The large performance tent was still under construction, but a row of small tents for the circus troupe had already been set up, providing living quarters for the performers.
Xu Dong held his "son," Liangliang's hand, and made his way to a tent with a white roof in the center.
The tent was surrounded by thick plastic sheets, with a blanket curtain hanging at the entrance.
It was still summer, and the sun was high in the sky, making the air in this dwelling feel stifling.
Xu Dong lifted his collar while urging, "Can’t you be a bit quicker? Don't waste my time!"
A young woman glanced at him, replying, "Even when buying a mule or a cow, you must check it first; why should it be any different with a person?"
Xu Dong glared at her. “What do you mean by that?”
“It means we need to see if the child is sick or has any disabilities. Otherwise, if we take him in, it’ll be hard to find another family for him.”
“My son has hardly ever been sick; he’s perfectly healthy!”
"Hmph."
The young woman chuckled lightly, covering her mouth, “What you say doesn’t count. Come in and take a seat; it’s hot out here, and it’s cooler inside.”
As she spoke, she lifted the blanket curtain, and a wave of cool air rushed out, instantly dispelling the heat and making Xu Dong shiver involuntarily.
“I suspect they might have ice inside,” he thought.
“Are you coming in or not?” she urged again.
Taking a deep breath, Xu Dong stepped inside, holding Liangliang’s hand.
The tent was not large; on either side, there was a chair and a bed.
In the middle, there stood a water barrel with a statue of a person cloaked in a white robe, wearing a tall hat, and holding a lantern.
At first glance, it looked like a real person, which startled Xu Dong when he walked in.
Liangliang flinched and hid behind his father, clutching Xu Dong's pant leg with both hands.
“What is this thing?” Xu Dong asked.
“With a bizarre one like that?” the woman explained matter-of-factly, “What kind of profession doesn’t have its own idols?”
An elderly woman had taken a seat on one of the chairs, holding an old porcelain bowl with several cracks, filled with clear water.
The young woman bent down to grab Liangliang.
“No, I don’t want to!” Liangliang pleaded, looking up at his father.
Xu Dong’s eyes flickered with indecision, but he didn’t look down, merely standing there, unmoving.
The woman pulled the boy away from his father and brought him before the old woman.
The old woman reached out, touching Liangliang’s cheek.
At that touch, the little boy instantly quieted down, his eyelids drooping.
Yet under that calm facade, his body trembled continuously.
The old woman first poked Liangliang’s forehead with her finger, then dipped it into the bowl of clear water.
In an instant, the water turned a faint shade of black.
The young woman frowned slightly upon seeing the color, clearly unsatisfied with the result.
Nonetheless, she took some money from her pocket, counted it, and handed it to Xu Dong. “This is all we can offer; take it or leave it.”
Xu Dong accepted the money without counting it and stuffed it into his pocket, quickly turning to leave.
Liangliang was trembling even more intensely now.
The old woman maintained her position, holding the bowl, not moving at all.
At that moment, the blanket curtain was pushed aside slightly, and a man peeked in. “Sister Rou, the food has been bought; everyone is waiting for you to start the meal!”
Sister Rou turned sharply and scolded the man, “Eat, eat, eat! The offerings aren’t even prepared yet; all you think about is eating!”
“Didn’t we just receive a…” the man began to say.
Sister Rou shoved Liangliang away, snorting coldly, “It’s just worthless scum, a child no one wants.”
Xu Dong hurried away, reaching a small shop by the roadside.
He walked in and bought a pack of cigarettes, standing by the door as he pulled one out and lit it.
He coughed at the first puff and had to crouch down, choking slightly.
What he had imagined would be a sweet sense of revenge never came; instead, he felt an overwhelming emptiness within him, and his eyes began to moisten.
“Slap! Slap!”
He slapped himself hard twice, reddening his face. “Xu Dong, Xu Dong, how can you be so wretched? He’s not even your own; what are you sad about?”
