OBS Chapter 184 Zhu Erdan, that old fox
Chapter 184 Zhu Erdan, that old fox
Several ghost messengers were gathered together, chatting and laughing. Out of the corner of their eyes, they caught sight of Princess Achu walking gracefully towards them. They were instantly startled and their relaxed expressions tensed up. They hurriedly bowed and paid their respects.
One of the slightly bolder ghost guards, with a fawning smile, asked, "Your Highness, perhaps you weren't satisfied with the story we told you yesterday, so you've come again today?"
Princess Achu nodded seriously, her face scrutinizing her, and replied in a pretentious tone, "I just heard you say yesterday that when Zhu Erdan first stepped into Fengdu, the two lords, Black and White Impermanence, appeared, and you were so frightened that you didn't dare to continue. Tell me, are you just making up stories to fool me?"
Upon hearing this, the ghost messengers panicked and shook their heads vigorously. One of them quickly waved his hand and explained, "Your Highness, please don't misunderstand! Lord Zhu is our superior. How could we dare to gossip in front of our superior?"
We've told you the truth. If even a single lie is told, may Judge Lu catch us slacking off and chatting, and we'll be severely punished!
Princess Achu, whose face had been tense, couldn't help but chuckle upon hearing this. She quickly regained her composure, putting on a stern expression, and said, "That oath is quite venomous; I'll believe you for now. Now, tell me, how exactly did that Zhu Erdan become so exceptionally intelligent?"
One of the ghost messengers scratched his head, looking embarrassed, and mumbled in response: "Your Highness, I have only heard that when Lord Zhu was first summoned by the underworld, he did indeed look rather dull and dazed."
But how exactly he became so smart, the younger ones really didn't know. After all, it was too strange, and we hadn't been able to find out any definite information.
Yuan Bao listened quietly to the side, thinking to himself, "Well, this princess really is childish; she couldn't wait to hear half of the story."
Judging from this, are they planning to go directly to Zhu Erdan himself?
Who would have thought that, the moment the thought crossed her mind, Princess Achu grabbed Yuan Bao's arm and rushed off toward where Zhu Erdan was.
At that moment, Zhu Erdan was engrossed in his work, his brush moving across the documents without even looking up. He said in a cold voice, “Your Highness, the Signatory Office is a crucial place in Fengdu. If there is nothing urgent, I hope you will find another place to relax.”
Upon hearing this, Princess Achu immediately stepped forward angrily, her expression serious, and said solemnly, "Zhu Erdan, of course I have important matters to discuss with you. How can you make unfounded assumptions and think that I came here to stroll around and play?"
Upon hearing this, Zhu Erdan, though his face was full of doubt, still stood up respectfully out of courtesy, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed.
Princess Achu pursed her lips slightly and, without any preamble, said directly, "I have heard a very interesting story."
The story goes that there was once a person who was as stupid as a pig, but overnight, he transformed into a clever person who was even more cunning than a monkey…
As she spoke, she kept a close eye on Zhu Erdan's expression, trying to catch a glimpse of anything unusual on his face.
Upon hearing this, Zhu Erdan remained calm and composed, replying, "Your Highness, this is merely a story made up by the common people when they have nothing better to do. It should not be taken seriously."
"I have many official duties to attend to and am truly unable to spare the time to entertain Your Highness. I hope Your Highness will understand..."
As he spoke, he bowed slightly, making a gesture as if to see the guest off.
Princess Achu was secretly annoyed. She had already suspected that the story was related to Zhu Erdan, but when she asked him about it, he brushed her off with a few words.
Feeling unwilling to give up, she rolled her eyes and pretended to leave with Yuan Bao.
As soon as they stepped out of the signing office, Princess Achu quickly used her invisibility spell, pulled Yuan Bao back silently, and whispered in Yuan Bao's ear, "Let's stay here and keep watch. I don't believe he can keep up the act forever. He'll have to slip up sooner or later!"
The two men, now invisible, stepped back into the signing office. Zhu Erdan was muttering to himself as he hurriedly walked towards the door, completely unaware of the two men hiding behind him.
Ignoring the departing Zhu Erdan, the two continued deeper into the signing office, filled with curiosity.
Unexpectedly, after taking only two steps, a soft "click" was heard, as if some hidden mechanism had been triggered.
Immediately afterwards, three faintly glowing circles suddenly appeared on the originally flat ground, appearing particularly eerie in the dim environment.
Princess Achu's expression changed slightly upon seeing this. She quickly moved closer to Yuan Bao and whispered a reminder: "This must be a trap set by Zhu Erdan. We must not be careless. You must hold your breath and make sure he doesn't notice our presence!"
Yuan Bao stared intently at the constantly flashing and shifting light within the circle of light, her mind racing. Relying on her past experience and keen intuition, she was certain that the key to solving this mechanism likely lay hidden in the changes in these lights. Perhaps standing in the circle of light in a specific order would resolve the crisis.
Thinking of this, Yuan Bao took a deep breath, his gaze fixed on the halo, intently capturing the rhythm of the light's leaps.
When the time was right, she decisively lifted her foot and steadily stepped into the corresponding light circle.
In an instant, a slight sound of gears turning could be heard, and the previously terrifying mechanism was successfully solved.
As the mechanism was solved, a crack slowly appeared in the ground, revealing a delicate little wooden box.
Upon seeing this, Princess Achu's eyes lit up instantly, and she clapped her hands excitedly and laughed loudly, "Haha, I, the princess, will crown you as the smartest person in Fengdu! You're amazing! Quickly, let's see what secrets that old fox Zhu Erdan is hiding."
Upon hearing Princess Achu's praise, Yuan Bao's lips curled up slightly, and he thought to himself, "In this Fengdu, apart from demons and monsters, where are there any real 'people'? My title of 'the smartest person' is easily and truly deserved! Haha!"
Princess Achu, filled with curiosity, eagerly reached out and opened the wooden box.
In an instant, the scene inside the box came into view: a heart that was still beating slightly, vividly alive, with clearly visible blood vessels and veins, exuding an eerie aura.
"Ah!" Princess Achu exclaimed softly involuntarily at first, then her eyebrows furrowed and she said angrily, "How could there be a heart in this box? Zhu Erdan is deliberately trying to scare us! Humph! He's mistaken. This princess is not afraid of anything, how could I be scared by this thing?"
As soon as she finished speaking, Princess Achu's gaze was drawn to the faint light and shadow appearing on her heart. Upon closer inspection, she discovered that they were fragmented pieces of memories.
She couldn't help but frown, and exclaimed softly, "Huh? These memories really are Zhu Erdan's? This is too unbelievable!"
Princess Achu has always had a strong desire to explore stories, and she cannot tolerate knowing only half of them.
She skillfully pulled a round mirage pearl from her bosom. The mirage pearl emitted a soft blue light, mysterious and enchanting.
Princess Achu looked confident, a smile playing on her lips, and said, "When I listen to a story, I never listen to only half of it."
"Today, I must uncover Zhu Erdan's secret!" With that, she grasped the Mirage Pearl, and a burst of blue light instantly engulfed Yuan Bao, plunging him into Zhu Erdan's memories.