Theories Among the Citizens of Xingzhou
"Sigh, isn't it obvious?"
Ling Mengxue sighed, then pointed seriously towards the materials room, "No more stock."
Blood Doll: I understand! (▽▽)
"Okay, that's enough for now. Come over here and get your wound treated."
Ling Mengxue used magic to guide the flow of potion and gauze, and prepared to begin the procedure.
"Yes." The little girl nodded and obediently sat down in front of the counter.
When her gaze swept over Ling Mengxue, who was busy at work, her large, crimson eyes couldn't hide her admiration for her master.
Her master gave her a second life, appearing to save her when she was broken, her flesh and blood mutilated, and her life force exhausted, and even reforged her into a beautiful body.
This is practically like having a second parent.
This resulted in her initial favorability rating being at its maximum from the start.
At this moment, Ling Mengxue's attention was not on her, so she did not notice anything amiss and was simply "studying" the surgical supplies on her own.
"Should we use anesthesia?" Ling Mengxue asked, taking out a medicine bottle.
"Please go ahead, master. Just bring some pet toys; it's okay if they break."
"??"
Ling Mengxue's lips twitched. What kind of lewd words were those?
Something sounds off.
And... why do I feel inexplicably guilty?
Without giving it much thought, she silently put on her gloves, then pressed down on the little girl's hand, giving her a long, lingering look. "Bear with it. If it hurts, just scream."
The little girl immediately widened her eyes, bit her thin, delicate red lips, and nodded, looking terrified yet defiant...
"..."
"Then let's begin."
Swish Swish Swish--
Whoosh whoosh whoosh--
[Ding! Basic surgical experience +1]
[Ding! Basic surgical experience +1]
[Ding! Basic surgical experience +1]
Five minutes later, accompanied by the Blood Doll's shrill cries of "Eeeeeeeee!", Ling Mengxue took out scissors, cut the ghost bandage, and smiled slightly, "OK, after disinfecting and applying some healing medicine, this arm should be back to normal in about three days, and the whole piece of flesh will grow back."
"Hmm." The little girl's face was somewhat blank. She nodded, whimpered, and her eyes welled up with tears. "Waaah~ Master... Master did it so well, I feel like my body is all broken..."
Ling Mengxue: "??"
What the heck?
If you can't speak properly, then don't speak at all!
Do you realize that saying it like that can easily lead to misunderstandings?!
While Ling Mengxue was still "laughing and joking," dusk had unknowingly fallen.
As the sun began to set, the distant fog obscured the sunlight due to the unique environment of Ping'an District, making the sky appear even darker and creating a sense of inexplicable oppression, which involuntarily caused palpitations.
Only now can one vaguely make out a glimpse of the Dark City.
The outlines of buildings and strange trees were visible on the streets. As the fog thickened and swirled, the city before my eyes resembled a mirage, both terrifying and beautiful.
A mist shrouded the entire capital. Looking up at the sky, a large shadow suddenly fell, and a terrifying shriek echoed through every street. Although it was just a fleeting illusion, the supernatural beings living there all hid in corners with terrified expressions, as if afraid of being discovered.
Apart from the central area of the capital, only the regions with a strong magical aura remained unaffected.
On the other side
Xingzhou City, outside Ping'an District.
As the sun sets, the colorful clouds resemble an overturned paint bottle, scattering across the sky. Against the backdrop of the sunset's red hue, the scene is magnificent, vibrant, and dazzling.
As usual, after school, many outstanding young women at the Wanhua Garden Independent Campus were preparing for their studies according to their daily tasks and goals.
However, today was a special day because at noon they all received a special notification from the United Alliance, and when they saw the content, almost all the members were excited.
The legendary missing person has actually been found?
And it's located in a city in a neighboring province?
In an instant, the entire Star Engraving Alliance was in an uproar. In their Special Handling Department's forum, a new top-priority task was quickly added: to find the princess of their camp!
As the lowest-ranking of the three engraved destinies, the girls of Star Engraving have truly suffered. Not only do they have to stick together when they go out, but they also have to be extremely careful not to be discovered by the group of magicians. As a result, they cannot easily reveal their identities outside of their base camp, which is very frustrating.
The three factions were inherently hostile, so the weaker ones were naturally bullied.
