TWBS c21~31

表里世界 ☆ 

The World Below Surface

21 ☆ Who Took the Picture?

ARC 2 c21~31 Word Count: 31k

Translator: InkyDragon

Lu Yan gazed at the backs of the sisters, turned and entered the elevator. The air inside the elevator gradually became gloomy, and the liquid was dripping.

Lu Yan felt a slight itch on his neck, like a soft touch of hair. He lowered his head slightly and noticed a few strands of black hair hanging from his neck. The mirror in front of him was gradually becoming blurred, but he could still make out his figure, with his face obscured by a head covered in long, black hair.

A corpse hung down from the top, staring directly at Lu Yan. However, from Lu Yan’s point of view, he could only see his pale face under the icy lights in the mirror, and the sensation on his neck seemed like an illusion. He didn’t pay much attention to it, said nothing, and the elevator’s stalling and flashing lights didn’t change his expression. Eventually, he returned safely to his floor, unlocked the door, and made dinner as usual.

At night, he sat on the couch and watched TV. Recently, there have been more and more strange news, and the female host on the screen was reciting the news. Suddenly, she opened her mouth and swallowed her partner’s head. Then she realized she was live on air and covered her mouth with a shy smile, “I’m so sorry, but he always makes fun of my big mouth. I’m not happy. I hope everyone can understand me.”

Lu Yan nodded in agreement, and the hostess on the screen smiled with satisfaction as she continued with the news. A figure plummeted to the ground outside the window, emitting a mournful scream. Lu Yan ignored it and continued to focus on the TV. Moments later, another identical figure fell, making the same scream. Throughout the night, the same scream echoed repeatedly, and Lu Yan couldn’t determine how many times it had happened.

When Lu Yan stepped out of his flat the following day, the ground was clean and unoccupied, as if the hundred jumps from the previous night had been nothing more than an illusion.

Lu Yan walked towards the nearby underground station and passed a park where people were seated, forming a red and white yin-yang symbol. The group leader finished reciting a prayer, “Today, for the sake of our all-knowing and all-powerful Lord, I will praise Him forever and dwell with Him in the Holy Kingdom of Heaven forever…” Just as he finished, the park exploded with a deafening boom.

Lu Yan, who had already entered the next block, did not turn back at the sound of the explosion as he continued towards the underground station. As a journalist for a news agency, he was due at work and arrived at the office on time. He entered his superior editor’s office, ready to start the day.

“Well, did you bring the news?” His supervisor munched on a snack, his teeth crunching tiny human knuckles. His eyes were fixed on Lu Yan.

Lu Yan nodded, “I brought it,” he said, placing a USB stick and a thick envelope on the table.

The supervisor set down the snack bag picked up the photos, and examined them one by one, nodding in approval. “Not bad, not bad,” he said, “you actually captured the process of a human turning into a zombie…huh? Lan Zhiyu has been dead for decades, yet you captured her story. Looks like we’ll definitely take first place this year.” He praised Lu Yan and offered him a snack, but Lu Yan declined. The supervisor finished the bag of bones on his own and then continued with his assignments.

“Some of our newspaper staff are just too weak, they die after two or three interviews. But you, you’re more durable. Next week, you’ll go and cover this village.” He smiled at Lu Yan, “This village is famous for its underworld wedding customs and has set a historical record for the ghost brides. You’ll go and learn about it.”

Lu Yan agreed without a word.

This world…this world went mad a long time ago.

He wasn’t sure when it all began – maybe it was when humans first heard the crazed, incoherent ravings from another world; perhaps it started when the heads of condemned prisoners appeared on the necks of innocent people; or maybe it was from a small, unconscious act of human exploration into the unknown.

Regardless, the world had gone mad. Ghosts and monsters, once only found in horror stories, had taken over, and humanity was filled with bloodshed, terror, and cold corpses.

But the revival was only frightening; there were no gods, and humans were helpless. People caught in the chaos didn’t resist and embraced the new world joyfully.

There were no wars, for there was no point in fighting. Death was no longer feared, as the line between life and death was blurred. The death penalty was abolished, and no one dared to commit a crime for fear of retaliation.

They lived in a world of true peace and happiness.

Lu Yan entered the elevator and searched for information about the small village. The village was called Red River Village, and it was said that anyone who broke the strict rules was bled and thrown into the river, turning it into a river of red blood.

As he was reading, the elevator suddenly plunged, the numbers on display dropping until it finally stopped at -18. The elevator doors opened to reveal a blazing fire, a pool of boiling, inverted blood, and a head wailing in the pool.

Lu Yan didn’t step out but moved to the corner to avoid crowding the other passengers. After a while, the elevator appeared to fill with people, and the doors closed, rising slowly.

The black hair appeared again, wrapping around his neck in a circle, pulling out a woman who fell to the floor before him. A woman with a large belly pulled at Lu Yan’s pant leg and smiled up at him, “Let’s… Let’s have a baby, okay?”

Lu Yan found himself in a difficult situation as the person gripping his pant leg was holding on too tight for him to move freely. Although he couldn’t provide a straightforward answer, he had to do something to extricate himself from the situation. He gazed into his captor’s black, tear-filled eyes and decided to take action. With a deep breath, he squatted down, withdrew the knife he carried, handed it over to the person, and then gestured towards their stomach.

The woman was stunned but quickly realized the situation. She then took matters into her own hands by reaching down and slicing open her stomach, revealing one tiny, bruised baby after another.

In no time, the infants were crawling all over the floor with their eyes closed, and the hall was littered with long, twisted umbilical cords, with Lu Yan having long since left the scene.

Since he was headed to Red River Village, he did not waste any time. After a quick stop at home, he packed his belongings. He had spent nearly a week rest before setting out on his journey.

The twin sisters who lived upstairs were the newest residents in the building. The older sister was named Li Fang Ivana. In contrast, the younger was named Li Fang Zhi, and they were incredibly close and seldom apart. As Lu Yan said goodbye to them, they bounced out the door and asked, “What a coincidence, another business trip?”

Lu Yan nodded and then took a taxi to the train station, where he boarded the train to Red River Village.

**

“This mission is quite strange,” said Chen Zheng Hao. “Living in Red River Village for a full month? And the name Red River Village sounds ominoss” “It probably conjures up images of a red river of blood,” commented Ding Cong Lu as she tightly gripped Chen Zheng Hao’s hand. “But we can definitely make it, let’s not give up!” she added, looking at her boyfriend with determination.

“I won’t,” replied Chen Zheng Hao, embracing his girlfriend in a firm hug. “We must survive, Little Lu,” he whispered in her ear.

Just as the two were lost in their embrace, a voice interrupted them. “You two are also headed to Red River Village, correct?”

Ding Cong Lu pulled away from the hug, embarrassed, and introduced herself and her boyfriend. “Yes, we’re going to Red River Village. I’m Ding Cong Lu and this is my boyfriend, Chen Zheng Hao.”

The visitor was a tall, athletic woman with a wheat-coloured complexion who stood taller than Chen Zheng Hao. She introduced herself, “I’m Shen Na.”

As more people arrived, twelve individuals gathered, ranging in age from high school students to someone in their forties.

“Now, let’s go over the mission,” announced Shen Na. “We are to arrive at Station XX in the city of XX precisely at 11:00 AM on October 11. We will board Train 444 to Red River Village and remain there for the entirety of the month. Our mission begins at zero hour on October 12 and ends at zero hour on November 12. During this time, we must not leave the boundaries of Red River Village or the mission will be deemed a failure.”

She exuded a commanding presence, inspiring confidence and earning her the right to speak. However, one man was sceptical and muttered, “Why should I listen to you?”

Shen Na replied calmly, “Our ultimate goal is to survive, and it’s best if we don’t engage in internal conflicts. We must discuss everything together. Let’s start by sharing how many missions each of us has completed. We can use the experience of the person with the most missions as the basis for our decision-making.”

The man’s face stiffened. “Three missions,” he said.

Ding Cong Lu and Chen Zheng Hao, both newcomers, whispered sheepishly, “Two missions.” They had previously discussed fabricating their experiences to avoid discrimination.

“Three missions,” another person chimed in.

“Two missions,” added another.

“Six missions,” came a surprise from the group’s youngest member, a high school student named An Xing Yu.

Everyone turned their attention to An Xing Yu, taken aback by his unexpected revelation.

These “missions” were a mystery to everyone. They all suddenly received a consciousness, instructing them to travel to another world at a designated time to perform specific survival tasks. Failure meant death, and their nightmares about various gruesome deaths provided evidence of the reality of their situation. One person who had initially disregarded the warnings met a violent and tragic end after failing to arrive on time at the designated gathering place.

After several attempts, they were forced to heed the guidance of the consciousness and embark on the missions. The group of individuals participating in each mission was usually not small. Upon realising that many others worldwide had experienced the same thing, they created a secret website to share their experiences with one another.

Upon consolidating the accounts from other “questers” on the website, they discovered that most of the missions involved psychic horror events of all types and that the ghosts were indestructible. There was no solution to the ghosts or curses; they could only find ways to save themselves from death.

The world where the missions took place appeared similar to their own, but once the mission began, it became fraught with danger, where every move could result in death.

The missions did not offer any rewards or benefits like in some infinite level-based novels. The only compensation was recovering any trauma from the task after returning to reality. No matter how long the mission lasted, it would only take a fraction of a second in reality. Those who returned from the mission alive could continue with their everyday lives, while those who failed died instantly.

An Xing Yu’s experience completing six missions at a young age was awe-inspiring. Ding Cong Lu couldn’t resist asking, “When did you start doing missions?”

An Xing Yu replied with a voice devoid of emotion, “I started my first mission on January 14 of this year.”

At a rate of nearly one mission every two months, they all wondered when this would ever end.

There was a moment of silence before Shen Na spoke up, “Eight missions.”

The individuals who had just posed the question fell silent, their hearts filled with a sense of comfort. One of them spoke up, “Wait, are you the person behind the website post send in by [Tall buildings will fall]? I recall reading that they had completed eight times and there was an experience-sharing post after the eighth mission. It warned us to be cautious of NPCs.”

They only needed to be wary of those who claimed to be native to the world. There was always a chance they could be ghostly entities posing as humans. On the other hand, people paid little attention to off-world natives as long as they were sure they were human.

In fact, many individuals took advantage of the natives, using them as tools for exploration within the game. Despite their ability to converse, laugh, and have their own thoughts, these individuals were often referred to as NPCs, reflecting that they were nothing more than tools to be used.

It was as if they paralyzed themselves into thinking that it was all just a game. The NPCs were considered safe to use in their quest for survival.

Shen Na spoke up, “It’s not me.”

“Not you? Then who could it be?” asked another.

“There are so many people on the website. I can’t be the only one who’s completed it eight times,” replied Shen Na.

Just as the group was curious, a voice from the corner called out, “It’s me.”

A cold and stoic man emerged from the shadows, walking towards the group. He introduced himself, “I’m the one who posted it. My name is He Lou.”

With this, the number of individuals who had completed the task rose to thirteen.

“Excuse me,” said An Xing Yu, sensing there was still time before their arrival in Red River Village. “What do you mean by ‘beware of NPCs’?”

He Lou, who still looked pale, replied simply, “Literally.” The psychological shadow of his previous experience still haunted him, and he couldn’t shake the fear of losing his limbs again. “Have you ever considered that those NPCs are living, breathing individuals with minds of their own, just like us?” he asked, highlighting the injustice of exploiting them. Although He Lou’s attitude made the others uneasy, he didn’t elaborate further.

The train arrived at precisely 11 o’clock, and the passengers boarded an empty carriage. They found seats and began chatting in small groups. He Lou gazed out the window at the passing darkness, his mind drifting to the man from his previous mission. Mission frequencies had decreased, but the time intervals between tasks for the same person had shortened. Just a week after his last assignment, He Lou had received a new one, and he couldn’t help but wonder what would happen this time.

The passengers eventually drifted off to sleep, and when they woke up, the train was approaching Red River Village. “The train is about to arrive. Red River Village, please take your belongings with you,” a voice announced.

He Lou opened his eyes to find himself seated in a crowded train carriage, with stewards making final announcements about the approaching station. Taking a quick glance around, he surveyed the other passengers before doing a head count and confirming that everyone was present and accounted for. He reached the door, waiting to disembark as the train pulled into Red River Village.

As he prepared to leave the train, an elderly man nearby struck up a conversation. “Are you heading to the village as well?” he asked.

He Lou smiled in response. “Yes, we’re here to have some fun.”

The man’s enthusiasm was infectious. “That’s great! I’m from Red River Village myself. Are you familiar with the area? Do you have a place to stay?”

He Lou shook his head. “No, we don’t.”

“It’s quite late, and with so many of you, I’d recommend staying at the village’s hotel by the train station. It’s owned by a relative of my family, and I can even offer you a discount if you mention my name, Li Youcai.”

As the train came to a stop, He Lou and his group disembarked, thirteen people in total. He proposed they spend the night at the hotel and explore the village the following day. The group had no objections, and soon they settled into their new accommodations.

What struck He Lou most about the village was how seamlessly it blended the two worlds. The currency could be exchanged without issue, and there were no problems with documentation. If not for their inability to access information from their own reality, they might have believed they were in the same world.

They had all slept peacefully through the night in the village’s inn. The following day, Shen Na descended the stairs and found An Xing Yu chatting with the innkeeper’s wife. An Xing Yu, who was delicate and pale, had a polite manner and quickly won over the proprietress, who was now excitedly sharing information about Red River Village.

The proprietress, eager to share her knowledge, asked, “Do you know how the village got its name? The experts say it’s because of the microorganisms in the soil that dye the river water red and make it a beautiful sight.”

“Auntie, don’t you usually have trouble with water?”

“No, the water we drink is clean.”

Curious to see the red river, Shen Na interjected, “Where can I see it? I want to take a look.”

The proprietress put down her cleaning rag, wiped her hands on her apron, and pointed toward the river. “Take the main road west from here, don’t turn around, and you’ll eventually come upon it,” she instructed.

 “Okay, thank you auntie.” An Xing Yu, inquired, “Apart from the red river, are there any other interesting and delicious places to visit?”

This sparked a lively discussion, with others gathering around to listen. The innkeeper’s wife eagerly listed local delicacies like mushrooms, black tea, and unique paper lanterns.

“By the way,” she added, “tomorrow the village headman’s grandson is getting married, and there will be a reception in the evening. Everyone from the village is expected to attend, so you’re welcome to join us.”

Ding Cong Lu, hesitant about attending the reception, asked, “We’re just here to sightsee. Would it be inappropriate to attend the reception?”

The proprietress reassured them, “It’s just how things are done in our village. Everyone is expected to attend, and it would be against the rules not to. You don’t need to bring anything fancy, just a white packet as a small token of appreciation.”

The group was confused when they heard the proprietress mention a “white packet,” as they were accustomed to giving “red packets” as gifts.

“A white packet?”

“The village headman’s son has been gone for three years, but he has finally found a wife, so he is very happy today,” the boss’s wife said with excitement as she returned to the counter, pulling out a pile of white packets from the drawer. “I watched that boy grow up and sent him away with my own hands. He was very picky and didn’t want an ordinary girl. But now it’s good. I heard that this one is a university student and has a beautiful photo. He must be happy. By the way, you just came from outside, so you might not have prepared a white packet. That’s okay, I can give it to you here,” she added.

The crowd looked at each other, but Shen Na was the first to take it. “Thanks, then. We’ll go and ask for a cup of wedding wine tomorrow,” she said.

Seeing Shen Na take it, the boss lady smiled more happily. She looked at the others and asked suspiciously, “Don’t you guys want it? Or is it that you guys don’t want to go?”

It was almost as if it was an illusion, but when she asked the latter half of the question, even the temperature in the air dropped a few points.

“Of course, we want to go!” the few people who didn’t take it shivered and quickly took the white bag.

Only when they held it in their hands did they realise that the white packet was a little rough, no different in texture from the paper money customarily used for burning.

“That’s good,” the boss lady said meaningfully. “Accept the white packet and make sure you go for a drink. Don’t lose it. Also, when you enter our Red River Village, you must abide by the rules of our village. Yesterday, you arrived too late, so I did not talk to you. Tomorrow, when you go drinking, let the village chief tell you.”

With a smile, the boss lady seemed to turn the other cheek, and no one could say that she had a bad attitude.

Although not all the players were on the ground floor, one young player had just woken up and come downstairs to find everyone gathered. Whispering what had happened, they told him to ask the boss’s wife for a white bag.

“I can’t believe you slept in so late,” the boss’s wife sneered at Yao Wendong, the latecomer, with an extraordinarily hateful look. “People like you won’t be welcome in our Red River Village.” Adding insult to injury, she refused to give him the white bag.

Yao Wendong, who was already on edge, couldn’t resist complaining in a low voice, “If you don’t give it, you don’t give it.” Despite his unhappiness, he stood aside.

The boss’s wife’s face became even grimmer as she squeezed out a few stern words through her teeth, “You won’t be able to stay in Red River Village if you don’t respect the old and love the young, and if you don’t know the rules.”

Even Yao Wendong, who was not typically bold, was intimidated by the stern expression on the boss’s face. Soon after, a few more people who had also overslept came downstairs. The boss’s wife’s expression became even more severe as she glared at them as if they had committed a heinous crime. Not only did they not receive a white bag, but they also didn’t get to eat breakfast. The few who had slept late regretted it, but they could do nothing.

Eventually, the group headed towards the Red River, located west of the village. Although Red River village was not large, it looked new, with antique buildings everywhere resembling a tourist attraction. No matter who they met on the way, they were warmly greeted and expected to respond in kind lest they provoke a sour expression from the other party.

He Lou, who was part of the group, remembered the words “Speaking the rules,” and the boss’s wife’s reaction, and he sensed something was amiss. They walked together as a group of a dozen people, quite conspicuous, along the avenue that stretched from the entrance to the end of the village. He Lou kept his head down and searched the internet for news about Red River Village as the group walked. It was a bit cold lately, and the wind had picked up considerably, chilling the group. One of the men had his hat on, but the wind was so strong that it blew his hat out and landed in a nearby paddy field. The others didn’t pay much attention; they just glanced at it before withdrawing their eyes. The man didn’t seem to mind the situation. He stooped down by the side of the road and tried to grab an object, but it was just out of reach. So, he broke a nearby branch to retrieve it. As he surveyed the area to ensure there were no villagers nearby, he stepped cautiously into the rice field and reached out again. With the object back in hand, he wiped away the dirt and placed it on his head. When he tried to stand up, he realised he couldn’t move his legs and felt slightly stiff as he floated towards the centre of the field. Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind. “Oh no, this must be a ghost!” he yelled for help, but the group had already left, and no one responded. His eyes were wide open, and he felt his insides emptied out as he floated there. Shen Na turned around unintentionally and felt a sense of unease. “Wait a minute! Someone’s missing,” she exclaimed. The group quickly panicked and took a headcount, realising that one person was missing.

