograph and the Bellows Phonograph—I’ll buy them."
Ling Miaosheng was taken aback, then shook his head slightly. "Sir, I must remind you, each phonograph has its own distinctive characteristics and sound. These two can’t provide what you’re looking for, and besides, they aren’t cheap."
Li Banfeng nodded. "Name your price. I’m buying them."
Indeed, these two phonographs were not cheap: the Bellows Phonograph cost 60,000, and the Sewing Machine Phonograph cost 70,000.
But Li Banfeng thought the gears and bearings inside could probably be useful, and he paid in cash without hesitation.
In the corner of the room, he spotted another machine, one not on display. Li Banfeng caught the scent of fuel from it.
"Let me have a look at this one!"
Ling Miaosheng hurriedly explained, "Sir, this is not a phonograph. This is a Shadow Play Machine."
This particular projector, however, had nothing to do with electricity. In Puluo State, most movie theaters also had nothing to do with electricity. Films didn’t actually need electricity; light, film, and a way to turn the reels were all that was required.
When Ling Miaosheng lifted the covering cloth, Li Banfeng’s eyes lit up.
"This is an Amikan Country Steam Projector. It burns grease. You’ve seen a Steam Phonograph, so you should be familiar with its operating principle," Ling Miaosheng explained, demonstrating the Shadow Play Machine to Li Banfeng.
First, he placed the heavy film canister and hung up the screen. Then, Ling Miaosheng lit the grease. Inside the fuel tank were three mirrors, positioned to reflect the flame’s light behind the lens. The flames served as both the power for the Steam Engine and the light source for the Projector.
He adjusted the focus and built up the pressure. The piston rose, steam vented, and the connecting rod drove the gears—the projector began to run.
It was a fifteen-minute black and white film. It depicted the bizarre adventures of a man and a woman stranded on a desert island—hardly any plot, just absurd and comical performances.
After the film finished, Ling Miaosheng extinguished the projector’s flame and said to Li Banfeng, "This Shadow Play Machine, like the Steam Phonograph, comes from the same factory. Its price is also quite steep."
Ling Miaosheng quoted a price of 300,000.
Li Banfeng didn’t bargain.
Using the pretext of going home to get the money, Li Banfeng went to his Portable Residence. Upon returning, he paid directly, buying both phonographs and the projector.
Ling Miaosheng was surprised by Li Banfeng’s straightforwardness and gifted him thirty records and twenty films. Li Banfeng also bought ten barrels of grease and two barrels of machine oil. He then hired a carriage to have the two phonographs and the projector loaded up for delivery.
Li Banfeng casually provided an address. Once they reached a small alley, he had the carriage driver unload everything.
The carriage driver even offered a reminder, "Boss Ling already paid me. He told me to help you carry these things into your house."
Li Banfeng waved his hand. "No need to bring them inside. This is fine. You can head back."
The driver, pleased with the easy job, chuckled and happily left.
Li Banfeng was about to take out his keys, preparing to move the items into his Portable Residence, when he suddenly sensed malice approaching from behind.
Li Banfeng turned around abruptly to see a young man quickly walking towards him.
They were less than ten meters apart. When the young man noticed Li Banfeng had spotted him, he halted, looking at Li Banfeng with a smile.
As he pondered, danger loomed from all directions. Five people emerged from the alleys on both sides of the lane, surrounding Li Banfeng.
They walked without making a sound. One of them reached out and touched a phonograph, another touched the projector, and a third reached for Li Banfeng. He felt his inner pocket suddenly go empty—his wallet was gone.
A man wearing suspenders opened Li Banfeng’s wallet and said to a man in a suit with a laugh, "Boss, look! This guy’s loaded. There’s more than 10,000 in this wallet."
The man in the suit laughed. "Like you needed to tell me? If he weren’t wealthy, could he afford such expensive phonographs? And he bought so many! Listen, brother, you’re so rich, how about you share some with us? Let’s be friends."
Li Banfeng nodded. "Sure, let’s be friends. What’s your name?"
The crowd burst into laughter, the man in suspenders clutching his stomach. He turned to the man in the suit. "Boss, he’s asking for your name! You gonna tell him?"
The man in the suit chuckled. "I won’t tell you my name, but we’re from the Ghost Hand Sect. You can ask around about our reputation in Greenwater City. You won’t lose out by making friends with us."
"I agree, I don’t think I’ll lose out. You can have the money in the wallet. Does that mean we’re friends now?"
"That amount isn’t quite enough," the man in the suit said, eyeing the wallet in the suspender-clad man’s hand and then the phonographs beside Li Banfeng. "Leave these phonographs behind too. Although we don’t know the market, things from Ling Miaosheng’s shop are sure to fetch a good price."
"I can’t give you the phonographs," Li Banfeng said, shaking his head.
