Chapter 26: The City Lord’s Bath

From the preceding conversation, Gu Xi gleaned two key pieces of information. The shrewish woman before her must belong to the Fang family. Furthermore, her son had captured the wrong person. Looking at it this way, hadn't her own accidental haircut of Wang Yiyi led them to misidentify their target? Did they require a young boy? Wang Yiyi was simply smaller in stature; from a distance, she did indeed resemble a child. Since they had captured the wrong gender, it was, at the very least, a stroke of fortune within their misfortune.

"Are you blind?" the shrew barked at the guard Gu Xi was disguised as while she walked. "I won't bother with you today, but in the past, I would have had you dragged off. You useless thing!" she continued to curse as she moved away.

Shortly after the woman left, Gu Xi approached a gaunt woman who had been pushed aside, suppressing her revulsion to stop her and ask about the specific rules. The woman looked deathly pale, as if she hadn't had a full meal in days.

"Excuse me, may I ask..." Gu Xi began, lowering her voice.

"Get lost! No supplies here, stay away from me. Useless trash only fit for guarding the gates!" The woman saw the guard uniform and immediately began to berate Gu Xi.

What was going on? The people in this place were so wretched. Fine, she would keep her mouth shut. Just as she was about to leave, the hulking man from earlier emerged from the back door with the supplies. The residents swarmed him instantly.

"Brother Gua, you're the best! We're counting on you this month," someone chimed in.

"Boss Gua, you’re looking as dashing as ever! Why don't you come over for a visit tonight?"

"Boss Gua, if you need anything at all, just say the word. I’m at your service 24/7."

The hulking man seemed to be floating on air from the barrage of flattery. He held a crate of wooden boxes containing a mere handful of fruits and vegetables, yet in the eyes of the residents, these items were as precious as gold. As he walked, the crowd followed behind, showering him with sycophancy.

"Don't say that, folks. We have to thank the City Lord. Without him, there would be no me today. Tonight, the City Lord will be bathing. I’ll make sure to collect the used bathwater so I can take it home and savor it slowly," the man boasted, never missing an opportunity to brown-nose the City Lord while basking in the crowd’s praise. He certainly possessed high emotional intelligence.

Gu Xi stood to the side observing, unnoticed by anyone. After this display, she had gathered most of the necessary information: First, Wang Yiyi was likely safe. Second, the City Lord’s bath tonight was a significant event, warranting further observation. Third, the residents traded their home-cooked meat at designated shops for fresh produce. Fourth, the destination of the meat remained unknown. Fifth, the meat was graded, with human flesh being the highest tier. Sixth, the people themselves were ranked, with guards being at the very bottom.

With this assessment complete, Gu Xi began to prepare for the City Lord's bath. She wondered if the farmer she had encountered at the gate while he was fetching water had returned yet, so she headed back to the entrance to check.

Upon arriving, she noticed fresh water droplets along the path. Following the trail, she soon found the farmer straining under the weight of his water buckets.

"Hey, friend," Gu Xi called out in a low, husky voice.

The farmer turned around. He only wanted to get the water into the City Lord's castle quickly so he could claim his vegetable ration for the day. He was annoyed to be interrupted, and upon seeing it was the guard who had been hauling hay earlier, his irritation grew.

"What is it?" he grunted.

"I have something interesting to tell you," Gu Xi said, hoping to stall him so she could take his place.

"What could possibly be more interesting than the City Lord's bath today? I don't believe you," the farmer replied impatiently, hoisting his yoke back onto his shoulders to continue walking.

"Just now, in front of the Babis Meat Shop, someone successfully traded in their own son's meat for a month's supply of fruits and vegetables!" Gu Xi exaggerated.

"Did I hear that right?" the farmer asked.

"You heard right. I just went to take a look, and I’m heading back to the gate now. Didn't you notice I wasn't there just a moment ago?" Gu Xi goaded.

The farmer, who had been wondering why the guard was missing, replied, "So that’s where you went. Did you get anything out of it?"

"You have no idea! He gave away all the rewards! Look at this melon I have!" Gu Xi produced a Qilin melon from her system inventory.

The sight made the farmer’s eyes light up with envy. Ever since being dragged to this place, he hadn't tasted a melon in nearly ten years; he had almost forgotten what they tasted like!

"Is the event still going on? I’m going!" He dropped his yoke and sprinted toward the barbecue shop.

"Yes, there's plenty left, but hurry before it’s gone," Gu Xi added fuel to the fire.

Watching the farmer run off, Gu Xi felt a wave of contempt. The people here were so starved for produce that they were easy targets for her strengths. However, she could not accept that these items had to be traded for human flesh. She didn't know the City Lord's combat strength yet, but could she simply take him out?

Then, she could buy them off with food? She wasn't sure if that would work, but the current state of affairs was truly depraved. They didn't just lack bread; they were eating human flesh! Furthermore, Gu Xi needed to find out where the human meat was being processed.

Quick action was required. She still had to save Wang Yiyi later.

Gu Xi planned her next steps, picking up the farmer's yoke and walking toward the City Lord’s quarters. At the entrance, the guard berated her loudly.

"What's wrong with you! Why are you so late? The City Lord’s bathing supplies are all ready, and he’s waiting for your water! Get inside now! If you're late again, I’ll break your legs!"

Gu Xi ignored the insults, nodding and bowing as she hurried inside. Once in the inner chamber, she poured the water into the designated bath. As she poured, the tub began to heat up rapidly—someone was heating it from below.

In a flash, Gu Xi reached into her system space and dumped a large amount of sugar and honey into the water. Sugar dissolves in water and is colorless. She chose sugar over salt for a reason: she had observed that although the City Lord held a helmet, he had some abrasions on his skin. If she used salt, the sting would alert him to the tampering. With sugar and honey, he would simply be coated in syrup, and Gu Xi would have a way to deal with him later.

After pouring the water, she retreated quickly, hiding behind the bathroom curtain to observe what would unfold. She retrieved the Winchester shotgun she had stored in the hay earlier from her inventory and loaded it. Taking a deep breath, she waited for the City Lord to enter. She was determined to see what kind of impact this bathing ritual would have on this bizarre town.