Their eyes met.
*A burst of frustration exploded in Yu Hong's chest.*
*A nauseating feeling of discomfort surged from his stomach.*
*His abdomen convulsed, aching, with his entire body beginning to tingle and stiffen uncontrollably.*
*An indescribable fear erupted from his heart, flooding throughout his body.*
The blood vessels around his eyes began to bulge like branching tree roots, turning black.
The blood vessels grew thicker and thicker, as if they were about to burst open.
But at that moment, the enhanced white stone in his pocket suddenly emitted a stream of icy air, rushing into his outer thigh.
This burst of cold air felt like a steel nail violently piercing the stiffening body of Yu Hong.
It pulled him out of his rigidity.
Bang!!
His legs went limp, and he collapsed weakly to the ground, his eyes breaking away from meeting the other's gaze.
Huff!
Huff!
Huff!
Lowering his head, Yu Hong panted heavily, feeling the stiffness in his body quickly eased by the enhanced white stone in his pocket.
*A strong sense of having narrowly escaped death surged in his heart.*
Not daring to look outside again, he quickly pulled out the enhanced white stone and found that the red symbol on its surface was glowing with an extremely faint red light.
Without looking carefully, it was impossible to notice.
'What a treasure!' he thought, feeling extremely fortunate that his first choice to enhance was this white stone.
Since Stammering Yiyi saved him with it the first time, he had realized how incredibly important it was.
Thankfully, he hadn't been wrong.
Sitting on the ground, backing away from the window slowly, Yu Hong dared not look around recklessly. Who would have thought that just a glance in this ghostly place could lead to danger?
'But why... why didn't Stammering Yiyi and Doctor Xu encounter any danger when they went out?'
'Do they have some other means of defense?'
*Doubt arose in Yu Hong's mind.*
But soon, the enormous exhaustion made him drowsy again.
*So weak...*
*This body...*
Clutching the enhanced white stone tightly in his palm, he climbed back into bed, wrapped in the smelly gray-white quilt. After waiting for a while, confirming that whatever was outside the door and window couldn't get in, he relaxed slightly and fell asleep once more.
He didn't know how much time passed.
Perhaps a few hours, or maybe an entire day.
When Yu Hong woke again, Stammering Yiyi was already bustling about in the room.
"You're awake?" She noticed the movement, quickly turning her head with a happy look at Yu Hong on the bed.
"Come... eat." She soon brought over a bowl of black mush, starting to feed Yu Hong.
Unconsciously, Yu Hong swallowed the last spoonful of mush, feeling his body much more comfortable.
"Is there more?" he asked.
Stammering Yiyi stood up, rummaged around for a while, but this time, it seemed there wasn't any more.
She looked for quite some time, but couldn't bring out any more of the black mush.
"All... gone..." She soon returned to the bedside, looking a bit disappointed.
Yu Hong sat up, slowly got out of bed, and walked to the corner cluttered with things, where he saw a wooden barrel she had been searching.
Inside seemed to hold the raw material for that black mush.
It was a kind of mixed-colored powder, with a bit of residue left at the bottom of the barrel.
He leaned on the edge of the barrel to take a look; there really was no more.
Gurgle~
Suddenly, a stomach rumble came from behind.
It was Stammering Yiyi.
She blinked, patting her stomach, grinning foolishly.
Yu Hong turned back to look at her.
"You didn't eat?"
"Hehe, forgot..." She answered, grinning foolishly.
It turned out this girl had given him all the remaining food.
Yu Hong felt a bit helpless. He didn't know how this girl had survived in such a dangerous environment until now.
He only knew that he felt a bit guilty inside.
"So what should we do? Where do you get this food from? I'm feeling better now, maybe I can help you look." He said seriously.
"No...worry. Yiyi, strong!" Stammering Yiyi patted her chest, showing a carefree expression.
"I helped you. You help me find my dad and grandpa." She continued, letting words tumble out one by one.
"So that's why you saved me?" Yu Hong understood. If she had a request, at least there was a chance for him to repay her.
He didn't like owing people, especially not for a life-saving favor like this.
"Yes!" Stammering Yiyi nodded earnestly.
"Alright, if I'm capable, I'll definitely help." Yu Hong nodded. Although this environment was terribly dangerous and harsh, the Black Mark on his hand also gave him a sliver of hope for the future.
According to the Black Mark's power, if everything could be enhanced, then perhaps he could use that to build a safer little house or a base!
*After personal experience, the doors and windows of this house's defenses couldn't withstand those eerie dangers outside.*
*Whether it was the white-clothed men before, the black bugs, or the unknown horror impersonating Doctor Xu just now.*
*None of it could be blocked.*
"By the way, I wanted to ask, when you weren't here earlier..." Yu Hong quickly told her what had happened previously.
After listening to the description, Stammering Yiyi's expression became grave.
"It was... the shadow!" she answered.
"That was also the shadow??" Yu Hong frowned.
"Let me answer that question." Doctor Xu's voice came from outside the door again.
Stammering Yiyi quickly went over, opened the door, happily bringing her in.
Doctor Xu had changed her outfit, wearing a full-body climbing suit, a camouflage tight-fit with a large backpack on her back, indicating she was likely planning to head into the mountains.
Entering the room, she scanned her gaze over Yu Hong.
"In this place, the shadows that frequently appear during the Black Disaster are of two types, one being the white shadow you encountered before, and the second being the Disguiser you mentioned earlier."
