Chapter Thirty-Five: The Calamity of the Tongue

Xiao Jiu'er asked, "Why do you want to save people?"

Her question was so simple that I didn't even think before answering, "Isn't that obvious? It's everyone's duty to do what's right. I advise you to recognize the situation and don't do anything unnecessary..."

Before I could finish, Xiao Jiu'er suddenly shook her head and said, "You're not police... There aren't any police outside either. In other words, whether it's you, Boss Bai, or that woman named Xian Hongye—even if you all die here, no one would know. No one would investigate."

Her words lashed at my heart like a whip.

Because in that casual tone, she had once again revealed a murderous intent. That simple desire to kill was enough to set my heart pounding.

After all, with the fate of that fat man as a warning, I couldn't afford to underestimate this demonic woman...

"What... do you want?" I frowned and asked.

Her bright, watery eyes sparkled as she replied, full of confidence, "Don't you find it strange? Why didn't I run away when I had the chance? Why... are you still alive now?"

Her voice was calm and emotionless, yet in our ears, it carried another flavor entirely.

Because the subtext was clear—everything we had done was according to her plan. Even the fact that we were still alive was only part of her design.

Could it be that she meant... Suddenly, I understood!

I replied, "What do you mean? Speak plainly."

"Refreshing!" Xiao Jiu'er clapped her hands and said, "The only reason I've let you live until now is for one purpose... I want you to take Boss Bai's place and cooperate with me to keep this haunted inn running! You don't need to worry about Boss Bai's affairs—listen to me and everything will be handled..."

In that moment, I almost thought I'd misheard her.

She wanted us to work with her? That was as ridiculous as a mouse marrying a cat! Needless to say, I could never agree.

At that moment, I truly wondered if her mind had been infected by some snake. To be so arrogantly self-assured, to make such an outrageous demand!

Because her request was so absurd, we didn't even consider it—we refused outright.

Wang Hou was even more direct in his refusal. He slammed the table and roared at her, "Why would I work with a viper like you? To take revenge on society? Listen, I've got no time for that! Release the parasite from Hongye right now, or else I'll..."

Before he could finish, Xiao Jiu'er snorted contemptuously, "Brute! Don't you realize how foolish your thinking is?"

"Damn!" Wang Hou was instantly stung by her mocking tone. He held out his hand and protested, "I'm serving the people, I'm doing what's right, am I... foolish?"

"Of course you're foolish!" Xiao Jiu'er paused for a moment, then a seductive smile bloomed on her face.

That smile made my heart skip a beat.

I had to admit, her smile was beautiful enough to steal souls, but it also filled me with unease.

A sense of dread suddenly welled up inside me. I couldn't decipher its meaning, but I knew that nothing good would follow when this viper of a woman smiled.

Sure enough, with a voice as cold and alluring as a serpent, she tempted Wang Hou:

"Why did you want to save that woman? Wasn't it because you were attracted to her beauty?"

"I..." Wang Hou was speechless.

"Do you really think that even if she is cured... you could win her? She's a manager at a state-owned enterprise, a wealthy heiress, and you... just a delivery driver, right?"

"I..." Wang Hou's face flushed red.

Xiao Jiu'er's smile grew even more triumphant. She crooked a finger at Wang Hou, beckoning, "Why not join me? I'll teach you how to control the parasite in Xian Hongye. Then... you can make her do anything you want!"

"But..." Wang Hou hesitated.

"Stop wavering! You don't need to save anyone. Work with me, and you can make anyone yield to you, just like I do. And the price you pay... is nothing."

Every one of Xiao Jiu'er's words was poisonous, each one as tempting as a handful of gold bars. Her uniquely seductive voice made my blood surges, and self-control nearly slipped from my grasp.

In desperation, I blushed and warned Wang Hou, "Don't listen to her! She's trying to divide us..."

But just as I was about to say something stirring, Xiao Jiu'er shot me a disdainful smile.

My heart cried out, "Not good."

