Who Should Go to the Second Floor?

The designated dining location was not far from the clothing store, also on this Baibao Street. According to Gao Yiling, it was the only restaurant on the entire street that could seat fifty people at the same time.

When they arrived at the destination, Yu Xing found that Gao Yiling was not exaggerating at all.

The two-story old building in front of me resembles a teahouse in period dramas, the only difference being that it's not very popular. From the outside, you can't see the symmetrical circular staircase at the end of the first floor; you can only see an elegantly colored octagonal screen.

The tables inside were all black lacquered square tables. Perhaps tour groups had booked the entire restaurant in advance, so it was deserted and there wasn't a single customer.

Above the main entrance on the first floor of the small building hung a plaque with flamboyant calligraphy. Although the characters were clearly square, no one could decipher what it said. The group stopped outside, feeling a sinister atmosphere emanating from the wooden building, their guard high.

Gao Yiling's voice, amplified by the buzzing of a honeycomb, sounded muffled, as if trapped inside a bowl, yet her tone was uplifting:

"This place is called Never Forget Dwelling, meaning 'Never Forget Dwelling you eat a meal here, even ghosts and immortals will never forget it.' In the past, only the wealthy and gentry of the town could afford to eat here. Although it's no longer exclusively for the rich, the flavors of the dishes have been preserved intact!"

"Please follow me inside. Please choose your seats, four people per table. The food is about to be served, and I guarantee it will be an unforgettable experience for your taste buds!"

Give it to the tongue?

Yu Xing unconsciously licked her lower lip, the red lines on the tip of her tongue sweeping across it, carrying a barely perceptible hint of anticipation.

He then walked in, and as soon as he stepped inside the Never Forget Dwelling, a faint, eerie breeze picked up and rushed straight at his face.

Unlike the biting winter wind, this eerie wind was all too familiar to the researchers; it clearly came from ghosts!

Zhang Yu silently moved closer to his captain, preparing to be his close companion in this situation.

"Captain," he whispered, "The tables and chairs on the first floor are haphazardly arranged, with most of the space taken up by the performance stage in the middle, so there are only ten tables in total, accommodating a maximum of forty people."

Although there were only thirty-seven people in total, the original tour group should have been fifty people, as there wasn't enough room on the first floor.

This shows that...

"Hmm, let's go up to the second floor and take a look." Yu Xing couldn't find any trace of ghosts on the first floor, she became interested in the second floor.

It was past dusk, and the sky was getting darker and darker. Many lamps were lit in the Never Forget Dwelling, but the light seemed to be inexplicably suppressed, and there was no sense of brightness or clarity. Instead, it seemed particularly dim and oppressive.

From the moment they entered, they didn't see a single waiter, let alone the owner. It was eerily quiet everywhere, except for the footsteps of the strategists and the whistling of the wind through the hall. It was hard to imagine how the promise of "serving the food immediately" could be fulfilled.

"Oh, right, the second floor of Never Forget Dwelling a better view, overlooking the street scene. Usually, the highest-ranking people eat there." Gao Yiling only remembered this when she saw the stairs, and quickly added, "There are a few private rooms on the second floor, but they're not open right now. However, there are three tables near the windows, which should be enough for you."

She glanced at the passengers. "Ahem, now that we don't care about status anymore, does anyone want to sit on the second floor?"

"Let's discuss this," Yan Li said calmly. "The guide has worked hard; he should take a rest now. He'll go up on his own once we've discussed it."

Gao Yiling was oblivious to the occasional strange occurrences in the team and ignored the various weapons carried by the deducers, but she was very perceptive in reading people's expressions.

She sensed that Yan Li was trying to get rid of her, as if the travelers had some secret they couldn't share with the guide, so she nodded good-naturedly. "Alright, then you decide for yourselves, but make sure... let me see..."

"Make sure everyone is seated within ten minutes, otherwise the owner of Never Forget Dwelling will be unhappy."

After saying that, she turned to leave.

"Guide."

Suddenly, a voice that was somewhat unfamiliar to most people rang out. Looking in the direction of the voice, the person who had called out to them was none other than the flower seeker, who had never spoken in public before.

The woman seeking flowers had her medium-length gray hair tied low at the back of her head when the festival dress was being made, revealing most of her delicate face, with a few strands of hair falling down her forehead and swaying silently.

"Isn't the guide eating with us?"