He used to have a life that others envied.
After graduating, he got assigned to a well-performing company with good benefits, and he married a beautiful, intelligent wife.
Later, they even had a lovely son.
Back then, he truly believed that the heavens had treated him well.
But later, he realized he had become a joke.
First, his wife divorced him due to irreconcilable differences.
He had struggled to understand and tried desperately to hold onto her, but eventually, he had no choice but to accept it.
Fortunately, he managed to gain custody of his son, and for that, he felt some gratitude toward his ex-wife.
Then one day, he heard rumors about her that he initially didn’t believe.
After some digging, he discovered that she had been involved with someone else while still in school.
In all honesty, he had become the third party.
He even visited that school and saw an old professor, Chen Deliang, who immediately confirmed that Liangliang was indeed the son of another man.
Xu Dong didn’t notice the resemblance between his son and himself before, as he thought Liangliang looked more like his mother.
But once the other man came into play, it was undeniable.
All these years, instead of raising his own son, he had been raising someone else’s child.
With each glance at Liangliang, whom he had loved dearly, it felt like a mockery of him, a trampling of his pride.
Especially since the name “Liang” in his son’s name was given by his ex-wife and was part of the old man’s name as well.
His world had collapsed.
Yet after selling the child, his heart ached even more, and he could vaguely hear Liangliang calling him “Daddy” in his ears.
Crouched on the ground, he turned his head and saw a red toy car on a table outside the shop.
At that moment, countless voices in his mind began to criticize and hurl insults at him for being useless, for being pathetic, for deserving this, for being a failure.
But he still stood up, picked up the toy car, approached the counter, asked the shopkeeper how much it cost, then took out his wallet to pay.
Holding the toy, he began to walk back.
He took deep breaths, his expression pained, internally repeating, “Even if I raise a dog, I would develop feelings after so much time.”
He could leave the child with his mother or the old man or even drop him off at an orphanage, but he shouldn’t sell him.
With that thought, he began to run, faster and faster.
Meanwhile, in the white tent.
The water in the elderly woman’s bowl, which had only displayed a faint black hue, was gradually becoming darker.
Sister Rou noticed and sighed in relief. “This appears acceptable; though it’s only halfway up to standard, it will do.”
The old woman stood up, carrying the bowl to the water tank, and poured the black water inside.
The statue seemed to come alive a little more.
A smile appeared on the old woman’s face, and her sagging cheeks raised slightly.
Sister Rou then clasped her hands together and bowed three times toward the statue.
Afterward, she stepped outside and saw the man approaching, holding a toy.
“Give me back the money and the child. You count it; I didn’t touch a dime!”
Xu Dong took out the money he had previously stuffed into his pocket.
Sister Rou shook her head.
“Give me the child, and I’ll give you a bit more money. I’m not selling; the child is mine!”
Sister Rou continued to shake her head.
“I’m not selling!”
Xu Dong tried to barge in.
In the next moment, Sister Rou’s hand grabbed his neck and then kneeled him in the stomach.
“Bang!”
Xu Dong covered his abdomen and collapsed to the ground, mouth agape, shocked that this young woman could strike him so hard.
“Give me the child… I will add money… You take in children… Isn’t it all for profit?”
“Profit? Hmph.”
Sister Rou laughed and delivered a chop to the back of Xu Dong's neck.
Xu Dong's eyes rolled back, and he fainted.
Two people from the circus troupe approached, gesturing toward Xu Dong on the ground. “Sister Rou, there’s a reservoir not far ahead. Should we take care of him tonight?”
“Take care of what? Just find a cage and lock him up! When we leave Jinling northward, we’ll sell him to a coal mine. He has to stay alive; otherwise, that child we just received won’t be useful.”
“Also, this child still needs to be collected by us; else we’ll keep encountering such unforeseen events. Be vigilant during tomorrow’s performance, focus on finding children who come to watch with their parents.”
