You said you could kill the evil spirits without me, why are you crying now?

Chapter 359: After all, we don't owe each other anything

Under the leadership of Chang Zimo,

Chu He, Lai Yuyao, Sun Canxing, Yu Yingjie and others walked slowly on the main road of Xiashui Village.

The night is like a huge piece of black silk, hanging heavily.

The entire village was shrouded in a faint twilight.

This main road is like a long and deep corridor.

Extending into the endless darkness, as if there was no end.

The surroundings were as quiet as a vacuum, so quiet that only their heavy footsteps could be heard.

And the occasional whisper of the evening breeze.

That night breeze was like a mysterious messenger,
Whispering some unknown stories in people's ears, but refusing to reveal a single detail.

In the air, the oppressive atmosphere permeated like a substance.

It weighs heavily on everyone's heart, making it hard to breathe.

Along the way, the doors and windows of each household were like silent barriers, tightly closed.

The tightly closed posture seemed to be firmly rejecting the prying eyes of the outside world.
It also seems like it is carefully guarding some secret that cannot be told.

Behind every window, there seemed to be a pair of prying eyes.
Those are women of different ages.

They are either white-haired or have wrinkles all over their faces, and the years have left deep marks on their faces.

Or they are still childish, with ignorant eyes, and are full of curiosity and doubts about the outside world.

Their faces were different, but without exception they were all lying on the window frame.
Quietly watching the group of young people passing by.

On some windows, the dust of time is like a fine spider web.

A thin layer of mist covered the faces, blurring them.
As if separated by a mysterious veil,

It gives people a dreamlike and surreal feeling.

Some of the windows were clean and bright, like a mirror, clearly reflecting the faces of the women.

Their eyes are complicated and hard to read.
Some had curiosity gleaming in their eyes, like the twinkling stars in the night sky, wanting to see through everything about these outsiders.

Some looked at them with scrutiny, as if they were assessing whether these young people would pose a threat to the village.

Others have eyes as cold as ice, like the chilly wind in winter, piercing straight into the hearts of these young people.

These various gazes are like invisible chains.
It tightly wrapped around them, binding them in this strange atmosphere.
It makes them feel like they are stuck in a quagmire and unable to escape.

When young men and women feel these eyes on them,
An inexplicable chill rose up in my heart.

The chill was like an icy snake, crawling up along my spine and spreading throughout my body in an instant.
Let them feel cool all over.

The night grew darker and darker, like a pool of ink spreading continuously.

The dim light of the street lamps swayed gently in the breeze.

The flickering light and shadow are like will-o'-the-wisp dancing in the darkness.

The halo of light shines on the faces behind the windows,

The faces looked somewhat eerie and cold in the interweaving of light and dark.
It's like a series of surreal paintings.

Every detail in the picture seems to be carefully carved.

Just to create this creepy atmosphere,
Everyone who sees it feels terrified, as if they are in a horrible nightmare.

Chang Zimo and the others seemed to be unaffected by this strange atmosphere.
Their faces were as calm as water, without the slightest ripple.

It's like an ancient well with no bottom.

Their steps were steady and powerful, and each step made a solid sound on the ground.

It seems that I have become accustomed to all this, as if I experience such scenes every day.

Or maybe they were simply unaware of the undercurrent lurking beneath the calm surface.

The undercurrent is like a raging whirlpool that can drag people into endless darkness at any time.

Their shadows were stretched out long under the dim street lights.
Intertwined with the prying eyes around,

It forms a sharp and strange contrast, adding a bit of indescribable mystery.

It makes people feel that this village is full of unknown mysteries.

"I am a little scared……"

A timid girl tightly grasped the arm of her companion.
Her fingers turned pale from exertion, and her voice trembled like a leaf in the wind.

The voice was trembling slightly, carrying a fear that penetrated deep into the bones.

In the houses on both sides of the main road, behind each window are women's faces.

The faces of these women, tall and short, fat and thin, young and old, were pressed tightly against the glass.
That scene is creepy no matter how you look at it.

