Spirit Hotel

Upon entering the room, Shamal couldn"t wait anymore and immediately headed for the toilet.

Feisha held onto the door frame of the toilet and looked around before asking with concern, "Are you okay?" He"d heard that a vegetarian monk eating meat for the first time would vomit and have diarrhea. It would be even more pitiful than eating croutons. Was Shamal having symptoms like this?

He saw that Shamal was only kneeling on the floor, wiping something, but just when he felt relieved, Shamal stood up and leaned forward to throw up. Feisha rapidly responded by pulling a long strip of toilet paper, pa.s.sing it to Shamal while stroking his back.

The smell of the vomitted meat filled up the entire toilet. It was a very greasy smell and it smelled as though some leftover pig oil had been left out for several days, causing Feisha"s stomach to feel uncomfortable and he felt the urge to vomit too.

Shamal probably couldn"t throw up anymore. He panted while he took the toilet paper from Feisha, standing up slowly and pressing the b.u.t.ton to flush. He leaned against the basin, weakly waving his hand and said, "Go and pack our luggages. We"re leaving now."

Feisha reached out to support Shamal"s trembling body and said, "You"re like this and you still want to leave?"

"It"s exactly because of this that I want to go. Who knows what other things he might do next." The meat dishes for tonight"s dinner were appetizers, a prelude, a warning. You didn"t need to think too hard to know that what was coming next would be even more exciting.

Feisha felt that Jesse was innocent. "Today"s dishes were prepared by Geikie. It has nothing to do with Jesse." Was this considered giving a dog a bad name and then hanging him? (1)

"But he refused to change the dishes."

"We"re part of the Witch Clan now. The Witch Clan eating dishes that the Witch Clan likes… isn"t that very normal? If he had rejected it, then that would be weird." Feisha felt that Shamal was too prejudiced. "After all, you changed the dishes after that and he didn"t stop you."

Shamal looked very wronged and hung his head, not saying a word.

Feisha tried to probe further, "Do you have very high expectations of him?" Don"t tell him that just now, Shamal believed without a doubt that Jesse would remove anything he hated for him before he even needed to say a word?

Shamal was stunned. He quickly realized what Feisha was talking about, but this awareness made his stomach churn again. This wasn"t a physiological response, but a subconscious response to something in his heart. This time, when he threw up, it was mostly gastric acid because there was nothing much left in his stomach.

Feisha said, "Do you want something to eat from the kitchen?"

Shamal replied, "No need. How can someone on a diet eat two consecutive meals in one night?"

Feisha sighed. The bad thing about lying was that once you started, then you had to continue lying without pause, like a s...o...b..ll growing bigger as it rolled down a hill, until the truth came out (2).

"Are you going to help me?" Shamal looked at him. His eyes and voice were full of pleading.

Feisha wavered. Logic told him that Jesse"s decision was the right one. By making that choice, the possibility that things would turn out well was the greatest. But Shamal"s misgivings weren"t without reason. If the reverse happened, if he was fooled by someone until his head was spinning and in the end, even his dignity was thrown onto the floor for anyone to step on, he would surely act in extreme ways. If he didn"t seize a chance to chop that person into seventeen or eighteen pieces, he won"t even dare to lift his head and look at anyone.

He thought for a while and said, "It"s best if we discuss this matter with Antonio and the others. I can"t decide by myself."

Shamal said, "Then, later, you must help me." This was his real motive. He never expected Feisha to make the final decision.

Feisha sighed and said, "We"ll see."

According to his calculations, Antonio likely wouldn"t agree. During this rescue mission, he and Asa belonged to the "enthusiastic" camp. Right before their eyes was the best chance to approach their goal. It didn"t make sense they would just abandon it. On the other hand, Locktini was likely to help his younger brother. But if this was the case, then Feisha became the tie-breaking vote again.

Feisha felt very gloomy. Being the mastermind was not as glorious as it was in his imagination.

Shamal didn"t think so much. He first urged Feisha to look out to check if the coast was clear. Once they were sure there wasn"t anyone around, he grabbed Feisha immediately and ran to knock on the neighboring door.

He had only knocked three times but it felt like three years had pa.s.sed. With great difficulty, the door finally opened. Shamal rushed in like he was a refugee escaping disasters.