“By the way, has the publicity car gone out yet?”
“Not yet; they are still eating.”
“Make them eat in the car and start the promotions! Go around nearby kindergartens and residential areas, and turn up the volume!”
—
“The Yu Family Circus is about to present wonderful performances, featuring cute dwarves and beautiful mermaids… Kids, quickly call your parents and bring them to Xijiao Square tomorrow!”
Tan Wenbin rolled down the window of the taxi, glancing at an approaching van with a loudspeaker on top, surrounded by various performance posters.
“Brother Xiaoyuan, is this the one? Still called the Yu Family Circus?”
Li Zhuoyuan nodded. “Looks like it.”
Tan Wenbin turned to the taxi driver and asked, “Master, are you familiar with Xijiao Square?”
“Of course, I live nearby. Are you planning to watch the circus? It only starts tomorrow; I saw them still setting up the tents in the morning.”
“Are there many people in the circus?”
“Seemed quite a number; there were several trucks. Tomorrow's the weekend, and kindergarten is off; I’m planning to take my kid to watch the performance.”
“Master, better not go. It’ll be crowded, and accidents can happen.” After a pause, Tan Wenbin added, “It’s not safe for kids.”
“My child is clever; he’s fine. He doesn’t talk to strangers, so they can’t trick him.”
Li Zhuoyuan said flatly, “There’s no child who can’t be tricked.”
The driver countered instantly, “My kid is really different. We’ve taught him since childhood not to talk to strangers and not to take anything they offer; unlike other naive kids.”
Li Zhuoyuan remained silent, thinking that the driver was the naive one.
Li Zhuoyuan had studied many children and concluded: there are basically no children who can’t be tricked.
Parents who are smug and boast that their children are clever and won’t be swindled by strangers are often truly laughable.
The most crucial thing is that many times, kidnappers don’t even need to deceive.
It’s ridiculously simple for an adult to control a child: just tuck an arm under their body and cover their mouth with their hand, picking them up and walking away silently.
The child cannot resist or even make a sound, and the posture looks almost identical to a parent carrying their child.
Even if some children struggle harder and cry, the kidnapper’s few words like “Be good, don’t make a fuss; listen to me, and I’ll buy you a toy next time” won’t cause passersby to think twice about them.
The destination was finally reached.
The so-called Xijiao Square turned out to be a small patch of hard ground with a massive area of wasteland nearby.
It should have been a planned area, but for some unknown reason, the construction stalled.
Hence, large events like fairs and performance groups are often held here.
“Brother Xiaoyuan, it’s right over there.”
Ahead, a place was busy setting up tents, and a large poster had already been put up.
“Bingbing, let’s go have a meal.”
“Okay, let’s eat first and then…” Before Tan Wenbin could finish, he heard a quarrel from the taxi behind them. “Huh? Why hasn’t Ayto come out yet?”
Li Zhuoyuan, with sharp hearing, answered, “He didn’t bring enough money when he stepped out.”
Tong’an Town is located in the outskirts of Jinling, and the taxi ride from school to here takes quite a while, making the fare naturally hefty.
Liu Shuyou had been overly cautious when leaving, bringing his face paint and costume but forgetting to stuff some cash into his pocket.
He didn’t expect the ride to take so long.
“Brother Xiaoyuan?”
“You go ahead,” Tan Wenbin replied.
He approached the taxi, cutting off the driver’s angry voice, “How much more is needed? Will this be enough?”
“That’s enough; I’ll find it,” the driver replied.
“Don’t bother; just cool down.”
“Thanks, kid. Is this your friend?”
“Yeah, we came together.”
The driver turned to look at Liu Shuyou, his tone mellowing a bit, “You should’ve called your friend over earlier.”
Tan Wenbin said, “My friend just has a thin skin.”
Liu Shuyou got out of the taxi, feeling both relieved and embarrassed as he faced Tan Wenbin.
