After the owner of the house returned, he inquired about Ye Tiancheng and the others' origins. Upon receiving their answers, he paid them no further mind, as if the three living people were as insubstantial as air. Whether he truly didn't care about having guests or harbored other intentions he chose not to reveal, Ye Tiancheng certainly wasn't about to let down his guard. Knowing the owner was problematic, acting carelessly would be akin to inviting an early demise.
However, one thing was certain: the owner tacitly allowed them to stay, otherwise, he would have driven them away. Ye Tiancheng remained, needing to monitor the owner's movements. He sat by the fire pit, both for warmth and to keep an eye on the situation. The owner hadn't shown himself for a long time after returning. Yet, Ye Tiancheng could hear the clanging sounds emanating from the kitchen, likely the owner processing the prey he had carried back. Ye Tiancheng wasn't entirely sure if it was a wild boar. He had a vague impression of what wild boars looked like, knowing they differed from domestic pigs, but that was the extent of his knowledge. He had a nagging feeling that wild boars shouldn't look quite like that.
Later, Ye Tiancheng mused that even if it wasn't a wild boar, it didn't matter. As long as it wasn't human, that was good enough. Any other strange creature would be a far better answer. Besides, they had no intention of eating the owner's food; they weren't tired of living.
The little fox had left with Long Miaomiao for a while to learn a technique and then returned. Seeing them come back, Ye Tiancheng asked the little fox with concern, "Little fox, how did your learning go?" As the little fox walked towards him, Ye Tiancheng noticed its expression shift between pain and relief, leading him to believe it was practicing the technique and adapting to the scent.
Hearing Ye Tiancheng's question, the little fox turned and replied, "It's alright. I've learned the technique, and it should get better as I adapt to the surroundings. I was just testing to see if I could use it proficiently. I've pretty much confirmed it now. I'll try not to use the technique unless absolutely necessary. I hope I can adapt quickly."
"You've worked hard," Ye Tiancheng said. The little fox sighed softly.
Long Miaomiao asked Ye Tiancheng, "What happened after the owner came back? What has he been doing?" Ye Tiancheng turned to discuss the matter with Long Miaomiao. "He went into the kitchen after he returned, didn't he? He hasn't come out since, and there's been a constant clanging inside. He's probably dealing with the animal he carried back."
Ye Tiancheng paused slightly. He realized he didn't recognize the animal, but Long Miaomiao, being well-traveled and having lived a long life, might know what it was. He decided to ask her. "Do you remember the animal the owner carried back? Do you know what it is? It looked unfamiliar to me. It seemed like a wild boar, but something was different. I felt it wasn't a true wild boar, and I wondered if it was some strange creature."
Long Miaomiao raised an eyebrow and sat down opposite Ye Tiancheng. She said, "It's just a strange creature. If you think it doesn't look like a wild boar, it's probably a hybrid with some other animal. Who knows what it is? If you insist it's a wild boar, that's also plausible. It's definitely not a normal animal."
Hearing Long Miaomiao's words, Ye Tiancheng felt a bit relieved. "As long as it's not some other strange thing, that's good." The little fox, with its more active imagination and having experienced many things with Ye Tiancheng, quickly grasped the unspoken implication in Ye Tiancheng's words. "Brother," it said, "you're not afraid it's human, are you? I don't think you need to worry about that; it doesn't look like one."
Long Miaomiao understood their concerns and suddenly smiled. "Just because it doesn't look like it doesn't mean it can't be human. But I can confirm that what he carried back just now is not." She continued, "However, what strange things have you two experienced to be worried about such matters? Normally, it's hard to encounter such situations, isn't it? There aren't that many people who do that to their own kind."
At Long Miaomiao's words, Ye Tiancheng and the little fox's expressions soured. Ye Tiancheng, in particular, looked quite troubled. The little fox remembered less; most of its current understanding came from Ye Tiancheng's accounts. Ye Tiancheng remembered everything he had experienced from beginning to end.
Ye Tiancheng quickly waved his hands at Long Miaomiao. "Please don't say that. If you continue, I won't be able to sleep tonight, or I'll have nightmares." Long Miaomiao looked at Ye Tiancheng in surprise, truly not expecting him to be so unlucky. She then said, "I apologize. I didn't realize your luck was so bad. Such things shouldn't be encountered easily. In the past, I only saw such events during lean years when I traveled outside." The naive Dragon God couldn't fathom that humans resorted to cannibalism not only for survival but that some even enjoyed it and would commit evil deeds for it.
Seeing Ye Tiancheng's continued distress, Long Miaomiao changed the subject. "Since that's the case, let's talk about what's important. What do we plan to do next? Should we continue searching for the fragments of the Fuxi Qin outside, or should we focus on investigating the situation within this small house?"
