Chapter 11: Human Hearts Are Treacherous

Boss, why don't you just tell us where Lao Yuehan lives?

Tang Luo cut off the boss, saying, "Just want to understand the situation, no need to be nervous."

""

The boss was clearly unwilling.

Who knows how these outsiders will go about gathering information; if they stir up trouble, what then?

"Since the boss isn't willing, we'll go to Gran Field," Tang Luo said. "Just say we have a lead, but some people aren't cooperating; there's a strong suspicion it's the Ripper Jie Ke."

"No, no, no!"

The boss's face changed dramatically.

Don't think that during this period our daily routine is just eating, sleeping, and cursing Gran Field.

But lately everyone's on edge, and everyone knows Gran Field is on edge.

Really bumped into the gun barrel, got taken back and beaten badly, and even after being released there was nowhere to seek justice.

Then it's every man for himself.

The boss gave Lao Yuehan's address, then repeatedly stressed that even if Lao Yuehan had something amiss...

It has nothing to do with him, nor with the inn.

He just felt sorry for Lao Yuehan, gave him a job to help out a poor old person.

Lao Yuehan isn't even considered part of the inn's staff.

Exactly, just a temporary worker.

You know what a temporary worker is, right?

After Tang Luo and the others indicated they understood, the boss finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Morning.

Tang Luo, Zhou Zhen Guo, and Xiao Chu three of them headed straight for Lao Yuehan's residence.

Li Liang and the three others switched to another inn to rest.

Before they confirmed this inn was safe, they wouldn't continue staying here.

Tang Luo also didn't mind that Li Liang and the others weren't planning to exert themselves, as long as they didn't hold us back.

As Zhou Zhen Guo would say, those God-Devil Walkers who, when unsure, first stir up trouble aren't really a problem.

The problem is those God-Devil Walkers who lack sufficient strength but, when unsure, charge ahead recklessly, causing all kinds of chaos and ending up doing harm.

Among God-Devil Walkers, the cautious are the majority, but the arrogant ones also exist.

Speaking of which, this is Zhou Zhen Guo's last mission where he'll still encounter newcomers.

According to the information he received.

After five missions, the subsequent ones will no longer encounter newcomers.

Of course, we can't say there's absolutely no chance of meeting newcomers again.

The God-Devil Game isn't like the Main God Space; there's a big light sphere where you can occasionally ask a question or two.

'God-Devil' is just what everyone calls them.

All the rules are also derived from the God-Devil Walkers' practice, pieced together bit by bit, not guaranteed to be completely correct.

Moreover, some God-Devil Walkers may withhold information or deliberately put out false info.

Lao Yuehan's residence is about a half-hour's walk from the inn.

It belongs to the city's poor district, a shantytown.

After arriving here, the three inquired multiple times before finding Lao Yuehan's dilapidated low house—or rather, room.

Outside is a fence a bit better than a bamboo fence.

The inside house is only slightly larger than the inn's rooms.

When Tang Luo and the others arrived.

Lao Yuehan was splitting firewood in the courtyard.

His work at the inn is to clean once each at noon, afternoon, and evening.

Morning counts as Lao Yuehan's personal rest time.

Noticing someone outside, Lao Yuehan looked up in surprise at Tang Luo and the others.

Soon he stood up, walked out of the small yard, bowed, and asked, "Gentlemen, are you looking for me?"

As the inn's 'only' guest during this period.

Lao Yuehan recognized Tang Luo and the others.

"Hmm."

Tang Luo didn't immediately shout about fighting; he acted like a gentleman, saying, "We're detectives, we just want to learn a bit about the situation."

While saying that, he took out a document and spread it before him.

Lao Yuehan can't read, but he still recognized the Gran Field seal at the end of the document.

He instantly panicked, not knowing where to put his hands.

"Sure enough, it's you!"

Xiao Chu immediately said.

"Ah?"

Lao Yuehan's bewildered expression was utterly genuine.

"No rush."

Tang Luo stopped Xiao Chu from confronting him, and the group walked into the small yard.

"Mr. Lao Yuehan, I want to know what you were up to at the inn last night," Zhou Zhen Guo asked.

Lao Yuehan's performance doesn't seem like that of a member of whatever Kaitangshou Jieke organization everyone speculated about.

Or maybe this person's acting is flawless?

"It's just normal cleaning." Lao Yuehan's face showed a worried look.

"How about the toilet at the end of the second-floor corridor? Did you also clean it last night?!"

Zhou Zhen'guo suddenly stepped forward, looked down at Lao Yuehan, and shouted.

Lao Yuehan jumped, instinctively replying: "No, no."

"No?" Zhou Zhen'guo's tone softened.

"Oh no!"

Before Lao Yuehan could say anything else, Xiao Chu's face suddenly changed and he shouted.

"What's wrong?"

Tang Luo remained as calm as ever.

"We, could we have made a mistake?" Xiao Chu said sternly, "Xiao Bijie heard Chengcheng outside say, 'There's someone in the toilet, no need to clean.' She and we all assumed it was him, to be honest, we never really paid attention to who was cleaning the inn, and we didn't even remember what they looked like."

"Chengcheng should be the same."

"The cleaner is the one who cleans, but the person who appeared outside the toilet last night, preparing to clean, is not necessarily the cleaner!"

Having said that all at once, Xiao Chu caught his breath and stared intensely at Lao Yuehan.

"Did you really not clean the second-floor toilet last night?" Zhou Zhen'guo asked.

