Li Wei's vision fades to black, the world around them a blur of darkness and cold. When they finally regain consciousness, they find themselves lying on the cold stone floor of the underground chamber. Their head pounds, and their body feels heavy, as though the weight of the curse itself is pressing down on them.
They sit up slowly, the remnants of the eerie voice still echoing in their mind. The ghostly woman's scream reverberates through their skull, but when Li Wei looks around, the chamber is eerily quiet. The ground no longer trembles, and the oppressive cold that filled the room seems to have lifted—yet the sense of dread lingers.
The book lies open before them, its pages now empty, as if it has consumed the words that Li Wei had spoken. There's no sign of the ghostly woman. For a moment, Li Wei wonders if they've imagined everything—the woman, the curse, the strange symbols.
But as Li Wei stands, their eyes catch something new. The walls, once decorated with faded symbols, now seem to have shifted. New markings—dark, pulsating symbols—have appeared, glowing with an eerie, unnatural light. The symbols shift and change as if alive, and Li Wei realizes with a chill that they are no longer just part of the temple. The curse has spread beyond its walls. The village itself is now marked.
Li Wei stumbles back, their breath quickening. The whispers that had once been distant and unintelligible are now louder, clearer—filling the room, surrounding them. The curse has been triggered, and there is no turning back.
Panic sets in, but Li Wei quickly forces it down. They can't afford to be consumed by fear now. They need to understand what they've unleashed.
The detective pulls out their phone, hoping for a signal, but the screen remains blank. The isolation of the village seems to have intensified. There's no communication, no escape.
Determined to uncover the truth, Li Wei leaves the chamber and heads back to the village. As they make their way through the dark, winding streets, they notice something unsettling. The villagers, who had once avoided eye contact, now seem to be watching them with an almost knowing look. Their faces are pale, their eyes hollow, and their movements slow—like puppets controlled by an unseen force.
Li Wei approaches Old Han's inn, hoping to find answers. But when they enter, the atmosphere is suffocating, and the elderly innkeeper doesn't greet them as usual. Instead, Old Han sits silently behind the counter, his eyes vacant, his lips sealed.
Without a word, Old Han hands Li Wei a small, weathered amulet. It is inscribed with the same symbols that have appeared in the temple. The amulet pulses in Li Wei's hand, as though alive, and the whispers seem to grow louder, filling the room.
*"You have sealed your fate,"* Old Han mutters under his breath. His voice is no longer his own, as if someone—or something—else is speaking through him.
Li Wei's stomach churns. They've unwittingly become part of something far darker than they could have imagined. But there's no turning back now. The village, the curse, the spirits—everything is intertwined. To uncover the truth and survive, Li Wei must delve deeper into the village's dark past, confront the terrifying forces at play, and face the consequences of their actions.