Chapter 151: Departure from the Inn

Chapter 151: Departure from the Inn

Yan Qiling didn't need an answer to know the other person's situation; he looked up deliberately, mainly because he hadn't expected the man to speak Chinese.

Ming Yiyang spooned some miso soup, gazing at him coolly.

"I thought your surname was Guan, and Zhiyi was your given name."

Guan Zhiyi gave a wry smile.

"I'm an international student. Who would have thought I'd end up in such a situation? In the previous worlds, it was mostly locals. I was actually a bit surprised to meet you two."

Yan Qiling didn't continue the conversation but asked instead,

"Did you stay with Little Li and Qinghe couple last night?"

"No... Considering the rules, I decided to stay on my own."

Guan Zhiyi's expression dimmed slightly, but there was also a hint of pleased satisfaction.

"I don't mind personally, but I worry about causing inconvenience to Little Li and Qinghe. After all, their intentions are pure. If anything were to happen... even though this is the Realm of Endless Torment, I'd still be plagued by guilt."

Saying this, perhaps to lighten the mood, he added with a touch of self-deprecation, "On second thought, maybe by then I wouldn't have a heart or lungs to feel guilty with."

Ming Yiyang, who was enjoying chicken gizzards, glanced at him.

Completely unaware that they had become the subject of discussion, Little Li and Qinghe, too, moved their table closer.

Thus, the breakfast for three turned into a breakfast for five.

Ming Yiyang was thoroughly exasperated by the scene before him, his actions growing increasingly unrestrained. He no longer cared about the stares of others, opting instead to directly use serving chopsticks to skewer food for Yan Qiling.

With a hint of curiosity held back, Sanwa Haruka watched as the food gracefully made its way onto the man's plate.

However, compared to her relaxed demeanor, Little Li Qinghe, who was calm and composed yesterday, now appeared somewhat on edge.

"The so-called 'event' is set to begin tonight... What should we do about it?"

"Let's start by exploring outward to find a way out."

Ming Yiyang's words were concise and purposeful:

"If we can't find anything, we'll return and reassess the situation then."

"But, we can't be certain that the exit is necessarily outside..."

Hearing this, Sanwa Haruka put aside her curiosity and became hesitant.

It seemed she had discussed the matter extensively with Little Li last night, as both spouses appeared unusually tense when talking about it:

"Since yesterday, it seems like someone, or something, has been guiding us to explore our way out. The provision of cold-resistant clothing and the 'fog lamps' suggests that there's a price to pay for these amenities. Once we accept that premise...it naturally leads us to believe that we should venture out."

"However, could this all be a trap? Perhaps the actual gateway lies hidden within this hot spring inn, and we just haven't found the means to activate it yet."

As the woman speculated, Ming Yiyang unconsciously tightened his grip on his chopsticks.

Of course, he maintained a calm facade, appearing to listen attentively to her.

The situation Yan Qiling had foreseen last night had indeed arrived, earlier than they had anticipated. Before they could even commence their formal exploration, objections were raised.

However, Guan Zhiyi was unusually resolute on this matter:

"Such speculation is possible, but we should still give it a try before drawing any conclusions. There's hardly anything left to explore within the inn, so external exploration is our best chance at discovering something new."

Seeing that Little Li Qinghe and his wife were still worried, he continued,

"Not everyone needs to go out. We have nine people; four or five can venture out to scout, while the rest can continue investigating within the inn."

Lost in thought, Little Li Qinghe nodded, but Haruka Sanjo remained concerned:

"But won't we be more vulnerable to danger if we split up? It feels like the Jigokumaster is intentionally trying to separate us to pick us off one by one... If we do decide to act, we should all move together."

Tojo Shuang and Chisato Tsukuyomi, who had overheard the conversation, pushed their tables closer to join in.

Now, everyone was gathered, ready to discuss their next steps.

Tojo Shuang took the lead in voicing his opinion:

"I'm in favor of going out, but there's an issue with leaving. The hot spring house closes its doors at nine, trapping those inside and preventing outsiders from entering. If we do venture out, we'll be spending ten long hours in the wilderness. But with this blizzard, how can we ensure our own safety?"

Ming Yiyang didn't even raise his eyes as he replied,

"There's no need to worry about that. Yan Qiling and I have already filled up the gasoline tank."

His words left everyone with expressions of astonishment, as if they were stunned by how he had accomplished such a task.

Of course, they had taken the backdoor route.

However, Ming Yiyang wouldn't reveal this detail. He maintained an enigmatic demeanor, coldly dismissing any potential questions with silence.

Yet, Haruka Sanjo still hesitated,

"Are we really going out? What if there's nothing outside?"

Surprisingly, Ichizuru Tsukimori displayed a resolute attitude at this moment.

She turned to Hina Haruka and asked,

"If you were the Ruler of the Abyss, where would you place the exit? In a comfortable hot spring resort where one can leisurely explore, or in a snowy forest where a single misstep could mean death?"

Hina Haruka was taken aback for a moment but soon wore a resistant expression. She pursed her lips, wanting to say something but ultimately held back.

Tojo Shuang chimed in,

"No Ruler of the Abyss would ever place anything in a location that is easily accessible."

"We currently have nine people left. If we all go out together to search for a way, we can share the burden. As long as we can manage to start a fire in the snowfield, we can continue to survive."

He wore a slightly smug expression.

"My hometown gets heavy snow in winter. I live in the mountains, so I have experience in navigating through snowy forests."

Chizi Toyou nodded, clearly indicating that they had already reached an agreement last night.

"We can ask the canteen for more food, which will extend our ability to survive in the wild."

