"Stop for a moment."

Lu Xi'an said immediately.

Yao Wei quickly stopped the car. She seemed to sense something, held her breath, and listened carefully for a while before saying, "It seems... there's still a bit of noise..."

Lu Xi'an said, "But it's not from the village, it's from outside the village."

"Hmm."

Yao Wei said this and then called out, "Gou."

She didn't even need to give a command; Gou understood and replied, "Life form detected ahead, signs are weak. No other life forms apart from this one."

Lu Xi'an asked another question, "And what about the village? Is there anyone alive or any living animals in the village? Specifically, to the east, where people used to gather before."

Gou replied, "No life forms with detectable vital signs found in that area."

So, they're really all dead?

Lu Xi'an carefully sensed again, then climbed onto the car roof with a sniper gun, observed all around through the scope, and after making sure he couldn't see any living people, felt slightly relieved.

But vigilance must still be maintained. The people here died too mysteriously; how come they had just left for a little while, and everyone here was completely dead?!

Did someone come here to kill while they were away, and the perpetrator had already left, or was there another reason?

Or perhaps... a sudden outbreak of an infectious disease killed all these people?

While pondering, Lu Xi'an put the sniper gun back in the car and asked Gou, "Gou, is there any virus in the village? If so, can we resist it using the Fungus Stone?"

Gou quickly responded, "No virus detected within the scope. You don't need the Fungus Stone."

"I see..."

Lu Xi'an nodded.

Was it because there had never been a lethal infectious viral existence, or did the virus become so severe that it infected everyone to death, losing its host medium and therefore perished?

Whatever the case may be, as long as no dangerous people or viruses existed for them, it was fine.

Lu Xi'an only put the sniper gun back into the car but didn't get in himself. He said outside the car, "I'll walk ahead and check the situation while you drive and follow."

"Okay."

Yao Wei agreed with a nod.

So the two went one after another, one walking, one driving, moving forward.

They continued to bypass the village. The village's silence did pique their curiosity, urging them to explore further, but this wasn't a horror film; they didn't need to risk themselves just for some curiosity.

Besides, isn't there a person right ahead? That person is still breathing; whatever happened, it's better to ask him.

They bypassed the village, and north of the village near Guanhai River, indeed saw a person.

It was an adult man, a regular person living a life of instability and severe illness in this world, hunched and looking aged.

He heard the rumbling of wheels behind him, struggled to turn over and look back, suddenly frightened, retreating continuously, and crying out "Ah, ah, ah" in terror.

His demeanor seemed too scared to speak, only chanting "Ah, ah, ah."

Lu Xi'an had seen this before, so he immediately understood—

Someone had been here before and killed the village inhabitants?

He and Yao Wei didn't stop, feeling like a giant beast with a bloody mouth rushing toward him in that man's eyes.

"Ah! Ah! Ah! Ah!"

His desperate wailing grew sharper, losing control.

Lu Xi'an stopped, Yao Wei also stopped the car.

Lu Xi'an spoke to comfort him, "Don't be afraid, we mean no harm."

The man stopped crying "Ah, ah, ah," but continued to retreat, panting heavily, struggling to breathe.

Lu Xi'an said again, "Did someone visit the Sickness Village before? Did someone kill everyone in the village? How did you escape?"

The man still looked panicked and retreated frantically. He acted like a primitive man who didn't understand human language, completely incapable of communicating with Lu Xi'an.

He had retreated to the bridge's edge, with the Broken Bridge's end right in front.

Upon seeing this, he simply ignored Lu Xi'an and the car, used all his strength to roll over, turned a corner, and crawled toward the bridge's edge.

Compared to the bridge's end, the riverbank was still nearby.

Seeing this, Lu Xi'an sighed, leapt to the side, jumping past the man, and blocked his path.

"Are you planning to jump into the river? The water flow below has narrowed; if you jump from here, it's a dry riverbed. You might fall to your death before you roll into the river."

Lu Xi'an squatted down and said, "I'm asking you questions nicely; I don't intend to harm you. But if you don't answer me, I won't mind giving you a push."

The man couldn't move forward, turned pale, and finally spoke tremblingly, "Please... spare me..."

Still seeming to not understand human language, failing to communicate...

Some people are just like that, you say what you have to say, and they say what they want to say, completely ignoring your words because they're controlled by emotions.

Before Lu Xi'an traveled, he had encountered such people and knew that speaking kindly to them was useless. He sighed and drew a small blade he carried with him, pressing its tip against the person's forehead.

