Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

Chapter 57 Night

The night grew deeper.

The night in the mountains is so quiet that you can hear your own heartbeat.

No, it was even quieter than that—even the sound of a heartbeat seemed a bit noisy in this silence.

The wind stopped.

Even the rustling sound of the weeds rubbing together has disappeared.

Only the occasional crackling of dry branches popping in the fire made a crisp sound before fading into deeper silence.

Lin Feng couldn't sleep soundly.

The ground beneath me was hard and cold, and it hurt my bones.

The musty smell from years ago, mixed with the dust, was so strong in the dilapidated temple that it was nauseating after a while.

More importantly, the tension in my heart remained constant, and I couldn't let it go.

He had a dream.

In my dream, I was still in Hexi Town, picking bird eggs from that crooked tree on the back mountain.

Just as I got the egg, a burst of laughter came from under the tree—a high-pitched, ethereal sound, like a woman laughing or a child crying.

He looked down and saw a person standing under the tree, dressed in tattered red clothes, looking up with no facial features, only a mouth that stretched to his ears, smiling at him.

Startled, he loosened his grip, and the bird egg fell, hitting the man in the face.

With a snap, the egg broke, and what flowed out was not egg white or yolk, but thick, dark red blood.

The person was still laughing, the laughter growing louder and shriller...

Lin Feng suddenly opened his eyes.

Before me lay the dark, gloomy roof of a dilapidated temple, with a few rotten rafters lying haphazardly across the ground, resembling the ribs of a monster in the darkness.

The fire had shrunk considerably, leaving only a few dark red embers, barely glowing and illuminating the surrounding blurry outlines.

He gasped for breath, his heart pounding in his chest as if it were about to burst out.

It was just a dream.

He told himself this and raised his hand to wipe the cold sweat from his forehead.

His hand touched his chest, and the warm, smooth feel of the jade pendant calmed him down slightly.

He turned his head and looked at his companion.

Zhang Kai was fast asleep, his brows slightly furrowed and his lips pursed, as if he were wary of something even in his dreams.

Li Qianqian curled up like a kitten, her little hands still clutching the hem of her clothes. She occasionally sobbed in her sleep, probably dreaming of her mother.

Zhao Mingxuan had his back to this side, his breathing was even, but his shoulders were a little tense.

When Lin Feng looked over, he found that Chen Jing'an was awake.

He lay on his side, facing the thick, impenetrable darkness outside the hall, his eyes wide open, his blank gaze fixed on a certain direction, motionless.

The firelight cast leaping shadows on his face, making his originally handsome and quiet face appear somewhat... eerie.

Lin Feng called out softly, "Jing An?"

Chen Jing'an didn't react and continued to look outside.

Lin Feng felt a chill run down his spine and was about to call out again when he suddenly heard a sound coming from outside the hall.

It's very light.

It sounded like a dead leaf being crushed.

Click.

A sound.

Then there was another sound.

Click.

Slowly, at even intervals, they are heading towards the ruined temple.

Lin Feng felt a chill run down his spine.

He held his breath and pricked up his ears.

The sound grew closer and clearer, until it reached outside the courtyard.

Then, it stopped.

A deathly silence.

Lin Feng's heart leaped into his throat. He instinctively looked at Mo Wen.

Beside the fire, Mo Wen leaned against the pillar in the same position, his eyes closed, as if he were asleep.

But Lin Feng noticed that Mo Wen's hand, which was resting on his knee, moved a few fingers very slightly.

It's not an illusion.

Lin Feng slowly turned his head and looked in the direction of the palace gate.

The only remaining broken door was just a blurry outline in the darkness.

The night outside was as dark as ink; nothing could be seen.

But Lin Feng always felt that something was standing outside the door in the darkness, looking inside through the door.

Time seemed to stand still.

Every breath felt incredibly long.

The last embers in the fire crackled and popped, releasing a few sparks before going out in an instant.

The darkness seemed to grow even deeper.

I don't know how much time had passed—maybe just a short while, maybe half an incense stick's time—the footsteps sounded again.

Click.

This time it's gradually fading away.

Step by step, unhurriedly, they disappeared into the depths of the wild grass outside the temple.

Only when he could no longer hear anything did Lin Feng dare to breathe heavily.

He found his palms were covered in cold sweat, and the back of his clothes was soaked through, clinging coldly to his skin.

He looked at Chen Jing'an.

