That sinister smile lasted only a moment before Stone looked exhausted, as though all his energy had been drained away, and fell into a deep sleep.
Lu Ban withdrew his gaze.
At that instant, he truly sensed some unknown existence descending upon the frail young man.
Perhaps for many years to come, the boy would be tormented by a voice in his mind. Or perhaps he would gradually transform into some inhuman existence, like those ratmen buried in ruins that never saw the light of day, slowly mutating.
Lu Ban focused on driving. Just as Hound had said, all roads led to Ruined City.
As the darkness in the sky turned gray-white and an exuberant golden glow sprouted at the far end of the horizon, eventually dyeing the heavens, Lu Ban finally saw that at the end of the earth, orderly human structures distinct from the ruins were beginning to emerge.
The first thing he saw was a tall tower. Buildings stood densely packed behind it, entirely different from the savage wilderness. One building after another, they formed the skyline of human civilization.
Then Lu Ban saw people, vehicles, and horses. He saw people dressed in long robes, cloth garments, and suits.
Ruined City contained far more Chinese elements than Lu Ban had expected.
After entering the city, stopping the bus, and answering the questions of the policemen at the city gate, Lu Ban even saw women in qipaos walking hand in hand along the street.
Between the streets, colorful signs stood in rows, bearing names such as "Fulinmen Restaurant," "Zhong's Desserts," "Lucky Pawnshop," and "Huang Family Martial Arts Hall."
Little beggars in ragged clothes chased after respectable men in immaculate suits. Soldiers carrying rifles marched in scattered ranks, while people in silk top hats and sunglasses watched warily. Beside the bustling marketplace were filthy alleys; bright skyscrapers stood opposite narrow slums. If Lu Ban had not known he was in a foreign land, he might have thought he had returned to a film studio.
"Sir, are you looking for a place to stay?"
A bewitchingly seductive voice called out from behind him. Lu Ban turned and saw a graceful woman dressed in a rose-red qipao. One hand rested in front of her, while the other held an open folding fan. The fan concealed the lower half of her face, but just her eyes and brows were enough to make anyone declare her an extraordinarily beautiful woman.
"No, thank you."
Lu Ban declined her invitation.
He glanced at Stone, then walked into the filthy, foul-smelling alley.
Murky water formed slightly blurred system text.
Task completed. Return commencing 321
At the moment of his return, Lu Ban saw the woman with the folding fan standing at the entrance of the alley, watching them with an expression that was half-smile and half-not. But he no longer had the time to care.
Countless strange colors shielded Lu Ban, while vivid hues formed cold lines of text.
Congratulations on completing the task Settlement commencing Task exploration: 40% Task completion: Mediocre One Night Carnival has ended in a clamor. You successfully reached Ruined City. Everything you saw along the way was enough to make you appreciate the warmth of a bed and the glow of a burning stove. Unfortunately, no one can share your memories of this journey, but it does not matter. A brand-new journey awaits you! Silence Points obtained: 4,800 Reward obtained: Skill: Photosynthesis Career reward obtained: Item: One Night Carnival Settlement complete Try a variety of creative methods and test your creative theories. The gates to a new world are opening before you. Select "Complete Career Development Task" to obtain the career reward. Welcome back to The Silent Land
By the time he finished reading the text, Lu Ban happened to feel the softness of the mattress beneath him.
He looked around and found that he had returned to his warm, sweet home.
Lu Ban took out his phone and checked the time.
More than three hours had passed. He had not checked the time over there, but the subjective experience had indeed been a three-to-one time flow.
It was after ten at night, yet it was still bright outside.
Lu Ban looked himself over. His clothes were torn to shreds, and there were bite marks on his arm. It seemed the system did not possess the ability to repair the body.
He could only be grateful that he had not grown too much grass inside himself.
Lu Ban took off his clothes and dug out the simple medical kit containing alcohol, cotton swabs, iodine, and bandages.
After disinfecting himself, he examined the wounds.
The green growth that had originally spread through the wounds had withered, instead filling in the flesh that had been lost.
Lu Ban inserted tweezers into one of them and clamped onto the still-resilient tendril, pulling it out.
One, two, three. A full twenty tendrils were pulled from Lu Ban's body. Having lost their vitality, they drooped limply, with no visible difference from ordinary plants.
After treating his wounds, he took a change of clothes and entered the bathroom.
He turned on the faucet and washed away the sweat and grime.
As Lu Ban worked shampoo into his hair and rinsed away the foam with the showerhead, he saw his reflection in the mirror wearing a strange expression.
After wiping his face with a towel, he smiled at his reflection.
The Lu Ban in the mirror smiled back.
The light beneath the door dimmed again. This time, Lu Ban could clearly see a blurry figure standing outside, on the other side of the door.
The figure was not very tall and had a slender build, like a middle school student.
Lu Ban opened the door directly.
He saw something seeming to flash past outside. He could not make out what it was, but the living room was empty. Only the sound of water from the bathroom echoed through the space.
"."
Lu Ban remained silent for a moment, then closed the door.
He continued showering. When he was done, he picked up a towel and dried himself.
As he dried his hair, Lu Ban felt as though something had brushed across his abdomen, leaving behind a chilly sensation.
He lowered the towel, but there was nothing beside him.
After tossing his dirty clothes into the washing machine, Lu Ban looked around the bathroom again and noticed that the drain seemed to be clogged.
Could the Filthy Blood have coagulated?
Lu Ban casually picked up his phone and posted on Did You Get It?
"Excuse me, what should I use to unclog a drain blocked by coagulated blood?"
A few replies appeared moments later.
"Use drain cleaner to dissolve it. You can buy it at just about any store."
"Try pouring in some vinegar?"
"No, aren't any of you curious about why there would be coagulated blood in the drain?"
"I suggest the person who asked this question turn themselves in immediately!"
Lu Ban frowned slightly. People these days never answered questions properly. They only wanted to show off their wit. Unacceptable.
He squatted down and examined the mouth of the drain.
There was not much blood there. Instead, a huge mass of hair was blocking the drain.
"I've been under a lot of stress lately. I'm even losing my hair."
Lu Ban grabbed a handful of hair and saw that it was very long, far longer than his own, like a woman's hair.
He smelled it. It even carried a faint fragrance, exactly like Lu Ban's shampoo.
"She's been secretly using my shampoo."
Lu Ban furrowed his brows.
*
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