After hearing Lin Xiao’s words, Zhang Nu and Liu Hai stopped and listened carefully. Sure enough, the eerie cries of Ghost Cry Forest were still audible. This confirmed what Lin Xiao had said—they hadn’t left the area after all.
“If we can still hear the cries, then we really haven’t left the spot,” Liu Hai said, his voice heavy with concern.
“So, what do we do now?”
Zhang Nu and Lin Xiao exchanged uncertain glances. Neither of them had an answer. Even Lin Xiao, despite his heightened senses, had no clear solution to offer.
“Lin Xiao, is there anything you can do to get us out of here?” Zhang Nu asked, a note of hope in his voice.
Lin Xiao shook his head. “I don’t know what to do,” he admitted.
“I’ve already told you everything I know. There’s nothing more I can do to help.”
Zhang Nu nodded, understanding the limitations. The fact that Lin Xiao had even realized they were walking in circles was impressive in itself, neither he nor Liu Hai had noticed until Lin Xiao pointed it out.
“Since Lin Xiao doesn’t have any other solutions, what do we do now?” Liu Hai asked, frowning. “Are we stuck in an illusion formation, or is this some kind of ghost wall phenomenon?”
Both Zhang Nu and Liu Hai were at a loss. They couldn’t tell whether they were caught in an illusion formation or trapped in a supernatural maze.
“It doesn’t matter, right? Let’s just test it out,” Liu Hai suggested. “If it’s an illusion formation, at least we know how to handle it.”
Zhang Nu nodded. They were familiar with illusion formations, and if that was what they were dealing with, they could likely find a way to break it and escape.
“You’re right,” Zhang Nu agreed. “Let’s approach it as if it’s an illusion formation and see if we can deal with it that way.”
As the two prepared to take action, Lin Xiao stepped forward and stopped them, his expression serious.
“Are you sure this is an illusion formation?” he asked firmly.
Zhang Nu and Liu Hai paused, caught off guard by the question. Of course, they weren’t certain—but wasn’t it worth a try?
“Why are you stopping us?” Liu Hai asked, his frustration growing. “We’re not sure it’s an illusion, but we have to try something.”
Lin Xiao looked at them, his gaze sharp and unwavering.
“If you’re not sure, then don’t act rashly,” he said. “My instincts are highly sensitive, and they’re telling me that we only have one chance. If you make a mistake, we might be trapped here forever.”
Hearing the gravity in Lin Xiao’s voice, both Zhang Nu and Liu Hai immediately stopped what they were doing. Lin Xiao’s face was dark and serious, and the weight of his words gave them pause. There was a very real chance he was right.
“So, if we can’t try that, what do we do?” Liu Hai asked, exasperation creeping into his tone.
“You keep telling us what not to do, but what’s the plan? We can’t just stay stuck here forever.”
Lin Xiao closed his eyes, his expression calm but focused, as he began to sense his surroundings.
Zhang Nu noticed this and realized Lin Xiao might be trying to find a way out. However, Liu Hai couldn’t make sense of what Lin Xiao was doing and had no idea what he was trying to achieve.
“Hey, you…”
Just as Liu Hai was about to say something to Lin Xiao, Zhang Nu quickly grabbed his arm, stopping him.
“Don’t say anything,” Zhang Nu whispered to Liu Hai. “Look at Lin Xiao. I think he’s trying to figure out how to get us out of here.”
Liu Hai scoffed, unconvinced. “Are you serious? Lin Xiao already said he doesn’t know what to do. Why are you putting your faith in him now?”
Zhang Nu didn’t argue, choosing instead to observe Lin Xiao closely.
“See for yourself if you don’t believe me,” Zhang Nu said simply.
Reluctantly, Liu Hai turned his attention to Lin Xiao. To his surprise, Lin Xiao stood perfectly still, his eyes closed as if focusing intently on something. A flicker of doubt crossed Liu Hai’s mind. Could Lin Xiao actually be trying to find a way out?
“Do you think Lin Xiao really knows how to get us out of here?” Liu Hai asked hesitantly.
“I don’t know,” Zhang Nu admitted. “But if there’s even a chance he does, we need to let him try.”
The two fell silent, their eyes fixed on Lin Xiao. After a moment, Lin Xiao opened his eyes, his gaze steady and determined. Without a word, he began walking forward.
Zhang Nu and Liu Hai exchanged a glance before quietly falling in step behind him, their movements cautious. Though uncertain of where Lin Xiao was leading them, they decided to trust his instincts and see if he could guide them out.