In front of the inn.
Suddenly, so many people had gathered.
Zhao Shuning had not expected this.
The waiter was still out of breath.
"Boss, this is the young lady."
"Everyone, this is the young lady. She is extremely powerful and can make existing things disappear on the spot. Perhaps, she can solve the puzzles that have troubled our Changle Town for more than two years."
"Maybe, before long, your children will all return to your sides."
Zhao Shuning frowned slightly.
From the moment they came in until now, she hadn't said a word, but they were enthusiastic and looking at her full of hope.
It made her feel as if she had done something extraordinary.
"Miss, can you really help us?"
Zhao Shuning said, "I never said I would help you."
There was a moment of silence.
Those excited men immediately quieted down.
They looked at each other, and all the disappointment in their hearts was immediately written on their faces.
The waiter quickly said, "Miss, didn't you just say?"
"I only said I could help you, not that I would help all of them."
Hearing this, those people quickly said, "Senior, you are a master. We don't know what you need, but as long as you rescue our children, I'm willing to give you all the spirit stones I've earned in the past two years as a reward."
"Senior, we just beg you to have mercy on us. My old mother has fallen ill from missing her grandson since she hasn't seen him."
"Miss, it was our greed for money that caused us to harm our children. As long as you can rescue my child, no matter what the conditions are, as long as we can do it, we won't hesitate."
Zhao Shuning gently raised her right hand.
Everyone quickly stopped.
"I don't need any reward."
"I just don't like the feeling of being forced into something. I'm willing to do this on my own, and it has nothing to do with you."
Everyone fell silent.
Zhao Shuning added, "Tonight, I need fifteen people to form a small team and go with me to the mansion of Master He in the east of the city to take a look. Is there anyone willing?"
Still silence.
Zhao Shuning didn't say a word either. She was also waiting.
One person stepped forward and asked, "Will we have a conflict with Master He?"
Zhao Shuning nodded, "It's possible."
"Those who offend Master He never end up well."
Zhao Shuning's eyes narrowed slightly, and a faint smile played on her face.
"Miss, I'll go with you."
The one who spoke was today's waiter.
Zhao Shuning nodded.
Once someone took the lead, more and more people spoke up.
There were exactly fifteen people.
"Good, these fifteen people then. You may rest assured. Within no more than five days, I will bring your children back. Now, find some paper and pen and write down your children's names, birth dates, and characteristics for me."
"What about our children?"
The others asked.
Zhao Shuning smiled.
"What does it matter to me?"
She wasn't heartless. She just wanted to use this incident to let them understand that in many things, one has to pay and sacrifice to get a reward.
When others are charging into battle, you hide at the back, and when it's time for rewards, you rush to the front. No matter how you look at it, it's a shameless act.
"Miss, you're also an alchemist. You'll have children in the future. You should care about the world and take saving the people as your responsibility. But look at your attitude. It's simply not on the same level as Master He's."
Zhao Shuning looked at those red - faced people.
She gently made a hand seal.
Those people couldn't speak anymore.
"When I'm speaking, I don't need to hear others' voices."
"I really appreciate your concern for my future children. I'd like to ask, since you trust Master He so much and he cares about the people, why did he tell your wives to exchange your children's three years of time for your health back then?"
"I'd also like to ask, didn't Master He charge you every time?"
"I'd like to say even more that even though I'm an alchemist and it's a gift from heaven, I also achieved this level through my own hard work. Why do you think that just by saying I should care about the people, I should charge into battle for you regardless of my own life and death? I just want to ask, why?"
"Why should you sit back and enjoy the benefits? Why should those with abilities shoulder everything for you? And why should I pay for your ignorance? You should remember one thing: helping you is a kindness, not helping is my right. Whether I'm kind or not is something I use to regulate myself, not a tool for you to blackmail me."
Zhao Shuning snapped her fingers.
"I've finished speaking. Do you have anything else to add?"
Everyone fell silent.
Zhao Shuning smiled sweetly.
"If you have nothing to say, then leave. Don't ruin my mood because of this."
Everyone left dejectedly.
The waiter stepped forward and said, "Sorry, miss."
"It's okay. You didn't mean it."
In front of the crowd, a man suddenly knelt on the ground and shouted, "Senior, I'm also willing. I was just worried about my parents at home before. I'm willing. Please give me another chance."
Seeing this, the others immediately knelt down too.
Zhao Shuning looked at the sea of heads in front of her and felt a bit of a headache.
Fine. Just think of it as accumulating some merits for Luo Qiu so that she could return earlier.
"You may leave. I'll do my best."
Everyone thanked her repeatedly and left the inn.
After those people left, only fifteen people were left in front of Zhao Shuning.
"Why don't you leave?"
"Miss, didn't you say?"
"I was just testing the hearts of the people in Changle Town. It's okay. You don't need to go. This is a dangerous thing, and you won't be able to help much even if you go."
Hearing this, the waiter and the innkeeper thought the young girl in front of them seemed even more noble.
It was just a pity that she was wearing a veil, and they didn't know what she really looked like. Otherwise, they would surely draw a good portrait of her and hang it up in the biggest workshop in Changle Town.
"Are you still not leaving?"
"Thank you, miss. May I ask your name?"
Zhao Shuning smiled.
"My surname is Luo, and my given name is Qiu. If I rescue your children, just count this kindness on Luo Qiu."
"Luo Qiu?"
"Luo Qiu!"
"Is it the Luo Qiu who, alone, resisted the chaos attack and saved hundreds of lives in Changkong Academy in the Nether Valley?"
"It's said that Luo Qiu is also the first female disciple of the Emperor Venerable."
Zhao Shuning nodded, feeling a bit guilty.
"No wonder. Senior is really kind - hearted like a Bodhisattva."
"You may leave. I'll go to the east of the city by myself later. By the way, find someone who built the houses in the east of the city and get me a detailed map of the courtyard. I may need it later."
"Yes, senior. Please rest assured."
The red lotus on her forehead, her graceful posture, and her powerful and resounding words.
Was this Luo Qiu?
They had seen her today.