There's a chill rising from the soles of my feet.

It goes straight to the top of one's head, making one's legs feel weak.

"Look no more, listen no more, look no more, listen no more, look no more, listen no more..."

Another young boy put his hands together in front of his chest.

He closed his eyes tightly, his eyes looked at his nose, his nose looked at his heart,
Try to focus only on the road ahead.
He followed closely among the crowd. He kept muttering to himself,
Although the sound was not loud, it was particularly clear in the silent atmosphere.
It was like chanting an exorcism spell to myself, trying to dispel the fear in my heart.

Several young and strong men from Xia Shui Village couldn't help laughing when they saw this scene.

They grinned, revealing their uneven teeth, and their eyes showed obvious contempt.

The look in his eyes was like he was looking at a group of cowards who had never seen the world.

Obviously, they were disdainful and ridiculed for the cowardice of these young people.

The laughter echoed in the silent night sky, adding a bit of weird atmosphere.

This stretch of road seemed endless, and the group walked slowly along the straight main road.

But I still can't see where it ends.

That main road is like a mysterious passage leading to an unknown world.

It stretches straight forward, as if it will extend to the end of the world.

Some young people wear watches on their wrists.
As they walked along the main road in the village, they kept looking down at the time.

Trying to use this to record the distance I have traveled.

However, surprisingly, they had been walking for more than half an hour.
A rough estimate shows that I have walked several kilometers at least.
But this main road still seems to have no end, like a line with no end, extending forward.

And, as they walked further and further,

Gradually, it moved away from the scope of Xia Shui Village, seemed to have left the village, and started walking towards the road up the mountain.

This is a clean and tidy asphalt road, which seems out of place in this remote mountain village.

More and more young people noticed that something was wrong and began to doubt.

Such a remote mountain village,

Why build such a flat and clean asphalt road leading to the mountain?

This is not a small amount of money!
You know, the whole road does not lead to the city, so for this village,
Doesn't seem to be of much practical help.

It seems like a futile effort no matter how you look at it.

Is there no one in the village who objects to this?

There must be some unknown secret hidden in this.

"There's something strange about this village."

Lai Yuyao walked to Chu He's side quietly.

She spoke in a low voice, her brows slightly furrowed, with a hint of vigilance in her eyes.

"Ah."

Chu He just responded softly, looking into the distance with deep eyes: "Let's see first."

After walking for nearly twenty minutes, they finally saw the site for the sacrificial ceremony.

In the heart of that ancient and deep forest,

A carefully carved circular open space suddenly appeared before everyone's eyes.

Surrounding it are towering ancient trees, which are like a group of ancient guardians, tightly surrounding this open space.

The branches and leaves of the ancient trees swayed gently in the night wind, making a rustling sound.
It seems to be whispering the story of the years.

In the center of the open space, a towering object stands majestically, like a mysterious giant.

The object was tightly covered with a thick black cloth.

The black cloth completely concealed its shape and texture.
Only a hazy outline is left, looming in the night.
It gives people a wonderful feeling of awe and endless reverie.

The black cloth swayed gently in the wind, occasionally revealing a small outline of the object underneath.
But it was soon covered up again.
It's like a naughty elf playing hide-and-seek with people, arousing people's curiosity even more.

The night is like a huge black curtain, hanging low in the sky.

The last ray of afterglow in the sky was quickly swallowed up by the endless darkness.
The circular venue was instantly shrouded in a layer of night that was so thick that it seemed to be substantial.

In this atmosphere of silence and darkness,
Circles of bright torches were neatly arranged at the edge of the field.
Like a shining necklace of fire, it casts a soft glow over this mysterious land.

The orange flames danced in the night wind, jumping and swaying.

That light shines on the faces of every young man and woman.

There were little sparks of fire reflected in their eyes, as if small flames were ignited in their eyes.

The woods outside the circular venue seemed like another completely different world.

Under this dark sky, the forest seems even more mysterious.
It seems like a dark abyss, hiding endless secrets.