“Big brother, thank you…”
“Don’t mention it; it’s not a big deal.”
Tan Wenbin was pleased with Liu Shuyou’s expression.
His earlier offer to the driver wasn’t because he wanted to show off, but that tip was actually for Liu Shuyou.
“Big brother, what are you doing now…”
“We’re going to eat; come, let’s go together.”
“Together?”
“Why hide it? My brother Xiaoyuan saw you anyway.”
“Won’t he let me go?”
“Do you have money to take a cab back?”
“No, I don’t…”
“Taxi fares aren’t cheap. It wouldn’t be cost-effective to split the ride. Better to just wait and come back with us.”
“Really, big brother?”
“Let me correct you; it’s fine to call me big brother in private, but in front of my brother Xiaoyuan, you call me Bingbing. As for calling my brother Xiaoyuan, you can call him like I do.”
“Okay, Bingbing brother.”
Tan Wenbin hugged Liu Shuyou's shoulder and brought him over to Li Zhuoyuan.
“Brother Xiaoyuan…” Liu Shuyou raised his hand to greet from a distance.
Li Zhuoyuan glanced at him but didn’t respond and turned toward a noodle shop on the side of the road.
They sat down and ordered three bowls of noodles.
Tan Wenbin and Liu Shuyou entered the shop and sat across from Li Zhuoyuan.
Liu Shuyou awkwardly spoke up, “Brother Xiaoyuan, it’s also my responsibility to eliminate evil and uphold justice.”
Li Zhuoyuan took three pairs of chopsticks from the holder, finding them a bit dirty, and handed them to Liu Shuyou. “Go wash them.”
“Okay!” Liu Shuyou let out a sigh of relief, taking the chopsticks to the sink and returning with a smile on his face.
Three bowls of noodles were served.
Li Zhuoyuan said, “This time, the evil presence seems a bit large; the three of us need to unite and cooperate to return safely to school.”
“Understood.” Liu Shuyou nodded vigorously, excitement glimmering in his eyes. “We are the Official Generals and won’t fear the evil presence.”
The “White Crane Boy” Liu Shuyou had previously summoned is said to be a disciple of the South Pole Immortal in mythical accounts, while the “Two Generals” are ghost kings controlled by King Ksitigarbha.
In theory, even a being like Old Granny Yu wouldn’t be a match for them; she wouldn’t even qualify to sit at the table.
However, the crux lies in this: gods are gods, and people are people.
The might of the deity summoned ultimately depends on the prowess of the summoner.
Li Zhuoyuan advised, “Learn to value your life so that you can sustainably eliminate evil and uphold justice.”
Liu Shuyou replied, “What Xiaoyuan brother says makes sense.”
Tan Wenbin poked Liu Shuyou’s arm, turning to Li Zhuoyuan, “Don’t worry, Xiaoyuan brother; Ayto understands. We’ll both listen to your commands.”
“Right, right! I will follow your lead.”
Li Zhuoyuan declared, “Let’s eat some noodles.”
After finishing their meal, the three returned to Xijiao Square.
Much of the performance tent had been set up and should be completed by evening.
Presently, a row of small tents surrounded the big performance tent, and some smaller acts were already beginning.
Activities included “smashing cans,” “ring toss,” “balloon popping,” “the vase girl,” and “beauty flirting with a python”…
These aspects were all brought by the circus troupe; each tent charged separate entrance fees, which weren’t expensive, affordable even for children’s pocket money.
Local vendors began to gather, setting up near the circus’s performance tent, creating the atmosphere of a small fair.
“Play around, immerse yourselves, and pay attention to your surroundings,” Li Zhuoyuan advised, his face momentarily transforming into the innocent, lively expression expected of someone his age.
The trio first arrived at the “smash cans” stall filled with beverage cans stacked in a row, where participants could throw basketballs to knock them over.
A poster outlined the rules beside it, detailing prizes based on how many cans were knocked down.