What's wrong with the girl?
Girls can be competitive too!
For ordinary Destiny Engraver, princesses are like cheat codes, allowing them to quickly improve their realm and strength. However, these people can only proceed cautiously and rely on their own efforts, which is simply too tragic.
Without the guidance of the princess of the main camp, it would be virtually impossible for the Astral Mark Girl to develop rapidly.
Even just by having Her Highness the Princess bear the title of "Cute Leader," everyone in the United Alliance will automatically have their meditation efficiency increased by 10%. This is a predetermined attribute bonus, and with this buff, things will be quite wonderful.
After half a day of discussion, many members have gone crazy arguing over this "invitation" task!
"What if the little princess doesn't come back with us?"
"Of course not! How could Her Highness bear to see us being bullied? We'll each bring a cup of milk tea; she'll definitely be very touched!"
"Hey? Sister Xiaoyun, what are you thinking about? I think you're from Linzhuo. So, do you have any firsthand information? Right now, we only have some blurry photos, which is too difficult to find. How about we go and steal the mission together?!"
In a corridor of a campus in Wanhuayuan, several girls dressed in cute JK uniforms chatted happily, filling the air with the vibrant energy of youth and creating a warm and lively atmosphere.
Su Yun hesitated slightly while scrolling through her phone, seemingly deep in thought. Then she smiled, pursed her lips, and said, "I have firsthand information. I even know which school the little princess attends. I can send it to you if you need it. After that, I won't go back with you. I'm new here, so I'd like to familiarize myself with the surroundings a bit more."
"Oh, okay then~ Sister Xiaoyun is so kind, love you, muah~"
A girl in a white silk miniskirt suddenly leaned in and kissed Su Yun on the cheek without saying a word, her smile innocent and radiant.
Su Yun was somewhat taken aback, but after thinking about it, he figured the girl was probably just being enthusiastic.
But no sooner had this thought crossed her mind than another girl pouted and muttered, "Xiao Wan, can I have a bite too?"
"Okay~ mua?~"
Su Yun: "??"
[img=700,700]htt [img=700,943]htt Chapter Fifty-One: The Speculations of the Citizens of Star Prefecture
To put it another way
On the other side, outside a luxury hotel in the heart of Star Prefecture, a black extended Lincoln slowly drove up in the twilight.
The understated yet luxurious car gleamed in the sunlight, attracting frequent glances from passersby who couldn't help but wonder, "Whose young master is this?"
However, Xingzhou City is economically developed, and it's not surprising to see one or two luxury cars on the street most of the time.
The manager, who was waiting at the hotel entrance, saw the familiar license plate number and quickly ran forward to greet it.
The rear window slowly rolled down, revealing a fair and aloof profile; it was Ling Yue.
"Manager Liu, please arrange three rooms for us first. We need to go to the restaurant later," Ling Yue said indifferently, then got out of the car with two pretty girls.
Zhang Jingji nodded hurriedly and said "yes," flattering him in every way and not daring to be negligent in the slightest.
"Young Master Ling, please come in. Everything has been arranged."
"Um."
The three of them walked together into the hotel.
Although this wasn't Nan Muya's first time here, she was still captivated by the exquisite and elegant decorations, many of which were local cultural specialties and quite beautiful.
Suddenly, a snicker came from the side, causing Nan Muya and the other woman to turn their faces away.
Ling Yue was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled and said, "Little sister Le Xuan, what are you looking at and laughing so happily? What would you like to eat later? I'll tell the chef to make it."
Ling Lexuan, holding a mini pink laptop, smiled sweetly at her cute little face, "I just found a place I've always wanted to go to~~ And as for food... Geisha hand-drip coffee, classic Sicilian roll, refreshing mimosa orange cake, Valrhona chocolate pudding, donut with dairy-fed veal and tuna sauce, white truffle gelato..."
"Uh... wait a minute, I'll have the chef come over!"
Ling Yue scratched his head, feeling a little embarrassed; he hadn't remembered a single thing from those conversations!
Although he ate very luxurious and exquisite food every day, he was definitely not as good at eating as his cousin, nor was she as skilled at it. "Also, let's go wherever we want. We're here to have fun anyway, so we don't lack time. We can also change our previous travel map however we like."