He never smiled, but his voice was surprisingly gentle, matching his appearance. It was hard to sense the same chilling murderous intent as the large scissors behind him from his long, drawn-out tone; at most, it sounded a bit sarcastic.

But it was precisely this sound that sent chills down the Never Forget Dwelling, making them feel as if they had been licked by a venomous snake.

Gao Yiling turned around, unaffected as expected, and said with a smile, "There are no tour guides at Never Forget Dwelling. I'll just go outside and buy some steamed buns or something to eat, and also chat with the people I'll meet along the way."

"Oh, I'll come pick you up at eight o'clock."

After saying that, the small figure disappeared outside the gate of Never Forget Dwelling.

The flower seeker turned his head, his height advantage allowing him to look down at Yan Li with a slightly condescending angle, carrying a subtle provocation. "The second floor offers a view of the 'street scene,' which must be quite an interesting sight. President Yan Li... will he be granted this opportunity given his 'noble' status?"

The thoughts and feelings among the people are becoming increasingly complex.

Some people's expressions changed upon hearing this.

Originally, those who wanted to go to the second floor could try to grab a spot under cover of darkness; the principle of first come, first served applied even among the group of those who were deducing the rules.

Yan Li insisted that they should discuss it, which blocked any possibility of seizing a position. Now, everyone could only "discuss" the matter.

But who couldn't see that Yan Li simply wanted to go to the second floor?

Discuss?

Besides granting qualifications to the presidents and their respective followers, what other outcomes might the discussions have resulted in?

Faced with the flower seeker's malicious question, Yan Li merely curled his lips and gave him a cold glance. "Are you people on the Fallen Path already thinking that the Mutation Path and the Righteous Path are just so hypocritical?"

Those whose thoughts had been guessed narrowed their eyes.

Medusa leaned against a pillar, watching the two men's argument with great interest.

"I used 'discussion' as an excuse, just to give you a heads-up before you act impulsively and lose your minds. The second floor offers views others can't, and you'll encounter things others don't." Yan Li said indifferently, "You've all witnessed the strength of the ghosts in this simulation; the second floor will only be more dangerous than the clothing store's backyard."

"If you think you can eat in that kind of environment, then go ahead and go. Why would I stop you?"

The harsh words provoked a surge of anger in many people on the path of Fallen Path, as they are already more easily provoked.

But Yan Li is right.

"Oh? So, President Yan Li thinks he's entitled to a delicious meal on the second floor." The Flower Seeker's tone remained consistently suggestive, as if every word held a deeper meaning. "Isn't this still a way of 'reserving' a seat on the second floor? President Yan Li, I quite admire your high-sounding manner."

That's actually a bit unreasonable. Yan Li has the strength to back it up; even if it's a contest for a position, he'll definitely get one. It's not fair to call it a noble act.

But it's obvious to anyone with eyes that the flower seeker is just looking for trouble.

Yan Li found him a bit annoying and gave him a strange look. "Are you looking for a fight?"

"I said, it's up to you who goes to the second floor." He paused, then said matter-of-factly, "If you take my spot, I'll just pick the one I don't like and throw it down, because I have a bad temper."

After Yan Li finished speaking, he gave a cold chuckle, "Is that high-sounding enough? Even if it were you, the Flower Seeker, I could throw you down with one hand."

This is the source of the confidence of the most renowned analyst.

He is not usually crazy, has teammates who are like friends, and has principles. He doesn't pretend to be mysterious, which leads many people to have the false impression that Yan Li is easy to talk to.

The truth is, in this situation, the person seeking flowers has no right to argue with him.

Only when the Lingren themselves come can they have the opportunity for "equal exchange".

A bloodthirsty glint flashed in the eyes of the flower seeker, then he took a step back. "No need to trouble Yan Li, I don't intend to go up."

Yan Li: "Oh?"

He wasn't the type to be indifferent when criticized; instead, he retorted, "So all that rambling was just wasting other people's time."

Medusa cupped her face in her hands. "As expected, the King of Hell is most charming at times like this~"

Lan Wu: "... Yes, very strong."

After watching the commotion for a while, Yu Xing pondered who should be placed at the same table with Zhang Yu.

The second floor has an unknown and eerie feel to it; he definitely wants to go up and have some fun, but Zhang Yu absolutely cannot go up there, and the same applies to the demon.

Hmm... let's just find them a table where they're not on the Fallen Path (a derogatory term for people who are morally corrupt).