Damage Transfer
The Garden Maze was taller and denser than it looked from the outside. The untrimmed flower walls had only enough room between them for two people to walk side by side. The branches were tangled together, and the walls were at least two meters thick. It would take a long time to hack through them with knives and axes.
And perhaps because no one had tended the place for so long, there were snake nests among the flowering trees.
The vast maze was nothing but passages. Even after walking a third of the way through, he hadn't found any sign of digging.
By now, Xu Huo was certain that the "Vanishing Guests" of the past probably weren't buried anywhere in the Ancient Castle.
There was no point going farther, so he headed back with the maid.
"The rain's stopped today. Can people cross that bridge now?" he asked.
"Mr. Xu, are you planning to leave?" the maid asked in surprise. "But the Appreciation Session isn't until the night after tomorrow."
Xu Huo smiled. "I want to buy a few things."
The maid smiled too. "You can make a list and give it to me or another maid. We can buy them for you. It won't take long to go there and back."
Xu Huo took out the list he had prepared in advance. "Just a few little things, though they might be a bit of a hassle. I came in a hurry this time, so I didn't bring much cash. I only have a few pieces of jewelry on me."
"There's a pawnshop in town," the maid replied at once. "If you trust me, Mr. Xu, you can leave it to me."
After speaking, the young woman grew bashful. "I won't cheat you."
Xu Huo smiled warmly and