An Ominous Premonition

Perhaps because their moral expectations of the ghosts in the dungeon were low, everyone felt a strange sense of relief when they heard that the Doctor had actually left a backup plan.

I initially thought they were going to be punished according to the tour group's rules. Now, I still don't know what kind of situation the guide and these townspeople are in. What if the seemingly kind and harmless guide suddenly turns on me because of their behavior? Who knows how much trouble that will cause later?

"But..." Hua Subai hesitated for a moment, "Actually..."

"Hmm?" Yu Xing turned to look at him, unmoved by Hua Subai's feigned hesitation. "Just say what you want to say. Nobody's going to sew your mouth shut."

"Look at my clothes." Hua Subai was teased again, but he patiently spread his arms to show off his Da Hong Fenglong Uniform.

It wasn't until he brought it up that everyone suddenly realized that this person had actually started wearing the sacrificial robes sometime during the year.

It's strange, despite the bizarrely bright color and the elaborate ceremony, they all ignored it before the Boss Hua owner showed it to them.

Yan Li subconsciously exchanged a glance with Medusa, seeing the deep thought in each other's eyes.

Others might not have much of an impact, but these two—especially Yan Li —are already at the top of all the divination experts. The fact that even he could ignore something he should have been able to see means that the things influencing him are more powerful than he is.

Just who exactly is Boss Hua?

Upon reaching the Reality level, the system shows them even more favoritism, such as "distorting other people's impressions of them," "making others forget their existence," and "playing a cameo role as an NPC in other people's deductions," etc. The system will basically not refuse such requests.

However, this preferential treatment will not apply to people of the same level. Even if someone's memories of a certain Real Level are erased, they will remember everything once they also advance to the Real Level.

But Yan Li found that he couldn't remember anything about Boss Hua's past. Surely, someone like that couldn't have just popped out of a rock?

He must have some records of his deductions, not just a few traces. Even the Lingren had been out of the public eye for several years was not a mysterious person to him or his Widow Investigation Team.

But this is exactly what happened; someone like Boss Hua appeared, leaving Yan Li completely bewildered and without any clue what to speculate about.

The only person present who was connected to Boss Hua was Yu Xing. However, Yu Xing was also quite special and very wary, so he probably wouldn't reveal any information about Boss Hua to him.

Yan Li shook his head slightly at Medusa, reverting to his indifferent demeanor as if he didn't care about anyone. Medusa snorted softly and continued watching Yu Xing and Hua Subai's conversation, trying to glean some clues from it.

She only heard Yu Xing say, "Your clothes are well made. If you don't run the flower shop, you can still make a living as a tailor."

Hua Subai chuckled, "You clearly guessed it, but you had to mock me to feel happy."

"We agreed to meet in the third room. Breaking the appointment is my fault. You must have waited for nothing, right?"

"No, who has time to wait for you?" Yu Xing was free, denied the matter, then asked in return, "So, you didn't appear in the third room because you ran outside?"

Hua Subai followed the Doctor in. Based on the timeline, he deduced that Hua Subai must have arrived outside first, then met the Doctor, Doctor asked for his location. Hua Subai then led the Doctor to Never Forget Dwelling, using the Doctor's abilities to avoid the risks of violating regulations.

It must be said that Yu Xing's understanding of Hua Subai is quite accurate, with virtually no deviations.

The only uncertainty is Hua Subai's motive for leaving. He didn't leave voluntarily, otherwise he wouldn't have caused such a mess.

That's related to clothes.

Did someone damage his ceremonial robes, causing him to be moved due to death and forced to leave the second floor?

There's only one person who would do that: the flower seeker, a subordinate of the Lingren.

So it seems the Lingren have indeed been making arrangements targeting Hua Subai. I wonder if the presence of the Flower Seekers in Nanshui Town will have a deeper impact...

Yu Xing silently figured everything out, just as Hua Subai answered his question, "Yes, I was tricked into going to the outside world by something I hate."

"What does this have to do with our travel itinerary?" Silver Sparrow asked impatiently. "Whether you go to the outside world or not is none of my business, why waste your time?"

