Chapter 6 – Convenience Store Clerk (4)
In the center of the opened space, a huge spider with a human head swiftly rose up, its body a combination of spider and human features. Its six purely black eyes were situated above a strangely shaped mouth that continued to spew out spider silk.
Before it stood a half-dressed figure in black, wrapped in what seemed like an egg-shaped material, evidently an unfinished creation.
Jiang Yujin couldn't boast of a great memory, but the puppet crafted by the other party was so shockingly hideous that it left an impression.
This creature, part-human-part-spider, with six eyes and six limbs, had a plastic-like layer obscuring its face. Its distinctive traits included remarkable reproductive abilities, speed, mastery in camouflaging nests, and concealing its presence. The recent exposure of its presence was likely due to the criticism of the puppet's ugliness, causing it to lose its temper and reveal itself.
Each spider egg it produced contained its own consciousness, enabling control of multiple puppets by inserting these eggs into them. This ability was convenient but also had significant limitations. The smaller spiders, possessing only partial consciousness, would freeze when observed by humans and resume movement only when there was no danger until they deemed an opportunity to attack the person's mind and extract consciousness.
It had been so long that Jiang Yujin had forgotten when or in which dungeon he had last encountered this human-faced spider. He only remembered leaving it behind then, driven by the belief that good things should be shared and seen by others as well.
Little did he expect that circling back would lead to another glance. He regretted not dealing with it earlier.
Clearly, the human-faced spider lacked manners. Not only did it ignore his greeting, but its two elongated limbs in front continued to churn out new puppets incessantly.
Casually pulling a large amount of silk thread and wrapping it around his hand, Jiang Yujin bent down to pick up an abandoned iron pipe lying nearby, making an objective comment, "It's a waste not to be a textile worker."
Judging by the speed of its work, it might as well have won the Best Labor Award.
The iron pipe, obviously abandoned for a long time with rust stains all over it, still felt handy in his grip.
"Swish—"
In a very short span of time, maybe just a blink of an eye, the freshly formed puppet shattered into pieces scattered across the floor. The sound of the shattering echoed in the space, and all the spider eggs on the ground were destroyed, not a single one surviving.
Walking amidst the scattered spider silk and remnants of spider eggs, the friction between the iron pipe and the ground produced a harsh grinding sound as Jiang Yujin slowly approached.
No longer concerned with achieving the textile factory's Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), the human-faced spider crawled away from the room's center, instantly moving above Jiang Yujin's head, assuming an aggressive stance.
Jiang Yujin slightly raised his head, his disheveled hair falling backward, revealing eyes and brows that remained utterly calm and undisturbed.
As if realizing something, the human-faced spider clinging to the wall took a half step back.
*
On the ground floor, Hu Li noticed that the previously incessant production of puppets had ceased.
The floor was now layered with fragments of limbs and strands of silk. Hu Li bore marks on his face and arms, inadvertently cut open by a thin, long gash, silently oozing blood.
After slashing the last puppet, he casually wiped away the blood from his face and sought the passage leading to the basement.
Though he hadn't encountered it directly, he had heard of the human-faced spider, an A-level boss in the dungeon, skilled in manipulating puppets, feeding on human consciousness. It preferred dwelling underground, and most people who encountered it ended up discarded at the mouth of its nest, consumed by other strange species.
This building was essentially a massive nest, and at its deepest point, most likely, resided the human-faced spider.
The stairs leading to the basement were on the other side of the building, unlocked, granting direct access upon pushing the door open.
As he descended, the stairs led to a corridor, eventually unveiling a significant breach at its end. However, from this distance, the interior of the hole remained indiscernible.
Hu Li approached slowly. Passing by the electrical room, he noticed its partially open door, revealing its deserted interior, devoid of strange species. Some wires were severed by congealed spider silk, hanging limply on one side.
This, presumably, was the cause of the building's power outage.
Hu Li withdrew his gaze and proceeded toward the gaping hole.
Upon nearing, he could distinctly see violently torn spider silk.
It seemed the human-faced spider had utilized this silk to create a false wall, deceiving all the police and Special Investigation Unit who had previously combed through the building.
Inside the cave, thick layers of silk were stacked, scattered with remnants of limbs and puppet fragments, alongside shattered spider eggs.
In the center of the cave lay a heap of small spheres, smooth to the touch like pearls, yet comprised of extremely fine spider silk intermixed with other special substances.
Hu Li squatted down and picked up one of the spheres, applying a slight force, causing it to shatter.
Despite the thick outer shell cracking, the interior was empty.
Or rather, what was contained inside wasn't a physical object, but rather the "consciousness" of individuals stored by the human-faced spider.
In the game, even souls could be traded, so storing human consciousness wasn't particularly surprising.
The human-faced spider wasn't present. If it had been here, it would have likely initiated an attack the moment he entered.
Thinking back to the puppets' sudden cessation, Hu Li dropped the shards in his hand, lowered his gaze, and noticed a long, thin trace on the floor. It seemed to be formed by something scraping across the ground, extending from the doorway to this spot.
"Pop."
In the silent space, it sounded like something had dripped onto the night vision goggles, making a faint noise.
Hu Li wiped away the liquid from the goggles and looked up.
A massive spider, contorted to an almost eerie extent, was skewered by an iron pipe, violently nailed to the ceiling directly above him.
With its face of six eyes hanging lifelessly downward, some of its legs, unconsciously, continued to move, creating an incredibly bizarre sight.
It was the human-faced spider, its mouth still agape, still alive. The liquid that had dripped onto the night vision goggles was the blood trickling down the iron pipe from the spider.
Without hesitation, Hu Li tightened his grip on the long knife, crouched, and leaped. In a flash of light and shadow, the spider's head, covered with what seemed like a layer of rubber, crashed heavily onto the ground, followed by its entire body.
As he landed back on the ground, Hu Li held the removed iron pipe in one hand and picked up the communicator in the other, stating briefly:
"The target has been neutralized. Second Unit, proceed to the basement to secure the scene."
Glancing at the rusty and bloodstained iron pipe in his hand, then at the elongated trace leading from the doorway, he added, "Also, bring in the forensic team. We need to compare some things and fingerprints."
*
The second-floor restroom.
After multiple quiet calls to the person in the neighboring cubicle went unanswered, regardless of the commotion downstairs, Xiao Li remained frozen in the restroom, not daring to move a muscle.
At some unknown point, the sounds that used to occasionally drift up from downstairs vanished, leaving the world in complete silence. Occasionally, the restroom would echo with the sound of dripping water, causing a shiver each time it rang out.
This time, accompanying the water droplets, were footsteps—neither light nor heavy.
Hu Li entered the restroom, glanced at the seemingly tightly closed stalls, and then asked, "Are you in here? It's safe now."
The entire second floor, apart from this place, offered no hiding spots. Barring any surprises, both individuals should be here.
Perhaps there hadn't been a moment when Xiao Li was more grateful to hear someone speaking. As soon as the voices outside ceased, the door was flung open.