The man in suspenders laughed. In a flash, he was in front of Li Banfeng, patting Li Banfeng’s face with his own wallet. "What did you just say? You said ’can’t’? You’re saying ’can’t’ to *us*? Do you know the consequences? Do you know—"
WHOOSH!
Li Banfeng’s hand shot up, slashing the man’s throat with a Mandarin Duck Axe.
The man in suspenders clutched his throat, eyes wide with astonishment and terror as he stared at Li Banfeng. Li Banfeng took his wallet back from the man’s hand and patted his face with it a couple of times.
The man in the suit, shocked, flicked out a dagger and stabbed at Li Banfeng’s throat.
Li Banfeng grabbed the head of the dying man in suspenders and used the back of the man’s head to block the blade.
Another assailant in black closed in from behind. Li Banfeng whipped out the Blood-Thirsty Pendulum with his backhand and struck the man’s neck.
The man in the suit froze.
「Later that night.」
At one o’clock in the morning, Li Banfeng moved the two phonographs and the Shadow Play Machine back into the Portable Residence.
His wife made no sound, apparently still asleep. Li Banfeng sat beside her, breathing heavily.
The strong scent of blood in the air soon roused her.
HISS, HISS~
"Oh... my dear husband," her voice warbled unpredictably, his wife spoke, her tone still off-key. "Where have you been?"
"I went to Greenwater City. Ran into some people from the Ghost Hand Sect. We fought."
"Why did you go to Greenwater City? Aren’t there people hunting you? Why would you go there? Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Li Banfeng smiled bitterly. "And here I thought you never cared about what happened outside the house."
CHUFF, CHUFF~
"The Ghost Hand Sect? Thief Cultivation practitioners? That Taoist Sect is still around! My dear husband, your Little Servant is injured too. Didn’t you think to bring back a couple of those thieves to help me recuperate?"
"There were too many of them. I had some trouble."
"More people are good! Bring them all back; your Little Servant will deal with them."
Li Banfeng smiled bitterly. "Look at the state you’re in. What if you couldn’t handle them?"
"What about my appearance? Are you saying you despise how I look now? Didn’t I end up like this because of you? You bring all this junk home until there’s no room left, yet you didn’t even think to bring your Little Servant something to eat! You’re not good to me, you’re not good to me! You... how did you get so badly hurt?"
The Phonograph was damaged, so her vision wasn’t good. Only then did she notice Li Banfeng clutching his stomach, blood still flowing from a wound.
"My dear husband, how did you get injured like this?"
He had been stabbed; the wound was deep.
"Didn’t I tell you? There were too many of them," Li Banfeng said, leaning against the Phonograph, his breathing growing more labored.
"If there were so many, why didn’t you run? Why bring all this junk back?"
"This isn’t junk. These are phonographs and a Shadow Play Machine from Amikan Country. I’ll dismantle them soon and use their parts to replace yours. You’ll be good as new then."
"You risked your life running to Greenwater City... just for this?"
Li Banfeng said no more, struggling to get to his feet. He was preparing to dismantle the phonographs and the Shadow Play Machine.
CHUFF, CHUFF~
A cloud of steam enveloped Li Banfeng, gently forcing him to lie down on the bed. The steam swirled, caressing his wounds.
Li Banfeng’s lips trembled. Through gritted teeth, he said, "It hurts... so much..."
The steam circled his forehead. He felt a wave of fatigue wash over him, and, closing his eyes, he gradually fell asleep.
CHUFF, CHUFF.
"You crazy man! Just who do you think you are, trying to save me? Who gave you the ability? Who gave you the guts?"
CHUFF, CHUFF.
"Do I need you to save me? I just use you as a killing tool, something to earn my keep. Did you really start thinking of me as your wife?"
The Copper Lotus Flower chuckled from the outer room. "If it weren’t for this crazy man saving you, that wretched body of yours wouldn’t have lasted much longer, would it?"
The Phonograph gave a cold laugh. "So what if I lose this body? I’ll just find another."
"Can you even possess another object? Is there anything suitable for you in this house?"
"If not in this house, then there’s always something outside."
"Can you even get out? Besides, objects that require fire, can boil water, and can play music are hard to find out there. This crazy man actually gathered them all for you."
CHUFF, CHUFF.
The Phonograph didn’t want to argue with the Red Lotus. She continued to gently caress Li Banfeng with steam.
"You crazy man... you foolish, crazy man."
CHUFF, CHUFF~
Li Banfeng suddenly awoke. "My love, did you call me?"
CHUFF, CHUFF~
A wave of steam washed over him, lulling Li Banfeng back into slumber.
Steam swirled around Li Banfeng for the entire night.
PS: Good on you, dear readers. I knew you all loved Shala the most.