Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Chapter 76: The Witch's Glass Slippers

The scene fell into a prolonged silence.  

Jing Qizhen remained standing on the bare staircase leading to the second floor and hesitantly said, “That—”  

That enormous rabbit must be the March Hare!  

When the villa was burning earlier, the rising temperatures made it uninhabitable for any living creature. Now, it was unclear whether the March Hare had fled down the rabbit hole when the fire broke out or if it had simply emerged once the flames died and the temperature cooled.  

Thankfully, Manman was quick to react. Despite having one hand wrapped in bandages, she managed to capture the thrilling moment with her phone single-handedly.  

The rabbit was pure white, enormous, and had a monocle perched on its face; quite an elegant appearance. It wore a bright red waistcoat decorated with playing cards and hearts, along with a pure white ruffled cravat in the style of French court fashion.  

A single glance was enough to confirm that the rabbit had come straight out of ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’.  

When the oversized rabbit poked its head out of the rabbit hole, its gaze was sharp and alert, until the moment it accidentally nudged a collapsed section of the villa’s wall. As the wall came crashing down and smacked the rabbit back into the hole, its previously alert expression turned dazed and bewildered, as though it had been knocked senseless.  

Manman handed her phone to Si Jiayang and pointed at the screen. “Look, the rabbit had a gold chain hanging from its cravat. That’s probably where its pocket watch is.”  

Angelina, however, appeared perplexed.

She gestured to the cravat and reflected aloud, “I’ve never seen the March Hare from the front but when I saw its back before, it was just as big as this one. Yet, I’m sure it didn’t have that court-style collar around its neck.”  

Still standing on the staircase, Jing Qizhen blinked. “When you saw the rabbit last time, it was in the middle of the night. Everyone was sleeping. Now this March Hare is clearly wearing formal court attire. At night, isn’t it reasonable that it might take off the cravat and change into pajamas?”  

Angelina hesitated, then admitted, “If you put it that way, I think the last time I saw the March Hare from the back, it wasn’t wearing anything!”  

Gu Leshan, ever straightforward, chimed in, “Maybe it likes to sleep in the nude!”  

Angelina: “...”  

The others: “...”  

Manman coughed to break the awkward silence. “Ahem. Maybe the March Hare wears lightweight clothes at night that aren’t noticeable in dim lighting. What it had on just now was clearly formal court attire.”  

From Jing Qizhen’s perspective on the staircase, he could only catch a brief glimpse of the rabbit’s long, fluffy, snow-white ears poking out from below. A moment later, the collapsing wall crushed the ears, making them droop before the rabbit disappeared straight back into the rabbit hole.  

Jing Qizhen remarked, “I was thinking of flooding the rabbit hole…”  

Hearing this, Joyce’s face was immediately filled with horror. He glanced nervously at Jing Qizhen, only to find him unfazed. Worse still, the other companions appeared eager to try it, making Joyce feel even more despair.  

He tugged on his cousin Wilcox’s arm and gave him a pleading look. Surely they wouldn’t be so reckless, right?

Wilcox casually patted his younger cousin’s head but then hesitantly raised a practical concern, “But if the rabbit hole connects to ‘Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, wouldn’t it be impossible to flood it?”  

Joyce: “!!!” So you’re considering flooding it too?!

Jing Qizhen, ever composed, replied, “As long as we can force the March Hare out, that’s enough.”  

Yan Hong, always quiet but dependable, turned around and said, “I’ll grab the fire hose from the neighboring villa.”  

Lu Lingxi glanced around and gestured thoughtfully. “Do we also need a big net to catch the rabbit?”

Gu Leshan raised his elbow and placed it on Lu Lingxi's shoulder, hesitating as he said, “Such a big rabbit, compared to the usual small ones, the extra weight would mean its strength has increased proportionally. A regular net probably won’t be enough to catch it, right?”  

Lu Lingxi thought for a moment and agreed, before pulling out a rope from his backpack. Hanging from the rope was a pair of handcuffs. “Let’s just tie it up with the rope!”  

Joyce, on the verge of a breakdown, muttered in despair, “Aren’t you catching a rabbit? Why do you even have handcuffs?”  

Lu Lingxi blinked his innocent, Bambi-like eyes and replied with a face full of naivety, “Of course, because handcuffs are convenient for dealing with all humanoid and semi-humanoid creatures! For a bipedal March Hare, handcuffs should work just fine, right?”  

Joyce: “…”  

Professor Jones, Caroline, and the others, who had intended to say something, collectively decided to remain silent upon seeing Lu Lingxi pull out an assortment of ‘tools’ and even some light firearms with an air of innocence.  

Not long after, Yan Hong’s voice came from the back, “I found the fire hose. It’s long enough and the water valve for watering the lawn in the yard has already been turned on.”  

As he spoke, Yan Hong came over, carrying the spraying hose.  

Lu Lingxi, Gu Leshan, and the others quickly went to help and, without hesitation, shoved the fire hose into the recently collapsed rabbit hole.  

Jing Qizhen raised a hand and pointed upstairs. “I’ll go check up there.”  

Si Jiayang waved a hand. “Manman and I will search on the first floor.”  

Given that the villa had recently been through a fire and part of its wall had collapsed, its structural integrity was questionable. Thus, apart from Jing Qizhen and Yun Shuanghua, no one else ventured upstairs.  

Although they hadn’t entered the villa before, Angelina and the housemaid had described the layout of the rooms in great detail. Lu Lingxi had even helped sketch a rough map.  

Jing Qizhen murmured softly, “The room on the far left of the third floor is Sophia’s.”  

The magic mirror in Sophia’s room had fallen out of the window earlier, so Jing Qizhen didn’t find much during his search.  

Next was Sean’s room. After the fire, only a charred corpse remained on the floor.  

Jing Qizhen couldn’t help but sigh.  

Sean’s body had been kept in his room since his death and no one had the time to bury it.  

Considering the indoor heating, the temperature was quite high, so Sean’s room had its windows open, perhaps to better preserve the corpse?  

Jing Qizhen found this practice bizarre, but he had no energy to dwell on it at the moment.  

Most of the room’s decorations had been burned but in the ashes near the bedside table, a pair of glass slippers stood out conspicuously despite being covered in soot.  

Carefully avoiding Sean’s charred corpse, Jing Qizhen walked over.  

No matter how exquisite glass slippers might be, they couldn’t possibly be carved from a single block of solid glass. Jing Qizhen wasn’t sure about the material of the glass slippers from ‘Cinderella’ but the fact that the slippers had survived the fire unscathed spoke volumes.  

He approached, exhaled lightly, bent down, and reached out to touch the slippers.  

As expected, the full details of the special item from the erosion area appeared in his mind.  

