Chapter 272 Going deeper

After a brief hesitation, the boy's eyes gradually changed from vigilance to determination, and he slowly took a step towards Naruto.

Every step was taken with a hint of caution, but more of it was the desire for food and the concern for her younger brother.

The boy slowly walked to Naruto, but stopped one step away from him, his eyes fixed on the grilled fish that exuded an enticing aroma, and his throat rolled unconsciously.

Naruto smiled and handed the grilled fish to the boy, saying softly, "Eat it. Once you're full we'll go save your brother."

The boy took the grilled fish, took a small bite at first, and then began to eat it like a hungry wolf.

He ate very quickly, as if he was afraid that the grilled fish would suddenly disappear.

Naruto watched quietly from the side, and when the boy finished eating, he handed him another one.

"What's your name?" Naruto asked. The boy swallowed the food in his mouth and answered in a low voice: "My name is Xiaohui."

"Xiaohui, do you know where those bad guys took your brother?" Naruto continued to ask.

A trace of fear flashed in Xiaohui's eyes, but he still said firmly: "I heard them say they wanted to take my brother to the temple in the cave."

"Temple? The evil temple? Tell me everything about you and what you know." Naruto continued to ask softly, his eyes full of concern, which made Xiaohui feel a little warm.

After hearing what Naruto said, Xiaohui stopped eating the grilled fish, and the grilled fish in his hand seemed to have no appeal anymore.

He lowered his head slightly, frowned, and a painful expression appeared on his little face, as if he was trapped in those unbearable memories.

After a long while, Xiaohui slowly spoke: "My brother and I are not from here. We originally lived in a small village far away. At that time, we depended on our father for survival. Although our family was poor, we were very happy every day. Until one day, a group of people who called themselves the Evil God Cult came to our village to recruit believers. They wore black robes and looked very mysterious. They promised that as long as we joined the Evil God Cult, they would make us rich and we would never have to live a hard life again."

Xiaohui's voice was a little choked. He sniffed and continued.

"Our family was so poor that my father believed their words and followed them in order to give my brother and me a good life. My brother and I waited at home, but after more than three months, my father did not come back."

Xiaohui raised his head with tears in his eyes: "Later, I was so worried about my dad that I took my brother to find him. We asked along the way and finally found this place. But on the way, I found that they would use food to lure other children. Those children were very hungry like us, so they were easily deceived by them. My brother and I were very scared and were always careful, but we were still found by them." Xiaohui clenched his fists, his face full of anger and helplessness.

When Naruto heard this, his expression remained calm, his deep blue eyes were like a quiet deep lake, making it impossible to peek into the emotions within.

He just sat there quietly, the breeze gently blowing through his golden hair, but beneath his calm appearance, his thoughts were like a turbulent undercurrent.

No one knows what he is thinking.

As Xiaohui finished the last bite of grilled fish, Naruto stood up and dusted off his butt.

He looked at Xiaohui with a firm but gentle gaze, and asked softly, "Are you waiting for me here or are you going with me?"

There was a hint of hesitation in Xiaohui's eyes. He knew that following Naruto might be dangerous, but his concern for his younger brother made him make a decision quickly.

He clenched his tiny fists and said in a childish but determined voice: "I want to go with you. I want to save my brother!"

Naruto smiled and patted Xiaohui's head: "Good boy, then you have to follow me closely and don't run around. Those bad guys are very dangerous."

Then, Naruto took Xiaohui and walked towards the cave.

Along the way, Xiaohui followed Naruto closely. Although there was still fear in his eyes, he was more looking forward to rescuing his brother.

As they approached the cave, the evil smell in the air became stronger.

The trees around the cave appeared in a strange and twisted posture, as if they were eroded by dark forces.

Naruto stopped and said to Xiaohui: "Now that you are here, you must be more careful. Those guys may be nearby."

Xiaohui nodded, his heartbeat quickened involuntarily, but he tried to calm himself down.

Just then, there was a rustling sound in the surrounding grass.

Naruto's eyes shot towards the source of the sound like lightning, and saw that the person coming was Sasuke.

His long black hair fluttered slightly in the wind, his eyes were still stern, but there was a hint of solemnity on his face.

Seeing this, Naruto's eyes flashed with worry, and he hurriedly asked, "Where's Kimimaro?"

Sasuke frowned slightly, his expression became solemn, and he said in a low voice: "Just now I saw a group of people leading a child into the old temple, and Kimimaro followed in pretending to be a believer. I wanted to go with him, but I didn't want to alert the enemy, so I didn't go in. Naruto, did you notice? The atmosphere here is very abnormal, there is a creepy and oppressive feeling, as if countless pairs of eyes are spying on us in the dark. This must be the work of the evil cult."

Naruto's eyes became sharp as he looked towards the cave: "It seems that the situation is more complicated than we thought. It's too dangerous for Jun Lu to go in alone. We have to act quickly. I don't know what evil ritual those guys are planning."

As he said that, he squatted down and said to Xiaohui: "Xiaohui, just follow us for a while and don't run around, okay?" Xiaohui nodded vigorously. Although there was still fear in his eyes, there was more trust in Naruto and Sasuke.

Naruto stood up, looked at Sasuke, and the two of them sneaked towards the cave in tacit understanding.

The trees around the cave twisted even more, as if they were living creatures eroded by the power of darkness.

The air around them grew colder, and with every step forward, the evil aura grew stronger, as if warning them not to get too close.

Soon the two walked into the cave. The long tunnel stretched forward like the open mouth of a giant beast.

There were countless torches on both sides, the flames swayed in the breeze, and the light and shadows flickered on the walls of the cave, like a group of ghosts with bared fangs and claws.

The burning torches made slight crackling sounds, which were particularly clear in this silent environment. Each sound was like the whisper of the evil cult, revealing a sense of weirdness.

Naruto walked in front, looking around vigilantly.

Sasuke followed closely behind, his hand on the hilt of the sword. The cold touch made him more focused. His eyes were as sharp as a hawk, not missing any suspicious signs.

The two men's footsteps were light, but there was still a faint echo in the empty tunnel, as if something was spying on their every move in the dark.