[1. Go back to the well and investigate further]
[2. Check the village for more symbols]
[3. Try to find other villagers]
[4. Re-enter the temple to eavesdrop on the kids]
Lin Xiao thought for a moment, considering his options. He decided to choose the fourth option and sneak back into the temple to eavesdrop on the kids because he thought they were a little suspicious.
Lin Xiao controlled his character to move stealthily through the village, avoiding the moonlit areas to remain hidden.
He approached the temple's side entrance, where the shadows were deeper, and slipped inside.
Keeping to the shadows, he carefully made his way toward the main hall where the kids were gathered.
He found a corner behind a broken pillar that offered a good vantage point without being too exposed. From there, he could hear the kids' conversations without drawing attention to himself.
One of the kids approached Wang Mei and said, "Mei Mei, is that person talking about the same ritual we heard about from the bus driver?"
Wang Mei looked at the girl who had approached her and said, "Maybe."
The girl was a little shaken. "But the bus driver said the villagers were forced to stop doing the rituals after the last ritual went wrong four years ago and led to the death of a person."
Lin Xiao's character leaned in closer, straining to hear every word.
Wang Mei said, "I don't know, let's not think about it. Tomorrow, the bus driver will come back, and then we will go back. No need to dwell on this village's mystery."
Lin Xiao saw the kids lower their heads and return to the bonfire upon hearing Wang Mei's words. He was surprised at how much they obeyed her. How can it be? But Lin Xiao moved on and decided to get out of the temple again.
As he was leaving, he thought of the conversation he had just eavesdropped on. Was there a ritual in this village four years ago? Is it connected to the current ritual? As he pondered this, time stopped again, and a set of options appeared:
[1. Investigate the old ritual further by looking for more clues around the village]
[2. Head to the well and see if it connects to the old ritual]
[3. Confront Wang Mei and the kids with what you've learned]
[4. Wait a day and wait for the bus driver to come back]
Lin Xiao knew the well was a crucial part of the current ritual and might hold more answers. He chose the second option, and time started flowing again.
He directed his character out of the temple and back towards the village well. This time, as he approached, the eerie light casting long, dancing shadows on the walls seemed even more intense.
But just as he was nearing the well, a piercing scream echoed from its depths, and the light extinguished abruptly. Lin Xiao controlled his character and sprinted towards the well. He quickly tied a rope to a nearby tree and began his descent.
The bottom of the well was pitch dark, just like in his first playthrough. Lin Xiao took a look around the surroundings. It was the same as before: the scrolls and the bowl were in the same positions. Lin Xiao was confused. How did the priest actually fail the ritual? Last time, it was due to his interference, but what about this time or his first playthrough? How did the ritual fail?
Lin Xiao decided to investigate further. He guided his character to examine the ritual area more closely, searching for any signs of what might have gone wrong. The air was thick with tension, and he felt an odd sense of urgency.
He approached the bowl and the scrolls, studying them intently. The liquid in the bowl was a strange, dark substance, and the scrolls were filled with weird lines.
Lin Xiao once again found nothing of significance. Frustrated, he decided to check the hidden door he had discovered in his first playthrough. Just like before, it led back to the entrance with nothing of importance inside. He wondered why the developers would create a secret door that looped back to its starting point. What purpose could it serve?
Not wanting to leave any stone unturned, Lin Xiao guided his character to meticulously search every nook and cranny of the underground chamber. He inspected the walls for hidden compartments, tapped the floor for hollow spots, and even sifted through the dirt and debris in the corners. Despite his thorough investigation, he found nothing—no clues, no hidden items, and no indications of what had caused the ritual to fail.
Lin Xiao was left baffled and unsure of his next move. Time stopped again, and a new set of options appeared:
[1. Return to the village and search for more clues]
[2. Go outside and wait for daybreak]
[3. Confront the teenagers about the conversation that he eavesdropped]
Lin Xiao quickly dismissed the third option, knowing it was a bad idea. Confronting the teenagers would only arouse suspicion since he had lied about being a villager. He decided to try something new and chose the second option.
As time resumed, Lin Xiao guided his character out of the well. The eerie silence of the village greeted him once more as he emerged.
The moon was still high in the sky, casting an otherworldly glow over the desolate landscape.
He found a spot near the well where he could keep an eye on both the entrance and the surrounding area.
The night seemed endless as he waited. The village remained eerily quiet, with no signs of life except for the occasional rustle of leaves in the wind.
Lin Xiao's character sat down, leaning against a tree, trying to piece together the fragments of information he had gathered.
He thought about the conversation he had overheard in the temple. The mention of a failed ritual four years ago and the villagers' mysterious disappearance troubled him.
Was the current ritual somehow linked to the past failure? Why was the priest so desperate to complete it? And most importantly, how could he help without disrupting it?