Wandering Swordsman |

After coming downstairs, the waiter didn't immediately head to the kitchen to prepare food. Instead, he looked around and, seeing that the guests in the inn's lobby weren't paying attention to him, quickly pulled a pre-written letter from his sleeve, hurried out of the inn's main entrance, and quietly handed it to someone waiting outside. The person took the letter and quickly disappeared into the night. Only then did the waiter return to the inn, back to the lobby, and continue his work.

Shen Mo changed his clothes in the room. Although he was still a young man, after washing up and changing into his new clothes, his entire image changed drastically. The saying "clothes make the man" was indeed true; the middle-aged swordsman was also shocked when he saw Shen Mo after he changed his clothes. Because now that Shen Mo had shed his beggar's clothes, both his temperament and appearance were completely transformed, making him look like a young master from a noble family.

Soon after, the waiter brought the food, its aroma filling the air. The dishes looked enticing, clearly prepared with care. The waiter placed the food on the table one by one and respectfully said, "Master Luo, the food is ready. Please enjoy your meal."

After the waiter left, Shen Mo said, "Master, let's eat." But the middle-aged swordsman said, "Wait!" He then took out a silver needle from his sleeve, inserted it into the food, and gently stirred it, carefully observing the changes in the needle. Only after confirming that the needle had not changed color did he feel relieved and said, "Shen Mo, the martial world is dangerous; we must be careful. In the future, if you encounter this situation, remember to check before eating. Now it's alright, let's eat." He then picked up his chopsticks and began to taste the food.

Seeing this, Shen Mo felt much more at ease. He then nodded and replied, "Master, I understand."

The two began to enjoy their meal. The middle-aged swordsman ate while observing his surroundings, seemingly deep in thought. Shen Mo, on the other hand, focused on savoring the delicious food, gradually relaxing.

After the meal, Shen Mo tidied up the table, and the middle-aged swordsman gestured for him to sit down.

"Shen Mo, have you noticed? This inn seems a bit unusual," the middle-aged swordsman said, his eyes filled with a hint of seriousness.

Shen Mo thought for a moment and said, "Master, Xiao Er's behavior is indeed a bit strange. First, he seemed flustered when you mentioned Master Qu, and then he said the manager wasn't here. Something seems off."

The middle-aged swordsman nodded in agreement: "That's right, and I just noticed that the waiter seemed to be in a hurry after delivering the food, as if he was hiding something from us."

Upon hearing this, Shen Mo felt a sense of unease and asked, "Master, what should we do?"

The middle-aged swordsman pondered for a moment and said, "Let's rest tonight and inquire about Master Qu's whereabouts first thing tomorrow morning."

Afterwards, the two went back to their respective rooms to rest.

Shen Mo entered his room, closed the door, and temporarily put the day's fatigue behind him. As night deepened, moonlight streamed through the thin curtains into the room, bathing it in a silvery glow.

Shen Mo lay in bed, his mind filled with countless thoughts. He recalled those lonely and helpless nights from the past, and the experiences of sleeping in the open were still vivid in his mind.

But now, he has a new beginning, and a trustworthy master. Thinking of this, Shen Mo felt much more relaxed, and a smile gradually appeared on his face.

He closed his eyes, his mind drifting back to the past few days he had spent with the middle-aged swordsman, and to the new life that was about to begin. He imagined himself growing step by step into a true knight-errant under his master's tutelage, his heart filled with anticipation and confidence.

The night outside the window grew deeper, and the moonlight gently shone on Shen Mo's face, bringing him peace and tranquility. Everything in the room seemed so peaceful, with only the occasional sound of the night wind and the chirping of insects in the distance adding a touch of life to the night.

Shen Mo gradually drifted off to sleep. In his dream, he seemed to see himself and his master adventuring in the martial world, punishing evil and promoting good, protecting the weak. The scene in his dream was beautiful and warm, and Shen Mo smiled even more brightly in his dream.

In the dead of night, on a silent, deserted street, a group of masked men in black, wielding large knives, silently approached the inn's entrance. Their movements were swift and light, as if they were part of the night itself. After confirming that all the lights in the inn's rooms were off, one of them went to the door and knocked three times lightly. The sound was as faint as the gentle tapping of a door knocker on a cymbal in the wind, almost imperceptible.

A moment later, the waiter carefully opened the door from the inside. He looked nervous, his eyes filled with fear and unease.

As soon as one of the men in black saw the waiter, he grabbed him by the collar and demanded, "Tell me, which room is Luo Wangchen in?"

The waiter looked terrified and stammered, pointing to the staircase leading from the lobby to the second floor, and whispered, "...It's in the VIP suite upstairs."

After hearing this, the man in black turned to his companion and whispered, "Brothers, let's go. Now is the time for our Muye branch to make a great contribution."

Seeing the men in black rushing up the stairs, the waiter, in a moment of desperation, grabbed the hem of one of them and asked urgently, "Gentlemen, I've done as you said. When will you release our manager?"

The man in black immediately broke free from the waiter's grasp, impatiently leaving behind the words, "I'll release him after it's done!!!" before heading upstairs without looking back.

The waiter stood there, his eyes filled with worry and guilt, but he was powerless to stop the men in black. He could only struggle helplessly, hoping that everything would go smoothly in exchange for the innkeeper's safety, while also praying that Master Luo and his companion could escape the assassination attempt, for betraying them was not his intention.

The group of men in black quickly arrived at the "Tian" suite. One of them skillfully opened the latch and gently pushed the door open. After confirming that the person inside was still asleep, the group filed in.

Inside the room, the middle-aged swordsman Luo Wangchen was fast asleep when he suddenly sensed the arrival of an uninvited guest. He abruptly opened his eyes, thinking to himself: the number of enemies is still unknown; it would be better to observe the situation calmly and then strike them unexpectedly. So he slowly closed his eyes again, pretending to be fast asleep.

In another room, Shen Mo, whose years of living outdoors made him exceptionally vigilant, noticed something amiss even though the men in black made a very slight noise as they entered. He immediately became alert, recalling the waiter's strange behavior earlier, and quietly stood up.

Shen Mo quickly folded the quilt, making it look like it had been when he first moved in, then crawled under the bed, held his breath, and waited quietly, his heart filled with tension and unease.