It was evident he was quite pleased with himself, yet he maintained an air of nonchalance.
Everyone present understood this was their cue to flatter him.
Tang Tang, Zhu Yilian, and the other girls gathered around, feigning great interest in the painting. They showered him with compliments, so much so that the old man’s face remained creased with a smile throughout.
Li Zi'ang’s group, having missed their chance, could only watch enviously as Ning Wei’s team showered the old man with praise.
After admiring the painting, they proceeded further inside.
Beyond the entrance was a long, dimly lit corridor adorned with various types of marine fish.
Moving deeper, they entered the exhibition halls, each dedicated to different classifications of marine life.
There were walruses and sea lions, as well as jellyfish and corals.
The old man didn't guide them through each exhibit, merely gesturing towards the paths and offering brief remarks.
Finally, he led them to a row of blue doors. “This is where you will be staying for the week. To facilitate your investigation, you have been arranged to reside within the aquarium. I wish you an enjoyable stay.”
“Wait,” the old man said, attempting to leave, but Ning Wei called out to him.
“What is it?”
“You haven’t told us where the cafeteria is.”
The old man slapped his forehead. “My apologies, I’m getting old and forgot. Due to poor management, I no longer have any staff. Therefore, you will have to fend for yourselves for meals. The red door at the far end leads to the former cafeteria, where you can cook.”
“Then who will feed the marine life?” Ning Wei pressed.
“There is an automatic feeding system. I can manage it from the control room, so you needn’t worry.”
“And where is the control room?”
The old man’s displeasure was palpable.
Ning Wei, pretending not to notice, explained with a smile, “You know we are here on a mission. If anything were to happen, how would we find you?”
Hearing this, the old man offered a mysterious smile. “I will appear when you need me. You don’t need to seek me out specifically.”
To prevent Ning Wei from asking further questions, the old man left immediately.
The marine park was a labyrinth of interconnected passages, and he vanished into a small corridor in the blink of an eye.
“How shall we assign the rooms?” Li Zi'ang finally asked after the old man had departed.
There were ten rooms with blue doors in total. Ning Wei’s group, naturally, would split by gender, with each sex occupying one room.
The rooms lacked beds; instead, mattresses were laid out on the floor. A shark-shaped chandelier hung from the ceiling.
Each room was the same size, differing only in the overhead lighting.
Li Zi'ang’s group comprised eighteen people, eight of whom were women.
Following Ning Wei’s group’s method, the women shared one room, while the men occupied two separate rooms.
The mattresses were movable, otherwise, they wouldn't have fit.
In total, only five rooms were used.
Everyone went to their assigned rooms to unpack.
For Ning Wei's group, Mei Nan and Song Zhi helped move an extra mattress into their room, making it less cramped for five people.
While Tang Tang and the others were arranging their bedding, Ning Wei had already completed a sweep of the room.
“Any discoveries?” Wang Jing asked in a low voice.
Ning Wei shook her head. “It’s recently painted. Any traces would have been covered up.”
“If it’s deliberately hidden, it means there’s something suspicious, right?” Zhu Yilian seized on the key point.
Ning Wei looked at her with great approval. “You’re getting smarter.”
Zhu Yilian rolled her eyes, taking it as a compliment.
Just then, there was a knock at the door. It was the female passengers from Li Zi'ang’s group.
“Shall we go and check out the cafeteria together?”
They extended an invitation, and Yuan Yuan, who opened the door, felt it impolite to refuse directly. She glanced at Ning Wei, and only after Ning Wei gave a slight nod did she agree.
The female passengers led the way, with the male passengers following behind. They all moved together.
The cafeteria door was painted a vivid red, which was somewhat unsettling.
A woman named Bai Xue reached out her hand, looking somewhat displeased, yet she was at the front of the group.
Those behind her didn’t understand why the group had stopped.
Ning Wei, remaining silent, walked to the very front and kicked the door open.
Bai Xue and her companions looked at Ning Wei in surprise, perhaps unused to seeing such a bold girl in a station.
The cafeteria was unlit, shrouded in darkness.
Ning Wei, unable to see through the darkness, stumbled after kicking something, but a strong hand caught her arm.
Ning Wei clasped the hand, knowing Li Ye was nearby. “Turn on the lights first.”
Li Ye nodded slightly and found the switch hidden behind the door.
Once the lights were on, the cafeteria revealed itself to everyone.
Tables for dining lined the walls, and further inside was an open-plan kitchen.
The kitchen contained freezers and refrigerators, as well as shelves for ingredients. The food supplies were ample, enough to prevent starvation.
“Is everyone hungry? Shall we cook something to eat first?” Bai Xue suggested.
Others patted their stomachs, and a few couldn’t help but let out growls.
Bai Xue smiled faintly and led her companions to the kitchen to start selecting ingredients.
“Aren’t you going?” Song Zhi asked, seeing the other female passengers already cooking while Ning Wei and her group remained standing there.
“Why should we cook?” Zhu Yilian retorted immediately.
Song Zhi was speechless and looked pleadingly at Mei Nan.
Mei Nan was exceptionally fond of the young ladies, so he immediately led the unlucky Song Zhi to the kitchen.
Bai Xue was very surprised to see the two men enter.
However, Mei Nan explained first, “The young ladies in our group are a bit delicate.”
Bai Xue had originally intended to cook for their eight people as well. Since others had started, she decided not to play the good Samaritan.
Ning Wei pulled Li Ye around the kitchen, while Tang Tang, Zhu Yilian, and the other four girls decided to help in the kitchen.
“This cafeteria looks quite new, and there are no strange smells. Everything seems incredibly normal,” Ning Wei remarked to Li Ye as she looked around.
She was already accustomed to Li Ye’s presence, allowing them to investigate and discuss together.
“The more normal it seems, the more abnormal it actually is.”
Ning Wei scoffed. “Do I need you to tell me that?”
The cafeteria wasn’t large, and they quickly finished their inspection, finding nothing unusual.
The two who were getting food served found a table and sat down, waiting for Mei Nan and the others to finish cooking.
Ning Wei, not having fully rested on the bus, lay down on the table to sleep.
Besides the hushed whispers, the only sounds were from the kitchen – the washing of vegetables and the stir-frying.