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墨書 Inktalez
Human Sacrifice
Within the Forbidden Area of Futu Ridge lies the Dragon Vein, a source of power for unifying and dominating the realm. During the End of the Yuan Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang rose in rebellion, gathering a large group of capable individuals around him, including countless martial generals, with the most renowned strategists being Li Shanchang and Liu Bowen.
As the chief priest in the quest for the Dragon Vein, Li Shanchang held the power of life and death over Human Sacrifice. The blood sacrifice of Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls was performed to ensure the longevity of the Ming Dynasty.
Yet, ultimately, the Ming Dynasty fell. By the early years of the Qing Dynasty, three monks arrived at Futu Ridge for reasons unknown. They established three Futu Stupa on the terrain of Dragon's Embrace Mountain. Three hundred years later, the Qing Dynasty also met its demise.
Today, Futu Ridge has become a desolate wilderness feared by all, classified as an uninhabited zone.
Forbidden Ground of Futu: trespassers die.
Investigation Team member Zhu Yaoguang said, “Now that we know the secrets of Desolate Village, we also understand the origins of the Forbidden Area of Futu Ridge. But what about Guo Huaiyi and Jiang Cheng?”
Chen Jixian replied, “Let’s search around. Although this place is rugged and mountainous, it’s not impossible to survive here.”
Just as everyone was about to set off, I noticed the night gradually descending around us; the sun had already been obscured by the mountains.
“We don’t have time to look for them anymore; we need to head back now,” I said.
“If you want to go back, then go by yourself. I can’t abandon my companions,” Chen Jixian retorted.
He seemed somewhat displeased with my words, clearly believing himself to be the leader of our group. I had seen him display annoyance several times before.
I responded, “Your actions will only endanger more lives. Besides, Jiang Cheng has been missing for over ten days; no one can survive in this forbidden land for that long.”
“I’ll go ahead. If you want to leave, then do so. I won’t stop you. Abandoning your companions like this—this is what I expect from a university student wandering in deep mountains,” Chen Jixian scoffed.
“Boss, why are you acting like this towards Yang Hao?” Wang Cong interjected.
Mr. Chang added, “Yes, old Chen, Yang Hao is also concerned about our safety. While we’ve uncovered some secrets in this forbidden area, many mysteries remain unsolved—the three Futu Stupa, the blood sacrifice of Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls, the location of the Dragon Vein, and what exactly is going on with the White Snake mentioned by Chang Yuchun. Right now…”
Before Mr. Chang could finish his sentence, Chen Jixian snorted and walked deeper into Desolate Village.
Zhu Yaoguang and Wang Cong, having followed Chen Jixian for years, were clearly aligned with him. They exchanged an apologetic glance with me before following him. I exchanged looks with Mr. Chang, and we had no choice but to follow suit.
Behind the Desolate Village, there was a slope, and beyond it stood a moderately sized mansion that resembled the residence of a wealthy family. In front of the grand entrance, two stone lions guarded the door, and a Bagua mirror hung above.
If my guess is correct, this was the temporary residence of Li Shanchang, who once oversaw the Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls. Although much of the mansion had collapsed, the original structure remained relatively intact.
Inside this ancient house, we found a writing desk covered in yellow mud and a candlestick that had fallen beside it.
At the main entrance of the mansion stood a statue obscured by cobwebs and dust, its features unrecognizable. Next to the statue was a stone bed.
The stone bed was completely covered in dirt and dust. I noticed a bone protruding from the decayed cotton stuffing, resembling a hand bone.
Zhu Yaoguang picked up the candlestick from the ground and cleared away the rotting cotton, revealing a small skeleton underneath.
Mr. Chang said, "This is the skeleton of the girl killed by Chang Yuchun. There are no other places in this room; where is the boy's skeleton?"
Mr. Chang's meaning was clear. If Li Shanchang had intended to return after Chang Yuchun left to collect the girl's body, he would have surely gathered the boy's remains as well. The fact that he did not bury the girl's body meant he would not have buried the boy's body separately.
The boy had been kicked by Chang Yuchun and had flown several meters away. With the strength of an ancient general, kicking a defenseless child would surely have crushed his organs; there was no way he could have survived.
Yet there were no signs of the boy's skeleton in the house. For some reason, I suddenly recalled seeing a pair of footprints in the Gorge when we entered—far more than any human's.
"Strange," I said. "We've come this far; this is nearly the end of the forbidden area. Beyond here lies only wilderness covered in thorns. Not only humans but even animals would struggle to survive. Where are Guo Huaiyi and Jiang Cheng?"
Chen Jixian looked around for other clues but found none. He gazed up at the sky where starlight was beginning to emerge and said, "We should head back; it's getting late."
