The Second Stone Tablet Beneath the Cellar
First Patient?
Lin Qi held the bucket of water and didn't go downstairs.
There was no answer from the Cellar, but the footsteps continued, and with each step, a handprint on the black wall lit up.
The helper dragged his injured leg to the bar.
"Boss, should we put the door back on first?"
"Go and cover it up."
I'm injured.
"I'm scared too."
The chef picked up the cleaver from the ground, but just as he grasped the handle, he remembered what had just happened and quickly placed the cleaver next to the bucket of water.
"Could the person below be the Throne the World Government is looking for?"
"You're asking me?"
"The shop is yours."
The Cellar used to only store radishes.
Lin Qi called out towards the entrance, "If you want to buy wine, come up here; if you need medical treatment, go to the village. There are no doctors here."
My steps stopped.
Several lines of text emerged from the center of the black wall.
[The First Patient was unable to leave the Throne]
[Witnesses are in place]
[Waiting for the second witness to join]
The helper looked it over.
Who is the second one?
How should I know?
"You're not going to be number one, are you?"
Lin Qi handed him the bucket.
"Put out the fire first."
The sound of glass shattering came from outside the door.
As Lin Qi turned his head, the CP team leader who had just left returned.
Three more people appeared behind him.
The three wore White Masks, their cloaks were unmarked, but the long swords at their waists were adorned with gold serial numbers.
The CP leader stood by the door and did not go any further inside.
"Saint Garling's orders are that the control terminal must not fall into the hands of the live streaming room operators."
Lin Qi asked, "You just said that the control end belongs to the World Government."
"Even now."
"Then why don't you come and get it?"
The CP leader glanced at the three pale-faced men.
"Hand it over to the Holy Knights."
The helper, carrying half a bucket of water, stepped back to Lin Qi's side.
"Boss, are they stronger than that group from before?"
"That group of people hasn't gone far."
"Then ask them."
"What do you want to ask?"
"Could you come back and help?"
The pale-faced man at the front drew his sword.
The knife tip passed over the bar, aiming straight for Lin Qi's neck.
Lin Qi dodged to the side, his shoe stomping on a stray cork, and he crashed into the Cellar door frame.
The blade grazed his collar and cleaved open the wine rack behind him.
The bucket of water in the helper's hands fell to the ground.
"Boss!"
"I'm not deaf."
The second knife blocked the back door, and the Third Person kicked the chef aside and grabbed at the Den Den Mushi on the bar.
Lin Qi raised his hand to protect himself, but the pale-faced man grabbed his wrist first and pressed it against the counter.
"Remove live streaming privileges."
"Won't."
Press "Confirm".
The page has changed.
Only a gray square remains on the Den Den Mushi screen.
[Tavern defense settlement incomplete]
The pale-faced man looked at the CP team leader.
"He tampered with the system."
"The questions were just publicly posted."
How many Witness Points do I have?
"Unable to query."
He pressed harder on Lin Qi's hand.
"Open the checkout page."
Lin Qi's face was pressed against the counter, which was stained with liquor.
"Let go first."
"Open."
"How can I drive if you're holding me down?"
The other person slightly raised his hand.
Lin Qi swiped his finger twice across the screen, bringing up a list of settlement records.
From the first live stream to now, each question has been accompanied by testimonials submitted by viewers.
Those messages were neither redeemed for rewards nor transferred; they just remained piled up in the Tavern's account.
The pale-faced man stared at the number at the bottom.
"Transfer everything to the Throne."
"To whom should it be transferred?"
"World Government."
This option is not available.
"Then clear it."
Lin Qi found the clear button.
The system then prompted a confirmation request.
[Once the Witness Points are cleared, the Tavern will lose permanent defense privileges.]
[Continue?]
The tip of the knife was pressed against the chef's back.
"Continue."
Lin Qi did not press it.
I'll say it again.
"I heard you."
"Press it down."
"The font is a bit small."
The pale-faced man grabbed his finger and pointed it to the confirm button.
A fingertip touched the screen, and the black wall of the Cellar emitted a muffled thud.
The entire Tavern sank half an inch.
The cups on the counter bounced up and then fell back to their original positions.
The white-faced man's arm was blocked by an invisible wall, hovering above the Den Den Mushi.
He tried to pull his hand back, but his arm was trapped between two layers of transparent walls.
Lin Qi pulled his wrist out.
"Does this count as opening?"
The system provides the settlement results.
[Operator Refuses to Transfer Witness Records]
[Tavern Permanent Defense Activated]
The transparent wall closes inward.
A crisp crack came from the pale-faced man's shoulder as his arm snapped in the middle.
He didn't shout, but instead drew his short blade with his other hand and stabbed at Lin Qi with a backhand.
Before the knife was even delivered, the bar counter moved forward half a foot, knocking the person to the ground.
The remaining two knights attacked simultaneously.
One man cleaved towards the Cellar entrance, while another hacked at the black wall.
Lin Qi grabbed the helper by the back of his collar and dragged him behind the wine barrel.
"Lie down."
The chef is still outside.
He's better at hiding than you are at dodging.
The cook had already crawled under the stove, with only his two shoes showing.
The first knife landed on the wooden planks of the Cellar.
The wooden plank was not broken.
The seventeen handprints on the wall lit up simultaneously, and all the unbroken bottles in the Tavern vibrated.
Lin Qi noticed a new category on the settlement page.
[Flammable Medical Samples: 42 bottles]
He turned two pages.
When have I ever sold medical samples?
The helper, clutching his head, asked, "Was it the medicinal wine you made last month?"
"That's to pay for Garp's drinks."
"There's medicine in it."
"Does adding medicine count?"
A knight has already stepped over the bar.
Lin Qi picked up the wine bottle at his feet and threw it toward the Cellar entrance.
The bottle hit the back of the knife, and the wine splashed out.
The system confirmed immediately.
[Sample was destroyed by armed force]
[Initiate high-temperature sterilization]
The fire started where the wine had passed and climbed up the knight's cloak to his shoulders.
The man tore off his cloak and backed away.
Another pale-faced man grabbed his injured companion, smashed open the window, and jumped out.
The CP leader who remained by the door also left.
Lin Qi did not give chase.
He picked up the remaining half-bucket of water and used it to extinguish the fire next to the bar.
The helper climbed up from behind the wine barrel.
"You won already?"
There are still people at the door.
"Can the system drive them all away?"
"Have no idea."
"Then how dare you not press it just now?"
Lin Qi officially recognized Den Den Mushi).
"I couldn't see the words clearly."
"You're coming again?"
The black wall in the Cellar rattled once more.
Water vapor rose from the corner of the wall, piecing together a shimmering image in front of the handprint.
Lin Qi saw a hospital bed.
Luo stood by the bed, while Lami sat in a wheelchair, still holding the old Button in his hand.
Luo also saw the Tavern.
"Lin Qi?"
How did you end up in my Cellar?
What happened over there?
"Someone vandalized the shop."
Are you injured?
The store is badly damaged.
Lami lifted the Button.
The tiny pointer inside the Button detached from its casing and hovered beside her hand.
A thin crack also appeared in the center of the Cellar wall, revealing a groove of the same shape inside.
The pointer spun halfway around and flew towards Lin Qi.
Luo reached out to grab it.
The pointer passed through the water mist and disappeared into the White Swallow ward.
The next moment, it peeked out from behind the black wall of the Tavern.
Footsteps echoed once more from the depths of the Cellar.
The voice claiming to First Patient, though two thousand nautical miles away, simultaneously landed in the Tavern and on the White Swallow.
Give me the pointer.