Those of little value are treated as expendable. This is unfortunate, but realistic. What makes Jiang Cheng even more despondent is that the team ahead of them probably knows this, but on one hand, military orders are absolute, and on the other, it is their duty. These people are just a microcosm of countless others, essentially the same as those ignorant night watchmen.

After about an hour of walking, the forest gradually thickened, and the path underfoot became increasingly difficult. Stepping on the thick fallen leaves, his feet felt soft, giving him an uneasy feeling. Jiang Cheng paused, a bizarre sensation flowing from the bottom of his heart, as if… as if he were stepping on a rotting, festering corpse.

Unknowingly, they had entered the depths of the forest. The surrounding trees grew taller, their shade blocking out the sun. The light filtering through the gaps in the branches above became increasingly scarce.

“Something’s not right. Aren’t we supposed to be going down the mountain? Why does it feel like we’re heading deeper into it?”

Fatty pulled his foot out of the thick fallen leaves and couldn't help but say.

“It is a bit strange.”

Luo Yunshan turned around and waved his hand. The camouflage man wearing headphones came over. “I’ve already checked with the team ahead. There’s no problem with our direction. Everything is normal. We estimate we’ll be out of this mountain in an hour.”

During this hesitation, someone behind them suddenly spoke, their voice urgent. Soon, the entire team became lively. Following the direction of their fingers, the view in the distance was blurred. A cloud of mist drifted over silently.

A middle-aged man wearing a jungle windbreaker and glasses squinted, then his expression changed drastically. “Not good, it looks like miasma. Everyone, prepare your gas masks.”

Soon, everyone took out gas masks from their backpacks and put them on. The mist had already spread over them. Jiang Cheng breathed a sigh of relief. They could still breathe relatively easily, and their respiratory tracts and skin exposed to the mist didn't have a burning sensation, so the situation wasn't too bad.

But as soon as he regained his senses, Jiang Cheng noticed that Number 2, Number 13, and others had stopped, their faces fixed on the direction ahead. Following their gaze, Jiang Cheng saw several figures at the edge of his vision, their backs to them. Judging by their clothing, they were definitely the team ahead, but strangely, these people were standing there like wooden stakes, motionless.

“What’s the situation?” Jiang Cheng asked in a low voice.

“These people haven’t moved at all. They stopped as soon as we stopped.” Because he was wearing a mask, Number 13’s voice was muffled, but he could still hear the tension in his voice. “It’s like… like they’ve been waiting for us.”

“And they’re not wearing gas masks. I’ve been watching them, and they haven’t even made a move to take out their masks.”

Number 2’s words made everyone’s hearts tighten. After all, this mist was likely poisonous miasma, and the team ahead also had gas masks. There was no reason for them not to take them out.

Unless… unless they were already dead, or these people were something else entirely.

Perhaps to verify his suspicions, Number 2 took a few steps forward on his own. A bizarre scene unfolded. These figures, like wooden stakes, actually moved as well, also taking a few steps forward. And as Number 2 stopped, these figures also stopped.

Now everyone’s scalp tingled. The situation was very clear. There was definitely something wrong with the team ahead. They were luring them deeper into the dense forest, and it was unclear where they ultimately wanted to lure them.

But two words suddenly popped into Jiang Cheng’s mind: Gui Yan (Ghost Banquet).

That strange rumor from Xixie Ming Mountain.

Luo Yunshan made a decisive decision, choosing to abandon the team ahead. They would find another way out, leaving this mist first. This mist was obviously problematic as well, otherwise, why would it appear at such a coincidental time?

There were guides in the team. Based on the guides’ judgment, they chose a new path, with the requirement that they get out of this forest as soon as possible.

But before long, they discovered a new situation. There were traces of someone having walked on this path they had chosen, and not just one place, but many. They even found a clear footprint.

The footprint was fresh, recently made.

According to the people in the team, the footprint was made by the same boots they were wearing, and the person who left the footprint was the previous team.

A chilling coldness spread through the team, as if no matter how they changed direction, they were being led by the nose, walking on a predetermined path, heading towards a trap that had been prepared for them long ago.

This silent sense of powerlessness was eroding everyone’s heart.

“Since we can’t avoid it, then we’ll follow the footprints and see where these people went.” Number 2 stood up, his eyes coldly fixed on the front.

The team had a clear division of labor, with some responsible for leading the way and others responsible for guarding the surroundings. Everyone performed their duties, and there was no sense of panic. It seemed that the composition of the team that Luo Yunshan had put together was not bad. If it were an ordinary group of people, they would probably have already collapsed.

Following the footprints, they actually walked out of the mist, which was something that everyone hadn't expected. They had originally thought that there was something waiting for them in the depths of the mist, but before they could rejoice, a bolt of lightning flashed across the night sky. The scene before them left everyone stunned.

In the distant, hazy darkness, a dilapidated mountain village was faintly visible.

That’s right, it was the same mountain village they had just left not long ago, the same mountain village where Lin Wan’er and her group had disappeared.

At this moment, the mountain village was like a stagnant pool, pitch black. They were now in a different direction, a completely different direction from the first time they came, but the result was the same. After going around in circles, they had finally returned to this place.

Jiang Cheng lowered his head. Under his feet were scattered footprints, winding and crooked, with a strange stiffness to them, heading towards the village and eventually disappearing into the darkness.

Jiang Cheng was sure that the previous team had already entered the mountain village.

This is a curse!

It must be a curse!

Anyone who enters this mountain village will never be able to leave this mountain again. Sooner or later, they will all return to this mountain village and then disappear here silently.

“Quick, leave quickly.”

In fact, there was no need to remind them. After figuring this out, Jiang Cheng immediately retreated. The mist had already dispersed, and after all this commotion, it was already night. Fine raindrops began to fall from the sky, hitting their faces and bodies. It didn't hurt, but it was strangely cold, like an icy rain.

Everyone quickly retreated back into the forest, but they didn't go far, and they didn't run away, because there was no need, and it was impossible to escape. The only way for them to survive now was to figure out the strangeness of this mountain village.

Just as everyone hid in the forest, a point of fire suddenly lit up in the dark village in the distance. Then, as if it had started something, one lamp after another lit up.