The more prominent men were flustered, as they knew that the missing person, like them, had not taken the white bag belonging to the boss’s wife. They feared the disappeared person was likely already gone. Just then, a man came running towards them, panting and waving his arms. “Wait for me! You guys are moving too fast!” It was the missing man. The group, who had only just been scared by their imagination, let out a sigh of relief and started complaining. “What happened? Why did you take so long?” they asked. The man looked embarrassed and explained, “I just had a stomach ache and had to go to the toilet. I thought I would catch up quickly, so I didn’t tell anyone.” They had recently passed a public toilet. When reminded of this, the others brushed it off, reminding each other to inform the group when they needed to go anywhere. Shen Na cast a suspicious gaze but remained silent, slowly distancing herself. As they spoke, the Red River appeared before them. Its fishy scent could be detected from a distance. Despite the lush greenery surrounding the village, the banks of the river were barren with no sign of life. The water was thick and slow-moving, a strange shade of sticky red. One of the group muttered in awe, “How is this red river a bit like…,” but trailed off, too afraid to finish the thought everyone else had to. Shen Na broke the silence, “Okay, let’s take pictures now. The boss lady just said we could take pictures here.” The boss lady had also mentioned the possibility of attending the village chief’s son’s wedding banquet, but whether it was a requirement or not was unclear. The group embraced their role as tourists, taking individual and group photos before returning to the hotel for lunch.

“Excellent, everyone arrived on time for dinner today without any tardiness. Being punctual is highly valued in our Red River Village,” the proprietress praised them, giving a round of applause and guiding several of them to sit in a booth. One of the few waiters working in the shop brought out dishes from the kitchen, and An Xing Yu and He Lou expressed their gratitude. Shen Na followed their example, and the rest of the group did the same. As the meal progressed, the waiter continued bringing out more kitchen dishes.

During a lull in the conversation, He Lou spoke up in a severe tone, “I would like to remind everyone that it is essential to follow the village rules while staying here. Please keep them in mind and do not break them, or there will be consequences.” He quickly glanced at the woman at the counter who was busily pressing a calculator and smirked.

Evidently, the repeated emphasis on the rules by the owner’s wife and the villagers’ reactions on the road had given them an idea that something was amiss in the village. The first dish served was a soup made from some animal’s innards, and the scent was overpowering. He Lou took one look at it and declined to drink it. Then, all sorts of dishes were brought to the table. The boss’s wife reappeared, “Everyone is free to walk in the afternoon and go to bed early at night. Anyone who stays up past 11 PM is not welcome in Red River Village.” Everyone listened attentively to the boss’s wife, and after they finished eating, they formed small groups of two or three to discuss what they had heard. He Lou and An Xing Yu went together and decided to visit the village head’s house first. 

As they walked, An Xing Yu said, “Don’t you think this village’s rules are a bit too strict? They can’t be broken at all.” He Lou nodded in agreement, “I did some research online before coming here. This village is somewhat famous and is now developing tourism. They want to establish a reputation as a ceremonial village, so they’re particularly strict about the rules.” ‘But they’re being harsh,’ An Xing Yu frowned, ‘And if they care so much about etiquette, then what do they call…’ He looked left and right to ensure no one was around before whispering, ‘…their ghost marriage practices?’ He Lou’s gaze deepened for a moment, and he slowly shook his head, “Such words should be spoken as little as possible.” He was well aware of the anomaly, but the tragedy of his last mission still weighed heavily on his mind, and he couldn’t forget it.

“Let’s visit the village headman first,” suggested He Lou. The headman’s house was in the village and was a small three-story wooden antique building. At the corners of the front and back of the house, white paper lanterns with black “Xi” symbols on a white background were hanging, swaying in the late autumn breeze. Two rows of half-height paper figures in the courtyard were neatly arranged with white faces, red mouths, smiling eyes, and brightly dressed. They appeared somewhat eerie from a distance. As the innkeeper had mentioned, the village headman was at home and in an excellent mood. The tradition of “ghost marriage” has existed since ancient times and has faded into obscurity. However, it still exists in some rural areas. It is believed that if a young man or woman dies and is not given a spouse, the deceased’s spirit will be restless and disturb the family home. The village headman firmly believed in this tradition. He was beaming with satisfaction as he spoke of his daughter-in-law. “I actually wanted to get one when I first left, but I couldn’t find a woman with good qualifications. But she’s young and filial, and my Tianbao will love her,” he said with a smile before trailing off. “It also saves him from haunting me every day…” However, the headman seemed to realize he had said something inappropriate and quickly changed the subject. He Lou and his companion were aware that the rules in this Red River village were strict and didn’t want to cause any trouble. 

“Of course, I’ll be there tomorrow,” said He Lou, eager to be polite and show good manners. 

The headman welcomed their presence, “I welcome young disciplined people like you who know how to be polite and behave.” The word “disciplined” sent a chill down their spines, however, He Lou was curious about the consequences of breaking the rules in the village, so he asked, 

“Village Chief, what happens to those who accidentally break the rules?” 

The headman’s face immediately became stern, “That is not for you to ask.” Seeing the tense situation, He Lou calmly addressed the village chief, “Excuse me, we are visitors to this village and are not familiar with the rules. Could you kindly show us where we can learn more about them to avoid any future misunderstandings?” The village chief’s expression softened, and he rose from his seat to retrieve a small booklet. He handed it to He Lou and An Xing Yu and said, “Our village rules are not harsh, but the youth these days can be quite impulsive. I must say, it’s refreshing to see people who are calm and polite like you two.” 

He Lou smiled and, after a brief visit, made an excuse to leave with An Xing Yu. Upon leaving, they examined the booklet. The first few pages contained basic guidelines, such as the requirement to be in bed by eleven o’clock and to rise by eight in the morning, to not speak while eating or sleeping, and so on. However, as they flipped through the pages, the rules became increasingly strict, prohibiting complaining, celebrating other people’s joys, and attending other people’s funerals. There were even specific dress codes mentioned.

“What do you think after reading this?” He Lou asked An Xing Yu.

“It’s like undergoing military training,” An Xing Yu replied. “Being subjected to such strict rules for an extended period of time can either break a person or turn them into a mere puppet.”

At Red River Village, He Lou and An Xing Yu received preferential treatment on their first day.

However, as the evening approached, they noticed a shift in their treatment. The owner’s wife kept a watchful eye on their every move – from eating and talking to walking and sitting. If anything was out of place, she would scowl and threaten to ban them from the village.

By the end of the day, the constant surveillance had taken a toll on the group.

To save money and ensure their safety, they shared a room with two. One of them couldn’t contain his frustration in one room and muttered a complaint about the village, “What a terrible place. So many rules just for the sake of tourism. Who would come here?”

The other man, who had been quiet until then, looked up at his companion as he expressed his disdain towards the concept of ghost marriages.

“What’s wrong with you? Not a word and acting so strange after picking up a hat and coming back.” The man patted his companion’s shoulder but suddenly noticed something amiss.

The touch under his hand was soft and rustling, and even through the clothing, he could feel a roughness. It was like tapping on a pile of leather-wrapped straw.

“You…,” the man watched in horror as his companion’s features gradually flattened out, his mouth seemingly cut open and closing, and his blood flowing backwards, freezing him in place.

“You don’t keep to the rules,” the scarecrow’s slashed mouth opened and closed, his voice hoarse. Straws burrowed through all the holes in his head, filling his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, rustling and burrowing into his body.

“Unruly and deserving of punishment,” the scarecrow spoke again.

“Help me…,” the man tried to scream for help, but his voice wouldn’t come out.

In the next moment, he felt his own stomach being cut open. The other man’s movements were no different from the killing of a chicken at a vegetable market. There was no blood, the organs were pulled out with a single gulp, and the empty abdominal cavity was filled with a large pile of straw.

The room fell into an eerie silence as the two scarecrows lay motionless on the bed, wrapped in their blankets. They had to stick to their strict bedtime and early wake-up schedule to be welcomed in Red River Village.

Shen Na checked her phone and scrolled through the news of Red River Village. However, she was disappointed that it was mostly about ghost marriages and the rise of a ghost marriage culture. As she went through the photos taken during the day, she frowned at the sight of the Red River, which looked like a pool of blood plasma, a fishy red and sticky liquid. Despite being at the river’s edge, there was no hint of the blood’s odour, making the scene all the more haunting. It was like looking into the legendary pool of blood in hell.

She took a closer look at the photos, first of the river, then of individual and group photos. As she gazed at the group photo, she unconsciously started counting the people in the picture.

There were thirteen people, all of whom appeared stiff and tense as if they were in the midst of a horror mission. Shen Na wondered how many of them would still be alive by the end of it. But no matter what, she was determined to survive. Her resolve was evident in her steely gaze. Shen Na put down her phone and went to wash up, but even the warm water splashing on her body couldn’t ease the nagging feeling that something was wrong. And then, it hit her. The group photo had thirteen people, but who had taken the picture for them?

22 ☆ Wedding Banquet

Shen Na was deep in thought when a sudden realisation made her shiver uncontrollably, her teeth chattering. She struggled to recall the faces of the thirteen people in the group photo, but no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t seem to remember them.

After quickly wiping herself down, she retrieved her phone to check the photo. The picture showed all thirteen people, and she carefully matched each face to her companions from the previous day, only to discover that one person was missing.

“What was the order in which they took the group photo?” she wondered, trying to piece together the events from the day before. She remembered being first, followed by An Xing Yu, but then the memory became hazy.

Suddenly, the sound of the clock striking eleven startled Shen Na, and she immediately went to bed. As she drifted off to sleep, she noticed that Ding Cong Lu, who was sleeping in the next bed, was already sound asleep.

She knew that she must follow the village rules, and the next morning, all of the party members woke up early and obediently sat downstairs in a line, softly requesting breakfast from the hotel waiter. They had all read the rules the day before and didn’t want to risk breaking them by taking pictures. They knew that waking up past eight o’clock was not allowed.

The owner’s wife was pleased with their compliance and had a big smile on her face. However, as time passed, it became apparent that four people were missing from breakfast. When one of the guests asked the owner’s wife, she replied with a smile, “Of course, those who don’t follow the rules should be punished.”

Although she didn’t say what happened to the missing people, it was clear that the consequences were not good.

After finishing breakfast, a few guests looked at each other and decided to investigate upstairs together. It wasn’t against the rules, so they walked along the wooden corridor on the first floor. The floorboards creaked under their feet, and white lanterns swayed gently outside. An Xing Yu walked beside He Lou and whispered, “What do you see?”

“These lanterns are very similar to the ones at the village chief’s house,” replied He Lou. “Also, do you remember? The owner’s wife said on the first day that the specialty of this place was their paper lanterns. Could it be these paper lanterns?”

“Wait and ask later,” suggested An Xing Yu.

They soon arrived at the two empty rooms on the first floor. Four people who had gotten up late yesterday had been put together, as nobody wanted to stay with them. The room was still as they had left it, with their bags, phones, and pyjamas neatly arranged, but the people themselves were missing.

“Look carefully, are there any clues?” said Shen Na, reminding the group not to rummage through things.

They split into two groups and each went into a room. He Lou and his admirer (“hug his thigh”), Qi Yan, searched the same room. Suddenly, He Lou’s gaze flickered, and he bent down to pick up a long, thin, yellow straw by the tip. Why was there straw in the room?

“Brother Lou, is there anything wrong with this straw?” asked Qi Yan.

“I’m not sure yet,” replied He Lou, putting the straw back in its place. “Let’s go next door and take a look.”

He Lou searched the other room just as thoroughly, but it too yielded nothing of interest. Then he went to the bed and examined it closely. To his surprise, he found a straw in a crack along the bed.

Shen Na approached and asked, “What’s the matter?”

“I found a straw by the bed in both rooms. Could this be a clue to something?” He Lou replied.

“Maybe it just got stuck on their shoes while they were walking. There are a lot of straw men in the fields around here,” Shen Na suggested.

An Xing Yu’s eyes remained emotionless, but his tone conveyed a hint of intrigue. “If it were in just one room, it could be a coincidence. But if it’s in both rooms, it’s more likely to be significant.”

After taking note of this strange coincidence, they left the room. As soon as they stepped outside, they saw the owner’s wife staring at them with an odd and uncomfortable expression. But she quickly regained her composure and greeted them with a smile, asking if they wanted to go out and explore the area.

An Xing Yu took the lead and inquired about the paper lanterns. “You mentioned lanterns. Are they a specialty here?”

The proprietress beamed with pride. “Yes, every household in this village makes them. We hang them for weddings, funerals, and other special occasions. It’s our tradition.”

Her smile seemed forced, and upon closer inspection, it became apparent that she was not genuinely happy. Although the corners of her mouth were turned upward, her eyes remained devoid of any joy or warmth. 

Again the rules ……

An Xing Yu inquired about purchasing lanterns. 

“If you guys want to buy lanterns, you can go to Uncle Wu in our village, he has the best craftsmanship. He lives in -” 

An Xing Yu had several questions before leaving and saying thanks. Walking with He Lou, the two of them stepped outside and spotted Shen Na standing under a nearby tree. She raised her phone and gestured for them to come over. 

“Do you guys still remember? We took some group photos yesterday,” Shen Na asked, and the two men nodded. “Do you guys remember the order of the photos?” Shen Na took a deep breath to calm herself down, and He Lou asked, “What happened?” 

Shen Na pulled up the photo album and handed it over, “Just look at it yourself.”

He Lou lowered his head to look at the photo album together with An Xing Yu, and his pupils shrank as he examined it. “This, this is…” 

“You guys noticed it too, right? The number of people is not right,” Shen Na said, swallowing hard and moistening her dry throat. “There are thirteen of us here, but there are thirteen on the…photo as well.” 

An Xing Yu remained calm as he took the phone and placed it in front of Shen Na. “But obviously, the problem now is not just the number.”

On the photo, the faces of the four people who were missing this morning had been completely blurred, like a paper diagram stained with water, their faces completely haloed, making it impossible to see what they originally looked like. 

Thirteen people stood in regular order, wearing identical smiles, with four of them having blurred faces. Moreover, Shen Na always felt that the haloed faces of those people were twisted into a very strange pattern, like a smiley face or two curved down lines for the eyes and one curved up line for the mouth, the kind of sketchy smiley face similar to a child’s drawing.

Shen Na had been holding onto hope, but now she was finally sure that those four people were most likely not coming back.

“Will there be a problem with this photo? Should I delete it?” Shen Na asked.

He Lou shook his head and replied, “For now, there is no danger, you can keep it for now.”

Shen Na did not deny it. The photos were on her phone, so he was putting it mildly. She superficially agreed, and the three of them went ahead together to the home of Wu Bo, whom the boss lady had just introduced.

On the way, Shen Na pondered, “If there were no such bizarre events, it would be quite nice to come to Red River Village for a holiday. It’s just a pity…”

She was right; the village was beautiful. The main road was clean and tidy, and as they walked along, there were paddy fields on one side and small woods on the other. The weather was a bit gloomy, but there was a different flavor to a cloudy day.

An Xing Yu walked at the very back, his pure black, almost inorganic eyes carefully surveying the fields on his right. It was too… regular. Although he had experienced farming life firsthand in order to write his essay, the rice fields in the countryside could never be as neat as here. The scarecrows in the fields looked like they had measured the distance, and the gap between them would not be more than half a meter when you looked at them visually.

Suddenly, something caught An Xing Yu’s eye. He examined a scarecrow with a peculiar hat and realized that it looked familiar. As a small flock of sparrows landed on the scarecrow, a few of them chattered and hopped. Several birds suddenly fell headfirst into the paddy field, startling An Xing Yu.

“What’s wrong?” He Lou noticed that An Xing Yu had stopped and walked over to him in a few quick steps. In He Lou’s opinion, An Xing Yu was smart, calm, and a good person to work with. They could work together on future missions.

An Xing Yu pointed at the scarecrow and said, “That hat looks a bit familiar.”

Shen Na froze and immediately took out her phone to check the photo album. One of the missing men was wearing the same hat! In the photo, his face became more blurred, while the smiling face gradually became clearer. Shen Na suddenly understood what had felt familiar. The blurry smiley face on the photo was exactly the same as the sketchy smiley face painted on the scarecrow’s face. She quickly closed the album and didn’t say anything more.

The three of them looked at each other and realized that the scarecrow and missing person might be linked. They felt a chill in their hearts. After a while, He Lou said, “Let’s go to Uncle Wu’s house.”

Uncle Wu lived a little far away and made his living by selling lanterns. According to the owner’s wife, he lived alone deep in the grove. It was already noon when the three arrived, and the sun was hidden behind dark clouds. The grove was rattling in the wind.

From a distance, they could see a corner of the roof peeking out from a small hillside. As they walked quickly past, they were all stunned. It wasn’t surprising to see lanterns hanging in front and behind the house, but they were all bizarre, no matter what shape they were, rabbits or cats, all with uncomfortably bright colors. The expressions on the lanterns were strange, with the corners of their mouths turned upwards in bright red paint, but no smiles in their eyes. Although the lanterns were made with great skill, they always gave people an uncomfortable feeling.

Shen Na wanted to tell He Lou about what she found, but when she saw him staring in another direction, she nudged him and asked, “What have you found?”

“Nothing,” He Lou replied, shaking his head. He had seen an extraordinarily familiar back, but he knew that the person he saw couldn’t have survived his mission. He figured it was just an illusion and stopped paying attention. Meanwhile, An Xing Yu was raising his hand to let them in quickly.

Uncle Wu was working in the courtyard, with a large table set up in front of him. The three of them watched as he worked on the skeleton of a new lantern. It was made of thin bamboo strips with a rounded top and a circle stuck in a third of the way. The bottom was even rounder and bigger, resembling a gourd at first glance. Uncle Wu oiled a layer of skin of some kind, brushed it with paste, and carefully glued it onto the bamboo strips. He was skilled and was able to wrap the soft layer of skin without any gaps or folds. Once one lantern was finished, Uncle Wu sketched it out in detail with a brush.

It was then that the three of them realized that Uncle Wu was now making a female doll lantern. He painted two dark buns of hair, a rounded face like that of a New Year’s painting doll, and a bib that revealed the lotus root-like arms and legs. Only when the shape was finished did Wu switch to a brush and carefully color the bib. The deep red, sticky paint reminded He Lou of the village’s Red River and … blood.

Wu Bo was fast and soon reached the final step – painting the face. Little by little, the fine brush drew a smiling face that was not too different from the scarecrow’s face. It had no smile in its eyes, but its bright red lips curved high at the corners.

