Where does that wicked woman get her conscience?

Chapter 219 The Zhao Brothers

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The journey from Crescent Island to Zhongtan Holy City was not very long. At Guan Xun's speed, he arrived at the border of Zhongtan Holy City—the Holy City Plain—in less than five days.

This is a plain situated on all four sides of the city, like a giant protective circle enclosing the city in the middle.

She arrived at dusk and sat at a tea stall inquiring about news. Before long, night would fall.

"You mean if we want to enter the city, we have to go through one of the four entrances of Zhongtan Holy City?" Guan Xun raised his eyebrows curiously.

"Yes, miss." The waiter picked up the teapot and used the cloth draped over his shoulder to wipe the sweat from his forehead. "Look at the plazas for those flying monsters. They all stay on the Holy City Plain. Not one of them flies into the air. It's not only forbidden, but also impossible."

"Hehe, no matter if you can fly or burrow underground, you still can't get in."

"Oh?" Guan Xun became even more curious. The city was so heavily guarded. Could it be due to a barrier? "Tell me more about it."

"Of course it's because the city is protected by the Holy Spirit Goddess! As long as the Holy Spirit Goddess's protective light is there, not to mention people, even a fly can't get in except through the designated entrance."

The waiter, his face full of admiration, even put down his teapot and clasped his hands together as if in prayer: "It is thanks to the protection of the Holy Spirit Goddess that we can have stable employment in these places without too much fighting and killing."

Seeing the other person's dazed expression, Guan Xun tapped his fingertips on the table, pondering how someone could possess such skill and still be held in such a high position...

Could this Holy Spirit goddess be the person she knows?

Just as she was about to ask further questions.

"Uu——"

Someone drove a carriage and stopped behind her.

"Waiter, I need a place to stay!"

Upon seeing the guests, the waiter forgot all about gossiping with Guan Xun. He caught the gold coin tossed to him and quickly stepped forward to lead the horse.

"Okay!"

By this time, it was completely dark.

The people who were just sitting and chatting nearby left their tea money and then hurriedly left.

What's puzzling is that everyone got up and left at the same time. In the blink of an eye, only Guan Xun, the waiter leading the horse, and a few guests who had just checked in were left outside the tea stall.

As night fell, a cool breeze swept through the leaves and landed on the tea table in front of Guan Xun.

Her dark eyes, lowered, gazed at the leaves, and her brows immediately furrowed.

The atmosphere around us suddenly became strange, something was wrong, very wrong.

The waiter was leading a few guests past when he tugged hard on the horse's reins and turned to look at the seated woman: "Miss, are you also looking for a place to stay?"

Guan Xun was slightly puzzled. He looked up and saw several somewhat familiar figures.

The group of men all looked unwell, clearly injured, and the two leading men saw her at that moment.

Their eyes met, and the air seemed to freeze.

Seeing this, the waiter immediately became wary. As the saying goes, the human heart is unpredictable; such a beautiful young lady could easily attract unwanted attention. If he were to make a move now, it could lead to serious trouble! After all, it was already night…

Startled, he was about to smooth things over when he heard a soft laugh. The silvery voice made him momentarily lose his composure.

Guan Xun put down his teacup and waved to the group, saying, "What a coincidence."

The guests were none other than Zhao Gui and his group from the ten-mile road.

Zhao Gui held his breath until he heard Guan Xun speak, then he finally let out a heavy sigh: "It's you? Miss?!"

"You, you're alright?!"

Zhao Wuji and the others were also extremely shocked. If it weren't for a master who intervened when their lives were hanging by a thread, they would have been dead long ago.

After that, they cleaned up the mess and took the opportunity to search for Guan Xun's whereabouts, but they couldn't find him. They originally thought that he had been torn to pieces, but unexpectedly, he appeared alive and well in front of them!

Did the girl heartlessly abandon them and run away back then?!

Upon realizing this possibility, Zhao Wuji and his group looked rather grim. They were her saviors; how could she abandon them and leave them to their fate? Such cold-blooded and venomous people were better off dying at the hands of puppets.

When Zhao Gui first saw Guan Xun, he did consider this possibility, but his excitement outweighed his desire to see her again.

"Hehe." Seeing this, the waiter withdrew his hand that was about to smooth things over, and laughed somewhat awkwardly, "It seems that you all know each other. I thought... cough, since there's nothing else, I'll go and put the carriage away first, and then I'll take you to your lodgings."

