Your Man Is in the Lake?

That kind of excitement made Yu Xing feel very uncomfortable. It wasn't that he Yu Xing, but rather the excitement of a butcher who had fattened up a pig so it could be slaughtered.

Of course, the Witch Doctor tried to conceal it, but Yu Xing observation skills made it impossible for her to hide.

He nodded and said, "Yes, it's all done. I want to go out for a walk and learn more about this place."

The Witch Doctor packed away her medical kit, a gentle smile playing on her lips, her tone soft yet authoritative. "Shiwei... how about I take you to the river to clear your head?"

"Okay." Yu Xing figured that even if he wanted to refuse, the other party would definitely try their best to coax him. Anyway, he had nothing to be afraid of, so he might as well cooperate and make things less complicated.

The Witch Doctor then led Yu Xing westward into the village.

As they went out, they encountered many villagers carrying farm tools. Yu Xing glanced at them and saw that they were all emaciated, probably like Granny Li, with their clothes pulled up revealing nothing but bones.

Moreover, Yu Xing recognized some of the villagers' faces; it seemed... he had seen them among the hanging corpses in his hallucination.

This discovery made Yu Xing raise an eyebrow slightly. He remained silent, pretending not to have seen it, and walked side by side with the Witch Doctor out of the village.

The Witch Doctor didn't say much, only casually remarking, "To the south are fields; it's harvest time now, so everyone's very busy."

"Oh, what about those like Granny Li who can't farm?" Yu Xing noticed that everyone outside was younger; the elderly and children must stay at home.

"They..." the Witch Doctor paused, then said gracefully, "The elderly all have children. Granny Li's grandson running away was just an accident, an isolated case. But the God Official will not mistreat any believer. As long as you offer the God Official a little something, you can enjoy free food."

"The God Official is such a great and kind person!" Yu Xing exclaimed, glancing at the Witch Doctor's expression out of the corner of her eye.

As expected, the Witch Doctor's expression brightened even more upon hearing his praise. She wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "Yes, he is a very kind and great person; he has given us everything."

"How should we worship him?" Yu Xing wasn't sure if Granny Li had told the Witch Doctor about what happened last night, so she probed.

"... Naturally, you should use piety and respect to move the God Official." The Witch Doctor looked at him and smiled, "You don't need to make offerings anymore. Your memory isn't even complete yet. Let's talk about it when you're better. The gods will understand."

Yu Xing: Oh~ The Witch Doctor's schemes against me are probably related to my body.

They hoped his wounds would heal, yet they didn't want him to offer his flesh as a sacrifice, as if they were ensuring his body remained intact.

There are generally only a few reasons for doing this.

The two chatted casually, with Yu Xing asking questions with an innocent look and the Witch Doctor answering calmly as time slowly passed.

The river wasn't too far from the village, but the road became increasingly desolate as you walked. After leaving the human settlement, the trees grew lush, casting large patches of shadow that blocked out the sunlight.

Every tree looks pretty much the same, and everywhere you look there's just a patch of overgrown weeds. Without someone familiar with the area to guide you, it's easy to lose your way and wander off in circles.

After a long while, Yu Xing finally caught sight of the river's outline.

Sure enough, this place was exactly the same as in my dream.

The riverside wetlands are covered with layers of reeds, partially obscuring the view. Upon closer inspection, the river surface is not clear at all; it is filled with filth, rarely flowing, and devoid of fish and shrimp.

It's less of a river and more of a still lake formed at the end of a river, though it's a bit dirty.

On the land leading to the lake, bones were scattered everywhere, covered in dust, some thick, some relatively new. In short, it was clear that people had died nearby in different eras.

Why was Yu Xing so certain that the bones were human and not animal?

Because while he was walking, he accidentally kicked a skull that had rolled to his feet...

However, something is amiss. Although the village worships a non-existent Immortal Lord, and the villagers may not all be purely living beings, Yu Xing discovered during his brief interaction that the villagers still have normal needs for food and drink.

Granny Li eats the food she cooks herself. Although she doesn't know where the food goes without her digestive system, the ingredients are fine. Therefore, clean water is essential for both farming and raising livestock.

This lake is too dirty; the villagers would never draw water from it, not to mention that Granny Li's grandson used to catch fish and play here.

There are no fish here.

Therefore, Yu Xing guessed that the villagers probably fetched water from upstream of this lake, and now that the Witch Doctor had brought him here, she must have a special purpose.

"This place is so creepy." He looked frightened and moved closer to the Witch Doctor, like an insecure person instinctively seeking safety and being bullied.

"Hmm? It's just quiet here, how could it be eerie?" The Witch Doctor pulled Yu Xing closer to the lake, only letting go when she knew they could see their reflections on the dirty water.

"Shiwei, do you know?" The Witch Doctor looked at Yu Xing's reflection in the water, her eyes gradually brightening, her tone becoming increasingly gentle, "My man can't come home. Every time I miss him, I come here and talk to the lake. That way, it's as if he's still by my side."

When Yu Xing heard the Witch Doctor call him Shi Wei in such a tender tone, it was as if she were calling him someone else, and a chill ran down his spine.

He touched his nose and said, "Your man is in the lake?"

The Witch Doctor: "...?"

She suddenly turned to look at him, her eyes showing the same scrutiny she had when they first met.

Why do you think that?

Seeing her reaction, Yu Xing chuckled inwardly, but outwardly feigned panic and explained, "I'm sorry, no offense intended. I just heard you say that when you were talking to the lake here, it was as if your husband was right beside you, and I thought... I thought..."

The Witch Doctor was still watching him.

"I thought your husband had drowned in the lake. I'm so sorry..." He spoke softer and softer, finally lowering his head with a pained expression, looking like he had done something wrong and was waiting to be scolded.

The Witch Doctor turned her face away, saw her reflection in the water, and said calmly, "It's nothing serious, I don't blame you. Don't look so downcast. I want you to be happy every day."

If anyone else had said these words, Yu Xing might have thought it was a confession, but Witch Doctor said them, it sent chills down her spine.

Because the Witch Doctor's eyes showed no concern for him whatsoever; on the contrary, they always conveyed a strange emotion.

There's nothing fun to do by the lake; aside from the unexpected surprise of stepping on bones at any time, all that's left is desolation and filth.

After a while, Yu Xing said, "How about we go somewhere else..."

"Ah!" the Witch Doctor exclaimed.

Her shout interrupted Yu Xing before she could finish speaking. Yu Xing asked, "What's wrong?!"

The Witch Doctor looked down and saw her calves scratched by the grass.

"I was so careless... it hurts so much, I can't walk."