[Name: The Witch’s Glass Slippers]
  
[Type: Daily Item]  

[Quality: Blue]  

[Effect: Wear these glass slippers and you’ll be the brightest star at the ball! Additionally, you will never get lost.] 

[Restriction: Huh? Who stopped the clock hands at midnight?]  

[Remarks: The Witch told the Little Mermaid that dancing in high heels is as painful as walking on knives. The glass slippers will bring you luck, whether you want to be the brightest star at the ball or simply find clues and a way out. The Witch holding the golden spindle lifted her hood and repeatedly reminded the Little Mermaid that if the problem was not resolved before midnight, the magic of the glass slippers would vanish. Life itself is the greatest magic, isn’t it? After all, these beautiful glass slippers come from a witch, not a nameless and selfless fairy godmother…]  

Seeing the description, Jing Qizhen’s heart stirred.  

Although the item’s restriction mentioned ‘midnight,’ the notes hinted that wearing the glass slippers to search for clues could come with life-threatening risks.  

Moreover, the stories of ‘The Little Mermaid’ and ‘Sleeping Beauty’ seemed to intertwine.  

The Witch holding the golden spindle, if he wasn’t mistaken, referred to the plot of ‘Sleeping Beauty’, where the witch cursed the princess to prick her finger on a spindle and die.  

Most likely, Sean’s death was related to the glass slippers.  

Jing Qizhen withdrew his hand, pulled a bag from his pocket, and carefully placed the glass slippers inside.  

It seemed the erosion area was full of hidden information. Both special items they had found so far were connected to unraveling mysteries or discovering the truth.  

However, even though both items were blue-grade, Snow White’s Magic Mirror, while capable of revealing the most dangerous existence, often provided incorrect information. In contrast, the Witch’s Glass Slippers seemed to offer accurate clues but came with a time limit and significant danger to the user’s life.  

As he pondered, a sudden realization struck Jing Qizhen.  

He distinctly remembered Snow White’s Magic Mirror’s description.

[Use: Smile at the mirror and it will show you the most dangerous existence.]  

The term used was ‘existence’ rather than ‘person.’  

It meant that, in theory, the magic mirror could also show the most dangerous object or location, not just people.  

However, since they had only seen Jing Qizhen’s or Yun Shuanghua’s faces reflected in the mirror and associated it with the ‘Snow White’ fairy tale, they subconsciously assumed it always displayed people.  

It was likely that the mirror and the glass slippers were designed to work together in this erosion area.  

Jing Qizhen even began to suspect there might be a third special item to balance things out, forming a connection with the other two.  

Using the walkie-talkie, he shared his findings with his teammates.  

Manman: “Be careful, Little Jing. Jiayang, Guijuan, and I are still searching the first floor but we haven’t found anything significant yet. Yan Hong and Little Lu are busy flooding the rabbit hole to catch the rabbit.”  

Jing Qizhen: “Be cautious while catching the rabbit!”  

After all, March Hares were enormous and it was precisely the time of year when they went berserk.  

Yan Hong responded in a steady voice, “Understood.”  

Time ticked by.  

After inspecting Sophia and Sean’s rooms, Jing Qizhen meticulously searched Williams’ room.  

The fire had turned the villa into a dark, ash-filled mess. However, it also made it easier to sift through the remains and find items that hadn’t been destroyed, significantly reducing the difficulty of searching.  

Of course, there was a downside. If Sophia, Sean, or Williams had left any written clues, they were likely reduced to ash in the flames.  

In Williams’ bedroom, Jing Qizhen found little of interest. It wasn’t until he entered the bathroom and saw the charred corpse in the broken bathtub that he noticed something unexpected. In a corner of the bathroom, there was an unburnt bottle that looked like it might contain perfume.

As he bent down to pick up the perfume bottle, a sudden commotion erupted from downstairs.  

Jing Qizhen paused slightly and Yun Shuanghua, who had been silently following him, stopped as well. For once, Yun Shuanghua spoke up, saying, “The rabbit hole downstairs.”  

Jing Qizhen was momentarily confused. “Huh?”  

Before he could use the walkie-talkie to ask about the situation, the Earth’s voice suddenly popped into his mind.  

The Earth seemed utterly shocked as it repeated in a rapid mutter, “The rabbit talked! The rabbit talked! The rabbit talked!”  

Annoyed by the incessant chatter, Jing Qizhen snapped back, “Don’t you speak human language too? What’s so surprising about that?”

Realizing this, the Earth immediately calmed down. “Oh, right. 0.0”

Chapter Text

Meanwhile, chaos echoed through Jing Qizhen’s earpiece, mingled with Manman’s anxious voice.  

Manman: “The rabbit’s out! Little Jing, come downstairs now!”  

Although Jing Qizhen doubted that his teammates would call him down just because of a giant rabbit, he trusted them enough to act without question. Grabbing the perfume bottle from the bathroom corner, he turned and called out to Yun Shuanghua, “Let’s go!” Then, he hurried downstairs.  

Despite Yun Shuanghua’s usual stoic demeanor and lack of words, he obediently followed.  

As they stepped onto the staircase, a loud ‘boom’ echoed. The already weakened stairs, scorched by the fire, shook violently.  

Jing Qizhen instinctively reached out to steady himself against the wall. Meanwhile, Yun Shuanghua, seemingly unaffected by the shaking, stood firm on the shuddering stairs. He even reached out and grabbed Jing Qizhen’s wrist, helping him regain his balance.  

The momentary gesture added to Jing Qizhen’s growing suspicions, but outwardly, he smiled and said, “Thanks.”  

Yun Shuanghua gave a slight nod in acknowledgment, unaware of the numerous thoughts flashing through Jing Qizhen’s mind in that brief moment.  

Standing on the staircase, Jing Qizhen finally saw the scene unfolding in the first-floor hall.

The March Hare, caught in a net, was thrashing about and had just slammed into a wall.  

The enormous rabbit had left a round dent in the soot-blackened wall, complete with two faint impressions resembling rabbit ears. Jing Qizhen now understood why Manman had urgently called him down.  

The villa was already unstable after losing part of a wall, so it was undoubtedly a dangerous structure. It could still withstand human weight and cautious exploration for a while. But with the addition of a massive, thrashing March Hare trapped in a net, the fragile building seemed moments away from collapsing entirely.  

The entire villa shook as the rabbit’s wild movements continued.  

Lu Lingxi made a decisive call, “We need to get out of here first!”  

Yan Hong, Lu Lingxi, Si Jiayang, Gu Leshan, and Wilcox each held onto a rope to tighten the net around the March Hare.  

The rabbit, though only slightly taller than the already towering Wilcox, created an immense force when struggling. It nearly yanked the men holding the net off their feet.  

