Chapter 366: Nature Worshipper
Chapter 366: Nature Worshipper
This residence was just an ordinary house.
However, the area around this two-story building was vastly different from the rest of Echo Town.
People hardly moved around here.
They silently restricted their movements, surrounding this unremarkable wooden house, with every corner under constant watch as if they couldn't bear the thought of anything escaping from within.
Upon closer inspection, one would notice that those surrounding the house were all Awakened! Even without the presence of powerful individuals beyond the fifth stage, the collective pressure from over a dozen Awakened was formidable.
In contrast, a man stood alone at the doorway.
He stared directly at the surrounding Awakened, and from the slightly ajar door behind him, faint sobs of a woman could be heard.
One of the Awakened surrounding the house spoke to the man:
"Forlz, let's go inside and talk."
"It's still raining, and you're keeping everyone blocked at the door. Isn't that a bit unreasonable?"
"Go inside?"
Forlz's eyebrows raised as he guarded the doorway.
Facing the group surrounding the house, he remained unyielding in his stance, even in the face of what seemed like a conciliatory gesture:
"If you have something to say, say it outside."
"Mrs. Hela has already been through a lot these past few days. What do you intend to do to her if you go in?"
One of the Awakened surrounding the house quickly responded:
"Forlz, we have no interest in ordinary people."
"Just tell us honestly what happened that night, and we guarantee we'll leave immediately. There won't be any danger here!"
Forlz turned to the man who spoke:
"You have no interest in her?"
"I think you're ignoring her feelings! How would an ordinary person feel with a group of mysterious Awakened intruding into their home?"
An Awakened nearby shouted out Forlz's name, questioning him:
"Forlz!"
"If you truly care about the woman inside, you shouldn't stay here."
"What are you trying to prove?"
Forlz smirked:
"I want to leave, but will you let me?"
"..."
The rain fell lightly, but it continued to descend from the sky.
The sound of raindrops on the roof was dense and rapid, as if echoing the restlessness within people's hearts.
Forlz's face was drenched by the rain.
Yet, he remained unwavering, standing guard at the doorway, confronting the crowd alone.
The Awakened surrounding the house held the advantage, but none dared to break the stalemate first.
Forlz was a true believer.
His object of faith was a concept of nature's spirit, and his skills were miracles brought forth by this faith.
Engaging in a conflict or even a fight with Forlz wasn't an issue.
But if the situation escalated to a life-or-death confrontation, and someone were to kill Forlz in the chaos, they would find themselves entangled in mysterious bad luck, a consequence for taking the life of a believer.
Not everyone was willing to bear such a consequence.
After a few more seconds, Forlz looked around with a condescending gaze:
"Do you think you can bully me just because I'm alone?"
"Go ahead and try! An old dog crunching bones is bound to lose a few rotten teeth!"
An Awakened nearby tried to mediate:
"Forlz, don't misunderstand."
"We're doing this for your own good."
"We want to help you find your missing companion..."
Bang! Forlz didn't even let him finish.
He coldly hummed and shut the door.
The situation outside the house returned to the stalemate it had been in for the past few days.
Foltz returned to the house and saw Hela crying by the fireplace.
Hela was a gentle woman by nature.
This small building was her only property in Echo River, and she often rented out the second floor to tourists.
Hela's life was quite ordinary in the town.
However, due to the issues with the Awakened, she had to endure pain and panic.
"Sigh—"
Foltz let out a sigh.
He shook off the rain on the porch and then approached her to offer comfort.
"Mrs. Hela, I'm sorry."
"It's all because of us staying here that you're facing such trouble."
Hela simply shook her head.
"Mr. Foltz, I know you're not bad people."
"But if they keep surrounding us like this, how can we live our lives?"
"..."
"I'll find a way to resolve this issue as soon as possible."
Foltz comforted Hela for a while before returning to the second-floor guest room. He performed his daily prayers and prepared to rest.
Click—
As the door opened, Foltz's hand froze mid-motion.
The scene before him was indeed the room he had been staying in for over a month.
But upon closer inspection, there was a stranger sitting in the chair by the window, a detail that was different from his usual surroundings.
"Awakened?"
Foltz was startled.
He naturally assumed that the group outside was bored and had sneaked in to cause trouble.
However, before he could take action, Foltz paused.
As a devout follower of nature worship, he sensed a very familiar aura from the man before him, as if nature itself favored and blessed him.
"..."
Foltz calmed down and carefully examined the man.
In the month he had been in Echo Valley Town, the Awakened there were not necessarily acquainted with each other, but most of them had met.
Yet, the man in his room was a complete stranger.
Was he truly a stranger, or was he disguised under a false identity? Foltz retreated two steps cautiously, standing at the doorway.
He didn't act immediately, nor did he let down his guard. Instead, he asked cautiously, "Who are you, and why did you break into my room?"
On the other side.
Lindsey, sitting in the room, also heaved a sigh of relief.
His original plan was to subdue Foltz and forcefully extract information.
However, since Foltz was willing to communicate calmly,
it was more than he could ask for.
Lindsey spoke openly, "Mr. Foltz, I came to find you to inquire about the events that occurred at night."
"The forest's anomaly did end a week ago, but the crisis hasn't truly passed. To prevent further deterioration, I'm gathering as much information as possible."
"..."
Foltz's eyebrows furrowed.
If anyone else had said this, he wouldn't have believed them.
But as a nature worshiper, Foltz's intuition told him not to be so rash.
As he carefully observed Lindsey's aura, he witnessed an even more unbelievable scene.
The Will of the Forest, when facing this man,
did not show rejection or indifference. Instead, it seemed to have a tendency to be friendly and protective!
—Perhaps this is the person who can resolve the issue!
"I..."
Foltz opened his mouth.
But he only uttered a single syllable before his lips began to tremble, and his body stiffened, refusing to obey his commands.
A powerful force of skill began to affect Foltz's body.
He couldn't speak!
(End of Chapter)
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