Although the situation was deemed safe, Xiao Li didn't seem as pleased. He glanced at the neighboring cubicle and said to Hu Li, "He…"
The flushing of the toilet interrupted the silence of the restroom. The stall door swung open, and the person inside nonchalantly stepped out, their drooping eyelids lifting to meet the gaze of the other two.
Xiao Li widened his eyes, gestured toward the person, then pointed to himself, appearing eager to speak but remained silent for a moment.
Jiang Yujin closed the cubicle door behind him, walked past the two towards the sink, meticulously washed his hands, then explained, "The air in there wasn't very clean. I preferred not to speak."
It was bizarre yet somewhat reasonable.
Hu Li, for the moment, had no spare attention for their conversation, holding onto his earpiece, still listening to the updates from the second team in the basement.
The body of the human-faced spider had been dealt with, being carried out. The forensic team had compared the iron pipe with the scratches on the floor, confirming the floor marks were caused by the pipe and found rust traces matching the pipe at the site of the large hole. The iron pipe had been handed over to the forensic team for fingerprint analysis, which would take some time.
As the report concluded, he shifted his gaze, smiling, "Let's go."
Outside the building, he received the fingerprint collection results from the forensic team.
Only his fingerprints were found on the iron pipe, and there were no other new discoveries at the scene.
The anticipated yet unsurprising outcome didn't alter Hu Li's expression much. He inquired, "What about the surveillance footage?"
"After you entered, we cordoned off the entire building. There was no movement in or out during that time, and we've reviewed the surveillance inside the building as well. Nothing unusual was spotted."
Hu Li: "Is that so?"
Apart from him and the two convenience store clerks, there was undoubtedly a fourth person inside the building.
To evade the sight of everyone outside the building and manage to dodge surveillance cameras precisely, the human-faced spider had no other injuries besides a single large hole in the center, indicating a fatal blow.
Encountering such a person was rare, even in the game.
Maintaining his usual smile, Hu Li absentmindedly tapped his arm with his finger.
*
"Phew—"
From entering the entrance until finally stepping out of the building, walking toward the reassuringly flashing red-and-blue vehicle, the others conversed. Xiao Li glanced back at the distant building, only to realize belatedly. His legs gave way, and he collapsed to the ground, exhaling a long breath.
The concerned citizen, Jiang Yujin, glanced at him before continuing to survey the surroundings, paying no attention to Hu Li and the group standing not far away, focused on finding his parked electric scooter.
Considering the time was no longer early, theoretically, they could leave now. Just asking a few more questions afterward would suffice to conclude. With a firm resolve not to stay any longer than necessary, he had no intention of lingering.
Fortunately, his electric scooter was still waiting for him in place.
He bid a cheerful goodbye and walked briskly toward his scooter.
The night wind stirred, causing the evergreen trees by the roadside to rustle and brushing against clothes and hair, continuously swaying them in one direction. The white streetlights cast sporadic shadows, lending an oddly surreal air to the surroundings.
Xiao Li's expression froze slightly, finally realizing that this person had been composed throughout.
The composed individual, who had remained unruffled from start to finish, sat on his beloved electric scooter, and then suddenly exploded:
"Who stole my helmet?!"
The tone was one of disbelief and profound sorrow.
Chapter 7 – 001
Jiang Yujin watched the surveillance footage afterward and saw a passerby riding a small electric scooter. The passerby noticed the helmet resting on Jiang Yujin's scooter at the roadside, glanced around for a couple of seconds, then took the helmet and rode off.
Later that evening, the police, who had comforted the innocent and saddened Jiang Yujin for a long time due to the stolen helmet, promised to do their utmost to catch the helmet thief and even offered to escort him home.
By the time he arrived home, it wasn't early anymore. The lively streets of the day had quieted down by then.
Jiang Yujin ascended the stairs while pondering; he felt like he had forgotten something, but after a long day and a tired mind, he decided not to dwell on it, as sleep was calling his name.
When Chen Jing, who supposedly went to a classmate's house for studying, returned, he noticed that the lights were still on at home.
Although the lights were on, the person inside was fast asleep. The person sprawled on the sofa slept soundly, one hand dangling to the floor, seemingly affected by the cold. His fingers twitched slightly, then there was no further movement.
Chen Jing crouched down, lifted the hand that had dangled to the floor, and halfway through, noticed thin white threads resembling spider silk entangled in the red string hidden in the person's cuff, wanting to help remove it.
As he reached out, just before his fingers touched the red string, the seemingly lifeless figure on the sofa recoiled, opening their eyes slightly.
Yawning, Jiang Yujin rubbed his hair and sat up, saying, "You're back."
Just waking up, his voice was even huskier than usual.
Chen Jing withdrew his hand, responding, "Mm."
Putting down his backpack, he asked, "Have you had dinner?"
After briefly recollecting the sight of the human-faced spider he saw today, Jiang Yujin said, "I feel like having crab."
Chen Jing: "?"
Being from a financially strained household, Jiang Yujin ended up eating a bowl of noodles with two pieces of vegetables late at night.
Ignoring the events that transpired in the building, under the warm yellow light, he vividly recounted the painful experience of his stolen helmet.
He narrated it passionately, revealing the turmoil still lingering within.
Chen Jing listened quietly and then said, "We'll have a two-day break after this exam period."
"That's good," Jiang Yujin asked, "Do you want to hang out together?"
Chen Jing shook his head, having already made plans with classmates as usual.
Jiang Yujin exaggeratedly sighed, "Then I'll go out by myself."
After a lengthy conversation and finishing his late-night snack, he took a shower and went to bed.
Chen Jing stayed back to wash the dishes and, before returning to his own room, paused to see the light in the adjacent room dimmed. He then walked in and skillfully opened the window.
…
The next day, as Jiang Yujin passed by the barbershop downstairs on his way to work and noticed that the door was still closed, he finally realized what he had forgotten.
He had left his good friend from the barbershop inside the convenience store and forgot to give him the keys.
Without the keys, there was no way to close the shop on time and leave.
The morning wind was unusually cold, sending chills down his spine.
With the fastest pace he'd ever had in his life, Jiang Yujin hurried to the convenience store, covering half the city.
Sure enough, the barbershop owner was still there, standing behind the counter, eyes darkened. Smoking wasn't allowed in the shop, but he exuded an impatient and tense demeanor, as if itching to beat someone.
Jiang Yujin: "…"
Jiang Yujin cautiously entered the shop, giving a small wave. "Morning."
The barbershop owner instantly looked over.
"…"
Xiao Li, who came from the hospital to work, happened to see the barbershop owner leaving with an unlit cigarette in his mouth.
Entering the shop, the person sprawled on the counter like a corpse covered his head and weakly greeted, "Good morning."
Xiao Li: "…Morning."
He seemed okay, but the person in front of him didn't quite look the part.
After surviving the morning rush, Jiang Yujin, with an ice pack on his head, finally found an opportunity to chat with Xiao Li.
Xiao Li brought the latest news, saying, "Those patients from the hospital have woken up; I heard they're all okay."
Bringing up the hospitalized patients again after yesterday's adventure at the Hongsheng Building, his tone this time was anything but relaxed, unlike before.
