Why is my anime art style so weird?

"I don't know! Don't ask me! I don't know anything! Goodbye!"

He seemed to have been startled, waving his hands repeatedly and then turning to leave.

"Big brother! Wait a minute!"

Xu Ming couldn't stop him and could only watch as the middle-aged man hurriedly fled into the crowd.

Xu Ming scratched the back of his head, somewhat puzzled.

He was just asking for directions, why the big reaction?

So he turned to ask two other people, and the result was the same: the people he asked were so frightened that they ran away on the spot.

The name 'White Gate Tower' is practically a Three Kingdoms version of Voldemort.

Just as Xu Ming was somewhat confused, an old man selling steamed buns nearby seemed unable to bear it any longer and whispered:

"That young man."

Xu Ming pointed to himself in confusion.

"Yes, it's you. Anyway, don't ask anymore, they won't tell you."

Xu Ming quickly went over and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Old man, could you please tell me how to get to the White Gate Tower?"

“Young man, what are you going to do in that place? It’s not a good place.”

“I really have urgent business there and must go there. Could you please do me a favor?”

As Xu Ming spoke, he took out a few copper coins from his pocket, placed them on the old man's carrying pole, and then picked up a steamed bun.

The old man hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth and said:

"Alright, I'll tell you. But remember, you must leave that area before dark."

"I'll listen to you."

Xu Ming quickly nodded in agreement.

The old man stood up from his stool and pointed south.

“Go down this street, turn left, and then walk along the main street to the end until you reach the south gate. The place you are looking for is above the city gate.”

As if worried that Xu Ming hadn't found the right place, the old man added another sentence.

"The place was painted white on the outside, and there were two pixiu statues standing at the entrance."

"Thank you, sir."

Xu Ming quickly bowed and left with the steamed bun in his hand.

"Young man, remember this! Never go up to the city wall after nightfall!"

Half an hour later, Xu Ming could see the south gate of Xiapi City and the gate tower with its walls painted white in the distance.

Xu Ming discovered that the closer he got to the South Gate, the more desolate the streets on both sides became.

There were hardly any pedestrians on the street, and even those who were there were rushing by, as if they were being chased by something.

Many shops were locked up, and the buildings were vacant.

A gust of wind blew by, swirling up a few withered leaves and straw. A strange sound came from a door or window that wasn't closed properly, as if someone was sobbing in a corner.

With great difficulty, Xu Mingcai finally spotted a few soldiers on duty near the city gate.

They all looked tense, reacting as if facing a formidable enemy at the slightest disturbance.

Xu Ming shifted his gaze upwards, where a two-story white gate tower stood atop the city gate. This must be the famous White Gate Tower.

He also noticed that the soldiers patrolling on both sides of the city wall kept their distance from the city gate tower, and occasionally glanced in the direction of the city gate tower, as if they were on guard against something running out from inside.

After observing the place from a distance, Xu Ming did not approach rashly. Instead, he turned around and walked back a short distance before finding the nearest restaurant and going inside.

Chapter 711 The Vengeful Ghost's Influence

Finally seeing a customer who was both the owner and the waiter, he quickly came over with an extremely enthusiastic smile on his face.

"Please come in, sir! How many of you are there?"

As Xu Ming surveyed the scene in the restaurant, he held up one finger.

"One guest is available!"

The boss shouted loudly, as if afraid he would run away.

The restaurant was huge, with five or six tables on the first floor, but only one table had two people sitting at it, drinking and chatting casually. The whole restaurant was lifeless.

Xu Ming glanced at the packages the two men had placed on the table, and after roughly judging that they were just passersby and not locals, he immediately looked away and lost interest in them.

After scanning the area, Xu Ming spotted the staircase leading to the second floor and pointed it out.

I like peace and quiet.

The boss immediately understood Xu Ming's meaning. He looked troubled and then gritted his teeth.

"Please take a seat, guest!"

The boss then led Xu Ming to the second floor.

