บท 35: Chapter 65- An Unexpected Guest
Juanxiu took charge of the situation and ordered the store manager, who was still under the hypnotic effect of the Ghost Hypnocense, "Listen to me, go outside and order the people knocking outside to go away since they are disturbing an important customer."
The store manager, with a blank expression, immediately obeyed Juanxiu's command and went outside to shoo away the people knocking on the door. The three people behind him, Liu Peng, Si Yi, and Chang Bao, were instructed by Juanxiu to act cool and normal.
Chang Bao, however, was still inexperienced and couldn't help but sweat, especially on his forehead. He tried his best to remain calm and composed, hoping not to give away any suspicion. However, the commotion he was hearing outside of the room is hard for him to ignore.
"Are we going to be caught?" he said, sweat trickling on his side burns.
As they waited for the store manager to come back, tension filled the air in the guest room. They all knew that the success of their mission relied on the outcome of this plan. Juanxiu and the others exchanged worried glances, hoping that their plan would not be compromised.
Unfortunately, the negotiation did not go as planned. The store manager stumbled back as the three guards pushed her aside and barged into the guest room. The leader of the guards stepped forward, his eyes locking onto Juanxiu and his party.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he demanded in a stern voice.
Liu Peng stepped forward, his fists clenched tightly. "How dare you disturb my young master here," he growled, his anger barely contained. "Are you not afraid of your life?"
The leader of the guards remained unfazed. "We received a report that a thief had fled in this direction. We're simply doing our job," he replied coolly.
Liu Peng's anger only grew, and he took a menacing step forward. "Are you saying that my young master is protecting a thief?" he snarled, his eyes blazing with fury. "Get out before I report this to his master."
Juanxiu, however, stepped forward with a calm and collected demeanor, his eyes fixed on the leader of the guards. "Gentlemen, I assure you there is no thief here," he said, his voice measured and steady.
Juanxiu calmly had a conversation with the leader of the guard, reassuring him that they were not keeping any thief inside the room. "I can assure you with my honor as an alchemist that we are keeping no thief inside this room," he said firmly.
The guards seemed to be surprised after hearing that Juanxiu at a young age has claimed that he is an alchemy, "A child wet behind the ears claiming that he is an alchemist?" the leader of the guards scoffed.
"You are tired of your life. You have no idea that this person is the disciple of Alchemist Lai Xiaoli," the leader of the guard was taken aback. No one in their right mind will use the name of Lai Xiaoli to impresonate his disciple.
Upon looking at one another, they were finally convinced, but their attention suddenly shifted to Chang Bao, who was sweating profusely despite the cool and well-ventilated room. They gave him a suspicious look, and Juanxiu could sense their intent gaze on him. He knew he had to act quickly to divert their attention.
"Don't mind him," Juanxiu said, gesturing toward Chang Bao. "He has been asking me for a bathroom break, but I forbid him. I don't have time to dilly dally."
Chang Bao felt a wave of relief wash over him at Juanxiu's quick thinking. But then, he thought that this has to be more convincing. Luckily, he had consumed a large quantity of a particular food earlier that day that always caused him to become flatulent. He knew what he had to do.
Suddenly, Chang Bao forced himself to fart, releasing an obnoxious smell that filled the room. The guards recoiled in disgust, covering their noses and running out of the room as fast as they could. Liu Peng and Si Yi looked at each other in disbelief, while Juanxiu couldn't help but chuckle at the absurdity of the situation.
The four of them breathed a collective sigh of relief, their hearts pounding as the guards left. Juanxiu turned to the store manager, fixing her with a sharp gaze. He returned to his original intention to interrogate the store manager.
"Can you tell me something about the necklace that your young master found?" he asked, his voice low.
The manager who was hypnotized did not waste a moment and began to speak. "At first, he claimed he found it in a temple hidden inside a formation. He didn't seem particularly interested in it, but as days passed by, he started showing signs of obsession. He would wear it wherever he went, even to bed."
Liu Peng leaned forward, his eyes narrowed. "That's not normal behavior," he said.
"No, it's not," SiYi agreed.
The manager continued, "We tried to take it away from him, but he became aggressive. We don't know what to do."
Si Yi leaned back in her chair, tapping her fingers on the armrest. "It sounds like the necklace has some kind of power over him," she said.
Chang Bao spoke up for the first time, his voice barely above a whisper. "Do you think he's possessed?" he asked.
Juanxiu furrowed his brows, deep in thought before asking his next question "Are there any signs of disappearances in your store,"
"None that I know," the store manager replied.
