Lin Xiao checked the game system. Lin Xiao saw that his mission completion number went up to 80%.
He knew he could now complete the game without figuring out the mystery of the loop or even helping the villagers.
But something about this strange woman and the eerie time loop gnawed at him. He needed to know more—how could she change the appearance of the teenagers? How did this loop work? What was really going on in this village?
Time stopped and options came.
[1. Ask the woman how you can help her]
[2. End the game]
[3. Beat her up]
Lin Xiao ignored the last two options and selected the first one.
"How can I help?" Lin Xiao asked.
The mysterious woman looked at him, her eyes filled with a mix of hope and sorrow. "You must break the cycle," she said softly. "The ritual that binds us to this loop is powerful, and it requires someone who isn't part of the village to sever it. You were sent here to do what we cannot—to end our suffering."
"How do I break it?" Lin Xiao's character pressed, leaning closer.
"There is a place," the woman continued, her voice trembling slightly. "At the heart of the village, beneath the ancient temple, lies the source of the curse. It is guarded by the spirits of those who performed the ritual—my sisters whose spirits have become twisted over the years. You must confront them and destroy the source. Only then will we be free."
Lin Xiao's mind raced as he absorbed her words. This was it—the key to everything.
But before he could respond, the woman added, "But be warned. Once you enter, there is no turning back. You will face not only the spirits but the truth of what happened here."
Suddenly, a massive notification flashed on Lin Xiao's screen, filling it with bold, ominous text:
[Warning! This is the point of no return. If you fail to complete this mission, you will receive no rewards, and the game will be permanently locked. Please select your options carefully.]
Lin Xiao stared at the massive notification on his screen, the gravity of the situation sinking in.
This was it—the point of no return. If he failed, there would be no rewards, and the game would be locked forever.
Two options appeared beneath the warning:
[1. END THE GAME]
[2. Help the villagers]
He hesitated, his finger hovering over the first option. He'd only started playing for some easy coins, not to get embroiled in a century-old curse. Was it really worth it? The thought of simply ending the game and moving on nagged at him.
It would be so easy to just walk away, collect what little he could, and leave this strange, unsettling world behind.
But then he sighed, his resolve hardening. He had always been the type to follow a mystery to its end, no matter how deep the rabbit hole went.
This time was no different. There was something about this village, these people trapped in a loop, that called out to him.
It wasn't just about the rewards anymore—it was about uncovering the truth.
With a deep breath, Lin Xiao selected the second option: [2. Help the villagers].
The screen flashed, and the mysterious woman looked at him, a faint smile of gratitude on her face. "Thank you," she said softly, her voice filled with emotion. "May the gods guide you."
The village around him seemed to hold its breath as if aware of the decision he had just made.
The moonlight flickered, casting eerie shadows across the temple grounds. Lin Xiao could feel the weight of the entire village's fate resting on his shoulders.
There was no turning back now.
The mysterious woman turned away from Lin Xiao, her footsteps echoing softly in the temple's eerie silence. "Follow me," she instructed, her voice carrying a weight of finality.
Lin Xiao hesitated for a moment, glancing at the middle-aged villagers, formerly teenagers, who were still in a state of shock and confusion.
Their eyes followed him, wide and disbelieving, as if they were grappling with the reality of their existence.
The woman pushed open the temple's door, and the creaking sound reverberated through the night air.
The village outside was just as Lin Xiao remembered—silent, with the moon casting a cold, pale light over the thatched roofs and cobblestone paths. The houses, marked with the strange protective symbols, stood still and lifeless, as if frozen in time.
Lin Xiao followed closely behind the woman, her figure a shadow moving steadily through the familiar landscape.
The village seemed unchanged, every detail exactly as he had seen it before—an unsettling reminder of the loop they were all trapped in.
The silence was thick, broken only by the occasional rustle of leaves or the distant hoot of an owl.
As they walked, Lin Xiao couldn't shake the feeling that the village was watching them, the very air heavy with an unseen presence. The woman led him through narrow alleys and past houses that all looked the same, until they reached the far corner of the village.
Lin Xiao's eyes widened in disbelief as he realized where they were. Before him stood the same well he had visited twice before.
The worn stones, the dark, foreboding opening—it was all the same. The woman stopped in front of it and turned to face him, her expression unreadable.
"This is where it all began," she said, her voice barely above a whisper. "And this is where it must end."
Lin Xiao stared at the well, confusion swirling in his mind. "This is the heart of the village?" he asked, his voice laced with doubt.
The woman shook her head slowly. "No," she replied, her tone grave. "This is the entrance that leads to the heart of the village."
Before Lin Xiao could respond, the woman turned to him, her eyes filled with an enigmatic resolve.
"Follow me," she instructed, and then, without warning, her body began to rise from the ground.
Lin Xiao watched in disbelief as she floated effortlessly into the air, her figure illuminated by the moonlight.
With a graceful, almost ghostly movement, she hovered above the well for a moment before diving straight down into its dark, gaping maw.