The tall and vague outlines of the trees loomed in the night, like lurking giant beasts.
They quietly watched every move in the venue.
The posture is like a hunter ready to pounce on its prey at any time.

The shadowy shadows swayed gently in the breeze.

It made a low and strange sound, like a mysterious whisper hidden in the darkness.

It is telling an ancient and terrifying legend, and also seems to be warning people not to get close.

Whenever a gust of night wind blows, the shadows of the trees sway,

It seemed as if something terrible was about to jump out from the deep darkness and devour someone.

It makes people feel creepy and their heart beats faster and faster as if it is about to jump out of their throats.

In this circular venue, firelight and darkness intertwined, as if in a silent contest.

Young men and women huddled together, relying on each other, trying to get a little comfort from their companions.

However, the fear and anxiety in their eyes could not be concealed.

But it hangs over the entire group like a dark haze.

They all know very well,
Tonight, an unusual sacrificial ceremony is about to begin here.

The mysterious thing hidden under the black cloth in the center of the venue,
Perhaps it is like a sword of Damocles hanging over their heads, the key to determining their fate.

“I always feel that the villagers in Xiashui Village seem to have changed.
It was different from last night when we met.

Also, there is a strange question, did you notice it?

None of the women from Xiashui Village came, and only men stayed here.”

Sun Canxing said,

While observing people around him keenly like a vigilant cheetah.

The villagers of Xiashui Village all stood there quietly.

Maintaining an unsettling silence.

But their eyes were like hungry wolves in the dark.
All of them were staring closely at this group of young men and women who came to attend the graduation party.
There was something special in that look.
It's like a bottomless pool of ice water. Even from this special meaning, it exudes a hint of icy breath, penetrating straight into people's hearts.

"If they were still acting like normal villagers when we met them last night,
But now, they always have an inexplicable feeling.

It makes people feel uncomfortable, as if countless ants are crawling on their bodies. "

Yu Yingjie added.

As he spoke, his eyes kept wandering over Chu He.
There was a hint of dependence and expectation in that look.

Like a ship looking for a lighthouse in the dark, waiting for Chu He's command.

After all, after knowing Chu He's identity,
Yu Yingjie's originally tense nerves also relaxed a lot.
There is no longer the tension and pressure that I felt before.

He thought, with such a top-level expert in charge,
It was like giving them a reassurance.

No matter what secrets these villagers in Xiashui Village are hiding,
There won't be any big waves.

A small mountain village, no matter how strange or fierce it is,

Could it possibly compare to the giant Lighthouse Empire on the blue planet?
In Yu Yingjie's view, this is simply a fantasy.

"You are distinguished guests who have come from afar, so please walk to the center of the sacrificial site.
That is in front of the mountain god statue covered with black cloth.

In a moment, the mountain god statue will bring down blessings.

This blessing can protect you from this strange crisis safely and smoothly."

The head of Xiashui Village came over at some point.

He had a gentle smile on his face, which looked a little strange in the light of the fire.

"I wonder how the people in the village found this mountain god?"

Chu He asked curiously, his eyes flashing with inquiry, as if he was very interested in this mysterious mountain god story.

"The strange invasion of this world has become commonplace for everyone, and our Xiashui Village is naturally not immune."

Chang Baining calmly recounted the past events, without any intention of hiding anything: "At that time, the terrifying evil spirit descended upon our Xiashui Village, and the scene was simply hell on earth.

The evil spirits were like demons from hell, ruthlessly harvesting the lives of the villagers.

Villagers were killed one after another, and the shadow of death shrouded the entire village.

Everyone fell into the abyss of despair and felt that the end of the world was coming.

At this moment, the mountain god appeared.

It turned into a towering tree. The tree was extremely huge.

The trunk is so thick that it takes several people to hug it, and its branches and leaves are so lush that they look like a huge green umbrella.

Covering the entire village.

It is like a guardian angel, protecting everyone in our village.

From then on, we only need to make regular offerings.
You can use the power of the mountain god to protect the people in the village from the harm of evil spirits.

