Chapter 254

Chapter 254

"How can this creature move under someone's skin?!"

He looked to the other participants in terror, and they returned his gaze with their own horror-stricken faces, none able to answer his question.

Many people have experienced a sensation at times, feeling as if bugs were crawling on or just beneath their skin, only to find nothing upon closer inspection. This illusion is medically termed "formication."

There are many reasons for this sensation, but in the real world, it remains just that: an illusion.

Unfortunately for Zhan Meng, he wasn't in the real world, and the "formication" he felt wasn't imaginary.

As the head-creature scuttled beneath his skin, Zhan Meng found it impossible to describe the sensation. So, when the creature reached his right cheek, he instinctively grabbed his own neck, trying to prevent the creature from moving to other parts of his body.

Lv Shuo looked at Zhan Meng, whose face was turning red from pinching himself, and asked, "Brother, are you trying to choke yourself to death?"

"No, no, no!" Zhan Meng denied urgently, pushing his right cheek towards Lv Shuo and Xiao Siyu. "Slap me, slap it out of me, kill it!"

"Um..."

Lv Shuo hesitated, "If we kill it, won't it burst inside your skin? Are you sure you want that?"

Imagining the scenario as Lv Shuo described, Zhan Meng's face twisted further. Releasing his grip, he said almost tearfully, "Then just drive it elsewhere first!"

Xiao Siyu inquired, "Where to?"

Zhan Meng exclaimed, "To my hand! My hand!"

Upon hearing this, both Lv Shuo and Xiao Siyu began slapping Zhan Meng's face repeatedly, driving the parasitic creature to the back of his left hand. Zhan Meng then grasped his left wrist tightly with his right hand to prevent any further movement from the creature.

Before they could even catch their breath, Tu Wentai, who was a few steps behind, screamed at them, "Stop hitting Zhan Meng! Hit me! Come, hit me!"

"Do you have one of those things inside you too?" Zhan Meng asked the second unfortunate soul, "What did you say?"

"I didn't say anything!"

Fear contorted Tu Wentai's features, making him look grotesque. Under his skin, a worm-like bulge was visibly moving around.

Clearly, he too had failed to name the owner of the head that had emerged from the mummified arm that held him, leading to this predicament.

Xi Xi, who had also been held by a mummified arm, said after regaining her freedom, "So, if we can't name the person from the head on the arm in time, it turns into a worm and burrows into our skin?"

"Forget about where the worm is. It doesn't hurt when they burrow under the skin," Xin Yuechun replied, her face marred by three bulging lumps, "It just looks terrifying."

Terrifying was an understatement. With those lumps, Xin Yuechun resembled a type of fish known for its bulbous growths – except she had more than one.

Yao Xiaoguo could barely look at her, "How did you..."

Frustrated, Xin Yuechun snapped, "What can I do? I can't remember their damn names either!"

Ming Sheng glanced behind them and said, "Yes, if the worms under the skin are harmless, we should move on. Those mummies climbing out of the pool are catching up."

Xiao Siyu, Tu Wentai, Lv Shuo, and Zhan Meng were in the front, busy dealing with the worms, blocking the way and preventing those behind from moving.

Tu Wentai, having driven the creature to the same spot on his hand as Zhan Meng, said, "Let's go! We need to find those human-beast hybrids. They all have daggers around their waists!"

Their temporary inability to deal with these parasitic human-headed insects was due to the lack of sharp tools. Otherwise, wouldn't they simply cut the skin and extract the bugs? The priority now is to head back.

Consequently, as they proceeded, the dry, skeletal arms in the stone stairway would grasp them. Those who could recall a name would shout it out. Those who couldn't, or who named incorrectly, would quickly say, "I don't remember you" or "I don't know you," leading to the rapid transformation of the heads into parasites burrowing under the skin.

However, during this, Li Chanyi noticed that Bian Yuchen, who was close to her, kept murmuring the name "Thirteen." No other participants did this. Puzzled, she inquired, "Bian Yuchen, are you encountering the same person repeatedly? Why do you keep saying 'Thirteen'?"

