Exiled!? Ha! I have An Infinite Space

Chapter 203: Chapter

The journey from Unit Fifty to Bao Li’s residence was far quieter than any of them had anticipated.

The closer they drew to their destination, the more the streets swelled with people. Ox carts loaded with fresh vegetables rolled slowly across the uneven road while merchants hurried toward the market, heavy baskets balanced on their shoulders.

Families walked together carrying brightly wrapped gifts, and groups of guests dressed in their finest silk robes laughed as they made their way toward the exact same destination.

Today was supposed to be a joyous occasion. None of the ordinary people walking those streets could have guessed that hidden among the countless servants and arriving guests were individuals preparing to bring down one of the most feared organizations in the entire Barren Lands.

Fu Sheng kept his head lowered as he walked behind An Li. The rough servant’s clothes scratched uncomfortably against his skin, but he paid little attention to the discomfort. Instead, his eyes quietly mapped everything around him: every street, every corner, and every unfamiliar face.

An Li, on the other hand, looked completely natural. She chatted casually with the three men accompanying them, occasionally complaining about how heavy the baskets were or how troublesome wealthy families could be during major celebrations. Anyone watching would simply assume they were ordinary workers grumbling about another exhausting day of labor.

Before long, a magnificent residence loomed before them. Even from a distance, it was impossible to ignore.

Bright red silk decorations fluttered gently in the morning breeze. Large lanterns hung in neat rows along the entrance, while colorful ribbons stretched from one side of the courtyard wall to the other.

Near the gate, a group of musicians filled the air with lively, festive music as guests continuously arrived. Outside the residence, a small army of servants hurried back and forth carrying trays of wine, fresh fruit, expensive fabrics, and the countless gifts presented by visitors.

Everything appeared perfect, luxurious, and grand. Yet beneath that beautiful facade, something about the residence made Fu Sheng’s instincts tighten.

There were simply too many guards.

At first glance, they appeared to be nothing more than attendants maintaining order during a chaotic banquet. But Fu Sheng immediately noticed the discrepancies.

Their posture was too disciplined, their eyes constantly swept across the crowd, and their hands never strayed far from the weapons concealed beneath their loose robes. They were not ordinary guards; they were hunting.

An Li seemed to notice the shift as well. Without looking at him, she spoke quietly enough that only the people walking directly beside her could hear. "They’ve increased security."

Fu Sheng’s expression remained unchanged. "I noticed."

One of the men pulling the cart swallowed nervously. "Does that mean they’ve discovered something?"

"No," An Li answered almost immediately. "If they knew someone was coming after the ledger, this banquet wouldn’t even be happening." She glanced briefly toward the entrance. "This is probably their standard level of security whenever Bao Li hosts an important gathering."

Even so, her voice carried far less confidence than before.

The five of them continued forward until they reached the enormous front gate, where several workers were already lined up waiting to enter. An older steward stood beside the entrance holding a long parchment list, inspecting everyone who arrived with a scrutiny that allowed nothing to escape his eyes. Every basket was checked, every cart was rummaged through, and even the workers themselves were sharply questioned before being allowed inside.

Fu Sheng quietly watched the process. This was much stricter than he had anticipated.

Soon, it became their turn.

The steward lifted his head, his sharp gaze cutting across them. "Which group?"

An Li immediately lowered her posture respectfully. "Kitchen workers from East Street, sir."

The old steward looked toward the baskets they carried. "What are you delivering?"

"Vegetables, fresh fish, and additional serving bowls," An Li replied smoothly. "We are also here as temporary servers."

The steward’s eyes shifted, lingering heavily on Fu Sheng for several excruciating moments. "I’ve never seen you before."

Fu Sheng calmly lowered his head further, keeping his voice deferential. "I only started working recently, sir."

The steward continued to stare. For one brief moment, the entire group felt the tension spike. Even An Li silently tightened her grip on her basket.

Then, with a dismissive grunt, the steward finally looked away. "Hmph. Go inside."

Everyone silently released a breath. Without hesitation, they stepped through the enormous gates and entered Bao Li’s residence.

The moment they crossed the threshold, an entirely different world unfolded before them.

The estate was far larger than it appeared from the outside. Stone pathways wound gracefully through beautifully maintained gardens where expensive, exotic flowers bloomed in every direction. Artificial ponds reflected the morning sunlight, while elegant pavilions overlooked carefully arranged courtyards decorated for the wedding.

Servants moved everywhere in a frantic blur. Some carried steaming dishes from the kitchen, while others transported heavy jars of wine or trays piled high with delicate pastries.

The entire residence buzzed with chaotic activity. Dozens upon dozens of workers hurried from one place to another, making it almost impossible to distinguish one face from another exactly the kind of environment they had hoped for.

An Li quietly leaned closer to Fu Sheng. "This is good."

Fu Sheng nodded almost imperceptibly. "The more servants there are, the easier it is to disappear."

An Li smiled faintly. "Exactly."

Before they could continue talking, another supervisor suddenly hurried toward them. "What are you people standing around for?" The young man pointed aggressively toward the western courtyard. "The guests will begin arriving any minute, and we’re already behind schedule!"

An Li immediately bowed her head. "We’re going right now."

Without waiting for another word, the supervisor rushed away. Only after he disappeared did An Li quietly whisper, "Looks like we really are servants now."

One of the men almost laughed, but Fu Sheng simply picked up a serving tray resting nearby. "Let’s work."

The group naturally separated exactly as planned. The man carrying vegetables disappeared toward the kitchens, the worker with the empty buckets headed for the wells behind the estate, and the servant pushing the cart made his way toward the main dining courtyard.

Within moments, only Fu Sheng and An Li remained together. Both picked up trays filled with delicate porcelain cups, looking like nothing more than two ordinary banquet servers to anyone watching.

As they walked through the bustling residence, Fu Sheng quietly memorized every path they crossed: the eastern garden, the western dining hall, the guest pavilion, and the hidden servants’ corridors. Nothing escaped his attention.

Then, his footsteps slowed almost imperceptibly.

At the far end of the courtyard stood a two-story building, isolated and separated from the rest of the estate. Unlike every other part of the busy residence, this building was almost completely deserted. There were no guests and very few servants. Instead, several heavily armed guards stood outside the entrance, their expressions unusually serious.

Fu Sheng’s eyes narrowed slightly. Without turning his head, he spoke softly. "An Li."

"I see it," her answer came immediately.

Neither of them looked directly toward the building again; that alone would attract immediate suspicion. Instead, they continued serving wine as though nothing unusual had caught their attention.

Several moments later, An Li quietly murmured, "Four guards outside. Probably more inside."

Fu Sheng nodded once. "And no wedding decorations."

An Li frowned slightly. "Strange."

Every other building inside the estate had been decorated beautifully for the celebration, yet only this one remained completely untouched, almost as though it had never been intended for guests to enter.

An Li’s fingers tightened slightly around the edges of her tray. "That building..."

Fu Sheng finished her thought. "...is hiding something."

Neither of them needed to say what they were both thinking. If Bao Li possessed something valuable enough to station a heavy guard detail around it during his own wedding banquet, there was an excellent chance the ledger was inside.