Hua Subai glanced at her with a smile, feigning helplessness. "I don't know what tricks that guy used, but I was in a private room, just dealing with the red-clothed ghost who wanted to kill me."

"By the way, the method for killing the Red-Clothed Demon is the same as the method Medusa used to kill the Flesh-and-Blood Demon. I suspect they are the same thing."

"The Red-Clad Ghost Mask is probably an upgraded version of the Flesh and Blood Ghost Shadow. At least their faces are complete, and the red clothes they wear are the kind of clothing that the Flesh and Blood Ghost Shadow aspires to."

"Anyway, I dealt with the red-clothed ghost. The Ceramic Waiter and the paper effigy happened to be right next to me. That annoying guy took me out, and along with the waiter and the paper effigy, he took them with him."

"What?" Medusa raised an eyebrow. "Wait a minute, who are you referring to as 'the guy'...?"

"The Flower Seeker," Hua Subai said sincerely, "I'm sorry I didn't mention it before, but the Flower Seeker has a personal grudge against me. He always goes to great lengths to find an opportunity to kill me. This time was no exception. I didn't expect Xiao Er and the paper effigy to be taken out together. After they were out, the Flower Seeker cut them into pieces."

Medusa wasn't surprised by the first part of the statement, but the second part caught her off guard. "So, Never Forget Dwelling no longer has Ceramic Waiter?"

"That's right, that's what I wanted to say, 'but...'" Hua Subai seemed a little afraid that everyone would blame him, so he silently moved a few steps behind Yu Xing. "Without Xiao Er, I wonder if the guide will notice anything amiss. Oh, and by the way, it seems that the Flower Seeker also made a move on the female owner of the clothing shop."

"Although it was his violation, with him around, he will implicate me, and then I will implicate you. We probably won't be able to hide our violations any longer."

Yan Li: "... Is the female boss still there?"

Hua Subai: "Yes, she ran away. Then the Flower Seeker tried to kill me, but luckily the Doctor arrived and saved me. I followed the Doctor all the way back safely."

A moment of silence fell over everyone.

Yu Xing knew this guy was talking nonsense; his intention to shift the blame onto the womanizer was all too obvious.

Yan Li could guess that things weren't like that, after all, he believed that Boss Hua was hiding his true strength and wouldn't be suppressed by a mere flower seeker.

But it's impossible for Boss Hua to lie about the affair between the waiter and the female owner of the clothing store. So, regardless of the details, the problem has indeed arisen.

This matter seems quite serious once you get to the bottom of it. The waiter's side is fine, so it's over and done with. The guide also has no evidence.

But the female owner of the clothing store was still "alive"; she had a mouth and could complain to the guide.

Medusa for a moment. "What if... the female boss doesn't complain?"

"She's definitely in cahoots with the guide! None of the so-called townspeople are real people. If you ask me, just kill the female boss and the flower-seekers!" Silver Sparrow rolled her eyes, then realized the people here wouldn't tolerate her talking like that, so she cleared her throat. "Ahem, I mean, perhaps we could do that?"

She muttered, "Ah, thank goodness I'm not Single Prism, otherwise just saying that would be enough to make me suffer a lot, even if I survived to go back alive."

"Not necessarily," Gu Xing suddenly interjected.

Silver Sparrow exclaimed in surprise, "Won't it peel off a layer of skin?"

Gu Xing was speechless. "They're not necessarily all in cahoots."

He stroked his chin and analyzed the NPCs they had encountered so far. "Let's think about it. The guide brought us to Never Forget Dwelling Restaurant and specifically said that the view from the second floor was better. This means she wanted us to go to the second floor. Regardless of Gao Yiling's stance as a town resident, from the guide's perspective, she wanted to trick people into going to the second floor and encountering the ceramic-headed waiter."

"The ceramic-headed waiter harbored ill will towards Boss Hua and took in the red-clothed ghost, who in turn wanted to kill us while we were still alive. Therefore, we can assume that Never Forget Dwelling and the red-clothed ghost are on the same side."

"That's right." Seeing that the elders did Bugui seem inclined to speak, Bu Gui had no choice but to offer his own praise.