She glanced at the somewhat reluctant Sanwa Haruka and added, "As Mr. Guan mentioned, if you're unwilling to venture out, you can explore the hot spring inn. Our going out to explore is also fine. But it's too much to expect everyone to stick together like that."

With that settled, Little Li Qinghe and his wife decided to investigate the inn, while the others prepared to go outside.

However, just as they were about to leave, the couple changed their minds, donning sturdy down jackets and expressing their desire to join the group. Chi Tsuyuki remained expressionless; usually sporting a smile, her current demeanor indicated displeasure.

Since the two had initially refused to go out, no provisions had been set aside for them, and the hot spring inn was about to close.

Fortunately, Guan Zhiyi promptly produced water and food, saying with a smile, "These are extra supplies I prepared, and they come in handy now. Thanks to Mr. Yan's thoughtful consideration."

Sanwa Haruka blushed, while Little Li Qinghe thanked him repeatedly.

Guan Zhiyi, having received the man's favor before, saw that Yan Qiling didn't object, so he looked out at the snowy, windswept world outside.

"Let's go."

The blue- and pink-clad attendants stood behind the counter, watching them leave the hot springs one by one with sweet farewells.

"Thank you for visiting. Please come again."

As soon as they stepped out, the cold wind sliced through like knives.

Those who had wrapped their heads in towels ahead of time now realized the severity of the weather was worse than anticipated, and they hesitated for a moment.

Yet, Yan Qiling showed no fear as he adjusted his cotton gloves and walked down the steps towards the bus.

Ming Yiyang, carrying the heavy "black box" – the gas canister for the bus – just as he had upon arrival, followed closely behind him.

In just one night, the bus had already been blanketed in frost.

Ming Yiyang shattered the icy layer on top with a bamboo song, then kicked apart the ice wedged in the door cracks, swinging it open. The group got into the vehicle first while Ming Yiyang went to refuel.

Yan Qiling, on the other hand, lit the remaining campfire from the previous day amidst the icy landscape.

The temperature was so frigid that starting a fire was nearly impossible. Frost clung to the remnants of branches, which now merely emitted weak smoke.

Sanren Chunhua voiced her concern, "Will the gasoline really ignite? We can't return to the hot spring house now."

Her words cast a faint shadow over everyone's hearts, but Ming Yiyang had already climbed back into the vehicle with a hint of relief on his face, "The battery is fine."

Just like yesterday, he reconnected the wires inside the car, and soon, the diesel tank of the bus roared to life, its frozen engine rumbling loudly.

The sound brought a collective sigh of relief to all.

Guan Zhiyi couldn't resist asking,

"How on earth did you get all this gasoline?"

Ming Yiyang, sitting in the driver's seat, met Yan Qiling's gaze through the rearview mirror.

Yan Qiling remained composed as he replied,

"We asked the attendant for it, but it came at a price."

His enigmatic demeanor discouraged anyone from pressing further.

In reality, Yan Qiling had magically pulled the motor oil from his yukata sleeve and refueled the tank in an utterly unfair manner, bypassing the need to walk.

Oddly enough, the world seemed oblivious to Yan Qiling's transgression, showing no reaction whatsoever.

Despite staying vigilant throughout the night, Ming Yiyang was reassured by Yan Qiling to simply sleep normally.

This man seemed to know something else, perhaps still piecing together the puzzle, hence keeping it to himself.

Ming Yiyang was well aware that Yan Qiling wouldn't divulge anything he didn't wish to discuss, not even a single word.

Silently, he turned on the heater, and everyone quickly extinguished their cigarettes, rolling up the windows to retain the warmth.

It was an unexpected smooth journey, one where they didn't have to trudge through the snow but could drive straight down the mountain.

Ming Yiyang was an excellent driver. After a slight turn of the wheel, the bus regained its course, though he maintained a cautious speed.

All were somewhat terrified at the prospect of driving in such heavy snow, but the bus was equipped with professional anti-skid devices. Its wheels had hinges and large anti-slip patterns, clearly designed for snowy terrain.

Ming Yiyang drove according to his previous memory of the route.

To mark their path, they tied hotel towels around the branches of nearby trees as they went along, making them as noticeable as possible.

After stopping and starting, they eventually returned to where they had first entered.

Thick fog had completely obscured the road ahead, making it impossible to continue driving. They risked plunging off a snow-covered cliff without realizing it if they proceeded.

Tojo Shuang held a fog lamp he had exchanged with a staff member.

Guan Zhiyi sliced open his wrist, allowing his blood to drip into the top of the basin, which opened like a carnivorous flower hungry for its prey.

The fog lamps flared on, casting a soft yet distinct glow.

Ming Yiyang had already removed the gas tank during this process, leaving Little Li and Qinghe couple inside the bus to maintain the fire, ensuring that the tank wouldn't freeze. Otherwise, they would likely endure great hardship on their way back.

By now, Hanaka Sanrin had become less resistant to the idea of going out than she was before.

This task was effortless for her and Little Li Qinghe, so they took on the assignment.

The others followed Tojo Shuang, who held a lantern in hand, as they ventured into the thick white mist.

Little Li Qinghe stood in the car window, watching as the fog was pushed back layer by layer by an invisible air barrier.

However, after they had walked a certain distance, the fog slowly crept back, eventually engulfing their silhouettes entirely.

The surrounding environment seemed like a ravenous monster that silently devoured everyone.

An uncontrollable fear surged within him.

Yet, at this moment, all he could do was hold his wife's warm hand tightly and pray to the heavens that no tragedy would befall them.