A path stretched out from the bottom of the cliff, and the group followed it for more than half an hour before they could vaguely see the village.

Under the moonlight, the entire village appeared exceptionally peaceful and serene.

Only a few houses in the village had lights on; people seemed to be asleep, and the sound of snoring could be faintly heard.

If it were in the afternoon, they would probably be very happy to see a village like this, finally finding a place to stay and have a hot meal.

But seeing such a village now only makes me feel terrified.

There was no one guarding the village entrance, just as everyone had guessed; the other side was openly inviting them into a trap.

Luo Wenxin looked at Ming Zhuo with admiration: "Advisor Ruan, you really have foresight. They obviously didn't expect you to rush over here tonight."

He Wangyao asked in a low voice, "Are we going to sneak in?"

According to his speculation, the main force should find a secluded place to hide outside, while sending a few others in to infiltrate and scout the situation.

Those people probably knew they would find their way to the village, but they certainly didn't expect Mingzhuo to send them down the cliff overnight.

Wang Chengzhu also said to wait until tomorrow, which was obviously a deliberate attempt to lead them to come early. That would be an advantage for them!

Fortunately, we can buy some time.

The problem is, Mingzhuo is definitely going to sneak in; she's highly skilled and daring, and only she can figure out what's going on.

But he didn't want to be separated from Mingzhuo. In this dangerous valley, it was clear that only being by Mingzhuo's side was the safest option.

Mingzhuo: "There are magic formations in the village, and there are warning signs along the way, so we won't have a chance to sneak in. I'm afraid the people inside have already gotten wind of it."

Sure enough, as soon as Mingzhuo finished speaking, four women carrying lanterns came out.

The white paper lanterns looked somewhat eerie in the dim moonlight.

Everyone immediately tensed up and dared not speak.

"You've already arrived? That's quite fast." The woman at the head of the group was somewhat surprised and said, "Then come over and go to the altar."

Everyone was stunned. What did this mean?

Could it be that they had heard rumors all along and were preparing to wipe them out in one fell swoop?

But this is too casual. Why didn't they bring more people to fight them? Or did they fall into a trap without even realizing it?

Just then, Mingzhuo spoke up and replied, "Okay."

His voice was dull and numb, as if his mind had been controlled.

The others were shocked. Could it be? When did Consultant Ruan fall for it?

But soon, the group saw Mingzhuo wink at them discreetly.

Everyone reacted quickly, realizing that the women had probably misunderstood something, and that Mingzhuo was playing along.

But with so many of them, there's no way they can all disguise themselves together. Won't they be discovered?

With a soft "click," the puppet crawled out of Mingzhuo's pocket, its dark eyes blinking at everyone.

In just a moment, most people feel as if they have lost complete control over their bodies.

Tang Zhen and the others were, after all, the best contestants on the show, so they were not affected, but they still cooperated and continued to pretend.

A storm raged in his heart. What exactly was that puppet of Consultant Ruan? How could it be so powerful and evil?

The woman at the head of the group felt something was amiss. She held up her lantern and shone it on the group. Their eyes were vacant, indicating that their minds had been controlled.

She shone the lantern on Mingzhuo, who immediately looked blank.

"She is quite pretty, what a pity." The woman pinched Mingzhuo's face and scratched her delicate, fair cheek with her nails. "I heard that this Ruan Mingzhuo is a female demon. I think she is nothing special. She is still made of flesh and blood."

He Wangyao: "..."

Some people are still alive, but their death anniversary has been set! Offend our boss, and your fate is uncertain!

However, to be fair, the boss really kept his composure this time, not letting it all out.

Gu Xu stared at the hand pinching Ming Zhuo's cheek, a flash of murderous intent crossing his eyes.

The woman quickly noticed, and she shone her lantern into the crowd, her gaze landing on Gu Xu's face.

Gu Xu neither avoided nor flinched, quietly meeting the other's probing gaze. The flickering candlelight illuminated his face, adding to his ethereal, otherworldly air.

The woman suddenly gave a strange smile: "As expected of the young master, it seems that those resentments can't affect you."

He Wangyao, standing nearby, was startled. Oh no, she'd been found out!

Gu Xu suddenly took a step forward and said in a calm voice, "Didn't you keep calling me here? Now I've come as you wished. Hurry up and take me to see your master."

The woman checked the contract on Gu Xu's body and found that the binding force of the contract was still there, so she was completely relieved.

"Young Master, please come in. Madam is already waiting for you."

——

A group of people were led into the village.

The crew members all carried equipment on their shoulders, and the equipment was always running as they diligently continued their work.

The quiet village seemed to have suddenly awakened from a deep sleep.

People emerged from all corners, looking curiously at the group of outsiders and pointing at the machines they were carrying.

This situation secretly alarmed Tang Zhen and the others. Fortunately, they did not rush into the village to investigate, otherwise they would probably have been caught immediately.

Several young men seemed unable to resist and tried to quietly snatch the camera equipment.

Fortunately, a woman who was watching noticed and stopped the villagers in time.

"Grandma, let us take it and play with it. These people are doomed anyway," someone said with a grin, completely disregarding human life.

Gu Xu stopped and looked at the group of people with a cold gaze.

"Shut up! If Madam finds out you're wasting your time on frivolous pursuits, she won't let you off the hook!" the woman quickly scolded.

The villagers seemed very frightened and could only reluctantly retreat.

The villagers stood on both sides of the road, all dressed in white, their eerie gazes sending chills down your spine.

We finally entered a huge room, which resembled a natural cave that had been carved out and turned into a house.

The interior was spacious, with ever-burning lamps. There appeared to be an ice coffin at the top of the steps, and someone was sitting beside it, looking down at the people below.

Gu Xu's pupils contracted slightly.

His childhood memories had long been blurred, but the moment he saw the woman, those memories of his birth mother came back to life.

She remains beautiful; time seems to have been exceptionally kind to her, leaving no trace of its passage on her face.

"You've arrived," Madam Luo said. "Don't mind those people who were so insolent; I will punish them."

As she spoke, she glanced at the woman carrying the lantern.

The woman gritted her teeth, "Bring them up!"

A short while later, the three youths who had tried to snatch the camera were brought in.

He Wangyao thought to herself that this lady looked very kind, beautiful and unpretentious.

Since the other party is willing to stand up for Ah Xu, does that mean everything is negotiable and there's no need to resort to violence?

After all, they were mother and son; there must have been some affection between them.