Village

Lin Xiao decided to take a closer look at the woman.

She was wearing ancient clothes made from animal pelts, carrying a makeshift bow and arrows. Despite the scars on her face, it was clear she was a beautiful woman.

As he studied her, she started to wake up.

"Who are you?" Lin Xiao demanded, his voice a mix of confusion and frustration.

The woman groaned, holding her head where she had hit the ground.

She looked up at Lin Xiao with a mix of fear and defiance in her eyes. "I should be asking you that," she retorted in a strange language that Lin Xiao somehow understood. "What are you doing here?" 

"I could ask you the same thing," Lin Xiao replied, his mind racing to understand the situation. "You attacked me first."

The woman frowned, her eyes narrowing as she studied Lin Xiao. "You're not from around here, are you? You don't look like one of the villagers."

"Villagers?" Lin Xiao repeated.

The woman slowly sat up, rubbing the back of her head. "My name is Mei. I live in the village nearby. Who are you?"

"Lin Li," he replied with a fake name, offering her a hand. "And this is Xiao Bai and Lil'blackie." He gestured to the white cat and the black cat, who were now sitting calmly by his side.

"Lin Li," she repeated, her voice trembling. "You must be an immortal. Only immortals bear surnames."

Lin Xiao was taken aback. "immortal?" he thought, "Is she mistaking me for some kind of deity?"

"Please, great immortal, save our village," Mei said while kneeling down.

Lin Xiao was shocked again. "save your village?" Lin Xiao thought to himself "Is she actually mistaking me for some kind of immortal because of a surname?" 

Despite his surprise, he decided he wanted to go to her village.

It might be safer there, he reasoned. But as he thought that, a nagging doubt crept in. "Why did I say the village might be safer? I've just set up a death flag," he muttered to himself.

The woman, still kneeling, looked up at him with hope in her eyes. Lin Xiao sighed and helped her to her feet. "Lead the way to your village," he said, trying to sound confident.

As they walked through the dense forest, Lin Xiao's mind raced. The woman's village might offer some protection, but it could also be a trap or a new set of dangers.

He glanced at his cats, who were peeking out of the herb-picking basket, their eyes wide with curiosity and concern.

After what felt like hours, they arrived at a small village nestled in a valley. The huts were primitive, made of wood and thatch.

As Lin Xiao stepped into the heart of the village, a sudden clatter rose around him.

The villagers, with a mix of fear and suspicion in their eyes, brandished their weapons and formed a tight ring, trapping him at its center.

Lin Xiao Now stood in the center of the village, surrounded by wary villagers who brandished various weapons like swords, bows, and even farming tools as they encircled him and his cats.

Mei, the woman who had attacked him earlier but now vouched for him, pleaded with them to lower their weapons.

"No, he is an immortal," Mei insisted urgently. "He can save us!"

Her words seemed to only fuel their mistrust, as murmurs of her being bewitched or betraying the village rippled through the crowd.

Lin Xiao watched them cautiously, sensing their apprehension and distrust. He knew he had to act quickly to defuse the situation.

With a thought, he vanished from within their circle and reappeared just outside it on a roof.

While the villagers were in shock, Lin Xiao said, "My name is Lin Li, and I am here to save you"

Hearing his name, the villagers gasped, their hostility replaced by awe as they fell to their knees, begging for mercy.

"Please forgive us, great one," the villagers said, their voice trembling with both fear and hope.

Lin Xiao, standing tall above the sea of bowed heads, asked in a calm voice, "What is it that you need protection from?"

He felt no anxiety, perhaps because this place was a dungeon, and these people, with their simple and old ancient ways felt lesser to him, he didn't know the exact reason but all he knew was he felt superior to them.

The elder, still kneeling and bowing deeply, answered, "Evil raiders come every week to take our children, women, and food. Their leader can drain a person's life with a mere gesture. Please save us from them, Great Immortal!"

Lin Xiao listened, his sense of superiority fading as the gravity of their plight became clear.

"This might be the threat I have to protect myself from," Lin Xiao thought to himself.

Lin Xiao jumped down from the roof and came in front of the elder.

He felt somewhat uncomfortable with an elder older than his mom kneeling in front of him, so he said, "Stand up,"

Hearing his words, the elder stood up. He was an old man wearing similar clothing to Mei, the only different thing about him was that he was wearing an animal pelt coat. 

"You're the head of this village, aren't you?" Lin Xiao inquired, his eyes taking in the subtle distinction in the elder's garb.

"Yes, great immortal," the elder replied, his voice tinged with a hint of trepidation.

Seeking to ease the man's fear, Lin Xiao asked softly, "What is your name?"

The elder answered, "I am called Lei, Great Immortal."

Lin Xiao regarded the elder, his discomfort hidden beneath a calm facade. "Lei," he began, "you needn't address me as 'great immortal.' Just Lin Li will suffice."

The elder nodded, relief evident in his eyes. "Thank you, Lin Li."

As they walked through the village, Lin Xiao's gaze swept over the old houses. He felt like he time-traveled or something.

When he asked for a place to rest, Lei hesitated briefly before leading him to his own home.

The interior was sparse but welcoming, a fire crackling in the hearth.

Seated on a simple wooden stool, Lin Xiao leaned forward, his eyes intent on Lei, the elder of the village.

The air was heavy with tension and urgency as Lei shifted uncomfortably under Lin Xiao's gaze.

"Tell me more about this world," Lin Xiao requested calmly, his voice carrying a seriousness that contrasted with the tranquil surroundings of the village. "What lies beyond these village boundaries?"

Lei hesitated for a moment, his brow furrowing in thought. "None of us have ventured far from the village," he admitted reluctantly. "The forest surrounds us, dense and foreboding. We've always been wary of what lies beyond, but we do know of the ghost raiders."

"Ghost raiders?" Lin Xiao echoed, intrigued by the ominous name.

"Yes," Lei said, his voice hushed. "They come every week, merciless and powerful. They slaughter our young men who dare to fight back and abduct our women. Their leader who is the most fearsome of them all can drain the life of people with a mere gesture."

The elder's desperation was palpable.

He fell to his knees once more, forehead touching the ground. "Please, Great Immortal, help us. Save our village from this evil."

Lin Xiao's mind raced as he absorbed the elder's words. A leader who could drain life with a mere wave. No wonder this was a hell-level mission.

"Lei," Lin Xiao said firmly, helping the old man to his feet, "I will help your village."

While he had assured Lei of his aid, deep down, he knew his initial motivation had been to alleviate the elder's suffering and to gain the villagers' trust.

He might try to help them if the raiders are not that strong, but if they are, he will run.

His survival is his utmost priority, not saving some random village in a dungeon.