"After walking for a few more minutes, you followed 'fate's hint' and crossed a small hill, finally arriving at the designated location."

"Through the thick gray-white fog, you could vaguely make out a river blocking the way ahead. Its tides surged relentlessly, and amidst the currents, shadowy figures of the dead wandered aimlessly."

"This is no ordinary river,"

"This is the 'River of Death,' which has manifested in the real world as the final destination for all the deceased."

"No wonder 'fate's hint' suggested seeking assistance—trying to cross the 'River of Death' as a living being indeed entails great peril."

"Your gaze moved downward, and you noticed a village by the riverbank. An oil lamp flickered at its entrance, casting unsteady light. Inside, shadows of people intertwined, suggesting many inhabitants. However, surrounding the village, countless eyes hidden in the darkness opened, brimming with malevolence as they stared intently within."

"Very soon, 'fate' issued a new reminder."

"That place is the 'Ancient Village.'"

...

Malice lurking in the darkness?

Why does it feel like the survival conditions of the 'Ancient Village' are even harsher than what the 'Fire Stealing Village' once faced?

Sure enough, this land, where the 'Lord of Blasphemy' once fell, is rife with terror and unknowns. The grotesque and the strange coexist, to the extent that even conceptual entities like the 'River of Death' have taken form in the real world. If the game character hadn't acquired the traits of the 'Lord of Blasphemy,' with the terrifying enhancements of 'fate,' reaching the 'Ancient Village' would likely have been an impossible task.

As these thoughts scattered through your mind, Yang Qizhou seemed to recall something and murmured to himself: "More intriguing than all this is one question... Who—or what—inhabits the 'Ancient Village?' Are they still human?"

Meanwhile,

The text continued to refresh slowly on its own.

...

"I wonder who exactly lives in the 'Ancient Village.' Could there be 'Blasphemer Wizards' among them?"

"You pondered for a moment,"

"'Fate' urged you onward, and as you were eager to obtain the authority of the 'Lord of Blasphemy,' you decided not to delay. First, you invoked the two authorities, 'Miracle' and 'Unyielding,' and, under the amplification of the 'Lord of Blasphemy's' traits, ensured your good luck reached an absurdly exaggerated level. Then, using [Destiny Replay], you activated the power of the [Dream Hidden World Clothes] and headed toward the Ancient Village."

"One minute passed,"

"Two minutes passed,"

"Miraculously, you evaded all the hostile gazes lurking in the darkness and successfully arrived at the entrance to the 'Ancient Village.' There, you saw a 'human' before you."

"Two eyes, two ears, one mouth, one nose—no twisted flesh, just a completely ordinary human being."

"To encounter an actual person in the 'Land of Truth' is no small feat."

"You couldn't help but sigh in amazement,"

"Who's there? Come out!"

"Suddenly, a cautious voice full of hostility rang out. The person at the gate snapped their head in your direction, raising a rusted, rune-engraved greatsword."

"You've been discovered?"

"If your senses are correct, he should be nothing more than an entirely ordinary human—without rank, power, or any mystical enhancement."

"You were astonished,"

"But because the 'Ancient Village's' power was necessary to cross the River of Death, you had no intention of engaging in conflict. After a brief moment of thought, you deactivated the effects of the 'Dream Hidden World Clothes' and stepped out of the dense fog."

"A-a human?"

"The person guarding the road sounded doubtful."

"Out of politeness, you greeted him casually, 'Hello. I am a traveler from afar and have come seeking assistance to cross the river.'

"A traveler? You're a traveler?"

"To your surprise, the man looked as though he'd heard something extraordinary, his face lighting up with uncontainable excitement as he asked, 'You're from afar? Just how far are we talking?'

"Is that really such an important question?"

"You were baffled and initially planned to brush aside the question, but after some thought, you decided honesty might be the wiser choice."

"After all, this world is steeped in supernatural powers."

"Who knows if this seemingly ordinary man has a way of detecting lies?"

"I come from outside the 'Land of Truth,' having stumbled into this place by chance. As for how far exactly... I honestly don't know." As you spoke, you carefully observed his reaction.

"The man's emotions grew even more fervent as he exclaimed, 'Outside the Land of Truth? Are you serious?'

"Though you still harbored doubts, his lack of overt hostility prompted you to nod in affirmation."

"Wonderful! Finally, the 'prophecy' has come true! The 'Ancient Village' can be saved! After thousands of years of suffering, we can now see the light again!"

"Prophecy?"

"The 'Ancient Village' can be saved?"

"You immediately latched onto these two keywords, and a flood of speculation filled your mind."

"The man enthusiastically proposed taking you to meet the village chief. Since that was your purpose for being here, you readily agreed."

"On the way,"

"You tentatively asked, 'Brother, what exactly is the prophecy you mentioned?'"

"A prophecy is a prophecy, of course,"

"He replied matter-of-factly."

"You couldn't help but smack your forehead. After a moment's thought, you rephrased your question, 'So, what does this prophecy say?'"

"Oh, right, you're an outsider traveler, so you wouldn't know the prophecy,"

"The ordinary man seemed to realize, then, and after composing himself, spoke with a zealous gleam in his eyes, 'For thousands of years, the Ancient Village has upheld this prophecy: when an outsider sets foot on this land, the 'Lord' will awaken. At that time, the dawn will cut through the darkness, light will once again spread across this earth, and everyone will be redeemed.'

"So that's how it is,"

"You had anticipated this and quietly breathed a sigh of relief. At least for now, it seemed that the identity of 'outsider traveler' would bring you significant assistance in the Ancient Village, making your task of 'crossing the river' much simpler."

"At this moment,"

"With the man's guidance, you entered the 'Ancient Village.'"

"The village was populated, and as the residents noticed a stranger among them, all turned their gazes toward you. A few individuals who seemed to hold some authority strode over with intimidating presences, ready to rebuke the Village Guardian. However, after a brief exchange, their aggression faded, replaced by excitement as they scrutinized you, their eyes shining with a light impossible to miss."

"Soon enough, news of the prophecy's fulfillment, the arrival of an outsider, spread throughout the Ancient Village. The nearby residents, too, regarded you with warmth and enthusiasm."

"Hmm, the village population wasn't too small—roughly three hundred, at a glance. But it was odd; they were all ordinary humans without extraordinary powers. How had they withstood the malice outside the village?"

"You were deeply puzzled."

"The thought of the ordinary village guardian earlier, capable of sensing you even with the 'Dream Hidden World Clothes' active, further heightened your confusion. Unable to resist, you asked the guardian about it..."

"The guardian was startled at first before casually responding, "

"Of course, it's because of the blessing. The 'Ancient Village' has a Guardian God. The villagers can borrow His power. As long as He is here, those 'Fallen' outside cannot enter."

"Fallen?"

"Yes, those wandering monsters outside. They were once noble 'Blasphemer Wizards,' but a thousand years ago, they were twisted into monstrosities."

"Guided by the 'Village Guardian,'"

"You arrived at the village chief's residence."

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