C30 A Mysterious Middleaged Man

"Nonsense!"

Before the old village chief could utter a word, a deep and angry shout erupted from a yellow clay house at the village entrance.

As soon as the voice was heard, the old village chief and the dozen or so strapping young men's faces turned pale with apprehension.

Jiaang Lin observed everyone's reactions, feeling bewildered.

Clearly, they all held a deep fear of the voice's owner.

The men, in particular, tensed their muscles instantly upon hearing the voice, their eyes wide with the same caution one would reserve for a highly dangerous animal.

"What kind of person could instill such fear in these people?"

Jiaang Lin was intensely curious about the man inside the yellow house.

"Mr. Ji, are you awake?"

Qiu Xiya was initially taken aback by the voice, but then her surprise turned to delight.

No sooner had Qiu Xiya spoken than the door of the yellow house swung open.

The wooden door, which seemed to have remained closed for ages, had led Jiaang Lin to believe the house was abandoned.

But as the door opened, the man inside finally stood before them all.

Jiaang Lin saw a middle-aged man in his forties, dressed in a white robe that lent him an air of elegance. The man had a handsome face, but his skin was an unhealthy, bloodless white.

His eyes, deep and soulful, seemed to have witnessed the world's every secret.

When his gaze fell upon Jiaang Lin, it felt as though the man could see right through to all his hidden thoughts.

Instinctively, Jiaang Lin wanted to retreat, to find a place out of this man's sight.

This sensation made his skin crawl.

Jiaang Lin's maximum skill, "Passive Perception," alerted him to the middle-aged man's danger.

He sensed that even now, he might be no match for this man.

Jiaang Lin felt an urge to flee.

Congratulations to the host, you have comprehended the skill: Lying!

Lying: Upgraded to maximum level, your lies will be undetectable!

Lying: Current level 1/10. Would you like to upgrade to maximum level?

"Yes!"

Without hesitation, Jiaang Lin trusted his instincts that the middle-aged man before him posed a grave threat. The instant the skill became available, he immediately chose to upgrade this ability that could help him conceal himself.

Lying had reached its maximum level. Current skill level of Lying: 10/10.

In a split second, Jiaang Lin's slightly panicked expression regained its composure. His demeanor was as undisturbed as an ancient well, showing no hint of emotion. Even the subtle giveaways that might have betrayed him to an observant eye were seamlessly concealed by his skill in deception!

It was clear that Jiaang Lin was without a single flaw!

"This skill is truly a divine technique!"

Jiaang Lin only began to feel elated after his skill had been maxed out!

This skill wasn't just effective during deceit; it rendered him utterly impeccable!

It's well known that when an average person lies, it's not just the veracity of their words that gives them away, but also their subconscious body language, eye movements, and even muscle tremors. These are the telltale signs that can expose a lie!

Thus, the ability to lie without a trace was an incredibly potent skill for Jiaang Lin, making each falsehood indistinguishable from the truth.

In that critical moment, Jiaang Lin keenly observed a shift in the middle-aged man's gaze.

The situation was fraught with danger!