Chapter 2471: The Wan Clan
Given the Wan family's reputation, even if they didn't pay people themselves, there would likely be those willing to protect them voluntarily. With so many players passing through Mao Guo Town, accidents sometimes happen, so being wary of passing players is understandable.
Xu Huo didn't need to sneak into the Wan residence. He bought some gifts nearby and prepared to visit openly.
He contacted the Wan family through the gatekeeper, and surprisingly, they didn't outright reject his meeting request. Instead, they arranged for a young man to come out and receive him.
During their conversation, Xu Huo learned that this person was also an adopted child of the Wan family, considered part of the fourth generation. The young man informed Xu Huo in advance that the person receiving them would be from the grandfather generation—by household relations, the young man's great-uncle. Currently, most guests were received by this great-uncle.
The young man was very polite and specifically emphasized to Xu Huo that the great-grandfather wasn't intentionally neglecting guests but had been ill for a long time and hadn't received visitors for many years.
"I didn't expect you to be so hospitable," Xu Huo said.
For someone like him who showed up uninvited, even if the Wan family was polite, they wouldn't normally reveal their household situation, let alone worry that a guest might misunderstand because the eldest elder couldn't appear and then explain.
The young man smiled without speaking, showing no impatience toward an outsider.
The three of them arrived together at the Wan family villa. Opening the door revealed a lively courtyard.
"There's a newborn in the family, so it's a bit busy. Please don't mind, guest." The young man led Xu Huo and the others through the courtyard and into a small living room inside.
No sooner had they sat down than the young man's great-uncle came out. The man, who appeared to be in his forties or fifties, had a very aged voice. He invited Xu Huo and the others to sit, first explaining the reason for the household's noise, apologizing, and then asking what business they had here.
The Wan family had a good reputation, and the townspeople seemed exceptionally sincere, so Xu Huo didn't beat around the bush. He directly asked for information related to the instance.
The Wan family had lived here for a long time; they couldn't possibly be unfamiliar with the local instance situation.
Old Mr. Wan hesitated for a moment before saying, "I've heard of the instance you mentioned. In fact, many people have come to ask about it before. But even if we tell you the clearance methods we know, they won't be of much use. Basically, no second person has been able to replicate success."
In other words, there was absolutely no ready-made clearance guide available.
Xu Huo needed some reference material and very much wanted to hear the Wan family's description of the instance, so he continued to press for details about the clearance strategies.
Old Mr. Wan had just started explaining two clearance methods when someone came in from outside to call him. He said, "Excuse me for a moment," and went outside. After a brief conversation, he returned to the living room.
"I'm really sorry. The child in the family was just brought back, and the younger generation asked me to come see the baby," he said. "Mr. Xu, if you're not in a hurry, you can sit here for a while. I'll be back shortly."
They had just encountered the nanny going to fetch clothes earlier; they hadn't expected the child to be born so quickly.
As a guest, Xu Huo naturally followed the host's arrangements. After Old Mr. Wan left, the young man appeared again and said they could take a walk in the courtyard if they wished.
Throughout the Wan residence, except for the master bedroom, all other areas were transparent, with no special items or instruments set up. In a district that placed great emphasis on privacy, this situation was actually rare. Because technology was advanced, these small privacy-related instruments weren't expensive, and the government sometimes even distributed them for free. The Wan family was all celebrating the birth of the newborn. The decision to host a banquet for guests had been made earlier, but the preparations weren't complete yet. To show sincerity, the Wan family didn't use electronic invitations but wrote each one by hand.
Xu Huo glanced at the invitations laid aside, already written. It seemed that besides some local residents, there were also people from Cat Pupil City.
"Does the Wan family have relatives in Cat Pupil City?" he asked casually.
The young man was slightly surprised but still briefly explained. The Wan family's ancestors originally lived in Cat Pupil City. Before the evolution of District 001, they moved to Mao Guo Town. Cat Pupil City was considered the Wan family's hometown. After such a long time, the Wan family had basically settled here, but they still kept in touch with relatives, though they didn't meet often. This was a major family event, so it was only proper to invite them.
This was information not found in those materials.
Not long after, Old Mr. Wan came out. There was still a smile on his face. He enthusiastically told Xu Huo about the newborn's condition and mentioned that the family hadn't had a child born in a long time. Not only would they hold a banquet, but they would also inform all the town's residents.
The Wan family still held great prestige in Mao Guo Town. The townspeople had been discussing the impending birth of the Wan family's child, mostly offering blessings and thinking about what gifts to prepare. From time to time, people came to inquire about the situation. Now that the child was born, the Wan family naturally had to notify them.
Those who learned the news quickly had already come to deliver gifts.
They weren't expensive gifts—homemade snacks or crafts, some small pets they raised, or a bouquet of flowers, a few towels.
The Wan family had dedicated people to collect these items. Both sides were warm and humble, with no unpleasant incidents. When manpower was insufficient, some neighbors would come out to help, including players living there.
These people weren't surprised by the strangers appearing in the villa. Some even took the initiative to greet Xu Huo and the Painting Woman.
Through conversation, Xu Huo learned that many of them had received favors from the Wan family. They weren't earth-shattering favors—just everyday matters, like helping find a suitable teacher, recommending a shop to learn a craft, giving a child a new name... Whether ordinary people or players, everyone appearing near the Wan family villa was filled with trust in the Wan family.
Xu Huo noticed that the two players who had been outside the residential area earlier had come in. They weren't too far away, deliberately letting him and the Painting Woman spot them, then staring intently, as if warning and pressuring.
This was a reminder that they should leave.
Xu Huo looked at the gifts placed in the courtyard. Many of them contained Cat Whisker Fruits. This item had almost become a symbol indispensable in every aspect of the town residents' lives.
Xu Huo left behind the gifts he had brought and even received two invitations. In three days, they would hold a banquet for the child. Arriving early was better than arriving late; he had also been invited.
When he walked out of the villa area, Bubble Bean and Ling Ling were already waiting. Seeing him come out, Bubble Bean immediately asked, "Did you find any clues?"
"Not yet for now." Xu Huo put the invitations into the Painting Woman's backpack. "But in three days, I'm going to the Wan family feast."
"Have you chosen your target?" Bubble Bean immediately understood that he was setting his sights on the Wan family. Many of the town residents' crafts had been transported by players, which clearly couldn't serve as a clearance method. If Xu Huo was going to make a move on the Wan family, it had to be for a unique target.