Face-Changing

The Old Man burst into unrestrained laughter. "Hahaha, little girl, you don't know the immensity of heaven and earth, daring to leave the city. Today you are destined to be my prey!" The atmosphere around them instantly became extremely tense, as if even the air itself had frozen.

The next second, after he saw Yun Xi's face clearly, he instantly suppressed the murderous intent on his face.

"Little girl, why do you insist on coming to the wilderness when you could stay in the city?" The Old Man said, squinting as he looked Yun Xi up and down, his gaze filled with incomprehension and reproach.

"This wilderness isn't a place a young girl like you can wander around in. The city is much safer, with sturdy walls and patrolling guards. Unlike here, it's fraught with danger, and you could lose your life in no time. What were you thinking, insisting on coming to this dangerous place?"

The Old Man's tone carried a hint of disappointment, as if he was very angry about Yun Xi's behavior, as if his earlier threat to eat Yun Xi was merely a well-intentioned warning.

Yun Xi speechless. This guy really likes to change his expression.

The Old Man, who had just been looking annoyed, now had a very complicated expression on his face, sometimes gloomy, sometimes hesitant, and his eyes were even more uncertain.

It's obvious there's something wrong with it.

Yun Xi didn't know why this guy was so unpredictable, nor did she know what unexpected thing he would do next. She just secretly became more vigilant.

"Alright, little girl, I'll take you back to the city. There are rules set by the city lord in the city. Even powerful monsters can't just devour weak ones. Why don't you, little monster, know how to cherish your chance to live?" The Old Man's tone carried a hint of helplessness and reproach. His brows furrowed slightly, but his eyes revealed a subtle concern.

Yun Xi slightly taken aback, a cold smile playing on her lips, but she hesitated before asking, "Really? You really will take me back to the city?"

The Old Man scoffed, "Hmph, would I lie to a little girl like you? This wilderness is extremely dangerous. If you stay any longer, you might encounter something even more terrifying. Come with me now!"

As he spoke, the Old Man turned around and walked in one direction, his steps slightly hurried.

Yun Xi stood still, thought for a moment, and then decided to follow the Old Man's footsteps.

Yun Xi naturally didn't believe him, and she also wanted to see what he was up to. Now that she had disguised herself as something strange, she wasn't afraid of revealing her human identity.

Unexpectedly, the Old Man actually led her to a city, and the city looked very modern, or rather, not much different from a medieval Western city.

The towering city walls, built of huge stones, appeared sturdy and imposing. At the city gate, two guards in military uniforms, holding guns, vigilantly scrutinized the passersby.

Is she seeing things? That's a gun? Although the design is old-fashioned, it's definitely not wrong.

As you enter the city, the narrow, winding streets are paved with bluestone bricks, and the buildings on both sides of the road are arranged in a staggered manner, their walls shimmering dimly in the sunlight.

In the city center square, an ancient fountain was flowing with clear water, surrounded by a group of playful little ghosts.

Although this city lacks the skyscrapers and bustling activity of modern cities, it possesses a unique rustic charm and a rich historical atmosphere, with many classic cars parked along the roadside.

The uniformed guards at the city gate made no attempt to check their identities; they merely glanced at the two before casually letting them pass.

One of the guards slightly raised his eyelids, his gaze lingering briefly on the old man and Yun Xi before he looked away, casually waving his hand to signal them to pass.

The other guard remained in the same posture, not even turning his head once, as if letting him pass was just a subconscious mechanical action.

Yun Xi was secretly surprised, but said nothing. She followed closely behind the old man and quickly entered the city.

After entering the city, Yun Xi also found that the strangeness here was no different from that of Normal Region.

Approaching from the front was a strange creature with a long, thick tail, as thick as a python's, yet covered with sharp barbs. The tail swayed from side to side in the air as the strange creature moved, sending chills down one's spine.

Beside it was a strangely shaped female monster, with huge fleshy tumors protruding from its belly, which throbbed from time to time, as if some terrifying monster was being conceived inside.

Its body is twisted, its limbs are disproportionate, its arms are so long they almost drag on the ground, while its legs are pitifully short, making it walk with a limp, yet it moves extremely fast.

"Young lady, is this your first time visiting Yimi City?" The old man asked Yun Xi as she curiously looked around the city.

Yun Xi paused slightly, looked away from the old man, nodded gently, and replied, "Yes, it's the first time."

The old man smiled, his wrinkles deepening. "No wonder you look so strange. This Yimi City, though not as grand as those large cities, has its own unique charm." As he spoke, he continued walking forward at a leisurely pace.

Yun Xi, standing next to him, couldn't help but ask, "Could you tell me about the situation in this city?"

The old man looked up at the sky and slowly said, "There are many rules in this city, so you have to be careful. Especially those powerful and strange creatures, you can't easily provoke them."

"If you don't have a place to stay, you can check out my Old Fiend Inn. It's very cheap, only 100 Ghost Coin a day," the old man said to Yun Xi, his eyes narrowed and a seemingly warm smile on his face.

Yun Xi outwardly calm, simply replying politely, "Thank you for your kind offer. I'll take a look first."

The old man seemed unwilling to give up and continued to persuade her, "Young lady, don't hesitate. Other hotels in this city are much more expensive than mine. My hotel may not be big, but it's clean and tidy, and I guarantee you'll have a comfortable stay."

Yun Xi smiled and said, "I understand. If it's really necessary, I'll consider it."

"I wonder how much other inns charge?" Yun Xi asked doubtfully, her eyes fixed on the old man, trying to glean some clues from his expression.

"Young lady, those hotels are really greedy! You can't even think about staying there without 500 Ghost Coin a day. I, Old Fiend, am a real man. The price I'm offering you is a very good deal."

Yun Xi frowned; the price difference was so huge.

She continued, "Why is your hotel so cheap? Is there something wrong with it?"

The old man quickly waved his hand and said sincerely, "Oh, young lady, don't overthink it. My inn is just a bit out of the way and the rooms are a bit old, which is why the price is low. But it has everything you need, and I definitely won't treat you badly."

Yun Xi is a person who knows about Ghost Coin.