Urged silently by everyone, Bryan quickly led them to the village chief's house.
The chief's home stood at the center of the village. Though still humble, its structure was sturdier than the others—at the very least, there wasn't mud leaking from its walls after the heavy rain.
The village chief was an older man, his face deeply wrinkled. He looked just as gaunt as the rest of the villagers—clearly, suffering spared no one in this place.
When he saw Bryan and the group approaching, he gave a slight smile. But even that smile didn't make him look any friendlier. On the contrary, the deep creases on his face only made him look more ominous.
"Bryan, what brings you here?"
He spoke to Bryan in a tone that suggested familiarity. The others didn't think too much of it—after all, Bryan had come yesterday to ask for a place to stay, so it was natural for them to be on friendly terms.
Bryan spoke slowly:
