Chapter 2428: The Inconsistent Place
The person was dead?
Xu Huo immediately looked toward the two people next door.
Those two were very cautious. Not only had they set up trap items around the house, but they had also placed instruments, including those for detecting and countering mental powers. He couldn't get too close, so he couldn't hear their conversation, but from their expressions, they were both surprised and somewhat flustered.
The instance only stated that players playing the role of "Hidden Friend" who failed to successfully find a friend or found the wrong friend would lose the opportunity to play the role. Upon seeing this prompt, a player's first reaction would be that they had failed to clear the instance. Only the "Hidden Friend" could complete the clearance task. Being unable to play this role could certainly be considered a clearance failure. Clearance failure, but it didn't say they would die... Losing the opportunity, could it mean losing the chance to live?
That player had left of their own accord for no apparent reason!
As for Xu Huo, who was disguised as a non-instance player, Yin Yang Master and Bubble Bean didn't believe him at all. Not only did they not believe him, but they had also tried to use a third person to trick him into going out. But now that person was dead. For them, there were two possibilities: one, Xu Huo was indeed a non-instance player, and they had found the wrong person; two, the time limit had been exceeded.
"Although the game didn't specify how much time the role-player had, judging from the background introduction, the time should be at least a day." Bubble Bean said with a gloomy expression, "It's very likely we found the wrong person. That kid really isn't an instance player."
"How infuriating, wasting a person!"
The Yin Yang Master beside him looked at his expression and slowly said, "Someone has tried it. Next time, we'll learn from the experience."
"But the way that person died was a bit strange. Could there really be a 'Hidden Friend' in the forest?"
Most of what they had said to Xu Huo before was true. Over the past two days, they had indeed been exhausted both mentally and physically by the elusive shadows. Every second, they had to keep their nerves taut, worried that the figure might be the real "Hidden Friend" or another instance player.
"Whatever it is, since the death was so suspicious, we need to figure out what's going on." Bubble Bean pondered for a moment. "Wait until the fog clears a bit, then call that kid and go take a look together."
The two agreed and stopped talking. Meanwhile, Xu Huo, having retracted his spiritual realm, also had a grim expression.
Bubble Bean and the other had misunderstood, but he was indeed an instance player. The player hiding in the forest had only called him once before leaving, and then went missing and died. Was the requirement for the role-player really that harsh?
"The Hidden Friend only needs one friend a day."
Only one person should go missing each day. The role-player had plenty of time.
After one "Hidden Friend" role was played, would the real "Hidden Friend" in the instance still come out to look for friends? Or had that player violated some rule that outsiders didn't know about?
That player had walked out of Xu Huo's sensing range on their own. During the process, no second person appeared, and there was no particularly unusual commotion. If a real "Hidden Friend" existed, it was highly likely related to mental interference.
A B-rank instance having a boss that could hypnotize someone in an extremely short time wasn't surprising.
However, there was still something inconsistent about this matter.
"Brother Xu, come out and eat." The little boy opened the door to call him. The small child had some difficulty opening the door. After opening it, he poked half his head in, his eyes searching the room before landing on the Painting Woman, filled with longing.
The Painting Woman had played with the two children for a while, and the three of them were already familiar. Besides, she had all kinds of novel snacks.
The Painting Woman, who had been playing games, rolled over and got up from the bed. She rummaged randomly through her small bag, then made a fist and pulled it out, mysteriously beckoning to the little boy.
The little boy ran in expectantly, holding out both hands palms up. The Painting Woman reached over, then flipped her hand—haha, nothing.
The child's disappointment was visible, but at that moment, a candy appeared beside him. It was from Xu Huo.
"Thank you, big brother!" the boy said sweetly.
"You're welcome." Xu Huo patted his head and asked, "Do you usually go out to play?"
"No, there are weird people outside who catch children." At this age, the boy could already speak clearly. "We only play near the yard."
The so-called yard was just a fence made of a few wooden stakes, including the area where firewood was stacked.
"Have you ever seen the weird person?" Xu Huo said. "The one from your grandmother's story."
The boy peeled the candy, stuffed it into his mouth, then sucked on it for a moment before spitting it out and wrapping it up again. "I haven't seen it, but my sister has. My sister heard the weird person calling her name. She wanted to go out, but Grandma gave her a beating."
"Did it call your sister's name?" Xu Huo asked again.
The boy was stunned for a moment, then immediately turned and ran out. "I'll go ask!"
Xu Huo didn't stop him. Soon, the little girl came in. The candy the boy had licked once was already in her mouth. The little girl was much sharper and started bargaining. "If I tell big brother, can I get something to eat?"
"Sure." Xu Huo took the Painting Woman's small bag, which was mostly filled with various snacks. "Pick whatever you want."
The two children were dazzled by the choices. Finally, the little girl chose a relatively large one with restraint and then answered his question. "The weird person called my name, but I don't think it was the weird person. It was Sister Tuo Tuo."
"Sister Tuo Tuo used to love taking us to pick wild vegetables. Last year, she got married. When she left, she said she would definitely come back to see me. I think it was Sister Tuo Tuo. Grandma and the others didn't believe me. They said they didn't hear Sister Tuo Tuo calling me."
"Did Sister Tuo Tuo call you during the day or at night?"
"In the morning." The little girl said, "Sister Tuo Tuo was very capable. She would wake up very early. She must have walked a long way. I didn't go out, so she got angry and left."
It sounded like a child's wishful thinking. If it were really a friend coming to see her, she wouldn't have left after just two calls.
"Did Sister Tuo Tuo come back later?" Xu Huo continued asking.
"No!" The little boy answered first. "But Sister Tuo Tuo's parents gave us her fur hat."
"Sister Tuo Tuo gave it to me." The little girl was very dejected. "If only I had gone out to see her."
"Maybe she left because she had something urgent." Xu Huo said. "Is the place she married far? I can help you deliver a letter."
But the little girl shook her head. "Sister Tuo Tuo doesn't like writing letters."
Xu Huo then asked about Tuo Tuo's appearance and confirmed that this young girl appeared in a family photo in one of the houses. However, she hadn't married far away; she was already dead.
A calling voice that only the little girl heard, and it called her name. The little girl's consciousness was completely clear... This was somewhat different from the situation in the rumors and stories. If it were a player disguised, there would be no need to hypnotize a child while the adults were present.
"Has anyone else in the village been called by the weird person?"