Chapter 139: Pendant

The flashy sports car drew a lot of attention, and Wen Ying was afraid that Yang Rixi might encounter Hell Orange later on, or be questioned about him, only to appear clueless and thus arouse suspicion. Therefore, he removed the shielding, allowing Yang Rixi to have a sense of "involvement." This way, if someone were to ask, it would be less likely for them to detect any lies.

They arrived promptly at the Wen's Restaurant. Mu City was the headquarters of the restaurant chain, so the main branch was located here. Hell Orange had brought Wen Ying to this main branch.

The main restaurant stood alone as a three-story building, exuding a sense of sophistication just from its exterior.

Hell Orange handed the car keys to the valet to park it and led Wen Ying straight inside.

A man in a uniform approached them politely and inquired, "May I ask if you have a reservation?"

"Yes, a private room, please."

Wen Ying was taken aback. Although it was his family's business, he found the prices somewhat exorbitant. What kind of information did Hell Orange want to extract from "him" to justify such an investment?

Hell Orange had investigated Yang Rixi's background. After reviewing the files, an image of a young man with weary eyes, ordinary demeanor, and even a hint of inferiority had formed in his mind – a stark contrast to the Yang Rixi he had personally encountered.

Even after being taken back, Yang Rixi had gone through an unpleasant period. Hell Orange had glanced through Yang Shize's records, and what Yang Shize had done was far from friendly to Yang Rixi. It had undoubtedly planted another bomb in the heart of this ordinary and introverted young man.

Yet the Yang Rixi he saw showed no hint of nervousness. He was composed and articulate, not at all reserved, and there was not an ounce of inferiority complex about him. There was an innate confidence that radiated from within him.

The private room was on the third floor. As Wen Ying passed by the room he used to frequent, he followed the waiter into the one reserved by Hell Orange.

Despite being labeled as a small room, it was spacious enough to comfortably accommodate over a dozen people.

In such a large space, there were only two intricately carved wooden chairs beside the rotating round table. By the window, there was a tea table, a large television hung on one wall, and beside it stood an antique shelf filled with decorative items.

A chandelier hung above the round table, while wall lamps and floor lamps were scattered around the perimeter.

A separate restroom was located to the left upon entry, emitting a faint scent of incense.

Hell Orange kept observing Yang Rixi. According to the information he had, after being acknowledged by the Yang family, Yang Rixi had never entered any high-end venues. Even if he did, it was only for a few select banquets.

Yet here, in this upscale environment, Yang Rixi appeared entirely at ease, as if he frequently visited such places.

Both of them took their seats. Two young waiters handed them individual menus. The menu was thick, with a leather cover that felt luxurious to the touch.

As Wen Ying flipped through it casually, he noticed that his family's restaurant had introduced new dishes during his absence.

Hell Orange flipped through the menu and chuckled. "Is there anything you'd like to eat?"

Wen Ying replied, "These seasonal vegetables look delicious. Orange Bro, you decide. It's my first time here, so I don't know what's good."

Hell Orange ordered from the server beside them, asking for Wen Ying's input a few times in the process.

As the two waiters left, a group of people entered immediately, placing a hot pot and an appetizer platter on the table as complimentary items.

After the hustle and bustle, Hell Orange was finally alone with Wen Ying.

During meals, people usually tended to relax. Hell Orange casually engaged Wen Ying in conversation, eventually steering towards their intended topic.

In a nonchalant tone, Hell Orange asked, "Do you still remember that locked R&D room in the Devil Corporation when you visited? They unlocked it on the third day after you went. There were many derivative peripherals inside – too bad, if only you had gone two days later."

Wen Ying's hand paused with his chopsticks, a hint of surprise flickering in his eyes before being replaced by regret. "Huh? Then I was really unlucky. If only I had known, I would have waited two more days... No, Aunt Wen went on that day, she couldn't have changed her schedule because of me."

Hell Orange smiled. "I can take you there again if you want. But I think it won't be as surprising as the first time. You've explored the area around the locked room, right?"

Wen Ying nodded. "Yes, I saw everything. The staff there were all very friendly."

Hell Orange's tone softened suddenly. "Oh, by the way, I heard that there was a demonic incident at your place recently?"

Wen Ying looked surprised. "How did you know, Orange Bro?" Did he mean the truck explosion?

Hell Orange blinked slyly. "I have a relative working there who gossiped with me... Oh, sorry, I took it as entertainment."

"It's alright. Without Yang Shize, the people around me have been very kind to me."

"Knowing that it didn't hurt you, I can speak more freely," Hell Orange exaggeratedly sighed in relief. "Actually, I was a bit curious. Since you've experienced a demonic event, don't you have any... feelings about demon-themed mobile games?"

"Well, it's okay," Wen Ying said bashfully. "Two-dimensional and three-dimensional are different. I feel like the demons in reality and in mobile games are not the same."

Surprise flickered across Hell Orange's eyes. Could he have guessed wrong?

Seeing Hell Orange's slightly obvious emotional reaction, an idea sparked in Wen Ying's mind. Could Hell Orange think that he was Lin Wenpu's accomplice?

"How nice," Hell Orange exclaimed. "Having a beloved source of comfort. Auntie told me that you left early that day to hang out with a friend. I was so envious. Lately, I've been swamped with work and haven't spent time with friends in a while. Where did you go? Do you have any recommendations?"

