Jiang Nuo brought Su Yi and Qi Lin into the room to analyze the clues they had collected that afternoon.
Si Yan placed the newspaper she had been holding on the table and sat down next to Jiang Nuo. "There's a mass memorial service in two days, followed by admission tickets."
"So much ceremony," Su Yi teased, picking up a card and slowly examining it. "This town is strange in every way."
Jiang Nuo briefly explained the church and fountain, then looked at Qi Lin.
Qi Lin casually grabbed a cushion and leaned against it. "I went to the town's green square and talked to the gardener who was in charge of weeding."
"Strangely enough, the gardener said that most people in the town would spontaneously participate in weeding; weeding must be done every day here, and no plants are allowed to grow too lushly."
Jiang Nuo frowned in confusion.
Qi Lin shrugged. "Can you understand?"
All three shook their heads.
I don't understand either...
Every rule in this town seems absurd to me.
[Even more rules than those in Fragrant Tree Village of the Ghost King Illusory Realm!]
"Oh, by the way, A-Cang said he has something to tell you."
Qi Lin suddenly put down the cushion, closed his eyes and blinked lightly, his pupils turning gray.
Who is A-Cang? What does it mean?
[ Qi Lin's eyes have changed color!]
Holy crap, dual personality?! This guy's going to go on a rampage!
"Then wouldn't Hua Country have one more competitor? That's not fair!"
"Hi~" Jiang Nuo waved his paw.
Qi Cang: "..."
He coughed softly, trying to ignore the fact that this person could eat demons.
"The underground garden that Xiao Lin went to has extremely dense Demonic Qi."
Su Yi was surprised, "Not a vengeful ghost?"
Qi Cang was very certain, "No."
"I've tested it; the Demonic Qi doesn't originate from demons, but from some demonic creature."
His expression was serious, and his tone was heavy, "If the monster hadn't been suppressed, it would have had the power to destroy the entire town."
Jiang Nuo: "Oh ho."
What's the point of playing then?
He toyed with Si Yan's hand. "Then why don't we each go home?"
Su Yi was both amused and exasperated. "... There's no need to give up so quickly."
Qi Cang extended his palm, and after a swirling gray mist, a fang-shaped object appeared.
He handed it to Jiang Nuo.
Jiang Nuo could sense the abundant, beneficial substance within, which could replenish the Demonic Qi within his body.
He licked his lips, tilted his head to look at Qi Cang, "What?"
Si Yan looked up warily.
"Sometimes I might not be able to keep up with the pace, and in exchange, I hope you can protect Xiao Lin's health."
Jiang Nuo raised an eyebrow. "Oh."
It's unbelievable that one day I can still be seen showing off my love with others.
Qi Lin heard a helpless voice in his mind, " A-Cang..."
"Listen to me, this town is dangerous. I'm about to enter my dormant phase."
Qi Lin's tone clearly lowered, "Okay."
This is also why he had reservations after being found by Number One.
Qi Cang goes into a slumber every year, which can last from a few days to a month, during which time he cannot be awakened. It just so happens that this live broadcast happened to be the last time.
Jiang Nuo accepted the fangs and replied with a smile, "Deal!"
Qi Lin regained control of his body, smiled apologetically, and said, "Thank you for your help."
"No trouble at all, as long as you don't die."
Qi Lin: "..." Thank you so much.
Si Yan yawned, leaned on his shoulder and squinted, when he suddenly noticed a hand-grind coffee machine on the windowsill.
He got up and began to fuss with it in a very classy manner.
Jiang Nuo watched for a while, and only looked away after confirming there was no danger.
Su Yi: "There's a library in town; I went there to investigate this afternoon."
She spoke in a calm and measured tone.
"The library isn't big, and there's only one librarian who's responsible for setting the rules for the town every day."
Su Yi gestured, her expression indescribable, "Do you understand? He looks like Mario, short and cute, wearing a brightly colored uniform."
Qi Lin: "A brightly colored uniform?"
"Yes, the administrator said he was the only one allowed to wear colorful clothes."
Su Yi continued, taking her phone out of her pocket.
"The administrator's rules came from a book with a blood-red cover. I placed my phone in the corner and secretly recorded his monologue while looking at that book."