As Chen Jixian walked out of the mansion, he shot me an unfriendly glance as he passed by.
After the three members of the Investigation Team left, Mr. Chang and I followed suit. Mr. Chang remarked, "Yang Hao, don't you think Old Chen seems a bit off?"
I replied, "Chen Jixian is a capable leader; generally, people with such abilities tend to have strong personalities. Perhaps I said something that upset him."
Everyone has their jealous tendencies. A person who often leads others naturally feels displeased when someone else points fingers at them. Since entering this forbidden area, I had repeatedly challenged Chen Jixian's decisions, which might have made him uncomfortable—nothing unusual about that.
"Old Chen isn't like that," Mr. Chang insisted. "As head of the Investigation Team, he always prioritizes team safety above all else. Now that it's darkening outside, there's no way we can make it out before nightfall at our current pace. This Old Chen isn't the one I know."
Mr. Chang's words startled me, and I reassured him, "Captain Chen has been with us from the very beginning, never leaving our sight. Even if he were possessed by a ghost, with Zhou Compass on me, I would definitely notice. You're overthinking it, Mr. Chang. Let's hurry and catch up."
Mr. Chang seemed to have more to say, but seeing us move ahead, he hurriedly followed. I pondered over his earlier words and noticed how he had been glancing back occasionally while also watching Chen Jixian, which made me feel a bit suspicious.
Mr. Chang was a master of metaphysics, but he was not part of the Daoist Sect and had not cultivated Dao Fire. Unlike extraordinary individuals in the world who possessed Daoist Arts, he was more akin to a Feng Shui Master. It was only natural for him to be paranoid in a forbidden area where even the peculiarities of the Daoist Sect could not be discerned.
We passed through Desolate Village and returned along the original path into the Gorge. It was already dark, so there was no rush to run; Huzi had probably been waiting outside for quite some time and was likely anxious.
The mountains on both sides of the Gorge completely obscured the brilliance of Starlight. The moon had not yet reached its zenith, and darkness enveloped everything around us. Fortunately, each member of their Investigation Team carried a bright flashlight, and aside from the occasional sound of wind in the Gorge, there was hardly anything else to instill fear.
After two hours, we finally arrived at the open square where the Futu Stupa stood—the same place where the Three Thousand Young Boys and Girls had likely been sacrificed. Crossing through the entrance of the forbidden area would lead us outside.
However, at that moment, faint cries reached my ears.
A child's sobbing voice broke my heart as it repeatedly called out for an older sister.
"Sister, wuwu..."
We stood on the steps surrounding the massive Futu Stupa and followed the sound's source, spotting a child sitting on the steps, trembling with fear. The child hugged their knees tightly, burying their face between them as they cried softly.
"That child's clothes!" Wang Cong pointed to what the child was wearing—ancient garments identical to those worn by a boy we had seen not long ago in the wasteland.
"In Desolate Village's ancient house, there were only bones of his sister; his remains were nowhere to be found. Could it be that he hasn't died?" Zhu Yaoguang questioned.
Mr. Chang replied, "How could someone from six or seven hundred years ago still be alive? What we see is merely a ghost."
"But he has a shadow," Zhu Yaoguang pointed out.
Seeing this child reminded me of Guo the Blind's mother—the poor woman who had been nailed inside the Big Red Coffin. Her vitality was astonishing. Growing up in a mountain village, I had heard many tales from Old Man about fox spirits and ghosts and had listened to numerous stories about immortality; my curiosity about eternal life had always lingered.
No one can resist fantasizing about being immortal at some point. This child was not a ghost; after all, Zhou Manman had also retained her physical form after her death.
If someone dies while surrounded by extraordinary beings or treasures, it is possible for their soul not to return to the Underworld but instead exist in another state in this world as a living corpse.
I looked at the bright moon above Futu Stupa and walked towards the boy.
"Yang Hao," Mr. Chang called out to stop me.
I gestured that it was fine and pulled a Spring Knife from my pocket. If this child intended to harm me, he would not succeed easily.
I patted the boy's shoulder and said, "Little brother, don't cry. What happened with your brother? How have you survived all these years?"
The boy's cries ceased, and everyone held their breath, fearing that when the boy turned around, he would see an ugly, terrifying face.
But the boy's face was beautiful; aside from being a bit dirty, his eyes were clear and bright, like a crescent moon.
"Big brother, have you seen my sister?" the boy asked as he stood up, his height only reaching my waist.
I shook my head and sheathed the knife in my hand.
"What is your name?" Zhu Yaoguang asked as he bent down, seeing that the boy seemed harmless.
The boy looked at Zhu Yaoguang and smiled, his smile pure and innocent. But suddenly, a rusty knife appeared in his hand and pierced through Zhu Yaoguang's neck.
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