Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 3270: Chapter 3271: Uncle Kuo

The arrangement of this room is obviously also specially arranged by the Everything House.

Judging from the attention to the guests and various details, it’s understandable why the Everything House could rise so quickly.

Angel sighed and said to the girl, ”To set up a dedicated reception area for humans, that’s quite thoughtful. But speaking of which, how many humans have you actually received?”

Or rather, do humans even visit the Cross All Things House?

The girl shook her head with a troubled expression: ”The guest information needs to be confidential, I’m afraid I can’t disclose anything.”

”Is it not possible to even ask about the number?” Angel muttered, then said, ”I won’t ask for specific numbers, I’m just curious, do many human guests come here?”

”I can’t disclose any guest information directly, even in a general sense.”

Although the girl still did not answer Angel’s question, she mentioned she couldn’t ”directly” disclose, implying perhaps it could be revealed in other ways?

Angel didn’t beat around the bush and directly asked the question on his mind.

The girl smiled softly and blinked her eyes: ”Doesn’t the room feel a bit narrow to you, sir?”

Angel paused for a moment, then followed her lead, ”Indeed, it is a bit cramped. If there were two more people, I suppose there would barely be room to stand... Why is it so narrow?”

The girl shrugged: ”The reception space of the Everything House is allocated based on performance. If the performance is good, the reception area will be larger, and there will be more receptionists; if the performance is poor, the reception space and the number of receptionists are compressed.”

As she said this, the girl sighed helplessly.

”Oh, and there’s another rule in the Everything House. Generally speaking, if the reception space hasn’t opened for a month, it will temporarily close until the next opening.”

Even though she mentioned only a few rules, Angel already understood what she meant.

Room 158’s reception space is narrow and cramped, with only one receptionist, indicating poor performance. The cause of poor performance is the lack of guests. As it only caters to humans, the first conclusion can be drawn: not many human guests come here.

However, she mentioned another rule: if it hasn’t opened in a month, the reception space will close. But now the reception space is open, leading to the second conclusion: there have been human guests within this month.

Overall, there are guests, but not many.

Angel is likely the second human visitor this month.

After explaining these rules, the girl continued, ”Is there anything else you would like to inquire about, sir? Or if you have a commission you wish to register, I can do that for you as well.”

When she mentioned registering commissions, her eyes clearly lit up. Because as long as there’s an additional commission, it counts as a performance here whether it’s completed or not.

However, Angel’s response was somewhat disappointing to her.

”I don’t have a commission for now.” Angel paused: ”In terms of inquiries, I do have a couple of questions.”

Although she didn’t receive a commission, the girl wasn’t too disappointed. She knew well that first-time visitors mainly observe and take notes, with few commissions. If the visitor returns a second time, there will likely be a commission.

And to ensure guests return, the service here must definitely keep up.

”Please ask, sir.”

Angel: ”I have two questions...”

Why does the Everything House use bats as the flag pattern?

And, why is the prefix of Everything House ’Cross’? What does Cross signify?

These questions actually have little to do with Angel personally; he’s asking purely out of curiosity.

But after Angel asked, the girl paused, shook her head gently: ”I’m afraid I can’t answer these two questions.”

”If you can’t answer directly, perhaps you could tell me indirectly.” Angel planned to learn and apply this reasoning.

But this time, the girl shook her head again: ”I know nothing, please do not trouble me, sir.”

Seeing the girl still unwilling to answer, Angel didn’t press further.

However, her reluctance to answer, from another angle, is actually a form of answer. It suggests that the bat pattern and the prefix ’Cross’ likely involve some secrets of the Everything House.

Since he needed to go meet with Laplace and the others, Angel held back some other questions he wanted to ask. He nodded to the girl and thus took his leave from the reception area.

Outside the reception area’s large door, there was likewise a curtain and a tunnel.

However, this time it was the receptionist who lifted the curtain after inquiring Angel about his destination.

As Angel passed through the curtain, the pitch-black tunnel showed slight distortions again.