Xu Ming then understood what was troubling his boss.

Compared to the first floor, the second floor was much quieter. There wasn't a single customer, and the benches were all overturned on the tables, which were even covered with a thin layer of dust, as if the store hadn't been open for business for a long time.

The boss looked slightly embarrassed and cautiously smiled apologetically:

"Sir, how about we go downstairs instead..."

Xu Ming waved his hand and then pointed to a table by the window.

"I'll just sit there."

"Okay! Please wait a moment!"

The boss immediately and deftly put the stool down, then quickly wiped the table with the rag draped over his body, before bowing obsequiously to Xu Ming and saying:

"Please come in, sir!"

After Xu Ming sat down, he glanced out the window. The second floor of the restaurant had a wide view, and sitting here, he could clearly see the White Gate Tower and everything nearby.

Xu Ming, mimicking what he did in period dramas, casually tossed out a silver ingot.

“Pick what you’re good at.”

The shopkeeper was overjoyed and practically snatched the silver ingot that Xu Ming had thrown on the table, then gently bit it with his teeth.

Feeling the supple texture of his teeth, the boss smiled even more broadly.

For an average person going to a restaurant, a few small dishes and a pot of wine would cost only a few dozen five-zhu coins.

Now that Cao Cao has issued a ban on alcohol, and the local economy is in a downturn, expenses are even lower.

The silver ingot that Xu Ming threw out weighed at least two or three ounces. Even if he served all the dishes here, he would still make a huge profit.

How could a restaurant owner not love such easy prey?

"Please wait a moment, sir, your food will be here shortly!"

The boss immediately sprinted down the mountain at top speed and personally ran to the kitchen to urge them on.

In less than fifteen minutes, Xu Ming's table was filled with all kinds of food, mainly boiled pork and poached chicken, as well as peanuts and the like.

Although there were many kinds, none of them aroused Xu Ming's interest.

In this dynasty where even salt was scarce and spices were unavailable, meat cooked simply with soy sauce was only slightly better than that of a certain British Empire.

For Xu Ming, who is used to all kinds of delicacies, it's just something new to try, like free-range pigs and chickens.

Of course, the important thing is to focus on business now.

Xu Ming quickly called out to the boss who was about to leave.

"Boss, I'd like to ask you something."

"Please speak, sir!"

The boss was very polite.

Xu Ming turned halfway around and pointed to the white gate tower on the city wall in the distance:

"I heard that the White Gate Tower is where the fierce general Lü Bu died. Why does the area around it seem so desolate?"

The boss, who had been all smiles, instantly lost his composure upon hearing Xu Ming's question.

"Why are the guests so interested in that building? There's nothing interesting there..."

He was stammering and his eyes were darting around; even a fool would know what he was hiding.

Xu Ming smiled slightly, said nothing, and simply took out another silver ingot from his pocket and threw it on the table.

The boss's eyes twitched, and a look of extreme hesitation appeared on his face.

"Sir, please don't make things difficult for me, I really..."

Xu Ming's smile remained unchanged as he pulled three more pieces of metal from his pocket and threw them on the table.

It is about the size of a silver ingot, but its surface emits a faint golden light.

It's gold!

The boss couldn't help but gasp, and instinctively leaned back.

Xu Ming's seductive voice rang in his ears.

"Take this money, it's enough for you to move out of Xiapi and open another restaurant somewhere else..."

As if afraid that Xu Ming would change his mind, the boss immediately grabbed the gold ingot with lightning speed and stuffed it into his pocket, then gave Xu Ming a deep bow.

"Whatever you wish to ask, sir, I will answer to the best of my knowledge!"

"Sure, sure~ First, tell me if anything happened at this white gatehouse?"

Xu Ming's smile grew even brighter.

Since money can influence the gods, it can also embolden people.

After only a slight hesitation, the boss told Xu Ming about the shocking tragedy that had occurred more than a decade ago.