Once Lin Xiao and Ling Xi discovered something so important, they knew they had to tell Zhang Nu and the others immediately.
"We need to hurry back and find Zhang Nu. This isn't a small matter," Ling Xi urged. "If those YaoGuais are allowed to keep running amok in the village, the entire population could suffer."
Lin Xiao nodded and looked at Ling Xi with surprise. He felt she hadn't been the type to meddle in others' affairs in the past—but now, something in her had changed. Still, no matter what, she was Ling Xi, and he would always protect her.
"Then let's go find Zhang Nu right away," he said.
Ling Xi nodded in agreement, and the two quickly made their way back to the meeting point. However, even as night fell, Zhang Nu and the others had yet to arrive. An uneasy premonition crept over Lin Xiao.
"Ling Xi, we can't wait any longer. If Zhang Nu and the others haven't returned by now, something must have happened to them."
Ling Xi was startled by Lin Xiao's words. She knew his intuition was usually spot on—so hearing him say this filled her with unease.
"What do you mean? Why haven’t they shown up yet? Are you saying something happened to them, or... have you sensed it?"
Lin Xiao looked grim. "I'm sure something went wrong. I just don't know where it happened."
Ling Xi frowned deeply. If even Lin Xiao couldn’t pinpoint the location, how would they find Zhang Nu?
As they were growing more anxious, Liu Hai suddenly walked in from outside. Ling Xi blinked in surprise and glanced at Lin Xiao as if silently asking, What’s going on?
Lin Xiao saw her look, but couldn’t explain anything. No matter how he phrased it, it would sound off. Still, something didn’t feel right.
"Liu Hai came back… maybe your intuition was wrong? Zhang Nu and the others might show up soon," Ling Xi suggested.
Lin Xiao's brow creased. He didn’t like being doubted—especially not by Ling Xi. She should trust him completely. Her remark made him feel unacknowledged.
"You’re questioning my instincts?"
Ling Xi quickly shook her head. Yet despite her denial, she could feel a creeping sense of danger.
"I’m not doubting you. But if your intuition was right, then how is Liu Hai here?"
Lin Xiao didn’t have an answer. Either his senses had failed him… or this Liu Hai was an imposter.
"My instincts are rarely wrong. That must mean this person... isn’t the real Liu Hai."
And so, Liu Hai found himself suddenly suspected without reason. Ling Xi and Lin Xiao exchanged serious looks. They had no idea what was happening—or who, exactly, had taken Liu Hai’s place.
"Then let’s test him," Ling Xi proposed. "We’ll find out if he’s really Liu Hai."
Lin Xiao agreed, though he wasn’t sure how they could pull it off. "But how?"
Ling Xi suddenly remembered all the things Liu Hai had said to them during the lantern festival. She had a plan.
"Leave it to me. I’ll figure out if he’s real or not."
Confident in her approach, Lin Xiao nodded and stepped back, trusting her to handle it.
Ling Xi approached Liu Hai, wearing a worried expression. "Liu Hai, you’re finally back. Where’s Zhang Nu? Didn’t he come back with you?"
Liu Hai’s face twisted into a look of irritation.
"Zhang Nu isn’t back yet? We split up, remember? You and Lin Xiao went one way, and I was with Zhang Nu and Zhao Yang."
Ling Xi glanced at Lin Xiao in confusion. She hadn't known they'd split into multiple groups—she had assumed everyone was together. Her plan to test Liu Hai suddenly seemed flimsy.
"Zhang Nu wasn’t with you? I thought he was. He and Zhao Yang still haven’t returned."
Upon hearing this, Liu Hai’s face turned anxious as well.