"They're here again... hide in the room and don't make any noise."
The old man ordered in a low voice, then clumsily and slowly returned downstairs, and opened the silent wooden door.
Lu Li backed away silently, looking through the gap between the floors at the hem of his black robe in front of the door.
Intermittent faint voices came from downstairs.
"Yes... that's a young outsider... who knows..."
There was a sticky, wet whisper outside the door that was long and hard to hear.
The old man's low figure said: "I will convey it to outsiders."
The hem of the black robe left the door. The old man let out a long sigh, seemed to be relieved, and closed the wooden door.
"Are you here to find me?"
A calm voice suddenly sounded from behind.
The old man turned and looked at the outsider standing on the steps.
"Yes...your appearance was seen by many townspeople, and they told the cult."
"The Secret Cult of Dagon?"
Lu Li named the only church he saw after entering the town.
Blisters gushed out from every part of the room, the floor under his feet suddenly became wet and sticky, and the scenery outside the window was replaced by deep and surging sea water. Lu Li could gradually feel that his body had become clammy, and something was growing on his scalp.
snap
The sound of a vase breaking suddenly sounded, awakening Lu Li who had fallen into the abyss.
The sound came from behind the half-open door of the old man's bedroom, and a vase was broken into pieces and scattered on the floor.
The room that flooded into the sea water returned to dryness and the smell of old people, and a white arm retracted behind the door.
The old man didn't seem to hear the sound of the vase being broken, and looked at Lu Li in surprise as he read out the name: "Are you a returner? No... Returners wouldn't be so ignorant... You are like the first young nobleman to walk out of the manor.
Be naive to the outside world."
There is no praise in this description. It is more like saying that Lu Li knows nothing.
Lu Li really lacks knowledge about the strange era. Looking for Anna prevents him from understanding this world deeply.
Returner?
Lu Li temporarily ignored the wetness spreading on his head. The meaning of this word reminded Lu Li of Catalina.
"Is there anyone else here?" Lu Li suddenly asked an irrelevant question.
"Only myself."
Lu Li didn't ask any more questions because he saw the originally torn vase sitting intact on the table behind the bedroom door.
“What does returner mean?”
"I won't tell you. If you still want to walk out, don't mention them again."
"Why."
The old man didn't say "ignorance is lucky" or "knowing it is not a good thing", but simply and firmly said: "I still want to stay in this town."
This gave up Lu Li's idea of asking for information from him.
"So can anyone else tell me?"
The old man was puzzled: "Child, why do you want to know this... Why are you here? What are you looking for?"
"I'm the one asking the question."
The old man does not have the typical "Ismausian appearance", but that still does not mean that he is trustworthy.
It is almost impossible to live in this small town and not be related to the "Dagon Esoteric Cult" that rules here.
"Okay... I can tell you where to go to get what you want. Can you answer me now?"
"Where."
"...The locals won't tell you anything. Go find Zadok Allen, he's like me, you know what I mean."
After a brief silence, the old man took the initiative to tell Lu Li the answer. It was not very safe outside, and everyone had to be wary of each other, as he could imagine.
"Strong liquor can pry open his mouth. This kind of liquor is only sold by locals. They won't sell it to you, and I happen to have a bottle."
"How much?"
"Free gift, outsider, can you answer my question now?" The old man now only hopes that the man from outside in front of him will not break his promise.
Although there are still many doubts that the old man cannot be trusted, his credibility is higher
The thinking of believers is usually chaotic, incoherent and meticulous. At least every believer Lu Li has come into contact with is not as clear-minded as this old man.
"I'm an exorcist."
"Exorcists? As far as I know, these things... were all dead before they even showed up."
The old man couldn't help shouting. He was startled by Lu Li's identity, and even looked towards the door, worried that the light outside the gap in the door panel would be blocked by some kind of cloak made of skin-like material.
"I'm still alive for some reason..."
"So you're here..."
The old man didn't dare to say the next words, but Lu Li could guess it.
"I'm looking for someone. Her name is Catalina. She was brought here after being contaminated by... believers."
"I don't know, you are the only outsider recently." The old man replied.
"Has anyone else come in before?"
"Yes, the blood of those locals outside... I won't tell you." The old man who almost spilled the beans quickly shut up.
"Then do you know where those people brought here by believers will be imprisoned?"
"I won't tell..." The old man shook his head slowly.
"Where is Zadok Allen."
After determining that the old man could not reveal anything more, Lu Li prepared to look for other clues.
"Around the slums in the northernmost part of town, you can find him at the nearby fire station at this time. He is always hanging around there."
As the old man spoke, he walked behind the counter and raised his hand tremblingly to pick up the wine bottles on the shelf.
Lu Li lowered his head at this moment and reached out to touch his scalp.
The feeling of greasy, clammy scales spread, occupying the top of his head almost like the Mediterranean Sea. When Lu Li retracted his palm, the spaces between his fingers were covered with fallen black hair.
The old man's reminder was a little late. Lu Li had already spied on the port square and paid the price for his carelessness in the weird times.
Just like Catalina, Midnight City, Giant Tree Academy, Vina Freeze Port, Mayor Mateus, Bishop Jon, and everyone said. Human beings are extremely fragile, like freshly baked bread... consumables
, short shelf life, and food.
"Moonshine... tastes almost as bad as alcohol but what luxury is there for an alcoholic?"
The old man finally took off the bottle and put it on the counter.
"Well... I want to ask another question, how is the situation outside? Pretend I didn't say anything."
The old man showed the same ostrich mentality as Hades.
This is understandable.
They don't know what's going on outside, and they worry that they won't be able to resist the urge to go out if they find out.
Choices are always difficult, and people tend not to fight when there is only one way, no matter the outcome is good or bad.
"It's bad."
Lu Li lowered his dark eyes and whispered.
"Thank you for saying that." The old man was indeed relieved.
"Is there a hat here?" Lu Li calmly raised his face.
"Hat? Let me look for it..."
The old man walked into the bedroom and came out quickly wearing a black hat.
"It's clean. I haven't used it in a long time."
After Lu Li took it and put it on his head, the old man couldn't help but praise: "You are more like an exorcist than I thought. It is also free, but be careful not to blow the hat away in the wind."
Lu Li nodded, walked towards the door, and reached out to hold the doorknob.
