As we crossed the field, we entered a small woods that surrounded the area.
The woods were similar in size to the one with the grave pit, but longer.
The dense foliage and overgrown shrubs made it difficult to navigate, and the scattered walkers were partially hidden from view.
I instinctively jumped down from Suo Tian's back.
After all, we couldn't afford to take unnecessary risks with our lives.
I handed the long blade back to Suo Tian and shook my arm, which was feeling a bit sore from holding the heavy blade.
I drew out my own dagger instead.
Suo Tian's long blade was effective at taking down walkers, but it was too heavy for me to wield for an extended period.
Suo Tian signaled for me to follow him closely and took the bag from me.
He moved quietly into the woods, and I followed him, occasionally glancing back at the large horde of walkers behind us.
The sheer number of walkers was daunting, and if I were alone, I would have been panicked.
However, with Suo Tian by my side, I felt a sense of reassurance, and the walkers seemed less threatening.
As the saying goes, "Suo Tian is security personified."
The snow in the woods melted slower than in the fields, and the crunching sound beneath our feet was a bit louder.
At least it didn't make us muddy.
Suo Tian was intensely focused on observing our surroundings, and I followed him, gazing at his back.
My mind started to wander, and I found it hard to concentrate on the present moment.
I couldn't help but think about random things, and by the end, I wasn't even sure what I was thinking about.
Feeling frustrated, I tapped my forehead and sighed.
I tried to refocus, holding up my dagger and attempting to observe our surroundings more carefully.
Fortunately, the woods weren't too dense, and the trees were relatively sparse.
Suo Tian's long blade was effective in this environment, and he quickly dispatched the walkers we encountered.
Before long, we managed to navigate through the woods without major incident.
The village came into view, and I could see that it was similar to the one where Zhang Hongsheng and his group lived.
The village had narrow alleys with houses on either side, and a wider road that connected the alleys.
I exchanged a glance with Suo Tian and nodded, indicating that I was ready to enter the village.
Suo Tian charged forward with his blade, and I followed closely behind, staying focused.
As we reached the village entrance, I was suddenly confronted with three or four walkers emerging from behind a large stack of firewood.
They were severely decomposed, and the sight made me feel queasy.
This time, I wasn't going to let Suo Tian handle it alone.
As he took down the first walker, I rushed forward, kicking one of the walkers to the ground.
I glanced at Suo Tian and joked, "Hey, let's work together like a dual martial artist combo."
Suo Tian seemed unimpressed and didn't respond.
Instead, he quickly moved forward and finished off the walker I had kicked, slicing its head with his blade.
I took the opportunity to kick down the other two walkers, and Suo Tian quickly moved in to finish them off, usually taking out their brains as soon as they hit the ground.
The four walkers were quickly dispatched, and Suo Tian signaled for us to continue into the village.
I didn't joke around anymore, knowing that the horde of walkers was still closing in on us.
As we entered the village, we walked along the main road that connected the alleys.
When we reached the third or fourth alley, Suo Tian stopped and peeked inside before rushing in.
I followed closely behind, and since there were fewer walkers in the village, we only encountered one in the alley.
I quickly took care of it with my dagger.
Suo Tian chose a house in the middle of the village, but the door was tightly shut.
He glanced at me, dropped the bag he was carrying, and said, "I'm going in."
Just as I was about to warn him about potential walkers inside, I heard the sound of rapid footsteps coming from within the courtyard.
Before I could react, Suo Tian had already pulled me back several steps.
I stared intently at the door, and the sound of footsteps earlier seemed rhythmic, unlike the shambling of walkers.
Moreover, walkers couldn't move that fast.
Could it be...that there were survivors inside?
Given the bizarre survivors we had encountered before, the thought of living people inside the house made me feel more anxious than relieved.
What if they were mentally unstable?
The door creaked open, and an old man's head appeared.
He scanned the outside before locking eyes with Suo Tian and me.
I stared back at him, and he sized us up before speaking.
"Have either of you been bitten?" he asked, not waiting for us to respond.
"No," Suo Tian replied quickly.
I chimed in, "We haven't been bitten."
The old man visibly relaxed, opening the door wider. "Come in, come in. Quickly."
I glanced at Suo Tian, wondering what he thought about the situation and whether this person was trustworthy.
However, as soon as the old man opened the door, Suo Tian stepped into the courtyard without hesitation.
I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that if Suo Tian was calm and confident, the old man was probably okay for now.
As I entered the courtyard, I quickly scanned the area and noticed that it was similar to the one we had stayed in at Zhang Hongsheng's village.
The dried chilies and corn hanging under the eaves gave it a rustic feel, and for a moment, I felt like I was in a rural drama.
The old man warmly welcomed us into the house.
Inside, I saw a little girl around 4 or 5 years old, dressed in clean cotton clothes and with a neat ponytail.
She looked adorable.
When she saw us, she didn't seem scared.
She was initially engrossed in a colorful book, but as soon as she noticed us, she quickly stood up, brushed off her hands, and looked at us with curiosity, her eyes darting back and forth between Suo Tian and me.
The old man entered the house and, seeing the little girl, chuckled and scooped her up, pointing at us and saying, "Wang Tingyun, quickly, say hello to the uncles and aunts."
Judging from the old man's gaze, the little girl was likely his granddaughter.
The little girl smiled, tilted her head, and sweetly said, "Pretty Uncle, Pretty Auntie."
I was taken aback and looked at the old man quizzically, asking, "Pretty Uncle and Auntie?"
The old man laughed heartily and said, "My granddaughter thinks you two are good-looking. She usually calls me Ugly Grandpa."
He finished speaking, glanced at his granddaughter, and affectionately kissed her cheek.
I chuckled, walked over, and gently touched Wang Tingyun's cheek, saying, "You're very sweet, and you're pretty too."
The old man burst into laughter again, kissed his granddaughter's face a few more times, and then put her down to play.
I glanced at the other rooms in the courtyard and asked, "Uncle, is it just you and your granddaughter living here?"
The old man, who was smiling at his granddaughter, paused and shook his head, saying, "It's just my granddaughter and me now. Her parents went to work elsewhere and haven't been in touch. I'm not holding out much hope."
His expression turned somber for a moment before he turned to us and asked, "What are you two doing out there? Where did you come from?"
"We're hiding in the village. There's a horde of walkers behind us," Suo Tian replied, glancing at Wang Tingyun, who was watching him from the side.
The old man's expression didn't change much upon hearing about the walkers.
He simply sighed and said, "You two must have had a tough time. Those things are best avoided when they gather in groups. You're lucky to have made it to the village."
His reaction caught Suo Tian's attention.
Suo Tian's gaze shifted from Wang Tingyun back to the old man, his dark eyes sizing him up.
It seemed unusual that a rural old man would react so calmly to the news of a walker horde approaching.
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