Witch, Fireball and the Evil God of Steam-Chapter 970 - 213: Chicken Soup Arrives (Part 2)

"Understood."

A moment later, on the second floor of the inn.

"Did you find out anything?"

As soon as Ethan entered, he was greeted with a hero's reception. While he was conversing with the security officers, Mary and the others were observing from the window on the second floor, trying to learn just how he managed to win over the security team with just a fruit basket.

The scene was beyond their expectations because it truly seemed just like an ordinary conversation. Ethan and the security team chatted and laughed as if they were lifelong friends.

This greatly shook the worldview of the three.

Even Mary thought that the basket of fruit was just a cover, and that Senzi was planning to take action when they let their guard down while eating the fruit, using spells like Holy Word Art to control their minds and make them speak the truth. Bazatous and Little Dark's ideas were even more "wild." They imagined Ethan magically conjuring a chain-saw sword, threatening them in a bloodthirsty tone, "If you don't speak honestly, I'll cut you all into minced meat."

Only the battle-hardened Lindong took it in stride, even humming a little tune to herself.

Yes, she was a lover of stage plays.

"You guys..."

Their shocked expressions made Ethan's vision go black, "Have you never had proper dealings with people?"

Is it really necessary to pull out a chain-saw sword just to gather some information about city activities?

If someone who didn't know saw it, they'd think we were planning a grand expedition.

The three exchanged glances.

"You mean sending fruit? Really never done it..."

Ethan indeed hit the nail on the head.

Among the three, the one closest to "human interaction" would be Mary, but as a former Church Saintess, she would never go downstairs late at night with a fruit basket to cozy up to a few security officers. If she wanted to know some inside information, it should be their director coming to her, reporting nervously.

As for Little Dark's "swallowing people into a black hole to merge with darkness, then extracting information" or Bazatous turning people into "meat vessels that can only speak the truth," those belong to the R-rated, absolutely unbroadcastable methods of dealing.

"Alright."

Ethan decided not to discuss "how to deal with ordinary humans" with these friends who are out of touch with reality, and instead said, "The security teams and the church's enforcement teams have come to the Lower City because of the frequent missing persons cases. Initially, it was out-of-town tourists, after they went missing out of fear, residents hid in their inns at night, then even locals started disappearing."

Over three days, about thirty people went missing, and that was just the reported cases. The unreported out-of-towners who disappeared were not counted.

No wonder the officials in the Upper City sealed off the Lower City, ordering that the situation must be cleared up before any movement out of Lower City can cross the blockade.

"Oh, and there's Heriot, the finance official of Oasis City, reportedly a corrupt official everyone loathes."

"Heriot? What happened to him?"

"It's said he was nailed to a post in the Eternal Theater, in a manner resembling religious execution."

"Is that Bazarian's doing too?"

Mary grew increasingly perplexed, knowing that Bazarian might have already gathered all the remnants of the Goddess of Life through Carlo, perhaps surpassing the former Goddess of Life in power. If she were to harbor any malice toward this world, it would be a calamity sweeping across the nation and human civilization. However... several missing person's cases and a corrupt official nailed in a theater?

At least in Heriot's case, Bazarian seemed to have done a good deed. Even without Bazarian, upon understanding Heriot's deeds after arriving in this city, Mary would have judged him by law.

During the Third Epoch, she executed many who exploited the plague for their own gain while passing through several cities.

But the question remains...

"What is she really trying to do?"

Mary asked.

This is not a simple, purely evil act as she understands it. It doesn't even count as venting anger; after all, a small figure like Heriot wouldn't provoke Bazarian's ire. Even the true managers of Oasis City could be crushed by Bazarian as easily as squashing an ant.

For Mary, an unpredictable deity was even harder to contend with than a natural disaster.

"We could start with the missing persons' cases in the Lower City."

Ethan suggested.

"Missing persons' cases?"

"Heriot's cause of death is quite clear, but the same theory doesn't explain the missing persons' cases."

Ethan fell into contemplation too.

The security officers particularly mentioned Heriot's infamous reputation in Oasis City; the people in the Lower City had sufficient reason to wish a curse upon the evil official.

But what about the missing individuals?

Many of them were outsiders just arriving in Oasis City, temporarily residing in the Lower City, without reason to be killed by a wished curse according to his theory.

Moreover, their disappearance significantly differs from Heriot's death; his body was found nailed to the center stage of the Eternal Theater. This style of religious execution suggested that the wisher wanted people to discover his body, as if revealing Heriot's crimes to the world.

Yet the missing from the Lower City were never found, not even their bodies.

If they also died by "wishing" like Heriot, it implied the wisher didn't want them to be discovered, as even the wisher realized that such actions couldn't be interpreted as just. Ethan was deep in thought until interrupted by a knock on the door.

"Knock, knock, knock, knock, knock, knock—!"

"Come in."

Almost the moment the door opened, the rich aroma of chicken soup filled the room.

The one entering was the kindly-looking old lady full of wrinkles they met in the hotel lobby. She carried a large pot of chicken soup, smiling warmly as she entered the room and placed the fresh soup on the table.

"Quick, have some while it's hot!"

"But we didn't order any chicken soup."

Mary, too, interrupted from her thoughts by the unexpected visitor, said puzzledly.

"I saw your long journey and specially prepared it for you, come, drink it while it's hot."

Despite her warm smile, the old lady's words kept urging them.

"Then, thank you, Grandma."

Ethan gave Mary a look, and seeing this, Mary also expressed her gratitude.

For foreigners from afar, a hearty greeting and a bowl of steaming chicken soup were enough to make them feel right at home. If this happened in an Imperial Capital inn, Ethan would certainly think the innkeeper was a man of finer tastes.

But this was Oasis City.

Recently, the security officers mentioned the situation in the Lower City—residents were too poor to even cook a meal, so how could anyone be so generous as to stew such a large pot of chicken soup for them?

Yet the old lady showed no intention of leaving, retreating to the doorway, her earnest eyes fixed on those inside. Seeing that Ethan and the others showed no sign of ladling the soup, she urged again, "Drink up, why not drink? Chicken soup is best enjoyed hot."

"Grandma, we're in the middle of a discussion; we'll drink after we finish."

"Talk while you drink; I worked so hard to make it."

"No rush..."

"You just spoke with the security officers, didn't you? What did you talk about?"

The old lady's eyes narrowed to slits, and although still smiling, she gave off a chilling vibe.

"Nothing, just some small talk."

"I heard you discussing the missing persons' cases in the Lower City; lying isn't good."

"Just a friendly reminder."

"You suspect I poisoned the soup."

The old lady's smile gradually faded, "No need to worry, I wouldn't waste good ingredients. Just like you, before they 'left,' I prepared these for them."

As she spoke, some expressionless residents of the Lower City gathered behind her, blocking the doorway.

Their mouths couldn't fully close, and through their slightly parted lips, rows of sharp teeth unlike those of humans could be faintly seen.

The old lady once again urged them, this time her tone emphasized. 𝑓𝑟𝑒𝘦𝓌𝑒𝑏𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝘭.𝒸𝘰𝑚

"Drink it quickly, and be on your way."