"The danger level of the white shadow is manageable, as long as you stare at it carefully without blinking, you can escape safely. Furthermore, the luminous stone can restrain it, temporarily dispersing it.
But the Disguiser is troublesome, you must stay alert at all times, never trust any situation outside of what is agreed upon."
Doctor Xu looked at Yu Hong seriously, adding.
"Agreement is extremely, extremely important here!"
"Agreement?" Yu Hong seemed to think of something.
"Yes, everyone must make an agreement with their companions before parting ways. When you reunite, what is the code word, under what circumstances you can open doors or windows, etc., all must be agreed upon in advance. Otherwise... the Disguiser will exploit the gap, killing one by one." Doctor Xu sighed.
"This is also why the residents of Baiqiu Village live alone. Even during the day, the Disguiser might still appear to attack."
Disguiser.
*This entirely new concept stirred an understanding in Yu Hong's mind.*
*He realized it might be difficult to return... to his former life.*
"Could you... take me outside for a look, I want to see if I can go to the city...." Yu Hong paused in silence, then spoke.
"Take a luminous stone, the kind of white stone, and as long as you go out in broad daylight, there's no problem, but you have to control the returning time." Doctor Xu answered, "Moreover, although the Disguiser can appear during the day, generally only those who are physically weak can see it, those who are healthy and normal cannot see them."
Yu Hong immediately understood.
"Isn't there any way or method to get rid of these monsters!?" he asked solemnly.
"No, at any rate, we haven't found any, the government department hasn't either." Doctor Xu shook her head, "Alright, I'm planning to go out with Yiyi, so if you want to come, you have to hurry. Baiqiu Village doesn't keep freeloaders, you've been a burden to Yiyi for a while now."
She seemed quite unhappy with Yu Hong, looking at him with displeased eyes.
"I remember the life-saving grace." Yu Hong said earnestly.
"First, learn to live on your own, then talk." Doctor Xu scoffed, not bothering to look at Yu Hong, and turned to talk to Stammering Yiyi about something.
Very soon, Stammering Yiyi began preparing things and equipment for going out.
Yu Hong had recovered quite a bit and joined in the tidying.
He didn't mention the enhanced white stone, not only because he couldn't explain where it came from, but from the Black Mark's ability, this would definitely become his greatest reliance in the future.
He wasn't sure if anyone else had this ability, and with too little information, so gathering intelligence was the most important thing first.
*This place was too dangerous, every step had to be taken with cautious care.*
"I'll repay you." With this thought, Yu Hong spoke again, repeating himself.
Doctor Xu ignored him, acting as if she hadn't heard. Clearly, she thought if Yu Hong could not be a burden to Stammering Yiyi, that would already be good enough.
Before long, a large cloth bag was packed and placed on the ground.
Doctor Xu picked it up, gently placing it on Stammering Yiyi's back. The bag was filled with white stones marked with symbols.
"First, go to Lao Yu's place to exchange for food, then head to the open-pit mine to dig luminous stones, and finally collect pigments. Considering the return time, we must reach Lao Yu within an hour. We can rest overnight at the mine and return after collecting pigments tomorrow." Doctor Xu instructed.
"Is it far?" Yu Hong frowned, feeling there might be an issue with his physical condition, not yet fully recovered.
"You better not come, you can't keep up. Just stroll around nearby and come back." Doctor Xu replied coldly, "At night, light the candle, hold the luminous stone tightly during the day, don't open the door for anyone, don't look outside randomly, and everything should be fine. This will also count as a test for you, if you can't pass, it means you might not be able to adapt to this environment, and you won't live long, best to die early and be free."
"....." That seemed a bit too direct.
Yu Hong was speechless.
"Yiyi has saved many people, I was also saved by her once, but you know those she saved..." Doctor Xu continued, but Stammering Yiyi tugged on her sleeve.
She realized and immediately stopped. This time, she completely ignored Yu Hong, carrying her things, opening the door and leaving with Stammering Yiyi.
Yu Hong hesitated at the back, brought the house key, and followed them out.
He decided he would take a look outside.
Regardless, the source of food and drink must be resolved first; he couldn't rely on a disabled little girl to support him forever.
And most importantly, only by learning more could he find more effective ways to survive and respond.
Click, he stepped out the door, turning back to lock the house.
The three formed a line, walking along the gravel path to the left.
Outside, the temperature was mild, not too hot or cold, with the sun casting a gentle warmth on them.
Among the three, Doctor Xu walked in front, followed by Stammering Yiyi, and lastly Yu Hong.
After a few minutes of winding along the gravel path, they reached the village exit.
The end of the gravel path connected to a black mud road.
The dry black mud road, wide enough for two cars to drive side by side, stretched out.
The road was black, winding through the abandoned green fields on either side, stretching far ahead, reaching into the thick, gloomy mountain forest below the mountain.
Yu Hong noticed that there were few weeds at the edges of the black mud road, which had two lines of black wooden fences built.
Many places in the fences had already rotted away, covered with moss.
"This is the only old road leading outside." Doctor Xu spoke. "Follow it straight for about thirty miles on foot, and you'll reach the closest town. But over there might be even more dangerous than here. The more people, the more danger, attracting those dangerous creatures even more."
"Let's go." She led the way out of the gravel path, stepping onto the black mud road.