At that moment, he remembered something else and added, "Yesterday, the vice-captain from the Special Investigation Unit said those people probably had no hope of waking up."
The person had mentioned that if the captain were there, maybe they could save a few more, but the captain had gone deep into the mountains to find someone and wouldn't be back for a while.
Jiang Yujin nodded.
The human-faced spider never had the habit of storing food; it would catch and eat immediately. However, this time, it uncommonly stored food and, despite the intense spinning of silk, remained motionless, as if deliberately leaving something for someone else. It was indeed unusual.
But these weren't concerns he should ponder; he was just an ordinary office boss.
With no customers in the shop at the moment, after their conversation, Xiao Li resumed working while the ordinary office boss idly passed time.
He was looking down when Xiao Li, who had already taken a few steps away, turned back in surprise and said, "You've got white hair?"
This person was tall, and usually, he rarely saw the top of his head. But just now, he suddenly noticed quite a few white hairs there.
"Oh, really?" Jiang Yujin looked up, casually ran his hand through his hair, and chuckled. "It happens as one ages."
He said it so seriously, as if it were a profound truth.
Xiao Li looked at him again, attempting to gauge his age with a visible shock he couldn't hide.
*
In the Central District, amidst the desolate town within the city.
Before the immense mutated corpse, another member of the ordinary office pulled back their gun. Seated not far from the ruins, a short-haired girl with an umbrella raised her hand, and fiery flames surged, turning the colossal corpse into ashes in an instant.
A chubby guy wearing glasses ran over, calling out "Chen Jing" and then said, "We've found clues related to 001."
001, the top scorer since the game collapsed with no information available thereafter.
According to most accounts, the game started collapsing gradually after this person entered the final dungeon alone. They aimed to investigate what happened at that time and what led to the current situation, and the only way was to find 001 in person.
The trouble was their almost nonexistent knowledge about 001. The game used real names, and while everyone's name could be found on the leaderboard, the top three scorers had the privilege to change their names. 001 had utilized this and had entered the game early on, leaving few survivors who knew his name, and they wouldn't easily disclose it.
Unknown name, unknown age, unknown appearance—the only information they had was the rumor circulating among some that 001 had white hair, yet they couldn't confirm the validity of this information.
Since their return from the game, it had been a long time, and this was the first time they had found a clue related to 001.
"Ranked 69, Liu Cheng, an information dealer. He'll provide information for money or exchange equivalent details. He entered the game before 001 and might know his name, maybe even more."
Xiao Pang took out a note with an address written on it, the handwriting slightly smudged by sweat but still decipherable.
[B City, G Town, Congshan Village]
Without much time for joy, Xiao Pang said again, "But Liu Cheng sold information from the Special Investigation Unit, and was already wanted. Now the captain of the Special Investigation Unit is looking for him. We need to make the trade with him before he gets caught."
The girl with short hair jumped down from the low wall and asked, "When are we leaving?"
After quickly scanning the address on the note, Chen Jing said, "Now."
Some minors were investigating the truth, while some adults were idling and playing games in the convenience store.
Jiang Yujin, who was playing a game, received a call from Chen Jing, reporting the itinerary. He responded absentmindedly twice, didn't inquire about the destination, uttered a "Stay safe," and then hung up.
Without the high schooler, there was no dinner. He kept idling until evening. Jiang Yujin bought a boxed meal from the store.
Balancing the boxed meal, he went upstairs. Just as he took out the keys, something envelope-shaped fell from the door crack.
It had his name on it, with no other information whatsoever.
Holding the envelope and the boxed meal, he entered the living room, first turning on the TV. Later, he unpacked the meal and finally, while eating, slowly opened the envelope with one hand.
It was an invitation letter. His name was written on the envelope, but the first line inside read "Dear 001."
The TV was still on. Jiang Yujin briefly closed his eyes, lashes lowered slightly when he reopened them. He tossed the envelope, pocketed the letter, and continued watching TV.
Early the next day, Jiang Yujin boarded a car headed to B City.
A City and B City weren't too far apart. It took just a few hours by car. However, changing cars from B City to G Town took up some time.
The reality was he hadn't eaten breakfast and was very hungry. Before reaching his destination, Jiang Yujin bought two steamed buns.
…
Today happened to be market day. There were many people in town, especially at the market. Every step was a challenge.
Walking amidst the crowd, Xu Tonggui scanned around with his iron-grey pupils, constantly searching.
Someone walked directly into his field of vision, holding steamed buns and swaying them. Their messy hair slightly bobbed with their movements, appearing rather lively.
The chaotic crowd seemed to have no effect on him. He was completely unrestricted, weaving through the crowd just as swiftly as he appeared, leaving just as quickly.
Someone tapped his arm, causing Xu Tonggui to retract his gaze, looking down, he saw a middle-aged woman, whom he had previously asked a question, struggling to squeeze next to him and saying, "I remembered the person you asked about. He went to Congshan Village several days ago. My husband saw him getting on the bus."
The woman kindly added, "The bus to the village will leave in a while. If you go now, you can make it."
…
Relying on his skills, Jiang Yujin navigated through the crowd to reach the station.
He was heading to Congshan Village, not a very developed area. Locals said the road to the village was unpaved, with only two buses a day.
It was still about ten minutes before the first bus departed, giving him plenty of time. He reached the station, nibbling on a steamed bun as he boarded the bus.
Surprisingly, the bus was packed, except for the last row where there were two seats without windows.
Jiang Yujin took his steamed bun and settled in the innermost seat.
As he began eating his steamed bun, someone sat down next to him. Abiding by his principle of friendliness, he greeted, "Hello."
Xu Tonggui briefly responded to the greeting, his gaze inadvertently drawn to the large white steamed bun in the other person's hand.
Jiang Yujin was generous and noticed the person's glance. He asked kindly, "Do you want to have some?"
Xu Tonggui shook his head, cautioning, "Eating too much now might make you nauseous later."
Jiang Yujin waved it off confidently, "No, it won't."
The bus started, slowly traversing the dirt road.
The road was indeed rugged, enough to sway and shake.
Upon a sharp turn, Xu Tonggui suddenly found something new in his hand—a half-eaten steamed bun.
"Xu Tonggui."
Jiang Yujin stared ahead with lifeless eyes, stating matter-of-factly, "I feel like vomiting."
Xu Tonggui: "…"
Sure enough, he still got motion sickness.
Xu Tonggui glanced at the steamed bun in his hand, hesitating.
Sure enough?
He turned slightly and happened to see the person beside him, resolutely playing a game on his phone. Despite the bus swaying from side to side, the person remained steady, his hands unaffected, and amidst his black hair, a few strands of white hair swayed gently before settling down.
<< _ >>
**TN
I uploaded 3 chaps today~ Btw, I'm the only one managing this website, I don't update the Table of Contents because I need to add the links manually, kinda tiring, don't wanna do it. So just use the Novelupdates TOC. Hehe.
