Xiao Xiao did not answer.
He also looked up at the branch Meng Jixi was staring at.
Was it this branch?
After thinking it over, he reached up and grabbed a branch above him. Using it for leverage, he jumped lightly onto a branch beside the one he was examining.
In the blink of an eye, Master Xiao, who had been standing beside him, had climbed up into the tree. Meng Jixi stared at Master Xiao, who had suddenly appeared in his line of sight. ...
"Master Xiao?"
Realizing what Master Xiao was trying to do, he closed his mouth.
Xiao Xiao leaned closer and carefully examined the branch the girl had used to hang herself.
The worn bark clearly showed where the rope had been wrapped around it.
He ran his fingers over the mark a few times. A few moments later, he looked up at his surroundings.
His brows furrowed slightly.
Just as he was about to jump down, he lowered his eyes to look away—and paused.
He bent down to examine the branch he was standing on.
Right beside his feet.
He reached out and touched the familiar mark.
A mark left by a rope wrapped around it.
Two nearby branches, two identical marks.
He bent down a little farther and leaned closer to one of the marks, sniffing it. A faint, rank stench wafted through the air.
Mixed in with it was a trace of demonic aura.
"Master Xiao."
Meng Jixi watched Xiao Xiao jump down, his expression tense and questioning. "Did you find anything?"
"Mm."
Xiao Xiao nodded. "I found something, at least."
"Really?!"
Meng Jixi was both surprised and delighted. "As expected of you, Master Xiao."
Master Xiao was his last resort.
If even Master Xiao had found nothing, he