After the door was closed, he was still a bundle of nerves as he asked, "No one saw, right?"

Feisha looked at him unpleasantly. "Please, we"re here to talk business. It"s not like we"re here to have a s.e.x party. What are you nervous about?"
[T/n: "party" was in English in the text lol]

The other three all stared at him. Obviously they didn"t appreciate his humor.

Feisha laughed dryly and said, "I only wanted to make the atmosphere livelier."

Antonio turned his head to ask Shamal. "What business?"

Shamal carefully observed their expressions and then lowered his voice to say, "I want to leave tonight."

There was silence.

"Good." Locktini was the first to break the silence.

"Not good." Antonio immediately opposed.

Very good. This was all within his predictions, but he wasn"t happy at all, Feisha thought silently.

Thus, the tie-breaker vote fell to him, as he had expected, just like the time when they had discussed whether they should rescue Gin and Hughes.

Faced with three pairs of menacing eyes, Feisha maintained his composure. He could quickly get used to this kind of things. He said, "First, we have to look at this issue rationally and objectively."

Upon hearing this, Shamal felt anxious. "Ai, didn"t we discuss this already just now? Why are you contradicting yourself now?"
[T/n: "ai" is a sound that expresses disappointment/surprise/impatience]

Feisha said "Just now, I said, "We"ll see". So right now, aren"t I looking at the pros and cons of this issue?"

Shamal stared at him unwillingly. His expression said he felt so wronged.

"The first thing we need to consider is: after leaving this place, where will we go?" Feisha a.n.a.lyzed, "Once we leave without saying anything, Jesse will likely immediately become hostile towards us. At that time, we"ll be like wanted criminals of the entire Crystal City. As far as I know, wanted criminals turning into 007 in a short time is a very difficult matter."

Locktini frowned and asked, "Who is 007?"

Feisha replied, "Eh, a secret agent, a very difficult-to-deal-with secret agent. But this is not the main point. What I mean is, once we become wanted criminals, trying to find any information about Gin and Hughes" whereabouts will be very difficult. It might be very hard to even protect ourselves. First, we don"t know anyone here. Second, two fists will have difficulty fighting four fists. When the time comes, the missing list on Noah"s Ark might gain three more people." Locktini wasn"t from Noah"s Ark, so he didn"t count.

Locktini lightly snorted.

Shamal refuted, "Even if we stay here, we might not be able to find information about Gin and Hughes" whereabouts. And even if we do find out something, we won"t know if it"s a trap."

Antonio said, "Talk about what you plan to do after leaving."

Shamal choked. His head was full of thoughts about escaping Jesse"s evil clutches. Who had time to think about plans?

Locktini was deep in thought. Obviously, those words hadn"t convinced Shamal. But, unexpectedly, they had moved Locktini. "And if Jesse wants revenge?"

Feisha spread his hands, "We"re already reached this stage. We can only continue on and see what happens. At least the worst case would be fleeing from danger. But before we flee, if we can fight, then we should just fight."

The other three fell silent.

Shamal wanted to speak a few times, yet he couldn"t find a good reason to refute Feisha. Everything that Feisha had said was a fact. To be honest, the moment they had met Jesse, they had already fallen into a powerless position.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

Feisha and Shamal were both startled. Antonio and Locktini stared at each other.

Antonio opened the door.

It was Jesse.

Shamal subconsciously moved behind Locktini.

"What"s the matter?" Antonio asked.

Jesse didn"t show much expression at the sight of the two additional people in the room, only saying mildly, "I"ve found a lead."

Antonio turned sideways to let him in.

With someone new, the atmosphere in the room changed.If just now, the atmosphere was one of a university debate, right now, it was like a gang meeting with everyone belonging to different factions.

Feisha stood in the middle and was affected by the atmosphere. He felt a bit dazed. He took two steps back until he was standing unitedly with Locktini. Only then did he relax a little.

Jesse said, "On the night it was held, Lanka"s wedding was cancelled."

Feisha sensitively said, it"s "Was it just the ceremony that was cancelled, or was the marriage agreement called off?"

"The ceremony was cancelled." Jesse said, "It seems the reason was that Lanka was ill with some kind of sickness and he had became bedridden. But after that day, no one has seen him. The lord of Genesis refused all visitors, leaving only the daughter of Lord Banderas" family — the bride of this marriage — Juliet, to take care of him."

