97: Big Boss

Wu Jingwen nodded. She had waited so long, why would she care about one or two days now?

She hadn't expected to be trapped in an illusion for so long.

Wu Jingwen thought for a moment and decided that this illusion couldn't have been her own imagination.

She told Su Mianmian and Shi Xu about it, and the two of them listened, their faces solemn as they nodded.

"Don't worry, if it can be investigated, we will find out."

"You should rest well first. We'll leave now. I'll have someone bring you some food in a bit."

Su Mianmian looked at Wu Jingwen reassuringly, then turned and gave Shi Xu a look, signaling him to talk outside.

Shi Xu nodded and followed her out.

Seeing them leave, Wu Jingwen continued to ponder.

Eventually, thinking made her head ache a little, so she had to put aside her memories for now.

Su Mianmian led Shi Xu to her room.

As soon as she entered, she closed the door.

Shi Xu watched her seamless actions and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows.

"Mianmian, what's so urgent?"

"They'll think we're up to something if we do this."

Shi Xu reached out and ruffled Su Mianmian's hair, a smile on his face.

Su Mianmian shook her head. She pulled Shi Xu's hand down and said seriously, "Wu Jingwen's illusion was set by someone."

Shi Xu's expression changed. He looked at Su Mianmian inquiringly, and Su Mianmian nodded at him affirmatively.

"Aren't illusions only set by mental ability users?"

"If she was trapped in an illusion, it should have been after the apocalypse, but..."

But Wu Jingwen said she had been trapped in this predicament for a long time.

Either the flow of time inside the illusion was different from outside, or the person who set the illusion for her had awakened their ability long ago.

Shi Xu's eyes were a little heavy. Both answers were not good for them.

Su Mianmian thought for a moment, then suddenly looked up at Shi Xu and asked, "Do you know of a kind of illusionary technique that can trap people in an illusion?"

Shi Xu shook his head. He was a person who believed in science and didn't really believe in such things.

Suddenly, something flashed in his mind.

He glanced at Su Mianmian, said he was going to call Su Jinxuan, and then opened the door and left.

Su Mianmian watched the door slowly close, feeling that Shi Xu must have thought of something.

Soon, Su Jinxuan was pulled in by Shi Xu.

Su Mianmian closed the door, and Shi Xu had already begun to question Su Jinxuan.

"Do you still remember the person Yao Yin sent us two to find back then?"

"It was said he belonged to some sect and could make people unable to wake up from sleep."

"He sent us to find him back then, seemingly at the behest of someone higher up."

It had been too long, and Shi Xu no longer remembered many details. He only knew that they hadn't taken on that mission at the time. Yao Yin had mentioned it to them, but then had others take on the task.

He could only recall these simple pieces of information.

Su Jinxuan pondered for a moment, then nodded and said, "I remember, Yao Yin seemed to call him Elder Xu."

Shi Xu nodded. That was indeed the name.

Su Mianmian, hearing the title "Elder Xu," immediately looked displeased.

She hadn't expected this big boss to be in league with Yao Yin.

"I saw this person you two are talking about in my dream, and I know a little about him."

"This person is very evil. Before the apocalypse, he studied forbidden arts, and after the apocalypse, he even awakened a mental ability, successfully elevating his forbidden arts to a higher level."

"I didn't expect him to have a connection with Yao Yin."

Su Mianmian's expression was grave, filled with coldness.

They couldn't find this person at all; they had no leads.

She wondered if Yao Yin knew where he was.

At this stage, he wouldn't appear. When Su Mianmian read the novel, she only saw him appear in the later stages.

"The forbidden art he studied, was it an illusion?"

Shi Xu asked, puzzled.

As an atheist, he hadn't expected that such an illusion could actually be created by someone.

Su Mianmian nodded, "The world is vast and full of wonders. Science should be believed, but metaphysics should also be respected."

Shi Xu and Su Jinxuan nodded, in full agreement.

"How do we find this Elder Xu now?"

"I'm afraid if we let him grow stronger, he'll become a huge problem later."

Su Jinxuan gripped the door panel, looking annoyed.

Su Mianmian shook her head. There was too little information about this Elder Xu; she couldn't find him either.

However... "Perhaps we can go find Yao Yin and see if he knows anything."

Su Mianmian looked up at Shi Xu, speaking seriously.

Shi Xu nodded. It was time to meet with Yao Yin.

"When we go to see Yao Yin, we'll need to go in disguise."

"I don't want him to know we're here just yet."

Shi Xu looked at Su Mianmian, speaking thoughtfully.

Su Mianmian nodded. She knew why he wanted to do that.

She didn't delay. While Yao Yin was still next door and hadn't gone out, she quickly applied makeup for Shi Xu and Su Jinxuan.

"Your makeup skills are really good. I don't even recognize myself."

"But why do I feel a little ugly?"

Su Jinxuan raised a hand and touched his face, feeling it was much uglier than his original face.

Su Mianmian was still applying makeup for Shi Xu. Hearing Su Jinxuan's murmur, she couldn't help but turn her head and glare at him, motioning for him to be quiet.

Su Jinxuan saw her warning look in the mirror and quickly shut his mouth.

An hour later, Shi Xu's makeup was also done.

Su Mianmian admired her work for a moment, then handed him the mirror, signaling him to look.

Shi Xu curiously took it, glanced at it, and then handed the mirror back.

Su Jinxuan, off to the side, was stifling laughter, though the rise and fall of his shoulders betrayed his current mood.

Su Mianmian patted Shi Xu's shoulder, pretending not to care, "No matter what you look like, I like you."

Shi Xu: "..."

He looked at her helplessly, reaching out and vigorously rubbing her head.

"Then I won't take off my makeup. I'll face you with this face from now on."

Now it was Su Mianmian's turn to be speechless.

Shi Xu's mood improved considerably seeing Su Mianmian's speechless expression.

When Su Jinxuan and Shi Xu went out, there was no one outside. Su Mianmian opened the door for them, watching them leave.

After they left, she closed the door.

As she turned around, she almost bumped into Xu Qing head-on. Xu Qing recoiled a few steps, startled.

"Sister-in-law, I didn't know you would suddenly turn around."

"I was just wondering what you were looking at."

Xu Qing raised a hand and scratched the back of his head, looking innocent.

Su Mianmian shook her head, thinking he was truly a simpleton now.

She briefly mentioned Shi Xu and Su Jinxuan going out. Xu Qing listened, then nodded thoughtfully.

Seeing him like this, Su Mianmian felt a little puzzled.

"What's wrong?"

"Did something happen?"

Su Mianmian looked at Xu Qing, curious.

Usually, Xu Qing wouldn't show such an expression. With him like this now, she couldn't help but suspect something.

Seeing that she had guessed, Xu Qing didn't hide anything. "I just saw a few petty thieves come to our building."

Su Mianmian felt he hadn't finished speaking. She nodded, signaling him to continue.

Xu Qing rubbed his nose and asked, "I don't know how to deal with them."

Su Mianmian now understood why Xu Qing wasn't in the monitoring room at this time and had come out. It turned out he didn't know how to handle them.

She thought for a moment, then said, "You first closely monitor their situation, see what they do, who they contact, record all these details, and then tell Shi Xu and the others."

Xu Qing received his orders, nodded, and turned to leave.

Su Mianmian frowned and pondered, not understanding if these people were looking for her.

Could it be that Su Ran felt Yao Yin was unreliable and arranged for people to investigate her herself?