"The female owner of the clothing store promised to guard our backyard. Regardless of her actual strength, the reason she made this promise was because the Flesh and Blood Demon had caused trouble in the backyard before."

"So the female owner of the clothing store and the ghost are enemies."

"And according to Boss Hua, the Red-Clad Ghost Mask and the Flesh-and-Blood Ghost Shadow are actually the same thing, so the clothing shop and Never Forget Dwelling are opposites." Gu Xing narrowed his eyes, a flash of inspiration striking him. "In that case, we've broken Never Forget Dwelling's rules..."

Silver Sparrow understood this time and exclaimed in shock, "The female owner of the clothing store might help us!"

"Moreover, the Flower Seeker attacked the female boss. If you can kill the Flower Seeker, the female boss should be very happy!" Hua Subai kept stirring things up behind Yu Xing.

Yu Xing coldly poured cold water on his enthusiasm. "Then what is the stance of the guide who cooperates with Never Forget Dwelling and the clothing store?"

"Perhaps she's a third party independent of these shops and teahouses," Hua Subai argued. "The guide didn't seem to have any obvious ill intentions towards us; she's more like the townspeople outside, just doing her job."

"No matter what, as long as you kill the woman who seeks flowers, the female boss might not reveal our affair. Isn't that a good thing?"

"Why can you so confidently say 'you kill'? Isn't this all your doing?!" Silver Sparrow put her hands on her hips and rolled her eyes.

"I'm too weak," Hua Subai chuckled.

"... You'd better be..." Silver Sparrow sensed something was wrong, but she wasn't as impatient as before, clearly agreeing with the plan.

If it were a different group of people standing here, she definitely wouldn't dare to participate in any discussion about killing the Flower Seeker. She couldn't defeat even three of him, let alone take his life.

But aren't Yan Li Medusa both there? Compared to them, Xun Huaren isn't such a tough nut to crack.

Anyway, it wasn't her who did the killing, so what's wrong with a few sarcastic remarks? People on the Fallen Path just can't stand each other, and who doesn't want to give anyone stronger than themselves the chance to die?

She's not Single Prism.

In reality, apart from Yan Li, Medusa, and Yu Xing, everyone else here is just there to listen to the noise. If the plan is to be implemented, they can't be of much help; in other words, their help is unnecessary.

As these people were gradually persuaded by Hua Subai, Yu Xing remained silent. He knew that Hua Subai had been in a bad mood, which he could tell from the first private room they had met.

The flower seeker slipped out again and ruined his ceremonial attire; he must have run into trouble.

He didn't quite understand why the Flower Seeker could be so bold. Even if the Lingren was behind him, he shouldn't be so blatant. Unless, like Han Yan back then, the actor had left a trace of the Flower Seeker's breath or soul in him, so that the Lingren could protect him when he was attacked.

The power of the Ghost Tree is perfectly suited for this kind of thing.

Just like he left a mark on Zhao Yijiu's forehead.

Hua Subai's refusal to take action himself, and his insistence on asking Yan Li and others for help, likely stems from this concern.

All I can say is that Yan Li has too good a temper. Even though he's on the Mutation Path, he lives like someone on the Righteous Path, and he doesn't get angry even when he's forced onto the ship.

Let them discuss as they please; Yu Xing opened the system and checked the time.

They already knew that time would flow faster in the real world than in the fake world. Now, thanks to the Doctor, the second floor of Never Forget Dwelling has revealed its true nature. The longer they stay here, the more time they will have an advantage.

Silver Sparrow and the others were unaware of this; otherwise, she certainly wouldn't have considered discussing it here a waste of time.

The system showed that his current time was 7:58 PM.

If the flow of time is fixed, and the real flow is ten times that of the fake flow, then considering the time they just spent, the fake world should be around 7:50.

This is also something to be careful about. The later the game goes, the harder it becomes for them to know the exact time in the virtual world. If there are any time-related tasks, it's easy to fail, unless they find a watch or alarm clock in town.

So far, it seems no one has encountered a shop selling related items, and when he respawned at the watering lady's house, he didn't see anything in the room displaying the time.

