In the inn.
At least several people were speaking simultaneously, making the information sound exceedingly chaotic.
Moreover, Baiyu and the others were hiding behind the backyard door, only able to observe the situation in the front hall through a gap in the door, very limited.
This limited perspective
made it difficult to see the appearance of the speakers.
What is certain is.
In the inn's main hall, there are at least five people, definitely not fewer.
Listening to their conversation, it's apparent it involves demons; the title "Mirage King" sounds immediately like it's not a normal person's name.
A demon from the Dark Era.
Just how powerful could it be?
Or perhaps.
Did they misunderstand, is this Spirit Realm tide not something that existed since the Dark Era?
The few felt uncertain in their hearts.
The current situation is at an impasse.
The inn's hall is unknown, rushing out blindly could mean no retreat if they're defeated in a battle.
Yet Baiyu and the others cannot just return like this.
Things have already progressed to this point.
If they return, they cannot rest quietly; they might even end up in an even more dangerous situation.
In the inn.
There are obviously many eerie places.
The two missing individuals have not been found.
"Let's go, get a little closer, always ready to act."
Baiyu said softly.
Everyone agreed, and under Baiyu's lead, they quickly approached the edge of the backyard.
There's a side path here connecting the kitchen and the main hall.
As long as a few people enter the kitchen, they can visually see the scene in the main hall.
Without delay.
The group cautiously moved close to the side path, reaching the small kitchen door, but as they approached, the sound of chopping could be heard within.
Someone was chopping meat in the kitchen.
"Chop them, chop them dead."
As that person chopped meat, he muttered to himself.
Baiyu and Xu Qiu furrowed their brows, instinctively feeling something was amiss, but there was no retreat at the moment.
Once they were ready.
The group burst out from the backyard, intending to engage together, but their opponent's body stopped in place.
Standing at least three meters tall.
With a humanoid body, covered in excess flesh, sporting a huge beer belly.
Like a middle-aged man who has indulged excessively in booze and pleasure all day.
A larger version even.
If he were just three meters tall with a larger frame, the group wouldn't be so shocked, but the opponent had a pig's head on top of his head.
Yes.
A large pig's head, extremely realistic.
It appeared to be a wild boar's head.
Because two tusks protruded from the mouth, with mottled cracks.
Pig head, human body.
This reminded Baiyu of the legendary Second Brother.
Unexpectedly, such a peculiar species existed in the Spirit Realm tide.
At that moment.
The pig-headed Second Brother held two gleaming kitchen knives, stained with blood, and his tower-like frame turned, small eyes staring at the group.
In a chef's uniform, tight on him, restraining the muscles.
On the chopping board.
Layed out was a large piece of meat hacked into ragged pieces, origins unknown.
Baiyu's face turned somewhat grave.
Their opponent clearly seemed unapproachable.
If a fight broke out, it was uncertain who would win, but it would definitely alert other areas.
The scene would plunge into an even worse situation.
"Looks like a few flies sneaked in, huh, just right for seasoning tonight."
The pig-headed creature intertwined both hands, the two kitchen knives began to scrape, producing a tearing sound.
"Act."
Xu Qiu hardened his heart seeing the opponent's murderous look, ready to risk everything.
But Baiyu held him back: "Wait."
Xu Qiu frowned and stopped.
Seeing this, the pig-headed Second Brother also stopped, a gleam flashed in his bean-like eyes, staring at Baiyu: "What do you want to say?"
"Are you the chef here?"
Baiyu stared at him suspiciously.
The pig-headed man opened his mouth, laughter rolled out: "Don't I look like one?"
"No, you should be a chef, but not here."
Baiyu shook his head.
"Why?"
The pig-headed man laughed even more joyfully.
"Just now you were shouting 'kill them,' I think the 'them' should not refer to us.
Moreover.
Your presence here alone is strange.
In the front hall, many demons are discussing tribute to the Mirage King; if you were with them, you wouldn't be here butchering meat."
Baiyu could only proceed based on his intuition.
He felt this pig was peculiar.
And.
He didn't seem intent on killing them.
If the opponent was as he suggested, it meant one less enemy to fight.
If not.
These few words wouldn't cause any harm; they would still have to fight.
However.
Apparently, Baiyu's words had an effect.
The opponent grinned, maintaining a cheerful expression but lost the earlier intention of killing: "So you're saying, you aren't with the ones outside?"
"Of course, our companions were captured by those outside; we're here to rescue them."
Baiyu calmly responded.
The pig-headed man stared at the group for quite some time, finally chuckling: "Words alone hold no proof; I cannot just believe you.
However.
I can offer you a chance."
Upon finishing.
He moved to the kitchen's back and from a boiling pot, ladled out six bowls of meat soup.
Baiyu and the others seized this opportunity to survey the entire kitchen.
Then they discovered the real chef tied up in a corner, dead for a while.
The chef was a demon, with several beastification marks on his body.
Now, this pig-headed man wore a chef's uniform like a tight garment, which evidently belonged to the stripped demon carcass before them.
"Let's play a game."
The pig-headed man pointed at the six bowls of meat soup on the kitchen counter and said:
"Of these six bowls of soup, one is poison soup.
You only need to drink five bowls.
If luck is on your side, the remaining one might be the poison soup.
Just drink all the soup.
Then I'll believe you."
The opponent lifted two kitchen knives, an invisible aura emanated from him, making the six feel stuck as if trapped in quicksand.
A thick blood smell assaulted them.
Facing this pig-headed man, it's like facing a vast ocean of blood.
Xu Qiu's palms were cold with sweat.
Indeed, Baiyu's judgment earlier was correct.
If they engaged, the six might not defeat the opposite.
"I'll go."
Seeing the six bowls of rich soup.
Xu Qiu hesitated for a moment, but was the first to step out, picking a bowl randomly and drinking.
The first person to drink the soup tests the mindset the most.
Because you don't know if the pig-headed man spoke the truth.
If all six bowls were poison soup, the first person to drink is surely doomed.
After Xu Qiu gulped down the meat soup, he felt a flame rising within him.
The Blood Qi, previously stagnant, surged immensely.
His eyes lit up.
Clearly, this meat soup is quite extraordinary.
