No one went out again that night. Gu Xiang Kai and Zhu Xi Ning finally managed to get a good night's sleep, and Nan Yue was in a great mood because she hadn't been disturbed all night.
However, the sky grew light even later today, only brightening around noon.
Drawing from yesterday's experience, the three of them didn't sit idly in their room. They stepped out the moment they confirmed it was daylight.
The inner residence still reeked of blood, and He Hongyun's corpse had been moved to the inner courtyard by something unknown.
This time, the head, skeleton, and internal organs were piled in three corners of the stone frame.
"The corpse didn't disappear this time..."
Zhu Xi Ning furrowed her brows. She knew that if someone else had died last night, the corpse here would have been replaced by that person, and He Hongyun's body should have vanished long ago.
But why go through so much trouble to move He Hongyun's corpse to the inner residence?
Everyone had already seen his gruesome death, and no one believed the ghosts in this mission would provide clues to the scavengers.
Gu Xiang Kai's expression was also quite grim. Even if he wasn't good at using his head, he could see what was happening now.
"This is a ritual."
Gu Xiang Kai racked his brain as he chewed on his knuckles. "If all four corners are filled, the rules might undergo a significant change."
Nan Yue found it a bit amusing watching him.
This mission was actually forcing Gu Xiang Kai to become a strategic thinker.
"That means by tomorrow at the latest, which is the sixth day, there will be a major change in the rules."
Seeing the worried looks on their faces, Nan Yue could only offer some comfort. "Actually, we might not have to wait until tomorrow. Today is already very dangerous."
Gu Xiang Kai and Zhu Xi Ning: ...Please don't comfort us, thank you.
Nan Yue looked at the corpse on the ground, which appeared even more hideous in the dark than it had a few days ago. "No one died last night, so everyone will be very relaxed today. That's usually when things go wrong."
Nan Yue cast a deep look at the two rooms in the inner residence where candlelight was flickering. They had heard her words, but no one spoke.
Nan Yue had done all she could by warning them. She ignored the others and the three of them headed down the hill with their candles lit.
"Brother He, what they said..."
In He Jiang's room, Bai Jun asked in a low voice, but he immediately shut up when he saw He Jiang's expression.
"Do you believe her or me?"
He Jiang looked at Bai Jun with a half-smile. Bai Jun shivered and offered a flattering grin.
"You, of course. You said as long as we follow you, everything will be fine. Look, no one died last night."
He Jiang's expression finally softened. "That's right. I've already figured out the killing intent and the path to survival in this mission. You won't die as long as you listen to me."
"Go tell the others that as long as they don't go out at night and move in pairs during the day, they'll be safe."
Bai Jun nodded like a woodpecker and immediately went to do it.
"I don't know what will happen today, but if you see something, I have a small idea. I'm not sure if it's right."
Nan Yue looked at the two of them and whispered a few words.
The sky was not yet bright. Nan Yue ate a steamed bun as she walked. Not a single household had its doors open, and there wasn't even any movement, as if no one was there.
She specifically went to the house where they had their first meal. She remembered that the man there was in poor health, often knocking things over and coughing loudly.
But she listened at the door for a long time and heard nothing.
Rather than some sacrificial ritual, Nan Yue felt that they were afraid.
One thing was certain: the children in town were the problem, and they were the ones doing the killing.
The children would prioritize killing those living in the scholar's old residence, which was why the mayor had moved out and let them stay there as scapegoats.
But the question was, if these children were mutated monsters, where were they usually? They hadn't seen a single trace of any children over the past few days.
Nan Yue eventually reached the mayor's current residence. It was a dead end. Beyond the mayor's house was the forest, and a dry well stood in the open space, long since parched.
Nan Yue had learned in feng shui class that digging wells around a town symbolized prosperity and wealth, but this well had dried up, and the focal point of the array was broken.
It was strange. Nan Yue felt that, at least for now, the town didn't seem extravagant at all. Did the people here really seek wealth?
Or did they seek it before and no longer care now?
Why?
Nan Yue walked toward the dry well. The opening was a dark void, and her candlelight couldn't reveal much, but a foul, nauseating stench wafted from the bottom of the well that had been dry for years.
She would come back to check when it was light. Time was running out for them, and Nan Yue planned to find the madwoman once day broke.
Just as she was about to straighten up from looking into the well, she suddenly heard a soft, sweet child's voice by her ear.
"Big Sister, what are you looking at?"
...
Jiang Ningning and Pu Yuan walked together through the small alley. They were going to Evermercy Restaurant to get food.
He Jiang had tasked them with getting today's breakfast to ensure the others stayed away from the town as much as possible.
In He Jiang's words, everyone would take turns getting food, himself included, to keep things fair.
But both of them knew that while He Jiang sounded righteous, it was currently the most dangerous time even though it was morning, as the sky was still dark.
Yet they couldn't refuse. Among those who had joined He Jiang, they were the only two girls and had no other uses, so they had to do more in this regard.
Fortunately, they were in a pair, and encouraging each other provided some comfort.
"Ningning, did you sleep well last night?"
Dark circles had already formed under Jiang Ningning's eyes. "No. I feel like I'm going to drop dead in this mission."
Pu Yuan sighed. "Only two more days until we can leave."
Jiang Ningning was silent for a moment. "Do you believe Brother He?"
Pu Yuan looked at her strangely. "I do. He said he knows the rules, and since no one died last night, it proves he was right."
Jiang Ningning muttered softly, "The others didn't listen to him, and they didn't die either."
Pu Yuan knew who Jiang Ningning was talking about and sighed.
"They're big shots. We're just two small fry, so we can only rely on Brother He."
"Look, Nan Yue and the others entered as a team. Dongfang Yuelai and Chang'an are loners who barely speak, and they won't take us in."
"Don't think too much about it."
Pu Yuan patted Jiang Ningning. "We'll make it back safely. We're just getting food and not wandering around."
Jiang Ningning took a deep breath and nodded.
Evermercy Restaurant wasn't far from the scholar's old residence. Pu Yuan and Jiang Ningning arrived quickly, holding hands. They had originally found the red lanterns of the restaurant frightening, but seeing the red glow in the darkness now made them feel relieved.
They jogged a short distance. The doors of Evermercy Restaurant were wide open, the red lanterns looking exceptionally blood-red, but there was no one inside.
"Boss? Is the boss here?"
They called out, and Xu Youci emerged from the back kitchen, rubbing his belly.
"Oh, it's you two. Here for breakfast?"
Pu Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, Boss. We want breakfast for six people. Please pack it for us."
Xu Youci rotated the beads in his hand. "No problem. The porridge just finished cooking. It's just that I'm the only one here right now. It'll be faster if you come in and help me pack it."
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