At one point, Wilcox lost his grip and was sent flying. His younger cousin rushed to catch him, wrapping his arms around Wilcox’s waist to prevent him from slamming headfirst into the already crumbling wall and risking a concussion.  

Wilcox widened his eyes in surprise. “Oh, my dear little cousin! You’re such a good boy! I swear I’ll never punch you again!”  

Joyce, utterly exasperated, shouted, “Why are you still talking so much at a time like this, Cousin?!”  

Si Jiayang, who was also thrown away and barely able to stay upright amidst the chaos: “!!!”

Manman’s eyes were filled with urgency, but she remained calm. “If it keeps ramming like this, the villa’s walls won’t hold for much longer!”  

Jing Qizhen immediately made a decision, “Let’s leave the villa first! Let it crash around inside on its own!”  

As he spoke, Jing Qizhen grabbed Old Xiao, who was frozen in place, drenched in cold sweat and too shocked to move. Unfortunately, Jing Qizhen’s strength hadn’t fully recovered, and despite his efforts, he couldn’t budge him.  

Before Jing Qizhen could feel embarrassed, Yun Shuanghua stepped in. Taking advantage of his height, he grabbed Old Xiao by the collar and effortlessly dragged him out of the villa, ignoring Old Xiao’s terrified cries of, “Ow, my neck!”  

Jing Qizhen: “…” He felt a bit guilty for Old Xiao.  

But time was of the essence and there was no room for minor concerns like that.  

Professor Jones, McCain, and Caroline screamed nonstop but seeing the increasing tremors of the villa, they quickly decided that uncovering the truth could wait. The moment they heard Jing Qizhen’s shout, they bolted faster than anyone else.  

Angelina, knowing by now that Jin Guijuan couldn’t understand their language, ran over to her after Jing Qizhen’s call and shouted, “Go! Go! Go!”  

Jin Guijuan: “=口=!!! Thank you.” She instinctively followed and, surprisingly, understood the short English phrase for once.  

Lu Lingxi, Gu Leshan, and the others, although being yanked around by the thrashing March Hare like kites on a string, also quickly caught on to Jing Qizhen’s warning.  

Without worrying about their position, Gu Leshan, who had been flung near the door, dragged the rope and sprinted outside. Meanwhile, Lu Lingxi, whose trajectory threw him near a window, grabbed the window frame mid-air and used it to leap outside.  

Yan Hong and Si Jiayang reacted just as quickly. Since the villa was already a burnt-out shell, it didn’t matter which direction they escaped from.  

Wilcox and his cousin Joyce also stumbled but managed to race out through the back door.  

The housemaid, gritting his teeth with determination, rushed forward to help Lu Lingxi hold the rope, relying on her weight.  

“Thanks, thanks, thanks!” Lu Lingxi exclaimed in gratitude.  

Everyone scattered around the yard outside the villa until the distant sound of a car engine suddenly echoed through the air.  

Jing Qizhen looked over in shock and disbelief. He saw Manman, who had been the first to escape, sitting in a sturdy luxury car she’d apparently commandeered from the roadside. The car’s front was pointed directly at the villa’s load-bearing wall.  

Her voice came through the walkie-talkie, clear and decisive, “Everyone, get further away.”  

Jing Qizhen quickly pulled Old Xiao and Yun Shuanghua several meters back.  

Si Jiayang, still holding the rope, screamed in horror, “Baby, what are you doing?!”  

His precious baby, Manman, didn’t answer. Instead, she slammed her foot on the gas and drove the car straight toward the villa.  

Si Jiayang shrieked louder than if he’d been hit himself, “Manman!”  

With a deafening ‘boom,’ the car crashed directly into the villa’s load-bearing wall. Somehow, the fuel tank ignited instantly, and with a loud ‘whoosh,’ the entire vehicle went up in flames.  

Si Jiayang’s pupils dilated in shock, his expression blank.  

Even for a brick-and-mortar structure, the villa was first doused in oil and set ablaze, then blanketed by snow. It had already become structurally unstable due to the thermal expansion and contraction, which had weakened its integrity.  

When the car struck, half of the villa's load-bearing wall collapsed.  

Everyone had evacuated the villa, so apart from being startled by the deafening sound of the collapse and getting covered in dust, no one was harmed.  

However, amidst the crashing rubble, Jing Qizhen distinctly heard a panicked voice shout from inside the villa, "You despicable humans! What have you done? Sir Rabbit will never forgive you!"  

Before the March Hare could finish its sentence, the giant rabbit, still trapped in the net, was buried under the collapsing debris. While it wasn’t entirely crushed, the weight of the rubble left it unable to struggle any further, finally stopping its chaotic thrashing that had sent people flying earlier.  

Manman, who had rolled across the lawn to cushion her fall after jumping out of the car, shook her injured hand. It was now bleeding again from overexertion. She panted lightly and called out, “I’m here!”  

Si Jiayang, who still clung tightly to the rope, immediately relaxed when he heard her voice. His tense shoulders loosened, and he yelled, “You scared me half to death!”  

Manman approached Si Jiayang, blinking innocently, and held out her injured hand. “It’s bleeding again…”  

Si Jiayang’s expression froze as he stared at her, nearly forgetting to breathe.  

Frustrated and exasperated, Si Jiayang quickly barked out a stream of English to summon Professor Jones and McCain. He thrust the rope into their hands, grabbed Manman by her uninjured arm, and led her to a garden chair, firmly seating her as he began re-bandaging her wound.  

Seeing Si Jiayang finally calm down, Jing Qizhen let out a long sigh of relief.  

To be honest, Manman’s daring maneuver had scared even him.  

Glancing at the others, Jing Qizhen noted that his long-time comrades, those who had been through life-and-death situations with him, seemed mostly unfazed. But the foreigners in the group were clearly shaken and were eyeing Manman with extreme caution.  

The contrast was obvious. While Jing Qizhen’s method of dousing the villa with oil and setting it on fire gave an impression of controlled chaos, Manman’s high-speed car crash and deliberate explosion resembled the sudden, high-octane intensity of an action movie.  

Angelina stammered, “W-Where did she get the car keys?”  

Gu Leshan, evidently knowledgeable, casually replied, “Pop the hood, pull out the wires, connect them, and spark it up. It’s just manual ignition for an automatic system!”  

The March Hare, now completely subdued under the collapsed villa, was no longer able to resist. Gu Leshan released his grip on the rope, shaking out his sore hands. The earlier effort had left his palms burning painfully, and without gloves, his skin would likely have been peeled raw.  

Jing Qizhen looked at Manman with a mix of amazement and disbelief. “Manman?”  

Manman remained calm, replying nonchalantly, “I also know exactly how long it takes for a car fire to cause a fuel tank explosion.”  

