No one came to bring food, no one came to bring drinks, no one came to take care of the inn—it's as though everyone had suddenly vanished.

  But the inn had gained one more person, someone who had appeared out of nowhere. Xue Quan's attention was drawn to her delicate hands, painted with a strikingly red polish.

  As the candlelight flickered, her face seemed a bit pale, but her features were quite beautiful, giving her a certain charm. However, her gaze was always unsettling, as if it wandered aimlessly.

  It was the middle of the night.

  Xiao Qing couldn′t see her face, but she could sense her presence—and feel an eerie atmosphere surrounding her.

  "Are you a new guest?" Xiao Qing could only try to learn more about her by asking questions.

  "No."

  "Hmm?" Xiao Qing was puzzled. She clearly remembered that there wasn′t a guest here when she arrived. Even though she couldn′t see with her eyes, she still had her ears—and Xue Quan. It was impossible for her not to know about this person′s existence.

  "Who exactly are you?" Xue Quan, cking the patience to puzzle over her identity, simply wanted a straightforward answer.

  She lifted her head, gazing at the wooden board in the center of the hall, where the rules were inscribed. In a faint, haunting voice, she said, "I made those rules."

  "What!" Xiao Qing shouted, doubting her own ears.

  "You..." Xue Quan frowned as he looked at her, uncertain if his judgment was correct.

  "I am the owner of this inn."

  Xiao Qing knew her expression must look ridiculous, but she couldn′t shake off her shock. She couldn't expin her feelings at the moment—a stranger suddenly appeared, ciming to be the owner of the inn. But what about Yan Hua? Who was Yan Hua then?

  The woman with red-painted nails seemed to read Xiao Qing′s thoughts. She let out a sigh and continued, "This inn has always been mine. I am indeed the owner. As for the people you′ve seen before, they were merely employees. It′s perfectly normal for the owner not to meet the guests."

  Xiao Qing gave a cold smile but said nothing more. However, Xue Quan seemed unwilling to let it go and pressed further, "Why have you decided to meet the guests now?"

  The woman with red-painted nails smiled faintly, took a few casual steps around the hall, and replied, "Because we’re leaving this pce."

  "Leaving? Why leave?" Xiao Qing sneered. She still hadn′t found what she was searching for, so there was no way she was leaving.

  "Don′t you want to find that piece of silver?" The woman with red-painted nails tilted her lips in a mocking smirk as she asked.

  "Silver? You... know about it?" Xiao Qing was surprised. She hadn′t expected to hear anything about the silver from this woman. Xue Quan was also taken aback but remained silent, waiting for her answer.

  "I told you, I′m the owner of this inn. Of course, I know about the piece of silver," the woman said coolly.

  Xiao Qing stayed silent. What the woman with red-painted nails said was indeed correct, but Xiao Qing was now on high alert. She knew this woman was far from simple. However, if she could truly help her find the silver, cooperation might be worth considering.

  Xue Quan gnced at Xiao Qing. Although he couldn′t discern her thoughts from her expression, he understood that her silence likely signaled agreement with the woman′s proposal.

  "So, it seems you′ve accepted my suggestion," the woman with red-painted nails said with satisfaction, nodding slightly as a smile appeared on her face.

  "I′ll trust you this once." Now that she had decided to cooperate, Xiao Qing didn′t see the point in pretending anymore. Her goal was clear—she wanted that piece of silver.

  "Good!" The woman with red-painted nails reached into the front of her clothing and pulled out a tattered, bckened piece of sheepskin parchment. Its frayed edges bore clear evidence of its age.

  "What′s that old sheepskin parchment?" Xue Quan asked the woman, though his words also served to inform Xiao Qing that something had been produced.

  Xiao Qing remained silent, listening carefully. She trusted Xue Quan to ask the necessary questions, allowing her to effortlessly conceal the fact that she was blind.

  "It′s a map of the inn," the woman with red-painted nails replied.

  "Hmm? Where did you get it?" Xue Quan asked, genuinely puzzled. Xiao Qing, too, was no exception to the curiosity.

  "You only need to know what you′re meant to know," the woman with red-painted nails snapped, gring at Xue Quan. He shrank back, lowering his head without saying another word.

  She let out a soft sigh, then slowly lifted the candle in her hand. A spark flew out in a graceful arc, nding on a step of the staircase. Instantly, a chain of fmes ignited, spreading rapidly until the inn was engulfed in a sea of fire.

  "What are you doing?!" Xiao Qing choked, her throat nearly seizing as the thick smoke filled the air. She could feel the heat and knew the fire was raging.

  "She′s... she′s gone mad!" Xue Quan shouted desperately, struggling to breathe as he looked around frantically for a way to escape.

  "Hahaha—" The woman with red-painted nails let out a deafening ugh, her voice ringing through the chaos. "Cowards! All of you are just cowards, afraid of death!"

  "Stop it! Put out the fire, now!" Xiao Qing shouted in panic, realizing that if things continued this way, they would all perish.

  "There′s no need to put it out. We′re leaving now," the woman with red-painted nails said firmly, grabbing them tightly and rushing toward the already crumbling staircase.

  Xiao Qing and Xue Quan both thought the woman had lost her mind. They were certain they were about to die. But then—

  The icy, murky water shocked them to their core, jolting their senses with the piercing chill. They realized they were still alive.

  But where were they now?