Under Old Niu's guidance, the group hurried to the scene. But there was no sign of Little Zhao's body.
"Where is he?" Someone looked over the scene. There was nothing unusual about it, and it looked nothing like the site of a massacre. For a moment, he couldn't help but have his doubts.
Feeling the accusing looks from the others, Old Niu grew flustered. "Why are you all looking at me? He was right here just now. I saw him with my own eyes. Little Zhao's body was hanging from a tree, his tongue sticking out, his eyes bulging like a dead fish's. Don't tell me you don't believe me?"
No wonder Old Niu was anxious. The looks his companions were giving him were full of questions and deep distrust.
"Which tree was he hanging from?" someone asked impatiently.
Old Niu hurried over to a large tree branch. "Right here. I saw it with my own eyes. I'm not blind. How could I mistake someone that big?"
Seeing Old Niu's face turn red with agitation, and that he didn't look like he was lying, his companions couldn't help feeling stunned.
Something strange was going on.
If Little Zhao had been hanged from the tree, there was no way his body could have been moved so quickly, even if someone had wanted to.
But if he wasn't dead, where had he gone? It made no sense for their lookout to leave his post without telling his teammates, then hide by himself.
Such an obvious irregularity meant something had happened. Whether Little Zhao was alive or dead, something had gone wrong.
As they looked around suspiciously, a rustling sound suddenly came from the bushes nearby. It sounded like footsteps trampling through them, dragging and clumsy.
The group hurriedly looked toward the sound.