The voices behind him, one from the east and one from the west, grew louder and louder.

-｛Distributor February. Di’an wants to know my current situation through the ‘Shark-fin Zuma Guard Belt.’｝

Hearing this, Yang Zicang chuckled.

“Hey, Yang Buchen. Since you don’t have enough Radiance to fill all the rooms anyway, let us pass to the third and fourth floors. “

Clack.The gun was chambered. He turned around to face the twenty or so people.

“You’re welcome to challenge the tenants on the third and fourth floors—with one condition: join my association and become a member. “

“You’re too arrogant! “

“Do you really think you can hog this inn all to yourself? A mere newcomer, hiding behind some Holy-grade treasure that gives you a flash of brilliance—think you’re hot stuff? With all of us here, are you going to kill every single one of us? “

“Did you think I’d go easy just because you’re not the Travelers’ Guild? ” Yang Zicang sneered.

“You—and that guy inciting over there. Right now, come over and sign this slip with your names. Otherwise… you know how it is. I’m most starved for Radiance at the moment, so I’d love to see someone refuse. “

“You! “

“You beast! You want to farm us for experience? “

“Beast, huh. “

Yang Zicang stamped his foot, his body launching forward like a shot. A blurred streak flashed out and appeared instantly before the speaker before him.

Bang!

The next second, this man’s body had already flown into the air, slammed against the wall, then crashed down to the ground, writhing in painful groans.

People nearby backed away two steps, clearing a small space.

They could all sense a simmering anger radiating from Yang Zicang, as if something unpleasant had happened to this young man before he arrived.

The elegantly mannered mixed-race man sighed softly, stepped forward, and said, “The guest in my room has already kept the appointment. I’ll go meet him first. “

Several people who wanted to see how the bidding went followed Mr. He to the second floor.

In front of room 207, the mixed-race youth knocked on the door.

The door quickly opened to reveal a slightly plump, affluent middle-aged man. He was impeccably dressed, his face cleanly shaven, and he even had his eyebrows and nose hair trimmed; he looked quite handsome.

But the moment he saw the person at the door, he only had time to utter the word “You ” before a bell chimed.

– “New guest, Mr. He Yishu, has successfully won the bid. Room 207 has changed hands. “

｛I lost the bidding war in a battle of looks.｝

Before the merchant responsible for external affairs from the Travelers’ Guild could say another word, a vortex of energy materialized behind him. In an instant, it had absorbed him, depositing him back to the place he had entered the hotel.

Back on the ship, Wager, the leader of the Weiting Travel Merchant Association, saw the most handsome member of their team, who had just vanished, reappear in the room again in less time than it takes to drink a glass of water. He was immediately fuming with rage.

“You bastards! “

“President, calm down. This isn’t our fault. “

Inside the Fee Traveller Inn.

“Excellent. Room 207 is ours as well. Three rooms left. “

At this moment, the girl who had been hiding at the edge of the crowd, wearing an oval crystal glasses, stepped forward.

“I hadn’t planned on exposing myself, but since you’re short on teachers, I suppose I could give it a try. However, I would also like long-term residency rights to one of the inn’s rooms. Can you agree to that, Mr. Buchen? “

“You’re a teacher? “

“I can teach you basic magic runes. Any takers? “

“Huh? Magic runes? Have you acquired materials related to magic runes? “

There were more than a few here who had heard of magic runes. They looked at this gentle girl, whose aura resembled that of someone out for a plein-air painting session, with great curiosity.

“Hey, are you trying to become the tenant of Room 204? “

This woman, who looked about twenty but whose actual age was unknown, turned her gaze to Yang Zicang.

“It doesn’t matter which room. I don’t want to use Radiance. “

She said, “I know divinity isn’t easily obtained, but I’m very curious about this inn. So, can you let me stay? In the future, I can also come back frequently to do some research. As long as I don’t go outside, it should be safe enough here, right? “

After saying this, she felt it might cause misunderstanding and immediately added, “Of course, only within the limits you allow, President. “

“Of course you can. Please sign here. “

-｛Distributor February. Di’an is watching my actions and expresses shock at the efficiency with which I am catalyzing the gestation of the Radiance of Brilliance.｝

-｛February. Di’an is monitoring my Radiance Preamble incidents.｝

-｛Dian An gave me a Favorable Review.｝

What a pity, I don’t have a single piece of Radiance light to sell you.

Yang Zicang looked at the wrist guard regretfully.

The woman in the long dress walked to the front desk of the inn, picked up the brush with an air of scholarly refinement, and gracefully wrote down her name: Hua Mi.