But the individuals named "Thirteen" all looked different. They couldn't be the same person.

Hearing this, Bian Yuchen paused without responding. In contrast, those walking ahead, including Zhan Meng, Lv Shuo, and Xiao Siyu, turned back with complex expressions.

"You've been in the same game instance with Bian Yuchen, haven't you?" Sensing their hesitation, Li Chanyi curiously asked, "Do you also know 'Thirteen'?"

"It depends on which 'Thirteen' you're asking about."

The one who answered was Xie Yinxue.

Li Chanyi was slightly taken aback by this; after all, the young man rarely initiated conversations. Moreover, his answer seemed quite informative. Looking up at him, adorned with intricate golden ornaments, she inquired, "Are you implying there are many individuals named 'Thirteen', all sharing the same name?"

Xie Yinxue chuckled in response. Yet, the amusement didn't reach his eyes, which remained cold and distant.

Bian Yuchen considered him a formidable adversary. During the Qing Mountain Asylum instance, he refrained from killing him because everyone's fate was tied to Xie Yinxue. If he died, all would perish. Similarly, during the Lost Temple instance, everyone had a vital role. If key players died, it would hinder everyone's progress. This time in the game instance, whether overtly or covertly, Bian Yuchen had repeatedly set up obstacles for him. Perhaps he deduced this game's outcome wasn't tied to Xie Yinxue but solely depended on the players' capabilities?

Although Xie Yinxue currently couldn't use his special techniques and preferred to stay under the radar, it didn't mean he was one to swallow insults. On the contrary, he was vengeful and held grudges.

With a smirk, he said languidly, "Yes, they're all named Thirteen."

"That's quite a coincidence then, isn't it?" Xin Yuchun chuckled after hearing this, marveling, "One or two with the same name is understandable, but five or six? How could there be such a coincidence in the world?"

Indeed, what are the odds of such a coincidence? Especially not in this game, 'Eternal Lock.'

All present were seasoned players. Xie Yinxue initiated the topic, Xin Yuchun fanned the flames, and everyone's attention turned to Bian Yuchen, awaiting his clarification.

Unfazed by the collective scrutiny, Bian Yuchen, with a smirk akin to Xie Yinxue's, casually remarked, "They're mine, living for me, dying for me. That's all there is to it."

Living for me, dying for me.

The entire existence of every "Thirteen" was summarized in Bian Yuchen's nonchalant six words.

Even though Chen Yun, Lv Shuo, and Xiao Siyu already knew the truth, hearing Bian Yuchen's indifferent words made them empathize with the "Thirteens." Qianxi and Zhan Meng, having experienced the Lost Temple instance where a "Thirteen" survived, simply glanced at Bian Yuchen without much reaction.

"'Thirteen' appears frequently. I assume in each game instance, there's at least one 'Thirteen' by your side?" Ming Sheng, observing another head emerging from the skeletal arms entangling Bian Yuchen, adjusted his glasses and stared intently at him, "So, Mr. Bian, in this instance, who is your 'Thirteen'?"

"Thirteen..."

The man's sigh seemed ambiguous, uncertain if he was lamenting or beckoning the head that had emerged from the mummified arms. Regardless, once Biàn Yǔchén uttered the word, the head vanished, revealing to everyone that its name too, was "Thirteen."

Biàn Yǔchén's eyes betrayed no emotion. He countered Ming Shēng's remark, "Isn't it everywhere?"

Indeed, in this instance, "Thirteen" was everywhere, yet nowhere, for there was no participant named "Thirteen" here.

Lǚ Shuò skeptically mused, considering Biàn Yǔchén's protective background, "Has this 'Thirteen' perhaps taken on another alias and is now hiding among the participants?"

Such suspicion lingered in Xiè Yìnxuě's mind as well.

With keen hearing, Biàn Yǔchén replied to Lǚ Shuò's muttering, "No, Thirteen is Thirteen. If he's not called Thirteen, then he's not 'Thirteen'."

