Upon hearing Shuihelin Fan say this, the man in a suit paused, then turned his face away awkwardly.
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"Ah, sorry, I see." (Man in suit)
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"Please wait a moment."
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Then, the man in the suit turned to the two other colleagues who came with him, as well as the driver.
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"Everyone, please get off the car. Saoki, you stay behind to help Miss Shuihe and Miss Cang check their bodies." (Man in suit)
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Under the direction of the man in the suit, all the men in the car got off and closed the doors and windows.
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The window glass was semi-transparent from one side, allowing only an interior view, not an exterior one.
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"Well, I apologize for the offense, please forgive us." (Saoki)
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The girl named Saoki was also dressed in a suit uniform, but from her body shape, it was clear she was trained, with very tight muscles.
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Five minutes later, Saoki finished the check-up, lowered the window, and notified the men who had gotten off to get back in the car.
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"Thank you both for your hard work. The check-up is complete. Finally, please put on these." (Man in suit)
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As the man in the suit spoke, he took out two eye masks and two earplugs.
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This was obviously non-negotiable.
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Shuihelin Fan and Cang Canglian cooperated and willingly put them on.
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After all, this was much friendlier than being drugged and taken away last time.
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Only then did the driver start the engine, and they officially set off to the actual location for lunch with Bai Yaxin.
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No one spoke along the way.
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The atmosphere was quite peculiar.
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For Bai Yaxin's subordinates who came to pick them up, this was just a simple task.
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But for Canglian and Shuihelin Fan, it was the most nervous moment they had ever experienced.
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Maintaining a surface peace, about half an hour later, Canglian and Shuihelin Fan were brought to their destination.
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Taking off the eye masks and earplugs, they instantly felt a lot more relaxed, even their breathing felt freer.
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But once they got off the car, the two of them were stunned.
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The reason for their shock was that the place they arrived at was completely different from what they had expected.
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Originally, they had anticipated being taken to some remote warehouse or building, a place that was secluded and perfect for hiding.
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But in reality, they had been taken to Nijo Castle.
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Nijo Castle, called Nijo-jo in Japanese, was the residence of the Tokugawa shoguns in Kyoto, featuring a massive wall that was about 500 meters east to west and 400 meters north to south, surrounded by moats, covering an area of 27.5 hectares with a total building area of 7300 square meters, a prominent historical site in Kyoto.
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Nijo Castle was first built in the 12th year of the Eiroku era (1569) under the guidance of Oda Nobunaga and later, during the 10th year of the Tensho era (1582), the Honnoji Incident occurred where Nobunaga's son Nobutada immolated himself at Nijo palace. After the Battle of Sekigahara, Tokugawa Ieyasu, who unified Japan, met with Toyotomi Hideyoshi in Kyoto and decided to rebuild Nijo Castle.
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For Bai Yaxin, who was planning a power grab, a historical monument like Nijo Castle was quite fitting.
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However, Nijo Castle, as a historical landmark, was not an ideal place for dining. Cang Canglian and Shuihelin Fan were puzzled as to why they were brought to this place. Was there going to be another round of transportation?
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But what happened next proved otherwise.
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"Ladies, please follow me." (Man in suit)
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The only person who got off with them was the man in the suit; the others stayed in the car and drove elsewhere.
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—Are we really going to have lunch here?
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Walking behind the man in the suit, the two women arrived at the main gate.
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The grand gate standing within the towering walls exuded a historical aura, its magnificent gate and exquisite wood carvings making it intimidating to casually enter.
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However…
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The gate was closed.
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Beside it, a sign for visitors clearly indicated that it was a closed day.
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Just when Cang Canglian and Shuihelin Fan thought there was a mistake, the man in the suit unceremoniously walked up to the staff nearby, whispered a few words to them, and the staff immediately nodded and bowed, opening a gap in the main gate. He smiled and watched as the man in the suit led Canglian and Shuihelin Fan inside.
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—This Bai Yaxin guy, could it be that he already included Nijo Castle in his territory?
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Cang Canglian pondered, feeling that Nijo Castle was, in a way, even harder to maneuver in compared to a remote warehouse.
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—Let's hope everyone can perform well under pressure.
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As led by the man in the suit, Cang Canglian and Shuihelin Fan walked through the Nijo Ninomaru Palace, passed the lush Ninomaru gardens with flowing streams, and arrived at the central building of Nijo Castle: the Honmaru Palace Gate.
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In ancient times, the shogun resided inside here, and it was the core of Nijo Castle.
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Surrounding the Honmaru Palace were square-shaped defending moats. Shuihelin Fan and Cang Canglian followed the man in the suit across the bridge over the moat and into the courtyard of the Honmaru Palace.
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The majestic Honmaru Palace, a five-story tower building, had been struck by lightning and rebuilt over a hundred years ago, yet still retained its imposing presence.
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"Mr. Bai is waiting for you at the top floor. I'll leave you here and won't go up." (Man in suit)
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The man in the suit stood at the entrance of the tower, bowing slightly to Cang Canglian and Shuihelin Fan.
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To be honest, the service was quite good, but Cang Canglian was not very satisfied, feeling a bit angry, and asserted, "Wait, what about our stuff? Don't even think about keeping it for yourself! I have a good memory, you know!" The man in the suit, upon hearing her serious tone, almost chuckled. "I'll keep your personal belongings safe for you, and I'll return them to you when it's time to send you back," he replied in a serious tone to enhance credibility. Deep down, though, he thought he should find a chance to visit the R.E.L.A.X. parlor later and have a good chat with this Miss Cang Canglian.
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In this brief interaction, though he didn't realize it himself, he had already begun to like this innocent and playful young lady.
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But he feared he might not get the chance.
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That's a story for another time.
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With the man in the suit having left, Cang Canglian and Shuihelin Fan were now alone. It seemed safe for the moment, but they didn't let their guard down, maintaining their acting skills.
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Amid the dim orange light, they advanced cautiously along the corridor, stepping slowly on the wooden floor.
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Shuihelin Fan appeared cautious yet composed, while Cang Canglian revealed her tough exterior but inner timidity, clinging close behind Shuihelin Fan, scared.
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"Sister Shuihe, do you think there might be monsters here?" (Cang Canglian)
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"No, we're in the 21st century. If there were monsters, they would have been discovered long ago." (Shuihelin Fan)
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"But there are still many unknown areas in science..." (Cang Canglian)
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"There are still many mysteries in the world!" (Cang Canglian)
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"Like the Bermuda Triangle..." (Cang Canglian)
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Just as Cang Canglian was speaking, a mysterious sound suddenly echoed down the corridor, as if some creature was calling out…
