Chapter 142 The Hairpin (Part 8) City God Temple
As soon as I stopped, it felt like a bellows was pulling inside my chest.
It hurts like fire.
Song Qiling gasped for breath, only to breathe a sigh of relief as the distant roars of the overseer were completely swallowed up by the hustle and bustle of the city.
"This illusion is quite realistic." Gu Lianzhou's breathing became slightly disordered as he looked around.
They were currently in a quiet dead-end alley, filled with discarded bamboo baskets and broken earthenware pots, and the air was filled with a faint musty and earthy smell.
Song Qiling straightened up, unfolded the missing cat notice that she had been clutching tightly in her hand, and looked down at it.
“Yuanbao, there’s a chipped corner on the tip of its left ear.” She murmured, her brows furrowing slightly. “The one I caught just now, it seems… the tip of its ear was intact?”
The situation was urgent at the time, and the cat was struggling fiercely. She was only focused on restraining it and didn't see it very clearly. Now, looking back, although the cat's fur color was correct, she was a little confused about whether the tips of its ears were missing.
“Perhaps it’s not the same one.” Gu Lianzhou continued his analysis, “Civet cats are common in the city. Since Elder Zhuang has set up this trap, he certainly won’t let us succeed easily. The cat’s sudden appearance just now seems to be… deliberately leading us into the trap to confirm our identity as ‘porters’.”
Upon hearing this, Song Qiling's heart sank.
Yes, from waking up with their eyes covered by leaves, to the raccoon bumping into them, to the overseer chasing them, it was all one thing after another, giving them no chance to breathe or think.
This illusion not only restricts their abilities, but also gradually guides and forces them to act according to certain predetermined rules.
“We can’t just act recklessly.” She carefully folded the notice and tucked it into the lining of her coarse cloth clothes. “We need to find out where the Duke’s mansion is and what the young lady’s situation is. Since she is a beloved cat, she must have some special habits. Perhaps that is the key to finding her.”
After a short rest and tidying up their clothes that had been disheveled from running, the two carefully walked out of the dead end and rejoined the crowd.
This time, instead of wandering around aimlessly like headless flies, they deliberately slowed down and paid attention to the shop signs and conversations of pedestrians on the street.
However, when asked, the shop assistants at several stores either shook their heads to indicate they didn't know anything when they heard "the Duke's Mansion," or their eyes darted around, remaining evasive and vaguely pointing towards the east of the city.
The eastern part of the city was mostly occupied by grand and wealthy families, with their vermilion gates tightly closed and heavily guarded, a world completely different from the bustling western district where they were currently located.
"It seems that the Duke's mansion is of extremely high social standing, and ordinary people dare not discuss it lightly," Gu Lianzhou said in a low voice.
Song Qiling nodded, her gaze sweeping across the street before suddenly landing on a small stall selling clay figurines by the roadside.
The stall owner was an elderly man with gray hair, who was slowly and intently sculpting a clay figure in the shape of a monkey.
A thought struck her, and she stepped forward, picked up a cute clay cat figurine, and said with a smile, "Uncle, this clay cat is really well made. Speaking of which, have you ever seen a tabby cat on the street with a small piece missing from the tip of its ear?"
The old man raised his cloudy eyes, glanced at her, and continued working with his hands, saying slowly and deliberately, "Cats? There are plenty of stray and house cats in this city. Who can remember which one looks what?"
He paused, lowering his voice slightly, "However... I seem to have heard someone mention a couple of days ago that someone saw a similar one near the City God Temple. I don't know if it's the one you're looking for."
City God Temple?
Song Qiling and Gu Lianzhou exchanged a glance.
City God Temples are usually located in bustling urban areas, attracting a large number of worshippers and a diverse mix of people. They are not only well-informed places but also good hiding places.
"Thank you for your guidance, sir."
After putting the clay figure back in its original place, the two headed towards the City God Temple.
The square in front of the City God Temple is spacious, with devout men and women constantly moving about.