Zhān Méng couldn't help but comment, "What kind of tongue twister are you speaking? I don't understand."

Xiè Yìnxuě, however, immediately grasped the meaning: there indeed was no "Thirteen" here—at least not a living one.

For these mystical practitioners, a name wasn't just a simple moniker. Otherwise, after choosing the destiny of "Orphan", he would not have had to replace his surname "Shěn" with a completely unrelated one.

Therefore, the personal guards protecting Biàn Yǔchén must be named "Thirteen". They cannot change their names or have aliases. Otherwise, they would not fulfill their duty of safeguarding Biàn Yǔchén, much like how disaster would befall the entire Shěn family if Xiè Yìnxuě kept the surname "Shěn."

Biàn Yǔchén addressed Zhān Méng, "You're not seeking 'immortality', so it's okay if you don't understand." He turned his head slightly right, fixing his gaze on Xiè Yìnxuě with a smile, "As long as Mr. Xiè understands."

His words hinted at a sinister undertone, as if insinuating: those not seeking immortality wouldn't grasp the gravity, but if you do seek it, you'd comprehend my meaning.

Just as Biàn Yǔchén's words settled, the group reached the square entrance leading to the temple below, distracting the other participants who were preoccupied with thoughts of immortality.

Emerging from the entrance, they returned to the surface. Although hours had passed since their initial descent, time in this realm seemed frozen. The sky, instead of showing day or night, was a constant shade of crimson.

The sky's hue, which was once due to a glowing red dusk, was now tainted by flesh and blood.

The once burning red clouds transformed into grotesque chunks of flesh and coiled bloody entrails. The ground beneath their feet no longer felt like bricks but rather intertwined layers of human muscle. In this macabre world, they seemed like parasites burrowing under the skin.

"This sky..."

Overwhelmed by the eerie sight, Tú Wén narrowed his eyes, seeking clarity, only to feel a sudden movement on the back of his hand.

He looked down to discover a slit in his left hand from which a humanoid parasite was peeping, reminiscent of a vengeful ghost peeking from a window at night. Their eyes met, and the dried, skeletal head curled into a ghastly, eerie grin.

Before Tú Wén could react, the creature leaped from the slit onto his arm, biting open another hole and burrowing back into his skin.

This time, the humanoid parasite was not content with merely skittering beneath human skin. Everyone watched in horror as it moved from Tu Wencai's arm to just above his navel, pausing momentarily before... the bulge vanished.

"Ahhhhhh—!"

It burrowed into Tu Wencai's abdomen.

As for what it was doing, Tu Wencai's agonized screams might give a hint.

"What the hell?!" Zhan Meng quickly checked his right hand, relieved to find he was safe and the parasite was still resting on the back of his hand.

"What is it doing? Tu Wencai, is it eating your organs?!"

Previously unaffected by the parasites burrowing, Xin Yuechun's eyes widened in shock, almost imitating Zhan Meng and clutching her neck, especially since she had three of these creatures on her face. But what good would choking oneself do? Not to mention these creatures could emerge from the skin, bite a new entrance, crawl to the abdomen, and devour organs. Or even remain on one's head, possibly drilling into the skull to feast on the brain?

Holding his stomach, Tu Wencai knelt down, overcome with pain and unable to stand, let alone answer Xin Yuechun's question.

Qianxi and Yao Xiaoguo also had the parasites on them, as did Li Chanyi. But whether it was her, Zhan Meng, or Xin Yuechun, the creatures on them remained dormant after some initial movement, causing only psychological discomfort, unlike the one on Tu Wencai, which caused physical pain.

Yao Xiaoguo expressed her confusion, "Why is it only affecting him this way…?"

Xiao Siyu said, "Let's move! We'll discuss this after we find the humanoid beast leader!"

Neither Lv Shuo nor Xiao Siyu had the parasites. Both, often seen helping others, moved instinctively, not needing to think. They lifted Tu Wencai between them and headed towards the inner courtyard.

Twelve figures, each holding golden scepters, stood still like statues in each cardinal direction. It wasn't until the group entered the inner courtyard that they took action, each grabbing a participant and throwing them to the ground.

