Gilman Hostel

"What places would you recommend?" Zhang Heng did not dwell on the previous question and followed the old man's lead.

"Gilman Hostel. It has tasty food and soft beds," the old man replied. "I can take you there." With that, he turned and walked away, seemingly telling Zhang Heng to follow him.

Zhang Heng glanced once more at the church before him. It was clearly no proper church establishment. Instead, it faintly exuded an air of madness and evil, much like the town itself.

A black shadow wearing a golden crown and wrapped in strange robes flashed past within the enormous pillared hall. Zhang Heng could not make out what the thing beneath the robes looked like.

During that brief delay, the old man had already gone some distance ahead. He stopped, turned around, and fixed Zhang Heng with those bulging eyes of his, like a toad.

After considering it, Zhang Heng decided to follow the old man. The old man was the only person in town who had taken the initiative to speak with him, even if he was unwilling to answer every question.

"Do you know me?" Zhang Heng asked again after catching up. "What time is it now?"

"July 15, 1927." At last, the old man answered another question.

That was roughly in line with the time Zhang Heng had estimated when he first arrived. He instinctively looked at the watch on his right wrist, only to discover that Starfish, which had always been with him, was not there this time.

Perhaps because he had grown used to the watch's constant companionship, Zhang Heng had even forgotten to count it among his items when checking his equipment after arriving. Still, he was not too alarmed. Midnight had already passed today, and there was still plenty of time