The absence of any reported disappearances was perplexing. They knew that Gong Jinhai was involved in some kind of nefarious activity, but they should find some solid evidence. Suddenly Juanxiu thought- But what if the disappearances were unreported? Like workers leaving the shop without notice? Juanxiu decided to probe further.
"Since the demeanor of our Young Master changed, several of our attendants and shop keepers left," the shop manager answered.
"Did any of the workers who left say anything before they left?" Juanxiu asked, hoping to find some clues.
The store manager shook her head, "No, they just disappeared without a word. We assumed they had found better employment elsewhere," she replied.
Liu Peng snorted. "Or they found out something they weren't supposed to and were dealt with accordingly," he said, eyeing the store manager suspiciously.
Juanxiu took out the talisman split in half. it was the talisman they destroyed tlst night. He then turned to the store manager, his eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Do you recognize this Talisman?" he asked, holding it up to her.
The store manager replied monotonously. "Yes, I found a similar talisman in the office of my young master, but he immediately hid it."
Juanxiu's suspicion deepened. "Why did he hide it?" he asked, his voice tense.
"I don't know," the store manager replied. "He was very secretive about it, and whenever I asked him, he would become angry and dismissive."
Juanxiu's mind raced as he considered this new information. It seemed that the young master was hiding something, and the talisman might be a clue to what it was. He needed to find out more.
Juanxiu's heart quickened at the store manager's response. He had a gut feeling that they were on the right track, but he couldn't shake off the uneasiness gnawing at the back of his mind. He took a deep breath.
Suddenly, a loud bang on the door interrupted their questioning. The four of them stiffened, wondering if the three guards had returned. Juanxiu gestured to Liu Peng to open the door. As he did, a young man, no more than twenty years old, rushed in and quickly hid in the corner of the guest room. The four of them looked at each other with confusion, wondering who this person could be.
Juanxiu slowly approached the young man and asked, "Who are you and why are you here?" The young man hesitated for a moment before finally speaking, "I am a member of the Black Lotus organization. I was sent here to gather information and report back to our leader."
Pan Geming took a step forward and introduced himself as a member of the Black Lotus. The four of them were taken aback, not expecting another stranger to appear in the midst of their already complicated situation.
"Please don't be alarmed," Pan Geming said, noticing the looks of surprise on their faces. "I've been following what's happening in this town. I unintentionally caught a sight of your action last night, and I believe I can provide some helpful information."
Juanxiu exchanged a glance with Liu Peng and the store manager, then motioned for Pan Geming to continue.
"A week ago, ten of our members accepted an escorting service," Pan Geming began. "They were tasked with accompanying the young master of the Golden Alabaster Organization to a nearby village. But upon arriving at the Yinhui Village, we lost all contact with them."
He paused, his expression turning grave.
"Our leader demanded an explanation, but we were simply told that our people abandoned the young master in the middle of the mission. It didn't add up, so we launched an investigation. And what we found was even more concerning."
Juanxiu furrowed his brow. "What did you find?"
Pan Geming took a deep breath before answering. "The Yinhui Village has been deserted by its people. It's as if they vanished into thin air."
Chang Bao suddenly stepped forward, "I came from the Yinhui village, and I am the only one who remained, until master Juanxiu rescued me,"
Chang Bao's revelation caught Pan Geming's attention. He turned to Juanxiu and spoke in a low tone, "You said you found him in Yinhui Village?" Juanxiu nodded in confirmation, sensing that Pan Geming had more to say.
Pan Geming continued, "That's where we lost contact with our ten members. We suspected foul play. We believe that our people stumbled upon something and they were either kept in captive or silenced."
Juanxiu's mind raced as he processed this information. He knew the stakes were high, and time was running out. He turned to Pan Geming and asked, "Are there more of your people in the area? We need all the help we can get to stop the Golden Alabaster's plan."
Pan Geming's face fell as he answered, "I'm the only one here for now. But I'll send a message to our base and request reinforcements. It may take some time, though."
Juanxiu sighed, realizing that they had no other choice. He turned to his companions and said, "We need to bring this store manager to the Xiao clan and convince them to join our cause. We can't let the Gong Jinhai succeed."
"Store manager," Juanxiu said with a commanding tone, "file for a leave today and tell them that you are escorting the disciple of the head of the Alchemy Union as an excuse."
The store manager, still under the effect of Ghost Hypnocense, was quick to comply with Juanxiu's order. "Yes, I will do it," she replied with a blank expression.
Liu Peng, who had been watching the exchange, couldn't help but feel impressed with Juanxiu's ability.
With their plan set in motion, the four of them prepared to leave with the store manager and the new companion from Black Lotus. As they stepped out of the inn, they knew that danger awaited them at every turn. They had to be ready for whatever lay ahead.
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