Typically, the bottom-level cans should contain sand or perhaps cement.
Tan Wenbin spent money to buy three tries.
The first round was Li Zhuoyuan’s turn; he casually threw the basketball, only knocking down two cans.
When it was Tan Wenbin’s turn, he exerted great effort but still left some cans standing at the bottom.
Finally, it was Liu Shuyou’s turn, and with a spin on his ball, it knocked over all the cans in one sweep.
He won a large bunny doll and joyfully presented it to Li Zhuoyuan, who accepted it joyfully.
He whispered, “Be discreet, or you’ll get sent back to school.”
Liu Shuyou froze for a moment but quickly understood, nodding his head like a chick pecking at rice.
Next was the ring toss; Li Zhuoyuan tossed casually but didn’t land any.
Tan Wenbin performed decently by spending five bottles’ worth of rings, successfully catching one drink bottle.
As for Liu Shuyou, he mimicked Li Zhuoyuan this time and intentionally tossed without care.
This was a stall run by the circus; standing out as a truly skilled observer could easily attract attention.
At this moment, being noticeable was the last thing they wanted.
Li Zhuoyuan also noted a trend among the stall owners—they were especially enthusiastic when children came to play.
Of course, children are the main consumers, so their warmth was natural, but their attention often seemed focused on the accompanying adults, as though assessing something.
Especially for those parents who brought their children together, they appeared even more cordial.
This was not some overthinking; their distinctly hierarchical behavior was blatant.
Li Zhuoyuan found it curious.
If the entire circus were a human trafficker’s organization, wouldn’t they primarily focus on the children’s “traits”?
Moreover, the more a child was running around alone or was just accompanied by a grandparent or parent, the better the target they should be.
There was a clear logical inconsistency.
Li Zhuoyuan felt he should reassess their motivations for child abduction.
After a round of play outside, the three purchased tickets and entered the “vase girl” tent.
Inside, a stage displayed a square wooden board with a vase in the middle holding a woman.
The woman had a microphone placed in front.
From a distance, it seemed as if the woman had only a head, laid on top of the vase.
Quite a few spectators had come in to watch the performance; the vase girl sang and chatted from time to time.
Once you bought a ticket, there was no time limit; you could leave whenever you felt bored.
Tan Wenbin and Liu Shuyou leaned in closely to observe the performance.
Though they knew they had tasks at hand and that this was the territory of the “enemy,” it couldn’t suppress their curiosity.
As they came out, Tan Wenbin cleared his throat lightly, while Liu Shuyou rubbed his face awkwardly; both pretended their engrossed admiration had merely been for better immersion into the act.
However, after a brief exchange of glances, it was still curiosity that prompted Tan Wenbin to lean down and ask Li Zhuoyuan, “How is this done?”
“Thank goodness you didn’t ask me if it’s real.”
“Oh, I’m not that foolish.” Tan Wenbin chuckled awkwardly; even if a corpse lost its head, it would die, let alone a living person?
“Underneath the wooden frame are two angled mirrors; the person stands under them, positioning just their neck and head to appear. To avoid revealing the trick, they erect a cordon to prevent close scrutiny and elevate the table’s height as much as possible to maintain the illusion.”
“Oh—”
“Oh—”
The two nodded, their faces showcasing newfound realization.
This made Li Zhuoyuan question how two university students could be so naïve.
Just then, Li Zhuoyuan halted, sensing something unusual as he noticed a hint of faint blackness in his line of sight.
He turned to look at Liu Shuyou, who had also ceased moving, his eyes closed.
Should he open them again, they might likely transform into vertical slits.
Li Zhuoyuan wasn’t sure whether this was a trait of the Official Generals or just Liu Shuyou struggling to control his divination abilities.
“Bingbing Brother.”
“Understood.”
Tan Wenbin had hidden a calming talisman in his hand and slipped it under Liu Shuyou's clothing, placing it against his back.
