Chapter 7: Night Stroll in Yin Village 05

Chapter 7: Night Stroll in Yin Village 05

The young lad and the middle-aged man were familiar to Qin Fei; they were the ones who had stared at the hanging painting for a long time in the auditorium.

Out of the dozen or so players, these two were the only ones confirmed to have been affected by something.

Facing Lin Ye's suggestion, the middle-aged player showed obvious hesitation. "But it's almost midnight. If we head to the eastern part of the village now, we might not make it back before midnight."

He spoke gravely.

Sun Shouyi furrowed his brows. "In a Rule-bound World, adhering to the rules is the first principle for survival. Sometimes, false rules or contradictory rules may appear. Without additional evidence, it's up to the players to deduce which rule to follow."

Pausing, he continued, "I suggest you go to the eastern part of the village."

"I agree with Brother Sun," Xiao Xiao chimed in when he noticed the displeased expression on the middle-aged player's face, wanting to help.

As experienced players, Sun Shouyi and Xiao Xiao shared an unspoken intuition: The statue was undoubtedly a crucial element in this dungeon.

In a Rule-bound World, most dungeons had a main storyline.

Although the players were still unclear about the specific background story of the Shadow Guarding Village instance, at least the main storyline was evident: the annual village sacrificial ritual.

The sacrificial ritual, the deity statue.

There was clearly an intricate connection between the two.

Given that the statue element was linked to the main plot, it was logical that the rules associated with it would be extraordinary and not to be trifled with.

Sun Shouyi's intention was to prevent inexperienced players from being misled by the new rules and overlooking the significance of the established ones.

However, neither he nor Xiao Xiao expected these two newcomers to be so timid.

After Xiao Xiao finished speaking, the two rookies fell into a silent exchange of glances.

The middle-aged player was named Hua Qiwei, dressed in a high-quality dark gray suit with a dazzling tie clip, indicating that he held a reputable position in the real world.

He glanced at Lin Ye's slender arms and pale face, his own already pale complexion turning even more ashen. He looked up at the other players and asked urgently, "Is anyone willing to go to the east side of the village with us?"

No one responded.

Hua Qiwei clenched his back teeth and spoke again, "Is there anyone willing to join us? I can offer compensation."

He then pulled off the watch on his wrist, "This watch, worth 1.59 million."

An old player named Cheng Song looked at him with sarcasm.

"My words hold true, I have the money!" Hua Qiwei's voice rose in pitch.

Lin Ye tugged at his sleeve, wanting to speak but hesitating, only to be shrugged off.

"I! I have a lot, a lot of money! After we leave this place, you can name your price for the reward!" Hua Qiwei declared loudly.

Cheng Song, seemingly annoyed by the noise, sneered and said, "Even if you manage to get out, your money won't be of any use."

Hua Qiwei was taken aback, "What do you mean?"

Cheng Song ignored him, turning his cold face away without responding.

No one echoed Hua Qiwei's offer.

Joining him to venture to the village's east side was out of the question; the other players hadn't seen the painting, and leaving the mortuary without permission would undoubtedly violate the rules.

The gruesome sight of Wang Shun in the hall still lingered in their minds – no one would willingly risk their life for two strangers.

Inside the mortuary, silence reigned, and Hua Qiwei's face fell incrementally.

He lifted his gaze, looking hopefully at Sun Shouyi and Qin Fei.

Sun Shouyi averted his eyes, while Qin Fei met his stare with a smile but remained silent.

Knife Scar had been standing on the periphery, observing until now. With a hint of curiosity, he asked Hua Qiwei, "What did that painting you saw look like?"

Hua Qiwei seemed to have found a savior. "Are you going with us?"

He hadn't forgotten the scene of Knife Scar confronting Qin Fei in the car. Although Knife Scar didn't come out on top then, it was clear that he wasn't weak.

Hua Qiwei quickly continued, "It was a middle-aged man dressed in a bright yellow cloth robe, holding something that resembled a buddhist monk's whisk."

He strained his memory to recall, "There were yellow talismans in his pocket, and he had a cloth bag on him. His face was tilted to the left, as if he was looking at something."

Impatiently, the scarred man interrupted, "Describe his face."

Although the players had secretly examined the figure's body to some extent, no one dared to look at its face.

"His... face," Hua Qiwei struggled to recall every detail from the depths of his memory, "He was an old man, very, very old. His face was full of wrinkles, and he had long, white whiskers."

Finishing his description, he hurriedly looked up at the scarred man.

The scarred man grinned nonchalantly, giving no indication of any reaction.

Hua Qiwei's expression contorted, with only fifteen minutes left until midnight.

"Come on, hurry up," Lin Ye urged again. "If we don't leave now, it'll be too late."

The young man looked at Hua Qiwei cautiously, his tone tinged with a hint of ingratiation as he ventured, "Can't I just go with you? We could go together…"

Anxiety and tension involuntarily infused his tone with a hint of a sobbing quality.

