There are not many people residing in the small mountain village, but this end of year communal feast allows Huo Zaiyuan to feel warm to the bottom of his heart. Ever since his mother passed away and he left home in a fit of rebellion, until his father was met with a car accident and dividing the family inheritance between the Zhou mother and son...he had felt all alone in this world. That is, until he arrived here.
The people of this village are honest and friendly, treating him, this "client" as though one would treat a member of their family. Whenever there is entertainment or delicious food to be enjoyed, they don't forget to invite him along. Staying here for this six months has allowed him to forget his past worries and forlornness, even the uneasy period before his death in his previous life.
"Little Yuan ah, since you have already decided to leave, then as the village chief, I will not waste breath to urge you to stay. However, on the day you desire to return to this village and the compound kept for you, everyone will definitely welcome you back." Sitting next to Huo Zaiyuan, the village chief pats him on the shoulder, followed by a chorus of affirmative from the gathered villagers.
"Thank you all." The corners of his lips pull up in a faint smile, a rush of warmth flooding into his heart, Huo Zaiyuan's eyes slowly roves over the people seated together at the communal meal table.
This year's feast is very loud and full of chatter, continuing from the afternoon until well past nine at night. Only then did the villagers scatter, leaving Huo Zaiyuan to head slowly back to the house he has been staying in for a while. At this time, Shuozi ambles over.
"Little Yuan."
"Elder brother Shuozi, did you find me for something?" Turning his head to look at Shuozi, his eyebrows seem to be glistening like water under the moonlight.
"That's...eh...after you leave the village, make sure to take good care of yourself. Be careful in everything you do." Hemming and hawing for a while, Shuozi, as per usual, still doesn't dare admit his feelings for Huo Zaiyuan aloud.
"Thank you." Huo Zaiyuan says softly, pursing his lips as though in deep thought. After a short period of time, he opens his mouth unhurriedly. "Elder brother Shuozi, do you trust[1] me?"
"Absolutely." Shuozi doesn't quite understand why Huo Zaiyuan suddenly asked this question, but he blurts out an affirmative without thinking.
"All right. Then what I say now, you must remember it." Huo Zaiyuan's expression turns solemn.
"Go on, I will definitely remember."
"Think of a way to convince the villages to start storing more food and water in their homes, as well as iron tires, bats, knives. Whatever kind of weapons they can get their hands on. When April approaches in the year 2012, they must not leave the mountain village again. If possible, before April arrives, it would be best to think of a way to seal up the road leading into the village." As Huo Zaiyuan's words are gentle and light, Shuozi didn't understand, but for some reason, his heart begins to feel unsettled.
"W – why?" Knives? Seal up the road? These are big matters ah!
"You only need to do as I said and all will be well. I hope the next time I come to this place, I will still be able to see the villagers' honest and friendly smiles." Not explaining anything to Shuozi, Huo Zaiyuan turns around and walks into his house.
Staring at the closed door, a sliver of doubt emerges in Shuozi's eyes. Not long after, he too, turns around and leaves.
In the dead of the night, Huo Zaiyuan shoulders his backpack and pushes open the door. Due to the refinement of his body and spiritual power, he can still make things out clearly at night. His footsteps are light as air, not producing a single sound. Slender frame blending into the night, he uses a total of one hour to pace the perimeter of the village. Counting in his heart, a faintly shimmering peach wood talisman falls from his hand at every nine-step intervention, entering the ground after a small application of spiritual power from him.
As soon as the last talisman is punctured into the earth, the entire mountain village, as well as the open field at its fringe, glows in unison, a silvery light flashing through it in a blink of an eye. Even if it was only for a second, it is rather apparent that there is a layer of barrier protecting this stretch of land.
Finally, Huo Zaiyuan takes one last long look at the small mountain village before departing without another glance.
He has already done all in his power to provide security to that place. He truly wishes when the apocalypse arrives, that Evil Repelling Array will be enough to protect it and everyone within.
Footnotes:
[1] The words used is actually "相信", meaning "believe" but in this context, I reckon "trust me" would make more sense than "believe me".