"Who? Who hit me?!"
Clutching his now-swollen cheeks, the lecherous man roared in fury. His outburst drew the attention of everyone nearby, who turned to look at him with expressions that made it clear—they thought he was a fool.
Idiot.
A smirk tugged at the corner of Mu Qingyun's lips. Since it had come to this, she might as well go all the way—she slapped him a few more times for good measure.
She quickly left the station and, after checking the map on her phone, casually flagged down a car headed toward the outskirts of town.
"You heading out to the countryside all by yourself, young lady?" the taxi driver asked, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.
"Mm," she replied coolly, showing no intention of continuing the conversation.
Seeing that she did not want to talk, the driver wisely kept quiet. Once they arrived, he dropped her off and drove away without further questions.
Mu Qingyun surveyed her surroundings: a vast stretch of empty land with not a single soul in sight.
Seriously? Not a single person around?
She frowned slightly, then activated her plant ability with her left hand. A faint green glow shimmered in her palm as she placed it on the ground, sensing for signs of plant life beneath the soil.
Her luck was decent. Several small plants suddenly broke through the soil and, under the urging of her ability, quickly matured into fully grown herbs.
Star anise?
It seemed she had come to the right place.
She pulled the herbs out by the roots and stuffed them into her storage pouch. Then she squatted down and scooped up a handful of soil, rubbing it thoughtfully between her fingers.
In the interstellar age, nearly every habitable planet had been polluted. Soil was no longer capable of growing plants. Seeds planted in such earth would rot and die instantly.
Although her plant ability could revive dead seeds and accelerate their growth, her energy was limited. If she hoped to make a fortune through the seasoning trade, she would need to find soil that could naturally preserve seeds.
Stimulating plant growth did not cost her much energy, but reviving dead seeds? With her current ability level, she could manage maybe ten a day—at most.
"Little girl, why are you out here all alone?"
Suddenly, an elderly voice called out from behind her. Mu Qingyun instantly tensed, spinning around to face the silent arrival.
It was an old man, with graying hair and a full beard. His face was covered in wrinkles, yet his eyes remained bright and carried a seemingly kind glimmer.
"I am just out for a walk," she replied cautiously, eyes locked on the stranger.
An elderly man appearing out of nowhere, without making a sound? That was too strange to ignore.
"Did you have a fight with your family? Even so, it is not safe to wander into such a remote place. Were you tricked into coming here?" the old man asked kindly, smiling gently.
Mu Qingyun lowered her head and said nothing.
The man sighed. "Fine, come with me. Stay the night here, and leave first thing in the morning."
His sudden invitation made her inwardly frown with suspicion.
Something is off. Who is this man, and where does he want to take me?
"Then… thank you," she replied with a cold glint in her eye. She wanted to see exactly what this man was up to.
"Follow me," he said, his expression relaxing even more once she agreed. He began to walk ahead, chatting as he went.
"Are you dating someone, little lady?"
"No."
"Oh, no? Then maybe you met someone online and came here to meet them in person?"
"No."
"Really? Then why are you here?"
"Just out for a stroll."
The conversation ended there. A trace of malice briefly flashed through the old man's eyes, but it vanished just as quickly.
Mu Qingyun followed behind, growing increasingly suspicious as they walked. After a while, she noticed something strange—a snack wrapper lying on the ground. Same brand, same position—she had seen it three times already.
"Grandpa, are we walking in circles?" she asked, stopping in her tracks. Her right hand began to pulse faintly with fire energy.
Back when she was a prince, she had studied military strategy and formations. If she was not mistaken, they were caught in a confusion array.
"Do not worry, little girl. I am not a bad person," the old man said, turning back to smile at her.
Perhaps he intended to look friendly, but with all those wrinkles scrunching together, his smile looked more eerie than kind.
Her eyes narrowed slightly. Although this formation was somewhat advanced, the core—the formation eye—was easy enough to find.
After following him for a few more steps and turning a corner, she saw a wall made of stacked bricks appear before them.
"It's just through here," the old man said softly, reaching out with a trembling hand and easily pushing the wall open.
Beyond the wall was an old-style house, the kind that was common in her original era.
A small courtyard, several modest rooms—it looked like a countryside residence. In this age, such a house was a rare find.
"You can sleep in that room tonight. Tomorrow morning, call for a car and leave early," the old man instructed before disappearing into another room, apparently to prepare dinner.
Mu Qingyun examined the house and frowned. Garlic and chili peppers hung from the walls, and cross-shaped ornaments were stuck on several doors.
The air carried a faint, metallic scent—fresh blood. Mixed with the pungent smell of garlic and chili, it was overwhelming, forcing her to sneeze uncontrollably.
"Go on in and rest. Dinner will be ready soon," the old man called from the kitchen window, smiling again.
"All right."
She responded lightly, just about to step inside when she suddenly heard footsteps and heavy breathing behind her.
"Woof! Woof! Woof!"
The barking of a dog startled her, and she instinctively reached up to her head, finding it damp with cold sweat.
This place… was far too eerie.
"Da Fu! Stop barking! That is a guest—come here now!" the old man scolded, his wrinkled face appearing again from the kitchen window. His eyes were locked tightly on her.
Taking a deep breath, Mu Qingyun tried to calm her rapidly pounding heart.
Thankfully, she had remained composed—otherwise, that scare alone might have knocked her out cold.
She quickly entered the room. It was tiny and spartan, with nothing but a bed, a blanket, and a small table.
What was this place?
Frowning, she sat on the bed. She had not even had time to settle in when a gust of wind brushed past her hand, as if something had darted by.
What was that?
She immediately looked down, summoning a ball of fire into her right palm, ready to strike.
But the squeaking of rats made her hesitate.
From under the bed, a dusty gray rat scurried out, its beady red eyes staring straight at her as it chewed on something unknown.