Chapter 74: Mainline Mission
Tongguan and the others had finally recovered from the burning, gnawing pain in their chests and had left the street they had come from.
Every step they took now felt completely unfamiliar. Emerging from the shadowed alley, they found themselves on a wide, open street.
Shops, tea houses, and restaurants lined both sides, though all the doors were firmly closed.
What startled Tongguan most was that every household along this street still had couplets on the doors and red lanterns hanging outside.
His shoulders ached slightly. While adjusting the rope loops on his back, he discreetly glanced at the young rider behind him.
"From what I can tell, these people probably aren't ghosts. They seem more like a force deliberately trying to lead us somewhere," he whispered to Yu Guo walking beside him.
Yu Guo, still thinking over the situation, quietly replied after observing another street shrouded in the strange red-and-white affair:
"Seems this group holds considerable local influence."
"Silence!"
The young rider shouted sharply, cutting off the conversation. Tongguan frowned, a hint of displeasure in his gaze.
He had tolerated this rider all along and suspected he was most likely just a human, though somehow they had been poisoned or manipulated.
Tongguan's mind raced, thinking through the source of the problem and possible solutions. Gradually, he glanced slightly to the side and rear.
The solution wasn't difficult: killing the rider would be the simplest approach.
Fang Shenyan straightened his back, one hand gripping the rope loop tightly while the other rested near his waist, where a dagger lay. He was only two steps from the young rider.
With the right timing, he was confident he could end him instantly.
But Yu Guo, glancing at Tongguan and then casually at Fang Shenyan behind, shook his head. Acting now wouldn't be wise.
The priority was to adapt and determine the true direction of the mission. The hotel had only instructed them to survive 48 hours. Everything else remained unknown. Based on previous missions, they needed to find the mission's main thread.
Otherwise, relying solely on human strength would be a guaranteed defeat.
"Thump… thump… thump!"
At that moment, faint tapping came from inside the coffin. The sound gradually grew faster and louder.
The four shop sraff froze, exchanging uneasy glances.
The young rider seemed uninterested in the coffin's movements and continued urging them forward.
Fang Shenyan's hand tightened on the dagger. He could endure this for the sake of the mission, but if real danger emerged from the coffin, he would not hesitate to act.
Tongguan's face darkened as he lightly touched the cold coffin lid, feeling the tremor inside. He, too, could no longer restrain himself.
A glint of cold steel appeared in Fang Shenyan's eyes. He had drawn most of the blade, and the rope on his shoulder began to loosen. Through his dark-rimmed glasses, he fixed his gaze on the rider's profile, preparing to act.
Suddenly, a panicked scream erupted from the coffin:
"Big Brother Tang! Fang Shenyan! Where are you… can you hear me?"
"Tao Xiaoyi!"
Yu Guo nearly lifted the coffin lid in excitement but paused. He had long suspected something was off inside the coffin. He hadn't expected Tao Xiaoyi, missing all this time, to have been placed inside.
Tongguan and the others quickly scanned their surroundings but saw no sign of Ji Li.
It was likely that Ji Li was inside the bridal sedan, while Tao Xiaoyi had been placed in the coffin.
Since they were at the front, carrying the coffin, they hadn't had the opportunity to observe the rear closely.
The limited space around them created blind spots, unlike Ji Li, who had a far-reaching view. Tongguan was still quite shocked that Tao Xiaoyi had somehow ended up inside the coffin.
"Don't linger! We're almost there—move faster!"
The young rider urged them forward again, but this time seemed aware that Tongguan and the others were communicating quietly with each other. For once, he refrained from shaking the brass bells hanging behind him.
Once he confirmed everyone was present, Tongguan gave Fang Shenyan a glance, signaling him to hold off on any rash action.
Fang Shenyan, hearing Tao Xiaoyi's movements inside the coffin, hesitated slightly. If it weren't for the rider's ability to neutralize the shop sraff and pose such a severe threat, he would have followed along willingly. After all, the destination ahead likely held the key to the mission's mainline and might explain the reason behind the red-and-white clash.
Yu Guo, turning his eyes, lightly tapped the coffin lid and spoke in a calm, deep voice: "Don't worry. We're almost there. Rest a little while, stay calm."
"Bullshit! Why don't you come in and lie down too!" Tao Xiaoyi's muffled, irritated voice came from inside, showing just how tense she was after being shoved into the coffin the moment she opened her eyes.
Yu Guo, naturally even-tempered, didn't get angry. He readjusted the rope loops on his back and continued forward in silence. Tongguan and the others also said nothing more.
The procession kept moving forward, led by the rider, gradually reaching deeper into the city.
The road ahead widened, and the surroundings opened up. A large mansion appeared before them.
Tongguan's spirits lifted. The mansion still exuded a Republic-era feel. Its beams and painted eaves were simple rather than elaborate, giving a sense of age and stability.
Two stone lions guarded the gate, half-obscured in the darkness. The courtyard was empty, the mansion's doors wide open as if waiting for their arrival.
"Alright, set the coffin down," the rider said, leaping off his horse and handing the reins to a nearby figure in white.
The person led the horse down an alley beside the mansion, which seemed to be part of the estate. Tongguan carefully lowered the coffin to the ground. Yu Guo opened the lid, allowing the long-confined Tao Xiaoyi to emerge.
From a closer view, Tongguan noticed the mansion's sign above the gate, written in sweeping characters: 'Li Mansion'.
As they paused, the rider waved his hand, and the white-robed figures dispersed. Carrying their belongings, a few took the coffin and moved it to an alley beside the mansion.
Tongguan was stunned. The rider then stopped in front of the five of them, slightly bowing.
"Please, five of you, come in. The madam has been waiting for you a long time."
"Five of us?"
Tongguan felt a chill. The rider's tone had clearly shifted, though he couldn't discern why. What he said made even less sense—they were six people.
Fang Shenyan, frowning in suspicion, glanced back. His eyes nearly widened in disbelief.
The white-robed attendants were tidying up the scattered funeral items, but the red-robed wedding party had completely vanished.
It was as if they had never existed—including the strange bridal sedan and even Ji Li himself.
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