Chapter 8 – Congshan Village (1)
The bus traversed the rugged mountain roads, and the consequence of playing games despite motion sickness was that Jiang Yujin completely conked out towards the latter part of the journey, peacefully closing his eyes.
This bus made numerous stops along the way, and each time it braked, it tested the occupants' endurance. Congshan Village was the terminal stop, and by the time he groggily opened his eyes, only two people remained seated in the back row.
Surprisingly, aside from them, not a soul on the bus was heading to this village.
Jiang Yujin moved to a window seat, opened it wide to feel the wind blowing. But fog had started forming on the mountain, and the driver didn't dare to speed up. The wind wasn't strong enough to make much of a difference.
Upon getting off the bus, Xu Tonggui held half a leftover steamed bun in one hand and supported someone with the other, successfully becoming the other party's human-shaped walking stick.
The bus driver hesitated for a moment, then reminded them, "There have been strange occurrences lately in Congshan Village. There won't be any afternoon buses to this stop these days. If you're planning to return, you'll have to wait until tomorrow. If you're heading there, be extra cautious."
Jiang Yujin suppressed the vomit and waved, saying, "Thank you."
Watching the old bus disappear into the fog, Xu Tonggui redirected his gaze to the person beside him and asked, "Where are you heading?"
It was evident that the other person couldn't move around alone in this state.
Jiang Yujin loosened his grip on the human-shaped walking stick, casually rubbed his head, and said, "I guess we're going different ways."
Having said that, he walked away. Perhaps due to the motion sickness, he didn't walk as briskly as he did in town, but he moved without hesitation, without a moment's pause.
Before the person vanished into the fog, Xu Tonggui spoke up, "How did you know my name?"
In the midst of fog and wind, the rustling of leaves seemed to engulf the entire world when the wind blew.
Jiang Yujin, who had already walked a distance, turned back and smiled, casually saying, "Saw your handsome face at the convenience store and asked around."
He smiled without any seriousness, speaking as if he were making it up on the spot, making it hard to discern the truth.
Without paying attention to the perplexed Captain Xu here, Jiang Yujin walked straight into the fog.
…
The bus couldn't reach Congshan Village directly; the village was on the edge of a cliff, vaguely visible from a distance, indicating a need for a considerable walk.
The aftermath of motion sickness lingered, and Jiang Yujin held himself back, finally not leaving anything foul in this pristine land.
As he progressed, the fresh air began to lose its freshness, intermingled with a sickly sweet scent, faint but impossible to ignore, adding to the already dizzying sensation in his head.
Closing his eyes briefly, Jiang Yujin took a turn midway, not continuing toward Congshan Village but instead veering towards the base of the cliff.
Descending was much easier than climbing up the cliff. Passing through abandoned fields, as he entered the woods, the fog thickened suddenly to a point where even his feet were hard to see.
The dense fog, obstructing his view, seemed to be slowly shifting, as if something else might appear at any moment.
Jiang Yujin felt the fog severely impeding his breath.
From the thick fog surrounding him, thin, elongated black hands extended slowly, reaching towards his throat.
Effortlessly breaking the black hand and sidestepping the rigid hand emerging from the ground, Jiang Yujin's expression remained unchanged, still navigating through the misty path in the woods.
But the incessant appearance of these black hands was truly irritating.
As the fog surged, he casually snapped off a tree branch and turned around.
The densely packed, thin, black hands emerging from the fog were neatly broken, without any blood, dissipating into black smoke upon hitting the ground. The fog contorted and swirled, as if trying to condense again, but the disruption was too severe, preventing it from immediately taking shape.
Jiang Yujin wandered through the woods, eventually reaching a mountainside.
The place looked no different from when he arrived, except for a weathered-looking statue of a local deity. Thick cobwebs covered it, and the small plate for offerings had developed cracks, concealed by leaves.
Politely murmuring "Excuse me," Jiang Yujin moved the statue aside.
Behind the statue was a hollow space, not very spacious, with a small black flower in the center, planted on a decaying palm. The petals of the flower had eerie and twisted patterns. The nauseating odor immediately assaulted him the moment the statue was moved.
Around the flower were cuboid-shaped dark crystals. Jiang Yujin glanced at them, then at the tree branch in his hand.
Click.
The crystal was pierced by the branch, emitting a faint sound before shattering.
As the flower was plucked, its black petals instantly shattered and disappeared, dissipating along with the lingering sickly sweet scent.
Jiang Yujin felt relieved. He glanced at the hole in the ground where the hand had emerged, then compared it to the tree branch in his hand.
The sizes matched quite well.
With another masterpiece completed, he stood up, clapped his hands, and continued up the mountain.
Playing his game while walking, time passed swiftly.
When his phone battery reached half, he lifted his head and could already see the outline of the village.
The sun had risen, dissipating much of the fog. In the nearby fields, someone was working, the clear sound of a hoe digging into the earth reaching his ears.
As he prepared to approach, footsteps came from behind. Jiang Yujin turned and saw Xu Tonggui, who should have gone separate ways by now.
Seemingly surprised to find him there, Xu Tonggui hesitated momentarily before striding closer and asking, "Are you heading to Congshan Village?"
Jiang Yujin nodded. "Heard it's quite natural and serene here, perfect for unwinding after work."
Deep in the mountains, indeed, it was remarkably natural.
"This isn't a place to unwind right now," Xu Tonggui said. "You should head back."
Disappointed, Jiang Yujin shook his head, echoing the bus driver's words, "The only way to go back is to wait until tomorrow."
"Many livestock carcasses are found in the nearby woods," Xu Tonggui presented his credentials, introducing himself formally for the first time. "I'm Captain Xu Tonggui from the Special Investigation Unit for Strange Species."
"There is something strange in this village, make sure to stick close to me."
He had a rugged appearance, a serious demeanor, and a deep voice, all quite intimidating.
They departed around the same time. It made sense why he arrived later; turns out, he had been scouting the nearby woods.
Jiang Yujin nodded with a smile, "I'll rely on Captain Xu then."
The sound of hoeing from a distance ceased. An elderly man who had been working in the field stopped and waved at them.
As they drew closer, a woman passing by the village entrance also noticed them, approaching with a basket of vegetables to greet them.
Sociable as ever, Jiang Yujin raised his drooping eyelids slightly and waved back.
The elderly man and woman were welcoming, with genuine smiles on their faces. Realizing they wouldn't be able to leave today, they briefly considered and invited them in, "The second floor of Li Er's house is vacant. He's been living alone for so long; having someone stay over might make him happy."
Before Xu Tonggui could speak, Jiang Yujin nodded and said, "Thank you."
With just a few words, they found a place to stay for the night in the village, and Jiang Yujin's smile became even more genuine.
Congshan Village wasn't much different from other ordinary villages, with standalone houses and small sheds presumably for livestock. Approaching, there was a faint smell, but there was nothing inside.
Li Er, the homeowner mentioned by the woman, was at home. He had a limp and took a while to respond to their calls, and when he did, his expression wasn't pleasant. It worsened upon seeing the unfamiliar faces behind them.
He didn't seem too pleased.
