Grace Harper glared unhappily at the speaker. “Have you ever heard the phrase ‘a guilty conscience needs no accuser’? Or ‘startling the snake by hitting the grass’? ...I never expected Henry Brooks, who usually seems so simple-minded, to show such wisdom in a crisis.”

At this moment, the shouting had already reached the courtyard wall deep within the peach grove, where everything remained eerily quiet.

Henry Brooks was loudly searching for a way to climb over the wall, while Alice Benson glanced around and spoke to Michael Bolton: “Take me over there. The Lotus Courtyard has a separate door leading to the hillside outside. It was originally set up for tenants to enjoy the scenery—take me there, and I’ll show the young master the way.”

Michael Bolton hesitated. Right now, the other young ladies were panicking, and it really wasn’t appropriate to leave them.

Although Grace Harper was trembling as well, after hearing Alice Benson’s words, she blurted out, “Let’s not go over there. That scream just now was truly terrifying. It’s safer to stay here.”

Alice Benson smiled gently. “After all, this is the temple where I live. How can I not go and see? Besides, I’ve been frail and sickly since childhood. Often when I wake up in the morning, I don’t know if I’ll live to see the sunset. Life and death are just a release to me... Come, help me over to take a look.”

Grace Harper steeled herself. “Fine, fine, since you insist—let’s call a few more people, I’ll go with you.”

Alice Benson tried to persuade her: “You... it’s not worth the risk.”

Grace Harper ignored her, turning to call out to Michael Bolton: “Hurry and escort the other young ladies back to the main road...”

Alice Benson quickly stopped her: “What Henry Brooks did just now was right—this is a desolate area, and who knows how many thieves are lurking outside. After he startled them, the thieves probably scattered in all directions. If we wander around, we might run straight into an ambush. It’s best for everyone to form a circle and stay put. As for where to retreat, let’s decide after we return.”

Michael Bolton couldn’t argue further. He assigned a few people to escort the two young ladies into the peach grove.

When the two girls reached the base of the temple wall, Henry Brooks had already stopped shouting and was intently listening for any sounds on the other side. The sharp-eared Grace Harper immediately lowered her voice and said, “It sounds like someone is talking again, and it’s a little girl’s voice.”

Alice Benson pointed to the west side and whispered, “Turn around that wall, and not far ahead there’s a small courtyard gate.”

Henry Brooks glanced at Grace Harper, stomped his foot, and said, “Someone has to scout ahead. You all protect the ladies and look for the side gate. Edward Clark, crouch down, I’ll jump on your back and you carry me over the wall.”

Alice Benson shook her head. “No, after all this commotion, if they were bandits, they’d have run by now. Anyone who hasn’t run isn’t a bandit. Let’s all go in together through the side gate.”

Henry Brooks gritted his teeth. “The side gate is that way. I’ll go first, you follow after me.”

But the two young ladies never got the chance to “follow after.”

The side gate of the Lotus Courtyard was ajar. Henry Brooks rushed in headlong and immediately let out an earth-shattering scream. The two young ladies forgot their own predicament and, without thinking, dashed into the courtyard. Instantly, they too were so terrified by the scene inside that they screamed out loud.

Chapter 1: Where Do You Come From?

Bands of light flashed before his eyes, their colors indescribably brilliant—so strange that they defied comparison with any natural hue. The blue was bizarre, the red astonishing, the green left one speechless, the yellow was blinding...

The colors of the halos changed rapidly, so fast that it exhausted the eyes and made one lose all sense of direction. Amid this dazzling light, Samuel Green struggled to keep his sleepy eyes open, shouting inwardly—Don’t fall asleep, if you do, it will be forever.

Suddenly, a black dot appeared among the shifting lights. It was so tiny that if you weren’t paying attention, you’d almost miss it.

“It’s here.” This was the third time the black dot had appeared. The first two times, Samuel Green hadn’t acted rashly, but now he couldn’t wait any longer. He reached out and grabbed at the black dot, then hurled his whole body toward it.

It felt as if the hand that pierced the black dot was reaching into water. As his fingers passed through, he could faintly feel the wind blowing.

“This is it.” Samuel Green leapt with all his might. The black spot suddenly flickered and silently swallowed Samuel Green’s entire body.

In midair, a few fingers appeared out of nowhere. The fingers moved, and a middle finger stuck up in a gesture of disdain.

Then, with a flick, the fingers seemed quite satisfied—the wrist appeared, then the elbow, then a man’s forehead. Immediately after, a blinding flash of light seemed to streak through the air, so bright that no one could keep their eyes open.

When those around finally blinked, a burly, completely naked man had appeared on the spot.

Samuel Green stood there, looking all around. He stomped his foot and raised his fist, shouting, “At last, I’m out!”

At that moment, time seemed to stand still.

It was a room, furnished in an antique style. A heavy wardrobe stood against the wall, with many compartments above it, each holding teapots and teacups. A fly, no bigger than a fingernail, hovered above a teacup, its wings spread in midair, but not fluttering at all.