Chapter 1636

When the door opened at dawn, Rong Zixu woke up a step ahead of Jin Chen. Just as he lifted his leg, he watched helplessly as Jing Xingcan, reaching out to greet from the opposite room, fell flat on his butt.

Rong Zixu: ""

"Ah!"

Jing Xingcan was now fully awake, with two black circles under his eyes, he grabbed whatever had tripped him and stood up angrily, "What the hell... damn it!"

All he held in his hand was an embroidered shoe still dripping blood.

Looking around, a pair of embroidered shoes was placed in front of each of the four rooms—some with damaged embroidery, some positioned as if about to walk inside, some soaked in fresh blood.

They sat there silently, eerie, making people feel uneasy.

Gong Simoyue: "Still pretty stimulating this early morning."

Xu Qie straightened his clothes and walked out, with Mo Ranmei following close behind into the hallway.

Yang Yu came out yawning, glanced at her, somewhat surprised: "After just one night, you look even more beautiful than yesterday."

Mo Ranmei was already a beauty to topple cities; with the bloodstains faded, she now radiated absolute splendour.

In Min Dong Cheng, not mentioning anything else, the girls are each more beautiful than the last," Yang Yu thought.

Mo Ranmei covered her mouth and laughed, "The killer is dead, the obsession has merely dissipated."

Jin Chen slowly swayed out from behind the door, just in time to see Bai Shiyun and Chang Wuming leaving together.

Chang Wuming's probing and hesitation from yesterday are completely gone; instead, he shows a hint of being lovey-dovey.

It's not easy to separate them, Jin Chen sighed.

Rong Zixu, having learned the truth last night, frowned slightly at Bai Shiyun and naturally did not want Chang Wuming to err again.

Chang Wuming instead actively looked at Jin Chen, "I will find an opportunity to explain to you."

Bai Shiyun showed Jin Chen a friendly smile.

Jin Chen shrugged, couldn't be bothered, and continued yawning as he went downstairs side by side with Rong Zixu.

Just as they went downstairs, everyone felt something off.

Jin Chen was so frightened that he swallowed his yawn.

"The inn was renovated overnight?"

What they saw was that the décor, which had been that of an ordinary inn yesterday, was now exquisitely upgraded several levels, even the tables and chairs more spacious.

While the seven of them plus Bai Shiyun were dazed, two girls walked in from the lobby holding hands; upon seeing them clearly, they became even more puzzled.

It was actually the Red Maiden and Suso!

Having shed their frightening ghostly appearance, they had coiled their hair into a lady's bun, casually found a seat, and began chatting about embroidery and household matters.

"What... is going on?" Xu Qie stared in shock, "Aside from the Red Maiden, plenty of guests here personally witnessed Suso's death yesterday."

Mo Ranmei: "Even as a ghost, I feel haunted."

Rong Zixu observed for a moment, then pulled the attendant aside and asked, "What year is it now?"

The answer they received left them silent.

Mo Ranmei, frightened, clutched her head, "It's actually three years later......"

"......" The eight of them fell into even deeper silence.

Because according to their calendar, it is now fifty years ago.

But they had come all the way from a normal city; when exactly did they enter Min Dong Cheng of fifty-three years ago, and why did three years pass in a single night?

Jin Chen slowly lowered his probing hand, "I have some bad news."

"Yesterday we could still tell the difference between the living and the dead, but today, aside from us few, this city has no living people."

Yang Yu pinched Jing Xingcan, "Does it hurt?"

Jing Xingcan: "... It hurts!" Gritting his teeth, but he was timid.

"How terrifying..." Mo Ranmei, frightened, clung to Xu Qie.

Xu Qie was about to say, "What are you afraid of, you're a fierce ghost," but the sensation of Mo Ranmei pulling him close attracted his attention, and he wondered, "Why is your hand so rough?"

As if covered in scabbed wounds.

Mo Ranmei widened her eyes, "I'm already a ghost; I don't need to be so delicate."

Xu Qie: "......" Seems reasonable too.

Yang Yu looked at Rong Zixu, "Senior Brother, I'll go check the outskirts of Min Dong Cheng."

"Old Four, follow him; no need to bring anyone else." Rong Zixu said lightly.

Chang Wuming stared for a moment, looked at the at-a-loss Bai Shiyun, nodded in obedience, "Alright."

Bai Shiyun, biting her lip from fear, still forced composure and softly said, "I won't run around; I'll wait here for you to return."

Chang Wuming's stern expression softened a bit as he followed Yang Yu out to investigate.

