Leon crouched down, scooped up some water, and washed his face. Erik stared at the river while whistling softly. Riana turned to Raven, puzzled.
"So, what's our plan here, Raven?" Leon finally asked, breaking the silence.
Raven raised his head, his voice calm. "I just want to show you that rivers like this are usually the key to finding settlements. Most people build their homes near water sources to meet their daily needs. If we follow this stream, we will most likely find traces of a path. A path that people usually use to fetch water or travel back and forth from here."
The explanation made them look at each other, impressed.
"Hmm... that makes sense," Leon replied with a satisfied nod.
"I didn't know you were this smart, Raven," Erik grinned slightly.
"You're usually quiet and indifferent."
"Yes, your knowledge... is amazing," added Riana, her voice sincere.
Raven just shrugged, not feeling the need to respond to the praise any further. His gaze remained focused on the river, which was now sparkling in the evening light, as if his mind had already moved far ahead.
Behind him, William just stared at Raven's back, still overcome by an inexplicable feeling of unease.
They finally walked further along the river. William, who was tasked with leaving markers, piled up small stones into simple towers at certain points. Every time he stopped, he glanced back, making sure no one had erased or disturbed the markers. That way, they were sure they could return to the starting point if they ever got lost.
They continued walking for almost forty minutes. The forest began to open up, and the river appeared wider and calmer. On the banks, faint laughter could be heard. Raven raised his hand to signal everyone to stop. They turned to look, and from behind the bushes they could see a different scene: several small children running along the riverbank, accompanied by several women who were washing clothes or filling jars with water.
The scene was soothing, yet unfamiliar.
However, as soon as the women noticed Raven's group walking out from behind the trees, their clothes tattered and their faces full of exhaustion, the atmosphere instantly changed. Their faces tensed, and they quickly called the children over. One woman hurriedly grabbed a small child, pulling him behind her while glaring warily.
Erik swallowed hard, then added enthusiastically, "Yes... this is what Murim people are like. Those who are not fighters or martial artists must always be wary of outsiders. This is exactly like the murim novels I've read."
William remained silent, his jaw tightening. It wasn't just nervousness, but a growing awareness of how foreign the world they had entered was.
Riana took a deep breath, then took a step forward. She glanced briefly at William, Raven, Erik, and Leon, signaling that she was going to try to speak. With a cautious smile, she bowed slightly, waving her hand as a sign of peace.
"Excuse me... can you understand what I'm saying?" Riana asked softly.
The women and children fell silent, staring at her in confusion. Riana tried again, her voice even softer,
"We mean no harm. We just want to find a place to rest."
However, there was no answer. Riana turned to her group, as if seeking confirmation that she was indeed using a different language, or that they were simply unwilling to answer.
Suddenly, a young woman stepped forward from the group. Her voice was cautious but clear. "Uhm... sorry, is it true that you mean no harm?"
The group was surprised. William, Erik, and Leon didn't fully understand, but from the tone of Riana's voice and her expression, they knew communication had been established. Raven remained calm in the back. He just watched the movements of the other women and children who had quietly retreated to the side of the river.
Riana looked at the young woman in surprise. "Eh? You understand what I said?"
The woman nodded. "Yes... I can understand, even though your dialect sounds a little strange."
"Ah, sorry if it sounds strange," Riana replied quickly, trying to smile.
"We just want to talk nicely. My group and I are lost and need a place to rest for a while. Can we stay at your place?"
The woman stared at her intently. "You... are travelers?"
"Yes, we are lost and want to rest," replied Riana.
The young woman stepped back, had a brief discussion with several people behind her, then returned. "Actually... we don't mind," she said hesitantly.
"But our village is small. We don't have much food… especially for strangers." Her words were accompanied by a glance toward William, Raven, Erik, and Leon.
William whispered nervously, "What did she say?"
Riana turned quickly and replied softly, "They said they didn't mind taking us in, but... their food supplies are low. So maybe they're hesitant."
Raven, who had been silent until then, finally gave a signal with his eyes. Erik immediately understood, reaching into his backpack and pulling out the bag of money that Raven had given him in the cave in preparation for situations like this.
Erik then handed it to Riana.
Riana took the bag, stepped forward again, and showed it to the young woman. "In that case... how about we give you this instead? We don't want to trouble you. We just want a little more space, because... some of our other friends are still behind us."
The woman looked surprised when she saw the contents of the bag. Her eyes widened slightly, then she quickly covered them with both hands. She turned to her people, whispered briefly, then nodded
.
"All right. Come with us. Later, you can discuss this with the village chief."
Riana smiled with relief. "Thank you very much."
The group began to follow the women and children who were already walking toward a small path beside the river. Raven walked at the back, remaining silent. Her eyes scanned every movement, from the village men who suddenly appeared in the distance to the children who turned their heads with looks of curiosity mixed with suspicion.
It was getting late in the afternoon. The sunlight was fading, and the sky was turning orange-red. The shadows of the trees lengthened along the path. In the distance, the sound of dogs barking and the sound of wooden hammers could be heard faintly. Soon, from behind the bushes and trees, simple wooden huts came into view. Thin smoke curled from the stoves. A number of villagers who were cutting wood turned their heads, staring at Raven's group with suspicion and wariness.
As soon as Raven's group entered the village, the atmosphere, which had been peaceful, immediately changed. The villagers' activities stopped instantly. Small children who had been running around quickly hid behind their mothers' skirts. Several villagers who had been cutting wood stopped, gripping their axes more tightly as they stared suspiciously.
The villagers' eyes were piercing, full of caution. Even from the cracks in the wooden houses, several faces peered out with sharp gazes.
"Uh... the atmosphere is really heavy," whispered Leon, his throat feeling dry.
"It's only natural. Outsiders in a place like this are definitely considered dangerous," replied Erik softly, trying to calm his group and himself.
Raven remained calm, his pace unchanged. However, his eyes scanned every corner of the village. He knew very well that those stares were not just curiosity. There was fear and hatred, familiar to those who were potentially dangerous.
The young woman who had spoken to Riana walked at the front. She signaled to the villagers with a small nod, as if to say that this group was not a threat. Slowly, the tension eased, although the suspicious glances were still palpable.
Soon, an old man emerged from the center of the village. His hair was white, his body thin, but his eyes were sharp and authoritative. He wore a simple robe, but his steps were steady, causing everyone to automatically move aside to make way for him.
"That... must be the village chief," Erik muttered with a tone of admiration mixed with nervousness.
The old man stopped in front of them, looking at Raven's group from head to toe. For a moment, his gaze lingered on Raven, as if sensing something different. But Raven kept his head bowed slightly, not looking back, giving the impression that he was just part of the group.
"Who are you?" the old man's voice was heavy, full of caution.
Riana immediately stepped forward, bowing her head respectfully. "We are travelers, sir. We are lost in this forest and are only looking for a place to rest for a while. We do not intend to cause any trouble."
The old man was silent for a moment, then his gaze shifted to the bag of money still held by the young woman. His eyebrows raised slightly, but he did not immediately respond.
"Your appearance... is very different from that of ordinary travelers," said the old man softly, his gaze sharp but not judgmental.
"Your dialect also sounds foreign. Even so..." he paused for a moment, sighing deeply,
"...I don't sense any evil intentions from you. You are also quite polite as guests."
He looked at the group once more, then nodded slightly. "All right. Come with me to the village hall. We'll talk further there."
A small murmur arose from the watching villagers. Some were relieved by the village chief's decision, while others still stared suspiciously.