"Really?" The man smiled, picked up the silver coin, and flicked it; the coin spun. That night, Lin Mo checked into a hotel without a sign.
It took them more than an hour to find this hotel.
It was hidden beneath an abandoned horse slaughterhouse, as if in a forgotten corner. Slowly descend a creaking wooden staircase.
The cellar was dimly lit, with only a few flickering oil lamps barely illuminating the gloomy space. The ceiling was so low that it was almost within reach, and Lin Mo accidentally bumped into a protruding beam as he entered, making a dull thud.
There were no fancy decorations or comfortable chairs. Only a few simple stools were scattered haphazardly in the corners, while a long bench leaned forlornly against the mottled earthen wall. The table was made from an old wine barrel, its dusty surface riddled with wormholes.
As expected, a foul stench permeated the air. Her nose told her that the smell was a mixture of red wine, dampness, and mold, with a hint of latrine and cemetery odors.
Lin Mo frowned and sniffed lightly, trying to pinpoint the source of the smell. However, in this dim and enclosed space, all the smells mingled together, creating an indescribable, strange odor.
In the corner of the room, there were only three men drinking, each with a messy beard, talking to each other in a deep voice.
They glanced at Lin Mo a few times, one of them said something, and the others burst into laughter.
A wooden plank was placed across the two buckets, and the shop owner stood behind it.
He was a middle-aged man, plump, with pale skin, bald, and wearing a dirty, loose-fitting coat.
"Eat or stay at the inn?" the innkeeper asked.
I was just about to ask for a superior room, but then I thought that most inns like this don't have a superior room option.
So he said, "I'd like a room!"
"How about some fine wine?" the shopkeeper asked again.
"No need!" Lin Mo said, turning to leave.
"Two pots, please, it's on me!" a woman's voice called out.
Lin Mo looked in the direction of the voice and exclaimed in surprise, "It's you... Shufen?"
That person was none other than Aria, who had saved him.
"Damn it, you can't expect anything good to come out of your mouth!" Aria said angrily.
"I'm sorry, I just blurted it out in a moment of impulse!" Lin Mo apologized.
"Hmph, you pay for the drinks, I'm not treating you!" Iria said.
"Of course!" Lin Mo said as he took out a handful of loose silver and gave it to the shop owner.
The three then found a dark corner where they could clearly see the stairs and sat down.
The shop owner brought over the wine, and Lin Mo took a sip. It was somewhat sweet, with a strange taste. Overall, however, it wasn't too bad.
"How did you end up here?" Lin Mo asked after taking a few sips of the unknown liquor.
"What? Aren't you welcome?" It seemed that Iria was still unhappy about the way she had been addressed earlier.
"Hehe, you're definitely welcome!" Lin Mo laughed. "I apologize again for what happened earlier!"
"Hmph!" Aria snorted heavily. "I'm just doing what I'm paid to do. I promised to help you get your wife back, and I'll see it through to the end! So, don't sleep tonight, just wait for my message."
"If all goes well, you can stay here and drink and chat with me."
"Huh?" Lei Zhen asked, puzzled. "Here? Drinking and chatting? That's how you get someone out?"
"What do you know?" Aria took a big gulp.
Just then, someone came down the cellar stairs.
Lin Mo pushed his wine glass aside and saw a ragged, emaciated man stroll into the inn. He had a thin, pointed face and dirty black hair.
He quickly glanced at everyone in the inn, then stared at Aria for a long time before finally walking up to the wooden plank. "The wine," he said, "don't add horse urine to it, thank you."
“I’ll buy you a drink,” Aria said, standing up. “And another piece of news.”
The other man looked at Iria warily. “One piece of news? I know a lot.” He sat down on the stool opposite her. “Tell me, miss, which one would you like to hear, and I’ll tell you.”
"I heard that you know all the secret passages of Wuzhong City."
The ragged man took a thoughtful sip of his drink. "Perhaps. Perhaps not." His worn-out, faded, tight-fitting jacket was riddled with holes. "Who sent you?"
“A certain guild!” Iria said, slamming a badge on the table.
"You..." the man frowned, "What benefits can you offer me?"
Iria turned her gaze to Lin Mo, who immediately understood.
"Take it all, it's all yours!"
"Is that so?" The man smiled, picked up the silver coins, and then put them in his mouth and bit them. "I prefer things that are golden to silver! If you have any, perhaps I can help you find anyone you're looking for!"
Including the prisoners held by Lord Huo!
"Are there two young women among them?" Lin Mo asked anxiously.
“Young women? Lots!” the man replied immediately.
"A lot?" Lin Mo frowned. Just as he was about to describe Sun Ruoxi's characteristics, he was stopped by Irelia.
“How do I know if you’re exaggerating or not!” Iria said.
“I saw them with my own eyes,” the man said. “To be honest, two of them were not only good-looking, but also had a very unique air about them. They seemed to be the family members of some official from the Great Xia Dynasty. Hehe, I mean, very, very high-ranking officials!”
However, for some unknown reason, Lord Huo separated them and imprisoned them separately.
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