Chapter 153 It's Burning

"Old man, are you testing us? Testing whether our handling of emergencies is too impatient..."

"Old man, you really put a lot of thought into this. I feel like I can already face life with a smile and no longer need this kind of test..."

A spectacled book-monster looked at the kindly, white-haired old man before him with eyes full of adoration, wearing a fanboy-like smile on his face...

Even as he smiled, he suddenly bolted, running wildly toward the door that had not yet been fully closed by the Darlie toothpaste monster...

"Ha, only a fool would believe you..."

"Ha, damn your mother, go to hell with your impatience, who are you trying to fool..."

While cursing the old man with a smile, the book-monster sprinted desperately, trying to rush out the door...

However...

Just as the white-haired old man gently waved his hand at him, the book-monster burst into flames, instantly turning to ashes...

Leaving only a single character fluttering down onto the ground...

A burnt, deformed character for "smile"...

At this moment, the book-monster truly smiled at death.

Witnessing this scene, the various monsters in the tavern suddenly came to a sudden realization: the old man was not joking with them at all...

He was genuinely planning to exterminate the monsters in the tavern.

"Sigh, if you must blame someone, blame your proprietor, Bai Xiaoni..."

The white-haired old man shook his head with an innocent expression, looked around at the bewildered pack of demons, and sighed: "Look at this. Just now, the old man only wanted to find someone, and how did the tavern's attendant, accountant, and chef treat me..."

"The old man tolerated it again and again, always believing that one should handle matters with a calm mind, control one's emotions, and cast aside impatience. But now, the old man can no longer endure it..."

"Therefore, if this Bai girl continues to stay in hiding, I will kill a monster in the tavern every once in a while..."

"I want to see if this Bai girl can keep her composure..."

"Hehehe..."

The white-haired old man's amiable and kindly face suddenly turned ferocious, resembling a vicious ghost from the depths of hell, suffused with an eerie green glow, and even...

His hair slowly turned green as well.

It struck terror into everyone's hearts.

Terrified by his horrifying appearance, the monsters in the tavern trembled and huddled together...

"What are you two doing?"

The old man, whose face and hair were now glowing green, asked with a puzzled look as he gazed at the two Darlie toothpaste monsters to his left and right.

"Setting the mood, of course! Didn't you say that whenever you smile like this, we're responsible for creating a terrifying atmosphere for you?"

One of the Darlie toothpaste monsters was holding a flashlight, casting a green beam onto the old man's face, and replied with an equally eerie expression.

"One of you shines a green light directly in my face, and the other plays horror movie music with a Hong Kong cinema vibe. Are we acting in a play here? Can you put some actual effort into your work? I told you to create an atmosphere, not an awkward atmosphere. I'm telling you, I'll have to replace you two sooner or later..."

The old man raised the cane in his hand and knocked the flashlights and phones out of the hands of the two toothpaste monsters beside him.

"Why aren't you killing the tavern's staff? They are the proprietor's closest people, and the proprietor cares about them even more..."

At this moment, Li Changluo pinched his nose, hid amidst the crowd of monsters, and asked the old man in a weird, disguised tone.

Although this question harbored ill intentions, it hit the nail right on the head. Zheng Qiguai, Lin Dandan, and Maiden Mingshan had all been dispatched by the old man into gentle traps, so why not use them directly to threaten the proprietor?

Moreover, this stubborn old mule was truly unyielding; he insisted the proprietor wasn't here...

This persistent stubbornness was definitely a trait shared by grandfathers.

"Because they are the tavern's staff, and I cannot kill them."

The old man touched his head and answered quite bluntly.

Li Changluo was overjoyed upon hearing this. So that was the reason! Why didn't you say so earlier? Young master here is also a tavern staff member. Thank heavens!

"Thank goodness, I'm also a staff member of this tavern. My name is Li Changluo..."

However...

Before Li Changluo could finish speaking, a faucet-monster standing in the crowd leaped out, impersonating Li Changluo...

Li Changluo stamped his feet in fury. He wanted to step out and expose this monster's lies; he wanted to tell the old man that he was the real tavern attendant, Li Changluo...

Yet...

Before he could step out to correct the mistake, the faucet-monster had already been struck by the old man's raised cane, split directly in two as if cutting vegetables...

In an instant, a torrent of cold water gushed out from within the faucet-monster's body, drenching the old man from head to toe.

Li Changluo swallowed hard in fright, touching his own body with lingering fear...

Wait a minute...

Didn't you say you wouldn't kill the tavern's staff?

What kind of nonsense is that...

Are you just playing around?

However, things in the world are always like this; when you reach the mountain, there will always be a path, and many turning points are interlinked...

The old man had smashed the faucet-monster and gotten drenched in water, and now he had fallen to the ground in agony, groaning...

"Ah, this is terrible..."

"I cannot touch water; my demonic powers are gone..."

"What are the four of you standing around for? Quickly take me away..."

The old man lay on the ground, struggling in pain...

However, his four Guardians of the Galaxy members remained completely unmoved, standing in place like deaf statues without stirring an inch.

Seeing this, Li Changluo's fallen heart soared back up like a roller coaster. Truly, those who commit many injustices are abandoned by all; even your own subordinates ignore you at a critical moment like this...

Isn't this the exact moment to show off?

Leap out and overturn this old demon who has lost his demonic powers...

Then, rescue the monsters in the tavern and protect the place...

A low-cost, high-return equipment yield—why not?

Doing such a magnificent deed on your very first day at work, would you believe it?

"Old man, I am going to uphold justice on behalf of heaven today. With me here, you still dare to act wildly..."

"Let go of that Black guy, let me carry you instead..."

"I've long wanted to punish evil and promote good without ever finding the chance, but today I've finally crossed paths with you..."

However...

Li Changluo truly never expected that he wasn't the only monster with this exact thought...

Just as he was patting himself on the back for his cleverness and preparing to leap out as a hero...

Three other monsters suddenly jumped out, all ready to punish evil, promote good, and deal with the powerless old man.

He was still too late...

Li Changluo felt a trace of annoyance. Why wasn't he faster? History only remembers the first person; who cares about the second or third? Even if he jumped out now, it would merely be adding flowers to brocade...

"Wow, so handsome..."

"My peerless hero, look at how they're glowing all over..."

"They are ablaze with the righteous fire of justice."

"Is this the radiance of a hero? Truly drop-dead gorgeous..."

Sure enough, as these monsters leaped out righteously to grandstand, they reaped a wave of admiration from the female demons in the tavern...

Except that these monsters suddenly burst into flames...

They were actually, truly burning...