Su Yi pressed play, and a strange-sounding male voice came from the phone.
"Yes... right, so the rules for tomorrow are... no one is allowed to turn on the lights, and everyone must close the windows and doors."
"Oh wait... let me think. I can still go out tomorrow, but I can't wear any lighting equipment."
Then came the noisy sound of pages turning.
Jiang Nuo scoffed, "This sounds like a prank."
Qi Lin: "I second that."
Jiang Nuo touched her left eye in thought, but then noticed Su Yi's strange expression. "What's wrong with you?"
Su Yi's fingertips trembled slightly as she swiped her phone screen. "I only have this one recording."
She slowly turned her phone screen towards them, her eyes filled with panic.
"But there's another recording here..."
Jiang Nuo took it and pressed play.
It was the same voice, but it sounded even stranger, as if the speaker was speaking directly into the phone, with a very noticeable breathy tone.
"Hehehe, beautiful lady, please remember the rules I set, don't forget~ From Administrator Tang Mu."
Su Yi gasped and pinched her philtrum.
"He actually knew I was recording!"
[Oh my god!! I was watching the live stream with Su Yi on screen! I didn't see this at all!]
Same as above! When exactly was this recorded?
Jiang Nuo handed the phone back to her, casually reassuring her, "Maybe he's a ghost, don't be nervous."
Su Yi: "..."
She gave a dry laugh.
The rag doll in Jiang Nuo's pocket suddenly moved...
He looked down. "What's wrong?"
Zhang Quan stretched out his short, cotton-padded arm, pointed towards the door, and nodded.
Jiang Nuo immediately looked towards the door, which was tightly closed, and saw a dark shadow flash past.
Si Yan was closest to the door, immediately chased after him.
The three followed closely behind.
Upon reaching the stairs, Si Yan saw no further shadow and could only stop, frowning in confusion.
"How could we lose them?"
" Si Yan!"
Jiang Nuo chased after him, "Didn't you catch up?"
Si Yan shook his head in frustration, a slight pursing of his lips. "It's strange, it came here and then disappeared."
Jiang Nuo gripped the stair railing and looked down. The hotel lobby was still empty, as if no one lived there except for them.
He saw nothing unusual, then looked at the other side of the staircase, where there was only some messy graffiti art covering the entire wall.
Jiang Nuo, in any case, couldn't understand this art.
But... I can understand the others.
He patted Si Yan on the shoulder and raised his arm to point to the wall at the corner of the stairs.
"That dark shape doesn't look like this thing?"
Looking in that direction, Qi Lin behind him took a half step back, goosebumps rising all over his body. "Damn..."
The mural is an oil painting of a garden full of flowers, but there is a black, human-shaped figure hidden among the flowers, with half of its head showing, as if it is spying.
Jiang Nuo walked up to the mural, turned around, and was in the same position as the black mass. She exclaimed in surprise.
"This is a good spot."
Standing here, you can see the upstairs corridor and half of the lobby, which is right at the entrance.
Si Yan nervously pulled him back, raised her hand to probe, and used her Spiritual Power to enter the oil painting.
Just as it was about to be sensed, the black mass vanished at a rapid speed, and the oil painting returned to normal.
"Ah--"
A woman's scream suddenly came from upstairs.
Jiang Nuo asked, "Who's calling?"
Si Yan shook her head.
Qi Lin: "It sounds like Mikazuki Hexi."
" Jiang Nuo! Come here quickly!" Su Yi called out from upstairs as she ran over.
When the four members of the Hua Country group entered the room, they saw Mikazuki Hexi tightly bound to the bed, with a snake-like monster coiled around them. The bed and floor were covered with black slime, dripping everywhere.
Mikazuki Hexi were suffocating to the point of death; their faces were completely bloodless, and they could die at any moment.
Sano Kurotsuki is using illusion magic to drive away the monster.
"Huh, what's this?" Jiang Nuo asked curiously, peeking out.
Mikazuki Hexi were bound so tightly that only their heads could move, their mouths opening silently, "Save me..."
Sano Kurotsuki broke out in a cold sweat; the illusion was completely ineffective against this monster!
Jiang Nuo and the other three stood around the doorway watching, none of them showing any intention of helping to rescue the person.