C7 The Moving Corpse

Changshun had an uneasy feeling that something was off. If the charm the Taoist had given him could harm the belle, did that imply she was something more than she seemed?

At that moment, a bizarre wind whipped up outside. A whirlwind swept into the cave, stirring up dust and sand, blinding Changshun so much that he couldn't open his eyes.

"Damn it, I knew there was a problem. Why haven't you thrown that thing away yet?"

Changshun hesitated.

He was torn between heeding the belle's advice or trusting the Taoist.

"What are you waiting for? Do you have a death wish?"

Seeing him frozen in place, the belle swiftly waved her sleeve, and a white semicircular shield enveloped Changshun, protecting him.

But the belle wasn't faring well; the eerie wind, sharp as hidden blades, had slashed her face.

Witnessing blood trickle down her porcelain-like complexion, he couldn't hesitate any longer and immediately discarded the charm.

Upon seeing this, the belle flicked her sleeve again, and her pink ribbons, writhing like serpents, snatched up the charm from the ground and cast it outside.

As soon as the charm left the cave, the wind ceased. The belle formed mystical signs with her hands and muttered an indecipherable spell, sealing the cave entrance with a web as intricate as a spider's.

After her efforts, she stumbled backward, and Changshun instinctively caught her, preventing a fall.

"What's wrong with you?"

"You're such an idiot, believing anyone who comes along. How did I end up with a host like you?"

Changshun was baffled, not understanding what she meant by 'host,' but it was clear that this seemingly fragile belle had saved his life.

"Wait, this isn't a dream?"

"Of course not. Why don't you slap yourself and see if it hurts?"

Changshun actually followed her suggestion, delivering a resounding slap to his own face.

"Ouch!"

"So, it's not a dream." The belle stated, and then her body began to fade into transparency.

Changshun was startled, but before he could react, he blacked out. When he came to, the belle was gone.

Thankfully, he was still within the safety of the cave.

With nothing around and his stomach growling, Changshun contemplated whether he should venture out in search of food.

His gaze darted around and settled on the wooden box tucked away in the corner.

The box was closed, yet Changshun was certain it contained a beautiful piece of jade.

Memories of recent bizarre dreams crossed his mind. Considering they might have been his grandfather's dying wishes communicated through dreams, he wavered over whether to touch the box or not.

After much deliberation, Changshun made a beeline for the box and scooped it up.

He stripped off his tattered coat and used it to wrap the box, tying it into a neat bundle before slinging it over his shoulder.

"To heck with it! If Grandfather entrusted me to guard this box, and I can't do that if I leave the village, then I'll just carry it with me."

Changshun extended his hand towards the cave entrance, half-expecting to encounter some barrier, but to his surprise, he strolled out with ease, as if the web spun by the belle was a mere illusion.

"I must be overworked lately, plagued by these odd dreams. I should head back," he thought to himself.

When Changshun finally reached home, dawn was breaking.

Normally, by this hour, the village would be alive with the sounds of crowing chickens and barking dogs, but today it was eerily silent.

"How odd! Isn't it past time for the chickens to crow?"

He grumbled to himself and returned to his house to deal with the items he hadn't managed to return the previous day. He would return what he could find and compensate for any lost items.

Carrying several benches, Changshun headed to Liu Ning's place, the nearest neighbor. He knocked on the door but received no reply for quite some time.

Mountain folk are typically early risers, often starting their day's work by four or five in the morning, so an empty house at this hour wasn't unusual.

He pushed against the door, which swung open without resistance.

In this close-knit community, there was little fear of theft, so it was common for homes to remain unlocked.

After returning the benches to Liu Ning's home, Changshun was about to fetch the rest of the items when he paused, hearing a noise from within the house.

Someone was indeed at home. "Liu Ning, it's me, Changshun. I've come to return what I owe you..."

As Changshun spoke, he pushed the door open with ease, only to be met with a stomach-churning stench of blood that assaulted his nostrils.

Startled, he stumbled backward, landing with a thud outside the doorway.

Inside the house were people, but they could hardly be called human anymore.

Liu Ning and his wife lay on the ground, drenched in blood, their eyes rolling back as they writhed slowly.

Had it not been for their eyes, Changshun might have believed they were still alive, but it was clear they were nothing but corpses now.

Terrified, Changshun bolted to summon help.

But as he dashed from Liu Ning's courtyard, he noticed that individuals from a few nearby homes were emerging.

No, not individuals—corpses.

These corpses moved like marionettes, their motions rigid and devoid of life.

Changshun didn't stop to ponder the situation; he was too frightened and ran straight for the outskirts of the village.

His first thought was to seek refuge at the Village Head's house.

After a clumsy and frantic journey, Changshun arrived to find the Village Head's door ajar, the silence inside deafening.

He entered to discover the livestock dead, mirroring the scene at Liu Ning's home.

This indicated that the Village Head too had met with misfortune.

Changshun spun around, ready to flee, but the thought of Xiuxiu rooted him to the spot.

Xiuxiu had cared for him, and he couldn't abandon her. Even if Xiuxiu had perished, he felt compelled to find her body and give her a proper burial.

With this resolve, Changshun grabbed an iron shovel from the yard and charged back into the house.

The Village Head was nowhere to be found, and the absence of the blood's stench suggested the house was empty.

Still uneasy, Changshun searched the house. Once certain it was empty, he decided to look elsewhere.

Then, a faint creaking of wood captured his attention.

He glanced around the room and instinctively called out, "Is anyone there?"

Perhaps the surrounding silence amplified his voice, making it sound piercingly loud.

"Bang!"

A noise erupted as the lid of the wooden box on the bedside table flew open, and a person emerged.

Changshun was startled and instinctively raised the iron shovel he was holding to defend himself, but to his surprise, the person lunged into his embrace.

"Brother Changshun, wuwuwu..."

Xiuxiu sobbed loudly, like someone who had found their rock in a moment of utter helplessness.

Changshun was bewildered but also relieved; he had feared that all the villagers had met with disaster.

Thankfully, Xiuxiu was still alive.

"Xiuxiu, tell me, what exactly happened? Where is the village chief?"