Gu Leshan enthusiastically chimed in, “Ah, I know that too! Timing the jump is critical!”  

Jing Qizhen: “…” Why are your skill points so terrifying?

He glanced at the foreigners, who seemed to have filled in the gaps with their imaginations. Their fearful gazes at Manman were nearing the point of trembling.  

As for the villa, Manman’s stunt had turned it from a precarious structure into a complete ruin.  

Fortunately, most of the furniture and flammable materials inside had already burned away. Otherwise, the massive March Hare might have ended up as a roasted rabbit.  

Once the car’s fuel tank burned out and with no other combustibles nearby, the fire quickly died down.

To be cautious, Jing Qizhen took out a music box and used the Christmas carol ‘Jingle Bells’ to help cool down the fiery explosion engulfing the brand-new car.  

Just as he was about to call out to the March Hare trapped under the ruins to check if it was still alive, he suddenly heard a pitiful sobbing sound from beneath the rubble, "You horrible humans! Not only do you want to roast Sir Rabbit for dinner but now you’re planning to serve me cold! QAQ"  

The Earth chimed in, "Cold spicy rabbit! I’ve heard of that!"  

Wilcox, who had studied in Sichuan, nodded knowingly. "Ah, yes, Sichuan has cold spicy rabbit. I tried it in college. It’s very spicy but delicious."  

Jing Qizhen: "…" Why do I feel a strange pang of sympathy?

Chapter Text

Compared to the crying ‘Waa waa waa’ of the March Hare under the rubble, the group’s focus had shifted in a strangely inappropriate direction now that the tension had eased.  

Lu Lingxi mused, "Can roasted meat even be served cold? I’ve never tried that. Usually, it’s eaten hot right off the grill with the juices sizzling and dripping onto the pan. Pair it with beer or a cold drink, and you eat it while it’s hot…"  

Gu Leshan added, "Maybe it’s like sashimi? But I still prefer my meat cooked."  

Wilcox interjected, "It’s chilled, not raw! Haven’t you ever tried chilled spicy rabbit or duck neck? They’re best served cold. Eating them warm ruins the flavor!"  

Gu Leshan suddenly understood. "Oh, oh, oh! I get it now. Yeah, served cold like duck neck! It has to be served cold!"  

Jing Qizhen could only shake his head in amused disbelief. All the while, the group’s discussion about hot versus cold, raw versus cooked, was clearly audible to the March Hare trapped beneath the rubble.  

Within minutes, the March Hare began crying even harder, its sobs so intense it occasionally hiccupped from the ruins.  

While the others were still basking in the excitement of successfully subduing the March Hare, Jing Qizhen finally had a moment to carefully examine the perfume bottle he had taken from Williams’ room.  

However, the bottle didn’t contain perfume but rather a mysterious and miraculous potion.  

[Name: The Witch’s Potion]  

[Type: Consumable]  

[Quality: Blue]  

[Restriction: Mermaids live in the deep sea, not on land. The duration of the transformation effect depends on the dosage consumed. Bottle capacity: 100 ml.]  

[Remarks: The Little Mermaid exchanged her beautiful voice with the Witch for a potion that could transform her tail into legs. After the Little Mermaid drank the potion and left the sea, the Witch brewed a second batch. This potion can transform someone into a beautiful mermaid with near-immortality but without a melodious voice. The Witch was confident the Little Mermaid would need it someday…]  

Reading the restrictions and notes, especially the mentions of ‘duration of the transformation,’ ‘near-immortality,’ and ‘without a melodious voice,’ Jing Qizhen let out a long breath.  

He suddenly had a theory. When Sophia ate the poisoned apple, she likely fell into a coma rather than dying outright. If this potion were given to her, it might save her life.  

However, the cost would be that Sophia would lose her voice and be unable to leave the water.  

As for Williams dying in the bathtub, he didn’t appear to have transformed into a mermaid. Perhaps he hadn’t had time to drink the potion or he had hesitated due to the restriction of living in the deep sea.  

Additionally, the danger the magic mirror had hinted at might have been related to water, making this potion a necessary tool for survival.  

Countless plausible and implausible speculations raced through Jing Qizhen’s mind and he dismissed them one by one.  

Once the group’s lively discussion about grilled versus chilled food subsided, Jing Qizhen brought out the glass slippers and the potion bottle he had taken from the villa.  

So far, three people have died in this erosion area and in each of their rooms, there has been a significant and unique item.  

Angelina turned to Jing Qizhen. "What’s your plan?"  

Jing Qizhen pointed to the rubble where the March Hare was still crying, "I think we can just ask it directly."

The March Hare could speak human language, so who else would they ask?  

Angelina: "..."  

Gu Leshan nodded immediately. "Makes sense to me!"  

The maid, trembling and gritting her teeth, said, "I... I just heard that rabbit call itself ‘Sir Rabbit’..."  

Lu Lingxi smiled faintly, his eyes still as innocent as Bambi's. "Don’t worry, we all heard it too."  

Meanwhile, Manman’s wound had been re-bandaged by Si Jiayang. This time, instead of the delicate and neat bandage with a little bow he had tied earlier, it was wrapped tightly and securely, turning Manman’s hand into something resembling a steamed bun. Even if she tried to pull another reckless stunt, the wound would be much harder to reopen.  

Manman shrugged. "Not that surprising, right? In Western fairy tales, the societal structure often mirrors their own societies."  

Si Jiayang added, "No matter what other job it has, the March Hare in 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’ is probably part of the Red Queen's faction. So, in a way, it’s a knight or noble of the fairy tale kingdom!"  

Lu Lingxi blinked his gentle eyes hesitantly. "Do we need to dig that big rabbit out?"  

Old Xiao, who wasn’t the strongest in the group, was particularly cautious. He examined the collapsed ruins of the villa for a long while before speaking, "We can’t dig it all out or it might escape again..."  

After all, there wasn’t another villa in a precarious state that Manman could crash a car into to bring down the dangerous and temperamental March Hare.  

Jing Qizhen didn’t hesitate. "Let’s just clear a small section and expose the rabbit’s head, okay?"  

As he said it, he couldn’t help but think of the scene where Sun Wukong was trapped under the Wuzhi Mountain.

Lu Lingxi’s eyes lit up. "Makes sense!"  

Gu Leshan immediately sprang into action. "I’ll head to the villa next door and grab some tools like shovels or crowbars. At least something we can use to pry up the rubble!"  

Once the tools were gathered, the group got to work clearing a small gap in the collapsed ruins.  

By that time, night had fallen completely.  

A crescent moon hung low in the sky, casting a faint, hazy light over the villa courtyard.  