The devil knew where Yang Rixi had taken his friend... Wen Ying had assumed that Yang Rixi would be the one to reveal their secret, but now he was the one unable to answer. He felt strangely awkward.

"Just casual eating and drinking, Orange Bro, you know I've just joined the Yang family, so my spending level is still the same as before," Wen Ying whispered. "Those places are very different from the Wen family."

Not giving Hell Orange a chance to probe further, Wen Ying swiftly changed the subject. "Is it very busy being a cosplayer, Orange Bro? I used to be really interested in it; it seemed fun and didn't require fixed working hours, allowing me to sleep in."

Hell Orange chuckled at the naive remark, shaking his head as he spoke sincerely, "Let me tell you, I'm swamped. My clients are nightmares. Even if it's...

He paused, mentally reviewing what he was about to say to ensure it wouldn't reveal anything. Then he continued, "They'll call you even in the middle of the night."

Are exorcists that miserable? Wen Ying's shock was genuine. It sounded terrible. He couldn't help asking, "What about weekends?"

"I know what you're thinking," said Hell Orange with a cynical expression on his bright, cheerful face. "Worse than the 996 schedule. Back then, I was... hospitalized due to an illness, but my awful client still forced me to work overtime. Isn't that inhumane?"

Worse than demons, Wen Ying thought to himself, nodding along with Hell Orange as they both criticized his client.

Initially, Hell Orange suspected that Yang Rixi might have hidden the object causing anger elsewhere. But after their interaction today, he dismissed that notion. Instead, his resentment towards the "client" inadvertently revealed quite a bit of information to Wen Ying.

Listening and nodding along, Wen Ying didn't know Hell Orange's background. On their own, these complaints would simply be those of an employee frustrated with their demanding boss. But considering Hell Orange's background, Wen Ying could deduce some valuable insights.

For instance—

"Hell Orange," the young man said, hastily shoveling food into his mouth, "I'll have to head back to work after this meal. The client's scheduled time is 7:15."

Wen Ying turned to look at the large clock in the private room. "But it's already 7 o'clock now."

"That's why I'm eating fast," Hell Orange replied without any concern for his image, his words muffled by the food in his mouth.

Wen Ying decided that from tonight on, he would genuinely pity exorcists. He wasn't sure if Hell Orange belonged to the Church of the Archangels or the Exorcist Association – he'd inquire next time. This poor kid was about to be late...

Wait, Wen Ying smacked himself on the head. Listening to Hell Orange complain about his "client," he had forgotten his initial purpose.

"Wen Ying asked, "Brother Orange, there are only fifteen minutes left. Where are you working today? Will you make it on time?"

With his mouth full, Hell Orange's response was muddled. "I'll make it. I'll just grab a shared bike later."

Hell Orange finished his meal quickly. As he was about to leave, Wen Ying took out an acrylic charm from his pocket.

"Brother Orange, I got this in a lucky draw at the café – it's a trident Hound of Hell design. Consider it a thank you for treating me to dinner today," Wen Ying smiled. "I hope your luck improves and you don't have to work overtime all the time."

Hell Orange, who had just been complaining about overtime and feeling gloomy, accepted the gift and casually put it in his pocket.

"Thank you. If there's any limited edition item in the future, I'll send it to you."

"You're so kind, Orange Bro!"

"No problem, it's just a small gesture."

Hell Orange glanced at the time and realized he was truly running late. He quickly settled the bill and rushed out.

Looking at his departing figure, Wen Ying's eyes were filled with pity. Although Yang Rixi had listened to the entire conversation between the silver-haired demon and Hell Orange, without any background information, it simply sounded like an employee complaining about their boss.

While Wen Ying felt sympathy, he wouldn't hesitate to take action. He covered his lips with the back of his hand, hiding the upward curve of his smile. Anyone observing him closely would sense a hint of cunning beneath his innocent expression.

He couldn't risk leaving a tracking scent on Hell Orange, as it might be detected easily. Therefore, Wen Ying decided to deliver an object and subtly tamper with it.

It was a shame to part with his lucky charm, symbolizing a lucky streak. Wen Ying felt a slight pinch in his heart.

Leaving Wen's Restaurant, he walked to a nearby shopping mall and entered a milk tea shop. He ordered a drink randomly, sat down, and opened a location-based app on his phone. As he sensed the position and movement speed of the charm, he tried to guess the area where the other person was located on the map.

Soon, the charm stopped moving rapidly. Wen Ying zoomed in on the map on his phone, using the distance, direction from the charm, and the estimated cycling time provided by the app to roughly pinpoint a region.

The landmark in this area was the school, and Wen Ying had grown up in Mu City, thus being very familiar with the place. Next to that school was the old town district, from where Hell Orange had just passed through.

Before he went to the Demon Realm, he had heard that the old houses were scheduled for demolition, and half of the residents had already agreed to it. Now, there shouldn't be many people living there.

Wen Ying called Perseus, but dialed Yang Shiming's number instead. He asked Perseus to check out the situation over there and to be cautious, as there might be quite a few exorcists on site.

After a while, Perseus called Wen Ying back, reporting that numerous exorcists were lurking in the dark, old town district, seemingly waiting for someone – or perhaps a demon.