Xie Yinxue was abruptly halted as a beast-headed man with a wolf's visage gripped her wrist. However, Bu Jiuzhao treated her gently, unlike the others, so she ended up colliding softly into his embrace.

To steady herself, Xie Yinxue held onto the man's muscular shoulders. Her hands felt the dampness of his sweat. She noticed the beads of perspiration on his bronze skin, the heat emanating from him palpable just by looking.

Even though Xie Yinxue's body no longer felt sensations like cold or heat, hunger, or pain, in that moment, she felt an overwhelming thirst, like a parched traveler in a desert.

By the time she regained her composure, she had lightly licked the man's throat. Her glistening tongue lingered between her parted lips, unsure if the wetness was her own saliva or residue from the wolf-headed man.

The man's broad back tensed, recalling memories for Xie Yinxue.

Unfortunately, Bu Jiuzhao couldn't speak at that moment and even lacked a human head. Amused, Xie Yinxue teasingly commented, "Hmm... salty."

The man briefly froze before returning to normal, retrieving a piece of charcoal to delicately retrace the eyeliner around Xie Yinxue's eyes.

Xie Yinxue reciprocated the gesture, pressing her fingers on his sternum, "Why are you sweating so much? Is it hot?"

The man brushed aside the provoking hand, pressing down Xie Yin Xue's lower lip with the pad of his thumb, as if warning the youth with that gesture to behave.

"Are you Bu Jiu Zhao? Why do I feel like this..."

However, Xie Yin Xue gracefully cupped his hand with both of hers, her voice growing softer until the last two words were unspoken. Instead, she used a gesture, her tongue gliding from the tip of his index finger to his palm, before asking, "You have no reaction at all?"

At his wit's end, Bu Jiu Zhao gently clasped the young man's neck with his fingers and bit him on the shoulder.

The bite mark from a wolf is different from that of a human. Since it was a gentle bite, the mark was faint. This light impression on human skin conveyed a sense of sadistic allure rather than terror.

Xie Yin Xue was satisfied having teased him into losing control. With a vengeful gesture, she brushed away Bu Jiu Zhao's hand and turned to gaze at the other participants in the courtyard garden.

None of them noticed the subtle interactions between Xie Yin Xue and Bu Jiu Zhao because all, except for Xie Yin Xue, lay on the ground with closed eyes, being adorned with eyeliner and eyeshadow by chimeric creatures. When their eyelids were finally released, the sight that greeted them was that of a normal world—the desiccated corpses that had been pursuing them were nowhere in sight, and the horizon glowed with the same reddish hues amidst a sky full of drifting yellow sand.

Were it not for the remnants of the heads beneath their skin, they might have believed they had just awakened from a dream.

Pinning down Zhan Meng was a sultry feline-headed woman. However, Zhan Meng had no interest in admiring her curves. His eyes were fixated solely on the dagger at her waist, choosing his words carefully, "Uh, miss, could I borrow your... ah!"

Before Zhan Meng could finish, the feline woman swiftly unbuckled her dagger, spun it elegantly, then plunged it deep into his hand.

The scene was brutal. Zhan Meng cried out a few times before realizing it wasn't painful. He watched in stunned silence as the feline woman sliced open his skin, extracting a dead insect from within.

Chen Yun, who wasn't infested by the bug, leaned over and remarked, "This is a scarab."

Scarabs are dung beetles, colloquially known as "shit beetles." The term "scarab" was an honorific used by the ancient Egyptians who revered these insects. Most scarabs lay their eggs in dung balls and bury them. Once the eggs hatch, the young beetles emerge from the ground. This lifecycle resonated with the Egyptians' hopes for rebirth, leading them to craft jewelry and amulets in the shape of scarabs, worn as a plea for resurrection and rebirth.

"It's only with eyeliner and eyeshadow that we see scarabs, right?" Zhan Meng said, shuddering slightly. "Without them, we see miniature human heads."

