The Manor was located behind the Villa, with a dedicated shuttle that dropped the three of them off near the Forest.
From there, they proceeded on foot into the trees.
Towering ancient trees blocked out the sunlight, and the deeper they went, the cooler it became.
The damp air carried the scent of earth and fresh leaves, as if few had ever passed through.
The ground was covered with tender new grass until they reached an iron gate entwined with green vines, where the three finally arrived at their destination.
“Are you sure we’re supposed to eat here?”
Zhang Wenshan felt the air suddenly chill around him and looked around to find no one else.
The Forest was eerily silent, making it feel more like they had come to an abandoned mansion.
Ahead stood a tall, castle-like building, quite imposing.
Dark gray stones were blanketed by deep green vines, forming an exquisite natural artwork on the walls.
Red roses dotted the greenery, adding a touch of dark elegance.
Clearly, the person living here was someone with a strong sense of aesthetics and artistry.
“They probably won’t move… right?”
Xia Yu frowned slightly, still carrying some lingering fear of vines.
Speaking as she shifted closer to Mo Yidong, she thought, If those things do move, better to drag Mo Yidong away first.
“The owner of this Forest seems to prefer peace and quiet.”
Mo Yidong stood calmly, scanning their surroundings.
They’d only moved here less than a week ago, barely coming home from school.
According to etiquette, they should have paid their respects by now.
The deliberate concealment suggested that the owner might be playing some sort of game with them.
“No one’s allowed here outside of meal times; they’ve set up a protective barrier.”
Suddenly, a creaking sound echoed in the quiet Forest.
The iron gate in front of them slowly swung open.
There was no one in sight, yet the gate opened on its own.
Zhang Wenshan furrowed his brows and considered for a moment.
“Do you think this door’s automatic, magic-activated, or requires a password?”
No one answered him.
Shangguan Xiawan immediately shrank behind Mo Yidong, nervously staring into the empty space ahead.
“Brother Mo Yidong, I’m scared…”
Mo Yidong looked at the two girls beside him.
One of them clearly wasn’t afraid of ghosts, so he wasn’t sure what Xiawan was worried about.
Shangguan Xiawan frowned, giving Xia Yu, who was already hiding behind Mo Yidong, a timid smile.
“So Little Sister Xia is scared too…”
Xia Yu gave an embarrassed smile and quietly nodded.
She wasn’t afraid of ghosts but of the vines suddenly moving again and dragging her off somewhere—which would be truly terrible.
“Why is no one hiding behind me?”
Zhang Wenshan looked behind himself but saw nothing.
Observing Mo Yidong’s calm expression, he said nonchalantly:
“Maybe everyone thinks you’re the tastiest one.”
“Enough talking. Let’s go in and take a look.”
Zhang Wenshan led the way and pushed open the Manor’s door, calling inside:
“Hello? Is anyone here?”
Inside was pitch black, and the space was huge.
Right at the entrance was a long staircase, with corridors flanking both sides.
No one responded.
“This house is huge—could probably host a hundred people comfortably.”
Zhang Wenshan turned on his phone’s flashlight to inspect around and noticed the furniture and ornaments were all top-tier, unavailable on the market.
Whoever lived here had to be a true connoisseur.
“Isn’t it said the Manor has many activities? Exploring an empty house is one of the challenges, right?”
Xia Yu nervously looked around.
While Zhang Wenshan waved his phone’s light, she suddenly caught a glimpse of golden hair flashing by and nearly screamed, instantly covering her mouth.
Just an illusion.
It has to be.
“There are a lot of passages. Let’s split into teams and regroup in half an hour?”
Zhang Wenshan said, looking at the two girls still standing behind Mo Yidong.
“You take two, and I’ll go alone on the other side?”
“I’ll go with you.”
Qin Yixia wasn’t close to Zhang Wenshan and was somewhat shy, so Shangguan Xiawan chose to join Zhang Wenshan’s team.
“Good choice, Little Sister Xia.”
Zhang Wenshan smiled, then noticed both girls staring at him.
He immediately realized it—they both had the character Xia (夏) in their names.
“Just call me Wan’er, Brother.”
Shangguan Xiawan stepped toward Zhang Wenshan and smiled, glancing briefly at Mo Yidong.
She quietly understood something.
“No wonder Brother Mo Yidong never called me Little Sister Xia. Now I know why.”
