BXBX NOVEL Chapter 54: A Strange Encounter
Lucy stepped forward, her eyes narrowing slightly as she asked, "Has anyone new come to the village recently? Anyone out of the ordinary?"
Again, the answer was the same. A middle-aged woman, her hands busy with a basket of fruit, smiled and said, "No, miss. No strangers here. We all know each other."
It was the same story wherever they went. Every villager they questioned wore the same forced smile, their voices tinged with an unnatural cheerfulness that didn't match the wary glances they exchanged when they thought Zeus and Lucy weren't looking.
As they walked away from yet another unsatisfying conversation, Zeus couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. He decided to push a little harder with the next villager they spoke to, a young man who was stacking firewood outside his home.
"So, what do you usually do here in the village?" Zeus asked casually, trying to sound as if he were merely making small talk.
The young man paused, his hands hovering over the woodpile. "We pray," he said simply.
"Pray?" Lucy echoed, her tone neutral but with a hint of curiosity.
"Yes," the young man continued, his eyes flicking toward the distant volcano. "We pray to the volcano for blessings."
As he said this, something changed in his expression. His voice became softer, almost reverent, but what caught Zeus's attention was the sudden flicker of red in the man's eyes. It was faint, just a momentary glow, but unmistakable.
Zeus's eyes narrowed as he observed the man more closely. "You pray to the volcano?" he asked, his voice steady but probing deeper. "Every day?"
The young man nodded slowly, that eerie red light flickering again. "Yes... for its protection and blessings. We all do."
Zeus exchanged a meaningful glance with Lucy, noticing the deepening concern etched across her face. The villagers' words had been strange, almost too rehearsed, but this felt like more than just a peculiar habit.
There was something unnervingly wrong, something that set every instinct in him on high alert. The man's voice, the unnatural glow in his eyes—it all screamed of something sinister lurking beneath the surface.
"Something's definitely wrong here," Zeus thought, his instincts sharpening as he processed the situation. He leaned closer to Lucy, keeping his voice low and discreet.
"There's something off about these people," he murmured, his tone laced with caution. "Their eyes... did you notice that? It's like they're under some kind of influence, something unnatural."
Lucy's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing as she processed his words. "Yes," she replied, her voice firm but quiet. "I noticed it too. They mentioned praying to the volcano. If something is affecting them, it has to be connected to that volcano."
Zeus nodded, his mind already turning over the possibilities. "It's like they're not in control, like something or someone is manipulating them," he said, his voice tinged with concern. "We need to find out what's going on, and fast."
Lucy's gaze drifted toward the looming silhouette of the volcano in the distance, her jaw set in determination. "We can't waste any more time here. Whatever it is, it's connected to that volcano. We need to get up there and figure out what's happening."
"Agreed," Zeus replied, his voice resolute. There was no room for hesitation now. "Let's go. The sooner we get there, the better."
Without another word, the two of them turned on their heels and made their way out of the village, their pace quick and purposeful.
The villagers' strange behavior had left a heavy weight of unease on both of them, and the thought of what they might find at the volcano only added to their urgency.
As they neared the base of the volcano, the oppressive heat and the distant rumbling of molten rock added to the tension that hung between them. The air was thick with anticipation, but Lucas's mind was focused on more than just the path ahead. The system suddenly broke the silence in his thoughts, its voice dripping with its usual arrogance.
[So, do you know what's really going on with those villagers?] it asked, as if testing him.
Lucas didn't respond immediately, keeping his expression neutral as he continued walking. Then, with a slight nod, he answered internally, "Of course, I know. They're actually corpse puppets."
There was a brief pause before the system responded, its tone laced with a mix of mock surprise and condescension. [Wow, I didn't think you had it in you to figure that out. To think that you actually know about corpse puppets—aren't you just full of surprises?]
Lucas allowed a small, knowing smile to curve his lips, his eyes narrowing slightly as he glanced toward the volcano. "It's not that surprising. I knew about this place in my past life, and I've encountered these things before. There's a reason I wanted to come here."
The system immediately jumped in, its tone dripping with arrogance and just a touch of mockery. [Oh, let me guess,] it interjected, [you're planning to snag a puppet to use as your body double, aren't you? How typical. But I must say, it's a clever move.]
Lucas's smile widened slightly, the system's tone amusing him more than anything. "Exactly," he confirmed, his mind already working on how best to utilize the situation. "And since this is a volcano, it'll be the perfect place for my sister Lucy to cultivate. So, it's like hitting two birds with one stone."
The system's response was tinged with a mix of mock admiration and its usual haughty pride. [You're pretty smart, host,] it remarked, almost begrudgingly. [I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, considering you've got me by your side. But seriously, it's about time you started thinking strategically.]
Lucas couldn't help but chuckle inwardly, his confidence unwavering. "Of course, I am smart," he thought, his tone carrying a touch of playful arrogance that mirrored the system's attitude. "Now, let's go and finish this."
[That's the spirit! Let's see what kind of mess we can stir up,] the system chimed in, its voice practically oozing with excitement and shameless enthusiasm for whatever chaos might lie ahead.