The ground was muddy from yesterday's rain, making the construction site a bit difficult to navigate. The uneven terrain was riddled with potholes and puddles, a typical scene for a building site.
Fortunately, the workers' shed was located not too far from the stone. This proximity was crucial for the migrant workers who needed to stand guard against thieves. If the shed were too far, it would be inconvenient for them to rest and to respond quickly should any intruders appear.
When Ye Tiancheng and Fatty arrived, and even when the muscular man with cultivation arrived earlier, if the shed hadn't been close enough, the migrant workers and the foreman wouldn't have been able to reach them so swiftly.
Soon, their group was once again gathered before the stone. The migrant workers had covered it with a white cloth. Upon lifting it, the little fox finally saw the true appearance of the stone, suspected to be Nuwa Stone.
The stone looked no different during the day and night. It still showed no unusual signs, appearing ordinary and unremarkable, with no trace of anything peculiar.
The little fox, resting his chin on his hand, circled the large stone a few times, observing it with a slight frown.
From Ye Tiancheng's perspective, even now, the stone possessed no spiritual energy or any strange dark aura. It seemed to have no energy at all, yet he could vaguely sense an anomaly in the construction site's aura.
Could all of this be related to this stone? Was this stone truly the Nuwa Stone he was searching for?
Regardless of whether this stone was the Nuwa Stone, and whether the strange occurrences at the construction site were caused by its excavation, Ye Tiancheng was determined to help and resolve these issues in the end.
This was because he couldn't stand by and watch ordinary people struggle helplessly against such troubles. If he hadn't witnessed it, he wouldn't have intervened, but since he had encountered it and agreed to their request, he wouldn't leave without addressing their plea, regardless of the final outcome.
However, if possible, Ye Tiancheng silently prayed that this stone was indeed the Nuwa Stone and that he could retrieve it as soon as possible.
Ye Tiancheng was the most eager to save the Nuwa Stone, as it had gotten into trouble while saving him. His bond with the Nuwa Stone was profound, and he couldn't bear to see it perish while he remained helpless.
In fact, among those who had come seeking the Nuwa Stone during these past days, Ye Tiancheng could be considered the only one who approached the investigation of the Nuwa Stone without any ulterior motives.
The situation was quite evident: apart from Ye Tiancheng, all other parties who arrived were naturally drawn by the allure of the Nuwa Stone. The benefits it could bestow were immense, a temptation too great for anyone to resist.
Ye Tiancheng, having already experienced so much, and with the Nuwa Stone being his companion, was not swayed by such utilitarian considerations. He was purely there to save the Nuwa Stone.
After circling the stone a few times, the little fox stopped before it, lost in thought. Seeing him like this, Ye Tiancheng guessed that he hadn't made any significant discoveries, but he wasn't overly disappointed. If the matter were that simple to resolve, he wouldn't have specifically invited the little fox.
Moreover, Ye Tiancheng had invited the little fox primarily for the strange occurrences. Dealing with these strange events fell outside Ye Tiancheng's expertise, and he would undoubtedly need the little fox's assistance.
"Little Fox, don't rush too much. We won't find any clues right away. If it were that simple, Fatty and I would have already solved it. Why don't you share your findings and thoughts first?"
The little fox's brow relaxed. He lowered his hand, looked up at Ye Tiancheng, and a hint of distress appeared on his face. Given that Ye Tiancheng himself had no breakthroughs, the little fox's reaction was not surprising.
"Brother Ye, Brother Fatty, I've observed this stone. It appears truly ordinary, exceedingly so. But perhaps precisely because of this, I feel something is amiss."
"I think we should observe it more, perhaps at different times, to see if there are any changes. And by examining the strange events it has triggered, we might gain better insights. Looking at it directly seems unlikely to yield much. What do you think?"
Ye Tiancheng nodded in agreement with the little fox's words. Regardless of any minor disagreements between them, Ye Tiancheng had great faith in the little fox's abilities and would seriously consider his words.
He found no fault with the little fox's opinion, as he himself had a similar thought. It was just that last night, he had tried to wait for something to happen, but no strange events had occurred.
"I think the same. This matter is certainly not simple. Since looking at it directly yields no results, let's all go and rest. We need to conserve our energy and check again later. Staying here and waiting is pointless."
Fatty felt the same way. Since everyone else agreed, he had no other thoughts. In matters of investigation, he didn't have as much say as Ye Tiancheng and the little fox; he mostly followed their lead and acted accordingly, so he echoed the little fox's sentiment.
"Then let's rest. The three of us brothers are quite exhausted. If this is the situation, then the three of us will wait."
"Since this stone can cause so many incidents, there's no reason why we wouldn't encounter anything once we've arrived. If that's the case, then let's wait and rest first!"