Shangguan Xiawan and Zhang Wenshan went left, while the other two headed right.
They didn’t say what they were looking for, just wanted to see if anyone was inside.
As Xia Yu searched every room with no clues, the two on the other side entered a room storing Western swords and weapons.
Casually picking up a dagger, they admired its sharp, smooth blade—so well maintained it was clear someone still lived here.
The room was oppressively quiet.
They hadn’t said much on the way, but recalling the earlier team split, Xia Yu’s lips curved slightly. Gathering courage, she asked casually:
“Does that girl Shangguan Xiawan like you?”
“What?”
Mo Yidong picked up an Enchanted Longsword, clearly fond of its feel.
As he lightly drew it, he looked up at Xia Yu’s back but showed no expression.
“She’s my little aunt’s daughter, a high school freshman. She just sees me as a brother…”
Mo Yidong gently placed the longsword back in its case and walked toward Xia Yu.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from behind.
The longsword that had been in Mo Yidong’s hand suddenly sheathed itself and shot swiftly toward Xia Yu.
“What’s going on…!?”
Xia Yu dodged quickly.
Unable to predict the sword’s trajectory, she barely had time to react before the dagger she’d been holding also suddenly lunged at her at incredible speed.
Neither weapon targeted Mo Yidong—they were both aimed solely at Xia Yu.
“They’re coming for me…!”
Using nearby furniture for cover, Xia Yu knocked the blades to the ground, but they immediately hovered back in midair—very troublesome.
She didn’t notice the sneak attack from behind until she heard a voice:
“Watch out.”
Surprised, Xia Yu turned to see Mo Yidong suddenly appear behind her.
“Is your hand okay?”
Xia Yu nervously saw a red scrape on Mo Yidong’s arm, a faint scale-like pattern appearing briefly before vanishing.
Worried about bleeding, she tore a small strip from her skirt hem and quickly fashioned a bandage.
“Do you have a grudge against the owner of this house?”
Mo Yidong asked, noticing Xia Yu’s focused attention on wrapping his arm.
“This is my first time here. I don’t know who lives here.”
“Strange.”
Mo Yidong couldn’t understand the mechanics of the attack.
He had initially thought the owner was just playing a prank, but the situation clearly wasn’t that simple.
Xia Yu couldn’t read the weapons’ movements, but Mo Yidong watched them like an open book.
His deep black eyes saw a thin layer of energy floating over the blades—someone was controlling them.
Mo Yidong pulled out his phone.
The signal was good, and he thought about calling Zhang Wenshan to check the other side’s status.
Then he realized—if anything was wrong, Zhang Wenshan would have called him first.
Suddenly, Mo Yidong remembered something that could stop the attacks.
As the blades prepared to strike again, Mo Yidong immediately pulled a letter from his pocket.
“Wait! I have an Invitation Letter!”
The moment the letter appeared, the blades instantly froze.
In the quiet room, a male voice suddenly spoke.
“Pardon me, pardon me.”
The room’s lights switched on, so bright that both reflexively closed their eyes.
A Gold-haired Man entered, wearing a black tailcoat, his hair tied in a low ponytail.
His deep red eyes held a trace of apology.
“Sorry, I thought there was a thief.”
The Gold-haired Man bowed politely to the two, his tone soft and manner very gentlemanly.
Xia Yu nervously looked up at the Gold-haired Man.
For a moment, she wasn’t looking at Mo Yidong.
The two exchanged glances for a few seconds before he smiled, eyes narrowing.
“I heard your Manor has many entertainment facilities?”
Mo Yidong straightened his clothes.
Noticing the Gold-haired Man’s gaze lingering on Xia Yu, his brow furrowed and he asked coldly:
“That’s right. I have bowling, snooker, ping pong, ice skating, a library, and more. Whatever you want to try, I can take you.”
At that moment, Mo Yidong’s phone rang.
“I’ll wait for you in the hall. See you shortly.”
After the Gold-haired Man left, Xia Yu gently tugged on Mo Yidong’s sleeve.
“What is it?”
The call was from Zhang Wenshan.
The sudden lighting had startled them both, and he wanted to check how things were on their end.
Xia Yu, worried the Gold-haired Man could overhear, quickly typed a message on her phone and showed it to Mo Yidong:
[This person is from the blood clan.]
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