With a reluctant sigh, Caroline walked over and turned on a lamp by the roadside outside the villa. Despite the villa being reduced to ruins, the two lights at the entrance were fortunately on a separate circuit and still functional.  

As the group worked to clear the rubble, the March Hare continued to sob gloomily beneath it, occasionally crying out.  

The March Hare: "Those cruel humans are digging through the ruins. Poor Sir Rabbit is about to meet his doom..."  

The March Hare: "Sir Rabbit doesn’t even taste good! QAQ"  

During this time, Si Jiayang finally managed to calm himself from the frustration of Manman getting hurt again. With a touch of nostalgia, he shared his experience sailing with Manman on the Aegean Sea.  

"Don’t believe that nonsense about the Aegean being the calmest sea!"  

Recalling the sandy beaches, the waves, the sailboat, and the journey, Si Jiayang still seemed a little traumatized.  

"Even the famously calm Aegean has waves that can make your heart skip a beat. When the wind picked up at sea, we had to adjust the sails by pulling on the ropes. It wasn’t just about strength. Even our body weight wasn’t even enough! I was gripping the ropes with both hands and feet, getting flung across the sailboat. One moment I was slammed onto the deck, the next I was thrown toward the stern. I was like a ball being tossed around and completely dazed by the end of it!"  

Lu Lingxi imagined the scene of a human body going ‘thud’ ‘thud’ ‘thud’ as it held to the ropes while getting flung on the boat. Actually, he didn’t have to imagine too much, considering they had just been flung around the villa by the netted March Hare. He shuddered involuntarily. "That sounds painful."  

Si Jiayang nodded gravely, clearly still traumatized. "We were only sailing for about two hours but aside from the boat’s crew, all of us ended up hanging over the side of the boat, feeling so sick we nearly vomited our guts out. By the time we got off, we could barely walk. Back at the hotel, when I took off my clothes, my body was covered in bruises. Ugh!"  

Manman laughed and raised her uninjured hand. "I just clung to the mast. I was so dizzy! I never want to go sailing again!"  

About an hour later, they finally cleared a small gap in the villa’s rubble. It was just enough to reveal the March Hare’s head.  

Jing Qizhen held a powerful flashlight and shone it through the gap directly at the March Hare. With a smile, he greeted it, "Hello!"  

The sudden beam of light caused the March Hare, who had been trying to lift its head, to squint and mutter, "Oh no! Don’t shine that light on Sir Rabbit’s beautiful red eyes."  

Despite the striking crimson eyes, like blood-red gemstones, the group’s attention was drawn to the rabbit’s head. One ear was flopped over from being hit and the noble Sir Rabbit was sporting several massive lumps on its head, each about the size of a tennis ball.  

The scene grew awkwardly silent as everyone struggled to hold back laughter.  

After all, seeing the massive rabbit stuck in a net, trapped under rubble, and covered in lumps was a sight none of them had prepared for.  

Thanks to its white ruffled collar, Jing Qizhen and the others could only see its head with one drooping ear and the lumps, not its little red dress vest.  

Joyce, leaning close to his cousin Wilcox, tilted his head to look. Seeing the March Hare’s head full of lumps, he clicked his tongue in amazement. "So many rocks, and they only managed to flatten one ear!"  

The Earth burst out laughing. "Ahahahahaha—hic!"  

Jing Qizhen: "…?"  

For a moment, he imagined a giant blue-and-green Earth rolling through space while laughing uncontrollably.  

The Earth said, "The bunny is so cute! Why would you bash its head in?! 0.0"  

Jing Qizhen replied calmly, "The villa did that, not us. It wasn’t intentional."  

The March Hare’s strength was overwhelming and apart from Gu Leshan or Lu Lingxi, who might have eked out a win with sheer skill, no one else could defeat it in a direct fight.  

Moreover, their goal was to capture the March Hare to ask questions, not to hit it on the head. If the March Hare hadn’t been sturdy enough, the villa’s collapse could have given it a concussion or worse.  

Standing above the rubble, Jing Qizhen smiled down at the March Hare and said, "Come now, Sir Rabbit, let’s talk about your situation."  

Still wary and with lumps on its head, the March Hare replied defensively, "What do you want to talk about? The noble Sir Rabbit is not someone you lowly humans can humiliate!"

Jing Qizhen raised an eyebrow.  

He turned to Si Jiayang and said, "Jiayang, you’re familiar with where the kitchen supplies are, right?"  

Si Jiayang immediately understood Jing Qizhen's implication. "Of course, I remember. After all, I’ve cooked a meal there. I’ll go grab some salt, pepper, cumin powder, black pepper sauce, chili powder, and other barbecue seasonings!"  

Judging by the March Hare’s constant wailing, the sight of seasonings might be far more intimidating than a kitchen knife.  

The March Hare: "…"  

The foreigners, except Wilcox: "…"  

After experiencing the insanity of Jing Qizhen and Manman, the foreigners already had a good understanding of just how deranged these ‘rescue experts’ could be.  

Angelina hesitantly asked, "You’re not seriously going to eat it, are you?"  

Jing Qizhen chuckled, "Of course not!"  

Before the foreigners or the March Hare could breathe a sigh of relief, Jing Qizhen continued, "If we were to eat it, we’d have to skin it, clean out the guts, and then stew the rabbit meat."  

The March Hare: "!!!"  

Although Manman didn’t know how to cook, she understood the process. "You can’t just stew it like that. Meat usually needs to be blanched in hot water to remove the blood before cooking."  

Jing Qizhen blinked. "Ah? My bad."  

By that time, Si Jiayang had returned with a plate full of seasonings, and not just that. He had also managed to find a barbecue grill, some charcoal, and two large bags of fresh meat slices from the kitchen!  

The group stared in astonishment.  

Si Jiayang grinned. "Let’s talk while we eat. I’ll grill some meat for you. Even though these haven’t been marinated, they’ll taste great with a generous brushing of sauce while grilling."  

The Earth: "Gulp…"  

Jing Qizhen stayed silent for a moment. "Are… are drools falling uncontrollably from your mouth? Should I toss a couple of slices on the ground for you later?"  

The Earth: "Wah!"

Chapter Text

Si Jiayang quickly set up the barbecue grill in the villa’s courtyard.  

"It looks like the villa owner used this for outdoor picnics," he said. "I checked everything briefly. All the necessary tools and seasonings are here and everything’s in pretty good condition."  

Before Si Jiayang could fully set up, Jing Qizhen picked up the barbecue grill, shone his flashlight on it, and deliberately showed it to the trapped March Hare. He couldn’t help but muse, "The rabbit’s so big, it wouldn’t fit in one pot. We’d need at least two grills!"  

The March Hare with its ruby-like eyes already wide with fear: "!!!"  

