"Of course I know I have no one to rely on — I'm just a small shrimp, which is exactly why you targeted me, isn't it?" Xia Lin looked at the Inspector, her tone mocking yet tinged with bitterness and helplessness. "But don't worry, I won't waste my energy trying to fight back or file a complaint. I'll accept your false accusations — consider it me repaying Sister Su Yi's kindness. I won't take a single coin of that so-called compensation. From now on, we're even, and we're strangers."
A look of surprise flickered across the Inspector's face. He stared steadily at Xia Lin. In the dimly lit room, Xia Lin's eyes were unexpectedly bright. Those bright eyes reflected straight into the Inspector's heart, making him feel a weakness he could not bear to face!
The Inspector quickly looked away. "Go. I hope you can keep your word."
"I will." Xia Lin rose to her feet. As she left, there was a composure about her that was almost remarkable.
Several days later.
"Miss Xia Lin, it's not that our inn doesn't want your business. It's just that public sentiment outside has turned terribly vicious — many people have complained that if we continue to keep you here, they'll..." The innkeeper's face was full of distress.
Xia Lin cut him off before he could pour out any more grievances. "I understand the situation. I'll just leave."
"Then thank you so much, Miss Xia Lin. You're truly a kind person." The innkeeper looked as though he might weep with gratitude.
Xia Lin packed her things and quickly left the room, heading down the stairs.
"Look — that's her!"
"That woman was greedy for wealth and secretly betrayed her own mistress!"
"Someone like her has defiled the Sea God Festival and our entire Sacred City."
The Gu Masters in the lobby spotted Xia Lin, pointing and whispering amongst themselves.
Xia Lin heard every word, her expression calm and unperturbed as she walked out of the inn.
On the broad street, a bustling crowd flowed along the road.
"Today is the second-to-last trial of the Sea God Festival!"
"I can't wait — it's going to be spectacular today!"
"Did you know? The reason Su Yi's side has been losing ground is because she has a mole right beside her."
"Who doesn't know that? Xia Lin! Goes to show — you can guard against enemies day and night, but a traitor in your own house is the hardest to watch out for."
...
The vast majority of people didn't recognize Xia Lin. Their attention was fixed on the Sea God Festival, and they were all rushing toward the Central Square.
Even if someone did recognize Xia Lin, they couldn't be certain — the Sacred City was packed with a sea of people, and it was perfectly normal for one or two faces to look similar.
The atmosphere was electric. People packed shoulder to shoulder, beaming with joy.
Xia Lin merged into the crowd, her face perfectly calm throughout — a stark contrast to everything around her.
The joyful atmosphere she had once felt now pressed against her like thick walls of fog, clogging her nostrils and making it hard to breathe.
She could no longer draw happiness or satisfy her curiosity from this Sacred City.
"Perhaps I'll never set foot here again for the rest of my life." Xia Lin tilted her head slightly, gazing up at the towering buildings around her.
The houses seemed to lean inward, as though the entire Sacred City were bearing down on her.
Growing increasingly agitated, Xia Lin quickened her pace, broke free of the surging crowd, and slipped into a dark alley.
It reeked here. The light was dim, and piles of trash sat in the corners.
Yet Xia Lin felt she could finally breathe freely, as though a mountain had been lifted from her chest.
Walking through the dim alley with no one around, she finally let her upturned head droop.
"How did it come to this?" she asked herself, but found no answer.
Her eyes reddened, and soon tears blurred her vision.
After all, she was still young. The strength she had shown before was mostly an act.
"Miss, wait up!" Suddenly, three merfolk burst out from a corner of the alley.
Xia Lin froze, then immediately became wary.
These three merfolk had a thuggish air about them, their gazes askew, clearly up to no good. More importantly, every one of them radiated the aura of a Second Transformation Gu Master.
Xia Lin herself was only at the Second Transformation as well.
"What do you want?" Xia Lin backed away.
"What do we want? Heh heh heh!" The three merfolk exchanged glances and all broke into wicked grins at the same time.
"Miss, meeting is fate — why the rush to leave?"
"Now that you want to go, you can't."
At that moment, two more Second Transformation merfolk Gu Masters emerged from behind Xia Lin.
Her heart sank immediately. It was five against one, and both her escape routes were cut off. Although they weren't far from the main street, these were all Gu Masters who had clearly staged an ambush — they would surely have methods to keep the noise to a minimum.
The five merfolk closed in on Xia Lin step by step.
Panic welled up inside her. She could only retreat until her back pressed against the wall.
The cold stone made her feel even more helpless.
She clenched her teeth, her brows knitting downward, and suddenly spoke. "Come on then — even if I die, I'll drag you all down with me!"
"Oh ho, the little girl's got backbone!"
"She's fiery — I like that kind."
The five merfolk Gu Masters joked and laughed among themselves, not showing a trace of fear, though their footsteps subtly slowed.
Bam.
Without warning, Xia Lin was hit by a wave of intense dizziness.