Tomb raiding: A mere 20 is nothing!

Aside from Zhang Haixia, Qi Qiu was probably the first person in the world to know her identity. Shen Mingchao didn't take this person's promise too seriously; she only cared about how Qi Qiu would help her.

"Sister, the spell to separate the soul requires a certain incense as a catalyst, but unfortunately this incense has long been extinct."

Shen Mingchao choked up, and just as he was about to say something, Qi Qiu changed the subject.

"but,"

"There is another way to obtain it."

Shen Mingchao: Can you please stop pausing so much when you speak?

"We need to go somewhere, but it's a dangerous place, and we need two people to help us."

Shen Mingchao pressed for more information, but Qi Qiu smiled faintly and remained silent.

This man truly lives up to his reputation as a feng shui master; his words are cryptic and enigmatic, like a riddle.

If Zhang Haixia hadn't repeatedly assured her in her mind that this person wasn't a fraud, she would have really thought Qi Qiu was fooling her.

Speaking of Zhang Haixia, although she calls this person the system, she doesn't actually communicate with him much. She just treats him like an AI chat assistant when she's bored.

For example, asking the other person if they need to eat, drink, or relieve themselves.

The other person replied: No need.

For example, ask the other person whether it is located in her brain or cerebellum, or in the prefrontal cortex or skull.

The other person paused for a long time before replying that it was in a place where the scene could be changed at will.

I understand. It's similar to the sea of ​​consciousness of a cultivator or the personal space of a protagonist in an apocalypse.

She was very curious and asked if she could go in, or if Zhang Haixia could come out.

The answer to all of them was no.

Shen Mingchao was somewhat disappointed, then asked, "Since the other party can see the outside world, what happens when she changes clothes, goes to the toilet, or takes a shower?"

As soon as he finished speaking, the other person quickly explained, "No, this is your privacy. I can't see it, so you don't need to worry. Besides, you can block me."

The man spoke twice as fast as usual, as if afraid she might misunderstand something.

Hearing Zhang Haixia say this, she finally felt much more at ease.

As they chatted, Shen Mingchao felt sleepy and soon fell asleep. The next day, Qi Qiu told her with a smile that there was good news: Xie Yuchen and Hei Xiazi had arrived.

The Xie family contacted the old lady that very night, and it is said that the two of them immediately took a private plane and arrived in St. Petersburg in just over an hour.

Shen Mingchao suddenly realized: "Are they the two accomplices you were talking about?"

Qi Qiu nodded: "Yes."

This should have been a happy occasion, but Shen Mingchao was somewhat troubled, unsure how to explain his situation, especially since these people couldn't be easily fooled with just a few words.

Fortunately, her temporary ally is very reliable.

Seeing that she looked uneasy, Qi Qiu silently refilled her milk tea and then whispered to her in a low voice.

"Sister, don't worry, I'm here for you. Just pretend you don't know anything. I'll explain everything to them. Don't worry."

Shen Mingchao nodded trustingly.

This important task is entrusted to you, Feng Shui Master. Making up stories is also a good fit for your profession.

With Qi Qiu's assurance, Shen Mingchao felt a little relieved and began to focus on cooking.

Halfway through the meal, as Shen Mingchao was painstakingly applying putty to the bread, a commotion arose at the door.

Two tall, imposing figures strode towards this side.

The man on the left wore a white-brimmed felt hat and a long cotton overcoat; his face was handsome and striking.

The person on the right was wearing a heavy, all-black coat and his signature sunglasses.

Shen Mingchao thought that if he could shine some lights on them and put in a blower, it would have a more Korean drama feel.

Shen Mingchao had just raised her hand to greet him when a figure flashed before her eyes, and she fell into the arms of the person on her left. Warmth, mixed with a faint fragrance, instantly enveloped her.

It is Xie Yuchen.

Shen Mingchao could feel the arm holding her trembling slightly, and the force was getting tighter and tighter.

A man's low, husky voice came from beside my ear.

"I'm glad you're alright."

Shen Mingchao gave a soft "hmm" in response.

The atmosphere was somewhat heavy. She raised her hand and patted Xie Yuchen's tense arm, making a light joke.

"Brother Xiaohua, I'm fine, but if you tighten it any more, something bad will happen to me."

Xie Yuchen was taken aback upon hearing this, and finally realized that he had been too nervous. He slowly released his grip.

Black Bear, standing nearby, smirked and pretended to complain, "They ran pretty far, almost scared us to death. Dumb and the others nearly turned Rain Village upside down."

Shen Mingchao lowered his head and murmured softly, "I'm so sorry to have worried you all."

"Don't say such things, Ming Dynasty." Xie Yuchen shook his head. "It's understandable that we're worried about you, but what exactly happened?"

The moment of interrogation has finally arrived.

Shen Mingchao felt a little guilty, and his gaze involuntarily drifted towards Qi Qiu.

Xie Yuchen and Hei Xiazi also looked over. The former frowned and remained silent, while the latter suddenly let out a cryptic laugh.

Noticing their gazes, Qi Qiu nodded politely and greeted them, "Master Hua, Master Hei, I had heard of you from my elders before, and today I finally get to meet you. I am Qi Qiu, from the Qi family of the Nine Gates."

Hei Xiazi, caught off guard, uttered a classic elder's remark: "I've seen you before, when you were very young."

Xie Yuchen looked at Hei Xiazi and suddenly remembered something: "By the way, are you actually a member of the Qi family? You always avoid answering that question."

"Hey, so your surname is Qi?" Shen Mingchao found it intriguing. She thought that Hei Xiazi was actually surnamed Hei, and Xiazi was just another name for him.

Hei Xiazi let out a long sigh for no reason, his gaze drifted blankly, and he was completely immersed in his memories.

After a long pause, he continued, "I do have some connection with the Qi family, but I am not a blood relative of the Qi family."

Qi Qiu chimed in, "My elders told me that if I encountered any problems I couldn't solve, I could ask you for help, Master Hei. But things happened so suddenly, and your whereabouts are unknown, so I had no choice but to contact Master Hua first."

At this point, Xie Yuchen suddenly realized something and asked tentatively, "Could it be that you sent that text message with the latitude and longitude coordinates?"

"Yes, it's me."

"Why did you send the text message so far in advance? Was this all a setup? You....."

Xie Yuchen had countless questions, but he was interrupted by Hei Xiazi halfway through his sentence.

"Let's not worry about that now." Hei Xiazi glanced at Shen Mingchao, then turned to Qi Qiu and asked, "What we care about is why she's here, and what exactly happened between you?"

Qi Qiu sighed: "Don't rush, this story goes back a long time..."

"etc!"

Shen Mingchao interrupted, "Before I begin my long-winded speech, I have something even more important to take care of."

"What?" Xie Yuchen asked.

Shen Mingchao took out his black-screened phone, wiped away imaginary tears, and said, "Did you guys bring any adapters and chargers? My phone's going to starve to death if it doesn't get some food soon~~"