Chapter 30

Ye Chuqi tugged at Xiya's sleeve. "Xiya, I can do it."

She knew she could.

Her badge was still with Jun Ruofeng for modifications, and he had taken her Spatial Ring to add Black Ghost Stone to it. But her Storage Bag was already out in the open, so she could take out plenty of resources without raising suspicion. At the very least, she could keep what she needed to protect herself in the bag without drawing those people's attention.

From what they had learned, the girls had all disappeared in the afternoon or around dusk. So by midafternoon, young women were rarely seen walking alone in Kru Town.

Red Beard had gone to the Adventurers' Guild and the Town Office before dawn, first to take the job, then to learn more about the situation. He did not return until nearly noon, with two people following him.

One was an expert sent by the mayor. As an Intermediate Martial Arts Master, he could go wherever he pleased in Kru Town.

The other was a representative sent by Duke Fulton, a Junior Archmage skilled in water magic. He was even a little stronger than Chris.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, both men looked at Ye Chuqi. The bait had to be a young woman, after all, and of the only two women there, Xiya was well past that age.

The Grand Mage frowned deeply, apparently dissatisfied with Ye Chuqi's appearance.

Ye Chuqi was a bright, lively, pretty young woman who looked sweet and adorable, yet he plainly found her wanting.

The Martial Arts Master had come with a task, so he explained at once. "Being the right age isn't enough. The missing girls all have one thing in common: long golden hair." He looked at Ye Chuqi and nodded with a smile. "Looks matter less."

To be honest, Duke Fulton's daughter was not even as pretty as the young woman before him.

Ye Chuqi turned to Xiya, who had stayed beside her to lend her courage. "Xiya, the hair dye."

Xiya's dye could change hair to any color. She only needed to adjust a few details, and Ye Chuqi could have a new hair color.

The Grand Mage snorted. "The important part is the long hair! What good will changing its color do? Can you make your hair grow long all of a sudden?"

Her hair had been long before. Ye Chuqi had simply chosen to cut it short like Xiya's when Xiya changed its color. The others could not make hair grow long in an instant, but Ye Chuqi could use Spiritual Power to do it. At worst, she would talk it over with San San.

Ye Chuqi smiled. "Ever heard of a wig?"

When Ye Chuqi emerged after Xiya helped her change her clothes and appearance, the courtyard fell silent for a moment.

Everyone had known she was pretty, but she usually dressed so casually. With her short hair and the adorable smile she gave everyone she met, it was easy to overlook how delicate her features were.

Now she wore only a plain, light-colored dress, with not a single ornament in her long golden hair. Yet her beautiful face suddenly caught everyone's eye, as if it shone with a dazzling light they would not soon forget.

She seemed a little shy. She lowered her eyes, and the midday sun cast a golden sheen over her lashes. When they fluttered, it was as though flecks of starlight had fallen.

The young woman raised her head slightly and smiled without showing her teeth. Every movement was poised and natural as she walked smoothly up to them. "Shall I go out for a stroll now?"

She spoke slowly and gently. Her soft voice was like a feather dancing over their hearts, leaving them faintly tickled.

Red Beard cleared his throat. "Ed, follow her. Don't let anyone spot you."

Ed: "Mm-hmm."

"You two can wait here for now," Red Beard said, eyeing the two uninvited guests. "You're both too conspicuous. We can't alert whoever's behind this."

Ye Chuqi strolled to the little bookshop first. She rarely wore a dress this long. Even when she had worn dresses before, she had needed to consider whether she could move freely in them. Flowing skirts looked lovely in a fight, but they got in the way. So she could not walk quickly even if she wanted to.

The shopkeeper looked up and saw her. His eyes went wide, and his pointing hand trembled. "How dare you come out? Dressed like that, too—and all alone?"

She might as well have announced, Come and get me! Hurry up and catch me!

Ye Chuqi realized the problem too. Her appearance was far too conspicuous. She was practically telling the culprit this was a trap and she had come prepared.

That was careless!

She could not count on the culprit being so reckless and confident that they would spring a trap anyway.

Ye Chuqi hurriedly picked out a stack of books. When she paid, she thanked the shopkeeper. "Thanks for the warning."

The shopkeeper stared at her. What warning?

When Ye Chuqi came out of the bookshop again, her expression had changed. She looked innocent and curious about everything around her, as though she wanted to try anything she saw.

Hidden nearby, Ed understood. Ye Chuqi was playing an ignorant young woman who had only just arrived in Kru Town. The town restricted departures, not arrivals, and new visitors still came every day. As a newcomer, she would know nothing about what had happened there.

Then Ed watched helplessly as Ye Chuqi entered a lavishly decorated inn, booked a room, and enjoyed an appetizing lunch on the second floor.

Ed, who was still hungry: "..."

Ye Chuqi spent the whole afternoon wandering the streets. That evening, she ate at a different hotel and even had a drink.

Ed: "..." He had to tell the captain. The little one had secretly been drinking.

Ye Chuqi had no intention of returning to the courtyard to rest. Now that she had started, she could not stop halfway. Besides, she had already paid for a room at the inn. It would be a waste not to use it.

San San also told Ye Chuqi that someone really was watching her.

Quite a few people were watching from the shadows. Aside from Ed, her free-spending ways while shopping had probably attracted plenty of attention. They were no doubt curious how much money she still had.

Rankings

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Space Fiction

Time-Travel and Rebirth Romance

Big Black Loves Fish