“Finally the painting is done,” Wu Bo said, looking at the lantern in his hand with satisfaction and placing it carefully on the ground.

“Very good, you are very well behaved, you didn’t disturb my work,” said Uncle Wu, hemming in a laugh. His voice was a little hoarse, and his cloudy eyes made him look uncomfortable as he stared straight at the group.

“Uncle Wu, may I ask if this lantern you made is…?” Shen Na began to ask.

Uncle Wu interrupted her and took out another lantern from under the table. It was a male doll posed with a female doll as a pair of golden girls. He explored the two lanterns with incomparably fascinated eyes and finally put them away reluctantly.

“These two lanterns are what I want to give to the village chief. It’s hard for his son to get a daughter-in-law, so I have to bring out my family skills,” Wu Bo explained with a hint of embarrassment. His gaze lingered on Shen Na for a moment longer.

He Lou complimented the lanterns against their will, and seeing this, the other two also complimented them and offered to buy a few when they left. Uncle Wu agreed to sell them and invited them to stay for lunch. They agreed, and when Wu Bo pushed himself towards the house, they realized he was disabled and relied on a wheelchair to get around.

As a group of rule-abiding tourists, they naturally had to help with the cooking. He Lou and Shen Na went into the kitchen, leaving An Xing Yu outside to chat with Uncle Wu. They had a peaceful lunch, and before saying goodbye, Uncle Wu gave them each a small white lantern.

When they returned to the hotel, several other people saw the lanterns and also planned to try to get one from Uncle Wu. They went separately to explore the village’s many specialties. He Lou picked up a mushroom the others had brought back and noticed something strange about the bright red color. “It was the law of nature that the brighter they were, the more poisonous they were. This bright red mushroom…” He Lou gently scraped the mushroom with his fingernail, scraping off a layer of skin and causing the fishy red juice to drip down.

He Lou frowned, “Is this really edible?”

An Xing Yu replied, “Just to be safe, don’t eat it for now.”

It didn’t take long for the others to return one by one, each carrying a small lantern. There was nothing else to do for the day, so they all waited for the evening feast.

Night fell quickly, and the cool autumn air brought rustling sounds from the leaves. At the end of the streets and lanes, lanterns from every house suddenly lit up, swaying lightly in the wind.

The group of tourists gathered at the hotel entrance, dumbfounded by what they saw. The lanterns they had made revealed a sketch of a smiling face painted on the white paper, with bright red lips and arched eyebrows that looked uncomfortable.

“The auspicious time has come – welcome the bride -” a long, drawn-out shout came from nowhere, perhaps from all directions. Then, the high-pitched sound of an oboe slammed into the air.

A suona, blowing for new life, marriage, and death, came from the village head. The bride was coming.

Firecrackers crackled and homes opened their doors, with people coming out one by one with smiling faces. The boss’s wife led a group of people out the door, all carrying lanterns, and joined the crowd heading for the village head’s house.

Although there were many people, the road seemed unable to illuminate the heavy night, with faces blurred in the dead of night. Only their chilling smiles could be seen.

Fortunately, there was a platform in front of the village head’s house that had been neatly set up during the day with tables and chairs. At the top was an altar with three white incense candles burning, the white smoke blurring the young man’s face in the black and white photo. Beneath the table were piles of wreaths, paper houses, and paper-tied gold and silver jewelry. In the front row were half-high paper figures with small red mouths, white faces, and smiling eyes.

The whole village had gathered for the wedding banquet, but there was no lively atmosphere as everyone followed the strict rules of not talking out of turn. They waited for the host family to speak first.

“Today, it’s my son’s big day…” said the village headman, who was beaming with happiness as he stood in front of the altar to speak. He praised how good his future daughter-in-law was, and it was clear that his son was also pleased as evidenced by the photo, which showed the corners of his mouth slightly raised.

The task enforcers noticed that something was off and felt a chill run down their backs, like a cold wind passing through. However, they didn’t dare say anything due to the strict rules.

He Lou also felt the same, and he couldn’t help but tremble. He was shocked not by the smiling picture, but by the young man standing next to the village chief who was listening intently to the speech.

“That man…is Lu Yan, who else could he be?”

23 ☆ The Bride’s Wedding

As He Lou’s gaze landed on the gentle-looking young man, the latter turned his head and met his eyes, looking a little confused but still offering a polite smile and nod before diverting his attention elsewhere.

An Xing Yu, noticing the change in He Lou’s demeanour, followed his gaze and noticed the young man too. He then gently touched He Lou’s elbow, his inorganic eyes silently questioning.

After a moment, He Lou forced himself to calm down and shook his head gently. He had never expected Lu Yan to survive, especially after facing the all-powerful and insane Daoist priest. Despite Lu Yan’s terrifyingly smart and cold demeanour, He Lou couldn’t fathom how he had managed to get away with it. What puzzled him more, however, was the strange look in Lu Yan’s eyes. Did he not recognize him? Why did it feel like he was looking at a stranger?

He Lou remembered Lu Yan’s cowardly, kind, and good-natured appearance when they had first met, so he couldn’t help but wonder whether Lu Yan truly didn’t recognize him or was just pretending. Perhaps there was someone else in this world who looked like him?

Lost in his own thoughts, he continued to listen to the impassioned speech of the village chief while stealing glances at Lu Yan from time to time.

Abruptly, the village chief stopped talking, freezing his gaze on He Lou, and his face turned grim and ghastly under the eerie dim light of the lantern. “There is an unruly guest here….” he declared, his words trailing off ominously.

The entire crowd fell silent, their expressions as eerie as the village chief’s. They turned their heads in unison, fixating on He Lou.

Then, as one, they opened their mouths to speak. “Guest, why don’t you behave yourself?” their voices ringing hollow and cold.

On closer inspection, their faces resembled the paper dolls placed under the hearth, their curved, smiling eyes not smiling but rather full of coldness and cruelty.

Lu Yan stood among the villagers, turning his head to fixate on He Lou with a twisted expression of terror and cruelty that they had never seen before. His eyes glimmered with an unsettling intensity as their lips quivered in unison as they chanted, “Guest, you don’t follow the rules…you don’t follow the rules…”

He Lou was drenched in cold sweat. He had never imagined that his mere glances in Lu Yan’s direction could be so easily detected by the village headman. It was unnerving to think that these “people” in the village may not even be human, and their strict adherence to the rules was far beyond that of any ordinary person. Perhaps, their sensitivity to any deviation was heightened to an extreme level.

He couldn’t help but wonder what to do now. He was aware of the village’s punishment. The consequences of breaking the rules could be severe, even lethal, especially when dealt with by a group of vengeful ghosts. He was at a loss, his mind racing with a flurry of questions and concerns.

The other players who had accompanied He Lou were equally petrified, having underestimated the severity of the situation. While they had read the village rules and knew the importance of adhering to them, they were not aware of the extreme consequences that could result from any transgression.

An Xing Yu, who was standing beside He Lou, grew anxious and looked seriously at the village chief, sweating for his teammate.

He Lou, despite his panic, was a seasoned professional who had dealt with similar situations before. He quickly apologised before the village headman could mete out punishment. “Village Chief, the village rules say that everyone must be happy and celebrate together during the wedding banquet,” he emphasised.

The word “happy” hung in the air, causing the villagers’ smiles to freeze on their faces. Even Lu Yan’s wry smile paused in shock.

The sound of the suona, firecrackers, and the distant sound of the welcoming bride grew louder, but the wind seemed to freeze. The only thing still moving was the black and white photograph of the village headman’s son, whose smile slowly drooped, and his eyes bore into He Lou.

He Lou repeated his words, trying to sound composed, even though his palms were drenched in sweat. The villagers had to abide by the village rules, and he knew they could not be unhappy at a happy feast.

One second, two seconds, three seconds…the silence was deafening.

Finally, the stagnant wind stirred, and the village headman’s face broke into a smile. “Today is my son’s wedding feast, so let’s all celebrate with high spirits,” he announced, lifting the tension in the air.

With a collective exhale, the square thawed and its inhabitants resumed their merry facades, as if the recent disruption was nothing more than a fleeting illusion. Not a soul spoke of the word “rules” again, nor did any of them give He Lou so much as a sidelong glance. Even Lu Yan diverted his gaze and blended in with the crowd, dutifully clapping when it was time to do so.

The atmosphere of the square had shifted, and the sense of tension that had previously filled the air had dissipated. But He Lou knew better than to test the limits of the village rules again. He couldn’t imagine the consequences of a second offense.

The strange customs of Red River village continued to baffle He Lou and his team.

The marriage customs were particularly peculiar. The timing of the ceremony was determined based on the date of the deceased’s death, and the coffin had to be moved on the same day. The bride had to calculate the “auspicious time” and carry the new coffin into the groom’s home within a minute. And at midnight, the two would meet and decide whether to formally meet and pay their respects to heaven and earth.

The couple’s bones would then be united in one coffin, which would be taken to the red river at the end of the village. There, the coffin would be pushed to the surface until it sank naturally in the middle of the river. This ceremony marked the end of the marriage ritual.

The village chief’s speech ended and he announced that everyone could take their seats. One of the villagers who shared a seat with He Lou proceeded to explain the rules to the bewildered outsider.

The village headman spoke at length, reciting a litany of words that, upon closer examination, amounted to nothing more than a fatherly admonishment to his son to treat his new wife well, without creating any further disturbances in the house. As for the bride, she would be accepted by everyone in Red River Village as long as she abided by the village rules. If not, the village would be compelled to punish her and bid her farewell.

The group of mission performers were once again reminded of how paramount the rules were to the villagers of Red River.

The rules were sacrosanct and not to be broken under any circumstances.

He Lou cast one final glance at Lu Yan’s retreating back before redirecting his attention to the wedding banquet at hand. Lu Yan could wait until the morrow; for now, the focus was on the festivities.

The first course of dishes was served, and the enforcers found themselves clenching their fists involuntarily. “Why aren’t you eating?” queried the villagers, puzzled by the enforcers’ hesitation.

“That’s right, why aren’t you eating?” echoed the villagers seated at the neighboring tables, who had turned to observe the enforcers with a menacing glint in their eyes.

Their mouths contorted into a thin, disapproving line. “Why aren’t you partaking in the feast?”

As the village headman muttered “unruly guest” under his breath, several others in the room felt a cold sweat break out on their backs.

The dishes on the table were strange, to say the least – bright red mushrooms soaked in a thick red syrup, a monkey’s head that had been freshly severed with its skull exposed to reveal its white brains, a newborn rat cub squeaking in a cage, and a fishy red sauce on the side that no one could identify.

One villager opened the cage and used his chopsticks to pick up a small, pinkish-white, hairless, and eyeless rat that kept squeaking and squealing. The villager, ignoring the cries of the poor creature, took a big bite and chewed with a look of enjoyment on his face. The sound of the chewing mixed with the final squeak of the rat created an eerie atmosphere.

“Why don’t you eat?” the villager asked, with a pink tail still visible at the corner of his mouth, showing off his sharp, white teeth. “You don’t follow the rules,” he added, a cruel glint in his eyes.

He Lou quickly replied, “It says in the village rules that you can’t talk when you have something in your mouth.”

The villager paused and swallowed, the pink tail disappearing from his mouth. As he turned to look at He Lou, the cruelty in his eyes grew even more intense. “You… don’t follow the rules,” he snarled.

Thinking quickly, He Lou said, “I’ll eat.” He picked up his chopsticks with a determined air and selected a piece of the bright red mushroom. He put it in his mouth, biting down strongly and suppressing the urge to retch. The thick, blood-like liquid exploded in his mouth, but he forced it down, smiling through the pain.

“It’s delicious,” he said, hoping to escape further scrutiny.

The villager finally looked away and gazed straight up at the others. Observing this, the group, who had already seated themselves at the table, followed suit when they saw He Lou bravely take the first bite of the mushrooms, quickly picking up their chopsticks to do the same. In an inexplicable coincidence, the plate was emptied of mushrooms. The villager’s countenance improved, and he was restored to his former look. However, other players were in dire straits, as they ingested the mushrooms unwittingly and almost retched from the overpowering stench of blood.

He Lou interjected, “Everyone should enjoy the food,” invoking the village’s rule that no food should go to waste. The group barely swallowed. Except for Chen Zheng Hao.

As soon as He Lou finished eating, Chen Zheng Hao eagerly extended his chopsticks towards the mushrooms, bringing them to his mouth.

Ignoring He Lou’s unchanged expression, Chen Zheng Hao promptly swallowed the mushrooms, only to be overwhelmed by the rancid, month-old blood taste that nearly made him vomit.

The other members of the group forced themselves to consume the mushrooms, putting on a show of enjoyment. As a result, the villagers’ eyes shifted towards Chen Zheng Hao.

“Guest, you are not following the rules,” echoed voices from all directions, malicious gazes piercing Chen Zheng Hao’s consciousness. Terrified, he realized he had broken the village’s rules.

What could he do?

In a state of panic, Chen Zheng Hao shot up from his seat before He Lou could even remind him, frantically waving his hands in apology. “I am so sorry, I didn’t mean to do that,” he stammered, trembling uncontrollably. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead, and his voice shook with fear.

To his dismay, the villagers’ smiles widened in response to his admission, a miserable white face sporting the same grin. “Guest, you have misbehaved and will be punished!!!” they declared in unison.

Petrified, Chen Zheng Hao realized his fate was sealed.

He Lou hung his head, while An Xing Yu let out a barely audible sigh. Shen Na sat beside Ding Cong Lu, forcibly holding her back and glaring her down when she attempted to stand up.

Ding Cong Lu’s eyes brimmed with tears, and she struggled against Shen Na’s grip, but the latter’s strength proved too much. An Xing Yu’s pure black eyes flashed as he handed her a handkerchief, muffling her screams before restraining her convulsing body.

In truth, the moment Chen Zheng Hao had stood up, he felt consumed with regret and contemplated taking his own life to escape horrors that surely would follow..

It was evident that He Lou had just set an example that one could evade punishment as long as they kept cool and pointed out the flaws in the villagers’ actions. So, why should Chen Zheng Hao confess to his mistake?

However, the words had already escaped his lips and it was too late to retract them. With his back to the table, Chen Zheng Hao was engulfed by the villagers’ high-pitched cackles, which only added to his fear and despair. He knew his end was near and swallowed hard, his trembling body on the verge of collapse.

‘I’m going to die…’ he thought frantically, berating himself for his foolishness. ‘It’s only the second time, why did I have to be so stupid?’

His thoughts turned to Xiao Lu, his timid girlfriend, and the looming prospect of leaving her unprotected. A pang of regret shot through him as he gazed at the tear-filled eyes of Ding Cong Lu. He shook his head resolutely and mouthed a silent “thank you” to Shen Na and An Xing Yu, who were holding her down.

Meanwhile, Ding Cong Lu’s muffled cries grew more intense, her futile attempts to remove the handkerchief adding to her anguish. Her gaze flitted from one face to another, beseeching help and empathy.

‘Please, someone help him!’ Ding Cong Lu pleaded, her eyes full of desperation as she looked at He Lou, hoping that he could do something to save Chen Zheng Hao from the villagers’ wrath. But He Lou could only meet her gaze with a slow shake of his head, conveying his helplessness in the situation. It was too late for regrets now.

“To be punished! To be punished!” The high-pitched voices of the children filled the air, as they clapped and sang in unison. “To punish, how to punish? Ask the village chief! What does the village chief say, what should be the punishment?”

All eyes turned to the village chief, who was barely visible in the dim lantern light. With a smirk on his face, he declared, “He has broken the rules and will be punished.” The excitement in the villagers’ faces was palpable.

“Make lanterns for Uncle Wu tonight!” The village chief’s words were met with a chorus of cheers and the children’s song continued. “Big lanterns, little lanterns, lantern dolls touching their heads, boy dolls to cut off their hands, girl dolls to cut off their tongues….”

The children enthusiastically applauded, their small hands slapping together as they belted out familiar nursery rhymes. Despite their efforts, their joyful noise was muffled by the distinct sound of an approaching oboe.

Those who dared to break the rules were met with swift punishment. However, such occurrences were rare and the villagers remained content. Chen Zheng Hao felt a weight lifted off his chest and his body slumped in relief. His breathing was ragged, rising and falling with intensity.

By some stroke of luck, he was assigned to make lanterns instead of facing a harsher penalty. Even if he had to spend an entire month crafting these luminous creations, it was a small price to pay compared to losing his life.

Overcome with relief, Chen Zheng Hao and Ding Cong Lu embraced each other, tears of gratitude streaming down their faces. Unbeknownst to them, several onlookers gave them pitying glances.

Chen Zheng Hao spoke with sincerity, “Xiao Lu, I made a grave mistake breaking the village rules. You must not do the same.” Ding Cong Lu obediently nestled in his arms and nodded, “I understand. Take greater care when making the lanterns.”

Shen Na and He Lou exchanged glances, recalling the lantern they had seen at Wu Bo’s house. The lantern, made from some sort of animal skin, now hung in front of the spirit hall, a boy and girl doll affixed to it, both depicted as laughing gleefully.

The animal skin used for the lantern was of unknown origin, causing a sense of unease among more experienced players. However, no one mentioned it, opting to keep the cheerful atmosphere for the little couple a while longer.

The cold wind blew stronger as the night thickened, shrouding the heavy, coloured lanterns in darkness. All light seemed to be devoured by the blackness of the night.

The players remained silent, their nerves on edge, as they waited for the appointed hour.

Strangely enough, the sound of the suona, a traditional Chinese wind instrument, grew louder and more prominent than the others. People speculated that it was the bride’s arrival, yet she failed to show up. The sound of the suona drew nearer, only to drift away once more, teasingly elusive.

The mayor’s son’s coffin had already been disinterred and brought to the room where he had once resided. All that remained was for the two individuals to open the coffin and perform the ritual at the stroke of midnight.

“Quick! Bring my son here!” The village chief, aware that it was almost time, urgently called for the labourers to bring the coffin forward.

Several strong labourers abandoned their meal and headed towards the inner room, ready to complete their task.

Within moments, the stench of the fish carried by the wind filled the air, intermingling with the reek of putrid flesh and long-buried soil. Four burly men slowly carried the weighty, black coffin towards the centre of the hall, its bulk swaying gently with their laborious footsteps.

An Xing Yu observed that the coffin was not securely nailed shut, and the lid remained ajar. The bottom of the coffin was still coated with moist soil and the remnants of dead foliage, evidence of its recent exhumation.

An Xing Yu scrutinized the coffin, his gaze fixed on the footprints of the bearers which were imprinted deeply into the mud due to their substantial weight. Lost in thought, he was interrupted by a teammate who whispered, “What are you pondering about?”