Mid-sentence, Hua Qiwei abruptly interrupted with vehemence, "What use are you?"

With slender arms and legs, he seemed as if he could break bones with just a fall.

Hua Qiwei squinted his eyes, lost in thought.

After a moment, he glanced at the entrance of the mortuary, his gaze flickering as he whispered, "When we came here just now, I heard the villagers outside talking. There's a hill to the east of the village..."

His face was etched with fear. "It's a cemetery."

On their way back from the auditorium, Hua Qiwei had also noticed those eerie statues. Recalling the eerie gazes that clung to him, as if they were about to devour him alive, he shuddered violently.

He took a half-step back, leaning against the coffin wall with most of his body. "I'm not going!"

Hua Qiwei's tone was stern, but his inner fear was evident to all.

Lin Ye's face was filled with disbelief: "Not going?"

The youth stammered, "You'll die if you do this."

Hua Qiwei remained unperturbed: "Leaving would be genuine suicide."

Lin Ye looked at him in utter helplessness. "But, but, the rules—"

Hua Qiwei shrilled, "The rules said to stay in the Mortuary!"

He added with a flicker in his eyes, "Who knows if—” Hua Qiwei glanced at Sun Shouyi. "Who knows if what they said is true or false?"

Anger fermented in Sun Shouyi's eyes, and he let out a cold laugh.

Hua Qiwei didn't bother to look at Sun Shouyi's expression. He panted heavily, as though he was at the peak of fear, like a dying fish gasping for air.

With a sense of determination, he walked straight to the coffin in the middle and laid down inside it before anyone else could.

Qin Fei watched the spectacle indifferently, without any signs of disdain or mockery on his face. He only clicked his tongue softly.

In Qin Fei's view, Hua Qiwei had undoubtedly chosen the worst path for himself.

Whether it was the sudden appearance of the painting in the auditorium or the overwhelming stone statues that almost swallowed one's field of vision along the village road at night, everything was clearly and deliberately drawing the players' attention.

Such an alluring force, if devoid of malice, would be hard for anyone to believe.

If players could simply avoid the consequences of "gazing into the statue's eyes" by hiding in coffins, then the resolution to this situation would be far too facile and effortless.

Moreover, the rules regarding the statue were verbally explained by the guide at the entrance of the mortuary in the afternoon. Qin Fei remembered every word clearly; the fear that flickered in the guide's eyes was unmistakable, and Qin Fei was certain it was genuine, not an act.

Directly looking into the statue's eyes would inevitably lead to disastrous consequences.

In fact, Qin Fei had a nagging feeling that even if the offending players went to the eastern cemetery on time, they might still encounter distressing events.

Lin Ye stood alone in the middle of the yard, appearing lost and helpless.

With only ten minutes left, it would be a stretch to reach the eastern village by running before midnight.

He hadn't expected any other players to join them on their trip to the east, after all, this live stream was a matter of life and death.

Recalling Wang Shun's horrifying state in the shrine, Lin Ye instantly felt weak all over.

Lin Ye didn't want to die.

However, Hua Qiwei's sudden abandonment meant that if Lin Ye were to leave the funeral parlor tonight, he would inevitably violate two rules in a row.

Lin Ye gritted his teeth, shot a glance at Hua Qiwei, and then dashed out of the door.

Qin Fei looked at Lin Ye's retreating figure with some sympathy.

Outside the funeral parlor, the night was a hauntingly deep black.

Who knew what the young man would encounter on his own?

But from Qin Fei's perspective, leaving now might give Lin Ye a slim chance of survival. On the other hand, Hua Qiwei, staying in the funeral parlor, was most likely going to... Qin Fei calmly glanced at Hua Qiwei, who was pretending to be dead inside a coffin.

That spot could be considered the safest place in the entire funeral parlor, with others on either side to serve as shields.

Initially, many people had their eyes on that coffin, but it ended up being snatched by this guy.

There were only three minutes left until midnight. Everyone was scrambling into coffins, no longer wasting time competing with Hua Qiwei for a spot. Thus, he actually managed to occupy it unscathed.

Qin Fei cast a quiet look in Hua Qiwei's direction before casually finding a corner coffin to slip into. He lifted his hand to close the heavy lid behind him.

The location of the coffin shouldn't make much difference; the doomed would still meet their end.

Time ticked relentlessly toward midnight.

Qin Fei remained motionless inside the coffin, silently counting the seconds in his heart.

Qin Fei was an exceptional counter; one could even call him a living, walking timekeeper. As he counted up to 180, a faint creak echoed from the entrance of the mortuary.

Something had entered.

...

In the center of the mortuary, in another coffin, Hua Qiwei also heard the sound of the door opening.

In the pitch-black, cramped space, the man's face was terrifyingly pale, his fingertips icy cold, while fine beads of sweat continuously trickled down his forehead.

Creak...

