The rat glanced at him, pulled a seven- or eight-centimeter beast-bone pipe from inside its armor, gently tapped it against the headboard a few times, then took out a round pellet that looked as though it had been wrapped from tobacco.
The pellet was just the right size to fit in the pipe.
With a flick of its tail, it struck a match.
Then it began smoking. Judging by its posture, it was quite the seasoned smoker.
Jiang Xi looked at its pipe, then at the half-cigarette he had treasured for so long, and awkwardly withdrew his hand.
Although he did not lack food or drink, cigarettes were not something money alone could buy.
While the gray rat puffed away, he seriously read Jiang You's letter.
After reading it, he prepared to burn it, but the gray rat snatched it away, rolled it up, wedged it into its pipe, and smoked it.
In the letter, Jiang You told him to figure out what Tower Master Jiu's ability was.
He complained to the gray rat, "Brother Hao, when is the boss coming back? She hasn't returned in ages. She wouldn't have abandoned me here, would she?
You have no idea what kind of life I've been living in this besieged place!"
Jiang Xi bit the blanket, afraid to cry too loudly.
"Someone is following me. No matter where I go, someone follows me.
Damn it, they even lurk nearby when I'm taking a dump!
If I hadn't gotten lucky once when lightning struck the tree near my house and killed two people, I wouldn't even have known there were watchers near my home!
There might even be watchers outside right now. No, not 'might'—there definitely are!
Lately, the dog next door has always been barking at night..."
The gray rat glanced