Crossing the wilderness to survive, starting with a broken kitchen knife.

Zhang Shi nodded, his heart also filled with vigilance. The three of them were now trapped in a thick fog, their vision obstructed, making it impossible to judge their surroundings. Moreover, after being eroded by the corpse poison, their physical strength had been almost completely depleted. They couldn't tell whether those shadows were friend or foe. They had to find a safe place to rest as soon as possible.

"We have to find a place to hide first and think of a solution after we recover a little."

Zhang Shi took a deep breath and carried Zhao Feng, searching aimlessly in one direction.

Ge Dalong was also a little fragile, and he was even staggering when walking. Zhang Shi had to slow down and focus some of his attention on him. If they got separated in this thick fog, they would only have one way to go, and that was death.

The three of them carefully made their way through the dense fog, searching for a place to hide. Whether it was luck or some other factor, they soon found an abandoned hut in the desolate fog. Although it was shabby, it looked like it could barely provide shelter from the wind and rain.

Zhang Shi glanced at Zhao Feng and Ge Dalong, and no longer cared about whether it was dangerous or not. If they dragged on any longer, all three of them would die. Even if this room was a tiger's den or a dragon's pool, Zhang Shi had to find a way to take it down and rest here for a while.

After entering the cabin, Zhang Shi carefully took out his old instrument and inspected the room. After confirming that there was no danger, he closed the door, lit the oil lamp, and sat down to breathe a sigh of relief. He took a quick look and found that the wooden house was surprisingly similar to a survivor's shelter. Both had a similar wooden structure and similar spatial layout and furnishings. This made him think that the wooden house might be a survivor's shelter, abandoned for various reasons.

Zhao Feng was the first to be poisoned, but the dose was substantial. His face was pale as paper, and he passed out. Ge Dalong pulled out a bunch of detoxifying food and medicine, desperately stuffing them into Zhao Feng's mouth.

Zhang Shi went over to check on Zhao Feng's condition. There was a very obvious black energy between his eyebrows. This was obviously not a good sign. They had lost the channels for communication and trading with the outside world and were isolated in this small house in the fog. Zhang Shi couldn't help but feel a little worried.

The good news was that some of Ge Dalong's medicines seemed to be effective, temporarily suppressing the corpse poison. At least Ge Dalong's own condition had improved a lot, he had regained some strength, and was able to walk normally. However, Zhao Feng was still unconscious, and the black energy still appeared between his eyebrows, never fading away.

Suddenly, a clear sound of footsteps could be heard from outside, approaching the cabin and stopping. Zhang Shi and Ge Dalong exchanged glances, quickly drawing their weapons and hiding behind the door. They had been somewhat careless, lighting a lamp in this dark world, a clear signal to those unknown entities: they were here, and they should come and play with them.

Zhang Shiping concentrated his attention and stared at the door. As long as the other party pushed the door open and broke in, what would be waiting for him would be Old Duan's blade.

Ge Dalong pulled out a steel dagger and frantically gestured at Zhang Shi, strategizing his tactics. The two of them nervously leaned against the door. After an unknown amount of time, the wooden door was flung open. Zhang Shi and Ge Dalong attacked simultaneously, each bringing down a blade, but their strikes missed.

The two looked outside the door, and in the light, they saw a woman in a black robe with a rosy complexion and pretty face standing outside. Zhang Shi and Ge Dalong were stunned after seeing each other's appearance. It was Huo Xiuxiu who disappeared from Huojia Village.

In comparison, Ge Dalong's face was as white as gold paper, Zhang Shi was covered in filth, but Huo Xiuxiu looked more like a human being than them.

Huo Xiuxiu was also surprised when she saw the two of them. She looked past them and saw Zhao Feng lying inside, then asked in surprise.

"What's going on with you? Why are you here?"

Huo Xiuxiu's tone was gentle and kind, without any trace of the hostility she had when they first met. Zhang Shi observed her for a moment and found that there was a shadow behind her under the light, and he couldn't help but sigh in his heart.

"This is truly a ghost. Did this evil ghost become an immortal? He even has a physical body."

Huo Xiuxiu chuckled when she saw the two of them looking at her warily.

"Don't be afraid, I mean no harm."

Then she waved her slender hand, and an invisible soft force pushed the two of them into the house. Huo Xiuxiu followed slowly, then closed the door and did not forget to extinguish the oil lamp. A moment later, she took out a faintly glowing night pearl from her arms, and the soft light immediately filled the entire wooden house.

"It's safer this way."

Before Zhang and Shi could speak, Huo Xiuxiu flashed to Zhao Feng's side and placed a hand on his face. Seeing the sudden attack, Zhang Shi, anxious, used Shadow Step and Triple Strike, striking Huo Xiuxiu in the face.

Huo Xiuxiu didn't even look at Zhang Shi. She reached out with her other hand, firmly grasped Zhang Shi's wrist, and easily resolved Zhang Shi's attack.

"Don't be impulsive. If you want to survive, just stay here quietly."

Zhang Shi saw Zhao Feng's body trembling slightly, and wisps of black energy were being absorbed by Huo Xiuxiu's hand covering his face. Zhang Shi realized that he had misunderstood her and that Huo Xiuxiu was helping him. He put away the old man and quietly thanked him.

"Thank you very much."

Huo Xiuxiu ignored him and focused on treating the corpse poison in Zhao Feng's body.

Zhang Shi clenched his wrist, recalling the feeling of contact with Huo Xiuxiu just now. The other party's hand was soft and strong, and the temperature was no different from that of an ordinary person. It seemed that the woman in front of him was indeed a "human".

After a moment, all the black energy on Zhao Feng's body was absorbed. Huo Xiuxiu took out a small porcelain bottle and poured the black energy gathered in her palm into it.

"It's your turn now, who goes first?"

……

But within ten minutes, Zhang Shi and Ge Dalong were also cured by Huo Xiuxiu. She absorbed the corpse poison as usual and put it into the small porcelain bottle. Then she wiped the sweat from her forehead and asked in a deep voice.

"Now you can answer me, what's going on with you? Why did you come back here so soon?"

Zhang Shi was a little confused about Huo Xiuxiu's question, but he still told her his group's experience in general with some reservations.

After listening to this, Huo Xiuxiu sighed and asked again.

"Have you met Brother Jian?"

Zhang Shi and Ge Dalong looked at each other and then answered.

"I saw him the last time I came back. He was imprisoned in a porcelain pot. He died not long after we rescued him."

Huo Xiuxiu clenched her fists and her expression turned cold.

"I've already left the village, why are you still unwilling to give Brother Jian a chance to live?"

Zhang Shi had many questions, but he had no feelings for Huo Xiuxiu, and in the current situation he couldn't tell whether the other party was an enemy or a friend, so he could only remain silent.

Soon, Huo Xiuxiu adjusted her mood and spoke lightly.

"You look so different from the last time we met, I can hardly see clearly."

Zhang Shi didn't understand what she meant, so he could only ask about the issue that concerned him most.

"We have a friend who is missing. Do you have any idea how to find her? Also, do you know a way to leave here?"

Huo Xiuxiu looked back at Zhang Shi, smiled helplessly and shook her head.

"I'm not a god. Why would I be trapped here if I could leave?"