I changed the world.

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"This is how locals welcome their most honored guests, inviting them to taste the juice from their freshly picked coconuts..." the tour guide explained with a smile to a group of tourists. Encouraged by her, each tourist accepted a coconut with a smile and sucked on the coconut juice.

"Brother, this coconut doesn't taste as good as coconut juice..." Joanna complained to Pete.

“Silly girl, the coconut juice we usually drink is processed, this is natural,” Pete mocked her.

Joanna pursed her lips upon hearing this, then her gaze was drawn to the small vendors not far away. Some people, who were probably local villagers, were pushing carts filled with local specialties and various handicrafts made by the islanders. The carts were dazzling and colorful, attracting many tourists.

Chadwick followed at the back of the tour group and took a coconut from a smiling indigenous man wearing an ornate feathered crest. The crest looked quite distinctive, probably made from the tail feathers of some kind of bird.

As he sipped his coconut juice and observed the indigenous people before him, he suddenly felt everything flicker. The once clear blue sky seemed to have been filtered through a gray lens, instantly turning the scene dull and pale.

The surrounding noise, the vendors' cries, the tourists' chatter and laughter, the tour guides' calls, and so on, all seemed to have been covered with a layer of soundproofing cotton, and instantly disappeared.

What horrified him even more was that the local aboriginal people who had just been smiling, wearing feathered headdresses and traditional coarse linen clothing, now seemed to have changed completely. Their faces were pale, and they stared at him with an eerie, expressionless gaze.

He subconsciously took a step back, glancing around, only to find that the vendors who had been hawking their wares and haggling with tourists were now all expressionless, looking at him with strange expressions.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 930 The Strange

Just as he was about to shout, everything before his eyes suddenly returned to normal. The scene that had seemed filtered vanished instantly, and everything returned to its original state. The various noisy sounds around him also reappeared.

"Please follow me, everyone. Let's first visit some of the local traditional houses..." The tour guide, holding a triangular flag, walked at the front of the tour group.

Not far from him, several indigenous people dressed in traditional clothing were dancing a welcoming dance, while several tourists were taking pictures with great interest.

The sky was still bright and sunny, and everything seemed so beautiful, as if what I had just seen was just an illusion.

At this moment, even Chadwick was becoming uncertain. He, too, couldn't be sure what that silent film-like scene he had just witnessed was. He even began to wonder if something was wrong with his mind...

Since returning from his expedition into the Izko rainforest, he seemed to have gained superpowers, able to see strange beings invisible to ordinary people. This made him realize that the world before him was not what he had previously thought, but rather possessed a side far beyond the comprehension of ordinary people. Beyond this, it must be said that he has also been bearing psychological pressure he had never experienced before.

After all, it's unrealistic for someone who occasionally sees horrifying "dead" figures or even some twisted and bizarre unknown beings to be completely carefree and without any psychological pressure.

He wasn't sure if he had a mental problem... but... he couldn't help but think of the dream he had not long ago, and he had a vague feeling that the trip ahead was not going well.

Could it be that there's something bad in this village? Is the supernatural power within him giving him a warning?

Chadwick couldn't help but look back, only to find that the bus that had carried him and the others had already closed its doors and driven into the village.

"Dear guests, please don't worry. Our tour bus will drive directly to the hotel in the village. We will tour the area here first and then go to the hotel to collect our luggage. Please follow me." The tour guide waved a small flag and walked at the front of the group.

With a sigh, Chadwick could only follow at the back of the tour group as they walked into the village. He glanced at the coconut in his hand and quietly tossed it into the roadside bushes.

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This village has clearly been designed and decorated. Although it is touted as a traditional indigenous village, the ground is quite clean, the surrounding buildings are lined up one after another, and you can find some functional shops. It obviously has a resort feel to it.

The village buildings are typical of the local style. Although they are island natives, they don't actually look that backward at first glance.

"Look, everyone, the residents here use local rocks as building materials to construct their courtyards," the tour guide explained, holding up a flag in front of a house.