The foreigners, unfamiliar with the phrase ‘Kun is too big, it cannot fit in one pot to cook’ and thought Jing Qizhen was entirely serious and began to panic too: “…” |1.2|  

The maid, who was accustomed to working in the kitchen and cooking, stammered, "This rabbit is too big. Even two grills won’t be enough to hold it!"  

Busy with preparations, Si Jiayang casually responded, "As long as there’s enough to eat, it doesn’t need to be grilled all at once. If you lay out too much at once, you won’t have time to brush the barbecue sauce properly, and by the time you’re done, the rest will have gone cold!"  

Wearing gloves, Si Jiayang placed the charcoal into the grill, lit it with a lighter, and then unpacked the fresh meat slices. Using tongs, he carefully laid them on the grill, producing a satisfying ‘sizzle’ as the meat met the heat.  

"Little Jing, pass me the grill!" he called.  

Jing Qizhen handed it over without hesitation.  

Once the grill was fully loaded with meat slices, Si Jiayang arranged the various seasonings he’d brought and began preparing the sauce. He even made a separate batch without chili powder for those who couldn’t handle spice.  

"I can eat spicy food and so can Manman," Si Jiayang announced. "For the rest of you, if you don’t want spice, use the other sauce. We’ve got black pepper sauce, cumin powder, and chili flakes. You can just add what you like!"  

Everyone nodded in agreement.  

After seeing Si Jiayang cook hot pot in a supermarket during their previous adventure in the Yunhai Wancheng Department Store erosion area, they were well aware of his culinary skills.

Even the foreigners were amazed as they watched Si Jiayang’s smooth, efficient grilling as if witnessing a professional chef at work.

Charcoal grilling inevitably produces some smoke and with many of the barbecue seasonings being powders, a bit of it gets blown around by the night breeze as it was sprinkled onto the meat. For those with sensitive noses, it was hard not to turn away, lowered their heads toward a less smoky direction, and sneezed several times in succession. After rubbing their noses, they were greeted once again by the increasingly rich aroma of grilled meat.

The March Hare, trapped in the ruins, sneezed repeatedly due to the dust, even without the smoke and seasonings affecting it: "QAQ!!!"  

In its heart, the March Hare almost screamed, ‘Oh, honorable Red Queen! These terrifying humans are actually grilling meat now!’

Your most loyal Rabbit Knight is about to turn into a ‘best-served-cold rabbit’!

But what even is that? Other than needing to be chilled, I don’t know anything about it! QAQ

The Earth: "Gulp… I really like Si Jiayang! He can make delicious food no matter where he is. Gulp!"  

Jing Qizhen’s gaze also fell on the grill, its reddish glow reflecting off the charcoal fire, and he muttered casually, "I just said I’d leave two pieces on the ground for you but you didn’t want them and kept whining."  

The Earth whimpered dramatically, "Baby can’t eat them! QAQ!"  

Jing Qizhen: "…"  

The sudden act of whining completely threw Jing Qizhen off, especially when the Earth used the term ‘baby’ in such a childlike tone. Unsure of how to respond, he hesitated for a while before saying, "So, what do you want me to do?"  

The Earth: "Baby don’t know! QAQ!"  

Jing Qizhen: "…" Forget it, then. Better not to bother with this ball and focus on the main issue.

He was about to turn back to the ruins, flashlight in hand, to crouch down and patiently chat with the March Hare when Si Jiayang called out to him.  

Si Jiayang gave him a knowing wink and cheerfully said, "Little Jing, take these pieces of meat. They’re ready to eat!"  

Of course, Si Jiayang had already handed the first batch of grilled meat to Manman. Only then did he signal to the others that the rest of the meat was also done and ready to enjoy.  

It must be said that after Jing Qizhen clarified their situation earlier, the previously distressed housemaid began to calm down. Even when looking at Caroline and the others, who had no idea when they would die, she no longer appeared as terrified.  

Watching Si Jiayang busy himself with the grilling, the housemaid quickly entered work mode as well. "I’ll go to the kitchen and grab some utensils for you!"  

While the housemaid hurried to the neighboring villa’s kitchen to search for utensils, Jing Qizhen silently accepted the grilled meat from Si Jiayang with a knowing nod.  

He glanced at the meat in his hand, then at the lively crowd around Si Jiayang, who were enthusiastically competing for food. His gaze landed on Yun Shuanghua, who had stayed quiet and didn’t join the bustling group.

Yun Shuanghua’s cold, dark eyes met his.  

Jing Qizhen blinked and, without hesitation, handed half of his portion to Yun Shuanghua. "Want to try? There are other seasonings over there. Do you want to check them out?"  

Yun Shuanghua’s eyes remained fixed on the grilled meat Jing Qizhen offered, a look of surprise and hesitation on his face.  

Encouraged by Jing Qizhen’s expression, Yun Shuanghua took a bite. The rich barbecue sauce, already thickened into a glaze, burst silently on his taste buds.  

Yun Shuanghua’s eyes lit up instantly.  

Jing Qizhen couldn’t help but smile at the sight.  

Ever since Yun Shuanghua had clung to the stale baguette earlier, Jing Qizhen had faintly sensed that beneath his brooding exterior, Yun Shuanghua seemed to have a special fondness for food.

Who knows how long this unlucky kid had been without normal food after falling into the erosion area? 

In Jing Qizhen’s eyes, Yun Shuanghua’s bright eyes and cautious approach to handling the grilled meat were almost as endearing as the behavior of the Babyball, who seemed like it hadn’t eaten meat in over four billion years and couldn’t stop making slurping noises.

Actually, Jing Qizhen was a bit curious. The Babyball had never eaten anything, so where did it even learn an onomatopoeia like ‘gulp’? And it sounded pretty convincing, too.  

After splitting the grilled meat evenly with Yun Shuanghua, Jing Qizhen took the other half, flashlight in one hand and the meat in the other, climbed onto the ruins, and squatted at the top. He chewed the meat deliberately while chatting with the March Hare below.  

Jing Qizhen: “Why did you build your rabbit hole under this villa? What were you trying to do?”  

The March Hare’s blood-red eyes stared fixedly at Jing Qizhen’s chewing action and it grew even redder as if terrified.  

Jing Qizhen waved the fork with the grilled meat in front of the rabbit. “Hello?”  

Feeling like it could be roasted and eaten at any moment, the March Hare choked back its humiliation and stubbornly argued, “My rabbit hole was already here! You vile humans built your house over my home!”  

Jing Qizhen: “Don’t talk nonsense. If the construction workers saw your hole while building the villa, they would’ve filled it up a long time ago.”  

The March Hare choked again, then raised its voice in a pathetic protest, “You vile humans! You dare threaten to destroy the home of the esteemed Sir Rabbit!”  

