Fingers brushed against the rough surface of the wall, and Buzhaji’s expression grew grave.
Rule One: Remember, when the sound of wolves howling begins, only the treetops are safe.
Rule Two: No one can possibly be on the treetops. If you see someone on a tree calling for your help, immediately hide inside a house.
Rule Three: The people in the village are warm and hospitable; you can enter their houses at any time. However, if they ask you for help, you must refuse.
Rule Four: All the houses are newly built; there are no collapsed buildings.
Rule Five: Villagers rarely leave their homes. If you encounter a villager on the street, immediately get far away.
Rule Six: ……
……
Buzhaji hadn’t finished reading when he sensed a disturbance behind him.
He spun around swiftly, and a dagger appeared in his hand, pressed instantly against the neck of the person behind him.
“Don’t!” a faint scream echoed at that moment.
Buzhaji held the dagger to the girl’s throat, his gaze vigilant, not relaxing in the slightest. This place was far too strange…
Frightened by Buzhaji, the girl trembled all over. But seeing that Buzhaji made no further move, she met his wary eyes and, voice quivering, said, “It’s very dangerous here…”
“I know… Now, tell me what you want.” Buzhaji didn’t lower his guard at the girl’s words; instead, he pressed the dagger even more tightly.
The girl shivered, feeling the cold blade against her skin, and tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
“There’s a safe… place…” The girl’s voice caught in her throat.
She’s crying already?
Buzhaji felt a slight stir within and relaxed his grip on the dagger just a bit.
“What do these rules mean…”
Buzhaji didn’t ask about the safe place first, but instead questioned her about the rules.
In his memory, he had never encountered such bizarre and contradictory rules. Buzhaji wanted to know whether they were written by humans or inscribed by something else.
“Grandpa Luer said these rules are the way to survive… But I can’t read these words…” The girl hesitated for a moment before replying.
Can’t read?
“Then how do you know about the safe place?” Buzhaji pressed on.
“So many people died… And so many turned into villagers… That’s how we found the place…” The girl spoke in fits and starts.
Buzhaji’s eyes flickered as he roughly pieced together the situation here. In other words, the reason this girl dared approach him was because she determined he wasn’t a villager…
Turned into villagers… something strange?
Buzhaji narrowed his eyes and drew back his dagger a little further, softly asking, “What are the villagers’ distinguishing features?”
“They all wear yellow headscarves, and each has a small knife hanging from their waist…”
Yellow headscarves? Small knives?
Buzhaji’s gaze sharpened. Looking at the figure behind the tree in the distance, he pulled the dagger away from the girl’s neck, spun on his heel, and darted forward.
Startled by Buzhaji’s sudden movement, the girl flinched and then turned to look as well.
The dagger pierced a yellow headscarf, pinning it to the tree…
“Are these villagers very dangerous?”
Buzhaji questioned the girl again.
That figure’s speed just now was too fast. Even with Buzhaji channeling a trace of light magic into his dagger, making his strike blindingly quick, the figure still managed to evade.
“They… they eat people!” Terror filled the girl’s voice.
The next second, she began to struggle wildly, trying to escape from this place.
But Buzhaji couldn’t just let her go.
This place was too strange, and he couldn’t be sure what greater horrors lurked here. Besides, the girl had clearly survived here for quite some time; she probably knew quite a lot.
“Please… the wolves are coming…” The girl pleaded as Buzhaji held her tightly, unable to break free. Tears welled even more in her eyes.
The wolves are coming?
Buzhaji didn’t really understand what she meant, but seeing her in this state, he couldn’t force her to answer more questions.
He sighed, then let go of the girl and said quietly, “Alright, you lead the way to the safe place.”
The girl timidly replied with an “Mm,” then immediately crouched down and crawled into the bushes.
Seeing this, Buzhaji quickly ducked down and followed her into the thicket. At the same time, the dagger stuck in the tree turned into motes of light and vanished.
The yellow headscarf fluttered to the ground. Not far from it, a pair of eerie green eyes suddenly opened in the grass.
Sensing something, Buzhaji glanced over—but saw nothing at all…
Steadying himself, Buzhaji quickly chased after the girl, who was already some distance away.
The bushes weren’t easy to navigate, at least in Buzhaji’s opinion. Branches and leaves scraped relentlessly at his face, and his hands weren’t nearly enough to ward them all off.
Touching his face, now burning and scratched red, Buzhaji felt his mood darken.
At least we’ve arrived…
He consoled himself as he watched the girl lift a wooden plank in an unremarkable spot, revealing a deep hole. Now he knew this was the safe place she’d mentioned…
“Why is this place safe?”
Buzhaji couldn’t help but ask.
“Grandpa Luer says the rules only bind the surface. Underground, the rules can’t reach us… But… we can’t be found by the wolves…” Maybe because she was in the so-called safe place, the girl seemed a little braver, though her voice still trembled.
“Why can’t the wolves find us?” Buzhaji pressed. Was this the reason the girl was so terrified earlier at the mention of wolves?
“Stop asking so many questions… Grandpa Luer said we can’t, and that’s that! The ones who didn’t listen have already…” The girl trailed off, clamming up.
Buzhaji understood her meaning and didn’t ask further. If he wanted more answers, he would have to look for this Grandpa Luer; the girl probably only knew so much.
Seeing Buzhaji let the matter drop, the girl let out a sigh of relief. Then, under his gaze, she climbed down first.
“Remember to cover the plank…” Hearing her voice from inside the hole, Buzhaji didn’t hesitate, followed her down, and pulled the wooden plank back in place, covering the entrance.
Climbing down the ladder to the bottom, a faint light appeared. Buzhaji was momentarily dazed…
This faintly glowing stone was very familiar to him… Could this Grandpa Luer be…
Excitement flashed in Buzhaji’s eyes.
Among the people lost from the expedition last time, there was a Magus who possessed this technology!
Buzhaji remembered it well—during that ghastly parasitic incident, it was this very Magus who resolved everything! He was incredibly powerful, but sadly, when he and the former Pope separated at the giant withered tree to search for a safe route, his party vanished into the black mist.
After a fruitless search that even cost two more lives, the former Pope was forced to leave…
Now, Buzhaji believed he just might have found the missing Magus from back then!
Premium Chapter
Login to buy access to this Chapter.