At the same time, the Fatty heard the sound too. His eyes turned wary. "What was that?"
Jiang Cheng walked up to the door but didn't open it. He merely peered outside through the crack in the middle. After a moment, the increasingly frantic noise gradually died down, followed by the sound of someone striking a wooden clapper.
"Thud."
"Thud."
The sound kept moving. Judging by its direction, it had come in through the courtyard gate, along the same route they had taken.
Jiang Cheng narrowed his eyes. In the distance, he saw someone holding a large white lantern, standing beside the side room where Yu Chengmu and the others were staying.
A moment later, someone came out of the side room. They seemed to be talking.
Jiang Cheng silently calculated the time, then turned to the Fatty. "Let's go. The Night Watchman's here." With that, Jiang Cheng pushed the door open and headed outside. The Fatty hastily gulped down some hot tea and hurried after him.
By the time Jiang Cheng and the Fatty arrived, Chen Hao's group, Jia Jinliang, and A Biao were already there. Standing before them was an old man dressed in a black robe, with a white cloth belt tied around his waist.
A ragged piece of red cloth was wrapped around the old man's right arm.
Everyone's attention was drawn more to the lantern he carried. The white lantern was unmistakably marked with a large, blood-red character: "Condolences."
The character's strokes twisted and turned like a writhing serpent. Reflected in the flickering candlelight, it gave off an unsettlingly unreal impression.
Staring at the lantern and the old man's attire, Yu Chengmu seemed to realize something. His eyelids twitched a few times before he cupped his hands respectfully. "Senior, I'm humbled that you've come