The villagers quickly drank the water and left, ignoring Matthew’s group.
"Are we still drinking?" After witnessing the villagers’ strange way of drinking water, Maya couldn’t help but hesitate as she asked, even though her throat was already burning from thirst.
"I’m so thirsty! I’m so thirsty!" When Maya finished speaking, Taylor and a few other ordinary people lunged toward the river, their crazed expressions making it seem as if they were willing to throw themselves into the water to quench their thirst.
"Hold them back!" Matthew shouted.
Maya raised her hand, and red threads extended from her fingers, binding Taylor and the others in place.
Taylor glared at Maya in frustration. "What the hell are you doing? I want to drink water!"
Maya couldn’t help but feel a little startled and doubtful. Just monts ago, Taylor had looked like she had completely lost her mind, but now she seed normal... That’s right, she was just an ordinary person desperate for water, desperate for life... They couldn’t survive without water...
But... Maya looked at the river’s surface—calm, clear, and eerily still—before glancing at Matthew.
Matthew and the others swallowed nervously. He said, "For now, stop the ordinary people from drinking. I’ll go up and take a look first."
No one objected to Matthew’s decision—after all, if there had to be a sacrifice, who would want to go first?
Matthew approached the water. Pressing his lips together, he scooped up a handful, but before he could lift it away, the water in his palm seed to have a life of its own—it slipped right through his fingers before he could take it out of the river.
"Does anyone have sothing to hold water?" Matthew turned to the others and asked.
Julia stepped forward, handing him a bamboo tube. It was unclear where she had gotten it from.
Matthew took the bamboo tube from Julia and scooped up so water. Inside the tube, the water remained crystal clear, looking incredibly pure and refreshing. Instinctively, he swallowed but quickly shook his head hard and said, "The water can stay inside the bamboo tube."
Hearing that, Maya frowned. "Then why didn’t the villagers use anything to store the water?"
Now that she thought about it, they hadn’t seen a single container for holding water ever since they entered the village. Not even cups or bowls for eating.
"Maybe it’s a thod to prevent anyone from bringing water into the village. As long as there’s no container, no one can take water into the village," Clow said slowly.
"To this extent? What exactly happens if we bring water into the village?" Maya frowned in thought.
Clow sneered at her. "If you’re that curious, why don’t you try bringing so in and find out?"
Maya t Clow’s gaze and said, "I will. But first, let’s drink so water and go back to search for clues at the house of the lost ones."
Clow chuckled, his face betraying no emotion.
Matthew scooped up water and handed it to each person. The mont Julia finished drinking, she suddenly turned away and dry-heaved, even though nothing ca out.
Before anyone could ask, she spoke. "It’s just a bit disgusting. Thinking about how the monsters on our backs last night might have been the drowned corpses from this river... makes want to throw up, ha ha."
Everyone’s expressions imdiately darkened. They had tried to avoid that train of thought, but Julia had just blurted it out like that...
[Lol, all the humans turned pale. But honestly, I feel nauseous too, thinking about those nightti monsters and imagining them lurking beneath the water they just drank... ewww!]
[They have no idea what’s actually in that water... way worse than they think, hahaha.]
[I still can’t get over Julia having that bamboo tube. Seriously, where the hell did she get it?!]
[Honestly, if these humans had bent down to drink straight from the river, we would’ve had so real entertainnt.]
[Nothing beats the chaos of goats scattering when a crocodile suddenly bursts out of the water, lol.]
[Such a missed opportunity!]
"Nerio, aren’t you drinking?" At that mont, Clow suddenly turned to Nerio, who had been standing quietly to the side.
The others also noticed him. Even though they all looked parched and exhausted after just one day in the dungeon, Nerio remained unchanged. His skin was flawless and pale, his beautiful eyes sparkling, and his lips were soft pink, showing no signs of dehydration.
No one expected Nerio’s ability to be this terrifying. Clow licked his lips, his glasses concealing the greed in his eyes.
Nerio looked at Clow, shook his head, and said nothing.
Clow narrowed his eyes and asked, "Is there sothing under the water?"
Nerio lowered his gaze, no longer responding to Clow as if lost in his thoughts.
Alexis licked away a stray drop of water from his lips, irritatingly glancing at Nerio. "You don’t have any powers left, so stop pretending to be mute when people talk to you."
Nerio pressed his lips together while Maya frowned at Clow and Alexis. "If you don’t want to talk to him, don’t. But stop bullying Nerio—he’s just a child."
"Ever heard of equality among all living beings? In the dungeon, there are no privileges," Alexis chuckled.
Maya ignored them and turned to Nerio. "Let’s go."
Everyone had finished drinking. There was no ti for argunts—they quickly left the river.
As they turned their backs, unaware, countless lifeless eyes watched them from beneath the water’s surface, unblinking.
These humans had no idea they had just escaped death, all thanks to Julia’s bamboo tube.
Following the sa path, they made their way back to the village.
Just then, Ace’s ears twitched. He suddenly halted, his sharp gaze sweeping across the forest. "Who’s there?!"
His voice rang out like a low growl. Several other espers had sensed sothing amiss and imdiately closed ranks, preparing for battle. The ordinary people shrank back, their faces filled with caution and fear.
The rustling sounds grew louder as if soone was frantically fleeing the forest.
Danger refused to spare them, even in broad daylight.
"Rustle! Thud!"
Suddenly, sothing tripped and tumbled from above, crashing onto the ground!
"Ahhh!" Leon yelped in shock.
Ace raised his hand, his gaze cold and unwavering.
"Wait, it’s a person!" Matthew suddenly shouted, blocking Ace’s strike before it could land.
Ace had already pulled back his attack, but everyone else stared at the fallen figure in shock and suspicion.
"A person? Don’t be ridiculous. Besides us, who else could be in this dungeon? If anything’s out there, it’s just monsters," Alexis said, frowning.
"Leonard!" Leon suddenly shouted. Even in his fear, he recognized the man at first glance.
Hearing Leon’s words, the others instinctively focused on the figure lying on the ground.
Julia frowned. "How is he still alive?" Then, she turned to Matthew, her gaze filled with doubt.
Not just her—everyone was looking at Matthew.
Matthew shook his head. "I did leave him in the middle of the jungle."
At that mont, Leonard stirred, then slowly pushed himself up from the ground.
Leon jumped back in alarm while the others instantly took defensive stances.
Leonard stood up hesitantly, looking around at them with trembling eyes. His voice ca out in a stamr, "I-I was so scared... I finally found you all... Please don’t leave behind again. Let stay with you..."
As he spoke, his face twisted in fear, his bloodshot eyes on the verge of tears.
"Another talent in acting," Silvanus thought to himself.
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