The village seemed even eerier now, with the knowledge that something catastrophic might happen tonight. The path seemed longer, each step echoing with the urgency of the situation.
When Lin Xiao reached the temple, he hesitated for a moment before pushing the door open. The teenagers were still huddled around the bonfire, looking uneasy.
Wang Mei noticed him first. "You're back. Did you find anything?" she asked, her tone guarded.
A bunch of options came up in front of Lin Xiao:
[1. Don't tell her anything and say no I didn't find anything but try to find today's date]
[2. Kill her]
[3. Punch her and ask her about today's date]
[4. Mention the note but downplay its importance]
Lin Xiao ignored the second and third option and in the end, he decided to select the first option. His character spoke in a rugged tone, like he was a natural liar, "No, I didn't find anything.
Wang Mei still looked at him with distrust. "So, what are you going to do?" she asked, her eyes narrowing slightly.
Lin Xiao thought options would come once again but they didn't.
Lin Xiao's character took a moment to think, knowing he had to tread carefully. "I'll keep looking," he said. "There has to be something in this village that can explain what's happening. We just need to find it."
Wang Mei crossed her arms, still not entirely convinced but willing to let him proceed. "Alright, but be careful. If you find anything suspicious, come back here immediately."
Lin Xiao nodded and turned to leave the temple again.
Suddenly, he stopped and turned back around, trying to think of a good excuse. "Hey, just out of curiosity," he began, trying to sound nonchalant, "what's today's date and month? I kind of lost track of time while exploring."
Wang Mei raised an eyebrow but replied, "Today's date? It's the 1st of April... wait, never mind, it's the 2nd of April now."
Lin Xiao's character looked confused. "Huh?"
"We just passed midnight," Wang Mei explained. "It's the 2nd of April now."
Lin Xiao's character made an "oh" face and then nodded. "Thanks," he said, turning to leave again. Wang Mei watched him go, crossing her arms and looking thoughtful, her distrust evident.
As Lin Xiao stepped outside once more, he felt a sense of urgency. The note mentioned that the ritual was supposed to happen on the 1st of April.
If it was already the 2nd, then something must have gone wrong with the ritual, which could explain the eerie emptiness of the village.
Lin Xiao decided to go check the well. But he didn't know where the well was located.
Lin Xiao wandered through the village, the quiet and stillness unnerving him. The narrow, winding paths seemed to twist and turn endlessly, each corner revealing more abandoned houses with closed doors and darkened windows.
The moonlight cast long, eerie shadows, and the occasional rustling of leaves made him jumpy. The sense of isolation was palpable, and every sound seemed amplified in the silence.
After almost 30 minutes of searching, Lin Xiao finally found the well in a closed-off section of the village. The area was overgrown with weeds and surrounded by ancient, gnarled trees whose branches reached out like skeletal fingers.
The well itself was old and crumbling, the stones covered in moss and vines. It stood in the center of a small clearing, illuminated by the pale light of the moon, which made the scene even more unsettling.
The air around the well was heavy with a sense of foreboding. An icy chill seemed to emanate from the dark depths, and the faint whispering Lin Xiao had heard earlier was now louder and more distinct, as if voices were rising from the well.
The ground around it was uneven, and broken pieces of stone and wood littered the area, remnants of long-forgotten structures.
Lin Xiao approached cautiously, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up. The closer he got, the more intense the whispering became, sending shivers down his spine.
He peered over the edge, seeing nothing but darkness below. A cold draft hit his face, carrying with it the faint scent of decay and damp earth.
Lin Xiao knew he had to investigate further and soon a bunch of options came again.
[1. Investigate the well using a torchlight]
[2. Jump down the well]
[3. Run away]
Lin Xiao chose the most sane option, he decided to choose the first one.
He took out a flashlight from his belt and shone it down into the well. The beam of light revealed the walls covered in strange symbols and markings, glowing faintly. He could see the bottom was far deeper than he initially thought, disappearing into the inky blackness.
Once again options came but this time only two.
[1. Jump down the well]
[2. Run away]
Lin Xiao obviously chose the first one.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Xiao secured a rope to a nearby tree and began his descent into the well. The further he descended, the colder the air became.
The chill was so intense that Lin Xiao could feel it himself, even though he was playing a game and wearing a VR headset. It was as if the eerie atmosphere of the game was seeping into the real world.
Finally, Lin Xiao reached the bottom and saw that the space below the well was much larger than he had anticipated. The cavernous area stretched out in all directions, dimly lit by a faint, eerie glow emanating from the walls covered in strange symbols.
The floor was uneven and damp, with puddles of water reflecting the ghostly light.
The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and runes, some of which glowed faintly, casting eerie shadows that danced in the flickering light.
In the center of the cavern was an altar, made of ancient stone and covered in moss.
On the altar lay various items: a rusted knife, a bowl filled with a dark, viscous liquid, and a few withered flowers. Surrounding the altar were remnants of what seemed to be old, tattered books and scrolls, scattered haphazardly.
"This must the place where ritual was supposed to happen" Lin Xiao thought to himself.