Chapter 92: Disbelief and Suspicion

After putting away the medicine cauldron, Xiao Yan settled the bill and prepared to take his leave.

Just then, a mercenary rushed into the Myriad Medicines Hall and quickly called out to Boss Yao.

"Boss Yao! Something has happened!"

"Hmm? What happened?"

Boss Yao frowned slightly, and the mercenary, catching his breath, scanned the hall before turning to Boss Yao and asking.

"Where's Xiao Yixian?"

"Oh, she's in—" Boss Yao was about to answer when Xiao Yixian emerged from the kitchen, looking puzzled.

"What's going on?"

"Xiao Yixian! There's trouble for you!" The mercenary hurriedly spoke as he saw her, "There's a rumor spreading in town that you killed members of the Wolf Head Mercenary Company for treasure!"

"Huh? Who said that?"

Xiao Yixian was taken aback, and the mercenary shook his head.

"I don't know. Suddenly, everyone in town started spreading it, but I'm not sure who started it."

Hearing the mercenary's words, Xiao Yan's face suddenly turned cold, and both Xiao Yixian and Boss Yao also looked extremely displeased.

Without a doubt, this rumor must have originated from the Wolf Head Mercenary Company.

"That's just great... It seems I underestimated Mu Li's shamelessness..." Xiao Yixian muttered coldly, lowering her evaluation of Mu Li to its lowest point.

How could a man be so shameless?!

"Don't worry!" Xiao Yixian said sternly, her eyes showing no fear, "I have a clear conscience in what I do! The Wolf Head Mercenary Company deserves it! Let's see if the people in town believe me or that rumor!"

Xiao Yixian was confident; she had great influence in Qingshan Town, and at the very least, she had the highest reputation there!

This kind of rumor would have no impact on her; no one would believe it!

However, despite Xiao Yixian's confidence, Boss Yao furrowed his brow and said in a serious tone, "No, Xian'er, you can't ignore it. You must find a way to explain."

Boss Yao's words made Xiao Yixian frown, and she glared at him with displeasure.

"Boss Yao! Do you think the people in town will believe such a rumor?!"

"I absolutely believe in Xiao Yixian!" The mercenary immediately raised his hand to express his stance.

However, Boss Yao sighed lightly and looked at Xiao Yixian seriously.

"Xian'er, whether the residents believe you or not is not the most important thing at the moment. What's important is whether they will have doubts about you."

"What's the difference?" Xiao Yixian asked with a serious expression, not understanding the distinction between the two.

"Doubt is like a seed, and it's more deadly than disbelief," Xiao Yan interjected coldly, clenching his fists with a sinister look in his black eyes. "The purpose of this rumor isn't to make everyone believe it immediately, but to sow doubt in their minds about you."

"Your past actions won't make everyone believe this rumor, but people's psychology will still experience a slight uncertainty."

"Is it possible that their doubt would made them think something like, 'Xiao Yixian is really this kind of person,' or 'Maybe she was pretending all along,' and 'Maybe we misunderstood her in the past.'"

"Such doubts will emerge in people's minds because of this rumor, and it's inevitable."

"If we allow this rumor to continue to ferment, when the time is right, the Wolf Head Mercenary Company will gradually release more unfavorable information about you, such as the mercenaries who really died yesterday in the group you were with. By then, people's trust in you will inevitably lean towards disbelief."

"Xiao Yan is right," Boss Yao highly agreed with Xiao Yan's words, looking at Xiao Yixian and said, "If you ignore this now, when the Wolf Head Mercenary Company presents so-called evidence later, you will truly have no way to defend yourself."

"But... this is what I usually do..."

Xiao Yan's words left Xiao Yixian stunned for a moment. 

She wanted to say something, but Boss Yao interrupted her.

"Xian'er, you can't expect everyone to be able to clearly distinguish right from wrong. Most people are just ordinary folks, and it's natural for them to have doubts due to rumors."

Boss Yao spoke seriously, and Xiao Yixian fell silent at last.

Boss Yao was right; most people were just ordinary folks. 

She couldn't expect everyone to be as discerning as a keen judge. 

If it were that easy, rumors wouldn't have spread in the first place.

"So, what should I do now? Should I go out and explain immediately?" Xiao Yixian asked, her palms raised in a questioning manner. "But if I explain now, it will only make me look guilty. Isn't it better to not explain at all?"

Upon hearing Xiao Yixian's words, Boss Yao also furrowed his brow with distress.

Regardless of the truth of the matter, the current fact was that the only survivor among the Wolf Head Mercenary Company who accompanied Xiao Yixian was Mu Li, and she indeed had acquired a large amount of treasure that matched the description of the rumor.

If Xiao Yixian were to tell the truth about what happened in the Magic Beast Mountain to the residents of Qingshan Town and reveal the actions of Mu Li and his subordinates, everyone would undoubtedly stand on her side without any doubt.

However, it was already too late for that now.

The preemptive strike by the Wolf Head Mercenary Company left Xiao Yixian completely in a passive position. 

Even if she revealed the truth now, everyone would simply consider her trying to twist the facts.

As Xiao Yixian had said, no matter what she said now, it would be futile.

Just as Boss Yao felt at a loss, Xiao Yan suddenly stood up and spoke to him.

"Boss Yao, I'll take my leave now."

"Hmm?"

Boss Yao was suddenly taken aback, and before he could respond, Xiao Yan had turned and left the Myriad Medicines Hall. 

Boss Yao hurriedly chased after him, shouting in a panic.

"Xiao Yan! Come back!"

However, by the time Boss Yao caught up and looked at the bustling crowd on the street, Xiao Yan's figure was nowhere to be found.

"That kid..."

Boss Yao murmured with some unwillingness, and Xiao Yixian suddenly understood something, her beautiful eyes tightly furrowed.

"Boss Yao, does Xiao Yan intend to..."

"Ah... It's likely..." Boss Yao covered half of his face, filled with guilt.

If it were someone else, leaving at this time might have been to avoid being involved in trouble. 

After all, the rumor only mentioned Xiao Yixian and didn't implicate others.

But Boss Yao knew very well that Xiao Yan wasn't that kind of person.

Therefore, if Xiao Yan chose to leave at this time, there could only be one reason.

He wanted to shoulder the blame all by himself...