Chapter 76: A Teardrop Mole
The structure of the Li Mansion was far more complex than Tongguan and the others had imagined.
After entering through the mansion gates, guided by the young man, they were immediately overwhelmed by the maze of corridors leading in different directions.
The eaves, tiles, long corridors, and gardens of the mansion bore a strong Jiangnan style. Though it was already past midnight, it was clear that the Li family was immensely wealthy.
Yu Guo was already somewhat dazed, holding up his phone and continuously taking pictures.
Since realizing that this mission had transported them to the Republican era, the phone was useless. Even the hotel phone had no signal.
They were completely unable to contact Ji Li, who had fallen behind, and could only enter the Li Mansion to find the main thread of the mission.
"Teacher Fang, what's wrong with your hand?"
Tao Xiaoyi trailed behind the group, staring blankly, unable to recover from the current situation. Seeing everything before her, she found it hard to believe, yet she could not deny that she had truly stepped into the river of time leading to the Republican era.
As she glanced around, she happened to notice Fang Shenyan next to her, whose right palm had some scrapes.
It was a dark, windy night. Despite the mansion's grandeur, few lights were lit, making it difficult for Tao Xiaoyi to see clearly.
Fang Shenyan frowned slightly at her question and lifted his right hand.
The palm bore large scrapes, red marks dotted with blood, looking gruesome, as if someone had forcibly pressed his hand against sharp stones and rubbed the skin raw.
Yet Fang Shenyan seemed already aware of the injury. He shook his head lightly and casually said, "It was from the rope rubbing when lifting the coffin."
Seeing that no one doubted him, he subtly glanced toward the mansion door.
His explanation seemed reasonable, but Chang Nian turned his head to glance at him.
Others might not know, but having always been in the same line as Fang Shenyan, Chang Nian clearly remembered that he had not been injured while lifting the coffin.
Chang Nian caught Fang Shenyan sneaking a look at the mansion door and silently sighed.
It seemed Fang Shenyan was secretly doing something, possibly related to the missing Ji Li.
The staff of Branch Seven were still not unified in their approach. Division had begun the moment Tongguan entered, and it would only deepen with time.
Tongguan paid no attention to the small conversations behind him, instead replaying the route they had taken in his mind.
He memorized the entrances and exits of the Li Mansion for later use.
At the same time, he kept observing the young man ahead of him.
The young man wore a long gown, his hair neatly combed, with a somewhat handsome face. A sachet was tied to his lower back, clearly containing something, though its contents were unknown.
As Tongguan walked, he examined the nearby decorations.
He noticed something unusual: the mansion had no servants or maids.
The white-robed figures who had earlier gone to the backyard to place the funeral items did not reappear.
In a chaotic era of war and uncertainty, the mansion stood silent and isolated.
Tongguan was certain that he had become a target, and the source of the terror was gradually closing in on him.
The lady of the Li family was waiting for the five store staff, who were already forewarned.
He took a deep breath. Ji Li was gone, seemingly never having existed in the eyes of the young man.
Whether the lady truly had foresight or was somehow connected to the hotel would soon become clear.
"Something's wrong—he's leading us in circles!"
Yu Guo looked down at the footage on his phone, then at the surroundings, identifying the first anomaly since entering the Li Mansion.
The group was stunned by his observation.
Tao Xiaoyi and Fang Shenyan gathered near Yu Guo, silently comparing the footage with the environment.
In reality, there was no light anywhere nearby; the dark courtyard, fake rocks, and corridors gave no clear points of reference.
However, at their current location, there was a narrow water channel running toward the courtyard wall.
Due to the poor lighting, it was hard to notice.
Yu Guo had been lucky: both times he passed that spot, he happened to step into the narrow water channel. The physical contact helped him detect the similarity.
Meanwhile, Chang Nian quietly approached Tongguan. Seeing Tongguan's calm expression, he said, "You already noticed, didn't you?"
Tongguan's eyes were dark, carrying an indescribable emotion. Finally, in a low voice within the small group, he said,
"This place… we've actually been here three times already."
Yu Guo was shocked. He stomped his foot hard to confirm the water channel beneath him, his face paling.
Fang Shenyan grew impatient. He was certain the young man must have some plan in mind. He had long harbored a hidden grudge against this person and knew clearly that the others present were likely poisoned. Now he suspected the young man was merely creating an illusion of mystery.
But Tongguan continued, "Don't rush. He's now leading us in a direction we've never been before."
As they walked, Yu Guo confirmed it, nodding: "That's right. Beyond the water channel, three long corridors intersect. In the previous times, we took the other two. This time, it's the one we've never gone down."
"He's stalling… maybe waiting for some opportunity. Perhaps we arrived too early…"
After walking a short distance along this path, light gradually appeared ahead.
The houses here were much larger than those they had passed before.
The materials and carvings on the beams and doorframes were exquisite, clearly the residence of someone of high status.
Through the papered windows, Tongguan saw a vague figure.
The figure was ethereal, standing with its back to the candlelight, slightly thin, its shadow swaying in the air.
'Knock, knock, knock!'
The young man had remained silent all along but stopped at this house and knocked on the door, leaning slightly forward in a respectful posture toward the person inside.
"Aunt, they've arrived."
"Come in…"
The voice was weak, like a dying candle in the wind, as if the speaker had little time left.
With permission, the young man pushed the door open but did not look inside. After opening it, he turned and left.
Tongguan's expression hardened as he peered into the room.
It was a reception hall, very spacious but dimly lit by only a single lamp.
On the central grand chair sat a dark figure.
As the door opened, a cool draft seemed to blow in. The figure, frail, began coughing violently.
"What are you staring at? Come in and close the door."
The five store staff slowly entered, leaving only six people in the house.
Drawing closer, Tongguan squinted, trying to see the frail elderly woman on the grand chair clearly.
But one glance made his heart tighten.
This woman, in both voice and demeanor, seemed unmistakably in her seventies or eighties.
Yet her face, her skin, were as fresh and supple as a young girl's.
Her features were smooth, warm like jade, without a single wrinkle.
It was as if an aged soul resided in a young body—a contradictory sight.
Taking a few more steps forward for a clearer view, Tongguan noticed a striking feature of the elderly woman.
Beneath her right eye, there was a teardrop mole…
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