Infinite Puzzle City

Chapter 694 Chapter of the Agreement
After dinner, Xiao Ran sat in the courtyard and chatted with Gu Xintang about what he had learned during his three months there.

Gu Xintang made no attempt to hide any of this information and told Xiao Ran everything without reservation.

In fact, Xiao Ran had already figured out most of the information. This so-called ghost city of Chang'an was inhabited by people during the day and ghosts at night. The monthly Great Day of Abstinence was a time when people and ghosts were indistinguishable.

This is also the most dangerous day, but if you can find the pattern, you can easily deal with it.

Apart from that, no other information was of any use to Xiao Ran. Feeling that it was about time, Xiao Ran got up and said goodbye.

Gu Xintang naturally wanted to see Xiao Ran off on her journey. As night deepened, the city lights shimmered in the pervasive mist, hazy and indistinct, like oil-soaked Xuan paper, spreading out an unreal warm yellow hue.

Xiao Ran and Gu Xintang walked side by side, their footsteps echoing crisply on the wet bluestone slabs. Their two long, distorted shadows, stretched by the dim yellow lamplight, followed them silently.

Throughout the journey, Xiao Ran hesitated several times, his throat bobbing, but the words ultimately stuck in his throat. In the end, he chose to swallow them back, not revealing the seemingly fragile yet exceptionally resilient layer of understanding between them.

Waking someone who is deep in a dream and having a sweet dream, no matter how well-intentioned you are, will inevitably result in their instinctive resistance and anger after being disturbed, which is what is known as "morning grumpiness".

"Enke three months from now," Xiao Ran stopped at the street corner, turning to look at Gu Xintang, "Are you going to participate?"

Upon hearing this, Gu Xintang hesitated for a moment, then slowly shook his head: "I don't plan to participate."

Seeing Xiao Ran's probing gaze, Gu Xintang forced a slightly relaxed smile: "Actually, isn't this just right for you? You've lost a strong competitor." His tone was calm, as if he were stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.

Xiao Ran nodded, frankly not denying it: "Indeed, this is good news for me." His tone was calm, yet carried a frank coldness. "Even though I am now confident that I can defeat you in every way, you are ultimately a master swordsman with profound skills and strength no less than a C-level professional. It's always a good thing to have one less opponent like you."

In the night breeze, Gu Xintang's shoulders relaxed almost imperceptibly, and his tone softened considerably: "I have only one small request... no, I should say a plea." His posture was very humble, carrying a hint of barely perceptible plea.

Xiao Ran looked at him, already knowing what he wanted, but remained expressionless, feigning ignorance as she asked, "What?"

“If you participate in the imperial examination,” Gu Xintang’s voice was soft yet exceptionally clear, piercing through the night fog, “and… after obtaining the Imperial Seal… could you… preserve the current state of Chang’an?” He looked intently at Xiao Ran, as if this question carried all his hopes at that moment.

Xiao Ran remained silent for a few seconds at this expected request. Only the sound of their footsteps echoed in the empty streets, monotonous yet clear. They reached the crossroads, the dim streetlights lengthening and shortening their shadows.

Xiao Ran finally sighed, breaking the silence: "I dare not give you any guarantees." He looked directly into Gu Xintang's eyes.

"But if that day ever comes, on the premise of ensuring that it does not affect the overall situation... I can try my best to help you deal with it."

He didn't make a huge promise, nor would a direct refusal seem too cold-hearted, so he gave an ambiguous yet open answer. This restrained statement perfectly reflected their current relationship—they were merely acquaintances who had interacted a few times.

“This is… already excellent.” A hint of relief flashed in Gu Xintang’s eyes as he solemnly clasped his hands in thanks. “Thank you, Brother Xiao.”

He clearly understood the depth of this affection. Xiao Ran's willingness to offer such an attitude, even if it was just out of politeness and perfunctoriness, was enough to temporarily soothe his heart, which was indulging in illusory warmth, and give him a moment of peace and relief.

After bidding farewell to Gu Xintang, Xiao Ran turned and embarked on her journey home. Unconsciously, the scene of dinner at the martial arts school kept replaying in her mind.

The woman's playful scolding, the children's cheerful frolicking, the middle-aged man's steady greeting, the aroma of food filling the air... all these intertwined to create a scene of everyday life stirred a complex mix of emotions within him.

'If given a choice, who wouldn't want to stay home with their wife, kids, and a warm bed?' he sighed inwardly. The old saying came to mind: 'Earning ten thousand a day working away from home is not as good as earning five thousand at home.' Yes, who doesn't yearn for that stable sense of belonging? If he had a choice, wouldn't Xiao Ran also want to be by Gao Yuting's side? Perhaps their child would already be learning to speak by now…

Gao Yuting's bright smile flashed through her memory, then turned into a sharp pang of guilt that pierced her heart. Xiao Ran shook her head violently, forcibly suppressing and banishing this inappropriate thought from her mind.

