Smoke rose slowly under the dim yellow light.
"...Something like that."
Herman finally looked up, his clouded eyes carrying a hint of complex emotion.
He did not deny it.
"It really wasn't just because it was on the way."
Herman took a puff of his smoke, his tone becoming slow, as if he were weighing every word.
"The Nightwatchers' badge still carries some weight in a place like this. I thought... with you here, the Mayor might restrain himself a bit."
"Restrain himself from what?"
"Hunting sandworms, and..."
Herman paused, and in the end, he didn't finish the sentence.
"I let you show your face last night, but you saw the result. It was useless; he still announced the hunt."
He paused again, his lips curling into a somewhat bitter arc.
"And then there was that thing at noon."
Lu Yuan listened without interrupting.
Herman remained silent for a while, as if considering whether to continue speaking.
Ultimately, he did speak, but his tone became even more cautious.
"Sandworm Town has been isolated for many years; we live off the sandworms," Herman continued. "The town has its own rules."
"What rules?"
"The number of sandworms hunted each year cannot exceed two."
Herman's voice was kept very low.
"Sandworms do not act alone; they have groups. Killing too many will invite trouble."
Lu Yuan recalled the appearance of the mutated sandworm from earlier that day.
"But the Mayor broke the rules."
"...Yes."
Herman nodded but did not elaborate further.
He put the cigarette holder back in his mouth and took a deep drag, the exhaled smoke obscuring his expression.
Lu Yuan looked at him, waiting.
But Herman did not continue.
"Is that all?" Lu Yuan asked next.
Herman's gaze flickered.
"...I've said all that needs to be said."
His tone carried a smoothness characteristic of a merchant, as if he were concluding an unsuccessful negotiation.
Lu Yuan looked at him and understood.
This old man knew a lot.
For example, what exactly the Mayor was up to, or why that sandworm had undergone mutation.
But he chose not to speak.
Or rather, in his assessment, saying this much was enough.
Lu Yuan did not press him.
After all, he wouldn't take the initiative to get involved. Of course, if the opportunity arose, Lu Yuan wouldn't mind waiting for them to come begging to him, and then taking the chance to bring something away from this small town.
Like the flute in the Mayor's hand, or the formula for the powder in the stone crevices.
"Understood," Lu Yuan said, his tone flat. "I won't take the initiative to interfere in your town's affairs, as long as your Mayor doesn't look for trouble with me."
Hearing this, Herman's expression relaxed slightly.
But he didn't offer any thanks; he only nodded.
"By the way," Lu Yuan changed the subject, "I'm heading to Bronze City. When can we leave?"
"We still have to wait a few days." Herman flicked some ash. "My goods haven't been fully collected yet. Once they are, we'll leave together."
"Roughly how long?"
"Three to five days."
Lu Yuan nodded.
Herman stood up, walked to the window, and glanced at the sky outside, which had turned completely dark.
"Don't go out tonight."
His voice suddenly became serious.
"And don't extinguish the lamp."
"Why?"
Herman did not turn around.
"...You'll find out when the time comes."
After saying this, he walked out with the cigarette holder in his mouth.
The door closed behind him.
Lu Yuan sat in his place, looking at the remains of the meal on the table.
The old merchant's attitude had explained everything.
He indeed utilized Lu Yuan, and he knew Lu Yuan had realized it as well.
But in this old man's logic, it wasn't called utilization.
It was called each taking what they needed.
Night fell quickly.
When the last trace of light vanished from the horizon, all of Sandworm Town lit up.
Every household's window emitted a pale white glow—the color of burning sandworm oil.
Seen from above, the entire town looked like an island floating in the darkness, surrounded by a white halo.
The boundary between light and shadow was clearly visible.
Lu Yuan stood by the window, looking out.
The air was filled with the unique scent of burning sandworm oil—a bit fishy, a bit pungent, but not unpleasant.
Herman's family had already retired to their rooms.
Lu Yuan did not sleep.
He leaned by the window, his gaze falling toward the darkness beyond the light domain.
At first, there was nothing.
Only black, pure black.
At the edge of his vision, greyish-white text suddenly emerged:
【Environmental Perception: source of pollution (Unknown)】
【Warning: Signs of massive anomalous creature activity detected outside the light domain】
Lu Yuan narrowed his eyes, looking closely.
Then he saw red.
One point, two points, three points...
More and more red points of light lit up in the darkness.
They were eyes.
They stood at the edge of the light domain.
Charred in appearance, like corpses scorched by fire, their skin shriveled and limbs twisted.
Their postures were eerie, their spines arched, and their limbs propped on the ground at angles they shouldn't have been.
They were motionless.
Those red eyes stared straight toward the town.
Staring at the light.
Staring at the people inside.
Lu Yuan withdrew his gaze.
Footsteps came from behind him.
Herman stood at the doorway at some unknown point, holding a cup of water in his hand.
"You saw them?"
He walked over and placed the water on the table, his tone very flat.
"Every time after a sandworm hunt, they come. They are attracted by the scent of blood."
"What are they?"
"People who died in the desert."
Herman's tone was as if he were speaking of a perfectly ordinary matter.
"This desert doesn't know how many people it has buried."
He turned to walk out, stopping for a moment at the door.
"You'll get used to it."
The footsteps gradually faded into the distance.
Lu Yuan looked out the window again.
Those charred figures were still there, motionless.
Those red eyes were still staring.
They were very patient.
It was as if they were waiting for something.
...
A knock sounded on the door late at night.
It wasn't a hurried pounding, but a few rhythmic, light taps.
Lu Yuan turned away from the window.
"It's me."
Herman's voice came from outside the door, carrying a hint of exhaustion.
Lu Yuan walked over and opened the door.
Herman stood at the entrance. The cigarette holder had been extinguished at some point, and his expression was somewhat troubled.
Behind him stood a middle-aged woman with disheveled hair and bloodshot eyes, her clothes covered in black stains.
When the woman saw Lu Yuan, it was as if she were seeing a life-saving straw. She immediately tried to rush forward but was stopped by Herman's raised hand.
"Something happened." Herman spoke, his tone carrying a bit of apology. "When the sandworm was being dismantled during the day, someone was splashed by the pus."
He paused.
"The town's doctor has seen him; there's nothing he can do."
Lu Yuan looked at the woman.
Her lips were trembling, and tears were flowing uncontrollably, yet she forced herself not to make a sound.
"Her husband is named Martin," Herman continued. "His situation isn't good. She remembered I brought an outsider back and came to me begging..."
He didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was already obvious.
Lu Yuan looked at Herman and raised an eyebrow.
The old merchant's expression was complex, containing both hesitation and a bit of embarrassment.
After all, Lu Yuan was a guest he had brought back, not someone from the town.
By all rights, the town's affairs had nothing to do with Lu Yuan.
But now, he had no choice but to speak up.
Lu Yuan remained silent for a few seconds.
He thought of Herman picking him up by the roadside, thought of the food and lodging these past few days, and thought of those ointments that had worked surprisingly well.
A debt of gratitude for saving his life.
Although Herman had his own motives, the man had indeed saved his life. After this, the debt could be considered paid.
"Take me to see him."
Lu Yuan spoke.
Herman's expression relaxed slightly.
The woman was so emotional she almost knelt down, but Lu Yuan caught her.
"Don't be in a hurry to thank me." Lu Yuan's tone was calm. "Whether he can be saved... I'll have to see him first to know."
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