Chapter 68: Echoes in the Mist

After a while, the protective shield slowly faded away. Then, Delilah gently took the little girl's hand and led her out of the shelter. Looking down at the trembling child, Delilah softly reassured her,"Lillian, although these people may not seem entirely reliable, deep down they have kindness, they won't hurt you. Don't worry."

Lillian, with a fearful expression like a startled bird, hid behind Delilah but timidly peeked out and whispered,"Hello everyone, I'm Lillian White."

Lucas, ever the showman, stepped forward with a confident grin:"Don't be scared, little Lillian. We won't hurt you. Let me introduce our team: that guy with the jet-black hair and perpetually furrowed brow is Ethan's Vale, and this big dummy, though a bit goofy, cooks us meals like a fine family husband. His name is Marcus Stone."With a flamboyant toss of his hair, Lucas's eyes sparkled as he continued,"And I am Lucas Gale, the man so unbelievably handsome that legends weep at my glory. Just look at my aura and looks, I'm one in a million, the very definition of handsome."No sooner had he finished than a fireball suddenly flew straight at his face with a loud "bang!"

Delilah quickly turned to Lillian and said,"Don't listen to his nonsense; he's just a coward with a tiny dick!"Lucas retorted indignantly,"Violent woman! How dare you hurl a fireball at the face of the most handsome man in the heavens! I'll fight you!"He charged toward Delilah, but his unruly hair, half jet-black, half bleached white, was blown all over the place by the impact. Before he could get close, Marcus grabbed him forcefully."Let me go, Marcus! I was just saying you were great! Let me go!" Lucas shouted furiously.

Lillian couldn't help but giggle at the spectacle of Lucas's frustrated antics. Though frightened, she peeked out from behind Delilah, her curiosity piqued. Delilah herself chuckled softly at the absurdity of it all.

After a while, Delilah knelt down, looking tenderly at the little girl, and asked,"If you're willing, could you tell us your story?"Lillian hesitated for a moment, then nodded and slowly walked over to the fire, turning her back to everyone. In a soft, trembling voice she began,"I used to live in a village with my father, mother, and grandparents. But one day, a group of so-called cult demons came to our village, claiming they would bring happiness to us. At first, they only visited the village chief's house occasionally, but soon they moved in and boasted about how unbearable his so-called sincerity was. Then they began luring the village women into his house one by one. Initially, everyone trusted the chief without a second thought, but a day later, the women never returned home. The men, frantic with worry, rushed to his house to search for their wives. When they opened the door, they were horrified to find that most of the women had been brutally killed, some lying on the floor, some in rooms, some on the stairs, all bearing signs of unspeakable abuse. When my father finally looked up, he saw his wife, completely naked, nailed to the wall. Her eyes had been gouged out, her pregnant belly slashed open, and the pool of blood and flesh on the floor should have been my sibling... but she was ripped apart and died!"As she finished, Lillian's body began to emit a soft glow, and a chill wind swept through the cave. At that moment, Delilah moved forward, wrapping her arms around Lillian from behind. Feeling the warmth and protection from Delilah, Lillian's glow gradually faded, and the wind subsided.