Nevertheless, even though Li Er wasn't in the best mood, he stepped aside to let them in and escorted them upstairs.
In the center of the ground floor's hall was an altar. Jiang Yujin glanced at it briefly before shifting his gaze away.
The environment on the second floor could be described as rudimentary. There was one room with two benches and a bed inside. The elderly couple didn't follow upstairs.
Li Er spoke bluntly, "These are the conditions. If you can't bear it, it's best to leave early."
Jiang Yujin and Xu Tonggui stayed behind.
It was midday, transitioning into the afternoon, still early. Xu Tonggui had tasks remaining. After a brief rest, he left. The unarmed citizen named Jiang followed him as he said.
The village appeared quite ordinary. Some people were tending to crops in the fields, others gathered for conversation, occasionally erupting in laughter. There was nothing out of the ordinary. They inquired and learned that recently, there had been outsiders like them in the village, but they had all stayed only for a night before leaving.
Outside the house, Xu Tonggui asked questions while inside, people were playing cards. Jiang Yujin hesitated for less than a second before decisively entering the room to observe the card game.
Several others, like him, stood around watching. Even though it was their first meeting today, he still engaged in occasional brief conversations with those nearby, quietly analyzing the game. Those who interacted with him even praised him as a skilled card player.
Jiang Yujin modestly waved off their compliments, saying they were exaggerated.
Amidst the chatter in the room, there were intermittent sounds of collisions coming from the floor above, not too loud. He glanced upward slightly.
Someone nearby gestured, saying, "It must be Xiao Ya playing around again."
Jiang Yujin shifted his gaze back, smiled, and remarked, "She's quite energetic."
While Xu Tonggui was conversing outside, he caught a glimpse of the people inside wearing loose shirts, standing lazily to the side, with faint smiles and relaxed postures. As soon as he noticed their gaze, they nodded and gestured, as if inviting them to watch the card game together.
Xu Tonggui didn't go to watch the game, and consequently, Jiang Yujin didn't continue either. They wandered around the village until the sky gradually darkened before they began their journey back.
There was nothing unusual in the village, except that nearly every household had altars, all closed off, concealing what was inside.
While returning, they passed through a narrow path and from a subtle angle, both simultaneously noticed a partially concealed black shrine halfway up the mountainside.
The shrine, like the altars they had seen today, was also a very rare black color.
Glancing at each other, Xu Tonggui diverted his gaze and said, "Let's head back first."
Jiang Yujin readily agreed.
…
Bad news, Li Er didn't bother with dinner. Good news, Xu Tonggui still had half a steamed bun left from this morning.
Sitting on a small stool, Jiang Yujin took his own bun and generously shared half of it with the person beside him.
Xu Tonggui declined.
Jiang Yujin couldn't believe it. "You're rejecting my offering!"
In the end, Xu Tonggui reluctantly accepted half of the half steamed bun and slowly ate it.
Jiang Yujin nodded satisfactorily, holding a quarter of a bun while sitting by the window, peering out.
Now it was completely dark outside, and the mist was beginning to thicken once more.
After finishing dinner and reaching the point of rest, Jiang Yujin, lying on the bed playing a game, yawned, and his eyes teared up a bit.
Xu Tonggui, still sitting on the stool, was quite straightforward, moving the stool closer to the bed and saying, "You sleep."
He followed up with, "Tomorrow, take the morning bus and leave this place."
It wasn't an inquisitive tone, coupled with his chillingly stiff voice, it was quite intimidating.
Jiang Yujin comfortably tucked himself in, casually responding, "Okay," before dozing off deeply. It wasn't until midnight that he heard some noise and opened his eyes.
The nights in the village were much quieter than in the city, devoid of insect chirps or animal noises; every sound was amplified in the darkness.
Xu Tonggui was also awake, his eyes fixed on the room's door.
The noise was coming from outside the door, sounding like someone climbing stairs, but different, intermittently light and heavy, the sound of footsteps and a cane hitting the ground in alternation.
If there was nothing unexpected, it should be Li Er.
The sound grew nearer, likely ascending to the second floor, and it quickened.
In Xu Tonggui's hand, something flashed with a chilling metallic light as Jiang Yujin slowly put on his shoes and got out of bed.
The room echoed with the sound of the door handle being turned, but they habitually locked it, so the handle wouldn't budge.
There was a moment of silence outside the door, followed by the jangling of keys, harsh and consecutive.
He had probably found the keys; after the rustling sound of key-searching faded, there was the distinct noise of a key entering a lock and turning.
Xu Tonggui stepped closer to the door.
"Quick, someone! The shrine is on fire! Hurry to put out the fire, don't anger Lord Saka!"
Outside erupted in panicked shouting, and the whole village instantly became bustling, as if brought to life.
The key retreated from the keyhole, and the sound of the cane tapping gradually faded away.
There were flashes of light outside, and looking down from the window, one could see villagers holding flashlights running in a particular direction, even Li Er, with a limp.
He had left. In comparison to the fire gradually intensifying halfway up the mountainside, this place seemed oddly safe.
Glancing at Xu Tonggui, still looking towards the mountainside, Jiang Yujin said, "I'll stay here. You go check the situation."
His tone was sincere, remarkably understanding, truly living up to the label of a concerned citizen.
Xu Tonggui glanced at him and then handed him a walkie-talkie before leaping out of the window.
There was no way he could stay here.
Yawning, Jiang Yujin opened the room's door and descended the stairs.
The villagers in this village had exceptional mobility; by the time he reached the ground floor, there was no one on the way.
His sense of direction was decent. He navigated through the twists and turns of the village until he arrived at an unassuming house.
It was where he had seen people playing cards earlier today.
The ground floor lights were on, but there was no one inside. It was evident that the occupants had left in a hurry, leaving the front door wide open.
Jiang Yujin casually walked in through the main entrance, climbing the stairs with an air of a seasoned elder taking a stroll.
The second floor remained dark, but there was some light seeping through from below, providing meager visibility.
Jiang Yujin, with his hands behind his back, strolled around the second floor as if he owned the place, his gaze scanning the area before stopping at a middle-aged man lying on the floor, saying with a smile:
"Hello there, Xiao Ya."
The man called "Xiao Ya," restrained in both hands and feet, stared wide-eyed in terror. He squirmed incessantly, trying to move backward, his hair drenched in sweat. As he looked at the approaching figure, his eyes instantly filled with bloodshot veins.
Chapter 9 – Congshan Village (2)
Halfway up the mountain.
A short-haired girl watched as the shrine was engulfed in flames. She noticed the erratic beams of flashlights gradually winding up the mountain, retreating and fading into the darkness of the woods. She listened quietly to the villagers' conversations.
She stood in the woods for a while, until more and more villagers gathered. She turned away and returned to the woods on the other side of the mountain.
At the prearranged meeting spot, Chen Jing was already waiting. Upon seeing her, he said, "No traces of anything unusual in the nearby woods."