An Xing Yu shook his head, remaining silent. Though he had been trying to ascertain the coffin’s weight by the depth of the footprints, he now believed that such an exercise was futile.

“The groom has arrived,” bellowed the village elder, his voice raspy and powerful enough to slice through the sound of the clanging cymbals. The music instantly crescendoed, filling the air with an electrifying energy. At the far end of the road, four burly men emerged, shouldering a pristine white palanquin. Their faces were fixed with identical, unnerving grins, mirroring the shape of the lanterns that dangled from the palanquin’s sides, with their downturned eyes and upturned lips devoid of any mirth.

The blaring procession of suonas, trumpets, gongs, and drums reverberated through the village, spurring the men around the fire to smile even wider. “The bride has arrived–” the elder cried out again.

As the chilly wind picked up, the villagers huddled closer, but all eyes remained fixed on the approaching palanquin.

They strained their necks to catch a glimpse of the bride, eager to see the beautiful woman who would marry the mayor’s son. An Xing Yu glanced at the man in front of him and noticed how his neck stretched impossibly long, almost extra five centimetres. While swan- like necks were often considered graceful and desirable by girls, the sight of such an elongated neck was unsettling, even eerie.

After the ban on speaking was lifted, the people congregated in small groups of two or three, engaging in lively conversations. Some spoke of the bride and groom being a match made in heaven, while others bestow blessings upon the newlyweds, wishing them a smooth and successful marriage, as per the tradition of the Red River.

Meanwhile, several members of the mission performers seized the opportunity to huddle together, exchanging hushed whispers. Amidst the drone of their voices, He Lou scanned his surroundings, only to discover that something was amiss.

A sense of unease crept over him as he noticed the conspicuous absence of young people in the vicinity. According to the village’s customs, everyone was expected to attend the wedding feast, especially since it was the celebration of the village head’s family. However, to his surprise, he saw only middle-aged and elderly folks, the youngest amongst them being in their thirties.

As he pondered over the oddity of the situation, he couldn’t help but wonder where the young adults, in their twenties, had vanished to. Although children ran amok throughout the village, there was a conspicuous absence of those in the prime of their lives.

As He Lou mulled over the strange absence of young people in the Red River Village, he couldn’t help but surmise that the man he spotted earlier did not hail from the village. After all, could he be the only youthful member of the entire community? His thoughts were interrupted by the appearance of the very same gentleman’s back, and without further ado, He Lou strode over to him and tapped him on the shoulder.

The man turned around, and as their eyes met, He Lou’s lips curved into a smile, although his insides churned. The face before him was one he recognized only too well, stirring up memories of his last harrowing mission. Despite the nagging voice in his head warning him to stay away, He Lou pressed on, “Excuse me, are you Lu Yan?”

Lu Yan appeared befuddled for a moment but soon broke into a friendly smile, “Yes, that’s me. How can I assist you?”

For a split second, He Lou hesitated, grappling with the internal battle raging within him. Nonetheless, he pushed past his misgivings and extended a hand, “Hi, I’m He Lou, and I’m here with a friend to explore the countryside. What brings you to Red River Village?”

Lu Yan’s expression brightened as he revealed, “I’m a journalist on a folklore expedition to this charming hamlet. The villagers here are warm and friendly, and their customs and cuisine are renowned throughout the region, particularly the tradition of ghost marriages.”

He Lou raised an eyebrow, surprised by the mention of such an unusual practice. Sensing his apprehension, Lu Yan quickly added, “The village chief even treated us to the most delectable local delicacies. You must have sampled some earlier, weren’t they divine?”

He Lou suppressed a shudder as he recalled the stomach-churning dishes on the banquet table, but managed a strained grin, “Yes, they were delightful.”

‘Do you truly have no recollection, or are you simply feigning ignorance?’ He Lou pondered, but the fear of awakening the other party to their ghostly state prevented him from voicing his query. Such was the premise of countless horror films, where the dead and the living appeared indistinguishable until the realisation of death transformed them into terrifying apparitions.

Even the living Lu Yan was an imposing figure to contend with, and He Lou could only imagine the ferocity and cruelty that would accompany the revelation of his death. Whether Lu Yan still lived or had passed on, He Lou wished to avoid any further involvement with him.

As a crowd gathered to witness the bride’s ceremonial departure from the coffin, He Lou maintained a distance from Lu Yan, observing as a bright red embroidered shoe emerged from the white palanquin and met the ground. The scene was both eerie and captivating, and He Lou found himself transfixed.

24 ☆ What’s wrong?

Wait a minute, wasn’t this supposed to be a ghost wedding? If that’s the case, shouldn’t the bride already be dead? Why is she coming out of the palanquin?

He Lou and his companions were frozen in place, too scared to breathe as they watched the embroidered shoe touch the ground. Despite the darkness of the night, the shoe was a vibrant red colour that seemed to glow like blood against the wet, dark soil. A bloodless hand followed, pulling back the curtain to reveal…

No! Don’t look!

The sense of foreboding and fear building up in the missionaries reached a crescendo as the curtain revealed a glimpse of the red cover. All of them felt a sudden chill sweep through the area. They instinctively knew not to look any further. Heads down, they remained motionless, hoping that whatever horror unfolded before they would soon be over.

The villagers were oblivious as they gathered around, eagerly watching as the matchmaker helped the bride off the palanquin. Two older women stepped forward to lend a hand, supporting the limp figure as it stumbled forward. Bride’s embroidered shoes dragged onto the muddy ground, now stained with dirt.

Amidst the cheering and applause, someone shouted, “The bride is so beautiful!” Others joined in, “The village head’s family is blessed to have such a good daughter-in-law.”

Lu Yan quickly glanced at the bride before bowing his head in respect. She was being dragged forward between two people, her bright red wedding dress and embroidered shoes a stark contrast against her pale, stiff hands. Her hands looked lifeless, even with jade bracelets and red nail polish.

The matchmaker followed closely behind, holding a large black and white picture frame with a portrait of the bride. Her beautiful eyebrows were furrowed in a frown, revealing her true feelings. Behind the matchmaker were two neat rows of honour guards and bands dressed in linen.

As the music faded, yellow paper money flew into the sky, floating gently to the ground or being carried away by the wind. The bridegroom was beaming with satisfaction, but the bride was drooping. It was clear to anyone who looked that she was unhappy. It was evident that she was not here willingly.

The villagers were still festive, blissfully unaware of the situation. They kept cheering and gushing over the beautiful bride and how perfect the couple looked together.

The matchmaker announced, “The auspicious time has come.”

The two photo frames were placed side by side, and while the man was overjoyed, the woman remained expressionless.

The village chief suddenly walked over to his son’s coffin and lifted the lid. The room was filled with a fishy, nauseating smell, but the village chief pulled out a white bony hand from inside the coffin before anyone could react.

“Good son, I have found a good daughter-in-law for you,” said the village headman with a smile, and with a push of his hand, he pulled out the entire skeleton in its birthday suit. “Come here, give me a hand; they’re going to pay their respects!” he instructed, beckoning the villagers to help him. “One on each side! Don’t delay the auspicious time. Hurry, hurry!”

Everyone’s attention was solely on the bride and groom, and nobody paid attention to the players, who were free to whisper and chat. He Lou didn’t dare look directly at the couple, feeling as though it might be the end of him if he did. Lu Yan quickly glanced at them before joining in the villagers’ applause.

As the villagers helped the two corpses bow respectfully, the gloomy wind suddenly picked up. At the moment the two heads were pressed down, the lanterns went out, and the whole place plunged into darkness.

What’s going on?

He looked up at Lu Yan, but the darkness concealed any trace of him. The next moment, he was also engulfed in pitch-black darkness… It was a rare day of bright sunshine in late autumn.

“Hey, He Lou! Your family found a daughter-in-law so easily. When’s the wedding?” he strolled along the road while an uncle planted rice seedlings in the field and called out to him.

He Lou replied, “Uncle Zheng, we have the wine tomorrow!”

He felt delighted helping his best friend find a new daughter-in-law. As they made their way home, the villagers they encountered inquired about it. He Lou didn’t mind; no one living in Red River Village would be unhappy. He smiled and answered all the queries until they reached their house.

He had several great friends, but unfortunately, one of them died accidentally. According to the village’s custom, it was best to pair a young man who died prematurely with a Yin relative, or else his soul would never rest in peace.

“Chen Zheng Hao, we have arranged everything for you. The girl is excellent; you can welcome her peacefully,” he reminded his deceased friend, offering incense in front of his black and white photo displayed in the hall.

“Brother Lou,” a tall woman walked through the door and smiled, “Everything went well. Although the wedding was somewhat hasty, all the families were kind enough to lend us everything we needed. Uncle Wu even sent two lanterns.”

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“Really? Uncle Wu made the lanterns! That’s wonderful,” He Lou exclaimed with joy.

The wedding banquet was a grand affair, and a group of their close friends sat together and discussed it seriously. They were all travellers who had come to Honghe Village many years ago. The water and soil in the village were so nurturing that they couldn’t bear to leave after their visit. They decided to stay for a few more months, which eventually turned into several years. They had become part of the village and its community.

However, although they were like family, He Lou couldn’t help feeling uneasy about his best friend’s companion, Lu Yan. Despite being kind and never doing anything to provoke He Lou, he couldn’t shake off the fear he felt every time he saw Lu Yan.

When Lu Yan walked in, He Lou involuntarily shrank back in terror. “He Lou, you’re here too,” Lu Yan said, smiling at him. “I’ve found a great daughter-in-law for you. We’ll have the wedding in a few days.”

He Lou didn’t care about the daughter-in-law and agreed silently, but he felt a sense of unease in his heart. Something just didn’t feel right.

25 ☆ Bride-swapping

He Lou returned to the hall to pay his respects to his good friend Chen Zheng Hao by lighting a stick of incense. In the black and white photo, Chen Zheng Hao’s lifeless eyes took on a glint as he looked directly at He Lou. He Lou raised his glass and spoke to the photo, “I know you always liked that girl. Don’t worry; I’ll bring her down tomorrow to keep you company.” Despite the eerie response, He Lou was unfazed and walked out of the hall to join Shen Na.

Shen Na, who had just entered, smiled at the photo and addressed Chen Zheng Hao, “Brother Chen Zheng Hao, the village may have punished you before, but now that you have reformed yourself, they will still find you a good wife. Just remember to follow the rules with her.” With that, they left the hall.

The wedding preparations were in full swing, with white lanterns and wreaths hanging everywhere. He Lou and Shen Na stood under a beautiful acacia tree in the courtyard, scanning the surroundings to ensure Chen Zheng Hao couldn’t hear them. “What do we do now?” Shen Na sighed. “Ding Cong Lu is strongly against it and thinks we’re crazy. She’s telling us to wake up and remember our mission. This custom of platonic marriage has been around for generations; how can we break it because of one girl?”

He Lou furrowed his brows, feeling the weight of his responsibility as their small group leader. Their success in quickly establishing themselves in Red River Village was due to his leadership, and he had to make the right decision for his team.

“Now someone is actually misbehaving. Isn’t this making it impossible for us to get along in Red River Village?” He Lou frowned, deeply concerned. “I’ll go check on her,” he said, determined to take action.

Shen Na nodded in agreement. “That’s the only way. She won’t listen to anyone now. She’s crazy and doesn’t follow any rules.”

At that moment, a man named Liu Xia, a team member, entered the courtyard and overheard their conversation about Ding Cong Lu. He spoke up, “Brother Lou, it would be good if you stepped in. Usually, Ding listens to you. I don’t know what’s wrong with her these days. She’s as mad as hell. If it weren’t for her getting married soon, how could the other villagers tolerate her being so unruly?”

He Lou asked, “Where is she now?”

Liu Xia replied, “She’s locked up in the basement. She’s crying and screaming about going on a hunger strike. After all, she won’t be as pretty if she goes on a hunger strike. So I’ve asked Lu Xiu Xiu to watch her and feed her some food.”

Lu Xiu Xiu was another member of their team. She wasn’t particularly attractive, nor was she talkative, but she was obedient to Liu Xia.

He Lou said, “Okay, take me there.”

As they were leaving the courtyard, they ran into Lu Yan, standing on the corner. Lu Yan looked at the indignant trio up and down a few times, and with an indescribable smile, he asked, “You’re going to send her on her way now?”

Liu Xia saw He Lou suddenly pause in place after seeing Lu Yan and immediately stepped forward. “What else? Are we supposed to keep her, and then we can’t live?”

Lu Yan, the handsome young man, seemed amused by their predicament.

Liu Xia held He Lou in high esteem; without him, they would never have been able to establish themselves in Red River Village, and the few years they had spent together had created a deep bond between them. In contrast, everyone treated Lu Yan, who had come to Red River Village with them, rather coldly. Although Liu Xia knew that the village rules stated that he had to be friendly to his friends, he couldn’t get close to Lu Yan.

Lu Yan said indifferently, “It’s against the rules to speak badly to your friends.”

Liu Xia was startled and immediately fell silent. He Lou then asked, “Do you want to come with us to persuade her?”

Lu Yan turned his head to look inside the room and locked eyes with the man in the black and white photo. Just when He Lou thought he would decline, Lu Yan chuckled and again looked at the others with a gaze that He Lou couldn’t quite decipher. “Sure,” he said.

Now the group was four, with Liu Xia leading the way. They all lived together in a small building at the village entrance, with each person having their own room. The basement was a short walk through the courtyard gate to the woodshed opposite and through a small door on the woodshed floor.

The weather was gloomy that day, with a cold wind blowing fiercely. In the woodshed were piles of paper-tied gold and silver treasures, so to prevent them from being blown away by the wind, Liu Xia closed the door after the four of them entered. The already dim woodshed became even darker, and only the outlines of each person could be seen. Liu Xia lit the paraffin lamp in the room and handed it to Shen Na to carry.

When they first entered the room, they could hear a faint sound, and as they lifted the board, the woman’s cries became even louder, even though she was gagged.

As the group approached the cave entrance, an insidiously cold breath poured out, causing several of them to shiver and tightly wrap their clothes around. Although they felt the chill, they didn’t pay it much attention.

Liu Xia pointed to the woman inside the cave and said, “Look, she’s been screaming like this for a while.”

Shen Na wore an expression of genuine abhorrence, “Such a fuss; it’s a lack of discipline!”

Even He Lou, who was usually calm, frowned and looked disgusted. On the other hand, Lu Yan remained silent and gazed quietly at the dark hole.

He Lou suggested, “Well since they are our friends who have lived together for years, let’s be more considerate.” He then took the paraffin lamp from An Xing Yu and shone it down the hole, calling out, “Lu Xiu Xiu, are you there?”

There was no response, only the sound of muffled sobs.

Liu Xia was puzzled, “That’s strange; I clearly told her to stay inside.”

He Lou suddenly realized something, “Quick! Let’s go down!”

With that, he jumped down into the hole. The basement was constructed peculiarly, with a downward slope leading to the actual basement room, where the bodies for ghost weddings were stored. This basement was one of the largest underground mortuary rooms in the village. It was attached to the small building where they lived.

As they were good friends, they couldn’t treat Ding Cong Lu badly. He Lou’s face was gloomy as he thought about the possibility of Ding Cong Lu being ungrateful. He hoped that she wouldn’t end up drinking the penalty wine.

Shen Na and several others leaped down from the ledge after He Lou, their eyes trained on his hunched figure. The gravity of the situation had not escaped them, and one among them was so incensed that they gritted their teeth and called out Lu Xiu Xiu’s name.

As the group approached the source of the woman’s anguished cries, Lu Yan trailed behind them, his eyes flitting around the woodshed. A pile of firewood caught his attention, but he said nothing as he clambered down to join the others.

As soon as he landed, a bone-chilling cold seeped through his body as though emanating from the depths of the earth. The mud underfoot was a deep red, like it had been soaked in blood, and Lu Yan’s shoes were stained crimson as he trudged forward.

The narrow path opened into a large basement, and Liu Xia caught up with He Lou, taking the opportunity to walk beside him. Shen Na, on the other hand, chose to keep her distance, sticking to the rear of the group as they wound their way through the basement’s twists and turns.

The scent of damp earth grew stronger as they approached an empty room, its size spanning between 20 and 30 square meters. In the center lay a dark, imposing wooden coffin, its lid slightly ajar, from which Lu Xiu Xiu’s heart-rending cries could be heard.

“Is that you, Lu Xiu Xiu?” He Lou called out, his voice echoing off the walls. He handed the lamp to Shen Na and moved to the front, beckoning Liu Xia to help him open the coffin.

The wood was sturdy, and it took both men to pry it open, the lid creaking as it shifted to the side.

As soon as the cries ceased, an eerie chill permeated the basement, seeping through every nook and cranny. The bone-chilling cold was so extreme that it caused He Lou, closest to the coffin, to tremble uncontrollably. The paraffin lamp in Shen Na’s hand flickered twice and abruptly extinguished, plunging the basement into darkness.

Liu Xia fished a lighter out of his pocket and struck it, but the flame immediately snuffed out, to his dismay, as if someone had played a cruel trick on him. He tried several more times but to no avail. He stuffed the lighter back into his pocket, frustrated at the lack of light in the basement.

“Lu, Lu Xiu Xiu?” He Lou called out in uncertainty.

“Lu Xiu Xiu, are you there?” Shen Na added, “Quit playing games and show yourself.”

It took a few moments of shouting before the woman’s cries resumed, and the paraffin lamp flickered back on, casting a warm and dim light across the room.

“It’s me…I’m here…” The voice came from inside the coffin.

After the earlier darkness, the group shifted their positions. Liu Xia subconsciously walked towards the head of the slightly ajar coffin and peered down. “What happened to you?” he asked before a pair of ghostly white arms emerged from the coffin and wrapped themselves tightly around his neck. With a sudden tug, Liu Xia was yanked into the coffin, leaving the others in shock and disbelief.

“Liu Xia!!!” He Lou and Shen Na cried out in unison, frantically trying to push the lid of the coffin. Despite their best efforts, the lid remained stubbornly sealed. After a few moments, the paraffin lamp flickered again, and the lid of the coffin began to move of its own accord, inching slowly towards the end of the coffin.

As the lid moved away, a woman dressed in a striking red wedding gown with a deadly white complexion slowly emerged from the coffin. He Lou and Shen Na stood still, shaken by the sight of the woman. Their purpose for coming to the basement was clear – to find both Lu Xiu Xiu and Ding Cong Lu. The latter had been imprisoned beneath the ground, with Lu Xiu Xiu tasked to watch her. However, upon reaching the basement, they found Lu Xiu Xiu trapped in the coffin instead, wearing the very wedding dress that Ding Cong Lu was supposed to do.

Was Ding Cong Lu on the run?

