“So basically…”
In the dungeon, Wu Xiaomi’s pupils were unfocused as she idly fiddled with the shackles on her ankles.
Lulutina lay sprawled beside her, limbs splayed out in every direction, letting out a faint snore.
“…Why the hell was there an extra alarm sequence on the resonator…?”
“Mm… That kind of thing doesn’t show up in movies…” Lulutina turned over groggily, hugging the filthy straw mat beside her. “In those heist films, they just grab the thing and run. At most they deal with gravity sensors, infrared beams, stuff like that.
But a touch-activated alarm? That’s basically sorcery.”
It had only been ten minutes since the alarm went off.
A true speedrun to failure.
The moment the little radish triggered the alarm, the guards moved like lightning— ripping open the glass casing and snatching it up in a single motion.
Then one of them slammed a fist into the ground, tearing up the floor along with both the radish and Wu Xiaomi, lifting them clean out like weeds.
Wu Xiaomi didn’t even get a chance to defend herself before the guards, clearly seasoned in this kind of thing, had already tossed her into the dungeon.
Clank clank.
Shackles snapped into place.
The iron door slammed shut.
They turned and left without a word.
Lulutina didn’t get away either— dug out from a collapsed tunnel and cuffed right next to Wu Xiaomi.
“Another pair of idiots dreaming about the lord’s treasure,” the dungeon guard muttered, shaking his head as he passed the door. “The master despises anyone with designs on his money. Once the steward’s back, you’re both dead meat.”
……
The owner of the museum was named Wilson.
He was famous far and wide for his shrewd business acumen.
His company had sold health supplements to rural towns.
Started state-run lottery programs.
Invented brainwashing ads.
And, keeping up with the times, he had recently flooded short video platforms with bought followers, propping up a few content creators and leveraging herd mentality to push advertisements and rake in absurd profits.
In the Manggu Mountains, he was unquestionably the richest man in the region.
Even outside, in the cities or within the empire, wherever he went, he was always welcomed as a guest of honor at the local government manors.
Naturally, a man of such stature wouldn’t deign to live in the backwater Manggu Mountains for long.
He hadn’t returned in years; the museum here was managed by his steward.
That steward’s previous job?
The Empire’s Chief Inquisitor.
His brutal reputation was just as notorious as Wilson’s business empire.
He knew exactly what kind of methods could strike terror deep into a prisoner’s heart.
Once he finished “sculpting” them, he would display his “masterpieces” in the most prominent spots—
—To remind all the monkeys what happens to chickens who step out of line.
……
The steward sat upright in his carriage.
Even though no one else was around, he still maintained the dignity of an aristocrat.
Eyes lowered, hands folded, his posture as still as a statue.
“The museum guards just reported—caught two more chickens.”
“Oh?”
His mouth began to curl open. Slowly, deliberately, the corners of his lips stretched toward his ears.
The lips thinned as they pulled, revealing shark-like teeth beneath.
His mouth kept opening— splitting apart the stitches at his cheeks, all the way up to the roots of his ears.
Even his ears unfolded into four separate flaps.
“Master Steward…”
“Ah, pardon me. I’m just so delighted.”
He closed his mouth again, tightening the threads at the sides of his cheeks.
The skin knit back together, and the fleshy flaps slowly sealed shut.
“They’re two girls.”
“Girls? Hah, that’s a first— female chickens.”
“And according to the guards, one of them is very beautiful. Exceptionally so. Unbelievably beautiful.”
“Beautiful? Then why resort to thievery?”
“One of the guards recognized her— she’s apparently a well-known refugee these days…”
“What did she try to steal?”
“The Resonator.”
“The Resonator… Ah… I see.” The steward nodded. “Tomorrow night is Mirror Night, after all.”
To the locals of the Manggu Mountains, Mirror Night had long since become a yearly routine.
It was dangerous, sure but every brick and tile in this region had been blessed.
For native residents, it only meant staying indoors and avoiding mirrors that night.
But for the refugees— it was a death sentence, no way out.
“Some refugees came begging to stay in the empty houses today,” the attendant reported calmly. “They’re willing to pay or work in exchange.”
“How could we let those brutes foul up the master’s homes?” The steward shot him a cold glance. “And besides— if we give them shelter, what fun will there be to watch tomorrow night?”
“You’re not tired of the show yet?” The attendant showed no fear at the steward’s dangerous gaze. “I thought you’d gotten bored of it twelve years ago.”
“Never. That little performance twelve years back? Only netted us two witches— boring.” The steward gave a thin smile. “This year’s performance… now that’s the main event.”
“Oh, by the way. I heard the daughter of those two witches is back.”
“Which one?”
“Who else? The sister’s still in Harvest Village— obviously, the elder one.”
“Ah yes. I heard she became a professor in East Star City. Has quite a reputation now.”
“She does.” The attendant nodded. “Our eyes say she’s been investigating the incident from twelve years ago. Even went so far as to alter her soul source to dig deeper…”
“It’s useless.”
The steward’s mouth split open again.
“Twelve years have passed. She won’t find anything.”
……
Wu Xiaomi stared blankly at the message window in front of her.
[All preconditions successfully met!]
[Unlocked final event of the Manggu Mountains route — “The Night of Abundance and Arrogance”]