They had arrived at the village the day before, staying in a villager's house. After asking around the village, they hadn't heard any news about Liu Cheng, who was supposed to have arrived here a few days earlier. However, they discovered that the villagers here worshipped a deity of unknown origin and found dried and fresh bloodstains, along with human hair, in the shrine. Upon this discovery, they swiftly left the villager's house and temporarily took refuge in the forest.
The driver who brought them here mentioned that several villages in this vast mountainous area had been unsettled recently, with several people gone missing. Those missing individuals might very well be the owners of that pile of hair.
Things seemed suspiciously strange, most likely indicating the presence of something supernatural. Despite roughly scouting the vicinity, Chen Jing hadn't found any traces of unusual activity.
"The villagers have gone to the shrine, leaving the village empty. We must find Liu Cheng today."
As Chen Jing finished speaking, the girl jumped down from the tree and said, "I heard the villagers who went to the shrine said that there would be a sacrifice tomorrow, a living sacrifice. According to their description, the sacrifice should be Liu Cheng."
No wonder there had been no communication after the information about reaching the village was relayed. Although Liu Cheng was shady when it came to making money, he strictly adhered to his principles as a businessman. Once an agreement was made for a deal with them, he wouldn't easily back out. If he couldn't be contacted promptly, something must have gone wrong.
Neither the shrine nor the woods could hide a person. The only possibility was that Liu Cheng was being concealed within the village.
The evening wind swept through the woods, causing the fallen leaves to swirl and rustle loudly, leaving Xiao Pang, who had just arrived, covered in them.
Gasping for breath and leaning against a tree, Xiao Pang said, "Xu Tonggui has gone to the shrine, and all the villagers have left. If we want to find someone, it has to be now."
*
Second Floor
Liu Cheng struggled but could only widen his eyes as Jiang Yujin approached.
The person in front of him had changed a lot from his impression. All the imposing presence seemed subdued, with long strands of black hair covering most of the face, giving off an air of tranquility and ordinariness, blending into the most common presence within a crowd.
His voice was hoarse, and his tone casual and relaxed. He appeared completely different, making it hard to associate him with the character "001" from the game.
Jiang Yujin walked up to Liu Cheng and squatted beside him, resting his hands on his knees casually. He frowned, looking at the person on the ground, saying, "I greeted you, why didn't you respond?"
Liu Cheng, whose mouth was tightly covered, mumbled, "…"
As if just noticing something obstructing his mouth, Jiang Yujin seemed surprised and reached out to remove it.
"Hah…hah…"
Finally able to breathe fresh air again, Liu Cheng took deep breaths. It was the perfect time to call for help, yet he dared not make a sound and could only ask softly, "Why are you here?"
He asked, "How did you know I was here?"
Even at this moment, he was instinctively fishing for information.
Jiang Yujin didn't answer any of his questions. He lowered his eyes and asked, "To whom did you sell my information?"
His tone and demeanor remained unchanged, but the air around them seemed to chill instantly. Liu Cheng shivered, but not a word escaped his lips.
As a businessman, he always adhered to the fundamental principle of not disclosing his clients.
Respecting his silence, Jiang Yujin stood up and walked a small circle in the abandoned second-floor space. It was evident this floor was deserted, layered with thick dust, scattered wood shavings from a piled-up firewood, and stains left by rodents.
He found an abandoned toolbox on a wooden table, filled with rusty common tools.
Jiang Yujin took out a few nails and a small hammer, all under Liu Cheng's incredulous gaze, then turned around.
Liu Cheng watched as he approached again, squatting down and taking hold of his own hand.
The rusty nail hovered above his nail bed, then gradually pressed downward, piercing through the thin nail layer, and fixed itself at a subtle angle on his nail.
Jiang Yujin didn't waste many words; he raised the hammer and hammered down.
"Lu Dongcheng!"
Just before the hammer could barely touch the iron nail, Liu Cheng finally spoke up.
His chest heaved continuously, his eyes diagonally fixed on the hammer hovering above the rusty nail, pupils contracting, as he gasped, "I sold it to Lu Dongcheng!"
He had some integrity as a businessman, but not much.
The signature on the previous letter received was Lu Dongcheng; the name matched.
"And then?" Jiang Yujin, with the long forearm, spun the hammer in his hand and asked, "Anyone else?"
"No one else!" Liu Cheng's voice now carried a tremor. "Though many asked, only he could afford your information."
Jiang Yujin seemed to realize something; his eyebrows twitched as he asked, "How much did you sell it for?"
Liu Cheng glanced at him and then said, "One hundred million."
Jiang Yujin moved his hand that held the hammer slightly, startling Liu Cheng.
"The money?"
Liu Cheng replied, "I used it to buy other information."
"…"
In the midst of silence, he vaguely felt that this person in front of him seemed more determined than ever to kill him.
His hand twitched involuntarily, and he blurted out the rest: "Someone else wanted to exchange information for yours but hasn't yet!"
He had previously contacted a buyer who had the information he wanted. After finding out that Xu Tonggui was looking for him, he had hidden in this remote village. Unexpectedly, after disclosing the address to the buyer, he was attacked by an unidentified creature he hadn't seen before, waking up to overhear people downstairs discussing when to sacrifice him and, more often, listening to the sound of card games downstairs.
Even though the situation didn't seem right, he still thought the people here were pretty bad at cards.
Today, he finally heard a stranger's voice, guessing it might be his client. That's when he thought of making some noise, only to unwittingly summon an evil spirit.
Jiang Yujin lowered his eyes. "Is that so?"
…
Down on the roadside, three people who had separately searched the entire village met in front of a house, each shaking their heads slightly.
The girl looked toward the open gate of the house and frowned. "This is the last house."
Chen Jing nodded. "Let's go in and take a look first."
People in this area didn't have the habit of digging cellars. The three explored the ground floor and then met at the stairs, silently ascending together.
Click.
The moment they reached the second floor, Xiao Pang instantly raised the gun fitted with night vision goggles toward the darkness.
There was no one on the second floor; dust was scattered all around, indicating recent activity, but whoever was there had already left.
The girl's expression grew increasingly serious. "He's probably been taken away."
Footprints were visible on the floor, leading only towards the stairs, suggesting that whoever entered wasn't in a hurry.
They had walked openly up the stairs, not rushing, something only a villager who was the owner could do.
Completely unaware of where Liu Cheng had been taken, the clues abruptly ended there.
Chen Jing remained silent momentarily, pondered, then said, "We haven't found Liu Cheng yet. Xu Tonggui probably won't make any moves tonight. The villagers will surely take Liu Cheng to the sacrificial site. We still have a chance before the ritual tomorrow."
After finishing, he looked at the chubby guy and suddenly asked, "What time is it now?"
"One thirty in the morning."
Chen Jing took out his phone and dialed a number while walking.
The chubby guy asked him what he was doing.
Chen Jing replied, "Chasing someone back."
After finishing work at the convenience store, if there was nothing else, the person who had just regained freedom would definitely go to various strange places to drink. If no one reminded him, he could drink until dawn.
The phone rang twice and finally went to the busy tone indicating the other party had switched off their phone.
Chen Jing put away his phone, and the group left the house, disappearing at the intersection.
