A woman with long, flowing black hair cascading down to her shoulders sat on the floor, taking the robe she had worn to conceal her leather armor. This time, she had opted for a simple cloth that wrapped snugly around her chest, accentuating her curvaceous figure. She had already imposed on the rogue cultivator enough, and now she intended to return his apparel.
After a short while, she stepped out of her room in the leather attire, only to be greeted by an unsettling quiet in the front yard. There were no melodies of birds or any other sounds; the atmosphere was filled only with the soft rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze.
As she scanned her surroundings, her gaze fell upon someone standing in the corner. From behind, it seemed to be the village chief, Uris, but his demeanor appeared unsettlingly odd. He stood motionless in front of a wall, without any sign of movement.
Siuxa furrowed her brow and, driven by curiosity, approached to assess the condition of the old man. Even though her instincts warned her to stay back, Siuxa couldn't resist investigating further. Uris was uttering strange, incomprehensible words as if he were reciting some kind of mysterious incantation.
"Chief? Are you alright?" she inquired with concern. This behavior was highly unusual. "Chief Uris?"
For some inexplicable reason, the tranquil atmosphere that had prevailed just moments ago suddenly transformed into one of tension and fear. Siuxa couldn't help but feel a sense of caution as everything changed upon her discovery of the old man's condition.
Shortly after uttering those peculiar words, the old man fell into silence for a few seconds and then abruptly turned his head with remarkable swiftness. It was as if he had shed his age and frailty, the same frailty that had previously required him to rely on a walking stick.
This abrupt transformation made Siuxa take a step back, her eyes locked on Uris's face, which was now twisted in sheer terror. His eyes were wide open, his mouth agape, with drool dribbling out. However, just as suddenly, everything returned to normal, as if nothing had happened.
"Oh, Siuxa... isn't it?" He noticed that her clothing was disheveled. "What's happened to your attire? Have you been fighting monsters?"
Siuxa composed herself and explained, "Ah, no. I mean, these clothes are indeed the result of a monster encounter, but it happened while I was traveling with Renxian."
"Is that so?" Uris's expression suddenly shifted to concern, and he kindly offered his assistance, saying, "My daughter has some clothing that might suit you better than what you're wearing. It could save you the trouble."
"Ah, that's very kind of you," he added, looking to the right, where he noticed someone in the corridor. "Sweetheart, come here!"
Siuxa then looked towards a part of the corridor where the light struggled to penetrate. In the dimly lit space, she could faintly discern a woman stepping forward. Slowly, she recognized her as Saomei.
However, for some inexplicable reason, this time Saomei appeared terrifying, to the extent that it sent shivers down Siuxa's spine. Amid the darkness, she wore an unnerving, wide smile, her eyes bulging in an unsettling manner. She bore little resemblance to the Saomei that Siuxa had known.
The atmosphere turned notably chilly, and the woman who had neatly tied her hair back shifted her focus back to Uris. "No, Chief, I'll find clothes outside and also search for herbs and spices."
Unbeknownst to her, as she cast a glance toward Saomei, she let out a startled scream when she suddenly found the brown-haired woman standing right beside her, wearing the same expression. However, when Siuxa blinked, Saomei had reverted to her usual self.
"I apologize if I scared you, Siuxa," the woman said, attempting to reassure her as she extended her hand. "I didn't mean to do that."
Siuxa tried to relax, bringing her irregular breathing under control. She managed to offer a faint smile. "I might need some rest after this."
Saomei nodded, her expression marked by concern. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No, thank you," Siuxa replied, taking a step back. "I don't want to trouble you, especially after the chief's offer—"
The eerie expression that had initially gripped Saomei had now transposed onto Uris. The elderly man wore the same unsettling manifestation as Saomei, only it appeared even more menacing on him. He remained motionless, showing no sign of that look dissipating.
With a swift and anxious speed, Siuxa retreated from the scene. "Excuse me!" She sprinted as fast as her legs could carry her, eager to leave the area, even passing by the children who were still playing in the yard.
