Just as the Comic Man was deeply frustrated, a blinding white light flashed once more outside the door——

A lightning strike shattered the Ghost Flame apart!

The frail flame trembled and disintegrated under the force of the thunder, until finally it became a wisp of black smoke, fading away into nothing…

The Comic Man: “…”

He remained speechless for a long moment. At last, he turned and looked at Bai Youwei nearby.

He was certain that she had just witnessed that scene as well.

“…This doesn’t add up.” The Comic Man said, his expression grave. “As the only two characters within this dungeon, they genuinely don’t belong to the Candy House — so why was the Ghost Flame still struck dead?”

Bai Youwei looked perfectly innocent: “You’re asking me — who am I supposed to ask?”

The Comic Man: “…”

Bai Youwei continued: “The rules require us to carry the item out through the door — not for the item to carry us out through the door.”

What the Ghost Flame had done just now — clinging onto the NPC — did that count as the Ghost Flame taking Tangtang out, or as Tangtang taking the Ghost Flame out?

The Comic Man listened and nodded thoughtfully: “True… this area isn’t entirely precise. But if we try to take them out by normal means, it’s almost impossible. Both of these NPCs are far too large, and far too strong, and on top of that, our abilities as Inspectors are suppressed — there’s no way to confront them directly.”

Bai Youwei nodded vigorously: “Exactly what I was thinking!”

The Comic Man: “…”

Being agreed with by her like that felt strangely off. He couldn’t help but look her way, and asked with suspicion: “Why do I get the feeling you’re secretly rejoicing at all of this?”

“How could that be?” Bai Youwei replied innocently. “It’s not like I can get out either. Once that little girl eats the door too, we’ll all be done for!”

“We need to think of something quickly.” The Comic Man’s mood grew even heavier.

He looked left and right. The syrup and chocolate inside the house had mostly melted by now, leaving the floor sticky and slippery, like a muddy swamp.

He truly could not find an “item that didn’t belong to the Candy House.”

The Comic Man’s gaze drifted sidelong toward Bai Youwei.

This person was standing calmly in place, her expression entirely untroubled. Didn’t she feel any urgency at all?

“That mother-and-daughter pair must be the key to solving this puzzle. The only ones who can enter and exit the Candy House are the two of them — and the item that doesn’t belong to the Candy House must have been brought in by them.”

The Comic Man analyzed the situation as he slowly paced around the Candy House.

“Following them out directly will get us struck by lightning. Tearing at their clothes will enrage them… If only there were a pair of scissors…”

He racked his brains.

“We can neither follow the NPCs out, nor get close to them — what other way is there to obtain an item that doesn’t belong to the Candy House?… Tangtang’s drool has already been tried. Besides drool, what else might they leave behind here?”

Bai Youwei chimed in as well: “Right, besides drool, what else would they leave behind?”

The Comic Man: “…”

That infuriatingly insouciant tone of hers was really disrupting his concentration.

He took a deep breath and cleared his thoughts: “…Tangtang sneaks in every half hour to eat sweets, but she has cavities, so her mother always comes after her, dragging her away by force.”

The Comic Man furrowed his brow deeply.

He had designed game dungeons before and knew well that not a single word in a rule description was wasted.

“Why emphasize that Tangtang has cavities?” The Comic Man’s gaze swept the room. “Could it be… her teeth…”

A flash of lightning struck his mind!

The Comic Man suddenly recalled the moment when the giant mother had wrenched the coffee table leg from her daughter’s mouth with great force!

“It’s the cavity!” He grew excited. “The rotten cavity tooth — stuck to the chocolate candy — was pulled right out! Bai Youwei, quick, find that coffee table leg from just now!”

Tap, tap, tap——

The girl’s footsteps were light and quick as she walked out through the door.

The Comic Man spun around and stood there dumbstruck, staring at Bai Youwei, his mind unable to catch up. “How did you…”

Bai Youwei stood outside the door, smiling at him. One arm cradled her plush rabbit; the other hand held up something small and white.

It was Tangtang’s cavity tooth.

—