Chapter 111: Dare Not Pick the Lock

To Shen Mqing’s surprise, they did indeed find an emergency exit in a corner of the smoking area. The only problem was that it was locked, and they couldn’t get in without a key.

The two of them couldn’t just blatantly pick the lock, so for a moment, they were in a bind. They needed a key for the emergency exit, but in a nightclub this big, who knew who had it?

"This is ridiculous. A place this big, and they put an iron lock on the emergency exit," Shen Mqing couldn’t help but complain.

Wen Qian rubbed her temples. Normally, it shouldn’t be locked. Otherwise, if there were a fire, wouldn’t people be trapped inside?

But that also meant the key couldn’t be too far from the emergency exit. Otherwise, if an emergency occurred... the consequences would be far more severe than a simple fine.

The two of them loitered in the smoking area. To avoid attracting attention, Shen Mqing made a point of borrowing a cigarette from a man in a suit nearby.

He held it between his fingertips, and he had to admit... he really looked the part. After all, the kid had a roguish air about him, kind of like a delinquent biker... ’If he dyed his hair blond, the look would be complete,’ Wen Qian mused to herself.

However, to their frustration, they circled the smoking area three full times without seeing any sign of the key.

Wen Qian couldn’t help but wonder, ’Perhaps one of the guides has the key?’

"I’m tired of walking. Can we take a break?" Shen Mqing frowned.

Wen Qian gave him a look of disbelief. ’Seriously, dude? You’re from the Tiger Clan... and you’re tired after a little walking?’

Shen Mqing seemed to notice her skepticism and pouted. "Back in the Beast World, I have a mount..."

Wen Qian was speechless. ’What a pampered little young master.’

"You go rest. I’ll keep looking." Rubbing her temples, Wen Qian thought, ’I knew I couldn’t count on Shen Mqing.’

Hearing this, Shen Mqing actually felt a little embarrassed. He twirled the cigarette in his hand and muttered, "Actually, I’m not that tired. I’ll help you look."

Wen Qian didn’t say anything, but her heart began to race with anxiety.

’The chances of us finding it like this are slim,’ she thought. ’Worse, we’re likely to attract the guides’ attention.’

’After all, Shen Mqing has been holding that cigarette this whole time without taking a single puff.’

’And I’m even more suspicious, wandering all over the room without even pretending to smoke.’

With that in mind, Wen Qian simply found a place to sit down. Ignoring Shen Mqing’s confused look, she quietly scanned her surroundings.

A moment later, her eyes widened. She shot up and grabbed Shen Mqing, her hushed voice filled with excitement. "Shen Mqing, the smoke detector..."

Shen Mqing instantly understood what she was getting at. "You mean..."

Seeing Wen Qian nod, the two of them immediately left the smoking area.

As they passed the front desk, Shen Mqing swiped a pack of tissues from the counter. The nightclub’s service was impeccable; not only did the staff not question him, but they also kindly offered him another pack.

Shen Mqing didn’t hesitate, taking the tissues before joining Wen Qian in the elevator.

The smoke detectors weren’t hard to find. There were two in the second-floor lounge. For cover, Shen Mqing grabbed a "Wet Floor" sign from the restroom and placed it nearby, while Wen Qian made up an excuse to draw away a passing guide.

He used the borrowed lighter to set the tissues alight. The smoke alarm quickly began to blare, and sprinklers kicked on, spraying water everywhere...

Everyone panicked. People avoided the elevators, rushing for the emergency exits instead.

Since the source of the fire was still unknown, the guides had no choice but to unlock the emergency exit. As people flooded in, Wen Qian and Shen Mqing slipped into the crowd amidst the chaos.

They followed the escape route down into the pitch-black Beast Fighting Arena. The two fumbled their way inside, and after a moment... the lights came on one after another.

Wen Qian then remembered that they had been here before. The sconces lining the tunnel walls were made from Elf tails and weren’t dependent on the electrical grid.

’I remember this path,’ she thought. ’It leads straight to the lounge.’

Just then, Li Jiu flew out of her pocket, fluttering his tiny wings with excitement. He seemed to love the Elf tails, flying close to them in a wavy pattern.

Wen Qian chuckled and patted his head, and he obediently settled back on top of hers.

The trio entered the lounge. Li Jiu flew up to the ceiling, trying to sense the fragment’s location. His tiny wings beat constantly, as if he were trying to say something.

"It’s here?" Wen Qian vaguely recalled that the spot where the fragment had landed last time was very close to this location.

The small, round, fluffy head immediately bobbed up and down.

But soon, the little creature shifted slightly to the side, then quickly moved back. After this happened several times, Shen Mqing, who had been staring intently, finally cracked.

"What is it doing?" Shen Mqing stared, wide-eyed. After a long moment, his face filled with shock. "It’s not... drawing circles to curse us, is it?!"

Li Jiu immediately flapped his wings, shaking his little head back and forth like a rattle.

Wen Qian facepalmed. ’He watches way too many cartoons...’ she thought with a sigh.

Understanding Li Jiu’s gestures, Wen Qian told Shen Mqing, "He’s trying to say... the fragment is moving."

This left Shen Mqing dumbfounded. He suddenly recalled the gloomy tunnel they had just walked through and stammered, "An... an escape room?"

’Otherwise, how could a perfectly normal fragment just sprout legs and run off?’

’Don’t tell me it’s something paranormal...’

’He’d heard on TV that you could find anything on this Blue Star planet...’

Wen Qian was rendered speechless by his train of thought. She had the sudden urge to take him to a hospital for an IQ test.

’This kid... is he an idiot?’

Seeing her expression, Shen Mqing suddenly felt like he was being looked down on. He puffed out his chest, cleared his throat, and said, steeling himself, "I was merely making a logical deduction."

"In that case, Young Master Shen, I’d love to hear an illogical one." Wen Qian’s voice was icy. Then, ignoring his embarrassed expression, she added calmly, "What’s wrong? Cat got your tongue? Don’t tell me you don’t have one."

"Wh-who says I don’t!" the young man retorted, stubbornly craning his neck as he approached Li Jiu’s position. He then dragged a chair over and stood on it.

He pressed his palm against the cold, smooth wall. After a long moment, he frowned.

"Do you feel anything?" Wen Qian asked, watching him.

Shen Mqing made a hushing gesture, then stood on his tiptoes to press higher up the wall. Wen Qian thoughtfully steadied the chair for him; his expression had become far too focused to ignore...

After another half-minute, Shen Mqing looked back with a strange expression. "Is there water in here?"

Wen Qian pointed at herself, giving him a look that said, ’Are you asking me?’

"I can hear the sound of water..." Shen Mqing explained.

’The sound of water?’

Wen Qian frowned.

’This is the basement level, right below the main nightclub hall. How could there be the sound of water?’

"Maybe there’s a swimming pool between the floors?" Shen Mqing suggested brightly as he hopped off the chair.

Wen Qian didn’t even want to bother responding to him.

She fell silent, thinking for a moment. Suddenly, she looked up and saw Shen Mqing looking back at her, his face lit with surprise.

"The fountain!!"

They both said in unison.