The World Below Surface

Chapter 45: Mixed rice with incense ash

In just one sentence, the temperature inside the car dropped several degrees. After a moment of silence, Chu Xiu spoke up, his voice laced with uncertainty, "What you just said... is it true?"

Lu Yan, donning his usual expressionless facade, lowered his gaze and appeared to be deep in thought. After a brief pause, he responded nonchalantly, "Believe it or not, it's up to you."

Their journey led them to another hotel, where Nie Yun Zhen and Shi Yan eagerly greeted them as soon as they parked. It was clear they were intrigued by Lu Yan's presence.

They couldn't help but wonder about their connection. How long had they known each other? Had he been fooled into thinking that they were trustworthy companions? But as they observed Lu Yan's shrewd demeanour, they dismissed the possibility.

Ignoring their curious stares, Lu Yan nodded in their direction, but didn't bother to initiate a greeting. He had accomplished his goal anyway.

Since Chu Xiu promised to investigate the Omniscient God Sect for him, Lu Yan had been subtly reinforcing his psychological suggestion. He had initially set his sights on An Xing Yu, but they had parted ways abruptly in Red River Village before he could fully manipulate his mind.

However, Chu Xiu seemed like a better candidate. He was older and had more experience, which meant he was more likely to survive longer than An Xing Yu. Lu Yan had been searching for so long that he was losing hope. But encountering people like Chu Xiu occasionally gave him glimpses of the ordinary world before the mutations occurred. He refused to give up.

The group spent the rest of the day running errands and buying supplies. Lu Yan requested that the boss pack four bowls of rice mixed with fragrant ash for dinner. It was also known as dead man's rice, and according to urban legend, it was believed to help lost spirits find their way home.

Eating this rice was also said to make seeing dead people easier and even make one a ghost. The group found themselves on Yinming Road, where yin and yang supposedly converged, adding to the ominous atmosphere.

As they strolled along the street, the sun began to set. Suddenly, a black cat leapt from a tree and landed in Lu Yan's arms. A missing cat noticed hanging from the tree had the same photo as the cat in his arms. It appeared to be stepping on his elbow as if seeking refuge.

Wen Qing was the contact person, and she and her group appeared trapped in an endless cycle. The black cat from a few days ago had returned, just like before, and was now standing before them.

Shi Yan's heart melted at the sight of the feline, and she asked, "Do you want to send it back?"

Chu Xiu led the way, carefully avoiding Wen Qing and Yun Qian's deadly grasp, but Shi Yan couldn't resist being kind to the cat. Lu Yan shook his head, saying, "Let's not waste time." He placed the cat on the ground, put the student ID back into its mouth, and patted it on the backside. "You can find your own way back."

The cat disappeared into the foliage, evading Shi Yan's hand and reaching to pet it. It was best not to search for the cat. Wen Qing's resurrection required a vital condition: the cat had to be dead after killing everyone in the hotel, including Wen Zheng Xin. This was a possible solution to breaking the cycle.

As they waited for nightfall, the surroundings grew gloomier, like a pot of undiluted ink, and the trees became more abundant, but there were no verdant leaves to be found. Finally, they arrived at YinMing Road, which they planned to cross after midnight.

Shi Yan sat in the back seat, holding a thermos filled with rice and gazing out the window. She thought of Ye Sheng Ke and sighed softly, 'Little leaf is gone... How much longer will I last?' She was tired of the prolonged, hopeless darkness that awaited her in the future. Her desire for life prevented her from picking up the knife and ending it all, but she longed for a way out.

Nie Yun Zhen noticed Shi Yan's sombre expression in the mirror and switched to a more upbeat song, saying, "Alright, we can't bring the dead back to life, so let's focus on what's essential right now."

Shi Yan took a deep breath, trying to snap out of her grief and fear of death. Nie Yun Zhen's words left a lasting impact on her. Why choose death when life is an option? Those were Ye Sheng Ke's words of solace to her, and she knew he was right. She had to keep fighting, no matter how hopeless the situation seemed.

Can the dead truly be resurrected?

The cold seeped into their bones as the night wore on, and the heavy frost and dew finally gave way to midnight. Nie Yun Zhen had started the car and was driving through the darkness when the crossroads came into view.

"Shall we begin?" Nie Yun Zhen asked tentatively. Chu Xiu replied, "Let's start. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go back."

The four of them alighted from the car, the biting wind swirling around them as they made their way to the centre of the crossroads. Since the task did not require them to work alone, they decided to work together. Nie Yun Zhen produced over a dozen sticks of incense from his bag and a lighter from his pocket, attempting to light them. However, something strange occurred - his lighter produced a spark, but the flame went out instantly. What did this mean?

The other three people also contemplated the terrible possibility...

Chu Xiu chided, "Don't scare yourself," before holding his hands together and blocking the wind to allow Nie Yun Zhen to continue lighting the incense. This time, ten or so incense sticks were easily ignited, and three sticks were distributed to each person.

Shi Yan and Lu Yan had previously prepared the food, selecting the smallest bowls to avoid any mishaps. Four bowls of white rice were arranged with three sticks of incense inserted neatly into each one. White smoke wafted upwards as the three incense sticks burned little by little until they were completely consumed, leaving ash on the cooled rice.

Then it was time to eat.

Shi Yan stirred her bowl with chopsticks, and the white rice clumped together, forming grey granular substances that appeared nauseating. She gritted her teeth and took a bite, struggling to swallow the disgusting mixture.

Shi Yan resisted the urge to vomit to survive, but she noticed that the others' expressions were equally pained. Only the newcomer, Lu Yan, appeared calm, almost like a robot pouring oil into his mouth with no visible emotion. This demeanour put people off their appetite and made them feel less nauseous.

Shi Yan understood why Chu Xiu had insisted on finding the newcomer himself and was pleased with his resilience. Encouraging herself, she persevered and continued to eat.

One small bowl was quickly consumed, but after a few seconds of patience, Lu Yan's stomach felt like it was torn apart by sharp objects. He sat up straight and scanned his surroundings, wondering if he would see ghosts after eating food for dead people. However, he saw nothing but the pitch-black night sky and the pale-white road, all blank with nothing in sight.

As Lu Yan scanned his surroundings, Shi Yan's eyes widened - she had seen it. She had seen something!

According to legend, if one unintentionally lays eyes on a ghost, one must not utter a single sound. It's best to feign blindness. If the ghost senses you or if you lock eyes with it, death or bad luck will befall you.

Shi Yan kept her head low and refrained from talking, but her gaze slowly drifted towards Chu Xiu and Nie Yun Zhen.

Can they see it?

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