The feline woman extracted the scarab without spilling a drop of Zhan Meng's blood. In fact, when the insect-bit and entered the body, there was no bleeding. The participants seemed devoid of blood; wounds would reveal flesh or fat, then seamlessly heal, leaving only a rune-like scar.

Xin Yue Chun also had three scarabs removed from her face. Unluckily, one was right in the middle of her forehead, leaving a mark that at a glance looked like a decorative piece.

Lu Shuo asked her, "Did it hurt?"

Xin Yue Chun, hugging her arms, replied calmly, "Not at all."

Looking at Tu Wen Cai who was still lying on the ground, Lu Shuo said with a puzzled expression, "Then why does he seem in pain?"

Xin Yue Chun glanced at Tu Wen Cai and quickly looked away, saying with a complex expression, "In his case, it does look painful."

Xiao Si Yu also frowned, saying to Lu Shuo, "His abdomen is slit open. How can it not hurt?"

Tu Wencai's parasite extraction process was different from others.

For those infested like Xin Yuechun, Yao Xiaoguo, Zhan Meng, and Li Chanyi, removing the parasite simply required killing it, then making a small incision to retrieve the dead insect, a procedure that was entirely painless and bloodless.

Yet, the process for Tu Wencai was much more invasive, akin to an autopsy. His abdomen had to be sliced open, the skin flapped to the sides, and then a hand would be extended into the cavity, rummaging among the intestines and organs in search of the disrupting cockroach. This sight, even without blood, was enough to make onlookers wince in vicarious pain.

Yao Xiaoguo couldn't bear to watch. Turning away, she whispered to Li Chanyi beside her, "The extraction doesn't hurt, right?"

"We might not feel pain, but he probably does," replied Li Chanyi, who was watching intently. "After all, our parasites are just beneath the skin, while his has burrowed into his abdomen. Quite unusual."

Everyone found the situation strange.

Tu Wencai himself wondered why he was the only one to feel such pain.

His face was pale from agony, sweat drenching his skin, yet he remained conscious, hearing the surrounding conversations. He couldn't pass out, forced to endure wave after wave of torment – first, the gnawing pain from the inside, then the sharp pain of the incision, followed by the intense agony from his insides being stirred. The pain seemed endless.

"Aaaah!"

At the moment when the frog-headed humanoid extracted the liver, Tu Wencai arched his back in anguish, neck veins bulging, eyes nearly popping from their sockets.

Zhan Meng comforted him, "Hang in there, brother. We've found the parasite."

Tu Wencai was acutely aware. Despite the sweat blurring his vision, his makeup hadn't been ruined, allowing him to see the parasitic creature that had burrowed inside him, now embedded in his extracted liver.

The creature had gnawed his liver into a spongy mass, while it looked healthier, its previously shriveled skin now plump, its appearance more human. Tu Wencai's own complexion, however, became more ghastly.

—He recognized the face.

It was someone he had betrayed during the second stage, a participant who hadn't died directly by his hands and couldn't normally seek vengeance.

Time had eroded his memory, and he had nearly forgotten this face, let alone the name that belonged to it. Until this instance, when he heard the whispered words, intelligible only to him, "Tu Wencai, have you forgotten me? I am Xi Yongbo..."

Entranced, Tu Wencai began to mutter the name over and over, "Xi Yongbo... Xi Yongbo..."

"You recognize this parasite's face?"

Hearing Li Chanyi's voice, Tu Wencai froze, looking around to find everyone's eyes on him.

He remained silent, glancing down at his now-sealed abdomen. The liver, with all its perforations, had been returned, and the overwhelming pain had dissipated, leaving behind only a dark scar as evidence of the incision.

"What's going on with you?" Xin Yuechun asked, "Tell us about it."

After the frog-headed beast-man reapplied his makeup, Tu Wencai managed to stand upright, his voice hoarse, "...There's nothing to say."

——There's no telling.

Tu Wencai doubted that among the twelve participants of this replica, everyone was innocent except him. Leaning against a stone pillar for support, he gave a weak smile, "This is the consequence of forgetting names."

