Mo Yuan gazed at Shi Yu’s injury with deep concern, his brows furrowed and his eyes full of worry and distress.
Ah Jiu, watching from the side, scrutinized their expressions closely. He frowned, realizing that the situation was far from simple. This bad guy definitely has malicious intentions toward Brother Shi Yu. No, I must make sure Brother Shi Yu stays far away from him in the future.
Shi Yu looked away, waiting quietly for Mo Yuan to finish treating the wound before pulling his hand back.
“This red light is strange. It seems to be absorbing my spiritual power.” His gaze was sharp, fixed on the red glow emanating from Ah Jiu’s mother, his tone urgent.
Mo Yuan turned to observe the eerie red light carefully, but he could not discern what it was.
“Ah Jiu, when you encountered them last night, did they attack you?” Shi Yu suddenly recalled something. His dark eyes fixed on Ah Jiu as he asked the question.
“No, but they would just keep staring at me. Their eyes were red, and it was so scary.” Recalling the scene, Ah Jiu still felt a lingering fear, his body trembling uncontrollably.
“It is alright. Everything is fine now.” Shi Yu patted his back gently, soothing the terrified little fox.
“Ah Yu, it seems they do not attack living people. Why do we not stay tonight and see what happens?” Mo Yuan suggested, recalling what Shi Yu had said the previous night.
Shi Yu nodded slightly, agreeing to the plan.
Night gradually descended upon the village like a mysterious black veil. The entire village was deathly silent, devoid of any signs of life. Under the dim moonlight, the houses looked eerie and terrifying, as if forgotten by time.
Shi Yu observed the outside scene through the window. Everything was calm, but it was an unnatural sort of calm.
Suddenly, the woman on the bed sat up. Ah Jiu was startled by the sudden movement, but he immediately ran toward her, looking at her with hopeful eyes, calling out to her incessantly.
“Mother, Mother, are you back? It is me, Ah Jiu! Mother!”
However, the woman kept her eyes closed, showing no reaction to Ah Jiu’s pleas. She stood up stiffly and walked toward the door. Ah Jiu ran in front of her to block her path, but she simply walked around him and continued forward.
“Ah Jiu, your mother does not recognize you right now.” Shi Yu held Ah Jiu back. He knew his words were cruel, but he had to warn Ah Jiu; he did not know what would happen if these strange beings were provoked.
“Stay here and be a good boy while waiting for your brother to come back, alright?” Shi Yu patted Ah Jiu’s back gently, comforted him with tenderness, and tucked him into bed. He stroked the child’s head and whispered the instruction.
Ah Jiu was already tear-stained, but he nodded obediently, indicating he understood. Shi Yu cast a protective spell around Ah Jiu, then followed Mo Yuan to chase after the woman.
The two carefully followed the figure in front of them, not daring to make a sound, until they reached a dry well in the center of the village. They hid quietly in the nearby shadows, keeping a close watch on the surroundings. The air felt frozen, and the tense atmosphere was suffocating.
Just then, a breeze brought a chill, and more and more corpses slowly climbed up from the ground, walking toward the well like ghosts. Shi Yu watched the terrifying scene, his brows deeply knitted.
As more corpses gathered, the woman suddenly leapt into the air, hovering above the dry well. The crimson light on her body became searing and blinding. Countless red threads shot out from the glaring light, connecting to the bodies of the other villagers.
Mo Yuan observed this carefully. A flash of insight crossed his peach-blossom eyes, as if he had realized something. Suddenly, the villagers began to roar in agony, as if enduring immense pain.
The fluorite on Shi Yu’s wrist bracelet began to flash rapidly. He frowned at the flashing light, not noticing a single red thread shooting straight toward him.
“Ah Yu, be careful!” Mo Yuan saw the thread coming, immediately pulled Shi Yu into his arms, and cast a spell to deflect the red thread.
Shi Yu remained dazed in Mo Yuan’s embrace for a moment before snapping back to reality. He immediately cast a spell to open the Jade Umbrella, concealing their presence. The red threads hovered in the air for a moment, seemingly unable to find their target, and retracted.
The two stood under the umbrella, carefully observing the woman’s actions. The red threads seemed to be absorbing something from the villagers, and the red light gradually dimmed. After a while, the threads were completely withdrawn. The woman landed safely on the ground, and the other villagers began to disperse, wandering aimlessly.
Unlike them, the woman seemed to have a clear purpose; she closed her eyes and walked back the way she came. Shi Yu and Mo Yuan exchanged a look and followed closely without hesitation.
The woman returned to the house. As if she did not see Ah Jiu sitting by the bed, she walked straight over and lay back down in her original position. Ah Jiu watched his strange mother, tears streaming down his face. When Shi Yu and Mo Yuan entered, they saw this scene and retreated in tacit agreement.
“Ah Jiu is safe enough here. Let them be together for a while.” Shi Yu’s eyes revealed pity, his tone sorrowful.
Mo Yuan agreed, “Let us go elsewhere to take a look.”
They walked around the village, but aside from the abnormal villagers, they found nothing different. They returned to the center of the village. Shi Yu looked at the well, feeling an inexplicable strangeness. Mo Yuan noticed it too, and they walked toward the well.
“This well should be the only water source in the village. Why is it as desolate as the village entrance?” Shi Yu looked at the dead leaves and stones inside, his eyes filled with doubt.
“Everything in this village has been withered for a long time. I fear the reason is the same as that of the villagers.” Mo Yuan cast a spell to lift a dead leaf from the well, observing it carefully with a calm expression.
They patrolled repeatedly for a long time until the sky slowly turned gray. As the first ray of sunlight hit the ground, the villagers suddenly collapsed as if they had lost their support.
Shi Yu and Mo Yuan returned to Ah Jiu’s house. Pushing the door open, they found Ah Jiu curled up beside his mother, sleeping quietly.
“This little imp; he is indeed less annoying when he is quiet.” Mo Yuan curled his peach-blossom eyes slightly, watching Ah Jiu’s peaceful sleeping face.
Hearing their movement, Ah Jiu opened his eyes. Seeing them, he scrambled off the bed eagerly.
“Brother Shi Yu, is there a way to save Mother?”
Light sparkled in Ah Jiu’s large eyes as he looked at Shi Yu and Mo Yuan. Shi Yu could not bear to shatter his hope, so he remained silent.
Mo Yuan, however, suddenly spoke up, “Enough. We have already made some discoveries. You do not need to worry.”
Shi Yu looked at Mo Yuan in surprise, then immediately understood his intention. He echoed softly, “That is right, Ah Jiu, do not worry. Your mother will surely wake up.”
Ah Jiu lowered his head, lost in thought. After a moment, he looked up at them with bright, sparkling eyes, his face full of joy.
“Hmm, I believe you, Brother Shi Yu.”
“And what about me?” Mo Yuan felt displeased that Ah Jiu only mentioned Shi Yu’s name.
“You? You are nothing!” Ah Jiu scoffed and turned his head away, ignoring Mo Yuan.
Mo Yuan seemed accustomed to his personality and did not take it to heart. He looked at the woman on the bed, deep in thought. “Ah Yu, come out with me; I have something to discuss.”
The two turned and left, failing to notice the lonely expression on Ah Jiu’s face after he turned back.
Brother Shi Yu and Mo Yuan are just comforting me. Mother really cannot come back, can she?