Gu Shenyan, the shady illegitimate son of the wealthy Gu family, was raised by his mentor for eighteen years, but he watched his mentor die tragically under the rules of the Strange Realm. He used the Contract Summoning Technique to return home, only to find that the family had long since fallen apart - his eldest uncle Gu Yanzong was colluding with others, his second uncle Gu Mingyuan was hiding murderous intentions, and even Aunt Hua was hiding a secret. What's worse is that every night the city switches to a strange realm, randomly generating 1-3 hidden rules: no turning back, giving an item to a stranger, keeping smiling until dawn... If you violate one rule, your life will be deducted for ten days, and you will die if your balance reaches zero. Fortunately, he can use the life contract to summon ghosts, and the life balance will also light up as a number on his left wrist. Others are afraid of death, but he grits his teeth and gambles with his life - the closer to death, the stronger the summoned object will be. At the family banquet, he summoned the strange spirit Yuan in front of everyone, scaring the elders into sweating. From being ridiculed as an illegitimate child to making everyone take sides, Gu Shenyan wants more than just revenge, he wants the entire Gu family to be buried with him.
The whistle of the steam train tore through the leaden clouds above Bailu City, roaring like a dying iron beast.
Gu Shenyan leaned on the wooden seat of the hard-seat carriage, holding the silver pocket watch between her fingertips. There was a yellowed photo embedded on the inside of the cover - her mentor's face had been blurred to the point where only the outline was left, but the eyes were still staring at him, as if to say: Shen Yan, don't look back.
He closed the watch cover and rubbed the fine scratches on the surface with his fingertips. This watch has been with him for twelve years, longer than any of his relatives.
Extensive paddy fields passed by outside the window. Occasionally, an egret would startle and fly towards the chimney that was emitting black smoke in the distance. The unique red brick arcade of Bailu City
