Treasure-Seeking Rat

Fang Shu rode the pangolin back toward the Beast Hall at an unhurried pace.

He found the Beast Hall attendant who had lent him a spirit beast last time. The two exchanged pleasantries for quite a while before finally cupping their hands in farewell.

Just as Fang Shu was about to leave the Beast Hall, he sensed someone inside watching him.

Keeping his expression unchanged, he swept his peripheral vision over and immediately spotted a familiar figure, his gaze flickering with slight surprise.

That is... that bastard Black Mouse, Fang Shu thought.

The other man was kneeling inside the Beast Hall among the other menials, scrubbing the floor with a rag. It was a task that could clearly have been done with magic, yet they insisted on having menials do it by hand. Who knew whether the Beast Hall was deliberately punishing them.

Black Mouse lay prone on the ground. After sneaking a few glances at Fang Shu, he immediately lowered his head again and bent himself to his work.

Compared to how Fang Shu remembered him, the man now possessed none of his former bearing. It seemed his spirit had been ground away.

A trace of emotion rose in Fang Shu's heart.

Yet Fang Shu did not alter his pace. He merely glanced over a few more times from the corner of his eye before strolling away.

Though they had been roommates, Fang Shu's relationship with this man had been ordinary. Moreover, the fire at the Paper Workshop in Guling Town had been set by Black Tiger Hall, and Black Mouse himself had very likely been the one who started it.

Thus, Fang Shu had no intention of acknowledging him or putting on some act of offering charcoal in the snow. Ignoring him was enough. That would also spare