Another noise.

Then, heavy footsteps echoed from the entrance of the courtyard.

Hua Qiwei's heart pounded wildly.

He dared not, nor could he make much noise, so he rasped, attempting to engage in conversation with anyone else in the coffins.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

The thick coffin lid muffled his voice, causing faint echoes to reverberate within the confined space.

Whether the other players didn't hear him or simply chose not to respond, no one paid him any attention.

It felt as if the entire world had narrowed down to this tiny, square enclosure, leaving only Hua Qiwei alone - and the owner of those footsteps.

The footsteps drew closer and closer.

Closer still.

Hua Qiwei couldn't comprehend why the sound was so distinct, as if it resonated deep within his mind.

He pressed his back firmly against the coffin's rear wall, as if only this could grant him some sense of security.

This coffin, which had filled him with terror during the day, had now become his sole source of protection.

"Stay back... stay back..." Hua Qiwei dared not open his eyes despite being unable to see anything. He curled up his limbs and whispered incessantly, "Go to someone else, go to someone else..."

Unfortunately, his wish was not granted.

"Bang!"

Beyond the coffin lid came a sound of impact.

Hua Qiwei's body jolted abruptly.

"Lin Ye? Lin Ye?" he called out the name of the fellow player who shared his plight.

No response came.

It was then that he recalled the young man had seemingly ventured off alone towards the eastern edge of the village.

"Bang!"

Another thud echoed, causing the entire coffin to tremble slightly.

A metallic tang of blood rose in Hua Qiwei's throat. His eyes widened abruptly, until the pain of tearing sockets pierced through him.

What on earth had entered the mortuary?

The footsteps slowly circled around the area where Hua Qiwei was, as if encircling him.

What did it want?

"Is there anyone? Anyone at all! —" Hua Qiwei couldn't hold back anymore and let out a hoarse cry.

In the corner of Hua Qiwei's personal interface, the number of viewers was skyrocketing frenziedly.

50, 80, 200, 500...

The synthesized system announcements continued nonstop in his ear, but he had no idea what these numbers signified.

With each impact, the force grew, pounding against the coffin where Hua Qiwei lay.

"Crack." Under another massive blow, the lid cracked open a tiny gap.

Hua Qiwei let out a blood-curdling scream.

Pale moonlight pierced through the clouds, illuminating a small area in front of him.

In the vague moonlight, he saw half a face appear through the narrow crack in the coffin lid, no wider than a finger.

It was an enormous grayish-white skull, its stony surface rough with granules. The left eye was slightly narrowed as it peered into the coffin.

The features on the skull matched those of the statues lining the village road perfectly.

The statue had come to life.

"Help! Help! Someone, save me!" Supporting himself with his hands on either side of the coffin, Hua Qiwei tried to rise and flee, but his fear paralyzed him, leaving him only able to kick helplessly within the coffin.

The coffin lid lifted, and a gigantic hand reached inside.

"Ahh!! Ahhh—!!!" The piercing scream split the night sky, echoing within the mortuary.

Hua Qiwei's cries for help grew louder and more desperate with each passing moment.

Receiving no response from the players, he even opened his personal interface, desperately pleading for help to the unseen spectators with no regard for his dignity.

"You... You can see me, can't you? You can see me, right?"

"Save me, save me!!! I'll do anything you want — anything at all!"

A few seconds later.

The cries of terror abruptly ceased.

...

In another corner of the mortuary, Qin Fei attentively listened to the sounds outside.

The transition from heart-wrenching screams to silence took no more than five minutes.

On Qin Fei's personal panel, the number of viewers had been plummeting rapidly since five minutes ago. It only started to rise again the moment the scream faded away just now.

Faced with such abnormal fluctuations in viewer numbers, Qin Fei could only come up with one hypothesis:

Viewers were able to switch between different streamers' perspectives while watching the same live broadcast.

The perilous situation Hua Qiwei had encountered earlier had drawn all the audience from Qin Fei's channel. Now, those who had left had returned.

It seemed highly likely that Hua Qiwei's fate was grim.

Qin Fei's previous speculation proved correct. Judging from the excessively heavy footsteps, whatever had invaded the mortuary in the middle of the night and killed Hua Qiwei must be a colossal creature.

In fact, it was very possibly one of the stone statues in the village.

The consequence of directly looking at a divine statue was to face its judgment.

Apparently, the safety provided by the coffin had its limits. When conflicting with established rules, even hiding inside the coffin would be futile.

Hopefully, nothing else would go wrong tonight.

Qin Fei lay within the coffin, gently closing his eyes.

However, as if deliberately opposing Qin Fei, the very next moment after the thought crossed his mind, a subtle sound so faint it was almost inaudible came from the right side of Qin Fei's ear.

"Ticking."

Like the gentle pattering of water droplets.

Moments later, another sound echoed.

"Ticking."

Qin Fei's breath suddenly hitched.