Sure enough, when Han Xuhan made his way past the curtain of vines at the deepest part of the grove, the familiar, moldy hut appeared right in front of him. In a flash, he compared it with the details he had noticed the other day.

The dirty walls that were covered in moss, the rooftop that had a layer of vegetation growing out of numerous cracked tiles, and the relatively clean patio where a frail-looking girl was sitting on her knees, watching him impassively—the image was so similar to his memories of the previous encounter that it gave Han Xuhan a momentary sense of deja vu.

As soon as he recovered from the shock, Han Xuhan stepped back with the idea of calling over Elder Daheng again. The last time, his story was shrugged off with hallucinations as an explanation. But this time, the fog hasn't even arrived yet. This could not be a product of his imagination!

But the idea withered as quickly as it was born. If this hut really wasn't a hallucination, then it meant that even Elder Daheng wasn't capable of seeing through its disguise inside the grove.

If he notified the Elder, the possibility of mirroring the scenario of the previous encounter, where only an old rock was discovered in the spot of the hut, was most likely to come true.

Goosebumps formed under his robe as he realized that he might have stumbled upon a secret where the powers involved were beyond the Soul Reformation realm...

What the hell was he facing? Was this girl a ghost? A powerful supernatural entity? Or an eccentric old monster hiding inside the Crimson Snow Sect without anyone knowing?

There was an even more insidious possibility. As an ex-politician, Han Xuhan knew the game of lying to the masses all too well.

Perhaps the sect was not only aware of her existence, but it was also actively helping this old monster hide here. Now that he thought about it, Elder Daheng's behavior that day did feel a little forced and unnatural.

At that time, he had assumed that the abnormality of his story had simply confused the Elder. But if the man truly was aware of the existence of this hideout, and had a hand in keeping it hidden from the eyes of the disciples...

"Sssss..."

Han Xuhan was frozen stiff on the spot, unable to move backward, unsure if he could move forward either.

At this moment, a familiar voice brought him out of the predicament.

"Good... Decision... Come... Shelter."

That weak volume, those long pauses before each word uttered, the barely comprehensible sentences... These were enough to help him move.

If his suspicions were true, then he wouldn't be able to run away without her permission anyway. She seemed to have seen through his thoughts already.

Biting his tongue to keep his mouth under control, Han Xuhan carefully made his way to the hut and sat at the other end of the patio, just like that day.

Neither side made eye contact, staring at the dense wall of flora surrounding the hut instead. The girl's gaze was natural and calm, as if the scenery truly interested her, whereas Han Xuhan was merely forcing himself to copy whatever she was doing while his thoughts ran on chaotic roads.

Eventually, the darkness brought forth by the fog enveloped the grove. Unlike the previous time, there was no lamp at the door of the hut to cast light upon the patio. Huddled against the wall, Han Xuhan regulated his breathing and counted the passing seconds in silence.

Why did she invite him over again? She had to have shown herself to his eyes on purpose. Whatever mechanism it was that hid the hut from prying eyes, it surely could evade his perception, which was proven already.

But she had also mentioned that day that she didn't really want to interact with him. If Han Xuhan hadn't assumed that it was all an illusion, he wouldn't have dared to step into this grove ever again.

"Do you want to play chess?"

In the dark, the sharp voice was like a knife poking him in the back. Han Xuhan started sweating almost immediately.

She was speaking properly again! Just like the last time, until the fog arrived, she spoke like a three-year-old; and after the fog enveloped the hut, she spoke like a native of the region...

Befuddled, Han Xuhan thought about their conversation that day and jumped to the conclusive point to avoid riling her up.

"I am not powerful enough to sense it if the chessboard and the chess pieces don't exist in the physical world, senior."

"Tsk... Still so hell-bent on hiding. Whatever, have it your boring way."

The moment she spoke, Han Xuhan felt something cold and hard touch the edge of his toes. Lowering a hand to the floor, he felt the object.

Flat surface, finger-sized figurines, two teams and four rows, wide space between two sides...

"A chessboard?"

"It's what you asked for, is it not?"

"...Okay, are we going to play the whole game in the dark?"

"As we should, yes. Make your move, and I'll make mine."

Han Xuhan thought for a moment before grabbing a piece from the front row. A typical game of chess starts with moving a white pawn or a white knight. He had no idea which color his pieces were. So if he had to stick to the rules...

Wait, why did he have to stick to the rules?

Han Xuhan retracted his hand to the back row and picked up a bishop. Without a word, he broke the most basic rule of chess, crossing the pawns on the front row and placing the bishop at one of the central squares (hopefully).

Sounds of shuffling sleeves came from the other side as his opponent made her move. Han Xuhan had no idea what move it was. And judging by the absence of her outrage, she didn't know anything about his move either. She even calmly instructed him to continue playing.

"If you're done with the first move, proceed with the second move. Don't wait for me. Keep moving your pieces until you sense victory."