At that, Jing Qizhen paused. He recalled that according to 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’, Alice had entered the fantasy world through a rabbit hole but the March Hare itself didn’t live in a hole. It lived in a small house. The rabbit hole was just a passage.  

Since the March Hare kept calling humans vile, Jing Qizhen played along and pointed at the villa ruins with a sympathetic look. “If you don’t start talking, your little house might really end up like this; flattened, if not worse.”  

After a pause, Jing Qizhen added, “I know the rabbit hole is just a passage. Follow it and it leads to your home.”  

The March Hare stared at Jing Qizhen in shock: “!!!”  

These vile, terrifying humans not only wanted to roast and eat Sir Rabbit but also burn down its home!  

Jing Qizhen, with an innocent expression, met its gaze and took another bite of the grilled meat.  

Though he wasn’t biting into the rabbit, it felt its own flesh aching.  

Meanwhile, the plump housemaid arrived with enough utensils for everyone.  

Suddenly, the crowd became even more frenzied in their fight over the grilled meat.  

From afar, Si Jiayang shouted at Jing Qizhen, “Little Jing, is your meat done? Another batch is ready. Come grab some!”  

Jing Qizhen casually replied, “Coming!”  

But before leaving, he turned his flashlight back onto the March Hare, whose terrified expression was genuine, yet its refusal to cooperate was equally apparent. After swallowing his last bite of meat, Jing Qizhen stood up and headed toward Si Jiayang.  

Si Jiayang’s grilling skills were unmatched. The charcoal imparted its unique aroma to the sizzling meat, blending with the spices, oil, and juices in a constant symphony of crackles. Soon, the ruins-turned-courtyard was filled with a rich, enticing scent.  

Though the March Hare didn’t know what was going on, it sighed in relief when Jing Qizhen left.  

But as the meat aroma intensified, and knowing Jing Qizhen would soon return, the rabbit, still singed from the earlier car explosion, shivered.  

Sure enough, Jing Qizhen returned moments later.  

This time, though, he wasn’t holding grilled meat but a bottle of cumin powder.  

Jing Qizhen leisurely crouched back in front of the villa's crevice, shaking the cumin powder under the March Hare’s nose and shining his flashlight on it for clarity.  

The March Hare: “You… you vile human! What are you trying to do?”  

Jing Qizhen didn’t answer. He simply acted.  

Under the wide-eyed, panicked stare of the March Hare, Jing Qizhen unscrewed the cumin powder and slowly sprinkled it over the March Hare’s head.  

The scent of cumin filled the air and the March Hare’s panic soared. Its mind went blank, overwhelmed by a single, horrifying thought, ‘He’s seasoning me to roast on the grill!’

Rendered speechless, the March Hare could only tremble in silence.  

But Jing Qizhen wasn’t done. Si Jiayang hollered from afar, “Little Jing, you’re doing it wrong! Start with salt to marinate it first!”  

Si Jiayang’s shout hit the March Hare like a hammer, snapping it out of its daze.  

No longer defiant, the March Hare shrieked in terror, “We’re here to find the missing Prince!”

Chapter Text

Hearing the March Hare’s outburst, Jing Qizhen’s hand, which was sprinkling cumin powder over its head, paused mid-air.  

It was like a broken window effect. Having already revealed the most crucial secret, the March Hare seemed to abandon all resistance.  

This time, as it divulged further details, the March Hare didn’t even bother struggling mentally. Sporting a head full of lumps and covered in fragrant barbecue seasoning, it meekly and tearfully answered every question Jing Qizhen asked, without hesitation.  

Moreover, the March Hare’s loud shouting had caught the attention of everyone else. The group, who had been noisily grilling and fighting over the food by Si Jiayang’s side, fell silent almost instantly.  

Even the Earth seemed to quiet down, as if the entire world was waiting for the March Hare to provide answers to everyone’s questions.  

For a moment, the only sound that could be heard was the sizzling of the meat on the grill and the March Hare’s timid voice.  

After a while, Jing Qizhen softly asked, “The missing Prince?”  

The moment Jing Qizhen spoke, the March Hare pitifully cried out, “The Prince has gone missing! The ball was held for him but he didn’t return by midnight! Everyone in the palace has been scrambling to find him and it’s thrown everything into chaos! The royal chefs lost the Red Queen’s apple while searching for him and someone spilled a bowl of peas into the ashes. The ball was completely ruined! The Red Queen was furious and ordered us to find the Prince as soon as possible!”  

Hearing its explanation, Jing Qizhen didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he took a moment to carefully think it over.  

The erosion area’s theme was clearly related to fairy tales. The March Hare, the Red Queen, and the various details it mentioned all confirmed the fairy tale motif, blending multiple stories into one chaotic narrative.  

It seemed that every human who entered the erosion area was assigned a role from a fairy tale.  

Sophia, who had already died, was linked to ‘Snow White’, Sean was connected to ‘Cinderella’, and Williams to ‘The Little Mermaid’.  

The housemaid, who had access to a wealth of information, was unable to share it due to the constraints of her fairy-tale role.  

As for Jing Qizhen and his group, who entered later, they were evidently tied to ‘Sleeping Beauty’. Considering it was unlikely for everyone to be the sleeping princess, Jing Qizhen speculated that while one person in their group might have received the role of Sleeping Beauty, the others had probably been assigned minor roles within the castle.  

Unfortunately, the villa had burned to the ground, so he couldn’t confirm the details of their roles.  

At that thought, Jing Qizhen suddenly froze, struck by a realization.

He had suddenly thought of something regarding the situation of Joyce, Professor Jones, McCain, Caroline, and others, who on the surface appeared not to have received a fairy tale role or identity.  

On the third night, Angelina suddenly woke up from a deep sleep. That night, she was the only one in the villa to awaken while everyone else remained sound asleep.  

Logically speaking, given how large the March Hare was and its bouncing, thudding way of walking, unless someone was an extremely heavy sleeper, they should have been woken up by the ‘thump thump thump’ of its footsteps.  

Angelina had seen the March Hare’s movements that night. If she had chosen to follow it, she would have taken on the role of Alice in 'Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland’. However, Angelina was clearly cautious by nature and chose to forgo the opportunity to become Alice.  

Considering the sequence of numbers involving rabbits—1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21—tomorrow, the eighth day, would undoubtedly bring new fairy tale clues. Unfortunately, those clues would most likely be life-threatening.  

Following that line of reasoning, it wasn’t hard to guess that Joyce and Professor Jones, like Jing Qizhen’s group, either had been assigned the roles of nameless background characters or, like Angelina, had once had the chance to take on a more significant identity but declined out of caution.  

