The Innkeeper

Chapter 1294  Guilt and shame

Liz, a Golden core cultivator, nearly choked to death on a fly, because the fly too was in the Golden core realm.

”My sincerest apologies,” said the fly bowing repeatedly in front of Liz. ”I became a little too distracted watching the Midnight Games. I forgot to see where I was flying. Please accept this as a token of my sincere regret.”

The fly tried to offer Liz some MP, but Liz herself was too embarrassed to accept.

”Not at all,” she said, also bowing to the fly, completely aware that the body cultivator fly could have ripped through her neck when it got stuck, if it so wished. ”It was my fault for leaving my mouth open. I apologize for nearly swallowing you.”

A few steps away, Lex watched his sister and the fly bow to each other, his hand covering his lips lest he reveal how hard he was trying not to laugh. Just a few moments earlier she was so skeptical, and treating everyone as a potential enemy. Now she was bowing to a fly.

He didnʼt stop her either, and just watched until the situation reached a deadlock. Eventually, he was forced to intervene.

”Dear guest, I hope this small event does not reflect on your experience at the Midnight Inn. To make it up to you, please enjoy a complimentary Hot tub session to cleanse yourself and relax from the tribulation of this occurrence. Please be at ease - the other guest will also be compensated by the Inn.”

Upon seeing that the Inn would compensate them both, the fly finally relented, and let Liz leave without some compensation.

”Is it just me, or did that fly seem unusually amicable?” Lex asked. Actually, he didnʼt need to ask. He could tell even without a detailed investigation that Lizʼs physique was in play.

Liz, who was greatly stumped by the situation, still did not completely drop her guard. In fact, a part of Lex felt like she would never drop her guard. Perhaps thatʼs the kind of paranoia one naturally gained when every single person they encountered might want to have their kids.

Regardless, Liz explained a little.

”All races other than humans will naturally be more friendly towards me,” she confessed. ”Especially the ones that can be used for my cultivation, but even the ones who canʼt will still be more friendly towards me.”

”Sounds like you would make an awesome pet owner,” Lex said, and finally brought Liz to Moon.

As soon as they entered the room, Liz stood still. She could not move past the entrance of the door, and just looked at Moon from afar.

”Whatʼs wrong?” Lex asked, looking at Liz.

”Moon is not hurt, I assure you. Sheʼs just been asleep ever since she fused with Yildirim Utopia. Weʼre nourishing her soul, and soon Iʼm going to have an expert come take a look at her. She should recover completely.”

Yet even as Liz heard his explanation, she could not step in from the door frame. Lex, extremely sensitive towards others emotions, immediately picked up on the guilt and regret that began to fill Liz, and sighed.

”You said you killed everyone who harmed her?” Liz said finally, her voice low and solemn. What she hadnʼt mentioned to anyone was that her ability made her extremely sensitive to other living beings, and so she could immediately identify that this was, in fact, the real Moon, and not some clone or copy.

”Almost everyone,” Lex said. ”Damian ran away. Thereʼs a Demi-Dao Lord hiding him, so itʼs hard to get my hands on him. But if he ever comes back to the Origin realm, Iʼll find him, and Iʼll kill him too.”

”You know… we all knew that there was something incredibly wrong going on with Moon,” said Liz. ”But no one asked what exactly she was going through… and she never mentioned it. None of us were strong enough to do anything about it. I think… I think thatʼs when mom and dad felt true regret for having kids too early.”

Lexʼs expression soured.

”Donʼt talk to me about them. It doesnʼt matter what happened in the past Liz. I was abandoned on Earth, Moon was abandoned on Yildrim, you were abandoned elsewhere and Belle was left to fight wars. Weʼre the abandoned children of parents who clearly got their hands on secrets they should not have. But weʼre not children anymore.

”Here, at the Midnight Inn, I can protect us. Iʼm not going to force you to stay, nor will I force Moon or Belle to stay. But I do suggest you give this place a chance. The Inn is so massive that a lifetime is not enough to explore it, and there are countless people here. A person could spend their whole life here and never miss out on anything. Anything you can get outside, you can get here.

”Whether you want to live a normal life, or to cultivate, or to grow stronger, or anything else, you can find it at the Midnight Inn. Most importantly, no one here will harm you - no one here can harm you. But if you want to leave - if you have things you cannot leave behind, then thatʼs not an issue either. A golden key is all you need, and youʼll be able to return to the Inn from anywhere in the universe.”

Liz continued to stand at the door, looking at Moon. For a long time, she said nothing.

”At least you had the luxury of not knowing, Lex. But we… but I abandoned her too. I… I cannot face her like this.”

”You cannot face her because you feel guilty,” Lex said. ”But the only thing she desires is her family. Sheʼs spent too many years alone - sheʼs spent too many years feeling lonely. Will you let your own guilt stand in the way of finally giving her what she wants?”

Liz bit her lip as she continued to stare at Moon, her mind furiously working. She wanted an easy answer, but there was none, and her guilt would not allow her to so easily forgive herself for all that Moon had suffered.

Despite herself, she turned around. Maybe by the time Moon woke up sheʼd be able to muster the courage to approach her, but as it was, right now she could not.

”You said that over here I can get anything I want. Can I get my hands on a Beast with a Mythic bloodline here?”