CHAPTER 230: CHAPTER 204: DOU LANDLORDS, SLEEPING TOGETHER

Lu Lin memorized the map of the City Lord’s Mansion given by Tian Dayin several times, confirming there were no issues, then directly went around to the outer wall of the backyard of the City Lord’s Mansion.

First, he used the Perceive Star Skill to check the situation inside and confirmed that no one was nearby. Lu Lin jumped up and gently landed on the wall.

After discerning the direction, Lu Lin thought to sneak directly towards the Third Madam’s room.

But as he arrived outside the Third Madam’s courtyard, Lu Lin found the inside brightly lit.

From time to time, the sound of women’s voices and laughter came through.

Inside and outside the courtyard gates, maids with only First level strength went back and forth, carrying various fruit plates and meal boxes.

Lu Lin couldn’t just go in directly and hid outside the courtyard wall.

"Eldest Sister, when will husband return? Our little Dou Dou has missed him for a long time."

"Yes, Eldest Sister, when will husband come back? Could it be he’s out adding a new sister for us again?"

"Last time he went to the endless sea to discuss something, and it turns out Third Sister came back."

Through these simple few words, Lu Lin distinguished the identities of the three women.

The first question was asked by the Third Madam, and the little Dou Dou she spoke of should be her and the City Lord’s child, still young, hence eager to curry favor before the City Lord.

The second question was from the Second Madam, though she mentioned fearing the City Lord would add a new sister for the three of them, the actual meaning was to indirectly criticize.

Lu Lin thought to himself, no wonder he used to watch all sorts of palace intrigue dramas in his previous life. Just a few sentences, not only did he analyze their voices, but in his mind, he directed a palace intrigue blockbuster.

"Even if husband is to bring back a new sister, there’s nothing we can do but peacefully accept."

"You can say these things in front of me, but if husband knows..."

"Eldest Sister, rest assured, we would never dare act jealous before husband."

"Yes, Eldest Sister, rest assured. Second Sister just says things, she surely doesn’t think that way, right Second Sister?"

"Yes, yes."

"Alright, stop talking, once we finish eating let’s go to Second Sister’s place to play some Dou Di Zhu. Honestly, though mixed-blood Humans may not be skilled in cultivation, they’re adept at these obscure tricks."

"Since playing this Dou Di Zhu, I think of it day and night."

Listening, Lu Lin mused to himself, no wonder they say women’s hearts are needles at the seabed, no wonder the federation has promoted monogamy for thousands of years, having many women at home indeed brings issues.

Fortunately, Lu Lin is still a single guy, such matters don’t concern him yet.

However, Lu Lin, hearing them not sleeping in the middle of the night, first eating and drinking and then wanting to play Dou Di Zhu, felt speechless.

Eating so much at night, aren’t they afraid of weight gain?

Staying up late playing Dou Di Zhu, aren’t they afraid of dark circles?

Though, if the three of them stayed here, Lu Lin really couldn’t do anything.

Perfectly timed, he’d take this chance to first go to the Second Madam’s room and open the secret chamber switch, then return for the key.

Thinking this, Lu Lin slowly backed away from the Third Madam’s place, heading to the Second Madam’s room.

Pavilion, Terrace, Tower; Rock Garden, Flowing Water.

This City Lord’s Mansion is clearly not comparable to the Tian Da Family’s, it seems specially designed.

Lu Lin wandered around and arrived at the Second Madam’s place.

This place is very tranquil, severely mismatching the image Lu Lin had of the Second Madam.

Carefully sensing inside and confirming no one was there, Lu Lin cautiously pushed open the room door and went in to look for the Tiger Painting.

But upon entering, Lu Lin was stunned.

Who would have thought, such a secluded place, was filled with tiger paintings.

Tiger going up the mountain, tiger coming down the mountain, hunting tiger, playful tiger.

There were terrifying tigers roaring in the jungle, and charming little tiger cubs, the entire room was covered in tiger images, even the carpet was made from Black-striped White Tiger skin.

Lu Lin didn’t know whether this was the Second Madam’s hobby, or some City Lord’s eccentric taste.

Whatever the case, he first had to find the switch.

Lu Lin, light-footed, took down painting after painting from the wall, and it seemed his luck was good today. By the third painting, he found a mechanism behind it.

This mechanism was like a common home power switch, hidden in a wall cavity, currently in a downward position, and Lu Lin naturally pushed it up.

Muttering in his heart, he hoped the City Lord didn’t have the overly secure habit of closing the treasure vault door, or else he’d have to come back to flip it again.

Restoring all the hanging paintings.

Lu Lin took out a bottle of odor-removing spray from his Storage Ring and sprayed it a few times in the room.

This is the latest high-tech from the Human Federation; after spraying, the room wouldn’t retain any odor.

Lu Lin exited the room and returned to wait outside the Third Madam’s mansion.

Though these three Madams verbally expressed urgency to play Dou Di Zhu, their actions were quite slow.

