In extraordinary times, extraordinary measures are taken.
Liu Yue knew that if they continued to drag this out, she wouldn't gain any advantage. To completely ruin Lin Xiao Tian, she couldn't afford to hesitate any longer.
"Help me arrange a meeting with Luo Hou," Liu Yue said to the doorway.
"Yes!"
A voice immediately responded from outside.
...
On the other side, Lin Xiao Tian's business had not been significantly affected.
Lin Xiao Tian didn't ask for much, as long as he could eat and drink well. And now, they even had money to spare.
"Haha, if this continues, Luo Yue's clinic will surely go bankrupt," Zhu Kai said triumphantly, taking a large gulp of wine.
The three of them sat together, the atmosphere warm and convivial.
"Zhu Kai, don't celebrate too soon. Liu Yue is a physician, after all, and she won't just disappear. However, her status will surely be far less significant than before," Wan Hao always remained calm.
"That's still good. Who told her to target us? This is her own doing."
"We have to thank Xu Hao for this. If it weren't for Xu Hao, we wouldn't know what to do right now," Wan Hao glanced at Lin Xiao Tian.
Lin Xiao Tian quickly waved his hands, indicating it wasn't the case.
"Xu Hao, don't be modest. We know in our hearts that this is all thanks to you. If it weren't for you, we wouldn't know how to survive after offending Liu Yue in Black Rock City. I'll toast you with this drink, consider it my gratitude, Wan Hao, for being willing to help," Wan Hao raised his wine glass towards Lin Xiao Tian.
Lin Xiao Tian wanted to explain. After all, he was the one who implicated the two of them. If it weren't for his situation, they wouldn't have offended Liu Yue.
But Wan Hao interrupted Lin Xiao Tian.
"Xu Hao, you're good at everything, except you're too humble. You must be proud today, or you're not giving me face, brother," Zhu Kai patted his shoulder and raised his wine glass.
Lin Xiao Tian sighed and raised his glass as well.
After several rounds of drinks, Wan Hao and Zhu Kai were somewhat drunk.
Zhu Kai even started talking nonsense. Wan Hao remained relatively lucid, slowly pouring wine for Lin Xiao Tian. Given their relationship, it should have been Lin Xiao Tian pouring for them. Lin Xiao Tian wondered if Wan Hao was being cautious because of his physician status.
Lin Xiao Tian quickly reached out to stop Wan Hao, but Wan Hao didn't pause.
"Xu Hao, I know you have many secrets. If you don't want to talk about them, I will never ask. We are brothers, and I, Wan Hao, promise that I will always keep your matters confidential," Wan Hao looked at Lin Xiao Tian.
Ever since returning from the Academy, Wan Hao had been suspicious of Lin Xiao Tian's identity.
If Lin Xiao Tian were just an ordinary person, Zhu Yu wouldn't have been so nervous. As an experienced veteran, Wan Hao wouldn't have missed such a detail.
Seeing this, Lin Xiao Tian stopped explaining and simply sighed, saying nothing more.
They drank a few more cups, and then Wan Hao also collapsed.
Lin Xiao Tian helped them to bed and then prepared the medicinal herbs for the next day.
They were now operating on a three-day appointment system. Lin Xiao Tian had to prepare the materials needed to enter the forest in advance. Of course, he also had to prepare the prescriptions for the patients who had booked appointments. There was a lot of work to do. Although these tasks didn't put any pressure on Lin Xiao Tian, he still put on a full act to deceive the magic array beneath his feet.
This was a world that devoured people.
Lin Xiao Tian always remembered that.
The night deepened.
Zhu Kai's snores began to rumble.
Lin Xiao Tian yawned slightly and prepared to rest.
Just then, his brow suddenly furrowed.
The next moment, his gaze subtly swept in one direction.
Lin Xiao Tian didn't look for long, immediately shifting his gaze to other directions.
"I almost forgot, I left the herbs outside," Lin Xiao Tian patted his head and walked towards the door.
Black Rock City had no streetlights at night, only the occasional torch of a patrol team. The doorway was pitch black.
Lin Xiao Tian pretended to search for something, but his attention was focused behind him.
Someone was hidden there.
His presence was very subtle; an ordinary Qi Condensation cultivator would never have detected him, even if he were standing only a meter behind Lin Xiao Tian.
Lin Xiao Tian had his back to him, making it easy for the attacker to strike.
But the person didn't move.
Lin Xiao Tian didn't move either.
He had only come out to confirm something, and it seemed he had confirmed it clearly.
The target was him, not Wan Hao or Zhu Kai.
Lin Xiao Tian breathed a sigh of relief.
If it was only directed at him, that was good.
Now, he was missing one piece of information: did the person dare to make a move against him here?
Black Rock City was laced with underground magic arrays. Making a move rashly would easily expose oneself. Those who dared to act in the presence of such arrays were usually one of two types of people.
One was a desperate fugitive, who didn't fear imperial retribution.
The other was someone of status, who wasn't afraid of repercussions and had ways to handle the aftermath.
However, Lin Xiao Tian was a physician.
If it were the latter, their status couldn't be just any ordinary family, otherwise, the empire's retaliation would be severe.
This was also why Liu Yue had been deceiving and exploiting the people of Black Rock City for so long, yet no one had taken action against her.
Lin Xiao Tian waited for a while, but the person still hadn't made a move.
This allowed Lin Xiao Tian to make a decision: the person was not a desperate fugitive, and did have some status, but not enough to dare to oppose the empire.
Even after he entered the house, the person still hadn't made a move.
Instead, a few seconds later, a knock came from the door.
Knock, knock, knock...
"Who is it?"
Lin Xiao Tian opened the door with ease.
At the doorway stood a hunched old man, the very person who had been hiding behind Lin Xiao Tian.
"Physician Lin, my master requests your presence."
"Your master?"
"You should know him. My master's name is Luo Hou."
Lin Xiao Tian frowned.
Luo Hou?
Why was he looking for him?
"It's so late, Captain Luo, is there an urgent matter?"
The old man showed a apologetic expression. "It's like this, my master has fallen gravely ill since returning from the forest last time. It's been getting worse lately. If Physician Lin doesn't come, my master will be in trouble."
Lin Xiao Tian thought for a moment.
Luo Hou had fallen out with Liu Yue. If he was sick, it was normal for him to seek Lin Xiao Tian.
However, the old man had secretly stood behind him just now, and it couldn't be as simple as just looking for him.
If Luo Hou was truly so ill, he would have sent for Lin Xiao Tian immediately.
Lin Xiao Tian felt a sense of unease.
Could it be that the person had seen through his identity?
"It's too late tonight, how about tomorrow? I still have many things to deal with," Lin Xiao Tian was now a physician, and his words carried more weight.
"This... Physician Lin, this illness is rather difficult to speak of. My master does not wish for it to be discovered. I have specifically come to invite you tonight," the old man continued.