Traveling through various miniature worlds with a small restaurant

Chapter 188 The Bizarre Post-Apocalyptic World 5

Liao Zhuang looked shocked: "Are you possessed?"

Mo Ying strode up to Jiang Shuang, his gaze fixed on her eyes. Then, he extended his right hand, his index and middle fingers joined together, and swiftly drew a faintly glowing talisman in the air before gently patting it on Jiang Shuang's forehead.

In an instant, a strange wave rippled through the air.

Jiang Shuang's body trembled violently, her eyes initially filled with extreme confusion. After only a few seconds, her eyes gradually regained their clarity, but now they held a hint of bewilderment and shock.

Mo Ying's expression was grave, and he said in a low voice, "You seem to be bewitched by some strange thing. I just used a calming spell; how are you feeling now?"

Jiang Shuang took a deep breath, trying to sort out her chaotic thoughts, and slowly said, "I remember now, a little boy in a yellow shirt came into the shop just now. As soon as I saw him, an indescribable feeling of affection welled up in my heart. He said that the steamed buns in our shop smelled especially good, so I couldn't help but go into the kitchen and get him a basket of buns. After he took the basket, he turned around and ran away."

Liao Zhuang stroked his chin, looking suspicious, and asked, "You mean... he didn't pay?"

Upon hearing this, Lin Xiaoqian immediately rubbed her forehead and said helplessly, "Is that the point?"

Liao Zhuang turned his head and looked at her seriously: "Otherwise what? That child must have used some kind of evil method to bewitch Jiang Shuang in order to get free steamed buns."

Mo Ying shrugged slightly and said, "Strange, I didn't sense any strange aura on Jiang Shuang just now. Unless, Jiang Shuang, you're willing to let me use my soul-searching technique to investigate carefully."

Jiang Shuang refused without hesitation, saying firmly, "No need."

"This is too strange..." Lin Xiaoqian muttered in a low voice, "The fog outside is so thick that we can't even see the road. When I went to Brother Yong's house earlier, he said that they rarely go out. His daughter, Xiao Wan, hasn't left the house since she came here. Would this little boy's family feel comfortable letting him come out?"

Jiang Shuang frowned slightly, a thoughtful look flashing in her eyes, and said, "This town already has a strange vibe, so the sudden appearance of this little boy is really suspicious."

Liao Zhuang scratched his head and muttered, "Why don't we go ask around again? Ask whose child it is? It would be best to get the money back for the steamed buns."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

Lin Xiaoqian filled a basket with several freshly steamed buns, intending to use delivering the buns as a pretext to visit someone's home.

As soon as they stepped out of the kitchen, they saw Jiang Shuang and Zhuang Damao selecting weapons.

"Let's use the energy gun instead; I'm afraid ordinary guns won't be powerful enough."

"I think so too. By the way, Mo Ying, can this talisman be used directly by tearing it open?"

Lin Xiaoqian's jaw nearly dropped in shock. "What are you doing? Weren't you going to find out something? Why do you look like you're going to kill someone?"

"Mo Ying said that because there is no spiritual energy available outside the restaurant, even the storage space cannot be opened. This town is very strange, so it's always good to have some weapons for self-defense."

That's true, but all that stuff you're carrying could raze this town to the ground, you know.

Forget it, Lin Xiaoqian was too lazy to care about them. Carrying a basket in one hand and the weapon that Jiang Shuang had forced on her in the other, she followed the group out of the restaurant.

It was already evening, and the white fog outside was getting thicker and thicker, like a thick curtain that enveloped the entire town, with visibility limited to no more than half a meter.

They first went to Zheng Dayong's house, only to find that the door was tightly closed and the house was dark.

Liao Zhuang stepped forward and knocked on the door, calling out loudly, "Brother Yong, are you home?"

However, they were met with only a deathly silence.

Jiang Shuang glanced at the time, frowned, and said softly, "It's past eight o'clock in the evening. Are they already asleep?"

Liao Zhuang scratched his head, "But even if they're asleep, they should wake up if I knock on the door like this, right?"

Lin Xiaoqian slung the basket of steamed buns over her arm and suggested, "Shall we go ask the others?"

The group nodded and turned to walk forward. However, after passing dozens of houses, they found that the doors were all tightly closed, and not a single light was on. The houses were pitch black and deathly silent.

"What... what's going on?" Liao Zhuang cautiously observed his surroundings, touched his arm, and said, "No one is steaming buns anymore, and the fog is getting thicker and thicker. The whole town feels strangely eerie."

The group continued their slow, cautious progress through the mist. Suddenly, a chilling wind swept through, and everyone shivered involuntarily.

Liao Zhuang swallowed hard and muttered, "In this scene, I wouldn't be surprised if a ghost suddenly jumped out."

Lin Xiaoqian patted him: "Don't scare people, okay?"

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a loud "bang" was heard, the sound of something falling seemed particularly abrupt in the silence.

Lin Xiaoqian and Liao Zhuang couldn't help but cry out and hide behind Mo Ying.

Mo Ying shrugged helplessly, "My cultivation was suppressed outside the restaurant, so I'm not much stronger than you guys. Are you sure you want to hide behind me?"

Lin Xiaoqian belatedly realized, "Oh yeah, it's all because Mo Ying's powerful abilities were too deeply ingrained in the past."

She subconsciously tried to tuck the basket on her arm into her crook, but then felt something was wrong. She looked down at her wrist and found that her arm was empty.

"Oh no, where's my basket?"

"What?" Jiang Shuang asked, looking around warily.

"My basket for holding steamed buns is gone, along with the steamed buns inside."

Liao Zhuang asked, his voice trembling slightly, "Did you drop it accidentally because you were nervous just now?"

Lin Xiaoqian shook her head and said definitively, "Impossible! I'm not deaf, how could I not hear the sound of something falling?"

Zhuang Damao said, "Wasn't that the sound of something falling just now?"

Everyone tensed up instantly, their eyes turning in the direction from which the sound came.

Jiang Shuang and Zhuang Damao clenched their fists, drew their weapons, and vigilantly watched their surroundings, not missing a single subtle movement.

Jiang Shuang frowned: "How about we go back to the restaurant? Something feels off here."

Mo Ying stared in a certain direction, as if trying to see something through the thick fog.

After a moment, he said, "Why don't you go back first? I'll continue walking forward."

Lin Xiaoqian quickly said, "Let's go together. Your cultivation is suppressed right now, and it's about the same as ours. There's strength in numbers."

Seeing that Jiang Shuang wanted to object, she added with a firm look in her eyes, "We have to figure out what secrets are hidden in this town, right? Otherwise, we won't be able to complete the mission smoothly. And Sister Shuang, I also need to grow through some experiences. Don't worry, I'll go back immediately if anything seems wrong."

Jiang Shuang opened her mouth, thought for a moment, and then only said, "Be careful of your surroundings."