"What's happening?"
Bruce couldn't help but feel deeply anxious at this moment.
Two Thomas?
Is the one outside a fake?
"Don't panic, it's the Mimicking Monster trying to lure us out. Stay quiet. The Mimicking Monster follows the light. Since we haven't lit a fire, it doesn't know someone is inside. It will leave soon."
Thomas inside the cave seemed frightened too.
Although he was comforting everyone, the panic in his voice was quite evident.
"Brother, what's going on?"
Bruce was bewildered, not realizing until Charlie, who had quietly approached, called him, bringing him back to his senses.
He first bowed his head and thought for a moment, then quietly asked Charlie:
"Did you notice anything unusual when Father came back earlier?"
Realizing the importance of this question, Charlie showed a tense expression and hurriedly recalled the scene when Thomas and the hunting team returned.
But after thinking for a while, he still shook his head.
Bruce let out a breath, it was within his expectations.
When Thomas brought the hunting team back just now, he was indeed present, and there was truly nothing unusual.
The one inside the cave should indeed be their father.
But just as Bruce made this judgment, an unexpected event occurred.
The "Thomas" outside actually pulled apart the branches at the cave entrance.
It wasn't yet dawn, but at the moment the entrance was opened, a faint light came in.
The cave, without any fire, in such a pitch-dark environment, even the slightest light was enough to illuminate the fear on everyone's faces clearly.
And seeing the scene outside the cave, everyone's fear was magnified several times.
Because standing outside the cave was not only "Thomas".
The twelve members of the hunting team led by Thomas were also prominently present.
At this point, everyone was dumbfounded.
Bruce and Charlie, the brothers, were even more stunned, their pupils contracting in shock.
They had just greeted the thirteen members of the hunting team outside the cave.
Now, the identical thirteen appeared again, how could they not be shocked?
"Thomas" came inside.
Thomas inside the cave hurried with the twelve hunting team members towards the entrance, blocking everyone's front.
The two Thomas looked at each other, first sharing a glance of horror.
Then came fear and rage.
Among the crowd, Bruce, although silent, kept his eyes fixed on the two Thomas and the people behind them, not daring to miss any subtle details, no matter how slight.
At this point, one thing was a hundred percent certain.
The "Mimicking" from Redwood Ridge was standing right in front of them.
Among the two Thomas, one must be the Mimicking.
According to the "Thomas" inside the cave earlier, the Mimicking from Redwood Ridge kills by deceiving trust, so identifying the real one would certainly help.
That's why he tirelessly tried to tell them apart using the faint light from all angles.
Unfortunately, after checking again and again, he hopelessly discovered that there were no differences between the two.
From appearance and clothing to small expressions and various tiny details, the two Thomas, including the hunting team members behind them, were exactly the same, indistinguishable.
And amid his distinguishing attempts, the two Thomas had each begun fighting with the twelve team members behind them.
The originally spacious cave quickly became cramped with over twenty people fighting inside, and the camp occupants retreated to the back of the cave.
Though Bruce retreated, his gaze never left the two Thomas, fearing that once out of sight, he wouldn't be able to tell which was inside or outside the cave.
When the first Thomas came back, it was nearly dawn.
Blocking the entrance, extinguishing the fire, and then this fight, after so long, the light outside the cave became more and more apparent.
The white light was bone-chilling; those who hid in the inner cave showed increasingly deep fear on their faces, and their bodies gradually trembled.
Although Bruce maintained a calm expression, his heart grew heavier.
Daytime in this world is even colder than nighttime.
Moreover, Cold Beast activity is also more frequent during the day.
If the entrance remains open, even if they luckily withstand the low temperatures, it could very well attract Cold Beasts, resulting in everyone's death together in the end.
They must find a way, a solution must be found!
And just as he was anxiously hastening through his thoughts, the two "Thomas" spoke out.
"Bruce, Charlie, it's almost daylight, take everyone and seal the entrance. I'm here, the Mimicking won't harm you."
"At this point, it's still pretending? Bruce, Charlie, don't listen to him. Help us drive it away first, drive it away and then seal the entrance."
Named Charlie, almost reflexively, he rushed to the left.
The one on the left was the "Thomas" who came back to the cave first.
Evidently, Charlie was also watching the two Thomas closely, able to tell them apart.
However, just as he rushed two steps, he was abruptly pulled back by a hand.
"Brother?"
"Don't act rashly, is he real, are you a hundred percent sure?"
Upon hearing Bruce's question, Charlie was momentarily stunned.
Internally, he leaned towards Thomas who returned to the cave first.
After all, Thomas not only helped the entire camp extinguish the fire, seal the entrance but also informed them about the Mimicking Monster.
But when asked to confirm one hundred percent, he dared not say for sure.
For regardless of the two Thomas or the two teams of hunting members, whether in appearance or action nuances, there were truly no differences.
Even the strength they displayed during the fight was identical.
"The Mimicking will turn into someone you trust, deceiving your trust, and once you fully trust it, you'll become a puppet, at its mercy."
This phrase flashed through Bruce's mind, making his heart skip a beat, rising into his throat.
Whether the Thomas who returned to the cave first is genuine or not.
At least this statement, Bruce can now confirm as true.
Since the Mimicking bothered to stage such a scene.
It proves it indeed needs to completely win over everyone's trust at the camp.
Faced with two options at the moment:
One: Follow what the Thomas in the back says, and seal the cave first.
Two: Help the Thomas who returned first to defeat the Thomas who came back later.
In such life-and-death stakes, the decision made represents the absolute trust of the camp.
This means, once they choose wrong.
These people would all turn into puppets.
They would die!
At this point, realizing this, not only Thomas.
Charlie and a few others at the camp turned tense.
Many turned their gazes toward Bruce.
Placing their hopes in him wasn't just because of his identity as the leader's son,
Besides Thomas and the twelve hunting members, Bruce was the strongest in the camp.
The people fighting at the entrance evidently realized this too.
Both Thomas wore anxious expressions, seeing that everyone had entrusted the choice to Bruce, they hurriedly spoke up to prove their honesty.
"Bruce, I returned to the cave first, I'm real, don't believe him, pure trust in him will lead us all to death."
"Bruce, I'm the real one.
That Mimicking is best at beguiling people.
First, it turned into me, returned to the cave, intentionally leaked information to you, just to gain your trust now, you absolutely cannot trust him."
"Hong, last month when you were knocked out by an icicle, I helped apply medicine."
"Charlie, remember the stone dagger I helped you sharpen last night?"
---
But such statements only made everyone more confused.
Both could voice out things about Bruce and Charlie, even clear about their longstanding injuries.
Bruce alone, upon hearing the different things each Thomas said about him and Charlie, his body quivered slightly, pulling Charlie's right hand abruptly.
Charlie looked back puzzled, meeting Bruce's gaze.
Instantly, Charlie's pupils also shrank sharply.
Evidently, he realized something as well.