I made myself the protagonist

Wei Chongming had the best eyesight. He identified it carefully and whispered to his companions that it was not a player, but an old woman. She was holding a broom in her hand and looked like she was cleaning something.

"It can't be something like a mutated zombie, right?" Xiaolong simply couldn't believe that besides the players, there were other living people in this forest.

"It doesn't look like it...whose zombie would sweep the floor there?"

Ling Yun observed the old woman for a while, and seeing that it would be completely dark in less than half an hour, he said to Shen Tinglan: "Brother Shen, I will take a few people over to have a look first. If there is no problem, you can come in again." .”

"Yes. Proceed with caution." Shen Tinglan took the other companions and stepped aside. Ling Yun, Wei Chongming, Zhao Sicheng and Hubert stopped carrying their luggage and cautiously walked into the farmhouse.

There is a foul smell around the farmhouse, and the closer you get to the farmhouse, the more obvious the smell becomes.

Looking at the old woman sweeping the floor in front of them, the four of them silently clenched the weapons in their hands.

Because they noticed that the area where the old woman was cleaning was stained with large blood stains, and there were dark black stains on the edge of the iron bucket next to it, and something seemed to be hidden under the high ridges of snow.

Behind the old woman is a two-meter-high farmhouse. The walls are made of piled stones. The stones are a little black and covered with moss. The door of the farmhouse is closed, and a rusty iron lock is hung on the door.

The old woman in front of her was dressed like a typical Nordic farmer, with her silver-gray hair tied into a ball, a dirty gray scarf wrapped around her head, and a bloated white lace dress.

Hearing the footsteps, she put down the broom in her hand and raised her head stiffly and slowly.

Under the orange light, the old woman's face showed a lifeless grayish color. Her pupils were turbid dark green, and there were large black spots on her forehead and cheeks, as if she had been splashed with many ink spots; The folds are squeezed together, and the face is as rough as tree bark.

The old woman stood lifelessly in the snow, with snow piled on her head and shoulders, like a lifeless creature.

Her turbid eyes slowly swept over Ling Yun and the others. After a while, a hoarse voice squeezed out from her throat: "Are they another group of scholars who came to investigate the forest? I didn't expect so many people to come this time. ah……"

Wei Chongming immediately tensed up and tugged on Zhao Sicheng's sleeve from behind.

Zhao Sicheng pursed his lips tightly and shook his head calmly. Although the old woman in front of him looked scary, he did not feel the ghost's breath.

And her words also confirmed to the four of them that the newcomer team from the south had entered the village before them.

"Yes, old man. We were delayed by something on the road, so we arrived a little late." Ling Yun asked calmly: "Has the vanguard already arrived?"

"Well, they came in the afternoon. When they came, everyone looked frightened, as if something terrible had happened... Some people in the team were injured and are now resting at Koror's house." The old woman said. Pointing to a farmer's road not far away with smoke floating from the kitchen.

Ling Yun looked at the old man in front of him and thought that he was not lying. Although they were a little far away, the white smoke coming out of the chimney of each farmer's house exuded the smell of protective substances. It was certain that besides the old woman, there were also other people here. There are some villagers who are not infected.

Since the location of the village is marked on the manual, it proves that the armies that entered the forest previously stayed here. If there is really a problem with the village, it will definitely be marked.

Thinking of this, Ling Yun asked politely: "We want to stay here for the night, is it convenient for you?"

Sure enough, the old woman seemed to have known what he would say, and agreed to Ling Yun's request without hesitation: "Of course. Looking at the weather, it should snow all night. I have a warehouse here that I passed by last time.

It was specially repaired before the troops left so that you can stay there for a while."

Ling Yun quickly showed a grateful expression and thanked her repeatedly.

"It doesn't matter. Investigating forests is a dangerous thing. Everyone hopes that the military can find a way to destroy them as soon as possible. If there is anything you can do to help, please feel free to ask."

Although the old woman in front of her looks scary, her tone is very gentle. Judging from the orderly surroundings, she has lived here for a long time and has long been accustomed to troops entering the forest.

And the fact that she and the villagers can continue to live here and provide food and accommodation for the investigation team proves that this village is safer than the shelter yesterday. Thinking of this, Ling Yun and his party gradually relaxed their worries.

From this point of view, there are indeed only a few aboriginal households living in the village in front of us.

But for unknown reasons, these people did not leave with the army, but insisted on staying in this horrible place and continuing to live.

"Forgive me for asking, why do you and the others refuse to leave?" Ling Yun asked.

The old woman sighed, and tremblingly took out a pendant inlaid with red crystals from her chest. After opening it, she revealed the black and white family portrait inside, her tone full of sadness.

The old woman said that her name was Caroline Canas, and that before the forest mutated, her family ran a chicken farm here.

As she spoke, she turned to look deep into the forest, and then told the four of them that fifteen years ago, she witnessed the entire tragedy that happened in the dark forest.

Before the troops arrived, her husband and children died of the virus due to accidentally eating poisonous mushrooms. Six months ago, her younger brother went out to chop firewood, but never came back.

Later, a villager picked up the pocket watch he was carrying in the forest. The pocket watch was stained with blood, and his brother was missing.

"I am alone and old. Even if I leave the forest and live outside, what difference will it make?" Mrs. Caroline said tremblingly: "Those who are left behind are just like me. We are all waiting for our relatives to come home."

Ling Yun stepped forward, looked at the photo in the pendant carefully, pointed at a middle-aged man on the left and asked, "Is that him?"

"Yes, this is my brother Lukash." Mrs. Caroline sobbed and held the pendant to her chest.

Wei Chongming and others shook their heads helplessly. Everyone knew very well that her brother had no chance of surviving.

However, Ling Yun held the old man's cold and rough hand and said sincerely: "Don't worry, madam, we will continue walking into the forest. If we meet your brother, we will do our best to rescue him and tell him

You are still waiting for him at home."

Sometimes, if one has not seen the cruel truth with one's own eyes, people will always place their hopes on those illusory possibilities. The return of her brother is the belief that supports Mrs. Caroline's survival.

"Really? Then I'll trouble you."

Mrs. Caroline's cloudy eyes suddenly glowed. She held Ling Yun's hand tightly and kept thanking her. After a long time, she wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes and squeezed out a smile: "You are hungry, you need me to prepare some food."

Of?"

Mrs. Caroline said that there were wounded soldiers in the army that came in the afternoon, and in order to provide them with nutrition, she slaughtered a live chicken and sent it over.

Hearing what she said, Zhao Sicheng nodded and said, "Please, we are starving to death!"

"Okay, I haven't had a guest here for a long time. I just have some simple food, I hope you don't mind it." Mrs. Caroline smiled, revealing a mouth of black and red gums without teeth.

This time, no one felt terror anymore. What they saw through the old man's eyes was kindness and warmth.