The calming talisman could dispel evil effects; while the Official Generals had converted, they still bore remnants of their ghostly forms, thus providing effectiveness.
Liu Shuyou shuddered slightly.
When he opened his eyes again, clarity had returned.
“Sorry…” Liu Shuyou realized he had nearly caused trouble again.
“Does your master or grandfather act like you do?”
If that is the characteristic of their sect, then perhaps they directly engage evil whenever encountered on the road.
However, considering that radical sects are unlikely to survive, particularly in weakened transmission periods, that didn’t make much sense.
“My master and grandfather are not like this; only I am.”
“Have they mentioned why?”
“They say my talent is too good, and I easily tap into divination.”
“Good talent? Yet you can only summon the White Crane Boy right now?”
“Being able to call down the White Crane Boy on my own without the temple’s support is quite rare at my age. Of course, Brother Xiaoyuan, I can’t compare with you; you can summon the Lost General.”
“I told you last time; that was to fool you.”
“Stop being modest.”
“Who told you that?”
Tan Wenbin diverted his gaze, studying the poster for “Beauty Flirting with a Python” ahead of him carefully.
Liu Shuyou exclaimed, “Nobody told me; I heard it myself.”
“Bingbing Brother.”
“Not from me.”
“Let’s buy tickets.”
“Ah, oh, sure, hehe.”
Tan Wenbin went to buy tickets.
The three entered the tent.
On the poster outside, the beautiful woman had a curvaceous figure and wore a swimsuit, entwined with a python.
The advertisement held nothing back, perhaps even modest.
In the tent, a noticeably young and scantily dressed pretty woman indeed lay within a mosquito net bed.
Next to her was a thick python, along with several thinner snakes at her base.
This venue attracted twice as many spectators as the previous one featuring the vase girl.
Children's gazes were fixed on the snake while adults focused on the woman.
Li Zhuoyuan embraced the large bunny doll, staring at the woman.
Around her, wisps of invisible black gas enveloped her figure, not seeming like possession by an evil force but more like an essence soaking in her being.
“Pay attention now,” Sister Rou, lying in the mosquito net, called out, grabbing a small snake beside her and letting it enter her nostril.
After a moment, it slithered back out from her mouth.
The surrounding crowd gasped, horrified.
Next, the previously lazy python began to slither across the woman's body; as its head curved upward, it eventually poised gracefully, flicking its tongue.
The woman’s eyes mirrored the python's in a simultaneous sweep over the audience.
Li Zhuoyuan noted that whenever they scanned through the children, there would be a slight pause.
However, to his surprise, at the end, both the woman and the python turned their attention toward him.
Feigning fear, he lifted the bunny doll to block his view.
In truth, the woman had not noticed his unusual reaction; she merely thought that this child was rather cute.
At most, this child appeared a bit over ten years old, not the ideal target for abduction.
To traffickers, boys under five are prime targets; they fetch high prices, remain scarce, and are easy to sell.
They barely remember past events and, after nurturing them, they are likely to forget and attentively regard their captors as their real parents.
“Don’t be afraid, little brother,” Sister Rou said sweetly.
The others turned their gazes toward him.
Li Zhuoyuan cautiously peeked from behind the bunny doll to confirm the woman was oblivious to his secret.
Then, lifting the bunny again, he shook his head, backing away before eventually exiting the tent.
Not wanting to touch the outskirts directly until confirming Granny Yu’s location, he opted to remain prudent.
His goal was Granny Yu; he couldn’t harm her without exterminating all her underlings.
Otherwise, she would persistently linger in an unending cycle of vengeance.
Tan Wenbin, following closely behind, laughed, “Haha, Xiaoyuan, why are you so scared?”
With a grin, Tan Wenbin chased after him.
As for Liu Shuyou, lacking his performing talents, he could only shake his head helplessly and follow suit.
Inside the tent, laughter erupted as most found the scene quite normal; many adults might fear situations densely filled with snakes too.
