The next morning, Fang Xiu received a phone call. The Special Operations Squad had made it near the mountain region close to Blackwater. However, due to the difficult mountain roads, they couldn't drive further, so they were walking toward Blackwater and expected to arrive in about an hour.
After setting up a meeting point, Fang Xiu went to the village with the others. He also wore sunglasses that he had readied ahead of time.
He wanted to test a theory. He hadn't seen other villagers yesterday because it had gotten too late, but today, he was eager to inspect their hair closely.
Strolling through the village, they immediately drew the attention of many villagers. Most of them were already out workingsome were farming, others were looking after livestock.
Fang Xiu and the others' outfits made it clear they were not from around here; they were city dwellers, which drew a lot of eyeballs. Yet, the villagers appeared more curious than unfriendly, probably because the village chief had told them that they were journalists.
As the villagers eyed them, they were also doing the same. What caught Fang Xiu's attention was that all the villagers, without exception, had hair that was jet black and lustrous.
"Xiu, what's the deal? Have all these people been munching on black sesame seeds from childhood or what?" Zhao Hao asked, his voice quivering.
"How could any black sesame seeds be that potent? I've noticed some elderly villagers, and their hair is just as black and glossyno sign of any gray strands," Liu Shuai chimed in.
While the others were preoccupied with the villagers' hair, Fang Xiu scanned the area.
_'No Specters! Absolutely none!'_
Fang Xiu now felt confident that there wasn't a single Specter in the whole of Blackwater.
_'But why? If we're in a Specter Zone, which would make the Specters invisible, then why is there still cell service? Is it because we are using encrypted phones from the Investigation Bureau?'_
Taking out his own phone, Fang Xiu could see that it also had reception, although the signal was weaker due to the mountain area.
Fang Xiu was baffled. The mystery surrounding the Specters was huge, and he felt like he had only begun to peel back the layers. Many strange things remained unexplained.
At that moment, he walked up to an elderly man basking in the sun. This senior looked much older than the village chief, his face a maze of deep creases. He was contentedly puffing on his tobacco pipe while soaking up the sunlight.
"Excuse me, sir, may I ask how you keep your hair so dark and glossy? For someone your age, it looks more vibrant than that of young people."
The old man shot Fang Xiu a confused look. "Why would a city folk like you mock an old man like me? My hair turned gray a decade ago. It's not dark or even glossy."
Upon hearing his words, Shen Lingxue and the others were immediately taken aback. They stared intently at his rich, shiny black hair, a shiver running down their spines.
Fang Xiu, however, kept his cool and calmly said, "I'm sorry. I must've been mistaken."
After offering this apology, he turned and walked away with Shen Lingxue and the others.
When they were far enough away, Zhao Hao couldn't resist asking, "So, was that old guy's hair actually black or gray? Am I seeing colors wrong? Because it looked pretty black to me."
"I thought it looked black too," Liu Shuai chimed in.
"These villagers are certainly not normal; they must've been affected by the Specters," Shen Lingxue declared. "People who are influenced by Specters often exhibit strange traitslike being frail, emotionally unstable, and mentally exhausted. But there are other symptoms as well."
Fang Xiu glanced at her and calmly asked, "How can you be so sure that it's the villagers who are affected and not us?"
The rest were shocked hearing that. Zhao Hao and Liu Shuai looked noticeably paler.
Just then, they heard voices in the distance.
"Miss Shen, so you're here."
The individual approaching them was none other than Wang Fugui, the grandson of the village chief.
Out of breath, he asked, "You are all early birds, aren't you? I came to invite you to breakfast but found your rooms empty."
The group's eyes immediately zeroed in on Wang Fugui's lustrous black hair, their expressions turning strangeparticularly Zhao Hao and Liu Shuai, who now seemed more guarded.
Fortunately, Shen Lingxue, a seasoned psychic, didn't let any emotions show. "Yes, our work often requires us to wake up early," she replied.
"Do you plan to start filming soon? I could guide you to some beautiful spots."
"We'll decline for the moment; we intend to do some solo exploration today and will reach out if we need your assistance."
Wang Fugui looked somewhat disappointed but relented, "The mountains can be quite dangerous, you know, what with wild boars and such. Having a guide might be helpful."
"It's alright. We're experienced in fieldwork and have ample survival skills. We've been to more remote places than this. For now, we'll explore on our own and touch base with you later in the day."
Seemingly unaccustomed to rejecting offers, Wang Fugui finally nodded in agreement.
"However, steer clear of the central area of Blackwater River," he cautioned.
Maintaining her poise, Shen Lingxue asked, "Oh? Why should we avoid that place?"
Wang Fugui's expression shifted to one of fear, as if he were recalling something terrifying.
"Anyway, please don't ask further. My grandfather doesn't want to spread superstition, but there's more than one person in the village who claims that something strange happens there. So, better steer clear."
Shen Lingxue nodded in understanding, and shortly afterward, Wang Fugui took his leave.
Not too long after that, Fang Xiu's phone buzzed.
"Agent Fang, Team Ten of the Special Operations Squad has reached the designated area."
"Understood, we'll be there shortly," Fang Xiu replied before hanging up.
Turning to the group, he declared, "Let's put the villagers' oddities aside for now and focus on the Specter situation at Blackwater River."