160: Chapter 161 The Indestructible House, The Mysterious Woodcutter

"Although it's not like I couldn't kill a seventh-grade exotic beast, I didn't know if it would keep resurrecting after being killed, and if it would become even stronger after resurrecting.

If it kept resurrecting indefinitely, eventually, I would be killed by it!

So, I fled."

Speaking of this, Captain Zhang couldn't help but smile bitterly.

Lin Ye did not reply.

He understood the other man's choice.

An enemy with an unknown ceiling, an enemy that couldn't be killed no matter what—fleeing was indeed the best choice.

"At first, I wanted to flee out of the village, but no matter which direction I ran, I would always end up back where I started.

And that exotic beast seemed to know I would return, constantly hiding in the shadows to launch sneak attacks.

These wounds were sustained at that time."

Captain Zhang pointed to the rather shocking wounds on his body.

"With no other choice, I finally plunged headfirst back into the village.

This time, it followed me.

I tried to hide in those houses, but even when I exerted all my strength, I couldn't break open those wooden doors that looked like they would fall over at a touch.

I tried over a dozen houses in a row, and it was the same for all of them.

Just as despair set in and I was ready to fight the exotic beast to the death, a door suddenly opened.

Without a second thought, I rushed inside, and then... that exotic beast disappeared!"

"Disappeared?" Lin Ye was taken aback.

"Yes, just vanished into thin air like that."

"If not for the claw marks left on my body by that exotic beast, I would have doubted whether everything I experienced before was just an illusion."

Captain Zhang looked down at the scars on his body, a forced, ugly smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

"And after that? Have you just been staying here to recover from your injuries?" Lin Ye pressed further.

Through Captain Zhang's narrative, Lin Ye felt he had faintly grasped something, but he couldn't piece it all together for the moment.

"I originally wanted to go out and check the situation, but I was trapped."

"No matter how hard I tried, the door just wouldn't open.

I tried to break through the walls, but the result was the same."

"The buildings in this village seem to be protected by some kind of force, making them impossible to break open with brute strength."

Captain Zhang looked around, his tone laced with confusion and helplessness.

"As for afterward..."

He touched his forehead, his expression somewhat bewildered.

"To be honest, I don't remember what happened after that either. I only know that as soon as I opened my eyes, I saw you."

After listening to Captain Zhang's account, Lin Ye fell silent for a long time.

He quickly ran the other man's words through his mind, extracting several key pieces of information and linking them together one by one.

The exotic beast that continuously resurrected and grew stronger—the doors that couldn't be pushed open—the gray fog that plunged people into deep sleep...

What on earth was the connection between these things?

For a moment, Lin Ye couldn't figure it out either.

But there was one thing he could be sure of: he and Captain Zhang were not in the same space last night.

This also explained why he hadn't seen anyone else's life aura using his Slaughter Vision last night, nor had he heard any sounds of fighting.

As for why they met again today, perhaps it had to do with the other party entering the house.

If everything outside the house was considered an illusion, then perhaps only after entering a house could one return to reality.

Of course, another possibility was that Qishan Village during the day was the real Qishan Village.

However, this possibility was highly unlikely.

Because Lin Ye had only seen Captain Zhang so far, while the Lieutenant and the others were still nowhere to be found.

Lin Ye stepped out of the house and glanced around.

By now, the sky was completely bright. Sunlight filtered through the thin mist, spilling onto the bluestone path. The villagers were still busy with their chores, presenting a picture-perfect scene of a paradise cut off from the world.

"Let's go." Lin Ye reached out and pulled Captain Zhang up from the ground.

"Let's leave this place first and find a safe spot before we talk."

Captain Zhang stood up and stretched his limbs slightly. Although his Internal Qi and blood hadn't fully recovered, walking was not an issue.

Just as the two of them stepped out of the doorway, however, they ran right into someone.

This couldn't help but startle Lin Ye. He instinctively took a step back, simultaneously raising his black iron heavy staff horizontally in front of his chest.

One had to know that his Mental Energy was constantly released outward; any movement in his surroundings could not escape his perception.

Yet, before running into this person, he had actually failed to perceive anyone outside the door.

Looking up, Lin Ye also clearly saw the newcomer's appearance.

It was a middle-aged man wearing a gray short tunic, with his sleeves rolled up to his elbows, revealing two dark, tanned arms.

His trouser legs were also rolled up, his calves stained with mud. Judging from the firewood on his back, he seemed to have just returned from cutting wood on the mountain.

Seeing Lin Ye and Captain Zhang, the other man was also startled, his expression quickly changing from confusion to surprise.

He sized the two of them up, then quickly turned around to close the door, as if terrified of being seen.

"You two... are from the outside, aren't you?"

Although it was phrased as a question, his tone carried a sense of certainty.

Lin Ye did not answer, silently activating his Qi Observation Technique instead.

The next second, his heart leaped.

Because his Qi Observation Technique didn't yield a single shred of information.

Not only that, Lin Ye couldn't see even the slightest trace of evil qi on this person.

In other words, this was actually a living person?

But his Slaughter Vision told him that the person before him had no life aura at all.

So, what on earth was this thing?

It was neither human nor an Demon. Could it be an illusion?

"Who are you? Are you also a villager of this village?" Lin Ye asked cautiously.

There was no helping it; this fellow's appearance was far too bizarre, forcing him to be extremely cautious.

The middle-aged man seemed to sense Lin Ye's wariness. He bent down to put down the firewood on his back before explaining, "I was originally a The Woodcutter in the mountains, making a living by gathering firewood all day.

Over ten years ago, I accidentally wandered into this village, and then I could never get out again."

"You mean you've been living here for over ten years?"

Although he felt this guy was talking pure nonsense, since the other party didn't show any hostility, Lin Ye was happy to keep chatting with him. Perhaps he could glean some useful information.

"Yes. However, this village is very bizarre. Whatever you do, do not go out at night. It's best to find a house to hide in.

But don't communicate with the villagers either. Once they discover your status as outsiders, you will be expelled from the village.

And without the protection of a house, you won't be a match for the things outside."

Lin Ye and Captain Zhang exchanged a look, both clearly skeptical of the man's words.

Of course, some of the things this person said had indeed been verified.

But the question was, what was his purpose in telling them this?

What role did he play in all of this?

Was he really just an ordinary The Woodcutter who had wandered in here over ten years ago?

Honestly, Lin Ye was highly skeptical about this person's background.

Putting aside the fact that his Qi Observation Technique couldn't see through him, even his Slaughter Vision couldn't capture the slightest trace of a life aura from the man. How could he be an ordinary person?

"Since this village is so bizarre, haven't you ever thought about leaving?" Lin Ye tried to fish for more information from him, such as a way out.