Hearing no sound outside, Zuo Meng mustered her courage and went to the door, cautiously peeking out through the crack.
There were no bloodstains or body parts in the corridor as he had imagined; instead, it was spotless and dust-free. It seemed that when he got up and went out tomorrow morning, he would see the same clinic as yesterday, without any abnormalities.
If he hadn't heard the commotion outside with his own ears, he would have thought he was still half asleep.
Zuo Meng took a deep breath, stepped out, and tiptoed through the corridor, preparing to walk out of the clinic.
Just as I reached the door in the dark, I suddenly heard a familiar voice behind me, "Where are you going so late, guest?"
Zuo Meng turned around and saw that the clean little paper figure from the daytime was now covered in blood, its paper body filthy, and its eyes, marked with black dots, were staring at Zuo Meng.
"I...I'm going out for a walk..." Zuo Meng responded softly. The little paper figure, which was already eerie during the day, became even more terrifying at night, and she dared not look it in the eye.
"You're going out too?" The little paper figure nodded. "Then remember to come back early. I'm going to eat now."
It turned around, took small steps, picked up a stick of incense from the table next to it, and left without even glancing at Zuo Meng.
Watching its figure disappear into the darkness, Zuo Meng turned around blankly.
The little paper figures eat incense offerings, which is... normal.
Zuo Meng pushed open the door and left the clinic. The sound of suona horns in the distant village had stopped at some point, and the village of Yin became extremely quiet at night. There was no one on the path leading from the clinic to the village, and the evening breeze made it seem peaceful.
As I walked, a bright and vivid red appeared in the darkness, extremely eye-catching in the night.
Zuo Meng paused, stopping in her tracks.
If he wasn't mistaken... the person sitting by the roadside was a bride wearing a red veil and wedding dress.
She knelt there motionless, without making a sound. If it weren't for the striking color of her clothes, Zuo Meng wouldn't have noticed her at all.
Now, several meters away, Zuo Meng stood frozen in place, unsure whether to go forward or backward, staring at the bride without daring to move.
After a brief silence, Zuo Meng cautiously took a step forward.
I tried to probe, but the other party didn't move.
He tried again, but the other party still didn't move.
Zuo Meng moved forward step by step, tiptoeing past the bride.
Just as he passed the bride and was about to create distance, a voice suddenly drifted out from under the red veil, echoing softly in the night.
"Can you help me?"
Zuo Meng froze on the spot, completely stunned.
He turned his head stiffly, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the bride sitting by the roadside. He saw her slowly raise her head, revealing her delicate and beautiful chin, but beneath the red veil that swayed slightly in the wind, her vermilion lips were sewn shut from top to bottom with black thread.
"Can... you help me?" The woman's lips parted slightly again, but her sewn-on mouth could only produce very faint sounds.
Rule Six flashed through Zuo Meng's mind.
If you encounter a woman alone in a secluded place, please do not approach her or listen to her voice. Staying put is the best way to survive.
He stared blankly at the woman, then slowly took two steps forward, having made up his mind not to pay any attention to her.
But a second before he looked away, he caught a glimpse of the woman in the corner of his eye. She simply turned her head back, said nothing, wiped her face under her red veil, and then remained silent.
Zuo Meng's pupils trembled. Could her action just now... have she been wiping away tears?
An unusual feeling welled up inside her, just like when the woman had asked for help outside the window before. When the player ignored her, she stopped talking. It was like a silent sense of disappointment, a feeling that she had long been accustomed to the player's indifference.
Zuo Meng stopped in her tracks, her gaze fixed on the woman.
Is this how this instance is? Does the monster lure players into breaking the rules in such a subtle way? It's completely different from previous instances.
Moreover, this method will only harm kind-hearted people, while cold-hearted people will not be tempted by it at all.
Zuo Meng's mind was a complete mess. He should ignore the woman and walk forward, after all, the rules had reminded him of that, but now he just couldn't take a step.
He turned back and stared at the woman in the wedding dress, feeling that if he left now, he would lose something.
Zuo Meng frowned and took out her props from her pocket. At worst, she would be in danger because of this. She would just kill the monsters and go back to Paradise City like last time.
He held the prop, as if he had made up his mind, and turned back to the woman.
Noticing Zuo Meng's movement, the woman slowly raised her head, revealing her lips that were stitched shut. "Why... are you back again?"
"What...what kind of help do you need?" Zuo Meng asked hesitantly, her face furrowed, somewhat nervous, already prepared for the monster to pounce on her.
The woman lowered her head, shifting her body slightly to reveal her legs beneath her red wedding dress. "I want to go home, but my legs won't let me walk. Can you carry me home?"
Her fair calves were covered in red, swollen, and bruised marks, and were still bound with ropes.
Zuo Meng stared at the shocking scars on the calf, her brows furrowing even deeper. "What happened to your leg?"
The woman lowered her head. "I was interrupted because I wanted to run away."
"Who interrupted you?"
The woman fell silent.
Zuo Meng squatted down and untied the ropes binding the woman's legs. She then noticed that her hands were also bound.
Her hands and feet were bound to prevent her from struggling or escaping, her mouth was sewn shut, and she was still wearing her wedding dress. This made Zuo Meng gasp and think of some bad things.
"You...were you ever put in a coffin?"
The woman nodded, but didn't intend to reveal anything more.
Zuo Meng silently untied the ropes binding her wrists.
The ropes binding her limbs were untied, but the woman did not pounce on him. Unable to stand, she remained seated, her slender figure appearing extremely frail beneath the oversized, ill-fitting wedding dress.
"Then I'll carry you back to the village." Zuo Meng squatted down, then added after a moment's thought, "Don't betray me!"
The woman nodded, put her hands on Zuo Meng's back, and was gently lifted up by him.
She was lighter than Zuo Meng had imagined, and her body temperature was colder than she had expected. Having come this far, Zuo Meng no longer expected her to be a person; she could only pray that she hadn't made a mistake.
Zuo Meng was a little nervous on the way to Yin Village, but her emotions gradually eased after she realized that the woman hadn't made any moves.
Upon entering the village, the dangers it presents after nightfall become immediately apparent.
Even though it was nighttime and should have been quiet, every house in the village had its lights on. The villagers weren't at home either; instead, they were carrying weapons and moving from house to house, gently knocking on each door, and then... making sounds that didn't belong to them.
"Boss Ye, are you there? It's scary outside, I want to go inside and hide!"
That's Zhong Mu's voice.
"Boyfriend! Open the door! I'm home!"
This is Li Mo's voice.
"Help! It's terrifying outside!! Open the door and let me in!"
This is Zuo Meng's own voice.
Zuo Meng was stunned when she heard the unfamiliar villager speak from just a few steps away.
The people in this village are all incredibly talented at night! Their ability to mimic voices is beyond supernatural; they should be making their own TV shows!