Lin Xiao stood at the entrance of the village and read the sign, "Miaoqing Village."
He muttered to himself, "Miaoqing... 'Miao' means 'wonderful' or 'mysterious,' and 'qing' means 'clear' or 'pure.' So, 'Miaoqing Village' could be interpreted as 'Wonderful Clear Village' or 'Mysterious Pure Village.' Odd name for a place like this."
From the entrance, Miaoqing Village appeared deceptively ordinary. The village was laid out in a typical rural fashion, with narrow, winding streets lined by old stone houses with thatched roofs.
Lanterns hung from posts, casting a warm, golden glow that flickered in the gentle breeze. The sound of rustling leaves and distant, nocturnal animals filled the air, creating an atmosphere of calm.
The moon hung high in the sky, its silver light bathing the village in a serene luminescence.
Unlike the unsettling red moons in the real world, the moon here looked normal and comforting, giving Lin Xiao a sense of normalcy and reassurance.
Flowering vines crawled up the walls of the houses, and cobblestone paths meandered through small gardens filled with colorful blooms.
A well sat in the center of the village square, with a stone bench beside it, inviting visitors to rest.
Lin Xiao's game character took a cautious step into the village, the sense of normalcy slowly replaced by an underlying feeling of unease.
He knew this ordinary-looking village held secrets, and he had to uncover them to escape.
As he walked through the village, Lin Xiao kept his senses sharp. He saw a dilapidated blacksmith's workshop to his left and an old apothecary to his right.
Further down the road, he could make out the silhouette of a weird temple, its steeple piercing the night sky.
Lin Xiao knew that it must be a place of importance.
As he walked his character towards the temple, he noticed that almost every door and window of the houses along the way were closed. He knocked on some of the doors, but nobody answered.
The village seemed abandoned, or its residents were hiding from something. Deciding not to waste more time, Lin Xiao continued towards the temple.
The structure was unlike any Lin Xiao had seen before—it was shaped like a massive, cylindrical drum, with intricate carvings covering its stone surface.
The carvings depicted strange scenes, with twisted figures and abstract patterns that seemed to move and shift in the moonlight.
The base of the temple was wide, tapering slightly as it rose, giving it the appearance of a gigantic drum about to be played by unseen hands. Around the circumference, evenly spaced windows were covered by thick, opaque glass, obscuring whatever lay within.
The roof was flat, with a large, circular opening at the center, through which the moonlight poured in, casting an eerie glow.
Stone steps led up to the entrance, flanked by weathered statues of mythical creatures—guardians of the temple, perhaps. Their eyes seemed to follow Lin Xiao's character as he approached, adding to the sense of unease.
The door to the temple was ajar, creaking softly in the wind. It was made of heavy, ancient wood, reinforced with iron bands that had long since rusted.
Lin Xiao's character hesitated for a moment at the threshold. Taking a deep breath, he pushed the door open wider and stepped inside.
The interior of the temple was dimly lit, with only the moonlight from the roof opening and a few scattered torches casting flickering shadows on the walls.
The circular layout of the temple continued inside, with a central altar dominating the space.
The altar was adorned with strange artifacts—bones, feathers, and what looked like fragments of old scrolls.
Surrounding the altar were several smaller shrines, each dedicated to a different deity or spirit.
These shrines were meticulously maintained, with offerings of food, coins, and flowers laid out in front of them.
The air was thick with the scent of incense, mingling with the musty smell of old stone and wood.
Lin Xiao heard some noises from behind the statue that stood on the main altar. The statue was of a beautiful woman, exquisitely carved but showing signs of age. Though the stone was slightly rusted, it was clear that someone had taken great care to maintain it.
Lin Xiao controlled his character and went to investigate. As he moved closer, he noticed a door behind the statue, the noises becoming clearer. It sounded like people talking and laughing. His curiosity piqued, Lin Xiao opened the door.
Behind the door was a dimly lit room, where a group of teenagers sat in a circle around a small bonfire. The flickering flames cast eerie shadows on their faces, making their laughter seem almost otherworldly.
They were dressed in casual, modern clothing, a stark contrast to the ancient surroundings.
The atmosphere was strangely festive, as if they were oblivious to the ominous setting they found themselves in.
One of the teenagers, a boy with wide eyes and a nervous demeanor, spotted Lin Xiao's character and let out a terrified scream. "Ghost!" he shouted, scrambling to his feet.
The others turned to look at Lin Xiao, some of them shrinking back in fear.
"Shut up, it's not a ghost," a girl with an air of authority said, standing up and approaching Lin Xiao. She had a confident stride and a sharp gaze, clearly the leader of the group. Her voice was steady, and she exuded a calm that seemed to quell the rising panic among her friends.
Lin Xiao was taken aback by their reaction and almost believed he had encountered ghosts. The leader girl stopped a few steps away from him and looked him up and down. "Are you a villager?" she asked, her tone more curious than accusatory.
"Our bus broke down a few hours ago," she explained. "We knocked on doors, but nobody answered. So, we decided to camp here for the night." She gestured to the makeshift campsite they had set up.
Lin Xiao took a moment to process the situation. These teenagers were stranded and seeking refuge, completely unaware of the dangers lurking in the village.
Soon bunch of options came up.