The dead man's grass that you see is also a blessing given to us by the mountain god.

It's just that the village has been too busy recently.
That’s why a poor man was killed by an evil spirit last night. It was really our negligence.”

After listening to Chang Baining's story,

The young men and women present felt as if they had seen a ray of light in the darkness.
The doubts in my mind were gradually resolved, and I gradually sorted out the cause and effect of the matter.

"What does the mountain god look like? Is it the thing under this black cloth?"

Lai Yuyao asked, blinking her big eyes. There was curiosity and a hint of worry in her eyes.

"Thing? Humph, you can't call a mountain god with such a casual word.
But that's all. The mountain god has always been magnanimous.
I won’t haggle with a little girl like you.”

Chang Baining frowned slightly at first.
The eyebrows were like two caterpillars tangled together for a short time, and then slowly stretched out.
The slight displeasure just now was just a breeze that passed by inadvertently and disappeared without a trace in an instant.

"The auspicious time has come, you young men,

Let's all stand around the mountain god and wait for our next sacrificial ceremony.

Just invite the mountain god over.

It will solve Xiashui Village and all the terrible problems you are facing.
Then you can leave here smoothly.
In the days to come, you will no longer encounter any setbacks or difficulties.

Come to think of it, when you encountered the evil spirit, you were still able to stumble to our Xiashui Village.

You guys are lucky.”

As Chang Baining spoke, he personally urged and directed the young men and women.

The young men and women heard his words, and although they were full of doubts, they did not dare to disobey.
They could only follow the instructions one by one and slowly form circles.
The mysterious object shrouded in black cloth was tightly surrounded.

They all looked up, their faces tense like a taut bowstring.

Those eyes were filled with fear of the unknown and uneasiness about what was about to happen.

The words of Xiashui Village Chief Chang Baining just now,

It seems to mean that when the sacrificial ceremony begins,
The legendary mountain god will come here.

But what does this mountain god look like?
Are there really gods in this world who protect everyone in the dark?
Every young face is filled with curiosity and longing.
That look is like a little animal in the darkness longing to see the light.
It carries with it a yearning for the unknown, but also a hint of disbelief.

"Mountain God?"

Chu He stood in the crowd, his lips curled slightly.

"Will this be a problem?"

Lai Yuyao tilted her head slightly towards Chu He, and her body unconsciously moved closer to Chu He.

She asked in a low voice, with a hint of worry in her voice.
Like a frightened little bird, seeking shelter from its companions.

“It’s inevitable that there will be problems.”

Chu He also lowered his voice and answered, his eyes were deep and sharp,
It seemed that he had seen through the mysteries hidden behind this seemingly ordinary sacrificial ceremony.

"I always feel like something is not right, and I have the same idea as you.

If it is a sacrificial ceremony, why are there not even a single sacrificial item around?

Don’t we need to prepare those sacrificial items to offer to the mountain god?”

Lai Yuyao stood in the crowd.

His eyes looked around like searchlights,

Try to find some clues from the surrounding environment to solve the doubts in your mind.

The villagers from the surrounding Xiashui villages,
Some of them held the hoe tightly in their hands. The hoe flashed with a cold metallic luster under the firelight, and could become a sharp weapon to hurt people at any time.

Some held forks, and the sharp tines looked like a row of ferocious fangs.

Others were carrying shoulder poles, which swayed slightly on their shoulders as they moved.

But what was strange was that among so many people, no one brought any sacrificial items.

And each of them stood on the periphery, staring at the young men and women.
There seemed to be some unknown, frightening fire burning in that gaze.

The flame was hot and strange, hiding some unknown intention.

"Village chief, don't you villagers need to come and offer sacrifices together?"

Zou Baixuan couldn't help but ask, wondering.

You know, these young classmates who came to attend the graduation party,
They had already followed Chang Baining's request and stood obediently in their respective positions.
But the villagers of Xiashui Village did not come.
This is quite different from what Chang Baining said at that time.

