The villagers still wanted to argue, but Ma Boliu raised a hand, promptly silencing them. This was the person Chen Ru was most wary of, as he had remained unprovoked and utterly unfazed from the beginning until the end. His composure was commendable, though it remained to be seen what's truly inside his heart.
"Mr. Chen," Ma Boliu began, his voice calm and somber. "We're not accusing you; we're simply stating the facts. But if you ask on what basis…" a sharp gleam flickered in his eyes. "Then let me ask you this: did you, or did you not, go against our warning and interact with the son of the demon?"
That unexpected question caught Chen Ru utterly off guard, causing his eyes to widen with apparent shock written all over his face. H–How did they know? He had only gone up the hill once! Had anyone seen him at that time?!