The remaining people sat at the large table, trying to straighten out their thoughts.

Gong Shiyue looked at the two girls by the window, torn to the point of knotting her brows, "According to the timeline where no one died, did Suso and the Red Maiden, who married a day later, become friends?"

After all, following the normal course of events, they should have gone today to attend the Red Maiden's wedding.

"What about me..." Mo Ranmei bit her handkerchief, tears falling, "I see Suso living quite happily; she doesn't seem like someone who would keep my handkerchief."

Rong Zixu, pondering, tapped the table, "You have more than one wound on your body."

The dagger embedded in Mo Ranmei's heart would also be fatal.

"Wrong, how is this invitation..." Xu Qie spread out the invitation that should have been used today, "Look at the name."

The invitation bore no year, which is why they hadn't noticed the city's year discrepancy yesterday.

But the invitation is still an invitation; with the month changed, they still have to attend the celebration today.

However, the new bride is not the Red Maiden but another daughter of the Chi family, named Chi Zhu.

"Chi Zhu, I know her." Mo Ranmei pointed to the Red Maiden by the window, "She is her younger sister."

Meanwhile, amidst all the discussion, Rong Zixu noticed Jin Chen propping his chin on his tea cup, silent, and tilted his head to ask, "What are you thinking?"

Jin Chen finished the tea in his cup, set it down, and tightly grasped Rong Zixu's hand, whispering: "Three years have passed; even the waiter we chatted with yesterday has grown a beard, the only thing unchanged is the shopkeeper."

The shopkeeper is already past middle age; how could three years have changed him so that his hair is completely white, just as it was yesterday?

He still sits behind the counter, his expression blank when he speaks, occasionally stiffly picking up a brush to write in the ledger.

Bai Shiyun couldn't get a word in with them, so he said a few things to Jing Xingcan, who knew nothing and seemed to take him merely as the future Fourth Senior Brother's wife.

Xu Qie and Gong Siyue exchanged a glance; although they didn't know what Bai Shiyun had done, it was obvious that Xiao Chen disliked him, and furthermore... Bai Shiyun is rather two-faced.

After Chang Wuming, they were simply two different types.

Not long after, Chang Wuming and Yang Yu hurried back, their faces grim.

Yang Yu shook his head: "We can't get out; no matter how far we walk, it's an illusion—opening our eyes we find ourselves back in the city."

Chang Wuming's voice heavy: "There really isn't a single living person left in the city."

After he finished sharing his discovery, he saw Bai Shiyun, seeming insecure, sit down beside him, remaining silent because no one was speaking to him.

Chang Wuming frowned, and just then Bai Shiyun lowered his head and said, "I'm fine; I still have Xingcan to chat with."

Bai Shiyun stroked his jade pendant, his tone low.

Consequently, Chang Wuming's face grew even darker.

He did not want the person he liked to be rejected by his fellow martial brothers.

Chang Wuming stood up: "Xiao Chen, I have something to say to you."

Jin Chen silently set down his unfinished bowl, ready to rise, and said, "Fourth Senior Brother, are you sure your probing is done?"

Surely the protagonist (the uke) must have found some excuse; now Chang Wuming simply believes it without doubt.

Chang Wuming's tone turned cold: "Jin Chen, you clearly know what I want to say—did you not keep the promise at all?"

Otherwise, how could Bai Shiyun be so unwelcome?

Jin Chen: "……"

Jin Chen sat down again, giving him a half-smile, his tone somewhat dangerous.

"What gunpowder did the Fourth Senior Brother eat today?"

"You've misunderstood Xiao Yun; aren't you willing to hear an explanation? That's too indulgent."

Chang Wuming even felt secretly resentful; if it weren't for what Jin Chen said, he wouldn't have distanced himself from Bai Shiyun, let alone caused him harm.

The table was silent.

Rong Zixu set down his chopsticks, his expression unreadable: "Old Fourth."

Chang Wuming tensed reflexively, his stern face tightening further.

"Eldest Senior Brother, are you going to shield Jin Chen?"

Gong Siyue threw down her chopsticks first: "Chang Wuming! What nonsense are you spouting! What did Xiao Chen do wrong to warrant shielding him?"

"Hasn't he told you Xiao Yun's identity? Why then do you reject him so?" Chang Wuming shouted, his reason slipping from his grasp as anger overtook him.

Xu Qie glanced at the tearful Bai Shiyun: "Young Master Bai, what a tactic."

Jing Xingcan looked bewildered: "No…… what's going on?"