Everyone reached a consensus instantly. Ye Tiancheng and Fatty returned to rest, while the foreman arranged a place for the little fox to stay. They didn't neglect him because of his young age. For convenience, the little fox was placed next to where Ye Tiancheng and Fatty were resting.
The little fox was certainly happy to rest near Ye Tiancheng and Fatty. Ye Tiancheng and Fatty had no major objections. Since they were together, there was no reason to rest separately; the closer, the better.
The three of them rested for several hours, feeling disoriented due to the disrupted sleep schedule. The little fox had arrived in the morning, and they hadn't woken up for lunch. By the time they woke again, it was late afternoon, approaching evening. They hadn't rested for an exceptionally long time, but their energy had been significantly replenished.
After resting for almost the entire day, Ye Tiancheng, Fatty, and the others were ravenously hungry upon waking.
Since Ye Tiancheng and the others were helping the construction site, the foreman naturally wouldn't let them go hungry. Moreover, Ye Tiancheng had previously done them a favor, so the foreman was even more inclined to take good care of them. Seeing that Ye Tiancheng and the others were awake, he immediately sent someone to buy them food.
Not needing to forage for their own meals, Ye Tiancheng didn't stand on ceremony with the foreman.
Firstly, it was only right for the foreman to host them since they were helping him. Ye Tiancheng and the others could accept the hospitality with a clear conscience. Secondly, accepting the foreman's kindness would also put the foreman at ease.
Given that this was a construction site, there were certainly no luxurious conditions. If they wanted good food, they could have gone to a five-star hotel. The workers here were mostly migrant laborers who couldn't afford particularly good food. There weren't many good restaurants in the vicinity.
Because the migrant workers couldn't afford it, there were no restaurants selling better food. It was common for businesses to cater to the needs of migrant workers.
The migrant worker who ran the errand quickly returned with boxed meals for Ye Tiancheng and the others. He had done his best to select good dishes, but even so, they weren't particularly outstanding. Ye Tiancheng and the others weren't picky. Ye Tiancheng felt that they were at least much better than the coarse noodles Fatty had brought him yesterday.
The food they had been eating these past few days had been merely to get by. Yesterday, at the motel that seemed like a black market establishment, their wish for a proper hot meal after ordering food had not been fulfilled.
It could be said that Ye Tiancheng hadn't eaten anything good these past few days. Strictly speaking, the boxed meals they were being treated to at the construction site were the best meals he had had in a while.
The boxed meals typically eaten by migrant workers at construction sites usually consisted of a few common dishes. They performed strenuous labor and had little money, so they sought value for money in their boxed meals. Generally, meat was preferred, especially dishes with rich soy sauce and thick gravy that were good for mixing with rice, and at an affordable price.
This way, they could fill their stomachs and have more energy to work, with sustenance in their bellies.
Upon opening the boxed meals, Ye Tiancheng could feel the foreman's sincerity. They were genuinely treating them well and had put effort into buying good food.
All three boxed meals contained meat dishes: one with braised chicken and rice, one with braised pork, and one with pig's trotters and rice. Each boxed meal also came with a large chicken leg and some stir-fried vegetables, a standard boxed meal set.
Ye Tiancheng and the others shared the boxed meals and ate a warm meal, which made them feel much more comfortable. They would have more energy to tackle the tasks ahead with renewed vigor.
After the meal, Ye Tiancheng received a call from Hou Mingzhu. He chatted with Hou Mingzhu about the situation here and then checked on their daughter. Their daughter, Ye Qingcheng, was currently not experiencing any problems.
Knowing that his daughter was safe put Ye Tiancheng at ease. He was most afraid of anything happening to his daughter. If his daughter were in trouble, he would have to rush back immediately, even if it meant neglecting the current situation. However, Ye Tiancheng couldn't abandon his daughter.
As long as no accidents occurred and Ye Tiancheng didn't act foolishly or do anything that would betray himself or his daughter, Hou Mingzhu was very understanding of Ye Tiancheng. They simply chatted, and she didn't pressure him.
Even before Ye Tiancheng left, she had reminded him not to forget to return and to not forget to care for their daughter. However, this wasn't because she was unreasonable or anything of the sort. On important matters, Hou Mingzhu would never hinder Ye Tiancheng. Ye Tiancheng deeply trusted and was grateful for Hou Mingzhu.
After hanging up the phone, Ye Tiancheng, along with Fatty and the little fox, went back to the stone. They kept watch over the stone, observing whether there would be any new changes from dusk into the night.
Although yesterday's efforts were not ideal, Ye Tiancheng had a feeling today that he might achieve something.