Sister Rou paid no heed and took another thin snake, continuing her performance.
As Tan Wenbin and Liu Shuyou exited and regrouped outside, the trio began walking toward the performance tent that was being built.
Li Zhuoyuan noted, “There’s something strange about this woman. The noticeable thing right now is that she’s the only one showing abnormality. The other circus members seem like ordinary folks. Once we take action, we need to watch her movements closely.”
Liu Shuyou nodded seriously, “I’ll remember that.”
“No, you don’t need to memorize her. Brother Bingbing, you must focus on that woman. If she appears when we make a move, it will be your responsibility to hold her back.”
With Yin Rensheng and Yin Meng absent this time, this was Tan Wenbin’s first independent task, making him excited as he raised his hands in salute and dramatically stomped his foot.
“Loyalty!”
At this moment, many paused to observe the setting up of the performance tent.
Li Zhuoyuan noticed something was off; the temporary foundation for the performance tent was a little too solid.
The stakes wrapped in oil paper clearly contained a specific purpose and their arrangement showcased an illusory array design.
However, the circus workers appeared oblivious to the arrangements.
It looked like they were just mimicking a technique, with one person holding a blueprint, directing others to correct the wooden stakes' positions.
While they were arranging, Li Zhuoyuan pondered how to alter the setup.
It was good that no one understood formations, thus he didn’t need to consider concealment issues.
He could directly style a mini-array for control at the center of this massive array.
If someone knowledgeable crossed paths, it would be as obvious as carrying a lit bulb at night.
However, to those who knew nothing, it merely appeared like a normal bulb in a daytime trash pile.
Looking at the row of small tents behind the performance tent, he noticed the white-topped insulated tent in the central area, which caught his attention.
It was almost as if it had a banner that read: “There’s something wrong in here!”
Daylight was not suitable for making moves or laying bets.
Therefore, he needed to wait until night fell and it became quiet.
For the time being, the three needed to find a place to rest and discuss their plans.
Regrettably, there were no inns nearby offering rooms.
However, a building stood across the street, with a massage sign hanging from the balcony on the second floor.
From there, they could surveil the entire circus troupe.
They crossed the street and arrived at the entrance, where an empty massage bed sat alone, and adjacent to it, five heavily made-up women lounged on a sofa.
Tan Wenbin facepalmed, “Oh no, it’s a brothel.”
Implying whether they could change venues.
Yet the nearby buildings were all low shops, providing a poor vantage point.
Seeing that Li Zhuoyuan hadn’t responded, Tan Wenbin could only take the lead.
After a round of discussions, he motioned for Li Zhuoyuan and Liu Shuyou to come inside.
They climbed upstairs, followed by two masseurs.
The second floor was lined with small compartments.
Tan Wenbin stated, “Little brother, sit here and wait for us to finish.”
Li Zhuoyuan remained outside on a chair.
After whispering something to Liu Shuyou, Tan Wenbin and he each entered a compartment, while both masseurs entered with small plastic baskets.
Initially, the massage was relatively formal, though it seemed somewhat careless and hasty.
Once the masseurs started to provoke sensitive areas, Tan Wenbin sighed heavily, “Forget it; I’m too tired and uninterested. Here’s your money; I’ll nap for a while.”
In the adjacent room, Liu Shuyou encountered a similar situation, shaking his head, “I can’t do it.”
“I don’t believe it.”
“I really can’t.”
“Trust me.”
“No, no way.”
“Give yourself some confidence; boys your age generally just have mental blocks; it’s nothing.”
“No, really, it’s alright.”
“No worries, I’ll help you.”
“No, really, I don’t need it.”
“Don’t be afraid; the sister understands you.”
“You don’t understand.”
“So you’re still a virgin?”
“I…”
“Sister will give you a discount and consider it a red envelope.”
Tan Wenbin’s masseur had already exited, and Li Zhuoyuan stepped into this compartment.