The guide will come to pick them up in about 10 minutes, around 8 o'clock.

Great, I can dawdle a little longer and gain an extra hour of real time.

[Sigh... After watching the whole thing in Hua's live stream, my understanding of top-level strategists is even more vague now.]

[I thought I had a chance to survive and join the ranks of the big shots, but now look at this, what is all this? The flowers are all smashed to pieces, yet they can still revive in the backyard... revive, right?]

[Then, with just a few words, the Flower Seeker was driven into a corner. Before this, I had never imagined that someone as strong as the Flower Seeker could be killed so easily by Yan Li and his group with a casual remark.]

[The flower is still pretending to be weak.]

[Everyone else probably figured it out, but they were just too lazy to call him out on it one by one.]

[Turning personal grudges into public ones, only killing the womanizer can guarantee the interests of everyone in this room...]

[Unfortunately, the woman boss was someone the woman seeker provoked himself, so neither Yan Li Medusa would blame her for Boss Hua.]

[He said he had a personal grudge against the womanizer, so why didn't you just resolve it directly before?]

[Who knows what the boss was thinking? And don't you guys think that if Hua really didn't want to leave Never Forget Dwelling, why didn't he make some kind of protective garment for her?]

[Right, he just left it there without doing anything, so the flower seekers could start making their move as soon as they arrived!]

[Could he be fishing? Is this all part of his plan?]

[That can't be, unless he already deduced the power dynamics between the shops, but like I said, what's his motive?]

What's he after?

No one knows what the mysterious Boss Hua is thinking, whether he is going with the flow or it was premeditated.

Regardless of the reason, it doesn't change the fact that the audience has already remembered this cunning person.

Some viewers who didn't care about this suddenly came to complain:

That Doctor is really affecting the live stream; every time I scan the screen to see him, it's a disaster!

[It happened in the backyard too. What exactly did Hua say to the Doctor? Are you automatically omitting the most crucial part?]

[Oh no, the Doctor has to follow Sachi, which means I'll hardly ever see her anymore! Waaaaah, being a pervert is so frustrating!]

[Is no one concerned about those two who ran away? Have they come back yet?]

[Zhang Yu and Lan Wu have returned and are already settled back in their seats, eating snacks.]

Where did these snacks come from??

[The spicy dried fish that Lan Wu brought in looked delicious, so they decided not to eat at Never Forget Dwelling.]

[Damn it, I watched her infiltrate for half a day without watching anyone else's live stream, and I never expected she'd already been exposed...]

[Her client is about to be killed by the boss, what should she do? Can you please let her go? She was just hired! Handsome lady!]

[It depends on Xing's mood. She's the one who gained her trust; if it were me, I wouldn't forgive her.]

[It's such a pity about her eyes... If she were to die, could the system recycle her eyes as a ritual offering?]

[What are you talking about upstairs? Is this something I should know?]

Where is everyone upstairs?

[Oh no, the person upstairs might have been banned by the system. I wish them well.]

On the Never Forget Dwelling, at two minutes to eight, the demon was finally led in by the flower seeker.

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, the flower seeker kept his promise and released her. She immediately slipped back to her seat, panting heavily with a deathly pale face.

"Are you alright? Did the flower-hunter take you to the boy?" Zhang Yu patted her shoulder with concern. "You look even worse than during the day."

"Phew... It's nothing. Did Sister Xue tell you?" Mo glanced at Xue Shouyun, who was also looking her over, and forced a smile. "Sister Xue, you guys left so decisively back then, didn't you even come to chase after us? I was terrified..."

Xue Shouyun adjusted the shawl on his shoulders. "There's no way to chase after them. If you anger the flower seekers, you'll be in real trouble."

"Yeah, right." Mo slumped onto the table, arms propped up. "It's almost time, I'm going to rest for a bit."

"You still haven't said what he asked you to do," Lan Wu suddenly spoke, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Did he tell you to keep it a secret and not to tell anyone else?"

"Yes, he threatened to stop me from saying anything." Mo smirked dejectedly. "I should have stayed close to Xing; that way, I wouldn't have been dragged away."