He Lou and Shen Na were infuriated and immediately stepped forward to help Lu Xiu Xiu out of the coffin. As she emerged, she moved the coffin to the side, her body like a cold, slithering serpent. She took the two people’s hands for support and was gradually helped out of the coffin. Her large, embroidered red shoes trailed on the ground.

Shen Na was indignant. “This is outrageous! How could Ding Cong Lu do this? Xiu Xiu, do you have any idea where she has gone?”

Lu Xiu Xiu shook her head slowly, and Shen Na found herself at a loss. “What do we do now? The wedding banquet is tomorrow.”

He Lou’s expression darkened. “We need to inform the village chief and have the whole village search for her,” he said grimly.

“But what if we do find her?” Shen Na wondered aloud. “Would Chen Zheng Hao still want to marry a woman who has broken the village rules and fled from the marriage?”

He Lou was unequivocal. “We will dispose of her as per the rules.”

He turned his gaze to Lu Xiu Xiu, already dressed in her wedding attire. “Regardless, the wedding banquet is tomorrow, and we already have a bride. I will talk to Chen Zheng Hao later, and it’s fine if Lu Xiu Xiu takes Ding Cong Lu’s place.”

As they approached the entrance to the tunnel, Shen Na took the lead and nimbly scaled the wall. Extending her arm, she helped pull Lu Xiu Xiu up from the depths of the earth. The touch of Lu Xiu Xiu’s hand was bone-chilling and sent shivers down Shen Na’s spine, but she soldiered on and hauled the woman up with all her strength. He Lou was next, lifting himself up and out of the darkness. Last came Lu Yan, his movements slow and deliberate, as if lost in thought.

Curiously, throughout the climb, not one of them mentioned their missing companion, Liu Xia. He was nowhere to be seen, and the group remained silent, uncertain how to address his absence.

26 ☆ You should be happy as well

After He Lou informed the villagers, the usually tranquil and celebratory atmosphere of the village immediately erupted like boiling water. How could a bride dare to escape? This was an utterly scandalous event in Red River Village, where rules held greater importance than the sky.

He Lou stood before the village chief, consumed by shame and blaming himself. “I did not educate them well enough for this to occur,” he confessed. Had He Lou been sober, he would never have uttered such words. In Red River Village, admitting mistakes typically resulted in punishment.

Hearing these words, the village chief’s expression immediately transformed. The corners of his mouth lifted high as if he had heard the most delightful news. Yet, his eyes were filled with frigidity and resentment as he fixed his gaze on He Lou. Gradually, his face flattened like a paper doll, and his bright, red lips opened and closed. “This is what you stated,” he said. “You have made a mistake and will…will be punished.”

The village chief’s metamorphosis was enough to send shivers down their spines, but presently, they felt no unease. Instead, they gathered around him, hoping to sway his decision. Another man named Zhao Chuan immediately interjected. “Village chief, He Lou did not intend for this to happen. This matter is not his fault.”

Zhao Chuan had been the one to question Shen Na initially, but he could not recollect that now. He merely remembered that he had lived with the team for many years, and their relationship had grown stronger with time, much like biological siblings.

At this moment, though he recognized that there was no justification for breaking the village rules, he believed that Ding Cong Lu’s offence was hers alone. What did it have to do with He Lou? Observing this, several other individuals spoke up. “Village chief, if you seek to punish, you should only punish Ding Cong Lu. She was the one who sought to flee.”

“Yes,” another interjected. “Brother Lou arrived to report the incident to the village as soon as he became aware. It is not his fault.”

The group united in pleading for mercy, except for Lu Yan, who remained still. This agitated the others, but the village rules dictated that they must be kind to their peers. Otherwise, they would have forced Lu Yan to speak up.

Unexpectedly, Lu Yan remained quiet for a moment before speaking up. “Village chief, I have arranged a marriage for He Lou, and a wedding banquet will be held in a few days.”

Upon hearing this, the village chief ceased muttering, and his empty gaze fixed upon Lu Yan. “I have found a bride for him after much difficulty,” Lu Yan said flatly.

Initially, Lu Yan had chosen Shen Na. Still, now that Lu Xiu Xiu had passed away, he could readily replace her with someone else. There was thirteen total, and four had broken the rules and transformed into scarecrows. The wedding banquet could be postponed for three or four days, but the later the ghosts arrived, the more frequently they transformed, and he had to ensure he could survive the month.

Whom should Ding Cong Lu, Chen Zheng Hao, He Lou, Lu Xiu Xiu, and Shen Na be paired with? Liu Xia was missing…no. In a few days, he would return. But Shen Na and Liu Xia, with whom else?

As Lu Yan surveyed the other individuals present, his gaze moved over them with a lifeless quality. Thankfully, the rest of the group was dazed in an illusion, or else they would have noticed the disturbing way he was studying them. But it was precisely because of his detached demeanor that Lu Yan could assess them so thoroughly.

He Lou’s miraculous survival of the Daoist priest’s attack elevated him in Lu Yan’s eyes. The sword had been perilously close to piercing his throat, but the timing was perfect. If Lu Yan had been even a fraction of a second slower in rescuing He Lou, both would have been killed. And yet, he couldn’t decide whether he felt guilty about this fact. After all, death in this realm was transitory, and they would eventually be reborn. But somewhere deep within, a voice warned him that he absolutely could not die. The consequences would be too terrible to bear.

As a result, He Lou had to be disposed of. Despite the man’s current loyalty, who could say that he wouldn’t reveal Lu Yan’s secret to others? Moreover, in the many years he had spent in this world, Lu Yan had never witnessed anyone from another realm reappearing in such a short period. It could happen in the future, but not now.

And once the ghost marriage was performed, He Lou would be condemned to die.

Only when Lu Yan reminded him did He Lou suddenly recall the impending nuptials. “Yes,” he said with gratitude shining in his eyes. “He helped me find a bride, and we’re getting married in just a few days.”

In Red River Village, village rules held greater significance than anything else, including marriage, which was considered above the village rules. Thus, any villager who managed to find a match for a ghost marriage was exempt from punishment, even if they had committed a grave offence. However, Ding Cong Lu had dared to run away from the marriage, and as a result, the village chief’s ghastly white face contorted with rage.

Gradually, his features relaxed, and after a while, he smiled and congratulated He Lou as if he had forgotten what he had just said. Shen Na, An Xing Yu, Zhao Chuan, and the others breathed a sigh of relief and looked at He Lou with envy. In their eyes, being able to perform a ghost marriage was a great honour.

He Lou beamed with happiness as he received the village chief’s blessing. At the same time, his fellow villagers mentally vowed to punish Ding Cong Lu properly. They bound her with twine and brought her before the village chief. Ding Cong Lu was gagged, tears streaming down her face, and terror was written all over her features. She looked at her familiar companion with a look of abhorrence, repeatedly whimpering, her eyes begging for mercy.

Conversely, the children found the situation amusing and began to clap their hands and circle around her, singing nursery rhymes.

“Bride, disobey, be punished, be punished ……”

Ding Cong Lu shook her head in terror. She knew all too well that the so-called punishment was far worse than death. Her lover, Chen Zheng Hao, had broken the rules, so he was forced to make lanterns after the wedding banquet. She had witnessed Uncle Wu peel his skin off, piece by piece, starting from the head. It was a gruesome sight, like watching the process of making a crocodile skin bag. Human skin was glued onto the lantern skeleton bit by bit until a new lantern was made.

Despite witnessing her boyfriend’s excruciating pain and agony as he was bewitched by the ghost, Ding Cong Lu remained under the ghost’s spell and watched him die without remorse. The memory of that traumatic event flooded her mind as she gazed upon her current teammates, who were still blinded by the ghost’s power, desperately struggling to reach out to her. The grief of losing her lover overwhelmed her, but Ding knew she had to escape it and find a way out of their current predicament.

‘Come to your senses quickly!’ she urged her companions. ‘Don’t be deceived by this village. We must find a way out of this.’

The village headman approached Ding Cong Lu and scolded her. “You didn’t follow the rules,” he said sternly, his mouth gaping wide open.

The villagers echoed his words in unison, and the atmosphere turned icy cold, causing Ding Cong Lu to shiver. But this sudden chill somehow cleared her mind.

Determined to find a way out, Ding Cong Lu remembered the clue they had found earlier. According to the village rules, breaking them would lead to grave consequences. But the last rule stipulated that everyone must consummate a ghost marriage. And that included Ding Cong Lu, who was to be married to the ghost on the following day – the day she was destined to die.

Panic threatened to consume her, but Ding Cong Lu knew she had to stay calm and think of a solution. She turned to her companions with tears in her eyes, unsure of what to do next.

Showing some empathy, Shen Na suggested they hear Ding Cong Lu out. “What if she knows she’s made a mistake?” she said.

An Xing Yu chimed in, “And if Brother Chen Zheng Hao likes her so much, maybe she could still go through with the wedding.”

Ding Cong Lu was grateful for their support, but deep down, she knew that going through with the wedding was not an option. She had to find a way to break the ghost’s spell and escape the village before it was too late.

He Lou’s suggestion made sense, and Ding Cong Lu turned her head to look at him, her mind in turmoil. “Let me ask you,” He Lou said, turning to face Ding Cong Lu. “Are you still willing to marry Chen Zheng Hao now? If you don’t run away from the wedding, just nod.”

Ding Cong Lu was stunned. Of course, she was willing to marry Chen Zheng Hao. Every young woman in love yearned to be with her beloved forever. But now that Ahao was… her thoughts trailed off as she recalled the way Chen Zheng Hao had shaken his head, urging her to keep quiet when he learned of his own certain death and how they had agreed to live together before leaving. Ding Cong Lu’s heart felt like it had been cut with a knife, and tears flowed once more.

She wanted very much to live, but she knew there was a good chance she wouldn’t survive. If that was the case, what did a ghost marriage matter? At least she could still be with Chen Zheng Hao. She nodded her head.

The child at her side reached out and removed the cloth from her mouth. Ding Cong Lu took a few deep breaths and said, “I’m not running away from the marriage. I want to marry Chen Zheng Hao.”

All the villagers around her cheered, and several children gathered around her, singing happily. He Lou and the others were also pleased, and even Lu Yan, who was always distant, showed a smile.

“The wedding banquet will be held tomorrow, so let’s send the bride down today,” the village chief said with a smile. A few middle-aged women, looking like villagers, brought in a large tray carrying red wedding clothes adorned with white silk ribbons, smiling and saying, “We will make the bride look beautiful, without a doubt.”

The village chief’s eyes swept over the villagers. “Who will send the bride on her way?” he asked, then reached out and took the white silk ribbon. After much thought, he handed it to Shen Na, who had just spoken up for Ding Cong Lu.

“You.”

Shen Na took the silk ribbon and walked towards Ding Cong Lu.

Though prepared to die, Ding Cong Lu found herself begging for her life when the two villagers holding her tightened their grip. She struggled, trying to break free of their confinement, but to no avail.

“Think fast, you guys! We’re here on a mission, not from Red River Village!”

As the silk belt tightened around her neck, Ding Cong Lu’s breath became shallower and shallower. Her mind racing, she gasped for air and tried to plead with Shen Na and the others.

“He Lou, remember the eight missions we’ve carried out? Shen Na, you too…” she managed to say before her voice was cut off by the tightening of the silk belt. Her lungs burned, and she felt herself losing consciousness.

Ding Cong Lu’s vision began to blur, and her hands flailed unconsciously. Her nails scratched at the back of Shen Na’s hand, drawing blood. An Xing Yu and He Lou quickly intervened, holding Ding Cong Lu’s hands to prevent her from harming Shen Na.

Through her hazy vision, Ding Cong Lu could see Shen Na’s pleasant smile as she tightened the silk belt. As she felt herself slipping away, she tried to urge them to remember.

But it was too late.

“Good, oh! The bride is on her way!” The villagers cheered.

The villagers cheered, celebrating the “bride’s” arrival. Shen Na and the others joined in, happy with their accomplishment.

Noticing the joy on He Lou’s face, Lu Yan asked: “Do you like Lu Xiu Xiu?”

He Lou was taken aback. “What?” he said.

Lu Yan replied, “The bride I mentioned earlier is her. When your time comes to get married, you’ll be just as thrilled as you are now.”

Lu Yan watched as the villagers took Ding Cong Lu’s lifeless body away to prepare her for the wedding, his voice barely above a whisper.

27 ☆ Remember!

He Lou sensed something amiss, but Lu Yan’s enigmatic expression masked any ill intentions, and so He Lou received the news as a blessing, offering an affirmative nod and a smile.

The villagers erupted in cheers and scampered off to prepare for the wedding, while Shen Na set out to aid in dressing the bride. The rest of the group disbanded, with Lu Yan bringing up the rear, his steps leisurely but his mind frenzied.

What was the mystery behind Red River Village? Was it tied to the river? What was the obsession with ghost marriages? The final phase involved banishing the bride and groom to the Red River, which sounded suspiciously like a sacrifice. How could he hope to survive a month in Red River Village?

He refused to accept the nonsensical notion that he could survive by simply abiding by the village’s laws. On the surface, the rules didn’t appear too arduous, but the last and most recent amendment decreed that all outsiders were obligated to engage in a ghost marriage, and once that went into effect, death was inevitable. He could let the others take over for the time being, but he needed to devise a solution before it was his turn.

Otherwise, even if he departed the village, the curse would linger.

What were those macabre human skin lanterns and strange, crimson mushrooms in the village? Was the memory loss related to the consumption of those fungi, or were they all caught in a phantasmagoria?

Having confronted supernatural phenomena for an extensive duration, Lu Yan had gained a measure of insight into the indomitability of ghosts. Existing solely in the realm of the mind, they could not be vanquished by human willpower. They could tamper with human recollection and the senses with impunity. Confronted with the almost omnipotent phantoms, humans appeared infinitesimal and escape proved nigh impossible.

The outsiders, in contrast, presented him with a rare opportunity. Their arrival signified the restoration of the pre-mutation state, where the once eerie entities would return to their former normalcy. Even more significantly, these individuals from another world offered a glimmer of hope to rid the world of its oddities!

Initially, when he stumbled upon the missionaries, he felt they were out of place. However, it wasn’t until later when he taught himself hypnosis and obtained some illicit drugs that he could extract valuable information from these outsiders. While he couldn’t delve too deeply into the subject without risking their immediate self destruction, Lu Yan managed to piece together information about their mission and its ultimate purpose. Who was behind the rules and regulations that even the ghosts were compelled to follow remained a mystery.

What made him so special? How come he could stay awake while others couldn’t? He couldn’t recall any particular trait that would enable him to confront the spectres with ease. However, his heightened awareness in the midst of chaos and his ability to resist the ghosts’ negative effects proved beneficial in his survival.

Returning to his room and shutting the door, Lu Yan retrieved his phone and brought up the CCTV footage. While the spirits had a knack for manipulating memories and visual recordings, his body’s resistance to their influence, which he had honed through numerous life-and-death battles, usually proved useful in detecting tampering attempts.

On his smartphone, a nine-grid surveillance screen materialised, and Lu Yan swiftly extracted the video footage from Ding Cong Lu’s room at the appropriate time and forwarded through it. To his surprise, Ding Cong Lu, who had been sleeping soundly, suddenly jolted awake, her eyes widening with terror as she trembled uncontrollably in bed.

Lu Yan’s mind raced with questions. What had caused this sudden reaction? What did it mean for him? As he perused the footage, he noticed something eerie – precisely at midnight, a ghostly hand had appeared on the screen and covered the entire image, sending chills down his spine.

Reacting instinctively, he flung his phone out the window and fled the room, not daring to look back. The incident had sparked a guess in his mind, and he knew he had to wait until the next wedding to verify it.

Chen Zheng Hao and Ding Cong Lu’s wedding was fast approaching, and like the village headman’s wedding before, Uncle Wu had fashioned two lanterns out of human skin as gifts. All the villagers gathered at the village square, carrying white paper lanterns as they walked in a long procession, the dim light casting an eerie glow over the night.

Lu Yan walked behind the crowd, carefully observing the villagers and comparing them with the ones he had seen the previous day at the village headman’s wedding. Everything was eerily similar, from the way they dressed to their occasional conversations, even the way they lined up was exactly the same, except for the two newlyweds – Chen Zheng Hao and Ding Cong Lu.

The ensuing proceedings mirrored those of the previous wedding. The sole deviation lay in the fact that, as soon as the village elder concluded his speech, the executioners assumed responsibility for serving the food and promptly began to consume it.

“Hold on a moment!” Lu Yan interjected, a trace of suspicion taking root in his mind. He meticulously examined each dish and managed to surreptitiously place different foods onto each person’s plates. With his convincing arguments, the men remained unsuspecting. He Lou sampled a piece of “couple’s lung slice”. An Xing Yu savoured the “monkey brain”. Shen Na relished the “fried meat in the shape of a human hand”. Zhao Chuan consumed a live rat.

As for himself, he partook in another serving of mushrooms. Despite the repugnant taste of blood that permeated his mouth, Lu Yan maintained a placid countenance and smiled. Likewise, the other men wore the same smile, becoming indistinguishable from the villagers. The wan, sorrowful light cast on their faces transformed them into similar, smiling visages.

“Let us pay homage to the heavens and earth-” The bride, shrouded in a red veil, alighted from the sedan, the groom, now a skeleton clad in his wedding attire, lay in his coffin, the golden girl bore a black and white photo frame, the suona’s blare rent the sky, and the lanterns swayed in the breeze. The two skeletons paid their respects. Suddenly, Lu Yan’s vision blacked out.

When he came to, he found himself staring at Zhao Chuan’s visage.

“Come on, snap out of it! Brother Lou is about to get hitched. Let’s go lend a hand,” Zhao Chuan said. The memories in Lu Yan’s mind were still jumbled, but the instincts he had honed over time impelled him to nod subconsciously and silently follow Zhao Chuan.

Incidentally, they were now about to lend a hand to He Lou. The woman he had taken as his wife was none other than Lu Xiu Xiu. Lu Yan trailed behind Zhao Chuan, sensing that something was amiss, yet struggling to articulate what it was. He kept the anomaly at the forefront of his thoughts, ruminating over it, but his gut instinct prevented him from inquiring, and his countenance remained unchanged.

In due course, they reached He Lou’s abode. Having resided in Red River Village for several years, and having always complied with its regulations, the inhabitants of the village had welcomed them with open arms, and they all enjoyed a cordial relationship.

A few days earlier, Lu Xiu Xiu had passed away and since the outsiders had been very close-knit, He Lou decided to wed her after a brief period of mourning. The village chief and the villagers were elated for the couple, and the entire village was bustling with preparations for a joyous wedding.