"Look, everyone, the walls here are carved with many patterns and images of gods and mythical beasts. These images of gods and mythical beasts are actually the ancestors of the local people. We Sriba people believe in animism and that our ancestors will take care of their descendants after death. So many locals carve their deceased ancestors on walls or buildings so that they can watch over their descendants..."

"Look, everyone, these patterns have some Pandya style. This multi-layered pagoda style is also a common architectural style in Pandya temples." The tour guide continued to point to the pagoda-like decoration on a courtyard wall and introduced it to the tourists behind him: "According to some folklorists, due to our geographical location, our Misura Island has been influenced by the continental cultures of Pandya and Zhao Kingdom in addition to our local culture. These can also be seen in our architecture."

"Please come in with me, everyone. Let's visit this ordinary villager's house..." The tour guide smiled and waved to the tourists behind him, indicating that they should follow him through the gate of the house. At this moment, the homeowner, dressed in ethnic clothing, stood at the gate, his hands outstretched in front of his chest, making a welcoming gesture with a warm smile.

Chadwick trailed at the back of the group, his mind preoccupied as he surveyed his surroundings. Just then, Joanna and Pete, who had bought a local grass-woven dragonfly from a vendor at the back, jogged up to catch up with the group. Seeing Chadwick's furrowed brow and cautious expression, Joanna couldn't help but smile and say, "Mr. Spencer, you don't seem to like it here?"

“Oh, no…no…” Chadwick quickly shook his head to cover up his words, “I’m probably just a little tired from the beach, and I’m a bit sleepy now.”

“Mr. Spencer, perhaps you could try this, a kind of mint candy, it tastes quite good.” Upon hearing this, Pete handed over a candy-like object wrapped in plant leaves. Chadwick then noticed that Pete was carrying a bag of these candies, which he must have bought from the vendor earlier.

He hesitated for a moment, but seeing Pete's enthusiasm, he accepted it, opened it and put it in his mouth. He felt a sweet, cool sensation permeate his mouth, and his spirits lifted considerably. He smiled and thanked Pete again.

At this point, the entire tour group, led by the tour guide, had entered the courtyard, and Chadwick and his sister Pete followed behind.

This mansion is decorated with great care and is probably a must-see attraction for many tour groups. Inside the mansion, you can see the wooden roof structure, and the beams and ceiling are painted with gold paint. You can also see some winged statues carved on the beams.

"These statues represent spirits worshipped locally. As I mentioned earlier, we Sriba people believe in animism, especially revering powerful spirits. We carve these spirits into our homes, just like our ancestors, as protectors of our dwellings. Please look... the spirit above us that looks like a large fish is called Enroadhu by the locals. It is said to be a servant of the sea god, and fishermen in danger at sea can seek its help; it will aid the kind-hearted."

Following the tour guide's directions, the group of tourists looked up and indeed saw a strangely shaped large fish carved in the center of the roof...

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 931 The Deep Sea?!

Chadwick chewed on a mint while looking up at the elf carved into the ceiling. Suddenly, the scene before him flickered again, and the once noisy room fell silent. Everything around him seemed to lose its color, and the gold-painted ceiling beams appeared to turn black.

What horrified him even more was that he clearly saw the ceiling above him become slippery, as if coated with something that was neither water nor slime. The large fish statue called Enroad had transformed into something else entirely—a creature with twisted tentacles, neither fish nor squid, that was slowly writhing there, looking utterly disgusting…

Everything around was dark, as if one were underwater in a dark abyss. The tourists around them maintained their expressions, but now their expressions were frozen, like silent wax figures, eerie and terrifying.

Chadwick almost cried out, his heart pounding for a split second, cold sweat pouring out almost instantly. But in the next instant, everything unusual before his eyes vanished like an illusion, and the colors, sunlight, and sounds returned; everything he had just seen was like a hallucination.

But... was it really an illusion?