"But as far as I know, you and Xing have reached an agreement to share information," Lan Wu said casually. "When Xing comes downstairs, what are you going to tell him?"

He rubbed his white hair, seemingly sharing a similar headache. "Hmm, I don't know Xing, I wonder if he'll hold a grudge against you because of this... Sigh, what an undeserved disaster."

"Ahhh! That's right!" The demon's face also fell. "Actually, I was forced to look at some things again, and I overused my abilities."

The demon looked utterly exhausted, cold sweat dripping from his forehead. "Damn, I never want to be near that giant pair of scissors again in my life, it's terrifying."

"If he asks... I'll try to tell him what I can, it should be fine, right?"

Zhang Yu nodded. "The captain is always very understanding. Sigh, I was worried about you earlier, so I asked Lan Wu to take me out to look for you, but unfortunately we couldn't find you."

"... You've come looking for me?" The demon seemed somewhat surprised, straightening up slightly. "Can you leave too?"

"Thanks to Lan Wu," Zhang Yu exclaimed, "Having spatial abilities is truly wonderful."

Lan Wu: "You're welcome."

As soon as he finished speaking, the previously closed first-floor door was finally opened open in broad daylight.

Holding the tour guide flag, Gao Yiling walked in with a big smile, her nose twitching. "It smells so good... I'm so envious of your lavish meal. I can only buy something quick outside. Has everyone finished eating? We should go now."

Everyone was eager to leave this awful place as soon as possible.

The people downstairs were bored and terrified by the flower-hunting man's trip, and they were also anxious about what the people on the second floor were doing. Some of them even had to resist the temptation of delicious food while hungry.

These people firmly believe that food should not be touched. They watch those who start eating directly and can only feel both incredulous and admiring of their boldness.

It was pure torture—not as extreme as pricking yourself in the backyard, but it was still unpleasant.

Thankfully, it's finally over.

Lan Wu put the remaining snacks back into her travel bag and waited for Gao Yiling to count the number of people.

The lively girl always tried to put on a smile while working. She skipped and hopped as she counted the people on the first floor, then looked up.

"Huh?"

"What happened to the stairs?!"

"Oh no, what do we do? Where's Xiao Er? Someone tell me how to get up there!" Gao Yiling stared dumbfounded at the huge fracture.

"Why don't you shout a couple of times?" someone suggested. "Your voice might carry."

Gao Yiling probably couldn't understand why the emphasis was on the word "your" in that sentence. She thought for a moment, then shouted into the thick darkness, "The tourists on the second floor should come down now!"

It's time to go!

!"

"They're here! They're here!"

An echo came from behind the darkness, and the darkness slowly dissipated, revealing a corner of the second floor.

"Guide, wait! We're coming down right away!" Silver Sparrow's petite body was exceptionally agile; she was the first to reach the stairwell, and without even glancing at the broken section, she ran a few steps and leaped lightly—

We crossed the fracture point smoothly!

A fleeting look of confusion crossed Gao Yiling's face, but it was quickly replaced by enthusiasm. The light in her eyes dimmed again. "Okay, okay, be careful."

Those still alive on the second floor fell to the ground.

Upon discovering the absence of the vengeful corpses and rifts, the others felt a sense of "I knew it"—the second floor was indeed dangerous; even the chosen experts had failed. No wonder the Witch Doctor and the cryptic spirit medium ran away so quickly.

In the corner, the Witch Doctor tugged at the psychic.

The psychic understood and said irritably, "Yes, yes, it's all thanks to you. I'm praising you; you're the best."

Zhang Yu craned his neck to wait for the captain to come down. After a short while, he saw his team leader following a figure in red.

There wasn't a drop of blood on him, so he must be in good condition.

Wait, what red clothes?

The detective's keen senses allowed him to catch something amiss in an instant, but the Spiritual Sense quickly vanished.

Looking again, he could only recognize that the person standing next to him was Boss Hua; everything seemed normal.

More than twenty people were sitting on the large first floor, but none of them noticed Hua Subai's brightly colored Fenglong Uniform. Only Xunhua Ren stared at the figure who was chatting and laughing with Yu Xing with a sinister gaze, curled his lips, and concealed his innate killing intent.