The person held their breath suddenly, seemingly somewhat calmer.

Seeing this, Lu Xi'an asked, "I'll ask you one question, you answer one question, or else I'll use this blade to send you to your death."

The person seemed to want to nod but was afraid of the blade in Lu Xi'an's hand, so they dared not. However, from the look in their eyes, Lu Xi'an was sure the person agreed.

So Lu Xi'an asked the first question: "What kind of people came to the village? How many? How were the villagers killed?"

The person answered shakily, "It was...it was...we didn't see anyone, only many spotted yellow dogs.

"Some said it was controlled by Type C."

At this, he suddenly wailed, "Mainly to take back this place too, leaving us with no way to survive! We were already here waiting to die, not harming anyone!

"Why not spare us! Master! Why not spare us!"

Seeing his emotions rising again, Lu Xi'an lightly pushed the blade forward.

A red dot appeared on the person's forehead, and seeming to feel the pain, they calmed down, their cries abruptly stopped.

Lu Xi'an then asked the second question: "When did those spotted dogs arrive and when did they leave?"

The person answered honestly, "I...I can't tell, but...but it should have been two days. They arrived two days ago, left two days ago.

"I lay there for two days, didn't dare to move... it should be two days, night came twice, I don't think I'm wrong…"

So it was a Type C Neo-Human, and after killing the people here, they left two days ago?

In any case, it shouldn't be a Type A Neo-Human. Or rather, there weren't any Type A Neo-Humans among those who came here.

With the hearing of a Type A Neo-Human, at such a close distance, a normal person's hiding would be useless.

If a Type A Neo-Human listened carefully, they could hear this person's heartbeat and breathing.

—Of course, the premise is to listen carefully.

Moreover, two days ago doesn't match the time they observed that red dot, I wonder if it's related to the red dot they once saw?

Thinking of this, Lu Xi'an asked, "About nine to ten days ago, were you in the village?"

The person nodded, saying, "Yes. I had just about recovered from my illness then and was resting in the village."

Lu Xi'an asked, "Did you see any Neo-Humans at that time? The Masters?"

The person shook their head blankly, indicating they hadn't seen any.

"..."

Lu Xi'an was slightly silent.

So, before, when he and Yao Wei saw that red dot move into Sickness Village from the car, the Neo-Human represented by the red dot didn't show up, did it?

Lu Xi'an asked again, "If it was the spotted yellow dogs, how did you survive? A dog's nose is so sensitive, how did you escape them?"

"I...I don't know…"

The person, fearing Lu Xi'an's disbelief, began to speak urgently once more, emotions again appearing on the verge of an outburst, "I...I ran out and hid in the grass, didn't dare to move. No one came looking for me. Truly, no one came searching for me.

"Everyone else died, only I survived. I only dared to move today; I lay there, chewing on grass when hungry, eating only in small bites... and then I came across you by accident..."

He prattled on endlessly, not knowing what to say.

Lu Xi'an exhaled gently, sheathed the blade, stood up, and said, "Okay, I'm done asking. Sorry for pointing the blade at you."

The person hadn't expected Lu Xi'an would apologize and was momentarily stunned, staring incredulously at Lu Xi'an with wide eyes.

—It's just that his eyes were really too small, and now he was weak and listless, so no matter how he opened them, they didn't widen much.

Having seen such expressions multiple times, Lu Xi'an paid no heed.

The people in this world don't seem to believe Neo-Humans would show compassion to ordinary people. Those who gave him a "good person" card did so with a tone of disbelief.

Lu Xi'an said, "You shouldn't stay here either, hurry and find another place, go elsewhere.

"That Type C Neo-Human you mentioned specifically came here to kill, intending to leave no survivors. If they come again, your life will be at risk."

"Alright! Alright! Thank you! Thank you!"

The person thanked repeatedly, then implored, "Could...could you please step aside? I can't jump from here."

Lu Xi'an was puzzled, "You barely survived, why still jump into the river?"

The person stayed silent, as if harboring a secret, unable to tell Lu Xi'an.

Lu Xi'an drew the blade again, yet before its tip touched the person's forehead, he was scared out of his wits and confessed:

"Jumping into the river is the only way I can live; if I don't, I'll truly die. It's said in the village that if someone from Sickness Village, when dying or after recovering, jumps into the river, they can float downstream to Healing Village.

"We are those who have been ill. If we go elsewhere, no one will accept us, and death is certain. Now that I'm already cured, only by going to Healing Village can I survive."

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