Angel glanced back, and sure enough, the reception area behind had disappeared, replaced by a solid wall.

Based on previous experiences, he guessed that just by continuing forward, he would reach the Everything House office.

Angel sighed about ”this nested doll-like space” as he extended his spiritual power to sense the Mind Ribbon.

When they entered the Everything House, they didn’t cut off the Mind Ribbon. But previously, whether in the tunnel or in the reception area, Angel couldn’t reach Laplace and the others.

It was either due to being too far away or being isolated by space.

Now it seems like it was the latter.

Now that he left the reception area and the tunnel’s exit led to the office, it’s highly probable that he and Laplace were in the same spatial channel.

Logically, the Mind Ribbon should be usable.

Angel attempted to call ”Luigi” in the Mind Ribbon.

About half a second later, a familiar voice entered the Mind Ribbon: ”I’m here. I’ve reached the office entrance with Laplace. Are you coming over?”

Angel briefly described the situation on his side.

Luigi whispered: ”Oh, so you’re still in the tunnel; no wonder I didn’t see you... Anyway, you managed to chat with the receptionist for so long.”

Angel: ”Just casually asking to understand the Everything House better.”

Luigi sneered: ”And how much did you understand?”

Angel: ”...”

Silence fell in the Mind Ribbon.

After a while, it was Laplace who broke the silence.

Laplace: ”Angel, can you sense Sipolov from where you are?”

After Laplace finished speaking, Luigi added: ”Oh right, just before you arrived, we took a stroll around the office. We only saw those two Yingji Clan members, but not Sipolov. No idea where he’s gone, maybe to a small private room in the office?”

Upon entering the Everything House, Angel hadn’t sensed Sipolov’s location. Hearing Laplace mention him now, he took the Dragon Scale from his bracelet to try and sense him.

However, the result surprised Angel.

Even after entering the Everything House, Sipolov’s location couldn’t be sensed; they could only vaguely confirm that Sipolov wasn’t far from them.

”The tunnel you’re in now is connected to the office, so if you can’t sense him, that implies Sipolov isn’t in the office.” Luigi furrowed his brow. ”If Sipolov isn’t in the office, where did he go? Is he lingering at the reception area?”

Whether Sipolov was at the reception, Angel wasn’t sure either.

Nonetheless, he thought of a way to confirm whether Sipolov was at the reception area.

”The receptionist told me earlier that every species entering the Everything House has a corresponding reception space. This means that the Yingji Clan members should share the same reception space.”

In other words, to confirm whether Sipolov is at the reception area, one could simply ask the Yingji Clan members in the office.

And Luigi mentioned earlier that he saw Uncle Kuo in the office. So, it’s entirely possible to go directly and ask Uncle Kuo.

After hearing Angel’s explanation, Luigi was somewhat surprised: ”The Everything House has such a rule? Wasn’t it just an ordinary receptionist for Laplace and me?”

Angel: ”Receptionists in the first 20 positions are for those whose species can’t be identified. You were number 15, Laplace was number 6, both within the first 20 positions.”

Luigi murmured to himself: ”There are such rules? How come I didn’t know...”

Angel: ”You were just asking me, during those extra few minutes, what could be learned about the Everything House, and now you have it.”

Luigi didn’t respond out of embarrassment, instead, he said to himself: ”I’ll go find Uncle Kuo now and ask him, wait a moment.”

Luigi’s voice slowly faded from the Mind Ribbon.

Angel shook his head and continued toward the tunnel exit. As before, the tunnel shrank the ground to inches, and, in about half a minute, Angel reached the exit.

As soon as he left the exit, Angel saw the dazzling hall.

The hall was very large but not crowded despite the many people.

The golden-patterned marble floor was shining, like it had an oily sheen, reflecting the row of prism-shaped mirror chandeliers overhead. From a distance, they looked like a string of connected crystals. Though lacking other luxurious decorations, just with these basic materials, it was already very refined.

However, despite its size, this hall wasn’t the office but the entrance and exit to the office.

To reach the true office hall, one must ride the central cylindrical ”elevator” down.