Finally, Doctor in a white coat came down. The strategist on the first floor stared wide-eyed, but couldn't make out the Doctor's face.

Gao Yiling recognized the Doctor and asked in surprise, "Doctor, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, it's the tour guide." The Doctor's smile widened, his pleasant voice penetrating Gao Yiling's ears, bringing a slight, intoxicating dizziness. "I was passing by, and Xiao Er happened to have to leave in a hurry, so he asked me to look after it for him."

"It's not here?" Gao Yiling had a vague feeling that something was wrong, but the Doctor's voice made her head spin, and she could hardly think any further. She could only follow her instincts and reply, "I know, then I'll look for it when it comes back... When will it come back?"

"A long, long time later," the Doctor smiled happily, "You won't need to come looking for it anymore."

"No need..." Gao Yiling murmured, "Okay..."

She silently repeated it again, seamlessly regaining her composure and putting on a smile once more, "Everyone's here! But it seems like two people are missing? Well, they probably had their own things to do, so they left our journey."

"Let's go then, tonight's activity is making matching accessories!"

Having witnessed the Doctor's terrifying abilities, the predictors who were meeting him for the first time all became solemn, barely having time to ponder the meaning of "leaving the journey".

They didn't have a chance to investigate who the Doctor was or why he was with the people on the second floor, mainly because they didn't dare to ask, fearing they might uncover some secrets they shouldn't know.

Amidst Gao Yiling's cheerful voice, they walked out of the gate of Buwangju in the same Never Forget Dwelling as when they arrived.

The streets outside were still bustling. As darkness fell, the shops on both sides gradually lit up, the dim yellow lights making the street feel warm and cozy, and the townspeople's faces were filled with happiness.

"Team leader."

Zhang Yu squeezed next to Yu Xing and, using the surrounding noise as cover, briefly explained how he had gone out with Lan Wu.

He glanced cautiously at the bustling crowd. "There wasn't a soul on the street when we came out."

"Well done, not bad. You've got guts too." Yu Xing raised an eyebrow. "Aren't you afraid Lan Wu will sell you off?"

Lan Wu far away either. Zhang Yu lowered his voice and said, "Misjudging someone is an insult to my profession! I only agreed because I was sure he wouldn't do anything to me!"

"Besides, at least I have more experience than him; he's the complete newbie..."

"Okay, okay." Yu Xing's eyes crinkled into a smile. "I trust the detective's professionalism. Want another pancake?"

Zhang Yu was just a moment ago happy to be trusted. "..."

"Captain, do you have some kind of obsession with biscuits?"

"Shall I buy you steamed buns?"

"No, Captain, after finding out that these vendors don't even exist, I don't dare to think about what those steamed buns and mantou are made of."

Zhang Yu wasn't hungry, having eaten some snacks, but in the blink of an eye, he was confronted by a strange face standing very close to him.

A clear image of a face flashed by, quickly fading from my mind, leaving only the impression of Mohu and the white lab coat.

"Doctor?!" Zhang Yu was so startled he almost jumped up, immediately dodging to the other side of Yu Xing, causing Hua Subai to stumble.

Hua Subai looked utterly innocent. "..."

Yu Xing suddenly felt pleased and chuckled softly. She shifted her gaze from Boss Hua and observed the agitated Zhang Yu as if he were a small animal.

"What's wrong? Why are you so scared when you see me?" The Doctor smiled and looked Zhang Yu up and down. "Ah... I know you, you're Yu Xing's 'younger brother'."

Zhang Yu: "...?"

He suddenly realized. "Oh, you're from that hospital! You were the one who told me to leave!"

The demon leaned closer. "What? What?"

Zhang Yu was furious; they were trying to extract information from him!

Although he didn't have any information about the Doctor, since the captain had sent the Doctor along, it should mean there were no problems for the time being.

He calmed down, as if just remembering something. "Oh right, Captain! While you were on the second floor, the Demon followed the Flower Seeker."

