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His mental state had improved significantly.

Encountering something like this was not entirely impossible.

But he was more inclined to believe that this person had ulterior motives toward him.

Rather than looking for someone else, she had specifically come for him. She was probably trying to pull some immortal-jump scam on him.

Though he was not afraid, he did not want to invite trouble.

In another room.

The woman with wet hair opened the door and returned to the room.

She had just closed the door.

"Didn't that person come?"

At that moment.

A man's voice suddenly sounded from the side.

She looked toward the sound.

It was her boyfriend, standing nearby with a blank expression.

Seeing the woman return, he could not help asking.

"No. That guy is very cautious."

The young woman shook her head. Recalling what had happened earlier, her expression turned rather unpleasant.

Then, she briefly recounted what had just happened before asking in return.

"He's just an ordinary blood meal. Is there any need to go through so much trouble?"

"These past few days, those few have been hunting blood meals recklessly, so the city has remained under strict lockdown.

It's best not to make too much of a disturbance."

The man said in a deep voice.

"If we draw those people here, even our master won't be able to save us."

At the mention of those people.

The man's words became stiff, clearly filled with deep fear.

Hearing that, the woman gave a light laugh.

"You, your courage is still as small as ever. Then we'll wait until later.

Anyway, after this operation, we'll definitely be exposed. When the time comes, we should eat our fill before running. After this, Qirong City definitely won't be somewhere we can stay."

"Mm, that's the only way."

The man fell silent for a moment, then nodded.

In the room, after finishing his shower.

Hu Qi simply reheated the leftover pickled cabbage fish from noon and added some meatballs and vegetables.

He took another can of soda from the little refrigerator he had bought online, popped it open, and took a huge gulp.

At once, body and mind felt refreshed.

Quack, quack!

Perhaps seeing Hu Qi eating.

The Camphor Tea Duck, which had been staying off to one side, quacked twice as well.

Hu Qi glanced over.

The dish in the cage that had held its food was already empty.

"You eat that fast?"

He opened a gap at the top of the iron cage.

Then he got up, grabbed some rice grains and corn, and put them inside.

At the sight of food, the Camphor Tea Duck quacked excitedly.

Then it stretched out its neck.

Its flat bill rapidly pecked up several grains of rice. Then it raised its head, its neck bobbing as the grains slid down into its belly.

After eating a few bites, it seemed to feel a little choked.

It stuck its bill into the water bottle beside it and drank some water.

"You really know how to eat."

Hu Qi chuckled.

But when he saw the empty straw nest beneath its rear.

Hu Qi could not help frowning slightly.

"Camphor Tea Duck, have you been slacking off lately? Your output has dropped pretty badly."

He remembered when he had first bought it.

It had basically laid one egg a day, sometimes even two.

But as time passed.

Now it only laid one egg every other day. Comparing the two, the difference was immediately obvious.

Perhaps sensing Hu Qi's dissatisfaction.

The Camphor Tea Duck flapped its wings and quacked twice again.

Its cries seemed to carry a hint of ingratiation.

Unfortunately.

Hu Qi did not understand duck language and had no idea what it was saying.

The duck egg output was indirectly tied to the speed at which he grew stronger.

The reason he had progressed so rapidly these past days.

Was that the Camphor Tea Duck's eggs deserved much of the credit.

After thinking for a moment.

He picked up his phone and directly typed into the browser: Why has my duck's egg production decreased?

The next moment.

The screen displayed Loading.

A pixelated little dog appeared, running after a ball.

There was only one bar of signal in the upper right corner.

Seeing this, Hu Qi went to the window.

Only then did his phone signal recover somewhat.

Soon, several possible reasons for decreased egg production in ducks appeared.

The main points were only a few.

1. Diet: Ensure the duck's feed is nutritionally balanced and sufficient.

2. Provide a suitable environment: The duck house should remain dry, ventilated, and warm. The temperature should not be too high or too low, and noisy surroundings and fright should be avoided.

3. Appropriate light exposure: Sufficient daily light exposure must be ensured. Generally, 16–17 hours of light each day helps increase egg production.

4. Free-ranging: Give the duck proper opportunities to exercise and forage. This can strengthen its physique, but avoid excessive fatigue.

Hu Qi read through them one by one.

The first two were not a problem.

He had done everything properly in terms of food and lodging.

Naturally, Hu Qi would not treat his only employee poorly.

But it seemed he had not provided the latter two—light exposure and free-ranging.

He kept it at home every day.

Looking at it this way, this was very likely the problem.

"Looks like I need to find time to take the Camphor Tea Duck out for a walk."

Hu Qi muttered to himself.

Time passed.

The night gradually deepened.

It was two in the morning.

The residential complex was utterly silent.

Only a few cicada chirps and frog croaks drifted from somewhere in the distant greenbelt.

Along with the occasional sound of a garbage truck clearing rubbish in the distance.

Outside the long, narrow corridor.

Faint moonlight streamed through the half-open window at the end of the hallway, casting several pale beams.

They fell upon the floor, forming irregular patches of light and shadow.

Click!

At that moment.

A door on one side of the corridor opened.

One tall and one short figure emerged from within.

The movement triggered the motion-sensor light overhead.

Illuminating the two figures.

If Hu Qi had seen them, he would have recognized them as the couple who lived nearby.

Only, their expressions were strange now, and their clothes were in disarray, as if they had been stretched apart and torn.

There were also several dark crimson and blackish-brown stains on their cuffs and hems.

Even stranger, in the middle of the night, the two had emerged from another neighbor's home.

And beyond that door lay a deathly silence.

Perhaps it was an illusion.

But the surroundings seemed a little too quiet.

"Alright, we can begin."

The man said softly.

"What a shame. I rather liked this place. We're about to leave, and I really am a little reluctant to part with it."

The woman spoke as she extended her crimson tongue and licked the blood lingering at the corner of her mouth, narrowing her eyes in pleasure.

"There's no helping it. Our level of life has long since changed.

If we keep staying here, Zhu Xi will eventually come to purge us. When that happens, both of us will have only one road left—death."

The man said in a low voice.

"Enough. Catch that person first, then leave this place. Be careful—delay may breed change!"

"What are you afraid of? It's so late, and besides, we've killed all these people.

Even if that person screams until his throat breaks, no one will come. We can take our time playing..."

The woman's tone was utterly unconcerned.

Thinking of Hu Qi's attitude during the day.

A bloodthirsty red light flickered in her eyes.

Soon, the two stopped before the door of Room 1503, directly opposite the elevator.

The next moment.

The woman extended her hand.

Something bizarre happened.

Thin, long threads began growing from her originally slender fingers.

The threads twisted and entwined before plunging directly into the keyhole.

Click.

The lock cylinder shifted.

Inside the room.

Hu Qi lay beneath the covers with the air conditioner blowing, seemingly sunk in deep sleep.

Suddenly.

Hu Qi, whose eyes had been closed and who appeared to be sound asleep, abruptly opened them.

His eyes narrowed slightly as he looked toward the door.

His gaze was exceptionally clear, without the slightest trace of drowsiness.

Thanks to the Dragon Spirit Tiger Fierce trait he had just obtained, his energy was overflowing.

The reason he had been lying down was merely to rest with his eyes closed.

At that moment.

Hearing the unusual sound from the door.

He sat upright at once.

Because his eyes had been closed in darkness for a long time.

And because of the faint, cold glow from the air conditioner's illuminated numbers overhead.

The darkness did not hinder him. In an instant, every furnishing in the room came into view as he stared at the lock making the faint sound.

He did not choose to make a sound.

Instead, his hand reached toward the bedside, where the giant axe he had practiced with during the day lay.