Chapter 1237: Full of Loopholes
Xiao Ran walked out of Qinglong's room and, after turning left, took a full forty or fifty steps before finally seeing the so-called “third door.”
It seemed every room here was enormous, unlike any of the rooms she had passed along the way.
But since Qinglong had been quite vague just now, Xiao Ran hadn't asked for details. Now she noticed that there were doors on both the left and right sides of the corridor.
Counting from Qinglong's room, both doors could be considered the third. From the outside, they looked exactly the same, making it impossible to tell which one housed “She.”
Xiao Ran glanced left and right. Since she couldn't determine it from the outside, she would have to knock and find out.
After all, she represented Qinglong. Even these so-called “Celestials” had to show her some respect.
She went to the door on the right and knocked. She clearly heard movement inside, but no one came to open the door for a long time.
A few seconds later, she knocked again, this time with noticeably more irritation in her knocking.
The sound inside gradually stopped, as if the person was listening carefully to what was happening outside.
“Is anyone in there?” Xiao Ran called out. “If someone's there, open the door. Qinglong has a message for you.”
After a few seconds, heavy footsteps sounded from inside, step by step approaching the door. Then the handle turned, and the door opened just a crack.
Xiao Ran squinted and peered through the gap. It was pitch black inside. She thought no one was there, but the next second she suddenly noticed a fat man pressing his face into the crack, startling her.
“Ah…”
She stepped back but quickly recovered, putting on an angry expression.
“Who are you? Do you know who I—”
“Across from you,” the fat man said in a low voice.
“…Huh?”
“Tianshe is across the hall,” the man said again. “You knocked on the wrong door.”
With that, he stepped back and was about to close the door. Xiao Ran was quick to react and pushed against it.
“Wait… what do you mean?” Xiao Ran was taken aback. “I never said I was looking for Tianshe, did I? I'm here to deliver a message from Qinglong. What's with your attitude?”
The man lifted his head and glanced at Xiao Ran again. “Stop bluffing. Go knock on the door across the way.”
“You…” Xiao Ran found herself speechless. “Who are you? Are you a staff member here?”
The fat man stared at her and said in a deep voice, “Don't be stupid. Every door you knock on here will only lead you to a ‘Celestial-level.'”
“Celestial-level… What's so great about Celestial-level…” Xiao Ran said, slightly lacking confidence. “Qinglong sent me…”
“I wouldn't recommend lying even after you knock on that door across the way,” the man said. “Your usual tricks won't work here.”
With that, he stepped back and closed the door, falling silent.
“What an attitude…”
Xiao Ran muttered to herself, then spat toward the man's door. She turned around and stood in front of the opposite door.
Bang, bang, bang, bang!
Still annoyed by the fat man, she knocked much harder than before.
After a moment, footsteps sounded from inside. A man with messy hair and thick glasses pulled the door open.
Seeing that face, Xiao Ran felt even more confused.
Qinglong had insisted she “go find the Celestial-level,” but both people who had opened their doors so far were either a reclusive fat man or a nearsighted shut-in. Was this really okay?
Even if this person really was Tianshe, the sense of pressure he gave off was far weaker than that of Dishe.
“Sorry… what did you say?” Tianshe pushed up his glasses and asked.
“I…” Xiao Ran paused, speaking irritably, “Qinglong told me to give you a message. Open the door.”
Tianshe stared into Xiao Ran's eyes for a long moment, then slowly opened the door.
Xiao Ran walked in unceremoniously and looked around the room. The sight startled her.
The room was quite large, filled with all kinds of strange tables, chairs, and benches. Bloody knives hung on the walls.
But what terrified Xiao Ran the most was the sheer number of people in the room. They stood rigidly against the walls, staring straight ahead with blank faces.
It was as though in this room, “people” were the “walls.”
“Did Qinglong really say that…?” Tianshe asked thoughtfully, then began to size up Xiao Ran.
“What are you talking about?” Xiao Ran turned back with a disdainful look. “What do you mean ‘did Qinglong really say that'? I haven't even told you yet. Are all you ‘Celestial-levels' this stupid?”
Tianshe's thoughts had already drifted far away. The thoughts in this woman's mind were vastly different from Wu Xuan's back in the day.
Wu Xuan had possessed pure thoughts. Even without being insane, she could execute exquisite celestial arts. That was why she was worthy of bearing multiple celestial arts and becoming Xuanwu.
But this woman's mind was too chaotic.
Once someone like this lost her senses, only pure malice would remain in her mind. It would be very difficult for her to obey Qinglong.
“I'm talking to you!” Xiao Ran saw Tianshe spacing out and waved her hand in front of his face. “What are you daydreaming about?”
“I…” Tianshe snapped back to reality. “Sorry, I'm not used to listening to people.”
“But you can't just pretend I don't exist.” Xiao Ran pointed a finger at Tianshe's nose. “Ignoring me is the same as ignoring Qinglong. Do you understand?”
Tianshe shook his head helplessly. “Don't pin that label on me.”
“Listen up.” Xiao Ran didn't care and continued, “Qinglong told me to tell you…”
Tianshe stared into Xiao Ran's eyes, his brow furrowing. Could it be that someone who came to his room didn't know he could read minds? Would Qinglong really make such an absurd decision?
Besides, he had already known her thoughts. He had expected her to tell the truth, but something interesting happened.
“Qinglong told me to tell you… ‘This woman standing before you represents me. For now, you will follow her orders.'”
After that sentence, Tianshe fell visibly silent.
This matter was far too bizarre, forcing him to carefully consider Qinglong's intentions.
Qinglong was already striking out against the various Celestial-levels because of his foul mood. If he misjudged Qinglong's intentions now, he might very well be the next Tianzhu.
But handing over such a flawed experimental subject and telling him “I look forward to a masterpiece”—what exactly did that mean?
Tianshe felt he knew Qinglong quite well, but this time, he simply couldn't figure it out.
“What's wrong with you?” Xiao Ran frowned. “You don't listen to people, and now you can't even talk?”
“Oh…” Tianshe paused. “No, go on.”
He walked over, pulled out a chair, sat down, and stared thoughtfully at the woman before him.