Tour groups were just like this.
No matter how many dangers and problems cropped up along the way, once the time came, most of them could still be loaded onto a bus and taken away.
It was clear that A Lian felt conflicted in that moment.
But things could change without warning. Just as the situation was about to fall apart, everything suddenly calmed down again.
Everyone was present and in good spirits, ready to continue the tour, just like at the café earlier.
"...Where did you go just now? I couldn't find you anywhere."
But pretending nothing had happened didn't seem quite right either. As the atmosphere gradually grew awkward, A Lian finally asked the Old Man what had happened, her tone largely devoid of emotion.
"I'm not quite sure myself. I was just wandering around, but when I turned back, there were fewer and fewer people. I couldn't even figure out how to get back."
The apology on the Old Man's face looked entirely natural. He didn't even try to make excuses for wandering off on his own.
"When I remembered you'd warned us that some areas here were off-limits, I decided not to alert anyone if I could help it and to find my own way out. It took a lot of effort before I found a familiar route."
He even offered a reasonable explanation for why he'd stayed so quiet the whole time.
"I see. It really is easy to get lost here."
Faced with that explanation, even Clara, who had helped search for him without success, nodded and chimed in, showing her understanding.
See? Told you I didn't need to say a word.
As another well-meaning member of the group, Fu Qian simply smiled, showing no sign of displeasure.
Though before Clara spoke, she had