Chapter 40: A Simple Village with Rustic Charm
A Grotesquery fluctuation meter that looked like a compass, several disposable emergency signal flares, and three bone blades… Although An Yu had named their group the “Homecoming Squad,” she hadn’t neglected their preparations. Her backpack was stuffed full of necessary equipment.
The three bone blades were weapons given to her by her teacher, the Bone Doctor, crafted from her own bones. While not as powerful as Sacred Tools, they were still valuable weapons with a certain purifying effect against Grotesqueries.
The dagger in Luo Ling’s possession, however, was a much rarer Sacred Tool, its most valuable feature being the Grotesquery ability sealed within.
Not only was its material top-tier, but it also essentially granted her an extra skill.
Of course, even if Luo Ling didn’t know how to activate the sealed skill, simply using it as a dagger was better than the bone blades.
Elsa seemed to have prepared nothing, but with her strength, ordinary enemies weren’t a threat.
…As long as Luo Ling and An Yu could get far enough away.
“But don’t worry, Brother Liu and the others have already investigated once, so there shouldn’t be any problems.”
An Yu tried to reassure Luo Ling, who was on her first mission, but then realized that Luo Ling didn’t seem to need much reassurance…
“Mm.”
Luo Ling nodded slightly at her and continued to sit with her eyes closed, seemingly lost in thought.
…She was actually memorizing the sixty-four required poems for the college entrance exam, currently reciting “Hard Roads in Shu.”
Even while on a mission, she couldn’t neglect her studies!
Elsa, in her wheelchair, stared blankly out the window, Bella sitting quietly in her lap. An Yu didn’t dare approach either of them.
So, she awkwardly opened her phone to check on the progress of the other team hunting down “Huang Xiuqin.”
“They’ve pinpointed her location! It looks like a big battle is about to begin…”
An Yu clenched her fists slightly, regretting that she wasn’t qualified to participate in such a high-level fight.
In fact, An Yu wasn’t even a First-Order Awakened One yet, still haven’t mastered her first skill.
Order and Other Shore were the rarest and most unique paths for Awakened Ones, each step requiring deeper understanding and enlightenment.
Holy Water made from Sacred Relics could enhance “inspiration,” making enlightenment easier, but… it was most effective when the Holy Water matched the Awakened One’s path.
In other words, An Yu needed Holy Water made from a Chaos path Grotesquery.
Unfortunately, the group hadn’t encountered any such Grotesqueries so far.
Therefore… An Yu’s current combat strength relied solely on her Awakened physique, the swordsmanship taught by her teacher, and the bone blades she had inherited. Her own ability was practically useless in combat.
As An Yu nervously watched the various teams in the group chat closing in on their target, she felt a tug on her sleeve.
“We’re here.”
Luo Ling pushed Elsa past her, offering a gentle reminder.
“Oh, oh!”
She had been so engrossed…
An Yu quickly put away her phone and gathered her bags.
Her backpack contained equipment for the mission, while the large bag in her hand was filled with gifts and specialties from the city for her grandparents.
Baiyan Village was truly in the countryside. Even the bus stop was located on a desolate hillside, a chilly wind blowing through the nearby woods.
Elsa seemed uncomfortable in this environment, looking anxious and uneasy since leaving the bus.
Luo Ling was used to such scenery. She and her sister lived in a relatively remote area, not as rural as Baiyan Village, but there were still fields and forests nearby.
An Yu was the most excited. Carrying the most luggage, she walked the fastest, chattering away to Luo Ling and Elsa.
“Ahaha, it’s just like it used to be! This broken-down bridge is still here! I used to fish on it every day!”
“Oh, the little store at the village entrance is still there too! I want to buy some snacks. My grandparents never let me eat too many when I was little!”
“I don’t see Dog Egg and the others, though. They’ve probably gone to work in the city…”
An Yu skipped along, greeting everyone she met cheerfully. She seemed to know almost everyone.
To her, this was home, a place much more familiar than the city.
Luo Ling carefully observed Baiyan Village. The few villagers she saw were mostly elderly, nodding kindly at them as they passed.
It seemed like a simple, ordinary village with friendly people.
“Mm…”
Elsa huddled in her wheelchair, seemingly cold.
“Elsa, are you alright?”
Luo Ling bent down and asked softly.
Elsa opened her mouth slightly, wanting to say something.
But seeing An Yu and some villagers nearby, she was worried about the effect of her voice on them.
After a moment of thought, she blushed slightly, tugged on Luo Ling’s sleeve, and whispered in her ear,
“I’m okay, just… feeling inexplicably nervous, and my head feels a bit dizzy.”
“…Are you shy?”
Luo Ling looked at Elsa in surprise, seeing her red ears, and realized it might be true.
“I… I don’t think so…”
Elsa said, sounding troubled.
“Are you two whispering secrets?”
An Yu, after greeting the villagers, popped up beside them, blinking curiously.
“Do you want to hear?”
Luo Ling pointed at Elsa.
An Yu immediately understood and waved her hands, shaking her head vigorously.
“No, no… I don’t want to hear.”
Even a few words from the Scarlet Witch could induce a trance. Listening to more would send her on a psychedelic trip down memory lane. She didn’t know why Bai was immune… but she certainly wasn’t!
Anyone who had experienced it wouldn’t want to experience it again.
“Xu Qian said she’s feeling a little unwell,” Luo Ling said. “Probably carsick or something. She just needs some rest.”
“Oh, then let’s hurry. My grandparents’ house is just up ahead. She might feel better after some water.”
An Yu also became concerned. The Scarlet Witch was their only real fighting force. What if something happened and they encountered a Grotesquery?
It was always best to prepare for the worst.
“I just asked some of the uncles and aunties, and they said the police officers had already asked about the person we’re looking for. No one has seen the Seer.”
An Yu shared the information she had gathered while walking. She hadn’t just been excitedly greeting people; she had also been working on the commission.
“Is it possible they’re lying?” Luo Ling asked after a moment of thought.
“Probably not,” An Yu shook her head. “Not only do I know these uncles and aunties very well, and I’m sure they wouldn’t lie to me,
“Brother Liu is a criminal investigator. He can definitely tell if someone is lying.”
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