Chapter 3: Indistinguishable Truth and Falsehood |
"What's going on?"
Xia Hong couldn't help feeling terrified at this moment.
Two Xia Dings?
Was the one outside fake?
"Don't panic. That's the Abomination trying to trick its way in. Stay quiet. Abominations chase light. Since we haven't lit any fires, it doesn't know there are people inside. It'll leave soon."
The Xia Ding inside the cave also seemed frightened. Although he was comforting everyone, the panic in his voice was evident.
"Brother, what's happening?"
Xia Hong was completely stunned until Xia Chuan, who had somehow moved beside him, called out, snapping him back to reality.
He lowered his head in thought for a moment before whispering to Xia Chuan:
Realizing the importance of the question, Xia Chuan's face tensed up as he tried recalling the scene when Xia Ding and the lumberjack team had returned.
But after thinking for a long time, he shook his head.
Xia Hong exhaled, having expected this outcome.
When Xia Ding returned earlier with the hunting team, he had been present too, and there truly hadn't been any abnormalities.
The one inside the cave should indeed be their father.
But just as Xia Hong reached this conclusion, something unexpected happened.
The "Xia Ding" outside actually began pulling aside the branches covering the cave entrance.
Though dawn hadn't broken yet, when the entrance was opened, faint light streamed in.
Without any fires lit in the pitch-black cave, even this dim light was enough to clearly reveal the terror on everyone's faces.
And seeing what was outside made their fear multiply several times over.
Because standing outside weren't just "Xia Ding" alone.
All twelve members of the lumberjack team led by Xia Ding were there as well.
At this, everyone was dumbfounded.
Xia Hong and Xia Chuan were so shocked their pupils contracted.
They had been the ones who welcomed the thirteen-member lumberjack team outside earlier.
Now an identical thirteen had appeared - how could they not be terrified?
"Xia Ding" entered.
The Xia Ding inside immediately led his twelve lumberjack team members forward, positioning themselves protectively in front of the group.
When the two Xia Dings locked eyes, identical looks of horror appeared on their faces simultaneously.
Then came fear and fury.
Among the crowd, Xia Hong remained silent but kept his eyes fixed intensely on both Xia Dings and their respective groups, not daring to miss any detail, not even the slightest change in expression.
By now, one thing was absolutely certain.
The "Abomination" of Redwood Ridge stood before them.
Of the two Xia Dings, one had to be the Abomination.
According to what the "Xia Ding" inside had said earlier, the Abomination killed by gaining trust - so identifying the real one would be crucial.
Thus he painstakingly used the faint light to examine every possible distinguishing feature.
Yet after repeated scrutiny, he despairingly found no differences whatsoever.
From overall appearance and clothing down to subtle expressions and minute details, the two Xia Dings - including their lumberjack teams - were completely identical.
During his observation, the two Xia Dings had already engaged in combat with their respective twelve members.
The originally spacious cave became cramped with over twenty people fighting, forcing the camp members to retreat further inside.
Though retreating, Xia Hong never took his eyes off the two Xia Dings, afraid that looking away even momentarily would make it impossible to later distinguish which was originally inside or outside.
Dawn had been approaching when the first Xia Ding returned.
Between sealing the cave, extinguishing fires, and now this battle, significant time had passed, making the cold white light outside increasingly visible.
This bone-chilling light deepened the terror on the faces of those huddled deep inside the cave, their bodies beginning to shiver uncontrollably.
Though Xia Hong's expression remained calm, his heart grew heavier.
Daytime in this world was twice as cold as night.
Moreover, Frost Beasts became more active during daylight.
With the entrance left open like this, even if they survived the cold, Frost Beasts might come, resulting in everyone's death.
They had to find a solution - they must!
Just as his anxiety peaked, the two "Xia Dings" spoke.
"Hong, Chuan, dawn's coming. Take everyone and seal the entrance first. With me here, this Abomination can't harm you."
"Still pretending at this point? Hong, Chuan, don't listen to him. Have everyone help us drive it out first, then seal the entrance."
When named, Xia Chuan instinctively rushed left - toward the "Xia Ding" who had returned to the cave first.
Clearly, he too had been observing them closely to tell them apart.
But after just two steps, a hand yanked him back violently.
"Brother?"
"Don't act rashly. Can you be absolutely certain he's real?"
Hearing Xia Hong's question, Xia Chuan froze.
His inclination was toward the first returning Xia Ding.
After all, that Xia Ding had led everyone in extinguishing fires and sealing the cave while also informing them about the Abomination.
But being completely certain? He couldn't say.
Because whether comparing the two Xia Dings or their lumberjack teams - in appearance, mannerisms, even minute details - there truly were no differences.
Even their combat abilities were identical.
"That Abomination will transform into someone familiar to gain your trust. Once fully trusted, you'll immediately become a human stump for it to slaughter."
This sentence flashed through Xia Hong's mind, making his heart pound violently.
Regardless of whether the first returning Xia Ding was real,
At least this statement was undoubtedly true.
The Abomination wouldn't orchestrate this elaborate scenario without reason.
It proved the creature needed the camp's absolute trust.
Now they faced two choices:
First: Listen to the later Xia Ding and seal the cave first.
Second: Help the first returning Xia Ding defeat the later one.
In this life-or-death moment, their choice would represent the camp's absolute trust.
Meaning - one wrong choice,
And everyone would become human stumps.
They would die!
By now, others besides Xia Hong realized this too.
Xia Chuan and several camp members grew visibly tense.
Many turned their gazes toward Xia Hong.
They pinned their hopes on him not just because he was the leader's son,
But because aside from Xia Ding and the twelve lumberjack team members, Xia Hong was the strongest in camp.
The two fighting groups also recognized this.
Both Xia Dings looked urgently at the brothers, seeing the camp placing the decision in Xia Hong's hands, and began pleading their cases.
"Hong, I returned first - I'm real. Don't believe him. Trusting him means death for us all."
"Hong, I'm the real one. That Abomination excels at deception. It took my form first to mislead you by revealing information, all to gain your trust now. You mustn't believe it."
"Hong, last month when you were knocked unconscious by ice, I treated your wounds."
"Chuan, remember last night when I sharpened a stone dagger for you?"
......
This only deepened everyone's confusion.
Both could recount events involving the brothers, even knowing intimate details about each other's old injuries.
Only Xia Hong reacted subtly when hearing them mention different things about him and Xia Chuan, his grip on Xia Chuan's arm tightening abruptly.
Puzzled, Xia Chuan turned to meet his brother's gaze.
In that instant, his pupils too contracted violently.
Clearly, he had realized something as well.
......
PS: The real and fake should be obvious now, right?
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