CHAPTER 981: CHAPTER 174: STRANGE OUTSIDER

"They have come again... Hide in the room and stay silent."

The old man whispered, clumsily and slowly returning downstairs, opening the silence-enshrouded wooden door.

Lu Li retreated silently, vaguely observing the hem of a black robe through the gaps in the floorboards.

Faint, intermittent voices came from downstairs.

"Yes... It’s a young outsider... Who knows..."

Outside the door, a viscous presence spoke in long, hard-to-hear whispers.

The old man’s hunched figure: "I will convey it to the outsider."

The hem of the black robe left from outside the door, and the old man sighed, seemingly relieved, as he closed the wooden door.

"Are they here for me?"

A calm voice suddenly sounded behind him.

The old man turned to look at the outsider standing on the steps.

"Yes... Many townsfolk saw your arrival and informed the cult."

"The Daqi Esotericism?"

Lu Li spoke the name of the only church he had seen since arriving in the town.

Stains oozed from every corner of the room, the floorboards underfoot suddenly became wet and sticky, and the view outside the window was replaced by deep, surging seawater. Lu Li gradually felt his body becoming damp and cold, with something spreading and growing on his scalp.

Snap—

The sound of a vase shattering suddenly arose, awakening Lu Li, who was falling into an abyss.

The sound came from behind the half-closed door to the old man’s bedroom, where a vase lay shattered into pieces on the floor.

The room, which had flooded with seawater, returned to dryness and the pervasive scent of the elderly. A pale arm retracted behind the door.

The old man seemed not to hear the vase breaking, surprised as he watched Lu Li, who had uttered that name: "Are you a Returnee? No... A Returnee wouldn’t be so ignorant... You’re like the first young noble to leave the manor, naively treating the outside world."

This description was not a compliment but more like saying Lu Li was completely ignorant.

Lu Li was indeed lacking in common knowledge of the Weird Times—searching for Anna left him no time to understand this world deeply.

Returnee?

Lu Li temporarily ignored the spreading wetness on his head; the meaning of the word prompted thoughts of Katerina.

"Is there anyone else here?" Lu Li suddenly asked a seemingly unrelated question.

"Only myself."

Lu Li did not ask further because he saw that the once shattered vase behind the bedroom door now sat perfectly intact on the table.

"What does ’Returnee’ mean?"

"I won’t tell you. If you still want to leave, don’t bring them up again."

"Why?"

The old man didn’t say, "Ignorance is bliss" or "Knowing is not a good thing," but simply and resolutely said, "I want to stay in this town."

This extinguished Lu Li’s idea of inquiring information from him.

"Then is there someone else who can tell me?"

The old man felt puzzled, "Child, why do you need to know this... Why are you here? What are you looking for?"

"I’m the one asking the questions."

The old man lacked the typical "Insmouth look," but that didn’t make him trustworthy.

Living in this small town and having nothing to do with the "Daqi Esotericism" that ruled it was nearly impossible.

"Alright... I can tell you where to get what you want. Can you answer me now?"

"Where?"

"... The locals won’t tell you anything. Go find Zadok Allen, he’s like me, you know what I mean."

After a brief silence, the old man voluntarily gave Lu Li the answer. It’s not very safe outside, everyone is warily guarding against each other—he could imagine it.

"Strong liquor can loosen his tongue. This kind of liquor is only sold by the locals; they won’t sell it to you, but I happen to have a bottle."

"How much?"

"Free, outsider, now can you answer my question?" The old man now only hoped the man from outside would keep his word.

Despite many doubts about the old man’s trustworthiness, his credibility seemed higher—

Believers’ thoughts are usually chaotic, not as coherent or meticulous, at least none of the believers Lu Li had encountered had such clarity of thought as this old man.

"I am an Exorcist."

"Exorcist? As far as I know, this group of things... had all died before they even appeared."

The old man couldn’t help but exclaim, startled by Lu Li’s identity, even glancing towards the door, worried that the light in the gaps would be obscured by a cloak of some skin-like material.

"For some reasons, I’m still alive..."

"So you came here to..."

The old man dared not finish his sentence, but Lu Li could guess.

"I’m looking for someone. Her name is Katerina, brought here by... the Believers’ corruption."

"I don’t know, recently there’s only been you, the outsider." The old man replied.

"There have been others before?"

"Yes, those locals outside with blood... I won’t tell you." The old man, almost letting slip, quickly closed his mouth.

"Then do you know where those brought by the believers are kept?"

"I won’t say..." The old man slowly shook his head.

"Where is Zadok Allen?"

Convinced the old man wouldn’t divulge more, Lu Li readied himself to search for other clues.

"Around the slums at the northernmost part of the town, at this time you can find him near the fire station, he’s always loitering there."

As he spoke, the old man moved behind the counter, trembling as he reached up for the liquor bottle on the shelf.

At this moment, Lu Li lowered his head and touched his scalp.

Slippery, cold scaly textures spread, it almost claimed his entire head like the Mediterranean Sea. When Lu Li withdrew his hand, his palm and fingers were sticky with fallen black hair.

The old man’s warning came too late; Lu Li had already peered into the port square, paying the price for his carelessness with the Weird Times.

Just like Katerina, Midnight City, Giant Tree Academy, Vena Ice-Free Port, Mayor Matteus, Bishop Jone, and everyone said. Humans are terribly fragile, like freshly baked bread... Consumables, with a short shelf life, and also food.

"Homemade strong liquor... Tastes almost as lousy as alcohol, but what can a drunkard splurge on?"

The finally retrieved liquor bottle was placed on the counter by the old man.

"Hmm... I’d like to ask another question, how is the situation outside—no, pretend I said nothing."

The old man displayed an ostrich-like mentality, just like Hades.

It was understandable.

They were unaware of the outside situation, worried they wouldn’t be able to resist the urge to leave once they knew.

Choices are always difficult, and when there’s only one path, people often stop resisting, no matter the outcome, good or bad.

"Pretty bad."

Lu Li murmured, his black eyes low.

"Thank you for saying that." The old man indeed sighed in relief.

"Is there a hat here?" Lu Li calmly raised his face.

"A hat? Let me see..."

The old man walked into the bedroom, soon returning with a black top hat.

"It’s clean, I haven’t used it in a long time."

After Lu Li took and donned it, the old man couldn’t help but praise, "You look more like an Exorcist than I imagined; it’s also free, but be careful not to let the wind blow it away."

Lu Li nodded in acknowledgment, moved towards the door, and reached for the doorknob.