"What do you mean 'follow me'? I was captured!" Mo immediately proclaimed her innocence, chattering to Yu Xing, "It's like this, you should have heard about the Flower Seeker from Zhang Yu. I was caught in the crossfire when I went out to watch the fun with Xue Shouyun and Meng Dao!"

She looked around and saw that the flower seeker was at the back of the group and couldn't hear them talking, so she whispered, "The flower seeker wants me to see a book. He says he found it in town, and it's very strange. He's too lazy to find anyone related to the book to find out more, so he just wants me to see it."

"Oh?" Yu Xing didn't ask if she had looked at it or what the book contained. Instead, with her hands in her pockets, she asked with little interest, "You helped him look at the clues, and he dared to let you go like that?"

"I thought someone like him would tear you to pieces after he'd used you. After all, once he'd achieved his goal, you were useless to him, and keeping you around would only be a problem. Besides, he has no sense of contractual obligation."

Mo broke out in a cold sweat again, trying to console himself. "Haha, maybe he has something else planned to come after me later. I'm just in town, I can't run away."

Yu Xing smiled and said, "Yes, as far as he's concerned, you can't escape."

Just as the demon was about to say something more, he suddenly paused.

These words...

She made an excuse to go chat with Xue Shouyun and quietly distanced herself from Yu Xing.

"You don't want to kill her?" Hua Subai walked leisurely, his hands in his sleeves. "How merciful."

Yu Xing scoffed, "It's just a reminder. If she realizes she'll be used and then discarded by the womanizer, she'll naturally make the right choice."

"Turn against us?" Hua Subai tilted his head. "What a hassle. By the time we get back to the backyard, the guide will have met the female boss, and the flower seeker won't be around for long either. What good will it do if the demon turns against us then?"

"You're reluctant to give up your demonic powers, aren't you?"

Yu Xing remained noncommittal.

The journey was lively, and they soon returned to the clothing shop.

The clothing shop was still the same as before, with red robes hanging all over the walls, looking almost ghostly.

The petite female shop owner, pale as a sheet of paper, slumped in a recliner behind the counter, clutching a kerosene lamp.

"Hey, good evening!" Gao Yiling greeted the female boss, whose half-closed eyes snapped open and she sat up abruptly.

"Your group—" She opened her mouth to say something, but suddenly saw the flower seeker standing on the outermost edge. That ridiculously tall man was staring straight at her with a terrifying gaze.

"What's wrong with our group?" Gao Yiling asked, confused.

"It's nothing. Take them to the backyard to sit down, then I have something to say to you privately." The female boss ground her molars.

She wouldn't swallow her anger.

She would never compromise with anything; if she did, it was simply because it wasn't time for revenge.

Gao Yiling shrugged, turned to the participants, and shouted, "Alright, everyone, go sit down in the courtyard. The boss will teach you how to make the accessories for each of the three outfits right away!"

The crowd walked reluctantly through the wooden door.

I've already endured the pain of having clothes made, so having accessories made is just another round of pain... that's all.

Ugh, damn it.

The group that had discussed matters on the second floor entered the courtyard without changing their expressions, with Hua Subai staying behind last.

This was the result of their discussion. Hua Subai insisted that he was too weak to defeat the Flower Seekers and that he would leave the task of dealing with the Flower Seekers to Yan Li. Therefore, he had to be responsible for persuading the female boss.

The female boss's expression turned strange again when she saw him dressed in red.

"We meet again." Hua Subai leaned on the counter with one hand and held up one finger with the other. "Shh, don't be afraid."

"What are you afraid of!" the female boss snapped. "I won't teach you how to make accessories later, let's see if you're scared then."

"I was wrong, don't get agitated." Hua Subai surrendered with a gesture of resignation. "I'm not like that annoying thing. I have no ill intentions towards you, and I didn't intentionally violate the clothing store's rules, right?"

"Why aren't you going in yet?" Gao Yiling peeked out from the wooden door.

Hua Subai turned his head and called out, "Guide, wait a moment, I have something to ask the boss about Fenglong Uniform, I'll be right in."

Gao Yiling sought the female boss's opinion with her eyes.