It was evident he was hiding something. Xin Yuechun raised an eyebrow, "Alright then."

"Food..." Tu Wencai swallowed hard, still appearing somewhat dazed. He staggered forward, grabbing the frog-headed beast-man, "Where's the food?"

Yao Xiaoguo was also curious, "Yes, where's our meal?"

They had completed all the tasks as explained in the mural. The replica should provide them with food. However, these beast-men acted as if they couldn't understand, returning to their original positions without responding.

Lu Shuo wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling as if he might die of thirst, "If there's no food, could we at least have some water?"

The temperature in this replica was extremely high, and they had been exerting themselves constantly. They were sweating profusely, risking dehydration, but the beast-men continued to ignore them.

Qianxi frowned, "Do we have to wait until tomorrow morning? After they inspect the stones in the underground temple, will they then give us food?"

Chen Yun's tone was somber, his expression tense, "Let's hope so."

The worst-case scenario would be that even after the stones are inspected tomorrow, they still wouldn't get food.

Not wanting to discourage everyone with this thought, Chen Yun suggested, "How about we try the bath water?"

When they first arrived in the replica, the bath pools where they cleansed themselves were the second accessible water source besides the main pool in the temple's center. While the temple pool's water was not drinkable, Lu Shuo had indeed tasted the bath water.

On hearing this, Li Chanyi said, "But the bath water is salty. Drinking it will make us even thirstier."

Chen Yun responded, "We could try to filter it to get some fresh water."

Yao Xiaoguo waved her hand to interrupt, "Actually, I'm quite tired. More than food or drink, I want to rest, maybe nap for a bit."

Although it never got dark, time passed uninterrupted. Strictly speaking, they hadn't slept for almost 24 hours. Yao Xiaoguo felt sore all over, exhausted, and believed she could fall asleep the moment she closed her eyes.

Xin Yuechun grabbed her, "Don't sleep yet. Let's check the bath water first."

"We must check," Chen Yun added, "If these beast-men don't provide us with food and water tomorrow, we need to figure out how to survive seven days in this extreme heat."

Under normal conditions, a person might not die if they go without food and water for seven days.

Under such high temperatures, it's unpredictable, especially given their intense physical exertion.

"You all go ahead," said Xie Yinxue. "I'll stay behind."

Noticing that Xie Yinxue didn't sweat like the others, Xin Yuechun inquired, "Don't you want water?"

"I do," Xie Yinxue replied, glancing at her, "but I suspect we won't get to drink that bathwater either. I don’t want to waste energy on a futile journey, so I won’t go check."

"Bro, don't scare me."

Upon hearing Xie Yinxue's words, Zhan Meng felt a sudden unease. Clutching his chest, he murmured, "Damn, my heart's racing now."

Zhan Meng wasn't the only one feeling anxious. Yao Xiaoguo's hands even started shaking as she stammered, "How... How could that be? Lu Shuo drank it before..."

Xie Yinxue remarked, "Things have changed since then. Don't just take my word for it; go and see for yourselves."

With that, Xie Yinxue leaned against a stone pillar, closing her eyes to rest.

Bian Yuchen silently observed him for a few seconds, then walked to another pillar to do the same.

Chen Yun, Lu Shuo, Xi Xi, and Xiao Siyu had witnessed Xie Yinxue's prowess before and largely believed his words. Zhan Meng, who had previously been with Xie Yinxue in another context, hesitated, unsure.

"Aren't you going anymore? You said earlier we must check," Xin Yuechun prodded Chen Yun, "The journey to the bath isn’t that long; how much energy could it take?"

After considering, Chen Yun responded, "Alright, let's go have a look. Lu Shuo, Xiao Siyu, you two rest here."

"No way," both Lu Shuo and Xiao Siyu protested, not wanting to leave Chen Yun's side.

Even Yao Xiaoguo, who had initially wanted to rest, ended up joining the group heading toward the bathing pools.

Along the way, to lighten the mood, Lu Shuo joked, "Ever wonder why those beast-headed creatures don’t speak?"

