Emerging from the lush grass, Xia Linyin and the others followed the "wild man" to the livestock shed, which was filled with weeds and covered with cobwebs.
The "wild man" ran into one of the livestock sheds with practiced ease, picked up the weeds in the corner and moved them aside, revealing the moldy wooden planks underneath.
Skillfully prying open several of the wooden planks, the "savage" pointed to the dark entrance beneath the floor and urged, "Quick! Children, get down there!"
Xia Linyin followed Bai Xiaolin and Ying Meihui into the entrance and climbed down the ladder. A damp smell hit her face. The ladder was a bit steep and wobbled under the weight.
Xia Linyin gripped both sides tightly and climbed down the ladder step by step. Looking up, she saw the "wild man" standing on the ladder, reaching out to pick up the pile of weeds he had just carried away, covering the entrance with it, and then closing the wooden block that had been pried open.
The last glimmer of light was cut off, and suddenly, the surroundings were plunged into complete darkness.
After a rustling sound, a glimmer of orange light appeared.
The "wild man" held a tinderbox in his hand. He climbed down the ladder, picked up the oil lamp that was placed next to the ladder, lit the oil lamp, and then extinguished the tinderbox.
Carrying the oil lamp, they walked forward. The light from the lamp moved with the "wild man," illuminating the uneven stone walls on both sides of the passage. Unidentified insects, startled by the light, scurried about in all directions, fleeing into the unseen shadows.
The shadows of several people were cast on the stone wall, like monsters moving forward in the darkness.
“You are Wu’s friends, right? He told him that he had other friends outside. God, thank goodness I arrived in time, otherwise the consequences would have been unimaginable.”
The "wild man" coughed softly twice. His voice was old and hoarse, like the withered roots of a tree, conveying a sense of having endured many hardships.
Is this person who suddenly appeared the cannibal Chad? If I'm not mistaken, it probably is.
Looking at the hunting rifle in the "savage's" hand, Xia Linyin narrowed her eyes slightly. Regardless of whether the other party was Chad or not, they could not reveal that they already knew Chad was a cannibal, thus arousing the other party's vigilance.
"Brother Wu is here too?" Xia Linyin's eyes were full of surprise, and her voice was full of gratitude. "Thank you so much. If it weren't for your appearance, we would probably have been torn to pieces by that guy with the chainsaw. He was really terrifying."
Xia Linyin patted her chest, still shaken, and gave Bai Xiaolin a wink. Bai Xiaolin immediately chimed in, nodding frantically, "Yes! That chainsaw maniac was terrifying! Thank you so much, you're our savior!"
Bai Xiaolin's tone and expression were so exaggerated that it was almost unbearable to watch, but fortunately, no one would question whether his expression was too exaggerated.
After all, for someone who has just experienced a life-or-death situation, it is understandable and forgivable for them to be overly grateful to their savior.
Bai Xiaolin looked at the "wild man" with gratitude, but he couldn't help but keep his distance from the "wild man," his body tense.
When the "wild man" suddenly appeared earlier, they were being chased by the chainsaw maniac and had nowhere to run. The appearance of the "wild man" was like a guiding light, and they followed the "wild man" without thinking much.
But as soon as Bai Xiaolin followed the "wild man" into the pitch-black underground passage, he suddenly remembered Xia Linyin saying that the cannibal had accomplices, and that the chainsaw maniac they encountered was just one of the cannibal's accomplices, and that the real cannibal had not yet appeared. He immediately became tense, wondering if this "wild man" was a cannibal, and even more so if Xia Linyin had discovered anything.
Just as he was feeling anxious, he received a look from Xia Linyin, which immediately put Bai Xiaolin at ease. As if he had found his pillar of support, he knew what to do. However, his body still unconsciously kept its distance from the "wild man".
"Wild Man" didn't notice Bai Xiaolin's tension and unease. He shook his head and said, "Chainsaw Maniac? That big guy isn't a chainsaw maniac. He's a cannibal. You know, there are always some people in this world with certain special fetishes, like eating the people they capture."
Xia Linyin gasped. "A cannibal? Good heavens! We actually encountered a cannibal! We were just out sightseeing, but we got lost and ended up in this town without realizing it, and now we can't get out. Could this town have become like this because of a cannibal? Good heavens! Do you know what happened?"
"Yes, because of the cannibals, the once beautiful town has become like this. My neighbors and friends have all been captured by the cannibals."
The "wild man" sighed deeply, his figure seemed to become even more hunched, shrouded in an aura of sorrow.
"I'm sorry to hear this." A hint of sadness appeared in Xia Linyin's eyes at the right moment.
The "wild man" shook his head. "It's alright, child, it's all over now."
Seemingly realizing the atmosphere was too heavy, the "savage" said, "Don't worry, this place is safe. The ogres won't find it."
They came to a rusty iron gate. The "wild man" took out a key from his pocket, clicked open the lock, and pulled open the latch.
"Wu, your friends have arrived."
The man-made cave was filled with all sorts of things, but it was relatively clean. In the middle was a wooden table. Wu Yuan, who was sitting at the table, stood up and warmly greeted the "wild man," shaking his hand. "Thank you so much, Mr. Smith. You saved me and my friends."
"I haven't seen strangers in a long time, and I'm glad I was able to save you."
As he spoke, Mr. Smith walked to the side, took off the straw raincoat he was wearing, and hung it on the wall.
Wu Yuan patted Bai Xiaolin on the shoulder and looked at Xia Linyin and the others, saying, "They're all still alive."
Wu Yuan's words carried a hint of relief. He didn't say much, but everything he wanted to say was contained in those four words—"They're all still alive."
"Mr. Smith? He's Mr. Smith?" Charlene frowned slightly.
Wu Yuan nodded, "Yes, Mr. John Smith, I encountered Chen Zhi who was being chased by cannibals, and he saved us."
Mr. Smith, having hung up his raincoat and straw hat, turned around. His shoulder-length gray hair was neatly combed back and tied with a rubber band. He looked younger than his voice suggested. Although there were wrinkles around his eyes and his eyes were not as bright, his pupils were grayish-blue, but he had a charm that came with the passage of time.
This is a handsome older man. Even though he is old and weathered now, you can still see the charm and debonairness he had in his youth through his features. He must have been very popular with women.
Mr. Smith looked at Charlene and smiled gently. "Yes, I am John Smith. I haven't asked your names yet."
He put on a plaid vest, took out his glasses from the vest pocket and put them on, looking like an old professor, extremely knowledgeable and cultured.
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