Chapter 19: Strange Phenomena in the Abandoned Village

On the road to Wangshi Village, an off-road vehicle sped along, carrying the four members of the Youzhi Squad. The inside of the car was silent, no one uttering a word.

Zijin was visibly tense. Although he had mentally prepared himself, the impending case still made him nervous. From the front seat, the captain, Li Jiajie, handed back an ear of roasted corn. He had caught sight of Zijin’s anxiety in the rearview mirror and smiled as he said, “Have something to eat and relax a little. Don’t be so nervous.”

Zijin accepted the snack and replied, “Thank you, Captain.” Sitting nearby, Si Guilong, affecting the air of a seasoned veteran, offered advice, “Don’t be afraid, rookie. I was just like you my first time. Call me ‘big brother,’ and I’ll show you the ropes!”

“Oh, give it a rest,” complained the driver, Dai Yin. “Remember your first mission? The Rhino brothers scared you so badly you vanished on the spot. Some leader you’d be.”

“That’s nonsense! I was just being cautious. You’d be careful too if you saw how fierce those two looked!” Si Guilong retorted, his face flushing with indignation.

Dai Yin replied coolly, “You’re exaggerating. Those brothers are honest and gentle, nothing like you’re saying. The truth is, you’re just a coward.”

Si Guilong was so incensed he could only sputter incoherently, finally slumping into his seat like a deflated balloon. “Fine, you win. I can’t outtalk you. You’re the boss. I won’t argue anymore, okay?”

Li Jiajie, eyes closed in the passenger seat, listened to the banter with a look of quiet contentment, barely suppressing a smile. Witnessing this, even Zijin couldn’t help but smile, his nerves easing considerably. And so, after half a day’s journey, the group finally arrived at the entrance to Wangshi Village.

By then, it was already dusk. The last sliver of sunlight was fading from the horizon, and darkness settled over the land.

While there was still some light, the four disembarked and walked into the village.

Just as the mission briefing had described, the village was deathly silent from end to end; the streets were deserted, not a soul in sight. Wangshi Village was nestled in the mountains—poor, yet with the rapid development of society, its electricity grid should have been fully established. Yet not a single house showed a glimmer of light. As night fell, the village became so dark one could not see their own hand in front of their face.

The squad had no choice but to pull flashlights from their packs and press deeper into the heart of the village.

“Who’s there?!” Captain Li Jiajie’s ears twitched as he shouted sharply at the cement wall nearby. Dai Yin and Si Guilong immediately grew vigilant, while only Zijin, oblivious to anything unusual, whispered to Si Guilong, “Did the captain notice something?”

Si Guilong explained, “The captain’s ability is of the pheasant lineage, so his hearing is extraordinary—he can pick up sounds regular people can’t. And see Dai Yin? She noticed right away too, just like the captain.”

Si Guilong, his own chameleon vision far beyond human, stared unblinking at the corner of the wall, picking out details in the darkness with his night vision.

As everyone held their breath, ready to investigate, the door to the house beside the cement wall creaked open, making Zijin jump.

The four swung their flashlights toward the noise and saw an elderly, hunched woman with white hair leaning on a peachwood cane standing in the doorway. With no lights inside and all four beams converging on her, a chill swept through Zijin, making him shudder.

Li Jiajie, an experienced squad leader, saw that the old woman simply stared at them without speaking and decided to approach. “Good evening, ma’am. Can you hear me?”

The old woman nodded. “Who are you? It’s late. What are you doing here?” Her voice was chillingly cold, mechanical and stiff—the first impression was that it was almost inhuman.

“Auntie, we mean no harm,” Li Jiajie replied smoothly. “We’re a group of young travelers. Our car broke down, and as we were pushing it along the road, we happened to pass by. We wondered if we could stay the night.”

The regulations of the Phoenix Song Squad’s reconnaissance division stated that unless absolutely necessary, uniforms were not to be worn during missions. Thus, everyone was dressed in civilian clothes, though beneath their heavy winter coats they wore the specially designed combat suits developed for their unit. From the outside, the backpacks and attire made them look like ordinary tourists.

The old woman scrutinized them for a long time before speaking. “Our village is too poor, the conditions aren’t good. I’m afraid you won’t be comfortable here, and we don’t have any extra rooms for guests. You’d better leave while it’s still not too late.”

“It’s no trouble, Auntie. Even a barn or a cowshed would do. We’ll leave as soon as the car is fixed,” Si Guilong chimed in.

“Leave? How can we leave when the car is so badly broken?” To Zijin’s surprise, Dai Yin snapped at Si Guilong in a girlish tone, then turned to the old woman, “Auntie, we might not be able to fix the car tonight. Please, could you spare us a room? Or if you’d show us the way, we’ll tidy up a place ourselves. We won’t stay for nothing—we’ll pay you. How about it?”

“If you insist on staying… Akun, help them clear out a room,” the old woman said after a moment’s consideration.

As the group hesitated, wondering whom she was talking to, a man’s voice came from behind them. “Yes, Mother.”

The four of them felt a chill crawl up their spines; their hair stood on end. When had this man gotten behind them?

The man stepped forward into the flashlight beams. He was tall and gaunt as a bamboo pole, dressed in nothing but two thin linen shirts despite the winter night. Compared to the group, his appearance was utterly out of place.

“Come with me, everyone. This way. I’ll take you to the guest room,” he intoned mechanically, then turned and walked deeper into the village.

“It’s certain now—whether or not there are Sequence Awakened here, this village is definitely not right. Let’s follow and see what’s off,” Li Jiajie whispered quietly to the group.

Everyone nodded, and Li Jiajie gave Zijin a special warning. “Don’t get careless. If anything happens, your first priority is to survive—think about the rest later. Stay with me.”

The four gradually disappeared into the darkness, while the old woman remained at the doorway, watching their retreating figures, her eyes gleaming with a strange light.

“Go on, go on. If you must blame someone, blame your own bad luck. Hehehehe…”