The two searched the temple's perimeter carefully, looking in corners, under eaves, under offering tables, and even behind incense burners, but they couldn't find even a single cat hair.
"Could it be that the old man remembered wrong? Or has the cat already left?" Song Qiling was somewhat discouraged and stopped leaning against an ancient locust tree outside the temple.
"Esteemed guests," a gentle, smiling voice suddenly rang out from the side as the two looked bewildered, "you've been wandering around here for quite some time, are you looking for something?"
The two looked in the direction of the sound and saw a round-faced woman standing a few steps away, smiling at them.
She was wearing a faded gray cloth dress with a dark apron tied around her waist, and the sleeves rolled up to her elbows, revealing her strong forearms.
Judging from his appearance, he seems to be a helper working at the temple.
Song Qiling and Gu Lianzhou exchanged a glance, and the latter immediately clasped his hands in a fist salute: "This sister-in-law has a good eye. We are indeed looking for a lost raccoon dog."
"Oh? Looking for the cat?" The woman's eyes narrowed even more. "I've worked at this temple for many years and know this place very well. This young lady looks kind; could she be the cat's owner?"
Seeing that her attitude was fairly sincere, Song Qiling took out the carefully folded notice from her bosom and unfolded it: "A friend asked me to help find it. It's a tabby cat. Have you seen it, sister-in-law?"
The woman leaned closer to examine the portrait, her finger lightly tracing its surface. Suddenly, her eyes lit up: "Oh my, I recognize this cat!"
She smiled broadly, her eyes crinkling at the corners: "It's been wandering around the temple these past few days. The poor woman feels it's friendly, so she often feeds it."
Upon hearing this, Song Qiling raised an eyebrow, thinking that there was hope, and quickly asked, "Does sister-in-law know where it is now?"
The woman pointed enthusiastically toward the backyard: "I saw it running around in the temple and was afraid it would bump into the worshippers, so I temporarily put it in the woodshed in the backyard."
As soon as she finished speaking, she noticed a slight change in their expressions and explained with a smile, "Don't worry, gentlemen, I bring it water and food every day. Although the woodshed is simple, it can still provide shelter from the wind and rain."
After a moment of silence, Gu Lianzhou frowned slightly: "Why doesn't sister-in-law post a notice to find its owner?"
Upon hearing this, the woman blushed slightly: "I am a poor, uneducated woman who does not know these rules. I just thought that since this cat is friendly, I should take care of it for now and wait for the owner to come looking for it."
As she spoke, she enthusiastically led the way: "Come, come, let me show you. That cat is very gentle. It comes over and meows as soon as it sees people. It's so adorable."
Song Qiling nodded slightly in thanks: "In that case, I'll have to trouble you, sister-in-law."
"It's nothing," the woman waved her hands repeatedly. "I work in this temple and I can't bear to see these little creatures suffer."
As she led the two through the side gate to the backyard, she chattered on and on, "This cat is so well-behaved. Every time I go to feed it, it circles around my feet several times. Its soft meows are so endearing..."
The further you go in, the fewer voices you hear.
Compared to the bustling incense offerings in the front yard, the back yard appeared particularly desolate and quiet. Only a few old houses piled with miscellaneous items stood crookedly, the ground was uneven, and the air was filled with a musty, earthy smell.
The woman led them to the woodshed. The two looked up and saw that the wooden door was tightly closed, with a rusty brass lock hanging on it.
"I was afraid it would run away, so I locked it inside." The woman took a bunch of keys from her waist, skillfully found one of them, and explained as she unlocked the door, her eyes crinkling into slits with laughter. "This cat is so affectionate; it follows everyone it sees. I was afraid it would get lost."
With a soft click, the lock opened.
The woman pushed open the heavy wooden door, the hinges creaking loudly, revealing a dark space inside. "It's right in there," she said.
The woman stepped aside, her face still bearing that kind smile. "Please come in, esteemed guests. I will stand guard here for you."
