"Don't worry, sister! I've been eager to try it for a long time!"

There was a gleam of excitement in Zhao Ruxing's eyes.

"They are just some mutated monsters, they can be easily captured. With a wizard like me here, why should I be afraid of them?"

Huang Quan sighed helplessly.

"Silly boy, don't be too arrogant. Who knows what's going on inside. If you are careless, your life will be in danger."

She said sternly, "Follow my orders and don't act alone. Do you understand?"

"I understand!" Zhao Ruxing nodded heavily.

......

Soon, the two arrived at a village at the foot of the mountain.

Looking around, dozens of households are scattered around, exuding a tranquil and peaceful atmosphere.

However, before he got closer, Zhao Ruxing noticed something strange.

"Huh? Why is there no one here?"

He looked around with a frown on his face.

"Where have all the villagers gone in broad daylight?"

Huang Quan looked around with a serious expression.

"Something's not right. The whole village is eerily quiet."

She lowered her voice and looked around warily.

"Could it be the influence of the copy?"

As he was speaking, a sound of footsteps suddenly came from the path ahead.

A girl in a light blue yukata slowly walked over.

She was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with a pretty face, but there was a hint of melancholy between her eyebrows.

"Isn't this Sister Qiu? Why are you here?"

The girl looked at the person who came with confusion, her eyes a little dazed.

Zhao Ruxing was stunned for a moment, then reacted.

"Ah! Sister, she is talking to you!"

He reminded quietly: "Didn't you say that the copy here is related to the Goddess of Autumn? She might think you are a god."

Huang Quan understood and nodded slightly.

She took a step forward, her tone gentle.

"Hello, we are travelers passing through here. My name is Huang Quan, and this is my brother Zhao Ruxing."

She pointed at Zhao Ruxing beside her.

"Excuse me, what happened here? Why is there no one in the village?"

"Oh, it's a guest." The girl suddenly realized.

She saluted, a hint of fear in her eyes.

"Ms. Huang Quan, Mr. Zhao Ruxing, welcome to Maple Leaf Village. But..."

She hesitated, about to speak.

"What's wrong? Is there anything you can't hide?" Huang Quan asked.

The girl sighed, looking embarrassed.

"Well, it's a long story. Ever since the strange black fog appeared, there has been no peace in the village."

She pointed to the shrine in the distance.

"I heard from the elders that the black fog came from the [Autumn Shrine]. Since then, villagers have disappeared one after another. Now, I am the only one left..."

When she said this, the girl's eyes turned slightly red, as if she was trying hard to hold back tears.

"What?!" Zhao Ruxing widened his eyes.

"You mean, the black fog will devour people?"

"I don't know the details..." The girl shook her head.

"But every time someone gets close to the black fog, they never come back. Everyone says that the place is occupied by evil spirits. If you rush in rashly, you're probably in big trouble."

She glanced at Huang Quan timidly.

"So you, don't provoke that black fog!"

Huang Quan couldn't help but frown when he heard this.

It seems that things are more difficult than imagined.

"Don't worry." She patted the girl's shoulder soothingly.

"Since you've said that, we won't act rashly. But you, being here alone, aren't you afraid?"

The girl was stunned for a moment, then smiled bitterly.

"Where can I go? I'm the only one left in the village. I can't just abandon this place, can I?"

She shook her head.

"Besides, I am the shrine maiden of Maple Leaf Village. It is my responsibility to protect the village. No matter what, I will stay here."

"What a brave girl!" Zhao Ruxing admired her from the bottom of her heart.

"Don't worry, we are here and will never let anything happen to you!"

He clenched his fists and swore a solemn oath.

Huang Quan smiled and nodded at the girl.

"What's your name?"

"Akino." The girl answered shyly.

"Akino, what a nice name."

Huang Quan said gently: "Don't worry, we will definitely find out the truth about the black fog."

"But before that, we have to make all the necessary preparations. Akino, you know this village very well. Could you lead the way for us and show us around?"

"Of course!"

Qiu Ye's eyes lit up when he heard this.

She nodded repeatedly and the smile returned to her face.

"Ms. Huang Quan, please come with me. I will show you around the village. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me."

As she spoke, she led the way towards the village.

Huang Quan nodded with satisfaction and turned to look at Zhao Ruxing.

"Let's go, follow closely. Don't cause trouble for others."

"Oh!"

Zhao Ruxing responded and followed after jumping up and down.

"Ah! Here comes the opportunity to practice! With the help of Miss Akino, we will be even more powerful!"

He rubbed his hands happily, looking eager to try.

Huang Quan laughed and tapped his head lightly.

"Come on. You are taking advantage of someone who is helping you out of kindness? Be serious. This is not a game."

"I know~"

Zhao Ruxing chuckled and rubbed his forehead nonchalantly.

In this way, under the leadership of Akino, the three began to explore the village.

......

“This is my home.”

Soon, Akino stopped in front of an ancient mansion.

"Come in and sit down. You've been tired all the way here, it's time for you to take a break."

She invited enthusiastically.

"excuse me."

Huang Quan nodded slightly and stepped into the courtyard first.

Zhao Ruxing followed closely behind, looking around with interest.

A typical Japanese-style room with white walls and black tiles, there is even a dry landscape in the courtyard.

All of them reveal the strong flavor of daily life.

"As expected of a shrine maiden, the decoration of her home is quite exquisite."

Zhao Ruxing was amazed.

Hearing this, Qiu Ye smiled sheepishly.

"These are all items left by our ancestors. I am just an outsider who has only a basic understanding of the subject. There is no need to be particular about them."

She hurriedly served tea and snacks, and found a cushion for each of them to sit on.

"Ms. Huang Quan, Mr. Ru Xing, I see you must be very tired after traveling all the way. How about you take a rest here for a while?"

"No need." Huang Quan waved his hand.

She picked up the teacup and took a sip.

"Miss Akino, let's get straight to the point. What else do you know about the black fog? Can you tell us in detail?"

The girl bit her lip, her eyes wandering.

"This... is a long story."

She sighed.

"In fact, before the black fog appeared, the village was not very peaceful. People would disappear from time to time, but they would not be seen for several days in a row. Everyone said that it was the evil spirits in the Autumn Shrine who did it."

As Qiu Ye spoke, his eyes turned red again.

"I thought that as long as we worshiped properly, the gods would protect the village. But I didn't expect that the situation would not only not get better, but become worse. Until the black fog appeared..."

She choked up and said, "Since then, the villagers have disappeared one after another. Even my grandfather is missing. I am really, really scared..."

At the end, the girl couldn't help crying.

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