Although in Jing Qizhen’s eyes, McCain, Caroline, and the others all seemed irritable, impulsive, and quick to anger, and even Professor Jones was no easy person to deal with, the fact that they had survived so far suggested that deep down, they were cautious and valued their lives. They were also lucky.  

While Jing Qizhen was organizing his thoughts, the March Hare, waiting anxiously, stared at him with its large red eyes. Feeling uneasy, it suddenly closed its eyes and, steeling its resolve, asked, "Do… do you have anything else to ask me?"  

Jing Qizhen blinked. "…If you had been this cooperative earlier, I might have treated you to some barbecue by now."  

The March Hare: "…QAQ."  

I’d be grateful if you didn’t season and roast the noble Sir Rabbit!

The others, including Manman, who had walked over after the March Hare started answering questions, remained silent to avoid interrupting Jing Qizhen’s thoughts.  

Finally, after seeing that Jing Qizhen was relaxed enough to banter with the March Hare, Manman suddenly asked, "Sir Rabbit, just now you said, ‘We’re here to find the missing Prince.’ May I ask, who else is included in this ‘we’ besides you?"  

Manman’s respectful tone when addressing it as ‘Sir Rabbit’ instantly soothed the deeply humiliated March Hare.  

These terrifying humans have shown no respect for the Sir Rabbit at all. All they see is grilled rabbit meat!

Sir Rabbit could only mourn in despair.  

The March Hare looked up at Manman, who appeared understanding, kind, gentle, and most importantly, respectful.  

At that moment, the housemaid timidly followed the group over as well, standing quietly near Si Jiayang. After all, Si Jiayang had been the one showcasing his cooking skills in the kitchen and since she had previously done a lot of work in the kitchen, she instinctively felt she should follow his lead.  

The March Hare spotted her and immediately shouted, "Oh, you unreliable Maid! Not doing your job properly! You didn’t even find the missing Prince and now you’re off doing other things!"  

Hearing this, Jing Qizhen’s mind instantly became clear.  

As expected!  

The maid’s role had once again been confirmed by the March Hare.  

Previously, based on speculation, it had seemed that as someone aligned with the Red Queen and March Hare’s side, the housemaid’s personal safety should have been the most secure. However, seeing the March Hare began criticizing the maid's work, Jing Qizhen, out of caution, immediately interjected, "She helped us fetch the tableware. That's part of a maid's duties."  

The March Hare dared not oppose Jing Qizhen.  

Though it hadn’t finished venting its complaints about the housemaid, the moment it met Jing Qizhen’s sharp, penetrating gaze, the March Hare shivered. Its earlier arrogance and insolence vanished, and it cautiously glanced at Jing Qizhen before falling silent.  

Jing Qizhen looked over at the maid, who appeared nervous but grateful.  

He thought to himself that since the March Hare recognized the Maid and considered her part of the team searching for the Prince, it would have frequently given her orders as a servant. In other words, the most direct clue the housemaid might possess would likely come from the March Hare itself.  

If the erosion area was viewed as a fairy tale puzzle, the roles could be divided into three categories—princes, princesses, and background characters.  

The unfortunate Sophia, Sean, and Williams, who had already perished, all held princess roles. Their identities in the fairy tale gave them certain advantages but the danger was also apparent.  

Angelina had the opportunity to take on the role of Alice. While Alice wasn’t a princess, she was still a highly proactive protagonist.  

Among Jing Qizhen’s group, someone must have taken on a princess role, while the rest, like the maid, Joyce, and Professor Jones, were all assigned minor, nameless roles.  

If the villa hadn’t burned down, the others might have discovered some additional, albeit minor, clues.  

But now, with ‘Sleeping Beauty’s castle in ruins, Jing Qizhen and the others no longer felt any drowsiness. The fairy tale was likely defunct, or perhaps they had already passed through the part of the story where the entire kingdom fell asleep.  

As for the missing Prince, there was still no clue. Jing Qizhen speculated that the Prince was the missing piece of the fairy tale puzzle.  

With that thought, his gaze naturally turned toward Yun Shuanghua, who was neither part of the original villa group nor the so-called ‘rescue experts’ like them.  

While everyone else temporarily abandoned their barbecue to gather around the March Hare for clues, Yun Shuanghua, with his perpetually cold and expressionless face, stayed crouching by the grill, intently tending to the fire.  

Yun Shuanghua’s observational skills were remarkable and he had already picked up the basics of grilling just by watching Si Jiayang earlier.  

With the available meat and barbecue sauce at hand, even without Si Jiayang present, Yun Shuanghua was able to focus entirely on grilling and eating on his own.  

Jing Qizhen quietly looked away.  

The Earth, too, noticed Jing Qizhen's actions and, following his gaze, saw what Yun Shuanghua was doing.  

Yun Shuanghua’s seriousness and focus on eating left the Earth stunned. Stammering, it asked, "He… he’s still eating barbecue?"  

Jing Qizhen: "Yeah..."  

After all, that guy had been clutching a hard baguette earlier, clearly placing great importance on food.  

The Earth: "..."  

Jing Qizhen had initially suspected that Yun Shuanghua, being so disconnected from their group, might have taken on the role of the Prince.  

But the March Hare had seen Yun Shuanghua before and hadn’t reacted to him at all. How could that be?  

Jing Qizhen directly asked the March Hare, "What does the missing Prince look like? Is there a photo, or perhaps a portrait?"  

The March Hare: "How would I have a photo of the Prince? Anyway… anyway, the Prince is very handsome!"  

Jing Qizhen: "Any detailed features...?"  

The March Hare, flustered by Jing Qizhen’s relentless questioning, whined, "You humans often praise someone by saying they’re as handsome as a prince, don’t you? A prince looks like a prince!"  

Jing Qizhen: "…"

Alright, he understood now.  

Since the ‘princess’ role, regardless of gender, could be assigned to Sophia, Sean, or Williams, then naturally the ‘prince’ could also be anyone.  

Moreover, the March Hare didn’t even know who the Prince was. Becoming the Prince, much like becoming the Princess, was likely tied to a special item within the erosion area.  

However, the villa that initially created the erosion area was now in ruins. Jing Qizhen hadn’t found another special item within it. With that in mind, the one most likely tied to the situation was Yun Shuanghua, whose arrival fell between the initial villa group and their so-called ‘rescue team.’  

Manman thought of another question and asked the March Hare, "What will you do once you find the Prince?"  

The March Hare replied honestly, "We’ll bring the Prince back to attend the ball! Because of his disappearance, the entire royal palace is in chaos."  

Jing Qizhen rubbed his forehead. "According to the March Hare, the chaos in the palace was caused by the Prince’s disappearance. This includes the Red Queen’s apple being lost and a bowl of peas being spilled. So, if we can bring the Prince back, the chaos should end."