# Chapter 1708: Not Seeking Peace After Death
Xu Huo walked past the spots the tour guide had explained, eating bread as he moved forward. Along the way, he passed several small shops bearing the Suo Lan logo and visited each one.
The locals all talked about interesting stories from Suo Lan's childhood. Regardless of whether the details had been embellished, these stories showed that Suo Lan was a precocious person with strong opinions and independent thinking. Even in her childhood, she was not easily influenced by her environment and firmly believed in herself.
This place was originally a retirement town. The layout within the town had been carefully designed, and the colors on the houses were mostly chosen to lift people's spirits. During her teenage years, Suo Lan liked to doodle and paint, which naturally brought her plenty of scoldings. But these things didn't seem like much now. When people recalled those events, they only remembered the amusing sight of Suo Lan being caught, apologizing, and then helping restore the walls. There were also neighbors who, feeling sorry for her as a child, would offer to help with the work, but in reality, they were just preparing tools for her next painting session — a bittersweet memory.
There weren't many young people or children in the town. Following the locals' directions, Xu Huo arrived at Suo Lan's former residence.
It was now covered by a protective barrier, allowing only external viewing. Some interior furnishings that couldn't be seen could be supplemented through holographic projections.
When he arrived, three other players were circling the house. One long-haired man was even using a prop to test whether he could break the barrier, earning himself a warning.
The nearby residents were used to this scene. After all, over the past decade or more, everyone searching for the painting had wanted to get inside the house, which was why the barrier outside had been reinforced repeatedly.
"Just look from outside," an old lady passing by said to the long-haired man. "Don't damage the house."
The long-haired man quickly nodded, smiling broadly. "I accidentally touched it. Ma'am, can we only look at Master Suo Lan's former residence from outside? I'm a tourist from another region, here with a tour group specifically to visit."
"It used to be open to enter," the old lady said, still a bit angry. "A few years ago, some clueless people kept prying up floorboards and tearing at walls. Not only did everyone have to make repairs, but they also broke many of little Suo Lan's childhood toys. Now we simply don't allow anyone inside."
"Honestly, I don't know how these people's brains work. If the Ember Maiden were in little Suo Lan's home, would we not know? Many people in this town watched her grow up. Do we not know what paintings she made? We've said there isn't one, so there isn't. Go look somewhere else."
The old lady waved her hand and left. She lived not far away, in the third small house across the street.
The other three players, seeing no results, exchanged glances and left separately. Xu Huo arrived later and walked around Suo Lan's former residence. He could tell that some of the interior furnishings were newly replaced. Although they had tried their best to replicate the styles from decades ago, there were obvious differences from the photos published on the Message Collection Terminal. Many spots on the walls and floor had also been replaced, making the whole house look half old and half new.
Probably because they couldn't completely stop those searching for the painting from damaging the house, the townspeople hadn't bothered to fully restore it to its original state. From these traces, it was impossible for the "Ember Maiden" to be hidden in this house or underground.
Standing at the entrance for a moment, Xu Huo headed toward the old lady's house he had just passed.
The old lady lived alone. She was currently preparing dinner — because there wasn't much physical labor required, many ordinary residents in District 019 preferred to spend their time cooking. Many dishes here required long cooking times.
Xu Huo knocked on the door, stating that he wanted a place to sit for a while and offering to help trim the flowers and plants in her yard.
On the ground in the yard were handheld pruning shears and other tools. The lush flowering trees had only been one-third trimmed, and the cut branches hadn't been cleaned up.
The old lady's somewhat impatient voice came through the all-system device. "Come in then, but don't touch my flowers and plants."
The yard gate opened automatically. Xu Huo crossed the small yard and entered the main house. A robot poured him a glass of water and invited him to sit down.
District 019's technology could already make lifelike robots very close to real humans, but the household robots used in this town were mostly old models. Some didn't even have lifelike skin, leaving mechanical parts exposed. The one in the old lady's house was this type.
After marinating and storing the food she would eat for dinner, the old lady finally came out. "Everything you want to know can be found on the Message Collection Terminal. I don't have any more information to tell you. Instead of bothering us old folks, why not look somewhere else?"
Xu Huo smiled. "Ma'am, please don't be angry. Although I'm also very interested in the 'Ember Maiden,' I'm more eager to learn about Master Suo Lan's past. I've traveled through many districts and have never seen such a genius. It's a pity she's no longer alive, otherwise I would definitely find a way to visit her."
The old lady had lived through many years and was unimpressed by his words. Instead, she said, "Many people say the same thing, but they all know what they're really after. I really don't understand why little Suo Lan had to say such things before she died. Because of that painting, even her grave can't find peace."
"Master Suo Lan was a very unique person," Xu Huo said. "I've noticed that most of her paintings emphasize emotion. Compared to refined machine-made paintings, her works can evoke people's feelings more effectively. District 019 has advanced technology, and machines have replaced most manual labor, but her paintings can awaken people from this cold, command-based relationship. That should be why she's unparalleled in the world."
"The controversy over her paintings lasted for decades, yet she specifically mentioned the 'Ember Maiden' on her deathbed. Perhaps she wanted people to find this painting."
A secret only remains a secret when it's taken to the grave. If the "Ember Maiden" painting truly existed, it wouldn't have been something Suo Lan painted after falling severely ill. Her deathbed instructions were very logical and not the ramblings of a confused mind. So she deliberately chose this time to make public the painting, using her own death to push the "Ember Maiden" into a storm of public opinion.
Naturally, her purpose was unknown for now. It could be a genius painter's prank, or a deliberate attempt to create a climax for her life. Of course, there were many other possibilities. But regardless of the reason, by making public this painting, she naturally wanted people to find it, and she believed this matter outweighed the peace of her afterlife.
"What you said makes sense." The old lady seemed to be reminiscing. "Little Suo Lan was very intelligent. None of the children who lived here before could match her."
"I noticed there are almost no young people in this town. Did everyone who grew up with Master Suo Lan move away?"
(Chapter End)