<h4>Chapter 298: The n in Motion</h4>


    As soon as they exited the cave, E felt her spirits lift. Before them stood a mountain shaped like a t tform, its peak level with the ground below. Quietly nestled on top was a small inn, looking down over the passersby.


    "That’s Treading Immortal Mountain," a director nearby exined. "Legend has it that a female immortal, after a thousand years of cultivation, stepped on a stone here and ascended to the heavens. That’s how the mountain got its name."


    A gentle breeze brushed by, and E breathed in the fresh, floral-scented air, her body and mind feeling more rxed. But the thought of the troublesome people behind them made her sigh.


    "Cheer up," came Eric’s soft, teasing voice in her ear. "Soon, they won’t be so happy."


    E paused, then grinned. Yes, with Eric here, what was there to worry about?


    Letting go of her frustrations, she began to enjoy the journey, taking photos along the way. Amelia was just as excited, soaking in the experience.


    Treading Immortal Mountain wasn’t very tall, and after an hour’s hike, they reached the small inn at the top.


    Directly across from the inn was the Immortal Temple.


    E and Amelia both offered incense at the temple, their expressions sincere and reverent.


    The scenery was stunning, and E decided to stay overnight. Naturally, Mason, Rachel, and their persistent entourage also chose to stay, following them like shadows.


    "I’ve heard Be is quite smitten with Eric. She’s always asking Richard for his number, but he never gives it to her. Eric doesn’t bother with her either. She must’ve heard you wereing here and tagged along on purpose," Amelia whispered to E as they exited the temple.


    E chuckled lightly. "It’s fine. With Eric around, I don’t need to worry. He’ll handle everything."


    "True, I trust him too!" Ameliaughed.


    Eric was waiting for them under a tree and said he had already booked the rooms—though they were all single rooms, so they had to settle for separate amodations.


    Single rooms were no issue for E. As long as Eric was nearby, she felt at ease, determined to enjoy this short break as much as possible.


    The inn served some local specialties, and after dinner, they wandered down the mountain again. Soon, dusk fell.


    That evening, the inn hosted a traditional dance performance by a local ethnic group. E leaned on Eric’s shoulder, her face glowing with a contented smile.


    She couldn’t help but notice Be’s cold, distant stare from across the room.


    Meanwhile, Mason and Rachel had joined the dancing, eager to draw attention to themselves.


    By 10 p.m., the evening’s festivities wound down, and the group gradually dispersed.


    E returned to her single room, and Eric apanied her for a while, staying until she felt drowsy. Only then did he reluctantly prepare to leave.


    Before stepping out, Eric leaned close and whispered, "E, be careful tonight, okay?"


    E blinked in surprise. Was that a warning?


    "Are there wolves around here? Maybe you should stay," she teased.


    "The bed’s too small. I wouldn’t sleepfortably," Eric chuckled.


    E bit her lip and nced out at the pitch-ck night. This wasn’t the city—there were no streetlights, and with the clouds hiding the moon, it waspletely dark outside.


    Just then, the faint sound ofmotion reached her ears, with voices calling out about a thief.


    E didn’t think much of it and settled into bed, brushing the noise aside.


    ...


    "Is it time to act yet?" Rachel’s voice was soft, barely audible in the dimly lit room.


    The smallmp in the inn cast shadows that highlighted Mason’s striking features. Rachel’s eyes gleamed with a mix of desire and deep resentment. How could that wretched E, of all people, have so many men vying for her attention?


    Mason nced at the time and then answered a phone call. "It’s time."


    Rachel’s heart raced with excitement, her face flushing with anticipation. She took the key and a bottle of special "perfume" from Mason and quietly slipped out of the room.


    It was half past midnight, and the inn was silent. The other guests, having hiked all day and exhausted themselves, were fast asleep, resting deeply.


    With the key in hand, Rachel crept up to Eric’s room and unlocked the door. She stepped inside quietly, making sure to lock the door behind her.


    In the faint light of the room, Rachel could barely make out the figure of a man lying on his side, facing the window.


    She approached the bed and sprayed the "perfume" several times toward the man. A strong, sweet fragrance filled the air.


    Rachel inhaled the scent, her excitement building as the man on the bed began to breathe more heavily.


    Giddy with anticipation, she leaned in and wrapped her arms tightly around the man...


    Meanwhile.


    In his own room, Mason paced back and forth, growing more anxious by the minute.


    Suddenly, he caught a whiff of a familiar scent wafting in from outside—E’s perfume! His heart skipped a beat, and he hurried to open his door.


    To his surprise, he saw a woman with long hair slipping into E’s room. Her silhouette and nightgown were unmistakable—it was the same one E had been wearing earlier.


    In this small inn, there were onlymunal bathrooms, so Mason had seen E briefly when she had gone to use the restroom earlier.


    Had E returned from the bathroom?


    Mason’s lips curled into a small smile. Suppressing the thoughts racing through his mind, he slowly walked back to his room.


    Lying back on his bed, he chuckled to himself, imagining the scene that would unfolde morning—E heartbroken, discovering another woman in Eric’s bed.


    Mason had studied E carefully. A woman like her, fiercely loyal in love, wouldn’t tolerate even the smallest betrayal from her husband. Strong-willed women like her expected unwavering faithfulness.


    If Eric cheated or got involved with another woman, their rtionship would inevitably crumble.


    For Mason, causing them pain was worth using any dirty trick in the book.


    The thought made him grin wider, and he closed his eyes with satisfaction, drifting into sleep.


    Sometimeter, Mason woke up feeling an unexpected heat coursing through his body.


    An inexplicable sensation surged through him, and though Mason was experienced in such matters, this sudden feeling rmed him. Could he have been drugged?


    Soft hands wrapped around his waist, and the familiar scent of E’s perfume filled his nostrils.


    The heat inside him grew more intense. Mason sat up abruptly, but in the darkness, he couldn’t make out who the woman beside him was.


    All he remembered was that she had long hair and was wearing the same perfume as E.


    E’s perfume was custom-made by Eric, and Mason had never smelled it on any other woman.


    His rational thoughts slipped away, consumed by the darkness. Unable to resist, Mason leaned down and kissed the sweet lips before him...


    Outside, the night was alive with the sounds of chirping insects, but inside, the silence was thick with mystery and deception.