However, upon arriving at He Lou’s home, the two of them realised that something was amiss. He Lou, who had always exuded an air of maturity and stability, like a big brother figure, was now incensed, frantically attempting to clarify something to An Xing Yu, with a forlorn and contemptuous Shen Na at his side.

“What is happening here?” Zhao Chuan inquired immediately, feeling a heightened sense of reverence for He Lou. How could he suddenly have a change of heart?

Meanwhile, Lu Yan had an inkling that something was awry. He remained outside the door, refraining from entering, and instead took a step back to keep guard.

Upon seeing Zhao Chuan, Shen Na displayed an impatient expression and uttered, “You have finally arrived. He Lou doesn’t seem to know what he wants anymore, and wishes to dissolve the marriage.” A profound disgust was evident on her face.

Being a member of Red River Village, she loathed individuals like He Lou who had agreed to a union and then wanted to rescind it.

Zhao Chuan was equally taken aback.

How could someone want to renounce their marriage? This unprecedented situation caused quite a stir in the tightly-knit community of Red River Village.

“I am not attempting to renounce my marriage, I implore you to come to your senses and recall the events that have taken place!” He Lou, well aware of the village’s strict traditions, quickly retracted his statement.

He was acutely aware of the dire situation at hand and the unusual circumstances surrounding the village, causing beads of sweat to trickle down his forehead.

He could neither deny nor confirm the marriage, as both options would result in execution as per the village’s unforgiving rules.

Despite his teammates’ confusion and unawareness, even if they were to recall the events, they would still be bound to the village for a full month before they could depart.

Unfortunately, only a week had passed since their arrival, leaving them with a sense of helplessness and uncertainty.

What could be done now…?

After Ding’s escape from He Lou, the villagers apprehended her, leaving her with nowhere to hide for the remaining three weeks.

“Brother Lou, is everything alright? What did you want us to remember?” inquired Zhao Chuan, perplexed. “What’s wrong with Brother Lou today? Did something upset him?”

An Xing Yu responded with a shake of his head, “I’m not certain. He was acting normal when he woke up, but then he suddenly became erratic.”

“I’m not acting out of sorts, it’s you all who are out of sorts. An Xing Yu, Shen Na, do you remember our mission? Thirteen of us arrived in Red River Village, and we had to stay for a full month before departing. Lu Xiu Xiu was with us as well.”

Shen Na’s face twisted in disgust, “Enough, don’t mention Xiu Xiu’s name again. You’re the one who wanted to repent of your marriage, yet you have the audacity to speak of her?”

An Xing Yu also appeared bewildered, “Brother Lou, what are you talking about? We’ve been living in Red River Village for the past five or six years.”

Zhao Chuan chimed in, “Yes, Brother Lou. Remember, you wanted to engage in a ghost marriage a long time ago, but there was never an available single woman in the village. If it weren’t for Lu Xiu Xiu accidentally trapping herself in a coffin and suffocating, you would never have had the chance.”

Despite his attempts to evoke memories of the past, the group continued to regard him as if he was spouting nonsense.

He Lou was left with a pressing question: what could he do now?

He Lou didn’t shout frantically like Ding Cong Lu; he knew it wouldn’t help. However, if he answered affirmatively, he might be strangled to death by the villagers in due course.

Moreover, why was it his turn to be married in the underworld?

He Lou suddenly recollected that day when Lu Yan called out to him and said something. He had put Lu Xiu Xiu in front of him and he had not objected in the slightest; rather, he had happily gone to report to the village chief.

Life and death, he no longer had the strength to regret or generate any other emotions. His mind was racing, trying to find a way to live.

Interestingly, wasn’t that what happened to Ding Cong Lu? She suddenly came to her senses and cried about repudiating her marriage because she had already remembered at that time, right?

It was undoubtedly not a coincidence that Ding Cong Lu’s sudden recovery of memory and his own memory recovery both occurred the day before the wedding.

Could it be that the day before the wedding, their memory would be restored?

He Lou sensed the nefarious intent behind this mission.

By requiring the outsiders to adhere to the village’s regulations, they were gradually becoming a part of Red River Village. However, a peculiar custom of the village was a ghost wedding, which condemned those who partook in it to death! Adding to the mission’s distress was the fact that the missionaries’ memories would be restored a day before the wedding, leaving them no room for confusion as they watched their comrades kill each other.

In addition to avoiding encounters with ghosts and monsters, every mission played with people’s emotions and drove them into the depths of despair. He Lou had come full circle, yet he was determined to do whatever it took to survive.

Noticing Shen Na’s impending departure to report the matter to the village chief, He Lou made his decision and held her hand. “I am not regretting the marriage. All I want is to be with everyone,” he spoke calmly, reminiscing about their journey to and growth in Red River Village. “These were delightful times that I will never forget. As my closest friends, I long to have a splendid wedding with you all.”

Alternatively, they could postpone the wedding and reschedule it for the following month.

By the way, what was Lu Yan’s level of knowledge about the situation? Did he know about the proposal when it was initially made? Had his memories returned to him? If only he had not suggested it, he wouldn’t be in this predicament now.

He Lou had regained his composure and addressed Shen Na with a smile, “What is your opinion of Lu Yan? I believe you are match made in haven.”

Shen Na appeared hesitant, saying, “But, he…”.

He Lou interjected with assurance, “There is no ‘but.’ Do you not believe he is suitable? We have been living together for many years; you should be familiar with his character.” Seeing that Shen Na was still somewhat uncertain, He Lou’s tone grew more intense, “Moreover, he has always adhered to the rules of Red River Village. What more can you ask for?”

Shen Na’s eyes showed a hint of resistance, as if there were still doubts in her mind, “Let me…consider it.”

Meanwhile, Lu Yan was hiding behind the door, pressed against the wall, struggling internally. He pounded his head in frustration, trying to recall his memories, unsure whether they were authentic or not. He needed to remember quickly!

Lu Yan breathed deeply and opened his eyes, his gaze clear. He was not a native of Red River Village.

He…was alive and needed to return.

28 ☆ Must escape!

Leaning against the wall, Lu Yan took deep breaths to conceal the melancholy etched between his brows. He absorbed He Lou’s words and grasped the gravity of the situation, just like Ding Cong Lu had twenty-four hours before her wedding, when a sudden memory had hinted at something beyond just the culinary delights on offer. The banquet held a more significant purpose or, perhaps, an unpleasant surprise.

He Lou attempted to ensnare Lu Yan, but he was no easy prey. Calm and composed, he strode out to confront He Lou, whose pupils shrank as he realised he had been caught red-handed in a treacherous scheme. He had always been wary of Lu Yan, knowing that he was not one to be trifled with.

Lu Yan acknowledged He Lou’s presence with a nod, and He Lou nervously inquired, “Were you outside all this time?”

“Yes, I heard everything,” Lu Yan responded promptly. He turned to Shen Na with a sly grin, “You don’t need to select me. Instead, why not join Liu Xia’s? Unfortunately, Liu Xia recently passed away. He was a dutiful villager, just like you.” His tone was smooth, yet calculating, akin to a predator eyeing his prey.

He Lou was caught off guard and exclaimed, “You!” He was on the verge of saying something more, but the scorching rage emanating from Lu Yan’s eyes silenced him. Meanwhile, the other man’s lips moved silently, leaving He Lou to swallow his words. If Lu Yan had a solution, he didn’t care about anyone else.

“Shen Na, do you have any reservations about him? It was challenging for me to find one for you,” He Lou cajoled Shen Na, attempting to sway her decision.

Shen Na was hesitant, “That’s true. Liu Xia just happened to pass away, so it could be him, right?”

The duo took turns persuading her, and in a dazed state, Shen Na ultimately agreed.

He Lou, however, couldn’t focus on that anymore. He noticed Shen Na had given her consent and left them to discuss it amongst themselves before scurrying over to Lu Yan and speaking in a hushed tone, “What did you mean by that?”

As the weight of his impending execution hung heavily over him, He Lou’s mind was consumed by a flurry of thoughts, desperately searching for a way to escape the inevitable. Even with the absence of Lu Yan’s looming threat, He Lou still needed his assistance to complete their mission and evade certain death.

Lu Yan hinted at a potential way out, but his cryptic words left He Lou in the dark. “There is a method, but I cannot yet be certain of its success. Therefore, I am unable to disclose it at this moment,” Lu Yan said, his tone enigmatic.

The sounds of the approaching villagers heightened He Lou’s sense of urgency. He could feel his execution drawing nearer, and the thought of the villagers’ smiles only served to intensify his anxiety. He felt as though he was walking towards a fiery furnace or a sharpened blade, desperate to escape.

As the villagers drew closer, He Lou considered fabricating an excuse to delay his execution. The notion of requesting a postponement of the wedding date flitted through his mind, but he knew that it would be a flimsy excuse and likely viewed as a breach of their customs.

He was in a precarious situation that necessitated quick thinking and a stroke of good luck. Even if the excuse he offered was false, he knew that he had to try, regardless of the consequences.

“I beg of you, please tell me. What is this way out you speak of?”

“Very well, in that case, let me reveal a solution: you must flee,” Lu Yan declared with a cool demeanour, momentarily stunning He Lou.

Although He Lou’s intuition hinted at the veracity of Lu Yan’s words, the threat of death and the enigmatic ambiance of the village had stifled their cognitive abilities, making it difficult to analyse the situation.

“However, we are obliged to stay for a month, and even if we tried to escape, where could we possibly go?” He Lou articulated with a sense of unease.

Lu Yan responded impassively, “Where you choose to flee is of no consequence to me. I merely ask, how long have you truly resided in this village?” With a flick of his wrist, Lu Yan retrieved a slim notebook from his satchel and presented it to He Lou.

He Lou was dumbfounded. How long had they lived in the village? Hadn’t they just arrived recently?

The memories in his mind were a tangled mess. On one hand, he recollected living in the village for years with his friends, but on the other hand, he had a nagging feeling that something was amiss. The moment the “newlyweds” prostrated themselves at the first wedding banquet, their memories vanished, and their perception of time became distorted, jumping ahead three years. Then, after the second wedding for Chen Zheng Hao and Ding Cong Lu, their world rewound several months. The disorientation was overwhelming.

As He Lou attempted to sort through his thoughts, he found himself unconsciously reaching for the notebook Lu Yan held. But as he began to peruse its pages, he suddenly froze. Whose diary was this?

Before he could make sense of the situation, several people emerged from the courtyard. An Xing Yu led the group and immediately spotted the notebook in He Lou’s hand. “What are you doing with my diary?” he exclaimed in surprise.

Only then did He Lou realize that the book did look familiar. Since arriving in this world, An Xing Yu had taken to scribbling in his notebook during his free time, jotting down personal reflections or working on academic topics. Whenever asked about it, he would simply reply, “If I make it back alive, I still need to prepare for my college entrance exams.” But now, as He Lou pondered the absurdity of such a notion, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something sinister was at play.

Gingerly grasping the notebook with trepidation, He Lou detected a disquieting aura surrounding it. “I chanced upon this diary,” he said, attempting to appear casual, “does it belong to you, by any chance?”

With a deft movement, he tendered the journal to An Xing Yu.

In Red River Village, harbouring lost objects had severe repercussions – one was subject to execution if found guilty. However, deception was another matter entirely. So long as one remained undiscovered and refused to confess, one’s safety was secure.

An Xing Yu accepted the diary with a hint of annoyance but withheld any verbal reproach. Holding the book, he simply nodded at He Lou.

Observing the scene with a smirk on his lips, Zhao Chuan remarked, “The village chief and his cohort are approaching, likely to offer Brother Lou a ride.”

Preferring not to pursue the matter further, He Lou turned his thoughts to other ponderings – what was the impetus behind Lu Yan’s theft of An Xing Yu’s diary? Could there be something of value written within its pages?

As the villagers drew nearer, Shen Na and her comrades greeted them with palpable exuberance, elaborating on the situation to the village chief, who headed the group.

The chief’s delight was discernible upon learning that all the pledges had been found, as his furrowed countenance transformed into one of pure elation. The crowd erupted into cheers, buoyed by their leader’s felicity.

However, He Lou’s laughter was stifled. As he scrutinised the procession, he spied a villager trailing behind the chief, carrying a tray that held a menacing dagger. They were condemning him to death. But what was the genuine means of survival? Was it genuinely as uncomplicated as fleeing, as Lu Yan had suggested? Even if He Lou evaded the villagers, he would face certain death if he violated the rules and his allotted time had not yet come.

While simultaneously lowering his head, Lu Yan whispered to He Lou, “The diary holds little significance; it is the recorded time that matters.” The timeline of Red River Village was in a state of chaos, a stark contrast to their traditionally strict adherence to customs and regulations. For generations, the village had prided itself on its rigid adherence to rules and traditions.

However, the village itself was in a constant state of disorder. Did it truly matter to keep track of time in this chaotic village? According to the village’s “rules,” they had been living there for years. If they were forced to keep up with the outside world’s time, the village would be considered “unruly,” and an unruly village cannot survive.

He Lou attempted to check the time on his phone, but it had somehow malfunctioned.

“Don’t bother, I cannot read the time on my phone either,” Lu Yan replied without hesitation when He Lou turned to him.

The village headman arrived, wearing a kind smile that appeared no different from that of an ordinary old man. He said, “He Lou, tomorrow is your wedding day. Today, we have come to send you on your way.”

He Lou had now calmed down, putting on the same smile as if he hadn’t noticed the extreme malice behind the village chief’s facade. Calmness was his only chance now. Lu Yan wouldn’t assist him in escaping; instead, he would likely exploit He Lou’s flight and escape.

Nonetheless, He Lou tentatively asked, “Village Chief, I want to have a wedding with my friends… Should we postpone it for a few days?” All the villagers turned their heads simultaneously, their mouths agape.

Lu Yan was observing carefully. Most of the time villagers appeared like ordinary individuals, nothing out of the ordinary. However, once someone violated the rules, their faces collectively transformed into a flat, miserable white, much like… paper people.

The village chief’s voice was stern as he spoke, “You have set a date for your wedding, and now you wish to retract your promise?”

When Lu Yan initially proposed the wedding date, it was done so for the purpose of experimentation. However, it was fruitless, for as soon as the wedding banquet was held, they would immediately shift to the corresponding time point.

Realizing this, He Lou altered his approach, “No, I simply wish to celebrate with my friends, for we journeyed to Red River Village together…”

Instead of softening, the village chief’s expression grew increasingly menacing, and his eyes shone with cold malice and resentment. Slowly, his mouth opened wider and wider, stretching beyond the limits of human physiology until it gaped all the way to his waist. Within that colossal mouth, a seething torrent of red liquid surged, threatening to consume He Lou.

Faced with the imminent threat of being devoured, He Lou swiftly changed his tune, declaring with conviction, “I shall not alter the wedding date!”

These words caused the village chief’s agape maw to freeze mid-action, and the rest of the villagers likewise froze in place, as though someone had paused a video. Even Lu Yan remained motionless.

One second ticked by, then another, until finally, the village chief’s mouth returned to its normal size, and his expression softened, as though he had not just been on the brink of swallowing a human whole. He Lou breathed a sigh of relief, “My friends will also be getting married tomorrow, alongside me.”

If they were to escape, it would be more economical for all of them to escape together. Therefore, it was best to awaken their memories now.

The village headman, who had regained his composure, wore a look of surprise and concern when he asked, “Is that so? Have you all found someone?”

He Lou, with a calm façade, was drenched with sweat, and the cool wind made him more alert. “Yes, we’ve found good partners,” he replied.

“Shen Na and Liu Xia, Zhao Chuan and Wang Jing, An Xing Yu and…,” He Lou stuttered.

In their group, there were only four female members: Shen Na, Ding Cong Lu, Lu Xiu Xiu, and Wang Jing. What about An Xing Yu?

An Xing Yu turned to look at He Lou with the same confusion, his youthful face making him look like an ordinary high school student. He no longer appeared as calm and robotic as when they first met. “Who is my partner?” he asked.

Sweat trickled down He Lou’s forehead. “I have found one for you. You and…you and…” His eyes wandered around as he searched for a suitable match.

“Who is it?” An Xing Yu trailed off.

“You and…,” He Lou turned his head and saw Lu Yan. Without thinking, he blurted out Lu Yan’s name.

Lu Yan’s eyes glared with hostility. “He Lou, in Red River Village, it’s against the rules for men to marry men.”

Rules, always rules! So not having a ghost marriage partner was the key to survival?

Lu Yan gave He Lou a quick glance before withdrawing his gaze. He paid little attention to He Lou’s babbling, still preoccupied with the scene he had just witnessed.

When the village chief opened his mouth, it was filled with fishy red liquid, which could have been blood or some other red substance, such as the Red River in the village. Lu Yan also remembered the red mushrooms that spilled the same foul-smelling liquid when bitten.

Were there any similarities between these things?

The village headman smiled and said, “So, you’re all planning to get married tomorrow, are you?”

He Lou’s influence over the crowd was still apparent, as Shen Na and Zhao Chuan nodded in agreement. A few others who had not found suitable partners also congratulated them without any hard feelings.

He Lou’s entire body tensed up. Would their memories return twenty-four hours before the wedding? Was it true or not? The most crucial thing now was to separate them.

“Village Chief, please allow us…” He Lou began.

The village headman was still smiling. “Oh, you all want to get married? That’s great! We’ll all get together and have a good time. Then it’s settled. You all will get married tomorrow without any objections, right?”

Shen Na spoke up, “I have no problem with it.”

Zhao Chuan and Wang Jing both nodded in agreement.

He Lou gestured towards a wedding dress held up by one of the villagers and addressed the village chief, “Village Chief, with the increase in weddings, do we have enough wedding dresses? Is there anything else we should consider?”

It was then that the village chief suddenly recalled the matter and instructed the other villagers to retrieve additional wedding attire without delay.

Of the seven or eight villagers following behind, more than half had already gone ahead.

He Lou realized that this was his opportunity.

As the village chief walked ahead of him towards the courtyard, he asked in passing, “He Lou, have you decided how you would like to die? Would you prefer to be killed with a sharp knife that will slit your throat in one cut?” Despite the gruesome topic, He Lou managed to remain composed and calmly replied, “I have no objection to that.”

Shen Na, on the other hand, wrinkled her brows and expressed her preference, “I’d like to change my method. How about being strangled with bare hands instead of satin? I enjoy the sensation of having my throat squeezed by bare hands.”

Zhao Chuan chimed in, “I don’t want a knife either. Pour boiling water on me from head to toe, and I’ll be scalded to death in an instant.”

The people were now invested in discussing their preferred method of death. He Lou found himself even more resolute and managed to listen without betraying any emotion, though he inwardly cried out in desperation. Just then, he caught a glimpse of Shen Na’s face suddenly turning pale.

This, this is ……

She, what was she doing?