Zhan Meng, intrigued, asked, "Why?"

Lu Shuo answered, "Maybe because their animal heads make different sounds, so even if they did speak, we wouldn't understand."

Zhan Meng: "..."

Xiao Siyu, unamused, remarked, "Lu Shuo, your joke is colder than our bathwater."

"Is it colder than my heart though?" Xin Yuechun replied wryly, reacting to the daunting scene before them.

The reason was clear — the bathing pool was empty.

The pool itself remained, but the water was gone, replaced entirely by dry white salt grains.

"Where's the water?!" Yao Xiaoguo dashed to the pool, scooping up a handful of the salt, "Has it all evaporated?"

Ming Sheng bit his thumbnail, uttering gravely, "Indeed, there's no water left..."

Li Chan Yi took a few steps back, shaking her head, "This challenge won't provide us with sustenance."

The now-composed Tu Wen retorted, "It's not tomorrow yet."

Perhaps tomorrow might bring a twist of fate?

Chen Yun's thoughts mirrored Li Chan Yi's, but seeing the expression on Yao Xiaoguo’s face, she sided with Tu Wen, suggesting, "Let's head back, everyone. Get some rest, and we’ll discuss our plan once the humanoid beasts inspect the stones we’ve chiseled tomorrow."

The group retraced their steps in silence.

Upon reaching the inner courtyard, everyone seemed too drained to speak. They casually leaned against stone pillars to rest, but few truly found sleep.

Even Xie Yinxue was merely pretending.

Having rested in a coffin for a month, he didn't require sleep. Once all was quiet, he subtly opened his eyes, immediately locking gazes with a humanoid with a wolf's head.

Through lip movements, Xie Yinxue conveyed: I can't sleep.

The man remained silent, his wolfen features betraying no emotion. Yet, a slender black tail wrapped around Xie Yinxue's wrist in the next moment.

Every time Xie Yinxue tried to grasp it, the tail slipped away. When he relented, it affectionately curled around him, playful in its teasing.

In terms of combined age, Xie Yinxue and Bu Jiu Zhao might still be younger than Shen Qiu Ji. Playing such childish games, Xie Yinxue pulled a few tufts of fur from the tail. Any insomniac beast-human that glimpsed this scene quickly closed their eyes, as if fearing being silenced by Bu Jiu Zhao.

By early morning, Bu Jiu Zhao casually withdrew his tail, feigning a serious demeanor.

Xie Yinxue called out to awaken the participants, "It's time to get up."

Bian Yu Chen opened his eyes swiftly, being an early riser, as did Ming Sheng, Xin Yuechun, and Li Chan Yi. The others, including Chen Yun, Lu Shuo, and Xiao Siyu, looked as if they hadn’t had enough rest.

Lu Shuo groaned, "Feels like I just closed my eyes for a moment..."

"You didn't sleep long," Bian Yu Chen informed him, "Probably just two hours or so."

Yao Xiaoguo asked with a sigh, "Can we sleep a bit longer? I'm really exhausted."

"I doubt it." Chen Yun rubbed his temples to dispel the drowsiness and glanced at the beast-headed humans walking towards the garden on the left. "They seem to be heading to the underground temple."

Zhan Meng gritted his teeth, shaking his head to clear the fog, "Let's follow them. Once they inspect the stone, we'll know if we can eat."

As they once again ventured towards the underground temple, the group paid close attention to their surroundings. They noticed that on the left side of the inner courtyard, there weren't many tall buildings. Be it the temples on land or the sacred sheep statues by the roadside, their heights were moderate. And the closer they got to the underground temple, the fewer the structures.

Everything indicated that if the pyramid of the underground temple truly existed, it must be buried beneath the ground.

However, considering the distance they traveled, the depth they were at, and the square patch of blue sky they saw above, if the pyramid did exist, it would protrude above ground level and be visible from outside the temple.

—This is a contradiction.

Because no one had ever seen a pyramid on the surface, not in any direction.

So where exactly is the pyramid housing the underground temple?