Just as he was about to leave, he suddenly remembered something, paused, and turned to look at Guan Xun: "By the way, Miss, why don't you stay here too?"

This time it wasn't a question, but a statement of fact.

Zhao Gui's gaze swept back and forth between Guan Xun and the waiter, then he looked at Zhao Wuji and said, "Brothers, you go in with the waiter first, I'll be there in a bit."

Zhao Wuji frowned and patted Zhao Gui on the shoulder: "Well, be careful."

Having said that, he walked past without looking to the side.

Given the strange atmosphere, how could Guan Xun not notice it? With just a little thought, she could guess why these people were giving her attitude.

However, she didn't need to explain.

After the others left, Zhao Gui sat down opposite them and said, "Miss, I'm so glad you're alright. I thought you had met with some misfortune."

Guan Xun shook her head, not wanting to say more about the matter. She looked around and asked the question that had been bothering her.

"Is this place always so eerie at night? It seems like no one dares to stay outside."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Gui's expression changed. He quickly looked around and, seeing that no one else was around, lowered his voice and said, "Shh! Miss, you mustn't say too much. It's already night, and there are eavesdroppers everywhere."

Huh? What do you mean? Guan Xun was puzzled. However, before she could ask any more questions, the waiter rushed over.

"Please come in immediately, gentlemen."

As he spoke, he casually extinguished all the firelight outside.

At the same time, Guan Xun's ears twitched, and he heard a faint sound of footsteps, tap-tap-tap, tap-tap-tap...

The order was unusually neat, which sounded rather eerie.

Zhao Gui didn't bother to explain, grabbed Guan Xun, and dragged her into the house.

The room had a long, interconnected corridor with rooms on both sides. As soon as they entered, the waiter locked the door behind them.

He wiped the sweat from his forehead, let out a long sigh of relief, and then turned around, rubbing his hands together: "Could you please settle the accommodation fee?"

After handing over the gold coins, Zhao Gui waved for the person to leave.

Seeing that Guan Xun was frowning and looking at all sorts of people leaning against the corridor, he simply sat down on the ground: "Miss, is this your first time visiting Zhongtan Holy City?"

"Hmm, what's going on?"

“Every night, when obsidian is transported from other places to the Holy City of Zhongtan, it’s time for outsiders to stay away,” Zhao Gui said. “Do you know if this area is protected by holy light?”

Noticing the gazes around her, some of which were malicious, Guan Xun didn't care. She nodded and said, "I've heard about it."

“If anyone encounters someone transporting obsidian within the area protected by the Holy Light and fails to avoid them, they will be… mercilessly executed on the spot.” Zhao Gui gasped as he spoke. “Even voyeurs cannot escape.”

"I see, no wonder everyone left in such a hurry." Guan Xun murmured to himself, it was about obsidian again...

Just as she was deep in thought, a commotion arose from the crowd ahead.

A refined-looking man lay sprawled across the threshold, bleeding from all seven orifices, dead.

No one around came forward to check; they all kept their distance, afraid of getting involved.

Some people even went straight into the room and closed the door tightly.

The waiter rushed over upon hearing the commotion, but upon seeing the scene, he could only shake his head helplessly, mutter "serves him right" under his breath, and then left.

Everything can only be dealt with during the day.

The man's bloodshot eyes were almost bulging out, still retaining the emotions he had before death. He had clearly died suddenly and had no time to react.

Zhao Gui sighed, somewhat regretfully: "I told you to keep quiet and not to peep, but some people just wouldn't listen and ended up losing their lives."

Guan Xun's eyes were indifferent as he looked away: "Where is the room? It's late, you should rest."

“If you don’t mind, young lady, you can stay with us. This place is a gathering place, and all sorts of people can be found here.” As soon as he finished speaking, Zhao Gui remembered something.

The girl seemed to be stronger than them, but she was alone after all, so it would be better to have a companion.

Guan Xun waved his hand: "I prefer a quieter place."

"Alright then, just find any empty room."

An empty room?

With a slight twitch of his eyebrow, Guan Xun quickly scanned the area, noting that all forty-two households along the corridor were occupied.

The only place that is "empty" now is the room where the person just died.

Without thinking, she stepped towards the pool of blood on the ground.