At that time, Chang Baining clearly said that everyone should accept the blessing of the mountain god together.

In this way, we can protect ourselves from this evil spirit crisis.

"Don't worry, I've already told you that you are distinguished guests who have come from afar.
Besides, you are so young, you should let the mountain god bless you first.

And all of us in Xiashui Village will remember you forever."

Chang Baining spoke slowly as he slowly retreated step by step.

He had a gentle smile on his face from beginning to end, but for some reason, that smile carried a hint of coldness.
Just like the cold wind in winter, it seems gentle, but it can penetrate directly into the cracks of human bones.
It makes people feel a chill from the bottom of their hearts.

"Why do I feel like something is not right?"

A young girl frowned and said in a trembling voice,

There was a gleam of anxiety in her eyes, like a frightened deer.

"No way? No way? There won't be anything wrong with this mountain god, right?"

A boy next to him echoed this, his face looking slightly pale.
Fine beads of sweat had already seeped out of his forehead, and in the light of the fire, those beads of sweat sparkled, just like his nervous mood at the moment.

"If there is something wrong with the mountain god, then why would the villagers of Xiashui Village offer sacrifices to him? This is too strange."

Another young man wearing glasses pushed his glasses up and analyzed with a puzzled look on his face,

There was a hint of alertness in his eyes, as if he had smelled danger.

The young people discussed with each other.

The noisy sound echoed in this silent sacrificial site.

Many people were worried. The strange situation around them was like a thick fog.

Enveloping them tightly, making them feel more and more uneasy,

Several people's bodies began to tremble slightly unconsciously, as if a chill was running from the soles of their feet straight up into their hearts.

At this moment, Chang Baining waved his hand high.
With a voice as loud as a bell, he shouted: "The mountain god worship ceremony has officially begun!"

His voice echoed in the night sky, breaking the tense and oppressive atmosphere.

But it also made the atmosphere even more solemn.

After hearing the order, the villagers all started to act.

They first threw the hoes and forks they were holding tightly in their hands to the ground.
The clang of the hoe and fork,
It seemed particularly harsh in this silent environment, as if it was some kind of ominous omen.

Then they quickly bent down and picked up the strong hemp rope at their feet.
The hemp rope looked thick and long, with some mottled marks on it.

It seems like it has been eroded by time.

The villagers held the hemp rope tightly and started pulling hard together.
The tight hemp rope is like a huge python.

Moving slowly in their hands.

As the hemp rope is pulled,
The black cloth hanging on the towering ornament was lifted down bit by bit.
It’s like the curtain on the stage is slowly being pulled open, and a mysterious performance is about to begin.

The black cloth was finally pulled down.
It fell to the ground with a thud, raising a small cloud of dust.

When everyone saw clearly what was underneath the black cloth,
Those young men and women, including the usually calm Yu Yingjie,
All of them showed expressions of shock and dismay.

Their eyes were so wide open that they seemed to pop out of their sockets.
The blood color on his face faded instantly, replaced by a deathly paleness.

An indescribable fear and anger surged in everyone's heart.
It's like surging waves, crashing wildly in my chest.

At this moment, the smiles on the faces of Chang Baining and the villagers of Xia Shui Village reached their peak.

That smile was so twisted, like a flower of evil blooming in the darkness, full of weirdness and hideousness.

"Children, I really have to rely on you this time."

Chang Baining stood in front of all the villagers in Xiashui Village and said with a fake smile,
There was a false sincerity in his voice.

Just like a cunning fox deceiving its prey: "Everyone in Xiashui Village, young and old, men and women, will never forget you.

This is a great merit. You have such merit at such a young age.

It is also because of the blessing of our Xia Shui Village.

So, after all this, no one of us owes anyone anything."

However, at this moment, all the young men and women looked at Chang Baining.

Four words popped up involuntarily in my mind - shameless!
Their eyes were filled with anger and disdain.

It's like looking at a despicable villain, and you can't wait to rush up to him and tear off his hypocritical mask!
(End of this chapter)