Was tomorrow truly the day of her death? And had she just revealed her preferred way of dying?

With the mental fortitude honed by many missions, Shen Na managed to hide any signs of panic or distress. He Lou had quickly approached her, gripping her hand tightly, his gaze unwavering as he shook his head slowly and mouthed silently, “I have a plan.”

However, Zhao Chuan and Wang Jing were not as composed. Within moments, Zhao Chuan’s complexion turned pale as a flood of memories crashed into his mind, reminding him of their mission. He had unwittingly agreed to a ghost marriage, and it was set to take place the following day!

The village chief’s menacing visage loomed before him, and Zhao Chuan jerked upright before making a dash for the door. He managed to keep his mouth shut, but the expression on his face spoke volumes, and the village headman could already sense what had happened.

“Someone has broken the rules and is attempting to flee the marriage,” the village chief said, his tone laced with regret.

The other villagers’ faces mirrored his sorrow as their bodied became light as paper and they drifted in air towards Zhao Chuan, ready to catch the disobedient man and punish him severely.

The entire room chased after them.

Wang Jing also finally snapped out of his daze and realised what was happening.

He Lou bellowed, “Run!” and quickly pulled An Xing Yu, who was still in shock, out of the house and in the opposite direction. Shen Na was hot on their heels, sprinting towards the edge of the village.

“We have to escape!” she urged, her voice filled with urgency.

29 ☆ The Secret of Red River Village

Pandemonium had engulfed the entirety of Red River Village. Every villager was scouring the area in search of Zhao Chuan.

The sky grew darker, and the chilly, wet atmosphere thickened with each passing moment. Meanwhile, He Lou, Shen Na, An Xing Yu and Wang Jing were sprinting in the opposite direction.

An Xing Yu, who still had not regained his memory, kept protesting and pleading to go back. If not for the virtual memories that the village had implanted in him, he would never have believed in He Lou’s leadership. Impatient, He Lou let go of An Xing Yu’s hand and ran ahead with Shen Na and the others.

Initially, Red River Village had appeared to be a thriving community with broad roads, sturdy homes and healthy crops. However, now, it was almost unrecognizable. The paths had narrowed, becoming littered with sharp rocks and tangled weeds and vines.

As they ran deeper into the desolate landscape, the temperature plummeted, and even their breath felt damp. The bleak and forbidding environment, coupled with the rapidly darkening sky, filled them with dread.

“Lou, are we really headed outside the village?” Shen Na asked, trailing behind and watching her footing. Although her memory had just returned, she was still a bit disoriented. Nevertheless, since He Lou was leading them, she had no reason to question the course of action.

“But it hasn’t been a full month yet,” Wang Jing chimed in. She had only been on two missions and felt completely out of her depth in this strange world. So far, she had managed to survive purely by chance.

He Lou understood that he needed to provide a clear explanation to dispel any lingering doubts in Shen Na’s mind. He ran ahead, simultaneously relaying the information Lu Yan had shared with him. Shen Na quickly comprehended the situation, but Wang Jing remained somewhat confused. Nevertheless, she realized that this was her chance to escape the village.

However, a perplexing question arose in Wang Jing’s mind. “Isn’t the time of our mission calculated according to the time of the outside world?” she wondered. Nevertheless, she kept her thoughts to herself and focused on keeping up with the others.

Although she was aware that the villagers would pursue them, there was no sign of them at present, so Wang Jing felt relatively unconcerned. She paused to check her wristwatch, but the hands were spinning aimlessly, leaving her clueless about the time, month, or day. She found the village to be disorienting and confusing. Nonetheless, the thought of leaving it filled her with hope.

However, Wang Jing’s hope was short-lived, as she began to worry about the accuracy of the path they were taking. The confusing time calculations made her question if they were on the right track. She slowed down and looked around, searching for any clues that could guide them. As they moved deeper into the dense forest, the path became increasingly difficult to navigate, and the weather grew dimmer, making it hard to see.

The two people ahead of her were leaving her behind, and Wang Jing could still hear their faint footsteps. Suddenly, she saw a white shadow out of the corner of her eye, which caused her to panic. She thought it was a ghost and screamed in terror. She ran through the dense forest, her body aching from the branches and undergrowth that scraped her.

Wang Jing kept running until she was too exhausted to continue. Finally, she slowed down, panting heavily.

She was at her limit, her body unable to continue running any further. However, with the glimmer of light that appeared at the end of the dimly lit path, Wang Jing found new motivation to persevere. The light’s faintness only made it more alluring, and she charged towards it with renewed vigor. Unfortunately, in her excitement, she failed to notice the wet mud beneath her feet.

When she finally arrived at the source of the light, a lantern, she approached it slowly. As the wind blew gently, the lantern swayed, seemingly gazing back at her. It was then that Wang Jing noticed the object that had caught her eye.

“Ahhh!” she exclaimed.

Meanwhile, Shen Na panted heavily beside her companion, whose unusual gait and weightless strides had set her on edge. “Brother Lou, are we heading the right way?” she asked anxiously, but the man in front of her remained silent, his head bowed and hands clasped together.

It was then that she noticed something peculiar about his movement: his heels never touched the ground, and he drifted forward like a ghost. A sinking feeling gripped her as she realized that this was not He Lou.

A quick glance ahead confirmed her fears: the road ahead was growing more rugged and unstable by the second. Without a moment’s hesitation, Shen Na spun on her heel and began running back the way they had come. Wang Jing, who had witnessed the strange scene, followed suit.

As they fled, Shen Na pondered the consequences of breaking the village’s rules, knowing that such disobedience could plunge it into chaos. The sky was alternating between light and dark, the terrain was disorienting, and the climate was erratic. It was as if the fabric of time and space had been torn asunder.

In this chaotic environment, a “month” could stretch into an eternity. She stumbled down a short slope, narrowly avoiding a small pond that she had seen only ten minutes earlier. How were they ever going to get past it?

“No,” Shen Na exclaimed, looking at the twisted road ahead of them. “Even the road seems confused. What good will it do to keep running in one direction? Who knows if it will turn into something like a Möbius ring and we’ll end up back where we started.”

Wang Jing caught up to her, panting heavily. “Shen Na, what should we do now?”

Shen Na shrugged. “This road won’t work. Let’s go back the way we came, but be careful to avoid the villagers.”

“Good idea,” Wang Jing muttered under her breath.

As they walked, Wang Jing placed a hand on Shen Na’s shoulder, but Shen Na quickly dodged away. “Stay away from me!” she warned, glancing at her own reflection in the nearby pond.

A chill ran through her as she realized that only her own reflection was visible. Her heart pounding, Shen Na kicked “Wang Jing” into the water and ran away.

“Wang Jing” floated on the surface of the water, motionless except for the ripples caused by the waves.

Shen Na ran for an unknown amount of time until she felt more at ease. The path was rough and steep, but she hadn’t seen any villagers. Had they managed to avoid them by paying attention to the terrain? Just when she began to feel a bit more relaxed, she suddenly felt short of breath. She couldn’t catch her breath, and her vision blurred. Finally, she noticed something cold on her neck. It was two white hands!

The hands had broken off from Wang Jing’s body and had been hanging around Shen Na’s neck since she had shaken her off. She tried to shake them off but couldn’t.

She felt the lack of oxygen and her vision began to fade.

The water in the small pond was intantly tinged with red. Two ghastly white female corpses floated above with their eyes wide open, and strangely enough, their hands were missing.

In the distance, a young man passed by with a cold expression, removing his binoculars from around his neck.

“Brother Lu, where are we headed now?”

The chaos in the village had sent the locals scrambling after Zhao Chuan, and Shen Na, He Lou, and Wang Jing had fled the village for reasons unknown. An Xing Yu had followed them for a while, but had fallen behind and bumped into Lu Yan. Now, Lu Yan was leading him on a path to nowhere.

“Let’s go and help find Zhao Chuan too,” said Lu Yan.

He wondered if He Lou and Zhao Chuan had managed to escape and hoped they hadn’t. Shen Na was dead, and the only company left was An Xing Yu, whose memory had yet to return. As they walked, he asked, “An Xing Yu, would you be willing to lend me your diary so I can take a look?”

After regaining his memory, Lu Yan had noticed that something was amiss. Though clocks were ubiquitous, mobile phones and other modern electronic devices were rare in the village, and most households lacked a calendar. This realization led him to sneak a look at An Xing Yu’s diary, in which he had recorded the time he had deduced from his memory.

However, he had not kept the diary long enough to read it thoroughly and had only managed to flip through a few pages before returning it to He Lou in haste. As he opened the diary, An Xing Yu nodded subconsciously but suddenly paused.

“I…,” he began, appearing to be in pain as his memories grew fuzzy and then began to clear.

The mission…Red River Village…Underworld Wedding…

An Xing Yu quickly regained his senses.

“Your memory has returned?” asked Lu Yan, surprised.

An Xing Yu nodded and took a few deep breaths. “Didn’t you say we were going to find Zhao Chuan? Let’s go now,” he said, ready to move on.

Although Lu Yan was unfamiliar to him, he seemed trustworthy for the time being, based on his recollection of this period. Even if Lu Yan was a ghost masquerading as a human, it would be unwise to recklessly expose his disguise, as it could have disastrous consequences. Therefore, An Xing Yu opted to adopt a friendly demeanor towards him. As they sprinted along the treacherous and convoluted path, Lu Yan perused the diary, gradually coming to a definitive conclusion.

“Why the sudden interest in finding Zhao Chuan?” An Xing Yu inquired as they ran.

Since An Xing Yu had exhibited benevolence towards him, and since Lu Yan was not inclined to eliminate individuals without due cause, the two had established an unspoken agreement to collaborate. As such, Lu Yan saw no reason to conceal anything from him. He urgently needed to locate Zhao Chuan, specifically the village chieftain who was pursuing him, as he was the root cause of all the problems.

“I had a query for a long time, and today I have the means to resolve it. It’s a significant gamble, but I can no longer afford to be indifferent.”

“Do you mean to say that the village chieftain is to blame for everything?” An Xing Yu inquired.

“Indeed. Do you recall how the village chieftain always turns pale whenever someone violates the village’s regulations, and then the others follow his lead? It’s not the village rules they’re following, but rather the village chieftain’s edicts,” Lu Yan explained.

He had long ago installed cameras in everyone’s quarters and had consequently witnessed some strange events.

“So, what’s your explanation for the red river in the village?” An Xing Yu queried, his pace showing no signs of slowing down. “My hypothesis was that the villagers were compelled to reside by the Red River, or some entity within it. Therefore, their nuptials, funerals, and punishments were all determined by the river.”

An Xing Yu had jotted down in his diary, in an enigmatic cipher, that following the initial disappearance of the four men, although they had speculated that the four had become scarecrows, he had later made another trip to the Red River and had chanced four corpses.

“What was the link between the village chieftain and the Red River? Who administers the punishment when you violate the rules and die? Have you ever witnessed any of the villagers, aside from the village chieftain, dispensing punishment? I’m even beginning to suspect that Wu Bo might be the village chieftain, given that they haven’t been seen together in some time,” An Xing Yu interjected, synthesizing Lu Yan’s statements with his own. His eyes widened as he spoke.

Lu Yan posed the question to An Xing Yu, “Have you figured it out too?”

An Xing Yu nodded, but he refrained from voicing his conjecture aloud because the implications were too terrifying. It was possible that the village chief was not a mere mortal but rather an entity that resided in the river. The village chief could have been the river itself or a being that governed the river.

According to An Xing Yu’s theory, the villagers did not originate from the Red River. Instead, the village chief was the first to exist, followed by the creation of the Red River and the other villagers. This would explain why none of the villagers possessed the same level of power as the village chief. They were merely his eyes, watching and reporting any transgressions they witnessed.

The village chief had the ability to manifest multiple avatars, but the villagers could not act without his permission. Although they could observe and report wrongdoing, they lacked the authority to discipline like the village chief himself.

“No wonder…” An Xing Yu trailed off as he considered how the four early companions had only faced a warning from the innkeeper’s wife. The innkeeper’s wife lacked the means to execute them.

The village chief’s power was absolute, as demonstrated by his attempt to devour He Lou. His mouth was filled with a red liquid that resembled the water of the Red River. This incident made it abundantly clear that only the village chief possessed the power to punish offenders.

An Xing Yu contemplated the equation: village chief equals rules equals Red River, villagers equals village chief’s eyes. It became apparent that everything in the village, including the duration of their existence, was subject to the village chief’s control.

“What does this mean for us?” An Xing Yu wondered aloud. They were all headed to the village chief, the source of their existence. An Xing Yu believed that they would not meet their demise, but he could not help but feel apprehensive.

“The village chief created all the rules, and the length of time we have lived here is also determined by him,” Lu Yan added, emphasizing the village chief’s omnipotence.

If He Lou failed to consider this and left the village without caution, the consequences could be dire.

Lu Yan was looking forward to it.

30 ☆ Substitute Paper Man

As they pushed forward, the frigid wind whipped around them, playing tricks on their senses. One moment they were surrounded by dense trees, and the next they found themselves on a desolate plain, with small pools of water appearing suddenly beneath their feet. Despite their urgent need to find the village chief, they had to tread carefully in these treacherous conditions.

The village was in complete chaos, and they wondered if they could find the village chief. Even if they did, would he readily admit how long they had been there? With the sky getting darker by the minute, their range of vision reduced, and with no lighting, they could only keep their eyes open to avoid falling over.

Another puddle appeared in front of them, and without noticing, An Xing Yu stepped into it, sinking up to his waist. As he tried to pull his leg out, he felt hands under the water grabbing his ankles and pulling them downwards.

“Lu, please help me,” he called out to Lu Yan, who had followed him to a stop.

Without much hesitation, Lu Yan grabbed An Xing Yu’s outstretched hand with all his might, and allowed him to break free from the puddle. The water in the puddle appeared normal, but after An Xing Yu climbed out, the lower half of his body was completely soaked in a sticky, red liquid resembling blood plasma.

“Thanks,” An Xing Yu said before standing up. But when he looked up, his eyes widened in shock as he saw something incomprehensible. Lu Yan watched him for a moment before looking up himself, and his pupils instantly shrank.

In the sky, which had turned completely black, floated white paper folded figure with childlike, crooked smile, dressed in gaudy clothes, and with two red circles painted on their faces. They seemed to be showing a big smile.

No, there was more than one.

From all directions, more and more paper people floated, wobbling and hovering high in the air. The smiling faces painted on their human-like heads were obviously simplistic, yet they appeared as rotting human heads. One ghastly white head was remarkably lifelike, and the strong stench of decay lingered in the air.

It was as though someone was flying a kite. As if sensing their gaze, the eyes of the paper figures looked down.

“Don’t look up! Move forward!” Lu Yan instructed. He quickly lowered his head after just one glance, his memory conjuring up the scene in its entirety. He recalled that the faces on the lanterns were strikingly similar to the villagers he had seen earlier that day.

Perhaps, they were the villagers.

An Xing Yu looked up, and the paper people descended in a violent straight line, as though they were about to land on top of them. Not wanting to take any chances, An Xing Yu quickly put his head down, and they both concentrated on running forward without uttering another word.

As the puddles on the ground became increasingly abundant, they identified their location by using the reflections in the water to observe the orientation of the paper figures.

The paper people let out crisp laughter that intertwined high and low.

“Hee hee hee……”

“Hee hee hee hee……”

Don’t look! Don’t listen!

The night grew deeper, and the darkness was so intense that they could barely see anything. Their pace slowed down considerably.

The laughter of the paper people overhead grew closer, gradually transforming into hoarse and grim laughter. It was a sound that didn’t seem human. They couldn’t stand still; otherwise, the paper people would get closer and closer. The mud under their feet would swallow them up quickly. Thus, even though it was difficult to walk, they continued to move forward into the unknown.

“Brother Lu, which way should we go now?” An Xing Yu asked, keeping his voice low. He could sense that the other person was right beside him and moving forward slowly. However, the breath coming from the other person’s body was chillingly cold.

“Keep moving forward,” a voice replied.

“Hmm,” An Xing Yu responded, trying his best to remain composed. However, his heart was pounding with shock. This wasn’t Lu Yan! The person following him, who could it be?

An Xing Yu’s forehead broke out in cold sweat, but he remained silent, determined to stay expressionless. He was just an ordinary high school student, and he couldn’t believe he was involved in a paranormal incident for no apparent reason. Nonetheless, he followed the mission instructions and waited for the mission to open at an abandoned school.

During his first mission, An Xing Yu witnessed an extremely harrowing psychic phenomenon. The scene shook him so deeply that, to this day, he still vividly recalls the look of horror etched on the man’s face as he succumbed to death. If the mission had failed, An Xing Yu would have been transformed into a cold, decaying corpse, devoid of all vitality.

Upon logging onto the website, he encountered numerous individuals who had undergone missions similar to his own. The website also housed an extensive collection of memory records saved by survivors. An Xing Yu dedicated several nights to scrutinising these records like he was preparing for an exam, scouring for any discernible patterns.

Regardless of the mission’s nature, the only survivors were those who possessed the acuity to remain composed and think rationally. Individuals who gave in to panic and disarray in the beginning were swiftly eliminated. Serenity was the ultimate key to survival.

All of An Xing Yu’s mission collaborators assumed that he was naturally devoid of emotion. Nevertheless, he knew that this was far from the truth. While he certainly felt fear and trepidation, a fierce desire to survive and an inkling of teenage pride precluded him from betraying his vulnerability. He refused to expose it, even in the presence of a spectre.

“Let’s split up. You go left, and I’ll go right,” An Xing Yu stated in an unwavering voice. He clenched his fists in a deathly grip, his eyes still maintaining an almost robotic calmness. Despite urging himself to calm down, he completely disregarded the fact that the other person had yet to agree. He turned to his right, but to his horror, the entity followed him.

Although the darkness was impenetrable, An Xing Yu could perceive that the figure was staring directly at him from a short distance away. His pace quickened as he attempted to flee from the being, yet it continued to close in from his side. The road was nearly unnavigable, littered with thorns and jagged rocks. Every step An Xing Yu took, sharp branches inflicted fresh wounds on his legs. Although the crimson stains had long since dried, a steady stream of minor cuts persisted. Despite the discomfort, he persisted, pushing himself to move as quickly as possible.

As he halted, the entity chasing him would inevitably catch up, and the paper man suspended in the sky would instantaneously become visible. Suddenly, the earth ahead of the road caved in, and without paying attention, An Xing Yu stepped on it and tumbled down the slope.

As he rolled down, he locked gazes with the paper man in the sky, and in that moment, he observed the paper man’s grinning face magnify. He pondered why the paper man hastened its pace and drifted towards him upon spotting them. The creature tailing him would also race towards him if he relied on his physical senses to sense it.

