However, this ready-made solution wasn’t something only the System could think of—Su Mu had naturally considered it as well.
But this Detestable Villain had explicitly forbidden her from learning Gu Technique before. If she secretly learned it and got caught by her, Su Mu would be done for.
While Su Mu was still fretting over this, Chen Qing lightly flicked her finger on Su Mu’s forehead.
“What are you spacing out for? If you keep zoning out, I’ll leave you here.”
“Oh.”
Snapping back to reality, Su Mu heard Chen Qing say she would abandon her in this Abandoned Village where people had died. She hurriedly scurried after Chen Qing, not daring to space out again.
After traveling for half the morning, the two finally arrived at a relatively prosperous Small Town.
Though it couldn’t compare to those affluent big cities, the streets were still quite bustling.
After booking a room at the Inn, the grievance-filled Su Mu collapsed wearily onto the bed.
Ever since being taken hostage by this Villain, it had been nothing but nonstop travel—or preparing for more travel.
If they kept up this pace, Su Mu felt like she could enter a marathon.
Unlike Su Mu, Chen Qing didn’t rest. She examined the sword that had been snapped by the Headless Giant Corpse earlier.
Though she didn’t really need a sword for self-defense, having one made it easier to intimidate certain people.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
Sensing Chen Qing’s odd gaze, Su Mu asked in confusion.
“I’m going to get a new sword. You stay put in the Inn.”
With that, Chen Qing left the room, leaving Su Mu alone.
Gazing at the empty room, Su Mu finally relaxed completely.
With the System’s restriction that she couldn’t leave the Villain for three months or the mission would auto-fail, Su Mu couldn’t run away now anyway.
Since running was off the table, her only option left was to counter-kill this Detestable Villain.
But the moment she recalled Chen Qing blasting the Headless Giant Corpse with a single palm strike, Su Mu felt a chill in her heart.
This Villain’s strength was way beyond her expectations. Counter-killing her would be hell-level difficulty.
The irritated Su Mu kicked off her stuffy shoes.
From all the rushing around, her fair and soft little feet were steaming with heat.
Stepping onto the cool floor felt incredibly refreshing.
However, the sticky sensation on the soles of her feet still bothered her, so she quickly called the inn’s waiter to bring a basin of warm water.
She soaked her fair and tender little feet in it.
Like soft jade dipping into water, they were crystal clear and pristine. The feet playfully wiggled around, appearing cute while stirring up a primal urge.
Meanwhile, Chen Qing found a sword shop that looked fairly reputable and casually picked out a handy sword.
As she prepared to hurry back to the Inn, her peripheral vision caught a mask stall at the roadside.
The stall had all sorts of masks hanging up, but a Fox Mask immediately drew Chen Qing’s attention.
She still remembered that her Silly Shizun owed her a debt.
This mask stall also reminded Chen Qing of those Tomb Raiders she had left behind near the Flower and Bird Market.
But she had no time to hunt them down now, and besides, she had left measures on them, so she wasn’t worried about them escaping.
Su Mu was comfortably soaking her feet—this was already her second basin of warm water.
After the first one cooled, she had it replaced.
Soaking one’s feet really was the most comfortable thing in the world.
Su Mu sighed to herself that if she got the chance, she should try a hot spring sometime.
Suddenly, she heard a noise at the window. Thinking it was Chen Qing returning, she paid it no mind.
She even squinted her eyes, blissfully swishing her fair little feet in the water.
“Truly relaxing. After so many days without seeing you, I thought you’d run off to dodge the debt.”
Hearing that voice, a bad feeling rose in Su Mu’s heart.
She whipped her head around and saw the familiar Fox Mask flipping in through the window.
Seeing who it was, Su Mu’s mind went blank.
How had this person found her here? If this weren’t an ancient martial world, Su Mu would suspect she’d been fitted with a tracker.
“You and I really are fated, miss. I came to this town to rest, and lo and behold, I find you’ve checked into this very Inn. Even the heavens can’t stand an old deadbeat.”
Su Mu was stumped by the Fox Mask’s words and only managed to respond after a moment.
“I only have two copper coins right now. Wait for me a bit, and I’ll pay you back later.”
Su Mu once again set her sights on Chen Qing. That Villain was loaded, and she’d just robbed Su Mu of two taels of silver.
Stealing a bit from her to pay the debt shouldn’t be noticed.
But while Su Mu’s little abacus was clacking away, Chen Qing had no intention of giving her the chance.
“That was the old price of one hundred taels. You’ve dragged it out for so many days—the new price is one thousand taels.”
“Why don’t you go rob someone!”
Hearing the outrageous quote from the Fox Mask, Su Mu was dumbfounded with rage.
She’d seen high interest rates before, but never anything this absurd.
Even loan sharks would have to call her big sis.
“If you can’t pay, miss, I’m open to other forms of repayment.”
Chen Qing’s gaze fell on her Silly Shizun’s fair and glossy little feet soaking in the water, the desire in her eyes utterly unmasked.
“Forget that.”
Su Mu watched her nervously and quickly pulled her feet out of the water.
But unbeknownst to her, the water droplets clinging to her feet made them look even more slick and soft, all the more tempting to crime.
“One thousand taels it is. Come get it tomorrow.”
Su Mu’s simple little head spun furiously, instantly coming up with a solution.
She’d string along this Fox Mask, who was as detestable as the Villain. Once the Villain returned, she’d stick right to her tail.
With the Villain’s strength, no way this detestable Fox Mask would dare threaten her with the loan.
But Su Mu’s little scheme was seen through at a glance by Chen Qing under the mask.
Her Silly Shizun had gotten a tiny bit smarter this time—but just a tiny bit.
Su Mu’s words didn’t calm the Fox Mask down. Instead, she stepped closer, one step at a time.
“So, where will you go to scrape together that one thousand taels to pay me back?”
“You don’t need to worry about that. I have my ways.”
Watching the Fox Mask draw nearer, Su Mu’s feigned composure gradually turned to panic.
She’d already said she’d pay back the money—why was this Fox Mask still pressing her?
“It’s not that I’m overthinking it, miss. You’ve run off and stiffed me for so many days. If not for this chance encounter, I’d never collect. Without some interest upfront, how can I trust you’ll pay?”
Chen Qing drew closer and closer to Su Mu until their bodies were nearly pressed together.
“I only have two copper coins. Want them?”
Facing the invasive gaze from under the Fox Mask, Su Mu instinctively stepped back.
With nowhere left to retreat, she tumbled straight onto the bed.
The loosely tied sash at her waist came undone with her clothes, faintly revealing the snowy white skin of her waist.
Her fair, soft, and smooth little feet were now fully displayed before Chen Qing.