On the roof beam, Jiang Yujin, having put away the just-turned-off phone, returned it to his pocket and casually kicked Liu Cheng down before lightly jumping down himself.
Liu Cheng fell hard; his hands and feet were already numb from being bound, unable to feel whether he had broken any bones.
Finally able to speak again after being threatened with a rusted blade against his throat on the roof beam moments ago, Liu Cheng urgently pleaded, "I've told you everything I know. Aren't you going to save me? You heard what they said just now, didn't you?"
He had planned to elaborate on the benefits of saving himself, but Jiang Yujin's emotionless gaze rendered him speechless.
Jiang Yujin withdrew his gaze and smiled, "Guess why I came to see you so directly."
No barriers, no beating around the bush—just straightforward, no pretense.
Liu Cheng couldn't stop trembling all over.
From the start, 001 hadn't intended to let him continue living.
The reason the other party wasn't taking action now was that he knew he would soon perish at the hands of something else.
Liu Cheng watched the tousle-haired figure leave, casually pulling out a walkie-talkie as he walked.
…
By the time Xu Tonggui returned to the Li family's house, he saw a person in a loose shirt standing in front of the hall, eyeing the altar placed right in the center.
The altar had been opened, revealing the deity inside.
It was called a deity, but in reality, it was far from it—specifically, it was too ugly.
The deity seemed to be made of bronze, its head deformed to the point where nothing was recognizable except its mouth. Its body resembled a snake, but upon closer inspection, one could see that it wasn't scales covering it but rather elongated, hand-like appendages.
Having such a thing revered at home was concerning in terms of aesthetics, at least according to Jiang Yujin.
Upon hearing movement behind him, he turned and asked the approaching figure, "Do you know what this is?"
Xu Tonggui glanced at the deity and nodded, "Saw it in the department's database."
Thousand-Armed Saka, an A+ class strange species, adept at manipulating and enticing believers to provide sacrifices, detesting all creatures with four legs, possessing considerable strength but excessively cautious, appearing in front of people only during feeding times.
Jiang Yujin nodded thoughtfully, as if engaging in profound contemplation, then turned and asked, "How much do you think a statue like this could fetch?"
Chapter 10 – Congshan Village (3)
Just having lost a hundred million, Jiang Yujin now saw everything as if it were money, especially the statues that shimmered and seemed to be valuable items.
Xu Tonggui fell silent for a moment, ultimately choosing not to answer that question. He turned his head towards the winding flames not far away and said, "I'll take…"
Light and heavy footsteps sounded again. While other villagers were still putting out fires on the mountain, Li Er's figure appeared at the door.
Upon entering the door and seeing two people, he visibly paused. Then, he glanced at the altar placed in the middle of the hall and gestured in a direction with the cane he held in his hand.
Xu Tonggui lowered his head to look at Jiang Yujin, his movements natural and smooth.
The situation was eerie now, but strangely, Jiang Yujin seemed unfazed. He appeared quite interested and stepped forward.
The two followed Li Er, who was limping and using a cane, toward a room. As they moved, they could still hear the jingling of keys on the other person's body.
When the statue disappeared from their sight, Li Er finally spoke, his voice coarse, "The village has gone mad believing in that monster. You shouldn't have come here."
Ever since the shrine suddenly appeared halfway up the mountain one day, the village craftsman stopped taking work and spent their days indoors crafting statues of "Lord Saka," their eyes sunken from exhaustion. They made altars from the wood they took from the shrine and distributed them to every person in the village, who all took them gratefully, including himself. Nothing seemed different from before on ordinary days, but since "Lord Saka" required offerings, things had gradually taken a strange turn.
People who had hardly ever done anything wrong in their lives knocked out outsiders, placed them on the sacrificial platform, laughed upon hearing screams in the mist, and warmly welcomed every newcomer to the village, only to bind them at night and leave them on the second floor, waiting for the next sacrifice.
Li Er sneered, saying, "They still believe that as long as they offer something to Saka, their wishes will come true."
Jiang Yujin asked, "Don't you believe it?"
"Saka said it could make my leg agile," Li Er replied. "My leg's been useless for decades. Whether it can be cured or not, I know in my heart."
Jiang Yujin nodded.
Saka could confuse believers, but for those with a strong sense of self, like Li Er, it had no power.
He didn't believe in Saka but pretended to, because he had seen someone else, just as clear-headed, declare an intention to call the police and then be placed on the sacrificial altar.
"You should be thankful for the fire up the mountain," Li Er said. "During the day, I intended to let you leave. Since you didn't, they were going to come here tonight, but they rushed to put out the fire and didn't make it in time."
As he spoke, he shut the door to the room, then crouched down and lifted the carpet.
Beneath it was a movable wooden panel leading to a gently sloping path, pockmarked and dusty.
People in this area didn't build basements, except for Li Er.
His ancestors had built it, long abandoned. He kept to himself, spoke to no one, and no one knew about this hiding place in his house.
"At night, the woods have packs of wolves. You can't leave now. Stay here for the night," he said.
He explained that before the sacrifice began, this area would be covered in thick fog. When the fog arose, the wild beasts in the woods wouldn't dare to come close. The fog was so dense that even walking on the roads, people couldn't see those around them. Tomorrow morning, they could take advantage of the fog to leave.
The cause and effect became clear.
Li Er's initial change in expression upon seeing the two wasn't due to their arrival, but because he knew the villagers had targeted innocent passersby. His crude manner and the basic room were meant to urge them to leave early. He came upstairs at night knowing the villagers were coming, intending to take them to the basement to hide. Unexpectedly, there was a fire, someone called for him to help, so he left. He guessed that after others put out the fire, they would return, so he extinguished it symbolically a couple of times and came back early to take them to the basement.
Turns out, he was a kind-heart uncle.
Jiang Yujin put his arms around Li Er. Jiang Yujin, moved, said, "Uncle Li, you're really kind."
Li Er seemed unsure how to respond to such warmth. His lips moved slightly, allowing the two into the basement, then closed the door with a soft click.
After a not-so-long time, voices of returning villagers outside could be heard, probably questioning where Li Er and the others had gone.
In the quiet basement, Jiang Yujin found a place to sit after turning off his phone, which had no battery left to support turning it back on. He turned to Xu Tonggui, asking, "Is there any Xiaoxiaole on your phone?"
Xu Tonggui glanced up, the meaning clear.
Objectively speaking, a night without a game was quite hard to endure.
…
When daylight arrived the next morning, the village and the surrounding area were shrouded in thick white fog.
The fog was dense, allowing voices to be heard but making it hard to see people, only faintly discerning their silhouettes moving within the mist.
The thick fog completely hindered any attempt to locate individuals.
Chen Jing's group had to abandon their plan to find people before the ritual and instead rushed to the vicinity of the altar to wait in ambush.
The altar stood on the cliffside near the shrine, which had been burned down the day before. The villagers had hastily constructed a platform made of wood. It looked a bit crude but seemed stable. In the center was a stone platform with traces of last night's burning, likely the place for offerings.
Before the sacrifice began, the villagers started gathering. Li Er, who had been interrogated by others yesterday, was among them.
