Chapter 340, "You Know About This?"
"Are they still fighting?" Wu Heng asked.
"Not anymore. Your skeletons rushed over, and they stopped immediately before leaving," Glenda explained.
Even though she couldn't understand this world's language,
It was easy to deduce the situation just by observing.
Wu Heng looked curiously at the floating Glenda. "How do you even know about these things?"
"It's not like I've never been alive," Glenda floated to the other side. "You don't understand noble life. Do you know why nobles like to host balls at night?"
Wu Heng raised an eyebrow. He had always thought it was due to a lack of entertainment, with balls being a pastime for nobles.
But her question made him wonder if his understanding was correct.
"Why?" he asked.
"Because the late hours provide an opportunity for secret rendezvous with noblewomen in the gardens. That kind of thrill can't be matched by regular interactions."
Uh… that wasn't entirely unexpected.
"Aren't they afraid of being caught by their husbands?"
"Well, maybe their husbands are busy charming someone else's wife in the bushes nearby."
That's… quite excessive.
What appeared to the public as a fondness for dances was, in reality, nobles seeking a thrill.
"How do you even know all this?" Wu Heng asked skeptically.
Glenda smiled. "Do you think I know because I participated in them?"
She floated to another spot and added, "Even though it sounds exciting, I was never into it. I had close friends who often talked about these things with me. Women's private conversations are bolder than you'd expect, especially among mature women."
Wu Heng's impression of Glenda was more of a bookish, homebody type.
Even when alive, she seemed the sort to read books and tend to her garden.
As his wraith, aside from reconnaissance before battles,
Even when released, she rarely ventured outside, spending more time in the study reading books or manga.
He truly didn't believe she had a penchant for balls.
"Your friends must've been pretty open-minded," he commented.
Glenda replied, "Do you want to meet them? A few might still be alive—probably in their eighties or nineties. If you're okay with that, I can introduce you."
"Thanks, but no thanks! I don't want their dentures falling into my mouth."
"Quite the mental image. Are you sure you haven't experienced this before?"
"I made that up. Don't overthink it."
Glenda continued, "Does your world have any written records? I want to learn your language and script."
There wasn't much to offer in that regard.
"I'll teach you when there's a chance," Wu Heng promised.
"Alright!"
After chatting for a while, Xiaoxiao returned from outside.
She seemed to have had a great time with her mother, talking non-stop upon her return.
After some time, both wraiths returned to Wu Heng's body.
Before doing so, Glenda shared a vivid memory with him.
In the dim interior of a van,
a man and a woman were entangled, rushing as if pressed for time.
Suddenly, the side door was yanked open.
Both of them froze in shock, as did the figures carrying bags of flour outside.
Then, someone dropped their flour and charged into the van, yelling furiously.
A brawl ensued inside.
Some tried to mediate, others cheered, and a few opportunists snapped photos of the woman.
Chaos reigned.
The market ground to a halt.
It wasn't until Qi Hancai arrived with armed skeleton guards that order was restored.
Regardless of who was right or wrong, it had nothing to do with the market.
The offenders were ordered to leave.
Soon after, other vehicles arrived for their own trades.
Wu Heng was speechless.
Glenda must've noticed the entangled pair earlier and stayed to watch out of curiosity.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have lingered so long in the van.
After viewing the shared memory, Wu Heng glanced out the window.
The market was entirely closed, and nothing unusual was happening.
He opened a portal and returned to his residence.
...…
Upon emerging from the portal,
Wu Heng went downstairs.
On the third floor, he visited the radio room and reviewed the latest messages from Philipa.
The initial excitement had waned, and Philipa no longer broadcasted every detail into the microphone.
The logbook contained only her itineraries and plans.
If any danger arose, she still counted on Wu Heng to rescue her.
Confirming there was no critical intelligence, Wu Heng left the room.
After a moment's thought,
he stopped by Andviel's room and placed a spherical sensor in the corner.
It wasn't about monitoring her but testing whether the invisible sensor would be easily detected.
Andviel, now a Level 7 Ranger, had notable perception, a hallmark of her class.
If the sensor could evade her detection, it would likely work against squad leader-level professionals.
If discovered immediately, the skill would only be useful in the zombie world, where perception was much lower.
After setting the sensor, Wu Heng headed downstairs.
In the courtyard, Minnie was watering flowers.
Upon spotting Wu Heng, she rushed over, nuzzling him playfully, her ears brushing against his chin.
They sat in the living room, chatting until Andviel returned.
As she removed her leather armor, she said, "Master, Steward Imiro wants you to visit the guild tomorrow."
"What for?"
"It seems the guild is conducting an inspection. I'm not sure of the details, but everyone was busy with it today," Andviel explained.
An inspection?
Wu Heng furrowed his brows, piecing together a possible explanation.
Imiro likely suspected pirate informants within the guild and was planning an investigation.
"Got it!"
After some conversation, dinner was served.
The group ate together.
Afterward, Minnie went to train with Bagdong, while Andviel briefly returned to her room.
Wu Heng, sitting in the living room, connected to the sensor in Andviel's room.
A scene appeared in his mind.
Andviel walked past the sensor without noticing it, removed her casual dress, and pulled a black lace lingerie set from the cabinet.
Standing before the mirror, she mused aloud, "I wonder which one Master would prefer."
Blushing, her fluffy tail swayed back and forth.
From the preset angle, Wu Heng observed the scene.
It seemed Andviel's perception wasn't high enough to detect the magical sensor.
This reassured him about using the skill without worry, even against squad-level professionals.
Andviel tried on three or four sets before discarding them all and donning a long dress.
She left her room and came downstairs, smiling. "Master, still awake?"
She knelt slightly, leaning into his lap.
Wu Heng chuckled, wrapping his arm around her. "Missed me?"
Andviel blushed. "Not really. I just saw you were still awake and thought I'd keep you company."
Wu Heng didn't expose her small lie and said, "Why don't we chat in the bedroom?"
"Alright!"
Wu Heng carried her to the bedroom.
...…
The next day, at the guild.
In the office, Wu Heng addressed a dwarf captain from Team 3. "I heard the guild is being inspected?"
The dwarf captain, Olin, sipped his tea and replied, "Yes, an inspector from the guild arrived yesterday. They've been questioning staff and professional teams. About one-fifth of them have issues and are now under suspension and investigation."
"That serious?"
"Gold-Silver Island has always been a messy place. No one believes there aren't any internal problems," Olin remarked.
Wu Heng nodded.
Then he asked, "How's the inspection being conducted? Is it accurate?"
Olin replied, "The inspector has a peculiar artifact that forces people to tell the truth. They can't lie, even if they want to."
Wu Heng's heart sank.
An artifact that compelled honesty.
He had too many secrets.
Being forced to tell the truth could lead to significant trouble.