The tavern fell into another kind of silence.
The creaking of a bed being turned over came from the next room, while downstairs the hall echoed with the sound of moving tables and chairs, chaotic footsteps, and the clinking of cups.
Katerina used a cloth she always carried to cover her mouth. It was just ordinary hemp, exuding a sour stench that indicated it had been used many times.
Its only use was to remind Katerina "not to speak."
When Katerina tried to hand a spare cloth to Lu Li, she was refused. Lu Li had experienced the most terrifying Silent Moments and knew what to do, and he still had the straw doll in his pocket.
However, he couldn't be sure if the straw doll still worked after 24 years.
Silent Moments limited communication and what people could do. Katerina lay down on the squeaking single bed, taking a moment to rest.
Lu Li pulled a wooden chair and sat by the window, gazing at the distant dark wilderness and the ring of lava.