From their distance, they couldn't see if Liu Cheng was on the stone platform or determine the exact time the ritual would start. Acting recklessly would only alert the target. Chen Jing's group stayed nearby, ultimately choosing to remain still.
Chen Jing said, "I'll hold off Saka when the time comes. You two take care of getting Liu Cheng out."
Xiao Pang asked, "What about Xu Tonggui?"
Saka, classified as A+ class, was ambitious but primarily content with sufficient offerings, not inclined toward extensive destruction. However, its true strength surpassed ordinary A+ class entities by a considerable margin. They found it challenging to deal with, but involving Xu Tonggui would change the equation.
Chen Jing said, "Don't pin your hopes on others."
There was no wind, yet the fog in the mountains seemed to surge faster.
Amidst the clamor of conversation, the sound of trees being toppled echoed.
Saka appeared.
In an instant, Chen Jing moved, while the chubby guy and the girl swiftly leaped onto the altar, searching through the mist for Liu Cheng among the villagers.
A bizarre-shaped entity crawled through the thick fog, its elongated, hand-like scales grazing trees like blades, causing them to collapse.
A human appeared in front of it.
Chen Jing landed on a fallen tree, a small knife appearing in his hand. With the momentum of his leap, he skillfully maneuvered the blade past the scales, plunging it deep into Saka's flesh. Using the leverage of the knife's handle, he leaped halfway into the air, securing a chain laced with special iron spikes around Saka's neck.
His position was precarious, Saka wildly thrashed its head, and its massive tail struggled to reach him, but it couldn't quite make contact. It was momentarily stuck, unable to advance or retreat.
The chubby guy and the girl found Liu Cheng lying on the stone platform, drenched in sweat and trembling uncontrollably when they found him.
The villagers noticed the abnormality but dared not approach the altar, afraid they might be mistaken for sacrifices. They surrounded the area, horrified by the monstrous roars coming from nearby and vigilantly preventing the sacrifices from escaping. The scene was chaotic.
Xiao Pang leaped over the villagers with Liu Cheng on his back, agile despite his size. Upon landing, he maneuvered through the crowd, easily avoiding the bewildered villagers.
Finally reaching the edge of the cliff away from the shrine, the roars of Saka gradually faded into the background. Liu Cheng, who had been on edge the entire time, despite still being bound, finally relaxed, letting out a sigh and allowing his eyelids to droop.
Suddenly, a black, scaled tail emerged from the mist, sweeping across swiftly without warning.
Liu Cheng didn't even have time to register any anomaly. By the time he reacted, his body was already airborne.
He was swept off the mountainside.
Xiao Pang, carrying him on his back, suffered the same fate.
—Then the other party stopped.
Liu Cheng watched as the distance between them widened until the figure was obscured by the dense fog, no longer visible.
He could distinctly feel his life rapidly fading away.
His mind grew faint, his body weak, the excruciating pain from his back radiated throughout his body, gradually diminishing as the piercing agony began to fade.
On the mountainside, the chubby guy was grabbed by the girl, only to be flung back down with a swing of her arm. As he turned around, he faced the approaching villagers who had noticed the commotion.
Amidst the chaos, someone in the crowd slowly raised a gun.
Saka's struggles caused the thick fog nearby to dissipate, revealing the people on the platform.
Aiming at the person still restraining Saka, the moment before his finger pulled the trigger, the hand of the man holding the gun was gripped with brutal and absolute force.
Feeling the strength capable of crushing bones effortlessly, the person with the gun twitched their eyelids and turned around to face someone whose eyelids were drooping.
"Don't aim at him," Jiang Yujin gently said, "Kind-hearted Uncle Li."
Click.
Li Er's hand moved involuntarily, and his cane fell with a clatter. His throat bobbed up and down, questioning, "…How did you get out?"
When he left the basement yesterday, he had made sure the lock was secure.
Clink. A yellow key appeared before him.
Li Er was first puzzled, incredulous, then gradually recalled. His eyes widened.
The sudden warmth and physical contact from the person behind him last night weren't because the person was naturally warm-hearted and generous.
The key had been taken at that moment.
Not far away, Chen Jing couldn't contain Saka anymore and leaped away.
Jiang Yujin slowly retreated with Li Er, fading back into the thick fog.
"You knew all along," Li Er was forced to step back with him, wide-eyed, almost incredulous, "How…"
"Wondering where you slipped up?" Jiang Yujin replied.
Without a game of Xiaoxiaole at hand, Jiang Yujin was still eager to chat. After some thought, he said, "There were quite a few red flags."
Firstly, the altar: as someone who didn't believe in Saka, the altar was oddly clean, without a speck of dust.
Secondly, the steps in the basement were much gentler in slope than usual, marked with uneven imprints left by the canes poking into the ground, which contradicted the statement of it being a place 'left by ancestors and rarely used.'
And lastly, the logic doesn't pick up; since he had to warn them to leave, he could have just explained the situation when he initially took them up to the second floor, and he could have just taken them to the basement at night when they turned back from the village, but he chose to do it in the middle of the night.
It was likely that when he arrived in the dead of night, he carried the gun with him.
From a different perspective, the entire situation was completely contrary to the story concocted by Li Er.
His stern demeanor upon meeting them was probably because he saw both of them were men and thought it would be difficult to handle. His complaints on the second floor were just venting. His arrival at midnight indicated an intention to catch them off guard. Later, an unforeseen fire occurred. When Li Er returned and saw them standing in the hall, he thought they were planning to leave amidst the chaos. This was probably when he concocted an excuse to lock them in the basement, likely intending to reserve them for future sacrifices.
After all, ever since rumors spread about incidents occurring, fewer and fewer people visited Congshan Village. Each sacrificial offering became particularly precious.
In short, it was a trick played by the villagers on outsiders.
They knew it was a trap, but Jiang Yujin and Xu Tonggui still entered. One did it for sheer amusement, while the other wanted to see if Liu Cheng was inside.
Chen Jing's restraint on Saka lasted only a short period of time. And even though Saka was momentarily restrained, the damage was minimal. Before Saka could move, something seemed to flash in the peripheral vision, and the deformed skull instantly shattered. The body flew out and finally collided with another mountain. The resounding impact echoed through the mountains, causing the thick fog to dissipate, revealing the contours of the opposite mountain.
It was Xu Tonggui who arrived, quite timely.
The visual impact was too immense, causing Li Er to momentarily cease breathing. He was unaware of the gun slipping from his hand to the ground.
The situation had spiraled completely out of control. Perhaps his brain finally caught up with reality; he panicked and waved his hands frantically, "Lord Saka won't die, as long as there's a flower…"
At that moment, he resembled a devout believer, divulging everything about Lord Saka.
Thousand-Armed Saka possessed territorial consciousness due to the existence of a companion flower. As long as within the blessed range of the companion flower, one could endlessly regenerate health. Many people didn't understand this in the game, and here, they met their end by making such mistakes.
"Is it a black flower?" Jiang Yujin replied, "That flower stinks, so I plucked it."