"Tang Ming is really lucky, we all live separately, you guys here... wait, where’s the other pair?"

Hua Yingjie was halfway through his sentence when he suddenly seemed suspicious.

"They’re a couple too."

Tang Ming smiled wryly, scolding: "Don’t you guys know how to knock?"

"Sorry, sorry, I thought you two guys were living together. Didn’t expect this kind of setup."

With an awkward smile, Meng Xianjun rubbed his hands: "Next time we come looking for you, we’ll definitely knock first so we don’t interrupt your fun."

"It’s no big deal."

Blushing furiously, Zhou Xiaoqian shook her head.

"Let’s go! Once we’re done packing, let’s grab some food; I heard that Goose City’s BBQ is quite unique, and the smoked ribs and black goat hotpot are all pretty tasty."

Meng Xianjun laughed, changing the topic.

"Where did you hear all this? Have you been here before?"

Tang Ming skeptically pursed his lips.

"Dummy! If you don’t know something, just ask ’Mother of the Internet’!"

Meng Xianjun proudly waved his phone: "Stop talking, let’s get going. We’ve got hundreds of people here, they’re probably all out looking for food."

After tidying up, Tang Ming and the others headed out, planning to call Liu Xinlong and Wu Fangyue to join them for a meal. But the group stopped at the door.

"I’ll go get them."

Zhou Xiaoqian stepped forward, ready to knock.

"Forget it, let’s just go ourselves."

Tang Ming quickly pulled Zhou Xiaoqian back, while Meng Xianjun and Hua Yingjie had queer expressions.

"Isn’t this bad? We all came together, shouldn’t we act together?" 𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Zhou Xiaoqian worriedly looked at Tang Ming.

"They don’t intend to join us right now; they’re busy."

Meng Xianjun smirked evilly at the door: "Are the girls from Medical University so unrestrained? It’s barely noon and they couldn’t wait, impressive!"

"Absence makes the heart grow fonder, it’s understandable."

Tang Ming put his arm around Zhou Xiaoqian and headed to the elevator.

"What does that mean?"

Zhou Xiaoqian looked puzzled, still unclear.

Tang Ming and his group, skilled in martial arts, had keen hearing. As they reached the door, they heard certain sounds from inside, and couldn’t disturb them or explain to Zhou Xiaoqian.

After leaving the hotel, the group found a fitting smoked ribs hotpot restaurant nearby and ordered a whole bunch to eat.

"I didn’t expect the prices for food in such a tourist city to be pretty cheap."

Hua Yingjie muttered while checking the menu: "Eighty yuan for ribs, four servings total just over three hundred yuan."

"Poor places naturally don’t have high expenses."

Meng Xianjun dismissed as he flipped the menu: "Waitress, order everything here for us to try."

"Alright, sir."

A dark-skinned waitress responded warmly and began to place the order.

"Honestly, the people’s skin here is really dark."

After the waitress left, Meng Xianjun lowered his voice. "I looked around, and the locals seem dark and short, too ugly."

"You’re not here to find a date, so why make a fuss?"

Tang Ming disdainfully rolled his eyes.

"Don’t be so full that you forget hunger, you’ve got a beauty keeping your bed warm; I’m still waiting for an adventure."

Meng Xianjun straightened his clothes, "I was thinking to see how the local girls rate, now I better try my luck among the competitors, huh?"

"You’ll probably be disappointed!"

Hua Yingjie grimaced: "Medicine is a science field; haven’t you heard that guys doing arts have impure motives, girls in science ruin themselves? There aren’t many good-looking girls in medicine."

"Who said so? My Xiaoqian is beautiful."

Upon hearing this, Tang Ming disagreed.

"Xiaoqian is an exception, plus she’s from Medical University, which is like a girl’s school, different from a prestigious ’Medical Department’ of regular institutions."

Hua Yingjie quickly corrected himself.

"Actually, I’ve heard about this saying too, something like ’advising people to study medicine brings misfortune,’ meaning the medical field is tough so girls with some looks won’t choose this unless they’re exceptionally outstanding or passionate about medicine."

Zhou Xiaoqian explained sincerely: "I’m that kind of really passionate type."

"Hey, what’s the deal with you guys, teaming up to dampen my enthusiasm?"

Meng Xianjun slammed the table, "I’ve decided, regardless of the medical competition results, I’m definitely charming a med student to show you all."

"Good luck, we’re rooting for you."

Tang Ming nodded several times, then curiously asked: "By the way, where is your girlfriend Ma Jiaran?"

"Hm? You didn’t know?"

Hua Yingjie and Meng Xianjun looked at Tang Ming in surprise.

"Know what?"

Tang Ming shook his head, puzzled.

"Ma Jiaran went missing. Out of all of us who fell from the plane, she’s the only one still unaccounted for; she’s likely fed to the fishes."

Meng Xianjun coldly sneered, "That selfish woman, had she agreed to share a parachute with me back then, she wouldn’t have ended up like this, serves her right."

"Well, that is pretty unfortunate."

Tang Ming opened his mouth; he hadn’t really cared about Ma Jiaran’s situation, but now it’s apparent she’s facing a bleak fate.

Soon, a table full of local special dishes was served, and the group chatted as they ate.

"Brother Meng, if I remember correctly, isn’t the Southwest home to many Hidden Forces?"

Tang Ming squinted his eyes, casually inquiring.

"Indeed, that’s precisely because it’s remote and sparsely populated, making it convenient for Hidden Forces to reside."

Meng Xianjun explained while eating: "As far as I know, there are at least a dozen Hidden Forces in the Southwest, probably more that I don’t know about."

"How do Hidden Sects survive in such wilderness?"

Zhou Xiaoqian couldn’t help but curiously ask.

"Living isn’t an issue, but for heritage and growth, typically these Hidden Sects have subordinate Martial Arts Sects that understand urban life, even venture into cities to earn money and gather information; Hidden Forces aren’t truly isolated."

Meng Xianjun responded with a smile.

"So that’s how it is."

Tang Ming nodded knowingly, deeply understanding this, as it reminded him of Medical Sect and Poison Sect, seemingly the Medical Sect earns money in cities but has strong Hidden Sects backing them, while Poison Sect already disconnected from its supporting Hidden Sect.

"These things don’t concern us; Hidden Forces are rather dull, or I wouldn’t have gone to Imperial University to study."

Meng Xianjun shrugged indifferently.

"Brother Meng!"

Tang Ming suddenly had a serious expression, looking hopefully at Meng Xianjun: "Do you know if Rainbow Cloud Peak is located in the Southwest?"

"Hey! How do you know Rainbow Cloud Peak is the largest Hidden Sect in the Southwest?"

Meng Xianjun became suspicious, looking at Tang Ming in confusion: "Caixia leads to it, Peak of Cloud Sea, refers to the Southwest’s Rainbow Cloud Peak."