Jesse carried a basket of food and cautiously went to his basement. The basement of the house is used to store miscellaneous items, and few people come here, including Jesse's parents. Especially in today's panic situation.

"Carl. ”

Standing in the dimly lit basement, Jesse called softly. A few seconds later, the sound of rustling sounded, and a vicissitudes of life and tired face appeared in front of Jesse's eyes.

"Why are you coming back. Karl's voice was unusually hoarse, "I told you to go." ”

"But you have to eat, and if you don't eat you're going to die. Jesse put the food in front of Carl and said cautiously, "So I took my lunch off, rest assured, no one knows." ”

Karl hesitated for a long time, but finally came out of the shadows and took out the food from the bamboo basket. Jesse once again sees Carl's full picture, the [Mountain Keeper] he once admired the most, but now he is like a beggar. I don't know how long it took to cut my hair, and it was scattered over my shoulders, giving off a foul smell.

"Carl, what the hell is going on?" Jesse asked softly, "they all said you were dead. ”

"You're going to let me die. Karl said vaguely, "As I told you before, don't tell anyone that you've seen me as if I never showed up." ”

"But you're still alive. Jesse said, "Why don't you tell me what's going on? You used to hide nothing from me, why are you like my parents now?"

"Your parents?"

"It's not just them, it's the whole village that's in chaos. Jesse whispered, "The people in the village are talking about the end of the world, and everyone wants to leave the village. I asked them what was going on, and no one wanted to tell me, and my parents were the same, they had already started packing their things two days ago, and they had been contacting the carriage for the past two days to go to the imperial capital. ”

Karl was silent. He put down the food in his hand and hesitated for about two minutes before he spoke: "It's okay to leave here, go to the imperial capital, it's safe there." ”

"Even you say that!" Jesse subconsciously raised his voice, "Why do you all say that? What the hell is going on? Are we going to abandon the place we've lived for decades?"

Karl didn't answer, silently nibbling on the dry food in his hand. Jesse was so distracted by Carl's attitude that he sat down in front of Carl, grabbed Carl's hand, and pleaded, "Carl, please tell me what happened." ”

"Nothing happened. Karl avoided Jesse's gaze and gently pushed his hand away, "You just need to follow your parents to the imperial capital, and they won't harm you." Get out of here, get as far away as possible, and try to survive, that's what you should do. ”

The sparkle in Jesse's eyes dimmed a little. He didn't understand what was going on, the man he had once admired the most was now too cowardly to accept. This powerful blow made him can't help but sobbed softly.

Carl watched the boy he grew up crying in front of his eyes, wanting to say something, but not knowing what to say. After hesitating for a long time, he could only say: "You'll understand when you grow up." ”

"You're going to wait for me to grow up, aren't you?" Jesse looked up, with the last glimmer of hope in his eyes, "You said I'd be a Mountain Keeper in the future." ”

Jesse wanted Carl's affirmation, even if it was just a gentle jaw slap. However, Carl couldn't give an answer, he just tilted his head, avoided Jesse's gaze again, and said with some non-answer: "There is no Lingfeng anymore." ”

Jesse didn't understand what Carl meant, and he was about to ask him when the basement door suddenly opened.

He instantly became nervous, could it be that his parents had discovered Carl's traces? He noticed that Carl's face had also changed, and he had become frightened and panicked, like a frightened cat. Jesse had never seen Carl like this, so fragile that people felt pitiful.

"It's okay. Jesse hurriedly whispered comforting, "My parents must have come down to look for me, you hide quickly, and I'll send them away." ”

Carl didn't speak, he curled up, his whole body trembling. Jesse didn't understand why he was like this, as if he were an old man who was seriously ill, and every breath was a countdown to life.

"Click, click. ”

The sound of footsteps from above and down slowly echoed through the cramped basement. Jesse wanted to push Carl into the clutter pile, but it was too late, the man had already walked to the basement, Jesse could only hide Carl behind him, hurriedly stood up, turned around and shouted, "Mom, I'm just coming-"

Jesse's words seemed to be cut off. Behind him was not his mother, but a rather young man. The moment he turned around, he met a pair of red eyes, which made him feel like he was in the abyss, and he subconsciously wanted to kneel on the ground.

"You, who are you!" Jesse asked in a cold sweat, pretending to be calm, "This is the basement of my house." ”

The man didn't reply, he didn't even look at Jesse. Jesse vaguely felt that the man in front of him was coming for Carl. He sensed danger in this man's body, as if a kitten was standing in front of a tiger, and a single look was enough to make him tremble.

"This is my house!" Jessie yelled, "Get out of here!"

Who the hell is he? Why is there a knife behind him? Is he here to kill Carl?

Countless questions popped up from Jesse's heart. However, the man still ignored his meaning, but took two steps forward, and at that moment, he felt the pressure on his body like a hill, and soon he couldn't bear it, and subconsciously turned around, wanting Carl to run.

The next moment, he froze in place.

Is this Karl?

This monster with fangs and claws and a pair of golden eyes, is it Carl? Jesse didn't understand what was going on, if it weren't for the monster still wearing the same clothes Carl was wearing before, Jesse wouldn't have believed that this guy in front of him was Carl anyway.

"Quick, go. Carl curled up on the ground, holding his hands, his sharp claws sinking into the flesh of his arms, and foaming at the mouth, "Hurry up!"

"Carl!"

Ian grabbed Jesse by the collar and threw him backwards, drawing his knife as he drew the blade, which arced through the air before sinking into Carl's chest and pinning him to the wall.