Zhao Letian steadied the trembling thin monk and asked, "Monk, calm down. Tell me, how did your senior brother disappear?"
Du Chunfeng frowned and added, "Why didn't you report this to the innkeeper?"
The thin monk sobbed, "I couldn't find the innkeeper! My senior brother said he was scared and asked me to fetch more holy water from the innkeeper. But when I returned with the water, he was gone. I went back to find the innkeeper, but he wasn't in his room either. That's why I came to you."
Zhao Letian patted the monk's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry. Let's go check your room."
The three of them headed to Room No. 1 in the Heaven Wing. After a thorough inspection, the room appeared untouched, with no signs of struggle.
"How peculiar," Zhao Letian mused. "How could the fat monk vanish without a trace?"
As he paced the room, deep in thought, he noticed faint traces of dust around the legs of the table, suggesting it had been moved. Upon closer inspection, they found marks on the floor indicating something had been dragged.
Zhao Letian paced the room, occasionally stomping his foot lightly. Suddenly, his face lit up. "The ground is hollow underneath."
Stepping back, he gathered his strength and delivered a solid kick to the floor, creating a hole that revealed a hidden tunnel.
The thin monk froze in place, his voice trembling. "My senior brother… is he down there?"
The tunnel wasn't very deep, just over ten feet below the surface, reinforced with wooden beams for stability. Du Chunfeng peered inside and, finding no traps, jumped down without hesitation.
Zhao Letian turned to the monk. "Are you too afraid to follow, or will you come with us?"
The monk shuddered but answered honestly, "I'm terrified… but it's safer to stick with you."
Zhao Letian chuckled, grabbed the monk by the shoulder, and jumped into the tunnel with him.
The tunnel was surprisingly well-lit with torches lining the walls. They followed it until they reached an opening surrounded by wooden supports.
Zhao Letian gauged the location and said, "This should be beneath Room No. 3."
They continued walking, noting similar openings under every room along the way. At the end of the tunnel, a larger passage branched off, seemingly leading outside the inn.
"No wonder the first floor of this inn is all guest rooms, while the second floor is for dining," Zhao Letian remarked. "It looks like the swordsman and the fat monk were ambushed through these tunnels."
The swordsman, though skilled, likely noticed too late or was overpowered. His right hand was severed, suggesting a fierce struggle. As for the fat monk, already a nervous wreck, he stood no chance against his attacker.
"It's clear the innkeeper isn't innocent in all this," Zhao Letian concluded grimly.
The tunnel eventually split into multiple paths. As they hesitated, they heard voices up ahead. Following the sound, they discovered a stone chamber filled with shackles and torture tools—clearly a prison.
Inside, Bai Xinru was cornered by five villagers armed with knives and swords. Leading them was Lai Fu, the inn's attendant.
One of the villagers leered at her and said, "Why wander around, little lady? Were you looking for some company?"
Another laughed. "Be smart and kneel for us. Please us, and maybe we'll spare your life."
Bai Xinru, her back to them, ignored their jeers and addressed a shadowy figure hovering in the air. "You lured me here… just to let a few mortals die?"
The shadow didn't respond, remaining eerily still.
"She's raving," Lai Fu sneered. "Er Gou, grab her!"
A man with a lewd grin stepped forward. "Don't mind if I do. I'll go first!"
As he lunged at Bai Xinru, she turned. Her form transformed into a massive white fox, six tails swaying behind her. In an instant, she grabbed Er Gou by the neck, lifting him effortlessly.
The laughter ceased as the others watched in horror. Bai Xinru bit into Er Gou's throat, drinking his blood as he writhed helplessly.
"She's a monster!" Lai Fu screamed, turning to flee. The rest scattered, but none made it far. In a blur of motion, Bai Xinru's claws shredded them to pieces, painting the chamber red.
When the carnage was over, Bai Xinru licked the blood from her lips, sighed, and reverted to her human form. She turned to look at the shadow, but it had vanished.
Her expression changed abruptly. "Susu!" she exclaimed in alarm before dashing out of the chamber.
Just as she reached the exit, she ran into Zhao Letian and the others.
Seeing the blood-soaked Bai Xinru, Du Chunfeng roared, "You vile fox spirit! So it was you all along!"
Drawing his sword, he moved to block her path. Zhao Letian also summoned his Yazi artifact, while the thin monk fainted from fright.
Realizing she'd fallen into a trap, Bai Xinru's eyes burned green with urgency. "Move!" she growled, her aura surging with raw power.
Once again, golden light flashed in Zhao Letian's mind. The Heavenly Destiny Wheel appeared:
[Top Choice]: Help the fox spirit. Split into two groups: one to return to the inn for clues, the other to accompany her to the ancient well and gain her trust. This leads to a crucial alliance and a Tier-3 Fortune. Fortune: Great.
[Middle Choice]: Let her go and return to the inn to investigate. A chaotic battle ensues later, with uncertain outcomes. Fortune: Neutral.
[Worst Choice]: Confront the fox spirit. Desperate to save her child, she reveals her full strength, and the group faces certain death. Fortune: Catastrophic.
As Du Chunfeng prepared to attack, Zhao Letian quickly stopped him. "Let her go!"
"What? Why?" Du Chunfeng protested.
"She's not the culprit. She's only here to save her child. Trust me."
Reluctantly, Du Chunfeng stood down. Bai Xinru, seeing their retreat, retracted her aura and started to leave.
"Wait!" Zhao Letian called after her.
Bai Xinru turned, her eyes sharp. "Changed your mind?"
"I'll go with you to the ancient well," Zhao Letian said firmly. "I want to uncover the truth—and maybe I can help."
She narrowed her eyes. "With what?"
Zhao Letian held up his Yazi artifact. "With this."
Her expression shifted. "The Yazi? Who are you? How did you—never mind. If you want to come, follow me."
Without another word, she sprinted down the tunnel.
Zhao Letian glanced back at Du Chunfeng. "Return to the inn! There must be more clues. We'll meet at the ancient well!" Then he hurried after Bai Xinru.