He stood in the middle of Zhuque Avenue, looking up towards the direction of the imperial city. The vast palace complex was shrouded in a hazy, ever-flowing white mist, its outline blurred, like the moon's reflection in water or a flower in a mirror. It stood there majestically, yet with the slightest lapse in vision, one felt that this behemoth would vanish into thin air like a mirage in the next moment.

“Huang Chao, oh Huang Chao,” Xiao Ran murmured to himself, gazing at the eerie mist, and slowly, with a hint of mockery, gave a thumbs up. “What a… gentle blade.”

At this moment, he finally understood why everyone entered this "maze" at different times. This was no coincidence, but a trap carefully designed by Huang Chao. By staggering their entry times, each person had more time to "immerse" themselves, to identify with their role, to accept the fabricated "relatives" and backstories, and ultimately to willingly be woven into this gentle net.

If a group of people were to rush in at the same time, everyone would probably only be thinking about overturning the table, finding a way out, and causing destruction. Who would care about these fictional stories that don't belong to them?
He wasn't sure if others had succumbed to the same complete descent as Gu Xintang, but at least things were different on his side. The woman called Xiu Niang had clearly already keenly sensed that he wasn't the real "Li Xiao." A delicate balance was currently being maintained between them—a tacit understanding, mutual probing, and a deliberate attempt to keep their distance.

Back at the salt shop, before even crossing the threshold, Xiao Ran heard the crisp, delicate sound of abacus beads clicking coming from the counter. She pushed the door open and entered.

Upon hearing the sound, the embroiderer immediately came out from behind the counter, her steps light and her face showing her usual gentleness: "You're back. Have you eaten? I'll go make you something to eat now." Her gaze cautiously swept over Xiao Ran's face.

"No need." Xiao Ran raised her hand to stop her, her tone calm but carrying an undeniable distance. "I met some friends outside and we've already eaten."

He paused, then added, "Also, you don't need to prepare my meals anymore. I'm not used to eating food cooked by others."

The embroiderer paused slightly, the intense rejection in Xiao Ran's words piercing her like icy needles. She lowered her eyes and obediently replied, "Yes."

Watching Xiao Ran walk straight to the back room, the embroiderer silently locked the shop door, picked up today's account book, and followed her. She gently placed the account book on the table: "These are today's accounts."

Xiao Ran didn't even glance at them, casually waving her hand: "Sit."

The embroiderer obeyed, only daring to sit with half her body against the edge of the chair, her hands nervously twisting the hem of her clothes, her knuckles turning slightly white.

Seeing this, Xiao Ran got straight to the point, no more beating around the bush:
“Listen, from now on, this salt shop is yours. All revenue and profits are yours to manage and control. I will no longer interfere, nor will I ask you for a single penny. How you run it is up to you.”

He looked at the embroiderer's suddenly raised, surprised and suspicious eyes, and continued, "Similarly, you don't need to care where I go or what I do. I won't be staying here for long."

He leaned forward slightly, his tone suddenly turning cold, carrying an undeniable warning: "There is only one ironclad rule: neither to outsiders nor to insiders, you must never reveal a single detail about my identity. Otherwise..." He didn't finish his sentence, but his icy gaze said it all.

“But…” The embroiderer nodded subconsciously at first, then seemed to remember something, and a look of worry appeared on her face, “But if you leave… my aunt and the others will definitely not let me off the hook.”

“You don’t need to worry about this.” Xiao Ran’s tone was resolute. “Before you leave, I will take care of all potential problems for you. I will leave no future troubles.”

Regardless of whether Xiao Ran's words were true or false, or whether she had the ability to fulfill them, the embroiderer's tense nerves suddenly relaxed considerably. This promise, even if it was just a faint hope, made her feel much more at ease.

That evening, Xiao Ran moved into the room in the backyard of the salt shop that originally belonged to Li Xiao's father.

The embroiderer had already quietly tidied the room spotless. The two exchanged no further words and returned to their respective rooms. The night passed peacefully without incident.

The next morning, the sky was just getting light.

Xiao Ran had already taken out the carrying pole and basket from his storage space. He changed into a coarse linen shirt that had been washed until it was faded and had several patches. He carefully rolled up his sleeves and trouser legs in front of the reflection of the water vat in the courtyard, looking every bit like a low-level craftsman preparing to go to work.

With three months to go before the so-called "Enke", Xiao Ran had no intention of wasting time.

The skills he learned from the barber are the key to his current practice and breakthrough.

If he can truly grasp the essence of a barber's skills, then advancing to Double C level will be a natural progression. Only then will his strength experience a qualitative leap, giving him the confidence to openly challenge both Penglai Tower and Changchun Society.

The embroiderer stood silently under the eaves, looking at Xiao Ran's completely transformed appearance with a mixture of confusion and curiosity in her eyes. But after the three rules they had agreed on last night, she had already internalized the importance of propriety.

Despite a thousand questions, no one dared to ask a single one at this moment. They simply watched as the stranger, bearing Li Xiao's skin, carrying that shoulder pole, gradually disappeared into the flowing, illusory crowd of the morning streets of Chang'an...

(End of this chapter)