Lin Xiao took off his VR headset, feeling a bit of frustration. He knew he had to figure out the mystery of the village and the ritual, but he needed a new approach.
He now knew that the teenagers were dead, and he could see them because of his character's special talent.
Lin Xiao pondered his next move, unsure of the best course of action. He considered going to the well again, but it would probably yield the same results as before.
Befriending Wang Mei and trying to gather information from her seemed like a promising idea.
Before putting the VR headset back on, Lin Xiao checked the time. His last game session had only lasted five minutes.
He breathed a sigh of relief and thought to himself, "It's not that long. I can probably play for some more time without mother and sister getting worried."
He settled back on the closed toilet seat, adjusted the VR headset, and prepared himself mentally for another attempt.
This time, he would focus on building a rapport with Wang Mei, hoping to learn more about the strange occurrences in the village and the mysterious ritual.
As the game loaded, Lin Xiao felt a renewed sense of determination. He would get to the bottom of this mystery and ensure his family's safety.
Lin Xiao's character stood at the entrance of the village once again.
Lin Xiao reviewed the options, deciding that the second one was the most promising. The third and fourth options seemed too passive, and he needed to gather more information to understand the village's mystery. Determined, Lin Xiao chose the second option.
His character made its way toward the temple, the surroundings eerily quiet. As he walked, Lin Xiao couldn't shake the feeling that something was watching him.
The village was dark, with the moon casting an eerie glow over the desolate landscape. He approached the temple, its door ajar just like before.
Lin Xiao controlled his character to step inside.
As he entered, he heard the teenagers talking again. Despite knowing they were dead, Lin Xiao reminded himself it was just a game and decided to approach them.
Just like before, one of the kids noticed him and screamed, causing a momentary panic. Eventually, they calmed down, and Wang Mei stepped forward.
"You old man! Who are you?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing in suspicion.
Lin Xiao's eyebrows twitched at the familiar question. Suddenly, time stopped, and options appeared before him:
[1. Lie to them once again that you are a villager]
[2. Tell them everything]
[3. Attack them as you are a ghost hunter and no ghost should roam in your presence]
Lin Xiao was speechless at the third option. What a weird, out-of-place choice, he thought. Hesitating between the first and second options, he decided to choose the first one.
"I'm just a villager," Lin Xiao's character said, raising his hands in a placating gesture. "I live here, and I was curious about who was in the temple."
Wang Mei looked at him skeptically, her eyes scanning his face for any signs of deception. "A villager? Why haven't we seen you around before?"
Lin Xiao quickly crafted a believable story. "I've been away for a while, I was planting my crops in the field and when I came back I found the village in this state. I was hoping to find some answers."
The teenagers exchanged glances, some of them visibly relaxing. Wang Mei, however, remained cautious. "If you're a villager, then you should know about the strange things happening here. Do you?"
Lin Xiao nodded. "Yes, I do. That's why I wanted to talk to you. I think we might be able to help each other. There's something very wrong with this village, and I believe it has to do with the ritual."
Wang Mei's eyes widened slightly at the mention of the ritual. "What do you know about the ritual?"
Lin Xiao took a deep breath, choosing his words carefully. "Not much, but I know it was meant to protect the village. Something went wrong with it, and now the village is in this state. I think if we work together, we might be able to find a way to fix it and get out of here."
The teenagers murmured among themselves, some nodding in agreement.
Wang Mei still seemed suspicious but less hostile. "Alright, old man. We'll give you a chance. But if you try anything funny, you'll regret it."
This village is in the north of Mount Qindi," Lin Xiao's character said confidently.
Wang Mei looked puzzled. "Mount Qindi? Where is that?"
"South of the village," Lin Xiao replied without missing a beat.
Wang Mei was speechless, her eyes narrowing in confusion. "And where is the nearest city?"
Lin Xiao's character shrugged. "I don't know. I've never been outside the village."
Wang Mei stared at him for a moment, trying to make sense of his words. "So you're telling me you've lived here your entire life and never once left this village?"
Lin Xiao's character nodded. "That's right. It's a small, secluded place. We don't get many visitors, and we rarely have reason to leave."
Wang Mei seemed to be grappling with his answers, unsure whether to believe him or not.
She looked at him and said, "Do you have any ideas where the other villagers are?"
Lin Xiao's character replied automatically again, "No, I don't."
Wang Mei's eyes narrowed. "So, you're telling me that you live here, but you have no idea where anyone else is? That doesn't make any sense."
Lin Xiao felt the pressure rising. He needed to find a way to gain her trust. "Look, I know it sounds strange. But the truth is, I've been trying to figure out what's going on just like you,"
Lin Xiao then asked Wang Mei, "Have you seen anything suspicious since you came here?"
Wang Mei hesitated, glancing around uncertainly. "After we came here, we did search the village. We saw strange symbols on the doors of the houses."
Lin Xiao's character responded, "Yeah, I know them. They are made for protection." He paused, then asked, "Anything else?"
Wang Mei shook her head. "No, I don't think so... wait..." She suddenly looked up, her eyes wide. "There is something..."
Lin Xiao leaned in, sensing the importance of her next words. "What is it?"