Chapter 194
Chapter 194
“Meng Zihan” had clear, lucid eyes, yet there were no Health Points above her head.
The phenomenon was so bizarre that the moment Jiang Li saw “Meng Zihan,” she realized something was wrong.
Jiang Li guessed that perhaps Meng Zihan had already met with misfortune on her way here.
The Mascot had then taken over Zihan’s identity, taken the human skin mask Zihan had prepared in advance, and acted as the intermediary for the teleportation item.
What Meng Zihan could never accomplish, the Mascot had done in her place.
Jiang Li gave the Mascot a long, searching look, but did not continue exposing her disguise.
“All right, then. I must have mistaken you for someone else. Sorry, Zihan.”
“Meng Zihan” shook her head and flashed Jiang Li a brilliant smile.
Their eyes met.
“Meng Zihan” did not open her mouth, but a Little Girl’s voice reached Jiang Li’s ears.
That voice told Jiang Li she had to escape.
For Jiang Li’s sake, and for the sake of even more innocent children.
“Let’s go, Jiang Li!” Xu Haoran’s shout interrupted Jiang Li’s thoughts.
Xu Haoran hurried down the stairs.
In his hand was the second decree from King Zhang Jiang.
As he ran, Xu Haoran shouted to Jiang Li, “I asked Zhang Jiang for two soldiers! I don’t know how to ride, so we’ll have the soldiers take us there on horseback!”
Xu Haoran rushed outside in a panic, not daring to waste even a second.
The two of them left the castle and each mounted a horse. The soldiers spurred their horses on, carrying them toward the Misty Forest.
The clatter of hooves passed through the green woods outside the castle, startling a flock of cawing crows.
The crows flew from the bushes into the night sky.
In their beaks, they carried children’s clothing in different colors and styles…
Atop the tower of Brand Castle.
A man in a long white uniform stood with one hand on the railing, expressionlessly watching Jiang Li and Xu Haoran ride away.
The night wind parted the clouds, and moonlight spilled down over the man on the tower.
The Skull pattern on the man’s mask became clearly visible as well.
“Doctor, we’ve collected another Living Heart.”
A Rabbit man with a face covered in white fur appeared.
He brought the man in white a new sealed container.
Inside the container, a heart that had just been removed was soaking in liquid.
The fresh heart thumped steadily, as if it still retained the memory of muscle spasms.
“Doctor, what should we do with the adults disguised as children? We don’t need adults.”
“Ignore them. I have my own arrangements.”
“Yes, Doctor.”
“…”
On horseback, Jiang Li’s expression turned somewhat unnatural.
She gripped the soldier’s clothes tightly, frowned, and looked back in the direction of the castle.
It seemed as though the voices of two men conversing had reached her ears with startling clarity.
Was it… an illusion?
But why had it felt so real?
The only time Jiang Li had ever experienced the ability to transmit sound through the air was in front of the Mascot.
Were these voices something the Mascot had let her hear?
Jiang Li withdrew her gaze.
With the soldiers carrying her and Xu Haoran on horseback, they reached the riverside and crossed the river smoothly.
This time, Jiang Li and the others did not pass through the town. Instead, they took another remote path.
Because that was where the crow led them.
The crow feather left behind by the Witch had been soaked in the Witch’s Magic Potion.
Under the effects of the potion, flesh and blood grew from the feather. It flapped its wings and flew into the air, becoming a crow that guided the way.
The Misty Forest that Zhao Qingqing had entered was boundless.
Without the crow’s guidance, Jiang Li and Xu Haoran would never have been able to find the exact location.
Thus, the crow became their only clue in the search for Zhao Qingqing.
After entering the Misty Forest, the crow circled several times over one spot before perching at the entrance of a tavern.
This tavern stood deep within the forest.
Above the little tavern’s crossbeam hung a sign that read “Forest Tavern.”
The Proprietress of the Forest Tavern seemed to be very familiar with the crow.
She dropped a spoonful of minced meat into the feeding trough of the open birdcage.
The crow flew into the cage of its own accord, drank some water, and began to eat.
When Jiang Li and Xu Haoran saw the crow stop, they both looked toward the surrounding shrubs and woods.
Was this where Zhao Qingqing had gone?
Suspicion rose in both their hearts.
It seemed that today… they had to go inside this tavern and take a look.
Jiang Li had only just swung down from her horse when the Proprietress at the tavern entrance swayed her hips and came forward to greet them warmly.
“What would you like to drink, dear guests? Come, come, take a look inside! Drinks to soothe your worries, drinks to drown your sorrows-we have everything here~”
The Proprietress smiled eagerly.
There was a tear mole beneath her eye, and she looked almost exactly like Boss Shi’s wife.
The Proprietress glanced at Jiang Li, then turned to Xu Haoran.
Without another word, she openly took Xu Haoran by the arm in front and led them toward the building.
Posted beside the tavern’s wooden door was a set of rules to follow if one wished to “enter this tavern.”
[Forest Tavern Survival Rules]
[1. The tavern’s business hours are 00:00-01:00. At all other times, we only purchase ingredients and do not receive guests.]
[2. Tables in the tavern seat four. If your party has fewer than four people, be sure to remove the extra wooden chairs beside the table, or turn the wooden chairs so that they face away from the table.]
[3. Drunkards often appear in the tavern. Do not drink any liquor offered by a Drunkard.]
[4. The tavern’s snacks include, but are not limited to, fried peanuts, braised duck tongues, pork head meat, spicy rabbit heads, and so on. All snacks are provided free of charge. Please take them yourself while supplies last.]
[5. All liquor in the tavern is colorless. If your liquor turns red, immediately stand up, place the glass in front of an empty wooden chair, close your eyes, and wait ten seconds. After the glass becomes empty, thank them and leave.]
[6. Please beware of any Guest in Black Rain Boots. You must get along peacefully with any Guest in Black Rain Boots, especially when he asks to share your table.]
[7. After staying in the tavern for a full ten minutes, you and your companions may ask the Proprietress one question. The Proprietress will answer truthfully.]
At the tavern entrance.
After Xu Haoran quickly skimmed the rules, he glanced inside the tavern, immediately pushed the Proprietress away, and turned back out.
“Jiang Li, we can’t go in! There’s something wrong with the time,” Xu Haoran said.
Jiang Li stood outside and looked up above the wooden door.
Directly over the door, an old round clock was ticking away.
The round clock showed that the current time was 1:20.
Inside the tavern, a Cook wearing a filthy apron stood in the Kitchen doorway.
The Cook held a Kitchen Knife and stared darkly out through the tavern entrance.
The aroma of braising sauce drifted from the pot, as though it were waiting for something to be thrown in.
The first rule of the Forest Tavern Survival Rules:
[The tavern’s business hours are 00:00-01:00. At all other times, we only purchase ingredients and do not receive guests.]
Right now was the tavern’s ingredient-purchasing time.
Jiang Li looked at the crow in the birdcage by the entrance and was absolutely certain: they had to enter this tavern.
Zhao Qingqing was definitely connected to this tavern.
After thinking it over, Jiang Li borrowed the knight’s sword from Xu Haoran.
In front of the Proprietress, Jiang Li raised the sword high and nudged the hands of the round clock above the wooden door.
The shortest hand, the hour hand, moved back thirty degrees counterclockwise.
The time changed from 01:20 to 00:20.
Jiang Li glanced into the tavern.
The white-hatted Cook standing in the Kitchen doorway put away his Kitchen Knife and retreated into the Dark Room.