Chadwick's heart pounded. He looked up at the wooden statue on the ceiling again and found that it was still the same wooden fish sculpture, without any abnormalities.

The tour guide had finished explaining the contents of the room and was leading the tourists to other rooms. Joanna noticed that Chadwick was still staring absentmindedly at the statue above his head, so she called out to him.

"Mr. Spencer, you're gone..."

"Oh...oh oh! Okay." Chadwick seemed to wake up from a dream after hearing this, turned his head and smiled at Joanna, and then followed the tour group out of the room.

However, the bizarre scene he had just witnessed still echoed in his mind. He felt confused and somewhat frightened. He didn't know if what he had just seen was a sign that something was wrong with his mind.

No...it shouldn't be like this...

He recalled the strange dream he had on the beach chair before arriving in the village... Perhaps it really was his special premonition giving him a warning!

Since he gained the magical ability to see special things, he had never encountered anything like this before. However, upon closer reflection, all the strange events seemed to revolve around this village...

Chadwick grew increasingly uneasy. He began to regret not having broken away from the tour group before coming to this village…

However, besides regret and unease, he also felt a certain excitement. After all, his purpose in coming to Misula Island and heading to the Kunbor Ruins was precisely to see if he could find anything extraordinary. Now it seemed that this indigenous village might indeed hold something…

But... it seems too dangerous...

With a mix of unease and uncertainty in his mind, Chadwick joined the tour group as they visited the entire indigenous dwelling.

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"Distinguished guests, please follow me. We are going to visit the village temple next." After leaving the indigenous houses, the tour guide walked ahead holding a flag and said this.

A group of tourists followed behind, walking and pointing around the village, with some taking photos with their phones from time to time.

Chadwick spotted some Indigenous people selling walking sticks made of an unidentified local wood nearby. They looked like canes or trekking poles. After a moment's thought, Chadwick approached the vendor, gestured for a while, and bought a brown stick to use as a walking stick. Aside from a multi-tool folding knife, he had no other self-defense equipment, and the stick made him feel slightly safer.

Led by a tour guide, the tour group walked through the village, explaining as they went. After a while, they arrived at a temple located in the center of the village.

Although it is called a temple, it is quite different from the Buddhist temples in the Eastern Zhao Kingdom. The temples here are not very tall. If you have to make a comparison, they are somewhat similar to the local earth temples in Zhao Kingdom, appearing cramped and small. However, the exterior of the temples is decorated quite ornately, inlaid with a large number of stone and wooden carvings, all of which are carved into various figures and monsters.

At this time, there was a wooden frame erected next to the temple, and some locals were painting something that looked like paint on it.

At this point, the tour guide seemed a little curious and went up to ask a few questions in the local language. The conversation between the two sides was quick, as none of the tourists could understand the local dialect.

Chadwick speaks multiple languages, but he knows nothing about the island's dialects, so he can only wait for the guide to finish communicating with them.

Fortunately, the tour guide quickly understood the situation and turned to the group of tourists, saying, "The village is rebuilding the temple today, but fortunately it is almost finished and will not affect your visit."

The guide stepped forward and opened the two double doors of the temple. In that instant, Chadwick's vision blurred again, and everything seemed to shift back into a black and white environment. He could see behind the open temple doors, and there seemed to be many indistinct, undefined things—tentacles or black mist—pulling within the doors. At the same time, a strong, watery vapor rushed out from the doors, giving Chadwick the illusion that the temple was filled with seawater, and that the seawater poured out the moment the guide opened the doors…

The oppressive feeling, as if he had been instantly plunged into the deep sea and was about to suffocate, made Chadwick cough and wave his hands violently in front of him.

“Mr. Spencer, what’s wrong?” The Pete family came forward to help him. The moment Eleanor’s hand touched Chadwick, the “illusion” in Chadwick’s eyes disappeared again, and everything returned to normal. However, at this moment, many tourists, including the tour guide, turned their attention to him.

