### Chapter 4: Black Stone City (2)
Lin Nan wasn’t surprised to see the Demon Race making an appearance in Black Stone City.
Shan Shiyuan had outfitted the city’s defenses with powerful Stone Men, but that didn’t guarantee Black Stone City was safe and sound.
With Shan Shiyuan off gallivanting in the Small Thousand World, it wasn’t out of the question for the city’s higher-ups to invite the Demon Race to take up residence and help fend off attacks from Cold Wind City.
After all, if Cold Wind City conquered Black Stone City, the next target might be Cangyan City, the second-largest stronghold of the Monster Race.
The Demon Race had held Cangyan City for nearly four hundred years; there was no way they’d easily give up such a juicy morsel.
Thus, it made perfect sense for the Demon Race and Black Stone City to team up against Cold Wind City.
The night was deep.
During a wartime situation, city guards typically enforced strict curfews to prevent enemy spies from slipping in among them.
After dodging a few patrols, Lin Nan and Xi found a brightly lit house nearby, where the sounds of raucous laughter spilled out like someone was having a party.
Lin Nan whispered, “This is a bit unusual.”
Xi squinted, “Master, may I go investigate?”
“Sure, but be careful and try not to disturb them.”
“Yes.”
Xi was great at spatial magic, which was a big reason why Lin Nan felt at ease letting him scout around.
Now that the system had discontinued the card-drawing method, Lin Nan rarely possessed character cards anymore. She couldn’t just dive headfirst into the fray with reckless abandon like before. Even if one card met its demise, she couldn’t just pull out replacements any longer.
Once she possessed a character, her abilities were bound by that card’s limitations. If she encountered a strong enemy, the chances of her and the character both biting the dust were pretty high.
Originally, she possessed characters frequently to keep her identity secret in Cold Wind City, but that reason no longer applied. Unless a special need arose, she wouldn’t choose a method that could potentially put herself and the character in danger at the same time.
Xi quickly returned to Lin Nan’s side.
“Master, as you suspected, the house is full of the Demon Race. They must have high statuses; hence, the patrols don’t dare issue commands to them.”
“Oh? You guys have a habit of making a ruckus at night?”
Xi licked his crimson lips, “What you don’t understand, Master, is that the Demon Race loves nighttime revelry. Nightclubs and taverns are littered all over their territory, and it’s standard living for young Demons to not return home before midnight. These rascals haven’t forgotten how to entertain themselves, even in Black Stone City.”
Lin Nan said, “Perfect! Saves us the trouble of searching them one by one. How about we pop in and see who dares go against Cold Wind City?”
Xi wasn’t surprised by Lin Nan’s decision.
Sure, she was formidable enough that even if a swarm of her fellow Demons charged at her, they wouldn’t manage anything. But as a loyal servant, he couldn’t let it come down to the point where his master had to intervene to calm things down. Talk about dereliction of duty!
He had to make sure his master didn’t even get a scratch.
“Alright, Master, I’ll take you over there right now.”
Lin Nan pondered for a moment and then asked, “What’s the status of the Human Race in the eyes of the Demon Race?”
“The Demon Nobles look down on anyone who isn’t one of them,” Xi replied succinctly.
“So, they’re not just arrogant but also cocky?”
“Exactly. They’re rotten to the core.”
Lin Nan said, “Perhaps I should fabricate an identity… How about I pretend to be your maid?”
Xi’s already pale face went ghostly white at her suggestion, as if someone had painted him with whitewash.
“Master, are you trying to get me killed? If you insist on this, I swear, once this task is complete, I shall offer my head to atone!”
Lin Nan waved her hand, “Forget it. What do you think would be more appropriate? I don’t want to walk in and raise suspicions about my identity. I want to hear what they’re saying.”
Xi thought for a moment, “If possible, I humbly suggest that you alter your appearance a bit. The Demon Race holds the top-tier Great Demons in high regard; it’s only natural that the strong merit respect anywhere.”
A top-tier Great Demon? Someone like the Great King of the Split Land?
That makes sense! While Black Stone City had always been under the watchful eye of Half Moon City, the fact that the Demon Race was throwing such a raucous midnight party suggests that any ties with Half Moon City may have long been severed.
If she claimed to be of the Human Race, it might attract suspicion; it would be better to just call herself a Great Demon to win their temporary trust.
“That’s easy.”
After leveling up, Lin Nan could make her Black Robe transform into any outfit she wished.
In just a moment, her ordinary attire morphed into a vibrant skirt with a colorful hemline, exuding the spirited vibe of a flamboyant Bird Demon.
“Master’s transformation skills are indeed breathtaking,” Xi praised sincerely.
“Let’s go! Time to see what their party’s like!”
While Xi didn’t understand what “party” meant, he guessed it had something to do with the nighttime revelry of the Demons.
He also returned to his original formal attire, complete with a long cane, strutting around like a proper old gentleman from some pretentious kingdom.
Their flamboyant entrance immediately caught the attention of a nearby patrol.
However, upon realizing that one was a Demon and the other had transformed into a stunning Bird Demon, these half-demon, half-human little critters hesitated.
“Captain, these two seem unfamiliar. Should we go question them?”
The Dog-headed Man squad leader smacked the little critter on the forehead.
“Is this the kind of trivial matter we can handle? Can’t you see they’re heading straight for the Demon Nobles’ tavern? If they really had issues, the Demon Nobles would spot the flaws first! Let’s just stick around and wait here, got it?”
The smacked little critter dared not speak further and meekly stepped back.
So, the patrol simply watched as Lin Nan and Xi swaggered into the tavern, and in an instant, the raucous sounds of laughter and music erupted.
With a loud “bang,” silence quickly returned.
“I bet within two minutes, that pompous man and woman will get kicked out like balls!” the little critter who had been smacked grumbled indignantly.
“Two minutes? I’ll wager one minute! I bet I’ve never seen that top-hatted Demon before!”
“Come on, come on, place your bets! The betting is officially starting!” the eager little critters clamored.
In no time, everyone’s attention was entirely on the bustling tavern, full of shadows and laughter.