Guided by the Mind Ribbon, Angel quickly found Laplace near the ”elevator.”

Just as he greeted Laplace, the elevator nearby began to rise slowly. On the elevator, Angel saw Luigi, along with Uncle Kuo, whom he had met outside earlier, and the slightly arrogant Yingji Clan girl.

As soon as the Yingji Clan girl appeared, she scrutinized Angel and Laplace with suspicious eyes. Although she said nothing, her eyes were full of doubt.

Seeing this, Uncle Kuo asked her to wait nearby while he came to speak to the group.

The Yingji Clan girl visibly didn’t want to, pouting and stomping her feet.

But faced with Uncle Kuo’s serious expression, she reluctantly agreed, though she continued to stare at them from a distance, as if trying to bore a hole through them.

Meanwhile, Angel had already learned from the Mind Ribbon about Luigi’s encounter.

According to Luigi, he went downstairs to find Uncle Kuo, and as soon as he mentioned the name ”Sipolov,” before Uncle Kuo reacted, Ksenia—the Yingji Clan girl—jumped in to question Luigi’s purpose. Of course, ”question” is a polite term; more accurately, it was ”shouting.”

If not for Uncle Kuo’s timely intervention, Luigi would have considered taking action himself.

After Uncle Kuo’s explanation, Luigi realized that Ksenia and Sipolov’s families had been close for generations; they had known each other since childhood and had quite a good relationship.

Thus, as soon as Ksenia knew Luigi was looking for Sipolov, she immediately stepped forward to inquire why.

Of course, all this was Uncle Kuo’s explanation.

Luigi’s own view was: ”If they were merely friends from generational familiarity, she wouldn’t have shouted so vigorously. There must be more to it.”

Afterward, Uncle Kuo and Luigi chatted for a while. But it was mostly Uncle Kuo asking questions, to which Luigi didn’t provide any answers.

Under Luigi’s pressing, Uncle Kuo finally said: ”If you want to find Sipolov, you must explain why.”

Luigi certainly couldn’t replace Angel in explaining, so he could only bring them up here.

Laplace: ”So you’re saying you didn’t ask them whether Sipolov was at the reception area?”

Luigi scratched his head: ”Didn’t ask. But judging from Ksenia’s attitude and Uncle Kuo’s successive questioning, I feel like they’re also looking for Sipolov. Since they’re also searching, then Sipolov likely isn’t at the reception area.”

Luigi’s speculation was quickly confirmed by Uncle Kuo.

Uncle Kuo: ”Sipolov is currently not at the reception area. We are indeed looking for him too. Although he hasn’t been found yet, I roughly know where he is now.”

Pausing, Uncle Kuo looked at Angel and Laplace: ”Now can you tell me why you’re looking for Sipolov?”

Angel: ”We have matters with Sipolov, naturally. Are you sure you want to know? Or, are you sure you want to bypass Sipolov and know first?”

Angel spoke very calmly, without any anger in his voice. But between the lines, the meaning was questioning Uncle Kuo’s identity... Who are you? What identity are you using to inquire about Sipolov’s affairs?

In other words, if they wanted to discuss sensitive matters, important issues, or even state affairs related to war with Sipolov, what identity would he use to listen?

Lowering one’s status isn’t wrong, but overstepping one’s bounds is.

Uncle Kuo realized the implication in Angel’s words and, after a moment of silence, said: ”Do you have important matters with Sipolov?”

Angel: ”It should be important for Sipolov, but not necessarily for outsiders.”

In other words, it’s a personal matter for Sipolov.

Uncle Kuo thought for a moment: ”Only related to Sipolov, not involving anyone else?”

Angel: ”What do you mean by ’anyone else’?”

Uncle Kuo: ”Other Yingji Clan members.”

Angel shook his head: ”Not related.”

Uncle Kuo scrutinized Angel closely before speaking: ”If that’s the case, I can tell you the information I know.”

”Sipolov came to the Everything House for two reasons.”

”First, to avoid Ksenia.”