Then, a supposition arose in An Xing Yu’s mind. Merely an instant before numerous ghostly white faces plummeted straight down, their decaying arms outstretched, and one of their sharp, razor-like claws aimed at his eyes, he shut his eyes.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds. . . .

No motion.

With closed eyes, An Xing Yu clambered to his feet. His conjecture was correct. Once you perceive something, it perceives you. From the texture on his palms and underneath him, he was now standing on an even terrain. The thistles, rocks, and puddles had vanished, and he felt the sun’s warmth on his exposed skin.

He tentatively reached out to explore, but suddenly, he sensed a slight warmth. Instinctively, he was about to brush it away, but he immediately realized that the warmth indicated the presence of another living individual. They might be the only survivors in the village now.

“Who are you?” he inquired warily.

“Quiet, wait a moment.” It was Lu Yan’s voice.

His eyes were also shut, and he was working on something in his hands. Every so often, he would open his eyes to glance before swiftly closing them again. In his possession was a paper figure that was half-human in height, and the most terrifying aspect was that the facial features of the paper figure, although merely outlined, bore a resemblance to his own.

Lu Yan closed his eyes and relied on the momentary glimpse he received when he opened his eyes from time to time to complete a paper figure that resembled himself.

An Xing Yu had used up almost all his chances to open his eyes, and he realized that one of the paper figures was dangerously close to him. The possibility of being killed by the paper figure with just one more opening left him uneasy. However, the presence of another living person provided him with some comfort, so he remained still with his eyes closed.

Unseen by An Xing Yu, Lu Yan finished the paper figure resembling him and released it into the air. The figure floated up and joined the other paper figures, merging with them seamlessly.

Lu Yan cautiously touched the empty space where the paper figure had been before slowly opening his eyes. He had been on high alert and ready to leave if anything strange happened, leaving An Xing Yu to bear the brunt of it. Fortunately, Lu Yan’s bet paid off, and the paper figure made in his likeness remained unchanged in mid-air. He then took a moment to survey the surroundings and noticed a small courtyard in the middle of the forest, with wooden houses and scattered lanterns.

All the paper figures under the eaves were gone. It was Uncle Wu’s courtyard. Lu Yan had some unused materials at hand, including paper, thin bamboo strips, and light-skinned sheets that had a faint flesh color. Those were, in fact, human skins removed by him from the lanterns, and there was still some material left over.

Meanwhile, An Xing Yu sat quietly with his eyes closed, aware that opening them would cause the paper people to attack him. He felt a little stiff and noticed that his lower half was covered in dried bloodstains, and a large part of his trouser leg had been ripped, exposing a scar caused by a tree branch.

Lu Yan quickly averted his gaze, but soon redirected it to An Xing Yu’s leg where he noticed a bright red mark, almost undetectable by ordinary people. Upon seeing the shape of the mark, Lu Yan trembled with excitement, but suppressed the urge to reveal the secret and said in a flat voice, “Wait a little while and then you can open your eyes.”

An Xing Yu was unaware that his secret had been discovered, but he sensed that Lu Yan was making an effort and expressed his gratitude.

Lu Yan observed the mark until it faded away, and then quickly created a paper figure of An Xing Yu’s image. With his eyes open this time, Lu Yan was more efficient in creating the paper figure. He compared the paper figure with An Xing Yu to make sure it passed the test, and then let it fly high into the air. “Alright, you can open your eyes now and try,” said Lu Yan.

An Xing Yu slowly opened his eyes and this time, there were no paper figures or black shadows in sight. Everything around him was normal, and he knew it was all thanks to Lu Yan. He expressed his gratitude again, but Lu Yan told him that it wasn’t necessary.

Lu Yan then locked eyes with An Xing Yu and said, “Relax, you’re safe now….After you hear a snap of the fingers, you will fall asleep…you will hear a few questions….” An Xing Yu’s eyes grew dazed as he nodded in confusion, and soon fell asleep after Lu Yan snapped his fingers.

Meanwhile, Zhao Chuan and He Lou had been running for hours and finally reached the edge of the village, panting heavily. They had been dodging paper figures of villagers that had been chasing them, and were relieved to have made it this far.

“Quick, we can leave now!” He Lou exclaimed loudly, “The village is in chaos!”

At his words, Zhao Chuan quickened his pace. They were running along a railway track, having arrived at Red River Village by train at the beginning of their mission. The station was now within reach. He Lou had studied the map, and knew that as long as they passed the station, they would be out of the range of the village.

“Hurry up, faster!” He Lou urged as they fled from a group of paper figures floating behind them. He had found a solution even in times of emergency. Every mission had restrictions placed on the ghosts, otherwise, it would be impossible for them to survive. But why were there so many paper people in the village this time? Because these ghosts lacked the ability to sense their targets, they had to increase their numbers to find them.

He Lou took advantage of this loophole and managed to save Zhao Chuan. As they approached the station, Zhao Chuan, exhausted but determined, let out a loud shout and rushed to the other side of the station.

He Lou followed close behind but suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening.

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31 ☆ Let’s hope it’s not a coincidence

He Lou stood in shock, taking in the scene before him.

In an instant, Zhao Chuan’s steps abruptly halted as if he had hit a pause button. His face twisted in agony, his mouth gaping open, emitting puffs of hot air, and his body drenched in sweat as if being scorched over a fire.

It was an unbearable sight… yet familiar.

Suddenly, He Lou recalled Zhao Chuan’s words when talking to the village chief. They perfectly corresponded to the situation at hand.

Zhao Chuan screamed and writhed in pain, but his voice eventually trailed off as his flesh began to blister and fester. He slowly cooked alive before He Lou’s very eyes as if in boiling water.

He Lou was not only afraid but also enraged at Lu Yan’s deceitful lies. However, he knew that he had requested Lu Yan to disclose this information and that he couldn’t entirely blame him.

As he tried to escape from the horrific scene, He Lou noticed numerous white paper figures drawing nearer to him. He scurried into the station, frantically searching for another way out.

Meanwhile, Lu Yan and An Xing Yu were out collecting materials. The lanterns in Wu Bo’s home were limited, and two paper figures had already used most of the available materials. Even after collecting more materials, there still weren’t enough lanterns to save He Lou and Zhao Chuan. Therefore, An Xing Yu and Lu Yan set out to search for more supplies.

As they walked, An Xing Yu carried a bundle of thin bamboo sticks, while Lu Yan held folded paper and human skin.

“I wonder where Brother Lou and Brother Zhao have gone. I hope they’re safe,” said An Xing Yu, scanning the area with sharp eyes. Spotting a lantern that had been blown down by the wind and landed in the grass, he rushed over to pick it up. Unfortunately, it was soaked and unusable, so he placed it back where he had found it.

The ordinary paper they had on hand was not suitable for the task at hand, and they didn’t know what materials Wu Bo had used to create the lanterns. However, they speculated that it was the same material used to make the paper figures.

“Let’s hope for the best,” said Lu Yan. “But rather than worrying about them, we should focus on gaining the village head’s recognition.”

An Xing Yu furrowed his brows, deep in thought. Despite thinking for some time, he still had no solid plan.

“Perhaps we can offer a ghost marriage in exchange for the village chief’s cooperation,” he suggested.

While the village chief knew they were outsiders, he was unaware of their short stay and the potential leverage it presented.

However, in the past, they were able to automatically return after each mission upon completion. Would it be feasible this time with the village head’s endorsement?

If not, it would be prudent for them to select a site at the village periphery for a swift exit.

After a perilous sprint through the dense forest and down the path, the duo finally spotted a dwelling.

A house meant lanterns!

An Xing Yu darted over and scoured the house, conducting a thorough search. Afterwards, he ultimately discovered three intact lanterns.

However, it was woefully inadequate. They had two individuals to rescue, and the paper and human skin they possessed were only sufficient to save one person.

“I’ve got an idea. You go find them, and I’ll take care of this.” Their double paper man was still intact and would not expire any time soon. An Xing Yu consented and cautiously proceeded on the main road by himself.

Once he had accumulated all the necessary materials, or after Lu Yan finished crafting the paper man, they could rendezvous on the main road.

Lu Yan remained still for a while, counting the paper figures hovering in the air before commencing his work.

In contrast, An Xing Yu sprinted at a rapid pace. Most of the dwellings in Red River Village were densely dispersed. Except for Uncle Wu, who resided in the woods, everyone else’s abode was not far from the main road. Nevertheless, by the time An Xing Yu returned, Lu Yan had only just completed the initial paper figure, and he began sketching the five senses on the paper figure’s face with a brush.

The brushstrokes were simplistic, yet they possessed a faint resemblance to Zhao Chuan.

Unexpectedly, the paper figure quivered and swiftly withered as if scalded by boiling water and emitting heated air.

“It’s futile,” sighed Lu Yan, “Zhao Chuan is no more.”

An Xing Yu frowned, “I have obtained the necessary materials. Can we proceed with He Lou’s now?”

He had a vague sense that Lu Yan and He Lou had some sort of a connection. Otherwise, why would the village chief stare at him and question him during his son’s wedding banquet? Now, it seemed that the two were not on good terms, or else Lu Yan would have chosen to make He Lou’s paper figure first, regardless of the situation.

Lu Yan threw his pen away, “My hands are sore. You can do it yourself.” He massaged his weary wrist.

An Xing Yu had nothing to say. The other party had saved his life, and he felt no obligation to save He Lou. Hence, he sat opposite Lu Yan and began to craft the paper figure in earnest.

Lu Yan’s paper figure was crude, comprising two lantern bases joined together. The bottom part was removed, with white paper glued on and the face painting. An Xing Yu recalled the steps and swiftly assembled the frame.

However, it was the last step of painting that presented a challenge. An Xing Yu pleaded with Lu Yan, “Could you paint it, please?”

Because An Xing Yu had secrets to explore, Lu Yan closed his eyes, took up the brush, and traced it on the white paper. When people burned paper for the deceased, lighting up their eyes was the most taboo. It was believed that the eyes contained spirits. If lit up, they could attract unknown malevolent spirits that brought misfortune.

Lu Yan drew the mouth and nose first. As he reached the last step of dotting the eyes of the paper figure, he paused, gazing out of the window. The glance caused him to put down his brush abruptly, saying, “It’s pointless; he’s gone.”

“What? How?” An Xing Yu asked, following Lu Yan’s gaze out the window.

Outside, countless smiling paper figures floated, one of which bore a striking resemblance to He Lou’s face.

“No… he can’t…” An Xing Yu muttered dejectedly, his grip tightening around the pen as he dotted the paper man’s eyes.

The dark orbs swivelled, and before An Xing Yu could rejoice, he heard a soft, tearful sound emanating from the paper man’s abdomen. The paper ruptured in the next instant, and a deluge of crimson blood pulp spurted out, quickly saturating the entire table.

Although Lu Yan feigned disappointment, inside, he chuckled. On the other hand, An Xing Yu felt a tinge of melancholy in his heart, knowing that he had done all he could.

“Come, let’s find the village head,” Lu Yan suggested as he got up and strode towards the door, feigning a mournful expression.

With only two living individuals remaining in the village, it was uncertain how long the two paper figures would suffice. If the village headman were to change the rules again, An Xing Yu and Lu Yan would again be in jeopardy.

When they exited the room, they collided with a perplexed villager, who asked, “What’s going on? Why are you in my house? Are you attempting to pilfer something?”

Neither admitted it, so the duo ran off instantly.

In bewilderment, the villager entered his abode, only to discover a blood-sodden paper figure on his table, a white face beaming at him. He recoiled in horror, dashing out of the house, screeching, “It’s haunted…a ghost!”

“Where to now?” An Xing Yu inquired, spotting villagers scattered along the road as they ran.

“To the station, where we can depart,” Lu Yan replied, aware that the villager’s outcry had lured many individuals.

Without looking back, he added, “Let’s lure the village chief and others there.” If they could get the village chief to acknowledge that they had resided in the village for more than a month, their mission would be accomplished. An increasing number of villagers poured out, drawn by the reports of the haunting. The initial villager, who had spotted An Xing Yu and Lu Yan leaving his home, lodged a complaint. “I returned home briefly to collect my belongings when I saw them sneaking out of my house. They must have been up to no good…”

Upon hearing these words, He Lou felt a tinge of anxiety. As outsiders, they had to abide by the village’s rules to gain acceptance from the locals. However, someone had just broken the rules, jeopardising their standing.

He Lou hastily interjected, “No, it’s not them. They had nothing to do with it.”

Zhao Chuan, Liu Xia, and the others chimed in, “We agree. Let’s find them and clear this up face to face.”

“By the way, where did they run off to?” someone inquired.

“I saw them head towards the station,” another person responded.

…

Soon, a group of villagers, led by none other than He Lou, caught up with the fleeing duo. “Hurry up! We can’t let them get away!” he shouted.

As they raced down the main road, they passed by several houses, and some residents tried to impede their progress. However, they were focused on their goal and ran on, grateful that they didn’t have a marriage contract with anyone, as that would have made running as breaking the rules.

“Stop running! Come back here!” the villagers cried, but the two refused to slow down.

Faster and faster, they ran until the station came into view. However, there was no sign of the village chief. With no other choice, they stopped near the border, awaiting the arrival of the villagers.

He Lou, their leader, confronted them sternly, demanding an explanation for their behaviour. “What’s wrong with you two? Why are you running?”

Silently, the pair just focused on catching their breath.

“You broke the rules by going into someone’s house and stealing something,” He Lou continued, his voice firm and unwavering.

At the sound of rule-breaking, the others’ faces drained of colour, and their lips twisted upward, but their eyes glinted with malice.

“You have violated the rules,” the villagers closed in one after another, forming a ring around the two culprits. None dared to approach from behind as if some forbidden ground lay there.

As the crowd swelled, their pallid and grimy faces contorted with hatred and the promise of retribution.

Where was the village chief? Though the villagers lacked the authority to act, their encirclement tightened, the stench of decay thickening with each breath.

“The village chief didn’t accuse us of breaking the rules, so who are you to do so?” An Xing Yu’s chest heaved as he spoke, still catching his breath from the exertion of his escape.

It was a risky gambit, but if they could reestablish communication, perhaps they could solve this situation.

At his words, the villagers froze, their twisted expressions locked in place like a paused video.

But then, an old man emerged from the crowd, his face etched with a thousand lines and sharp eyes hidden within the wrinkles.

The figure before them was none other than the village chief himself.

“Respected Village Chief,” An Xing Yu began, his words measured and cautious. “We have been living in this village for three years and are well-versed in its customs. We swear by our innocence and insist that we have not stolen anything.”

An Xing Yu tried to keep his composure, despite his heart pounding furiously in his chest. He knew this was a critical moment and that any misstep could result in disastrous consequences.

Stay calm, An Xing Yu thought; just get it to admit it.

On the other hand, the chief appeared to be deep in thought, his face inscrutable.

Minutes ticked by, and An Xing Yu felt like time had come to a standstill. Just as he was about to lose hope, the chief nodded slightly.

“You have been here for three years,” the chief said slowly, “and you should know that stealing is strictly forbidden in our village.”

An Xing Yu could hardly contain his relief. He didn’t wait for the chief to finish his sentence before grabbing Lu Yan’s hand and hurrying out of the village.

In the next moment, An Xing Yu was plunged into darkness. Before he lost consciousness, the last thing An Xing Yu managed to wonder was about Lu Yan’s fate, hoping he was safe.

As Lu Yan stepped over the boundary line, the world shattered before his eyes. When he looked back again, no village or station was found. He stood on a hill overlooking a vast expanse of lonely graves, towering ominously at the foot of the mountain. Ghastly trees loomed over each grave, their branches swaying gently in the cold mountain wind, each adorned with two lanterns.

According to legend, the path to the Yellow Spring was long, dark, and bereft of guiding lights to lead the lost souls back to the realm of the afterlife.

An eerie silence hung over the valley as if the very air held its breath, anticipating the arrival of something ominous.

Suddenly, a torrent of blood erupted from the graves, staining the earth red and drowning everything in its wake. The sight was both ghastly and surreal, which would haunt the beholder for a long time to come.

Amid this chaos, the mournful strains of shawms echoed across the mountains, mingling with the screams of the damned and the wails of the dying. It was a symphony of sorrow and despair, a requiem for the living and the dead alike.

Yet amidst this cacophony of misery, a joyous melody arose, clear and pure. It was the music of a wedding procession, a celebration of love and hope in the face of death and destruction.

Lu Yan stood atop a hill, gazing down at the carnage below. He held a small white packet in his hand, which he opened and scattered over the scene below. Then he turned and left, never to look back.

**

At the dinner table, An Xing Yu’s mother placed chopsticks and food in front of him and spoke concernedly, “Xiao Yu, you haven’t been looking too well lately. Ensure you eat enough and care for your body while studying.”

An Xing Yu responded with a curt nod. His mother’s gaze lingered on his cold expression, her heart heavy with sadness. If only that tragedy hadn’t happened, her son wouldn’t be like this – once lively and cheerful, now distant and aloof.

As the television broadcasted the latest news, An Xing Yu’s mother gasped in horror, “…A major murder case at the XX station! Twelve people dead…” She turned to her son, “Don’t you usually pass by there? Please be careful and avoid that area from now on.”

An Xing Yu nodded again, his mind preoccupied with the recent events.

An Xing Yu finished his meal and returned to his room, locking the door behind him. He opened his computer and accessed a secretive website known to only a select few.

Over six hundred individuals were online, with the number of registered users increasing.

A trace of concern crossed An Xing Yu’s face as he carefully crafted a post detailing the events of his recent mission, intentionally omitting any mention of Lu Yan’s involvement. The post sparked a flurry of activity on the website, with users expressing shock and horror at yet another mission resulting in only one survivor.

An Xing Yu’s fingers continued to dance across the keyboard, detailing the death of [The tall building will fall] in the mission.

Ignoring the piles of replies, he navigated to another forum, its homepage adorned with a striking logo – a bright red inverted cross plunging into a reverse heptagram, identical to the tattoo on An Xing Yu’s leg that revealed itself when wet.

An air of reverence overtook An Xing Yu as he spent time browsing the forum and eventually found the “confession room”. He closed his eyes, made a particular hand gesture, and prayed silently in this virtual sanctuary.

**

Lu Yan drove home silently, his mind consumed with the design he had seen on An Xing Yu’s leg. As he navigated through the crowded streets, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of anxiety creeping up on him. He knew what he had seen but couldn’t shake off the feeling of doubt that gnawed at his mind.

Finally, he arrived home and wasted no time. With a sense of urgency, he drew the same design, comparing it carefully to the one he had seen earlier. His heart pounding with anticipation, he examined it closely, scrutinising every detail, every line and curve. There could be no mistake. He’d been disappointed too many times before.

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