On the southeast side of Furong River City stood a dilapidated inn, with a bar downstairs and rooms upstairs.
The sign on the door was covered in dust, and some of the letters were missing entirely, so over time it came to be known as the Old Inn.
Yet, this rundown Old Inn was famous in Furong River City's underworld.
It was a neutral ground for all underground forces in Furong River City and the surrounding areas.
The manager was a bald old man of mysterious identity, who had influence everywhere in Furong River City, being able to deal with both the authorities and the underworld.
Whether it was gang feuds, being targeted by assassins, or being wanted by the police, one could hide here to seek refuge... as long as they could afford the exorbitant accommodation fee of ten thousand yuan per day.
Guo Shengye was currently staying on the third floor of the Old Inn. Because Jing Yan had personally spoken with the owner of this place, Guo Shengye did not have to pay for his stay.
Most of the travelers here were vicious criminals, yet none dared to break the inn's rules, for those who did were all dead.
Inside the cramped guest room, which the door opened into, the floor was littered with scattered papers, each bearing the same face.
Guo Shengye held up a mirror, stuck a paper with Jing Yan's face on it, and shouted in a ferocious manner, "Why did you drive me out… let me go back, let me go back!"
Ever since his girlfriend's suicide, Guo Shengye had developed a perverse obsession with Jing Yan, an obsession that had twisted into something morbid.
Jing Yan could make his artbooks sell like hotcakes, and he, in turn, could kill without batting an eye for Jing Yan.
For the current Guo Shengye, there were only two meaningful things in this world: the first was his manga career, and the second was being with Jing Yan.
Guo Shengye's angry roar caused some of the other residents on the same floor to feel displeased and consider warning him to be quieter.
But upon seeing Guo Shengye's deranged appearance, they all quietly retreated.
Having performed blood sacrifices multiple times using human lives, Guo Shengye became extremely dangerous when agitated. None of the people hiding here wanted to provoke someone like Guo Shengye.
…
At the bar downstairs, the bald owner heard the shouting from upstairs and shook his head helplessly.
If it weren't for that peculiar mirror monster, he wouldn't have wanted to shelter this madman. Getting involved with supernatural matters could easily lead to a tragic end.
However, this did not mean the madman could disrupt the inn's environment, so he picked up a small wooden hammer, preparing to go upstairs and teach Guo Shengye a lesson.
As he stood up and walked to the staircase, the bald owner stopped, turning to look at the inn's entrance.
A man in a light-colored cloak pushed open the door and walked in; this person was Wen Wen.
"Our inn is fully booked, please..."
"I'm here to find someone," Wen Wen said, handing over a photograph.
Wen Wen, following Guo Shengye's scent, had easily found where Guo Shengye was hiding. However, upon reaching the inn's entrance, he discovered that the inn was not simple.
There was a special barrier outside the inn that could isolate the perception of supernaturals and prevent them from entering stealthily.
He had known about the Old Inn before but hadn't paid much attention to it. He hadn't expected it to actually have some substance.
Seeing that Wen Wen was looking for Guo Shengye, the bald owner's heart skipped a beat.
Those who were provoked by that strange fellow were certainly not easy to deal with. However, he still said to Wen Wen with a righteous tone, "I'm sorry, this establishment cannot disclose its guests' private information."
Wen Wen leaned on the bar counter, picked up a bottle of wine, and gently swirled it, saying, "I'm a demon hunter, would that work?"
"No matter who it is, this establishment..."
Wen Wen interrupted him impatiently, "I'm a reasonable person. What would it take for me to pass? If it's money, name your price."
Seeing Wen Wen's demeanor, the bald owner's temper flared. He had run this establishment for over a decade, and very few dared to act presumptuously here.
"As long as he stays here, he is under this establishment's protection. That is the rule!"
In truth, the rule wasn't that strict, but Jing Yan had previously threatened him, saying that if he dared to hand Guo Shengye over, he would surely kill him.
Compared to the more legitimate demon hunters, the bald owner feared the bizarre Jing Yan more.
"It's good to have rules. I'm also a person who likes rules."
Wen Wen nodded, then took out some items from his cloak and arranged them neatly on the table. They were several bombs!
"What are you doing?" the bald owner asked, taken aback.
Wen Wen grinned ferociously and said, "If this inn is gone, wouldn't you not have to follow the rules?"
Seeing that Wen Wen was about to ignite the fuse of the bombs, the anxious bald owner directly swung the small wooden hammer in his hand at Wen Wen.
Mid-swing, the wooden hammer began to enlarge, and by the time it reached Wen Wen, its surface was already a meter in diameter!
Wen Wen casually blocked the hammer's surface with his hand, then looked at the owner with slight surprise.
The force of that single swing was top-tier even among Disaster-level monsters.
And no matter how Wen Wen looked at it, the owner seemed to be at most a rookie who had just stepped into the world of supernaturals. Therefore, this power came from the wooden hammer!
Wen Wen waved his hand, conjuring a water card, and flicked it towards the bald owner's wrist, intending to snatch the wooden hammer for research.
Then, a metal bracelet on the owner's wrist lit up, directly scattering Wen Wen's water card into spray!
Even though Wen Wen had controlled his strength to avoid severing the owner's wrist, the metal bracelet, which could so decisively deflect the water card, was clearly a good item.
How could a supernatural at most in the Exploration realm possess two such good items?
No, perhaps more than two!
Wen Wen's eyes lit up as he looked at the owner. He hadn't expected that by merely coming to casually capture Guo Shengye, he would unexpectedly encounter such an interesting person.
Realizing that his hammer had not managed to suppress Wen Wen, the bald owner’s intestines turned green with regret.
In Furong River City, there were hardly a few people who could block his hammer so nonchalantly. This person was completely unfamiliar, perhaps a… wanderer!
"Cough, cough. As long as you don't blow up my inn, I can let you take him." After recognizing Wen Wen's strength, the bald owner immediately changed his tune.
A wise man knows when to retreat. The person in front of him was far more terrifying than that mirror monster. If he reasoned properly with that mirror monster, he might not face retaliation.
Wen Wen put away the bombs, propped his elbows on the bar counter, and looked at the bald owner with a half-smile, saying, "You're quite sensible. However, I'm more interested in you now."
The bald owner's expression tensed; he knew Wen Wen had taken a liking to his treasures.
"Everything I have was lent to me by Master Red Beard. It's fine if you take the person, but I advise you not to lay your hands on these items of mine."
"Master Red Beard?" Wen Wen became even more interested.