Ye Tiancheng followed her lead, shifting his thoughts. After a moment of consideration, he said, "Let's do both simultaneously. We'll split up. One group will go outside to see if they can find the fragments, while the other will stay here to uncover the secrets of the owner of this house." They weren't discussing these matters carelessly within the house, unafraid of being overheard by the owner. In fact, they habitually set up soundproofing barriers and constantly monitored their surroundings, only discussing matters openly when they knew they wouldn't be heard.
The three of them, Ye Tiancheng, the little fox, and Long Miaomiao, needed to form teams. The team compositions were quite obvious: either Ye Tiancheng with the little fox, and Long Miaomiao acting alone, or Ye Tiancheng acting alone with the little fox accompanying Long Miaomiao. Regardless of the arrangement, the little fox could not be left alone. Its combat ability was not strong, and in the face of danger, it would have little ability to resist, only being able to defend passively. Most importantly, if it were harmed by some special, strange entity, it would be somewhat manageable, as the little fox was skilled with talismans and might even inflict some damage on its attacker, protecting itself. However, if the opponent were to attack directly with brute force, the little fox would truly be unable to withstand it. For instance, the owner of the house, with a hunting knife at his waist and a hunting rifle on his back, could easily incapacitate the little fox with a single blow, leaving no room for recovery.
Ye Tiancheng was well aware of the little fox's combat capabilities. While it could manage in magical duels, when it came to pure physical strength, that was the little fox's weakness. Even though the little fox had transformed into an adult form, growing taller and larger, it still appeared thin and refined, projecting an image of someone who couldn't fight.
Ye Tiancheng asked Long Miaomiao and the little fox for their opinions on how to split into teams. Long Miaomiao said, "Let's stick to the previous arrangement. You and the little fox together, and I'll act alone. However, let me first understand if you two think you can handle whatever might happen in this house together."
Ye Tiancheng honestly replied to Long Miaomiao, "My and the little fox's abilities are quite complementary. I can't say for sure when we're apart, but when we're together, there's nothing that can easily trouble us both." Long Miaomiao nodded. "That's good, then there's nothing to worry about." She continued, "You and the little fox have spent more time together, and you'll definitely have better synergy when acting together. Together, you'll achieve more than the sum of your parts, so it's best you stay together. My opinion is that it would be best for you two to investigate the matters within this house, as it relates to finding the whereabouts of the Fuxi Qin fragments. In this regard, you two are more proficient and can find the direction faster than I can. While I can sense the Fuxi Qin fragments, my sense is not as strong as yours, Ye Tiancheng. However, compared to that, I have no experience in investigation, or rather, completely no experience. And I'm not as coordinated as your combination. It would be better for me to undertake the task of searching for the fragments."
Ye Tiancheng considered it and felt that this team distribution was reasonable, so he agreed with Long Miaomiao's proposal. "This division is reasonable, it's fine," he said. "Then, it's settled. The little fox and I will be one team, staying here to investigate the situation, and you will go outside to see if you can find any clues to the fragments. If you find nothing, we'll act together again. That's decided."
As they were finishing their discussion, they heard new sounds from the kitchen. Ye Tiancheng and the other two stopped their conversation and removed the soundproofing barrier. After waiting for a moment, they saw the owner emerge from the kitchen. He glanced at the three of them and then said, "Do you need any food? I'm about to cook. You can join me."
Ye Tiancheng certainly didn't want to eat food whose true composition he didn't understand. Moreover, the owner's potential danger was unknown. Even if the food itself was fine, who could guarantee that it would remain so after preparation? Regardless, Ye Tiancheng had no desire to eat it. Therefore, Ye Tiancheng politely declined the owner's offer, saying, "We prepared ample supplies before coming up the mountain, so we have enough food. We thank you for being willing to host us, to allow us uninvited guests to stay. We are grateful for your kindness, but your willingness to let us stay is enough."
The little fox nodded slightly beside him. Who would dare eat anything from this house? They all knew the owner was a living dead person, so how could they dare eat his cooking? Furthermore, the little fox thought about the owner's scent and the fact that the food would be personally prepared by him. Even if the food were perfectly fine, he would have no appetite. The owner was too close now, and the little fox had to use its technique to try and block out the smell just to feel somewhat better.
The owner looked at the three of them. Just as he had when he allowed Ye Tiancheng and the others to stay, he said nothing, merely nodding. "As you wish. If you need anything, there is dried meat and some dried vegetables in the kitchen. You can take them freely without informing me first. I'll be there; feel free to take whatever you need."