Lingyao was instantly jolted awake from his dream.

Why is he having this kind of dream again?

His previous dreams were always of endless darkness, and the desolation and despair emanating from that darkness made it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Recently, his dreams have started to have color and scenes, but in every scene there is that most vivid and eye-catching red.

That was... the figure that belonged to Yin Ming.

It's probably because I spend every day with Yin Ming that he appears in my dreams.

But the scenes in his dreams were almost all things that had actually happened before, his or others’ experiences of being rescued by Yin Ming.

Each time he relives the experience in his dream, he feels a strange sensation.

Is it because she is grateful to Yin Ming and has never properly thanked him that she keeps thinking about him?

But why did my face turn red involuntarily when I saw Yin Ming getting dressed just now?

Even Yin Ming's outstretched hand, which was serving tea, and his very being seemed to carry a captivating fragrance...

It seems that everything changed from the day Yin Ming returned and handed him a Foundation Building Grass.

Unbeknownst to him, he also developed feelings for Yin Ming beyond gratitude.

"Because I like them, I feel happy when I'm close to them."

The words of the woman at the restaurant entrance suddenly came to mind.

Does he like him? Does he like Yin Ming? He probably does. Every time Yin Ming talks to him, treats him kindly, and pats his head, he is indeed overjoyed.

He also liked the leopard cub, the white robe Yin Ming gave him, and many other things.

But he always felt that his affection for Yin Ming was stronger and more special than his affection for other things.

But when he gets close to Yin Ming, he feels uneasy, so much so that even though Yin Ming has been very kind to him lately, he has never dared to give a warm response.

Just like in the dream, there seemed to be an invisible vortex around Yin Ming, constantly drawing him in.

His subconscious told him it was dangerous, but he couldn't convince himself to stay away, instead letting himself fall into depravity and addiction.

Just like now.

Listening to the steady breathing beside him, Lingyao couldn't help but want to reach out and hug the person next to him.

I always felt that as long as I held him, the whole world would be at peace.

It is a liking, but a liking that is stronger and more special than that for leopard cubs or white robes.

***

Yin Ming woke up early in the morning to find Ling Yao sleeping with his arms around him from behind. He smiled helplessly. It is said that sleeping with someone or something in your arms makes you feel secure. This child probably lacks a sense of security.

At this time of day, Lingyao would usually be up to bring Yinming water to wash up. But today, he was sleeping so soundly that Yinming didn't want to wake him. So he stayed in that position and began to think about how to find something to use against the city lord.

A sudden itchy sensation came from Yin Ming's scalp, as if something was stirring restlessly in his hair.

Yin Ming reflexively reached out and touched something, only to unexpectedly grab a hand. He immediately turned around and met a pair of equally surprised eyes.

"Knock knock knock..."

"Uncle, are you awake?" A sweet voice from outside the door interrupted the two of them staring at each other, which had been frozen in place.

Yin Ming didn't think much of the boy's actions, assuming he had accidentally stepped on his hair. He released Ling Yao's hand, got up and dressed as usual: "A Yao, it's good that you're awake. Get ready, let's go investigate."

Lingyao quickly composed himself, replied with an "okay," and got up to open the door.

Because he didn't want to take off his clothes when he lay down last night, he only needs to tidy himself up a bit now.

"Uncle, have you seen Brother Yao? I just went to his room... Brother Yao?"

After dressing, Yin Ming emerged from behind the screen and saw Yao Ling looking at Ling Yao with a wronged expression, while Ling Yao remained calm and composed.

"Did you sleep with Brother Yao last night, Uncle?" Yao Ling asked Yin Ming, biting her lower lip and looking at him with slightly red eyes.

What do you mean by that? I don't like hearing that, so take it back!

The female lead's expression and tone make it seem like she's catching her husband's mistress in the act.

Yin Ming and the male lead are completely innocent, okay? You only have romantic scenes with the male lead, don't overthink it. He's a straight, honest guy who doesn't like men and loves women.

“I talked with Lingyao until late last night, so I let him rest here. Don’t worry about it. We still have things to do. You and your brother can stay at the inn and wait for us.”

Yin Ming didn't mention that Ling Yao was drunk last night. Just kidding, she reacted so strongly just because they shared a bed. If she knew Ling Yao was drunk, I can't imagine what outrageous things she might do.

"If the city lord comes, you should temporarily hide in this magical beast space ring and come out after the city lord leaves. Remember, no one can stay in this magical beast space ring for too long." Yin Ming handed the ring to Yao Ling.

It is said that humans who stay in the Warcraft Space Ring for too long will turn into Warcraft, since the Warcraft Space Ring is specifically designed to hold Warcraft.

Because the human body is different from a monster, if the transformation into a beast reaches a certain level, the beast will go berserk and explode, resulting in death.

It sounds scary, but it can be used as a temporary hide-and-seek spot. Just leave before you feel any discomfort, and you'll recover gradually after a period of rest. There won't be any aftereffects.

Yin Ming didn't want to do this either, but taking the two of them along would inevitably restrict his actions. Besides, he didn't know what dangers they would face on this trip, so it would be safer for them to stay in the inn.

Yin Ming carefully opened a passage large enough for one person to pass through in the barrier set up by the city lord. Because Yin Ming's cultivation level was higher, he was able to conceal it from the city lord's senses.

The entire city was as quiet as Yin Ming had imagined; the streets were deserted, with only the sound of the wind blowing and swirling fallen leaves.

Yin Ming was at a loss, having no clues whatsoever, and for a moment he didn't know where to begin his investigation.

Sneaking into people's homes to extract information? That's not a good idea; it might scare them.

"Yin Ming, can you smell it?" Ling Yao suddenly asked.

"Huh?" What do you smell? There's no smell at all. Are you a dog? Your nose is so sensitive.

No, there does seem to be a faint, unpleasant odor when the wind blows.

Yin Ming and Ling Yao immediately followed the direction the wind was blowing and stealthily made their way to the foot of a mountain.

The closer you get, the stronger the stench becomes.

But this place looks quite normal, with beautiful mountains and clear waters, birds singing and flowers blooming. Where could the smell be coming from?

Yin Ming searched around but found nothing strange. After pondering for a while, he led Ling Yao to a secluded corner and drew an invisibility array to hide their figures.

Yin Ming conjured a ball of resentment with a diameter of half a meter in his hand, slammed it onto the ground near the mountain, and held his breath to wait quietly.

He admitted there was an element of gambling in doing this, but his intuition told him that this was the key to unlocking the secrets of Xucheng.

Sure enough, a whooshing sound was heard in an instant, and the next second, a figure appeared where the sphere of resentment had hit—it was the city lord.

The city lord, his face grim, looked around but found no suspicious figures. He frowned and muttered to himself, "Could it be..."