Chapter 253: Collection Complete

Chapter 253: Chapter 253: Collection Complete

They sat down slowly, their gazes meeting in the air with a hint of inquiry and expectation.

After a brief silence, Ling Qianjun broke the quietness. He cleared his throat and took the lead, recounting the various details he and Xu Panqing had gathered at the village entrance. As his words flowed, the others listened with rapt attention, terrified of missing a single important detail.

Once Ling Qianjun finished, Ling Qianfan took over the conversation, sharing what he and Ling Yunge had cleverly coaxed out of the children by the beach. Amidst their heated discussion, Ling Qianjun swiftly pulled out a compact notebook and an exquisite pen from beside him.

These two items were treasures specially gifted to him by Hua Buwan. The tiny notebook was a pocket-sized design, making it highly portable, while the pen was a ballpoint that wrote smoothly and fluidly. Compared to the writing brushes commonly used by ancient people like them, these modern stationery items required no tedious ink-grinding. Whenever the thought to record something arose, they could be whipped out of a sleeve pocket at a moment’s notice—incredibly convenient.

Gripping the pen, Ling Qianjun focused intently as he registered every piece of information his companions shared in detail on the pages. His handwriting was neat and clear, as if seeking to forever engrave these precious clues within. Not only that, but relying on his extraordinary observation and memory, he also meticulously drew a complete layout of the entire village alongside his notes. Stroke by stroke, the outline of the village, the direction of the roads, and all the key locations gradually emerged on the paper, displaying a vivid map before everyone’s eyes.

By the time everyone concluded their remarks, the map in Ling Qianjun’s hands was perfectly finalized. At this moment, Xu Panqing, Ling Yunge, and Ling Qianfan all wore solemn expressions, their gazes locked onto Ling Qianjun. They even breathed with extreme caution, afraid that the slightest sound might disrupt what was about to happen next. They waited quietly for Ling Qianjun’s next move.

Ling Qianjun held the compiled materials, carefully reviewing them twice over. He didn’t overlook a single line of text or annotation. Only when he confirmed there were no errors or omissions did he slowly set his pen down. Gently, he turned the notebook around and pushed it in front of Xu Panqing, Ling Yunge, and Ling Qianfan. Without needing any prompting from Ling Qianjun, the three of them simultaneously craned their necks, widened their eyes, and stared intensely and earnestly at the contents presented in the notebook.

Their expressions varied, as if each harbored different moods and thoughts. Xu Panqing’s face was exceptionally grave; her deeply knitted brows and the countless complex thoughts swirling in her eyes made it obvious at a glance that she was immersed in an intense mental brainstorm. As for Ling Qianfan, his brows would furrow occasionally as if puzzled by certain information, and then he would smile faintly, as if suddenly grasping a key point. His ever-changing expressions made it truly difficult to decipher the rich and colorful activities occurring deep within his mind. As for Ling Yunge, her beautiful face was filled with melancholy. Her lovely eyes remained fixed on the text in the notebook, and upon finishing, she couldn’t help but sigh softly over and over, as if the contents had brought her endless sorrow and vexation.