After Qi Si appeared in Lin Chen and Tang Yu's field of vision, an opening quietly emerged in the bamboo forest, just wide enough for two people to pass through.
The path they had taken on their way in reappeared intact before Qi Si, its other end stretching all the way to the two men's feet, remotely linking the Players who had split into two groups.
The scarecrows with painted human faces stood on either side of the path, like quiet, obedient attendants welcoming guests and seeing them off.
When the wind blew, the bamboo stalks and scarecrows swayed together. They made no strange noises and did not turn around, as though their earlier encirclement of the Players had been nothing more than an illusion.
And Qi Si, arriving late, was the beam of light that pierced through the illusion. Simply by standing there, he pulled the two Players trapped deep in the nightmare back into reality.
"Brother Lin!" Lin Chen instinctively lifted his foot, about to walk toward the red-clad figure beyond the bamboo forest.
Tang Yu grabbed him at once and lowered his voice. "Wait. Be careful—it could be a trick."
It was not uncommon for ghosts and monsters to deceive people while wearing a player's face. There was nothing wrong with being cautious.
Lin Chen drew back his foot and stood still beside Tang Yu.
Then Qi Si gave a soft laugh in the distance. "Not bad vigilance. How about we verify some information? Tang Yu, former player of the Nine Provinces Guild, expelled for accidentally injuring a teammate, currently a free player."
At the right moment, he turned his gaze toward Tang Yu's tense face. "Let's get acquainted again. Lin Ya and I are cousins. We haven't joined a guild for the time being, but we