Qin Jiujiu gritted her teeth and pinched her thigh hard. The pinch was truly without mercy, and she couldn't help but shed tears from the pain. However, it did help her regain some clarity.
She looked up, but apart from the light shining directly down from above, she couldn't see her surroundings clearly. Yet, it wasn't difficult to imagine the layout of the place.
The ceiling above was out of sight, presumably very high. But judging from the direction of the shouting, there must be floors around, or rather, this layout was specifically designed for auctions like today's.
Listening to the bids for Lot Number One steadily increasing, soon a final hammer blow fell. Wasn't this the scene from a modern antique auction?
The voice of the male announcer from before sounded again, "Very well, Lot Number One goes to the gentleman who bid two thousand taels. Now, bidding begins for Lot Number Two!"
The crowd seemed to stir with renewed excitement. Qin Jiujiu lowered her head, concealed by the darkness. She didn't notice a pair of eyes in the crowd fixed upon her, never wavering.
Soon, the wave of heat in her body struck again. Qin Jiujiu hesitated, looking at her fair wrist. In the end, she bit down, and blood immediately began to flow.
Though she tried to hide her actions, she was still noticed, which piqued the interest of many.
Those who came here were no ordinary people. Some liked fiery personalities, others preferred demure young ladies, and there were even those with pedophilic tendencies who favored Qin Jiujiu's slender figure (though in ancient times, her age wouldn't be considered a child).
Thus, Qin Jiujiu had already caught the attention of quite a few people. Her action undoubtedly served as a greater stimulus to them, and they were already waiting for their turn to bid for her.
The Ghost Market was located in a desolate area of the North Street. By day, it was a ruin, but on the night of the full moon, it transformed into a vibrant bazaar. Various items were traded there, things that couldn't be found in ordinary markets could be discovered here, and even news that was difficult to glean in the martial world could be overheard.
No one knew the origin of the Ghost Market. The authorities had tried to intervene before, but the place was incredibly sinister. Those who caused trouble never emerged, their traces lost in the living world. Consequently, the officials eventually turned a blind eye, and it became a legend in Chun Feng Du.
Those entering the Ghost Market had to wear masks provided by the market and carry a token. This served as a form of protection, allowing both righteous individuals and wicked criminals to frequent the place.
Xie Jing and his companions, all wearing masks, entered the Ghost Market and were indeed shocked by the scene. It was a stark contrast to the desolate exterior. Inside, the lights were brilliant, and the atmosphere was exceptionally lively. Entering felt like stepping into a new world.
The vermilion gate opened, and the two large characters above – "Ghost Market" – appeared eerily in the darkness.
The layout inside was similar to that of a regular market. Upon entering, one found a main thoroughfare lined with stalls on both sides. Like ordinary markets, however, the vendors here did not shout; they silently guarded their stalls, with each item clearly marked with its price, much like shopping in a supermarket, where bargaining was not allowed.
The market boasted gambling dens and brothels, making it quite bustling. However, their purpose for being there was not for these. They were looking for an inconspicuous general store.
But due to the many narrow alleys and the dense crowd, splitting up was the best course of action.
Those who came out this time were Xie Yun, Bai Qianluo, and Xie Jing, which was a given. The others included Liu Jin, Xiao Yuan, and Liu Qi. Liu Jin insisted on coming, and with her arrival, Xiao Yuan and Liu Qi also came to ensure her safety.
Xie Jing disliked crowds and was about to act alone when Xie Yun called out to him.
"Xiao Jing, would you mind going with General Xiao?" Before Xie Jing could refuse, Liu Qi glanced at Xiao Yuan and his sister, had an idea, and interjected, "How about I go with Young Master Xie Er, and Yuheng goes with Ajin..."
Naturally, Xie Yun and Bai Qianluo ended up together.
With this arrangement, neither Liu Jin nor Xie Jing was pleased. But Liu Jin looked at the man beside her; how could she dare to voice her objection? Her own brother, however, ignored her pleading gaze. Even when Xie Jing walked ahead alone and Liu Qi followed, she couldn't utter her refusal.
Xie Yun and Bai Qianluo took another path to the side, leaving one path on the left for them to walk.
Liu Jin had always been afraid of Xiao Yuan. She stood frozen on the spot. Just as she mustered the courage to speak, she heard the man beside her say coldly, "Move!"
With that, he strode towards the left, and Liu Jin could only follow behind. The normally spirited County Princess Liu, who loved to stir up trouble, became a model of obedience in front of Xiao Yuan.
"System, why is it the villain? Where are the male and female leads?"
Qin Jiujiu continued. It was almost her turn, but the person who was supposed to save her hadn't arrived yet, and she was naturally anxious. Yet, the thought of Xie Jing arriving made her worried that he might not help her.
After all, he was the one who enjoyed her misfortunes the most. She didn't understand why, even with this clear realization in her mind, her heart still hoped for him to be the one to come.
She clenched her teeth tightly. At the thought of Xie Jing, the effects of the drug suddenly seemed to intensify. She had to bite herself again to control her thoughts.
"Because, Host, you..." The villain's will was too strong; even the author couldn't change it!
The system's words came through faintly, but she couldn't hear them clearly at that moment.
Liu Qi tried his best to keep pace with Xie Jing, but Xie Jing remained cold. He wasn't Qin Jiujiu, so he could only maintain the silence. Thus, Liu Qi could only trail behind him.
Xie Jing had only one objective now – to find Qin Jiujiu!
He scanned many places with a cold gaze, but none were where he needed to be. He felt frustrated, unable to vent or suppress his feelings, and unwilling to converse with Liu Qi.
The Ghost Market was vast. Searching for that small general store like a headless fly was indeed difficult.
Liu Qi also searched diligently. They were quite a distance apart. Although they walked on the same path, they were effectively searching independently.
Suddenly, someone approached Xie Jing. He noticed this and was about to draw the dagger from his sleeve when the person suddenly slipped something into his hand, like a piece of paper.
The person seemed to have approached him with this sole purpose. After placing the paper in his hand, they quickly departed. Xie Jing turned back, looking at the retreating figure in confusion, then lowered his head and opened the note.
Liu Qi did not witness this. But when he looked at Xie Jing, the note had already been crumpled and tucked into his sleeve.
The note contained the address of the general store!
Although he didn't know if it was true or not, Xie Jing did not hesitate and rushed directly to the location indicated on the note. Qin Jiujiu's matter could not be delayed; even if it was a fake, he had to try.
"Xie..." Young Master Er, where are you going?
Before he could finish speaking, he was already far away. Liu Qi gritted his teeth and could only follow him wholeheartedly.