She continued, "Tian Buer! Aren't you the same? In these three years, what have you accomplished? Compared to the head chefs at Fuzi Temple, what are you? You live burdened by a conscience you can’t carry, by your old squad leader's teachings... Is that really so great?"

Her words struck me like thunder, inside and out.

I was utterly stunned, my mind buzzing as if someone had slammed it with a brick seven or eight times.

I couldn't figure out what kind of woman Xiao Jiu'er really was... How did she know so much about us, even things I'd never mentioned, even my old squad leader’s name?!

Her abilities had surpassed the realm of intelligence or high IQ.

If her previous actions and words could be explained by cunning or calculation, her current display could only be described as supernatural foresight.

Otherwise, how could a blind girl, time and again, reveal things she had no way of knowing? Who could believe that?

At that moment, I thought of Boss Bai. Before he died, he had mentioned that Xiao Jiu'er possessed something that made up for her lack of sight. But what exactly was it? I hadn't had time to ask... Now that I think about it, could it be some ability to see into people's hearts?

Facing such an abnormal situation, I couldn’t help but speculate—were we really confronting just a blind girl? Was she even human?

But I didn't dare dwell on it, nor did I have the time.

All I could do was raise my head and ask her sternly, "What do you really want?"

She answered just as seriously, "Either work with me, and I'll give you everything you desire... or die!"

A woman who looked so fragile and delicate was threatening two burly men—this scene felt... deeply unsettling.

The three of us looked at each other, silent for a moment.

I glanced at Wang Hou, and he returned a questioning look.

He said to me, "You decide... I... I..."

Seeing Wang Hou's flustered expression, I knew he was as lost as I was, even tempted. I couldn't blame him; after all, this kind of unprecedented mix of threats and temptation isn't something anyone encounters every day.

Xiao Jiu'er's words had both immense allure and destructive power. She was someone we could not see through, but who had already seen through us.

People like her—I had never met before in my life.

Uneasy and flustered, I instinctively took a step back.

I couldn't think of a solution. In that moment, I even considered running away. I regretted breaking the "rules" and coming to this so-called hellish inn to seek death...

But just then, a strange squelching sound came from beneath my foot.

Splat...

I had stepped on something abnormal.

In the eerie silence, the crisp sound of stepping on "water" startled me, snapping me from my thoughts.

I looked down instinctively and saw that I had stepped in the putrid blood that had spurted from Boss Bai's torso.

At this moment, Boss Bai's corpse could no longer be called human. His once fat body was rapidly "swelling." From his neck, twisted off by the gluttonous parasite, a mix of black and red blood kept oozing out.

In short, Boss Bai's current state was enough to sober anyone up! I was stunned, my mind suddenly clearing with a bang! I finally understood.

I laughed, a self-mocking sound, and voiced the words I'd kept hidden in my heart: "Doubt kills the heart; fear arises from the heart!"

Xiao Jiu'er clearly didn't understand what I meant and asked, "What?"

I didn't answer her, but in my heart, everything was clear—I could not compromise with Xiao Jiu'er, much less cooperate! Otherwise, Boss Bai's fate would be ours.

Besides, we still had the noble "ideal" of saving people from disaster!

So, after only a moment's thought, I shook my head at Wang Hou, then turned and shouted at Xiao Jiu'er, "Enough talk! You may be formidable, but we're not interested in working with you!"

My answer caught her completely off guard. She opened her mouth, about to say something more, but my next action cut her off.

I picked up a solid wooden chair and, without a word, hurled it straight at her.

The only reason I attacked so suddenly was because I knew we couldn't listen to her any longer...

Every word from Xiao Jiu'er was a "bewitching spell"—that was her true, deadly weapon. She had already twice seized control of our emotions; if we listened any more, I feared she would turn us against each other, or drive us to suicide.

That was why I chose the chair as my reply.

The chair drew a rough arc through the air and struck Xiao Jiu'er.

To my surprise... she didn't even try to dodge!

The chair shattered against her, splinters flying everywhere.

In the midst of the scattering wooden fragments, I stood there, dumbfounded.