Inside, a window faced toward the circus troupe directly.
Li Zhuoyuan took out his pre-prepared array formation blueprint from Tan Wenbin’s climbing bag, aiming down from above to guide Tan Wenbin on specific placement and considerations for later that night.
Tan Wenbin nodded continuously; the formations would be set on the periphery to attract foes to engage.
If situations changed and this went out of control, they could use the delay to retreat.
There were many formations to set, and Tan Wenbin began estimating how much time he’d need.
At the same time, Li Zhuoyuan commenced sketching a mini-array diagram specifically for the performance tent.
Once their plans were laid out, Liu Shuyou finally pushed open the door to enter.
Tan Wenbin jovially remarked, “Whoo, that took long enough!”
Liu Shuyou’s face flushed red as he said, “I didn’t do anything; the auntie was too enthusiastic. I had a tough time persuading her to leave.”
Tan Wenbin chuckled, “The auntie has professional ethics.”
With only wooden boards separating them, they could hear the conversations clearly next door.
Had they been in a more relaxed setting, Tan Wenbin would’ve jokingly teased, “Ayto, just give in to the sister.”
Li Zhuoyuan handed Liu Shuyou another array diagram and asked, “Can you understand this?”
Liu Shuyou nodded, then shook his head, saying, “I recognize it, but I can’t use it.”
He had a foundation but just barely.
“Recognizing is enough. Just follow the guidance and plant the flags once night falls.”
“Okay, understood.”
Li Zhuoyuan arranged for Tan Wenbin to set up on the periphery while Liu Shuyou would work in the inner circle due to Liu Shuyou's superior skills, making it less likely for him to alert onlookers.
As dusk set in, the performance tent was finally completed, and foot traffic on the road began to thin out.
Tan Wenbin couldn't help but remark, “Looks like this store isn’t doing well; it’s been a while, and no one has asked us to vacate.”
They waited until late into the night; outside, things were almost entirely quiet, with people from the circus returning to their respective tents or vehicles to rest.
The timing was ripe to initiate their actions.
The three exited the compartments, descended the stairs, only to discover the first floor dimly lit, with the glass door locked and the roller gate also down.
It turned out, they had closed for the night.
They had completely forgotten or hadn’t considered that there might still be customers resting so late in the upstairs compartment and had failed to check.
Breaking the door would surely cause a disturbance, so the three decided to return upstairs and clamber out through a window.
Tan Wenbin needed to use both his hands and feet, proceeding cautiously.
Liu Shuyou leaped first, placing his bag with Tan Wenbin’s climbing supplies down outside before hopping back onto the second floor to bring down Li Zhuoyuan.
Having already made two trips, Tan Wenbin still needed to test the stability of the wire pole with his feet.
Finally, when he descended, the three split up to commence their duties.
Li Zhuoyuan concealed himself beneath a slope closer to the circus for observation.
He only needed to listen closely, not even needing to raise his head.
Tan Wenbin and Liu Shuyou each carried assorted arrays of flags in different sizes and began their arrangements.
The more challenging inner-circle placements fell to Liu Shuyou, who completed them almost simultaneously with Tan Wenbin, returning together to the slope.
Exhaling slightly from the exertion, Li Zhuoyuan granted them a brief respite.
Just as they felt the time was right to take action, an odd rustling reached Li Zhuoyuan's ears.
Slowly lifting his head, he peered ahead.
In the distance, an old woman with two white lanterns in hand was walking step by step toward them.
Her footwear resembled wooden clogs, and her steps seemed heavy and loud.
As she neared, he noticed her legs appeared to be elongating slightly, granting a bizarre upward extension as if she were on stilts.
The glow from the white lanterns cast a ghostly pallor on her face.
“Hahaha…” she let out a chilling, eerie laugh, then began to call out: “You are so naughty, not sleeping peacefully at night; look, Granny has to come find you.”
(End of this chapter)