"Sir, were you feeling unwell just now?" the tour guide asked cautiously as he approached from the gate.

Volume Two: The Truth Hidden Behind History Books: Chapter 932 The Temple

Chadwick noticed that many tourists around him were looking at him and whispering, seemingly speculating whether he had some kind of illness. He quickly covered it up, saying, "Oh...oh, it's nothing, it's nothing. A big flying insect just landed on me, and I swatted it away..." Chadwick hurriedly explained the reason for his vigorous arm-waving, then turned to Eleanor, "Thank you, Mrs. Patrick. I was just a little startled, it's nothing...it's nothing..."

"Oh, is that so..." The tour guide didn't think much of it and smiled reassuringly, "This is a tropical region, and some insects are indeed quite large. This might make some guests who don't like insects feel uncomfortable, but don't worry, most of the insects here are non-poisonous..."

Upon hearing Chadwick and the tour guide's words, the other tourists turned around in understanding. Some tourists had encountered the situation Chadwick described along the way, especially due to the climate. The insects here were indeed much larger than those in the Rune and Lombard regions, and some spiders could even grow as large as plates. Many tourists had been frightened by this before.

Eleanor didn't think much of it upon hearing this, but simply smiled kindly at Chadwick and followed the guide into the temple.

The surrounding tourists entered the temple one after another, with Chadwick following at the very back. He lingered at the temple entrance for quite a while, his heart filled with apprehension at the temple before him after the "illusion" he had just witnessed.

However, by this time everyone in the tour group had already entered the temple, leaving him alone. He looked around and finally decided not to make himself look strange, so he took a deep breath and entered the temple gate.

The instant he entered the gate, he even had the illusion that he was passing through a curtain of water. This was not a physical sensation, but a strange psychological experience.

He carefully followed the tour group, looking around. The temple wasn't large, even somewhat cramped, but it was very clean inside. The surrounding decorations had a magnificent feel to them, with intricately patterned tiles on the floor and pillars around it. The pillars and walls were carved with exquisite patterns, and the base of the pillars was wrapped in gold leaf.

The temple walls were adorned with exquisitely decorated shrines, each containing an unidentified statue. To Chadwick, these statues appeared extremely rugged, imbued with the vestiges of some primitive belief. Some shrines didn't even contain statues, but rather a tree branch or a picture frame painted with unknown patterns.

There were dozens of such shrines. The tour guide, holding a small flag, explained to the surrounding tourists: “Ladies and gentlemen, please look, this is our Sriba people’s temple. Inside, we enshrine the statues of the gods and spirits worshipped in our village. We Sriba people believe in animism. Some religious scholars consider this a branch of shamanism, but we generally don’t think so. In our Sriba worldview, the spirits of nature have a significant impact on our lives. For example, water spirits can affect our fishing catch, or they might create storms that endanger fishermen. Forest spirits might bring hunters more prey, but they could also transform into poisonous snakes and harm people.”

"That's why the shamans of Srivijaya would carve these spirits into statues and place them in temples for worship..."

While listening to the tour guide's explanation, Chadwick's gaze was fixed on a shrine in the center of the wall among many shrines. The shrine looked very new, and the paint on it had a fresh, almost wet feel, as if it had just been hung up recently.

The shrine housed a wooden statue, crudely carved, depicting a bizarre figure with intricate tentacles on its lower body and its upper body shrouded in a tattered cloak.

Chadwick had never seen a similar statue before. However, the moment he saw it, he felt a momentary daze, as if everything before him had vanished. In that instant, he felt as if he were at the bottom of an endless, dark ocean. The suffocating silence and depth gave him a suffocating feeling similar to claustrophobia.

At the bottom of the deep sea, a colossal palace, seemingly emerging from the depths of history, stood vaguely, rugged, wild, ancient, and desolate. A faint, mysterious murmur emanated from the palace, lingering in his ears.

It was a whisper that sent chills down his spine, like a slippery, sticky tentacle, seemingly describing some deeper secret of this world...