Arriving at Silent Hill and Entering the Surface World
The next morning, everyone gathered at the hotel entrance.
Carl glanced around. There were only five of them.
"Where's Dina? Why isn't she coming down?"
Xu Mo shook his head.
"She's staying behind at the hotel."
He hadn't planned to bring her along. After last night, she couldn't even get out of bed, let alone join them. In his eyes, Dina was a typical novice who treated this all like a game.
Carl didn't press further. From the noise that had carried through the thin wooden walls all night, he already understood the situation.
Moments later, three cars started up and headed toward Silent Hill.
With Dina absent, Jason slid into the passenger seat beside Xu Mo. The car had already been scrubbed clean at a shop the day before.
"You and Dina… back together?" Jason asked.
Xu Mo shook his head.
"No."
Jason opened his mouth to continue, then thought better of it. Still, envy flickered across his face. He had been surrounded by women his whole life, but had never even held one's hand. Pathetic.
---
More than an hour later, the convoy drove into the mountains.
Turning off at a fork marked Silent Hill, the silhouette of a small town soon appeared.
As they approached, Xu Mo saw streets that were surprisingly clean, nothing like the abandoned ghost town he had imagined. The morning sun reflected off the weathered, mottled walls of buildings that looked at least several decades old.
Jason's eyes lit up at the sight of the empty streets.
"Wow… not bad. For the next few days, we're the masters of this town!"
Xu Mo gave him a sidelong glance.
"Let's see if you can keep that cheerful mood later."
The cars stopped at the edge of town in front of what appeared to be an old hotel. The faded sign was barely legible.
The Carl siblings got out first.
"How about we use this as our base?"
According to plan, they would remain in Silent Hill for several days, sleeping in the cars at night. Parking here on the outskirts was a practical choice.
Julie stepped out, looked around, and nodded. Xu Mo didn't object. It didn't matter to him where they stayed.
Everyone took out their backpacks, stuffing them with food and water before heading into town.
Julie, walking ahead, hesitated, then pulled several small bottles from her bag and handed them out.
"Keep these safe. They might save your life."
Carl uncapped one and sniffed.
"What is it?"
"Holy water."
Julie's curt reply ended the matter. She walked on without looking back.
Carl and Jason tucked theirs away solemnly. They didn't care about the contents—what mattered was that Julie had given them. Lina shoved hers into her pocket and muttered under her breath.
"Just like the rumors say… a little witch."
Xu Mo toyed with his vial, eyeing Julie's back. She clearly knew something. The holy water carried a faint trace of energy, similar to the power of the Vishanti. Useful against weak monsters, perhaps—but hardly decisive.
The moment he entered Silent Hill, Xu Mo had sensed a hidden space here. Like a mirror dimension, this "world" had two alternating states: the outer world and the inner world.
The outer world was perpetually shrouded in fog, populated only by weak creatures—hardly more dangerous than gun fodder. But when it shifted into the inner world, the fog would vanish, replaced by swarms of monsters born from the deepest fears of those who entered.
Day and night. Two worlds, alternating.
Xu Mo had the ability to step between them at will, but he held back. Silent Hill's duality was the creation of Alessa, a tormented girl, fused with a powerful evil spirit. If he revealed too much power, the entity might simply flee. For now, it was best to stay low and not startle the prey.
That was why he had come heavily armed. His oversized backpack was stuffed with firearms borrowed through the space gate earlier that morning.
Jason noticed and raised an eyebrow.
"Xu, did you really bring that much food? We'll be back by nightfall. Lunch is enough."
He shook his nearly empty pack with a grin.
Xu Mo unzipped his own.
"In that case, help lighten the load."
Before Jason could protest, Xu Mo stuffed boxes of bullets and grenades into his bag.
Jason gaped.
"Wait—are we here for adventure or counter-terrorism? Do we really need this many weapons?"
"Quit whining and carry it," Xu Mo replied flatly, shouldering his own pack and walking on.
Jason could only sigh. After a moment's thought, he holstered the pistol he'd bought yesterday and jogged after him.
---
They wandered deeper into the town. Julie frowned at the compass-like object in her hand, while Lina excitedly snapped photos as if on a sightseeing trip. Carl kept a wary eye on their surroundings, still uneasy about the town's reputation.
Xu Mo and Jason followed silently.
Eventually, they arrived before an abandoned school building. Julie didn't hesitate; she pushed the door open and stepped inside.
The others trailed after her.
As soon as he crossed the threshold, Xu Mo felt a ripple of energy—familiar, like when he had entered a mirror space before.
The air within was thick with white mist.
A slow smile spread across his face.
"So… you couldn't resist. You've pulled us straight into the surface world?"
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