Chapter 2435: Strange Attitude
"If we don't call them strange people, what do we call them?" the girl with the big braid asked back, puzzled.
Xu Huo wasn't really expecting to get a definitive answer from them; rather, the whole situation lacked authenticity.
Based on the information he'd gathered from the locals and the Under Dimension, the "Hidden Friend" had existed for quite some time. Perhaps because of the mutant plants, people who entered the safe zone had abandoned the undeveloped areas and turned a blind eye to it. But what about the ordinary people who had lived here for so long?
They were afraid of the "Hidden Friend," yet somehow not *that* afraid.
The story of the "Hidden Friend" lacked details. Even the fate of those who disappeared was mentioned as little as possible, blurring the horror of this eerie tale to the greatest extent. But in reality, for ordinary people, it was an uncontrollable horror story. Imagine living in a place where something lurked that could take you away at any moment, and you had no idea what would happen to you afterward—how could that not be terrifying?
Yet, the people here seemed to adopt a laissez-faire attitude. They hadn't even banded together to defend against the "Hidden Friend." According to them, as long as someone intervened or interrupted, the "Hidden Friend" couldn't successfully take away a "friend." Logically, to avoid harm, people should live together for safety.
And for a ghostly, formless existence, fear would normally spawn countless imaginations. If the "Hidden Friend" were gentle enough, and didn't take living people from the village every time, then over time, people might develop positive associations—imagining it as some kind of symbol, perhaps even seeking it out, offering sacrifices, or worshipping it. After all, this forest was much safer than other undeveloped areas because of the mutant plants, and since the "Hidden Friend" only appeared here, it was hard not to see the two as cause and effect.
But if they were afraid, wary, or even forced to stay here because they had nowhere else to go, then the "Hidden Friend" would most likely be demonized. Stories about what happened after it took people would probably spawn countless versions. When the "Hidden Friend" first appeared, the Under Dimension had many such speculations. Moreover, people living here, to protect their families and descendants, would surely pass down this story from generation to generation, emphasizing its severity. How could it end up like this with these young women—their fear and dread actually mixed with a hint of longing?
Would people who had truly experienced the "Hidden Friend" incident allow such thoughts to fester?
It hadn't become an object of devotion, nor had it been demonized. Even the term "strange person" used to refer to the "Hidden Friend" carried little negative connotation... This inevitably gave the illusion that the local residents and the "Hidden Friend" were coexisting peacefully.
After instance players entered here, they needed to play the role of the "Hidden Friend." So, did the "Hidden Friend" actually exist or not?
"We're here." The group slowly arrived at a house in the middle of the village, its wall adorned with a wreath of flowers. The big-braided girl said, "That's Grandpa He's house. If you want to stay, go find him."
Xu Huo said goodbye to them and headed over with the Painting Woman.
This village was much larger than the previous one, with more young and middle-aged adults. Unlike the quiet appearance at Granny Yi's place, many villagers came out after they arrived, following them at a distance.
The door of the flower-wreath house opened, and a man who looked to be in his fifties or sixties walked out. "Where are you from?"
Xu Huo repeated the same story he'd told before. Grandpa He nodded and said amiably, "I'll take you over. Those two houses have been empty for a while, but they're cleaned regularly and have furniture. You can move right in."
As he nodded, the surrounding adults dispersed and went back to their homes. But unlike the daily closed doors at Granny Yi's, most people here kept their doors wide open during the day and were more curious about outsiders. A few children even chased after them to get a look.
The Painting Woman was like a little money-dispensing fairy, giving away all the candy and snacks from her bag. Soon, a string of children followed her, offering flowers or pretty stones.
They arrived at the other end of the village, near the edge. There were two empty houses. Grandpa He opened one of them. "Here it is. It has everything you need. If you want to eat, just let me know, and I'll have someone prepare it."
Xu Huo thanked him and prepared to pay.
"We don't have much use for money. If you have any outside food, you can give me some," Grandpa He said with a smile. "A lot of people in the village have never tasted things from outside. Let them have a try."
Xu Huo gave him some dried meat, canned goods, dehydrated vegetables, and some energy-boosting candy and seasonings.
"This is too much." Grandpa He thanked him while telling the children circling the Painting Woman to go tell their families to prepare a big pot meal for the evening.
The children quickly ran off. Xu Huo chatted with Grandpa He for a bit, mentioning Granny Yi. The old man even asked carefully about her recent situation.
"Did Granny Yi used to live here?" Xu Huo asked.
"She moved away years ago," Grandpa He waved his hand. "That's all old news. Let's not talk about it. You two rest for a while and wait for dinner."
The old man left. Xu Huo put down his backpack and checked the things in the house. Many items were newly replaced, but there were still some man-made marks on them, not looking like they were made by ordinary knives. It seemed quite a few players had stayed here.
The Painting Woman had already found a bowl to put the flowers the children had given her in. She leaned over the table, looking left and right, nodded in satisfaction, and told Xu Huo she was going next door to ask for some water to keep the flowers alive.
"I'll go with you," Xu Huo said, standing up.
There were a few houses around the empty ones, but the occupants weren't very friendly towards outsiders. They went to two houses, but the owners didn't open the door, just told them they had no water.
"Maybe we should just go get it ourselves," Xu Huo said. "Didn't we see a small stream on the way here?"
Just then, a door opened from a house a bit further away. A young, energetic man walked out, carrying a full bucket of water. He said warmly, "Use this for now. There's a big vat in your yard. I'll wash it out and bring you a few more buckets."
Xu Huo politely thanked him, saying they could get the water themselves and just needed directions.
"Outsiders get lost easily. I'll take you," the man said generously, then asked a neighbor to borrow two more buckets.