“Alright, I’ll now teach you the first magic pattern. It’s a small magic pattern that temporarily boosts memory, making it easier for everyone to quickly jot down things you hear or see later. “

“Wait, even if we have the teacher, condition 204 is about the memory of being a family tutor. “

“Exactly, who do you plan to teach? You wouldn’t let Yang Buchen come alone, would you? Going to make him play the orphan? “

Yang Zicang thought to himself, thinking the Great Quadrilateral might be a good fit for an orphan, but he ultimately didn’t voice it because someone offered a more valuable suggestion.

“Since we’re visiting as a family, why don’t we all form a big family together? That’s not bad, is it. “

“A big family? “

“We could become sworn brothers and sisters! Have like a chivalrous fraternity, yeah—this is a great thing. “

The tall, long-haired speaker excitedly raised his arms, making a gesture of embracing the sun, as he said:

“From now on, won’t we be one big family? You know, a family that loves and cares for each other! “

“Huh? ” Everyone looked at him, their minds spinning wildly.

“Having breakfast together as a family shouldn’t be a problem, right? “

“……“

The lanky guy said, “Don’t forget, breakfast is only provided for registered guests. “

These people understood all too well what he meant.

Whoever fails the challenge won’t have to worry about a place to live for the next three months—they’ll be out in the cold.

“Gifts of the Stilled Tongue… “

Goosebumps and a numbing tingling sensation alternately ran across the skin of some people.

“You mean, if just one of us checks in, everyone else can get free breakfast? “

Twenty-plus heads of varying builds all turned in unison toward Mus. This wound-up gentleman tilted his head, apparently equally unfamiliar with this situation.

“Let me check the legal text. “

Mus quickly flipped open the compilation document that had witnessed the oaths of good people regarding the hotel’s legal terms, his eyes rapidly scanning over lines of text.

“Found it. Although the Travel Organization Association stipulates that if a group’s number exceeds the limit, they can only eat at the basement-level self-service buffet, according to the ‘East Domito Foreign-Related Tourist Hotel Star Rating Standards,’ star-rated hotels have an obligation to provide essential toiletries and 24-hour room delivery service including breakfast for guests and their immediate family. “

“That means… ” The eyes of the group lit up, and they all rushed to embrace the tall, thin man.

“Great, brothers, our breakfast for the next three months is taken care of! ” the tall, thin man chuckled kindly. “This way, every day we’ll get the experience of having the governess visit! “

Hua Mi shot them a look, and after getting the lobby manager’s permission, the woman tore a sheet of paper from the blank book. With a pen, she slowly drew a complex, circular pattern on it, resembling a special ornamental design.

Yang Zicang watched. At first glance, it seemed simple enough, but whenever he tried to focus and commit it to memory, an involuntary urge to yawn would creep over him.

“I got a response to my bid. ” Xue Qi looked at Yang Zicang, a hint of nervousness in her eyes.

“Take these void sequence coins for now, along with this sword and the pistol. ” Yang Zicang handed her almost everything he had on him.

“Fifty… ” Feeling these dark coins constantly pulled out from Yang Zicang’s pocket, Xue Qi stared at her own hands as if an earthquake had struck her gaze.

“Bai Yuan, please protect Miss Xue. “

“Oh, la… uh, sure. “

Shortly after the two went upstairs, the crowd began to stir.

“I agree to the sworn brotherhood, but what extra benefits do I get? ” One person suddenly spoke up.

Yang Zicang sneered and turned to look at the speaker, who immediately shut up.

“From now on, we’re all brothers—no attacking each other, got it? “

“Exactly, all brothers now. “

The more than twenty people exchanged glances, their mutual claims of brotherhood sounding anything but sincere.

“That’s how it goes, but… don’t you think we should hold some kind of ceremony? To make it a bit more secure? “

The crowd nodded in unanimous agreement.

Hua Mi, holding the paper, had just started to lift the magic pattern off the page when, behind her, the crowd on the first floor was already bustling their way out of the hotel.

The group of over twenty headed out of the inn together. Outside, it looked like a gloomy little town, scene long abandoned. An old, worn tar road stretched into the darkness far off on the horizon.

The few who had run out earlier sat by the dim roadside in the distance like background figures in a stage play. Seeing so many people come out together, they were startled to their feet but didn’t flee further, as if they had already reached the edge of the world.

The guards from the Travelers’ Guild soon realized their worries were unnecessary.

The more than twenty people in front of COSTELLA HOTEL actually stood up in several rows, like a team about to do outdoor calisthenics.

“So there’s this much space outside, and they even grow vegetables. “

Everyone only now noticed that this inn was a four-story Victorian-style building.

In the flower bed under its outer wall, a faded neon sign bore the vintage lettering “COSTELLA HOTEL. “

Among them, the neon light traces of the two letters “ST ” flickered faintly, sometimes vanishing or twisting, and their color was an iridescent hue different from the other letters.

“I’ve never seen that word before. “