Lu Lin waited for about ten more minutes before the three of them came out together.

With around a dozen maids attending them, making it impossible for Lu Lin to see their faces.

Next, some maids were cleaning inside.

Lu Lin didn’t want to keep waiting, so he sneaked into the Third Madam’s room and found a brass key in her bedside cabinet.

Got it!

Lu Lin’s face showed a hint of joy.

After reading the theft guide given by Tian Dayin, Lu Lin had a premonition today would be smooth.

Though there was a minor mistake, Lu Lin successfully resolved it with his wit.

Overall, things went well.

Next, he had to go to the First Madam’s room and check under the bed.

That’s where the entrance to the City Lord’s Mansion’s treasure vault is.

Lu Lin cautiously avoided the maids wandering aimlessly in the back residence of the mansion late at night and finally arrived outside the First Madam’s courtyard.

He activated the Guiding Star Skill, and the indicated location was precisely here.

No mistake.

But as Lu Lin walked forward, he had barely taken a few steps before he vaguely heard laughter coming from the First Madam’s room.

"Three with a pair, Second Sister, Third Sister, do you want it? If not, I only have two cards left."

"Eldest Sister, why is it you winning again? This isn’t fair; you’ve already won three rounds in a row."

"What can I do? Luck is on my side. Why don’t you admit defeat? As per our mansion’s rules, surrendering means paying me only 20 star coins each."

Lu Lin was stunned. What was going on?

Weren’t they supposed to play cards in the Second Madam’s room?

How did they end up in the First Madam’s room?

This was the First Madam, the mistress of the Hang Tang City’s inner court, revered and majestic, overseeing the family...

Such an outstanding mistress, yet you dare to play cards in her room.

This puts the mistress’s dignity on the ground for all to trample upon.

Lu Lin cursed angrily in his heart.

The key issue is, if you want to play cards, can’t you do it in the mansion’s front hall? Why insist on doing it in the room?

Now, how is he supposed to enter the treasure vault to steal the Lifeless Elixir?

Anyway, Lu Lin definitely couldn’t directly enter the First Madam’s room.

His Perceive Star Skill made him undetectable by anything, but it didn’t make him invisible.

All he could do was wait.

He hoped the First Madam and the others would soon finish playing cards and go to bed. Women ought to rest early to be energetic the next day.

Half an hour.

An hour.

Two hours.

Lu Lin was so sleepy from waiting that the women, who said they wouldn’t play any longer, were playing cards with full enthusiasm.

Even when they needed a restroom break, they all ran off energetically.

"Eldest Sister, when will you finish?"

Lu Lin estimated the time; it felt like it was three or four in the morning when the three Madams yawned and said they’d stop playing.

Lu Lin was suddenly alert.

Were they finally leaving?

Tian Dayin had said that the three Madams usually didn’t sleep in their own residences.

As to where they actually slept, it wasn’t Lu Lin’s concern.

He just hoped the three would leave soon.

"Eldest Sister, should we go back to our husband’s room today?"

"Or maybe we could just stay in your room for the night, and wake up early to greet Father-in-law in the morning."

Lu Lin heard that voice; it was the Third Madam speaking.

"No."

"Third Sister, you know Father-in-law’s temper. If we don’t greet him at the set time, what do we do if we’re late?"

"Eldest Sister, we should return to our husband’s room. I do want to indulge in such leisurely days, but we cannot offend Father-in-law."

Lu Lin recognized that as the Second Madam countering.

She might not necessarily want to return to the City Lord’s chamber, merely contending with the Third Madam.

Even so, Lu Lin silently gave her a thumbs-up.

But he knew that the ultimate decision lay with the First Madam; as long as she nodded, he could smoothly enter the room.

"Second Sister has a point. Father-in-law’s temper is indeed so; if we’re late, we’ll surely be reprimanded."

Lu Lin’s heart was pounding out of his chest when he heard this.

Keep talking, keep talking!

"But, Third Sister also has a point. It is indeed late tonight."

"Let’s do this; stay in my room tonight, and we’ll wake up early to greet Father-in-law tomorrow."

"Alright, what you say makes sense, Eldest Sister. Let’s rest early, Second Sister."

"All right, but Third Sister, you better not wake up late tomorrow, or we’ll miss greeting time..."

"Alright, my dear Second Sister, let’s just hurry and sleep."

As they spoke, joking as they went, they lay down together without changing, and aside from the maids attending to them at the door, the rest of the room was in darkness.

Lu Lin, standing outside the wall, watched the three of them sleep together, feeling his teeth grind in frustration.

He was racing against the clock, and because of the City Lord’s three Madams, he wasn’t able to obtain the Lifeless Elixir. Lu Lin felt so disgruntled.

But to dally here any longer meant he wouldn’t be able to obtain the Lifeless Elixir.

At this moment, what should he do?

As Lu Lin was torn about which path to take, suddenly, a deafening roar echoed through the City Lord’s mansion from just outside.

"Hang Tang, you damn son of a tortoise! Come out here!"