For a brief moment, as she passed them, all the children seemed lifeless, playing devoid of any emotion on their faces. They all wore the same smile as Uris and Saomei, and they turned their heads in unison to watch the black-haired woman.
This compelled Siuxa to hasten her pace and finally exit the old house. She gasped for breath as she made her way to the spacious inn square, where numerous people, particularly merchants, had gathered. Making her heart feel a bit calm.
Siuxa cautiously approached one of the merchants who seemed ready to flee, likely due to the darkening sky. However, as she got closer, the merchant hurriedly tried to escape.
"Hey, wait!" she called out, intercepting the panicked trader.
"Please, have mercy! I was just selling my goods!" the man pleaded, falling to his knees with his hands clasped. "I don't want to die! Please spare me!"
"What are you saying?" Siuxa was confused. "I'm here to make a purchase!"
"Take whatever you need as long as you let me live!" the merchant cried out, tears welling up. "I have a wife and children! I don't want to leave them alone!"
The man expressed extreme fear, stumbling backward as Siuxa approached. His fear appeared genuine, as though the woman were capable of taking his life at any moment. However, Siuxa reassured him that she had no hostile intentions.
The woman knelt before him and said, "Listen, I don't know what you mean, but I have no intention other than buying your goods."
The man's racing heart gradually calmed, and he took a deep breath, recalling something about Siuxa's face. "You... are you the adventurer from this morning? The one with your friend who fought off bandits here?"
Siuxa swallowed and gave a small smile while nodding. Quickly, the man grabbed her shoulders tightly, his expression filled with lingering fear. "For Emperor's sake, you need to leave this place before tomorrow!"
Siuxa, still in shock, didn't know how to respond as the vendor continued, "This place is haunted!"
"Huh?" Siuxa was completely taken aback, unable to comprehend the man's concern. The sky had now turned to night, and the sunlight had completely faded, replaced by the starry expanse in the sky.
"Can't you see it?" he sighed and then directed her gaze toward the inn. "Look at them, don't you witness anything strange?"
Siuxa scrutinized their behavior closely, initially not noticing anything suspicious until she realized one thing after dwelling upon observations—they were somehow repeating the same actions over and over!
"What is that?" the black-haired woman exclaimed, still puzzled. There was no doubt they were engaging in the same activity repeatedly.
"And I only noticed it a few hours ago!" the merchant rambled. "Especially when the village chief came to see you."
Suddenly, Siuxa turned to the merchant with a shocked expression, anticipating what he had to say. "He looks lifeless. I'm not even sure if anyone in this village is still alive."
"Do you think he's an old man?" the bald merchant shook his head. "No... he looks like that because his soul seems to have been sucked away by something utterly terrifying."
"Why didn't my friend and I know about this?" Siuxa responded, her breath irregular and her words stumbling. "Why didn't we realize?"
"I don't know," the merchant admitted, lowering his head. "But I'm not a cultivator."
Then, without any clear reason, he widened his eyes, looked up, and gazed at Siuxa, who was standing once again in front of him. "Wait, did you go to that old house?"
Siuxa couldn't muster a response; she was speechless. Her fear became more evident, and sweat began to bead on her forehead. What the man said next nearly tore her heart apart.
"Did you meet the woman in black attire?" the man shouted with a trembling voice, recalling the encounter. "No, I hope you didn't meet her."
"I wouldn't even be able to cross by that house again," the merchant added, touching his face with his eyes closed, deep in thought. "She was standing there, motionless, and for some reason, I even offered her some of my wares because she seemed to be smiling."
"But I was wrong. That smile was anything but normal. It was the most terrifying smile I've ever seen," he hesitated, taking a deep breath. "And the scariest part is, when I turned back to look at her, she... unexpectedly appeared right in front of me."
Siuxa sprinted as quickly as she could, leaving the merchant baffled in dread, and he fled from his spot. But Siuxa didn't leave the village; instead, she returned to the village chief's residence to ascertain the merchant's claims.
"No, Renxian!"