Chapter 377: Village

Luoer found this household, which had four members: a married couple and their son and daughter.

Regarding Yu Lin and his other obviously unusual outsiders, they accepted the Silver Coin, agreed to rent a vacant side room to them for shelter from the rain, but remained quite cautious and distant, and did not make much contact.

The male head silently brought over some dry firewood and a jar of clean water; the female head set down a few rough yet clean flatbreads and a small jar of pickled vegetables, and with a heavy accent gave a brief instruction:

"The rain has stopped; if there's no rain tomorrow, you may leave."

After speaking, the family returned to their main house, closed the door, as if not wanting further interaction with these outsiders.

Soon after they left, the long‑brewing downpour finally poured down in sheets.

"Boom! Boom!"

Deafening thunder rolled through the low‑hanging clouds, and immediately dense raindrops poured like a reversed Milky Way, instantly cloaking the world in a white, billowing curtain of rain.

All that could be seen was blurred mist and wildly swaying tree shadows.

Bei, in the crude side room, watched Luoer stick his head out of the half‑closed door, his nose twitching as he sniffed the rain curtain outside, his face showing a puzzled expression:

"Hey, what are you doing? Getting soaked stupid?"

Luoer pulled his head back, his hair and face damp with rain, glanced at Bei, and said with a hint of smugness:

"What do you know? I just want to see how long this rain will last."

"I can judge it from the smell of the rain!"

"You actually have that ability?" Bei said, incredulous, "Then tell me, how long will this rain last?"

"Tomorrow," Luoer declared firmly, counting on his fingers as he analyzed seriously:

"The rain's moisture is heavy, but it already carries a faint earthy scent of soaked soil and a fresh breeze from distant vegetation... Hmm, around noon to afternoon tomorrow it should cease."

"Fine," Bei crossed their arms, looking as if waiting to see a joke:

"I'll see whether your weird ability actually works."

Regarding Bei's doubt, Luoer simply hummed, his face exuding the confidence of "Just wait, I've never missed."

At that moment, an enticing aroma drifted from a corner of the room.

Yu Lin, at some point, had already lit a fire, and was using a clean twig to skewer something, slowly turning it over the flames.

"So fragrant!" Luoer's attention was instantly drawn, and he leaned in to ask:

"Yu Lin, what are you roasting?"

"Flatbread," Yu Lin handed him a slightly browned piece emitting wheat aroma and heat, and asked, "Try?"

"Alright!" Luoer took it without hesitation, blew on it, bit in, his teeth chattering from the heat, yet kept nodding:

"Mmm! Delicious!"

Seeing this, Bei quickly rose, their tall frame made the cramped side room even more crowded, and in a few steps they crossed to the fire, sat down, and reached out:

"I want it too, I want it too!"

"Sure, all yours," Yu Lin smiled, and took out another flatbread to roast.

For a moment, the originally slightly spacious and cold side room, warmed by the fire, scented by the food, and the three sitting together, became lively and cozy.

Inside was a brief calm and sharing amid the storm; outside, the gale and rain roared wildly.

However, unseen, in the main house where that family had taken shelter, two figures silently slipped out the back door.

They wore simple rain gear, braving the pouring rain, hurried steps, not looking back, rushing toward the most remote corner of the village.

Soon their silhouettes vanished completely into the misty rain curtain and the deepening night.

"Here? Then let's begin."

As the couple pushed the door open, a stifling breath mingling earth's dampness and human sweat hit them.

Inside, about thirteen or fourteen people had already gathered, the dim oil‑lamp light illuminating faces that were tense, greedy, or numb.

At the doorway, more people kept arriving through the rain, quietly squeezing into the corners.

The speaker was an elder seated in the center of the room, appearing about sixty, with white beard and hair, a face etched with the grooves of time, yet eyes sharp as hawks.

He clearly commanded great authority here; everyone remained silent, eyes fixed on him, awaiting his orders.

The couple hurriedly found empty seats and sat, still dripping with rain.

"How's the situation?" The elder said no more, cutting straight to the point:

"Is it worth us taking action?"

His eyes swept to the man among the couple: "Man Er, your husband, speak up."

Man Er, hearing this, straightened his back at once, his face flushing slightly with excitement and greed, and said, "Village Chief, I think it's absolutely worth taking action!"

He licked his lips, unable to hide the yearning in his voice:

"I see clearly among those three, that short man whose appearance differs from ours, the leather sack hanging from his waist is so swollen it's about to burst!"

He gestured, his eyes flashing: "It seems to be filled entirely with gold!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the wife beside him nodded vigorously, adding, "It's not 'seems'; it's definitely!"

Her voice, excited, sounded a bit sharp:

"That man, the fabric of his clothes I've never seen—smooth and sturdy—plus the black horse he rides, its divine speed is terrifying! The sword hilt hanging at his waist is inlaid with something, and his chest bears a very special Silver Coin... None of these look cheap at all!"

"And also."

She inhaled deeply, as if savoring the scene she just glimpsed:

"Just now when they entered the room, he took the bag off and placed it on the table; I, while delivering food, leaned in for a look—Golden Light! Though covered by leather, it was definitely ultra‑pure gold!"

She extended three fingers, then four: "That quality—one piece can equal three or four of others!"

Her words were like sparks dropped into hot oil; the already heavy breathing in the room instantly grew coarser and faster, greedy glints in countless eyes nearly materializing.

Yet no one dared to make noise; everyone's gaze again swept toward the white‑haired elder.

The elder said nothing, merely slowly pinching his snow‑white beard, his fingertips gently twisting, the gleam in his eyes like ghostly flames flickering in darkness.

After a silence of more than ten breaths, he finally let out from deep within his throat a low, snake‑like hissing laugh:

"Very good."

He lowered his hand, his eyes scanning the room's strongest, most ferocious men: "In a moment, first find a way to deal with that female giant."

"She seems difficult to handle, but her massive size makes it impossible to use her inside the house—she's a nuisance."

He then turned his gaze to Man Er's wife and ordered, "You go again and bring them some 'clean' water to drink."

He pulled a small, crudely paper‑wrapped bundle encased in beast hide from his bosom and handed it over:

"Remember, add this… into it."

He opened a corner of the bundle; in the dim light, one could see inside some finely ground, dark‑hued unknown material.