Chapter 479 - 242: There Is a Brothel

Chapter 479: Chapter 242: There Is a Brothel

Zheng Xiu activated [inspiration] and gazed at the town below from afar, nestled motionlessly in Yin Qingqing’s arms.

Yin Qingqing had guessed the true identity of the little pony, Zheng Er, without any proof, so she didn’t think he was acting without reason. The Red King’s inscrutable nature was well-known in the Secret Ministry; even now, Yin Qingqing had no idea what Path the Red King walked or what kind of Miracle Technique he wielded.

After watching with narrowed eyes for a while, Zheng Xiu’s unblinking gaze finally broke with a blink.

"Phew~"

"CRUNCH!"

The sound of Zheng Xiu letting out a long sigh and the Orange Cat crunching off a piece of fried fish cake rang out simultaneously, instantly softening the tense atmosphere.

"Young Master, you..."

Just now, when the boy activated his [inspiration], Situ Yong had accidentally glimpsed his empty, lifeless eyes. It felt as if he were being seen through, from the inside out, or like standing naked in a world of ice and snow. It made Situ Yong involuntarily feel a peculiar mix of sentimental melancholy and the thrill of streaking. The old man slowly drew the Great Treasure Saber at his waist a few inches and said in a deep voice, "Did you perhaps ’see’ something?"

"Yes. I was born with Spirit Communication."

"Spirit Communication" seemed to be a rare Constitution. The Spirit Binder, Bi Shui, who held a Path, also possessed an Ability similar to [inspiration]. When Situ Yong asked, Zheng Xiu didn’t hide it. He decided that revealing some of his Traits might make the others overlook their age difference and take his words more seriously. It couldn’t hurt.

"Hiss hiss... Brother, what did you see?"

"Something strange is hidden in the town, but... I can’t see it clearly." Zheng Xiu calmly stated the obvious, then immediately followed up with his actual conclusions. "The only thing I can confirm right now is that a Dark Curtain has not yet formed over the town, nor has a sealed Ghostly Realm taken shape. However, it’s common knowledge that Mo Kuang is pregnant, many men in town have died one after another, and then there’s the Five Passes Temple... All these oddities indicate that this place has all the necessary conditions to create a Ghostly Realm."

There was one thing Zheng Xiu didn’t say out loud.

’A Ghostly Realm is a borderland between the Common World and the Darkness.’

’It’s incredibly close to the Darkness, yet one cannot enter the Darkness from it.’

’In his identity as Gongsun Mo, he had once spent a century absorbing the Human Souls of millions to paint a Ghostly Realm with his unsurpassed Painting Skill. Not only had the process benefited him immensely, but he had also come to almost completely understand the principles behind a Ghostly Realm’s creation.’

’After all, he had once been the creator of a Ghostly Realm.’

At this thought, Zheng Xiu laughed instead of growing worried. He snatched the reins from Yin Qingqing, let out another laugh, and urged the horse forward.

The boy’s burst of excitement left Ye, Snake, and Situ Yong completely dumbfounded. Situ Yong forced the blade he’d drawn a few inches back into its sheath, wondering to himself, ’Logically, if anyone should be excited, it should be me. After all, I get to witness the bizarre spectacle of a pregnant man with my own eyes.’

On horseback.

As the horse trotted along, Yin Qingqing, the boy, and the Orange Cat—who sat at the very front, facing the wind—were all jostled about.

"Young... Master, you..."

The slight hesitation when Yin Qingqing said "Young Master" made Zheng Xiu, who was in front, frown. "If you’ve figured it out, you’ve figured it out. Why play dumb?"

"...Yes, Prince. What I wanted to ask is, do you think the strange events in this town are related to the Night Lord?"

Zheng Xiu smiled faintly. "I’d rather believe it’s a possibility than not."

Yin Qingqing fell silent, trying to fathom Zheng Xiu’s thoughts.

Soon.

The group finally arrived in Lu Town.

After several days on the road, they were all travel-worn. Zheng Xiu wasn’t in a rush to start the investigation; he planned to rendezvous with Xi’er and the other two first.

After they presented an official document from the "Disaster Prevention Bureau," stamped with the "Red King’s Seal," the guards at the town gate bowed obsequiously and allowed the suspicious-looking group to enter.

Over the past month, word of the new "Red King" had spread far and wide by various means. The "Disaster Prevention Bureau," founded by the Red King himself, was also gradually entering the public consciousness.

Unlike Ye Weiyang back in the day, the Disaster Prevention Bureau operated with a high profile, projecting an air of transcendent authority. In the minds of the common folk, however, their impression of the "Disaster Prevention Bureau" was mostly that of an official investigative body, much like the Six Gates. Unaware of the bizarre nature of the world’s darker side, they naturally had no idea what the Bureau’s true purview was.

Inside the town, the streets were nearly empty. A Night Watchman carrying a lantern beat his gong, calling out the second watch. The loud clang startled the town’s guard dogs, and the ensuing cacophony of barks, followed by shouts of reprimand, added a touch of mundane life to the small town.

As newcomers, Snake, Ye, Situ Yong, and Yin Qingqing were all on high alert. Yet after entering the town and crossing several streets, they hadn’t noticed anything amiss.

In the western part of Lu Town, a seven-story pavilion was brightly lit, with the sounds of decadent music drifting out. The nightly revelry here stood in stark contrast to the dark, silent streets elsewhere.

"Is that a brothel over there?"

Situ Yong pricked up his ears, listened for a moment, and then spoke in surprise.

Ye and Snake asked curiously, "What’s a brothel?"

Situ Yong let out a sly chuckle, but quickly realizing it was inappropriate, he composed himself and said with an air of detachment, "A brothel is what you might call a land of comfort and a hero’s final resting place. No one is immune, be they Scholars or vagrants, Generals or wanderers, Physicians or Painters. When passing by, one can’t help but step inside for a look. To drink a cup of warm wine, to lift a silken robe, to listen to a gentle breeze... and seek a moment of inner peace!"

Zheng Xiu was left momentarily stunned by this speech, then couldn’t help but applaud in admiration. "Truly worthy of Elder Mr. Situ! So knowledgeable, so battle-hardened, so vigorous in your old age, an old hand who knows the ropes! This humble one is thoroughly impressed, truly!"

"You’re too kind, too kind! You flatter me, you flatter me!" Situ Yong replied with a smile, stroking his beard.