The female boss hesitated for two seconds, then snorted, "Okay."

"Oh, then we need to hurry." Gao Yiling pulled her head back.

Hua Subai and the female shopkeeper remained in the shop. The female shopkeeper said coldly, "What do you want to say? I advise you to behave yourself."

With a guide present, it's like having a "tour group"—and the rules of a tour group are far more stringent than those of her clothing shop. She's confident that even these monstrous travelers won't dare to break the rules.

"I want to discuss something with you." Hua Subai revealed his most amiable smile. "As you saw, that guy ruined my ritual robes. If I hadn't had some connections, I would have died at his hands."

"Hmm, so?" The female boss crossed her arms.

He ignored your attempts to stop him and barged into the backyard, causing damage. He didn't respect you at all. According to the rules, you should punish him, right?

The female boss gritted her teeth even more upon hearing this.

Yes, otherwise she wouldn't be so troubled.

Because the "rules" were broken, she should punish the violators, but she lacks the power to do so.

"And I was also in the courtyard during the off-peak hours, but I was forced to. If you tell the guide, I'll be wrongly accused." Hua Subai sighed pitifully.

"I hate him too, and several other people want him dead. Look, how about this? If you don't tell the guide, a few of us tourists who hate him will kill him tonight, and I guarantee he won't show up in front of you again to threaten you."

"He's dead. One life should be enough to cover the punishment you need to carry out, right?"

Hua Subai hadn't told anyone about the punishment rules, because it was a field he couldn't possibly understand.

He lowered his voice, his tone seductive. "We'll achieve a win-win situation."

The evening activities went exceptionally smoothly.

Perhaps because making the clothes was too arduous, the accessories were surprisingly normal. The female boss, looking quite tired, taught the participants how to make the matching accessories one by one, and the participants finished making them in about an hour.

These are all hand-woven items that don't require tools, so they aren't very difficult for them.

After finishing the jewelry making, it was already past nine o'clock, which was considered "false time." When the guide announced that it was time to rest, many people felt a sense of disbelief.

Is it that simple?

There were no problems at all; they were simply asked to do crafts for an hour.

What kind of Bodhisattva!

While everyone was still somewhat dazed, the guide began to assign places for them to rest that night.

Nanshui Town is small, and it often takes a long time for a tour group to arrive. Transportation is inconvenient, and there is little connection with the surrounding towns. Therefore, the only hotel in the town simply cannot accommodate so many people.

"Don't worry, this is how I always do it when I lead a tour group—some people stay in hotels, and the rest stay in the homes of local residents."

Standing on the street outside the clothing store, Gao Yiling cleared her throat and explained, "Those families have cooperated with our inn many times. They've specially reserved rooms for everyone to stay in. The hosts are all very nice and hospitable. You might even receive a gift from them!"

"The hotel can accommodate twenty people. You can discuss where you want to stay and let me know in five minutes."

With their bags filled with finished clothes and accessories, everyone began brainstorming.

Yet another two different treatments.

We ate on two separate floors; the second floor was dangerous, but we obtained a lot of information there.

So it's very likely that the inn and the townspeople's homes also had this kind of relationship!

The inn is safe, the townspeople's homes are dangerous, but they can gain a lot from the townspeople's homes.

"Guide, I have a question." The crowd murmured amongst themselves, but Yan Li's voice remained calm.

Gao Yiling tilted her head amicably. "What's the problem?"

Yan Li narrowed his eyes, seizing on the unspoken loophole, and asked, "Does the inn have to accommodate twenty people? If most people choose to stay in townspeople's homes, and the inn isn't full, is that still acceptable?"

"Ah, of course." Gao Yiling suddenly realized, "The townspeople are all very hospitable. Even if no one wants to stay in a hotel, everyone can be guaranteed a home in a town. Sorry, I didn't explain clearly."

Everyone:?

So, does that mean hotels are the ones with limited availability, and you have to scramble to get one?

"Captain," Zhang Yu hesitated, "It's obvious the townspeople have more information, but they're robbing the inn, doesn't that mean...?"

The townspeople's homes were too dangerous; only the inns offered a glimmer of hope.