Chapter 16 The Plot

The man finally lost his composure. He clutched his melon-rind hat and swallowed hard. "This... this might just be a coincidence. When you offered the sweet potatoes, I just happened to..."

"Is there really such a coincidence? Think carefully. Is the scene in your mind continuous, or just a simple image? Or... was it inadvertently implanted by someone?"

Jiang Cheng's memory had been invaded by Lin Wan'er, and with high frequency over a long period. He had some experience with this kind of bizarre ability.

Even Jiang Cheng didn't expect the man to react so quickly after hearing his prompting. His originally confused eyes instantly filled with fear. "Not a coincidence! No! I didn't see it. I didn't see anything. These things were... were forced on me, forced into my head!"

The man's rapid realization exceeded Jiang Cheng's expectations. He vaguely sensed a conspiracy. It seemed... it seemed that everything was proceeding according to the other party's script, including this exposure, which was just a flaw deliberately left behind.

The man clutched his head, his face contorted in pain. Jiang Cheng didn't interrupt him but pulled Fatty back, creating some distance. Wu Yujiao was also frightened by the man's reaction and stood there dumbfounded.

"I remember! I remember! Someone told me to say this. That person told me everything!" The man's eyes were bloodshot, and his voice was hoarse.

Worried about attracting unnecessary attention, Jiang Cheng stepped forward to calm the man down. He pulled him into the inn, ordered a pot of tea, and waited for the man to calm down before asking, "Don't be afraid. We mean no harm. Do you remember what that person looked like?"

The man looked blank, just shaking his head. "No... I don't remember."

Fatty was anxious and leaned in to ask, "Can you at least recognize the voice? Was it male or female?"

"No... I don't know."

After going around in circles, they still couldn't determine who possessed the ability to alter memories. This result was truly disappointing.

The man seemed to suddenly remember something. The next moment, he struggled to his feet, his expression panicked. "Which of you... which of you is called Jiang Cheng?"

"Why do you ask?" Jiang Cheng reacted quickly, not revealing anything.

"Well, that person also left a message, saying... saying if someone named Jiang Cheng came looking, I should pass on a message." The man looked at Jiang Cheng, his eyes widening. "That's right, I heard this lady call you Young Master Jiang. You wouldn't happen to be..."

"I am Jiang Cheng. What message did that person want you to deliver?"

Jiang Cheng became alert. The situation was becoming increasingly strange. The suspicion in his mind was gradually becoming reality. The other party seemed to have anticipated that they would discover the flaw.

"Dao Ye (lit. Taoist master, referring to Shao Tong) said that your two sweet potatoes weren't eaten for nothing. Lu Qin was sent by the Night Watchman to target you. We can cooperate." The man said mechanically.

Hearing this, Fatty's eyes widened. This tone was clearly that of the crazy Shao Tong. "Don't trust him. There's definitely a trap in this!"

Fatty didn't have an ounce of trust for either Lu Qin or Shao Tong. In his eyes, this cooperation would only be the beginning of a new conspiracy.

"Young Master Jiang, Young Master Wang, what exactly is going on?" Wu Yujiao was completely confused. These three seemed to be speaking a language only they could understand.

"This is none of your business. Go upstairs and stay with your mother. Liu Dadan will come to take you out of the city tonight as agreed. Remember, once you leave, don't come back, and don't reveal what happened just now, or our relationship."

As if she didn't notice the distance in Jiang Cheng's tone, Wu Yujiao asked anxiously, "I'll listen to you in everything. Young Master Jiang, you must take care of yourself. When... when will we meet again?"

"I don't know. Perhaps never. It's better for both of us that way."

Jiang Cheng didn't have the energy to waste on Wu Yujiao. In his opinion, Wu Yujiao continuing to stay would only cause more trouble, and he had more important things to do now.

Using the excuse of escorting Wu Yujiao back to her room, Jiang Cheng pulled Fatty upstairs, explaining his analysis along the way. Regardless of how much truth was in Shao Tong's words, the immediate problem was this man.

The sweet potato seller.

How to deal with him.

If they just let him go, there was no guarantee he wouldn't tell others. Moreover, their strange behavior on the street today had already attracted the attention of some people.

Whether it was the Marquis's Residence or Lu Qin, knowing about this would be a threat to them.

Fatty, hearing Jiang Cheng's tone, suddenly realized and asked in disbelief, "Are you telling me, Doctor, that you actually believe Shao Tong's nonsense?"

"Take it one step at a time. Even if he wants to cooperate, he has to show some sincerity first. These two aren't ordinary. Shao Tong's abilities are the same as Lin Wan'er's. There must be something going on. The Night Watchman wouldn't send useless people to deal with us. The reason I haven't acted against them is to see what these two are up to. But now, it's different. They're going to attack you, and their abilities are too troublesome. Tonight, find an opportunity to get rid of them."

According to General Yuwen, there was a spirit transferring ritual in the backyard tonight, involving the late Marquis's wife's spirit tablet. The danger involved was unimaginable.

"Don't mention this for now. Those people aren't trustworthy either. There might be Night Watchman spies among them." Jiang Cheng recalled faces like Zhu Jie and Tang Qisheng, but his vigilance didn't relax in the slightest.

"Are you talking about Tang Qisheng and Zhu Jie?" Fatty looked thoughtful. Although the two had been very active and there were no major suspicions for the time being, "Should we inform Old Man Zhang Qizheng so he can help us keep an eye on them?"

Jiang Cheng sighed, looking at Fatty with a "you're hopeless" expression. "Are you kidding me? If there really are Night Watchman spies among these people, who would be the most suspicious? Zhang Qizheng!"

"Him? How could it be? Isn't he Lin Muyun and Lin Muwan's grandfather? We even saved their lives." Fatty didn't really understand the concept of repaying kindness with evil, and it didn't seem like Old Man Zhang Qizheng was that kind of person.

"He says he is, so he is? I could also say I'm the number one male model in the nightclub scene. Would you believe that?" Jiang Cheng was amused by Fatty's words. He didn't understand how the difference between people could be so great. Fatty was easily trusted by others, and at the same time, he easily trusted others. This ability seemed to be mutual.

But the next moment, Fatty cautiously stared at Jiang Cheng's face and whispered, "Um... aren't you?"