Chapter 16: The Vanishing Boy

Stepping into the interior of the mansion presented a stark contrast to the world outside.

In the mountain night, a terrifying dense fog spread, carrying with it the oppressive heaviness brought by dark clouds.

Yet inside, the house was warm and dry, completely serene and peaceful.

The boy led the way, covering the distance in a few strides.

Soon, the three of them arrived at the ground-floor living room.

On the left side of the room, firewood blazed in the fireplace.

On the right, a staircase leading upstairs, with a table attached to the wall beside it.

At the center of the living room, on the carpet, was a dining table covered with a pristine white tablecloth, steaming with thick soups and bread, with even some sliced meats placed near the edge of the table.

At first glance, the room, not too dark, appeared utterly devoid of problems.

However, Ronald and Nade exchanged glances, their eyes conveying an unspoken agreement.

A rather dangerous place—

Just then, the boy who was leading the way reached the desk beside the stairs and began arranging the items there with practiced motions:

"You three can sit down and rest for a moment."

"The food I have here is sufficient, considering the dangers we have yet to face outside, and we need to replenish our strength quickly."

He had hardly finished speaking when, as if a startled bird, Thomson yelled out:

"You don't think we're fools, do you!"

"At a time like this, who in their right mind would eat this food?"

"No!"

"Rather, at a time like this, what kind of person would have food prepared in advance!"

"..."

Watching as Thomson vented his own opinions.

The atmosphere in the living room instantly solidified, as if even the warm fireplace could not prevent the drop in temperature.

This guy is too reckless—

Although Thomson was not wrong, the timing of his outburst was terribly inopportune.

Pointing out the suspicious aspects of the other party directly opposed their relationship.

Under the surrounding external crisis, this was undoubtedly the most foolish choice.

Several breaths later, the boy slowly placed down the teapot he was holding and then turned to face the three men.

The young face was filled with confusion, showing no sign of embarrassment.

"Sir, what are you talking about?"

"In such a critical moment, only by sincere cooperation can we solve..."

"Cut it out!"

Suddenly, Thomson interrupted the boy's explanation.

The middle-aged businessman, momentarily safe from danger, seemed to take some control of the situation. He even stepped forward to stand in front of Ronald and Nade, shielding them.

"Out with your scheme!"

"Otherwise, I won't let you off!"

"..."

Such a strong desire to perform...

The string of startling events had clearly pushed this middle-aged man to the brink of collapse.

This dominance, in a way, was his subconscious trying to protect himself.

Witnessing this scene, Ronald and Nade exchanged a knowing look from behind.

Nade slightly shook his head, his somber eyes clearly conveying his thoughts.

—He did not want Thomson to continue causing a scene.

Before getting the most basic information from this "boy," he needed to stop Thomson from causing further disturbances.

Ronald immediately shook his head at Nade.

He also covertly traced two arcs with his finger, dividing the boy and themselves into two groups.

After all, Thomson had fled here together with them, one of their own.

Compared to this boy, whose issues were instantly noticeable, and whether he was even human was still in question...

Since things had already been laid bare, it was best to let Thomson continue.

Besides, this clearly-defined, near-hysterical style of provocation was bound to elicit some useful information.

Nade furrowed his brow.

Ronald's thoughts, he could indeed understand.

Due to safety concerns, he still didn't want to take unnecessary risks. Thomson's state was extremely dangerous, and it could easily lead to completely uncontrollable outcomes.

Unfortunately, before he could make a decision—

a new complication had already begun in silence.

Hearing Thomson's words, the boy gazed at Thomson with a somber look, his face gradually solidifying with confusion.

At last, accompanied by a slight rise at the corners of his mouth, a resigned and mocking smile emerged.

"I mean..."

"You, why are you so ungrateful?"

"Just sit down calmly, enjoy a meal before your demise, wouldn't it be nice to die painlessly afterward?"

"Really headache-inducing... Huh?"

Just as he was about to do something, the boy's expression suddenly changed, and his gaze shifted to the ceiling.

"Forget it, ordinary people like you can't do much anyway."

"Just wait here and meet your end."

With a straightforward death sentence issued to the three, the boy's figure gradually faded into the air. He then lay back against the wall as if he were a semi-transparent ghost in a movie, disappearing into it.

—The empty living room.

At this moment, it had returned to being only the three of them.

"Gulp—"

Having witnessed the scene unfold before him, Thomson's eyes widened, and he swallowed a mouthful of anxious saliva.

Pointing to where the boy had disappeared, he asked in a trembling voice:

"He... I..."

"How is this possible?"

Unlike Thomson, who was in shock,

Ronald and Nade's reactions were much more decisive.

Nade promptly moved to the wall where the boy had vanished and almost stuck his face to it, studying it closely.

He was interested in the method by which the other had disappeared.

Meanwhile, Ronald began to circle the living room, ensuring that he remained within his companions' line of sight, as he surveyed the surroundings.

—

Several minutes later, while Thomson still could not explain the phenomenon he had witnessed,

Ronald finished his survey and casually sat down in a living room chair.

"Nade, how is your investigation going?"

"Not too good over here."

Hearing Ronald's question, Nade stood up and came over, his face filled with regret as he shook his head:

"The wall and floor are fine, and there's no residue of any hallucinogenic substances; that guy disappeared right before our eyes purely by his own abilities."

"What about you? Did you find anything?"

"..."

Waving his hand at Nade, Ronald showed off a matchbox he had found near the fireplace.

"One good news, one bad news."

"The good news is that there are recent signs of habitation in this house; I found these matches by the fireplace, and they still look new."

"Recent signs of habitation..." Nade mulled over for less than three seconds before he continued to inquire, "And the bad news?"

"..."

"The bad news..."

"Based on my observations, the number of 'people' in this house is definitely not less than five."

Hearing this, Nade's already furrowed brow stiffened even more.

"Are you sure?"

Ronald nodded confidently:

"The indentations the chair legs left on the carpet, the size and usage of the coat rack in the hallway, and the quantity of washed dishes all confirm this for me."

"It's basically foolproof."

"So what we're facing should include at least five individuals, among them two or three little ones..."

Suddenly, a loud boom exploded overhead.

Ronald hadn't even finished detailing his findings when he abruptly stopped.