The Survivor of the Village

As Ye Jue ascended to the second floor, a sudden attack assailed him. He hastily drew his shield, activating a blocking skill. To his surprise, he only sustained a mandatory ‘-1’ damage.

Ye Jue paused, his gaze falling upon the small boy before him. Though the boy’s clothes were disheveled and stained, they remained surprisingly intact. His face, however, was smudged with dirt, revealing only a pair of bright, large eyes that flickered with both fear and hatred.

Ye Jue was momentarily startled, then a sense of relief washed over him as he realized this child might be the sole survivor. He lowered his shield, speaking in a gentle tone.

“Don’t be afraid,” he said. “We’re not bad people. We were entrusted by the Vermilion Bird City gate guards to investigate the situation.”

A flicker of doubt crossed the boy’s eyes, but he eventually spoke. “Did Big Brother Lin send you?”

Ye Jue was taken aback, then gave a helpless smile. “I honestly don’t know the guard’s name.”

The little boy fell silent for a moment, then finally said, “Outsiders, you may not know Big Brother Wei’s name, but you haven’t lied to me. I’ll trust you for now. Follow me.”

Lin Shenyue felt a surge of speechlessness. Had that child just been testing them? If it had been an ordinary player, they might have truly stumbled over that question.

She and Ye Jue followed the little boy to a room at the very back. The boy took a deep breath, retrieved a key from his chest, unlocked the door, and stepped inside.

Lin Shenyue followed him in, asking with a hint of confusion, “Can a house like this really withstand an undead attack?”

Perhaps due to Lin Shenyue’s high charm, which garnered his favor, the boy glanced at her, his gaze softening slightly. “My father personally reinforced this house. It can spontaneously resist undead attacks. Moreover, if anyone tries to force their way in without a key, the room’s formation will activate, eliminating the intruder.”

Lin Shenyue nodded, beginning to observe the room. It was not large, only about 20 square meters, yet it was meticulously arranged. One side of the room was stacked with numerous water barrels and dried rations, ensuring the boy wouldn’t lack provisions for a while.

The little boy walked to the table, his fingers brushing a dagger lying there. A wisp of sorrow flashed in his eyes before he turned and asked, “You’ve seen everything here. You should be able to report back to Big Brother Wei now, right?”

Lin Shenyue looked at Ye Jue, and seeing him subtly gesture for her to speak, she stepped forward. “Yes, but we wanted to understand the specific situation, so we decided to stay.”

The boy fell silent for a moment, then spoke in a cold tone. “The truth is, this village had a grand magic formation planted in it. This strange formation killed all the villagers, turning them into the ghastly figures you see now.”

Lin Shenyue was momentarily speechless. She could sense the profound grief beneath the boy’s cold demeanor, yet she didn’t know how to console him. After all, she had never experienced anything like this herself.

Ultimately, Ye Jue spoke. “The departed are gone. Your father fought with all his might to save you, not so you would hate this world, but so you could live a better life within it.”

Upon hearing these words, the little boy finally broke down. He began to sob uncontrollably. “Father…呜呜呜呜呜呜…”

Lin Shenyue felt an inexplicable pang of heartache. She stepped forward and embraced the small boy. “Cry it out. A good cry will make you feel better…”

Ye Jue watched from the side, a little speechless, yet a realization slowly dawned on him. In the past, he had always approached this game with a casual mindset, and even after being reborn, he merely took it more seriously. Lin Shenyue, however, was different. Having awakened within the game itself, she perceived this world as a living, breathing reality. Naturally, the deaths of NPCs here saddened her, allowing her to truly grasp the depth of their emotions.

While Ye Jue didn’t fully understand why Lin Shenyue regarded the game world with such gravity, he could see that she treated it as a real world. This authentic perspective might, in turn, help him experience the game world more profoundly.

Unaware of Ye Jue’s internal thoughts, Lin Shenyue continued to comfort the little boy. After crying for a full ten minutes, he finally composed himself. He wiped the tears from his face, only smudging his dirty little cheeks further. He looked at Lin Shenyue, embarrassed. “I’m sorry, I couldn’t control my emotions. I’ve caused you trouble.”

Lin Shenyue smiled gently. “It’s quite alright. Don’t you feel much better after letting it all out?”

The boy took a deep breath and nodded. “Much better.”

Lin Shenyue thought for a moment, then asked, “Could you tell us about your father?”

The boy’s expression turned sorrowful again as he thought of his father. Yet, having endured so much, he was remarkably resilient. He merely choked back a sob before speaking. “My father was a great warrior and also a formation master. By the time he detected the formation’s presence, it was already too late. He had no choice but to use himself as bait, creating the current formation to ensure my safety.”

Lin Shenyue fell silent, only speaking after a moment. “Your father was a truly devoted parent.” She thought of her own father in her previous life, always busy with work, neglecting her feelings. Though her father in this life doted on her, he too was incredibly busy.

The little boy nodded, his voice filled with hatred. “It was those people. They killed my father.”

Lin Shenyue pondered, then asked, “Do you know who those people were?”

The boy looked somewhat lost, eventually shaking his head. “I don’t know. My father hid me away when I came into contact with them. But I could feel a hateful aura emanating from them.”

Lin Shenyue and Ye Jue exchanged a glance. Finally, Ye Jue spoke. “They must be people from the Demon Realm. Are the skeletons outside the transformed villagers?”

The little boy nodded sadly.

Lin Shenyue sighed. “Do you want to come with us?”

The boy’s eyes were filled with confusion. “Go? Where would I even go? My father is dead, and there’s nothing left in this world for me to cling to. If Father hadn’t told me to live well, I probably would have taken my own life by now.”

Lin Shenyue’s delicate brows furrowed, and she ultimately shook her head. “You’re wrong. There’s a lot you need to do. For example, avenge your father.” While Lin Shenyue didn’t want the boy to live solely for revenge, at this moment, it was the only way to prevent him from harboring suicidal thoughts.

The boy gave a bitter smile. “You’re right, I should avenge my father. But how can I, when I haven’t even seen the faces of my enemies? Besides…” He looked at his hands. “With power like mine, how could I possibly avenge my father?”

Lin Shenyue turned her gaze to Ye Jue. She wasn’t very clear on NPC growth, so she could only seek his advice.

Ye Jue pondered for a moment, then asked, “What do you wish to become?”

The boy was silent for a while, then said, “I want to become a warrior, to inherit my father’s profession.”

Ye Jue nodded. “Before that, could you tell me your name?”

“My name is Chris,” the boy replied.

Ye Jue’s expression shifted. He looked at the little boy, suddenly feeling a faint resemblance between him and someone else, but he couldn’t be certain, as the differences were too vast.

Ye Jue thought for a while, then said, “I will send you to the Warrior Guild. Your father must have known people there, and they will help you.”

The little boy nodded, a peculiar glint flashing in his bright eyes.