"Then what about Hughes?" This was what Feisha was most concerned about.

Jesse said, "I"ve heard that he is still within the palace."

Antonio frowned and said, "And n.o.body has seen him either?"

"Yes."

Feisha mumbled, "Why does it sound like he"s been imprisoned?"

Antonio asked, "Is there news of Gin?"

"No."

If it was hard to find information about Hughes, Gin"s whereabouts would be even more uncertain and harder to find out. Feisha rolled his eyes, "You said you"re here because you want to join the joint conference that every clan will turn up for. Do you know what is the point of this conference?"

Jesse looked at him profoundly, with a slight look of appreciation in his eyes, "The king did not say. But there are rumors that Lanka"s illness is incurable."

Lanka"s illness was incurable?

What did this mean? It went without saying.

Feisha blurted out, "Don"t tell me they"re reelecting the heir apparent?"

Jesse didn"t say anything.

Feisha said, "Do you know who is most likely to be appointed as the heir apparent?" He had not read many history books. He only knew how to recite one line: "After the Song, Yuan, Ming and Qing Dynasties, there were no more." (3) But he"d watched too many TV dramas. Usually when the heir was threatened, the culprit could always be found nearby — it was more often than not conspiracies by ambitious lords who coveted the throne. It was possible Lanka wasn"t sick but had been poisoned and Hughes and Gin were unluckily dragged into it.

The more he thought of it, the more likely it seemed.

Jesse said, "Count Clark (6), Lord Banderas"s eldest son, and Hughes."

Hughes was the first to be eliminated.

No matter what, Feisha couldn"t imagine Hughes being filled with power-hungry ambitions. Moreover, this could be the very reason why Hughes was missing. That meant the two remaining people were suspicious.

Antonio said, "Is there other news?"

"No more." Jesse unhurriedly threw down the bait, "If you want to know even more, why not wait two more days and enter the palace with me to see for yourself?"

Shamal"s body jerked. Jesse"s words pretty much began slaughtering the remaining possibilities he had of escaping. They had come here to save Hughes and Gin anyway. Now that there was such a good opportunity, they couldn"t possibly reject it.

Jesse suddenly turned his head and smiled at Shamal, "How is the taste of the meat?"

Shamal"s face went white.

Jesse said regretfully, "It"s a pity that it was meat. Looking at it in a different way, perhaps you might understand my experience when I eat vegetables — that feeling that is like chewing tree bark." His punch was light as a feather. He then gracefully bade everyone goodnight before he left.

Four people each with different thoughts and feelings were left behind.

Shamal said, "If I were to stay, that"s okay but I have one condition."

Feisha suddenly had a bad feeling.

"I want to share a room with Antonio."

"….." Feisha gloomily wanted to scold someone. But seeing the utterly indifferent Antonio and the obviously delighted Locktini who was pretending to be indifferent as well, Feisha could only hide his swear words in his heart.

Three votes versus one vote. The minority had to follow the majority. As he brought Locktini back to his room, Feisha ran to the toilet, locked the door, put down the toilet lid, and stared blankly at the brooch on his chest.

The Black Star brooch on his chest gleamed dazzlingly. As he stroked it, he sighed and said, "And what are you doing?"

"Is something wrong?" Isefel suddenly answered.

Feisha jumped in surprise, immediately happily replying, "Ah, you"re here. I thought you went to swim."

He had indeed been swimming. Helping Feisha fly down from the mountain through the Black Star brooch had only taken a short two minutes, yet his feelings had fluctuated violently and unprecedentedly. This kind of situation was, to him, unfamiliar and strange, so he habitually went to the swimming pool to dive. But this time, it wasn"t to experience gentleness, it was to experience peace.

Feisha obviously didn"t know Isefel"s feelings right now. He spilled everything that was on his mind and everything that had happened so far to Isefel.

Right after he had finished explaining Gin and Hughes" disappearance, he heard Locktini"s impatient voice coming from outside, "Have you fallen into the toilet?"

Feisha added in a small voice, "There"s something else I forgot to say. Shamal and Locktini exchanged rooms. I"m sharing a room with Locktini now."