Chapter 351
Isabella kept walking, her mind swirling with unanswered questions.
The path grew stranger with each step.
She was certain she had passed this exact spot before.
Why was she circling back to the same location?
She recalled it taking less than thirty minutes to reach Rex’s hut from the village entrance.
Yet she had been walking for over an hour now.
Why hadn’t she found the exit?
She halted abruptly, scanning her surroundings.
Moonlight cast a dim glow over the landscape.
Nothing seemed unusual—just a cluster of huts sitting quietly in the distance.
Maybe she had been too lost in thought to notice her path.
She refocused, determined to find her way out.
But no matter which direction she chose, she always ended up back near the ridge.
This was beyond strange.
Suddenly, rain began to fall.
It wasn’t a storm, but steady enough to soak through her clothes.
“Isabella!” A voice cut through the rain, urgent yet soft.
Alexander rushed toward her, shrugging off his suit jacket to shield her. “It’s pouring. Let’s find cover,” he said, reaching for her arm.
She shoved the jacket back at him. “Stop pretending. What’s wrong with this path?”
“It’s complicated. I only just found out myself. Let’s get somewhere dry, and I’ll explain.”
He draped the jacket over her again and started walking ahead.
Isabella hesitated, but the rain intensified.
She had no choice but to follow.
Alexander led them to a dark cave, using his phone as a flashlight.
Both were drenched, especially Alexander. His white shirt clung to him, water dripping from his hair.
He gestured deeper into the cave. “Come inside. It’s too cold by the entrance.”
She tossed his jacket back. “Explain. Now.”
She didn’t want to spend another minute trapped with him.
He sighed, unsurprised by her hostility. “When I came after you, Rex told me this village has another name—Ghost Village. Once night falls, no one can leave. Not even the locals.”
Ghost Village?
Isabella scoffed. “Do I look like a child to you?”
“I’m not lying. You’ve changed, Isabella. You must have heard of architectural designs that create labyrinths. This village was built on that principle. Without proper light, everyone walks in circles after dark.”
She frowned. She knew the concept well.
Without clear markers, people naturally circled similar-looking environments.
At night, with limited visibility and identical huts and fields, it was easy to get disoriented.
The distant houses were strategically placed to mislead travelers.
She would have to wait for sunrise to see the ridges clearly and find her way out.
Alexander noticed her expression shift. His voice softened. “Sit. Rest. I’ll start a fire.”
He began gathering dry wood from the cave’s edges.