Lu Qianchuan glanced at Xiao Wenjing.
Xiao Wenjing said, “Wait until nightfall. I already told you this thing only appears at night.”
However the streets were sealed shut, every household tightly closed. For the moment they had no idea where to go.
Lu Qianchuan reached out and pushed on the door of a nearby shop. It did not move at all.
Even the cracks in the doors and windows had been sealed tightly with strips of paper.
Chu Zilan stepped forward. The fog on the street was growing thicker, and Ding Li had no choice but to stay close behind her, afraid that if she was careless for even a moment she might be caught by those unknown vines and lose her life.
Damn it. Dying before even starting would be terrible.
Chu Zilan walked a short distance ahead before stopping, as if observing something or thinking about something.
Then she suddenly raised her hand and pushed the door beside her.
With a creaking sound, the door opened a narrow gap.
Ding Li thought in amazement that the female lead truly was the female lead. All the cheat abilities and buffs gathered in one person. She was practically a heaven-defying existence.
But then Ding Li felt a wave of sorrow.
Following behind Chu Zilan would be such a good life. She was beautiful, powerful, and kind. What exactly was wrong with Su Xiangqing? Why would she lose her mind and try to steal a man from the female lead who possessed such overwhelming buffs?
What was she thinking?
Did she think she was not dying miserably enough?
The saddest part was that the sins committed by Su Xiangqing now had to be repaid by her, Ding Li. How outrageous.
The working girl Ding Li thought silently that pursuing the male lead was already a System Task. As for framing the female lead, that could be discussed later.
Chu Zilan pushed open the door and walked inside. Ding Li followed closely behind.
The two men behind them heard the sound and quickly came over as well.
This was a clothing shop. Various garments hung on the walls, while the table nearby displayed brightly colored fabrics and finished clothing.
But there was no one inside.
Lu Qianchuan called out, “Is anyone here? We are cultivators from the Cangshan Sect.”
No one answered.
Lu Qianchuan spoke again. “We have come down the mountain under our master’s orders to eliminate demons. Is anyone here?”
Silence.
Xiao Wenjing suddenly looked at Ding Li and asked, “How were you injured?”
Ding Li: “…”
You really don’t understand timing. That happened before I transmigrated. How would I know?
Ding Li thought for a moment and said softly, “I don’t remember.”
Xiao Wenjing narrowed his eyes. “You don’t remember?”
What are you going to do, kill me? Look at you glaring like that.
Ding Li felt annoyed but hesitated before replying slowly, “Let me think… It seemed like someone attacked me from behind, and then I fainted…”
Xiao Wenjing was silent for two seconds before letting out a mocking laugh.
Damn it…
Ding Li quickly added, “But I think I heard someone mention the Soul-Devouring Demon Vine.”
Lu Qianchuan looked over. “Soul-Devouring Demon Vine?”
Ding Li said timidly, “Yes… something about disturbing the mind.”
Lu Qianchuan fell into thought.
Chu Zilan said, “She was injured by a vine puppet.”
Lu Qianchuan asked, “You mean townspeople who were parasitized by the Demon Vines?”
Chu Zilan nodded.
Lu Qianchuan said, “If only we knew how the vines infect people.”
Just then the side door nearby creaked open and someone slowly walked out.
The person moved normally and swept his gaze across the group without any obvious abnormalities.
But his face…
On his face and neck faint green vines could be seen appearing and disappearing. They shifted in thickness, sometimes thin, sometimes thick. It looked extremely strange.
But he was clearly still a human.
Before Lu Qianchuan could speak, the man asked, “You are cultivators from the Cangshan Sect?”
Lu Qianchuan immediately replied, “Yes. The vines on your face…”
Xiao Wenjing added, “Recently infected.”
The man’s expression was calm and cold as he said, “Priests and cultivators coming here is useless.”
The three of them had indeed been in the town for several days already and had made no breakthroughs. But since the man had opened the door, he clearly still held some hope.
Lu Qianchuan said, “I cannot remove the vines from you right now, but I can slow their growth.”
After speaking he gathered a strand of white light at his fingertips. With a quick motion he directed it toward the man’s face. The light spread across the man’s entire face, and slowly the green vines on his face and neck faded.
The man’s expression, previously stiff due to the vines, gradually relaxed.
Lu Qianchuan asked, “Are you the shop owner here?”
Seeing that Lu Qianchuan was somewhat useful, the man’s face softened slightly.
“Yes.”
Lu Qianchuan said, “We have been down the mountain for two days, but we still do not know where the vines come from. Can you recall how you were infected?”
The shop owner thought for a moment before answering.
“I don’t know either. Last night while I was sleeping, I suddenly felt hot, so I opened the window a little. When I woke up this morning, I saw these green vines on my face.”
No wonder every household in the city had their doors and windows tightly closed. It seemed the vines could enter through even the smallest gap.
The shop owner sighed.
“Many people in the city have already died in the past two days. If this continues, everyone will die.”
So fast? Could these vines spread like a plague?
Suddenly Xiao Wenjing said, “Listen.”
Night had already fallen and the surroundings were completely dark.
The group listened carefully. From outside the window came a miserable scream. At first it sounded far away, but then it seemed to draw closer.
Soon Ding Li realized that the sound was not approaching.
The screams were coming from both near and far at the same time.
Lu Qianchuan and Chu Zilan exchanged a glance.
The shop owner sighed deeply.
“It’s starting again.”
Almost instantly the city filled with waves of painful cries and screams.
The shop owner turned back, opened the side door, and returned to the inner room.
Lu Qianchuan said, “Let’s go outside and take a look.”
Chu Zilan nodded.
Xiao Wenjing had already pushed the door open and walked outside.
Outside, the moon hung high in the night sky. The bright moonlight illuminated the ground.
The street that had been empty during the day was now filled with people.
But none of the people walking there were normal.
Green vines covered their exposed skin, the veins clearly visible. The vines moved across their bodies as if alive, shifting in and out of their flesh.
The expressions on their faces were equally strange.
They seemed unable to see anyone else, completely immersed in their own worlds. Whatever they were experiencing caused unbearable pain on their faces.
Some people suddenly began smashing their heads against walls.
Others ran wildly in agony.
Some even drew their swords.
A beam of white light flashed from Chu Zilan’s fingertips, striking the arm of one man who was swinging a sword. The sword immediately fell to the ground.
But the man bent down at once and began searching blindly until he picked it up again.
Xiao Wenjing rushed forward in a single step and dislocated the man’s arm.
Simple and brutal.
Lu Qianchuan said, “These people have been infected by the vines and have fallen into illusions.”
“Then why weren’t they like this during the day?” Ding Li asked.
Lu Qianchuan replied, “Perhaps the vines can only survive or grow at night.”
But where exactly had these vines come from?
Lu Qianchuan was still thinking when suddenly strands of green glowing light drifted through the air.