"Hehe, then you'll have to listen to me, Cousin Ling Yue."
Ling Lexuan covered her mouth and chuckled, then turned the computer screen away. "It's Ping'an Street ~ The legendary haunted street that leads to the secret realm of the Dark City ~ These things are recorded on various paranormal websites in Star Prefecture, and are called 'Life Forbidden Zone,' filled with a hazy fog all year round. You need to buy at least a 'Soul Lamp' to enter and explore, and you must leave within a specified time."
As Ling Lexuan introduced the situation, Ling Yue couldn't help but feel a chill run down his spine and involuntarily swallowed hard.
Nowadays, all sorts of folk and urban supernatural tales are emerging endlessly around the world. Even with the establishment of the Special Management Department, they are simply not able to suppress them, which leads to the need to promptly carry out education and prevention knowledge about the supernatural.
Well, no matter what, he does possess martial arts skills, so he can certainly fight any monster that comes his way.
"Muya, what about you? What would you like to eat? I'll tell the chef." Ling Yue smiled and shook his head, deciding not to think about it anymore.
Anyway, he has two Destiny Engraver by his side who are comparable to Martial Grandmaster. As long as he doesn't encounter any terrifying beings, he can probably roam freely inside without any problems.
"Me? Well, I'll keep it simple too!"
When Nan Muya saw that they were starting to order food, her eyes lit up, and she excitedly rubbed her hands together. "Just... two pieces of charcoal-grilled Australian M9 steak with port wine sauce, strawberry mousse cake, Kaluga caviar pasta, French foie gras with salad, black truffle duck breast pizza, and salmon grilled sushi, plus a cream-baked Boston lobster, and a mango, avocado, and shrimp salad..."
"Stop! Stop!" Ling Yue's lips twitched violently.
Indeed, ordering food for these two ladies was definitely not a wise decision; professional matters should be left to professionals.
"Le Xuan, why don't you two record something together first? I'll hand it over to the housekeeper to handle later."
As he spoke, Ling Yue handed over a voice recorder.
Luckily, he had prepared in advance, otherwise he would have had to cook everything from the menu...
Soon, it got dark.
The neon lights under the night sky are colorful and vibrant, the air is rich and full of life, crowds are bustling and lively, and all sorts of smells are mixed together as people who have been busy all day stroll through the streets and alleys.
Office workers, energetic young people, senior citizens, spirited teachers, and overjoyed students—their nightlife is just beginning, and the entire Xingzhou City is brimming with vitality.
But there is a gloomy and dark area in the city, deserted by people, where ghosts wail and the entire Black City Old Street is shrouded in darkness— the Ping'an District.
Neither the stars in the night sky nor a flashlight equipped with two Nanfu batteries could penetrate the dark fog!
In the surrounding streets, traces of many pedestrians could still be vaguely seen, hurrying away in fear and unease.
Most of these people are young people who have come to explore and some small vendors. Due to the special nature of the area, they may earn far more from just one more transaction here than they would normally earn outside.
They say money makes the world go round, but if it weren't for the pressure of making a living, who would be willing to risk their life for money?
For the sake of that one deal, they might have to stay here forever if they hesitated even slightly.
Many people come here because of its reputation, and people die every day. In that oppressive environment, you might even lose track of time and be trapped to death.
On Ping'an Street at night, the temperature even reached minus ten degrees Celsius. Even if one was lucky enough to avoid being discovered by supernatural creatures, an ordinary person would freeze to death and end up being packed up as food by some lucky "little cutie" to take home...
Due to the curse, the Special Affairs Bureau's assistance branch is also located on the outskirts of the misty area to provide help to passersby.
Almost all protective measures are in vain. Under the influence of the curse of the secret realm, any warning lines and protective measures will be turned into dark smoke. Even if people are specially sent to drive away passers-by, they will be gradually swallowed up by the fog.
Ordinary people with limited abilities, if they enter the fog with this kind of obstructive mindset, will at best go insane and become mentally ill, and at worst die on the spot.
Such strange and bizarre tales are commonplace in Star Prefecture, almost becoming a taboo subject.
Only those foolish kids from out of town who ignore warnings, wanting to see what it's like, keep running in, throwing their lives away, just for a thrill?