Zuo Meng pointed to the paper figures that hadn't been dotted with eyes but were crookedly stuck in the roadside. Facing their red and pale faces, she couldn't help but frown. "Aren't you really afraid when you see these things? These underworld things are something that we're terrified of, ingrained in our very bones."
Moreover, in the background of this instance, the sound of suona horns is constant in the distance, mournful and wailing, while the smell of incense is pungent and the smell of smoke and ash is dizzying, as if one has stepped into the realm between the living and the dead. A gust of wind blows, and ghost money flutters down in the air, with gusts of eerie wind blowing.
Moreover, the village is situated on two sides, one yin and one yang, where weddings and funerals are held frequently, making it a chilling and alarming sight.
Zhong Mu thought it over and over. Indeed, in the past, he would have been trembling with fear and struggling to move forward, just like Zuo Meng. But now he felt inexplicably calm. He even felt a sense of comfort when he saw the little paper figure. It was as if he could see the same little paper figure and the doctor being supported by it as he walked along this path.
"Maybe I've seen something similar before, and being with the big boss of our town makes me not afraid at all!" Zhong Mu nodded seriously, looking at the figures walking ahead, feeling completely safe.
Even the most terrifying dungeon can't be more terrifying than their lineup this time: Yin Shashen plus Ye Laoda, with Ya Ya and Li Mo by their sides—that's a powerhouse lineup! What's there to be afraid of!
Zuo Meng thought so too, and then his emotions gradually calmed down. He quickly caught up with the main group along with Zhong Mu.
Several people walked along the village streets, taking in the surroundings and noting the village's layout, while also observing the villagers.
Ye Tianxuan and Zhong Mu had both read the dungeon guide and knew the background of the village like the back of their hand. Only Zuo Meng and Yin Xiu would remember all the subtle anomalies in the village.
Yin Xiu looked up and noticed that the villagers who walked past them were all elderly people or children, with no young people in sight. However, there were indeed young people in the village, such as the clothes of young people drying in the yard and the occasional pale face peeking out of the window.
For some reason, all the young people in the village stayed at home and didn't go out. As a result, in the entire large village, only young people from outside, like Yin Xiu, walked around, which was particularly conspicuous.
"Brother! Look!" Ya Ya, who was standing at his feet, suddenly seemed to have discovered something amazing. She grabbed Yin Xiu's hand and shook it, drawing his attention back from the houses on both sides.
He looked in the direction Ya Ya pointed and saw a huge, conspicuous mangrove tree in the distance. They were too far away to see it clearly, but they could vaguely make out some wispy things hanging down from the treetops and swaying slightly in the wind.
The bright color stood out starkly against the gray sky, like a red willow tree.
But are there red willows?
"That thing up ahead is a real gem," Ye Tianxuan said with a knowing smile, glancing meaningfully at Yin Xiu. "You two will definitely love it."
Yin Xiu didn't know who the "you two" he was referring to was, so he silently walked forward.
The villager leading the way glanced back at the group of people behind him with a strange look. They were still quite far from the tree in the center of the village. Could an ordinary person see that tree from this distance? Only a monster could see it, right?
He glanced at the first little girl who screamed. This little player, wearing a red dress and holding a little rabbit doll, looked somewhat familiar.
The villagers' eyes darted between the group of people.
The player walking in the middle with the knife looked somewhat familiar, and his expressionless face even gave them a chill for no reason.
The player next to me, dressed in white and seemingly easy to talk to, looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn't quite place him.
Could these players be those who have completed the game before? Otherwise, how can you explain so many familiar feelings?
The villagers looked back every few steps, scrutinizing each person. They felt as if some memories were about to surface, only to be inexplicably suppressed, as if they instinctively didn't want to recall them.
While they were pondering, the group approached the large tree planted in the center of the village.
Upon closer inspection, it becomes clear that this is not a red willow tree, but a withered tree covered in red threads. The dry branches stretch towards the dark sky, with glaring lines hanging down from the branches, swaying gently in the wind like willow twigs.
The rugged, withered trees exuded an aura of death, while the bright red threads adorning them resembled a newly made wedding dress, dazzlingly red.
Besides the tangled threads, there were also many wooden signs hanging above. Some of the old signs were rotten and about to fall. When the wind blew, the wooden signs collided and knocked against each other, making a dull sound that intertwined with the sound of the suona, creating an eerie yet harmonious atmosphere.
"This tree is the origin of our village's name, Yin Village." The villager who led the way stopped under the tree, turned around, patted the thick trunk, and pointed with a smile to the red lines hanging down overhead.
"This is our village's marriage tree. As long as you cut the red thread from the tree and tie it to the little fingers of two people, you're considered to be bound together. If you write your names on a wooden plaque, hang it on a branch, and then get married in the village, you'll be able to meet again even if you cross the Bridge of Helplessness in the future."
The ancient tale, spoken from the old man's withered, smiling mouth, sounded like a joyous occasion, yet carried a hint of the uncanny.
Yin Xiu silently raised his eyes to look at the huge mangrove tree swaying in the wind in front of him.
[Rule Four: Danger can easily lurk anywhere in the village. To ensure someone can pull you back from danger in time, immediately go to the largest mangrove tree in the center of the village after entering and bind a red thread with someone you trust. This will ensure you have a chance to escape from this quagmire.]
The rules mention the mangrove tree, but it's clearly not the ambiguous act of binding people into marriage as the villagers claim. Instead, it involves players forming teams and binding themselves together, and it's not a very reliable or stable option.
Because the very next rule starkly reveals the danger of that rule.
[Rule Five: If the person bound by the red thread falls into danger and tries to drag you into it, sever the red thread immediately to avoid being caught in the same danger.]
Rule Four guides players to form bonds so that they can help each other in times of danger. However, Rule Five reminds players of the hidden drawbacks of this benefit, which could lead them to make indifferent choices in dangerous situations.
One could believe that the bound player would bring him out of the abyss, or perhaps, abandon him into the abyss.
This red line should only be drawn when there is trust; otherwise, the outcome is uncertain.
In the village of marriage, the red thread represents fate and the bond between husband and wife. Coupled with the rules of the fourth and fifth, it does indeed have a flavor of "birds of a feather flock together, but in times of trouble, they fly away separately."
They were bound together by interests, and then severed by them.
Yin Xiu's thoughts were wandering when suddenly someone tugged at the hem of his clothes.
He turned his head and met Li Mo's smiling face, his dark eyes gleaming with barely concealed excitement and joy.
"Boyfriend, I want to link this!"