After the task was completed, I felt bored. The tea Shen Xingyue drank looked strong, but it didn't seem to have any invigorating effect. After I finished drinking it, the sky outside began to turn bright, and I felt sleepy again. I put away the A4 paper and went upstairs to Shen Xingyue's office.
As expected, the two of them were sleeping soundly, even hugging each other and occupying the entire small bed. I had no room, and it was cold. I found a long down jacket from Shen Xingyue's closet, went into the office, turned on the air conditioner, and lay down on the sofa for a nap.
Accidentally, I touched something hard inside the down jacket, in the inner pocket. I took it out to examine it. It was a thing that looked like a fountain pen. Shen Xingyue wouldn't be carrying a fountain pen for no reason; there must be something fishy. After all, why would a pen cap have a hole?
I held the hole against the wall and carefully unscrewed it. Inside, it was indeed a firing mechanism of a firearm. The pen sac contained three small bullets. Although the capacity was small, judging by the caliber of the bullets and the amount of propellant behind them, the power was considerable. This thing was much more potent than a hidden weapon, and its range was estimated to be a hundred meters.
I wondered if hidden weapons were allowed in chess matches. They probably wouldn't be banned, right? It wasn't a competition of martial arts strength. Chess is about "killing" pieces, not just surrounding them. Even if surrounded, one had to take the pieces off the board. In real Zhongnan Mountain, the outcome would likely be to leave the game and fall off the peak, to one's death.
It was quite tragic. Forget it, I wouldn't think about it.
I put the pen-gun back, not daring to put it in my pocket anymore, fearing it would trigger and kill me. I placed it in the pen holder on the desk, then wrapped myself tightly in the down jacket, lying on my side on the soft, long sofa, and gradually fell asleep.
After an unknown period, I heard the sound of slippers shuffling. I opened my eyes and saw Shen Xingyue holding a steaming cup of coffee, wearing a light blue bear pajama set, and sitting behind the computer desk, possibly already working.
The curtains were drawn, but light was clearly filtering through. It should be broad daylight. I sat up from the sofa, rubbing my slightly groggy head, and looked at the wall clock. My goodness, it was already eleven o'clock!
"Why did you sleep for so long?" I asked. "When did you get up?"
"I only got up not long ago," Shen Xingyue said calmly, taking a sip of coffee. Her gaze shifted from the computer screen to me. "When did you come over here? I remember you were in bed."
"Then later..." I looked towards the bedroom. The bedroom door was open, and the light was on inside, but the bed had been tidied up, and the quilt was folded.
"Where is Yaoyao?" I asked.
"What Yaoyao? I don't know," Shen Xingyue said. "Is she still in the command center?"
I activated my qi sensing ability. She wasn't there. There were only two people with red qi in the command center, likely Sabia staff on duty.
Extending my qi sensing ability, I still couldn't find Yaoyao. Perhaps she saw me sleeping soundly this morning and returned to the base first?
I patted my pocket. Sure enough, the A4 paper with the chessboard map was gone. Yaoyao must have taken it.
"What's wrong?" Shen Xingyue asked me.
"Nothing. I found the map at the end last night. Yaoyao should have gone back to gather people and prepare to go," I said. I took out my phone and called Yaoyao, but it was off. I then called the fox spirit and asked her if Yaoyao had gone back.
"She returned early this morning, but she took Ya Nan and Da Ji with her and left again."
Yaoyao, Ya Nan, and Da Ji. Could it be that Yaoyao went directly to Zhongnan Mountain?
I called Ya Nan again, but her phone was also off. Da Ji was even more impossible to reach. They must have agreed not to let us follow them. After all, the Shanhai Demon Clan was investigating within the chessboard, and Ya Nan could fly, Yaoyao knew magic, and Da Ji was strong in combat. They could all escape safely. If I went, I would only be a burden. Other "low-level" individuals wouldn't be much help either.
This was good, saving me the trouble of worrying about others' safety.
"It's fine, drive over and pick me up. I'm at Xingyue's place," I said.
"Alright," the fox spirit replied and hung up.
Shen Xingyue tapped the table: "Your map is here."
"What?" I hurried over. Did Yaoyao not take it?