Lao Yuehan shook his head: "No, I checked it once in the evening and found it very clean, I did a little cleaning, and at night I wasn't even at the inn."

"Where were you then?" Zhou Zhen'guo asked, "Don't tell me you were at home, that wouldn't clear your suspicion."

"What on earth happened?"

Lao Yuehan felt uneasy: "I just happened to be drinking at the bar last night, sat there most of the night, and only returned home very late; the bar boss can vouch for me."

"We have a missing companion, suspecting it was done by Kaitangshou Jieke."

Tang Luo said, "We're investigating, so I hope you can cooperate a bit. Otherwise, it's easy for people to suspect you are accomplices of Kaitangshou Jieke, or even Kaitangshou Jieke himself."

Lao Yuehan's body trembled, and he almost cried.

"Kaitangshou Jieke?"

"That hat, he definitely couldn't afford it as a poor lower-class person."

Xiao Chu glanced at Tang Luo.

"Is it the Grand Master who's ruthless, or is it just ruthless?"

At the slightest provocation, they'd slap a big Ripper hat on you.

"The skill of issuing such a hat—could the Grand Master possibly be surnamed Wang?"

"I'm not! I really am not!" Lao Yuehan swore to heaven and earth.

"Whether or not, just go to the bar and you'll know." Tang Luo said.

The bar that Lao Yuehan frequented.

In the morning it's not open for business, but there are people—the boss and the boss's wife are cleaning.

One part is preparing for afternoon and evening business, the other is cleaning up the trash left by overnight guests.

There were also a few patrons who didn't leave.

The appearance of Kaitangshou Jieke.

It made the inn's business worse, but the bar's business better.

Some bachelors, afraid of becoming targets, simply spent the night in the bar.

With many people, they weren't panicked.

Just add a few cups of that weak liquor mixed with water, or that low-quality liquor comparable to industrial alcohol.

Lao Yuehan, meanwhile, was short on money, originally planning to have just a few drinks and leave.

As a result, he accidentally drank too much, fell asleep, and upon waking wasn't especially sober.

Liquid courage gave him bravado; his head heated, he went home.

Not only did the bar boss remember clearly, but several patrons also remembered clearly.

The patrons were regulars, also nearby residents, willing to vouch for Lao Yuehan.

Lao Yuehan's time of leaving the bar was actually before the incident occurred.

But it didn't exceed half an hour.

From the inn to Lao Yuehan's residence, at Tang Luo and company's somewhat faster pace, it takes about half an hour.

The bar is even farther; from Lao Yuehan's home to the bar, it also takes a bit of time.

Lao Yuehan is a limp, can't walk fast.

Just now, Tang Luo and company came to the bar with Lao Yuehan, and Lao Yuehan was already walking quite fast.

It also took about ten minutes.

From the bar to the inn, for Lao Yuehan, an hour is the baseline.

He had no time to commit the crime.

Unless Lao Yuehan had some special ability.

"Sir, I already said, no matter what happened, it has nothing to do with me." Lao Yuehan's voice became much lighter.

"Let's go." Several people left the bar.

Lao Yuehan hesitated a moment, then asked: "Sir, who went missing?"

The one asking was Xiao Chu.

"It's none of your business, don't ask too much." Xiao Chu said coldly.

His guess was confirmed.

After clearing Lao Yuehan's suspicion, the scope of suspects expanded to everyone at the inn.

Unfortunately, it was bad news.

"Oh, oh." Lao Yuehan nodded repeatedly.

Just then, Zhou Zhen'guo, who had been walking behind, suddenly stepped forward, grabbed Lao Yuehan's neck, and shoved him forward.

Lao Yuehan had no defense at all.

He instantly lost his balance, Zhou Zhen'guo flung him to the ground, and before he could react, his back was struck by a knee.

Lao Yuehan turned his face aside and let out a pained groan.

Zhou Zhen'guo pressed him down with one hand and one foot, his face ferocious, and he snarled, "You fooled them, but you think you can fool me?!"

As he spoke, his hand holding a dagger had already been raised at some point.

In Lao Yuehan's terrified peripheral vision, the dagger stabbed toward his eyes.

This seemingly kind and talkative uncle is actually a werewolf.

Xiao Chu let out a gasp.

He also hadn't expected Zhou Zhen'guo to suddenly attack.

Just like how he treated Li Liang that day.

The dagger stopped less than three centimeters from Lao Yuehan's eyes.

Tang Luo withdrew his hand, Zhou Zhen'guo likewise released his grip, rose to his feet, shook his head, and said, "No."

"What isn't?"

Xiao Chu stared for a moment, then realized, "You're testing him?"

"Yes." Zhou Zhen'guo reached out and pulled the still-shaken Lao Yuehan to his feet.

The test obviously yielded results.

Lao Yuehan is just an ordinary cripple, hiding no special abilities; otherwise he would have used them in that life‑or‑death moment.

"Are you sick!"

Lao Yuehan also realized and shouted angrily.

After cursing, he feared Tang Luo and the others would retaliate, so he hurried away limping, though his speed really wasn't fast.

"When did you guys plan this?" Xiao Chu asked.

Without Tang Luo's cooperation, this test could not have been carried out.

"We didn't plan it." Tang Luo said, "Patron Zhou pulled out a dagger and gave me a look; this poor monk understood."

"... Heh."

Xiao Chu gave a dry laugh.

"Vicious 'adults'!"