Chen Jing'an remained in the same position, looking out the door, as if nothing had happened.

Lin Feng then looked at Mo Wen.

Mo Wen kept his eyes closed and his breathing steady, as if he were truly asleep.

But Lin Feng knew that Uncle Mo must have woken up just now.

That hand moved slightly; it was no accident.

He lay back down, eyes open, staring at the ceiling. His heartbeat gradually calmed, but the tension in his mind tightened even more.

What is that?

Stray dogs? Stray cats? Or... something else?

He dared not think.

Lin Feng couldn't fall asleep again in the middle of the night. He kept his eyes open, listening to the sounds around him.

The wind picked up again, howling and pouring in through the broken doors and windows, swirling in the empty hall like countless people sobbing softly.

In the distance, one could hear the hooting of owls, sharp and short, one call after another, making one's heart tremble with unease.

The fire went out completely.

Darkness surged up like a tide, engulfing the ruined temple.

Only a few starlight rays leaked through the hole in the broken roof, coldly scattering on the ground, adding to the desolation and eeriness.

The other children also seemed to be sleeping restlessly.

Zhang Kai rolled over and mumbled something in his sleep. Li Qianqian sobbed again.

Zhao Mingxuan's breathing became heavier.

Only Chen Jing'an remained in that posture, motionless, like a lifeless stone statue.

Lin Feng stared at the darkness, his eyes gradually becoming sore.

He forced himself not to think about the footsteps he had just heard, but to think about Hexi Town, his father, Aunt Yao, Uncle Xiao Hei, the stream behind the mountain, and the days of catching fish and climbing trees...

Those heartwarming scenes, like a thin layer of armor, temporarily shielded us from the surrounding chill and fear.

He was in a daze, half asleep and half awake, when he seemed to hear some sound again.

It wasn't footsteps.

It was... laughter.

It was very light and ethereal, as if it came from a very far place, yet also as if it were right next to my ear.

The high-pitched, eerie chirping, carrying an inexplicable malice, burrowed into my ears and scratched at my heart.

Lin Feng suddenly opened his eyes.

Not a dream.

The laughter is still there.

Intermittent, sometimes near, sometimes far, it was so clear in the quiet of the night that it sent chills down one's spine.

He stiffly turned his head to look at his companion.

Zhang Kai woke up, his eyes wide open in the darkness, his hand already touching the wooden stick beside him.

Li Qianqian huddled up, trembling, and covered her mouth tightly with her hand, afraid to make a sound.

Zhao Mingxuan sat up, his face deathly pale in the dim starlight.

Even Mo Wen, who had been "asleep," slowly opened his eyes.

He sat up straight, his gaze sharp as lightning, sweeping out of the hall.

The laughter continued.

Hehehe...hehehe...it looks like a human silhouette, but not quite.

It's unpredictable, sometimes in the east, sometimes in the west, and sometimes it seems... to be above my head?

Lin Feng subconsciously looked up at the roof.

Outside the hole in the broken roof, the night sky was deep, with a few cold stars twinkling.

There was nothing there.

But that laughter clearly came from there!

"Uncle Mo... Uncle Mo..." Li Qianqian's voice rang out, trembling with sobs, barely audible.

Mo Wen raised his hand and made a shushing gesture.

He slowly stood up, his movements very light, without making a sound.

The gray robe blended almost seamlessly into the darkness, except for his eyes, which shone brilliantly in the dim light.

He walked to the palace entrance, but instead of going out immediately, he listened intently.

The laughter stopped.

Dead silence.

Even the sound of the wind seemed to have stopped.

Mo Wen stood at the door, his back to the children, like a frozen statue.

His right hand, without him noticing, was already pressed against his waist—there, tucked in, was a cloth-wrapped object, about the length of a ruler.

Lin Feng hadn't noticed it before, but he saw it now.

Time passed little by little.

Every breath felt stretched out, so thick it was suffocating.

Lin Feng clutched the jade pendant tightly to his chest. The jade pendant was still warm and smooth, but his hand was trembling.

He gripped the wooden stick tightly, his knuckles turning white.

Li Qianqian buried her face in her knees, her shoulders trembling uncontrollably.

Zhao Mingxuan gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed on the doorway.

Chen Jing'an... Chen Jing'an also sat up at some point.

He continued to gaze outside the hall, and for the first time, clear emotions appeared in his empty eyes.

It's not fear.

It's... a question.

It looks like it's trying to identify something.