Desperate to find the cat, Song Qiling didn't suspect anything. She nodded gratefully to the woman and then peeked inside first.
The woodshed was dimly lit, and only the outline of the stacked firewood could be vaguely seen.
Gu Lianzhou followed behind her and stepped inside.
Just as the two were completely focused on searching for the cat's shadow, a sudden gust of wind came from behind them.
"Oh no!" Song Qiling turned around abruptly, only to see that the kind-faced woman's face was now devoid of any kindness; her round face had turned into a ferocious and terrifying smile. She used her arms to forcefully slam the two wooden doors shut inwards!
With a loud bang, the heavy wooden door slammed shut, cutting off the faint light from outside and plunging the woodshed into a deep darkness.
Song Qiling realized she had fallen into a trap and rushed out with Gu Lianzhou at the same time.
However, it was too late.
A crisp "click" came from outside the door, and the wooden door had been locked from the outside.
"This is outrageous!"
She cursed under her breath, the resentment and anger rising in her chest from trusting others turning into a heavy punch slamming into the door.
The wooden door made a dull thud that echoed in the darkness, yet it remained motionless, the vibrations sending shivers down her spine.
"I'm afraid it's Zhuang Lao's doing again." Song Qiling said through gritted teeth, her gaze futilely scanning the thick darkness. "The illusionary confinement spell. Now that you and I are no different from ordinary people, being trapped here is probably part of his plan."
"The room was pitch black, without a single light source. Could it be that even the windows were sealed shut?" she said, and then tentatively moved her feet, trying to explore deeper inside.
Unexpectedly, after taking only two steps, his toes tripped over a protruding pile of firewood, causing him to stumble and fall.
"Be careful." Gu Lianzhou reached out and steadied her arm in time. "Senior brother, please wait here. I'll go in and investigate."
Song Qiling then remembered that he had exceptional eyesight, and felt somewhat relieved. She nodded and said, "Okay, be careful."
Gu Lianzhou released his grip and walked inside.
In the darkness, with her sight taken away, her other senses became exceptionally sharp. She listened to the familiar footsteps deftly weaving around the debris on the ground, the fabric rustling softly as it rubbed against the ground, and the unease in her heart gradually subsided.
Time slipped away silently in the darkness.
However, in just a moment, the rhythmic footsteps, along with the rustling of fabric, abruptly ceased without warning.
A chilling silence washed over the space like a tidal wave.
Song Qiling subconsciously held her breath and listened intently, but could only hear the increasingly rapid beating of her own heart pounding in her ears.
The unease that Fang had suppressed instantly surged into his heart.
"Junior brother?" she called out tentatively, her voice sounding somewhat weak in the empty darkness.
No one responded.
"Gu Lianzhou?" she raised her voice, her tone now urgent.
Her response was still a deathly silence.
The unease in my heart suddenly reached its peak.
She could no longer contain herself. She hurriedly got up, not caring whether there were any obstacles under her feet. Relying on her memory and intuition, she stumbled and groped her way forward in the direction he had just left.
Staggering in the darkness, my arm instinctively reached forward.
I had only taken two steps, and before my fingertips even touched anything, I was suddenly bumped into a warm chest.
The familiar, crisp scent instantly enveloped her, and the other person seemed to pause slightly due to the sudden impact.
Song Qiling instinctively grabbed his shirt collar, her voice still tinged with panic, "Why didn't you answer me just now?"
Gu Lianzhou's hand rested on her waist, the warmth of his palm lingering. "Sorry, I just discovered something and was so engrossed in listening."
He carefully led her inside and stopped her in an open space. He then took her hand and leaned forward, saying, "This woodshed has a hidden secret."
Song Qiling's fingertips touched the rough wall, slowly moving along its direction, and suddenly she felt an extremely thin crack. "This is..."
She carefully felt around, and her fingertips could clearly feel the seams.
Is it a hidden door?
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