Lin Yilin sat obediently on a small stool, looking at Teng Jun, who was sitting on the ground in front of her.
"So, Mr. Teng Jun, your request posted on the Xixikoko Mutual Aid website states that you are in mortal danger and seeking help. Could you please describe it in detail?" Lin Yilin began her routine inquiry.
Teng Jun stroked his bearded chin and said, "As you can see, young lady, I'm just a self-employed shoe seller."
"A pirated shoe vendor," Lin Yilin added.
Teng Jun looked at Lin Yilin in surprise.
Lin Yilin gestured with her hand, "Please don't mind it. It's not hard to tell. Anyone with some understanding of the materials and details of branded shoes would find the situation in this store obvious."
She skillfully began to apply appropriate pressure to the client.
Zheng Fan wandered around the store, getting to know the famous shoe brands in Dadu.
His requirements for shoes were very low; almost any pair that fit would do. But as far as he knew, there were many 'centipede' friends in the world who had other pursuits when it came to shoes.
They bought them not just to wear, but often for collection.
Other people's hobbies were beyond reproach, especially since Zheng Fan's hobby of seeking stimulation for no reason would definitely be at the lowest tier even if it were ranked.
"Bonner, Siso, Kaisting, all sorts of strange brand logos... Hey, this pair looks pretty good," Zheng Fan looked at each one.
On the other side, Lin Yilin continued her questioning, "The shoes on your feet, sir, do not belong to any brand. Their material looks very ordinary, and judging by the constant movement of your feet, if you're not wearing your socks improperly, then the shoes don't fit well. Your entire body is messy, but these shoes remain clean. And you've been wearing them for quite some time. Are they the source of your nightmare during this period?"
"Yes, yes!" Teng Jun swallowed, Lin Yilin's words and her indifferent, condescending gaze made him feel immense pressure, but his trust in Lin Yilin gradually increased during the conversation.
"I need to go to nearby shoe factories regularly to restock for my business. A little over a week ago, when I was restocking at a shoe factory, I saw these shoes. I noticed the trademark on them."
"The trademark of a Mysterious Phantasms shoe," Lin Yilin said. As a shoe merchant, she probably had some understanding of the rumors surrounding such shoe Phantasms.
Teng Jun nodded, "When I realized it, I thought I could make a fortune. I secretly took these shoes, planning to sell them when the opportunity arose."
"But the days that followed nearly broke me."
"Just holding these shoes, walking on the road, I would often hear footsteps from all around, even when there was no one nearby. At first, I thought I was being followed, but as I walked faster, the footsteps in my ears also sped up and became more and more dense..."
Zheng Fan looked up and interjected, "At a time like this, a normal person would have thrown the shoes away, right?"
Lin Yilin nodded slightly.
Teng Jun looked at the shoes on his feet and said, "I originally wanted to throw the shoes away, but on the way home, I came across news in my circle about a pair of shoes with this trademark being sold. The high amount made me abandon the idea. As long as I sold the shoes quickly, it would be fine... That's what I thought."
"So I fell asleep exhausted that day, and when I woke up the next day, I found... these shoes were already on my feet."
Teng Jun said blankly, his tone like a murmur, "I can't take them off, and I can't sell them. Those strange noises, auditory Illusions, and Visual Illusions are making me mentally weak..."
"Why not try cutting them off? Along with your feet," Zheng Fan offered a wise suggestion.
Lin Yilin silently took notes, then said, "How has the symptom progressed recently?"
"Still the same, no major changes for now."
"Then the mortal danger is..."
"Someone is after me." Teng Jun opened his phone and handed it to Lin Yilin.
Lin Yilin leaned closer and found an anonymous email.
"'I want the shoes on your feet. Even if I have to cut off your leg, I'll take the shoes.'" Lin Yilin read out the content, and Teng Jun quickly put away his phone.
Seeing this, Lin Yilin said, "This person has already come looking for you?"
"At first, I didn't take it seriously. I continued to operate my shop normally and went out. I was troubled by how to take off the shoes. But one night, amidst the noisy footsteps in my ears, I heard a... special, abnormal sound. A strange premonition. When I turned around, a strange-looking person directly attacked me!" Teng Jun's voice trembled slightly.
"Describe his appearance."
"A man... judging by his voice, he should be. He's a little taller than me, strong, wearing a hoodie and sweatpants... The main thing is his face. He had no eyebrows or hair, his eyes had no whites, and he always had a doll-like smile on his face. I felt he was definitely not human... he was a monster in human skin! Luckily, I ran away. One of the few good things about these shoes is that they make me run very fast..." Teng Jun's voice trembled as he recalled the horror of that time.
Lin Yilin's expression remained indifferent.
Zheng Fan seemed to suddenly remember something as he listened to this.
After Teng Jun finished speaking, Lin Yilin said, "I have a general understanding of the situation. So, what is your specific request?"
"Specific request..."
Teng Jun was momentarily stunned, then cried, "Please, help me take off these shoes! I don't want these shoes! I shouldn't have touched them!"
Lin Yilin shrugged and raised her hand, saying, "Please remain calm, Mr. Teng Jun."
It took many shouts to truly calm him down.
"The matter of the shoes, they cannot be taken off for now, because you have already been marked," Lin Yilin said.
"It's... it's an Illusion!" Teng Jun's face instantly turned pale as he understood something, as if he had been sentenced to death.
"Most likely, but please calm down. I will help you take off these shoes later. Now, let's discuss the remuneration."
"I can pay anything! All my money!"
After everything was settled, Lin Yilin told Teng Jun to calm down, while she herself simply checked his shop and the residence behind it.
"Lin Yilin, something just occurred to me."
"Hmm?"
"The person he mentioned appeared at the Banmu Office this morning. He entered secretly through the back door, seeming to be cooperating with a certain studio," Zheng Fan said, recounting what he had seen that morning.
"Since Mr. Illusion saw him with his own eyes, how did he feel?"
"He's definitely not an Illusion," Zheng Fan replied without hesitation. "He's a person, but I don't know how he became like that. He was also wearing a pair of shoes like that."
"Bait that struggles desperately, making the fish eat more eagerly..." Lin Yilin said.
"What does that mean?"
"Bait-type Illusions. After their initial invasion, these Illusions choose to scatter bait, creating objects similar to Phantasms and spreading them. They allow people to acquire these things, enjoy the convenience they provide, and become oblivious, yet they are already deeply marked by it. Once cultivated to a certain extent, they then harvest, and they can obtain a 'shoe' with performance and compatibility that fits quite well."
"Good idea," Zheng Fan hammered his palm with his other hand, feeling inspired.
Lin Yilin looked down at Zheng Fan silently.
Zheng Fan smiled, "Just kidding, you continue. So why would a marked bait go after another bait?"
"Among bait-type Illusions, some are accustomed to the method of 'raising Gu,' where marked targets fight each other to promote growth. This shoe Illusion is probably like that. However, this commission is not difficult; the clues are very clear." Lin Yilin's tone was still relatively relaxed.
She glanced at her phone, "But... it's getting late. Quitting time. I'll tidy things up a bit more when I get back tonight."