Volume One, Chapter 17: The Outsider Vanishes!

How foolish! No, how clever I thought I was!

I kept obsessing over the relationship between Gu Yiren and Xu Kaiguo, wondering if she was intentionally saying those things to manipulate me into saving her. But I never imagined she was simply stating two facts: "I can help you," and "The window wasn't closed."

Luo Bin rushed out of the cabin and sprinted to the Mountain God Temple across the way. He pounded on the door—*thud, thud, thud*—but there was no response, only silence. He immediately pressed his face against the door, peeking through the gaps. Inside, it was completely empty. He lifted his leg and kicked the door open. Zhang Li, Zhu Qianqian, and Gu Yiren were all gone.

They hadn't just vanished; the thin iron chain hanging from the Mountain God's arm was gone, and the oil lamp had been taken as well. That lamp was larger than the others, which was why it could burn continuously from day to night.

"Damn it!" Luo Bin swore. He had realized Zhang Li was acting strange yesterday, but the morning's chaos had caused him to neglect his watch. Zhang Li knew the village information—how could he dare to run? It was pure suicide. The missing water bottle and the dozen or so flour cakes must have been taken by Zhang Li as provisions.

Luo Bin pressed his middle fingers to the center of his brow and his thumbs to his temples, forcing himself to stay calm. He took several deep breaths until he finally steadied himself. Standing at the door, he stared at the dense forest at the end of the concrete road, so thick that even sunlight couldn't pierce it.

It was impossible for Zhang Li to leave the mountain. Not only did they know that leaving meant getting lost, but how could they possibly walk out of these mountains on foot before dark? Taking the oil lamp meant they had a destination; as long as the lamp was in a room with the doors and windows shut, it could ward off evil spirits. That destination had to be a vehicle!

They were looking for a vehicle. And as luck would have it, the entire village was gathered in one place right now, leaving the village roads deserted. Zhang Li and the others could move like ghosts through an empty town!

Once he realized this, Luo Bin began running back toward the village. Although escorting Zhang Yunling and returning to the temple had taken time, the matter of Zhang Jun had not yet been fully resolved, and the concrete road remained empty. Luo Bin kept his eyes and ears sharp.

Because it wouldn't be easy for Zhang Li and his group to find a vehicle—even Luo Bin didn't know where they were kept, and Zhang Li, unfamiliar with the village, would have to waste time searching—Luo Bin still hadn't found them by the time he reached the intersection leading to the clearing at the foot of the mountain.

Just then, he saw a crowd in the distance, moving noisily toward the main road. Luo Bin quickly slipped to the side of the road. The crowd was agitated, waving their arms and shouting, "Parade the village! Parade the village!"

In the center of the road, there was actually a prisoner cage. Seven or eight men were dragging it forward, and inside sat none other than Zhang Jun! His legs were shaking so violently he couldn't stand, and he wore a face of utter despair. The crowd was too thick for Luo Bin to see Gu Ya, but among those pulling the cage, he spotted Luo Feng. Punishing Zhang Jun was something Luo Feng would never miss.

Soon, Luo Bin spotted the village chief, Zhong Zhicheng, in the crowd behind the cage.

"Village Chief!" Luo Bin shouted, but his voice was drowned out by the roar of the crowd. He had no choice but to squeeze into the throng. The villagers were too excited and unfriendly toward him; as he pushed through, they shoved back, and some even deliberately stepped on his feet. Finally, he reached Zhong Zhicheng.

"Village Chief, the outsiders have escaped!" Luo Bin grabbed Zhong Zhicheng’s arm as he spoke.

Zhong Zhicheng’s bushy eyebrows furrowed slightly. "I know."

The reply was also swallowed by the clamor. Then, Zhong Zhicheng’s expression relaxed, and he continued walking as if nothing were wrong. Luo Bin froze for a moment, and after being shoved again, he hurriedly caught up to the chief.

"Village Chief, aren't you going to arrange a search party?" Luo Bin pressed.

Zhong Zhicheng stopped completely. This time, Luo Bin was close enough that no villager dared to shove him openly. The crowd moved on.

"Luo Shan, why would I arrange a search party?" Zhong Zhicheng asked in return.

"For the outsiders!" Luo Bin answered decisively.

"Yesterday morning, I warned that young man named Zhang Li that I would not provide them with ropes again, and their range of movement was not to leave the Mountain God Temple. If they trespassed into a villager’s home, they would be responsible for any death or injury. The outsiders must survive for three days for the village rules to protect them," Zhong Zhicheng said.

"You did well not to let Zhang Jun take the outsiders yesterday, and you did even better to expose Zhang Jun today. Since the outsiders have run away, there is no need for you to stand guard across from the temple. Go stay with your parents. There will be a village parade tonight. It has been a long time since we used such methods of execution, which is why Zhang Jun had the audacity to harbor malicious thoughts. This is a warning to the entire village."

Zhong Zhicheng reached out and patted Luo Bin on the shoulder. His taut, square face relaxed slightly, and he walked forward. The village chief’s words were never to be doubted. The man himself was a person of his word. He had repeated his instructions to Zhang Li, and his attitude was clear: he would not send anyone to look for them. Either these few outsiders survived today, and the village would protect them starting tomorrow, or they would die tonight.

The sun was bright, but a chill ran through Luo Bin. So, this was the reality of it? Zhu Qianqian must have left with Zhang Li willingly, but Gu Yiren had been tied up, meaning she was abducted against her will. That was why Xu Kaiguo told him to save her!

The villagers had moved far away onto the main concrete road, and the village chief had disappeared from Luo Bin’s sight. Another figure approached in a hurry—it was Gu Ya.

"Little Shan, didn't I tell you to return to the temple after dropping off Little Ling? I saw you just now and kept calling you, but you didn't hear. Why are you standing here?" Gu Ya pulled out a handkerchief and wiped Luo Bin’s forehead. "You’re sweating so much. Are you feeling unwell?"

Luo Bin felt as if his heart had been gripped, unable to breathe for a long time. It wasn't heat-induced sweat, but a cold sweat brought on by the gravity of the situation—the realization that this was spiraling out of control and it would be incredibly difficult to save Gu Yiren.

Before, Luo Bin would have just let it go. He knew his "medicine" was the lamp oil, and as long as he could get his hands on it, he would be safe. He wouldn't usually risk his life. But Gu Yiren could not only help him; what she had demonstrated was even more terrifying. She had predicted that the Luo family's window would be opened! In such a dangerous place, that ability was too important.

Luo Bin collected his thoughts and smiled at Gu Ya. "Mom... I’m fine... The outsiders ran away. The village chief said I don't need to watch the temple anymore and can stay with you. I can go home."

"They ran?" Gu Ya paused, then shook her head. "Let them run. You can't save a soul bent on death. After what happened with Zhang Jun, no matter whose house they enter today, they won't have a good end. Everyone fears death, and everyone is terrified." Her attitude toward outsiders was cold. In fact, the entire village was cold toward outsiders.

Then, another person approached from the distance: Luo Feng.