The supervisor had said: when a villager is attacked by a werewolf, all physical capabilities are automatically halved.

And now the village chief was saying: even the most valiant warrior, in the face of a werewolf, finds their strength and speed rendered utterly useless.

It seemed that being attacked by a werewolf at night was an almost certain death sentence.

The village chief led them one by one to several more vacant cottages, telling them that any unoccupied dwelling could be freely used, but that one rule must be observed: each cottage could admit only one person.

Defying the rule wasn’t even possible — because once someone was inside a cottage, no one else could enter.

The village chief had explained the village’s origins, assigned them their lodgings, and then left, no longer attending to them, heading off on his own.

The six of them stood where they were.

From here on, it would be every person for themselves. Whoever survived to the end would be the winner.

Hans glanced at Bai Youwei and Shen Mo with an ambiguous smile curling the corner of his mouth, then led his teammates deeper into the village.

Bai Youwei watched their retreating figures and murmured quietly, “If it’s just gathering clues in the early stages, they really do have the advantage in numbers.”

“More people also means a higher probability of being attacked by the werewolf.” Shen Mo scanned the surroundings and said calmly. “At night, the werewolf will choose from all these cottages.”

“Let’s go gather some clues as well.” Bai Youwei took his arm, gazing at the cluster of houses with a sigh. “There must be over a hundred households here — finding the werewolf isn’t going to be easy…”

Shen Mo looked around, then pointed in one direction. “There are some people over there. Let’s go ask first.”

Ahead, a well-side had a few women lined up drawing water, and a little girl playing with a ball nearby.

Shen Mo and Bai Youwei walked over. Shen Mo asked one of the women, “Excuse me — is it true that a werewolf appears in this village every night?”

“Are you the warriors the village chief invited?” The woman set down her water bucket and studied them with curiosity. “We’re truly grateful to you, but it would be better if you didn’t get tangled up in this. No one can stop the curse. Leave the village while you can.”

Another woman who had finished drawing water passed by and overheard. She interjected, “If they want to stay, let them stay. Once something happens, they’ll leave soon enough anyway.”

Bai Youwei couldn’t help asking, “You already know that something will happen at night — why don’t you leave yourselves? Don’t you feel it’s dangerous living here?”

She glanced over at the little girl playing with the ball nearby. “Especially with a child this young — aren’t you worried?”

The woman drawing water smiled and said, “The werewolf may harm you, or harm him, but it will never harm me or my family.”

Bai Youwei immediately understood: this woman must know a method for warding off werewolves.

She quietly pinched Shen Mo’s arm, keeping her expression calm. “Is that so… why are you so certain the werewolf won’t harm you? Do you have some special method?”

The woman’s eyes flickered evasively. She picked up her full bucket of water and replied, “No, I don’t know anything about that… Still, kind-hearted people are surely blessed by God, aren’t they?”

She said no more, picked up her water bucket, and turned to leave. “Come along, it’s time to go home,” she called to the little girl.

The little girl picked up her ball obediently and followed the woman.

Bai Youwei and Shen Mo exchanged a glance, said nothing, and by unspoken understanding fell into step behind the woman.

After a short distance, they watched the woman and little girl enter a cottage. Bai Youwei and Shen Mo stopped outside, not going in, only circling the exterior with their eyes to study it.

“Look — what’s that?” Bai Youwei tugged at Shen Mo, directing his gaze toward the windows.

On the door and window frames of the cottage, nails had been hammered in — silver-white ones.

“Is that silver…” Shen Mo narrowed his eyes slightly, lost in thought. “In legend, werewolves fear all things made of silver.”

—